Prayer is considered one of the most important acts of worship that helps in making a Muslim in a permanent connection with Allah, and it is also the pillar of Islam. Muslims can express his complaints and concerns in it so that they can return to life again in a better way. It is a solution to all the problems we suffer from and a means of forgiveness of sins and transgressions. Therefore, every Muslim must learn how to pray in Islam.
By salah, Muslim can perform it with all its pillars to be one of the reasons for entering Paradise and to enjoy companionship with Allah and obtain a lot of reward and reward. Sheikh Saleh Academy will show in this article how to pray in Islam with a presentation of a set of tips that help increase humility.
Preparation before beginning Salah
It is important for every Muslim to prepare before prayer by being keen on a set of things that may contribute to knowing how to pray in Islam. Among these things is focusing when hearing the call to prayer (Azan), repeating with the muezzin while contemplating everything he says until he finds its effect in himself, then saying the supplication after the Azan to prayer so that he is entitled to the intercession of the Prophet, PBUH.
After hearing the call to prayer, the Muslim goes to perform Wudu. It is important to know that Wudu is invalidated by deep sleep, passing gas, urinating, defecating, or bleeding. Therefore, Wudu must be performed again in these cases, because Wudu and purity are conditions for prayer. It is preferable to diversify between the supplications that the Prophet PBUH urged us to do after Wudu, such as:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, wa ashhadu an Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluhu.
“I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”
Or say
سُبْحَانَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ.
Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdi-ka, ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā anta, astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilayk.
“Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is no deity but You. I ask for Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.”
Performing the Muslim Prayers
Prayer is the second pillar of Islam after the two testimonies of faith, it has a great status with Allah SWT. It is one of the most important things that a servant can do to be closer to Allah. Some people wonder how many times a day do Islam pray? There are two types of prayer, including Fard prayer, which is five prayers that every Muslim must perform at their specified times, otherwise he will sin, and voluntary prayer, including the Sunnah prayers, Duha prayer, Qiyam al-Layl, and others. If a Muslim does not pray them, he will not sin, but he will lose a lot of reward, as the Prophet PBUH said:
مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ مُسْلِمٍ يُصَلِّي لِلَّهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ إِثْنَتَيْ عَشَرَ رَكْعَةً تَطَوُّعًا غَيْرَ فَرِضَةٍ إِلَّا بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ.
“No servant of Allah performs twelve voluntary rak’ahs every day, other than the obligatory ones, except that Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
Therefore, it is necessary for every Muslim to learn how to pray in Islam in its correct form. But where can a Muslim pray? Men pray in mosques, which are the place of worship for Muslims, while women pray at home.
What to say in prayer Islam?
Prayer contains verses and surahs from the Quran, such as Al-Fatihah, without which prayer is not valid. There are also other surahs from the Quran in some rakats of prayer, in addition to many supplications that can be varied between. Therefore, it is important for every Muslim to learn how to pray in Islam to vary between supplications so that he learns how Muslims pray with humility.
Some people ask: do muslims pray before eating? The correct answer is that it is permissible for him to do so.
How To Pray (step by step)
In order to learn how to pray in Islam, you must learn each step of Islamic prayer steps. You must also be aware of the pillars, duties, and recommended actions, which are as follows:
Step 1 – Make your intention to pray
Intention is one of the most important conditions for prayer, as prayer is not valid without it. It is important for a Muslim to intend to perform the prayer purely for Allah. The intention is in the heart, meaning that a Muslim does not need to say it out loud. It is important to face the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca when starting the prayer. This answers the question: why do muslims face east while praying?
Step 2 – Raise your hands to your ears
While standing upright, raise your hands and make sure that your fingers are closed, then say “Allah Akbar” and believe in your heart that Allah is greater than everything and that He is greater than all your worries and sorrows, as this helps in clearly understanding how to pray in Islam.
An idea that might intrigue you: A full guide: Prying in islam
Step 3 – Place your hands over your chest
Make sure to place your right hand over your left hand and place your hands on or under your chest. Do not look around until you are praying to learn how do muslims pray with full concentration.
Step 4 – Keep your eyes focused on the ground
It is important that your gaze is towards the place of Sujood, and it is preferable to start by reciting the opening supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدتَّ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالْثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ.
Allāhumma bāʿid baynī wa-bayna khuṭāyāya kamā bāʿadta bayna al-mashriqi wa-al-maghribi, Allāhumma naqīnī mina al-khuṭāyā kamā yunqā al-thawb al-abyaḍu mina al-danas, Allāhumma aghsil khuṭāyāya bil-mā’i wa-al-thalji wa-al-bardi.
“O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purify me from sins as the white cloth is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash my sins with water, snow, and hail.”
But can a muslim pray in English? Prayer is not valid except in Arabic, especially Surat Al-Fatihah. If a Muslim is new to Islam, he can translate the supplications into English.
Step 5 – Recite the opening chapter of the Qur’an
Make sure you know how to recite Surah Al-Fatihah correctly because it is one of the most important steps when you want to know how to pray in Islam. You should recite Surah Al-Fatihah in every rak’ah of prayer. It is Sunnah to say Aameen and then start reciting any Surah from the Quran. You can learn the interpretation so that you can contemplate what you are reciting so that you can learn how to pray as a Muslim whom Allah loves.
But some people ask Which Surah to Recite in Duha Prayer? The truth is that the Prophet PBUH did not mention a specific Surah, so different Surahs can be recited each time until khushoo’ is achieved.
Step 6 – Perform the ruku (bowing down)
When you perform Ruku, say Allah Akbar, make sure that your neck and back are at the same level when bowing, and you are looking at the ground. It is important that the angle between your eyes and your back with your feet is a right angle, and say three times: “Subḥāna rabbī al-‘aẓīm” which means “Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great.” This shows how to learn the Muslim prayer correctly while bowing.
Step 7 – Return to standing up again
Stand up again and raise your hands close to your ears and say: “Sami’a Allāhu liman ḥamidah” which means “Allah hears the one who praises Him.” When you are upright, lower your hands and say: “Allāhumma laka al-ḥamdu” which means “O Allah, to You is the praise.”
Step 8 – Perform the sujud (prostration)
When you perform Sujood, make sure that your head, nose, fingers, toes and knees are touching the ground in the prostration position. It is important to learn how to pray in Islam in the prostration position because it is one of the basic pillars without which prayer is not valid.
Step 9 – Say this phrase in sujud
Some people ask what do you say in sujood, so the most important steps that explain how to pray as a Muslim in prostration are to say three times: “Subḥāna rabbī al-‘alā” which means “Glory is to my Lord, the Most High.” A Muslim can pray for whatever he wants, because the servant is closest to his Lord when he is prostrating, and you can say:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ، وَعَلاَنِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ.
Allāhumma aghfir lī dhanbī kullah, diqqahū wa-jillahū, wa-awwalahū wa-ākhiruhū, wa-‘alāniyatahū wa-sirrūhū.
“O Allah, forgive me all my sins, their small and large, their first and last, their open and secret.”
Step 10 – Rise up from sujud and sit for a moment
Sit on your knees and place your hands on your knees, and make your left foot from the knee to the heel touch the ground. Only your right toes should be on the ground, and say three times:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاجْبُرْنِي وَارْفَعْنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Rabbi aghfir lī wa-rahmānī wa-juburnī wa-raf‘anī wa-rzuqnī wa-hidnī wa-‘afū ‘annī
“My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, support me, elevate me, provide for me, guide me, and pardon me.”
Step 11 & 12 – Perform sujud again and then return to a standing position
Prostrate again, and say: “Subḥāna rabbī al-‘alā” three times, then stand up again and repeat the number of rak’ahs depending on the prayer you are praying, whether it is two, three or four rakats.
Step 13 – Perform the Tashahhud
In the second rak’ah of each prayer, sit to perform the Tashahhud, and say:
التحيات لله والصلوات الطيبات، السلام عليك أيها النبي، ورحمة الله وبركاته السلام علينا، وعلى عباد الله الصالحين أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمد رسول الله اللهم صل على محمد، وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم، وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد، اللهم بارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل ابراهيم إنك حميد مجيد.
“All greetings, prayers, and good deeds are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
This answers the question do muslims pray to muhammad? Where a Muslim prays to Allah and not to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, but he can pray for the Prophet PBUH by repeating the Abrahamic prayer.
Step 14 – Taslim
After finishing, say “As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh” once while turning your head to the right and once to the left. With this you learned how to pray salah, as the Prophet (PBUH) taught us.
Some people wonder how long does prayer last for a Muslim, as it usually takes a few minutes and may increase with the increase in the number of rak’ahs.
FAQs
What does Iftirash mean is prayer?
Iftirash is one of the sitting positions in prayer, and it means that the worshipper sits on his left foot, spreading it out, while the right foot is erect on the tips of the toes. Iftirash is applied in sitting between the two prostrations and in the first Tashahhud in a prayer with two Tashahhuds, and it is one of the confirmed Sunnahs of the Prophet PBUH.
What is Tawrouk sitting position in prayer?
Tawarruk is a sitting position specific to the last Tashahhud in a prayer with two testimonies, where the worshipper sits by placing the left foot under the right leg, with it extended to the right, and the right foot is erect or tilted. Tawarruk is a Sunnah of the Prophet PBUH in which the worshipper shows humility and reverence before Allah SWT.
Is Iftirash and Tawrouk mandatory?
Iftirash and Tawrouk are not obligatory, but rather they are among the confirmed Sunnahs that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to perform regularly. If a worshipper omits them intentionally or forgetfully, his prayer is valid, because the most important thing in prayer is performing its pillars and basic conditions. However, following the Sunnah in these positions is considered part of the perfection of prayer.
What if I am unable to perform Salah due to physical limitations?
If you are unable to perform the prayer due to physical limitations, you can pray according to your ability. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Pray standing, and if you are unable to, then sitting, and if you are unable to, then on your side.” A sick person may sit, lie down, or even make simple gestures, and the Muslim’s prayer is not waived as long as his mind is healthy.
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