Performance of The Salaat (1/2)

We shall now turn to matters pertaining to the actual performance of Salaat.

Conditions for the Prayer (Shurut-Salaat)

There are a number of conditions which need to be fulfilled for the prayer to be valid. These are as follows:

Acceptance of Islamic Faith - disbelievers are not required to establish Salaat until they believe in Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and bear witness that there is no god but Allah and bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

An-Niyyah - this in Arabic means the intention by heart to perform the particular prayer.

Cleanliness - this includes cleanliness of the body, the clothes and the place where the prayer is to be performed.

Purification - this refers to the Wudhu (or Ghusl where it is required) prior to undertaking the prayer.

Concealing of the Private Parts - for a man, it is essential that he be covered at least from the navel to the knees all round, while, in the case of a woman, her body should be totally covered except for the face and wrists.

Facing the "Qiblah" - this means that a person when praying must face towards the direction of the sacred mosque in "Makkah". Where a person is not able to locate the direction by himself/herself, the person may ask another person who may know the direction of the Qiblah. However, if no one is in sight to guide to the right direction, then, the person should decide for himself/herself and make the best guess of the correct direction of the Qiblah, and accordingly, perform the prayer in that direction even though the guess maybe incorrect. The prayer performed would still be acceptable (insha’ Allah) in view of the following verse of the Holy Qur'an: “Whichever direction you turn, there is the Presence of Allah.” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 115).

Timing - prayers are to be observed in their prescribed times.

Sanity and consciousness - prayer is required only from person of sound mind.

Ability to distinguish - prayer is required only where the person (child) is able to distinguish between good and bad, and is able to understand and appreciate fully what is to be recited, performed etc.

Note:  It is preferred for children to begin performing the prayer at the age of seven for it awakens in them the presence of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and inculcates in them the habit of praying as an act of worship and love for 'Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala). A child at the age of 10 is made to understand that prayer is necessarily a part of the person's daily life and is a solemn duty ordained by Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) on all Muslims, and that failure to perform it is an act of disbelief (Kufr). Therefore, parents are required to guide their children to the right path by punishing any of them who at the age of 10 intentionally misses the prayers.

The Prophet (peace be upon him), said: “Order your children to pray when they reach the age of seven and punish them for not performing it at the age of ten and separate them (ie. boys and girls) in their beds.” (Reported by Imam Bukhari).

Upon attaining the age of 15, a child is deemed to have reached adulthood, whereby, he/she is required to perform the prayer. Here below, are some other signs which may indicate that a child has attained adulthood:

• The growing of pubic hairs.

• Finding traces of semen on the child's clothes and/or bed.

• The start of menstruation, in the case of a girl.

Categories of the Acts of the Salaat

All the acts, readings and supplications undertaken in the course of the Salaat have different legal weights and implications. They are categorized as follows:

1. Pillars of the Salaat - (Arkanu-Salaat).

2. Necessary Duties of the Salaat (Wajibatu-Salaat).

3. Preferred Acts of the Salaat. (Sunnanu-Salaat).

We shall now discuss each of these categories in turn.

Pillars of the Salaat (Arkanu-Salaat)

The prayer has obligatory pillars, which must be fulfilled for it to be valid and these are as follows:

1. "Al-Qiyaam" - prayer is to be performed in a standing position if a person is physically capable.

2. "Takbiratil lhraam" that is saying "ALLAHU AKBAR" at the commencement of the prayer.

3. "Al-Fatihah" - that is reciting the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an in every Rakaat.

4. "Ruku" - this is bowing posture whereby the head and the back are positioned on the same level and both hands are rested on the knees with the fingers spread apart.

5. A requirement to raise the head up from the Ruku position.

6. A requirement to stand up from the Ruku position in such a way that the person feels that all his/her backbones are straightened.

7. "Sujud" that is prostrating oneself in such a way that the following seven parts of the body are firmly placed on the ground: the forehead together with the tip of the nose, both the palms, both the knees, the bottom surface of the toes of both feet.

8. A requirement to raise the head from the Sujud position.

9. A requirement to sit upright during the pause between the two prostrations.

10. A requirement to take a sitting position for the recitation of the "At-Tashahhud" (words of witness).

11. A requirement to recite the final "At-Tashahhud ".

12. A requirement to recite the words of supplication for the Prophet (peace be upon him).

13. A requirement to conclude the prayer with the words of peace "Tasleem", i.e. “Assalamu Aleykum Wa Rahmatullaahi ".

14. A requirement that in fulfilling the above pillars the person should be in a state of tranquility.

The above are the pillars of the prayer, wherein, if any of them is missed, it is required to repeat the whole Rakaat (Unit) in which the pillar is omitted, but if, the Takbiratil-lhraam is omitted, it becomes necessary to repeat the whole Salaat.