Tradition 1: Perfecting The Obligatory Prayers

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ اَلْبَاقِرْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: إِنَّ اَلْعَبْدَ لِتَرْفَعَ لَهُ مِنْ صِلَاتِهِ نِصْفُهَا أَوْ رُبْعِهَا أَوْ خُمْسِهَا، وَمَا يَرْفَعُ لَهُ إِلَّا مَا أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهَا بِقَلْبِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَمْرُنَا بِالنَّوَافِلِ لِيَتِمَّ لَهُمْ بِهَا مَا نَقَصُوا مِنْ اَلْفَرِيضَةِ

Imam Al-Baqir (‘a) has said: Indeed, sometimes one-half, one-third, one-quarter or even one-fifth of (the total) of the prayers that a servant performs ascends [to the heavens], because it is only that amount of prayer in which there is focus and presence of heart that will soar, and it is for this reason that the people have been advised to (perform) the recommended prayers so that through this, any deficiencies that exist in their obligatory prayers will be compensated for.1

Tradition 2: One's Scale Of Deeds

قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ﷺ: اَلصَّلَاةُ مِيزَان، فَمِنْ وَفَّى اِسْتَوْفَى

Prophet Muhammad (S) has said: The salat is the scale [which will be used to weigh one's deeds], and therefore a person who performs more [salat], will benefit more.2

Tradition 3: Follow Your Heart

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامُ حَسَنْ اَلْعَسْكَرِي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: أَنَّ لِلْقُلُوبِ إِقْبَالاً وَادْبَارَا فَإِذَا أَقْبَلْتُ فَاحْمِلُوهَا عَلَى اَلنَّوَافِلِ وَإِذَا أَدْبَرَتْ فَاقْتَصَرُوا بِهَا عَلَى اَلْفَرَائِضِ

Imam Al-Hasan Al-'Askari (‘a) has said: Indeed, the hearts [go into a state] of acceptance and rejection; therefore, when your heart is [in a state of] consenting, then urge it towards the recommended [salat], and when it is [in a state of] rejection, then suffice it with only the obligatory [salat].3

Tradition 4: True Followers (Shi'a) Of Imam 'Ali (‘A)

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ مُحَمَّدْ اَلْبَاقِرْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ عَلِي . . . كَثِيرَةً صِلَاتُهُمْ كَثِيرَةً تِلَاوَتُهُمْ لِلْقُرْآنِ . . .

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (‘a) has said: Indeed, the true followers (Shi’a) of 'Ali ... [are known by their] abundance in prayers and their abundance in recitation of the Qur'an...4

Tradition 5: Keeping Away From Laziness

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ جَعْفَرْ اَلصَّادِقْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَسَلَ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ رَحِيمٌ يَشْكُرُ اَلْقَلِيلُ أَنَّ اَلرَّجُلَ لِيُصَلِّيَ اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ تَطَوَّعَا يُرِيدُ بِهُمَا وَجْهُ اَللَّهِ فَيَدْخُلُهُ اَللَّهُ بِهُمَا اَلْجَنَّةُ

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) has said: I advise you to keep away from laziness as indeed, your Lord is The Most-Merciful and He accepts the minimal. Indeed, a person may perform a two-rak'at prayer solely seeking the pleasure of Allah and because of this [short two rak'at prayer], Allah will enter that individual into Paradise.5

Tradition 6: Preparing One's Self

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ جَعْفَرْ اَلصَّادِقْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: إِنَّ اَلْقَلْبَ يَحْيَى وَيَمُوتُ، فَإِذَا حَيُّ فَأُدِّبَهُ بِالتَّطَوُّعِ، وَإِذَا مَاتَ فَأَقْصَرَهُ عَلَى اَلْفَرَائِضِ

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) has said: Indeed, the heart [of a person] can be (spiritually) alive and it can also be (spiritually) dead; so when it is (spiritually) alive, then coach it with the recommended [prayers]; and when it is (spiritually) dead, then keep it content with only the obligatory [prayers].6

Tradition 7: Alleviation Of Tribulations

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ جَعْفَرْ اَلصَّادِقْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: مَا يَمْنَعُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ غمُ مِنْ غُمُوم اَلدُّنْيَا أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ اَلْمَسْجِدُ فَيَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَدْعُو اَللَّهُ فِيهِمَا أُمًّا سُمِعَتْ اَللَّهَ يَقُولُ ﴿وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ﴾

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) has said: What prevents any of you that when a sorrow from the distresses of the transient world visits you - that you perform ablution (wudhu), enter the masjid and perform a two rak'at prayer in which you call upon Allah in these two [rak'at]?! Haven't you heard Allah says [in the Qur'an]: “And seek assistance [with Allah] through patience and prayer” (2:153) 7

Tradition 8: Total Daily Prayers Should Be Fifty-One Rak’at

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ عَلِي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: . . . وَكَانَتْ اَلْأُمَمُ اَلسَّالِفَةُ قَدْ فَرَضَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسِينَ صَلَاةً فِي خَمْسِينَ وَقْتًا وَهِيَ مِنْ اَلْآصَارْ اَلَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَرِفْعَتِهَا عَنْ أُمَّتِكَ وَجَعَلَتْهَا خَمْسًا فِي خَمْسَةِ أَوْقَاتِ وَهِيَ إِحْدَى وَخَمْسُونَ رَكْعَةً وَجَعَلَتْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُ خَمْسِينَ صَلَاةً . . .

Imam 'Ali (‘a) has said: [Allah, the Most High said to His Prophet]. ‘I made it an obligation upon the nations which came before (you) that they were to perform fifty prayers during fifty times (of the day) and this was one of the exertions which was placed upon them, however I have lifted this weighty load off your nation, and I have given them five prayers in five times, and [including the obligatory and the recommended prayers], there are a total of fifty-one rak'at and I will give them a reward [if they perform these] as if they have performed fifty prayers [as the previous nations had obligatory upon them].’8

Tradition 9: Effects Of Reciting A Large Number Of Prayers

قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ﷺ: أَكْثَركُمْ أَزْوَاجًا فِي اَلْجَنَّةِ أَكْثَرَكُمْ صَلَاةً فِي اَلدُّنْيَا

The Messenger of Allah (S) has said: Those of you who will have the most number of spouses in Paradise are those of you who performed the greatest number of [recommended] prayers while in this world.9

Tradition 10: In Order For The Recommended Prayers To Be Accepted

قَالَ اَلْإِمَامْ مُحَمَّدْ اَلْبَاقِرْ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلَامُ: وَإِذَا لَمْ يُؤَدِّ اَلرَّجُلُ اَلْفَرِيضَةَ لَمْ تَقْبَلْ مِنْهُ اَلنَّافِلَةُ

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (‘a) has said: If a person does not perform the obligatory [prayers], then the recommended [prayers] will not be accepted from him.10

• 1. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 87, page 28.
• 2. Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 3, page 267.
• 3. Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, vol. 1, page 177.
• 4. Sifat ash-Shi’a, page 436.
• 5. Wasa'il ash-Shi’a, vol. 3, page 30; Usul al-Kafi, vol. 2, page61.
• 6. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol 1, page 177.
• 7. Wasa'il ash-Shi’a, vol. 5, page 263.
• 8. Jami' Ahadith ash-Shi’a, vol. 4, page 40.
• 9. Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, vol. 1, page 175.
• 10. Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, vol. 3. page 20.