Performing the Afternoon Prayer
Performing the afternoon prayer on time is a means for a person to have their sins forgiven and is a step towards attaining Allah's approval. In addition, the prayers and dhikr made after the afternoon prayer are also accepted, so this time is an opportunity for both worship and prayer for Muslims. The afternoon prayer strengthens faith, brings a person closer to Allah and provides spiritual balance by reminding them that worldly affairs are temporary.
HOW MANY RAKATS ARE THE AFTERNOON PRAYER?
The afternoon prayer consists of a total of four rak'ahs of fard and two rak'ahs of sunnah. The four fard rak'ahs constitute the basic worship part of each of the five daily prayers of Islam. The four fard rak'ahs of the afternoon prayer are considered to be an act of worship that must be performed during one of the most precious periods of time for a person in this world and the hereafter. The sunnah prayers performed before and after the afternoon prayer are also of great importance.
The Sunnah of the afternoon prayer is an act of worship frequently performed by our Prophet (pbuh) and recommended to believers. The afternoon prayer, which is a combination of the fard and the sunnah, is considered an act of worship that strengthens the spiritual life of the believer and brings him closer to Allah. The sunnah prayers performed after the fard are performed also provide an opportunity to increase the person's rewards and increase his spiritual value.
HOW DO MEN AND WOMEN PERFORM AFTERNOON PRAYER?
The afternoon prayer is performed after the noon prayer, before the sun begins to set. The afternoon prayer is performed as four rakats fard and two rakats sunnah. The prayer is performed basically the same for both men and women, but the practices of the prayer are similar, except for the special rules for women to cover themselves and some practical differences.
Intent:
Before starting the prayer, a person makes an intention. The intention can be made verbally or from the heart. For example, the intention can be as follows: "I intend to perform the obligatory part of the afternoon prayer for the sake of Allah."
Starting the prayer by reciting the takbir:
The hands are raised to ear level and "Allahu Akbar" is said. This signifies the beginning of the prayer.
Reading of Subhaneke:
After the takbir is recited, the hands are lowered to chest level in a normal manner and the "Subhaneke" prayer is recited. This prayer is a prayer that should be recited at the beginning of the prayer:
"Subhanaka Allahumma, praise be to Allah, and glory be to Him, and may He be glorified and exalted be He, and there is no god but Allah."
After this prayer, the fingers of the right hand are touched together, the right hand is held at chest level and the Fatiha surah is recited:
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The owner of the day. I am the one who works and who is in a state of rest. I seek refuge in the righteous. I will not seek refuge in those who are wronged, nor in those who are wronged."
Surah Surah:
After Surah Fatiha, a short surah or verse is usually recited. This is done in every raka'ah of the prayer. For example, short surahs such as "Surah Ikhlas" or "Surah Kafirun" can be recited.
Ruku:
After reading the additional sura, the person goes into ruku. The hands are placed on the knees, the back is kept straight and the head should be in line with the back. The prayer recited in ruku:
"Subhana Rabbiyel Azim" (3 times)
Departure:
After ruku, one should stand up and say "Semi'Allahu limen hamideh" and then "Rabbana lekel hamd".
Prostration:
Then we go into prostration. During prostration, the forehead, nose, both hands, both knees and both toes should touch the ground. The prayer recited during prostration:
"Subhana Rabbiyel A'la" (3 times)
Rising from prostration and performing the second prostration:
After rising from prostration, one sits for a while (i.e. "Calsa" position) and then goes into prostration again and recites the same prayer.
Second Rakat:
All of these steps are repeated for the second raka'ah. At the end of the second raka'ah, the person sits down after performing the prostration.
At the end of the second rakat, the tahiyyat prayer is recited:
"At-Tahiyyatu lillahi wa's-blessings and peace be upon you, O Prophet, and his mercy and blessings. Peace be upon you and upon the servants of Allah, and upon the servants of Allah, and his blessings. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and messenger."
During this sitting, the following salawat is recited:
"O Allah, send your blessings upon Muhammad and upon all of Muhammad, so send your blessings upon Ibrahim and upon all of Ibrahim, may Allah have mercy on him."
Greeting:
To end the prayer, one says "As-salamu aleykum wa rahmatullah" to the right and left. This is the end of the prayer.
SPECIAL RULES FOR WOMEN
Women pray in the same way, but there are a few differences in terms of covering:
SPECIAL RULES FOR MEN
Similarly, men should cover their bodies, but they do not need to cover their heads. The dress they wear during prayer is provided by trousers and a shirt or a headscarf. After the prayer, a voluntary prayer can be made and thanks are given to Allah. After the afternoon prayer is made obligatory, additional prayers and dhikr can be made according to the person's needs and intentions. It is an act of worship that contains rich spirituality and peace.
Habertürk
