[Pooya/Ali Commentary 20:132] The first, foremost and unavoidable duty of a true believer is to worship Allah regularly and punctually through the five daily obligatory prayers. Salat is not a "stereotyped force of the habit" ritual. It is the truest outward expression of truthful hearts and intelligent minds. It is because of this physical show of obedience unto Allah by His "created" servants (willing to submit to His will and laws, accepting total dependence on Him, worshipping Him alone, declaring to follow prophets and the Imams, appointed by Him undertaking to discard and avoid evil and evildoers) salat is accepted as the pivot, the pillar and the foundation of the true faith. Refer to Baqarah : 21, 43, 45; Nisa: 103, 142; An-am: 72; Taha: 14; Hud: 14; Ankabut: 45; Rum: 31; Hijr :99 and Muddaththir :42 and 43. The five daily obligatory salats have to be prayed under all circumstances. If a man cannot stand on account of genuine reasons,, he or she must perform it in sitting posture, or lying down if it is not possible, even by signs in extreme disability, but at all costs salat has to be prayed. For exemptions see books of fiqh. The Holy Prophet said: "The 'daily prayers schedule' is like a fountain of clean water right in your home which removes, five times a day, dirt that settles on your body and soul. Be firm, and steadily make your family members pray salat regularly. Salat will be the first item on the agenda of cross-examination on the day of judgement. A Muslim will be exposed to the danger of reverting to obstinate waywardness (kufr) if he wilfully or negligently fails to pray the salat. Whoso hears the "call for prayers" and leaves the premises of the masjid without praying the salat, with no inclination to come back, is a hypocrite munafiq). A faithful mumin) makes use of the salat as a ladder to reach the closest nearness of Allah miraj). Salat is the mainstay of the religion of Allah (Islam). Approval of the prayed salat is the precondition for the acceptance of good deeds done, otherwise its non-acceptance renders other deeds null and void. Salat is the chief constituent of (the theory of) worship. Salat wards off disasters. Salat opens the lock to let in (the prayer) into the (house of) eternal peace and happiness (paradise). Imam Ali said: Beware! Pray salat regularly. To grow intimacy with Allah pray as much as possible. If one knows how many blessings are bestowed upon the prayer during the time of praying the salat, one would not leave the prayer-mat at all. Dispel the darkness of the doubtful heart by the light of prayers. Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: Whoso gives no importance to salat and takes it lightly is not ours, therefore, he rightly will be deprived of our support. Once a man comes into the fold of Islam through his own free will, he submits to the will of Allah and worships Him as has been told in the above noted verses and traditions. At every call (adhan) he puts off worldly duties and willingly surrenders to the Almighty Allah because there is no god save Allah who takes care of His servant, gives him love, happiness and peace in this world and the hereafter. In 61 Hijra, on the 10th Muharram, our beloved Imam Husayn bin Ali astride the "Dul Jinnah", was alone in the middle of the tightening circle of the blood-thirsty killers; swords, arrows, spears, daggers, lances, and stones hit him from all directions. Every pore of his holy body was a bleeding wound. It was the time for Asr prayer. In the midst of such impending danger he slid over the burning sand of Karbala and rested his forehead on the ground to prostrate himself in adoration of the Almighty Creator. The accursed Shimer came close and severed the sacred head of the Holy Imam from his blessed body. It was his last sajdah through which he preserved the salat for ever. Now whoso claims to be a true friend and follower of the holy Imam prays the salat regularly to worship the Almighty Allah and says: "Verily my worship and my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds." (An-Aam: 163)