الصلاة(Prayer)
No other form of worship can be compared to prayer (salah), for it is the basis of religion, without which there is no religion. Prayer was practiced in some form by the earlier prophets and their followers as an essential part of the religion of God. Islam, which is the final stage, the completion and confirmation of monotheistic religion considers prayer essential, and its denial removes one from the ranks of Islam.
Obligatory prayers are performed five times a day and are a direct link between the worshiper and God. There is no hierarchical authority or priesthood in Islam, so group prayers are led by a person learned in the Qur'an. These prayers, whether performed in congregation or individually, contain verses from the Qur'an and are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation itself. Personal supplication can be offered in one's own language.
Prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable for men to pray together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in the field, office, factory or university. In fact, visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
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