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Pillars of Islam: Salah (Prayer)
Salah is the most important of the five basic duties
in Islam. It is a particular way of worshipping Allah and
offering devotion to Him which Allah and His Prophet have
taught us. We came close to Allah, by performing it regularly,
correctly and with full awareness of its significance and
meaning. Salah is the practical proof of our faith
in Allah and Islam. Salah is offered five times a
day in congregation or individually. The five daily obligatory
prayers are:
- Fajr (from dawn until just before sunrise). Zuhr (after mid-day until afternoon).Asr (from late afternoon until just before sunset). Maghrib (after sunset until daylight ends).
- Isha (night until midnight or dawn).
A Muslim who says the five daily prayers with the full number, of rak'at will repeat the service about fifty times in one-day.
If in addition to these he observes the three voluntary prayers, he must add twenty-five more rakahs, making a grand total of
about seventy five. These three voluntary prayers are:
- Salatul Ishraq (when the sun has well risen); Salatud Duha (Namaz-e-chast) [About 11:O'clock A.M.]; and Salatut Tahajjud (After midnight).
These daily Salah are Fard,
sunnah, witr and nafl prayers. Fard are those
distinctly ordained by Allah, such as the five daily obligatory
prayers. Sunnah, a certain number of rak'ats which are added because it is said the Prophet repeated them.
The word 'witr' literally means 'odd number'. They
are odd number of raka'ts 1,3,5,or7 which may be said after
the last prayer at night, and before the dawn of the day.
It is recorded that the Prophet said 'witr is wajib upon Muslims' and in order to enforce the practice he added:
'Witr is right; he who does not observe it is not
my follower.' Nafl prayers are voluntary ones, the
performance of which is considered mustahab or meritorious.
Pre-requisites of Salah
There are seven pre-requisites of Salah. These are
the necessary conditions of Salah and therefore obligatory
duties. These are:
- the body being clean; the clothes being clean; the place being clean; the satr (parts of the body ordained to be covered)
being covered; it being a permissible time for Salah; the face being turned towards Qiblah; and there being intention to pray.
Constituents
(Arkan) of Salah
The things
commanded is Salah are known as constituents of Salah.
Six things are commanded in it:
- saying takbir tahrima; qiyam (standing) qira't (reciting the holy Quran); ruku (making a bow); two sijdahs (falling Prostrate); the last Qada (sitting) that is, sitting sufficiently
long to enable one to say Tashahhud. But the takbir
tahrima is a precondition not a constituent of Salah.Ordained
Acts (Wajibat) of Salah
The ordained acts of Salah are those acts that are
compulsory to be performed in Salah. If a person
forgets to perform any of these acts he shall have to rectify
the error by means of remedial prostration (sajdah sahv).
If no such sijdah is performed after the omission
of a wajib or anyone of these acts is deliberately
omitted, Salah will be invalid and will have to be
revised. There are fourteen wajibat in Salah.
-
doing recitation in the first two rak'ah;reciting al-Fatiha in each and every rakah of all Salah with the exception of the third and the fourth rak'ahs of fard Salah; reciting either one whole chapter (surah) or a long verse (ayah) or three short verses in the first two rak'ah of a fard Salah and in each and
every rak'ah of all other Salah whether wajib, masnun or nafl after the al-Fatiha; reciting al-Fatiha before reciting any other surah; maintaining the order set for recitation, ruku, sijdah and the raka'hs;doing qaumah (standing erect after ruku); performing jalsah (sitting up in between the two sijdahs); doing justice with (performing with ease and grace) the constituents of Salah such as ruku, sijdah etc. sitting as long as is required for Tashahhud after two raka'h in a Salah comprising three or four ra'kahs;reciting tashahhud in the two Qa'dahs; for imam to recite the Quran aloud in the Salah of Fajr, Maghrib, Isha, Jum'a, the two ids and all the raka'h of Tarawih and of witr in the holy month
of Ramadan and reciting on a low pitch in the Salah for dhuhr, Asr etc. terminating Salah pronouncing Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah; saying takbir for the Qunut and reciting Qunut in witr;
saying additional takbirs in Salah for the two ids.
Masnun-Acts
(Prophets precepts-Sunnah) in Salah
Sunnahs are acts which are confirmed to have been
practiced by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) but which are not so
much emphasised upon as to assume the status of command (Fard)
or ordained (wajib) acts. If a person omits any of
these acts by mistake, neither his Salah gets disturbed
not the remedial Prostration becomes essential for him nor
it is a sin. If omitted deliberately the defaulter is liable
to be punished by Allah. Twenty one acts are Masnun is Salah, some of them are:
-
raising the two hands up to the ears before saying takbir tahrimah; keeping fingers of both hands straight, as they are, facing the Qiblah in saying takbir; abstaining from lowering the head in saying takbir; gripping the left hand with the right hand below the navel; reciting Thana; reciting only al-Fatiha in the third and fourth raka'hs of fard Salah. saying 'ameen'; reciting text from the Quran to the extent practiced by the Prophet in various Salah;reciting tasbih in each one of the ruku's and sijdahs;
turning the face in Salam first to the right, then to the left.
Desirable
Acts (mustahabs) in Salah
Five acts are desirable in Salah:
-
taking palms of the two hands out of sleeves; for the individual to say tasbih more than thrice in ruku and; keeping eyes fixed on the spot for sijdah in Qiyam,
on the back of one's feet during ruku; on one's lap
in jalsah and Quamah, and over one's right
and left shoulders in saying salam; controlling the cough as much as one can;
closing one's mouth in yawning and if it does open, covering
it with back of the right palm in Qiyam and with
that of the left in other positions of Salah.
Undesirables
(Makruhat) in Salah
There are as many as 29 undesirable acts in Salah.
A few of them are as following:
-
Sadl which means leaving the clothes loose and
hanging from the body, such as, leaving the two sides of a
sheet of cloth hanging from the head or putting the coat etc.,
on the shoulders without putting the hands into its sleeves;
sporting with one's body or clothes; going to offer Salah with shabby clothes on, such as one would not like to wear in a social gathering; offering Salah without the cap on the head out of sheer carelessness and indolence; offering Salah while one is feeling an urgent call of nature; gathering the hair and forming a pigtail of it on the head; struggling with one's fingers or intercrossing the fingers of the two hands; sitting like a dog, i.e., sitting with thigh upward and touching the belly, while the knees kiss the chest and the hands rest on the ground; sitting with legs crossed without any excuse or compulsion; deliberate yawning, or not controlling the yawn when one is in a position to do so; standing alone in a back row although room in the front row is not yet exhausted; saying prayers wearing clothes that bear the image of some animate object; offering prayers at a place which has picture or pictures on one or more sides of it or over the head of the worshipper; laying the forehead and nose in sijdah on the rolls
of the turban;
doing things against the precepts of the Prophet in the prayer.
In Islam, much stress is given on performing Salah in congregation than performing it alone. Two
is the minimum number of people required to form a congregation.
One of them would be the head of the prayer (Imam) and the
other his follower. But in that case the follower shall stand
to the right of the leader (in the same row). If the number
of followers is two or more the head shall stand in front.
Offering Salah in congregation
is an emphasized precept of the Prophet in all commanded Salah as well as in Salah for two Ids. Congregation prayer
for Tarawih is a sufficing sunnah (i.e.
a sunnah which, if performed by a certain number
of people in a locality, ceases to be binding on others).
Women, minor, the sick, those who have to attend on the sick, the lame, the maimed and the handicapped (e.g. footless people),
very old people and the blind are exempted from joining congregation prayers.
Obligation to offer the prayer in congregation is waived in the following circumstances:
- there being heavy rain; the path of the mosque being slushy; it being chilly cold; it being night and the wind blowing in gales; time for departure on journey by train, ship or aeroplane etc, being very near; one's feeling the call of nature; meals having being served before one while he is very hungry.
Invalidators
of Salah
Invalidators of Salah are things and circumstances
which nullify the prayer and render it necessary for the worshippers
to revise it. These are the following:
-
any speech in Salah, whether intentional or unintentional,
big or small, nullifies the prayer; wishing anyone in whatever terms (e.g. say As-salaam..
or other words used for the purpose); returning another person's wish or blessing or responding
to one who sneezes (with words like Wa' Laikum...);
or saying ameen in response to the invocation of
someone not joining the Salah; reacting to a bad news by the words like inna lillahi
wa inna ilaihi rajiun to a good news by pronouncing al-hamdu
lillah, or on learning an extraordinary news subhanallah;
reacting to one's pain or disease in words or by exclamation like ah, oh, etc; reading the Quran from the written or printed text; walking more than two metres; turning the chest away from Qiblah without any compulsion; Asking from Allah in prayer that would properly be asked from human beings, e.g. 'May Thou O Allah, give me one hundred rupees this day'!;
crying in adversity or pain so that words of sorrow or grief become audible to others.
If an individual has missed a prayer, it is better that he offers it at home. Saying it in the mosque is also permissible.
But the fact that one is now making up for the missed prayers should not be made known to others; it is an undesirable
act.
Remedial
Prostration (Sijdah Sahv)
Sahv in Arabic means to forget. Salah sometimes becomes
faulty because of forgetfulness on the part of the worshipper.
Some of the lapses are such as can be remedied by means of
a couple of Sijdahs in the last sitting. They are
known as remedial Sijdahs.
The remedial prostration falls due in anyone
of the following contingencies:
- a wajib having been omitted; delay occurring in performing a wajib act; delay occurring in performing a commanded act; some commanded act having been advance in order;
- some commanded acts having been repeated (such as doing
the bowing twice), or procedure for some wajib act
having been altered.
In addition to the five daily obligatory prayers and three voluntary
prayers, there are several kinds of Salah for each
day in the week, the observances of which brings remission of
many sins and rich rewards, and other forms of Salah which have to be said at different times or under special circumstances
as follows:
Salatul
Juma - The Friday Prayer
The Juma prayer is commanded for any male person who is free,
major, sensible, physically fit and on-station. There are,
however, eight kinds or persons on whom it is not incumbent,
viz., a traveller, a sick person, a slave, a woman, a minor
child, a mad person, a blind or a lame person.
It contains two rak'ahs. One has to complete two rak'ahs no matter whether one joins the prayer from
the outset or after the completion or one rak'ah or ever as late as the last sitting. The pre-requisites of
Jumah prayer are as follows:
-
one's being in a town/city. The suburbs of a city used for purposes of graveyard or cantonment also hold the order of the city. Jumah prayer in a small village would not be in order; it being the permissible time for Dhuhr; khutbah (Jumah oration) being given before Salah; there being a congregation for prayer (presence of three persons is essential for, besides, the imam is essential
for the institution of Jumah prayer); there being free and general permission to all (to join the prayers).
The two Id Prayers
Both the Id prayers are ordained (wajib). They are
ordained only for those who are duty bound to say Jumah prayer.
Conditions precedent for the Jumah prayer also hold good for
Id prayers. Time for the two Id prayers, however, elapses
before the first sign of the decline of the sun. The Id oration
is not commanded. It is the Prophet's precept to give it after
the prayers. Id Salah have two rak'ah each. There is no azan to be called for them. After Salah is over the Imam gives his oration and the
congregation listen to him in silence. Like the Jumah oration,
the two Id orations have also two parts each and it is the
Prophet precept to sit for respite in between the two parts.
There are special acts and directions for Id-ulAdha which are as follows:
- repeating the Takbir aloud while on way to the
venue of Id prayer; eating nothing before the prayer; and
- obligation to say the Takbir for Tashriq.
Three days in the month of Zul Hijjah (11,12 and 13th) are known
as the days of Tashriq. The Takbir is started
alongwith Fajr prayer on the 9th and is continued till the Asr
on the 13th. It is ordained to say it after every commanded
prayer. It must be called audibly immediately after a worshipper
has turned his face in salam. Woman shall not say it
loud. The congregation must say it even if the head of the prayer
forgets to repeat it.
Salah of the Sick
A sick person can offer Salah in the sitting posture
in anyone of the following circumstances:
- he has no strength to stand on his legs; standing cause acute pain to him; standing is likely to aggravate the disease;standing is likely to cause giddiness;
- he has strength enough to stand but not to do the bowing or prostrating.
If, however, such a person can do the bowing and go prostrate,
he should do it. If not, he should say Salah without
it, merely by signs and gestures. The gesture for bowing and
prostration is lowering the head. To signal prostration, the
head should be lowered more than one does for the bowing.
Salatul-Musafir
(Salah of a person on journey)
Prayers said by a traveller. Should he stay in any one place
fifteen days, he must say the usual Salah; if less,
he may say as few as two fard rak'ats but the same
three for Maghrib Salah. He may omit all others,
except the three witr rak'at at the salatul-isha.
The act of shortening of the Salah from four raka'ts to two is known as Qasr (shortening).
Salatul Janaza-Funeral Prayer
Funeral prayer is sufficing command. It is a duty called Fardul-Kifaya,
that is, if some few persons in the assembly say it, all need
not do so; whilst if no one performs it, all will be guilty
of sin. An odd number of prayer is fixed which represents
the unity of God, i.e., He is odd and not even. The preconditions
are as follows:
the dead person having been a Muslim; the dead body being clean; the shroud of the body being clean; the satr being covered;
-
the dead body being placed before the one who is offering
the Salah.
It is recited in the open space in front of the mosque, or in some neighbouring space: never in the graveyard.
Salatul Khauf-Prayer of Fear
When there is imminent danger from the approach of an enemy,
the Imam should divide the army into two bodies;
one of which should be placed in a position towards the enemy;
the other should offer, if they are on the march, one rak'at,
if stationary in a place, two rak'ats. If the enemy
is so near that the cavalry dare not dismount, then each man
will recite a rak'at or rak'ats for himself, and make the ruku and Sijdah by means of signs. If he
cannot turn towards the Qibla, he is, under such
circumstances, allowed to face any direction most convenient.
Salatul Tarawih
The Tarawih is an emphasized precept of the Prophet for both men and women. Tarawih is offered every night during the
month of Ramadan. Saying it in congregation is a sufficing precept. This means that there will be no sin upon a person
who says the Tarawih prayers at home if the locality in which he lives is already having arrangement for congregational
Tarawih prayer. But if there is no arrangement for such a prayer in congregation the entire locality shall be accountable
to Allah for the sin.
The time allowed for Tarawih is from Isha
till Fajr, Tarawih can be said both before and after witr.
But it is better to say it before the witr prayer. Nevertheless,
if a person has missed a few rak'ahs of Tarawih prayer,
he can say witr prayer with the Imam and complete the Tarawih
after witr. Saying twenty rak'ahs in pair of
two each is the Prophet's precept. After every Tarawih (unit
of four rak'ahs) a little breathing time to be availed
is desirable. We are free to sit silent or recite the Quran
slowly or to repeat some formula to even to say the nafl
Salah individually. As far as the completion of Quran is concerned,
it is masnun to recite the whole of Quran once in
the holy month of Ramadan. But it is better to do it twice.
It must, however, be remembered that reciting the whole of
Quran twice or thrice during the month is commendable only
if no inconvenience is caused to the congregation. No regard
should, however, be paid to people's lack of enthusiasm in
going over the whole of the Quran once in the month.
It is undesirable to say Tarawih in the sitting position while one has the strength to do it in the normal (standing)
position. It is also undesirable for people to sit outside the congregation while the Imam recites the Quran and join
the prayers only at the point when the Imam is about to pass on to bowing. Prayer in congregation must be joined from
the beginning.
It is permissible for a person who has missed the congregational fard prayer to say the commanded prayer individually
before joining the congregational Tarawih prayer.
Salatul-Kusuf and Salatul-Khusuf
Prayer said when an eclipse of the sun or of the moon takes
place. In the former case, the Imam recites, with
the congregation in the mosque two rak'ats. In this Salah the azan and the iqamat are both omitted.
No khutba is said. After the rak'ats are
completed those present remain in prayer (dua) until the eclipse
is at an end. The Salah during the eclipse of the
moon is the same as that during an eclipse of the sun, with
this exception, that the rak'ats need not be recited
in a congregation.
Salatul Istisqa
Prayer in time of drought. Each person should then, with face
Qiblah wards, offer prayer to God. This can be said at home
and in private. These prayers are simple du'a and
not a Salah.
Salatul-Istikhara
This is a Salah, consisting of two rak'ats,
said before undertaking any special work. After each rak'at the person says this du'a: 'O God, make knew what
is best for me, and keep me from evil, and bestow good upon
me, for I have no power to know what is best for me.' He then
goes to sleep, during which period he expects to receive a
special inspiration (ilham) which will give him the
needed directions and guide him a right as to the matter in
hand.
Salatul-Tauba
This is the prayer of repentance. The worshipper after Wudu asks God for pardon, then recites Surah 3 verse 129-30
and concludes with a prayer of two rak'ats.
Lessons
of Salah
The lessons of Salah are :
- It brings men and women closer to Allah; It keeps the human beings away from indecent, shameful and forbidden activities; It is a training programme designed to control evil desires and passions; It purifies the heart, develops the minds and comforts the soul; It is a constant reminder of Allah and His greatness; It develops discipline and will power; It is a guide to the most upright way of life; It is a proof of true equality, solid unity and universal brotherhood; It is the source of patience, courage hope and confidence; It is a means of cleanliness, purity and punctuality; It develops gratitude, humility and refinement; It is the demonstration of our obedience to our creator; It is the solid programme of preparing oneself for Jihad.
| Importance of Madrasahs | Pillars of Islam |
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