Consistency in Prayer
To: Mirza Fathullah Ḥakīm (may Allah have mercy on him)
نَحْمَدُهُ وَنُصَلِّي عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ الْكَرِيمِ
May Allah Almighty grant you the ability to perform deeds that are pleasing to Him. Just as it is necessary for a person to maintain correct beliefs (ʿaqāʾid), it is equally essential to perform righteous deeds. Among all acts of worship, the most comprehensive and the one that brings a person closest to Allah is the performance of ṣalāh (prayer).
The Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
“Prayer is the pillar of the religion. Whoever establishes it has established the religion, and whoever abandons it has demolished the religion.”
Whoever is granted the ability to offer prayer regularly is also granted the ability to stay away from indecency and evil.
This is affirmed in the noble verse:
“Indeed, prayer restrains one from indecency and wrongdoing.”
(Qur’an 29:45)
If one’s prayer does not cause the worshipper to refrain from sins, then it is merely a form of prayer, and lacks true substance. However, until one attains that reality, one should not abandon the practice. As the saying goes:
“That which cannot be attained in full should not be abandoned altogether.”
Whatever can be achieved should be taken, and one should strive for more. And if the Most Generous of the generous accepts even the outward form of prayer as valid along with the inner reality, then nothing is beyond His grace.
Clarification:
In the religion of Islam, after faith (īmān), prayer holds the highest position among all actions.