كَتَبَ الرِّضَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى ع إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ أَنَّ عِلَّةَ الصَّلَاةِ أَنَّهَا إِقْرَارٌ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ خَلْعُ الْأَنْدَادِ وَ قِيَامٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْجَبَّارِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ بِالذُّلِّ وَ الْمَسْكَنَةِ وَ الْخُضُوعِ وَ الِاعْتِرَافِ وَ الطَّلَبُ لِلْإِقَالَةِ مِنْ سَالِفِ الذُّنُوبِ وَ وَضْعُ الْوَجْهِ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ إِعْظَاماً لِلَّهِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ وَ- أَنْ
Read English translationHide English translationBab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn
Hadith.645 - Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha wrote to Muhammad ibn Sinan in response to his questions, saying: "The reason for the prescription of prayer is that it is an acknowledgment of Allah’s (swt) Lord (azj)ship, a rejection of idols, and a standing in the presence of the Mighty, the Glorious, with humility, poverty, submissiveness, confession, and a request for the forgiveness of past sins. It involves placing one's face on the ground daily as an act of magnifying and glorifying Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic. The prayer ensures that one remains mindful, not forgetful or arrogant. It makes one humble, submissive, desirous, and seeking an increase in faith and worldly needs, in addition to making it obligatory and continuous remembrance of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, by day and night so that the servant does not forget his Lord (azj), Master, and Creator, and thus does not become boastful or overstep limits. Standing in prayer serves as a deterrent against sins and a barrier from engaging in corruption."
Translation: Bab Ul Qaim Publications — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.