The Quest of a Curious Muslim

The Quest of a Curious Muslim — Page 22

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PRAYERS IN ISLAM? 22 That is, “Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil, and remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue” (Holy Quran, 29:46). The frequent reminders of prayers keeps a person in check and reminds him or her of duties to God, and that he or she should keep himself or herself on a path of righteousness. What is more is that prayers are like a time-out from the stresses of life. In an age where there is so much interest in meditation and finding ways to reduce the stress of modern life, the five daily prayers could not be more useful. When a Muslim takes the 10-minute spiritual break from all worldly pursuits, it only helps to soothe his or her mind. Our minds are constantly, perpetually thinking about things. Prayer is a means to tap ourselves out of those thoughts and pay attention to something greater and find our peace. That is why God says, “Aye! It is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts can find comfort” (Holy Quran, 13:29).