How to perform Salat (Namaz)

The method of praying Namaz is as follows; With Wuzu, face towards the Qibla and stand so that there is a gap of four fingers between your feet. Take each hand to each ear and touch the lobes of the ears with the thumbs and leave the rest of the fingers in their normal state, don't join them together or spread them apart. Face the palms of the hands towards the Qibia and your sight is to look at the sijdah. Then make a firm intention in your heart as to which Namaz you are praying and while saying 'Allah-o-Akbar' lower your hands and join them below the naval.

The way to join the hands is to have the palm of the right hand on top of the back of the left hand wrist, keep the middle three fingers straight and circle the left wrist with the thumb and the little finger firmly grasping the hand. Then pray 'Sana' meaning Subhanakallah Humma Wa Bihamdika Wa Tabarakasmuka Wa Ta'ala Jadduka Wa Laa ila'ha Ghairuk" . Then pray Ta'awwuz meaning "A'oozu Billahi Minas Shaitaanir Rajeem" and then pray Tasmee'a meaning "Bismillah' ir'rahman'ir' Raheem" . Then pray the whole of the 'Alhamdo' Surat and say 'Aameen' quietly.

After this, pray any Surat or three ayats or one ayat which is equivalent to three small ayats. Then whilst saying Allah-o-Akbar go into the Rukooh. Grasp the knees with the hands and spread your fingers over the knees. Keep your back straight and your head level with your back and make sure that you are not too far up or kneeling to low down and keep your sight on your feet and pray at least three times "Subhana Rabbi'al Azueem' and then pray this whilst standing up 'Sami Allahu Liman Hamidah' and if you are praying Namaz alone then also say 'Allahumma Rabbana Walakal Hamd' and then while saying Allah-o-Akbar go into the Sijdah. The way to do this is to first put your knees on the ground, then put your hands at the side of the place where your are going to put your head and then place your head by first placing your nose on the ground and then your forehead and then press hard on your nose. Look towards your nose and keep your elbows up so that they don't touch the ground and leave a gap between your armpits and make sure that there is a gap between your thighs and your stomach. Place all your toes so that their tips are pointing towards the Qibla and their bases are flat on the ground. Keep your hands flat and have your fingers pointing towards the Qibla. Then pray at least three times 'Subhana Rabbi al A'ala'.

Then lift your head up while saying Allah-o-Akbar with first lifting your forehead then your nose then your face and then your hands. Keep your right foot upright and lay your left foot flat and sit on it firmly. Place your hands on your knees with the finger tips pointing towards the Qibla and the palm of your hands flat near your knees and the base of the .fingertips laid flat at the end of your kneecaps. Then whilst saying 'Allah-o-Akbar' go back into the Sijdah and this is done in the same way as the first one. Then stand up by placing your hands on your knees and putting pressure on your knees and legs stand upright, don't put your hands on the ground to assist you to stand up. Now pray only 'Bismillah'ir' Rahmaan'ir' Raheem' and then Alhamdo and another Surat and as before perform Rukooh and Sijdah, and when getting up from the second Sijdah leave your right foot upright and lay your left foot flat and sit upright. And pray �AttahiyyaatuLillahi Was Salawato Wattayyibatu u Alaika Ayyuhannabi 'o 'Warahmatullahi Wabarka'tuhu u Alaina Wa'ala'Ibadillahis Sa'liheen, Ash'had'u'un La ilahaillallahu Wa Ash'hadu Anna MuhammadunAbd'uhu Wa Rasooluh', This is known as Tashahhud. When you are reaching La'Jlaha make a circle in your right hand by joining the thumb with the middle finger and curl the small and it's adjacent finger with the middle finger and on the word La lift your index finger but don't move side to side and when you reach 'illallahu' straighten your hand back to normal. Now if you have more than two Ra.kats to pray then stand back up and pray more Rakats, but for a Farz Namaz there is no need to join another Surat after Alhamdo and then continue and when you reach your last Qaidah (sitting position) pray Tashahhud and then pray the DuroodSharif called Durood-e-lbrahim

'Allahumma Salleh Ala Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa'ala' Aale Sayyidina Muhammadin Kama Sallaiyta Ala Sayyidina Ibraheema Wa' Ala Aale Sayyidina Ibraheema InnakaHameedum Majeed -Allahumma Baarak Ala Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa' Ala Aale Sayyidina Muhammadin Kama Baarakta Ala Sayyidina Ibraheem Wa' Ala Aale Sayyidina Ibraheema Innaka Hameedum Majeed' After this pray'Allahumag Firii Wali Wale Dayya Wal Ustaad'e Wal Jamee'il Mu'mineena Wal Mu'meenat Wal Muslimeena Wal MuslimatAI'Ahya'eMinhum Wal Amwaat'e Innaka MujeebudDa'waatBirahmatikaYa Ar'hamarr'ahimeen' or pray another Dua-e-Ma'soor or pray 'Allahumma Rabbana Aatina Fid DuniyaHasanatawWafil Akhirati Hasanataw Wa QinaAzaabanNaar' Make sure you pray this by starting it with 'Allahumma' and then turn your head towards your right shoulder and say'u Alai'kumWarah'matullah' and then turn your head towards your left shoulder and repeat the same words again. The Namaz has now finished, so raise both your hands and pray any Dua for example'Allahumma Rabbana Aatina Fid Duniya Hasanataw Wafil Akhirati Hasanataw Wa Qina Azaaban Naar' then rub your hands over your face. This is the method for an Imam or a male praying Namaz on their own. If however, you are a Muqtadee meaning praying in congregation (Jamaat) and behind an Imam then don't perform Qiraayat meaning don't pray 'Alhamdo' or a Surat, whether the Imam is praying loudly or quietly. Qiraayat is not allowed in any Namaz if it is being prayed behind an Imam.
If the Namazee is a female then at the Takbeer-e-Tahrima she should lift her hands only upto her shoulders and then place her left hand on her chest and the right hand on top of it. When performing Rukoo she should only bend a little so that her hands reach her knees and she should not put pressure on her knees and keep her fingers tightly together and not to straighten her back like males. When performing Sijdah she should crawl up and perform Sijdah so that the arms are joined with the sides, her stomach is joined with her thighs and her thighs are crawled up with her shins and her feet are pointing outwards and are flat. In Qaidah she should have both her feet pointing outwards towards the right and are flat. She should sit on her left buttock and keep her hands in the middle of her thighs.

Order of Farz, Wajib. Sunnat and Mustahhab

• Rule: In the above method some actions are Farz (obligatory) and therefore without performing these the Namaz will not count. Some actions are Wajib (necessary) and therefore to deliberately miss them is a sin and it would be necessary (Wajib) to repeat the Namaz and if they are missed by mistake then a 'Sijdah-e-Sahoo' would have to be performed at the end. Some are Sunnat-e-Maukida and therefore to make a habit of missing them is a sin and some are Mustahhab and therefore to perform will gain rewards and to miss will not be a sin.

Farz (Obligatory) actions within Namaz.

There are seven action within Namaz which are Farz.

1. Takbeer-e-Tahrima - meaning the first 'Allah-o-Akbar' (or any other word which would praise Allah) with which the Namaz begins
2. Qayaam - meaning to stand until the Farz Qiraayat is completed
3. Qiraayat - meaning to pray at least one verse of the Holy Quran
4. Rukooh - meaning to bend so that that the hands reach the knees
5. Sujood - meaning the forehead to firmly touch the ground and at least one toe on each foot to be flat so that it's base is touching the ground and it's tip is pointing towards the Qibla
6. Qaidah-e-Akhira - meaning when the Rakats of Namaz are completed to sit for the duration it takes so the whole of Tashahhud (attahiyat) is completed until 'Rusooluh'
7. Khurooj-e-Be'sunoo'i - meaning after Qaida-e-Akhira to perform an action with which the Namaz would finish, whether that be Salaam or to talk etc.

Wajib (necessary) actions of Namaz

1. In the Takbeer-e-Tahrima to use the words 'Allah-o-Akbar'
2. To pray the whole of the Alhamdo Surat.
3. To join a Surat or a verse (Ayat) with Alhamdo. In a Farz Namaz for the first two Rakats and in a Witr, Sunnat or Nafl Namaz in all the Rakats.
4. To pray before a Surat or Ayat, Alhamdo only once.
5. Between Alhamdo and a Surat not to pray anything except 'Ameen' and Bismillah...
6. To go into Rukoo as soon as the Qirayat is finished
7. To perform one Sijdah after another without having a delayed gap in between. The gap must be no longer than one Rukun, meaning the time it takes someone to say 'Subhanallah' three times.
8. To pause between actions, meaning a gap of time the same as at least one 'Subhanallah' between, Rukoo, Sijdah, Quwmaa and Jalsa.
9. Quwma, meaning to stand up straight after Rukoo.
10. When in Sijdah to have three toes on each foot to be flat on the ground and the tips pointing towards Qibla.
11. Jalsa, meaning to sit up between two Sijdahs.
12. Qaidah-e-Oola, meaning to sit after two Rakats, if there are more than two Rakats in a Namaz, whether it is a Nafl (voluntary) Namaz.
13. Not to continue further after Tashahhud (Attahiyat) in a Qaida-e-Oola for a Farz, Witr or Sunnat-e-Maukida Namaz.
14. To pray in both Qaidahs the whole of Tashahhud, in fact, regardless of the amount of Qaidahs in a Namaz to pray the whole of Tashahhud is Wajib, if even one word is left out of Attahiytat the Wajib will be missed.
15. In both Salaams the word Salaam is Wajib, the words 'Alaikum Wa Rahmutullah' is not Wajib.
16. To pray 'Dua-e-Kunoot' in Witr.
17. To perform Takbeer in Kunoot (To lift your hands and say Allah-o-Akbar in the third Rakat of Witr).
18. All six Takbeers of Eid Namaz's
19. The Takbeers in the second rakat of the Eid Namaz and for them to have the words 'Allah-o-Akbar.
20. The Imam to pray loudly in all Jehri Namaz and to pray quietly in non Jehri Namaz.
21. To pray all Farz and Wajib Namaz in routine (meaning to pray the before one's before and the after one's after).
22. To perform only one Rukoo in every rakat and to perform only two Sijdahs.
23. Not to perform a Qaidah before two rakats and not to perform a Qaida in the third rakat if it is a four rakat Namaz.
24. To perform Sijdah-e-Tilawat if an Ayat of Sijdah has been prayed.
25. If there has been an error (where a Wajib has been missed) then to perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo.
26. There is not to be a gap between two Farz actions or between two Wajib actions or a Farz and a Wajib actions longer than the time it takes to say Subhanallah three times.
27. If the Imam is performing Qirayat, whether it is loudly or quietly, the Muqtadees to remain completely quiet.
28. Except for Qirayat, to follow the Imam in all the Wajibs.

Except for the Farz and Wajib actions, all the rest of the actions mentioned in the method of Namaz are either Sunnat or Mustahhab. They should not be missed on purpose, and if they are missed by mistake then it is not necessary to perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo nor repeat the Namaz. If however, you repeated the Namaz then it is a good thing. If you want to know in more detail the Sunnats and Mustahhabs then read either Bahar-e-Shariat or Fatawa-e-Razvia as we have not gone into small detail or abbreviated them here.

SIJDAH-E-SAHOO (SIJDAH FOR FAULTS)

When is Sijdah-e-Sahoo Wajib ?

If those actions which are Wajib in Namaz are not performed by mistake, it is Wajib to perform the Sijdah-e-Sahoo to substitute for the action missed.

Method of performing Sijdah-e-Sahoo

The method of performing this is, when you finish praying 'Attahiyat' in the last Qaidah, turn your head to the right side and then perform two Sijdahs. Then repeat Attahiyat from the beginning and complete your Namaz.

• Rule: If a Wajib was missed and you did not perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo and completed the Namaz, then it is Wajib to repeat the Namaz. Rule: If a Wajib is missed deliberately, then a to perform A Sijdah-e-Sahoo would not be sufficient and therefore it would be Wajib to repeat the Namaz. Rule: If any of the Farz actions are missed, then Sijdah-e-Sahoo would not compensate for them and therefore the Namaz would not count and to repeat the Namaz would be Farz.

Actions which by missing would not make the Sijdah-e-Sahoo necessary

• Rule: If the actions that are Sunnat or Mustahhab in Namaz are missed, such as 'Ta'awwuz', 'Tasmee' 'Aameen', 'Takbeers when changing positions', the Tasbeehs (of Rukoo and Sijdahs) etc. it would not make it necessary to perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo, but the Namaz would count [Radd-ul-Mohtar, Guniya]. However, it would be better to repeat it.
• Rule: If in one Namaz many Wajibs are missed, then the two Sijdahs of Sahoo would be sufficient, it is not necessary to perform a Sijdah-e-Sahoo for ever Wajib missed [Radd-ul-Mohtar, etc.].
• Rule: If in the first Qaidah after Attahiyat and before standing for the third Rakat there is a delay as long as it takes to pray 'Allahumma Salleh Ala Muhammad' then Sijdah-e-Sahoo would become Wajib, whether you pray it or not, in both situations Sijdah-e-Sahoo would become Wajib [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].
• Rule: If in Qiraayat etc at any time you start thinking and there is a gap long enough for someone to say 'Subhanallah' three times, then it would be Wajib to perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo [Radd-ul-Mohtar].
• Rule: If you think that the first Qaidah is the last Qaidah in a four Rakat Namaz and you perform Salaam and then remember and stand back up and complete the Namaz, you must perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo [Alamgiri]. If you forgot to pause between actions then Sijdah-e-Sahoo is Wajib [Hindiya].
• Rule: If a Muqtadee had not completed his 'Attahiyat' and the Imam stood up for the third Rakat, it is necessary for the Muqtadee to complete his Attahiyat, regardless of whether it causes delay.
• Rule: If the Muqtadee had not prayed the Tasbeeh in a Rukoo or Sijdah three times and the Imam finished it and stood up, it is necessary for the Muqtadee to stand up and not finish the rest of the Tasbeeh.
• Rule: If a person forgot to perform the first Qaidah and had only started standing up then he should sit back down and pray Attahiyat and the Namaz would be correct, a Sijdah-e-Sahoo would not be necessary. If however, he stood up and was close to completely, standing then he should stand up and continue with his Namaz and then finally perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo [Shareh Waqia, Hidaaya etc].
• Rule: If you forgot to perform the last Qaidah and had not yet performed a Sijdah for the extra Rakat then you should sit back down straight away and perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo. If however, you had performed a Sijdah for the extra Rakat then except for Maghrib you can join another Rakat and they would all count as Nafl, because your Farz Namaz would not count and therefore you would have to pray the Farz Namaz again [Hidaaya, Shareh Waqia].
• Rule: If in the last Qaidah you prayed Tasahhud and then stood back up, you should sit straight back down and as long as you have not performed a Sijdah for the extra Rakat, perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo and complete the Namaz. If however, you had performed a Sijdah in the extra Rakat, your Farz Namaz would still count but you should join another Rakat and then finally perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo and the last two Rakats would count as Nafl, but do not join another Rakat for Maghrib Namaz [Hidaaya, Shareh Waqia].
• Rule: If in one Rakat you performed three Sijdahs or two Rukoos or forgot the first Qaidah then perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo.
• Rule: Order of sequence is obligatory in Qayam, Rukoo, Sijdah and the last Qaidah, therefore, if you performed Rukoo before you performed Qayam then this Rukoo is cancelled and will not count and if then you perform another Rukoo your Namaz will count otherwise it will not, and in the same way if you performed Sijdah before the Rukoo and then performed the Rukoo and performed the Sijdah again after, then the Namaz will count.
• Rule: Order of sequence is obligatory in Qayam, Rukoo, Sijdah and the last Qaidah meaning, whichever is due first should be done first and whichever is due next should be done next and if this done in,the wrong order then the Namaz will not count, for example, if someone performed Sijdah before Rukoo then their Namaz will not count, however, if they performed the Sijdah again after the Rukoo meaning they rectified the order of sequence again then their Namaz will count. In the same way if they perform Rukoo before Qayam and they stand back in Qayam and then perform another Rukoo, their Namaz will count Radd-ul-Mohtar]. All Qaidahs in Nafl Namaz are counted as last Qaidahs and therefore are obligatory and so if you forgot to perform a Qaidah and stood up then as long as you have not performed a Sijdah for the new Rakat sit back down and perform the Qaidah and then perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo and all Wajib Namaz are in the same rule as Farz Namaz, therefore if you forget to perform the first Qaidah of Witr then the same rule applies as a Farz Namaz [Durr-e-Mukhtar].
• Rule: If you forgot to pray Dua-e-Kunoot or forgot to perform the Takbeer-e-Kunoot then perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo. Takbeer-e-Kunoot means the Takbeer that is said in the third Rakat after Qirat and is done and then Dua-e-Kunoot is prayed [Alamgiri].

What is Sijdah-e-Tilaawat ?

This is the Sijdah which becomes Wajib when you pray or hear the verse of Sijdah. It's proper method is to stand up and say Allaho-o-Akbar whilst going into Sijdah and then pray at least three times 'Subhana Rabbi'al Aalaa' and then whilst saying Allah-o-Akbar stand back up.

Sunnat way of performing Sijdah-e-Tilaawat

• Rule:It is Sunnat to say at the start and the end 'Allaho Akbar in Sijdah-e-Tilaawat. Also to start the Sijdah by standing up and then going into Sijdah and then standing back up again after. Both of these Qayams are Mustahhab [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar etc.].

Rule: If you did not stand before or after the Sijdah or you did not say Allaho Akbar or you did not pray 'Subhana Rabbi'al Aala', then even still your Sijdah will count. However, you should not miss Takbeer as it is against procedure [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar].
Rule: When saying the Takbeer you do not lift your hands nor do you pray Attahiyat or perform Salaam in Sijdah-e-Tilaawat [Tanweer, Bahar].
Rule: In total there are fourteen verses in the Holy Quran whereby whichever verse is prayed, both the person praying and listening will have to perform Sijdah-e-Tilaawat as it will become Wajib on them, whether the person listening made the intention of listening to it or not.

Conditions of Sijdah-e-Tilaawat

• Rule:Except for Tahrimah, for Sijdah-e-Tilaawat all conditions remain which are in Namaz; For example, cleanliness, facing the Qibla, intention, time and covering of the body, also if you have access to water then you cannot perform Sijdah-e-Tilaawat by performing Tayammum [Durr-e-Mukhtar, etc.].
• Rule: If a verse of Sijdah is prayed in Namaz then it is Wajib in Namaz to perform Sijdah and if you delay it you will become a sinner. Delay means to pray three or more verses after the verse of Sijdah. If however, the verse is at the end of a Surat then there is no harm in finishing the Surat. For example, in Surah Inshaaq if you performed Sijdah at the end of the Surat there is no harm.
• Rule: If you prayed a verse of Sijdah in Namaz, but forgot to perform Sijdah then as long as you are in the state of Namaz (whether you have performed Salaam) then you must perform it and then perform Sijdah-e-Sahoo [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].
• Rule: If you pray a verse of Sijdah in Namaz then to perform it's Sijdah is Wajib in Namaz not outside, and if you deliberately missed it then you are a sinner and repentance is necessary as long as you did not perform Rukooh and Sijdah straight after the verse.
• Rule: It is not a condition to state in the intention for Sijdah-e-Tilaawat the verse that you have prayed, but a general intention of Sijdah-e-Tilaawat is sufficient.
• Rule: Whatever action breaks the Namaz also breaks the Sijdah-e-Tilaawat, such as releasing wind, talking, laughing in Namaz etc. [Durr-e-Mukhtar etc.].
• Rule: Sijdah does not become Wajib by writing a vferse of Sijdah or just by looking at the verse [Qazi Khan, Alamgiri, Guniya].
• Rule: For the Sijdah to become Wajib, it is not necessary to pray the whole verse of Sijdah, but by just praying the word that makes the verse Wajib and a joining word before or after the word would make the Sijdah Wajib [Durr-e-Mukhtar].
• Rule: By spelling or listening to the spelling of a verse of Sijdah does not make the Sijdah Wajib [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar, Qazi Khan].
• Rule: If the translation of a verse of Sijdah is prayed or is heard then the Sijdah becomes Wajib, whether the person who heard it understands it or not that it was the translation of a verse of Sijdah. However, it is important that if he does not know then he should be informed. If however, the verse is prayed and then the translation is prayed then it is not necessary to inform him that this was the translation [Qazi Khan, Alamgiri, Bahar].
• Rule: If a woman on her menstrual cycle of bleeding after childbirth has prayed the verse then the Sijdah won't be necessary for her to perform the Sijdah, however those who have heard her pray the verse will have to perform the Sijdah as it is still Wajib for them [Bahar].
• Rule: Just as it does not become Wajib for a woman on her menstrual cycle or bleeding after childbirth to perform a Sijdah, it also does not become Wajib for her if she hears the verse.
• Rule: If a person for whom it is obligatory to bathe has prayed the verse of Sijdah or heard the verse or a person who is not in Wuzu prays or hears it then it still becomes Wajib for them to perform a Sijdah.
• Rule: If a child prays a verse of Sijdah then it becomes Wajib for those who hear it but not for the child [Alamgiri etc.].
• Rule: If the Imam has prayed the verse of Sijdah but did not perform Sijdah, then the Muqtadee will also not perform Sijdah and continue following the Imam even though they might have heard the verse [Guniya]. Whenever the verse is prayed and for some reason the person praying or hearing do not perform the Sijdah then it is Mustahhab to pray "Sam'1 Na Wa Ata'na Gufranaka Rabbana Wa'ilaikal Masir [Radd-ul-Mohtar].
• Rule: To pray the whole Surat and to miss the verse of Sijdah is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi [Qazi Khan, Durr-e-Mukhtar].
• Rule: If in one Mosque one verse is repeated many times or heard many times then only one Sijdah is Wajib even if different people have prayed it. Also if you pray a verse and you hear the same verse from someone else, then again only one Sijdah will be Wajib [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

Changing of an Assembly

• Rule: The assembly will not change by eating one or two bites, drinking one or two gulps, to stand, to walk one or two steps, to reply to a greeting, two talk a couple of words, to walk from one side of the house towards another side. If however, it is a large house with different rooms then the assembly will change by walking from one side to another. If you are in a boat and it is moving then the assembly will not change. The same rule should also apply to a train. If you are on an animal and the animal is moving then the assembly is changing but if you are praying Namaz on the animal then the assembly has not changed. The assembly will change if you eat three bites, or drink three gulps, or walking three steps in a field, to speak three words, to lie down and go to sleep, to pray the Nikah and to buy or sell something [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar, Guniya, Bahar].
• Rule: To sit in an assembly for a while and to pray the Quran or perform a lecture or listen to a lecture or have a religious discussion does not change the assembly, but if between the same verse being repeated you perform a worldly action like to sew a piece of cloth etc. then the assembly will change [Radd-ul-Mokhtar].
• Rule: If the person hearing the verse is paying attention and to perform the Sijdah would not be a strain on them then the verse should be prayed loudly otherwise it should be prayed quietly and if you are not sure whether they are paying attention or not then the verse should be prayed quietly [Radd-ul-Mohtar, Bahar-e-Shariat].
• Rule: During the state of illness, theSildah can be performed by action only, also if you are on a journey and in a vehicle then you can perform action only to fulfil the Sijdah and it will count [Alamgiri etc.].

Sijdah-e-Shukr (Thanks)

The method of performing a Sijdah for thanking Allah is the same as for Sijdah-e-Tilaawat.

• Rule: It is Mustahhab to perform the Sijdah-e-Shukr if a child is born, or you have gained wealth, or you have found a lost item, or your illness has gone better, or you have returned from a journey safely or you have obtained a gift.

Source: http://www.123muslim.com/islamic-articles/1562-how-pray-namaz.html