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Method of Performing the Salaah

 

Translated by Nadeem Abdul Hamid from Noor-ul-Eidaah wa Najaat-ul-Arwaah of Allaamah al-Hasan bin ‘Ammaar ash-Sharnubulaali with notes by Muhyi-ud-deen Abdul Hamid.

 

When a man wishes to enter into (i.e. to begin) the salaah, he should take out his palms from his sleeves and then raise them parallel to his ears and say Allaahu Akbar (“Allah is the Greatest”), without any stretch, having made intention (for the prayer).

“Without any stretch:” Meaning it is not permissible to stretch (make madd) of the first hamzah of “Allaah” in “Allaahu akbar” because the meaning will become an interrogative- indicating doubt (i.e. in the greatness of Allah). And if done intentionally, this is kufr and we seek refuge in Allah. Similarly it is not permissible to stretch the hamzah of “Akbar” nor its baa. The stretch of any one of these three letters will not cause the prayer to commence and will invalidate it. And as for the laam in “Allaah” it may be stretched the correct duration (2 harakaat) but should not be stretched longer. And as for making madd on the haa of “Allaahu,” it is an error in the Arabic, but the prayer is not invalidated.

 

And beginning with any dhikr which is purely for Allah, such as Subhaanallaah, will be proper: [although one should begin with Allaahu Akbar, if one says another dhikr, the prayer will not be invalidated]. And [it is proper to begin] with Farsi (Persian) if one is incapable of the Arabic. But if one has the ability of the Arabic, it is not proper to begin with Farsi, nor is proper to recite in it, in the authentic opinion.

Then, one places his right hand upon his left, below his navel, immediately after the tahreemah (i.e. Allaahu akbar) and with no delay, saying the opening [du’a], which is:

“O Allah! Glory and Praise are for You, and blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty; and there is no god except You.”

And every worshipper should say the opening du’a.

Al-Jaddu: greatness or majesty. The meaning of ta’aalaa jadduka is that Your Greatness and Majesty is above every other greatness and majesty.

 

Every worshipper should say the opening du’a: meaning that it is sunnah for every worshipper to recite the opening du’a, whether he is the imaam or a follower or praying alone. However, for the follower, it is only sunnah as long as the imaam has not begun his recitation. Once the imaam has begun the qiraa’ah, the follower must listen and keep silent.

 

Then, to begin the recitation, he says “A’oodhu billaahi min-ash-Shaytaan-ir-rajeem” softly- and the masbooq (one who missed at least one raka’ah with the imaam) should say it, but not the muqtadi (follower). And during the (extra) takbeeraat of the Eids, it should be delayed till after them.

Then he says “Bismillaah-ir-rahmaan-ir-raheem” softly, and he should say the Bismillaah in every raka’ah before the Faatihah only.

Then he recites the Faatihah, and the imaam and the followers should say Aameen softly. Then he recites another surah or three aayaat.

Then he should say Allaahu Akbar, while calmly going into rukuu’ (bowing): his head should be at the same level as his back side and he should be grabbing his knees with his hands, separating (spreading) his fingers. And then, he says Subhaana rabbiyal-azeem three times, at the very least.

Then he raises his head calmly, saying: Sami’al-laahu li man hamidah: Rabbanaa lakal-hamdu, if his is the imaam or is praying alone. The follower should suffice himself with the tahmeed only (i.e. only say Rabbanaa lakal-hamd after the imaam).

Then he says Allaahu akbar while falling prostrate for the sajdah: he puts down his knees first, then his hands and then his face between his palms, and prostrates calmly on his nose and forehead, while saying Subhaana rabbiyal-a’laa three times, at the very least.

And he should keep his stomach away from his thighs and his arms from the side of his body, as long as there is not a crowd (i.e. he is not praying in jama’ah).

And if there is a crowd (i.e. he is praying in jama’ah), he should keep his arms close in order to prevent harming the persons next to him.

 

(While in sajdah), he should direct the fingers of his hand and his toes towards the Qiblah.

And the woman should keep her arms close to her sides and her stomach close to the thighs.

(After saying Allaahu akbar), one should sit calmly between the two sajdahs, placing ones hands upon the thighs. Then say Allaahu akbar and prostrate (the second time) calmly, saying Subhaana rabbiyal-a’laa three times and again keeping his stomach from his thighs and making visible his armpits.

Then he raises his head, while saying Allaahu akbar, and stands up straight with no support (of the hands upon the ground) nor sitting (briefly before standing up).

And the second raka’ah is like the first, except that there is no thanaa (the opening du’a), and no ta’awwudh. And it is not sunnah to raise the hands except in the beginning of every prayer, and during the takbeer for the qunoot of Witr, and during the extra takbeeraat for the Eids, and when one sees the Ka’bah, and when one touches the Black Stone, and when one stands upon Safaa and Marwah, and during the wuqoof at ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah, and during the rami of the jamratil-ulaa and wustaa, and during the tasbeeh after the prayer.

And when he finishes the two sajdahs of the second raka’ah, he should lay flat his left leg and sit upon it while raising his right leg and directing its toes towards the Qiblah. And he should put his hands upon his thighs and flatten (extend straight) his fingers. And the woman should sit with tawarruk (i.e. sit with her bottom on the ground and both legs folded towards her right).

And he then reads the tashah-hud of Ibn Mas’ood (Allah be pleased with him) and point with his index finger during the shahaadah, raising it during the negation (laa…) and putting it down at the affirmation (illaa…). And (in a prayer of more than two raka’at) he should not go beyond the tashah-hud in the first sitting (after two raka’ats). The tashah-hud is:

“All prayer is for Allah and worship and goodness. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”

And (in a fard prayer of more than two raka’at) he reads only the Faatihah in the raka’at after the first two. (In other prayers, nafl, witr, etc. he reads the Faatihah and another surah.)

Then when he sits (for the final time), he recites the tashah-hud and prays for blessing upon the Noble Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam); then he makes du’a which resembles that of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. Finally, he makes salaam towards the right and left, saying: “As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaah,” intending those who are with him, as discussed elsewhere.