Etiquettes of Noon (Zohr) Prayer

Text and Translation

Dua of the Noon (Zohr)

It is recommended to perform the Noon Prayer at the beginning of its time. However, the first thing to do when it is midday (zohr) is to say the following doxology (zikr):

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَلَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَّ لَا وَلَدًا وَّ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهٗ شَرِيْكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهٗ وَلِىُّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ وَ كَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيْرًا.

SUBHAANAL LAAHE WA LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAHO WAL HAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE LAM YATTAKHIZ SAAHEBATANW WA LAA WALADANW WA LAM YAKUL LAHU SHAREEKUN FIL MULKE WA LAM YAKUL LAHU WALIYYUM MENAZ ZULLE WA KABBIRHO TAKBEERAN.

Glory be to Allah, and there is no god but Allah. All praise is for Allah, Who has not taken a companion nor a son, and Who has no partner in [His] kingdom, nor has He any helper out of weakness. And magnify Him with all magnificence.

It is reported that Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) instructed Muhammad ibn Muslim to keep on saying this doxology (zikr) as same as he keeps his eyes from harm.

If you have not yet done the ritual ablution, you may hurry up and observe all the aforementioned etiquettes.

Nafelah Zohr

The supererogatory (mustahab / nafelah) Noon Prayer consists of eight units as follows: In the first two units, you may intend offering them, utter the Takbeer seven times as has been previously explained, say the supplications dedicated to these statements, and pray Almighty Allah to protect you against Satan the accursed:

اَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ.

A-O’OZO BILLAAHE MENASH SHAYTAANIR RAJEEME.

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed.

You may now recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Tawheed in the first unit and Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Kafirun (No. 109) in the second. Upon accomplishment, you may repeat the Takbeer three times, as has been previously explained in the beginning of the general post-prayer utterances, utter Tasbeeh al-Zahra, and then say the following supplicatory prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنّىِ ْضَعِيْفٌ فَقَوِّ فِىْ رِضَاكَ ضَعْفِىْ وَ خُذْ اِلَى الْخَيْرِ بِنَاصِيَتِىْ وَ اجْعَلِ الْاِيْمَانَ مُنْتَهٰى رِضَاۤئِیْ وَ بَارِكْ لِىْ فِيْمَا قَسَمْتَ لِىْ وَ بَلِّغْنِىْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ كُلَّ الَّذِىْ اَرْجُوْ مِنْكَ وَ اجْعَلْ لِىْ وُدًّا وَّ سُرُوْرًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَعَهْدًا عِنْدَكَ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE ZA-E’EFUN FA-QAWWE FEE REZAAKA ZA’-FEE WA KHUZ ELAL KHAYRE BE-NAASEYATEE WAJ A’LIL EEMAANA MUNTAHAA REZAA-EE WA BAARIK LEE FEEMAA QASAMTA LEE WA BALLIGHNEE BERAHMATEKA KULLAL LAZEE ARJOO MINKA WAJ A’L LEE WUDDANW WA SOROORAL LIL-MO-MENEENA WA A’HDAN I’NDAKA.

O Allah, indeed I am weak, so strengthen my weakness in Your pleasure. Lead me by my forelock toward goodness, and make faith the ultimate goal of my contentment. Bless for me what You have apportioned for me, and through Your mercy, cause me to attain everything I hope for from You. Grant me the affection and joy of the believers, and a covenant with You.

Dua Of The Noon Obligatory Prayer

You may then stand up to offer other couple of units as exactly as the previous couple except that you may utter one statement of Takbeer instead of seven. You may then offer another couple of units as same as you have offered the previous. Upon accomplishing these four units of prayer, you may say the same supplications and also say Tasbeeh al-Zahra as has been previously cited. The last two units (of the eight-unit supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) Noon Prayer) may be offered between the azan and Eqaamah. Hence, you may say the following supplicatory prayer after the Eqaamah:

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ هٰذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَ الصَّلٰوةِ الْقَاۤئِمَةِ بَلِّغْ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ وَ الْوَسِيْلَةَ وَ الْفَضْلَ وَ الْفَضِيْلَةَ بِاللّٰهِ اَسْتَفْتِحُ وَ بِاللّٰهِ اَسْتَنْجِحُ وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ اَتَوَجَّهُ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اجْعَلْنِىْ بِهِمْ عِنْدَكَ وَجِيْهًا فِى الدُّنْيَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ وَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ.

ALLAAHUMMA RABBA HAAZEHID DA’-WATIT TAAMMATE WAS SALAATIL QAA-EMATE BALLIGH MOHAMMADAN SALLAL LAAHO A’LAYHE WA AALEHID DARAJATA WAL WASEELATA WAL FAZLA WAL FAZEELATA BILLAAHE ASTAFTEHO WA BILLAAHE ASTANJEHO WA BE-MOHAMMADIN SALLAL LAAHO A’LAYHE WA AALEHI ATAWAJJAHO ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADINW WA AALE MOHAMMADINW WAJ A’LNEE BEHIM I’NDAKA WAJEEHAN FID-DUNYAA WAL AAKHERATE WA MENAL MOQARRABEENA.

O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the established prayer, cause Muhammad—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family—to attain the high station, the means of approach, the excellence, and the virtue. By Allah I begin, by Allah I seek success, and through Muhammad—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family—I turn [to You]. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and by their sake, make me distinguished in Your sight in this world and the Hereafter, and among those brought near [to You].

The Noon Obligatory Prayer

The same etiquettes of performing the dawn (fajr) Prayer may be observed in performing the Noon Prayer. You may recite the Surahs with low voice except for the basmalah. It is preferred to recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Qadr at the first unit and Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Tawheed at the second. After the tashahhud statement in the second unit, you may add the following:

وَ تَقَبَّلْ شَفَاعَتَهٗ وَ ارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهٗ.

WA TAQABBAL SHAFAA-A’TAHU WARFA’ DARAJATAHU.

And accept his intercession and elevate his station.

You may then stand erect for uttering the Four Words of Glorification three times. It is better to add a statement of imploring Almighty Allah’s forgiveness (isteghfar) to them in the intention of seeking nearness to Him. You may then genuflect and prostrate as has been previously instructed. You may then stand for performing the fourth unit as same as you have performed the third. In this unit, you should say the statements of tashahhud and Tasleem. You may then begin with the post-prayer utterances, uttering the Takbeer statement three times, saying the aforesaid doxologies (laa elaaha illal laaho...), glorifying Almighty Allah with Tasbeeh al-Zahra, and then say any of the general post-prayer supplicatory utterances that you have said after the dawn (fajr) Prayer. You may then say the post-prayer utterances that are dedicated to the Noon Prayer. Some of these supplicatory utterances have been mentioned in my books of Mafateeh al-Jinan and Hadiyyat al-Zaaer. However, there is no place for these supplicatory utterances here. You may finally do the thanksgiving prostration.