Prayer is the second of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is the belief that Muslims should pray five times each day. Prayer is important as it allows Muslims to communicate with Allah, listen to Allah and follow in the footsteps of the prophets. Prayer is performed five times each day. Prayer purification of the heart is the ultimate religious objective of prayer. Our prayers should cleanse the heart of every spiritual disease such as envy, malice, and arrogance. Allah says:

يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

“O, my son! Establish the prayer and enjoin [with] the right and forbid from the wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, that (is) of the matters requiring to determine.” (Surah Luqman 31:17)

Prayer is one of the central elements of Islamic practice and worship. The importance of prayers lies in the fact that no matter what actions one performs in his life, the most important aspect is one’s relationship to Allah, that is, one’s faith (Imaan), God-consciousness (taqwa), sincerity (ikhlas) and worship of Allah (ibaadah). This relationship with Allah is both demonstrated and put into practice, as well as improved and increased, by the prayer. Allah says:

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Verily, prayer prohibits one from obscenity and evil, but the remembrance of Allah is greater, for Allah knows what you do.” (Surah Al-‘Ankabut 29:45)

Prayer plays a fundamental role in the Islamic faith and in this guide, we will explore the most important facets of the second pillar of Islam, including the meaning of salah, when you should be performing salah and what benefits salah can provide. Its aim is to generate within the subliminal self of man such spiritual power, the 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.

Following are some of the benefits that praying brings us:

1. Prayer is the attention towards political movements
2. Prayer is mercy and blessing from God Almighty
3. Prayer is the attention towards Day of Judgment
4. Prayer is the key to the acceptance of all deeds
5. Prayer is the attention to the rights of others
6. Prayer is the attention to healthy nutrition
7. Prayer protecting the body from bacteria 
8. Prayer gives us the habit of being clean
9. Prayer is the conduct of the Prophets
10. Prayer is the attention towards Allah
11. Prayer is the remembrance of Allah
12. Prayer is the refraining from Sins
13. Prayer is the attention to justice
14. Prayer is the standard of Islam
15. Prayer is the pillar of religion
16. Prayer is a gift of God
17. Prayer washes sins away
18. Prayer is a key to paradise
19. Prayer purifies us from sins
20. Prayer strengthens the belief
21. Prayer is a shield against evil
22. Praying improves our characters
23. Prayer is the purification of the Soul
24. Prayer utter his name with pure love
25. Prayer transmits belief of man’s heart
26. Prayer refreshes the mind and the soul
27. Prayer is a prescription for the body and soul
28. Prayer ensures remember God in the best way
29. Prayer makes our day more fruitful and blessed
30. Prayer strengthens our relationship with the Allah

The Physical benefits of Islamic prayer on the human body are discussed in this article. The act of prayer requires the worshiper to move through several distinct bodily postures while reciting a specific supplication. Prayer involves a certain level of physical activity which includes standing, bowing prostration and sitting consecutively. Each position involves the movement of different parts of the human body in ways that Some muscles contract isometrically and some contract in approximation or isotonically. Allah says:

الَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ

Those who, if We give them power in the land, establish worship and pay the poor-due and enjoin good and forbid evil. (Surah Al-Hajj 22:41)

Prayer is an obligation upon a Muslim and a Muslim is to offer no excuse when it comes to offering prayer. Every deed, whether good or bad that a Muslim undertakes in this life, he or she will have to be answerable for it in the afterlife. Thus, to prevent one’s self from all the lewdness that is common in the world of today, a Muslim must find refuge in Salah as it will help in combating lewdness. Allah says:

فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُوا جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“So Allah rewarded them for what they said (with) Gardens flows from underneath them the rivers, will abide forever in it. And that (is the) reward (of) the good-doers.” (Surah Al-Ma`idah 5:85)

Prayer also represents a concrete manifestation of the Islamic conception of free will, in that the decision to pray is one that must be made by each individual. In this way, prayer is a uniquely “human” form of worship, for all other creatures submit without question to Allah’s Will and are engaged in His praise, glorification, and remembrance.

Here is some Importance of Prayer in The Holy Quran  Verses:

• “Seek help in patience and prayer.” (Quran 2:153)
• “Verily, prayer restrains (oneself) from shameful and unjust deeds…” (Quran 29:450
• “And perform prayer… surely the good deeds remove the evils deeds.” (Quran 11:114)
• “Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers.” (Quran 23:1-2)
• “Without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Quran 13:28)
• “O you who believe! Respond to (the call of) Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” (Quran 8:24)
• “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers… If you fear (an enemy), pray on foot, or riding.” (Quran 2:238-9)

Prayer’s purpose is to put ourselves in touch with God; to strengthen our relationship with Him; to be grateful for all His blessings, and to remind ourselves of His Greatness. When a Muslim prays, the intention behind the prayer must be right, otherwise, Allah will know and the prayer will be meaningless. Allah says:

أَقِمْ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيْ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنْ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

“Establish prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Verily, good deeds remove evil deeds.” (Surah Hud 11:114)

Prayer is the last will of Prophet Muhammad given to all Muslims, our Prophet told us to keep our prayers until we are dead. Prayer reminds us that all things come from Allah and it is to Allah that all will return. For Muslims, praying is not a regulation. It is a gift. The benefits of prayer do not end with the spiritual domain but in fact, encompass the physical domain as well.

Rules, Guidelines and Facts About Prayer

There are five separate daily prayers that must be performed; they are as follows:

• Fajr – this is performed before sunrise
• Zohr – this is performed at midday
• Asr – this is performed between Zohr and sunset
• Maghrib – this is performed at sunset
• Isha – this is performed between Maghrib and midnight

Allah doesn’t need your prayer. Allah doesn’t need anything from anyone-Glory be to Him. It is you that stands in need of His mercy. When the prayer is performed in the congregation, it cultivates brotherhood, equality and humility between Muslims. Allah says:

فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

“Then called him the Angels when he (was) standing – praying in the prayer chamber. “Indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming [of] a Word from Allah and a noble and chaste and a Prophet among the righteous.” (Surah Al-Imran, 3:39)

The principle of prayer is to ensure Muslims maintain their faith and devotion to Allah SWT, to increase taqwa (closeness to Allah SWT) and to remain conscious of the importance of faith and submission to their Creator. There is special importance dedicated to the Friday prayer, which is also known as Jumaa Namaz. This prayer is performed in congregation at the local Mosque and is led by an Imam (leader). Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:277)

Man is surrounded by numerous trials and problems. Once we focus on strengthening our relationship with Allah, He, who is All-Powerful, will fix our worldly problems. As our scholars say, whoever strengthens their relationship between themselves and Allah, Allah will strengthen their relationship between themselves and the creation.