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Nothing is more distinctive and characteristic to Muslims than Prayer. Once you see a mosque or a person in a state of standing, bowing or prostration on a carpet while lowering their gaze to the earth, you immediately know they are Muslim.

If you visit any country with a Muslim majority, you will hear a normal call (Adhan) sent out by megaphones from the mosques everywhere announcing the coming of the Prayer time.

You will see great masses of people rushing to the mosques once they hear that call. It is Prayer.

Muslims go for Prayers in the mosques, at least five times in the day. The times of Prayer are distributed along the day; in the morning, midday, evening and night in five times. This way of worship is not found in any religion which calls to one’s attention.

Prayer is the Cornerstone of Islam

In a Prophetic hadith reported by Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Islam is based on five (pillars): testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger; performing of Prayer; the payment of Zakah (obligatory charity); performing Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House [Ka`bah); and fasting the month of Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Prayer has a special merit

According to the Qur’an, God mentions the obligation of Prayer next to accomplishing monotheism which is the superior act in Islam. God says,

And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish Prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion. (Al-Bayyinah 98:5)

Prayer is a supreme obligation

The scholars of Islam are unanimously agreed that Prayer is an obligation and this is sustained with numerous texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Allah (Glory be to him) says,

And to establish Prayer and fear Him.” And it is He to whom you will be gathered. (Al-An`am 6:72)

Ibn `Abbas reported: “The Prophet appointed Mu`adh  as governor of Yemen, and at the time of his departure, he instructed him thus: “First of all, call the people to testify ‘La ilaha illallah’ (there is no true god except Allah) and that I (Muhammad) am the Messenger of Allah, and if they accept this (declaration of Faith), then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Prayers during the day and night…” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Prayer is a means of salvation

Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace upon him) said, “What do you think if there was a river by the door of any one of you and he bathed in it five times a day, would there be any trace of dirt left on him?” They said, “No trace of dirt would be left on him.” He said, “That is like the five daily Prayers, by means of which Allah erases sin.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Prayer is a distinction between the Muslim and non-Muslim

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the well-known hadith narrated by Buraidah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah said, “That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of Prayer. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever.” (At-Tirmidhi)

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