In our worshipping acts, to obtain the pleasure of Allah, we need to have a good intention. Based on a hadith “Every actions is based on the intent.” Also, it is important to embrace the practices. As an example, prayer or salah is not complete only based on intention. It needs to be followed with the amal of a Muslim, based on actions, words or etc. Furthermore, we need to reflect on the positive virtues or Ihsan that been inculcated through the ibadah.

1. Conditions for the Acceptance of Prayer:

To ensure our prayers were accepted, we need to know if the period of salah is correct. It is indicated by the calling of prayer (adhan) and we should perform our prayer when it is time to do so. Also, Muslims must be clean from any impurifications, whether it is minor or major. This can be handled through ablution or mandatory bath (janabah). The place, our body and clothes also need to be clean from any physical dirts. The clothes must cover our aurah and we must perform the prayers with directing to the kiblah.

2. Pillars of Prayer:

There are 13 pillars of salah that need to be completed, in order to obtain an acceptable prayer. It is further divided into 3 types, which is based on the actions (fi’li), sayings (qawli), and intention (niah). Even if only one from the 13 actions was missing, the prayer need to be done again until perfection are obtained.

1. Submission & Loyalty: As a Muslim, we perform daily prayers as the symbol of submission to Allah, The Creator of Universe.

2. Struggle in Path of Allah (Jihad): By prayer, we would struggle ourselves in order to achieve His Pleasure.

3. Reflection: Every day, we as human beings, cannot escape from doing sin and mistakes. Hence, salah would be one of method for us to reflect back what we have done all day of our life.

4. Humility & Humbleness: From the actions (like sujud & ruku’), we put ourselves lower than others, just to worship Allah, The Most Greatest. We left out our ego and selfishness before praying and be a mere servants of Him.

1. Sacrifices: By going to Makkah for pilgrimage, we left out our hometown, our belongings, property, and family members to worship Allah in a specific manners. We may also sacrifice our money or property just so we can go perform hajj or umrah, even if we could think to do something else during the period.

2. God Consciousness: Through the actions of pilgrimage, we can see some of it inculcate the virtues of taqwa to Allah. As example, the wuquf practices in ‘Arafah embedded in our soul to remember Allah.