The Mandub Acts of Prayer (Maliki)

What is the mandub acts of prayer?

Some of the mandub acts of prayer are the following:

• Making the proper intention for the prayer (for qada or appointed prayer),
• Including the number of raka’ah that will be performed in the intention,
• Praying with khushoo’,
• Raising hands for the takbeer ihram (at the beginning of the prayer) until the shoulders,
• Draping arms gravely to the sides,
• Reciting a whole surah after the Fatihah,
• Reciting for longer during fajr prayer, shorter during maghrib and ‘asr prayer and medium length during ‘isha prayer,
• Keeping the second raka’ah shorter than the first raka’ah,
• Reading just loud enough so that one hears himself,
• Saying “Amin” at the end of the Fatihah,
• Saying “Amin” silently,
• Keeping back bent straight during ruku’, placing hands on knees, and keeping legs straight (not bent).
• Saying “Subhanallahil ‘adheem wa bi hamdihi” three times during ruku’ or “Subhana rabby al ‘adheem.” Qur’an should not be recited nor supplication,
• Men draping their arms aside during ruku’,
• After saying “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah” adding “Rabbana wa laka al hamd” when praying alone,
• Saying the takbeer for ruku’, sajdah and when rising from the sajdah,
• Placing forehead and nose on the ground at the same time for sajdah,
• Placing hands close to ears or aligned with them during sajdah,
• Men should distant knees from stomach, elbows from knees and armpits from biceps during prostration (sajdah).
• The place of prostration being vertically aligned with feet,
• Making supplication during the sajdah, and engaging in tasbeeh,
• Placing left foot under buttocks and placing right foot with toes on the ground when sitting, the first finger of the right foot should be touching the ground,
• Placing palms just above the knee and fingers directly on the knee,
• A man seperating his knees then joining them,
• Bringing the indication finger towards the thumb, and keeping the rest of the fingers under the hand towards the palm during tashahhud.
• Lifting and moderately moving the indication finger left and right (not up and down) during the tashahhud,
• Reading the qunut during fajr prayer,
• After saying salat and salam upon the Prophet during the tashahhud, making a supplication before giving salam, an example of a great supplication is: “Allahummaghfir lana wa li walidayna wa li aimmatina wa liman sabaqana bi’l-imâni maghfiratan azma. Allahummaghfir lana ma qaddamna wa ma akharna wa ma asrarna wa ma a’lenna wa ma anta bihi a’lamu minna. Rabbana atina fi’d-dunya hasanatan wa fi’l-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhab an-nar”.
• Giving salam to the right side first at the end of the prayer,
• Placing a sutrah (screen) while praying alone or with the imam.