Performance of Salah

1. ‘A’ishah narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, commenced his Prayer (Salah) with Takbir, i.e. Allah is Greatest, and the recital with the first chapter of the Qur’an, i.e. Surah al-Fatihah, and while performing Ruku, i.e. bowing, he neither raised his head upwards but kept it in the middle position (i.e. in line with the waist), and when he raised the head from Ruku he did not go into Sajdah, i.e. prostration, till he had stood erect, and when he raised the head from Sajdah he did not perform the second Sajdah until he had sat upright, and he recited At-Tahiyyatu, i.e. prayer-words or invocations said while sitting after every two Rak’ats, and, at that time, he flattened the left foot under him and kept the right foot in the upright position, and he forbade Uqbatish Shaitan (sitting like the Devil), and he also forbade that a man sat (in Sajdah) with his forearms (i.e. parts of arms between elbow and wrist) placed on the ground like the animals, and he brought the Prayer (Salah) to an end by saying, “As-salamu’alaikum warahmatullah.” – Muslim

2. It is related by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “There can be no Prayer (Salah) without the recital of the Qur’an.” Proceeding, Abu Hurayrah remarks on his own that “we recited the Qur’an with a loud voice in the Prayers (Salah) in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited it with a loud voice and silently in the Prayers (Salah) in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited it silently.” – Muslim

3. It is related By Ubadah bin Samit that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever did not recite Surah al-Fatihah in Prayer (Salah) did not offer Prayer (Salah) at all.” – Muslim

4. It is related by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “The Imam (one who leads the Prayer) has been appointed for no other reason than that the Muqtadis (those who are praying with the Imam) follow him. Thus, say Allahu-Akbar (Allah is Greatest) when the Imam says Allahu-Akbar, and listen in silence when he does the recitation.” – A bu Da’ud, Nassai’ and Ibn Majah

5. It is related by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “When the Imam says Ameen (at the end of Surah al-Fatihah), you, the Muqtadis, should, also, say Ameen. His previous sins will be forgiven whose Ameen will be synchronous with the Ameen of the Angels.” – Bukhari and Muslim

6. It is related by Abu Musa al-Ash’ari that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “When you begin to Pray, first correct your rows and make them straight; then someone (preferably who has knowledge of Islam) of you should become the Imam, then say Takbir when the Imam says Takbir, and say Ameen when he finishes reciting the last verse of Surah al-Fatihah, “Ghayril maghdhoobi ‘alayhim wa-ladh-dhalleen”. (If you will do so) God will grant the prayer for guidance made in Surah al-Fatihah.” – Muslim

7. It is related by Abu Masud Ansari that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “A man’s Prayer (Salah) does not become adequate until he straightens out his back in Ruku and Sajdah.” – Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi, Nassai’, Ibn Majah and Darimi

8. It is related by Anas that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Carry out Sajdah with moderation and do not spread your arms, as the dog does, on the ground.” – Bukhari and Muslim

9. It is related by Abdullah bin Abbas that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “I have been commanded (by God) to perform Sajdah on seven limbs (i.e. with all the seven limbs resting on the ground): forehead, both the hands, both the knees, and the ends of both the feet, and also that we did not gather up our clothes and hair.” – Bukhari and Muslim

10. It is related by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “When (on rising from Ruku) the Imam says, “Sami’- al laahu liman hamidah (God has heard the one who has praised Him),” you (the Muqtadis) should say, “Rab-banaa lakal hamd (Our Lord, praise be to Thee),” (and) all his previous sins will be forgiven whose recital (of it) will be in accord and agreement with that of the angels.” – Bukhari and Muslim

11. It is related on the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to recite the following between the two Prostrations: Allahummaghfirlee warhamni wa hidni wa-‘aafini warzuqni (O God! Forgive me, and have mercy on me, and bestow upon me the blessing of guidance, and pardon me, and provide me with sustenance). – Abu Da’ud and Tirmidhi

12. It is related by Abdullah bin Masud thus: “The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught me Tashahhud in such a state that my hand was in his hands, i.e. in the way (in which) he used to teach the chapters of the Qur’an (He taught): At-tahiyyatu lillahi assalawaatuwat-taiyyabatu as-salaamu ‘alaika ayyuhan nabeeyu wa rahmatul laahi wa bara-kaatuh, as-salaamu ‘alainaa wa’alaa ibaadil laahis saaliheen, ash-hud al-laa ilaaha il-lal-lah, wa ashhud an-na muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu (All reverence, all worship, all sanctity unto God. Peace be with thee, O Prophet, as well as the Mercy of God, and His blessings. Peace be with us as well as with the pious bondsmen of God. I attest that there is none worthy of worship but God. I attest that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).” – Bukhari and Muslim