Lesson Eight- The Obligatory Elements of Prayer

There are eight obligatory elements in the prayer: All of the Takbirs, except for the opening Takbir (because it is one of the pillars of prayer); to say: Sami'-Allahu Liman Hamidah (Allah listens to those who praise Him), both for the Imam and for the one who prays alone; to say: Rabbana wa Lakal-Hamd (Our Lord, and for You is all Praise), for everyone. During the bowing position, to say: Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azeem (How perfect my Lord is, the Supreme); during prostration, to say: Subhana Rabbiyal- 'Ala (How perfect my Lord is, the Most High). Between the two prostrations, to say: Rabbighfir lee (My Lord, forgive me); the first Tashahhud; and sitting down for it.



1) All of the Takbirs, except for the opening Takbir - Ibn Mas'ud said, "I saw that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would say Allahu Akbar whenever he would rise or descend, and whenever he would stand or sit." (Recorded by Ahmad, An-Nasa'i, and At-Tirmithi who said it was Sahih.) And the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used the imperative when he said:



When the imperative is used, it indicates an obligatory.


2) During the bowing position, to say: Subhana Rabbiyal- 'Azeem (How perfect my Lord is, the Supreme). In a Hadith related by Huthaifah (Radhi Allahu Anhu), in which the Prophet's prayer is described, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would say while bowing:

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and while he was prostrating:



3) To say: Sami'-Allahu Liman Hamidah (Allah listens to those who praise Him), both for the Imam and for the one who prays alone. As he was describing the Prophet's prayer, Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said that when the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would raise his backbone from the bowing position, he would say:



4) To say: Rabbana wa Lakal-Hamd (Our Lord, and for You is all praise), for everyone: for the Imam, for the one following the Imam, and for the one who is praying individually. In the previous Hadith related by Abu Hurairah, we learn exactly what the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would say as he was rising, which indicates that he would say:



when he reached the standing position.

5) During prostration, to say: Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala (How perfect my Lord is, the Most High). That this is an obligatory element of prayer is also indicated by the previous Hadith.


6) Between the two prostrations, to say: Rabbighfir Lee (My Lord, forgive me). That the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would say this phrase between the two prostrations is related in a Hadith narrated by Huthaifah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) Recorded by An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. (*)


7) The first Tashahhud.


8) And sitting down for it, i.e., for the first Tashahhud. These last two are based on a Hadith, wherein the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) is described as follows: He used to read the Tahiyyat (i.e., the Tashahhud) after every two units. And the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said.


The difference between the pillars of prayer (Arkan) and the obligatory elements (Wajibat) of prayer, is that when one leaves out any pillar of prayer, regardless of whether he leaves it out on purpose or because he forgets, his prayer is nullified. But only when one purposefully leaves out one of the obligatory elements of prayer is his prayer void. If one forgets to perform one of the obligatory elements of prayer, one may make it up by performing the prostration that is legislated for forgetfulness. (*)

* See Sburutus-Salat wa Arkanuba by Shaikh AI-Islam Muhammad bin 'Abdul¬Wahhab, andAl-'UddabSbarbul-'Umdab, 13-71, and Manarus-Sabil 70:87.