13, pp. 429) Therefore, we should value this Divinely-bestowed great gift and should always offer Salah regularly. This will bring countless blessings to our worldly life and afterlife. Moreover, there is also a tremendous benefit of it. By the grace and benevolence of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, we will be granted reward tenfold for each of the five Salahs. Therefore, make a firm intention of offering Salah regularly from today. If a person only makes a true intention of a good deed, a virtue is recorded for him. And if he performs the good deed later on acting upon his good intention, so ten virtues are recorded for him. On this sacred night, let’s now hear about Salah being declared Fard as well as about its excellence and about the blessing of good intention.

Obligation of Salah and importance of intention

The Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: On the night of Mi’raaj, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ declared 50 Salahs Fard (obligatory) for me during a day and night. When I reached Sayyiduna Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام, he said: What has your Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ declared Fard for your Ummah? I said: 50 Salahs were declared Fard during every day and night. Sayyiduna Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام said: Go to your Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ and get the number of Salahs decreased, because your Ummah will not be able to offer 50 Salahs. I have already tested Bani Isra’eel. (Only two Salahs were declared Fard for the Bani Isra’eel during the day and night but they could not offer them. So how will your Ummah be able to offer fifty Salahs? The Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated, I returned to my Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ and humbly said: O my Lord (عَزَّوَجَلَّ)! Grant some easiness to my Ummah. So Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ decreased five Salahs. I reached (Sayyiduna) Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام and informed him that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ had decreased five Salahs. (Sayyiduna) Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام said that your Ummah would not be able to offer even these Salahs; go back and make request for further decrease.

The Beloved Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: I repeatedly came to (Sayyiduna) Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام and went to the Divine court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ (i.e. every time Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ decreased some number of Salahs. Despite this, (Sayyiduna) Musa عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام kept on sending me to the Divine court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ to get Salahs decreased further). When only five Salahs were left, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ said: ‘O Muhammad (صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم)! These are five Salahs during a day and night and reward will be granted tenfold for each of these Salahs. Therefore,