The Conditions Pillars and Requirements of the Prayer

THE CONDITIONS PILLARS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRAYER – Book Sample

THE PILLARS OF THE PRAYER

The pillars of the prayer are fourteen: (1) Standing, if one has the ability to do so; (2) The opening Takbeer; (3) Reciting Surah Al-Faatihah; (4) Bowing; (5) Rising from Bowing; (6) Prostrating on all seven limbs;¹⁰ (7) Erecting oneself from it; (8) Sitting between the two prostrations; (9) Remaining tranquil (i.e. not rushing) during all of these pillars; (10) Maintaining the same sequence; (11) the Final Tashahhud; (12) Sitting for it; (13) Sending Salaat on the Prophet; and (14) the (final) two Tasleems.

The First Pillar: Standing if one is able to do so. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“Guard strictly the prayers, especially the middle one. And stand before Allaah with full submission.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 238]

The Second Pillar: The Opening Takbeer. The proof for this is the hadeeth: “Its opening¹¹ is the Takbeer (saying Allaahu Akbar) and its closing¹² is the Tasleem (Saying As-Salaam ‘Alaikum).”¹³ After this occurs the opening supplication, which is supererogatory, and goes: “Subhaanak Allaahumma wa Bi-Hamdika. Wa Tabaarakasmaka wa Ta’aala Jadduka. Wa Laa Ilaaha Ghayruka.” [Free from imperfections are You, O Allaah, and all praise is Yours. Blessed is Your Name and there is no deity worthy of worship besides You]

The meaning of “Subhaanak Allaahumma” is: I absolve You from all imperfections in a manner that befits Your majesty. “Wa Bi-Hamdika” i.e. while praising You. “Wa Tabaarakasmaka” i.e. blessing can be attained by mentioning You. “wa Ta’aala

Jadduka” i.e. Glorified be Your Greatness. “Wa Laa Ilaaha Ghayruk” i.e. There is nothing that has the right to be worshipped on the earth or in the heaven except You, O Allaah.

Then he says: “A’udhoo Billaahi min ash-Shaytaan-ir-Rajeem” (I seek refuge in Allaah from the rejected devil), i.e. “A’udhoo” means I seek refuge and recourse in You and rely on You, O Allaah. “Min ash-Shaytaan-ir-Rajeem” means the outcast, the one who is far removed from Allaah’s mercy. He cannot harm me in my religion or in my worldly affairs.

The Third Pillar: Then there occurs the recitation of Surah Al-Faatihah, which is a pillar, in every rak’ah (unit), as occurs in the hadeeth: “There is no prayer for the one who doesn’t recite the opening (chapter) of the Book.” It is the foundation of the Qur’aan.

“Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem” (In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy) is a request for blessing and assistance.

“Al-Hamdulillaah” (All praise is for Allaah): “Hamd” means praise. The definite article (Al) before Hamd is for including all the commendable acts He does. As for the good thing that one has no role in bringing about, such as beauty and so on, then praising that is called madah and not hamd.

“Rabb-il-‘Aalameen” (Lord of all that is created): Rabb means the One who is worshipped, the Creator, the Sustainer, the King, the One who administers and brings up all of the creation through His favors. With regard to ‘Aalameen, everything that is apart from Allaah then that is considered ‘Aalam. He is the Lord of everyone and everything.

“Ar-Rahmaan” (The Most Merciful): means He grants a general mercy for all of the created beings.

“Ar-Raheem” (The Bestower of Mercy): means He gives a specified mercy for just the believers. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“And He is ever an All-Bestower of mercy to the believers.” [Surah Al-Ahzaab: 43]

“Maaliki-Yawm-id-Deen” (Master of the Day of Judgement): refers to the Day of Reward, Recompense and Accountability, the Day when everyone will be compensated for his deeds – if they are good, then there will be good (for him) and if they were evil, then there will be evil (for him). The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“And what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is? Again, what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is? (It will be) The Day when no person shall have power (to do anything) for another, and the decision that Day will be wholly with Allaah.” [Surah Al-Infitaar: 17-19]

There is also the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “The shrewd person is the one who subjects himself and works for what comes after death. And the feeble person is the one who allows his soul to follow its vain desires, while aspiring for Allaah to grant his ambitions.” ¹⁴

“Iyyaaka Na’budu” (You alone do we worship): meaning we don’t worship anyone except You. This is a covenant between the servant and his Lord that he will not worship anyone besides Him.

“Wa Iyyaaka Nasta’een” (And in You alone do we seek assistance): This is a covenant between the servant and his Lord that he will not seek the assistance of anyone besides Allaah.

“Ihdinaas-Siraat-al-Mustaqeem” (Guide us to the Straight Path) means direct us, show us the way and keep us firm on as-Siraat (the Path), meaning Islaam. It is also believed that it refers to the Messenger and likewise that it refers the Qur’aan. All of these meanings are true. What is meant by Mustaqeem (Straight) is that which has no deviations in it.

“Siraat-aladheena An’amta ‘alayhim” (The Path of those You bestowed Your Favor on): meaning the way of those who have received your Bounty. The proof for this is

Allaah’s saying:

“And whoever obeys Allaah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Favor, such as the prophets, the first to believe (in the prophets), the martyrs and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!” [Surah An-Nisaa: 69]

“Ghayr-il-Maghdoobi ‘alayhim” (Not those who earned Your Anger): They are the Jews since they have knowledge but do not act on it. We ask Allaah to protect you from their way.

“Wa laad-Daalleen” {Nor of those who went astray): This refers to the Christians, who worship Allaah based on ignorance and misguidance. We ask Allaah to protect you from their way. The proof for those who went astray is Allaah’s saying:

“Say: Shall we inform you of the greatest losers with respect to their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought they were acquiring good by their deeds.” [Surah Al-Kahf: 103-105]

And there is also the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “You will indeed follow the ways of those who came before you, in exactly the same manner, to the point that if they were to enter the hole of a lizard, you would also enter it.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, do you mean the Jews and the Christians?” He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Who else?” Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim reported it.

And the second hadeeth is: “The Jews split up into seventy-one sects and the Christians split up into seventy-two sects. And this ummah (of Muslims) will split up into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Hellfire except for one.” They said: “Who are they O Messenger of Allaah?” He (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi

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