My brothers and sisters,
Salah is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, and it is obligatory for all of us to pray 5 times every single day. When we do something every single day multiple times, it becomes somewhat monotonous. That’s why perseverance in salah and maintaining khusoo is the highest sign of Iman. We read in the Quran in Surah al Mo’minoon
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ١ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ ٢
Successful indeed are the believers ; those who humble themselves in Prayers
The believers have attained ultimate falah , and this statement is followed by a long list. And number one in that list is salah, that the these people have attained humbleness and humility in salah. The primary focus of Salah is not just the motions we do in salah, not just that we have to Pray to save ourselves from the hellfire, but to attain khushuu in salah. What is Khushuu’, it’s the is to perform prayer in a tranquil and unhurried manner, It is to have complete focus of mind and humility.
When Musa AS was chosen by ALLAH SWT, and HE spoke to him on the toor for the first time.
إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكَ فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًۭى ١٢ وَأَنَا ٱخْتَرْتُكَ فَٱسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰٓ ١٣ إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ ١٤
It is truly I, I am your lord, so take off your sandals, for you are in a sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed.
And the first commandment given to Musa AS was
I t is truly I, I am ALLAH . There is no god worthy of worship except Me, so worship me, and establish prayers to remember me.
Our prophet SAW was given the religion sent from ALLAH SWT through Jibreel down to him to this world, all the ahkamaat, all the other pillars of Islam are sent through Jibreel, the whole Quran is sent down. Its only Salah that ALLAH called upon Rasool ALLAH SAW up, a message is so important that you are granted a divine audience. This is THE MOST important message that ALLAH is giving to a human, such an auspicious, unprecedented and unparalleled message. And in that conversation, ALLAH SWT commanded the ummah to pray regularly.
Our Lord called Musa to toor, our Lord called Rasool ALLAH SWT to his divine presence, and gave both of them the same message to Pray salah.
When Ibrahim AS was building the Kaa’ba by the command of ALAH, this was the first house of worship.
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًۭا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّۭى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ١٢٥
ALLAH commanded Ibrâhim (Abraham) and Ismâ’il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) for those who are doing tawaf, or staying in (I’tikâf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)
So important is the salah that ALLAH linked making his Kaa’ba with salah, that when kaa’ba is built , make it clean for the people to come and pray to Me in this house.
My brothers and sisters, all the prophets of ALLAH asked Him to establish the salah for themselves, for their progeny and for ummah. Salah is the most important command of ALLAH this is obligatory for us. And the most rewarding is for us to pray in the masjid, with Jamaa’h . May ALLAH make it easy for us to perform 5 daily salawat in masjid, we try to come to the masjid every salah. It is request to all of you to make it to masjid atleast one salah every day, to get the barakaat and blessings from ALLAH.
We ask ALLAH SWT to bestow his mercy upon us, and our families and our households. Amen