Salah (Prayer)
The Islamic ritual prayer, performed five times daily.
Salah (Arabic: صلاة) is the Islamic ritual prayer and constitutes the second of Islam's five pillars. Salah is obligatory for all adult Muslims and must be performed five times a day at specific times: Fajr (dawn prayer), Dhuhr (noon prayer), Asr (afternoon prayer), Maghrib (sunset prayer) and Isha (night prayer).
The prayer begins with a niyyah (intention) and consists of a set number of rak'ah (prayer cycles), which vary depending on which prayer is being performed. During the prayer, one recites Surah Al-Fatiha and other verses from the Quran, performs ruku (bowing) and sujud (prostration with the forehead touching the ground).
Salah is a direct connection between the believer and Allah. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The first thing a person will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer." Prayer purifies the soul, strengthens faith and reminds the believer of Allah's greatness and presence in daily life.
For the prayer to be valid, one must be in a state of ritual purity (wudu), face the Qibla (the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca), and pray within the correct time interval.
Related terms
Nahj al-Balagha (The Peak of Eloquence)
Imam Ali's collection of sermons and wise sayings, central to Shia prayer tradition.
Waqt (Prayer Time)
The specific time interval within which a prayer must be performed.
Isnad (Chain of Narration)
The chain of narrators connecting a hadith back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
A'mal (Acts of Worship)
Specific acts of worship and rituals for particular days and occasions.
Taqlid (Following a School of Law)
The practice of following a qualified scholar's legal opinions without necessarily knowing the evidence.