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Prayer is commonly the most obvious form of worship that most people can relate with. Even in prayer, a Muslim is commanded to outwardly and inwardly struggle in obedience to the commands of God. Waking up every morning, from the time one is seven years old until they are old and gray, is worship and struggle. The time for the first prayer of a Muslim is before sunrise, which is commonly between 4:00am and 6:00am all over the world. The Muslim is not going off to work, or exercise for a marathon, or to play in the Super Bowl, or any other worldly gain. This time is devoted specifically to the person and the Creator. Before praying, a Muslim must perform the washing of face and limbs, cleansing the mouth and nose. The prayer lasts between five and fifteen minutes, but is an announcement to the soul that your day cannot begin correctly without acknowledgment of God. Within the prayer, Muslims are to praise God and ask for forgiveness, repent, guidance and sustenance for the day. The prayer is not just mumbling a few words of choice or a wish-list of favors to ask of God. The prayer is specified recipe of standing, bowing and prostrating. Not too difficult, but for many it is impossible. Bowing your head and prostrating your face is the epitome of the outward actions of humility, submission and devotion to anyone, whether king or tyrant. A Muslim performs these actions only for God. This prayer is repeated four more times during the course of the day. After noon time, between 12:00 and 3:00pm is the second prayer of the day. The next is between 3:00pm and sunset. Another prayer time is from sunset till dark and the last one is during the evening times. These five basic times set the stage for the Muslim, his life, his attitude, and his connection to God. Constantly in remembrance of his Creator and his own mortality, these prayers are type of meditation and break from the daily pursuits of life that can distract us from our purpose.

Herein lies the struggle. In the middle of the busiest part of one's day, to stop and focus on God is, indeed, a struggle. When one has all day to work, attend meetings, events, rendezvous' or whatever else may occupy the day, the struggle to actually stop, wash and pray is a testimony to God that you have neither forgotten His Greatness, nor put anything else before Him. This is a continuation of the covenant that man has with God since the time of Noah. Remember God at all costs. As one can imagine, in this day and time of careers and bills, coupled with a great misunderstanding of Islam, adherence to Islam can be very costly. In the life of a Muslim, the prayer is only one form of worship. To a Muslim, worship is defined as obedience and submission. Through struggling with our wants and desires and submitting to what God has commanded, a Muslim is in a state of worship. More About: Islam Muslims Submission Obedience Prophets Prayers Salat