Salah (Prayers)

Salah ("worship", ‏صلاة‎; pl. ‏صلوات‎ ṣalawāt; also salat), or namāz (Persian: نَماز‎) in some languages, is one of the Five Pillars in the faith of Islam and an obligatory religious duty for every Muslim (Male & Female, with certain exemptions based on Taqwa). It is a physical, mental, and spiritual act of worship that is observed five times every day at prescribed times.

99884

Prostration (sujud) . Salah (Prayers) . Marble

Is Sajdah in prayers acceptable when done on a marble floor?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 3 days ago

Bismihi ta'ala

If it is natural marble, and has not been laminated by plastic or anything else, then it would be permissible to do sajdah on.

And Allah knows best.

99841

Isha . Fajr . Salah (Prayers) . Dhuhr . Employment

If you are unable say your prayers from Zuhr to Isha due to work, how are you supposed to make them up? Do you have to pray all of them before Fajr or do you pray them at their own respective timing?

Bismihi ta'ala

As you know, for us Muslims, prayer takes priority over absolutely everything. We plan our lives and our daily routine around prayer. We select our form of lifestyle and work based on how we can excel in our faith and get closer to God.

Prayer, which is the most effective way to do this, must of course be done in its perfect form, and within its allocated time.

Anything that becomes an obstacle for that, we must eliminate, even if it means loss of money or changing of work opportunity.

In any job description, you are able to see if you can meet their requirements and also your religious requirements. If they do not give you any breaks, even toilet breaks, then in today's world that would be illegal and inhumane.

I am sure you are able to find a few minutes, during your break, to perform your prayers, quickly, and get back to work.

If under no circumstance are you able to take a break, or pray within the shar'i timeframe of the salat, then have trust in Allah ta'ala, who is the Razzaq, and pursue other work opportunities that would suit your Islamic values and human rights as well.

With prayers for your success.

99274

Combining Prayers . Salah (Prayers) . Du'a (Supplication)

When I combine my prayers and do Dua at the end should I combine the Dua for both combined prayers or do them individually after each prayer?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 weeks ago

It is better to do Du'a after each prayer as there are specific Du'a after Dhuhr prayer and after Assr prayer and after Maghrib prayer and after Isha prayer. You can also do Du'a after completing joined prayers if you wish.

Wassalam.

99310

Qadha . Salah (Prayers) . Nafl

If a person has Qadha prayers to make up from many years ago, is it still permissible for them to do extra Nawafil prayers?

For a person who has Qadha of obligatory prayers undone yet, Nawaafil and recommended prayers are permissible and valid provided it does not hold you or make you neglect performing your obligatory Qadha.

'Wassalam.

Qadha . Salah (Prayers) . Nafl

If a person has Qadha prayers to make up from many years ago, is it still permissible for them to do extra Nawafil prayers?

Bismihi ta'ala

Your priority is fulfilling your wajib, and then turning to nawafil. If you were to pray your qadha` prayers during the time of your nawafil, you will also be granted reward as well. So, as long as you have qadha` prayers, you should not be doing nawafil, and with a good routine for qadha' prayers you will be able to finish it in an adequate time.

And Allah knows best.

67539

Maghrib . Scotland . Salah (Prayers)

When is Maghrib time and is the additional time we add precautionary or obligatory? In Scotland, in summer, the redness in the sky disappears much after the 10 minutes added in other parts of the world. What would be correct practice?

We need to be sure that the eastern redness disappears then pray Maghrib or break our fast. It might take more than 10 minutes as it depends on the location of the place and the season.

'Wassalam.

96160

Salah (Prayers) . Sin . Divine Love

I recently started praying, but I don't really look forward to prayers. It is also difficult for me to give up certain sins. How do I become truly religious and start loving Allah, the daily prayers, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?

When you have started praying after a gap, it means that you have returned to your Creator who is showering on you every bounty that you are enjoying, whether you know it or you don’t know it. Those who pray to Allah are the faithful people who do not face the Bounty with bad action. And those who don’t pray to Allah are the people who react to the good by bad. That is why those who don’t pray to Allah will be facing very terrible punishment. In fact we find in Quran ( Sura 74, Verse42) that when some Muslim sinners will be sent to the hell fire, the people of fire will ask them : What did bring you to the hell fire. They will reply : We were not performing “Salah “Lam Na Kuminal Musalleen”. A prophetic Hadeeth says that the difference between us “Believers” and the non-believers is performing Salah. Anyone who does not believe in Salah has become non-believer. Performing Salah is not an option but it is must on every human being who respects himself and respects his intellect. When you think about your relationship with Allah, you will see that like the oxygen in your breathing is the main reason for your body to remain alive. Salah/Namaz/Prayers is the oxygen for your soul and spirit to remain real human being. While you pray Salah, always remember that you are talking to Allah directly, so keep your heart most humble and remember your sinful acts to seek forgiveness. When we pray Salah, it is recommended that we pray as if this is our last Salah in our life because we are not sure that we may be or not be alive till the next time of Salah.
We need to focus on the quality of our Salah, as it is not only standing and facing the Qibla and doing Qiyam, Ruku and Sojood, but we need to keep our heart dedicated and oriented towards Allah (S.W.T.) during Salah.
Real Salah with heart, intention, with sincerity will definitely change your life in a very big manner. The Ulama say that those who perform Salah on time with sincerity and concentration, their life will change in a great way to the best of Life. All your concerns and your question about leaving a sinful acts will be automatically solved if you focus on your Salah and try to keep your Salah with quality, with heart, with dedication, with real orientation and talk to Allah in your Salah as if you are talking to someone in front of you. Your proper and sincere and dedicated Salah will make you love Allah more, and love the Prophet and Alhlulbayt more and become a very good human being. Focus on your Salah it is the key after your proper faith . Your dedicated Salah is the key to successful life here and hereafter.
Wassalam.

98582

School . Salah (Prayers)

Is it a big problem if I do not perform my prayers at the early recommended time because I am at school?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 1 month ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. As long as you pray within the time (i.e. before the time for the prayer passes entirely) there is no problem if you don't pray at the recommended time. If it happens that you miss the time completely you must make up that prayer outside of its time.

May you always be successful

97788

Salah (Prayers) . Sunni-Shi'a . Qabd al-yadayn

Why do Sunnis fold their arms when praying? Is there any proof that we should have our hands down when praying and use a Sajdigah?

1, Folding arms while praying was never practiced nor permitted by the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). It was started by Omar Ibn al-Khattab when he saw the Zoroastrian prisoners of war who were brought from Persia to Madina folding their arms as a sign of respect. He ordered people to do that during Salah. Leading Sunni scholars like Ibn Rushd in Bidayat al-Mujtahid page 323 admitted that there is no evidence at all that the Prophet (SAWA) ever folded his hands or arms during praying.
Sunni well know scholar Malik ibn Anas who is the founder of Maliki Sunni sect refused this practice of folding hands while praying.

'Many well known Sahaba (Companions) refused folding hands like Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ood, and above all and most importantly Imam Ali (AS) who was ordering Muslims to do this practice which is from non Muslims.

2.Sajdagah: We follow the real Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) who never prostrated during prayers on carpet or textile and used to put his forehead on the earth. He said: The earth was made for me as place for prostration and purification. جُعِلت لى الأرض مسجدا وطهورا

That is why we put Sajdagah to put our forehead on the clay of the earth like the practice of the Prophet (SAWA).

Wassalam.

78711

Woman . Car . Travel . Salah (Prayers)

If a woman is traveling with her family and it is time for the obligatory prayer and they stop at a gas station or similar, should the woman pray outside on the side of the road behind the car or is it better if she prays while sitting in the car?

She must pray in standing position where ever she can and not in sitting position when she is able to stand. If she prays in sitting position while she is able to stand, her prayer will be invalid.

'Wassalam.

79272

Salah (Prayers) . Mobile application . Prostration (sujud)

Is it allowed for someone who has difficulty with concentrating in prayers to use a mobile app that can count the number of Rakah and Sajdah by placing it near the Sajdagah?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. There is no problem in doing that.

May you always be successful

97484

Shirk . Intention . Salah (Prayers) . Repentance (Tawbah)

While I was praying I realized that there was a picture before me depicting people. I immediately placed it elsewhere and repented to Allah. Did I commit Shirk for unintentionally bowing to the picture even though my intention was to bow only to Allah?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 month ago

Insofar as you are not intentionally worshipping or praying to the picture or the people and just had it there by accident, it is not shirk. However it is better not to pray in front of the picture (and you fixed that anyway so that is not a problem). Accidents happen!