8)
Reluctance to stand in the front line in the congregational prayer.
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “If the people knew what (reward) is in the
call (Adhan) and the first row (in congregational prayers), and they
found no other way to get that except drawing lots, then they would draw lots.”
(Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also said: “If anyone goes out from his house after performing ablution for saying the prescribed prayer in congregation (in the mosque), his reward will be like that of one who goes for Hajj pilgrimage after wearing Ihram (i.e. the two pieces of sheet worn by the Hajj pilgrims).” (Abu Dawud)
9) Gazing upward during prayer, or looking at the Imam, right or
left.
All
Muslims are commanded to lower their gaze, and look at the point at which the
head rests during prostration. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) warned: “Let those
who raise their gaze up during prayer stop doing so, or else their sights would
not return to them. [i.e., they would lose their eyesight].” (Muslim)
10)
Leaving gaps in lines of congregational prayer.
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded: “Straighten your rows, stand shoulder
to shoulder, be pliant in the hands of your brethren [i.e. warning is given
against jostling one’s neighbours during prayer], and close up the gaps
[between the praying people], for the devil enters through openings like the
hadhaf i.e., small lambs.” (Ahmad)
11) Reciting Surah Al-Fatiha fast without pausing after each
verse.
The
Prophet (pbuh) used to pause after each verse of the Surah Al-Fatiha. Hazrat
Umm Salamah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to recite: “In
the name of Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Most Gracious,
Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment,” [i.e. the Surah Al-Fatiha, the
Opening Chapter of the Holy Quran] breaking its recitation into verses [and in
another version, pausing between each verse], one after another.” (Abu
Dawud, Ahmad)
12)
Fidgeting during prayer, or looking at a watch or fiddling with one’s fingers,
clothes or moving feet or other parts of the body restlessly.
All
of these diminish the reward for prayer. Submissiveness is a condition of
acceptance of prayer.
Allah
says in the Holy Quran: “Is one who worships
devoutly during the hour of the night prostrating himself or standing (in
adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the
Mercy of his Lord - (like one who does not)? Say: ‘Are those equal, those who
know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding
that receive admonition’.” (Az-Zumar 39: 10)
Allah’s
command signifies: And stand [in prayer] to Allah submissively. This
submissiveness applies in all positions of prayer by observing Khushoo
(i.e. external as well as internal humility).
Thus, concentration in Salat is a must. The prayer is a serious meeting between the Lord and His Subject. One should not let Satan rob him of the divine pleasure and reward therefrom.
13)
Holding the Qur’an and reciting from it by the praying person in congregational
prayer to check the Imam’s recitation.
This act distracts the person who is doing so and prevents him from concentration. It is a dispraised act during Salah.
Allah
knows if the Imam has faulted during his prayer or not. It is the prerogative
of Allah whether to punish him or forgive him. It is not the duty of the
believer to cross-check the Imam with a book of prayer or even the Holy Quran during
the prayer, unless the believer knows it by heart, and whenever the Imam has
committed a mistake, he corrects him by saying “Subhan-Allah” [Glory be
to Allah], thus attracting the attention of the Imam to his mistake, and providing
him the opportunity to correct himself.
But
if prayer is done individually, and the praying person does not know very well
a certain prayer which needs to be recited during Salat, for example,
for a newly converted Muslim who is learning about Islam and prayer, or even
for a Muslim who did not practice his Deen but then decided to change
his life for the better by focusing himself on accomplishing his duties in
Islam, accomplishing the rights of Allah. Otherwise, it is deeply advised/
recommended that a believer learns the duahs, and all requirements of
prayers and recite them during the prayer without the help of books.
14) Racing with the Imam, or moving with or before him in congregational
prayer.
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Do not move before the Imam does. When the
Imam says ‘Allahu Akbar’, you say, ‘Allahu Akbar’. When he says, walaz-Zwalleen’
you say, Ameen.” (Ibn Majah)
In
another narration, he said: “Surely the Imam is there to be followed.”
(Ibn Majah, Muslim)
The
person who is praying behind an Imam should not move to the next posture of the
prayer until the Imam has reached it, so he should not start to go down for
prostration, until the Imam has placed his forehead on the ground.
He
(pbuh) also said: “Does not the one who raises his head before the Imam fear
that Allah would transform his head into a donkey’s head?” (Bukhari,
Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, An-Nasai)
15)
Lowering the head excessively, or pushing it up, and arching the back during Ruku.
The
head must be kept in normal position, while the back must be straight during Ruku to form with legs a right angle.
16) Sticking the arms to the sides of the body, in Ruku or Sujood, and sticking the belly to the thighs in Sujood.
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When anyone of you prostrates let him be
balanced in prostration, and not spread his arms as a dog does.” (Ibn
Majah)
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to keep his arms away from his body during Ruku
and Sujood that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.
17)
Praying while part of the back is exposed.
This
happens to those who wear tight and short shirts or tight pants. When they bow
or prostrate, part of their backs are exposed. Such part of the body is Awrah,
or the part which must be covered always. Exposing part of the back during Salah
renders the Salah null and void.
18) Neglecting Ta’meen (to say Ameen) loudly when the imam
recites the concluding verse of Surah Al-Fatiha, “Walaz-Zwalleen”.
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) commanded: “When the Imam says: ‘Ghair-il-Maghzubi ‘alaihim Walaz-Zwallin (i.e. not the path of those who earn Your Anger, nor the path of those who went astray (Al-Fatiha 1: 7)), then you must say, ‘Ameen’, for if one’s utterance of ‘Ameen’ coincides with that of the angels, then his past sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari)
19)
Resting only the tip of the head on the floor during Sujood.
The
Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “I have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones;
(The seven bones are) the forehead, nose, hands, knees and feet.” (Bukhari,
Muslim, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, An-Nasai, Abu Dawud)
Applying
the said command necessitates resting the forehead and the nose on the ground
during prostration [Sujood].
20) Hasty performance of prayer which does not allow repose and
calmness in Ruku or Sujood.
Hazrat
Zaid bin Wahb (ra) narrated that Hazrat Hudhaifa (ra) saw a person who was not
performing the bowing (Ruku) and prostration (Sujood) perfectly.
He said to him, “You have not prayed and if you should die you would die on
a religion other than that of Muhammad (pbuh).” (Bukhari)
Hazrat
Abu Huraira (ra) said: “My beloved friend, Muhammad (pbuh) forbade me to
perform postures of prayer copying the picking of a rooster (i.e. the fast
performance of prayer), moving eyes around like a fox and the sitting like
monkeys (i.e. to sit on thighs).” (Ahmad)
Hazrat
Aisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would lay out and sit on
his left foot and keep his right foot upright. (Bukhari, Muslim)
In
another Hadith, Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) reported that it is from the
Sunnah to keep the right foot upright, with its toe pointing toward the Qibla,
and to sit upon the left foot. (An-Nasai)
The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The worst thief is the one who steals from
his own prayer.” People asked, “O Messenger of Allah! How could one
steal from his own prayer?” He said: “By not completing its Ruku and Sujood.”
(Ahmad)
To
complete Ruku is to stay in that
posture long enough to recite ‘Subhana Rabbiyal Azim’ three times,
slowly, and ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-Aala’ three times, slowly, during prostration.
He (pbuh) also announced: “He who does not complete his Ruku and Sujood, his
prayer is void.”
As this subject is very important and there are many aspects to praying and the errors which can occur in it due to ignorance or wrong interpretations, so Insha-Allah, I will continue on this subject next week as well, Insha-Allah. May Allah grant me the ability to do so, and to perfect our Salat [prayers] so as to reap His pleasure in this World and the Hereafter. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 30 September 2022 ~03 Rabi’ul Awwal 1444 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.