Salah

• • Sunni and Shi'a Muslims all pray the same 5 prayers
• • Shi'a Muslims condense them into 3 prayers
• • Sunni Muslims pray 5 times a day for each prayer
• • Each prayer includes saying ' Allahu akbar' ( 'God is great') and reciting the first surah in the Quran ( Surah al-Fatihah)
• Surah al-Fatihah- ' In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful'
• Salah keeps Muslims in contact with Allah (Risalah) and encourages moral and spiritual discipline
• Rituals in Salah include Wudu, Makkah and Rak'ah
• Wudu- Muslims was their hands, feet, arms and face before prayer to ensure they are pure and clean before Allah
• Makkah- Muslims must face Makkah when praying ( qiblah)
• Rak'ah- is a set prayer ritual, may be repeated several times, includes standing and kneeling
• Shi'a Muslims put their head on a clay or wooden tablet during Rak'ah-they believe that putting their heads on something natural was advised by Muhammad
• Many Muslims, especially women, choose to pray at home. This is seen as important for children to learn about Islam