The Salaf and their fear of Allaah

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Imām Aḥmad Ibn Naṣr Al-Marwazi reported in Kitāb Aṣ-Ṣalāh (the Book of Prayer) that Abū Al-ʿĀliyah said, “The Prophet’s Companions used to think that no sin would harm a person who says ‘Lā ilāha illāllāh,’ just as no good deed would benefit a person who joins partners with Allāh. So Allāh  revealed,

Obey Allāh and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds.

This made them fear that some sins could nullify their deeds.”*

*Aṣ-Ṣalāh by Al-Marwazi 2:645.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) volume 9, p. 117.

The Excellence of As-Salāt (The Prayer)

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Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported: I heard the Messenger of Allāh  ﷺ saying, “Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” They replied, “No soiling would left on him.” He ﷺ said, “That is the five (obligatory) Salāt (prayers). Allāh obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.” [Al-Bukhārī and Muslim]

Commentary: This Hadīth tell us about the merit and benefits of the performance of the prescribed five daily Salāt, performing them will wash off one’s sins, but this is true of only such Salāt which is performed in accordance with Sunnah, i.e., punctually in exactly the manner showed by the Prophet ﷺ, and not of that which is offered at will in one’s own way.

Source: Riyād-us-Sāliheen, volume 2, page. 822 under Chapter 187 The Excellence of As-Salāt (The Prayer), Hadīth 1042, Compiled by Al-Imām Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi, Darussalam.