SALAAH (THE MUSLIM PRAYER)

SALAH

CHAPTER 1
IBADAH
The word Ibadah comes from the Arabic "Abd", which means slave or servant of Allah. Man is a born subject and servant of Allah. When he turns to Allah with humility and devotion, he performs an act of Ibadah. Ibadah is a means for purifying man's physical and spiritual life. In Islam every good deed performed to seek the pleasure of Allah is an act of worship.
The obligatory rituals of Ibadah are prayers (Salaah), fasting (Saum), charity (Zakah), Pilgrimage (Hajj) and struggling in the ways of Allah (Jihad). These along with Iman (faith) are often called the pillars of Islam. Islam is an integral whole. It covers all aspects of man's life. The pillars unite all human activities, spiritual and material, individual and collective.
The obligatory rituals of Ibadah allow "faith" (Iman) to play a practical and effective role in human life. Ibadah is therefore something positive. It is a means by which the faithful can serve Allah as well as their fellow men.
The Salaah, which is the subject of this booklet, is an essential part of Ibadah. The Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to
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have said: "Salaah is the pillar of Islam and whosoever abandons it, demolishes the very pillar of religion."

CHAPTER 2
TAHARAH
Before a person can perform prayer, s/he must be clean and pure. The Quran says: "Truly Allah loves those who turn to Him and those who care for cleanliness." Cleanliness of mind, of body and of clothes is called Taharah or purification. It is only in such a state of purity that a Muslim may perform Salaah.
Purification of the body is attained by partial or total washing with clean water. The partial wash is known as Wudu or ablution, and the total wash is called Ghusl or the washing (bath) of the whole body.
Al-Wudu
The process of performing Wudu is as follows:
Mention the name of Allah by saying: "Bismillah-Hir-Rahma- Nir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.)
Wash both hands up to the wrists together three times, ensuring that every part including between the fingers is wet by water as shown in figures 1 (a) & (b).