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¿Por qué rezan los musulmanes cinco veces al día?

Short answerMuslims pray five times a day because God prescribed it, and it is the most direct link between a person and their Lord. The prayers are spread through the day (dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and night), keeping a person mindful of God, bringing calm and order, and reminding them that all of life belongs to Him.

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The command

God made prayer an obligation for believers at fixed times:

Quran
فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمٗا وَقُعُودٗا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمۡۚ فَإِذَا ٱطۡمَأۡنَنتُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَٰبٗا مَّوۡقُوتٗا

Cuando hayan terminado la oración recuerden a Dios de pie, sentados o recostados. Y cuando estén fuera de peligro hagan la oración [normalmente]. La oración ha sido prescrita a los creyentes para ser realizada en horarios específicos.

An-Nisa 4:103

And its first purpose is the remembrance of God:

Quran
إِنَّنِيٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِي وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكۡرِيٓ

Yo soy Al-lah, y no hay más divinidad que Yo. Adórame solo a Mí y haz la oración para recordarme.

Ta-Ha 20:14

The five times

  • Fajr: from true dawn until sunrise.
  • Dhuhr: after the sun passes its zenith.
  • Asr: the afternoon, until shortly before sunset.
  • Maghrib: right after sunset.
  • Isha: after twilight fades, extending to around midnight.

Times differ by city and season; see the prayer-times page for your city.

What it does for the believer

Hadith
أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ أَنَّ نَهَرًا بِبَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسًا، هَلْ يَبْقَى مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْءٌ؟ قَالُوا: لَا يَبْقَى مِنْ دَرَنِهِ شَيْءٌ، قَالَ: فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ، يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِهِنَّ الْخَطَايَا

Tell me: if there were a river at the door of one of you, and he bathed in it five times every day, would any dirt remain on him? They said: No dirt would remain. He said: That is the likeness of the five prayers; through them God erases sins.

Al-Bukhari 528, Muslim 667

How is prayer performed?

Prayer is performed after wudu, facing the Kaaba, with standing, bowing, prostration and recitation of Al-Fatihah and other verses. A step-by-step guide is on the Wudu & Prayer page.

Preguntas frecuentes

Must I pray in a mosque?

Prayer is valid in any clean place. Men are strongly encouraged to pray in congregation at the mosque; women may pray at home or at the mosque.

What if I cannot yet recite in Arabic?

Start with what you know and remember God as you can, learning gradually; God knows your effort.

Los textos y traducciones están en revisión por sabios.