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FIRST STEP TOWARDS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SALAAT
Introduction
There are several Mustahabbat (acts that earn extra merits), starting from Qiyaam (standing) and ending with Salaam, (salutation), when performed during the course of Salaat, earn extra Merits and enhance general discipline and Merits of Salaat. Each of these acts takes only a few seconds to perform, yet it earns a lot of rewards. Therefore, it is obvious that we need to spare the extra seconds, if we wish to earn extra Merits from our Salaat, which often falls far short of its outer and inner disciplines.
The main cause of our weakness is that we cannot resist the Shaitanic influence of praying hastily, disregarding the disciplines that need compliance for the validity of our Salaat. We tend to forget that tranquility (Itminanul Qalb or Tumaninah) is one of the Arkaan (obligatory acts) of Salaat. Hurry to complete our Salaat, as if it were a burden on our heads, violates the basic discipline of Salaat. We should try to resist this Shaitanic trend in order to improve the quality of our Salaat so as to gain the spiritual uplift which Salat aims to give us so as raise our spiritual status.
Therefore, let us begin to take the first step towards improving the quality of our Salaat. It is not the quantity but the quality of our good acts that earn more merits and abundant reward from Allah (S.W.T.)
The acts that earn extra Merits in our Salaat are listed below in a color-coded gender wise to facilitate their performance during Salaat.
GREEN: common to both men and women
BLUE: only men
RED: only women
MUSTAHABBAAT(ACTS THAT EARN EXTRA MERITS) IN SALAAT
While Standing (Qiyaam)
1] When pronouncing the first Takbir at the commencement of prayers (Takibratul Ihram) and also when reciting all Takbirs which occur during prayers, raise your both hands and bring them parallel to your ears with fingers held adjacent to one another, pointing towards Qiblah.
2] Stand upright so that the weight of your body rests equally on two feet.
3] Relax your shoulders.
4] Place both your hands on the thighs with fingers held adjacent to one another.
(women should keep their hands on their chest)
5] Look at the place of Sajdah.
6] Stand in complete humility.
7] Align your feet.
8] Keep a distance of three open fingers, or a span between your feet.
(women should keep their feet close and adjacent to one another)
While Kneeling (Ruku’)
1] When kneeling for Ruku’ say Takbir first while still standing upright.
2] In Ruku’ bend further your knees backwards.
(women should relax their knees)
3] Bend in such a way as to align your back with your neck.
(Women should bend their backs to look curved)
4] Place your palms on your knees with fingers stretched.
(Women should place them on their thighs with their fingers held adjacent)
5] Keep your arms and elbows apart from your body.
(women should keep them adjacent to their bodies)
6] Keep your eyes focused between the two feet.
Note: After Ruku’, stand still and upright, say Takbir and then go to Sijdah.
While Prostrating (Sajdah)
1] After Ruku’, stand upright and say Takbir before going to Sajdah.
2] When going to Sajdah, first place your hands on the ground.
(women should place their knees first on the ground)
3] While performing Sajdah, you should not rest your arms on the ground; also, you should hold your arms apart from your sides.
(women should, while performing Sajdah, rest their arms on the ground, and their limbs kept close and adjacent to one another)
4] Place an additional Turba (Muhr), or a long Turba so that your nose touches the Turba.
5] Keep your fingers close and adjacent to one another, parallel to the ears, with their tips pointing towards Qiblah.
6] Look towards your nose.
7] After performing Sajdah, sit on your left leg and keep your hands on your thighs, at the same time placing the top of the right foot on the sole of the left foot.
(women should sit on their legs with their hands resting on their thighs and the soles of their feet on the ground)
8] At the time of standing up for the next Rak’at, you should lift your knees first from the ground and then your hands.
(women should keep their hands on their knees while sitting and should stand up straight from that position)
Note: The obligatory precaution is that, after the second Sajdah in the first Rak’at and in the third Rak’at of Zuhr, Asr and Isha prayers, one should pause for a moment before standing up.
1] Sit on the left leg and place the top of your right foot on the sole of your left foot.
2] Place your hands on your thighs with fingers adjacent to one another and pointing towards Qibla, while your eyes are focused on your laps.
(women should keep their thighs close and adjacent to each other while their eyes are focused on their laps)
3] When saying the three Takbirs after Salaam, raise your both hands and bring them parallel to your ears with fingers adjacent to one another, pointing towards Qiblah.
While Reciting Qunoot
1] Raise your hands to the level of your face, fingers (except the thumb) and palms held close and adjacent to one another and facing the sky, while eyes are focused on the palms.
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References:
Articles of Islamic Acts of Aayatullah Al-Sayyid Abul Qasim Al-Musavi al-Khui.
Islamic Laws of Ayatullah al-Udhma Al-Sayyid Ali Husaini Al-Seestani.
Elements of Islamic Studies by Allama Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi.
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After Concluding the Prayers
1] Before you change your sitting position, recite the Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (a.s.):
Allahu Akbar - 34 times.
Alhamdulillah - 33 times.
Subhanallah - 33 times.
The use of beads that are made from the Turbah of Imam Husayn (a.s.) is recommended.
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) narrates:
“Whoever did the Tasbeeh of Fatima Zahra (a.s.) before he unfolded his legs (from the position of sitting in obligatory prayer), Allah will forgive him and will make Paradise obligatory upon him.”
“The beads from the grave of Imam Hussein (a.s.) are counted as Tasbeeh in the hand of a man, even if he didn't make the Tasbeeh (i.e. he only held it). The Tasbeeh of Fatima Zahra (a.s.) after every obligatory prayer is more loved by Allah than praying 1,000 Rak’ats every day.”
(Imam Reza (a.s.) Network.)
Conclusion
Salaat is the main pillar and core worship in Islam. Its acceptance is vital for the spiritual uplift. Therefore, in order to enhance the chance of its acceptance, we should try to do all that we can to improve the quality of our Salaat. If we do not make efforts from the grass root level to rise, gradually, to the level required, we shall lose the core benefit Salaat can bring to us, which are, among others, mental tranquility, self-reformation and self-purification.