Salah & Sawm
Salah — The Second Pillar
Salah is the second of the Five Pillars and the most regular act of worship in a Muslim’s life. It is not simply asking God for things — it is a structured, formal act of submission to Allah that involves the whole body and mind. The Qur’an commands: “Establish prayer for My remembrance” (Qur’an 20:14).
The Five Daily Prayers
Sunni Muslims pray at five set times each day, calculated from the position of the sun. The times shift slightly throughout the year. This constant rhythm of prayer is designed to keep Allah at the centre of a Muslim’s day, no matter what else they are doing.
The five daily prayers are: Fajr (before sunrise), Zuhr (just after midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (just after sunset), and Isha (night). Shi’a Muslims perform the same five prayers but may combine Zuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha, praying three times a day.
Preparing for Prayer — Wudu
Before praying, Muslims must perform wudu — a ritual washing that prepares the body and mind for standing in God’s presence. Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, forearms up to the elbows, wiping the head and ears, and washing the feet up to the ankles. The Qur’an instructs: “You who believe, when you are about to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, wash your feet up to the ankles” (Qur’an 5:6). If water is unavailable, Muslims may use clean earth or sand in a practice called tayammum.
Direction, Movements and Recitations
All Muslims face the direction of the Ka’aba in Makkah when they pray. In a mosque, the mihrab shows this direction. Each prayer consists of a set number of rak’ah — cycles of standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting, accompanied by recitations from the Qur’an in Arabic. The physical act of prostration — placing the forehead on the ground — symbolises total submission to Allah.
Muslims can pray anywhere that is clean — at home, at work, or outdoors. However, praying in the mosque is considered more meritorious, especially for men. Muhammad said that prayer in congregation is “twenty-seven times more rewarding than prayer performed individually” (Hadith, Sahih al-Bukhari). In the mosque, an imam leads the prayer, and worshippers stand in rows facing the mihrab. Women may pray in a separate area or at home. At home, Muslims use a prayer mat and a compass to find the direction of Makkah.
Jummah is the Friday congregational prayer, held at the mosque just after midday. It replaces the normal Zuhr prayer. All adult male Muslims are expected to attend, and women may also attend. The imam delivers a khutbah (sermon) covering religious guidance, moral teaching and community matters. The Qur’an instructs: “Believers! When the call to prayer is made on the day of congregation, hurry towards the reminder of God and leave off your trading” (Qur’an 62:9). Jummah strengthens the ummah by bringing Muslims together as a community each week.
Sunni and Shi’a Muslims both perform the five daily prayers, but Shi’a Muslims often combine them into three sessions. Shi’a Muslims may also place a small clay tablet called a turbah on the ground to prostrate upon, as they believe the forehead should touch natural earth rather than carpet.
Sawm — Fasting During Ramadan
Sawm is the fourth pillar of Islam. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib). They abstain from all food, drink, smoking and sexual relations during daylight hours. The fast is broken each evening with a meal called iftar, often shared with family and community.
Origins and Significance
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was first revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibril. The Qur’an commands: “It was in the month of Ramadan that the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind. So any one of you who is present that month should fast” (Qur’an 2:185). Fasting teaches self-discipline, empathy for the poor, and gratitude to Allah for His provision.
Benefits of fasting: Sawm develops taqwa (God-consciousness), strengthens willpower, creates empathy with those who go hungry, and brings the community together through shared iftar meals and increased mosque attendance. Muslims believe fasting purifies the soul and brings them closer to Allah.
Exceptions: Certain people are exempt from fasting: young children, the elderly, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people who are ill, travellers, and those menstruating. Most of these people are expected to make up the missed days later or feed a poor person for each day missed.
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power): This falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan and commemorates the night the Qur’an was first revealed. The Qur’an says: “The Night of Power is better than a thousand months” (Qur’an 97:3). Many Muslims spend the entire night in prayer, believing that worship on this night earns greater reward than a thousand months of ordinary worship.
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) falls in the last ten nights of Ramadan. It commemorates the first revelation of the Qur’an and is described as “better than a thousand months” (Qur’an 97:3). Many Muslims spend the night in prayer and reflection.