Don’t Neglect The 5 Daily Prayers (with British Sign Language) - Shaykh Omar Al-Jazairi

Khutbah al-Ula — Opening

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَهْدِيهِ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَخَيْرَ الْهُدَى هُدَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ، أَعَاذَنِي اللَّهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ مِنْهَا.

The Simple but Neglected Answer

Brothers and sisters, often times we are looking for something special to motivate us to keep that connection with Allah as we were once in Ramadan. We feel like we have seen in others and we envy, and we feel like we heard in stories from the Salaf and we want to follow. And you have some people asking, "Oh Shaykh, what wonders, what is the secret from staying away from the sins? Can you give me something? Can you give me a story that is buried in the book? Can you give me anything that will get me out of the situation that I'm in so that I can stop sinning?"

Well brothers and sisters, the answer is obvious and simple. As the Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, said:

And it is easy for the one whom Allah has made easy.

Brothers and sisters, it is in our very eyes — something you do on a daily basis — but subhanAllah, it is like when you're sick, you have an infection, you go into the doctor, and you know what the doctor would prescribe for you? They would prescribe you antibiotics and paracetamol, and you feel like it's too good to be true, it's too easy — because there is no mystery to it. You know that this antibiotic, with the permission of Allah, will cure you, but there is no mystery to it.

The scholars say that the thing that will help you to stay away from the sinning is the five prayers, my brothers and sisters — the five prayers that you do on a daily basis. Perhaps you know it, you know the importance, but perhaps you don't appreciate it enough, especially if you've been doing it your whole life.

I want you to think from a non-Muslim perspective. When they see you, that you've got to pray the five prayers every day, that you've got to stop no matter where you are — at the airport, train station, school, workplace — you've got to sit in the corner there and perform your ruku, your sujood, and perform the salah. To them, you are a monk; to them, you are a saint. But to you, it's just a normal thing that you need to get by. So I want you, my brothers and sisters, to think for a moment about how special and impactful these five prayers are.

The Best of Deeds: The Five Prayers

The Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, as you know, when he was asked about the best deed, he said that the best deed are the five prayers if they're prayed on time.

And also, another narration — I want you to remember and listen carefully. On the authority of Thawban, as collected in Ibn Majah, the Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, said:

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 277)

Keep to the straight path, even though you won't be able to do every good deed, but know that the best deed that you need to look after is the salah.

From all the good deeds, the Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, mentioned the five prayers. Why? Because of the effect and positive impact that it has on the one who prays.

The Prayer that Restrains from Evil

So brothers and sisters, I want you to reflect — I want us to reflect — on this ayah in Surah Al-'Ankabut where Allah says:

Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the prayers. Verily the five prayers will stop one from committing immorality and wrongdoing.

So if you pray right, if you establish the five prayers on time, it will be the biggest cause for you to stop sinning. However, a person might come to you and say, "Oh Shaykh, oh my brother, I've been praying for the last few years, I've been praying for the last few months, but I keep sinning. Why is that? Is my prayer wrong? Am I doing something wrong in the prayer?"

Well, the answer to that is: it depends. And indeed, we have a few narrations from the Sahaba — very scary narrations. The likes of Ibn Mas'ud used to say, as collected in Imam Ahmad in the book of Zuhd:

(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; also attributed in Zuhd of Imam Ahmad)

Whoever does not find that their prayers will keep them away from sinning and immorality, then they did not get from their prayer except distancing themselves from Allah.

It's very scary. Why? And Allah knows best — because they are treating their prayers as if it were a chore. They are treating their prayers as if it were a burden. So if you feel this way, this might distance you from Allah.

The Sinner Who Keeps Praying: A Story of Hope

However, there's a difference between that person and a second person. The second person is the one who commits sins — even major sins perhaps — however, he keeps up with the salah, the five prayers, with the hope that Allah will help him to stay away from the sin.

Yes, we have narrations from the time of the Prophet, as collected in Imam Ahmad, on the authority of Anas, where the Prophet was asked about a man — he used to pray at night but he used to steal in the day. The Sahaba went to him and said, "Ya Rasulullah, listen to this man, look at this man." They were hoping that the Prophet would perhaps say something against him. But what did he say to them? He gave them the hope of the salah and the impact of the salah. He told them that perhaps eventually his salah will stop him from sinning.

Another narration, as mentioned by the great Imam of Tafsir, Imam al-Qurtubi, rahimahullah, when explaining the ayah in Surah Al-'Ankabut that I recited earlier. He said that Anas said that there was a young man from the Ansar who used to pray with the Prophet. And the Sahaba described him, saying there is not a major sin except that he would commit it. And then the Prophet — what did he say in this regard? He said eventually the prayers will stop him from doing that.

And Anas went on saying that subhanAllah, only a short while after the Prophet said that to them, that man repented to Allah and he became a better person. And the Prophet told them, "Didn't I tell you?"

So brothers and sisters, this Sahabi, this companion — he may have shut a lot of doors between him and Allah, but he did not shut the most important door, the most important connection between him and Allah, and that is salah.

Do Not Judge the Sinner Who Comes to the Masjid

And also what we learn from this hadith: do not be quick at judging others. When you see somebody committing sins and coming to the masjid, you try to judge them and think, "Oh, he's a hypocrite," or so and so. The Prophet — what did he say about the man who used to drink, who used to be sentenced for his drinking? The Sahaba used to make du'a against him. And the Prophet, when he heard that, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6780)

"Do not make du'a against him, do not help Shaitan against your Muslim brothers."

So if the sinner keeps praying, that is a sign that he is upon goodness. That is a sign that he has something in his heart.

And this is my message to the sinners — wherever you are: do not shut the most important door between you and Allah. Keep up with your salah. Don't let Shaitan get into your head, thinking, "What's the point of praying if I keep committing sins?" Shaitan will try to distract you and tell you that doing that will distance you from Allah. No — this will not distance you from Allah, because Allah has promised:

The Secret Behind the Prayer's Power

Remember that ayah we mentioned earlier? The scholars mention: how is it that this salah will stop one from sinning? What is the secret behind it? And the response to that is in the very same verse that we recited. Allah said:

For the remembrance of Allah is greater.

How do we interpret this verse? How do we understand it? There are two ways. Some of the scholars say: because the five prayers are well spaced out, between one prayer and the next prayer, this will keep the sinner in check. It will remind him of Allah. And so the remembrance of Allah is so great for him that this will deter him, this will stop him from sinning. This is one interpretation.

The other interpretation is that the scholars say there is no act of worship that you could find in Islam — from the start all the way to the end — except that you remember Allah in every moment of that worship — other than salah. From takbir all the way to taslim, all you make mention of is the salah. And that is why, from the mercy of Allah, you are not allowed to talk. You're not allowed to scroll through your phone. You're not allowed to message. You're not allowed to look around. Why? Because you have to stay focused in your salah.

My brothers and sisters, imagine if you were allowed to talk in the salah. Imagine if you were allowed to look at your phone. What would be left of remembering Allah?

The Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, mentioned there is another act of worship that is similar to salah — he considered it to be like salah — except that you're allowed to talk. And remember, this act of worship is tawaf. And some of you may have been to Hajj or Umrah. You've seen what happens in tawaf. People may have laughter while doing tawaf. People may take selfies. People may look at the phone. People may have conversations. So what is left from remembering Allah? Imagine this was allowed in the salah. That is why, from the mercy of Allah, we are not allowed to do any of these things.

Honor the Gift of Salah

So brothers and sisters, if you've been treating your salah just as a normal obligation — just something to get by — then I want you to take a step back and remind yourself that Allah has just given you the greatest gift. The greatest gift of this Ummah. And that is the five salah. So treat that gift of Allah right. Honor these five salah. And remember that Allah, as He promised, will keep you away from the fahsha' and munkar.

And also I want you to remember this gift that Allah has given you — teach it to others. Teach it to your family. Teach your family the importance of salah. Especially your children. And be patient about that. Allah says in the Quran:

And enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast therein.

Instill in them the love for the salah. Instill in them the fear that the one who leaves the salah has nothing left of Islam. Instill in them that success in this life, in the Akhirah, and in Jannah, depends on how well you do in your salah.

فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ وَاسِعُ الْغُفْرَانِ

Khutbah al-Thaniyah — Second Sermon

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ وَلَا عُدْوَانَ إِلَّا عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَيَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أُوصِيكُمْ وَنَفْسِي بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ.

My brothers and sisters, I'd like to remind you, and myself foremost, to fear Allah. For the best provision you could take tomorrow with you when you meet Allah is Taqwa:

Salah in Schools: Advice to Parents and Institutions

Brothers and sisters, many of our brothers and sisters — especially parents — come to us asking whether their child, whether their student, is allowed to pray before the time at home, or whether they are allowed to combine the five prayers after madrasa, after school. They use the argument that in that school they are not allowed to pray because the school does not allow praying in their premises. And also in the light of the recent incident where a court gave a ruling in favor of the ban of praying inside a prestigious secondary school in London.

I have a couple of pieces of advice that I want to give. First of all: to the schools that allow Muslim students to pray — we hope that they would keep doing that. As you know, those young students aged between 14 and 18 face a lot of challenges at this very moment. They have the stress to do with puberty as they're growing, and they have to prepare for GCSEs and A levels — they have a lot of challenges. And the best thing that will offer them relief from stress, from these challenges, is salah. So we hope that educational institutions will allow them and perhaps facilitate for them a quiet room so that they can pray.

Because you have to remember — salah, even though you think they are young — salah is compulsory and obligatory upon them. Because 14 or 15 is the age where they reach puberty, and in Islam salah is obligatory upon anyone who reaches puberty. It is an integral part of our life. So we would advise, and we would welcome, all heads of colleges and secondary schools to allow them to pray.

And Allah, when He talks about salah, He mentioned that it is a great relief from challenges and stress. He says that man was created anxious and stressed — except those who pray, who are consistent and constant in their prayers:

And the second thing — and this is my advice to parents and community leaders — your children, our children, they are our responsibility. Fear Allah, and you have to fulfill that responsibility. The Prophet, صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 893; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829)

You are all shepherds and you are all responsible for your flocks. The Imam, the community leader, is a shepherd and is responsible for his community. The man is the shepherd of his house and is responsible for his flock. And the woman is a shepherd of the house of her husband and is responsible for them as well.

So remember to fulfill this responsibility. And also, I'd like to remind parents to help one another when it comes to teaching your kids, or other kids, the importance of salah. Help one another, and Allah has commanded us to do that — by doing so we will stay strong and be upon piety. Help one another in piety and righteousness, and do not help one another in sin.