OTHER ETIQUETTES OF NAMAZ

Before you begin with the recitation (qira’ah: reciting certain Quranic chapters in the prayers), you may say the statement of seeking protection (isti’adhah) in a low tone:

اعوذ باللّه من الشّيطان الرّجيم

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:

سُبْحانَ رَبِّى الْعَظيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

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

اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَلَكَ اَسْلَمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَاَنْتَ رَبّى خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعى وَبَصَرى وَشَعْرى وَبَشَرى وَلَحْمى وَدَمى وَمُخّى وَعَصَبى وَعِظامى وَما اَقَلَّتْهُ قَدَماىَ غَيْرَ مُسْتَنْكِفٍ وَلا مُسْتَكْبِرٍ وَلا مُسْتَحْسِرٍ

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

سمع اللّه لمن حمده

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:

اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ اَسْلَمْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَاَنْتَ رَبّى سَجَدَ وَجْهى لِلَّذى خَلَقَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ تَبارَكَ اللّٰهُ اَحْسَنُ الْخالِقينَ

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:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ رَبّى وَاَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ

You may also say the following:

اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لى وَارْحَمْنى وَاجْبُرْنى وَادْفَعْ عَنّى وَعافِنى اِنّى لِما اَنْزَلْتَ اِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقيرٌ تَبارَكَ اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الْعالَمينَ

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,

بحول اللّه و قوّته اقوم و اقعد

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:

كذلك اللّه ربى

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:

اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنا وَارْحَمْنا وَعافِنا وَاعْفُ عَنّا فِى الدُّنْيا وَالاْخِرَةِ اِنَّكَ عَلى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَديرٌ

You may say the following thereafter:

اَللّهُمَّ مَنْ كانَ اَصْبَحَ وَلَهُ ثِقَةٌ اَوْ رَجآءٌ غَيْرُكَ فَاَنْتَ ثِقَتى وَرَجآئى يا اَجْوَدَ مَنْ سُئِلَ وَيا اَرْحَمَ مَنِ اسْتُرْحِمَ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَارْحَمْ ضَعْفى وَمَسْكَنَتى وَقِلَّةَ حيلَتى وَامْنُنْ عَلَىَّ بِالْجَنَّةِ طَوْلا مِنْكَ وَفُكَّ رَقَبَتى مِنَ النّارِ وَعافِنى فى نَفْسى وَفى جَميعِ اُمُورى بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمينَ.

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:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَبِاللّٰهِ وَالاَْسْمآءُ الْحُسْنى كُلُّها لِلَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَخَيْرُ الاَْسْمآءِ لِلَّهِ اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلْهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ