Privilege of Salaah over other acts of `Ibaadah:

Sheikh Saalih Al-`Uthaimeen  رحمه الله

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

In respect to al-Salaah (prayer), not only is the reward multiplied, but also the actions:

(In the beginning), Salaah (prayer) Fifty times a day was made compulsory, and this shows the extent of the love of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى and His concern for them. But (later on) they were reduced, so that they are Five in action but Fifty in the Scale – as if the person (actually) prayed Fifty times (in a day). It is not to be understood in the terms that the reward for a good deed will be multiplied Ten times. If it was the case – that the reward for the good deed (i.e. prayer) is multiplied Ten times (only) – then the prayer would have had no privilege over the other forms of worship, because for every form of worship is rewarded Ten times. But what is apparent is that the reward of actually praying Fifty times (a day) is written for the person. What confirms this is the fact that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم and he is the Imaam of this Ummah – accepted the obligation of praying Fifty times a day and was pleased with them. Thereafter Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى reduced them (in numbers), but He سُبحانه وتعالى kept the reward for the Ummah (as it is) upon what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had initially accepted and was pleased with – i.e. Fifty prayers.

The evidence for this is what al-Bukhaaree has reported in his Saheeh on the authority of Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«فراجَعته ـ يعني: الله ـ فقال: {هي خمس وهي خمسون}»

“So I returned to Allaah and He سُبحانه وتعالى said:{These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty}.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (349) and Saheeh Muslim (242)]

And in another narration of Saheeh Muslim Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said:

{يا محمد، إِنَّهنَّ خمس صلوات كلَّ يوم وليلة، لِكُلِّ صلاة عشر، فذلك خمسون صلاة}

{O Muhammad: These are five prayers for every day and night, each being credited as ten, so that makes Fifty prayers.}

[Saheeh Muslim (238)]

And in the narration of al-Nasaa’ee:

{فخمس بخمسين، فَقُمْ بها أنت وأمَّتُك}

'{Five is for fifty, so establish them, you and your Ummah}'

[Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (450) Ibn Katheer said this Hadeeth is “Ghareeb” (strange) with this chain and it is “Munkar” (denounced). Sheikh al-Albaanee also graded it as “Munkar”.]

This is a great favor of Allaah عز وجل upon this Ummah, and we see that no other worship is made obligatory everyday throughout the lifetime except the Salaah. Zakaah is a yearly obligation, Fasting is a yearly obligation and Hajj is once in a lifetime obligation.

                              [Sharh al-Mumti`u (2/6-7) of Sheikh Ibn al-`Uthaimeen رحمه الله]