Chapter: The Conditions of Prayer

Linguistically, a condition is a sign. This is reflected in the verse in which Allah Most High says:

“Are they only waiting for the Hour to come upon them suddenly? Its signs have already come.” [Muhammad 47:18]

That is, its indications.

In the terminology of the legal theorists, a condition is that whose absence necessarily entails absence, whereas its presence does not necessarily entail presence. An example is ablution for prayer: its absence necessarily entails that the prayer is invalid, because it is a condition for the validity of prayer; yet the presence of ablution does not necessarily entail the performance of prayer. Thus, if a person performs ablution, he is not obliged thereby to pray; but if he prays without having performed ablution, his prayer is invalid.

His statement, “The conditions of prayer”: the construct relationship here conveys the meaning of “for”; that is, conditions for prayer. This is because a construct relationship may sometimes convey the meaning of “in,” sometimes that of “from,” and sometimes that of “for.”

It conveys the meaning of “from” when the second term is the material or genus of the first, such as “an iron ring,” meaning, a ring made from iron; and “a wooden door,” meaning, a door made from wood.

It conveys the meaning of “in” when the second term is the ظرف, or setting, of the first, as in Allah Most High’s statement:

“Rather, it was your plotting by night and by day.” [Saba’ 34:33]

That is, during the night and the day.

In all other cases, it conveys the meaning of “for,” and this is the most common usage.

Note:

Some people objected to the jurists’ use of such terms as conditions, pillars, obligations, prescribed duties, invalidators, and impediments,