Diagrams showing Timing of daily Prayers
THE CONDUCT OF SALÁH
In this section, some guide lines for the correct performance of Saláh are given,
The most important pre-requisite, Wudú (ablution), is explained in the last chapter. Other important conditions are:
1. TIME
Each of the Saláh must be offered at or during its proper time. No Saláh can be said before its time. There are five obligatory prayers in a day.
Fajr -- the morning prayer
Zuhr -- the early afternoon prayer.
'Asr -- the late afternoon prayer.
Maghrib -- the sun-set prayer
'Ishá -- the night prayer
2. DRESS
Before offering your Saláh make sure that you are properly dressed. For men and boys, the dress should be such that it covers their bodies from the navel to the knees at least.
Women are required to cover themselves from head to foot, leaving only the face and hands uncovered. The dress for Saláh must be clean and free from all filth. During the monthly period women are free from obligation of Saláh.
3. PLACE
Wherever a man might be, he can turn towards Alláh in Saláh and in devotion. The Prophet has said, "The (Whole of the) earth has been rendered for me a mosque: pure and clean". Perferably Saláh is to be offered in jama'at-- congregation. Whenever possible, one should pray facing the Ka'bah, Makkah.
FARD OR NÁFILAH
Saláh is composed of the Fard(obligatory) and the Náfilah (superogatory) prayers.
The Fard Saláh are five in a day. Failure to preform any one of them is a blameable sin. The Náfilah includes the Sunnah, which the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to perform regularly before or after each Fard Saláh.
Prayers in Special Circumstances
When in circumstances where it is not possible to pray, or when on journey, you are permitted to shorten Saláh. Such a shortened prayer is known as Salátul-Qasr.
When travelling one may offer two raka'áts in place of four raka'áts in Zuhr, Asr, and 'Ishá, but there is no charge in the two raka'áts of Fajr and three raka'áts of Maghrib Saláh. Besides the cocession in Fard Saláh, one many leave all additional Sunnah except the two Sunnah raka'áts of Fajr and the Witr of 'Ishá prayer. But a section of Muslims do perform Sunnah even when on a journey.
In a case the stay at any one place during the journey exceeds a fortnight, complete the Saláh, with all Fard and Sunnah raka'áts must be offered.
If you are sick, you may offer Saláh in a sitting position or lying in bed, by making signs in place of physical movements.
In journey, in sickness and in other emergencies, one is allowed to offer two seperate Saláh jointly. Thus Zuhr and 'Asr can be said together in the last part of the period of Zuhr. Maghrib and 'Ishá may also be offered similarly towards the end of Maghrib time(when it is almost dark).
