As we discussed in an earlier post, Arabic words often have a family of related and root words that give an amazing breadth and fullness to their meanings.  One such word is salah (the word used for the ritual prayer performed daily by Muslims.)



One of the words related to salah refers to burning, and especially to heating a twig or branch to make it pliant and flexible.  In the same way, salah helps burn up our sins, and makes us spiritually pliant, tractable and humble, instead of stiff, stubborn and arrogant.

Another related word to salah refers to connection or linking, and salah is certainly a most beautiful link, connecting us with Allah Most High.

So we can learn from the language, and the very word itself, what salah is supposed to do to us and for us, subhanAllah!

May Allah make us people of salah and devotion and who appreciate their deeper meanings, Ameen.


"How can you be searching for happiness when it calls you five times a day? Salah."