• Reading a work translated from Italian in which the word "salute" (a sign given in response to someone often in recognition of the other's superiority) was related to "salutary" (healing, transformative in a good way) and "salutation" (greeting) -- I couldn't help but notice how close this Latin-origin word is to "salat". I've always understood salat to be different to prayer, which exactly translates "du'aa" but not exactly "salat" which are 2 different things. Thinking of salat as a type of "salute" with "salutary" effects on the worshipper makes perfect sense to me. Du'aa is identical in meaning and practice to prayer in English. Thinking of salat as a kind of salute and greeting to Allah on a regular basis has for me a deeper meaning. Also salat and zakat (or sadaqa) are so often mentioned together one cannot ignore it. The purification required for having one's salutation accepted is sacrifice of one's wealth and possessions to the poor or dispossessed, proportionately to one's own wealth. For example, the Saudi elite would have to ensure, according to their own wealth, that no Saudis or even Muslims are without means or dispossessed before building another palace or gilding another 747. All their salutations are being continuously rejected. Which doesn't even account for "who is Muslim..." •