Significance of Wuzu and Namaaz

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an Majeed:

اِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِيْنَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِيْنَ

Indeed, Allah Ta’ala loves those who sincerely repent, and those who become ritually pure. (Al-Baqarah: 222)

Wuzu is a major part of the second pillar of Islam, tahaarat and is the key to the doorway of the third pillar, namaaz. It is also a significant portion of imaan, as Amirul Mumineen Maulana Ali AS said,

الطهارة نصف الايمان

Taharaat is one half of faith

Wuzu is called tahaarat sugra, the lesser ritual purity, in comparison to ghusul which is called tahaarat kubra, the greater ritual purity. Rasulullah SA has said

لا صلوة الا بطهور

Without taharaat one cannot pray namaaz.

On Rasulullah’s SA journey to the seven heavens on the night of Isra’, he was asked if he knew why the angels were wrangling amongst themselves. Rasulullah SA was told that they were discussing the virtue of three good deeds; performing wuzu properly during cold weather, walking to the congregational prayer, and waiting for prayers, one following the other.

Rasulullah SA said that when a Mumin does wIuzu and becomes ritually pure, his sins fall away like leaves falling from the trees in Autumn. Furthermore, Rasulullah SA explained that on the Day of Judgement, the Ummat of Rasulullah SA will be "غراً محجلين" (shining hands and feet because of doing wuzu), and that they will stand out from the ummats of the other Prophets SA.

Rasulullah asserted that one who:

1. Completes properly and thoroughly all the arkaan (actions) of wuzu
2. Prays namaaz properly
3. Gives Zakaat from his earnings
4. Controls his temper
5. Is careful with his words
6. Does good deeds
7. Repents sincerely an seeks forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala
8. Sincerely loves and offers good counsel for my Ahl-e-Bayt (Imams)

has successfully fulfilled all requirements of imaan (faith) and the doors of Jannat are open for him.

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an Majeed:

اِنَّ الصَّلوةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوْتًا

Indeed namaaz is obligatory upon the believers (Al-Nisaa’: 103)

Rasulullah SA said that everything has a "face", and the face of Islam is prayer (salaat), meaning that Islam is recognized by prayer. On the Day of Judgement Allah Ta’ala will first look at a person’s prayer: only if he has fulfilled the duties of his prayer correctly will Allah Ta’ala look at the rest of his deeds.

Khuda Ta’ala says in the Qur’an Majeed:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ

I have not created Man or Jinn except to worship me.

Prayer is an important part of ibadat, the worship of Allah Ta’ala. Among the bounties of Allah Ta’ala is the priceless bounty of imaan (belief in him and his Awliyah). Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to remember Him and His bounties and favours, and to give thanks to Him. Namaaz is one way of remembering Allah Ta’aala with gratitude.

Our Awliyah have explained in the books of Da'wat that there are three catagories of woship. The first and lowest rank of them is the prayer of a slave (Ibadatul abeed): when a person prays out of fear of the consequences of leaving the farizat namaaz (obligatory prayer). The second is the prayer of a businessman (Ibaadatul tujjaar): when where a person prays in order to garner reward from Allah Ta’ala. The third and most pure niyyat is the prayer of those who are free (Ibaadatul ahraar): when a person prays purely out of gratitude (shukur) for the innumerable bounties of Allah Ta’ala upon him.

Click here to view a clip from Ashara Mubaraka 1439H in which Syedna Taher Fakhruddin TUS explaines and elucidates the significance and meaning of namaaz.

Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin RA was once asked why Muslims pray. He immediately answered quoting the Qur’anic verse:

اِنَّنِيْ اَنَا اللهُ لَا اِلهَ اِلّا اَنَا فَعْبُدْنِيْ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلوةَ لِذِكْرِيْ

Indeed I am Allah, there is no God but I, so worship me and establish the prayer in my remembrance.

Allah Ta’ala also says:

"فَاذْكُرُوْنِيْ اَذْكُرْكُمْ"

If you remember me, then I will remember you.

This is an immense honour for us, that when we remember Him he remembers us; when we pray namaaz Allah Ta’ala is aware of us and gives us His full attention and showers us with His compassion.

Amirul Mumineen Maulana Ali AS narrated that Rasulullah SA said,

"There is a tree in paradise, and from its roots a group of piebald horses emerge. They neither urinate nor defecate, and they are saddled and bridled. The reins on these horses will be made of gold, and their saddles will be of pearls and rubies. Their riders will be the inhabitants of Illiyyeen (the higher ranges of Paradise) and they will visit those who are in the lower ranges. The people of the lower ranges will say to Allah Ta’aala “O Lord, why did you grant them [the riders] this honour?” They will be told, “They [the riders] used to fast during the day when you used to eat, they used to pray by night whilst you slept, they used to give charity when you were stingy, and they used to fight in the way of Allah when you were cowards.”

Furthermore, prayer is kaffarat (requital) for sins committed by a worshipper. Rasulullah said that when a man commits a sin, he should go into an open space where he is not visible to anyone and pray two rak’ats. Then he should beseech God to forgive his sins, and this acts as a requital for him for sins between him and God.