Advice of Scholars - IMPORTANCE OF NAMÂZ (PART 1)

Hadrat Abdullah-i Dahlawî says in the eighty-fifth letter of his book Maktûbât:

We have been ordered by Allah’s Prophet to perform namâz in jamâ’at, to perform it with tumânînat, to fulfil qawma after the rukû’ (bowing position during namâz) and jalsa between the two sajdas (prostrations). There are savants who say that qawma and jalsa are fard. Qâdihân, one of the muftîs of the Hanafî Madhhab, has informed that these two are wâjib, that sajda-i sahw is wâjib when one forgets one of the two, that he who omits them on purpose has to perform the namâz again. Also, those who said that they were sunnat-i mu’akkada said that they were the sunnats that were close to wâjib. It is disbelief to neglect the sunnat by slighting it, deeming it unimportant.

Various kayfiyyats and hâls are enyojed during the qiyâm (standing position), the rukû’, the qawma, the jalsa, the sajdas, and the sitting positions in namâz. All kinds of worship have been accumulated in namâz. Reading the Qur’ân, saying subhânallah [which means, “I deem Allah far from any defects whatsoever,”] saying salawât for Rasûlullah’s soul, saying the prayer of istighfâr (begging Allah for His forgiveness) for one’s sins, and asking for what one needs only from Allâhu ta’âlâ and praying to Him only have all been accumulated in namâz. Trees, plants stand upright like standing in namâz. Animals represent the position of rukû’, and the lifeless, spread out on the ground, represent the qa’da, sitting posture, in namâz. He who performs namâz does all these kinds of worship done by them. Performing namâz became fard on the night of Mi’râj. A Muslim who performs namâz with the intention of following Allah’s beloved Prophet, who was honoured with Mi’râj at that night, gets exalted to high grades like the exalted Prophet. Those who perform namâz in serenity, having the adab due towards Allâhu ta’âlâ and His Messenger, realize that they have gone up to these grades.