The Importance of Prayer

The Arabic word for Prayer is Salah. Literally, prayer means supplication or glorification; supplication because it represents one of the foremost of its parts, and glorification because its main goal is to glorify Almighty Allah. As Islam enjoined Prayer on Muslims, the Prophet of Mercy Muhammad (peace be upon him) expounded its nature and entity, and the Companions and their successors followed his suit, and the Muslim scholars were, and still are, applying the same course, Prayer has been technically referred to: “The worship and glorification of Allah by specific words and actions, commencing with the words ‘Allah is the Greatest’ and ending with the words ‘May peace and mercy of Allah be upon you’; It is a specially ordered and regulated form which the Islamic religion has brought into being and which all Muslims follow as a light and guide.” Nevertheless the word still retains its linguistic meaning of “supplication” and “glorification”. The meaning of our saying “Prayers belong to Allah” is that Allah alone is entitled to receive the supplications whereby it is intended to glorify Him. The meaning of our saying, “O Lord, bless Muhammad” is “O Lord, glorify him in this life by exalting his name; grant success to his mission, and preserve his Shari`ah (Islamic Law).” Also, it means “O Lord, glorify him in the Hereafter by accepting his intercession on behalf of his Ummah (community of Muslims) and doubling his recompense and reward.” It has been said that its meaning originated when Allah commanded us to “pray for” the Prophet on whom He had bestowed His love, but because we are incapable of discharging that divine duty, we leave it to Him saying, “O Lord, bless Muhammad for You know what befits him.” The blessing of Allah on His Prophet is mercy, that of the angels is asking Allah’s forgiveness, while ours is supplication and exaltation. Almighty Allah says, Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace. (Al-Ahzab 33:56) . There are numerous narratives about the history, emergence, and evolution of prayer in Islam, one of the basic pillars of the faith. According to As-Seerah Al Halabiyah, the Prophet (pbuh) and his people had not been commanded to pray before his night journey and ascension to heaven. In his book “Tuhfatu’l Muhtaj li Sharh Al-Minhaj”, Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami further proves this when he says that “people were only commanded to believe in the oneness of the Creator, and the only prayers they were commanded to perform were those mentioned in Surat Al-Muzammil”. This refers to night prayers, performed by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and later reduced in the Quran to half. However, others affirm that people were commanded to pray when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received his first revelation in the Hira Cave, where he had been used to worshipping God in solitude before the spread of Islam. Ibn Ishaq writes: “when the Prophet (pbuh) was commanded to pray, Archangel Gabriel came to him when he was atop a mountain in Mecca, and pointed to a corner of the valley, where a spring of water later gushed out from the rocks. The Prophet watched as Gabriel performed ablution, showing him how to purify oneself for prayer, and then did the same. Gabriel got up, prayed with him and left. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) later went to his wife, Khadija (R.A), and performed ablution to show her what he had learned from Gabriel. He prayed with her, just like Gabriel had prayed with him, and then she prayed his prayer”. This narrative, however, runs against what the Quran mentions about ablution in Surat Al-Ma’idah. Describing ablution and purification for prayer, the Quran says “O you who believe! When you get ready for ritual prayer [šalāt], wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles.”
The aforementioned Surat was revealed after the Prophet’s migration to Medina, meaning it is incompatible with Ibn Ishaq’s narrative. The latter believes that people were commanded to perform ablution when they were first commanded to pray. After reflecting on Prophet Muhammad’s state of mind at the time of revelation, the narrative suggesting that prayer was commanded at that point is unlikely to be true. The Prophet felt hesitant, frightened and uncomfortable, and was overwhelmed with doubts and fears about what had really appeared before his eyes in the cave. According to one Hadith, the Prophet (pbuh), perplexed after his first encounter with Archangel Gabriel, told Khadija, “I feared that something might happen to me”. She took him to Waraqa Ibn Nawfal, a Christian priest, who affirmed that what the Prophet had seen was the same angel whom Allah had sent to Prophet Moses and other prophets. He confirmed he had seen an angel from heaven. According to Dr. Jawad Ali’s book The History of Prayer in Islam, the Prophet’s first prayer in Mecca consisted of two cycles (Rakaah). The author mentioned that “the prophet left his home shortly after the sunrise to pray Duhr (forenoon prayer), which he could perform in the Kaaba, as Quraysh did not oppose it. When it was time for Asr (afternoon prayer), he and his friends would disperse in alleys to pray either alone or in pairs”. According to Seerat Ibn Hisham, Muqatel bin Suleiman said that “God commanded believers in the early days of Islam to pray two-cycle prayers; when the day begins and when it ends”. As described by As-Seerah Al Halabiyah , this two-cycle prayer was the obligatory prayer during the life of Khadija, the Prophet’s wife, and until her death before the migration. According to Ibn Sayyid Al-Nas in “Oyoun al Athar”, the five prayers that were made obligatory on the night of the Prophet’s ascension consisted of two cycles each.
The first reference to the five prayers in Islam was made during the Prophet’s miraculous journey to Jerusalem and ascension to heaven. In Tareekh Al-Tabari we read: “when he reached the seventh heaven, fifty prayers a day were made obligatory. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said I returned and passed by Moses bin Omran, who was a good companion, and he asked me: how many prayers were made obligatory?. I said fifty prayers a day and he said that “prayer is a burden and your followers are weak, go back to your God and appeal for a reduction for you and your people. I went back and asked God for a reduction for me and my people. He reduced them by ten and I left. I came across Moses again and he repeated what he had said. I went back and asked God for a reduction for me and my people. He reduced them by another ten. I returned and came across Moses, who repeated what he had said. I went back and asked God for a reduction for me and my people. He reduced them by another ten. I came across Moses and he kept repeating what he had said. He told me to go back and appeal for a reduction again until I had only five prayers every day and night. I returned to Moses and told him I had spoken to God and asked him until I had felt ashamed, whoever performed the prayers faithfully will be granted the reward of 50 prayers”. During Prophet Muhammad’s first year in Medina, Duhr, Asr and Isha prayers were all lengthened to four cycles each, while they had consisted of two cycles when prayed on time and during travel before. However, the Prophet continued to pray the morning prayer as he had done before and added one cycle to Maghreb, according to the author of “The History of Prayer in Islam”, which led to the final form of prayer that Muslims practice today. Prayer is an individual duty incumbent on every sane and adult Muslim, man and woman. A child is required to perform Prayer from the age of seven so that he will be brought up to love it and will make a habit of it. He is to be beaten to perform it at the age of ten if by then he refuses to do so. Prayer throughout the day, during which Muslims take time to remember God, is a hallmark of Islam. It cleanses individual, keeps him mindful, keeps him grateful and keeps him humble. It makes an individual a better person. It has a lot of emotional and psychological benefits. Five times every day, all Muslims pray at the same time, facing the same direction. It’s a sense of unity among Muslims all over the world. It is important Muslim should be allowed to pray under all circumstances. There are many verses in the Qur’an concerning Prayer. Following are only a few of them, Verily, Prayer is enjoined on believers at stated times to be conducted at appointed hours. (An-Nisaa’ 4:103) Verily, And enjoin Prayer on thy people and be constant therein. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But (the fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness. (Ta-Ha 20:132) And establish Prayer and pay alms and bow down in the company of others bowing down. (Al-Baqarah 2:43) There are also many hadiths concerning the importance of Prayer, the obligation to perform it, its qualities, and the punishment awaiting those who renounce it. Prayer is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet, may God praise him, mentioned after mentioning the Testimony of Faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. God has declared its obligatory status under majestic circumstances. For example, when God spoke directly to Moses, He said, “And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am God! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance.” (Quran 20:13-14) Similarly, the prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet Muhammad during his ascension to heaven. Furthermore, when God praises the believers, such as in the beginning of the chapter entitled ‘al-Muminoon’ (the Believers), one of the first descriptions He states is their adherence to the prayers. Once a man asked the Prophet about the most virtuous deed. The Prophet stated that the most virtuous deed is the prayer. The man asked again and again and for the first three times, the Prophet answered, “The prayer,” then on the fourth occasion he stated, “Jihad in the way of God.” ( reported by Ahmad) The importance of prayer is demonstrated in many of the Prophet’s statements. For example, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is incomplete, then the rest of his deeds will be incomplete.”
The importance of the prayers lies in the fact that no matter what actions one performs in his life, the most important aspect is one’s relationship to God, that is, one’s faith (imaan), God-consciousness (taqwa), sincerity (ikhlas) and worship of God (ibaadah). This relationship with God is both demonstrated and put into practice, as well as improved and increased, by the prayer. Therefore, if the prayers are sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and proper; and if the prayers are not sound and proper, then the rest of the deeds will not be sound and proper, as the Prophet himself stated. God has mentioned this aspect of the prayer when He has said, “Verily, the prayer keeps one from the great sins and evil deeds” (Quran 29:45) Nadwi has described this effect in the following eloquent way, Its aim is to generate within the subliminal self of man such spiritual power, light of faith and awareness of God as can enable him to strive successfully against all kinds of evils and temptations and remain steadfast at times of trial and adversity and protect himself against the weakness of the flesh and the mischief of immoderate appetites. (Recorded by al-Tabarani) The overall affect that the properly performed prayers should have upon humans is described in other verses in the Quran: “Verily, man was created impatient, irritable when evil touches him and ungenerous when good touches him. Except for those devoted to prayer those who remain constant in their prayers…” (Quran 70:19-23) As for the Hereafter, God’s forgiveness and pleasure is closely related to the prayers. Muslims can pray anywhere, but it is especially good to pray with others in a mosque. Praying together in a congregation helps Muslims to realise that all humanity is one, and all are equal in the sight of Allah. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu, has a promise from God that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from God. He may either forgive him or punish him. If a Muslim prays without the right attitude of mind, it is as if they hadn’t bothered to pray at all. We tend to get distracted, lost in the business of life and work. Prayers are an opportunity to come back to God, come back to who and what we are truly made to be. That’s why the prayers are spaced out. They are also a chance to be re-attuned to the natural cosmos, which is the prayer times are based on the apparent movement of the sun. So think of the prayers as a chance to connect with our own heart and souls, with community, with nature, and with God. We conclude with the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad , may God praise him: “If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?” The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.” The Prophet then said, “That is like the five daily prayers: God wipes away the sins by them.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim). In another hadith, the Prophet said, “The five daily prayers and the Friday Prayer until the Friday prayer are expiation for what is between them.” May Allah protect us, guide us, soften our hearts and make us among those who turn to him in repentance and allow us and our dear ones to return to Him with a pure heart! May He open our eyes, forgive all of us who are alive or left us and grant us Hidayah. … Ameen!
(The authors regularly write on Islamic topics for “ Kashmir Horizon” exclusively. Views are their own)
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