COMPLETE FORMULA FOR SALAT

COMPLETE FORMULA FOR SALAT

            In preparation for Salat rid yourself of major and the minor uncleanness and filth in any other apparent form. Put on clean clothes, stand on a clean spot facing Qiblah and leaving a space of four fingers or so between the two feet. Then affirm the intention for Salat which you are going to offer. The intention may, for example, be like this: “I affirm my intention to offer Salat of Fajr for the sake of Al-lah”. It is better if the affirmation is also expressed in words. Having thus affirmed the intention, raise your hands to your ears with your palms and your fingers, duly separated, turned towards the Qiblah and the thumbs facing the ear tips. Say:

AL-LAHU AKBAR

and fold your hands below the navel. Put your right palm on the back of the left. Bring the right thumb and small finger round the left wrist. Place the remaining three fingers on the back of the left wrist. Keep your eyes on the spot for Sijdah. With hands thus folded, recite Thana slowly. Then recite ta’aw-wuz and tasmi’ and recite Al-Fatiha. Round the Al-Fatiha off with “amen” on a low pitch. Recite a chapter (surah) or a long verse (ayah) or three small verses after the Al-Fatiha (provided that if you are offering it behind Imam you shall recite the Thana and stand quite. Do not recite the ta’aw-wuz, tasmi’, Al-Fatiha and any other chapter or verse). Recite everything clearly and correctly. Do not make haste. After this is over, say:

AL-LAHU AKBAR

and go into ruku’ (bowing). Stretch the fingers and grasp the knees with your scooped palms. Straighten your back in bowing in such a way that if a cup full of water were placed on it, it remained there intact. Keep the head level with the back, no lower and no higher than that. Keep your hands clear of the ribs. Keep the calves of the legs straight. Repeat tasbih for ruku’ three or five times. Then stand up saying tasmi’. Also say tahmid ( the Imam shall only say the tasmi’ and the followers only the tahmid, but the individuals will say both the tasmi’ and tahmid.

            Now go prostrate saying the Takbir. First place the knees, then palms and the nose and the forehead in that order on the ground. Keep your face in between the two palms and the ears parallel to the thumbs. Keep fingers of your hands close to each other so that all point towards the Qiblah. Keep your elbows clear of the thighs. Do not rest the elbows on the ground. Say tasbih for the Sijdah three or five times. Having done this, raise your forehead, then the nose and lastly your hands from the ground saying Takbir and proceed for the second Sijdah. Revert to your standing posture once again saying Takbir. In doing so, first raise your forehead, then the nose, the palms and the knees in that order. Stand up with the help of your toes and fold your hands as before. Recite bismil-lah, Al-Fatiha and another surah (provided that if you are behind an Imam, do not recite anything only stand quiet). Perform ruku’, qaumah, Sijdah, jalsah and the second Sijdah as before. Having performed the second Sijdah give a fold to your left leg and sit on it. Keep your right foot in a vertical position. Turn the toe-tips of both the feet towards Qiblah. Put your hands on your thighs and recite tashah-hud. When the words:

ASHHADU A(N)L-LA ILAHA

are reached, form a circle with the mid-finger and thumb of your right hand and contract the adjoining fingers towards the palm. Then raise your first finger saying:

LA-ILAHA

and drop it when on the point of saying:

IL-LAL-LAH

Keep up this circular position of the fingers. Having finished tashah-hud, recite darud in a Salat comprising two rak’ahs. Say the invocation (dua’). Then say as-salamu ‘alaikum, first turning the face to the right, then to the left. Intend to address the salaam to the angels and other worshippers on the right side as well as those on left. Include the Imam also in your salaam when moving your face towards him. The Imam should likewise include his followers on the two sides.

            If you are offering Salat comprising three or four rak’ahs, do not recite darud and invocation. Instead, you should stand up saying Takbir. If it is a Fard Salat, complete the third and fourth rak’ahs in the manner already followed. If on the other hand, it is wajib, masnun or nafl Salat, the third and fourth rak’ahs should be offered in the manner prescribed for them. After salaam say the invocation (dua’):

AL-LAHUM-MA ANTAS-SALAMU WA MINKAS-SALAMU WA TABARAKTA YA ZAL-JALALI WAL-IKRAM

and

AL-LAHUM-MA A’IN-NI ‘ALA ZIKRIKA WA SHUKRI-KA WA HUSNI ‘IBADATIKA.

The following formula is also the Prohet’s precept:

LA ILAHA IL-LAL-LAHU WAHDA-HU LA SHARIKA LAH LAHUL-MULKU WA LAHUL-HAMDU WA HUWA ‘ALA KUL-LI SHAI-IN QADIR. AL-LAHUM-MA LA MANI’A LIMA A’TAITA WA LA MU’TIA LIMA MANA’TA WA LA YANFA’U ZAL-JAD-DI MINKAL-JAD-DU.