Islamic Rulings and Practices

Success Criteria Aim To know the basic prayer positions including what to do and say in each position. I can list the basic prayer positions. I can explain what to do and say in each position. I can demonstrate how to pray two units/Rak’as independently.

Before You Pray Before you start praying, you need to make sure you have memorised what you will say in your prayer. Discuss this checklist with a partner. Talk about what you have completed and what you have not completed from the list.

Before Prayer Checklist Memorise Surat Al-Fatiha. Memorise any other Surah/part from the Qur’an. Memorise what to say in the bowing/Ruku position. Say ‘Subhana Rabbeya Al-Adheem’ three times. This means ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Greatest.’ Memorise what to say when you are standing from the bowing position, ‘Sameea Allahu Leman Hamedah’. This means ‘Allah listens to those who praise Him.’ and then you will say ‘Rabbana Wa Laka Al-Hamd’, this means ‘Our Lord, all praise is for You’. Memorise what to say in the prostration/Sujood position. Say ‘Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa’ three times. This means ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.’ Memorise the testimony/Tashahud which you will say before you finish you prayer. Before praying I need to:

Review the Checklist Memorise Surat Al-Fatiha. Memorise any other Surah/part from the Qur’an. Memorise what to say in the bowing/Ruku position. Memorise what to say when you are standing from the bowing position. Memorise what to say in the prostration/Sujood position. Memorise the testimony/Tashahud. Take a quick look at the checklist again to review what you have memorised so far:

Are You All Clean? Now that you have completed your checklist of what you need memorise before you pray, you have to make sure that your body, clothes and the place of prayer are all clean. Make sure that there are no dirty or impure things around!

Make Wudu Wudu, or ablution, is to wash some parts of your body before standing in front of Allah to pray. Make sure to complete your Wudu before you pray.

What Are You Wearing to Prayer? When praying you are standing in front of Allah, who is the Greatest and the Most Beautiful, so you should dress properly. When you are praying you have to cover yourself in the same way that you would in front of others. For boys, you will need to cover yourself from your belly button to your knees. This means that you cannot pray with shorts that are above your knees! For girls, you will need to cover your whole body except for your face and hands.

Direction of Prayer (Qiblah) When you have done all the previous steps, this means you are now ready to stand and pray. Wherever you are in this world when you pray, you need to face the direction of the Ka’bah. This is called the Qiblah. Where is the Ka’bah? The Ka’bah is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Direction of Prayer (Qiblah) If you don’t know which way the Qiblah is, from your home or anywhere else, you can ask a grown-up. You could also use a compass and map to find the direction of the Ka’bah! Now you are ready, let’s pray!

Step 1: Intention Before you start, think about which prayer you are praying. How many units of prayer are you going to do? This is called intention. You don’t need to say this out loud, you can just think it in your head or feel it in your heart. Keep your eyes down, looking at the ground in front of you with your hands by your side.

Step 2: Raising Hands Raise your hands to the level of your shoulders and your ears. Say ‘Allahu Akbar’, this means ‘Allah is the Greatest’. Allahu Akbar.

Step 3: Standing/Qiyaam Put your left hand over your belly or your chest then place your right hand over your left hand.

Step 4: Saying Surat Al-Fatiha Stay in the same position as step three, with your eyes down looking at the floor. Say ‘Surat Al-Fatiha’. Surat Al-Fatiha.

Step 5: Saying Any Surah/Part From the Qur'an After completing Surat Al-Fatiha. Say any Surah or part from the Quran. Any Surah or part from the Quran.

Step 6: Bowing/Ruku Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and go into a bowing position. Try to keep your back flat with your hands on your knees and keep your eyes on the floor. Then say ‘Subhana Rabbeya Al-Adheem’ three times, this means ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Greatest.’ Allahu Akbar Subhana Rabbeya Al-Adheem, Subhana Rabbeya Al-Adheem.

Step 7: Standing from Bowing While coming up to the standing position, say ‘Sameea Allahu Leman Hamedah’, this means ‘Allah listens to those who praise Him.’ When standing say ‘Rabbana Wa Laka Al-Hamd’, this means ‘Our Lord, all praise is for You’. Sameea Allahu Leman Hamedah Rabbana Wa Laka Al-Hamd.

Step 8: First Prostration/Sujood Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and go into a prostration/sujood position. Place your hands on the floor, make sure your forehead and nose touch the ground. Keep your elbows off the floor. Then say ‘Subhana Rabbeya Al- Aalaa’ three times, this means ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.’ Allahu Akbar Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa, Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa.

Step 9: Sitting/Quood Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ as you sit up from your first prostration/sujood. Place your hands on your thighs closer to your knees. Allahu Akbar.

Step 10: Second Prostration/Sujood Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and go into a second prostration/sujood position. Just like before, place your hands on the floor and make sure your forehead and nose touch the floor. Keep your elbows off the ground. Then say ‘Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa’ three times, this means ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.’ Allahu Akbar Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa, Subhana Rabbeya Al-Aalaa. After this step, the first unit of your prayer is now complete!

Step 11: Standing for the Second Unit Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and stand for the second unit of prayer to repeat the same steps again. Allahu Akbar.

Step 12: Saying Surat Al-Fatiha for the Second Unit You said this before in step four. You will say ‘Surat Al-Fatiha’ again for your second unit. Surat Al-Fatiha.

Step 13: Saying Any Surah/Part from the Qur’an for the Second Unit After completing Surat Al-Fatiha say any Surah or part from the Qur’an for the second unit. Any Surah or part from the Quran.

Step 14: Repeat Steps Six - Ten You will repeat the below steps again for your second unit. Bowing/Ruku Standing from Bowing First Prostration/Sujood Second Prostration/SujoodSitting/Quood a. b. c. d. e.

Step 15: Sitting for Testimony/Tashahud After completing the second prostration/sujood of your second unit, now you will sit for a while to say Tashahud. Keep your hands on your lap while saying the Tashahud. When you reach ‘Ashhadu Anna Laa Elaaha Ella Allah, Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasooluh’ lift the pointing finger of your right hand as you are saying it. This means ‘There is no God except Allah and Muhammad is his servant and messenger.’

Step 16: Salutation/Tasleem Towards Your Right Turn your head towards your right shoulder and say ‘Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah’. This means ‘May the peace and mercy of Allah be with you.’ Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah.

Step 17: Salutation/Tasleem Towards Your Left Turn your head towards your left shoulder and say ‘Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah’. This means ‘May the peace and mercy of Allah be with you.’ Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatu Allah. Amazing! Your two units prayer is now complete!

All Steps of Praying Two Units/Rak'as

Reflection Show how much you have learnt about the prayer positions by completing the steps of praying two units with your partner or group.

Success Criteria Aim To know the basic prayer positions including what to do and say in each position. I can list the basic prayer positions. I can explain what to do and say in each position. I can demonstrate how to pray two units/Rak’as independently.