How to Perform Salah (Prayer)

First: make that it is time for the prayer you intend to offer.

Secondly: make sure that you are clean and purified and that you have no impurities (e.g. urine, blood, or stool) in your body, clothes and place you are going to use for prayer.

Thirdly: make sure that your awrah is covered which is from the knees up to the navel. It is not allowed for you to pray if any portion of these parts of the body are exposed. The woman must cover the entire body except the face and hands.

• When you intend to pray, face the Ka'bah (i.e. Makkah). This is the sacred mosque which Allah has chosen for Muslims to face for every prayer. Two prophets, Ibrahim and Isma'eel, may Allah bestow  peace upon them, built the Ka'bah in compliance with Allah's command.

• Stand straight for prayer and say, "Allahu Akbar" and it is better while saying this to gently raise the arms up to the shoulders, with your hands spread and hands facing towards the qibla. Then lower them and place them in your chest - the right hand on the left. Keep your eyes focused on the spot you'll prostrate during the prayer.

• After saying, "Allahu AKbar", recite the Fatihah (i.e. the first chapter of the Noble Quran). It is recommended t recite any excerpt or chapter you have memorized from the Quran after the Fatihah.

• Bow and say "Allahu Akbar" while bowing, keep your back straight and even with your head. You should have both hands clutching your knees. You say in bowing this supplication, "Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem (three times). When bowing, it is better to raise the hands and lower them as before.

• Then return to the  upright positioning saying, "Sami Allahuliman Hamidah" and Rabbana Walakalhamd". Again it is preferable to raise the arms, lower them, and place them back on your chest as before.

• Prostrate saying, "Allahu Akbar" by kneeling down and placing your forehead, nose, palms, and toes of your feet on the ground, and say "Subhana Rabiyal A'laa" (three times).

• Bend back and while in that position sit, say, "Allahu Akbar". Then say this supplication, "Rab Ighfirlee".

• Prostrate again and do as you did in the first prostration.

• This is one complete rak'ah. After it, stand up saying, "Allahu Akbar" and then recite Al-Fatihah chapter and do as you did in the former rak'ah. When you are finished with the second prostration of the second rak'ah.

• Sit down saying, "Allahu Akbar" and then say the Tashahhud as follows:

• Attahiyatulillahi wassalawatu wattayibat.
Assalamu 'alaika ayyuha nabeeyu warahmatullhiwabarakatuh. Assalamu 'alaina wa'ala 'ibadulluhissaliheen. Ash-hadu an la ilaha ilallah, wa ash-hadu anna Mohammadan 'abduhu warasooluh. Allahumma salli 'ala Mohammadin wa 'ala aali Mohaamad. Kama sallaita 'ala Ibraheema wa aali Ibraheema innaka hameeddun majeed. Wa baarik 'ala Mohammadin wa 'ala aali Mohammad, kama baarakta 'ala Ibraheema wa 'ala aali Ibraheema innaka hamiddun majeed. 

At this point if you wish make some additional supplications from the authentic supplication of the prophet (S.H.W.) 

• Now salute by turning your face to the right saying, "Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah" and then turning your face to the left saying "Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah". In this way you have completed the your prayer assuming that it consisted of two rak'as only, as in the early-morning prayer (Fajr) for instance.

• If the prayer consists of more than two rak'as, immediately stand up after having said the Tashahhud but before giving the salutation as you stand up say, "Allahu Akbar". Recite Sutah Fatihah, then bow, and do as you did in the previous rak'ah. If the prayer happens to be sunset (Magrib) prayer, this third rak'ah is sufficient, hence sit for Tashahhud and salute as before. 

However, if the prayer consists of four rak'as, like (Dhuhr), (Asr) and (Isha), stand up after completing the third one and perform a fourth rak'ah like the third one. Then set down, recite the Tashahhud and finally salute as before.

• For greater reward, males are required to observed their prayers with other Muslim fellows in the mosque. You must imitate and follow your Imam's (i.e. the leader in prayer) physical movements. Listen to his recitation even if you haven't finished reciting the Fatihah. Never anticipate the Imam's movements nor proceed (or move before) the Imam in the prayer i.e. do not bow before him etc. Just try to follow without unnecessary delay.

You may ask what procedures you are supposed to follow if it happens that you arrive after the people in the mosque have engaged in a prayer. 

• If you still haven't memorized Chapter Fatihah, recite what ever is possible for you, even a single verse from the Holy Quran. And if you haven't memorized anything from the Holy Quran or don't even know the Tashahhud or the other supplications of Salah, just repeatedly say "Subhanallah", "alhamdulillah", "la ilaha ilallah", "alahu akbar", "lahola walaquwata illabillah". Say what you can any of these words of supplication and never abandon prayer even if you don't know what to say in it.

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