What are the conditions of the validity of prayer?
Summary of answer
The conditions of the validity of prayer are nine in all: 1- Being Muslim, 2- Being of sound mind, 3- Discernment, 4- Being free of ritual impurity, 5- Removal of tangible impurity, 6- Covering the ‘awrah, 7- The time for that prayer should have begun, 8- Facing the qiblah and 9- Forming the right intention.
Answer
- Meaning of condition
- Conditions of the validity of prayer
- The beginning of prayer time
- Covering the ‘awrah
- Types of ‘Awrah
- Taharah
- Facing towards the qiblah
- Intention (niyyah)
Praise be to Allah.
Meaning of condition
“Condition” in the terminology of usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) means that which is essential and without which a thing is not valid.
So the conditions of prayer being valid refer to that on which the validity of prayer depends, such that if one of these conditions is broken, then prayer is not valid as a result.
Conditions of the validity of prayer
The conditions of the validity of prayer are:
The beginning of prayer time
This is the most important condition. A prayer offered before its time has begun is not valid, according to scholarly consensus, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, As-Salah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.” [al-Nisa 4:103]
Allah has mentioned the times of prayer in brief terms in His Book. He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Perform As-Salah (Iqamat-as-Salah) from mid-day till the darkness of the night (i.e. the Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘‘Isha prayers), and recite the Quran in the early dawn (i.e. the — Fajr morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Quran in the early dawn (i.e. the morning — Fajr prayer ) is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night).” [al-Isra 17:78]
“mid-day’ means when the sun passes its zenith. “the darkness of the night” means in the middle of the night. This time, from halfway through the day until halfway through the night, includes the time of four prayers: Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned the times in detail in his Sunnah.
Covering the ‘awrah
If a person prays with his ‘awrah uncovered, his prayer is not valid, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes) while praying.” [al-A’raf 7:31]
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“They unanimously agreed that the prayer of one who does not wear his clothes when he is able to cover himself with them, and prays naked , is invalid.
