Prayer

Prayer is a practice that many religions encourage or require that adherents participate in. Prayer is done for a number of reasons. Traditionally, prayer is done to ask God for something. This is called petitionary prayer. Prayer is also offered to God for other reasons: because it is prescribed and to help the believer put himself in the right frame-of-mind. For instance, the saying of grace before meals is done to thank God for providing for the meal they are about to eat, but many see it more as a way to keep the believer in a state of humility.

Philosophers have suggested a number of problems with the concept of petitionary prayer, noting that it is not completely compatible with the traditional conception of theism. If one is petitioning God to change something in the world, then God will already know before you ask if he is omniscient.

Prayer rituals differ amongst religions and show a variety of characteristics. Muslims has a requirement for five daily prayers, signified in predominantly Muslim areas with a call to prayer that is amplified or broadcast.