Fiqh-us Sunnah SECTION 9. Obligatory Acts Of Prayer

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer. For it to be acceptable, the method of prayer must conform to the norms spelled out in the Islamic law.

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, intention. Says Allah, “And We did not command them save to worship Allah, making the religion sincerely for Him” (al-Bayinah 5). The Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, “Every action is based upon intention.…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Saying the Opening Takbir and Beginning the Prayer. Ali reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, “The key to prayer is purity. What puts one into its inviolable state is the takbir,…

Section : Standing During the Obligatory Prayers. One must stand during the prayer, if at all possible. Says Allah, “Guard and preserve the prayers and the mid-most prayer, and stand for Allah with devotion.” Reported ‘Umar ibn Hussain, “I had…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Reciting al-Fatihah in Every Rak’ah of the Prayer. There are many authentic hadith which state that it is obligatory to recite al-Fatihah in every rak’ah. Thus, there is no difference of opinion on this…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Bismillah. The scholars are agreed that the bismillah (the words “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful) is a verse in Surah al-Naml, but they differ over whether or not it constitutes…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, One Who Cannot Recite Properly. Says al-Khattabi, “Basically, one’s prayer does not suffice if he does not recite al-Fatihah. If one can recite neither al-Fatihah nor other portions of the Qur’an, he should recite…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Ar-Ruku’ (Bowing Down). There is a consensus on the obligatory nature of the ruku’. Says Allah, “O you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves…” The position of ruku’ is established by bending over,…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Standing Erect After the Bowing. This is based on Abu Humaid’s description of the Prophet’s prayer: “He would raise his head from his bowing, then stand straight until all of his backbones returned to…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Prostration. We have already stated the Qur’anic verse dealing with this obligatory act. The Prophet explained it in a hadith by saying, “Then prostrate until you attain calmness in your prostration, then rise (and…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, How to Attain Calmness. The “calmness” comes from sitting in the position until the bones are set and still. Some scholars say that, at a minimum, this would take as long as it takes…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, Bodily Parts That Touch the Ground During Prostration. These parts are: the face, hands, knees and feet. Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-Mutallib reported that he heard the Prophet say, “When a slave (of Allah) prostrates, seven…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, The Final Sitting and Recital of the Tashahud. The Prophet’s practice illustrates that when the final sitting of the prayer has been made, one must recite the tashahud at that time. In one hadith,…

Section : Obligatory acts of prayer, The Salaam (Peace Be Upon You and the Mercy of Allah) at the Prayer’s End. Saying the salaam at the end of the prayer is obligatory. ‘Ali related that the Prophet said, “The key…