Prophet Muhammad's Manner Of Performing Prayers (PBUH)

All praise be to Allah alone, and may His peace and blessings be upon
His messenger and bondsman our Prophet Mohammed, his family and his
companions.

The objective of this concise pamphlet is to explain how prophet
Mohammed (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform his
prayers. I would like to present this explanation to every male and
female Muslim so that they may strive to take up the Prophet's manner in
performing their prayers as a model for them.

It was narrated by Al Bukhari that Prophet Mohammed (Peace and blessings
of Allah be on him) had said: "Perform your prayers in the same
manner you had seen me doing."


Therefore, here is the explanation for the Prophet's manner of
prayer:


(1) To perform completely the ablution, adopting the method commanded by
Allah in the Quran: "O ye who believe, when ye prepare for prayer, wash
your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows, rub your heads(with
water) and (wash) your feet to the ankles."(S:6)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: "Prayer
without ablution is invalid."


(2) To turn one's face and whole body towards the Ka'aba, The Holy House
at Makkah, intending by heart to perform the prayer which he wants to
fulfill, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a supererogatory prayer,
the worshipper in all cases, should not pronounce his intention openly,
because neither the Prophet nor his companions used to utter the
intention for prayer. Thus, pronouncing the intention for prayer in
audible voice is a heresy and an illicit action. Whether the individual
be an Imam or performs his prayer individually, he should make (A Sutra)
i.e. a curtain for his prayer. Directing the face towards the Qibla
(The Ka'aba at Makkah) is an imperative condition for every prayer.
However, there are few exceptions for this rule explained in
authoritative books for whom who wish to refer.


(3) To pronounce "Takbirat Al Ihram" that is to say "Allahu Akbar"
celebrating by that the greatness of Allah and looking meanwhile,
downwards to the place where he will prostrate.


(4) To raise one's hands up to the level of the shoulders or near to the
lobes of his ears, while pronouncing "Takbirat Al Ihram".


(5) To put one's right hand over his left hand and left wrist, and put
them both over his chest, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) used to do.


(6) It is advisable that the worshipper recite this opening supplication
saying: "Allahumma bald bayni wa bayena khatayaya kama boadta bayena al
mashriki wal maghribi, Allahumma naqqiniy min khatayaya kama yonaqa al
thawbo alabyndo min aldans... Allahumma igysilniy min khatayaya bilmai
wathalgi walbarad."
This supplication means: "O Allah, separate me from my sins as You have
separated the east and west. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as the white
rope is cleansed from dirt. O Allah, wash off my sins with water, snow
and hail."

Or, may say instead:
"Sobhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika wa~abaraka Ismoka wata'la jaddoka wala
ilaha ghayroka"
"Praise and glory be to Allah. Blessed be Your Name, exalted be Your
Majesty and Glory. There is no god but You."

Or he may say any other supplications which the Prophet, (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) used to say in his prayers. It is better
to recite these supplications alternately, the first one in the morning
prayer "Fajr", the second in the noon prayer "Zuhr", each one by turn,
in conformity with what the Prophet used to do.

After reciting the opening supplication, the worshipper says:
"Aouzo billahi min al shaytani r ragim”
Which means:
"I seek protection of Allah against the accursed Satan."


Then says:
"Bism illahi Rahmani Raheem"
Which means:
"In the name of Allah, the All Merciful, the All Compassionate."
and recites the Fatiha (The opening Sura of the glorious Quran).

Prophet Mohammed, may peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Prayer
without reciting the Fatiha is invalid".

The worshipper should say "A'meen" after reciting the Fatiha loudly if
the prayer is said loudly, and whisper it in inaudible prayers. To be in
conformity with the traditions of the Prophet, the worshipper is
advised to recite verses from medium size Suras of the Quran in the Zuhr
(noon), Asr (late afternoon), and Isha (night) prayers. As for the Fajr
(morning) prayer, the worshipper is advised to recite a passage from
the long Suras of the Quran. He has the choice in Maghrib prayer
(Evening prayer) either to recite passages from the long Suras or from
the short Suras 6 of the Quran.


(7) Then, the worshipper bows in "Ruku" raising his hands up to the
level of his shoulders or ears while saying "Allahu Akbar" "Allah is
Great" then bends down, making his head and back on one level and
putting his hands with the fingers spread on his knees.

The worshipper should feel serenity and tranquillity while bowing, he
should say thrice at least:
"Subhana Rabbiayl A'zim"

Which means:
"Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty."


It is advisable to say while bowing in addition to that:
"Subhanak Allahumma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allahumma Ighfir liy"
Which means:
"Glory be to Thee, O Allah, and I praise Thee, forgive me my sins."


( To raise one's head up from bowing, raising one's hands to the level
of his shoulders or ears, saying, in case of being Imam or praying
alone:
"Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah"
Which means:
"Allah listens to him who praises Him"

While resuming the standing position, he should say:
"Rabbana wa laka al hamdu hamdan katheera'n tayyiban mobarakan feehiy
mil'a ssamawati wa mila alardhi wa mil'a ma baynahoma wa mil'a ma Shita
min shiyin ba'ad"
This supplication means:
"Our Lord, praise be fore Thee only, praises plentiful and blessed as to
fill the heavens, the earth, what in between, and fill that which will
please Thee besides them."

But if the worshipper is a follower, and led in his prayer by the Imam
he should say when rising up “Rabbana wa lake alhamd...” etc.

It is advisable for the Imam, the follower, or who prays alone to add
also:
"You Allah who deserve all praises and all glory, your praising is the
best and most true of whatever Your servant can say, we all are Your
servants, Our Lord, no one can ever deprive aught of what You have
bestowed and no one can ever give aught of what You have deprived."

The worshipper is advised to put his hands on his chest, as he had done
before he bowed. Both Wa'il Ibn Haggar and Sahl Ibn Sai'yd reported that
this was the manner of the Prophet when he used to raise his head up
after bowing.


(9) To prostrate saying "Allahu Akbar" "Allah is Great". He should touch
the ground with his knees before touching it with his hands, if that is
possible to him. If not, he is permitted to touch the ground by his
hand before his knees. His fingers and toes should be directed towards
the Qibla Makkah, and his hands should be stretched, and the fingers
close together and not separated. In prostration, the worshipper should
use these seven organs: The forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees
and the internal parts of the toes.

These seven organs should touch the ground. Then the worshipper should
say thrice or more:
"Subhana Rabbiyal A'ala"
Which means:
"Glorified is my Lord, the Exalted."

It is advisable to say:
"Subhanaka Allahuma Rabbana wa bi hamdika, Allahuma Ighfir liy."
This means:
"Glory be to Thee, Our Lord, and I praise Thee. Our Lord, forgive me my
sins."

It is recommendable for the worshipper to exceed more and more in
supplications and ask for more from his Lord, because the Prophet, may
peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said (which means):
"As for bowing "Ruku" you should glorify your Lord during performing it,
as for prostration, you should do your best to supplicate and ask for
more from Him, because your supplications during prostration are more
worthy to be accepted."

The worshipper should ask his Lord for prosperity both in this worldly
life and in the Hereafter. Whether it is an obligatory prayer or an
optional prayer, the worshipper, while prostrating, should neither bring
his hands close to his sides, nor stick his abdomen to his thighs, or
his thighs to his legs. The worshipper's arms should be raised up from
the ground because the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on
him, prohibited putting the arms and stretching them on the ground,
ordering that "adjust your prostration, keep straight in it, and stretch
not your hands on the ground as dogs do."


(10) He should raise his head from prostration saying: "Allahu Akbar"
and lays his left foot flat on the ground and sits upon it, keeping his
right foot erected, his hands on his thighs and knees, and says:
"O my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, provide me with your
blessings and console me."
The worshipper should feel tranquillity during this pause.


(11) To prostrate again saying "Allahu Akbar" and repeating during his
prostration what he did and said in the first prostration.


(12) Then the worshipper raises his head saying "Allahu Akbar" taking a
pause similar to the pause between the two prostration; this is called
"the pause for rest." It is recommended for the worshipper to do such a
pause, but there is no sin if he desists from it. Then the worshipper
rises up and stands supporting on his knees, or on the ground if he
cannot support himself on the knees, reads the Fatihah (The opening Sura
of the glorious Quran) and some other verses of the Quran and do as
just as he did in the first Rakaah (unit of prayer). Those who pray
behind the Imam should not compete with him in the prayer actions as the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said (which means):
The Imam is to be followed, if he says: "Allahu Akbar" which means
"Allah is Great" then say the same after him. If he bows in "Ruku" bow
after him. If he says "Samia l lahu liman hamidah" which means "Allah
hears him who praises Him", then say: "Rabbana wa laka l hamd" which
means "Our Lord! All praises are for Thee"; and if he prostrates, then
prostrate after him". (Bukhari V:1 P.37)


(13) If the prayer consists of two Rakaat (two units of prayer) as the
morning prayer "Fajr", Feast prayer "Eid", or the Friday prayer
"Jumu'a", the worshipper sits after the second prostration, with his
right foot erect, sitting on his left foot laid down, putting his right
hand on his right thigh, all his fingers close fisted save the index
finger which he uses to point out as a sign for his monotheistic belief,
and his left hand is put on his left thigh. There is nothing in the
way, if the worshipper keeps both the little and ring fingers closed,
while rounding his thumb and middle finger in a ring shape, and uses his
index finger to point out as a sign for his monotheistic belief. It has
been related that the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be on
him, had practiced both of these ways, thus, it is advisable for the
worshipper to perform the first way once and the other on the second
time.

The worshipper reads the Tashahud while sitting and says:
"Al tahiyatu lilahi wasalawatu watayibatu Assalamu alayha ayuha n nabiyu
wa rahmat u llahi wa barakatuhu. Assalamu alayina wa ala ibadi l lahi s
salalihiyn. Ashadu ala ilaha ila lahu wa ashadu anna Muhammadan abdoho
wa raswuloh. Allahuma salliy ala Muhammad wa ala aali Muhamad, kama
salayata ala Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahim. Inaka Hamidon Majid. Wa barik ala
Mohammad wa ala aali Muhammad kama barkta ala Ibrahima wa aali
Ibrahima. Inaka Hamidon Majid."

This means:
"Greetings, prayers and the good things of life belong to Allah. Peace,
mercy and blessing of Allah be on you, O Prophet. May peace be upon us
and on the devout slaves of Allah. I testify that there is no god but
Allah and I testify that Mohammed is His slave and messenger. O Allah,
bless Mohammed and his family as You blessed Ibrahim and his family. You
are the Most Praised, The Most glorious. O Allah, bestow Your grace on
Mohammed and his family as You bestwoed it on lbrahim and his family.
You are the Most Praised, The Most glorious."

After reciting the Tashahud, the worshipper asks Allah's protection from
four evils, he should say:
"My Lord, I ask your protection from torment of the Hell, torment of the
grave the trials in life time and after death, and from the impostor
Antichrist." The worshipper may ask Allah for prosperity in this worldly
life and in the Hereafter, supplicate Allah to bestow His favors on his
parents and other Muslims. He could do this in both obligatory and
optional prayers. It has been reported by Ibn Massoud that the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be on him, taught him how to recite the
Tashahud and told him that the worshipper should invoke Allah and ask
Him for the more beloved wishes which he likes, or, as it has been
related in other wordings, the worshipper should ask Allah for whatever
he wishes. In this manner, the servant can ask Allah for all the
prosperity of this worldly life and the life to come.

The worshipper terminates his prayer by turning his face to the right
saying: "As salamu alai kum wa rahmatu Allah" and to the left saying
this salutation which means "Peace and mercy of Allah be on you."


(14) In case of a three Rakaat prayer (prayer consisting of three units)
as that of Maghrib prayer, (evening prayer), or a four Rakaat prayer
like that of noon prayer (Zuhr), Asr prayer (late afternoon prayer) or,
Isha prayer (night prayer), the worshipper stands up after reciting the
Tashahud according to the manner stated before, and raises his hands up
to the level of his shoulders saying (Allahu Akbar). The worshipper puts
his hands over his chest as it had been explained before, and recites
only the Fatiha. There is no objection if he adds to the Fatiha some
other verses of the Quran while performing the third or fourth Rakaat
(units of prayer) of noon prayer (Zuhr), because this was stated to be
one of the manners adopted by the Prophet, may peace and blessings of
Allah be on him, according to the tradition reported by Abi Saied.

After the third Rakaah of Maghrib prayer (evening prayer), and the
fourth Rakaah of Zuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon) and Isha (night) prayers,
the worshipper recites the Tashahud and terminates his prayers by
saying: "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allah" while turning first to the
right, and second to the left as it has been explained before.
It is not an obligatory duty, but it is a recommendable prophetic
tradition to invoke Allah after terminating the prayer by asking Him
forgiveness thrice and saying before turning one's face towards his
followers if he is the Imam: "O Allah, Thou art peace and from Thee is
peace, Thou art blessed, O possessor of Glory and Honour."

It is advisable for the worshipper to say:
"There is no god but Allah. He is the One. He has no partner. His is the
dominion and to Him alone is the praise. He has power over all things. O
Lord, none may withhold what You have given and none may give what You
have withheld and the riches cannot avail a wealthy person with Thee.
There is no might or power except by the support of Allah, There is no
god but Allah and we do not worship but Him alone. To Him alone belong
all bounties, to Him alone belong all grace, and to Him worthy praise is
accorded. There is no god but Allah, to Whom we are sincere in
devotion, even though the unbelievers may detest it."

It is also advisable to the worshipper to extol Allah 33 times by saying
(Subhana Allah). Praise Him by saying (Al Hamdu El Allah) 33 times also
by saying "Allahu Akbar" and the worshipper completes his supplications
to be one hundred by saying once: "There is no god but Allah. He is the
One. He has no partner. His is the dominion and to Him alone is the
praise. He has power over all things."

The worshipper adds to that the recitation of the verse of the Throne
"Ayat Al Kursiy", Surat Al Ikhlas, Surat El Falaq, and Surat Al Nas. It
is recommendable to recite these Suras thrice after the Fajr prayer
(Morning prayer), and the Maghrib prayer (evening prayer) because this
was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be on him. As it had been stated before, all these
after prayer supplications are optional and not obligatory.

Every Muslim, whether be male or female, is recommended to pray 12
Rakaat of supererogatory prayers every day: four of these Rakaat (units
of prayers) are before noon prayer, two after it, two after Maghrib
prayer, two after Isha (night) prayer and two before the morning prayer
These supererogatory prayers are called (Rawatib) which means: "Certain
supererogatory exercises of optional prayers." The Prophet peace and
blessings of Allah be on him, preserved the performance of these
optional prayers wherever he settled. During his travels, he used to
practice the two optional Rakaat before the morning prayer and also the
Witr prayer (after the Isha prayer).

There is no objection to perform these optional prayers in the mosque,
but it is better to perform it at home, because the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be on him, said "The best of the prayers are
those which are furfilled at one's own home, with exception to
obligatory prayers which should be performed in congregation at the
mosque."

Observance of fulfilling these optional prayers is a means for gaining
admission to paradise. The Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be
on him, said (which means): "Whoever prays optionally twelve Rakoat
every one day and night, Allah will reward him by an established
dwelling in the paradise. "

It is also advisable to the Muslim to pray four optional Rakaat before
Asr prayer (afternoon prayer), two before Maghrib prayer (evening
prayer), and two before Isha prayer (night prayer), because this manner
was reported to be one of the traditions of the Prophet. Allah, the
Almighty says: "Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an
excellent exemplar" (33:21).

And the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said
(which means): "Perform your prayer in the same manner as you had
seen me doing."

Allah is He Who is Able to render us success and prosperity, and may
Allah give His blessings and peace to our Prophet Mohammed son of
Abdellah, his family, his companions and whoever follows his way till
doomsday.

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By His Eminence
SHEIKH ABDUL AZIZ IBN ABDULLAH IBN BAZ