23) PRESCRIBED PRAYERS AND NUMBER OF BOWS

In the Name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful

There is no doubt that chief among the primaryduties required by a Muslim in his Faith is praters, since the kind of worship is the first act to be accounted for on the Day of Judgment. In this respect, the venerable comrade of the Prophet. Anas Inb Malik said that the number of prayers imposed by the Mighty God on our Apostle on the Night of Ascent to the sky were fifty, then gradually cut down to five prsyers when the Lord advised our Prophet to this effect : "O Muhammad My decision is unchangable. But I consider these Five Prayers as fifty and your reward shall accounted as such".

This certainly a favour bestowed by the Gracious Lord upon the Muslim Community, the followers of Muhammad (God blessed and gave him Mercy) from whom God accepted small good deeds and giveth them in return great credits.

The number of bows for each prayers is as follows :

1. Morning Prayers (Subh) 2
2. Noon Prayers (Zuhr) 4
3. Afternoon Prayers ('Asr) 4
4. Sun set Prayers (Maghrib) 3
5. Evening Prayers (Isha') 4

The above are the obligatory prayers with number of bows for each. Other prayers volutarily done by a Muslim (as Nafl) are excessive for which he shall recieve credits from His Mighty God, or shall be considered as substitute for what he had wrongly done or missed in his main-ordered prayers.

NB.

On first bow (Raka) the Imam should recite the Sura "Alif Lam Miim" on Friday Morning Prayers (as known from Sunna) and hence shall prostate when he comes at this sign :

"Innama yu'minu bi ayaatinaa al-ladzina idzaa dzukiruu bihaa kharruu sujjadan"

Then to carry on the reading the rest of the Sura.

(Such falling down is not considered as an additional bow as wrongly believed by some people)

On the seccond bow (Raka) the Imam shall recite this Sura :

"Hal ataa 'ala al-insaani hiinun min ad-dahr"