First Condition of Salaah: Taahir Body
See this thread for detailed explanation on the Basics of Tahaarah: Basics of Tahaarah (purification)
Second Condition of Salaah: Taahir Clothes
What is meant by taahir clothes?
Clothes on the body of the person saying salaah, like shirt, pant, pajama, cap, coat, gown, etc., must be clean. It is a condition for the prayer that these clothes should not have more than one dirham (coin-size) of najaasat ghaleeza. Also, najaasat khafeefah should not exceed the one-fourth portion of the garment.
If najaasat ghaleeza is less than the size of one dirham on the clothes, or najaasat khafeefah covers less than one-fourth portion of the garment, prayers can be said.
It is necessary that the clothing worn by the person and which moves with his movement during the prayer should be taahir.
Third Condition of Salaah: Taahir Place
What is meant by a taahir place?
The places where the person performing prayer puts his feet, where he puts down his knees and hands and where he does sajdah must all be clean.
What if the other side of a thing on which salaah is being said is nijs?
If salaah is being said on a wooden plank, stone slab or bricks or on any other thing as hard and thick, then it does not matter if the under side of it is nijs (dirty). But if prayer is said on a thin cloth having najaasat on the other side, it will not be permissible.
For a folded cloth, prayer is allowed if the folds are not sewn together and the upper part is so thick that the najaasat or smell from the under part is not noticeable. If the folds are sewn together, as a precaution it is better not to say prayer on it.
If a cloth is spread on a ground that has najasah, the prayer is allowed if the smell or color of the najaasat underneath does not come on the upper part of the cloth.
Fourth Condition of Salaah: Satar
What is meant by satar?
Satar means the parts of the body which a Muslim must keep covered and hidden. A man must hide his body from the navel to the knees. This is fard during prayers and outside of prayers also. A woman must hide all parts of her body except her face, palms and feet. This is fard as well, though it is not necessary for a woman to hide her face during prayers. Women are not allowed to appear without veils in front of strangers, non-relatives, etc.
What is the ruling if some part of the satar is uncovered unintentionally?
If ¼ (one-quarter) of the part is uncovered and remains uncovered as long as one can say subhaana rabbiyal-‘azeem three times, then the prayer will break. If the part is covered as soon as it is uncovered, prayer will be acceptable.
What about the one who has no clothes at all?
If one has no clothes, he should hide his body by any other thing, e.g. leaves, rags, etc. And if nothing is at hand to hide the satar, then one can say Salah in such condition. But in such a case, it is better to say the prayer sitting down and do rukuu’ and sajdah only by gestures.
Fifth Condition of Salaah: Correct Time
What is meant by the condition of time for saying the prayer?
The condition is that a particular prayer should be said at the time fixed for it. If it is said before, the prayer will not be acceptable. If said after the time passes, the prayer will not be called adaa (performed on time) but will be called qadaa (missed).
How many times during the day does a Muslim have to say fard namaaz?
A Muslim is bound to observe prayers five times during the day.
Explain the timings of all prayers
1. salaatul-Fajr
About one and a half hours before the sunrise there appears a kind of whiteness at the edge of the eastern sky. This whiteness arises from the horizon towards the sky like a column. This is called subh kaadhib (false dawn). This whiteness fades after some time. Then comes another whiteness which rises from the east, spreads towards the right and left through the edge of the eastern sky and not in a column. This is called subh saadiq (true dawn). With subh saadiq, the time for Fajr begins and remains till just before the sunrise. Fajr time ends with the rise of the sun.
2. Zuhr
The time for Zuhr begins as the sun crosses the meridian or just after the noon-time. The preferred time for Zuhr passes when the shadows of objects become equal to their original size [excluding the length of the shadow at noon], or twice the object's size (according to the Hanafi madhhab).
3. ‘Asr
‘Asr time begins immediately when the time for Zuhr ends. This lasts until the sunset. But to say the ‘Asr prayer when the sun has gone down much and the sunlight has become weak and pale is makrooh. ‘Asr prayers should be observed before this happens.
4. Maghrib
The time for Maghrib prayers begins with sunset and lasts till the fading of twilight.
What is twilight?
The redness which remains in the west after sunset is called shafaq ahmar or red twilight. Whiteness takes its place as the red light fades; this is called shafaq abyad (white twilight). This also disappears and the sky darkens into one color. The time for Maghrib prayers remains till the fading of shafaq abyad.
The preferred time for Maghrib is immediately after sunset. To delay the prayer with no excuse is makrooh.
5. ‘Ishaa
The time for ‘Ishaa comes after the fading of shafaq abyad and lasts till just before subh saadiq (true dawn).
The preferred time for 'Ishaa is the first third part of the night. Then, till midnight it is mubaah and after that it is makrooh.
witr
The time of ‘Ishaa prayers is also the time for Witr but it is not allowed before the ‘Ishaa prayers. This means that the time for Witr comes after the ‘Ishaa prayers.
See also: http://www.moonsighting.com/how-we.html
At what time is it makrooh to say nafl prayers?
1. After subh-e-saadiq (true dawn) and before the two rak’aat of fard of Fajr, it is makrooh to say nafl: only two rak’aat of sunnah should be said before then.
2. After the fard of Fajr prayers until sunrise nafl are makrooh.
3. After the fard of ‘Asr until the time of the fading of the sun all nafl are makrooh.
On all these three occasions, qadaa (makeup) for fard and waajib prayers, prayers for the dead, and sajdah tilaawah are allowed.
All prayers are makrooh (including qadaa, wajib etc):
1. from the time the sun rises until it is a spear-length high
2. exactly at midday, and
3. from the time the sun begins fading until it sets. But if ‘Asr prayers of that day have not been said by then, it is allowed to say them even if the sun has faded or is setting down.
Fading of the sun means when the sun’s glow becomes red and one can fix one’s eyes upon it without difficulty.
Sunnah and nafl prayers are makrooh at the time of the khutbah.
Sixth Condition of Salaah: Facing the Qiblah
What is the Qiblah of the Muslims?
The Muslims’ Qiblah is the Ka’bah, situated in Masjid-al-Haraam in the city of Makkah, Arabia. The Ka’bah is also called Ka’batullaah (the Ka’bah of Allah), Baytullaah (the House of Allah) or Baitul-haraam (the Sacred House).
Seventh Condition of Salaah: Niyyah
What is niyyah?
Niyyah is to consciously intend something in the heart.
What should be the will in niyyah for the prayer?
It is necessary to name the Salah which one wants to say. For example, if one wants to say Fajr Fard prayers, he should intend that he is performing Fajr Fard prayers of today, (or if he is saying qadaa prayers of some previous day, his intention will be that he is saying qadaa fajr fard prayers of such and such day.) If one is saying prayers behind an imaam, it is necessary to intend that he is saying prayers behind the imaam. Most important thing is that one should have a clear idea of what he or she is doing.
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