Conditions, pillars and obligations of salah

The seven conditions (outside the prayer)

1. Purity of the body — having wudu/ghusl and no impurity on the body.
2. Clean clothes.
3. A clean place to pray.
4. Covering the ‘awrah — for men from the navel to the knees; for women the whole body except the face, hands and feet.
5. Facing the qiblah (the Ka‘bah in Makkah).
6. The time of the prayer having come.
7. Intention — knowing in the heart which prayer you are praying. Saying it aloud is not required.

The six pillars (inside the prayer)

1. The opening takbir — beginning with “Allahu akbar”.
2. Standing (qiyam), for whoever is able.
3. Reciting from the Quran.
4. Ruku‘ (bowing).
5. The two prostrations (sujud).
6. The final sitting for as long as the tashahhud takes.

If a pillar is missed the prayer is not valid and must be prayed again.

The obligations (wajib) in the Hanafi school

• Reciting Al-Fatihah in every rak‘ah (the first two of a fard prayer; all rak‘ahs of sunnah, nafl and witr).
• Adding a surah, or at least three short ayahs, after Al-Fatihah (same rak‘ahs).
• Reciting Al-Fatihah before the added surah.
• Standing straight after ruku‘ (qawmah) and sitting straight between the prostrations (jalsah).
• Performing each position calmly (ta‘dil al-arkan).
• The first sitting after two rak‘ahs in a three- or four-rak‘ah prayer.
• Reciting the tashahhud in both sittings.
• Ending the prayer with “As-salamu ‘alaikum”.
• Du‘a al-qunut in witr, and the six extra takbirs of the two Eid prayers.
• The imam reciting aloud in Fajr, Maghrib, Isha, Jumu‘ah and Eid, and silently in Dhuhr and Asr.