How the Prophet of Islam Prayed?

The Prophet ( SWAS ) tended to recite certain chapters of the Quran ( surahs ) in particular Islamic prayers ( salawaat ). In the obligatory dawn ( fajr ) prayers, he ( SWAS ) sometimes used to recite the longer chapters of the Quran ( surahs ) from the last seventh of the Quran (the mufassal surahs) in the two unit of prayers ( rakaats ), and sometimes shorter ones. Once in a journey he ( SWAS ) recited the last two chapters ( surahs ) of the Quran in the dawn prayer and advised his Companions ( RA ) to recite these surahs ( chapters ) of protection (the muwawadhatayn ) as they are the best means to seek protection. Among the other chapters ( surahs ) he used to recite in the dawn ( fajr ) prayer were Surah Al Rum , Surah Al Yaseen , Surah Al Muminoon , and Surah Al Saffat . In the dawn ( fajr ) prayers on Fridays, he ( SWAS ) would recite Surah As Sajdah in the first unit ( rakaat ) and Surah Al Dahr ( Al Insaan ) in the second unit ( rakaat ). He ( SWAS ) used to make the first u...

The Prophet ( SWAS ) used to seek refuge with God ( Allah ) before he ( SWAS ) started the recitation in his prayers. He ( SWAS ) did so by saying: أعوذ بآلله من الشيطان الرجيم من همزه و نفخه  I seek refuge with God (Allah) from the Satan, the Rejected, from his madness, his arrogance, and his influence. Sometimes, he would modify it thus: أعوذ بآلله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم من همزه و نفخه I seek refuge wiith God (Allah), the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from Satan, the Rejected, from his madness, his arrogance, and his influence. After seeking protection from God ( Allah ), the Prophet ( SWAS ) started his recitation with: بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful He ( SWAS ) would recite this in a low voice, even in congregational prayers in which the recitations are supposed to be audible. He ( SWAS ) began the recitation of the Quran in his prayers with the recitation of Surah Al Fatiha , and recited it one verse at a time, with...

After commencing the prayer with  takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar ), the Prophet ( SWAS ) used to supplicate to praise God (Allah) the Exalted. He instructed the one who prayed improperly, "No person's prayer is complete unlesss he says takbeer, praises Allah the Mighty and Sublime and extols Him, recites of the Quran what is easy for him...". Among the supplications of praise he would recite are the following: اَللّٰهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِـيْ وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ نَقِّنِيْ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ O Allah , separate me from my sins as You have separated the East from the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my transgressions as the white garment is cleansed of stains . O Allah , wash away my sins with ice and water and frost.

The Prophet ( SWAS ) said "all actions are by intention, and every man shall have what he intended", so when we pray we should bring into our mind what we are about to do, i.e. what prayer they are praying, whether it is obligatory or not, and other characteristics of the prayer before we begin.  After intention in the heart and mind, Prophet Muhammad ( SWAS ) would commence the prayer by saying: الله أكبر Allahu Akbar Allah (God) is the Greatest This statement is called the takbeer .  He ( SWAS ) has been reported to teach a person who did not pray properly that "Verily, the prayer of a person is not complete until he has made ablution which has included (the washing of ) the necessary parts of the body and he then said: Allahu Akbar i.e. the takbeer ". He ( SWAS ) also said, "The Key to prayer is purification; it is entered by takbeer and exited by tasleem (saying of salaams , i.e. the last actions in the Islamic prayer). The Prophet ( SWAS ) used to raise...