Can I Get a A-Men? (Complete)

SALAH is one of the five pillars of Islam, and the only thing that distinguishes a Muslim from all other people.
God has made the five daily prayers obligatory upon all men, women, and children who have reached puberty, and are of sane mind and body. Each time we stand before our creator, the one God without any partners, He cleanses our sins. A man once asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) why we pray five times a day. The prophet asked the man– if you came to five streams, and bathed in each one, would you not be clean? The man replied, Yes [you would be clean]. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) then said that each time we pray, God cleanses us of the minor sins we’ve committed so far in our day.

The FIVE prayers are:

FAJR—consists of 2 units, and is done before the sun rises.

DHUR—consists of 4 units, and is done in the early afternoon.

‘ASR—consists of 4 units, and is done in the later half of the afternoon, but before the sky looks like an explosion of tangerines.

MAGHRIB—consists of 3 units, and is done at sunset.

ISHA—consists of 4 units and is done at night (between 8 and 10 8 p.m.).

WUDU’ (The Ablution)
When it’s time to pray, you are required to be in a state of purity.

Say, “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah)

1. Wash each hand up to your wrists, 3 times–right hand first.

2. Rinse your mouth with water 3 times. (Like when you brush your teeth, you rinse and spit).

3. Cup your right hand and take a little bit of water in it and put it in your nose and inhale (don’t choke yourself). With your left hand clean your nose. Repeat 3 times.

4.Wash your face, from hairline to chin 3 times. You don’t need soap. A bit of water in your hands and over your face is sufficient. If you want, you can smile like you’re in a Neutrogena commercial?

5.Wash your arms from wrist to just past the elbow 3 times each. Start with your right arm.

6. Take a bit of water in both hands, run it over your hair and then clean your ears; put each index finger in your ears and with your thumbs wipe behind your ears. Do this once.

7.Wash your feet and ankles 3 times. Start with your right foot and then your left. Use your pinky finger on your right hand to wash between all your toes.

Recite the shahadah (remember this?)
“Ash hadu al la-ilaha ill Allah
Wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan abdu hu-wa Rasooluh.”

Translation: I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His last servant and messenger.

Once I do my Wudu’ (ablution) does it last forever?

Sorry, Kid. I’m gonna have to go with an N-O on that one. Before you pray it is required that you are in a state of purity—this is accomplished by performing the wudu’ properly. But there are a few things that nullify your ablution, which means you have to do it again before you can pray.

1. Using the bathroom (as in the toilet).

2. Passing gas (see, Mom, I didn’t say fart!)

3. Falling asleep while lying down. (A quick shut-eye while sitting up on the couch won’t break your wudu’).

4. If a married couple has sexual intercourse, both parties must make “GHUSUL” (this means they must take a complete shower from head to toe).

5. If a man ejaculates, he must make ghusul before he is considered to be in a state of purity to perform his Salah.

WELCOME A NEW WORD: GHUSUL is to wash yourself completely. There is a method of doing ghusul, which includes washing your…ahem…private areas, and making sure to do wudu’, and pouring water over your head. Essentially, it’s a shower, and that’s probably the easiest way (for now) to think about it.

So, like, how does this whole thing work?

Basically, each Salah is the same. Yes, some have more “rakaat” or units than others, but once you master the first and last rakah of each Salah, you’ll be able to fly solo—I promise.

WELCOME A NEW WORD: RAKAH means a unit of prayer. RAKAAT is the plural.

There are four basic movements in the Salah:

1. Standing with your hands resting on your body (somewhere between your chest and navel) right wrist over left wrist.

2. Bending down in “Ruku” with a flat back, palms on knees.

3. Making “Sujood” or prostration. This is done with your knees, palms, forehead and nose touching the ground. Elbows are not touching the ground.

4. Sitting with your legs tucked under your body. The toes on your right foot face forward, toes on your left foot face the person to your right.

WELCOME TWO NEW WORDS: RUKU, bending in your prayer, flat back, hands on knees, and SUJOOD, prostrating yourself to your Lord.

I know this all sounds like some kind of crazy Kundalini Yoga, but don’t worry you don’t have to be flexible to do your Salah. You will find that in a few weeks your body will become accustomed to these positions and it won’t feel as awkward as it did the first time.

Great, I got it!
Can I do this in my bed?

Well, not exactly.
Of course you can pray anywhere you want, anytime you want. Remember, it is Allah who created you, so even when you’re not consciously asking for something, He knows what is in your heart.
Having said that, there is a method in which Muslims are required to pray. And there are prescribed times we have to do so. We cannot miss a prayer, NO MATTER WHAT WE ARE DOING.
As we just learned, the first step is to be in a state of purity, or wudu’.
Next, you have to be properly dressed. When you stand before your Creator you don’t want to be sloppy, or dressed immodestly. If you had a meeting with upper management at work, you wouldn’t wear cargo shorts, would you? Actually, you should be wearing cargo shorts like, NEVER, but the point is, every occasion calls for appropriate attire. Similarly, there are a few more steps we have to take before we can begin our prayer.

1. STYLE FIT FOR A PRINCESS: The dress code for women during Salah is the same for daily life. All Muslim women are required to wear the “hijab” or head covering, which protects the hair, ears, neck and part of the chest. Our arms and legs must also be fully covered (wrists to ankles). Also, you do not want to have pictures of faces (humans or animals) on your clothes while you are praying. If you have a favorite Big Bird shirt that you can’t live without, throw a hoodie over it before you pray.

(In case you’re wondering, men cannot wear silk or gold, if you’re thinking wedding bands, think platinum, palladium, silver, titanium…etc.).

WELCOME A NEW WORD: HIJAB is the head cover that ALL Muslim women are REQUIRED to wear. Women may see your hair if you wish, (there are some rulings regarding non-Muslim women but you can seek religious council on that one if you really want to know) but men CANNOT.
The ONLY men who are allowed to see your hair are:

-Father
-Brothers
-Uncles (dad’s brother, mom’s brother—not those related through marriage).
-Husband
-Son
-Father-in-law
-Grandfather

Looking for cousins? Sorry, they’re not on the list. Just because you consider someone “family” that doesn’t mean that they are an exception to God’s rules. God has clearly outlined how we are supposed to protect, and present ourselves in every relationship, so just because you babysat your neighbor’s kid when he was a baby, or feel really close to your husband’s brother, that doesn’t give us the right to bend God’s rulings to our personal level of comfort.

You’re probably thinking, Well, I know Muslim women who don’t cover their hair, or Dude, I’m Muslim, and I DON’T cover my hair.

Some people move at their own pace, while others are just not well-informed. But remember when we do something for God, He will make it easy for you. That is His promise, and He is always true to His word. That which is the most pleasing to God is when we put forth little effort continuously rather than jumping head first into something for like, a week, and then never doing it again. Remember, Islam is a marathon, not a sprint. When runners train for a marathon, they don’t wake up one day and run 24 miles. They have to build their stamina; five miles a day then six, then seven. The same logic applies to Islam. If you “sprint” into the religion, you’ll crash and burn—and we don’t want that. If you tried to sprint a 26-mile race, you’d reach muscle failure before you reach the third mile.

Still with me?

It is also important to remember that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) didn’t strut around Mecca, or Medina with a megaphone telling the people what to do.
He did it.
He lived it.
His wife A’ishah (may God be pleased with her) said that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a walking Qu’ran. He lived the word, and that’s how people learned. Remember, you are the greatest example, and people will look to you to learn about Islam. If we see women, or men who are doing something that we know is forbidden in Islam, we should find the right place, time, and take a tactful approach to tell them. But sometimes, it’s not easy to go three for three like that.
In most situations, it’s just better to pray for their guidance, and our own while we’re at it.

2. FACES AND PLACES: Your Salah can be done anywhere—oh yeah, anywhere except your bed.
God has said that He made the whole earth as a place for you to perform your salah. You don’t have to be in a mosque, or in someone’s house. Just remember, the place must be clean. This is determined by sight and smell. You wouldn’t, for example, pray in a public restroom. However, Nordstrom’s bathrooms have a lounge area that is separate from the toilets. The area is completely carpeted and very clean. I have done my Salah there a few times — though not so much after the recession, if you know what I mean.

If you’re from the D.C. Metro Area, like I am, Tysons Corner Center actually has a specific place in the mall for Muslims to pray. All you have to do is ask someone in the customer service area, or one of the security guards, and they’ll point you in the right direction.
Having said that…

You should try to find a place that has as little distraction as possible. Remember, your prayer is to remember God, and if you’re in the middle of a busy bee’s nest you’re going to have trouble concentrating. You will find however that when people see Muslims praying, they tend to lower their voices, and walk behind them because they know that we are in worship.
It’s really very touching.

3. TAKE A STANCE: Every time you pray you will face the Kabah’, the house of God built by Abraham and his son, Ismail (peace be upon them). WELCOME A (few) NEW WORD(s): KABAH or QIBLAH is the house of God in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This is where close to 3 MILLION Muslims go each year to perform HAJJ, the holy pilgrimage, and one of the five pillars of Islam.

Now, check your intention, concentrate, and you’re ready to go.

WOAH, WAIT, WHAT?!? FIVE TIMES A DAY?
DO YOU KNOW I HAVE A JOB?

Of course you have a job.
We all have jobs.

But that doesn’t mean that you skip your Salah because you’re working. And don’t listen to the people who tell you that you can do it when you get home. That’s not an option. When the time for prayer comes in, it is required that you pray. It doesn’t matter how busy we get, NOTHING is more important then performing your Salah at its appointed time.
Salah is the first thing that Muslims will be asked about in the grave, and on the Day of Judgment when each of us stands alone before God.

WHAT IF SOMEONE SEES ME….OOOHHHH GOD!!!!
Relax, it’s okay. So what if someone sees you?

They’ll ask.
You’ll tell.
They’ll learn.

Every building has an office, room, or corner, which is not being used. Grab your compass, find the direction of the Kiblah and perform your salah. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of praying at work, talk to someone in HR and discuss with them ways that you can oblige to your religious duty without letting it interfere with your work.
They will accommodate you (because this is America and everyone is afraid of being slapped with a discrimination lawsuit) and God will reward you for making the effort.

It’s a total win-win.

ARE YOU READY TO RUUMMMMBBBBLLLLEEEE!!!
(In a holy way, of course)

Rakah 1:
1. Say, Allah-hu-Akbar (God is greater) and lift your hands to your ears and then fold them on your chest with your right wrist on top of your left wrist.
(Remember this from the basic positions of Salah we went over a few pages ago?)
This motion of lifting your hands is called, “Takbir” (say: Tak-beer)

You have started your Salah.

2. Next, say:
Subhanaka Allah-humma
Bihamdika
Tabara-kas mu-ka
Watala jadduka
Wa-la-ilaha- ghayruk.

Translation: Purity is to You, oh Allah. And I praise You. Most auspicious is Your name and supreme is Your majesty; and there is no God except You.

3. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha. This is the first surah in the Qur’an titled “The Opening.”
You will recite this surah in every rakah in every prayer, so keep it close to your heart.

Audu billah himinish shaytan nirajeem (I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed).

Bismillah hir rahman nirahim (In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful).
Alhamdulillah hir Rabbil Alaameen
Ar-rahman nir-raheem.
Makili Yo Mid-deen.
Ea-yaka nabudu wa iyya-ka nastaeen.
Ih dinas siratal mustaqim
Siratal ladzina an amta alayhim
Ghayral magh doobey alayhim
Wala daa leen
Ameen.

Translation: In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful.
All praise is for Allah, the Rabb (Lord) of the worlds.
The compassionate the merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship and You alone we call on for help.
Guide us to the right way.
The way of those whom You favored; not those who have earned Your wrath, or of those who have lost the way.
Amen.

LET S WELCOME SOME NEW WORDS (before we move to step 4):
A SURAH is a section of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is made up of 114 surahs divided into each of the book s 30 chapters. Each chapter is referred to as a JUZ.
Each surah is made up of AYAAT, (the singular is ayah) which literally means “sign,” as in a sign from God; it s like a line or a sentence.

You can think of it like this:

-The Qur’an is the Holy book of the Muslims
-It has 30 chapters.
-Each chapter has sub-chapters, 114 in total.
-Each sub-chapter is made up of sentences. Some of the sub-chapters are made up of as little as five sentences, some have close to 300!

4. Recite any surah, or a few ayaat from a surah next. You can recite as much as you want, but make sure to recite at least three lines of any surah, but not Surah Al-Fatiha again).

Before we move on, you should know that that the surah, or the ayaat you chose to recite following Surah Al-Fatiha is ONLY DONE IN THE FIRST AND SECOND RAKAH.
In RAKAHs 3 and 4, recite Surah Fatiha ONLY. Got it?

Here are three of the easier surahs in the Qur’an, that most people start with when they first begin to memorize Qur’an, and learn their salah. There is no hard and fast rule about reciting these surahs — in fact, you should recite whatever you want, and try to read the meaning of what you’re saying.
If you’re new to this whole thing, this is a good place to get started.

Surah Al-Ikhlas (112 in the Qur an)
Bismillah hir rahman nirahim (In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful).
Qul huwala hu ahad
Allah hus- Samad
Lamya-lid
Wa lam-u-lad
Wa lamya kulla hu Kuf won ahad.

Translation: Say, He is Allah the one and only. Allah is the self-sufficient (independent of all, while all are dependent on Him); He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none comparable to Him.

OR RECITE

Surah Al-Falaq (113 in the Qur an).
Bismillah hir rahman nirahim (In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful).
Qul audu birr-rabbil falaq
Min sharrima khalaq
Wa min sharri gha-si-kin idza waqab
Wa min sharrin nafa-tha-ti fil oo-qad
Wa min sharri hassidin idza hasad.

Translation: Say, I seek refuge with the Rabb (Lord) of the dawn. From the mischief of all the He has created. And from the mischief of darkness when it overspreads. From the mischief of those who blow on knots (black magic); and from the mischief of the envier who envies.

OR RECITE

Surah An-Nas (114 in the Qur an).
Bismillah hir rahman nirahim (In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful).
Qul audu birr-rabin nas
Malik-in-nasi
E-la hin nas
Min sharril was wasil qan-nas
Aladzi you was-wisu
Fi sudoorin nass
Minal jinnati wan-nas.

Translation: Say, I seek refuge in the Rabb (Lord) of mankind. The King of mankind. The real God of mankind. From the mischief of the slinging whisperers (Satan and his workers) who whisper into the hearts of people. Whether he be from among the jinn or from the mankind.

WELCOME A NEW WORD: JINN is another of God’s creation. God said He made humans from clay, angels from light and jinn from a smokeless fire. They are like us in the way that they have been given free will and they too will stand before Allah on the Day of Judgement. Like us, they will be accountable for everything they have done and will find a final abode in JANNAH (paradise) or JAHANAM (hell fire). We cannot see them but they can see us (kind of creepy, right?) They live in another dimension. Obviously, as Muslims we know that what Allah says is HAQQ (the truth) so that s enough for me. I m sold. But for some, they need other proofs. If you go to Barnes and Noble, you will find books written by authors who have doctorate degrees in mathematics and physics. Through scientific calculations, it can be proven that aside from the human race, there are up to 11 other dimensions that we cannot see! Allah has already taught us everything we need to know through the Qur an, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to swing by the bookstore?

URIKA! I THINK I SEE A PATTERN!
(Oh, how I miss the days of Gomez Adams and his family.)

If you think you see a pattern, you are absolutely right. Before each surah we say Bismillah hir rahman nirahim (In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, the most merciful). And this is not only said during salah. Muslims say this before they start EVERYTHING. Before we eat, drive, start a project, talk to a supervisor, read the Qur’an, etc. As a Muslim, we start everything by FIRST saying the name of God, the ONLY one who can help us with each task no matter how big or small. You might have also noticed that each of these three surahs start with the word QUL. This word means  “say,”  and God is telling the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to SAY the ayahs that follow, and to relay the message to the people.

Okay, moving on.

5. Say, Allah-hu-Akbar (God is the greatest) and move into the next position of your Salah. Bend at the waist, palms on knees, flat back. You are now in Ruku.
While in this position, say Subhana rabbiyl adzeem three times.
Translation: Pure is my lord, the great.

6. Move from the bowing position to standing upright. (You can fold your hands here or you can keep them by your sides).
As you stand say up, say,  Sami-Allahhu leman hamedah (Allah has heard the one who has praised Him.)
Rabbana walakal hamd (Oh Lord, all praise belongs to you.)

7. Then say Allah-hu-akbar (God is the greatest) and move into prostration. Do you remember how to do this?
Knees, toes, palms, forehead and nose are touching the ground. Your toes are facing forward. In this prostrated position, say: Subhana Rabbi-yal Aalaa three times.
Translation: Pure is my lord, the supreme.

Repeat step 7.
You with me?

Then, as you sit up into the sitting position (legs underneath you, toes on right foot face forward, toes on left foot face the person to your right, palms rest on thighs close to your knees) say Allah hu Akbar. (Do you remember what this means?) Let your bones settle for a moment and then say Allah hu Akbar, and move into your second prostration and again say: Subhana Rabbi-yal Aalaa three times.

STEP 7 WILL BE DONE TWICE IN EVERY RAKAH, got it??

8. Stand up.
You have now completed your first unit of prayer!!!
Congratulations!
But wait, you’re not done yet.

9. The second unit of prayer will look a lot like the first unit, expect we will be adding a section called TASHAHUD after our second prostration in this unit.

THE TASHAHUD CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS.
Remember that, and I will explain why you need to know that in a few minutes.

The Tashahud is done in the SECOND and FINAL rakah of each Salah.
Remember we talked about how many units each prayer consists of?

*For the prayers Dhur, Asr and Isha, which consist of 4 units, the Tashahud is done in the SECOND AND FOURTH rakah.
*For Maghrib, which consists of 3 rakah it is done in the SECOND AND THIRD.
*For Fajr, which consists of 2 rakah, it is ONLY DONE IN THE SECOND (and in this case the final) RAKAH.

Jeez, okay. That was WAY TOO MUCH to take in. Grab a journal, and jot down any questions you have, or if you’re confused about anything. That way, you won’t forget what you needed to ask.

Moving on…
FOR THE SECOND UNIT OF PRAYER FOLLOW STEPS 1-7. AFTER YOUR SECOND PROSTRATION REMAIN SITTING.

We ll call this step -
10. A and B.
The Tashahud.
So, you have completed your second prostration in your second unit of salah and now instead of getting up, you will recite the following. Lightly tap the index finger on your right hand up and down as you say:

10-A.)
At-tahiyyatu lilaahi was-salawaatu wat-tayyibaat- as salaamu alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh, as-salaamu alaynaa wa alaa ibaadi-laahis-saaliheen.

Translation: All compliments, all physical prayer, and all worship are for Allah. Peace be upon you, Oh Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Peace be on us and on all righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Then, raise your index finger on your right hand and hold it up as you recite the “Shahadah,” or declaration of faith.

Ash hadu al la-ilaha ill Allah
Wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan abdu hu-wa Rasooluh.
(I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His last servant and messenger).

TWO SCOOPS?
Remember I said that the Tashahud has two parts? Okay, so now we need to find out what to do.
Think of the Tashahud like two scoops of your favorite ice cream. You eat (recite) the first scoop during the second unit of prayer, and save the second scoop for the end.
We already learned how to recite the first “scoop” – remember, it precedes the shahadah?
Here is our second scoop.

10-B.)
Allahumma salli alaa Muhammadin wa alaa ali Muhammadin kamaa sallayta alaa Ibraheema wa alaa ali Ibraheema innaka Hameed-um-Majeed.
Allahumma baarik alaa Muhammadin wa alaa ali Muhammadin kamaa baarakta alaa Ibraheema wa alaa ali Ibraheema Inaka Hameed-um-Majeed.

Translation: Oh Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad, just as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim (Abraham) and upon the followers of Ibrahim. Verily, You are full of praise and majesty. Oh Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, just as you sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Verily, You are full of praise and majesty.

After you recite the second scoop, turn your head to your right shoulder and say, “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.” (Peace be unto you and Allah’s Mercy). Then turn to your left shoulder and say the same thing.

Congratulations, you now know the basics you’ll need in order to perform your salah properly. But we’re not done just yet. Now you need to know what rules apply to each Salah since they differ in their number of units.

PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER

What we just went over is what you need to know in order to perform any Salah.
Let’s break it down by each of the five Salahs to make this whole process easier.

FAJR: 2 units (before sunrise).
Unit 1: Follow steps 1 through 10-A.
Unit 2: Follow steps 1 through 10-B.

DHUR (early afternoon) ASR (later half of afternoon) and Isha (night prayer) all have 4 units and are done the same way but obvi, at different times.

Unit 1: Follow steps 1 through 8.
Unit 2: Follow steps 1 through 10-A.
Unit 3: Follow steps 1 through 8. Recite Surah Fatiha alone. Do not follow with another surah or any ayaat from the Qur’an.
Unit 4: Follow steps 1 through 10-B.

Maghrib: 3 units (at sunset).
Unit 1: Follow steps 1 through 8.
Unit 2: Follow steps 1 through 10-A.
Unit 3: Follow steps 1 through 10-B. Recite Surah Fathiha alone in the third rakah. Do not follow with another surah or any ayaat from the Qur’an.

If you’re a woman, you should know that Salah is not required during your menstrual cycle. Islam is a religion of ease, and God gives us a break during this time. When you are able to pray again (i.e. the end of your cycle) you should first make ghusul (wash completely/take a shower) and then return to your regular routine of praying on time.

And don’t forget to recite this du’aa (prayer) after you’ve taken your shower, and are in a physically pure state, and ready to pray again.

Allahumma ij’alni min at tawabeen wa ij’alni min-al mutatahireen.

Translation: Oh Allah, make me among those who are repentant and of those who purify themselves.

een.

And remember, Allah knows best.
Good luck, I’m rootin’ for ya!!!

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