Salah (Prayer) Is Made Obligatory (Chapters 3-15, practical rules about prayer are best expressed in the form of fatwa.)

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَمَّا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ فَقُلْتُ فَهَلْ سَمَّاهُنَّ وَ بَيَّنَهُنَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِنَبِيِّهِ ص- أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ‌ إِلى‌ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ‌[1] وَ دُلُوكُهَا زَوَالُهَا فَفِيمَا بَيْنَ دُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ أَرْبَعُ صَلَوَاتٍ سَمَّاهُنَّ ا

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about how much of Salah (prayer) Allah, the most Majestic and Glorious, has made obligatory. He (the Imam) said, ‘During one day and night five prayers are made obligatory.’ I then asked, ‘Has He named and explained them in His book?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Allah, the most High, has said to

كَانَ الَّذِي فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ عَشْرَ رَكَعَاتٍ وَ فِيهِنَّ الْقِرَاءَةُ وَ لَيْسَ فِيهِنَّ وَهْمٌ يَعْنِي سَهْواً فَزَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص سَبْعاً وَ فِيهِنَّ الْوَهْمُ وَ لَيْسَ فِيهِنَّ قِرَاءَةٌ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Of Salah (prayer) Allah has made ten Rak‘at obligatory on His servants. In such Salah (prayer) there are the recitations; thus, conjectures, mistakes in such Salah (prayer) are not acceptable. The Messenger of Allah added seven Rak‘ats in which conjectures, mistakes are dealt with accordi

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ الصَّلَاةَ وَ سَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَشَرَةَ أَوْجُهٍ صَلَاةَ الْحَضَرِ وَ السَّفَرِ وَ صَلَاةَ الْخَوْفِ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَوْجُهٍ وَ صَلَاةَ كُسُوفِ الشَّمْسِ وَ الْقَمَرِ وَ صَلَاةَ الْعِيدَيْنِ وَ صَلَاةَ الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ وَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ.

3. Through the chain of his narrators Hammad has narrated from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “‘Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Allah has made Salah (prayer) obligatory. The Messenger of Allah has established ten kinds of traditions in Salah (prayer): Salah (prayer) at home and during a journey

فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتاباً مَوْقُوتاً أَيْ مَوْجُوباً.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Salah (prayer) in Mawqut (with certain timing) form was written on believers’ abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘it means obligatory.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الْفَرْضِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ الْوَقْتُ وَ الطَّهُورُ وَ الْقِبْلَةُ وَ التَّوَجُّهُ وَ الرُّكُوعُ وَ السُّجُودُ وَ الدُّعَاءُ قُلْتُ مَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ سُنَّةٌ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ.

5. Hammad has narrated from Hariz from Zurarah from who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about what is obligatory in Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘Time, al-Tahur (cleansing), facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah), paying attention, al-Ruku‘, al-Sujud and praying. The rest are optional i

لِلصَّلَاةِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ حَدٍّ. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ لِلصَّلَاةِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ بَابٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Salah (prayer) has four thousand limits (rules).”’ “In another Hadith it is said that in Salah (prayer) there are four thousand doors (chapters).”

عَشْرُ رَكَعَاتٍ رَكْعَتَانِ مِنَ الظُّهْرِ وَ رَكْعَتَانِ مِنَ الْعَصْرِ وَ رَكْعَتَا الصُّبْحِ وَ رَكْعَتَا الْمَغْرِبِ وَ رَكْعَتَا الْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ لَا يَجُوزُ الْوَهْمُ فِيهِنَّ وَ مَنْ وَهَمَ فِي شَيْ‌ءٍ مِنْهُنَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ الصَّلَاةَ اسْتِقْبَالًا وَ هِيَ الصَّلَاةُ الَّتِي فَرَضَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَ فَوَّضَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ص فَزَادَ النَّبِيُّ ص فِي الصَّلَا

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘There are ten Rak‘at in Salah (prayer). There are two for al- Dhuhr, two for al-‘Asr, two Rak‘at of Morning, two Rak‘at of al-Maghrib and two Rak‘at of al-‘Isha’ al-Akhirah. In these many of Salah (prayer) conjectures (mistakes) are not acceptable. If one faces conjectures in such Salah (

الصَّلَاةُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَثْلَاثٍ ثُلُثٌ طَهُورٌ وَ ثُلُثٌ رُكُوعٌ وَ ثُلُثٌ سُجُودٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Acts of Salah (prayer) fall in three categories; They are Tahur (cleansing), Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees), and Sujud (prostration).”’