Prayer is a Muslim's communication with Allah. Prayer clears the mind five times a day and brings peace to your life. Prayer is the way you thank Allah and remind you that Allah is watching over you, helping you get through even the most difficult times. This article explains how the Islamic prayer, the salat (also called salah or namaz) is performed according to Hanafism, one of the four main Islamic schools of law. The schools differ from each other in many small details, which from their point of view, however, are of great importance.
Steps
Step 1. Prepare for the salat
That means washing yourself, wearing clean clothes, finding a clean and pure place to pray and clearing the mind of worldly thoughts.
- Perform wudu or ghusl, depending on the circumstances. The ghusl should be performed after intercourse, after ejaculation, including by illegal means, after a woman has completed her menstrual cycle or if you have had contact with something considered najis (impure). Wudu is sufficient if you have only urinated.
- Wear clean clothes. Men should at least cover the part of their body between their navel and knees, but it is preferable to wear a shirt, preferably one with long sleeves. The undergarments should reach below the knees but stay above the ankles.
- Pray in a clean place. The place where you pray should be clean and pure. Spread out a clean rug or prayer mat if you are not sure whether the ground is clean or not. Make sure there is no water on the floor - there may be urine in between.
Step 2. Face the kibla
The kibla is the direction of the Kaaba. Compasses are now available especially for finding the kibla. In many hotel rooms, the kibla direction is indicated on the ceiling. You should face where your head will touch the ground during the sajdah and your feet should be evenly spaced.
Step 3. Commit to praying
You don't have to say this out loud, but you do need to know what prayer of the day you are doing, what type of rak'at you are performing and how often. For example, you may think: I will perform 2/4 raka'at/fard/sunnat/nafil of the Fajr/Zuhr/Asr/Maghrib/Isha prayer. Remember that you only pray to Allah and not to show others (eg your parents) how good you are.
Step 4. Run the takbeer
This is the start of the prayer. Raise your hands, palms forward, up to your ears. If you are a woman, your hands go to your shoulders. Say aloud: 'Allaahu Akbar' (الله أَكْبَر). This means 'Allah is the greatest'.
Step 5. Perform the qiyam
During the qiyam you stand with your hands straight at your sides. Recite the du'a al-istiftaah (opening du'a). That is: 'Subhanaka Allahumma w'a bi hamdieka, w'a tabaaraka ismuka, wa ta'aala jadduka wa laa ilaaha ghayruk' and means 'Glory and praise to You, O Allah, blessed be Your name, exalted be Your majesty, and there is no god but You.' Then recite Surah Al Fatiha (the first chapter of the Qur'an) and another part (surah) from the Qur'an.
Step 6. Stand up straight, with your hands folded
Your right hand is over your left, and they should overlap only up to the wrists. Men place their folded hands under their navel, and women across their chest. Three of the Sunni schools of Islamic law (the Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali groups) pray with their hands folded. Malikis pray with arms at their sides. If you are a Shia, stand with your arms at your sides.
Step 7. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah Al-Fatihah. Your voice may be audible to yourself, but if not, you can also say the prayer in your head. Praise Allah repeatedly if you are a new Muslim and do not know Surah Al-Fatihah yet. You can recite the Surah until you know it by heart.
Step 8. Recite a section (a surah, as Muslims call it) from the Quran
It helps to have memorized short surahs. The last of the 30 parts of the Qur'an contains many such short surahs that are easy to remember. Frequently recited surahs include Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, Surah Al-Nas, and Surah Al-Kafirun. Again, if you are a new Muslim and you do not know Surah Al-Fatihah yet, praise Allah repeatedly.
Step 9. Perform the Ruk'u
The ruk'u is a bow. You unfold your hands and bow. Then place your hands on your knees. Your back will be parallel to the ground, as if you were carrying a glass of water on your back. It is essential to bend completely, not just your body 45O to tilt vertically. Say "Allaahu Akbar" (الله أَكْبَر) while performing this step. When you are in ruk'u, say 'Subhana Rabbiyal al-Adheem' (سبحان ربى العظيم) three times, which means 'Praise be to Allah the Great'.
Step 10. Get up
Rise from the bow, saying: 'Sam'i Allahu liman hamidah' (سمع الله لمن حمده) which means 'Allah listens to those who praise Him'. Then say: 'Rabana walakel hummed' (ربنا لك الحمد). This means: 'Our lord, You deserve all praise.'
Step 11. Kneel
Say 'Allaahu Akbar' (الله أَكْبَر) again and kneel on the floor. Make sure your forehead, palms, knees, and toes are all touching the floor. Your forehead must be uncovered, a covered forehead invalidates the prayer. Say three times 'Subhan rabbi alAla' (سبحان ربى الأعلى) which means 'Glory to my Lord, the Highest'. Everyone should keep their elbows above the ground.
Step 12. Rise to a sitting position, saying 'Allaahu Akbar' (الله أَكْبَر)
In this pose, your eyes should be on your lap. Men should turn the heel of their right foot up and bend the toes. Women should keep both feet and soles up under their bodies.
Step 13. Kneel again, saying 'Allaahu Akbar' (الله أَكْبَر)
This prostration is exactly the same as the first.
Step 14. To begin the next rak'at, get up and say 'Allaahu Akbar' (الله أَكْبَر)
The second raka'at is identical to the first until the second kneeling, but is performed without takbeer.
-
Perform the tashahhud at the end of the second rakat. After the second prostration, remain in a sitting position and recite the tashahhud (also called tahiyat)`
Atta-hiyyatu mubarakatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibatu As-salamu 'alaika ayyuhann-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-ullahi wa barakatuhu As-salamu 'alaina wa 'alaa 'ibaadillaahiss-saliheen. Ash-hadu-al-la-ilaha illAllahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluh.
This means: Every prayer – oral, physical and momentary – is for Allah. May Allah's peace be upon you, O Prophet, and His mercy and blessings. May peace be upon us and all true servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.'
-
If you only perform two rak'ats, this is the last one. After reciting the tasyahhud', pronounce the durud:
اللهم صلى على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم
و بارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم فى العلمين إنك انت الحميد المجيد
(Allahuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala Aali Muhammad kama saliet ala Ibrahim wa ala Aali Ibrahim ennak hameed majeed, wa barik ala Muhammad wa ala Aali Muhammad kama barakta ala Ibrahim wa ala Aali Ibrahim ennak hameed majeed). Then recite: 'allahumma inne zalamtu nafsi zulman kasira wala yagfiru junuba inna anta fagfirulu magfiratam min indika war hamni inna kala gafirur rahima' or 'rabbi ja'alni muqeemus salaati wa min zurriyati rabbana ya wataqabbanilafineqoomi walrabwalidairmine du'a -ul-hisaab'. Then finish the prayer by looking over your right shoulder (where the angel writing down your good deeds is), and say the salaam
عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Do the same while looking over your left shoulder (where the angel writing down your bad deeds is).
Step 15. If you perform more than two raka'ats, do not say the durud or salaam yet, but get up after the tasyahhud and move on to the next raka'at
The third rakat is performed in exactly the same way as the first, and you get up immediately after the second prostration without saying the tasyahhud or salaam, unless it is your last rakat. After your last rakat, complete the prayer after the second prostration by reciting the tasyahhud, durud and salaam as described in step above.
Tips
- As a beginner, make sure you practice before actually performing the prayer. Ask for forgiveness if you make mistakes during dua. Sometimes you don't realize you're reading something wrong.
- It is one of the most important duties of Muslim parents to teach their children Salat and make it a part of their lives when they grow up. Children must learn to perform salat from the age of seven. When they are ten, they have to perform the salat regularly and correctly five times a day. It is their parents' job to discipline them.
- Find a book in which the duas are written in Arabic and memorize them, including the Dua-e-Qunut, some short passages from the Qur'an, the tasyahhud, and the salawat.
- If you missed anything (except the faraiz or wajibaat) you should perform the sajdah e suhuh. You do this by looking over your right shoulder in the last rakah of your prayer, after saying the tasyahhud and salawat, in the same way as when you finish your prayer, and saying 'assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah'. After this, do not look over your left shoulder but instead kneel twice as described in step 8. Then start with the tasyahhud and the salawat and continue with the durud and finish your salat as usual as described in step 11.
- It is preferable to say 'Astaghfirullah' three times after your prayer to ask forgiveness for any mistakes you have made while performing the salat.
- Do your best to concentrate during prayer.
Warnings
There is disagreement between different groups about the details of the prayer. This article describes the method used by the majority of Muslims. Consult an Aalim-e-din if you are part of a smaller group and want to learn more about the differences in how to perform the salat. Even within a certain sect or school of law there may be differences when it comes to prayer, but all are correct in their own way because they follow the sunnah. Consult your local imam about the school the mosque attends if you want to be in agreement, but which school you decide to attend is ultimately up to you
nuts
- ↑ The five daily prayers: Fajr prayer is performed between dawn and sunrise. It consists of two rakat sunnah, followed by two rakat fard. The Zuhr prayer is offered between noon and the time when an object's shadow is the same size as the object itself. It consists of four rak'at before the fard sunnah, four raka'at fard, two rak'at after the farz sunnah, and and two raka'at nafil. The asr prayer is performed between the time when an object's shadow is the same size as the object itself, until the time just before sunset. It contains four rak'at before the farz sunnah and four raka'at farz. The Maghrib prayer is offered from dusk to dusk. It consists of three rak'at farz followed by two raka'at after the farz sunnah and two raka'at nafil. The isha prayer is offered between the time of dusk and midnight. It consists of four raka'at before the farz sunnah, four raka'at farz, two raka'at after the farz sunnah, two raka'at nafil and three witr.
-
↑ About the fard and witr prayers: During the fard prayer, the first two rakats are performed as described above. In the rak'ats after that, only the Surah Al-Fatiha is recited during the qiyam and it is not followed by a passage from the Holy Quran. At the three witr rak'at (before the isha' prayer), the first two are performed as described above. On the third rak'at, after reciting a short passage from the Qur'an in the qiyam, say Allaahu akbar(الله أَكْبَر) and raise your hands to your ears (or to the chest for women) as during the takbeer. Then lower your hands and fold them. Then say the Dua-e-Qunut and then bend and kneel as usual.