The Remedy for Waswasa

Question: I suffer from waswasa regarding wudu’, salat, purification, and intention. What is the remedy for this?

ANSWER
Waswasa (pl. wasawis) means harmful misgivings and delusion. It is stated in a hadith-i sharif:
(Waswasa is from Shaitan. Beware of the wasawis of Shaitan when you are making wudu’, performing ghusl, and cleaning impurity.) [Tirmidhi]

Following waswasa is a sin. It is makruh to perform salat behind an imam who has been plagued by waswasa. Waswasa causes a person to waste water, and wastefulness (israf) is haram. It also causes him to delay his salat and to miss the jama’at, even salat. It results in his wasting his time and life. A person affected by waswasa is under the delusion that the clothes and meals of others are impure, while it is haram to have a bad opinion about Muslims. He thinks that he is on the safe side in religious matters, but in fact he has been trapped by arrogance.

A person who does not know the fard, sunnat, and makruh elements of wudu’, purification, and salat can easily be afflicted by the sickness of waswasa. If he has learnt and is implementing them, then he should ignore the doubts that will befall him and assume that he is carrying them out well and correctly. Assuming it in this way is to be on the safe side. Having doubts is to be afflicted with wasawis. One who has been affected by wasawis should act on dispensations (rukhsa). One is not disturbed by waswasa when cleansing the heart from vices, paying attention to the rights of creation, and abstaining from haram acts. Being extra careful about these issues is wara and taqwa. (Hadiqa, Bariqa)

The remedy to get rid of wasawis is to know well the ruling of our religion regarding the matter about which he has been confronted with wasawis. He who knows the rulings well will not have wasawis. Every Muslim must abstain from haram and dubious things. He should also be abstemious in using even the mubah things and should not exceed the limit of necessity. This is called adopting what is azima (the more meritorious and difficult ways in carrying out commandments, which Islam holds superior). Doing unsinful and permissible acts is called following rukhsa (dispensation). A person should not take dispensations unless forced by necessity. He who has an excuse [unable to do the ’azima] may take rukhsa. His doing rukhsa deserves as much thawab (reward) as would be the case if he had done the ’azima. Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states, “One should act on the easiest fatwa in case of necessity. Allahu ta’ala does not want humans to do difficult things, but easy ones, because man was created weak and frail.”

Hadrat Imam-i Sharani stated that one should take dispensations in case of necessity. The following hadith-i sharifs say: (Make use of the dispensations that Allahu ta’ala has allowed for you.) [Bukhari]

(Whoever does not make use of dispensations has committed a sin as big as Mount Arafat.) [Tabarani]

(Allahu ta’ala likes a person’s making use of dispensations, just as He likes his taking ‘azima.) [Bayhaqi]

(A time will come when people will display obsessive concern about purification, and they [being afflicted with waswasa] will exceed the limits in the religion.) [Abu Dawud]

Shaytan does not want a Muslim to perform salat. If he is performing salat, Shaitan casts doubts into his heart, whispering, “Seeing that you are offering salat, you should perform wudu’ and salat properly. Do not leave any part dry. Wash thoroughly. Your salat is not valid, so redo it.” Thus, he causes the Believer distress. Not only do these wasawis cause him to commit makruh in acts of worship but also lead to psychological problems in the long term.

Islam is the religion of facilitation and dispensations. For example, if a person has made wudu’ and then doubts whether he broke it or not, it is assumed that he is in a state of wudu’. He who has made wudu’ does not have to renew it if, afterwards, he doubts that a part of his limb may have been left dry. Renewing wudu, in this case, will be makruh. If a person, after performing wudu’, frequently notices moisture on his underwear and doubts whether it is urine or water, he should sprinkle some water on his underwear before performing wudu’. Then when he sees moisture on his underwear, he should assume that it is the water he sprinkled. Even if this moisture is urine, it is not necessary to wash that area because it is not known for certain whether it is urine or not.

If a person walks on an impure surface while his feet are wet, his feet will not get impure on condition that the surface is dry. If impurity touches one’s clothes or body and if one cannot locate the affected area, it will become clean if one washes the area that one guesses to be the affected area. If one discovers the correct area after salat, one does not have to repeat the salat according to a qawl.

Suppose that a child has urinated onto the right sleeve of a jacket and one does not know that the affected area is on the right sleeve. Then if one thinks that the affected area is on the left sleeve and washes it, the right sleeve is considered clean, and the salat one performs in this jacket will be valid. Similarly, what matters is not that no part of a limb should be left dry. Even if a part has been left dry, there is no problem if one does not know it. The criterion is whether one knows or not. Hadrat Imam-i Ghazali says the following in his discourse on impure things in food like pig lard:

Allahu ta’ala does not order, “Eat that which is absolutely pure and clean” but orders, “Eat that which you do not know to be impure and which you think to be clean.” If He ordered that we eat that which is absolutely pure and clean, it would be very difficult, even impossible.

Similarly, He does not order us not to leave any dry place in wudu’ and ghusl. If one, though one has washed a limb, does not know that a part on the limb has been left unwashed, that limb is assumed to have been washed completely.

If a part on a limb has been left unwashed in wudu’ and if one does not know that one has left it dry, one does not have to wash that part. One should say to oneself, “I do not know whether there is any dry place left. Then I can safely assume that I washed each limb completely.” One should not wash anywhere thereafter. Doubts may creep into one’s heart that there is a part left dry, but one should ignore them. One must not do the opposite of what our religion says. Islam does not order one to wash a limb again on the pure supposition that there may be some part left unwashed. That is, even if one cannot be convinced that one has not left anywhere unwashed, our religion does not require one to be convinced of it. Nor does it require one to satisfy oneself. One should think so, “I am only required to wash an organ three times.” If water does not reach some part and if one does not know that it has not reached there, one’s not knowing it is a criterion. One should keep this criterion in mind. Similarly, the imam behind whom one performs salat may be an atheist internally. The salats one performs behind him are valid as one does not know that he is an atheist.

If a person, after performing wudu’, doubts whether he wiped his hair or whether he is in a state of wudu’ or if he, after completing salat, doubts whether his garment was clean or whether he said the opening takbir, he does not have to renew his wudu’ or wash his garment or repeat his salat.

When we do acts of worship more or less than the required amount, Allahu ta’ala does not lose out or gain anything. For this reason, if we perform acts of worship more or less than the required amount in compliance with what our religion says, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if a person, while performing the fard of Salat al-Fajr, doubts whether he has performed one or two rak’ats, his salat will be valid if he performs an extra rak’at, totaling three rak’ats. But if he performs three rak’ats deliberately, then his salat will not be valid. Similarly, if one, while performing a four-rak’at salat, gets confused and offers only three rak’ats thinking that one has completed all of the four rak’ats, one’s salat is considered valid. Allahu ta’ala does not say, “Why did you think wrongly?” He does not order us to do that which is beyond our capability. (Hadiqa)

Question: What should a person do when Shaitan whispers into his heart, “Am I in a state of wudu’? Maybe I broke it, and I do not remember”?
ANSWER
You say that Shaitan whispers it and ask what you should do. You should not pay attention to such whispers. If you remember that you made wudu’, there is no problem. You are assumed to be in a state of wudu’.

Question: I sometimes doubt while in salat whether I have performed three or four rak’ats. Sometimes such doubts occur to me after salat as well, so I repeat my salat. Is what I do correct?
ANSWER
It is not correct. You should not pay any attention to the doubts that befall you once salat is completed. Always keep this in mind because it is a very useful piece of information for everyone performing salat: doubting and zann (supposition, judgment) are different things. Doubting is one’s not knowing in any way whether one has performed three or four rak’ats. In zann, however, there is a little inclination toward one view. If one is able to say, “In my judgment, I have performed three rak’ats,” it is assumed that one has performed three rak’ats. In acts of worship, one’s zann is accepted. Accordingly, if one gets confused while performing salat about whether he has offered three or four rak’ats, one should act on the basis of what one thinks is most likely. If it is not clear what is most likely and if one is in doubt, then one should assume that one performed three rak’ats and sit in the third rak’at. Then one should offer one more rak’at and perform sajda as-sahw. Try to learn well the difference between zann and doubting.

Question: When I am performing a four-rak’at salat, my attention is sometimes diverted. Then I find myself to be performing the third rak’at. I complete my salat, but then doubts occur to me whether I missed a rak’at or offered an extra rak’at. How should I act in this case?
ANSWER
Once salat is completed, doubts that befall one are not taken into consideration. If one doubts while performing salat whether it is the second or third rak’at, one should assume that it is the second rak’at and then offer one more rak’at. One should complete salat with sajda as-sahw.

Question: Does Shaitan cast waswasa into the heart of a human? That is, do evil thoughts that befall us come from Shaitan?
ANSWER
Yes, those thoughts that go against Islam come from Shaitan. It is declared in the Qur’an al-karim:
(Verily, Shaitan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy because he calls his followers [by making them commit sins] to be the dwellers of Hell.) [Fatir 6]

(O you who believe, do not follow the footsteps [and wasawis] of Shaitan.) [Al-Baqara 208]

(Do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan. Verily, he is an open enemy to you. He enjoins on you only evil and fahsha [obscenity, being addicted to haram things, running after the desires of the nafs].) [Al-Baqara 168-169]

(Shaitan frightens you with poverty [when you are spending in the way of Allah] and orders you [not to give alms].) [Al-Baqara 268]

(Shaitan wants to [make them incline to transgression and] lead them to aberrance that is away from guidance.) [An-Nisa’ 60]

(Did I not advise you not to obey Shaitan? He is an open enemy to you.) [Ya Sin 60]

(Shaitan wants to cause enmity and hatred among you by means of wine and gambling and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from salat. Will you then not avoid them [though you know their harm].) [Al-Ma’idah 91]

(Whoever turns himself away from the religion of Allah [by following his nafs], We appoint a shaitan for him [in the world].) [Zukhruf 36]

It is declared in hadith-i sharifs:

(Shaitan whispers waswasa into the heart. He flees immediately when Allahu ta’ala’s name is mentioned. He continues his waswasa if His name is not mentioned.) [Abu Ya’la, Ibn Adiy]

(Allahu ta’ala’s mercy is upon jama’at. Shaitan is with him who does not join the jama’at of Muslims and who opposes them.) [Diya-ul-kulub]

(Just as a wolf snatches a sheep that is alone separate from the flock, so Shaitan, too, is the wolf of man. Beware of division and join together in jama’at. Run to mosques.) [Tirmidhi]

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What Does Sunnat Mean?

Question: Though those who leave obligatory acts of worship and commit forbidden acts will become beneficiary of intercession and though our Master the Prophet said, "I will intercede for a person who commits major sins," is it right to claim that one who does not do a sunnat will not become beneficiary of intercession (shafa'ah)?
ANSWER
The word sunnat has three meanings:
1. When we say "Kitab and Sunnat", the word sunnat herein means hadith-i sharifs.

2. When we say "Fard and Sunnat", the word sunnat herein means the commandments of the Messenger of Allah. These commandments are divided into two categories:

Sunnat-i zawaid: They are the things that our Master the Prophet did continuously not as worship but as his custom, such as his clothing style, his beginning with the right-hand side while doing good things, etc.

Sunnat-i huda: They are symptoms of our religion only, such as calling out adhan, performing salat in jama'at.

3. When we use the word sunnat alone, it refers to Islam. It is stated in hadith-i sharifs:

(When sedition and mischief become widespread among my Ummah, one who adheres to my sunnat [one who does acts of worship and abstains from forbidden things] will receive the reward of a hundred martyrs.) [Hakim]

(A time will come when my sunnat [Islam] will be forgotten. One who abides by my sunnat will be a stranger.) [Shir'a]

(My intercession is haram for a person who leaves my sunnat [the religion of Islam].) [Hadis-i Arbain] It means "One who leaves Islam will not be able to become beneficiary of my intercession" (Sharh on Hadith-i Arbain, Shir'a).

Yet another meaning of the word sunnat: Sunnat also means a way, deed, custom, or epoch. For example, sunnatullah means Allah's habit and actions. It is stated in hadith-i sharifs:

(Whoever starts a sunnat-i hasana [whoever starts a good practice] will have the reward for that and the reward of those who act upon it, without their reward being diminished in the slightest. And whoever starts a sunnat-i sayyia [whoever starts a bad practice] will get the sin of it and the sins of those who act upon it, without their sins being diminished in the slightest.) [Muslim]

The phrase sunnat-i sayyia that appears in the hadith-i sharif above means an evil way and an evil practice. Sunnat-i sayyia means bid'at-i sayyia. Islamic scholars termed good practices (such as building minarets) bid'at-i hasana. As for Hadrat Imam-ı Rabbani, he termed sunnat-i hasana instead of bid'at-i hasana such good practices as building minarets and schools, writing books, etc. Until Doomsday, initiating a good practice is very rewarding (thawab). Sunnat-i sayyia is bid'at and a sin.

"If it is impossible for you to clean impurity without exposing your awrat parts, you must perform salat in that state because it is a command to clean [the impurity], but it is a prohibition to expose your awrat parts. Avoiding sins has priority. Even the sunnats come after the commands. The sunnats are observed in order to earn thawab. A sunnat cannot be performed at the cost of committing an act that is makruh. But a fard can be performed at the cost of committing a makruh, so that the debt will be paid. For example, it is makruh to make wudu' with someone else’s water, but by doing so the purity, which is obligatory, will have been attained. However, when one who is in a state of wudu' makes wudu' with someone else’s water, one will not get the thawab of the sunnat" (Radd-ul-Mukhtar).

This means that absolving yourself from a grave sin by making up omitted salats has priority over performing the sunnats.

"A sunnat can be omitted in order not to delay a wajib. A person who comes to the mosque as the imam begins conducting Salat al-Fajr must perform the sunnat salat of it outside the mosque or behind a pillar inside the mosque. If he cannot find such a place that is apart from the jama’at, he must not perform the sunnat behind the jama’at. He must begin to follow the imam immediately because it is makruh to begin performing salat individually while salat is being performed in jama’at. Even the sunnat salat of Salat al-Fajr can be omitted in order not to commit a makruh" (Imdad-ul-Fattah).

"When there is very little time left before the time for a certain daily fard salat ends, it is makruh tahrimi to perform a voluntary salat because it causes one to miss the fard salat. This would mean to miss an obligatory salat by performing a non-obligatory salat, which is something that a reasonable person would not prefer. So is the case with performing a voluntary salat as the sun rises, as it is right on top, or as it sets, even if the voluntary salat performed is one of the sunnat salats of the five daily salats" (Maraqi al-Falah, Tahtawi).

"When there is very little time before the time for a fard salat ends, if performing the pre-fard sunnat salat causes one to miss the fard salat, it is haram to perform the sunnat salat" (Hadiqa).

"A judge or a pupil may omit the sunnat salat of any salat except the sunnat salat of Salat al-Fajr, the former in order to do his duty and the latter not to be late for his religious class" (Multaqa).

While a judge’s duty, which is not fard-i-’ayn (personally obligatory), is counted as an excuse for omitting sunnat salats, why should it not be an excuse to pay the debts of omitted salats, which are fard-i ’ayn and for which there will be vehement punishment?

"It is muakkad sunnat [emphasized sunnat] to wash the limbs three times in wudu'. It is not makruh to omit this sunnat due to an excuse, such as if water is expensive or if it is cold or if one is in need of it" (Radd-ul-Mukhtar).

It can be inferred from the passage above that it is necessary to intend, when performing the sunnat salats of five fard salats, simultaneously both to make up the salats one omitted and to offer the sunnat salats in order to make up one's omitted salats at once to rid oneself of this major sin.

"In the Shafi'i Madhhab, it is haram for a person who has salats omitted to perform sunnat and nafila salats. It is not permissible for him to delay making them up except as much as to earn a living" (Fatawa-i Fiqhiyya).

There is no difference in the rulings of the four madhhabs concerning making up salats not performed deliberately.

Question: There are hadith-i sharifs in which our Master the Prophet states that he will intercede for those who commit major sins, such as consuming alcohol, committing fornication. However, in a hadith-i sharif, he says, "My intercession [shafa'ah] is haram for a person who leaves my sunnat." Is not doing a sunnat a sin graver than committing fornication or consuming alcohol? Some religious chiefs claim, "There will be intercession for those who do not do obligatory acts of worship, though not doing an act of worship is a major sin. However, there will be no intercession for those who do not do sunnat acts." Why will there be intercession for those who commit a grave sin by not performing fard salats but not for those who do not perform sunnat salats?
ANSWER
What they say is wrong. There will be intercession for those who commit any major sin. It is not a major sin not to do a sunnat. There are many sunnat acts, such as beginning with the right-hand side while doing good things, stepping in a mosque with the right foot, stepping in the toilet with the left foot, growing a beard, winding a turban around the head, etc. As it is not a sin not to do these sunnat acts, then there is no question of intercession because it is stated in a hadith-i sharif recorded by Tirmidhi, "A person who does not have major sins will not need intercession."

Intercession will be for major sins. The word sunnat that appears in the hadith-i sharif that you mentioned refers to the religion of Islam. That is, it means, "I will not intercede for a person who leaves Islam." (Sharh on Hadith-i Arba'in, Shir'a)

One who leaves Islam is a disbeliever, and there will be no intercession for a disbeliever. However, a Believer will be beneficiary of intercession no matter how many major sins he/she has committed. It is stated in hadith-i sharifs:

(My intercession will be for those among my Ummah who have committed major sins.) [Nasai, Tirmidhi, Ibn Ma'jah, Abu Dawud]

(I will intercede for all people who have committed major sins but have departed this life as Believers.) [Bukhari, Muslim]

(Every prophet has a special du’a that is not rejected. All prophets made their du'as while they were in the world, but I have reserved my du’a to make intercession for my Ummah. On the Day of Resurrection, I will intercede for all those among my Ummah who have not died on shirk [polytheism].) [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Muwatta]

(I have saved my intercession for those among my Ummah who have committed major sins. Do you think that my intercession will be for those who are pious and obedient? My intercession will be for those Believers who have been dirtied by sins.) [Ihya]

Saying "There will be no intercession for a person who omits a sunnat" go against our religion, as we have explained above. Do not give credence to the sayings of those who do not speak from fiqh books.

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Good Deeds Do Not Replace Salat

Question: A writer claims what Ibn Taymiyyah said, "It is not necessary to make up missed salats. Instead of it, one must perform plenty of voluntary salats and do a lot of good deeds." Do good deeds replace salat?
ANSWER
Hadrat Ibrahim Muhammad Nashat states:
"All scholars have declared that it is a grave sin to omit salat and that it is necessary to make it up if one has omitted it. Ibn Taymiyyah said, 'A person who omitted salat deliberately does not have to make it up. It will not be valid if one makes it up. Instead of it, that person must perform a lot of voluntary salats and do many good deeds.' These heretical opinions had been put forth earlier by Ibn Hazm, too.”

Interpreting some Qur'anic verses and ahadith wrongly, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Hazm departed from Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah and adopted the heretical position that good deeds would replace salat. This was one of the most harmful wounds that they inflicted on Islam. It is stated in a hadith-i sharif related from Hadrat Ali: (If a person who has a salat to make up performs a voluntary salat before making it up, he has strived in vain.) [Futuh-ul-Ghayb]

All of the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah say: "A person who missed salat intentionally or due to an excuse has to make it up" (Radd-ul-Mukhtar, Halabi, Jawhara, Tahtawi).

"It is a major sin to perform salat after the prescribed time for it elapses if there is no legitimate Shar'i reason to do so. This sin is not forgiven when one only makes it up. After making it up, one has to make repentance as well" (Durr-ul-Mukhtar, p. 485).

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Celebrating Christmas

Question: A writer says, "It is the right of Christians to celebrate their religious festivals. Muslims, too, should share in the joy of Ahl al-Kitab, with whom they live in peace on the basis of mutual respect, and celebrate their religious festivals. I do not see any harm in this." Does it not take a Muslim out of the fold of Islam? In Islam, is it permissible to celebrate religious festivals of non-Muslims?
ANSWER
It is in no way permissible. The following is written in fiqh books:

"It is not permissible to give anything to anyone in honor of the days of Nowruz or Mihrgan, which are Zoroastrian holidays. It is haram to give presents in the name of these days or with the intention of observing these days. If one does so because one respects these days, one becomes a disbeliever [kafir] because these days are respected by polytheists. Abul Hafs al-Kabir states that if one worships Allahu ta’ala for 50 years and then gives an egg as a present to a polytheist in honor of the Day of Nowruz, one will become a disbeliever. However, if one gives a present to a Muslim on this day without paying a special attention to this day or because one has to follow the custom, one will not become a disbeliever. If one who bought on that day something which one would not buy on any other day did so because one respected that day, one would become a disbeliever. If one bought it only for consuming it without specially observing that day, one would not become a disbeliever" (Durr-ul-Mukhtar, Vol. 5, p. 481).

It is written in Bazzaziyya, "Nowruz is Magians’ day of feast. It is disbelief to join Magians and to imitate them on that day." A person who imitates disbelievers at Christmas, Easter, or on other feast day will become a disbeliever. (Se'adet-i Ebediyye)

"It will be kufr [disbelief] to wrap round the waist a special sash called zunnar worn by priests; to worship idols, statues, the cross, that is, two sticks intersecting each other at a right angle representing, according to Christians, Jesus' sacrifice; to wear a cross with reverence; to insult what we have been ordered to show reverence to; and to show reverence to what we have been ordered to despise. If one does any of them, one will become a disbeliever" (Sharh on Birghiwi's Wasiyyatnama, pp. 115 202).

Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states:
"It is shirk [polytheism] to respect the festival days of Hindus [also Nowruz, Christmas, and Easter] and to imitate their customs on those days. It causes disbelief. On festival days of disbelievers, the ignorant ones of Muslims do as disbelievers do, think of those days to be Muslims’ festivals, and send presents to one another like disbelievers on those days. They ornament their furniture and meal tables as disbelievers do. They distinguish those nights from other nights. All these are polytheism and disbelief" (Maktubat, Vol. 3, Letter 41; Se'adet-i Ebediyye).

Hadrat Ibn ’Abidin states as follows in the fifth volume: "It is permissible to greet a zimmi or to make musafaha [hand shaking] with him when it is needed to do so. It is not permissible to do so for reverence. Reverence to a disbeliever causes disbelief" (Se'adet-i Ebediyye).

"It is disbelief to respect a disbeliever, to greet him/her in reverence, or to address him/her as "my master" (Bariqa, İslam Ahlakı).

The writer that you mentioned in your question encourages Muslims to revere non-Muslims. It can be inferred from the excerpts above that such reverence is disbelief, too. It is not reasonable to fall into disbelief in order to please Christians.

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How to Perform Salah in Shafii

How to perform salah (salat, prayer, namaz) in Shafi'i?

1> Stand up facing Kabah. It is called Qayam( or qiyam). The space between feet should be about a hand span (not more). They should be pointing towards Kabah.

2> Say, "I pray four rakah (or two, three etc..) Fard  of salat al-isha <or asr, fajr etc..> (if its Fard or say Sunnat if its Sunnat or Say Nafil if its Nafil) for Allah Tala ( you can add'Face towards Kabah')". If praying behind Imam add "Behind this Imam". It is called Niyat (niyyah, Intention). 
   It is fard to say the Niyat. Niyat is made in your heart, you can made niyat verbally as well (with heart). Uttering niyat by mouth is sunnat in tha Shafi'i Maddhab. (making niyat in heart is obligatory and must be made with Allah Hu Akbar at the same time)

3> Raise both of your hands next to each ears. Touch the lobes of your each ear with thumbs. Palms must be towards Kabah. Then say "Allah Hu Akbar"

4> Place the hands above navel and to the left, right hand on top of left hand. Thumb and the index finger should be wraped around the wrist of left hand's wrist. Rest of the three fingers of right hand should be held the left hand. see image

5> Now Read,  “Veccehtu vechiye lillezi fetares-semavati vel-erda hanifen muslimen vema ene minel-muşrikine inne salati ve nüsuki ve mahyaye ve memati lillahi rabbil-alemine laşerike lehu ve bizalike umirtu ve ene minel-muslimine.” Wait a little.

6> Then read, "Auzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajim" Wait a little.
 Then read, "Bismillah Hir Rahmaanir Rahim" Wait a little. 

7> Then read Surah Fatiha, "Alhamdu Lillahi Rabbil Aalamin Ar Rahmaanir Rahim Maaliki Yaomid Din iyya Kana Budu Wa iyya kanastain ihdinas Siratual Mustaqim Siratual Lazina An Amtaa Alaihim Ghairil Maghdubi Alaihim Walad Duallin...Amin" Wait a little.

8> Then read, "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Rahim". Wait a little.

9> Then read any surrah from Quran or at least three Ayats(at least 30 letters). For example; " Wal A'sre Innal Insaana Lafi Khusr illal Lazina Aamanu Wa A'milus Sualihaati Wa Tawa Sau Bil Haqqi Wa Tawa Sau Bis Sabr " Wait a little.

10> Then Say "Allah Hu Akbar" and bow (its called Ruku), hold your knees with your hands. The fingers should be separated with gaps in them. The back should be horizontally strait in line like a board. (see image)

11> Recite, "Subhaana Rabbiyal Azim we bihamdihi" at least three times. Wait a little.

12> Then start to stand up saying, "Sami Allahu Layman Hamidah - Rabbana Lakal Hamd" Start to say Sami when leaving Rukh (bowing poster) and end with Hamidah when you are fully erect. Wait a little.

13> Now say, "Allah Hu Akbar"


14> Now go to Sajdah (placing face on ground). In sajdah all the fingers of feet should be twisted so that the round soft part of the fingers is touching the ground. Hands should be on the same line with shoulders. Hand fingers shouldn't be separated with gaps and should be facing Kabah in strait line. Put enough pressure on nose so that the bone of nose should feel the hardness of earth (do not hurt your self but should be firm). Arms should be away from body like a bird opens the wings. see image

15> Now read, "Subhaana Rabbiyal Aa'la we bi hamdihi" at least three times. Wait a little,

16> Now sit down on your left foot (It's called Jalsa. Jalsa means, Sitting for a while between the two sajdas) the right foot should be sticking out and all of the foot fingers should be twisted. The soft part of the foot fingers should touch the ground. see image. Sit for the amount of time you could say Subhan Allah.(Tadil-i Arkan)

17> Now go back to sajdah and perform as you did before Jalsa.

18> After completing second sajdah, sit for a while then get up and go back to Qayam (standing up) Saying "Allah Hu Akbar". Then read , "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Rahim" Wait a little,

19> Now again read Surah Fatiha, Wait a little,

20> Then read, "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Rahim" Wait a little,
 Then again read any surrah from Quran or at least three Ayats(at least 30 letters). Here is another small one. Surah Al kausar, "Innaa Aataina Kal Kauser Fasalli Li Rabbi Ka Vanhar Inna Shaaniaka Hual Abtar". Wait a little and repeat the steps from 10 to 17.

21> This time after second Sajdah do not go back to Qayam (standing up) but go back to Jalsa (sitting) but now it's called Qaidah.
Now read, >"Atta Hiyaatu al mubaarakaatu as-salawaatu at taiyibaatu lillaah. Assalaamu 'alaika ai-yuhan nabiyyu warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh. Assalaamu 'alaina wa'alaa ibaadillaahisw-saalihin. Ashadu An La ilaha illallah Wa Ashadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasuluhu.'' 
> ''Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad( if you are praying 3 or 4 rakats, stop there and stand) wa'alaa aali MuHammad. Kamaa saallaita 'alaa Ibrahiima wa'alaa aali Ibraahim. Wabaarik 'alaa MuHammad wa'alaa aali Muhammad. Kamaa baarakta Ibraahiima wa'alaa aali Ibraahiim. Fil 'aalamiina innaka Hamidum Majid. " 

Note 1: When you reach at Ashadu An La raise your index finger of your right hand upward facing about 45 degrees by closing the fist, and drop it back and spread the hand to its original position at illal Lahu.
Wait a little. (see image above)

22> Now turn your head towards right and say, "Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah"
Now turn your head towards left and read the same as above, "Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah" (see image)

Salah is complete now.(for 2 rakats)

Note 2: If a person is praying three rakats: then he should stand up after reciting 'Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad'(mentioned above) then should say "Allahu Akbar" and raise his hands as he did in Takbir Tahrimah start his recitation with of Basmalah, Surah Al-Fatihah. This time we don't recite short surah(or ayats). After surah al-fatihah, say "Allah Hu Akbar" and bow (ruku) again, and then stand up, sajda, jalsa, sajda again and finally repeat step 21 and then step 22.

Note 3: If a person is praying four rakats: we will do same things as Note 2 except from repeating step 21 and 22. after sajda again, we should stand up, and recite basmalah and surah al Fatiha, then bow (ruku), and then stand up, sajda, jalsa, sajda again and finally repeat step 21 and then step 22.

Note 4: Above mentioned procedure it for men. Women performs some parts differently but can still use the same arabic text(ayats, duas etc...) differences in women will bew added soon. 

Amounts of rakats for each time are:
Fajr = First two rakat Sunnat then two rakat Fard
Zuhr =First four rakat Sunnat then four rakat Fard then two rakat sunnat
Asr =First four rakat sunnat then Four rakat Fard
Maghrib = First three rakat Fard then two rakat Sunnat
Isha = First Four rakat Sunnat, then four rakat Fard then two rakat sunnat then three rakats sunnat(vitir).

>> The reason we will be asking you to 'wait a little' through out the directions is to separate the Arabic qirat so that the meaning will not change. It is very important.

>> When you are asked to 'Say' or 'Recite' or 'Read' in the directions. The sound must not be loud and at the same time not totally silent. It should be loud enough just for your ears to hear it and not so loud that a person next to you would be able to hear your recitation clearly. If a person next to you could hear only a mimic from you, that's fine. If you are surrounded by noise such as a fan's noise and you are not able to understand your recitation, it is okay. In an utmost quite room you should be able to understand your recitation. In any case must say it lound enough as mentioned above.

Some Information About Salah in Shafi'i:

>> You must be with Wudu for all Salahs.

>> Obeying tadil-i arkan is fard in the shafi'i maddhab. (Remember that A namaz<salah> is never valid when one of its fard acts is omitted)

>> Shafi'is who owe namazes(salats) from previous years cannot offer sunnat or voluntary namazes, but it is fard upon them to make up for these namazes.

>> A woman's leading other women in namaz(salah) is permissible in the Shafi'i Madhhab

>> In the Shafi’i Madhhab, a woman’s whole body, except her two hands and her face, is awrah all the time.

>> In the Shafi’i Madhhab, it is fard (obligatory) to recite Surat al-Fatiha behind the imam.

>> In the Shafi’i Madhhab, it is sunnat for men to perform salat barefoot.

>> In the Shafi’i Madhhab, it is makruh to perform salat in clothes on which there is a picture of a living thing.
     If the picture of a living thing in a room where a person is performing salat does not distract attention from salat, it does not render salat makruh in the Shafi’i Madhhab, no matter where it is in the room. (source: İslam Ahlakı)

If you have any question about salah, please contact us

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