How to Perform the Daily Prayers – Namaaz (Salaat)
Welcome to Imam Bargah Online. The page is a guide on how to prepare for and perform the daily prayers, also known as Namaaz or Salaat.
In Islam, it is obligatory to perform the following five prayers every day during the prescribed times:
- Salaat al-Fajr (Dawn prayer), which consist of two units (each unit of prayer is called a rak`ah)
- Salaat al-Zuhr (Midday prayer) consisting of four units
- Salaat al-`Asr (Afternoon prayer) consisting of four units
- Salaat al-Maghrib (Dusk prayer) which consist of three units
- Salaat al-`Isha (Night prayer) consisting of four units
Performing the Daily Prayers according to the Shi’ah Ja’fari school of law involves taking prescribed steps in order (tartib) and in regular succession without undue delay between them (muwalat). The person must first perform preliminary purification (ghusl, if necessary, or wudhu) and fulfil all other prerequisites.
Wudhu (Ablution)
Make sure to remove all makeup or anything that will prevent water from reaching the surface of your skin.
1A) Make the intention: Anwy An Atawaddhah Qurbatan ila Allah Ta’alaa – I make the intention to do Wudhu seeking God’s pleasure (Or you may say: I make the intention to do Wudhu to perform the ____ prayer (depending on the prayer you intend to pray).
1B) Wash your face (2X) from forehead to chin (Not from chin to forehead).
2A) Wash your right arm as follows:
a. Take water into your right hand.
b. Pour water into your left hand.
c. Pour the water onto your right elbow.
d. Wipe your arm from elbow to fingers (Do not wipe from fingers to elbow), until you wet your whole arm.
2B) Wash your left arm as follows:
a. Take water into your right hand.
b. Pour the water onto your left elbow.
c. Wipe your arm from elbow to fingers (Do not wipe from fingers to elbow), until you wet your whole arm.
3) Wipe your head from middle of head to forehead.
4A) Wipe your right foot with your right hand
4B) Wipe your Left foot with your left hand.
Now You’ve completed your Wudhu and can proceed to the Prayers.
Additional Resources for Wudhu, Tayammum and Ghusl
Preparation for Salaat
Stand upright facing the Qiblah (direction of Mecca) and recite the Adhan (The Call to Salaat) and Iqamah (The recitation just before Salaat). Please note that all the recitations during the prayer must be in Arabic. Although approximate transliteration has been given below for each recitation, it is best to try and learn the Arabic script and pronounciations.
The Adhan
- ALLAHU AKBAR (4 times)
God is Great - ASH-HADO AL-LAA ILAAHA-ILLALLAAH (2 times)
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah - ASH-HADO ANNA MUHAMMADAR-RASOO-LULLAAH (2 times)
I bear witness that Muhammad (S.W.) is the Messenger of Allah - ASH-HADO ANNA ALIYAN WALI-YULLAH (2 times)
I bear witness that Ali is the representative of Allah - HAYYA A’LASSALAAH (2 times)
Hasten towards prayer - HAYYA A’LALFALAAH (2 times)
Hasten towards prosperity - HAYYA A’LA KHAYRIL AMAL (2 times)
Hasten towards the best of action - ALLAHU AKBAR (2 times)
Allah is Great - LAA ILAAHA IL-LALLAAH (2 times)
There is no God except Allah
The Iqamah
- ALLAHU AKBAR (2 times)
God is Great - ASH-HADO AL-LAA ILAAHA-ILLALLAAH (2 times)
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah - ASH-HADO ANNA MUHAMMADAR-RASOO-LULLAAH (2 times)
I bear witness that Muhammad (S.W.) is the Messenger of Allah - ASH-HADO ANNA ALIYAN WALI-YULLAH (2 times)
I bear witness that Ali is the representative of Allah - HAYYA A’LASSALAAH (2 times)
Hasten towards prayer - HAYYA A’LALFALAAH (2 times)
Hasten towards prosperity - HAYYA A’LA KHAYRIL AMAL (2 times)
Hasten towards the best of action - QAD QAMAT-IS SALAH (2 times)
The prayer has certainly been established - ALLAHU AKBAR (2 times)
Allah is Great - LAA ILAAHA IL-LALLAAH (1 time)
There is no God except Allah
Niyyah (Intention)
Form the following solemn intention in your mind:
“I offer this _ (name of a particular prayer) prayer, of _ (number of units) rak`ah’s seeking closeness to God,”
Instructions for Prayer
Note: For sisters, all their body must be completely covered with the exception of the face and the hands (up to the wrist) as shown below in 1.
1) Make your intention:
Anwy An Usally Salat Al-“Name of the prayer” Qurbatan ila AllahiTa’ala
(I make the intention to pray the _____ prayer seeking nearness to Allah.)
The First Rak`ah
2) Say loudly: Allahu Akbar (God is Greater), while raising both of your hands to touch your ears, as shown in 2a and 2b below. This is called the Takbiratul Ihram. This sentence, the Takbir, will be repeated several times during the prayer.
3A) Then lower your hands as shown in 3 below. This is called Qiyam. Remain in the standing position while performing the recitations in the next step, Qira’ah.
3B) Qira’ah – Recite Surah Al-Fatihah.
3C) Qira’ah – Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, or another Surah of your choice.
4) Ruku. After completing the second chapter, the worshipper would say the Takbir (see above) and then bow down until the hands can be placed on the knees. The following dhikr (glorification) should be recited once in this position:
Subhaana rabbiy al-`azeemi wa bihamdih
(Glory be to my Lord, the Great, and praise belongs to Him).
5) Resume the standing position and recite:
Sami`allaahu liman hamidah
(God hears the one who praises Him).
6) Go down to Sujud (Prostration). Sujud means that one should place one’s forehead on earth in a special manner, with the intention of humility before God. While performing the Sujud, it is obligatory that both the palms and the knees, and both the big toes be placed on the ground. The following dhikr should be recited in the Sujud:
Subhaana rabbiy al-a`laa wa bihamdih
(Glory be to my Exalted Lord, and praise belongs to Him).
7) After first Sujud, raise the forehead and sit up in a kneeling position with the ankle of the right foot in the sole of the left foot, with hands resting on the thighs and say Takbir, followed by:
Astaghfirullaaha rabbee wa atoobu ilayh
(I ask forgiveness of God, my Lord, and turn towards him).
8) Followed by Takbir again. Repeat the Sujud again and then sit up in a kneeling position and say Takbir.
9A) Sit up for a moment and then rise while saying:
Bihawlillaahi wa quwwatihi aqoomu wa aq`ud
(With God’s help and through His power I stand and sit).
The Second Rak`ah
9B) After regaining the upright posture, recite Surat al-Fatiha and another Surah of the Holy Qur’an as in the first rak`ah. Then say Takbir, and then do Qunut.
9C) Qunut: Keep your hands in front of your face, turning the palms facing upwards, and keeping both the hands and the fingers close together. Recite the following:
Rabbanaa aatinaa fi’d-dunyaa hasanatan wa fi’l-aakhirati hasanatan wa qinaa`adhaab an-naar
(O our Lord! Bestow upon us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the fire [Qur’an, chapter 2, verse 201]).
10A) Say Takbir, followed by the Ruku, then the two Sujud, both as described for the first rak`ah.
10B) Tashahhud: After the second prostration resume the kneeling position, and recite:
Ash hadu al laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluh Allaahumma salli`alaa Muhammadin wa Aali Muhammad
(I bear witness that there is no god apart from Allah, Who is unique and without partners. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Prophet. O God, bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad).
If you are performing the Fajr (Dawn) prayer, please skip the rest and go to section entitled Completion.
If you are performing the Zuhr (Midday), `Asr (Afternoon), Maghrib (Dusk), or `Isha (Night) prayer, continue by standing up for the Third Rak’ah while reciting:
Bihawlillaahi wa quwwatihi aqoomu wa aq`ud
(With God’s help and through His power I stand and sit).
Third Rak’ah
11) At-Tasbih at al-Arba`ah. After regaining the upright posture, either recite Surat Al-Fatihah, or recite al-Tasbihat al-Arba`ah three times, as follows:
Subhaanallaahi wa’l hamdu lillaahi wa laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu akbar
(Glory be to God, and praise be to God; there is no god but Allah, and Allah is Greater).
12) Perform the Ruku, stand up momentarily and then do the two Sujud. This is exactly as described under section First Rak`ah. If you are performing the Maghrib (Dusk) prayers, go to the Completion section.
If you are performing the Zuhr (Midday), `Asr (Afternoon), or `Isha (Night) prayer, continue by standing up for the Fourth Rak`ah while reciting:
Bihawlillaahi wa quwwatihi aqoomu wa aq`ud
(With God’s help and through His power I stand and sit).
This is as described at the end of the section First Rak`ah.
Fourth Rak’ah
This is identical to the Third Rak`ah. After the second prostration resume the kneeling position, and recite the Tashahhud.
Completion
After reciting the Tashahhud of the final rak`ah, recite the Taslim (Salutation) which completes your prayer:
Assalaamu `alayka ayyuhan nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh Assalamu `alaynaa wa `alaa `ibaadillaahis saaliheen Assalamu `alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
(Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and God’s mercy and blessing. Peace be upon us, and upon the righteous servants of God. Peace be upon you [all], and God’s mercy and blessing.)
Thereafter, say Takbir three times.
It is highly recommended that you recite few prayers after the Salat. Especially reciting 34X Allahu Akbar, 33X Al-Hamdulillah and 33X Subhanallah, which is known as Tasbeeh Az-Zahraa (Peace Be Upon Her).
Things / Actions that will invalidate Wudhu (Ablution) and make it void
There are Seven things that will make the Wudhu (Ablution) void (i.e. you will have to do another Wudhu):
- Passing of urine.
- Excretion.
- Passing wind from rear.
- A Sleep, deep enough to restrict sight and hearing. However, if the eyes do not see anything, but the ears can hear, Wudhu does not become void.
- Things on account of which a person loses his sensibility, like insanity, intoxication or unconsciousness.
- Istihaza – medium and heavy blood breakthrough (for women).
- Janaba, and, as a recommended precaution, every state which requires Ghusl.
Things which Invalidate Prayers
Twelve things make prayers void (taken from Seyed As-Seestani’s Islamic Laws), and they are called mubtilat.
- If any of the pre-requisites of prayers ceases to exist while one is praying like, if he comes to know that the dress with which he has covered himself is a usurped one.
- If a person, intentionally or by mistake, or uncontrollably, commits an act which makes hisWudhu (Ablution) void, like, when urine comes out.
- If a person folds his hands as a mark of humility and reverence, his prayers will be void, but this is based on precautionary rule. However, there is no doubt about it being haraam if it is done believing that it is ordained by Shariah.
- The fourth thing which invalidates prayers is to say ‘Amin’ after Surah al-Hamd. This rule, when applied to one praying individually based on Ihtiyat, but if someone utters it believing that it has been ordained by Shariah, it is haraam.
- The fifth thing which invalidates prayers is to turn away from Qibla without any excuse.
- The sixth thing which invalidates prayers is to talk, even by uttering a single word consisting of one, single letter which has a meaning or denotes something. For example, one letter “Qi” in Arabic means “protect yourself”. Or if someone asked a person who is praying, as to which is the second letter of Arabic alphabet, and he said simply “Ba”. But if the utter meaningless, then, if it constitutes of two or more letters, his prayers will be void, based on precaution.
- The seventh thing which makes prayers void is an intentional loud laugh. And if the laugh is uncontrollable, or involuntary, if what prompted it in the first place was intentional, or for that matter, inadvertent, the prayers will be void. But if one laughs loudly unintentionally, or if he purposely laughs without emitting any voice, there is no harm.
- As an obligatory precaution, if one intentionally weeps, silently or loudly, over some worldly matters, his prayers will be void. But if he weeps silently or loudly due to fear of Allah, or the Hereafter, there is no harm in it. In fact, it is among the best acts.
- Any Act which changes the form of prayers like, clapping or jumping, invalidates the prayers, regardless whether that act is done intentionally or forgetfully. However, there is no harm in actions which do not change the form of prayers, like, making a brief sign with one’s hand.
- Eating or drinking during prayers.
- Any doubt concerning the number of Rak’ahs in those prayers which consist of two or three Rak’ahs, will render the prayers void. Also, if doubts about the number of the first two Rak’ahs, of prayers having four Rak’ahs (like, Zuhr, Asr and Isha), his prayers will be void if he continues to be in doubt.
- If a person omits or adds the Rukn (elemental parts) of the prayers, either intentionally or forgetfully, his prayer is void. Similarly, if he does an extra Rukn forgetfully, like adding a Ruku or two Sajdah in one Rak’ah, his prayer, as an obligatory precaution, will be void. And if one omits purposely acts which are not Rukn, or makes an addition, prayer will be void. But if one forgetfully adds one more Takbiratul Ihram, prayer will not be void.