Praying to Allah is a very important part of Islam. Called Salat. The Quran tells Muslims how they should pray. Muslims are expected to pray five times a day, no matter what they are doing, or where they happen to be.
Daily prayers occur just before sunrise, just after noon, later afternoon, shortly after sunset, and after dark. Muslims can pray at home or any place that is clean, but it is considered better to pray in a congregation in a mosque.
Observant Muslims heed the call to prayer five times a day. They repond to the following exhortation:
The text of the ‘Athaan’:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar,
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar.
Ashhadu allaa ilaaha illallaah,
Ashhadu allaa ilaaha illallaah.
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar-rasoolullaah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar-rasoolullaah.
Hayya ‘alas-salaah,
Hayya ‘alas-salaah.
Hayya ‘alal-falaah,
Hayya ‘alal-falaah.
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar.
La ilaaha illallaaah.
(Allaah is the greatest, Allaah is the greatest.
Allaah is the greatest, Allaah is the greatest.
I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allaah.
I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allaah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is Allaah’s Messenger.
I bear witness that Muhammad is Allaah’s Messenger.
Come to the prayer, Come to the prayer.
Come to prosperity, Come to prosperity.
Allaah is the greatest, Allaah is the greatest.
There is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allaah.)
The prayers consist of special words and actions, It is important to make the correct movement and say the words correctly.
Prayer begins by first performing wudu. Then begin by facing Makkah, putting our hands up to our ears, palms forward, saying Allahu akbar. In raising our hands, we try to put the world and all our worldly concerns behind us.
Each prayer is done in rakahs, or cycles.
The prayers have names and are performed at certain times of the day. Mosques have clocks that show the different times these prayers are performed.