1. The congregation is led by an Imam from among the present worshippers. He must be chosen on his merits of religious knowledge and piety.
2. The Imam of the congregation stands in the front by himself while the followers stand him in straight lines, all facing the Qiblah. A congregation can be made up of even two persons: the Iman and one follower.
3. After declaring tile intention of player the Imam recites the Fatihah and the complementary passage of the Qur’an in an audible voice in the Early Morning Prayer and in the first two units of the Sunset Prayers. When the Imam is reciting tile Qur’an aloud, the followers listen to him in mediation and humility. They do not recite the Fatihah nor the other passage after the Imam.
4. When the Imam concludes the Fatihah the followers say ‘Ameen’. After the Imam stands from the bowing posture he says: "Sami’a-l-lahu liman Hamidah" (God accepts any who are thankful to Him), and the followers respond in these words: "Rabbana laka-l-Hamd!" (our Lord praise be to You).
5. The followers should follow the Imam in his movements without anticipating him in any act. Should any follower supersede the Iman in any movement, this person's prayer will become void.
6. The congregational prayer is not valid unless the Imam declares his intention that he is acting in the service in the capacity of Imam. The followers also must declare their intention that they are following that particular Imam in the same particular prayer he is offering.
7. If a person comes after the start of prayer and joins the congregation, he must, even if he has missed one unit or more, follow the Imam. When the Imam completes the service by uttering the final peace greetings, this late comer does not join in that, but takes a standing position to make up for the early units he has missed. When a person joins the congregation in the bowing position, before rising, he is considered as having joined from the start of this particular unit. But if he joins in any position after bowing he has missed the unit and must make up for it individually right after the Imam concludes the prayer.
8. Whenever there is an opportunity for praying in a congregation, a Muslim should not miss it. Prayer in congregation is a handsome demonstration of unity in purpose and action, of plural piety and humility before God, of effective solidarity among Muslims, of public order and mutual response.

The Islamic congregation is a positive answer to file acutest problems of humanity rising from racial discrimination, social castes and human prejudices. In the congregational service of Islam there is no king or subject, rich or poor, white or colored, first or second class, back or front benches, reserved or public pews. All worshippers stand and act shoulder to Shoulder in the most disciplinary manner regardless of any worldly considerations.

So far we have been dealing with the daily prayers. Now we come to the weekly convention of Friday Congregation. This service is compulsory upon every Muslim who is required to observe the other prayers and has no reasonable excuses to abstain. It falls on Friday of every week and is especially important because:-

1. It is the occasion earmarked by God for the Muslims to express their collective devotion.
2. It is an appointment to review our spiritual accounts of the week gone by and get ready for the following week just as people do in any other business.
3. It is a convention for the Muslims to reassure themselves and confirm their religious bonds and social solidarity on moral and spiritual foundations.
4. It shows how the Muslims give preference to the call of God over and above any other concern.

This prayer of Friday is marked by these features: -

1. Its time falls in the same time as that of the noon prayer (Salatu- Zuhr), and it replaces the very same Prayer.
2. It must be said in a congregation led by an Imam. No single person can offer it by himself.
3. If any person misses it, he cannot make up for it. Instead, he has to offer the noon prayer, the original prayer which this service normally replaces.
4. All kinds of normal work are allowed on Friday as on any other week day. For Muslims there is no Sabbath. They can carry on with their usual duties and activities provided they come to the congregational service in time. After the service is over, they may resume their mundane activities.
5. This Friday prayer must be performed in a Mosque, if there is one available. Otherwise, it may be said at any gathering place, e.g. homes, farms, parks, etc.
6. When the time for prayer comes, the Adhan is said. Then, four units of prayer are offered as Sunnah, individually in a low voice as in the noon prayer. When this part is completed, the Imam stands up facing the audience and delivers his sermon (khutbah) which is an essential part of the service. While the Imam is talking nobody should talk or pray; everyone present should take a sitting position and listen to the sermon quietly to the end
7. The sermon (khutbah) consists of two parts each beginning with words of praise of God and prayers of blessing for Prophet Muhammad. In the first part some Qur’anic passage must be recited and explained for the purpose of exhortation and admonition. At the end of the first part the Imam takes a short rest in the sitting posture, then stands up to deliver the second part of his sermon. General affairs of the Muslims may be discussed in either or both parts of the sermon. In the second part, especially, the Imam prays for the general welfare of all Muslims.
8. After that the Iqamah is made and the two obligatory units are offered under the leadership of the imam who recites the Fatihah and the other Our’anic passage in an audible voice. When this is done, the prayer is completed. After that two other Sunnah units are offered individually in a low voice.

The earlier four and the late two Sunnah units may be offered at home. Also they may be replaced with some obligatory prayers that one has missed in the past and for which one has to make up.

Any participant in the weekly congregation or the ‘Eed Prayers should do his best to be neat and tidy. Though there is no compulsory reason for a complete ablution, a bath is strongly recommended as it makes one fresher and more pleasant.

‘Eed means recurring happiness or festivity. The ‘Eed Prayer is very important for all Muslims. It has the merits of the daily prayers as explained above, the effects of the weekly convention (Jumu’ah) and the characteristics of annual reunions between Muslims. There are two such ‘Eeds. The first is called ‘Eedu-1-Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking). It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Muslim year, following the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed and which is the month of Fasting. The second is called ‘Eedu-l-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice). It falls on the tenth day of Dhu-l-Hijjah, the last month of the Muslim year, following completion of the course of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), an extremely devotional course.

The Islamic ‘Eeds are unique in every way. To them there can be no similar in any other religion or any other sociopolitical system.

Besides their highly spiritual and moral characteristics, they have matchless qualities:

1. Each ‘Eed is a wholesome celebration of a remarkable achievement of the individual Muslim in the service of God. The First ‘Eed comes after an entire month of "absolute" fasting during the days of the month. The second ‘Eed marks the completion of Hajj to Mecca, a course in which the Muslim handsomely demonstrates his renouncement of the mundane concerns and hearkens only to the Eternal voice of God.
2. Each ‘Eed is a Thanksgiving Day where the Muslims assemble in a brotherly and joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to God for helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligations prior to the ‘Eed. This form of thanksgiving is not confined to spiritual devotion and verbal expressions. It goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a handsome shape of social and humanitarian spirit. The Muslims who have completed the fasting of Ramadan express their thanks to God by means of distributing alms among the poor and needy on the First ‘Eed. Similarly, the Muslims who have completed the course of Hajj at Mecca, as well as those who are at home, offer their sacrifices by slaughtering oblations to be distributed among the poor and needy. The distribution of alms and oblations constitutes a major part of the ‘Eed’s highlights. This Islamic form of thanksgiving is a wholesome combination of spiritual devotion and humanitarian benevolence, a combination which cannot be found except in Islam.
3. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Remembrance. Even in their most joyful times the Muslims make a fresh start of the Day by a plural session of worship to God. They pray to Him and glorify His name to demonstrate their remembrance of His favors. Along with that course, they remember the deceased by prayer for their souls, the needy by extending a hand of help, the grieved by showing them sympathy and consolation, the sick by cheerful visits and utterances of good wishes, the absentees by cordial greetings and sincere considerateness, etc. Thus the meaning of Remembrance on the Day transcends all limits and expands over far-reaching dimensions of human life.
4. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Victory. The individual who succeeds in securing his spiritual rights and growth receives the ‘Eed with a victorios spirit. The individual who faithfully observes the duties, which are associated with the ‘Eed, is a triumphant one. He proves that he holds a strong command over his desires, exercises a sound self-control and enjoys the taste of disciplinary life. And once a person acquires these qualities he has achieved his greatest victory, because the person who knows how to control himself and discipline his desires is free from sin and wrong, from fear and cowardice, from vice and indecency, from jealousy and greed, from humiliation and all other causes of enslavement. So, when he receives the ‘Eed, which marks the achievement of this freedom, he is in fact celebrating his victory, and the ‘Eed thus becomes a Day of Victory.
5. Each ‘Eed is a Harvest Day. All the good workers in the service of God, all the faithful believers reap the fruits of their good deeds on the Day, as God grants His mercy and blessings abundantly. The Islamic society, on the other hand, collects the due subscriptions to religious brotherhood and social responsibility, in which subscriptions are paid in the form of mutual love, sympathy and concern. Every member of the Islamic society will be reaping some fruits or collecting some revenue in one way or another. God gives infinitely, especially to those who are sincerely concerned with the general welfare of their fellow believers. Those beneficiaries who cannot give will receive, along with God's enormous grants, the contributions of their fellow benefactors. The haves and have-nots will all enjoy the providence of God in a most plural fashion, and the Day will indeed be a Good Harvest Day.
6. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Forgiveness. When the Muslims assemble in the congregation of the Day, they all wholeheartedly pray for forgiveness and strength of Faith. And God has assured those who approach Him with sincerity of His mercy and forgiveness. In that pure assembly and highly spiritual congregation any true Muslim would feel ashamed of himself before God to hold any enmity or ill feelings toward his brethren. A true Muslim would be deeply impressed by this brotherly and spiritual assembly, and would overcome his ill feelings if he has been exposed to any. Consequently, he would find himself moving along with others responding to the spirit of the Day to purify his heart and soul. In this case, he would forgive those who might have wronged him; because he himself would be praying for God’s forgiveness, and would do his best to acquire it. The spirit of this highly devotional assembly would teach him that if he forgives he will be forgiven. And when he forgives, the virtue of forgiveness will be mercifully exercised by God, and widely exchanged between the Muslims. And that marks the Day as a Day of Forgiveness.
7. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Peace. When the Muslim establishes peace within his heart by obeying the Law of God and leading a disciplinary life, he has certainly concluded a most inviolable treaty of peace with God. Once a person is at peace with God, he is at peace with himself and, consequently, with the rest of the universe. So when he celebrates the ‘Eed in the right manner, he is actually celebrating the conclusion of a Peace Treaty between himself and God, and this marks the ‘Eed as a Day of Peace.

That is the proper meaning of an Islamic ‘Eed: a Day of Peace and Thanksgiving, a Day of Forgiveness and moral victory, a Day of Good Harvest and remarkable Achievements, and a Day of Festive Remembrance. An Islamic ‘Eed is all this and is much more; because it is a Day of ISLAM, a Day of God.

1. As on Friday, every worshipper should go to the ‘Eed Congregation in his best, neat, tidy and high-spirited. In the mosque or the place of assembly a certain verbal prayer is said before the actual prayer begins. This is known as Takbeer and will be found at the end of this section.
2. The time of the ‘Eed prayers is any time after sunrise and before noon. No Adhan or Iqamah is required. The prayer consists of two units with the Imam reciting in each the Fatihah and another passage from the Qur’an audibly.
3. The Imam declares his intention to lead the prayer saying Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest of all). Then he repeats the same utterance three times, raising his hands up to the ears and dropping them by his sides at the end of each utterance. On completion of the third Takbeer (utterance) he places the right hand over the left one under the navel as in other prayers. The worshippers follow the Imam in these movements step by step, doing and saying exactly the same.
4. At the end of the first unit, the Imam rises up for the second, saying Allahu Akbar. Then he adds three such utterances doing the same thing as he did in the first unit, and followed by the congregation in a like manner.
5. After the prayer is completed in two units, the Imam delivers a sermon of two parts with a short recess in between. The first part is begun by saying Allahu Akbar, nine times, and the second by making the same utterance seven times. The rest of the sermon goes along the lines of exhortation and advice like those of the Friday sermon.
6. In the sermon of the First ‘Eed of the year, the Imam must draw the attention to the matter of Sadaqatu-l-Fitr (the Charity of Breaking the Fast). This is an obligatory tax, whereby every individual Muslim who can afford it must give at least one full meal, or its value, to the poor. If he has any dependents, he must do the same thing for each one of his dependents. For example, if he provides for himself and three dependents, he has to distribute as a minimum four full meals or their value to the needy. This charity is far more rewarding and preferable if it is distributed early enough before the prayers so that the poor may be able to receive the Day in a festive and cheerful Spirit.
7. In the sermon of the Second ‘Eed, the Imam should draw the attention to the duty of Sacrifice. On the day of ‘Eedu-1-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) every Muslim with means is to offer an oblation. A goat or sheep suffices for one household. A cow or steer suffices for seven different households. It is preferable to slaughter the animal of Sacrifice on the, ‘Eed Day after prayers. But if it is slaughtered on the second or the third day, it will be accepted. With regard to the meats of the slaughtered animals the Holy Qur’an stipulates these instructions: Eat of-them and feed the poor man who is contented and the beggar ... (22:36).

In the same reference, the Holy Qur’an declares that God is neither interested in nor does He get the meats of the oblations or their blood; but it is the piety of His worshippers that He gets and is interested in.

It should be repeated that the ‘Eed prayers do not substitute for the obligatory Early Morning (Fajr) Prayers, and cannot themselves be substituted for by any other prayers

The Takbeer, which is said before the Prayers of both ‘Eeds and after the ordinary congregations offered during the three days following the Second ‘Eed, is called Takbeeru-t-Tashreeq. It goes as follows:

Allahu Akbar, (thrice). La ilaha illa-L-Lah.

Allahu Akbar (twice) wa lil-Lahi- 1-hamd.

Allahu Akbaru Kabeera. Wa-l-hamdu li-l-Lahi Katheera.

Wa subhana-l-Lahi bukratan wa aseela.

La ilaha illa-l-Lahu wahdah. Sadaqa wa 'adah, wa nasara 'abdah.

Wa a'azza jundahu wa hazama-l- ahzaba wahdah.

La-ilaha illa-l-Lahu wa la na'bdu illa lyyah, mukhliseena lahu- d-deena wa law kariha-l-kafi- run.

Allahumma salli 'ala Sayyidina

Muhammad,

Wa 'ala ali Sayyidina Muhammad,

Wa 'ala Ashabi Sayyidina Muhammad,

Wa 'ala ansari Sayyidina Muhammad,

Wa 'ala azwaji Sayyidina Muhammad,

Wa 'ala dhurriyyati Sayyidina Muhammad,

Wa sallim tasleeman katheera.

This Takbeer means:

God is the Greatest (three times).

There is no god but the One True God.

God is the Greatest (twice) and His is the praise

Surely God is the Greatest. His is the abundant praise.

Glory to Him, day and night.

There is no god but God, the One True God.

He fulfilled His promise, supported His servant (Muhammad), granted His soldiers a manifest victory, and inflicted decisive defeat on the allied enemies. There is no god but God, and we worship none but Him, with sincere devotion, even though the disbelievers may resent it.

0 God! Exalt and have blessings on our Master Muhammad,

And on the people of our Master Muhammad,

And on the companions of our Master Muhammad,

And on the supporters of our Master Muhammad,

And on the wives of our Master Muhammad,

And on the descendants of our Master Muhammad,

And salute all of them with much peace.

1. When a person is traveling with the intention of proceeding forty-eight miles or over from his home, he should shorten the obligatory prayers of four units to each. The curtailment is applicable to the Noon (Zuhr) Prayer the Mid-Afternoon (Asr) Prayer, and the Evening (‘Isha’) Prayer. The Early Morning (fajr) and the sunset (Maghrib) Prayers remain unchanged.
2. This advantage remains effective even after the traveler arrives at his destination, if he does not intend to prolong his stay there for fifteen days or more. Otherwise, he should offer the reducible prayers in their original and complete number of units.

3. While traveling under these circumstances, he is exempt from all supererogatory prayers (Sunnah) except the two Sunnah units of the Early Morning (Fajr) and the Witr which follows tie Evening (‘Isha’) prayers.

The Muslim is forbidden to offer either obligatory or supererogatory prayers at:

1. The time when the sun is rising;

2. The time when the sun is at its Zenith;
3. The time when the sun is setting;

4. The period of menstruation or confinement due to childbirth and nursing;

5. The time of impurity, partial or complete.

1. As a rule, every Muslim, male or female, should offer the prayer in its due time. Failing to do so is a punishable sin unless there is a reasonable excuse for delay.
2. With the exception of women in confinement or menstruation and any who remain insane or unconscious for some time, every Muslim must make up for his or her delayed obligatory prayers.
3. When making up for the delayed prayers one must offer them in their original form, e.g., if they were due shortened they should be offered so and vice-versa.
4. Order between the delayed prayers and between these and the present ones should be maintained; i.e., the first in dueness is offered first unless the missed prayers are too many to remember their exact dates, or the time available is not sufficient for both missed and present prayers. In this case, the present prayer comes first and the missed ones may be offered later. At any rate, the Muslim must make certain that his record is clear to the best of his knowledge, and that there are no missed prayers.

These prayers are a special characteristic of the month of Ramadan. They follow the Evening (‘Isha’) Prayers. They consist of eight to twenty units (Rak’ahs) offered two by two with a short break between each two units. It is much more preferable to say them in a congregational form and before the Witr, which is the last part of the Evening Prayer.

Any prayer becomes invalid and nullified by Any act of the following:

1. To anticipate the Imam in any act or movement of prayer;
2. To eat or drink during the prayer;
3. To talk or say something out of the prescribed course of prayers;
4. To shift the position from the direction of Mecca;

5. To do any noticeable act or move outside the acts and movements of prayer;

6. To do anything that nullifies the ablution, e.g., discharge 'of urine, stool, gas,

blood, etc.;

7. To fail in observing any of the essential acts of prayer, like standing, reciting

the Qur’an, Ruku, Sujud, etc.;

1. To uncover the body between the travel and the knees during the prayer in the case of males, or any part of the body, except the hands, face and feet, in the case of females.

Any prayer which becomes invalidated must be repeated properly

1. The prayer to God for the deceased Muslim is a common collective duty (Fard Kifayah). This means that some Muslims should offer this prayer, and when it is offered by some of the Muslims present at the time it is sufficient, and the other Muslims become exempt from responsibility.
2. When a Muslim dies, the whole body beginning with the exposed parts of ablution (wudu’)-must be washed a few times with soap or some other detergent or disinfectant, and cleansed of all visible impurities. When the body is thoroughly clean, it is wrapped in one or more white cotton sheets covering, all the parts of the body.

3. The dead body is then placed on a bier or in a coffin and carried to the place of Prayer, a Mosque or any other clean premises. The body is put in a position with the face toward the direction of Mecca.
4. All participants in the Prayer must perform an ablution unless they are keeping an earlier one. The Imam stands beside the body facing the Qiblah at Mecca with the followers behind him in lines.
5. The Imam raises his hands to the ears declaring the intention in a low voice to pray to God for that particular deceased one, and saying Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest). The worshippers follow the Imam's lead and after him place their right hands over the left ones under the navel as in other prayers.
6. Then the Imam recites in a low voice what is usually recited in other prayers, i.e., the ‘Thana’ and the Fatihah only.
7. At this stage he says Allahu Akbar without raising his hands and recites the second part of the Tashahhud (from," ‘Allahumma saili ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad" to the end).
8. Then he makes the third Takbeer saying Allahu Akbar without raising the hands and offers his supplication (Du 'a') in any suitable words he knows, preferably these:

Allahumma-ghfir li hayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha'ibina' wa sagheerina wa kabeerina wa dhakarina wa unthana.

Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi 'ala-l-Islam. Wa man tawaffaythu minna fa tawafahu 'ala-l-Islam. Allahumrna la tahrimna ajrah, wa la taftinna ba'dah.

"O God! grant forgiveness to our living and to our dead, and to, those who are present and to those who are absent, and to our young and our old folk, and to our males and our females.

"O God, whomsoever, You grant to live, from among us, help him to live in Islam, and whomsoever of us You cause to die, help him to die in Faith."

"O God! Do not deprive us of the reward for patience on his loss and do not make us subject to trial after him."

 

9. Then the fourth Takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) without raising the hands is made followed by the concluding Peace greetings right and left as in other prayers. It should be remembered that the worshippers behind in lines follow the lead of the Imam step by step and recite privately the same utterances in a Low Voice.
10. After completing the prayer, the body is lowered for burial with the face resting in the direction of Mecca. When lowering the body down, these words are said:

"Bismi-l-Lahi wa bi-l-Lahi wa 'ala Millati Rasuli-l-Lahi Salla-l- Lahu'Alayhi wa Sallam."

"In the name of God and with God and according to the Sunnah (Traditional) of the Messenger of God upon whom be the blessings and peace of God."

Besides these, any other fit prayers may be offered.

If the deceased is a child under the age of puberty, the prayer is the same except that after the third Takbeer and instead of that long supplication the worshippers recite these words:

"Allahumma-j'alhu lana faratan wa j'alhu lana dhukhra, wa i'alhu lana shafi'an wa mushaffa'a."

"O God! make him (or her) our forerunner, and make him for us a reward and a treasure, and make him for us a pleader, and accept his pleading."

The whole funeral prayer is offered in the standing position.

Whenever a funeral procession passes by, be it of a Muslim or otherwise, every Muslim should stand out of respect for the dead.

A man washes a man and a woman washes a woman. A woman may wash her husband, and a man or woman may wash young children. During the washing the washer's hands should be covered by gloves or cloth, and the private parts of the dead body should be washed without being seen.

The grave should be built and marked in a simple way. The dead body should be covered with white cotton sheets of standard material. Any extravagance in building the grave or dressing up the body in fine suits or the like is non-Islamic. It is false vanity and a waste of assets that can be used in many useful ways.

The custom of some North American Muslims of offering a big and costly banquet upon burial of the deceased is also non-Islamic and an irresponsible waste of money and effort that can be of infinite benefit if used otherwise.

As already pointed out, the Muslim's mind should always be occupied with the remembrance of God and his tongue be busied with utterances of praise and glory of Him. Besides the above- mentioned forms of prayer, there are many other occasions where prayer is strongly recommended by Prophet Muhammad. Such occasions are like these:

1. The time of excessive rain;

2. The time of drought and shortage of rain;

3. The time of the sun's eclipse.

In times like these the Muslim is advised to pray as many units and as long as he wishes.

There are other times where he utters certain expressions without resorting to the prescribed forms of ordinary prayers. In such utterances he expresses gratitude to God and appreciation of His favors, hope in Him and reliance upon His aid, remembrance of Him and prayer for His mercy. Among these times are:

1. The time of childbirth;

2. The time of performing marriage;

3. The time when going to and rising from bed;

4. The time of leaving the house and returning to it;

5. The time of entering and leaving the toilet;

6. The time of starting a journey or entering a city;

7. The time of riding or driving;

8. The time of entering a boat;

9. The time of distress;

10. Before a looking glass or facing a mirror;

11. After bath or ablution;

12. When receiving the first fruits of the harvest;

13. When visiting the graveyard.

On each of these occasions the Muslim is advised to remember God with proper and fitting utterances expressing his feelings and thoughtfulness.

There are given prayers for these occasions, but one can use whatever one knows as long as it is in praise of God and remembrance of Him. Here we give some specific examples to be used as a suitable pattern:

1. Before meals or drinks one says:

"In the name of God and with blessings from God."

It is also good practice to recite the Fatihah before meals.

2. When finishing meals one says:

"Al,-Hamdu Lil-Lahi-L-Ladhi At'amana, wasaqana, wa Ja'alana Muslimeen."

"All praise is due to God Who has given us to eat and to drink, and Who has made us Muslims."

3. When visiting the sick, one says

"Adhhibi-l-ba'sa Rabba-n-nas, wa-shfi Anta-Sh-shafi; la shifa a' lla shifa-'uk-shifa'an la yughadiru saqama."

"Take away the sickness, 0 Lord of all people! and restore to health, You are the Healer; there is no healing but the healing You give; grant recovery which leaves no ailment behind."

Now it is time to deal with the Fatihah, the Tashahhud and some short passages from the Qur’an.