Prayers in Islam: Make a lot of Sense

By: Maged Taman

Prayers in Islam make a lot of sense as I will illustrate down:

1- Since It is the daily contact with God it has been taught to Muhammad (PBUH) in his night journey when he went to heaven accompanied by angel Gabriel.

2- It is preceded by body washing start by hands and end by feet. So as we meet his God we will be in a clean state both spiritually and physically.

3- It starts by mention of the intention to pray and ends by greeting the angels in both the right and left side of your shoulder.

4- It is 5 times a day so it covers all day. It reminds you of God all day so you are spirituality connected with him as well you do the good deeds most of the time. If you are a true Muslim it is very difficult to be unjust to any one since you will meet your God in in few hours with the next prayer.

5- It is preferred to be in groups particularly in Fridays all people kneel to God in one line. It makes people feel equal and in the same rank when they meet their God. Their wealth and power are not important to God but their prayers and deeds.

6- They recite Quran during prayer so they continue to remember its verses, the words of God. The sura of The Opening or Alfatha is in every prayer, it give you the theme of the Quran and the message of God:
1:1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (1:1)
1:2 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (1:2)
1:3 The Beneficent, the Merciful: الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ (1:3)
1:4 Owner of the Day of Judgment, - مَـالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (1:4)
1:5 Thee (alone) we worship; Thee alone we ask for help. -
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (1:5)
1:6 Show us the straight path, - اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ (1:6)
1:7 The path of those whom Thou hast favored; Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. - صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ (1:7)

7- Quran in prayers has verses of good deeds and humanity that reflects on their daily actions.

8- Since it is the connection to God, Muslims have to keep it even when they are traveling and when any one is sick he still keep it with some modification.

9- Muslims feel closer to God when they kneel and their heads touche the floor (Sajda) as the verse of Quran say: prostrate and come closer.

10- It keeps Satan away. When man forgets his God Satan jumps in with all the evil he could.

11- It prevents rusting of the heart. As you pray your heart softens to your God. If you do not your heart gets a lot of rust, becomes hard and you loose connection with God. Now it get easier to be less fearful to God and commit evil and bad deeds.

12- Prayer is the first the Muslim will be judged for in the day of judgment. It makes a lot of sense since if you pray faithfully your deeds very likely will be good and you will not commit evil. Compare that with other religions where praying is less often and fearing God is not well stressed.

Some of the verses in the Quran about prayers:

10:87 We inspired Moses and his brother with this Message: "Provide dwellings for your people in Egypt, make your dwellings into places of worship, and establish regular prayers: and give glad tidings to those who believe!" وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًا وَاجْعَلُواْ بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (10:87)

11:114 And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night: For those things, that are good remove those that are evil: Be that the word of remembrance to those who remember (their Lord): وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّـيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ (11:114)

13:22 Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance of their Lord; Establish regular prayers; spend, out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly; and turn off Evil with good: for such there is the final attainment of the (eternal) home,- وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ ابْتِغَاء وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً وَيَدْرَؤُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ (13:22)

14:31 Speak to my servants who have believed, that they may establish regular prayers, and spend (in charity) out of the sustenance we have given them, secretly and openly, before the coming of a Day in which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. قُل لِّعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خِلاَلٌ (14:31)

17:78 Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. - أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا (17:78)

19:59 But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they face Destruction,- فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا (

21:73 And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only). وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ (21:73)