(The following is an edited version of my presentation for the 2019 Interfaith Forums, organized by the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada, held November 10th, 2019 at Masjid Ibrahim.)

Introduction

The Qur'an tells us "Indeed, prayer restrains from immorality and repugnant actions" ( Q 29:45). The word translated as "prayer" is "Salaah". In our faith, it is observed at least five times daily, during specific times of the day. The Salaah ritual has therein recitation of Quranic texts, bowing and prostration. God does NOT need that we do this, or any other act of worship, rather, it is we who need it.

The Salaah ritual is regulated, offered in a particular fashion, and is deemed a religious obligation. The spiritual and physical benefits of Salaah have been widely recognized. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) identified it as the main exercise which distinguished between faith and lack of faith.

The Qur'an reminds us that there will be a time in which we are held accountable before God, and the salaah essentially reminds us of that, therefore it becomes important to do as much positive works as we can. Thus, the Qur'an connects the ritual of salaah to the giving of a portion of one's wealth to the benefit of worthy causes, such as uplifting the poor. Similarly, the Qur'an expresses criticism of those who do ritual worship, yet are neglectful of needy human beings.


Dhikr- The remembrance of God



Another ritual act done is known as dhikr! Traditionally, this includes the recitation of  God's names, formulas of praise and glorification. As a ritual, it is not deemed in an obligatory sense- the important exercise is the mental one here. The Qur'an says "The remembrance of God is the greatest (source of inspiration and power)" .

Dhikr as a ritual often takes place after the Salaah, and can be offered at any time without any preconditions. If we engage in this act (be it in a ritual or non ritual fashion)- it helps us to internalize the very hopes we seek from God. In other words, if we invoke and recall God as The Ever-Forgiving (Al-Ghaffar), forgiveness should become a part of our character as well.


Miracles

The actions of Salaah and dhikr produce a sort of barrier against mental and spiritual attacks, and is the main ways by which we connect ourselves to the Almighty.

With that said, what is perhaps most curious on this point is that miracles and mystical experiences are NOT the goals of these actions! THIS does not negate that miracles can take place, and that people can experience mystical moments, yet the fact of the matter is is that such things are subjective and ultimately do not provide any evidence beyond an individual level.

This is illustrated in the experiences of the 12th century figure, Shaikh Abdul-Qaadir Al-Jilani.  Once while he was praying, a voice comes to him, saying "I am your Lord".  The Shaikh replies "Are you God?" After repeated questioning, this voice says "I am making  lawful for you what I made unlawful for others". The Shaikh replied "You are Satan, because I know God would not make lawful for me what He has made unlawful for others".

Miracles are not what we need, because they can themselves be misleading. What we need is the inspiration derived from worship to be able to recognize truth and produce in this world, that is the formula for success in this life, with springs to enjoy in the life to come.