How Muslims pray

First, the clock. A Muslim's day holds five prayers, each with its own time and its own number of obligatory units (rak'at).

Fajr runs from dawn until sunrise: 2 units. Zuhr comes after the sun passes its height: 4. 'Asr is late afternoon: 4. Maghrib is just after sunset: 3. 'Isha is at night: 4.

The Hanafi school adds one more. It treats the Witr prayer of 3 units after 'Isha as wajib (necessary).

Many Muslims add sunnah prayers before or after these. And because the times follow the sun, they change every day. That is why mosques publish timetables.

The prayers come at fixed times, as the Qur'an puts it.

Before a prayer begins, three things are made ready: the body, the place and the heart.

The body and the place first. Be in a state of wudu'. Wear clean clothes, in a clean place. Cover the body as required: for men, at least from navel to knees; for women, everything except face, hands and, in the Hanafi school, the feet.

Then the time and the direction. Make sure the time has started. Face the qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah. From South Africa, that is roughly north-north-east; prayer apps and mosques give the exact bearing.

Last comes the heart: the intention. That means knowing in your heart which prayer you are about to pray. It need not be said aloud.

Body, place and heart are made ready before the prayer begins.

Everything is ready. Now the hands go up, to the ears for men or the shoulders for women, with the words "Allahu akbar", God is greatest.

This opening takbir begins the prayer. From now on: no talking, no eating, no turning away.

In the Hanafi way, men fold the right hand over the left below the navel, and women on the chest. Then, quietly, recite the opening praise (thana'), seek refuge in God from Satan, and say Bismillah. Then recite surah al-Fatihah, and another short surah or a few ayat.

Praying alone, the worshipper recites al-Fatihah. Behind an imam, Hanafis listen silently.

From standing, the body goes lower in two stages.

First the bow (ruku'). Saying "Allahu akbar", bow with hands on knees and back level, and say "Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azim" (glory be to my Lord, the Most Great) three times. Rise saying "Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah" (God hears whoever praises Him), then "Rabbana lakal-hamd" (our Lord, to You is all praise).

Then the prostration (sujud): forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground, saying "Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la" (glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times. Sit up briefly, then prostrate a second time.

That completes one unit (rak'ah). Stand, and repeat it for the second.

The forehead on the ground: the closest a servant comes.

After the second prostration of the second unit, sit and recite the tashahhud, which ends with the testimony of faith.

What comes next depends on the prayer. In a three- or four-unit prayer, stand up here for the remaining units. In the last sitting, continue with blessings on the Prophet (the salat Ibrahimiyyah) and a short supplication.

Then the finish. Turn the head to the right and then the left, saying each time "As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah" (peace be upon you and the mercy of God).

So the prayer opens with God's greatness and ends with peace.

It begins with God's greatness and ends with peace.