Understanding Salah in Islam

Fiqh of Salah

• Performing prayers is a duty on believers at the appointed times.
• It is a covenant with Allah, and those who observe them regularly will enter Paradise.

The Night of Al-Isra wal-Mi'raaj

• Occurred around the 10th year after revelation.
• The Muslims were recovering from a boycott.
• It was the year of sadness, as Abu Taalib and Khadija died.
• The Prophet was taken to Bayt Al-Maqdis.
• He prayed with all the Prophets.
• He ascended through the seven heavens and met Allah SWT.
• Salah was a gift from above seven heavens.

The Excellence of Salah

• It is the main pillar of Islam.
• It is the foremost obligation after the declaration of faith.
• It was directly given to the Prophet by Allah.
• It came on the greatest night he ever experienced.
• It was given to Muslims at the highest point possible.
• Initially, it was fifty prayers that were later reduced to five.
• It is the only continual act of worship.
• It's the best of actions.
• It is the first thing the servant of Allah will be judged on.
• It was obligatory in Makkah for Muslims at the beginning of Islam.

The Benefits of Salah - Individual

• It's an opportunity to escape stress and difficulty.
• It's an opportunity to seek help as the Prophet and Allah have instructed.
• It helps to seek help from Allah through patience and prayer, which is difficult unless one is humble.
• It safeguards the individual from evil and shameful situations.
• Genuine prayer deters from indecency and wickedness.
• Remembrance of Allah is even a greater deterrent.

The Benefits of Salah - Communal

• It helps to preserve the creed of the community.
• It increases love and care between the Muslims.
• It's expected to further benefit the community.

The Adhaan and Iqama

• Adhaan: Linguistically means announcement technically "the call for the entry of the time of prayer or proximity for Fajr only"
• Iqama: Linguistically comes from the word “aqam” technically "the specific call to stand and start the prayer."
• Adhaan and Iqama are obligatory on men who are residents.
• They are recommended for travelers.
• They are not obligatory on slaves but are valid if they do them.
• They aren't obligatory for qadha prayers

Conditions for the validity of the prayer

• Taharah: Having ritual purity
• Time enters: Time for prayer
• Covering the 'Awra: Covering private parts
• Avoiding inexcusable filth: Filth on the body, clothes, or place of prayer
• Facing the Qiblah: Facing towards Mecca
• Intention: Having the intention to pray.

Time of Salah Enters

• Dhuhr: Sun slightly moves from highest point to the west when shadow equals itself plus it's shadow during zawal
• Asr: When the shadow of an obj equal to itself plus zawal shadow
• Maghrib: when the redness in the horizon disappears
• Isha: When red twilight disappears.
• Fajr: When a horizontal light appears in the horizon.

Rukun and Wajib of Prayer

• Qiyam (Standing): The first requisite
• Saying Takbeerat al-Ihraam: The first declaration
• Fatiha: Reciting the first chapter of the Qur'an.
• Doing Ruku': Bowing
• Going up from Ruku': Straightening up
• Doing Sujood: Prostrating
• Sitting between the two prostrations: Sitting
• Last tashahhud: The final sitting
• Both tasleems The two final greetings

Wajib aka Obligations of Prayer

• All takbeers except takbeerat al-Ihraam
• Saying Sami'Allahhu liman Hamidah
• Saying Rabbna Walakal-Hamd
• Saying Subhan Rabbiyal Azeem, once in Ruku'
• Saying Subhan Rabbiyal Alaa once in Sujud
• Saying Rabighfirli once between two prostrations
• The first tashahhud
• The sitting during the first tashahhud

Prostrations of Forgetfulness(Sujud Sahw)

• It is allowed in increase, decrease, and doubt in salah
• It is not valid if it is done on purpose

Voluntary Prayers (cont.)

• Highly recommended voluntary prayers
• Kusoof, Istisqaa, Taraweeh, Witr
• Basis for preference among voluntary prayers
• Those done in congregation have preference over those done privately
• Those the Prophet continued with has preference

Night Voluntary Prayer

• The night voluntary prayer is highly recommended
• Any form of night voluntary prayer falls under this (general nafl, taraweeh, and witr)

The Fear Prayer

• Sunnah for you to carry a weapon during the prayer. It doesn't prevent you from praying.
• It's description is similar to Eid prayer.

Combining the Prayer

-It's permissible to combine between Dhuhr and Asr

• It's permissible to combine between Maghrib and Isha
• Both are equally the same

Prayer of the Sick

• Sick people can pray differently if they cannot stand, sit, or gesture
• If unable to perform all movements with their heart
• Meaning if unable to move, pray it entirely with their heart

The Friday Prayer

• It's wajib on male muslims who are residents.
• It's not necessary for slaves to attend

The Eid Prayer

• It's fardh kifaya on men.
• Choice can be made between Jumu'ah prayer or Eid prayer.
• The time starts at Dhuha and ends at zawal.
• It has the same conditions as Jumu'ah prayer.

Conditions for the Jumuah Prayer to be Valid

• Time restrictions: When the sun reaches the spear's height until end of Dhuhr
• Attendance of at least 40 people, including the imam and non-travelers
• Two khutbas are required before the prayer.

Sunnahs of the Two Khutbas

• It is done on a mimbar or high place.
• Imam gives salam to the people in two places, approaching the mimbar
• Giving khutba while standing. Shorter second khutba.
• Supplicating for the Muslims in general.

Sunnahs of Burial

-Four people carry the deceased (one in each corner)

• The deceased's body should be positioned with its face towards the Qiblah -Supplication is recited when entering the deceased into the grave.

Visiting and Mourning the Deceased

• For men to visit the deceased's grave is sunnah.
• Reciting Qur'an at the grave.
• Supplication is for the deceased's punishment lightening.
• Planting fresh twigs on the grave.
• It is disliked for woman to visit grave unless Prophet.
• Acceptable grief is expressed in a natural manner.
• Wailing and the other prohibited actions are inappropriate.