PRAYER (SALA’T) :

 

 

FACING THE KA’BAH (Istiqbaalul-Ka’bah):

 

• If you stand, O Muslim, to pray – then face the direction of the Ka’bah, wherever you are, in obligatory Prayers and optional Prayers. This is one of the pillars of the Prayer, such that the Prayer is not valid without it.

• The obligation to face the direction of the Ka’bah is removed from a warrior having to pray the Fear Prayer and during severe fighting. It is also removed from one who is rendered incapable of it, such as one who is (very) ill, or one who is upon a ship, car or airplane and who fears that the Prayer time will reach its end. It is also removed from one who prays optional Prayer or the Witr Prayer upon a riding beast or vehicle. It is, however, preferable for him, if he is able, to turn it towards the Qiblah for the initial takbeer. After that it does not matter in which direction it turns.

• It is obligatory upon everyone who can actually see the Ka’bah to face it directly. As for those who cannot actually see it then they should face its direction.

• If a person prays towards other than the Qiblah due to the sky being cloudy or for any reason other than that, after having tried to the best of his knowledge and ability to face the correct direction, then his Prayer will be correct and he will not have to repeat it. However if a person whom he holds to be reliable comes to him whilst he is praying and informs him of the correct direction, then he must immediately turn to the correct direction, and his Prayer will be correct.

 

STANDING (Qiyaam)

 

• It is obligatory that the person prays standing. This is a pillar (rukn) except for: The one who is praying the Fear Prayer or during severe fighting. In these circumstances it is permissible for him to pray whilst riding.

• Also the one who is ill and the one who is unable to stand, he should pray sitting if he is able, or if not then whilst lying down.

• Also the person praying Optional (Nafl) Prayer, he may pray whilst riding or whilst sitting if he wishes, and in this case he should perform rukoo’ (bowing) and sujood (prostration) by lowering his head and likewise the sick. He should lower his head further for the prostration than for the bowing.

• It is not permissible for the person praying sitting to place something raised upon the ground to prostrate upon. Rather he should only make the movement for his prostration lower than that for his bowing, as we have already mentioned, this is what he does if he is unable to directly place his head upon the ground.

 

 

THE INTENTION (an-Niyyah) :

 

• The person who is going to pray must have in his heart the intention to pray that particular Prayer, be it the Obligatory Zuhr or ‘Asr Prayer, or the sunnah Prayer’s for them, for example. This is a condition (shart) or a pillar (rukn). As for expressing that upon the tongue, then it is an innovation (bid’ah), contrary to the sunnah. This was not upheld by any of the Imaams followed by the blindfollowers.

 

THE TAKBEER (Saying: `Allaahu Akbar’)

 

• He begins the Prayer by saying:

Allahu Akbar

“Allah is Greater.”

• This is a pillar (rukn), due to his saying, “The key to the Prayer is Purification. That which makes outside actions forbidden is the takbeer, and that which causes outside actions to become permissible is the tasleem.”

• He should not raise his voice in saying the takbeer in any of the Prayers, unless he is an Imaam (leading others in prayer).

•  It is allowed for the mu’adhdhin to repeat the takbeer of the Imaam in a louder voice in order for the people to hear it, as long as there is a need for that, such as the Imaam’s being ill, having a weak voice, or there being a very large number of people praying behind him.

 

RAISING AND PLACEMENT OF THE HANDS AND HOW IT IS TO BE DONE:

 

• He should raise his hands whilst saying the takbeer or before it, or after it. All of these are established in the sunnah.

• He should raise his hands with the fingers extended and palms up to the level of his shoulders, and sometimes he should raise them even further, up to the level of his ear lobes.

• Then after the takbeer he should place his right hand upon his left hand, and this is from the practice (sunnah) of the Prophet (), and Allah’s Messenger () commanded his Companions with it. It is therefore not permissible to leave the hands hanging by one’s sides.

• He should place his right hand upon his left hand, wrist and forearm.Sometimes he should grasp the left hand with the right hand.

• He should only place his hands upon his chest. This applies equally to men and women.

• It is not allowed to place the right-hand on the waist.

 

HE OPENING SUPPLICATION (Du’aa al-Istiftaah O Sana) :

 

• Then he should begin by reciting one of the supplications established from the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) !, and they are many. The most wellknown is:

Subhaanak-Allaahumma, wa biham-dika, wa tabaarakasmuka, wa ta’aalaa jadduka, wa laa ilaaha ghayruka

سُبْحَانَکَ اللّٰھُمَ وَ بِحَمْدِکَ، وَتَبَارَکَ اسْمُکَ، وَتَعَالٰی جَدُّکَ،وَلَااِلٰہَ غَیْرُکَ

“I declare You free and far removed from all imperfections, O Allah, and all praise is for You. Blessed is Your Name. Great and Exalted is Your Kingdom. None has the right to be worshipped besides You.”

 

THE RECITATION (al-Qiraa’ah):

 

• Then he must seek refuge with Allaah, the Most High, and it is an obligation, he will be sinful if he leaves it. The Sunnah is that he should sometimes say:

A’oodhu billaahi min ash-Shaytaan-ir-Rajeem [min hamzihi, wa nafkhihi, wa nafthihi]

اَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطَانِ الرَّجِیْمِ

“I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the Rejected One [from the insanity he brings about, from his arrogance and from his evil poetry].”

• Then he should say:

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem

بسم الله الرّحمٰن الرّحيم

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestow-er of Mercy.”

 

RECITING SURAH AL-FATIHAH:

 

• Then he recites the whole of Surah al-Fatihah, and (Bismillaah …) is an aayah from it. This is a pillar (rukn), and the Prayer will not be correct without it. So it is obligatory upon even those who do not know Arabic that they memorize it.

Bismillaahir-Rahmanir-Raheem

بسم الله الرّحمٰن الرّحيم

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestow-er of Mercy.”

Al-Hamdu lillaahi Rabbil-‘Aalameen 0 Ar-Rahman-ir-Raheem 0 Maaliki Yawmid-Deen 0 Iyyaaka na’budu wa lyyaaka nasta’een 0 Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem 0 Siraatal-lazeena an’amta ‘alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi ‘alaihim wa lad-daaalleen 0

“All praise is for Allah, the Lord of all the creation – The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy – Owner of the Day of Recompense – It is You we worship and You we ask for help – Guide us to the straight path – The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.”

• The whole of the Prophet’s (صلّى الله عليه وسلم ) recitation would be like this. He would stop at the end of each aayah, and not join it together with the aayah after it, even if they were connected in meaning.

• It is obligatory to say “Aameen” after completing Surah Al Faatihah.

• It is obligatory that he recites al-Faatihah in every rak’ah.

 

THE RECITATION AFTER SURAH AL-FAATIHAH (QIRA’AT):

 

• It is from the Sunnah that after reciting al-Faatihah, he recites another Surah – even in the Funeral Prayer, or that he recites some aayahs, in the first two rak’ahs.

• He may sometimes lengthen the recitation after it and shorten it at other times, due to the needs of travel, having a cough and cold, being ill or due to the crying of a child.

• The length of recitation will vary according to the different Prayers. So generally, the recitation in the Dawn (Fajr) Prayer is longer than the recitation in any of the other Prayers. Next comes the Zuhr, then the ‘Asr and the Maghrib, then the ‘Ishaa.

• The recitation in the (optional) Night Prayer (Salaatul-Layl) is longer than any of those.

• The Sunnah is also to make the recitation in the first rak’ah longer than the recitation in the second rak’ah.

• Also that he makes the recitation in the last two rak’ahs shorter than that in the first two, by about a half.

 

 THE BOWING (RUKU’):

 

• When he has finished reciting he remains silent for a moment, long enough to return his breathing to normal.

• Then he raises his hands, in the manner described previously with regard to the initial takbeer.

• He also says the takbeer (i.e., Allaahu Akbar), and this is obligatory.

• Then he performs the ruku’(i.e., bows) in such a manner that all his joints are settled, and each part of the body is at rest. This is a pillar (rukn).

• He should place his hands firmly upon his knees. He should spread his fingers, as if he were grasping his knees. All of this is obligatory.

• He should stretch out his back and make it level, such that if water were to be poured upon it, then it would settle upon it. This is an obligation.

• He should neither cause his head to droop lower than his back, nor should he raise it above it. Rather he should make it level with his back.

• He should keep his elbows (straight and) apart from his sides.

• He should say in his ruku’:

Subhaana Rabbee al-‘Azeem

سبحان ربّ العظيم

“I declare my Lord, the Supreme, free and far removed from all

imperfections.”

• Saying it three times, or more.

 

STRAIGHTENING UP FROM THE RUKU’:

 

• Then he must raise up and straighten his back from the ruku’. This is a pillar.

• He must say, while raising his back:

Sami’ Allaahu liman hamidah

سمع الله لمن حمد

“Allah listens and responds to the one who praises Him.”

• He should raise his hands when he rises up, in the manner that as preceded previous.

• Then he should stand straight up and remain still, such that every bone returns to its place. This is a pillar.

•  He should say while standing:

Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd

ربّنا ولك الحمد

“O our Lord! And all praise is for You.”

• This is obligatory upon everyone praying, even if he is praying behind an imaam, since it is the saying prescribed for this standing position. As for the saying, then it is the saying prescribed to be said whilst rising.

• He should make this standing about as long as the ruku’ (bowing), as has preceded.

 

THE SUJOOD (PROSTRATION):

 

• Then he says:

Allaahu Akbar

الله اكبر

“Allaah is Greater.”

• This is an obligation. And he should raise his hands, sometimes.

• Then he prostrates, placing his hands upon the ground before his knees. This is what Allah’s Messenger commanded, and it is  what is established from his practice. He also forbade the people from kneeling down in the manner that the camel kneels, and the camel places its knees -which are its fore-legs – first.

• So when he prostrates, and it is a pillar, he should rest upon his palms, and extend together.

• He should keep his fingers them. And point them towards the qiblah (direction of Prayer).

• And he should place his palms level with his shoulders.

• And sometimes he places them level with his ears.

• And he must lift his elbows away from the ground. This is obligatory. He is not allowed to spread them on the ground in the manner of the dog.

• He must place his nose and his forehead firmly upon the ground, this is a pillar.

• He must also place his knees firmly on the ground.

• And likewise his toes. His feet should be placed upright on the ground. All of these

• are obligatory.

• The tips of his toes should be pointed towards the qiblah (direction of Prayer). And his heels should be joined together.

• So whoever settles in his prostration in this manner, then he has certainly attained the stillness necessary. This stillness (itmi’naan) in the prostration is a pillar also.

• He should say in it three times or more:

Subhaana Rabbee al-A’ laa

سبحان ربّي الاعلىٰ

“I declare my Lord, the Most High, free and far removed from all

imperfections.”

• It is recommended to supplicate to Allah as much as possible while in prostration, since it is a time most suitable for the acceptance of supplications.

• He should make his prostration about as long as his bowing, as has preceded.

 

SITTING IN BETWEEN THE TWO PROSTRATIONS:

 

• Then he raises up his head, saying the takbeer (i.e., Allaahu Akbar). This is an obligation.

• Then he sits with calmness, such that every bone settles in its place.

• He should lay his left foot flat beneath him and sit upon it. This is an obligation.

•  He sets his right foot upright upon the ground.

• He should make the toes of his right foot point towards the qiblah (direction of Prayer) then He says in his sitting:

Allaahumma-ghfirlee, warhamnee, wajburnee, warfa’nee, wa’aafinee, warzuqnee

“O Allaah forgive me, and have mercy upon me, and suffice me, and raise my rank, and grant me safety and well-being, and grant me provision. “

• And if he wishes he may (instead) say:

Rabbi-ghfirlee, Rabbi-ghfirlee ربّ اغفرلی ، ربّ اغفرلی

“O my Lord, forgive me! O my Lord, forgive me!”

• And he should prolong this sitting until it becomes of similar length to his prostration.

• Then he says:

Allahu Akbar اللہ اکبر

“Allah is Greater.”

• And  he performs the second prostration, and this is a pillar also.

• He does in the second prostration that which he did in the first.

 

SITTING AT REST (JILSATUL-ISTIRAAHAH):

 

• So when he raises his head up from the second prostration,

• and he intends to get up to perform the second rak’ah, then he says:

Allahu Akbar  اللہ اکبر

“Allah is Greater.”

• He (briefly) sits upright, sitting upon his left foot, such that every bone returns to its place, before standing.

 

THE SECOND UNIT OF PRAYER (RAK’AH):

 

• He does in the second rak’ah the same as he did in the first.

• Except that he does not recite, “The Opening Supplication,” (i.e., Du’aa al-Istiftaah) in it.

• He should make the second rak’ah shorter than the first rak’ah.

 

SITTING FOR THE DECLARATION OF FAITH (TASHAHHUD):

 

• So when he finishes the second rak’ah he sits to perform the tashahhud. This is obligatory.

• And he sits upon the left foot laid flat, as preceded with regard to the sitting between the two prostrations.

• However it is not allowed to sit upon the two heels for this sitting.

• He should clench all the fingers of his right hand, placing his thumb onto his middle finger sometimes.

• At other times he may make a circle with his thumb and middle finger together.

• He should point his forefinger towards the qiblah (Direction of Prayer).

• He should fix his gaze upon his forefinger.

•  And he should agitate it, making supplication with it, from the start to the end of the tashahhud. And he should not point with his left forefinger.

• He should say these obligatory words:

At-Tahiyyaatu lillaahi, was-Salwaatu, wat-Tayyibaatu. As-Salaamu

‘alan-Nabee’, wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. As-Salaamu ‘alaynaa wa

‘alaa ‘ibaad-illaah-is-Saaliheen. Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah, wa

ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘ abduhu wa rasooluh

“Words of Praise and glorification are for Allah alone, and Prayers and acts of worship, and pure words and attributes. May Allah send peace and security upon the Prophet, and may Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon him. May Allaah send peace and security upon us, and upon all of Allah’s righteous servants. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.”

 

BLESSINGS UPON PROPHET (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم):

 

•  After this he should supplicate for blessings upon the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) saying:

Allaahumma Salli ‘alaa Muhammad, wa ‘alaa Aali Muhammad,

kamaa sallayta ‘alaa Ibraaheem, wa ‘alaa Aali Ibraaheem, innaka

Hameedun Majeed. Allaahumma baarik ‘alaa Muhammad, wa ‘alaa

Aali Muhammad, kamaa baarakta ‘alaa Ibraaheem, wa ‘alaa Aali

Ibraaheem, innaka Hameedun Majeed.

“O Allah! Extol and honor Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and the true followers of

Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم), just as You extolled and honored Ibrahim and the

righteous offspring of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are deserving of all

praise, Perfect in Glory and Honor. 0 Allah! Send continual

blessings upon Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and upon the true followers of

Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم), just as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon

the righteous offspring of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are deserving of

all praise, Perfect in Glory and Honor.”

 

SUPPLICATIONS:

 

• It is obligatory that he say these supplication after Durood:

Allahumma innee a’oodhu bika min ‘ adhaabi jahannam, wa min ‘ adhaabil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-mahyaa wal-mamaat, wa min sharri fitnatil-maseehid-Dajjaal.

“O Allaah! I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hell-Fire, and from the Punishment of the Grave, and from the Trials of Living and Dying, and from the Evil Trials of the False Messiah (Dajjaal).”

• Then he may supplicate for himself with whatever supplication he wishes from the supplications established in the Book and the Sunnah. There are very many, so if he has not memorized anything from them, then he may supplicate with whatever du’a is easy for him, from that which will benefit him in his Religion or his worldly life.

 

THE SALUTATION (AS-SALAAM):

 

• Then he should give salutations to his right side and say:

As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

السلام علیکم ورحمتہ اللہ وبرکاتہ

“May Allah grant you peace and security, and may His Mercy and Blessings be upon You.”

• And say these towards left side:

As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah

السلام علیکم ورحمتہ اللہ

“May Allah grant you peace and security.and may His mercy be upon you”

• And  this is a pillar, turning his face such that the whiteness of his right cheek can be seen.

• He then gives salutations to his left side, turning his face such that the whiteness of his left cheek can be seen, even if it is the Funeral Prayer.

 

IF THE PRAYER HAS THIRD AND FOURTH RAK’AHS:

 

• If the prayer has third or four rak’ahs then end your First Tashahhud on Blessings on Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) [Durood] and then say:

Allahu Akbar اللہ اکبر

“Allah is Greater.”

• The Sunnah is that he (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) says it whilst he is sitting.

• And he raises his hands, sometimes.

• Then he gets up to pray the third rak’ah, and it, like the rak’ah coming after it, is a pillar.

• He does the same when he wants to get up for the fourth rak’ah.

• In each of the third and fourth rak’ahs he recites Surah alFaatihah, and this is obligatory.

 

THE FINAL TASHAHHUD AND SITTING WITH ONE’S LEFT HIP RESTING UPON THE GROUND (AT-TAWARRUK):

 

• Then he should sit for the final tashahhud, and both are obligatory.

• He should do in it what he did in the first tashahhud.

• Except that in it he sits with his left hip resting upon the ground, and with both his feet on his right-side. He places his left foot beneath his right shin.

• His right foot should be placed upright upon the ground.

• And it is allowed to lay it down flat, sometimes.

• He should lean heavily upon his left knee with his palm, supporting himself in that manner.

• And after that he should say :

As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

السلام علیکم ورحمتہ اللہ وبرکاتہ

“May Allah grant you peace and security, and may His Mercy and Blessings be upon You.”

• And say these towards left side:

As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah

السلام علیکم ورحمتہ اللہ

“May Allah grant you peace and security.and may His mercy be upon you”

 

FORBIDDEN THINGS IN PRAYER:

 

• It is forbidden for him to turn his neck and see anywhere else between the prayer.

• It is forbidden to do any unnecessary action or movement during the prayer.

• It is also forbidden to have any thing near you which will divert your concentration from the prayer or you can’t able to understand the words of recitation due to the thing (Big or colorful thing i.e: flower vase, frame etc.)

• It is also not permissible to stand while placing your hands on your thighs.

 

THINGS WHICH INVALIDATE PRAYERS:

 

• During the prayer, if one talks purposely than the prayer will became invalid.

• If one turns away his whole body from the Qiblah direction without a legitimate excuse than his prayer is invalid. He has to offer it again.

• during prayer, one passes gas or anything which will break his wudu or ghusl than his prayer is invalid.

• The prayer became invalid also by moving your body or any part of the body constantly without any need.

• Even by laughing sometimes either with sound or expression  the prayer became invalid.

• By bowing or prostrating before imaam intentionally will make your prayer invalid.

 

 

REFERENCE:

BOOK: Abridgement of the Prophet’s (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) prayer

By SHEIKH AL-ALBANI