Prayers are breaks from your daily chores

Almost every person in the modern world is involved in some basic worldly activity like earning a living, going to school, eating, sleeping, and socialising. Naturally, we forget Allah and the obligations due to Him. When we forget Allah, this life and its worries become the central occupation of the human mind.
Desires run wild. A person begins to 'chase his shadow', something he can never catch. For many, money becomes the sole goal of life. The more you make, the more you spend, the more you want.
Allah has set times to take breaks from the daily chores of life for a few minutes and worship Him. First thing in the morning before we begin our day, in the middle of the day, in the late afternoon, in the evening, and at night before we go to sleep.
When done with concentration and properly, it awakens and stimulates the soul. A Muslim reminds himself that Allah is in charge of everything, he is Allah's faithful servant, and Allah's pleasure is His aim. For a few minutes, five times a day, a Muslim leaves this world and meets His Lord. "And establish the prayers (salah) in order to remember Me."(Quran 20:14).
The prayers (salah) also make a person God-conscious. When a person prays five times a day, he becomes accustomed to feeling the presence of God and develops the sense that Allah is watching him at all times. He is never hidden from Allah, even when alone. A sense of God-consciousness keeps the heart suspended between fear and hope. Fear of Allah keeps a Muslim away from the prohibited and encourages him to do the obligatory; a mix of divine love and devout reverence that keeps him religiously observant. Regular performance of the prayers increases one's awareness of Allah.
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked: "What do you think if there was a river by the door of any one of you and he bathed in it five times a day, would there be any trace of dirt left on him?" They (his companions) (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "No trace of dirt would be left on him."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "This is like the five daily prayers, through which Allah erases sin." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
Control and discipline
The prayer has the capacity to catalyse change for the better in people's life. The fact that we give up whatever we are doing and line up behind a prayer leader (called imam) five times a day in the mosque, or find room to pray in at work or school by ourselves, instills discipline in life.
The discipline learned in the prayer is to be acquired in other aspects of one's religious and mundane life as well. Just as we should not look around when praying, we should control our eyes outside of the prayer not to fall on forbidden objects. Just like we use our tongue to praise Allah, outside of the formal prayers we should not let it backbite or lie. Just as our hands and feet perform controlled motions, outside of the prayers we should not use them to steal, buy or eat what is forbidden. We should not walk towards the forbidden, but away from it. This is the essence of which Allah tells us: " ... Surely, the prayer (salah) prevents evil speech and bad deeds ..." (Quran 29:45)
A very important ingredient of the prayer is the state of calmness and tranquility coupled with humility achieved by deep concentration. Allah says in the Quran: "Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers." (Quran 23:1-2)
The purpose of the prayer is not just to fulfil an empty ritual. For the prayer to be acceptable, it must be done with passion. Learn the meaning of the Arabic words used in the prayer, focus on their meaning and whatever portions of Quran you recite. Know that Allah responds to prayers and He is listening to you. Focus your eyes on the place of prostration, or shut them if something present causes you to be distracted and can not focus otherwise.
By concentrating on the words of the prayer said in different postures, by raising one's consciousness of being in front of Allah, by choosing a comfortable, clean place with no distractions, one can increase their presence of mind in the prayer., and thus he should feel this closeness and supplicate even more. To reach a high level of concentration and humility in prayer requires constant work, and struggle.
(The writer is former Khaleej Times Staffer)