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Salat (namaaz) or prayer is one of the most
important pillars of Islam. The Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) warned that the first
thing man will be questioned about on the Day of
Resurrection is prayer. Abu Hurairah said, "I heard the
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
saying:
The first act of worship man shall be
questioned about on the Day of Resurrection is prayer.
If it was performed correctly1,
man shall certainly succeed and prosper, if it is not,
he shall certainly lose and fail. If, however, man's
prayer was incomplete, the Lord, the Exalted, would
say (to His Angels), "See if my slave performed
supererogatory (nafl) prayers to make up what he had
missed of the obligatory prayers. The rest of man's
deeds will be reckoned in the same manner2.
Buraidah reported that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, The
covenant3
which is between us and those (who embrace Islam) is
prayer. Whoso neglects it, becomes an unbeliever4.
On
the other hand, Allah has prepared great rewards for the
believers who observe prayer and are particular about
it. Perfect prayer effaces sins. Abu Hurairah reported
that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) said: Have you considered, a river running
by the door of you in which he bathes five times a day;
would any of his dirt stay on him? They said "None
of his dirt would stay on him." The Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said So does Salah;
therewith Allah eliminates sins5.
Therefore, brothers and sisters it is very
important to be regular on prayer, and perform it
correctly. One may perform prayer according to the way
he was taught by his parents or sheikh, according to
their madthhab. But you should always remember that it
is only the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) who must be followed. The angels will not ask
you, while in the grave, "Did you follow this imaam or
that imaam?" Your imaam will not be with you then, nor
will he defend you on the Day of Resurrection.
The
traditions quoted here, and in every issue of Ad-Deen
an-Naseehah, are authentic. Anyone who rejects the
authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) exposes himself to destruction, as stated by
Imaam Ahmed.
The
following are some common errors committed by Muslims in
their Salah. These errors must be avoided hoping that
Allah would accept this act of worship and reward us for
it.
This
is one of the greatest sins. Abu Dtharr reported that
the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
said, There are three people whom Allah shall not
speak to on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall he look
at them, nor shall he purify them, and they shall have a
painful torment: One whose garment hangs down below his
ankles, almanaan6,
and (a merchant) who sells of his merchandise by means
of false oath7.
Some
people think that wearing clothes that hang below the
ankles is not a sin if they abstain from doing so while
praying only. Others think that wearing such a garment
is a sin only if it is worn out of pride; otherwise,
they believe there is no harm in doing so. However, the
above and many other traditions indicate clearly that
wearing clothes that hang below the ankles (for men) is
a grave sin regardless of whether such garments are worn
out of habit or pride. There are other authentic
traditions that emphasize wearing clothing that hangs
below the ankles out of pride entails harsher
punishment. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of
Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said The part of
the garment which hangs below the ankles is (punishable
by) Fire (on the Day of Resurrection)8.
It
is commonplace to see brothers folding up the hems of
their pants for prayer. However, as soon as prayer is
completed, they unfold their pants. The belief that
wearing garments that hang below the ankles is
prohibited during prayers only is a misconception
commonly held by many Muslims. Such Muslims are unaware
that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) forbade
praying with folded clothes9.
Based on this prohibition, scholars have agreed that
praying with folded sleeves or pants is unlawful.
Angels and the praying people are bothered by
offensive smell. On the contrary, one should wear
perfume, if available before coming into mosques. Jabir
reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
said: He who eats from the smelly plant [garlic or
onion], let him come not near our mosque; the angels are
bothered by that which bothers men11.
This
may disturb those who are already in prayer. The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
When prayer has already started, do not walk quickly
to join in. Proceed calmly and reposefully; then join in
whichever part you catch up, and complete whichever part
you missed (i.e., soon after the imaam ends the
prayer)12.
Many
of those who come late to the mosque and join in prayer
which is already in progress, rush to take the same
posture, while people are in rukoo', and say takbeer
al-Ihram, or the opening takbeer of prayer while bowing
for fear of missing that ruk'ah. Takbeer al-Ihram is to
be pronounced when one is standing upright, only.
The
heart is the place of intention. Mumbling words such as
"I intend to pray such prayer or such number of rak'aat,
or I intend to fast, or do such act of worship or
another," just before starting prayer is a bid'ah which
was practiced neither by the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alaihi wasallam) nor his companions, nor by their
followers.
Uttering the above words of niyyah allows
shaitaan to put irrelevant words in the mouth of the
person who utters the niyyah. Do you remember at one
time or another that once you stood up for dhuhr prayer
and discovered yourself saying, "I intend to pray four
rak'aat of Isha," or when you were standing for Asr
prayer you made your intention to pray fajr instead?
This confusion is from shaitan. Had you kept silent,
shaitan would have no chance of confusing you.
Abdullah bin Umar said, "I saw the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) raising his hands to the
level of his shoulders, upon starting prayer, and before
bending for rukoo' and when he stood up again13.
Raising hands with every takbeer, subsequent to
the first takbeer in janazah, Eed or rain prayers is not
recommended. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) used to put his hands on his chest (while
standing in prayer)14.
T'awwudth is saying "Aoudhu billahi min
ashshaitan ir-rajim" and basmalah is saying "Bismillah
hirRahmaan irRaheem."
The
sutrah is an object, such as a wall, or a post, which a
person faces while praying. Or any other object which a
person places to serve as a sutrah, by putting it on the
ground in order that no one may cross in front of him
while praying. The Messenger of Allah SAWS said: Pray
facing a sutrah, and let no one cross in front of you
while praying. If he insists, then prevent him by force
because he is accompanied by shaitan15.
And
he said: When one of you prays facing a sutrah, let
him pray close to it so that shaitan may not be able to
nullify his prayer16.
The
above tradition indicates clearly that shaitan crosses
in front of a praying person who prays without a sutrah,
causing his prayer to be null and void without being
aware of it. Even if one prays in an open field, he
should place a sutrah in front of him.
Allah says: (Verily) He (the shaitan) and his own people see
you while you do not see
them17.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
Were people to realize the value of making adthan
(the call for prayer), and the great reward (for doing
so) and the virtue of standing in the first line (in
congregational prayer), and had no choice but to make a
draw (to decide who makes adthan or stands in the first
line) they would have justifiably done so. And were
people to know the significance of coming early to
(congregational) prayer, they would have raced with one
another (to reach the mosque first). And if they were to
know the great reward (for coming to mosque) for Isha'
and Fajr prayers, they would have come even if they had
to crawl (i.e. even if they were disabled, they would
have come crawling for fear of missing its great
reward.)18.
This
may cause loss of concentration. We are commanded to
lower our gaze, and look at the point at which the head
rests during sujood. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) warned: Let those who raise their gaze up
during prayer stop doing so, or else their sights would
not return to them. [i.e. lose their eyesight].
(Muslim)
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
commanded: Straighten your lines, level your
shoulders and block the gaps. Shaitan passes through
[line] gaps19.
The
Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used to pause
after each verse of this surah20.
All
of this diminish the reward for prayer. Submissiveness
is a condition of acceptance of prayer. Allah's command
signifies: And stand [in prayer] to Allah
submissively21.
This
act distracts the person who is doing so and prevents
him from concentration. It is a dispraised act during
salah.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
Move not before the imam does. When the imam says.
Allahu akbar, you say, Allahu akbar. When he says,
waladh-dhalleen' you say, aameen. In another
narration, he said: Surely the imam is there to be
followed22.
He also said: Does not the one who raises his head
before the imam does fear that Allah would transform his
head into a donkey's head23.
The
head must be kept in normal position, while the back
must be straight during rukoo' to form with legs a right
angle.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
Let not one of you support himself on his forearms
(in sujood ) like the dog. Let him rest on his palms and
keep his elbows away from his body24.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
used to keep his arms away from his body during rukoo'
and sujood that the whiteness of his armpits could be
seen25.
This
happens to those who wear tight and short shirts or
tight pants; when they bow or prostrate, part of their
backs are exposed. Such part of the body is awrah, or
the part which must be covered always. Exposing part of
the back during salah, renders salah null and void.
The
Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) commanded:
When the imam says, 'waladh-dhalleen', say 'Aameen',
because the angels also say, 'Aameen', and the imam
says, 'Aameen'. He whose aameen coincides with the
aameen of the angels, Allah forgives his past sins26.
In another narration, the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) said: Then say, 'Aameen', Allah loves
you27.
The
Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said: I am
commanded to prostrate on seven bones the forehead and
the nose, the two hands [palms], the two knees, and the
two feet28.
Applying the above command necessitates resting the
forehead and the nose on the ground during sujood.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) saw a
man who did not complete his rukoo' [bowing], and made a
very short sujood [prostration]; he said: If this man
dies while praying in this manner, he would die
upholding a religion other than the religion of
Muhammad. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with
him, said: My beloved friend, Muhammad (sallallaahu
'alaihi wasallam) forbade me to perform postures of
prayer copying the picking of a rooster; (signifying
fast performance of prayer), moving eyes around like a
fox and the sitting like monkeys (i.e. to sit on
thighs)29.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
The worst thief is the one who steals from his own
prayer. People asked, 'Messenger of Allah! How could
one steal from his own prayer?' He said: By not
completing its rukoo' and sujood30.
To
complete rukoo' is to stay in that posture long enough
to recite 'subhana rabbiyal Adtheem' three times,
slowly, and 'subhana rabbiyal-a'ala' three times,
slowly, in sujood. He also announced: He who does not
complete his rukoo' and sujood, his prayer is void31.
 It is praiseworthy to take tawarruk position
only in the last rak'ah of Dhtuhr, Asr, Maghrib and
Isha' prayers. Tawarruk is described in Sahih al-Bukhari
as resting the body, during sitting position, on the
left thigh and putting the left foot under the right
leg, while setting the right foot upright; and
supporting the body by the left hand with which the left
knee is grasped. See the accompanying diagram, which was
hand-drawn (not copied) after looking at "The Reliance
of the Traveler."
The
Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) saw some of his
companions doing so. He objected: Why do I see you
moving your hands like the tails of wild horses.
They never did that again32.
The
Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used to count
tasbeeh on the fingers of his right hand after salah.
Abdullah bin Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, (There are) two
good deeds, any Muslim who does them shall enter Jannah
but few are those who do them: to say, "subhanAllah" ten
times, and "alHamdulillah" ten times, and "AllahuAkbar"
ten times. And I have seen the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) counting them on his
hand. lbn Qudamah said: The Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used his right hand for
tasbeeh33.
The
above hadeeth indicates clearly that the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used only one hand for
counting tasbeeh. No Muslim with sound mind would
imagine that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
used his left hand for counting tasbeeh. Aa'ishah, with
whom Allah is pleased, said that the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used his left hand only
for Istinjaa', or cleaning himself after responding to
the call of nature. He never used it for tasbeeh.
Yasirah reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) commanded women to count tasbeeh on their
fingers.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
They (the fingers) will be made to speak, and will be
questioned (on the Day of Resurrection.)34
The
above hadeeth indicates that it is preferable to count
tasbeeh on the fingers of the right hand than to do so
on masbahah (rosary).
This
is a bid'ah which was never practiced by the Prophet's
companions or their followers, may Allah be pleased with
them.
This
was not the practice of the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam). The Sunnah is to start
with dthikr soon after salah is over. The Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said: When you recite,
'At-tahiyyat...', (just before tasleem), choose
whichever du'a you like35.
The
best forms of du'a are those authentically related to
the Prophet, (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam).. Insha'
Allah, we will publish the authentic du'a masnoon, soon.
Dthikr is reciting subhanal-Lah 33 times, alhamdu
Lilah 33 times Allahu Akbar 33 times, reciting La ilaha
illal-Laah 10 times reciting ayat al-Kursi [i.e. verse
255 of surah 2 al Baqarah], or other authentic dthikr.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)
warned: Were the one who crosses in front of a
praying person to know the consequences of doing so, he
would have waited for forty better than to cross in
front of him36.
The forty in the tradition may be days months or even
years. Allah knows best.
Salah is one of the most important pillars of
Islam. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wasallam) never neglected it during his sickness, nor
while combating enemies. Prayer must be performed
regardless. If one cannot perform ablution for one legal
reason or another, then he must perform dry ablution
tayammum by patting with his palms a dusty surface, then
wiping the face and hands. If he cannot stand up in
prayer, he may pray while sitting or lying down on his
side. Otherwise, it is enough for him to pray by moving
his eyes up for rukoo' and down for sujood, and complete
the rest of the prayer postures in the same manner.
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said:
Pray not in graveyards, nor sit on graves37.
The
format of prayer is enjoined by the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam). No imam or a scholar has
the right to alter it by adding to or deleting from it.
There is no book of authentic hadeeth or Prophetic
tradition reporting that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) commanded men to pray in
one way, and women in another. He commanded: Pray as
you saw me praying38.
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) did not
differentiate between men and women in prayer.
Some
scholars opine that it is better for women to gather
themselves in sujood. As every body knows, prayer is an
act of worship, and like every other act of worship,
there must be a textual proof for it in the Qur'an or
the authentic Sunnah. A future issue of Naseehah will,
insha'Allah, include the format of prayer as reported in
the authentic traditions. Let us pray to Allah, extolled
be His glory, seeking His forgiveness, and asking him to
guide us to the straight path. Aameen.
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