Q&A for How to Pray in Islam

You can find many translations online, or use a book such as Ṣalāt: The Muslim Prayer Book by Islam International Publications Ltd.

The 5 prayers are Fajr, the dawn prayer; Zhuhr, the early afternoon prayer; Asr, the late afternoon prayer; Maghrib, the sunset prayer; and Isha’a, the night prayer.

You may need to look within yourself to find motivation to pray. Ask yourself why you pray, what you hope to get out of it, etc. Reminding yourself of your reasons for prayer might encourage you to be more mindful about it.

Men can wear any clothing when praying, as long as it is clean and covers the "awrah", which is from the naval to the knee. Most tend to wear the Islamic thobe, as this covers the whole body, but you can wear anything as long as your body isn't exposed; for example, your lower back when you prostrate if your shirt is a bit too short.

Listen to and read through the verses continually. Repetition is the best thing for familiarity and memorization, if that's a goal for you too.

You should pray five times everyday, especially on Friday, the best day of the week. You should try to perform the Jumu'ah prayer, which is done at noon.

Keep your heart pure and focused on God and what you're praying for. Do not zone out; focus on the place of prostration and do not look around.

In Islam, praying is an act done to praise God. It allows one to gain benefits from it by pleasing God. It is strictly stated in the Quran that a Muslim must pray five times a day regularly if he is able to--not as an act to benefit God, but to benefit oneself.

After you finish praying, you can make dua, pray sunnah, and other stuff. But you only salaam the angels on your shoulders.

When Muslims are performing Salah (prayer in Islam), they do not sing or play music. They recite verses from the Qur'an (Islamic scripture which is believed to be the verbatim word of God).

God is the most forgiving, so ask God for forgiveness or pray that prayer again.

When Muslims are performing Salah (prayers), it is strongly recommended that they read the first chapter of the Quran, called Al-Fatiha (The Opening).

Some Muslims perform all of their prayers at the end of the day, but usually only if there has been a legitimate obstacle to prayer at the proper times, rather than just not being bothered during the day.

You can take Islamic lessons.

It will take a while, most likely maybe a couple of days, or weeks. If you're a new Muslim, put your mind to it you'll master it in no time.

Yes. Until you learn how to pray properly, Allah can see that you're trying, and he will love and appreciate that.

No, a true Muslim believes in Allah, his messengers, his angels, and his Qur'an. If you don't truly believe in the Qur'an, then you should talk to a scholar of Islam.

Surah-al-Fatiha is compulsory to pray in the beginning of every rakat, and any other surahs that you are aware of, then yes you can pray in Namaz.

It is showing respect to Allah and to the angels. The angels are good and "salaam" means "peace," so you are wishing peace on all that is good.

What you're seeing is merely people greeting familiar friends around them that they see often at the masjid! It is not technically "required" in Islam.

Find out the direction to the Qaba/Mecca and the local pray times. You can check your local prayer times through the related websites. When you found your direction and prayer time, find a place to do your Wudu, a clean fabric or floor or soil.

There are many supplications you can say after finishing the salah. The most common is, after doing salaam: Allahuma antas-salaam, wa minkas-salaam, ta baa rakta yaa dhal jal-aali wal ikraam. "O Allah, You are the source of peace and from You comes peace, exalted You are, O Lord of Majesty and Honor."

A Muslim prays five times a day. Other than this, you can pray Nafl prayers for more rewards.

If you're really willing to convert, then you can visit a sheikh or a Mosque, he can teach you how to pray and follow the right steps, and if you have a Muslim friend who knows what Islam is really about, I'm sure he'll be wiling to help you.

You can pray on any clean surface. If the ground is hard, you can put a clean cloth or piece of clothing and pray on that.

The prayer is an obligation, and no Muslim can miss it, so everyone must pray, even if you are at work, or when travelling. She can combine her prayers if this is easier for her. She should pray in a room where no man can see her.

You can pray in your head and make up the missed prayers later. Ask Allah (SWT) for forgiveness and help. He knows what you can't control and won't hold it against you.

These are usually the evil whispers of Shaytaan trying to distract you during the prayer. Ensure that you are in a fully pure and spiritual state before praying. Come to the mosque earlier and spend a few minutes reading the Qur'an, instead of rushing in just before the prayer starts. When praying, look down, at your place of prostration. If it helps you achieve spirituality and humility in prayer, close your eyes.

Yes, at least for salah. It is a must to read the surah and other things in Arabic. For making dua, you can say it in your own language.

While praying, no. I know how hard it is to memorize, but while praying, look down.