Only 41% of Muslim Americans Pray 5 Times a Day

The Pew Research Center recently published a comprehensive 102-page study on Muslims in the United States entitled Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream. The study covered various aspects of the community, among them the population of Muslims in the United States, demographics, religious belief and practice, identity and assimilation, challenges and problems, political and social values, and finally foreign policy, terrorism and extremism.

The study was based on a survey conducted of 1,050 American Muslims from January 24 to April 30, 2007.

I will be the first to admit that the findings of this study should not be granted carte blanche trust. That being said, however, there are some striking, and in some cases even shocking, results in the study.

Perhaps the most shocking of the results was the response to a question about daily prayer. Only 41% of the people surveyed responded that they pray five times a day. If this is even somewhat representative of the community at large, that means that not even half of the community performs its most basic requirement to Allāh.

The Messenger of Allāh (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) said:

“The first thing people will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer. Allāh will say to His angels, “Look at my servants’ prayers. Were they complete or not?” If they were complete It will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allāh will say. “See if my servant has voluntary prayers.” If he has them Allāh will say, “Complete his obligatory prayers shortage with his voluntary prayers.” Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner.”

(Reported by Imāms Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd, an-Nisā'i, and al-Hakim)

For our own personal salvation, we must solidify our five daily prayers. It will be the primary determinant of our final eternal destination. Furthermore, for the sake of our condition in the dunya (this world), we must realize that Allāh will not grant us success until we fulfill this most basic obligation. As Allāh tells us clearly in the Qur’ān:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

Inna Allāha lā yughayyiru mā biqawmin hattā yughayyirū mā bi'anfusihim.

Allāh will never change the condition of a people until they change that which is within themselves.

(Qur’ān, Sūrat ar-Ra‘d, Āyah 11)

Read more:

• The Pew Research Center Report: Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream