It is the first pillar of Islam after saying the Shahadah (testimony of faith).
It was obligatory for all the prophets and for all the people. When Allah ﷻ spoke to Moses, He said:
وَأَنَا ٱخْتَرْتُكَ فَٱسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ
"And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance." (Soerah Taha 13-14)
It is the most virtuous deed. Daleel:
Once a man asked the Prohpet ﷺ about the most virtuous deed. The Prophet ﷺ stated that the most virtuous deed is the prayer. The man asked again and again. The first three times, the Prophet ﷺ again answered, "The prayer," then on the fourth occasion he stated, "Jihad in the way of Allah." [footnote 1]
It is the first matter you will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment. Daleel:
The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad. [footnote 2]
Salah demonstrates and puts the relationship with Allah ﷻ into practice. It also improves and increases the relationship. The most important aspects for this are imaan, taqwa, ikhlas and ibaadah. You can see it as the first domino you hit so all the others fall after it. This means that when your prayer is sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and proper. If the prayer is not sound and proper, the rest of the deed will not either.
It will have a positive lasting effect on the person. Daleel:
ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do. (al-Ankaboot 45)
Nadwi has described this effect in the following eloquent way:
"Its aim is to generate within the subliminal self of man such spiritual power, light of faith and awareness of God as can enable him to strive successfully against all kinds of evils and temptations and remain steadfast at times of trial and adversity and protect himself against the weakness of the flesh and the mischief of immoderate appetites." [Nadwi, p. 24]
۞ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعًۭا وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا إِلَّا ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ
"Verily, man was created impatient, irritable when evil touches him and niggardly when good touches him. Except for those devoted to prayer those who remain constant in their prayers…" (Soerah al-Maarij 19-23)
Salah is closely related to Allah's ﷻ forgiveness and pleasure. Daleel: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu` has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him." [Footnote 3]
'If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?' The people said: 'No filth would remain on him whatsoever.' The Prophet ﷺ then said: 'That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.' [footnote 4]
"The five daily prayers and the Friday Prayer until the Friday prayer are expiation for what is between them." [Footnote 5]
This is form a hadith recorded by Ahmad and ibn Hibban. According to al-Albani, the hadith is hasan. Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Sahih al-Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1982), vol. 1, p. 150
Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.
Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.
Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
