An Important Lesson

We will discuss and list the conditions and pillars of the salah. These are the things that are necessary for the validation of the salah. It is not permissible for a Muslim to be ignorant of them.

W will begin with the conditions first.

The Conditions

In order for salah to be valid, certain conditions are required. If a person does not fulfill any of these conditions for whatever reason, whether it be due to forgetfulness, ignorance, or purposely does not do them, then their salah is invalid.

Once a person realizes a condition has been missed they should repeat that salah all over again, even if a long period of time has passed by.

1. Islam – salah is not accepted from anyone other than a Muslim.

2. Sanity – a mentally challenged person will not be held accountable for their deeds, so they are not obligated to pray.

3. Puberty – a person must be at least the age of puberty before the salah can be accepted from them.

4. Purity – a Muslim is not in a state of spiritual purity during ejaculation during intercourse or a wet dream, or for women when they are on a period. To remove this spiritual impurity a Muslim should take a shower (ghusl) after it stops. and then they can pray.

5. Removal of filth – clothing should be free from impurities

6. Covering the awrah for both men and women.

7. Proper times – the salah must be prayed in its proper time and not a minute before

8. Facing the direction of the qiblah, the direction of the Ka’ba in Makkah

9. Intention – one should intend to pray for Allah and nobody else

The Pillars

In order for the salah to be valid, the pillars must be implemented. The salah is rendered invalid if any pillar is left out for whatever reason, not even the prostration of forgetfulness* can compensate for the omission of a pillar. The pillar has to be done or the salah has to be repeated, even if a long time passes.

* (sujuud as-sahw) Prostration of forgetfulness are the two prostrations made at the end of the prayer to compensate for mistakes done within the prayer. This does not apply to the pillars. This topic about the prostration of forgetfulness will be saved for a future guide.

Here is the list of pillars for salah. They should look very familiar to you if you went through chapter 4 – 5:

1. Standing Position (Unless physically unable to, one must always be standing)

2. Opening Takbeer (the first Allaahu akbar)

3. Recitation of suratul Fatiha

4. Bowing Position (Ruku’)

5. Rising up from the bowing position

6. Sujud with the 7 placements of your body on the floor:

• 1. forehead and nose

• 2 & 3: both palms of your hands

• 4 & 5: both knees

• 6 & 7: both feet – all must touch the floor during prostration

7. Coming up from the prostration position

8. Sitting between the two prostrations

9. Calmness and tranquility during salah

10. The pillars should be done repetitively in order

11. The last tashahud

12. Sitting during the last tashahhud

13. Sending the salaat and salaam upon the Prophet (saying ‘Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad ….) in the last tashahud

14. The two tasleems (saying assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatu Allah to the right and then to the left)

An Easy Way to Fulfill the Pillars

There are 14 pillars that must be met in the salah for it to be valid. It seem like a lot of things to remember for someone who is learning to pray for the first time, right?

The good news is that if you follow the lessons taught in Chapters 4 and 5, you will automatically fulfill all of the pillars!