The Pillar of Dignity
Prayer elevates humans above worldly servitude by binding them directly to the Eternal.
— Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Words, The Fourth WordPrayer (Salah) is the pillar of religion. The person who prays becomes the addressee of the Creator of all beings. They enter His presence. They converse with Him. What a great honor this is! Imagine if a king accepted a poor man into his presence and spoke with him, how happy and proud that poor man would be. Yet, the one who prays is admitted five times a day into the presence of God, the Creator of the universe and the King of all things. How unfortunate and foolish is the one who deprives themselves of such an honor.
Key Philosophical Insight
Daily prayer acts as a recurrent audience with the Supreme, restoring human dignity and perspective.
Q&A Analysis & Recap
Q How does prayer relate to honor and dignity?
A It elevates a person from being a mere mortal subject to the forces of nature, into an honored guest and conversational partner of the Creator of those forces.