The Obligatory (Fardh) Constituents

There are six parts of Salaat, which are Fardh. If any of the Fardh constituents is not carried out the Salaat is null and void- irrespective of whether it has been missed out intentionally or unintentionally.

The six Fardh constituents of Salaat are:

1. Takbeer Tahreemah
2. Qiyaam
3. Qiraat
4. Ruku
5. Sajda
6. Qad’ah Akhirah

(i) Takbeer Tahreemah, viz. After making Intention for the Salaat to say:

(Allaho-Akbar)

Allah is Great

(ii) Qiyaam. The posture of standing during, which the Qiraat is recited.

(iii) Qiraat. To recite some verses of the Holy Qur’an.

(iv) Ruku. The posture of bowing down.

(v) Sajda. The posture of prostrating.

(vi) Qad’ah Akhirah. The Final sitting posture in the last Raka’at of any Salaat. This sitting is Fardh          to the extent of the duration of Tashah-hud.

If any of the Fardh constituents are left out or not full-filled, the Salaat is rendered void. The Salaat in such a case must be performed again.

Sunnat and Nafil Salaat

• During the day time it is permissible to perform either two Raka’ats Nafil or four Raka’ats Nafil with a single salutation. It is forbidden during the day time, to perform more than four Raka’ats Nafil with one Tasleem. During the daytime Nafil can be performed in only batches of two Raka’ats or four Raka’ats.
• During the evenings or at night - time it is permissible to perform six or eight Raka’ats Nafil with one Tasleem. However, even at night it is not permissible to perform Nafil Salaat in batches greater than eight Raka’ats - i.e. more than eight Raka’ats with one Tasleem.
• Once Intention for Four Raka’ats Nafil has been formed, one should perform the full four Raka’ats. In the first Qad’ah (i.e. the sitting position at the end of the second Raka’at) of the Sunnat and Nafil Salaat the Namazi has a choice of reciting At-tahiyaat. Durood and Dua or only At-tahiyaat (Tashah-hud).
• In a Four-Raka’at or Three-Raka’at Fardh or Witr Salaat, it is not permissible to recite Durood and Dua after Tashah-hud in the first Qad’ah).
• If in the first Qad’ah of a Four-Raka’at Nafil Salaat Tashah-hud, Durood and Dua were recited, the Namazi should commence the third Raka’at with Sana. And, if only Tashah-hud was recited, the Namazi should begin the third Raka’at with Tasmia - and Surah Fatiha - he should omit Sana in this case.
• Similarly, if an Intention is made to perform eight Raka’at Nafil with one Tasleem, the Namazi has the choice of reciting in each Qad’ah besides Qad’ah Akhirah (the Last Qad’ah) either Tashah-hud Durood and Dua or only Tashah-hud. If he chooses to recite only the Tashah-hud then the Raka’at following the Qad’ah should be commenced without reciting Sana.
• Once the Namazi begins with a Nafil Salaat, it becomes obligatory upon him to complete it. If he breaks he becomes a sinner and shall have to make Qad’ah of it. However, every two Raka’ats of Nafil is regarded as a separate Salaat. Thus if an Intention is made to perform four, six or eight Raka’ats and the Namazi after commencing the Salaat breaks it, say for instance in the first or second Raka’at, Qad’ah of only the Raka’ats missed must be performed.
• The Namazi made Intention to perform four Raka’ats Salaat. After two Raka’ats, he recited Tashah-hud Durood and Dua, and in the third or four Raka’ats broke the Salaat. In this case only two Raka’ats Qad’ah will have to be offered.
• However, if the Namazi did not sit in the Qad’ah after the second Raka’at, then Qad’ah of all four Raka’ats will have to be offered.
• If, after beginning with the four Raka’ats Sunnat Zuhr, the Namazi broke the Salaat, then he must offer Qad’ah of the full four Raka’ats.
• It is permissible to perform Nafil Salaat in sitting position. But, if it is performed while sitting, without any valid reason, the Reward of the Salaat is reduced by half.

The Obligatory (Wajib) Constituents

The following parts of the Salaat are Wajib:

• Surah Fatiha

Its recitation individually or its audition in congregation.

• To add at least three verses of the Holy Qur’an after Surah Fatiha.

• Tarteeb

To fulfil the various constituent parts (i.e. the Fardh and Wajib parts) in their appropriate order as described in the section dealing with the method of performing the Salaat.

• Qad’ah

To sit after every two Raka’ats - duration of the Qad’ah is the time taken to recite the Tash-hud.

• Tashah-hud

To recite Tashah-hud in every Qad’ah.

• Dua-e-Qunoot

To recite Dua-e-Qunoot in the Third Raka’at of Witr Salaat.

• Qauma

To stand erect after the Ruku before going into Sajda.

• Salaam

To offer the Salaam (to the angel on each shoulder).

If the Namazi omits any of the Wajib constituents the error must be rectified by the performance of Sajda-us-Sahw.

All other parts of the Salaat, besides the Fardh and Wajib constituents, are Sunnat and Mustahab. The Namazi should strictly adhere to all the Sunnat and Mustahab factors of Salaat. He should not omit any of these without good reason. However, no Sajda-us-Sahw is performed if any of the Sunnat and Mustahab factors are omitted.