1. Remembrance of Allâh after  Al-Adhan

 

 

                Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا غُفِرَ لَهُ ذَنْبُهُ

 

"He who says after the Adhan: ` I testify that there is no true god except Allâh Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allâh as my Lord, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen.' his sins will be forgiven.'' (Narrated by Muslim)

 

2. Ablution (Wudu):  

                Uthman (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ خَرَجَتْ خَطَايَاهُ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَظْفَارِهِ

 

"He who performs the ablution (Wudu) perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins will depart from his body, even from under his nails.'' (Narrated  by Muslim)

 

3. The prayers (Salat):

                Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنَّ نَهَرًا بِبَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسًا مَا تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ قَالُوا لَا يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْئًا قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِ الْخَطَايَا

 

"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 be left on him.'' He (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said, '' That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allâh obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

                Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ تُضَعَّفُ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَفِي سُوقِهِ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ ضِعْفًا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يُخْرِجُهُ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةُ لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلَّا رُفِعَتْ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ فَإِذَا صَلَّى لَمْ تَزَلْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّاهُ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ وَلَا يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاةٍ مَا انْتَظَرَ الصَّلَاةَ

 

"A man's Salat in congregation is twenty-five times more rewarding than his Salat at home or in his shop, and that is because when he performs the ablution (Wudu) properly and proceeds towards the mosque with the purpose of performing Salat in congregation, he does not take a step without being raised a degree (in rank) for it and having a sin remitted for it, till he enters the mosque. When he finishes performing Salat, the angels continue to invoke Blessings of Allâh on him as long as he is in his place of worship in a state of Wudu'. They say: `O Allâh! Have mercy on him! O Allâh! Forgive him.' He is deemed to be engaged in Salat as long as he waits for it.'' (Narrated  by Al-Bukhari)

                And Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمْعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمْعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ

 

"The five (daily) prayers (Salat), and from one Jumu`ah prayer to the (next) Jumu`ah prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiations for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals); provided the major sins are not committed" (Narrated by Muslim)

4. Observing optional prayers at night and seeking forgiveness:

 

                Hudhaifah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ

 

"Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My Forgiveness, so that I may forgive him.”[1]

 

5. Charity:

                Hudhaifah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

فِتْنَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَجَارِهِ تُكَفِّرُهَا الصَّلَاةُ وَالصِّيَامُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ

 

“The trial of the man in his family, his wealth and his neighbor is expiated by prayers, fasting and charity.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

 

6. The manners of Friday (Jumu`ah Day)  

                Salman Al-Farisi (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

لَا يَغْتَسِلُ رَجُلٌ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَيَتَطَهَّرُ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ طُهْرٍ وَيَدَّهِنُ مِنْ دُهْنِهِ أَوْ يَمَسُّ مِنْ طِيبِ بَيْتِهِ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَلَا يُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي مَا كُتِبَ لَهُ ثُمَّ يُنْصِتُ إِذَا تَكَلَّمَ الْإِمَامُ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَةِ الْأُخْرَى

 

"If a man takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself thoroughly, uses the oil and perfume which is available in the house, then sets forth for the mosque, does not (forcibly) sit between two persons, offers the prayer that is prescribed for him then listens to the Imam silently, his sins between this Friday and the previous Friday will be forgiven.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

 

7. Observing fasting during the month of Ramadan:

Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

 

"He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allâh, will have his past sins forgiven.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

8. Observing optional prayers at night throughout Ramadhan:

 

Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

 

"He who observes optional prayers (Tarawih prayers) throughout Ramadan, out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward, will have his past sins pardoned.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

9. Observing optional prayers at Night of Decree:

Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

 

"He who observes optional prayers (Tarawih prayers) during Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

10. Observing fasting on the tenth day of Muharram (Ashuraa):

Abu Qatadah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fasting) on the tenth day of Muharram, he replied:

 

 يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ

 

"It is expiation for the sins of the preceding year.'' (Narrated by Muslim)

 

11. Umrah

Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

 

الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَالْحَجُّ الْمَبْرُورُ لَيْسَ لَهُ جَزَاءٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةُ

 

"(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous `Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., accepted pilgrimage) is nothing but Paradise.'' (Narrated by Muslim)