Can you pray two rak'ahs without distraction?
The Sunnah of Prayer After Wudu: Achieving Focus and Forgiveness
Summary
This lecture discusses the sunan (encouraged and perfected aspects) of wudu, specifically focusing on performing two raka'at (units of prayer) after completing ablution. Sh. Ali Mashhour explains the hadith narrated by Uthman in which the Prophet Muhammad taught that whoever performs wudu correctly and then prays two raka'at with complete focus and no distraction will have their past sins forgiven. The lecture emphasizes that while this reward is high, it requires significant mental effort and determination to achieve perfect concentration in prayer, comparing it to how the Prophet's companions were so focused during salah that they could use it in place of anesthesia during medical procedures.
Sh. Ali Mashhour further illustrates this concept through the narration of Abu Hurairah about Bilal ibn Rabah, the Prophet's mu'adhin (caller to prayer). When asked what deed he was most hopeful about for reward, Bilal responded that his greatest practice was making wudu and immediately following it with prayer whenever possible, day or night. This narration reinforces the sunnah of praying after wudu and demonstrates the high spiritual rank that can be achieved through consistent dedication to this practice.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
Continuing in the chapter regarding the sunan. So, the sunan here meaning the preferred, encouraged aspects, elements of wudu. And the things that perfect a person's wudu. The things that complete, the finishing touches on this great worship of wudu. The final thing the author mentions is making two raka' after wudu. This is referred to by the fuqaha as sunnat al-wudu. Sunnat al-wudu meaning performing two raka' for the occasion of making wudu. The first evidence for this is the narration of Uthman at the very beginning of the book of wudu. The very beginning of the book, the chapter of wudu in which Uthman narrates that the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam performed wudu. And then upon completion he said.
[Silence]
He said whoever makes his wudu as I have here and then stands and prays two units of prayer, two raka' and does not lose his focus in this and does not stray in his mind from his prayer, what is past of his.
[Arabic recitation]
One of the important patterns to recognize is that reward is based on the effort or the practice that goes into earning the reward. When you find a narration that mentions an extremely high reward then this means that the action itself is rather difficult to achieve. It's either because a person is prone to forgetfulness or because a person must practice for a long a lot of times in order to reach this level of perfection. In this case, it is the latter. Meaning a person in order to achieve this level of determination, this level of focus in his prayer that he can make two raka' completely watch the world melt away for his two raka'. Not a single moment his mind strays from his prayer. This is something that takes much determination and quite a bit of mental fortitude to do. As a matter of fact, I would wager that many if not most people have never accomplished this, have never felt this, have never experienced such a feat. Making two raka' never having strayed in your salah at all. Person only the world only comes back into focus once the person makes tasleem. This is quite a feat. And for this reason, whoever is able to do this, what is past of his sins will be forgiven. What's interesting about this is that every one of us has the ability to do this. There's no one no one. You have never met someone who is more stressed, more pressed, more under pressure than the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam and his companions. You've just never met that person. They don't exist. And so, as much as we pray, and as much practice as we should be having, we should be able to do this constantly. The companions of radi.
[Arabic recitation]
Had perfected their prayers so much that they would use salah in place of anesthesia when pulling out and treating battle wounds. In place of anesthesia. So, there's an arrow, we've got to pull this arrow out, we have to do some stitching, we have to you know, we have to we have to cauterize with with fire a wound. They would stand to make salah and have it done during salah. Why? Because their focus in prayer is so strong, the.
[Arabic recitation]
Would not feel it or feel it far less and be distracted far less during salah. You Yeah, Bilal. I could be for any We.
[Arabic recitation]
Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said to Bilal Bilal is mu'adhin. Bilal ibn Rabah and the prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam had four mu'adhins. He had four. One in Quba one in Mecca and two in Medina. Bilal radiAllahu anhu was one of these four and the one that was most usually making adhan in Medina. He said to him, "Ya Bilal tell me about the an act of worship that you do that you are most hopeful in Islam will be most rewarding for you." You know, what act of worship are you most confident in? He says, "Because I heard the sound of your footsteps in front of me in paradise." Now, he said this to him and the salat subh. Abu Hurairah says he said this to him obviously publicly in front of the companions at salat subh. This is important because whenever he would have a dream he would always tell the companions immediately after fajr of salah. Always. And this was the time when he would most usually explain the dreams of the companions specifically after fajr of salah on Jumu'. The prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam when he would finish salah, he would sit down and he would say, "Mar ra'a minkum ru'yan laylah?" Who of you has seen a vision, a premonition tonight, this week? They would tell him, and he would share with them any dreams that he had, because his dreams are revelation. He says, "I heard your footsteps in front of me in paradise." Bilal responded, "I have not done anything which I am more hopeful and banking on the most except more than making it my custom that anytime I make wudu, anytime I purify myself for prayer, whether it's a a time of day or night, except that I will make salah afterward as much as I can, as much as is appropriate for the time." So, at least two rak'ahs, sometimes more. And so, this narration, the narration before it, and many narrations it, is one of the instances where it is the sunnah to make salah upon doing so, which is making wudu. And if a person makes ghusl, and it takes the place of wudu, which we will get to inshallah in the coming chapters, then it has the ruling of wudu. As'al Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala an yaghfir lana khatayana wa an yatuba alayna wa an yaj'ala as-salata qurrata a'yunina wa an yaj'ala.
[Arabic recitation]