The Obligatory

Prayers

Presented to you by:

ISAT
The Islaamic Society of Arlington, Texas
 The virtue of prayer

Prayer is the second of the five pillars of

Islam. It is the backbone of the religion and one of
the greatest rites in Islaam and among its most
emphasized obligations. It is one of the best deeds
and dearest to Allaah and was ordained from
above the seven heavens as fifty daily prayers
initially and then reduced to five, yet the reward
of these five remains that of fifty - all of which
means that it is a magnificent bounty, mercy and
favor from Allaah which He has bestowed upon
His slaves. There are many texts that address the
virtue of prayers, and here are some examples:

1)Praying prevents one from sin; Allaah says

(what means): “Indeed, prayer prohibits
immorality and wrongdoing.” [Al-‘Ankaboot:
45]
2)It is the best deed after the Two Testimonies
of Faith; ‘Abdullaah bin Mas’ood, may Allaah
be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was asked:
“Which deed is the dearest to Allaah? [In
another narration it was said: 'which deed is
the best?']" The first thing he, sallallaahu
‘alayhi wa sallam, said was: “Performing
prayer at its due time.” [Al-Bukhari &
Muslim]
3)Allaah elevates the person’s rank due to it,
and eradicates his sins; Thawbaan, may
Allaah be pleased with him, said: “I heard the
Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam saying: “Perform prayer frequently,
for every prostration you perform before
Allaah will raise your position one degree and
will remit one of your sins.”” [Muslim] Abu
Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him,
reported that the Messenger of Allaah
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: “Shall I
not tell you something by which Allaah effaces
the sins and elevates ranks [in Paradise]?”
The companions may Allaah be pleased with
them said: “Certainly, O Messenger of
Allaah.” He sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
said: “Performing ablution properly (and
thoroughly), despite difficulty, frequenting the
mosque, and waiting eagerly for the next
prayer after a prayer is over; indeed that is
(equivalent in reward to) Ar-Ribaat, that is
Ar-Ribaat [i.e., guarding the frontiers or
battlefront to check the invasion of the
enemy].” [Muslim]
4)It is radiance in both this life and the
Hereafter; Buraydah, may Allaah be pleased
with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allaah
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: “Convey
glad tidings to those who walk to the mosque
in the darkness [for the Fajr and `Ishaa'
prayers], for they will be given full light on
the Day of Resurrection.”” [At-Tirmithi &
Abu Daawood]
5)It is one of the greatest means that lead one to
enter Paradise in the company of the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Rabee`ah bin
Ka`b Al-Aslami, may Allaah be pleased with
him, who was a servant of the Messenger of
Allaah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and also
one of the people of As-Suffah, said: “I would
spend my nights in the company of the
Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam and would draw the water for his
ablutions. One day he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said to me: “Ask something of me.” I
said: 'I request your companionship in
Paradise.' He sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
said: “Then help me in your request by
multiplying your prostrations (i.e. optional
prayers).” [Muslim]
6) It rescues one from Hell, protects him against
danger, and wins him Paradise. The Prophet
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: “The one
who prays before sunrise [i.e., the Fajr
prayer] and before sunset [i.e., the 'Asr
prayer] will not enter the Hellfire.” [Muslim]
7) It is an indication of Islaam and belief, and
preserves and prevents a person’s blood from
being shed; Allaah says (what means): “But if
they repent, establish prayer and give
Zakaah, then they are your brothers in
religion; and We detail the verses for a
people who know.” [At-Tawbah: 11]
8) It is a sign of sincerity and frees a person from
hypocrisy; the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said: “Whosoever prays forty days
with the congregation, being present for the
initial [Allaahu Akbar] of the prayer, will be
free of two things: the Hellfire and
hypocrisy.” [Ahmad]
9) It is the provision for the journey (towards
Allaah), light for the heart, purification for the
soul, a sign for salvation, and relaxation for
the soul; whenever something disturbed the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, he
would say: “O Bilaal! Call the Iqaamah in
order for our hearts to relax.” [Ahmad & Abu
Daawood]

Therefore, a Muslim should be keen to

observe his daily prayers, but in order for them to
be performed correctly, one needs to learn their
rulings and how they were performed by the
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in order to
attain the maximum reward for them, because the
Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
“Perform your Prayers as you have seen me
performing them.” [Al-Bukhaari]

The Prayer Described

• When you wish to perform your prayer,

perform ablution comprehensively and
correctly in response to the order of Allaah in
His saying (which means): “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” [Al-Maa’idah: 6], and
in response to the saying of the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “Prayer
without ablution is invalid.” [Muslim] He
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also said when
teaching a man who had improperly
performed his prayer: “Perform ablution
correctly and completely before you get up to
pray.”
• Then, you should turn your face and body
towards the Qiblah, (i.e. the direction of the
Ka’bah, which is a precondition for the
validity of the prayer), regardless of where
you are, intending in your heart to perform the
prayer which you wish to perform, whether it
is an obligatory prayer or an optional one.
Regardless of the type of prayer, one should
not utter his intention, because this was not
practiced by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam, nor was it the practice of his
companions, may Allaah be pleased with
them, to utter the intention for prayers. One
should place in front of himself an object to
obstruct people from passing within his
praying area during his prayer. This object is
to be set whether one is praying alone or as an
Imaam leading the prayer because the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam commanded us
to do so.
• After this you should utter the initial "Allaahu
Akbar" [Allaah is The Greatest] and look
downwards to the place of prostration, raising
your hands parallel to your shoulders or
earlobes while uttering this.
• Place your hands on the chest (having your
right hand over the left hand and left wrist).
• It is recommended to recite the opening
supplication: “Allaahumma baa’id bayni wa
bayna khataayaaya kama baa’atta bayna al-
mashriqi wa al-maghrib. Allaahumma
naqqini min khataayaaya kama yanaqqath-
thawbu al-abyadhu minad-danas.
Allaahumma ighsilni min khataayaaya
bilmaa’i wath-thalji wal-barad.” [O Allaah!
Distance me from my sins as You have
distanced the east from the west. O Allaah!
Cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is
cleansed from dirt. O Allaah! Wash off my
sins with water, snow and hail]. [Al-Bukhaari
&Muslim] It is recommended that you
alternate between this and other authentic
opening supplications.
• After that, you should say: “A’oothu billaahi
min ash-shaytaanir-rajeem. Bismillaahir-
Rahmaanir-Raheem.” [I seek the protection of
Allaah against the accursed Satan. In the
name of Allaah the Most Merciful the Ever
Merciful], then recite the Faatihah, because
the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
said: “Prayers without reciting the Faatihah
are invalid.” One should loudly say 'Aameen'
after finishing his recitation of the Faatihah if
the prayer is to be said loudly and whisper it
in the silent prayers; then he should recite any
portion of the Qur'aan.
• Bow in Rukoo' raising your hands parallel to
the shoulders or earlobes while saying
Allaahu Akbar, levelling your head and back
and placing your hands on your knees, with
your fingers spread. While bowing in
tranquillity and submissiveness, you should
say: “Subhaana rabbiyal-‘atheem” [Praise is
to our Lord, the All-Mighty] and it is
recommended to repeat it an odd number of
times, and at least thrice. It is advisable to say
in addition while bowing: “Subhaanaka
Allaahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika
Allaahummaghfir lee.” [Praise is to You O
Allaah, Our Lord, and I thank You, forgive me
for my sins]
• You should then rise from the position of
bowing while raising your hands parallel to
the level of your shoulders or earlobes and
say: “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah.”
[Allaah listens to him who thanks Him], and
after this you should say: “Rabbana lakal-
hamd.” [Our Lord! For You is all praise].
When the back is levelled straight, you should
say: “Hamdan katheeran tayyiban
mubaarakan feeh, mil’a as-samaawaati wa
mil’a al-ardh, wa ma baynahumaa, wa mil’a
ma shi’ta min shay’in ba’d.” [An abundant
beautiful and blessed praise. The heavens, the
earth, and all between them are abundant
with Your praise] You may also add: “Ahlath-
thanaa'i wal-majd; ahaqqu ma qaala-l'abd,
wa kulluna laka 'abd, la maani'a lima a'tayt
wa la mu'tiya lima mana't wa la yanfa'u thal-
jaddi minkal-jadd.” [O Possessor of Praise
and Majesty! [This is] the truest thing a slave
has said [of You] and we are all Your slaves.
O Allaah! None can prevent what You have
willed to bestow and none can bestow what
You willed to prevent, and no wealth or
majesty can benefit anyone as from You is all
majesty]
• Following this, one should prostrate, saying
Allaahu Akbar. During prostration you say:
“Subhaana Rabbiyal-A’laa.” [Glorified is my
Lord, the Most High]; it is recommended to
repeat this thrice. Place your fingers (close
together) and they along with your toes should
be pointed towards the Qiblah and stretch
your hands out without touching the ground
with your elbows. In prostration, only the
following seven organs should touch the
ground: The forehead and nose (which count
as one organ), both hands, both knees and the
base of the toes of both feet. It is also
recommended to exert extra effort in
supplication while in prostration, asking
Allaah for the good of this life and the
Hereafter.
• One should raise his head from prostration
saying Allaahu Akbar and lay the left foot flat
on the ground and sit on it, keeping the right
foot upright and the hands on the thighs and
knees, and say: “Allaahumma ighfirli,
warhamni, wahdini, warzuqni, wajburni,
wa’aafini.” [O Allaah! Forgive me, have
mercy upon me, guide me, grant me
sustenance, console me, and grant me good
health]
• Then, prostrate again saying Allaahu Akbar
and repeat during the second prostration what
you did and said in the first. Then raise your
head from prostration while saying Allaahu
Akbar taking a pause before standing up
similar to the pause between the two
prostrations; this is called the 'resting' pause
and you should not supplicate during it.
• Then rise up and stand from prostration to the
second Rak’ah while saying Allaahu Akbar.
Repeat everything that you did during the first
Rak’ah during standing except that you should
read a shorter portion of the Qur’aan this
time.
• If the prayer consists of two Rak`ahs (e.g. the
Fajr or Jumu`ah prayer) you should sit after
the second prostration, with your right foot
upright, sitting on your left foot laid down,
placing your right hand on your right thigh;
close all your fingers making a fist except
your index finger which you should keep
pointing towards the Qiblah, moving rapidly
up and down, from the beginning of the
Tashahhud until you conclude your prayer.
Your left hand is to be placed on the left thigh
and knee.
• While sitting, you should read the Tashahhud,
saying: “At-tahiyyaatu lillaahi was-salawaatu
wattayyibaat, assalaamu ‘alan-nabiyyi wa
rahmat-ullaahi wa barakaatuh. Assalaamu
‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibaadillaahi As-Saaliheen;
Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illallaahu wa ash-hadu
anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh.
Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala
aali Muhammad, kama sallayata ‘ala
Ibraaheem wa aali Ibraaheem, Innaka
Hameedun Majeed. Wa baarik ‘ala
Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama
baarakta ‘ala Ibraaheem wa aali Ibraaheem.
Innaka Hameedun Majeed.” [Glorification is
for Allaah, all acts of worship and good deeds
are from Him. May Allaah exalt the mention
of the Prophet (Muhammad) and have peace
upon him and blessings. Peace be upon us
and on all righteous slaves of Allaah. I testify
that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allaah and that Muhammad is His
slave and Messenger. O Allaah! Exalt the
mention of Muhammad and his family just as
You exalted the mention of Ibraaheem and his
family; Indeed You are full of Praise and
Majesty. O Allaah! Send blessings upon
Muhammad and upon the family of
Muhammad just as You sent blessings upon
Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem;
Indeed You are full of Praise and Majesty]
• Then say: “Allaahumma inni a’oothu bika
min 'athaabi jahannam wa min ‘athaabil-qabr
wa min fitnatil-mahya wal mamaat wa min
fitnatil- maseehiddajjaal. Allaahumma aatina
fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil aakhirati hasanah,
wa Qina ‘Athaaban-Naar.” [O Allaah! I seek
refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, the
torment of the grave, the tribulations of life
and death, and the evil affliction of the
Antichrist. Our Lord! Give us in this world
[that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that
which is] good and protect us from the
punishment of the Fire], and then choose any
supplication you wish to invoke Allaah with.
• Then you terminate the prayers by turning
your face to the right and then to the left,
saying: “As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa
rahmatullaah.” [Salutations, mercy and the
blessings of Allaah be upon you] at each turn.
• If it was a prayer that consisted of three
Rak`ahs (Maghrib), or four Rak`ahs (Thuhr,
'Asr or `Ishaa’); you should stand up after
reciting the Tashahhud saying "Allaahu
Akbar". Perform one more Rak`ah in the case
of Maghrib prayer and two more in the case of
the four Rak`ah prayers, and recite only the
Faatihah (although there is no harm in adding
some other portions from the Qur'aan), and do
(in the third and fourth Rak’ahs) exactly as
you did in the first two Rak’ahs during the
positions of bowing and prostration.
• After finishing the last Rak’ah, you should sit
for the Tashahhud and recite it as mentioned
before. During the second Tashahhud, you
should sit having your right foot upright,
sitting on your left thigh, placing your left foot
under the right leg.

Supplications after the Prayer

 After uttering the terminating Salaam, you
should seek the forgiveness of Allaah saying the
following: “Astaghfirullaah; Astaghfirullaah;
Astaghfirullaah.” [O Allaah! Forgive me; O
Allaah! Forgive me; O Allaah forgive me]. Then
say: “Allaahumma antas-salaamu, wa minkas-
salaamu, tabaarakta ya thal-jalaali wal-ikraam.”
[O Allaah! You are the Grantor of security, and
security comes from You. Blessed are You, O
Possessor of majesty and nobility!] Then you may
say: “La ilaaha ill-Allaahu wahdahu la shareeka
lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa
`ala kulli shay'in Qadeer. Allaahumma la maani`a
lima a'tayta, wa la mu`tiya lima mana`ta, wa la
yanfa`u thal-jaddi, minkal-jaddu.” [There is none
worthy of worship except Allaah. He is One and
He has no partner with Him, His is the
sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is
Omnipotent. O Allaah! None can deny that which
You bestow and none can bestow that which You
hold back; and the greatness of the great will be
of no avail to them against You]

After this, exalt Allaah thirty-three times by

saying "Subhaanallaah"; praise Him thirty-three
times by saying "Al-Hamdulillaah" and glorify
Him by saying "Allaahu Akbar" thirty-three
times. Then, complete these supplications to
number a hundred by saying once: “La ilaaha ill-
Allaahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku,
wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shay'in
Qadeer.” [None has the right to be worshipped
except Allaah alone, without partner. To Him
belong sovereignty and praise, and He is over all
things omnipotent]

After all this, one recites the verse of the

Throne (Al-Kursi), and then the chapters Al-
Ikhlaas (112), Al-Falaq (113), and An-Naas (114).
These three chapters should be recited thrice after
the Fajr and the Maghrib prayer and once for all
others.
 Optional recommended prayers

• It is recommended for every Muslim (male or

female) to pray a total of twelve Rak`ahs of
optional prayers daily: Four Rak`ahs before
the Thuhr prayer and two after it; two after
the Maghrib prayer; two after the `Ishaa’
prayer and two before the Fajr prayer. These
are the optional prayers which the prophet
sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam always prayed
when he was not travelling. During his travel,
he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would only
offer the two optional Rak`ahs before the Fajr
prayer in addition to the Witr (odd numbered)
prayer (after the `Ishaa’ prayer). We have a
fine example in him sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam as Allaah says (what means): “There
has certainly been for you in the Messenger
of Allaah an excellent pattern for anyone
whose hope is in Allaah and the Last Day
and [who] remembers Allaah often.” [Al-
Ahzaab: 21]
• It is best to perform these twelve at home, but
there is no harm in performing them in the
mosque; the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam said: “The best of the prayers are
those which are performed in one's home,
except for the obligatory prayers [which
should, of course, be performed inside the
mosque].” [Al-Bukhaari]
• The fulfilment of these optional prayers is a
means for attaining Paradise. Umm
Habeebah, may Allaah be pleased with her,
narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam said: “Allaah will build a house in
Paradise for any Muslim who prays twelve
optional Rak`ahs every day [and night].”
[Muslim]
• In addition, it is also recommended to pray
four optional Rak`ahs before the 'Asr prayer
and two before the Maghrib prayer, because
the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
said: “May Allaah be merciful to the one who
performs four Rak`ahs before ‘Asr.” [Ahmad.
Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi & Ibn Khuzaymah]
he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also said:
“Pray two Rak`ahs before the Maghrib
prayer.” after saying this three times, he said:
“…for the one who wishes to pray it.” [Al-
Bukhaari]
• It is also recommended to pray four optional
Rak`ahs before and after Thuhr because the
Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said as
narrated by Umm Habeebah, may Allaah be
pleased with her: “Allaah will make the Fire
forbidden for he who performs four Rak`ahs
before and after Thuhr.” [Ahmad]