WHAT IS SALAH?
Salah (Ritual Prayer) is among the first acts that come to mind when we talk about worship in Islam. The Arabic word for Ritual Prayer is "Salah", which means to pray, ask for forgiveness, beg. Salah, which is a worship that encompasses and surrounds the whole life of a person, is a unique means of communication and intimacy between the servant and his Lord. The Messenger of Allah (saw) likens the bond and communication between Allah (swt) and the servant while performing salah to a confidential and private conversation between two people. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Salah 36) The fact that salah is such a special communication distinguishes it from other acts of worship. Therefore, salah is the most important duty of worship for us as a believer.
Salah is defined as “a form of physical worship that begins with takbir and ends with taslim, consisting of performing certain moves and saying certain words”. This definition may be sufficient to express the apparent form of salah. However, salah is literally a person's remembrance of Allah (swt) with his soul, mind and body in ikhlas, commemorating, glorifying and praising Him, taking refuge only in Him and turning to Him, in short, standing before Him with the consciousness of servitude. (Baqarah, 2/45; Ankabut, 29/45; Jumu’ah, 62/9; Rum, 30/17) While a believer exalts his Lord by performing certain rituals and submitting himself to Him physically, his heart and soul experience these feelings spiritually, while taking heed with his mind of whatever he recites in salah.
Salah is a common worship performed by all prophets. From Prophet Ibrahim to Musa, from Isa to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), all messengers carrying the message of Allah (swt) personally performed the salah. Moreover, emphasizing its importance and value, they put salah at the center of their servitude. (Ibrahim, 14/40; An’am, 6/162; Taha, 20/14; Ali ‘Imran, 3/39; Maryam, 19/31)
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