The night was quiet as Maria sat in her dorm room, the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminating her notebook. She had spent the day deeply engaged in learning about Catholic prayer, and now, a curiosity stirred in her mind—how did people of other faiths pray?
She picked up her phone and hesitated for a moment before dialing Ayesha, her old friend from Vancouver, who had moved back to Pakistan a few years ago. They had always respected each other's beliefs, but tonight, for the first time, Maria wanted to ask about something deeper.
The phone rang a few times before Ayesha's warm voice came through.
Ayesha: "Maria! How are you? It's been a while!"
Maria: "I'm good, Ayesha. I miss talking to you. How's everything going?"
Ayesha: "Alhamdulillah, all is well. And you? You sound like you have something on your mind."
Maria smiled. Ayesha always had a way of sensing things.
Maria: "Actually, yes. Today, we had a class on prayer. We learned about the different types of Catholic prayers, the proper methods, and why prayer is important in our faith. It made me wonder... how do Muslims pray?"
There was a brief silence before Ayesha spoke, her tone thoughtful.
Ayesha: "That's a beautiful question, Maria. I'm really happy that you're interested in knowing about our prayers. Prayer—Salah—is one of the most important pillars of Islam. We pray five times a day."
Maria: "Five times? That's really disciplined! What are the timings?"
Ayesha: "The prayers are spread throughout the day. The first is Fajr, before sunrise. Then comes Dhuhr in the afternoon, Asr in the late afternoon, Maghrib at sunset, and finally Isha at night."
Maria scribbled down the names in her notebook.
Maria: "That's fascinating. But why five times?"
Ayesha: "Prayer is not just about asking for things—it's a way to stay connected to God throughout the day. It reminds us of His presence and keeps us grounded. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was instructed by God to establish five daily prayers during the miraculous event of Isra and Mi'raj."
Maria: "Oh, I see. So, how do you actually pray? Do you have specific prayers like the Lord's Prayer?"
Ayesha smiled.
Ayesha: "Yes and no. Our prayers are structured and always the same, but they also include personal supplications. Before we start, we have to perform a purification ritual called Wudu."
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Understanding Wudu (Ablution)
Maria tilted her head in curiosity.
Maria: "Wudu? What's that?"
Ayesha: "It's a way to physically and spiritually purify ourselves before standing in front of Allah. We wash our hands, rinse our mouths, clean our nostrils, wash our faces, arms, wipe our heads, and wash our feet."
Maria was impressed.
Maria: "Wow, that's very symbolic. In Christianity, we don't have a specific ritual like that before prayer, but we do believe in confessing our sins and approaching God with a pure heart."
Ayesha nodded.
Ayesha: "That's beautiful too. Purity of the heart is important in every faith."
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The Method of Prayer (Salah)
Maria leaned back on her pillow.
Maria: "Okay, so after Wudu, what do you do?"
Ayesha: "We face the Qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, and begin our prayer with Takbir, raising our hands and saying 'Allahu Akbar'—meaning 'God is the Greatest'."
Maria: "And then?"
Ayesha: "We recite Surah Al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Quran, followed by another portion of the Quran. Then, we go into Ruku—bowing while keeping our hands on our knees. After that, we stand up and then go into Sujood, prostration, where our forehead touches the ground."
Maria was amazed.
Maria: "That sounds very physical. It's like a full-body prayer."
Ayesha: "Exactly! The movements symbolize submission to God. The Sujood is the most humbling position because our forehead touches the ground, reminding us that we are nothing without Him."
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The Words Used in Prayer
Maria was curious about what was recited during these movements.
Maria: "What do you say while praying?"
Ayesha: "During Sujood, we say: 'Subhana Rabbiyal A'la'—which means 'Glory is to my Lord, the Most High.' In Ruku, we say: 'Subhana Rabbiyal Azim'—meaning 'Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great'."
Maria found the Arabic phrases beautiful.
Maria: "Do you always pray in Arabic?"
Ayesha: "Yes, the main prayer is always in Arabic, because it keeps the message of the Quran preserved, but after completing Salah, we can pray in any language, asking for whatever we need from God."
Maria nodded.
Maria: "That's similar to us. In Catholic prayers, we have set prayers like the 'Hail Mary' and 'Our Father,' but we also talk to God personally."
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The Purpose of Prayer in Islam and Christianity
There was a moment of silence as both girls reflected. Then Maria asked a deeper question.
Maria: "What do you feel when you pray, Ayesha?"
Ayesha took a deep breath before answering.
Ayesha: "I feel a sense of peace. Salah is like a reset button. No matter what happens during the day, I stop everything and turn to God. It reminds me that He is always watching over me."
Maria smiled.
Maria: "That's how I feel when I pray too. It's comforting to know that God is listening, no matter what we are going through."
Ayesha agreed.
Ayesha: "Exactly. And you know, Maria, at the core, prayer is the same in every religion. It's about surrender, connection, and love for God."
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A New Perspective
Maria looked at her notebook, filled with notes about Islamic prayer. She realized something profound—while their methods of prayer were different, the purpose was the same.
Maria: "Thank you for sharing this with me, Ayesha. I feel like I understand Islam better now."
Ayesha: "And I love learning about Christianity from you. Religion is meant to bring people together, not divide them."
Maria nodded.
Maria: "You're right. Maybe one day, we can visit each other's places of worship and experience prayer together."
Ayesha smiled.
Ayesha: "I would love that."
As Maria ended the call, she felt grateful for the conversation. It had opened her mind, strengthened her faith, and deepened her respect for another tradition.
That night, she prayed with a newfound understanding—knowing that across the world, millions of people, in different languages and forms, were praying to the same One God.