“Innallaha yohibbut tawwabeena wa yohibbul motatahhereen.”
“Allaah Ta'aala loves one who repents for his sins and the one who purifies himself.”
“Wama khalaqtul jinna wal insa illa leya’bodoon.”
“I have created the humans and the jinns, but for the prayers.”
To worship is to accept and act on the orders of Allaah, as revealed on His Prophets (messengers) and to have ma’refat (cognition) of the Prophets and to prostrate and submit in the name of Allaah. It is obligatory, for the one who worships, to have cognition of Allaah and to pray Allaah who has created him in this world. For His cognition, Allaah has sent his Prophets. These Prophets are the waseela (links) between us and Allaah. We get real cognition of Allaah if we devote ourselves to the Prophets. Maulana Ali (AS) was once asked about the characteristics of mumin (believer). He replied, “He is the real “mumin” who gets the guidance from Allaah to know himself, to have cognition of the Prophets of Allaah, to have cognition of the Imaam of his time, who obeys the orders of Allaah and His prophets and acts on it and refrains himself from the forbidden things.”
Therefore, Imaan (Faith) consists in testifying that there is no God but Allaah; that He is without an associate, and Mohammad Rasoolullaah (SAWS) is His servant and His Messenger; that Maulana Ali (AS) is the wasi (vicegerent, deputy) of Mohammad Rasoolullaah (SAWS) and to have faith in him; in believing faithfully in the Prophets of Allaah and in His Imaams; in knowing the Imaam of the time and accepting him faithfully, obeying his commands; in acting in accordance with what Allaah has rendered obligatory upon His servants and avoiding what has been prohibited, and obeying the Imaam and accepting what comes from him. Imaan is to accept that Heaven and Hell and the Resurrection are veritable truths; that Qayaamat (the Day of Judgement) will surely come, and there is no doubt about it; that the account of deeds on the Day of Judgement is a surety. This testimony in a whole makes what is called Imaan, and this is first in the worship of Allaah and prayers. There is nothing superior to Imaan as Rasoolullaah (SAWS) says,
“Lekulle shai-in wajhun wa wajho deenekumus salaato”
“Every thing has a face and the face of your religion is Salaat (namaaz).”
One who offers his prayers in its prescribed time and the one who recognizes the importance of prayers is a true believer. For those who ignores the prayers, Qur’an says,
“Fawailul lil mosallinal lazeena hum ‘an salaatehim saahoon”
“So woe to the worshippers who are negligent of their prayers.”
For this reason Rasoolullaah (SAWS) has said, “Shaitaan (satan) is ever in fear of the faithful who is meticulous in his daily prayers. When the worshipper begins to neglect their prayers, Satan is emboldened to act against him and persuades him to greater sins. Among the deeds of man, prayer (namaaz) is the one Allaah sees first. If this is sound, then Allaah will take into consideration his other deeds, but if it is not, none of the other acts will be considered.
Imaam Ja’far us-Saadiq (AS) has said,
”Laa hazza fil islame leman tarakas salaat.”
“He who abandons prayer has no share in the bounties or reward in Islam.”
Maulana Ali (AS) has said,
“As salaato ‘umoodud deene wa qewaamul Islaam.”
“Prayer is the pillar of religion and the foundation of Islam.”
For this reason, the one who abandons the prayers is not among the believers and his religion does not have any foundation. There is nothing superior to prayers after the cognition of Allaah and His Prophets. To abandon prayer is a greatest sin. One of the assembly members of Imaam Mohammad Baaqir (AS) said to the Imaam (AS), “I know about a believer who abandons his obligatory prayers, who does forbidden things, who does not comply with the principles of Islam. Imaam (AS) was astonished by hearing this and said, “To abandon the obligatory prayer is a great sin.”
Allaah Ta'aala mentions in the Qur’an,
“Fa khalafa min ba’dehim khalfun azaa’us salaata wat taba’ush shahawaata fa sawfa yalqauna ghayya.”
“But after them (faithful and righteous people) there followed a posterity
who missed prayers and obeyed their lusts, then soon they will face destruction (penalized in the Hereafter).”
If one wishes to offer prayers, he should first purify himself,
“Laa salaata illa betohoorin.”
“No prayer is valid without Tahaarat (ritual purity).”
Allaah does not accept prayers without Tahaarat. One who intends to offer prayers should first perform wuzu (ablution).
Below mentioned subjects are some of the very important aspects of cleanliness and purification. Each one is dealt with necessary details and stepwise understanding:
