Thalath Rasail fi al-Salat
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, Department of Printing and Translation
Thalath Rasa'il fi al-Salat (Three Treatises on Prayer) is a collection of three short legal and instructional epistles on ritual prayer authored by the Saudi scholar Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE) . The collection addresses the step-by-step description of prayer according to the Prophet's practice, the obligation of congregational prayer in the mosque, and the ruling on clasping the hands after rising from the bowing posture (ruku').
Contents and Structure
The work comprises three distinct treatises:
1. Kayfiyyat Salat al-Nabi (The Manner of the Prophet's Prayer)
This treatise provides a concise guide intended for every Muslim seeking to perform prayer in accordance with the Prophet Muhammad's instruction: صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي ("Pray as you have seen me pray") . Ibn Baz systematically outlines the components of prayer:
- Performing complete ablution (isbagh al-wudu') in accordance with Quranic instructions and prophetic tradition .
- Facing the Qiblah (the Ka'ba) with the whole body and intending the prayer in the heart without pronouncing the intention aloud, noting that verbalizing the intention is an unlegislated innovation (bid'ah) .
- Placing a prayer barrier (sutrah) in front of an imam or individual worshipper, raising the hands for the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), and focusing the gaze on the place of prostration .
- Moving through each physical posture, including the correct manner of placing hands on the knees during ruku', prostrating on the designated limbs, and pointing the index finger toward tawhid or moving it during the tashahhud while grasping the other fingers of the right hand .
2. Wujub Ada' al-Salat fi al-Jama'ah (The Obligation of Performing Prayer in Congregation)
Ibn Baz authored this treatise as a public address after observing widespread laxity in attending congregational prayer and people relying on concessions mentioned by certain scholars . He argues for the strict individual obligation of praying in congregation, emphasizing that neglecting it or displaying laziness toward it is among the traits of hypocrites . To establish this, he cites several Quranic verses, including:
- حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ ("Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient" [Al-Baqarah 2:238]) .
- وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ("And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]" [Al-Baqarah 2:43]), pointing out that the command to "bow with those who bow" explicitly mandates joining fellow worshippers .
- The legislation of the fear prayer (Salat al-Khawf) during military confrontation in Surah al-Nisa' (4:102), arguing that if congregation were not obligatory, an exception would have been granted during active combat .
3. Ayna Yada'u al-Musalli Yadayhi ba'd al-Raf' min al-Ruku' (Where Does the Worshipper Place His Hands After Rising from Bowing?)
Written to address recurring queries from within Saudi Arabia and abroad, this treatise analyzes the placement of the hands upon straightening up from ruku' . Ibn Baz concludes that the Sunnah prescribes placing the right hand over the left forearm across the chest during standing, both before and after ruku' . His deduction rests on the report of Sahl ibn Sa'd in Sahih al-Bukhari stating that people were instructed to place the right hand over the left forearm in prayer; since the positions for the hands in ruku' (on the knees), prostration (on the ground), and sitting (on the thighs/knees) are specifically defined by authentic narrations, the general command to clasp hands applies to all standing postures in prayer without differentiating between standing before or after bowing .
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