Aug 24 2024
- Prayer is known as Salah by Muslims. In Arabic, Salat means to connect and prayer is about connecting with Allah by taking time out from everything else in the world. For Muslims, this creates a personal peace that you cannot find in the world that can only come from Allah.
- It is the second of the Five Pillars of Faith it is a Muslim’s duty to pray five times each day. Muslims pray at dawn, midday, late afternoon, just after sunset and again before midnight.
- Muslims usually pray in the Mosque, but they can pray anywhere. If there is no place to pray a Muslim can just put their prayer mat down facing Kiblah and begin praying.
- Muslims always face the Kiblah when they pray and Mosques are built facing Mecca. Everyone facing in one direction helps to create unity and a sense of community and belonging.
- Ablutions called wudhu must take place before prayer. Footwear is removed and hands, feet and face are washed. Wudhu is a way of preparing for the important act of praying and is about becoming pure before speaking to Allah.
- The prophet Muhammed taught that prayer is a spiritual cleansing and through daily prayer, Allah wipes away a person’s sins. It also helps Muslims to avoid temptation and evil in their lives.
When are the 5 Times of Prayer?
Salat al-fajr: the dawn or any time before sunrise
Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
Salat al-‘asr: the late part of the afternoon
Salat al-maghrib: dusk or just after sunset
Salat al-‘isha: between sunset and midnight