(Observing proper alignment of the prayer’s pillars)

Rifa'a b. Rafi' said that a man came and prayed in the mosque, after which he went and saluted the Prophet, who replied, “Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed.” He asked him to teach him how to pray and he said:When you face the qibla say the takbir; then recite Umm al-Qur’an* and what God wishes you to recite; when you bow place the palms of your hands on your knees, bowing completely and stretching out your back; when you raise yourself straighten your spine and raise your head so as to adopt an erect position; when you prostrate yourself do it completely; when you raise yourself sit on your left thigh; do that every time you bow and prostrate yourself till you are at rest, having finished your prayer. This is the wording of al-Masabih. *The first sura. Abu Dawud transmitted it with a slight alteration, and Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted something to the same effect. In a version by Tirmidhi he said, “When you get up to pray perform the ablution as God commanded you, then say the shahada (The testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His messenger) and proceed with the prayer. If you know any of the Qur’an recite it, otherwise say, ‘Praise be to God; God is most great; there is no god but God.’ Then bow.”