How do we expiate our sins? - Part I 

1. Remembrance of Allâh after  Al-Adhan

                Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ الْمُؤَذِّنَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا غُفِرَ لَهُ ذَنْبُهُ

"He who says after the Adhan: ` I testify that there is no true god except Allâh Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allâh as my Lord, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen.' his sins will be forgiven.'' (Narrated by Muslim)

2. Ablution (Wudu):  

                Uthman (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ خَرَجَتْ خَطَايَاهُ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَظْفَارِهِ

"He who performs the ablution (Wudu) perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins will depart from his body, even from under his nails.'' (Narrated  by Muslim)

3. The prayers (Salat):

                Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنَّ نَهَرًا بِبَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسًا مَا تَقُولُ ذَلِكَ يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ قَالُوا لَا يُبْقِي مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْئًا قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِ الْخَطَايَا

"Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?'' They replied, "No soiling would be left on him.'' He (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said, '' That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allâh obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.'' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

                Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ تُضَعَّفُ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَفِي سُوقِهِ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ ضِعْفًا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لَا يُخْرِجُهُ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةُ لَمْ يَخْطُ خَطْوَةً إِلَّا رُفِعَتْ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةٌ وَحُطَّ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ فَإِذَا صَلَّى لَمْ تَزَلْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلَّاهُ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ وَلَا يَزَالُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاةٍ مَا انْتَظَرَ الصَّلَاةَ

"A man's Salat in congregation is twenty-five times more rewarding than his Salat at home or in his shop, and that is because when he performs the ablution (Wudu) properly and proceeds towards the mosque with the purpose of performing Salat in congregation, he does not take a step without being raised a degree (in rank) for it and having a sin remitted for it, till he enters the mosque. When he finishes performing Salat, the angels continue to invoke Blessings of Allâh on him as long as he is in his place of worship in a state of Wudu'. They say: `O Allâh! Have mercy on him! O Allâh! Forgive him.' He is deemed to be engaged in Salat as long as he waits for it.'' (Narrated  by Al-Bukhari)

                And Abu Hurairah (May Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (May Allâh exalt his mention, and peace be upon him) said:

الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمْعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمْعَةِ وَرَمَضَانُ إِلَى رَمَضَانَ مُكَفِّرَاتٌ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ إِذَا اجْتَنَبَ الْكَبَائِرَ

"The five (daily) prayers (Salat), and from one Jumu`ah prayer to the (next) Jumu`ah prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiations for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals); provided the major sins are not committed" (Narrated by Muslim)

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