Fasting is our concealed act of worship, while prayer is our visible one. The submission to the divine will that remains hidden in fasting becomes manifest in prayer, where both our outward and inward selves surrender to the divine will. No act of worship makes submission as visible as prayer, and no one builds society and cities as effectively as prayer. Prayer is Islam’s intervention in time and space.
Unless a person explicitly states that they are fasting, no one can know it; there is no need to take any action to conceal it. Even if it is known that Ramadan is ongoing, voluntary fasts remain unknown unless declared. On the other hand, if an observer cannot recognize that a person is performing prayer, the prayer is not considered valid. The rule known as “tadil-i erkan,” which requires performing prayer with a certain order and discipline, also necessitates the testimony of those witnessing it. If someone seeing you thinks you are not praying, it means you are engaging in non-prayer activities to the extent that your prayer is disrupted.
An act of worship that remains unknown to others is closer to sincerity. Concentrating one’s focus and turning to God in prayer requires a great struggle. For this reason, fasting serves as prayer, teaching us the sincerity needed to perform a true prayer. No act of worship requires as much struggle against the self as prayer. Every stage of prayer is a struggle – performing ablution, standing in prayer, gathering one’s intention and then structuring life around prayer itself.
The five daily prayers divide time into segments, organizing a Muslim’s life according to purpose and transforming time into a well-ordered lifetime. To "live a lifetime" refers to time spent in worship. The well-known Islamic concept of “ibnü’l-vakt” (“son of the moment”) describes how a life of worship, first manifested through prayer, intertwines with time and our states of being. Prayer first turns homes into places of worship; later, places of worship are built specifically for it. Cities form around these places of worship, giving rise to Islamic cities. The world’s first city, Mecca, was established around a sanctuary, while Medina, the first city built by Prophet Muhammad, took shape around his mosque. Prayer materializes our perception of beauty by constructing places of worship that connect the heavens and the earth. The architecture of mosques must align with the principles of prayer: Muslims worship the unseen. As we worship, we distance ourselves from corporeality and materiality, transforming into spiritual beings.
Performing ablution and purification are prerequisites for prayer. Water becomes the central element of life as it serves purification for worship. Hammams (baths) and fountains were established for this purpose, becoming defining institutions of Islamic cities. The saying “Cleanliness is part of faith” reflects this idea – our personal and communal cleanliness stems from prayer. When Prophet Job (Ayyub) prayed to God, saying, “Satan has afflicted me,” the divine response, “Strike your foot on the ground, and you will find cool water,” shaped the scholarly perspective on the relationship between purification, water and spiritual closeness.
One of the conditions of prayer is “istikbal-i qibla” – facing the qibla (Kaaba in Mecca). Yet, Muslims know that God is not confined to a place. “Wherever you turn, there is the Face of God.” And yet, turning to a specific place for worship invites deep contemplation. Orienting oneself toward a location requires geographical awareness. Muslims around the world unite mentally in one place, worshipping in a single row – always in the front row – before God. Prayer has taught humanity the concept of a central point on earth. It is through prayer that people first come to know the world.
The call to prayer (adhan) invites people to prayer. The adhan is recited in a human voice. It is one of two foundational elements shaping the relationship between Muslims and music – the other is the Quran. The recitation of the Quran, the adhan and the subsequent sala (a call announcing death or special occasions) establish the musical tradition of Muslims. A city where the adhan is heard is a Muslim city. Turkish poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy’s verse, “These adhans, whose testimonies are the foundation of religion,” reflects this reality. Prophet Muhammad once told Bilal Al Habashi, who is one of his closest companions and is known as Islam’s first muezzin (the one who calls to prayer), “Comfort us with the adhan.” Adhans and sala announcements mark moments when Islamic cities transcend the fast pace of life, becoming elevated in meaning. At the same time, they serve as a source of resilience for Muslims in the face of hardships. If a city has the sound of the adhan and the sala, then there is still hope to speak of it.
