The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No.890- A person who is not able to offer prayer in a standing posture, should sit down, but if he is able to stand and lean on a stick or against a wall, etc., or keep his feet away from each other, he should offer his prayer in a standing posture, unless it causes an extraordinary hardship for him. Also as long as a person can offer prayer in a sitting posture, even if he may have to lean against something, he should not offer his prayer in a lying posture. And if he cannot sit at all, he should lie on his right side, so that the front part of his body faces the qiblah. If he cannot lie on that side, he should lie on the left side. And if this is not possible either, he should lie on his back, with the soles of his feet facing qiblah.

Issue No.896- One should recite Surah al-Hamd in the first and second Rak’at of the daily obligatory prayers after Takbiratul Ehram, and thereafter one should recite, on the basis of obligatory precaution, a complete Surah of the Holy Qur’an, and reciting one or a few verses will not suffice. It should be noted that Surah az Zuha and Surah inshirah are treated to be one surah, and the same is the case with Surah al-Fil and Quraysh.

Issue No.897- If the time is short for the prayer, or when there is fear of a thief or a wild animal, or if one is in a hurry for an important matter, he may abandon the sūrah.

Issue No.898- It is obligatory to recite sūrah al-fātiḥa before the sūrah, and if a person recites it intentionally after the sūrah, his prayer will be void, but if he recites it after the sūrah by mistake, and he realises his mistake before going to rukū‘, he should recite al-fātiḥa and the sūrah properly again, and in case he realises it after going to rukū‘, his prayer will be correct. Similarly, if one forgets to recite either al-fātiḥa or the sūrah or both of them after reaching rukū‘, his prayer will be valid.

Issue No.899- If a person intentionally recites one of the four sūrahs which contain verses of obligatory sajdah [1] in the prayer, he should, as an obligatory precaution, perform a sajdah instantly upon reciting the verse, then he should stand up and recite al-fātiḥa and the sūrah and finish the prayer, and then repeat the whole prayer. In case it occurs unintentionally and he realises this before reaching the verse of sajdah, he should abandon that sūrah and recite another sūrah. However, if he realises this after he has recited more than half of the sūrah, he should, as an obligatory precaution, repeat the prayer, and if he realises after reciting the verse of obligatory sajdah, he should act as per the above-mentioned instruction (the case of reciting intentionally).

Issue No.900- There is no problem in reciting the sūrahs which contain verses of obligatory sajdah in recommended prayers, and one should perform an immediate sajdah upon reciting the verse, then he should stand up and continue the prayer.

Issue No.901- It is not necessary to recite a sūrah after al-fātiḥa in recommended prayers, even if those prayers may have become obligatory due to vow (nadhr). However, with respect to some special recommended prayers in which particular sūrahs are prescribed, one should act accordingly.

Issue No.903- If after al-fātiḥa, somebody begins reciting sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ or al-Kāfirūn, he cannot abandon it and recite another sūrah. However, if in Friday prayer, he recites one of these two sūrahs, he can abandon them and start reciting sūrah al-Jumu‘ah and sūrah al-Munāfiqūn, provided that he has not recited half of them.

Issue No.904- If a person recites a sūrah other than sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ or al-Kāfirūn; he can abandon that sūrah and recite another sūrah, provided that he has not recited half of it.

Issue No.910- If a person raises his voice unusually as if he is shouting while reciting al-fātiḥa and the sūrah, his prayer is void.

Issue No.912- The prayer of a person who has come short in learning the qarā'ah and the dhikrs [1] of prayer, is void, and if the time is short and he cannot learn them, the obligatory precaution is that he should offer his prayer in congregation, and if he does not have access to congregation, his prayer will be valid in the shortage of time.

Issue No.913- As an obligatory precaution, one cannot take wages for teaching the obligatory acts of prayer. However, there is no harm in taking wages for teaching recommended acts, unless they are among the Islamic sacraments, or protecting divine laws depends on teaching them.