Fiqh of Purification and Salah

Importance of Taharah

"Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."

— Surah Al-Baqarah (2:222)

"Purification is half of faith (Iman)."

— Sahih Muslim

"Cleanliness is part of faith."

— Sahih Muslim

Types of Purification

Taharah from Hadath (Ritual Impurity)

Minor (Hadath Asghar): Wudu required
Major (Hadath Akbar): Ghusl required

Taharah from Najasah (Physical Impurity)

Removing physical filth from body, clothes, or prayer place

Physical Cleanliness

Trimming nails, removing hair, using miswak, regular bathing

Detailed Rulings on Wudu

Obligatory Acts (Fard)

1

Washing the face (from hairline to chin, ears included)
2

Washing both arms up to the elbows
3

Wiping a part of the head (masah)
4

Washing both feet up to the ankles

Sunnah Acts

• Intention (niyyah) in the heart
• Saying "Bismillah"
• Washing hands three times before starting
• Rinsing the mouth and nose
• Starting with the right side
• Washing each part three times
• Performing in order (tartib)
• Doing actions consecutively (muwalat)
• Massaging the fingers and toes

Detailed Rulings on Ghusl

When Ghusl is Obligatory

• After sexual intercourse (janabah)
• After ejaculation (with desire)
• End of menstruation (hayd)
• End of post-natal bleeding (nifas)

How to Perform Ghusl

1. Intention (niyyah) in the heart
2. Say "Bismillah"
3. Wash hands, private parts, and any impurity
4. Perform full wudu (except washing feet if following Maliki or Hanbali school)
5. Pour water over the head three times, ensuring it reaches the roots
6. Pour water over the right shoulder, then left, then entire body
7. Rub the body to ensure water reaches all parts

Tayammum (Dry Ablution)

When Tayammum is Allowed

• No access to water
• Illness that worsens with water
• Fear of missing prayer time
• Water is needed for drinking

How to Perform Tayammum

1. Intention
2. Strike clean soil, sand, or stone with palms
3. Wipe the entire face once
4. Wipe both arms up to the elbows (after striking again)

Note: Tayammum replaces both wudu and ghusl when necessary.

Categories of Najasah (Impurities)

Type	Examples	Treatment
Najasah Mughallazah (Intense Impurity)	Dog saliva, pig and its byproducts	7 washes, one with soil/detergent
Najasah Mutawassitah (Medium Impurity)	Urine, feces, blood, pus, vomit (if more than a mouthful), semen (disputed)	Must be washed off
Najasah Mukhaffafah (Light Impurity)	Urine of infant boy (not yet eating solid food)	Sprinkle water over the area

Note: Most scholars agree that alcohol is ritually impure (najis), though some early scholars considered it only sinful but not physically impure.

Importance of Salah

"Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times."

— Surah An-Nisa (4:103)

"The first deed for which a person will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. If it is sound, the rest of his deeds will be sound. If it is bad, the rest will be bad."

— Al-Tabarani (graded Hasan)

"The key to Paradise is Salah; the key to Salah is Wudu."

— Musnad Ahmad

Conditions for Salah (Shurut al-Salah)

Islam

Sanity (Aql)

Age of Discrimination (Tamyiz)

Purity from Hadath (Wudu/Ghusl/Tayammum)

Purity from Najasah (Physical Cleanliness)

Covering the 'Awrah (Modesty)

Facing the Qiblah (Direction of Ka'bah)

Correct Time (Waqt al-Salah)

Niyyah (Intention)

The Five Daily Prayers

🌅

Fajr

Dawn (before sunrise)

2 Fard

☀️

Dhuhr

Midday (after sun passes zenith)

4 Fard

🌇

Asr

Late afternoon (before sunset)

4 Fard

🌆

Maghrib

Just after sunset

3 Fard

🌙

Isha

Night (after twilight ends)

4 Fard

Obligatory Acts of Salah (Arkan al-Salah)

The 14 Pillars (Hanafi School)

1

Standing (Qiyam) – If able
2

Intention (Niyyah) – In the heart
3

Takbirat al-Ihram – Saying "Allahu Akbar" to start
4

Recitation of Al-Fatiha – In every rak'ah
5

Ruku' (Bowing) – With composure
6

Standing after Ruku' – Straightening up
7

Sujud (Prostration) – Twice per rak'ah

8

Sitting between prostrations – Julus bayna as-Sajdatayn
9

Calmness (Tuma'ninah) – Composure in each posture
10

Correct order (Tartib) – Performing actions in sequence
11

Final Tashahhud – Sitting for Tashahhud
12

Salam – Saying "Assalamu alaykum"
13

Witr – Final odd-numbered prayer at night
14

Reciting in correct order – Surah after Fatiha in first two rak'ahs

Structure of a 2-Rak'ah Fard Prayer (Fajr)

Rak'ah 1

1. Stand, face Qiblah, make niyyah
2. Say "Allahu Akbar" (Takbirat al-Ihram), hands raised
3. Place right hand over left (Hanafi/Shafi'i) or let hands hang (Maliki/Hanbali)
4. Recite Thana': "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika..."
5. Recite Bismillah, then Surah Al-Fatiha, then a short Surah (e.g., Al-Ikhlas)
6. Say "Allahu Akbar", go into Ruku' (bow), say "Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azim" 3x
7. Rise to standing, say "Sami'Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal hamd"
8. Say "Allahu Akbar", go into Sujud, say "Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la" 3x
9. Sit up briefly (Julus), say "Rabbighfirli"
10. Say "Allahu Akbar", prostrate again (2nd sujud)
11. Rise for 2nd Rak'ah

Rak'ah 2

• Repeat steps 4-10 (but do not recite Thana')
• After 2nd prostration, sit for Tashahhud:
"At-tahiyyatu lillahi... Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah..."
• Optional: Send Salawat on the Prophet:
"Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..."
• End with Taslim:
"Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah" (to right), and optionally to left

Sunnah and Nafl (Voluntary) Prayers

Prayer	Rak'ahs	Time	Notes
2 Sunnah before Fajr	2	Before Fajr	Emphasized; Prophet ﷺ never missed
4 Sunnah before Dhuhr	4	Before Dhuhr	+ 2 after
2 Sunnah after Dhuhr	2	After Dhuhr
2 Sunnah after Maghrib	2	After Maghrib
2 Sunnah after Isha	2	After Isha
Witr	1, 3, or more	After Isha	Wajib in Hanafi; Sunnah in others
Tahajjud	2+	Last third of night	Highly rewarded
Duha (Chasht)	2-8	After sunrise to midday

Forbidden Times for Nafl Prayer: Sunrise (until full up), when sun is at zenith (Dhuhr time), sunset (until fully down)

Key Fiqh Opinions by Madhhab (Schools)

Ruling	Hanafi	Maliki	Shafi'i	Hanbali
Dog saliva	Najis, 7 washes (1 with soil)	Najis, same	Najis, same	Najis, same
Alcohol	Najis	Najis	Najis	Najis
Urine of infant boy	Light impurity (sprinkle)	Same	Same	Same
Blood	Najis	Najis	Najis	Najis (except menstrual blood, which is excused in prayer once cleaned)
Wudu broken by wind?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Touching opposite gender	Breaks wudu (if desire)	Only if arousal	No	Only if arousal/ejaculation
Hands in Qiyam	Folded (right over left, below navel)	Hands at sides	Folded (below navel)	Hands at sides or folded
Saying Amin aloud	No	No	Yes (behind Imam)	Yes
Qunut in Fajr	Wajib in Witr	Optional	Sunnah in Witr	Sunnah in Fajr (after ruku')
Tasbih in Ruku'/Sujud	3x	3x	3x	At least once

Menstruation (Hayd) and Post-Natal Bleeding (Nifas)

Rules During Menstruation

• Salah and fasting are prohibited
• Tawaf (circumambulation of Ka'bah) is not allowed
• Sexual intercourse is forbidden
• Husband cannot divorce her during this period
• She must make up fasts, but not prayers

Duration & End of Menstruation

• Minimum duration: 3 days
• Maximum: 10 days (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali)
• Maliki allows longer
• After it stops, she performs ghusl, then resumes prayers and fasting

Traveler's Prayer (Salat al-Musafir)

Permissible Actions

• Shorten (Qasr) 4-rak'ah prayers to 2 (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha)
• Combine (Jam') prayers:
- - Dhuhr with Asr (at Dhuhr or Asr time)
- - Maghrib with Isha (at Maghrib or Isha time)

Conditions for Qasr

• Journey of at least 80 km (48 miles) (Hanafi)
• Not intending to stay more than:
- - 4 days (Hanafi)
- - 15 days (other schools)

Importance of Taharah

Types of Purification

Taharah from Hadath (Ritual Impurity)

Taharah from Najasah (Physical Impurity)

Physical Cleanliness

Detailed Rulings on Wudu

Obligatory Acts (Fard)

Sunnah Acts

Detailed Rulings on Ghusl

When Ghusl is Obligatory

How to Perform Ghusl

Tayammum (Dry Ablution)

When Tayammum is Allowed

How to Perform Tayammum

Categories of Najasah (Impurities)

Importance of Salah

Conditions for Salah (Shurut al-Salah)

The Five Daily Prayers

Fajr

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha

Obligatory Acts of Salah (Arkan al-Salah)

The 14 Pillars (Hanafi School)

Structure of a 2-Rak'ah Fard Prayer (Fajr)

Rak'ah 1

Rak'ah 2

Sunnah and Nafl (Voluntary) Prayers

Key Fiqh Opinions by Madhhab (Schools)

Menstruation (Hayd) and Post-Natal Bleeding (Nifas)

Rules During Menstruation

Duration & End of Menstruation

Traveler's Prayer (Salat al-Musafir)

Permissible Actions

Conditions for Qasr

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Purification

Salah