About Namaaz (sala’at)

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said…
The one who disdains the prayers will receive 15 punishments from Allah.

Six punishments in his lifetime
Three while dying
Three in the grave &
Three on the Day of Judgment.

The Six Punishments of Life: 

1. Allah takes away blessings from his age (makes his life misfortunate)
2. Allah does not accept his plea (Dua’s)
3. Allah erases the features of good people from his face.
4. He will be detested by all creatures on earth.
5. Allah does not award him for his good deeds. (No thawab)
6. He will not be included in the Dua’s of good people.

The Three Punishments while Dying   (Alam-e-Naza’a):

1. He dies humiliated.
2. He dies hungry.
3. He dies thirsty. Even if he drinks the water of all seas he will still be thirsty.

The Three Punishments in the Grave   (Azab-e-Qabr):

1. Allah tightens his grave until his chest ribs come over each other.
2. Allah pours on him fire with embers.
3. Allah sets on him a snake called ‘the brave’, ‘the bold’ which hits Him from morning until afternoon for leaving Fajr prayer, from the afternoon until Asr for leaving Dhuhr prayer and so on. With each strike he sinks 70 yards under the ground.

The Three Punishments on the Day of Judgement   (Qiyamat):

1. Allah sends who would accompany him to hell pulling him on the face.
2. Allah gives him an angry look that makes the flesh of his face fall down.
3. Allah judges him strictly and orders him to be thrown in hell.

  Additional penalty for those who don’t say their prayer of: 

Fajar: the glow of their face is taken away.
Zohar: the blessing of their income is taken away.
Asar: the strength of their body is taken away.
Maghrib: they are not benefited by their children.
Isha: the peace of their sleep is taken away.

  Obligatory Prayers and their Timings:
According to the instructions and practice of Prophet Muhammed (SAWS), following periods have been fixed for offering Namaaz:

• Fajar: From dawn to just before sunrise.
• Zuhar: After noon. From the time the sun starts declining till the time the shadow of everything is twice its own size.
• Asar: After Zuhar till just before sun set.
• Maghrab: After sun set till the light in the sky disappears.
• Isha: After Maghrib till just before dawn. It should preferably be offered before mid-night.
• Namaz Jumaa (Friday Noon Prayer): Same as Zuhar. (as Jamat)

  Non-Obligatory Prayers and their Timings 

• Ashraq (Shuruq or early forenoon prayer): Ishraq Prayer is a nafl prayer which is performed about 12 minutes after sunrise. It has only 2 rakaats, which will take you less than 2 minutes, are equivalent to 360 good deeds. The best way to perform Ishraq prayer is to sit in place after fajr prayer and do dhikir and then leave after performing Ishraq prayers when the sun has risen.
• Chaasht (later forenoon prayer): The former takes place when the sun is nearly in the mid-eastern sky and the second a little before noon. The Chasht prayer has 2 to 12 rak’ats. This prayer has great merit, though it is not Farz, Wajeb or Sunnat. In order to gain excellence and high divine morals, this prayer has been recommended. Nearly all the Prophets used to observed this prayer Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others. Great rewards for this prayer have been promised in the traditions.
• Salat Al-Awwabin: Awwabin is the plural of Awwab and this refers to the one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience. Salat al-Awwabin refers to optional prayer after Maghrib and before Isha, consists of 6 rak’ahs. Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He who performs 6 Rak`has after Maghrib while not supplicating against others, it will be as if he has worshipped Allah for twelve consecutive years.
• Tahajjud: After the Isha Namaz till just before dawn. It should preferably be offered after mid night, getting up from sleep. Normally one should offer Namaz-i-Isha and sleep without offering Namaz-i-wajibul vittar which should be offered after Tahajjud after getting up from sleep late at night.
• Namaz Istakharah (prayer for seeking counsel): Istikharah prayer is a two-rak’ah non-obligatory prayer by which one seeks Allah’s guidance when he is confused or can’t choose between permissible alternatives. In this case, the Muslim should pray to Allah the Almighty to guide him to whatever He sees fit for him and make his heart satisfied with the decision. In the Prayer, one asks Allah to facilitate the matter if it is good and turn it away if it is not.
• Namaaz Istisqa (prayer for rain): Namaz-e-Istisqa is Mustahab (recommended) and to be prayed when we need rain, i.e. when rain is required. Istisqa means the request of water and rain. Namaz-e-Istisqa is a two Rakat Namaz. But Namaz-e-Estisqa has got an exception that we can pray it in a gathering i.e. Jamaat Namaaz.
• Salat Al-Tasbih (Prayer for forgiveness of all sins): This salaat (namaz) is offered in four rakat at a time and can be read in any part of the day and night but is preferred before Zuhr. Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) said if you can pray this salah once a day, if you can not pray once a day then every Friday, and even if this is not possible then once a month and even if this is not possible then once a year and even if this is not possible then at least once in a lifetime.

  Other Optional Prayers 

• Eid-ul-Fitr Prayer: Once a year on 1st Shawwal after completion of 29/30 fasts of Ramdhan. Offering time is from sunrise till Zuhar. It is better to offer it earlier.
• Eid-ul-Azha Prayer: Once a year on 10th of Zill Hajjah. Offering time is from sunrise till Zuhar. It is better to offer it earlier. Muslims offered “Qurbani” after the prayer.
• Salat Al-Janaza (funeral prayer): To be offered for the maghfirat of a deceased Muslim (either sex) before funeral. Muslim men and women are urged to pray the janaazah prayer, as it is the right of the dead person.
• Namaz Kasuf: To be prayed when the solar or lunar eclipse occurred.
• Salat Al-Hajah: To be prayed when we have a special need to be completed
• Salat At-Tawbah: Two rakats prayer for repentance of the past bad deeds
• Salat Al-Taraweeh: A special 20 rakats prayer offered in the month of Ramdhan.

It is better to offer Namaz as soon as the time for that particular Namaz starts. If due to unavoidable circumstances one is unable to offer a particular Namaz during the prescribed time, he or she should offer it later (Qaza Namaz), If one is regular at offering Namaz five times a day and unfortunately if the Asar Namaz could not be offered in time, then Asar Namaz should be offered before offering the Maghrib Namaz and so on for all other prayers.

 Forbidden periods for Namaaz: 

1. Immediately before sun rise for about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Just at noon for about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Immediately after sun set about 5 to 7 minutes.

  Different Categories of Namaaz:
In general there are four categories of Namaz:
Farz, Wajib, Sunnath and Nafil.

1. Farz means duty. It is compulsory and should not be avoided. It has two sub-divisions:

i) Farz-i-ayn; which is compulsory on all Muslims, for example offering Namaz five times a day, fasting during the month of Ramadan etc. One who performs it gets the reward but one who does not perform it is a sinner, liable to be punished. One who rejects it altogether is a kafir (Unbeliever).

ii) Farz-i-kifayah; which is not compulsory on all Muslims and even if a group of Muslims perform it the responsibility of all Muslims would be fulfilled, for example Namaz-i-janazah (Namaz for the dead).

2. Wajib: means essential or necessary. It is next to Farz in importance., for example Namaz-i-Idd. One who performs it gets the reward but one who does not perform it is a sinner liable to be punished.

3. Sunnah: means that which Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) did. There are two types of sunnaths: a) Sunnath-i-muakkadah: that which Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) always did and ordered his followers to do. One who does it gets the reward and one who does not do, is a sinner liable to be questioned. Sunnath-i-ghair muakkadah ; that which Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) did occasionally and which is optional on his followers. One who does it gets a reward.

4. Nafil: means extra. One who does it gets a reward but one who does not do/ is not liable to be punished.