Im trying to learn Arabic, but for the time being can i pray in english? I know all the positions and words in english. I was also wondering what it means for a prayer to be silent. I looked at some site to learn to pray and it says that some prayers are silent and some are aloud. In the silent prayer do you say nothing at all?

salaam

Michael,

Congratulations on finding Islam; may Allaah keep you strong and bestow knowledge upon you, Aameen .

The best thing is to try and learn the Arabic words as soon as possible and try to be able to recite at least the most important parts of the prayer - like Surah al Fatihah for example. I don't know if it's ok to perform a prayer in English though. May Allaah make it easy for you to learn these new things, Aameen.

Here are some sites that tell you how to pray:

http://english.islamway.com/sindex.php?section=prayer
http://muslimconverts.com/prayer/how-to-pray-intro.htm
http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13340&ln=eng
http://www.load-islam.com/display_lecture.php?id=389
http://www.qss.org/articles/salah/toc.html

Let us know if you have any problems Insha'Allaah, we are all here to help!

Have you checked with your local mosque about arabic classes? If I remember correctly you are in Texas right? I also live in the states and at my local mosque they offer free arabic classes for anyone who wants to learn. You might wanna check that out.

welcome to islam bro
i pray that Allah makes it easier for you
as far as i know,prayers cant be offered in english
wassalam

thanks
Im trying to learn from the sites. My friend and I are going to mosque friday so i will ask them. Its is almost like i can hear the words in my head but i can sound them out.

Asalaamu 'alykum (Peace be upon you) bro.


Welcome to islaam, and i'm guessing your bro Aman's mate right?


I'm not really sure if this link will be of any help to you, but please check it anyway:

http://sabbir.com/DownloadHalal.html


It's Qur'an in Arabic audio and english translation - verse by verse. Hope it benefits you insha'Allaah [God willing.]


Hope you benefit from these links too insha'Allaah:

http://www.sparklywater.com/sparklywater/downloads.html
http://www.islam.com/salat/salatfinal.html

http://muslimconverts.com/prayer/how-to-pray-intro.htm
http://muttaqun.com/prayer/toc.html

How to Pray


Peace.

I had the same question..thanks for all of the advice

EDIT:

Correction:

Prayer is offered in Arabic.

@ Michaelconvert.

Now the situation the brother is in, he should offer the part easy part in arabic (refer to the excerpt below), but it should not be taken that you neglect your duty to learn the prayer in arabic, or that he think's it is not neccesary to offer it in arabic and starts offering it in english.


It is not that hard and after couple of day's you will be offering in full in arabic.
Trust me on that once you start putting all you hard work and effort you would become proficient.
Also one has to remember to atleast know more or less what you are saying in arabic.


Here is an excerpt

Second: If you have not yet learned the manner and characteristics of performing the prayer (i.e. at least the movements and positions), appended to this message is a description from which you can learn. What is requried from you for the time being is to say in the beginning of the prayer and between each movement between positions "Allaahu ak-bar" (a glorification of Allaah). While standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting, you should say "subhaan allaah wal-hamdu lillaah wa-laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu akbar." (Glory be to Allaah, and praise and thanks be to Allaah, and there is no god but Allaah, and Allaah is the most Exalted and Great.) Then conclude the prayer by turning your head to the right then left, each time saying "as-salaamu alaikum."

This way of performing salaat is permissible for you until you can learn and memorize what should be said in each movement and position of the salaat.


I ask Allaah to aid you and ease your affairs, and to bestow upon you the blessing of Islaam and perseverence in adhering to it. We are ready and willing to assist in explaining or helping to solve any problem or difficulty

Islam-qa

I wouldn't think so. Don't fear though, aslong as you are learning arabic, you shouldn't be accountable for not being able to do the prayers. The prayers MUST be done in Arabic, as it is impure to do so otherwise - there is no guideline English, French, German etc version that one can imply with, nor has any mention been given for which it is permissable.

So, learn some small surah's, which even if you don't really know the arabic, by hearing it enough I believe (or even seeing the surah written in english combined) could make you able to recite it sufficiently for prayer.

Thank's for the correction bro.

I was editing my post when you posted this.

welcome to Islam brother, I too had a hard time at first, but after praying 5 times a day you will get it after a month or so ishallah just hang in there.

Abdulah

First of all Salam alik and welcom to Islam,
Regarding your question, brother praying in any other languages than Arabic is not permissible, So please ask Allah for help and you'll Inshallah learn very soon arabic. Then you can offer your prayers to the Creator of the univrse.
Allah-O-Akbar

there's no such "MUST". Where did u get this.???

If anything is a "MUST" that is offering of prayer in time & regularly.

So as long as he is learning Prayer(Salaah) in Arabic he can very well offer in language he understands.

Lot of muslims pray in Arabic BUT don't understand a word they utter. So what a prayer is that???? At least by saying prayer in his language till he learns Arabic, in future he'll know what he's saying when he pray in Arabic.

well this is something all us non-arabic speaking converts go through. it's really excellent that you already know the words in English masha'Allah. the first thing you need to memorise in Arabic is 'al fatiha'. don't worry by saying it 17 times a day (if you do the 5 prayers) you will get it in no time insha'Allah. and take the rest bit by bit, the words said while bowing and prostrating are quite short and easy, the words said while sitting after the second rakah and the last rakah I found quite hard but even I got there in the end.

I was given some excellent advice which I will pass on to you. while it is very important to learn to say the prayer in arabic, it is perhaps even more important to connect with our creator in prayer. even Muslims with perfect pronounciation and able to recite long surahs in the prayer, are trying hard for that connection and may not achieve it. if at any time while praying you forget the proper words then just say words of praise to God, whatever comes to your heart, but don't 'lose' the prayer because of struggling to remember words.

you mentioned 'silent' prayers - these are not completely silent you still need to say the words but not out loud, ie just move your lips. if I am wrong I hope someone may correct me.

may Allah ta'ala make everything easy for you and reward you abundantly for your efforts, and continue to guide you (and me) ameen.

prayer must be in arabic, like what the prophet have taught us...

so u need to study, especially alfatiha, the most important surah, coz u have to read it 17 times a day...

dont worry...study it, and Allah will make it easy for you insha Allah...