“There is no God but ALLAH.”

[Tirmizi - lbn Majah]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger as saying that if anyone says a hundred times in a day:

“There is no God but ALLAH Who has no partner, to whom dominion belongs, to whom praise is due, who is omnipotent.”

He will have a reward equivalent to that for emancipating ten slaves, a hundred blessings recorded for Him, a hundred evil deeds obliterated from him; it will be a protection for him from the devil all that day till evening, and no one will bring anything more excellent than He brings except a man who has done more than he has. [Bukhari - Muslim]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger as saying that reciting:

“There is no might and no power except in ALLAH.”

is a remedy for ninety nine diseases, the lightest of which is anxiety. [Mishkat]

He said that ALLAH’s Messenger offered to guide him to a word from under the Throne which was part of the treasure of paradise, it being “There is no might and power except in ALLAH.” He added that ALLAH most high says “My servant has resigned and submitted himself to me.” [Mishkat]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Prophet said: ALLAH has promised very great reward for anyone who after every Salaah says:

Glory be to ALLAH – 33 times. Praise be to ALLAH – 33 times. ALLAH is most great -33 times and last of all. “There is no God but ALLAH alone Who has no partner to Whom, dominion belongs, to Whom praise is due, Who is omnipotent.”

In another tradition reported in Sahih Muslim, it is related that whoever remembers ALLAH in these words his sins will be removed from him though they are like the foam of the sea. [Muslim]

The Messenger of ALLAH (SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) is reported to have said that whoever finds it difficult to keep awake at night (for Salaah etc.) or does not spend in the cause of ALLAH due to stringiness or has no courage to participate in jihad for the cause of ALLAH should continually repeat.

“Glory to ALLAH and praise be to Him”

because this remembrances is dearer to ALLAH than spending a mountain of gold in the name of ALLAH. [Targhib-wa-Tarhib]

According to a tradition, the Messenger of ALLAH while addressing the women said, “You make it a point not to miss the tasbih

(Glory be to ALLAH) the taqdis (Glory be to the Lord, the Holy One) and tahlil (There is no God but ALLAH)

otherwise you will he deprived of the blessings from ALLAH. [Husn -i- Haseen]

2. Praise be to ALLAH,

3. There is no god but ALLAH,

4. ALLAH is most great. [Muslim]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of ALLAH said, “Two expressions which are light on the tongue but heavy in the scale are dear to the Compassionate One:

“Glory be to ALLAH and I begin with praise of Him,”

“and Glory be to ALLAH, the incomparably great” [Bukhari - Muslim]

Hadrat Juwairyia (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) narrated that the Prophet went out from her apartment one morning at the time when he performed the morning Salaah while she was in her place of worship. He returned in the forenoon and found her sitting. He asked her if she was still in the same position as that in which he had left her, and when she replied that it was so, he said, “Since leaving you I have three times recited four phrases which , if weighed against all you have recited today, would prove to be heavier:

“Glory be to ALLAH and I begin with Praise of Him to the number of His creatures, in accordance with His good pleasure, to the weight of His throne and the extent of His words. [Muslim]

Dua e Hajat

“There is a no God but ALLAH, the Clement and Generous. Glory be to ALLAH, the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be to ALLAH, the Lord of the Universe. I ask Thee for words which will guarantee Thy mercy, actions whichwill make certain Thy forgiveness, a supply of every virtue and freedom from every offence. Do not leave me a sin which Thou dost not pardon, a care which Thou dost not remove, or a want that meets Thy pleasure which Thou dost not supply, O most merciful of the merciful ones.” [Tirmizi - lbn Majah]

Hadrat Huzaifa (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that when anything distressed the Prophet, he performed Salaah (Nawafil). [Abu Dawud]

2. Mas’la: The manner of lstikharah Salaah as appearing in a tradition reported by Hadrat Jabir (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) is that when one intends to do some thing, he should perform two rak’ahs of nafl Salaah and then say:
Istikhara Dua

Istikhara Dua

“O, ALLAH, I ask guidance by Thy knowledge. I ask Thee for power by Thy power, and I ask Thee out of Thy great Abundance, for Thou art the One who is aware of the unseen. O ALLAH, if Thou knowest that this matter is for me regarding my religion, my livelihood, and my future well – being (or he said, “my affairs in this world and the next) ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. But if thou knowest that this matter is bad for me regarding my livelihood, and my future well — being (or he said, my affairs in this world and the next.) turn it away from me turn me away from it, ordain good for me where ever it is, then make me pleased with it.” [Mishkat]

When one utters the words (Hazal Amr) (this thing) he should contemplate of the matter about which guidance is sought. After that he should lay down in a state of purity on a neat and clean bed with his face towards the QIBLAH. Whatever comes firmly in his mind on waking up is the best course of action and should be adopted. [Ad - dural Mukhtar]

3. Mas’la: If nothing occurs to one’s mind on the first day and the anxiety and undecisiveness continues, he should repeat it the next day and so on for a week. By the grace of ALLAH, he will come to know the good or evil of the matter. [Ad-durul Muktar]

4. Mas’la: If one intends to go for Hajj, which is fard, he should not resort to lstikharah Salaah whether he should go or not. Instead he should seek guidance through lstikharah for the day on which he should set out on the journey for hajj. [Addurul-Muktar - Bukhari]

Abbas my uncle, shall I not give you, shall not present you, shall I not tell you, shall I not produce in you ten things, by your doing which ALLAH will forgive you your sin, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open? You should perform Salaah four rakahs reciting in each on surah al-Fatihah (I) and a surah and when you finish the recitation in the first rak’ah you should say fifteen times while standing:

“Glory be to ALLAH, Praise be to ALLAH. There is no God but ALLAH. ALLAH is most great.”

Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times, then raise you head and say it ten times. Then you should prostrate again and say it ten times then you should sit and say it ten times then get up without (again) saying takbeer. That is seventy five times in a rakah. You should do that in four rak’ahs. If you can observe it once daily, do so, if not then once a week; if not then once in a month, if not then once in a year if not then once in your lifetime. [Abu Dawud - Mishkat]

1. While saying the takbeer -e- Tahreema men should take out their hands from their cloak/shroud and raise their hands to the ears, unless there is any specific requirement like cold etc. to keep them covered. But women must invariably keep their hands inside and raise them to their shoulders without taking them out.

2. After takbeer -e- Tahreema, men should place their right hand on the left just below the navel while the women should do so on their breasts.

3. Men should hold the left wrist by a coupling of the little finger and thumb of the right hand spreading the remaining three fingers on the wrist. Women should not do like this, but should place the right palm on the left.

4. Men should perform the ruku perfectly by keeping their back steady in line with their head. Women should not do so. They should bow to the extent that their hands touch the knees.

5. In ruku, men should keep their hands upon their knees spreading the fingers a little.

6. In ruku, men should keep their elbows apart from the ribs, while the women keep the elbows close to the ribs.

7. In sajdah, men should keep their arms apart from their armpits and their bellies apart from their thighs.

8. In sajdah, men should keep their elbows slightly raised from the ground and the women should spread them on the ground.

9. In sajdah, men should keep both their feet upright resting on the toes while the women should not do so.

10. In Qaidah, men should sit on their left foot and keep their right foot upright resting on the fingers. The women should sit on their left hip spreading out both the feet on the right side in such a way that the right side rests on the left and the right calf on the left calf.

11. Women should not, in any case, recite the Holy QURAAN loudly but should always do so in a low voice.

2. Bismillah should be said if a (complete) surah is recited after surah al-Fatihah in the Salaah and if only a ruku (part of a surah) is recited, Bismillah need not be said. [Bahishti Zewar]

3. Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of ALLAH said, ‘Say Aameen when the reciter (the lmam) says it, for the angels do so, and if any one’s utterance of Aameen synchronises with that of the angels, he will be forgiven his past sins. [Bukhari]

4. In the first rakah of Fajr Salaah the surah to be recited (after surah Al-Fatihah should be longer than that to be recited in the second rakah. [Bahishti Zewar]

5. While making a du’a (supplication) the hands should be raised to the level of the chest and spread.[Bihishti Zewar]

6. Saltuation (tasleem) on the right side should be loud and on the left side it should be comparatively low. [Imam Ahmad - Madârijun Nubuwah}

7. According to Imam Azam (Abu Hanifa) moderation is necessary in ruku and sajood and this is also necessary in the interval between two sajdahs. [Madarij -un- Nubuwah]

The point of convergence of sight during Salaah.

8. While standing in Salaah (Qiyam), the look should remain confined on the spot for sajdah and while prostrating (during sajdah), the direction of the nose should be kept in view and over one’s right and left shoulders while saying salam. [Bahishti Zewar]

9. When the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) stood up for Salaah, he kept his head downwards (reported by Imam Ahmad) and while reciting tashahhud, his look would not extend beyond the first finger of the right hand. [Zad -ul- Mad]

10. Hadrat Anas (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of ALLAH told him: ‘O Anas, keep your look confined to the spot where you prostrate during the whole prayer i.e in Qiyam.” [Mishkat]

11. The sunan Salaah after the fard should not be said standing on the same spot. One should move to the right, or left or forward or backward. It is meritorious to say them at home. [Madarij -un- Nubuwah]

Perform the Nafil Salaah at home

12. Hadrat ‘Abdullah – ibn — Masud narrated. I asked the Prophet whether it is better to perform the nafil Salaah in the mosque or at home. The Prophet replied, “Don’t you see how close to the mosque I live and there is no difficulty or hinderance in my coming to the mosque, yet I prefer to perform my Salaah other than fard Salaah at home?” [Shamail -e- Tirmizi]

13. Hadrat lbn Umar (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger as saying: “Perform some of your Salaah in your houses, and do not turn them into graves.” [Mishkat]

How women should perform the Salaah

14. Hadrat lbn ‘Umar (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Prophet said, ‘A women’s Salaah said inside the house (in the inner verandah) is better than that said in the courtyard, and is still better if said in a small room than in the open parts (of the house). [Abu Dawud - Mishkat]

15. Hadrat ‘Amr bin Shu’aib (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) said on his father’s authority that his grandfather reported Allah’s Messenger as saying, Command your children to observe Salaah when they are seven years old and beat them for (not observing) it when they are ten years old.” [Mishkat]

Passing in front of one performing Salaah

16. Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger as saying “If one of you knew what he incurred by passing in front of his brother and interfering with his Salaah, it would be better to stop a hundred years than to take a single step.” [Mishkat - Ibn Majah]

lshraq Salaah:

It is reported in a tradition that the Messenger of ALLAH said, If anyone sits in his place of Salaah when he finishes the Fajr Salaah till he performs the two Rakaats of lshraq Salaah, saying nothing but what is good, his sins will be forgiven him even if they are more than the foam of the sea. [Abu Dawud - Mishkat]

Chasht Salaah

The majority of the Ulama hold that Chasht Salaah is mustahab (supererogatory). It should be said sometimes, and sometimes it should be omitted. It was the practice of the Prophet in regard to many nafil Salaah (i.e sometimes he said them and sometimes he did not). Majority of the companions of the Prophet and those who followed them also did likewise. The Ulama differ in the number of Rakaats for Chasht Salaah minimum number being two and maximum number being eight. The mashaikh have generally recited and recommended recitation of the surahs as Shams (XCI) ad – Du’a (XCIII) al – Lail (XCII) and al – lnshirah (XCVI). After finishing this Salaah, dua should be recited. One hundred – times recitation of this dua has been reported in some asar (traditions reported by the companions of the Prophet).

“O ALLAH! Forgive me and have mercy on me. Accept my repentance, for Thou art indeed the best acceptor of repentance and the most forgiving.” Nafil Salaah before Asr Salaah Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Prophet said: ALLAH’s mercy be on the man who performs four rakahs (nafil) before Asr Salaah. [Tirmizi, Musnad Ahmad]

Awwabaeen Salaah after Maghrib Salaah

Hadrat Muhammad bin Ammar son of Hadrat Ammar bin Yasir (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that he saw his father reciting six rakahs after Magrib Salaah and heard him saying that he had seen the Prophet doing that and that the Prophet said: If any servant of ALLAH performs Salaah six rakahs after the Magrib Salaah his sins will be forgiven even if they are more than the foam of the sea. [Ma’rif -ul- Hadis, Mujim Tabaran]

Nawafil of Isha Salaah

It is better and commendable to perform four rak’ahs before the four fard rak’ahs of Isha Salaah. After the fard, two rak’ahs of sun nat – (I) Muakkadah should be said. If one is inclined, he may also perform two rakahs as nafl after that. The number of rakahs of sunnat is thus six. [Bahishti Zewar]