If someone prays, we cannot necessarily consider them as a pious and virtuous individual, nor is someone’s lack of prayer a definite sign for their indecency and a wicked fate. There are so many worshippers who committed the ugliest crimes, and so many prayerless people who did not even harm a fly and lived an honourable life. Yet can this fact be a good justification for not praying?
To answer this question and find the secret to Quran’s insistence on establishing prayer[1], we must look at the world from the same perspective that God’s book presents before us. In this viewpoint, all that is seen is a boundless mercy that encompasses everywhere[2] and moves the universe towards absolute kindness.[3] Understanding this scene with greater detail, will show us an outpouring compassion and all that there is, ranging from wind and rain[4], day, and night[5], to life and death[6], are set in the orbit of love.
The Quran compares God’s generosity and bounty to water falling from the sky, which flows like a flood and every container takes advantage of depending on its limited capacity[7]. But in the meantime, there is a different container called human being, which can grow in unlimited dimensions[8] along with the endless sea of mercy and be a substitute and recipient of God’s infinite love[9], to an extent that the densest containers bow down in prostration before him or her[10].
The description that the Quran provides of this glorious scene is the praise and glorification of all the particles of the world[11] and their assistance for the further development of man[12]. In this point of view, every phenomenon, like a container full of mercy[13], reflects the perfection of the creator who has determined the path of everything[14] in advance and describes the beings who accompany this flow as those who are praying[15]. Yet God wants us to perform another prayer as well.
The secret to the difference between humans and other creatures, lies in us having a free will[16] that can carry a burden heavier than the endurance of the sky, earth, and mountains[17], and which provides us with a unique opportunity to make decisions based on love. This is because only humans can willingly choose compassion and honesty in a situation where the path of corruption and crime is open[18] to them, and by surrendering to the truth[19], can benefit from an endless capacity and growth.
Now, if we look at humanity from this angle, we find that our praise and glorification for God is of much greater value than the praise and sanctification by other beings. We can boldly claim that true prayer is nothing but living a pure, sincere, and honourable life[20]. Therefore, the Quran considers someone who[21] honestly submits to the judgement of his conscience[22] as a person of salvation and worthy of entering the safe paradise[23] and God’s all-encompassing mercy[24].
This Quranic teaching not only does not give a justification for abandoning prayer, but in fact makes the truth seekers more determined to adhere to worship. This is because when familiar with the beneficial effects[25] of God’s remembrance on the mental health and wellbeing and prayer’s guarantee[26] for awakening humanity, prayers will be performed with all of one’s being[27]. And let’s say, even if they become inattentive to it, they will not fool themselves with a pleasantly performed prayer which lacks internalisation[28] nor distance themselves from their humane conscience with a hypocritical prayer[29].
Next: Excuses for abandoning prayer
Previous: Prayer, obligation or recommendation?
Islamic Library: Introduction to Islam
[1] . Quran 20: 132:
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا
And bid your own people (your family) to pray and be patient therein.
[2] . Quran 7: 156:
وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ
And my mercy embraces all things.
[3] . Quran 2: 285:
رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
Our Lord! Your forgiveness do we ask, and towards You is the destination.
[4] . Quran 30: 46:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَن يُرْسِلَ الرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَاتٍ وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ
And among his signs is that He sends forth the winds bearing good tidings, and that He may make you taste of His mercy.
[5] . Quran 28: 73:
وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And it is out of His Mercy that he has made for you the night and the day, that you may rest therein, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks.
[6] . Quran 30: 50:
فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Look then at the traces of Allah’s mercy, how He gives life to the earth after its death; verily He is the giver of life to the dead; and it is He who is capable of all things.
[7] . Quran 13: 17:
أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَالَتْ أَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا
He sent down water from the sky, then rivers flew according to their capacity.
[8] . Quran 18: 10:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Our Lord, Grant us mercy from Your Presence, and provide for us in our affair our growth.
[9] . Quran 2: 30:
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
When your Lord said to the angels: “I am appointing on the earth a deputy”, they said: “will You place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood, -while we celebrate Your Praise and extol Your Holiness?” God said: “surely I know what you know not”.
[10] . Quran 2: 34:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ
And when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam”.
[11] . Quran 17: 44:
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
The seven skies and the earth, and every being therein, celebrate His glory, and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His Praise, but you do not understand their glorification; verily He is Forbearing, Forgiving.
[12] . Quran 14: 33:
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ
And He has made the constantly moving sun and moon subservient to you, and He has made the night and the day subservient to you.
[13] . Quran 2: 164:
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن مَّاءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of night and day, and in the ships that sail on the sea with what profits mankind, and in the water which Allah send down from heaven and enlivens therewith the earth after its death, and spreads in it all kinds of animal, and in the change of the winds and the clouds controlled (for service) between the sky and the earth; surely these are signs for a people having understanding.
[14] . Quran 20: 50:
رَبُّنَا الَّذِي أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ
Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation. Then guided it aright.
[15] . Quran 24: 41:
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ
Have you not seen unto Allah glorifies whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, and the birds with wings outspread (in their flight)? Each one knows its own prayer and praise. And Allah is aware of what they do.
[16] . Quran 18: 29:
وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ
And say: “The truth is from your Lord; so, whoever will, let him believe, and whoever will, let him disregard (cover) the truth.
[17] . Quran 33: 72:
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا
Verily we offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid thereof; and man undertook it, verily he is unjust, ignorant.
[18] . Quran 2: 30:
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
When your Lord said to the angels: “I am appointing on the earth a deputy”, they said: “will You place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood, -while we celebrate Your Praise and extol Your Holiness?” God said: “surely I know what you know not”.
[19] . Quran 3: 19:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ
Verily the (true) religion with Allah is surrendering to the truth.
[20] . Quran 6: 162:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Say: “Verily my prayer and my worship, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds”.
[21] . Quran 5: 119:
قَالَ اللَّهُ هَٰذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
Allah said: “This is the day where the truthful ones shall benefit their truth. For them there are gardens beneath which rivers flow wherein shall they abide forever. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. This is the great success”.
[22] . Quran 30: 30:
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So set your face whilst truth seeking to the religion being upright, the nature, in which He has created mankind. There is no altering of Allah’s creation. That is the lasting religion, but most people do not know.
[23] . Quran 2: 112:
بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Yes! Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah, and he is a doer of good, his reward is with his Lord; no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve.
[24] . Quran 3: 133:
وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
And hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden whose width is as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious ones, so hurry with urgency towards it.
[25] . Quran 13: 28:
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Behold! By Allah’s remembrance the hearts are set at rest.
[26] . Quran 29: 45:
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
And establish the prayer, verily prayer keeps one away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is greater, and Allah knows what you do.
[27] . Quran 23: 2:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
Those who are humble in their prayers.
[28] . Quran 4: 142:
إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Verily the hypocrites seek to trick Allah, but He is tricking them. And, when they stand up for prayer, they stand up lazily; showing off to the people, and they do not remember Allah but a little.
[29] . Quran 107: 4-6:
فَوَيلٌ لِلمُصَلّينَ. الَّذينَ هُم عَن صَلاتِهِم ساهونَ. الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ
So, woe to those praying ones, who are careless of their prayers, those who want to be seen by others.