The virtue of prayer

The first sermon

Allah, the Most Exalted, says in His noble Book:

“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing. And the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” (Qur’an, 29:45)

 

The Pillar of Religion

 

In this verse and many others, Allah, the Most Exalted, calls upon His servants to establish prayer, urging them to perform it, safeguard its timings, and not neglect it. The sacred traditions emphasize that prayer is the pillar of religion, a cornerstone of faith, a stronghold of spirituality, and a path to success—the best of deeds, as echoed by the call to prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (p.) considered it the dearest of acts to Allah, saying:

“Allah, the Most Exalted, has made the comfort of my eyes in prayer. He made it beloved to me just as food is beloved to the hungry and water to the thirsty. Yet when the hungry eats he is satisfied, and when the thirsty drinks he is quenched—but I am never satisfied with prayer.”

Imam Ali (a.s.) also underscored its importance, saying:

“Maintain your prayer and be consistent in it. Increase your engagement with it and draw near to Allah through it, for it has been decreed upon the believers at prescribed times. Do you not hear the reply of the people of Hell when asked what led them to Hell? They said: ‘We were not of those who prayed!’”

He also said:

“Prayer wipes out sins as leaves fall from trees. The Messenger of Allah (p.) likened it to a hot spring at the door of a person, in which he bathes five times a day—what dirt would remain on him? And indeed, some of the believers have realized its value—those who are not distracted from it by worldly pleasure, nor by the joy of children or wealth.”

Allah the Most Exalted, said:

Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah, the establishment of prayer, and the giving of zakat. Allah says:

And enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast in it (Qur’an, 20:132)

 The Importance of Prayer

This obligation derives its importance from its role in shaping the believer’s character. It reminds him—morning, noon, afternoon, evening—of Allah’s majesty and greatness, of the Prophet (p.), his station with Allah, and of the responsibilities he bears toward his Lord, himself, and others.

As stated in the Qur’an, prayer is a safeguard against deviation and wrongdoing:

“Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.”* (Qur’an, 29:45)

The Prophet said:

Whoever’s prayer does not deter him from indecency and wrongdoing only distances himself further from Allah.

Humility in Prayer

However, all this benefit cannot be realized unless the prayer is coupled with what Allah has commanded:

“Certainly will the believers have succeeded. They who are humble in their prayer.”(Qur’an, 23:1–2)

To attain the goals of prayer and its transformative effect, it is not enough to merely fulfill its physical components or recite its words. Rather, the key lies in humility during prayer.

The Prophet (p.) said:

“There is no prayer for the one who is not humble in it.” “Allah does not accept the prayer of a servant whose heart is not present with his body.”…

Humility, dear brothers and sisters, is, as the Prophet explained a state of surrender and focus on Allah with the entirety of one’s heart—naturally reflected in the limbs. When the Prophet saw a man fiddling with his beard during prayer, he said:

“If this man’s heart were humble, his limbs would be too.”

 

The Requirements of Humility

To attain such humility, we must strive and take steps:

Understand that humility is the essence and soul of prayer. Just as a body without a soul is lifeless, prayer without humility is void. The spiritual outcomes sought from prayer depend on this inner presence.

2. Preparation through Ablution (Wudu)

Ablution is not just washing the limbs but a spiritual cleansing. During it, one should recall the Day of Judgment. For example:

While washing the face: “O Allah, brighten my face on the Day faces will be bright, and do not darken it on the Day faces are darkened.”

While washing the right hand: “O Allah, give me my book in my right hand and eternal bliss in Paradise with my left.”

Washing the left hand: “O Allah, do not give me my book in my left hand, and do not chain it to my neck. I seek refuge from Hellfire.” Wiping the head: “O Allah, envelop me in Your mercy, blessings, and forgiveness on the Day I meet You.”

Wiping the feet: “O Allah, keep me firm on the Straight Path on the Day I meet You.”

Also, be mindful during the call to prayer (adhan and iqama), and reflect on the opening declaration:

“Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth… My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds…” (Qur’an, 6:79, 162–163)

3. Remove Distractions:

Avoid anything that may distract you—worldly concerns, joys, sorrow. Direct all your needs to Allah. Choose a quiet place for prayer, and follow the recommended focal points:

Look at the place of prostration during standing,* At your feet during bowing,

At the nose during prostration,

At your lap during sitting.

4: Sensing God’s Response During Prayer

This point emphasizes the importance of feeling God’s direct interaction with you as you recite the verses and supplications of the prayer. To illustrate this, consider the Hadith Qudsi (a divine narration, not part of the Quran but directly from God through the Prophet) which highlights this profound dialogue:

“God Almighty said: ‘I have divided the prayer between Me and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’

When the servant says: ‘All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds,’ God Almighty says: ‘My servant has praised Me.’

And when he says: ‘The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,’ God Almighty says: ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

And when he says: ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ God says: ‘My servant has glorified Me,’ or ‘My servant has entrusted his affairs to Me.’

Then, when he says: ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,’ God says: ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’

Finally, when he says: ‘Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] wrath or of those who are astray,’ God says: ‘This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.'”

This Hadith beautifully illustrates the direct, moment-by-moment connection established during prayer, where each phrase uttered is met with a divine response, making the prayer a dynamic conversation with the Creator

5. Pray as if it is your last:

The Prophet advised praying like a person bidding farewell, as if it’s your last before meeting Allah.

6 Take your time in prayer; reflect on its words, postures, and meanings. Every part—standing, bowing, prostrating—has purpose. The Prophet said:

Whoever performs two units of prayer while understanding what he is saying will leave with no sin between him and Allah.

7. Follow the Example of the Prophet

When the time for prayer came, he would become solemn and focused. It was as if he did not know anyone. His companions said:

He would speak with us, and we with him, but when prayer time came, he acted as if he didn’t know us, for it was his time to meet with Allah.

Dear ones, we are in desperate need of this aware, humble prayer-not one of mere physical form or recitation, but one that arises from the heart and penetrates our feelings and spirit. Such prayer draws us closer to Allah and places us in His care. Always remember:

Allah looks at the hearts, not the outward forms or tongues.

Let us live the meanings of this supplication:

“O Allah, grant us the sweetness of standing before You, the humility of the heart. Do not deprive us of Your light. We seek refuge in You from a heart that does not humble, a deed that is not accepted, and a prayer that is not heard.” And our final call is: All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.

Second Sermon

Servants of Allah, I advise you and myself with what Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) advised us—this Imam whose death anniversary we commemorate in a few days, on the 29th of Zu al-Qa’dah. He said:

Three things bring the servant to the pleasure of Allah: frequent seeking of forgiveness—seeking forgiveness, dear ones, does not stop at asking for pardon from sins, for as narrated, it is the best form of remembrance, the best act of worship, and a continual reminder to oneself of one’s shortcomings before one’s Lord; humility—being gentle with people, treating them with kindness and compassion… This is Allah’s command to His Messenger (p.), when He said: {And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers…}; and frequent charity“—which is not limited to giving money, for every good deed is charity.

Dear beloved ones, we are in dire need of these recommendations through which we gain the pleasure of Allah, become more aware and responsible, and more capable of confronting challenges.

We begin with the Zionist aggression that does not cease against this country. The Zionist enemy continues targeting civilians with its drones and airstrikes, some of which we witnessed yesterday, and fear we may witness again in the coming days. These attacks targeted the southern and Beqaa regions and threaten any sign of life in border villages to prevent the return of residents—without any deterrent—especially as the sponsoring countries, led by the United States of America, have ceased playing their role in pressuring this enemy and preventing it from endangering civilians, or compelling it to withdraw from occupied lands. Instead, we see pressure on Lebanon, including demands that could go as far as normalizing relations with this enemy.

In light of all this, we renew our call to the Lebanese state to fulfill its duty to protect its citizens and ensure their right to safety and freedom in their land. We are not asking the state to bear more than it can handle—we are fully aware of the enemy’s capabilities, the cover it receives, and the limitations of the Lebanese state—but we do want it to activate the role it has taken upon itself: to act on the political and diplomatic fronts, pressuring the sponsors of the agreement to meet their commitments, and mobilize efforts to rally support from Arab, Islamic, and friendly nations for Lebanon, and raise its voice in international forums to support Lebanon’s rightful and just position.

We also call on the Lebanese people to unite their voice in the face of this ongoing occupation and to reject any violation of national sovereignty and the enemy’s efforts to achieve its aggressive goals, which affect all Lebanese.

In parallel, we renew our call to the Lebanese government—which stated in its policy statement that rebuilding what has been destroyed is a top priority—to take action on this front, so that the reconstruction file does not remain a tool in the hands of those seeking to blackmail Lebanon or undermine its sovereignty and security.

Here, we commend the resolution issued by the Arab Summit to establish a fund to support the reconstruction of Lebanon alongside Gaza, in which Iraq has already contributed. We hope that other Arab countries will also play their part.

We turn to the municipal and local elections, which are nearing their final phase in southern Lebanon. In these elections, the people of the South—especially in border villages—will reaffirm their active role in rebuilding their towns and advancing them by electing municipal councils, just as they played their part in defending this country and making great sacrifices for it.

In this context, we reiterate the importance of keeping this electoral event focused on competition over programs aimed at public good and serving people, so that capable municipalities and local leaders are chosen to promote the development of their towns and cities.

We do not want this event to be a source of division among Lebanese, or to deviate from its purpose into a means for proving personal or political dominance. We hope the effects and tensions of the elections will fade once they are over, and that the following day will mark a new beginning—where winners, losers, and their supporters unite for the common interest of their towns, cities, and country.

We now address Gaza, where the genocide has not stopped—rather, it grows more brutal. What we are witnessing is systematic destruction by the enemy of both buildings and human lives, starvation through tightening the siege, and blocking or disrupting aid distribution. The goal is forced displacement of the people of Gaza. Tragically, this occurs while the world watches and listens, yet the global conscience fails to act to stop this suffering.

While we have seen some shift in international positions—statements from several European officials condemning the enemy’s crimes and hinting at sanctions—such stances are insufficient unless translated into concrete actions and real measures on the ground. One manifestation of this outrage was a recent action by a non-Arab American citizen, who insisted on expressing solidarity with Gaza’s people and the Palestinian cause in a dramatic way—because the level of brutality in this war has become unbearable.

Finally, we mark a dear occasion: Resistance and Liberation Day, whose 25th anniversary we celebrate on the 25th of this month, May.

This occasion comes every year to remind the Lebanese of the great achievement made possible by their strength—when they defeated one of the most powerful military forces in the region, the so-called “invincible” army. As a result, all Lebanese enjoyed the breeze of freedom, pride, and the dignity of belonging to a country that did not beg anyone for security, stability, or freedom, but earned it through the hard work and sacrifice of its own people.

We call upon the Lebanese to preserve this history—to never forget it, never erase it from their memory, and never allow anyone to distort it for narrow interests or burden it with responsibilities it does not bear, or false accusations for which it is not accountable.