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Salat (Prayer)

About Salat
Salat Overview
Timings
Call to Prayer

How to Pray

Beginning Salat
Takbir Tahrimah
Tie Hands
Ruku
Qawmah
Qawmah (contd)
Sajdah
Jalsah
Second Sajdah
Next Rak-at
Tashahud
Tashahud (Contd)
Salutation
Postscript

At a glance

Fajr
Dhuhr
Asr
Maghrib
Isha

Combining/Shortening
Prayers

Other Prayers

Optional prayers
Friday prayer
Eid Prayer
Rain Prayer
Funeral Prayer

 

Post Script

Note: It is better to try to follow this literature only after one is comfortable with how to perform Salah well.

1. Do not offer Salat while one is very hungry or under a state of natural urges.
   
   
2. Dont walk just in front of a praying person, within the space for his prostration. A person (only leader in case of congregation) may place any object in front this space to mark this area, called SUTRA.
   
   
3. In congregational prayers during tie hands, Fatiha (opening chapter of the Quran) and the following short surah (chapter) is recited loudly by the Imam (leader) during the first two units (Rakats) for prayers Fajr, Maghrib and Isha. In this case "amiin" at the end of Fatiha should be recited loudly and together by all the followers as well. It is optional to do the same even while one is praying individually.
   
   
4. While standing up (in each Rakah, before Ruku) in congregation followers need recite only Fathiha, silently. Any prayer without Fathihah is deficient.
   
   
5. One should remain in a particular step of the prayer only long enough to complete the recitation meant to be done there.



6. In congregational prayers the Imam says loudly the "Allahu Akbar" for all actions so that others can hear him and follow him through the actions.



7. Precedence should be given to following the Imam during the actions promptly rather than finishing one's recitations during the steps.



8. If the Imam forgets the verses or recites wrongly during the recitation from the Quran after the Fatiha then any of the followers can correct him by reciting aloud that part for the Imam.



9. Qunoot is a special supplication sometimes done during a prayer, during Qawmah, after the normal recitation there. See Qunoot for more details.
   
   
10. If one arrives for a congregational prayer late after it has started he can join it as follows: Tie hands, and then directly join the current part of the prayer as others. After the completion of the congregrational salah (salutation), stand up again and compensate the number of units one has missed. These units should be identical to the last part of the current prayer with the same number of units. For example if one had missed the first two units of a prayer, then one should perform the last two units of that salat after the salutation.
    
    
11. In case there are only two in the congregation, the follower should stand one foot behind the leader, on his right side. If later anyone else wishes to join the congregation, he should touch the follower on his shoulder to indicate this, who should then slowly step back in the line behind along with the new-comer.
    
    
12. If one had joined during a unit before qawmah (that is at least during Ruku), that unit can be supposed to have been obtained and need not be compensated.
    
    
13. Refer to point 1. There are some places in the Quran (in fact 14 in number) which encourages to do Sajdah (prostration) on hearing or reciting there. Hence during the recitation of the short surah during tie hands, if the Imam reaches any of these points (when he is reciting aloud) then he will go to Sajdah, then rise up again to the standing position, continue the recitation of the surah and the rest of the unit as usual. Others too should follow him in doing all these.
    
    
14. If during the prayer the Imam goes wrong about the number of the current unit then the followers can correct him by loudly saying "Allahu Akbar", "Subhanallah", "Alhamdulillah" etc (which are glorifications of God) . (Women followers should rather clap their hands). However, if the Imam persists in his choice of action the others are bound to follow him.
    
    
15. Sajdah Sahev: During praying individually if one is in doubt about the number of the units one is currently in then one can carry on as per one's best guess. As an apology one should offer two additional sajdas (prostrations)just before salutation, after the tashahud. (Sometimes Imam too does it in congregational prayers, where he has forgot the number of units and has been corrected by the followers; and the others are bound to follow him.)
    
    
16. There is provision to combine and shorten the day prayers (Dhuhr and Asr) for the travellers.

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