The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No.990- In the last rak‘at of all prayers, after reciting tashahhud, it is obligatory to recite salām, and salām has three formulas: 1- اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيْکَ اَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَکاتُهُ, 2- اَلسَّلامُ عَلَيْنا وَ عَلي عِبادِ اللهِ الصالِحينَ, 3- اَلسلامُ عَلَيْکُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَکاتُهُ. The obligatory salām is the third one, and if one recites specifically this one, it would be sufficient. However, it is not sufficient if only the second one is recited, as an obligatory precaution. The first salām is recommended.

Issue No.992- A person who is offering prayer should observe the sequence of the acts of prayer as was explained in the previous issues, and if he intentionally changes the sequence of the prayer, for example, if he performs the two sajdahs before rukū‘, or if he recites tashahhud before performing the two sajdahs, his prayer would become void. And if it happens by mistake, he should, if he has not yet entered the succeeding foundational element (rukn), return and perform it in correct sequence, but in case he has entered the succeeding foundational element the prayer is correct. However, if a person forgets a foundational element of the prayer and performs the succeeding foundational element, the prayer is void; likewise if one forgets to perform rukū‘ and recalls when he enters into the second sajdah.

Issue No.993- One should observe muwālāt during prayer, meaning, he should not leave a lengthy break between the acts of prayer, such as rukū‘ and sajdah, which disturb the form of prayer. Therefore, if one does so intentionally or unintentionally, the prayer will be void.

Issue No.841- It is mustaḥab to recite adhān and iqāmah before offering daily prayers, and it would be better not to abandon them, especially the iqāmah. However, they are not prescribed for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and other obligatory prayers and rather, the word “الصلاه” [1] should be recited three times with the intention of performing a desirable act for Allah (swt). It is also mustaḥab to recite the adhān [with the intention of achieving rewards and in order to seek the blessings of Allah for the child] in the right ear of a child and iqāmah in its left on the day it is born or before the umbilical cord is cut off.

Issue No.844- The adhān recitation is not to be said in the five following cases and should not be recited, as an obligatory precaution:1- Adhān of ‘aṣr prayer on Friday if it is offered together with the Friday prayer.2- Adhān of ‘aṣr prayer on the day of ‘Arafah which is the ninth of DhulHijjah, if it is performed together with ẓuhr prayer.3- Adhān of ‘ishā’ prayer on the night of Eid al-Adha for a person who is in Mash‘ar al-Ḥarām when it is offered together with maghrib prayer. 4- Adhān of ‘aṣr and ‘ishā’ prayers of a mustaḥāḍah woman who has to offer them immediately after ẓuhr and maghrib prayers, respectively. 5- Adhān of ‘aṣr and ‘ishā’ prayers of a person who cannot control his urine or faeces.In general, in any prayer offered together with another, [the recitation of the] adhān for the latter prayer is not necessary, and the gap in between the two prayers for nawāfil or supplications does not harm the rule. However, if they are offered separately in their meritorious times, then adhān and iqāmah are recommended for both of them.

Issue No.823- It is haram to make a mosque najis, whether it is the floor, ceiling, roof, or the internal sides of the walls. As an obligatory precaution the external side of the mosque's wall should also not be made najis, unless the endower of the mosque has not considered it as part of the mosque.

Issue No.824- If a mosque becomes najis, it is an interchangeable obligation on all to remove the najāsah and make the mosque ṭāhir. It means that if one or a few people undertake the responsibility of making it ṭāhir, others will no longer be under any obligation, otherwise all have sinned and there is no difference in this regard between one who has made the mosque najis and others who have not.

Issue No.836- It is mustaḥab to clean the mosque, to illuminate it, and to try to supply its needs, and it is also mustaḥab for a person going to the mosque to apply perfume and wear neat clothes and verify that the soles of his shoes do not contain any pollution, and entering the mosque putting the right foot in first, and leaving the mosque, putting the left foot out first. Similarly, it is mustaḥab that one enters the mosque earlier than others and exits after they have departed.

Issue No.838- Some acts are disliked with regards to mosques, such as sleeping, talking about worldly matters, reciting poetry which does not contain advice or the like, to spit or throw phlegm or mucus inside the mosque, shouting, raising one's voice; generally, whatever is in contrast with the status of the mosque.

Issue No.792- The place where one can offer his prayer should bear the following conditions: First: being permissibleThe place on which a person offers his prayer should, as an obligatory precaution, be permissible. Therefore, if a person is offering prayer on a usurped property, a usurped carpet or bench, his prayer is void as an obligatory precaution. Similarly the prayer on a property which its benefits belong to someone else (like a rented house) without the beneficiary's consent, is void as an obligatory precaution. And the same rule applies when somebody's right is included in some property. For instance if a person made a will before his death that one-third of his property should be used in a particular manner, prayer cannot be offered in that property if the will has not been executed.

Issue No.811- Women should stand behind men while performing prayer, and their place of sajdah should be a little behind men, otherwise, the prayer will be void whether they are maḥram or non-maḥram. However, if there is a wall or curtain, etc., between men and women, or, if the distance between them is ten cubits (about 5 metres), then there would be no problem in the prayer. In addition, it is not necessary to observe this rule in crowded places which it is hard to observe.

Issue No.813- The place where a person places his forehead while in sajdah should not be higher than the place where he stands, so that his sajdah does not lose its form. As an obligatory precaution, the place should not be higher or lower than the breadth of four joined fingers.