THE SUNNAH ACTIONS OF NAMAAZ
'He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah. But anyone who turns his face away then We have not sent you to save them'
(Surah An-Nisa. verse 80)
Namaaz remains incomplete without offering the Sunnat Namaaz. This will lead to reduce achievements of sawaab. Making a habit of omitting the sunnat is punishable.
Sunnah Acts of Takbeer e Tahreema
1. It is a sunnah for the males to raise their hands up to ear, while women should raise their hands up to their shoulders.
2. The belly (inside) of the fingers and the palms should face the qibla.
3. The males, after raising their hands should then (without dropping hands to the sides or swaying them backwards) fold them below their umbilicus with right hand over the left hand. The females should place their hands on their chest, with the right hand over the left hand.
4. The head should be kept straight (without bowing) whilst saying takbeer e tehreema.
5. The same sunnah applies to taqbeer e qunoot, and the takbeer of the two Eid prayers.
6. To say Allaahu Akbar by the imaam.
Sunnah Acts of Qiyam
1. Stand with the feet parallel to each other, keeping a distance of at least four-finger gap between the feet.
2. The body must be erect with the head lowered and the eyes should be directed to the spot where sajda is to be performed.
Sunnah Acts of Qira'at
1. To recite the thana, ta'awwuz, and tasmiyah.
2. To recite tasmiyah at the beginning of every rakaat.
3. To recite ta'awwuz, tasmiyah, and aameen (at the end of Surah Fateha) silently.
4. The first rakaat should be longer than the second rakaat.
Sunnah Acts of Ruku
1. To say takbeer Allaahu Akbar whilst going into ruku.
2. To say at least three times subhaana Rab-biyal 'Azeem in ruku.
3. For men, to hold the knee firmly with the fingers spaced out. For women, not to hold the knee firmly, but just to keep hands on the knee with closely approximated fingers.
4. For men, the legs should be straight. Bending the legs from the knee is makhrooh (Fatawa Alamgiri). For women, the knee can be slightly flexed.
5. For men, the back should be in line with the neck. It must be straight so that if a glass of water is placed on the back, the water will not spill over. For women, they should flex slightly just to reach and touch the knees.
6. To say tasmee Sami Al-Laahu Liman Hamidah whilst rising from ruku (aloud for the imaam).
Sunnah Acts of Qaumah
1. Drop your hands to your sides whilst standing after ruku.
2. To say tahmeed Rab-banaa Lakal Hamd silently.
Sunnah Acts of Sajda
1. To say takbeer Allaahu Akbar whilst going into sajda, and whilst rising from sajda.
2. To say tasbeeh e sajda Subhaana Rab-biyal A'laa at least three times in sajda.
3. When going into sajda, place the knees first on the ground, hands, the nose and lastly the forehead.
4. When rising from the sajda, the whole method should be reversed.
5. For men while in sajda, their abdomen should not touch the thighs and the arms should not rest flat on the ground. For women, their whole body should be drawn inwards as much as possible, the abdomen touching the thighs and their arms should be flat on the ground close to their body.
6. The toes of the feet must touch the ground so that they face the qibla.
Sunnah Acts of Jalsa
1. For men, spread out the left foot horizontally on the ground and sit on it, and place the right foot on the ground in a perpendicular (erect) position with toes facing towards the qibla. For women, sit with bottom on the ground with feet (both foot) spread out on the right side horizontally on the ground.
2. Place both hands on the thighs.
Sunnah Acts of Ta'deel e Arkaan (rising from the second rakaat)
1. To place both hands on respective knees for support to stand up whilst applying pressure on the toes. However, resting the hands on the ground for support when standing up due to weakness or pain is acceptable.
Sunnah Acts of Qa'dah
1. For both men and women, sit in the same way as they sit in jalsa.
2. To keep fingers in resting position i.e. neither tightly held together nor widely spread.
3. Reciting durood Ibrahim or durood shareef after tashahhud.
Sunnah Acts of Salaam
1. To say As-Salaamu 'Alaeikum Wa Rahmatul-Laah twice to conclude the Namaaz, turning your head to the right first and then to the left.
2. To say both salaam aloud for the imaam. The second salaam should be said with slightly less volume of voice than the first one.
3. When making salaam in a congregation, one should have the intention of greeting the imaam, the musallis and the angels. A person performing Namaaz alone should make the intention of greeting the angels.
Sunnah Acts after saying Salaam
1. To supplicate dua either on the right or left or towards the muqtadee. However, the right side is better (for the imaam).
2. For a munfarid (person praying alone), it is permissible for him to stay in his position and make dua.
3. To rise hands to make dua and on conclusion move the hands on the face.
