The Description of SALAH (The Prayer)
by Shaykh Muhammd bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen
The Prayer is very significant in Islam being one of its great pillars. It is rather the most significant of its pillars after the twin statement of testimony that:
Allah Alone deserves worship and that Muhammad is His messenger. In an authentic hadeeth collected by al-Imam at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, the Prophet is said: "The most significant of all matters is Islam, and its backbone is Salah (the Prayer)...". The Messenger of Allah # also said: " and know that the best of your deeds is Salah (the Prayer)..." (Collected by Ahmad, In Majah and others).
In another authentic narration Allah's Messenger # said,
"Allah has obligated five prayers on the servants.
Whoever performs them correctly without negligence, he earns from Allah a pledge to admit him into Paradise." (Collected by Abu Dawood, an-Nasaaee and others).
Considering the significance of this great act of worship, the huge rewards for observing them correctly and the evil repercussions of negligence regarding it, the eminent Shaykh, Muhammad Salih al Uthaymeen (may Allah grant him His mercy) directed his efforts towards the correct description and explanation of the Prayer as performed by the Messenger ©. This can be seen clearly from the books that he has authored, his scholarly discourses, lectures, sermons and Fatwas (legal juristic opinions).
This book is in fulfillment of his desire to have this foremost aspect of the second pillar of Islam presented in the simplest form to the reader. It attempts to compile and authenticate some of what he had discussed in the course of explaining the Prophet's manner of prayer over time.
We ask Allah to accept this effort and make it beneficial, and reward our honourable Shaykh doubly and most handsomely on behalf of Islam and the Muslims. May his rank be elevated among the rightly guided, and Allah is certainly close to His slaves and all-Hearing.
