Through prayer, you can connect with your Lord. The Arabic word for prayer (As-Salah) is derived from the Arabic word meaning “connection.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When anyone of you stands to pray, he is communicating with his Lord, so let him pay attention to how he speaks to Him.” Don’t cut this relationship between you and your Creator. Allah says:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

“Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without a doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do.” (Surah Al-Ankabut 45)

Prayer wipes out sins. Salat in Islam is an obligatory Muslim prayer and is part of the pillars of Islam. It is one of those times that creates a direct connection with God. We must do it as Muslims. We should do the five daily prayers and if we want to add the rewards from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, we can do sunnah prayers (types of Sunnah prayer), too. Allah says:

ۗ إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ ۚ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

“… You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allah is the [final] destination.” (Surah Fatir 35:18)

Salah is the major form of worship that a Muslim offers five times a day regularly. It is an obligation upon a Muslim and a Muslim is to offer no excuse when it comes to offering Salah. The offering of Salah in addition to representing the submission of Muslims to their Lord also has other benefits as well which are highly cherished by every Muslim. Allah says:

رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ

“Men – not distracts their trade and not sale from (the) remembrance of Allah and (from) establishing the prayer and giving zakah. They fear a Day will turn about therein the hearts and the eyes.” (Surah An-Nur, 24:37)

When we are doing prayer, we should not speak anything, except saying prayer’s reading and dhikr. Someone who laughs when he is doing prayer, his prayer will be void. Its means that laugh with a big sound. If he only smiles, it has not spoiled his prayer.

What to do when you Miss Salah

If you miss a prayer you have to make it up as soon as you wake up or remember. Prayers must be made up in chronological order. For example, if you missed Asr prayer, and it is now Maghrib time, then you must pray Asr first, then Maghrib.

Primary things that invalidate prayer are as follows:

1. To eat or drink something while performing a prayer
2. Uncovering parts of the body that should be covered
3. Prayer helps us avoid immorality and wrongdoing
4. Changing your place on somebody’s instructions
5. Prayer is the means of seeking Divine help
6. To speak while performing a prayer
7. Coughing without a good excuse
8. To laugh loudly enough to hear oneself
9. To greet someone while performing a prayer
10. To weep loudly by remembering a worldly affair
11. To turn one’s chest from the direction of the qiblah
12. To read a verse of the Quran to reply to somebody
13. Turning your chest from the qibla direction without a good excuse
14. Performing recitation so quietly that you cannot hear your recitation
15. To recite the Qur’an wrongly to the extent that the meaning is changed

A-Pillar of Islam: Prayer is the second most important pillar of Islam and is the most regular compulsory action in a Muslim’s life. We fast just one month a year; we must give Zakah once a year, and Hajj is only once a lifetime. However, prayer is the one act that must be fulfilled at least five times a day, regardless of the circumstance. Allah did not even exempt the Muslims from praying during the battle! Allah says:

الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ

“Those who [they] during their prayers (are) humbly submissive.” (Surah Al-Mu`minun 23:2)

Success lies in the Prayer: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The first of his deeds for which a man will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayers. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful. But if it is defective, he will be unfortunate and a loser.” Allah says:

Shields against evil: A man was created weak and without seeking help from Allah, it will be impossible to refrain from evil. Allah says: “Verily, prayer restrains (oneself) from shameful and unjust deeds…” (Qur’an 29:45)

Enriches the soul: Man is forgetful, especially with our busy lifestyles. Prayer satisfies our spiritual need to be in contact with our Creator. This gives the soul peace and contentment. Allah says, “Without a doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Qur’an 13:28)

Makes us humble: By realizing Allah’s greatness and dependence on our Lord, man is humbled and rids us from pride and arrogance. In the prayer, the Muslim puts the highest part of his body and source of intellect, his head, onto the ground and says, “How perfect is my Lord, the Highest.”Humbleness is one of the qualities which Allah has associated with success. Allah says: “Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers.” (Qur’an 23:1-2)

Of course, this can only be achieved when one understands what one is reciting and concentrates with humility.

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (Qur’an 2:153)

Major benefits of Prayer that elaborate on the importance of Prayer:

Prayer in Islam has great importance, this can be proven by the following:

1. Prayer is the pillar of Islam: Prayer is the pillar of Islam, when we build something the importance is the pillar if the pillar is not upright, then it will fall.
2. Prayer is the important thing after reciting Shahadat
3. The virtuous deed: Prayer is an obligation and it is one of the virtuous deeds. The Messenger of Allah said to the following hadith.
4. Invoking Allah SWT: Prayers are a way of worshipping Allah to the bond between human and Allah Any request whatsoever will be accepted by Allah rather than praying with other circumstances.“O, you who believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed Allah is with the patient.”(Verse 2:153)
5. Leading to Taqwa: The truth is the ultimate goal that a Muslim must accomplish in this life.
6. Reward in afterworld: Every deed whether it’s good or bad which Muslims do in the world must be rewarded. Including in performing the prayers, Muslims are always keeping performing the prayers will certainly receive reward until in the afterworld.
7. Staying connected with Allah: Muslims who perform prayers is means of developing a connection with Allahta’ala and when Muslims does it five times a day, then the relation between us with Him will stay connected with Him as much as possible.
8. Protection from Satan: Satan always tries to prevent Muslims from doing things right. He tries with every effort to keep us, Muslims to break what Allah has set out to do. With do the prayers, it will protect us from Satan.
9. Purification for a human being
10. Remembered of Allah: Performing a prayer is the way of remembrance of Allah. Performing it with the purity of heart,  sincerity, reverence, awareness, and repentance,
11. The first thing that to be asked in the Day of Resurrection
12. The prayer is the Last Will from our Prophet Muhammad SAW
13. Inviting relatives to prays is a good deed
14. Leading To Taqwa
15. Reward In The Afterworld

Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:

• “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. ” (Quran 3:8)
• “Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succour us against those who deny the truth. ” (Quran 3:147)
• Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers. ” (Quran 3:192)
• “Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous.” (Quran 3:193)
• “Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth.” (Quran 10:85-86)
• “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way.” (Quran 18:10)
• “Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth.” (Quran 7:89)

Namaz and physical health benefits

19. Namaz has multiple many health and fitness benefits. Some of the important physical health benefits are as follow:

• Namaz is one of the important means of health, happiness, and harmony.
• Offering regular Namaz keeps one fit and healthy by burning extra calories thereby losing weight. Namaz is one of the effective ways of weight loss as well as to control obesity.
• Namaz stretches your muscles and helps to provide a toned body.
• It is good to overcome arthritis as Namaz is good to enhance the flexibility of the body and reduce stiffness.
• Namaz is a good source to balance the Anabolic and Catabolic biochemical processes of the body.
• Namaz is good for the heart, brain, above all for the entire body.
• Standing posture in Namaz (Qiya’m) ensures proper blood flow to the lower portion of the body. It is also good for strengthening the leg muscles.

If you are doing prayer and you suddenly change your intention to do not pray in your heart, then at that time your prayer has been void. Because his intention has spoiled, although he has not done things that can spoil prayer. If someone does not do one of the prayer’s pillars intentionally, then his prayer will be void. But if he only forgets to do it, then he should do sujud saw. If he forgets sujud saw, then he can do it after Salaam.

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

“My Lord! Make me an establisher (of) the prayer, and from my offsprings. Our Lord! and accept my prayer.” (Surah Ibrahim 14:40)

Prayer is the second most important pillar of Islam and is the most regular compulsory action in a Muslim’s life. We fast just one month a year; we must give Zakah once a year, and Hajj is only once a lifetime. However, prayer is the one act that must be fulfilled at least five times a day, regardless of the circumstance. Allah did not even exempt the Muslims from praying during the battle!

الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ

“Those who [they] at their prayer (are) constant.” (Surah Al-Ma`arij 70:23)

In a nutshell, those who learn and read the Quran regularly are familiar with the importance of Salah and how strongly has Allah Almighty emphasized it and explained its importance to the people in the Quran. A Muslim must realize that above anything, Salah is an obligation and every Muslim has to fulfil his or her obligation.