Chapter Two

Chapter Two
Prayer:
- Importance and Merit
- Manner of Prayer
- Prostration of Forgetfulness
- Prostration of Recitation
- Prayer and Fasting of Travelers
- Illness and what the ill person should be aware of
- How an ill person purifies himself, prays, and fasts
- Voluntary Prayer
- Prohibited times of prayer
- Ruling on person who does not pray
- Repentance

Prayer
Importance and Merit:
Prayer is the second pillar of Islam and the most crucial pillar after the two testimonies of faith. Anyone who denies its obligation is a disbeliever because he has belied Allah, His Messenger, and the consensus of Muslims. As for the one who affirmed its obligation but neglects it and abandons it, there is difference of opinion among scholars regarding his situation, but the preponderant view is that he is a disbeliever in a way that takes him out of the fold of Islam. Prayer is a connection between the servant and his Lord. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When one of you prays, he is privately conversing with his Lord. ”In a Qudsi hadith, Allah Almighty said: “I have divided prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he asks for. When the slave says: Al-hamdu lillahi rabb al-‘ālamīn (All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds), Allah Almighty says: My slave has praised Me. And when he says: Ar-Rahmān ar-Rahīm (the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful), Allah says: My slave has extolled Me. And when he says: Māliki yawm ad-dīn (Master of the Day of Judgment), Allah says: My slave has glorified Me. And when he says: Iyyāka na‘budu wa iyyāka nasta‘īn (You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help), He says: This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he asks for. And when he says: Ihdina as-sirāt al-mustaqīm, sirāt alladhīna an‘amta ‘alayhim ghayr al-maghdūbi ‘alayhim wa la ad-dāllīn (Guide us along the Straight Path, the Path of those You have blessed — not those You are displeased with or those who are astray), He says: This is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for. ”

Prayer is a garden of worship full of everything beautiful. At its onset, Takbīr initiates it, followed by recitation of the speech of Allah during standing, exaltation of Allah during bowing, praise of Allah after rising from bowing, glorification and supplication to Allah during prostration,Tashahhud and supplication during sitting, and ending with salutation of peace.

Prayer provides aid amidst ordeals and deters one from indecency and wrongdoing;Allah Almighty said: {And seek help through patience and prayer} [Al-Baqarah: 45]And: {Recite [O Muhammad] what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing. } [Al-‘Ankabūt: 45]Prayer is the light for the believers in their graves and resurrection;the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Prayer is light,”and: “Whoever guards it, it will be light for him, an argument [in his favor], and salvation on the Day of Judgment. ”Prayer is delight and joy for the believers;the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The delight of my eye is in prayer. ”Prayer is a means whereby sins are erased and wrongdoings are expiated;the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he bathes five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” They replied: “No soiling would remain on him. ” He said: “That is the example of the five (obligatory) prayers. Allah obliterates sins therewith. ”He (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) also said: “The five (daily) prayers and the Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer are expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided. ”And: “Praying in congregation is twenty-seven degrees better than praying alone. ”[Reported by Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)]And Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow (i. e. on the Day of Judgment) as a Muslim, should observe those prayers when the call to prayer is made,for Allah has legislated for your Prophet the ways of right guidance, and these (the prayers) are among the ways of right guidance.

If you prayed in your houses, like this man who did not attend prayer (in the mosque) and performed prayer in his house, you would be abandoning the Sunnah of your Prophet;and if you abandoned the Sunnah of your Prophet, you would go astray. There is no man who purifies himself, and does it well, and comes to the mosque and prays, but for every step he takes, Allah raises him in status one degree thereby and takes away one of his sins. I have seen the time when no one stayed behind except a hypocrite known for his hypocrisy. A man would be brought swaying (on account of weakness), supported by two men on his sides till he was set up in a row (in the mosque). ”Humility in prayer is to have a conscious mindful heart during prayer.

Guarding that state of humility is one of the causes of success and admission to Paradise. Allah Almighty said: {Successful indeed are the believers. They who are during their prayer humbly submissive. And they who turn away from ill speech. And they who are observant of Zakah. And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors. And they who are to their trusts and promises attentive. And they who carefully maintain their prayers. Those are the inheritors. Who will inherit the highest level of Paradise. They will abide therein eternally. } [Al-Mu’minūn: 1-11]The two principle conditions for the acceptance of prayer are sincerity to Allah Almighty therein and performing it in consistency with the Sunnah;the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily, the reward of deeds depends upon the intentions; and, indeed, each one will be rewarded according to his intention. ”And he said: “Pray as you have seen me pray. ”

Definition of Prayer:
It is to worship Allah by standing, sitting, bowing, and prostrating while reciting Dhikr [mention of Allah] in a specific manner. Before starting to pray, the conditions that precede prayer must be fulfilled, like purification, covering the parts of the body that must be covered in prayer, and the start of its time if it is one of the timed prayers.

Manner of Prayer
Once those conditions are met and the individual is ready to pray, he should do the following [in succession]:
1) He faces the Qiblah (direction of prayer towards Makkah) with his entire body without any deviation or turning head.

2) He makes the intention to perform the due prayer in his heart without pronouncing the intention audibly.

3) He makes the opening Takbīr by saying 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Most Great) while raising his hands up to the level of his shoulders or his earlobes.

4) He places his right palm on the back of his left hand over his chest.

5) He opens the prayer with the following supplication: “Allāhumma bā‘id bayni wa bayna khatāyaya kama bā‘adta bayna al-mashriqi wal-maghrib. Allāhumma naqqini min khatāyaya kama yunaqqa ath-thawbu al-abyadu min ad-danas.

Allāhumma ighsilni min khatāyaya bilmā’i wath-thalji wal-barad” (O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the east from the west. O Allah, purify me from my sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash out my sins with water, snow, and hail).

6) Or he says: “Subhānak Allāhumma wa bihamdika wa tabārak-asmuk wa ta‘āla jadduka wa la ilāha ghayruk” (Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are due unto You, and blessed is Your name, and high is Your majesty, and none is worthy of worship but You).

7) He then seeks refuge by saying: “I seek refuge in Allah from the cursed devil. ”

He says 'In the name of Allah' and recites the chapter of al-Fātihah in full, followed by saying Āmīn (Amen), which means: O Allah, accept [the supplication].

9) He recites whatever he can from the Qur’an, and recites at length in the Fajr prayer.

10) He then bows in veneration of Allah while saying 'Allahu Akbar' and raising the hands up to shoulder level. It is recommended that he bends his back, keeping his head at the same level of his back, and places his hands on his knees with spread out fingers.

11) He says during bowing 'Subhāna Rabbi al-Azīm' (Glory be to my Lord, the Majestic) three times. It is also good if he adds the following supplication: “Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allāhumm-ighfir li” (Glory be to You, O Allah Our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me),” and “Subbūhun Quddūsun Rabb-ul-malā’ikati war-rūh”(Most Glorious, Most Holy, Lord of the angels and of the Spirit).

12) He raises his head from bowing while saying: “Sami‘ allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise them),” and raising his hands to shoulder level.
 
13) The person led in prayer does not say: “Sami‘ allahu liman hamidah”. Instead, he says: “Rabbanaa, wa laka al-hamd” (Our Lord, and Praise be to You).

14) After raising his head from bowing, he says: “Allahumma rabbana laka al-hamdu mil’a as-samāwāti wal-ardi wa mil’a ma shi’ta min shay’in ba‘d” (Our Lord, praise is due to You, (praise) that fills the heavens and the earth, that fills what exists between them, and that fills anything You desire afterward). It is good if he adds the following supplication: “Ahl ath-thanā’i wal-majd, ahaqqu ma qāl al-‘abd wa kulluna laka ‘abd. Allahumma la mani‘a lima a‘tayta wa la mu‘tiya lima mana‘ta wa la yanfa‘u dhal-jaddi minka al-jadd” (O Worthy of praise and glory, that is the most truthful thing to be said by a slave and we all are slaves to You. There is none who can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold, and the greatness of the great will be of no avail to them against You).

15) He then performs the first prostration to Allah with humility while saying 'Allahu Akbar' as he goes down to prostrate. One must prostrate on seven body parts: the forehead along with the nose, the two palms, the two knees, and the tips of both feet. He must keep his arms away from his sides and not rest his forearms on the ground, and his fingertips should face the prayer direction.

16) He says during prostration: “Subhāna rabbi al-A‘la” (Glorified is my Lord, the Most High) three times. It is good if he adds the following supplication: “Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allāhumm-ighfir li” (Glory be to You O Allah, Our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me); and: “Subbūhun Quddūsun Rabb-ul-malā’ikati war-rūh” (Most Glorious, Most Holy, Lord of the angels and of the Spirit).

17) He raises his head from prostration while saying: 'Allahu Akbar'.

18) He then sits between the two prostrations on the left foot while erecting the right foot in an upright position. He places the right hand on the edge of the right thigh just before the knee then retracts the small finger and ring finger and raises the index finger and moves it while supplicating. He joins the tip of the thumb with the tip of the middle finger to form a circle; and he places the left hand, with spread out fingers, on the edge of the left thigh just before the knee.

19) He says in the sitting between the two prostrations: “Allāhumma ighfir li, warhamni, wahdini, warzuqni, wa āfini, wajburni” (O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, give me provision, give me support, and protect me).

20) Then he prostrates the second prostration with humility to Allah in exactly the same manner as the first with regards to what is said and what is done, and he says “Allahu Akbar” when transitioning to prostration.

21) He rises from the second prostration while saying 'Allahu Akbar' and performs the second Rak‘ah (unit of prayer) in exactly the same manner with regards to what is said and what is done except that he does not say the opening supplication.

22) He sits after ending the second Rak‘ah while saying 'Allahu Akbar', and the manner of sitting is the same as that between the two prostrations,

23) and he reads the following Tashahhud: “At-Tahiyyātu lillahi wa as-salawātu wa at-tayyibāt. As-Salāmu ‘alayka ayyuha an-Nabiyy wa rahmatullahi wa barakātuh. As-Salāmu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibādillah as-sālihīn. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa rasūluh. Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala Āli Muhammad, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala Āli Ibrahim; innaka Hamīdun Majīd. Allahumma bārik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala Āli Muhammad, kama bārakta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala Āli Ibrahim; innaka Hamīdun Majīd” (Greetings are due to Allah and prayers and good things. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that there is no true god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 O Allah, bestow Your peace upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You bestowed Your peace upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bestow Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You bestowed Your blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the Hellfire, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trial of the Anti-Christ).

24) Then he supplicates Allah with what he wishes of good for himself in this life and the hereafter;

25) and finally he makes Taslīm by turning his head to the right and saying: “As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh” (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah); and he does the same to the left.

If it is a three-Rak‘ah or four-Rak‘ah prayer, he stops at the end of the first Tashahhud; i. e. after saying “I bear witness that there is no true god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger;”

then he stands up while saying 'Allahu Akbar' and raising his hands to the level of his shoulders,

then he performs the rest of the prayer in the same manner he performed the second Rak‘ah except that he only recites Al-Fātihah.

He then sits in the 'Tawarruk' position by resting the left posterior on the ground with his right foot placed vertically with toes pointing towards the direction of prayer and the left foot on its side emerging from under the right leg. He places his hands on his thighs in the same manner as in the first Tashahhud.

In this sitting, he reads the Tashahhud in full,

31) and finally he makes Taslīm to the right, saying: “As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah), and he does the same to the left.

Disliked actions during prayer
1) It is disliked to turn the head right and left or to look around during prayer. As for looking up to the sky, it is prohibited.
2) It is disliked to fidget or move unnecessarily during prayer.
3) It is disliked to bring what may cause distraction like a heavy or a colorful object that attracts attention.
4) It is disliked to place the hands on the waist (akimbo) while standing in prayer.


Invalidators of prayer
1- Talking intentionally during prayer even if it is a few words.
2- Deviating from the direction of prayer with the entire body.
3- Passing wind from the anus and any other reason that necessitates ablution or ritual bathing.
4- Moving excessively without need.
5- Laughing even if it is slightly.
6- Performing extra bowing, prostration, standing, or sitting intentionally.
7- Going ahead of the Imām intentionally (i. e. making prayer movements ahead of him).
8- Wearing [thin] garments that reveal the color of the skin (as clearly explained in the answer to the following question):
His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Kindly answer this question:
Many people pray in light clothes that show their skin, and they wear underneath them short pants that only cover the upper half of the thigh. So the lower half of the thigh could be seen through the garment; what is the ruling on the prayer of those people?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

And may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
 
The ruling on the prayer of such people is the same as those praying without any garments except short pants, because transparent garments that show the skin do not cover sufficiently as if one is wearing nothing to begin with.

Accordingly, their prayer is invalid, based on the sounder of the two opinions of scholars in this regard. This is the prominent opinion of the [Hanbali] school of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him). The rationale being the necessity of covering between the navel and the knees for males;which is the least form of compliance with the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorified:{O children of Adam, take your adornment [i. e. wear your beautiful apparel] at every place of worship} [Al-A‘rāf: 31]

They must do one of the following: either wear pants that cover what is between the navel and the knees or wear a thick garment that does not show the skin over these short pants.

The conduct highlighted in the question is wrong and serious. They must repent to Allah Almighty from it and be keen on properly covering what must be covered during their prayer.

We ask Allah Almighty to give us and our fellow Muslims guidance and success towards what He loves and is pleased with; for indeed He is All-Generous and All-Kind.

Written by/ Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn
Ramadān 5th, 1408 A. H.

The Reported Supplications after the Obligatory Prayer:
One should say:
“Astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah; allahumma anta as-salām, wa minka as-salām, tabārakta ya dhal-jalāli wal-ikrām” (I seek Allah’s forgiveness, I seek Allah’s forgiveness, I seek Allah’s forgiveness. O Allah, You are the One free from imperfections, and peace and perfection come from You. Blessed are You, the Owner of Majesty and Honor).

“La ilāha illa Allah wahdahu la sharīka lah lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadīr. La hawla wala quwwata illa billah, la ilāha illa Allah wa la na‘budu illa iyyah lahu an-ni‘mah wa lahu al-fadl wa lahu ath-thanā’u al-hasan. La ilāha illa Allah mukhlisīna lahu ad-dīna wa law kariha al-kāfirūn” (None has the right to be worshiped but Allah alone; He has no partner. For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due to Him. He is over all things Omnipotent. There is neither Might nor Power Except with Allah. There is no true god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. To Him belong blessings and to Him belongs favor and to Him good praise is due. There is no true god but Allah; we are sincere to Him in religion, however much the disbelievers may be averse).

“La ilāha illa Allah wahdahu la sharīka lah lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadīr. Allahumma la mani‘a lima a‘tayta wa la mu‘tiya lima mana‘ta wa la yanfa‘u dhal jaddi minka al-jadd” (None has the right to be worshiped but Allah alone; He has no partner. For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due to Him. He is over all things Omnipotent. O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold, and the greatness of the great will be of no avail to them against You).

One should keenly follow what is reported from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard, like saying “Subhānallah” (glory be to Allah), “Alhamdulillah” (praise be to Allah), and “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Most Great). There are many ways reported of saying such Dhikr, so it is better to say them in alternation to one another.

First alternate: to say “Subhānallah” thirty-three times, “Alhamdulillah” thirty-three times, “Allahu Akbar” thirty-three times, and to complete them by saying once: “La ilāha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadīr. ” (there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner with Him. To Him belongs sovereignty and to Him belongs praise, and He is over everything Omnipotent)
Second alternate: to say “Subhānallah” thirty-three times, “Alhamdulillah” thirty-three times, “Allahu Akbar” thirty-four times.

Third alternate: to say “Subhānallah” ten times, “Alhamdulillah” ten times, “Allahu Akbar” ten times.

Fourth alternate: to say “Subhānallah wal-hamdulillah wa-la ilaha illa-Allah wallahu Akbar” (Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is no true god but Allah, and Allah is the Most Great) twenty-five times. 

One should also recite the verse of al-Kursi [Al-Baqarah: 255],and the chapters of Al-Ikhlās, Al-Falaq and An-Nās.

Rulings pertaining to the Prostration of Forgetfulness
There are three reasons for making the prostration of forgetfulness: addition, omission, and doubt.

Addition:
it is to add to the prayer. For example, that someone adds one bowing thus making two bowings in a single Rak‘ah, or adds one prostration thus making three prostrations in a single Rak‘ah, or stands up for a fifth Rak‘ah in a four-Rak‘ah prayer then remembers and sits down again. If this is the reason for performing the prostration of forgetfulness, then it is to be done after Taslīm. In other words, you recite Tashahhud then make Taslīm then you perform two prostrations and then Taslīm again; This was what the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did when he prayed five Rak‘ahs and they [the Companions] reminded him after he made Taslīm, so he prostrated [for forgetfulness] after Taslīm. It cannot be said that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated after Taslīm only because he did not know about the addition except after Taslīm. Though this was the case, we say: had the ruling been different from his action, he would have instructed them to make the prostration of forgetfulness before Taslīm if they realized the addition before making Taslīm.

However, since he approved the action as it was, it becomes known that the prostration of forgetfulness due to addition is to be done after Taslīm. As proof of this, when the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was reminded that he prayed two Rak‘ahs only for the Zhuhr or ‘Asr prayer, he completed the remaining two Rak‘ahs and made Taslīm then he made the two prostrations of forgetfulness then made Taslīm again, because making a mistimed Taslīm during prayer is considered an addition, so he made the prostration of forgetfulness for it after Taslīm. Just as this conclusion is entailed by the Prophetic reports, it is also entailed by reason. If one were to make the prostrations of forgetfulness before Taslīm in case of an addition in prayer, this would result in two additions in prayer; and if one were to make the prostrations of forgetfulness after Taslīm, this would result in only a single addition that happened out of forgetfulness. Omission: the prostration for this type is made before Taslīm; for example, if one forgets to sit for the first Tashahhud or forgets to say “Subhāna rabbi al-A‘la” while prostrating or “Subhāna rabbi al-Azeem” while bowing. In this case, prostration of forgetfulness is to be made before Taslīm,because there was an omission of one of the obligatory acts, thus requiring a prostration of forgetfulness before Taslīm to make up for the omission before the conclusion of prayer.

The proof is in the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn Buhaynah who reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) led them in Zhuhr prayer and stood up after the second Rak‘ah without sitting [for Tashahhud]. Before he concluded the prayer, while the people waited for him to do the Taslīm, he made two prostrations and followed them with Taslīm.

Doubt:
whether there was an addition or omission:
If one doubts whether he prayed three or four Rak‘ahs, then there are two possible cases:
The first case is that he is more inclined to either the addition or the omission, in which case he should follow his predominant inclination and do the prostration of forgetfulness after Taslīm,as evidenced by the hadith of Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) that reads: “If anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should estimate what is most likely to be correct and complete his prayer accordingly, then make Taslīm then offer two prostrations. ”This is what the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said or something along those lines.

The second case is if one doubts whether he made an addition or an omission without inclining more to either of them. In this case, he should follow the safer option, which is the lesser number of Rak‘ahs and complete the prayer accordingly then offer the two prostrations of forgetfulness before Taslīm; this is the reported practice of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

Rulings pertaining to the Prostration of Forgetfulness:
1- If one does Taslīm intentionally before the completion of prayer, his prayer is invalid.
2- If one intentionally added in his prayer the action of standing, sitting, bowing, or prostration, his prayer is invalid.
3- If one leaves out a pillar of the prayer; if it is the Opening Takbīr, then his prayer is annulled whether he left it out intentionally or forgetfully, because his prayer has not validly started in the first place. But if the missed pillar is other than the Opening Takbīr, the prayer is invalid if it was left out intentionally.
4- If one omits an obligatory act of the prayer intentionally, his prayer is invalid.
5- If the prostration of forgetfulness is offered after Taslīm, then Taslīm must be done again after the prostration.

Summary of the rulings pertaining to the prostration of forgetfulness
1- Making Taslīm before the conclusion of prayer:
if one forgetfully made Taslīm before completing the prayer.

If he remembers after a long time, he should start the prayer from the beginning, but if he remembers after a short time, like five minutes or so, he should complete his prayer and make Taslīm.

After Taslīm, he should offer the two prostrations of forgetfulness and then make Taslīm again.

2- In the case of addition in prayer: if one intentionally added one action of standing, sitting, bowing, or prostration,

if he remembered the addition after completing the additional action, he only has to offer the prostrations of forgetfulness; but if he realized the addition in the course of doing it, he should stop doing the additional action.

In this case, he should offer the prostrations of forgetfulness after Taslīm and concludes them with Taslīm once more.

3- Leaving out a pillar of prayer: If one forgetfully left out one of the pillars of prayer other than the Opening Takbīr.

In this case, if he reaches that pillar in the following Rak‘ah, then the present Rak‘ah cancels the previous Rak‘ah that had the omission and replaces it. But if he had not reached that pillar in the following Rak‘ah, he must return to the pillar and redo everything following that pillar once again.

In both cases, he must offer the prostration of forgetfulness after Taslīm.

4- Doubt in prayer: If one doubts the number of Rak‘ahs he offered, whether it was two or three, there is only two possibilities:
The first: that he inclines more to either of the two options, in which case he acts upon what he inclines more toward and completes the prayer then make Taslīm.

The second: that he does not incline more to either option, in which case he should follow the safer option of a lesser number of Rak‘ahs and completes the prayer accordingly.

In the first case, he should offer the prostration of forgetfulness after Taslīm. 

In the second case, he should offer the prostration of forgetfulness before Taslīm.

In the case of forgetfully leaving out the first Tashahhud, this shares the same ruling of leaving out any other obligatory act of prayer.

If one remembers after standing up straight, he is to continue the prayer without going back to make Tashahhud.

But if he remembers after getting up but before standing up straight, he goes back to sitting down for Tashahhud then completes his prayer.

If he remembers while his thighs are still in contact with his legs, he should settle down again in his sitting position and recite the Tashahhud then complete his prayer without offering the prostration of forgetfulness because there was neither addition nor omission.

[In the first two cases] He should offer the prostration of forgetfulness before Taslīm.

Prostration of Recitation
The reason for it is that one recites a verse containing a prostration [of recitation]. In the Qur’an, the prostrations are marked in the margins of the Qur’an pages. If the person passes by a verse containing a prostration, he is strongly advised to prostrate to Allah, Exalted and Glorified. Some scholars held that the prostration of recitation is obligatory, but the sounder opinion is that it is not;because the Commander of the Believers ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) once delivered the Friday sermon and recited the verse containing a prostration in the Chapter of al-Nahl so he prostrated after reciting it. Then he recited the same verse in another Friday without offering the prostration. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said:“Allah has not made it obligatory on us to offer the prostration [of recitation] unless we want to. ”The exception here means that offering the prostration depends on our wish whether or not to offer it. His words do not mean “unless we want it to be obligatory”, because obligatory acts cannot be based on our will. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did this in the presence of other Companions and no one objected given their keenness on objecting to what is wrong. Their tacit approval to something the rightly-guided Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) did in such a big gathering proves that the prostration of recitation is not obligatory. This is the sound opinion whether the individual is praying or not.

Manner of performing the prostration of recitation:
One says “Allahu Akbar” and prostrates in the same manner he does in prayer on the seven body parts, and he says:“Subhāna rabbi al-A‘la” (Exalted is my Lord, the Most High), and “Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdik, Allāhumm-ighfir li (Glory be to You O Allah, Our Lord, and praise. O Allah, forgive me). ”And he recites the famous supplication:“Allahumma laka sajadt, wa bika amant, wa ‘alayka tawakkalt. Sajada wajhi lilladhi khalaqahu wa sawwarahu wa shaqqa sam‘ahu wa basarahu, bihawlihi wa quwwatihi.

Allāhumma uktub lī bihā ajran, warfa‘ ‘annī bihā wizran, waj‘alhā lī ‘indaka dhukhran, wa taqabbalhā minnī kamā taqabbaltaha min ‘abdika Dāwūd. ” (O Allah, to You I prostrate, in You I believe, and in You I repose my trust. I have prostrated my face to the One Who created it and made its hearing and vision, by His Might and Power. O Allah, record for me a reward for it, remove a sin for me by it, and store it away for me with You, and accept it from me as You accepted it from Your servant [Prophet] David)”

Then he stands up without saying “Allahu Akbar” or making Taslīm.

In case the prostration is during prayer, he is to say “Allahu Akbar” when he goes down to prostrate and when he gets up from it, because everyone who described the prayer of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said that he used to say “Allahu Akbar” every time he went down and got up.

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the prostration of recitation during prayer as reported authentically by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet recited the chapter of Al-Inshiqāq during the ‘Ishᾱ’ prayer and offered the prostration of recitation therein.

Those who described the Takbīr in the prayer of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not exempt the prostration of recitation, thus proving that it is observed exactly like the regular prostration in prayer, because he used to say “Allahu Akbar” when he goes down to prostrate and when he gets up from it. There is no difference whether the prostration was at the last verse he recited or in the middle of recitation. So he says “Allahu Akbar” when he prostrates and when he stands up from prostration, then he says “Allahu Akbar” when he bows. There is no problem in saying “Allahu Akbar” twice successively given that they are said for different reasons. As for what some people do when they recite a verse containing a prostration in prayer, so they say “Allahu Akbar” when they go down to prostrate but do not say “Allahu Akbar” when getting up from it, I do not know of any proof to support it. The only difference of opinion in this regard is related to the prostration of recitation outside prayer. As to the prostration of recitation inside prayer, it shares the same ruling of regular prostration in prayer; i. e. one says “Allahu Akbar” when going down and when getting up from the prostration.

Prayer and Fasting of Travelers
The prayer of the traveler is two Rak‘ahs starting from the time he leaves his hometown until he returns to it, based on the saying of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):“The first time the prayer was enjoined, it was two Rak‘ahs. It remained as such when traveling and was made complete while resident. ”Another narration reads: “and an addition was made to the prayer of the resident. ”Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We left Madinah along with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) heading to Makkah, so he (the Prophet) offered the prayer in two Rak‘ahs until we returned to Madinah.

”But if the individual prays behind an Imām who prays four Rak‘ahs, he must complete the prayer whether or not he caught up with the prayer at the beginning or missed part of it,based on the generality of the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him):“When you hear the Iqāmah (second call to prayer), proceed to offer the prayer with calmness and solemnity and do not make haste. Pray what you caught up with and complete what you missed. ”The generality of his statement “pray what you caught up with and complete what you missed” includes the travelers who pray behind an Imām who offers a four-Rak‘ah prayer and any others. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked: “How come a traveler prays two Rak‘ahs when he prays alone but four when he prays in congregation behind a resident Imām?” He replied: “That is the practice of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

”The obligation of the congregational prayer remains in effect while traveling because Allah Almighty commanded it even during battle, by saying:{And when you [i. e. the commander of an army] are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand in prayer with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be in position behind you and have the other group come forward which has not yet prayed and let them pray with you} [Al-Nisā’: 102] Accordingly, if a traveler is in a town/country other than his own, he is obliged to attend the congregational prayer at the masjid when he hears the call to prayer unless he is in a distant place or fears losing his company; based on the generality of the available proofs that indicate the obligation of the congregation prayer upon anyone who hears the call to prayer or the Iqāmah (second call to prayer).

As for voluntary prayer, the traveler can pray any of them except the regular supererogatory prayer of Zhuhr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishā’. He can pray the Witr prayer, night prayer, Duha prayer, the supererogatory prayer of Fajr, and any other voluntary prayer except the ones mentioned above.

As for combining prayers, if he is on the road, it is better for him to combine Zhuhr with ‘Asr and Maghrib with ‘Ishā’,either in advance or delayed depending on what is easier for him. If the traveler is staying in a place during his journey, it is better not to combine prayers though it is permissible to combine them as both actions were authentically reported form the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

As for the fasting of the traveler during Ramadān, it is better to fast though it is also permissible not to fast provided that he later makes up for the days he missed, unless it is easier for him to break his fast, because Allah loves for His concessions to be taken; and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Written by/ Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn
5/12/1409 A. H.

How does one pray when he travels by plane?
1- He can offer the supererogatory prayer on the plane while sitting in his seat regardless of the direction of the plane. He nods or bends over for bowing and prostrating and makes the prostration lower than the bowing.

2- He does not offer the obligatory prayer on board unless he is capable of facing the prayer direction throughout the entire prayer, and is also capable of bowing, prostrating, standing, and sitting.

3- If he is incapable of doing so, he is to delay the prayer until landing and prays on land. If he fears that the due time of the prayer will expire before landing, he may delay it until the time of the following prayer if it can be combined with it, like Zhuhr with ‘Asr and Maghrib with ‘Ishā’. If he fears that the due time of the following prayer will also expire before landing, he may pray them on the plane before the time expires provided that he does his best to meet the conditions, pillars, and obligations of prayer. For example, if the plane took off before sunset and he was in the air after sunset, he should not pray Maghrib except after he lands in the airport and prays on land. If he fears the time of Maghrib will expire, he may delay it until ‘Ishā’ and combine them together after landing. But if he fears that the time of ‘Ishā’ might also expire, which is at midnight, he may offer both prayers on the plane before the time expires.

4- The manner of offering the obligatory prayer on the plane is to stand up and face the prayer direction, followed by making the Opening Takbīr and reciting Al-Fātihah preceded by any opening supplication and followed by any part of the Qur’an. Then he does the bowing then rises from bowing to stand up straight. Next, he prostrates then sits back up comfortably and returns to prostration for the second time. He follows this order throughout the prayer.

If he is incapable of prostration, he can sit down and nod or lean forward to indicate the prostration. Also, if he does not know the prayer direction and there is no one trustworthy to tell him where it is, he endeavors to find out its direction then prays according to the result of his endeavor.

5- The prayer of the traveler on the plane is shortened such that he offers two Rak‘ahs for the four-Rak‘ah prayer like any other traveler.

How does one traveling by plane assume Ihrām for either Hajj or ‘Umrah?
1- He takes a ritual bath in his house and remains in his regular clothes or he wears the Ihrām clothing if he so wishes.

2- When the plane is near the location of the Miqāt, he puts on the Ihrām clothing if he had not worn it earlier.

3- When the plane is in line with the Miqāt, he makes the intention to begin the ritual and pronounces his intention for either Hajj or ‘Umrah.

4- If he assumed Ihrām before reaching the Miqāt out of fear of heedlessness or forgetfulness, it is permissible.

Written by/ Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn
2/5/1409 A. H. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Illness and what the ill person should be aware of
Illness is a health disorder and an irregular condition of the body.

An ill person should be aware of the following:
1- To believe that his illness was decreed and destined by Allah. His Lord Almighty is the One who decreed this, for He is his creator and owner. This will comfort his heart and make him content and he will submit to the will of his Lord.

2- To believe that this is his fate and fate is unchangeable.

3- To have patience, in compliance with the command of Allah Almighty: {and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient} [Al-Anfāl: 46]

4- To place his hope in his Lord and await alleviation from Him, Exalted and Glorified, based on the saying of Allah in the Qudsi hadith: “I am as my servant expects me to be,” as well as the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “And know that with distress comes relief and with hardship comes ease. ”

5- To seize his chance of having spare time and fill it with frequent remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Qur’an, repentance, and asking Allah for forgiveness.

6- To avoid complaining about his illness to other than his Creator who is able to cure him. There is no harm in letting others know of his illness to report it, not to complain about it.

7- To realize the value of Allah’s bounty of health upon him so that he treats other ill persons kindly.

8- To know that Allah expiates sins through the illness and erases bad deeds thereby. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No Muslim is afflicted with illness or any inconvenience but that Allah will remove his sins thereby just as a tree sheds its leaves. ” Another authentic narration reads: “No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it. ”

How does an ill person purify himself?
1- He must purify himself with water by making ablution to remove minor impurity and ritual bathing to remove major impurity.

2- If he cannot purify himself with water due to his inability, fear of health deterioration, or fear of delaying his recovery, he is to perform dry ablution.
3- The manner of performing dry ablution is to strike the pure ground with his palms only once then wipes with them his entire face then wipes his hands with one another.

4- If he cannot do so himself, someone else should help him make the regular or dry ablution.

5- If there is a wound on one of the body parts that must be purified, he should wash it with water unless water would harm it, in which case he should wipe over it by wetting his hand and passing it over that part. If wiping as well would harm it, he can perform dry ablution for that part.

6- If there is a splint or a bandage covering a fractured part of the body, he is to wipe over it with water instead of washing. This case does not require dry ablution because wiping replaces washing.

7- It is permissible to perform dry ablution on the wall or anything else that is pure and has dust on it. If the wall is covered with something other than an earthly material, like paint, he may not perform dry ablution on it unless there is dust on it.

8- If dry ablution cannot be made using the ground, the wall, or anything else that has dust, there is no harm in putting some dust in a bowl or a handkerchief and perform dry ablution from it.

9- If he made dry ablution for a prayer and retained his purification until the time of the next prayer is due, he can offer it with the first dry ablution without having to repeat it, because nothing has invalidated his purification. If he made dry ablution to purify himself from a major impurity, he needs not repeat the dry ablution unless he incurred another major impurity. However, he makes dry ablution meanwhile to purify himself from minor impurity.

10- The ill person must purify his body from all impurities, but if he is not able to do so, he may pray in the state he is in and his prayer is valid without having to repeat it.

11- The ill person must pray in clean clothes. If his clothes were soiled with impurity, they must be washed or replaced with clean ones. If this is not possible, he may pray in the state he is in and his prayer is valid without having to repeat it.

12- The ill person must pray on something clean. If his place was soiled with impurity, it must be washed or replaced with something clean. If this is not possible, he may pray in the state he is in and his prayer is valid without having to repeat it.

13- It is impermissible for the ill person to delay prayer beyond its due time because of inability to purify himself; rather, he should purify himself to the best of his ability then offer the prayer within its due time even if there is impurity on his body or clothes or place of prayer that he is incapable of removing. Allah Almighty said: {So fear Allah as much as you are able. } [Al-Taghābun: 16]

Written by/ Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn on 9/1/1403 A. H.

How does an ill person pray?
1- The ill person must offer the obligatory prayer in a standing position even if he has to bend or lean on a wall or a cane to help himself stand.

2- If he cannot pray standing, he may sit, preferably cross-legged when he should be standing or bowing.

3- If he cannot pray in a sitting position, he may pray on his side, preferably the right one, facing the prayer direction. If he is unable to face the prayer direction, he may pray towards whichever direction he is facing and his prayer is valid without having to repeat it.

4- If he cannot pray on his side, he may pray lying on his back with his legs towards the prayer direction. If he cannot place his legs in the prayer direction, he may pray towards whichever direction his legs are facing without having to repeat the prayer.

5- The ill person must bow and prostrate in his prayer but if he cannot, he may nod with his head while marking the prostration with a lower nod. If he can bow but cannot prostrate, he bows at the time of bowing and nods with his head at the time of prostration. If he can prostrate but cannot bow, he prostrates at the time of prostration and nods with his head at the time of bowing.

If he can prostrate but cannot bow, he prostrates at the time of prostration and nods with his head at the time of bowing.

6- If he cannot nod with his head in place of bowing and prostrating, he may gesture with his eyes by closing his eyes slightly to express bowing and closing them more to express prostration. As for pointing with the finger that some ill persons do, it is incorrect and I do not know of any proof to support it from the Qur’an or the Sunnah or the statements of scholars.

7- If he cannot nod with the head or gesture with the eyes, he may pray with his heart. He makes Takbīr and recites and makes the intention in his heart for bowing, prostration, standing, and sitting; and every person shall be rewarded according to what he intended.

8- The ill person must offer each prayer at its due time. He must observe the obligatory aspects of prayer to the best of his ability. If it is difficult for him to offer each prayer on time, he may combine Zhuhr with ‘Asr and Maghrib with ‘Ishā’, either in advance, by praying ‘Asr after Zhuhr at the time of Zhuhr, and ‘Ishᾱ’ after Maghrib at the time of Maghrib, or he delays by praying Zhuhr before ‘Asr at the time of ‘Asr and Maghrib before ‘Ishᾱ’ at the time of ‘Ishᾱ’. He may do whichever is easier for him. The Fajr prayer, however, may not be combined with the prayer preceding or following it.

9- If the ill person is traveling abroad for treatment, he may shorten the four-Rak‘ah prayer, so he offers two Rak‘ahs each for Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’ until he returns to his town/country irrespective of how long he stays abroad.

How does an ill person fast?
1- There are three cases regarding the fasting of an ill person:
First:
that it is not difficult for him to fast and it does not harm him; in this case he must fast.

Second:
that it is difficult for him to fast, in which case it is disliked for him to fast because he has not accepted the concession granted by Allah Almighty.

Third:
that it is harmful for him to fast, in which case it is prohibited for him to fast and he would be committing a sin if he fasted,based on the saying of Allah Almighty: {And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful} [Al-Nisā’: 29],and the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “Your self has a right over you. ” [part of long hadith narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

based on the saying of Allah Almighty:
{And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful} [Al-Nisā’: 29], and the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “Your self has a right over you. ” [part of long hadith narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

2- The ill person must make up for the days of fasting he missed when Allah Almighty heals him without delaying it to the next Ramadān.

3- If he cannot make up for it in the future due to a chronic illness, he may feed a needy person for each day of Ramadān, either day by dayor all at once on the last day of the month by making enough food to feed a number of needy people equal to the number of days of the month [of Ramadān]. He may also feed ten needy people every ten days.
 
or all at once on the last day of the month by making enough food to feed a number of needy people equal to the number of days of the month [of Ramadān]. He may also feed ten needy people every ten days.

4- If the ill person recovered after the end of Ramadān and he became capable of fasting but did not fast until he died, his guardian should fast on his behalf. If he does not, he should feed a needy person for each day from the estate of the deceased. It is also permissible for the guardian to donate the food [from his own money].

Voluntary Prayer
Its merit: one of the aspects of Allah’s mercy upon His servants is that He made a voluntary act for each type of the obligatory acts, such as the voluntary prayer which is similar to the obligatory prayer. Likewise, Zakah has a voluntary form called charity, and fasting has a voluntary form that is similar to it. Even Hajj has a voluntary form.

Such is an aspect of Allah’s mercy upon his servants. The purpose is to increase the reward and nearness to Allah Almighty, in addition to making up for the shortcomings committed in the obligatory acts, because voluntary acts complement the obligatory ones on the Day of Judgment.

Likewise, Zakah has a voluntary form called charity, and fasting has a voluntary form that is similar to it.

Even Hajj has a voluntary form. Such is an aspect of Allah’s mercy upon his servants. The purpose is to increase the reward and nearness to Allah Almighty, in addition to making up for the shortcomings committed in the obligatory acts, because voluntary acts complement the obligatory ones on the Day of Judgment.

Some forms of voluntary prayers:
1- The regular supererogatory prayers affiliated to the obligatory ones. They are:
Four Rak‘ahs before Zhuhr prayer with two Taslīms [i. e. two then two], and their time is at the start of the due time of Zhuhr; and two Rak‘ahs after Zhuhr, thus totaling six supererogatory Rak‘ahs for Zhuhr. ‘Asr, however, has no supererogatory prayer affiliated to it. And two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib, two after ‘Ishā’, and two before Fajr. With regard to the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr, it is better to make them short and recite therein the chapter of Al-Kāfirūn in the first Rak‘ahand the chapter of Al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah.

Also, one may recite the verse: {Say, O believers, “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us. . . } in the chapter of Al-Baqarah [2: 136] in the first Rak‘ah and the verse: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a common term between us and you. . . } in the chapter of Āl-‘Imrān [3: 64] in the second Rak‘ah. The regular supererogatory prayer of Fajr is to be observed during both residence and traveling. It involves great merit, regarding which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it. ”

And two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib, two after ‘Ishā’, and two before Fajr. With regard to the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr, it is better to make them short and recite therein the chapter of Al-Kāfirūn in the first Rak‘ah and the chapter of Al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah.

Also, one may recite the verse: {Say, O believers, “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us. . . } in the chapter of Al-Baqarah [2: 136] in the first Rak‘ah and the verse: {Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a common term between us and you. . . } in the chapter of Āl-‘Imrān [3: 64] in the second Rak‘ah.

The regular supererogatory prayer of Fajr is to be observed during both residence and traveling. It involves great merit, regarding which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it. ”

2- Witr prayer:
It is one of the most emphasized supererogatory prayers to the extent that some scholars deemed it obligatory. Imām Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) said about the Witr prayer: “Anyone who abandons the Witr prayer is a wicked person whose testimony should not be accepted. ”Witr concludes the night prayer, so if one fears oversleeping and missing the night prayer, he offers Witr before sleeping. But if he feels he can wake up in the last part of the night, he offers Witr at the end of the night after offering his voluntary night prayer. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Make the Witr the last of your prayer at night. ”The minimum number is a single Rak‘ah and the maximum is eleven. Offering three Rak‘ahs is the minimum perfection of Witr. In doing so, he has the choice either to pray the three Rak‘ahs as one unit ending with one Tashahhud or make Taslīm after two Rak‘ahs then conclude with a single Rak‘ah.

If one forgot the Witr or overslept, he makes up for it during the day with an even, not odd, number of Rak‘ahs. If he is used to pray Witr as three Rak‘ahs, he makes up for it with four; and if he is used to pray Witr as five Rak‘ahs, he makes up for it with six, and so on,because it is authentically reported in the Sahih collection: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pray twelve Rak‘ahs during the day if sleep or pain prevented him from offering the night prayer. ”

Imām Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) said about the Witr prayer: “Anyone who abandons the Witr prayer is a wicked person whose testimony should not be accepted. ”

Witr concludes the night prayer, so if one fears oversleeping and missing the night prayer, he offers Witr before sleeping. But if he feels he can wake up in the last part of the night, he offers Witr at the end of the night after offering his voluntary night prayer.

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Make the Witr the last of your prayer at night. ”

The minimum number is a single Rak‘ah and the maximum is eleven. Offering three Rak‘ahs is the minimum perfection of Witr. In doing so, he has the choice either to pray the three Rak‘ahs as one unit ending with one Tashahhud or make Taslīm after two Rak‘ahs then conclude with a single Rak‘ah.

If one forgot the Witr or overslept, he makes up for it during the day with an even, not odd, number of Rak‘ahs. If he is used to pray Witr as three Rak‘ahs, he makes up for it with four; and if he is used to pray Witr as five Rak‘ahs, he makes up for it with six, and so on, because it is authentically reported in the Sahih collection: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pray twelve Rak‘ahs during the day if sleep or pain prevented him from offering the night prayer. ”

3- Duha (Forenoon) prayer.
The minimum number is two Rak‘ahs without a maximum, because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer four Rak‘ahs for the Duha prayer and adds as many as he could.

Its prescribed time starts when the sun has risen by the length of a spear; i. e. approx. fifteen minutes after sunrise, until shortly before the sun reaches its zenith, which is about ten minutes or so before it reaches its zenith.

The proof of its legitimacy is the following report by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
“My close friend [meaning the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] advised me to do three things: fast three days of every month, perform the two Rak‘ahs of Duha (forenoon prayer), and perform the Witr prayer before I go to sleep. ”

Also, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Every morning, charity is due on every joint in the body of each of you. Every utterance of Allah’s exaltation (saying subhānallah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of praising Him (saying Al-hamdulillah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of profession of Faith (saying La ilaha illa Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of Allah’s glorification (saying Allahu Akbar) is an act of charity; and enjoining good is an act of charity, and forbidding evil is an act of charity; and a two-Rak‘ah prayer which one offers in the forenoon (Duha) suffices for all this. ”

Prohibited times of prayer
The prohibited times of prayer are three:
First time: begins after offering the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen the length of a spear, which is approximately fifteen minutes after sunrise. The time of Fajr prayer meant here is the time the individual person offers the prayer.

Second time: is when the sun is at its highest point until it passes its zenith, which is at midday approximately ten minutes or so before the sun passes its zenith.

Third time: begins after ‘Asr prayer until sunset. The start of this time is determined according to the prayer of the individual person. So, once a person prays ‘Asr, he is prohibited from praying until sunset.

The exceptions are:
1- Obligatory prayers, such as making up for an obligatory prayer that one missed and remembered it during those times,based on the generality of the Prophet’s saying: “Whoever oversleeps and thus misses a prayer or forgets it should pray it once he remembers it.” 2- Another exception, according to the preponderant opinion, is every supererogatory prayer that is offered for a specific reason, because such prayer is tied to its reason which makes the wisdom behind prohibiting prayer at such times non-applicable to it. For example, if you enter a masjid after ‘Asr prayer, you pray two Rak‘ahs, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him):“When anyone of you enters the masjid, let him offer two Rak‘ahs before he sits down. ” You should do the same if you enter the masjid after Fajr prayer or before the sun passes its zenith. Likewise, if there is a solar eclipse after ‘Asr prayer, one should pray the eclipse prayer because it is tied to a reason. Also, if one comes across a verse including a prostration, he offer a prostration of recitation even if it is during one of the prohibited times because it is tied to a reason. based on the generality of the Prophet’s saying: “Whoever oversleeps and thus misses a prayer or forgets it should pray it once he remembers it. ”

2- Another exception, according to the preponderant opinion, is every supererogatory prayer that is offered for a specific reason, because such prayer is tied to its reason which makes the wisdom behind prohibiting prayer at such times non-applicable to it.

For example, if you enter a masjid after ‘Asr prayer, you pray two Rak‘ahs, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him):
“When anyone of you enters the masjid, let him offer two Rak‘ahs before he sits down. ” You should do the same if you enter the masjid after Fajr prayer or before the sun passes its zenith.

Likewise, if there is a solar eclipse after ‘Asr prayer, one should pray the eclipse prayer because it is tied to a reason. Also, if one comes across a verse including a prostration, he offer a prostration of recitation even if it is during one of the prohibited times because it is tied to a reason.

Ruling on the person who abandons prayer
Question:

What should a man do if he instructs his family to pray yet they do not listen to him? Should he continue living and mixing with them or move out of the house?The answer:If this family never offers the obligatory prayers, they are disbelievers and apostates who are outside the fold of Islam. It is impermissible for him to live with them, yet he must continue to preach to them and insist on it, perhaps Allah guides them,because the person who abandons prayer is a disbeliever; we seek refuge in Allah from that. The proof is taken from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the statements of the Companions, and sound reasoning. This entails caution against this abominable deed.

The proof from the Qur’an is Allah’s saying about the polytheists:{But if they repent, establish prayer, and give Zakah, then they are your brothers in religion} [Al-Tawbah: 11]The implied meaning the verse suggests is that were they to refrain from doing such deeds, they are not our brothers. Notably, however, religious brotherhood is not negated by sins, even if they are major, but, rather, by leaving the fold of Islam. The proof form the Sunnah is the Hadith narrated by Muslim on the authority of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) where the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:“What stands between a man and polytheism and disbelief is abandonment of prayer.

”And his saying in the Hadith reported by Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Sunan (Compilations of Prophetic Hadith):“The covenant between us and them is the prayer; so whoever abandons it has disbelieved. ”An example of the statements of the Companions in this regard is the saying of the Commander of the Believers, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):“There is no share in Islam for whoever abandons prayer. ”The word 'share' is indefinite in a negative context, thus rendering its meaning inclusive to any type of share, small or big. Abdullah ibn Shaqīq said:“The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider the abandonment of any deed as disbelief except for prayer. ”

What should a man do if he instructs his family to pray yet they do not listen to him? Should he continue living and mixing with them or move out of the house?

The answer:
If this family never offers the obligatory prayers, they are disbelievers and apostates who are outside the fold of Islam. It is impermissible for him to live with them, yet he must continue to preach to them and insist on it, perhaps Allah guides them, because the person who abandons prayer is a disbeliever; we seek refuge in Allah from that. The proof is taken from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the statements of the Companions, and sound reasoning. This entails caution against this abominable deed.

The proof from the Qur’an is Allah’s saying about the polytheists:
{But if they repent, establish prayer, and give Zakah, then they are your brothers in religion} [Al-Tawbah: 11]

The implied meaning the verse suggests is that were they to refrain from doing such deeds, they are not our brothers. Notably, however, religious brotherhood is not negated by sins, even if they are major, but, rather, by leaving the fold of Islam.

The proof form the Sunnah is the Hadith narrated by Muslim on the authority of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) where the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“What stands between a man and polytheism and disbelief is abandonment of prayer. ”

And his saying in the Hadith reported by Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Sunan (Compilations of Prophetic Hadith):
“The covenant between us and them is the prayer; so whoever abandons it has disbelieved. ”

An example of the statements of the Companions in this regard is the saying of the Commander of the Believers, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
“There is no share in Islam for whoever abandons prayer. ”

The word 'share' is indefinite in a negative context, thus rendering its meaning inclusive to any type of share, small or big.

Abdullah ibn Shaqīq said:
“The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider the abandonment of any deed as disbelief except for prayer. ”

As for sound reasoning, one may say: is it plausible that a person who has a grain of faith in his heart, who knows the great status of prayer and the care that Allah gave it, then he insists on abandoning it altogether? This is impossible.

I have contemplated the evidence cited by those who hold that such a person is not ruled to be a disbeliever. All of them involve one of the following five possibilities:
1) They are devoid of any proof to begin with;

2) or they are restricted with a description that makes abandonment of prayer inconceivable;

3) or restricted to a situation in which abandoning a specific prayer is excusable;

4) or they are general, which requires their specification with the Hadiths stating that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever;

5) or they are weak and are outweighed by the authentic Hadiths.

None of the available texts state that the prayer abandoner is a believer, or that he will be admitted to Paradise and saved from the Hellfire. Nor do they have any indication that requires interpreting the disbelief of the prayer abandoner as a rejection of Allah’s graces or a minor disbelief.

If it is clear that the prayer abandoner is a disbeliever in a way that makes him an apostate, this results in applying the rulings of apostates to him, such as:
First:
 he cannot be married to a Muslim woman. In the instance of concluding a marriage contract with him while he abandons prayer, this marriage is invalid and the wife is not lawful for him, based on Allah’s saying about the female migrants:{And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful wives for them, nor are they lawful husbands for them. } [Al-Mumtahanah: 10] {And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful wives for them, nor are they lawful husbands for them. } [Al-Mumtahanah: 10]

Second:
If the prayer abandoner neglected prayer after the marriage contract has already been concluded, then the marriage is to be annulled and the wife becomes unlawful for him, based on the verse mentioned above and according to the detailed ruling known among scholars as to whether this took place before or after consummation of the marriage.

Third:
if this person who abandons prayer slaughtered an animal, it is not to be eaten [by Muslims]; but why?Because it is unlawful, whereas if a Jew or a Christian slaughtered an animal, it is permissible for us to eat from it. Hence, his slaughtering is more evil than that of the Jew and the Christian; we seek refuge in Allah from such consequence. Fourth: He is forbidden from entering Makkah or the borders of its sanctuary, based on the saying of Allah Almighty:{O you who believe, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs} [Al-Tawbah: 28]Fifth: he does not retain any right of inheritance if one of his [Muslim] relatives died. For instance, if a man who prays died while having a son who does not pray and a distant paternal cousin; who inherits from that man?The distant paternal cousin and not his son, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as reported by Usamah: “A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever and a disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim. ” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]He also said: “Give the prescribed shares of inheritance to their rightful beneficiaries, and whatever remains after that should be given to the closest male relative. ” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]This is an example that applies to all heirs. Sixth: if that person dies, he is not to be washed, shrouded, offered the funeral prayer over, nor buried in the Muslim graveyard. So, what should we do with him?We take him out to the desert, dig a hole there, and bury him in his clothes because he has no sanctity. Accordingly, anyone with a deceased relative who abandoned prayer should not bring him to Muslims to offer the funeral prayer over him. Seventh: he will be gathered on the Day of Judgment with the heads of disbelief such as Pharaoh, Haman, Korah, and Ubayy ibn Khalaf; we seek refuge in Allah from such company. He will not be admitted to Paradise and none of his relatives is permitted to invoke Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, because he is a disbeliever and unworthy of this invocation,based on the saying of Allah Almighty: {It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the Hellfire. } [Al-Tawbah: 113]

Because it is unlawful, whereas if a Jew or a Christian slaughtered an animal, it is permissible for us to eat from it. Hence, his slaughtering is more evil than that of the Jew and the Christian; we seek refuge in Allah from such consequence.

Fourth:
He is forbidden from entering Makkah or the borders of its sanctuary, based on the saying of Allah Almighty:
{O you who believe, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs} [Al-Tawbah: 28]

Fifth:
he does not retain any right of inheritance if one of his [Muslim] relatives died. For instance, if a man who prays died while having a son who does not pray and a distant paternal cousin; who inherits from that man?

The distant paternal cousin and not his son, based on the saying of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as reported by Usamah:
“A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever and a disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim. ” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

He also said: “Give the prescribed shares of inheritance to their rightful beneficiaries, and whatever remains after that should be given to the closest male relative. ” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

This is an example that applies to all heirs.

Sixth:
if that person dies, he is not to be washed, shrouded, offered the funeral prayer over, nor buried in the Muslim graveyard. So, what should we do with him?

We take him out to the desert, dig a hole there, and bury him in his clothes because he has no sanctity. Accordingly, anyone with a deceased relative who abandoned prayer should not bring him to Muslims to offer the funeral prayer over him.

Seventh:
he will be gathered on the Day of Judgment with the heads of disbelief such as Pharaoh, Haman, Korah, and Ubayy ibn Khalaf; we seek refuge in Allah from such company. He will not be admitted to Paradise and none of his relatives is permitted to invoke Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, because he is a disbeliever and unworthy of this invocation, based on the saying of Allah Almighty: {It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the Hellfire. } [Al-Tawbah: 113]

This issue, my Brothers, is quite serious; yet, unfortunately, some people underestimate the gravity of this situation, but the door of repentance is open; and all praise is due to Allah. Allah Almighty said: {But there came after them later generations who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil, except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all. Therein are gardens of perpetual residence which the Most Merciful has promised His servants in the unseen. Indeed, His promise has ever been eminent. They will not hear therein any ill speech - only greetings of peace - and they will have their provision therein, morning and afternoon. } [Maryam: 59-62]

Allah Almighty said: {But there came after them later generations who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil, except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all. Therein are gardens of perpetual residence which the Most Merciful has promised His servants in the unseen. Indeed, His promise has ever been eminent. They will not hear therein any ill speech - only greetings of peace - and they will have their provision therein, morning and afternoon. } [Maryam: 59-62]

We ask Allah Almighty to guide us and our fellow Muslims to obey Him in the manner that pleases Him.

And Allah knows best. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all of his Companions.
Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn

Repentance
Repentance is to turn back from the disobedience of Allah to His obedience.
Repentance is obligatory upon every believer:{O you who believe, repent to Allah with sincere repentance} [Al-Tahreem: 8]Repentance is beloved to Allah, Exalted and Glorified:{Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves. } [Al-Baqarah: 222]

Repentance is one of the causes of success:{And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. } [Al-Noor: 31]Success is that a person attains what he hopes for and is saved from what he fears. Through repentance, Allah expiates sins regardless of how grave and how numerous they are:{Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.

Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. } [Al-Zumar: 53]My Brother who sins, do not despair of the mercy of your Lord, for the door of repentance is open until the sun rises from the west. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Verily, Allah stretches out His Hand during the night so that the sinner of the day may repent, and stretches out His Hand in the day so that the sinner of the night may repent. He keeps doing so until the sun rises from the west. ” [Muslim]Many are those who repented from numerous grave sins and Allah accepted their repentance. Allah, Exalted and Glorified, said: {And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden to be killed, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.

Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated. Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. } [Al-Furqān: 68-70]

{O you who believe, repent to Allah with sincere repentance} [Al-Tahreem: 8]
Repentance is beloved to Allah, Exalted and Glorified:
{Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves} [Al-Baqarah: 222]

Repentance is one of the causes of success:
{And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. } [Al-Noor: 31]

Success is that a person attains what he hopes for and is saved from what he fears.

Through repentance, Allah expiates sins regardless of how grave and how numerous they are:
{Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. } [Al-Zumar: 53]

My Brother who sins, do not despair of the mercy of your Lord, for the door of repentance is open until the sun rises from the west.

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Verily, Allah stretches out His Hand during the night so that the sinner of the day may repent, and stretches out His Hand in the day so that the sinner of the night may repent. He keeps doing so until the sun rises from the west. ” [Muslim]

Many are those who repented from numerous grave sins and Allah accepted their repentance.

Allah, Exalted and Glorified, said: {And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden to be killed, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated. Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. } [Al-Furqān: 68-70]

A sincere repentance is the one in which the following five conditions are met:
1- Sincerity to Allah Almighty by seeking with it the Countenance of Allah Almighty, His reward, and salvation from His punishment.

2- Regretting the sin one committed such that he feels sadness for committing it and wishes he had never done it.

3- Immediate abandonment of the sin. If it is a sin against Allah Almighty, one must leave it if it is something prohibited or rush to observe it if he abandoned something obligatory. On the other hand, if it is a sin against a human being,one must rush to rid himself of it either by restoring to that person his rights or asking him to forgive him and absolve him of them.

one must rush to rid himself of it either by restoring to that person his rights or asking him to forgive him and absolve him of them.

4- To strongly determine never to return to this sin in the future.

5- Repentance must be made before passing its deadline which is the sinner’s death or the rise of the sun from the west. Allah Almighty said: {But repentance is not accepted of those who continue to do evil deeds up until the death comes to one of them, he says, “Indeed, I have repented now. ”} [Al-Nisā’: 18]

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance. ” [Muslim]

Allah Almighty said: {But repentance is not accepted of those who continue to do evil deeds up until the death comes to one of them, he says, “Indeed, I have repented now. ”} [Al-Nisā’: 18]

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance. ” [Muslim]

O Allah, guide us to sincere repentance and accept [our deeds] from us, for, indeed, You are All-Hearing All-Seeing.
Written by/ Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-‘Uthaymīn
on 17/4/1406 A. H.