It is a commitment.
For the following reasons:
(1) A divine and binding command
Prayers for the Prophet (peace be upon him) are commands from Allah, the Almighty, who said: (O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace. So, it is an act of worship and a duty on the Muslims by God's command, and it should be done according to His command.
(2) The status of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with God Almighty and His honorable angels and the prayers of preachers and Muslims upon the Prophet (peace be upon him)
And God Almighty mentioned him - may God's prayers and peace be upon him - in this verse, since prayer from God is nothing but mercy and satisfaction from Him, and the prayer of the honorable angels contains supplication and seeking forgiveness, and the prayer of the Arab and Islamic nation has supplication and reverence to His command, [2] and it was indirectly mentioned in the Holy Qur'an in the following verse: (Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing) Surat Al Tawba
(3) The virtue of praying for the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace
The virtue of praying upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not due to the Prophet (peace be upon him) alone, but instead, it is also due to the person who prays. The virtue mentioned in the previous quotes is only for the one who prays upon the Prophet (peace be upon him)
Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, may God have mercy on him, explained the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that said: (Whoever prays for me once, may God's prayers be upon them ten times). He explained:" If you say: O God, bless Muhammad, God prays ten times for you and praises you. You must be in the highest assembly ten times." The quote ends (Sharh Al-Riyadh Al-Saleheen).
(4) The right of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the greatest right after the right of God through which God saves creation from darkness to light. He said: (It is He who sends down upon His Servant [Muhammad] verses of clear evidence that He may bring you out from darkness’s into the light.) Al-Hadid / 9. He also said: (This is a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring humanity out of darkness’s into the light by permission of their Lord. -