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الطهارة والصلاة

Prayer and purity

01 What breaks wudu? The things that break wudu are whatever exits the two private parts, loss of reason (including deep sleep), and — in… 4 sourcesRead 02 How do I perform ghusl? Ghusl is performed by intending it in the heart, then washing the whole body with water — and the complete, most… 6 sourcesRead 03 How do I pray witr? Witr is a confirmed sunnah, not an obligation like the five daily prayers, and it is the prayer that closes your night… 3 sourcesRead 04 How do I pray tahajjud? Tahajjud is the voluntary night prayer offered after sleep, and it is prayed two rak'ahs at a time, sealed with a… 2 sourcesRead 05 How do I pray istikhara? Istikhara is a confirmed sunnah: when you are faced with a decision and are unsure which way is right, you pray two… 5 sourcesRead 06 Can I combine and shorten prayers when travelling? Yes — both are permitted for a traveller, and shortening (qasr) is the better of the two. The concession begins once… 6 sourcesRead 07 How do I make up prayers I have missed? Making up missed prayers is obligatory, and it is one of the most important duties a Muslim carries. You pray the… 5 sourcesRead 08 Is wudu valid with nail polish on? Wudu is not valid while nail polish that has a physical substance (jirm) is on the nails, because it blocks water from… 3 sourcesRead 09 Can a woman pray or fast during her period? A woman who is menstruating does not pray and does not fast while the blood is with her. This is not a concession she… 4 sourcesRead 10 How do I perform wudu? Wudu is the ablution that must precede prayer, and it has two forms: a minimum valid form that fulfils the obligation… 2 sourcesRead 11 How do I pray, step by step? Prayer begins with a valid intention and the words "Allahu akbar" — the opening takbir — and ends with the two salams.… 1 sourcesRead 12 How do I perform tayammum? Tayammum is a single strike of the hands on clean earth, then wiping the face and the hands — and it is a valid… 3 sourcesRead 13 What do I do if I make a mistake in my prayer? When you make a mistake in prayer, the remedy the Prophet ﷺ taught is the two prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud… 3 sourcesRead 14 How is the funeral prayer prayed? The funeral prayer is four takbirs prayed standing, with no bowing or prostration — the first takbir followed by… 6 sourcesRead 15 How many rak'ahs is taraweeh? Taraweeh has no fixed number the scholars bind you to. The best-attested practice of the Prophet ﷺ is eleven or… 5 sourcesRead 16 How many rakahs are in each of the five daily prayers? The five daily prayers contain seventeen rak'ahs in total: Fajr two, Dhuhr four, Asr four, Maghrib three, and Isha… 1 sourcesRead 17 When does the time for each of the five prayers begin and end? The five prayers each have a fixed window, and entering the time is a condition for the prayer being obligatory and… 2 sourcesRead 18 How is the Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer performed, and who has to attend it? Friday prayer is two rak'ahs with a sermon before them, and it is an individual obligation on every Muslim man who is… 6 sourcesRead 19 How is the Eid prayer performed? The Eid prayer is two rak'ahs performed before the khutbah, with extra takbirs in each rak'ah: six after the opening… 3 sourcesRead 20 What are the sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers? The confirmed sunnah prayers attached to the five obligatory prayers are twelve rak'ahs in the day and night — the… 3 sourcesRead 21 How do I pray Salat al-Duha, and when is its time? Salat al-Duha is a confirmed sunnah, and its time runs from the moment the sun has risen about a spear's length until… 6 sourcesRead 22 How far do I have to travel before I can shorten my prayers? The distance that permits shortening is about eighty kilometres, and the scholars describe it as a day and a night's… 3 sourcesRead 23 Is praying in congregation obligatory for men? Congregational prayer is obligatory for men — a binding individual duty (fard 'ayn) for each of the five prescribed… 3 sourcesRead 24 Can women pray in the mosque? Yes — women may pray in the mosque, and a husband may not forbid it. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not prevent the female… 6 sourcesRead 25 What should I do if I sleep through Fajr? If you sleep through Fajr, pray it as soon as you wake — the prayer is not lost, and no expiation is required beyond… 3 sourcesRead 26 When am I allowed to pray sitting down? Standing is a pillar of the obligatory prayer, so you pray sitting only when standing is beyond you or causes you… 6 sourcesRead 27 How do I pray on a plane? The short answer is that you pray on a plane according to what you are able to do — standing, bowing and prostrating if… 5 sourcesRead 28 Can I wipe over my socks instead of washing my feet in wudu? Yes — wiping over socks in wudu is permitted, and it is a rukhsah (a concession granted for ease) established by the… 5 sourcesRead 29 Does ghusl count as wudu, or do I need to make wudu after it? Yes — a ghusl for janabah counts as wudu, and you do not need to repeat wudu afterwards. This is the position of Shaykh… 3 sourcesRead 30 What makes ghusl obligatory? Ghusl becomes obligatory through a small, fixed set of causes the scholars call al-hadath al-akbar (the major… 4 sourcesRead 31 Does madhy (pre-ejaculatory fluid) require ghusl or only wudu? Madhy (pre-ejaculatory fluid) does not require ghusl; it requires wudu, after washing the private part. This is the… 3 sourcesRead 32 How does a woman with irregular bleeding (istihadah) pray? A woman with istihadah (continuous bleeding outside the normal days of menstruation) prays, fasts and is treated as… 3 sourcesRead 33 How long is nifas (postnatal bleeding), and when does a woman start praying again? The maximum length of nifas is forty days according to most scholars, and the moment the bleeding stops and she sees… 6 sourcesRead 34 What is a sutrah, and do I have to pray behind one? A sutrah is an object a praying person places in front of himself — a wall, a pillar, a chair, a stick, anything… 3 sourcesRead 35 Is it a sin to walk in front of someone who is praying? Yes — walking in front of someone who is praying is a sin, and the scholars describe it as a serious one. The Prophet ﷺ… 6 sourcesRead 36 What if I prayed facing the wrong qibla direction? If you prayed facing the wrong direction, the ruling turns on one thing: whether you made a genuine effort to find the… 3 sourcesRead 37 What must men and women cover during prayer? The 'awrah — the part of the body that must be covered — is different for men and women, and covering it is a condition… 2 sourcesRead 38 Is it allowed to pray wearing shoes? Praying in shoes is permitted, and in fact a sunnah — the Prophet ﷺ prayed in his sandals and instructed his Companions… 2 sourcesRead 39 Should I pray two rakahs when I enter the mosque? Yes — the two rak'ahs on entering the mosque are a confirmed sunnah, and the scholars describe them as one of the most… 4 sourcesRead 40 Do I recite al-Fatiha when I pray behind an imam? Yes — the follower recites al-Fatiha behind the imam, in both the silent and the loud prayers, and this is the position… 3 sourcesRead 41 If I join the congregation late, how do I complete my prayer? If you arrive after the imam has already begun, join the congregation as you find it — even if he is in the final… 5 sourcesRead 42 Where in the prayer do I raise my hands? You raise your hands in four places: at the opening takbir, when going into ruku, when rising from ruku, and when… 5 sourcesRead 43 What do I say in the tashahhud? The tashahhud is the sitting in which you recite the greetings, the two testimonies of faith, and — in the final… 6 sourcesRead 44 Can I make du'a in my own language while in sujood? Yes — you may supplicate in your own language while in sujood. The scholars who addressed this question directly hold… 3 sourcesRead 45 What is the ruling on a Muslim who does not pray? The scholars are agreed that a Muslim who abandons the prayer while denying it is obligatory has left Islam. Where he… 3 sourcesRead 46 How is the eclipse prayer (salat al-kusuf) performed? The eclipse prayer is two units, each containing two standings, two recitations, two bowings and two prostrations … 5 sourcesRead 47 How is the prayer for rain (salat al-istisqa) performed? Salat al-istisqa is a confirmed sunnah performed as a two-rak'ah congregational prayer, modelled on the Eid prayer… 1 sourcesRead 48 What if drops of urine come out after I make wudu? If you are certain the drops came out after your wudu, the wudu is broken: wash off whatever the urine touched, do… 3 sourcesRead 49 What if I find impurity on my clothes after I have prayed? If you find impurity on your clothes after you have already prayed, your prayer is valid and you do not have to repeat… 6 sourcesRead 50 Does sleeping break wudu? Sleeping does break wudu — but only the kind of sleep in which awareness leaves you. Light drowsiness does not break… 3 sourcesRead

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