How Muslims pray: the cards as text

Fiqh. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.

1. Card 1

   Five times a day, the same movements. Standing. Bowing. Prostrating.

2. Card 2

   Five prayers, fixed by the sun

   The day holds five prayers. Fajr before sunrise (2 units), Zuhr after midday (4), 'Asr in the afternoon (4), Maghrib after sunset (3), 'Isha at night (4). Hanafis also pray Witr after 'Isha (3), which they hold to be wajib.

3. Card 3

   Qur'an 4:103

   فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمࣱا وَقُعُودࣱا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمۡۚ فَإِذَا ٱطۡمَأۡنَنتُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَٰبࣱا مَّوۡقُوتࣱا ۝١٠٣

   ¹⁰³ When you have finished the prayer, remember Allah, standing, sitting, or lying down. But when you are safe again, establish regular prayer. Indeed, prayer is prescribed for the believers at specific times.

4. Card 4

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

5. Card 5

   Getting ready to pray

   Before the first word comes the preparation: wudu', clean clothes and place, the body covered properly, the right time, and facing the qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. Then the intention, made in the heart.

6. Card 6

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

7. Card 7

   The first "Allahu akbar"

   The prayer opens with raised hands and "Allahu akbar". The hands are folded (Hanafi men below the navel). Then come the opening praise, al-Fatihah and a short surah, recited in Arabic.

8. Card 8

   Qur'an 1:1-7

   بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ۝١ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ۝٢ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ۝٣ مَٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ ۝٤ إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ ۝٥

   ¹ In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. ² All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, ³ the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, ⁴ Master of the Day of Judgment. ⁵ You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

9. Card 9

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

10. Card 10

    Bowing, then the forehead on the ground

    With "Allahu akbar" the worshipper bows, back level, praising "my Lord, the Most Great". Standing again, they go down into prostration, forehead and nose on the ground, praising "my Lord, the Most High". A brief sitting, then a second prostration.

11. Card 11

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

12. Card 12

    Sitting, and the greeting of peace

    After the second unit comes the sitting: the tashahhud, a testimony of faith, then blessings on the Prophet and a short prayer. Then the head turns right, then left, with "Peace be upon you and the mercy of God."

13. Card 13

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

14. Card 14

    Reflect: How many units (rak'at) does the Maghrib prayer have?

    Answer: 3. Three. Fajr has 2, Zuhr, 'Asr and 'Isha have 4, and Maghrib, just after sunset, has 3.

15. Card 15

    The end of How Muslims pray.

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