The book of prayer
Prepared by the Faqir, Mahmud Adams
Based upon
Safwat al Zubad
Of
Allamat Ahmad bin Rislan al Shafi’i
In the name of Allah, most merciful, most compassionate. All praise belongs to Allah most high, lord of the entire universe. May Allah send prayers and peace upon the Chosen one al Tihami, and upon his family and companions.
Part 1 : Preliminaries
1. The obligation of prayer
1.a The prescribed prayers are obligatory upon all those who are;
a) Muslim
b) Legally responsible
c) Free from menstruation and post-natal bleeding.
1.b The legal guardian is obliged to;
a.) Order the child to pray at the age of seven
b.) Hit the child (if he leaves the prayer) at the age of ten.
If the child reaches puberty during the prayer, the prayer is considered valid and need not be repeated when the prayer is complete.
2. The times of prayer
2. a There is no excuse to delay the prayer except in the following circumstances;
a.) Forgetfulness
b.) Sleep
c.) Joining prayers
d.) Coercion
2. b Duhr prayer
Duhr prayer’s time begins after the sun reaches its zenith and last until the shadow of an object becomes equal to it, minus the shadow present when the sun was at its zenith.
2. c ‘Asr prayer
‘Asr prayer’s time begins when Duhr prayer exits. Its preferred time lasts until the object’s shadow becomes twice the size of the object. It is permissible to perform ‘Asr prayer until sunset.
2. d Maghrib prayer
Maghrib prayer’s time enters when the sun sets and lasts, according to the old view of al Shafi’I, until the red twilight disappears.
2. e ‘Isha prayer
‘Isha prayer’s time enters when maghrib exits, by the disappearance of the red twilight. The prayer’s time lasts until true dawn, which is: a widespread transversal light upon the horizon. The preferred time lasts until a third of the night has elapsed and it is permissible to perform it until true dawn.
2. f Fajr prayer
Fajr enters with true dawn. The preferred time lasts until there is a glow in the sky and its permitted time lasts until the rising of (a portion) of the sun.
Other matters related to the prayer’s time,
1. It is recommended to hasten to perform the prayer in the first of it’s time. The merit of praying in the first of it’s time is attained when one occupies oneself, at the beginning of the time, with one’s needs (such as, purification or covering the nakedness) after the time has entered.
2. It is recommended to delay the performance of Duhr due to severe heat in a hot region. This is for a person who seeks to pray it in a group and is coming from a distance. It is not recommended to delay the Friday prayer.
3. Times when prayer is forbidden
3. a Prayers without a reason (or a reason succeeding the prayer, such as two raka’ts of Ihram) are forbidden in the following times;
a. after Fajr prayer until sunrise
b. after ‘Asr prayer until sunset
c. the moment the sun begins to rise until is has fully risen
d. when the sun is at its zenith until noon, except on Friday
e. when the sun yellows until it completely sets.
As for the prayers with a reason preceding the prayer, it is not forbidden to perform them in the aforementioned times. Such as;
a. a vowed prayer
b. a current prayer
c. two rak’ats of tawaf
d. greeting the masjid
e. the prostration of thanks
f. the eclipse prayer
g. funeral prayer
h. a prayer offered in the Haram of Makkah
4. Places where prayer is disliked
It is disliked to perform the prayer in the following places:
a. a bathroom where clothes are removed
b. a camel’s resting place
c. an excavated grave
d. a pathway
e. a slaughterhouse
Similarly, it is disliked to pray while one is holding back urine, wind or stool and to pray in the presence of food while one is craving it.
5. Recommended prayers
5. a The emphasized sunnah prayers connected to the obligatory prayers are;
a. two raka’ts before Fajr
b. two raka’ts before and after Duhr
c. two raka’ts after Maghrib
d. two raka’ts after ‘Isha
The remaining sunnah prayers connected to the prescribed prayers are; two additional raka’ts before and after Duhr and four raka’ats before ‘Asr.
5. b The recommended prayers are;
a. the two ‘Eid prayers
b. the two eclipse prayers
c. the drought prayer
d. the witr prayer; which minimally consists of one raka’t and maximally consists of eleven raka’ts. It’s time extends from ‘Isha prayer until Fajr prayer.
e. Tarawih prayer
f. Duha prayer; which is optimally eight raka’ts and is minimally two raka’ts. It’s time extends from sunrise until noon
.
g. The optional prayers offered at night (tahajjud)
h. Greeting the masjid; It consists of two raka’ts in one closing Salam and no more (than one closing Salam). The prayer is attained by (performing) the obligatory prayer or another optional prayer, though not by praying one raka’t alone nor the funeral prayer or prostration of thanks and Quran recital. One repeats the prayers for each time one enters, even if frequent.
i. Two raka’ts after the sunset.
6. Making up missed prayers
6. a It is recommended to make up optional prayers associated with a time that have elapsed, though not the prayers associated with a reason.
6. b It is preferable to make up missed obligatory prayers immediately and in order if one does not fear the current prayer’s time will expire.
Misc.issues
1. It is permissible to delay the pre prayer sunnahs and it is still considered to be a current performance. It is not permissible to pray the post prayer sunnahs before one prays the prescribed prayer. The time of the pre and post prayer sunnahs exits with the expiration of the prescribed prayer’s time.
2. It is permissible to pray while seated in the non obligatory prayers, even if done without an excuse, although the merit of doing so is half.
Bibliography;
1. Mawahib al Samad fi Hal alfaz al Zubad, Ahmad bin Hijazi al Fishni
Matba’at bin Halabi, Fattani Thailand
2. Ghayat al Bayan sharh Zubad ibn Rislan, Shams al Din al Ramli
Dar al Kutub al ‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut Lebanon 1994
3. Safwat al Zubad, Ahmad bin al Husayn bin ‘Ali bin Arsalan al Ramli
Dar al Minhaj, Jeddah 2005
