Importance of Salah
What does Salah mean?
Salah means prayer, blessing and commendation. It is also known as “Namaz” . The words "Salah" appears 67 times in the Quran. In Islam Salah is considered a second of the five pillars of the religion as daily obligatory standardized prayers, it is as the whole edifice of religion is based on Salah.
History of Salah
This day Allah Almighty gifted Salah to his last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W) and ordered all Muslims to perform Salah.
Where to perform Salah
Salah can be performed at any clean place. Masjid is the place where all Muslims gather to perform the Salah. And it is a daily obligation upon all Muslims above mature age. Women can also perform Salah in the masjid. Many people said women can’t perform Salah in the masjid, it is just a myth. When women go for Haj they perform Salah in Masjid ul haram and this is the biggest example of women praying in a masjid.
Significance of Salah:
The importance of Salah is to ensure Muslims maintain their devotion and faith to Allah, to increase closeness to Allah and thanks to Allah for everything which he gives to us. If you want to success in life you performed five times Salah. Salah create punctuality and provide us inner peace. Salah is obligatory on every Muslim man and woman. It is a physical and spiritual act of worship that is performed five times every day at specific times.
Guidelines for performing Salah:
Salah creates discipline in a Muslim. Muslims face towards the KAABA and this direction is called the qibla, Muslims performs Salah first standing then kneeling or sitting on the ground. The main purpose of Salah is to talk to Allah Almighty. There are five daily prayers which must be performed;
• Fajr (Before Sunset)
• Zohr (Midday)
• Asr (Between Zohr and sunset)
• Maghrib (Sunset)
• Isha (Between Maghrib and midnight)
Each Salah consists of a no. of rakaats, which are split throughout the day as follows; “Fajr” consist 4 rakaat, “Zohr” consist 12 rakaat, “Asr” consist 8 rakaat, “Maghrib” consist 7 rakaat and “Isha” consist 17 rakaat.
Purification of heart
Purification of heart is the main objective of Salah. By performing Salah, a person becomes closer to Allah, due to which his faith in Islam becomes even stronger. Just as a person needs food and water to stay healthy, in the same way, the human soul needs the worship of Allah to stay healthy. It is essential to ensuring we stay remain mindful of one’s faith and also essential to ensuring we stay within the boundaries of deen.. The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) stated the following:
“The place of prayer (SALAH) in religion is like the place of the head in the body.” (Majmau’l-Awsat, 3:154, (2313.) Imam Tabarani, Mu’jamu’s-Saghir)
The Messenger of Allah further (P.B.U.H) said;
“On the Day of Judgment, a slave will be questioned about his prayers first. If his prayers are good, his other deeds will be good, too. If his prayers are bad, his other deeds will be bad, too.”
(Tabarani, Targhib)
