[IL] Virtue and Significance of Solah

By Islam Online Researchers

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, alone. May peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

The Prophet SAW said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Salah, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadhan.” [Al-Bukhari]

An illustration of the virtue and significance of Solah.

Solah is the pillar of Islam, the pinnacle of good deeds, and the peak of obedience. `Uthman ibn `Affan RA reported that the Prophet SAW said: "If the time for a prescribed Solah comes, and a Muslim performs Wudu' properly (and then offers his Solah) with humility and bowing (to Allah), it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this is applicable to all times." [Muslim]

Allah, Most Exalted Says, "It is not their meat or their blood that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him." (Al-Hajj: 37)

The measure of an acceptable Solah.

1 - Consciousness: It means to show indifference to all worldly interests and have absolute consciousness of Allah SWT. The cause of such consciousness is decisive intention since the man who has decisive intention to do something, necessarily puts his heart to it. Consciousness, in fact, differs according to the strength of belief in the Hereafter and scorn of this world. Therefore, if you miss consciousness in Solah, you should know that the root-cause of this is weakness of faith, and so you should exert yourself to strengthen and bolster it.

2 - Reflection on the words; this is the second step after consciousness: Consciousness may be present without grasping the meaning, and so attention should be directed to grasping the meaning by refraining from thinking of other matters.

3 - Glorification and fear of Allah, Most Exalted, which emanate from two facts: realizing the Majesty and Magnificence of Allah, and looking down upon one's self, which would result in humility and consciousness. Hope is also an important factor in Solah. The one who offers Solah should hope for the reward of Allah, and fear the punishment due to his imperfection.

Finally, you should know that performing solah in such a manner purifies and enlightens the heart, which, in turn, could behold the Glory of Allah. In fact, no one but the devout scholars can grasp these meanings.

In contrast, whoever performs solah without observing its requirements would in no way grasp its significance. Such a man, furthermore, may exceed the limit and deny its existence.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Quoted, with slight modification, from Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi's Mukhtasar Minhaj Al-Qasidin, published by Dar Al-Manarah for Translation, Publishing and Distribution, Egypt, 2001