TERM 2 - FIQH ii - CLASS 7
Prayer of a Traveler & the one who is Sick
+ Salatul Isstikhara'
The Prayer Of A Travelling Person (Musafir)
Islam is a religion full of mercy and because of the hardships and inconveniences which a person usually undergoes during travels, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) has made certain concessions to the traveler. One of these concessions is that traveler may shorten some of the obligatory prayers. Allah says in the Qur'an: “When ye travel through the earth there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers” (Qur'an 4:101).
Because of this grant from Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), it is an established practice that a traveling Muslim may shorten the four rakaats obligatory prayers into two rakaats only. Thus, the Dhuhr, Asr and lsha prayers may each be shortened into two rakaats. However, the Maghrib and the Fajr prayers cannot be shortened and are to be performed in full.
It is also an established practice that the traveler may combine some of the obligatory prayers. Thus, the Dhuhr prayer may be delayed until the time of the Asr prayer when both will be performed; or, the Asr prayer may be brought forward to the time of the Dhuhr prayer when both will be performed. Likewise, the Isha prayer may be brought forward to the time of Maghrib prayer; or, the Maghrib prayer may be delayed until the time of Isha prayer. The Fajr prayer can neither be brought forward or delayed and has to be performed at its prescribed time.
Characteristics of combining the prayers
1. Each prayer will be performed separately.
2. Only one Prayer Call (ADHAN) shall be made for both prayers but two Second Calls (IQAMAHS) shall be required (i.e. one Second Call (Iqamah) shall be made separately for each prayer).
If we may give an example, assuming that a traveler wishes to combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers by bringing the Asr prayer forward to the time of the Dhuhr prayer, the person would proceed as follows:
The person would first come up with the Call for prayer "Adhaan" intending it for both the two prayers.
The person would then come up with the second call "Iqamah" for the Dhuhr prayer.
The person would then perform the Dhuhr prayer shortening it to two rakaats only.
After completing the Dhuhr prayer, the person stands up and makes another second call "Iqamah" for the Asr prayer.
The person would then perform the Asr prayer also shortened to two rakaats only.
Note: A traveler may lead the prayer as an "IMAM" of the residents of the place he is visiting. And in such a case, he (being an Imam), may perform only two rakaats for the Dhuhr or Asr, and/or Isha prayers while, the residents he is leading, shall upon his completion continue to complete the remaining two rakaats of the respective prayers.
However, in such cases, it is desirable that the traveler who may act as an Imam first gives notice to the congregation regarding his position and his intention to shorten his prayer so that the congregation continues to complete the prayer.
On the other hand, if the traveler has to pray behind an Imam who is a resident of the place he is visiting, then in such case, the traveler shall pray with the Imam all the four rakaats as usual.
Performance Of The Prayer By One Who Is Sick
A sick person has to perform the prayer in accordance with the person's conditions. The Prophet ﷺ was once asked by a sick companion as to how he can perform the prayer and the Prophet ﷺ replied him as follows: “Pray standing but if unable then by sitting and if still unable then do so whilst on your back” (Reported by Imam Bukhari).
Thus:
If, it is impossible for the sick person to stand up, he/she shall perform the prayer by sitting and making token gestures for the "Rukuu" and "Sujuud" positions by bringing the head slightly down as indication for "Rukuu" and slightly further down as indication for "Sujuud".
If, it is impossible for the sick person to pray sitting, he/she shall perform the prayer by lying on his/her back. Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says: “Those are they (men of understanding) who remember allah while standing, sitting and reclining” (Qur'an 3:190-191). The person's legs are directed towards the Qiblah and will make mere token gestures as far as possible with the head for the bowing (Rukuu) and the prostration (Sujuud) positions.
If, still it is impossible for the sick person to perform the prayer while lying as discussed in No. 2 above, then, the person shall perform the prayer by heart. The person shall come up with all the required recitations as far as possible and will recall to mind all the necessary postures for the prayer.
Such is the importance of the Prayer in Islam that a person must perform it no matter what his/her condition.
Salatul-Isstikhara (Prayer To Seek Allah's Guidance)
It is natural that in his day-to-day affairs a Muslim is confronted with important issues requiring decision making and which may force the person to undergo much thinking, anxiety and even worry before the person is able to decide affirmatively or negatively. It is with due regard to such situations that the Prophet ﷺ accustomed for the Muslim Ummah a voluntary prayer to which a person may resort to and through which he/she seeks from Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) true guidance and the ability to reach the proper decision over the particular matter.
This prayer is known in Arabic as “SALATUL-ISSTIKHARA” and its importance is such that the Prophet ﷺ used to teach his companions about it the same way he used to teach them the verses of the Qur'an. The companion Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet ﷺ used to exhort us to practice Isstikhara for all our affairs.
The manner of performing this prayer is that the person comes up with a voluntary prayer of two rakaats (units) at anytime during the day or night and upon completing the same the person recites a private supplication in which he/she seeks the guidance of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala).
Salat-l-Istikhara is described in the Hadith narration below.
Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: The Prophet ﷺ used to teach us the way of doing istikhara (istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Surats of the Quran. He said, “If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two Rakat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer):
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِهِ
"ALLAHUMMA INNI ASTAKHYIRUKA Bl'ILMIKA WA ASTAQDIRUKA BI QUDRATIKA WA AS-ALUKA MIN FADHLIKA-AL-AZIM, FA INNAKA TAQDIRU WA TA'LAMU WALAA AQDDIRU WATA'ALAMU WALAA A'LAMU, WA ANTA 'ALLAMUL-GHUYYUB. ALLAHUUMA IN KUNTA TA'LAMU ANNA HADHAL AMRA. (Here the person makes a mention of the matter for which guidance is sought) KHEIRUN LEE FII DINII WAMA'AASHII WAAAQI-BATA AMRII FAQDURHU LII, WA YASSIR-HU LII THUMMA BAARIK LII FIIHI, WAIN KUNTA TA' LAMU ANNA HADHAL-AMRA (mention of the matter for which guidance is soughtAlso at this point the person makes a) SHARRUN LEE FII DINII WA MA'AASHII WA'AAQIBATA AMRII, FASRIFHU 'ANNII WASRIFNII 'ANHU WAQDUR LEE AL-KHEYRA HEYTHU KANA THUMMA ARDHINII BIHII".
Which means: "O Lord, I seek Your guidance, through Your knowledge and power: and Iask You of Your great bounties,- for You decree and I do not decree,- and You know and I know not,- You are the knower of invisible. O Lord, if You know that this matter (and here the person states the matter for which guidance is sought) is of benefit to me in my religion, in my livelihood and in its outcome, decide it for me. And make it easy for me and then bless it for me, and if You know that this matter (and here he names it again) is bad for me in my religion, in my livelihood, and in its outcome, turn it from me and divert me from it and decree good for me wherever it may be and make me pleased with it".
Having sought Allah's guidance as above, the person then resumes his/her routine affairs and in the meantime awaiting the due response from Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) which could appear to the person by way of feelings in the person's heart of either confidence or otherwise. Thus, where the person feels in his/her heart a sense of vigor, optimism and satisfaction about the intended undertaking, then the person may construe this as a positive response from Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and may accordingly proceed on with the intended undertaking. Where, however, the opposite is true and the person's doubts, and/or worries are not cleared, then the person may avoid the intended undertaking for it could mean doom for him/her. Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says: “It is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth and ye know not” (Qur'an 2:216).
Indeed, the essence of this prayer is to test someone's trust in Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), hence, the need to abide by the guidance of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) accordingly whether this may mean pursuing or abandoning the intended undertaking. Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) also says: “And if anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him, for Allah surely accomplishes His purpose: Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion ” (Qur'an 65:3).
Also one should not that it is not necessary that you get a dream or even a "feeling." Rather, the istikhara is a prayer that Allah guide you towards that which is best (khayr) for you. If you do the prayer of guidance (istikhara) with the proper manners, the most important of which is to truly consign the matter to Allah and suspend your own inclinations, then Allah will make events unfold in the direction that is the best for your worldly and next-worldly affairs.
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