“Pray as you have seen me praying”
The command of the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam “Pray as you have seen me praying”
The following hadeeth is mentioned by every scholar of Ahlus sunnah while talking about As Salaah:
Pray as you have seen me praying(Bukhari)
This is one of the ahadeeth used as a basis of the understanding that all the aspects of ‘i ba a d a h (worship) generally and the Salaah in particular have to be performed the way that the Messenger of Allah Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam taught or practiced. Hence it is incumbent upon the worshipper to perform AsSalaah, no way other than the way of Prophet Muhammad Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam.
Raising the hands (Raf u-yada in)
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would raise his hands sometimes with the Takbeer, sometimes after the Takbeer, and sometimes before it. (Bukhari, Nisaai, AbiDawood and Ibid)
‘He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would raise the hands with fingers apart (not spaced out nor together)(1), and ‘he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would put them level with his shoulders’, although occasionally(2)’, ‘he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would raise them until they were level with his ears(3)(not touching the ears), palms facing the Qiblah(4). Touching of the ears while raising the hands is agreed to be a bid’ah, since we have no proof of the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam , or the righteous Salaf doing so.
(1) - AbiDawood, Ibn Khuzaimah.
(2) - Bukhari and Nasaa’
(3) - Bukhari and AbiDawood.
(4) - Umdat- ul-Ehkaam
Placing of the arms
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to place his right arm over the left in Salaah, and also used to say, ‘We, the company of the Prophets, have been commanded (by Allah) to hasten the breaking of the fast, to delay the meal before the fast, and to place our right arms on our left arms during Salaah’. (Ibn Hibbaan)
In the qiyam (standing) the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to place his arms on his chest. (AbiDawood, Ibn Khuzaimah, Ahmad and AbuShaikh. “hands should be placed on the chest” is found in the Hanafi book Aiynul Hidaya. page 350. It’s meaning is also found in Imam Malik’sMuattah andSaheeh Al Bukhari. Also in Sheikh Nasiruddeen Al Albany’s Ahkaam al-janaiz..)
Sheikh Nasiruddeen Al Albany (may Allah have mercy on him) explains that ‘placing the hands on the chest (while inqiyam) is the only practice of the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam, and all that is contrary to it is either da’eef (weak) or baseless.(1) All the scholars of Sunnah are also in agreement with this. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) has also mentioned this in his book(2)
(1) - The Prophet’s Prayer Described .
(2) - Kayfiyat Salat-un-Nabi- Prophet Muhammed’s manner of performing
Prayers
Looking at the place of prostration in humility
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to incline his head during Salaah, in humility and fix his sight towards the ground(1)(at the place of prostration), till he came out of it (the Salaah).(2)
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam forbade looking up toward the sky, while in Salaah saying: ‘People must refrain from looking up toward the sky in Salaah, or their sight will not return to them, (and in one narration)…or their sight will be plucked away’. (Bukhari and AbiDawood)
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam also said: ‘Allah does not cease to turn to a slave in his Salaah as long as he is not looking around; when he turns his face away, Allah too turns away from him.(AbiDawood)
(1) - Baihaqi and Haakim.
(2) - Ib id.
Obligation of reciting Surah Al-Fatihah in all the prayers
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would consistently emphasise the importance of this Surah saying:
‘There is no prayer for the one who did not recite (in it) the opening chapter (Al-Fatihah).’(1)
‘That prayer is not sufficient in which a man does not recite the opening of The Book (Surah Al-Fatihah).(2)
‘He who performs the Salaah in which he does not recite Surah Al-Fatihah, then it (the Salaah) is deficient, is deficient, is deficient and incomplete.(3)
(1) - Bukhari, Muslim, Abu ‘Awaanah & Baihaqi. Irwaa’Al Ghaleel, by Sheikh Al Albany
(2) - Daraqutni & ibn Hibbaan. Irwaa’Al Ghaleel.
(3) - Muslim & Abu ‘Awaanah.
Obligation for the Imam and the congregation, to say Aameen loudly .
While leading the Jam’ah, when the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam finished reciting Al-Fatihah, he would say : Aameen
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would do so loudly and prolonging it. (Bukhari in Juz’ al-Qiraa’ah & Abudawood)
Likewise he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to order the congregation to say Aameen loudly,
saying ‘When the Imam says :
then say “Aameen”, for the angels say Aameen, and the Imam says Aameen, (in another narration, when the Imam says “Aameen”, say “Aameen”(1) so he whose Aameen coincides with the Aameen of the angels, his past sins are forgiven.’(Bukhari, Muslim, Nasa’i & Darimi) In another hadeeth: ‘…then say Aameen; Allah will answer you.’ (Muslim & Abu ‘Awaanah)
(1) - As a general rule through out AsSalaah behind an Imam no one should precede the Imam in any action of the Salaah. And since it is an order from the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam to say Aameen only after the Imam says Aameen, one behind the Imam should do so, or his prayer could be nullified.
The Rukoo’ (Bowing)
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would pause for a moment after his recitation, raise his hands (rafu-yadain)(1), say the Takbeer and go in to ruko o’. He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam ordered a sahabi to do so and to keep his joints at ease and relaxed(2) while in rukoo’.
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam also ordered saying: ‘When you make rukoo’, place your palms on your knees, then space your fingers out (as if grasping them), then remain (like that) until every limb takes its (proper) place.(3)’ In another narration ‘… spread your back (flat) and hold firm in your rukoo’.’(4)
In ruk oo’, the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would spread his back and make it level, such that if water was poured on it, it would stay there (not run off)(5), he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would neither let his head droop nor raise it (higher than his back).(6)
It is reported that the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam said: ‘The prayer of a man does not count unless he straightens his back in rukoo’ and sujood.’(AbiDawood and Abu’Awanah) In anothe rhadeeth: ‘O assembly of the Muslims! Verily, the prayer is not valid of the one who does not settle his spine in rukoo’ and sujood.’ (Ibn Majah and Ahmed).
(1) - Bukhari and Muslim. With regards torafu-yadain we find this in the books of Hanafi fiqh, "Know that rafu-yadain before and after rukoo’ is authentic and none of them ismansookh (cancelled)" Anwar Shah Kashmir &Imam Badr Alam Meerathi in Faizul Bari 2/225, Al-arf Shazi pg 125 ,Danilal Farqadeen pg 22
(2) - Abi Dawood and Nasaa’i.
(3) - Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban.
(4) - Ahmed and Abi Dawood.
(5) - Ibn Majah
(6) - Abi Dawood.
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would get out of the ruk oo’ by raising his head and standing straight until every vertebra returned to its place.(1) He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would raise his hands while straightening up (rafu-yadain).(2) He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam once said that a person’s prayer is not complete until he is standing straight (after ruk oo’).(3)
(1) - Bukhari and AbiDawood.
(2) - Bukhari and Muslim.
(3) - AbiDawood and Hakim.
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam also said: ‘Allah, Mighty and Sublime, does not look at the prayer of the slave who does not make his backbone upright in between his bowings and prostrations’. (Ahmed and Tabaraani)
The Sujood (Prostrations)
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to go down in sajdah by ‘placing his hands on the ground before (placing) his knees’.(1) And say: ‘When one of you performs sajdah, he should not kneel like a camel but should place his hands (on the ground) before his knees.’(AbiDawood)
(1) - Ibn Khuzaimah (1/76/1), Daraqutni and Hakim.
NOTE :
Sheikh Al Albany (may Allah have Mercy on him) held that the hadeeth of going down with hands first is the onl y Saheeh with regards to going down in Sajdah, and moreover it’s a command of the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam to do so. He also explains that the knees of a camel are in its forelegs, and when a camel kneels it goes down on its knees first. Sheikh ‘Abdul ‘Aziz bin Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him), said that there is no harm if a person does either of the two, (i.e. go down knees first or hands first).
Allah Knows best.
Going Down for Sajdah
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would also say: ‘There is no prayer for the one whose nose does not feel as much of the ground as the forehead.’ [Tabaraani (3/140/1) and Daraqutni].
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to put his knees and toes down firmly(1), point with the front of the toes towards the Qiblah(2), put the heels together(3), keep his feet upright(4) and ordered to do likewise(5).
‘The prayer of a man does not count unless he straightens his back in rukoo’ and sujood.’ (AbiDawood and Abu’Awanah)
(1) - Baihaqi
(2) - Bukhari and Abi Dawood.
(3) - Tahaawi, Ibn Khuzaimah, and Haakim.
(4) - Baihaqi
(5) - Tirmidhi and Siraaj.
‘The slave is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration, so increase supplication (in it).’ (Muslim, Abu ‘Awanah and Baihaqi)
Rising from the first and second Sajdahs , and the resting in between.
The muftarishan
The Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam ordered iftiraash between the two sajdahs saying:
When you prostrate, prostrate firmly, then when you rise, sit on your left thigh (Bukhari and Baihaqi) He would also relax himself and sit likewise, keeping his right foot upright (149) and point its toes towards the Qiblah.This is the mufatrishanor iftiraash.
The iq’aa’
During this pause (between two sajd ah s) the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam also practiced iq’aa’ (resting on both his heels and all his toes), between the two sujood.This iq’aa’ is different from the iq’aa’ (squatting like a dog), which was prohibited by the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam.
The first Tashahhud and moving the finger while supplicating.
After the second sajdah of the second rak’ah, a person should sit muftarishan(1) (sitting on the left foot and right foot upright with its toes facing Qiblah) for t ash ah h ud, as the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would sometimes sit between the two sajdahs. The same should also be done in the first tashahhud of a three or four rak’ahsprayer.
The tashahhud begins as soon as the worshipper sits muftarishan after two r ak’ahs (or mutawarrikan in case of the third or fourth rak’ah), till he gets up for the third rak’ah or says Tasleem.
(1) - Nas aa’i
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would keep his thumb on his middle finger, and sometimes ‘he would make a circle with these two’.(AbiDawood, Nasaa’I, Ibn al-Jaarood, Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan, Abu’Awanah.)
‘When he raised the finger, he would move it, supplicating with it.’(1) And he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to say: ‘It is surely more powerful against the devil, than iron, meaning the forefinger.’(2) This should be done throughout the sitting of tashahhud .
This was the practice of the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam in both the tashahhuds(3)and in all his prayers, and theSahaba too used to remind each other of the pointing of the finger (and moving) while supplicating (in tashahhud)(4).
(1) - Ibid. This is the strong opinion ofImam Tahaawi,Imam Malik,Imam Ahmed and Ibn Haani. Please check ‘The Prophet’s Prayer Described’ by Sheikh AlAlbany for details.
(2) - Ahmed, Bazzaar, Abu Ja’far alBukhteeri.
(3) - Nasaa’i and Baihaqi.
(4) - Ibn Shaibah
The final Tashahhud and obligation to seek refuge from four things
After completing the sujood of the (third or) fourthra k’ah, one should sit for the final tashahhud, like the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam did and instructed as explained below.(Bukhari and Ibid).
One should repeat, what he did in the first tashahhud, except that he should sit mutawarrikan. In the mutawarrikan the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would sit on his left thigh and buttock and also ‘keep his left foot under his (right) thigh and shin’(Abi Dawood & Baihaqi), ‘his right foot upright’(Muslim & Abu’Awaanah.) or occasionally ‘he Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam would lay it on the ground’(Ibid), ‘his left palm would cover his (left) knee, leaning heavily on it’(Ibid) (See photo below). So the worshipper should try to do the same, since the Prophet Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam has commanded, ‘Pray as you have seen me praying.’(Bukhari).
The Etiquette of standing behind theImam - feet to feet and shoulder to shoulder
The worshippers should align themselves well in the rows, while in Jam’ah behind the Imam. Allah’s Messenger Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam used to say: ‘Stand close together in your rows, bring them near one another, and stand neck to neck(1)’, in one narration, ‘straighten your rows, or Allah will create a discord within your hearts.’(2)Also, ‘If the prayer rows become sparsely spread (with gaps between men) then by Allah I can visualize shaytan therein.’(3) He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam also used to warn the sahaba saying: ‘Straighten your rows or Allah will alter your faces.’(4)
Keeping these instructions in mind, the companions used to join their ankles and arms close to each other (without any gap between two persons)(5). Thus we should follow the example of those ‘whom Allah is pleased with’(6)(the Sahaba).
He Salalahu Alaihi Wa Salaam always encouraged the men to pray upfront in the mosque. He would say: ‘The best of the men’s rows is the first and the worst is the last, and the best of the women’s rows is the last and the worst is the first.(Muslim)
(1) - Abi Dawood and Nasaa’i, Ibn Hibban graded it Saheeh. (Bulugh al-Maram). ‘Neck to neck’ here implies the same as ‘knee to knee’, which is mentioned in another narration. Which means that (i) People should stand close to each other and (ii) All their necks or knees should be in a straight linear position, and no person should be ahead of another while in the row.
(2) - Bukhari and Muslim
(3) - Bukhari and Muslim
(4) - Bukhari.
(5) - Muhammed bin Ismail AsSanani in Subul us-Salam., explanantion of Bulugh al-Maram
(6) - Surah AlBayyinah 98:8
Edited from : http://www.scribd.com/doc/3981002/AsSalaahA-Muslims-Prayer
for more on it Insha Allah: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3981002/AsSalaahA-Muslims-PrayerBy Abdullah Yamin, may Allah reward him. Ameen
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Aicha Diallo
