A Guide to the Essentials of Prayer

Mrfotion or Wudu' 2>
Occasions Nhch Require Wudu' to be Repeated 23
• Wiping Over the Socks 23
• Occasions .When a Futi Shower or Ghusl is Required
Before Prayer 23
• How to do Ghusl 24
• When and How to Perform Dry Naiution or Tayammum 25
1 More about Personal Hygiene or Tuhara 25

4 ASIM^ET0PRAYER
Chapter"!
. The Call to Prayer - Adhan and Iqdma 27
. what is an Obligatory or Ford Prayer? 30
. How the Prayer, Salah, is Performed 31
. Varying Schools of Thought 38
Chapter IV
• Congregational Prayer and When it Must be Performed 39
• Arriving Late for Congregational Prayer 40
• Attending the Friday or Jumtha Prayer 41
• The Festival or Id Prayers 43
• The Funeral or Janaza Prayer 44
• Tarawih Night Prayer During the Month of Ramadan 45
• Shortening the Prayer 45
• At a Loss for Words 45
Chapter V
Chapter VI
ASiMPL-^0
prayeR 5
■nded Expressions 51
• Greetings and other Recommei
• Think Before you Act 52
• Give Praise for Everything
• Greet Each Other Warmly
• Give Thanks for Creation
• Purify Your Intention 54
• Remember Allah's Favours
Pray for the Generous
• A Sneeze and a Prayer
52
53
54
55
55
_______ ___ 55
• Remembering Allah in Times of Grief 56
• Travel Safely 56
• Respecting Allah, His Prophets and their Companions 56
• Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness are endless 58
Chapter Vll
• The Performance of the Dawn or Fajr Prayer
in Arabic with Illustrations 59
• Making Petition or Supplication - Du‘a 47
• Arabic Du d's 48
Sunna or Optional Prayers 49
APPendix
' '""'“'♦iron,
Qur'an 67

Chapter VI
Chapter IV
39
45
Chapter VII
Chapter V
27
30
31
40
41
45
45
Appendix
' Sb0,,*felr0m
• Congregational Prayer and When it Must be Performed
• Arriving Late for Congregational Prayer
■ Attending the Friday or Jumu'a Prayer
• The Festival or id Prayers 43
• The Funeral or Janaza Prayer 44
• Tarawih Night Prayer During the Month of Ramadan
• Shortening the Prayer
' At a Loss for Words
Making Petition or Supplication - Du a’ 47
' Arabic Du a s 48
' Sunna or Optional Prayers 49
Call to Prayer - Adhdn and Iqdma
’what is an Obligatory or Ford Prayer?
How the Prayer^' is Performed
. varying Schools of Thought 38
H other Recomm. Greetings and other
. Think Before you Act
. Give Praise tor Everything
. Creet Each Other Warmly
. Give Thanks for Creation
. purify Your Intention 5
• Remember Allah s Favours
. pray for the Generous
■ A Sneeze and a Prayer
• Remembering Allah in Times of Grief
• Travel Safely 56
• Respecting Allah, His Prophets and their Companions
• Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness are endless
'^Performance of the Dawn
ln Arabic with Illustrations

I Preface t0 be your way
lirsl and ffi°sl iffiPortan 5 P
performing Prayed audio tape, has
’ » accompany by » ou as you
prepared for Just .had and performing
embark on this PrKes Iy important
prayers. They have been compll d"<« * t0
Islamic viewpoint; that nothing that Islam require y
ream or Ae is difficult. Indeed everything shod d
facilitate the fulfilment of your daily life, enhancing its
value and joy, rather than become an obstacle or a burden
for you. They have been compiled also with mindful
consideration of the experiences expressed by those who,
on embarking on their chosen journey into Islam, have
found some of the available literature particularly
confusing and overburdening at this important tran
sitional stage.
These guidelines, we hope will
understanding the meaning Of Prayer tWards
**»”«asweuaslearn| „J’"’ ,ls and
“ **■ P»«di gXdOe',CTvihi„6 lo t velitood,
8 h0sei^4hrhe^of
e d|slikes

9
prayer
l0E TO
which you would naturally be ashamed of Prayers
't^iTyou to make your everyday life a life of worship
Xut disturbing your normal activities
While we hope that this provision will be a great help
H is important for you to seek out regular contacts during
irfiicli learning opportunities will present themselves as
you come to know and interact more with the Muslims in
your area Attending the congregational Prayers in the
local Mosque should be highly useful for this purpose By
watching listening and joining in you can enjoy the
blessings of communal worship as well as develop your
skills and confidence Never be deterred when you feel the
need lo ask How when where or why* sincere Muslims
will value your questions and be thankful tot an
opportunity to help To learn is a virtue as much as it is an
aid towards self development
As you perhaps know by now Muslims ate required to
learn and recite then Prayers tn Arabic and according to a
given sequence Though at first glance it may look
substantial in reality the extent of what has to be
remembered is little as there’ is considerable repetition
throughout the Prayer To Pray in Arabic is not only to use
the language through which Allah has communicated with
us but it ais0 bnngs with it a unifying dimension as
throughout the world Pray in exactly the same
manner and in the same language
Same of the most important factors ate highlighted
** The main purpose of the Prayer is to take you away
J a <e* moments, from yout routine activities to
‘ tv*! an(j Spen(j some time in your Lords
|0 C0nstl0us ot ||1IS fact together with
= Muslims, is sufficient for you to acquire
i5' Messings of the Prayer
what you are doing is most important e
(rl Start with the estenfials
ml Keep them simple and coned
, Learn a little more regularly f poss P*
The ew Mushtnt Project would like to express sincere
•hanks and hea^t gratitude to all those who tooK She
■ me to read the marwenpt offered suggestions tor rts
mpiwewr ant helped brrng rt fo rts hrwl stage Of
JwhtaMw »** are rspercMypatWui io Sheckh Abdullah
——.We
MW lor tfte
b' MurM w eo *» *» dear drjMffev!
Ab Tom*

£ <M « ”»v« ““"tulyoneness ol
wealth paid annually tor those tn need Sawm - g
during the month of Ramadan and Hajj - making the
pilgrimage to Makka (if it is within your meansl. However
just as a building does not consist only ol four walls Islam
does not exist on these five pillars alone but is a complete
way of life encompassing all aspects of the spiritual, moral
and physical well-being of humankind
The first pillar - Shohdda, that is to testify that there is
no god but Allah and that Muhammad tPBUHi is m
Messenger - is the pivot around which the whai 'S
nrost direct wav y y Hrayers - k th
m o
XX™
goodMushm. Cannot be a
prayerjs
of
«runita«"S
*lhlAllah
in‘ca
good Muslim.

12
GU,t>ETOPRAYER
A SlMPLE
cT0 prayer 13
guide to
observance of
Hr i«i<'
H knowing that
I He is not only
■ listening but
I responding
to each
worshipper,
creates a warm,
cherished
feeling within,
knowing that
toe love shown
to your Creator
is reciprocated
seven hundred
1|C word Salah is a wide and comprehensive
',r^not be adequately translated by the English
term wf|Ch c Whiie it embodies the concepts of
prayer
K . n Detition and invocation implied in the English
Prayer in Islam is not merely a series of words and
movements practised occasionally, or even regularly,
Mthoutmuch thought as to its meaning or purpose. Rather
lt is a comprehensive form of communication with Allah
which, if it is established in the heart, brings the desired
resultsand ties the individual and the community to their
Lord in a fruitful and positive way. It awakens your heart
to your Lord and becomes the practical expression of your
love for your Creator. Withdrawing from the mundane
matters of life, and turning towards Allah, knowing that He
is not only listening but responding to each worshipper,
creates a warm, cherished feeling within, knowing that the
love shown to your,Creator is reciprocated seven hundred
fold.
There are no shows of extravagance connected to the
performance of Prayer. It is a simple and humbling
exercise prior to which you are requested to observe some
basic aspects of cleanliness and purity, referred to as
ablution or Wudu The Prayer, once it is truly understood,
gives an infinite strength to live by the will of Allah, to
abstain from what He dislikes and to deal with the trials of
life with commitment and confidence in Him. It can be the
best consolation and means of encouragement during
t,mes of stress and anxiety.
The Qur'an continuously encourages the
Prayer:And be steadfast in Prayer and give in charity: and
whatever good you send ahead of you for your souls
you shall find it with Allah: for Allah sees all that you do.
(Surah 2: 110)
Guard strictly your Prayers, especially the middle
Prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout manner.
[Surah 2: 238)
-...............
nf the Praver as it is tne liisi u ,
questioned and held accountable for on the Day
Judgement.
There is abundant evidence in the Qur an that Prayei was
a requirement and was practised in some form or another
by the earlier Prophets and their followers, as an essential
part of their relationship with Allah. Prophet Abraham
(PBUH) sought Allah's grace and support in his efforts to
establish Prayer among his people:
My Lord, make me establish regular Praver and .
offspring do likewise. My Lord accent ' ®
(Surah 14:40) pt Application.
Prayer isthe
firstthing
aboutwhich
you wiiibe
questioned and
heidaccountable
for onthe Day
oi Judgement

15nF TO PRAYER
A SIMP1-E CUI
14 1
^l«»'rwlsaw°",'!Lora:
made me blessed wherever I may be, and He
^jned up°n me PrayCr a"d Almsgiving as long as 1 live-
(Surah 1971)
/n me same way the instruction to Pray was reaffirmed in
((,e Quran to become the cornerstone of the mission of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
And recite, (0 Prophet), what is sent of the Book to you,
and perform regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from
shameful and evil deeds; and remembrance of Allah is
the greatest thing in life without doubt. And Allah
knows the deeds that you do.
(Surah 29: 45)
75
Prayer is a
means of
remembering
Allah and
seeking His
Mpand
guidance to
sWve to live
atf°rding to
His Wj||
Prayer, therefore, is a key to several different treasures. It
is a means of remembering Allah, our Creator and the
Source of everything which surrounds us; it is a means
through which we seek His help and guidance so that our
lives will be more fruitful here and in the Hereafter, as we
strive to live according to His will; it is a time to ask for
forgiveness from Allah for our faults and to sincerely thank
Him for the treasures He has provided us with and for the
bounties we have received, both material and spiritual.
New Beginnings
Vou have just recited your Shahada - testifying to the
Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad
<PBUH) thereby entering the fold of Islam. It is now
necessary that you perform Ghusl - take a full shower.
Tiiisisa'iaCtofJU ity presents itself- preSent who
*““1- M"S ma c Siting
ip *e mea ' this joyous occasion are i
have just witnessed this joy standable that y
..join them
may noise familiar w.th th V ehenS.ve
it rakes on the responsibility of the Prayer for the rest
the worshippers. The worshippers should not make any
movement ahead of the Imam, nor should they anticipate
any of his movements but together, as a unified
congregation, they follow his movements which are (with
one exception) preceded by the words Allahu Akbar -
Allah is Greatest - until the final Salam to his right and
then left shoulder which concludes the Prayer.
For some time, when the time for the Prayer arrives
performing ablullon _ ’ Mer by f|rst
"""rent procMure .. nen amply follow the
and pra'se Ai|ah by usi fi s m yeLV0U maV fPmember
easV recall SUrh 6 P e phrases which ,
WnA//o A1|aWhhlCh y°U *nd
“*,p»iemoWme 'AIIP^e
" VW ha„d „r fe ,,,e to hold a " to
r,ln6as A hea rn *° 3 p«ora,ne 8",de‘° Praye,
Memorise and he Words In r g °f the Prat
d recaH the o n yOll . raVer,
eWftePt«<UWl"^able
c*««is, n act
pur’flcati0n
«hich ,ou
*bou,«’ «tend
° as s»on as
Pre:PP°r,U"Hy
en,s itself.

Because the
Prayer times
relate to the
earth's position
utpfT° prAVEB
,„ese guidelines will help
rbV reading0"’
Revinsthat gOa1'
y0Ut°Ward
Thewe ^understand, learn and feel
prefer^ olatory or Fard Prayers of wh.ch
^‘-“Xu peXrmedet dWeren. nervals
there are fi« These
during the day.
PraVer-performed between the break of
, cnir or Dawn Prayer e
daWnandtheXCer-Performed fr°mjUSt P3St m,d’
2 Zuhr or Noon Prayer P
day until mid-afternoon.
n performed from mid-afternoon to
3, yisr or Afternoon - performs
the approach of sunset.
c cot - nerformed immediately after
4. Maghrib or Sunset - pertorme
sunset and before darkness falls.
tothesun,they 5. o. N.gbt Prayer - performed from after dark until
constantly just before dawn.
throughout the Because the Prayer times relate to the earth s posit'
year, They also the sun, they constantly change throughout the yeai
vary according also vary according to where in the world you aie i
to where in the These guidelines therefore together with the fol ow
world you are diagram are general. For accuracy it is best to secure
livin8 Prayer time-table from a Muslim friend or a local Mosque.
I
The Time to Perform Prayers
it is necessary and important that Prayers are performed
It is not
desirable to
within the time allowed and according to your own or the
community's convenience. All Prayers are preferred to be
performed at the beginning of their time except the night
Prayer - isha', which is preferred to be Prayed at its later
l« «before retiring to bed. It is not desirable to <to|av
t0 miss the Prayer altogether. Fy never
T|ie collective Praver in .
summer, or the e case of the dawn pra ? may
WC ° a'*k for
delayed
slot of
delay the
Prayer
deliberately
through neglect
and apathy,
which clearly
reflects a
Person’s
attitude
towards Allah.
Try never to
miss Prayer
alt°gether

19
I8 ^CUIDCT0
prayer
A,
r
I
Performance
of the Prayer
requires no
special place
or building.
Hie only
requirement
is that the area
fhosen should
be dean and
ffte from
impurities
,ont<- or those who are working so that they
hereto Perform the P^
W nee of the Prayer requires no special place or
^■^The only requirement is that the area chosen
Lid be clean and free from impurities, in the same way
afthe body must be free from anything regarded as
Lure and which would require you to renew
gtjiution - Wudu'. Consequently, persons who are
from their homes, travelling or working, may Pray
wherever they are: in a quiet, convenient or
designated area in the workplace, the park, the railway
station or the airport. It is always preferable that you
choose an area where you do not disturb or cannot easily
be disturbed by others.
You can also Pray inside a moving vehicle in the sitting
position if you cannot get out of the vehicle within the
allowed time for the Prayer. Similarly in the event of
illness, pregnancy, disability, exhaustion or merely
tiredness, you can Pray sitting or lying down. If you are
able, you must make symbolic gestures with the head,
eyes, hand or finger comparable to that of the movement
sequence in the Prayer.
your
away
even
nF TO P«AYER
A simple guI
of Allah, as
? East (as is
Aiiah alone in
Muslim muSt
t with a good °f
, knowledge of the
movement of« Xo^”^
commonly definedhowever y |f
From the UK the direction of the Qidiu
you find yourself in a place where you simply do not know
the direction of the Qibla, then choose the direction, using
your best judgement, and Pray leaving the rest to Allah.
When Praying inside a moving vehicle in the sitting
position obviously you will have to Pray towards the
direction you are travelling. It is best however, to partially
turn your body or at least your head in the direction of the
Qibla, if it is known to you, for part or all of the Prayer. At
like this Allah knows full well your intention as well
The Direction of Prayer - Qibla
Muslims, wherever they may be, are required to face
touards the Ka ba in Makka to Pray. This is an essential
not me*' makes the Prayer invalid. This
ear((1tlOn 15 called Q'Wa. The Ka ba is the first house on
symbo|bUilt f°' the worshiP of Allah alone. It is thus a
I monotheism or Tawhid in Islam and also of the
proXX--y-
10 tlle
nor» W* 8"*®
, Qibia, which ev y
to ascertain. For those v.
be sought through
“'Z: X-e. P-ay *■
-
movement of the sun, moon <
of the Qibla is
as your difficulties and circumstances and ■
Knowing and all-Forgiving. keen in • „ d H IS all‘
n«essary to Pray whatever the circumstaJb91
you may be unable to face tn nces and' th°Ugh
towards the QlWo
^atto Wear
^"Preparing to meet
5 a fr|end, or ro_
Tanner.
vou k"°*
position
when —
mvitatton X
& and
Muslims, I
wherever they I
may be, are I
squired to face I
towards the I
Ka ba in Makka I
t0 PraV. This is I
an essential I
cond'tion, I
which ■< I
pray " the I

plt gu'd£ 10
-en
*»«k fa
f'lw’cdinl's«v"“’,'“"0,Ke,“
«*">««««" enle,i"e'
“ oIO»MUS"mS
Many i®1®' t0 Ce 1-
about as (
traditions have
which was worn by
time to time, may u
requirement for Prayer-
be any different from
De —p; it will
provided it
The
)Vered from
... when
performing
the Prayer
before Allah,
you should
dress in a
fitting and
derent manner
prayers are
eQ remains clean.
Muslims generally
Mosque and their
ano sPec»
. , essential
"'.5^ an essen«
be worn but is find to
Finally, wbatev V rather
put on o. whatever you are vveai mg, 1S soiled
than miss the Prayer duet P
with impurities.
requires making ready Y°
Pfepan^S j mind, since
U K a" , p*' V"boay'y ri
an
» was» K,“ ’ |S (0, y0U to acquire
tea. ms is o« ** _ ready l0 sland toe presence
L is — Pure me Prophet
Muhammad tPBUH) pointed out that this ablution also
washes away sins committed by these organs of the body.
With a sincere intention to perform the Prayer, the basic
essentials of Wudu' are to wash your face and arms, wipe
over your head, and wash your feet. However, a more
perfect form of Wudu' which was communicated to the
Prophet ipbuh) by the Angel Gabriel is outlined here-
Start by saying:
in the name of Mlah
Bismilldh
The Prophet
Muhammad
IPBUH) pointed
out that this
ablution also
washes away
sins committed
by these organs
the body

pRAVER
23
PRAYER
22 AS^^ET0
Wash your hands.
2. Rinse your mouth
out with water.
4. Wash your face.
washing covers the
dry patches are left. They
3 or a recommended three
which is required just once.
Occasions Which Require Wudu'to be Repeated
it is not necessary to perform Wudu for every Prayer
last ablution performed is still valid. It is highly L. '
however, that you will be able to go without renewing
your wudu- for an entire day. Things that require you to
renew your ablution are:
a eaS nrp twice
”5"rf „0f6'
3. Clean out your nose
with water.
as^CU1D£’0
shoulh
times wi'11
if the
unlikely.
■ defecating, urinating or passing wind
• falling into a deep sleep thereby losing consciousness
• temporary loss of consciousness due to fainting spells or
hysteria
5. Wash your right and
then left arm up to elbow.
7 Wash your right and
then 'eft foot as far as
the ankle.
6. Pass your wet
hands over your hair
and wipe in and
outside your ear with
thumbs and index
fingers.
Wiping Over the Socks
if you have performed Wudu', and then put on your socks,
it is not necessary to remove them every time you repeat
your ablution for one day (or for three days if you are on
a journey). You may wipe your wet hands over the socks
to complete your Wudu instead of washing your feet.
Occasions When a Full Shower - Ghusl is Required
n««— -
regularly so that, as an ambassador of
‘ ...t yourself and your beliefs to others
manner. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
bathing at least once weekly even then
were not as they are today.
Before Prayer
You should bathe r- •
lam you piMenl
ln a Pleasant
recorr|rnended
when facilities

25
24 A^^™^
There are certain occasions, however, when you are
required to perform Chusl - take a full shower to wash
your entire body, and during which the parts of your body
specified in the making of Wudu' should also be washed,
before you can perform the Prayer. These occasions are:
. on entering Islam (after reciting Shahada)
, after intimate relations, i.e. sexual intercourse between
husband and wife whether semen has been ejected or not
• any discharge of semen, i.e. having experienced a wet
dream
• when a woman has completed her monthly period’
• after childbirth when post-natal bleeding has stopped’
How to Do Ghusl
The aim is to wash your entire body. Begin with washing
the genitals followed by the procedure for Wudu',
excluding the feet. Then wash the head and the entire
body starting with the right side followed by the left and
concluding with the feet. If a woman has iong hair which
is plaited it is not necessary for her to untie it. To throw
water over it three times using her hands is sufficient, as
long as water reaches the scalp.
When a woman s monthly period commences she must not perform
Prayer from that moment until Its complete cessation. The same applies
ln the case of post-natal bleeding. She may only resume Prayer after
Performing chusl and does not have to make up for any Prayers missed
dur,ng that time
nF to praYER
as^* £T
When andHow to Perform DryAblution or Tayammum
There are a number of occasions when you are allowed to
perform dry ablution instead of ablution with water before
you perform Prayer. These are:
• Enough water to make Wudu may not be available
ce35kmcoMi,m»
if you experience any of the above or a relatively similar
problematic situation you should perform dry ablution as
follows:
• Strike both hands lightly on any dry, clean surface of
earth.
• Wipe the face once followed by both hands to the
wrists.
More AboutPersonal Hygiene or Taharah
Cleanliness or purity, referred to as Jahdrah in the Qur'an,
indicates both spiritual and physical cleanliness, because
Allah is concerned with man’s moral, spiritual
well-being. Therefore, showering and
are not the only requirements; for
Prophet Muhammad (PBUHj made
Hons. These were to pay particular
,he Mis"* a
as Tahdrahir "
cleanliness,
and material
performing ablution
personal hygiene the
several recommenda-
attention to the teeth
/grown stick with
brushing with tooth-
Cleanliness or
purity indicates
both spiritual
and physical
cleanliness,
because Allah
is concerned
with man’s
moral, spiritual
and material
well-being

UkwM
Hriitmn
torMtatt
rckm
themelres n
nurtn^stf in
sWjirus
•M should
bt respected
for public use
K is also recommended that the nails
” ^.^ed and the pubic and underarm hair be
, at least trimmed regularly. Washing hands
meals, eating properly and only from
flowed as well as being concerned about one s
Xn«ness are also duties for every Muslim
p Particular attention is drawn to maintaining cleanliness
aW( naving relieved yourself in the toilet. Toilet tissue can
used in the normal manner but you should also
''mvate the preferred habit of cleaning yourself by
carefully and thoroughly washing your private parts with
water The right hand is used for pouring while using your
eft hand for the washing process. This is called Istinja' and
can be done using a water container, a bidet or a spray
hose, all of which are familiar objects in Muslim homes
and Mosques throughout the UK. If water is not available,
extra care should be taken to ensure cleanliness through
the use of toilet tissue alone. The use of urinals for men
v. i not allow for this procedure to work effectively, and
therefore it is best to avoid them if possible.
Muslims are forbidden to relieve themselves in
I'.aterways or in shady areas, which should be respected
public use. and should always relieve themselves in
privacy.
These terms refer to the words called out prior to
communal or Jama a Prayer at the Mosque or indeed in
any place where a group of Muslims are gathered together
and will therefore Pray together. For those who have only
just begun to learn how to Pray there is, at this stage no
a"lhe ”dS' "ls' to”ever' °f va|ue to
00k at and understand their meaning ,
much of the essence and ■ S S hey contain
P|jyK « lmp„rtance Q(
The Mon is the rail n
X?inW,S ” “--yards or^XeshfSbeenCalledfr0'’1
airiM- r*Mstx°r ins ,he ,imep0ice'This
3S We"as inviting h °f the basic tea h has
.......
e so
the Adhan - a
unique method
of announcing
the time for a
Prayer has
started, reminds
everyone of the
basic teachings
of Islam as
weh as inviting
bim/ her to
the Prayer

n W r«,'fR
I
can W in
congregation as desired It is called by
J I( th(ise who will take part in the Prayer or by the
V, one who is appointed to call the Adhdn.
S for the Adhdn. and the number of times
are repeated
J"1 “i1
Alldhu Akbar (4)
The words for the Adhdn,
they are repeated are as follows:
Allah is Greatest
yi Ji V j;
Ashhodu an Id ilaha illalldh(2}
, . ■ ‘ t . > *. i > ' f
2. J,j i-iLx-o JI
Ashhodu anna Muhammadan
Rasulullah (2)
I witness that there
is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad
is the messenger of Allah
[T0^1’ 2
negation the
c0"8' who
le,‘tanoWiga,ory
1 railed those
is being ca"e $
behind the
Ju5t before starting the Prayer
said The Iqdma serves to
^the place of Prayer know
olyardPrayer is about to begin. As it-
present form into neat, straight rows
he stands and prepares to L-
The words of the Iqama differ from those
m one sentence only. The words Qad Qarnatis-Salah are
added and repeated twice to announce that the Prayer is
about to commence.The words for the Iqdma, and the number of times
they are repeated, are as follows:
y I .oil
Alldhu Akbar (2)
aig>.. ..
lead them in Prayer.
of the Adhdn
that the Prayer is
Allah is Greatest
ftCaJl J*
Hayyo alds-Salah (2)
Ji- J-
Hayyo alal-Falah (2)
J'i oil
Alldhu Akbar (2)
oil yi Jl
la Ilaha illallah (1)
Hurry to Prayer
Hurry to success
Allah is Greatest
There is no god but Allah
The Adhdn for the dawn, Fajr Prayer, differs slightly in that
the following is added after Hayya alal-Falah:
*>•' y y- Prayer is better than sleep
Assalatu khayrun minan-
nawm (2)
I witness that there
is no god but Allah
1 witness that Muhammad
is the messenger of Allah
Hurry to Prayer
Hu"» to success
P,ayerhas begun

fTo^VES 31
A simple guid
FRA'tR
Allah Is Greatest
Mihu Akbar (2)
jii y'l Ji There is no god but Allah
0 Who illaildh (1)
jvnat is an Obligatory or Fard Prayer?
Prayer is composed of a number of units, each unit
pe ne called a Rak a. Some of these Rak as are performed
gently or whispered to oneself Others are audible,
meaning that the verses from Qur'an and the words
proceeding each movement are said aloud, while the rest
of the Prayer is silent.
• The dawn or Fajr Prayer has 2 Rak as and is performed
audibly.
• The noon or Zuhr Prayer has 4 Rak as and is performed
silently.
• The afternoon or Asr Prayer has 4 Rakas and is
performed silently
• The evening or Maghrib Prayer has 3 Rak as, the first
two of which are performed audibly, the third silently.
‘ The night or Isha' Prayer has 4 Rak as, the first two of
which are performed audibly followed by two performed
silently
After every two Rak as one must either finish the Prayer,
in the case of the Fajr Prayer which is composed only of
wo Rak as or continue by resuming the standing position
d ’ peatingone or two more Rak as in order to complete
or* of the other four daily Prayers.
- Salah, is Performedy~r opportunity to remind yourself
that you are here on earth only in
Creator, desires. It is a time,
and deep spiritual awakening,
'urselftobe "
How the Prayer
prayer provides a regular
oithe Ultimate Truth; I...
order to live as Allah, your
therefore, of contemplation and deep spimu^.During it. you should not allow yourself to be distracted by
s which often occur around you. You
talk, laugh, eat or drink anyi,,,..omotions, but concentrate,
is to and for the sake of
should be involved in the
disturbances
remembering that V«prar
Allab alone. Every part of you
Prayer.
Before commencing you
drink anything or
motions, t
is to
—j should
make any
must be
clear in your
DtlUIC vvi<«----------- uv .
intention, Niyyo, to perform this particular obligatory Prayer
for the sake of Allah.
Standing facing the Q/blo on clean ground, a mat or
dean cover you begin by raising your hands to your ears
with palms facing front, and saying:
/ ; A
*4!' Allah is Greatest
Allahu Akbar
Then lower your arms to the centre of
right hand resting on the left hand.
in this standing position the first thing you must recite
is the first chapter ISurah) of the Qur'an: Surat al-Fatiha or
The Opening, the meaning of which is very beautiful:
your body, the

to pRayeR 33
32 *
"i <a>1
gtsmilldhirRahmdnir-
Rahim
in the name of Allah the
Most Gracious the Most
Merciful
F
i Wmdu lilldbi kabbil- Alamin
Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim
All praise is due to Allah,
the Lord of the worlds
The Most Gracious the
Most Merciful
Maliki yawmid-din
Master of the Day of
Judgement
Allah is Greatest
JOj -LX Jt'j
lyyaka na budu wa iyyaka
nastain
You alone we worship
and you alone we ask
for help
and bow, with your hands gripping your knees, your back
and head level. You rest in this position, called Ruku , and
repeat three times:
z° / " Z O>
Ji*!l Glory be to my Lord,
Subhana Rabbi al- Azim the Almighty
z»J« i til U-Ubl
Ihdmas-sirdtal-mustaqim
Show us the Straight way
While returning to the upright position, you say:
siratal-ladhina an amta
alayhim
The way of those whom
You have blessed
gbayri-l-maghdubi alayhim
wa lad-ddllin
not those who have
earned your anger or
gone astray.
’jJ <5)1 Allah hears the one who
Sami'a Allahu liman praises Him
hamidah
followed (in the upright position) by
C Our Lord, Praise be to you
Rabana walakal-hamd
This is followed by the word
Y°Uthen repeatth
peat the words-
Amen
ana P'ostrate
£ Allah is Greatest
Allahu Akbar
y°Urself befnr
efore Aliah.

34 aS(mpu^top«avEr
Prostration. Sajda. is a sign of your complete submission jn
all humility to Allah. From the standing position, lower
yourself to a kneeling position, your forehead and nose
touching the ground, the palms of your hands flat on the
ground each side of your head. With your arms and
elbows slightly off the floor you are now in the prostration
position. While in this position you repeat three times:
Subhana Rabbi al-A la
Then say:
Glory be to my Lord, the
Most High
Allah is Greatest
Alldhu Akbar
and sit back on your feet for a few moments, resting your
hands on your thighs near to your knees. In this position
it is highly recommended to supplicate and ask Allah for
Forgiveness and Mercy.
After a moment or two say:
9 , A
all Allah is Greatest
Alldhu Akbar
and return to the prostration position, using the same
words as before This brings to an end one Rak a of the
Prayer
To complete the second Rak a you repeat the words:
? a
yX1 “I1 Allah is Greatest
Alldhu Akbar
nF TO PRAYER
a SIMPLE OU'
jndresume the original siu,.. _
entireprocedure up to this point.
Tofinish the Prayeryou repeat the words:
A//a/7 is Greatest
AlldhuAkbar
/ and resume the sitting position similar to that assumed
/ between the two prostrations. Resting comfortably in that
/ position you raise your right index finger and recite the
/ following Prayer known as the Tashahhud.
I ' * ' '
/ 4I1
/ At-Tahiyydtu Li/ldhi
/ cAJzJlj ^I'J^ij
/ Wa^luw0pToyyib(3tu
/ Nabiyyu
Barakatuhu
r' ,
All greetings are for Allah
and Prayers and
goodness
As-soldmu
Peace be on you,
0 Prophet
and the Mercy and
Blessings of Allah
Peace be on us and on
the righteous servants of
Allah

To PRAYER
36 A SIMPLE CUIDE
Raduan Id
Wa ashhadu anna
Muhammadan
> , " >>„
J JJ >d-S-
Abduhu wa Rasuluh
I bear witness that there
is no god but Allah
and I bear witness that
Muhammad
is His servant and His
messenger
followed by the Prayer known as Salat ala al-Nabi,
the Prophet (PBUH)'. (This supplication is
obligatory Prayer would not
This is
Prayer on
recommended although the
be defective without it. It is
as soon as you can.)
A*
Allahumma salli ala
Muhammad
wa ala ali Muhammad
c.. LS"
kama sallayta ala Ibrahim
J'
wa aid ali Ibrahim
innaka hamidun majid
advisable therefore, to learn it
0 Allah, send Prayers on
Muhammad,
and on the family of
Muhammad
as You sent Prayers on
Ibrahim
and his family,
You are indeed worthy of
Praise, full of Glory.
Xo<-> jJ-il
A SIMPLE GUIDE TO PRAYER 37
0 Allah, send Blessings on
Muhammad
and on the family o'
Muhammad
as You blessed Ibrahim
and the family of Ibrahim,
You indeed are worthy of
Praise full of Glory.
Finally, turning your head to the right and looking
towards your shoulder, say:
4ii Xu X The peace and Mercy of
^■Sa/dmu alaykum wa Allah be with you
Rahmatullah
3ndturni"g your head
sh°ulder, say:
10 lhe left and looking towards
your
P^e and Mercy 0(
Allah be with you
act'°ns for the

mint TO PRAYER
are performing one of the other
-sitates one or two more Rak as, you simply
the Tashahhud after ' *”»n /
standing position
“il
Alldhu Akbar
four daily p’ayers
' /
Rak as, then
recite
resume tne
tne first wo
repeating-
Allah's Greatest
and complete one or two more Rak as (according to the
Prayer in question) ending with the Tashahhud (and Salat
alaal-Nabi when you are able) and make the final Salam.
To understand this procedure more fully, see 'The
Performance of Prayer with Illustrations', Chapter 7, page
59 of this manual, together with the accompanying Audio
cassette.
,g Schools of Thought
.... note that there are s,:g
the actions and the
the
concern
differences when you
they are ____ ' '
the Mosque. As your Islam grows
come to appreciate t,._.
Varying Schools of ThoughtPlease note that there are slight variations relating to both
words used in the Prayer depending on
school of law being followed. There is no need to
yourself should you notice some of these
; ~j are Praying in congregation or if
pointed out to you by a well-meaning person in
olam g™w$ and develops you will
come io those slight differences more and
understand that they are all acceptable in that they do not
affect the validity of your Prayer.
Every obligatory Prayer
congregation
, should be performed in Jama a -
i - if possible. According to the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), Prayer in congregation brings 27
times the reward of Prayer performed individually and this
recommendation applies to all Muslims.
There are a number of Prayers, however, which are
Med only in congregation. They are:
... Prayer
in congregation
brings 27 times
the reward
of Prayer
performed
individually
and this
recommen
dation applies
to all Muslims
•May or Jumu a Prayer. mai0V
• Prayer performed on the occasr
festivals id al-Fitr and id al-Adha.
• tunerat or Jandza Prayer for the deceased.
Reformat of the Prayer performed in congregation is
he same as that performed by the individual if you ate a
attending congregationai Prayer you shouid stand
Qftwt men present in straight, complete rows
M imam. Xou shouid not make a movement

nfT0 prayer 41
A 5IMPlE GUIDE TO
40 A SIMPLE GUIDE TO PRAYK
t me imam nor should you anticipate his
3,iead °ts but together with the entire congregation,
X'ms movements which are signalled by the words
Lu Akbar, Allah is Greatest. He brings the Prayer to a
conclusion by making the Salam towards his right and
then left shoulder.
Women also Pray in congregation, either by joining
together with the family, neighbourhood or at community
level by attending congregational Prayers at the Mosque,
where they may Pray in rows behind the men or in a
separate area provided for them elsewhere in the Mosque.
When a group of women Pray in congregation where
one of them acts as the leader, she takes her place in the
middle of the first row of women and follows the same
procedure for the congregational Prayer. The Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) said that the female servants of Allah
I Women also
I Pray in
congregation,
either by
joining
together with
the family,
neighbourhood
or at
community
level by
attending
congregational
Prayers at the
Mosque
should not be prevented from going to the Mosque to
Pray. All Mosques should therefore make proper and
adequate provisions for women to exercise this right.
Women are not obliged to Pray in the Mosque as men are,
however, and because of their occupation with children
may prefer to Pray at home.
Arriving Late for Congregational Prayer
if you arrive to find that the obligatory Prayer has already
begun, you should join the row of worshippers and, having
made your intention raise your hands to the level of your
ears, palms facing the front, say:
/ £ A
y? 1 oil Allah is Greatest
Allahu Akbar
I rhen immediately the worshippers at whatever
/ e they are at in the Prayer. If it is at the prostration,
/ immediately into the prostration position with the
/ iestofthetines. Even ifyou arrive immediately before the
/ /mamisabout to conclude the Prayer with the final Salam,
/ pm the worshippers in u r • --
/ you may get the blessings of Praying in
/ After the /mam has made the f,,..
I makingthe Sa/am yourself) should
position to complete the number
missed.
II you
including,
the
Creat are
11you...
.ediately j°in — at the prostration,
are at in Prayer' 'tion position with the
am ..„ ,he final Salam.
position at that point so that
int - ?r:,,ing in congregation,
final Salam, you (without
resume your standing
of Rak as you have
yuu have joined the Prayer any time up to and
jing the time of Ruku , bowing down (during which
words SuWidno Rabbi al-Azim - 'Glory to Allah the
repeated 3 times), that whole Rak a is counted,
have joined after that time, that is when the
praises Him, the whole Rak a and any preceding Rak as
you have missed must be made up.
Wendingthe Friday or Jumu a Prayer
Friday Prayer, as it has come to be referred to, or Jumu a
hayer, takesthe place of the noon or Zuhr Prayer which is
normally performed at this time every other day of the
Wek itconsists of two, instead of the normal four Rak as
an(1'spreceded by a sermon or Khutba which is delivered
wirnam.
’•*» T",e l°"* adepens ™tiw need an<i
M*'M b'TlMU1’amma<1 lPBUH’ tecommende<l
*"*sta« 0”“eg'ns the fldMn 15 “lied
30 Its purpose k-
Friday Prayer,
as it has come
to be referred
t0< or Jumu a
Prayer, takes
the piace of
the noon
PraVer which
,s n°rmal|y
performed at
,l,is'Severy
,°'h^yof V
the Week
Oppose t,(" “"ea
ISt0^ind

43
Muslim men
are obliged to
attend the
Jumu a Prayer
in the Mosque
or any other
venue where it
is Prayed in
congregation
42 ™'"'"
nms of the important aspects of Islam in all areas of
MUS "’L « such can address contemporary social and
olitical issues. It regularly draws the congregation's
attention to their relationship with Allah, life after death or
the virtues and characteristics of a good Muslim. This is
supported by recitation from the Qur'an and relevant
Hadith. sayings of the Prophet (PBUH). The Imam delivers
the Kliutba from the Minbar, a pulpit-like structure at the
front of the Mosque, during which the worshippers remain
in a sitting position neither Praying nor talking but
listening attentively.
The Khutba is in two parts: the Imam, after delivering
the first part in a standing position, sits for a moment
before resuming the standing position and commencing
with the second part. The second part consists of Praise for
Allah, invoking Blessings on the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) and the Believers and making supplication for the
whole of mankind to establish truth, love, justice, and
peace on earth. When the Imam has finished the Khutba,
the Iqama, which is the final indication that the Prayer is
about to commence, is called. The congregation responds
by standing and forming neat and complete rows behind
the Imam who leads them in the Prayer.
Muslim men are obliged to attend the Jumu a Prayer in
the Mosque or any other venue where it is Prayed in
congregation. If it is missed, for example, due to:
_ TO PRaVER
A SIMPLE CU.P
replaced
Prayercalin or . fnr women
y 7u/irpray or IS opti°nai for a|
„,acell»W lhe USl'
** *«>"« “ alS°reP
• severe weather conditions
• being ill yourself or having to look after someone who is ill
• living or working in a remote area
• if you are travelling
‘ If you have unsuccessfully tried to negotiate time off
work
'""Sals in Islam- Both commence
.Onds /nnW.me festival
' 1 fa t The other Is U aWta. the
of the breaking of the fast.
lhe first day of the montli of Showwol
followlng the blessed month of Ramadan during which
the Qur'an began to be revealed and which is, of course,
the month of fasting for every able-bodied Muslim. This
festival brings the fasting month to a joyous conclusion. i
MaW/w falls on the tenth day of Dhu'l-Hijja, the last
month of the Muslim calendar, and concludes the Hajj, the
prescribed pilgrimage to Makka. Those who have
participated in the Hajj repent and make the sincere
*bon to renounce all temptations, renewing their
rx;
,heres'^^ Celebrated t0§ether With
Ending in rn g S for
^^edforth^831'00 for the Jd Pr,.
1,0,6 ,am«y Even! is high|y
?“*'« 2PWod' "’Odgh th " Omen *10 are
S-Afterth 6ndeh to att8 V are n0t pravin
hec°ngrepat- ttend WiththP V Pg'
ea,IOnalP^ranhd^'ofthe
n thespirit Of
Attending in
congregation
for the Id
Prayer is highly
recommended
for the whole
family. Even
women who
are having their
monthly period,
though they
are not Praying,
are strongly
recommended
to attend with
the rest of the
family

45
44 A SIMPLE GUIDE
to prayer
love and brotherhood, you invite friends and neighbours
to celebrate with you in your home.
NoAdhan or Iqama is required for the Id Prayer and
it js read out aloud. It consists of 2 Rak as which
commence with the words Allahu Akbar pronounced 7
times at the beginning of the first Rak a and 5 times
preceeding the second Rak a. After the Prayer is completed
the Imam delivers a Khutba to the congregation. On its
conclusion the congregation intermingles, wishing each
other peace, Salam and blessings for the festival of Id.
r prayers for
the deceased
Muslim is a
common
collective duty
on the
community.
However, if a
number of
Muslims are
present at this
time and have
attended to this
requirement
they are
representative
of the entire
community
The Funeral or Janaza Prayer
Prayers for the deceased Muslim is a common collective
duty on the community. However, if a number of Muslims
are present at this time and have attended to this
requirement they are representative of the entire
community, the rest of whom, though they could not
attend, are exempted from the responsibility.
The Janaza - funeral Prayer is offered in the standing
position. The Imam stands beside the body and in front of the
congregation, all facing in the direction of the Qibla and calls
Allahu Akbar four times with short intervals between. During
these intervals the Imam and the congregation read
recommended Prayers and supplications silently:
A SIMPLE GUIDE TO PRAYER
- concluded as the Imam, followed by the
turns his face slightly towards his right
rong'e^von As-Saldmu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah.
U-Night Prayer During the Month of Ramadan
^characteristic ofRamadan. is the Tarawih Prayer.
Prayer may be Prayed individually or collectively. It
^stsofunits of2 Rak as Played in pairs similar to the
c,Prayer itisperformed after /slid Prayer and is usually
tiWdbyShaf and Witr Prayers. It is commendable
toghnotessential. that a reading of the entire Quran is
rmpletedduringRamoddn in the Tarawill prayer
Shortening the Prayer
metraveller is given some relief from offering some of the
Prayers in their complete form. If one is on a journey, the
wi Zuhr and afternoon, Asr Prayers are shortened to
— »o.eo«. permission« a“
»,,«sw«ed Prayers to Oe Prayed together some
te within their given period. To Pray them toge
means first to Pray the shortened form of one, close with
Salam as usual and then immediately begin the shortened
of the next Prayer. The evening, Maghrib Prayer
lfl”* its usual 3 Rak as but the night, Isha Prayer is
to 2 Rak as with permission also granted to Pray
• After the first mention of Allahu Akbar (Cod is Greatest),
Surat al-Fatiha is read.
After the second, Blessings are invoked on the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH).
After the third, a Prayer is offered for mercy and
forgiveness for the deceased.
After the fourth and final mention of Allahu Akbar, a Prayer
ls offered for all Muslim men and women, dead and alive.
J Players together within their given period. The
We'aye'IemamS the Same and iS PraVed at
Words
’ time diirm
^Ply praise Atah using the
If at any time
during your
Prayer you
cannot recall
the words, do
not lose heart.
Simply praise
Allah using the
simple phrases
you may
remember

46 A SIMPLE GUIDE TO PRAYER
simple phrases you may remember, such as Allahu Akbar
- Allah is Greatest', or Subhan Allah - Glory to Allah al-
Hamdulilldh - All Praise is due to Allah and complete the
sequence to the end. Time, practice, patience and seeking
help from Allah will eventually make you word perfect.
I
chapter five
making petition or
SUPPLICATION -
Dl/A'
are encouraged to give thanks to Allah tor the
!..•»!«Hehas provided and the Blessings He showers on
-'servantseveryday You are also encouraged to humbly
•..sthis help and guidance relating to your everyday
■ and concerns The Prophet (PBUH) encouraged
^cationand regarded it as the essence of worship. This
ifsonein your own words using your mother tongue
:'2bit lfy°u hav? learned some Du a
*XTlst0*,ed'aiseyou,hands««

Arabic du a s
Du o' 1
Our Lord,
Rabbana,
5—L?jJi lL’T
atina fid-dunya Hasanatan
give us Good in this world
, < -
wbbigW war-anl
^/ntokhayrur-rdhimin
/ '
jSWerr^ro^«» 49
0 my Lord, grant
forgiveness and mercy
for You are the best of
those who show mercy.
wa fH-akhirati Hasanatan
and Good in the Hereafter,
jlcll jidjr- Uj,
wa qina adhab an-nar
and save us from the
torments of the fire.
Du a 2
Rabbi ishrah II sadri,
O my Lord, expand my
breast (for understanding/
iman]
and ease my task for me.
Du d'3
Rabbl Zidni iima
O my Lord, advance me
in knowledge
moor Optional Prayers
^wwehavedealt only with the compulsory Prayers
«ausethey are an obligation on every Muslim, male and
female. As you become more confident in both the
taming and performance of the Prayer your desire to do
we will increase and you will feel compelled to
-corporatemore of the recommended Prayers, which the
(PBUH) was in the habit of performing
Prayers, which you m
— Wdaiiyrorrtmepheyareasfonows:
■ * *Z' “mPU'50ry Prayer.'8h'y recomm™ed
h'C*7 ^V'8hly rwomraended R
2 Wnai „ t

50 a
SIMPLE GUIDE TO PRAYER
These highly recommended and optional Prayers
Prayed in addition to the compulsory Prayer and at tT
same time. In some instances they are Prayed prior
while in others, following the compulsory Prayer.
The Witr Prayer is so highly recommended as to be
regarded as almost compulsory. It is generally preceded
by two Rak as referred to as Shaf which literally means
even number. These are then followed by one Rak a of
Witr which literally means odd number'. It is regarded as
the final night Prayer and can be Prayed anytime during
the night after the compulsory Isha' Prayer (and Tarawih
Prayer in Ramadan ) and before Fajr Prayer.
wet withdraws you from your routine worldly life fo
and provides an opportunity to
Allah intensely, with your heart and mind,
ague and limbs. Then, as a Muslim, you must carry out
your worldly duties as best you can. The lessons that
Prayer imparts, and which should remain with you, are:
if Be mindful of Allah; remember that you are always in
His Presence and that everything you receive is from
Him.
ew'y,"mg ,ha* happe"s'
,‘*™*HMXs nand,ha,n0,hingy0Ud0
■•"“"XorX"1 a'ld 35 °,ten 35 y°U Can
8"P»*trup tingyournorma| |ifc
'*** to ‘ te'Cally an of the
"""**» to, thK ftt,e and
,hB sP«'tally, y0u are

A $iMPlE cUlDE
TO PRAYER
Highly encouraged to respond to everything in the form of
a Prayer, thus being mindful of Allah at all times. The
following are occasions when such responses are
recommended:
i nniK -------------------------------
You should commence every action in the name of Allah -
eating, drinking, travelling, writing, speaking, etc. Invoking
Allah s name makes you more aware that the action you
are undertaking is in compliance with His Commands and
does not involve something that is wrong or unjust. You
should familiarise yourself with this highly recommended
habit as you will hear Muslims frequently utter the words:
Ajjl ♦Lj
Bismillah
In the name of Allah
or a longer version
—■
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
In the name of Allah the
Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful
mher Warmly
nieet they are encouraged to greet each
^^yers invoking peace, and extend hospitality
a,home and in the community at large. The
minds us of the following etiquette when
(j/canre
Renterhouses, salute each other - a greeting of
(l/isiugandpurityas from Allah. (Surah 24: 61)
■nilPose who are God-fearing and believe in the Signs
Creation the Quran reminds us:
“"win0ur5isnssay:
Peace be on you. (Surah 6: 54)
jgreetanother Muslim, therefore, by saying:
Xif- ' peace [,e UpOn y0(J
os-Solamu alaykum
Give Praise for Everything
You should be fully conscious ot the bounties Allah has set
out for all His creation. The belief that He continues to
shower His Mercy, Compassion and Blessings on His
humble servants expresses itself in words of Praise,
whatever the circumstances.
It someone inquires about your health or the well
being of your family, your reply should commence with:
4) -iL>Ji ah prajse is for Allah
Al-Hamdulillah
And Peace also with you
wa- aioykum as-salam
ft? Qur anic verse:
"En acourteous greeting is ottered to you, meet it
a yeetin^ stiii more courteous, or at least ot
' Miah takes tuii account ot att things.
*4.86) b

as-Salamu alaykum
wa-Rahmatullah wa-Barakatuh
Hence you will hear an even longer greeting:
May the Peace,
Mercy and Blessings of
Allah be with you
You respond with the words:
wa alaykum as-salam
AjIS"aJ)I
wa-Rahmatullah wa-Barakatuh
wforthe Generous
;^snd giving gifts is encouraged among Muslims.
x-Kiaiiy at times of celebration and particularly the two
-jfii festnrais of Id When you receive a gift it is
rnerabie, as an expression of thanks, to use a phrase that
;3Prayerfor the giver, such as.
Give Thanks for Creation
And may the Peace,
Mercy and Blessings of
Allah be with you
When you experience pleasure, for example, in seeing a
new-born baby or feeling awe at the wonders of nature,
you are not only moved by the Perfection of Allah's Creation
but you should also invoke His Blessings on it by saying:
oil f Li L> Allah has willed it to be so
Masha' Allah
Purify Your Intention
If you intend to carry out some task in the future or attend
to an appointment, be it five minutes, days or years ahead,
the expression you use is:
Ajji {.Li If Allah wills
Irisha Allah
May Allah Bless you
Barak Allohu fikum
3 you may say:
* * '
Ij2> a>l ijlj>
Jozokum A/ldfiu khoyron
May Allah Reward you with
good
kSneeieand a Prayer
'^ws are obliged according to the Sunnah or saying of
Prophet ipbuhi to return a blessing on one who
'afcs the one sneezing, should say.

YOU, and anyone who is within earshot, should
blessing, by saying: return the
Yarhamuk-Allah
May Allah give you Mercy
Remembering Allah in Times of Grief
When you hear of the death of someone or you are
suffering some hardship or difficulty, you should say ?
From Allah we come and
Inna li-Llahi wa-inna to Him is our return
/1ayhi rajbun
Travel Safely
When you are parting company or going on a journey you
may greet others as you would when you meet, using the
familiar as Salam alaykum etc. However there is another
very deep and meaningful supplication which you are
recommended to extend to the traveller, which is:
aAjI jU>l May you go with the
fi amanillah safety of Allah
Respecting Allah, His Prophets and his Companions
Special attention should be paid when mentioning Allah
and His Prophets, particularly the Prophet Muhammad and
his pious Companions both male and female.
When you mention Allah's name it should be followed by
the words:
Lt^S oil Allah, Glory be to Him
Allah, Subhanahu wa-Ta ala the most High
Allah’
the Prophet
alayhi wa Saliam
nf the Prophets othei
Al,ah. Migh,y'
the Majestic
Muba^'5 "ame "
Peace and Blessmgs of
Allah be upon him
than Muhammad
/ z "z ' *
(0 &
Musa. Alayhis-Salam
^UJl aIp
Isa, Alayhis-Salam
Moses, Peace be upon
him
Jesus, Peace be upon him
Male Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) are mentioned
tai:
Abu Bakr, may Allah be
* fiakr, Radiyaiidhu anhu pleased with him
^Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) are mentioned
Khadija, may Allah be
Pleased with her

58 A SIMPLE CU'DE TO PRAYER
<»n.o Arian ,0”™^"“''”
Allah s Mercy and ForgiVen
you hear or see^n "T
Voo have done somethin^ "8 bad or ini
you shou]d jrn °r fear
nthiseventyoush^'y
Xk,W8i^J’<011 ’il-°
Astaghfiruliah
t'
rm clean ground. mat or clean coyer you
Jn by making the intention, N/yyo, to Pray this Fajr
prayer for the sake of Allah.
men raising your hands to the level of your ears, with
palms facing the front, say:
ffitoAkbar

Step 2.
Lower your arms to the centre of your body, the right hand
resting on the left hand, and recite the opening Surah of
the Qur'an, Surat al-Fatiha:
TO PKAVER
and y°ur
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
Al-Hamdu lilldhi Rabbit- Alamin
Ar-Rahmanir-Rahlm
Maliki yawmid-dln
lyyaka nabudu wa-iyyaka nasta in
Ihdinds-siratal-mustaqim
siratal-ladhina an amta alayhim
ghayri'I-maghdubi alayhim wa lad-dalin
Amin
(This is followed on the tape by another short Surah from
the Qur'an which you are recommended to learn and
recite when you can This applies to the first two Rak as of
the Prayer only.) _
*l.^p»*"* ’ou'bandsbyyour
®$ay
Sami a Allahu liman hamidah
Rabbana walakal-hamd
Step 5.
Repeat the words:
Allahu Akbar
Step 3.
After this you say: Allahu Akbar

1
I
From the standing position lower yourself to a kneeling
position, your forehead and nose touching the ground, the
palms of your hands flat on the ground each side of your
head. Your arms and elbows should not touch the floor.
You are now in the prostration position. In this position
say, 3 times:
$ub^na
Rabbit Ala
Subhana Rabbi al- Ala
and repeat the
Rak as ot the
Dawn or Fajr
Step 6.
Repeat the words: Allahu Akbar
Then sit back on your feet with your hands resting on your
thighs near to your knees. In this position it is highly
recommended to supplicate and ask Allah for forgiveness
and Mercy.
Step 7.After a moment or two, repeat:
Allahu Akbar
Wdude the prescribed two
^ repeat Allahu Akbar
^"jhackonyour feet and resting your hands on your
near to your knees, simitar to the position you
‘Wp between the two prostrations, you raise your
finger and recite the foffowing Prayer known as
^hahhud-.

65
64 A SIMPLE GUIDE
TO PRAYER
At-Tahiyyatu Lillahi
was-Salawatu wat-Tayyibatu
As-salamu Alayka Ayyuhan-Nabiyyu
wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu
Assalamu Alayna
wa Ala Ibadilldh-is-salihin
Ashhadu an 1a ilaha illallah
wa-ashhadu anna Muhammadan
abduhu wa Rasuluh
(This is followed by the Prayer known as as-Salat alan-Nabi
or Prayer on the Prophet (PBUH) which, though it is not
required to complete your Prayer, you should learn and
recite as soon as you can).
Allahumma sail! ala Muhammad
wa ala ali Muhammad
kama sallayta ala Ibrahim
wa ala ali Ibrahim
Allahumma barik ala Muhammad
and looking
-j towards your right
wa Rahmatullah -
king towards your left
alaykum wa Rahmatullah.
Tins tai Salam completes the requirements for the dawn
oiFajrPrayer The same instructions apply to the Zuhr, Asr
or isha prayers when they are shortened (see p. 45).
if you are performing one of the other four daily Prayers
which necessitate one or two more Rak as, you simply
'ecite the Tashahhud after the first two Rak as, then
resume the standing position repeating the words Alldhu
■^bor and complete one or two more Rak as, according to
grayer in question and end with the Tashahhud (and as
iTNabl Wn you are able^and make the final
sMreC?Plh'rd anG forth Rakas 01 a Prayer, you
a'^5urotaiW on|y

Chapter 107 Simple Acts of Kindness (Al-Ma un)
j-^9' ln the name °f Allah,
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful
Araayta al-ladhl
yukadhdhibu bid-din
Have you seen the one
who denies religion?
XJ1 £-X_> s_Sjj1X-dTj-s
Fadhalika al-ladhl
yadu ul-yatim
- the one who pushes the
orphan aside,
Wa-la yahuddu
ala ta amil-miskln
and does not encourage
feeding the poor people?
Surety ..the fountain of ADuu«-
so Pray to your Lord, and
make sacrifice.
4 Surely it is the one who
tar insults you (Muhammad,
and not you) who will
leave no one behind to
remember him.
Fa-waylul lil-musallin
0y>'—C/jJI who are negligent in
Al-ladhina hum their Prayers!
an Salatihim sahun
Oh, wretched are the
worshippers Chapter A09.
Ct
BismUlahir-RahmanirRQhlm
Unbelievers (Al-Kdfirun)
n the name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful
Al-ladhina hum yuraun
The ones who show off
(in Prayer)
Say: '0, unbelievers!'
Qul Ya ayyuhal-kdfirun
1U* -y
Wa-yamna unal-ma un
but refuse simple acts
of kindness!
bjjLi'SxX'l 1 do not worship what
la a budu ma ta budun you worship,

AS,U,U«'MroP,,,i'
70 A SIMPLE CUIOt TO PRAYER
m-li antum abiduno
ma a bud
and y°u d0 not w0rsh
what I worship
£55i4-A Surely He Is always ready
.„MUnA <»«»« »'°r.'ive-
ZtZZ'j'
Wrr-laana abmun
too dbodtum
^'W//TOflV0fs/j
what you worship
Chapter 111 The Palm Leaf (AI-Lahab/AI-Masad)
■Zi'ZjjZjd-Zj
Woh)antum abiduna
ma a bud
and you do not VPOrsh'
what I worship P
Zhir-Rohmdnir-Rahirn
in the name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful
ChaP’or Ito Then,,
heHelPfA/./vOSr/
"‘"^z
' -7^ -
"■"oso
^iOih
an(t^seen
^Aliah°Ple
’ ^ses 'S rellS'on
to praise
^ness^^
Ma a9hno anhu maluhu
wo mo kosab
naran dhata lohab
R pdiha
The power of Abu Lahab
will perish and he will
perish
Neither his wealth nor
*hat he has gained will
help him
Wam^naZ^
al'hatab
have, r
Palni'eaves X0<
heck ar°und
rohgh
her

72 A SIMPLE CHIOS TO PRAYER
Qu!Huwollahu Ahad
Chapter fl 12). The Purity or Sincerity of Faith (al-ikhias)
{ ewas not born
sty in the name of Allah
Bismillahir-Rahmonir-Rohim the Most Gracious the
Most Merciful
kstMPLE guide to 73
C^^T^people{M.N^
ln the name of Allah
‘he Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful
Say: 1 seek refuge and
protection in th , d
al1 People, 6 °rdof
the K'ngofau
al1 People
I
Wa-min sharri ghasiqin
idha waqab
from the evil of the
darkness when it is very
strong
Wa-min sharrin-naffathati
fi l- uqad
Wa-min sharri hasidin
idha hasad
from the evil of people
who practise witchcraft,
and from the evil of the
envious one when he
envies'.

klarnic-foundation.com
74 < SIMPLE GUIDE TO PSA VIP
Books
whoiwhisper (evin ■
^ymsi/fi theheartsof(V'l’lnt°
sudurin-nas wopie
^ofpnnoti^ °nes of)
‘"e peop/e Minh <„
to See.
ave Xi
> 1 "'« Eyes v

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T
h* guide we hope will assist you towards under
standing the meaning ot Piayei its torm and signifi
cance as well as learning how to perform It Once you
have accepted your obligations as a Muslim your concern
must be to purify and develop both your heart and your
behaviour This is a continuous and life long process and one
m which Prayer plays a key role Muslims are required to
team and recite Prayers in Arabic and though at first it may
look substantial in reality the extent of what has to be
remembered is little as there is considerable repetition
throughout the Prayer This book accompanied by a 60-
minute tape is designed as a simple aid for you as you
embark on your spiritual |oumey
The Mew Muslims Project
In <s concern to address the social and educabonal needs of
those new to Islam the New Muslims Project of the Islamic
Foundation Markfield Leicestershire has grown to provide a
range ot services Through Meeting Point the newsletter of
the New Muslim Project regular contact is maintained with
over 2000 corxerts as well as those interested in Islam
throughout the UK Qur amc Arabic couises are offered at
various levels io encourage greater understanding of the
Quran and Islam Pilgrimage both Umra and Hajj have
been organized tor ther historical and spiritual impact As
wefl as tufWtmg a recognized role in advice and counselling
•* latest addition to toe New Muslim Project s expanding
services are « Website and with the kind assistance of
Mountain of lag* this simple guide to Prayer for beginners
■ you are or you know of someone new to Islam and would
flke to know more about the Project or access the range of
seivices asatlabk- please do not hesitaie to contact us at
The Islamic Foundation
Markfield Conference Centre
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A Guide to the Essentials of Prayer

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A Guide to the Essentials of Prayer