One Who Protects or Loses His Prayer

Here is a blog post by IslamicSalvation, which can be found here:

باب من حافظ على صلاته أو ضيعه

Chapter on the one who safeguards or loses his prayer

علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس بن عبدالرحمن، عن عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج، عن أبان بن تغلب قال: كنت صليت خلف أبي عبدالله (عليه السلام) بالمزدلفة فلما انصرف التفت إلي فقال: ياأبان الصلوات الخمس المفروضات من أقام حدودهن وحافظ على مواقيتهن لقى الله يوم القيامة وله عنده عهد يدخله به الجنة ومن لم يقم حدودهن ولم يحافظ على مواقيتهن لقى الله ولا عهد له إن شاء عذبه وإن شاء غفر له - صحيح

1. Ali bin Ibrahim from Muhammad bin Isa from Yunus bin Abdir-Rahman from Abdir-Rahman bin Hajjaj from Aban bin Taghlub who said : I was praying behind Abi Abdillah (a.s) at Muzdalifah, so when he finished it (leading the prayer), He (a.s) turned towards me and said : O Aban, the obligatory prayers are five, whoever abides by their limits (fulfills the conditions attached to them) and safeguards their timings, meets Allah (s.w.t) on the day of judgement - having with Him (s.w.t) a promise by which He (s.w.t) enters him into Jannah, and whoever does not abide by their limits and does not safeguard their timings he meets Allah (s.w.t) and he has NO promise with Allah (s.w.t), if He (s.w.t) so wishes he punishes him and if He (s.w.t) so wishes forgives him. (Sahih)

الحسين بن محمد الاشعري، عن عبدالله بن عامر، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عبدالرحمن بن الحجاج، عن أبان بن تغلب قال: صليت مع أبي عبدالله (عليه السلام) المغرب بالمزدلفة فلما انصرف أقام الصلاة وصلى العشاء الآخرة لم يركع بينهما ثم صليت معه بعد ذلك بسنة فصلى المغرب ثم قام فتنفل بأربع ركعات ثم أقام فصلى العشاء الآخرة ثم التفت إلي فقال: ياأبان هذه الصلوات الخمس المفروضات من أقامهن وحافظ على مواقيتهن لقى الله يوم القيامة وله عنده عهد يدخله به الجنة ومن لم يصلهن لمواقيتهن ولم يحافظ عليهن فذاك إليه أن شاء غفر له وإن شاء عذبه – صحيح

2. Husayn bin Muhammad from Abdallah bin A’mir from Ali bin Mahzayar from Ibn Abi Umayr from Abdir-Rahman bin Hajjaj from Aban bin Taghlub who said : I prayed with Abi Abdillah (a.s) the maghrib prayer at Muzdalifah, so when he completed it, he gave out the Iqamah and started leading us in the Isha prayer without having prayed (any recommended prayers of Nafila between the Maghrib and the Isha), then I prayed with him again - one year after that - (at Muzdalifah) (and on that occasion) He (a.s) prayed the Maghrib, then stood up and prayed four Rakaat Nafila (recommended prayer - between Maghrib and Isha) then gave out the Iqamah and lead us in the Isha prayer, (after finishing it) He (a.s) turned to me and said : O Aban, these five obligatory prayers (per day), whoever raises them up (prays them) while safeguarding their timings - meets Allah (s.w.t) having a promise with Him (s.w.t) by which He (s.w.t) will lead him into Jannah, and whoever does not pray them at their proper timings nor does he safeguard them, then his situation is for Allah (s.w.t) to decide (since there is no promise between him and Allah (s.w.t)), if He (s.w.t) so wishes He (s.w.t) forgives him and if not He (s.w.t) punishes him. (Sahih)

NOTE: This is clearly the same narration as the one above it - though having different lower chains and sharing Ibn Hajjaj > Aban bin Taghlub at the top. It is also completely conciliatory to it while adding some details.

جماعة، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن فضالة، عن حسين بن عثمان، عن سماعة، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر (عليه السلام) يقول: كل سهو في الصلاة يطرح منها غير أن الله تعالى يتم بالنوافل، إن أول ما يحاسب به العبد الصلاة فإن قبلت قبل ما سواها، إن الصلاة إذا ارتفعت في أول وقتها رجعت إلى صاحبها وهي بيضاء مشرقة تقول: حفظتني حفظك الله وإذا ارتفعت في غير وقتها بغير حدودها رجعت إلى صاحبها وهي سوداء مظلمة تقول: ضيعتني ضيعك الله - موثق –

3. Jama’ah (a large group of my teachers) from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Husayn bin Said from Fadhala (bin Ayub) from Husayn bin Uthman from Sam’ah (bin Mihran) from Abi Basir who said : I heard Aba Ja’far (a.s) saying : Every lapse (of concentration) in the prayer deducts from it (something of its quality) - except that Allah (s.w.t) completes it (the obligatory prayer) with the Nawafil (recommended prayers), the first thing that a slave will be called into account for will be his prayers, and if it (the prayer) is accepted from him then his other actions (apart from the prayer) will also be consequently accepted. Indeed a prayer that is raised (after being prayed) in its earliest time returns (later) to its companion (who attended to it) - being white and bright and saying : You protected me, may Allah (s.w.t) protect you, and if it is raised (after being prayed) in a time not for it (not at its earliest) and without fulfilling its limits (conditions) it (the prayer) returns to its companion while it is black and dark saying : You have forsaken me, may Allah (s.w.t) forsake you. (Muwathaq due to Sam’ah)

علي بن أبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عمر بن اذينة، عن زرارة عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: بينا رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) جالس في المسجد إذ دخل رجل فقام يصلي فلم يتم ركوعه ولا سجوده فقال (صلى الله عليه وآله): نقر كنقر الغراب لئن مات هذا وهكذا صلاته ليموتن على غير ديني – حسن

4. Ali bin Ibrahim from his father (Ibrahim bin Hashim) from Ibn Abi Umayr from Umar bin Udhayna from Zurara (bin A’yan) from Abi Ja’far (a.s) who said : While the messenger of Allah (s.a.w.w) was sitting in the Masjid one day, a man came and stood to pray, so he (the man) did not give attention to his Rukuu nor Sujuud (in his haste), so He (s.a.w.w) said : He pecks like the pecking of the crow (up and down – raising and falling rapidly) but if he were to die now and this is the state of his prayer he would have died upon a religion other than mine (i.e what is not of my religion – foreign to me). (Hasan due to Ibrahim bin Hashim)

علي بن أبراهيم ، عن أبيه، عن حماد، عن حريز، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: قال: لا تتهاون بصلاتك فإن النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله) قال عند موته: ليس مني من استخف بصلاته، ليس مني من شرب مسكرا لا يرد علي الحوض لا والله   - حسن

5. Ali bin Ibrahim from his father (Ibrahim bin Hashim) from Hammad (bin Isa) from Hariz (bin Abdillah) from Zurara (bin A’yan) from Abi Ja’far (a.s) who said : Do not neglect (take casually) the prayer, for verily the prophet (s.a.w.w) has said while he was about to die : He is not from me who takes his prayers lightly, nor is he from me who drinks the intoxicants, he (both) is not going to be returned to me at the pond, No by Allah (s.w.t) (he is not). (Hasan)

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن صفوان ابن يحيى، عن العيص بن القاسم قال: قال أبوعبدالله (عليه السلام): والله إنه ليأتي على الرجل خمسون سنة وما قبل الله منه صلاة واحدة فأي شئ أشد من هذا والله إنكم لتعرفون من جيرانكم وأصحابكم من لو كان يصلي لبعضكم ما قبلها منه لاستخفافه بها، إن الله عزوجل لا يقبل إلا الحسن فكيف يقبل ما يستخف به
صحيح –

6. Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Husayn bin Said from Safwan bin Yahya from Iys bin Qasim who said : Abu Abdillah (a.s) said : By Allah, it creeps up on a man fifty years of his life (i.e a man approaches fifty years of age) and Allah has not accepted even a single prayer from him, so what thing is more grave than this?, By Allah you surely know of people among your neighbours and companions - who if they were to pray (and direct this prayer or in other words offer it) to some of you, (even) you would not accept anything of it from them, due to their disregard for it and taking it lightly, Allah (s.w.t) does not accept anything except that it is good (and pure) so how can He (s.w.t) accept something undervalued? (Sahih)

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن علي بن الحكم، عن هشام بن سالم، عن أبي عبدالله (عليه السلام) قال: إذا قام العبد في الصلاة فخفف صلاته قال الله تبارك وتعالى لملائكته: أما ترون إلى عبدي كأنه يرى أن قضاء حوائجه بيد غيري أما يعلم أن قضاء حوائجه بيدي – صحيح

7. Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Ali bin Hakam from Hisham bin Salim from Abi Abdillah (a.s) who said : when a slave stands to pray taking it lightly, Allah (s.w.t) says to his angels : Do you not see my slave, it is as though he thinks that the fulfillment of his desires are in the hands (or in the mercy) of another, does he not know that the fulfillment of his desires are in my hands (in my mercy). (Sahih)

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن حماد، ومحمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن حماد ابن عيسى عن حريز، عن الفضيل قال: سألت أبا جعفر (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عزوجل: " الذينهم على صلواتهم يحافظون " قال: هي الفريضة، قلت: " الذينهم على صلواتهم دائمون " قال: هي النافلة - صحيح

8. Ali bin Ibrahim from his father (Ibrahim bin Hashim) from Hammad (bin Isa) AND Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Hammad bin Isa from Hariz (bin Abdillah) from Fudhayl (bin Yasar) who said : I asked Aba Ja’far (a.s) about the words of Allah (s.w.t) : “And those who take care of their prayers” (23:9), He (a.s) said : It (the prayers mentioned in this verse) refers to the Faridha (obligatory prayers), I said : “Those who are ever constant at their prayers” (70:23), He (a.s) said : It (the prayer mentioned in this second verse) refers to the Nafila (recommended) prayers. (Sahih)

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن فضالة بن أيوب، عن داود بن فرقد قال: قلت لابي عبدالله (عليه السلام): قوله تعالى: " إن الصلوة كانت على المؤمنين كتابا موقوتا " قال: كتابا ثابتا وليس إن عجلت قليلا أو أخرت قليلا بالذي يضرك مالم تضيع تلك الاضاعة فإن الله عزوجل يقول لقوم: " أضاعوا الصلوة واتبعوا الشهوات فسوف يلقون غيا"  - صحيح

9. Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Husayn bin Said from Fadhala bin Ayub from Dawud bin Farqad who said : I said to Abi Abdillah (a.s) : His (s.w.t) words (what do they mean? when He said) : “Indeed the prayer has been made (or is for the) believers a (lit. - ‘timed’) ordinance” (4:103), so He (a.s) said : a ‘fixed’ ordinance, and not (do not take it to mean that) - if you were early for it a bit, or were late for it a bit – (this action of yours) will harm you - as long as you do not intend by it the neglect (described) by Allah (s.w.t) when he said to a people : “Those who neglected prayer and followed their lust and so will come to them a perdition” (19:59). (Sahih)

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن محمد بن إسماعيل، عن أبي إسماعيل السراج عن ابن مسكان، عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبوالحسن الاول (عليه السلام): إنه لما حضر أبي الوفاة قال لي: يابني إنه لا ينال شفاعتنا من استخف بالصلاة
- صحيح على الظاهر

10. Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Muhammad bin Ismail from Abi Ismail as-Sarraj from Ibn Muskan from Abi Basir who said : Abul Hassan the first (a.s) said : When my father was about to die, He (a.s) said to me : O my son, our intercession does not benefit/save anyone who takes the prayer lightly.
(Sahih apparently)

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن حماد، ومحمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن حماد ابن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: إذا ما أدى الرجل صلاة واحدة تامة قبلت جميع صلاته وإن كن غير تامات وإن أفسدها كلها لم يقبل منه شئ منها ولم يحسب له نافلة ولا فريضة وإنما تقبل النافلة بعد قبول الفريضة وإذا لم يؤد الرجل الفريضة لم يقبل منه النافلة وإنما جعلت النافلة ليتم بها ما أفسد من الفريضة – صحيح

11. Ali bin Ibrahim from his father (Ibrahim bin Hashim) from Hammad (bin Isa) AND Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Hammad bin Isa from Hariz (bin Abdillah) from Zurara (bin A’yan) from Abi Ja’far (a.s) who said : If a man has never prayed a single (obligatory) prayer with the perfection required in it (it is still possible) that all of his prayers are accepted even though none of them were perfect, and if he corrupts them all (effectively) then nothing of it (from all his prayers) is accepted, and that means that not a Faridha nor a Nafila is counted for him, and (know that) the Nafila is accepted after the Faridha has been accepted, and if a man does not pray the Faridha then his Nafila cannot be accepted, (this is because) the Nafila is there to complete what was left off from the Faridha. (Sahih)