Salah/Prayer

Definition:

‘It is a compulsory ritualized Islamic practice in which Muslims pray to God five times a day.’

 Urdu: namaz
 English: prayer
 Arabic: salaat

Lexicology:

Root word: Salu

 Bondingconnection of man and God

 stretching practices

Types of salaat:

1. Farz:
i. Fajr
ii. Zuhr
iii. Asr
iv. Maghrib
v. Isha
2. Wajib:
i. Jummah
ii. Eid
iii. Witr
3. Sunnat:
i. Moakkadah
ii. Ghair moakkadah
iii. E.g salaat al trawih
4. Nafl (voluntry ):
i. Tahajjud
ii. Farz
iii. Kifaya
iv. Istikhara
v. Tauba
vi. Hajat
vii. Ishraq, chasht
viii. Kasoof
 ix. Khasoof
x. Istisqa
xi. Khauf
xii. Tahiyyat al-masjid
xiii. Tahiyyat al-wudu
xiv. Safar
xv. Tasbih

Particulars of daily five prayers

Prayer Sunnah Fardh Sunnah Nawafil total

before fardh after fardh
Fajr 2 2 -- -- 4
Zuhr 4 4 2 2 12
Asr 4 4 -- -- 8
Maghrib -- 3 2 2 7
Isha 4 4 2 2+3 witr+2 17

Benefits and impacts of Salaah

Personal

 Punctuality ; (4:103)
 Humility
 Discipline

Social

 Social unity
 Increased mutual cooperation
 Consultation in problems
 Awareness of surrounding

Physical

 Exercise
 Cleanliness of body (taharat)
 Break from routine
  Cleanliness of surrounding
 Early to bed; early to rise

Spiritual

 Closeness to Allah; ‘A Muslim is closer to Allah in prostration.’ Sahih Muslim

 Check against evil and indecency
 Psychological stability and peace of mind
 Hope

National

 Plate form to raise concerns and engage masses e.g. revolution in Iran, revolution in Egypt, Azan
in mosques during 1965 war in Pakistan,

Global

 Conformity (mutaabiqa) in Muslim Ummah

 Unity of Muslims (Ikhwan ul Muslimin)
 Solidarity internationally

Economic

 Much needed respite from work ( increases productivity )

 Historic jummah markets and trade fairs

Political

 Very strong statement of political solidarity expression

Moral

 Fahshaa I al munkar; ‘verily salaat saves from evil and sin.’ Hadith
 River bathing; hadith