Since a man who practices Islam is able to become aware of the divine presence not just while he is in the confines of a place of worship but also in the middle of his worldly professions, Islam enables a man to make his faith in the existence of God a powerful driving force in his life.
Because of this, the Holy Prophet Muhammad — may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him — instructed us to turn to prayer in a number of different circumstances.
Existence of God (Allah)
Even when we are involved in activities that are of this world, we should make it a point to continually direct our attention to God and, as a result, be aware of His presence.
Therefore, the purpose of religion is not only to convey the notion of the existence of God as a theory; rather, it is much more than that. The essential premise of every religion is a belief in God (Allah); however, the purpose of religion is much more than that.
Why prayer is needed.
Prayer is the vehicle by which it is attempted to reach this noble objective, and the goal of religion is to implant within its adherents the idea that God is a living force actively at work in the life of man.
The real conviction that God comes to man does not come from the belief that there is a God in the outer world but rather from the realization of the Divine within himself, and this realization is attained through prayer. Believing that there is a God in the outer world is not the same thing as having the real conviction that God comes to man.
Faith in a Creator.
There have been men in every age and among every nation who, through prayer, have realized the great truth of the divine existence within their hearts and have laid down their lives for the good of humanity, despite the fact that the existence of God is, to the majority of people in today's world, little more than a theory.
In their situation, belief in the existence of God was a moral force that not only worked an entire change in their own lives but also enabled them to transform the lives of entire nations for centuries and change the histories of people and countries. This was the case because belief in the existence of God was a force that not only worked an entire change in their own lives but also enabled them to do so.
A factor that motivates people.
Their lack of selfishness and truthfulness was beyond reproach, and their testimony, which is really the testimony of all nations throughout all ages, establishes one fact: that belief in the existence of God becomes a moral force of the first magnitude once it is realized in the heart of man through prayer to the Divine Being; in fact, it is such a great moral force that even the most powerful material forces give way before it. Is it, not the case that the examples set by these illustrious individuals serve as a guiding light for others, demonstrating to them that they, too, may make God a driving force in their lives?
The abilities and capabilities that are bestowed upon one man are also bestowed upon another, and if those capabilities are used in the appropriate manner, it is possible for one man to do what another has accomplished in the past.
Munajat (secret communication).
Again, if we analyze the subject logically, aside from the experience of humans, praying to God is the inevitable sequel to the acceptance, in principle, of the presence of God. Prayer is the natural sequel to accepting the existence of God.
The aspiration to rise to moral greatness is ingrained in human nature more deeply than even the aspiration to rise to material greatness; however, the only way in which that aspiration can be realized is to be in touch with the all-pervading spirit, the fountainhead of purity and the source of the highest morality, and prayer is merely an attempt to be in touch with him.
Prayer is referred to as munajat, which translates to "secret communication with the Lord," in the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
Prayer cleanses the soul.
It is reported in the hadith that man should worship God as if he saw Him in order to please God. Such accounts reveal the true essence of prayer to be that of engaging in genuine conversation with the heavenly one being prayed to. The elimination of harmful inclinations and the cleansing of man's inner self are prerequisites for the healthy development of human faculties.
"He who cleanses it will most surely be successful"
It is said that prayer cleanses the heart and instructs one to continue praying: "Recite that which has been revealed to thee of the book and continue praying; undoubtedly prayer keeps one away from indecency and wickedness"
It is written in other places as well, "And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; definitely good acts wipe away bad deeds." "And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night"
If we each shower five times each day.
One of the hadiths draws a parallel between the act of praying and the act of bathing in a river.
Abu Huraira reports that he overheard the Holy Prophet peace be upon him remark, "What do you think if one of you had a river at his door in which he washes five times a day?" Abu Huraira claims to have heard the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him say this.
Would he get any dirt on him from that?
It was stated to his buddies that it would not leave any filth on him and that it would make him completely clean.
The Prophet's peace be upon him stated, "This is an illustration of one of the five prayers, with which Allah wipes off all of a man's transgressions."
What is kaffara
In several additional hadiths, it is said that prayer is a kaffara, which translates to "a method to prohibit terrible things from occurring to people." This suggests that prayer is a way to prevent people from being harmed.
The reason for this is obvious.
It is said that "the recollection of Allah" is the aim of continuing to pray in verse and it is stated that "the remembrance of Allah is the greatest restriction" upon sin in verse. A law, in general, needs to have some sort of sanction behind it, and the only sanction that can be placed behind all divine laws that pertain to the evolution of man and to his moral improvement is faith in the supreme author of those laws. This can be seen by giving the matter just a little bit of thought.
Guidance via prayer
The more frequently, therefore, a man returns to prayer, to that state in which, disengaging himself from all worldly attractions, he feels the divine presence as an actual fact, the greater his certainty about the existence of God, and the greater the restraint upon the tendency to break that law. Prayer is a state in which a person feels the presence of God as an actual fact.
So, prayer, by restraining the sinful inclinations of man, cleanses his heart of all evil and places him on the correct path to the growth of his inner faculties.
