Why do we pray?

After a long and hectic day at work, how difficult
it is for a tired person to go out to the mosque and concentrate on his prayers
to Allaah, the Almighty. Snuggled up in a warm and cozy bed, how difficult it
is to get up at the call of the Mu`azzin: "Come to prayer! Come to
success!"

The famous doctor and philosopher, Ibn Sina
(Avicenna), recalls such a moment in his life. One cold and icy night, he and
his slave were resting at an inn in a remote part of Khuraasaan. During the night,
he felt thirsty, so he called to his slave to bring him some water. The slave
had no desire to leave his warm bed, so he pretended not to hear Ibn Sina’s
call. But finally, after repeated calls, he reluctantly got up and went to
fetch the water. A little while later, the melodious sound of the azaan
(call to prayer) filled the air. Ibn Sina began to think about the person
calling the people to prayer. "My slave, ‘Abdullaah, he mused, has always
respected me and admired me. He seizes any opportunity to lavish praise and
affection on me, but tonight he preferred his own comfort to my needs. On the
other hand, look at this Persian slave of Allaah: He left his warm bed to go
out into the chilly night, he made ablution in the icy water of the stream, and
then he ascended the high minaret of the mosque to glorify Him Whom he truly
serves: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except
Allaah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah." Ibn Sina
records: "I learned the essence of true love, that love which results in
complete obedience." The love of Allaah demands total and unconditional
obedience.

Allaah, the Almighty says:

 { Say [oh, Muhammad!]: "If
you love Allaah, follow me: Allaah will forgive you your sins, for Allaah is
Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful } (Soorah 3:31)

Prayer: A Cry of the Inner Soul

His arrogance and pride have often led man to
behave as an oppressor and a tyrant. Some men have been carried away by their
own self-importance that they have even claimed divinity. Pharoah, the ruler of
Egypt, was among those who announced: "I am your supreme Lord!" With
his sense of greatness and pride, Pharoah subjugated the Israelites and made
their lives wretched and miserable.

But is man really as strong and great as his ego
tells him? The Qur`aan tells us the reality of man’s nature:

{ It is Allaah Who created you in a state of weakness, then gave you
strength after weakness, then after strength, gave you weakness and a hoary
head: He creates what He wills, and He is the All-knowing, the All-powerful
} (Soorah 30:54)

Weakness in the beginning and weakness in the end:
This is the essence of man. He is so weak and helpless at birth that his entire
existence depends on his parents and his family. If he were to be abandoned in
these first crucial years, he could not survive on his own. He needs a gentle
and loving hand, not only in his infancy, but in his childhood and even in his
teenage years. As this child enters the years of youth and independence, he
begins to take control of his own life. He looks with pride at his strong
physique, his handsome features and his many talents. He begins to despise
those of lesser abilities, even scorning his parents, who exhausted their own
health to nurture him. He becomes unjust and cruel, using his strength and
vigour to dominate others. He thinks he is master, free to act as he wills. But
does this youth, these good looks last forever? In only a few decades, he
begins to lose his strength…his youth is replaced by old age. Weakness in the
beginning, weakness in the end." The message is clear: The real Master is
Allaah. He Alone is Mighty, He Alone, is Great. He Alone is never tired, never
needs rest, is never dependent upon anyone. Allaahu Akbar! – Allaah is the
Greatest! In our everyday lives, we say a warm thank you for the small acts of
kindness which others do for us. So what about thanking Allaah, Who, in His
infinite Mercy, has provided for every single one of our needs. Just observe
the beauty and perfection of the earth around you and fall down in gratitude to
your Lord.

Prayer: The Ascension for a Believer

After the Messenger of Allaah (SAW)  was commissioned for Prophethood, the first
thing he was commanded to do by Allaah was to pray. The angel Jibreel came to
him and a spring of water gushed out of the rocks in front of them.
Jibreel  then showed Allaah’s
Messenger(SAW) how to make ablution. He then showed him how to offer prayers to
Allaah. He began to pray two rak`ah twice a day, once in the morning and
once in the evening. He then went home and showed his wife Khadeejah what he
had learnt from the angel Jibreel.

From that time, the Prophet(SAW) never went through
a day without praying. Just before his migration to Madinah, he was taken on a
night journey to Jerusalem and then to the heavens (Mi`raaj). During
this journey, Allaah, Almighty, ordered him to pray five times a day. This
prayer was a gift given to every Believer to enable him to experience a
spiritual ascension five times a day. It gives every Muslim the chance to
communicate with his Lord. During each prayer, the Muslim recites Soorah
Al-Faatihah: This recitation is not a dull monologue by the Believer, but
Allaah promises that it is a conversation between Him and the worshipper. The
Messenger of Allaah(SAW) reported that Allaah, the Almighty says: ‘When my
slave says in his prayer: "All praise is for Allaah, the Lord of the
worlds," I say: "My slave has praised Me" When he says:
"The Merciful, the Compassionate, Master of the Day of Judgement," I
say: "My slave has glorified Me." When he says: "You Alone we
worship and your Aid we seek," I say: "This is between Me and My
slave." When he says: "Show us the Straight Path," I say:
"This is for My slave, and I give My slave what he wants."

The Messenger of Allaah(SAW) informed us that
Islaam is built upon five pillars, the second being to establish prayer five
times a day. (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)

This makes the image very clear: Islaam is like a
building supported by five columns; remove just one column and the entire
building weakens. In the same way, when a person stops praying, his faith
becomes weak, and the mildest blows can cause it to crumble.

The prayer is so very important that the Prophet
(SAW) said: "Verily, between man and
polytheism and disbelief is abandoning prayer." (Narrated by
Muslim)

Allaah says, concerning the plight of the
disbelievers on the Day of Judgement, that they will be asked by the Believers:
{ "What led you into
the Hell-fire?" They will say: "We were not of those who
prayed." } (Soorah 74:42-43).

Allaah also says: { Successful indeed are the Believers, those
who humble themselves in their prayers } (Soorah 23:1-2), and:

 { And those who guard [strictly]
their worship, such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens [of Bliss]
} (Soorah 70: 34-35).

Allaah has emphasized the need for humility and
concentration in prayers. There is no doubt that Satan is the most bitter enemy
of man; he always tries to disturb the Believer’s prayers. He (the worshipper)
finds his mind suddenly engulfed with memories, problems, worries, work and his
family… and he will often find himself wondering whether he has prayed three rak`ah
or four. This is how Satan steals the prayer. Man was created only to worship
Allaah.

He says: { I created not the jinns and mankind except to worship me }
(Soorah 51:56).

 Man is to
live in this world as a worshipper of Allaah and prayer is the best for of
worship. On the Day of Judgement, man will have to answer for his deeds. Allaah
says:

 { Then shall you be questioned
about the joy [you indulged in] } (Soorah 102:8)

.(Abridged from: "Why Do We Pray?" by Dr.
Suhaib Hasan)