Misconceptions about salah

The Prophet (saaws) prayed this way, then you should too. The Prophet (saaws) said "Pray as you see me pray". And the word 'taslim' means to say salam at the end of prayer. You know right before you finish the prayer you look to your right and then say "asalamu 'alykum wa rahmatullah" and then you look left and say salam...that action is called taslim.

And yes Sahih Bukhari is the most authentic book and this is an agreement with the Islamic scholars.

What should you do? Whatever is written in Bukhari you should do it without question because it is guaranteed that this is how the Prophet (pbuh) prayed.

format_quote Originally Posted by 'Abd-al Latif

The Prophet (saaws) prayed this way, then you should too. The Prophet (saaws) said "Pray as you see me pray". And the word 'taslim' means to say salam at the end of prayer. You know right before you finish the prayer you look to your right and then say "asalamu 'alykum wa rahmatullah" and then you look left and say salam...that action is called taslim.

And yes Sahih Bukhari is the most authentic book and this is an agreement with the Islamic scholars.

What should you do? Whatever is written in Bukhari you should do it without question because it is guaranteed that this is how the Prophet (pbuh) prayed.

i am not sure that is the best advice, as you might not know the context of a particular hadith, whether the ruling is changed by a later hadith or ayat etc.

so hence why we need scholars, but certainly if you find something in there which is confusing you where you have been taught x but the quran and sunnah say y then check with a trustworthy alim about it.

Sayings Of The Imaams Regarding Following The Sunnah And Ignoring Their Views Contradictory To It

1) Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah)

The first of them is Abu Haneefah Nu'maan ibn Thaabit, whose companions have narrated from him various sayings and diverse warnings, all of them leading to one thing: the obligation to accept the Hadeeth, and to give up following the opinions of the imaams which contradict it:


1. "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab."

2. "It is not permitted for anyone to accept our views if they do not know from where we got them."


In one narration, "It is prohibited for someone who does not know my evidence to give verdicts on the basis of my words."

Another narration adds, "... for we are mortals: we say one thing one day, and take it back the next day."

In another narration, "Woe to you, O Ya'qub Do not write down everything you hear from me, for it happens that I hold one opinion today and reject it tomorrow, or hold one opinion tomorrow and reject it the day after tomorrow."


3. "When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then ignore my saying."

2) Maalik ibn Anas (rahimahullaah)

As for Imaam Maalik ibn Anas, he said:
1. "Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it."

2. "Everyone after the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) will have his sayings accepted and rejected - not so the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)."

3. Ibn Wahb said: "I heard Maalik being asked about cleaning between the toes during ablution. He said, 'The people do not have to do that.' I did not approach him until the crowd had lessened, when I said to him, 'We know of a sunnah about that.' He said, 'What is that ?' I said, 'Laith ibn Sa'd, Ibn Lahee'ah and 'Amr ibn al-Haarith narrated to us from Yazeed ibn 'Amr al-Ma'aafiri from Abu 'Abdur-Rahman al-Hubuli from Mustawrid ibn Shaddaad al-Qurashi who said, 'I saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) rubbing between his toes with his little finger.' He said, 'This hadeeth is sound; I had not heard of it at all until now.' Afterwards, I heard him being asked about the same thing, on which he ordered cleaning between the toes."

3) Shaafi'i (rahimahullaah)

As for Imaam Shaafi'i, the quotations from him are most numerous and beautiful and his followers were the best in sticking to them:
1. "The sunnahs of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) reach, as well as escape from, every one of us. So whenever I voice my opinion, or formulate a principle, where something contrary to my view exists on the authority of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then the correct view is what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said, and it is my view."

2. "The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is made clear to someone, it is not permitted for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else."

3. "If you find in my writings something different to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then speak on the basis of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and leave what I have said."
In one narration: "... then follow it (the Sunnah), and do not look sideways at anyone else's saying."

4. "When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my madhhab."

5. "You are more knowledgeable about Hadeeth than I, so when a hadeeth is saheeh, inform me of it, whether it is from Kufah, Basrah or Syria, so that I may take the view of the hadeeth, as long as it is saheeh."

6. "In every issue where the people of narration find a report from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to be saheeh which is contrary to what I have said, then I take my saying back, whether during my life or after my death."

7. "If you see me saying something, and contrary to it is authentically-reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then know that my intelligence has departed."

8. "For everything I say, if there is something authentic from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) contrary to my saying, then the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) comes first, so do not follow my opinion."

9. "Every statement on the authority of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is also my view, even if you do not hear it from me."

4) Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah)

Imaam Ahmad was the foremost among the Imaams in collecting the Sunnah and sticking to it, so much so that he even "disliked that a book consisting of deductions and opinions be written." Because of this he said:

1. "Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi'i, nor Awzaa'i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took."
In one narration: "Do not copy your Deen from anyone of these, but whatever comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions, take it; next are their Successors, where a man has a choice."
Once he said: "Followingmeans that a man follows what comes from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions; after the Successors, he has a choice."

2. "The opinion of Awzaa'i, the opinion of Maalik, the opinion of Abu Haneefah: all of it is opinion, and it is all equal in my eyes. However, the proof is in the narrations (from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions)."

3. "Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is on the brink of destruction."

Wa Alaykum Assalaam,

To learn about Salah, it might be easier to read a book specifically on that topic, because it will have gathered all the relevant hadeeth and explain them. Going through a vast hadeeth book such as Saheeh Al-Bukhari without any guidance or help from someone knowledgeable could create confusion. From what I understand, it is better to start with simpler books and work your way upwards.

Although wikipedia is right here, be careful about using that site because it isn't the best source for learning about Islam.

Check these sites for useful online books/articles:

http://www.abdurrahman.org/ - Salah section
http://www.kalamullah.com/worship.html

Regarding the double bowing thing - it might be referring to the Eclipse Prayer, which is a special prayer that is different to the regular Fardh prayers. Allaah (swt) knows best.

format_quote Originally Posted by apcslkdanial

y shud i blindly follow islam????
and as for these "years" everyone after the prophet s.a.w and the sahaba r.a CAN be wrong. Our Imaan is on the ALLAH and the Prophet s.a.w and because the Prophet s.a.w said so we also have to follow the sahaba r.a

Then investigate for yourself (or perhaps with an Alim) the different Madh'habs. I'm certain the different Imams followed the teachings of RasulAllah (SAWS) and the Sahaba (radhi Allahu anhum). Imam Abu Hanifa was born not long after the death of Muhammad (SAWS), and was one the tabi'un, as he saw Anas Ibn Malik (ra). Several of Imam Abu Hanifa's students studied under Imam Malik as well. Imam Shafi' was taught by students of Imam Abu Hanifa as well as Imam Malik. Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal studied under Imam Shafi'i.

So, it's not like they're completely different anyways.

No, that's not what I'm saying. Continue reading Sahih Al-Bukhari as you can be 100% sure it is authentic. But don't on the other hand 100% disregard everything else. Sometimes, it can be hard to extract definite 'rulings' from hadith (especially about issues like salaah) if you're not trained in that field.

of course.

no! not unless you completely want to loose the plot, put it away and go to a school to learn, bukhari is not the manual of Islam, but a collection of "who said to whom about hearing it from so and so seeing/hearing RasulAllah doing/saying such and such.

unless you've memorised him all as well as Quraan, so that you are able to recall all ayats and Ahadith on any given subject, you can not give a ruling on that subject.