The cardinal principles of Islam, which define the faith of a Muslim, are five. These five fundamental principles of Islamic religion are not mutually exclusive as each is as important as the others. The neglect of one or more of these principles negatively affects the quality of the faith of a Muslim. Except for the belief in the articles of faith, which is all about believing in what we have never seen but only heard about; the remaining four cardinal principles (i.e., the five daily prayers, poor rate, Ramadan fast, and pilgrimage to Makkah) are essentially practical matters of the religion of Islam. The articles that define a Muslim’s creed are belief in Allah, in His angels, His revealed Books, prophets, messengers, the judgement day, and in the destiny of good and bad, which altogether constitute the first basic principle of Islam.
The second principle of Islam, after belief, is the compulsory observance of the five daily prayers (Salat). To emphasize the significance of prayer in the spiritual life of a Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “(Obligatory) Prayer is the pillar of religion. Whoever establishes it (regularly) has certainly established the religion (of Islam). And whoever neglects it has actually neglected the religion (of Islam).” This saying of the Prophet (SAW) speaks a lot about the comparative worth of prayer as a mandatory religious duty. Speaking in another hadith on the importance of prayer, the Prophet (SAW) also said, “The first issue about which a Muslim would be questioned on the Day of Judgement is prayer. If it is found satisfactory, his entire record of deeds would be regarded as satisfactory. But if it is found substandard, his entire record of deeds would be regarded as substandard.”
Of the other four practical aspects of the fundamental principles of Islam, that which the devil (Shaytan) prefers most to deploy in his desperate attempts to distract believers away from attending to their obligatory acts of worship is prayer. For example, the Shaytan finds pleasure in preventing Muslims, especially those who are weak in their faith, from observing the early morning (Subhi) prayer in congregation. The Shaytan misleads such people through the comfort of their beds and by extension, their rooms. It is when the call to prayer (adhan) for Subhi prayer is made that the Shaytan persuades a Muslim to enjoy his sleep most. Unfortunately, any sleep carried further than dawn (fajr) is inimical to the spiritual well-being of a Muslim. Similarly, the after-dusk (Isha’i) prayer is one obligatory prayer that some Muslims, for some worthless reasons, observe after midnight. This goes against and beyond the time recommended by the Prophet (SAW) for its observance. Imam Muslim (RA) relates on the authority of Uthman (RA) who said he heard the Prophet (SAW) stating that whosoever observes Isha’i prayer in congregation would be deemed to have spent half of the night in worship. And whosoever observes Subhi prayer in congregation would also be considered to have spent the whole night in worship. Abu Hurayrah (RA) also reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Were people to know the virtues in observing Isha’i and Subhi prayers in congregation, they would never miss them even if they were to crawl (to the mosque).”
Imam Bukhari (RA) relates on the authority of Annas (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) once delayed his coming out to lead in Isha’i congregational prayer until the first part of night. After he had finished from the prayer, he turned his face to the congregation and said: “People prayed and relaxed on their flanks. Nonetheless, they were considered to have been in prayers throughout the period it took them waiting for me to come out for prayers”. The Prophet (SAW) added that were it not because it might become a burden on his community (ummah), he would have recommended that Isha’i prayers should be delayed into the late night so that worshippers would earn more reward from the long period they might spend waiting for the Isha’i prayer to begin in congregation.
The careless attitude of some of today’s Muslims towards prayer is uncalled for. Some of us no longer see it abnormal to delay the observance of the daily obligatory prayers to periods other than those prescribed by prophetic traditions and taught by Muslim scholars. Some people combine Zuhr with Asr prayer even when they are not on a journey that permits a Muslim to observe such prayers at the same time. Unserious Muslims also combine Maghrib with Isha’i prayer for untenable reasons such as meetings and workshops. Islam only allows for two obligatory prayers to be observed at the same time when a Muslim is on a journey that is not less than forty-eight miles (about seventy-seven kilometers).
Nothing should be so important as to prevent a Muslim from safeguarding and promptly observing the pillar of his religion, Salat is so paramount that Muslims are enjoined to observe it even on their sick beds. A Muslim’s attitude to daily prayers speaks about how devoted he is to religious rites. It also shows how much he holds Allah in awe. May Allah (SWT) guide us to be steadfast in our prayers, amin.