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Prayer is the pillar of religion. Prayer is the key to heaven. Prayer is the ascension of the believer. Prayer is the cooling of the believer's eyes. The prayer is a source of closeness to God. Prayer is the cause of Allah's pleasure. Prayer is a means of getting rid of ailments and diseases. Prayer refrains from indecency and evil. Prayer makes a difference between a believer and a non- believer. A fixed time is a condition for obligatory prayer. Prayer teaches a person to be punctual and disciplined. Allah Almighty says:
اِنَّ الصَّلوةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَبًا مَّوْقُوتاً
Translation:
"Surely, Salah is an obligation on the believers that is tied up with time."
(Surah An-Nisa: 103)
Praying is the cause of Allah's pleasure. Allah forgives sins because of prayer. The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad said:
The example of five prayers is like a canal. The water of which is clean and deep, which passes in front of the house of one of you and he bathes in it five times every day. Do you think that there will be any residue left on his body? The Companions also said: No.
The Holy Prophet said:
"In five prayers, sins are eradicated as water eradicates dirt." (Sahih Muslim: 668)
Ablution is a condition for prayer. When a person performs ablution, he washes his hands, brushes his teeth, puts water in his nose, washes his mouth and wipes his head and wash the feet which gives purity and apparent cleanliness to a person.
When a person starts the prayer and begins the prayer by saying Takbeer-e-Tahreema, then standing, reciting, bowing and prostrating, standing and salam are compulsory in order. This sequence of prayer and its observance teaches us discipline. Offering prayer is necessary but it holds more reward if its offered in congregation/group.
The Holy Prophet said:
"A group prayer is twenty-seven (27) degrees better than an individual prayer. (Sahih Bukhari: 645)
In another place, the Holy Prophet said that the person who performs the Isha prayer in congregation will get the reward of staying up for half of the night, and the person who prays Fajr prayer with congregation, will get the reward of the remaining half of the night. (Sahih Muslim: 1491)
Prayer is a trust (amanat). It is required to pay this trust on time. Going to the mosque and offering prayers is also a matter of honor because it is the house of Allah. An affiliation to this great house makes the worshiper great. It is in the blessed hadith that if you don't go to the mosques without excuse like the hypocrites and start offering prayer at homes, then you will abandon the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and once you will abandon it, you will be mislead.
i. Advantages and Benefits of Prayer
Walking from home to the mosque and performing the prayers according to all conditions, keeps a person physically and spiritually strong. Getting up early in the morning for the Fajr prayer, walking towards the mosque is itself an exercise, which benefits a person both spiritually and physically.
By offering prayer in mosque, a person meets with the neighbours and acquaintances which makes him aware of their joys, sorrows and sufferings, he stands by them in their need. By taking care of these things, human society can progress. Prayer creates feelings like compassion, sacrifice, brotherhood, love and tolerance. Humble and submissive prayer is favorite to Allah.
Prayer prevents immorality and evil and is the best remedy for Tazkiya-e-Nafs (Self analysis).
We should pray in congregation with humility and modesty, keeping in consideration our purity, so that we can have the spiritual, physical and social benefits of prayer and according to the true spirit of religion, can be leaders in this world and the hereafter.
