Prayer Archive

The five prayers are among the best acts of worship that the Muslim performs. Performing them is the best deed after having the correct belief in God and His Messenger.  

  Du^a’u l-iftitah or Du^a’u t-Tawajjuh Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fatara s-samawati wal-’arda hanifa m-muslima, wa ma ‘ana mina l-mushrikin. ‘Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lil-Lahi rabbi l-^alamin, la sharika lah, wa bi dhalika ‘umirtu, wa ‘ana minal-Muslimin.

The conditions of prayer are the matters that are not part of the prayer, but must be satisfied before starting the prayer. They are: Islam: Prayer is not valid from a blasphemer. To be at the age of mental discrimination (mumayyiz), i.e., the age at which the child understands when addressed and answers when asked. To be pure from both ritual impurities. One must have Wudu’, and clear of the states of minor and major ritual impurity.  

Allah, ta^ala said: إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَاباً مَّوْقُوتا 'Ayah 103 of Suratu n-Nisa’ means: {Certianly, the [obligatory] prayers have been prescribed to the believers to be performed at specific times.} After the belief in Allah and His Messenger, the prayer is the best deed. Allah made five (5) prayers obligatory upon every pubescent, sane Muslim within the night and day. One has to be keen to perform them. Also, one must learn how the time of each prayer begins and how it ends.

Everyone who follows an imam while performing prayer—the Jumu^ah Prayer or other prayers–must fulfill the following obligations: The follower (ma’mum) must not be ahead of his imam in the standing position or in saying the opening Allahu Akbar. The prayer of the follower is invalid if he says his opening Allahu Akbar during that of the imam. Doing other actions at the same time as the imam in other parts of the prayer is disliked (makruh), except for saying: “Ameen ”.

Upon the death of a Muslim, Muslims are obligated to pray for him. Just like in the obligatory prayers, one must have Wudu’. However, the Funeral prayer does not have ruku^ or sujud. It is recommended that the dead person be laid in front of the imam. How to Perform the Janazah (Funeral) Prayer 1. Stand facing the Qiblah with your chest. 2. Have the intention: “I intend to pray the Funeral prayer for this dead Muslim” while saying: Allahu ‘Akbar. 3. Recite the Fatihah softly, then say Allahu ‘Akbar. 4. Say اللّهُمَّ صَلِ على مُحَمَّد Allahumma salli ^ al a Muhammad. It is better if yo…