|
The components (main sunnas) of prayer are stressed optional acts:
-
Even if one were to omit all of them intentionally, one’s prayer would be valid and one wouldn’t have fallen into sin.
-
However, omitting even part of a component (whether intentionally, absentmindedly, or out of ignorance) renders the prayer deficient.
-
This deficiency can be repaired with a pair of forgetfulness prostrations at the end of the prayer
-
If one omits the forgetfulness prostrations (whether intentionally, absentmindedly, or out of ignorance) one’s prayer is still valid and one is still free from sin.
-
However, one has offered a deficient prayer to His Lord, Mighty and Majestic.
-
A component can be referred to as a ba`d (pl. ab`ad) or a sunnah (pl. sunan).
-
When components are referred to as sunan, other, less stressed sunnah acts are commonly referred to hay’at. Reliance of the Traveller refers to components as “main sunnas”. [Reliance, f11.4] |
|
There are seven components (main sunnas) of prayer, namely:
-
the first tashahhud of a prayer with more than one tashahhud (as opposed to the last tashahhud, which is an integral),
-
sitting for the first tashahhud
-
the prayer for the Prophet (as-salah `ala-n-nabiyy), may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after the first tashahhud (as opposed to the same act after the last tashahhud, which is an integral)
-
the prayer for the family of the Prophet (as-salah `ala alihi), may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after the last tashahhud
-
the standing supplication (qunoot) in the fajr prayer (throughout the year) and in the witr prayer (during the second half of Ramadan)
-
standing during the qunoot, and
-
the prayer and salutation (as-salah wa-s-salam) upon the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), his family, and companions after the qunoot. |
|
