The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The first thing that Allah made obligatory upon my Ummah was the five prayers; and the first thing from their acts of worship that shall be taken up will be the five prayers; and the first thing that they will be questioned about will be the five prayers.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18859
2. The Pillar of Religion
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ: بُنِيَ الإِِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ عَلى الصَّلاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْحَجِّ وَ الْوِلاَيَةِ.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “Islam has been founded and established on five things: Prayers, Zakat, Hajj, Sawm (Fasting) and Wilayah.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 234
3. The Parable of Prayers
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ: أَلصَّلاَةُ عَمُودُ الدِّينِ مَثَلُهَا كَمَثَلِ عَمُودِ الْفُسْطَاطِ إِذَا ثَبَتَ الْعَمُودُ ثَبَتَ الأَوْتَادُ وَ الأَطْنَابُ وَ إِذَا مَالَ الْعَمُودُ وَ انْكَسَرَ لَمْ يَثْبُتْ وَتِدٌ وَ لاَ طُنُبٌ.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “The prayer is the pillar of religion and its parable is that of the prop of a tent – when the prop remains upright, the pegs and ropes remain straight and upright, but when the prop bends or breaks neither the pegs nor ropes remain straight.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 218
4. A Means of Salvation
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ مَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهِنَّ كَانَتْ لَهُ نُوراً وَ بُرْهَاناً وَ نَجَاةً يَومَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “One who adheres to the five (daily) prayers diligently, they shall be a means of illumination and salvation for him on the Day of Judgment.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18862
5. Illumination of the Heart
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): صَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ نُورٌ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ فَلْـيُنَوِّرْ قَلْـبَهُ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “The prayer of a person is (in reality) a light in his heart, so whoever desires, can illuminate his heart (by means of prayers).”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume7, Tradition 18973
