💧 Fiqh of worship · Step 5 of 12
Conditions and pillars of the prayer
Before the prayer: conditions. Inside the prayer: pillars. Miss one and the prayer must be repeated.
Conditions (both schools)
- Being Muslim, sane and (for it to be required) having reached puberty.
- Purity of body, clothes and place; wudu (or ghusl when needed).
- Covering the 'awrah.
- The time of the prayer has begun.
- Facing the qiblah.
- The intention for this prayer.
Some pillars where the schools differ
| Point | Hanafi | Shafi'i |
|---|---|---|
Reciting Al-Faatiḥah | Wajib (required, but not a pillar); the one praying behind an imam listens silently | A pillar in every rak'ah, for everyone, including behind an imam |
Ending with salam | Wajib | A pillar (the first salam) |
Staying still in each position (tuma'ninah) | Wajib | A pillar |
Fard, wajib and sunnah
In the Hanafi school, missing a wajib by mistake is made up with the prostration of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw); missing a fard (pillar) means repeating the prayer. The Shafi'i school does not have the wajib level for the prayer: things are pillars or sunnahs.
✅ Check yourself
-
Name three conditions of the prayer.
Show the answer
Any three of: purity, covering the 'awrah, the time, facing the qiblah, intention.