Salat is the second pillar of Islam (the first being the Shahada, the declaration of faith), and it is the first thing for which a Muslim will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever performs it diligently will have preserved their faith and religion, while one who neglects it will certainly neglect other religious duties. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The prayer is the first thing the servant will be questioned about on the Day of Resurrection, among their deeds. If it is accepted, all their other deeds will be accepted. On the contrary, if it is rejected, all their other deeds will be in vain.” (Tirmidhi and Tabarani)
Salat is a link between the servant and their Lord. The Prophet (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Indeed, when one of you prays, he is conversing privately with his Lord.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Allah, Exalted be He, said in a Qudsi Hadith: “I have divided the prayer into two parts: one for Me and one for My servant, and for My servant, whatever he asks. When My servant says: ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,’ I say: ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says: ‘The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate,’ I say: ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says: ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ I say: ‘My servant has glorified Me.’ When he says: ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,’ I say: ‘This is between Me and My servant, and for My servant, whatever he asks.’ When he says: ‘Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those who have received Your grace, not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray,’ I say: ‘This is for My servant, and for My servant, whatever he asks.'” [Reported by Muslim]
Salat is a garden that encompasses all kinds of magnificent acts of worship. In it, there is Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar) through which one enters the prayer, the standing position during which the words of Allah are recited, the bowing position in which the Lord is glorified, the return from bowing, which is filled with praise of Allah, the prostration during which the Lord is glorified (Exalted be He), during which we ask for His forgiveness and supplicate for our wishes, the sitting position in which, in addition to the Tashahud, many supplications are made, and it concludes with Taslim (the final greeting).
The Prayer is a means of support and help in times of distress and sorrow, and it prevents the committing of bad and shameful deeds. Allah says (meaning of the verse): “And seek help through patience and prayer, indeed, prayer is burdensome except for the humble.” (Quran: 2/45)
“Recite what is revealed to you from the Book and establish the prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.” (Quran: 29/45)
The Prayer illuminates the hearts of the believers and will serve as light for them on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “The prayer is a light.”
He (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Whoever preserves it (the prayer), it will be a light, proof, and safety for him on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever does not preserve it, it will neither be light, proof, nor safety for him, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Ubayy Ibn Khalaf.” [Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Hiban, and At-Tabarani]
The Prayer is the joy and pleasure of the souls of the believers. The Prophet (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “In this worldly life, I love women and perfume. But the coolness of my eyes (Qouratou Ayni) is in prayer.” [Reported by Ahmad and Nasa’i] (Note: The expression “Qurrah Al-‘Ayn” (coolness of the eye) is an Arabic idiomatic expression meaning something that one loves above all else and which brings ultimate happiness.)
The Prayer erases sins and expiates bad deeds. The Prophet (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “What do you think if one of you had a river in front of his door in which he washed five times a day, would there remain any dirt on him?” They said: “No, there would be no dirt left.” He said: “Such is the image of the five daily prayers by which Allah erases sins.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Prophet (Salla Allahou ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “The five daily prayers and the prayer of Friday to the next Friday erase the sins committed between them, as long as one has not committed the major sins.” [Reported by Muslim]
