Salat is a ritual passed down by Abraham

Abraham was the first person to be taught how to perform the Salat. Before Abraham, none of God's messengers mentioned Salat in the Quran.

[21:73] We made them imams who guided in accordance with our commandments, and we taught them how to work righteousness, and how to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat). To us, they were devoted worshipers.

وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ

One of the words in the Quran for religious rituals or rites is the word Nasik ( نَاسِكَ ). This word is often used in conjunction with Abraham and the rituals he passed down (2:128, 2:196, 2:200, 6:162, 22:34, 22:67).

For instance, Abraham made the following prayer after establishing the Sacred Masjid as a focal point for the people and a place for prayer. As we saw in 21:73, God taught Abraham how to perform the Salat in response to this prayer. This indicates that Salat is a ritualistic worship practice.

[2:128] “Our Lord, make us submitters to You, and from our descendants let there be a community of submitters to You. Teach us the rites of our religion, and redeem us. You are the Redeemer, Most Merciful.

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

[22:67] For each congregation, we have decreed a set of rites that they must uphold. Therefore, they should not dispute with you. You shall continue to invite everyone to your Lord. Most assuredly, you are on the right path.

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ فَلَا يُنَازِعُنَّكَ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَادْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى مُسْتَقِيمٍ

لِكُلِّ	For every	likulli
أُمَّةٍ	congregation	ummatin
جَعَلْنَا	we made / appointed	jaʿalnā
مَنْسَكًا	a ritual / rite,	mansakan
هُمْ	they	hum
نَاسِكُوهُ	[they] performed it.	nāsikūhu