From the book (شروط الصلاة وواجباتها وأركانها تعليق) of Shaykh al-Islām Muḥammad bin ʿAbd al-Wahhāb (رحمه الله) with brief commentary from Shaykh Ibn Bāz (رحمه الله).

Conditions of the Prayer

01  (الإسلام)—Islām. Its opposite is kufr (disbelief), the action of the disbeliever is rejected (9:17-) (25:23-)

02  (العقل)—Intellect (presence of mind). Its opposition is insanity, and the pen is lifted from the insane person until he regains his sanity, due to the ḥadīth: (رُفِعَ القلم عن ثلاثة: النَّائم حتى يستيقظ، والمجنون حتى يفيق، والصغير حتى يبلغ) “The pen is lifted for three: The sleeping person until he awakes, the insane until he regains his sanity, and the child until he reaches maturity.”^[1]

03  (التَّمييز)—Mental maturity. Its opposite is childhood, whose limit is 7 years of age, after which he or she is commanded to pray, due to the ḥadīth: (مروا أبناءكم بالصَّلاة لسبعٍ، واضربوهم عليها لعشرٍ، وفرِّقوا بينهم في المضاجع) “Command your children with prayer at seven and discipline them for [its performance] at ten, and separate between them in their beds.”^[2]

04  (رفع الحدث)—Removal of state of minor impurity This is wuḍūʾ and what obligates it is ḥadath (relieving oneself, urination, passing wind, or defecation).

05  (إزالة النَّجاسة)—Removal of impurities from body, clothing and place of prayer. Its evidence is (74:4-)

06  (ستر العورة)—Covering the ʿawrah. The people of knowledge are united that prayer without clothing, when one has ability to be clothed is corrupt. The definition of ʿawrah for the male is what is between the navel and the knee, and for a slave-girl likewise. As for a free woman, then it is all of her body save her face [and hands in the view of others]. The evidence is (7:31-), meaning for every prayer.

07  (دخول الوقت)—Entry of the time of prayer. Evidence from the Sunnah is that Jibrīl (عليه السلام) led the Prophet in prayer at the beginning of its time and at the end of it, and said: “O Muḥammad prayer is between these two times.” ^[3] And also (4:103-) and (17:78-).

08  (استقبال القبلة)—Facing the qiblah. Due to His saying: (2:144-)

09  (النِّية)—Intention. Its place is in the heart, speaking with it is an innovation. The evidence is the ḥadīth : (إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئٍ ما نوى) “Indeed actions are but by intentions and each man shall have [only] that which he intended.”^[4]

Footnotes