A GUIDE TO PERFORMING YOUR SALAAH

This guide details the methodology of performing Salaah according to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. It emphasizes that prayer is an individual obligation (fard-e-ain) for every sane, pubescent person, and warns that intentional omission is a grave transgression, while rejecting its obligatory nature constitutes disbelief. The text stresses the importance of performing prayer only behind a Sunni Sahihul Aqida (correctly-believing) Imam, explicitly forbidding prayer behind deviant sects, whom it characterizes as destructive and misguided.

The work outlines the physical postures and recitations required for prayer, from the initial Takbeer-e-Tahreema to the final Salaam. It distinguishes between the requirements for men and women, noting specific variations in hand placement, bowing, prostration, and sitting postures. The text also clarifies the status of various actions within the prayer, categorizing them as fard (obligatory), waajib (necessary), sunnat-e-mu’akkadah (emphasized tradition), or mustahab (meritorious).

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Key topics & takeaways

Belief and Importance

• Status of Salaah — It is the most essential fard act after imaan and the refinement of one's beliefs ▸page 6.
• Consequences of omission — Intentionally missing a prayer makes one a faasiq (transgressor), and rejecting its obligation is an act of kufr ▸page 6.
• Warning against deviants — It is forbidden to pray behind those who hold deviant beliefs, such as wahabis, as they are not considered real Muslims and the prayer will not be fulfilled behind them ▸page 10.
• Association with the misled — Maintaining friendship or company with deviants is described as dangerous, destructive, and akin to a venomous cobra ▸page 11.

Preparation and Commencement

• Standing posture — One should stand upright with a space of approximately four fingers between the feet ▸page 12.
• Takbeer-e-Tahreema — Men raise their hands to the ears, touching the earlobes with the thumbs, while women raise their hands only to the shoulders (▸page 12, ▸page 24).
• Tying the hands — Men tie their hands below the navel; women place their hands on the chest, below the breasts (▸page 12, ▸page 24).
• Recitations — The prayer begins with Thana, followed by Ta’awuz, Tasmiyah, Surah Faateha, and an additional Surah or three verses (▸page 13, ▸page 14).

Postures and Movements

• Ruku (Bowing) — Men grasp their knees with fingers spread and keep the back flat; women bow only enough to touch their knees without straightening the back or pressing the knees (▸page 15, ▸page 24).
• Sajdah (Prostration) — Knees are placed on the ground first, followed by the hands and head; the forehead and nose must be firmly planted, and limbs should be kept apart from one another ▸page 16.
• Sitting (Qa’da) — Men sit with the right foot upright and the left foot flat; women sit with both legs to the right side (▸page 17, ▸page 25).
• Tashahud — During the recitation of At-tahiyaat, the index finger is raised at the word Laa and dropped at il'la without shaking it (▸page 18, ▸page 19).

Specific Prayers

• Witr prayer — In the third rak'ah of Witr, a Surah is recited, followed by the Dua-e-Qunoot before the ruku ▸page 26.
• Dua after Salaah — Making dua after the completion of the fard prayer is described as blessed and supported by the Qur’an ▸page 28.

Words the reader recites

• Dua e Qunoot in Witr — Said in the third rak'ah before ruku ▸page 26

  ﷻ Dua· Dua e Qunoot

  اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّا نَسْتَعِيْنُكَ وَ نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَ نُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَ نَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِیْ عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ وَ نَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَ نَخْلَعُ وَ نَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَّفْجُرُكَ ط اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَ لَكَ نُصَلِّي وَ نَسْجُدُ وَ اِلَيْكَ نَسْعٰى وَ نَحْفِدُ وَ نَرْجُوْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ نَخْشٰى عَذَابَكَ اِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ

  O Allah, we seek assistance from You, and seek Forgiveness, and we bring faith in You, and have (complete) faith (and trust) in You, and we glorify You with every goodness; and we are grateful to You and are not ungrateful; and we distance (ourselves) from and leave every such person who sins against You. O Allah, we worship You, and for You Alone do we perform Namaaz, and perform Sajdah; And towards You alone do we come swiftly making complete effort, and we are hopeful of Your Divine Mercy; and we fear Your punishment. Undoubtedly, Your punishment will befall the unbelievers.