Thirteen Virtues, and the First: A Worship Beyond Doubt

There are, further, thirteen virtues of ṣalāh; going through them is a means of motivation, and of education in this regard, for everyone. Ṣalāh is a worship enjoined by Allah (swt) in the Qur'an: there is proof for it in the Qur'an. It is in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), one hundred per cent. And there is consensus, ijmāʿ, among the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) since it began: never has a Muslim in the world said that ṣalāh is not farḍ. It was always farḍ, and it always will be farḍ. This is a dalīl, pure and simple.

Here is a challenge that anyone may put to a neighbour who goes to church on Sundays — a Jack, an Arthur, a Martha. Excuse me, Mrs Johnson: is it true that you love Jesus? Of course, comes the reply; she loves Jesus. Then tell me, how did Jesus pray? How did he pray? Is it known exactly — is it documented, is it written somewhere, that this is how Jesus prayed? Then see what the answer is. It can be given before Mrs Johnson gives it: nobody knows. Some say he was on his knees. Some say his head was on the ground, like the Muslims. Some will say they think he was playing the guitar, or the organ, or the piano, and everybody sang together. That is how Jesus prayed — to Allah (swt)? They have no idea. Put exactly the same question to any Jew: no idea. Ask any of the people who believe in their prophets, if they have any prophets, how those prophets prayed: nothing. But it can be stated exactly how the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) moved his finger, how he placed his little toe — to that detail — what direction he prayed in, what his eyes were fixed upon, what his heart was concentrating on. Every single detail of the ṣalāh of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his prayer, is recorded; and that is what a Muslim does every time he stands before Allah (swt). There is nothing like it on earth. Muslims possess a book which is complete, perfect; and they possess all the forms of worship, passed down to them through the generations, one hundred per cent intact. Which religion on earth has this? No disrespect is intended to any of them, but is there any religion like it? None. Go to one church, and the hands are held in one manner; go to another church, and the hands are held in another; go to another, and they begin singing — yā Laṭīf — and they speak in tongues. And this is called worship? So there is proof from the Qur'an, from the Kitāb; from the Sunnah of Muhammad (peace be upon him); and from ijmāʿ, the consensus of the ʿulamāʾ, that this is ṣalāh. This is the first virtue: one act of worship of which one is one hundred per cent sure.