Topic: **PRAYER**

[Devoted]

:bismi:  :masha1:  

There are five prayers which are obligatory and rewardable. There are other prayers which are rewardable but optional to perform. The optional prayers require the same preparation as the five required prayers. There are several requirements of the person who performs the prayer. The person praying must be Muslim and must have reached the state of mental discrimination which is usually around seven lunar years (about 6 3/4 solar years).

Taharah (Purification)
The Muslim must have the proper Taharah (purification) before performing the prayers. This comprises the removal of najas (filthy) substances and performing wudu’ (ablution) or ghusl (full shower).

Removal of Najas (Filthy substances)
Islamically, there are substances that are considered filthy and must not be on the person’s body, clothes, place of prayer, or even carried when praying. Some of these substances include urine, feces, blood, vomit, pus, and discharges from the penis and vagina, except maniyy (semen and the woman’s fluid of orgasm) which is not filthy.

To clean oneself after urinating and defecating, the person dries himself of all urine with toilet paper after urinating, and then pours water on the areas where the urine was. In the case of defecation, the person is correct if he removes the defecation with toilet paper and then pours water on the stained area to remove the traces. It is also acceptable to use either toilet paper or water only. However, the exclusive use of toilet paper has conditions. The urine must not go beyond the exit area and must not dry there. Also, one’s defecation must not spread past the area of the buttocks which comes together when one is standing.

Wudu' (Ablution)
Allah revealed:

ÞÇá Çááå ÊÚÇáì:

íóÇ ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÁÇãóäõæÇú ÅöÐóÇ ÞõãúÊõãú Åöáóì ÇáÕøóáÇÉö ÝÇÛúÓöáõæÇú æõÌõæåóßõãú æóÃóíúÏöíóßõãú Åöáóì ÇáúãóÑóÇÝöÞö æóÇãúÓóÍõæÇú ÈöÑõÄõæÓößõãú æóÃóÑúÌõáóßõãú Åöáóì ÇáúßóÚúÈóíäö

 

This verse from the Qur’an means: “0 you who believe, if you stand up for prayer, wash your face and arms up to [and including] the elbows and wet wipe [part of] your head and wash your feet up to [and including] the ankles.” (al-Ma’idah, 6)
 

Wudu' (Ablution) has obligatory and recommended parts. The obligatory parts are those parts which if left out the wudu' is not valid. The recommended parts are those parts which if left out the wudu' would still be valid, but one misses out on that reward. The wudu’ must be made with water only.

Allah knows best.

[Devoted]

The Five Obligatory Prayers

Allah revealed:
ÍÇÝÙæÇ Úáì ÇáÕáæÇÊ
which means: “Perform the [five obligatory] prayers” (al-Baqarah, 238).


The Messenger of Allah   said:

which means: “There are five prayers that Allah obligated the slaves to perform. Whoever performs them properly without belittling their obligation, Allah promised to admit him into Paradise. Whoever leaves them out does not have a promise from Allah to have Paradise without torture before. If He willed, He tortures him, and if He willed, He forgives him”. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad.

It is obligatory to perform each of these five prayers in its due time. It is better to perform each prayer early in its time.

Dhuhr (Noon) Prayer [Four rak^ahs (cycles)]:Its time begins when the sun has declined westward from the middle of the sky (zenith). The time remains until the length of the shadow of an object becomes equal to that of the object per Se, in addition to the length of the shadow of that object when the sun was at its zenith. For example, if the length of your shadow when the sun is at its zenith is 5 feet and you are 6 feet high, then once your shadow becomes 11 feet long the Dhuhr prayer time ends.

^Asr (Mid-afternoon) Prayer [Four rak^ahs]
As soon as the Dhuhr prayer time ends the ^Asr prayer time starts. Its time remains until sunset.

Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer [Three rak^ahs]
After the entire disk of the sun has set, then the Maghrib prayer time begins. This prayer time lasts until the redness has disappeared in the western horizon.

^Isha' (Nightfall) Prayer [Four rak^ahs]
As soon as the Maghrib prayer time is finished the ^isha' prayer time begins. You can be certain that this prayer time is in when you can see many small stars in the sky on a clear night. This prayer time lasts until the true dawn appears.

Subh or Fajr (Dawn) Prayer [Two rak ^ahs]
The true dawn begins when we see light spread at the horizon in the East. When the true dawn appears the Fajr prayer time has begun and this prayer time remains until the first glimpse of the disk of the sun appears on the Eastern horizon.

The Covering for the Prayer
The women must cover everything but their faces and hands with a material which conceals the color of their skin. The body must remain covered throughout the various movements of the prayer. So if, for example upon bending, the woman’s scarf hangs forward exposing her neck from an angle, this is not acceptable.

Either the woman needs to be sure that her clothing is tucked in properly to prevent exposure, or she may put clothing over her normal clothing which does not allow exposure at angles. This clothing has an added benefit in that it conceals the shape of the body, for it is disliked for the shape of the woman’s body to be apparent while she is praying.

For the man, his area between his navel and his knees must be covered during the prayer. Like for the woman, the material with which he covers this area must not be see-through; that is, it must be opaque so as to conceal the color of the skin.

Allah knows best.

[azizrasul]

Salaam

Is there any evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) raised his hands during prayer?

Wa salaam

Aziz

[Advisor]

Salam...

Please Explain more at what point during prayer do you mean?

[azizrasul]

Before/After Rukoo & start of third rakat where applicable of course.

[Advisor]

DO you mean like we do In Takbeerat Al Ehram? Yes some people do raise there hands befor roku^o



I don't know if there is Hadith concerning this issue.

[azizrasul]

Yes. Is there any hadith that confirms that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did this?

[Akbar]

Assalamu alaykum

As I know traveller ( Musafir) is allowed to combine 2d with 4th prayers and  3d with 5th prayers.Can anyone clarify whom we can consider as traveller (musafir ) ?

thanks

 

[Martin]

Dear Akbar
Please know that a traveller can combine the zuhur and the assir prayers, by praying these two together at the same time, during the zuhur or assir prayer periods. Same applies to Maghrib and isha2 prayers.
A traveller, is someone who left home and went abroad for a certain distance. The distance is debated between the four madhabs. I will get the references and give you each madhab interpretation. Actually, it is in the range of 40 - 70 kms.
Also, the traveller must have the intention not to stay in the place he is travelling to. And his stay shall not exceed a certain amount of days, that is also debatable. I know it is 15 days according to Abu Hanifa, and 3 days according to Al Shafei, excluding the first and last days of his arrival & departure.I will double check.

[Advisor]

Shafii Madhab: 4 complete days excluding The day of arrival and the day of departure. if he intends to stay more he is not allowed to combine
Note that the distance is calculated from the point the traveller leaves Urban area not from home. this is important because cities these days are big and it may be 10 km from the traveler's home to the Urban area limit.
I mean by Urban area the area habitted by buildings in a city/town/village.