THE PILLAR OF RELIGION: SALAH

 

  The Arabic word ibadah (worship) is derived from ‘abd and it means submission. According to Islam, worship and devotion to Allah (God), remembrance and glorification of him, trying to get closer to him, all kinds of activities carried out with the intention of gaining his consent, every good deed done with the idea of individual and community benefits are considered within the concept of worship. Among them the most well-known and an obligatory act in Islam is the performance of the five daily prayers, which in Arabic is known as salah (often written salat). It is a special form of worship that is one of the most important pillars after the shahada (testimony of faith). It was revealed in the Holy Qur’an and taught to us by Prophet Muhammad (pbuH). There are many verses in the Holy Quran which Allah tells us about the importance of prayer. For instance, here is such a verse:

 

 “Surely, I am Allah, there is no god but I: So you worship (only) Me, and establish regular prayer by saying My Praise.” ( Qur’an 20:14)

 

  Technically, the salah involves a number of physical movements – standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. It also involves the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic along with a number of dua (supplications). Muslims face the direction of the Ka’ba, (the Sacred House of Allah in Makkah), whenever they perform their prayer. These physical movements, recitations, and supplications are all done to show humility and submission to Allah. Also, there are some  other requirements for the prayer, such as ablution, washing certain parts of the body, to be prepared physically and mentally to perform it. In addition, time is also important. For the five daily prayers, there are scheduled times: morning, noon, late afternoon, evening and late evening. Moreover, there are many other prayers in Islam, such as the prayer for the funeral of the deceased, and the prayer traditionally performed on the mornings of eids, Friday prayer which is performed with community at mosques, and else.

   As with all of the five pillars of Islam, salah is a highly important obligation upon all Muslims and is essential to ensuring Muslims stay within the boundaries of religion and remain mindful of one's faith. Also, prayers are the central practice which shapes the daily routine and consciousness of a Muslim. Thanks to this, s/he remembers Allah every minute of the day. The notion is that this activity brings the individual face to face with God. Therefore, praying is very important for believers as they have a personal relation with God and this relation between the creation and Allah is connected with prayer directly without any intermediate between them. These prayers done 5 times a day help Muslims to stay connected with the creator and ask for something or forgiveness through that personal connection. Even though the prayers are personal matters, they can be performed in congreatin, too. Congregational prayers are also considered important since it emphasises group solidarity, as well as being in the presence of Allah (God).

 

  All in all, there are plenty of rewards and benefits to the prayer that were not listed above. It strengthens one’s relationship with Allah, gives inner satisfaction, develops the feeling of confidence, makes one stay away from evil, gives great contribution to have the best manners, teaches to be patient and to have responsibilities as well as helping to have the feelings of helpful people in society and to unite people in the same idea. Besides all of this information, to see how people perform their prayer you can visit any mosque, it's worth experiencing the atmosphere.