When performing Salaah, one should have certainty that Allah Ta'ala will reward him for performing Salaah. If an employee knows that the employer is going to pay him a salary then the employee will ensure that he does the job properly. On the other hand, if he doubts the employer he will do the job in a haphazard manner.

In a certain locality the trustees of the Masjid were known for not paying the Imaam his salary, so the Imaam had doubted them. At the end of the month he did not receive his salary as expected, so he told them that he had lead the Salaah for the entire month without Wudhu. So, when a person is uncertain in regards to his payment, then his job is carried in an unprofessional manner as well.

However, this is never the case with Allah Ta'ala. He will always reward a person in full, in fact much more than what one really deserves. One of the names of Allah Ta'ala is “Kareem”.

Kareem is that being Who blesses or grants a person without him being worthy of such bounties.

Kareem is that being who grants without any fear of his provisions being exhausted.

Kareem is that being who grants you without asking and desiring.

Kareem is that being that grants more than what we can expect of him.

Therefore, when standing for Salaah one should have hope and certainty of being rewarded which is termed in the Hadith as “Imaanan Wa Ihtisaba.”

Secondly, a person should perform his Salaah as though this is his final Salaah. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said,

اذا قمت فى صلوتك فصلوا صلوة مودع

When you stand for Salaah, then perform the Salaah of a person that is departing (from the world).

By acting upon the above Hadith, the Salaah of a person will increase from 0-100 instantly. If the Salaah of a person is in order then the Deen of a person will also be corrected, therefore Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said,

الصلوة عماد الدين من اقامها فقد اقام الدين ومن هدمها فقد هدم الدين

Salaah is a pillar of Deen, whoever establishes Salaah has established Deen, and whoever destroys Salaah has destroyed Deen.

Salaah doesn’t only have an effect on one’s Deen but also has an effect on one’s daily activities. In  Nizamuddin Markaz, a certain person was responsible for serving water to the people. He happened to drop the water. Hadrat Maulana Ilyaas Saheb R.A. immediately remarked, “Your Salaah is not in order, therefore correct your Salaah.”

Thirdly, certain Fuqaha (jurists) have written that a person should make an intention that he is fulfilling the command of Allah Ta'ala in every posture of Salaah. If a person makes this intention in all his activities then his twenty four hours of the day will become Deen to such an extent that one’s eating, sleeping, relations with his wife, etc.   

Fourthly, Salaah is the Mi’raaj of a believer where he so to say meets Allah c and is in communication with his creator therefore one should not spoil such an occasion.

IMPORTANT MASAA’IL OF SALAAH

1.Niyyat:- One should make Niyyat of Salaah and one should specify that he is performing the Fardh of Zuhr Salaah etc. However, Niyyat does not have to be made verbally as the place of Niyyat is the heart. Actions without any Niyyat is like a body without life.

2.Takbeer-e-Tahreema:- The first Takbeer that is uttered to enter Salaah is known as Takbeer-e-Tahreema. It is necessary for a person to say this Takbeer audibly to such an extent that he is able to hear himself. To recite the Takbeer in one’s mind is not sufficient.

Many people that rush to join the Imaam in the Ruku posture do not say the Takbeer-e-Tahreema. The Salaah of such people will be invalid as the Takbeer-e-Tahreema is compulsory in Salaah. The Takbeers that are recited to move from one posture to the other is Sunnat.

3. Many people feel itchy during Salaah, whereas there was no sign of itchiness prior to Salaah. This problem is contagious and rubs onto other Musallis as well. If a person scratches a limb of the body in one Rukn thrice, then the Salaah of such a person is regarded as invalid.

4. There is a huge difference between Salaah and exercise, between fasting and not eating and between slaughtering an animal and Qurbani. If a person is performing Salaah, then Salaah will prevent a person from indulging in sin as Allah c states in the Quraan Sharif,

 إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ 

Verily Salaah prevents a person from indecency and evil.

If a person cannot abstain from evil, its an indication that one’s Salaah is not in order. In another verse Allah Ta'ala states,

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

The Mu’mineen have truly succeeded

الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ

Those that are humble in their Salaah.

On the other hand Allah Ta'ala has issued warnings of destruction for certain Musallis. Allah Ta'ala states,

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ

Destruction for those that perform Salaah.

الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

Those who neglect (to perform) their Salaah.

Many people state that we do not find the promises that have been mentioned for performing Salaah. When we haven’t ordered the goods from the store, how can we expect delivery? We are not discharging our Salaah correctly, so how can we expect the promises to be fulfilled?

5. When making Salaam we should make intention of the angels (Kiraaman Kaatibeen) on both sides, the Musallis on both sides and the Imaam on one of the sides. The best exercise for the heart is Salaam, therefore one should turn the head completely to the right and left.

When the Musalli makes intention of the angels at the time of Salaah, Allah Ta'ala opens the system of the unseen for such a person. There are two systems that control the world. One is the system of Asbaab (cause and effect), where a person’s stomach is filled by eating etc. The system of the angels over ride this system. This system is such that when a person eats, the food is either of benefit or harm to a person. So by making Niyyat of Salaam to the angels, this system is opened before a person and he then places his trust on this system.

6. We should make a continuous effort to perfect our Salaah as Allah Ta'ala states,

وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ

And perfect your Salaah

May Allah Ta'ala grant us the Taufeeq of correcting our Salaah and grant us the Taufeeq of performing such Salaah that is pleasing to Him.