Arkan al-Salah

Arkan al-Salah (Arabic: أركان الصلاة, lit. 'The Pillars of Prayer'), fully titled Arkan al-Salah wa-Wajibatuha wa-Sunanuha wa-Makruhatuha wa-Mubtilatuha fi Daw' al-Kitab wa-al-Sunnah, is a concise legal treatise on the jurisprudence of prayer by the Saudi scholar Sa'id ibn Ali ibn Wahf al-Qahtani (d. 1440 AH / 2018 CE) Arkan al-Salah.

Composition and Purpose

The treatise was completed on the morning of Friday, 18 Sha'ban 1420 AH (26 November 1999 CE) Arkan al-Salah. In the preface, al-Qahtani states that he composed the booklet to provide a succinct overview of the definition and count of the pillars of prayer (arkan), as well as its obligations (wajibat), recommended acts (sunan), disliked actions (makruhat), and nullifiers (mubtilat), supporting each ruling with evidence from the Quran and Sunnah Arkan al-Salah. In determining and selecting legal positions, the author heavily drew upon the verifications and preferences of his teacher, Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah Ibn Baz Arkan al-Salah.

Structure and Contents

Al-Qahtani classifies the verbal and physical components of prayer into three legal categories according to their rulings Arkan al-Salah:

• Pillars (arkan): Essential parts of the prayer that are never waived due to ignorance, forgetfulness, or intention, and cannot be compensated solely by the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) Arkan al-Salah.
• Obligations (wajibat): Requirements whose deliberate omission invalidates the prayer, but which are dropped if omitted out of forgetfulness or ignorance and are remedied by sujud al-sahw Arkan al-Salah.
• Sunnahs (sunan): Recommended practices whose omission, whether intentional or accidental, does not invalidate the prayer Arkan al-Salah.

The Fourteen Pillars

The author identifies fourteen essential pillars of prayer Arkan al-Salah:

1. Standing (al-qiyam) during the obligatory prayer for those physically able Arkan al-Salah.
2. The opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram).
3. Recitation of Surat al-Fatihah.
4. Bowing (al-ruku').
5. Rising from bowing and standing upright.
6. Prostrating on the seven limbs.
7. Rising from prostration Arkan al-Salah.
8. Sitting between the two prostrations Arkan al-Salah.
9. Tranquility (al-tuma'ninah) in all pillars, defined as remaining still for the duration of the obligatory remembrance Arkan al-Salah.
10. The final tashahhud Arkan al-Salah.
11. Sitting for the final tashahhud Arkan al-Salah.
12. Invoking blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ in the final tashahhud Arkan al-Salah.
13. Observing the prescribed order (al-tartib) among the pillars Arkan al-Salah.
14. The two salutations (al-taslimatan) Arkan al-Salah.

The Eight Obligations

The work lists eight obligatory acts of prayer Arkan al-Salah:

1. All takbirs of transition other than the opening takbir Arkan al-Salah.
2. Saying Subhana Rabbiya al-Azim (Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent) while bowing Arkan al-Salah.
3. Saying Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears whoever praises Him) for the imam and the individual praying alone Arkan al-Salah.
4. Saying Rabbana wa-laka al-hamd (Our Lord, and to You belongs praise) for the imam, the follower, and the individual praying alone Arkan al-Salah.
5. Saying Subhana Rabbiya al-A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in prostration Arkan al-Salah.
6. Saying Rabbi ighfir li (My Lord, forgive me) between the two prostrations Arkan al-Salah.
7. The first tashahhud Arkan al-Salah.
8. Sitting for the first tashahhud Arkan al-Salah.