The Impact of Prayer on the Soul

Prayer holds significant educational effects on the soul, and these effects include:

Prayer cultivates obedience to the Creator, Almighty God, and encourages adherence to His commands.
It instills in the heart of the believer a profound belief in God’s ability, greatness, mercy, and forgiveness.
Prayer beautifies and adorns the soul with noble virtues such as honesty, integrity, humility, and justice.
When an individual faces the Qibla and aligns with fellow worshippers from around the world, they experience a sense of unity and camaraderie.
Prayer nurtures a sense of justice and wisdom within the individual, guiding them to place all matters in their rightful context.
It trains individuals to be punctual and diligent about their time management.
Prayer serves as a deterrent against engaging in immoral and indecent actions, as it addresses the negative impulses of the human soul and helps clear it from vices. God Almighty states: “And establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows what you do.” (Qur’an)
One of the greatest manifestations of the virtue of prayer and its effects on the individual is that Allah commands His believing servants to seek assistance through prayer in their worldly matters, allowing them to fulfill their needs, attract sustenance, and alleviate their worries.

The Role of Prayer in Healing the Soul

Individuals face various challenges, whether they arise at home or in society, from people or circumstances. It can be difficult to eliminate negative energy unless one confides in a trusted friend or consults a therapist. However, imagine the profound effect when a person entrusts all their affairs to God Almighty while supplicating in prayer.

When standing before the Creator, the individual feels the greatness of God, recognizing that He is the pathway to inner peace and the removal of negative feelings such as fear and sadness. Allah states: “Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds and established prayer and given zakat will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (Qur’an) Prayer is indeed an effective remedy for controlling anger and recklessness.

Prayer educates individuals on how to manage their emotions, becoming disciplined, calm, and submissive to God Almighty. It provides believers with a miraculous spiritual energy that instills reassurance in their hearts, calmness within, and clarity of mind. This energy enhances focus and contemplation, crucial methods for relieving stress. Hence, Allah Almighty has commanded believers to embody humility during prayer due to its numerous benefits for the individual, as explained in His sacred text: “Certainly will the believers succeed * Who are during their prayer humbly submissive.” (Qur’an)

Qur’anic Evidence on the Importance of Prayer for the Human Soul

The Noble Qur’an contains numerous verses that elucidate the significance of prayer in human life. Here are some of the notable mentions:

Allah, the Almighty, states: “O my son, establish prayer and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, it is of the matters [requiring] determination.” (Qur’an)
Allah the Exalted mentions: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are firm in a confrontation against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] good pleasure. Their mark is upon their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah; and their description in the Gospel is like a seed which produces its crop and strengthens it, so it grows firm and rises upon its stem, delighting the sowers, so that Allah may anger by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.” (Qur’an)