1515. The prayer for signs consists of two rak‘ah, and each rak‘ah consists of five rukÙ. After one has made his intention, he should pronounce the takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm, recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and a second sÙrah completely, and proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ and recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and a second sÙrah, then proceed to rukÙ again. He should repeat this five times. After raising his head from the fifth rukÙ, he should proceed to perform two sujÙd, stand up, and repeat the aforementioned instructions in the second rak‘ah. He should then complete the second rak‘ah with tashahhud and salÁm.
1516. One may also offer the prayer for signs in the following manner: After one has made his intention, he should pronounce takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm, and recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah. He may then divide the verses of a second sÙrah into five parts, reciting one verse, more than one verse or less than it, and then proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ and without reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah again, recite the second part of the same sÙrah and then proceed to rukÙ again. He should repeat this until he has completed five rukÙ. He should complete the second sÙrah before proceeding to the fifth rukÙ. For example, if he intends to recite sÙrat al-tawÎÐd, he should recite (بِسْمِ اللهُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ) (Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem), and then proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ, recite (قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ) (Qul hu'Allahu ahad), and then proceed to rukÙ again. He should then rise again, and recite: اللَّهُ الصَّمَد (Allahus samad) and proceed to ruku once again. Therafter he should rise from ruku and recite: لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَد (Lam yalid wa lam yulad) and then bow again for ruku. He shouldthen rise from ruku and recite: وَ لَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَد (Wa lam yakul lahu kufuwan ahad) and proceed to his fifth ruku after raising his head from it, he should perform two sujÙd. He should then perform the second rak‘ah like the first one, and after the two sujud he should recite the tashahhud and then the salam of prayers.
He may also divide the surah into less than five parts. However, each time he completes the second surah, before next ruku he must recite surat al-FÁtiÎah and then recite a complete surah or a part of it.
1517. There is no problem if a person recites sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and the second sÙrah five times in one rak‘ah, and sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah once, and divides the second sÙrah into five parts in the other rak‘ah.
1518. The things which are obligatory or recommended in the five daily prayers are also obligatory or recommended in the prayer for signs. However, if the prayer for signs is offerred in congregation, one should pronounce الصلاة (As-Salaat) three times with the intention of rajÁ instead of adhÁn and the iqÁmah.
1519. It is recommended to recite سمع الله لمن حمده (Same' Allahu Liman Hamidah) after the fifth and tenth rukÙ of the prayer. It is similarly recommended to recite takbÐr before and after every rukÙ. However, reciting takbÐr after the fifth and tenth rukÙ is not recommended.
1520. It is recommended to recite qunÙt before the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth rukÙ. It is also sufficient to recite it after the tenth rukÙ.
1521. If a person doubts how many rak‘ah he has performed in the prayer for signs, and he is unable to resolve his doubt, his prayer will be deemed invalid.
1522. If a person doubts whether he is in the final rukÙ of the first rak‘ah, or the first rukÙ of the second rak‘ah, and he is unable to resolve his doubt, his prayer will be invalid. If doubts regarding the number of rukÙ he has performed, he should assume the smaller number, except if he doubts whether he has performed four or five rukÙ. In this case he should perform the rukÙ regarding which he has doubted, if he entertained the doubt prior to bowing down for sujÙd. If he entertained the doubt after bowing to proceed for sujÙd, but before reaching sujÙd itself, obligatory precaution dictates that he should return and perform the rukÙ, complete his prayer and repeat it. However, if he entertained the doubt after reaching sujÙd, he should dismiss his doubt.
1523. Each of the rukÙ in the prayer for signs is a rukn. Therefore, if a person deliberately or inadvertently omits or adds to them, his prayer will be invalid.
