Imam Sadiq [a] said: “If there be a stream at the house of one of you in which the one washes himself five times a day, will there remain anything from the dirt over his body? Verily, the likeness of prayers is the same as the stream. The person who establishes ritual prayers clears out his sins thereby, except for the sin that takes him out from Faith he believes in.” — Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 82, p. 236       Prayer is one of the most important acts in the Branches of Islam (Furooa-a-Deen). Prayer is one of the most important acts in the Branches of Islam (Furooa-a-Deen).  It is way to worship Allah showing love and devotion to Him.  It keeps the soul and mind free from any pollution such as paganism.  Prayer is also a cleansing agent for our hearts and soul.  It brings spiritual happiness and prevents our souls from becoming depressed, dull, or sad.  When making prayer a habit, it discourages carelessness and helps to progress oneself in life.  If a person’s prayer is accepted, then other acts of worship are accepted.  If a person thinks that prayer is unimportant and ordinary, then he is like the person who does not pray.  The word prayer in Arabic is “salat” and in Urdu and Persian it is “namaz”.   The Wajib(obligatory) prayers   1) Five daily prayer     6) Salat Al-Kassam 2) Salat Al-Ayyat       7) Salat Al-Juma 3) Salat Al-Mayyat     8) Salat Al-Istejara 4) Salat Al-Tawaf       9) Salat Al-Qatha 5) Salat Al-Nithir       10) Salat Al-Ehtiyat     Rules for prayer  1) One must be pure (tahar) and wear pure clothing. 2) Perform ablution (Wudhu). 3) Face the correct direction towards the Kaba (Qibla). 4) Must cover all private areas of the body (for women it must be the modest dress, the Hijab.)     Places to Pray 1) Must be lawful:  One must receive permission to pray on the property unless it is for public use. 2) Should be motionless:  Boats and planes should be avoided, but if there is no other place then he/she should try to perform it and stay towards the Qibla. 3) Leveled area:  When in prostration (sajda) the head can not be higher or lower  (four fingers) Infringing the sanctity:  One’s back should not be face the grave of a Prophet or Imam when praying or pray on a surface with the name of Allah, the Prophet, or Imams written on. 4) Men do not pray behind women:  If a women prays in front of a man while he is praying then her prayer becomes invalid and the same is for a man if he does the same. 5) Must be pure (Tahir):  It applies particularly to the prostration position.     Five Daily Prayers – Name  Rakat  Time Subuh      2    from dawn before sunrise Duhr        4    from noon before sunset Asr          4  from afternoon before sunset (after Thuhr) Maghrib    3   after sunset before midnight Isha         4  after sunset before midnight (after Maghrib)  Obligatory acts to make prayer valid: 1) Intention (Niyyat) 2) Standing (Qiyam) 3) Saying “Allahu Akbar” to start the prayer (Takbiratul Ehram) 4) Bowing (Ruku) 5) The two prostration’s (Sajdatayn) 6) Reciting of Surat Al-Fatiha and another sura (Qira’at) – (see attachments below) 7) Reciting in bowing (Ruku) and prostration (Sajadah), (Zikir) 8) Bearing witness after finishing prostration (Sajadah) of the second and last Rakat (Tashahud) 9) Salutation (Salaam) 10) Sequence (Tarteeb) 11) Praying with no time or action gaps (Muwalat) If any of these five elements are missed from the prayer then the prayer is invalid: 1) Intention (Niyyat) 2) Saying “Allahu Akbar” to start the prayer (Takbiratul Ehram) 3) Standing before bowing (Ruku),  (Qiyam) 4) Bowing (Ruku) 5) The two prostration’s (Sajdatayn)     (In some conditions one or more listed below is slightly altered.) Attachments: