Prayer (Salah) is the second pillar of Islam; it is the pillar of religion and the first act for which a servant will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. Prayer was made obligatory for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the night of Isra and Mi’raj, a significant night in Islamic history. But which was the first prayer the Prophet (pbuh) performed after the five daily prayers were made obligatory?
The first prayer the Prophet performed: Dhuhr (noon) prayer
The majority of scholars agree that the first prayer the Prophet (pbuh) performed after the five daily prayers were made obligatory was the Dhuhr prayer.
This is evidenced by some hadiths and narrations indicating that Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) came down to teach the Prophet (pbuh) how to pray, and the first prayer they performed together was the Dhuhr prayer.
In Musannaf of ‘Abd al-Razzaq, from Al-Hasan, it is narrated: “The first prayer the Prophet (pbuh) performed was Dhuhr.”
It is also said that it is called the first prayer because it was the first prayer that Jibreel prayed with the Prophet (pbuh) at the Kaaba when the five prayers were first made obligatory on the night of Isra.
Why Dhuhr prayer?
Prayer was made obligatory on the night of Isra and Mi’raj. Angel Jibreel (pbuh) came to teach the Prophet (pbuh) how to pray. The first prayer the Prophet (pbuh) performed with Jibreel was the Dhuhr prayer. Ibn Abd al-Hadi stated that the first of the five prayers ever performed by the Prophet (pbuh) was Dhuhr in Mecca, with consensus among scholars.
Virtue of prayer:
Maintain your prayers and perform them on time, so that you may attain Allah’s pleasure and succeed in entering Paradise.
