English Salât (Namâz)

The fards that are inside the namâz (rukns)


1- Tahrîma (takbîr of iftitâh):
It means to say Allahu akbar when beginning namâz, and it is fard No other word to replace it is acceptable This takbîr of iftitâh is one of the conditions of namâz It is not a rukn If the takbîr is said too long, like “AAAllahu” in the beginning or “akbaar” at the end, namâz will not be accepted If you utter the word “akbar” before the imâm does (when performing namâz in jamâ’at), your namâz will not have started

2- Qiyâm:
Qiyâm is the first of the five rukns of namâz It means standing When standing, the two feet must be four times a finger’s width apart from each other Those who are too ill to stand, or who will feel dizzy or have a headache or toothache or pain at some other part of their body or cannot control their urination or wind breaking or bleeding when they stand, or who fear that their enemy may see (and harm) them or their possessions may be stolen when they stand, or whose fast will break or speech will be slurred or awrat parts will open when they stand, perform namâz sitting Also, if you are ill and infer from your own experiences or are told by a specialized Muslim doctor that standing will make your illness worse or delay your healing, you perform namâz sitting But the doctor who tells you should not be a fâsiq person committing sins or harâms frankly Such people may sit on the floor in a manner that comes easy to them; cross legged, or knees drawn up with arms folded round the legs or in any other manner People incapable of sitting in that manner on their own does so with someone else’s help For the ruku’ they bend forward a little For the sajda they put their head on the ground

3- Qirâat:
Qirâat is to read (recite) orally Reading (or reciting) only as loud as one can hear is called khafî It is called jahrî, that is, loud if it is audible by one’s company It is fard to say an âyat [a verse of the Qur’ân al-karîm] of the Qur’ân while standing at every rak’at of sunnats and of the witr and at two rak’ats of the fard when performing namâz individually It brings more thawâb to say a short sûra [a chapter of the Qur’ân al-karîm] As qirâat, it is wâjib to say the sûra of Fâtiha at these parts of namâzes and to say also a sûra or three âyats at every rak’ât of sunnats and of witr prayer and at two rak’ats of the fard In the fard [namâzes that are obligatory], it is wâjib or sunnat to say the Fâtiha and the (other) sûra at the first two rak’ats Additionally, it is wâjib to say the Fâtiha before the sûra Furthermore, it is wâjib to say the Fâtiha once at every rak’at If one of these five wâjibs is forgotten, it is necessary to make sajda-i sahw According to some more dependable information, at the third and fourth rak’ats of the fard, it is sunnat for the imâm as well as for a person who performs namâz individually to say the Fâtiha It will be all right whether one says the additional sûra, too, or says nothing When making the qirâat, it is not permissible to recite translations of the Qur’ân In the other three Madhhabs, it is fard to say the Fâtiha in every namâz and in every rak’at

4- Ruku’:
Ruku’ is to bend forward at the waist, and it is fard After the sûra, you bend for the ruku’ saying the takbîr [Allahu akbar] In the ruku’ men open their fingers and put them on their knees They keep their back and head level In the ruku’ you say “Subhâna rabbiyal-azîm” at least thrice If the imâm raises his head before you have said it three times, you must raise your head, too In the ruku’ your arms and legs must be straight Women do not open their fingers They do not keep their head and back level, or their arms and legs straight It is sunnat for the imâm as well as for people who are performing namâz by themselves to say “Sami’ allahu liman hamidah” while straightening up from the ruku’ The jamâ’at does not say it Right after saying it, people who is performing namâz by themselves, and the jamâ’at, upon hearing the imâm recite it, must say “Rab’banâ lakal hamd,” and stand upright

5- Sajda:
Sajda is to prostrate While kneeling down for the sajda saying “Allahu akbar,” put first the right knee and then the left knee, followed by the right and left hands, on the flor (or on the ground if it is performed outdoors) Finally, the nose and the forehead bones are put on the ground Women also should keep their forehead uncovered during namâz In the sajda, fingers must be closed, pointing towards the qibla in line with the ears, and the head must be between hands It is fard that the forehead be touching on something clean, such as a stone, some earth, wood, cloth, and it is said (by savants) that it is wâjib to put the nose down, too It is not permissible to put only the nose on the ground without an ‘udhr [good excuse] It is makrûh to put only the forehead on the ground In the sajda you must say “Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ” at least thrice It is either fard or wâjib to put two feet or at least one toe of each foot on the ground There are also some savants who say that it is sunnat That is, if two feet are not put on the ground, namâz will either not be valid or it will become makrûh If, during the sajda, the forehead, nose, or feet are raised from the ground for a short while, it will cause no harm

In the sajda, it is sunnat to bend the toes and turn them towards the qibla Men must keep their arms and thighs away from their abdomen It is sunnat to place the hands and the knees on the ground It is sunnat to keep the heels a four-finger-width away from each other in the qiyâm, but in the ruku’, qawma [standing upright after the ruku’] and sajda, they must be kept together For doing this, when bending for the rukû, the heel of the left foot is brought near the right foot (but this applies to men; women do not join their feet together) They are separated again when standing up for the qiyâm after the sajda

Sajda is done for Allahu ta’alâ only It is performed towards the direction of Ka’ba, but not for the Ka’ba One who makes sajda for the Ka’ba becomes a disbeliever

6- Qada-i-âkhira:
It is to sit as long as it takes you to say the prayer “Attahiyyâtu” in the last rak’at When sitting, men put their left foot flat on the ground with its toes pointing towards the right They sit on this foot The right foot should be upright, with the toes touching the ground and pointing towards the qibla It is sunnat to sit in this manner Women sit by “tawarruk” That is, they sit with their buttocks on the ground Their thighs should be close to each other Their feet should jut out from their right

It is written in Durr-ul-mukhtâr:
“You do not make a sign with your fingers while sitting The fatwâ says so”



How do we perform namâz?


Question: I have recently begun to perform the namâz Could you explain how to perform namâzes by exemplifying?
ANSWER
The sunnat of the morning prayer is performed as follows:

1- You turn towards the direction of the Qibla The heels are kept a four-finger-width away from each other Tips of thumbs touch earlobes, and palms are turned towards the Qibla After saying “I intend to perform the sunnat of today’s morning prayer for the sake of Allah,” the right hand is put on the left hand under the navel saying Allahu akbar It is also necessary for you to know that you have turned towards the Qibla at that time

2- Keeping the eyes fixed on the place of the sajda [prostration], you recite the Subhânaka After saying the A’ûdhu and the Basmala, you recite the Fâtiha and, without saying the Basmala, an additional sûra [a chapter of the Qur’ân al-karîm]

3- After reciting the additional sûra, you bend for the ruku’ [bowing by putting hands on the knees] saying Allahu akbar In the ruku’, you open your fingers and put them on your knees (in a grasping manner) You keep your back and head level You look at the feet and say Subhâna rabbiyal-‘azîm three times

4- You straighten up from the ruku’ saying Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah While straightening up, you must not pull up your trousers and must not withdraw your eyes from the place of the sajda When you stand upright, you say Rabbanâ lakal hamd

5- You stand for a while and kneel down for the sajda saying Allahu akbar You say Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ three times in the sajda

6- Afterwards, by saying Allahu akbar, you put your left foot flat on the ground with its toes pointing towards the right The right foot should be upright with its toes touching the ground and pointing towards the Qibla You sit on your thighs, place your palms on your knees and let your fingers free

7- Saying Allahu akbar, you prostrate for the sajda again

8- After saying Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ three times in the sajda, you stand up saying Allahu akbar

9- While standing, you say the Basmala, the Fâtiha and an additional sûra Then you bend down for the ruku’ saying Allahu akbar

10- The second rak’at [units of namâz each of which comprises the actions of standing, bowing, and two times prostration] is completed in the same way as detailed for the first rak’at However, after the second sajda, when you say Allahu akbar, you do not stand up but sit on your thighs After reciting the prayers Attahiyyâtu, Allahumma salli, Allahumma bârik and Rabbanâ âtinâ, you make the salâm first to the right and second to the left by saying Assalâmu ‘alaikum wa rahmat-ullah Following this, you say the certain prayer “Allahumma anta-s-salâm wa minkas-salâm tabârakta yâ dhal jalâli wa-l-ikrâm”

Then you stand up and perform the fard [obligatory prayer] of the morning prayer without saying anything in between The fard of the morning prayer is performed in the same way as explained for the sunnat of it

After completing the namâz, you say the following prayer that reads “Astaghfirullah-al‘azîm alladhî lâ ilâha illâ huw-al-hayy-al-qayyûma wa atûbu ilayh” three times, then you recite the Âyat al-kursî and say Subhânallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar, 33 times each, and the prayer “Lâ ilâha il-l-Allahu wahdahû lâ sharîka lah laul-mulku wa lah-ul-hamdu wa huwa ’alâ kulli shay’in qadîr” once Afterwards, you make du’â [supplication]

After you perform the first two rak’ats as we have explained above, when you sit following the second rak’at of the sunnat namâzes that contain four rak’ats, you say only the “Attahiyyâtu” and stand up for the third rak’at During the third and fourth rak’ats of the sunnat namâzes, you say the Fâtiha and an additional sûra Then you make the ruku’ and sajda, and you sit After reciting the prayers Attahiyyâtu, Allahumma salli, Allahumma bârik and Rabbanâ âtinâ, you complete the namâz by making the salâm first to the right and second to the left

When you sit after the second rak’at of the four-rak’at fard namâzes, you only say the Attahiyyâtu and stand up for the third rak’at (you perform the first two rak’ats as we have explained above) However, you say only the Fâtiha during the third and fourth rak’ats, and you sit after making the rukus and sajdas During the last sitting posture, you say the prayers Attahiyyâtu, Allahumma salli, Allahumma bârik, and Rabbanâ âtinâ and complete the namâz by saying the salâm first to the right and second to the left

The fard of the evening prayer is as such That is, the additional sûra is not said during the third rak’at

In all three rak’ats of the namâz of witr, you say an additional sûra after saying the Fâtiha After the additional sûra in the third rak’at, you raise your both hands up to your ears by saying the takbîr [Allahu akbar], and (after folding your hands) you say the prayers termed Qunût

The initial sunnats of the late afternoon and night namâzes are like other four-rak’at sunnat namâzes But when you sit after their second rak’ats, after reciting the Attahiyyâtu, the prayers Allahumma salli and Allahumma bârik are recited completely

As for the namâzes of women, they do not raise their hands up to their ears as men do They raise their both hands up to the level of their shoulders and make niyyat [intention] Then they fold their hands on their breasts While making ruku’, they do not keep their backs level They lay their forearms on the floor in the sajda, and they sit on their buttocks during sitting postures

Question: What does “making niyyat for namâz” mean?
ANSWER
Making niyyat [intention] for namâz means to pass through the heart its name, time, qibla, to wish to follow the imâm (when performing namâz in jamâ’at), or to become the imâm

Question: When saying the first takbîr in namâz, are the hands raised up to the ears?
ANSWER
When beginning namâz, men raise both hands Tips of thumbs touch earlobes Palms are turned towards the Qibla Saying Allahu akbar is begun as hands leave ears and finished as they are folded under navel Though the namâz is not nullified if the hands are folded after saying Allahu akbar, it is better to do as we have explained

Question: Will we have started a namâz when we say the takbîr or when we fold our hands?
ANSWER
The hands are of no importance; we will have started a namâz when we say the takbîr

Question: Is it permissible to perform a namâz without a prayer rug?
ANSWER
Namâz can be performed at any clean place; a prayer rug is not a requirement Namâz can be performed on the soil, on a rush mat, on a rug, or on any clean thing In the event that one fails to find a place to perform namâz, it can even be performed in rooms which are entered without taking off the shoes but where there is no sign of najâsat

Question: When does a rak’at commence and finish?
ANSWER
The first rak’at commences with the beginning of the namâz and the other rak’ats begin right after standing up, and each rak’at continues until one stands up again The final rak’at continues until the salâm [saying “Assalâm-u ‘alaikum wa rahmat-ullah” at the end of a namâz] is said No namâzes can be less than two rak’ats

Question: What does the term zamm-i sûra [additional sûra] mean? What should the length of it be?
ANSWER
The additional sûra is a long or short sûra or three âyats [Qur’ânic verses] or one âyat that is equal to three âyats said after the recitation of the Fâtiha When we consider the length of three âyats in terms of words, it must have ten words but when we consider it in terms of letters, it must have thirty [30] letters (Radd-ul-Mukhtâr)
The Sûrat-un-Nâs has six âyats Should the occasion arise, its three âyats can be recited in the first rak’at and the following three âyats can be recited in the second rak’at

Question: When performing five daily namâzes, how many âyats should be recited in order for them to be in accordance with the sunnat?
ANSWER
It is sunnat to recite a total of 40, maximum fifty âyats at two rak’ats of the morning prayer

What is sunnat in the early afternoon prayer is to recite less than those which were recited in the morning prayer

The sunnat in the late afternoon and night prayers is to recite 20 âyats

The sunnat in the evening prayer is to say a short sûra at each rak’at Short sûras are the ones coming after the Sûrat-ul-Bayyina

When conducting fard namâzes, it is makrûh tahrîmî for the imâm to say more âyats than above-mentioned ones Even if the jamâ’at want him to do so, it is still makrûh But if the jamâ’at want him to say less than those prescribed by the sunnat, it is permissible for the imâm to say less, but not permissible to say more For instance, if travelers or people who have difficulty in keeping their ablutions say to the imâm who is to lead the prayer, “Conduct the prayer with the shortest sûra,” and if the imâm conducts so by reciting the sûras of Kawthar and Ikhlâs, it will be permissible, not makrûh (Hindiyya)

Question: Is it permissible to perform namâz against an electric heater or gas flames?
ANSWER
It is permissible to perform namâz against any kind of stove, flames or light sources However, it is not permissible to perform it against a fire

Question: Does a person whose namâz has been nullified leave the namâz by making the salâm?
ANSWER
When a namâz is nullified, there is no need to make the salâm Should the necessity arises to break the namâz while one is performing, then one breaks it by making the salâm For example, if other people begin to perform the fard in jamâ’at in the presence of a person who is performing the same fard alone, he makes the salâm immediately and follows the jama’ât

Question: When performing namâz, if my mobile phone rings melodiously, does it bring harm upon my namâz?
ANSWER
When a mobile rings, it does not nullify the namâz But according to the statement in Ibni Âbidîn: “it is makrûh to perform namâz against things that distract your heart and prevent your khushû’ [deep and humble reverence], eg musical instruments” Makrûhs lessen the blessings of the namâz In some mosques, when loudspeakers are on, music may blare out You must clear away things that prevent the performance of namâz in deep reverence

Question: When performing namâz, which stance should we take?
ANSWER
You should enter His Presence with proper manners As you begin namâz, it would be better to think as if the Bridge of Sirât were in front of you, to engrave in your heart that Hadrat Azrâîl [the angel of death] is ready to take away your soul at any moment, and also to bear in mind that maybe this is the last namâz of our lifetime

Question: When we are making sajda, if our headgears come down to our foreheads, will it be makruh?
ANSWER
Yes While touching the ground, the forehead must be bare

Question: As I began namâz, I saw a picture on the table in front of me Was it appropriate for me to break the namâz in order for the namâz not to become makrûh?
ANSWER
It is not permissible to break the namâz Instead, one should take precautions against such things before beginning namâz

Question: When performing namâz, if the lights go off or someone turns them off unknowingly, will our namâz be valid?
ANSWER
The namâz will be valid; it does not become makrûh Yet it is makrûh to begin a namâz in pitch-dark without an excuse

Question: Does it nullify a namâz to look at a person by turning our head or to motion to a particular thing with our hand by outstretching our arm in response to a person who has asked the place of it?
ANSWER
Few actions that do not nullify a namâz are termed amal-i qalîl, but actions that are so many as to nullify a namaz are termed amal-i kasîr
When performing namâz, turning your head (face) around is amal-i qalîl and is thus makrûh In the same way, to make a motion with your hand or arm in response to a person asking the place of a particular object is makrûh as it is amal-i qalîl If you turn your chest away from the Qibla [the direction a Muslim turns when performing namâz, the direction pointing to Kâ’ba], your namâz becomes nullified as it is amal-i kasîr (Marâqil-falâh)

Question: If I say to a friend while he is performing namâz such things: “Put your fallen headgear back with a single hand, it is not an inconvenience,” or “Make a little room to allow me to pass,” if he does what I have wanted him to do, is his namâz nullified?
ANSWER
To put a headgear back or to make room for a newcomer with someone else’s warning nullifies namâz But your moving of your own will a little some time later does not nullify it

Question: When performing namâz, the children make a lot of noise Is it makrûh for me to raise my voice a bit while saying the takbîrs [saying Allahu akbar] to reduce them to silence?
ANSWER
It is not makrûh However, you should not interfere in their noise as long as it is not so loud as to cause you to get confused during namâz

Question: If one informs a person performing namâz saying, “You will go to there (for example) after completing the namâz,” will the informant have committed a sin?
ANSWER
The informant will not have committed a sin

Question: While I was performing a fard namâz, a friend of mine asked me, “Are you performing the fard?” I nodded gently in aggreement Was my namâz nullified?
ANSWER
It was not nullified

Question: Is it makrûh for a man to perform namâz against the back of a sitting woman who is his wife or any of his mahram [one of the eighteen women whom Islam has prescribed as a man’s close relatives] relatives?
ANSWER
It is not makrûh

Question: Is it permissible to perform namâz when there is a wallet made of the leather of a snake or a pig in our pocket?
ANSWER
The skin of a pig or a snake will never become clean even if it is tanned Namâz cannot be performed with wallets made of such leather

Question: When saying the salâm in namâz, should we also intend for angels and our Master, the Prophet (‘alaihissalâm)?
ANSWER
One who performs namâz individually should intend for the Angels of Haphaza when saying the salâm It is also recommended for one to intend for our Prophet However, he who performs namâz in jamâ’at should additionally intend for the imâm and for people on the right-hand side and left-hand side of him

Question: In the sitting posture, does it produce thawâb to recite the prayer “Allahumma innî a’ûdhu bika min hamazâtish-shayâtîn” after reciting the “Rabbanâ âtinâ”?
ANSWER
Yes, it produces much thawâb

Question: If one starts a namâz after searching for the Qibla, and after one has performed one rak’at, if pious a Muslim comes and turns that one to the direction of qibla with his hands by saying, ” You are in the wrong direction,” in this case, will the namâz be valid?
ANSWER
Yes, it will be valid

Question: When standing in namâz, how much distance should one keep between one’s two feet?
ANSWER
When standing, the Hanafîs keep the heels a four-finger-width away from each other, but the Shâfi’îs keep them apart from each other a hand span wide

Question: When performing the morning prayer, is it an inconvenince to recite the sûras from “Alam tara” to “Tabbat” in succession in the first rak’at and to recite the sûras coming after the “Tabbat” in the second rak’at?
ANSWER
Though it is permissible to say several successive sûras in one rak’at, it is best to say one sûra

Question: When making qadâ [make up] of the fards of the late afternoon and night prayers, do we have to recite the prayers “Allahumma salli” and “Allahumma bârik” in the first sitting just as we recite them in the sunnats of those namâzes? Secondly, when making qadâ of the fard of the evening prayer, is it necessary to perform it as two rak’ats like its sunnat?
ANSWER
The qadâ of a fard prayer is made in exactly the same way as the adâ [performing namâz in its appointed time] of it is made The qadâ of a fard prayer is not different from its adâ Therefore, the qadâ of the evening prayer is performed as three rak’ats, not as two rak’ats (Radd-ul mukhtâr)

Question: While I am performing namâz in my store, shoppers may come in at that time Is it proper for me to break the namâz and deal with them? Or must I complete my namâz?
ANSWER
It is harâm [prohibited] to break a namâz if there is not a darûrat [strong necessity], so you have to complete your namâz When shoppers see you performing namâz, they either wait or leave You must not commit a sin to please a shopper

Question: When performing namâz, is it permissible to make du’â [supplication] in the sajda [prostration]?
ANSWER
In namâz, it is not permissible to make du’â in the sajda Yet it is permissible to make du’â in the sajda posture of certain supererogatory prayers Besides, outside namâzes, it is also good to prostrate for the sajda and make du’â It is stated in hadîth-i sharîfs:
(A born servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make many du’âs in the sajda) [Muslim]

(Strive for making du’â in the ruku’ and sajda This du’â is worthy of being answered) [Muslim]

(He who says “Rabbighfirlî” thrice in the sajda is forgiven before he straightens up from the sajda) [Daylamî]

Question: When I hear the adhân of morning prayer called, I perform the namâz and then go to bed But after I have gone to bed, I hear adhâns being called from other mosques Is it necessary for me to re-perform the morning prayer?
ANSWER
The condition for the namâz to be performed is not the adhân’s being called but the time’s having started If its due time has started, even if the adhân is not called, we say the adhân and perform the namâz If we perform the namâz without saying the adhân, it will be valid But we will be deprived of the thawâb of sunnat given for saying the adhân

Question: Does it nullify the namâz to scratch any place on our skin by raising one hand three times within one rukn [recitation of an âyat, the ruku’, the two sajdas and sitting in the last rak’at are each a rukn]?
ANSWER
Three separate scratching occasions within one rukn nullify the namâz Yet, if the hand moves 3-4 times on the same place within one scratching occasion, it does not nullify the namâz (Radd-ul mukhtâr)

Question: If the phone rings, is it permissible to break a namâz?
ANSWER
It is not permissible; it is harâm

Question: Is it permissible to give a quiet cough to make it known that one is performing namâz?
ANSWER
No

Question: After reciting the Fâtiha, if one hangs the hands down along one’s sides by mistake, is it necessary for one to fold the hands when saying the additional sûra?
ANSWER
One must recite without folding the hands, and thereby abstain from extra movements Anyway, if they are folded, the namâz will not be nullified

Question: If one recites an additional sûra in the third and fourth rak’ats of a fard prayer, is the namâz nullified? Is it necessary to make qadâ of those namâzes which were performed so?
ANSWER
It is not an inconvenience at all to recite an additional sûra in the third and fourth rak’ats of a fard prayer Therefore, it is not necessary to make qadâ of those namâzes that were performed so (Radd-ul mukhtâr)

Question: When we have completed a namâz by making the salâm, is it permissible for us to stand up right away? Is it an inconvenience to recite the prayer “Allahumma anta-s-salâm …” not while one is sitting but while one is standing up?
ANSWER
After making the salâm, Our Master, the Prophet (‘alaihissalâm) would say “Allahumma antas-salâm wa minkas-salâm tabârakta yâ dhal’ jalâli wal’ikrâm” and sit no longer than it took him to say that prayer (Tirmudhî)

Question: Is it necessary for a person who cannot wake up for the morning prayer to buy an alarm clock?
ANSWER
It is necessary to take an effectual precaution to wake up for the namâz The easiest of these precautions is to buy an alarm clock

Question: When making qadâ of the fards of the evening, night and morning prayers in the daytime, does a person perform the recitation loudly?
ANSWER
It is permissible to recite loudly

Question: If one says the Basmala before the “Attahiyyâtu,” is it necessary to make the sajda-i sahw?
ANSWER
It is not necessary

Question: I have the debt of fourty years’ qadâ namâzes In order to finish them as soon as possible, if I do not recite the prayer “Rabbanâ âtinâ …” in the last sitting to save time, and instead, if I reserve that saved time for qadâ namâzes, will it be appropriate?
ANSWER
It is permissible because it is compulsory to pay the debt of qadâ namâzes at once (Nawâdir-ul-fiqhiyya)

Question: Is the namâz of a person who has performed one more rak’at after reciting the Attahiyyâtu in the last sitting valid when making up for the mistake with sajda-i sahw?
ANSWER
Since one has sat in the last rak’at, the namâz is valid with the sajda-i sahw Yet, if one had performed one more rak’at after that extra rak’at and had made the salâm, the last two rak’ats would have become supererogatory

Question: While reciting in namâz, while saying sûras and other prayers in bed, or when making du’â and saying the Kalima-i tawhîd, is it appropriate to recite them through our heart by not opening our mouths?
ANSWER
Qirâat means reading by mouth Reading as loud as to be heard only by the reader is termed “reading gently” But reading as loud as to be heard by people who stand on each side of the reader is termed “reading loudly” It is not makrûh if a person reciting gently is heard by one or two people Reciting loudly means being heard by many people (Bazzâziyya)

A namâz performed without reciting as loudly as to be heard by the reciter will not be valid Likewise, when making du’â, you must recite or say on a level to be heard by yourself

In order for Kalima-i tahlîl [Lâ ilâha ill-Allah] to bring the thawâb of an act of worship, you should say it with your toungue as loudly as to be heard by yourself Those who perform khatm-i tahlîl [saying Lâ ilâha ill-Allah seventy thousand times] should say on a level at least to be heard by themselves However, if the Kalima-i tahlîl is not said as an act of worship but to purify the heart, then you do not move your tongue (Radd-ul-mukhtâr)

Question: After having performed the early afternoon prayer, I remembered that I had not had an ablution Is it necessary for me to perform it again?
ANSWER
Yes, it is necessary to perform it again A namâz performed without an ablution though one thinks one has had an ablution will not be valid Yet one will be given much thawâb in return for one’s niyyat If one finds some najs water and yet thinks it is clean and makes an ablution with it and performs namâz, one’s namâz will not be valid because one of its conditions has not been fulfilled; however, one will be given thawâb owing to one’s intention On the other hand, a namâz that is valid because it has been performed with all its conditions fulfilled will not be given any thawâb if it has been performed for ostentation (Ashbâh)

Question: What does the term “imsâk” that is written on calendars mean? Can we perform the morning prayer at that time?
ANSWER
Imsâk is the time at which the night ends and prohibition against eating and drinking starts One must stop eating and drinking at the time of imsâk that is written on the calendar prepared and published by the daily Turkiye 15 minutes after this imsâk time, one can perform the morning prayer If people follow incorrect calendars and thereby continue eating and drinking until the adhân is called, then their putting the whole blame on the calendar does not absolve them from the responsibility

Question: Is it permissible to begin as “Allahumma rabbanâ âtinâ …” instead of “Rabbanâ …”?
ANSWER
Yes, it is permissible, but it is better to begin as “Rabbanâ”

Question: After reciting the prayers “Allahumma salli …” and “Allahumma barik …”, is it permissible to recite any other prayer?
ANSWER
It is permissible to recite the ones reported in hadîth-i sharîfs It is permissible to recite such âyat-i karîmas that contain du’â as “Rabbanâ âtinâ …” and “Rabbanaghfir lî …” with an intention to make du’â


The namâzes of women

Question: What are the differences between the namâzes of men and those of women?
ANSWER
They are:

1- When beginning to perform namâz, a woman raises both hands up to the level of her shoulders She does not grasp her left wrist with the fingers of her right hand She puts her hands on her breast, right hand on top of the left

2- While making ruku’, she bends less as compared to men, and she does not bring the heel of her left foot near her right foot She does not keep her legs straight, nor her back level She puts her hands on her knees, but she does not grasp them Also, she does not keep her fingers wide apart

3- When making sajda, she lays her arms on the ground, bringing her arms to her sides while she keeps her abdomen placed over her thighs

4- In the tashahhud [sitting posture], she sits on the buttocks, her feet jutting out towards right She keeps her toes adjacent to one another

5- She does not stretch her hands forward while making du’â, but she keeps them inclined towards her face

6- It is not mustahab for her to perform the morning prayer (namâz) when it becomes rather light (it is termed “isfâr”)

7- In namâz, she does not recite loudly On the ‘Iyd of Qurbân, after making the salâm in namâzes that are fard, she says the takbîr-i tashrîq (Allahu akbar Allahu akbar Lâ ilâha illallahu Wallahu akbar Allahu akbar wa lillahil-hamd) silently (Radd-ul-mukhtâr, Tahtâwî)

Question: While a woman is performing namâz, in the sitting postures, is it necessary for her to grasp her knees?
ANSWER
No, they are placed on the knees

Question: It is written in the books Halabî and Radd-ul-mukhtâr that it is sunnat to bring the heel of the left foot near the right foot when bending for the ruku’ Does this practice also apply to women?
ANSWER
No, women do not bring them together It applies to men alone


Things that nullify namâz


Question: What are the things that nullfiy namâz?
ANSWER
Things that nullify a namâz are called mufsids A worship being fâsid or bâtil is the same; it means it is broken, nullified
Some of them are as follows:

1- To talk Even one word nullifies namâz It always nullifies namâz regardless of whether it is said intentionally or inadvertently or under duress or by forgetting However, it does not nullify namâz to say the salâm at the end of the first sitting posture, mistaking it for the second sitting Yet if you say, “Assalâmu,” thinking that the namâz is of two rak’ats, or if you say it while standing, your namâz becomes nullified To respond to someone else’s greeting, in any manner whatsoever, nullifies namâz

2- Without a good excuse, coughing through the throat nullifies namâz If it happens involuntarily, it does not nullify namâz If you do it in order to facilitate your recitation, it is harmless

3- To say prayers in namâz that do not exist in âyats or hadîths nullifies namâz It is written in Durr-ul-mukhtâr: “The prayer to be said before making the salâm has to be in Arabic It is harâm to pray in any other language during namâz” At this point Ibni ‘Âbidîn explains: “Imâm-i Abû Yûsuf and Imâm-i Muhammad said that namâz performed in any language other than Arabic would not be accepted Imâm-i A’zam’s later ijtihâd tallies with it”

4- To moan or to say “Ouch!” etc nullifies namâz

5- To say, “Ugh!” in order to express annoyance nullifies namâz

6- Crying for reasons such as a pain or sorrow nullifies namâz If you weep silently, or cry loudly because of the thought of Paradise and Hell, your namâz does not become nullified If a sick person cannot help saying “Ouch, ugh!” or crying, the namâz does not become nullified

7- It nullifies namâz to say “Yarhamukallah” to a person who sneezes and says “Al-hamdulillah” When not performing namâz, it is fard-i kifâya to say the former immediately after each of the three instances of the latter, and it is mustahab after the third time [Riyâd un-nâsihîn]

8- To say, “Innâ lillâh wa ,” upon hearing bad news nullifies namâz It is sunnat to say it while not performing namâz

9- To say “Jalla Jalâluh” and “Sallallâhu alaihi wa sallam,” upon hearing the names of Allahu ta’âlâ and the Prophet “sallallâhu alaihi wa sallam” nullifies namâz Outside of namâz, saying or writing them is wâjib for the first time and mustahab for those times afterwards of saying, hearing, or writing their names

10- To say “Âmîn” for a prayer said by anyone but the imâm nullifies namâz When the imâm finishes reciting the Fâtiha, it is makrûh for the imâm and for the jamâ’at to say “Âmîn” loudly They must say it in a whisper

11- To change your place or to make room for a newcomer with someone else’s warning nullifies namâz But your moving of your own will a little some time later does not nullify it

12- To correct an error made by anyone except the imâm you follow nullifies the namâz (of the person who makes the correction)

13- Even if a little, or by forgetting, eating or drinking by placing (after starting to perform namâz) something in the mouth nullifies namâz It does not nullify namâz to swallow something smaller than a chick-pea that has remained between the teeth It does not break a fast, either To chew something small in your mouth three times or to swallow it after melting it nullifies namâz

14- To say the prayers by reading and learning them from the Qur’ân al-kerîm or from some other paper nullifies namâz To do so would mean to learn the prayers from someone else Imâm-i Muhammad and Imâm-i Abû Yûsuf said that it would be makrûh They added that it would not even be makrûh if it is not intended to imitate a disbeliever with a Heavanly Book Looking at a piece of writing [or something or its picture on the wall] without understanding it does not nullify namâz You would have committed an act of makrûh if you understood it (when you looked at it) It would not be makrûh if it only met your eyes by chance

[Doing the customs of disbelievers, if not with the intention of being like them, if they are not harâm or evil customs, and if they are useful, is permissible Eating and drinking like them is an example of this It is harâm if it is done in order to become like them, or if they are harâm and bad customs]

15- Extra movements that are not parts of namâz nullify namâz Making the ruku’ or the sajdas more than the prescribed number or going out to make ablution does not nullify it Excusable extra movements such as killing a scorpion or a snake does not nullify it, either If a hand moves less than three times, it does not nullify namâz It has been said (by savants) that one movement with both hands nullifies namâz Raising the hands up to the ears for the takbîrs in namâz does not nullify namâz Yet it is makrûh

16- To stand and to make the sajda at a najs place nullifies namâz If you spread something over the najs place, your namâz will not become nullified Shoes and clothes that you are wearing are like parts of your skin You cannot make the sajda by placing the skirt of your overcoat over a najs place You must take it off and spread it on the ground [You cannot perform a janâza [funeral] namâz if the shoes you are wearing are smeared with najâsat]

17- If your awrat parts remain open long enough for you to say “Subhânallah” three times in one rukn, if the amount of najâsat prescribed to nullify namâz exist on your skin or clothes, if you perform the namâz ahead of the imâm, and if you are in the same line with a woman [who has been following the same imâm], your namâz becomes nullified If you yourself do all these, your namâz will be broken immediately

18- To perform namâz on something which you have spread over a najs place but which lets colour, odor, and moisture through nullifies namâz If it does not let them through, namâz does not become nullified Performing it after covering the place with plenty of earth does not nullify namâz

19- Turning your chest away from the qibla without a good excuse breaks namâz immediately Turning your face or any other limb away does not nullify namâz, yet it is makrûh If you cannot help turning away, it nullifies namâz if you remain so as long as one rukn Walking one line (one metre and half) towards the qibla does not nullify namâz If not in the direction of the qibla, or if you walk more than that continuously in the direction of the qibla, it nullifies namâz Hence, it is not permissible to perform namâz walking

20- When a woman is kissed or held lustfully, her namâz becomes nullified

21- The namâz of people who apostate by heart becomes nullified [That is, if they say through their heart, “If such and such a thing happens, so and so’s word proves true, and the Qur’ân al-karîm proves to be – may Allahu ta’âlâ protect us against such thoughts!– untrue,” or if a girl decides to marry a disbeliever, they (in the first example), or she (in the second example) becomes a disbeliever immediately] A person who intends to become a disbeliever in the future or who believes something causing disbelief becomes a disbeliever, that is, a renegade immediately

22- While performing namâz, it is harâm to do something that will break your ablution or ghusl If you do any one of them before having sat as long as the tashahhud in the last rak’at, your namâz immediately becomes nullified If you do it after having sat as long as the tashahhud, your namâz will be all right If your ablution breaks by itself, you may renew it and then continue with your namâz, but it is better to perform it again from the beginning After you have sat as long as the tashahhud, if it breaks by itself, and if upon this you make an ablution at once and make the salâm, which is wâjib, or without making an ablution, if you yourself do something breaking the namâz, eg make the salâm, your namâz will remain unimpaired

23- If you omit one rukn and do not perform it during the (same) namâz, your namâz becomes nullified

24- If he begins and finishes a rukn before the imâm begins it, his namâz becomes nullified But if the imâm begins the rukn later and they finish it at the same time, or if he withdraws before the imâm begins the rukn and then, when the imâm begins the rukn, makes the rukn again together with the imâm, his namâz will not become nullifed, yet it is makrûh If a person begins a rukn after the imâm has finished it, his namâz will be acceptable

25- One who misses the first rak’at of the jamâ’at is called a masbûk If a masbûk, after having sat as long as (to say the prayer called) the tashahhud and before the imâm having made the salâm, stands up and, after making the sajda of the rak’at he has missed, sees the imâm making sajda-i sahw and he, too, makes the sajda-i sahw with the imâm, his namâz will be nullified Instead of resuming following the imâm (upon seeing the imâm making the sajda-i sahw), he should have completed his namâz and the sajda-i sahw on his own If he stood up but did not make sajda, in that case it would be wâjib for him to sit back and make the sajda-i sahw together with the imâm

26- If people who forgot to make the sajda remember it during the ruku’, they prostrate themselves outright from the position of ruku’ and make the sajda, and (if they remember it) during the (following) sajda, they make the sajda (that they forgot) after sitting after the regular sajda (wherein they remembered about the forgotten sajda); then, (in both cases) they reperform the ruku’ and the sajda that they have performed Then they make the sajda-i sahw Or, at the end of or during the final sitting they make the sajda which they remembered or which they remember during the final sitting, then they sit again and say the the prayer Tahiyyât, and then make the sajda-i sahw If they do not sit again, their namâz become nullified

27- If you do not perform again the rukn that you performed while sleeping, your namâz becomes nullified

28- If during the takbîrs in namâz you prolong the first “A” when saying “Allahu,” your namâz becomes nullified If you prolong it when beginning namâz, your beginning the namâz is not valid

29- If saying the âyats melodiously defiles the meaning, it defiles your namâz, too



The wâjibs of namâz

Question: What are the wâjibs [acts that are almost obligatory, almost as compulsory as fards, so not to be omitted] of the namâz?
ANSWER
They are as follows:
1- To recite the sûra of Fâtiha

2- To recite a sûra or at least three short âyats after the Fâtiha

3- To recite the Fâtiha before the sûra

4- To recite the additional sûra, which is said after the Fâtiha, in the first and second rak’ats of fard namâzes and in every rak’at of the sunnats

5- To make the (two) sajdas one immediately after the other

6- To recite the sûra of Fâtiha in every rak’at of the sunnat and wâjib namâzes

7- To sit after the second rak’ats of the namâzes that contain three and four rak’ats

8- Not to sit longer than the tashahhud in the second rak’at

9- To put the nose together with the forehead down in the sajda

10- To recite the Attahiyyâtu during the sitting posture in the last rak’at

11- To observe the ta’dîl-i arkân [to remain motionless as long as to say “Subhânallah” after becoming calm at four places in namâz, namely, at ruku’, at sajda, at qawma, and at jalsa]

12- To say “Assalâmu …” at the end of the namâz

13- To say the Qunut prayer in the last rak’at of the witr namâz

14- To say the takbîrs in the namâzes of ‘Iyd [Eid]

15- For the imâm, to say the âyats loudly in the namâzes of morning, Friday, ‘Iyd, tarâwih, witr, and in the first two rak’ats of evening and night namâzes

16- For the imâm as well as for a person performing namâz individually, to recite the âyats on the level of a whisper in the fards of the early afternoon and late afternoon namâzes, in the third rak’at of the evening namâz and in the third and fourth rak’ats of the night namâz

Making iâda of a namâz
Question: Is it wâjib to make iâda [to perform a namâz for the second time for any reason whatsoever] of a namâz that is performed by committing a makrûh?
ANSWER
It is makrûh tahrîmî to omit one of the wâjibs of the namâz In this case, even if the namâz is valid, you will have committed a sin since you have omitted a wâjib It is wâjib to make iâda of, that is, re-perform this namâz

It is also makrûh tahrîmî to omit one of the muakkad sunnats of namâz To make iâda of a namâz performed in such a manner is sunnat, not wâjib

Question: It is stated in the book Endless Bliss: “It is sunnat to say the Fâtiha at the third and fourth rak’ats of fard namâzes There are also savants stating that it is wâjib” That is, at the third and fourth rak’ats, if we wait for some time without reciting anything and bend for the ruku’, will our namâz be valid?
ANSWER
Now that it is declared to be sunnat, it is makrûh to omit a sunnat However, according to the savants stating that it is wâjib, it is wâjib to make iâda of that namâz performed without reciting the Fâtiha

In the Mâlikî and Shâfi’î Madhhabs, it is fard to say the Fâtiha at every rak’at, so it is fard for a person imitating those madhhabs to recite it

Question: In the Hanafî Madhhab, is it fard or wâjib to finish the namâz by saying the salâm?
ANSWER
According to the muftabih qawl, it is wâjib As stated by Imâm-i A’zam, it is fard to finish the namâz of your own will, but it is not fard according to the Imâmayn

In the last rak’at, after having sat as long as the tashahhud, if you do something that nullifies the namâz, eg if you laugh, talk, eat or drink something, your namâz is valid However, if your ablution breaks (by itself), in this case, according to the Imâmayn, your namâz is valid, too But according to Imâm-i A’zam, you must renew your ablution at once, and you must come and make the salâm; so you finish the namâz of your own will Even so, the fatwâ tallies with the report of Imâmayn

[muftabih qawl: the report preferred as the fatwâ from among the various ijtihâds of mujtahid scholars]


The sunnats of the namâz


Question: What are the sunnats of the namâz?
ANSWER
They are as follows:

1- To raise both hands up to the ears while saying the takbîr of iftitâh [saying Allahu akbar when beginning namâz] Women raise their both hands as high as their shoulders

2- To turn the palms towards the Qibla

3- To fold the hands after saying the takbîr

4- To put the right hand on top of the left Men put their hands under their navels, but women put their hands on their breasts

5- To say the Basmala [Bismillâhirrahmânirrahîm] before the Fâtiha To say "Âmîn" silently after the Fâtiha

6- To say the Subhânaka after the takbîr of iftitâh

7- To say the A'ûdhu [A’ûdhu billâhi min-ash-shaytânirrajîm] and the Basmala after the Subhânaka

8- To keep the heels a four-finger width away from each other in the qiyâm, but in the ruku’, qawma and sajda, they must be kept together

9- To say Subhâna rabbiyal-‘azîm three times in the ruku'

10- To say Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ three times in the sajda

11- To say the prayers “Allahumma salli …” and “Allahumma bârik …” in the last sitting

12- To turn the head to the right and then to the left while making the salâm [saying “Assalâm-u ‘alaikum wa rahmat-ullah”] at the end of the namâz

13- To say a sûra in the first rak’at twice as long as the one to be said in the second rak’at [This rule applies to the imâm]

14- To keep the heel-bones together in the ruku’

15- To keep the back and the head level during the ruku’

16- To open the fingers and to put them on the knees in the ruku’

17- To say Sami' Allahu liman hamidah while straightening up from the ruku’

18- To say Rabbanâ lakal hamd when standing upright after the ruku’

19- In the sajda, (it is sunnat for men) to put the knees on the ground and to keep the thighs away from the abdomen Women keep their abdomens placed on their thighs

20- In the sajda, to keep the fingers close together (that is, to leave no space between them) and bend the toes turning them towards the Qibla

21- To sit between the two sajdas

22- To turn the fingers and the toes towards the Qibla during the sajda

23- To place the hands in line with the ears in the sajda

24- To say Allahu akbar while bowing for the ruku’ and the sajdas and when straightening up from the sajdas

25- For men to keep their right foot upright while sitting on the left foot

26- In the sitting posture, to make the far ends of the fingers reach only as far as the beginning edge of the knees and to let the fingers free

27- To recite only the Sûrat-ul-Fâtiha in the last two rak’ats of fard [obligatory] namâzes which contain four rak’ats

28- To say the adhân and iqâmat [For men]

Question: Is it sunnat to make iâda [to perform a namâz for the second time for any reason whatsoever] of a namâz that has been performed by omitting its sunnats?
ANSWER
If the sunnats that are inside the namâz are omitted deliberately, it is sunnat to make iâda of that namâz If they are omitted inadvertently, it is not necessary to make iâda of that namâz

Question: Is it wâjib to make iâda of a namâz that has been performed by omitting its sunnats, for example, if it is performed without a headgear?
ANSWER
It is not wâjib; it is sunnat

The thumbs
Question: When we keep our fingers close together in the sajda, is it necessary to adjoin the thumbs as well?
ANSWER
Yes



The mustahabs of the namâz


Question: What are the mustahabs of the namâz?
ANSWER
People who do the mustahabs attain many blessings and incur no sin if they omit them That is, the thawâb of the namâz does not decrease, but they will be deprived of the thawâb earned for doing them Some of them are as follows:

1- (For men) To make tips of thumbs touch the earlobes when saying the takbîr of iftitâh

2- To look at the place of sajda during the qiyâm

3- To look at the feet in the ruku’

4- In the sajda, to look at the place where the nose is put

5- To open the fingers and put them on the knees in the ruku’

6- To keep the head and the neck level in the ruku’

7- To say the tasbîhs [ie Subhâna rabbiyal-‘azîm and Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ] in the ruku’ and sajda 5-11 times

8- To keep both feet close together in the ruku’

9- (For men) To hold the wrist tightly when folding the hands in the qiyâm

10- To put first the right knee and then the left knee while kneeling down for the sajda

11- To perform the sajda in between two hands

12- In the sajda, to put the nose down before putting the forehead

13- To look at the two sides of the nose during the sajda

14- To cover the mouth with the outer part of the hand when yawning in namâz

15- Not to wipe beads of sweat in namâz

16- Not to cough or yawn

17- Men should make their elbows stay raised off the floor However, women rest their elbows on the floor

18- To keep the arms and thighs apart from the abdomen in the sajda [For men]

19- To raise the hands from the sajda after raising the head

20- To raise the knees from the sajda after raising the hands

21- In the sitting posture, to look at the knees and to place the hands on the knees in a straight manner towards Qibla

22- When saying the salâm to the right and to the left, to turn the head and to look at the ends of the shoulders

23- When saying the salâm (at the end of namâz), to make an intention that you are offering your salâm to the imâm, to the Angels of Haphaza, and to the jamâ’at

The thawâb of observing a mustahab
Question: Does it produce thawâb to observe a mustahab?
ANSWER
Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî “quddisa sirruh” declares:
We should not slight the mustahabs They are acts loved by Allahu ta’âlâ Were it known that a certain act He loves could be done by sacrificing the entire world, anyone who could do it would make a great profit, like receiving a precious diamond in return for a few pieces of a broken flower-pot, or similar to resuscitating one’s dead darling by giving away a few pieces of gravel (First Volume, 266th Letter)

To omit a mustahab
Question: When we omit one of the mustahabs of the namâz, will the namâz be makrûh?
ANSWER
When we omit a mustahab, our namâz will not become makrûh In other words, the thawâb of our namâz does not diminish, but we will be deprived of the thawâb gained as a result of observing a mustahab