SAYING PRAYERS

Observe perfect cleanliness and purity for the purpose of saying the prayers. Brush your teeth also when performing ablutions.

The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) affirmed :
" The distinctive make of the members of my Ummah on the Doomsday will be that their brows and organs of ablution will be glowing with the radiance of Divine Light. Hence it is open to everyone to enhance his share of the Divine Light as much as he wants."

Put on clean, neat respectable civilized and proper dress for observing prayers.

The Holy Qur'an affirms.

Be punctual in the observance of prayers.

innassalata kanta alalmu'minina kitaban mauquta.

Always say your prayers in congregation. At times when you miss the congregation for any reason, try to say the obligatory (Fard) prayers in a mosque. However, offering of Sunnat
(Prayers that are not obligatory (Fard) but supererogatory offered by the Holy Prophet punctually and without faul)
prayers is permissible at home also. The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) has observed: " The person who join the congregation for prayer at the start i.e. first Takbir for forty days a stretch from the torments of Hall as well from the evil of discord"

In addition the this, The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) also affirmed :
" If the people become aware of the rewards and blessing of offering prayers in a congregation, they would hasten to join the congregation for prayer despite a thousand hindrances. The first row of a congregation for prayer is like the row of angels. It is better for two men to offer prayers together than separately. The larger the congregation the dearer it is to God ". (Abu Dowud)

Say prayers in peace. Perform bows (Ruku) and prostration (Sajda) calmly. Rising from a bow, stand straight with ease and then go into prostration. Keep a suitable interval between two prostration and in this interval. say the following prayer:

Allahumm-aghfir li uahdini wajburni wa 'afini warzuqni
" O God, forgive me, be merciful to me, on the right path, remove my misery, grant me peace and provide for my sustenance."

The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) has observed:
" The person who observes prayer properly, the prayer itself blesses him with good wishes in these words ' May God protect thee in the same manner in which thou took care of me"'.

The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) also affirmed:
" The worst of theft is the theft of prayer". The people submitted: " O Holy Prophet( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) ! How can one commit a theft in prayer." The Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) answered: " By skipping over the complete performance of bows and prostrations".

Start making preparations for the prayer at once on hearing the call. Perform ablutions and reach mosque well before time. Sit down quietly in the line and wait for the congregation to form. I t is symbolic of hypocrites to be sluggish, to tarry and go for the prayers in a languid manner after hearing the prayer-call.

Announce the prayer-call with eagerness and zest. A person asked the Prophet of God( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him ) " O Prophet of God ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon you) ! Tell me a deed that can lead me to paradise".

The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed :
" Announce the call for prayer ." The prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) further affirmed: " Within the extent to which the call of the Mu'adhdhin reaches each man who hears the call will bear witness in favour of the Mu'adhdhin on the Day of Judgement. A shepherd who grazes his flock in the pasture and pronounces the call in a loud voice at the fixed hour, all things within the radius of the area in which his voice vibrates will stand testimony in his favour on Day judgement". (Bukhari)

If you are acting as an Imam, discharge your functions in relation to the saying of prayer in accordance with all the manners and rules prescribed by religion. Keep in view the interests of the congregation and perform your duty as leader well.

The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) affirmed:
"The Imams who lead the congregation in prayer in proper manner and entertain a high sense of personal responsibility for the good performance of worship by members of their congregation will obtain reward for the prayers of their congregation also. The Imam's reward in this case will be equal to the combined reward of congregation. However, the reward and virtue of the members of the congregation is not curtailed thereby".(Tabrani)

Say your prayers with humility in such a state that the heart should be filled with a sense of awe of the Greatness and Glory of God and your entire being should be great sacrilege to make unnecessary movements of hand and foot, scratching any part of the body, to pass fingers through the beard, to plug the nose with a finger or to fold up your dress. Take the utmost care to avoid such actions.

Seek to gain nearness to God through prayers. Say prayers in such a state of mind as if you are in the presence of God or at least be mindful that God is watching, you.

The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) Observed:
" The bondman is nearest to God at the moment when he is lying in prostration before Him. Hence while you are performing the act of prostration, pray fervently." (Muslim)

Say prayers with eagerness and zest. The formal observance of prayers as if prayer were a burden or compulsion is no genuine form of worship. Having said prayers of one time, look forward to the next hour of prayers with eagerness and fervour. One day after having offered the Maghrib prayers, some people stayed waiting for the hour of 'Isha prayers. Presently, The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) arrived with such hurried steps that he ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was panting for breath.

The Holy Prophet ( Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed:
" O people ! Be happy, your Lord opened a gate of the heavens and showed your view to His angels and said with pride: ' Look my devotees have finished one prayer and are awaiting the next hour of worship'." ( Ibn Majah)

Do not say prayers in a hurried manner with a sense of ' Let us get over with complete devotion and a solemn awareness of duty and direct your heart, mind, feelings, passions, thoughts and ideas to converge on God. Prayer, in order to become a genuine form of worship, must contain remembrance of God. The prayer of the hypocrites is always devoid of the remembrance of the Lord.

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