Ablutions
WUDU/ABLUTIONS
Without performing wudu one cannot pray, without having made and retained ablutions he cannot pray.
THE FOUR FARZ IN ABLUTION MAKING
1- Wash the hands and face once.
2- Wash each arm and elbow once.
3- Wetting one fourth of the hair.
4- Wash each foot and ankle once.
ORDER OF ABLUTION MAKING
1- Intention
2- Besmele
3- Hands
4- Mouth
5- Nose
6- Face
7- Arms and elbows
8- Hair
9- Ear (inside with little fingers, outside with thumbs) and neck (with remaining wet three fingers)
10- Feet
GHUSL (BODY WASH
Full body wash (Ghusl) must be made after the following:
1. Any ejaculation of sperm (including a wet dream) – but not an ejaculation of mezi which is a clear viscous substance. Only a wudu is needed after a mezi.
ORDER OF GHUSL
1- Rinsing of mouth
2- Rinse the nose
3- Wet and wash entire body
If the body wash has not been performed prayer, reading or touching the qur’an, visiting the mosque or making tawaf are all not allowed.
THINGS THAT BREAK THE CONTINUITY OF THE WUDU/ABHLUTIONS
1- Emmission of blood or pus.
2- Vommiting a significant amount i.e more than a mouthfull.
3- In teeth bleeding for it to be more than a mouthfull of collective saliva and blood.
4- Sleep or a fainting.
5- During prayer to laugh so much for your neighbour to hear
KITAB UL SALAH - THE BOOK OF PRAYER
INTRODUCTION
The verb Salla means to Warm Up, to Pray, to Help and to Bless. In Fiqh it means two things:-
1. The ritual Prayer.
2. Asking Allah to bless Rasulullah and other servants.
THE RITUAL PRAYER
THE RITUAL PRAYER HAS THE FOLLOWING POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS
1. Qiyaam - Standing up facing the Qibla. This is called Qiyaam.
2. Tekbir - Beginning with Tekbir. That is to say with Hands Raised to the Ears says once Allahu Akbar.
This Tekbir is repeated when one passes from one Posture to Another, except when Rising from a Bow down, then you say SemiAllahulimenhamideh.
3. Qira’at - Reciting Verses from the Qur’an with Al-Fatiha being Obligatory.
4. Ruku - To Bend Down until the Back is Level.
5. Qawaamah - Is Raising after Ruku and Standing for a Few Seconds.
6. Sejdeh - Is Putting the Face on the Ground when both the Forehead and the Top of the Nose Touch the Ground. It can also be called Sujood which its also its Plural Form.
7. Qaadeh - Is Sitting up during each Rak’at briefly between Two Consecutive Sejdehs and Longer after Two Rak’ats are done as well as at the end of the last final rak’ah and to recite the Prayer ‘Ettahiyaatu’.
- In a Three Rakat Salah a Second and Last Qaadeh is made after the Third Rak’at.
8. Salaam - At the End of a Salah one turns his Face Right and then Left each time giving Salaam - Assalamualeikum Wa Rahmatullah.
This ends the Salah.
RAK’AT
- Rak’at means One of the Cycles of Salah which is made of One Qiyaam, One Ruku, One Qawaamah and Two Sejdehs.
- The First Rak’at is called Shef Ul Awwalu.
- The Second Rak’at is called Shef Ul Thaani and so on.
- If the Salat is only Three Rak’ats then the Last Single Rak’at is Shef Ul Thaani Rak’at.
OBLIGATORY FARD, (FARAA’IZ (PL) CONDITIONS AND PARTS OF SALAH
THE FARAA’IZ OF SALAH ARE TWELVE
1. Purification from Nejaasa which we have already studied.
2. Purification of Hadath. This is when something Impure Issues from our Body, in Hanafi these include wine, blood, fasces and semen.
3. Covering the Parts we should Cover. In Man this is the Area between the Navel and from Under the Knees. In Woman it is all parts Except the Face, the Hands the Feet.
4. Turning Towards the Qibla. One who Intends to Offer Salah if he doesn’t already know it should Investigate which is the Direction of Qibla.
- If he has Nobody to Consult or no Compass or no Natural Sign like the Sun’s Position etc, he may Pray Towards any Direction he hopes that it may be the Right Direction.
- If he has No Idea at all, any Direction will do Provided he says In His Heart that He Intends to Pray Towards the Qibla.
If Subsequently the Real Qibla is found and the time of Salah Passes he need Not to Repeat.
Additionally one does Not Have to Pinpoint the Qibla - Within a 45 Degree Range Any Direction is Qibla for him.
5. Time (Waqt) - Each Salah Must be Prayed Within it’s Own Time Span. For example, you Cannot Pray Today’s Zuhr while it is Not Noon Yet.
6. Intention (Niyyet) - You must Both Confirm in your Heart that you Want to Pray a Certain Salah and that it is For Allah Only and Preferably you also Say it in Words.
The Above Six Faraa’iz are Observed Before the Salah Itself.
The Next Six Faraa’iz are Met in the Course of the Salah.
1. Opening Tekbir – There is one Tekbir. Here the Hands are Raised until the Tips of the Two Thumbs Touch the Earlobe for Men, and for Woman until they Stand at Ear Level but Straight Up with the Palms Facing Qibla and Away from the Ears. This is only the Hanafi view. Other Meshebs have slight differences.
2. Qiyaam – After the Tekbir the Two Hands are joined Just Below the Navel with Right Hand Cupping the Left and the Thumb and the Other Fingers Surrounding the Left Wrist. In Woman the Hands are Placed Across the Upper Chest. This is Qiyaam.
3. Qira’at – It is Sunna to Recite the ‘Subhaneke’ Prayer before Al-Fatiha. Al-Fatiha is Wajib and even Farz and after it in a Farz Salah something additional from the Qur’an must be Recited and this is Sunnat ul Muakadda (Strong Sunna). Rasulullah (saaws) did Not Abandon this Practise. This Additional Part can be Any Surah from the Qur’an or Any Part of Any Surat or a Single Verse Not shorter than Three Short Verses.
- In Hanafiyye the Besmele Before Fatiha is Silent and the Rest of the Fatiha can be Recited Loud. No Besmele is Needed if one is Continuing with reciting from the Qur’an. In Shafi’i the First Besmele should be Loud and In-between Fatiha and additional Qur’an Another Besmele is Needed.
4. Ruku – One Must Bend Until the Back and the Head at the End are Parallel to the Ground. What is more in Each Posture like the Ruku All Organs and Limbs must come to a Full Rest for At Least a Few Seconds.
5. Sujuud (Sejdeh) – Before Moving on to Sujuud there is a Brief Qiyaam called Qawaamah When Again All the Body Should Come to a Rest. After a Few Seconds Sejdeh is Made. From Sejdeh we Move to a Brief Sitting Position, again All Organs must come to a Rest Before the Second Sejdeh is Made.
6. Qaadeh – After the Two Rak’at There are Two Possible Situations. If The Salah is Only Two Rak’ats, Sitting is Wajib, which Means if you Forget it we make Sejdeh Sahw. Then It is Farz to make Qaadeh at the end of a Salah Whatever the Number of Rak’ats.
WHAT ANNULS AND WHAT DOES NOT ANNUL SALAT
1. Opening of a Part of the Body Which Should be Covered Does Not Annul the Salah if It is Very Brief and Covered Quickly.
2. Turning the Breast Away from Qibla very Briefly and Accidentally does Not Annul the Salah.
3. While Riding an Animal or Transport Vehicle and these Change Direction the Salah is Not Annulled.
4. Answering Back to a Salam or to Some Words Somebody is Saying to you Annuls your Salah but Doing Something to Prevent your Salat being Annulled if it is a Small Thing it will Not Annul Your Salat, for example to Button Up or Otherwise Fix a Part of Your Garment to Prevent it from Falling Off or Removing an object On Yourself or On the Place Your Praying or Stopping some Dangerous Event Briefly Will Not Annul Salah So Long as You Keep Facing the Qibla.
5. If Somebody Without Realising that Your Praying Talks to you or Asks Something from you, you May Raise Your Voice and even Say Tekbir To Make him Understand that you are Praying.
A GENERAL MERCIFUL PRINCIPLE
If we are
YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN AND ALLAH FORGIVES THE REST. BUT MISSED PRAYERS FOR WHATEVER REASON MUST BE REPEATED (QADAA)
THE PRAYER TIMES
All Farz Salahs and their Sunnahs and Witir and Taraawih and Eid Prayers Need Their Exact Time Limits to be Valid. For example a Morning Prayer Before Dawn is Invalid, Friday Prayer is the Same as Noon Prayer.
MORNING PRAYER
The Time for Morning Prayer is from True Dawn Until the Sun Rise. True Dawn is when the Eastern Horizon Begins to Light up and the Light go on Increasing.
- About Half an Hour before that there is a False Dawn when a Beam of Light Appears from the East and Shoots up like a Column but it soon Disappears and all is Black again.
Imam Azam Abu Hanifa says that it is Sunna to Allow some Waiting after the True Dawn so that anybody in the Open Without Moonlight can see to a Distance of an Arrow from a Bow can be seen Until it Hits the Ground which is About 300 Yards. This is Because the Muslims Must be Safe from the Dangers of Darkness.
- But According to Shafi’is it is Better Before Then. This Option is Called Taglis. Hanifi’s Also Allow this but Prefer the Later Option.
- If Somebody Begins the Morning Farz Prayer but being a Bit Late the Sun Rises, it is Still Regarded Done in Time.
NOON PRAYER
When the Sun is at it’s Highest in the Sky No Prayer Can be Done. You Must Wait a Few Minutes for the Sun to Move a Bit Lower to the West, about Five to Ten Minutes and when the Noon Prayer is Allowed. This Time is Called Zawaal.
ASR PRAYER
There Are Two Reports About This - The Length of The Shadow of An Object at The Time when the Sun is at The Top is Called Al-Fayl (The Shadow at Noon Time).
1. According to a 1st report Asr Time Begins when the Shadow of the Same Object Becomes as long as the Total of the Fayr Zawwal and the Objects Own Length. This time is called Al-Asr Al Awwal (or the First Asr – Afternoon Time).
2. According to a Second Report the Total Length of the Shadow Must be Fayr al Zawwal Plus Twice the Length of the Object. Because of the Dispute on this We Allowed Depending on Or Circumstances to use any of them (Asr Thani – Two Asr’s).
The Time for Zuhr (Noon Prayer) ends with the coming of the Time for Asr Prayer Whichever is Chosen.
The Time for Asr ends when the Sun Sets but if you can Manage to begin before the Sun Sets and it Sets During Salah, you have done it, but it is Mekruh to wait for the Sun to come so Low That it becomes a Dirty Yellow Light. This Late Time is called Isfirar which Means Yellowing. When Isfirar is, You Abandon the Sunna and Pray Only the Farz.
SUNSET AND NIGHT PRAYER
The Time for Magrib and in fact Breaking your Fast is when the Sun Completely Disappears From the Horizon. You must Allow for Any Hills or Other Obstacles And In Fact In our Time We Depend Mostly on Calender Timetables. This Period Ends when Darkness Increases and Stars Multiply and Become Brighter. There is No Definite Cut Off Time Between Magrib and Isha Prayers and Imam Azam has Two Opinions on This:
1. Is When Both the Redness and the Following Pale Whiteness Disappears From the Western Horizon.
2. According to Second Opinion You Can Pray Isha When the Redness Only Disappears and Only That Slight Whiteness Remains. This Second Opinion is More Merciful for Those Living in Northern Countries Like England Because In the Summer the Nights are So Short that if you Follow the Ruthless Times you have No Time To Sleep.
NORTHERN LATITUDES
The Problem With Northern Latitudes is that In Summer a Period Comes when the Sun Stays up the Whole 24 Hours or Sets and Rises Within a Short Time.
COMBINING THE PRAYERS
In a Typical Timetable Situation the Noon and Asr and Magrib and Isha Times Can Be Combined.
The Traditional Example of this Situation is Travel in the Hanifa Mesheb No Two Prayers Can Be Done Together at One Time Except During Hajj when the Haji’s are Going Down from Arafat to Mecca just Before the Eid Morning When they Can Pray The Magrib and Isha Together at Mina.
- Hanifa’s Think that This is the Only Time When Two Salah Can Be Combined. Other Meshebs Believe That During All Travelling Situations Zuhr and Asr and Then Magrib and Isha Can Be Combined and it does Not Matter Whether Noon or Asr Time on the one hand And Magrib and Isha Time Is Used For Combination.
It Appears that the Different Environments Their Respective Imams Lived In. In The More Urban and More Civilised Environment of Abbasid Iraq Where Roads Were Better and Town and Villages Close Together People Could Afford The Stops and Pray Separately While Those Living in Arabia with
- We Have The E.G of Rasulullah (saaws) While Right In Madina he Had Many Visitors Coming From All Over Arabia to Submit To Islam and Because he Was So Busy With Them he Sometimes Combined Right in Madina Zuhr With Asr Or Magrib With Isha.
SHORTENING THE SALAH
In Fiqh One is Called a Traveller When He Leaves His Home and Travels to a Destination at Least 54 Miles Away.
From the Time of Leaving Behind the Last Houses of His Town he is Allowed to Shorten all 4 Rak’ats Farz Salah to 2 Rak’ats the Rest remain as before.
In Hanifa Mesheb each Salah Must be Done in it’s Own Time, in Others Noon and Asr and Magrib and Isha can be Done Together as said above.
The Shortening of Salah is Called Qasr (Qasrun)
Combining of Two Salah is Called Jemm’I (Jemm’un)
So if One Both Shorten and Combine Two Salah it is Called Jemm’an Wa Qasran.
However Each Salah Need Separate Azan and Iqaamah.