Affecting Factors on Student Participation in Congregation Prayer at Shaheed Saddoghee University of Yazd

Common denominator of all religions, human need to worship God and prayer is the most important element in all religions. Prayer is a personal matter between individual and God. But the Islamic approach emphasis is on congregational prayers. this study aims to determine the factors affecting the student's participation in mass prayer ceremonies at shaheed Saddoghee medical Sciences University of Yazd. This descriptive-analytical study is cross-sectional. Stratified random sampling and sample size was 230. The data collection tool is questionnaire consisting demographic and 25 questions about the encouraging factors & inhibitors students to participate in mass prayer. The self-report questionnaire was completed and data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS version 16. The results of the study indicate that 83.5% of university students participate in mass prayers and average scores of encouraging factors to participate in mass prayers are as follow: announcing the call of prayers: 0.90 ± 3.04, believing in compensation and the spiritual reward in prayer: 0.93 ± 2.98, call-to prayer attraction: 0.94 ± 2.79, parents attention and their participation in prayers: 1.05 ± 2.86 and effecting Factors on not participating in congregational prayers are the lack of familiarity with the laws and customs of prayer: 0.95 ± 2.75, coinciding prayers with classroom hours: 1.12 ± 2.66 and food distribution hour coinciding with prayers:1.06 ± 2.30. The results of the paper shows significant differences between Inhibitory effects of participation in prayers and participating in mass prayers (P = 0.009 T = 7.02). The authors of the research conclude announcing the call of prayers in educational environments have the greatest impact on the students for participating in mass prayers and not being familiar with the laws and customs of prayer have the greatest impact on the students for not participating in congregation prayers. the article indicate the that necessity of introducing the laws and customs of prayer to the students. Also, more efforts should be made to remove the barriers in prayer participation.