Method of offering al-Ayat prayers

al-Ayat Prayers consists of two Rakats, and there are five Ruku in each.


Method #1:

*After making niyyat of offering the prayers, one should say takbir (Allahu Akbar) and recite Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah, and then perform the Ruku.
* Thereafter, he should stand and recite Surah al-Hamd and a Surah and then perform another Ruku.
* He/she should repeat this action five times, and, when he stands after the fifth Ruku, he should perform two Sajdah.
* Then he/she should stand up to perform the second Rak'at in the same manner as he has done in the first.
* Then he should recite tashahhud and Salam.

Method #2:

* After making niyyat to offer al-Ayat Prayers, a person is allowed to say takbir and recite Surah al-Hamd and then divide the verses of the other Surah into five parts, and recite one verse or more or less and thereafter perform the Ruku.
* He should then stand up and recite another part of the Surah (without reciting Surah al-Hamd) and then perform another Ruku. He/she should repeat this action, and finish that Surah before performing the fifth Ruku.
* For example, he/she may say:
* Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim with the niyyat of reciting Surah al-Ikhlas, and perform the Ruku.
* He/she should then stand up and say, Qul huwallahu Ahad, and perform another Ruku.
* He/she should then stand up and say, Allahus Samad, and perform the third Ruku. Thereafter he should stand up again and say, Lam yalid walam yulad, and perform the fourth Ruku.
* Then he/she should stand up again and say, Walam yakullahu Kufuwan ahad, and then perform two Sajdah and then rise for the second Rak'at, the same way as the first Rak'at.
* At the end, he should recite tashahhud and Salam after the two Sajdah. It is also permissible to divide a Surah into less than five parts. In that event, however, it is necessary that when the Surah is over, one should recite Surah al-Hamd before the next Ruku.

Miscellaneous issues regarding the prayers:

* The things which are obligatory and Mustahab in daily prayers are also obligatory and Mustahab in this prayer. However, if this prayer is offered in congregation, one may say 'As-salaat' three times in place of Adhan and Iqamah. If the prayer is not being offered in congregation, it is not necessary to say anything.
* It is Mustahab that qunut be recited before the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth Ruku, but it will be sufficient if qunut is recited only before the tenth Ruku.
* If a person doubts as to how many Rak'ats he has offered in Namaz-e-Ayaat, and is unable to arrive at any decision, his prayer is void.
* If a person doubts whether he/she is in the last Ruku of the first Rak'at, or in the first Ruku of the second Rak'at, and he cannot arrive at any decision, his/her prayer is void. But if he/she doubts whether he/she has performed four Ruku or five, and if the doubt takes place before he/she goes into Sajdah, he/she should perform the Ruku about which he/she is doubtful. But if he has reached the stage of Sajdah, he should ignore his doubt.
* Every Ruku of Namaz-e-Ayaat is a Rukn, and if any addition or deduction takes place in them, the prayer is void. Similarly, if an omission takes place inadvertently, or, as a precaution, an addition is made to it unintentionally, the prayers will be void.