Worship
The Importance of the Five Daily Prayers in Islam
Why the five daily prayers matter: Quran verses on salah, the hadith of the river that washes away sins, and prayer on time as the deed most loved by Allah.
Reviewed by the Nouf Quran Academy teaching team · Updated
Salah is the second pillar of Islam and the first thing a Muslim is taught after the shahadah. It is also the daily rhythm that holds everything else together.
ٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِۗ وَلَذِكۡرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكۡبَرُۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَصۡنَعُونَ
“Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do”
حَٰفِظُواْ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ
“Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient”
A river at your door
Narrated Abu Huraira:I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds
Prayer on time is among the most beloved deeds
Narrated `Abdullah:I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) "Which deed is the dearest to Allah?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents" I again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, 'To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's cause." `Abdullah added, "I asked only that much and if I had asked more, the Prophet (ﷺ) would have told me more
Improve the quality of your prayer
- Learn the meaning of what you recite — start with Al-Fatihah.
- Correct your recitation with Tajweed; Al-Fatihah is recited in every rak‘ah (Sahih al-Bukhari 756).
- Memorise a few more short surahs so your prayers feel fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Why is salah so important in Islam?
It is a pillar of Islam, it “prohibits immorality and wrongdoing” (Quran 29:45), and the Prophet ﷺ compared the five prayers to bathing in a river five times a day (Sahih al-Bukhari 528).
Do I need Tajweed for my prayer to be correct?
Al-Fatihah must be recited in every rak‘ah (Sahih al-Bukhari 756), so it is important to pronounce it correctly. A teacher can check your recitation in a single lesson.