Lesson 20: Obligatory Acts of Prayer (1)

. There are twelve obligatory acts for prayer:

1. Intention (Niyyah);
2. Takbīrat al-Iḥrām (i.e., saying ‘Allāhu Akbar at the beginning of the prayer);
3. Standing (Qiyām);
4. Recitation (Qirāʾah, i.e., recitation of sura al-Ḥamd and, after that, any other Sūrah of the Qurān);
5. Bowing (Rukūʿ);
6. Prostrations (Sujūd);
7. Citation (Dhikr);
8. Testifying (Tashahhud);
9. Salutation (Salām);
10. Sequence (Tartīb);
11. Close succession (Muwālāh);
12. Stillness of the body (Tūmāninah).
13. There are two categories of obligatory acts for prayer:
14. a) Basic Elemental (Rukn): The Rukn acts are the basis of the prayer. The prayer is invalid if one is not performed or increased, whether intentionally or mistakenly. Those are: 1) Intention, 2) Standing, 3) Takbeerat ul-Ihram, 4) Bowing, and 5) Prostration.
15. b) Non-Rukn Acts: The prayer is valid if one is not performed mistakenly or performed twice (Issue 987).
16. There are five Rukns (basic elements) of the prayer:
17. Intention (Niyyah);
18. Takbīrat al-Iḥrām;
19. Standing (Qiyām) before Rukū;
20. Bowing (Rukūʿ);
21. Prostrations (Sujūd).

First: Intention (Nīyyat)

1. The prayer must be performed with the intention of proximity (qurbat), i.e., with the intention of carrying out the orders of the Almighty Allāh. So, if one performs prayers ostentatiously and shows off to people, his prayer is invalid (Issues 988 & 991).
2. When a person is making an intention, he must specify what prayer he will offer in Nīyyat, for example, offering Ẓuhr or ‘Aṣr prayer or any other prayer (Issue 989).
3. A person must remain with his intention from the beginning of the prayer until its end (Issue 990).
4. It is not permissible to change the intention from qaḍā to adā prayer and also from recommended prayer to obligatory prayer (Issue 807).

Second: Takbīrat -Ul- Iḥrām

It is obligatory to say «اَللّهُ اَکبَر» (Allāhu Akbar) at the beginning of every prayer, and it is a Rukn (basic elemental) of the prayer. When saying Takbīrat-ul- Iḥrām in an obligatory prayer, the body has to be still (motionless) (Issue 993).

Third: Standing (Qiyām)

1. Qiyām means to stand straight, and standing while saying the takbīrat -ul- Iḥrām and standing before Rukū,- which is called “standing that is connected to the Rukūʿ” (al-qiyām al-muttaṣil bil-Rukūʿ), -is also one of the Rukns of the prayer (Issue 1003).
2. A person must stand a little before and a little after saying takbīrat -ul- Iḥrām (Issue 1004).
3. A person who is standing for takbīrat-ul-Iḥrām or qarā’at must not move his body (Issue 1006).

Fourth: Recitation (Qirāʾat)

1. 1. After Takbīrat-ul-Iḥrām, in the first and second Rak’ats of the daily obligatory prayers, one must recite the Sūrah al- Ḥamd (fātiḥa of the Qurān) and then a complete Sūrah of the Holy Qurān after that. (Issue1023)
2. 2. If a person intentionally recites another Sūrah before Sūrah al-Ḥamd (fātiḥa), his prayers are invalid (Issue 1025).
3. 3. A man must recite Sūrah al-Ḥamd and the other Sūrah in the morning (Ṣubḥ), evening (Maghrib), and night (ʿIshāʾ) prayers aloud (Jahr). In the noon and afternoon prayers, both man and woman must recite the Sūrah al-Ḥamd and the other Sūrah silently (Ikhfāt) (Issues 1038 & 1038).
4. 4. The prayer is invalid if one intentionally recites the Sūrahs loudly when he must recite them silently or recites them silently when he must recite them loudly. However, his prayer is valid if he forgets or does not know its law (Issues 1040).
5. 5. It is obligatory for a man and a woman in the third and fourth Rakʿats of prayers to say one “Tasbīḥāt al-arbaʿah”, i.e., he says once:

«سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَ اللهُ أَکْبَـرُ»

(Subḥānal lāhi wal ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illal lāhu wallāhu akbar)

It is recommended that it is said three times or to recite one Sūrah al-Ḥamd slowly (Issues 1050 & 1052).

Fifth: Citation (Dhikr)

It is obligatory for a person to recite Dhikr in the state of Rukū‘, Sajdah, and the third or the fourth Rak’ats of three or four Rak’ats prayers.

Sixth: Bowing (Rukūʿ)

1. In every Rak’at, after qirāʾat of Sūrah Al-Ḥamd and the Sūrah or Tasbihāt-e-arbaʿah or Qunūt, the person must bow until his hands are placed on his knees. This action is called ‘Rukūʿ’ (bowing) (Issue 1067).
2. Obligatory Acts of Rukūʿ
3. The person in the standing posture, must bend down enough to place his hands on his knees. In the sitting posture, he must bend up to such an extent that his face is positioned directly opposite his knees (Issues 1072 & 1067).
4. The bowing must be done with the intention of Rukū.
5. The Dhikr of Rukūʿmust be said consecutively and in correct Arabic (Issue 1074).
6. While performing Rukūʿ, the body must be still to the extent of obligatory Dhikr (Issue 1078).
7. While performing Rukūʿ, he says three times:

«سُبْحَانَ اللهِ» (subḥānal lāh)

Or once:

«سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِیمِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ»

(Subḥāna rabbiyalʿaẓīmi wa biḥamdih) (Issue 1074).

6. After finishing the Dhikr of Rukūʿ, it is obligatory one must stand up straight and, while his body has become still, say:

«سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه». (Samiʿal lāhu liman ḥamidah)  

Then one goes to Sajdah (Issue 1085).

Question:

What is his duty if a person forgets to perform the Rukū in one of the Rak’ats of the prayer?

Answer:

The prayer is invalid; the person must pray again.

Exercises:

1. What are the obligatory acts of prayer?
2. What is the standing up connected to the Rukūʿ?
3. What are the laws of loud (Jahr) and whisper (Ikhfāt) recitation?
4. What are the obligatory acts of Rukūʿ?