Contact Prayers (Salat)

[2:277] Those who believe and lead a righteous life, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), they receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

What are the Contact Prayers (Salat)? Why do Muslims (Submitters) pray 5 times a day?  What are some of the benefits of the Contact Prayers? Why is it important to do them correctly? In this article we will be reflecting on these questions.

What are the Contact Prayers (Salat)?

The Contact Prayers consist of specific words that allow us to establish contact with God. These are the words of Sura 1 of the Quran, The Key, recited in Arabic.

[Sura 1:1-7] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe. Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help. Guide us in the right path; the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers.

The Key (Al-Fatehah) is recited in Arabic as it contains words that have

been specifically composed to open the door to contact our Creator. For example, this Sura is composed in such a way that our lips touch 19 times when we recite it. In fact, Sura 1 contains a mathematical composition that is part of the miracle of Quran based on the number 19.

We acknowledge some of God's attributes, praise Him and ask for guidance in the Contact Prayers. We also glorify God as we bow and prostrate and bear witness to the Oneness of God. Detailed instructions on how to perform the Salat can be found at http://masjidtucson.org/salat/perform.php

Why do Muslims (Submitters) pray 5 times a day?

Like other religious duties, the Contact Prayers are a gift from God (Appendix 15: Religious Duties: A Gift from God). Our souls need nourishment just like our bodies need food. Without nourishment, our souls will not grow and develop. As Dr. Rashad Khalifa discusses in Appendix 15, the five Contact Prayers are meals for our souls. They are spread throughout the day (like the meals for our bodies) and consist of Dawn, Noon, Afternoon, Sunset and Night Contact Prayers. There is a specific span of time to observe each Salat (4:103). On Fridays, the Congregational Prayer

(Salat Al-Jumu'ah) takes the place of the Noon Prayer (62:9-10).

[30:44] Whoever disbelieves, disbelieves to the detriment of his own soul, while those who lead a righteous life, do so to strengthen and develop their own souls.

Nourishing our soul is especially important since our soul is the real person. Our body is just a garment for our soul. Our soul needs nourishment and development to be able to stand God's energy and be close to Him in the Hereafter. This state of closeness to God is described as Paradise or Heaven (56:88-89, 83:22-28, 29:58, 19:60-63,13:35).

[56:7-12] You will be stratified into three kinds. Those who deserved bliss will be in bliss. Those who deserved misery will be in misery. Then there is the elite of the elite. They are those who will be closest (to God). In the gardens of bliss.

The more we grow and strengthen our soul, the closer we can be to God and the better our abode will be in the Hereafter. Those who do not develop their soul cannot be close to God because they will not be able to stand His

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