Translation of Islamic Prayer: What people recite in Salah (Namaz)?
Praying 5 times a day is obligatory for every Muslim, and these compulsory prayers are known as ‘Salah’ in Arabic. Most people and many Muslims don’t understand the meaning of what is recited during the prayer as the Salah is prayed entirely in Arabic. What is recited in the prayer is of extreme significance as Salah is equivalent to a person talking to God in private. A Muslim is supposed to pray as if He is seeing God, and if he can’t do that then he should believe that God is seeing him. In this lesson, we will study the translation of Islamic prayer and basic recitations that are part of every Salah!
Translation of Islamic Prayer
Takbeer
(اَللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ) Every prayer starts with the takbeer which signifies the start of every prayer. Everyone must have heard the phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’. It is known as takbeer and it means ‘Allah is the Greatest’. This phrase is repeated frequently during the Salah. The first takbeer is accompanied by raising of hands, and both arms are folded.
Sanaa
- سُبْحَا نَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ Subhanaka Allahumma Wa Bihamdika Wa Tabarakasmuka Wa Ta’ala Jadduka Wa la ilaha Ghayruka Glory be to You, O Allah (SWT), and all praises are due unto You, and blessed is Your name and high is Your majesty and none is worthy of worship but You. The Sanaa is prayed after folding the hands, and is followed by seeking refuge from Shaytan.
- اَعُوْذُ باِللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَنِ الرَّ جِيْمِ Aoozu Billahi Mina Ashshaytanirrajeem I seek Refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.
Surah Fatiha
- After Sana and Tauuz, Surah Fatiha is recited. Surah Fatiha is mandatory and is repeated in every Rak’ah. The word Fatiha means “opening” and refers to it being the first chapter of the Quran. It is also kown as Ummul Kitab – ‘The mother of the book’, as it is the most significant surah of the Quran. The Surah has seven Ayats!
- Bismilahi rahmani rahim بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
- 1. Alhamdu Lillahi Rabbil Aalamin الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ All the praises are for Allah, the Sustainer of all the worlds
- 2. ArRahmair Rahim الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ The Beneficent, the Merciful
- 3. Maliki Youmiddin مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ Lord of the Day of Judgment
- 4. Iyyaka Na’budu wa Iyyaka Nastaee’n إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ You alone do we worship and You alone do we ask for help
- 5. Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqeem اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ Lead us along the straight path
- 6. Siratal Lazeena An’amta A’layhim صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favours
- 7. Ghayril Maghdoobi Alayhim Walad Dallin غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ Not of those who incurred Your wrath, nor (of those who) went astray.
Surah Fatiha is the most important surah of the Quran, and is a prayer that every Muslim must recite many times every day. In the next blog, we will discuss the Surah in detail. After Surah Fatiha, any other Surah, or a minimum of three verses are recited from the Quran.
Rukoo
After the recitation of Surah Fatihah, the person Bows after takbeer and recites سُبْحَانَ رَبِّىَ الْعَظِيْمِ Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty
Qeyam
After Rukoo, the person stands up by saying سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه Sami Allahu Liman Hamidah God hears those who praise Him And after standing straight says رَبَّنَـا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ Rabbana lakal Hamd Oh our Lord, all praise is to You.
Sajdah
The first prostration is done after Qeyam and the palms, knees and forehead is placed on the ground, alongside the nose and forehead, and the remembrance of the God is recited سُبْحَانَ رَبِّىَ الأَ عْلَى Subhana Rabbiyal Ala Glory be to my Lord, the Most High
Jalasah
After the first Sajdah, the person sits down and may seek forgiveness by reciting اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ Allahumma Aghfirli O Allah, Forgive me
Second Sajdah
After the First Jalasah, the person goes to Sajdah again and recites the same prayer. After the second Sajdah, the person should stand up and repeat the same sequence again and recite a different Surah after Surah Fatiha. After the second Rekah, the person should sit down and recite
Tashahhud
اَلتَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِبَاتُ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ اَيُّهَاالنَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِيْنَ اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَّ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ At Tahyatu lillahi was Salawatu wat Tayyibatu. Asslamu alaika ya ayyuhan Nabiiyu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu. Asslamu alaina wa ala ibadullahis Saliheen Ashhadu Alla Ilaha Illallah wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluh All compliments, prayers and beautiful expressions are for God. Peace be on you, O Messenger, and God’s mercy and blessings. Peace be on us and on all righteous servants of God. I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship except God. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Envoy.
Greetings on the Prophet
After Tashahhud, Darood is recited اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَـا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى آلِ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ اَللَّهُمَّ بَـارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَـا بَـاَرَكْتَ عَلَى اِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَى آلِ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ Allahumma Salli Ala Muhammad wa Ala Ali Muhammad, Kama Sallayta Ala Ibrahima Wa ala Ali Ibrahima innaka Hameedum Majeed Allahumma Barik Ala Muhammad wa Ala Ali Muhammad, Kama Barakta Ala Ibrahima Wa ala Ali Ibrahima innaka Hameedum Majeed My God, honor Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as you honoured Abraham and Abraham’s family Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great My God, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as you blessed Abraham and Abraham’s family Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great.
Prayer from the Quran
One of the prayers from the prayers can be recited. The most common prayer that is usually recited is اَللهُمَّ اِنِّىْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسْ ظُلْماً كَشِيْرًا وَّلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ اِلآَّ انْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِىْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِىْ اِنَّـكَ اَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ Allahumma Inni Zalamtu Nafsi Zulman Kaseeran La Yaghfiruz Zunooba illa anta faghfirli maghfiratun min indika warhamni innaka antal ghafoorur Raheem O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself and no one forgives sins but You. So, grant me forgiveness and have mercy on me. Surely, you are Forgiving, Merciful This is the most common dua that is recited, but any other dua can be recited as well.
Tasleem
The Prayer can be completed by turning right and then left by saying اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ Asslamualaikum Wa rahmatullah God’s peace and blessings be upon you. This signifies the completion of the prayer. There are many duas that a person may recite after completion of the salah, and we will look at them in the next few lessons.
Why Muslims Pray in Arabic
Muslims can pray in any language, but the Salah has to be entirely in Arabic. Similarly, the Holy Quran has been translated in most of the world’s languages, but it is preserved in its original format, and is always recited in Arabic. One of the main reasons behind the preservation of the original language is that translating any text alters the meaning of the text, and no translation can convey the meaning in its entirety. In the next blog, we will understand through the in-depth translation of Surah Fatiha, the differences in understanding and meaning that come into place with a change in language.
Learning Arabic is extremely important to appreciate the Quran, Salah and most of the prayers. At SAIOI, our extremely qualified teachers teach Quranic Arabic, Islamic Studies, Conversational Arabic Classical and Modern Arabic.