It was the land of Siffeen. There was an intense battle. Soldiers of Islam were fighting the enemies with great vigour and force. In the midst of this intense battle, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) the leader of the Islamic army looked towards the sky and kept the sword into the the sheath. He dismounted from his horse, laid down the prayer mat for the afternoon prayers. A person asked surprisingly, O Ali, Namaz in this intense fighting? (You are going to pray namaz?). Hazrat Ali (a.s.) told that person, ‘All this fighting is for establishing namaz’.
This incident highlights the importance of namaz. We cannot forsake namaz under any condition. The noble Quran has time and again reminded this point.
أَقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ
Establish namaz and pay the poor-rate (Zakat).
Our beloved Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.w.a.) declared, ‘Namaz is the pillar of religion.’
Just like any structure is in need of a pillar for survival, religion is need of namaz for survival.
Some Benefits of namaz
Quran asserts:
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَر
Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil.[1]
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, ‘If there is a stream flowing in front of one’s house in which he bathes five times a day, then will there be any dirt left on his body?’ The companions replied in the negative.
Then the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, ‘Similarly if one prays namaz five times a day, his sins will wash away and he will become purified.’
In another place, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, ‘(Only) if the namaz of a person is accepted his all other actions will be accepted. But if namaz is rejected, all other actions will be rejected.’
He (s.a.w.a.) also said, ‘A common sinner will be subject to squeeze in the grave (fishaar) only once. But the one who forsakes namaz will be squeezed in the grave again and again.’
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) warned, ‘One who considers his namaz lightly he will be deprived of our intercession (shafa’at) in Qiyamat.’
Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) declared,
‘The very first thing about which the people will be questioned in Qiyamat will be namaz.’
Obligatory Prayers
There are five obligatory (wajib) prayers daily.
Namaz-e-Fajr 2 rakats
Namaz-e-Zohr 4 rakats
Namaz-e-Asr 4 rakats
Namaz-e-Maghrib 3 rakats
Namaz-e-Esha 4 rakats
Namaz-e-Jum’aa (Friday Prayers)
Some jurists (maraj’e) have deemed it as obligatory (wajib).
Namaz-e-Aayaat
This is the namaz that has to be prayed at the time of solar/lunar eclipse, earthquake, intense storm/hurricane.
Namaz for the obligatory Tawaf of the holy Ka’aba
Namaz after performing tawaaf of Holy Ka’aba. This namaz is obligatory and is called Namaz-e-tawaf.
Namaz of Oath
Namaz which becomes obligatory due to a pledge/oath. For
instance, if a person takes a pledge to perform 2 rakat namaz after successfully completing some work, then it becomes obligatory upon him to perform namaz on fulfillment of his work.
Namaz-e-Mayyit
It is obligatory to offer this namaz for every deceased Muslim.
Qadha Namaz of father
It obligatory on the eldest son to pray the qaza namaz of his deceased father.
Basic conditions for namaz
There are some basic conditions that have to be fulfilled which are called preliminaries of namaz. These are:
Purity
Purity is of two types: External and internal
External tahaarat pertains to the body and clothes and pertains to wuzu, ghusl, tayammum and cleanliness.
Internal tahaarat pertains to true faith and sincere intention.
Timings
Allah has determined a time period for every namaz. We must pray each namaz in its pre-determined period. From this we learn the lesson of performing all actions according to its time. This will ensure that we don’t waste our time in doing useless things.
Timings for the daily wajib namaz
Namaz-e-Subh: From Subhe Sadiq (approximately one hour twenty minutes before sunrise) till sunrise.
Namaz-e-Zohrain: Between noon and sunset. (Asr Time: Time of Asr prayer begins just after performing Zohr prayer.)
Namaz-e-Maghrebain: 10-15 minutes after sunset till midnight.
We must always try to pray namaz on time. Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) prays namaz on time and he likes to see his Shias pray namaz on time.
Clothing
It is obligatory upon every male to cover his private parts while praying namaz. Regardless of the fact whether anyone is observing him or not, the male must conceal the portion between his navel and knees.
As far as women are concerned, they must cover the entire body, regardless of whether anyone is observing them, even if he is a mehram (son, father). However, she can leave her face, palms and feet uncovered.
Moreover, it is necessary that the dress should be pure, clean and legal (i.e. it should not be usurped and its use should be permitted).
It should not be made of the skin of a corpse.
It should not be made from the parts of those animals whose flesh is forbidden.
For men, it is forbidden to wear clothes made of pure silk and pure gold. Even if there is only a golden strand, it is forbidden to pray namaz in such a dress. Men are not permitted to wear golden ornaments like chains and rings during prayers. However, women can wear golden ornaments and clothes made of pure silk during prayers.
Men are not permitted to wear ornaments of pure gold and clothes of pure silk even apart from prayers. It is forbidden.
Place of namaz
The place where one is praying namaz should not be usurped. It is not permissible to pray namaz at that place. The place should not be in movement. The place of prostration should be pure.
Qibla
It is obligatory that we face the direction of the Holy Ka’ba while praying namaz. We must ensure that our face and chest are in the direction of the Holy Ka’ba.
Allah’s pious creatures turn towards their Lord in their actions. They are always focussed towards His satisfaction in all their affairs.
Azaan (Call for prayer)
The muezzin’s call for prayer is an invitation to the Muslims to hasten towards namaz. It reminds Muslims engaged in worldly affairs and calls them towards prayer.
By announcing – Allaho Akbar, the muezzin declares that there is none greater than Allah. There is no action superior, than prayer for Allah. Time of prayers has arrived, leave all worldly affairs and come for prayer. Call for prayer is an Islamic sign. It is also a sign that Muslim live in this locality and they have their connection with Allah.
The call for prayer is as follows:
اَللهُ اَكْبَر – اَللهُ اَكْبَر – اَللهُ اَكْبَر – اَللهُ اَكْبَر
Allah is so great that His greatness can never be expressed.
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَّ اِلهَ اِلاَّ الله – اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَّ اِلهَ اِلاَّ الله
I bear witness that there is no god other than Allah.
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ الله – اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ الله
I bear witness that (Hazrat) Muhammad (Mustafa
(s.a.w.a.)) is Allah’s messenger
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ اَمِيْرَ الَمْؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ اِمَامَ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ الله
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ اَمِيْرَ الَمْؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ اِمَامَ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ الله
I bear witness that the Commander of the Faithful and the Imam of the Pious (Hazrat Ali (a.s.)) is Allah’s wali.
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلوة – حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلوة
Hasten towards prayer (namaz)
حَيَّ عَلَي الْفَلاَحِ – حَيَّ عَلَي الْفَلاَحِ
Hasten towards success
حَيَّ عَلَي خَيْرِ الْعَمَل – حَيَّ عَلَي خَيْرِ الْعَمَل
Hasten towards the best of deeds
اللهُ اَكْبَر – اللهُ اَكْبَر
Allah is so great that His greatness can never be expressed.
لاَ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ الله – لاَ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ الله
There is no god except Allah
Note: Azaan is mustahab and not wajib
Iqamat (Establishing of namaz)
While Azaan is the call towards namaz, ‘Iqamat’ indicates the establishing of namaz. Namaz actually commences only after the Iqamat is recited.
اللهُ اَكْبَر – اللهُ اَكْبَر
Allah is so great that His greatness can never be expressed.
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَّ اِلهَ اِلاَّ الله – اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَّ اِلهَ اِلاَّ الله
I bear witness that there is no god other than Allah.
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ الله – اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ الله
I bear witness that (Hazrat) Muhammad (Mustafa
(s.a.w.a.)) is Allah’s messenger
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ اَمِيْرَ الَمْؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ اِمَامَ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ الله
اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ اَمِيْرَ الَمْؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ اِمَامَ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ الله
I bear witness that the Commander of the Faithful and the Imam of the Pious (Hazrat Ali (a.s.)) is Allah’s wali.
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلوة – حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلوة
Hasten towards prayer (namaz)
حَيَّ عَلَي الْفَلاَحِ – حَيَّ عَلَي الْفَلاَح
Hasten towards success
حَيَّ عَلَي خَيْرِ الْعَمَل – حَيَّ عَلَي خَيْرِ الْعَمَل
Hasten towards the best of deeds
قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوةُ – قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلوة
Surely namaz is established
اللهُ اَكْبَر – اللهُ اَكْبَر
Allah is so great that His greatness can never be expressed.
لاَ اِلَهَ اِلاَّ الله
There is no god except Allah
Note: Like Azaan, Iqamat is mustahab and not wajib
Method of praying namaz
- i) Niyyat (Intention)
The first step in praying namaz involves making the niyyat (intention). We pray namaz to gain proximity towards Allah, and this is reflected in our niyyat. For instance, if we want to pray Namaz-e-Fajr, then we must do niyyat as follows – ‘I am praying Namaz-e-Fajr/Namaz-e-Subh to gain proximity to Allah.
- ii) Takbiratul Ehram
Immediately after completing the niyyat, we must say – Allaho Akbar
iii) Standing Position (Qiyam)
After reciting the Takbir, one must stand upright. A person must stand in Qiyam and cannot sit down, unless there is some problem (old age, injury, etc). The person must place his hands upon the upper portion of his thighs.
- iv) The Recitation (Qira’at and Zikr)
After reciting the Takbir, one must commence reciting the zikr. For the zikr, one must first recite Surah Hamd followed by any other Surah (like Surah Tauheed, Surah Kauthar). One must do likewise in the second rak’at. In the third and fourth rak’ats one should recite only Surah Hamd (and not the other Surah). Insead of the Surah Hamd, if one wants, he can recite this Tasbeeh –
سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ وَلاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللهُ وَالله اَكْبَر
Glorified is Allah, and All praise is (only) for Allah, and there is no God except Allah and Allah is the Greatest.
It is sufficient to recite this Tasbeeh once, but it is better to recite it thrice.
- v) Ruku
After completing zikr in Qiyam, one must do ruku. Ruku means to
stoop in front of Allah (out of awe). In ruku, one bends in such a way that his hands rest on his knees. Then one must recite the following zikr
سُبْحانَ رَبِّی العَظِیمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Glorified is My Lord who is Exalted and Pure (from all kinds of defects) and we praise Him
- vi) Sajdah
After performing ruku one must stand upright, then recite
سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه
Allah hears the one who praises Him
Then one must go down in prostration (sajdah). While we are in prostration we must ensure that seven parts of our body are resting on the ground viz. our forehead, both palms, both knees and the big toe of both our feet. We should then recite
سُبْحانَ رَبِّی الأعْلَی وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Glorified is My Lord who is the Highest and Pure (from all kinds of defects) and we praise Him.
vii) Qunoot
After completing the zikr in the qiyam of the second rakat and before going to the ruku, we recite the Qunoot. In Qunoot, we raise
our palms at face level and recite a dua. The best dua is to pray for the safety of Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.)
اَللِّهُمَّ كُنْ لِوَلِيِّكَ الْحُجَّةِ ابْنِ الْحَسَنِ صَلَواتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلى آبَائِه فِيْ هذِهِ السَّاعَةِ وَ فِيْ كُلِّ سَاعَةٍ وَلِيًّا وَ حَافِظًا وَقَائِدًا وَ نَاصِرًا وَ دَلِيْلاً وَ عَيْنًا حَتِّى تُسْكِنَه اَرْضَكَ طَوْعًا وَ تُمَتِّعَه فِيْهَا طَوِيْلاً .
O Allah! Be for Your representative, the Hujjat (proof) son of al-Hasan, Your blessings be on him and his forefathers, in this hour and in every hour, a Guardian, a Protector, a Leader, a Helper, a Proof and an Eye until
You make him live on the earth in obedience (to You) and cause him to live in it for a long time.
However, any other short dua can also be recited.
viii) Tashahhud
After completing the second sajdah of the second rakat, we perform the tashhud. Tashahhud is performed once again in the last rakat of three-rakat namaz (Maghrib) as well as a four-rakat namaz (Zohr, Asr, Esha). In Tashhahud, we are seated with our palms placed on the upper portion of our thighs. We should then recite:
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلَه اِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَه لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَه وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُه وَرَسُوْلُه اَللِّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
I bear witness that there is no God except Allah and that there is no partner for Him. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger. O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and his progeny.
- ix) Salaam
After completing the Tashhahud in the last rakat of the namaz, we must recite the salaam, which will mark the completion of the namaz. In salaam we recite:
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ اَيُّهًا نَبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُه
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلٰى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِيْن
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُه
Salutations upon you O Prophet! and (also) Allah’s Mercy and His bounties.
Salutations upon us and upon the virtuous servants of Allah.
Salutations upon you and Allah’s mercy and His bounties.
After completion it is recommended to recite Allah-o-Akbar three times.
- x) Proper Order (Tarteeb)
It is crucial that we pray namaz in the sequence (tarteeb) specified above, else our namaz will become batil. For instance, if after Takbiratul Ehram we go directly into ruku, or we recite Tashahhud in the first rakat or we do sajdah before ruku, then our namaz is batil and it will have to be prayed once again correctly.
- xi) Continuity (Mawaalaat)
It is equally crucial that we pray namaz by maintaining continuity. For instance, immediately after reciting Takbiratul Ehram we must begin reciting Surah Hamd and then recite the other Surah. We cannot take a short break between reciting takbir and Surah Hamd. This will make namaz batil and we will have to pray it once again with continuity. All actions of prayers must be performed in succession maintining continuity.
May Allah give us Taufeeq to pray Namaz regularly in the correct manner.
Congregational Prayers (Namaz-e-Jama’at)
The first congregational prayer was prayed in the holy city of Mecca. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) led the prayers while Hazrat Ali (a.s.) prayed behind him (s.a.w.a.). When Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s.) witnessed this, he ordered his son, Ja’far (e-Tayyar), ‘Go and
join these people.’ Then Ja’far also prayed behind the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and prayed along with Hazrat Ali (a.s.).
It is mustahab to pray wajib namaz in congregation. It has more reward than praying namaz alone.
Praying namaz in congregation teaches us the important lesson of unity. It also teaches us the lesson of living together and introducing a sense of order and regulation in our lives.
On the Day of Ashoora, Imam Husain (a.s.) prayed congregational prayers with his companions. This shows us the importance of Namaz-e-Jama’at.
We must try our best to pray namaz in jama’at.
Next: Fasting (Sawm)
Previous: Purification (Tahaarat) – Part 3
Islamic Library: Introduction to Islam
[1] . Surah Ankaboot (29): 45