ABSTRACT
Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a foundational part of religious practice for Muslims. The Qur’an itself insists that the daily ritual prayers bring believers closer to Allah, and there are numerous supererogatory, or extra, prayers. Whilst Muslims can pray almost anywhere, praying with others is considered preferable to praying alone; across the world, Muslims pause their lives every Friday for the jummah, congregational prayer, preceded by a khutba (sermon) at a mosque. Mosques are particularly busy during Ramadan (the month of fasting), and religious holidays, such as Eid. All Muslims, women and men, are required to pray; there are different views on whether women are also obliged to pray in congregation.
