The Salah (prayer) of the Prophet ﷺ

The main objective of this lesson is to explain how the Prophet ﷺ performed his Salah (prayers) so that every Muslim may copy it.

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• The Prophet ﷺ said:

صَلُّوْا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أَصَلِّي (البخاري)

“Perform your Salah as you saw me performing it.” [al-Bukhaari]

• The following points are points that have been derived from the ahaadeeth and are lessons as to how we should perform our Salah, based upon the Salah of the Prophet ﷺ .
• Perform the wudoo properly as Allah ﷻ commands all Muslims in the Qur’aan:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ( سورة المائدة :٦ )

“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.” [Soorat al-Maa’idah: 6]

• Face the direction of the Ka’bah in Makkah, intending in your mind to perform the prayer which you want to fulfill (Fard or Sunnah).
• Pronounce the takbeerالله أكبر “Allah ﷻ is the Greatest,” while looking at the place where your head rests during prostration.
• Raise your hands up to the level of your shoulders or earlobes while pronouncing the takbeer.
• Put your right hand over your left hand and wrist, on the chest, as the Prophet ﷺ did.
• It is recommended to recite the Du’aa al-Istiftaah (opening supplication):

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمْ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُ لله، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ “

Glory be to Allah, O Allah, All praise is due to You, Blessed be Your name, Exalted is Your Majesty, and none has the right to be worshipped except You.

• After reciting the opening supplication, say:

أعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّحِيمِ

“I seek protection of Allah against the accursed Satan.”

Then you say:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

“I begin with the Name of Allah, The most Gracious, the most Merciful.”

• Recite Soorat al-Faatiha (the opening soorah of the Qur’aan). The Prophet ﷺ said: “Salah without reciting Al-Faatiha is invalid.” Then recite a portion of the Qur’aan
• Bow in rukoo’ raising your hands up to the level of your shoulders or earlobes, while saying the takbeer and placing your hands on your knees during the rukoo’. While in rukoo’ say the following:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

“My Rabb, the Greatest, is free from imperfection.” (x3)

• Stand upright and raise your hands to the level of your shoulders or earlobes saying:

سَمِعَ اللهُ لَمَنْ حَمِدَه

“Allah hears the one who praises Him,”

While resuming the standing position, say:

رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْد

*Our Rabb, praise is for You.”

• Prostrate (make sujood) saying, “Allah is the Greatest.”الله أكبر and rest on your knees before touching the ground with your hands. Your fingers and toes should be directed towards the Qiblah and your hands should be stretched. In Sujood, prostrate yourself on the forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees and the toes. Then say:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي الأَعْلَى

My Rabb (Lord), the Supreme, is free from imperfection.” (x3)

• Thereafter sit and make the du’aa between sujood,

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَعَافِنِي

“My Lord, forgive me, have mercy upon me guide me, provide for me, and grant me good health.”

• Prostrate again saying “Allah is the Greatest.” الله أكبر and repeat during your prostration what you did and said in the first prostration.
• After standing up again, recite Al-Faatihah and some other aayaat from the Qur’aan and do exactly as was done in the first rukoo’.
• The tashahhud must be read while sitting after completion of the raka’aat (2, 3 or 4). The salawaat and Du’aa must be recited after the tashahhud.
• End the Salah by turning the face to the right, saying:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ

“May you be granted security and mercy of Allah.”

Then turn to the left and say the same.

• Every Muslim follows the Sunnah as portrayed by the Prophet ﷺ in order to gain the satisfaction of Allah. The correct methods, manners and supplications can be found in these examples which are beneficial to a Muslim who wants to gain complete benefit from

Learning from the lesson

1. Every Muslim must copy the Prophet’s ﷺ manner of Salah.
2. The wudoo must be performed properly as Allah commands all Muslims in the Qur’aan.
3. Look at the manner in which the Prophet ﷺ prayed two raka’aat fully.
4. If a Muslim follows the Sunnah, he/she will gain maximum benefit from the Salah.