Faith is a special and profound bond established between the Lord and His servant. A servant connected to his Lord through such a bond desires to communicate with Him in a more intimate manner. This verbal communication often flows from the servant’s tongue in the form of prayers. Of course, the heart also speaks; it conveys its state to the Lord, and perhaps this inner dialogue is even more private and mysterious. However, whether overt or covert, this verbal communication alone does not suffice to satisfy the servant. For emotions and desires cannot be confined to mere words. The body also wishes to fully partake in this communication. Thus, the act of prayer (salat) is the meeting, conversation, and communion of the tongue, heart, and body with the Lord.
When all the obligatory, recommended, and sunnah aspects of prayer are carefully examined, it becomes clear that it is a magnificent act of worship involving a high level of preparation for the Divine Presence, a posture of reverence and respect expressed through body language, and sentences containing glorification, exaltation, address, supplication, and requests. Such an act of worship not only elevates a person from being an ordinary earthly being to a noble entity capable of connecting with the Most High Allah, but it also breathes a revitalizing spirit into one’s true self. This spirit, with its life-giving and motivating qualities, becomes the source of profound communication with all of creation. For, as expressed in the following noble verse, every being has its own unique prayer (supplication) and glorification:
“Do you not see that all those who are in the heavens and the earth glorify Allah, as do the birds with outstretched wings? Each knows its prayer and its manner of glorification. And Allah is fully aware of all that they do.” (An-Nur; 41)
Based on the information provided in this verse, it can be said that a person’s encounter with prayer means standing in servitude alongside all of creation. Entering such a rank is a protective armor that shields one from falling into the position of a cancerous cell that creates anarchy and corruption. In this sense, prayer is a means of complete harmony with Allah the Almighty and His created universe.
Because prayer contains many such mysteries, the believer desires to unite both themselves and their progeny with this act of worship. For prayer not only establishes a horizontal relationship with all beings in the current era but also creates a vertical connection with generations before and after, as well as with all of existence. The bond established with the Lord of the Worlds encompasses all of time and space, and even transcends them. This network of relationships builds a sense of security that dispels loneliness. It is for the establishment of these multifaceted relationships that Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him), who was appointed as a leader and example for all humanity and for this ummah, after settling his wife Hajar and son Ismail in Mecca by divine instruction, supplicates to his Lord:
“O our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Sacred House (the Kaaba). Our Lord, so that they may establish prayer. So make the hearts of people incline toward them and provide them with fruits so that they may be grateful.” (Ibrahim; 37)
One of the most striking requests in this supplication is the choice to settle near “the House of Allah” so that “the progeny may be among those who pray.” Despite it being a barren land where even grass does not grow. In other words, even if the worldly conditions are extremely challenging, aiming to exist in an environment centered around the mosque, the house of Allah, for the sake of uniting the progeny with prayer, is a profound truth containing great mysteries when deeply considered.
Even if countries, cities, neighborhoods, and communities without the call to prayer (adhan) and mosques offer many opportunities for worldly comfort, peace, prestige, and luxury, choosing neighborhoods centered around prayer for the sake of protecting our progeny will be a very wise decision for the eternal life of our descendants. For humans are often shaped by their environment. Aware of this secret, our ancestors built their cities around mosques. The centrality of the mosque in Islamic civilization is also a sunnah (practice) of the Messenger of Allah. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Medina, which was initially called Yathrib, he first determined the location of the Prophet’s Mosque before deciding where he would reside. This practical sunnah is a continuation of the sunnah of all the prophets. The ummah of Muhammad has succeeded in protecting itself and its progeny to the extent that it has followed this prophetic tradition. Many unfortunate individuals who are disturbed by the sound of the adhan and avoid living near mosques have lost both themselves and their progeny.
For those who, due to necessary circumstances, cannot establish mosques or prayer spaces outdoors, it has been commanded to make their own homes places of prayer:
“We inspired Moses and his brother, ‘Settle your people in Egypt and make your homes places of worship. Establish prayer and give glad tidings to the believers.’” (Yunus; 87)
In protecting ourselves and our progeny within divine measures, the act of prayer plays a central role. In this regard, prayer is the backbone of religious life. To fulfill this act of worship properly, it is essential not to neglect settling near mosques. The physical construction and spiritual nurturing of mosques are vital for the formation, continuity, and health of Islamic society. Therefore, one of our most important duties as believers is to establish our prayers by centering mosques for ourselves and our progeny, and to revive ourselves through congregational prayer.
Without mosques as our meeting points, it will be difficult to be and remain an ummah, and perhaps even to live as believers. Therefore, let us conclude our words with the supplications of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him):
“My Lord, make me one who establishes prayer, and from my descendants as well. Our Lord, accept my supplication.” (Ibrahim; 40)
Adem Ergül