Not posting all of it, just the beginning paras. It goes on to discuss all the five pillars, but for the sake of length, i just posted the salat one although all of them are explained well. It’s from the Saudi embassy website (Washington). The concept of worship in Islam, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, “Series on Islam”, no. 8
The concept of worship in Islam differs from that found in other religions, and is therefore subject to misunderstanding. In general, worship is understood to mean the observance of certain rituals: praying, fasting, giving charity, and other “good” works. In Islam, however, worship is much more - it is one’s entire life. As many Muslim scholars have said: “Worship is an all-inclusive term for those internal and external sayings and actions of a person that are pleasing to Allah.” In other words, worship is that which is done in obedience to Allah’s will, which obviously includes rituals but goes far beyond to the realms of one’s beliefs, social activities, and personal contributions to one’s society and fellow human beings.
Islam looks at the individual as a whole. He is required to submit completely to Allah, as the Qur’an instructed the prophet Muhammad to do: Say (O Muhammad) my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and mydeath belong to Allah; He has no partner and I am ordered to be among those who submit, i.e., Muslims. The natural result of this submission is that one’s activities should conform to the instructions of the one to whom the person is submitting - Allah. Islam requires that its followers conduct every aspect of their lives according to its teachings. This might sound strange to those who view religion as a personal relation between the individual and God and as having no impact on those activities that are not connected specifically with any religious rituals.
The Prophet taught his followers that Islam is far more than a private, personal matter. Islam attaches no value to rituals that are performed mechanically and have no influence on one’s inner life. The Qur’an dealt with this issue when it addressed Muslims, as well as local Jews and Christians, during the dispute that arose when the prayer direction was changed from Jerusalem to the Ka’bah in Makkah:
The deeds mentioned in the above verse are indications that a person is righteous. But they are only a part of worship. Faith, according to the Prophet, is the basis of worship and “is made up of sixty and some branches: the highest of which is the belief in the Oneness of Allah, i.e., there is no God but Allah and the lowest in the scale of worship is removing obstacles and dirt from people’s way”. Honest work is considered a type of worship. The Prophet said: “Whoever finds himself at the nightfall tired of his work, God will forgive his sins.”
Seeking knowledge is one of the highest types of worship. The Prophet told his Companions that “seeking knowledge is a (religious) duty on every Muslim.” He also said: “Seeking knowledge for one hour is better than praying for seventy years.” Social courtesy and cooperation, when done for the sake of Allah, are also a part of worship: “Receiving your friend with a smile is a type of charity, helping a person to load his animal is a charity, and putting some water in your neighbor’s bucket is a charity”.
In Islam, the performing one’s duties is also considered an act of worship. The Prophet told us that whatever one spends for his family will be counted as an act of worship for which he will be rewarded, provided that he has acquired it through Islamically acceptable means. Kindness to family members, no matter how small, are also viewed as acts of worship. Even activities that we enjoy very much, such as sexual relations with one’s spouse, are considered acts of worship as long as they are performed in accordance with the relevant Qur’anic and prophetic guidelines. For example, the Prophet once told his Companions that they would be rewarded even for engaging in sex with their wives. They were astonished and asked: “Are we to be rewarded for doing something that we enjoy very much?” The Prophet replied: “If you satisfy your desires illegally, will you be punished?” They replied, "Yes. " “So,” he said, “by satisfying it legally with your wives you will be rewarded.”
It is clear from the previous discussion that the concept of worship in Islam is a comprehensive concept that includes all of the positive activities engaged in by an individual. This is in agreement with the all-inclusive nature of Islam, which regulates life on the individual, social, economic, political, spiritual, and all other levels of one’s life. This minute attention to one’s activities is the reason why the Qur’an and the example and sayings of the Prophet deal with all aspects of an individual’s and a society’s life. As following these guidelines is an act of obedience to Allah, He considers them as acts of worship. This very positive attitude encourages individuals to follow the relevant guidelines and thus to bring about personal and social transformation. It also causes an individual to internalize the guidelines, for even if no one is watching him, he knows that Allah is watching him.
Discussing non-ritualistic types of worship first does not mean that the ritualistic ones have less importance. In fact, if the latter are performed correctly and sincerely, they elevate the individual both spiritually and morally and actually help him to live a righteous lifeaccording to the guidance of Allah. Islam has several ritualistic activities that all Muslims are expectedto perform. The most important one is the prayer (salah), which must be performed according to a specific style. Its importance derives from the fact that it serves as the distinctive trait of a Muslim and because it prevents a Muslim from engaging in sinful activities by putting him into direct contact with Allah five times a day. Thus, the ritual prayer is a chance for him to renew his covenant with Allah and to seek His guidance anew. As it says in the Qur’an: You alone do we worship and to You alone do we turn for help. Guide us to thestraight path {I.4-5}. Actually, the ritual prayer is the first practical manifestation of the Islamic faith and is the main condition for a Muslim’s success: Successful indeed are the believers who are humble in their prayers. {XXIII.1-2}
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