The Necessary Acts of Prayer Part 2: Sittings, Testimony, and Cong.

Read the bilingual lesson for The Necessary Acts of Prayer Part 2: Sittings, Testimony, and Cong. and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Wajibat 6 & 7: Prostration Elements

وَضَمُّ الأَنْفِ لِلْجَبْهَةِ فِي السُّجُودِ، وَالإِتْيَانُ بِالسَّجْدَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ قَبْلَ الِانْتِقَالِ • Wajib 6 (Nose Connection): While performing prostration (Sujud), pressing the soft part of the nose (Anf) to the ground along with the forehead is legally necessary (Wajib). • Wajib 7 (Second Prostration): Performing the second prostration in each rak'ah immediately after the first, before transitioning to any other posture, is Wajib. • The Rule: The second prostration must succeed the first without any separate posture or long delay intervening; otherwise, Sujud al-Sahw becomes mandatory.

2. Wajibat 8 & 9: Posture Tranquility & First Sitting

وَالِاطْمِئْنَانُ فِي الأَرْكَانِ... وَالْقُعُودُ الأَوَّلُ • Wajib 8 (Tranquility - al-Itmi'nan): Maintaining physical stillness and tranquility in all the pillars of prayer (such as bowing, prostrations, and standing upright) for at least the duration of saying "Subhanallah" once, is necessary (Wajib). • Wajib 9 (First Sitting - al-Qa'dah al-Ula): Sitting down after the second prostration of the second rak'ah in three- or four-unit prayers is Wajib. • Boundaries: If a worshipper forgetfully stands up for the third unit without performing this sitting, they must rectify it by performing Sujud al-Sahw at the end.

3. Wajibat 10 & 11: Tashahhud Recitation & Immediate Transition

وَقِرَاءَةُ التَّشَهُدِ فِيهِ... وَالْقِيَامُ إِلَى الثَّالِثَةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَرَاخٍ • Wajib 10 (Tashahhud Recitation): Reciting the complete Tashahhud text (Attahiyyat) in both the first sitting and the final sitting is necessary (Wajib). • Wajib 11 (Immediate Standing): Standing up for the third rak'ah immediately after completing the Tashahhud in the first sitting, without any delay, is Wajib. • Delay Threshold: If a worshipper forgetfully begins reciting the blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ after Tashahhud (e.g., reaching "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad"), they have delayed the transition, making Sujud al-Sahw mandatory.

4. Wajibat 12 & 13: Tashahhud Phrasing & Verbal Salaam

وَلَفْظُ التَّشَهُدِ، وَلَفْظُ السَّلَامِ دُونَ "عَلَيْكُمْ" • Wajib 12 (Tashahhud Wording): Reciting the exact verbal phrasing of the Tashahhud as narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (ra) is necessary (Wajib). • Wajib 13 (Verbal Salaam): Uttering the word "As-Salam" verbally to exit the state of prayer is Wajib. • Clarification: Only the verbal utterance of the word "As-Salam" is necessary, while appending the word "Alaykum" to it is classified as Sunnah. • If a worshipper exits the prayer by performing an action that breaks it (such as intentionally breaking Wudu) without saying Salaam first, the prayer must be repeated.

5. Wajibat 14, 15 & 16: Qunut, Eid Takbirs, and second Eid Bowing

وَقُنُوتُ الْوِتْرِ، وَتَكْبِيرَاتُ الْعِيدَيْنِ، وَتَكْبِيرَةُ الرُّكُوعِ فِي ثَانِيَةِ الْعِيدَيْنِ • Wajib 14 (Witr Qunut): Saying the Takbir and reciting the Qunut supplication in the third rak'ah of the Witr prayer before bowing is necessary (Wajib). • Wajib 15 (Eid extra Takbirs): Pronouncing the six extra Takbirs (three in each rak'ah) in both of the Eid prayers is Wajib. • Wajib 16 (second Eid Bowing Takbir): Saying the specific Takbir for bowing in the second rak'ah of the Eid prayers, after concluding the recitation, is Wajib.

6. Wajib 17: Aloud Recitation Rules for the Imam

وَجَهْرُ الإِمَامِ بِالْفَجْرِ وَأُولَيَيِ الْعِشَاءَيْنِ وَالْجُمُعَةِ وَالْعِيدَيْنِ وَالتَّرَاوِيحِ وَالْوِتْرِ فِي رَمَضَانَ • Aloud Recitation (Jahr): It is necessary (Wajib) for the Imam to recite aloud in specific prayers. • The Aloud Prayers: ◦ Both rak'ahs of the Fajr prayer. ◦ The first two rak'ahs of Maghrib and Isha (whether performed on time or made up as Qada'). ◦ The Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), the two Eid prayers, and all units of Tarawih. ◦ The Witr prayer when performed in congregation during the month of Ramadan. • Omission: If the Imam forgetfully recites silently in these prayers, Sujud al-Sahw must be performed.

7. Wajib 18: Silent Recitation Rules

وَالإِسْرَارُ فِي الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ وَفِيمَا بَعْدَ أُولَيَيِ الْعِشَاءَيْنِ وَنَفْلِ النَّهَارِ • Silent Recitation (Israr): Reciting silently is necessary (Wajib) in the following prayers: ◦ All rak'ahs of the Zuhr and Asr prayers. ◦ The third rak'ah of Maghrib, and the third and fourth rak'ahs of Isha. ◦ All voluntary (Nafal) prayers performed during the daytime. • The Individual Worshipper's Choice: A person performing their prayer alone (Munfarid) has the choice to recite aloud or silently in the aloud prayers (Fajr, Maghrib, Isha), similar to the choice given in night voluntary prayers.

Practice questions

Question 1

Under which condition is the Imam legally required (Wajib) to perform recitation aloud (Jahr)?

  • In the third rak'ah of Maghrib.
  • In Fajr, the first two rak'ahs of Maghrib and Isha, Friday, Eids, Tarawih, and Witr in Ramadan.
  • In all daytime voluntary prayers.
  • In Zuhr and Asr prayers.

Question 2

If a worshipper forgetfully stands up for the third rak'ah of a Fard prayer without sitting for the first sitting (al-Qa'dah al-Ula), their prayer is void and cannot be rectified.

  • True
  • False

Question 3

How much delay (Tarakh) after completing Tashahhud in the first sitting is permitted before it triggers the necessity of Sujud al-Sahw?

  • Merely taking a breath.
  • Delaying long enough to recite the blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ up to "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad".
  • Exactly five minutes.
  • No delay is ever penalized.

Question 4

Reciting the Tashahhud in the final sitting is legally classified as Fard (absolute obligation).

  • True
  • False

Question 5

What is the minimum necessary (Wajib) verbal action required to exit the state of prayer?

  • Uttering the word "As-Salam".
  • Reciting the entire Tasbih thrice.
  • Saying "Alhamdulillah".
  • Saying "As-Salamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah".

Question 6

An individual worshipper praying completely alone (Munfarid) is legally required to recite silently in Zuhr and Asr prayers.

  • True
  • False

Question 7

Match the physical and verbal acts in prostration and sittings with their correct legal classifications:

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT one of the 18 necessary acts (Wajibat) of prayer?

  • Appending a Surah in the first two rak'ahs of a Fard prayer.
  • Performing the first sitting.
  • Facing the direction of the Qiblah.
  • Reciting Tashahhud in the first sitting.

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