# Do Muslims pray "for" anything in particular? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2006, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714 "2006-01-06T06:24:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/1 "2006-01-06T06:24:21Z")
I heard on the news today, in coverage of Ariel Sharon’s medical problems, that some leading Palestinians said they would “pray for” his recovery. (The same story said other Palestinians felt very differently, but never mind that.) That surprised me. Christians and Jews will often say “I will pray for” your sick mother or whatever. But I always understood Muslims’ prescribed prayers (five times a day) were entirely formulaic, like the Our Father. Meaning, there would be no space for any specific, particular petition to fit in. Am I wrong? The Wikipedia article on Islam is no help. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/2 "2006-01-06T06:42:58Z")
The five-times-a-day prayers are the _fard_ or required worshipful prayers. In addition to those, Muslims are encouraged to, at any time in any way in any place in any language, say _du’a_ or supplications. They can ask for anything; be thankful; be repentant; etc. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/3 "2006-01-06T06:49:25Z")
'zactly. The five-times-a-day prayers are an exercise in obedience to God. He told us to pray five times a day, and so we do. These prayers do not ask for anything. If you want to pass the Book 19 Quiz, you have to pray on your own time. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/4 "2006-01-06T16:19:59Z")
… not to mention that some Palestinians [are in fact Christian](http://www.amconmag.com/2004_05_24/article.html). ---
**Author:** ![SABEI\_KING](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SABEI\_KING](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SABEI_KING)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/5 "2006-01-07T08:44:25Z")
When i was younger i prayed with my mother. After she finished her normal full prayer she would tell me to pray for her father and mother and “talk to god”. So I said a prayer for my grandparents and Cristians and Jews do and i so to say had my moment with god in English because i didnt speak Arabic fluently being American born and raised. So that pretty much awnsers your question. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-muslims-pray-for-anything-in-particular/338714/6 "2006-01-07T09:18:57Z")
Pretty much every religion has space for person prayers.