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Prayer in Arabic is Salaat. Muslims are required to pray five daily prayers. The required prayers are called Fardh (required). Muslims also pray optional or extra prayers called Sunnah or Nafil. The five required daily prayers are:
Each prayer consists of bowing and prostrating. One set of bowing and prostrating is called a Ruka. Some prayers, such as the Funeral prayer has no bowing or prostrating (ruka).
The Quran does not specifically mention the times or the number of prayers or the manner in which we pray. This was shown to Muslims by the Prophet Mohammed. Prayer is mentioned throughout the Quran numerously. Very often when prayer is mentioned, Zakat, charity or alms giving, is also mention. Muslim scholars view prayer and Zakat as being very important because they are mentioned so often in the Quran.
Prayer is a means to make mankind remember that there is a supreme power that we must not ignore. By having the prayer spread throughout the day, one is always involved in remembering God. You start your day remembering God and you end your day remembering God. And in the short period of the day, you remember God three other times. The benefit here is, if a person is going to commit some kind of sin, he may think twice about it before committing it since he may already have finished his prayer or is soon to begin a prayer.
How many people would commit a crime if they knew the judge was watching them actually commit the crime. They would most certainly be convicted of the crime since the judge actually saw the individual commit it. There would not be any kind of defense against it.
If a person does not think about God, he may forget that God sees everything we do and think. He sees within our hearts and knows our desires. When a person prays, he prays directly to God. Part of the prayer is to recite a surah (chapter) from the Quran called the Fatiha. In this surah we recite that God is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. If Muslims truly believe this then they must think twice before they commit a sin. For how could one say that God is the Owner of the Day of Judgment and then go and knowingly cheat someone. How could someone purposely kill another human being knowing that he will pay for this sin in the hereafter?
There are many types of optional prayers. Some of them are:
1) Sunna or Nafil - these are prayers performed
before and after the five daily required prayers.
2) Funeral prayer (Salat-ul-Jinaza) - When a Muslim dies, other Muslims pray the
funeral prayer for the deceased. It consists of four Takbeer. After each takbeer,
some verses are recited.
3) The prayer for rain (salat-ul-isquaa) - This prayer consists of two rukas
(prostrations)
4) Taraweeh prayer - during Ramadhan salat-ul-Taraweeh prayer are
performed after the Isha prayer
There are many other prayers for specific reasons. All prayer is directed to God. Everything happens with the Will of God.
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posted 7/5/2003