Salah, or ritual prayer, holds a central position in Islamic teachings and is regarded as the second pillar of Islam after belief in monotheism. Its importance is underscored by its direct connection to the soul's purity, the believer's relationship with Allah, and the acceptance of other deeds. Numerous narrations from the Ahlulbayt (as) emphasize that Salah is not merely an obligation but a spiritual practice that transforms the individual, establishing a link between the finite creation and the infinite Creator.

Through Salah, a believer engages in a dialogue with Allah, a moment where divine mercy descends upon the worshiper, angels surround them, and the blessings of Allah envelop the one who prays. It serves as a reminder of the ultimate purpose of life and aligns the worshiper's thoughts and actions with divine guidance.

The Ahlulbayt (as) have elaborated extensively on the quality, mindset, and spiritual essence of Salah. They remind us that the acceptance of all other deeds is contingent upon the acceptance of Salah. It is viewed as the "pillar of religion," meaning that its establishment supports the faith, while its negligence weakens it. Moreover, the narrations stress sincerity, focus, and timely performance of Salah, highlighting its profound effect on the soul and its role as a tool for self-discipline and spiritual elevation.

We Read in Al-Kāfi - Volume 3 Book 4, Chapter: 

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِذَا قَامَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي صَلاَتِهِ نَظَرَ الله إِلَيْهِ أَوْ قَالَ أَقْبَلَ الله عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَنْصَرِفَ وَأَظَلَّتْهُ الرَّحْمَةُ مِنْ فَوق رأْسِهِ إِلَى أُفُقِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ تَحُفُّهُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِ إِلَى أُفُقِ السَّمَاءِ ووَكَلَ الله بِهِ مَلَكاً قَائِماً عَلَى رَأْسِهِ يَقُولُ لَهُ أَيُّهَا الْمُصَلِّي لَوْ تَعْلَمُ منْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْكَ وَمَنْ تُنَاجِي مَا الْتَفَتَّ ولاَ زِلْتَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِكَ أَبَداً.

Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from abu Hamzah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘When a believing servant of Allah stands up for Salah (prayer), Allah looks upon him - or he said that Allah turns toward him - as long as he is in his Salah (prayer). At such time, mercy covers him up to the horizons of the sky and angels surround him up to the horizons of the sky. Allah appoints an angel who stands up over his head and says, “O praying person, had you known who is looking at you, to who you are speaking and whispering, you would never turn away or leave this place.’”” 

We also read in   Al-Kāfi - Volume 3 Book 4, Chapter 1, Hadith 979:

ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خَلِيفَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ إِذَا قَامَ الْمُصَلِّي إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الرَّحْمَةُ مِنْ أَعْنَانِ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى أَعْنَانِ الأرْضِ وَحَفَّتْ بِهِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَنَادَاهُ مَلَكٌ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ هَذَا الْمُصَلِّي مَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ مَا انْفَتَلَ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn Tsa from Yunus from Yazid ibn Khalifah who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘When a person praying stands up for Salah (prayer), mercy from the horizons of the sky descends upon him as well as from the horizons of earth, angels surround him and one angel says, “Had this person praying known what Salah (prayer) is he would not stop performing Salah (prayer).””’ 

We also read in Alkafi V3, Book 4, Ch4, H1020

ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَة قالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) اعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ الْوَقْتِ أَبَداً أَفْضَلُ فعجلْ بِالْخَيْرِ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ وَأَحَبُّ الأعْمَالِ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا دَاوَمَ الْعَبْدُ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ.

 Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘You must note that the beginning of time always is better, so act faster for the good as much as you can. The most beloved of deeds in the sight of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, is that which a servant continues even if it is very little.’” 

We Also read in Alkafi, V3, B4, C16, H1107:

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَعَلَيْكَ بِالإِقْبَالِ عَلَى صَلاَتِكَ فَإِنَّمَا يُحْسَبُ لَكَ مِنْهَا مَا أَقْبَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ وَلاَ تَعْبَثْ فِيهَا بِيَدِكَ وَلاَ بِرَأْسِكَ وَلاَ بِلِحْيَتِكَ وَلاَ تُحَدِّثْ نَفْسَكَ وَلاَ تَتَثَاءَب وَلاَ تَتَمَطَّ وَلاَ تُكَفِّرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَفعل ذلِكَ الْمَجُوسُ وَلاَ تَلَثَّمْ وَلاَ تَحْتَفزْ وَلاَ تَفَرَّجْ كَمَا يَتَفَرَّجُ الْبَعِيرُ ولاَ تُقْعِ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ وَلاَ تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيكَ وَلاَ تُفَرْقِعْ أَصَابِعَكَ فَإِنَّ ذَلك كُلّهُ نُقْصَانٌ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَلاَ تَقُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ مُتَكَاسِلاً وَلاَ مُتَنَاعِساً وَلاَ مُتَثَاقِلاً فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ خِلاَلِ النِّفَاقِ فَإِنَّ الله سُبْحَانَهُ نَهَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يَقُومُوا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ وَهُمْ سُكَارَى يَعْنِي سُكْرَ النَّوْمِ وَقَالَ لِلْمُنَافِقِينَ وَإِذا قامُوا إِلَى الصَّلاةِ قامُوا كُسالى‏ يُراؤُنَ النَّاسَ وَلا يَذْكُرُونَ الله إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you stand up for Salah (prayer) you should be prepared (attentive) for prayer; what will be counted in your favor of prayer will be only that in which you were attentive. You should not play during Salah (prayer) with your hands, head and beard, and do not speak in your soul. You should not yawn, stretch or fold your hands one over the other; this is what the Zoroastrians would do. You should not mask your face, feel urged (for urination), keep your feet far apart from each other like camels do, should not sit on your heels, place your arms flat on the ground, crack your fingers; anyone of such things causes a defect in Salah (prayer). You should not stand for Salah (prayer) in a lazy mode, slumbering or feeling burdened; each one of such things is of behaviors of hypocrites. Allah, the Most Glorious, has forbidden the believers to stand up for prayer in a lazy mode, that is, feeling sleepy. He has said about the hypocrites, “When they stand up for Salah (prayer) they do so in a lazy mode and just to show off to people and they do not speak of (remember) Allah but very little” (4:141).’” 

We Also Read in Alkafi, V3, B4, C2, H992:

4ـ جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ كُلُّ سَهْوٍ فِي الصَّلاَةِ يُطْرَحُ مِنْهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّ الله تَعَالَى يُتِمُّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ به الْعَبْدُ الصَّلاَةُ فَإِنْ قُبِلَتْ قُبِلَ مَا سِوَاهَا إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ إِذَا ارْتَفَعَتْ فِي أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا وَهِيَ بيْضَاءُ مُشْرِقَةٌ تَقُولُ حَفِظْتَنِي حَفِظَكَ الله وَإِذَا ارْتَفَعَتْ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِهَا بِغَيْرِ حُدُودِهَا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا وَهِيَ سَوْدَاءُ مُظْلِمَةٌ تَقُولُ ضَيَّعْتَنِي ضَيَّعك الله.

4. A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah from Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.), say, ‘Every mistake in Salah (prayer) is dropped thereby except that Allah, the Most High, completes it with optional prayers. The first item of deeds with which one is judged is Salah (prayer). If Salah (prayer) is accepted, other deeds are also accepted. If Salah (prayer) is raised in the beginning of its designated time, it comes to the person prayed it all white and radiant, saying, “You preserved me, may Allah protect you.” If Salah (prayer) is raised in other times without observance of the rules about it Salah (prayer) returns back to the person who has performed it, all black and dark, saying, “You wasted me away, may Allah lay you waste.’” 

We also read in Amali al saduq, H908:

16 - حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مسرور (رضي الله عنه)، قال: حدثنا الحسين ابن محمد بن عامر، عن عمه عبد الله بن عامر، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن أبي هارون المكفوف، عن أبي عبد الله الصادق (عليه السلام): قال: يا أبا هارون، إنا نأمر صبياننا بتسبيح فاطمة (عليها السلام) كما نأمرهم بالصلاة، فالزمه فإنه لم يلزمه عبد فشقي (4).

Ja`far b. Muhammad b. Masrur (ra) narrated to us. He said: Al-Husayn b. Muhammad b. `Amer narrated to us from his uncle `Abdullah b. `Amer from Muhammad b. Abi `Umayr from Abi Harun al-Makfuf from Abi `Abdillah al-Sadiq (as). He said: O Aba Harun! Surely, we instruct our children to recite Tasbih Fatima (as) just as we instruct them to pray. So, cling to it, for no wretched worshiper clings to it.

We also read in Amali al mufid, H300:

4 - قال: أخبرني أبو الحسن أحمد بن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الريان بن الصلت قال: سمعت الرضا علي بن موسى عليهما السلام يدعو بكلمات فحفظتها عنه، فما دعوت بها في شدة إلا فرج الله عني، وهي: " اللهم أنت ثقتي في كل كرب ، وأنت رجائي في كل شديدة ، وأنت لي في كل أمر نزل بي ثقة وعدة ، كم من كرب يضعف فيه الفؤاد، وتقل فيه الحيلة، وتعيي فيه الأمور، ويخذل فيه القريب والبعيد والصديق ، ويشمت فيه العدو، أنزلته بك، وشكوته إليك راغبا إليك فيه عمن سواك ففرجته وكشفته وكفيتنيه، فأنت ولي كل نعمة، وصاحب كل حاجة، ومنتهى كل رغبة. فلك الحمد كثيرا، ولك المن فاضلا، بنعمتك تتم الصالحات، يا معروفا بالمعروف  معروف، ويا من هو بالمعروف موصوف، أنلني من معروفك معروفا تغنيني به عن معروف من سواك، برحمتك يا أرحم الراحمين ". 

4. He said: Abul Hasan Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Waleed reported to me from his father, from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Ja’ffar, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, from al-Rayyan ibn al-Swalt who said: I heard al-Ridha ‘Ali ibn Musa invoking a prayer, so I memorized it from him. And whenever I invoked it during hardship, Allah relieved me. It is: "O Allah! You are my Trust in every distress, and You are my Hope in every hardship; And in all that befalls me, You are my Trust and my Shelter; How much of grief that weakens the heart, and has but little way of escape, and when the affairs lack any remedy, When the near ones and the distant ones, and the friends let me down, and the enemies taunt, I came unto You and complained to You, inclined to You beside all others, And You dispelled the grief and relieved the affliction, and became Sufficient for me, So You are the Provider of all bounties, and the Source for all needs, and the Final Refuge for every desire. So, for You is abundant praise, and to You belongs the plentiful favour. With Your blessings, all righteousness is fulfilled. O One who is known for His Grace, and the One praised for His Grace, bless me with the Grace which would enable me to dispense with kindness from others, I beseech Your mercy, O Most Merciful."

We also read in Amali al Saduq, H895:

901 / 3 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد (رضي الله عنه)، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن سعد بن طريف، قال: حدثني عمير بن مأمون العطاردي، قال: رأيت الحسن بن علي (عليه السلام) يقعد في مجلسه حين يصلي الفجر حتى تطلع الشمس، وسمعته يقول: سمعت رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) يقول: من صلى الفجر ثم جلس في مجلسه يذكر الله عزوجل حتى تطلع الشمس، ستره الله عزوجل من النار، ستره الله عزوجل من النار، ستره الله عزوجل من النار (1).

Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. al-Walid (ra) narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Saffar narrated to us from Ibrahim b. Hashim from al-Hasan b. Mahbub from Sa`d b. Turayf. He said: `Umayr b. Ma'mun al-`Ataridi narrated to me. He said: I saw al-Hasan b. `Ali (as) sit in his place after praying Fajr until sunrise. I heard him say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: “He who prays Fajr and sits in his place remembering Allah until sunrise, Allah will shield him from the Fire, Allah will shield him from the Fire, Allah will shield him from the Fire.”

We also read in Uyun al Akhbar al Ridha, V1, H311:

16 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّه، عَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبي الخَطَّابِ، عَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الفُضَيْلِ، عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: الصَّلاةُ قُربانُ كُلِّ تَقيٍّ.

30-16 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Al-Hussein ibn Abil Khattab, on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Fodhayl that Abil Hassan Al-Ridha (s) said, “Praying is the best means to approach God for any pious person.”