Curriculum for the Saalik
1. Perform Complete Salah
Prayers should not be performed perfunctorily; they should be offered with presence of mind as well. So there are two parts of this instruction: 1) offering the prayer and 2) maintaining focus when doing so.
Fajr: 2 Rakah Sunnah, 2 Rakah Fardh
Ishraq: 2 Rakah Nafl – approximately 15-20 minutes after sunrise
Dhuha: 4 Rakah Nafl when the sun has sufficiently risen (~10:00). If one has to go to school or work they can add 2 Rakah after Ishraq
Zuhr: 4 Rakah Sunnah, 4 Rakah Fardh, 2 Rakah Sunnah, 2 Rakah Nafl
Asr: 4 Rakah Sunnah Ghair Mukkadah, 4 Rakah Fardh
Maghrib: 3 Rakah Fardh, 2 Rakah Sunnah, 2 Rakah Sunnah Ghair Mukkadah – then followed by Awwabeen of 6-20 Rakah
Isha: 4 Rakah Sunnah Ghair Mukkadah, 4 Rakah Fard, 2 Rakah Sunnah, 2 Rakah Sunnah Ghair Mukkadah, 3 Rakah Wajib Witr, 2 Rakah Sunnah Ghair Mukkadah
Tahajjud: 8 Rakah Nafl
One should also offer:
- 2 rakah Nafl after Wudu (Tahiyyat al-Wudu)
- 2 rakah Nafl upon entering the Masjid (Tahiyyat al-Masjid)
- Salat al-Tasbeeh
2. Abstain from Sins
Make a list of all the sins which ones are found in one’s life. Then cross them out one by one as you abandon these sins. Start with the major sins. Then you can move on to the minor sins.
3. Perfect One’s Character
Read “Ba Adab Ba Naseeb” by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed. There is an English translation by the title “Be Blessed, Be courteous.” Bring these manners into your life.
4. Masnoon Duas
Recite the various Sunnah duas throughout the day (upon waking, before and after eating, before sleeping, before and after exiting the bathroom, etc.).
5. Acting upon the Sunnah
Additionally, one should try to inculcate the as much of the various Sunnahs as possible. These have been outlined here: Beautiful Sunnahs of the Beloved (S). One should go through this book and bring it into their life.
