Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah bin Rabi’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah the Exalted has said: I have made five prayers obligatory upon your Ummah, and I have made it incumbent upon Myself that whoever guards these prayers at their appointed times, I will admit him to Paradise, and whoever does not guard them, then I have no covenant (of forgiveness) with him.”

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Prayer consists of three parts: one third is purification, one third is bowing (ruku'), and one third is prostration (sujood). Whoever performs the prayer as it should be performed, the rest of his deeds will also be accepted, and whoever's prayer is rejected, the rest of his deeds will also be rendered void."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts in Ramadan, performs the five prayers, and performs Hajj to the House of Allah. The narrator says: I do not know whether he (peace be upon him) mentioned zakat or not. Then it is Allah's right to forgive him, whether he migrates in the way of Allah or remains in his birthplace." Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Should I inform the people of this (hadith)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Leave it, Mu'adh! So that they may continue to do (more) deeds."

Abu Malik Ashja'i narrates from his father Tariq bin Ashyam that when a person would become Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would first teach him the prayer.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, establishes prayer, and fasts in Ramadan, then it is Allah’s right to admit him into Paradise, whether he strives in Allah’s path or remains in his place of birth.” The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! Should we not give people the glad tidings (by narrating this hadith)? He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are one hundred levels in Paradise which Allah has prepared for those who strive in His path. The distance between each two levels is like the distance between the sky and the earth. So when you ask Allah (for Paradise), ask for Jannat al-Firdaws, for it is the best and highest part of Paradise. (I think he also said:) Above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it spring forth the rivers of Paradise.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Qatila (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood among the people on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage and said: "There will be no prophet after me, and there will be no community after my community. So worship your Lord, establish the five prayers, pay zakat, fast in the month (of Ramadan), and obey those in authority over your affairs (i.e., your leaders). You will enter the Paradise of your Lord."