Ali (PBUH) was born in the Ka\u2019ba, the\nplace where Muslims turn to for their daily prayers. He is the first follower of Islam, and the\nfirst1 to pray behind the last Prophet (PBUH). \nHe thus knows the importance and value of prayer, the first obligatory\nact set by Allah2 (SWT), more than all other Muslims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been narrated that when Ali\n(PBUH) stood for Salat, he was such that in one of the wars, when an arrow hit\nthe foot of Imam Ali (PBUH), removing it was so difficult. His men waited until Ali (PBUH) stood for Salat,\nand only then were then able to remove the arrow. In prayer, he was so flooded in supplication\nwith his Lord that he was not aware of the removal of the arrow3, and only when\nhis Salat was complete did he feel the pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likewise in another example, one of\nthe dreadful nights of the Seffein War4, arrows flooded in from all\ndirections. People saw Amir al Mu\u2019minin\n(PBUH), facing the qibla performing Salat. \nAfter his Salat, they asked him, \u201cO Amir al Mu\u2019minin! Why the Salat now?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Ali (PBUH) responded, \u201cWhat is\nthis war for anyway? Is it other than\nthe fact that we want to remove oppression and corruption so Salat and the\ndivine laws taken place as they should?\u201d5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Amir al Mu\u2019minin has spoken\nabout Salat in many of his speeches, emphasizing the importance of this divine\ncommand as an act that matches no other in importance: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. In one of his\nsermons to his companions the Imam tells them, \u201cYou should conduct Salat (with\nsuch importance), and work towards protecting and observing it. (You should) act upon it more and more, and\nattain proximity to Allah (SWT) through it, for Allah (SWT) has said in the\nHoly Quran, \u2018Salat is an act that has become obligatory on the pious in the\nspecified time\u20196. Have you not heard of\nthe response of those (residing) in Hellfire, to whom which according to the\nsaying of Allah (SWT), they are asked, \u2018What has brought you to the Hellfire?\nThey say, [We were not among the performers of Salat].\u20197\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salat clears our sins as leaves fall\noff trees, and frees humans as four legged creatures are freed. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) compared\nSalat to a warm spring at the house of a person that washes him five times\ndaily, for which no further filth is left on the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The importance of prayer is only known\nto the believers who do not get occupied with the worldly things, wealth and\nchildren as Allah (SWT) has clearly said in the Holy Quran: \u201cMen whom neither\nmerchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah (SWT)and the\nkeeping up of prayer and the paying of the poor-rate…\u201d8<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though Allah (SWT) had promised\nthe paradise to His Great Prophet, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) always continued\nto perform prayers so much that it had caused difficulty for him. He considered\nthe verse: \u201cAnd enjoin prayer on Your family, and, steadily adhere to it…\u201d9<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP)\nused to enjoin his family to prayer and exert himself for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Instruction\ngiven to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, when Amir al-mu’minin (PBUH) appointed him as\nthe Governor of Egypt, he wrote: \u201cSay prayers at the appointed time. Do not say\nit earlier for the sake of (available) leisure nor delay it on account of\npre-occupation. Remember that every act of yours is dependent on your\nprayer.\u201d11, 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Even more\ninteresting is that on the eve of twenty first of the holy month of Ramadhan,\nhours before his departure from this world, while delivering his historical\nWill to his honored children, Imam Hassan and Imam Hossein (PBUT) he said:\n\u201c(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of prayer, because it is\nthe pillar of your religion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed Amir al-Mo\u2019menin (PBUH) was the\nfirst performer of prayer in Islam, his beginning in this world was in the\nhouse of Allah and his ending was also in the house of Allah. Thus, he became\nthe first martyr of Islam in Mihrab (Sanctuary).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from the article \u201cSecrets of Prayer in Peak of Eloquence\u201d by\nLate Hujatul Islam Ali Dourani)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd Website offers condolences\nto all Muslims, especially you dear friend, upon 21st of the Month of Ramadan,\nthe anniversary of the martyrdom of the symbol of justice and courage, the\nfather of the nation and the commander of the believers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amir al-Mu\u2019minin, Ali ibn Abi Talib\n(PBUH), and commemorates the Nights of Qadr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. This note is\naddressed in the sermon number 131.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Such that the\nangel Gabriel was descent for a second time to the Prophet a few days after his\nselection as the Messenger of Allah (SWT) and brought a water from the sky and\ntaught the way to perform Ablution and prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Irshad, Vol.\n2, pg. 217<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Laylatu\nal-harir<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Wasa\u2019il\nal-shi\u2019a, Vol. 4, pg. 246<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Holy Qur’an,\n4:103<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Holy Qur’an,\n74:42-43<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Holy Qur’an,\n24:37<\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Holy Qur’an,\n20:132<\/p>\n\n\n\n
10. Peak of\nEloquence \u2013 excerpt of Sermon 199<\/p>\n\n\n\n
11. This command\nof Imam Ali (PBUH) is rooted in the narration by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)\nwhere he said: \u201cPrayers is a pillar the religion; should it be accepted (in the\nDay of Judgment), all other following actions will also be accepted and if it\nis not accepted then all other deeds will be rejected.\u201d (Man La Yahzurh\nalFaqih, Vol. 1, pg. 208)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
12. Peak of\nEloquence \u2013 excerpt of Letter 27<\/p>\n\n\n\n
13. Peak of\nEloquence \u2013 excerpt of Letter 47<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ali (PBUH) was born in the Ka\u2019ba, the place where Muslims turn to for their daily prayers. He is the first follower of Islam, and the first1 to pray behind the last Prophet (PBUH). He thus knows the importance and value of prayer, the first obligatory act set by Allah2 (SWT), more than all other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[19037,19036,18566,18418],"class_list":["post-4049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2016-06-27","tag-ali-peace-be-upon-and-the-grand-order-of-allah","tag-imam-ali","tag-occasion-letters"],"yoast_head":"\n