Prayer motivates good deeds and brings people closer to their Creator, worshippers will be told on Friday.
“Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam and the backbone of the religion, the symbol of Islam and the strongest act of worship,” the sermon says.
The Quran and Prophet Mohammed stressed the importance of prayers.
The Prophet’s last words were: “Prayer, prayer.”
“That is – be diligent with observing your prayers,” the sermon says.
“Please know that among the abundant virtues and benefits of prayer is that it is one of the acts that elevates the rank of a Muslim and effaces one’s sins.”
As the Quran says: “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.”
Similarly, Prophet Mohammed said in a hadith: “Allah will prepare for him who goes to the mosque (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer) an honourable place in Paradise, with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon goings.”
Maintaining prayers under all circumstances is mandatory: “If the person is ill yet conscious, he must perform it as much as he can,” the sermon says.
As a hadith explains: “Pray standing up. If you cannot, then pray sitting down. And if you cannot, then pray lying on your side.”
Allah defined prayer times and prohibited Muslims from delaying them: “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers – a decree of specified times,” a Quranic verse says.
hdajani@thenational.ae
