The significance of prayers

One who considers prayers to be insignificant and trivial is not from me. One who drinks intoxicants is not from me. By God! He shall never come close to me at the pool (of Kawthar) - Prophet Muhammad(pbuhhp) (Biharul Anwar, volume 63, page 495)

Let's imagine you are going on a camping trip. The first thing you need to do after establishing where you're going and how, is to pack all the essentials. Yes, essentials may be subjective, however there are certain things which everyone unanimously agrees are an absolute must. Such as, shelter, food, protection.

If you really want to experience camping, you won't find an area in which your accommodation is in a hotel room, rather, you would get yourself a tent and this would be your 'shelter' for the duration of your stay. When assembling the tent, one part of it we can all agree is of utmost importance. Such, that if you do not utilize or possess this, your tent is a complete failure and inefficient to it's purpose. That is, the pillar. Yes, it is so, that the pegs and ropes play a vital role, however if the pillar is not firm and in tact, the rest will crumble.

It is for this reason, The Holy Prophet(sawa) said: "Prayer is the pillar of religion and it's likeness is as the likeness of the pillar of a tent. If the pillar is stably fixed, the pegs and ropes remain stable, but if the pillar inclines and breaks, neither the peg nor the rope remains fixed". (1)

Therefore, the reality of ones prayer is imperative and vital to any and all of their actions alongside. It is a common perception that prayer is not of a priority, that perhaps other actions can take precedence. However, you may ask yourself the question - why from a jurisprudence point of view, one who misses out on their salat, the amount missed, must be made up?

You see, one of the many reasons why prayer has such an important value is because it breaks up your day and allows you to detach every several hours and reconnect with Allah. Before you start your day, you begin with Fajr prayers. Head off to work and begin working to provide for your current world, it's easy to get distracted, but when the time for afternoon prayers comes you break from the dunya and connect with Allah. Finally you go home and before bed, you perform your evening prayers. It can therefore be seen as a constant reminder and connection to Allah and the akhira (afterlife).

Imam Ali(as) narrates: The Prophet(sawa) never put anything before his prayer, neither his dinner nor anything else. When the time for prayer would set in, it was as if he knew neither family nor close friend. (2)

This is the level of importance the Prophet would place on his prayers. Though why? You may ask yourself this question and perhaps this is due to our limited understanding of salat (prayer). Imam al Sadiq(as) says on two occasions with regards to it's value and importance:

⦁ The most beloved of all acts to Allah, Mighty and Exalted, is the prayer, and it is the last legacy of the prophets (3)

⦁ When asked about the best and most beloved deed to Allah, replied, 'I do not know anything after true knowledge(of Allah) to be better than this prayer. Do you not see that the righteous servant Jesus son of Mary even said "...and he has enjoined me to (establish) the prayer"(4)

We always place the value of prayer on a high pedestal, because of the effects that it gives one. Firstly, from a logical standpoint, prayer humbles one as it lowers their head literally to the ground at least 34 times if you take into account only our obligatory sujood! Therefore, there is a humbling nature in which we disassociate from our pride and arrogance. This is why, the heart must be present in recognizing whom we stand in front of. 

Imam al Hassan(as), when he would stand for prayer, and used to perform his ablution, the colour of his face would change and his joints would tremble. When he was asked about this, he replied 'It is only fitting for one who stands before the Lord of the Throne that his face should change colour and his joints should tremble' (5)

Many of the aforementioned narrations speak of the importance and value of prayer and in some cases, the state in which we should present ourselves towards prayer. But why? In terms of the spiritual and divine rewards aspect of prayers, you have to think about the benefits from a metaphorical standpoint, and who else better than Ahlul Bayt(as) to give us a great example? 

Imam al Sadiq(as) says, If there was to be a river outside ones house into which he bathed five times a day, would there remain any dirt on his body? Similarly the prayer is the river which purifies (ones soul) - every time one performs a prayer it acts as atonement for ones sins, except for that sin which keeps him away from his faith (6)

If one was to keep this in mind, you could only try and imagine how pure one can become as a result of completing simply their daily obligatory prayers, of course with a sound heart and the recognition of what you say and whom you stand in front of. 

In conclusion, the importance of prayer must be stated again, and here is a situation in which you must truly truly value the importance. Abu Basir narrates that one day he went to Humayda to console her for the death of Imam al Sadiq(as), she cried and said to him "Oh Abu Muhammad, if you saw him as his death came upon him, he placed his hand over one eye and said 'Call my relatives and friends to come near me', When everyone had gathered around him, he said 'Verily our intercession will not avail the one who takes his prayer lightly'. (7)

On the death bed, one will say what is considered to them as perhaps the most important last piece of advice they could give. Think about it, you're about to depart, the last thing you say is whatever advice you deem to be of utmost importance. When Imam al Sadiq(as) uses this opportunity to state, that whoever takes his prayers LIGHTLY  will not avail from their intercession?? It really makes you wonder! After all, the narration states one who takes it lightly, does not deem it's value worthy, does not approach with a sound heart and piety. 


May Allah give us the piety we need to observe our prayer in the best way possible, that Allah will accept from us InshAllah. 




























Reference List

1 The Scale of Wisdom, #3591 - al-Mahasin v.1, p.116, no, 117
2 The Scale of Wisdom #3589 - Tanbih al Khawatir v.2, p.78
3 The Scale of Wisdom #3592 - Kitab man la yahdurahi al Faqih v.1, p.210, no. 638
4 The Scale of Wisdom #3593 -  Quran 19:31 & al Kafi v.3, p.264, no.1
5 The Scale of Wisdom #3612 - Biharul Anwar v 80, p346, no.30
6 The Scale of Wisdom # 3601 - Biharul Anwar v82, p 236, no 66
7 The Scale of Wisdom #3645 - Mustadrak al Wasail, v 3, p 25, no 2923