Worship & Prayer
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days [Bukhari]
Sufyaan ibn `Abdillaah (ra) said: "Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam, which I cannot ask anyone else besides you." The Prophet (pbuh) replied: "Say: 'I believe in Allah' and then remain steadfast upon that." [Saheeh Muslim]
And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj, the pilgrimage. They will come to you walking and mounted from every distant point. [Al-Quran 22:27]
Sheikh Yusuf Estes gives a nutshell explanation of this great pillar of Islam.
Allah (swt) states in the Quran, 'We appointed Abraham to establish the Shrine: 'You shall not idolise any other god beside Me, and purify My shrine for those who visit it, those who live near it, and those who bow and prostrate.' And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding on various exhausted (means of transportation). They will come from the farthest locations.' [Al-Qur'an 22:26-27] Two million people perform this sacred ritual every year, rich and poor, black and white, all seeking the forgiveness and pleasure of their Lord. Presented by Br Ajmal Masroor
The Prophet(pbuh) said in this regard: "The first thing which will be judged among a person's deeds on the Day of Resurrection is the prayer. If that is in good order, he will pass the test and prosper, and if that is defective, he will fail the test and be a loser." (Tirmidhi) In this amazing sermon, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi explains the supreme significance of the second pillar of Islam. In 25 minutes time you too will appreciate the importance of prayer in your life.
Listen to this audio...
Say, O Muhammad, 'Indeed my Prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all purely and solely for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. There is no share of any of that for other than Him. That is what My Lord ordered me, and I am the first of this nation to submit to Allah as a Muslim.' [Al-Quran 6:162-163] The concept of worship in Islam differs from that found in other religions, in general, worship is understood to mean the observance of certain rituals: praying, fasting, giving charity, and other 'good' works. In Islam, however, worship is much more- it is one's entire life. As many Muslim scholars have said: 'Worship is an all-inclusive term for those internal and external sayings and actions of a person that are pleasing to Allah.' In other words, worship is that which is done in obedience to Allah's will, which obviously includes rituals but goes far beyond to the realms of ones beliefs, social activities, and personal contributions to one's society and fellow human beings. Presented by Dr Attur Rahman Gohar, a PhD graduate in Hadith studies and Professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia.
Allah(swt) says in the Holy Qur'an, "O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Al-Qur'an 39:53) Talk presented by Br Jalal Ibn Saeed.
