The Muslim Prayer Book

by Muhammad Ali

This book, perhaps the best available on Muslim Prayer, discusses the nature, significance, and value of prayer. It contains all important prayers with Arabic text, translation and transliteration and short phrases of daily use. Illustrated with photographs.

Genres: Religion

5 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Natta Kuiski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains, more or less, three main sections: a practical guide to performing Islamic ritual prayer (or salāh); descriptions of various celebrations and other events involving prayer that fall outside of the daily five prayers (for example, prayer during the ‘Īd holidays or funeral services); and a compilation of prayers, in Arabic and English, compiled from the Quran and Hadith deemed particularly useful by the author.

And speaking of the author, he was a well-known member of the Ahmadiyya movement. To some, this would be enough to make them avoid his writings. However, I don't feel there was anything written in this book about prayer or doctrine that would be out of place in an traditional Sunni book on the same subject. It does not appear that he -- and by extension I assume the Ahmadiyya in general -- perform the daily prayers any differently than traditional Sunnis. There is only one point in the book where his allegiance to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the movement's founder, is mentioned, and that is on what is literally the last page of the book. This is hardly a book of blasphemous Ahmadi propaganda, then. Unfortunately, I'm sure many would consider it to be just such a thing and consequently dismiss out of hand.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best book I've read on prayer, but still good. I really did appreciate that there was a collection of prayers at the end of the book.