The Official Website of the Office of His Eminence Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Al-Sistani

Books » Islamic Laws

INTENTION (NIYYAH) → ← THE CALL TO PRAYER (ADHĀN) AND THE CALL TO STAND FOR PRAYER (IQĀMAH)

OBLIGATORY COMPONENTS OF THE PRAYER

There are eleven obligatory components of the prayer:

1.
intention (niyyah);

2.
standing (qiyām);

3.
takbīrat al‑iḥrām, i.e. saying ‘allāhu akbar’ at the beginning of the prayer;

4.
bowing (rukūʿ);

5.
prostrating (sujūd);

6.
recitation (qirāʾah);

7.
declaring in rukūʿ and sujūd that Allah is free from imperfections (dhikr);

8.
testifying (tashahhud);

9.
salutation (salām);

10.
sequence (tartīb);

11.
close succession (muwālāh).

Ruling 928. Some of the obligatory components of the prayer are elemental (rukn), i.e. if one does not perform them – whether intentionally or mistakenly – the prayer is invalid. Some other obligatory components are not elemental, i.e. if they are omitted mistakenly, the prayer is not invalid. There are five rukns of the prayer:

1.
intention;

2.
takbīrat al‑iḥrām while standing;

3.
standing that is joined to rukūʿ, i.e. standing before rukūʿ;

4.
rukūʿ;

5.
two sajdahs in one rakʿah.

If a rukn is intentionally performed more than the prescribed number of times, the prayer is invalid. If it is done mistakenly, and if the additional act is a rukūʿ or two sajdahs in one rakʿah, then based on obligatory precaution, the prayer is invalid; otherwise [i.e. if the additional act is not a rukūʿ or two sajdahs in one rakʿah], it is not invalid.
INTENTION (NIYYAH) → ← THE CALL TO PRAYER (ADHĀN) AND THE CALL TO STAND FOR PRAYER (IQĀMAH)
العربية فارسی اردو English Azərbaycan Türkçe Français