Over 100 mistakes made in Salaah

[Yusuf.McNulty.al.Irlandee]

Over 100 mistakes made in Salaah

From the works of Ibn Baaz, Ibn `Uthaymeen and the Permanent Committee

Gathered and ordered by Muhammad Ibn Saleem Ibn Salaah al-Juhanee [1]

Translated into English by Yusuf McNulty

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

All praise is for Allaah Alone, the Lord of all creation. May salaah and salaam be upon the best of the Prophets and Messengers; our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions altogether.

To proceed:

It’s not hidden to the Muslim of what the salaah contains of importance, for it’s the supporting pillar of the religion and the first of the Islamic obligations after the Testimony of Faith (shahaadatayn). It is the first thing that will be looked at from the actions of the servant on the Day of Judgement. So if it is good and proper, then he will be successful and saved, and if it is corrupt, then he will have failed and lost out. For this reason it is binding upon the Muslim to have serious diligence in performing the salaah upon its most complete form, just as it was narrated from the Prophet – sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam.

The one who looks to the state of many of the Muslims today and how they are with regards to the salaah, will surely see much outright negligence in the way it is performed, either by way of innovated statements and actions (being added to it), or by performing some of the pillars and recommendations of the salaah in the wrong place or in an incorrect manner, or other than that from various errors and mistakes.
The true believer cannot perfect his Eemaan, up until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself [2], so from this angle, as an advice for myself and my Muslim brothers (and sisters), I gathered together the most common errors and mistakes which are present within our mosques. And that which I found was that our `Ulamaa have already alluded to these mistakes in their books. (So I did this) as a warning from falling into these errors, and also to mention that some of these affairs have been differed over, so I made an effort to mention the most correct opinion, from that which our `Ulamaa the likes of Ibn Baaz, Ibn `Uthaymeen, and others, have given fatwaa regarding.

Whoever has a strong desire to perform the salaah the correct way it has been legislated, then he should return to the books describing the Prophet’s prayer, and from the easiest of these are the two books of the Imaams: `Abdul-`Azeez Ibn Baaz and Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee – rahimahumallaah [3].

And so here are, my Muslim brother, the most common of these mistakes made in salaah, as is clear to me from the evidences and statements of the `Ulamaa.

And with Allaah is all success.


[1] Translator’s Note:

This is a small booklet, printed and freely distributed in the city of al-Madeenah, 1435 AH.

Please note that occasionally I will make a few comments, the aim behind this is to avoid any wrong understanding of the reader, as the author sometimes lists affairs of scholarly differences of opinion as mistakes. So to provide the reader with a greater awareness of some of the issues at hand, I will mention the fact that it is differed over. However, with regards to rest of the things on the list such as innovations, clear cut errors and shortcomings then no notes will be made.

[2] Translator’s Note:

Sh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan – hafidhahullaah, mentioned in his explanation of al-Arba’oon an-Nawawiyyah (an-Nawawee’s 40 Hadeeth), that the opposite meaning is also correct: To hate for your brother that which you hate for yourself. He further said: “For if you hate this thing for yourself then hate it for your brother likewise, and teach him if you see he is ignorant in the affairs of his religion, clarify them for him and direct him…” (al-Minhatur-Rabbaanee, pg. 149)

[3] Translator’s Note:

'Kayfiyyah Salaatin-Nabee' (lit. how the prayer of the Prophet was) by Sh Ibn Baaz, and ‘Sifah Salaatin-Nabee’ (lit. a description of the Prophet’s prayer) by Sh al-Albaanee. May Allaah have mercy upon them both. These two books have both been translated and are available in the English language – walhamdulillaah.

[Yusuf.McNulty.al.Irlandee]

Mistakes made before the Salaah:

1- Rushing to the masjid; and from that is walking extremely fast in order to catch the rukoo` with the Imaam.

2- Not making the du`aa for entering /exiting the masjid.

3- Sitting down without performing Tahiyyatul-Masjid (two rak`ah made before sitting within the masjid).

4- Reserving a space in the masjid by using a prayer rug or something similar, due to the prohibition narrated in that regard.

5- Attending the masjid with a foul stench such as garlic, onions, cigarettes, or something else.

6- The worshipper failing to bring to mind that he is performing an act of worship for Allaah, so instead he prays because he’s merely in the habit of praying.

7- To verbally pronounce the niyyah (intention), Sh Ibn Baaz said about this, “Pronouncing the intention is a bid`ah (innovation), and to do so loudly is even more severe in sin.”

8- Not being diligent in praying in the first row.

9- Not straightening the rows (before salaah), and being lazy in closing any gaps (between the worshippers in the rows).

10- Rushing to make a new row before the row in front is complete.

11- To keep continuously praying (two rak`ah) between the Adhaan and Iqaamah of Fajr. Rather what is established in the Sunnah is to suffice with two rak`ah Sunnah before the obligatory Fajr prayer.

12- To only make du`aa before the Iqaamah (upon entering the masjid) and not pray Tahiyyatul-Masjid . What’s correct is to pray Tahiyyatul-Masjid immediately upon entering the masjid (rather than to make du`aa and wait for the Salaah).

13- Supplicating with various du`aas that are not authentic from the Prophet – sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam, such as saying ‘aqaamahallaahu wa adaamahaa’ when the Mu’adh-dhin says ‘qad qaamatis-salaah’. Or like what some say ‘mustaweena mu`tadeen!’ during the Iqaamah, or making du`aa before the Takbeeratul-Ihraam with ‘Allaahumma ahsin wuqoofanaa bayna yadayk’, or saying the Ta`awwudh (a`oodhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir-rajeem) and Basmalah (bismillaahir-rahmaanir-raheem) before the Takbeeratul-Ihraam. Ibnul-Qayyim said, “When he (the Prophet – sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) stood to pray, he would say ‘Allaahu Akbar’, and he would not say anything else before it.”

14- Not repeating the words of the Iqaamah along with the Muqeem (one who calls the Iqaamah – who is usually the Mu’adh-dhin also), for it has been narrated that the Iqaamah is a type of Adhaan [1]. And it is best to repeat after the Muqeem, thereafter sending salaah upon the Prophet – sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam. Another error is to suffice with only repeating the final part of the Iqaamah: ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’ after the Muqeem, Sh al-Albaanee held this act to be a bid`ah (innovation).

15- Saying ‘haqqan!’ after the Iqaamah has finished.

16- To pray a supererogatory prayer after the Iqaamah, or to continue praying one if still in the first rak`ah. What’s correct is to hasten/lighten the prayer if one is in the last rak`ah, otherwise to cut if off by ending one’s intention, and this does not require any Tasleem.


[And Allaah knows best…]

- Translated by Yusuf McNulty
- Ak-thar min Mi`ah Khata’ fis-Salaah
- Pages 8-11


[1] Translator’s Note:

It’s fitting to mention that this is an affair of ikhtilaaf, as some scholars hold that only the Adhaan should be repeated after, not the Iqaamah, as said by Sh Muhammad Ibn `Alee Firkoos – hafidhahullaah.