Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

i have recently converted to Islam and cannot pronounce the words i am ment to say while in prayer. i have read books and dvds. before i sleep i talk to Allah and thank him. Can Allah hear me?

I dont know why i cant understand the books and movies. So many words i do not understand and all the actions and surahs. i just do not understand.

would u be able to send me every word that i am ment to say in arabic so i can read it please. also i cannot stand so i need insruction on how to do it sitting.

do i just have a paper infront of me when i pray?

i really want to learn but i do not have any muslim friends or family.

please help me the right way

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Revert help in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Beloved Sister in Islam, may Allah Subhanah accept your conversion to the truth of Islam and give you the wisdom and the courage to remain steadfast on His Path of Truth. Ameen.

Your Question: ……before i sleep i talk to Allah and thank him. Can Allah hear me?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186:

And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

Respected sister, rest absolutely assured that your Lord Creator is The All-Knowing, All-Hearing, and is absolutely omnipresent everywhere in His Perfect and Absolute Knowledge…… and without an iota of a doubt, He Hears and Answers the supplications of each and everyone one.

Your Question: ……would u be able to send me every word that i am ment to say in arabic so i can read it please.

What we can do here is outline the basics and the obligatory acts of prayer as prayed by the Messenger of Allah (saws) with its transliteration and translation:

1. INTENTION AND TAKBIR

To make intention in your heart regarding the prayer you are about to make. Then raise your hands to your ears and say “Allah o Akbar” meaning Allah is the Greatest, signaling the start of Prayer.

2. QIYAM or Standing

Pray the Surah Al Fateha and any other aayahs from the Quran. (minimum 3 aayahs) These meanings can be learnt from the Quran Translation of the Surahs you want to pray.

3. RUKU or bowing

The Prophet (saws) used to say: “Subhan Allah il Adheem” meaning Glory be to Allah, the Most Great 3 times or more (but preferably in odd number formations, 3,5,7,9….)

4. STANDING UP FROM RUKU

The Prophet (saws) used to say: “Sameh Allah ho Leman Hameda” meaning Allah listens to the one who is grateful (for the bounties received by Allah).

In reply the nobles companions in the congregation used to say: “Rabbana lakal hamd” meaning O our Lord, we are grateful to you.

5. SAJDAH (Prostration)

The Prophet (saws) used to pray: “Subhana Rabb eil A’ala” meaning Glory be to Allah, the Most High. (3 times or more in odd number formation 3,5,7,9…)

6. SITTING BETWEEN TWO SAJDAHS

(This can be used to invoke any prayer to Allah.)

At times the Prophet (saws) used to make this supplication: ‘Allah hum mag firli wale waale dayya, wal lil mu’minina, wal mu’minate, wal muslemeena, wal muslemaate, hayy min hum wala hum amwaat.’

O Allah, forgive me, my parents, the true believing men, the true believing women, the believing men, the believing women, whether alive from amongst them, or they have died. (We beg You to forgive them all)

7. TASHAHUD

At tahiya tu lillahe was salawaato, wat tayyebato lillahe.

Every kind of salutes, all kinds of prayers, and all kinds of good and pure words and things, are for Allah Alone.

As Salaam alieka ya ayyo han nabi o, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

(Allah told the Prophet(saws) these words on the Night of Mairaaj in His audience): May Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon you, O Prophet (saws)

As Salaam o alayna wa a’la ibaa dallah hiss saleheen.

(The Prophet(saws) replied, as Allah Himself is the source of All Peace, and the Prophet (saws) could not possibly send Peace upon Allah): May Peace be upon me (saws), and the good, obedient or pious slaves of Allah.

Ash hado ann laa ilaha illahlah, wahdahu, laa sharika lahuu,

(The Prophet(saws) said to Allah in audience): I bear witness that there is no god, except Allah, Alone, He has no partners.

Wa ash hado anna Mohamed dan abdullahi wa Rasul Allah.

(And Allah replied): And I bear witness that (you, O) Mohamed, are the slave and Messenger of Allah

Allah humma salle a’la Mohamed din wa aa’le Mohamed, kama sallayta a’la Ibrahim wa ala aa’le Ibrahim

May Allah’s blessings be upon Mohamed (saws), and his ummah (or family or both), just like the blessing of Allah on Ibrahim and his ummah (or family or both)

Innaka Hameed un Majeed

For You are the All-Praiseworthy, the Glorious One.

Allah humma barik a’la Mohamed din wa aa’le Mohamed, kama barakta a’la Ibrahim wa ala aa’le Ibrahim

May Allah’s baraka be upon Mohamed (saws) and his ummah (or family or both) just like the baraka of Allah on Ibrahim and his ummah (or family or both)

Innaka Hameed un Majeed.

For You are the All-Praiseworthy, the Glorious One.

(Any Invocation to Allah)

Allah hum mag firli wale waaledayya war hum homa kama rabba yani saghira

O Allah, forgive me, and my parents, and have mercy upon them both, just as they had mercy on me when I was an infant.

8. TASLEEM to signal the end of prayer.

After completion of the ‘tashahud’, the Prophet (saws) would end his prayer by first turning his face towards his right and then left by saying: ‘As Salaam-o-alaykum wa Rahmatullah’ meaning ‘May Peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah’.

Respected sister, the rite of prayers in Islam are extremely simple and can be learnt easily in one short session. It would be best to contact any good muslim sister you know or even the ‘imam’ at your local mosque who would be honored to teach you the basics of performing the rite of prayer, Insha Allah. As much as books and dvds might help, it would be best to learn the basics of Islam on a one-to-one basis so that all your questions and clarifications can be instantaneously addressed.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan