The
first step of becoming a Muslim is to declare the Shahadah (Testimony of Faith).
The words mean, “I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except
Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of
Allah.”
Once
this is done, performing the ritual Prayer called Salah five times a day becomes
obligatory. Each Prayer must be performed at its specified time everyday.
It
is highly recommended that men perform the five daily Prayers in congregation at
a mosque. However, women—especially those with young children—may pray at
home. If there is not a mosque nearby, one can pray at home, school, the
workplace, et cetera.
Conscientious
performance of the ritual Prayers is an important quality of a believer that
distinguishes him from a non-believer, and it should be done in complete
humility and submissiveness to Allah. While performing the Prayer, a person
should give it his undivided attention. He should not look around, talk to
anyone, answer the door or phone, or attend to any worldly matters during
Prayer.
The
words of the ritual Prayer must be said in Arabic, though non-Arab new Muslims
can pray in their own language until they learn the Prayers in Arabic. The best
way to learn how to perform Prayer is to watch other Muslims. In sha’ Allah
(If Allah wills) we will soon have online a flash file to show you how to pray.
Names
and Times of the Five Prayers
The
times of the Prayer are determined by the position of the sun. Thus the times
vary from one place to another and from season to season. Most Muslims today
refer to a Prayer schedule published by their local mosque. You can also find
the exact times of the Prayers online at www.islamicfinder.com.
It
is best to pray right after the start of the time for the Prayer, but one may
wait a bit to pray. The Prayer is considered on time if it is offered before the
end of its time period. (See below.)
Fajr
or
Subh (Dawn Prayer) takes place before sunrise. At moderate latitudes, it
begins approximately one hour and twenty minutes before sunrise and ends about
ten minutes before sunrise.
Zhuhr
(Noon Prayer) begins just after the sun has passed the meridian. It lasts until
shortly before the ‘Asr Prayer begins.
‘Asr
(Afternoon Prayer) begins when the length of the shadow of an object is equal to
the object’s length plus the shadow’s length at noon. It ends about 10
minutes before sunset.
Maghrib
(Sunset Prayer) begins immediately after sunset. At moderate latitudes, it ends
before complete darkness approaches.
‘Isha’
(Night Prayer) begins, at moderate latitudes, when the sky is completely dark
and ends just before the Dawn Prayer.
Part
III: Praying in Congregation (Jama`ah)
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