Allah ta^ala said:

حافِظُوا على الصَّلوَات

which means: “Perform the [five obligatory] prayers” (al-Baqarah, 238).
The Messenger of Allah said:

خمسُ صلَواتٍ كتبَهُنَّ اللهُ على العباد. من أتى بـهِنَّ لم يُضَـيِّـعْ منهنَّ شيئًا استخفافًا بحقِّهنَّ كان له عند اللهِ تبارك وتعالى عهدٌ أن يُدخِلَـه الجنة، ومن لم يأتِ بِهِنَّ فليس له عند الله عهدٌ إن شاءَ عذَّبه وإن شاءَ غَفَر له. رواه أحمد

which means: “There are five prayers that Allah obligated the slaves to perform. Whoever performs them properly without belittling their obligation, Allah promised to admit him into Paradise. Whoever leaves them out does not have a promise from Allah to have Paradise without torture before. If He willed, He tortures him, and if He willed, He forgives him”. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad.

It is obligatory to perform each of these five prayers in its due time. It is better to perform each prayer early in its time.

The five prayers are among the best acts of worship that the Muslim performs. Performing them is the best deed after having the correct belief in God and His Messenger.

The prophets from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad, may Allah raise their rank, ordered their followers to pray as per God’s orders.

Since the prayer is the most important matter of Islam after having the correct belief in God and His Messenger, one must plan his life around the prayer. It is a special time where all the obedient and practicing Muslims around the world face one direction and pray to their Creator. It's a moment of detaching oneself from the worldly luxuries and commitments and purifying one's heart and soul with complete humbleness and devotion to Allah.