What is Salah?

Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are
a direct link between the worshipper and God with no earthly intermediaries. A prayer takes
a few minutes to perform.

What, no Priests?
There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned 
person (Imam) who knows the Qur'an, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain
verses from the Qur'an, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal
supplication can be offered in one's own language. 

An Audience with God
Each prayer is practically an audience with God. Facing in the direction of the Kaaba (the
first mosque ever, built by patriarch Abraham and his son Ismail for the worship of the One
God, at the site which long later became the city of Makkah in Arabia), the prayer is opened
by saying "Allah Akbar", ie. God is Greater (than all else), and practically you are turning 
your back to all the universe and are addressing God. One of the constant readings during
prayer is the Opening Chapter of the Quran that reads "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the 
worlds. The Compassionate, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. You only do 
we worship and to You only we cry for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those
on whom You have bestowed Your grace, those whose lot is not wrath, and who go not 
astray." (1:1-7) Bowing down and prostrating oneself (to God) interjecting "Glory to my
Lord the Great", "Glory to my Lord the Highest", "Allah listens to those who thank Him" 
and what fills one's heart by way of supplication, the prayer is concluded in the sitting position
by reiterating the affirmation of the faith, the Shahada, and seeking God's peace and blessings
on Mohammad and Abraham and their people and followers. 

When and where
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the
rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim 
may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to
the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life. Performing daily prayers
is an act of communication between humans and God. The prayers are considered a duty for
all Muslims,and on these occasions preparations in ritual purity are required. 

Ritual prayer and worship
Ritual prayer (Salah) is a distinct entity from worship in its wider sense, that is communicating
your feelings to God at any time in any place and asking for His guidance, help and forgiveness, 
an ingredient of life which is highly commendable whether in Islam or other religions. Salah 
takes a special form and content, where both body and soul are harmoniously involved.

In prayer, every muscle of the body joins the soul and the mind in the worship and glory of
Allah. Prayer is an act of worship. It is a matchless and unprecedented formula of intellectual
meditation and spiritual devotion, of moral elevation and physical exercise, all combined.

Congregational prayer and Mosques
Although salah can be performed alone, it is meritorious to perform it with another or with
a group. The word mosque comes from the Arabic masjid, meaning "place of prostration."
Although it is permissible to pray at home, at work, or even outdoors, it is recommended
that Muslims perform salah in a mosque.

Who is it applicable to?
Offering of prayers is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who is sane, mature
and in the case of women free from menstruation and confinement due to child birth.

How is it performed?
Requirements of prayer: performing of ablution (Wudu), purity of the whole body, clothes
and ground used for prayer, dressing properly and having the intention and facing the
Qiblah (the direction of the Ka'bah at Mecca). Only around the Kaaba mosque in Makkah
do Muslims stand in circles for their prayers (quite an impressive scene). All the world 
over they are in straight lines, leaving no gaps, and facing Makkah. 

Remebering the Creator
Praying to the Creator on a daily basis is the best way to cultivate in a man a sound 
personality and to actualize his aspiration. Allah does not need man's prayer because He
is free of all needs. Prayer is for our immeasurable benefit, and the blessings are beyond
imagination. 

In addition to the prescribed prayer, a Muslim expresses gratitude to God and appreciation
of His favors and asks for His mercy all the time. Especially at times of, for example,
childbirth, marriage, going to or rising from bed, leaving and returning to his home, starting 
a journey or entering a city, riding or driving, before or after eating or drinking, harvesting,
visiting graveyards and at time of distress and sickness.

Friday Prayers
The noon congregational prayer of Friday afternoon is mandated to be a collective and 
must be said in a Mosque, and is preceded by a sermon (Khutba). The Imam (prayer 
leader) is not a priest nor need be the same person every time, but considerations of 
scholarship and knowledge of the Quran and the religion are exercised in choosing him 
(doctors, teachers, business people and others as well as religion scholars are commonly
featured in bearing this responsibility).

Conclusion
Prayer, obligatory and spontaneous, is an immense spiritual treasure to be tapped. It inspires
peace, purity and tranquility and instills companionship with God. It amazingly reduces the
hustle and bustle of life to tame proportions. By their spacing to five times a day, including
its beginning, prayers tend to maintain a therapeutic level and practically leave no room for
mischievous thought or deed. 

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