What Is Salat (Namaz)

Salah is one of the fundamental pillars of islam. It was the first act of worship that was made obligatory by Allah and it is the last thing to be taken away from the religion. When it perishes, Islam will perish. Its obligation was revealed directly to the Prophet r, during his ascension to the heaven and it was made obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim.

Salah is the first action that a believer will be questioned about, for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

“The first act that the slave will be accountable for on the Day of Judgement will be prayer. If it is good, then the rest of his acts will be good. And if it is deficient, then the rest of his acts will be deficient”.

The importance of Salah is so great that one is ordered to observe it in all occasions, whether one is healthy or sick, whether one prays standing, sitting or lying down, whether one is travelling or residing and whether one is safe or in fear.

Salah is our key to success in this world and in the hereafter. Allah I says in His Glorious Book, “Successful indeed are the believers who are humble in their prayers” and in another verse “And who pay heed to their prayers. These are the heirs who will inherit Paradise. There will they abide ” (al-Mu’minun: 1-2, 9-11).

Definition Of Salah:

The Arabic word Salah originates from the word silah which means connection. The Islamic definition of Salah is the name given to the formal prayer of Islam. The prayer is one of the obligatory rites of the religion, to be performed five times a day by every obedient adult Muslim. It is a connection between the human and his Creator Allah.

2nd Pillar of Islam:

Salah is the second pillar of Islam. Performing Salah is the first priority after belief in the Oneness of Allah I and in the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). It is such an important pillar, that Muslims are called upon to perform this act of worship in all circumstances without fail.

Who Must Pray:

Prayer is obligatory upon every sane adult Muslim. A person is considered an adult upon reaching puberty. There are four signs of puberty (any one of these signs means the person has reached puberty): 1. Wet dreams 2. Pubic hair 3. Menstruation (for girls) 4. Reaching the age of 15 (lunar years).

The Names and Times of the 5 Daily Salah:

Fajr - The Dawn Prayer

is performed after dawn and before sunrise. It consists of 2 units (raka’ah).

Dhuhr - The Noon Prayer

is performed when the sun begins to decline from the zenith point. It consists of 4 units (raka’ah).

Asr - The Afternoon Prayer

is performed midway between noon and sunset. It consists of 4 units (raka’ah).

Maghrib - The Sunset Prayer

is performed immediately after sunset. It consists of 3 units (raka’ah).

Isha - The Night Prayer

is performed after twilight up until fajr although it is preferred to be prayed before the middle of the night. It consists of 4 units (raka’ah).

Remember, it is best to perform each of the five obligatory prayers as soon as the time has commenced, as it is not permitted to delay them without a valid reason, and it must not be delayed beyond its permitted time.

It is a major sin to miss a prayer deliberately; the missed prayer must be made up as soon as it is remembered. Any made-up prayer is performed in the exact manner it is prayed during it’s specified time

Allah says: “Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed times”

(Al-Nisaa 4:103)

In ayat 45 of Surah Ankabut (29) Allah assures the Muslims that Innas Salata tanha ‘anil fahsha-i wal munkar (Surely, Salah keeps one away from shameful and evil deeds.)

The Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) said: “Ask your children to pray at the age of seven and chastise them to do so at the age of ten, and separate them (boys and girls) in their beds.”

(Abu Daud and At-Tirmithi)

The Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) said: “The line of demarcation between a Muslim and a Kafir is the giving up of Salah.

[Tarkus Salah].” (Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) once said to his Companions: “If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day, would you notice any dirt on him?” They said, “Not a trace of dirt would be left.” The Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) said: “That is the example of the five obligatory prayers with which Allah blots out evil deeds.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).