Conditions of Salat

Prerequisites of for the validity of salat

There are some things which are not included in the essence of Saläh but are necessary for validity of Saläh.

If one of these things is missed, Saläh will not be valid.

These things are called prerequisites of Saläh and they are six:

1. Tahara (purity): Saläh will not be valid without purity. The scope of Purity includes: Body

   • a. Purity of body from Najasa Hukimiyah (de jure filth):
     • The body of the Saläh-performer should be Pure from both minor and major de jure Filths.
   • b. Purity of body from de facto Filth:
     • The body of the Saläh-performer should be free of defacto Filth in an inexcusable quantity. Clothes
   • c. Purity of garments:
     • The garments on the Saläh-performer’s body should be free of de facto Filth in an inexcusable quantity. Place
   • d. Purity of place: The place where the person is performing Saläh should be Pure from de facto Filth.
     • “Purity of place” requires that that the places where the Saläh-performer’s feet, hands, knees and forehead will be falling on the ground at the time of Prostration should be Pure. One must believe that they are in the state of tahara for their salat to be valid. if one prayed without the belief and they later found out that they were in the state of taharah, the salat would still be considered invalid.

2. Covering the private area (awra) to be hidden: Saläh will not be valid if he does not hide the organs to be hidden when he is capable of it.

   • It is necessary that awra should remain hidden from the start of the Saläh till the end.
     • the limits of the awra
       • men: below the naval to past the knees
       • women: entire body, instead of the face, hands and feet
   • If a quarter or more of an organ to be hidden is uncovered before starting the Saläh, the Saläh will not be valid.
     • before the salat, is it as though one has not entered the salat
     • during the salat, without own doing then the salah is invalidated with two conditions:
       • the time for which is was exposed is more than rukun (salah-eseential), i.e. 3 tasbihat, then Saläh will become invalid.
       • must be a quarter of a organ
         • 1 portion is just under belly button to pubic area
         • thigh to the knee is a seperate section/portion
         • sight is from the person view parallel/in-line with you, not from above or below
       • intentionally exposing invalidates the salat

3. Facing the qiblah (in direction of the holy Ka’bah): Salät will not be valid without facing the Ka’bah if one is capable of it.

   • the one in makkah and can see the kaaba: the exact position of the kaba for the one that can see it, otherwise
   • for the one who is unable to see the kaaba, general direction of the Kaba for the person unable to view it
     • The general direction of Ka’bah is also the direction-to-face for a person away from the holy city of Makkah.
   • Two excuses for not facing qibla
     1. owing to a disease or
     2. fear from an enemy or predatory animal
     • it is permissible for him to face whichever direction he is capable of.

4. Time of waqt of salat: Saläh will not be valid before its start-time.

   • Refer to Times of salat for details
   • One must have a ghalabat dhan (strong assumption) that the time of salat has entered. Thus if one starts the salat and is in doubt (e.g. they are 50/50), the salat is invalid. Even if they later found out that it was the correct time.
   • and vice versa
     • i.e. two conditions certainty that time has entered
     • and actual time has entered

5. Niyya (Intention): Saläh is not valid without intention.

   • one must specify if the Saläh is Fard (obligatory)
     • for e.g. intending for Zuhr or Âsr.
     • the intention
   • Similarly, one must specify if the Salät is Wajib (compulsory)
     • for e.g. intending for Witr or Îd Salät.
   • If the Saläh is nawafil (supererogatory), specifying it is not a prerequisite.
     • Intending just for a Saläh is enough.
     • still remins safer to specifying
   • If the musalli (Saläh-performer) is an Imäm-follower, it is necessary for him to intend to follow the Imäm in the Saläh.

• The intention is formed in the mind, and an preset in the heart with the will and determination. As for verbalising it, then this is commendable because it is assisting the formulation of the intention of the heart (also commendable in the shafi school).
• The intention in the initiation counts.
  • for e.g. if one starts with fard intention, but his intention switches to sunnah due to forgetfulness, the initial intention overrides and this one has completed the fard.

6. Tahrima (Prohibitive words to make something impermissible) of Salät: This means that the Saläh should be started with a remembrance formula meant only for Alläh, such as saying Allahu akbar (Allah is greater), if one says Allahu A’zam, or Sub-hanallah this also fulfils the condition of tahrima (a pure indication and remembrance of Allah - zikr khalis (a pure invocation)).
   • the Saläh-performer should not separate his intention of Saläh and the starting Takbïr by an act that is contrary (foreign) to the Saläh like eating or drinking.
   • it is a prerequisite that the person should:
     • to say the prohibitive words, in standing, before bending for ruku (bowing).
     • not to make the intention after the prohibitive words.
     • to say Allähu akbar in a manner that he himself is able to hear it
       • neither of the two hamzas or bas in Allau akbar should be stretched otherwise it the tahrima will be invalid, as you have changed the meaning and thus no longer considered a zikr khalis.
       • nor to omit letter such as the two alifs (stretch of the lam) or has, etc.

The first three conditions must be present from the beginning to the end of salat.

Related topic(s)

Najasah (impurity) Miscellaneous rulings related to the conditions of salat Salat Essentials (Arkan) of salat

Additional resources

• Video: Conditions of Salaat | Al Fiqh Al Muyassar | Shaykh Khazen Zaoud