Question
What is the status and significance of prayer (Salah) in Islam?
Bottom Line
Salah is the pillar of Islam and the believer’s lifeline. It is not a chore but an honor and a privilege to stand before Allah.
Short Summary
Salah is a fard ʿayn (individual obligation) upon every Muslim. It is the foundation of faith, the key to success in this world and the next, and the very first deed to be judged on the Day of Resurrection. Consistency and humility in Salah purify the soul, strengthen the bond with Allah, and bring mercy and forgiveness. Neglecting it, however, invites severe spiritual and worldly consequences.
If one misses a prayer, they should repent sincerely, seek Allah’s forgiveness, and resolve never to neglect it again. Every sincere return to Salah is a renewal of faith and a step closer to Allah’s mercy.
Key Takeaways
- Obligatory: Salah is a fard ʿayn, commanded at fixed times.
- Day of Judgment: It is the first deed to be judged.
- Faith Marker: It distinguishes between belief and disbelief.
- Spiritual Benefit: Brings mercy, forgiveness, light, and protection.
- Neglect: Leads to hardship, loss of divine protection, and punishment.
Significance of Salah
Obligatory Deed
Every Muslim must perform Salah; it is a fard ʿayn act of worship.
“Indeed, the prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.”
(Qur’an 4:103)
Highly Valued Deed
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The first deed for which the servant will be brought to account on the Day of Judgement will be the prayer. If it is sound, he will have succeeded and prospered; if it is corrupt, he will have failed and lost.”
(Abu Dawud 864)
Sign of Iman
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The covenant between us and them is the prayer; whoever abandons it has committed disbelief.”
(al-Tirmidhi 2621)
Note: Scholars differ on the meaning of “disbeliever” here:
The determination of whether a specific person has fallen into disbelief is only to be made by qualified muftis and Islamic judges after going through a rigorous process.
Way of Success
“Certainly will the believers have succeeded they who are during their prayer humbly submissive.”
(Qur’an 23:1–2)
Hence, a Mu’min who performs Salah with full presence of heart gains merits in this world and the Hereafter. A few are:
1. The Opportunity to Communicate with Allah
In a hadith qudsi, the Prophet ﷺ said that Allah responds to every verse of Surah al-Fatiha recited during Salah (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 395):
| When the servant says |
Allah says |
| Al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbil-ʿālamīn (Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds) |
“My slave has praised Me.” |
| Ar-Raḥmān ir-Raḥīm (The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) |
“My slave has extolled Me.” |
| Māliki yawmid-dīn (Master of the Day of Judgement) |
“My slave has glorified Me.” |
| Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn (It is You alone we worship and it is You alone we ask for help) |
“This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.” |
| Ihdinaṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm, ṣirāṭ al-ladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayril-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa laḍ-ḍāllīn (Guide us to the straight path, the path of those You have favored, not those who have earned Your anger, nor those who have gone astray) |
“All these are for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.” |
2. Remembrance of Allah and Peace of Mind
“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.”
(Qur’an 20:14)
3. Receiving Allah’s Blessings
“And establish prayer and give zakah and obey the Messenger that you may receive mercy.”
(Qur’an 24:56)
4. Key to Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The key to Paradise is prayer, and the key to prayer is purification.”
(Aḥmad 18813; Ibn Mājah 1403)
5. Mindfulness and Composure
Salah nurtures mindfulness and mental composure.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When one of you stands for prayer, he is privately conversing with his Lord, so let each of you consider how he converses with Him.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 405; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 547)
6. Prohibition from Evil
Allah says:
“Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.”
(Qur’an 29:45)
7. Brings Forgiveness
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The five daily prayers, from one Jumu‘ah to the next, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are an expiation for whatever is between them, so long as major sins are avoided.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 233)
8. Light and Salvation on the Day of Judgement
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Prayer is a light, a proof, and a salvation for whoever performs it; but it will not be for the one who neglects it.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 6589; Ibn Ḥibbān 1466 )
9. Internal and External Cleanliness
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Cleanliness is half of faith.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 223)
Meaning (Ibn Rajab, Ibn al-Qayyim): This refers primarily to ṭahārah ritual purification such as wuḍūʾ (ablution) and ghusl, which is a prerequisite for Salah. Physical cleanliness in daily life is also encouraged, but here the focus is on the spiritual and physical purity required before standing in prayer. Maintaining this state is both an act of worship and a preparation for direct communication with Allah.
10. Protection from Hellfire
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever prays before sunrise and before sunset will not enter Hell.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 634) referring to Fajr and ʿAsr prayers.
Salah in Congregation and Consequences of Neglect
Prayer is an ʿibādah that connects an individual with the community. For able-bodied Muslim men, it is prescribed to perform the five daily prayers in congregation (Jamāʿah) at the masjid, unless there is a valid excuse such as illness, severe weather, or danger. This brings people togethe
‘]r in one place and strengthens social values such as unity, time management, and obedience to leadership.
Allah says:
“And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow.”
Qur’an 2:43
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever would like to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, let him regularly perform these prayers where the call to them is made.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 654
Consequences
1. They will be severely punished in the Hereafter
“They will say: We were not of those who used to pray.”
Qur’an 74:42–43
Meaning (Ibn Kathīr): This verse warns that neglecting prayer is among the reasons for entering Hell. Ibn Kathīr notes that such neglect is a cause for severe punishment in the Hereafter.
2. They will be the first to be held accountable for it on the Day of Resurrection
“The first thing for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. If it is sound, he will be successful and saved, but if it is corrupt, he will be doomed.”
Abu Dawud 864, al-Tirmidhī 413
Meaning (al-Munāwī in Fayd al-Qadīr): The acceptance of all other deeds hinges on the prayer; abandoning it places a person in grave spiritual danger.
3. They will face hardships in life
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance indeed, he will have a depressed (hard) life…”
Qur’an 20:124
Meaning (Ibn Kathīr): Turning away from Allah’s remembrance, foremost of which is prayer, results in a constricted life, devoid of true contentment.
4. They will lose Allah’s covenant and protection
“Whoever abandons prayer deliberately has no covenant with Allah. If He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.”
Ahmad 22749, Abū Dāwūd 1420
Meaning (al-Nawawī): Abandoning prayer severs the bond of divine care and protection.
5. They will lose the light that guides the believer
“Prayer is light.”
Sahih Muslim 223
Meaning (Ibn al-Qayyim): Prayer illuminates the heart, face, and soul; neglecting it leads to loss of this light.
What That Means for You
No matter where you are in your journey, Salah is your lifeline to Allah. If you have missed prayers, it’s not the end, it’s an invitation to return. Every sincere act of seeking forgiveness and making up missed Salah renews your heart, strengthens your faith, and opens the doors to Allah’s mercy. You are never too far gone to start again, and each prayer you offer is a victory over neglect, a step toward peace, and a reminder that Allah loves those who turn back to Him.
And Allah knows best.
References
Primary Sources
Qur’an
- Al-Baqarah 2:43: Command to establish prayer.
- An-Nisa 4:103: Prayer is prescribed at fixed times.
- Ta-Ha 20:14: Establish prayer for Allah’s remembrance.
- Al-Mu’minun 23:1–2: Success belongs to those humble in prayer.
- An-Nur 24:56: Establish prayer and give zakah.
- Al-‘Ankabut 29:45: Prayer restrains from immorality.
- Al-Muddaththir 74:42 43: The people of Hell neglected prayer.
Hadith
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 405: Prayer as a pillar of Islam.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 223: Salah is the first deed to be judged.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 233: Prayer distinguishes belief from disbelief.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 395: Obligation of congregational prayer.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 547: Prayer is light and guidance.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 634: Neglecting prayer leads to loss.
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 654: Warning against abandoning prayer.
- Sunan Abī Dāwūd 864: Virtue of praying at its earliest time.
- Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1420: Supplications within prayer.
- Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 2621: Prayer as the believer’s light.
- Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 413: Establishing prayer is key to success.
Secondary Sources
- Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’an al-ʿAẓīm: Exegesis on verses of Salah.
- Ibn Rajab, Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa al-Ḥikam: Commentary on hadith regarding prayer.
- Ibn al-Qayyim, Al-Wābil al-Ṣayyib: On prayer as remembrance of Allah.
- Al-Nawawī, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Detailed commentary on Salah-related hadith.
- Al-Munāwī, Fayd al-Qadīr: Virtues and neglect of prayer.
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