Permanent Nawaafil

Permanent Nawaafil

□ Mosque greeting prayer.

□Ablution prayer.

□Forenoon prayer.

□Optional night prayer (Tahajjud).

□Odd prayer (Witr).

❶ Mosque Greeting Prayer

It is of two prayer units.

Mosques are the Houses of Allah, so we should greet them upon entering.

●Abu-Usaid reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “When anyone of you enters the mosque, he should say: ‘O Allah! Open for me the doors of Your mercy.’ And when he steps out he should say: ‘O Allah! I ask You of Your grace.’”

Reference: Muslim. Book 6, Hadith 82

●It was narrated from Abi-Qatadah AL-Aslami that Allah’s Apostle (P.P.B.U.H) said, “If anyone of you enters mosque, he should perform two prayer units before sitting.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.   Book 8, Hadith 93

❷Ablution Prayer

●ᶦUthman ibn ᶦAffan reported:

I saw the Prophet performed ablution perfectly and said, “Whoever performs ablution as I have done this time and then proceeds to mosque and offers two prayer units and then sits there (waiting for the group prayer), then his past sins will be forgiven.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.   Book 81, Hadith 22

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said to Bilal at the time of the morning prayer: 

“Tell me of the act you did after embracing Islam, for which you hope to receive good reward, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise ." 

Bilal replied, “I did not do any act in Islam for which I hope to get any benefit but this that when I perform complete ablution during the night or day I pray after it as much as Allah has ordained for me to pray.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.   Book 19, Hadith 30

- And in the narration of AL-Tirmidhi, Bilal replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! I have never called to prayer except that I performed two prayer units, I never had ritual impurity (Hadath) except that I performed ablution upon that, and I considered that I owed Allah two prayer units.” 

So the Messenger said, “For those two.”

Book 49, Hadith 4053

❸Forenoon Prayer (Duha)

Its time: It starts fifteen minutes after sunrise and ends when it becomes thirty minutes before the call to noon prayer.

It ranges from two to eight prayer units.

●It was narrated from Abi-Dharr that the Prophet said, “Every morning alms is due from every joint bone of the body of every one of you. 

Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of alms, every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying ALHamdu Lillah) is an act of alms, enjoining good (Maᶦruf) is an act of alms, and forbidding evil (Munkar) is an act of alms. 

And two prayer units of forenoon prayer (Duha) will equal to all this (in reward).”

Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen. The Book of Miscellany.   [Muslim]

●ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah used to perform four prayer units of forenoon prayer (Duha) and he sometimes added to them whatever Allah wished.

Reference: Sahih Muslim.   Book 6, Hadith 95

●Abu Dharr reported: My beloved Prophet advised me to do three things which I will never give up, if Allah wills. He advised me to perform forenoon prayer, to perform odd prayer (Witr) before sleeping, and to fast three days of each month.

Reference: Sunan AL-Nasaᶦi     Book 22, Hadith 315

●Umm Haani reported: On the Day of the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet entered my house, took a bath and performed eight prayer units of forenoon prayer. I had never seen the Prophet performing such a light prayer, but he performed bowing and prostrations perfectly.

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari    Book 19, Hadith 54

●Jubair narrated from Abi Ad-Darda, or Abi-Dharr that: Allah’s Messenger narrated that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: 

“Son of Adam: Perform four prayer units for Me in the beginning of the day. It will suffice you for the latter part of it.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi    Book 3, Hadith 23

¨It appears in the previous traditions that the Prophet has diversified in performing forenoon prayer (the number of its prayer units).

❹Optional Night Prayer=(Tahajjud)=(Qiayam AL-Lail)

Tahajjud is one of the best means of nearness to Allah, Almighty. Whoever keeps on performing it, Allah gifts him with a truthful faith and he becomes from those who are brought near to Allah and the doers of good.

God says ﴾Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good (16) They used to sleep but little of the night (17) And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness ﴿ (18) 

Chapter of Winds (Surat Adh-Dhariyat)

God also says:

﴾Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding﴿ 

Chapter of the Crowds. Verse NO 9

Also says ﴾They arise from [their] beds; they invoke their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend (16) And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do﴿(17)  Chapter of Adoration (Surat As-Sajdah).

●It was narrated from Abi- Umamah that the Messenger of Allah said, 

“Hold fast to optional night prayer (Qiayam AL-Lail), for it is the practice of the righteous before you, and it is a means of nearness to your God, an expiation for bad deeds, and a means of prevention from sin.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi   Book 48, Hadith 180

●Jabir said he heard Allah’s Messenger (P.P.B.U.H) say: 

“There is an hour during the night in which no Muslim will ask Allah for any good related to this world or the Hereafter without His giving to him, and that applies to every night.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim.    Book 6, Hadith 199

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, 

“The best month for fasting after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best prayer after the prescribed prayer is the prayer during night.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim.    Book 13, Hadith 262

Its legitimacy

Tahajjud was duty in the beginning of Islam, then Allah relieved Muslims and made Tahajjud a Sunnah. But Tahajjud remained a duty for the Prophet.

God says ﴾Indeed, your Lord knows [O Muhammad] that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qurᶦan. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others travelling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give Zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves- you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful﴿ 

Chapter of the One Folded in Garments. Verse NO 20

God says ﴾And from [part of] the night, pray with it as addition [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station﴿ 

Chapter of the Night Journey. Verse NO 79

He also says ﴾O you who wraps himself [in clothing] (1) Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little (2) Half of it- or subtract from it a little (3) Or add to it, and recite the Qurᶦan with measured recitation (4)﴿ 

Chapter of the One Folded in Garments.

●AL-Mughirah ibn Shuᶦbah reported: Allah’s Messenger performed prayer until his feet were swollen, so it was said to him: 

“You burden yourself like this, while your past and future sins have been forgiven?” 

He (the Prophet) said, “Shouldn’t I be a grateful servant?” 

Reference: AL-Tirmidhi.    Book 2, Hadith 265

Its time: 

After night prayer. The best time for performing it is the last third of night

(As-Sahar).

●Abu-Hurairah reported: Allah’s Apostle said, 

“Our Lord, the Blessed and the Superior, descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night is left, and says, 

‘Who invokes Me so that, I may answer him? Who asks Me so that I may give to him? Who asks Me forgiveness so that I may forgive him?’ 

And thus He continues till [the light of] dawn shines.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim.   Book 6, Hadith 201

●It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever among you fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him perform odd prayer (Witr) at the beginning of the night, and whoever is eager to get up in the last part of it, let him perform odd prayer at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is better.”

Reference: Sahih Muslim.  Book 6, Hadith 195

How to perform it?

●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦUmar that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, 

“Optional night prayer should be two by two, but if you fear that morning is near, perform one prayer unit (one Rakᶦah) as Witr.”

Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen.   The Book of Virtues [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

●AL-Aswad reported: I asked ᶦAᶦishah, “How is the night prayer of the Prophet?” 

She replied, “He used to sleep early at night and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When the caller to prayer (Muᶦadhdhin) pronounced the Adhan, he would get up. 

If he was in need of a bath, he would take it; otherwise, he would perform ablution and then go out (for the prayer).”

Reference: AL-Bukhari.    Book 19, Hadith 27

Note that:

①Allah does not charge a soul except with that within its capacity.

●Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet came into the mosque and noticed a rope stretched between two poles. 

He said, “What is this rope?” 

People said, “This is Zainab’s rope. When she becomes lazy or tired during her optional prayer, she holds it.” 

He said, “Untie it. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.  Book 19, Hadith 31

②A Muslim should have a permanent Naafilah in order to be able to keep on performing it daily, even if it is two prayer units or reading two pages of the Holy Qurᶦan.

That is because when he/she becomes unable to do it due to his/her old age or disease, Allah gives him/her its reward.

●It was narrated from ᶦAᶦishah (May Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah said, 

“O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) till you get tired, and the best deed to Allah is the one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is small.”

Reference: Sahih AL-Bukhari.  Book 77, Hadith 78

●It was narrated from Ibrahim Abu Ismaᶦil that the Messenger of Allah said, “When a servant of Allah falls ill or travels, then he will get reward similar to that he gets for good deeds he practiced when he was healthy or at home.”

Reference: AL-Bukhari.  Book 56, Hadith 205

●It was narrated from ᶦAᶦishah that the Messenger of Allah said, “If a man prays in the night and sleep overcomes him during it, Allah writes for him the reward of his prayer, and his sleep is alms (Sadaqah) for him.”

Reference: Muwatta Malik.  Book 7, Hadith 255

❺Odd Prayer (Witr)

Its legitimacy:

●Buraydah ibn AL-Hasib reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 

“Witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to us.” He said it thrice.

Reference: Sunan Abi-Daoud.  Book 8, Hadith 4

●It was narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah is Witr (odd, single) and loves what is Witr. So perform Witr prayer, you who follow the Qurᶦan.”

Reference: Riyad As-Saaliheen [AL-Tirmidhi and Abu-Daoud]  The Book of Virtues.

●Kharijah ibn Hudhafah reported: Allah’s Messenger came out to us and said, “Indeed Allah has given you a prayer that is better for you than red camels: AL-Witr which Allah has made for you between night prayer (Isha) and the onset of dawn.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.   Book 3, Hadith 1

Its provision:

It is an emphasized Sunnah in Shafii School, but it is a duty in Abi-Hanifah School.

The number of its prayer units (Rakᶦaat):

The minimum number is one prayer unit, the average number is three, and the maximum number is eleven prayer units.

●Umm Salamah reported: The Prophet used to pray Witr with thirteen prayer units, but when he grew older and weaker he prayed Witr with seven.

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.  Book 3, Hadith 6

¨It is better to perform Witr at home, except in the month of Ramadan.

¨If a praying person performed Witr after performing the Sunnah prayer of the night prayer, and then he stood to pray Tahajjud, he would not repeat Witr.

●Qais ibn Talq narrated that his father said: I heard Allah’s Messenger saying, “There are no two Witr in one night.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.  Book 3, Hadith 18

Humility invocation (Qunut) in Witr prayer:

¨A praying person can perform Qunut after reciting Qurᶦan in the last prayer unit of Witr prayer, before or after bowing down.

¨Qunut in morning prayer is a Sunnah in Shafii School and recommended in Malik School. 

But Imam Ahmad does not perform Qunut in morning prayer except when there is a distress.

¨In the second half of Ramadan, Qunut is recommended to be in the last prayer unit of Witr prayer.

●AL-Hasan ibn Ali reported: The Messenger of Allah taught me some phrases that I say during Witr. 

They were: “O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me security among those You have granted, take me into Your charge among those You have taken into Your charge, bless me in what You have given, guard me from the evil of what You have decreed, for verily You decree and none can decree over You. 

He whom You support can never be humiliated. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord.”

Reference: Jamiᶦ AL-Tirmidhi.    Book 3, Hadith 12

In summary:

You should perform night prayer (ᶦIsha) and the two Sunnah prayer units, then you sleep.

Then you get up in the last third of night, pray Tahajjud, and recite of the Qurᶦan that which is easy for you. 

Finally, you pray Witr (one prayer unit, or three, or five, etc.), invoke Allah, because it is an hour of answering invocation, and wait for the morning prayer.

Read also
Nawaafil performed in certain occasions

  

Prayer validity conditions, pillars,and sunan

Prayer validity conditions, pillars,and sunan

Prayer Validity Conditions:

1) Purity of organs from uncleanness and impurity.
        
2) Ablution before prayer.

3) Being certain that it is time to pray.

4) Heading to Kaᶦbah direction (AL Qiblah), except in war.

5) Covering private parts with clean clothes.

The private parts of a man are between his umbilicus and knees; the private parts of a woman include all of her body, except her face and hands. There is a debate about covering her feet. In summary, she should wear a pair of socks when she prays outside her home.

6) Standing on a clean place. In the schools of Shafii, Malik, and Abu-Hanifah, prayer is disliked in graveyards, slaughterhouses, dumps, barns, public baths, on the road, and on the roof of AL-Kaᶦbah.

But Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal considered prayer in these places is invalid.

Note: There is an exemption from heading to AL-Kaᶦbah direction in fear prayer, and in voluntary prayer during travel.

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Pillars of Prayer

The Pillar of Prayer: Validity of prayer depends on it, and prostration of forgetfulness does not deputize for it.

1)Standing up: If a praying person is able to do it. Sitting is not permissible in obligatory prayer if  a praying person is able to stand up. If he was unable to stand up, he would pray sitting. If he was unable to sit, he would pray lying on his side. If he was unable to lie on his side, he would pray lying on his back with his face towards AL-Kaᶦbah direction and make gestures using his hands, head, and eyes referring to bowing down (Rukuᶦ) and prostration (Sujuud). For voluntary prayer, it is permissible to pray sitting, but Allah decreases its reward.

●Imran ibn Husain (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I asked the Prophet about who prays sitting down. He said, ‘Whoever prays standing up is better, and one who prays sitting down will have half the reward of one who prays standing up. And whoever prays lying down will have half the reward of one who prays sitting down.’” [AL-Bukhari].

2)Intention.

3)Saying “God is the Greatest”, as in case of consecration (Takbeerat AL-Ihraam). 

 When you say it, with your face towards AL-Kaᶦbah direction and raising your palms just in front of your shoulders, you already start prayer.

4)Reciting Chapter of the Opening: (In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God) is a verse of it.

It is seven verses.

●It was narrated from Ibadah ibn AL-Samit that the Prophet said, “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening Chapter (Fatihat AL Kitab).” [The Two Scholars].

●It was narrated from Abi- Hurairah that the Prophet said, “If you recited ‘All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe’, you should recite ‘In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God.’ It is the epitome or basis of the Qurᶦan, and epitome or basis of the Book, and the seven oft-repeated verses.”

5)Bowing down. 

6)Rising from bowing down. 

7)Standing up straight.

8)Prostration.

9)Rising from prostration. 

10)Sitting between the two prostrations. 

11)The last sitting, including testification and saying prayers for the Prophet in the last testification.

12)The first prayer-end greeting.

13)Performing pillars in the previously mentioned order.

14)Feeling at ease in bowing down, in the two prostrations, and in the sitting between them.

●Abu-Hurairah reported: “Allah’s Apostle entered the mosque and a person followed him. The man prayed and went to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet returned the greeting and said to him, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.’ The man went back and prayed in the same way as before, returned and greeted the Prophet who said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.’ This happened thrice. 
The man said, ‘By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I cannot offer the prayer in a better way than this. Please, teach me how to pray.’ 
The Prophet said, ‘When you stand for prayer say AL-Takbeer (God is the Greatest) and then recite from the Holy Qurᶦan (of what you know by heart) and then bow till you feel at ease. Then raise your head and stand up straight, then prostrate till you feel at ease during your prostration, then sit with calmness till you feel at ease (do not hurry) and do the same in all your prayers.’” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

Note: The previous tradition is called “The tradition of the man who performed his prayer badly”.

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The Sunnah Practices of Prayer (Sunan AL-Salah)

a) Before beginning of prayer:

1) Call to prayer (Adhan).            
2) Second call to prayer (Iqamah).

And both of them are for obligatory prayer only.

In the call to morning prayer, the caller says, “Prayer is better than sleep.” twice.

The caller to prayer must be a rational male Muslim.

●It was narrated from Malik ibn AL-Huwairith that the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said, “When the time for prayer comes, one of you should pronounce the call for it, and the oldest of you  should lead the prayer.” [The Two Scholars].

●Anas reported: “Bilal was commanded to say the phrases of the call to pray twice and the phrases of the second call once.” [AL-Bukhari].

b) After prayer entering:

1) The first testification (Tashahhud) after two prayer units.

2) Humility invocation (Qunut):

a) In morning prayer, after bowing down in the second prayer unit.

b) In separate prayer (Salat AL-Witr) in the second half of Ramadan.

●Malik ibn AL-Huwayrith reported: We came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being young men of a similar age. We spent twenty nights with him. 
He thought that we desired our own people and he asked us about those of our family we had left behind, and we told him. 
He was merciful and kind, and said,“Go back to your family. Instruct and command them. Pray as you have seen me praying. When it is time for the prayer, then let one of you pronounce its call and let the oldest of you lead you in prayer.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

*An Educational Mission.

The Prophet was the first to apply the educational missions approach. If a tribe converted to Islam, they would send a delegation to AL-Madinah to experience Muslims’ life with the Prophet and his companions. 
Then the members of the delegation return to their home to disseminate what they have learnt, according to God’s saying ﴾And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group[remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious﴿ Chapter of Repentance. Verse NO 122

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Non-Emphasized Sunnah Practices of Prayer

❶Raising palms in saying “God is the Greatest” as in case of consecration.

●It was narrated from Salim, from his father, that: The Messenger of Allah used to raise his hands until they were in level with his shoulders when he started to pray, when he 
said “God is the Greatest” for bowing, and when he raised his head from bowing. And he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostration.  [AL-Bukhari].

❷Saying “I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, as a monotheist, and I am not of the polytheists.” after saying “God is the Greatest.”

❸Putting the right hand on the left hand under the chest.

❹Seeking refuge, then (Basmallah) which means saying “In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God” in reading Chapter of the Opening.

❺Saying “Ameen” in the end of the Opening Chapter.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Apostle (P.P.B.U.H) said: “When the reciter (AL-Imam) says ‘Ameen’, say ‘Ameen’, for if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [The Two Scholars].

❻Reciting a Chapter or verses after reciting the Opening Chapter according to a person’s ability.

Imam Shafii allowed reading from Qurᶦan (i.e. putting it in front of the praying person), but Abu-Hanifah objected to that. Ibn Hanbal allowed it in voluntary prayer only.

❼Loudness in the first two prayer units of sunset and night prayers, and in the two prayer units of morning, Friday, and the Two Festivals prayers.

❽Saying “God is the Greatest” between acts of prayer.

❾Glorification of Allah in bowing down and prostration.

❿Saying “Allah hears the one who praises Him.” after raising from bowing down.

●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦAbbas that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “I have been forbidden to recite the Qurᶦan in the state of bowing and prostration. As for bowing down, honor the Lord in it, and as for prostration, do your best in invocation, that is worthy of being accepted.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: “The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is in prostration. So increase invocation in prostrations.” [Muslim].

True Prostration:

Make your hands away from your face, and raise your elbows above the earth. As for a woman, she makes her body parts near each other.

●Maimunah bint AL-Harith, the mother of believers, reported: When the Messenger of Allah prostrated, he kept his hands so much apart from each other that when it was seen from behind, the armpits became visible.

●It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Be moderate in prostration and do not rest your forearms along the ground like a dog.” [AL-Bukhari]. 

●Ibn Abbas reported from the Apostle of Allah: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: forehead, and then pointed with his hands towards his nose, hands, knees, and the extremities of the feet. And we were forbidden to fold back clothing and hair.” [The Two Scholars].

●Rifaa ibn Rafi (May God be pleased with him) reported: “One day we were praying 
behind the Messenger of Allah, when the Messenger of Allah raised his head from 
bowing down and said, ‘Allah hears the one who praises Him (Samiᶦ Allahu Liman hamidah).’ 
A man behind him said, ‘Our Lord, praise belongs to You- blessed, pure and abundant  praise (Rabbana wa laka AL-Hamd, Hamdan Kathiran Tayiban  Mubarakan fihi).’ When the Messenger of Allah had finished, he said, ‘Who was it who spoke just now?’ The 
man said, ‘I did, Messenger of Allah.’ And the Messenger of Allah said, ‘I saw more 
than  thirty angels rushing to it to see which one of them would record it first.’” 
[AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

⓫Putting hands on knees in the sitting for testification.          

 ۞Stretch the left hand.
 ۞Do not extend the right hand.
۞ Raise the right index finger.

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: When the Messenger of Allah sat for testification, he placed his left hand on his left knee, his right hand on his right knee, and raised his right finger which    was next to his thumb, making invocation in this way, and he stretched his left hand on    his left knee. [Muslim].

⓬The second prayer-end greeting.

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 Humility (Qunut) in Morning Prayer

Imam Shafii allowed it, but Abu-Hanifah did not approve it. Ibn Hanbal sees that AL-   Qunut is a Sunnah which is performed in serious events or wars by humility to Allah and invocation against an enemy, as the Prophet has done.

I testify that our chief (Sayedona) Muhammad……

Scholars have disliked saying “I testify that our chief Muhammad….” in testification, according to the Prophet’s saying “Do not make me your chief in prayer.” and his 
saying in his traditions: “And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle.” 
And his saying “Say: ‘O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family.’”

On the other hand, Imam Shafii considered the tradition “Do not make me your chief in prayer.” a weak tradition, therefore he allowed to say “Our chief Muhammad.”
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Invalidators of Prayer

1) Change of intention: When a praying person decides, during the prayer, to change the type of the prayer, (for example: changing it from an obligatory prayer to a voluntary   prayer), or the number of prayer units.

2) When AL Kaᶦbah direction (AL-Qiblah) is at the back of the praying person.

3) When private parts are uncovered.     

4) Invalidation of ablution.

5) When there is an apparent uncleanness on the praying person or on his clothes.

6) Sudden menses or confinement.

7) A lot of action during prayer. For example: walking three steps in any direction, or when his movements are more than three in one prayer unit.

8) Eating, drinking, laughing in prayer, or saying words other than those of prayer.

*Abu-Hanifah sees that giggling in prayer invalidates prayer and ablution also.

*In all cases mentioned previously, a praying person has to give salutation and end his 

prayer.