commence the
Namaz.

(4). Salat or Namaz. The Namaz can be said either in private or in public.
All that is required is that the clothes and person of the worshipper
should be clean, the place free from all impurity, and that the face be
turned towards Mecca. Whether the Namaz is said in public or in private, it
must be preceded by wazu, except when tayammum is allowed. If the
Namaz[188] is said in a mosque which is considered to be more meritorious
than repeating it in private, it must be preceded by the Azan, or call to
prayers, and the Iqamat. Minute particulars regarding the exact attitude in
which the Musalli, one who says the Salat, must stand and the words he is
to say are given in Muslim books. The following account will give some idea
of a Namaz, or Service.[189]

The Mu,azzin[190] calls out loudly in Arabic:--

"Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar[191]!"

All who hear it respond:--

"Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"

The Mu,azzin says:--

"I confess there is no God but God, I confess there is no God but God."

Each of his auditors replies:--

"I confess there is no God but God, I confess there is no God but God."

{194}

Mu,azzin:--"I confess Muhammad is the apostle of God."

Auditor:--"I confess Muhammad is the apostle of God."

Mu,azzin:--"Come to prayer."

Auditor:--"I have no power or strength but from God most High and Great."

Mu,azzin:--"Come to do good."

Auditor:--"What God wills will be; what He wills not will not be."

If it is the time of morning prayer, the Mu,azzin adds the words: "Prayer
is better than sleep," to which the response is given: "Thou hast spoken
well." "Allahu Akbar," and "There is no God but God" are then repeated
twice and so the Azan ends.

The Iqamat (literally, "causing to stand") is a repetition of the Azan, but
after the words, "come to do good," the statement "prayer has commenced" is
made.

These preliminaries being now over, the Namaz can commence. It is as
follows:

The Musalli, or worshipper, stands with his hands close to his side and
says in a low voice the Niyyat (intention):--

"I have purposed to offer up to God only, with a sincere heart this morning
(or as the case may be), with my face Qibla-wards, two (or as the case may
be) rak'at prayers, farz (or sunnat or nafl, as the case may be)."

Then follows the Takbir-i-Tahrimah, said with the thumbs touching the lobes
of the ears. The palms of th