Salat Learning Guides for Adult Learners who are Speakers of English as their First Language.
Humans need the coherence and harmony that comes from the state of congruence. This is especially important in the field of education and effective curriculums turbo charge the learning process. Our goal as a Islamic Centre for Teaching and Learning is to help anyone to have a greater understanding of the Muslim faith and to provide tools that might enable our Brothers and Sisters in Islam to develop a deeper connection with Allah.
The motivation underpinning this work was firstly to compile resources for Adult Learners who are Speakers of English as their First Language but anyone who wishes to have a greater and more meaningful engagement with the Arabic of the Islamic Salat may benefit from our Islamic resources.
We are starting by taking small steps and We've included additional versions of the Salat designs based upon feedback and suggestions from our "test driving team". We're not suggesting that we are experts in Islam or telling anyone what to do but James' post graduate university qualifications and experience in adult education, communication and health promotion, are rather handy when it comes to the "somewhat difficult" task of learning how to learn, aka memorise, Salat!
The Adhan & Iqamah
The Arabic word adhan means "to listen." The ritual serves as a general statement of shared belief and faith for Muslims, as well as an alert that prayers are about to begin inside the mosque, misjad or mussullah.
A second call, right before the start of prayer, known as iqama, then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers to announce that prayer with the Imam is starting. The Iqamah is fast paced because you are telling the people already gathered that prayer is starting. The adhan is slow paced and loud because it is meant to call everyone to the masjid.
We're hoping that a Kind and Generous Brother with good Arabic, from our Ummah will record the Adhan & Iqama for us so that we can publish it here as a Salat Learning Guide. If you are willing to provide this service to the Community then please, Contact us via our Contact Page above or click the link here! Mashallah you will have our thanks and our prayers, inshallah.
Above: English on Top and Below: Arabic on Top!
If you hear the Adhan, you are required to repeat after the one giving the Adhan silently when they pause after each line and repeat after them with the exact same words except for steps 4 and 5. For step 4 and 5 you need to say (a total of four times):
"Laa hhawla wala Quw-wata il-laa bil-laa hil aaliy-yil adzeem" Meaning:
"There is no power or strength except with Allah the most high and the most magnificent."
From: https://www.heartislam.com/discover-islam/unlocking-the-heart/adhan-and-iqamah-call-to-prayer/
On the way to Learning the Al-Fatihah?
Not knowing what to say can be unsettling in the Mosque when you have no handy notes. To this end Sister Nadia in the Book of Salat published by Perniagaan Jahabersa, offers the following solution:
"If one can't recite Al-Fatihah because one can't perfect it due to certain reasons, but knows other verses, one would then recite about 7 verses instead. However, if one could not learn Al Fatihah quickly enough to pray - like the very newcomers to Al-Islam - One may recite":
Subhaanallaahi, Wal hamdulillaah, Wa Laa ilaa ha illallaahu, Wallaahu 'Akbar.
Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah and there is No God but Allah, Allah is Greatest.
And of course, as A Sister recently told us, if you can't remember what the words then say Allahu Akbar!
