The sanctity of prayer
The sanctity of prayer is such that it has been recommended that the time for the execution of some deeds such as making a vow [qasam] or giving testimony [shahādah] should be after the recitation of prayers.
In Sūrah al-Mā’idah 5:106, the Qur’an states:
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا شَهادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حينَ ﴿
أَوْ آخَرانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي اْلأَرْضِ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنانِ ذَوا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ
الصَّلاةِ فَيُقْسِمانِ بِاللّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَأَصابَتْكُمْ مُصيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُما مِنْ بَعْدِ
﴾ اللّهِ إِنّا إِذًا لَمِنَ اْلآثِمينَ وَ لَوْ كانَ ذا قُرْبى وَ لا نَكْتُمُ شَهادَةَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا لا نَشْتَري
“O you who have faith! The witness between you, when death approaches any of you, while making a bequest, shall be two fair men from among yourselves—or two from among others,[1] if you are journeying in the land and the affliction of death visits you. You shall detain the two of them after prayer, and, if you have any doubt, they shall vow by Allah, ‘We will not sell it for any gain, even if it were a relative, nor will we conceal the testimony of Allah, for then we would indeed be among the sinners’.”[2]
It is widely practiced nowadays that oath-taking ceremonies are done in the presence of the Qur’an and by putting the hand on the Qur’an, but the Qur’an itself in this regard states that taking an oath should be done after the performance of prayer!
The universality of prayer
Both in cosmic creation [āfarīnesh-e takwīnī] and in religiously legal precepts [dastūrāt-e tashrī‘ī], God has applied the loftiest and most perfect programs. For example, in the creation of mother’s milk, He has accumulated all the nutrients, which are needed by the infant.
If we take a glance at the creation of man, we realize that whatever is present in nature has also been placed in man.
If there is the sound of thunder in nature, there is the voice (shouting) in man.
If there are plants and herbs in nature, there is growth of hair on man.
If there are rivers in nature, there are veins both large and small in man.
If there are fresh and salty waters in nature, there are salty tears and fresh saliva in man.
If there are many minerals in nature, there are also abundant talents latent in man.
There is a poem attributed to Hadrat ‘Alī (‘a) which states:
الاكبر العالم ٱنظرى فيك و صغير جرمٌ انّكَ أتزعَم
O man! You imagine that you constitute a small body where in fact a big world is placed in you.
Prayer is also a divine handiwork in which God has somehow placed all values.
Which perfection is it that is valuable to man and cannot be found in prayer?
Remembrance of God is a value and it is the only means of giving tranquility to the heart, and prayer is a remembrance of God—“اكبر الله” “Allāhu akbar” [Allah is greater].
Remembrance of the Day of Resurrection is a value and it prevents the commission of sin and corruption, and prayer is remembering the ﴾ الدِّين يَوْمُ ﴿ “Yawm ad-dīn” [Day of Judgment].[3]
To be in the ranks of the prophets, the martyrs and the righteous is a value, and in prayer we beseech God for us to be in the ﴾ صِراطَ الَّذينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ ﴿ “ṣirāṭ alladhīna an‘amta ‘alayhim” [the path of those whom You have blessed].[4]
We declare our aversion and disavowal [barā’ah] of the tyrants and deviants by saying: ﴾ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ لاَ الضّالِّينَ ﴿ “ghayri’l-maghḍūbi ‘alayhim wa lā’ḍ-ḍāllīn” “such as have not incurred Your wrath, nor are astray”.[5]
Justice which is the foremost of the values has been considered a necessary prerequisite for the leader of the congregation [imām al-jamā‘ah].
Following the leader of the congregation in prayer is a valuable social principle, which stipulates that instead of obstinacy and individualism, we have to follow a just leader.
In selecting the congregational leader, qualities which are valued are always taken into account: the most just, the most knowledgeable, the most eloquent, etc.
Standing while facing the qiblah calls to mind many values. Mecca is the torture site of Bilāl; the place of sacrifice of Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) (‘a); the birthplace of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (‘a); the base of the uprising of al-Mahdī (‘a); the testing ground of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) (‘a); and the place of worship of all prophets and saints.
Everything is movement in prayer—every day and night; in bowing down [rukū‘], prostration [sujūd] and standing straight [qiyām]; and movement in going to the mosque and the place of prayer. Therefore, do not be static, silent and solitary. Rather, always strive and move; of course, for the sake and in the way of God.
In prayer the spirit and soul of man is purged. Prayer removes the dust of pride and vanity because every night and day for many times man places the most sublime part of his body (forehead) on the ground, and prostration on the earth is better than on a stone because lowliness is placing oneself on the ground.
Prostrate on the ground and what grows in it provided that it is not edible so that you would not think of your stomach!
Prostrate on pure earth for traversing impure paths will not lead to purity and the Fountainhead of Purities!
Crying for fear of God is a value, and the Qur’an has praised prostration accompanied by weeping: ﴾ سُجَّدًا وَ بُكِيًّا ﴿ “(They would fall down) weeping in prostration.”[6]
Prayer is a divine code of life which has been prescribed for us from the moment of birth till the point of death. When a baby is born, recite the adhān and iqāmah in his right and left ears, respectively, as it is an admonition for prayer (when he grows up): “الصّلوٰة علىٰ حىّ” [Ḥayya ‘ala’ṣ-ṣalāh] “Come to prayer”. At the time of his death, you also bury him with the performance of the “prayer for the dead” [ṣalāh al-mayyit]. Throughout your life you should always be in a state of worshipping and glorifying God: ﴾ ِوَ اعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقينُ ﴿ “And worship you Lord until certainty (or death) comes to you.”[7]
Prayer is man’s union with nature. In determining the prescribed time for prayers particularly the dawn [ṣubḥ] and noon [ẓuhr] prayers, you have to look at where the sun is; in order to determine the direction of the qiblah, we have to look at the stars; in performing the recommended prayers on auspicious
