Its pillars are twelve:278 1. Standing if capable
أَرْكَانُهَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ. (1) الْقِيَامُ مع القُدْرَةِ
The Book of Prayer
Chapter on the Pillars and Mandatory Actions of the Prayer
بَابُ أَرْكَانِ الصَّلاَة وَوَاجِبَاتِهَا
Pillars and Mandatory Actions of the Prayer
[Pillars]
2. The opening takbeer 279
(2)وَتَكْبِيْرَةُ الإِحْرَامِ
278 The main – but not only – hadith used by the scholars to derive the pillars is what was narrated regarding ‘the one whose prayer was improper’:
A man entered the mosque and prayed. The Messenger of Allah (SA) was sitting in a corner of the mosque, and the man came and greeted him with salâm. The Prophet (SA) answered, “And also upon you. Go back and pray, because you have not prayed.” He went back and prayed, and then he came and greeted the Prophet (SA) with salâm. The Prophet (SA) answered, “And also upon you. Go back and pray, for you have not prayed yet.” When this happened for the third time, the man said, “Teach me, O Messenger of Allah.” He said:
“When you stand up to pray, say Allâhu akbar, and then recite whatever you can of the Qur’an. Bow with tranquility (fully, without haste) in bowing, and then stand up until you are standing straight. Prostrate with tranquility in prostration, and then sit up with tranquility in sitting. Do that throughout all your prayer.” (Ag – from Abu Hurayrah)
إذا قُمْتَ إلى الصَّلَاةِ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ ما تَيَسَّرَ مَعَكَ من الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حتى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حتى تَعْتَدِلَ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حتى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حتى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا ثُمَّ افْعَلْ ذلك في صَلَاتِكَ كُلِّهَا
279 As for One Who Does Not Speak Arabic Saying Allâhu akbar (Allah is the Greatest) is called the opening takbeer. (A) + (+M, +S): A non-Arab who can speak Arabic should not recite the takbeer in any other language. The evidence for this is that the texts teach this particular wording, which is in Arabic, and that the Prophet (SA) did not do it any other way.
3. Recitation of Soorat al-Fâtiḥah 280
(3-) وَقِرَاءَةُ الْفَاتِحَةِ.
(A) + (+S): If someone cannot speak Arabic and is unable to pronounce it, it is permissible to say the takbeer in one’s own language after it has been translated from Arabic. This applies to all the takbeers, but the other takbeers are not among the pillars. (M): The takbeer may not be done in any other language. If someone absolutely cannot say it in Arabic, it is not mandatory for him to make takbeer. (H): Saying the takbeer in a different language is allowed, even for one who is able to say it in Arabic. Making concessions for one who is new is consistent with the objectives of Sharia, but having the essential parts of the prayer recited in one language is a means of uniting us as Muslims. Wherever we go, we can walk into any masjid and perform the prayer with the congregation, regardless of our language or national background. That unity is an Islamic duty and an Islamic beauty.
280 As for One Who Does Not Speak Arabic (A/SM): One must learn al-Fâtiḥah in Arabic. If they cannot learn it before the time for the prayer ends, they may recite a part of the Qur’an of equal length. If they cannot, they may repeat one verse of al-Fâtiḥah a number of times that is equal to the length of al-Fâtiḥah. If they cannot, they may say Subḥân Allâhi wal-ḥamdulillâh wa lâ ilâha illâ Allâh wa Allâhu akbar a number of times that is equal to the length of al-Fâtiḥah. If they cannot do that, they stay silent, standing, for as long as it would take to recite al-Fâtiḥah. Al-Fâtiḥah must be said in Arabic, and there is no controversy currently regarding this. The recitation of the Qur’an may not be in any language other than Arabic. There is plenty of evidence for this, including this verse:
{Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an…} (Yoosuf 12: 2)
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا
The Qur’an is a miracle in its wording and its meaning. When it is translated, this is no longer the case; it is no longer the Qur’an but an interpretation of it. In the following version of the hadith about ‘the one whose prayer was improper’, our most beloved, the final Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (SA), tells us what to do until we learn al-Fâtiḥah:
“When you get up to pray, if you know some Qur’an, recite it; otherwise, praise Allah (say alḥamdulillâh), glorify Him (say Allâhu akbar), and say Lâ ilâha illâ Allâh.” (T – from Rifâ‘ah ibn Râfi‘. T:R)
َإِنْ كان مَعَكَ قُرْآنٌ فَاقْرَأْ بِهِ وَإِلَّا فَاحْمَدْ اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرْهُ وَهَلِّلْهُ
In another incident, a man came to the Prophet (SA) and said, “I cannot learn anything of the Qur’an. Teach me something that will suffice me.” The Prophet (SA) said:
“Say Subḥân Allâhi, al-ḥamdulillâh, lâ ilâha illâ Allâh, Allâhu akbar, and lâ ḥawla wa lâ quwwata illâ billâh.” (Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah, there is none worthy of worship other than Allah, Allah is the Greatest, and there is no strength and no power except with Allah).” (Ḥib – from ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Alqamah. Ḥib:S)
ُقُلْ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ولا إِلَه إلا الله وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ولا حَوْلَ ولا قُوَّةَ إلا بِاللَّهِ
One may choose one phrase of dhikr if they cannot remember all of these. If they only know how to say Allâhu akbar, they can say it for the opening takbeer and repeat it in place of al-Fâtiḥah until they learn al-Fâtiḥah. It would also be acceptable for one to read al-Fâtiḥah from a paper – preferably without holding it.
Other Phrases of Dhikr
4. Bowing 5. Rising from it
(4-) والرُّكُوْعُ. (5-) وَالرَّفْعُ مِنْهُ
6. Prostration 7. Sitting after it
(6-) وَالسُّجُوْدُ. (7-) وَالْجُلُوْسُ عَنْهُ
8. Tranquility in all of these pillars 281 9. The last tashahhud 10. Sitting during it
(8-) وَالطُّمَأْنِيْنَةُ فِيْ هَذِهِ الأَرْكَانِ. (9-) وَالتَّشَهُّدُ الأَخِيْرُ. (10-) وَالْجُلُوْسُ لَهُ
Without these pillars, the prayer will not be fulfilled.
فَهَذِهِ الأَرْكَانُ لاَ تَتِمُّ الصَّلاَةُ إِلاَّ بِهَا
[Mandatory Acts]
Its mandatory actions are seven: 284
وَوَاجِبَاتُهَا سَبْعَةٌ:
(A/SM): One must learn how to say: Sami‘ Allâhu liman ḥamidah, Rabbanâ laka alḥamd, Rabbighfir-li, the takbeer, and the tashahhud in Arabic. If they cannot, these may be translated for them. Supplications that are not mandatory may not be translated. See the discussion about this in the previous chapter.
281 The Prophet (SA) said to ‘the one whose prayer was improper’: "Then bow with tranquility (fully, without haste)…" and repeated the command ‘to be at ease’ with the rest of the pillars. (Ag – from Abu Hurayrah)
282 (A/SM): Both tasleems are pillars.
283 The Prophet (SA) said:
“Pray as you saw me praying.” (B – from Mâlik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith)
صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأيتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي
This hadith, in addition to the hadith of ‘the one whose prayer was improper’, constitutes a foundation for understanding of the acts of the prayer; therefore, we should do our best to pray exactly as the Prophet (SA) did.
1. Takbeers other than the opening takbeer
(1-) التَّكْبِيْرُ غَيْرَ تَكْبِيْرَةِ الإِحْرَامِ
Exaltation [of Allah] in the bowing and prostration; once in each
(2-) وَالتَّسْبِيْحُ فِي الرُّكُوْعِ وَالسُّجُوْدِ مَرَّةً مَرَّةً
Saying Sami‘ Allâhu liman ḥamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him) and Rabbanâ laka alḥamd (Our Lord, all praise be to You), both while rising from bowing
(3-) وَالتَّسْمِيْعُ وَالتَّحْمِيْدُ فِي الرَّفْعِ مِنَ الرُّكُوْعِ
4. Saying Rabbighfir-li (My Lord, forgive me) between the two prostrations
(4-) وَقَوْلُ: "رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ" بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ
5. The first tashahhud 6. Sitting for it 7. Sending prayers unto the Prophet (SA) in the last tashahhud.
(5-) وَالتَّشَهُّدُ الأَوَّلُ. (6-) وَالْجُلُوْسُ لَهُ. (7-) وَالصَّلاَةُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ فِي التَّشَهُّدِ الأَخِيْرِ.
If these acts are left out intentionally, the prayer is invalidated. 285 If left out of forgetfulness, the praying person should pray the prostration of forgetfulness for it.
فَهَذِهِ إِنْ تَرَكَهَا عَمْدًا، بَطَلَتْ صَلاَتُهُ، وَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا سَهْوًا، سَجَدَ لَهَا.
284 (A): These acts are considered mandatory because they were commanded by and/or routinely practiced by the Prophet (SA). The majority: They are not mandatory because the Prophet (SA) did not teach them to 1‘the one whose prayer was improper’.
285 This position of (A) is contrary to that of the majority. There is another narration within the madh-hab that is consistent with the opinion of the majority (a) + (-H, -M, -S), considering all those acts to be only preferable. In teaching a new Muslim, priority is given to facilitation and simplification, albeit without compromise – so the position of the majority is easier.
[Recommended Acts]
Apart from these, the rest are preferable acts. The prayer is not invalidated by intentionally leaving them out, and the prostration of forgetfulness is not mandatory in the case of forgetting them. 286
وَمَا عَدَا هَذَا، فَسُنَنٌ، لاَ تَبْطُلُ الصَّلاَةُ بِتَرْكِهَا، وَلاَ يَجِبُ السُّجُوْدُ لِسَهْوِهَا
286 (A/SM): The sunnah acts are divided into verbal and physical acts. If the verbal acts – such as the recitation aloud vs. to oneself – are forgotten, or someone recited a prescribed dhikr in the wrong movement, the prostration of forgetfulness is recommended. If physical/bodily acts (such as pointing with the index finger) are forgotten, the prostration of forgetfulness is only permissible.