How to Perform Salah ?

Before Starting Salah

Keep the following points in mind before beginning Salah and make sure that you are observing them correctly.

It is necessary to face the Qiblah.
You should stand straight, and your gaze should remain directed toward the place of prostration. It is disliked to bend the neck so much that the chin touches the chest. It is also incorrect to unnecessarily bend the chest while standing. Stand straight in such a manner that your gaze remains toward the place of prostration.
The toes of both feet should also face the Qiblah. Both feet should remain straight toward the Qiblah. Keeping the feet turned diagonally to the right or left is contrary to the Sunnah. Both feet should face the Qiblah.
There should be a minimum distance of approximately four fingers between the two feet.
When offering Salah in congregation, make sure that your row is straight. The best way to keep the row straight is for every person to place the back ends of both heels on the line or on the edge of the marking of the row.
When praying in congregation, also make sure that your arms are touching the arms of the people standing on both sides and that there is no unnecessary gap between you. However, the row should not be made so tight that it becomes difficult to stand comfortably.
When the first row is full, a new row should be started from the middle rather than from the right or left side. Those who join later should make sure that the row remains balanced on both sides.
Wearing a garment such as a pajama below the ankles is unlawful in all circumstances. Its seriousness is even greater during Salah. Therefore, make sure that the pajama or garment remains above the ankles.
The sleeves of the clothing should completely cover the arms, leaving only the hands uncovered. Some people roll up their sleeves before praying. This is not the correct way to pray.
It is disliked to stand in Salah wearing clothes that a person would normally feel inappropriate to wear in front of other people.

Starting Salah

Make the intention in your heart that you are going to perform the particular Salah you are about to offer. It is not necessary to pronounce the words of the intention verbally.
Raise your hands up to the ears in such a way that the palms face toward the Qiblah. The tips of the thumbs should either touch the earlobes or come level with them, while the other fingers remain straight and point upward. Some people turn their palms toward their ears instead of the Qiblah. Some completely cover their ears with their hands. Some only make a slight gesture without raising their hands fully to the ears, while others hold their earlobes with their hands. These methods are incorrect and contrary to the Sunnah and should be avoided.
While raising the hands in the manner described above, say Allahu Akbar. Then make a ring around the left wrist with the thumb and little finger of the right hand and hold it, while spreading the remaining three fingers over the back of the left hand so that they point toward the elbow.
Place both hands slightly below the navel and hold them in the manner described above.

The Standing Position

If you are praying alone or leading the Salah as an Imam, first recite Subhanaka Allahumma, then Surah Al-Fatihah, and then another Surah. If you are praying behind an Imam, recite only Subhanaka Allahumma and then remain silent, listening attentively to the Imam’s recitation. If the Imam is reciting silently, then keep your attention focused on Surah Al-Fatihah without moving your tongue.
When reciting in Salah, it is necessary to move the tongue and lips, and the recitation should be made in such a manner that the person reciting can hear it himself. Some people recite without moving their tongue or lips. This is not correct. Merely imagining the words in the heart instead of actually reciting them is also not sufficient for Salah.
While reciting Surah Al-Fatihah yourself, it is better to pause after every verse and take a breath before reciting the next verse. Do not recite several verses in a single breath. For example, pause after Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘alamin, then after Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim, and then after Maliki Yawmid-Din, continuing in this manner throughout Surah Al-Fatihah. However, when reciting after Al-Fatihah, there is no harm in reciting more than one verse in a single breath.
Avoid moving any part of the body without a genuine need. The more calmly and still you stand, the better. If you need to scratch an itch or attend to something similar, use only one hand and only when absolutely necessary, making the minimum movement possible.
Do not place all your weight on one foot while leaving the other foot so relaxed that it bends. This is contrary to the etiquette of Salah. Either distribute your weight equally between both feet, or, if you put more weight on one foot, do so without causing the other foot to bend.
When you feel a sneeze coming, make every effort to suppress it.
If you need to burp, keep the air in your mouth first and then release it quietly without making a sound. Burping loudly is contrary to the etiquette of Salah.
While standing, keep your gaze toward the place of prostration and avoid looking around or straight ahead.

In Ruku

Pay special attention to the following points when going into Ruku.

Bend your upper body to such an extent that your neck and back become approximately level with each other. Do not bend more or less than this.
In Ruku, do not lower your neck so much that your chin touches your chest, and do not raise it so much that your neck becomes higher than your back. The neck and back should remain approximately level.
Keep your feet straight in Ruku and do not bend them.
Place both hands on the knees with the fingers spread apart. Hold the right knee with the right hand and the left knee with the left hand.
The wrists and arms should remain straight and extended in Ruku and should not be bent.
Remain in Ruku for at least enough time to calmly recite Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim three times.
In Ruku, keep your gaze toward your feet.
Keep your weight balanced between both feet, and keep both ankles opposite each other.

Standing Up After Ruku

When rising from Ruku, stand completely straight so that no bend remains in the body.
Your gaze should still remain toward the place of prostration.
Some people merely make an indication of standing up and move toward Sajdah while their body is still bent. Such a person is required to repeat the Salah. Therefore, this should be strictly avoided. Do not go into Sajdah until you have become properly upright and have gained complete stillness.

Going Into Sajdah

When going into Sajdah, observe the following method.

First bend the knees and take them toward the ground without pushing the chest forward. Once the knees touch the ground, then lower the upper body.
As far as possible, avoid bending the upper body until the knees have touched the ground. This particular etiquette of going into Sajdah is often neglected nowadays. Many people begin bending their chest forward immediately. The correct method is the one described in points one and two, and it should not be abandoned without a valid excuse.
After the knees, place the hands on the ground first, then the nose, and then the forehead.

In Sajdah

Place the head between both hands in such a way that the tips of both thumbs come in front of the earlobes.
The fingers of both hands should be kept together during Sajdah, with no gap between the fingers.
The fingers should face toward the Qiblah.
The elbows should remain raised from the ground. They should not be placed on the ground.
Keep both arms away from the sides of the body rather than pressing them completely against the sides.
Do not spread the elbows so far to either side that the person praying next to you is disturbed.
The thighs should not be pressed against the stomach. Keep the stomach and thighs apart.
Keep the nose firmly touching the ground throughout Sajdah and do not lift it from the ground.
Both feet should be positioned with the heels raised, and all the toes should be properly bent and directed toward the Qiblah. Those who cannot bend all their toes because of the physical shape or condition of their feet should bend as many as they are able to bend. Without a valid reason, the toes should not simply be placed flat on the ground.
Make sure that the feet do not lift from the ground during Sajdah. Some people perform Sajdah in such a way that none of their toes remains touching the ground even for a moment. In such a case, Sajdah is not properly performed and consequently the Salah is also not completed correctly. Therefore, take care to avoid this.
Remain in Sajdah for at least enough time to calmly recite Subhana Rabbiyal-A’la three times. It is not correct to raise the head immediately after placing the forehead on the ground.

Between the Two Prostrations

After rising from the first Sajdah, sit calmly and upright on your knees and then perform the second Sajdah. It is a sinful act to raise the head slightly and move into the second Sajdah without becoming properly upright. In such a case, repeating the Salah becomes necessary.
Sit on the left foot, placing it flat beneath you, and keep the right foot upright with its toes bent toward the Qiblah. Some people sit on both heels with both feet upright. This is not the correct method.
When sitting, place both hands on the thighs. The fingers should not hang toward the knees. Rather, the fingertips should reach approximately to the beginning edge of the knees.
Keep your gaze toward your lap while sitting.
Remain seated at least long enough to say Subhan Allah once. If you remain seated long enough to recite Allahummaghfir li warhamni wasturni wajburni wahdini warzuqni, that is better. However, there is no need to recite this in the obligatory Salah. It is better to recite it in voluntary Salah.

The Second Sajdah and Rising From It

Enter the second Sajdah in the same manner, placing the hands on the ground first, then the nose, and then the forehead.
The posture of the second Sajdah should be the same as that described for the first Sajdah.
When rising from Sajdah, first lift the forehead from the ground, then the nose, then the hands, and finally the knees.
It is better not to use the ground for support when getting up. However, if a person is physically heavy, ill, elderly, or finds it difficult to rise without support, using support is permissible.
After getting up for the beginning of every Rak’ah, recite Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim before Surah Al-Fatihah.

In the Sitting Position

The method of sitting in Qa’dah is the same as the method described for sitting between the two Sajdahs.
While reciting At-Tahiyyat, when you reach Ashhadu alla, raise the index finger as a gesture and lower it when saying illallah.
The method of making the gesture is to join the middle finger and thumb together to form a ring, fold the little finger and the finger next to it, and raise the index finger in such a way that it is slightly inclined toward the Qiblah. It should not be raised completely straight toward the sky.
When saying illallah, lower the index finger but maintain the position of the other fingers until the end.

Turning for Salam

When giving Salam to both sides, turn the neck far enough that a person sitting behind you can see your cheek.
When turning the head for Salam, your gaze should be toward the shoulder.
When turning toward the right and saying Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi, intend that you are conveying Salam to the people and angels on your right. When turning toward the left, intend that you are conveying Salam to the people and angels on your left.

The Method of Making Dua

When making Dua, raise both hands until they come in front of the chest. Keep a small space between the hands. Do not place them completely together and do not leave a large gap between them.
Keep the inner parts of the hands facing toward the face while making Dua.

The Method of Salah for Women

The method of Salah described above is for men. There are certain differences in the Salah of women, and women should observe these points.

Before starting Salah, women should make sure that the entire body is covered with clothing except the face, hands, and feet. Some women leave their wrists uncovered, while some leave their ears uncovered. Some use such a short scarf that their hair becomes visible underneath it. These practices are not permissible. If any part of the body other than the face, hands, and feet remains uncovered during Salah for approximately the time in which Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim could be recited three times, the Salah will not be valid. If it remains uncovered for less than that duration, the Salah will remain valid, although the act will still be sinful.
For women, offering Salah inside a room is better than offering it on a veranda, and offering it on a veranda is better than offering it in an open courtyard.
When beginning Salah, women should raise their hands only up to the shoulders rather than the ears, and they should raise them from within the scarf rather than outside it.
Women should place their hands on the chest in such a way that the palm of the right hand rests over the back of the left hand. They should not place their hands below the navel like men.
In Ruku, women are not required to make the back completely straight like men. Women should bend less than men.
In Ruku, men should keep their fingers spread over the knees, whereas women should keep their fingers together without leaving gaps between them.
Women should not keep their feet completely straight in Ruku. Instead, the knees should remain slightly bent forward.
Men should keep their arms away from their sides and extended in Ruku, whereas women should keep their arms close to their sides.
Women should keep both feet together, especially keeping the two ankles approximately together without leaving a gap between the feet.
When going into Sajdah, men are instructed not to bend the chest until the knees reach the ground. This is not required for women. A woman may begin bending her upper body into Sajdah immediately.
Women should perform Sajdah in such a manner that the stomach remains close to the thighs and the arms remain close to the sides. They should also place the feet to the right side rather than keeping them upright.
Men should not place their elbows on the ground during Sajdah, whereas women should place their entire arms, including the elbows, on the ground.
When sitting between the two Sajdahs and while sitting for At-Tahiyyat, women should sit on the left hip and bring both feet out toward the right side, placing them beside the right shin.
Men should keep their fingers spread during Ruku, together during Sajdah, and in their natural position during the remaining actions of Salah. Women, however, should keep their fingers together throughout all positions of Salah, including Ruku, Sajdah, the sitting between the two Sajdahs, and Qa’dah.
Congregational prayer led by women is disliked. It is better for women to offer Salah individually. However, if male Mahram family members are praying in congregation at home, a woman may join them. In that case, she must stand directly behind the men and should never stand beside them.

Essential Etiquettes of the Mosque

When entering the mosque, recite:

Bismillah was-salatu ala Rasoolillah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.

Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik.

When entering the mosque, make the intention that you will remain in I’tikaf for as long as you stay inside the mosque. Insha’Allah, you will also receive the reward of I’tikaf through this intention.
After entering the mosque, it is preferable to sit in the front row. If the places are already occupied, sit wherever you find a suitable place. It is not permissible to step over people’s necks in order to move forward.
If people are already sitting in the mosque and are engaged in Dhikr or recitation, they should not be disturbed with Salam. However, if one of them turns toward you and is no longer engaged in Dhikr or recitation, there is no harm in greeting him.
When offering Sunnah or Nafl Salah in the mosque, choose a place where people are unlikely to pass directly in front of you. Some people begin their prayer in the back rows even though space remains available in the front rows. As a result, people are forced to take a longer route around them. This is wrong, and if someone passes in front of a person praying in such a situation, the burden of that person’s sin of causing the obstruction also falls upon the one who unnecessarily chose that place.
After entering the mosque, if there is some time before the prayer, offer two Rak’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. This carries great reward. If there is insufficient time, Tahiyyat al-Masjid may be included in the intention of the Sunnah prayer. If there is not even enough time for the Sunnah and the congregation has already begun, the intention may also be made within the obligatory prayer.
Continue making Dhikr as long as you remain seated in the mosque. In particular, repeat:

Subhan Allah, walhamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu Akbar.

Do not speak unnecessarily while sitting in the mosque, and do not engage in any activity that disturbs those offering Salah, making Dhikr, or reciting the Quran.
When the prayer begins, complete the front rows first. If there is space in the front rows, it is not appropriate to stand in the back row.
When the Imam comes onto the pulpit to deliver the Friday Khutbah, from that moment until the prayer is completed, it is not permissible to speak, offer another prayer, greet someone with Salam, or reply to a Salam. During this time, even telling another person to remain silent is not permissible.
During the Khutbah, sit in the same manner as in At-Tahiyyat. Some people fold their hands during the first Khutbah and place them on their thighs during the second Khutbah. This practice has no basis. During both Khutbahs, the hands should remain on the knees.
Avoid every action that may cause dirt, unpleasant smell, or inconvenience to others inside the mosque.
If you see another person committing a wrong action, advise him privately and gently. Completely avoid publicly humiliating, harshly scolding, or fighting with him.
When leaving the mosque, take the left foot out first and recite:

Bismillahi was-salatu ala Rasoolillah.

Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik.

Conclusion

Salah should be performed with calmness, concentration, proper posture, and respect for the etiquettes of worship. Along with learning the movements of Salah, it is important to observe the necessary conditions, maintain proper concentration, keep the rows straight in congregation, and perform every posture with sufficient stillness and care.

Learning how to perform Salah helps a worshipper perform the prayer in a systematic manner while observing the details of standing, Ruku, Sajdah, Qa’dah, Salam, and the other etiquettes described above.

How to Perform Salah ?

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