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Prayer (Salah) for Beginners
Namaz (Salah, Sallaah, Salat, Salaat) is the best among all acts of worship. If it is accepted by the Almighty
Allah, other acts of worship are also accepted. And, if prayers are not
accepted, other acts are also not accepted
Ablution
How to perform ablution
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Wash
palm and gargle: It is preferable to wash hands and gargle three times
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Sniffing: It is preferable to
sniff; breathe water into the nose three times
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Resolution (Intention) to perform
ablution; wash the face: After the resolution begin to wash the face
starting from the forehead to the chain, vertically, and between the thumb
and the tall finger, horizontally
-
Wash
the right hand: Start from above the elbow by a little "downwards" till the
end of the fingers, wetting the whole hand
- Wash the left hand: Start from above the
elbow also, till the end of the fingers, downwards so that whole hand gets
wet
-
Cajole
(Rub) the head: Cajole with the already wet right hand the head
-
Cajole
(Rub) the feet: Cajole with the already wet right hand the, also the right
foot beginning from the tips of toes of the ankle. And cajole with the
already wet left hand the, also the left foot beginning from the tips of
toes of the ankle.
Things which invalidate ablution
Wudhu becomes void on account of the following seven things:
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Passing of urine
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Excretion
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Passing wind from the rear
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A sleep, deep enough to restrict sight and
hearing. However, if the eyes do not see anything, but the ears can hear,
Wudhu does not become void
-
Things on account of which a person loses
his sensibility, like insanity, intoxication or unconsciousness
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Istihaza – which will be dealt with later
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Janabat, and, as a recommended precaution,
every state which requires Ghus
Tayammum
Tayammum should be performed instead of Wudhu
or Ghusl in the following seven circumstances:
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When it is not possible to procure
sufficient water for performing Wudhu or Ghusl.
-
If a person is unable to procure water on
account of old age or weakness, or fear of a thief or a beast, or because he
does not possess means to draw water from a well, he should perform
tayammum. The same would apply if acquiring water is intolerably difficult.
But in this last situation, if a person, inspite of the difficulty, did not
perform tayammum, and did Wudhu, his Wudhu will be valid.
-
If a person fears that if he uses water
his life will be endangered, or he will suffer from some ailment or physical
defect, or the illness from which he is already suffering will be prolonged,
or become acute or some complications may arise in its treatment, he should
perform tayammum. However, if he can avoid the harm by using warm water, he
should prepare warm water and do Wudhu, or Ghusl when it is necessary.
-
If a person fears that if he uses water
for Ghusl or Wudhu, he will be involved in hardship because of thirst.
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If the body or dress of a person is najis
and he possesses only as much water as is likely to be exhausted if he does
Ghusl or Wudhu, and no water would be available for making his body or dress
Pak, he should make is body or dress Pak and pray Namaz with tayammum. But
if he does not have anything upon which he would do tayammum, then he should
use the water for Ghusl and Wudhu, and pray with najis body or dress.
-
If a person possesses such water or
container which is not permitted to use, like when they are usurped (Ghasbi)
he should perform tayammum instead of Ghusl and Wudhu.
-
When the time left for Namaz is so little
that if a person does Ghusl or Wudhu he would be obliged to offer the entire
prayers or a part of it after the prescribed time, he should perform
tayammum.
Method of performing Tayammum
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Intention (Niyyat)
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Striking or keeping both the palms on the
object on which tayammum is valid. As an obligatory precaution, this should
be done by both the palms together. Wiping or stroking the entire forehead
with the palms of both the hands, and, as an obligatory precaution, its two
ends commencing from the spot where the hair of one's head grow down to the
eyebrows and above the nose. And it is recommended that the palms pass over
the eyebrows as well. To pass the left palm over the whole back of the right
hand and thereafter, to pass the right palm over the whole back of the left
hand.
Athan
You say the following:
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Allahu Akbar (God is Great) - four times
and each of the following phrases twice:
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Ashhadu Alla Illaha Illal Lah (I bear
witness that there is no god but Allah).
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Ashhadu Anna Mohammadar Rasoulul Lah (I
bear witness that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah).
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Hayya Alas Salah (Hasten to prayer)
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Hayya Alal Falah (Hasten to success)
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Hayya Ala Khairil Amal (Hasten to the best
of good deeds)
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Allahu Akar
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La Illaha Illal Lah (There is no god but
Allah)
Iqamah
You should say each of the following phrases twice:
-
Allahu Akbar
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Ashhadu Alla Illaha Illal Lah
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Ashhadu Anna Mohammadar Rasoulul Lah
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Hayya Alas Salah
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Hayya Alal Falah
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Hayya Ala Khairil Amal
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Qad Qametis Salah (prayer is being
offered)
-
Allahu Akbar
-
La Illaha Illal Lah (once)
Note: Ash hadu anna Amiral Mu'minina 'Aliyyan Waliyyullah
( I testify that the Commander of the faithful, Imam Ali (AS) is the vicegerent
of Allah) is not a part of either Athan or Iqamah. But it is preferable that it
is pronounced after Ash hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulul lah with the niyyat of
Qurbat.
Things which invalidate prayers
Twelve things make prayers void, and they are called mubtilat:
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If any of the pre-requisites of prayers
ceases to exist while one is in namaz, like, if he comes to know that the
dress with which he has covered himself is a usurped one.
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If a person, intentionally or by mistake,
or uncontrollably, commits an act which makes his Wudhu or Ghusl void, like,
when urine comes out, even if it is discharged forgetfully, or
involuntarily, after the last Sajdah of the prayers.
But if a person is incontinent, unable to control urine or excretion, his
prayers will not be void if he acts according to the rules explained early
in the Chapter of Wudhu. Similarly, if a woman sees blood of Istihaza during
prayers, her namaz is not invalidated if she has acted according to the
rules of Istihaza.
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If a person folds his hands as a mark of
humility and reverence, his prayers will be void, but this is based on
precautionary rule. However, there is no doubt about it being haraam, if it
is done believing that it is ordained by Shariah.
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The fourth thing which invalidates prayers
is to say 'Amin' after Surah al-Hamd. This rule, when applied to one praying
individually, is based on Ihtiyat, but if someone utters it believing that
it has been ordained by Shariah, it is haraam. There is no harm if someone
utters it erroneously or under taqayya
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The fifth thing which invalidates prayers
is to turn away from Qibla without any excuse. But if there is an excuse,
like, forgetting or an external force, like a strong wind blowing, which
turns him away from Qibla, his namaz will be valid if he has not deviated
towards his right or his left.
But it is necessary that he returns to the direction of Qibla as soon as the
excuse disappears. And if he turned away towards right or left side -
regardless of whether his back is towards Qibla or not - due to forgetting,
he should pray again towards Qibla as soon as he remembers, if there is time
left even for one Rak'at. But if there is no time for even one Rak'at at his
disposal, then he should continue with the same namaz towards Qibla, and he
will not have to give any qadha for that. Similar rule applies to the one
who has deviated because of the external force.
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The sixth thing which invalidates prayers
is to talk, even by uttering a single word consisting of one, single letter
which has a meaning or denotes something. For example, one letter "Qi" in
Arabic means "protect yourself". Or if someone asked a person who is
praying, as to which is the second letter of Arabic alphabet, and he said
simply "Ba". But if the utterance is meaningless, then, if it constitutes
two or more letters, his prayers will be void, based on precaution.
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The seventh thing which makes namaz void
is an intentional loud laugh. And if the laugh is uncontrollable, or
involuntary, if what prompted it in the first place was intentional, or for
that matter, inadvertant, the namaz will be void. But if one laughs loudly
unintentionally, or if he purposely laughs without emitting any voice, there
is no harm.
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As an obligatory precaution, if one
intentionally weeps, silently or loudly, over some worldly matters, his
namaz will be void. But, if he weeps silently or loudly due to fear of
Allah, or for the Hereafter, there is no harm in it. In fact, it is among
the best acts.
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Any act which changes the form of namaz
like, clapping or jumping, invalidates the namaz, regardless of whether that
act is done intentionally or forgetfully. However, there is no harm in
actions which do not change the form of namaz, like, making a brief sign
with one's hand
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Eating or drinking. If a person offering
prayers eats or drinks in such a manner that people would not say that he
was in namaz, his prayers would be void, regardless of whether he does it
intentionally or forgetfully.
However, if a person who wants to keep a fast is offering a Mustahab namaz
before the Athan of Fajr, and being thirsty, fears that by the time he
completes the prayers it will be Fajr, he can drink water during that
Mustahab prayers, provided water is not more than two to three steps away
from him, and he should be careful not to commit acts which invalidate namaz,
like turning his face away from Qibla.
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Any doubt concerning the number of Rak'ats
in those prayers which consist of two or three Rak'ats, will render the
namaz void. Also, if one doubts about the number of the first two Rak'ats,
of namaz having four Rak'ats, (like, Zuhr, Asr and Isha), his namaz will be
void if he continues to be in doubt.
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If a person omits or adds the Rukn
(elemental parts) of the namaz, either intentionally or forgetfully, his
namaz is void. Similarly, if he does an extra Rukn forgetfully, like adding
a Ruku or two Sajdah in one Rak'at, his namaz, as an obligatory precaution,
will be void.
And if one omits purposely acts which are not Rukn, or makes an addition,
namaz will be void. But if one forgetfully adds one more Takbiratul Ihram,
namaz will not be void.
Conditions for dress worn during prayer
There are six conditions for the dress used in
namaz:
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It should be Pak.
-
It should be mubah (permissible for him to
use).
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It should not be made of the parts of a
dead body.
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It should not be made of the carcass,
whose meat is haraam.
-
If a person who offers prayers is a male,
his dress must not be made of pure silk.
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If a person who offers prayers is a male,
his dress must not be embroidered with gold. The details of these will
follow later.
Place where Namaz should be prayed
There are seven conditions for the place where one should offer prayers:
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The place where the prayers are offered
should be Mubah. If a person prays on a usurped property, then as an
obligatory precaution, his prayers are void, even it he prays on a carpet,
or a couch, or similarly objects. However, there is no harm in offering
prayers under a usurped roof or a usurped tent.
-
The place for prayers should not have such
a vigorous movement which would make normal standing, Ruku or Sajdah
impossible.
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A person should offer prayers at a place
where he sees the possibility of completing the prayers. To pray at a place
where one cannot complete the prayers, because of strong winds, or heavy
rains or a teeming crowd, will render namaz void, even if one somehow
manages to finish the prayers.
-
The ceiling of the place where one prays
should not be so low, that one may not be able to stand erect, nor should
the place be so small, that there may be no room for performing Ruku or
Sajdah.
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If the place where one wishes to pray is
najis, it should not be so wet that its moisture would reach the body or the
dress of the person praying. But, if the place where one places one's
forehead while performing Sajdah, is najis, the prayers will be void, even
if that place is dry. And the recommended precaution is that the place where
one offers prayers should not be najis at all.
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As an obligatory precaution, women should
stand behind men while praying. At least, her place of Sajdah should be in
line with his thighs, when in Sajdah.
-
The place where a person places his
forehead while in Sajdah, should not be higher or lower than a span of four
fingers, when compared to the place of thighs or toes of his feet. The
details of this rule will be given in the rules relating to Sajdah.
Prayer Times
For each of the five prayers there is an appointed time that must not be taken
lightly.
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The time for Subh prayer is from the start
of dawn till sunrise
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The time for Dhuhr and Asr prayers is from
zawal to sunset. The first portion is confined to Dhuhr prayer and the
second to Asr prayer in as long as each of which takes.
-
The time of Maghrib and Isha starts from
sunset and lasts till midnight. The first part is confined to Maghrib and
the latter part to Isha in as long as each of which takes. You should not
start Maghrib prayer until the dusk, appearing in the East, disappears from
the sky.
Note: Zawal is the midway between sunrise
and sunset.
Note: Eastern dusk is a reddish colour that appears in the East, opposite the
direction of sunset, that disappears once the whole disc of the sun descends
below the horizon.
Note: Midnight that heralds the end of time for Isha prayer is the mid point
between sunset and dawn.
The Qiblah
set your face towards the qiblah, which is the place where the Holy Qa’ba, in
Mekkah.
How to perform Prayer
Subh prayer
Attention, Intention and Takbira: Face the Qiblah and intend to pray the
morning! prayer (salat) , and if one wanted to pray another prayer other than
the morning prayer so change the morning with the other prayer and it is (Al -
donor, Al- asr, Al-Magreb, Al- Esha'a).
(Ussali fardh al ... qurbatan illa allah ta'ala)
Takbirat Al - Ehram: After the intention arise hands up and say (Allahu
Akbar) and it is Takbirat Al - Ehram
Recite sourat Al - Fateha and another soura: Then begin bu reciting
sourat Al-Fatiha then another compete soura from the holy qur'an
Ruku (Bowing): Then bow and say (Subhana rabbiyal -adheemi wa behamdeh),
then it is preferable to say (Allahuma salli ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Stand up sfter Ruku: Then stand up erect with stability second s and say
(same'a allaho leman hamedah) and go to Sujoud
The first Sajdah: Then put your forehead, palms, big toes of both feet
and both knees on the ground and say (Subhana rabbiyal a'la wa bihamdeh
Allahuma salli ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Sit after first Sajdah: Sit at ease for seconds and say (Allaho akbar)
The second Sajdah: Then kneel for the second Sajdah and say (Subhana
rabbiyal a'la wa bihamdeh) and it is preferable to say (Allahuma salli
ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Sit up after the second Sajdah: Then sit up for seconds saying (Allaho
akbar). In this way, first Rakaa is done, so stand up
Stand up for the decond Rakaa: After standing up steadily read Sourat Al-Fatiha
and another soura (same as you did in the first Rakaa)
Qunut: After reciting sourat Al-Fatiha and onother soura and befor Ruku, it is
preferable to recite a short Du'aa
Ruku (Bowing): Then bow and say (Subhana rabbiyal -adheemi wa behamdeh),
then it is preferable to say (Allahuma salli ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Stand up after Ruku: Then stand up erect with stability second s and say
(same'a allaho leman hamedah) and go to Sujoud
The first Sajdah of the second Rakaa: Then put your forehead, palms, big
toes of both feet and both knees on the ground and say (Subhana rabbiyal a'la
wa bihamdeh Allahuma salli ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Sit after first Sajdah: Sit at ease for seconds and say (Allaho akbar)
The second Sajdah: Then kneel for the second Sajdah and say (Subhana
rabbiyal a'la wa bihamdeh) and it is preferable to say (Allahuma salli
ala mohammed wa ale mohaamed)
Sit up after the second Sajdah: Then sit up and recite the Tashahod and
add to it the Tasleem by saying (Allahu akbar), (ash-hado an-la-illaha
ilia allah, wah-dahu la sharrika lah, wa-ash-hadu anna mohammadan abdahu wa
rasuloh, allahuma salli ala mohammad wa ale mohammad). the last line was
Tashahud. In Tasleem, add (As-salamo alayka ayohal nabio wa - rahmatollahe wa
barakatoh As- salamo alayna wa ala e'bade - llahe as- saleheen. As- salamo
alaykum wa - rahmatollahe wa barakatoh). In this way morning prayer is over.
Note: As for Al- Magreb prayer; being three Rakaats, after the second Rakaa
and Tashahud don't read the Tasleem, instead get up for the third Rikaa, stand
still and say three times (Subhan allahe wal -hamdo lelahe wa la -elaha
ellaallho wa-allaho akbar). Then bed for Rukuu and kneel for two Sjouds (as
mentioned before) then read the last Tashahud and Tasleem.
As for Al-Dohor, Al- asr and Al- Isha prayers, because each one of them consists
of four Rakaats, so after the middle Tashahud perform two Tasbeehat Rakaats (as
mentioned above). Then perform the second & last Tashahud and Tasleem.
The material for this page are
from the Imam Ali Foundation.
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