Salah

, Egypt, in 1865]] Ṣalāh or Ṣalāt (Arabic: ; pl. ṣalawāt) is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its supreme importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta‘lī Ismailis. Salah is a ritual prayer, having prescribed conditions, a prescribed procedure, and prescribed times.

Performing salah is obligatory, with a few dispensations for those for whom it would be difficult. To perform valid salah, Muslims must be in a state of ritual purity, which is mainly achieved by ritual ablution according to prescribed procedures. The place of prayer should be clean. In a few cases where blood is leaving the body, salah is forbidden until a later time.

Salah consists of the repetition of two or more units of a prescribed sequence of actions and words. One complete sequence is known as a raka'ah (pl. raka'āt). The number of obligatory (fard) raka'āt varies according to the time of day or other circumstances (such as Friday congregational prayers). The minimal, obligatory raka'at may be supplemented with acts which are optional but are considered meritorious. There are also dispensations from some or all of the prescribed actions for those who are physically unable to complete them. The prescribed words of the prayer remain obligatory.

For Sunnis and Musta'lids, salah is prescribed at five periods of the day, which are measured according to the movement of the sun. These are: near dawn (fajr), just after noon (dhuhr), in the afternoon (asr), just after sunset (maghrib) and around nightfall (isha'a). Under some circumstances prayers can be shortened or combined (according to prescribed procedures). In case a prayer is skipped, it must be made up later. Shia Twelver fiqh permits two sets of these prayers to be performed in succession. Sufis often perform dhikr after the conclusion of prayers.

Terminology

"Salah" is an Arabic word whose basic meaning is "connection". In its English usage the reference of the word is almost always confined to the Muslim formal, obligatory prayer described in this article.

Translating "salah" as "prayer" is not usually considered precise enough, as "prayer" can indicate several different ways of relating to God. In the past salah has been called “the contact prayer”, “the obligatory prayer”, “the formal prayer”, and so on, but normal academic practice in English is now to refer to the prayer by the Arabic term.

Muslims themselves use several terms to refer to salah depending on their language or culture. In many parts of the world, including many non-Arab countries such as Indonesia, the Arabic term salah is used. The other major term is namāz (), used by speakers of the Indo-Iranian languages (e.g., Persian, Bengali, Urdu), the South Slavic languages, Albanian languages and Turkic languages. The related Pashto term lmunz () is used by Pashtuns. (namāz and lmunz derive from the Indo-Aryan root namas (नमस्) meaning 'to bow or prostrate'.) . Niskaaram or Namaskaaram in south indian language malayalam which means to pray.

Purpose and importance

The chief purpose of prayer in Islam is to act as a person's communication with God. By reciting "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an, as required in all prayer, the worshipper can stand before God, thank and praise Him, and to ask for guidance along the Straight Path.

In addition, the daily prayers remind Muslims to give thanks for Allah's blessings and that Islam takes precedence over all other concerns, thereby revolving their life around Allah and submitting to His will. Prayer also serves as a formal method of remembering Allah, or dhikr .

In the Qur'an, it is written that: "The true believers are those who feel fear in their hearts when God is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord."

"To those whose hearts, when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them."

Prayer is also cited as a means of restraining a believer from social wrongs and moral deviancy. According to a hadith in the collection Sahih Bukhari, the prophet Muhammad considered salah "the best deed".

Differences in practice

The prayers (salat) practiced by one Muslim may differ from another's in minor details, which can affect the precise actions and words involved. Differences arise because of different interpretations of the Islamic legal sources by the different schools of law (madhhabs) in Sunni Islam, and by different legal traditions within Shi'ism. In the case of prayers these differences are generally minor, and do not necessarily cause dispute. It is important to note the reason why Sunni Muslims have a basic agreement on the necessary part of the Prayer. Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad practiced, taught, and disseminated the worship ritual in the whole community of Muslims and made it part of their life. The practice has, therefore, been concurrently and perpetually practiced by the community in each of the generations. The authority for the basic forms of the prayers is neither the hadiths nor the Qur'an, but rather the consensus of Muslims. Differences also occur due to optional (recommended rather than obligatory) articles of prayer procedure, for example which verses of the Qur'an to recite.

Conditions

(also called the Mosque of Uqba) considered as the oldest mosque in the Western Islamic World. At the bottom of the central nave of the prayer hall there is a niche (the mihrab) which indicates the qibla. The Great Mosque of Kairouan is located in the city of Kairouan in Tunisia.]] The compulsory prayer is obligatory for those who meet these three conditions:

are Muslim

are of sound mind

are ten years of age or older (beginning at age seven is recommended).

There are five elements that make a prayer valid:

Clean clothes, body, place of prostration.

Pure from hadath (wudu, tayammum, ghusl)

Praying in front of a sutrah.

Preparation

Cleanliness and dress

Islam advises that the prayers be performed in a ritually clean environment . When praying, the clothes that are worn and the place of prayer must be clean. Both men and women are required to cover their bodies (awrah) in reasonably loose-fitting garments. The well-known adage or hadith by al-Nawawi that "purity is half the faith" illustrates how Islam has incorporated and modified existing rules of purity in its religious system.

Ritual ablution

Before conducting prayers, a Muslim has to perform a ritual ablution.

The minor ablution is performed using water (wudhu), or sand (tayammum) when water is unavailable or not advisable to use for reasons such as illness.

Wudhu is performed by Muslims according to the instructions of God given in the Qur'an:

"O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful."

More specifically wudhu is performed by Muslims by washing the hands, mouth, nose, arms, face, hair, ears,(often washing the hair is merely drawing the already wet hands from the fringe to the nape of the neck) and feet three times each in that order. (It is not obligatory to wash the hair three times, once is sufficient, and men must also wash their beards and mustaches when washing the face).

Performance

All verbal parts of the prayer, apart from the voluntary personal prayer, must be spoken in properly pronounced Arabic. Not following the correct sequence invalidates the prayer. There are 13 articles: In the second unit of all obligatory prayers, and in the third unit of Maghrib prayers and in the fourth unit of Zuhr, Asr and Isha prayers, one should sit after the second prostration with a tranquil body, and recite tashahhud thus: "Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan 'Abduhu wa Rasuluh, Alla humma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa Ali Muhammad". And it will be sufficient if one recited the tashahhud this way: Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lahu was ash hadu anna Muhammadan Sallal lahu Alayhi Wa Aalihi Abduhu Wa rasuluh. It is also necessary to recite tashahhud while offering Witr (in Namaz-e-Shab) prayers.

Salam in the prayers Rule 1114 by Ayatullah Sistani, While a person sits after reciting tashahhud in the last Raka'at, and his body is tranquil, it is Mustahab to say: Assalamu 'alayka ayyuhan Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Then he should say: Assalamu Alaykum and as a recommended precaution add to it Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh. Alternatively, he can say: Assalamu Alayna Wa Ala Ibadi llahis Salihin. But if he recites this Salam, then as per obligatory precaution, he must follow it up with saying: Assalamu Alaykum.

Translation of Tashahhud and Salam Al Hamdu lillah, Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lahu wahdahu la sharika lah (All praise is for Allah, and I testify that there is none worth worshipping except the Almighty Allah, Who is One and has no partner).

Wa Ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluh (And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger).

Alla humma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa Ali Muhammad. (O Allah! Send Your blessings on Muhammad and his progeny).

Wa taqqabal shafa'atahu warfa' darajatahu (And accept his intercession, and raise his rank).

Assalamu 'alayka ayyuhan Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (O Prophet! Allah's peace, blessings and grace be upon you!).

Assalamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadil lahis salihin (Allah's peace be on us, those offering prayers - and upon all pious servants of Allah).

Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (Allah's peace, blessings and grace be on you believers!)

[11] Greetings for Prophet Muhammad and for Prophet Abraham

Required portion:

At least by saying اللهم صلى على محمد.

Allaahumma salli 'alaa Muhammadin

O Allah, bless our Muhammad

Recommended portion:

اللهم صلى على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم وبارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم فى العالمين إنك حميد مجيد ''Allaahumma salli 'alaa Sayidina Muhammadin wa 'alaa ali Sayidina Muhammadin Kamaa sallaita 'alaa Sayidina Ibraaheema wa 'alaa ali Sayidina Ibraaheema Innaka hameedun Majeed Alaahumma baarik 'ala Sayidina Muhammadin wa 'alaa ali Sayidina Muhammadin Kamaa baarakta 'alaa Sayidina Ibraaheema wa 'alaa ali Sayidina Ibraaheema Innaka hameedun Majeed'' '''O Allah, bless our Muhammad and the people of Muhammad As you have blessed Abraham and the people of Abraham. O Allah, be gracious unto Muhammad and the people of Muhammad As you were gracious unto Abraham and the people of Abraham. Surely you are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.'''

[12] First greeting

Greeting "peace be upon you" to the right side. At least with السلام عليكم, at best السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

[13] Tartib

Follow these steps one by one from the standing right to the first salam. All other movements and recitations save these steps are called the sunnah

Raka'ah

Salat is performed in "units" of prayer called raka'ah. The 3rd to 8th articles listed above makes one raka'ah. These are repeated for every raka'ah. At the last raka'ah, the rest 9th to 12th articles is completed. (Note: For more than 2 raka'ah prayers, an additional option is to sit for Tashahhud on the second raka'ah.) Different salat have different numbers of prescribed raka'at.

The salat must be performed with sincere devotion (khushoo), otherwise it is considered invalid. Prayers are performed facing the direction of qibla (i.e. towards the Kaaba in Mecca), to the best estimation of the person praying if there is no certain way to determine the correct direction.

A person begins the prayer by standing in qiyaam, facing qibla and silently reciting the niyyah (intention to pray) for the specific salat he is about to make. He then raises his hands and speaks aloud the takbir.

For fard as-salat, the first raka'ah commences with the optional recitation of one of the opening supplications followed by the first chapter of the Qur'an, al-Fatihah. For subsequent raka'at and other types of prayers, each raka'ah commences with al-Fatihah. During the first two raka'ah, following the recitation of al-Fatihah any other chapter or several verses of the Qur'an are additionally recited (qira'at) while in the standing position before the person moves into the bowing position (ruku').

After one raka'ah is complete (and on every subsequent odd raka'ah), the person returns from the prostrate position (sujj-ud ) back to the standing position to begin another raka'ah. On every second raka'ah, he first moves from sujj-ud to an upright sitting position (jalsa) and recites the first portion of a supplication known as the tashahhud, before returning to the standing position to begin the next raka'ah.

On the final raka'ah the person moves to the jalsa from the sujud position and recites the complete tashahhud. Sunni Muslims then conclude the prayer by turning their face toward the right shoulder and then toward the left shoulder, each time saying a salutation to all the world on the right of them and the same salutation to all the world on the left of them. It is like one has returned from the court of their Master and these are the good tidings they have brought back for the world by saying 'Peace to you and mercy of Allah'.

After the prayers are completed it is common (but not compulsory) for Muslims to offer a supplication (du'a) to God. This supplication, which essentially gives Muslims an opportunity to ask God for forgiveness and blessings, can be offered in any language.

Types of prayers

Prayers may be classified into four categories of obligation: fard, wajib, sunnah, and nafl.

Fard As-salat

The fard as-salat are the five compulsory daily prayers, the Friday prayer (jumu'ah), and the funeral prayer (janazah). Nonperformance of fard as-salat renders one a non-Muslim according to the Hanbali Sunni School, while for the other Sunni schools it renders one a sinner. The denial of its compulsory status, however, is agreed upon by all Sunni schools to render the denier outside the fold of Islam. Fard prayers (as with all fard actions) are further classed as fard al-ayn (obligation of the self) and fard al-kifayah (obligation of sufficiency). Fard al-ayn are those actions which are obligatory on each individual; he or she will be held to account if the actions are not performed. Fard al-kifayah are actions obligatory on the Muslim community at large, so that if some people within the community carry it out no Muslim is considered blameworthy, but if no one carries it out all incur a collective punishment.

Men are required to perform the fard salah in (jama'ah), behind an imam when they are able. According to most Islamic scholars, performing prayers in congregation is obligatory for men, when they are able, but is neither required nor forbidden for women.

The five daily prayers

Muslims are commanded to perform prayers five times a day. These prayers are obligatory on every Muslim who have reached the age of puberty, with the exception being those who are mentally ill, too physically ill for it to be possible, menstruating, or experiencing post-partum bleeding. Those who are ill or otherwise physically unable to offer their prayers in the traditional form are permitted to offer their prayers while sitting or lying, as they are able. The five prayers are each assigned to certain prescribed times (al waqt) at which they must be performed, unless there is a compelling reason for not being able to perform them on time.

Some Muslims offer voluntary prayers (sunna rawatib) immediately before and after the prescribed fard prayers. Sunni Muslims classify these prayers as sunnah, while Shi'ah consider them nafil. The number of raka'ah for each of the five obligatory prayers as well as the voluntary prayers (before and after) are listed below:

Sunni Muslims also perform two raka'ah nafl (voluntary) after the Dhuhr and Maghrib prayers. During the Isha'a prayer, they perform the two raka'ah nafl after the two Sunnat-Mu'akkadah and after the witr prayer.

: According to Shia Muslims, these are to be performed in sets of two raka'ah each, This is not the case for Sunni muslims. : According to Sunni Muslims, for the Sunnat Raka'ah there is a difference between Sunnat-Mu'akkadah (obligatory) and Sunnat-Ghair-Mu'akkadah (voluntary). The Sunnat-Mu'akkadah was prayed by Muhammed daily. This was not the case for the Sunnat-Ghair-Mu'akkadah. : Mustahab (praiseworthy) to do everyday. (Shias) : Replaced by Jumu'ah on Fridays, which consists of two raka'ah. : According to Imam Abu Hanifa, "Asr starts when the shadow of an object becomes twice its height (plus the length of its shadow at the start time of Dhuhr)." For the rest of Imams, "Asr starts when the shadow of an object becomes equal to its length (plus the length of its shadow at the start time of Dhuhr)." Asr ends as the sun begins to set. : According to Shia Muslims, 'Asr prayer and 'Ishaa prayer have no set times but are performed from mid-day. Zuhr and 'Asr prayers must be performed before sunset, and the time for 'Asr prayer starts after Zuhr has been performed. Maghrib and 'Ishaa prayers must be performed before midnight, and the time for 'Ishaa prayer can start after Maghrib has been performed, as long as no more light remains in the western sky signifying the arrival of the true night. : According to Shia Muslims, this prayer is termed nawafil. : Further information on the usage of the word "Isha" (evening) see:.

Jumu'ah

Salat al-Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer on Friday which replaces the dhuhr prayer. It is compulsory upon men to perform it in congregation, while women may perform it so or may perform dhuhr salat instead. Salat al-Jumu'ah consists of a sermon (khutba) given by the speaker (khatib) after which two raka'ah are performed. There is no Salat al-Jumu'ah without a khutba.

Wajib salat

Wajib As-salat are compulsory, non-performance of which renders one a sinner. However the evidence of the obligation is open to interpretation, with some of the madhab saying it is obligatory while others saying it is optional. To deny that a fard salah is obligatory is an act of disbelief while denying the obligation of a wajib salah is not disbelief. There are some who believe that as the 5 prayers are obligatory, it automatically renders all other prayers optional.

Sunnah salat

Sun'nah sal'ah are optional and were additional voluntary prayers performed by Muhammad — they are of two types — the 'Sun'nah Mukkaddah', those practiced on a regular basis which if abandoned cause the abandoner to be regarded as sinful by the Hanafi School and the 'Sun'nah Ghair Mukkaddah' those practiced on a semi-regular practice by Prophet Muhammad which all are agreed upon that its abandonment doesn't render one sinful.

Certain sunnah prayers have prescribed waqts associated with them. Those ordained for before each of the fard prayers must be performed between the first call to prayer (adhan) and the second call (iqama) which signifies the start of the fard prayer. Those sunnah ordained for after the fard prayers can be performed any time between the end of the fard prayers and the end of the current prayer's waqt. Any amount of extra raka'ah may be offered, but most madha'ib prescribe a certain number of raka'ah for each sunnah salah.

Nafl salat

Nafl salat (supererogatory prayers) are voluntary, and one may offer as many as he or she likes almost any time. There are many specific conditions or situations when one may wish to offer nafl prayers. They cannot be offered at sunrise, true noon, or sunset. The prohibition against salat at these times is to prevent the practice of sun worship.

Salat-al-Witr

Witr is performed after the salah of isha'a (dusk). Some Muslims consider witr wajib while others consider it optional. It may contain any odd number of raka'ah from one to eleven according to the different schools of jurisprudence. However, Witr is most commonly offered with three raka'ah.

To end prayers for the night after isha'a, the odd numbered raka'ah must have the niyyah of "wajib-ul-Lail", which is mandatory to "close" one's salat for that day.

Eid

Eid salat is performed on the morning of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. The Eid prayer is most likely an individual obligation (fard al-ayn) and Niyyah for both Eid salat is made as Wajib, though some Islamic scholars argue it is only a collective obligation (fard al-kifayah). It consists of two raka'at, with seven (or three for Imam Hanfi) takbirs offered before the start of the first raka'ah and five (or three for Imam Hanafi) before the second. After the salat is completed, a sermon (khutbah) is offered. However, the khutbah is not an integral part of the Eid salat. The Eid salat must be offered between sunrise and true noon i.e. between the time periods for Fajr and Dhuhr.

Istikhaarah

Salat al-Istikhaarah is a prayer performed when a Muslim needs guidance on a particular matter, such as whether they should marry a certain person. In order to perform this salah one should perform a normal two raka'at salah to completion. After completion one should say a du'a called the Istikhaarah du'a. The intention for the salah should be in one's heart to perform two raka'at of salah followed by Istikhaarah. The salah can be performed at any of the times where salah is not forbidden.

Exceptional circumstances

Dr. Muhammad Hedayetullah, scholar in comparative religion, in his book Dynamics of Islam (2006), stresses that even though salah is compulsory, flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances: For example, in the case of illness or a lack of space, a worshipper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when travelling. The salah must be performed in the Arabic language.

Qada

In certain circumstances one may be unable to perform one's prayer within the prescribed time period (waqt). In this case, the prayer must be performed as soon as one is able to do so. These prayers performed after the prescribed waqt are called qada. It is not permissible to deliberately miss performing the salat within its waqt with the intention of performing it afterwards. Hadhrat Jaabir narrates that Muhammad said: "The distinguishing factor between kufr and Imaan is the deliberate neglect of Salaat." (Muslim). It is preferred to read the Qada salaat in the order you missed them. i.e. if you missed both zohr and asr, when you read the qada namaaz, you should read the qada zohr before the qada asr. However, this is not a fardh act, it is just preferred.

Qasr and Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn

When travelling over long distances, one may shorten some prayers, a practice known as qasr. Furthermore, several prayer times may be joined, which is referred to as Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn. Qasr involves shortening the obligatory components of the Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha'a prayers to two raka'ah. Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn combines the Dhuhr and Asr prayers into one prayer offered between noon and sunset, and the Maghrib and Isha'a prayers into one between sunset and Fajr. Neither Qasr nor Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn can be applied to the Fajr prayer.

There is no reference to Qasr during travel within the Qur'an itself; the Qur'an allows for Qasr only when there is fear of attack.

Prayer in congregation

Prayer in (jama'ah) is considered to have more social and spiritual benefit than praying by oneself. When praying in congregation, the people stand in straight parallel rows behind the chosen imam, facing qibla. The imam, who leads the congregation in salat, is usually chosen to be a scholar or the one who has the best knowledge of the Qur'an, preferably someone who has memorised it (a hafiz) . In the first row behind the imam, if available, would be another hafiz to correct the imam in case a mistake is made during the performance of the salat. The prayer is performed as normal, with the congregation following the actions and movements of the imam as he performs the salat. , Berlin]] Upon entering the mosque, "Tahiyyatul masjid" must be performed; this is one of the rites of the mosque. Every Muslim entering the mosque is encouraged to perform these two rakats.

When the worshippers consist of men and women combined, a man is chosen as the imam. In this situation, women are typically forbidden from performing this role. This point, though unanimously agreed on by the major schools of Islam, is disputed by some groups, based partly on a hadith whose interpretation is controversial. When the congregation consists entirely of women and pre-pubescent children, one woman is chosen as imam.

When men, women, and children are praying, the children's rows are usually between the men's and women's rows, with the men at the front and women at the back. Another configuration is where the men's and women's rows are side by side, separated by a curtain or other barrier, with the primary intention being for there to be no direct line of sight between male and female worshippers, following a Qur'anic injunction toward men and women each lowering their gazes (Qur'an 24:30-31).

Quranist Salat

The concept of Quranist Salat Timings has been discussed in Hujjat Allah Al-Baligha (Arabic/Urdu) by Shah Waliullah. He said that there are 3 Salat timings (prayers) instead of the 5 Salats (prayers).

The numbers of regular Salat mentioned by their respective names in Arabic in the Qur'an are three as follows:

# Salat Fajr (Dawn Prayer) # Al-Salat Al-Wusta ( The Middle Prayer) # Salat Isha’a (Night Prayer)

According to Quranists, the three leftover Salat are not mentioned in Qur'an by their specific Arabic terms. Therefore, they do not consider them to be obligatory.

Salat timings according to Quranists and other minorities

Salat Timings of Qur'an are mentioned, in particular three salat times are described and that they are recorded in a written document. The Qur'an states that you should interrupt any activity you were previously doing to pray, as this betters the individual. Also noted is the volume at which the salat should be uttered, somewhere in between spoken aloud and spoken in a low tone.

The Fajr (Dawn) Prayer starts when the first thin ray of light is observed in the sky and ends at the first "taraf" (terminal) of the day, or sunrise

The middle or Salat Al-Wusta can be observed from the moment the sun begins its descend from its highest point in the sky (duluk al shams) until the darkness of the night (ghasaq al-layl) starts to set in, which is at sunset.

'Duluk ash-shams' can also mean 'sunset.' It literally means 'the rubbing of the sun.' The most accepted meaning is that this means the apparent rubbing of the sun with the horizon at sunset. Although, the meaning of a declining noon sun can also be found in Classical Arabic sources. Literally, it can imply a meaning of both sunset and dawn in its meaning of a sun making apparent contact i.e. 'rubbing' with the horizon.

The Qur’an, if we take the understanding of 'a declining noon sun' implies that the time of the Middle prayer ends with sunset.

Some Quranists however believe that there are only two Salat, dawn and dusk including the times of night close to these two periods.

Some groups like Ahl Al-Quran (www.ahl-alquran.com) and The Submitters believe that the 5 Salat as they are practiced by Muslims today were passed down from Abraham generationally through the Arabs and the Children of Israel, to then be inherited by those who adopted the Quran (and rejected by most Jews and Christians), as a ritual of the religion of Abraham.

Some extreme elements totally disavow prayer altogether through different interpretations of the word salat. In one reportedly obscure source, claimed to be a Slavic/Arabic dictionary (source of the report is from www.free-minds.org) the word is reported to mean 'Obligation.' Some erroneously see the word salat as a derivation of the root 'wasala' (defined as to connect/arrive) and one of its corresponding nouns 'silah', meaning connection. The word does have a meaning of 'to follow close behind' (See Lane's Lexicon) but other meanings not based on Classical Arabic dictionaries, which stray from the concept of prayer, have been proposed for the word within Quranist circles.

Virtues of Salat in ahadith

The Ahadith provide further details; as for example, when the Qur'an refers to three daily prayers (suras 11:114; 17:78–79; 30:17–18 and possibly 24:58), while the five daily prayers stipulated by the later Ahadith have been adopted by Muslims.

Abu Huraira RadiyAllahu `anhu narrates that once Muhammad asked his companions, 'Do you think that dirt can remain on a person bathing five times a day in a brook running in front of his door?' 'No', replied the compan­ions, 'No dirt can remain on his body.' Muhammad remarked: 'So, exactly similar is the effect of salat offered five times a day. With the grace of Allah, it washes away all the sins'.(Bukhari, Muslim)

Abu Umamah narrates that the Muhammad said, "Allah does not Listen to anything from His servant as He does to the two rakahs (of prayer) that he offers. Mercy descends over the servant's head as long as he remains in prayer." (Tirmidhi and Ahmad) As-Suyuti considers it sahih."

In Al-Muwatta, Imam Malik ibn Anas says: "It reached me that the Prophet said: '(Try to) keep to the straight path although you won't be able to do so completely; and know that the best of your deeds is salah, and only a (true) believer preserves his wudhu.'"

Abu Zar RadiyAllahu `anhu narrates that once Muhammad came out of his house. It was autumn and the leaves were falling off the trees. He caught a branch of a tree and its leaves began to drop in large number. At this he remarked, 'O, Abu Zar! when a Muslim offers his salat to please Allah, his sins are shed away from him just as these leaves are falling off this tree.'(Ahmad)

Sabrah bin Ma'bad Al-Juhani reported: Muhammad said, "Teach a boy Salat when he attains the age of seven years, and punish him (if he does not offer it) at ten." (Abu Dawood)

Abu Huraira narrated: Muhammad said, "The angels keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for anyone of you, as long as he is at his Mu,salla (praying place) and he does not pass wind (Hadath). They say, 'O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! be Merciful to him." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8, Hadith #436)

Hasan ibn Ali narrates that Muhammad stated: "He who recites Ayatul Kursi after obligatory salat, is in the protection of Allah til the next salat." from Tabarani, Majma uz-Zuwaid

Umm Farwah narrates that Muhammad asked which is the best of the good deeds. He said, "To offer Salat at the beginning of its prescribed time." From Abu Dawood

Abu Hurairah narrates that Muhammad said, "The first row of salat amongst the men is most rewarding and the last is the least; whereas the last rows of salat amongst the women are most rewarding and the first the least." from Muslim

Uthman bin Affan narrates that Muhammad said, "He who performed wudhu for salat and performed it properly and then went on foot to offer the obligatory salat and offered it along with the people or in congregation or in the masjid, Allah would forgive his sins." from Muslim

Abu Darda narrates that Muhammad said, "If three persons in a village or a forest do not offer the congregational salat, then shaitan fully overpowers them. So make it obligatory on yourself to offer salat in congregation. For undoubtedly the wolf eats only the stray goat." from Abu Dawood.....

Other

Devout Muslims sometimes develop a prayer bump, which is caused by the friction of rubbing one's forehead against the ground for a long period of time.

See also

Fajr

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha'a

Wudhu

Dhikr

Tasbih

Sabr (Islamic term)

Al-Afuw

Al Ghaffar

References

Further reading

Concerning the wisdom in the specified times of the five daily prayers, Author Bediüzzaman Said Nursi

Muslim Prayer Time and Calendar How to pray according to Shi'a Ja'fari School of law A reference for description of how to perform Salat. Detailed Instructions for Performing Islamic Prayers

External links

Prayer types in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with scientific benefits: Do You Pray Like Your Fathers?

iPhone app "alQibla" for worldwide prayer timings and qibla direction from anywhere on earth

Contact Prayer (Salat) time calculator

Prayer times for cities the world over

English translation of Salah and How to Pray

Determining time of Salah anywhere

Determining salat times during an air journey

The Five Pillars

"The Prophet's Prayer"

Various articles related to different rulings on Salah

Salat presentation in video, including how to perform salat in detail

Worldwide prayer time calculation

Qur’an and Science

Salat times according to location

Salaah: Complete interactive online guide

Living as a Muslim

Category:Salat