Aslim to Islam: 2013

The Five Daily Prayers in Islam - Salah

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Prayer or salah is the second pillar of Islam. It is a must for all Muslims. We should try to perform our five daily prayers on time and try to avoid delaying them or abandoning them altogether.

The Five Daily Prayers in Islam are as follow:

1. Fajr – dawn prayer

2. Duhr – afternoon prayer

3. Asr – mid-afternoon prayer

4. Maghrib – sunset prayer

5. Isha – night prayer

How many rakahs in the five daily prayers?

· Fajr – 2 rakahs

· Duhr – 4 rakahs

· Asr – 4 rakahs

· Maghrib – 3 rakahs

· Isha – 4 rakahs

How many voluntary/sunnah prayers to offer?

12 total sunnah prayers daily, and end before the time for fajr.

1 witr prayer after Isha, up until the time for fajr.

· Fajr – 2 before fajr

· Duhr – 4 before Duhr, and 2 after Duhr

· Asr - none

· Maghrib – 2 after Maghrib

· Isha – 2 after Isha

The Adhan or Call to Prayer in Islam

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Wording of the Adhan or Call to Prayer

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar

Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illallaah

Ash hadu allaa ilaaha illallaah

Ash hadu anna muhammadar rasoolullaah

Hayaa alassalaah, hayaa alassalaah

Hayaa alal falaah, hayaa alal falaah

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar

Laa ilaaha illallaah

Translation of the Adhan or Call to Prayer in English

Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great

I testify that there is no god but Allah

I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Hasten to prayer, hasten to prayer

Hasten to success, hasten to success

Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great

There is no god but Allah

The Faith of a Muslim – Iman

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Iman means Faith. Faith means complete trust in God,that is to believe in Him with all your heart without any doubt. So, Iman is a state in which the heart accepts the truth and lives by it, by the lips, tongue and limbs.

A Muslim has faith (Iman) in the following six:

1. Allah

2. His Angels

3. His Books

4. His Messengers

5. The Day of Judgment

6. Divine Destiny

I ask Allaah, the exalted, to guide us and keep us on the straight path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us His blessings and mercy, for He is indeed the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on Prophet Muhammad and his righteous followers.

The Masjid or Mosque

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The masjid or mosque or a place of worship is a place where muslim male go to pray five times a day. Females pray at home which is better for them. When the time for salat/prayer arrives the Muadhdin calls out the Adhan(call to prayer) from the masjid so that everyone knows that they should stop what they are doing and get ready for salat.

How to Get Ready for Salah

To get ready for salat one must first make wudu then enter the masjid with the right foot and say: Bismillah, wassalaatu wassalaamu ‘alaa rasoolillaah Allahummaftah lee abwaaba rahmitik, (In the name of Allah and prayers and peace be upon Allah’s messenger. O Allah, open the gates of your mercy for me). Then, offer two rakahs as a greeting to the masjid if praying has not started. No one should enter the masjid without greeting it before sitting. Offer two rakahs just like fajr prayer when greeting the masjid.

Etiquette of Entering the Mosque

Enter the mosque with your right foot and say: Bismillah, wassalaatu wassalaamu ‘alaa rasoolillaah Allahummaftah lee abwaaba rahmitik, (In the name of Allah and prayers and peace be upon Allah’s messenger. O Allah, open the gates of your mercy for me

Etiquette of Leaving the Mosque

After salah, leave the masjid with your left foot first and say: Bismillaah, wassalaatu wassalaamu ‘alaa rasoolilaah, Allaahumma innee as’aluka min fadlik ((In the name of Allah and prayers and peace be upon Allah’s messenger. O’Allah, I ask you of your bounty).