The Book of Prayer

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) looked at us and said, "When one of you is (sitting) in prayer, he should say, 'All services reported by words, by prayers (acts of worship), and all good things are due to Allah, peace be upon you, OProphet, and Allah's mercy and blessings, peace be upon us and upon Allah's upright slaves. I testify that nothing deserves to be worshippedexcept Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.' Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him most and recite it."[Agreed upon, and this wording is from al-Bukhari].

'We used to say before at-Tashahhud become obligatory on us'.

'The Prophet (ﷺ) taught him at-Tashahhud and ordered him toteach it to the people.'

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to teach us at-Tashahhud: "All services expressed by words, increase in good, acts of worship and all good things are due to Allah ... " till the end.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard a man supplicating during his prayer. He did not praise Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ)said, "He made haste." He then called him and said, "When any of you prays, he should begin with the glorification of his Rabb (Lord) and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ); thereafter he shouldsupplicate Allah for anything he wishes."[Ahmad and ath-Thalathah reported it; a-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic)].

Bashir bin Sa'd said, "Allah has commanded us to invoke blessings on you, O Messenger of Allah! But how should we bless you?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kept quiet (a while) and then said, "Say: 'O Allah, bless Muhammad and the members of hisfamily as You have blessed Ibrahim, and grant favours to Muhammad and the members of his family as You have granted favours to Ibrahim. In the worlds You are indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious.' And the Taslim is as you know.[Reported by Muslim].

"How should we invoke blessings on you, whenever we invoke blessing on you in our prayers?"

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "When one of you finishes the (last) Tashahhud, he should seek refuge in Allah from four things by saying: 'O Allah I seek refuge in You against the punishment ofJahannam (Hell-fire), the punishment of the grave, the trial of life and death and the evil of the trial of Masih ad-Dajjal (Antichrist)."' [Agreed upon].

"When any of you finishes the last Tashahhud."

He said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), "Teach me a supplication to use in my prayer." He (ﷺ) said: "Say: O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and no one forgives sins except You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, You are the Forgiving and the Merciful One."[Agreed upon].

I prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) and he would give the Taslim (salutation) to his right side (saying), "Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah"; and to his left side (saying), "Peace be upon you and mercy and the blessings of Allah."[Reported by Abu Dawud, with a Sahih (authentic) chain].

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say after every obligatory prayer: "There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah Alone, Who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He has power over every thing. O Allah no one can withhold what You have given, or give what You have withheld and riches cannot avail a wealthy person against You."[Agreed upon].

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to seek Allah's protection by invoking this supplication (Du'a) at the end of every Salat (prayer): "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from stinginess, I seek refuge in You from cowardice, I seek refuge in You from old age (and senility), I seek refuge in You from the temptation of the world and I seek refuge in You from the punishment in the grave."[Reported by al-Bukhari].

Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he used to say after asking Allah's forgiveness three times: "O Allah, You are as-Salam (One Free from every defect), and as-Salam (safety from every evil) is (sought) from You. Blessed are You, O Possessor of glory and honour."[Reported by Muslim].

"Whoever glorifies Allah (by saying Subhan-Allah) after every Salat (prayer) thirty-three times, and praises Allah (by saying Alhamdu-lillah) thirty-three times, and exalts Allah (by saying Allahu Akbar) thirty-three times, those are ninety-nine in all, and says to complete a hundred: La ilaha ill-Allahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahulhamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shai'in Qadir (There is nothing which deserves to be worshipped except Allah Alone Who has no partner; to Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He has power over everything), his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea."[Reported by Muslim].

"at-Takbir (Allah is the Most Great) is thirty-four times."

'O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You perfectly.'"[Ahmad, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i reported itthrough a strong chain of narrators].

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at the end of every obligatory prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering Paradise."[An-Nasa'i reported it, and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih (authentic).

"Say [O Muhammad (ﷺ)]: "He is Allah, (the) One. (Surat al-lkhlas - Surat No. 112)

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Pray as you have seen me praying."[Reported by al-Bukhari].