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When in Ruku
When you bend for Ruku’, watch out for the following:
1. Bend the upper part of your body upto a point where the neck
and back nearly level up. Do not bend any more or less then that.
2. While in Ruku’, do not bend the neck to the limit that the
chin starts touching the chest, nor raise it is high that the neck goes
higher than the waist level. Instead, the neck and the waist should be
in one level.
3. In Ruku’, keep feet straight. Do not place them with an
outward or inward slant.
4. Place both hands on your knees in a way that fingers on both
hands stay open. In other wards, there should be space between every two
fingers when you thus go on to hold the right knee with your right hand
and the left knee with your left hand.
5. In the state of Ruku’, wrists and arms should remain
stretched straight. They should not bend, curve or sag.
6. Stay in Ruku’, at least for a time during which could
be said
three times calmly and comfortably.
7. In the state of Ruku’, the ayes should be looking towards
the feet.
8. Body weight should be evenly distributed on both feet and both
knees should be parallel to each other.
Returning to the standing position from Ruku
1. While returning from Ruku’, back to the standing position,
see that you stand straight leaving no sag or droop in the body.
2. In this position as well, eyes should be fixed on the spot
where you do your Sajdah.
3. Three are those who simply make a ‘gesture’ of rising from
the Ruku’ instead of rising fully and standing upright when it is time
to do so and who, in that every state, when their body is still bent
downwards, go on to do their Sajdah - for them it becomes obligatory
that they make their Salah all over again. Therefore, abstain from it
very firmly. Unless you make sure about having become perfectly straight
in your standing position, do not go for Sajdah.
When gowing down for Sajdah
Remember the following method when gowing down for Sajdah:
1. Bending the knees first of all, take them towards the prayer
floor in a way that the chest does not lean forward. When the knees have
already been rested on the floor, the chest should then be lowered down.
2. Until such time that the knees have come to rest against the
floor, abstain, as far as possible, from bending or lowering the upper
part of the body. These days negligence in observing this particular
rule of etiquette while getting ready to go for Sajdah has become very
common. Many people would lower down their chest right from the start
and go on to do their Sajdah. But, the correct method is what has been
stated in #1 and #2 above. Unless it be for a valid reason, this method
should not be bypassed.
3. After having rested your knees on the floor, place your hands
first, then the tip of the nose, then the forehead.
In Sajdah
1. While in Sajdah, keep your head in between your two hands in a
way that the end of the two thumbs come parallel to the ear-lobes.
2. In Sajdah, fingers on both hands should remain close together,
that is, the fingers should be adjacent to each other leaving no space
in between them.
3. The direction of the fingers should be towards the Qiblah.
4. The elbows should stay raised off the floor. It is not correct
to rest the elbows on the floor.
5. Both arms should stay apart from armpits and sides. Never keep
them tucked in.
6. Do not, at the same time, poke your elbows far out to your
right and left causing discomfort to those making Salah next to you.
7. The thighs should not come in contact with the stomach-wall. The
stomach and the thighs should stay apart.
8. During the entire Sajdah, the nose-tip should continue to rest
on the floor.
9. Both feet should be placed upright on the floor with heels
showing on top and all fingers turned flat on the floor in the direction
of the Qiblah. Those who cannot turn all their fingers because of the
physical formation of their feet, they will still do well to turn them
as much as they can. It is not correct to place the fingers vertically
on the floor just for no valid reason.
10. Be careful that your feet do not lift off the floor during
Sajdah. Some people would their Sajdah while none of the fingers on
their feet come to rest on the floor even for a moment. This way the
obligation of Sajdah is not liquidated at all, as a result, the Salah
too becomes invalid. Be very particular in abstaining from this error.
11. In the state of Sajdah, the least time you can give yourself
should be sufficient enough to say three
times, calmly and comfortably. Raising the forehead immediately after
having rested it on the floor is prohibited.
In between the two Sajdahs
1. Rising from the first Sajdah, sit up straight, on the hams,
calmly and comfortably. Then go for the second Sajdah. Doing the second
Sajdah after raising the head just a little bit and without becoming
straight is a sin. If one does it like that, it becomes obligatory that
the Salah be made all over again.
2. Spared out the left foot (like the blade of a hockey stick)
and sit on it. Let the right foot stand vertically with fingers turned
towards the Qiblah. Some people let both feet remain in upright position
and sit on the heels. This method is not correct.
3. While sitting, both hands should be placed on the things but
fingers should not taper down onto the knees., instead, the far ends of
the finger tips should reach only as far as the beginning edge of the
knee.
4. While sitting, let your eyes be on the lap.
5. Sit for a time during which could
be said at least once and if your can sit for a time during
could be recited, it is better. But, reciting this during Fard
(obligatory) Salah is not necessary. It is better to do so in Nafl Salah.
The second Sajdah and rising from it
1. Go on to do your second Sajdah in the same manner by first
placing both hands on the floor, then the nose-tip, then the forehead.
2. The complete from of Sajdah should be the same as mentioned in
connection with the first Sajdah.
3. When rising from Sajdah, first raise the forehead off the floor,
then the nose-tip, then the hands, and then the knees.
4. While rising, it is better not to learn for support off the
floor, however, should it be difficult to get up from the floor because
of body-weight, sickness or old age, making use of the floor for support
is also permissible.
5. After you have risen back to your standing position, recite
before Surah al-Fatihah in the begining of each raka’ah.
In Qa’dah
1. The method of sitting in Qa’dah shall be the same as
mentioned in connection with the method of sitting between Sajdahs.
2. When you reach while reciting
raise the shahadah finger (the fore-finger or the index finger) with a
pointing motion and let it fall back at 
3. The method of making a pointing motion is that you make a
circle by joining your middle finger and the thumb, close the little
finger and the ringfinger (the one next to it), then raise the shahadah
finger in a way that it is tapered towards the Qiblah. It should not be
raised up straight in the direction of the sky.
4. However, lower the shahadah finger while saying
but retain, right through the end, the initial formation of the rest of
the fingers you already had when making the pointing motion.
When turning for Salam
1. When turning for Salam on both sides, you should turn your
neck just enough that your cheeks become visible to the person sitting
behind you.
2. When turning for Salam, eyes should be towards the shoulders.
3. When turning your neck to the right to say
make an intention that you are offering your Salam greetings to all
human beings and angles on your right. Similarly, while turning for
Salam to the left, have the intention of offering your Salam greeting to
all human beings and angels present on your left.
The method of Du’a
1. The method of Du’a is that both hands be raised high enough
so that they come in front of the chest. Let there be some space between
the two hands. Do not bring the hands close together nor keep them far
apart.
2. When making Du’a, keep the inner side of the hands turned
towards your face.
Salah For Women
The method of Salah describe earlier is for men. The Salah as offered by
women differs from that of men in the following aspects. Women should be
careful about what is required of them:
1. Before they begin their Salah, women should make sure that
their whole body, except the face, the hands and the feet, is covered
with clothes.Some women offer their Salah with the hair on their head
remaining uncovered. Some have their wrists left uncovered. Some women
use scarfs so thin or small that their hair tresses are visible dangling
down underneath. If, during the Salah, any part of the body, even if it
be equal to one-fourth, remains uncovered for a time during which one
could say (Subhana Rabbi-al-Azim) three
times, the Salah itself would not be valid. However, should the
uncovered portion be less than that, Salah would take place but the sin
shall stay.
2. For women, making Salah in the room is better than doing it in
the verandah and doing it in the verandah is better than doing it in the
courtyard.
3. While starting the Salah, women should not raise their hands
upto their ears, instead, they should raise them upto their shoulders,
and that too, from within the scarf or other outer wrap being used.
Hands should not be taken out of this cover.
4. When women fold their hands on the chest, they should simply
place the palm of their right hand on the back of the left forehand.
They should not fold their hands on the navel like men.
5. In Ruku’, women are not required to straighten their backs
fully like men. Women should bend less as compared to men.
6. In the position of Ruku’, men should open up their fingers
while placing them on the knees, but women are required that they place
their hands on the knees with fingers close together, that is, there be
on space between fingers.
7. Women should not stand on legs absolutely straight, instead,
they should stand with knees slightly bent forward.
8. In Ruku’, men are required to keep their arms stretched,
away from the sides. But, women should stand with their arms close to
their sides.
9. Women should stand with both feet close together. Specially, both
their knees should just about be joined together. Let their be no
separating distance between legs.
10. While doing Sajdah, the method prescribed for men is that
they should not lower their chest until such time that their knees come
to rest on the floor. But this method is not for women. They can, right
from the start, lower their chest and go for Sajdah.
11. Women should do their Salah in a manner that the stomach-wall
come to rest against the thighs and the arms stay close to the sides. In
addition to that, omen do have to position their feet, upright, they
should spread them on the floor sliding them out towards the right.
12. Men are prohibited to place their elbows on the floor while
making Salah. But, women should place the whole arm, including the
elbows, on the floor.
13. When sitting between Sajdah and when reciting
(at-Tahiyyaat), sit on the left hip, side both feet out to the side and
let the left foot reset on the right calf of the leg.
14. Men are required that they be careful about keeping their
finger upon when bending for Ruku’, and keeping then close together in
Sajdah, and then, leave them as they are during the rest of the Salah,
when they make no effort either to close or open them. But, it required
of women, under all conditions, that they keep fingers close together,
that is leave no space between them. This is required all along in Ruku’,
in Sajdah, between two Sajdah and in the Qa’dahs.
15. It is makruh (reprehensible) for women to make a jama’ah
(congregation) The very act of offering their Salah alone is better for
them. However, should mahram-members of the family be making their Salah
with jama’ah within the house, there is no harm if they join in with
them in the jama’ah. But, in a situation like this, it is necessary
that they stand exactly behind men. They should never stand next to them
in the same row.
The Masjid Some Essential Rules Of Conduct
1. While entering the Masjid, recite the following Du’a:

( I enter with the name of Allah and with the prayer that Allah bless
His Messenger and bestow upon him. O Allah, open for me the doors of Thy
mercy.)
2. Immediately on entering the Masjid, make an intention that
‘I shall be in I’tikaf for whatever time I stay in the Masjid: By
doing so, Insha’-Allah, the spiritual reward of I’tikaf can also be
hoped for.
3. Following entry into the Masjid, it is better to sit in the
front row. But, in case space in the front has already been taken up,
sit wherever you find an opening. Advancing forward by leap-frogging
people’s necks is not permissible.
4. Salam greeting should not be offered to those already sitting
in the Masjid and busy in Dhikr or recitation of the Qu’ran. However,
should one of them be not so engaged and looking at you on his own,
there is no harm in offering such Salam greeting to him.
5. If you have to offer Sunnah or Nafl Salah in the Masjid,
select a spot where there is the least likelihood of people crossing in
front of you. Some people start up their Salah in the back rows while
ample space remains open in the front. Because of this act of theirs, it
becomes difficult for other to cross over and they have to make a long
detour to reach open sitting spots. Offering Salah in this manner is a
sin in itself, and should a person happen to cross in front of the
person making his Salah, then this sin of his crossing over in that
manner will also rest on the shoulders of the person making such a Salah.
6. After entering the Masjid, if you find that you are there a
little ahead of the Salah timing, then, before you sit down, make two
raka’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyah al-Masjid. This has great
merit. If there is not time for that, you can combine the intention of
Tahiyyah al-Masjid within the Sunnah Salah. And if, you do not have the
time even to make your Sunnah Salah and the jama’ah is ready, this
intention could also be combine with that of the Fard Salah.
7. As long as you sit in the Masjid, keep doing Dhikr. Specially,
keep reciting the following Kalimah devotedly:

Sanctified
is Allah and for Allah is all praise and there is no god but Allah is
great.
8. Do not engage yourself in unnecessary conversation while
sitting in the nothing else that may disturb those devoting to their
‘Ibadah of Salah or Dhikr.
9. If the jama’ah is ready, fill in the front rows first. If
space is open in the front row, it is not permissible to stand in the
back row.
10. From the time when the Iman takes his place on the Mimber to
deliver the Friday Khutbah right through the end of the Salah, it is not
permissible for anyone to talk, make Salah or to offer Salam to anyone
or to answer Salam offered. However, should anyone start talking during
this time, it is also not permissible that he be asked to keep quiet.
11. Sit during the Khutbah as you sit in Qa’dah when reciting
at-Tahiyyat. Some people sit hand folded during the first part of the
Khutbah and then place their hands on the things during the second. This
method is baseless. One should sit with hands on the thighs during both.
12. Abstain from everything that may spread filth or smell in the
Masjid or cause pain to anyone.
13. When you see anyone doing something wrong, ask him not to do
so, quietly and softly. Totally avoid insulting him openly, or rebuking
him, or quarrelling with him
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