10 Facts about Muslim Prayer

10 Facts about Muslims and Prayer

· Prayer is known as salat by Muslims. In Arabic salat means to connect and prayer is about connecting with Allah by taking time out from everything else in the world. For Muslims this creates a personal peace that you cannot find in the world and can only come from Allah.

· Prayer is the second of the Five Pillars of Faith and it us a duty for Muslims to pray five times each day. They pray at dawn, midday, late afternoon, just after sunset and again before midnight. These are not precise times but windows of time when prayer should take place.

· Muslims usually pray in the Mosque but they can pray anywhere. Many work places in the UK have prayer rooms. If there is no place to pray a Muslim can just put their prayer mat down facing Mecca and begin praying.

· Muslim always face Mecca when they pray and Mosques are built facing Mecca. You can buy a special compass that tells you which way you need to kneel in order to face Mecca. Everyone facing in one direction helps to create unity and a sense of community and belonging.

· Ablutions called wudhu must take place before prayer. Footwear is removed and hands, feet and face are washed. Mosques provide a special place for this to take place. Wudhu is a way of preparing for the important act of praying and is about becoming pure before speaking to Allah.

· The prophet Muhammed taught that prayer is a spiritual cleansing and through daily prayer Allah wipes a way a person's sins. It also helps Muslims to avoid temptation and evil in their lives.

· The daily ritual of prayer has been performed for over 1400 years and it sets the pattern of the day and unites millions of Muslims across the world.

· Muslims are called to prayer by the muezzin who calls from the minaret. In the modern technological age some Mosques play a recording of the call to prayer.

· Prayer is a set of words, actions and thoughts and is the uniting of the body, mind and soul. The Qur'an is also recited during prayers

· Prayer is tied in with giving (zakat) and caring for others. Praying with others in the Mosque helps Muslims to discover who us in need and who needs their care and help.