Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

A Brother Burhan

Is the following procedure correct when reading namaz in accordance with the sunnah of our Prophet (SAW)?

Make neat or intention by saying (bismillah-hir-rahmanir-rahim I intend to read 4fard Ishaa prayers facing the holy Kabba for Allah alone Allah-o-Akbar)

(Qiyam)

Read surah al-fateha followed by another surah

(Ruku)
Say Subhan-rabil al azeem 3times

(Sajdah)

Subhana rabi-al-alaa 3times

(Tashahud)
Attahiya tu lillahe was-salawato wattayyabato.

Asalamu alayka ayyo-hana bee-u-wa rahmatullahi

wa barakatuh. As Salaam o alayna wa a’la ibaa dillah hiss saleheen. Ash hado ann laa ilaha il-lal-lahoo wa ash hado anna muhammadan abdahoo wa-roosu-loo-hoo.

Allah humma salle a’la Mohamed din wa alaa aa-lee Mohamed din kama sallayta a’laa Ibrahima wa ala aa-lee Ibrahima Innaka Hameed un Majeed.

Allah humma barik alaa Mohamed din wa alaa aa-lee Mohamed din kama barakta alaa Ibrahima wa alaa aa-lee Ibrahima Innaka Hameed un Majeed.

Raba ja-alnee mukkee-masalatee wa min zureyatee raba na wata kabal du-a. Raba nagfirli wale wale daya wa-lil moa-me-ne-na yao-ma-yaqoo mul hisab.

Also do we have to read anything between the two Sajdahs? and is this optional or cumpulsory?

Can you please give quranic evidence and hadiths to clear any doubts about how the namaz should be performed.

Was the content of namaz perforrmed in different ways by the Prophet (SAW) or is it just one way to A perform the namaz? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Details of Prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

All the rites of prayer which you have mentioned are in absolutely conformity with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), except for the verbal ‘neeyat’ or intention signaling the start of prayer. The practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was to make the intention of offering the prayer in his heart and signal the start of prayer by raising his hands above his shoulders and unto his ears and verbally declare only ‘Allah-o-Akbar’.

Your Statement: Raba ja-alnee mukkee-masalatee wa min zureyatee raba na wata kabal du-a. Raba nagfirli wale wale daya wa-lil moa-me-ne-na yao-ma-yaqoo mul hisab.

After one has recited the durood, one may recite any supplication to the Lord as was the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). The above supplication is amongst the Sunnah supplications and would more than suffice; and if one wishes to make more or other supplications from the Sunnah, there is absolutely no harm.

Your Question: Also do we have to read anything between the two Sajdahs? and is this optional or cumpulsory?
It is considered Sunnah and thus preferred that when one sits between the two sajdahs, one should earnestly supplicate their Lord from any of the Sunnah supplications. To sit between the two sajdahs is indeed an obligatory rite of prayer, but to make supplications during this sitting is a preferred Sunnah and thus voluntary.

Your Question: Was the content of namaz perforrmed in different ways by the Prophet (SAW) or is it just one way to perform the namaz? 

The basic or obligatory content of the prayer performed by the Noble Prophet (saws) was exactly the same: for example, the intention to pray, the rites of ‘takbeer’ to signal the start of prayer, the Qiyam, the recitation of Surah Fatihah, the ruku, the sajdah, the tashahud, the tasleems to end the prayer, etc.

The only contents which would change is the recitation of the Quran after the Fatihah, and the various supplications the Prophet (saws) made while sitting between the two sajdahs, during the sajdahs after the Glorification of Allah, and after the durood in the final tashahud; but the basic content of the Prophet’s (saws) prayer always remained exactly the same. Thus in effect, there is only one way to perform the prayers in Islam, but if one wishes one may vary the length and recitation of the Quran after Surah Al-Fatihah and the supplications one makes during the prayers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan