Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Role of the in Building the Virtuous Community Book Eight: The System of Devotional Acts of the Virtuous Community Prayer In the Holy Qur'an, prayer ( salat ) is considered the most important devotional act in Islam. It is described as the pillar of religion and if it is accepted, everything else will be accepted correspondingly; however, if it is rejected, everything else will be rejected.[^1] Prayer also restrains one from indecency and evil.
According to some traditions, those who neglect performing the ritual prayers on purpose are ascribed to disbelief ( kufr ). Hundreds of traditions have been reported concerning the merits of performing prayers, the necessity of establishing them regularly, their outcome, the logic for legislating the prayers, and the method of performing them, as well as many other issues generally related to prayers. Therefore, to discuss all these issues would require an independent, voluminous book.
In our previous discussion of the daily ritual prayers, we cited some traditions. Now, let us cite some more traditions on this topic: About the merit of prayer, Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab is validly reported to have asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) about the best deed through which the servants of Allah can seek nearness to Him and which represents the best ever deed in His sight. The Imam (‘a) answered: مَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئاً بَعْدَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ.
أَلاَ تَرَى أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ الصَّالِحَ عِيسَى بْنَ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ: (وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيّاً). After recognition of Almighty Allah, I do not know of any thing better than prayer. Have you not noticed that the righteous servant, Jesus the son of Mary, (‘a) says *, “He has enjoined on me prayer and the poor-rate as long as I live.
(19:31)**”*[^2] Making recommendations to his companions, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said the following about prayer: تَعَاهَدُوا أَمْرَ الصَّلاَةِ، وَحَافِظُوا عَلَيْهَا، وَاسْتَكْثِرُوا مِنْهَا، وَتَقَرَّبُوا بِهَا، فَإِنَّهَا " كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا" أَلاَ تَسْمَعُونَ إِلَى جَوَابِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حِينَ سُئِلُوا: " مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ .