Indexed OCR Text

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in which the sun rises. After a little while, whiteness can be noticed on the
breadth of the horizon. This whiteness begins to spread very rapidly. After
a little while, it becomes completely bright. From the time that this broad
whiteness becomes visible, the time of fajr salaat commences and remains
until the rising of the sun. The moment a small portion of the sun appears,
the time of fajr salaat ends. However, it is preferable to read it in its early
time when it is still dark.61
2. Zuhr (mid-day) Salaat.
On the declining or descending of the zenith, the time of zuhr salaat com-
mences. An indication that the zenith is declining is that the shadow of long
objects begins to decrease from the west towards the north. When it comes
exactly to the north and begins to turn towards the east, then one should
know that noon has declined. By standing towards the east, the direction on
ones left hand is the north. Another easier method of deduction is that as
the sun rises, the shadow of everything begins to decrease. Once this
decreasing stops, exactly at this time is mid-day or noon. Thereafter, once
the shadow begins to increase, it should be understood that noon has
declined and from this time, the time of zuhr salaat has commenced.
Excluding the extent to which the shadow was at exactly mid-day, till the
shadow of everything remains twice its size, the time of zuhr will remain.
For example, the shadow of a stick which is one arm in length, was equal to
four fingers at mid-day. So as long as its shadow does not spread to two
arm-lengths and four fingers, zuhr time will remain. Once it reaches two
arm-lengths and four fingers, asr time will commence.
3. Asr (afternoon) Salaat.
Based on the previous example, once the shadow reaches two arm-lengths
and four fingers, asr time will commence. Asr time will remain until sunset.
However, it is makruh to offer asr salaat when the colour of the sun
changes and the sun's rays change to yellow. If due to some reason one gets
delayed, salaat in this makruh time should be offered and not allowed to be
missed out. In future it should not be delayed. Apart from this asr salaat, it
(! This ruling is for women. As for men. the ruling is that they should offer their fajr salaat
when it is slightly bright and not when it is very dark.

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is not permissible to offer any other salaat in this time. No missed salaats
nor any nafl salaat can be offered.
4. Maghrib (evening) Salaat.
Once the sun sets, maghrib time commences. Maghrib time remains as long
as the redness on the western horizon remains. However, maghrib salaat
should not be delayed to the extent that many stars begin to appear in the
sky. To delay it till such a time is makruh.
5. Esha (night) Salaat.
Once the redness on the western horizon disappears, esha time commences
and remains until dawn. However, after mid-night, esha salaat becomes
makruh and the reward is reduced. Therefore, esha salaat should not be
delayed till such a time. It is preferable that esha salaat be offered before
one third of the night passes.
Rules Related to the Times of
1. In summer, one should not hasten towards reading zuhr salaat. It is
mustahab to offer zuhr salaat after the intense heat rays elapse. In winter, it
is preferable to offer zuhr salaat at the beginning of zuhr time.
2. Asr salaat should be delayed till such a time that if after the entry of asr
time one wishes to offer any nafl salaat, he can do so, because it is not
permissible to offer any nafl salaat after having offered asr salaat irrespec-
tive of whether it is in summer or in winter. However, one should not delay
to such an extent that the sun turns yellow and its rays change in colour. It
is mustahab to hasten towards offering maghrib salaat and to offer it
immediately after sunset.
3. The person who is in the habit of waking up for tahajjud salaat in the
latter part of the night and has full confidence of definitely waking up; then
it is better for him to offer his witr salaat after having offered his tahajjud
salaat. But if he is not confident of waking up and fears that he will remain
asleep; then he should offer his witr salaat after his esha salaat before going
to sleep.

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4. It is preferable to delay the fajr, zuhr and maghrib salaats on a cloudy
day, while it is mustahab to offer asr62 salaat a bit early.
5. No salaat is valid at the times of sunrise, mid-day and sunset. However,
if asr salaat has not been offered as yet, then it could be offered even at the
time of sunset. In these three times, even sajdah-e-tilaawat is makruh and
not permissible.
6. It is makruh to offer any nafl salaat after offering fajr salaat until sunrise.
However, the offering of any qada salaat and sajdah-e-tilaawat before the
sun rises is permissible. But once the sun rises, then as long as some light
does not appear, even qada salaat will not be permissible. Similarly, it is not
permissible to offer any nafl salaat after the asr salaat. However, qada salaat
and sajdah-e-tilaawat is permissible. But once the rays of the sun become
weak or faint, then even this is not permissible.
7. At fajr time, a person only offered his fard salaat out of fear that the sun
will rise very soon. So as long as the sun does not rise considerably and
does not get quite bright, the sunnah salaat should not be offered. Once
some light appears, sunnah salaat and any other salaat may be offered.
8. Once dawn breaks and fajr time enters, then apart from the two rakaats
sunnah and two rakaats fard of fajr salaat, it is makruh to offer any other
nafl salaat. However, it is permissible to offer any qada salaat and to make
sajdah-e-tilaawat.
9. If the sun rises while one is offering one's fajr salaat then this salaat will
not be valid. When the sun becomes a bit bright, one should make qada.
But if the sun sets while one is offering asr salaat, then this salaat will be
valid and there will be no need to make qada of it.
10. It is makruh to sleep before offering esha salaat. One should offer ones
salaat and then sleep. However, if due to some sickness or travelling, one is
very tired and tells someone to wake him up at the time of salaat and that
person promises to wake him up; then in this case it will be permissible to
sleep.
11. It is mustahab for men to offer fajr salaat at a time when the light
spreads considerably and there is so much of time left that in the salaat
itself about forty to fifty verses could be read properly; and after offering
the salaat, if for some reason one has to repeat the salaat, then in the same
6)2 As in the case of asr, it is also mustahab to offer esha salaat earlier than usual. However, this
rule of reading a bit early only applies if one is unable to find out the exact times. If one is able to
find out the times by means of a watch, then all the salaats should be offered at their usual times.

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way he could read forty to fifty verses again. It is mustahab for women to
offer fajr salaat throughout the year when it is dark. And it is mustahab for
men and women who are performing hajj to offer fajr salaat when it is dark
when they are in Muzdalifah.
12. The time for jumu'ah salaat is the same as the time for zuhr salaat. The
only difference is that it is mustahab to delay zuhr salaat in summer irre-
spective of whether it is hot or not. And it is mustahab to offer zuhr salaat
early in winter, while it is sunnah to offer jumu'ah salaat early throughout
the year. This is the opinion of all the ulama.
13. The time for the eid salaats commences when the sun rises considerably
and remains until just before mid-day. The sun rising considerably means
that the yellowness of the sun disappears and its light is so bright that one
cannot look at it. In establishing this, the jurists have said that it must rise to
the extent of one spear. It is mustahab to offer the eid salaats early.
However, the salaat of Eid ul-Fitr should be delayed slightly after the time
commences.
14. When the imam gets up from his place to perform the khutbah of jumu'-
ah, the eid salaats or for hajj, etc. then it is makruh to offer any salaat in
these times. It is also makruh to offer any salaat at the time of the khutbah
of nikah or at the time of the completion of the Quran.
15. It is also makruh to offer any salaat when the iqaamah for a fard salaat
is being called out. However, if one has not offered the sunnah of fajr salaat
and one is sure or convinced that one will get one rakaat with the
congregation, then it will not be makruh to offer the sunnah of fajr salaat.
And the one who has already commenced with any sunnah-e-mu'akkadah,
should complete it first.
16. It is makruh to offer any nafl salaat prior to the salaats of eid irrespec-
tive of whether one offers it at home or at the eid-gah. As for offering it
after the eid salaats, it will only be makruh to offer it at the eid-gah.
ADHAAN - THE CALL TO SALAAT
1. If the adhaan is being called out for any salaat, it is necessary that it be
given in the time of that salaat. If the adhaan is given before the com-
mencement of the time, it will not be valid. When the time enters, the
adhaan will have to be repeated irrespective of whether it was for fajr salaat
or any other salaat.

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2. The adhaan and the iqaamah have to be in Arabic and in exactly the same
words as conveyed to us from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. If the
adhaan is given in any other language, or in Arabic but in different words;
then this will not be valid even if, upon hearing it, people understand it as
adhaan and the purpose of adhaan is fulfilled (i.e. even if people respond to
the adhaan by coming to offer their salaat).
3. It is necessary for the mu'azzin to be a male. The adhaan of a female is
not proper. If a woman gives adhaan, it should be repeated. If salaat is
offered without it being repeated, it will be as if salaat was offered without
any adhaan.
4. It is necessary that the mu'azzin be of sound intellect. If a child who has
not reached the age of understanding, a lunatic or an intoxicated person
gives adhaan; it will not be considered.
5. The sunnah method of calling out adhaan is that the person calling out
adhaan should be pure from the major and minor impurities. He should go
to an elevated place away from the musjid, face the qiblah, insert his
forefingers into both his ears, and say the following words as loud as poss-
ible without overstraining himself: Allahu Akbar four times, Ash hadu an la
ilaaha illa Allahu twice, Ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah twice,
Hayya alas salaat twice, Hayya alal falaah twice, Allahu Akbar twice again,
and La ilaaha illa Allahu once. When saying Hayya alas salaat, he should
turn his face towards the right in such a way that his chest and feet do not
turn away from the qiblah. When saying Hayya alal falaah, he should turn
his face towards the left in such a way that his chest and feet do not turn
away from the qiblah.
In the fajr adhaan, after saying Hayya alal falaah, he should add the words
as-Salaatu khayrum minan naum two times.
The total phrases of adhaan are therefore fifteen while there are seventeen
words for the adhaan of fajr.
The words of the adhaan should not be uttered in a singing tune, nor should
they be uttered in such a way that some of the words are said loudly while
others are said softly.
After saying Allahu Akbar twice, he should wait to the extent that the
person who is listening to the adhaan can reply to it. Apart from Allahu
Akbar, even for the other words, he should wait for a similar period before
continuing with the next words.

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6. The method of iqaamah is also the same. The difference is that it is
preferable to call out the adhaan outside the musjid, while the iqaamah is
called out inside. Adhaan is called out in a loud voice while iqaamah is
called out in a comparatively softer voice. In iqaamah one does not say as-
salaatu khairun minan naum. Instead, for all the five salaats one has to say
Qad qaamatis salaat two times. When saying the iqaamah one does not
have to insert one's fore-fingers into one's ears. The reason for inserting the
fingers into the ears is to raise the voice, and this is not necessary when say-
ing the iqaamah. In the iqaamah, it is not necessary to turn right and left
when saying Hayya alas salaat and Hayya alal falaah. However, some
jurists are in favour of this.
Rules Concerning Adhaan and Iqaamah
1. For every fard-e-ayn salaat, it is sunnat-e-mu'akkadah for men to call out
adhaan once. This is irrespective of whether a person is a traveller or not,
whether he is reading in congregation or alone, or whether he is reading a
qada salaat or not. For jumu'ah salaat, the adhaan should be called out
twice.
2. If a salaat was missed for a reason in which all the people were involved,
then the adhaan for that salaat should be given aloud. If it was missed for
some specific reason, it should be given secretly in a soft voice so that
people do not come to know of any missed salaat by hearing the adhaan
aloud. The reason for this is that missing a salaat is a sign of negligence and
laziness, and to be negligent and lazy in affairs of the Deen is a sin. And it
is not good to announce or expose one's sins.
If several salaats were missed and all are being read at one time, it will be
sunnah to call out the adhaan for the first salaat only. As for the other
salaats, only the iqaamah is sunnah. However, it is mustahab to call out
adhaan for each salaat separately.
3. If a person is travelling and all his companions are present with him, then
it will be mustahab, and not sunnat-e-mu'akkadah, for him to give the
adhaan.
4. If a person offers his salaat at home, whether alone or in congregation,
then both the adhaan and the iqaamah will be mustahab for him on condi-
tion that the adhaan and iqaamah of the musjid of that area or town has

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already been called out. This is so because the adhaan and iqaamah of the
area is sufficient for all the residents of that area.
5. If a person goes to a musjid in which the adhaan, iqaamah and salaat has
already been performed,it will be makruh for him to give adhaan and
iqaamah when offering his own salaat. However, if that musjid does not
have any appointed imam or mu'azzin, it will not be makruh, but preferable.
6. A person is in a place in which all the conditions for jumu'ah salaat are
found and jumu'ah is even performed there. Despite this, he offers zuhr
salaat instead of jumu'ah salaat. It will therefore be makruh for him to call
out adhaan and iqaamah. This is irrespective of whether he offers the zuhr
salaat due to some excuse or not, or whether he offers it before the comple-
tion of the jumu'ah salaat or after its completion.
7. It is makruh for women to call out adhaan and iqaamah irrespective of
whether they are offering their salaat in congregation or individually.
8. Apart from fard-e-ayn salaat, adhaan for any other salaat is not
prescribed - irrespective of whether it is a fard-e-kifaayah salaat, such as
janaazah salaat; or a wajib salaat, such as witr salaat, the salaats of eid; or
whether it is a nafl salaat.
9. It is mustahab on the person who hears the adhaan to reply to it irre-
spective of whether he is a man or woman, in a state of purity or impurity.
Some ulama have even said that it is wajib. But the preferred opinion is that
it is mustahab.
Replying to the adhaan means that the words which the mu'azzin says
should be repeated. However, when replying to Hayya alas salaat and
Hayya alal falaah, he should say La hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil
aliyyil azeem. For As-salaato khairun minan naum he should say Sadaqta
wa bararta.
After the adhaan he should send salutations to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam and then read the following dua:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلْوَةِ الْقَائِمَةِ أَت مُحَمَّدَنِ الْوَسِيْلَةَ
وَالْفَضِيْلَةَ وَابْعَثُهُ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُوْدَ نِ الَّذِىُ وَعَدْتَّهُ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ
الْمِيْعَادَه

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10. On hearing the adhaan of jumu'ah, it is wajib to leave whatever one may
be occupied with, and go for the jumu'ah salaat in a jaame musjid. It is
haraam to occupy oneself in any transaction or any other sort of work.
11. Replying to the iqaamah is also mustahab and not wajib. In replying to
Qad qaamatis salaat, one should say Aqaamahallahu wa adaamaha.
12. In eight conditions an answer to the adhaan should not be given: (1)
while offering salaat, (2) while listening to a khutbah irrespective of
whether it is a khutbah of jumu'ah or any other khutbah, (3,4) when one is
in a state of haid or nifaas, i.e. it is not necessary to give an answer, (5)
while one is teaching or learning knowledge of the Deen, (6) while one is
having sexual intercourse, (7) while one is relieving oneself, (8) while one
is eating, i.e. it is not necessary. After having completed these occupations,
and much time has not lapsed since hearing the adhaan; one should reply to
it, otherwise one should not reply.
13. A person forgets to reply to the adhaan or intentionally does not reply to
it. On the completion of the adhaan he remembers or decides to reply to it.
If much time has not lapsed, he should reply to it, ot !. erwise he should not
reply.
14. If considerable time has passed after having called out the iqaamah and
the congregation has not stood up as yet, the iqaamah should be repeated.
But if much time has not passed, it does not have to be repeated. The
iqaamah for fajr salaat has been called out but the imaam has not offered
his sunnah salaat of fajr as yet. If he occupies himself in offering his
sunnah, then the time that he takes will not be regarded as a long time and it
will therefore not be necessary to repeat the iqaamah. However, if one
occupies oneself with something that is not a part of salaat, such as eating
and drinking, then in this case the iqaamah will have to be repeated.
15. While the mu'azzin calls out the adhaan; he dies, falls unconscious, his
voice breaks down completely or he forgets and there is no one to correct
him, or his wudu breaks and he rushes to repeat it - in all these cases it will
be sunnat-e-mu'akkadah to repeat the adhaan.
16. If a person's wudu breaks while he is calling out the adhaan or iqaamah,
it will be preferable for him to complete the adhaan or iqaamah and there-
after perform his wudu.
17. It is makruh for one mu'azzin to call out adhaan in two musjids. He
should call out adhaan in the musjid in which he offers his fard salaat.

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18. It is the right of the person who calls out the adhaan to call out the
iqaamah as well. But if after calling out the adhaan he goes away
somewhere or permits someone else to call out the iqaamah, then someone
else can call out the iqaamah.
19. It is permissible for several mu'azzins to call out adhaan at the same
time.
20. The mua'zzin should complete his iqaamah at the place where he
commenced with it.
21. Niyyah is not a condition for adhaan and iqaamah. However, one is not
rewarded without making an intention. The intention is this that he is
calling out this adhaan solely for the pleasure of Allah and for the reward of
it, and for no other reason.
The Sunnats and Mustahabs of Adhaan and
The sunnats of adhaan and iqaamah are of two types. Some are related to
the mu'azzin while others are related to the adhaan and iqaamah. We will
first mention the sunnats related to the mu'azzin, and then those that are
related to the adhaan and iqaamah.
Sunnats related to the mu'azzin
1. The mu'azzin has to be a male. The adhaan and iqaamah of a female is
makruh-e-tahrimi. If a woman calls out adhaan, it will have to be repeated,
but not the iqaamah. This is so because repetition of the iqaamah is not
stipulated as opposed to the repetition of adhaan.
2. The mu'azzin has to be of sound mind. The adhaan and iqaamah of a
lunatic, intoxicated person or immature child is makruh. Their adhaan will
have to be repeated and not their iqaamah.
3. The mu'azzin must know the necessary rules applicable to him and he
must also know the times of the different salaats. If an ignorant person63
calls out the adhaan, he will not get the same reward as that of a mu'azzin.
4. The mu'azzin must be pious and religiously-minded and he must be
aware of the condition of the people - reminding those who do not attend
63
Here, an ignorant person refers to that person who does not know the salaat times nor does
he ask anyone.

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the congregation. He must do this if he has no fear of anyone causing harm
to him.
5. The mu'azzin must have a loud voice.
Sunnats related to the adhaan and iqaamah
1. The adhaan should be called out at an elevated place outside the musjid.
The iqaamah should be called out inside the musjid. To call out the adhaan
inside the musjid is makruh-e-tanzihi. However, it is not makruh to call out
the second adhaan of jumu'ah inside the musjid in front of the pulpit
(mimbar). In fact, this is practised in all Muslim countries.
2. The adhaan has to be called out standing. If anyone calls it out while
sitting, this will be makruh and it will have to be repeated. However, if a
traveller is on his mount or a person gives adhaan for his own salaat, it will
not have to be repeated.
3. The adhaan has to be called out in a loud voice. However, if a person is
calling out adhaan for his own salaat, he has the choice to say it aloud or
softly. Even then, there is more reward in saying it aloud.
4. It is mustahab to insert the fore-fingers into the ears at the time of calling
out the adhaan.
5. The words of the adhaan should be said with a pause between them,
while the iqaamah should be said quickly. In other words, when saying the
takbeers of the adhaan, the mu'azzin should pause after every two takbeers
so that those who are listening to the adhaan can repeat the words. Apart
from the takbeers, he should pause after every sentence and thereafter
continue with the next word. If, due to some reason, he does not pause in
this way, it will be mustahab to repeat the adhaan. If the iqaamah was
called out by pausing, it is not mustahab to repeat it.
6. When calling out adhaan, it is sunnah to turn towards the right and left
when saying Hayya alas salaat and Hayya alal falaah. This is irrespective of
whether the adhaan is for a salaat or for some other reason.64 However, his
chest and feet should not turn away from the qiblah.
64
Some other reason could be that he is calling out adhaan for his own salaat or calling out
adhaan for a new-born child.

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7. Adhaan and iqaamah should be called while facing the qiblah as long as
he is not mounted on an animal. It is makruh-e-tanzihi to call out adhaan
and iqaamah while one is not facing the qiblah.
8. At the time of calling out the adhaan it is necessary for the person to be
pure from hadath-e-akbar (major impurity) and mustahab to be pure from
both the major and minor impurities. At the time of calling out the iqaamah,
it is necessary to be pure from both the impurities. If a person calls out
adhaan while in a state of hadath-e-akbar, this will be makruh-e-tahrimi and
it will be mustahab to repeat that adhaan. Similarly, if a person calls out
iqaamah while in a state of major or minor impurity, this will be makruh-e-
tahrimi but it is not mustahab to repeat the iqaamah.
9. It is sunnah to say the words of the adhaan and iqaamah in the sequence
shown to us. If a person says a latter word first, for example, he says Ash
hado anna Muhammadar Rasulullah before Ash hado an la ilaaha illa
Allahu, or he says Hayya alal falaah before Hayya alas salaat; then in such
a case, just the latter word should be repeated. In the first example, after
saying Ash hado an la ilaaha illa Allahu he should repeat Ash hado anna
Muhammadan Rasulullah. In the second example, after saying Hayya alas
salaat, he should repeat Hayya alal falaah. It is not necessary to repeat the
entire adhaan.
10. While calling out the adhaan and iqaamah, no other words should be
spoken63, even if they be a greeting or a reply to a greeting. If a person
speaks while calling out adhaan or iqaamah and he spoke considerably, he
should repeat the adhaan and not the iqaamah.
THE PREREQUISITES OF SALAAT
1. Before commencing with salaat, several things are wajib. If one does not
have wudu, then wudu should be made. If there is a need to have a bath,
then a bath should be taken. If there is any impurity on the body or clothes,
it should be purified. The place where salaat is being offered should also be
pure. Apart from the face, hands and feet, the entire body from head to toe
65 This ruling is for the mu'azzin. It is not proper for those listening to the adhaan and iqaamah
to talk, recite the Quran or occupy themselves in any other task. They should concentrate in
replying to the adhaan and iqaamah. If a person is reciting the Quran, he should stop and concen-
trate on replying to the adhaan and iqaamah.

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should be well covered6. One should face the qiblah. An intention should
be made for the salaat which one wishes to offer. The salaat should be
offered after the entry of that salaat time. All these are prerequisites or con-
ditions for salaat. If any one of these prerequisites are not found, salaat will
not be valid.
2. It is not permissible to offer salaat with a very thin, flimsy or lacy scarf.6
3. If a quarter of a woman's calf, thigh or arm gets exposed while offering
salaat68 and it remains exposed to the extent that she can read Sub'haanallah
three times; then her salaat will break and she will have to repeat it. But if
she covers that part the moment it is exposed, her salaat will still be valid.
In the same way, if a quarter of any part that is supposed to be covered
when offering salaat gets exposed, then the salaat will not be valid. For
example, if a quarter of the ear, head, hair, stomach, back, neck, bosom,
chest, etc. gets exposed; then the salaat will not be valid.69
4. If the scarf of a girl who has not reached the age of puberty as yet slips
off while offering salaat and her head gets exposed, her salaat will still be
valid.
5. If there is any impurity on the body or clothing but water cannot be
found anywhere, " then the salaat should be offered with the impurity.
6. If the entire clothing is impure, or most of it is impure,i.e. less than a
quarter of it is pure and the balance of it is impure, then in such a case one
could either offer the salaat while wearing those impure clothes or remove
those clothes and offer the salaat while naked. However, it is preferable to
offer the salaat with the impure clothes. If a quarter or more of the clothes
are pure, it will not be permissible to offer the salaat naked. It will be wajib
to offer the salaat in those impure clothes.
(6 This ruling is only for women. Men have to cover the area between their navels till the knees.
This is fard. If the rest of the body is left bare, the salaat will be valid, but it is makruh to do so
unnecessarily.
67 This will apply when it is such that the body can be seen. If a woman covers the necessary
parts of her body with thick clothing and then wears a thin scarf (over a thicker scarfe), salaat will
be valid.
68
This is when the part gets exposed when she is already in salaat and remains exposed for the
specified amount of time. However, if these parts were exposed even before commencing with her
salaat, she will have to cover them before commencing with her salaat. She cannot even
commence with her salaat if they are exposed.
(9 This rule applies to women.
70
The person will first have to search for water within the prescribed distance. For further
details in this regard refer to the chapter on "Salaat on a journey".

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7. If a person offering salaat is wrapped in a sheet which is so large that its
impure section does not move about with the standing and sitting
movements of the person, then there is no harm in it. Similarly, the thing
which a person offering salaat is carrying also has to be pure. This is on the
condition that it does not hold on to the person of its own accord. For
example, a person offering salaat is carrying a child and that child did not
come onto him out of its own accord, then it is a prerequisite that the child
be also pure for the validity of salaat. If that child's clothing or body is
impure to an extent which does not permit salaat, then in such a case, that
person's salaat will not be valid. But if that child sits on him or clings to
him of its own accord, then there is no harm in this because the child sat on
him of its own accord and of its own will. So this impurity on the child will
be attributed to the child and will not be connected to the person offering
salaat.
Similarly, if there is such an impurity on the person offering salaat which is
still in its actual place of formation and whose traces have not come outside
as yet, then there is no harm in this. For example, a dog comes and sits on
the person offering salaat and there is no saliva coming out of its mouth -
there is no harm in this. This is so because its saliva is inside its body, and
that is where it is formed. It is the same as that impurity which is in the
stomach of man and for which purity is not a prerequisite.
Similarly, if there is an egg whose yolk has turned into blood and it is on
the person offering salaat, there is no harm in this. This is so because its
blood is in that very place from where it was formed and its effect has not
come out as yet.
On the contrary, if urine has been filled in a bottle and it is on the person
offering salaat, then this is not proper even if the bottle is completely
sealed. This is so because this urine is not in its actual place of formation.
8. The place on which salaat is being offered has to be pure of all impurities
(such as urine, stool, semen, etc.). However, if the impurity is of an
excusable amount, there is no harm in this. The "place on which salaat is
being offered" refers to that place where the feet are placed and also those
places which touch the ground when in sajdah, i.e. wherever the knees,
hands, forehead and nose are placed.
9. If the place of only one foot is pure and the person lifts his other foot,
this will be sufficient.

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10. If a person is offering salaat on a piece of cloth, even then the same
extent as mentioned above will have to be pure. It is not necessary for the
entire piece of cloth to be pure. This is irrespective of whether the cloth is
big or small.
11. If a cloth is spread out over an impure place and salaat is offered on it,
then it is also a prerequisite that the cloth must not be so thin that whatever
is under it can be clearly seen.
12. If the clothing of a person offering salaat touches any impure place
which is dry, there is no harm in this.
13. If a person has no clothes at all, he should offer his salaat naked.
However, the salaat should be offered at such a place where no one can see
him. Furthermore, the salaat should not be offered standing, but sitting; and
he should make gestures (ishaarah) for the ruku and sajdah. But if he offers
his salaat while standing and even goes down for his ruku and sajdah, his
salaat will still be valid. However, it is preferable to offer the salaat sitting.
14. If a person is excused from wearing clothes because of some reason
which has been caused by a human being, he will have to repeat his salaat
when this excuse is no more. For example, a person is in prison and the
wardens have removed his clothes, an enemy has removed his clothes or an
enemy tells him that if you wear your clothes I will kill you - in all the
above cases he will have to repeat his salaat. But if it is not because of a
human being, he does not have to repeat his salaat. For example, if he has
no clothes at all.
15. A person has only one piece of cloth and has the choice of either
covering himself or spreading it on the floor and offering salaat on it. He
should rather cover himself with it and offer salaat on the impure place if
no clean place can be found.
16. A person is travelling and has so little water that if he had to wash off
the impurity he will not have sufficient water for wudu. And if he had to
make wudu first, he will not have sufficient water to wash off the impurity.
Such a person should utilise the water to wash off the impurity and make
tayammum for his wudu.
17. A person offered zuhr salaat. On completing his salaat, he realized that
the zuhr time had already expired and asr time had already entered. He will
not have to make qada of that salaat. The salaat which he had offered will
come under the rule of gada and it will be considered to be a qada salaat.

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18. But if he offered a salaat even before the entry of its time, it will not be
valid71.
19. It is not necessary to make a verbal intention. If a person thinks in his
heart that I am reading the fard of zuhr for today, or if it is a sunnah, then I
am reading the sunnah of zuhr; then this will be sufficient. All those
lengthy intentions which are popular among the people are not necessary at
all.
20. If one wants to make a verbal intention, it is sufficient to say thus: I am
making intention for todays fard of zuhr, or, I am making intention for the
sunnah of zuhr. To say: I am reading four rakaats for zuhr salaat, facing the
qiblah, etc. is not necessary. If one wishes, he could say so, if not, then he
does not have to.
21. In his heart a person has the intention of zuhr salaat, but when he utters
his intention, he mistakenly says asr salaat. Even then his salaat will be
valid.
22. If he mistakenly says six rakaats or three rakaats instead of four rakaats,
his salaat will still be valid.
23. If a person has missed several salaats and decides to make qada of
them, he should specify the time of the salaat when making his intention.
That is, he should make intention in this way: I am offering the fard of fajr
salaat. If it is the gada of zuhr, then he should say: I am offering the fard of
zuhr salaat. In the same way, he should make the intention of whichever
salaat he wishes to make qada of. If in his intention he merely said: I am
offering qada salaat, and did not specify which salaat it is, then this qada
will not be valid. It will have to be repeated.
24. If salaat of several days has been missed, one should also specify the
day and date when making the intention. For example, a person missed the
salaats of Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. When making his inte-
ntion it will not be proper for him to merely say that he is making qada of
fajr salaat. Instead he will have to make intention in the following way: I
am making qada for the fajr salaat of Saturday. When zuhr time comes, he
must say: I am making qada for the zuhr salaat of Saturday. In this way he
should continue making intention. Once he completes making the qada of
all the salaats of Saturday, he should say: I am making the qada for the fajr
71
Salaat offered before the entry of its time is not considered under any circumstance - whether
it was offered intentionally or unintentionally.

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salaat of Sunday. In this way he should offer all his qada salaats. If he is
making qada for several months or years, he should also specify the month
and year and say: I am offering the qada of fajr salaat of a particular day in
a particular month and in a particular year. Without saying it in this way,
the intention will not be correct.72
25. If a person does not remember the date, month or year, he should make
his intention as follows: Of all the fajr salaats that I have to make qada of, I
am making qada of the first one that I had missed, or, of all the zuhr salaats
that I have to make qada of, I am making qada of the first one that I had
missed. He should make his intention in this way and continue offering his
qada salaat. Once the heart is satisfied that qada of all the missed salaats has
been made, he can stop offering qada salaat.
26. For sunnah, nafl and taraweeh salaats; it will be sufficient to merely
say: I am offering salaat. It will be proper even if he does not mention
whether it is a sunnah or nafl salaat. However, caution demands that he
makes a specific intention for the sunnah of taraweeh salaat.
27. It is a prerequisite for the muqtadi to make the intention of following
the imam.
28. As for the imam, he has to make intention for his own salaat only and
does not have to make an intention for imaamat. But if a woman wishes to
follow him in salaat, and she is standing in line with the men, and the salaat
is not a janaazah, jumu'ah, or eid salaat, then in order for her iqtidaa to be
correct, he will have to make the intention of imaamat for her. But if she is
not standing in line with the men, or the salaat is a janaazah, jumu'ah, or eid
salaat; then this will not be a prerequisite.
29. The muqtadi does not have to specify the imam by name, that he is fol-
lowing Zayd or Umar. Instead, it is sufficient for him to say that I am
offering salaat behind this imam. If he specifies the imam by name, and
later learns that he was someone else then his salaat will not be valid. For
example, a person made intention that he is offering salaat behind Zayd
when in actual fact the imam is Khalid, then this person's salaat will not be
valid.
30.The following intention should be made for the janaazah salaat: I am
offering this salaat for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala and as a dua for this
72
This is the original ruling in this regard. However, if someone offered any qada salaat
without specifying the day and date, then the ruling will be that if he can repeat the salaat, he
should do so. But if it is difficult to do so, then those qadas that he had offered will suffice.

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deceased person. But if the person does not know whether the deceased is a
male or female, it will be sufficient for him to say: For whomever my imam
is offering this salaat, I am also offering it.
According to some ulama, the correct procedure is that apart from fard and
wajib salaats, it is sufficient to make a general intention for all the other
salaats. It is not necessary to specify that it is a sunnah or mustahab salaat.
Nor is it necessary to specify that the sunnah is for fajr time or zuhr time, or
that this sunnah is tahajjud, taraweeh, kusuf or khusuf. However, the
preferred opinion is that one should make a specific intention.
RULES RELATED TO FACING THE QIBLAH
1. If a person is at a place where he does not know in which direction the
qiblah is, nor is there anyone whom he could ask, then he should think in
his heart. Whichever direction his heart tells him to face, he should turn in
that direction. If he offers his salaat without thinking, his salaat will not be
valid. However, if, in this case where he did not think, he later learns that
the direction in which he had offered his salaat was the correct direction,
then his salaat will be valid. If there was a person whom he could ask, but
because of hijaab and shyness, he did not ask and continued with his salaat,
it will not be valid. In such cases, one should not feel shy, but should ask
and then offer the salaat.
2. If there was no one who could show him the direction and he offered his
salaat according to what his heart told him, and later he learnt that the dire-
ction in which he had offered his salaat was wrong; even then his salaat will
be valid.
3. If a person was offering his salaat in the wrong direction and in his very
salaat he learns that this is the wrong direction and that the correct direction
is the other way, he should turn towards the qiblah in his very salaat. If
after learning the correct direction, he did not turn towards the qiblah, his
salaat will not be valid.
4. It is permissible for a person to offer salaat inside the Ka'bah. The person
offering salaat inside the Ka'bah has the choice to face in whichever
direction he wishes.
5. Both fard and nafl salaats are permissible in the Ka'bah.
6. If the qiblah is not known and salaat is being offered in congregation,
then the imam and those following him - all of them will have to act

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according to their conviction. If the conviction of a particular muqtadi is
contrary to that of the imam, his salaat will not be valid behind that imam.
This is so because according to him that imam is in error, and it is not
permissible to follow someone while considering him to be in error.
Therefore, in this case, the muqtadi will have to offer his salaat on his own
according to his own conviction.
THE METHOD OF OFFERING FARD SALAAT
1. After making the intention for salaat, say Allahu Akbar. While saying
Allahu Akbar, raise both the hands upto the shoulders." However, one
should not take out the hands out of the headgear or scarf (or burqah).
Thereafter, the hands should be clasped onto the chest14 with the palm of
the right hand placed on the back of the left hand. Thereafter, the follow-
ing dua should be read:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَّهَ
غَيْرُكَ ه
After reading A'udhu billah and Bismillah, she should recite Surah Faatihah
and after Wa lad daalleen, she should say aameen. After reading Bismillah,
she should recite some other Surah.
She should then say Allahu Akbar and go into ruku and read:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّىَ الْعَظِيُمِ
Translation: Glory to my Lord, the most exalted.
This should be read three, five or seven times. In ruku, the fingers of both
hands should be together and placed on the knees. The arms should be
73
Men should raise their hands upto the ear lobes.
74
Men should clasp their hands below the navel.
75
Men should grasp the left wrist with their right hand.
76
Men should grasp their knees and keep their fingers separated.

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well joined" to the sides and the ankles of both the feet should be
together. 8 She should then read:
سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَةً
Translation: Allah has heard the one who has praised Him.
While saying this, she should raise her head.
Once she stands upright, she must say Allahu Akbar and go down for
sajdah. First, the knees should touch the ground, thereafter the hands should
be placed in line with her ears and the fingers should be close together.
Then place the head in-between both the hands. In sajdah, both the forehead
and the nose should touch the ground. The fingers and toes should face the
qiblah. But the feet should not be upright. Instead, they should be taken out
towards the right hand side. She should draw herself closely together" and
press herself firmly while in sajdah. The stomach should be joined to both
the thighs, the arms to the sides, and both arms should be placed on to the
ground. In sajdah, she should read the following dua at least three times:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّىَ الْآَعْلِے
Translation: Glory to my Lord, the Highest.
She should then say Allahu Akbar and sit upright. She should say Allahu
Akbar again and go down for sajdah for a second time, and read:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِىَ الْاعْلِے
at least three times. She should then say Allahu Akbar and stand up. When
standing up, she should not place her hands on the ground for support.
77
Men should keep their arms away from their sides.
78
Men should separate their feet.
79
Men should not draw themselves. The upper torso should be away from the ground and the
stomach should not touch the thighs. The arms should also be away from the sides and above the
ground.

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She should then recite Bismillah, Surah Faatihah and another Surah and
thereafter complete her second rakaat in the same way.
On completing the second sajdah, she should sit on her left buttock and take
out both her feet" towards the right side. She should place both her hands
on her thighs and keep her fingers joined together. She should then recite
the following dua:
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّهِ وَالصَّلَوْتُ وَالطَّبَاتُ السَّلامُ عَلَيَكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ وَرَحْمَةُ
اللَّهِ وَبَرَ كَاتُهُ السَّلامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِيْنَ أَشْهَدُاَنُ لَّ إِلهَ إِلَّ
اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُأَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ اعَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
On reaching the kalimah, she should make a circle with the thumb and
middle finger of the right hand. When she says La ilaha, she should raise
her forefinger, and on saying Illallahu she should drop it. However, the
circle should be maintained till the end of the salaat.
If it is a four rakaat salaat, she should not read anything further. Instead, she
should immediately say Allahu Akbar and stand up and offer two additional
rakaats. In the latter two rakaats of the fard salaat, nothing should be recited
after Surah Faatihah. When she sits down for the fourth rakaat, she must
recite the following durood after reciting at-tahiyyaat:
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَّ أُلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلى ◌ِبُرْهِيُمَ
وَعَلَىّ الِ اِبْرِهِيُمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيدٌ﴾
اَللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَّىَ الِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكُتَ عَلى ◌ِبْرِهِيُمَ
وَعَلَّ الِ اِبْرِهِيْمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ
80 Men should keep their right foot upright and sit on their left foot.