The details of Salaah (namaaz)

1. Pre-conditions and mandatory acts (Farz)

2. Compulsory acts (Waajib)
3. Prophetic customs (Sunnah)
4. Desirable acts (Mustahabb)
5. Detestable acts (Makrooh)
6. Invalidaters (things which break salaah)

Preconditions (shart, farz) for salaah

The following are not the internal parts of a Salaah, but they are mandatory for the Salaah to be
correct.

1. Purity – of the salaah-offerer‟s body, of his garments, of his place of offering salaah
2. Hiding of the body-parts which are supposed to be hidden
For men: from just below the navel to the knees (excluding the navel and including the
knees)
For women: the entire body except her face, palms and feet
3. Turning the face towards Qiblah (the direction of Ka‟bah at Makkah)
4. The time must be the one prescribed for the salaah
5. Intention of salaah
6. Tahreemah – saying ‫( اهلل أكبس‬Allaahu akbar) in the beginning of the salaah

Mandatory acts (rukn) of salaah

1. Standing (qiyaam)
2. Recitation of at least three small verses of the Quraan or one big verse
3. Bowing (rukoo‟)
4. Both prostrations (sajdahs)
5. Final sitting (qa‟da e akheerah)

Compulsory (waajib) acts of Salaah

1. Starting the salaah by saying ‫( اهلل أكبس‬Allaahu akbar = Allaah is the Greatest), i.e. the
salaah-sayer should not start with some other word having a similar meaning.
2. Reciting surah Faatihah in the first two rak‟ahs of farz salaahs and all rak‟ahs of witr and
nafl salaahs (nafl includes sunnah salaahs also.).
3. Reciting a small surah or three small verses of Quraan in addition to surah Faatihah in the
first two rak‟ahs of farz salaahs and all rak‟ahs of witr and nafl salaahs.
4. Reciting surah Faatihah “before” the other surah or other verse(s).
5. Offering the second prostration after the first without any gap (of offering some other
mandatory act, etc.).
6. Offering all the mandatory acts with patience and in orderly way.
 7. The first sitting (qa‟dah oolaa) for a period in which it is possible to read Tashahhud (At
tahiyyaat).
8. Reading Tashahhud (At tahiyyaat) in the first sitting as also in the second sitting.
ُ‫ أَشْهَد‬.َ‫الخَحِّيَاثُ لِّلًَِ وَالّصَّلَىَاثُ وَالّطَّيِبَاثُ الّسَّلَامُ ػَّلَّيْكَ أَّيُهَا الىَبِّيُ وَزَحْمَتُ الّلًَِ وَبَسَكَاحًُُ الّسَّلَامُ ػَّلَّيْىَا وَػَّلَى ػِبَادِ الّلًَِ الّصَالِحِّيه‬
.ًُُ‫أَنْ لَا إِلًََ إِلَا الّلًَُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَ مُحَمَدًا ػَبْدُيُ وَزَسُىل‬
At tahiyyaatu lillaahi was salawaatu wat tayyibaat. As salaamu „alaika ayyuhan nabiyyu wa
rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. As salaamu „alainaa wa „alaa „ibaadillaahis saaliheen. Ash-
hadu al laa ilaaha illallaahu wa ash hadu anna muhammadan „abduhu wa rasooluh.
[Bukhaaree: 788].
9. Standing up immediately, without delay for the third rak‟ah after completing Tashahhud
(at tahiyyaat).
10. Ending the salaah saying the words of ‫( الّسالم‬as salaam) twice.
11. Reciting the Qunoot du‟aa in the third rak‟ah of witr after completing Faatihah and the
surah.
12. The extra takbeers (‫ اهلل أكبس‬Allaahu akbar) in the salaahs for the two „Eeds. The extra
takbeers are three in each rak‟ah.
13. The takbeer before rukoo‟ in the second rak‟ah of the salaahs for the two „Eeds.
14. Audible recitation by imaam in Fajr and in the first two rak‟ahs of Zuhr, „Asr, Magrib,
„Ishaa, Jumu‟ah, the two „Eeds, Taraaweeh, and Witr (during Ramadhaan).
15. Inaudible recitation by imaam and the solitary prayer-offerer in Zuhr, „Asr, the third
rak‟ah of Magrib, the last two rak‟ahs of „Ishaa, and nafl salaahs (sunnah and mustahabb)
during the day.

Customs (Sunnahs) of Salaah

1. Standing straight at the time of saying the inaugural takbeer (‫ )اهلل أكبس‬without lowering the
head.
2. Raising the hands to the level of the ears.
3. Keeping the inner side of the palm and fingers towards the Qiblah while raising the hands.
4. Leaving the fingers in their natural state, a bit spread-out, while raising the hands. The fingers
should neither be brought close to each other nor spread out to the maximum extent.
5. Keeping the right hand over the left below the navel.
6. Keeping the inner right palm over the outer left palm while encircling the left wrist with his
right little finger and thumb.
7. Reciting Sanaa after keeping his hands below the navel:
.َ‫سُبْحَاوَكَ الّلَهُّمَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَحَبَازَكَ اسْمُكَ وَحَؼَالَى جَدُكَ وَلَا إِلًََ غَّيْسُك‬
SubhaanakAllaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaarakasmuka wa ta‟aalaa jadduka wa laa ilaaha
gairuk. (Tirmizeei: 225, Muslim: 606).
8. Saying ِ‫( أَػُىذُ بِالّلًَِ مِهْ الّشَّيّْطَانِ السَجِّيّم‬A‟oozu billaahi minashShaitaanirRajeem) thereafter.
(Musnad Ahmad: 22233)
9. Sayingِ‫( بِّسّْمِ الّلًَِ السَحْمَهِ السَحِّيّم‬Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem) in every rak‟ah before reciting
Faatihah. (Sharhus Sunnah 1/149)
Note: The imaam-follower (muqtadee) should not say A‟oozu billaah… and Bismillaah… . But if
he has missed one or more rak‟ahs behind the imaam, then he should say A‟oozu billaah… and
Bismillaah… in the first rak‟ah that he offers after the imaam.
10. Saying ‫( آمّيه‬aameen) inaudibly at the completion of Surah Faatihah.
11. Leaving a gap of four finger-widths between his feet.
12. Reciting after Surah Fatihah a surah out of tiwaal e mufassal (surah no. 49 to 85) in Fajr and
Zuhr; a surah out of awsaat e mufassal (surah no. 86 to 98) in „Asr and „Ishaa; and a surah out
of qisaar e mufassal (surah no. 99 to 114) in Magrib.
13. Making the first rak‟ah of Fajr much longer than the second, only in Fajr.
14. Takbeer (‫ )اهلل أكبس‬before bowing down (rukoo‟).
15. Holding the knees with his hands during bowing down (rukoo‟) and spreading out the fingers
completely.
16. Flattening his back and bringing his head in level with his hind part while keeping his shanks
standing straight.
17. Sayingِ‫( سُبْحَانَ زَبِّيَ الْؼَظِّيّم‬Subhaana rabbiyal „azeem) during bowing at least thrice. (Muslim:
1291)
18. Keeping apart arms from torso-sides while bowing, for males only.
19. Sayingُ‫( سَمِغَ الّلًَُ لِمَهْ حَمِدَي‬Sami‟allaahu liman hamidah) while raising the head from bowing,
only for imaams. The imaam-follower (muqtadee) should say quietly ُ‫( زَبَىَا وَ لَكَ الْحَمْد‬Rabbanaa
wa lakal hamd). (Bukhaaaree: 648). The solitary prayer-offerer (munfarid) should say both.
20. Saying takbeer (‫ )اهلل أكبس‬for prostrations (sajdahs).
21. Keeping his knees on the ground first, then his hands, and then his face for prostration.
22. Raising his face, then his hands, and then his knees while getting up from prostration.
23. Keeping his face between his palms during prostrations.
24. Keeping apart his abdomen from his thighs, his elbows from his torso-sides and his arms
from the ground surface during prostrations.
25. Keeping his hand-fingers close together during prostrations.
26. Keeping his feet-toes facing the Qiblah during prostrations.
27. Saying ‫( سُبْحَانَ زَبِّيَ الْأَػّْلَى‬Subhaana rabbiyal a‟laa –Muslim: 1291) inaudibly at least thrice
during prostration.

28. Saying takbeer (‫ )اهلل أكبس‬for rising up from prostrations (sajdahs).

29. Standing up directly from the second prostration without sitting or resting the hands on the
ground. When there is some physical inability, then there is no harm in these acts.

30. Keeping the hands over the thighs between the prostrations just like during the sitting posture
for Tashahhud (At tahiyyaat).
31. Spreading the left foot and keeping erect the right foot during the first sitting (after two
rak‟ahs) and the last sitting.

32. Pointing with his right forefinger during Tashahhud (At tahiyyaat). The forefinger is to be
raised when saying ًََ‫( لَا إِل‬laa ilaaha) and lowered when saying ًَُ‫( إِلَا الّل‬illallaahu).

33. Reciting surah Faatihah in the last two rak‟ahs of Zuhr, „Asr, „Ishaa and the third rak‟ah of
Magrib.

34. Saying salaah (durood) for the Prophet after Tashahhud (At tahiyyaat) in the last sitting.

35. After salaah (durood) for the Prophet, he should pray (supplicate) using supplications of
Quraan and Hadeeths. One such supplication is:

ُ‫حِّيّم‬.َ‫الّلَهُّمَ إِوِّي ظَّلَمْجُ وَفّْسِّي ظُّلْمًا كَثِّيسًا وَلَا ّيَغْفِسُ الرُوُىبَ إِلَا أَوْجَ فَاغْفِسْ لِّي مَغْفِسَةً مِهْ ػِىْدِكَ وَازْحَمْىِّي إِوَك أَوْجَ الْغَفُىزُ الس‬
(Allaahumma innee zalamtu nafsee zulman kaceeraa, wa laa yagfiruz-zunooba ilaa ant, fagfir
lee magfiratam min „indik, warhamnee, innaka antal-gafoorur-rahheem –Bukhaaree: 790)

36. Turning one‟s face towards right and left while sayingًَِ‫( الّسَّلَامُ ػَّلَّيْكُّمْ وَزَحْمَتُ الّل‬As salaamu
„alaikum wa rahmatullaah).

37. The imaam should say the takbeers (‫ )اهلل أكبس‬for posture change audibly while the imaam-
follower (muqtadee) should say inaudibly.

38. The imaam should sayًَِ‫( الّسَّلَامُ ػَّلَّيْكُّمْ وَزَحْمَتُ الّل‬As salaamu „alaikum wa rahmatullaah) audibly
and the imaam-followers should say it inaudibly.

39. The imaam should intend men, angels who protect us and pious jinns with the two
salaams(As salaamu „alaikum wa rahmatullaah).

40. The imaam-follower (muqtadee) should also intend his imaam along with the other beings
when turning in the direction of the imaam for salaam. The solitary prayer-offerer should
intend only the angels with his salaam.

41. The salaah-offerer should lower his voice during the second salaam compared to the first
salaam.

42. He should start the salaam from the right side and then turn to the left.

43. The salaam of the imaam-follower (muqtadee) should be along with the salaam of his imaam.

44. The masbooq (one who has joined the congregational prayer after one or more rak‟ahs were
over) should wait for the imaam to complete both his salaams. He should get up for
completing his remaining rak‟ahs only after the imaam has completed both his salaams.
Notes: 1. Here prayer stands for namaaz (salaah)
2. dua = supplication
3. durood = blessing
4. h=‫ي‬, h=‫ح‬, z=‫ذ‬, z=‫ش‬, z=‫ظ‬, dh=‫ض‬, c=‫د‬, s=‫س‬, sh=‫ش‬, s=‫ص‬, ' or „ or ‟=‫ع‬, ' or „ or ‟=‫ء‬, g=‫ؽ‬, t=‫ث‬,
t=‫ط‬, l=thin ‫ل‬, l=thick ‫ل‬.
5. Source for the above: Al Fiqhul Muyassar by Maulaanaa Shafeequr Rahmaan Nadavi
(page 77 onwards)
[Bahishti Zewar p.93-94]

The Fard Acts of Salaat

1. To say Allah u Akbar at the tim e of m aking the intention.
2. To stand up.
3. To recite any verse or Surah from the Quran.
4. To m ake the ruku.
5. To m ake the two sajdah s.
6. To sit down at the end of salaat for as long as it takes one to recite
the entire at-tah iyyaat.
The Wajib Acts of Salaat
1. To recite Surah Faatih ah.
2. To recite som e other Surah with it.
3. To execute every fard act in its specific order.
4. To stand and recite Surah Faatihah and to recite som e Surah with it.
5. To go into ruku.
6. To go into sajdah.
7. To sit down after two rakaats.
8. To recite at-tah iyyaat in both the sitting postures.
9. To recite dua-e-qun oot in witr salaat.
10. To com plete the salaat by saying As salaamu alaykum wa
rah matullah.
11. To perform all the acts with patience without hurry.