IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS

OF SALAH (PRAYER)
COMMON TERMS
•Jinns – Spirits
•Surah – Chapter
•Shahadah – Testimony
•Swt – (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) – Glory be to Allah
•Salat – Prayer
•Dua – Supplication
•Allah – God
•(as) – Alaysalam – Peace be upon him
•Zam Zam – A well in makkah
•Gabriel – Angel who brought words of Allah to the messengers
•Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundry)
•Sajdah – Prostration
•Rasoolullah – Messenger of Allah
•Hidayah – Guidance
•Khushoo – concentration
•RA – Radi-Allahu-anhu (May allah be pleased with him)
•Ummah – Nation
•Rak’at - One cycle unit of muslim prayer from standing
•Takbir – The saying of “Allahu Akbar”
 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS
OF SALAH (PRAYER)

"I have only created Jinns and men that they may
serve me“ (Surah Al-Dhariyat 51:56)

•As Muslims, one of the first things that we learn, after the
Shahada, is that the purpose of our lives is to serve our Creator,
Allah (swt)

•Out of the five pillars of Islam we find that the word Salat is the
most frequently mentioned of the five.  The word Salat is
mentioned a total of 67 times in the Quran.

•The salat is a religious observance that believers are

commanded to perform throughout the course of their lives, the
 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS
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And remembrance of Allah is greater still. Allah

knows what you do. (Surat al-‘Ankabut, 45)

•Human beings are prone to forgetfulness and heedlessness.

•They forget that Allah enfolds and surrounds them in all ways,
that He sees and hears them at every moment, that they will
have to account to Allah for all they do
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OF SALAH (PRAYER)

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book

and establish salat. Salat precludes indecency
and wrongdoing. And remembrance of Allah is
greater still. Allah knows what you do. (Surat
al-‘Ankabut, 45)

•The salat performed five times a day eradicates that forgetfulness and
heedlessness, and keeps the believer’s will and awareness alive.

•It is revealed in one verse that the salat reminds people of Allah and
keeps them from all forms of evil
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"Throughout history the prophets have
communicated the salat made
compulsory by Allah to their
respective peoples, and have been
role models for all believers by abiding
by this observance in the best and
most correct manner."
- For Prophet Ibrahim (as):
[Ibrahim said:] “My Lord! Make me and my descendants people who establish
salat. My Lord! Accept my prayer.” (Surah Ibrahim, 40)

- For Prophet Isma‘il (as):

Mention Isma‘il in the Book. He was true to his promise and was a messenger
and a prophet. He used to command his people to do salat and give the alms
and he was pleasing to his Lord. (Surah Maryam, 54-55)

- For Prophet Musa (as):

I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and establish salat to
remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha, 14)
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Maryam, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow

with those who bow. (Surah al ‘Imran, 43)

- For Prophet Isa (as):

He said: “I am the servant of Allah, He has given me the Book and made
me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am and directed me to
do salat and give the alms as long as I live.” (Surah Maryam, 30-31)

"Jesus, in the garden of Gethsamne, took a few steps forward, fell on his
face and prayed to God". (Matthew 26:39)

- Maryam, depicted as a role model for all women, was also commanded
to establish salat
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I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me

and establish salat to remember Me. (Surah Ta
Ha, 14)

•The correct performance of these prayers is a great opportunity to

remember our Lord, praise Him, and worship Him as one god in the
knowledge He is free of all imperfections.

•Indeed, in one verse Allah commands to do salat in order to remember

Him
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Narated by ibn Abbas: When the prophet sent Muadh to Yemen, he

said to him, “You are going to a nation from the people of the
scripture, so let the first thing to which you will invite them, be the
Tawhid of allah. If they learn that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on
them, five prayers to be offered in one day and one night. And if they
pray, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Zakat of their
properties and it is to be taken from the rich among them and given
to the poor.” Bukhari(Hadith 2:478)
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OF SALAH (PRAYER)

The Salat provides the nourishment needed by our souls and

is a sure method of attaining righteoussness and nearness to
our Creator.  The Quran lists a number of benifits attained
from observing the Salat:

1- The Salat protects believers from evil and vice:

"Observe the Salat (Contact Prayers) for it prohibits evil and
vice." 29:45

2- The Salat strengthens our belief and make us attain

certainty:
"You shall glorify and praise your Lord and be with the
prostrators, and worship your Lord until you attain
certainty." 15:98-99

3- The Salat (along with charity) is the best investment in

the hereafter:
"Surely, those who recite the book of God, observe the
Contact Prayers and are charitable both discreetly and
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4- Above all, the Salat is to commemorate God:
Surely, the most important objective of the Salat is to
commemorate God.
"You shall recite what is revealed to you of the Scripture, and
observe the Salat (Contact Prayers), for the Salat prohibits evil
and vice. But the remembrance of God (through the Contact
Prayers) is the most important objective. God is aware of all that
you do." 29:45

I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so

worship Me and establish salat to
remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha, 14)
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… 'Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking

of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet said, "Then
Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this
order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined
on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.'
Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your
followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and
requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by
Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as
your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and
requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed
by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will
not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five
prayers and
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OF SALAH (PRAYER)
they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I
returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I
feel shy of asking my Lord again.' Then Gabriel took me till we '' reached
Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundry) which was shrouded
in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found
small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."
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it was a gift to him and his ummah. It was not given as a means of
‘rewarding’ or paying Allah back, since we can never pay Allah back
whether through Salah or through any other deed. It was given to us
for our own selves. Salah is more than just a pillar of Islam and an
obligatory duty: it is a connection between you and Allah, the Lord of
the Worlds.
 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS
OF SALAH (PRAYER)

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•Salah can be likened to an emergency ‘hotline’ that you can pick up at

any time.

•Salah is a relief from your problems and an ease of your distress.

•It is a means of calming you, relaxing you, reassuring you.

•It is a way for you to seek Allah’s help in a matter, whether as significant
as a battle or as insignificant as cooking a meal or removing a stain from
a piece of clothing.
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PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF SALAH

• Regular exercise reduces cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol causes heart
failures, strokes, diabetes and many other ailments. It is a known fact that
people in professions where exercise is required have less amount of
cholesterol in their bodies.

• Salat is an excellent form of exercise to prevent indigestion. In the morning

when stomach is empty, a Muslim is required to offer fewer number of
Rak'aat whereas in the evening after the dinner we offer an extra number
of Rak'aat.

• By offering Takbir at the beginning of salat, we move hand and shoulder

 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS
OF SALAH (PRAYER)

• The most important function in salat is

sajdah where we touch the ground with
our forehead. This posture increases
fresh supply of blood to our brain.
Needless to say in certain forms of
yoga some adherents stand on their
heads for the same purpose.

• Heart is the most important organ in

the body. It supplies fresh blood to all
body tissues. These body movements
performed during salat are an excellent
source of exercise for our heart as well.
According to a Hadith of the Holy
Prophet,“There is an organ in the body,
when it is healthy, the whole body is
healthy, and when this is sick, the
entire body becomes sick". It is the
heart.
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• A remarkable tissue in our body is cartilage. It is unique in being a living

tissue with no direct blood supply. The only way it receives nutrients and
oxygen is by movements of the joints. The pumping effect forces blood into
the joint area which would otherwise be bypassed. Those who sit at the
terminals are in greater danger of ending up with dead cartilage tissues
that will subsequently wear away. This will leave us with arthritis, painful
joints and paralysis. Bacteria and viruses find safe haven in joints for this
reason as no blood cell can get at them and in most cases neither can
antibodies. Salat therefore, has many orthopedic benefits for all Muslims.
Next time you offer salat, thank Almighty Allah that He made you a Muslim.
Indeed, there is cure in salat.
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No reason. No excuse

• there is a very severe penalty for leaving prayer.

• If you are sick and you don’t fast there is no penalty.

• If you are poor and you have no money to give zakat there is no
penalty.

• If you cannot afford to go to hajj there is no penalty.

• But for leaving salat there is a very high penalty - hellfire.

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• So there is no way, no excuse for any sick

person, for a person with or without money,
he or she has to pray.

• The sick person who cannot pray standing

can sit and pray; who cannot pray sitting
prays lying down, one who can’t pray lying
down may pray with his eyes.

• Salat has to be performed.

• Oh Muslims don’t avoid giving salat its

importance.
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"And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: And whatever good

ye send forth for your souls Before you, ye shall find it with Allah: for
Allah sees well all that ye do."
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:110)

• The five prayers at prescribed times

every day are obligatory on every
Muslim male and female who has
passed the age of puberty.
• Salaah or prayer is one of the pillars
of Islam and the most important after
Iman (faith).

"Alif Laf Mim, This is the Book, in it

is guidance sure, without doubt,
To those who fear Allah; Who
believe in the Unseen, are
steadfast in prayer, And spend
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OF SALAH (PRAYER)
Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) related that a man asked Rasoolullah (peace
be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah, what action is dearest to Allah,
the Most High?" Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) answered, "Salah at
its proper time. The one who doesn't pray has no religion. Salah is the
main pillar of the religion (of Islam)." (Baihaqi)

"The first matter that the slave will

be brought to account for on the
Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it
is sound, then the rest of his deeds
will be sound. And if it is bad, then
the rest of his deeds will be bad."
(Recorded by al-Tabarani)

"O ye who believe! Seek help with

patient Perseverance and
prayer For Allah is with those
who patiently persevere."
(Surah Baqarah 2:153)
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"Recite what is sent of the Book by
inspiration To thee, and establish
regular Prayer: for prayer restrains
from shameful and unjust deeds; And
remembrance of Allah is the greatest
(thing in life) without doubt. And Allah
knows the (deeds) that ye do.“ (Surah
Al-Ankabut 29:45)

• In this age, when immorality is

part of the dominant culture, and
Shaytan has devised newer ways
of entrapping the faithful, it is
Salah that protects a Muslim and
his Iman.
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"Their eyes will be cast down -
disgrace will cover them; seeing that
they had been summoned aforetime
to prostrate in adoration, while they
were in good shape,
(And had refused)"(Surah Al-Qalam
68:43)

"(They will be) in gardens (of Delight) and will ask the Sinners 'What
led you into Hell fire?‘ They will say; ‘

We were not of those who prayed‘

Nor were we of those who fed the indigent But we used to talk
vanities with vain talkers And we used to deny the Day of
judgment“ (Surah Muddaththir 74:40-46)
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May Allah (swt) grant all of us the hidayah to be regular

with our Salah, and to offer it in the correct manner and
with Khushoo.