AbuMuhammad fancies that witr prayer is essential. (Hearing this) Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: AbuMuhammad was wrong. I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Allah, the Exalted, has made five prayers obligatory. If anyone performs ablution for them well, offers them at their (right) time, and observes perfectly their bowing and submissiveness in them, it is the guarantee of Allah that He will pardon him; if anyone does not do so, there is no guarantee for him on the part of Allah; He may pardon him if He wills, and punish him if He wills.  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ افْتَرَضَهُنَّ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَنْ أَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُنَّ وَصَلاَّهُنَّ لِوَقْتِهِنَّ وَأَتَمَّ رُكُوعَهُنَّ وَخُشُوعَهُنَّ كَانَ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَهْدٌ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لَهُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَهْدٌ إِنْ شَاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: Which of the actions is best? He replied: Observing prayer early in its period. Al-Khuza'i narrated in his version from his aunt named Umm Farwah who took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ: He was questioned.  

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ الصَّلاَةُ فِي أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا قَالَ الْخُزَاعِيُّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ عَمَّةٍ لَهُ يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ فَرْوَةَ قَدْ بَايَعَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ سُئِلَ  

A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: No one will enter Hell who has prayed before the rising of the sun and before its setting (meaning the dawn and the afternoon prayers). He said three times: Have you heard it from him? He replied: Yes, each time saying: My ears heard it and my heart memorised it. The man then said: And I heard him (the Prophet) say that.  

سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ يَلِجُ النَّارَ رَجُلٌ صَلَّى قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ أَنْ تَغْرُبَ قَالَ أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْهُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَأَنَا سَمِعْتُهُ ﷺ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me and what he taught me is this: Observe the five prayers regularly. He said: I told (him): I have many works at these times; so give me a comprehensive advice which, if I follow, should be enough for me. He said: Observe the two afternoon prayers (al-asrayn). But the term al-asrayn (two afternoon prayers) was not used in our language. Hence I said: What is al-asrayn? He said: A prayer before the sunrise and a prayer before the sunset (i.e. the dawn and the afternoon prayers).  

عَلَّمَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَانَ فِيمَا عَلَّمَنِي وَحَافِظْ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذِهِ سَاعَاتٌ لِي فِيهَا أَشْغَالٌ فَمُرْنِي بِأَمْرٍ جَامِعٍ إِذَا أَنَا فَعَلْتُهُ أَجْزَأَ عَنِّي فَقَالَ حَافِظْ عَلَى الْعَصْرَيْنِ وَمَا كَانَتْ مِنْ لُغَتِنَا فَقُلْتُ وَمَا الْعَصْرَانِ فَقَالَ صَلاَةٌ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَصَلاَةٌ قَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا  

There are five thing, if anyone observe them with faith, he will enter Paradise. He who prays the five times prayer regularly, with the ablution for them, with their bowing, with their prostration and their (right) times ; keeps fast during Ramadan ; performs Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (Ka'bah), provided he has the ability for its passage; pays Zakat happily ; and fulfills the trust (he will enter Paradise). People said: Abu al-Darda', what is fulfilling the trust ? He replied: Washing because of sexual defilement.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَمْسٌ مَنْ جَاءَ بِهِنَّ مَعَ إِيمَانٍ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ عَلَى وُضُوئِهِنَّ وَرُكُوعِهِنَّ وَسُجُودِهِنَّ وَمَوَاقِيتِهِنَّ وَصَامَ رَمَضَانَ وَحَجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَأَعْطَى الزَّكَاةَ طَيِّبَةً بِهَا نَفْسُهُ وَأَدَّى الأَمَانَةَ قَالُوا يَا أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ وَمَا أَدَاءُ الأَمَانَةِ قَالَ الْغُسْلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ  

Allah , the Exalted said: I made five times' prayers obligatory on your people, and I took a guarantee that if anyone observes them regularly at their times, I shall admit him to Paradise; if anyone does not offer them regularly, there is no such guarantee of Mine for him.  

أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِنِّي فَرَضْتُ عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَعَهِدْتُ عِنْدِي عَهْدًا أَنَّهُ مَنْ جَاءَ يُحَافِظُ عَلَيْهِنَّ لِوَقْتِهِنَّ أَدْخَلْتُهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُحَافِظْ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَلاَ عَهْدَ لَهُ عِنْدِي