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Prayer in Islam

Prayer in Islam

Muslims often pray five times a day at specific times while facing the direction of Mecca. Muslim prayer is rather formal and ritualistic, like early Christian or Jewish prayer. Despite the formal nature of prayer, these times of prayer can often be very personal and meaningful. Muslim prayer is characterized by rules of respect and attitudes of politeness toward Allah*.

*Note: All Arab speakers use the word Allah for God – whether Christian or Muslim, despite differing beliefs.

“Praying correctly and at the appropriate time is one of the greatest indications of (Muslim) faith and a great sign of true religion”. Prayer is to be done with heart and body cleanliness, with cleanness of clothing and in a ceremonially clean place. The washing of the hands, nose, face, forearms, ears, and feet in preparation for Muslim prayer is important.

The Language of Prayer

Muslims place very strong emphasis on the exact postures and the words of their prayers (which are always in Arabic). Almost all Muslim prayer is concerned with reciting specific phrases from memory. In the course of the five regular prayer times a Muslim will prostrate himself before Allah a total of 34 times and he will repeat the following phrases:

“Allah is greater”
“Praised be my mighty Lord”
“Allah hears the one who praises him”

He will also recite the “Al-Fatiha” or another text from the Qur’an 17 times, the “Shadada” (Islamic creed), and the greeting of peace to all Muslims.

Answered Prayers

Muslims can make requests to God privately after they finish their ritual prayers. However, this is not done as often as Christians typically make requests. Muslims do not believe that God binds himself to his people through covenants. This is a key concept for understanding their attitudes toward answers to prayer and their lack assurance of God’s steadfast love towards them. In addition, because of the fatalism of Islam, Muslims generally have little faith that their requests will alter their circumstances. They generally believe that Allah’s desires (for good or ill) will always be done despite their activities or requests. Trusting in God for specific responses to prayer in the Christian sense is not practised among Muslims. This is a huge difference between Muslim and Christian religious experience.

See also  Pray for Mecca, Saudi Arabia

When Christians speak of prayer they mean direct two-way communication with God. Muslims never expect God to speak back to them directly at any moment and certainly not during prayer. The vast majority of Muslims will say that God only speaks through the Qur’an. Even Mohammed is said only to have heard from God indirectly through an angel. Christian prayer, on the other hand, is a combination of requests, thanksgiving and praise. The Bible says that we should “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and bless (praise) his name” (Psalm 100:4).

Prayer Ideas

  • Muslims need to come to know the Christ of Christian prayer. Pray that Muslims would come to believe that God Himself wants to communicate directly with them. Pray this specifically for any Muslims that you may know personally. Pray for the Muslims in your city, region and nation.
  • Pray for newly-converted Muslims, that they may develop real confidence in God as one who keeps His covenants, makes promises and who hears and answers prayer.
  • Christians need to share their prayer experience with Muslims in humility. Pray that God will give us wisdom when describing our Christian prayer experience so that God would be glorified and Muslims could understand Him better.

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9 Comments

  1. Um…what are you talking about? We DO make specific prayers to God, asking for forgiveness and help in our lives. We simply do it after we are done with the mandatory prayers to God. By postrating we completely humble ourselves before God, much like how Jesus, alayhi’ salaam, and the Old Testament prophets did.

  2. The reason that men and women are separated is because when we prostrate on the floor, it raises one’s buttocks. If this happened to a woman during prayer, she could be harmed if a man were watching her. So to prevent women from being harmed and men from being sexually stimulated, we make sure men and women pray in separate rooms.

  3. Salaam Alaykum.

    Thank you for asking this question. Women have the same obligations as men which are different in a few cases in order to lighten their burdens. For example, during prayer, men keep their hands close to their navels. Women are to make sure their breasts cannot be seen. There are clothing requirements for both men and women. Women, according to the Qur’an must cover their hair and must wear loose fitting clothing to make sure their private parts cannot be seen. While there are no Qur’anic verses or ahadith calling for complete covering (such as burqa or niqab) some women do it anyway. Men are to keep beards, keep their hair covered, make sure their private parts cannot be seen, and wear pants that begin and the navel and end at the ankles. Fasting during Ramadan is not required from pregnant women -they can fast after having given birth to their children. According to the ahadith, a Muslim is to be devoted first to his mother, then to his father. In fact, Muhammad, peace be upon him, once said that “paradise is at the mother’s feet”. You can learn more about the Islamic view of women and how Muslim women are to practice their religion in Surah al Nisa (Chapter 4 of the Qur’an, which you can find on many Islamic websites, simply by googling). I hoped this helped.

  4. I m married since 3 years. But after marriage I came to know that my husband already have his first wife. I faced lots of problems even I had to stay alone in one flat. He used to come very rarely to me. Still I managed everything and told him to treat both of us equally. But since 1 year I m staying with my father and he is not willing to come to me even not sending me any money. Recently I came to know that he also has a son with first wife. When I was pregnant he aborted my child. He is totally avoiding me. Plz dear brothers and sisters pray for me that my husband should come to me and give me all rights and treat me equally.

  5. In my village one Black magic man has killed approximately 60 poor people by his Black magic. He will ask bulk amount of Donation (ie Gold ring, Gold chain.. etc) for his family temple. If they are not donating that family will surely face a death. Some not donating people die in cancer by Black magic. I saw one dream on that Sudalaimadan came he told rich person will not going to death you tell to him .i will save him you ask one lakhs rubees &one coat. that they will ready to give he will remove Black magic.due to this person so much family suffering , people in tearing.so please keep and pray daily for all.

  6. Hi,

    Please pray for my kids future and education.
    My daughter is studying LKG. But not at all showing interest in studies. Her school teacher daily complaining that she is not at all opening her mouth.
    I am feeling bad. Please pray for her and she should get good name in her school.
    And also pray for my sons health and education.

    I want to buy land to build house and I am searching for last 4 months. I am not getting it. Please pray for me to get good place within my budget.

    Regards,
    Jhansi

  7. The only way to Heaven

    If We want go to one place that We do not know the way to that place,
    We need person that He ever go to that place or person from that place
    pick up us, thereby We do not lost .
    This way of thinking is very reasonable and It can accept by our logic

    If We want go to Heaven, We need person that He know the way go to
    Heaven or person from Heaven go to the Earth and He able go back
    again to Heaven . The person is Jesus . He go back to Heaven
    witnessed by his disciples (Acts 1:9-11) , so Jesus does not have
    Grave on the Earth. Jesus able bring You to Heaven , But other person
    that his grave on the Earth , then You does not know his spirit go to
    Heaven or go to Hell . This person not sure bring You to Heaven.

    How to follow Jesus by follow his word and do it .
    How to know his word by reading bible every day
    Please inform to every person who believe Jesus as God son.

  8. Please pray and support Oamar Mohammad and his wife Ashia Ferdous to have the utmost strength, health and peace in his life and the best for his loved ones, to get a great job anf financial support to support those around him, to get protection for himself, his family, friends and loved ones. To be protected along with everyone he knows from any harm or negative and do or intend no harm. Please pray for his education to succed, to receive good news and opportunities, to have joy and happy blessings in his way and the others.

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