25). PRACTICAL METHOD OF PRAYERS

In The Name of Allah The Compassionate The Mercifull

A genuine gerture of the true affictions for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), is marked by thec steadfast adherence to this traditions (the Sunna) and earnest action in accordance with the plan he drawn up for Muslims i the spheres of obedience and worship. The best way for the approach of God is the fulfilment of obligations unto the Lord by worshippers chief among which is prayer.

The prophet (God blessed and offered him Mercy) had clearly explained the right way for the performance of prayers. Ordering his people to follow his footsteps in this behalf, he said : "Pray exactly as I do". If we missed the honour of witnessing him praying, Leaders of Islam(Mercy be upon them) had already as explained by the companions so that we may follow the same way thoruoghly as it ought to be.

Abu Hurairah (God blessed him) narrated this story : Once the apostle entered the mosque, and a man entered after him, (and another source said that that the man inquestion who entered the mosque was a nomad) saluted the Apostle (God blessed and offered him Mercy) and started praying. The Prophet having observed his prayers, said " you tree times to the bedouin, who after 3 times repetition of prayers said to the Prophet " By he Who sent you in righteousness, I know no better, Please teach me". The man asked the full descriptions of the prayer.

Prophet (peace be upon him) said. :" when you do the ablution for prayers ensure that all limbs are properly washed, direct your face towards the sacred house, proclaim the call to prayer (Allah Akbar) (Known as "Takbirat al-Ihram " which is the call for prayers (God The Greatest). then recite some verses of the Holy Quran. i.e. Recite the Fatiha (the opening Chapter) and what you else know by heart from the book of God.

Another hadits was recorded as follow :

" if you desire to pray, do first the ablution most properly, face the Qibla, proclaim the call to prayer (Allahu Akbar), recite the Opening chapter of Qur'an, kneel down aesily to your best satis faction with ample time to mention at least once or thrice the praises and glory of God (Subhana Allah), than stand up right until you become straight, later prostate easily with enough time to repeat declaration of the praises and glory of God once or thrice. This is a practical and right way for all kinds of at prayers at any time whether it is obligatory prayers or a supererogatory one (Nafl). (Nafl is any additional prayers other than the obligatory Ones).

If a person is illiterate and knows nothing of the holy Quran, he should praise and glorify the Lord in his prayers as related by Rufa'a bin Rafi'i quoting the holy Prophet saying to a man :

"If you know anything of the Quran recite it, and if not praise God and glorify Him, than say for several times "ALLAHU AKBAR" and kneel down".

Nevertheless, it is our duty as Muslims to know by heart at least the "Opening Chapter" and a few short Suras of the Holy Quran to perform the prayers. It is also our duty to teach our childern both males and females some suras for prayers so that they may memorize them at an early age.

In a state of prostration, we must ensure that our foreheads, noses, hands, knees and top part of the feet are fully set down as prescribed to use by the Holy Prophet, upon whom may be peace, in the Hadits affirming that he was ordered to prostate with these organs on the ground.

After the first two bows the worshiper must sit down for a while, to read (by heart) "At-Tasyahod" no matter what the required number of bows is, then he gets up to continue the prayer and sit again at the final bow to readthe TASYAHOD once more together with the greetings of the Prophet, and declare salam praying ends.