SALAH The Islamic Prayer

The Prophet once asked his Companions, “Tell me, if any of you had a rivulet before his doors and bathed five times a day therein, would any dirt remain on his body?” The Companions replied, “Certainly not.” The Prophet then explained that, in the same manner, the five daily prayers as ordered by God will erase all minor sins. Prayer is a manifestation of the fact that one’s heart is full of the fear of, and love for, God. Prayer is frequently enjoined in the Quran, while the appointed times and the mode of saying prayers were clearly prescribed by the Prophet, exemplified in the manner he himself practiced them. The Quran says: Say your prayers morning and evening, and during parts of the night; surely good makes amends for evil. This is a reminder for people who pay heed. (THE QURAN 11: 114) Believers are under the obligation to say their prayers at the appointed hours. (THE QURAN 4: 103) The actual spirit of salah is the remembrance of God. The purpose of human life according to Islam is to worship God. However, there are other demands of life as well, which do not allow people to be engaged in worship twenty four hours a day. That is why it has been arranged that every day for a certain period of time, one should be able to spare time from one’s daily engagements and engage in the worship of God. The time-bounded prayers are intended to refresh our remembrance of God, so that even when we are engaged in worldly activities we should remember God constantly. In this way, our entire life will be coloured in the hue of divine worship. Besides, salah is also a very effective means of moral training. It instils modesty and self-discipline, which are the root of all noble qualities. o