Why Pray?

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I pray that you share that wondrous experience! Enjoy the blessings of prayer.

[29:45] You shall recite what is revealed to you of the scripture, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), for the Contact Prayers prohibit evil and vice. But the remembrance of GOD (through Salat) is the most important objective. GOD knows everything you do.

[2:153] O you who believe, seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). GOD is with those who steadfastly persevere.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

[6:162] Say, “My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to GOD alone, the Lord of the universe.

[98:5] All that was asked of them was to worship GOD, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone, observe the contact prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat). Such is the perfect religion.

Lisa

… that you may succeed

Human beings all want success. If you’re an athlete, you want to win. If you’re a politician, you want to be elected. If you’re a businessman, you want wealth. If you’re an actor, you want fame. Accomplishing those things is how most people see success.

What is success to a submitter? The phrase “that you may succeed” appears eleven times in the Quran.

Under the subtitle: Do Not Beat Around the Bush

[2:189] They ask you about the phases of the moon! Say, “They provide a timing device for the people, and determine the time of Hajj.” It is not righteous to beat around the bush; righteousness is attained by upholding the commandments and by being straightforward. You shall observe GOD, that you may succeed.

We are told to be straightforward, that this is more righteous. And if we wish to succeed, we must observe God.

The same shows up in 3:130. The subject of the verse is usury which we are told to avoid. And again, if we observe God, we may succeed.

[3:130] O you who believe, you shall not take usury, compounded over and over. Observe GOD, that you may succeed.

In 5:90, we’re admonished to stay away from drinking, gambling and idols. If we avoid them, we may succeed.

[5:90] O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games of chance are abominations of the devil; you shall avoid them, that you may succeed.

 

In 7:69, the warning is for Ad’s people, but the lesson is for all time. We need to heed God’s message and be appreciative of His blessings, and then we may succeed.

[7:69] “Is it too much of a wonder that a message should come to you from your Lord, through a man like you, to warn you? Recall that He made you inheritors after the people of Noah, and multiplied your number. Remember GOD’s blessings, that you may succeed.”

In 8:45 we’re reminded to be steadfast even in the face of huge opposition. In an earlier Submitters Perspective article (August 2015, “Alhamdulillah”), we heard the story of Jehoshaphat, who when he went into battle he had singers, not generals, lead the troops, singing praise to God. The enemy ended up fighting among themselves and       Jehoshaphat and his people were victorious.

[8:45] O you who believe, when you encounter an army, you shall hold fast and commemorate GOD frequently, that you may succeed.

In 24:31 women are told to dress modestly, not attract attention to themselves and subdue their eyes. If they do this, and repent to God, they may succeed.

In 62:9-10 all believers are called to the Friday prayer. When the prayer is done, we are told we can go out into the community, enjoying God’s blessings and seeking His bounties. And if we continue to commemorate God as much as we can, we may succeed.

[62:10] Once the prayer is completed, you may spread through the land to seek GOD’s bounties, and continue to remember GOD frequently, that you may succeed.

The word “succeed” (without the phase “that you may succeed”) appears in the Quran several more times.

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