full ritual purity has been attained. There is no disagreement on this, because menstruating women and women experiencing postnatal bleeding are not required to pray. Thus, this is established as a valid condition for prayer to become obligatory.

Section

The disputed condition is Islam. It is a condition for prayer to become obligatory only according to those who hold that unbelievers are not bound by the prescriptions of Islam, on the basis of Allah’s words, Mighty and Majestic:

“Indeed, prayer has been prescribed for the believers at appointed times.” [al-Nisā’: 103]

[This indicates that it has not been prescribed at appointed times for those who are not believers.]

And His words, Most High:

“Allah admonishes you never to repeat anything like this, if you are believers.” [al-Nūr: 17]

And His words, Most High:

“O you who believe, bow and prostrate, worship your Lord, and do good, so that you may succeed.” [al-Hajj: 77]

There are other similar verses in which the believers are specifically addressed.

As for the view that unbelievers are bound by the prescriptions of Islam—which is the apparent position in Mālik’s school—it is based on Allah’s words, Mighty and Majestic:

“What brought you into Saqar?” [al-Muddaththir: 42]

“They will say, ‘We were not among those who prayed,” [al-Muddaththir: 43]

“Nor did we feed the poor,” [al-Muddaththir: 44]

“And we used to indulge in vain talk with those who did so.’” [al-Muddaththir: 45]

On this view, Islam is not a condition for prayer to become obligatory; rather, it is a condition for its validity, like intention and its other obligatory elements.

Section
The Obligatory Elements of Prayer

The five daily prayers comprise obligatory elements, sunnah practices, recommended acts, and meritorious practices. They are valid only when all their obligatory elements are fulfilled, and complete only with their sunnah and meritorious practices. They have eighteen obligatory elements, ten of which are agreed upon by all: intention, ritual purity, and knowledge of