And “piety” means obeying Allah, guided by light from Allah and hoping for His mercy, and refraining from disobedience to Allah, guided by light from Allah and fearing His punishment. A close friend of Allah draws near to Him only by fulfilling the obligatory duties, then performing voluntary acts of worship. Allah Most High says:

“My servant has not drawn near to Me through anything like fulfilling what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him.”

This is related in the authentic divine hadith narrated by al-Bukhārī.

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Among the deeds most beloved to Allah and the greatest obligations in His sight are the five daily prayers at their prescribed times. They are the first deeds for which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection. Allah Most High Himself made them obligatory on the night of the Ascension, placing no intermediary between Himself and Muhammad in this matter. Prayer is the pillar of Islam, without which it cannot stand, and the most important matter of religion. As the Commander of the Faithful, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb, used to write to his officials:

“The most important of your affairs in my eyes is prayer. Whoever observes it and maintains it faithfully preserves his religion. Whoever neglects it will neglect his other deeds even more.”

It is authentically reported in the Sahīh that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Between a servant and associating partners with Allah lies the abandonment of prayer.”

He also said: “The covenant between us and them