Learning to Pray

Learning Salah

  • After Shahadah, the second pillar of faith is to pray Salah. "O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer." (2:153)
  • If you go to any masjid around the world you will see Muslims pray Salah in the same Arabic words and perform the same movements. A printable translation of the prayer can be found here.
  • Salah is perscribed at 5 times per day and each prayer is made of units called "rakat." Dawn or Fajr is 2, Noon or Dhuhr is 4, Afternoon or Asr is 4, Sunset or Maghrib is 3, and Night or Isha is 4. Prayers are performed within their designated windows before the start of the next prayer.
  • In order to pray Salah a person must be in a state of "wudu" or purity.
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Learning Dhikr

Dhikr means remembrance of God. This includes phrases you may here among muslims such as like

  • Mashallah (ما شاء الله): What Allah has willed (a response to beauty and good news)
  • SubhanAllah (سُبْحَانَ اللّٰه): Glory be to Allah (an expression of awe used like "wow").
  • Alhamdulillah (الْحَمْدُ للهِ): All praise is due to Allah (an expression of graditude).
  • Allahu Akbar (اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ): Allah is the Greatest (an expression of celebration).
  • La ilaha illallah (لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ): There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (an expression of faith).
  • Astaghfirullah (أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰه): I seek forgiveness from Allah.
  • Bismillah (بسم الله): In the name of Allah (used to start tasks to seek blessings and guidance)
  • A great journal with dhikr and dua can be found here

wudu

Learn wudu here: video

Learning Dua

Dua means prayer, but unlike Salah it can be made anytime, in any language, and without fixed steps. Some themes from the duas in the quran include prayers of(1) Graditude, (2) Repentance, (3) Hope, (4) Fear. Below are some beautiful prayers from the Quran.
  • Prophet Musa (AS) in Surah Al-Qasas (28:24): Arabic: رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ Translation: "My Lord, truly I am in need of whatever good You may send to me."
  • Prophet Yunus (AS) Surah Al-Anbya 21:87: لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ Translation: "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.
  • Surah Al-Baqarah 2:201: Arabic: رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ Translation: "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire".
  • Let us be of those who pray and remember Allah in whatever we do.
  • Surah Al Imran 3:191 : Arabic: ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ Translation:˹They are˺ those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.