بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين اللهم صلى وسلم على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه و من ول و بعد
In the name of God The Infinitely-Good The Merciful, all praise to God, The Lord of all creation. Oh God grant blessing and peace to our master Muhammad and his family and his companions and the righteous and those who come after.
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Introduction
One prayer of Rasulullah ﷺ is greater than all the prayers of all creation put together, and still he never worshipped Allah the way Allah deserves to be worshipped. Remain humble in your weakness. Be aware that Allah is not in need of your prayers, nor are your prayers what Allah deserves, nor is Allah obligated to accept your prayers. Remain conscious of your broken state before Allah. Know who it is you are meeting with. Have adab with your Lord. If your heart is not yet dead, weep in your prayers.
Illustrative Stories
Rasulullah ﷺ
Rasulullah ﷺ would be present with his family at home, but when the prayer time came, it was as if he did not know any of them. One’s focus and resolve during and before prayer should be absolute.
Ahle Bayt
Ali Zayn al Abideen al Sajjad - the great grandson of Rasulullah ﷺ - would change color when he made wudu, and have intensity when he prayed. He would say “do you know whom I am about to stand before?”
Salaf
One of the salaf needed an amputation, and he simply asked to enter into prayer. During his prayer they performed the surgery and he did not flinch.
Sahaba
The Sahaba (r) reported that they did not even know who was standing beside them during prayer.
Hadith about Praying at First of Time
The best of works is to perform prayers at the earliest time. Rasulullah ﷺ was asked which deed is best. He (saw) answered “praying one’s prayers at the earliest time”
Rasulullah ﷺ also made two other statements. The Comparison of beginning and end of prayer time is like
- Allah’s pleasure and His forgiveness
- The next life and this life
What a massive difference that is!
Solah as a Combination of the Rituals of Angels and Previous Nations
There are angels who do nothing but worship Allah. Among them, some are forever standing, some are forever bowing, and others are forever prostrating. We are blessed to combine all of these in the most perfect manner.
Different communities had different prayer. Fajr was obligated on Adam (as), Dhuhr on David (as), Asr on Solomon (as), Maghrib on Jacob (as), and Isha on Joseph (as). We are blessed to combine the legacy of all of these.
Certainly, the prayer is a culmination and perfection of the worship and connection between mankind and the Lord of creation.
No Guarantee Allah will Accept your Prayer
Imam al Ghazali (ra) teaches us “The foundation of the prayer is concentration, humility, and together with recitation of the Quran with understanding and reflection.”
Hujjat al Islam teaches us that we should prepare before the prayer time has even entered.
It is makruh to delay prayer such that any part is outside the time, even if it is just the first salam of the tasleem. However, if one does not complete at least a rakat within the time than that prayer is invalid.
Imam al Ghazali (ra) says “Certainly Allah only accepts you deeds based on your awe, humility, surrender, and submissive entreaty.” Quality is far more than quantity, except where the shariah takes quantity into account. If your heart does not come to presence, it is because of a shortcoming of gnosis of your Lord.
Imam Ghazali (ra) gives us another litmus test “Imagine presence in front of a pious person or person important to you, you would become present and your heart would become still. Are you not embarrassed before Allah your Master. A low slave observing you improves your prayer? Yet you know that Allah sees you always and even when you stand before His Majesty you are heedless. How severe is your tyranny?”
Imam al Ghazali (ra) says “There is nothing in your prayer which does not have consciousness and presence of heart. As for the part you did with heedlessness it is more in need of repentance and expiation.” The repentance is the istighfar immediately after prayer and the expiation is the rawatib prayers.
Hasan al Basri (ra) said, “Every prayer in which the heart is not present is more likely to receive punishment rather than reward.”
Rasulullah ﷺ said, “Verily the slave of Allah performs the prayer and not even a sixth or a tenth of it is recorded for him, but verily only as much of a slave’s prayer as he is conscious of is recorded for him.”
Sunan of Prayer
Before prayer
Recite chapter 114 before prayer. This etiquette is of the Quran and from the Quran. We seek refuge in God from the devil, and one way to do this is to recite chapter 114.
Verbalize your intention for your prayer.
Ensure a sutrah is in place in front of you in order to delineate your prayer space. The object should be either a Quran, water, or anything equal or larger than a saddle such as a pillar or a chair. It should be placed directly in front of one’s prayer space which extends 150 cm / 59 in from where he is standing.
Takbir al Ihram
Raise hands slowly with fingers spread out, raise thumb on level with earlobe and palms parallel with shoulders, fingers slightly inclined toward the Qiblah. After hands are in place, say “Allahu akbar”.
Recite the Ta’awwudh, then the Istiftah.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib
Maliki: Neither Ta'awwudh nor Istiftah before prayer.
Hanifi: Ta'awwudh and Istiftah once at the beginning.
Shafi’i: Ta'awwudh at beginning of each cycle, Istiftah once at beginning of prayer.
Note: Hanafi and Shafi’i have two different wordings for Istiftah
Standing
After completing the Takbir al Ihram slowly bring the hands down. Fold them on the chest with the right hand and over the left. Wrap the fingers of the right hand around the wrist of the left. Incline the hands toward the left part of the chest, so that it is over the heart.
A man should have his feet spaced apart one span (23 cm / 9 in). A woman should have her feet together.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib:
Shafi’i: fold hands over heart
Hanafi: fold hands over stomach
Maliki: hang hands by sides
Where to Look
There are two places to rest your eyes: where you prostrate and at the finger of testification. During all parts of your prayer (standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting) look at the place of your prostration.Keep your gaze lowered at the place of prostration. Do not look up down left nor right nor between your feet. Do not close eyes unless you fear distraction, however if you do fear distraction then it is ok to close your eyes. One problem with looking between feet during the bow is it causes the back to bend and Rasulullah ﷺ said, that is the worse theft. The only time your gaze will part from this single point is during testification. At the moment you say “ilallah” look at your right index finger and fix your gaze there either until you stand or recite the tasleem.
Recitation
The prayers which are recited aloud include: Jumuah, Eid, Maghreb, Isha, and Fajr. Those prayers which are recited to oneself include: Dhuhr and Asr.
Recite one complete chapter, for this is superior to reciting part of a chapter even if it is less. There are specific chapters which are recommended for certain times. The most basic and general summary of these are chapter: 49 - 78 for Fajr and Dhuhr; 78 - 93 for Asr and Isha; 93 - 114 for Maghreb; 32 in the first cycle and 76 in the second cycle of Fajr on Friday; 109 in the first cycle and 112 in the second cycle of the Sunnah prayers attached to Maghreb and Fajr as well as the prayers of Tawaf and Istikhara. Make the chapter recited in the first cycle longer than the chapter recited in the second.
Do not join different parts of recitation. There should be a good pause (time it takes to say subhan Allah) at three points: between the basmallah and the rest of chapter Fatiha; between the Fatiha and “Amin”; between additional the chapter and bowing.
Transitioning Postures
Keep a stillness in your prayer, and when you move say “Allahu akbar” such that you begin to say it when you begin to move and you finish saying it when you finish moving. The only exception to this is when you stand up from bowing say Pop-up Reference “sami Allah huli man hamida” words to say after.
Know, there are four places where you should raise your hands: When you make the Takbir al Ihram, before you bow, after you bow, and when you stand up after the testification.
Bowing
Raise hands slowly with fingers spread out, raise thumb on level with earlobe and palms parallel with shoulders, fingers slightly inclined toward the Qiblah. After hands are in place, say “Allahu akbar”. When you begin saying it, bend at the hips and do not complete it until you complete your movement. As you bow keep your hands in that place by your shoulders until you near the end of your bow and gently place your hands with fingers spread out at the bottom of the thigh almost on the knee, with elbows slightly bent. Do not put pressure on your knees. A man should push his elbows out from his sides. A woman should keep her elbows close to her sides.
The priority is in order of importance: 1) keep back straight, 2) keep legs straight (do not hyperextend knees), 3) bow at 90° angle. What is most important is that your back is straight. Do not be of those who steal from their prayers by not keeping their back straight. It would be better that your knees are bent and you only bow 45°, but your back is straight than to curve your back in order to show off how deep you bow. If you have the flexibility, the ideal is to bow 90° with both your back and legs straight.
When you stand from the bowing posture SAY THIS (link to reference). Start the movement when you say “sami” and finish the movement when you say “Hamida”. While you are standing, complete the words. As you are moving raise your hands up to your shoulders exactly as described above. It is not two movements first standing then raising hands, rather the hands stay with the shoulders. After standing lower your hands slowly and gently, do not swing them carelessly by your sides. Be humble and have awareness, courtesy, and fear regarding your Lord. Hold your hands by your sides, not over your heart.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib: Hanafi: bend knees slightly is superior to straight legs.
Say dhikr, and repeat it many times if you wish for it is virtuous to do so.
Words of bowing (link)
Words of standing after bowing (link)
Qunut
Qunut is performed after the bowing in the second cycle of Fajr. One should be standing and raise his hands with the palms facing toward the heavens while asking the good and palms down when asking Allah to avert affliction. One does not wipe his hands on his face after the supplication as with others. After the Qunut one should recite solawat. Followers say amin after every dua.
Wording (link to reference)
Khilaf bayna Madhahib:
Maliki: make Qunut in Fajr before ruku in 2nd cycle
Shafi’i: make Qunut in Fajr after ruku in 2nd cycle
Hanafi: make Qunut in Witr before ruku in 2nd cycle
Prostration
When prostrating, place knees first, then hands, then forehead, then nose. A man should keep his stomach away from his thighs and his elbows away from his sides. A woman should keep her stomach on her thighs and her elbows on her sides, therefore she is like a tight ball, not sticking her behind in the air as a man does when he prostrates. Place your hands roughly where your ears are, meaning not in front of or behind them.
Keep your back straight. Do not be of those who steal from their prayers by not keeping their back straight.
Words of prostrating (link to reference)
When you come up from your prostration lift your forehead then nose then hands.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib:
Shafi’i: place knees before hands
Hanafi and Maliki: place hands before knees
Sitting
Place hands similar to the bowing, bottom of thigh almost on knee, except keep fingers together facing the Qiblah. During the sitting wherein the testification takes place keep the left hand as normal, but ball your right hand with your thumb extended and touching the side of the index finger. When you say “ilallah” lift and point the right index finger
Sit with your left foot under you, and your right foot beside you. There is one exception to this, when you are in the final sitting wherein the final testification will take place.
Words of Sitting (link)
When you are standing from the second prostration of those cycles which do not have a testification, sit briefly in Iftirash before standing. Take this as a quick rest, as if it was snatched from you. This is a sunnah and reflects the tranquility in the entire prayer. Do not rush your prayers, but savor them, for they are among the sweetest things in this world.
 |
| Iftirash |
 |
| Tawarruk |
Khilaf bayna Madhahib:
Maliki: always in Tawarruk
Hanifi: always in Iftirash
Shafi’i: Iftirash in first and Tawarruk in second
One of the wisdoms of sitting first in Iftirash then in Tawarruk is that a new comer will know what part of the prayer the congregation is in.
Testification
Raise the index finger of the right hand when you say “ilallah”.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib
Shafi’i: keep finger up until the tasleem
Hanafi: lower finger after “Rasulullah” ﷺ
Maliki: keep finger up always and wag finger
Exit
Intend the tasleem toward the angels and muslims on your right side then on your left side.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib: Maliki madhhab the optimal tasleem is to say only “as salamu alaikum” once without turning head.
After Prayer
After prayer make wudu again, light upon light. I will relate a story about this often neglected sunnah. Uthman Taha (r) hand wrote the Mushaf which most people have today. He relates one story while working on it. Once he went to his desk and could not make his pen meet the paper. Something was preventing him, until he remembered he had not made wudu after his Fajr prayer. He returned to make it and the pen flowed again. Imagine the reward for writing the Mushaf which has been printed hundreds of millions of times, had Khatim billions or tens of billions of times, and assisted millions of Hufaz.
There are eleven Adhkar which one should recite after prayer, find them here. Begin with Quran when called for (1-4) then when supplicating (5-10) one should begin and conclude with solawat.
Khilaf bayna Madhahib.
Shafi’i madhhab it is preferable to recite the adhkar immediately after the prayer before any extra prayers are offered.
Hanafi madhhab it is preferable to delay the adhkar until after the extra prayers are offered.
Extra Prayers
In addition to this slightly more detailed description of prayer, I want to add here a mention of some of the important supererogatory prayers which should be incorporated in everyone’s practice.
First is Witr. Witr is prayed after Isha before Fajr. If one regularly and dependably wakes before the onset of Fajr he should delay witr to the end of the night, otherwise he should pray it before going to sleep. Witr should be at least three cycles, but not imitate Maghreb prayer, which is Makruh (offensive). If one prays three cycles for witr it should either have one tashahud (in third cycle) or two tasleem (in second and third cycle). Witr must be an odd number of cycles.
Next are the Rawatib which are attached to the five daily prayers, also called by lay-people the “sunnah prayers”.
The Rawatib are of two types: Muakkada and Ghayr Muakkada. The Muakkada are not to be left, even during hardship such as traveling. You can find a list of the Rawatib prayers HERE.
Special Point regarding Khilaf
The differences of opinion both between Madhahib and within each Madhhab are legitimate and equal. One is not superior to another. Not every difference of opinion is sanctioned or valid, however what you do learn to be true rest assured that other opinions exist without invalidating what you learned. Be careful that you learn thoroughly and remember exactly what you learn, as knowledge is not what passes over you, rather it is what you retain.
If one does encounter an ignorant and aggressive person who insist that one opinion is superior to another, or has the boldness to approach you regarding your worship, know this: 1) what they are doing is haram; 2) what they are doing is from among the worst etiquettes of sacred knowledge; 3) your best course of action would be to avoid conflict. Keeping this in mind, the practical advice is to simply smile, thank them, and practice their opinion as long as it is truely valid, because our religion strongly emphasized the superiority of avoiding conflict, dissension, and division while exibiting the most beautiful patience and forbearance. If you find it hard dealing with difficult people, just remember the tremendous reward for it, such that righteous people would cry when difficult people left their company saying “there goes one of the easiest doors to Jannah”.
Special Points as Imam
In prayers which are recited aloud, be sure to pause after Fatiha in order to allow the congregation to recite it.
Know your congregation. If it has weak people in it then recite a short chapter after Fatiha and do not recite more than three adhkar in bow and prostration postures. If it has strong worshippers feel free to prolong as much you know they are able. Do not prolong the prayer as much as you think they are able, but be light with them.
When you come up from the bowing posture only recite “sami Allah huli man hamida” aloud and recite the rest to oneself.
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Sutrah - an object in front of one while praying to prevent people from accidentally entering your prayer space.
Takbir al Ihram - referring to the saying “Allahu akbar” when used to enter into the state of prayer and connection with God.
Ta’awwudh -
Istiftah - (A.K.A. “sana” or “thana” by Indian Muslims.) Opening dua in prayer, find wording here.
Khilaf - difference of opinion, especially legitimate difference which is accepted by all sides.
Tasleem - referring to the saying “as salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah”
Sunnah - lit. way or tradition. Especially referring to the way of Rasulullah ﷺ. Here the term is referring to Rawatib prayers.
Tawaf - circumambulation of the Ka’aba.
Istikhara - prayer of imploring God for guidance, especially on a particular life choice.
Basmallah - referring to the saying “bismillahir rahmanir raheem”
Solawat - reciting any of the numerous prayers on Rasulullah ﷺ
Mushaf - written copy of the Quran.
Khatim - the act of completing the Quran cover to cover, which every Muslim does at least twice a year.
Hufaz - pl. of Hafiz; someone who has memorized the Quran.
Adhkar - pl. of Dhikr; lit. remembrance, mantra, litany; a phrase or set of phrases of religious significance.
Iftirash and Tawarruk - two names for two different sitting postures.
Tashahud - the testification in certain cycles of the prayer
Tasleem - the salams at the end of the prayer
Rawatib - profit, prayers attached to the obligatory prayers to make up for any deficiencies in them.
Muakkada - confirmed or emphasized
Ghayr Muakkada - not Muakkada
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Anything I said here which is true, is from Allah. Anything I said here which is false if from myself. I ask forgiveness for my shortcomings. I seek refuge in Allah from knowledge which does not benefit. May Allah grant us understanding of things as they are. May Allah bless and grant peace to our master Muhammad and his family.
Your brother,
Abu Ismaail