According to the Quran and Tradition, prayer is always regarded as a duty and never a privilege. It is a task imposed on Muslims. Allah first imposed fifty prayers a day, but Muhammad( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) on the advice of Moses begged the reduction until he returned triumphant with only five daily prayers on his list.
THE INTRODUCTION OF FIVE PRAYERS
“Narrated Abu Dhar: Then I passed by Abraham and he said, ‘Welcome! O
pious Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and pious son.’ I asked Gabriel,
‘Who is he?’ Gabriel replied, ‘He is Abraham. The Prophet added, ‘Then
Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the
pens.” Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ
وسلم) said,
“Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.’ (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.’ I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, ‘Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.’ Then Gabriel took me till we ” reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundary) which was shrouded in colours, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk.”
(Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345)
By: Muhammad Anwar
“Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.’ (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.’ I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, ‘Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.’ Then Gabriel took me till we ” reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundary) which was shrouded in colours, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk.”
(Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345)
By: Muhammad Anwar
