As Muslims, we believe that Allah is the sole
creator of the universe, and that He created us to
worship Him alone, and that we must obey Him
according to what He taught us in His Book and the
guidance of His final Messenger Muhammad. This
is the path to true happiness and success in this life
and the next.
So the question arises: What are the main acts of
worship in Islam? And how do we worship Allah as
He wants us to worship Him?
The main acts of worship after the ‘Shahādah’
(when one testifies that there is no true god but
Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah) are four things:
1. Establishing the five daily prayers
2. Giving the obligatory charity called ‘zakāh’
3. Fasting the month of Ramadan
4. Making the pilgrimage to the Ka’bah in Makkah
ACTS OF WORSHIP
IN ISLAM
Allah the Most Exalted says in the Qur’an,
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to
worship Me alone.” [51:56]
And He said,
“And obey Allah and the Messenger so that you may
obtain mercy.” [3:132]
The Prophet said,
“Islam is based upon five pillars: testifying that that there
is no true god but Allah, establishing the prayer, paying the
Zakāh, fasting Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to the House
of Allah (meaning the Ka’bah in Makkah).” [Bukhari]
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We notice that the prayer and fasting are acts
of worship related to our bodies.
We notice that paying the obligatory charity is
an act of worship related to our wealth.
We notice that performing the pilgrimage is
an act of worship related to both our body
and our wealth, as going to Makkah to
perform the pilgrimage requires both physical
strength and financial ability.
There are even more important acts of
worship related to our hearts! Glorifying Allah,
loving Him, fearing His punishment, being
sincere to Him, hoping in His mercy and
reward, relying upon Him, and being grateful
to Him are some of the main actions of the
heart that bring us closer to Allah.
The beautiful thing is that these four pillars
of Islam, which we will explain in more
detail, are all linked to the heart. Every act
of worship we perform, if done properly, will
increase us in our love of Allah, in our hope
in Allah, in our fear of Allah, and so on. These
acts of worship will refine our hearts and our
character.
When we purify ourselves before the
prayer for the sake of Allah, we should feel
tranquility in our hearts. Why? Because we
realize that we are purifying ourselves for
the sake of the Lord of the heavens and the
earth, that Allah loves this act from us, and
that He will reward us tremendously for it.
This will increase our glorification of Allah, our
love of Allah, and our hope in His reward. We
will gain a purity in our hearts as we purify our
bodies for His sake.
It’s important to realise that in every act of
worship there are certain things that are
obligatory, recommended, permissible,
disliked, and prohibited.
There are certain conditions or pillars that are
required to make the act of worship valid, and
there are certain things that must be avoided
or else the act of worship may be considered
invalid.
We will begin with the prayer, as it is the most
important pillar after the testimony of faith,
and because it is something that is done five
times a day. But before we begin discussing
the rules of the prayer, we must first cover the
rules related to purification, because one of
the main conditions of the prayer is to be in a
state of purity.
It’s important to realise that in
every act of worship there are
certain things that are obligatory,
recommended, permissible,
disliked, and prohibited.
Did you ever wonder what to do if you
need to pray, and do not have access to
water?
In this section, we will look at:
• The different types of purification
• What we need to perform them
• Some etiquettes of going to the
bathroom
• How to purify one’s self afterward.
Whenever you want to pray, you need
to be in a state of spiritual purity. If you
did something that nullifies your ablution
or wudu’ - which we will discuss in the
nullifications of wudu’ - then you need to
perform wudu’ before praying. If there
is something that requires you to take
a bath - which we will discuss in what
necessitates a bath - then you need to
take a complete shower, which is called
ghusl, before you can pray.
What do we use to perform wudu’
(ablution) or ghusl (the bath)?
We need clean water. We can use any
water which is clean to perform wudu’ or
ghusl. If the water’s color, taste, or smell
changed due to an impurity falling into it,
such as urine, then it cannot be used.
If someone does not have any access
to water, or if using water or seeking
it becomes harmful, such as if it is
dangerous to leave the house or area to
seek water, a person then performs what
is called tayammum.
How do you perform tayammum?
You strike the dirt of the earth with both
of your palms, then wipe with them your
face, and then you wipe your hands. Once
you are able to use water again, then you
must use it to make either wudu’ or ghusl.
PURIFICATION
Using the Bathroom
If you need to use the bathroom
before you perform wudu’, then you
should know the following rules and
manners.
1. It is recommended to enter the
bathroom with your left foot and
say before entering
Allahumma inni a’ūthu bika
minal khubthi wal kubā’ith
Which means:
O Allah, I seek refuge in you
from male and female devils.
Looking at this supplication, we learn
that Muslims turn only to Allah to
protect them from all evil. For Allah is
the only Creator, the controller of the
universe, and the only one who can
bring good and ward off evil.
2. When you exit the bathroom, you
should exit with your right foot and
say after exiting:
Ghufranak
Meaning,
I seek your forgiveness, O
Allah
In this supplication we are asking
Allah to remove the filth of our sins,
as he allowed us to remove the filth
in our bodies. We must remember it
is a great blessing from Allah to allow
us to go to the bathroom and relieve
ourselves whenever we need to.
3. There are several rules one must be aware of
regarding using the bathroom:
• It is disliked for one to bring into the bathroom
anything that has the mention of Allah’s name
on it, except out of necessity.
• If one has to relieve himself out in nature,
then it is prohibited to do so in a place where
people benefit, such as their streets and
pathways, beneficial shaded areas where
people gather, and so on.
• One must make sure to go to an area where no
one can see their ‘awrah, which is any part of
the body which others are prohibited to see.
• One is not allowed to face the Qibalh, which is
the direction of prayer towards the Ka’bah or
give it their back when using the bathroom, for
the Prophet forbade that.
• After finishing using the bathroom, one must
either wash the impurity until it goes away, or
wipe it with something clean and absorbent
like toilet paper, a minimum of three wipes.
The last wipe must come out clean without any
impurity on it.
From these rulings we can see how important
cleanliness is in Islam. We strive to clean and purify
our bodies for the sake of Allah. We also ask Him to
purify our hearts, tongues and actions from anything
that is displeasing to Him.
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When is it required to be in a state of wudu’, and when is it
recommended?
In this section, we will cover:
• The act of worship of performing wudu’
• Its description from the Quran and Sunnah
• Its virtues
• Its meaning
• When it is required
• When it is recommended.
Allah, the Most Exalted, mentions the essentials of wudu’ in the Qur’an:
He says to the believers,
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer,
wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe
over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. [5:6]
More details of how to perform wudu’ are mentioned in the Sunnah of the
Prophet .
It is authentically reported that the noble companion ‘Uthman
ibn ‘Affān, may Allah be pleased with him, asked for a container
of water to perform wudu’. First, he washed his hands three
times. Then, he rinsed his mouth and nose, three times and
washed his face, three times. Then he washed his right hand up
to the elbow three times. Then he washed his left hand in the
same way. Then he wiped his head. Then he washed his right
foot up the two ankles, three times. Then he washed his left
foot in the same way. Then he said, ‘I saw Allah’s Messenger
(may Allah’s praise and peace be upon him) say: “Whoever
performs wudu’ like this wudu’ of mine, then prays two rak’ahs
without talking to himself in them will have his previous sins
forgiven.”’ [Bukhari]
Wudu’ has great virtues for the believers in this life and the Hereafter.
We see many mentions of this in the authentic narrations of the Prophet
where he mentioned the virtues of performing wudu’. We should keep
these virtues in mind whenever we make wudu’:
WUDU’
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The Prophet said regarding the Muslim who performs wudu’:
“When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face, every sin which
he committed with his eyes, will be washed away from his face
with the water, or with the last drop of water.
When he washes his forearm, every sin which is committed by
his hands will be washed away from his hands with the water,
or with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, every
sin his feet committed will be washed away with the water,
or with the last drop of water; until he is cleansed of his sins.”
[Muslim]
He also said,
“My people will come on the Day of Resurrection with shining
faces, hands and feet from the traces of Wudu’.” [Al-Bukhari and
Sahih Muslim]
WHAT IS WUDU’?
Wudu’ - in the Arabic language means ‘Beauty’.
As an Islamic term, wudu’ is an act of worship which brings the
believer closer to Allah by washing the face hands and feet, and
wiping the head, in a specific manner.
Why is this act of worship called wudu’, which means beauty
in Arabic? Because it beautifies the believers in this life and the
Hereafter.
A person is required to perform wudu’ or be in a state of purity in
three situations:
1. When a person wants to pray.
2. When a person wants to perform Tawaf around the Ka’bah.
3. When a person wants to touch the Mushaf, or physical copy of the
Quran.
These are the only situations which require wudu’.
It is recommended to perform wudu’ in five situations:
1. When a person wants to remember Allah or recite the Quran
without touching the mushaf.
2. Before going to sleep
3. When a person is in a state of sexual impurity and wants to eat,
drink, or sleep, but does not feel like making ghusl (or taking a
shower).
4. Before performing ghusl.
5. Renewing one’s wudu’ for every prayer, even if a person is already
in a state of wudu’.
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Rules Related to Wudu’
In this section we will cover the rules and regulations related to Wudu’. It’s conditions,
requirements, recommendations, prohibitions, nullifications and what to do if you doubt your
wudu’.
Conditions of Wudu’
What are the conditions of wudu’?
1. The first is to use clean water.
2. The second is to remove anything on the body that will prevent water from reaching the required
area. A woman, for example, must remove her nail polish which prevents water from reaching her
nails. However, if a person is required to keep a bandage or a wrap on for a wound to heal for
example, or for any medical necessity, and removing it is harmful, then this does not need to removed,
and one can wipe over it with a wet hand, until the wound heals and the bandage is removed.
3. The third is to have the proper intention before performing wudu’. Either intend in your heart that you
are performing wudu’ to remove a spiritual impurity, or to be able to pray. The intention is done in the
heart, and is not to be said with the tongue.
What are the required acts of wudu’?
There are six acts which are required:
This means that these are the minimum,
obligatory requirements for Wudu’
1. Washing the face one time, including the
rinsing of the mouth and nose.
2. Washing the hands to the elbows, including
the elbows, one time.
3. Wiping the entire head, one time.
4. Washing the feet to the ankles, including the
ankles, one time.
5. Maintaining the above mentioned order.
6. Being consecutive in the actions of wudu’,
which means not delaying the washing of one
limb to the extent that the previous limb dries
up.
What are the recommended acts of
wudu’?
There are eight acts which are recommended:
1. Saying “Bismillah” before the beginning.
2. Washing the hands in the beginning of wudu’,
three times.
3. Being excessive in rinsing of the mouth and
nose – unless one is fasting
4. Rinsing the beard and running the fingers
through the beard hair.
5. Pouring water between the toes and rubbing
between them with one’s finger.
6. Wiping the ears after wiping the head.
7. Washing the right hand before the left, and the
right foot before the left.
8. Washing the face, hands, and feet three times.
Note: It is disliked to be wasteful of water and it is prohibited to wash the limbs in wudu’ more than
three times.
What are the things that break a person’s wudu’?
There are seven nullifications of wudu’:
1. Anything that comes out of the two private parts, whether a lot or a little. If pre-seminal fluid comes out
of a man, he is required to wash his entire penis, perform wudu, and soak with water whatever came
of it onto his clothes. For a woman, cervical discharge that comes out throughout the month without
desire is pure and does not break a woman’s wudu’ according to the stronger opinion.
10
2. The excretion of blood and vomit
coming out of other parts of the
body, if it is a lot.
3. Loss of mental awareness. As
for sleep, it breaks one’s wudu’
if it is deep sleep that makes a
person unaware of his or her
surroundings. As for a light doze
such that a person knows his or
her surroundings, then this does
not break wudu’.
4. Touching the penis, vagina, or
anus with one’s hand.
5. Passing wind, if he is sure that he
has passed it; ie by the sound,
smell or sensation. If he is unsure;
ie felt something in his stomach
but did not hear a sound or smell
anything, then one does not need
to break his prayer).
(This does not include ‘burping’,
which does not invalidate wudu’)
6. A man touching a woman out of
desire, or vice-versa.
7. Eating the meat of camels.
8. Apostatizing from Islam, we seek
Allah’s refuge from this!
What happens if you cannot remember if you
made wudu’ or if you broke your wudu’?
You go with what you are certain of - if you are
certain that you are in a state of wudu’, and
cannot recall if you broke it or not, then consider
yourself in a state of purity. If you are certain
that you broke your wudu’, but cannot recall
if you performed wudu’ after that or not, then
consider yourself in a state of impurity.
Wiping over the socks
Instead of washing your feet, you are allowed to
wipe over you socks with a wet hand with the
following conditions:
1. You must have worn the socks after
performing complete wudu’ or ghusl and
after washing both feet.
2. The socks must cover both ankles.
3. You can wipe for 24 hours if you are a
resident, or 72 hours if you are a traveler. The
time begins when you wipe over your socks
for the first time. Once the time expires, you
can no longer wipe on your socks unless you
take them off and perform a complete wudu’,
and wash both feet.
When is a person required to take a bath, which is called ‘ghusl’?
Ghusl - in Arabic is the act of washing something with water. As an Islamic term, it is an
act of worship which involves washing the entire body with water, in a specific manner.
Ghusl is required in six situations:
1. After sexual intercourse.
2. After an orgasm or a wet dream
3. After a woman finishes her menstrual cycle.
4. After a woman finishes her postpartum bleeding.
5. After a non-Muslim accepts Islam.
6. And after a Muslim dies, he or she must be washed.
How is ghusl performed?
There are two types of ghusl:
1. The ghusl which fulfills the minimum requirements
2. The complete ghusl which fulfills the minimum requirements as well as all the
recommended acts.
As for the ghusl which fulfills the minimum requirements, then it includes two things:
1. Having the correct intention before beginning. One should intend to either pray, or
remove their major spiritual impurity with this ghusl.
2. Washing the entire body with water, which includes rinsing inside the mouth and
nose. One must be sure the water reaches all of the areas that are difficult for water
to reach, such as in between the legs, one’s armpits and navel, the roots of the hair,
and so forth.
As for the complete ghusl which fulfills the minimum requirements and all the
recommended acts, then it was described by the Prophet’s wife, Maymūna, may Allah
be pleased with her:
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “When
the Messenger of Allah did ghusl for janābah, he would wash his hands and
do wudu’ as for prayer, then he would wash himself, then he would run his
fingers through his hair, then when he thought that it [the water] had reached
his skin, he would pour water over it [the head] three times, then he would
wash the rest of his body.” [Bukhari]
Note: A woman does not have to undo her braids when performing ghusl as long
as she soaks the roots of her hair, and as long as she washes the outer parts of
her hair.
GHUSL
A person who is required to perform ghusl is not allowed to:
1. Pray
2. Touch the mushaf
3. Perform Tawaf around the Ka’ba
4. Recite the Quran
5. Stay inside the masjid until he or she performs ghusl.
However, a woman on her period or who has postpartum
bleeding is allowed to recite the Quran without directly
touching the mushaf. If she needs to touch the mushaf, then
she must do so with a barrier, or by wearing gloves. Once
her period ends, then she cannot recite the Quran until she
performs ghusl.
There are several cases when ghusl is recommended:
→ Before going to the Friday prayer.
→ Before going to the Eid prayer.
→ After washing a deceased person.
→ Due to loss of consciousness, such as a coma, once the
person is aware.
→ Before entering a state of Ihram, which is the intention
of starting one’s pilgrimage to Makkah, for either Hajj or
Umrah.
→ Before making the Tawaf of Hajj.
When a woman is on her period, what is permissible and what is to be avoided? In this
section we will cover the rules related to a woman’s menstrual cycle and postpartum
bleeding, God willing.
A woman can have three types of vaginal bleeding:
1. The first is called ‘Hayd’, which is menstrual blood. This usually comes once a
month, usually for six or seven days.
2. The second is called ‘Nifās’, which is postpartum bleeding, blood which a woman
gets after the delivery of her child.
3. The third is called ‘Istihādah’, which is blood that comes out due to some other
reason.
Menses: once a woman gets her period she is not permitted to do the following
things:
1. Pray. A woman cannot pray during menses, nor can she make them up later.
2. Fast. A woman cannot fast during her menses but she must make up the obligatory
fasts of Ramadan later.
3. Tawaf. A woman cannot make Tawaf around the Ka’bah while on her menses.
4. Touch the Mushaf (written copy of the Arabic Qur’an). A menstruating woman
cannot not touch the Mushaf without a barrier. She is allowed to recite the Quran
and remember Allah.
5. Stay in the masjid.
6. Intercourse. However, other intimate relations are permitted. As for anal intercourse,
then this is strictly prohibited at all times.
7. Divorce. Her husband is not allowed to divorce her during her period. However, if
he does so, for any reason, it will count as a valid divorce.
These are the only prohibitions related to a woman’s period. Everything else that is
normally allowed is allowed for her during her period.
Period blood is usually darker than normal blood, it may have a stronger odor, and it
may thicken or clot. If there is any brown or yellow discharge in the beginning or the
end of her cycle, this also counts as part of her period. Her period is not over until
she sees clear discharge that has no color, or if she places a tissue inside, it should
consistently come out clean without any discharge or color.
Once a woman finishes her period, she must take a complete shower, also known
as ghusl, as we discussed in the previous episode. After her period ends and before
showering, none of the above mentioned prohibitions become permissible, except for
fasting and divorce.
Once a woman’s period finishes, a minimum of 13 days must pass before her next
period. If she sees blood before that, then this is abnormal bleeding, or ‘Istihādah’ as
we mentioned, and not her period.
MENSTRUATION
14
The maximum period is fifteen days and nights. If she continues bleeding after this,
this bleeding is called Istihādah, or extra and abnormal blood. In such a case, she
must shower at the end of the fifteen days, wash her private part, pad herself well,
make wudu’ for every prayer, and pray. None of the above prohibitions previously
mentioned related to her or to her husband apply to a woman with Istihādah.
However, if she enters the masjid, she must be sure to be well padded so that blood
does not get anywhere in the masjid.
If the blood continues to the next month, then she looks at her last cycle, and
considers that time to be her period, and anything past it as Istihādah. If her last
period started at the beginning of the month and lasted for seven days, then her next
period would be at the beginning of the next month for seven days.
A woman who is pregnant cannot have her period. If she bleeds before delivery, even
during her contractions, this is neither period blood nor postpartum blood. She should
just wash it off, pad herself, and perform wudu’. She should continue praying as
normal. If she cannot bear praying while standing, then she can pray sitting down.
ISTIHADAH
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Once a woman delivers her child, she will normally experience postpartum bleeding
up to six weeks. This is called nifās. It takes the same exact rulings as menses,
whether it applies to her or her husband.
The maximum nifās is forty days and nights from the time of delivery. If her bleeding
ends before that, then she must shower and pray and is considered pure.
If it comes back during that 40 day period, then it is also from her nifās. If she
continues bleeding past forty days, she must shower at the end of the forty days, and
that extra blood is considered Istihādah. Thus she would wash her private part, pad
herself well, and make wudu for every prayer, and pray.
With this we end the rules related to purity, Alhamdulillah.
NIFAAS
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In the case where the woman miscarries, there are two situations:
1. If the fetus had developed human features (such as hands, feet, face, etc.) then the
blood that comes out is considered nifās (postpartum bleeding), and all of the rules of
nifās apply.
2. If the fetus had not developed human features, then the blood that comes out is
not considered nifās. None of the rules of nifās apply, rather the rules of istihāda, or
abnormal blood.
The virtues of prayer:
It was prescribed in the Night of
Ascension to the Prophet after he
was elevated to a place higher than
the seventh heaven. All other acts of
Islam were revealed to the Prophet on
earth.
It is the only pillar of Islam required
to be performed on a daily basis, five
times a day.
It is the greatest pillar of Islam after
the testimony of faith and the most
beloved act of worship to Allah.
It purifies the Muslim from minor sins
and gives him great rewards.
If done properly, it increases the
Muslim in his faith and forbids him
from immorality and wrongdoing.
Allah promises the one who guards
his prayers to forgive his sins and
enter him into Paradise. Whoever
does not guard all of his prayers, does
not have such a guarantee.
These are just a few of the many benefits
of prayer.
SALAH - THE
FIVE DAILY PRAYERS
The five daily prayers are obligatory upon
every sane, adult Muslim, except for a woman
who has her menses or postpartum bleeding.
Parents must teach their children how to
perform wudu’ and Salah, and command them
to pray, starting from the age of seven, to get
them used to praying.
Intentionally delaying any of the five prayers
past its set time is a major sin. One is excused
for oversleeping or forgetting, but must make
the prayer up as soon as he wakes up or
remembers.
The scholars differed regarding the Muslim
who leaves the prayer all together out of
laziness and carelessness: is he committing
major sin, or did he step outside the fold of
Islam? There are many severe verses and
Prophetic statements that show the danger
of abandoning the prayer. All of this should
encourage Muslims to realize the danger
of abandoning the prayer, and to call their
Muslim family members and friends who are
careless with their prayers to repent and to be
keen on performing all their prayers on time.
How important are the five daily prayers in Islam?
In this section, we will cover the following, the meaning of the prayer, the virtue and
importance of the prayer, the ruling of the prayer and who it is obligatory upon, the ruling of
leaving the obligatory prayer and delaying it past its time, and the conditions for a prayer to
be valid.
Salāh (or prayer) - in the Arabic language means to supplicate. In Islam, it is an act of
worship done for Allah’s sake, which starts with takbīr, or saying Allahu Akbar, and ends with
taslīm, or saying Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.
Before beginning to pray any prayer, there
are conditions that Muslims must make sure
are fulfilled.
Conditions of the Prayer:
1. That he is in a state of purity. Meaning,
he must perform wudu’ if his wudu was
broken, or take a shower if he is in a
major state of impurity.
2. That his body, clothes, and place of
prayer are free from physical impurities.
Physical impurities of a human are:
urine, stool, vomit, and blood. However,
a small amount of blood is permitted.
3. Covering certain parts of the body,
which is called the ‘awrah. A man must
cover what is between his navel and
knee, and is recommended to cover
both of his shoulders. A woman must
cover her entire body, except for her
face and hands.
4. The time of the obligatory prayer must
enter before one can pray it. Praying
an obligatory prayer before its time
is invalid. There are certain universal
signs to know the times of the prayer,
which will not be discussed now, but
the easiest way to know the time now
is by checking a prayer calendar or
by following the prayer calls of a local
mosque.
5. One must face the Ka’bah in the Blessed
city of Makkah. If one can see the
Ka’bah, he must face it directly. If one is
far away, he must face the direction of
Makkah. Diverging from the direction of
the Qiblah slightly is forgiven as long as
a person does not move to a completely
different direction.
6. One must have the intention to pray
before praying, and if the prayer is a
specific prayer, like the five obligatory
prayers, one much specify which prayer
he wants to pray in his heart before
beginning the prayer. The intention is in
the heart, and is not to be stated with
one’s tongue.
Description and Meanings of The
Prayer
When standing up to pray, one should
try as much as he can to think about the
meanings of what he is saying. While
reciting in Arabic, aim to think about the
meaning in your own language. This will
help keep your heart present in the prayer,
God willing.
1. Takbir (saying Allahu akbar). When you
stand up to pray, say Allahu Akbar- Allah
is the Greatest. Remind yourself that
Allah is greater and more powerful than
everything.
2. Then, raise your hands while saying the
takbīr, to the level of your shoulders or
ears. Then, placing your right hand over
you left above your navel, in a state
of humility, remembering that you are
standing before the Lord of the heavens
and the earth.
3. Look slightly down, with humbleness
and concentration, at your
place of prostration. Then say:
Subhānakallahumma wa bihamdika wa
tabārakasmuka wa ta‘ālā jadduka wa lā
ilāha ghayruk. (Glory and praise be to
You, O Allah. Blessed is Your name and
exalted is Your majesty. There is none
worthy of worship except You.)
4. Then say: A‘ūdhu billāhi minashshaytānir-
rajīm I seek refuge in Allah
from the cursed devil.
Remember that you are seeking refuge
in the Most Powerful from the devil, your
greatest enemy, who wants to keep you
away from Allah’s straight path.
5. Then say: Bismillāhir-rahmānir-rahīm In
the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the
specially Merciful.
6. Then recite Surat al-Fātihah. Try to
ponder over its meaning and focus.
7. Then recite a surah or a portion of the
Quran.
Your recitation should be performed out
loud during the dawn prayer, and in the
first two units, or rak‘ahs, of the sunset
and night prayers. Recite silently in all
other rak‘ahs.
8. Then say ‘Allahu Akbar’, and bow, raising
your hands to your shoulders as you did
in the beginning of the prayer.
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9. While bowing, place you hands on your
knees, spreading out your fingers, and
make your back straight. Make your head
at the same level as your back. Then say
the following three times:
Subhāna Rabbiyal-‘Adhīm (Exalted is my
Lord, the Most Great).
Remember, as you are saying this, that
you are magnifying and exalting the Lord
of the Heavens and the Earth, out of your
extreme love, fear, and reverence of Him.
Remember when you say Subhanna
Rabbī, you are freeing Allah from every
form of imperfection and shortcoming, and
attributing to Him all traits of perfection.
Remember, that you are exalting Allah
in action by bowing to Him, and you are
exalting Him in speech, by saying this
remembrance, and you are exalting Him
in your heart by recalling and believing in
what you are saying.
10. Then go back to a standing position,
saying as you raise up: Sami‘Allahu liman
hamidah. Allah answers those who praise
him.
Meaning, once you praise Allah seeking
his reward, Allah will give you what you are
seeking. He hears it and will answer it, out
of His mercy and kindness.
11. Once you are standing, raise your hands
as you did in the beginning. Then say:
Rabbanā wa lakal-hamd, mil’as-samā’ wa
mil’al ard, wa mil’a mā shi’ta min shay’in
ba’d (Our Lord, to You all praise is due,
filling the heaven, filling the earth, and
filling whatever else You will).
12. Then fall into prostration, saying ‘Allahu
Akbar’, and do not raise your hands.
The following body parts will touch the
floor, in a position of prostration and
submission to Allah: the tips of your feet,
your knees, your hands, your forehead and
your nose.
Keep your arms away from your sides
and your stomach away from your
thighs. Place your hands at the level of
your shoulders. Say the following three
times: Subhāna Rabbi‘al-a’lā (Exalted is
Allah, the Most High).
Remember that Allah is the greatest
and Most High, and that you are closest
to Allah when you prostrate to him.
Supplicate to Allah for whatever you
wish, and ask him for the best of this
world and the next, and to rectify your
religion.
13. Then raise your head, saying ‘Allahu
Akbar’, and sit in a position of iftirāsh,
where you flatten your left foot and sit
on it, and make your right foot upright,
with its toes facing the Qiblah.
14. Once sitting, say the following three
times: Rabbighfir-lī. (My Lord, forgive
me). Remember, that no one forgives
sins except Allah, and that every time
you make a mistake and repent to Him,
He forgives you.
15. Then prostrate the second prostration
the same way you did in the first
prostration.
16. Then raise your head, saying ‘Allahu
Akbar’, and stand up again.
17. Pray the second (rak‘ah) the same way
you prayed the first.
18. Once you finish the two rak‘ahs, sit
down to say at-tashah-hud, in a position
of iftirāsh. Place your left hand on your
left thigh, and your right hand on your
right thigh. With your right hand, close
the pinky and index fingers, make a
circle with the middle finger and thumb,
and point forward with the index finger.
Say: At-tahiyyātu lillāhi was-salawātu
wat-tayyibāt As-salāmu ‘alaika
ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa
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barakātuh As-salāmu ‘alaynā wa
‘alā ibādillāhis-sālihīn Ash-hadu anlā
ilāha illAllah wa ash-hadu anna
Muhammadan ‘abduhū wa. This is
called the tashahhud.
