Standing before Allah: from the takbiir to the recitation

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Pray as you have seen me praying" (Bukhari 631). Here is the beginning of every prayer, with the Arabic, the reading and the meaning.

1. The opening takbiir (takbiirat al-iḥraam) Standing, facing the qibla, with the intention in the heart, raise the hands to the level of the shoulders or ears (Bukhari 735, Muslim 390) and say: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ allaahu akbar: "Allah is the Greatest." From this moment, you are in the "sacred state" of prayer: no more speaking, eating or turning round. "Prayer begins with the takbiir and ends with the salaam" (Abu Dawud 61, Tirmidhi 3) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. Look at the place of prostration.

2. The position of the hands Place the right hand on the left hand, on the chest or below the navel (Bukhari 740). The Maliki school often leaves the arms by the sides [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche].

3. The opening supplication (du'aa' al-istiftaaḥ), recommended سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ subḥaanaka llaahumma wa bi-ḥamdik, wa tabaaraka smuk, wa ta'aalaa jadduk, wa laa ilaaha ghayruk "Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You" (Muslim 399; Abu Dawud 775, Tirmidhi 242) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. Other authentic formulas exist (Bukhari 744, Muslim 598). The Malikis do not say it in the obligatory prayer [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche].

4. Seeking refuge (al-isti'aadha) أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ a'uudhu billaahi mina sh-shayṭaani r-rajiim: "I seek refuge with Allah from Shayṭaan, the accursed" (from the meaning of verse 16:98).

5. The basmala بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ bismi llaahi r-raḥmaani r-raḥiim: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Very Merciful." Saying it aloud, quietly, or not at all in the obligatory prayer [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche].

6. Al-Faatiḥa, in every rak'a "There is no prayer for whoever does not recite Al-Faatiḥa" (Bukhari 756, Muslim 394). Listen to it in the recitation block. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ۝ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ۝ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ۝ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ۝ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ al-ḥamdu lillaahi rabbi l-'aalamiin. ar-raḥmaani r-raḥiim. maaliki yawmi d-diin. iyyaaka na'budu wa iyyaaka nasta'iin. ihdina ṣ-ṣiraaṭa l-mustaqiim. ṣiraaṭa lladhiina an'amta 'alayhim, ghayri l-maghḍuubi 'alayhim wa la ḍ-ḍaalliin. The meaning: "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Most Merciful, the Very Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us on the straight path, the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who are astray." Allah answers each verse of Al-Faatiḥa that His servant recites (hadith qudsi, Muslim 395). Behind an imam reciting aloud, reciting or listening [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche].

7. "Aamiin" آمِين aamiin: "O Allah, answer." It is said at the end of Al-Faatiḥa; in congregation, with the imam: whoever's "aamiin" coincides with that of the angels has their past sins forgiven (Bukhari 780, Muslim 410).

8. A surah or a few verses In the first two rak'as, after Al-Faatiḥa, recite what you know of the Qur'an (Bukhari 776, Muslim 451): for example Al-Ikhlaaṣ (112), Al-Kawthar (108), Al-'Aṣr (103), Al-Falaq (113), An-Naas (114), which you are learning in the course "Reading the Qur'an: first steps".

While learning Someone who does not yet know Al-Faatiḥa says instead: "subḥaana llaah, wa l-ḥamdu lillaah, wa laa ilaaha illa llaah, wa llaahu akbar, wa laa ḥawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah" (Abu Dawud 832, Nasaa'i 924) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros] [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche], and learns it as soon as possible. One can also pray behind an imam. What matters is to begin.

Exercise: recite Al-Faatiḥa while reading the meaning of one verse at a time. Then recite it once without the text, slowly.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The takbiir is a door: by saying "Allaahu akbar", you leave behind work, phone and worries, because Allah is greater than all of that. Keeping the gaze on the place of prostration helps you stay present. Al-Faatiḥa is a dialogue. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: "I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves… When he says: 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds', Allah says: 'My servant has praised Me'… and when he says: 'Guide us on the straight path…', He says: 'This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asked'" (Muslim 395). Reciting with this in mind changes everything. Presence of heart (al-khushuu') is the soul of the prayer: "Successful indeed are the believers, those who are humble in their prayer" (meaning of verses 23:1-2). It grows when we understand what we say: that is why this lesson gives the meaning of each formula. For a new Muslim, learning Al-Faatiḥa in Arabic takes a few days or a few weeks: that is normal. Prayer does not wait for perfection; Allah rewards the effort of one who recites with difficulty (Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798). Points where the schools differ: raising the hands (only at the first takbiir, or also before and after bowing and when rising from the second rak'a, Bukhari 735); the position of the hands; the opening supplication; the basmala; reciting Al-Faatiḥa behind the imam; the replacement formula while learning [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche].

Lessons to draw from it • Say the takbiir thinking of its meaning, not as a reflex. • Learn the meaning of Al-Faatiḥa, verse by verse, and keep it in mind while reciting. • Recite slowly, without swallowing the words. • Learn a new short surah each month to vary your recitation.

Key points to remember • Opening takbiir: "Allaahu akbar", with hands raised. • Opening: "Subḥaanaka llaahumma wa bi-ḥamdik…"; then "A'uudhu billaahi mina sh-shayṭaani r-rajiim". • Al-Faatiḥa in every rak'a (Bukhari 756, Muslim 394), then "aamiin". • A surah in the first two rak'as.

The main message Standing before Allah, we proclaim Him greater than everything, then speak to Him with Al-Faatiḥa: every verse receives an answer. Understanding these words is truly entering the prayer.