Muslim prayers – a few details
Muslim prayers
The five daily prayers are obligatory for every Muslim, adult, sane, male, or female.
It was made obligatory in Mecca before the Prophet’s migration to Medina in the second year before the Hijrah, during the Isra and Mi’raj.
These prayers are listed below plus the time they are prayed
The five daily prayers
- Subhi prayer – It begins at the dawn
- Dhuhuri prayer – it begins when the sun crosses the middle of the sky towards the setting
- Aswir prayer – It begins when the shadow of something is twice the something
- Maghrib prayer – It begins after sunset
- Isha prayer. – it begins at night when the red twilight is no longer visible in the sky
The evidence for the five daily prayers is narrated in both Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari. On the authority of Anas bin Malik, may God be pleased with him, he said: “Prayer was enjoined upon the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, on the night of his ascension, fifty prayers, then it was reduced until it was made five. Then he was called, O Muhammad, may sayings be never altered, and that you have these fifty for the five prayers
How prayers are performed
The five daily prayers must be performed in same the way Prophet used to pray; the following is a general explanation of how to perform the prayers
- If one wanted to pray, one would purify her/himself, cover the private parts, face the Qibla, and conjure her/his heart sincerely to God with humility
- Then one says the Takbeer, raising his/her hands next to his/her shoulders.
- Then one begins to recite Al-Fatihah in each rak’ah, and any other part of the chapter or verse from the Qur’an in the first two rakahs of prayer.
- Then one would say the Takbeer by raising his hands next to his shoulders, then bows to the extent by which his hands touched his knees, and he would glorify God – Glory is to Him – in his bowing, by saying: “Glory be to my Lord the Great- Subhaana Rabbi al-Adhiim.”
- Then one rises from bowing, saying: “God hears those who praise Him, our Lord, to you be praise.- Samia Allah Liman Hamda Rabbana walaka Al hamd”
- Then one would say the takbeer and then fall to the ground to make prostration, saying in his prostration: “Glory is to my Lord, the Most High.- Subhaana Rabbi al-A-lah”
- Then he says the takbeer and raises his/her head from prostration until he is sitting straight, spreading his left leg and erecting the right one, making her/his toes toward the Qiblah, and saying: “Lord, forgive me, Lord forgive me.- Rabbi ighfirli”
- Then one says the Takbeer and performs the second prostration as the first.
- Thenone rises for the second Rak’ah, resting his hands on the ground, and does the same as he did in the first rak’ah.
- Then one sits for the first Tashahhud, and recites the Tashahhud followed by the prayer for the Prophet if that Salah is of two Rakas.
- But if the prayer has three or four Rakas; In the second rak’ah, after the second prostration, the worshiper recites the Tashahhud alone without praying for the Prophet, and in the last rak’ah he recites the tashahhud and prays for the Prophet, and says the salaam on his right and then on his left.
- In the third and fourth rak’ahs, he/she does what he/she did in first and second Raka, and he/she recites only Surat Al-Fatihah during these Rakas.
The status of prayer in Islam
- It is the second pillar of Islam
Prayer in Islam is the second pillar of Islam, and in the hadith: “On the authority of Ibn Umar, may God be pleased with him, said: I heard the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, say: “Islam is built on five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, establishing prayer, and paying zakat, Fasting Ramadan, and pilgrimage to the House of those who can do so.”
In another tradition, He also said: “The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is prayer, and its pinnacle is jihad for the sake of God.”
- It is the first commandment of worship
Islam has given prayer a high status, as it is the first thing God’s commandment of worship.
- The first thing to be held accountable for on the day of judgment
Abdullah bin Qurt said that the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “The first thing that a servant will be held accountable for on the Day of Resurrection is prayer.
Obligatory conditions for prayers – What makes the Muslim prayers obligatory
- Islam: Every Muslim who believes in the oneness of God, believes that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and believes in the rest of the apostles, prophets, heavenly books, angels, and destiny, prayer is obligatory upon him/her.
Prayers are not waived for anyone under any circumstances except for the menstruating woman and the postpartum woman. A non-Muslim is not obligated to pray the daily five prayers.
- Sound mind- Not being mentally ill: Mentally ill patient (the insane) is not responsible for his actions and words. Therefore, it is not obligatory to pray for a person who is not sane and discerning, because the mind is the focus of the assignment and instruction.
- Puberty: The prayer is not obligatory for a non-adult. However, a child is encouraged to pray by his/her parent when he/she reaches seven years old, and he or she is beaten for it (if he/she refuses to pray) if he/she is ten years. Nevertheless, he/she is legally obliged to pray when they reach puberty.
- An additional condition for women is purity from menstruation and postpartum blood.[25]
Conditions for the validity of prayers – what make prayers valid
- Purity: It includes the purification of the body from minor impurity by ablution and greater impurity by bathing –Ghusl, purity of clothing, and purity of the place.
- Facing the Qiblah: A Muslim is required to face the Qiblah with two conditions,
- Ability to face it
- Possibility.
Whoever is unable to face the Qiblah due to illness or something else, then he/she should pray in the direction he/she faces
- The intention: The intention should be invoked together with the first Takbeer. Prayer with an intention that comes later than the Takbeer is not valid according to some scholars
- Covering the private parts.
- Praying in the prescribed time – Every prayer has its prescribed period
- Not engaging with any of the invalidators of prayer.
- Knowledge of how prayers are performed.
The are many books about Muslim prayers – Salat on this website to mention some – here is the list
List of some books concerning Muslim Salat on OpenMaktaba Library
And many more posts – There are more than 50 PDF books in English concerning prayers. These books can be accessed and downloaded for free at any time.
To access all books that are related to Prayers on this website follow this link