How many times a day do you pray? Who taught you how to pray?

Khaled, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Al Azhar University

8 comments:

  1. I don't think there's a rule to pray in terms of the number of pray or the way to pray. I think God will listen to you no matter how you pray how many times you pray if you truly believe in God and pray for him. For me, it is more meaningful how sincerely pray than how many times you pray. It could be just me and other Christians may think different from me.

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  2. I usually pray when I wake up, before I go to sleep and before every meal. I pray before I study the Bible and before I start an important task like planning a lesson or a meeting.

    Alison
    Rwanda

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  3. Thank you Jisun and Alison.
    I think it is important to have certain times can all Christians do their prayers at the same time. bcause if there is no certain time Every one will ask when he prays .and he will choose the time which he thinks it is the best time ,so evryone will have differen time . It should not depend to people ,because they will not choose one time but when God till us Which times we must pray it will be easy an no different
    And slso The prayer is very important It should be knowen for everyone
    and the one who can teach us how to pray must be the prophet not the God .
    If God teach people how to pray it will be difficult and we will ask Him to whom you prays

    Khaled :)

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  4. Hello Khaled,

    I think you're trying to impose Islamic ideas about scheduled prayer on Christianity.

    Christians do pray together when they attend church, eat together or do other activities as a group. I think most Christians pray individually when they want to thank God or ask for a particular blessing - that kind of prayer doesn't follow any schedule and doesn't have to be done as a community.

    Alison
    Rwanda

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  5. Hi Alison,
    I am sory I am not trying to impose our Islamic idea .I only wanted to explain it.
    I think If we pray when only we need to pray or when we want to thank God allmost people will rarely do it, but When there are certain times I think most people will do it. And also the prayer is God's right .It sould not related to when we need or when we want
    Do you agree?

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  6. Jesus taught Christians to pray and gave us this example of prayer:

    "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. They kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen."

    In his most famous sermon, Jesus also taught people to "pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you." It think that is one of the most unique, and beautiful, and powerful teachings of the Christian religion.

    Personally, I have to admit that I don't pray often. When I do pray it is usually to ask for help for a friend or loved in a time of great need. And occasionally to ask for forgiveness or for help in overcoming a personal failing.

    Although my personal prayer life is different from yours, I also see beauty and grace in the Muslim manner of prayer. There is a beautiful description of Muslim prayer in Tamim Ansary's book "West of Kabul, East of New York." Though much has changed in Afghanistan, I know Afghan families who still hold to this very old tradition, and I find it a very peaceful way to "take time out" from everyday life and remember what's most important.

    Tara Bates
    Monterey, CA

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  7. Hello Khaled,

    I think you're right to note that prayer is a form of praising God - as well as thanking Him or asking him for a particular blessing.

    You haven't convinced me that prayer needs to be scheduled - I think a believer that needs to be reminded to praise or thank God probably needs to stop and think about her/his relationship with God.

    The structures of religious life can remind us to complete certain activities (pray five times a day, go to church, fast, etc.) but they can't guarantee that those activities will be meaningful. To me there is a difference between praying as a habit and praying from the heart.

    Alison
    Rwanda

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  8. I have heard that in Islam there are several different types of prayer... my impression is that the 5-times-daily prayer, which Khaled refers to as "God's right" ... may not have a Christian equivalent. It seems to me that Christian prayer is more comparable to additional, optional prayers in Islam. (I think there are terms to distinguish these in Arabic, but I've forgotten them.) In English, there is just one word "prayer." Is it possible that terminology is getting in the way here?

    Tara Bates
    Monterey, CA

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