Salāt in the Quran
The Quran is a "fully detailed" Book, as stated in 6:114, meaning it provides all necessary guidance for the religion of Islam, including the practice of Salāt (prayer).
Salāt Must Commemorate God Alone
Purpose of Salāt
إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكۡرِى
Innanī anā Allāhu lā ilāha illā anā fa`budnī wa-aqimi as-salāta lidhikrī.
I am God. There is no god except Me. So worship Me, and observe the Salat to commemorate Me.
(20:14)
Salāt is established to remember and commemorate God alone. Introducing any names other than God's (e.g., mentioning Muhammad or Abraham in the prayer) violates this command.
Components of Salāt
The Quran defines the essential components of Salāt, making it a simple and spiritual act:
Ablution (Wuḍūʾ)
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ
Yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū idhā qumtum ilā as-salāti fa-ghsilū wujūhakum wa-aydiyakum ilā al-marāfiqi wa-msaḥū biru'ūsikum wa-arjulakum ilā al-ka'bayn.
O you who believe, when you get up to observe the Salat, wash your faces and your arms to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles.
(5:6)
This verse details the four steps of ablution: washing the face, arms, wiping the head, and washing the feet. Additional steps taught outside the Quran are unnecessary.
Direction of Prayer (Qibla)
فَوَلِّ وَجۡهَكَ شَطۡرَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ
Fawalli wajhaka shaṭra al-masjidi al-ḥarām.
So turn your face towards the Masjid Al-Haram.
(2:144)
The Quran instructs Muslims to face the Kaʿbah during Salāt.
Physical Movements
Salāt involves standing, bowing, and prostrating in that order:
Standing: Implied as the starting posture.
Bowing and Prostrating:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا ٱرۡكَعُوا وَٱسۡجُدُوا وَٱعۡبُدُوا رَبَّكُمۡ
Yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū rkaʿū wa-sjudū wa-ʿbudū rabbakum.
O you who believe, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord…
(22:77)
Times of Salāt
The Quran explicitly mentions three times of prayer:
1. Fajr (Dawn)
مِن قَبۡلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ
Min qabli salāti al-fajr.
Before the Fajr Salat…
(24:58)
2. Middle Prayer (Wusṭā)
حَـٰفِظُوا عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ
Hāfiẓū ʿalā as-salawāti wa-as-salāti al-wusṭā.
Maintain the prayers, and the middle prayer.
(2:238)
3. ʿIshāʾ (Dusk)
وَمِنۡ بَعۡدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡعِشَاءِ
Wa-min baʿdi salāti al-ʿishāʾ.
And after the Isha prayer.
(24:58)
Quranic Content in Salāt
The Quran specifies that its verses should form the content of prayer:
ٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِ
Utlu mā ūḥiya ilayka mina al-kitābi wa-aqim as-salāta; inna as-salāta tanhā ʿani al-faḥshāʾi wa-al-munkar.
Recite what is revealed to you of the Book and observe the Salat, for the Salat forbids immorality and evil…
(29:45)
This verse indicates that Quranic recitation is integral to Salāt.
Key Principles of Salāt
Commemoration of God Alone
قُلۡ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحۡيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ
Qul inna Salātī wa-nusukī wa-maḥyāya wa-mamātī lillāhi rabbi al-ʿālamīn.
Say, "My Salat, my worship rituals, my life and my death, are all devoted to God, the Lord of the Worlds."
(6:162)
Rejecting Innovations:
Anything beyond the Quranic guidance (e.g., commemorating other figures or additional non-Quranic rituals) is unauthorized:
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَٰٓؤُاْ شَرَعُواْ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا لَمۡ يَأۡذَنۢ بِهِ ٱللَّهُۚ
Am lahum shurakāʾu sharʿū lahum mina ad-dīni mā lam yaʾdhan bihi Allāh.
Or do they have partners who legislate for them of the religion what God did not authorise?
(42:21)
Conclusion
The Quran provides clear and sufficient guidance for Salāt. Following the Quran alone ensures a simple, pure, and spiritual practice. By observing Salāt as described in the Quran, Muslims align their worship directly with God's instructions, free from human-made additions or distortions.