Virtues of Salah
(Salah is Arabic for prayer also known as namaz in Urdu)

"Verily, I am Allah. There is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for My remembrance". {Sura Tá-há, ayah #14}

"Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Qurán in the morning prayer: for the recital of the dawn is witnessed." (Sura Al-Isrá, ayah # 78) note: How many of us sleep through this blessed time of Fajr Salah and lose this great reward!

"And be steadfast in prayer; give Zakat; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)." (Sura Al-Baqarah, ayah # 43)

"And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: And whatever good you send forth for your souls before you, you shall find it with Allah. for Allah sees Well all that you do." (Sura Al-Baqarah, ayah # 110)

"Guard strictly your prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind)." (Sura Al-Baqarah, ayah # 238)

note: In this ayah and the next few ayats Allah (swt) describes the belivers if we claim to be from them then we have to follow what Allah (swt) says in the Quran about them.
"Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the Cause of Allah,: that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limit set by Allah.- (these do rejoice). So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers."
(Sura Al-Tauba, ayah #112)

"(They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give Zakat, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with Allah rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs." (Sura Al-Hajj, ayah # 41)

note: In this ayah and in the next few ayats we can see all the prophets used pray to Allah (swt). SubhanAllah look this is the duwaa of Ibráhím (Abraham {AS}) mentioned in the Quran and even he asked Allah (swt) to make him one who establishes regular prayer!  May Allah (swt) make us from those.
"O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring, O our Lord!, and accept Thou my Prayer." (Sura Ibráhím, ayah # 40)

Narrated AbuHurayrah (RAA) Rasulullah (SAW) said: Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed. (Sahih Muslim Book 2, Number 0448)

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds." (Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 1, Book 10, Hadith # 506)

Narrated Uthman ibn Affan (RAA) Rasulullah (SAW) at the time of our returning from our prayer told us (certain things pertaining to purification).
He said: I do not know whether I should tell you a thing or keep quiet. We said: Rasulullah, tell us if it is good and if it is otherwise, Allah and Messenger (SAW) know better. Upon this he said: A Muslim who purifies (himself) and completes purification as enjoined upon him by Allah and then offers the prayers, that will be expiatious (of his sins he committed) between these (prayers). (Sahih Muslim Book 2, Hadith # 0444)

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (RAA) Rasulullah (SAW) said: The similitude of five prayers is like an overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you in which he washes five times daily. Hasan said: No filthiness can remain on him. (Sahih Muslim Book 4, Hadith # 1411)

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RAA) Rasualullah (SAW) said, "Martyrs are those who die because of drowning, plague, an abdominal disease, or of being buried alive by a falling building." And then he added, "If the people knew the Reward for the Zuhr prayer in its early time, they would race for it. If they knew the reward for the 'Isha' and the Fajr prayers in congregation, they would join them even if they had to crawl. If they knew the reward for the first row, they would draw lots for it." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Hadith # 688)

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RAA) : Rasulullah (SAW) said, "Allah will prepare for him who goes to the mosque in the morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer) an honorable place in Paradise with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon goings. (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Hadith # 631)

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RAA) Rasualullah (SAW) said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." The Prophet added, "Certainly I wish to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Hadith # 626) note: We should see the importance of Fajr and Isha salah in the Masjid.

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Rasulullah (SAW) said, "The angels keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for anyone of you, as long as he is at his Mu,salla (praying place) and he does not pass wind (Hadath). They say, 'O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! be Merciful to him." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8, Hadith #436)

Rasulullah (SAW) said,"The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." [Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.] note: for those who say 'I don't pray but my heart is clean should take this warning from Rasulullah (saw) and establish the prayer before they are brought to account infront of Allah (swt)!

Rasulullah (saw) said "Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu` [Khushu` in the prayer is where the person’s heart is attuned to the prayer.] has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him." [Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.] note: SubhanAllah Allah (swt) is giving us a PROMISE that he will forgive us!  What more can we ask for?  How can I pray when I have so many sins, they should realize this prayer is a way for them to get their sins forgiven.

Allah (SWT) says "Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salât (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salât (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell. Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allâh and His Messenger Muhammad SAW), and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught." (Sura Maryam, ayat 59-60) note:  Here we see what is the place for those who have abandoned the prayer but Allah (swt) is the most mercyful and gives us chances to repent and be saved.

Allah (swt) says in Sura Al-Mâ'ûn "So woe unto those performers of Salât (prayers) (hypocrites),Who delay their Salât (prayer) from their stated fixed times,Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men)," (Sura Al-Mâ'ûn, ayat 4 - 6) note:  This ayah shows us that we have to pray our Salah on its fixed timings and not dalay them without a valid reason (i.e. traveling, jihad etc..) and how much we need to have sincaerity in your prayer and do it only for Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) further warns us in the Quran "O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allâh. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers." (Sura Al-Munaafiqoon, ayah #9)
The commentators of the Qur'aan say: "The 'remembrance of Allaah' mentioned in these Aayaat means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in buying and selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with his children, that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be among the losers."

Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allaah (SWT) says "(The people in Hell will be asked:) What has caused you to enter Hell? They will say: "We were not of those who used to offer their Salât (prayers). Nor did we feed the poor. And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain-talkers. And we used to belie thc Day of Recompense. Until there came to us that which is certain (i.e., death). So no Intercession of intercessors will benefit them.  (Sura Al-Muddaththir, ayah 42-48)

Rasulullah (SAW)  said "The covenant between us and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become a disbeliever."  (Agreed upon by Ahmad, Tirmidhee and Nasaa'ee to be authentic)