سورة هود

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): A man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and mentioned to him a sin he had committed; Allah the Exalted revealed concerning him this verse: وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهارِ وَ زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّیْلِ إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ ذلِکَ ذِکْری لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder to the mindful].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah says: 'I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the prayers that Allah has made obligatory.' He said: 'Allah has said: وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهَارِ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day]; and what is meant by the two parts is the Maghrib prayer and the Fajr prayer. And وَ زُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّیْلِ [and in the first hours of the night], what is meant is the Isha prayer.'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the obligatory prayers, and he said: "The obligatory prayers are five prayers which must be performed in the night and day." I asked: "Has Allah the Exalted named them and explained them in the Quran?" He said: "Yes! Allah the Exalted has said to His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): 'Establish the prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night sets in.' (Isra/78) What is meant by 'duluk' of the sun is its declining (the sun passing the meridian of the sky), and between the decline of the sun and midnight there are four prayers, all of which Allah the Exalted has named and whose times He has explained." What is meant by غَسَقِ اللَّیْلِ [darkness of the night] is midnight. Then Allah said: 'And the recitation of dawn. Indeed the recitation of dawn is witnessed.' (Isra/78) This is a reference to the fifth obligatory prayer. And He also said: وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهَارِ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day], where what is meant by the two parts is the Maghrib prayer and the Fajr prayer. And وَ زُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّیْلِ [and in the first hours of the night], by which is meant the Isha prayer. And He said: 'Guard the prayers and the middle prayer.' (Baqarah/238) By which is meant the Zuhr prayer.

Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him): The times of prayer with us, the Ahl al-Bayt — just as Allah made it obligatory upon His Messenger — are fifty-one rak'ahs in six times, which I will explain to you from the Book of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. In this saying of Allah, وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهارِ وَ زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّیْلِ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night], the two parts of the day are the Fajr prayer and the Asr prayer, and زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّیْلِ [the first hours of the night] means near the beginning of the night, which is between the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And according to the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: "O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess and those of you who have not yet reached puberty ask permission of you at three times: before the Fajr prayer, and at midday when you put off your [ordinary] clothes, and after the Isha prayer." (Nur/58) — He has explained the Fajr prayer, the bounds of the Zuhr prayer and the Isha prayer, because one does not put off one's clothes for sleep except after it. Likewise Allah the Exalted has said: "O you who believe! When the call is made for prayer on the day of Jumu'ah, hasten to the remembrance of Allah." (Jumu'ah/9) — and the people are agreed that the hastening is toward the Zuhr prayer. Then Allah the Exalted said: "Establish prayer from the declining of the sun (at noon) until the utmost darkness of the night (midnight)." (Isra/78) So He emphasised the explanation of the time [of prayer] and of the Isha prayer, which is in the darkness of the night. These are the times of the five prayers.

Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him): On the night the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) went on the Mi'raj, Allah the Exalted said to him: "Prayer was obligatory upon the past nations in the middle of the night and the middle of the day, and this was among the hard and difficult tasks, but I have lifted these hardships from your ummah and made prayer obligatory upon them at the sides of the night and the day, at times of their vigour and freshness. Upon the past nations fifty prayers at fifty times were obligatory, and this was among the burdens that were upon them, but I have lifted it from your ummah." Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, made obligatory upon them in a day and night five prayers at five times — two prayers at night and three prayers by day — and He made these five prayers equal to fifty prayers and made them an atonement for their faults. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ [indeed good deeds take away evil deeds]; that is, the five daily prayers, so long as the servant keeps away from major sins, cover over sins. Then he said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), on the night he was taken up to the heavens, saw in the heaven angels who from the time of their creation until then had been standing and bowing, and he said: 'O Jibra'il, this is worship!' Jibra'il said: 'O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Ask your Lord to grant your ummah in their prayer the qunut, the ruku', and the sujud.' So Allah granted these to them; and thus the ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) follow the angels who are in the heavens."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The prayer that the believer performs at night causes the removal of the sins he has committed during the day.

The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family): It is narrated from Abu Uthman who said: "I was with Salman (may Allah have mercy on him) under a tree, and he took a dry branch from it and shook it until its leaves fell; and he said: 'Will you not ask me why I do this?' I said: 'Why do you do this?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) did the same; I was with him under a tree, and he took a dry branch from it and shook it until its leaves fell; then he said: "O Salman (may Allah have mercy on him)! Will you not ask me why I do this?" I said: "Why did you do it?" He said: "When a Muslim performs wudu and performs it well, and then prays the five daily prayers, his sins fall away just as these leaves fell away." Then he recited this verse: وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهارِ وَ زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّیْلِ إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ ذلِکَ ذِکْری لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds this is a reminder to the mindful].'"

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Abu Hamza al-Thumali said: "I heard one of them (peace be upon him) say: Ali (peace be upon him) came before the people and said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) say: The most hope-giving verse of the Noble Quran is this verse: وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهَارِ وَ زُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّیْلِ [And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night], and he recited the whole verse and said to me: O Ali (peace be upon him)! By the One who sent me with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, whoever rises from his place with the intention of performing wudu, all his sins fall away from him, and when he stands before his Lord with his heart and face, before his prayer is complete all his sins are forgiven, and he becomes like an innocent newborn who has just come from his mother's womb; and if between two prayers he performs a good deed, his reward is doubled. And he continued until he enumerated the five prayers, then said: O Ali (peace be upon him)! The place of the five daily prayers for my ummah is like a stream of water flowing at the door of their home. What do you think — if someone whose body is dirty and soiled washes himself in this stream five times a day, would any dirt or filth remain on his body? By Allah! Such is the case of the five daily prayers for my ummah.'"

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Jew said: "Inform me of that by which Allah favoured the ummah of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) over all other ummahs." He said: "Allah favoured the ummah of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) over other ummahs by many things... Among them is that Allah the Mighty and Majestic made obligatory upon them in the day and night five prayers at five times: two prayers at night and three prayers during the day. Then He made these five prayers equal to fifty prayers and made them an expiation for their sins. Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds]; which means: 'The five daily prayers cover sins so long as the major sins are avoided.'"

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Fadl ibn Uthman al-Muradi says: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: There are four situations that if a person is in them, he will not suffer loss, unless he is someone who must [according to divine decree] perish. [Those situations are:] that the servant of Allah intends to do a good deed, and even if he does not perform it, Allah the Exalted records a good deed for him on account of his good intention; and if he acts upon it, the Lord records ten good deeds for him. And if he intends to do a bad deed, if he does not perform it, nothing is recorded against him; but if he commits it, its recording is delayed for seven hours, and the angel assigned to good deeds says to the angel assigned to evil deeds, who is on the person's left side: 'Do not hasten in recording it, in the hope that he may follow that bad deed with a good deed that will erase that evil, for Allah the Exalted has said: إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئَاتِ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds], or perhaps that person will seek forgiveness from Allah. If he says: أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِی لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمَ الْغَیْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِیزَ الْحَکِیمَ الْغَفُورَ الرَّحِیمَ ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَ الْإِکْرَامِ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَیْهِ [I seek forgiveness from Allah, other than whom there is no god, the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Wise, the Forgiving, the Merciful, Possessor of Majesty and Honor, and I turn to Him in repentance], no sin is recorded against him. But if seven hours pass and he does not follow it with a good deed and does not seek forgiveness, the angel assigned to good deeds says to the angel assigned to evil deeds: Record it against this deprived wretch.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Mufaddal ibn Mazid the scribe says: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) came to me while I had been assigned to set aside gifts for Banu Hashim from the public treasury. I was busy with my work when suddenly I noticed that the Imam (peace be upon him) was standing over my head. The two of us were alone in the room, so I sprang toward him with joy. The Imam (peace be upon him) asked me: "What task concerning them (Banu Hashim) has been assigned to me?" I handed him the letter. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "In this letter no right or share has been written for Isma'il [the Imam's brother]?" I said: "Only these names have been given to me." Then I asked him: "May I be your ransom! [I work in the apparatus of these tyrannical caliphs] how do you view my cooperation with these people and what is your opinion?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said to me: "Pay attention to the wealth you acquire and return it to your brothers; for Allah says: إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئَاتِ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sama'a says: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a man who had acquired wealth and property through working in the apparatus of Banu Umayya, and with it he gave charity, maintained ties of kinship with his relatives, and performed hajj, so that Allah would forgive the evil conduct he had committed, and [in justification of his action] he would say: إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئَاتِ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds]. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "A sin does not wipe out another sin, but a good deed wipes out sins." Then he said: "If lawful wealth becomes mixed with unlawful wealth and they are so intermingled that the lawful cannot be distinguished from the unlawful, in that case there is no objection."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibrahim al-Karkhi says: "I was with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man from the people of Medina came into his presence. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to him: 'Where have you come from?' [The man was silent.] Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'You have come from such and such a place and such and such a place. Your purpose is not to seek a livelihood, nor do you intend [to gather provisions] for the hereafter. Look carefully at what affairs you spend your day and night on, and know that with you is a noble angel who is assigned to you and records whatever you do, and is aware of the secret you hide from people. So be ashamed, and do not consider any evil deed small, for that very small evil will one day cause you displeasure; and do not consider any good deed small, even if it seems small to you, for a day will come when it will make you glad. Know that sin is the deed with the worst outcome and soon brings about the causes of regret, and a good deed is the greatest need of a human being and the swiftest to repel the effects of sin. Know that a good deed will compensate for a great, old and forgotten sin that a person has committed. This good deed removes that sin, destroys it and wipes it out — of course after the sin has done its harm. And the Lord has also said thus: إِنَّ الحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئَاتِ ذَلِکَ ذِکْرَی لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder to the mindful].'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Do not let people deceive you concerning yourself, for you will bear the punishment of your sins, not they! Do not waste your day on such-and-such and such-and-such, for there are those who watch over your deeds. Do good, and never consider any good deed small, however small it may be, for tomorrow you will see that very good deed, and it will be the cause of your happiness and delight; and never consider any evil or wicked deed small, however small it may be, for tomorrow you will see that very deed, and it will be the cause of your distress and displeasure. Do good, for the Exalted Lord has said: إِنَّ الحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئَاتِ ذَلِکَ ذِکْرَی لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder to the mindful].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Abu Ishaq al-Hamdani says: When Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) appointed Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as governor of Egypt, he wrote him a letter. The letter was this: Upon you be the taqwa of Allah! For it gathers all good in one place, and there is no good other than it. Through it, such goodness and blessing of the good of this world and the hereafter is obtained as is not obtained through anything else. Allah the Exalted covers one evil for every good deed. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ ذلِکَ ذِکْری لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [Indeed good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder to the mindful]; when the Day of Resurrection comes, their good deeds are counted for them, then for each good deed He grants them ten times its like up to seven hundred times, and this is what He says: "A recompense from your Lord, a reckoned gift." (Naba/36)

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): A servant sometimes commits a sin but enters Paradise. It was asked: "How is that, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)?" He said: "He constantly keeps his sin before his eyes, continually seeks forgiveness from it and is remorseful for that deed. So Allah admits him to Paradise thereby, and I have not seen anything better than a good deed done after a former, old sin [that erases its effect]. إِنَّ الحَسَناتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیِّئاتِ ذلِکَ ذِکْری لِلذَّاکِرِینَ [Indeed, good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder to the mindful]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Abi Ya'fur says: "I asked the Imam (peace be upon him): 'What is the reason that Allah has called that group [the unjust leaders] irreligious, but does not reproach this group [the followers of the just leaders]?' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'The evil deeds of the unjust leader cover over the good deeds of his followers, and the good deeds of the just leader cover over the evil deeds of his friends.'"