Performing Salah (Prayer) in Dangerous Conditions

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ صَلَاةِ الْخَوْفِ قَالَ يَقُومُ الْإِمَامُ وَ تَجِي‌ءُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَيَقُومُونَ خَلْفَهُ وَ طَائِفَةٌ بِإِزَاءِ الْعَدُوِّ فَيُصَلِّي بِهِمُ الْإِمَامُ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ يَقُومُ وَ يَقُومُونَ مَعَهُ‌ فَيَمْثُلُ قَائِماً[1] وَ يُصَلُّونَ هُمُ الرَّكْعَةَ الثَّانِيَةَ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُونَ فَيَقُومُونَ فِي مَقَامِ أَصْحَابِهِمْ وَ يَ

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) in fearful conditions. He (the Imam) said, ‘The Imam stands up and one group of his people comes and stands up behind him. The other group faces the enemy. The Imam performs one Rak‘at, then stands up and they also stand up. He remains standing but th

صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِأَصْحَابِهِ فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ‌[2] صَلَاةَ الْخَوْفِ فَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابَهُ فِرْقَتَيْنِ أَقَامَ فِرْقَةً بِإِزَاءِ الْعَدُوِّ وَ فِرْقَةً خَلْفَهُ فَكَبَّرَ وَ كَبَّرُوا فَقَرَأَ وَ أَنْصَتُوا وَ رَكَعَ فَرَكَعُوا وَ سَجَدَ فَسَجَدُوا ثُمَّ اسْتَتَمَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَائِماً[3] وَ صَلَّوْا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا إِلَى أَصْح

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah performed Salah (prayer) with his followers during the armed expedition at Dhat al-Riqa‘ in a fearful condition. The Messenger of Allah divided his companions in two groups. One group was made to stand up facing the enemy and the other group behind him for Sa

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنْ كُنْتَ فِي أَرْضِ مَخَافَةٍ فَخَشِيتَ لِصّاً أَوْ سَبُعاً فَصَلِّ عَلَى دَابَّتِكَ.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If you are in a land where you are afraid of thieves or beasts, perform Salah (prayer) on your stumper.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[1] عَنِ الْأَسِيرِ يَأْسِرُهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَتَحْضُرُهُ الصَّلَاةُ فَيَمْنَعُهُ الَّذِي أَسَرَهُ مِنْهَا قَالَ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is a captive of the pagans. It becomes time for Salah (prayer) and they do not allow him to perform Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘He makes gestures as gestures are made.”’

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[2] قُلْتُ أَكُونُ فِي طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ فَنَنْزِلُ لِلصَّلَاةِ فِي مَوَاضِعَ فِيهَا الْأَعْرَابُ أَ نُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ فَنَقْرَأُ أُمَّ الْكِتَابِ وَحْدَهَا أَمْ نُصَلِّي عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ فَنَقْرَأُ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ وَ السُّورَةَ فَقَالَ إِذَا خِفْتَ فَصَلِّ عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَ غَيْرَهَا وَ إِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْحَمْدَ وَ سُورَةً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ وَ لَا أَرَى بِالَّذِي

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about my traveling between Makkah and al-Madinah and in the time of Salah (prayer), we disembark where Arabs are found. Can we perform the obligatory Salah (prayer) on the ground and recite just al-Fatihah, or perform it when riding and recite al-Fatihah al-Kitab and Surah (chapter)

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجالًا أَوْ رُكْباناً[3] كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي وَ مَا يَقُولُ إِذَا خَافَ مِنْ سَبُعٍ أَوْ لِصٍّ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ يُكَبِّرُ وَ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً بِرَأْسِهِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . if you are afraid then it is on foot or riding. . . .’(2:240), ‘How is this Salah (prayer) performed and what do you say if one is afraid of beasts or thieves?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He says Takbir (Allah is great beyond