Doubting correctness of prayer

10-11-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum, my Brothers and Sisters. I am a 16-year-old boy. Allaah, The Exalted, guided me to the right path during the 10 last days of Ramadan, praise be to Allaah. So ever since, I have done my prayers and read the Quran. However, Brothers, everytime I pray, I try to pray like our prophet, Muhammed, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, but everytime I finish my prayer, I feel that I did not pray correctly. I do not know why; I have tried to find out but have not yet succeeded. Can you guys please tell me what is wrong with me, Brothers? Is it the devil, or what is it? May Allaah reward you.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Perhaps what you feel is nothing but whispers from the shaytaan (devil) to prevent you from acts of worship and divert you from the obedience of Allah. So praise Allah, Who gave you guidance on the Straight Path and in trying to follow the example of the Prophet in every matter.

We advise you to read the books entitled Sifat-us-Salat [Description of the Prayer] authored by Shaykh Ibn Baaz as well as Sifat-us-Salah by Shaykh Al-Albaani in order to learn the correct way of performing the prayer so that you can observe its pillars, its obligations, and its Sunan.

You should also be attentive with your heart in prayer and observe submission and tranquility in it as much as possible because this is the core of the prayer and its soul.

Moreover, you should endeavor in supplicating Allah to abide by the religion and to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet and be diligent in seeking knowledge, befriending righteous people, and avoid keeping company with evil people.

We ask Allah to make us and you steadfast on the Right Path until we die.

For more benefit, please refer to fatwas 85048, 85270 and 88068.

Allah knows best.