What are the meanings of the deeds done in prayer, supplications (dua) and glorifications (tasbihat) in and outside prayer? Is it permissible to say / read them more or fewer times?

Dear Brother / Sister,

They are sunnahs of prayer. Some of them are as follows:

It is sunnah for the imam to say takbirs, "Samiallahu liman hamidah" while standing up from ruku’ and the salutations at the end of the prayer aloud; it is suunah for the congregation to say "Allahumma Rabbana wa lakalhamd" while standing up from ruku’, takbirs and salutations silently. A person who performs a prayer individually says both of them while standing up from ruku’.

It is sunnah to read "Subhanakallahumma..." after the first takbir at the beginning of the prayer silently, "audhu basmala" silently after it and before al-Fatiha, to say only "basmala" before al-Fatiha in the other rak'ahs, and to say "amin" at the end of al-Fatiha. There is no difference between the imam and the congregation and a person who prays individually regarding the issue.  However, it is not necessary for the congregation to read "audhu basmala" since they will not read al-Fatiha. "Amin" means "accept our prayers".

According to a view that is regarded sound it is wajib to read basmala before al-Fatiha in all rak'ahs. Basmala is not read at the beginning of the chapters to be read after al-Fatiha. However, According to Imam Muhammad, basmala is read at the beginning of those chapters in prayers in which qira’ah is silent.

It is sunnah for men to place their right hands on their left hands under the navel, to grab the left wrist with the thumbs and little fingers of their right hands and to place the other three fingers on their left hands. It is sunnah for women to place their right hands on their left hands on their breasts without forming a ring.

It is sunnah to say "Allahu akbar" while bowing down for ruku’ and going down for prostration, to say "Samiallahu liman hamidah" while standing up from ruku’, and to say "Allahu akbar" before and after prostrations.  

It is sunnah to say "Subhana Rabbiyal-azim" at least three times in ruku’ and "Subhana Rabbiyal-ala" at least three times in prostration.  

In ruku’, it is sunnah for men to place their hands with fingers open on the knees and to hold the knees. Women do not hold their fingers open and do not grab their knees. They place their hands on their knees.

Questions on Islam