As-Salat (the prayers) is expiation (of sins)

Narrated Shaqiq:

that he had heard Hudhaifa saying, "Once I was sitting with 'Umar and he said, 'Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah's Apostle about the afflictions?' I said, 'I know it as the Prophet had said it.' 'Umar said, 'No doubt you are bold.' I said, 'The afflictions caused for a man by his wife, money, children and neighbor are expiated by his prayers, fasting, charity and by enjoining (what is good) and forbidding (what is evil).' 'Umar said, 'I did not mean that but I asked about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.' I (Hudhaifa) said, 'O leader of the faithful believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.' 'Umar asked, Will the door be broken or opened?' I replied, 'It will be broken.' 'Umar said, 'Then it will never be closed again.' I was asked whether 'Umar knew that door. I replied that he knew it as one knows that there will be night before the tomorrow morning. I narrated a Hadith that was free from any mis-statement" The subnarrator added that they deputed Masruq to ask Hudhaifa (about the door). Hudhaifa said, "The door was 'Umar himself."

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يَحْفَظُ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ قُلْتُ أَنَا، كَمَا قَالَهُ. قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَيْهِ ـ أَوْ عَلَيْهَا ـ لَجَرِيءٌ. قُلْتُ " فِتْنَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَجَارِهِ تُكَفِّرُهَا الصَّلاَةُ وَالصَّوْمُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَالأَمْرُ وَالنَّهْىُ ". قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا أُرِيدُ، وَلَكِنِ الْفِتْنَةُ الَّتِي تَمُوجُ كَمَا يَمُوجُ الْبَحْرُ. قَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا بَأْسٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهَا بَابًا مُغْلَقًا. قَالَ أَيُكْسَرُ أَمْ يُفْتَحُ قَالَ يُكْسَرُ. قَالَ إِذًا لاَ يُغْلَقَ أَبَدًا. قُلْنَا أَكَانَ عُمَرُ يَعْلَمُ الْبَابَ قَالَ نَعَمْ، كَمَا أَنَّ دُونَ الْغَدِ اللَّيْلَةَ، إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثٍ لَيْسَ بِالأَغَالِيطِ. فَهِبْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَ حُذَيْفَةَ، فَأَمَرْنَا مَسْرُوقًا فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ الْبَابُ عُمَرُ.