The Book of Prayer

In linguistic usage, prayer means supplication. Evidence for this is Allah’s statement: “And pray for them; indeed, your prayer is a source of comfort for them” [al-Tawbah 9:103]—that is, supplicate for them.

In the Sacred Law, it is worshipping Allah, Exalted is He, through specific utterances and actions, beginning with the takbīr and ending with the taslīm.

Or, if you wish, you may say: it is an act of worship consisting of utterances and actions, beginning with the takbīr and ending with the taslīm.

As for the statement of some scholars, “Prayer consists of specific utterances and actions, beginning with the takbīr and ending with the taslīm” (1), this is incomplete. Rather, it is necessary to say, “an act of worship consisting of utterances,” or to say, “worshipping Allah, Exalted is He, through specific utterances and actions,” so that it is made clear that prayer is among the acts of worship.

Prayer has been legislated in all religious communities. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord, prostrate, and bow with those who bow” [Āl ʿImrān 3:43]. This is due to its importance and because it is a link between a person and his Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He.

Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, made it obligatory upon this nation through His Messenger Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, on the night he was taken up, without any intermediary.

Reflect on how Allah, Exalted is He, deferred making it obligatory until that night, thereby underscoring it and demonstrating its importance, for it: