PRAYER: THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Man was sent to this world for only one purpose:
"And I (Allah) created not the jinns and men except they should worship Me (Alone)." (51:56)
Man is to live in this world as a worshipper of his Creator, and the best form of worship is prayer. On the Day of Judgment, man will have to answer for each and every deed committed on this earth. He will be asked about the bounties bestowed upon him in this life:
"Then, on that Day, you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world)! (102:8)
But the first question to be asked on that Great Day will be about prayer. Man has two Mauqif (standing positions) in front of his Creator, one in this world and one in the next.
The first is his prayer-mat when he stands in regular prayer to his Lord. The second will be on Judgment Day when his actions will be brought forward as evidence. If his first stand (i.e. his prayer) is found to be correct, his second stand will be made easy for him. If his first stand was faulty, he will face immense difficulties in the second stand.
To intentionally neglect even a single prayer is a serious sin for which there can be no compensation. A Muslim is not to miss a prayer even in the terrifying moments of battle, so how can there be justification for missing his prayers in ordinary circumstances. during battle, the Imam leads same ranks of the contingent in one Rakat of the prayer, while the other soldiers continue to fight. The soldiers then change places, and the Imam leads the second group in prayer, while the first resumes fighting. This continues until everyone had prayed. This particular prayer is called Salat-ul-Khauf (Prayer of Fear) because of its unusual circumstances.
Another form of prayer is the shortened prayer, which is allowed during battle and traveling. The prayers which normally consist of four Rakaat i.e. Zuhr, Asr, and Isha) are shortened to two Rakaat, but in no circumstances can a prayer be missed. The only exemption available is for menstruating women, who are not required to pray during this time. At all other times women must pray just like men. So strict is the requirement of prayer that a person who is ill, no matter how seriously, must pray as long as he or she is in consciousness. If the person can not stand, then the prayer is offered in the sitting position; if the person is too ill to sit, then the prayer is offered in the lying position, using the eyes, head, hands, etc., to signal the different movements of the prayer.
SANCTITY OF THE MOSQUES

The places of worship are symbols of security for the people. One of the benefits of Jihad is to preserve their sanctity and keep them open for the purpose of worship.
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Hajj:
"Permission to fight is given to those (i.e. believers against disbelievers), who are fighting them, (and) because they (believers) have been wronged, and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: 'Our Lord is Allah'. - For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty." (22:39,40)

The Muslims are required to raise the banner of Jihad in order to make the Word of Allah supreme in this world, to remove all forms of injustice and oppression, and to defend the Muslims. If Muslims do not take up the sword, the evil tyrants of this earth will be able to continue oppressing the weak and helpless, and all places of worship, including the mosques, churches and synagogues will be annihilated. A vivid example of this in the modern world has been the Soviet Union, which crushed religion and emptied all places of worship.
The Characteristics of those who populate the Houses of Allah:
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lap is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun rays only in the afternoon, - but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), thought no fire touches it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. In houses (mosques), which Allah has ordered to be raised, to be cleaned, and to be honored, in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings. Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue), nor from offering the prayers perfectly (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection)." (24:35-37)
The infidel lives in complete darkness, but once he believes in Allah, the whole universe becomes full of light for him. this pure light of Faith is the subject of the above verses of Surah An-Nur. The niche, as mentioned in the parable, is understood to mean the heart of the believer. Such a niche is not to be found everywhere but only in the Houses of Allah which are erected for the Remembrance of Allah. Such houses (or mosques) are not populated by ordinary men but by special and esteemed characters, who are described by Allah Almighty thus:
i) They glorify the Name of Allah in the mosques each morning and evening.
ii) Their businesses and worldly gains do not hinder them from praying and giving charity.
iii) The constantly fear the Last Day, the day when each soul will be resurrected to stand before Allah and to account for every single one of his deeds.
PRAYER: A DUTY KNOWN TO EVERY PROPHET OF ALLAH
Prophet Ibrahim recited the following Du'a when he was raising the walls of the Kabah in Makkah:
"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley with no cultivation, by Your Sacred House (the Kabah at Makkah); in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayers perfectly (Iqamat-as-Salat)..."(14:37)
While he prayed for himself and his children, Prophet Ibrahim did not ask for riches and fame. he pleaded instead:
"O my Lord! Make me one who offers prayers perfectly (Iqamat-As-Salat), and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation. Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established." (14:40,41)
Prophet Ismail has also been praised for his character in the Quran:
"And mention in the Book (the Quran) Ismail. Verily! He was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet. And he used to enjoin on his family and his people As-Salat (i.e. order them to offer the prayers perfectly) and the Zakat, and his Lord was pleased with him." (19:54,55)
Prophet Zakariya was childless in his old age, and he yearned constantly for a son: "At that time Zakariya (Zachariah) invoked his Lord, saying: 'O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.'"(3:38)
And while he was praying to Allah, he received the good news:
"Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in Al-Mihrab (a praying place or a private room), (saying): 'Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John) confirming (believing in) the Word from Allah {i.e. the creation of Jesus" (Be!"- and he was! {i.e. Jesus, son of Mary)}, noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous.'" (3:39)
Prophet Isa received Divine communications while he was still a baby in his cradle: "...and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat, as long as I live." (19:31)
So the daily prayer is not a new act introduced by Allah's Messenger (pbuh). It is a form of personal communication with Allah, and it is as old as the first man on this planet.
Prayer cannot be an isolated act:

The Quran mentions the act of prayer about thirty-five times, but never alone. It always couples prayer with giving Zakat or spending on the poor and needy. The two are inseparable. The person who gives charity but does not pray five times a day is only earning the displeasure of Allah.
In the early days of his caliphate, Abu Bakr went to war against those people who had stopped paying Zakat after the death of Allah's Messenger (pbuh). He said:
"By Allah! I will fight those who differentiate between Salat (prayer) and Zakat."
Another virtue which is mentioned with prayer in the Quran is patience:
"O you who believer! Seek help in patience and Salat (prayer). Truly! Allah is with the patient." (2:153)
Man is surrounded by external and internal problems. To deal with these, he has been given the two weapons of prayer and patience. Patience helps him withstand external hostilities and opposition. Prayer strengthens his internal relationship with God.
Another requirement alongside prayer is that of sacrifice, on the day of Eid during the time of Hajj:
"Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who makes you angry (O Muhammad{pbuh}), - he will be cut off (from every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter)." (108:2,3)

This association of prayer and sacrifice is explained in Surah Al-Anam:
"Say (O Muhammad {pbuh}): 'Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).'"(6:162)

Prayer is an act of life, and sacrifice symbolizes death. Whether our actions are concerned with life or death, our sole purpose must be the Pleasure of Allah. No sacrifice may be offered to any being other than Allah, just as no prayer is valid except if directed to Allah.