This article explains how the Islamic prayer, Salah, is performed according to one of the five major Islamic schools of jurisprudence, the Hanafi School. Other schools differ in many small details - which from their point of view, are very important.
Steps
- Prepare for Salah. Preparing for prayer includes cleaning yourself, wearing clean clothes, and finding a clean and pure place to pray.
Perform the Wudhu, or the Ghusl, depending on your requirement. You must perform the Ghusl if you have had sexual intercourse, after discharge of any 'sexual' fluids, and after a woman has completed her menstrual cycle.Wear clean clothes. Men should cover at least the part of their body between the navel and the knees, but it is preferable to wear a (preferably long sleeved) shirt.The lower garment must extend to below the knees, but must be above the ankles.
Pray in a clean place. The place where you pray must be clean and pure. If you are not sure whether the ground is clean or not, spread a clean cloth or prayer mat over it. Insure the area is not wet because it may contain urine.
2. Stand to face the Qibla. The Qibla is the direction towards the Kaaba. Some compasses modified for this purpose are now available. Many hotel rooms also have the Qibla direction marked somewhere on the roof. You must be looking towards the spot where your head will touch the ground during the Sajdah and your feet must be evenly spaced.
3. Make the intention to pray. You do not need to say it out loud, but you will need to know which prayer of the day you are performing, what will be the type of the rakaat, and the number of rakaats. An example would be to think, "I will perform 2/4 rakaat/fard/sunnat/nafil of the Fajr/Zuhr/Asr/Maghrib/Isha/ prayer". Remind yourself that you are praying to Allah alone and not show off or for the sake of another person (i.e parents).
4. Perform the Takbiratul Ihram. This starts the prayer. Raise your hands, palms facing forwards, up till your ear lobes (or to your shoulders if you are a woman). Say out loud "Allahu Akbar" (الله أَكْبَر) which means Allah is the greatest.
5. Perform Qiyam. Qiyam is where you stand up, your hands folded across your chest. Begin reciting Surah Al Fatiha (the first chapter in the order of the Quran) and another portion (Surah) of the Qur'an.
6. Stand up straight, with your hands folded. Your right hand should be over your left, and they should overlap till the wrists only. Men place their folded hands below their navel, and women at chest level. Three of the Sunni schools of Islamic law: the Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali groups pray with their hands folded. Malikis pray with their arms at their sides. If you are a Shia, stand with your arms at your sides.
7. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah Al-Fatihah. Your voice can be audible to yourself, but if it is not, thinking the prayer perhaps in your brain or mind is also a valid method. If you are a new Muslim and have not yet learned Surah Al-Fatihah then praise Allah repeatedly. Until you memorize the Surah, you can start saying it.
8. Recite a short portion of the Qur'an, a 'surah' as Muslims call it. It is helpful to have memorized small surahs of the Qur'an by heart. The last of the 30 parts of the Qur'an contains many small surahs that are easy to memorize. Commonly recited surahs are Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, Surah Al-Nas, and Surah Al-Kafirun. Again, if you are a new Muslim and have not yet learned Surah Al-Fatihah then praise Allah repeatedly.
9. Perform the Ruk'u. The ruku is basically a bow. You unfold your hands and bow, then placing your hands on your knees.Your back should become parallel to the ground, almost like carrying a glass of water on your back. It is essential to completely bow, not just tilt your body at 45o to the vertical. Say Allahu Akbar (الله أَكْبَر) as you perform this step. When you are in ruku, recite Subhana Rabbiyal al-Adheem (سبحان ربى العظيم) which means all praises to Allah, the great. Say this three times.
10. Rise up. Rise up from the bow, while 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) which means "Our lord, to you is due to all praise."
11. Perform the prostration. Say Allahu Akbar (الله أَكْبَر) once again and prostrate on the ground. Make sure you have placed your forehead, palms, and knees all on the floor, touching the ground. The bases of the toes on both feet also need to touch the ground. Have your forehead be bare - a covered forehead invalidates prayer. Recite Subhan rabbi alAla (سبحان ربى الأعلى) three times which means "Glory be to my Lord, the Most high." Everyone must keep their elbows raised above the ground.
12. Rise to a sitting position, saying Allahu Akbar (الله أَكْبَر). When you are in this position, you must keep your eyes staring at your lap. Men must turn up the heel, and bend the toes, of the right foot. Women must keep both their feet and soles up under their body.
13. Prostrate again, saying Allahu Akbar (الله أَكْبَر). The second prostration is exactly identical to the first one.
14. Rise up to proceed to the next raka'at, saying Allahu Akbar (الله أَكْبَر). The second raka'at is identical to the first one up till the second prostration, but without the Takbiratul Ihram.
Perform the Tashahhud at the end of the second raka'at. After the second prostration, stay in a sitting position and recite the Tashahhud (also known as Tahiyat) and then the Salawat
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. meaning All worships - oral, physical and momentary - are for Allah. Allah's peace be upon you, O Prophet, and His mercy and blessings. Peace be on us and on all righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.
If you are performing only two raka'ats, then this is the last raka'at. After saying theTasyahhud and the Salawat, say 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 wataqabbal du'a rabbanaghfirli waliwalidaiyya walil mu'mineena yauma yaqoom-ul-hisaab". then complete the prayer by looking over your right shoulder (where the angel who records your good deeds is) and saying the Salaam
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
and then looking over your left shoulder (where the angel who records your wrongful deeds is) and saying the same.
15
If you are performing more than two raka'ats, do not say the Durud or theSalaam, but rise after saying the Tasyahhud and Salawat and proceed to the next raka'at. The third raka'at is performed just like the first one, and you rise directly after the second prostration without saying the Tasyahhud or Salaam, unless it is your last raka'at. After your last raka'at, complete the prayer after the second prostration by reciting theTasyahhud, Salawat, Durud, and Salaam, as described in the step above.
Watch and Download How to perform Salah Below:
AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST
Alhamdulillah
ReplyDelete