Worship - Praying
·
Sunnah of prayers: It is confirmed
(akin to the obligatory) or unconfirmed (like the recommended). The Schools of
Jurisprudence disagree on some rules, but all are good. ·
Confirmed
Sunnah of prayers:
a)
Reciting some verses of the Qur’an after Al-Fatihah in the two Rak’ahs of
Dawn prayer, the first two of the Noon, Mid-Afternoon, Sunset, and Evening
prayers
b)
Saying, when rising from bowing: “Sami`a Allahu Liman Hamidah, Rabbana Laka
Al-Hamd,” that is, 'Allah listens to the one who praises Him, our Lord, for
You is all Praise' (for the Imam, i.e. leader of a group, and for the individual
prayer), and “Rabbana laka Al-Hamd,” that is, ‘Our Lord for You is all
Praise’
c)
Saying "Subhana Rabbiya Al-`Azhim” (Praise to Our Lord the Magnificent)
three times while bowing down, and: "Subhana Rabbiya Al-A`la” (Praise be
to Our Lord, the Most Exalted) three times while prostratingd)
d)
Saying Allahu Akbar when moving from one position to another except when
standing upright after bowinge) Saying the first and second Tashahhud while
sitting
e)
Raising the voice while reciting in the two Rak`ahs of the Dawn prayer, and the
first two Rak`ahs of the Sunset and Evening prayers (as in other prayers
recitation is to be performed inwardly)
f)
Offering the benediction on the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Tashahhud (testification
of faith) as in the known formula.[5]
·
Unconfirmed Sunnah of prayers:
a)
Reciting a certain “opening” invocation at the beginning after entering the
state of ritual consecration
b)
Saying, “A`udhu Billahi Min Ash-Shaytan ir-Rajim” (I seek the protection of
Allah from Satan" in the first Rak`ah of prayer, and to say inwardly,
“Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim” (In the Name of Allah) before every
recitation
c)
Lifting the hands to shoulder level when saying Allahu Akbar before bowing and
when standing upright, and at the beginning of the first two Rak`ahs of prayer
d)
Saying, “Amin” after Al-Fatihah
e)
Elongating the Qur’anic recitation in the Dawn prayer, shortening it in the
Mid-Afternoon and Sunset prayers and moderating it in the Noon and Evening
prayers
f)
Recitation of an invocation between the two prostrations
g)
Saying the invocation of Qunut (after standing upright before prostration or
after the recitation in the second Rak`ah of the Dawn prayer, or in the Witr
prayer
h)
The way of sitting; putting the two palms on the chest, the right on the left
j)
Saying an invocation in prostration and in the last Tashahhud
k)
Greeting the right side and then the left
l)
Invoking Allah and supplicating Him after greeting[6]
Evidence from Qur'an and Sunnah
Confirmed Sunnahs of prayer:
Reciting
Qur’an:
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be
pleased with him) narrated:
“The Prophet (peace
be upon him) used to recite Al-Fatihah followed by another Surah in the
first two Rak`ahs of the prayer, and used to recite only Al-Fatihah in the
last two Rak`ahs of the Zhuhr (Noon) prayer. Sometimes a verse or so was
audible.”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Saying
Sami`a Allahu Liman Hamidah
(Allah listens to those who praise Him):
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated:
Praising
Allah in prostration and bowing:
`Uqbah Ibn `Amir (may
Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
which
means: “Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most
Great.” (56, Al-Waqi`ah: 74)
which
means: “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.”
(87,
Al-A`la: 1) (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawud)
“At-Tahiyyatu
Li-Lahi Was-Salawatu Wat-Tayyibatu. As-Salamu `Alayka Ay-Yuhan-Nabiyyu Wa
Rahmatul-Lahi Wa Barakatuhu. As-Salamu `Alayna Wa `Ala `Ibadil-Lahi
iS-Salihina. Ash-Hadu Al-La Ilaha Illal-Lahu Wa Ash-Hadu Anna Muhammadan `Abduhu
Wa Rasuluhu.”
“Allahumma
Salli `Ala Muhammad Wa `Ala Ali Muhammad Kama Sallayta `Ala Ibrahim Wa `Ala
Ali Ibrahim. Wa Barik `Ala Muhammad Wa `Ala Ali Muhammad Kama Barakta `Ala
Ibrahim Wa `Ala Ali Ibrahim. Fil `Alamina. In-Naka Hamidun Majid.”
Unconfirmed Sunnahs of prayer: The Formula of the openining invocation:
“Subhanak
Allahumma Wa Bi Hamdika. Tabaraka Ismuka Wa Ta`ala Jadduka Wa La Ilaha
Ghayruka” (Meaning: Glory be to
You, O Allah, and praise be to You, and Blessed is Your Name, and
Exalted is Your greatness, and there is no god but You”. (Reported by
Muslim)
Seeking
the protection of Allah from Satan:
Allah says:
This
means: “So when you want to recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from
Shaytan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).” (16, An-Nahl: 98) (by saying: A`uthu billahi min ash-Shaytan
ir-rajim)
Raising
the two hands:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated:
“When
the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) uttered the Takbir (Allah is the
Greatest) for prayer (at the beginning), he raised his hands opposite to his
shoulders; and when he bowed, he did like that; and when he raised his head
to prostrate, he did like that; and when he got up at the end of each Rak`ah,
he did like that.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)
Saying
Amin after reciting the Fatihah:
Wa’il Ibn Hujr (may
Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
“When
the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) recited the verse:
which
means “Not the path of those who earned Your Anger nor of those who went
astray.” (1, Al-Fatihah, 7) he
would say Amin; and raised his voice (while uttering this word).” (Reported by Abu Dawud)
The Prophet (peace be
upon him) said:
“Say Amen when the
Imam says ‘Ghayril Maghdubi `Alayhim Wala Ad-Dalin’
(meaning:
Not the path of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray); all
the past sins of the person whose saying (of Amin) coincides with that of
the angels will be forgiven.” Invocation between the two prostrations:
“Rabbi
Ighfir Li Warhamni Wa`afini Wahdini Warzuqni”
(Meaning: O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me,
guide me, heal me, and provide for me.)”
(Reported by Abu dawud)
“O
Allah, guide me among those You has guided, grant me security among those
You has granted security, take me into Your charge among those You has taken
into Your charge, bless me in what You has given, guard me from the evil of
what You has decreed, for You decree, and nothing is decreed for You. He
whom You support is not humbled. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord.”
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi) The way of sitting:
Abu Hamid As-Sa`idi
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The
way of putting hands over each other:
When Ibn Mas`ud prayed, he placed his left
hand on the right. The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw him and placed his
right hand on his left one. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Invocation
in prostration:
The Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) said:
“And
see that I have been forbidden to recite the Qur’an in the state of bowing
and prostrating. Glorify your Lord in bowing posture and exert yourself in
supplication in prostration. Thus your supplications are liable to be
accepted.” (Reported by Muslim)
The
known formula of the invocation that follows the last Tashahhud:
“O
Allah! I seek refuge in You from the torment of Hell, from the torment of
the grave; from the trials of life and death and from the mischief of Al-Masih
Ad-Dajjal; the antichrist.”
(Reported
by Muslim)
Greeting
the right side and the left one:
`Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The
supplication and remembrance of Allah after greeting:
Thawban (may Allah be
pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) said:
“If
one recites after every prayer: Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) thirty
three times; Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah) thirty three times; Allahu
Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) thirty three times; and, in the hundredth, La
ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu Al-Mulk wa lahu Al-Hamd, wa
Huwa ala kulli shay’in Qadir (there is no god except Allah, the One, Who
has no partner, to Him belongs the Sovereignty and the Praise and He has
power over all things,' one hundred times, he will have all his sins
pardoned even though they may be as much as the foam of the sea.”
(Reported
by Muslim)
Sa`d Ibn Abi Waqqas
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) said:
“O
Mu`adh! By Allah, I love you, and I advise you: You should never abandon
reciting after every prayer: 'Allah, assist me in remembering You and being
grateful to You and performing Your worship in an excellent manner.’”
(Reported by Abu Dawud and Ahmad)
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