Divine Link – Fiqh of Salaah

Shuroot of Salaah -
Definition
Linguistic meaning of Shart (pl. Shuroot):
 sign or indicator

Technical meaning:
 An evident and constant attribute whose absence
necessitates the absence of the hukm, but whose
presence does not automatically bring about its
object. It is separate from the essence of the act
itself.
Shuroot of Salaah – Pre-requisites
for obligating salaah

Pre-requisites for obligating salaah are the

attributes sought to obligate salaah on an
individual, and they are not part of salaah
itself. These are as follows:

1. Islam
2. Puberty
3. Sound mind
Shuroot of Salaah – Conditions for
validating salaah
Conditions of salaah are the acts required and
acquired to validate salaah, prior to the
establishment of salaah, and they are not part of
the act of salaah itself. These are as follows:

1. To be performed after the time has certainly started

2. Purification from minor and major ritual impurities
3. Removal from physical filth (impurities), from the body and
place of worship
4. Covering the ‘awrah
5. Facing the direction of the Qiblah
6. An-Niyyah – the intention for salaah
7. Continuation of the acts of salaah without long intermission
8. To avoid any foreign speech
‘Awrah – Definition and Rulings
 Definition:
 ‘Awrah is a term which denotes the parts of the body that are not meant to be
exposed in public

 ‘Awrah of a man in salaah:

 He has to cover what is between the navel and the thighs
 There is a disagreement about the exposing of the navel, thighs and knees

 ‘Awrah of a woman in salaah

 Her entire body must be covered, except her face and hands
 There is a difference of opinion regarding convering the feet in salaah, for women
 The Hanafi position is that women are not obligated to cover their feet in salaah, because they are
treated like the hands. However, they ought to be covered outside salaah.
 The Maliki, Shafi and Hanbali position is that women must cover their feet in salaah and outside salaah
Arkaan of Salaah -
Definition
 Linguistic meaning of Rukn (pl. Arkaan):
 The strong corner on which a structure is built

 Technical meaning:
 An evident and constant attribute whose absence necessitates the
absence of the hukm, but whose presence does not automatically bring
about its object. It is part of the essence of the act itself.

 NOTE: The absence of one of the arkaan nullifies the salaah

Arkaan of Salaah – Abu
Hanifah
1. Takbeerah ul-ihraam (the opening takbir)
2. Al-Qiyaam (standing)
3. Recitation of the Qur’an
4. Ruku’
5. Sujud
6. Final sitting
Arkaan of Salaah –Malik, Shafi’i
and Ahmad
1. Takbeerah ul-ihraam (the opening takbir)
2. Al-Qiyaam (standing) – for those who are able to
3. Recitation of the Qur’an (see next slide for ruling on Surah Fatihah)
4. Ruku’
5. Rising up from ruku’
6. Sujud on seven bones
7. Coming up from sujud
8. Sitting calmly between the 2 sujud
9. Sitting during the last tashahhud
10. Recitation of the last tashahhud
11. Recitation of the salawat al-Ibraaheemiyyah
12. Tasleem (saying salaam at the end)
13. At-tuma’neenah (being tranquil in every rukn)
14. Maintaining the order of the arkaan of salaah
Reciting Surah Fatihah in
Salaah
First opinion: Malik, Shafi’i and Ahmad
 It is a Rukn
 Ubaadah ibn Saamit (rad) narrated that the Prophet (saws)
said: “There is no salaah for him who does not recite the
Umm ul-Qur’an (al-Fatihah) [Bukhaari and Muslim]

Second opinion: Abu Hanifah

 It is waajib
 It is ok according to the Hanafis to read anything from the
Qur’an during salaah. Surah Fatihah is waajib, and not Fard,
according to them.
Wajibaah of Salaah
Omitting one of the wajibaah of salaah does not nullify the
salaah, but can be compensated for by sujud as-sahw.
The wajibaah are as follows:

1. Saying takbeer upon moving from one position to another

2. Saying Subhaana Rabbi al-Adheem in the ruku’, at least
once
3. Saying sami ‘Allaahu liman hamidah as onereturns back
from the ruku’
4. Saying Subhaana Rabbi al-A’laa in the sujood, at least once
5. Sitting down and reciting the first tashahhud
Sunan acts of Salaah
 The acts and statements of salaah which are pardoned if omitted and their absence does
not nullify the salaah, and sajdah as-sahw is not required to compensate for them. These
are as follows:

1. Praying behind a sutrah

2. Raising the hands on saying takbeer
3. Folding the right hand on the left hand
4. Looking at the spot of one’s prostration
5. Commencing the salaah with a prescribed du’aa
6. Ta’meen (saying Aameen)
7. A short silence before and after recitation of the Qur’an
8. Spreading the feet in the standing position
 Majority position - Equal to the width of the shoulders
 Hanafi position – Width equal to 4 fingers
1. Reciting a Surah after Fatihah
2. Reciting du’aa between the 2 sujood
3. To sit down before moving up for the 2nd or 4th rak’ah (Jalsah ul-istiraahah)
4. To sit for the final tashahhud in the position of Tawarruk (to tuck the left foot under the
right shin)
5. Placing hands on the thighs during the tashahhud
6. To point with the right index finger during tashahhud
7. Reciting the prescribed du’aa after tashahhud
8. To turn one’s face right and left upon pronouncing the final salaam
Makrooh acts of Salaah
 These acts do not nullify the salaah, nor do theyrequire sajdah
as-sahw as compensation. However, they take away from the
reward acquired during salaah. These acts are as follows:

1. To omit one of the wajibaah intentionally

2. Moving without any excusable reason
3. To close the eyes
4. To look away from the spot of one’s prostration
 Moving the face from side to side would invalidate the salaah
1. To pray while in need of going to the bathroom
2. Yawning
3. To spread the forearms on the ground
4. To be dressed untidily
5. To wear clothes that carry distracting designs or images
6. To wear tight clothes
Mubaah acts of Salaah
The following acts are permissible and do not nullify the
salaah, nor do they lessen the reward of salaah:

1.To pray behind a huma who is praying or sitting down

2.To move and take action in order to remove an imminent
harm
3.To assist the imam if he makes a mistake
4.To respond to a caller by a sign
 This implies minor movements, such as a nod or a smile to
pacify a child
1.Smiling is permissible in salaah. However, laughing or
giggling invalidates salaah. According to the Hanafis,
laughing in salaah causes one’s wudu to break.