fos notes

8/14/2019 FOS Notes.

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Salamualaykum, SubhanAllah Walhumdulillah! I just had one of the best weekends of my life. I know that may be hard for mostpeople to say, but I would not have spend these last two weekends any other way than at Divine Link with Shaykh Yaser Birjas, May Allah (swa) raise his status and raise his ranks in Jannah! Ameen. I came in knowing 'enough' about Salaah and its importance asthe second pillar of Islam, but I left with a sense of overwhelming humility and appreciation for this deen. Qabeelat Nurayn isamazing MashAllah and May Allah reward the Ameers/Ameerah's and all the volunteers, :)

History of Salah:

The word Salaah comes from 'salih' which means to burn, or burning. This word is used to describe when heating gold to

shape it, purify and beautify it. Therefore, Salaah is essentially a way for us to purify ourselves. Allah (swa) says: "So when you have finished (from your occupation), then stand up for Allah's worship (i.e. stand up for prayer). And to your Lord(Alone) turn (all your intentions and hopes and) your invocations." (Ash-Sharh 7-8). We should tire ourselves in i'badah because as Muslims, we know that Allah did not create Humans and Jinns and Angels but to worship him.

Salah involves the participation of all our senses. The brain, the body, the heart, and the soul. If one aspect is missing, the

sweetness of khushoo' will be lacking. When making Salah, what are we looking for? We are asking and beseeching Allah azzawajal for his mercy upon us and

forgiveness for our sins. Salah is not just something that came with Islam. In fact, it was also prescribed to those before us. During the time of

Ibrahim (AS), Ismail (AS), Musa (AS), Bani' Israel, and I'sa (AS) When a Non-Muslim asks, "why do you pray like that?" Your response should be, "Why don't you?" If they say because

they don't have to, refer them to the many verses in their own books which describe the manner in which the Prophets(pbut) prayed. (Genesis 17:3, 17:17); (Exodus 34:8); (Numbers 20:6); (Nehemiah 8:6); (Joshua 5:14); (Chronicles 20:18);(Mathew 26:39), (Mathew 17:6)

Stage 1:o Rasulullah (saw) prayed towards Jerusaem for 15-16 years so this shows the significance of that location in

Islam.o There were two obligatory prayers, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Stage 2: The Night prayer o The Sahaba were commanded to prayer Qiyam-ul-Lail for ONE YEAR SubhanAllah. And after one year, they

spoke up and said they could not continue doing so. Qiyal-ul-Lail was like a Madrassa or an institution for the believers because it trained them spiritually and physically.

o In Surah Muzammil 73:20, Allah tells the Sahaba that He knows of their standing in prayer, and out of Mercy,He says: "...So recite of the Quran as much as may be easy for you"

o Even after this revelation, Rasulullah (saw) would stand at night in prayer and when asked by Aisha (RA), he

responded by saying, "Shouldn't I be a thankful servant?" Stage 3: 3 Years before Hijrah

o Suring the night of Isra' wal-Mi'raj, Rasulullah (saw) rode Al-Buraq all the way to Jerusalem and was taken to

the 7th Heaven to meet with Allah (swa) where he was given the a commandment of praying 50 times a day. He went back and forth until the number reached 5 and Musa (AS) still said 5 would be too many but the Prophet(saw) refused to go back. SubhanAllah, this shows the importance of Salaah. Allah (swa) in His infinite mercy brought Rasulullah (saw) all the way to the 7th heaven to give him this commandment for ALL of mankind tofollow.

Stage 4: 2nd Year after Hijraho The Qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to Makkah--This change signified the role of Muhammad (saw) and

his followers.o During the time of Ishaq (AS) to Yaqub (AS) and the Bani' Israel there were many prophets and they were given

spiritual guidance but they changed the message they received. They almost killed I'sa (AS) but he was taken up by Allah azzawajal.

o Between the time of I'sa (AS) and Muhammad (saw) there were no messengers. We are now from the lineage of

Ismai'l (AS)--so the moving of the Qiblah was like sealing the deal with Bani' Ismai'lo SubhanAllah, we are blessed with the Best of Mankind as our Messenger. We stand for all the Prophets (pbut)

and we are like their advocates because we enjoin good and forbid evil.


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o *Reflect on the fact that we as Muslims are praying the EXACT same way that Ibrahim (AS) prayed and how all

the Prophets (pbut) prayed. What an Honor. :)

Status of Salah:

1. Main Pillar: Muadh ibn Jabal narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "The uppermost level of the matter is al-Islam,its pillar is Salah and the top of its hump is al-Jihad" [Tirmidhi]

2. It is first obligation after Shahada3. It was prescribed in the heavens during the magnificent journey of Isra' wal Mi'raj4. Allah (swa) gave the Messenger the obligation of Salah directly, without any intermediaries.5. A public call --is made to remind people of Salah6. Purification is a MUST in order to perform Salah.7. Its obligation is maintained regardless of ones state of travel, sickness, etc.8. The first matter of account on the Day of Judgment is Salah9. The most beloved deed to Allah

Think: *Regardless of how many other good deeds we perform, if our Salah does not come out sound on the Day of Judgment,nothing else will matter* Therefore, no matter how many fasts we do or how much charity we give, that's all wonderful but Salah

takes precedence over ALL other good deeds. This is WHY we have Sunnah and Nafl Salah so that we can compensate for ourshortcomings in Fardh Salah

Rulings on Abandoning Salah:

*By Unanimous agreement, this person is a kafir who denies the obligation of Salah .* Only Exemption: A convert to

Islam//New Muslim "But if they repent, perform Salah and give Zakah, then they are your brothers in religion" [At-Tawbah 9:11] Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: " Between a man and Shirk and kufr, there stands his

neglect of the Salah" [Muslim]

If a person neglects Salah out of laziness or other reasons, without denying its obligation upon them --then they are considered Fasiq

(disobedient) according to the majority opinion.

A person who does not pray does not have an issue with Salah itself, rather they have a problem with their Iman . They

are not submitting to Allah with their heart and mind. When talking to such a person about Salah, target their iman and their level of Submission to Allah (swa)--their Master. Try to find the reason behind the problem, not just cure the symptom. Remind them about how they will stand before

Allah (swa) on the Yaum-ul-Qiyamah and how they will answer to Allah (swa) about their Salah. Soften their hearts. Every day, we have a promise from Allah that He will forgive us, so we should maintain our Salah. It is our best

capital to offer on the Last Day, so let's increase our investment. The position of sujood is the lowest point on the ground but it is the highest speed for our Divine Link with Allah. Think: The positions of ruku', sujood , and du'a physically show our humility and vulnerability before Allah (swa). Just as

we stand before our elders and parents, we should keep our heads down in Salah and focus with our heart and mind.

Think of the military and how still soldiers stand when in the presence of their leaders. Similarly, we should not move atall in Salah and sincerely focus on the fact that Allah is the Greatest.

Savor the Sweetness of the Five Daily Prayers:

Just as we eat 3 meals a day to take care of our bodies. Allah (swa) has blessed us with 5 spiritual meal s. Our soul (ruh)

did not come from this earth, so we need that divine link to connect to our Creator.


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The daily prayers are a constant reminder of our purpose in life, worshipping Allah (swa). As Muslims, we know our

purpose in life because of these reminders in Salah and from the Quran. As an action item, ask a friend or co-worker," What is the purpose of life?" See their response and give Da'wah! :)

Salah should be our daily organizer . Make Salah the primary occasions during your day and plan everything else around

it. This is a great organizational and self-discipline tool. When we pray in congregation, it melts the ice because we are standing shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters

in Islam. There is NO Nationalism whatsoever. By Unanimous agreement-- The five daily prayers should be performed at their respective appointed times. "Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours " [Surah An-Nisa' 4:103] Organize your life around your salah. Those who do not have this sense of obligation and discipline do not have any sense

of organization and end up wasting their time.

Forbidden Times for Salah: You know that feeling you get when you're reading the Quran or you listened to an amazing, heart- wrenching lecture...you get this HUGE ImanRush and you want to pray a few Nafl, just because...well, that's great and all butalways know the forbidden times to pray. So regardless of how awesome you feel, don't pray during these times (unless it's Fardhsalah and time is running out)

After Fajr When the sun rises When the sun is at its zenith After Asr When the sun sets

o Hasan Al-Basri (ra) said, " O sons of Adam, you are nothing but counted days, when the day passes,

part of you goes with it "o These forbidden times force us not to turn into monks who forget about this life and only look at the

hereafter. Allah (swa) has blessed us with time to spend doing a number of things and it is said that the time between Asr and Maghrib is Primetime---time to spend with the Family (which we know is very important inIslam).

Adhan and Iqamah :

Abu Harayrah narrates that the Messenger said, "If people would know what is there (as a reward) in calling for adhan and

praying in the first row, they would have to draw lots for them (to avoid conflict over them). [Bukhari] Abu Harayrah narrates that the Messenger said, " The Imam is a guarantor, and the muadhin is a trustee . O Allah!

Guide the imams and forgive the muadhins." [Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i] Giving adhan is Mustahab--highly recommended. There are generally two adhans for Fajr --one before actual Fajr and the other at the start of Fajr. This was started

during the Khulafa' of Umar (RA) The adhan can also be called for alert or danger to warn the people. If at any time you are afraid, it is recommended to

give the adhan in a loud voice and inshAllah you will feel better. The Shaytan runs from the adhan. One of the etiquettes of adhan to turn the face left and right when saying "hayya ala...." He mentioned that when one gives

adhan, he is calling the people to prayers and by inserting his index finger into the ears, he is fulfilling the purpose

by amplifying his voice as loud as possible . When we have our ears covered, we can't hear how loud we are so theMuadhin does that to raise his voice. When he moves his face, he is basically calling the people to "hasten to prayer, hastento prayer, hasten to success, hasten to success". During the Prophet's (saw) time, Bilal (ra) would give the adhan whilefacing the people. Nowadays, due to microphone systems, adhan is given while facing the qiblah..but it is sunnah to facethe people. So if you picture someone giving adhan facing the people, he would move to different sides to call all thepeople in the surrounding areas.

o The adhan is the most if not the only regular thing in the life of Muslims.o The adhan had amazed many Non-Muslims who visited Muslim lands---so say it loud and proud ;)o The adhan is what makes a land a Muslim land.o The adhan is the first thing a child should here after birth


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o The adhan must be given in Arabic (can you imagine how it would sound in English..)o The adhan has a profound meaning that goes beyond the sound of it.

Think: A person's life is like the time between adhan and Salah. When a child is born,the adhan is read in his/her ear and when he dies, salat-ul-janazah is read for him/her.*reflect*Think: Often times, when non-Muslims ask about Islam, we hand them a translation of the Quran.

However, next time try exposing them to the beauty of the Quran through its recitation. Give them atape or CD and have them listen to it even though they won't understand...the recitation is the exact wording of the Quran and SubhanAllah, it resonates with the heart.

Anatomy of Salah:

Pre-requisites for Salah:o Islamo Puberty o Sound Mind

Conditions for validating Salah:o To be performed after the time has startedo Purification from minor and major ritual impuritieso Removal of physical filtho Covering the awrah

When dressing for Salah, look clean and pure. You are standing before Allah (swa) so dress like it."Live your life in a way that if someone were to open the door on you, you would havenothing to hide" --Sh. Muhammad Alshareef The above is especially true when we pray...dress in a manner that if someone were to open the door, you would not have to go run to find proper clothing.The Shaykh recommended that everyone in the household should have a specified prayer garmentthat is specifically for Salah. For children, a gown and/or hijab. For men, a thobe and for women anabaya or prayer outfit. Although prayer in jeans is okay, it is not the optimal form of making Salah. For women especially,if you are wearing pants or jeans, be sure to have a garment with you that covers all the way to

your feet (There is a difference of opinion regarding if women need to cover the feet or not, but it isrecommended by the majority of the Fuqaha).The area in which we pray and what we pray on is also very important. Recall the hadith with theProphet (saw) received a thobe as a gift but he gave it away because it was distracting him duringSalah. Nowadays, we have carpets and musallah's covered with designs. Try to pray onsomething plain to keep you from focusing on the designs.

o An-Niyyah: Verily, actions are by their intentions. You must make the Salah that you intended to in your heart.

Sounds simple but just remember that if you made the intention to pray fardh, then you must stick with thatintention throughout.

Arkan of Salah: Rukun (Integrals)o We know the exact steps of how to pray properly all through one hadith--Hadith al-musee' fi salahihi (The man

who prayed incorrectly)o According to majority opinion, there are 14 arkaan of Salah (Malik, Shafi', and Ahmed). According to Imam

Abu Hanifa (ra), there are 6 arkaans of Salah.o Although in many cases the madhab of Abu Hanifah is different than the others in many instances, the

difference is usually about the minimum requirement. We should not think that that is necessarily the optimum way to pray. For example, although the recitation of Fatiha is not a rukn, it still means it should be read, justthat the salah is not invalid if it is not according to that opinion

Al-qiyam (standing for those who are able)1. You start by putting your intellect above your heart (standing Position)2. You level your intellect with your heart (Ruku')3. You put your intellect below your Heart- (Sujood) ----Highest level of Submission


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The distance between you and the sutra should be about 5 feet ...enough for you to make sujood andclose enough so people will not pass in front of the sutra. If however, someone tries to pass, you havethe right to stop them by putting your hand out. If they continue to try and pass, Rasulullah (saw) saidto fight such a person.

o Raising the hands when saying the takbir:

Opinion 1: Abu Hanifa and Malik: No raising hands in salah besides the one with the opening takbir

Opinion 2: Shafi' adn Ahmed: There are four positions for raising the hands in Salah:

At the beginning of Salah Before bowing for Ruku' After rising from Ruku' After finishing the first tashahud

o Folding the right hand over the left hand

Opinion 1: Abu Hanifa, Shafi', and Ahmed: Both hands should be folded--the right on the left.

Abu Hanifa and Ahmed--Placed under the navelShafi'--Below the chest

Opinion 2: The hands should be put down on the side and not folded.o Looking down at the spot of prostration

Any time you look away from this spot, the Shaytan is stealing from your Salah just as he steals from your food if you do not recite Bismillah.Commencing the Salah with a prescribed dua--" Subhanak Allahumma w bi-hamdik, watabarakasmuka wata'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk"

o Ta'mim (saying Ameen)

Opinion 1: Abu Hanifa--Silently Opinion 2: Shafi' and Ahmed--It should be pronounced out loud during the Salah in which recitationis done loudly.

o A short silence before and after the recitation of the Qurano Spreading between the feet in the standing positiono Reciting surah after Fatihao Reciting dua between the two sujood

o To sit down before moving up for the second or fourth rak'ah.o Sit in the position of tawarruk in the final tashahud (left foot under right shin)o Place hands on thighs during tashahudo Point the index finger during tashahudo Reciting the prescribed dua after tashahudo Turn the face right and left for taslim

Makrooh Acts in Salah: Abominable (Take away from the full reward of Salah but donow nullify or require sujud as-sahw)

o To omit one of the wajibah intentionally o Moving without any excusable reasono Closing the eyeso looking away from spot of prostrationo To pray when in need of going to the bathroomo Yawningo To spread the forearms on the groundo To be dressed untidily o TO wear clothes that carry distracting designs (for you or others)o To wear tight clothes

Think: Next time you pray, watch how many times you move in your Salah.Think: If you wear something tight, keep something loose handy to wear for Salah

Mubah Acts in Salah: Permissible (Do not nullify or lessen the reward of Salah)o To pray behind a human who is sitting down


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o To move and take action in order to remove an eminent harm (snake, scorpion, etc.)o To assist the imam if he makes a mistakeo To respond to the Salam by raising the hando To respond to a caller by a sign

Khushoo'

1. Prepare for Salah ahead of time2. Do not challenge your stomach, eat first.3. If you need to answer the call of nature, do that first4. Do not pray if overtaken by slumber or fatigue (workout, hike, labor, etc. take a rest first)5. Make thorough wudu' enough time before Salah6. Dress nicely 7. Select a place with no distractions8. Come early to Salah--at home or at the Masjid9. RACE for the first row.10. Pray as close to the imam as possible11. Repeat the words of the adhan, slowly and properly 12. Pray nafl Salah13. Pray behind a sutrah14. Read some Quran--especially what you plan to recite in Salah15. Make dua and dhikr16. In the masjid, do not talk too much before Salah. Focus on your dhikr17. Do not look around too much18. Straighten the lines19. Contemplate on the Greatness of whom you are standing before20. Remember the Salah and how they used to perform Salah21. Remember to consider this your final Salah, how would you pray?22. Contemplate over the word Allahu Akbar when you raise your hands23. "Pray as if you see Allah and if you cannot, then remember that He sees you" (ihsan)24. Look down at the spot of sujood in humility, your vulnerability and dependency on Allah azzawajal should manifest itself

both physically and mentally 25. Observe the Sunnah's of Salah and remember that Salah is the dearest form of worship in front of Allah.26. Slow the pace of recitation and movement27. Try to understand what you are reciting or hearing28. Beautify the Quran with your voice (tajweed, Qiraat)29. Remember that Allah answers your call each time you recite Fatiha.30. Learn different adhkar and their meanings.31. Strive when overwhelmed with yawning. Know that yawning is from shaytan and sneezes are from Allah so control your

yawning.32. Make lots of du'aa in sujood...this is your moment!33. After Salah--do not move from your position right away 34. D your tasbih and know that the angels are asking for your forgiveness as long as you are in the same spot--dhikr is your

meditation moment.

35. Evaluate your Salah36. Pray Nafl

Salah-ul Musafir

Al-Qasr (shortening the salah) Qasr means to shorten the salah that are made of four raka's (dhur, asr, and isha') to two rak'as.


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this! Use the Chapels on a regular basis because they offer security. And when you leave, make sure it looks like you nevercame in. :)

Teaching Children How To Pray

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas narrated that the Apostle of Allah said, "Command your children to make Salah when they

become seven years old, ad spank them for it (salah) when they become ten years old, and arrange their bed (to sleep)separately." [Abu Dawud]

Make Du'a for your children and family-- Rabbi Ja'alni MuqeemaSalati Wa Min Zurreyati Rabbana Wataqabbal

Dua --"My Lord! Cause me and (some) of my offspring to remain constant in prayer (salah). And, O our Lord! Accept my supplication." [Ibrahim 14:40] Make the same Du'a Ibrahim (AS) made when he left his family out in the dessert for thesake of Allah azzawajal.

Make it a habit for them--something familiar and approachable. SHOW THEM! Don't say "Go pray!" and then sit at your computer and say "I'll be there in 5 minutes...gotta check my

email"--by doing so, you are first of all being hypocritical and secondly you are showing them that Salah is not as valuableas you supposedly say it is.

Make regular adhan in the house--teach your son and tell him to give adhan from Fajr to Isha' Be the first to pray !

If you have more than one child, let them lead each other in Salah. Set aside garments for Salah for everyone in the house. Take your kids to the masjid but explain to them the adaab of going to the masjid Think: Keep Salah independent from their play time. Do not connect Salah with their play time (ex: If you pray today, you

can play your Nintendo). Salah should be superior to all these things. Instead, make them a nice spreadsheet and havethem check off which prayers they made each day for one month. At the end of each week, give them a sticker if the prayedfor the entire week (kids are super easy to please so this will work on the 5-10 year olds ;) ...forget about trying this withteenagers)

Acts That Nullify Salah:

Foreign Speech

Eating or drinking (even gum) Exposure of Awrah deliberately Losing the state of purification Najasah Laughing (according the Abu Hanifa this invalidates wudu') Hesitating on intention Omitting a rukun without returning to it Omitting a wajibaat without a valid reason Racing the Imam (doing this 3X will invalidate the Salah..you will end at the same time anyway so just follow the Imam) If there is water at your disposal, you may not do tayammum To give Salaam deliberately prior to reaching the end. To return back to the middle tashahhud after standing up for the third rak'a.

Acts That Allow Departure from Salah

Rescue someone facing harm. Don't just say SubhanAllah, you may break your Salah to help them, even an animal. Protect property from theft A woman tending food on the stove Urgent need for the call of nature Answer parents (nafl salah only)


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Sajdah Sahw (prostration due to forgetfulness)

Make two sajdah's after the taslim. Reasons to make sujud sahw could be doubt or forgetfulness

Making Up Missed Salah:

By unanimous agreement , salah should be performed as qada' if time had expired because of deliberate

negligence , oversleeping , forgetfulness , or even more doubt. If you make salah and when you finish, you cannot even remember what you just did or you mind was someplace else, this

is a reason to make Salah again. If you have missed Salah for a number of years , you are not obligated to make qada' for all those missed prayers,

however, taubah and istighfar are definitely necessary. Wallahu Alam. Think: We are human being and we make mistakes. Of course, our Creator knows that and SubhanAllah, His infinite

mercy is seen in this qada' prayer. This does not mean we should say "well, I can make qada' so I'll just pray at a time thatis convenient to me" No. If this is our train of thought then essentially, we are serving our own desires and not be trueservants of Allah. Salah is a commandment. Period.

Congregational Salah:

By unanimous agreement, it is preferable for women to pray at home, and men at the masjid. But the scholars

differ on the requirement of the congregational prayer for men.o Opinion 1: Shafi': Fardh Kifaya (Community Fardh)o Opinion 2: Abu Hanifa and Malik: Sunnah Muakkadah (highly recommended)o Opinion 3: Ahmed: Fardh 'Ayn (Personally obligatory)o Opinion 4: Dhahiri: Rukun

Abu Sulayman ad-Darani said, "The salaf used to console themselves for three duas if they missed the opening takbir

(with the imam) and seven days, if they missed the whole congressional Salah" SubhanAllah! Think: Why do sisters feel they are being deprived when it comes to praying in the jamaa'ah at the masjid?! Allah azza wa

jal has made praying at home a concession for women AND they receive more reward although the men have to get

ready, leave their house, drive to the masjid etc, a sister can simply pray in her house without any of these obligations onher.

Think: The reason women have this concession from Allah azzawajal is because they have children to care for, house

responsibilities such as cooking and maintaining the home, they should have a private place to pray, and it would bedifficult for them to leave the house during Fajr or I'sha time due to danger and the darkness.

Think: Wives, daughters, and sisters have the responsibility of encouraging the men of their household to pray in

congregation. This is HUGE to get a family started on the right foot. This does not mean that women should not go to the Masjid. They are of course welcome but by default, they get the full

reward of prayer when they are in their homes and even in a secluded area within their home, like a private room orcorner. (this does mean they have to pray in a closet).

A congregational salah is considered congregational if there are at least two people praying. (how easy and simple sA!) So

if you are at work, try to find another Muslim to come pray with you. When lining up for Salah, line up with the shoulders and the feet will fall in to place. This is really important , so much

so that the Rasulullah (saw) would assign people to make sure the lines were straight in each row. If you are coming in late and you catch the ruku' with the Imam while he says at least one Subhana Rabbiyal

Adheem , you have caught that raka' . If you have already prayed at home and come the Masjid soon after and the Jama' is just standing up for that same Salah

that you already prayed, you must join them. For you this will count as Nafl. And the reason behind this is to removeany doubts or suspicions for why you may not be joining them.

Imam and Ma'mum:


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Think: Individual Salah is what needs focusing on. You pray 5 times a day? MashAllah, I know 5 year old kids who do that.Nawaafil are where the competition's at son!

Think: Many of the above nawaafil prayers contain virtues beyond our imagination. ;)

Think: There are day prayers. There are night prayers. Let the competition begin.

Finally, remember this du'a and recite it often. This was the du'a made by Ibrahim (AS) when he left his family inMakkah.

Rabbi Ja'alni Muqeema Salaati Wamin Zurriyati Rabbana Wataqabbal Du'a. "My Lord! Cause me and (s0me of my offspring to remain constant in prayer (Salah). And, O our Lord! Accept my supplication." [Ibrahim 14:40]

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