There are five essentials of salat (established by qat’i proofs), if a salat lacks any of these five pillars than the salat is invalid, whether they are left out intentionally or unintentionally:
- Qiyam (Standing):
- command in the Qur’an to stand
- applies to the one who is able to stand and perform sujud
- standing is obligatory in the Fard and Wajib salats
- obligation is dropped in a few situations:
- standing is not obligatory in the nawafil salats, but remains recommended
- valid even if one is able to stand
- The one who can stand but it causes them great pain, or delays his injury or increases injury based on their experience of doctor
- legally this person is considered as one being unable to stand
- also, when one if unable to perform sujud
- in which case it is permissible for one to be sitting down
- lower the head, lower even further, if they sit on a chair then it’s better that their heads go to the level of the knees whether they are sitting on the floor or a chair
- standing is not obligatory in the nawafil salats, but remains recommended
- minimum standing is that you are upright to such an extent that if you reach your hands out that it does not touch you knees
- best when your back is fully straight and your body is fully upright
- Tilawat (Qur’an recitation):
- of one short verse (which should consist of at least two words (for e.g. can be suggested for a new Muslim))
- volume to the volume you can hear yourself in a normal environment
- invalid in heart or on tongue, for the one who has the ability to recite
- Qur’än recitation is obligatory in two rakats (Salät-units) of obligatory Saläts.
- Qur’än recitation is obligatory in all rakaat (Salät-units) of compulsory and supererogatory Saläts.
- The obligation to recite is dropped, if a Salät-performer is an Imäm-follower, then he is relieved of the duty of Qur’än recitation.
- In fact, it is avoidable for him. (when the Qur’an is recited to listen to it)
- Ruku (Bowing)
- Obligatory amount of bowing, lowering the head and back so they are closer to the position of ruku, rather than standing i.e. is able to touch the knees
- Complete ruku is established by lowering the back in the forward direction to the extent that the head is in level with the posterior.
- Sujud (prostration)
- Saläh is invalid unless one performs two prostrations in every Saläh-unit.
- The obligatory amount of sujud is established by placing upon the ground
- a part of the forehead,
- one of the palms,
- one of the knees and
- some part of a side of one of the feet (e.g. one toe).
- The complete sujud is established by placing the following upon the ground
- both hands,
- both knees,
- both feet,
- the forehead and
- the nose.
- Prostration is valid only if done upon a thing on which the forehead can rest stably such that if the person forces down his forehead it does not go lower than the initial position.
- Prostrating only upon the nose and excluding the forehead will not be valid unless he is suffering from an excusable difficulty.
- If a person prostrates upon his palm or upon a side of his garment, it will be valid but avoidable.
- For the validity of Prostration, it is a prerequisite that the place of prostrating the head should not be higher than the place of the feet by more than half cubit (25cm).
- If the place of prostrating the head is higher by more than half cubit, Salät will not be valid unless it is highly overcrowded there.
- on the condition that the person in front of them is:
- praying the same salat (congregation)
- there is great congestions
- with these two conditions one can perform sujud on anothers back.
- on the condition that the person in front of them is:
- If the place of prostrating the head is higher by more than half cubit, Salät will not be valid unless it is highly overcrowded there.
- Last sitting
- for the duration of Tashahhud-recitation
- Also it is obligatory to perform these 5 in order.
- The last sitting has to be after all the pillars have been fulfilled.
Related topic(s)
Additional resources
- Book(s): Al Fiqh-ul Muyassar 1, by Shafïqur Rahmän An Nadwï
- Video(s): Necessary Acts of Salaat | Al Fiqh Al Muyassar | Shaykh Khazen Zaoud