سهل بن يعقوب بن إسحاق

Hadith.1047 - Sahl ibn al-Yas'a asked Abu Al-Hasan al-Awwal (as) about a man who prays a voluntary prayer sitting while he does not have any illness, whether in travel or while at home. Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in that”.

“I heard al-Rida’ (a.s.), say, ’The condition wherein a servant of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, is nearest and closest to Him is in Sajdah. It is because of the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “Prostrate (do Sajdah) and become close.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Everyone has an enthusiasm and every enthusiasm has a decline. Tuba (a tree in paradise) is for those whose decline is toward a constructive side.’”

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) would say, ‘Chastity is the best worship.’”

“I heard al-Rida (a.s.) say, ‘In the tribe of Israel if a man wanted to become a worshipper he was to keep silent for ten years before starting the deed.’”

“One who retains his saliva during Salat out of respect of Allah’s Majesty and His Honor, Allah keeps him healthy till his death.”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Everything has a face. The face of your religion is Salah (prayer), no one of you, therefore, must deface his religion. Everything has a nose. The nose of Salah (prayer) is al-Takbir (saying, “Allah is greater than can be described”).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Satan continues to be afraid of a believing person as long as he protects his five times daily Salah (prayers), but when he loses them, Satan becomes daring, then he takes him into great sins.’”

No, unless there is a distance of one shibr or one yard between the two of them.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘When you complete al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer), it is time for al- ‘Asr Salah (prayer) except that before it there is Nafl (optional Salah (prayer) and it is up to you to make it lengthy or a short one.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a man came to the Holy Prophet asking, ‘O Messenger of Allah, give me a good advice.’ He said, ‘You must not give up Salah (prayer) intentionally; the community of Islam is free from all obligations toward one who gives up Salah (prayer) intentionally.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I am a Mu’adhdhin (caller for Salah (prayer)). On a cloudy day I cannot find when time for a Salah (prayer) begins.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When the rooster crows three times consecutively, it is time when the sun has declined toward the west at noontime, thus it is time for Salah (prayer).”’

"Abu ’Abd Allah has said, ‘The disappearance of the disk (the sun), the necessary time to discontinue fasting is when facing its direction and the disappearance of the redness that rise from the east upon its reaching overhead toward the west at such time fasting is discontinued; the (disappearance of the disk (sunset) has taken place.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who forgets al-Dhuhr until it is time of al-‘Asr. He (the Imam) said, ‘He begins with al-Dhuhr and so also one begins with Salah (prayer) which is forgotten, unless one is afraid of the running short of the time of Salah (prayer), in which case one begins with that for which there is still time, thereafter performs what one has forgotten.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Performing two Rak‘at Salah (prayer) with one’s teeth brushed is better than seventy Rak‘at without one’s teeth brushed. The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Were it not to cause hardships to my followers, I would command them to brush their teeth for every Salah (prayer).”’

“I once wrote to the man (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and asked about a man who is within the house. The walls do not allow him to see the redness in the west to find about al-Shafaq (redness) and the time for al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah. When must he perform Salah (prayer) and what should he do? He (the Imam) (a.s.), signed the answer that said, ‘He performs it (al-‘Isha’) when on this side, stars appear and al-Maghrib when just few stars appear. The clarity of sunset is from the appearance of few stars until their clearly becoming visible.’”

“I once said to abu al-Hassan al-Thaniy (a.s.), ‘In the market place I come to know that it is time but it becomes difficult (to perform Salah (prayer)) after I enter the market place (for business).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Satan nears the sun during three conditions, at sunrise, Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) and at sunset. You must perform Salah (prayer) after Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime); Satan wants to mislead you from the right path.’”

“I said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, you have written to Muhammad ibn al-Faraj telling him that the most excellent recitation in obligatory Salah (prayer) are chapters 97 and 112 of the Holy Quran. I feel uneasy reciting them in morning Salah (prayer).’ The Imam said, ‘You should not feel uneasy to recite them, by Allah, excellence is in reciting these two chapters.’” (Ahadith 12-19 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“I once asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about a man who performs Salah (prayer) in one corner of the room and his wife or daughter parallel with him in another corner of the room. He (the Imam) said, ‘He should not do so. If there is a distance of one shibr between them it is enough for him.’ I asked him (the Imam) about a man and woman share ride in a carriage and perform Salah (prayer) at the same time. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, man performs Salah (prayer) first, then the woman.’”

“I once, wrote to al-Rida’ (a.s.), to ask a question. ‘Our people have said that when the sun declines toward the west at noontime, it is the time of al-Dhuhr and al-‘Asr Salah (prayers). When it is sunset it is time of al-Maghrib and al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah Salah (prayers) except that this is before this. It is the same for one at home or on a journey and the time of al-Maghrib remains until passing of one-fourth of night.’ He (the Imam) wrote to me, ‘That is how the timing is, except that the time of al- Maghrib is short and its end is when redness disappears, turning to whiteness in the western horizon.’”