[23tommy]

Aslamo Alikum,

Dear All,

I thought about it, I found, because of Obligatory (Fard) prayer, our Deen (Islam) is intact, many people do not pray but when they see other people praying in Mosques, Homes, Bazars, Streets, Lawns, Parks etc, they start praying or at least they think about it or at least they see it.

Mostly obligatory prayers are offered in congregation and Muslims have to go to mosque and it is a sort of public prayer.

On the other hand, voluntary prayer is offered alone, it is offered in private or public, but since it is optional prayer, so some offer it and others’ don’t offer, so voluntary prayers do not have a power to establish Deen or to keep it intact, nor it invites people toward prayers.

However, voluntary prayers are bonus prayers and give lot of reward from God.

SKELETON OF DEEN
The advantage of Fard prayer is that it establishes Deen. It invites all people toward God. So Fard prayer is actually a SKELETON OF DEEN.

FLESH OF DEEN
The advantage of Nafl prayer is that it brings the individual closer to God and his heart is filled with love and devotion to God, so it is actually a FLESH OF DEEN.

Conclusion:

FARD prayers are SKELTEON while NAFL prayers are FLESH.

Without SKELETON, FLESH cannot be intact. So that’s why FARD prayers have lot more reward than NAFL prayers.

However, without FLESH, mere SKELETON cannot serve its purpose, so we should also offer NAFL prayers to get real closer to Allah (swt).

[BypeVupyide]

Brother

Very nice article. It gave me a chance to remember a statement of a Imam. People were overloaded in the mosque at the night of Shab-e-Barat. Before final supplication Imam said how an employee can get BONUS if he has no BASIC? I think Imam said that to encourage people to be a regular practicing Muslim. Thanks again for that very important issue.

[Liaiskelile]

One can't gain nearness to Allah except through nawafil ibadah. If nawafil ibadah was deemed unimportant why was it Prophet SAW and his companion put such emphasis on it. the differnce is today we look for excuse not to do where as people of the looked for excuses to do things. Actually for someone truely engaging in Dawah, nawafil ibadah such as tahajjud is almost wajib.
Also mantaining nawafil dawah, one can perfect their salaat and hence can enjoy doing ibadah. Otherwise it is simply a matter of going through the motion of salat without any depth.

[23tommy]

Both of you are right, so I will reiterate it

Obligatory prayers are first and foremost priority, because you are actually not just praying, but you are also inviting people toward prayers with your actions. You are establishing Deen. And more you will offer it in public, more reward you will get. For example, if you offer obligatory prayer in mosque, you will get more reward than you offer it in home.

On the other hand, Nafl prayers are bonus, they are private prayers, the more you will keep it secret, more you will get reward. For example, if you will offer Nafl in home or in the middle of night, you will get more reward than you offer it in mosque or daytime.

Rule
Always make public Fard worships. (e.g Salat, Zakat, Roza, Hajj etc) [For Deen]
Always make private Nafl worships. (e.g Nafl Salat, Sadqat, Nafl Rozay, Umrah etc) [For Tazkiah]

[BypeVupyide]

Narrated Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: First of the deeds for which a slave will be called to account (on the Day of Resurrection) will be his (obligatory) prayers. If they are complete (he has prospered and succeeded), otherwise Allah will say (to the angels): See whether there are any (voluntary) prayers of My slave If any. Allah will say: Complete his obligatory prayers with them.

(This Hadith is sound and related by Ahamd in his Musnad, Abu Da'ud and Ibn Hibban.)

[23tommy]

Thanks for sharing.

I have also heard, there is a Hadith that says, Allah (swt) comes every middle of night or last 3rd part of night in first heaven and say to His servants that if there is anyone with any need/wish, which I should grant.

[jokilewqs]

Praying in the third part of the night and reading Quran benefits us. Insha Allah, I will try to do this tonight.

[BypeVupyide]

Thanks for sharing.

I have also heard, there is a Hadith that says, Allah (swt) comes every middle of night or last 3rd part of night in first heaven and say to His servants that if there is anyone with any need/wish, which I should grant.

Brother here is the hadith u heard.

Bukhari: Volume 9, Book 93, Number 586:

Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Every night when it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Superior, the Blessed, descends to the nearest heaven and says: Is there anyone to invoke Me that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?. "

[23tommy]

Thanks Brother for providing me a reference.

It means, we do not need to wait for some special days or nights for getting our wishes granted from God, all nights are special nights.