How to Perform Asr Prayer

By Last Updated: March 17, 2024Views: 38

Asr prayer is the third prayer of the conventional day. The time for Asr prayer starts when the sun is halfway down and it ends till the beginning of sunset. However, it is recommended to perform Asr in the earlier phase and don’t delay it until sunset. According to the Hanafi school of thought, the timing for asr prayer starts at Misal Sani (when the shadow of an object becomes double its size). While the Maliki school of thought states that the Asr time starts at Misal awwal (when the shadow of an object reaches equal to its size). Asr prayer is consist of four Fard Rakats, however, 4 Sunnah Rakats are optional (ghair moukida) to pray before Fard Rakats.

Performing Asr Prayer

To perform asr prayer you need to start by performing 4 sunnah ghair moukida. You can skip these 4 sunnah as its not a sin to skip sunnah ghair moukida. After that you have to perform 4 fard. In islamic communities, there are masjids where imam is responsible to lead 4 fard rakats and other muslims follow him in congregation (jamat). You can perform farD individually but jamat is a preffered way for fard rakats.

If you are performing prayer individually follow the following steps to perform asr prayer.

Prepration for asr Prayer

Before starting asr prayer you have to fulfil some mandatory conditions so that your prayer consider valid. If you does not meet any of these conditions, your prayer will be invalid and not acceptable according to Islam.

Check Time

Check the validity of time for asr prayer. The time for Asr prayer starts when the sun is halfway down and it ends till the beginning of sunset. If time is not valid, you can perform Qaza prayer.

Make Wudu

Before performing asr prayer, you need to perform ablution/wudu as it is mandatory to be clean according to islamic methods before any prayer. If you are not clean or you have not make yourself clean according to islamic methods, your prayer will be invalid.

Wear Clean(paak) Clothes

Check you clothes before starting prayer. Clothes must be clean (paak) before performing any prayer. For female, clothes must cover whole body accept hands, feet and face and for male it is mandatory to cover body from belly button to knees. this is called covering the saattar.

Find Clean(paak) Place

Praying place must be clean(paak). So chose a place which is clean(paak) and suitable for performing prayer. Masjid is a best option to perform prayer. If not, find a clean place in home, work place etc. to perform asr prayer.

Steps to Perform 4 Fard Rakats

If you are prepared for asr prayer, follow the following steps to perform 4 fard rakats of asr prayer. Note that this method to perfrom asr prayer is for individual performance.

Make Niyyat

Stand straight on the prayer mat facing kaaba and make niyyat by saying ” I intend to pray 4 Fard Rakats of asr prayer, facing towards the Holy Kaaba before Allah Almighty”. Niyyat is an intention and there are different opinions among islamic scholars about saying niyyat. So, consultation from local imam is recommended about saying words of niyyat.

Takbeer-e-Tahreem

After making niyyat, raise your hands to touch your ear in such a way your palms faces the kaaba and say takbeer-e-tahreem الله أكبر to enter in the state of prayer. Takbeer-e-tahreem is obligatory (fard) action to enter in the state of prayer in islam.

Qiyam

Qiyam refers to standing humbly and respectfully before Allah. Place your left hand almost on your belly button and right hand on left forearm in such a way that your thumb and little finger is pointing inward. In the state of qiyam, First recite
سُبْـحانَكَ اللّهُـمَّ وَبِحَمْـدِكَ وَتَبارَكَ اسْمُـكَ وَتَعـالى جَـدُّكَ وَلا إِلهَ غَيْرُك
then أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
and بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
and then recite complete surah al Fatiha
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil-‘alamin)
الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim)
مَلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (Maliki yawmid-din)
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nastain)
إِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ (Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim)
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (Siratal-ladhina an’amta ‘alayhim ghairil-maghdhoobi ‘alayhim wala d-dallin).

Now recite any surah from holy Quran. For learning we usually add surah Al-ikhlaas (الْإِخْلَاص).
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (Qul hu Allahu Ahad)
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ (Allahu samad)
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ (Lum yalid wa lum yulad)
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (Wa lum yakul lahu kufuwan ahad)

Perform Ruku

After reciting additional surah, Bend down saying الله أكبر in such a way that your hands are placed on your knees, fingers are spreading, making right angle from your head to hips and hips to heels. Place your gaze between your feet. Make sure that your elbows do not touch your body. According to majority of islamic scholars, raising your hands to ears while saying takbeer to enter in ruku is not preferred, so we recommend you to take advise from local imam. Keep this position humbly and recite the tasbeeh سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ minimum three times. You can recite this tasbeeh more then three times for longer ruku. Note that ruku posture for men and women are slight different. Men feet and shoulder are wide apart during ruku while women feet and shoulder are closer. Rise straight from ruku saying سمع الله لمن حمده and recite رَبَّنـا لَكَ الحَمْـدُ upon reaching the standing position.

Standing in Qooma

Qooma is a standing position between ruku and sajdah. Stand straight for a while after ruku in such a way that your hands are down and in free position. Say takbeer الله أكبر and go for first sajdah after standing for a while.

Perform First Sajdah

For sajdah sit down on your knees while your feet remains on the ground and thumbs of feet directing towards qibla. Place your forehead, nose and hands on the ground. Keep finger of your hands close with straight palms and your gaze straight on place, in between your hands. Men make sure that their elbows do not touch the ground and their back must be inclined. Women elbows must touch the ground while their back remain straight and close to ground. Recite tasbeeh سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى minimum three times and maximum to your desired times. After reciting tasbeeh for desired time, say takbeer الله أكبر and sit down with straight back.

Sitting in Jalsa

Jalsa refers to the sitting position between two sajood. After first sajdah, sit in resting position for a while such that your back is straight. After sitting a while say الله أكبر and go for second sajdah.

Perform 2nd Sajdah

Perform second sajdah just like the first one. For first rakat you have to stand up in qiyam saying takbeer الله أكبر after completing 2nd sajdah.

2nd Rakat

2nd rakat starts from qiyam after rising from 2nd sajdah. In 2nd rakat, start Qiyam from reciting surah-al-Fatiha and follow all the steps according to first rakat. After 2nd sajdah sit in tashhud saying takbeer.

Sit in Tashhud (At-Tahiyaat)

In tashhud, sit in such a way that you are sitting on your knees with straight back while your hands placed on your thighs with finger pointing to qibla. Position of feet depends upon your fiqah, so guidance from imam is recommended. Recite at-tahiyaat
اَلتَّحِيَّاتُ للهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالْبَرَكَاتُ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرحمةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلامُ علينا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ

When you reach on أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ , raise index finger of your right hand in such a way that your palm closed in the shape of lose fist touching the thigh and index finger points as up as possible before placing back on your thighs. Stand in qiyam while saying takbeer after reciting tashhud and start third rakat.

Third Rakat

Start third rakat from surah Al-Fatiha while in qayam. In third rakat of fard prayer, there is no need to recite additional surah after surah al-Fatiha. After that Follow all the steps as performed in first rakat including, standing in qiyam after 2nd sajdah.

Fourth Rakat

Start fourth rakat from surah Al-Fatiha while in qayam. In fourth rakat of fard prayer, there is no need to recite additional surah after surah al-Fatiha. After that Follow all the steps as performed in 2nd rakat including tashhud and reciting At-thiyaat. In forth rakat after At-Thiyat recite darood ibrahimi
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Followed by a Supplication. Most commonly used supplication is
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Tasleem

After reciting supplication, its time to complete the prayer with tasleem and to exit from worship state. First turn your face towards right shoulder and recite السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ and then turn your face towards right shoulder and recite
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

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