The Meaning of Allah’s Saying: “When You Rise to Prayer” and the Definition of Prayer
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The Shaykh :[Al-Ma'idah 5:6] When you rise to prayer. The scholars said: its meaning is when you intend to stand, because wudu precedes standing. It precedes standing, so “when you stand” means “when you intend to stand.” Does the expression of an action refer to the intention of that action? Yes. Listen, Allah the Exalted says: [An-Nahl 16:98] When you recite the Qur’an. Does that mean when you have finished the recitation? No, it means when you intend to recite it. That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would seek refuge and then recite. Good.
“When you rise to prayer” means when you intend to stand for it. What is prayer? It is correct for me to say that prayer is well-known, because prayer, praise be to Allah, is not unknown to any person, is it not? And it is correct for me to say: Prayer is a worship consisting of known words and actions, beginning with takbir and ending with taslim. The benefit of saying “ending with taslim” is that if something occurs for the one praying that necessitates leaving his prayer before he completes it, he does not say taslim. Do you understand this? By Allah, I do not think you understood. Good. The benefit of saying “ending with taslim” is that if something occurs for the one praying that permits him to leave his prayer, he leaves without taslim. Let us suppose a man began the Zuhr prayer and saw a fire in his house that he feared would consume his family. Is it permissible for him to leave his prayer or not? It is permissible, indeed it is obligatory for him to leave his prayer and cut it off. Does he need to say taslim? He does not need to, because it has not been concluded yet.
A person began a voluntary prayer, and when he said takbir and recited al-Fatihah, the iqamah was called. We say: do not complete the voluntary prayer, cut it off so that you catch the obligatory prayer. Does he say taslim or not? No, he does not say taslim. Why? Because he has not concluded the prayer, and one only says taslim for the prayer when he has concluded it, is that not so, my brother? What did you say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He leaves it without salam. Well done, may Allah reward you. Good. If this prayer, does this include the funeral prayer? That is, is it obligatory to perform wudu for the funeral prayer or not? Yes, it includes it, because it is a prayer. Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:84] And if it is a prayer, then what is obligatory for prayer is obligatory for it.
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms
يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا قمتم إلى الصلاة فاغسلوا وجوهكم وأيديكمSo when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ“When you rise to prayer” means when you intend to stand for it. What is prayer? It is correct for me to say that prayer is well-known, because prayer, praise be to Allah, is not unknown to any person, is it not? And it is correct for me to say: Prayer is a worship consisting of known words and actions, beginning with takbir and ending with taslim. The benefit of saying “ending with taslim” is that if something occurs for the one praying that necessitates leaving his prayer before he completes it, he does not say taslim. Do you understand this? By Allah, I do not think you understood. Good. The benefit of saying “ending with taslim” is that if something occurs for the one praying that permits him to leave his prayer, he leaves without taslim. Let us suppose a man began the Zuhr prayer and saw a fire in his house that he feared would consume his family. Is it permissible for him to leave his prayer or not? It is permissible, indeed it is obligatory for him to leave his prayer and cut it off. Does he need to say taslim? He does not need to, because it has not been concluded yet.
A person began a voluntary prayer, and when he said takbir and recited al-Fatihah, the iqamah was called. We say: do not complete the voluntary prayer, cut it off so that you catch the obligatory prayer. Does he say taslim or not? No, he does not say taslim. Why? Because he has not concluded the prayer, and one only says taslim for the prayer when he has concluded it, is that not so, my brother? What did you say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : He leaves it without salam. Well done, may Allah reward you. Good. If this prayer