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
Mashhad (Imam Reza's City)
The sacred city in Iran with Imam Reza's shrine, Iran's most visited pilgrimage destination.
Qiyam (Standing Position)
The standing position in prayer, during which the Quran is recited.
Bismillah (In the Name of Allah)
The formula "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," which opens prayer and action.
Sahih al-Bukhari (Bukhari's Authentic Collection)
The most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam al-Bukhari.
Isnad (Chain of Narration)
The chain of narrators connecting a hadith back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.