Prayer or Salah is one of the five pillars 
of Islam and is obliguitary on every muslim to pray five times a day. Prayer is where we take 'time out' from our busy lives and remember our Creator, Allah Almighthy. Allah says "Remember Me and I will remember you."[The Holy Qur'an 2:152] We thank him for the blessings in our lives, ask for guidance and request for help when in need, "invoke Me (ask for anything) I will respond to your (invocation)." [The Holy Qur'an 40:60]
Why Pray?
When Allah made us, He made us for a purpose and that was to Worship Him and Him alone. "I have only created jinns and men, that they may worship Me." [The Holy Qur'an 51:56] Praying regulalrly reminds us of this prupose and prevents us from straying off the right path. "O all you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, and do good deeds, so that you may be successful." [The Holy Qur'an 22:77] Theoretical recognition of Allah and saying you believe in your heart is not sufficient. Many people say that they worship God in their 'own way' but by taking this view we make ourselves gods and decide how Allah should be worshipped, rather than follow His command.
Prayer is the best and most noble of deeds. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained in the hadith narrated by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (RAA): "I asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): `What deed is most beloved by Allah?' He (PBUH) said, `To offer each prayer as soon as it is due." Prayer is the link between the servant and Allah. It is the rich source from which a person derives strength, steadfastness, mercy and contentment, and it is a means of cleansing the stain of his or her sins: Abu Hurayrah (RAA) narrated: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: `What would you think if there were a river running by the door of any of you, and he bathed in it five times every day, would any trace of dirt be left on him?' The people said: `There would be no trace of dirt on him.' He said: `This is like the five daily prayers, through which Allah (SWT) erases sins.'" [Sharh al- Sunnah 2/175].
The 5 Prayers
The five daily prayers have a physical and spiritual nature. They consist of a series of bowings and prostrations together with recitations of the Holy Qur’an and praises of Allah, complemented by personal requests. They are a fusion of body, soul and mind. We start the day with Fajr which is prayed at morning twilight before sunrise; the second prayer is Zuhr, prayed after the sun has passed its zenith or highest point at noon; then at mid-afternoon Asr is payed; Maghrib is prayedafter sunset, and the final prayer of the day is Isha, which is prayer after the onset of night. The five daily prayers reaffirm again and again that we are in the service of Allah. "Verily, in the rememberance of Allah do hearts find rest." [The Holy Qur'an 13:28]
Who should Pray?
If the following three conditions are fulfiled then compulsory prayer is obliged:
1. The individual is a muslim
2. Reached puberty, if younger then prayer should be encouraged
3. Of sound mind
