‘Pray as You See Me Praying’
3-12-2002 | IslamWeb
Question:
I want to learn about Salat. What to do and what to say in Salat?
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.
The five obligatory prayers are among the great significant pillars of Islam. Among all deeds of a slave, the prayer is the first deed he will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement.
Abu Hurayrah 
narrated that the Prophet said: “The first thing about which the people will be called to account out of their actions on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. Our Lord, the Exalted, will say to the angels - though He knows better: Look into the prayer of My servant and see whether he has offered it perfectly or imperfectly. If it is perfect, that will be recorded perfect. If it is defective, He will say: See if there are some optional prayers offered by My servant. If there are optional prayers to his credit, He will say: Compensate the obligatory prayer by the optional prayer for My servant. Then all the actions will be considered similarly.” [Abu Daawood]
The Prophet taught his Companions how to perform the prayers that make us certain of success. He clearly explained in words and deeds how the prayers should be performed.
He said: “Pray as you have seen me praying” [Al-Bukhari]
The companions recorded and conveyed us all the minute details of the manners of performing the prayer so there is no excuse for anyone who does not know the rulings of the prayer except for the one who has legal reasons.
Here, we will describe concisely how the Prophet used to perform the prayer. We advise you to learn this as soon as possible before death takes you by surprise.
In addition, you should sincerely repent for any negligence that had happened in your lifetime. Know that one should perform the prayer actively and happily during the first part of their fixed times. Before beginning the prayer, one should perform ablution (Wudu) in a perfect way, and should cover her/his Awrah.
Here is a brief step-by-step explanation of the manners of the prayer:
To turn one's face and whole body towards the Qiblah;
To pronounce “Takbeeratul-Ihram” (first Takbeer when starting the prayer);
To raise one's hand up to the level of the shoulders, or near to the lobes of one’s ears. To put one's right hand over the left hand and place them both over one's chest. Then a worshipper should recite the opening supplications. After that, one should seek refuge with Allah from Satan by saying ‘I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil’, and then he should recite the Basmalah (i.e. saying Bismi Allahi ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem –in the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) and then recite Al-Fatihah, and then recite from the Quran what is convenient for him.
Then one bows down in Rukoo' raising one’s hands up to the level of his shoulders, then bends down and places his hands on his knees, making his back and head on one level, not lowering them and not raising them up.
He should say “Subhaana Rabbiyal ‘Adheem” (Glory be to my Lord, The Almighty) thrice, or five times, or seven times, or nine times. To raise one's head up from Rukoo' raising one's hands to the level of one’s shoulders, or ears, saying the mention that is reported in this matter. After returning to the complete position of standing, one should prostrate saying “Allaahu Akbar.”
He should prostrate on his seven parts of the body: the forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees and internal parts of the toes. He should spread out his hands' fingers, and should neither bring his hands close to his sides, nor stick his abdomen to his thighs, or his thighs to his legs. The worshipper's arms should be raised up from the ground.
In prostration, one should utter the words of glorification of Allah, i.e. “Subhana Rabbiyal A'la” thrice or more. It is advisable to utter that in odd numbers. Then he should raise from prostration, sit on his left foot laid down with his right foot erected, directing the fingers towards the Qiblah placing his hands on his thighs. In this position, one should ask forgiveness of Allah Saying “Allaahumma Ighfirli” (O Allah, Forgive me). Then, he prostrates again as he did in the first prostration. Then he should stand for the second Rak'ah and should continue doing the same thing in the remaining Rak'ahs of his prayer. If the prayer consists of three Rak'ahs, or four Rak'ahs, he should sit after the second Rak'ah in the same manners as he sits between the two prostrations but he should close all the fingers of his right hand save the index finger and thumb pointing out with his index finger. While sitting, he should read the Tashahhud.
After the second Rak'ah, he should recite only al-Faatihah in the third and fourth Rak'ah. In the last Rak'ah at the end of his prayer, he should sit on his entire posterior and recite the Thashahhud, invoke blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad and then asks Allah what he/she likes and wishes. It is better to ask Allah using the confirmed supplications, and then one should end his prayer by turning his face right first then left while saying “As-Salaamu Alaykum”. It is advisable to recite the Thikr (mention of Allah) that is confirmed after finishing the prayer.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 89501, 92701, and 168549.
Allah knows best.