OTHER ETIQUETTES OF NAMAZ

You may then recite Surah al-Faatehah (No. 1) observing all etiquettes, having your heart present, and pondering over the meanings of the Surah. When you finish, you may pause for a while that is as much as one breath. Then, you may recite any Surah of the Holy Qur’an, although it is advisable to recite such Surahs as Surah al-Naba’ (No. 78), Surah al-Insan (or al-Dahr, No. 76), or Surah al-Qiyamah (No. 75). Upon finishing reciting the second Surah, you may also pause for a while that is as much as one breath. You may then raise your hands up to the lower part of your ears while uttering the Takbir statement. You may then genuflect, putting your right hand on your right knee and then your left hand on your left knee, opening up your fingers as if you are holding fast to your knees. You may also bow your back and stretch your neck at the level of your back, casting your sight on the space between your two feet and saying the following:

All glory be to my Lord, the All-great, and in praise of Him.

It is highly advisable to repeat this statement seven, five, or three times. Before that, you may have said the following:

O Allah, to You alone have I genuflected,

to You alone have I submitted,

in You have I believed,

and in You have I put my trust.

And You are my Lord.

Revering to You are my hearing, my sight,

my hair, my skin,

my flesh, my blood,

my brain, my nerve, my bones,

and whatever is borne by my two feet.

I am neither disdaining, nor arrogant, nor regretful.

You may now raise your head from genuflection (ruku'), stand erect, and say the following:

May Allah listen to him who praises Him.

You may then utter a Takbir statement and fall down for prostration with full submission and reverence. You may stretch your palms and put them on the ground before you put your knees on the ground. You may prostrate on a prostration-clay made of the soil taken from Imam al-Husayn’s tomb. While prostrating yourself, you should utter the statement of prostration once although it is favorable to repeat it seven, five, or three times. Before that, you may have said the following:

O Allah, to You (alone) do I prostrate,

in You do I have faith,

to You do I submit,

in You do I put trust,

and You are my Lord.

My face is prostrating the One Who has created it

and split its hearing and sight.

All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Blessed be Allah, the most excellent of all creators.

You may now say the prostration statement. Then, you may raise your head from the position of prostration and sit down. While doing this, it is recommended to utter the Takbir statement and to sit on your hip, saying the following:

I implore Allah, my Lord, for forgiveness and I repent to Him.

You may also say the following:

O Allah, (please) forgive me, have mercy upon me,

set aright my affairs, defend me, and grant me wellbeing.

Surely, I stand in need of whatever good You may send down to me.

Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

You may then utter the Takbir statement and prostrate yourself again, doing the same as what you have done in the first prostration. You may then raise your head and sit for rest. You may then stand up saying,

With the might of Allah and with His power, I stand up and sit down.

When you stand erect, you should recite Surah al-Faatehah and another Surah, preferably Surah al-Tawheed, after which you may say the following three times:

Such is Allah, my Lord.

You may then say the Takbir statement and raise your hands to the level of your face turning the inner surface (i.e. palm) of your hands towards the sky and combining all your fingers, except the thumb, together and say any of the Qunut supplications, preferably choosing words of praying for relief. After that, you may say the following:

O Allah, (please) forgive us, have mercy upon us,

endue us with wellbeing, and pardon us

in this world and in the Hereafter.

Verily, You have power over all things.

You may say the following thereafter:

O Allah, if there is any one who begins his day by putting his trust and his hope in any one other than You,

then You (alone) is my trust and my hope.

O most magnanimous of all those who may be besought!

O most merciful of all those whose mercy may be prayed!

(Please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,

have mercy upon my weakness, neediness,

and lack of solution,

bestow upon me with Paradise out of Your favoring,

set my neck free from Hellfire,

and endue me with wellbeing in my self

and in all of my affairs,

in the name of Your mercy, O most merciful of all those who show mercy.

It is advisable to spend much time in Qunut, since the supplications to be said in Qunut are too many.

You may then say the Takbir statement, bow down, and prostrate yourself as has been previously recommended.

Upon accomplishment of the two prostrations (of the second unit of prayer), you may sit down to utter the statements of tashahhud and Taslim. It is recommended to sit on your hips and to say the following before uttering the tashahhud statement:

In the Name of Allah (I begin) and in Allah (I trust).

All praise be to Allah.

The most excellent names be to Allah.

I bear witness that there is no god save Allah.