Introduction to Prayer

There are 5 prayers during one day and it is obligatory for every Muslim.

It is the way of worshipping Allah and maintaining spiritual connection with Him.

Each prayer consists of a specific number of rakats (prayer cycles).

A rakat is one complete unit consisting of standing (qiyam), bowing (ruku'), prostration (sujood) and sitting. Each prayer has a prescribed number of rakats that must be performed.

Each rakat contains standing, bowing (ruku), prostration (sujood), and sitting.

During prayer, verses from the Quran and various supplications are recited in Arabic.

Prayer is important because:

- It strengthens the connection with Allah through regular remembrance of Him.

- It cleanses us from sins.

- It provides spiritual peace and tranquility.

- It helps develop discipline and self-control.

- It teaches us humility and submission.

Each prayer has its designated time, and prayer cannot be performed before the start or after the end of its prescribed time.

Note: For accurate tracking of prayer times, it's best to follow the prayer timetable used by the local Islamic community. Prayer times are adjusted to geographical location and season, ensuring accurate times for prayer in your area.

You can find prayer times:

- At the local mosque

- On the Islamic community website

- In printed form (yearly calendar)

- Using a mobile app for prayer times (Prayer Times)

Before prayer, the body, clothes, and place of prayer must be clean. This means we need to perform ablution (wudu - washing of specific body parts) before each prayer, and sometimes a full body wash (ghusl) is required. Also, the clothes we wear and the place where we pray must be free from impurities.

Ablution remains valid until it is invalidated by one of the mentioned reasons

What invalidates ablution:

- Relieving oneself

- Passing wind

- Deep sleep or loss of consciousness

When a person becomes in state of major impurity and needs to perform ghusl:

- After intimate relations

- After ejaculation in wakeful state or sleep

- During menstruation (hayd)

- During postnatal bleeding (nifas)

Note: In the first two cases (after intimate relations and ejaculation), the person must bathe before praying. In the other two cases (hayd and nifas), the woman will bathe after the end of menstruation or postnatal bleeding. During menstruation and postnatal bleeding, a woman is not obligated and cannot pray, and will not make up the missed prayers from this period.

How to perform ghusl according to sunnah:

1. Make intention for ghusl (intend in heart to begin the ritual bath).

2. Wash hands up to wrists.

3. Wash private parts and surrounding area.

4. Perform ablution as for prayer.

5. Pour water over head three times.

6. Pour water over right then left side of body.

7. Wash entire body, ensuring water reaches all parts.

Minimum for validity of ghusl is:

1. Make intention for ghusl.

2. Wash entire body so water reaches every part, including mouth and nose.

Clothing must be clean and cover the body in the prescribed manner:

- For men: covering from navel to below knees (note: shoulders should also be covered as it is disliked to pray with exposed shoulders)

- For women: entire body except face and hands

Prayer can be performed anywhere during the prescribed prayer time. This can be at work, while traveling, or at home. Men are recommended to pray in the mosque together with others whenever possible (the reward for prayer performed in congregation is 27 times greater than prayer performed alone), while women are allowed to pray in the mosque but it is preferable for them to pray at home.

Intention (Niyyah): Before beginning prayer, one must make intention in the heart for the specific prayer.

Ablution: Before prayer, if we don't have ablution, we need to perform it. This includes washing hands, mouth, nose, face, arms up to the elbows, wiping the head, washing ears and feet up to the ankles.

Cleanliness: Body, clothes, and place of prayer must be free from impurities.

Qibla: During prayer, we must face the Qibla, which is in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

Calmness and Focus: Before entering prayer, it's important to calm down, direct thoughts to the worship of Allah, and remove anything that might disturb our concentration.

Beginners should learn the meanings of dhikr and surahs recited in prayer to enjoy prayer more.

Learning Arabic script is important to read dhikr and surahs correctly, as it's impossible to accurately represent the pronunciation of dhikr and surahs in our language.

If you want to learn Arabic script, look for a Quran school near you or you can use the 'mSufara' app which you can download from Google Play or App Store, or at the link below:

Adhan

Adhan is the call to prayer that is recited from mosques before each of the five daily prayers. It informs Muslims about the beginning of prayer time and calls them to pray together in congregation. If someone wants to pray alone at home or elsewhere, it's not obligatory to recite adhan before prayer, but it is recommended.

The Adhan consists of the following words:

اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ

ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

ASH-HADU AN LA ILAHA ILLALLAH, ASH-HADU AN LA ILAHA ILLALLAH

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ

ASH-HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN RASULULLAH, ASH-HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN RASULULLAH

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ

HAYYA 'ALAS-SALAH, HAYYA 'ALAS-SALAH

Come to prayer, Come to prayer

حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلاَحِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلاَحِ

HAYYA 'ALAL-FALAH, HAYYA 'ALAL-FALAH

Come to success, Come to success

اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ

ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

LA ILAHA ILLALLAH

There is no god but Allah

In the Fajr adhan, after the words 'Hayya 'alal-falah', these words are added:

اَلصَّلاَةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ اَلصَّلاَةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ

AS-SALATU KHAYRUN MINAN-NAWM, AS-SALATU KHAYRUN MINAN-NAWM

Prayer is better than sleep, Prayer is better than sleep

Iqamah

Iqamah is the second call that is recited immediately before beginning the obligatory prayer. The text is the same as in adhan, except there is an addition after 'Hayya alal-falah' which states:

قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلاَةُ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلاَةُ

QAD QAMATIS-SALAH, QAD QAMATIS-SALAH

Prayer has begun, Prayer has begun

It is Sunnah (recommended) for the one who hears the adhan to repeat the words after the muezzin, except when the muezzin says 'Hayya alas-salah' and 'Hayya alal-falah', then one responds with:

لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ

LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH

There is no power nor might except with Allah

Note: Women are not obligated to recite either adhan or iqamah, whether praying alone or in a group, but when they hear the adhan, they may repeat its words.

After the adhan, it is recommended to recite this supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ

ALLAHUMMA RABBA HADHIHID-DA'WATIT-TAMMAH, WAS-SALATIL-QA'IMAH, ATI MUHAMMAADANIL-WASILATA WAL-FADILAH, WAB'ATHHU MAQAMAM-MAHMUDAN-ALLADHI WA'ADTAH

O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer to be offered, grant Muhammad the station of Al-Wasilah and honor, and raise him to the praiseworthy position that You have promised him

Prayer in congregation is recommended for men, and women are also allowed to pray in congregation in the mosque.

Rules for men:

- Men should regularly pray in congregation at the mosque whenever possible.

- The rows should be straight and tight, without gaps. Rows are filled from the middle towards the right and left sides.

- The first rows are best for men.

Rules for women:

- Women can pray in the mosque, but are also allowed to pray at home.

- When praying in the mosque, women form rows behind men.

General rules of congregation:

- Congregation is formed with minimum two believers - imam and one follower.

- Followers must follow imam in all prayer actions. When imam recites aloud (in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha), followers listen to his recitation, and when imam recites quietly to himself (in Dhuhr and Asr), followers also recite quietly to themselves.

Making up missed rakats:

- If you're late to prayer and find the imam in prayer, join immediately in whatever position the imam is in. The rakat you join counts as your first rakat.

Note: You are considered to have caught a rak'ah if you joined at the latest during ruku' (bowing). If you did not catch the ruku', that rakat is counted as missed and you must make it up.

- After the imam gives salam, you don't give salam, but stand up and make up missed rakats.

- Pray missed rakats in order as you would have prayed if you were there from beginning. For example, if you joined in the third rakat, that counts as your first rakat.

Example: If you missed 2 rakats of Dhuhr prayer:

1. Join imam whenever you find him

2. After imam's salam, stand up and pray remaining 2 rakats

3. Finish prayer normally with sitting and salam