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Do Mistakes in Recitation Invalidate the Prayer?

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: Do mistakes in recitation invalidate the prayer?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Your mispronunciation or mistakes does not invalidate your prayer.

What Types of Mistakes Invalidate the Prayer

The scholars have discussed this issue in a great deal and have mentioned that any mistakes made in the pronunciation of the Arabic do not break the prayer unless the change of the meaning is drastic, such that the meaning is tantamount to disbelief. [Hashiyah Ibn Abidin]

Others have mentioned that no mistakes invalidate the prayer because many people are unlearned and would often make pronunciation mistakes.

There is expansiveness in the matter.

Allah, Most High has not placed any undue hardship in the religion. Sometimes we overburden ourselves with doubts that may lead to waswasa.

How To Deal With Waswasa

For the one who is constantly in doubt abandoning caution is sometimes the best cure.

“As for the one who is often inflicted with waswasa, it is necessary for them to sever the cause of the waswasa and not to give it any consideration. This is because it is the doing of Shaytan and we have been commanded to oppose him.” [Hashiyah Ibn Abidin]

Knowledge

The long-term cure for these constant doubts is to seek a deeper understanding of Islamic Knowledge. With knowledge, Shaytan can not deceive you with his whispers and plots. I would advise that you find authentic scholars in your area and study with them a basic text in Islamic Jurisprudence.

Please note that SeekersGuidance has classes available in Islamic Jurisprudence and many other subjects.

May Allah ease your affairs

Allahu A’alam

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

What Is the Proof That Prayer Is Not Permissible When the Sun Is at Its Zenith?

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: What is the textual evidence that prayer is not permissible when the sun is at its zenith?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The Messenger of Allah said, “The prayer is witnessed and attended (i.e. by Angels) until the mid-day and it is certainly a time when the doors of Hell are opened and its fire kindled. So leave the prayer until the shadow appears. [Nasaai]

Uqbah bin Amir al-Juhani narrates, “There are three times which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) would prohibit us from praying or burying our deceased therein: When the sun clearly begins to rise until it has fully risen, when the sun reaches its peak till it begins to decline, and when the sun’s light begins to weaken till it fully sets.” [Muslim]

There are many other narrations in this regard as well.

May Allah bless you
Allahu A’alam

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

What Is the Ruling of the Prostration of Forgetfulness?

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: What Is the Ruling of the Prostration of Forgetfulness?

Answer: You will only need to perform Sajdah al-Sahw if you left out a necessary action in the prayer. If you did leave out such action then you should make Sajdah al-Sahw whether people are watching or not.

You should understand that Allah, Most High is certainly watching and His knowledge and opinion of you is more important than that of the people.

Doubts

If you are constantly doing Sajdah al-Sahw because of doubts regarding the number of units of prayer (rakah) that you have done, then you should only consider the doubt if it is substantial.

If you are 50/50 then you should continue your prayer based on the lesser number of units then end the prayer with Sajdah al-Sahw. [Maraqi al-Falah]

If this doubt occurs are the salaam or after having already sat in the final sitting the length of time it takes to recite the tashahud supplication, then you should not pay the doubt any mind. That is until and unless you have absolute certainty that you left out something. [Maraqi al-Falah]

Waswasa

For the one who is constantly in doubt abandoning caution is sometimes the best cure.

“As for the one who is often inflicted with waswasa, it is necessary for them to sever the cause of the waswasa and not to give it any consideration. This is because it is the doing of Shaytan and we have been commanded to oppose him.” [Hashiyah Ibn Abidin]

Knowledge

The long-term cure for these constant doubts is to seek a deeper understanding of Islamic Knowledge. With knowledge, Shaytan can not deceive you with his whispers and plots. I would advise that you find authentic scholars in your area and study with them a basic text in Islamic Jurisprudence.

Please note that SeekersGuidance.org has classes available in Islamic Jurisprudence and many other subjects.

May Allah ease all of your affairs and protect you and us from the plots of Shaytan

Allahu A’alam

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

Movements In Prayer

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: Salam Aleykum, Do movements in the prayer invalidate the prayer? Does lifting one’s hand or hands in the prostration invalidate the prayer?

Answer: Wa Aleykum Selam

Movements That Invalidate the Prayer

Movements in the prayer, if excessive, can invalidate the prayer. The definition of excessive is such a movement that if an onlooker saw you doing it, they would assume that you are not in prayer. [Maraqi al-Falah] The movement you described doesn’t seem to fit this definition.

Movements That Do Not Invalidate the Prayer

Movements that are not excessive may still be disliked if they is no benefit in doing so or no wisdom behind it. This disliked movement is call ‘Abath’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Verily Allah dislikes for you ‘Abath’ idle movements in the prayer….” [Maraqi al-Falah]

Lifting One’s Hands During the Prostration

The minimum requirement of the prostration, regarding the hands, is that at least one hand must be placed on the ground. “The prostration is realized by placing the forehead, not just the nose, along with one of the hands….” [Maraqi al-Falah] If the forehead, one of the hands, the feet, and the knees were to be on the ground together, for at least the amount of time it takes to say ‘SubhanAllah’ once, the prostration would be valid. Although to leave the proper method of prostrating is disliked.

Stillness in Prayer

One should strive to remain still during the prayer. If one could fix their clothing prior to the prayer so that it does not disturb them in the prayer, this is best. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) entered the Masjid and saw a man playing with his beard, while in prayer. The Messenger then said, “If his heart were still, his limbs would have been still.” [Tirmidhi]

May Allah bless you

Allahu A’alam

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

Supplication For Getting Married

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Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I had a relation for 2 months with a boy but we broke up because we are from different states and our parents won’t allow us to get married. Is there any supplication I can do to get him as my husband in the future with our parent’s acceptance?

Answer: assalamu alaykum

You should note at the outset that having such a relationship before marriage is not sanctioned in Islam. While it is good to see you are thinking about marriage and validating your relationship in the eyes of the shariah, if you have engaged in any past behaviors that the shariah deems impermissible, you should seek God’s forgiveness for it as should the other party.

In this way, you can proceed with marriage in the correct way and with the blessings of God. You should know that the doors of His mercy are always open: “Do not despair of the mercy of God. Surely, God forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Merciful’ (39:53).”

Regarding a supplication, you can use any words you like. There are other general supplications you should recite as well, which include:

“Our Lord! Grant unto us spouses and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous.” (25:74)

You should also recite the istikhara prayer. Set your mind and heart to God granting you a spouse who is best for your worldly and next-worldly life regardless of who it is.

Please see: A Dua to Make Someone My Spouse and Istikhara: The Prayer of Seeking Guidance

Wassalam,

[Ustadh Salman Younas]

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Salman Younas was born and raised in New York and graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies. After studying the Islamic sciences online and with local scholars in New York, Ustadh Salman moved to Amman. There he studies Islamic law, legal methodology, belief, hadith methodology, logic, Arabic, and tafsir. Ustadh Salman’s personal interests include research into the fields of law/legal methodology, hadith, theology, as well as political theory, government, media, and ethics. He is also an avid traveler and book collector. He currently resides in Amman with his wife.

Is It Valid to Pray Between Sunrise And Midday?

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: Is it permissible to make up missed prayers at the time between Sunrise and Salat al-Zhuhr?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

May Allah bless you for your inquiry.

It is permissible to make up missed prayer between sunrise and up until just a few minutes prior to the entering of Zuhr time.

There are 3 times, in which any obligatory or necessary prayers performed therein would be invalid (i.e. regarding those prayers whose obligation was established before the entering of these times.) [Maraqi al-Falah] They are:

1) From the rising of the sun (which signifies the end of Fajr) until it fully rises and becomes clearly visible (appx 15 mins after sunrise)

2) When the sun is at its zenith until it declines (signifying the entrance of the time of Zuhr prayer), and,

3) When the sky becomes yellowish and the sun’s light becomes weak, such that one can bear to look at it until it fully sets (this is near the end of the Asar prayer time. (Maraqi al-Falah)

Allah Knows Best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

Suplication In Prostration

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Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: What is the ruling of making supplication [dua] after prayer in prostration [sajdah]? So the prayer has ended and a person goes into prostration and makes dua. What do the Hanafi scholars say regarding this?

Answer: assalamu alaykum

Performing a prostration for no reason is neither deemed disliked nor an act of drawing closer to God.

However, when coupled with a du’a, this can be seen as prostration for a purpose, namely to humble oneself in front of God and supplicate to Him for one’s needs. As such, it would be permitted and rewarding in so far as it constitutes a form of submission to God.

The only time it would be disliked is if performing such a prostration will lead to people believing that it is an action that is a specific prophetic sunna or necessary. In most cases, this confusion is not expected. Nonetheless, it is an important consideration to keep in mind.

Sources: Ibn Abidin, Hashiya.

[Ustadh] Salman Younas

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Salman Younas was born and raised in New York and graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies. After studying the Islamic sciences online and with local scholars in New York, Ustadh Salman moved to Amman. There he studies Islamic law, legal methodology, belief, hadith methodology, logic, Arabic, and tafsir. Ustadh Salman’s personal interests include research into the fields of law/legal methodology, hadith, theology, as well as political theory, government, media, and ethics. He is also an avid traveler and book collector. He currently resides in Amman with his wife.

Make Up For Missing Prayers

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Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question: Assalamu Alaikum, How does one make up for a large number of prayers (let’s say, years of them)? Does he/she have to make up for each individual prayer? Would they have to make up for all those prayers or would a general tawbah be required in such a case?

Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

I pray you’re well.

The Importance of the Prayer

The prayer is of central importance in Islam, and trying to perfect one’s prayer is a life-long objective of every believer. It is the purest act of worship through which slavehood to Allah Most High is expressed.

From puberty onwards, every believer is expected to perform the five fard prayers – and the wajib witr prayer for Hanafis – every day. If any of these are missing then one will be accountable for them on the Day of Judgement.

Therefore, all missed prayers must be made up – regardless of the reason behind them being missed. One must also repent from any prayers missed due to negligence.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “The first thing a servant will be taken to account for on the Day of Judgement from his deeds is the prayer. If it is right he is successful and saved. Otherwise, he is ruined and has lost out.

The Lord – Infinitely Generous and Lofty is He – will say [to the angels], ‘Look; does my servant have any voluntary worship which can compensate for the deficiencies in his obligatory worship?’ Then the rest of his works will be treated in the same way.” (Abu Dawud).

This narration also highlights the importance of  the sunna prayers and voluntary worship.

How To Make Up Missed Prayers

The simplest way is to start from the point you reached puberty. If you do not know the precise month and year then make a good guess.

Once you have this date calculate the number of years, months, and days from puberty until you started to consistently pray properly. It might be wise to add 2% of this figure as a backup.

At this point you should start to make up the prayers. You do need to pray them in order, and there is no rush.

The easiest way is to start making up one day’s worth of prayers a day. The order can be mixed up to facilitate the process, though it is better to pray maghrib and the witr prayer in a place where no one can see you. This is to avoid letting others know that you missed prayers in the past. The other prayers can be passed of as voluntary prayers.

It is also important that you keep on top of your current prayers – they are a priority. Also, do not miss the emphasised sunnas: the two before fajr; the four before zuhr, and the two after it; the two after maghrib, and the two after ‘isha.

A sample routine could be that you make up:

before/after fajr – a previous zuhr

after sunrise until noon – a previous maghrib

after zuhr – a previous asr

before (ideally) / after asr (before the sun goes reddish) – a previous ‘isha

after maghrib – a previous fajr

before bed/tahajjud time – a previous witr.

This way you’ll be able to place the missed prayers in the slots of the recommended voluntary prayers without disrupting your routine much. Alternatively, you could find a 20 minutes slot in the day and pray them all back to back.

The Intention

The simplest intention is to say “I intend to make up the last fajr/zuhr/asr, etc prayer that I missed and have not prayed yet.” Do this for every prayer, and each time you perform a prayer one will be knocked off the list and the one prior to it will become ‘the last prayer you missed’

Keep a separate written record of how many days you have made up, ideally in a place you won’t lost it, such as iCloud.

Beware Of Burnout

The Devil will undoubtedly come and make you rush through the prayers, and also make you think the number you are doing isn’t enough. Ignore him. Start with making up one day a day, and when you have consistently done this for three months consider adding another day to the routine.

This way you will keep advancing. A small amount over a long period of time is better than a big sudden splash and then nothing. I know many people who have built up to consistently making up five days worth of prayers a day, and kept at it. This requires a bit of sacrifice but the fruits are well worth it.

As with everything, ask Allah for help, and tell Him you are doing this to please Him, and to fulfil His rights that you were deficient with. This way you will be rewarded for it all even if you die before completing them all. Allah is very kind and generous.

(Shurubnulali, Maraqi al Falah)

May Allah facilitate all matters for you.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with erudite scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic with teachers such as Dr Ashraf Muneeb, Dr Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr Mansur Abu Zina, and others. He was also given licences of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabir and Shaykh Yahya Qandil. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.

What Should I Do If I Hear The Prayer Call After Finishing My Current Prayer?

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Answered by Ustadh Farid Dingle

Question: As-salam Alaykum, What should I do if I hear the azan after finishing the current obligatory prayer?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Thank you for your important and valued question.

The prayer is valid as long as the prayer time has actually entered. You can work out when the prayer enters by following accurate timetables like those found on Islamicfinder.com. As long as you pray after that time, the prayer is find.

Whether or not there is an azan, or when exactly someone calls the azan is another issue: sometimes people call the azan late, especially in non-Muslim countries where people are far from the mosque. In fact, even in Muslim countries, the azan is often called for a whole region/city 5 mins or so late so as to account for the difference of the position of the sun in respect to the different parts of the region/city.

I would just check the app’s settings with Islamicfinder.com. If it seems complete off, then I would repeat the prayer.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid Dingle

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to crafts lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language.

Friday Prayer

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Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaikum, I am currently in a course and my classes are rigorous and the lunch break that we have doesn’t coincide with the time for the Jummah prayer at the masjid nearby. Leaving the class to go and pray would mean that i will have to be gone for an hour. Can you please advice what I should do regarding jummah?

Answer: Assalam ‘alaykum,

The Friday prayer is an obligation upon every able Muslim man. In the same way one is not permitted to miss the Dhuhr prayer, one cannot miss the Friday prayer with its additional conditions. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘People must cease from abandoning the Friday prayers or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the negligent.’ [Muslim]

Given the above, explore the following options in order:

1. In the Hanafi school, the Jumu’ah prayer may be performed by three people. If there is three or more male Muslims in the course or college, then arrange to perform the Jumu’ah prayer on site. Please refer this brief answer and this detailed answer.

2. If there are not three or more Muslim males on site, then consider asking Muslims in the local vicinity, such as shops.

3. Find out if the course is run at other times, such as evenings and weekends.

4. Speak to the course instructors or classmates and discuss your options. Perhaps you could attend the Jumu’ah at he mosque and have another diligent student takes notes and go through the parts you missed at the end of the day with you.

5. If none of the above are options, then it leaves you in a difficult situation. The general ruling is if a job or training is necessary, there is no way to attend the Friday prayer, and to leave it to attend the prayer would result in much hardship, then there is some scope for missing the Friday prayer until the issue is resolved. However, given that your course is 15 weeks, and it is not clear if it is essential for you to take, the situation is problematic.

If the course is not essential for your livelihood, then I would explore other similar courses which permit you to attend the Friday prayer.

If the course is essential for your livelihood and no other option exists, then there may be some leeway to miss the Friday prayer and perform the Dhuhr prayer instead. This is akin to having to sit a crucial exam during the time of the Friday prayer. Some of our esteemed teachers stated it would be permitted to miss the prayer for this reason, as an extended analogy to what the fiqh books mention in regards missing the prayer due to fear of one’s food burning in the oven, or even due to some even milder excuses. However, one should do their upmost to explore other alternatives. And Allah Most High knows best.

Please pray Salatul Haja (The Prayer of Need) and something will open up for you insha’Allah. May Allah make things easy for you.

Warmest salams,

[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. He travelled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years privately studying a range of Islamic sciences under the foremost scholars and muftis from the Ribat Tarim, specializating in Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies under many of Amman’s most prominent scholars, in a range of Islamic sciences, including Islamic theology, logic, legal principles and precepts, hadith studies, grammar and rhetoric, seerah, Quranic studies and tafsir. He is also an experienced homeopath.