The Salah (Prayer)

Prayer or Salah is a daily act of worship, wherein we exhibit our submissiveness and glorify our Creator and Benefactor so that He may draw us closer, reward us with the best recompense, forgive us for our sins and increase us in steadfastness in Islam.


Each day you pray five times.:

1. Early-morning prayer (Fajr): It consists of two rak'as (two bowing positions). Its time starts with the end of night and the first appearance of dawn light and remains till sunrise.
2. Noon prayer (Dhuhr): It consists of four rak'as (four bowing positions). Its time starts as soon as the sun passes the zenith (Zawal) and remains until the time of Asr.
3. Afternoon prayer (Asr): It consists of four rak'as (four bowing positions). Its time starts around the mid point of Zawal and Sunset. It remains until the time of Magrib.
4. Sunset prayer (Magrib): It consists of three rak'as (three bowing positions). Its time starts as soon as the sun sets into the western horizon even though there is still light in the sky, and remains until the time of Isha.
5. Evening prayer (Isha): It consists of four rak'as (four bowing positions). Its time starts after the disappearance of twilight and the appearance of complete darkness and remains till midnight.

Friday prayer (Jumu'ah): It consists of two rak'as (two bowing positions). It is performed instead of noon prayer "Dhuhr"  and it is obligatory to perform this prayer with fellow Muslims in the mosque. Yet if one misses this prayer, he must perform four rak'as, just as if he were offering the usual daily noon prayer.

There are other prayers that are optional, but great of reward. They are as follows:

• Two rak'as before the early-morning prayer (Fajr).
• Four rak'as (performed in units of two rak'as) before noon prayer (Dhuhr) and two after it.
• Two rak'as after sunset prayer (Magrib).
• Two rak'as after evening prayer (Isha).
• Four rak'as (performed in units of two rak'as) after Friday prayer (Jumu'ah).
• After the optional prayer following the evening prayer (Isha), there is another optional prayer called "Witr". There is no fixed number of rak'as but the witr prayer should be odd in number. The minimum number of witr is one. 
• When you enter the Mosque, it is an established sunnah that you should offer a salutatory prayer of two rak'as before you sit.