Islamic Shari‘ah of the Prayer (1)

إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا (١٠٣:٤)

Indeed, the prayer is a duty incumbent on the faithful to be discharged at appointed hours. (4:103)

The most important worship ritual of Islam is the prayer. A little deliberation shows that the essence of religion is comprehension of God and an expression of humility and meekness before Him. The most prominent expression of this essence is worship. Invoking and glorifying Him, praising and thanking Him and kneeling and prostrating before Him are the practical manifestations of worship. The prayer is nothing but an expression of these manifestations and, with graceful poise, combines all of them.

1. Importance of the Prayer

The prayer occupies extraordinary importance in Islam. In order to understand this importance, the following aspects need to be appreciated.

i. The Foremost Directive

The prayer is the foremost directive of Islam. The status monotheism occupies in beliefs is the exactly the same as the prayer occupies in deeds. It is evident from the Qur'an that the prayer is the foremost consequence of the comprehension of Allah which one gets after being reminded by His revelations and as a result of which the emotions of love and gratitude that appear for the Almighty or should appear in a person. The Almighty says:

إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهَا خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَسَبَّحُوا بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ (٣٢: ١٥-١٦)

Only they believe in Our revelations who when are reminded through them, prostrate themselves in adoration and give glory to their Lord and praise and thank Him and do not adopt a rebellious attitude; who forsake their beds to pray to their Lord in fear and hope; who spend [in His way] from what We have given them. (32:15-16)

The following verses of Surah Rum also depict the same thing:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (٣٠: ٣٠-٣١)

Therefore, leaving everything aside, turn yourself to this religion. [In this manner] obey [the dictates of human] nature on which God created mankind. No change is allowed in this nature [created by] God. This is surely the right religion, although most men may not know it. Turn to Him and fear Him. [Stand steadfast on it] fully turning to God and fear Him only and diligently attend to the prayer and be not among the Idolaters. (30:30-31)

The Prophet (sws) has called the prayer a pillar of Islam1. Consequently, at all places in the Qur'an where a compact style is adopted, indeed the words عَمِلُوْا الصَالِحَات (righteous deeds) succeed a mention of اِيْمَان (faith), but at places where a comprehensive style is adopted it is the mention of the prayer which immediately comes after a mention of اِيْمَان:

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ (٣:٢)

These who believe without [seeing] and show diligence in offering the prayer. (2:3)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ (٢٧٧:٢)

Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and are diligent in the prayer. (2:277)

The first thing towards which Muslims are directed in order to attain tazkiyah (purification of the soul), which according to the Qur'an is the very objective of Islam, is the prayer as well:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى (٨٧: ١٤-١٥)

[At that time], indeed he succeeded who purified himself and [for this] remembered the name of his Lord and offered the prayer. (87:14-15)

Similarly, in verses where the Qur'an has referred to the deeds which are essential for success in the Hereafter, the prayer is mentioned the foremost:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ...وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (٢٣: ١-٩)

Successful are the believers, who are humble in their prayers; who avoid profane talk, and give zakah; who preserve their chastity ... who are true to their trusts and promises [both with regard to the Almighty and with regard to their fellow human beings], and are diligent in their prayers. (23:1-9)

In Surah Ma'arij, the Qur'an says:

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُومٌ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ وَالَّذِينَ يُصَدِّقُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ وَالَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمْ غَيْرُ مَأْمُونٍ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ... وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِشَهَادَاتِهِمْ قَائِمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ (٧٠: ١٩-٣٥)

Indeed, man has been created very impatient. [If he does not discipline himself, then indeed] whenever some affliction befalls him he becomes depressed and when good fortune befalls him he becomes stingy. Not so those who pray, who are always steadfast in prayer; who set aside a fixed portion in their wealth for those who ask and for those [also] who are ashamed to ask; who truly believe in the Day of Reckoning and dread the punishment of their Lord - Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not a thing to be fearless of - and those who preserve their chastity ... and those who keep their trusts and promises [both with regard to Allah and with regard to their fellow human beings] and those who stand firm in their testimonies and those who keep guard over their prayers. It is they who will be in gardens of paradise, laden with honours. (70:19-35)

Ibn Mas'ud (rta) narrates that he once asked Prophet Muhammad (sws): "Which deed does Allah like the best?" He replied: "Offering the prayer on time."2

'Umar (rta) once wrote an epistle to his administrators: "The most important thing in your religious affairs is the prayer. A person who protects the prayer, protects the whole religion and a person who squanders it would be the foremost in sqaundering other [directives of] religion."3

ii. A Requisite for Muslim Citizenship

The prayer is a requisite for a person to be called a Muslim. The Qur'an has made it very clear that in an Islamic state only those people can demand the rights of a Muslim who offer the prayer and pay zakah. In Surah Tawbah, the Qur'an, while launching an offensive against the Idolaters of Arabia, declared:

فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ (١١:٩)

So if they repent and are diligent in the prayer and pay the zakah, they shall become your brothers in religion. (9:11)

It is evident from the above stated premise that in the Hereafter also, a person should be dealt in a similar manner. The Qur'an has very subtly alluded to this in the following words:

فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّى وَلَكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى ثُمَّ أَوْلَى لَكَ فَأَوْلَى (٧٥: ٣١-٣٥)

But [look at this man]! He neither believed in [the good fate of the Hereafter] nor prayed; on the contrary, he denied and turned away. Then he went to his family conceitedly. Woe be to you, then woe be to you! And again woe be to you, then woe be to you!! (75:31-5)

It is implied from the contrast between the words صَلَّى with تَوَلَّى and ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى that this importance has been invested in the prayer because in the sight of Allah a person who does not offer the prayer is showing arrogance and pride and the Qur'an has made very clear in 7:40 that a camel can enter the eye of a needle but an arrogant person cannot enter Paradise.

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said:

بين الرجل بين والكفر و الشرك ترك الصلاة (مسلم رقم ١٣٤)

The line which demarcates disbelief and polytheism in a person is abandoning the prayer. (Muslim, No: 134)

Similarly, at another occasion, he remarked:

خمس صلوات افترضهن الله تعالى من أحسن وضوءهن وصلاهن لوقتهن وأتم ركوعهن وخشوعهن كان له على الله عهد أن يغفر له ومن لم يفعل فليس له على الله عهد إن شاء غفر له وإن شاء عذبه) ابو داؤد:رقم ٤٢٥ (

These are the five prayers which the Almighty has made obligatory on people: a person who did ablutions in a befitting manner, offered the prayers on time and prostrated both his inner and outer selves before he Almighty, has been promised forgiveness by Him. And a person who does not do these things is not promised anything. If He wants He will forgive him and if He wants He will punish him. (Abu Da'ud, No: 425)

iii. Means of Strong Adherence to Islam

The prayer is a means to remaining steadfast on Islam. The Qur'an has informed us that a devil is deputed on a person who becomes indifferent to remembering the Almighty and evades Him: (٤٣: ٣٦) وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ (We shall impose a devil on the person who does not heed the warning of the Merciful and he shall be his companion, (43:36)). This devil then becomes his permanent companion. The prayer saves a person from this indifference and evasion and protects him from the devil. It can be seen from the verses of Surah Mu'minun and Surah Ma'arij quoted earlier that the directive of prayer encircles all directives that were mentioned there: they begin with the prayer and end with it. It is obvious from this that it is safeguarding the prayer which ensures a person's adherence to Islam. No doubt, the onslaughts of Satan continue even after this but he cannot dwell permanently in the heart of a person who is punctual and ever-vigilant in offering the prayer. Like a citadel, the prayer continues to ward off Satan and protects a person's mind and heart from his offensives. It is precisely for this reason that it has been emphasized that a person should offer it in all circumstances: in times of danger also he should offer it in whatever way he can while on foot or while riding. In Surah Baqarah, where the section on the Islamic shari'ah ends, it is said:

حَافِظُواْ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ والصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ فَإنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالاً أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ (٢: ٢٣٨-٢٣٩)

Be watchful over your prayers, especially the one which comes in the middle [of the morning and evening prayers when it is not easy for you to take out time from your involvements], and stand before Allah devoutly [leaving aside everything]. Then if you fear any danger, pray on foot or while riding, as may be most convenient, but when there is security, remember Allah in the very manner He has taught you, which you knew not. (2:238-9)

On these very grounds, the Qur'an has referred to indulgence in lust and desires as if it was a consequence of wasting the prayer: فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ (١٩: ٥٩) (But after them there followed a posterity who wasted the prayer and followed after their lusts, (19:59)).

In Surah 'Ankabut the words are even more explicit:

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ (٤٥:٢٩)

And be steadfast in the prayer because it stops lewdness and evil. (29:45)

The verse says that like a preacher, the prayer cautions a person that in spite of the onslaught of desire and emotions he should not forget the fact that one day he will have to face the Almighty and present an account of his deeds before Him. While explaining the above quoted verse, Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has written:

Those who offer the prayer, whether in public or in private, giving due regard to its etiquette and conditions, the prayer with both its inner and outer aspects reminds them of all those realities which are necessary to keep them on the right path in life. In particular, the prayers offered in seclusion influence the life of a person a lot. A person who does not offer the prayer is like the driver of a car who is driving the car of his life with speed but who is totally indifferent and unaware of the landmarks which appear on the road to guide him and protect him from danger. It cannot be said when such a driver may fling his car into some pit.4

iv. The Prayer Wipes out Sins

When a person stands in prayer he renews his commitment with God that he would try to refrain from disobeying Him. As a consequence of this, he necessarily feels ashamed of the sins he has committed in between two prayers and with new vigour and determination returns to the busy routine of life to protect himself from indulging in them. A little deliberation shows that this is the very essence of repentance and it is known that repentance cleanses a person. It has thus been said:

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ (١١٤:١١)

And attend with diligence to your prayers at both ends of the day and in a portion of the night too. No doubt, good deeds make amends for sins. That is an admonition for thoughtful men. (11:114)

Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates from the Prophet Muhammad (sws): "Tell me if there is a stream flowing near your door in which a person bathes five times a day, then will he still have a stain of dirt on him?" The people replied: "In this case, no speck of dirt would remain on him". The Prophet remarked: "This is an example of the five prayers; through them, the Almighty in a similar manner wipes out sins."5

v. Means of Countering Hardships

When the Jews were invited by the Qur'an to revive their covenant with the Almighty, it advised them to seek help from the prayer to discharge its responsibilities.6 The same advice was given to the Ismaelites as well:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ (١٥٣:٢)

Believers seek help from perseverance and from the prayer. Indeed, God is with those who persevere. (2:153)

The Prophet (sws) too was advised to adhere to the prayer in order to bear with perseverance the mischief and torments of the miscreants:

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَارَ السُّجُودِ (٥٠: ٣٩-٤٠)

So bear then with what they say. Give glory to your Lord and praise Him before sunrise and before sunset. And glorify Him in the night also and also after the sun bows down. (50:39-40)

This means that the prayer is the most effective means to draw the blessings of the Almighty. Consequently, it is evident from a study of the life of the Prophet (sws) that whenever he would encounter an important issue he would stand to pray.7 When people requested him to invoke the help of Allah for rain, the Prophet (sws) first offered the prayer and then put his hands up for invocation. At the time of solar and lunar eclipses, when it was felt that the Almighty might send His punishment, the Prophet (sws) offered the prayer. In the battles of Badr and Ahzab when the Muslim forces were arrayed against their opponents, the Prophet (sws) resorted to the prayer to seek help from the Almighty through it.

vi. Symbol of True Da'wah

We are told by the Qur'an that true reformers are the ones who hold steadfast to the divine book as the covenant of the Almighty and consider it to be the distinguisher of good and evil and are diligent in the prayer:

وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسَّكُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ (١٧٠:٧)

And those who hold tightly the book of God and who are diligent in the prayer [are the righteous and], We shall not deny these righteous their reward. (7:170)

While explaining these verses, Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

This declaration of the Qur'an is a benchmark to judge all movements and undertakings that aim at reforming the Muslims and calling them to Islam. It is evident from this that only that movement of calling people to Islam is on the right path in whose basic ideology, program, objective - in short, in all its spheres the prayer and adherence to it is the foremost and is of the same importance which according to the Qur'an it occupies in the covenant with God and in the struggle for its enforcement. Movements and undertakings that aim at the revival of the Muslims and their reformation in which the prayer is not the foremost and does not hold due significance are fruitless and devoid of any blessings of Allah. The reason for this is that they are without the backing and support on which the edifice of such movements rest and also bereft of the spirit which this edifice needs to take life from.8

vii. Means of Perseverance on the Truth

It is obvious that it is only in the companionship of the Almighty that one can persevere on the path of truth and the prayer is so close to the Almighty that it is His stand-in for us in this world. The verse (٩٦ :١٩) وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ (prostrate and attain my nearness, (96:16)) refers precisely to this aspect. Therefore, if one wants to attain the companionship of the Almighty while striving in His cause, he should adhere to the Book of God and to the prayer. The most important way to achieve this end is through the late night prayer of tahajjud. So, when the Prophet (sws) was directed by the Almighty to expand his sphere of indhar, he was told to adhere to this prayer to get the help needed to bear the heavy burden of responsibilities of this phase. The reason for this, as informed by the Qur'an, was that the time of tahajjud is a time when one's heart and mind are fresh and receptive and is a time that is very appropriate to understand the Qur'an. In the words of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi: "Since this time is the very time at which the mind is at rest and the heart fully conscious, hence the words that emanate from the tongue are very effective and make room in one's heart. The reciter himself receives them as if they were the testimony of his own heart and to other listeners the words are also very stirring."9

The Qur'an says:

يَاأَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّل.قُمْ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ..نِصْفَهُ أَوْ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلْ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا إِنَّ لَكَ فِي اَلنَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا وَاذْكُرْ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا )٧٣ :١-٨)

O you enfolded in your shawl! stand [in prayer] by night, but not all night. Half the night, or even less or a little more and [in this prayer of yours] recite the Qur'an in a slow measured tone. Because soon We shall lay on you the burden of a heavy word [the burden of open warning]. Verily, this rising by night is very suitable for the mind's peace and the heart's resolve and for the correctness of the speech. Because during the daytime you will be hard-pressed with [this task; so pray at this time] and remember the name of your Lord and [in this loneliness of the night] devote yourself entirely to Him. (73:1-8)

It is evident from certain narratives that the Almighty directs His special attention to this world at this time. Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): "Every night the Almighty descends to this nearest sky. When one-third time of the night remains He says: 'Who is offering supplications that I may accept them? Who is asking that I may give him? Who is calling for forgiveness that I may forgive him.'"10

viii. As the Nature of every Object of the Universe

If only a person has eyes through which he can really see, there is a doubtless reality that every particle of this universe glorifies and praises the Almighty, offers his gratitude and bows down before Him. He may not be able to understand this praise and glorification, but he can readily observe that just as the outer self of a thing bows down before the Almighty and is ever-obedient to Him, the inner self too can be no different. Animals which walk on the earth, trees which flourish in the orchards, birds which chirp in the sky, fish which swim in the seas, the sun, the moon and the stars which shine in the sky all bear this testimony through their very existence:

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ وَلَكِن لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا (١٧:٤٤)

The seven heavens, the earth, and all who dwell in them give glory to Him. There is not one thing that does not give glory to Him while praising and thanking Him. Yet you cannot understand their praises. Benevolent is He and forgiving. (17:44)

All these are fully aware of their prayer and glorification of the Almighty. If a person has a keen eye, he can see that when birds with their wings outstretched fly in the sky they are in fact bowing down in humility to the Almighty:

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ (٤١:٢٤)

Do you not see how God is glorified by those in the heavens and those on earth and the birds as they wing their way [across the sky]. Each knows his prayer and glorification of the Almighty and God has knowledge of all they do. (24:41)

Writes Amin Ahsan Islahi:

Every object of this universe in its nature has an Abrahamic temperament. The sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains the animals that tread the earth all follow the divine law on which they have been created. None of them deviates from this law in the slightest manner. The sun whom some foolish people worship bears testimony from its very existence that it stands and bows before the Almighty every day. It raises his head at the time of sunrise and then stands before the Almighty till noon. After midday it kneels before Him and at sunset prostrates before Him and remains in this state all night. It is to this reality which the waxing and waning of the moon and the rising and setting of stars point. The same is true for the mountains, trees and animals. Their shadows at all times stand, kneel or bow down before the Almighty and a little deliberation shows that such is the Abrahamic temperament of this shadow that it always remains opposite to the sun. If the sun is in the east, the shadow will stretch in the west and vice versa. In other words, the shadow of every object from its very existence tells us that it is not the sun but its Creator who is worthy of prostration.11

The Qur'an says:

أَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ مِن شَيْءٍ يَتَفَيَّأُ ظِلاَلُهُ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَالْشَّمَآئِلِ سُجَّدًا لِلّهِ وَهُمْ دَاخِرُونَ وَلِلّهِ يَسْج    ُدُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَالْمَلآئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ (١٦: ٤٨-٤٩)

And have they not seen that whatever the Almighty has created casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself before God in all humility? To God bow all the creatures of the heavens and the earth, and the angels too. They are not disdainful. (16:48-49)

Consequently, when a person stands in prayer, he in fact prays, prostrates and glorifies on behalf of every object of this universe. He brings his deeds in harmony with his nature and declares thereby that he would not lag behind anyone and will prostrate not only his body but also his soul before the Almighty who created Him. He will never take a separate route from the rest of the creation in which he has no companion and if there are such people then they are the ones for whom the wrath of the Almighty has become certain:

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ وَالنُّجُومُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ (١٨:٢٢)

Do you not see that those in the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon and the stars, that mountains and the trees, the beasts, and countless men - all prostrate before God? Yet many have deserved the punishment. (22:18)

ix. The Prayer is Real Life

The call of the Messengers of Allah has been called life by the Qur'an: (٨: ٢٤) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ (O you who believe! respond to Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which will give you life, (8:24)). The reason for this is that no doubt every living person has a life to live but real life, which has been called as light, inner calm and faith, is only secured through the remembrance of the Almighty. The Prophets of Allah summon people towards this remembrance of Allah and for this purpose they call them foremost towards the prayer. What is the prayer? When the remembrance of God, His cognizance and the sense of nearness to Him reaches the level of excellence then this becomes the prayer. All the sages of the world are unanimous that real life is the life of the soul and this life is nothing but the remembrance of God, His cognizance and the sense of nearness to Him. Only the prayer can furnish such a life to man. The Qur'an has made a subtle reference to this at one place by placing "the prayer" parallel to "life" and "sacrifice" parallel to "death":

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (١٦٢:٦)

Say: "My prayers and my sacrifice and my life and my death, are all for God, Lord of the Universe." (6:162)

If a person grasps this reality, then he keenly awaits the time of a prayer the way he awaits the time of food each day. His eagerness for prayer is the eagerness of a thirsty person for water and that of a hungry person for food. The prayer becomes his subsistence from the Almighty. It instils happiness in him and invigorates him. The Prophet Jesus (sws) is reported to have said: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew, 4:4). Just as people eat various types of food to savour their taste, he nourishes his soul by reading various passages of the Qur'an, different supplications and liturgies. It is the prayer which enlivens and freshens up a person when hardships bog him down. It is the prayer which like a breath of fresh air cleanses the filth of sin. In the autumn of frustrations, the prayer is the hope of spring and when adversities embrace a person from all sides, it is the prayer which is his rock of asylum. These lines should not be counted as some poetical utterance. It is towards these feelings that the Prophet (sws) has alluded by the words: قُمْ يَا بِلَال فَاَرِحْنَا بِالصَّلاةِ (Rise O Bilal!12 And soothe us through the prayer!) and جُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاةِ (The coldness of my eyes has been placed in the prayer.)13

2. History of the Prayer

The history of the prayer is as old as religion itself. The concept of prayer is present in every religion and its rituals and timings are also identifiable in these religions. The hymns sung by the Hindus, the chants of the Zoroastrians, the invocations of the Christians and the psalms of the Jews are all its remnants. The Qur'an has informed us that all the Prophets of God have directed their followers to offer it. It also occupies a very prominent position in the religion of the Prophet Abraham (sws) which the Prophet Muhammad (sws) revived in Arabia. When Abraham (sws) settled his son Ishmael (sws) in the barren land of Makkah, he underlined the objective of this endeavour as: (١٤: ٣٧)  رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ (Lord so that they show diligence in the prayer, (14:37)). At that instance, he had also prayed:(١٤: ٤٠) رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ (O Lord! Make me and my progeny diligent in the prayer, (14:40)). About Ismael (sws), the Qur'an says: (١٩: ٥٥) وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ (He would instruct his family to pray, (19:55)). The people of Shu'ayb (sws) ridiculed him by saying: أَصَلاَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَن نَّتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا (١١: ٨٧) (Does your prayer teach you that we leave the deities of our forefathers? (11:87)). About the Prophets that belong to the progeny of Isaac (sws) and Jacob (sws), the Qur'an says: (٢١: ٧٣) وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِِ (And We sent them inspiration to do good deeds and to be diligent in the prayer, (21:73)). When the Prophet Moses (sws) was commissioned, he was told:(٢٠: ١٤) وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي (Be diligent in the prayer to remember me, (20:14)). About the Prophet Zakariyyah (sws), the words used are: وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ (٣: ٣٩) (While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, (3:39)). The Prophet Jesus (sws) said about himself: (١٩: ٣١) وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ (And God has directed me to offer the prayer, (19:31)). Luqman was considered a wise person among the Arabs. We are told by the Qur'an that he gave the following words of advice to his son: (٣١: ١٧) يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ (O my son! Show diligence in the prayer (31:17)). The Almighty pledged a promise with the Israelites in the words: (٥: ١٢) اِنِّي مَعَكُمْ لَئِنْ اَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ (I am with you if you are diligent in the prayer (5:12)). The Qur'an bears witness to the fact that in the times of the Prophet Muhammad (sws), the righteous among the Jews and Christians adhered to the prayer:

مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللّهِ آنَاء اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ (١١٣:٣)

Of the People of the Book, there is a group which is honouring their covenant with God. They stand at night to recite his verses and prostrate themselves before the Almighty. (3:113)

The same has been attributed to the Idolaters of Arabia:

فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ (١٠٧: ٤-٥)

So woe to these [custodians of the Baytullah] who offer the prayer while being unmindful of its reality. (107:4-5)

Jiran al-'Ud, a poet of the jahilliyah age:

وادركن اعجازاً من الليل بعد ما
اقام الصلوة العابد المتحنف

(And these means of transport caught the last part of the night when the diligent and dedicated worshipper had finished the prayer)

وسبح على حين العيشات والضحى
ولا تعبد الشيطان ، و الله فاعبدا

(And offer tasbih14 day and night and do not worship Satan; instead Worship God only)

Some Hadith narratives also mention that the Jews and Christians and the followers of the religion of Abraham (sws) offered the prayer.

'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (rta) says that 'Umar (rta) or probably the Prophet (sws) himself said: "If any one of you has two pieces of cloth, he should offer the prayer in them and if he only has one then he should use it as a loin cloth. He should not wrap it around himself in prayer like the Jews do."15

Abu Bakr (rta) narrates from the Prophet (sws): "When anyone of you is offering the prayer, he should not swing back and forth like the Jews [do in the prayer]; he should stand still."16

Shaddad Ibn Aws narrates from his father that the Prophet (sws) said: "In contrast to the Jews, you should wear your socks and boots in the prayer."17

Abu 'Abdul-Rahman narrates that the Prophet (sws) said: "Some good will continue to exist in my ummah as long as they do not wait for night to fall in the maghrib prayer as the Jews do and as long as they not wait for the stars to set in the fajr prayer as the Christians do."18

Mother of the faithfuls A'ishah (rta) says that joining the hands between the knees while kneeling in the prayer is the way of the Jews. The Prophet (sws) has prohibited this.19

Abu Dharr Ghaffari (rta) narrates that he used to pray three years prior to meeting the Prophet (sws). "For whom," it was asked. He said: "For Allah."20

The prayer offered by the Jews and Christians has been referred to in the Bible at various places and just as in the Qur'an the prayer has been called after its constituent rituals and utterances like remembering Allah, reading a portion of the Qur'an, invoking Allah, glorifying Him and kneeling and prostrating before Him, likewise in the Bible also the prayer has been called after its constituent practices and utterances:21

From there he [--Abraham--] went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis, 12:8)

Abram bowed down in prostration, and God spoke to him. (Genesis, 17:3)

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. (Genesis, 18:22)

He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will prostrate ourselves and then we will come back to you." (Genesis, 22:5)

Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. (Genesis, 26:25)

And they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down in prostration. (Exodus, 4:31)

In the morning O Lord, you will hear my voice. I will wait for you in your presence after the prayer. (Psalm 5:3)

But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down in prostration toward your holy temple. (Psalm 5:7)

But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I will cry out in distress, and he will hear my voice. (Psalm 55:16-17)

The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us kneel and bow down in worship, let us bend our knees before the LORD our Maker. (Psalm 95:5-6)

I will bow down in prostration toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. (Psalm 138:2)

When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers. (Kings, 8:33-4)

Stand at the gate of the Lord's house and there proclaim this message: Hear the word of the Lord all you people of Judah who come through these gates to prostrate before the Lord. (Jeremiah, 7:2)

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been signed, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God and glorified him, just as he had done before. (Daniel, 6:10)

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel, 9:3)

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. (Matthew, 14:23)

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." (Matthew, 26:36)

Going a little farther, he fell down in prostration and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me." (Matthew, 26:39)

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he used to pray. (Mark, 1:35)

"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." (Luke, 22:46)

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at the ninth part of the day22. (Acts, 3:1)

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.23 (Acts, 10:9)

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. (Acts, 12:12)

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we usually prayed. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. (Acts, 16:13)

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns and glorifying God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts, 16:25)

When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. (Acts 20:36)

Here it should be noted that the prayer was always offered five times a day. According to a narrative (Abu Da'ud, No: 393), Gabriel himself informed the Prophet (sws) of this fact. No doubt, the Jews now offer the prayer thrice a day and one of the above quoted excerpts also refer to three prayers. However, Lious Ginsberg while presenting his research on the Talmud of Jerusalem has explained that this phenomenon is similar in nature to what the Shiites have in them: by combining zuhr with 'asr and maghrib with 'isha on the principle of jam' bayna al-salatayn (combing two prayers) they have practically made these four into two and if we add fajr to them, the total number of prayers will come out to be three. Ginsberg has pointed to the fact that in the time of the writing down of Talmud, the Jews used to pray five times a day: thrice for the prayer which was said at that time too and twice for reciting the Shema. However, later because of certain practical difficulties the prayers of the morning and evening were combined and ultimately three prayers remained.24

After the revelation of the Qur'an, Surah Fatihah is the supplication of the prayer. It is evident from the Bible that similar supplications were revealed in all the divine books.

In the Torah, the words of this supplication are:

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he will never leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation25. (Exodus 34:6-7)

The supplication of the Psalms is:

Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life -- men without regard for you. But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalm 86:1-17)

The supplication of the Injil is:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil for kingdom and glory and power are always Yours. (Matthew 6:9-13)

This is the history of the prayer. It is evident from it that when the Qur'an directed people to pray, it was nothing unknown to them. They were fully aware of its pre-requistes and etiquette, rituals and utterances. Consequently, it was not required that the Qur'an mention its details. Just as it used to be offered as a practice of Abraham's religion, the Prophet (sws) at the behest of the Qur'an promulgated it with certain changes among his followers and they are offering it generation after generation in the same manner. Thus, the source of this prayer is the consensus of the Muslims and their perpetual adherence to it. In the following sections, the details of the prayer shall be presented here from this consensus of the Muslims and their perpetual adherence.

3. Objective of the Prayer

We have been told to remember the Almighty at all times in the following verse: وَأَصِيلًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا (٣٣: ٤١-٤٢) (O you who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often and glorify Him morning and evening, (33:41-42)). The best manner to remember the Almighty is through the prayer because it is in the prayer that a person's whole body remembers the Almighty and he becomes a picture of this remembrance. Consequently, five prayers in a day have been made obligatory to maintain this remembrance in a person.

When the Prophet Moses (sws) was appointed a Prophet, he was told:

إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى وَأَنَا اخْتَرْتُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي (٢٠: ١٢-١٤)

I am your Lord. Take off your shoes, for you are now in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And [be informed that] that I have chosen you for prophethood. Therefore listen to what shall be revealed. "I am God. Indeed, there is no god but Me. Serve Me, and for My remembrance pray with vigilance." (20:12-14)

4. Pre-Requisites of the Prayer

Following are the pre-requisites of the prayer:

i. A person must not be in a state of inebriation,

ii. A person must have done the ceremonial ablution (wudu) and in case of janabah26 or menstruation or puerperal discharge must have taken the ceremonial bath,

iii. In case of being on a journey or being sick or in case of non-availability of water, a person can offer the tayammum (dry ablution) in place of both the ceremonial ablution and the ceremonial bath,

iv. A person must face the qiblah.

These four things have always remained as the essential pre-requisites of the prayer. However, since the Arabs were ignorant of divine guidance for a long time ever since the Prophet Ishmael (sws) left them centuries ago they were not very aware of these pre-requisites; thus the Qur'an in order to remind them of these stated them with full clarity in the following words:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّىَ تَعْلَمُواْ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلاَ جُنُبًا إِلاَّ عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىَ تَغْتَسِلُواْ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّن الْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورً (٤٣:٤)

Believers, do not approach the place of the prayer when you are drunk till you know what you are saying nor when you are [ceremonially] unclean until you have washed yourselves except if the intention is to pass through [the prayer place]. If you are sick or on a journey, or when you have relieved yourselves or had intercourse with women and you find no water, take some clean mud and wipe your faces and your hands with it. Gracious is God and forgiving. (4:43)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاةِ فاغْسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُواْ بِرُؤُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُواْ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مَّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَـكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهَّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (٦:٥)

Believers, when you rise to pray wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbow, and wipe your heads and wash your feet to the ankle. If you are [ceremonially] unclean, cleanse yourselves. But if you are sick or on a journey, or when, you have just relieved yourselves or had intercourse with women, you find no water, take some clean mud and wipe your faces and your hands with it. God does not wish to burden you; He seeks only to purify you and to perfect His favour to you so that you may express gratitude. (5:6)

Regarding the qiblah, the Qur'an says:

قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاء فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوِهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ (١٤٤:٢)

We have seen you turn your face many times towards the sky. So, [O Prophet!] We have decided to turn you towards the qiblah that you like. Turn your face towards the Holy Mosque; wherever you are, turn your faces towards it [in the prayer]. (2:144)

These verses have declared that the states of inebriation and janabah are equal as far as terminating the prayer is concerned. The Almighty has directed Muslims not to go near the place of prayer in these states. It is evident from this that both are impure states. The only difference is that inebriation affects the mind and janabah the body. It is evident to every person that just as liquor arrests his intellectual power, the spiritual impediment caused by janabah in a person deprives him of the inner satisfaction and presence of mind that is a requirement of the prayer. The Almighty has however given one relief to a person who is in the state of janabah that he can pass through a mosque in this state if some need arises. In order to come out of this state, the ceremonial bath has been prescribed. Without this bath, the prayer cannot be offered. One should have this bath in a thorough and complete manner. The Qur'anic words اِطَّهَرُوا (ittaharu) and اِغْتَسِلوُا (ightasilu) testify to this. The way the Prophet (sws) set about following this directive, as mentioned in various Ahadith, can be summarized as:

First the hands should be washed; then the genital area should be thoroughly cleaned by the left hand; then wudu should be done except that feet should be washed later at the end; then while inserting the fingers in the hair, water should be soaked into it so that it reaches its roots; then water should be poured all over the body. In the end, the feet should be washed.

'A'ishah (rta) reports that when the Prophet (sws) would have the ceremonial bath after janabah, he would first wash both hands. Then he would clean his genital area by the left hand by pouring water on it by the right one. Then he would do wudu the same way as wudu is done for the prayer. He would then take some water and insert his fingers in his hair until the water reached the skin. He would then pour three handfuls of water on his head. Then he would drench all his body with water and then wash both feet.27

Ibn 'Abbas (rta) reports: "My aunt Maymunah [once] told me: 'I placed some water [in a utensil] before the Prophet (sws) so that he could have the ceremonial bath of janabah. He first washed both his hands two or three times. Then he slid his hand in the utensil and poured some water over his private area and washed it with his left hand. He then thoroughly rubbed this hand on the ground and did wudu the way it is done before the prayer. He then took three handfuls of water and poured them on his head. Then he washed all his body. He then stepped aside and washed both his feet.'"28

The method of doing wudu that is mentioned in these verses is that first the face shall be washed and the hands up to the elbows and after that the whole of the head shall be wiped and after that the feet shall be washed. The wiping of the whole head is essential because for this directive the words are وَامْسَحُواْ بِرُؤُوسِكُمْ (wipe your head) and those who are aware of the subtleties of the Arabic language know that on such occasions the letter ب signifies completeness. Similarly, it apparently seems that the directive regarding feet is governed by the verb وَامْسَحُواْ (wipe). However, the words إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ (up to the ankles) after أَرْجُلَكُمْ (your feet) are decisive that this directive is coordinated to أَيْدِيكُم (your hands). Had they been coordinated to ِرُؤُوسِكُمْ (your heads) the words إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ (up to the ankles) would have been redundant. We can see this from the verses of tayammum where wiping has not been made conditional to إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ (up to the elbows). Hence, the feet shall necessarily be washed. Their directive has been deferred merely to keep intact the sequence of washing the limbs in wudu.

How did the Prophet (sws) do wudu? If all the narratives are collected in this regard the following picture emerges: First, he would clean his teeth and then start with wudu from the right side. He would begin by washing both hands and then rinsing the mouth three times. He would then pour water in his nose three times and thoroughly clean his nose. Then he would wash his face three times and run fingers through his beard, then would wash his hands till the elbows and then he would take water separately and wipe the head and with it clean the ears from the inside and the outside. The manner in which he would wipe his forehead would be that he would take both his hands from the forehead right to the back of his head and then would bring them back. He would then wash his right foot first and then the left.29

Sometimes, the Prophet (sws) would wash the limbs just one or two times in wudu30.

It is evident from certain Ahadith that the Prophet (sws) said: اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَا اِلهَ الا الله وَحْدَهُ وَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهُ 31 after doing wudu and mentioned the blessings of praying two rak'at.32

It is also evident from certain other Ahadith that the Prophet (sws) would do wudu before going off to sleep at night and urge other people also to do it.33 In particular, he would like and urge people to do wudu in the state of janabah before sleeping, eating food and going near one's wife a second time.34

Following are some of the Prophetic sayings regarding the blessings of wudu:

'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (rta) says that the Prophet (sws) once said: "When a believer does wudu wherein he rinses his mouth, the sins of his mouth are wiped out and when he puts water in his nose, the sins of his nose get wiped out; when he washes his face the sins of his face are wiped out even [as far as] from under his eye lashes; and when he washes both his hands, the sins of hands are wiped out even [as far as] from under his nails and when he wipes his head, the sins of his head are wiped out even [as far as] from his ears; and when he washes his feet the sins of his feet are wiped out even [as far as] from under the nails." He then said: "Going to the mosque and praying further [adds] to this."35

Abu Hurayrah (rta) reports from the Prophet (sws): "When the people of my ummah shall be called over on the Day of Judgement, their foreheads, hand and feet will be bright because of the effects of wudu. So whoever wishes can increase this brightness."36

Once wudu is done, it remains intact until something which terminates it is not encountered. Consequently, the directive of wudu is for the state in which it no longer remains intact except if a person does wudu in spite of being in the state of wudu for the sake of freshness. In such a situation, it is not a requirement though something which earns a person a lot of reward.

Following are the things which terminate wudu.

i. urination,

ii. defecation,

iii. passing the wind whether with sound or without it, and

iv. Pre-seminal discharge and pre-ovular discharge.

The above things terminate the wudu except if they occur because of some disease. Sleep and unconsciousness themselves do not terminate wudu; however, since in these states a person is not able to know for certain whether his wudu is intact or not, it is better to do wudu after them.

If, in the case of a journey, sickness or unavailability of water, wudu and the ceremonial bath become difficult, in the verses of Surah Nisa and Surah Ma'idah quoted above the Almighty has allowed the believers to do tayammum (dry ablution). The verses go on to state the method of tayammum as well: hands should be rubbed on a pure surface and wiped over the face and hands. It is reported about the Prophet (sws) that for this he struck both his hands on mud and blew on them and wiped the left hand on the right and the right hand on the left and then wiped both hands on the face.37 The Qur'an has clarified that the tayammum suffices for all type of impurities. It can thus be done both after things that terminate the wudu and after states which need the ceremonial bath. Similarly, it needs to be appreciated that in case of being on a journey or being sick, tayammum can be done even if water is available. Writes Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi:

In case of sickness, the ceremonial bath and wudu can cause harm and thus this relief was given. Similarly, in case of a person being on a journey he may encounter circumstances in which he might have to limit himself to tayammum only. For example, water may not be available in large quantities. In such cases, using it for bathing etc might leave it scanty for drinking or there is a chance that if a person starts preparing to have a bath he might be left behind from his fellow companions of the caravan or a situation may arise when having a bath may become very difficult in a ship or aeroplane that a person is traveling in.38

The Prophet (sws), by drawing an analogy with this directive of tayammum wiped his socks and turbans39 instead of washing the limbs they are worn on. He allowed people to wipe their socks if they are worn after doing wudu. For a stationed person this was allowed for one day and for a traveler for three days.40

Another relief given by the Prophet (sws) on the basis of this analogy was that if the hair of women is plaited, then pouring water over them without disentangling them was enough.41 Still another relief on this basis was that if states which require the ceremonial bath to become pure take the form of sickness, then the ceremonial bath can be done once and other prayers can be offered without it as well.42

Tayammum, no doubt, does not clean a person; however, a little deliberation shows that it serves as a reminder of the real means of achieving cleanliness and as such has special importance. The temperament of the shari'ah is that if a directive cannot be followed in its original form or it becomes very difficult to follow it, then lesser forms should be adopted to serve as its reminder. A big benefit of this is that once circumstances return to normal, one becomes inclined to follow the directive in its original form.

It is essential for the prayer that the direction of the qiblah be ascertained. It is obvious that without this ascertainment, congregational prayers cannot be arranged for. In divine religions, this directive has always been present because of this very reason. It is mentioned in Surah Yunus (10:87) that when the Prophet Moses (sws) started to organize the Israelites in Egypt on the basis of religion, the Almighty directed him to identify certain areas in Egypt for prayers and the houses which they identify for the prayer should be adjudged qiblah and the congregational prayer should be offered facing them. Later, this status was enjoyed by the ark of the covenant mentioned in Surah Baqarah until the Bayt al-Maqdis was constructed. When the Prophet Muhammad (sws) was commissioned, the Jews would pray while facing the Bayt al-Maqdis. He was also directed by the Qur'an (2:143) to the same and was told that the rationale behind this directive was to test the Ishmaelites that whether they follow the Prophet (sws) or disobey him because of their prejudice. Once this objective was achieved, the qiblah was reverted to the Bayt al-Haram.

The verses of Surah Baqarah quoted earlier state this directive. The words Masjid al-Haram of this verse refers to the place of worship in whose centre lies the Baytullah. The words which direct Muslims to turn towards it are فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِالْحَرَامِ. (٢: ١٤٤) (So turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, 2:144). It is evident from these words that the requirement is just to face the Baytullah and not to face it dead straight. However, it is emphasized that wherever the Muslims are whether inside the Masjid al-Haram or outside it - wherever they are they should face this mosque while praying. The reason for this emphasis is that the Jews while inside the Bayt al-Maqdis would make it the qiblah; however, outside it they would make the east or the west as their qiblah. Consequently, Muslims were directed that whether stationed at their residences or while travelling and whether inside the Masjid al-Haram or outside it, at all places they should face this mosque while praying.

Obviously, circumstances in which it is difficult to ascertain the direction of the Masjid al-Haram or when a person is forced to pray while walking or on some means of transport, there is an exception to this directive. It is reported that the Prophet (sws) would pray the optional prayer on his camel in the direction it walked thinking that stopping would cause problems for the caravan.43

5. Rituals of the Prayer

Following are the rituals of the prayer which are laid down in the shari'ah:

The prayer should begin with raf' al-yadayn (raising high both hands);
qiyam (standing upright) should ensue;

It should be followed by the ruku' (kneeling down);

qawmah (standing up after the ruku') should then be done;

two prostrations should then follow;

in the second and last rak'at of each prayer, a person should do qa'dah (to sit with legs folded backwards);

during the qa'dah, the pointing finger of the right hand should be used for gesturing;

when a person intends to end the prayer, he can do so by first turning his face to the right and then to the left during this qa'dah.

These rituals are substantiated by the consensus of the Companions (rta) and perpetual adherence (tawatur) to them by the ummah. The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said: صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُوْنِي أُصَلِّي (Offer the prayer in the very manner you see me offer it).44 Consequently, for this purpose, the thorough and befitting manner in which the Prophet (sws) used to say his prayer is detailed out below:

i. Raf' al-Yadayn

Sometimes, the Prophet (sws) would do raf' al-yadayn while saying the takbir, sometimes before it and sometimes after it.45 His hands would be open, and he would not completely join together the fingers of the hand nor open them completely.46 He would sometimes raise his hands up to the level of his shoulders, and sometimes as high as the upper portion of the ears.47

It is evident from certain narratives that the Prophet (sws) at some instances did the raf' al-yadayn before and after the ruku'.48 Similarly, he would also do it after getting up from the third rak'at49 and sometimes before and after prostrating too.50

ii. Qiyam

In the qiyam position51, he would stand straight with hands tied in front.52 He would hold his hands in a manner that a part of the right hand would be placed on the back of the left hand, a part of it below the left hand and a part on the wrist.53 He stopped people from tying hands in a manner that the left hand be placed on top of the right one.54

There are some Ahadith which mention that the Prophet (sws) tied his hands on his chest.55 This depiction can be understood to mean any place above the naval on which hands are tied. Thus it does not necessarily follow, as certain people have concluded, that the Prophet (sws) tied hands right on the chest.

iii. Ruku'

While doing the ruku', the Prophet (sws) would place his hands on his knees such that it would seem that he is grasping them.56 The fingers would be open and placed below the knees.57 He would not let his elbows touch his sides.58 Both hands would be stretched like a bow.59 He would neither bend his head nor lift it upwards but would keep it aligned with his back60 and would say: "O People! A person who did not straighten his back while kneeling and prostrating has [in fact] not prayed."61

iv. Qawmah

When the Prophet (sws) would rise after kneeling, he would stand up straight such that his spine would come back to its original position.62 Generally, he would stand for the same amount of time as he would kneel but sometimes would stand for longer periods of time giving the impression that he had forgotten to proceed for the next ritual.63 He would remark: "A person's prayer would not be worth God's attention who while rising after kneeling does not straighten his back and goes into prostration."64

v. Prostration

When the Prophet (sws) would go into prostration, he would join his fingers and spread his palms.65 The fingers would face the ka'bah66 and the hands would be placed adjacent to the shoulders and sometimes in front of the ears67 and so far apart that a baby goat could pass below them.68 He would also keep apart his arms from his body to the extent that a person standing behind him could see the whiteness of his arm pits.69 He would place his feet upright,70 join both his heels,71 and would turn the fingers of his feet in the direction of the ka'bah.72 He would say: "I have been directed to prostrate through my forehead, nose, both hands, both knees and the fore-feet."73

vi. Jilsah

In between the two prostrations, the Prophet (sws) would spread his feet and composedly sit on them.74 He would use up almost equal time in jilsah, prostration, qawmah75; however, sometimes, like qawmah, he would sit in the jilsah for a long time giving the impression that he had forgotten to proceed.76 It has also been reported that sometimes instead of standing up straight after the second prostration, he would sit down and then stand up for the next rak'at.77

vii. Qa'dah

The Prophet (sws) would sit in qa'dah in just the same way as in jilsah by spreading one feet and sitting on it.78 The right foot would be upright79 and he would spread his right hand on the right knee and the left one on the left knee and would raise his pointing finger.80 He would do this by coiling all the other fingers and placing his thumb on the centre finger and sometimes would make a circle with both of them.81

In the last rak'at of the prayer, he would sometimes sit in a manner that he would place his left hip on the floor and take out the left feet towards the right one.82

To the end the prayer, he would generally turn to both his right and his left.83

He would complete all these rituals of the prayer with thoroughness and diligence and would counsel people to do so as well.84

6. Utterances of the Prayer

Following are the various utterances of the prayer:

The prayer shall begin by saying اللهُ أكْبَر (God is the greatest);

Then Surah Fatihah shall be recited during the qiyam, after which, according to one's convenience, a portion from the rest of the Qur'an shall be recited;

While going into the ruku', اللهُ أكْبَر shall be pronounced;

While rising from the ruku', سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ (God heard him who expressed his gratitude to Him) shall be uttered;

While going for the prostration and rising from it, اللهُ أكْبَر shall be pronounced;

While rising from the qa'dah for the qiyam, اللهُ أكْبَر shall once again be pronounced;

At the end of the prayer, السَّلاُمُ عَلَيكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُ اللهِ (peace and blessings of God be on you)shall be said while facing towards the right and then the left;

اللهُ أكْبَر, سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ and السَّلاُمُ عَلَيكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُ اللهِ shall always be said loudly. In the first two rak'at of the maghrib and 'isha prayers, and in both rak'at of the fajr, Friday and 'id prayers, the recital shall be loud. The recital shall always be silent in the third rak'at of maghrib and in the third and fourth of the 'isha prayer. In the zuhr and 'asr prayers, the recital shall be silent in all the rak'at.

These are the utterances prescribed by the shari'ah for the prayer. They are in Arabic, and, like the practices of the prayer, are validated by the consensus and tawatur (perpetual adherence) of the Muslim ummah. Besides these, a person can express any utterance in his own language which expresses the sovereignty of the Almighty, gratitude towards Him or is a supplication. In this regard, the sayings and preferences of the Prophet (sws) are enlisted below:

i. During Qiyam

1. In the first rak'at of the prayer, the Prophet (sws) would celebrate the praises of the Lord or say some supplication after saying the takbir and before beginning the recital.

Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates that the Prophet (sws) would remain silent after the takbir and before the recital. I asked: "May my parents be sacrificed for you, what do you say when you remain silent between the takbir and the recital?" The Prophet (sws) replied: I pray:

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنْ الدَّنَسِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ

O Lord! Distance me from my sins the way you have distanced the east and the west from one another. O Lord! Cleanse me of my sins the way a white cloth is cleansed of dirt. O Lord! Wash my sins with water and snow and hail.85

'Ali (rta) narrates that the Prophet (sws) would say the following words after the takbir:

وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

While leaving aside everything I have faced the Creator of the heavens and the earth and I am not in any way among the polytheists. My prayer and my sacrifice, my life and my death, are all for God, Lord of the Universe. No one is His partner. It is this directive that I have been given, and I am the first Muslim. O God! You are the king; there is no god besides you. You are my Lord and I am your servant. I have wronged my soul and I confess my sins. So please forgive all my sins. No doubt, only You can forgive sins. Please guide me to be a morally good person and only You can guide me to this. Please dissociate me from bad morals and only You can dissociate me from these. I am in Your presence O Lord! And fully prepared to follow Your command. All good is in Your hands and evil cannot be attributed to You. I exist because of You and I have to return to You. You the Blessed One, the Almighty. I seek forgiveness from You and turn to You.86

It is narrated by 'A'ishah (rta), mother of the faithfuls that the Prophet (sws) would begin the prayer with the following words:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللّّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسمُكَ وَتَعَالى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكْ

Glory be to you O Lord and You possess all worthy attributes. Blessed is Your name. Lofty is Your Majesty, and there is no god except You.87

It is also narrated by 'A'ishah (rta), mother of the faithful, that the Prophet (sws) would begin the prayer with the following words:

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جَبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنْ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

O God! The Lord of Gabriel. Micheal and Raphael, the Creator of the Heavens and the earth, One who knows what is apparent and what is hidden, You shall decide the differences between Your creation. Please guide me with Your grace regarding all the differences which are about the truth. No doubt you guide whomsoever you want to [according to Your law] to the right path.88

Ibn 'Abbas (rta) narrates that when the Prophet (sws) would stand in the tahajjud prayer, he would say the following supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باِللهِ

O Lord! gratitude is for You. It is You who is instrumental in keeping the heavens and the earth and what is in between them in existence and gratitude is for You only. The sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them belongs to You and gratitude is for You. You are the light of the heavens and the earth and of those between the two and gratitude is for You. You are the king of the heavens and the earth and gratitude is for You. You are a certain reality, and your promise is true and meeting with You is a certainty and Your books are true and Paradise is a truth and Hell is a truth and all the prophets are true and Muhammad is true and the Day of Judgement is certain to come. O Lord! I am obedient to You and accept You and repose my trust in You and turn to You and fought with Your enemies with Your help and only to you brought my pleadings. Forgive my sins of the past and of the future done in private or in public. It is You Who sends forward and it is You Who relegates backwards. There is no god except You; power and control is only because of You.89

There are some other prayers and supplications as well which are found in various narratives. It is also recorded in some narratives that the Prophet (sws) was appreciative of similar words of supplication uttered by some people at the beginning of the prayer and said: "The doors of the heavens have been opened for them, and I have seen twelve angels with each of them trying to outdo others to take these people away."90

2. After these supplications, the Prophet (sws) would seek refuge with the Almighty by saying:

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنْ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ

I seek refuge with the Almighty - who knows and sees all - from the accursed Satan's evil suggestions, his blows and the thoughts he inspires.91

3. After this the Prophet (sws) would begin reciting Surah Fatihah with the verse92 :الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ and would stop at each verse.

He is reported to have said:93

A person who has not recited Surah Fatihah is as if he has not offered the prayer.94

The prayer without Surah Fatihah is incomplete; it is incomplete, it is incomplete.95

The Almighty says: "I have divided the prayer into two equal portions, between Myself and My servant, and My servant will be granted what he asks for in it." When the servant says الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Gratitude is for Allah), the Almighty says: "My servant has expressed his gratitude to Me." And when the servant says: الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ (The Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful), the Almighty replies: "My servant has praised Me." When the servant says: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (Master of the Day of Judgement), Allah says: "My servant has glorified Me." And when the servant says:إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (You alone we worship, and You alone we call upon for help), Allah says: "This [portion] is common between Me and My servant, and My servant will be granted what he asks for." And when the worshipper says: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (Set us firm on the straight path. The path of those you have blessed, not of those who have earned your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray), God says: "This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for."96

4. The portion of the Qur'an, he would read after Surah Fatihah would at times be lengthy, and, at others, short keeping in view the circumstances.97 He used to say: "I would begin the prayer with the intention of offering it at length, and then I shorten it when I hear the voice of a child crying, thinking that his mother would be worried on these cries."98

He would recite the Qur'an in a slow and measured tone such that each word would be clear and distinct from the other.99 He would advise people to recite the Qur'an in a good and melodious voice.100 It is evident from various narratives that he would respond to the verses of the Qur'an. Consequently, on occasions in which a verse would ask to glorify the Almighty, he would do so, on occasions of prostration101 he would prostrate102, seek the mercy of God on verses of mercy, and seek His refuge on verses which mention torment and punishments, and would say آمِيْن (Amen) on the content of the supplication.103

He is reported to have said that when he who recites the Qur'an says آمِيْن you should also say آمِيْن because he whose آمِيْن is said in correspondence with the آمِيْن of the angles, his previous sins are forgiven.

After the recital in the last rak'at of the tahajjud prayer the Prophet (sws) would say various supplications. They are called the supplications of qanut. For this very purpose, he taught Hasan (rta) the following prayer:

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Lord guide me by including me among those whom You have guided and give me tranquillity by including me among those whom You have given tranquillity and make me [your friend] by including me among those whom You have befriended and shower Your blessings on what you have given me, and save me from the evil of things which You have ordained for me. Indeed, it is You who decides and no one can pass judgement on You and indeed the person whom You befriend is never humiliated. Very great and very Blessed and very Majestic are You O Our Lord!106

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْـتَعِيْـنُكَ وَنَسْـتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِيْ عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ ونَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَّفْجُرُكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْـبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّىْ وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُوْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ

O Lord! We seek Your help and Your forgiveness. We profess faith in You and put our trust in You and glorify You in the most befitting manner. We express our gratitude to You and will never be ungrateful to You and stay away from those who disobey You and leave them. O Lord! We worship You only and offer the prayer for You only and prostrate before You only. All our efforts are for You only. We seek Your mercy and are fearful of Your punishment. Indeed, Your punishment is bound to come on the disbelievers.107

ii. While Kneeling

The Prophet (sws) forbade Muslims to recite the Qur'an while kneeling in the prayer,108 and bade them glorify the Almighty in this position instead.109 Consequently, he would sometimes repeat the words سُبْحَان رَبِّي الآعْلَى (Glorious is my Lord, the majestic)110 during kneeling and sometimes would say one of the following utterances:

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ

He is free of all faults and blemishes; He is the Lord of the angels and Gabriel.111

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي

O God! O Lord! Glorious are You and You possess all worthy attributes. O God! Forgive Me.112

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ أَنْتَ رَبِّي خَشَعَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَلَحْمِي وَدَمِي وَمُخِّي وَعَصَبِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

O God I knelt before You alone and professed faith in You only and consigned myself to You alone and put my trust in You only. You are my Lord! My ears and my eyes and my blood and my meat and my bones and my muscles are in humble obedience before God, Lord of the worlds.113

In the tahajjud prayer, the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said the following words as well:

سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ

Glorious is He Who is the Controller, the Lofty and the Majestic.114

iii. In the Qawmah

When the Prophet (sws) would rise after kneeling he would say رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْجَمْد (Lord! Gratitude is for You only) after سَمِعَ اللّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ and at times رَبَّنَا وَ لَكَ الْحِمْد (Lord! And gratitude is for You only) and sometimes he would add the word أَللَّهُمَّ [O God!] in the beginning.115 Some narratives show that he would also say the following words after رَبَّنَا وَ لَكَ الْجَمْد:

...مِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ أَهْلَ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ أَحَقُّ مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ وَكُلُّنَا لَكَ عَبْدٌ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ

... to the extent that the earth and the sky get filled with it and after that what You wish also becomes brimful. Praise and majesty are for You only. You most befittingly are worthy of what Your servants have [just] said, and all of Us are Your servants. O Lord! whom You have given, no one can stop him [from receiving it], and no one can give the one whom You stop giving, and the greatness and majesty of none can save him from Your grasp.116

This addition has been reported with similar words as well,117 and in the tahajjud prayer the words لِرَبِّيَ الْحَمْد (gratitude is for my Lord only) have also been reported.118 It is also narrated that once in the last rak'at of this prayer in the qawmah the Prophet (sws) offered supplications for some people by name for a month and supplicated for the doom of some others. The manner in which this was done was that he would raise his hands and recite the supplications in a loud voice while the people behind him would be saying Amen.119

He is reported to have said: "Respond to the words of the imam سَمِعَ اللّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ by saying رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْجَمْد أَللَّهُمَّ because he who pronounces these words in union with the angles, his previous sins are forgiven."120

When a Companion (rta) of the Prophet (sws) added the words حَمْداً كَثِيْراً طَيِّباً مُبَارَكاً (heaps of gratitude which is pure and blessed), he commented: "I have seen more than thirty angels trying to outdo each other to write these words."121

iv. During Prostrations

The Prophet (sws) has also forbidden Muslims to recite the Qur'an during prostrations122 - just as he has done so during kneeling, and has said that since during a prostration a person comes closest to his Lord, he should say as much supplications as he can.123 Consequently, words سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلى (Glorious is my Lord, the Greatest) have been reported to be recited by him during prostration,124 and some other words also have been reported in place of these.

Of these, the ones which are mentioned in various narratives are the following:

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ

Above is He from all blemishes and shortcomings, the Lord of Gabriel and the angels.125

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي

O God! O Lord! Glory be to You our Lord and You possess all worthy attributes. O God! Forgive me.126

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ عَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ

O God! Forgive all my sins - small and big, of the past and of the future, done openly or secretly.127

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ

O God! I prostrated for You only and professed faith in You alone and gave up myself to You only. My face is in prostration for He who created it and designed it and then made in it ears and eyes. Very great and very benevolent is God, the best of Creators.128

In the tahajjud prayer, the following supplications are also reported:

سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Glory be to You, and You possess all worthy attributes. There is no God but you.129

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ

O God forgive all my sins done secretly or openly.130

اللَّهُمَّ أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ

O Lord! I seek safe refuge with your pleasure from Your displeasure and with Your safety from Your torment! And [O Lord] I seek Your refuge from You. It is not possible for me to praise You of which You are worthy. You are exactly as You have praised Yourself.131

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ شِمَالِي نُورًا وَتَحْتِي نُورًا وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَخَلْفِي نُورًا وَفَوْقِي نُورًا وَ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَ اجْعَلْنِي نُورًا

O Lord! Create light in my heart, and create light in my ears and my eyes, and create light on my right and on my left, and create light in front of me and behind me, and create light over me and below me, and [O Lord!] make me an embodiment of light.132

v. During the Jilsah

The Prophet (sws) has also supplicated while sitting in between prostrations. Consequently, it is reported that he used to repeat the words رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي (O Lord! Forgive me)133 in this position and, in the tahajjud prayer, the following supplication is reported:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي

O Lord! Forgive me, have mercy on me, give me peace and guidance and sustenance.134

vi. During the Qa'dah

The qa'dah (sitting after completing the prostrations) of the prayer is reserved for supplications, and a person can say whatever supplication he wants to. The guidance provided by the practice of the Prophet (sws) in this regard is detailed out below:

1. 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (rta) says that when we would pray with the Prophet (sws), we would say: "Peace be to God from His servants and peace be to such and such persons". When the Prophet (sws) heard this, he said: "Don't say: 'Peace be to God', for God Himself is entirely peace. Say this instead: التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ (All salutations, supplications and good deeds are for God. Peace be to you O Messenger of God, and blessings and mercy. Peace be to us also and to all pious people too). If you say these words, your supplication will reach every person who is in the sky or is found somewhere between the sky and the earth. [He further said:] أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (sws) is His servant and messenger). After this, a person can say any supplication he wants to for himself.135

With slight variations, the above supplication is also reported by 'Umar (rta), 'A'ishah (rta), 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (rta), 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (rta) and Abu Musa 'Ash'ari (rta).136 It is evident from the narratives that after this, the Prophet (sws) would diligently teach this supplication to his Companions (rta).137

2. Abu Mas'ud (rta) narrates: "We were sitting at the place of Sa'd Ibn 'Ubadah (rta). When the Prophet (sws) came over, Bashir Ibn Sa'd (rta) asked: 'O Messenger of God! God has directed us to send blessings on you; please let us know how we should do this?' At this, the Prophet (sws) kept silent and we wished that we had not asked this question. He then said: 'You should say:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

O God! be merciful to Muhammad and his clan the way you have been merciful to Abraham and his clan and send Your blessings on Muhammad and his clan the way you have sent Your blessings on Abraham and his clan in this whole world. Indeed, You are great and possess all worthy attributes.'138"

There are some variations in the words of this supplication; however, by and large the theme is the same. It is also narrated that the Prophet (sws) has said about the darud: "A person who sends mercy on me once, the Almighty will send mercy on him ten times."139

The Qur'anic directive referred to in the narrative is:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا (٥٦:٣٣)

The Prophet is blessed by God and His angels. Bless him, then, you that are true believers, and greet him with a worthy salutation. (33:56)

3. Other supplications which the Prophet (sws) has said in the qa'dah or has urged Muslims to say are:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ

O God! I seek Your refuge from the torment of Hell and seek Your refuge from the torment of the grave and from the trial of life and death and from the trial of the great deceiver who will claim to be Jesus.140

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّك أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

O God! I have wronged my soul a lot and [I know that] none except You can forgive my sins. So [O Lord!] Please forgive me through Your compassion and have mercy on me. Indeed You are Compassionate and Ever Merciful.141

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَمِلْتُ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لَمْ أَعْمَلْ

O Lord! I seek Your refuge from the evil of what I have done and what I have not done.142

اللَّهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِيْ حِسَابًا يَّسِيْرًا

O Lord! Show lenience to me in taking my account.143

اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي اللَّهُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْفَقْرِ وَالْغِنَى وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ

O Lord! through the help of Your knowledge of the unknown and Your power over Your Creation give me life till the time You deem it appropriate for me, and take me away from this world when You deem it appropriate for me. O God! and I seek humility towards You in open and in private, and want to be guided to the truth in happiness and in sorrow and request You to make me a balanced person between poverty and richness and want a blessing which will never finish and the coldness of the eyes which will never cease, and seek the courage to be happy at Your decisions and seek the serenity of life after death, and seek from You the fondness of meeting You and the joy of seeing You in a manner that I do not remain in hardships which are harmful and in a trial which lead [a person] astray. O God! please grant us the grace of faith, and make us such that we ourselves remain among the guided and are instrumental in providing guidance to others.144

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُوْلُكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَسْتَعِيْذُِكَ مِمَّا اسْتَعَاذَكَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُوْلُكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مَا قَضَيْتَ لِيْ مِنْ أَمْرٍ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ عَاقِبَتَهُ رُشْدًا

O God! I seek from You goodness of every sort - that which is to be given to me in the immediate future and that also which is to be given at the time You have appointed for it, that also which I know and that also which I do not. I seek refuge with You from every kind of evil - the one which may befall soon and also for which You appointed a time, that which I know and that also which I have no knowledge of and I seek Paradise from You and the urge to have beliefs and do deeds which will take me near it. And I seek refuge with You from Hell through beliefs and deeds which take me near it. [Lord!] I seek goodness from You - the goodness which Your servant and messenger Muhammad intended, and seek Your refuge from things from which Your servant and messenger has sought refuge. And whatever decision You have made for me, I seek from You a good fate in it.145

It is narrated by 'Ali (rta) that in the qa'dah the Prophet (sws) would generally say the following supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

O God forgive my sins of the past and of the future done in private or in public. And also forgive whatever excesses I have committed and all those things also which You know more than I know. It is You Who sends forward and it is You Who relegates backwards. There is no god except You.146

Wa'il (rta) narrates that sometimes the Prophet (sws) would add the word وَبَرَكَاتُهُ to السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ when he would say salam on the right side.147

vii. After the Prayer

After finishing the prayer also, the Prophet (sws) would say various supplications and remember the Almighty.

Ibn 'Abbas (rta) narrates: "Upon hearing اللهُ أكْبَرْ I would come to know that Prophet (sws) had ended his prayer."148

'A'ishah (rta) says that after saying the salam, the Prophet (sws) would sit for just enough time so as to say:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

O God! You are peace in entirety and all peace is from You. O Possessor of respect and honour! You are blessed.149

Thaw'ban (rta) says that before saying the above prayer, he would ask for the forgiveness of the Almighty three times.150

Mughirah Ibn Shu'bah (rta) reports that the Prophet (sws) would say the following supplication after the prayer:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ

There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all glorification and gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things. O Lord! Whom You give, no one can stop him [from receiving it], and no one can give the one whom You stop giving, and the greatness and majesty of none can stop You to grasp [someone].151

'Abdullah Ibn Zubayr (rta) reports that the Prophet (sws) would recite the following supplication right after the prayer:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all glorification and gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things. Power and strength - all are a blessing from Him. There is no god except Allah and we worship Him only. Favours and blessings are from Him and befitting glorification is for Him only. There is no god except Allah. Obedience is purely for Him even though the disbelievers dislike this.152

It is reported that Sa'd (rta) used to teach these words to his children and would say that after every prayer, the Prophet (sws) would seek refuge with the Almighty through these words:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْبُخْلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْجُبْنِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

O God! I seek Your refuge from miserliness and cowardice and seek Your refuge from going to old age and seek Your refuge from the trial of life and from the torment in the graves.153

It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rta) that the Prophet (sws) instructed the poor among the Companions who belonged to the muhajirun to recite سُبْحَانَ اللَّه (glory be to God), أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (gratitude is for God), اَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (God is the greatest) 33 times each after the prayer.154

Abu Hurayrah (rta) also narrates that if after the above 99 words the following 100th words are said, then the sins of a person are forgiven even if they equal the foam of the sea:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things.155

In a narrative of Ibn 'Ujrah, it is reported that سُبْحَانَ اللَّه should be said 33 times, أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ should be said 33 times and اَللَّهُ أَكْبَر should be said 34 times.156

It is narrated by Zayd Ibn Thabit (rta) that a person from the ansar told the Prophet (sws) that in a dream someone told him to recite سُبْحَانَ اللَّه 25 times, أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّه 25 times, اَللَّهُ أَكْبَر 25 times and لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ 25 times. The Prophet said: "Do so".157

_______________________
1. Tirmadhi, No: 2616.
2. Bukhari, No: 504.
3. Mu'atta, No: 6.
4. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur'an, 2nd ed., vol. 6 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 53.
5. Bukhari, No: 505.
6. Qur'an, 2:45.
7. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dar al-Ahya wa al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1969), 87.
8. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur'an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 203.
9. Ibid., vol. 9, 25.
10. Bukhari, No: 1094.
11. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur'an, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 229.
12. Abu Da'ud, No: 4986.
13. Nasa'i, No: 3940.
14. Usage of the word tasbih in this couplet shows that it is used for the prayer. In the Qur'an also, this connotation of the word is common.
15. Abu Da'ud, No: 635.
16. Kanz al-'Ummal, No: 22535.
17. Abu Da'ud, No: 652.
18. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, No: 19090.
19. Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, vol. 2, 274.
20. Muslim, No: 2437.
21. All these translations of the various excerpts of the Bible are from the Arabic which in turn directly was done from the Greek version.
22. This refers to 3 pm in the after noon, ie the time of 'asr.
23. This refers to the afternoon, ie. the time of zuhr.
24. Abraham I Katsh, Judaism in Islam, 1st ed. (New York: Bloch Publishing Company, 1954), 10.
25. This is a reference to a special law of the Almighty relating to the progeny of Abraham (sws) according to which they were punished in their national capacity in this very world for their sins.
26. A state that a person is in after sexual intercourse, or a seminal/ovular discharge.
27. Muslim: No. 316.
28. Muslim: No. 317.
29. Bukhari, Nos: 158, 184; Muslim, Nos: 226, 235.
30. Bukhari, Nos: 156, 157.
31. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah; He is alone and has no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger.
32. Muslim, No: 234.
33. Bukhari, No: 244; Muslim, No: 2710.
34. Muslim, Nos: 305, 307, 308.
35. Mu'atta, No: 60. Obviously those sins which relate to the rights of human beings or which require repentance and atonement are not implied here.
36. Bukhari, No: 136.
37. Bukhari, Nos: 331, 340; Abu Da'ud, No: 321.
38. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur'an, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 303.
39. Bukhari, Nos: 199, 200, 203; Muslim, Nos: 272, 275.
40. Muslim, No: 276.
41. Muslim, No: 330.
42. Bukhari, 300.
43. Bukhari, No: 1042; Muslim, No: 701.
44. Bukhari: No. 605.
45. Bukhari, No: 705; Muslim, Nos: 390, 391.
46. Abu Da'ud, No: 753; Ibn Khuzaymah, No: 459.
47. Bukhari, Nos: 702, 705; Muslim, No: 391; Abu Da'ud, No: 726; Nasa'i, No: 881.
48. Bukhari, No: 702; Muslim, No: 390.
49. Bukhari, No: 706.
50. Nasa'i, No: 1085.
51. Abu Da'ud, No: 730; Ibn Majah, No: 862.
52. Muslim, 401; Abu Da'ud, No: 759.
53. Nasa'i, No: 889.
54. Abu Da'ud, No: 755.
55. Ahmad, No: 22017, Abu Da'ud, No: 759.
56. Bukhari, No: 794; Abu Da'ud, No: 734.
57. Ahmad, Nos: 17117, 17122.
58. Abu Da'ud, No: 734.
59. Ibid.
60. Muslim, No: 498; Abu Da'ud, No: 730.
61. Abu Da'ud, No: 855, Nasa'i, No: 1027; Ibn Majah, Nos: 870, 871.
62. Bukhari, No: 794.
63. Bukhari, No: 787; Muslim, No: 472.
64. Ahmad, No: 10812.
65. Ibn Abi Shaybah, No: 2716.
66. Ibid.
67. Abu Da'ud, No: 734; Nasa'i, No: 889.
68. Muslim, No: 496
69. Muslim, Nos: 495, 497.
70. Muslim, No: 486.
71. Ibn Khuzaymah, No: 654.
72. Bukhari, No: 793.
73. Bukhari, No: 779; Muslim, No: 490.
74. Abu Da'ud, Nos: 730, 734.
75. Bukhari, No: 759; Muslim, No: 471.
76. Bukhari, No: 787; Muslim, No: 472.
77. Bukhari, No: 789; Abu Da'ud, No: 730.
78. Bukhari, No: 794; Abu Da'ud, Nos: 731, 734.
79. Bukhari, No: 794; Abu Da'ud, Nos: 730, 734.
80. Muslim, Nos: 579, 580; Abu Da'ud, No: 734. This gesturing with the pointing finger is a symbolic expression of tawhid. Hence it is more probable that it be done in this sitting position while remembering Allah's name in the various supplications that are said in this position.
81. Muslim, No: 580.
82. Bukhari, No: 793; Abu Da'ud, Nos: 730, 731.
83. Muslim, No: 582.
84. Bukhari, No: 724; Abu Da'ud, No: 730.
85. Bukhari, No: 711; Muslim, No: 598.
86. Muslim, No: 771.
87. Abu Da'ud, No: 776.
88. Muslim, No: 770.
89. Bukhari, No: 1069.
90. Muslim, No: 600.
91. Abu Da'ud, No: 775.
92. Muslim, No: 498.
93. Tirmadhi, No: 2927.
94. Bukhari, No: 723.
95. Muslim, No: 395.
96. Ibid.
97. Ahmad, No: 13726.
98. Bukhari, No: 675.
99. Abu Da'ud, No: 1466.
100. Abu Da'ud, Nos: 1468, 1469; Ibn Majah, No: 1337.
101. Muslim, No: 772.
102. Bukhari, Nos: 1018, 1019, 1024.
103. Abu Da'ud, Nos: 871, 936.
104. Abu Da'ud, No: 936.
105. Abu Da'ud, No: 1427.
106. Abu Da'ud, No: 1425.
107. Tahawi, No: 1370.
108. Muslim, No: 480.
109. Muslim, No: 479.
110. Abu Da'ud, No: 874.
111. Muslim, No: 487.
112. Bukhari, No: 761.
113. Nasa'i, No: 1051.
114. Abu Da'ud, No: 873.
115. Bukhari, Nos: 702, 756, 4284.
116. Muslim, No: 477.
117. Abu Da'ud, No: 760.
118. Abu Da'ud, No: 874.
119. Bukhari, Nos: 27724, 3870, 4284; Abu Da'ud, No: 1443; Ahmad, No: 12425.
120. Bukhari, No: 763.
121. Abu Da'ud, No: 770.
122. Muslim, No: 480.
123. Muslim, No: 482.
124. Abu Da'ud, Nos: 871, 874.
125. Muslim, No: 487.
126. Abu Da'ud, No: 877.
127. Muslim, No: 483.
128. Muslim, No: 771.
129. Muslim, No: 485.
130. Nasa'i, No: 1124.
131. Muslim, No: 486.
132. Muslim, 763.
133. Ibn Majah, No: 897.
134. Abu Da'ud, No: 850.
135. Bukhari, No: 800
136. Mu'atta, No: 203; Muslim, Nos: 403, 404; Abu Da'ud, No: 971, Ibn Abi Shaybah, No: 2993.
137. Muslim, No: 403.
138. Muslim, No: 405
139. Nasa'i, No: 1295.
140. Muslim, No: 588.
141. Bukhari, No: 799.
142. Muslim, No: 2716.
143. Ahmad, No: 24261.
144. Nasa'i, No: 1305.
145. Ahmad, No: 25180.
146. Abu Da'ud, No: 1509.
147. Abu Da'ud, No: 997.
148. Bukhari, No: 806.
149. Muslim, No: 592.
150. Muslim, No: 591.
151. Bukhari, No: 808.
152. Muslim, No: 594.
153. Bukhari, No: 6004.
154. Muslim, No: 595.
155. Muslim, No: 597.
156. Muslim, No: 596.
157. Ahmad, No: 21640.