The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

) 1206-1115(
Draft Copy
The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories
(By) Muhammadu-bnu abdi-lWahhab

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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The Pre-conditions [ ] for the prayer are nine:
[1] Islam.
[2] - The Intellect [].
[3] - (age of) Recognition [] .

[4] Removal of the Impurity (i.e. what nullifies the ablution) [] .

[5] - Removal of Impurity (i.e. physical filth) [

].

[6] - Covering the Private Area [] .
[7] - The Entrance of the Time (of prayer).
[8] - Facing the Kiblah [] .
[5] - The Intention [] .
The First Pre-Condition [] : Islam and its opposite is disbelief. [And the prayer is
not accepted except from a Muslim; and the proof is His saying () : And whoever
desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he,

in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. [Family of Imran:85)], And the actions
of a disbeliever are rejected, even if he does any (good) deeds. And the proof is His saying
(): It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah [while]
witnessing against themselves with disbelief. [For] those, their deeds have
become worthless, and in the Fire they will abide eternally. [The Repentance:17]
and His saying (): And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make
them as dust dispersed. [The Criterian:23]

The Second Pre-Condition [] : The Intellect []

and its opposite is madness. The

pen is lifted from the insane person until he recovers (from his madness). And the proof is
the narration: The pen has been lifted from three: The sleeper until he wakes up;
and from the insane until he recovers; and from the small (child) until he reaches
(the age of puberty) )1(.

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The Third Pre-Condition [] : (age of) Recognition [ ] and its opposite is
smallness. And its limit is seven years; then he is ordered to pray. From his saying ():
Command your children to pray when they are seven, and beat them for it
(prayer) when they are ten; and separate them from their beds )2(.
The Fourth Pre-Condition [] : Removal the Impurity []
and it is the wellknown ablution [
]
and the obligation of it is the presence of impurity.
And its pre-conditions [ ] are ten:
[1] Islam.
[2] - The Intellect [].
[3] - (age of) Recognition [] .

[4] - The Intention [] .

[5] Accompanies its ruling by not intending to stop it until one completes his
purification.
[6] Abstaining from what stops the obligation (of the ablution such as impurity).
[7] And using water or stones before it.
[8] Clean water and the permissibility (to use it).
[9] Removing what stops the water from reaching the skin.
[10] The entrance of the time for his obligatory [ ] prayer on whom has a
constant state of impurity (i.e. continually breaking wind).
And as for its obligations [ ] then they are six:
[1] - Washing the face and with it rinsing the mouth and inhaling water in the
nose, and its lengths limit are from where the growth hair of the head (starts) to the
chin, and widths (limit) is from the ear to the ear.
[2] - Washing the arms up to the elbows.
[3] - Wiping all the head, and with it, the ears.

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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[4] - Washing the legs up to the ankles.
[5] - The Sequence (of the ablution) [] .
[6] - The Continuation [] .
And the proof is His saying () : O you who have believed, when you rise
to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and
wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. ; the verse [The
Table Spread:5].
And the proof for the sequence [ ] is the narration: Begin with what Allah
has begun with )3 (.
And the proof for continuation [ ] is the narration (about) the shine of the
companion, from the Prophet (): when he saw a man, and on his foot was
a small part equal to the space of a dirham; (and) the water did not reach
it. So, he commanded him to repeat (the ablution) )4(.
)is to mention if one remembers In the Name of Allah.
And compulsory (

The nullifications of it (the ablution) are eight:

[1] - Whatever comes out from the two private parts.
[2] - Any filth impure (substance) that comes out from the body.
[3] - Loss of intellect (i.e. through sleep or insanity).
[4] -Touching the woman with desire.
[5] - Touching the private part with the hand, whether at the front area or back.
[6] - Eating the camel meat.
[7] Washing a dead person.
[8] Return back from Islam, may Allah protect us from that!
The Fifth Pre-Condition [] : Removal of Impurity [
]from three (areas):

From the body, the garments and the area (of prayer). And the proof is His saying () :
And your clothing purify [The Cloaked One:4].

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The Sixth Pre-Condition [] : Covering the private area () . The people of
knowledge are in agreement the invalidity of the prayer of one who prays naked while
having the ability (to clothe oneself). And the limits for the private area ( ) for a man are
from his navel to his knees, and the same for the female slave. As for a free woman, all of

her is a private area ( ) except for her face [in prayer]. And the proof is His saying ():
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid [The Heights:4] i.e.
with every prayer.

The Seventh Pre-Condition [] : The entrance of the time (of prayer), and the

proof is from the traditions [],

the narration (about) Jibreel (peace be on him) when he
led the Prophet () during the first times and the last (times in prayer), and said to him: O
Muhammad, the prayer is between these two times)5( and His saying () : Indeed,

prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times. [The
Women:103]; i.e. obligatory at the times. The proof of the times is His saying () :
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness
of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever
witnessed. [The Night Journey:78].
The Eighth Condition [] : Facing the Kiblah ( ;) and the proof is His saying ():
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the
heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased.

So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are,
turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. [The Cow:144].

The Ninth Pre-Condition [] : The Intention [] , its place is in the heart, and
uttering it is an innovation, and the proof is the narration by Umar who said the Messenger
of Allah () said: The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every
person will get the reward according to what he has intended )6(.
*

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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The pillars [ ] of the prayer are fourteen:
[1] - Standing, if one has the ability.
[2] - The opening Allah-u-Akbar [
] .
[3] - Reciting the Opener [] .
[4] Bowing [].

[5] - Rising from it.

[6] - Prostrating []
on the seven limbs.
[7] Straightening [ ] from it.
[8] - Sitting between the two prostrations.
[9] - Calmness [ ] during all of the pillars.
[10] - The Sequence [] .
[11] - The Final Testification [] .
[12] - Sitting for it.
[13] - Saying the prayers on the Prophet ().
[14] - Saying the salutations [] .
The First Pillar: Standing, if one has the ability, and the proof is His saying () :
and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient. [The Cow:238].
The Second [Pillar]: The opening Allah-u-Akbar [
] and the proof is the
narration: its beginning is opening Allah Akbar [
] and its end is the
salutation [) ] 7(. After it is the opening supplication - and it is recommended []
saying: Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. Blessed be Your name and exalted
be Your majesty, there is none worthy of worship except You)8(.
And the meaning of:

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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Glory be to You, O Allah - [
] :
i.e. I deem you far above all imperfections in a
manner that befits Your Majesty.

And with your praise - []

i.e. glorify your greatness.
There is none worthy of worship except You - []
i.e. there is nothing that has the
right to be worshipped on the earth or in the heaven except You, O Allah.

] . The meaning:

I seek refuge in Allah from the rejected devil [

I seek refuge - [ ] means I seek refuge and I seek security and I seek protection with
You, O Allah.

] :

From the rejected devil [

the outcast and far from Allahs mercy. He cannot
or in my world [] .
harm me in my religion []

[The Third Pillar]: Reciting the Opener [ ] which is a pillar [],

in every unit [] ,

like in the narration: the prayer is not valid if one does not recite the opening
book )9(. It is the foundation of the Quran.
] :
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful - [
is blessing and helping.

] : [] : praise. The definite article ( )indicates all

[All] praise is [due] to Allah - [

true praises. As for beauty that one does not do anything in it, such beauty and the like is
named complement and not praise.
] :
] [ He is the one who is worshipped, the Possessor,
Lord of the worlds - [

] :
the Ruler, the one who raisers all of the creation with the blessings. The worlds [
everything that is other than Allah is the world. And He is the Lord of all.

The Entirely Merciful - [] :
He has general mercy for all of the creation.
) :
The Especially Merciful (
He has specific mercy for the believers. And the proof is
His saying () : And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful. [The Combined
Forces:43].
The Day of Reward and
) :
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense - (

Reckoning, the Day when all will be rewarded for his deeds, if they are good, then there

will be good and if they were bad, then there will be a bad (result). And the proof is His

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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saying (): And what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense?
Then, what can make you know what is the Day of Recompense? It is the Day

when a soul will not possess for another soul [power to do] a thing; and the
command, that Day, is [entirely] with Allah. [The Cleaving:17-19].
And the narration from him (): A wise man is the one who calls himself to account
(and refrains from doing evil deeds) and does noble deeds to benefit him after
death; and the foolish person is the one who subdues himself to his temptations
and desires and seeks from Allah the fulfilment of his vain desires )10(.

It is You we worship - [
] : i.e. We dont worship anyone except You. A promise
between the slave and his Lord that he will not worship except Him.
] : A promise between the slave and his Lord that he

And You we ask for help - [
will not ask anyone for help other than Allah.

Guide us to the straight path - [

] : [ ]means show us and guide us and

keep us firm. The path [] :

Islam; they say: the messenger and they say: the Quran.

And all of these meanings are true. The straight [] : is that which has no curves in it.

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour - [

] : i.e.
the favoured path for them. And the proof is His saying () : And whoever obeys
Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has
bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and
the righteous. And excellent are those as companions. [The Women:69].

Not of those who have evoked [Your] anger - [

] : and they are the Jews,
with them is knowledge but they do not act on it. We ask Allah to protect you from their
way.
] : and they are the Christians, who worship Allah

Or of those who are astray - [
with ignorance and misguidance. We ask Allah to protect you from their way; and the
proof of the astray His saying () : Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers]
inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort

is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." Those

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting
Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on
the Day of Resurrection any importance. [The Cave:103-105].
And the narration from him (): You would tread the same path as was trodden
by those before you exactly so if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you
would enter it. We said: Allah's Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by
your words)" those before you"? He said: Who else (than those two religious
groups)?. The [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim] two reported it )11(.
And the second narration is: The Jews split up into seventy one sects and the

Christians split up into seventy two sects. And this nation will split up into
seventy three sects. All of them will be in the fire except for one. We said: Who

are they O Messenger of Allah? He said: Who are upon the same way that I and
my Companions are upon )12(.

[The Fourth Pillar]: Bowing [].

[The Fifth Pillar]: Rising from it.

[The Sixth Pillar]: Prostrating []
on the seven limbs.
[The Seventh Pillar]: Straightening [ ] from it.
[The Eighth Pillar]: Sitting between the two prostrations. And the proof is His saying
() : O you who have believed, bow and prostrate [The Pilgrimage:77]. And the
narration from him (): I was commanded to prostrate myself on seven bones )13(.
[The Ninth Pillar]: Calmness [ ] during all of the acts.
[The Tenth Pillar]: The sequence [ ] between the pillars.
And the proof (for the last two pillars) is the narration (about) the bad prayer narrated by
Abu Huraira () who said: While we were sitting with the Prophet (): a man
entered and prayed. Then he stood and then came and he greeted the Prophet
() and he said, "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. He did it three
(times). Then he said, "By the One Who sent you with the truth as a Prophet, I
cannot do better than this, so teach me. So the Prophet () said to him, "When
you stand for the prayer say Allah-u-Akbar, and then recite of what is easy for

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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you from the Quran, and then bow, until you feel calm in bowing, and then raise
and stand straight; then prostrate until you feel calm in prostration, then sit up
until you feel calm while sitting; Then do this in all of your prayers )14(.
[The Eleventh Pillar]: The final testification [ ;] is an obligatory [ ] pillar [],
as
in the narration narrated by Ibn Masood () who said: We would say before the
testification [ ] was made obligatory on us, Peace []
be upon Allah from
His slaves, peace be upon Jibril and Mikail; and the Prophet (): said: 'Do not say
"Peace []
be upon Allah from his slaves, for truly Allah He is Peace []."

Rather say:

]

)15 (

[
All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet,
and the mercy of Allah and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves
of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear
witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
And the meaning of:
Compliments - [] : all the greatness are for Allah, possesses and deserves it, such as the
acts of inclining, bowing, prostrating, remaining and continuing and all that is used to
profess the greatness of the Lord of worlds, then it is for Allah. So whoever directs anything
from it to other than Allah, he is a polytheist, disbeliever.
Prayers - []
its meaning: all of the supplications. And they say: the five daily prayers.
Pure words - []:
Allah is Good [ ]and He does not accept any of the sayings and
actions except those that are good [].

O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings - [

] :
we
are supplicating for the Prophet () to have peace and have mercy and blessing and to be
raised high. The one who is being supplicated for is not supplicated with Allah.

Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah - [

] :
you are sending peace upon yourself and to every righteous slave in the heaven and the
earth.
And peace - [
] is a supplication.

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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Righteous slaves - [ ] are being supplicated for, and they are not being supplicated
with Allah.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah in His oneness without
any partners for Him [
] : You testify the testimony with
certainty that no one in the earth and in the heaven has the right to be worshipped except
Allah. And the testimony that truly Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah means that truly
he is a slave who is not to be worshipped, and a messenger who is not to be rejected.
Rather, he is to be obeyed and followed. Allah honoured him with being a slave and with
the Message; and the proof is His saying (): Blessed is He who sent down the

Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner [The
Criterian:1].
[Twelfth Pillar: Sitting for it.]
[The Thirteenth: Saying the prayers on the Prophet ().]:


[



]

O Allah: bless Muhammad and his family as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. Verily You
are Praiseworthy and Glorious.
Prayers [ ]from Allah is His praising of His slave in the highest of gatherings, as has
been reported by Al-Bukhaaree in his sound collection []
from Abu-lAaliyah who
said: The Prayers []
of Allah is His Praise for His servant in the highest of gatherings.

And they say: it means mercy. And the first is correct. From the angels: it means asking for
forgiveness. And from the humans: it means the supplication.
Grant favours - [ ] and what is after it from sayings and actions of the supplications is
recommended [].

[The Fourteenth Pillar: Saying the salutations.]

*

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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]are eight:
Its compulsories [

[1] - All of the Allah-u-Akbars except for the opening Allah-u-Akbar.

[2] Saying: Glory be to my Lord Almighty - [
]
in bowing.
[3] - Saying: Allah listens to him who praises Him - []
for the one leading
the prayer and the one praying alone.
[4] - Saying: Our Lord, to You be the praise - [
]

for all (one leading the prayer
and the one praying alone).
[5] - Saying: Glory be to my Lord Most High - []
in prostrating.
[6] Saying: Lord forgive me - [
]
between the two prostrations.
[7] - The first testification [] .
[8] - Sitting for it.
The pillars [ ]that are wrongly done by leaving it forgetfully or intentionally the prayer
is invalid.

]that are wrongly done by intentionally leaving it the prayer is

The compulsories [

invalid. And due to forgetfulness the prostrations for forgetfulness is required. And Allah
knows best.
And the peace and blessing of Allah be on Muhammad and his family and his companions.

The Pre-conditions of the Pray, its Pillars and its Compulsories

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Final date revised and edited

6 1436

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