Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The five prayers, Friday to Friday and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided.” Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “What lies between a man and infidelity is the abandonment of prayer.”* *This means that when a man does not make it his practice to observe the prayer he is no longer a Muslim. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Five times of prayer have been prescribed by God. If anyone performs the ablution for them well, observes them at their proper time, and perfectly performs the bowing and showing of submissiveness during them, he has a covenant from God to forgive him; but if anyone does not do so, he has no covenant. If He wills He may forgive him, but if He wills He may punish him.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Malik and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If you observe your five times of prayer, fast during your month, pay the zakat on your properties, and obey him who has a right to issue commands to you, you will enter your Lord’s paradise.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib said on his father’s authority that his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Command your children to observe prayer when they are seven years old, and beat them for it when they are ten years old, and do not let sleep together.” Abu Dawud transmitted it; and Baghawi transmitted it thus from him in Sharh as-sunna but in al-Masabih from Sabra b. Ma‘bad.

Buraida reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The covenant between us and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become an infidel.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Dharr said that the Prophet (ﷺ) went out in winter time when the leaves were falling, and took two branches of a tree whose leaves began to fall. He then addressed Abu Dharr who replied, “At your service, Messenger of God.” He said, “A Muslim observes prayer for God’s sake and his sins fall from him as these leaves fall from this tree.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Zaid b Khalid al-Juhani reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone observes two prostrations without being negligent in them, God will forgive him his previous sins.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Shaqiq said that the companions of God’s Messenger did not consider the abandonment of any good deeds but prayer to be infidelity. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Darda’ said: My friend enjoined me thus, “Do not associate anything with God even if you are cut to pieces and burnt; do not abandon a prescribed prayer intentionally, for if anyone abandons it intentionally protection will not apply to him; and do not drink wine, for it is the key to every evil.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The time of the noon prayer is when the sun passes the meridian and a man’s shadow is the same length as his height, so long as the time for the afternoon prayer has not come; the time for the afternoon prayer is as long as the sun has not become yellow; the time of the sunset prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the night prayer is up to midnight; and the time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen, but when the sun rises refrain from prayer, for it rises between the horns of the devil.” Muslim transmitted it.

Buraida told of a man asking God’s Messenger about the time of prayer, to which he replied, “Pray with us these two,” meaning two days. When the sun passed the meridian he gave command to Bilal who uttered the call to prayer, then he commanded him and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the noon prayer had come. He gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to being the afternoon prayer had come when the sun was high, white and clear. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the sunset prayer had come when the sun had set. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the night prayer had come when the twilight had ended. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the dawn prayer had come when the dawn appeared. Next day he commanded him to delay the noon prayer till the extreme heat had passed and he did so, and he allowed it to be delayed till the extreme heat had passed. He observed the afternoon prayer when the sun was high, delaying it beyond the time he had previously observed it. He observed the sunset prayer before the twilight had ended; he observed the night prayer when a third of the night had passed; and he observed the dawn prayer when there was clear daylight. Then asking where the man was who had enquired about the time of prayer and receiving from him a reply that he was present, he said, “The time for your prayer is within the limits of what you have seen.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud said that the extent of the shadow when God’s Messenger prayed the noon prayer was three to five feet in summer and five to seven feet in winter. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “This is how a hypocrite prays: he sits watching the sun, and when it becomes yellow and is between the horns of the devil, he rises and prays four rak'as quickly, mentioning God seldom during them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Buraida reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone abandons the afternoon prayer, his deeds are of no avail.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Qatada said on the authority of Anas that the Prophet (ﷺ) and Zaid b Anas had a meal at daybreak, and when they finished their meal God’s prophet got up to pray and performed the prayer. On being asked how long it was between the end of their meal and their beginning to pray Anas replied that it was about os long as a man takes to recite fifty verses. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Dharr said: God’s Messenger asked me, “How will you act when you are under rulers who make prayer a dead thing, or delay it beyond its proper time?” When I asked what he commanded me to do he replied, “Observe the prayer at its proper time, and if you can say it along with them do so, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.” Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any of you performs a sajda of the afternoon prayer before sunset, he should complete his prayer; and if he is present at a sajda of the Morning Prayer before sunrise, he should complete his prayer.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Ali told how the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are three things, ‘Ali, which you must not postpone: prayer when its time comes, a funeral, and the marriage of an unmarried woman when she finds one of suitable class for her.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The earliest time for prayer is what pleases God, and the latest time is what God allows as a concession.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.