An Examination of the Meaningful Function of Du'a and Prayer to Human Life in the System of Religion with an Emphasis on Cottingham's Theory

How religious rites, especially du'a and prayers, respond to human's innate need for a meaningful system, in such a way that he is able to receive a meaningful interpretation of his short life in this world, is an issue worthy of consideration, and the present article is under the general function of religion in this regard, has explored it, and for this purpose, this qualitative library research has used the theme analysis method and the method of the cyclical process of analysis including the stages of data collection, data recovery analysis. This article aims to answer this main question: "how despite being on the sidelines compared to the rationality that dominates individuals and society in the modern era and despite the emergence of serious competitors, religion, and religious rituals, including du'a and prayers, are able to meet the human need for meaning?" The findings of this study suggest that religious teachings, by making people aware of their inherent power and referring to their own divine nature, provide an opportunity to pause and talk with their creator through du'a and prayer, so that with the assurance of God's help and support, experience a kind of feeling of inner security and peace and consider his life and death to be purposeful and meaningful by relying on and benefiting from this support. Therefore, religious rites, especially du'a and prayers, by laying the foundations of the spiritual infrastructure of human life, meet the needs of these most noble creatures who have been affiliated with wandering due to the lack of meaning in life, in a life full of habits and life without reflection and interpretation.