salat

Salat, also transliterated as salah or salat, refers to the Islamic ritual prayer performed by Muslims. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is regarded as a direct act of worship directed to God. The word comes from an Arabic root meaning to bow or to pray. The practice is performed five times daily at prescribed times and serves as a regular reminder of faith and submission to God.

Preparation for salat includes ritual purification (wudu) and clothing that is clean and modest. Practitioners face the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, and recite verses from the Quran during the prayer. Each unit of salat, called a rak'ah, includes standing, bowing (ruku'), prostrating (sujood), and sitting, with the most important recitation being Surat al-Fatiha in every rak'ah.

Salat is performed at five fixed times: Fajr before dawn; Dhuhr after solar noon; Asr in the afternoon; Maghrib just after sunset; and Isha after twilight. In many communities, adhan (call to prayer) signals the times, and Friday midday prayers (Salat al-Jumu'ah) are held in place of the Dhuhr prayer, with a sermon. Practices and exact numbers of obligatory versus voluntary units vary among Islamic schools.