For people who pray only, please: How do you pray? Why do you pray?

Question

When do you pray? Do you pray out loud? Do you pray for others? Why do you pray? Please talk about prayer in your life.

Answer 1

Baha'is have what we call Obligatory Prayers, it's a prayer that is done every day.

We have a choice of the Short, Medium or Long Obligatory Prayers.

I haven't done the Long prayer for some time now, it involves some bowing and so on. I broke my knee in 2002, and I find things like that difficult, so I stick to the Short Prayer that is supposed to be done every day between noon and sunset.

"I bear witness O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is no other God but Thee, the Help In Peril, the Self Subsisting."

I usually say it in Arabic out loud, but I try to be pretty quiet if I'm around other people, at work, etc.

There are several Baha'i prayers, some of them are for specific ocassions.

One of the most well known Baha'i prayers is called The Remover Of DIfficulties:

"Is there any remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding."

Answer 2

This will depend on whether you are Jews or Gentiles (Non-Jews).

Jews pray 3 times a day. They have strict rules and instructions as to how to pray. Go find a rabbi if you want to know about this as I am not a Jew and I know nothing more than what I mentioned.

For Gentiles, we can pray anytime and anywhere (except toilets and other places that are considered dirty). We have to pray out loud. This is because when we pray, our mind might wonder off. Pray out loud helps in concentrating ourselves.

Praying procedure can be different for each individual. It is recommended that we should be clean (after bath) when we pray.

It is encouraged that we pray for other people. It is an act of care and love for the people around us. God loves us when we love everything He created.

We pray for many reasons. When we want something, when we need something, to give thanks to God and to ask for forgiveness.