Salat words
With regards to the words of the Salat, we must remember that the purpose of the Salat is to commemorate and glorify the name of God alone.
God instructs in the Quran to utter our Salat in a moderate voice that is not shouting nor whispering:
In addition, we find guidance in the Quran with respect to the following matters:
First : All the words of the Salat should be from the Quran.
Second : Specific Quranic phrases are to be spoken during the Salat.
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First : The words of the Salat should be from the Quran
1- Recite what has been revealed to you of your Lord's Book. None can change His words, and you will not find any refuge besides Him. 18:27
This verse does not specify any one activity, as a result, reciting Quranic words can be done at all times including when we are worshipping God through the Salat.
2- Those who recite God's Book and they observe the Salat ..... 35:29
3- Recite what is revealed to you of the Book and observe the Salat. 29:45
The words in 29:45 are in the form of a command from God. And thus they provide a clear confirmation of the recitation of the Quran during the Salat.
4- When you commemorate your Lord, in the Quran alone, they turn their backs and run away in aversion. 17:46
I am God, there is no god except Me. Therefore, you shall worship Me and observe the Salat to commemorate Me. 20:14
The word 'zhikr' (commemorating God) is used in 20:14 and 17:46. The words in 17:46 speak of commemorating God in the Quran alone, as the proper way of commemorating God. We commemorate God during the Salat and also during Tasbeeh (glorification). Both acts must be observed by using the Quran alone.
5- They are not all the same: among the People of the Book are an upright nation. They recite God's revelations during the night while they prostrate. 3:113
This verse speaks of the righteous and how they recite the Scripture while prostrating. Prostration, being one of the positions of the Salat, provides another strong link between reciting from God's Book and the Salat.
Second : Which Quranic words are to be recited during the Salat?
It must be mentioned here that except for words in items 2 and 6 (below) which are clearly mentioned in the Quran in connection to the Salat (17:111), the other words (below) are not compulsory nor by any means the only words to use in our Salat. We can say these words and also add to them if we wish other words from the Quran which glorify God.
Reciting the items below during Salat fulfils a number of objectives. Item 1 (the Fatihah) is the only sura in the Quran which comprises a prayer solely addressed to God. Items 3 and 4 are words which glorify God and which we are instructed by God to recite, so including them in the Salat or outside Salat is advisable, while as item 5 comprises the essence of monotheism so it should be a declaration to utter at all times including during the Salat.
The Quran instructs us to seek refuge in God before we read the Quran:
When you read the Quran, seek refuge in God from the outcast devil. 16:98
Since we would be reciting the Quran during the Salat, then it is necessary that before we commence the Salat we should say the words: "A'uzu b'Allah min Al-Shaytan Al-Rajeem". In English the words to be said are: I seek refuge in God from the rejected devil.
We are commanded in 6:162 to devote every word in our Salat to the name of God alone, and thus these words must be said before we start the Salat and not during the Salat.
1- Although there is no specific command to read Sura 1, The Key/Opener in the Salat, since it is the opening of the Book and it comprises a prayer to God in all its words, then it is appropriate to read it as an opening of the Salat.
2- The phrase 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Great) is uttered frequently during Salat in compliance with God's command to magnify Him as in 17:111, 22:37 and 74:3.
3- 'Sobhan Rabi Al-Azeem' (Praise my Lord the Great). Uttering these words is in compliance with: 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Great' 56:74. These words can be uttered at any time during the Salat, and preferably in all positions.
4- 'Sobhan Rabi Al-Aala' (Praise my Lord the Most High). Uttering these words is in compliance with: 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' 87:1. These words can be uttered at any time during the Salat, and preferably in all positions.
Praising God is encouraged at all times and specifically after prostration:
And during the night glorify Him, and after prostrating. 50:40
5- The Shahada (Testimony of Faith) is the first pillar of Islam and is a declaration of our monotheistic faith. The Shahada may be uttered at any stage in the Salat and any number of times:
The words of the Shahada are: "Ash'hadu ana la illaha ila Allah" (I bear witness that there is no god except God).
God bears witness that there is no god except Him, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. 3:18
The words in 3:18 tell us that those who possess knowledge utter this Shahada.
6- In 17:111, we read the following words:
Praise be to God who has not taken a son, nor does He have a partner in the sovereignty, nor does He have any ally out of weakness. 17:111
In 17:110 God commands us to use a moderate voice in our Salat, immediately after which God commands us:
and say, "Praise be to God, who has not taken a son…….
The words "and say" at the beginning of verse 111 indicate that the subject is still the Salat (the subject of verse 110). This means that we are to utter these specific words during our Salat.
The words in 17:111 which we are commanded to utter during our Salat are not coincidental but they have a very specific significance:
a- 'Praise be to God who has not taken a son'
These words purify us from the claim of the Christians who gave God a son (19:88).
b- 'nor does He have a partner in the sovereignty'
These words purify us from the Muslims who are committing shirk by making Muhammad a partner with God in everything they say or do (12:106).
c- 'nor does He have an ally out of weakness'
These words purify us from the Jewish scholars who claim that God's hands are tied and thus He is not able to do certain things (5:64).
In effect, by uttering these words, and constantly being aware of the danger and corruption of these creeds, whose members have deviated from the message of the Scriptures, we purify our souls and maintain the purity of our religion. These words must be uttered during our Salat.
To follow these words we should then magnify God frequently (Allah Akbar) ....
Their prayer therein is: "Glory to You, O God," and their greeting therein is: "Peace," and the ending of their prayer is: "Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds." 10:10
This verse speaks of the model believers who will be admitted and rewarded in Paradise. The verse contains two pieces of valuable information:
1- The prayer of the dwellers of Paradise includes the words:
2- They end their prayer with the words:
This verse gives us a model to follow if we would like to be among those admitted to Paradise.
- It makes perfect sense therefore that we too should include the words "Glory to You, O God" during our Salat.
Also see: Ending of the Salat
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Summary of the Quranic words for Salat:
Before we start the salat we should seek refuge in God:
A'uzu b'Allah min Al-Shaytan Al-Rajeem (I seek refuge in God from the rejected devil) 16:98.
During our Salat we say the words below plus any other Quranic words which glorify God. We can repeat any of these words any number of times and we can say any of them during any of the three positions. The idea is to be spiritually free while we worship God.
1- Al-Fatiha (The Key)
2- Allahu Akbar (God is Great) to be spoken frequently, 22:37, 17:111 and 74:3.
3- Sobhan Rabi Al-Azeem (Praise my Lord the Great). 56:74
4- Sobhan Rabi Al-Aala (Praise my Lord the Most High). 87:1
5- The Shahada (Testimony): Ash'hadu ana la illaha ila Allah (I bear witness that there is no God except God). 3:18
6- Al-Hamdu l'Allah alazhee lam yattakhizha waladan, wa lam yakun lahu shareekun fee al mulk, wa lam yakun lahu waleyyon min al zhol. (Praise be to God who has not taken a son, nor does He have a partner in the sovereignty, nor does He have any ally out of weakness.) 17:111
7- Glory to You, O God (Subhanak Allahumma) 10:10
8- The Salat ends with the words:
Al-Hamdu l'Allah Rab Al-Alameen (Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds). 10:10
Different believers will have different Quranic words which they favour and which they will utter during their Salat and that is perfectly alright.
This issue is different during congregational prayer where the group of believers will follow the words spoken by the Imam who leads the prayer.
Important: It is important to note that, contrary to what some scholars claim, the Salat can be uttered in any language. There is no restriction anywhere in the Quran to utter the Salat only in Arabic. God is aware that the majority of the human race do not speak Arabic, and that parroting the Salat in a language that the believer does not understand is of no benefit whatsoever. Rather, the Salat words should be understood and felt by the person worshipping God.
Quranic words for Tasbeeh (glorifying God)
1- The Originator of the heavens and the earth, whenever He decrees any matter, He merely says to it, "Be," and it is. 2:117
You merge the night into the day and You merge the day into the night. You extract the living from the dead and extract the dead from the living, and You provide for whom You please without count. 3:26-27
Shall I take other than God as an ally, the Initiator of the heavens and the earth; the One who feeds and is not fed? I fear, should I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a great Day. 6:13-15
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31- Blessed is the One who brought down the Criterion upon His servant so that it would be a warner to all the people
He to whom belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He has not taken a son, nor does He have a partner in the sovereignty. He created everything and determined it with precise determination. 25:1-2
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32- Blessed is the One who placed constellations in the sky and placed in it a lamp and an illuminating moon. 25:61
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33- Who is the One who rendered the earth a resting place, and made rivers run through it, and made for it stabilisers, and placed a barrier between the two seas? Is there a god with God? Rather, most of them do not know.
Who is the One who responds to the distressed when he calls upon Him, removes the adversity, and makes you successors on earth? Is there a god with God? Rarely do you remember!
Who is the One who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea and who sends the winds bearing advance news of His mercy? Is there a god with God? Exalted is God, far above whatever they associate with Him.
Who is the One who initiates the creation, then repeats it, and who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Is there a god with God? Say, "Produce your proof if you are truthful."
Say, "No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except God, and they are unaware as to when they will be resurrected." 27:61-65
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34- He is God; there is no god except Him. To Him belongs the praise in the First and in the Hereafter, and judgment belongs to Him. 28:70
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35- To Him belongs all who are in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him. He is the One who initiates the creation, then repeats it, which is even easier for Him. He sets the highest example in the heavens and the earth. He is the Dignified, the Wise. 30:26-27
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36- To God belongs what is in the heavens and the earth. God is the Rich, the Praiseworthy. If all the trees in the earth were made into pens that were supplied by the sea, replenished by seven more seas, the Words of God would not run out. God is Dignified, Wise. 31:26-27
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37- With God is the knowledge of the Hour. He brings down the rain and He knows what is in the wombs. No self knows what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in which land it will die. God is Knowledgeable, All-Aware. 31:34
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38- Praise be to God, to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and praise be to Him in the Hereafter. He is the Wise, the All-Aware.
He knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, and what descends from the sky and what ascends to it. He is the Merciful, the Forgiver. 34:1-2
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39- Whatever mercy God unleashes to the people cannot be withheld by anyone, and whatever He withholds cannot be dispatched thereafter. He is the Dignified, the Wise. 35:2
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40- Indeed, God is the One who holds together the heavens and the earth, lest they cease to exist. They would have surely ceased to exist if it were other than Him who held them together. He is Forbearing, Forgiving. 35:41
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41- I have been commanded to worship God, devoting the religion purely to Him. 39:11
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42- God is the One I worship, devoting my religion purely to Him. 39:14
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43- O God, Initiator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will surely judge between Your servants regarding that in which they used to differ. 39:46
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44- He knows that which betrays the eyes, and what the chests conceal. 40:19
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45- He is the One who brings to life and puts to death. If He decrees a matter, He merely says to it, "Be," and it is. 40:68
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46- To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He grants females to whom He wills, and He grants the males to whom He wills.
Or He grants them twins, males and females, and He makes whom He wills barren. He is Knowledgeable, Capable. 42:49-50
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47- It is He who is God in the heaven and God in the earth. He is the Wise, the Knowledgeable.
48- Praise be to God, the Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth; Lord of the worlds. All greatness belongs to Him in the heavens and the earth. He is the Dignified, the Wise. 45:36-37
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49- The Almighty taught the Quran. He created the human being. He taught him the art of expression. The sun and the moon, running with utmost precision, and the stars and the trees prostrate. And the heaven, He raised it and set the balance. 55:1-7
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50- Glorifying God is what is in the heavens and the earth. He is the Dignified, the Wise.
To Him belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He brings to life and puts to death, and He is Capable of all things.
He is the First and the Last, the External and the Internal, and He is Knowledgeable of all things.
He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then settled on the Throne. He knows what goes into the earth and what comes out of it, and what comes down from the sky and what ascends unto it. He is with you wherever you may be. God is Seer of what you do.
To Him belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to God all matters are returned.
He merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night, and He is Knowledgeable of what the chests hold. 57:1-6
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51- He is God; the One besides whom there is no other god. He is the Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Almighty, the Merciful.
He is God; the One besides whom there is no other god. The King, the Holy, the Peace, the Believer, the All-Encompassing, the Dignified, the Powerful, the Proud. Glory to God, far above whatever they associate with Him.
He is God; the Creator, the Maker, the Designer. To Him belong the Beautiful Names. Glorifying Him is what is in the heavens and the earth. He is the Dignified, the Wise. 59:22-24
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52- Glorifying God is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. To Him belongs the sovereignty and to Him belongs the praise, and He is Capable of all things. 64:1
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53- Blessed is the One in whose hand is the sovereignty. He is Capable of all things. 67:1
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54- He is God, the One. God, the Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And none is akin to Him. 112:1-4
1- Our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearer, the Knowledgeable. 2:127