27
(Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad r) as
We inspired Nooh (Noah) and the Prophets after him.)
(4:163)
Muhammad (r) was the last and final Messenger; no
Messenger will come after him until the Final Day. Allah (I)
says:
(Muhammad is not the father of any man among you,
but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of
the Prophets.) (33:40)
The religion of Muhammad (r) abrogated the religions which
preceded it. It is the complete and final religion of truth which
is obligatory to be followed, and it will continue to be so until
the Final Hour.
Who is Muhammad (r)?
His name is Muhammad bin1 Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib
bin Haashim. His Kunyah2 is Abul-Qaasim. He was from the
Arab tribe of Quraish whose ancestry traces back to ‘Adnaan.
‘Adnaan was from the children of Ismaa`eel (u), the Prophet of
Allah and son of Ibraheem (u), the Khaleel3 of Allah.
The Prophet (r) said:
'Indeed Allah chose the tribe of Kinaanah over other
tribes from the children of Ismaa`eel; He chose the
Quraish over other tribes of Kinaanah; He chose Banu
Haashim over the other families of the Quraish; and He
chose me from Banu Haashim.' (Muslim #2276)
1 Bin pl. Banu: ‘the Son of…’, “the children of…”
2 Kunyah: A name similar to a Nickname.
3 Khaleel: the one whom Allah loves most.
28
He received his first revelation from Allah at the age of forty,
and he remained in Makkah thereafter for thirteen years calling
to the Tawheed of Allah. He then migrated to Madinah and
called its people to Islam, and they accepted it. There, Allah
revealed the remaining legislations. He conquered Makkah
eight years after his migration, and he died when he was sixtythree,
after Allah revealed to him the whole Qur'an. All the
legislations of the religion were revealed, completed and
perfected, and all the Arabs accepted Islam.
The Merits of Belief in the Messengers
1. One would realize the mercy and love Allah has for His
slaves; since He sent to them Messengers who conveyed to
them His religion. They in themselves were examples whom
people emulated.
2. To distinguish the believers who are truthful in their Faith
from others; for it is incumbent upon one who believes in his
own Messenger to believe in other Messengers who are
mentioned in his Book.
3. Those of the people of the Book (Jews and Christians) who
believe in their Messengers and then believe in Muhammad,
may Allah exalt his mention, would receive double reward.
29
Belief in the Last Day
One must believe that the life of this world will come to an
end. Allah (I) says:
(Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.) (55:26)
When Allah wills this world to come to an end, Allah will
order Angel Israafeel to blow the Trumpet. At that point,
everything on Earth will perish. Then He will order him to blow
it again, and upon that, all people will rise from their graves in
their bodies, all over the world, from the time of Adam (u).
Allah says:
(And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in
the heavens and all who are on the earth will collapse
and die, except him whom Allah wills. Then it will be
blown a second time and behold, they will be standing,
looking on (waiting).) (39:68)
Belief in the Last Day constitutes, belief in everything Allah
and His Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention, has informed
us about:
1) To believe in the life of the Barzakh: This life is the time
after one’s death until the Last Day. In it, the believer will live a
life of pleasure, while the disbelievers will be punished. Allah
(I) says:
(The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and
afternoon, and on the Day when the Hour will be
established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Make
Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people enter the severest torment!)
(40:46)
30
2) To believe in the Resurrection: Allah will resurrect
mankind, naked, barefooted, and uncircumcised. Allah (I) says:
(The disbelievers pretend that they will never be
resurrected (for the Account). Say: Yes! By my Lord,
you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be
informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and
that is easy for Allah.) (64:7)
3) To believe in the Gathering: Allah will gather all creation
together and call them to account. Allah (I) says:
(And (remember) the Day We shall cause the
mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you
will see the earth as a leveled plain, and we shall gather
them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.)
(18:47)
4) To believe that people will be brought before Allah in
ranks: Allah (I) says:
(And they shall be brought before your Lord, standing
in ranks: Now certainly you have come to Us as We
created you at first. Nay, you thought that We had not
appointed to you a time of the fulfillment of the
promise.) (18:48)
5) To believe that one’s limbs will bear witness. Allah (I)
says:
(Till, when they reach it (Hellfire), their hearing (ears)
and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them
as to what they used to do. * And they will say to their
skins, ‘Why do you testify against us?’ They will say:
‘Allah has caused us to speak, He causes all things to
speak: and He created you the first time, and to Him
you are made to return.’ * And you have not been
hiding yourselves (in the world), lest your ears, and
your eyes, and your skins testify against you; but you
31
thought that Allah knew not much of what you were
doing.) (41:20-22)
6) To believe in the Questioning. Allah (I) says:
(But stop them; verily they are to be questioned. *
‘What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one
another [as you used to do in the world]?’ * Nay, but
that Day they shall surrender.) (33:40)
7) To believe in the Siraat (Bridge) and that everyone must
pass over it. Allah (I) says:
(There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this
is with your Lord a Decree which must be
accomplished.) (19:71)
8) To believe in the weighing of deeds. Allah will call people
to account and reward those who did well with what they
deserve, due to their righteous deeds, their Belief, and
adherence to their Messengers, and He will punish those who
did evil. Allah (I) says:
(And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of
Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in
anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed,
We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take
account.) (21:47)
9) To believe in the handing out of Scrolls and Books. Allah
(I) says:
(Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his
right hand, He surely will receive an easy reckoning. *
And he will return to his family in joy! * But whosoever
is given his Record behind his back. * He will invoke
(his) destruction. * And he shall enter a blazing Fire
and made to taste its burning.) (84:7-12)
32
10) To believe that people will be rewarded with Jannah or
Hellfire in an everlasting and eternal life. Allah (I) says:
(Verily those who disbelieve from among the people of
the Book (Jews and Christians) and the mushrikoon
(pagans) will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the
worst of creatures * Verily, those who believe and do
righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their
reward with their Lord is ‘Adn (Eden) Jannah
(Gardens of Eternity), underneath which rivers flow.
They will abide therein forever, Allah will be pleased
with them, and they with Him. That is for him who
fears his Lord.) (98:6-8)
11) To believe in the Hawd1, Intercession, and all other things
which the Messenger of Allah (r) informed us.
The Merits of Belief in the Last Day:
1) It would make one prepare himself for that Day, by
performing good deeds, and competing therein, and abstaining
from sinful acts and fearing His punishment.
2) It would comfort the believers; since they know what they
missed in this world, Allah would reward them with better in
the Hereafter.
3) To distinguish the believers who are truthful in their faith
from those who are not.
1 The Pool which Allah granted the Prophet e; whoever drinks from it
once, will never feel thirsty thereafter.
33
Belief in Qadaa´ and Qadar1
One must believe that Allah knew everything before it came
into being, and what will happen to it afterwards. He then
brought them into existence, all in accordance to His
Knowledge and Measure. Allah (I) says:
(Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.)
(54:49)
Everything which occurred in the past that is occurring in the
present and what will occur in the future is known to Allah
before it came into existence. Allah then brought it into being,
all in accordance to His Will and Measure. The Messenger of
Allah (r) said:
“A person is not a Muslim until he believes in Qadar,
its good and its evil consequences – until he knows that
whatever happened to him would have never missed
him, and what missed him would never have
occurred.” (Tirmidthi #2144)
The belief in Qadar means to believe in four things:
1 Qadaa´ and Qadar: These two Arabic words are usually translated
as ‘fate’, ‘destiny’, or ‘pre-ordainment’. Many of these English words
lead people to incorrectly believe this concept, so the best way is to
leave them as Arabic terms and understand them in their true light.
34
1) To believe that Allah is well acquainted with everything
taking place and His knowledge encompasses everything.
2) To believe that Allah has pre-assigned the portions of
everything in the ‘Preserved Tablet’ (Al-Lawh-ul-Mahfoodh).
The Prophet (r) said:
“The first thing which Allah created was the Pen, and
He said to it, ‘Write.’ It responded, ‘What should I
write?’ He said, ‘Write everything that will occur until
the Day of Resurrection.’ (Abu Dawood 4700 &
Timidhi #3319)
3) Nothing takes place in the heavens or on the earth without
the will of Allah and His wish; whatever Allah wills, takes
place, and whatever He does not, will not take place.
4) Allah, the Exalted, is the Creator of all things. There is no
other creator besides Him, nor is there a Lord other than He…
This belief does not contradict the fact that one must strive to
attain things. To clarify this, if a person wants a child he must
do certain things to achieve this goal; such as getting married.
After he does all that is in his power, he may be granted what he
wishes or not. The reason for this, is that a person would realize
that what he does to achieve his goal is not in fact the true cause
behind it; rather it is the Will of Allah. These ‘means’ to fulfill
our goals are also considered from the Qadar of Allah. The
Prophet (r) was asked:
‘O Messenger of Allah, do the verses and supplications
we recite and the medicine we take to cure ourselves
waive the Qadar of Allah (I)?’ [He replied,] ‘They are
from the Qadar of Allah.’ (Mustadrak al-Haakim, but
with a weak chain).
The Merits of Belief in Qadaa´ and Qadar
35
1) One strengthens his dependence upon Allah [in achieving
results] after fulfilling their means.
2) One becomes pleased with whatever results, which in turn
produces peace of heart and spiritual comfort. Allah (I) says:
(No evil befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but
it is in a book before We bring it into existence; surely
that is easy to Allah: So that you may not grieve for
what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has
given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant
boaster.) (57:22-23)
3) It eases the effects of calamities. The Prophet (r) said:
“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah
than a weak believer, and in each one there is good. Be
keen to do what benefits you and seek Allah's help, and
do not be neglectful in doing so. And if any mishap
befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had only done such and
such,’ but rather say, ‘This is the Qadar of Allah, and
whatever He Wills He does (Qadarullaah wa maa shaa
fa‘al),’ for indeed, ‘if,’ opens the door for Shaytaan’s
works.” (Muslim #2664)
4) It increases one’s reward and effaces his sins. The Prophet
(r) said:
“No Muslims is fatigued, is stricken with illness, feels
stress, worry, sadness, or harm, not even a thorn which
pricks him, except that Allah forgives sins through it.”
(Bukhari #5318)
Belief in Qadar is not, as some mistakenly think, a call to put
one's trust in Allah without striving or fulfilling the means, for
the Messenger of Allah (r) replied to a person who asked him:
‘Should I leave my camel untied and trust in Allah?’
He said, ‘Tie it and trust in Allah.” (Tirmidhi #2517)
36
The Testimony that ‘Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah’ and what it Necessitates
1) To believe that he is a Messenger, and that he is the best, and
last of the Messengers; no Messenger will come after him.
Allah (I) says:
(Muhammad is not the father of any man among you,
but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the
Prophets.) (33:40)
2) To believe that he is infallible in the teachings he conveyed
from Allah (I). Allah, the Exalted, says:
(Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an
Inspiration that is inspired.) (53:3-4)
As for the affairs of this world, he was a human, and he would
perform ijtihaad1 in his judgments. The Prophet (r) said:
“Indeed I am only a human. It may be that a claimant
comes to me with a dispute, and due to one of them
being more coercive in speech than the other, I may
rule in his favor. Whoever was ruled in his favor while
he is wrong, [what he is receiving without right] is only
a portion of the Hellfire, so let him take it or leave it.”
(Muslim #1713)
1 Ijtihaad: In religious context, it is striving to decipher a ruling based
upon legislative reasoning and textual evidence.
37
3) To believe that he is a Messenger to all creation; to Jinn and
men until the Last Hour. Allah (I) says:
(And We have not sent you (O Muhammad r) except to
all of humanity, as a giver of glad tidings and a warner,
but most people know not.) (34:28)
4) To obey the Prophet (r) in what he ordered, to believe in
everything he said, and to abstain from what he forbade and
warned against. Allah says:
(And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and
whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).) (59:7)
5) To follow and adhere to the Prophet’s (r) Sunnah, without
innovating matters in it. Allah, the Exalted, says:
(Say (O Muhammad r to mankind): If you (really) love
Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive
you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.) (3:31)
38
What One Should Do After
Pronouncing the Shahadataan
After pronouncing the Shahadataan, it is from the
Sunnah that a person does the following:
1) It is recommended that a person takes a complete bath
(ghusl) with pure water and then perform a two-unit prayer. It is
narrated that Thumamah al-Hanafi was taken captive and the
Prophet (r) would keep coming to him and say:
“What do you say, O Thumamah?” He would say, “If
you decide to kill me, you would be killing [in right]
because I have killed; if you let me free, you would be
letting free one who shows gratitude; and if you desire
wealth, we will give you what you please.” The
Companions of the Prophet (r) liked to ransom captives,
and so they said, “What would we gain if we killed him?”
So finally one day, the Prophet (r) decided to set
[Thumamah] free, and he accepted Islam. The Prophet (r)
untied him and sent him to the walled garden of Abu
Talhah, commanding him to take a complete bath (ghusl).
He performed a complete bath and prayed a two unit prayer,
and the Prophet (r)
said, “Your brother’s Islam is sincere.”
(Saheeh ibn Khuzaimah #253)
How to perform a Complete Bath (Ghusl)
The Intention (Niyyah). One must intend (in his heart) that
he is performing ghusl to purify himself from a state of major
39
impurity1 – whether janâbah, menstruation or postpartum
bleeding – without uttering such intention verbally.
Say ‘Bismillah’ (‘I begin with the name of Allah’).
Wash the hands and then the private parts.
Next, perform wudhu2 as he would for the prayer. He may
delay washing his feet until the end of his ghusl.
He should pour [at least] three handfuls of water on his
head, running his fingers through his hair and beard so that
water reaches the roots of his hair and scalp.
Then pour water over the rest of the body, beginning with
the right side. He should make sure that he washes his armpits,
ears, navel, and the creases of the skin if he is fat, for these
creases prevent water from reaching the areas of skin concealed
within. He should then wash his feet if he has not already done
so while making wudhu [before performing the ghusl].
‘Aa`ishah reported:
“When Allah's Messenger (r) would perform ghusl due
to sexual intercourse, he would first wash his hands,
then pour water with his right hand into his left,
washing his private parts. After that he would perform
wudhu as he would for the Prayer, and then take water
and rub it into the roots of his hair with his fingers.
[Lastly] he would wash his feet.” (Muslim #316)
Ghusl becomes obligatory after one of the following
things:
1 There are two types, major and minor, both will be explained later.
2 Wudhu is washing specific parts of the body to remove oneself from
a state of minor impurity. It will be explained in detail.
40
1) Ejaculation of semen due to desire, nocturnal emission, or the
like.
2) Sexual intercourse, even if it does not result in ejaculation.
3) Following menstruation,
4) Following postpartum bleeding.
Wudhu
One should perform wudhu before the prayer, for the Prophet
(r) said:
"Prayer is not accepted without purification….”
(Muslim #224)
Allah (I) says:
(O you who believe! When you intend to offer the
Salaah, wash your faces and your hands up to the
elbows, pass wet hands over your heads, and [wash]
your feet up to the ankles.) (59:7)
One should perform wudhu in the following manner:
Humraan the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan bin Affaan (t) said:
“I saw ‘Uthmaan (t) perform wudhu. He poured water
on his hands thrice, then he rinsed his mouth and nose,
washed his face thrice, washed his right hand up to his
elbow thrice, washed his right hand up to his elbow
thrice, wiped over his head once, washed his right foot
thrice, and then his left foot thrice. He then said, ‘I saw
the Messenger of Allah (r) perform wudhu like this,
and he said: ‘Whoever performs wudhu like my
wudhu, and then prays two Rakaat not thinking about
anything else, Allah will forgive him all his previous
sins.’ (Bukhari #1832)
41
1) One should intend that he is performing wudhu to purify
himself from a minor state of impurity. The proof that intention
(niyyah) is obligatory as seen from the statement of the Prophet
(r):
“All deeds are considered by their intentions, and each
person will be rewarded according to what he
intends…” (Bukhâri #1 & Muslim #45)
2) One should say, “Bismillaah,” before making wudhu. The
Prophet (r) said:
“There is no Prayer for one who does not perform
wudhu, and there is no wudhu for one who does not
mention the name of Allâh.”
(Abu Dawood #101 & ibn Maajah # 399)
3) One should wash his hands thrice at the beginning of
the wudhu.
4) One should rinse his mouth and clean his nose by sniffing
water into it thrice. He should blow the water out of his nose
using the left hand.
5) One should wash his face thrice. The face consists of the area
starting from the forelock at the top of the forehead of a normal
haired man to the bottom of the [chin or] beard, vertically, and
from right earlobe to the left, horizontally.
6) One should wash his hands from the tips of fingers to the
elbow (while washing it as well) beginning first with the right
hand, then the left. If he is wearing a ring or a watch, he must
remove it in order to allow the water to reach the skin
underneath it.
7) One must wipe over his head once. This is done by wetting
the hands and passing them over the head, beginning from the
42
front, proceeding to the back, and then passing them back over
the head to the front. Abdullah b. Zaid (t) narrated:
“Allâh’s Messenger (r) passed his hands over his head
starting from the front, proceeding to the back. He
started from his forehead and passed them over to the
top of his neck, and then passed them back to the place
where he started from.” (Bukhari #183 & Muslim#235)
8) One should wipe his ears by inserting wet index fingers in
the cavity of the ears, and wipe their backs with the thumbs. Ibn
Abbas described the wudhu of the Prophet (r) saying:
“He then wiped over his head and put his index fingers
into his ears. He wiped the outside of his ears with his
thumbs, and the insides of his ear with his index
fingers.” (Abu Dawud #123)
9) One should wash his feet three times from the tips of the toes
up to and including the ankles. Abu Hurairah (t) said that the
Messenger of Allah (r) saw a person who did not wash his
heels, and he said to him:
“Woe to the heels from the Hellfire!”
(Bukhari#60 & Muslim #142)
10) One should wash the parts of wudhu in the correct
sequence. He should not contradict the sequence mentioned in
the verse, for Allah mentioned the obligatory acts of wudhu in a
specific sequence.
11) One should not delay washing one part of the body so that
the previously washed part becomes dry.
It is mentioned in a Hadeeth that the Prophet (r) saw a man
praying, but a portion of his foot -the size of a dirham- was not
43
wet. Upon this, the Prophet (r) ordered him to repeat his wudhu
and Prayer.”1 (Abu Dâwud #175)
One must remove anything from the parts that must be
washed in the wudhu which might prevent water from reaching
the skin underneath it, such as paint, and similar things.
One remains in a state of wudhu unless something invalidates
it, such as urination, defecation, passing of gas, pre-seminal
fluid, prostatic fluid, false menstruation (vaginal bleeding other
than menses) eating camel meat, touching the private parts with
one’s hand directly, and deep sleep.
Tayammum (Dry Ablution)
If there is no water available to perform wudhu or ghusl, or
there is a factor present which prevents the use of water, such as
illness, or the inability to use water, it is lawful to perform
Tayammum.
Tayammum takes the place of water in purifying oneself from
states of impurity, and it is performed as follows:
1) One should strike the ground once with his hands while his
fingers are spread apart,
2) One should then wipe over his face once with his palms,
3) One should wipe both hands until his wrists.
The Prayer
It is obligatory upon you to establish the prayer (Salaah) for it
is the backbone of the religion; without it, one’s Islam would
1 Note that he did not merely order him to wash his foot, but rather
he ordered him to repeat the entire wudhu’ as well as his prayer.
44
not be complete. The Prophet (r) said [striking an example
between the religion and a camel]:
“As for the head of the religion, it is Islam (the
Shahadataan); as for its backbone, it is the Salaah, and
as for the highest part of its hump, it is Jihad1.”
(Tirmidhi #2616)
The Salah is a term which denotes a group of words and
actions which start with takbeer (saying ‘Allahu Akbar’,
meaning: ‘Allah is the greatest’) and end with tasleem (saying
‘As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullaah).
The Reward of Salaah
When one establishes the Salaah, he benefits in the following
ways:
1) Spiritual joy: The Salaah establishes a relationship between
the slave and Allah. He enters a private conversation with Him,
supplicating Him in sincere humbleness.
2) Peace of heart and tranquility. The Prophet (r) said:
“Women and perfume have been made beloved to me,
and the Salaah has been made the delight of my eyes.”
(Nasa'ie #3940)
3) The Salaah prevents one from all sinful and immoral deeds.
Allah (I) says:
(And We have not sent you (O Muhammad r) except to
all of humanity, as a giver of glad tidings and a warner,
but most people know not.) (29:45)
1 Jihad: Fighting against the disbelievers to raise Allah’s word and
establish Islam.
45
4) The Salah strengthens the bonds of love and unity among the
Muslims. It breaks down all social differences that may exist
between them; they all stand together side by side in rows, the
old and young, the rich and poor, the noble and ignoble. All
people are the same, humbling themselves before Allah, facing
the same direction (the Qiblah1) performing the same actions,
reciting the same recitation, all at the same time.
Prayer Times
There are five prayers during the day and night which are
obligatory upon every Muslim. All men should establish Salaah
in congregation (jamaa‘ah) in the Masjid, unless they have a
valid excuse; while women should pray in their homes.
The Messenger of Allah (r) said:
“The time of Dhuhr is when the sun declines from its
zenith until a person’s shadow becomes equal to his
height, as long as the time of ‘Asr is not due. The
(recommended) time of Asr is until the sun starts to
turn yellow [at which point it becomes makrooh2]. The
time of Maghrib remains until the red color of the
horizon disappears, and the time of ‘Ishaa´ remains
until the middle of the night, and the time of Fajr
prayer is when the pre-dawn light appears until the
sun starts to rise. If the sun starts to rise, then abstain
1 Qiblah: the direction of the Ka’bah.
2Makrooh: Something disliked in the Religion. If a person does it, he
will not be punished, but if he leaves it, he will be rewarded. It is
preferred do pray ‘Asr before the sun starts to turn yellow, but it is
permissible until the sun fully sets.
46
from prayer, for indeed it rises between the two horns
of Shaytaan.” (Muslim #612)
Prayer Chart
Name &
Type of
Recitation
# of
Rak‘ahs
Its Time
# of
Sunnah
Prayers1
1
Dhuhr
(Noon)
Silent
4
It starts from the time
the sun starts to descend
towards the west after its
zenith, and ends when
the length of an object’s
shadow is equal to the
actual object’s height.
4 rak‘ahs
before
and 2
rak‘ahs
after.
2 ‘Asr
(Afternoon)
Silent
4
It starts when the time
of Dhuhr ends, and ends
when the sun sets.
None
3
Maghrib
(Dusk)
Audible
3
It starts when the Sun
has totally set, and ends
when red color of dusk
disappears.
2 rak‘ahs
after
4
‘Ishaa´
(Night)
Audible
4
It starts when the time
of Maghrib ends, and
ends at the first
appearance of light
before dawn.
2 rak‘ahs
after
5
Fajr (Dawn)
Audible
2
It starts at the first
appearance of light at
dawn, and ends when
the sun starts to rise.
2 rak‘ahs
before
1 These are the Sunnah prayers which are emphasized; there are
others related to each prayer which the author did not mention for
the sake of brevity.
47
The Pre-Requisites of Salaah
Know that the Salaah has certain prerequisites; if one leaves
them, his prayer is invalid. They are as follows:
1) Praying them in their proper times.
2) One must purify himself from minor and major impurities.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
(O you who believe! When you intend to offer the
Salah, wash your faces and your hands up to the
elbows, pass wet hands over your heads, and [wash]
your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of
janaabah (state of major impurity), purify yourself
(bathe your whole body).) (5:6)
3) One’s body must be clean from any impurities. The Prophet
(r) said:
“Be careful to keep yourself clean from urine, for
indeed majority of the punishment of the graves is due
to people not doing so.” (Haakim #654 and verified)
One must keep his clothes pure from any impurities. Allah (I)
says:
(And purify your garments.) (74:4)
One must make sure that the place he is praying in is free
from impurities. A Bedouin once urinated in the Masjid, and the
people stood up to confront him and the Prophet (r) said:
“Leave him and pour a bucket of water where he
urinated, for you have been sent to make things easy,
not to make things hard.” (Bukhari #217)
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4) Covering one’s ‘awrah1. For a man, it is the area between the
navel and the knees, but in Salah, it includes both his shoulders.
As for a woman, it is her whole body, but in Salah, she does not
need to cover her face and hands. Allah (I) says:
(O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by
wearing clean clothes), while praying.) (7:31)
5) One must face the Qiblah. Allah (I) says:
(So turn your face to the direction of al-Masjid al-
Haraam (in Makkah). And wherever you are, turn
your faces (in prayer) to that direction.) (2:144)
A woman in her menstrual period, or postpartum bleeding
should not pray until her bleeding stops. Thereupon, she should
perform a complete bath (ghusl) and resume praying, and
perform ablution (wudhu) for each prayer if she invalidates it.
She should not make up any prayers she missed while bleeding.
How to Perform Salah
1) One should make wudhu by using pure water, as Allah (r)
orders:
(O you who believe! When you stand to offer Salah (the
Prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the
elbows, pass wet hands over your heads, and [wash]
your feet up to ankles.) (5:6)
2) One must face the Qiblah, which is the direction of the
Ka’bah, with his whole body and intend (with his heart) the
specific prayer he is performing, without uttering it verbally.
1 ‘Awrah: The parts of the body which are forbidden for another to
look at.
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3) One must pronounce Takbeerat-ul-Ihraam by saying ‘Allahu
Akbar’. He should do so while looking at the place he will
prostrate in, raising his hands to the level of his shoulders or his
earlobes, extending his fingers [with his palms] facing the
Qiblah.
4) One should put his hands on his chest, placing his right hand
over his left, and recite the opening supplication (Du‘aa-ul-
Istiftaah):
“Subhaanak-Allahumma wa bi hamdika, wa
tabaarak-Asmuka, wa ta‘aala jaddukka wa laa ilaaha
ghayruka.”
Meaning: Far removed are You from every imperfection, O
Allah, and all praise belongs to You. Blessed is Your Name.
Great and Exalted is Your Kingdom. None has the right to be
worshipped except You.”
One should then say:
“A‘oodhu billaahi min ash-Shaytaan ir-Rajeem.
Bismillaah ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem.”
Meaning: I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the Rejected
One. I begin with the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, and
the Bestower of Mercy.
Then one should recite Surah al-Faatihah, saying ‘Ameen’
after finishing it; saying it aloud in the prayers in which he
reads aloud and silently in the silent prayers. After this, one
should recite whatever he can from the Qur'an.
5) After completing recitation, one should bow (rukoo’) by
bending the back forward. First he should say:
“Allahu Akbar.”
Meaning: Allah is the Greatest.
