Previous: Purification
Salat (prayer) is the main pillar of Islam and at the head of all acts of obedience. There are very many hadith narrated regarding the virtues of prayer and of the one who fulfills its manners and the fearful concentration (khushoo') which it requires.
ãÓáã
ÍóÏøóËóäóÇ ÅöÓúÍóÞõ Èúäõ ÓóÚöíÏö Èúäö ÚóãúÑöæ Èúäö ÓóÚöíÏö Èúäö ÇáúÚóÇÕö ÍóÏøóËóäöí ÃóÈöí Úóäú ÃóÈöíåö ÞóÇáó ßõäúÊõ ÚöäúÏó ÚõËúãóÇäó ÝóÏóÚóÇ ÈöØóåõæÑò ÝóÞóÇáó ÓóãöÚúÊõ ÑóÓõæáó Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó íóÞõæáõ ãóÇ ãöäú ÇãúÑöÆò ãõÓúáöãò ÊóÍúÖõÑõåõ ÕóáóÇÉñ ãóßúÊõæÈóÉñ ÝóíõÍúÓöäõ æõÖõæÁóåóÇ æóÎõÔõæÚóåóÇ æóÑõßõæÚóåóÇ ÅöáøóÇ ßóÇäóÊú ßóÝøóÇÑóÉð áöãóÇ ÞóÈúáóåóÇ ãöäú ÇáÐøõäõæÈö ãóÇ áóãú íõÄúÊö ßóÈöíÑóÉð æóÐóáößó ÇáÏøóåúÑó ßõáøóåõ
.. I heard Allah's Messenger (sas) say: "There is no one upon whom the time for one of the prescribed prayers comes and who does well its ablutions and its fearful concentration and its bowing but that it is an expiation for him for all that came before it as long as no major sins were committed - and that is for all time."
ÇáÈÎÇÑí
Úóäú ÇÈúäö ÔöåóÇÈò Ãóäøó ÚóØóÇÁó Èúäó íóÒöíÏó ÃóÎúÈóÑóåõ Ãóäøó ÍõãúÑóÇäó ãóæúáóì ÚõËúãóÇäó ÃóÎúÈóÑóåõ Ãóäøóåõ ÑóÃóì ÚõËúãóÇäó Èúäó ÚóÝøóÇäó ÏóÚóÇ ÈöÅöäóÇÁò ÝóÃóÝúÑóÛó Úóáóì ßóÝøóíúåö ËóáóÇËó ãöÑóÇÑò ÝóÛóÓóáóåõãóÇ Ëõãøó ÃóÏúÎóáó íóãöíäóåõ Ýöí ÇáúÅöäóÇÁö ÝóãóÖúãóÖó æóÇÓúÊóäúÔóÞó Ëõãøó ÛóÓóáó æóÌúåóåõ ËóáóÇËðÇ æóíóÏóíúåö Åöáóì ÇáúãöÑúÝóÞóíúäö ËóáóÇËó ãöÑóÇÑò Ëõãøó ãóÓóÍó ÈöÑóÃúÓöåö Ëõãøó ÛóÓóáó ÑöÌúáóíúåö ËóáóÇËó ãöÑóÇÑò Åöáóì ÇáúßóÚúÈóíúäö Ëõãøó ÞóÇáó ÞóÇáó ÑóÓõæáõ Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó ãóäú ÊóæóÖøóÃó äóÍúæó æõÖõæÆöí åóÐóÇ Ëõãøó Õóáøóì ÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö áóÇ íõÍóÏøöËõ ÝöíåöãóÇ äóÝúÓóåõ ÛõÝöÑó áóåõ ãóÇ ÊóÞóÏøóãó ãöäú ÐóäúÈöåö
From Ibn Shihab that Ataa' ibn Yazid informed him that Humran mawlaa Uthman informed him that he saw Uthman ibn Affaan called for a vessel of wtaer, poured it on his hands three times and washed them. Then he put his right hand into to container and rinsed his mouth and washed out his nose and mouth. Then he washed his face three times and his arms up to the elbows three times then he wiped over his head and washed his feet three times up to the ankle bones. Then he said that Allah's Messenger (sas) said: "Whoever made ablution in the manner of this ablution of mine and then prayed two rakaats without speaking to himself therein, will have his prior sins forgiven."
Maimoon ibn Mahraan said: I never saw Muslim ibn Yasaar distracted in his prayer ever. Once, one side of the masjid caved in such that the people in the sooq were startled by its noise. He was in the masjid praying and did not even glance in any direction. In his house, the people of his household used to become silent when he entered, but when he began to pray, they spoke aloud and laughed.
KNOW that the prayer his pillars, obligatory parts and sunan. The soul of salat is intention, sincerity, khushoo' (a state including humility, fear, concentration and focus) and attentiveness of the heart. Salat contains adhkaar (statements of remembrance of Allah, praise and gratitude), "conference" with Allah and certain actions. Without khushoo', the intention behind these statements of remembrance and this conference with Allah cannot happen. If the meaning of standing is being in service to Allah and the meaning of bowing and prostrating and bowing is humbling oneself before Allah and glorifying Him but the heart is not present and attentive, then the meaning of the prayer and the intention behind it has not been fulfilled. Any action which does not fulfill its intention is just a form or a picture which has no meaning. Allah said, speaking about the animal sacrifices which he commanded during the Pilgrimage:
ÇáÍÌ
áóäú íóäóÇáó Çááøóåó áõÍõæãõåóÇ æóáóÇ ÏöãóÇÄõåóÇ æóáóßöäú íóäóÇáõåõ ÇáÊøóÞúæóì ãöäúßõãú ßóÐóáößó ÓóÎøóÑóåóÇ áóßõãú áöÊõßóÈøöÑõæÇ Çááøóåó Úóáóì ãóÇ åóÏóÇßõãú æóÈóÔøöÑö ÇáúãõÍúÓöäöíäó(37)
{There meat will never reach Allah nor their blood. Rather, the piety from you reaches Him. Thus, he put them (animals) under your control in order that you may exalt Allah for the guidance He granted you and give good news to the doers of good.}
Here we see that what reaches Allah Most High is an attribute which takes over the heart until it is motivated to obey the specific order of Allah. Likewise, the heart must be present and focussed in prayer, but the Lawgiver overlooked and forgives minor distractions and moments of forgetfulness. This is because full attention of the heart at the beginning of the prayer applies to the rest of the prayer.
There are many important concepts which make the prayer complete and bring it to life:
When one prays, he should have his heart present and focussed in each and every part of the prayer. When he hears the adhaan being called, he should remember the call on Qiyama and prepare himself and respond. And let him look at that to which he is responding and with which body he is responding. As Allah said:
Øå
æóíóÓúÃóáõæäóßó Úóäö ÇáúÌöÈóÇáö ÝóÞõáú íóäúÓöÝõåóÇ ÑóÈøöí äóÓúÝðÇ(105)ÝóíóÐóÑõåóÇ ÞóÇÚðÇ ÕóÝúÕóÝðÇ(106)áóÇ ÊóÑóì ÝöíåóÇ ÚöæóÌðÇ æóáóÇ ÃóãúÊðÇ(107)íóæúãóÆöÐò íóÊøóÈöÚõæäó ÇáÏøóÇÚöíó áóÇ ÚöæóÌó áóåõ æóÎóÔóÚóÊö ÇáúÃóÕúæóÇÊõ áöáÑøóÍúãóäö ÝóáóÇ ÊóÓúãóÚõ ÅöáøóÇ åóãúÓðÇ(108)íóæúãóÆöÐò áóÇ ÊóäúÝóÚõ ÇáÔøóÝóÇÚóÉõ ÅöáøóÇ ãóäú ÃóÐöäó áóåõ ÇáÑøóÍúãóäõ æóÑóÖöíó áóåõ ÞóæúáðÇ(109)
{And they ask you about the mountains, say my Lord will pulverize them completely. (105) And leave them a huge flat plain. (106) You can see no curve nor any elevation therein. (107) On that day they will follow the caller of no crookedness and all voices will be humbled to the Merciful such that you hear nothing but the shuffling of feet. (108) On that day no intercession will avail except [from] he to whom the Merciful has granted permission and has accepted from him his statement. (109)}
When you cover your nakedness in preparation for prayer, know that the intention behind that is to hide the shameful parts of you r body from Allah's creation. Then remember the "nakedness" of your inner self and your "shameful parts" which no one in the creation can see. They have nothing to hide them from Allah, but they can be expiated by regret, modesty and fear.
When you face the qibla, you have turned your face away from all other directions except the direction of Allah's house. Turning your heart toward Allah is clearly more important than that. Just as you cannot face the direction of Makka without turning away from all other directions, likewise the heart. It cannot be turned toward Allah until it turns away form all else.
When you magnify Allah with "Allahu Akbar", do not let your heart make a liar out of your tongue. For if there is anything greater in your heart than Allah Most High, then you have lied. Beware lest your desires be in reality greater to you than Allah which is evidenced by giving their satisfaction priority over obedience to Allah Most High.
When you seek refuge in Allah saying "Audhoo billahi min ash-shaitaan ar-rajeem", know that to say this is to seek sanctuary with Allah the Exalted. If your heart is not truly seeking refuge in Allah, then what has come out of your mouth is nothing but laghwu - frivolous and meaningless speech. Know the meanings of any Qur'an you recite in salat and have this understanding present in your heart when you recite. So be mindful of gratitude and praise toward Allah when you recite: Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'aalameen. And remember Allah's great compassion and mercy when reading Ar-rahmaan ar-raheem as well as His greatness and power when reading Maaliki yaumiddeen. And likewise with everything you recite in your paryer.
We have reported regarding Zarara ibn Abi Awfaa that after reciting the eighth verse of Al-Mudath-thir: {And, when the horn is blown}, he fell over dead. This is because hepictured the day of the sounding of the horn when all will be ressurrected and stand before Allah for their accounts and the effect of that brought about his death.
Feel your humility when you go into ruku' (bowing) and your even greater subjugation when in prostration. When in these positions before Allah, you have returned the self to its proper position and returned it to its origin by making postration on the dirt from which it was created. And be sure to understand the meanings of all of the adhkaar of salat as you are saying them.
KNOW that to perform salat with all of these internal conditions is the way to cleanse the heart of the rust which has collected on it and to fill it with the light which enables it to comprehend the greatness of the One it worships. And none shall understand this but those given knowledge. As for the one who merely goes through the motions of prayer without its meanings, he sees nothing of that and in fact denies its existence.
We will mention about fifteen items.
In addition to sending peace upon the Prophet (sas), you can add making du'a for him (sas), especially after hearing the adhaan as in the following hadith:
ÇáÈÍÇÑí
Úóäú ÌóÇÈöÑö Èúäö ÚóÈúÏö Çááøóåö ÑóÖöíó Çááøóåõ ÚóäúåõãóÇ Ãóäøó ÑóÓõæáó Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó ÞóÇáó ãóäú ÞóÇáó Íöíäó íóÓúãóÚõ ÇáäøöÏóÇÁó Çááøóåõãøó ÑóÈøó åóÐöåö ÇáÏøóÚúæóÉö ÇáÊøóÇãøóÉö æóÇáÕøóáóÇÉö ÇáúÞóÇÆöãóÉö ÂÊö ãõÍóãøóÏðÇ ÇáúæóÓöíáóÉó æóÇáúÝóÖöíáóÉó æóÇÈúÚóËúåõ ãóÞóÇãðÇ ãóÍúãõæÏðÇ ÇáøóÐöí æóÚóÏúÊóåõ ÍóáøóÊú áóåõ ÔóÝóÇÚóÊöí íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÑóæóÇåõ
From Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Allah's Messenger (sas) said: "Whoever says upon hearing the adhan: O Allah Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Muhammad the Highest station (al-waseela) and the honor and resurrect him in the praiseworthy position which You have promised him.", my intercession is his on the day of Qiyama."
KNOW that what is beyond the obligatory falls into three categories:
All three of the above categories are called nawaafil (plural of nafl) because the word nafl means "extra" or "increase" and all of the above are in addition to the obligatory prayers. The best nafl which can be offered by the body is to perform the extra prayers.
All of the nafl prayers, including the nawaafil are best when prayed in one's home, unless one is in i'tikaaf (seclusion) in the masjid. There are many hadith about this, among them the following:
ÃÈæ ÏÇæÏ
ÕóáóÇÉõ ÇáúãóÑúÁö Ýöí ÈóíúÊöåö ÃóÝúÖóáõ ãöäú ÕóáóÇÊöåö Ýöí ãóÓúÌöÏöí åóÐóÇ ÅöáøóÇ ÇáúãóßúÊõæÈóÉó
"One's prayer in his home is superior to his prayer in this masjid of mine, except for the prescribed (five) prayers."
The rawaatib (extraogatory prayers which are linked to one of the five) prayres are as follows:
Úóäú ÚóÇÆöÔóÉó Úóäú ÇáäøóÈöíøö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó Ãóäøóåõ ÞóÇáó Ýöí ÔóÃúäö ÇáÑøóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÚöäúÏó ØõáõæÚö ÇáúÝóÌúÑö áóåõãóÇ ÃóÍóÈøõ Åöáóíøó ãöäú ÇáÏøõäúíóÇ ÌóãöíÚðÇ
From Aisha that the Prophet (sas) said regarding two rakaat upon the beginning of the dawn: "They are surely move beloved to me than this entire world."
Úóäú ÇÈúäö ÚõãóÑó ÑóÖöíó Çááøóåõ ÚóäúåõãóÇ ÞóÇáó ÍóÝöÙúÊõ ãöäú ÇáäøóÈöíøö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó ÚóÔúÑó ÑóßóÚóÇÊò ÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÞóÈúáó ÇáÙøõåúÑö æóÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÈóÚúÏóåóÇ æóÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÈóÚúÏó ÇáúãóÛúÑöÈö Ýöí ÈóíúÊöåö æóÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÈóÚúÏó ÇáúÚöÔóÇÁö Ýöí ÈóíúÊöåö æóÑóßúÚóÊóíúäö ÞóÈúáó ÕóáóÇÉö ÇáÕøõÈúÍö æóßóÇäóÊú ÓóÇÚóÉð áóÇ íõÏúÎóáõ Úóáóì ÇáäøóÈöíøö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó ÝöíåóÇ
From Ibn Umar who said: I learned from the Prophet (sas) ten rakaat. Two before Adh-dhuhr and two after it, two after al-maghrib in your house and two after al-isha in your house and two before as-subh (fajr) and it was a time that no one entered upon the Prophet (sas). ö
The above are both consistent in both the word and deed of the sunnah. Some of them were not done during travel. The strongest of them all is two before fajr followed by the two after maghrib.
The following "linked" prayers have also been narrated, but not with the consistency of the prioer. It is good to do them some of the time in order to keep the sunnah alive:
And of course when going to the masjid, don't forget the greeting of the masjid (tahiyyatul masjid) which is two rakaat and should be made upon entering the masjid and before sitting. If you enter and the fardh prayer is already in progress, you do not make it. Also, if you pray anything other two rakaat such as one of the rawaatib, paying one of them or any other two rakaat such as istikhaara, thanking Allah for something, returning from a journey, etc., then these suffice as greeting the masjid and there is no need to make a separate prayer for that purpose. It is strongly disliked to enter the masjid and sit down without praying.
Al-witr is one of the stronest extraogatory prayers of all. It can be made any time after isha and before the beginning of fajr. The best time to make it is in the last third of the night after sleeping.
ÃÍãÏ
ÞóÇáó Úóáöíøñ ÑóÖöíó Çááøóåõ Úóäúåõ ÃóáóÇ Åöäøó ÇáúæóÊúÑó áóíúÓó ÈöÍóÊúãò ßóÕóáóÇÊößõãú ÇáúãóßúÊõæÈóÉö æóáóßöäøó ÑóÓõæáó Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó ÃóæúÊóÑó Ëõãøó ÞóÇáó ÃóæúÊöÑõæÇ íóÇ Ãóåúáó ÇáúÞõÑúÂäö ÃóæúÊöÑõæÇ ÝóÅöäøó Çááøóåó æóÊúÑñ íõÍöÈøõ ÇáúæóÊúÑ
Ali (ra) said: Surely, the witr prayer is not obligatory like the [five] prescribed prayers, but Allah's messenger prayed witr. Then he said: Pray witr O people of the Qur'an, pray witr for verily Allah is witr (witr means an odd number) and he loves Al-witr.
There has been much controversey regarding the authenticity of this prayer and the narrations which describe it. Most recently, the scholars of hadith have validated it, although At-Tirmidhi (one of those who nrrated it) did not believe it to be authentic. This is a special prayer which takes quite some time to perform. In any case, one would be rewarded and benefit if it is performed based on the belief that it could be authentic from the sunnah. Here is its description as found in Ibn Majah (which matches its description in Abu Daud also):
Úóäú ÇÈúäö ÚóÈøóÇÓò ÞóÇáó ÞóÇáó ÑóÓõæáõ Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó áöáúÚóÈøóÇÓö Èúäö ÚóÈúÏö ÇáúãõØøóáöÈö íóÇ ÚóÈøóÇÓõ íóÇ ÚóãøóÇåõ ÃóáóÇ ÃõÚúØöíßó ÃóáóÇ ÃóãúäóÍõßó ÃóáóÇ ÃóÍúÈõæßó ÃóáóÇ ÃóÝúÚóáõ áóßó ÚóÔúÑó ÎöÕóÇáò ÅöÐóÇ ÃóäúÊó ÝóÚóáúÊó Ðóáößó ÛóÝóÑó Çááøóåõ áóßó ÐóäúÈóßó Ãóæøóáóåõ æóÂÎöÑóåõ æóÞóÏöíãóåõ æóÍóÏöíËóåõ æóÎóØóÃóåõ æóÚóãúÏóåõ æóÕóÛöíÑóåõ æóßóÈöíÑóåõ æóÓöÑøóåõ æóÚóáóÇäöíóÊóåõ ÚóÔúÑõ ÎöÕóÇáò Ãóäú ÊõÕóáøöíó ÃóÑúÈóÚó ÑóßóÚóÇÊò ÊóÞúÑóÃõ Ýöí ßõáøö ÑóßúÚóÉò ÈöÝóÇÊöÍóÉö ÇáúßöÊóÇÈö æóÓõæÑóÉò ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÝóÑóÛúÊó ãöäú ÇáúÞöÑóÇÁóÉö Ýöí Ãóæøóáö ÑóßúÚóÉò ÞõáúÊó æóÃóäúÊó ÞóÇÆöãñ ÓõÈúÍóÇäó Çááøóåö æóÇáúÍóãúÏõ áöáøóåö æóáóÇ Åöáóåó ÅöáøóÇ Çááøóåõ æóÇááøóåõ ÃóßúÈóÑõ ÎóãúÓó ÚóÔúÑóÉó ãóÑøóÉð Ëõãøó ÊóÑúßóÚõ ÝóÊóÞõæáõ æóÃóäúÊó ÑóÇßöÚñ ÚóÔúÑðÇ Ëõãøó ÊóÑúÝóÚõ ÑóÃúÓóßó ãöäú ÇáÑøõßõæÚö ÝóÊóÞõæáõåóÇ ÚóÔúÑðÇ Ëõãøó Êóåúæöí ÓóÇÌöÏðÇ ÝóÊóÞõæáõåóÇ æóÃóäúÊó ÓóÇÌöÏñ ÚóÔúÑðÇ Ëõãøó ÊóÑúÝóÚõ ÑóÃúÓóßó ãöäú ÇáÓøõÌõæÏö ÝóÊóÞõæáõåóÇ ÚóÔúÑðÇ Ëõãøó ÊóÓúÌõÏõ ÝóÊóÞõæáõåóÇ ÚóÔúÑðÇ Ëõãøó ÊóÑúÝóÚõ ÑóÃúÓóßó ãöäú ÇáÓøõÌõæÏö ÝóÊóÞõæáõåóÇ ÚóÔúÑðÇ ÝóÐóáößó ÎóãúÓóÉñ æóÓóÈúÚõæäó Ýöí ßõáøö ÑóßúÚóÉò ÊóÝúÚóáõ Ýöí ÃóÑúÈóÚö ÑóßóÚóÇÊò Åöäú ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊó Ãóäú ÊõÕóáøöíóåóÇ Ýöí ßõáøö íóæúãò ãóÑøóÉð ÝóÇÝúÚóáú ÝóÅöäú áóãú ÊóÓúÊóØöÚú ÝóÝöí ßõáøö ÌõãõÚóÉò ãóÑøóÉð ÝóÅöäú áóãú ÊóÝúÚóáú ÝóÝöí ßõáøö ÔóåúÑò ãóÑøóÉð ÝóÅöäú áóãú ÊóÝúÚóáú ÝóÝöí ÚõãõÑößó ãóÑøóÉð
From Ibn Abbas who said that Allah's Messenger (sas) said to Al-Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib: "O Abbas, O uncle should I not give you and grant to you and present to you and make for you ten elements which if you do them Allah will forgive you your sins from the first to the last, the old and the new, the intentional and the unintentional, the minor and the major and the private and the public? Ten elements that you should pray four rakaat [as follows}. Read in each rakaat Al-Fatiha and another sura. When you have finished reading in the first rakaat, say the following while still standing: "Subhaana Allahi wa al-hamdu lillahi wa laa ilaaha illaa Allahu wa Allahu akbar" fifteen times. Then bow and say it while bowing ten times. Raise your head from bowing and say it again ten times. Go into prostration and say it while prostrate ten times. Life your head from prostration and say it ten more times. Prostrate the second time and say it ten times in prostration. Come up from the second prostration and say it ten more times. That makes seventy-five times in every rakaat of the four rakaat. If you are able, pray it once per day or if not once in every week. If you don't do that, then do it once per month and if not that, then once in your life.
Do not perform voluntary prayers which have no specific reason (like greeting the masjid, etc.) during the "no prayer" times
ÇáÈÎÇÑí
Úóäú ÇÈúäö ÚóÈøóÇÓò ÞóÇáó ÔóåöÏó ÚöäúÏöí ÑöÌóÇáñ ãóÑúÖöíøõæäó æóÃóÑúÖóÇåõãú ÚöäúÏöí ÚõãóÑõ Ãóäøó ÇáäøóÈöíøó Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó äóåóì Úóäú ÇáÕøóáóÇÉö ÈóÚúÏó ÇáÕøõÈúÍö ÍóÊøóì ÊóÔúÑõÞó ÇáÔøóãúÓõ æóÈóÚúÏó ÇáúÚóÕúÑö ÍóÊøóì ÊóÛúÑõÈó
From Ibn Abbas who said: Good witnesses bore witness to me - and the best of them was Umar - that the Prophet (sas) prohibited prayer after the fajr prayer until the sun somes up and after the asr prayer until it sets.
There are three theories as to the meaning behind this prohibition: