Lesson 35 Pillars and Conditions of Prayers
Prayer is a continuous relation between a bondman and his Lord.
Prayer prevents obscenity and rejuvenates a sense of piety to Allah.
It cultivates in a Muslim the spirit of community, brotherhood, equality, and discipline.
It is an ideal model for the Muslim nation that should be led by their best in knowledge, jurisprudence and morality.
Prayer is obligatory for every Muslim in its five specific times: - early morning (after dawn and before sunrise), -noon, -mid-afternoon, -sunset, and -evening
Prayer is the most preferred form of worship as it is the pillar of religion.
It is the first pillar of Islam after shahadah (The Muslim declaration of faith, that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
The Prophet's highly recommended prayers: some are confirmed Sunnah and others are not.
Besides, it is up to the Muslim to perform more voluntary prayers as he likes.
The prescribed prayers are obligatory for every sane, mature Muslim. Women must be free from menstruation and post-natal bleeding in order to pray
Conditions for a sound prayer: a) Purification of what makes it necessary to perform ablution, as well as purification from Janabah (having sexual intercourse) by bathing
b) Covering the private parts of the body: from the navel to the knee for men, and the whole body excluding the face and the two hands for women
c) Facing the direction of prayer (Qiblah)
d) The purity of one’s clothing
e) Knowing the due time for prayer
Obligatory elements of prayer: a) Sincere intention
b) Obligatory standing unless unableupright position
c) Saying Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), a sign of entering ritual consecration
d) Reciting Surah al-Fatihah (The Opening Surah of the Noble Qur’an) in every Rak`ah (unit) of prayer (except for a person who is led in audible prayers)
e) Bowing down and returning to the upright position
Obligatory elements of prayer (contd): f) Performing two prostrations and sitting between them
g) Performing bowing, prostration and standing at a natural speed
h) Sitting to recite the last Tashahhud then greeting)
i) Keep the order of elements
Evidence from Qur ’ an and Sunnah
Prayer is obligatory: In many verses of the Qur’an such as: ﴿فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَتَاباً مَّوْقُوتًا ﴾ [ النساء : 103]
This means: “When you have finished As-Salah (the prayer - congregational), remember Allah standing, sitting down, and lying down on your sides, but when you are free from danger, perform As- Salah (Iqamatas Salah). Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.” (an-Nisa’: 103)
The Prophet (SAWS) said: “Islam is raised on five pillars: The testification that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is His bondsman and Messenger, the establishment of prayer, the payment of Zakah [poor-due], the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Ka`bah), and fasting during Ramadan.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
The wisdom behind the prayer and the merits of it: Allah says: ﴿ إنَّ الصَّلاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ واَلْمُنكَرِ ﴾ [ العنكبوت : 45]
This means: “Verily, as-Salah (the prayer) prevents from al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and al- Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.).” (Al-`Ankabut: 45)
The Prophet (SAWS) said: “The principle of this matter is Islam, its hump is prayer, and its top is Jihad.” (Reported by at-Tirmidhiyy)
And: “Verily between man and polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer.” (Reported by Muslim)
Also: “I have been commanded to fight against people until they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, perform prayers, and pay Zakah. If they do that, the protection of their blood and property will be guaranteed by me, except when justified by law, and their affairs (regarding truthfulness of faith) is decided by Allah.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
Ibn-Mas`ud (RA) narrated: “I said: O Messenger of Allah, which deed is the most beloved by Allah? He said: Performing the prayer at its fixed time.” (Reported by Muslim)
The Prophet (SAWS) said: “The similitude of the five prayers is like an overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you in which he washes five times daily.” (Reported by Muslim)
The Prophet (SAWS) said: “When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to all times.” (Reported by Muslim)
Woman should be free from menstruation and post-natal bleeding: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Fatimah Bint Hubaysh: “When the blood of the menses comes, it is black blood which can be recognized; so when that (i.e. black blood) comes, refrain from prayer; but when a different type of blood comes, perform ablution and pray, for it is (due only to) a vein.” (Reported by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa’i)
Conditions for rightly performed prayers: Purification: See: Purification Lessons 31-34
Covering one’s private parts: Allah says: ﴿ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ ﴾ [ الأعراف : 31]
This means: “Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying.” (Al-A`raf: 31)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.” (Reported by Abu Dawud) Veil = head cover
Qiblah: Allah says: ﴿ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ﴾ [ البقرة : 144]
This means: “So turn your face in the direction of Al- Masjid- al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction.” (Al-Baqarah: 144)
Allah says: ﴿ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴾ [ البقرة : 149]
This means: “And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.” (Al-Baqarah: 149)
Allah also says: ﴿ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ﴾ [ البقرة : 150]
This means: “And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards, it (when you pray).” (Al-Baqarah: 150)
Muslims should do their best to specify the direction of Qiblah: “Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) was seen praying on his camel, while he was coming from Makkah to Al-Madinah, the way in which the camel walked.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
Obligatory integrals of prayer: Intention: The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “Verily (the value of ) deeds depends on the intentions behind them.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
Standing: Allah says: ﴿ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ﴾ [ البقرة : 238]
This means: “And stand before Allah with obedience.” (Al-Baqarah: 238)
The Prophet (SAWS) said: “Pray while standing and if you can not, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy)
Takbīrah of consecration (Saying, “Allah is the Greatest”): The Prophet (SAWS) said: “The key of prayer is purification; Takbir (saying ‘Allah is the Greatest’) makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful, and Taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.” (Reported by Abu-Dawud and at-Tirmidhiyy)
Reciting Surah al-Fatihah: The Prophet (SAWS) said: “Whoever does not recite al-Fatihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
Bowing down and prostrating: The Prophet (SAWS) said: “When you stand for prayer, perform ablution properly and then face the Qiblah and say Takbir (Allahu Akbar), and then recite what you know from the Qur’an, and then bow with calmness till you feel at ease, then rise from bowing till you stand straight,
and then prostrate calmly (and remain in prostration) till you feel at ease, and then raise (your head) and sit with calmness till you feel at ease, and then prostrate with calmness (and remain in prostration) till you feel at ease, and then raise (your head) and sit with calmness till you feel at ease in the sitting position, and do likewise in whole of your prayer.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)
End Greeting: The Prophet (SAWS) said: “And its end is Taslim.” (Reported by Abu-Dawud and at-Tirmidhiyy) This is a part of an above-mentioned Hadith
The order of the integrals of prayer: The Prophet (SAWS) said: “And offer your prayers in the way you saw me offering my prayers.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy)