Part two will cover the purpose of Tayammum , Adhan, importance of salah in congregation correctly and supplications.
Read: Importance of Salah – Prayer in Islam (Part 1)
TAYAMMUM OR DRY ABLUTION
Tayammum is a substitute for ablution or ritual bath. It is performed in the following cases:
- When water is not available to perform ablution or ritual bath.
- When someone is wounded or injured or ill, and there is fear that use of water will aggravate his condition.
- In severe cold when it is feared that use of water will cause suffering.
How to perform Tayammum
There are two ways of performing Tayammum:
- Strike both your hands with fingers stretched on clean earth, raise them and blow off the excessive dust, and then pass them over your face and rub the two hands in and out up to the wrists.
- Strike both hands on the earth, blow the excessive dust and pass them over your face. Strike the hands on earth again and rub each hand up to the elbow starting with the right hand.
Prayer in congregation
Performing the obligatory prayers in congregation is highly recommended. The prophet (PBUH) said:
“Prayer in congregation is superior by 27 degrees to prayer performed individually.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Remaining away from the congregation without a valid reason is a very serious offence, as illustrated in the following Hadith:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, sometimes I intend that I ask someone to lead in prayer while I go to the people who remain away from the congregation and burn their houses along with them with fire”.( Bukhari and Muslim)
When a person goes to a mosque, he should enter with his right foot first and say:
In the Name of Allah.
O Allah Shower blessing on Muhammad. O Allah Open for me the gates of Your Mercy
After entering the mosque, one should perform two Rak’ah prayers. It is called Tahiyyat al Masjid (Salutation of the Mosque). It is Sunnah recommended by the Prophet (PBUH).
He said: “When one of you enters the mosque, he should perform two Rak’ah before taking his seat”. (Bukhari and Muslim)
When a person is inside a mosque, he should remember that he is in the house of Allah, which must be given its due respect. Therefore, he should sit quietly and keep himself busy in prayer, remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Quran. He should avoid raising his voice, indulging in vain talk or argument with others. According to a Hadith, a person who sits in the mosque waiting for the next prayer is like the one who is performing the prayer.
While leaving the mosque, one should take out the left foot first and say:
In the Name of Allah.
O Allah! Shower blessing on Muhammad.
O Allah! I am asking you for Your Grace.
ADHAN – CALL TO PRAYER
Adhan is instituted to call people to prayer. Whether in a mosque or in an open place, when two or more people want to perform an obligatory prayer, one of them should make the Adhan.
The words of Adhan are:
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Come to prayer
Come to success
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
There is no god but Allah.
When Adhan is called, those who listen to it should answer by repeating the same words except when the caller says: “There is no power and no strength except with Allah”.
When the Adhan is completed, the caller and the listener both should invoke the blessing of Allah on the Prophet (PBUH) as follows:
O Allah! Show mercy to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you have shown mercy to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Then say the following supplication:
0 Allah! The Lord of this perfect call and the prayer to be established, grant Muhammad the wasilah and eminence, and raise him to the praiseworthy position which You promised him.
The Prophet (PBUH) recommended it. (Bukhari)
Sa’d bin Abi Waqas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “When a person listens to the caller, then says the following supplication, his sins will be forgiven:
“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah Alone, there is no partner with Him, and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. I have chosen Allah as Lord, Muhammad as Messenger and Islam as religion.
IQAMAH
The Iqamah is called to let it be known that the prayer is about to begin. It differs slightly from Adhan.
The words of Iqamah are:
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Come to Prayer Come to Success
The prayer is established
Allah is THE Greatest
There is no god but Allah.
NUMBER OF RAK’AH IN OBLIGATORY PRAYERS
- Fajr (dawn) prayer has only two Rak’ah. The Imam reads in them Surat – Al- Fatihah (Opening chapter) and a long chapter or portion of the Quran loudly.
- Zuhr (noon) prayer has four Rak’ah. Reading is done in them quietly.
- Asr (afternoon) prayer also has four Rak’ah and is done quietly.
- Maghrib (sunset) prayer consists of three Rak’ah. In the first two Rak’ah, the Imam recites Al- Fatihah and a small chapter of the Quran loudly; and in the third Rak’ah, only Al- Fatihah is read quietly.
- Isha (night) prayer has four Rak’ah. In the first two Surat – Al Fatihah and medium chapter of the Quran are recited loudly; and in the last two, only Al- Fatihah is read quietly.
When the Imam recites loudly, the people behind him should recite Al –Fatihah quietly; and when he recites quietly, those behind him should recite quietly as well.
However, in the first two Rak’ah of Zuhr and Asr prayer, they should add a chapter or some verses from the Holy Quran and after Surat – Al Fatihah. According to some scholars, the people behind an Imam do not need to read anything and should remain silent.
When a person joins the congregation after the Imam has started, he should join with saying Allah- u- Akbar; and follow the Imam. If he has missed some Rak’ah, he should complete it after the Imam has completed the prayer by Taslim. According to a hadith, if a person joins the congregation while the Imam was in Ruku, he should count that Rak’ah, but if he joins the Imam after he has done the Ruku, then that Rak’ah should not be counted.
How Prayer is Performed – Importance of salah (Prayer in Islam)
- Stand straight facing the Qiblah. Keep your feet straight and toes directed towards the Qiblah.
- Make intention of the prayer you want to perform e.g. Zuhr, Asr, etc., Fard or Nafil.
- Raise your hands to the shoulders or to the ears, keep the fingers stretched and make the palms face the Qiblah. Say Allah u Akbar – Allah is the Greatest. This isTakbir Tahrimah. Now your prayer has started.
- Place your right hand over the left and put them together on your chest, below the chest or above the navel.
- Read any of the following supplications quietly:
- Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise is due to You. Blessed is Your Name, and exalted is Your Majesty and there is no god but You.
- Seek refuge with Allah from Satan by saying: I seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Satan.
- Recite Al- Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Quran
- Recite any surah or a few verses from the Holy Quran
- Raise your both hands to the shoulders or to the ears, say Allah u Akbar and bow down in Ruku.
- Place your hands on both knees with fingers spread out. Make sure that your back and head are at the same level.
Some scholars do not consider it necessary to raise hands while going to Ruku or rising from it.
- Say: Glory to be my Lord, the Great.
This should be said at least three times. Or say: All- Glorious, All Holy, the Lord of angels and the Spirit.
- Rise from the Ruku and raise your hands as you did previously, saying, Allah listened to one who Praise Him. Then say: Our Lord, to You be the praise, the praise in abundance, pure and blessed)
- Saying Allah – u – Akbar, bow down for prostration
- Say three times at least: Glory be to my Lord, the Most High
- Raise your head saying Allah u Akbar.
- While sitting in the sitting position say: O Allah forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me well- being, guide me and grant me provision.
- Saying Allah u Akbar, go to a second prostration in the same way as you did for the first one.
- Saying Allah u Akbar, rise from the prostration and stand up for the second Rak’ah.
- Start the second Rak’ah by reciting Surat Al Fatihah and repeat the actions of the first Rak’ah.
- At the end of the second Rak’ah sit as you did between two prostrations and read Tashahhud.
- Saying Allah u Akbar, rise for the third Rak’ah and raise your hands as you did in the beginning of the prayer.
- When you have completed your prayer, sit on the ground pulling the left foot out and keeping the right one upright.
- Read the Tashahhud as mentioned in 15, and then invoke the blessing of Allah on the Prophet.
- After that read any supplication you like.
- Turning your face to the right side say: Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy.
- Then turn your face to the left and say: Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy.
This is called Taslim, by which the prayer ends.
End of part two …
