Introduction :
After discussing the conditions and the pillars of prayer in the previous book, Book Six, Book Seven discusses the sunnan of prayer. The word “sunnah ”, sing. in Arabic, pl. “sunnan” means ways. So book seven discusses the way or ways prophet Mohammad practiced his prayers. In fact, prophet Mohammad once said: “Pray like you saw me do.” However, out of the ease and mercy of Islam, there are many authentic and correct ways a Muslim can do their prayers. Based on the larger rule that prophet Mohammad would choose the easiest of two ways, Muslims’ ways of praying could vary a lot. Yet, all Muslims worship Allah while aspiring for His mercy and afraid of His torture.
The way prophet Mohammad used to pray :
Book number seven discusses every step, every movement and every statement a Muslim takes, does and says while performing their prayers. In the worship of prayer, a Muslim’s etiquette and worship of Allah look almost the same. This is because a Muslim’s conduct becomes an Ibadah; and a Muslim’s Ibadah becomes a way of conduct.
Salah ,step by step:
A Muslim kid or adult knows very well that the time of prayer is a meeting between them and Allah. However, The All-Generous, The All-Great and The All-Merciful Allah has given His slave the chance to set the time of such an important meeting with their Lord. For a Muslim kid or adult, to be at ease while doing their prayers, they should go to the bathroom so that they can ease themselves and wash their private parts as a first step of purification. This process is called “Istinja’” in Arabic. This pre-ablution step can be translated as “easing oneself”.
How to make ablution :
Now that a Muslim kid or adult has eased themselves, they proceed to make their ablution. In the previous faiths and religions before Islam, there were rather harsh ways of purification. To get pure from a sin they committed, a human would burn or kill themselves for salvation. However, this is not the case with Islam. Water, and sometimes sand or dust is a Muslim’s means for purification. Both water and sand or dust are available elements a Muslim kid or adult can easily find everywhere.
How does a Muslim make Wudu'?
Bearing in mind that they are going to meet their Lord, a Muslim kid or adult should get ready for such an honor. They attain this simply by washing their hands, mouths, noses, faces, wiping their ears and hair. They also wash their arms to the elbows and feet to the ankles. This very simple process, which is called wudu’ or ablution, is all that a Muslim kid or adult needs to be ready for prayer.
Wudu and a Muslim's hygiene :
Wudu’ is a part of a Muslim’s daily routine and hygiene. Wudu’ guarantees that a Muslim’s body is always pure and clean. For extra cleanliness and tooth case, a Muslim kid or adult accompanies their wudu’ with Siwak. Siwak is a small rod of a branch of the Arak tree. A Muslim kid or adult softens the tip of this rod making a simple toothbrush. After wudu, a Muslim kid or adult brushes their teeth and gums to refresh their breath and maintain their teeth.
The details of prayer :
Kids learn that there are fifteen elements of the sunnah of prayer. In their Islamic studies courses for kids and adults, kids and adults learn that the first sunnah element of the prayer is when a Muslim raises their hands to their earlobes and says: “Allah Akbar”. To show more respect to their Lord, a Muslim should place their right hand on their left hand on their chest while reading or listening to the Holy Quran in their prayer.
Al-Istiftah ,opening a Muslim's prayer :
Before they indulge in their prayers, a Muslim should say certain supplications invoking the mercy of their Lord. After that a Muslim should ask the refuge of Allah against the accursed devil and Satan. After that a Muslim should say: “In the name of Allah.” After finishing reading or listening to surah al-Fatihah, a Muslim should say the word: “Ammen.”
silent and audible prayers :
It is also a sunnah for a Muslim to recite and read some verse of the Holy Quran after surah al-Fatihah in the first two rakat of salah ad-Duhur, al-Asr, Al-Maghrib and al-Ish; and the two rakat of al-Fajr. It is also a sunnah for a Muslim to place their hands on their knees and make their fingers apart in ruku’. A Muslim should look where they would put their head in sujud. During sujud and ruku, a Muslim should glorify their Lord. While doing ruku’, a Muslim’s back should be straight and their head should be parallel to their back. Finally, a Muslim should sit for the last tashahhud, sending blessings to prophet Mohammad and making supplications. To conclude their prayer, a Muslim should turn their face to the right and say: “Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah; and do the same turning their face to the left.
