✍ Written by: Ḥāfiẓ Saʿīd al-Raḥmān Hāzārawī
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, abundant, pure, and blessed praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the noblest of the Prophets and Messengers. To proceed:
In our society, the idea is rapidly spreading that "one must pray, no matter how or in whatever way." This thought and perspective is completely incorrect.
It is certainly correct that one must pray, because Ṣalāh is an obligation upon every Muslim believer, but saying that "one may pray however they wish" is not supported by the Qur'an and Ḥadīth.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ﴾
"Indeed, there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example."
[al-Aḥzāb: 21]
This verse is a clear proof that it is obligatory to follow and imitate the sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ precisely. One’s personal preferences have no place in this matter.
The topic we aim to address is:
Sayyidunā Sahl bin Saʿd al-Sāʿidī رضي الله عنه said:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform prayer on the pulpit. He stood on it and said takbīr, then bowed while still on it, then he stepped back in reverse and prostrated at the base of the pulpit. After finishing the prayer, he turned to the people and said:"
«أيها الناس، إنما صنعت هذا لتأتموا بي ولتعلموا صلاتي»
“O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn how I perform Ṣalāh.”
This proves that the Prophet ﷺ performed this act on the pulpit solely for the purpose of education and guidance, emphasizing that the objective is to follow him. If people were allowed to pray however they liked, there would have been no need for the Prophet ﷺ to teach Salah in this manner or command his followers to imitate him.
Thus, we must learn the way of the Prophet ﷺ in prayer and demonstrate this by performing our prayers accordingly, forsaking our own preferences for his.
"We came to the Prophet ﷺ as a group of young men, staying with him for twenty nights. The Prophet ﷺ was extremely kind and merciful. When he realized that we were longing to return to our families, he asked us whom we had left behind. Then he said:"
«ارجعوا إلى أهليكم فأقيموا فيهم وعلموهم ومروهم، وصلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي…»
“Return to your families, stay with them, teach them, and command them. And perform prayer as you have seen me perform it… When the time for prayer comes, let one of you call the Adhān, and the eldest among you lead the prayer.”
These words "صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي" — “Pray as you have seen me praying” — are very significant.
If prayer could be performed as one desired, these words would hold no weight. But because the Prophet ﷺ emphasized them, it shows the necessity of adhering to his method.
The Companions used to perform wuḍūʾ, prayer, rows, bowing, prostration, and standing exactly as the Prophet ﷺ did.
"Abū Qilābah said: Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith came to us and led us in prayer in our mosque. He said: I am not praying for the sake of leading you, **but to show you how I saw the Prophet ﷺ praying.”
❖ Benefit: Mālik رضي الله عنه demonstrated the Prophetic prayer to teach its exact form, so people could follow it. Subḥān Allāh!
«إني لا ألو أن أصلي بكم كما رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي بنا…»
"I do not fall short in leading you in prayer the way I saw the Prophet ﷺ lead us."
❖ Benefit: Anas رضي الله عنه ensured that the prayer he led was exactly according to the Prophet’s method, without any shortcomings or alterations.
Imams must guide people according to the Prophetic prayer, study the related aḥādīth, and teach them.
They should refer to:
"Ḥumrān, the freed slave of ʿUthmān, narrated that he saw ʿUthmān رضي الله عنه call for water and perform wuḍūʾ exactly as described below, and then said:"
«قال رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم: من توضأ نحو وضوئي هذا ثم صلى ركعتين لا يحدث فيهما نفسه غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه»
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever performs wuḍūʾ like this of mine and then prays two rakʿahs without letting his mind wander, his previous sins will be forgiven."
«من سره أن يعلم وضوء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فهو هذا»
"Whoever wants to know the Wuḍūʾ of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, this is it."
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his face toward the people and said three times:"
«أقيموا صفوفكم، والله لتقيمن صفوفكم أو ليخالفن الله بين قلوبكم»
“Straighten your rows, or Allah will cause division among your hearts.”
Nuʿmān said: I saw people align their shoulders, knees, and ankles with those beside them.
❖ Benefit: The Ṣaḥābah would align their rows as per the Prophet's command, without leaving gaps. We must do the same.
All of the above clearly refutes the notion that one can pray however they want. Rather, prayer must be performed exactly as the Prophet ﷺ did, without any personal alterations.
"صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي"
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
❖ How Should One Perform Salah?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, abundant, pure, and blessed praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the noblest of the Prophets and Messengers. To proceed:
In our society, the idea is rapidly spreading that "one must pray, no matter how or in whatever way." This thought and perspective is completely incorrect.
It is certainly correct that one must pray, because Ṣalāh is an obligation upon every Muslim believer, but saying that "one may pray however they wish" is not supported by the Qur'an and Ḥadīth.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ﴾
"Indeed, there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example."
[al-Aḥzāb: 21]
This verse is a clear proof that it is obligatory to follow and imitate the sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ precisely. One’s personal preferences have no place in this matter.
The topic we aim to address is:
❖ “How Should One Perform Salah?” – It Must Be According to the Prophetic Method
◈ Evidence from the Sunnah:
Sayyidunā Sahl bin Saʿd al-Sāʿidī رضي الله عنه said:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform prayer on the pulpit. He stood on it and said takbīr, then bowed while still on it, then he stepped back in reverse and prostrated at the base of the pulpit. After finishing the prayer, he turned to the people and said:"
«أيها الناس، إنما صنعت هذا لتأتموا بي ولتعلموا صلاتي»
“O people! I did this so that you may follow me and learn how I perform Ṣalāh.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 917
This proves that the Prophet ﷺ performed this act on the pulpit solely for the purpose of education and guidance, emphasizing that the objective is to follow him. If people were allowed to pray however they liked, there would have been no need for the Prophet ﷺ to teach Salah in this manner or command his followers to imitate him.
Thus, we must learn the way of the Prophet ﷺ in prayer and demonstrate this by performing our prayers accordingly, forsaking our own preferences for his.
◈ Hadith of Sayyidunā Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith رضي الله عنه:
"We came to the Prophet ﷺ as a group of young men, staying with him for twenty nights. The Prophet ﷺ was extremely kind and merciful. When he realized that we were longing to return to our families, he asked us whom we had left behind. Then he said:"
«ارجعوا إلى أهليكم فأقيموا فيهم وعلموهم ومروهم، وصلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي…»
“Return to your families, stay with them, teach them, and command them. And perform prayer as you have seen me perform it… When the time for prayer comes, let one of you call the Adhān, and the eldest among you lead the prayer.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 631
These words "صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي" — “Pray as you have seen me praying” — are very significant.
If prayer could be performed as one desired, these words would hold no weight. But because the Prophet ﷺ emphasized them, it shows the necessity of adhering to his method.
❖ The Ṣaḥābah رضي الله عنهم and the Prayer of the Prophet ﷺ
The Companions used to perform wuḍūʾ, prayer, rows, bowing, prostration, and standing exactly as the Prophet ﷺ did.
◈ Example of Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith رضي الله عنه:
"Abū Qilābah said: Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith came to us and led us in prayer in our mosque. He said: I am not praying for the sake of leading you, **but to show you how I saw the Prophet ﷺ praying.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 824
❖ Benefit: Mālik رضي الله عنه demonstrated the Prophetic prayer to teach its exact form, so people could follow it. Subḥān Allāh!
◈ Sayyidunā Anas رضي الله عنه said:
«إني لا ألو أن أصلي بكم كما رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي بنا…»
"I do not fall short in leading you in prayer the way I saw the Prophet ﷺ lead us."
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 821
❖ Benefit: Anas رضي الله عنه ensured that the prayer he led was exactly according to the Prophet’s method, without any shortcomings or alterations.
❖ A Call to the Imams of Today
Imams must guide people according to the Prophetic prayer, study the related aḥādīth, and teach them.
They should refer to:
- Kitāb al-Ṣalāh in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
- Similar chapters in other Hadith collections
◈ Example of Wuḍūʾ from Sayyidunā ʿUthmān رضي الله عنه:
"Ḥumrān, the freed slave of ʿUthmān, narrated that he saw ʿUthmān رضي الله عنه call for water and perform wuḍūʾ exactly as described below, and then said:"
«قال رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم: من توضأ نحو وضوئي هذا ثم صلى ركعتين لا يحدث فيهما نفسه غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه»
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever performs wuḍūʾ like this of mine and then prays two rakʿahs without letting his mind wander, his previous sins will be forgiven."
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 159
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 227
◈ Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه also taught Wuḍūʾ and said:
«من سره أن يعلم وضوء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فهو هذا»
"Whoever wants to know the Wuḍūʾ of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, this is it."
Reference: Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 111 – Authentic Chain
◈ Sayyidunā Nuʿmān bin Bashīr رضي الله عنه narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his face toward the people and said three times:"
«أقيموا صفوفكم، والله لتقيمن صفوفكم أو ليخالفن الله بين قلوبكم»
“Straighten your rows, or Allah will cause division among your hearts.”
Nuʿmān said: I saw people align their shoulders, knees, and ankles with those beside them.
Reference: Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 662 – Authentic
❖ Benefit: The Ṣaḥābah would align their rows as per the Prophet's command, without leaving gaps. We must do the same.
Conclusion
All of the above clearly refutes the notion that one can pray however they want. Rather, prayer must be performed exactly as the Prophet ﷺ did, without any personal alterations.
"صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي"
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
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