5/194. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1403 — Maintaining Prayer on Time
What was narrated concerning the five obligatory Prayers and performing them regularly
Maintaining the Five Prayers on Time
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1403
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1403
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا ضُبَارَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي السَّلِيلِ، أَخْبَرَنِي دُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ إِنَّ أَبَا قَتَادَةَ بْنَ رِبْعِيٍّ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَعَهِدْتُ عِنْدِي عَهْدًا أَنَّهُ مَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهِنَّ لِوَقْتِهِنَّ أَدْخَلْتُهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُحَافِظْ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَلاَ عَهْدَ لَهُ عِنْدِي " .
Abu Qatadah bin Rib’i Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Allah said: ‘I have enjoined on your nation five prayers, and I have made a covenant with Myself that whoever maintains them, I will admit them to Paradise, and whoever does not maintain them, has no such covenant with Me.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1403In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 601English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1403
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1403
This Hadith about maintaining prayer on time presents the five prayers as an obligation from Allah. In the wording of the Hadith, Allah says that He has enjoined five prayers upon the nation of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and made a covenant with Himself. Whoever maintains them will be admitted to Paradise. Whoever does not maintain them has no such covenant with Allah. The message is short but weighty. It is not only about praying sometimes, but about maintaining the prayers properly. The phrase five daily prayers appears clearly in the meaning of this narration, and the Hadith teaches Muslims to treat salah as a protected duty, not as something casual.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah enjoined five prayers upon the nation of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Maintaining the prayers is linked to Allah’s covenant.
- Carelessness with prayer removes the special covenant mentioned in the Hadith.
- Prayer should be treated as a regular and guarded duty.
