S is for Salāh

salāh
the Prayer in Islām of worshipping Allāh Subhābahū wa Ta‘ālā.
Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā says in the Holy Qur’ān that He did not create mankind and the jinn except to worship Him (15:56), and Muslims always try their level best to live up to this teaching.
Our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam said that what distinguishes a Muslim from a non-Muslim is salāh (Prayer). He said that the coolness of his eyes is in Prayer.
The following Hadīth inform us about the salāh (Prayer) of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam:
Hadrat Mughīra Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu narrated that the Prophet Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam prayed for so long at night in standing position that his feet got swollen up. His Companions said to him, “O Prophet of Allāh! Why do you exert so much when Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā has forgiven you everything”. The Prophet Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam replied, “Should I not be a grateful servant of Allāh?” (al-Bukhārī, Muslim).
‘Abdullāh ibn ash-Shikhkhīr Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu relates, “Once I visited the Prophet Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam when he was offering salāh (Prayer). I heard the sound of his weeping coming out of his chest which was like the sound of a boiling pot”. (Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī).
Prayer is one of the Pillars (arkān) on which Islām is based. The regular Prayer performed by Muslims five times a day is fard (obligatory). Du‘ā (supplication to Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā) can be made in any language but salāh (Prayer) can only be performed in the Arabic language in a state of wudū (ablution), and facing in the direction of the Ka‘ba as shown by Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam. The body, clothing and place have to be clean to perform salāh (Prayer).
In the adhān al-Fajr (the call to dawn Prayer), the mu’adhdhin adds two times:
As-salātu khayrun min an-nawm
Prayer is better than sleep.
Muslims take to the Saying:
As-salātu mi‘rāj al-mu’minīn
Prayer is the spiritual ascension of the Muslim believers.
Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā says in the Holy Qur’ān:
Innanī Anallāhu lā ilāha illā ana fa‘budnī wa aqimis-salāta li dhikrī
Lo! I am Allāh, there is no god but Me, so worship Me, and establish Prayer for my dhikr (remembrance) (20:14).
We learn from this verse that salāh (Prayer) is the dhikr (remembrance) of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā.
The translation of the Qur’ānic verse about salāt al-Jumu‘a (the Friday Prayer) is:
O you who believe! When the call is made for the Prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allāh, and leave off business, that is better for you if you only knew (62:9).
In this verse as well, salāh is referred to as dhikr (remembrance) of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā

salāt al-fard
the obligatory (five times) daily Prayers to worship Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā. These are also referred to as salawāt al-khams which are Salāt al-Fajr (the dawn Prayer before sunrise, also called Salāt as-Subh with two rak‘a), Salāt az-Zuhr (the noon Prayer with four raka‘āt), Salāt al-‘Asr (the mid-afternoon Prayer with four raka‘āt), Salāt al-Maghrib (the sunset Prayer with three raka‘āt) and Salāt al-‘Ishā’ (the night Prayer with four raka‘āt). We should never miss these salāt because they are obligatory.
It is twenty five times more meritorious to perform the fard (obligatory) Prayer in jamā‘ah (congregation) than alone

salāt al-Jumu‘a
the Friday congregational two rak‘a Prayer at noon. It is fard (obligatory), and takes the place of Zuhr Prayer. To listen to the khutba (sermon) before the Prayer is wājib (necessary)

salāt as-sunnah
the additional optional Prayers to worship Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā performed by Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam and adopted by his followers. Salāt as-Sunnah can further be classified as Sunnah Mu’akkadah and Sunnah ghayr Mu’akkada as follows:

salāt as-Sunnah Mu’akkadah
emphasized Sunnah, the Sunnah Prayers which the blessed Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam never missed and we should never miss them too. These are two rak‘a before Fajr, four raka‘āt before Zuhr, two rak‘a after Zuhr, two rak‘a after Maghrib, and two rak‘a after ‘Ishā’.
As well, there are four raka‘āt Sunnah Mu’akkadah before salāt al-Jumu‘a and four raka‘āt after salāt al-Jumu‘a, followed by two more.
The details given here about the performance of salāh (Prayer) are according to the Hanafī madh-hab. There are some minor differences about these details among the four madh-habs, that is Hanafī, Shafi‘ī, Mālikī, and Hanbalī, but Muslims do not quibble about them, as there is mutual respect among the followers of the four madh-habs

salāt as-Sunnah ghayr Mu’akkadah
non-emphasized meritorious Sunnah. These are four raka‘āt before ‘Asr, and four raka‘āt before ‘Ishā’.

Salāt al-witr
the last Prayer for the night with three raka‘āt. Salāt al-Witr is wājib (necessary) and is next in importance to fard (obligatory)

salāt an-nawāfil
the optional Prayers to worship Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā that are in addition to the salāt as-Sunnah. These are: two rak‘a after Zuhr, two rak‘a after Maghrib, and two rak‘a after ‘Ishā’.
As well, there are two rak‘a nawāfil salāh after salāt al-Jumu‘a.
The nawāfil salāh compensate for any shortcomings in fard salāh.
Those who associate with sūfī mashāyikh (spiritual masters) ultimately take to the nawāfil as well (syn: nāfila, s: nafl).
Pious Muslims spend whole nights worshipping Allāh, especially on auspicious nights like
1. Laylatu’l qadr (the Night of Power), searching for it in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadān which they spend in a masjid, secluding themselves exclusively for the worship of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā.
2. The night of ‘Īd al-Fitr to thank Allāh for the completion of the fasts in the month of Ramadān.
3. The night of ‘Āshūrā’ (tenth of Muharram), in remembrance of the martyrdom of Imām al-Husayn ibn ‘Alī Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu and his family.
4. The night of twelfth Rabī‘ Awwal, to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam.
5. The night of 27^th Rajab to celebrate Isrā’ wa’l Mi‘rāj, the Prophet’s heavenly ascension, and
6. The fifteenth night of Sha‘bān (nisf Sha‘bān).
On these nights, Muslims pray nawāfil salāh, recite the Qur’ān, listen to the Hadīth, glorify Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā, and invoke Allāh’s blessings on Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam. Before dawn, Muslims pray salāt at-tahajjud, followed by Fajr (Dawn) Prayer, do more dhikr (remembrance) of Allāh, and about fifteen minutes after sun-rise, pray salāt al-ishrāq. The next day, Muslims give in charity, and many keep optional fast, as on the tenth of Muharram, 27^th Rajab and fifteenth of Sha‘bān. Then, in all humility, Muslims thank Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā for guiding them along the Straight Path of Islām. So, Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā raises their spiritual stature even higher. Allāhu Akbar (all praise is for Allāh).
On the other hand, corrupt capitalists tempt people to spend their nights in pornography, prostitution, sodomy, booze, drugs, and gambling which leads to alcoholism, domestic violence and break-up of homes, God forbid. It is as clear as day to anyone with an iota of intelligence that in this struggle between good and evil, Muslims are the ultimate winners who taste success both in this world as well as in the Hereafter, Āmīn.

The beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam performed various other salāh (Prayers) as explained below which gives us the firm conviction that no one can match him as an ‘ābid (worshipper of Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā).
For example, he performed the following optional prayers on a daily basis:

Salāt at-tahajjud
optional night vigil Prayer (performed well after mid-night). This is performed two rak‘a at a time for a total of eight raka‘āt. The Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam never missed it because Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā had commanded him in the Qur’ān to perform it. Hence, it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (emphasized Sunnah) as well. The eight raka‘āt Salāt at-tahajjud are prayed in congregation in the Sacred Masjid in Makka, as well as in the Prophet’s Masjid in Madīna, Alhamdu Lillāh (All Praise is for Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā)

as-salāt sunnat al-wudū’
a two rak‘a optional Prayer performed immediately after wudū’ (ablution). Sayyidinā Bilāl Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu never missed to perform it

as-salāt tahīyat al-masjid
a two rak‘a optional Prayer performed on entering the masjid to greet it. It is to be performed before one sits down in the masjid

salāt al-ishrāq
an optional Prayer after sun-rise, at least about fifteen minutes after sun-rise, performed two rak‘a at a time for a total of four raka‘āt

salāt ad-Duhā
an optional forenoon Prayer, performed after about a quarter of the day has passed. It is performed 2 rak‘a at a time for a total of preferably 8 raka‘āt and a maximum of 12 raka‘āt

salāt al-awwābīn
an optional Prayer after Maghrib. It is performed 2 rak‘a at a time for a total of 6 raka‘āt

Besides these, Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam also performed various other salāh for various occasions and purposes. These are:

salāt at-tarāwīh
twenty raka‘āt Sunnah Prayer after ‘Ishā’ salāh in the month of Ramadān, performed two rak‘a at a time. Sayyidinā ‘Umar Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu institutionalized the performance of it in congregation, and even as of today, 20 raka‘āt tarāwīh Prayers are performed in congregation in Makka, Madīna, and all over the world, Alhamdu Lillāh (All Praise is for Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā).
Muslims really and truly love to perform this salāh. Alhamdu Lillāh, nowadays, there are so many Hāfiz al- Qur’ān, those who know the whole Qur’ān by heart, that they lead salāt at-tarāwīh in almost all the masājid across the world. As a result, Alhamdu Lillāh, the recitation of the whole Qur’ān is completed in salāt at-tarāwīh. And what a joy that is!

salāt al-‘Īd
the ‘Īd Prayer of ‘Īd al-Adhā and ‘Īd al-Fitr. This is a two rak‘a Prayer without the adhān or the iqāma and with the khutba (sermon) delivered after the salāh. No Muslim ever misses this salāh.
Muslims all over the world perform the following congregational dhikr with full gusto before this Prayer and after this Prayer:
Allāhu Akbar Allāhu Akbar
lā ilāha Illallāhu Allāhu
Akbar Allāhu Akbar
wa Lillāhi’l Hamd
Allāh is Supremely Great, Allāh is Supremely Great
None is worthy of worship but Allāh
Allāh is Supremely Great, Allāh is Supremely Great
And all praise is for Allāh.
On the days of ‘Īd, this congregational dhikr is also performed loud and clear in the Sacred Masjid in Makka and in Masjid an-Nabawī in Madīna, Alhamdu Lillāh!

salāt al-istikhāra
The Prayer of guidance. This is a two rak‘a Prayer after which we make du‘ā (supplication) to Allāh to guide us to the right type of action in a particular task about which we are undecided

salāt al-istisqā’
a Prayer for rain in seasons of drought, in which we beg Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā for His forgiveness. This is a two rak‘a congregational Prayer, performed in an open ground with khutbatayn (two sermons) after the Prayer

salāt al-khusūf
a two rak‘a Sunnah Prayer performed when there is a lunar eclipse

salāt al-kusūf
the Sunnah Prayer that is performed when there is a solar eclipse. This is a two rak‘a congregational Prayer performed in a masjid with khutbatayn (two sermons) after the Prayer

salāt al-janāza
the funeral Prayer, begging Allāh Subhānahū wa Ta‘ālā for the forgiveness of the deceased Muslim before burial. This is a congregational Prayer performed in standing position only, and has four takbīrāt, that is the proclamation of “Allāhu Akbar” (Allāh is Supremely Great)

salāt at-tasbīh
the Prayer of the Glorification of Allāh, an optional four raka‘āt Prayer taught by the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa Sallam to his uncle Sayyidinā ‘Abbās, Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu, to be performed daily, or once in a week, or once in a month, or once in a year, or at least once in one’s lifetime. It is called salāt at-tasbīh because in it, this tasbīh is recited 75 times in each rak‘a for a total of 300 times:
Subhānallāh
wa’l Hamdu Lillāh
wa lā ilāha Illallāh
Wallāhu Akbar:
Glory be to Allāh,
all Praise is for Allāh,
and none is worthy of worship but Allāh,
and Allāh is Supremely Great.
This salāh is also sometimes referred to as salāt at-tasābīh, tasābīh being the plural of tasbīh

There is one more important term about salāh which we need to know, and that is:

salāt al-musāfir
the Prayer of the traveller, which is shortened. Someone who is on a journey prays two rak‘a salāt az-Zuhr instead of four, and two rak‘a salāt al-‘Asr instead of four. The other prayers are not shortened

Al-Fātihā!