Importance of morning prayers { Fajr salah }
Fajr means dawn in the Arabic language.The Fajr (Arabic: فجر) ) prayer is the first of the five daily prayers recited by practicing Muslims. The fajr prayer (before dawn) is a time when many people are heedless and sleeping.Its mentioned in a hadith that Fajr prayers are difficult on a hypocrite.
In order to make the effort to rise for fajr, the first thing we must do is understand the great status this prayer time holds, both as a time of the day, and amongst the five obligatory prayers.
In the Qur’an, Allah Most High says:
Establish the Prayers (Zuhr [Midday], ‘Asr [Afternoon], Maghrib [Sunset] and ‘Isha [Evening]) from the declining of the sun till deep darkness of the night. And also (make obligatory) the recitation of Fajr Prayer, for the Qur’an in Fajr (Dawn) Prayer is attended (by the angels and a state of divine consciousness also permeates). ►[Surah Bani Israi’l ,Chapter 17:Verse 78]
The meaning of witnessed here means that both the angels of [previous] night and the angels of the [new] morning intently listen to the Fajr prayer being recited aloud because of its great status and virtue. [al-Suyuti, Tafsir al-Jalalayn]
The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has said:
“Whoever performs the Prayer before the rising of the sun [Fajr] and before its setting [‘Asr], will not enter the Hell.” [Muslim]
“Whoever prays the two cooler prayer times (i.e., Fajr and `Asr) will enter Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Ibn ‘Allan comments on that Fajr and ‘Asr were specified since they are two times when one can easily miss the prayer: whether they are lost in sleep during Fajr, or engrossed in trade and work at ‘Asr. It is understood that the one who prays these two, usually prays all five daily prayers
.
Finally, the reward mentioned in the hadith indicates that the one who regularly prays Fajr and ‘Asr can be expected to have a good ending to their life: that they die upon faith as a Muslim. Which of us would not be eager to rise for the Fajr prayer if we truly understood the benefits: a death on faith and eternal success?
►[Ibn ‘Allan, Dalil al-Faliheen]
Some Warnings About Missing the FAJR Prayer
There are also warnings mentioned regarding missing the Fajr prayer. The Prophet [Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him] said:
“The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are ‘Isha and Fajr [AM: because they prefer the comfort of sleep to prayer], but if they only knew what they contain, they would come even if they had to crawl.” ►[Reported by Imam Ahmad ,Similar hadith is recorded by Imam Bukhari]
“Whoever prays the dawn prayer [Fajr], then He is under Allah’s protection. So beware, O son of Adam, that Allah doesn’t call you to account for being absent from His protection for any reason.” ►[Reported by Imam Muslim]
If the rewards do not convince us, once we understand the seriousness of going about our day without Allah’s protection around us for the day in which we missed Fajr, that should push us to make every effort to wake up the next morning, and keep trying, until we establish its observance as a habit.
May Almighty Allah protect us from signs of hypocrisy and make us among the true believers..Ameen!
Taken from Article by Abdullah Anik Misra.
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