The Pillars of Solat
(
The Rukun of Solat according to Shafi’ie School )
In the
name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the
praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-ā’lamīn. I testify that
there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu
‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.
The Daily Solat Fardhu
consists of two, three and four raka’at.
The Pillars of the Solat
is a mandatory or obligatory part; it cannot be waived, whether one omits it deliberately or by
mistake, rather the Pillar is act that you have to go back and do it in order
to make the Solat valid; or else the solat is invalid.
And according to The
Shafi`ie School the Rukun (Pillars) of Solat is as follows:
i) Standing straight: if one is able to do so. The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa
sallam) used to stand in prayer for both obligatory and voluntary prayers,
carrying out the command of the Exalted: “And stand
before Allāh devoutly.” (Baqarah, 2:238)
ii) Niyyah: (Hanbali School regards it as the
Condition (Syarat) of Solat): the
Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say: “Actions
are but by intentions and each person will have but that which he intended.” [Al-Bukhari]
iii) Takbiratul Ihram -The Opening Takbīr: saying “Allāhu akbar (Allah the Greatest)” Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam)
said: “The key to the solat is purification; it is
entered by Takbīr and exited by Taslīm.” [Abu Dawud, Tirmidzi and
Hakim: sahih and Dhahabi agreed (Irwa’ 301)]
iv) Reciting al-Fātihah in
each raka`ah. 'Ubadah bin As-Samit
(radiyallāhu`anhu) narrated: Allah's Apostle (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam)
said: "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatihah in
his solat, his solat is invalid." [Al-Bukhari]
v) Rukū’ with toma’ninah ( Calmness till you feel
at ease) in each raka`ah: the least of which means bending so
that the hands can touch the knees, but the most complete form means making the
back level and the head parallel with it.
vi) Rising from Ruku’ and Standing up straight (I’tidal) with
toma’ninah (Calmness till you feel at ease)
vii) Sujūd
twice with toma’ninah (Calmness till you feel at ease): the most perfect form is placing the
seven parts of the body firmly on the ground, and the least of which is
placing a part of each of these on the ground.
Abdullah
Ibn 'Abbas (radiyallāhu`anhu) narrated: “The
Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was ordered (by Allah) to prostrate on
seven parts and not to tuck up the clothes or hair (while praying). Those parts
are: the forehead (along with the tip of nose), both hands, both knees, and
(toes of) both feet.” [Recorded by Al-Bukhari]
viii)Sitting between the two Sujuds with
toma’ninah (Calmness till you feel at ease):
Sunnah to sit muftarishan, which means
sitting on the left foot and holding the right foot upright with the toes
pointing towards the Qiblah; and next rise for the following raka`ah.
Narrated
Abu Hurairah (radiyallāhu`anhu): Once the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa
sallam) entered the masjid (Masjid An-Nabawi), a man came in, offered the solat
and greeted the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
The
Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) returned his greeting and said to him,
“Go back and pray again for you have not prayed.” The man offered the prayer
again, came back and greeted the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam). He
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said to him thrice, “Go back and pray again for
you have not prayed.” The man said, “By Him Who has sent you with the truth! I
do not know a better way of praying. Kindly teach me how to Solat.”
The
Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "When
you stand for the Solat, say Takbīr (Allāhu Akbar) and then recite from the
Qur'an (Al-Fatihah and Surah) what you know; and then Ruku’ with calmness till
you feel at ease (toma’ninah), then rise from sujud till you stand straight
(I’tidal). Then sujud (prostrate) calmly till you feel at ease (toma’ninah) and
then raise (your head) and sit with Calmness till you feel at ease
(toma’ninah) and then Sujud (prostrate) with calmness till you feel
at ease (toma’ninah) in prostration; and do the same in the whole of your
Solat." [Narrated by Al-Bukhari (759)]
ix) Sitting
for the Final Tashahhud with toma’ninah (Calmness till you feels at ease)
x) Reciting the Final Tashahhud: Ibn `Abbas (radiyallāhu`anhu) narrated: “The Messenger of
Allāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to teach us the Tashahhud the way he
taught us [surahs of] the Qur’an; he used to say: “At-tahiyyātul
mubaraka tus-salawātut-tayyibātu lillāh, As-salāmu `alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa
rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu `alayna wa `alā `ibād-Illāh is-sālihīn.
Ash-hadu an lāilāha ill-Allāh wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasūlullāh [in one
narration: ‘abduhu wa Rasūluh] (All compliments, blessed words, prayers,
pure words are due to Allāh. Peace be on you, O Prophet, and also the mercy of
Allāh and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous slaves of Allāh. I
bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allāh, and [I bear
witness] that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh (in one narration: ... is His
slave and Messenger.)” [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah,
Shāfi`ie and Nasa`ie]
xi) Sending the Salawāt upon the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wassallam) in the Final Tashahhud
Abu Mas`ud Al-Ansari (radiyallāhu`anhu) narrated: “The
Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) visit us in a gathering of
Sa`ad ibn `Ubadah (radiyallāhu`anhu). Bashir bin Sa`ad (radiyallāhu`anhu) asked
him: “Allāh has commanded us to send bless [salah] upon you [re al-Ahzab
33:56], O Messenger of Allāh! So how should we do it?'' The Messenger of Allāh
(sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) kept silent. We were much perturbed over his
silence and we wished he [Bashir] did not ask him the question. The Messenger
of Allāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,"[For salah on me] Say: “Allāhumma Salli `ala Muhammad, wa`ala āli Muhammad, Kama
sallayta `ala āli Ibrāhīm, Wabarik`ala Muhammad, wa’ala āli Muhammd,
Kamabarakta’ala āli Ibrāhīm, Fil ‘ālamīn; Innaka Hamīdum Majīd (O Allāh!
Send Prayers on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as you Sent Prayers on
Ibrāhīm; And Send Blessings on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as you
Sent Blessings on the family of Ibrāhīm, among nations; For You are the Most
Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious); and the method of greeting (i.e Salām in
Tashahhud) is as you know it” [Muslim (803), Abu Dawud (976 and 980): sahih]
xii) Uttering the First Salāms in Taslim: (But the
Hanbali school: Uttering the two Salāms.
This means saying twice, “As-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh (Peace be upon you
and the mercy of Allāh).” In Nawafil Solats it is sufficient to say one Salām;
the same also applies to the Funeral Prayer.)
xiii) Tartib: Doing
the pillars in the order. If a person deliberately observe Sujud before bowing,
for example, the Solat is invalidated; if he does that by mistake, he has to go
back and observe the Ruku’, and then sujud.
There are not many differences about
the content of Pillars of the Solat except its approach like, Niyyah,
Toma’ninah, Taslim (Shāfi`ie consider the first Salām is the pillar and the
Solat is concluded)
[There some differences about the content of Pillars of the
Solat except its approach like: Niyyah, Toma’ninah, Salawāt in Final Tashahhud is
a Mustahabbah Sunnah in Hanbali, Taslim (Shāfi`ie consider the first Salām is
the pillar and the Solat is concluded)]
And Allāh Almighty Knows best.
[Reference:
A Comprehensive Prayer Formula by Zaharuddin Abd Rahman; Islam Q&A (65847)]
