The Prophet's guidance regarding Salah

The Prophet's guidance regarding Salah [1]

A- The Prophet's guidance regarding the beginning of Salah and recitation:

1- When he wanted Salah, he said: "Allahu Akbar" and neither said something before it nor pronounced the intention.

2- He used to raise his hand stretched and paralleled to his ears and shoulders, facing the Qiblah, then put his right hand on the left.

3- He used to begin Salah with saying: "O Allah, distance between me and my sins as wide apart between the east and the west. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail. O Allah, purify me of sins and faults as a white garment is purified from dirt."

Sometimes he said: "I have turned my face to the One who created the Heavens and the Earth as a true Muslim and I was not one of the polytheists. Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of Muslims."

4- He used to say after the beginning of Salah: "I seek refuge in Allah against the cursed Satan," then he would recite Surat Al Fatihah.

5- He used to pause twice: A pause between saying: "Allahu Akbar" and recitation and the second is controversial:

A- It was reported it was after the recitation of Al Fatihah.

B- It was reported it was before Ruku` (bowing).

6- When he finished the recitation of Surat Al Fatihah, he would recite another Surah which he would lengthen or shorten for a reason such as a travel or others, but in most cases he would choose a Surah of medium length.

7- He used to recite from 60 to 100 Ayahs in Salat Al Fajr (Dawn Prayer), sometimes he would recite Surat Qaf, sometimes he would recite Surat Ar-Rum, or Surat At-Takwir. Sometimes he would recite Surat Az-Zalzalah in both Rak`ahs or Al-Mu`awwidhatayn (Surahs Al-Falaq and Al-Nas) when he was on a journey, and with the beginning of Surat Al Mu'minun until he reached the mention of Moses and Aaron in the first Rak`ah and he had a cough which made him to bow down.

8- He used to perform Salah on Friday with Surat As-Sajdah and Surat Al Insan.

9- As for the Zhuhr Salah (the Noon Prayer), he would lengthen it. Moreover, he would recite the half portion of the recitation of Zhuhr.

10- As for the Maghrib Salah (Sunset Prayer), he would perform it with Surat At-Tur and once he recited Surat Al Mursalat.

11- As for the `Isha' Salah (Obligatory Night Prayer), he would recite Surat At-Tin and assigned for Mu`adh to recite Surat Ash-Shams, Al A`la, Al Layl, and of the like, whereas he (the Prophet) rebuked Mu`adh when he recited Surat Al Baqarah.

12- It was part of his Sunnah to recite a complete Surah and sometimes he would recite it split in both Rak`ahs. Sometimes, he would recite the beginning of the Surah, but was not reported from him that he recited from the middle or the last portion of the Surah.

As for reciting two Surahs in one Rak`ah, he used to do it in Nafilah Salah (supererogatory). As for reciting one Surah split on both Rak`ahs, he would do it rarely and did not use to specify a special Surah for a special Salah except in Friday and the Two `Ids (lesser and greater bairam).

13- He invoked Allah for one full month during the Fajr Salah then stopped and he did that for a reason but when the reason was removed, he stopped. Thus, it was part of his guidance, especially in current events to invoke Allah in Salah and did not do it only in the Fajr Salah.

The Prophet's guidance (peace be upon him) regarding the performance of Salah[2]:

1- He used to lengthen the first Rak`ah more than the second in every Salah.

2- When he finished recitation, he would pause for awhile, raise his hand and say Takbir. Then he would catch his knees with his hands, set apart his arms from his sides, and spread his back and head in one line.

3- He used to say: "Glory be to Allah, the All-Mighty, the Ever-Magnificent" and another time he would say: "O Allah, glory be to You our Lord and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive my sins." He also used to say: "Glorified be Allah, the Lord of angels and the Ruh (i.e. Jibril)."

4- The time of his usual Ruku` (bowing) was as much as saying "Praise be to Allah" ten times and his prostration also was as such. Sometimes, he would make Ruku` (bowing) and prostration as long as standing up, but he used to do it alone in the supererogatory night Salah; hence his guidance was to perform Salah in moderation.

5- He used to lift his head saying: "May Allah answer he who praises Him." Then he would lift his hands and stand up straight and would do the same when he lifts his head from prostration. He said: "The Salah of a person will not be complete if he does not stand up straight after Ruku` (bowing) and prostration." When he stood up straight, he would say: "Our Lord, to You is all praise." Perhaps he said: "Our Lord, for you is all praise." Perhaps he said: "O Allah! our Lord for you is all praise."

6- He used to lengthen that pillar as long as Ruku` (bowing) is and would say: "O Allah! our Lord to You is all praise. The heavens and the Earth and all between them abound with Your praises, and all that You will abounds with Your praises. O Possessor of praise and majesty, the truest thing a slave has said (of You) and we are all Your slaves. O Allah, none can prevent what You have willed to bestow and none can bestow what You have willed to prevent, and no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone, as from You is all wealth and majesty."

7- Then he used to pronounce Takbir and prostrate without raising his hands. He would place his knees first then his hands, forehead, and nose. He used to prostrate on his forehead and nose and would lift the turban a little. He used to prostrate a lot on the ground, on water, in mud, on Khumrah[3], on mats made of palm leaves, and on the leather.

8- When he prostrated, he placed his forehead and nose on the ground and separated between his arms and his sides until the whiteness of his armpits was seen.

9- He used to place his hands on the ground and place his face in between. He would also direct his feet toes toward the Qiblah and spread his hands and fingers without separating nor drawing his fingers so close.

10- He used to say: "O Allah, glory be to You our Lord and praise be to You, O Allah, forgive me." He said: "Glorified be Allah, the Lord of angels and the Ruh (i.e. Jibril)."

11- Then raised his head saying: "Allahu Akbar" without lifting his hands. Then he would sit on his left foot , spread the right one, placing his hands on his thighs, place his arms on his thighs, placing his hands on his knees, and would contract two of his fingers making a circle, then would raise his forefinger at supplication and moving it, then would say: "O Allah, forgive my sins, bestow mercy on me, enrich me, guide me, and grant me sustenance."

12- The Prophet's guidance was to lengthen sitting (between two prostrations) as long as the prostration itself.

13- Then stood up on his feet toes leaning on his thighs. When he stood up, he would start recitation without pausing as he did in the supplication recited at the beginning of Salah. Then he would do as he did in the first Rak`ah except in four things: Silence, the supplication recited at the beginning of Salah, Takbirat Al Ihram (Saying Allahu Akbar at the beginning of Salah), and lengthening.

14- When he sat for Tashahhud, he would place his left hand on his left thigh, his right hand on his right thigh, and pointed with the forefinger which he used neither to contract it nor shrink it but would bend it slightly, moving it while shrinking the little and the ring fingers, making a circle with his Thumb, and raising the forefinger at supplication and looking at it.

15- He used to say Tashahhud in that session and instructed his Companions to say: "Salutations are for Allah. All acts of worship and good deeds are for Him. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you O Prophet. Peace be upon us and all of Allah's righteous servants. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except of Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger." He used to lighten it as if he was performing Salah on hot pebbles, then standing up on the toes of his feet and his knees, leaning against his thighs. He used to raise his hand in that position then would recite Al Fatihah alone and perhaps he may recite another Surah along with Al Fatihah in the last two Rak`ahs.

16- When the Prophet (peace be upon him) sat for the final Tashahhud, he would use Tawarruk[4].

He would place his left foot under his thigh and spread out the right one and sometimes he would sit on it.

He would place his right hand on his right thigh, shrink three fingers and spread the forefinger.

He used to supplicate in his Salah saying: "O Allah, I take refuge in You from the punishment of the grave, from the evil affliction of the Anti Christ, and from the trials of life and death. O Allah, I take refuge in You from sin and Maghram."[5].

Then he used to end Salah first at his right hand side saying: "peace be upon you" then at his left.

17- Moreover, he commanded the one who offer Salah to take a partition even if he would put an arrow or a stick. He used to insert his spear during travel in the ground and would offer Salah and sometimes he would offer Salah to his mount, and would place his saddle and offer Salah to it.

18- When he offered Salah near a wall, he would make a distance of a sheep passage and did not stay away but would draw near to the partition.

C- The Prophet's guidance regarding his actions during Salah[6]:

1- It was not part of his Sunnah to look around during Salah.

2- It was not part of his Sunnah to close his eyes during Salah.

3- When he stood up for Salah, he would lower his head. When he entered Salah with the intention of lengthening it and heard the cry of a baby, he would lighten it for fear that the cry will distract his mother.

4- He used to perform Salah while carrying Umamah his granddaughter on his shoulder: when he stood up, he would carry her but when he bowed down or prostrated, he would place her down.

5- He used to perform Salah while Al Hasan and Al Husayn riding on his back, therefore, he would lengthen prostration for fear that they would fall.

6- He used to perform Salah and when `A'ishah would come and knock the door, he would walk and open the door for her, then he would return to his praying place.

7- He used to answer salutation by gesture.

8- He used to blow, cry, clearing his throat during Salah.

9- He used to perform Salah sometimes bare-footed and sometimes wearing his shoes, and he instructed Muslims to perform Salah in their shoes in disagreement with the Jews.

10- He was performing Salah sometimes in one garment  and other times in two garments.

D- The Prophet's guidance regarding his actions after Salah[7]:

1- When he finished his Salah, he would seek Allah's forgiveness then said: "O Allah, You are the Peace and from You is all peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honor." Furthermore, he sat facing the Qiblah as long as saying this invocation then would move quickly to the people who were led in Salah and he used to look at his right and at his left.

2- When he prayed the Fajr Salah, he would sit in his praying place until sunrise.

3- He used to say after each obligatory Salah: "There is no deity but Allah alone without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and He is over all things omnipotent. O Allah, none can prevent what You have willed to bestow and none can bestow what You have willed to prevent, and no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone, as from You is all wealth and majesty." There is no might nor power save in Allah, "There is no deity but Allah none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and we worship none except Him. For Him is all favor, grace, and glorious praise. "There is no deity but Allah and we are sincere in faith and devotion to Him although the disbelievers detest it."

4- He instructed his nation to say after the end of each obligatory Salah: (Glory be to Allah) thirty three, (All praise be to Allah) thirty three, "Allahu Akbar" thirty three, and to complete one hundred, he would say: "None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and He is over all things omnipotent."

E- The Prophet's guidance regarding the voluntary and supererogatory night prayer[8]:

1- He used to perform all the supererogatory and voluntary prayers which have no reason in his home, especially the supererogatory prayer of Al Maghrib.

2- He always kept to ten Rak`ahs in hometown: Two Rak`ahs before the Zhuhr Salah, two Rak`ahs after it, two Rak`ahs after Maghrib, two Rak`ahs after the `Isha' Salah at home, and two Rak`ahs before the Fajr Salah.

3- He kept to the supererogatory Salah of the Fajr Salah more than all other supererogatory Salahs and he never abandoned the supererogatory Salah of Fajr nor the Witr (an odd number unit Salah) neither in hometown nor during travel. It was not reported that he performed any supererogatory Salah during travel but those two.

4- He used to lie down on his right side after praying the supererogatory Salah of Fajr.

5- He used to offer four Rak`ahs before Zhuhr and when he missed two Rak`ahs before Zhuhr, he prayed them after `Asr.

6- He performed the most frequent of his voluntary Salah at night standing, and sometimes while sitting, and sometimes sitting and when there is few Ayahs left, he would stand up to bow down.

7- He used to pray eight Rak`ahs ending Salah after each two Rak`ahs. Then he would pray five Rak`ahs directly as Witr during which he did not sit for Tashahhud. He would pray nine Rak`ahs directly as Witr without ending Salah but after the ninth Rak`ah, then he would offer two Rak`ahs after the end of Salah or may pray seven Rak`ahs as Witr.

8- He used to pray Witr at the beginning of the night, its middle, and at the last portion of the night. He said: "Make the last of your Salah at night Witr."

9- He used to pray while sitting two Rak`ahs after Witr and if he wanted to bow down, he would stand up to bow down.

10- If he was beaten by sleep or pain, he would pray 12 Rak`ahs during the day.

11- One night he stood up praying and reciting one Ayah until the morning.

12- Sometimes he would recite the Qur'an silently during the voluntary Night Prayer and sometimes would recite it loudly; sometime he would lengthen standing up and sometimes lightening it.

13- He used to recite Surat Al A`la in Witr, Surat Al Kafirun, and Surat Al Ikhlas. If he ended Salah, he would say: "Glory be to Allah, the King and the Glorified." thrice longing and raising his voice in the third time.