Chapter on Prayer: In language, prayer is supplication, and the evidence for this, or its indication, is the saying of Allah the Exalted:

The Shaykh : Chapter on Prayer: In language, prayer is supplication, and the evidence for this, or its indication, is the saying of Allah the Exalted: meaning, supplicate for them. And Allah the Exalted said: It may be said that the intended meaning is the legislated prayer or the linguistic prayer, i.e., supplication. As for it in the Shari'ah, it is worshipping Allah the Exalted with known words and actions, beginning with the takbir and ending with the taslim. Worship, or if you wish, say it is a worship consisting of words and actions, beginning with the takbir and ending with the taslim. As for the statement of some scholars that prayer is known words and actions beginning with the takbir and ending with the taslim, this is deficient. Rather, it is required that we say it is a worship consisting of words, or that we say it is worshipping Allah the Exalted with known words and actions, so that it becomes clear that it is among the acts of worship. Prayer is prescribed in all religions. Allah the Exalted said: This is due to its importance and because it is a connection between the human being and his Lord, Mighty and Majestic. And Allah the Exalted made it obligatory upon this Ummah, upon His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), on the night he was raised up to Him without an intermediary, meaning there is no intermediary between Allah and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in making it obligatory. Reflect on how Allah the Exalted delayed its obligation until that night, in honor of it and to indicate its importance. First, it was made obligatory by Allah, Mighty and Majestic, upon His Messenger without an intermediary. Second, it was made obligatory on a night that is the best of nights for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Third, it was made obligatory in the highest place that humans can reach. Fourth, it was made obligatory as fifty prayers, and this indicates Allah's love for it and His care for it, Blessed and Exalted is He. But it was lightened, so it became five in practice and fifty in the scale. Fifty in the scale is not the fifty of "a good deed is rewarded tenfold," because if the intended meaning were "a good deed is rewarded tenfold," it would have no distinction over other acts of worship, since every act of worship has a good deed rewarded tenfold. But it appears that the person is recorded with the reward of fifty prayers: fifty times ten, five hundred. And this is a great favor from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, regarding this great prayer. We do not find a worship legislated daily for the entire lifetime, or made obligatory, on the most correct view, daily for the entire lifetime, except prayer. Zakah is annual, and fasting is annual; there is nothing else, every day, every day and night.