Islam Prayer

Islam prayer ensures that prayers are said five times each day and the timings are spread evenly throughout the day, so that a Muslim is constantly reminded of God and given sufficient opportunities to seek forgiveness and guidance from Him.

There are five obligatory prayers, which are rewardable and other optional prayers to perform. A praying Muslim must have reached the state of mental discrimination which is when a child reaches about seven lunar years.

Before a Muslim prays they must have the proper Taharah, purification. This means that they perform wudu’, ablution, or ghusl, full shower to remove najas, filthy substances.

There are substances, najas, which not be on a person’s body, clothes, place of prayer or carried when praying. This includes urine, faeces, blood, vomit, pus and penis or vaginal discharges, except maniyy, semen and the woman’s fluid of orgasm, as these are not regarded as filthy.

After urinating or defecating the person uses toilet paper to dry and then pours water on the area. It is acceptable to use just toilet paper or water only. However, the urine must not go past the exit area and faeces must not spread past the buttock area.

Ablutions, wudu, has recommended and obligatory parts which include washing of the hands, wrists, nose, mouth, ears, forearms and elbows, as some parts are washed Muslims say ‘inwardly’ specific words.

Muslims observe the formal Islam prayer at the following times:
The prayer Fajr begins the day and is performed before sunrise to start the day in remembrance of God.

The next prayers, Dhuhr, are said after the day’s work has begun and take place after noon to remember God and seek His guidance.

‘Asr are the prayers said in the late afternoon and Muslims believe that although they may be busy with their daily lives it is important to give time to remember God and the greater meaning of their lives.

Just after sunset Maghrib are the prayers which are said to remember God as the days comes to a close.

Before going to bed Muslims take time to remember God’s presence, guidance, mercy and forgiveness by performing Isha.

In Muslim communities people are reminded of the prayer times through the calling of the adhan. For Muslims who live Muslim minority communities adhan programmes of Muslim prayer schedules are available and these give Islam prayer schedule times across the world to encompass all time zones.