How to Pray Ishraq Prayer
Ishraq prayer is a nafl salah (optional prayer) and performed 15-20 minutes after sunrise. Muslims offer this prayer for extra rewards from Allah almighty. As for raka’ts, 2 raka’ts of ishraq is preferred and recommended. As the Messenger (SAW) of Allah said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak’ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَنْ صَلَّى الْغَدَاةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ لَهُ كَأَجْرِ حَجَّةٍ وَعُمْرَةٍ
(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 586)
Performing Ishraq Prayer
To perform ishraq prayer you need to perform 2 nafl rak’ats after few minutes after sunrise. Keep in mind the hadith written above, that you have to keep in sitting posture after fajr and keep remembering Allah almighty till the performance of ishraq.
Preparation For Ishraq Prayer
Before performing Ishraq prayer you have to meet following mandatory conditions. These are not the part of prayer, but if these conditions are not met, your prayer will not be valid. As you are sitting since fajr at the same place and remembering Allah, hence you have already prepared for ishraq. The only thing you have to check is the right time for ishraq.
Check Time For Ishraq Prayer
Check the validity of time for ishraq prayer. It’s begin after 15-20 minutes after sunrise and remain somewhere in mid between sunrise and zenith.
Steps to Perform 2 Nafal Raka’ts
If time is right then follow the following steps to perform 2 nafal raka’ts of ishraq prayer.
Make Niyyat
Stand straight on the prayer mat facing kaaba (qibla) and make niyyat by saying ” I intend to pray 2 nafal raka’ts of ishraq 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 Hanfi 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.
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
