Question about prayer

[mabb66]

Greeting to all!

I am new here (just registered) but have been reading the site and have also bought a copy of the Quran: A Reformist Translation and have been reading it. A bit of my history to perhaps clarify why I am not sure about how to pray. I was raised in an extremely conservative Christian atmosphere but could never really accept those teachings simply because of the anger, intolerance and outright hatred of other groups, even other Christian denominations I saw within the member of that church. In my early teens I started training in martial arts and eventually was introduced to Buddhism as a result. I picked up Buddhism and that's what I termed myself ever since (I'm now 45). However, Buddhism never, at least to my mind, answered the question of how all this (life, the world, the universe) started.

In Buddhism, prayer doesn't really exist per se. Especially petitionary prayer (i.e. "please help me heal" or "please help so-and-so to heal"). Some Buddhists do this but it is not considered "correct". That was another problem for me. I know that Christians pray for help and always end the prayer with "in Jesus' name" or "in Christ's name" and "amen". My question then is how does one pray in this, the Quran only, way? I've read on other sites before I found this one about the 5 times a day and that the prayers were, to my mind, extremely ritualized and had to be said in Arabic. That was/is a problem for me because I personally need to know and completely understand what I am saying and doing.

To put it another way, how does one pray and in what "format"? Or is there even a "format" one must adhere to or can one simply pray from the heart?

Thanks very much in advance!

[mabb66]

Perhaps I should rephrase my question... Since I am unaccustomed to prayer and finding that I do indeed believe what I am reading in the Quran, how do I pray?

My apologies if I am being a nuisance with this, but I feel it is very important for me to know.

[IAMOP]

Peace

Salat: silencing the mind to hear ALLAH's speech above all else

Can be done alone or communally.

Salat has its basis in communication.

Yes ALLH hears your prayers wherever you may be.

Salat is information exchange/transfer of goodly knowledge. However you can slw for evil too but ALLH will not like that! So always be aware!


فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ {4}
[Shakir 107:4] So woe to the praying ones,
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ {5}
[Shakir 107:5] Who are unmindful of their prayers,

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ {186}
[Shakir 2:186] And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.

ALLH talks to us using signals/signs within the moment. Subtle and sometimes not so subtle signs with infinite meaning to you and only you. Look for events concerning your presence in the region. For example a leaf might flutter by to signal you should stop doing something. Know yourself and you will know how ALLH shows you signs 24/7.

Refer to this thread where I detail this further.
Peace

[mabb66]

Thank you very much IAMOP! I really appreciate the help!

[GODsubmitter]

Hello,

I suggest you should read my thread on prayer, you can learn all there and get the necessary information from the links:

http://free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9603111.0

Good luck

[youssef4342]

Peace 
The Purpose of "Salat" is to Remember God, and that is the Sole purpose (Quran 20:14) 
Cheorographied Salat can well be achieved by a Parrot, or a broken record 
God warns us about those who do their salat Heedlessly (105:4-5), and gives good news to those who do their salat in a humble manner (23:2), and tells us to do stand/do our salat in a state of Reverance/Devoutness (2:238)

Now Now, there are only 3 names of Salats in the Quran, (i.e Fajr, Esha, Wusta). This means that there has to be only 3 Salats. This is because the Quran states that it is not missing anything (6:38), and so, if there is 3 NAMES of Salats mentioned, then logically, there has to be only 3 Salats.

The Daily Prayers were always doone 3 times a day: (Salat = Aramaic 'sloota' (Prayer) and Hebrew Tfillah/Amidah (standing prayer)
Which is basically the 3 daily prayers: evening, morning, and noon (see psalm 55:17, Daniel 6:10)
New Testament's 3 times for prayer 3rth, 6th, and 9th hours,
The Quran's 3 names of Salat (Fajr, Esha, Wusta in 24:58 and 2:238)

Three Salat (Prayers) Authorised in the Quran
http://www.quran-islam.org/main_topics/islam/pillars/number_of_salat_(P1200).html

Support for a middle salat (i.e 3rd salat)
http://free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9603015.0

[Jafar]

In Buddhism, prayer doesn't really exist per se. Especially petitionary prayer (i.e. "please help me heal" or "please help so-and-so to heal"). Some Buddhists do this but it is not considered "correct". That was another problem for me. I know that Christians pray for help and always end the prayer with "in Jesus' name" or "in Christ's name" and "amen". My question then is how does one pray in this, the Quran only, way? I've read on other sites before I found this one about the 5 times a day and that the prayers were, to my mind, extremely ritualized and had to be said in Arabic. That was/is a problem for me because I personally need to know and completely understand what I am saying and doing.

To put it another way, how does one pray and in what "format"? Or is there even a "format" one must adhere to or can one simply pray from the heart?

1.No 'standardized' format... although human shall try to 'standardize' the format and claim that their format is much better than the other..
2. I consider "Meditation" is yet another format of 'praying'.
3. Praying is for you not you for praying.
4. God will always hear your prayer (in whatever languages or format), he even knew the content of your prayer even before you said it.
5. The ultimate goal of praying is to bring peace and happiness into yourself.

Salam / Peace