salat | Definition & Facts - Encyclopedia Britannica

salat, also spelled salah, Arabic ṣalāt, the daily ritual prayer enjoined upon all Muslims as one of the five Pillars of Islam (arkān al-Islām). salat TableofContents Introduction FastFacts Facts&RelatedContent Media Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Philosophy&Religion ReligiousBeliefs salat Islam Alternatetitles:ṣalāt,salah Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/salat More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites BritishBroadcastingCorporation-ReligionandEthics-Islam By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory salat Seeallmedia RelatedTopics: PillarsofIslam ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ salat,alsospelledsalah,Arabicṣalāt,thedailyritualprayerenjoineduponallMuslimsasoneofthefivePillarsofIslam(arkānal-Islām).ThereisdisagreementamongIslamicscholarsastowhethersomepassagesaboutprayerintheMuslimsacredscripture,theQurʾān,areactuallyreferencestothesalat.WithinMuhammad’slifetime,fiveobligatoryprayers,eachprecededbyablution,wereobserved:ṣalātal-fajr(dawn),al-ẓuhr(midday),al-ʿaṣr(afternoon),al-maghrib(sunset),andal-ʿishāʾ(evening).Undersuchspecialcircumstancesasillness,ajourney,orwar,amodificationorlimitedpostponementofthesesalatsisallowed.Thoughindividualperformanceofsalatispermissibleandcanbeofferedinanycleanspaceathomeoratwork,collectiveworshipinthemosquehasspecialmerit.WiththeirfacesturnedinthedirectionoftheshrineoftheKaʿbahinMecca,theworshipersalignthemselvesinparallelrowsbehindtheimam,orprayerleader,whodirectsthemastheyexecutetherakʿahs(physicalposturescoupledwithQurʾānicrecitations). BritannicaQuiz Islam HowmuchdoyouknowabouttheProphetMuhammad?Howaboutholycities?TestyourknowledgeofIslamwiththisquiz. OnFridays,insteadoftheprayerjustafternoon,acongregationalprayer(ṣalātal-jumʿah)isoffered;itincludestwosermons(khutbah)deliveredfromthepulpit.Specialcongregationalprayersareofferedinthemiddleofthemorningonthetwofestivaldays(ʿīds),oneimmediatelyfollowingthemonthoffasting,Ramadan,andtheotherfollowingthepilgrimage,orhajj.Althoughnotobligatory,individualdevotionalprayers,especiallyduringthenight,areemphasizedandareacommonpracticeamongpiousMuslims. ThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyNoahTesch.