Salah (the Five Daily Prayers)
The five daily prayers; legislated in the heavens at the Mi'raj (50→5).
Hijri made fard at al-Mi'raj, c. BH 1 CE c. 620–621 CE
The ritual prayer that is the central pillar of Islamic worship — the only obligation legislated directly in the heavens, during the Mi’raj, rather than sent down through Jibril to earth.
How it appears in the Seerah (EP 021–022)
- In his private audience the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was commanded 50 prayers a day; on Musa’s (as) repeated counsel he returned to ask for reduction until it became 5 — “It is 5, but shall be rewarded as 50.” Allah had already decreed 5; the back-and- forth demonstrates His mercy and the supreme rank of salah.
- The manner of its legislation — the Messenger summoned upward to receive it directly — is itself proof of its status. So many verses (2:3, 20:14, 11:114) and ahadith affirm it; every prophet prayed.
- In gratitude the Prophet ﷺ made it his personal habit to pray 50 rak’ah daily (fard + sunan + tahajjud + witr + duha).
Earlier practice
Before the Mi’raj the Muslims already prayed (e.g. the two rak’ah the Prophet ﷺ prayed at Bayt al-Maqdis, and the early Meccan prayer). The Mi’raj established the five-times-daily obligation as we know it. The qibla first faced Jerusalem, later turning to Mecca (~1.5–2 years after the Hijra).
Development in Madinah (EP 031)
Originally every prayer was two rak’at; in the early Madinan period Zuhr, Asr and Isha grew to four and Maghrib to three (2-4-4-3-4), while the traveller keeps the original two (A’ishah, Sahih Bukhari); the sunan and nawafil were then added. The The Adhan (Call to Prayer) was legislated in Madinah (the dream of Abdullah ibn Zayd, called by Bilal), and the qibla turned to the Ka’bah (~16 months after Hijra). Q 2:143 (on those who died praying toward Jerusalem) — “Allah would not let your faith be lost” — became the classical proof that salah is inseparable from iman.
Lessons
Superiority of this ummah over Musa’s (as) — which he feared could not sustain five — since it took the duty on; and Allah’s ease (5, not 50) with full reward.
Cross-references
Al-Isra' wal-Mi'raj (The Night Journey & Ascension) · Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis / al-Masjid al-Aqsa) · Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque) · Muhammad ﷺ · Wahy (Revelation) & Prophethood · The Adhan (Call to Prayer) · The Change of the Qibla · Bilal ibn Rabah (ra)
Sources
- S005 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 021–022. Draws on Sahih Bukhari & Muslim (Ibn Mas’ud), Quran.
- S006 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 031, 034 (rak’at change, adhan, qibla, salah as iman).