YOUR WAY TO ISLAAM

 YOUR WAY TO ISLAAM

CHAPTER 14
SALAT (PRAYER)

We pray five times everyday:

1. The Fajr (dawn) prayer. Two Rak‘ahs (Units). Its time starts just after dawn and ends at sunrise.
2. The Dhuhr (noon) prayer. Four Rak‘ahs. Time starts just after sun moves down from its zenith and ends at the midpoint between zenith and sunset.
3. The Asr (Late afternoon) prayer: Four Rak‘ahs. Time starts after the end of the Dhuhr prayer and ends at sunset.
4. The Maghrib (Sunset) prayer: Three Rak‘ahs. Time starts just after sunset.
5. The Isha’ (Evening) prayer: Four Rak‘ahs. Preferable time starts when twilight disappears and ends at midnight.

CHAPTER 15
AT-TAHARAH (PURITY)

1. A Muslim must be pure and clean when he performs his prayer, (otherwise his prayers will not be valid).
2. At-Taharah is of two types: Wudu’, (Ablution) and Ghusl (full Ablution).

WUDU’ (Ablution) which is performed as follows:

1. Have Niyyah (the clear intention) of performing wudu’.
2. Say: "Bismil-Lahi r-rahmani r-rahim" (in the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful).
3. Wash the hands, rinse the mouth and clear with water the inside of the nose (sniffing).
4. Wash the face.
5. Wash the arms up to the elbows (start with the right arm)
6. Rub the head with wet hands, and the ears.
7. Wash the feet up to the ankles (starting with the right foot)
8. Say the two Shahadahs.

3. No need for reapplying Wudu’ as long as it has not been invalidated.
1. Wudu' is invalidated by: Passing of excrement, urine, wind or by sleeping.

GHUSL (Taking a shower):

A Muslim must take Ghusl after:

1. Ejaculation of semen because of any reason.
2. Intimate intercourse.
3. For women: End of Menstruation period.
4. End of the childbirth period.

Ghusl is washing the whole body with clean water.

TAYAMMUM (Dry Ablution):

In case of not having water for Wudu or Ghusl, or being unable to use it for any reason, apply the Dry Ablution:

1. Have Niyyah (the clear intention) of performing Tayammum’.
2. Say: "Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim" (in the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful).
3. Hit the palms once on any clean dust-containing material,
4. then rub the face with the palms, then the hands.

CHAPTER 16
HOW TO PERFORM SALAT (PRAYERS)?

1. The best way for men is to perform salat in congregation with Muslims in the mosque. There you will be given more reward by Allah and you will leam easily how to pray.
2. Be sure that your body, clothes and place are clean.
3. Stand facing towards the direction of QIBLAH, that is the direction of the Sacred mosque in Makkah, in Al Hijaz (Saudi Arabia).
4. Raise the hands to the shoulder level and say: “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest).
5. Fold the hand on the chest, the right hand over the left.
6. Recite Al-Fatihah (The Opening Chapter of The Qur’an) and another chapter or some verses of The Qur’an (See App. 1)
7. Say. “Allahu Akbar” while making Ruku‘ (bowing and bending the body at a right angle placing the palms on the knees)
8. Say in Ruku’: “Subhana rabbiyal-atheem” (Glory be to my Lord, the Great!) three times.
9. Go back to the standing position saying: “Sami‘a ’allahu liman hamidah! Rabbana wa lakal-hamd.” (Indeed, Allah listens to one who praises Him O! Our Lord! All praises be to You)
10. Then, you say “Allahu Akbar” and immediately fall down to make the first Sajdah (Prostration) with forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes resting on the ground,-saying: “Subhana rabbiyal ’a‘la” (Glory be to my Lord, Most High) Three times.
11. Move from sajdah (prostration) position to sitting posture while saying; “Allahu Akbar!” While sitting, say “Rabbighfirli warhamni” (O My Lord! Forgive me! and have mercy on me)
12. After this, another sajdah is done in the same way with “Allahu Akbar” uttered before it, and “Subhana rabbiyal ’a‘la” Three times during Sujud.
13. After completing the second sajdah, one “Rak‘ah” is completed.
14. Stand up saying “Allahu Akbar” in order to begin a new Rak‘ah, exactly as the first Rak‘ah.
15. After finishing the second “Rak‘ah” you sit down and recite Part One and Part Two of “At-Tashahhud”.
16. Finally you turn the face to the right hand side and say: “As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatul-lah” which means Peace be upon you and The Mercy of Allah!
17. Then you do the same to the left side.
18. Thus a two- Rak‘ah prayer is completed, such as the Fajr Prayer.
19. As for 4 Rak‘ah prayers such as the Dhuhr, only the first part of At-Tashahhud is recited after completing the second Rak‘ah. Then you stand up to perform two more Rak‘ahs in the same way, but without reciting any verses from The Qur’an after Al-Fatihah.
20. The ‘Asr and t ‘Isha’ prayers are performed exactly as the Dhuhr.
21. In the Maghrib Prayer, the final Tashahhud and “As-Salam…” come after the third Rak‘ah.

WHY WE PRAY

1. The Muslim observes his Prayers to show devotion and obedience to Allah, because Prayer is one of the greatest forms of worship that Allah likes His servants to offer.
2. To thank Him for creating us in the best form of creation.
3. Because He has guided us to the Deen (Complete way of Life, Religion) of Islam.
4. Prayer is a chance for a Muslim to express to his Lord whatever he feels and needs through Divine Words of Allah i.e. the Qur’an.
5. To remember his Lord and not forget His commands amid life’s pre-occupations.
6. To ask Allah, The Exalted, to give him aid and continuous guidance in the darkness of life.
7. To strengthen love and fear of Allah in the Muslim’s heart so that he might remain sticking to the Right Path of Islam, and its laws and manners.
8. Gaining good rewards from Allah and having our sins forgiven.
9. To rejoice when he finds himself on the Last Day pleased with the great reward allotted to him in the Gardens of Bliss.
10. Prayer is a unique training and developmental program which, if well and devotedly performed, can achieve for Muslims many valuable physical, ethical and spiritual gains such as cleanliness, health, order, punctuality, brotherhood, equality, social consolidation,… etc.