The Benefits of Prayer
1. Prayer as a Means of Success
Prayer is an important means to attain success in this world and in the hereafter. Allah, the Exalted, says in the Quran:
{قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّى (14) وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى (15)} [الأعلى: 14، 15]
He who purifies [his soul] has succeeded, and mentions the name of his Lord in prayer (87: 14, 15)
2. Prayer Brings Comfort and Removes Fear
From time to time, a person experiences feeling of sadness over the inevitable separation from this world and fear of what lies beyond but, with prayer, this sadness and fear can disappear. Allah says in the Quran:
{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ} [البقرة: 277]
Verily, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayers and pay zakat for them are their reward for their Lord, and they are unjust. (2:277)
3. Prayer and the Highest Level of Paradise
Keeping the practice of making regular and proper prayers can be a way to gain entry to Firdaws, which is the highest level of paradise and the center of heaven; its roof is the throne of the Most Merciful. Allah says in the Quran:
{قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (1) الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ (2) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ (3) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ (4) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ (5) إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ (6) فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ (7) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ (8) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (9) أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْوَارِثُونَ (10) الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (11) } [المؤمنون: 1 – 12]
The believers have certainly succeeded * The ones who are, in their prayers, humbly submissive * and those who turn away from ill speech * and those who give charity * and those who guard their private parts * except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed * but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors * and those who are careful to keep their trusts and their promises * and those who carefully maintain their prayers * Those are the inheritors * who will inherit Firdaws; they will abide therein eternally. (23:1-11)
and:
{ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ} [التوبة: 71]
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer, give charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those are the ones upon whom Allah will have mercy. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. * Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence – and Allah being pleased with them is greater – that is the Great Victory. (9:71, 72)
4. Prayer and the Reward of Good Deeds
Allah has promised those that worship him that he would reward them for their prayers and their efforts would not be lost because whoever lives according to God’s guidance will win. Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran:
{وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسِّكُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ } [الأعراف: 170]
Those who hold fast to the Book and establish Prayer – indeed, We will not allow the reformers’ reward to be lost. (7:170)
and:
{وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ} [البقرة: 110]
And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever you put forward [from good actions] for yourselves, you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah sees all that you do. (2:110)
and:
{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ} [فاطر: 29]
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah, establish prayer, and spend from what We have provided for them [in charity], secretly and publicly, [should] look forward to a perpetual reward (35:29)
5. Prayer Helps Us in All Aspects of Life
Prayer helps a person in all aspects of his life. Allah, the Almighty, says in the Quran:
{ يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ} [البقرة: 153]
O those who have believed – seek assistance through patience and prayer, indeed Allah is with the patient. (2:153)
Whoever prays five daily prayers will receive a reward equivalent to if he had prayed fifty prayers, and every good deed carries a reward of ten good deeds or more.
The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم reported that Allah told him, regarding the five obligatory prayers, “they are five [in number], and they are fifty [in reward]). (Narrated by Bukhari).
Prayer is one important act of worship, however it includes many different actions, such as: recitation of the Qur’an, supplication, standing, bowing and prostration.
The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلمsaid, “Prayer is the best state one can be in, so whoever is able to pray more, then he [or she] should pray more”. (narrated by AlTabarani).
6. Prayer Keeps a Person Away from Evil
Another important benefit of prayer is that, when established correctly, it keeps a person away from inclining towards evil and immorality in life. Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran:
{وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ} [العنكبوت: 45]
And establish prayers – Indeed, prayer is prevents [people from falling in to] evil and immorality (29:45)
7. Prayer Is a Sign of True Believers
In the Quran, Allah describes true believers as those who establish prayer whenever they are able to:
{الَّذِينَ إِنْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ} [الحج: 41]
Those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer (22:41)
8. Prayer Erases Bad Deeds
Establishing prayer is a way to achieve forgiveness of sins and atonement for bad deeds. Allah, the Almighty, says in the Quran:
{وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ (114) وَاصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (115)} [هود: 114، 115]
And establish prayer in the day and the night; indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds – that is a reminder for those who heed reminders. And be patient, for, indeed, Allah does not forget the reward of righteous. (11:114,115)
9. Prayer Helps Overcome Negative Human Traits
Those who establish prayers are described in the Quran as rising above the negative aspects of human nature:
{ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا (19) إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا (20) وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا (21) إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ (22) الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ (23) وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَعْلُومٌ (24) لِلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ (25) وَالَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ (26) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مِنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ (27) إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ (28) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ (29) إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ (30) فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ (31) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ (32) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِشَهَادَاتِهِمْ قَائِمُونَ (33) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (34) أُولَئِكَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ مُكْرَمُونَ (35)} [المعارج: 19 – 35]
Indeed, the human is created [in a default] terrified [state]; if evil touches him