How to Pray Correctly

Question

Peace be upon you. I was young and my prayers were incorrect. As I grew older, I became shy to ask and learn so that no one would laugh at me. However, I now regret it, and I am 20 years old and want to learn the correct way to pray. [AR_ID:3322]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei and Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may God protect them):

First: There is no shame in religion, especially when it comes to a duty like prayer, which is described in the narration as the pillar of religion.

Second: We will convey to you the method by which Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) taught one of his companions to pray, as follows:

Hammād ibn 'Īsā said: One day, Abu 'Abd Allah (peace be upon him) asked me, "O Hammād, do you know how to pray?"

I replied, "My master, I have memorized the book of Harīz on prayer!"

He said, "That is not enough, O Hammād: stand up and pray."

So I stood before him, facing the Qibla, and began the prayer, bowing and prostrating.

He said, "O Hammād, you do not know how to pray. How shameful it is for a man among you to reach sixty or seventy years of age without performing a single prayer correctly!"

Hammād said: I felt humiliated.

I said: May I be sacrificed for you, teach me how to pray.

Then Abu 'Abd Allah (peace be upon him) stood facing the Qibla, upright, placing both hands on his thighs, fingers together, and bringing his feet close together until there was the space of three fingers between them, and he faced the Qibla with his toes without turning them away, and said with humility: "God is the Greatest."

Then he recited Al-Fatiha slowly, and "Say, He is Allah, One," then paused for a moment as long as it takes to breathe while standing, then raised his hands to his face and said, "God is the Greatest" while standing.

Then he bowed, spreading his hands on his knees, and drew his knees back until his back was straight, so that if a drop of water or oil were poured on his back, it would not move due to its straightness, and he extended his neck, closed his eyes, then glorified God three times slowly, saying, "Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great, and praise is due to Him."

Then he stood up, and when he was firmly standing, he said, "God hears the one who praises Him," then he said "God is the Greatest" while standing and raised his hands to his face.

Then he prostrated, spreading his hands with fingers together between his knees and facing his face, saying, "Glory is to my Lord, the Most High, and praise is due to Him" three times, and he did not place any part of his body on any part of the ground, and he prostrated on eight bones: the two hands, the two knees, the tips of the big toes of the two feet, the forehead, and the nose, and he said: "Seven of these are obligatory to prostrate on, which are those mentioned by God in His Book, where He said: 'And that the places of worship are for God, so do not invoke with God anyone.'" These are the forehead, the two hands, the two knees, and the two big toes, and placing the nose on the ground is a Sunnah."

Then he raised his head from prostration, and when he was sitting upright, he said: "God is the Greatest."

Then he sat on his left thigh, placing the top of his right foot on the bottom of his left foot, and said: "I seek forgiveness from God, my Lord, and I turn to Him."

Then he said "God is the Greatest" while sitting and performed the second prostration, saying as he did in the first, and he did not place any part of his body on any part of the ground in bowing or prostration, and he was inclined, and did not place his arms on the ground, and he prayed two units in this manner, with his fingers together while sitting in the Tashahhud, and when he finished the Tashahhud, he said the Salam.

He said: "O Hammād, pray like this."

Third: Since prayer and its manner have many conditions, especially regarding ablution, washing, and others, we advise you to refer to the practical jurisprudence book of your religious authority. We will send you the links in the source, or you can consult a religious scholar directly, as the issue may just be in some small matters.

If there are still unclear matters, we are at your service, but it would be better if you elaborate on your question and specify the exact problem.

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Source:

(1) Al-Kāfī: 3 / 311, by Sheikh Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulaynī, known as Thiqatu al-Islam, who passed away in the year 329 AH, published by Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah, year 1365 AH/Shamsiyyah, Tehran/Iran.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may God protect him): Message on Prayer and Fasting.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may God protect him): The Concise Book on Worship Laws, Parts of Prayer and Its Obligations.

May you be successful in all good.