It is related by Hadhrat Abu hurairah (R.A.) that (once) the
Apostle of Allah (Sallallaho alaiho wasallam) was sitting to one
side in the mosque that a man came in and offered his Namaz
(Prayer). Afterwards, he came to the holy Prophet (SAW) and paid
his respects to him. The Holy Prophet (SAW) returned the
salutation and remarked: "Go and offer the Namaz (Prayer) again.
You have not said it properly." He went back and said the prayers
again and returned to the Holy Prophet (SAW), and paid his
respects. The Holy Prophet (SAW), returning the salutation, once
again remarked: "Go and offer the Namaz (Prayer) again. You have
not said it properly". After offering Namaz (Prayer) for the third
(and the fourth) time, the man said to the Holy Prophet (SAW):
"Sir, tell me how to offer Namaz (Prayer)". The Holy Prophet (SAW)
replied: "When you decide to offer Namaz (Prayer), first perform
Wadhu throughly and well, then turn to Qibla, then begin the Namaz
(Prayer), after uttering Takbir-i-Tahrima. After it recite some
part of the Holy Qur’aan which you know by heart and can recite
easily. (In other Traditions relating to the same incident it is
stated that the Apostle of Allah (SAW) told the questioner,
specifically, to recite Surah-i-Fateha and whatever he liked, in
addition to it). Then after the recital, perform Ruku till you are
still and at ease in Ruku. Then, arise from Ruku till you stand
erect. Then, perform the Sajadah till you are still and at ease in
Sajadah. Then arise till you sit up comfortably. (According to
another narrator, the Holy Prophet (SAW), instead of it, said:
"Then arise till you stand erect). Then, do like that throughout
the Namaz (Prayer) (i.e., in every Ruku, Sujud, Qauma and Jalsa in
a calm and collected manner)." (Bukhari and Muslim)
The incident mentioned above related to Hadhrat Khallad bin
Rafay (RA), the brother of the well-known Sahabi, Hadhrat Rifa’ah
bin Rafay (RA). According to Nassai, he had offered up two Raka’ah
of Namaz (Prayer) in the Holy Prophet’s (SAW) mosque but some
other commentators suggest that these Raka’ah were of
Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid which Hadhrat Khallad (RA), had said rather
hurriedly, and upon it, he was reproached by the Holy Prophet
(SAW) and told to offer them up again.
It shows that the Holy Prophet (SAW) did not plainly tell
Hadhrat Khallad bin Rafay (RA), at the first time, what was wrong
with his Namaz (Prayer) and how it was to be said correctly but at
the third or fourth time, and, then, at his own request. It was,
probably, for the simple reason that a lesson imparted in such a
manner suffices for a lifetime and gets talked about among others
as well.
The paractical teaching imparted in the above Tradition is that
Namaz (Prayer) should be offered up in a calm and composed manner
and if it is offered hurriedly and wiithout making the necessary
pauses and carrying out the various acts properly it be as good as
unsaid.
Namaz (Prayer) of Holy Prophet
(SAW)
Hadhrat Ayeshah (RA) narrated that the Apostle of Allah (SAW)
commenced his Namaz (Prayer) with Takbir and the recital with Al-Hamdu-Lilaahi
Rabbil ‘Alameen, and while performing Ruku he neither raised his
head upward nor bent it downwards but kept it in the middle
position (i.e., in line with the waist) and when he from Rukuh he
did not go into Sajadah till he had stood erect, and when he
raised the head from Sajadah he did not perform the second Sajadah
until he had sat upright and he recited At-Tahiyyatu after every
two Rak’ah and at that time, he flattened the left foot under him
and kept the right foot in the upright postion and he forbade
Uqbatish Shaitan (sitting like the Devil), and he, also, forbade
that a man sat (in Sajadah) with his forearms (i.e., parts of arms
between elbow and wrist) placed on the ground like the animals,
and he brought the Namaz (Prayer) to an end by saying Assalmu
‘alaikum wa rahmatullah." ----Muslim
Namaz (Prayer) is a worship of a very high order. For it such
forms and postures of Qayam, Qaood, Ruku and Sujood have been
prescribed as constitute the finest marks and expressions of
adoration and humbleness, and all the unbecoming manners of
holding the body that are indicative of vanity, awkwardness or
indifference, or bear a resemblance with the lowly creatures have
been, particularly, forbidden. The Holy Prophet (SAW) has,
accordingly, ordered us not to sit in Sajadah with forearms spread
on the ground as the dogs and wolves do or in the manner which, in
this Tradition, has been described as Uqbatish Shaitan , and, in
another, as Aq’aa-al-kalb.
Commentators have differed in their explanation of the two
terms. In our humble view, however, they denote sitting on the
heels with the feet held upright on the toes and since this
posture gives the impression of haste and exaggerated self-es-teem
and only the knees touch the ground and it is the way dogs and
wolves and other wild animals, generally, sit, the Holy Prophet
(SAW) took special care to forbid against sitting like that in
Namaz (Prayer).
It is to be remmembered that such a manner of sitting is
disallowed only when one is not constrained to do so owing to a
disease or deformity.
Special prayers and formulas of
Allah-remembrance
The inner feelling of earnestness and deep devotion that runs
through the prayer-formulas through which the revere and adore the
Lord during the various parts or acts of Namaz (Prayer) like Qayam,
Ruku and Sujood, and the entreaties he made in them, form the
essence of Namaz (Prayer). The sayings we are now going to discuss
should be read from that point of view and the endeavour should be
to produce the same emotional and spiritual state of feeling
because it is the characteristic legacy of the Holy Prophet (SAW).
Hadhrat Ayeshah (RA) related to us that ‘when the Apostle of
Allah (SAW) began (to offer up) Namaz (Prayer) he first glorified
the Lord in these words: Subhaanakal-laa-humma wabihamdika wa
tabarakasmuka wa ta’ala jadduka wa laa-ilaaha ghiruka (O Allah,
with Thy glorification and Thy praise; blessed is Thy Name; and
there is no Allah save thee). Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawood.
Hadhrat Ibn-Taimiyah (RA) writes in Muntaqa about Hadhrat Abu
Bakr (RA), on the authority of Hadhrat Sunnan-i-Saeed bin Mansur
(RA), and about Hazrat Omer (RA) on the authority of Sahih Muslim,
and about Hadhrat Osman (RA) and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masud (RA),
on the authority of Qutni, that they began their Namaz (Prayer)
with Subhaanakallahumma wa bihamdika... and, then, goes on to
observe that it appears from it that the Holy Prophet (SAW),
usually, recited this short prayer after Takbir in Namaz (Prayer).
It, therefore, enjoys preference over all the other prayers of
adoration mentioned in the traditions with relation to the
commencement of the service though there is no harm in reciting
the other proven hymns, as for instance, the one occurring in the
next Tradition related on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (RA).
Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) related that "when the Apostle of Allah
(SAW) stood up to offer Namaz (Prayer) he recited the following
prayer after Takbir: Waj-jahtu Waj-hil-lazi fataras samawati
wal-arz hanifan wa maana minal-mushrikeena in-nasalaati wa nusuki
wa mahya-yawa ma-matillahii rabbil ‘Aalimeena Laa Shareeka Lauhu
Wa bizaalika omirtu wa ana minal muslimeena allahumma antal maliku
laa ilaaha anta anta rabbi wa ana abduka azlamtu mafsi
wa-’ataraftu bizanbi faghfirli zunubi jamee’an in-nahu
laayaghfiruzzunuba illa anta wahdin li-absaril akhlaq laa yahdi
liahsaniha illa anta was-rif’ annisaiyyi-aha laa yahsnifu
‘an-nisajyyi-aha illa anta, labbaika wa sa’adaika was-sharru laisa
ilaika anabika wa ilaika tabarkta wa ta’a-laita astghfiruka wa
atoobuilaika (I have turned away from every direction and set the
Creator of the heavens and the earth, and I am not of those who
associate anyone with Him in allegiance. My worship, and my every
religious act, and my life and my death are for Allah alone, the
Lord of the Worlds. To this I have been commanded and I am of
those who obey. O Allah Thou art the Sovereign and Master. No one
is worthy of obedience save Thee. Thou art my Lord and Owner, and
I am Thy slave. I have wronged my soul, and ruined myself, and I
confess my inquities. O Lord! Forgive me my sins; no one can
forgive sins expect Thee. And remove all bad manners and
deplorable morals from my side, and take them away from me. This,
too, no one aside of Thee can do. I am in THY presence the service
and Thy victory. Here I am, O Lord! All the good things, and every
kind of piety and virtue are in Thy hands, and evil has no access
towards Thee. Thou art the Blessed, the Most High, then art my
only hope and my face is turned towards Thee. I beg The
forgiveness and unto the do I turn penitent).
This prayer the holy Prophet (SAW) recited after Takbir and
before the commencement (of recitation from the Holy Qur’aan.
Then, as he perform the Ruku’, (after completing the recital), he
used to say: Allahumma laka rak’atu wa bika aamantu wa laka
aslamtu khash’a laka sam’anini wa basari wa mukhkhi wa’azmi wa
‘asbi (O Allah! I am bowed low before Thee and I have believed in
Thee and placed myself I Thy charge. My earns, and my eyes, and my
marrow and my bones, and my muscles, and my nerves are all bent in
submission to Thee). Later, as the Holy Prophet (SAW) raised his
head from Rukuo’ and stood erect, he said: "Allahhumma rabbana
lakal-hamdu mila-a-as- samawaati wal-arzi wa ma bainahuma wa mila-a
ma shiata min shaiyyan b’adu" (O Allah! Praise is for Thee alone,
such boundless praise as my cover the extensiveness of the heavens
and the earth and fill all the empty space between them). After it
when the Holy Prophet (SAW) performed Sajadah, he used to say
(placing his forehead on the ground): Allahumma laka sajad-tu wa
bika aamantu wa laka aslamtu sajada waj-hiyyallazi khalaqa-hu wa
sawwar-tuhwa shaq-qa sam-’ahu wa basarahu tabarak-allahu ahsanul
khaliqeen (O Allah! I am prostrating myself for Thy sake, and in
Thy presence, amd I have believe in Thee, and I have placed myself
in Thy charge. My face is carrying out genuflexion before the
Creator who created it, and gave it its shape, and its ear, and
its eyes out of nothing. \Blessed, indeed, is the Best of
Creators).
In the end, between Attahyyaatu (Also known as Tashahhud) and
Salutation,he would pray: Allahummaghfirli ma qaddamtu wa ma
akhkhartu wa ma anta a’alamu bihi minni antalmuqqdimu wa ant-al
muwakhkhartu la ilaaha illa anta (O Allah! Forgive me all the sins
I have committed earlier or later, and secretly or openly) and
whatever in equity I have been guilty of, and of which Thou art
better informed than me.
"Thou it is who raises to higher rank and reduces to lower
position. Verily, there is no deity save Thee)."--Muslim
From the narratives relating to the Namaz (Prayer) of the Holy
Prophet (SAW) is it clear that it was not the Prophet’s (SAW)
regular practice to recite in Namaz (Prayer) the prayers mentioned
by Hadhrat Ali (RA) in the above report. Perhaps, he did so
occasionally, and most probably,in Tahajjud. Infact, Imam Muslim
(RA) has quoted this Tradition in connection with the traditions
appertaining Tahajjud.
Many other prayers were, also, recited by the Holy Prophet
(SAW) in Namaz (Prayer), particularly in Tahajjud which will be
taken up at the approbate time. These possess a special
significance and are charged with rare feeling. The Imam can read
them in Fardh Namaz (Prayer) as well if he is satisfied that it
will not go hard with the Muqtadis, and as far as supererogatory
services are concerned, there is no reason why one should not
avail oneself of this marvellous bequest in them.
Recital of Holy Qur’aan in Namaz
(Prayer)
Like Qyam Rukuo’ and Sujud, recital of the Holy Qur’aan, also,
is a principal part of Namaz (Prayer), and it is done during Qayam.
It is common knowledge that after Takbir some prayers in the
nature of a hymn are recited. We have just mentioned two of them
from the Traditions. It is followed by the recital of the first
surah or opening chapter of the Holy Qur’aan, i.e., Surah-i-Fateha,
which is a priceless gem of adoration and constains a most
inspiring and comprehensive description of the Attributes of
Allah. Along with the rejection and repudiation of every form of
Polytheism there is, in it, an emphatic affirmation of Divine
Oneness and an earnest prayer for the Straight Path, i.e., for
guidance towards Faith and the Shari’ah. Anyhow, first of all,
this Surah is recited without which there can be no Namaz
(Prayer). After it the worshipper is required to recite any other
Surah or a part of it. Whatever passage of the Holy Qur’aan he
recites will, invariably, impart a message of guidance to him.
Either it will be way of glorification of the Lord and
exposition of His Immaculate attributes or dealing with the Last
Day, Heaven and Hell, and Divine reward and punishment or
conveying a command for practical life or narrating an event that
has a religious or moral significance. It will thus, be a ready
answer to the worship’s entreaty for guidance. In the second
Rak’aah, too, another Surah or some verses of it will be recited
after Surah-i-Fateha but if the service consists of three of four
Rak’ah, but it is not necessary to recite some other Surah with
it.
Now, the Traditons:
It is relatedd by Hadhrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Apostle of
Allah (SAW) said: "There can be no Namaz (Prayer) without the
recital of the Holy Qur’aan," Proceeding, Hadhrat Abu Huraira
remarks on his own that "we recited the Holy Qur’aan." with a loud
voice in the prayer service in which the Holy Prophet (SAW)
recited it with a loud voice and silently in the prayer-services
in which the Holy Prophet )SAW) recited it sliently." Muslim
It is recited by Hadhrat Abadah bin Samit (SAW) that the
Apostle of Allah (SAW) said: "Whoever did not recite
Surah-i-Fateha in Namaz (Prayer) did not offer Namaz (Prayer) at
all." --Bukhari and Muslim
In another version of the above Tradition, quoted, also, in
Sahih Muslim, it is stated that "whoever did not recite
Surah-i-Fateha and something else after it did not offer Namaz
(Prayer) at all." (Bukhari and Muslim)
It shows that while Surah-Fateha is an essential constituent to
Namaz (Prayer) it is, also, necessary to recite something else
from the Holy Qur’aan after it, although one is at liberty to make
one’s choice.
Points of views of legist
Doctors
Hadhrat Imam Shafa’i (Rahmatullahe alaih) and some other
leading legist-doctors have inferred from the foregoing and few
other similar Traditions that it is obligatory to recite
Surah-i-Fateha in Namaz (Prayer), on matter whether one is
offering it alone or in congregation leading the service or
participating in it as a Muqtadi, and saying it with a loud voice
or silently. Imam Maalke (Rahmatullahe alaih) and Imam Ahmed
Hambali (Rahmatullahe alaih), on the other hand, hold that if the
worshippers be a Muqtadi and Namaz (Prayer) is celebrated along,
the recital of Surah-i-Fateha by the Imam will suffice for the
Muqtadis. In this case the Muqtadi should abstain from doing the
recitation. But in all other circumstances one must recite
Surah-i-Fateha in Namaz (Prayer).
The same view is supported by Hadhrat Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahmatullah
alaih) who, further, believes that the recital by the Imam will do
for the Muqtadis as well in Raka’at that are offered up sliently.
It is related by Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Apostle of
Allah (SAW) said: "The Imam has been appointed for no other reason
than that the Muqtadis follow him. Thus, say Allah-o-Akbar, and
listen in silence when he does the recitation." Abu Dawood, Nassai
and Ibn-i-Maja
Some other Ashat too have related in the same words, the advice
of the Holy Prophet (SAW) about listening quietly when the Imam
does the recitation. For instance, in the course of a long
Tradition, quoted in Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Hadhrat Abu
Musa Ash’ari (RA), the aforementioned instruction is given in
identical words. The Holy Prophet’s (SAW) exhortation, evidently,
is based upon the Qur’aanic injunction that when the have faith in
their sincerity and to believe that whatever conclusion they have
arrived at in the light of the Holy Qur’aan and the Sunnah and the
coduct of the Ashab, are in good faith and none of them is guilty
of falsehood or distortion. It is not, at all, opposed or
antithetical to aligning oneself with a particular school of
jurisprudence. The path of justice and moderation pursued by
Hadhrat Shah Waliullah (Rahmatullah alih) in Hujjatullah -i-Baligha
is, in our view, the best and the wisest course in the current
circumstance through which unity can be brought back into the
disintegrated ranks of the Muslim.)
Recital of Holy Qur’aan by the
Holy Prophet (SAW) during Fajr
Hadhrat Jabir bin Samura (RA) narrated that the Apostle of
Allah (SAW) recited Surah-i-Kaaf and other Surahs like it in the
Namaz (Prayer) used to be light. --Muslim
Commentators have interprated the concluding part of the above
Tradition in two ways: one that the Holy Prophet’s (SAW) prayers,
i.e., those of Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha used to be lighter, and
in them, he recited less of the Holy Qura’an compared Fajr, and
the other that the Holy Prophet’s (SAW) prayers were usually long
in the earlier days of Islam when the Ashab were few in number and
those who formed the congregation behind him were Muslims of the
highest caliber, but letter when the number of worshipers had
increased and they included Believers of the second and third
grades as well, the Holy Prophet (SAW) began to celebrate
comparatively shorter services and the more the worshipers, the
greater was the possibility of there being among them some weak
sick and faint-hearted people for whom a long service could be
tiresome.
Both the interpretations are correct from the factual point of
view, but, to us, the latter apperars to be more convincing.
It is related on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Amr bin Hurais (RA)
that he heard the Apostle of Allah (SAW) reciting Wal-ley-i-Iza-’
as-asa (i.e., Surah-i-Takvir) in the Namaz (Prayer) of Fajr.
--Muslim
Hadhrat Ma’az bin Abdullah elJuhani (RA) related that a member
of the tribe of Juhama told him that once he heard the Apostle of
Allah (SAW) reciting Iza zulzilat in both the Raka’at of the
morning service. (The narrator, then added that) he did not know
whether the Holy Prophet (SAW) did so deliberately or
inadvertently. --Abu Dawood
The usual pration of the Holy Prophet (SAW) was to recite
different Surahs in the two Raka’at of a service. So when he, once
recited the Surah of Iza zulzilat in both the Raka’at, the Sahabi,
on whose authority the above Traditon has been related, felt
uncertain If the Holy Prophet (SAW) had done so unintentionally or
intentionally in order to indicate that it, too, was permissible.
Hadhrat Ibn-i-Abbas (RA) related that hte Apostle of Allah
(SAW) used to recite the verses, Qooloo aamanna billahi wa ma
unzila ilaina.. of Surah-i-Baqara, and the verses, Qul yaa
aiyyuhal Kitaabi ta’ aloo ilaa Kalimatin Sawaa-in baina-nana wa
bainakum... of Surah-i-Imraan (respectively) in the two Raka’at of
Fajr. –Muslim It is related by Hadhrat Uqba bin Aamir (RA) that
"in a journey I was going along on foot, holding the reins of the
Holy Prophet’s (SAW) camel in hand. During the gonrny of the Holy
Prophet’s (SAW) said to me: ‘Uqba, may I teach you two of the best
Surahs of the Holy Qur’aan?’ After it, he taught (me) the Surahs
of Qul aoozn be rabble falaga and Qul ‘aoozu be rabbin naas. He,
then felt that I had not been very happy with the choice of the
two Surahs. So, when the Holy Propeht (SAW) dismounted for the
Fajr service, he let the prayers by recitig both the surahs. At
the end of the Service he turned towards me and said: Uqba! What
did you see and how did you feel?’’ --Musnadi-i-Ahmad, Abu Dawood
and Nassai.
Ref: http://www.binoria.org/
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