|
Salah
(ritual
Prayer) in congregation of two or more persons is 27 times better than Prayer
alone.
If
the group comprises both men and women, the men stand in rows in front of the
rows of women. This is to prevent anyone from being distracted by standing next
to someone of the opposite sex and to preserve women’s modesty when they bow
and prostrate.
Where the
Imam Stands
One
person should be designated as the imam (Prayer leader). This should be the
person who knows the most Qur’an. If all are equal in this, then the imam
should be the one who knows the most Sunnah. In a house, the owner of the house
has the right to lead the Prayer, but he or she may designate someone else who
knows more Qur’an.
If
a man and woman (such as husband and wife) are praying, the man should, of
course, lead the Prayer and stand in front of the woman.
If
two men are praying together, the imam should stand to the left and slightly
ahead of the other. If there are three or more men, the imam should stand by
himself in front of the others, who should then form a straight row (or rows)
behind him. If there are also women, they can form a row (or rows) behind the
last row of men.
When
only women are praying together, if there are only two, the imam should stand to
the left of the other in a row with her (not slightly ahead of her as with men).
If there are three or more women, the imam should stand in the middle of the row
(not ahead of the row as with men).
When
standing in rows, the worshipers should stand close together with shoulders
close to each other. There should not be gaps between people.
How the
Prayer is Performed
Before
beginning the Prayer, someone should say the Iqamah aloud. It is preferable that
this be someone other than the imam.
The
imam says, “Allaahu Akbar” aloud. The others should similarly raise their
hands to their ears and repeat the words silently or in a whisper.
If
this is a silent Prayer (Zhuhr or ‘Asr), the imam recites Al-Fatihah and the
verses of the Qur’an silently. The others should do likewise. If the Prayer is
said aloud (Fajr, Maghrib or ‘Isha’), the imam recites Al-Fatihah aloud. The
others should say “Ameen” aloud at the end. The imam then recites aloud some
verses of the Qur’an, and the others should listen attentively.
The
imam says, “Allaahu Akbar” aloud before bowing in ruku‘. The others
should then bow and say silently, “Subhaana Rabbiy al-‘Azheem.”
As
the imam stands he says aloud, “Sami‘a-llaahu li man hamidah.” The others
should then stand and say silently, “Rabbanaa wa laka-l-hamd.”
For
the remainder of the rak‘ah, the imam says, “Allaahu Akbar” aloud
before each movement (prostrating, sitting or standing) and the others should
then follow his movement. They should move only after the iman says, “Allaahu
Akbar.”
In
a Prayer of more than two rak‘ahs, the imam recites Al-Fatihah silently
in the third and fourth rak‘ahs.
The
Tashahhud is said silently, as when praying alone. The Tasleem is said aloud
first by the imam, and then the worshipers repeat it silently as they turn their
heads.
|
- 
