Pillars of Islam -Salat....

A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards the prayers."


He replied: "You have to offer perfectly the five compulsory prayers in a day and night (24 hours), unless you want to pray Nawafil."


The bedouin further asked, "Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards fasting."
He replied, "You have to fast during the whole month of Ramadan, unless you want to fast more as Nawafil."


The bedouin further asked, "Tell me how much Zakat Allah has enjoined on me."
Thus, Allah's Apostle informed him about all the rules (i.e. fundamentals) of Islam.


The bedouin then said, "By Him Who has honored you, I will neither perform any Nawafil nor will I decrease what Allah has enjoined on me.


Allah's Apostle (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said, "If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted Paradise)."


[Bukhari Book:31 No:115]




Obligatory Prayers


Pillars Of Islam Prayer (Salat). Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers that are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam and there are no priests. Prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur’an and is generally chosen by the congregation.Prayers are said at dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. These five prescribed prayers contain verses from the Qur’an, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation. Personal supplications, however, can be offered in one’s own language and at any time.Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Oftentimes visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.


Pillars of Islam -Salat:


Salat is an Arabic word whose meaning is prayer. Salat is the second pillar of Islam after Shahadah (Believe in oneness of Allah and prophet hood of Muhammad (SAW)). Salat is the Arabic name of formal prayer in Islam. Salat is ritual prayer and have some defined conditions, procedures and times. Allah Almighty Says in Quran,
“I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship (and serve) Me.”(51:56)
Salat is obligatory for all adult Muslims According to Quran and Sunnah. To perform Salat, one must be clean and pure. Physical purity is mainly achieved by ritual of Ablution. The place of Salat should be clean as well and so should be clothes one is wearing. Salat is performed five times a day depending upon the movement of sun. Salat consists of two or more units of sequence of actions and words, prescribed by Muhammad (SAW). The number varies according to their timings and special circumstances (Friday and Eid salat etc). There are some exceptions for some or all the actions of Salat for those who are physically unable to complete them. The prescribed words remain obligatory.
The importance of Salat can be considered by the fact that it is mentioned 70 times in Quran. Allah Almighty says, in Quran,
   “To those whose hearts when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them.”(22:35)


Friday Prayer (Salat Al Jumu’ah):


Jumu’ah, also known as jum’ah, Friday prayer, is a congregational prayer (salat) that we Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of noon time (dhuhr).When the call is made for prayer on Friday, then people should leave off business; everything, and go to pray. That’s why, on Fridays, Shops, Supermarkets, Shopping Malls, Restaurants and everything else opens after the Friday Prayer (Around 3:00 p.m).The jumu’ah prayer is half the dhuhr prayer, for convenience, preceded by a khutba (a sermon as a technical replacement of the two reduced raka’ahs (2) of the ordinary dhuhr prayer), and followed by a communal prayer, led by the imam (3).In most cases the khatib (4) also serves as the imam. Attendance is strictly incumbent upon all adult males who are legal residents of the locality, females are also permitted to go to the Mosque to perform the Friday prayers, and have a section that is separated from men in which they pray with fellow Muslim women, though it is only obligatory on all Muslim males.


Salah:


Salah, or ritual prayer, which must be performed five times a day. Each salah is done facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on God, and is seen as a personal communication with him that expresses gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on circumstances. In many Muslim countries, reminders called Adhan (call to prayer) are broadcast publicly from local mosques at the appropriate times. The prayers are recited in the Arabic language, and consist of verses from the Qur’an.