Salat

萨拉特——礼拜

Salat (or salah) is the Muslim practice of prescribed ritual prayer. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and an essential part of the Muslim faith and of everyday life in Islam. Salat is comprised of a set sequence of words (Qur’anic verses) and actions (standing, bowing, kneeling, prostrating). The prayer must be recited in proper Arabic and the worshipper must face the qibla - the direction of Mecca. The person performing salat must be in a state of ritual purity, having washed prescribed parts of his or her body with water, and wearing loose garments that sufficiently cover the body. Sunnis pray five times a day with varying numbers of ritual prostrations for each instance; Shi'ites often combine some of these prayers and perform salat a total of three times per day.