Everything around us serves a purpose. A pen’s purpose is to write whilst a car’s purpose is for transport. However, how many times have we thought of our own purpose in life and what are we here to do? Allah answers this query very clearly in the Quran:
"I have only created the jinn and men that they may worship me." (Az-Zaariyaat 51:56)
Thus, Allah differentiates man from other mammals very clearly. Whilst animals serve no purpose but to consume and recreate, Allah has equipped man with the intellect and made him an articulate being and given a special goal and mission which makes them exclusive from all other beings. Thus, it is clear that the blessing of intellect is given to mankind so he may live a life in Allah’s pleasure and his worship.
The main worship Allah has put in Islam is Salaah. The Prophet (SAW) said in a Hadeeth "Salaah is the best of all that has been ordained by Allah." In fact, it is the second most important aspect after the declaration of faith and is considered the main pillar of Islam on which the whole of a person’s faith is built on. The Prophet (SAW) said “Salaah is the pillar of the religion. Whosoever upholds it has maintained his religion. And whoever disregards it has disregarded his religion.” It has been stressed over 500 times in the Quran and it being one of the first things a person will be asked about in the hereafter and will be like a axle for the rest of the asking. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) compared the status of Salaah in Islam like the position of the head on the body. In fact, he laid such emphasis on Salaah that one of the last things that left his lips before he passed away was “Fear Allah in regards to Salaah.” The Prophet (SAW) himself was so attached to Salaah and called it ‘coolness of my eyes’
Salaah is a reminder for us to remember Allah five times a day in every phrase of the night and day. Thus, a person who is punctual on his Salaah forms a close connection with Allah. The Prophet (SAW) said, "A slave is closest to Allah when he is prostrating." This is the reason why it is narrated that Hazret Danyaal described the Ummah of Muhammad (SAW) to his people by saying: “They will offer such prayers, that if the people of Nooh offered them, they would not have drowned. If the people of Aad had prayed them, the terrible wind would not have been sent on them. And if the people of Thamud had prayed them, the awful cry would not have grasped them.”
Amongst the many virtues Allah has put in Salaah, one of the most noteworthy is that it refrains the individual from evils and bad actions.

“Verily, Salaah refrains one from indecency and evil” (29:45).

That is why Allah has ordered to seek help with Salaah.
"And seek help in patience and in Salaah. Truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'un (those who have devotion)." (2: 45)
It was the practise of our holy Prophet (SAW) that in any scenario he first used to turn to Allah through Salaah. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said “Whoever performs ablution well and offers two voluntary Salaah and perfects them, Allah will grant him whatever he prays for, either immediately or in the future.“ this is the reason why we see the companions and our pious predecessors were so conscious of Salaah that they gave it its true right and importance. Hazret Umar was stabbed profusely and was in a critical condition but when he was told that it was time for Salaah, he would shun his injuries behind him and say ‘there is no portion in Islam for the one who discards Salaah.’
Despite this, today we see large numbers of the Ummah disregarding Salaah. According to many statistics, the majority of the Muslims are not punctual on there Salaah. The prophet (SAW) warned that the person who misses a single Salaah is like the individual who has lost his family and wealth. However, Muslims are not even conscious of the gravity of missing Salaah and are carefree to leave there Salaah for some petty worldly pursuit. The Prophet (SAW) said “whomsoever leaves the Salaah intentionally is linked to disbelief.” In regards to this Hadeeth, many companions of the Prophet (SAW) and scholars are of the opinion that missing Salaah intentionally directly bring a person to the door of Kufr. Regarding the true believers, Allah describes one of their main traits as:
“They are those who are punctual in the performance of their Salaah” (Mu’minoon;9)

The Prophet (SAW) is recorded to have said ‘Whoever guards and observes his prayer, there will be a celestial light (Noor), a proof and savior for him on the day of resurrection. Whoever does not guard and observe them, there will not be a light or a proof or a savior for him .they will be in hell with Qaroon, Pharaoh, Hamaan Abd Abi bin Khalaf.’ In the Quran, we are repeatedly told to safeguard and establish Salaah rather than pray or offer Salaah. Hafiz Ibn Katheer explains that Allah uses the term ‘Muhafazat’ (safeguard) and ‘Iqaamat’ (establish) in regards to Salaah, to stress that it should be performed with steadfastness and at its prescribed times in its proper manner and devotion.
One of the great qualities of Salaah is to pray it with ‘Khushu’. ‘Khushu’ means devotion, humility, awe and the full awareness of Allah. Allah has promised true success to those who pray their Salaah with concentration and devotion.
“Successful indeed are the believers. Those who perform their Salaah with all solemnity and full submissiveness” ( 23;1-2)
Hafiz Ib al-Qayyim has highlighted five groups of people in relation to Salaah:
The first group are those Zaalioon (wrong-doers) who neither perform Wudhu properly nor do they perform Salaah at its right time and neither are they aware of its etiquettes and rules;
The second group are those who are mindful of the Faraaidh and Wajibaat of Salaah, but let Shaytaan make there minds drift off into thoughts other than Salaah;
The third group takes care of the Faraaidh and fights the evil whisperings of Shaytaan in order to keep his mind focused. This individual is the one struggling for Allah’s pleasure;
The forth group complete all the requirements of Salaah without any deficiency;
The fifth group has all the previous group’s qualities however, they offer Salaah as if they can see Allah whilst there hearts are in a state of total love for Allah. They are the rare and special close ones to Allah.
We are accountable to appraise our own position in fulfilling the obligation of Salaah. May Allah give us the true reality of Salaah and allow us to fulfill its appropriate responsibility. Ameen

Want to comment on this Short Stories? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Short Stories and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...