Fiqh

9- WHAT INVALIDATES, IS OFFENSIVE, OR OBLIGATORY IN PRAYER

WHAT INVALIDATES, IS OFFENSIVE, OR OBLIGATORY IN PRAYER

EXTRANEOUS SPEECH

The prayer is invalidated (if one has no excuse (def: below» by uttering two or more letters, or when two or more letters worth of sounds such as laughter, crying, groaning, clearing the throat, blowing, sighing, or similar are audible.

It is also invalidated by much (i.e. more than six words worth of) sound, even when there is a valid excuse such as. blurting out· words unthinkingly, laughter or coughing overcoming one, absentmindedly speaking, or when one speaks because as a new Muslim one does not know it is unlawful during the prayer; though with such an excuse a slight amount of speech does not invalidate the prayer.

One’s prayer is invalid if one speaks knowing that it is unlawful but ignorant of the fact that it invalidates the prayer, and is also invalid if one says” Aah” during it out of fear of hell.

When it is impossible to recite the Fatiha (to oneself) (or the final Testification of Faith (Tashahhud) or Salams) except by clearing one’s throat, one may do so even when it approximates two letters. Though if it is merely impossible to recite aloud, then one may not clear one’s throat, but must instead recite to oneself.

(Some things which are not commonly known to invalidate the prayer, such as clearing the throat, do not invalidate the prayer of ordinary people, whose ignorance of them is excusable, though a scholar has no such excuse.)

If one notices (during the prayer) a blind person about to fall into a well, or the like, then one must speak up to alert him if there is not a nonverbal means of warning him of it.

No form of invocation of Allah (dhikr) invalidates the prayer unless it is a direct address such as “Allah have mercy on you” or “And upon you be peace”; though it does not invalidate the prayer if it refers to someone not present, such as “Allah have mercy on Zayd” (nor is it invalid· dated by addressing Allah or the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace».

When something happens to one during the prayer (such as someone asking permission to enter, or having to remind the imam that he has forgotten something), then if one is male, one says “Subhan Allah” (intending only invocation (dhikr) thereby, as one may not merely intend to inform, nor lack any particular intention thereby, for these invalidate the prayer), or if female, one claps the right palm on the back of the left hand, not palm to palm.

If one recites a Quranic expression such as “Yahya, take the book” (Quran 19:12), intending only to inform (without intending invocation) or not intending anything in particular, this invalidates the prayer, though not if the intention is Quran recital, or recital and informing together

A SUBSTANCE REACHING THE BODY CAVITY

The prayer is invalidated when any (even if a little) substance (other than saliva) reaches the body cavity intentionally. It also invalidates the prayer if it occurs absentmindedly or in ignorance of its prohibition, provided the amount of the substance is commonly acknowledged to be much, though not if it is little.

EXTRANEOUS MOTION

Adding a surplus action that is an integral, such as bowing, invalidates the prayer if done intentionally, but does not invalidate it if done because one has forgotten (that one has already performed it).

The prayer is not invalidated by intentionally or absentmindedly adding a surplus spoken integral such as repeating one’s recital of the Fatiha or the Testification of Faith (Tashahhud) or reciting them in the wrong place.

The prayer is invalidated by adding, even if absentmindedly, a motion that is not one of the actions of prayer, provided it is both (considered by common acknowledgement to be) much and uninterruptedly consecutive, such as three steps (or successively moving three separate body parts like the head and two hands, though an up-and-down motion is considered just one) or thr.ee or more consecutive motions.

The prayer is not invalidated by action that is not much, such as two steps, or is much but is separated so that the subsequent motion is considered to be unconnected with the preceding one. But if a (slight) action is grossly improper, such as jumping, it invalidates the prayer.

Slight actions such as scratching oneself, or turning a rosary (subha) do not affect the validity of the prayer, nor does remaining silent at length.

THINGS OFFENSIVE IN PRAYER

It is offensive to perform the prayer while one is holding back from urinating or defecating. (If enough time remains to perform the prayer, the Sunna is to relieve oneself first, even when one fears missing praying with a group, since it diminishes one’s awe and humility in prayer.)

It is offensive to pray in the presence of food or drink one would like to have, unless one fears that the prayer’s time will end.

It is offensive during the prayer:

(1) To interlace the fingers;

(2) To turn (the head when there is no need. As for turning the chest from the direction of prayer (qibla), it invalidates the prayer except when there is an excuse such as in extreme peril, or when performing a non-obligatory prayer during a journey);

(3) To look to the sky;

(4) To look at something distracting;

(5) To gather one’s clothes or hair with the hand, tuck one’s hair under a turban, or wipe the dust from one’s forehead;

(6) To yawn, though if it overcomes one, one should cover the mouth with the hand;

(7) To exaggerate in lowering one’s head while bowing;

(8) Or to put one’s hands on the hips.

It is offensive during the prayer to spit to the front of one or to the right. Rather, one should expectorate to the left, in the hem of one’s garment, or under the foot (when one is praying in a desert or similar) (It is unlawful to spit in a mosque except into the left hem of one’s garment (or a handkerchief. The slight motions necessary to take out one’s handkerchief and return it do not harm, as they are inconsiderable).)

THINGS OBLIGATORY IN PRAYER

The prayer has conditions, integrals, main sunnas, and ordinary

sunnas.

THE CONDITIONS OF PRAYER

The prayer’s conditions are eight:

(a) Purification from minor and major ritual impurity (hadath and janaba) (through ablution (wudu) and the purificatory bath (ghusl, ell) respectively, as well as from menstruation and postnatal bleeding by bathing after them);

(b) That one be free of filth (najasa) (in body, clothes, and place of prayer;

(d) That one be facing the direction of prayer (qibla);

(e) That one avoid the actions prohibited in prayer, i.e. extraneous speech, eating, and excessive motion;

(f) Knowing or believing that the prayer’s time has come (t2);

(g) Knowing that the prayer is obligatory;

(h) And knowing how it is performed.

Whenever one violates any of these conditions, one’s prayer is invalidated, such as:

(1) (non-(a) above) when a state of ritual impurity occurs during the prayer, even if absentmindedly;

(2) (non-(b» when some filth containing moisture affects a garment during the prayer, but one does not immediately shed the garment; or when some dry filth affects it, but one throws it off with the hand or sleeve (since in that case one is supporting it and in contact with it

(3) (Non-(c» when the wind discloses a part of one’ nakedness and its cover gets beyond reach;

(4) Or (non-(g» when one believes that some elements of the prayer are obligatory and some are merely recommended, but does not know which are obligatory.

One’s prayer is not invalidated if one thinks that all the prayer’s parts are obligatory, or«2) above) if one immediately sheds the garment affected by moist filth, brushes off dry filth) immediately re-covers one’s nakedness.

THE INTEGRALS OF PRAYER

The prayer’s integrals (rukn, pI. arkan), are seventeen:

(a) The intention;

(b) The opening Allahu Akbar;

(d) The Fatiha;

(e) Bowing;

(f) Remaining motionless a moment therein;

(g) Straightening back up after bowing;

(h) Remaining motionless a moment therein;

(i) Prostration;

G) Remaining motionless a moment therein;

(k) Sitting back between the two prostrations;

(I) remaining motionless a moment therein;

(m) The prayer’s final Testification of Faith;

(n) Sitting therein;

(0) the Blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) after the prayer’s final Testification of Faith;

(p) Saying “as-Salamu ‘alaykum” the first of the two times it is said at the end of the prayer;

(q) and the proper sequence of the above integrals.

THE MAIN SUNNAS OF PRAYER

The prayer’s main sunnas (meaning those which if omitted call for a forgetfulness prostration are six:

(a) The prayer’s first Testification of Faith (Tashahhud) (in prayers that have two);

(b) Sitting during it;

(d) The blessings on his family in the prayer’s final Testification of Faith (Tashahhud);

(e) The supplication after bowing in the final rak’a of the dawn prayer (subh);

(f) And standing therein.

OTHER SUNNAS

All other parts of the prayer are ordinary sunnas (and missing one is not compensated by a forgetfulness prostration).

(Source: The reliance of the traveller, revised edition, Edited and Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller)

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John Doe

23/3/2019

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John Doe

23/3/2019

John Doe

23/3/2019

9- WHAT INVALIDATES, IS OFFENSIVE, OR OBLIGATORY IN PRAYER

WHAT INVALIDATES, IS OFFENSIVE, OR OBLIGATORY IN PRAYER

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John Doe

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