Salat Learning Guides

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Salat Learning Guides for Adult Learners who are Speakers of English as their First Language.

Humans need the coherence and harmony that comes from the state of congruence. This is especially important in the field of education and effective curriculums turbo charge the learning process. Our goal as a Islamic Centre for Teaching and Learning is to help anyone to have a greater understanding of the Muslim faith and to provide tools that might enable our Brothers and Sisters in Islam to develop a deeper connection with Allah.

The motivation underpinning this work was firstly to compile resources for Adult Learners who are Speakers of English as their First Language but anyone who wishes to have a greater and more meaningful engagement with the Arabic of the Islamic Salat may benefit from our Islamic resources.

We are starting by taking small steps and We've included additional versions of the Salat designs based upon feedback and suggestions from our "test driving team". We're not suggesting that we are experts in Islam or telling anyone what to do but James' post graduate university qualifications and experience in adult education, communication and health promotion, are rather handy when it comes to the "somewhat difficult" task of learning how to learn, aka memorise, Salat!

The Adhan & Iqamah

The Arabic word adhan means "to listen." The ritual serves as a general statement of shared belief and faith for Muslims, as well as an alert that prayers are about to begin inside the mosque, misjad or mussullah.

A second call, right before the start of prayer, known as iqama, then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers to announce that prayer with the Imam is starting. The Iqamah is fast paced because you are telling the people already gathered that prayer is starting. The adhan is slow paced and loud because it is meant to call everyone to the masjid.

We're hoping that a Kind and Generous Brother with good Arabic, from our Ummah will record the Adhan & Iqama for us so that we can publish it here as a Salat Learning Guide. If you are willing to provide this service to the Community then please, Contact us via our Contact Page above or click the link here! Mashallah you will have our thanks and our prayers, inshallah.

Above: English on Top and Below: Arabic on Top!

If you hear the Adhan, you are required to repeat after the one giving the Adhan silently when they pause after each line and repeat after them with the exact same words except for steps 4 and 5. For step 4 and 5 you need to say (a total of four times):
"Laa hhawla wala Quw-wata il-laa bil-laa hil aaliy-yil adzeem" Meaning:
"There is no power or strength except with Allah the most high and the most magnificent."

From: https://www.heartislam.com/discover-islam/unlocking-the-heart/adhan-and-iqamah-call-to-prayer/

On the way to Learning the Al-Fatihah?

Not knowing what to say can be unsettling in the Mosque when you have no handy notes. To this end Sister Nadia in the Book of Salat published by Perniagaan Jahabersa, offers the following solution:

"If one can't recite Al-Fatihah because one can't perfect it due to certain reasons, but knows other verses, one would then recite about 7 verses instead. However, if one could not learn Al Fatihah quickly enough to pray - like the very newcomers to Al-Islam - One may recite":

Subhaanallaahi, Wal hamdulillaah, Wa Laa ilaa ha illallaahu, Wallaahu 'Akbar.
Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah and there is No God but Allah, Allah is Greatest.

And of course, as A Sister recently told us, if you can't remember what the words then say Allahu Akbar!

Salat in Arabic A2 Palestine Edition

This Al Falaq Salat in Arabic contains Surah's Al-Falaq and Al-Nas with English "How to" guides. This edition contains photographs from the Rally for Palestine held at Gosnells in Western Australia. It is made sized A2 so it's good for printing in A4 at home.

Salat in Arabic and English aka the Mixed Salat!

This Mixed Salat format contains, side by side, English and Arabic with English "How to" guides with the Al-Falaq and Al-Nas Surahs. It was made to be A2 so it can be printed out and used as a poster on a wall as well as for smaller sizes such as A3 and A4.

Step by Step Illustrated Salat in Arabic and English A3

As the title suggests, this is a Step by Step illustrated guide to the Salat with English and Arabic. It's designed as a 4 Rak'ah cycle with Quran Readings and the "How to Guides", in English, with illustrations show the position and it's related invocation. The pdf file is sized A3 so it is readable at A4.

The Reference for the images is "My Prayer Book" (For Children) by Durussalam which is available from IBC Perth.

A Step by Step Salat for English Speakers with Arabic Sized A4

As the title suggests, this is a Step by Step Salat designed for English Speakers who are learning Arabic but it is also for Arabic Speakers who wish to have an English translation. The design is a two page on A4 for printing at home. The figure diagram is a 4 Salat design which the prayers that are said in the positions they are said.

There are two versions. V1 has the Arabic on top of the English in the Al Fatihah. In Version Two, above, for learners of Arabic, we have the English above the Arabic in the Al Fatihah. Below is Page Two, which has the Arabic on top of the English Translations.

Step by Step, Arabic & English, Horizontal image in A3 pdf format.

This is a Step by Step 4 Rak'ah Guide that is in A3 format. Each position of the Salat is described with it's invocation. The Quran Readings & Invocations seen in the above English Salat just need to be added to complete the picture!

Step by Step, Arabic & English, Portrait image in A3 pdf format.

Al Falaq's Salat in English

The Ruling parasites that control the world have always presented their concessions to the power of the people as gifts from above. King John was forced by his Barons to sign the Magna Carta that became the basis for the great freedom that is the real legacy of old England. The demands of Martin Luther were driven by the people's demands for an end to the Corrupt Roman Church's rule.

In the same way, The King James Version of the Bible is presented as a gift from a benevolent King to his subjects when in reality the "subjects" were fully sceptical of the corrupt Establishment Church's dictates from the pulpit and so demanded a Bible in English to Fact Check the Priests.

History also shows us that people like to read books, whether they be William Shakespeare, the Bible or the latest Mills and Boon! We not saying that our Salat in English is a revolutionary act aimed at overthrowing a powerful elite, but the simple act of being able to know what is going on when praying in the Mosque makes the experience more prayerful.

While the Arabic seems to remain constant across all versions, there are many translations of the Quran in English of varying accuracies. The main source we have used is the translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem published by Oxford University Press. It's easy to read and has very good footnotes to clarify reasons for translation choices and this is why we have incorporated this edition into our English Salat.

This Salat is designed as a resource to help English Speakers learn how to pray as a Muslim. We believe that by understanding the meaning of the Arabic prayer is enhanced and this makes memorising the invocations easier. We hope that for people looking into Islam, this resource will demystify the prayers and encourage more prayers to be made. It is our hope that Christians reading this will see how much in common the two Abrahamic traditions have.

Finally we present, Surahs Al-Ikhlas Al-Falaq & An-Nas.

These Surahs should be recited in Arabic after each prayer. After the Maghrib and Fajr prayers they should be recited three times each. We don't guarantee this but apparently, Whoever recites these three times in the morning and in the evening, they will suffice him/her? (as a protection) against everything.

Reference: Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4. - Al-Falaq 113:1-5. - An-Nas 114:1-6 - Whoever recites these three times in the morning and in the evening, they will suffice him (as a protection) against everything. The Hadith was reported by Abu Dawud 4/322, and At-Tirmithi 5/567. See Al-Albani's Sahih At-Tirmithi 3/182. From Fortress of the Muslim, Available from IBC Perth!