It was said to the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam): So and so prays the whole of the night, yet when he reaches the morning he steals! He (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "What you say (i.e. about his prayer) should prevent him from that" or he said: "His prayer will prevent him (from that)."[6]
When the prayer of the servant reaches it's goal in preventing him from sin and disobedience it is written for him in Iliyyeen as is mentioned in the hadeeth: "If a prayer is performed after another prayer and there is no foolishness (vain talk) between them, it is written in Illiyyeen."[7]
Do not, therefore, let it escape you that the prayer will prevent you from entering your house towards sin or going out towards it because it has been reported from Abu Hurairah (ra) that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "When you leave your house, pray two rakahs, they will prevent you from going out towards evil and when you enter your home pray two rakahs, they will prevent you from entering into evil."[8]
NOTES
[1] Surah Ankaboot 29:45
[2] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] and [ad-Diyaa] from Anas (ra). It is also in [Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 2570.
[3] The taabi'ee, Talq ibn Habeeb was asked to define taqwaa. He said: "Taqwaa is to act in obedience to Allaah, hoping for His Mercy upon a light from Him and taqwaa is to abandon acts of disobedience to Allaah, out of fear of Him upon a light from Him." Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah in his [Kitaab ul-Eemaan], no. 99. Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) explained the phrase "...upon a light from Him..." to mean pure and correct Eemaan, that nothing but pure Eemaan initiated the servant to perform the action. [Translators note]
[4] Reported by Bukhaaree, Muslim and others from an-Nu'maan ibn Basheer (ra).
[5] Reported by Ahmad in his Musnad, at-Tirmidhee and others. It is also in [Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 3957.
[6] Reported by Ahmad, Bazzaar and others. Shaikh al-Albaanee declared it Saheeh in his Silsilat ul-Aahaadeeth id-Da'eefah, Vol. 1, p. 16, in relation to the false hadeeth: "Whoever is not prevented by his prayer from committing obscene and evil deeds does not increase except in distance from Allaah."
[7] Reported by Abu Daawood and others. It is also in [Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 3731.
[8]
Reported by al-Bazzaar and al-Bayhaqee in [Shu'ab ul-Eemaan. It is also in
[Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 518.
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The Prayer and Its Effect in Removing Sins and Purifying the Soul