Shia Namaz and Roza Rules: An Interactive Guide
نماز اور روزے کے احکام — فقہِ جعفریہ کے مطابق
أَحْكَامُ الصَّلَاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ
What breaks a prayer, what to do when you are unsure how many rak'ahs you have prayed, when to perform Sajdah al-Sahw, how a traveller prays and fasts, what breaks a fast, and how Qada, Kaffarah, Fidyah and Fitrah work. Twelve short chapters, each with a 15-question quiz.
How to use this book
This book explains the rules (ahkam) of Namaz and Roza: the conditions, the obligatory parts, what makes them invalid, and what to do when something goes wrong. Read one chapter at a time. Each chapter starts with a short summary card and ends with a 15-question quiz. Every correct answer earns a star for your certificate.
This free book is part of ShiaEdu, an online Shia madrassa where certified male and female tutors teach the Quran, Namaz and Fiqh Jaffari one to one.
Contents
Before you begin: Taqlid and the five kinds of ruling
شروع کرنے سے پہلے: تقلید اور احکام کی قسمیں
Namaz and Roza are two of the pillars on which Islam stands. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.) named them together with Zakat, Hajj and Wilayah:
بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْحَجِّ وَالْوَلَايَةِ
“Islam is built on five: on prayer, zakat, fasting, Hajj and Wilayah.”
Source: Usul al-Kafi, al-Kulayni, Book of Faith and Disbelief
Why we follow a Marja (Taqlid)
The detailed rules of worship are worked out from the Quran and the hadith of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and the Ahlulbayt (A.S.) by a qualified jurist, a mujtahid. A believer who is not a mujtahid follows the rulings of a living, qualified mujtahid; this is called taqlid, and the mujtahid followed is the Marja. Taqlid is for the practical rules (Furu' al-Din). Our beliefs (Usul al-Din) we accept through our own understanding, not by copying.
The five kinds of ruling
| Term | Meaning | Example in this book |
|---|---|---|
| Wajib | Obligatory: leaving it is a sin | The five daily prayers; the fast of Ramadan |
| Haram | Forbidden: doing it is a sin | Fasting on the day of Eid |
| Mustahab | Recommended: rewarded if done, no sin if left | The daily nafilah prayers |
| Makruh | Disliked: better to avoid, no sin if done | Fasting on the Day of Ashura |
| Mubah | Permitted: neither rewarded nor punished | Eating before dawn in Ramadan |
Two words you will meet often
- Obligatory precaution (ihtiyat wajib): you must act on it, or you may refer to the next most learned mujtahid who gives a different ruling on that point.
- Recommended precaution (ihtiyat mustahab): it is better to act on it, but you are not required to.
The five daily prayers: rak'ahs and times
الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ: الرَّكَعَاتُ وَالْأَوْقَاتُ
پانچ نمازیں: رکعتیں اور اوقات
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا
“Indeed, prayer has been decreed for the believers at fixed times.”
The six obligatory prayers
During the occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (A.T.F.S.), six kinds of prayer are obligatory: the daily prayers (Friday prayer is counted with them); Salat al-Ayat; the prayer for a deceased Muslim (Salat al-Mayyit); the prayer of an obligatory tawaf of the Kaaba; the missed prayers of a father, which fall on his eldest son; and prayers that become obligatory through a vow, an oath, a covenant or being hired to pray for someone who has died.
When each prayer begins and ends
| Prayer | Rak'ahs | Time begins | Time ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subh (Fajr) | 2 | True dawn (al-fajr al-sadiq) | Sunrise |
| Zuhr | 4 | Zawal: when the sun passes its highest point | Shares its time with Asr until sunset |
| Asr | 4 | After Zuhr has been prayed | Sunset |
| Maghrib | 3 | When the redness in the eastern sky after sunset has passed overhead | Midnight |
| Isha | 4 | After Maghrib has been prayed | Midnight |
Zuhr and Asr share one time, from zawal until sunset, except that the first part of it (the length of one four-rak'ah prayer) belongs only to Zuhr and the last part belongs only to Asr. Maghrib and Isha are the same: they share the time from Maghrib to midnight, and Asr must come after Zuhr, Isha after Maghrib. For Maghrib, Ayatollah al-Sistani holds as an obligatory precaution that we wait until the eastern redness has passed overhead, which is a little after the sun disappears.
Midnight here is not 12 o'clock. It is the halfway point of the night, counted from sunset to dawn. A person who had a valid reason, such as forgetting or oversleeping, may still pray Maghrib and Isha until dawn. Someone who delays them past midnight on purpose must, as an obligatory precaution, pray them before the Subh adhan without intending them as on time (ada) or as missed (qada).
Praying the two prayers together
In Fiqh Jaffari a believer may pray Zuhr and Asr one after the other, and Maghrib and Isha one after the other, at any point within their shared time. This is why Shia mosques often hold three prayer gatherings a day. Praying each prayer at the start of its own time is still more rewarding.
Friday prayer
The Friday prayer (Salat al-Jumu'ah) is two rak'ahs, like Subh, and is preceded by two sermons. During the occultation of the Imam (A.T.F.S.) it is wajib takhyiri: on Friday you must pray either Jumu'ah, when it is properly held, or Zuhr. Once you have prayed a valid Jumu'ah you do not also have to pray Zuhr.
إِنَّ شَفَاعَتَنَا لَا تَنَالُ مُسْتَخِفًّا بِالصَّلَاةِ
“Our intercession will not reach anyone who treats the prayer lightly.”
Source: Furu' al-Kafi, al-Kulayni, vol. 3, Book of Prayer
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani, chapter on prayer: the obligatory prayers; times of the daily prayers; the Friday prayer (Rulings 722–727).
Conditions of prayer: Qibla, clothing and place
شُرُوطُ الصَّلَاةِ: الْقِبْلَةُ وَاللِّبَاسُ وَالْمَكَانُ
نماز کی شرائط: قبلہ، لباس اور جگہ
A prayer is only valid when certain things are in place before it begins and stay in place until it ends. A prayer started before its time, without wudu, facing away from the Qibla or on usurped ground does not count, however beautifully it is performed.
Purity (taharah)
The person praying needs wudu, or ghusl where ghusl is obligatory, or tayammum where water cannot be used. The body and clothes must be pure (tahir). There are a few exceptions: the blood of a wound or sore that has not healed; a spot of blood smaller than a dirham (roughly the top joint of the thumb), as long as it is not the blood of haydh, an animal whose meat is haram, or the like; and small items that cannot cover the private parts, such as socks or a cap, as long as they are not made from a carcass or an animal whose meat is haram.
Facing the Qibla
فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ
“So turn your face towards al-Masjid al-Haram.”
The whole front of the body faces the Kaaba while standing, in ruku and in sajdah. Use a compass or a trusted app, or ask people who know. If you truly cannot find the direction, act on your best judgement; the risalah explains what to do in that case.
Covering the body
A man must cover his private parts, and it is better to cover from the navel to the knees. A woman must cover her whole body and hair, except the face (the part washed in wudu), the hands up to the wrists and the feet up to the ankles; to be sure, she should cover a little around the face and a little below the ankles.
Six conditions for clothing
- Pure, with the exceptions mentioned above.
- Not usurped (mubah), as an obligatory precaution for the clothing that covers the private parts.
- Not from a carcass, meaning an animal that was not slaughtered according to Islamic law.
- Not from a predatory animal, and as an obligatory precaution not from any animal whose meat is haram, even a single hair, like that of a cat.
- For men: not pure silk.
- For men: not gold or embroidered with gold. Wearing gold, such as a gold ring or watch, is haram for men at all times.
Seven conditions for the place
- Not usurped, as an obligatory precaution. Praying on someone's property without their permission, even on your own prayer mat, is a problem. Praying under a usurped roof or tent is not.
- Steady. Praying in a car, train or ship is allowed if it does not move so much that your body cannot stay still.
- Room to pray. The ceiling must not be so low, or the space so small, that you cannot stand upright or perform ruku and sajdah properly.
- Not ahead of the grave of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) or an Imam (A.S.) if that would be disrespectful.
- An impure place must not be wet enough for the impurity to pass to the body or clothes.
- Men and women: as an obligatory precaution a woman does not pray level with or ahead of a man, unless there is a wall or curtain between them or a gap of about ten cubits.
- The place of the forehead must be pure, even if it is dry, and must not be higher or lower than four closed fingers compared to the place of the knees and toes (and, as an obligatory precaution, compared to where you stand).
What the forehead may rest on
The forehead must rest on earth or on something that grows from the earth and is neither eaten nor worn, such as wood, leaves, stone or a mat of palm leaves. It is not allowed on wheat, fruit, cotton cloth, wool carpet, gold or silver. Paper is allowed if it is made from wood or another permitted material, or from cotton or flax. This is why Shia Muslims carry a turbah (sajdahgah), a small tablet of earth, and the most excellent earth for sajdah is the earth of Karbala, the turbah of Imam Husain (A.S.).
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: conditions of the clothing (Ruling 785); the place of prayer (Rulings 853–867); things on which sajdah is permitted (Ruling 1062); prostrating (Ruling 1043).
The 11 obligatory parts of prayer and the 5 arkan
وَاجِبَاتُ الصَّلَاةِ وَأَرْكَانُهَا
واجباتِ نماز اور ارکان
Ayatollah al-Sistani lists eleven things that are obligatory in every prayer. Five of them are arkan (pillars, singular rukn). The difference matters: if a rukn is left out, or added, the prayer is invalid whether it happened on purpose or by mistake. If any other obligatory part is left out or added on purpose, the prayer is invalid, but if it happens by mistake, the prayer remains valid.
| # | Obligatory part | Rukn? | In short |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niyyah (intention) | Yes | To pray for the sake of Allah, knowing which prayer you are praying. It need not be said aloud. |
| 2 | Qiyam (standing) | Yes, at two moments | Standing while saying Takbirat al-Ihram, and the standing just before ruku, are arkan. |
| 3 | Takbirat al-Ihram | Yes | “Allahu Akbar” to begin the prayer. |
| 4 | Ruku | Yes | Bowing with the hands able to reach the knees. |
| 5 | Sujud | Yes (the two together) | Two sajdahs in every rak'ah, on seven parts of the body. |
| 6 | Qira'ah (recitation) | No | Surah al-Hamd and one complete surah in the first two rak'ahs; al-Hamd or the Tasbihat al-Arba'ah in the third and fourth. |
| 7 | Dhikr | No | The words said in ruku and sajdah. |
| 8 | Tashahhud | No | Bearing witness and sending salawat, in the second and the last rak'ah. |
| 9 | Salam | No | The closing greeting that ends the prayer. |
| 10 | Tartib (order) | No | Doing each part in its proper order. |
| 11 | Muwalat (continuity) | No | Not leaving such long gaps that the prayer no longer looks like a prayer. |
The seven parts of the body in sajdah
In each sajdah seven parts must rest on the ground: the forehead, the two palms, the two knees and the tips of the two big toes. Only the forehead needs to be on earth or something on which sajdah is allowed. If the forehead is raised before the dhikr is finished, by mistake, you do not put it back down; it counts as one sajdah.
Loud and quiet recitation
A man recites Surah al-Hamd and the second surah aloud in Subh, Maghrib and Isha, and quietly in Zuhr and Asr (except the Bismillah, which it is recommended to say aloud). A woman may recite aloud in Subh, Maghrib and Isha if no non-mahram man can hear her, and quietly in Zuhr and Asr.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
“Certainly the believers have succeeded: those who are humble in their prayers.”
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: obligatory acts of prayer; standing; recitation; bowing; prostrating (Rulings 1031 onwards).
Twelve things that break the prayer (Mubtilat)
مُبْطِلَاتُ الصَّلَاةِ
مبطلاتِ نماز
Once you say Takbirat al-Ihram you are inside the prayer, and certain things break it. Ayatollah al-Sistani lists twelve. If one of them happens, the prayer is invalid and must be prayed again (while its time remains).
| # | What breaks the prayer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Losing one of the conditions of prayer | For example, realising during the prayer that the place is usurped. |
| 2 | Anything that breaks wudu or ghusl | Even by mistake, and even just before the salam. |
| 3 | Folding the hands (takattuf) | As an obligatory precaution, placing one hand over the other as some do in prayer. |
| 4 | Saying “Amin” after Surah al-Hamd | Obligatory precaution, unless done in taqiyyah. |
| 5 | Turning away from the Qibla | Turning the whole body, or the face, far from the Qibla. |
| 6 | Speaking on purpose | Even one word that has a meaning, outside the words of the prayer. |
| 7 | Laughing out loud on purpose | A smile does not break the prayer. |
| 8 | Crying aloud on purpose for a worldly matter | Obligatory precaution. Crying out of fear of Allah or for the Hereafter does not break it. |
| 9 | Doing something that breaks the form of the prayer | Such as clapping or jumping, so that it no longer looks like prayer. |
| 10 | Eating or drinking | In a way that breaks the form of the prayer. |
| 11 | Certain doubts about the number of rak'ahs | Doubts in a two- or three-rak'ah prayer, or in the first two rak'ahs of a four-rak'ah prayer (see chapter 5). |
| 12 | Leaving out or adding a rukn | On purpose or by mistake (see chapter 3). |
When someone says salam to you
Speaking breaks the prayer, but answering a greeting is obligatory, even during prayer. If someone says “Salamun alaykum”, you reply in the same words, “Salamun alaykum”, without adding anything such as “wa rahmatullah”.
Breaking a prayer on purpose
It is not allowed to break an obligatory prayer without a reason. It is allowed to save a life, to protect property from serious loss, or in a similar emergency. Things that do not break the prayer include a small movement such as adjusting your clothes, a smile, coughing, or swallowing what remains in the mouth.
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ
“Guard the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in devotion.”
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: things that invalidate a prayer (Ruling 1112 and following).
Doubts in prayer (Shakiyat) and Salat al-Ihtiyat
الشُّكُوكُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَصَلَاةُ الِاحْتِيَاطِ
نماز میں شک اور نمازِ احتیاط
Everyone loses count sometimes. Fiqh Jaffari gives a clear answer for each kind of doubt, so that a believer never has to guess. The first step is always the same: pause and think. If you become certain, or one number seems more likely than the other, act on that. The rules below are for a doubt that remains after thinking.
Doubts that make the prayer invalid
- Any doubt about the number of rak'ahs in a two-rak'ah prayer such as Subh, or a traveller's shortened prayer.
- Any doubt about the number of rak'ahs in Maghrib.
- A doubt in a four-rak'ah prayer about whether you have prayed one rak'ah or more.
- A doubt in a four-rak'ah prayer between two and something more that arises before the second sajdah of the second rak'ah has begun.
- Doubts such as 2 or 5, or 2 or more than 5, and doubts where you do not know at all how many you have prayed.
Doubts you can ignore
- After you have moved on. If you doubt whether you did a part of the prayer after you have already started the next part, carry on.
- After the salam. A doubt that comes after finishing the prayer is ignored.
- After the time has passed. If you doubt, once the time is over, whether you prayed at all, you do not need to pray it.
- Someone who doubts very often (kathir al-shakk) does not act on his doubts.
- In congregation, if the imam is sure and the follower doubts, or the reverse, the one who doubts follows the one who is sure.
- In a mustahab prayer, if you doubt the number of rak'ahs, you may act on either number, provided it does not invalidate the prayer; acting on the lower number is better.
The nine valid doubts in a four-rak'ah prayer
The table below follows Ruling 1185. “After the second sajdah” means once the second sajdah of that rak'ah has begun.
| # | Doubt between | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 and 3 | After the second sajdah | Assume 3, pray one more rak'ah, finish. Then 1 rak'ah of Salat al-Ihtiyat standing. |
| 2 | 2 and 4 | After the second sajdah | Assume 4, finish. Then 2 rak'ahs of Salat al-Ihtiyat standing. |
| 3 | 2, 3 and 4 | After the second sajdah | Assume 4, finish. Then 2 rak'ahs standing, followed by 2 rak'ahs sitting. |
| 4 | 4 and 5 | After the second sajdah | Assume 4, finish. Then two Sajdahs of Sahw. |
| 5 | 3 and 4 | At any point | Assume 4, finish. Then 1 rak'ah standing or 2 rak'ahs sitting. |
| 6 | 4 and 5 | While standing | Sit down, recite tashahhud and salam. Then 1 rak'ah standing or 2 rak'ahs sitting. |
| 7 | 3 and 5 | While standing | Sit down, recite tashahhud and salam. Then 2 rak'ahs standing. |
| 8 | 3, 4 and 5 | While standing | Sit down, recite tashahhud and salam. Then 2 rak'ahs standing, followed by 2 rak'ahs sitting. |
| 9 | 5 and 6 | While standing | Sit down, recite tashahhud and salam. Then two Sajdahs of Sahw. |
Notice the pattern in cases 6 to 9: when the doubt comes while you are standing, you sit straight back down. The rak'ah you were standing up for may be an extra one, so you do not complete it.
How to pray Salat al-Ihtiyat
Salat al-Ihtiyat (the precautionary prayer) makes up for a rak'ah you may have missed. It is prayed straight after the salam, before doing anything that would break a prayer:
- Make the intention, without saying it aloud, and say Takbirat al-Ihram.
- Recite Surah al-Hamd only, quietly (an obligatory precaution); it is a recommended precaution to say the Bismillah quietly too. There is no second surah and no qunut.
- Perform ruku and two sajdahs.
- For one rak'ah, recite tashahhud and salam. For two rak'ahs, stand for a second rak'ah in the same way, then tashahhud and salam.
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: doubts in prayer; valid doubts (Ruling 1185 and following); method of Salat al-Ihtiyat (Rulings 1201–1202).
Sajdah al-Sahw and forgotten parts of the prayer
سَجْدَتَا السَّهْوِ وَالْأَجْزَاءُ الْمَنْسِيَّةُ
سجدۂ سہو اور بھولی ہوئی چیزیں
When Sajdah al-Sahw is obligatory
- Forgetting the tashahhud and only remembering after the ruku of the next rak'ah.
- Doubting between 4 and 5 after the second sajdah (valid doubt number 4), and between 5 and 6 while standing (number 9).
- As an obligatory precaution: speaking by mistake during the prayer.
- As an obligatory precaution: saying the salam in the wrong place by mistake, for example after the second rak'ah of Zuhr.
How to perform it
- Right after the salam, make the intention and place your forehead on something on which sajdah is allowed.
- As a recommended precaution, say a dhikr; the best is the one below.
- Sit up, then go into the second sajdah and say the same dhikr.
- Sit, recite the tashahhud, and say the salam.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَبِاللَّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
“In the name of Allah and by Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”
For the closing salam it is enough to say “Assalamu alaykum”, and it is better to add “wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh”.
If you forget part of the prayer
| You forgot | You remember | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A rukn (for example ruku or both sajdahs) | After you have entered the next rukn | The prayer is invalid; pray it again. |
| One sajdah or the tashahhud | Before the ruku of the next rak'ah | Go back, do it, then continue the prayer. |
| One sajdah | After the ruku of the next rak'ah | Carry on. After the salam, make up the one sajdah (qada). |
| The tashahhud | After the ruku of the next rak'ah | Carry on. After the prayer, perform Sajdah al-Sahw; the tashahhud itself is not made up. |
| A non-rukn part such as the second surah | After you have moved to the next part | Carry on; the prayer is valid. |
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: Sajdah al-Sahw and its method (Ruling 1236); forgotten parts (Rulings 1213–1219).
The traveller's prayer (Qasr) and Qada prayers
صَلَاةُ الْمُسَافِرِ وَقَضَاءُ الصَّلَاةِ
نمازِ مسافر (قصر) اور قضا نماز
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ
“And when you travel in the land, there is no blame on you if you shorten the prayer.”
In Fiqh Jaffari, shortening the prayer on a qualifying journey is not a choice: it is obligatory. A traveller prays Zuhr, Asr and Isha as two rak'ahs each. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) described breaking the fast and shortening the prayer on a journey as a gift from Allah, and said that whoever does not accept it has turned down Allah's gift (narrated in Wasa'il al-Shi'a).
The eight conditions for Qasr
- Distance: the journey is at least 8 farsakhs (about 44 km), one way, or going and returning together, provided the outward journey is at least 4 farsakhs.
- Intention from the start: you know when you set out that you will cover that distance.
- No change of mind on the way before covering 4 farsakhs.
- No stop in your hometown, or stay of ten days, planned before you complete the 8 farsakhs.
- The journey is not for a haram purpose.
- You are not a nomad who moves from place to place with no fixed home.
- Travelling is not your work, as it is for a driver, pilot or someone who commutes long distances for a living (the risalah gives the details).
- You have passed the hadd al-tarakhkhus, the point beyond which the people of your town can no longer see you (the risalah explains how this is judged).
When the traveller prays in full again
- When he returns to his hometown, or passes through it.
- When he intends to stay in one place for ten days or more.
- When he stays in one place for 30 days while undecided about leaving: from then on he prays in full.
Qada: making up missed prayers
An obligatory daily prayer that was missed, or prayed invalidly, must be made up. There is no qada for prayers missed before reaching bulugh, prayers missed during haydh or nifas, or prayers missed while unconscious when the person did not cause it. A qada prayer is prayed the way it was missed: a shortened prayer missed on a journey is made up as two rak'ahs, even at home, and a full prayer missed at home is made up as four rak'ahs, even on a journey. Zuhr comes before Asr, and Maghrib before Isha, of the same day. Nobody may pray qada for a living person on his behalf.
A father's missed prayers
If a father missed prayers for a reason other than plain disobedience and did not make them up, then after his death, as an obligatory precaution, his eldest son must perform them himself or hire someone to perform them. If the father left them on purpose, this is not obligatory on the son. Performing a mother's qada prayers is not obligatory on him, though it is better if he does.
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: prayers of a traveller (Ruling 1258 and following); lapsed (qada) prayers (Rulings 1355–1367); qada prayers of a father obligatory on the eldest son (Rulings 1370–1378).
Congregation, Friday, Eid, Ayat and funeral prayers
صَلَاةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ وَالْجُمُعَةِ وَالْعِيدَيْنِ وَالْآيَاتِ وَالْمَيِّتِ
نمازِ جماعت، جمعہ، عید، آیات اور میت
Prayer in congregation (Salat al-Jama'ah)
Praying the daily obligatory prayers in congregation is highly recommended, especially Subh, Maghrib and Isha, and for those who live near a mosque. The imam must be bulugh, sane, a Twelver Shia, just ('adil), of legitimate birth, and able to recite correctly; if any of the followers are men, the imam must be a man. In the first and second rak'ahs the imam's recitation of al-Hamd and the surah counts for the followers. A follower must not go into ruku or sajdah ahead of the imam. Congregation is not held for mustahab prayers, except some such as the prayer for rain (and the Eid prayer in our time).
Friday prayer (Salat al-Jumu'ah)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“O you who believe, when the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah.”
Jumu'ah is two rak'ahs, like Subh, and two sermons are given before it. It must be prayed in congregation. As chapter 1 explained, in the time of occultation it is wajib takhyiri: you pray either Jumu'ah, when it is properly held, or Zuhr.
The Eid prayers
The prayers of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are recommended in our time and may be prayed in congregation or alone. Their time is from sunrise until Zuhr on the day of Eid. Each has two rak'ahs. In the first rak'ah, after al-Hamd and a surah, there are five takbirs, and in the second rak'ah four takbirs. According to Ayatollah al-Sistani it is better to recite four qunuts between the five takbirs of the first rak'ah, and three qunuts between the four takbirs of the second. When it is prayed in congregation, two sermons are given after the prayer.
Salat al-Ayat (the prayer of signs)
Salat al-Ayat becomes obligatory because of a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse, and, as an obligatory precaution, an earthquake, and events in the sky such as thunder, lightning or black or red winds that frighten most people. It has two rak'ahs, with five ruku in each rak'ah. In the full method you recite al-Hamd and a complete surah before every ruku. In the shorter method you recite al-Hamd once, divide one surah into five parts, and recite one part before each ruku. After the fifth ruku you perform two sajdahs, then pray the second rak'ah the same way, and finish with tashahhud and salam. Every ruku in Salat al-Ayat is a rukn.
The funeral prayer (Salat al-Mayyit)
The prayer over a deceased Muslim is wajib kifa'i: when some believers perform it, the duty is lifted from the rest. It is prayed standing, facing the Qibla, with the body in front of the people praying, and has five takbirs and no ruku, sajdah, tashahhud or salam. After the first takbir we bear witness to Allah's oneness and the Prophet's message; after the second we send salawat on the Prophet and his family; after the third we pray for the believers; after the fourth we pray for the deceased; then we say the fifth takbir.
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: congregational prayers; the Friday prayer; method of Salat al-Ayat (Ruling 1486 and following); the Eid prayers (Rulings 1495–1505); funeral prayer.
Nafilah prayers and worship after prayer (Ta'qibat)
النَّوَافِلُ وَالتَّعْقِيبَاتُ
نوافل اور تعقیبات
The obligatory prayers are 17 rak'ahs a day, and the recommended daily prayers that go with them, the nawafil, are 34 rak'ahs: double the obligatory. They are prayed two rak'ahs at a time, each pair with its own tashahhud and salam, except the single rak'ah of witr.
| Nafilah of | Rak'ahs | When |
|---|---|---|
| Zuhr | 8 | Before the Zuhr prayer |
| Asr | 8 | Before the Asr prayer |
| Maghrib | 4 | After the Maghrib prayer |
| Isha (al-Wutayrah) | 2, prayed sitting, counted as 1 | After the Isha prayer |
| The night (Salat al-Layl) | 11 | From midnight until dawn; better close to dawn |
| Subh | 2 | Before the Subh prayer |
On Fridays four rak'ahs are added to the sixteen of Zuhr and Asr. On a journey that shortens the prayer, the nafilah of Zuhr and Asr is not prayed. Nafilah prayers may be prayed sitting, even by choice.
Salat al-Layl, the night prayer
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ
“And keep vigil with it for part of the night, as an extra devotion for you.”
Its eleven rak'ahs are prayed as four pairs with the intention of the night nafilah, then two rak'ahs with the intention of shaf', then one rak'ah with the intention of witr, in which a long qunut is recommended. Anyone who cannot pray all eleven can begin with the shaf' and witr.
Ta'qibat: worship after the prayer
It is recommended to remain seated after the prayer for dhikr, du'a and Quran. The most important ta'qib is the Tasbih of Lady Fatima Zahra (S.A.), which the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) taught his daughter: Allahu Akbar 34 times, Alhamdu lillah 33 times, and Subhanallah 33 times, one hundred in all. A sajdah of thanks (sajdat al-shukr) after the prayer is also recommended. You can read the life of Lady Fatima (S.A.) in our book Ahlulbayt (A.S.) for Kids.
تَسْبِيحُ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ صَلَاةِ أَلْفِ رَكْعَةٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ
“The Tasbih of Fatima al-Zahra (S.A.), every day after every prayer, is more beloved to me than praying a thousand rak'ahs every day.”
Source: Furu' al-Kafi, al-Kulayni, vol. 3, Book of Prayer
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: recommended (mustahabb) prayers (Rulings 751–752); timings for the daily nafilah prayers.
Roza: who must fast, the niyyah, and the eight things that break a fast
الصَّوْمُ: عَلَى مَنْ يَجِبُ، وَالنِّيَّةُ، وَالْمُفَطِّرَاتُ
روزہ: کس پر واجب ہے، نیت اور مفطرات
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become God-conscious.”
A fast (sawm, roza) means holding back from the eight things listed below, for the sake of Allah, from the time of the Subh prayer until Maghrib. Like Maghrib prayer, the fast ends when the redness in the eastern sky has passed overhead, a little after the sun disappears, not at the moment of sunset.
Who must fast in Ramadan
Fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory on every Muslim who has reached bulugh and is sane, unless he or she has an excuse. A girl reaches bulugh when she completes nine lunar years; a boy at fifteen lunar years, or earlier if one of the other signs of bulugh appears. Children who are younger are encouraged to practise, but it is not obligatory on them.
Who does not fast
- A traveller whose prayer is shortened (chapter 12 explains the details). He makes up the fasts later.
- A sick person for whom fasting would cause harm. He makes them up later.
- A woman in haydh or nifas. Her fast is not valid; she makes it up later.
- An elderly person for whom fasting is very difficult, and certain others; they give fidyah (chapter 11).
The niyyah
The intention is simply to fast in obedience to Allah. It does not need to be spoken. For the fast of Ramadan it is made before dawn; the risalah explains what to do if someone forgot to make it before dawn and has not done anything that breaks the fast.
The eight things that break a fast
| # | Mufattir | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eating and drinking | Intentionally, even a little or something not normally eaten. |
| 2 | Sexual intercourse | Intentionally. |
| 3 | Istimna' | Doing something on purpose that causes ejaculation. |
| 4 | Attributing lies to Allah, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) or the Imams (A.S.) | As an obligatory precaution. The same applies to Lady Fatima (S.A.) and the other prophets and their successors. |
| 5 | Letting thick dust reach the throat | As an obligatory precaution. |
| 6 | Remaining in janabah, haydh or nifas until dawn | Intentionally, in the fast of Ramadan and its qada. Ghusl (or tayammum) must be done before dawn. |
| 7 | A liquid enema | Even if taken because of illness. |
| 8 | Vomiting on purpose | Vomiting that cannot be helped does not break the fast. |
Things that do not break the fast
- Eating or drinking because you forgot you were fasting. Once you remember, stop at once.
- Swallowing your own saliva, even if there is a lot of it.
- Brushing the teeth, as long as you do not swallow water or toothpaste.
- Putting the head under water. It is makruh, but it does not break the fast.
- An injection, and eye or ear drops. For inhalers and other medicines, check with your Marja's office.
- Something forced down your throat without your choice.
الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ
“Fasting is a shield against the Fire.”
Source: Furu' al-Kafi, al-Kulayni, vol. 4, Book of Fasting
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: fasting; things that invalidate a fast (Ruling 1551 and following); laws of things that invalidate a fast (Rulings 1623–1626).
Makruh acts, Qada, Kaffarah and Fidyah
مَكْرُوهَاتُ الصَّوْمِ وَالْقَضَاءُ وَالْكَفَّارَةُ وَالْفِدْيَةُ
مکروہاتِ روزہ، قضا، کفارہ اور فدیہ
Makruh acts while fasting
These do not break the fast, but it is better to avoid them:
- Putting medicine or kohl in the eyes so that its taste or smell reaches the throat.
- Doing things that cause weakness, such as giving blood or going to a hot bath (hammam).
- Using nose drops when you do not know whether they will reach the throat (if you know they will, it is not allowed).
- Smelling fragrant plants.
- A woman sitting in water.
- Using a suppository.
- Wetting the clothes you are wearing.
- Having a tooth pulled, or anything that makes the mouth bleed.
- Cleaning the teeth with a wet twig.
- Putting water or another liquid in the mouth without a reason.
- Putting the whole head under water.
Qada only, or Qada and Kaffarah?
Anyone who misses a fast of Ramadan, with or without an excuse, must make it up (qada) before the next Ramadan. If someone deliberately breaks a Ramadan fast with one of the mufattirat, knowing it is not allowed and without a valid excuse, he must give qada and kaffarah.
The kaffarah of a Ramadan fast
The person may choose one of three:
- Freeing a slave (not possible in our time);
- Fasting for two months, of which at least the first 31 days must be consecutive;
- Feeding 60 poor people, giving each one mudd (about 750 g) of food such as wheat, flour, rice or dates.
If the fast was broken with something haram, it is a recommended precaution to perform all three together. Someone who breaks a qada fast of Ramadan after Zuhr must feed ten poor people one mudd each, or, if he cannot, fast three days.
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
“Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.”
Fidyah
Fidyah is one mudd (about 750 g) of food for each day, given to a poor person. It is due in these cases:
- An elderly person for whom fasting is very difficult gives fidyah instead.
- Someone with an illness that causes extreme thirst gives fidyah.
- A woman close to giving birth, or breastfeeding, whose fast would harm her baby or herself, may leave the fast, then gives fidyah and makes up the fast later.
- Someone who was ill for the whole year, from one Ramadan to the next, does not make up the fasts; he gives fidyah for each day.
- Someone who delayed his qada without an excuse until the next Ramadan must make up the fasts and also give fidyah for each day.
وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ
“And for those who can only fast with great hardship, a ransom: the feeding of a poor person.”
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: things disapproved for a fasting person (Ruling 1627); when qada and kaffarah are both obligatory; kaffarah of a fast; when only qada is obligatory; fidyah.
Types of fasts, the traveller's fast and Zakat al-Fitrah
أَقْسَامُ الصَّوْمِ وَصَوْمُ الْمُسَافِرِ وَزَكَاةُ الْفِطْرَةِ
روزوں کی اقسام، مسافر کا روزہ اور فطرہ
The four kinds of fast
| Kind | Examples |
|---|---|
| Wajib | The month of Ramadan; qada fasts; kaffarah fasts; a fast made obligatory by a vow (nadhr). |
| Haram | The day of Eid al-Fitr and the day of Eid al-Adha; fasting the day of doubt at the end of Sha'ban with the intention of Ramadan; a fast that causes significant harm. |
| Makruh | The Day of Ashura; a day when you doubt whether it is the Day of Arafah or Eid al-Adha. |
| Mustahab | Every day of the year except the haram and makruh days. Some days are especially recommended (below). |
Especially recommended fasts
- The first and last Thursday of every month, and the first Wednesday after the 10th of the month; also the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month.
- The whole of Rajab and Sha'ban, or as many days as you can.
- The 4th to 9th of Shawwal; the 25th and 29th of Dhul Qa'da.
- The 1st to 9th of Dhul Hijjah; the Day of Ghadir (18 Dhul Hijjah); the Day of Mubahala (24 Dhul Hijjah).
- The 1st, 3rd and 7th of Muharram; the birthday of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.), 17 Rabi al-Awwal; 15 Jumada al-Ula; 27 Rajab, the day of the Mab'ath; and the day of Nawruz.
The traveller's fast
A traveller whose prayer is shortened does not fast, and makes up the fasts later. A traveller whose prayer is full, such as someone whose work is travelling, does fast. The time of day matters:
- Leaving before Zuhr: as an obligatory precaution, the fast is not kept, once you pass the hadd al-tarakhkhus. Do not break it before then.
- Leaving after Zuhr: complete the fast.
- Arriving home (or where you will stay ten days) before Zuhr without having done anything that breaks the fast: fast that day.
- A mustahab fast is not kept on a journey, except the three days of fasting in Madinah (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) for a need.
Zakat al-Fitrah
At sunset on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, everyone who is bulugh, sane, not unconscious and not poor must give fitrah for himself and for everyone who is his dependant at that moment, including a guest who arrives before sunset and is fed by him (an obligatory precaution).
- Amount: one sa', about 3 kg, per person, of a food that is a staple in your town, such as wheat, rice or dates, or its value in money.
- When: after sunset on the eve of Eid. Give it, or set it aside, before the Eid prayer; someone who does not pray the Eid prayer may delay it until Zuhr.
- To whom: to poor believers who are eligible for zakat, as an obligatory precaution to Shia believers. It is better to give first to poor relatives, then neighbours, then people of knowledge.
- Sayyids: a person who is not a Sayyid cannot give his fitrah to a Sayyid. A Sayyid may give his fitrah to a Sayyid or a non-Sayyid.
Rulings: Islamic Laws, Ayatollah al-Sistani: unlawful and disapproved fasts (Rulings 1707–1715); recommended fasts; rules of a traveller's fast; Zakat al-Fitrah (Rulings 2003–2023).
Tasbih of Lady Fatima Zahra (S.A.)
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اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar · 34 times
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