How Important Is Prayer in the Muslim Tradition?
Prayer is so central to Muslim life that it is a religious obligationa mandatory way to display submission and obedience to Allah. As mentioned previously, one of the fundamental principlesor pillarsof Islam is to perform a specific prayer service five times a day. But prayers importance moves beyond the concept of obligation. Prayer helps the practitioner to purify himself, contributing to the forgiveness of his sins. It also strengthens his ability to carry out his obligations on earth. Prayer allows the Muslim a time and space to focus solely on Allah’s transcendence, goodness, and mercy. In doing so, he gains confidence in Allahs general plan and faces his daily life with less anxiety. How Is Prayer Practiced? Muslim prayer involves a variety of forms and techniques. There is certainly a strong fixed prayer tradition. Some fixed prayers are said under obligation, while others are chosen at a persons own discretionperhaps regularly, perhaps in a moment of joy or sorrow. In addition,
