Title: Understanding Prayer Question: As every Muslim is ordered to pray five times a day regardless of any language he understands or speaks. I also believe that every Muslim should understand what he is praying. But there are many people and even I can understand very less what I'm praying because of Arabic language. Now points are, if we pray regularly but not understand (EXACT MEANINGS), then, were all the SALAT (prayer) we offered are useless. If useless, will we be punished. Jahanzeb Answer: I do agree with you that without proper understanding of what we say in our prayers, both the spirit as well as the effects of prayers, worship and servitude shall remain lacking to a great extent. This, in itself, is a great disadvantage of not comprehending the words that we utter during our prayers and supplications. Nevertheless, because of the general lack of awareness of the Muslims in this respect, it would not be correct to say that all such prayers which they offer without comprehension are 'useless'. Developing a 'comprehension' of these words is of utmost importance and absolutely necessary to benefit fully from our prayers, yet offering prayers without comprehending the words we utter during them should not termed as utterly useless and punishable. Prayer, as we know, is a combination of two things: Firstly, the words that we utter during prayers; and secondly, the actions that we perform during prayers. All those, who perform the actions entailed in prayers without a good understanding of the words that they utter, shall be rewarded for performing these acts with sincerity toward God. However, when a person performs all the prescribed actions during prayers and also comprehends the words that he recites with these actions with sincerity toward God, he would get the additional reward for his additional efforts. When a person realizes the fact that to benefit fully from his prayers, he should develop an understanding of the words that he utters in them, then it becomes incumbent upon him to not only start working toward the desired end, but also to develop an awareness of this fact in his friends and loved ones, so that they too are not deprived of the reward and benefit, which they could so easily have earned. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad October 19, 2001