How do you say "prayers" in Arabic?

دُعَاءٌ (duʿāʾ) — supplication or prayer, a humble petition addressed to God, distinct from the ritual prayer ṣalāh.

What is the difference between دُعَاءٌ and دَعْوَةٌ?

Both come from the same verb دَعَا ('to call'); duʿāʾ centers on prayer or supplication to God, while daʿwah is used more for a call or invitation, such as to a meal.

دُعَاءٌ prayers in Arabic

دُعَاءٌ is how you say “prayers” in Arabic.

Root د ع و d-ʿ-w. noun (verbal noun / maṣdar). duʿāʾ.

Arabic

English

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Meaning of prayers in Arabic

prayer, supplication, or petition to God asking God humbly for something desired — for oneself, on someone's behalf (li-), or against someone (ʿalā)
a calling, calling out to, or summoning the base sense of the root: to call someone so that they come or respond

Example sentence

وَمنع إِجَابَة الدُّعَاء وقسوة الْقلب

And the blocking of answered prayers and hardness of the heart.

الدُّعَاءِ of prayers

al- = 'the'; the 'of…' word: 'of the supplication, of prayer'.

From Returning to God

The English is machine-translated.

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How it is used

Duʿāʾ is the standard word for personal prayer or supplication in Islamic practice, distinct from the formal ritual prayer (ṣalāh). It grows from the root's core sense 'to call' — to call upon God is to ask something of Him, whether seeking good for oneself or another, or invoking harm on someone.

Words from the same root

دَعَا form I verb: to call, call out to, summon; to pray or supplicate (to God)
دَعْوَةٌ a call; an invitation, e.g. to a meal
دَعْوَى alternate verbal noun of daʿā, used for prayer to God
مُدَاعَاةٌ form III: posing a riddle or enigma to someone, or contending in doing so
دَاعٍ one who calls or summons (e.g. the caller to prayer)
دَاعِيَةٌ tropical use: milk left remaining in the udder

Common questions

How do you say "prayers" in Arabic?: دُعَاءٌ (duʿāʾ) — supplication or prayer, a humble petition addressed to God, distinct from the ritual prayer ṣalāh.
What is the difference between دُعَاءٌ and دَعْوَةٌ?: Both come from the same verb دَعَا ('to call'); duʿāʾ centers on prayer or supplication to God, while daʿwah is used more for a call or invitation, such as to a meal.

Related words

Definitions summarised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).