Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (1/147)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

they revile your recitation; nor recite so quietly that your Companions cannot hear you. It has also been said that this refers to supplication. Allah, glorified and exalted be He, knows best.

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Yet all this is stated only in general terms in Allah’s Book. He did not specify the prayer times therein, explain the number of prostrations and units of prayer, or set out the sequence of standing and sitting. Had we been left with the apparent meaning of the Quran alone, we could not have properly fulfilled its command to establish prayer. But the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, explained through his words and actions what Allah Most High had stated in general terms in His Book, as Allah, glorified and exalted be He, commanded him:

“And We revealed to you the Reminder so that you may explain to people what was sent down to them.” [Al-Nahl: 44]

Thus, he explained the prayer times, the number of units and prostrations, the manner of performing all the prayers, the obligatory requirements without which they are invalid, and the recommended practices and meritorious acts within them. All this was transmitted from him through successive multitudes. He did not die, peace and blessings be upon him, until he had explained everything that people needed explained, and thus the religion was perfected. Allah, mighty and majestic, says:

“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.” [Al-Mā’idah: 3]

This verse was revealed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, on Friday, the Day of ‘Arafah.

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Prayer becomes obligatory upon the fulfilment of four agreed-upon conditions. There is disagreement over a fifth condition: whether it is a condition for prayer to become obligatory or for its performance to be valid.

The four agreed-upon conditions are puberty, sanity, the commencement of the prayer time, and the cessation of menstruation and postnatal bleeding. As for puberty and sanity, the evidence that they are conditions for prayer to become obligatory is the statement of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him:

“The pen of accountability has been lifted from a child until he reaches puberty, and from an insane person

يسبوا قراءتك، ولا تخافت بها حتى لا يسمعك أصحابك، وقيل: معناه في الدعاء والله ﷾ أعلم. فصل إلا أن هذا كله مجمل أجمله الله في كتابه فلم يحد فيها الأوقات، ولا بين فيه عدد السجدات والركعات، ولا شيئا من رتبة عملها في القيام والجلوس. فلو تركنا وظاهر ما في القرآن لم يصح لنا منه امتثال ما أمرنا به من إقامة الصلاة، لكن النبي ﷺ قد بين ما أجمل الله تعالى في كتابه من ذلك قولا وعملا كما أمره الله ﷾ حيث يقول: ﴿وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ﴾ [النحل: ٤٤]، فبين ﷺ مواقيت الصلاة، وعدد الركعات والسجدات، وصفة جميع الصلوات، وما لا تصح إلا به من الفرائض، وما يستحب فيها من السنن والفضائل، ونقلت ذلك عنه الكافة عن الكافة، ولم يمت ﷺ حتى بين جميع ما بالناس الحاجة إلى بيانه، فكمل الدين. قال الله ﷿: ﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينًا﴾ [المائدة: ٣] نزلت هذه الآية على النبي ﷺ في حجة الوداع يوم الجمعة في يوم عرفة. فصل فالصلاة تجب بأربع شرائط متفق عليها، وشرط خامس مختلف فيه هل هو مشروط في وجوب الصلاة أو في صحة فعلها. فأما الأربعة المتفق عليها فهي: البلوغ، والعقل، ودخول الوقت، وارتفاع الحيض والنفاس. فأما البلوغ والعقل: فالدليل على صحة اشتراطهما في وجوب الصلاة قول رسول الله ﷺ: «رفع القلم عن الصبي حتى يحتلم وعن المجنون