Question of Rituals

RITUAL PRAYERS

The Question of Rituals in Deen–Islam:

A Quranic Perspective

By Paigham Mustafa

One of the most persistent debates emerging from Quran-centric thought concerns the five daily ritual prayers, performed by millions across various sects. Questioning or rejecting this pillar has long been seen as heresy, effectively placing dissenters outside the fold of accepted identity. Yet, this issue demands deeper examination through the lens of the Quran itself.

The discussion gained traction some thirty years ago, but social media amplified it globally. Groups often labelled Quran Only or Quranists—initially dismissed as Anti-Hadith—challenged inherited traditions by turning solely to the Quran for guidance. Since hadith literature forms the foundation of many doctrines, including ritual prayers, the rejection of these supplementary texts unsettled the orthodoxy.

When Quranists claimed to follow only the Quran, traditionalists demanded: “How then do you perform the five daily prayers?” The tension arises because the Quran contains no prescribed liturgy resembling the ritual prayers, incidentally not even found in later sources. Some, such as the Submitters or reformists, redefined these as “contact prayers,” yet the changes in terminology or choreography failed to bridge the divide. Others appealed to Abraham as a model, despite no preserved formula of his ‘prayer’ existing in the Quranic text.

Both orthodox scholars and reformists remain trapped in a shared misconception. Each attempts to reconcile rituals with a book that contains none. Their efforts reflect centuries of cultural and theological habit—an assumption that ritual performance equals devotion. But the Quranic message does not endorse ritual worship; rather, it calls for service, justice, and ethical conduct as the essence of commitment to God.

The root misunderstanding lies in language. The term consistently mistranslated as prayer is solaa (often written salat). Traditional renderings, assign multiple meanings to the same root—prayer, blessings, or even places of worship —contradicting the Quran’s linguistic precision. A single root word in the Quran does not bear unrelated meanings. The proper sense of solaa aligns with commitment or obligation, a moral and social engagement, not a ritual act.

This meaning becomes clear when examined alongside zakaa. The oft-repeated command “Wa aqeemus salaata wa aatuz zakaata” does not urge ritual prayer and charity; it calls for maintaining commitments and keeping them pure. Purity here signifies sincerity and integrity in human dealings, not ritual cleansing.

The origins of the five daily prayers trace back to a later narrative—the Isra wal Miraj, the so-called night journey where Muhammad allegedly negotiated with God to reduce fifty decreed prayers to five. Such a depiction anthropomorphises the Divine, suggesting a bargaining session between Creator and creation. It also raises the question: if these rituals were decreed only then, how did earlier messengers and their followers serve the same Deen–Islam without them?

The Quran affirms that Deen–Islam was the same message revealed to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (42:13). None are described as performing structured ritual worship. The Quran further declares that “there is no change in the ways of God” (33:62). If those guided communities lived by divine systems without ritual prayers, the introduction of such practices later cannot represent continuity—it marks deviation.

The Quran even attributes solaa to God (2:157), clearly not as prayer to Himself. In context, it refers to Divine commitment—God’s assurance of mercy and relief to those who uphold justice and integrity by following His guidance. Understanding solaa correctly restores coherence across the Quran’s message. It is about steadfastness and responsibility, not ceremonial performance.

To “fulfil solaa” is therefore to honour one’s commitments—to family, to society, and to the moral order set by the Quran. Service becomes the measure of devotion: using one’s abilities, time, and resources for the wellbeing of others. The Quran emphasises that good conduct erases wrong (11:114), establishing ethical behaviour as the true path of redemption, not ritual repetition.

The vitality of Deen–Islam lies not in mechanical acts but in purposeful action. It is a living system of principles guiding individuals and societies towards justice, equity, and progress. Its strength comes from clarity of belief, conscious service, and responsible stewardship—not from ritual motions inherited from human traditions.

The Quran presents itself as a complete guide (5:3). Introducing practices without Quranic basis constitutes reliance on external authority, which the Quran states is treachery, ie shirk.. Such additions fracture the unity of Deen–Islam and reduce it to the very religiosity the Quran rejects.

Does this mean that believers cannot make any form of invocation or express praise to God? Not at all. The Quran provides a clear picture of meaningful praise in verse 10:10, describing the culmination of human recognition of the Divine: an awareness grounded in gratitude, not ritual.

True glorification of God is realised when we live well — when we enjoy the good things He has granted and develop our Self towards higher consciousness and purpose.

Since God knows every thought, every secret and declaration, there is no need for prescribed rituals to gain attention or favour. Service itself is the purest form of devotion. The Quran (107:1–7) exposes the futility of hollow displays of piety — those who perform rituals while neglecting social duty. Deen–Islam defines belief through action: hands that serve are indeed more meaningful than lips that pray.

Yet the Quran does speak of dua — often translated as supplication — but its meaning goes beyond asking or pleading. Dua is an invocation, a conscious reaffirmation of one’s commitments and inner purpose before God. When messengers make dua, they do not perform rituals; they articulate intentions, seek alignment with divine principles, and renew their determination to act rightly.

Verse 2:286, for example, illustrates this conscious invocation — a call for strength, guidance, and endurance. Such dua is not about ritual recitation; it is about self-clarity, intention, and the divine law that action aligned with truth brings fulfilment.

In essence, dua is how we reaffirm our commitments — not through ceremony but through awareness, reflection, and purposeful striving. It is the mindful reminder of our devotion, not a ritual substitute for it.

The enduring challenge, then, is not whether one should perform rituals, but whether one can embrace the Quran as a sufficient manual for ethical, purposeful living. Deen–Islam’s power lies in this simplicity: a system of service, not ritual; of commitment, not ceremony.

© 2026 Paigham Mustafa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paigham Mustafa has been engaged in the study and research of the Quran since 1988 and has contributed to the print media for over 37 years. His first major work, The Quran: God’s Message to Mankind, was published in 2016, followed by The Divine Blueprint in 2022. He is also the author of How To Be Human, published in 2025. His exegesis of the Quran often challenges traditional readings, offering instead a reasoned and objective analysis of the original text. His works provide essential guidance,  helping readers gain a clearer, more informed understanding of Islam. This helps address many of the issues that stem from misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and misconceptions

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