OBLIGATORY ACTS OF PRAYER

Q1:Whatdoes"Arkaan-e-Salaat"mean?

1. Arkaan is the plural of Ruk'n which means"fundamental" or "obligatory act". Thus Arkaan-e- Salaat stands for the obligatory acts in prayer. Salaat will not be valid if any of the obligatoryacts is left out.

 

Q2:Howmanyobligatoryactsarethereinprayer?A.Sevenobligatoryactsareinprayer:

1. Takbeer-e-Tahreema(firstutteranceofthewordsof"Al-LaahuAkbar"(AllahistheMost Great) to commence prayer).
2. Qiyaam(standing erect).
3. Qiraa-at (recitation fromthe Holy Qur-aan).
4. Rukoo (bowing of the head with the hands grasping the knees).
5. Sujood:[singular:Sajdah](prostrationswiththeforehead,nose,palms ofthehands,kneesand insides of toes of both the feet firmly placed on the ground).
6. Qa'adah-e-Akheera(lastsitting posture).
7. Khurooj-e-Bisun'ihee(to end prayer withhis own action or intention).

 

Q3:Takbeer-e-Tahreemaiscalledconditionofprayerandalsoobligatoryact.Whyisitso?

1. Takbeer-e-Tahreema and Arkaan-e-Salaat are interrelated, that's why Takbeer-e-Tahreema is also counted among Arkaan-e-Salaat, and otherwise it is, in fact, a condition of prayer.

 

Q4:WhatdoesTakbeer-e-Tahreemamean?

1. The formula to commence prayer by raising the hands upto the ears and bringing them down saying Al-Laahu Akbar and then put them below the navel is called "Takbeer-e-Tahreema". It means that all other things are now forbidden than the prayer.

Q5:CanTakbeer-e-Tahreemabeutteredinsittingpostureoronlyinstanding state?

1. It is Fard (obligatory) to say Takbeer-e-Tahreema standing in Fard, Witr, Eids' prayers and Sunnat prayer ofFajr in which Qiyaam is obligatory. Prayer will not commence if Takbeer-e- Tahreema is uttered in sitting position and then stand erect. However, in Nafil it can be recited

 

Q6:WillprayerbeinorderifonejoinsImaam(Jama'at)inRukoosaying Takbeer-e-Tahreema?

1. If one finds Jama'at in Rukoo and hastens to join it uttering Takbeer-e-Tahreema without standing upright, his prayer will not be valid and in case, he recites Takbeer-e-Tahreema i.e. Allah-o-Akbar in standing (upright) position and then goes into Rukoo, his prayer will be lawful even though he might not have folded his hands below the navel.

 

Q7:Whatdoes"Qiyaam"mean?

1. Qiyaammeans to stand upright in prayer. However, the minimum standing posture is that one should not bend so much that his hands (if let them go) reach the knees.

Q8:HowmuchQiyaamisobligatoryandinwhichprayer?

1. Qiyaam is obligatory in Fard and Wajib prayer and also in Sunnats of Fajr prayer. All about Qiyaam hinges on Qiraa-at (recitation from the Holy Qur-aan) in prayer. If Qiraa-at in prayer is

Fard (obligatory)thenit is Fard,ifQiraa-at isWajib (essential) it isWaajib andso long as Qiraa- at is Sunnat then Qiyaam is also Sunnat.

 

Q9: What should onedo if he cannot stand in prayer?

1. Qiyaam is obligatory in Fard prayer. Therefore one should do his utmost to stand in prayer. For example, he may take support of wall, stick or servant and observe Qiyaam at least to suchan extent that he could say Allah-o-Akbar and then sit. If it is also impossible due to serious illness or fatal wound then he is compelled to offer prayer sitting. However, Qiyaam is not obligatory in Nafil prayer.

Q10:CanFardprayerbeofferedin boat and train in sitting posture?

1. One can offer prayer in boat sitting if he feels giddy in standing posture or he can not disembarkfromtheboatforprayer,butintrainthatisinmotion,Fard,WajibandSunnatprayers can not be offered. One should offer prayer in train when it stops. However, in case theappointed time of prayer is about to run out then one should offer in the train in motion butrepeat it on the first feasible opportunity.

 

Q11:WhatdoesQiraa-at mean?

1. Qiraa-atmeansrecitationfromtheHolyQur-

During Qiraa-at each and every word must be uttered clearly and distinctly. Recitation from the Holy Qur-aan should be in low pitch but not so low that one could not listen to his own voice, otherwise prayer will not be valid.

 

Q12:What injunctionis thereaboutQiraa-atinprayer?

1. Recitation of (at least) one Qur-aanic verse in two Rakahs of Fard and in every Rakah of Witr and Nafil is obligatory (Fard) upon Imaam and Muqtadi (he who offers prayer by himself). Recitation of Surah Faatehah and one small Surah (Qur-aanic chapter) or three small verses or one or two verses which is/are equal to three small verses in length are Wajib (essential) in the first two Rakahs of Fard and in every Rakah of Nafil and Witr. Muqtadi (follower) should not make Qiraa-at in Jama'at (congregation). Imaam's Qiraa-at is enough for him.

Q13:IsrecitationofSurahFaatehahWajibineveryRakahofeveryprayer?

1. Surah Faateha is Wajib in every Rakah of every prayer irrespective of Wajib, Sunnat, Nafil and Fard prayer except the third and fourth Rakahs of Fard prayer. Recitation of Surah Faateh in the said two Rakahs of Fard prayer is optional. Prayer will be in order if one recites Subhaan Allah or keeps silence (which must not be done) in lieu of Surah Fateha in these Rakahs. However, it is commendable to recite Surah Faatehah.

 

Q14:How manyQur-aanic chapters orverses shoulda Muslimcommitto his memory?

1. It is obligatory (Fard) upon every Muslim to commit at least one Qur-aanic verse to his memory and commitment of Surah Fateha and another small chapter or three small verses or one big verse to memory is Wajib for every Muslim. Besides, it is incumbent upon every male and female believer to have knowledge of the basic religious matters.

 

Q15: In which prayers is Qiraa-at Wajib aloud?

1. Aloud recitation from the Holy Qur-aan i.e. Qiraa-at in Fajr (obligatory prayer), first two Rakahs of Maghrib and 'Ishaa, Jumau'ah and Eids' prayers and Taraawih and Witr prayers in the holy month of Ramadaan is Wajib (essential). It is called Salaat-ul-Jahr. The voice of Imaam in Salaat-ul-Jahr should be so loud that it could be heard at least in the first row of Jama'at.

Q16:InwhichprayersshouldQiraa-atbeinsoft voice?

1. Qiraa-at in soft voice in thethirdRakahofMaghrib, thirdandfourthRakahs of Isha and in all four Rakahs of Zuhr and Asr prayers is Wajib. Similarly, Qiraa-at in Nafil prayers in day time should be at low pitch. However, one can, if wishes, recite Qur-aanic chapter or verses loudly in Nafil prayers at night. Soft voice should not be so low that one could not hear his own voice otherwise prayer will not be in order.

 

Q17:What arecalled thoseprayers inwhichQiraa-atismadeloudly?

1. Prayers in which Qiraa-at is done aloud are called "Salaat-ul-Jahr" and those in which Qiraa- at is made in soft voice are called "Salaat-ul-Sirr".

Q18:ShouldonewhooffersprayersbyhimselfmakeQiraa-ataloudinSalaat-ul-Jahr?

1. It is optional for individual (he who offers prayer by himself) to recite Qur-aanic chapter or verses loudly or in soft voice in Salaat-ul-Jahr, but it is better to make aloud Qiraa-at. However, Qiraa-at at low pitch is Wajib in missed (Qaza, Qada) prayers.

 

Q19:Whatisthe minimumpostureof Rukoo?

1. The minimum posture of Rukoo is that the hands should reach the knees when one bends and full bowing posture is that one's back should be straight.

 

Q20:Whatis"Masnoon"(accepted)methodofRukoo?

1. In Rukoo one should grasp his knees with the hands and the fingers are spread well on the knees; hands (elbows) should be aloof from the rips and belly and the back and head should beso straight in level that the water does not brimover if a bowl full of water is placed on the back.

 

Q21:Howshouldahunch-backedmanperformRukoo?

1. A man whose hunch has bent his back to the extent of "Rukoo posture" should perform Rukoowiththegestureofhishead.Soisthecasewiththeoldmanwhosebackhasbecomebend due to old age. He should also do Rukoo gesturing with his head.

Q22:WhatisSajdah?

1. Placingtheforeheadfirmlyonthegroundiscalled

Placingtheinside(s)ofrespectiveonetoeofboththefeetonthegroundisanimportantcondition of Sajdah, of three toes is Wajib and of all the ten toes is Sunnah.

Q23:IsonlyoneSajdahobligatoryinaRakahoranothertoo?

1. TwoSujood(singular:Sajdah)areobligatoryinevery

Q24:Will Sajdahbe lawful ifmade onlyon the noseor onlyon the forehead?

1. One can observe Sajdah by placing only his nose on the ground if he can not touch his forehead with the ground due to some distress. However, the nose should be placed so firmly on the ground that its bone touches the ground. The observance of Sajdah only on the nose without any cogent reason renders prayer void and it is Makrooh to make Sajdah only on the forehead if one has no difficulty in placing his nose on the ground.

 

Q25:What should onedo if hisforeheadand nose are wounded?

1. HewhoseforeheadandnosearewoundedshouldobserveSajdahby

Q26:Howlongshouldonepausebetweentwoprostrations?

1. After having performed the first Sajdah one should sit erect well and then perform the second Sajdah. A pause (sitting erect well) between two prostrations is Wajib.

 

Q27:Willprayer bevalid ornot ifSajdahis madeon asoft thing?

1. Observance of Sajdah on any soft thing like grass, cotton carpet etc. is lawful provided the forehead is pressed thereon to the hilt otherwise not. Similarly the nose should also be pressed to the extent of its bone; otherwise prayer will have to be repeated.

Q28:Willprayer bein orderifoneis atalow placebut prostrateson araised place?

1. Prayer will not be in order ifthe place on which he prostrates istwelve fingers higher thanthe place under his feet. Otherwise prayer will be valid.

 

Q29:HowlongoneshouldsitinQa'ada-e-Akheera?

1. It is Fard to sit in Qa'ada-e-Akheera (last sitting posture in prayer) so long that one could recite complete "Attahyaat" (Tashah-hud) up to "wa Rasoolu".

 

Q30:Whatdoes"Khurooj-e-Bisun'ihee"mean?

1. To end the prayer with intent after having completed all recitations in "Qa'ada-e-Akheera" is called "Khurooj-e-Bisun'ihee". One must say "Assalaam-o-Alaikum wa Ramatullah" otherwise the prayer will have to be repeated.