4.1.2.5 Pillars and Obligations

Understanding the Pillars and Obligations of Ṣalāh

Ṣalāh is not accepted unless it is performed in the way Allah and His Messenger ﷺ taught. Within the prayer there are arkān (pillars, essential parts) and wājibāt (obligatory parts). If a pillar is missing, the prayer is invalid and must be repeated. If an obligation is forgotten, the prayer is corrected with prostration of forgetfulness, as will be touched on briefly, but detailed rulings belong to other chapters.

This chapter is limited to what happens inside the prayer itself. Matters like purity, time, and facing the qiblah are treated separately under the conditions of ṣalāh.

The Meaning of Pillars (Arkān) and Obligations (Wājibāt)

A rukn in ṣalāh is an essential component that is part of the structure of the prayer. The prayer cannot exist without it. If it is left out deliberately or by forgetfulness and not made up within the prayer, the entire prayer is invalid and must be performed again.

A wājib in ṣalāh is also obligatory, but it is less strict than a pillar. If it is deliberately abandoned, the prayer is invalid and the person sins. If it is forgotten, the prayer remains valid when it is completed with sujūd as‑sahw (prostration of forgetfulness), which will be explained in detail in another chapter.

The Prophet ﷺ taught the pillars and obligations practically through his prayer and through hadith. He said:

“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)

Evidence That Ṣalāh Has Essentials

The Qur’an commands establishing the prayer with care, which shows that the way it is performed matters:

“And establish the prayer and give zakāh and bow with those who bow.”
(Qur’an 2:43)

“And establish the prayer for My remembrance.”
(Qur’an 20:14)

The Prophet ﷺ once saw a man praying quickly and incorrectly, then said to him:

“Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.”
He repeated this three times. The man said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I cannot do better than this, so teach me.” He ﷺ said:
“When you stand for prayer, say takbīr, then recite whatever you can of the Qur’an, then bow until you are at ease in bowing, then raise your head until you stand up straight, then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration, then sit until you are at ease in sitting, and do that throughout your prayer.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

From this, scholars derived many of the pillars, such as proper standing, bowing, rising, prostrating, and sitting, all with calmness.

The Pillars of Ṣalāh

1. Standing in Obligatory Prayer for Those Who Are Able

Standing is a pillar in the obligatory prayers for those who have the ability. If a person can stand, yet prays sitting without excuse, the prayer is invalid. If a person cannot stand, they may sit, and if they cannot sit, they may lie down. Allah says:

“And stand before Allah devoutly obedient.”
(Qur’an 2:238)

The Prophet ﷺ said regarding the sick:

“Pray standing, and if you are not able, then sitting, and if you are not able, then on your side.”
(Sunan al‑Bukhārī in mu‘allaq form, fully reported in other collections)

In voluntary prayers, standing is not always a strict obligation, but that detail belongs to the chapter on voluntary prayers. Here the focus is on the obligatory daily prayers.

2. The Opening Takbīr (Takbīrat al‑Iḥrām)

The specific first “Allāhu akbar” that begins the prayer is a pillar. Without it, a person is not regarded as having entered ṣalāh. It must be said while standing in an obligatory prayer, with the tongue, in a way the person can hear themselves.

The hadith of the man who prayed badly begins:

“When you stand for prayer, say takbīr...”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Once this opening takbīr is made with the proper intention in the heart, what was lawful to do outside the prayer, such as speaking to people or eating, becomes unlawful until the prayer is ended.

3. Recitation of Sūrat al‑Fātiḥah in Every Rak‘ah

Reciting al‑Fātiḥah in each unit of prayer is a pillar. If it is intentionally left out in a rak‘ah, that rak‘ah is invalid. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book (al‑Fātiḥah).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This applies to both the imam and the individual praying alone. The listener behind an imam has detailed rulings which belong in more advanced fiqh, but the basic rule is that al‑Fātiḥah is central to the structure of each rak‘ah.

4. Bowing (Rukū‘) with Tranquility

Rukū‘ is a clear pillar, and it must be done with calmness, not as a quick movement. The back should be lowered until it is in a position of bowing, and the person should remain until the limbs are at rest. The Prophet ﷺ said in the hadith to the man who prayed incorrectly:

“Then bow until you are at ease in bowing.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This shows that merely bending briefly is not enough. Rest and stillness are required.

5. Rising Fully from Rukū‘

After bowing, one must stand up straight before going to prostration. This upright standing after rukū‘ is a separate pillar. The Prophet ﷺ instructed:

“Then raise your head until you stand up straight.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

He also warned those who peck in their prayer like a bird, moving rapidly without completing their postures. Such prayer is not accepted.

6. Prostration (Sujūd) on the Required Parts with Tranquility

Prostration is among the greatest pillars of ṣalāh. It must be done on the proper limbs and with calmness. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: on the forehead, and he pointed to his nose, the two hands, the two knees, and the ends of the two feet.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

In the hadith of the man who prayed badly he ﷺ said:

“Then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Calmness in each prostration is essential. Rushing in and out of sujūd invalidates the pillar of ṭuma’nīnah (tranquility) that is part of it.

7. Sitting Between the Two Prostrations with Tranquility

After the first prostration, one must sit briefly, calmly, and then perform the second sujūd. This sitting is not optional. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Then sit until you are at ease in sitting, then prostrate until you are at ease in prostration, and do that throughout your prayer.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

So every rak‘ah that contains two prostrations must also contain this sitting. It cannot be left out or merely sketched quickly.

8. Tranquility in All Movements

A special pillar that many neglect is ṭuma’nīnah, calmness and stillness in each position. It is a separate requirement. It means staying in each posture long enough for the body to settle, not simply touching the position and rushing on. The Prophet ﷺ highlighted this repeatedly with the man who prayed badly, every time saying “until you are at ease.”

The lack of calmness was the reason he said:

“Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This shows that hurried, restless movements can cancel the prayer entirely, because an essential component is missing.

9. The Final Sitting for Tashahhud

At the end of the prayer, one must sit for the final tashahhud. This sitting is a pillar in the last rak‘ah of any prayer. Without it, the prayer is incomplete. The companions learned the form of tashahhud during this sitting, as Ibn Mas‘ūd رضي الله عنه said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me the tashahhud, my hand between his hands, as he taught me a surah from the Qur’an...”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

The fact that the Prophet ﷺ taught it as part of every prayer, and that the prayer is not concluded until it is done, shows its pivotal status.

10. The Final Tashahhud Itself and Sending Ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ

In this final sitting, the last tashahhud is recited. The wording includes the testimony, greetings to Allah, and salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ. While there are small variations in wording, the presence of this testimony is a pillar.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When one of you sits in the prayer, let him say: ‘All greetings, prayers, and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)

He also instructed:

“When one of you prays, let him begin by praising his Lord, then sending ṣalāh upon the Prophet, then let him supplicate for whatever he wishes.”
(Sunan at‑Tirmidhī)

This final testimony and salutation seals the body of the prayer.

11. Saying the Taslīm to End the Prayer

The prayer does not end until a person says the taslīm. This is the phrase of peace that concludes ṣalāh. It marks the exit from the state of prayer. The Prophet ﷺ would end his prayer saying:

“Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

He said regarding the structure of prayer:

“Its opening is purification, its beginning is the takbīr, and its ending is the taslīm.”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd, authenticated by scholars)

Without taslīm, a person is still in prayer, and cannot speak to others or do what is normally allowed.

12. Maintaining the Correct Order of the Pillars

The order of actions in the prayer is itself a pillar. One cannot put sujūd before rukū‘, or taslīm before tashahhud, or recitation before the opening takbīr. The Prophet ﷺ prayed with a consistent sequence and never reversed the fundamental order. Allah says:

“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
(Qur’an 33:21)

To follow that example, the basic sequence must be preserved. If a pillar is carried out in the wrong place and not corrected inside the prayer, the prayer must be repeated.

The Obligations within Ṣalāh (Wājibāt)

Alongside the pillars, there are parts of ṣalāh that are obligatory but not pillars. If missed unintentionally, they are repaired by sujūd as‑sahw. The detailed rules of this prostration will be studied separately. Here we name the main obligations that are unique to the structure of the prayer.

The Additional Takbīrs During the Prayer

Besides the opening takbīr, the other “Allāhu akbar” phrases that move a person from one position to another are obligatory. They mark the transitions between standing, bowing, and prostrating. Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه described the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ and said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say ‘Allāhu akbar’ whenever he went down and whenever he rose.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

These takbīrs are not merely recommended. They are required to complete the proper form of ṣalāh, but they are not pillars.

Saying “Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah” when Rising from Rukū‘

When rising from bowing, the imam and the individual praying alone say: “Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah” which means “Allah hears those who praise Him.” Behind the imam, the followers respond, “Rabbanā wa laka al‑ḥamd” which means “Our Lord, and to You is all praise.” Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said:

“When the Prophet ﷺ rose from bowing he would say: ‘Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah.’ And when he stood upright he would say: ‘Rabbanā wa laka al‑ḥamd.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

These statements are part of the obligatory remembrance attached to the movement from rukū‘.

Saying “Rabbi ighfir lī” between the Two Prostrations

In the sitting between the two prostrations, the Prophet ﷺ would make a specific supplication, often repeating: “Rabbi ighfir lī, Rabbi ighfir lī,” which means “My Lord, forgive me, my Lord, forgive me.” Hudhayfah رضي الله عنه said:

“The Prophet ﷺ used to say between the two prostrations: ‘Rabbi ighfir lī, Rabbi ighfir lī.’”
(Sunan an‑Nasā’ī, others)

This short duʿāʾ is an obligation tied to that sitting, but the sitting itself with tranquility is a pillar.

The First (Middle) Tashahhud

In the prayers that are more than two rakʿahs, such as Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr, Maghrib, and ʿIshāʾ, there is a sitting and tashahhud after the second rakʿah. This is called the first or middle tashahhud. It is an obligation in these prayers. If it is left deliberately, the prayer is invalid. If missed out of forgetfulness, it is made up with sujūd as‑sahw.

Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said that they used to say the tashahhud:

“...before the Prophet ﷺ would conclude the prayer.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)

Once the Prophet ﷺ forgot the middle tashahhud, stood up directly, and then at the end of the prayer performed the prostrations of forgetfulness. This indicates that the middle tashahhud is obligatory, but not a pillar, since the prayer remained valid and was not repeated.

Sitting for the First Tashahhud

The sitting posture associated with the first tashahhud is also obligatory. The Prophet ﷺ usually sat in a specific way, but the exact style of sitting contains recommended details that are studied later. What is obligatory is that the person actually sits and does not skip from the second prostration of the second rakʿah straight to standing for the third, unless genuinely forgetful.

When he ﷺ once forgot, the companions followed him, then he made sujūd as‑sahw at the end, which shows the status of that sitting as a wājib, not a rukn.

Recited Phrases Connected to the Pillars and Obligations

Within the pillars and obligations there are specific words that complete the meaning of what is being done. Some of these phrases are obligatory, while other extended forms are recommended. The exact distinction between obligatory minimum and recommended completion belongs to detailed fiqh, but the beginner should know that speech inside the prayer is not free choice. It is based on the guidance of revelation.

Among the recitations established by hadith are:

“Subḥāna rabbiyal‑ʿaẓīm” in rukū‘,
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd, others)

“Subḥāna rabbiyal‑aʿlā” in sujūd,
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd, others)

“Rabbanā wa laka al‑ḥamd” after rising from rukū‘,
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

as well as the various forms of tashahhud already mentioned. These words are not invented. They are preserved from the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ and give shape and spirit to the positions that are structurally pillars and obligations.

The Relationship Between Pillars, Obligations, and Validity of Prayer

For the beginner, the essential difference can be summarized simply.

If a pillar is left out, intentionally or by mistake, and the person does not correct it during the same prayer, the entire prayer must be repeated. For example, forgetting a whole rakʿah, or not reciting al‑Fātiḥah at all in a rakʿah, or not performing sujūd properly on the required limbs.

If an obligation is left intentionally, the prayer is invalid and must be redone, and the person is sinful. If it is forgotten unintentionally, the prayer is valid, but repaired by sujūd as‑sahw, which will be explained in detail in its own place. An example is missing the first tashahhud in Ẓuhr without realizing until later in the prayer.

The Prophet ﷺ once prayed Ẓuhr or ʿAṣr with the companions, then finished with two rakʿahs only. The people reminded him. He completed what was missing and then made prostration of forgetfulness at the end. This shows his concern for the completeness of the structure:

“He ﷺ prayed two rakʿahs with us, then he gave salām. Then he stood by a piece of wood in the mosque and leaned on it as if he were angry. The people left quickly, saying that the prayer had been shortened. Among the people were Abū Bakr and ʿUmar. They were hesitant to speak to him. A man called Dhū al‑Yadayn said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?’ He said: ‘It has not been shortened, and I did not forget.’ He said: ‘Indeed you have forgotten.’ Then he prayed what remained of his prayer, then he made two prostrations of forgetfulness.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This event shows that the structure of the prayer has exact parts that must be completed, and that when something is missing, it must be corrected according to the prophetic way.

The Inner Meaning of Respecting the Pillars and Obligations

Knowing the pillars and obligations is not only about legal correctness. It is also about humility and respect before Allah. To stand in the way He commanded, to bow and prostrate according to the model of His Messenger, is itself a form of obedience and love.

Allah says:

“And whoever honors the symbols of Allah, then indeed it is from the piety of hearts.”
(Qur’an 22:32)

The movements of ṣalāh and the words recited within them are among the greatest symbols of Allah in a Muslim’s life. Careful attention to the pillars and obligations is one way the heart expresses its taqwā.

As the course continues, other chapters will explain conditions before prayer, recommended actions, common mistakes, and how to improve presence and humility. The foundation, however, is to know what must never be left out of the prayer and to keep those pillars and obligations safe every time one stands before Allah.