Some prerequisites exist regarding the offering of Prayers. These prerequisites must be fulfilled before the commencement of the Prayer, otherwise the Prayer will not be considered valid. The following are the prerequisites
1. Knowledge that the time for the Prayer has begun:
Each prayer has its own particular time at which it must be performed. Allah Says (what means): {…Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.} [Quran 4: 103] The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) has clarified when the time of each prayer starts and when it ends. So anybody who prays a given prayer before its fixed time, his prayer is invalid.
2. Purity from Major and Minor impurities:
A minor impurity is one that may be removed by the performance of ablution (Wudhou’). A state of minor impurity results after defecation or urination. A major impurity requires the performance of Ghusl or ritual bathing. A state of major impurity results after sexual intercourse or sexual discharge for both men and women. Menstruation and postpartum bleeding are considered forms of major impurities. In those cases, after such conditions come to an end, women are required to make Ghusl before praying.
Allah Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of Janaabah (major impurity), then purify yourselves…} [Quran 5: 6]
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Allah does not accept any prayer that was not performed while in a state of purity, nor does He accept charity from what has been stolen from booty." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
3. Purity of the body, clothes and place:
Such objects should be clean of physical impurities as much as possible. If one can not remove them, he may pray with the impurities present and does not have to repeat the prayer later. Concerning bodily purity, it was related that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Stay clean of urine, as the majority of punishment in the grave is due to it." [Ad-Daraqutni]
'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “I used to have a great deal of prostatic fluid flowing, so I asked a man to ask the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) about it. He asked him and the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: ‘Make ablution and wash your genital organ.’” [Al-Bukhari]
Concerning purity of clothing, Allah Says (what means): {And your clothing purify.}[Quran 74: 4]
Jaabir Ibn Sumrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that he heard a man asking the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ): "May I pray in the same clothes that I had on during intercourse with my wife?" He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Yes, but if you see some stains on it, you must wash it." [Ahmad and Ibn Majah]
Concerning the purity of the place where one is praying, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "A Bedouin stood and urinated in the mosque. The people got up to grab him. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: 'Leave him and pour a container full of water over his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the people, not to be hard on them.’" [Al-Bukhari]
4. Covering the 'Awrah (parts of the body that should be covered)
Allah, Almighty, Says (what means): {O children of Aadam, take your adornment at every Masjid (Mosque)…}[Quran 7: 31]
The meaning of "adornment" here is the covering of the 'Awrah. The meaning of "Mosque" is "prayer." Therefore, it means "Cover your 'Awrah for every prayer." Salamah Ibn Al-Aku', may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ): "O Messenger of Allah, may I pray in a long shirt?" He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Yes, but button it, even with just a thorn." [Al-Bukhari]
5. Facing the Qiblah (the direction of Ka’abah in Makka):
All scholars agree that one must face the Qiblah during every prayer. Allah Says (what means): "…Turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haraam. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]..." [Quran 2: 144]
If one can not determine the direction of the Qiblah, he should ask one who knows. If he finds no one to ask, he should try his best to determine it. In such a case, his prayer will be valid, and he needs not repeat it even though he discovers later on that he had faced in the wrong direction. If it is made clear to him while he is praying that he is facing the wrong direction, he needs only turn in the proper direction without stopping his prayer.
The first one is performing voluntary prayers while riding (an animal, car and so on). The rider may bend his head slightly for the bowings, but he should bend a little bit lower for the prostrations. He may face in whatever direction his ride is going.
He did not, however, do this for the obligatory prayers. Ahmad and Muslim may Allah have mercy upon them recorded that he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) would pray on his mount while traveling from Makkah to Madeenah, facing away from Makkah. Upon this, Allah revealed (what means): {…Wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah...} [Quran 2: 115] Ibrahem An-Nakha'i may Allah have mercy upon him said: "They would pray on their mounts and animals in the direction in which they were facing." Ibn Hazm may Allah have mercy upon him commented: "This has been related from the companions and those of the following generation, during travel and residence."
The second case is praying while having to deal with forced conditions, illness and fear. Under such circumstances, it is allowed to pray without facing the Qiblah. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "If I order you to do something, do what you are capable of doing." Allah Says (what means): {And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding…} [Quran 2: 239]. Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, added: "Facing the Qiblah or not facing it." [Al-Bukhari]
There are two cases in which one doesn't have to face the Ka'bah. 'Amr Ibn Rabee'ah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: "I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) praying while riding and he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) faced the direction in which he was going." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In Arabic, the word ‘Athan’ is to call or to inform. Religionsly, it is a call made to inform people that the time of the prayer has begun. It is obligatory for the congregation in the mosque while for individuals praying alone at home, for example, it is a highly preferred act. It begins by proclaiming the greatness and oneness of Allah and the denial of disbelief and polytheism, testifying to the messengership of Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) and then calling to a prosperity which is everlasting, pointing to the return to Allah.
The ‘Iqamah’ is the second and final Call to Prayer and is uttered immediately before the beginning of the obligatory prayer indicating that it is actually time to perform the prayer.
The story of Athan
The ‘Athan’ was made part of ‘sharee’ah’ (Islamic jurisprudence) during the first year of the Muslims’ migration to Madeenah. Before its legislation, Muslims used to agree about fixed times for congregational prayers. Even still, they sometimes found it difficult to remember the exact timings.
One day, The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) and the Muslims discussed the matter of calling the people to prayer at the exact time. Many opinions put forwarded by the companions of Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) about the issue. Some suggested the use of a bell like the Christians, others suggested the use of a horn like the Jews, but ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, suggested sending someone to announce the prayer.
Then Allah's Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) agreed to use a bell, but he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was not happy to use it because of its similarity with the Christians.
After the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) had ordered a bell to be made so that it could be struck to gather the people to Prayer, a companion, Abdullah Ibn Zayd Ibn Abd Rabbih, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I was sleeping when I saw in my dream that a man carrying a bell in his hands, and I said: "Slave of Allah, will you sell this to me?" Then he asked what I would do with it? I replied that we would use it to call the people to Prayer. He said: "Shall I not guide you to something better than that?" I replied: "Certainly," Then he told me to say the ‘Athan’ and he told me its wordings.
When I told to Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) in the morning about the vision what I had seen, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "It is a true vision, ‘In shaa’Allah’, so get up along with Bilal, and when you have taught him what you have seen, let him use it in making the call to Prayer, for he has a stronger voice than you." So, I got up along with Bilal and began to teach it to him, and he used it in making the call to Prayer.
‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, heard this when he was in his house, and came out trailing his cloak and said: "Allah's Messenger, by Him Who has sent you with the truth, I have seen the same thing (during sleep) as has been said." To this Allah's Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) replied: ‘Praise be to Allah!’" [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]
Its Excellence and virtues
Many Prophetic narrations describe the virtues of the ‘Athan’ and the one who calls it. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “If the people knew what was in the ‘Athan’ (of virtues and rewards) and the first row (i.e. the first line in congregational prayer), and that they could not get it except by drawing lots, they would draw lots…” [Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) also said: “Your Lord, the Exalted, Says: “Look at my slave there who makes the call to Prayer and establishes the Prayer out of fear of Me. I have forgiven My slave and have allowed him to enter Paradise.” [Ahmad, Abu Dawood and An-Nasa’i]
The text of the Athan (Arabic accent)
The text of the ‘Athan’:
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar.
Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah,
Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah.
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar-rasoolullah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar-rasoolullah.
Hayya ‘ala-ssalah,
Hayya ‘ala-ssalah.
Hayya ‘alal-falah,
Hayya ‘alal-falah.
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar.
La ilaha illallah.
The meaning of the Athan
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah.
I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.
I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.
Come to the prayer, Come to the prayer.
Come to prosperity, Come to prosperity.
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
There is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah
The text of ‘Iqamah’ (Arabic accent)
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,
Ash-hadu alla ilaha illallah,
Ashhadu anna Muhammadar-rasoolullah,
Hayya ‘ala-ssalah,
Hayya ‘alal-falah,
Qad qamati-ssalah, qad qamati-ssalah
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar.
La ilaha illallah.
The meaning of the ‘Iqamah’
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.
Come to the prayer, come to prosperity.
Prayer is to begin, prayer is to begin.
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.
There is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah.
As for At-Tathweeb (Saying “Prayer is better than sleep”), it is part of the morning ‘Athan’ to say twice, ‘assalatu khayrun mina-nawm (prayer is better than sleep) after Hayya ‘alal-falah, Hayya ‘alal-falah.
The response those who hears the Athan and Iqama
It is preferred that whoever is listening to the ‘Athan’ should repeat it with the caller saying his exact words, except for the two “hayya ‘ala-ssalah, hayya ‘alal-falah” phrases, after which he should say instead “laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah” (there is no power or might save with Allah.)
Everyone who hears the call can repeat it, whether clean or unclean, in a state of post-sexual uncleanliness or menstruating and so on, as it is a remembrance (Thikr). Those who can not do so are the ones who are praying, who are relieving themselves, or are having sexual intercourse.
As for the ‘Iqamah’, it is preferred that the one who hears it repeats the words, except “qad qamati-ssalah.”
Supplications after Athan
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “Supplications (offered) in between the (two) calls for prayer (i.e. Athan and Iqamah) will never be rejected." The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, said: "O Prophet of Allah! What should we say?" He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Ask Allah the Almighty, to grant pardon (and good health) in both this life and the hereafter."
Allah's Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “Any person who, on hearing the Athan, supplicates: “Allahumma rabba haathihid-da‘watit-tammati was-salatil-qa’imati, ati Muhammadan al-waseelata wal-fadheelata wab‘ath-hu maqaman mahmudanal-lathee wa‘adtahu. (‘O Allah! Lord of this complete prayer of ours. By the blessing of it, give Muhammad ( sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention )), his eternal rights of intercession, distinction and highest class (in Paradise). And raise him to the promised rank You have promised him,’ then he will assured of my intercession on the Day of Judgement.)” [Al-Bukhari]
