(B) The Daily Spiritual Training
Islam has also provided its followers with a program for spiritual training on a daily basis. This program is known as salÄt. SalÄt is not a “prayer” in the sense of talking to God whenever, wherever and however you like. SalÄt is an act of worship which must be done in a prescribed manner. Whenever we use the words “ritual prayer” it refers to salÄt and not to “prayer” in the sense explained above.
In appearance, salÄt is just an act of worship; but with further insight into the philosophy of salÄt, you will realize that it is also a program which trains the Muslims to spiritually strengthen themselves and to become the masters of their own lives rather than be slaves of their desires. It is this aspect of salÄt which has made it the pillar of Islam. The Prophet says: “The salÄt is the pillar of religion.”
While describing the effect which salÄt should have on the lives of Muslims, Allah says:
“Establish the salÄt; surely the salÄt prevents [the doer] from the indecencies and the forbidden [acts]. And surely the remembrance of Allah is great.” (29:45)
This verse clearly says that a true salÄt would help the doer in staying away from sins. It is in the light of this verse that the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) said, “The first deed to be checked [on the Day of Judgment] will be the salÄt: if it is accepted, then other deeds will also be accepted; but if it is rejected, then other deeds will also be rejected.” What the Prophet meant was that the salÄt plays a pivotal role in the life of a Muslim: if his salÄt was a true salÄt and had affected his behaviour, then there is a great chance that his other deeds will also be good; but if his salÄt was just a ritual without any impact on his life, then there is a lesser chance that his other deeds would be good.
The five daily prayers, provided done with understanding, will not just be rituals but a program for spiritual upliftment of the Muslim. The salÄt will constantly remind him to keep the purpose of life in focus and work towards it. That is why the Prophet once asked his companions, “If there is a stream outside your house and you wash yourself in it five time every day, then would any dirt remain on your body?” When the answer was negative, the Prophet said, “Indeed the example of salÄt is like that flowing stream — whenever one performs a salÄt, the sins between the two prayers are washed away.”[24]
In this lesson, we will look at just three aspects of salÄt which can help us in spiritual training.