The importance of salat (prayer) in the life of a Muslim

The scrupulousness which

a believer displays towards
his religious observance
makes his faith apparent.
He enthusiastically
establishes salat, fasts and
performs ritual washing
made compulsory by Allah
throughout the course of
his life. Allah has
described sincere Muslims'
enthusiasm for religious
observances in many
verses. One of these
reads:

Those who are

steadfast in seeking the face of their Lord, and establish salat and
give from the provision We have given them, secretly and openly,
and stave off evil with good, it is they who will have the ultimate
Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 22)

The salat is a religious observance that believers are commanded to perform

throughout the course of their lives, the times of which have been
stipulated. Human beings are prone to forgetfulness and heedlessness. If
they fail to use their will and become caught up in the flow of daily life, they
move away from subjects to which they should actually turn their attention
and cling to. They forget that Allah enfolds and surrounds them in all ways,
that He sees and hears them at every moment, that they will have to
account to Allah for all they do; they forget death, the existence of Paradise
and Hell, that nothing can happen that is not destined, and that there is
something auspicious in everything and every event. By falling into
heedlessness they can forget the true purpose of life.

The salat performed five times a day eradicates that forgetfulness and
heedlessness, and keeps the believer's will and awareness alive. It ensures
that the believer constantly turns to Allah and assists him in living in the
light of our Lord's commandments. The believer who stands in the presence
of Allah in order to pray establishes a powerful spiritual bond with our Lord.
It is revealed in one verse that the salat reminds people of Allah and keeps
them from all forms of evil:
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish
salat. Salat precludes indecency and wrongdoing. And remembrance
of Allah is greater still. Allah knows what you do. (Surat al-'Ankabut,
45)

Throughout history the prophets have communicated the salat made

compulsory by Allah to their respective peoples, and have been role models
for all believers by abiding by this observance in the best and most correct
manner. Some verses on this subject read:

 - For Prophet Ibrahim (as):

[Ibrahim said:] "My Lord! Make me and my descendants people who

establish salat. My Lord! Accept my prayer." (Surah Ibrahim, 40)

- For Prophet Isma'il (as):

Mention Isma'il in the Book. He was true to his promise and was a
messenger and a prophet. He used to command his people to do
salat and give the alms and he was pleasing to his Lord. (Surah
Maryam, 54-55)

- For Prophet Musa (as):

I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and establish

salat to remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha, 14)

- For Prophet Isa (as):

He said: "I am the servant of Allah, He has given me the Book and
made me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am and
directed me to do salat and give the alms as long as I live." (Surah
Maryam, 30-31)

- Maryam, depicted as a role model for all women, was also commanded to
establish salat:

Maryam, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow.
(Surah al 'Imran, 43)

 At what times has the salat been made obligatory?

In the Qur'an it is revealed that the times of the salat have been set out for
believers as a religious observance:
 
When you have finished salat remember Allah standing, sitting and
lying on your sides. When you are safe again do salat in the normal
way. The salat is prescribed for the believers at specific times. (Surat
an-Nisa', 103)
 
The timings of the salat are "dawn," "noon," "afternoon," "evening," and
"late evening." The salat timings are clearly set out in several verses of the
Qur'an. Some of these verses read:
 
So be steadfast in the face of what they say and glorify your Lord
with praise before the rising of the Sun and before its setting. And
glorify Him during part of the night and at both ends of the day, so
that hopefully you will be pleased. (Surah Ta Ha, 130)
 
So glory be to Allah when you start the night and when you greet the
day. Praise be to Him in the heavens and the Earth, in the afternoon
and when you reach midday. (Surat ar-Rum, 17-18)
 
Our Prophet (saas) who, by the revelation and inspiration of Allah, best
understood and interpreted the Qur'an, described for believers the times of
day when the five salat prayers begin and finish. One of the best known
hadith in which the timings of the salat are set out is that narrated by Jarir
ibn 'Abdullah:
 
The angel Gabriel came to the Messenger of Allah and said to him, "Stand
and pray," and they prayed the noon prayer when the sun had passed its
meridian. He then came to him for the afternoon prayer and said, "Stand
and pray," and they prayed the afternoon prayer while the length of a
shadow of something was similar to the length of the object. Then he came
at sunset and said, "Stand and pray," and they prayed the sunset prayer
when the sun had just disappeared. Then he came at night and said, "Stand
and pray," and they prayed the night prayer when the twilight had
disappeared. He came again when dawn broke (and they prayed the
morning prayer). Then Gabriel came on the next day at noon and said (to
the Messenger of Allah), "Stand and pray," and they prayed the noon prayer
when the length of the shadow of something was close to the length of the
object. Then he came for the afternoon prayer and said, "Stand and pray,"
and they prayed when the shadow of something was twice as long as the
length of the object. Then he came at the same time (as the previous day)
for the sunset prayer, without any change. Then he came for the night
prayer after half of the night had passed ("or," he said, "one-third of the
night"). Then he came when the sky was very yellow and said, "Stand and
pray," and they prayed the morning prayer. Then Gabriel said, "Between
these times are the times for the prayers."
 
Establishing salat in awe means performing this religious observance in the
presence of our Almighty Lord by feeling His might and grandeur, with fear
and respect. A believer who wishes to properly fulfill this obligation must
take measures against everything that might prevent this awed awareness
and display the maximum scrupulousness to ensure the concentration and
attention required in salat.
 
The correct performance of these prayers is a great opportunity to
remember our Lord, praise Him, and worship Him as one god in the
knowledge He is free of all imperfections. Indeed, in one verse Allah
commands to do salat in order to remember Him:
 
I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and establish
salat to remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha, 14)