Introduction: The Meaning of Ad-Deen and the Centrality of Salah

تمہید

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ

"Indeed, the religion (Deen) in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Sūrah Āl ʿImrān 3:19)

The word 'Deen' (دین) in the Arabic language encompasses several meanings: governance, recompense, submission, and the way of life. In the technical sense of Islamic usage, it refers to the complete system of belief and practice revealed by Allah to His Prophet, peace be upon him — a system encompassing both faith in the heart and action in the limbs.

Islam, as a Deen, rests upon five pillars, the greatest of which — after the testimony of faith — is Salah (the prescribed prayer). The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to Muʿādh ibn Jabal: 'The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is Salah, and its peak is Jihad in the path of Allah.' (al-Tirmidhī 2616 — ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ) The preservation and performance of Salah is therefore the most visible and most consequential expression of a Muslim's submission to Allah.

This volume — the third part of 'Ad-Deen' — is devoted to Kitab al-Islam, a systematic treatment of Islamic practice centred on Salah in all its dimensions: its appointed times, its outward form, its legal rulings for special circumstances, and its communal observances. The author draws extensively from the Quran and the authenticated hadith collections, providing original Arabic texts followed by explanation and commentary in Urdu.

Allah the Exalted commands the believers concerning Salah in numerous verses of the Holy Quran, among them:

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ

"Guard strictly the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devout obedience." (Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:238)

The emphasis of the Quran on maintaining Salah — using the word 'iqamat al-salah' (establishing prayer) rather than merely 'ada al-salah' (performing prayer) — indicates that the intent is not merely going through the physical motions, but performing the prayer in its full outward correctness and with presence of heart.

The author, Hazrat Hasrat, explains that this volume is intended to equip the Muslim with the knowledge necessary to establish their prayer properly, to understand the wisdom and legal rulings governing each aspect of worship, and to strengthen their connection with Allah through the medium of Salah. Each chapter treats its subject through the lens of Quran and Sunnah, presenting the views of the major schools of Islamic jurisprudence where relevant.

May Allah grant us the tawfiq (ability) to establish Salah as it deserves to be established, and to draw near to Him through worship performed with sincerity and knowledge. Ameen.