Wudoo and Salaah

Salaam

Alhamdulillah Allah has blessed us to live and witness yet another Ramadan, it is out of Allah’s immense mercy that we have been given yet another chance to get our sins forgiven and perform diverse acts of worship to gain the pleasure of Allah, may Allah accept our good deeds and may he forgive us and save us from the fire and make Jannah our everlasting adobe in the hereafter aameen.  

Ramadan is the month to set our affairs right and perform the various acts of worship on the way shown by our beloved Prophet Mohammed (sallahu alihi WA sallam), so that our good deeds are accepted Inshallah. One of the most fundamental and important acts of worship is the Salaah and its performance on the way thought by our Prophet (sallahu alihi WA sallam), 

So let’s make our Salaah proper….!!! And this is what we learned and heard from Sheikh Shamim in the last lecture before Ramadan on 25th July 2011, this summary was supposed to be written and sent before Ramadan but due to some busy engagements it got delayed, so read on and learn the right way of performing the“Salaah and Wudoo”

Wudoo

It is Wajib to say “Bismillah” before starting the wudoo. 

The obligations (Farz) regarding Wudoo

1)    Washing the face- Wash the face from the forehead to the chin, wash the mouth (gargle is necessary), wash the nose by sniffing water into the nostrils using the right hand and blowing the nose to clean it using the left hand (this is to be done even while fasting taking care that too much water should not be sniffed in which can enter the throat)

2)    Washing both forearms- Wash both forearms thoroughly from the hands till elbows, clean between the fingers.

3)    Washing the head and ears-Wash the complete head till the back and wash the ears by inserting the index finger in the ears and rolling the thumbs on the outer side of the ears.

4)    Washing the feet- Wash both foot along with the ankles, wash between the toes 

5)    Uninterrupted Wudoo (“Muwaalat”) - Wudoo should be done in an uninterrupted and continuous action; we can’t stop in the middle and continue later from the same point. 

6)    Order of Wudoo (“Tarteeb”) - The order should be right as below 

1)    Both hands till the wrists three times (right then left)

2)    Mouth with gargle three times

3)    Nose three times

4)    Face three times

5)    Both forearms three times (right then left)

6)    Head and ears one time

7)    Both foot three times (right then left)

Dua on completion of Wudoo

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدَهُ وَرَسُولَهُ

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

"I testify that there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah. He is all by Himself and has no partner and I testify that Muhammad (sallahu alihi WA sallam), is Allah's Rasool”

"O Allah, count me (make me) among those who seek forgiveness and amongst those who stay clean".

Salaah

Conditions to be fulfilled for Salaah

1)    The person should be a Muslim and his deen should be Islam.

2)    The person should be in a sane condition (“Paagal na ho”)

3)    The person should have crossed the age of 6 or 7 years.

4)    The person should be in Wudoo and out of impurity.

5)    The person should be clean from both body and clothes.

6)    The “Satr” should not be uncovered while praying.

a)    Satr for men – From the belly button to the knees, shoulders should also be covered.(this is the minimum requirement)

b)    Satr for women – Complete body should be covered.

7)    The time for the particular Salah should be entered. (After hearing Azaan (call of prayer) or after the time of Azaan has passed).

8)    The Qibla should be the direction while performing Salaah.

9)    The person should have the intention (“Neeyat”) for Salaah in his heart.

Arkaan/Rukun of Salaah

1)    Kayam – Standing for performing Salaah.

2)    Takbeer-e-Tehrima – The first Takbeer (Allah Akbar) should be said.

3)    Surah Faatiha (Al Hamdu Lillah) should be recited.

4)    Making the “Rukuu”

5)    Standing up from “Rukuu”

6)    Making the “Sajda” with seven body parts

a)    Nose and forehead-1

b)    Palms -2

c)    Knees-2

d)    Feet-2

7)    Rising up form “Sajda”

8)    Sitting between the two “Sajda”

9)    The complete Salaah should be performed with Patience (“Itminaan”).

10) The Order (“Tarteeb”) should be correct as thought by Prophet Mohammed (sallahu alihi WA sallam)

11) Sitting for “Tashhud” ( At-Tahiyaat)

12) Saying the “Tashhud”.

13) Saying the “Darud” (Allahumma Salli Ala Muhammad) on Mohammed (sallahu alihi WA sallam)

14) Doing Salaam both sides (right then left) for the completion of salaah.

If any of the above Arkaan is missed or is forgotten then later remembered then it is compulsory that come back to the missed/forgotten arkaan and perform the salaah again from that position and “Sajda Sahu” should be done at the end before salaam.

The Wajib acts while performing Salaah

1)    Rest all Takbeer other then Takbeer-e-Tehrima are Wajib.

2)    Saying “Sub-hana Rabbi-al 'Azeem” in Rukuu (3 or more times)

3)    Saying “Sami 'Allah hu liman hamida” while getting up from Rukuu

4)    Saying “Rab-bana lakal hamd” when standing after Rukuu

5)    Saying “Sub-hana Rabbi yal a'la” in the Sajda (3 or more times)

6)    Saying “Allahum-magh-fir-lee warham-nee war-zuq-nee wahdi-nee wa'aafi-nee wa'afwaa-nee” between the two Sajda.

7)    Sitting for the first “Tashhud”

8)    Saying the first “Tashhud” (At-Tahiyaat)

If any the above Wajib acts is missed or is forgotten then later remembered then it is not necessary to come back to the missed Wajib, only “Sajda Sahu” should be done at the end before salaam.

I hope Inshallah that the above summary has been of some help to you, let’s set our Wudoo and Salaah right this Ramadan, let not this Ramadan just pass by us without making any improvements in our Eemaan and performance of good deeds, let’s utilize this blessed month to the fullest Inshallah. May Allah give us the capability and the guidance to perform abundant good deeds and may Allah accept all of them aameen.

I ask for the mercy and forgiveness of Allah in any wrong from my side when writing this summary, and pray to Allah that he Guides us all to Hear, Say and Act wisely and truly on what we learn. Aameen