Question
What is meant by the obligatory elements (fara’id) and pillars (arkan) of the prayer?
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
By the obligatory elements and pillars of the prayer is meant those acts and specific forms, the combination of which gives the prayer its complete shape. If any one of these acts or forms is omitted, the prayer is no longer valid in the Shariah. These pillars are as follows:
➊ Intention
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ …٥﴾
“They were commanded only to worship Allah, keeping their religion sincerely for Him.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ)
“Actions are judged by intentions.”
That is, the acceptance or non-acceptance of actions depends on the intention. Intention means the resolve and determination of the heart; making intention by the tongue is not established from the Sunnah. Therefore, saying the words of intention aloud is considered a bid’ah.
➋ Takbir al-Tahrima
It is narrated from Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him):
“مِفْتَاحُ الصَّلَاةِ الطُّهُورُ، وَتَحْرِيمُهَا التَّكْبِيرُ، وَتَحْلِيلُهَا التَّسْلِيمُ”
That is, the key to the prayer is purification, its beginning is “Allahu Akbar” and its conclusion is the salam. No other phrase is established here besides “Allahu Akbar”, such as “Allahu al-Kabir” or “Allahu al-A’zam”, etc.
➌ Standing
Standing is a pillar in the obligatory prayer. Its proof is explicitly established from the Qur’an and Sunnah. For example:
﴿وَقُومُوا لِلَّـهِ قَانِتِينَ﴾
“And stand before Allah in devout obedience.”
Hadrat Imran ibn Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“کانت بی بواسیر فسألت النبی ﷺ عن الصلوة، فقال: صل قائماً، فإن لم تستطع فقاعداً…”
That he had a complaint of hemorrhoids, so he asked the Prophet ﷺ about the prayer, how should he pray? He said: Pray standing; if you cannot, pray sitting; if you cannot sit, pray lying on your side.
That is, if one is able to stand, it is obligatory to pray standing; otherwise sitting, and if this is also not possible, then on the side.
➍ Recitation of al-Fatihah
Reciting Surah al-Fatihah in every rak’ah is obligatory and a pillar for the imam, the follower and the one praying alone, whether the prayer is silent or loud. As Hadrat Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
“لاَ صَلاَةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الكِتَابِ”
That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that the prayer of the person who does not recite Surah al-Fatihah is not valid.
That is, the prayer of one who does not recite Surah al-Fatihah is not valid. Several authentic hadiths on this theme clearly indicate that Surah al-Fatihah is a pillar.
➎ Bowing (Ruku’)
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا﴾
“O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves.”
In the hadith of Rifa’ah ibn Rafi’ (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“ثَمَّ ارْکَعْ حَتّٰی تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاکِعاً”
“Then bow in tranquility.”
That is, bow with complete tranquility. Therefore, ruku’ is an essential and obligatory pillar of the prayer.
➏ Standing after Ruku’
Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“وَکَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَاسَهُ مِنَ الرُّکُوعِ لَمْ یَسْجُدْ حَتَّی یَسْتَوِیَ قَائِماً”
“When he raised his head from ruku’, he would not prostrate until he had fully stood upright.”
Hadrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“کَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ مِنَ الرُّکُوْعِ إِنْتَصَبَ قَائِماً”
“He would stand up straight properly after ruku’.”
Abu Humaid (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“رَفَعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَاسْتَوٰی حتّٰی یَعُودَ کُلُّ فَقَارٍ مَکَانَهُ”
“That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when rising from ruku’, would stand upright such that all the bones of the spine returned to their places and settled.”
That is, standing upright after rising from ruku’ is also a pillar of the prayer.
➐ Prostration (Sujud)
For the pillar of prostration, the same Qur’anic verse that was cited for ruku’ is sufficient. In the hadith of Rifa’ah ibn Rafi’ it is said:
“ثُمَّ اسجُدْ حَتّٰی تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِداً”
“Then prostrate with full tranquility.”
Two prostrations in every rak’ah are obligatory, and tranquility in them is also a condition. There are seven limbs of prostration:
Hadrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
“أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَعْظُمٍ: عَلَى الجَبْهَةِ، وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى أَنْفِهِ، وَاليَدَيْنِ، وَالرُّكْبَتَيْنِ، وَأَطْرَافِ القَدَمَيْنِ”
“Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead, the nose, both hands, both knees and the toes of both feet.”
That is, prostrating on the forehead (including the nose), both hands, the knees and the toes of the feet — prostration on all of these is necessary.
⑧ Final Sitting
Hadrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), explaining the obligation of this pillar, says:
“كُنَّا نَقُولُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُفْرَضَ التَّشَهُّدُ: السَّلَامُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَى جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَا تَقُولُوا ھذا، وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا: التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ …”
This hadith is the proof of the obligation of the tashahhud in the final sitting. Reciting the tashahhud while sitting after the two prostrations in the last rak’ah of the prayer is obligatory and an essential part of the prayer.
Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Sabiq Misri (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“الثابت المعروف من هدي النبي ﷺ أنه كان يقعد القعود الأخير ويقرأ فيه التشهد، قال ابن قدامة: وهذا يدل على أنه فرض بعد إن لم يكن مفروضا”
That is, it was the constant practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to sit in the final sitting and recite the tashahhud. According to Ibn Qudamah, this act indicates its obligation, even though it was not initially obligatory.
⑨ Salam
The salam at the conclusion of the prayer is also included among its obligatory elements and pillars. Its proof is the hadith of Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that has already been mentioned in the explanation of Takbir al-Tahrima:
“مِفْتَاحُ الصَّلَاةِ الطُّهُورُ، وَتَحْرِيمُهَا التَّكْبِيرُ، وَتَحْلِيلُهَا التَّسْلِيمُ”
“The key to the prayer is wudu, its beginning is Allahu Akbar, and the only means of its completion is the salam on both sides.”
That is, the key to the prayer is wudu, its beginning is takbir (Allahu Akbar), and its conclusion is the salam.
Further evidence:
Hadrat Amir ibn Sa’d narrates from his father:
“كنت أرى النبي ﷺ يسلم عن يمينه وعن يساره حتى يُرى بياض خدَّه”
That is, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would turn his face to the right and to the left when giving salam, until the whiteness of his cheek could be seen.
Hadrat Wa’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“صليتُ مع رسول الله ﷺ، فكان يسلم عن يمينه: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته”
“That I performed the prayer behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he turned his face to the right and said the words: As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.”
That is, he ﷺ said on the right side: “As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.”
Conclusion:
All of these pillars and obligations of the prayer are those established and verified from the Holy Qur’an, from sahih and hasan hadiths that are marfu’, muttasil, not mu’allal and not shadh. With Allah’s help and by His grace, I have mentioned all the pillars that are part of the correct form of the prayer and that form a part of the description of the prayer transmitted from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Therefore, if anyone examines the prayer of Hadrat Maulana Abdul Ghafoor (may Allah preserve him) in light of these evidences, let him decide for himself how far his position is correct.
As for the opinion of this humble writer, I say with full conviction and insight that some weakness is found in the form of Maulana’s prayer.
An important principle:
Remember! In principle, the one whose own prayer is valid, following him in prayer is permissible by unanimous agreement. Can anyone say that the prayer the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led during his illness while sitting, with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the other Companions, was not valid? Yet standing, which is the most important pillar of the prayer, was absent at that time.
ھذا ما عندی، واللہ اعلم بالصواب
