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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Taqwa (Piety) Advice of Piety And Prayer ==================== As it can be inferred from traditions, prayer is the best act after the acknowledgement of God. Mo’awiyah ibn Wahab reports that Imam Sadiq (AS) was asked: “What is the best act which takes servants near to their Lord?” The Imam (AS) said: “I do not consider any act better than prayer after the acknowledgement of God.

Do you not know that the righteous servant of God Jesus (AS) said: ‘God has recommended prayer to me.’ In the Holy Quran, there are about sixty or seventy occasions on which God has spoken of it.” It is for the same reason that the acknowledges and sworn enemy of human beings, Satan, works hard to mislead worshippers in different ways like making a worshipper perform his prayer not within the divine boundary, making it invalid or dissuading the person from performing his prayer at all.

Hence, the Lord of the universe has recommended his messenger to tell His servants: “Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like him whom the devils have made to fall down perplexed in the earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us.

Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds. And you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to Whom you shall be gathered.” [^1] Should you have a look at the prayer of the Muslims of the world and think about its quality and quantity, you will see many deviations and negligence in it, whereas God has recommended Taqwa after ordering the prayer.

There are among Muslims ones who do not perform prayer, as if prayer is a mountain and they are charged to carry it. Some of them even mock at prayer. Should they deny it, they will be considered as apostate then. There are another group of Muslims who do not deny prayer nor do thy mock at it, but they are indifferent. Some others perform prayer, but what a prayer! Neither correct purification nor correct ablution! Neither perfect recitation of prayer nor perfect genuflection and prostration!

Neither the permissibility of the place of prayer not of their clothes is important to them! Neither lawful nor unlawful issues of prayer are of any importance to them!