https://www.khutbah.info/the-virtue-of-prayer/ Worshipping Allah is the ultimate purpose beloved by Allah. He created creation for its sake, sent the messengers to convey it, revealed the scriptures to clarify it, and praised those who uphold it. Allah, the Exalted, said: Az-Zumar (39) 9: Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord [like one who does not]? And He warned those who act arrogantly toward worshipping Him. He said: Ghafir (40) 60: Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Worshipping Allah is the ultimate purpose beloved by Allah. He created creation for its sake, sent the messengers to convey it, revealed the scriptures to clarify it, and praised those who uphold it. Allah, the Exalted, said:
أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ
Az-Zumar (39) 9: Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord [like one who does not]?
And He warned those who act arrogantly toward worshipping Him. He said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
Ghafir (40) 60: Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
Worship is closeness with Allah and the joy of privately communicating with Him, a joy that is continuous and a delight that never ends. Whoever desires happiness, let them adhere to worship, for worship is more essential to the hearts than food and drink are to the bodies.
Few people grasp the magnificent meanings of the prescribed duties and acts of worship, and their impact on purifying hearts of the worshippers, straightening out their affairs, and bringing happiness to their lives. They are the Paradise of this world that leads to the Paradise of the Hereafter. Gratitude to Allah the Almighty is incumbent upon people for having prescribed them, and additionally, for guiding to knowledge of them and enabling performance of them. For how many are the ignorant of them? How many are among the deprived, neglecting their performance? And how many are arrogant, turning away from them?
The successful are the people of guidance and consciousness of Allah, whose hearts are attached to the Mosques, who hasten early to the Prayers, who walk in the darkness of the night, who answer the call to success: “Hasten to the Prayer, hasten to success,” who race to the first row, and who catch the opening Takbeer with the Imam.
Going early to the Prayer, waiting for it, and occupying oneself with remembrance and supplication before it are among the greatest means of attaining goodness and happiness, and relieving distress and worries. Imam al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ
If they knew what is in al-Tahjeer going early they would race to it. [Bukhari 615 Muslim 437]
Meaning, going early to the Prayer, whichever Prayer it might be.
When a person dedicates their attention to the Prayer, their heart becomes present in it. And when the heart is filled with khushoo (reverence and submission), it overflows onto the limbs with modesty and lowering of gaze, with good conduct and tranquility, while feeling the majesty of Allah Almighty before Whom one stands. They pray knowing what they are saying; they pray with their hearts reassured by the remembrance of their Lord.
Going early and hastening to the Prayer assists in having a present heart, khushoo’, and a mindfulness of Allah Almighty. It also helps in performing the prescribed supplications and remembrances morning and evening, and it assists in privately invoking Allah, and it assists in pondering the graces and signs of Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
الدُّعَاءُ لاَ يُرَدُّ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ
Supplication is not rejected between the Adhaan call to prayer and the Iqaamah second call to prayer. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3595, Grade: Sahih]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ صَلَّى قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَبَعْدَهَا أَرْبَعًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّارِ
Whoever prays four rak’ahs before Dhuhr Noon Prayer and four after it, Allah will forbid him from the Fire. [Sunan Ibn Majah 1160, Grade: Sahih]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
رَحِمَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً صَلَّى قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا
May Allah have mercy upon a man who prays four rak’ahs before Asr Afternoon Prayer. [Sunan Abi Dawud 1271, Grade: Hasan (Albani)]
The one who waits for the Prayer is still considered to be in Prayer as long as he is waiting for it.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لاَ يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا دَامَتِ الصَّلاَةُ تَحْبِسُهُ لاَ يَمْنَعُهُ أَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةُ
One of you is still in Prayer as long as the Prayer is holding him, and nothing is preventing him from returning to his family except the Prayer. [Al-Bukhari 659 and Muslim 649j]
The angels of the Most Merciful send blessings upon the one who waits for the Prayer and supplicate for his forgiveness and mercy as long as he remains in his prayer place, as long as he does not nullify his wudu or cause harm.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
الْمَلاَئِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلاَّهُ مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ
“The angels send blessings upon one of you as long as he remains in his prayer place as long as he does not nullify his wudu: O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy upon him. [Al-Bukhari 659 and Muslim 649h]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
أَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَا يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِ الْخَطَايَا وَيَرْفَعُ بِهِ الدَّرَجَاتِ
Shall I not guide you to that by which Allah wipes away sins and raises ranks? They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said:
إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوءِ عَلَى الْمَكَارِهِ وَكَثْرَةُ الْخُطَا إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ وَانْتِظَارُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ فَذَلِكُمُ الرِّبَاطُ
Performing wudu perfectly despite difficulties, increasing the steps towards the Mosques, and waiting for the Prayer after the Prayer—that is ar-Ribaat vigilance on the frontier, that is ar-Ribaat. [Muslim 251a]
As for going early for Friday Prayer, the angels are at the doors of the Mosques on Friday, writing down the first one, then the next, and the next. When the Imam sits down, they fold up the scrolls and prepare to listen to the remembrance.
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ اغْتَسَلَ يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ غُسْلَ الجَنَابَةِ ثُمَّ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الأُولَى، فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَدَنَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَقَرَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ كَبْشًا أَقْرَنَ، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ دَجَاجَةً، وَمَنْ رَاحَ فِي السَّاعَةِ الْخَامِسَةِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَّبَ بَيْضَةً، فَإِذَا خَرَجَ الإِمَامُ حَضَرَتِ المَلائِكَةُ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الذِّكْرَ
Whoever performs ghusl on Friday like the ghusl of janābah and then goes (early) in the first hour, it is as if he offered a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour, it is as if he offered a cow. Whoever goes in the third hour, it is as if he offered a horned ram. Whoever goes in the fourth hour, it is as if he offered a chicken. Whoever goes in the fifth hour, it is as if he offered an egg. When the imam comes out (to deliver the khutbah), the angels are present to listen to the reminder. [Bukhari 881, Muslim 850a]
The Friday khutbah is not merely words delivered. Rather, it is divine admonition and a reminder of faith. Allah has commanded us to listen attentively to it. So, let our hearts be present and our ears attentive, for it is an hour during which mercy descends and heedlessness is wiped away. The righteous predecessors used to raise their children to revere this ritual because it is a weekly guidance that purifies souls and instills faith. It is incumbent upon fathers and educators to instill in the youth the love of attending it and listening to it attentively, and not to be distracted by chatter or amusement. For the angels write down the arrivals until the Imam emerges, and when he emerges, the scrolls are folded up and they sit to listen. So, let us seize these blessed hours and raise our children to revere it, for it is the provision for the hearts and a guidance for the ears. Whoever turns away from it has been deprived of great goodness.
Allah Almighty said:
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ * رِجَالٌ لَاتُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِالْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ * لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا وَيَزِيدَهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُبِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
An-Noor (24) 36-38: (36) [They are] in houses which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the mornings and the evenings are (37) men whom neither commerce nor selling distracts from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of prayer and the giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about – (38) that Allah may reward them [according to] the best of what they did and increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Whoever safeguards the Five Prayers, they will be light, proof, and salvation for them on the Day of Resurrection. But whoever does not safeguard them, they will be neither light, nor proof, nor salvation for them, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Ubayy bin Khalaf.
So be conscious of Allah—may Allah have mercy upon you—strive earnestly and hasten. Establish the Prayer while turning in repentance to your Lord, full of reverence, humility, and submission, just as Al-Hasan Al-Basri—may Allah have mercy upon him—said:
When you stand for Prayer, stand in devout obedience just as Allah has commanded you, and beware of distraction… for Allah looks at you while you look towards other than Him.
So safeguard them strictly within their proper times, perform them with due reverence, and raise your children to revere them, for the Prayer is the greatest means of instilling faith and purifying the hearts. Allah the Almighty says:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
Al-Mu’minun: 23:1-2: (1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive.
O Allah, shower us with Your bounty, grant us Your mercy, and guide us toward that which pleases You. O Allah, help us to remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in the best manner.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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