(Fasting (Saum

FASTING (Saum)

Fasting in Arabic Language means refraining.

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Maryam) said ﴾Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man﴿ Chapter of Maryam.

As for Islamic legislation: It means refraining from fasting violators and lusts from emergence of dawn to sunset.

Provisions of fasting are various:

*Obligatory fasting.                 

*Sunnah or voluntary fasting.

*Disliked fasting.                      

*Prohibited fasting.                            

*Duty fasting.

 Duty fasting is added by the followers of Abu-Hanifah school, and it is performed as a vow or an expiation.

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[1] Obligatory Fasting: in the month of Ramadan

Its legitimacy:

Fast of Ramadan has been made obligatory in the month of Shaᶦban in the second year of Hijrah.

Fast of Ramadan must begin when: the new crescent is sighted after the sunset of the twenty-ninth day of the month of Shaᶦban.

Or, when the month of Shaᶦban is complete (thirty days).

● The Prophet said, “Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and stop fasting on seeing the crescent of (of Shawwal), and if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, complete the number (thirty days) of Shaᶦban.” [AL-Bukhari].

God says ﴾Whoever sights [new moon of] the month, let him fast it﴿Chapter of the Heifer.

Conditions that necessitate fasting Ramadan:

1) Being a Muslim. Shafii sees that if a Muslim reverted from Islam and then returned to it, he would make up for missed days of fasting Ramadan in the years which he had spent in apostasy.

2) Adulthood. But, boys and girls are commanded to fast at the age of seven, so as to get used to it.

3) Mindfulness. Who lost his mind would not fast.

Fasting obligations

1) Predominating the intention to fast before dawn by saying: “I have intended to fast this day with faith and seeking its reward from Allah.” or “I have intended to fast this month.”

Or, by action, when he eats pre-dawn meal (Sahoor).

− But in voluntary fasting, you can intend to fast at any time of the day before sunset, on condition that you have not done anything that is contrary to fasting, as eating, drinking, or lusts, thus the intention can be in the morning or at noon.

●It was narrated from Hafsah, the wife of the Prophet, that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever did not intend to fast before dawn, then there is no fast for him.”

2) Abstaining from eating, drinking and lusts from emergence of dawn to sunset (the call to sunset).

Recommended things during fasting and in the month of Ramadan:

①Hastening fast-breaking and delaying pre-dawn meal.

●It was narrated from Sahl ibn AL-Saᶦidy (May Allah be pleased with them) that Allah’s Apostle said, “My nation will remain on the right path as long as they hasten fast-breaking and delay pre-dawn meal.” [The Two Scholars].

●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦAbbas that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Seek help by eating pre-dawn meal for fasting that daytime, and taking a brief rest (sleeping at midday) for praying at night.”

●It was narrated from Abi Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Prophet said, “Pre-dawn meal is a blessing, so do not neglect it. Even if one of you drinks a draught of water, Allah and His angels will send blessings upon those who have pre-dawn meal.” [narrated from Ahmad ibn Hanbal].

②Giving up obscene words.

●Abu-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah said, “Allah the Mighty and Sublime says: ‘Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting which is (exclusively) for Me, and I will reward him for it. Fasting is a shield. If anyone of you is fasting, he should neither use obscene words nor should he raise his voice in anger, and if anyone abuses him or quarrels with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’” [AL-Bukhari].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Whoever does not leave forged speech and acting according to it, then Allah is not in any need of him leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting).” [AL-Bukhari].

③Having dates in fast-breaking.

●It was narrated from Salman ibn ᶦAmir that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “When one of you breaks his fasting, let him break it on dates for there is blessing in them; if he does not have any, break his fast with water for it is pure.” [Abu-Daoud and Tirmidhi].

④Investment of both night and daytime of Ramadan.

Ramadan is a month in which merits are multiplied, so a Muslim must take advantage of it in every obedience that makes him closer to God, such as Qurᶦan reciting, remembrance of God, or giving alms, especially since there is the Night of High Esteem (Lailat AL-Qadr), which is better than a thousand months, in one of its last ten days.

●It was narrated from Abd-Allah ibn ᶦUmar that the Messenger said, “Search for the Night of High Esteem in the last seven days, or seek it in the last ten nights.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from ᶦAishah (May Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet said, “Seek the Night of High Esteem in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “He who fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven, and he who spends the Night of High Esteem in prayer with faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

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[2] Voluntary Fasting (AL-Sunnah)

①Fasting six days in Shawwal, directly after the Festival of Fast-Breaking.

●It was narrated from Abi Aiyub AL-Ansaari that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he has fasted the whole year.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Saᶦid AL-Khudri that the Prophet said, “Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah will separate his face (a distance of) seventy autumns (years) from the Hell.”   [The Two Scholars].

●ᶦAishah reported: Allah’s Apostle used to fast on the tenth of Muharram (ᶦAshuraa). Later when fasting the month of Ramadan was prescribed, he said about the tenth of Muharram, “It became optional for one to fast on it or not.” [Muslim].

②Fasting on Monday and Thursday every week.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “Deeds of people are presented (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays. So I like that my actions be presented while I am fasting.” [AL-Tirmidhi and AL-Nasaᶦi]. 
And in a narration: He said about Monday, “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received revelation.” [AL-Bukhari].

③Fasting on the three white days (AL-Ayaam AL-Bid) every Islamic month (13^th,14^th,15^th).

●Abdullah ibn ᶦAmr reported: Allah’s Apostle was informed that I have said: “By Allah I will fast all the days and pray all the nights as long as I live.” The Apostle said, “You cannot do that. So fast (sometimes) and do not fast (sometimes). Pray and sleep. Fast for three days a month, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten times, and so fasting on three days a month equals fasting  a year.” [AL-Bukhari].

●Abu-Hurairah reported: My friend (the Messenger of Allah) has instructed me to do three things: Fasting three days every month, the two prayer units of forenoon prayer, and performing the odd prayer (AL-Witr) before sleeping.” [AL-Bukhari].

●Abu- Dharr AL-Ghiphary reported: The Messenger of Allah commanded to fast the three white days: The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth and he said, “Fasting on them is (equivalent to) fasting a lifetime.” [AL-Nasaᶦi].

④Fasting on the Day of Arafah (the ninth of Dhu al-Hijjah) for non-pilgrims.

●It was narrated from Abi-Qatadah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Fasting the Day of Arafah, I hope from Allah, expiates (the sins) of the year before and the year after it.” [AL-Bukhari].

⑤Fasting possible days of the month of Muharram.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet said, “The best month for fasting after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best prayer after the prescribed prayer is the prayer in the middle of night.” [Muslim].

⑥Fasting possible days of the month of Shaᶦban.

●ᶦUsamah ibn Zaid said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting any month as much as Shaᶦban.’ He said, ‘That is a month to which people do not pay much attention, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be taken up when I am fasting.’” [Abu-Daoud and AL-Nasaᶦi].

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●ᶦAishah reported: The Messenger of Allah used to fast to such an extent that we thought that he would never break his fast, and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he would never fast. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah fast for a complete month except for the month of Ramadan. And I never saw him fast in a month more than he did in the month of Shaᶦban. [The Two Scholars].

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[3] Disliked Fasting

1) Fasting on the doubtful day (the 30^th of Shaᶦban) is disliked, except when it coincides with a habit like fasting on Monday and Thursday, and one of these days coincides with the 30^th of Shaᶦban.

●It was narrated from ᶦAmmar ibn Yasir that the Prophet said, “Whoever fasts the doubtful day, he has then disobeyed Abu-AL Qasim (the Prophet).” [Abu-Daoud, AL-Tirmidhi, and AL-Nisaᶦi].

− If a Muslim fasted on this day with the intention of volunteering, or hesitated between volunteering and fasting on the first day of Ramadan, then it turned out to be the first day of Ramadan, his fasting would be invalid and he would have to make up for that day. Thus, there is no need for this confusion.

− It is important to note that it is impermissible to fast one day with two intentions. 
For example:

You cannot fast on the Day of Arafah with the intention of volunteering and the intention of making up for a missed day simultaneously.

2) Fasting on any of Friday, Saturday, or Sunday alone, except when any of them coincides with a habit like fasting on the three white days (13^th, 14^th, 15^th).

●Juwairiyah bint AL-Harith, the Mother of the believers, said that the Prophet visited her on a Friday and she was fasting. He asked, “Did you fast yesterday?” She said, “No.” He asked, “Do you intend to fast tomorrow?” She said, “No.” He said, “In that case, give up your fasting today.” [AL-Bukhari].

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[4] Prohibited Fasting

1- It is prohibited for a menstruating woman, or a woman in confinement period to fast.

Her fasting would be disobedience. She would make up for these missed days of fasting (menses or confinement days), even if she fasted on them.

2- Voluntary fasting is prohibited for a woman if her husband is present, unless she asks his permission.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “No woman should fast when her husband is present (in the house) but with his permission. And she should not admit any (Mahram) in his house, while he (her husband) is present, but with his permission.”          [The Two Scholars].

3- Fasting on both of the Festival of Fast-Breaking and the four days of the Festival of Sacrifice is prohibited. Both of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Abu-Hanifah excluded the pilgrim who performs pilgrimage and the minor pilgrimage (ᶦUmrah) separately (Tamattuᶦ) and the pilgrim who combines ᶦUmrah and pilgrimage from this prohibition.

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Things disliked during fasting:

1) Tasting food with tongue, unless it is necessary to do so. For example: If a wife is cooking food, she can taste its salinity to avoid her husband’s anger.

2) Chewing something like gum.

3) Introductions to sexual intercourse or emission of semen, due to difficulty of controlling it.

 He whose fasting became invalid for any reason, he would abstain from food for the rest of the day and not speak out his fast-breaking, out of respect for the holiness of Ramadan.

Things that make a fasting person break his fast and make fasting invalid:

1) Things that reach the belly or the head from a natural orifice as mouth, anus, using dropping into ear, eye, or nose.

2) Masturbation (wank), or semen emission after sexual desire.

3) Sexual intercourse.

4) Discharge of menses or confinement blood.

5) Loss of mind.

Read also

Seclusion (I'tikaaf)

Some of fasting provisions

   

Sunnah and voluntary prayers

SUNNAH AND VOLUNTARY PRAYERS

Regular Sunnah prayers which are performed before or after the obligatory five daily prayers (Their total number is seventeen prayer units):

*The two “Fajr” prayer units before morning prayer.

*Four prayer units before noon prayer and two units after it.

*Four units before afternoon prayer.                            
*Two units after sunset prayer.

*Three units after night prayer (one of them is performed as an odd prayer ‘Witr’).

- And there are:

a) Permanent voluntary prayers:

*Optional night prayer: It is performed in pairs (two prayer units every time) and then the last one is odd prayer (one prayer unit).                                              
*Mosque greeting prayer.

*Ablution renewing prayer.   

*Forenoon prayer (It ranges between two prayer units and eight units).

b) Voluntary prayers performed in their occasions:

*The two festivals prayers.                                
*Rain invoking prayer.                               
*Eclipse prayer.

*Lunar eclipse prayer.                                         
*Rest prayer (Traweeh).

*AL-Kaᶦbah circumambulation prayer.             
*Returning from travel prayer.                
*Funeral prayer.

- All of them are two prayer units, except the rest prayer which ranges from eight to twenty prayer units.

- Funeral prayer is performed by saying, “God is the Greatest” four times without bowing down or prostration. 

c) Personal prayers:

*Praises prayer (Salat At Tasabeeh).                                                   
*Guidance prayer.

*Repentance prayer.                                          
*Need prayer.

- All of them are two prayer units, except the praises prayer which is four prayer units.

۞ A Muslim performs the following prayers alone:

*Praises prayer.                                  *Guidance prayer.

*Need prayer.                                     *Repentance prayer.

*Mosque greeting prayer.                  
*AL-Kaᶦbah circumambulation prayer.

*Forenoon prayer.                               *Returning from travel prayer.

And he performs the following prayers in a group:

*Rain invoking prayer.                          *The two festivals prayers.

*Lunar eclipse prayer.                           *Eclipse prayer.                               

*Rest prayer.                                         *Funeral prayer.

Prayer validity conditions, pillars,and sunan

Prayer validity conditions, pillars,and sunan

Prayer Validity Conditions:

1) Purity of organs from uncleanness and impurity.
        
2) Ablution before prayer.

3) Being certain that it is time to pray.

4) Heading to Kaᶦbah direction (AL Qiblah), except in war.

5) Covering private parts with clean clothes.

The private parts of a man are between his umbilicus and knees; the private parts of a woman include all of her body, except her face and hands. There is a debate about covering her feet. In summary, she should wear a pair of socks when she prays outside her home.

6) Standing on a clean place. In the schools of Shafii, Malik, and Abu-Hanifah, prayer is disliked in graveyards, slaughterhouses, dumps, barns, public baths, on the road, and on the roof of AL-Kaᶦbah.

But Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal considered prayer in these places is invalid.

Note: There is an exemption from heading to AL-Kaᶦbah direction in fear prayer, and in voluntary prayer during travel.

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Pillars of Prayer

The Pillar of Prayer: Validity of prayer depends on it, and prostration of forgetfulness does not deputize for it.

1)Standing up: If a praying person is able to do it. Sitting is not permissible in obligatory prayer if  a praying person is able to stand up. If he was unable to stand up, he would pray sitting. If he was unable to sit, he would pray lying on his side. If he was unable to lie on his side, he would pray lying on his back with his face towards AL-Kaᶦbah direction and make gestures using his hands, head, and eyes referring to bowing down (Rukuᶦ) and prostration (Sujuud). For voluntary prayer, it is permissible to pray sitting, but Allah decreases its reward.

●Imran ibn Husain (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I asked the Prophet about who prays sitting down. He said, ‘Whoever prays standing up is better, and one who prays sitting down will have half the reward of one who prays standing up. And whoever prays lying down will have half the reward of one who prays sitting down.’” [AL-Bukhari].

2)Intention.

3)Saying “God is the Greatest”, as in case of consecration (Takbeerat AL-Ihraam). 

 When you say it, with your face towards AL-Kaᶦbah direction and raising your palms just in front of your shoulders, you already start prayer.

4)Reciting Chapter of the Opening: (In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God) is a verse of it.

It is seven verses.

●It was narrated from Ibadah ibn AL-Samit that the Prophet said, “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening Chapter (Fatihat AL Kitab).” [The Two Scholars].

●It was narrated from Abi- Hurairah that the Prophet said, “If you recited ‘All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe’, you should recite ‘In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God.’ It is the epitome or basis of the Qurᶦan, and epitome or basis of the Book, and the seven oft-repeated verses.”

5)Bowing down. 

6)Rising from bowing down. 

7)Standing up straight.

8)Prostration.

9)Rising from prostration. 

10)Sitting between the two prostrations. 

11)The last sitting, including testification and saying prayers for the Prophet in the last testification.

12)The first prayer-end greeting.

13)Performing pillars in the previously mentioned order.

14)Feeling at ease in bowing down, in the two prostrations, and in the sitting between them.

●Abu-Hurairah reported: “Allah’s Apostle entered the mosque and a person followed him. The man prayed and went to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet returned the greeting and said to him, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.’ The man went back and prayed in the same way as before, returned and greeted the Prophet who said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.’ This happened thrice. 
The man said, ‘By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I cannot offer the prayer in a better way than this. Please, teach me how to pray.’ 
The Prophet said, ‘When you stand for prayer say AL-Takbeer (God is the Greatest) and then recite from the Holy Qurᶦan (of what you know by heart) and then bow till you feel at ease. Then raise your head and stand up straight, then prostrate till you feel at ease during your prostration, then sit with calmness till you feel at ease (do not hurry) and do the same in all your prayers.’” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

Note: The previous tradition is called “The tradition of the man who performed his prayer badly”.

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The Sunnah Practices of Prayer (Sunan AL-Salah)

a) Before beginning of prayer:

1) Call to prayer (Adhan).            
2) Second call to prayer (Iqamah).

And both of them are for obligatory prayer only.

In the call to morning prayer, the caller says, “Prayer is better than sleep.” twice.

The caller to prayer must be a rational male Muslim.

●It was narrated from Malik ibn AL-Huwairith that the Messenger of Allah (P.P.B.U.H) said, “When the time for prayer comes, one of you should pronounce the call for it, and the oldest of you  should lead the prayer.” [The Two Scholars].

●Anas reported: “Bilal was commanded to say the phrases of the call to pray twice and the phrases of the second call once.” [AL-Bukhari].

b) After prayer entering:

1) The first testification (Tashahhud) after two prayer units.

2) Humility invocation (Qunut):

a) In morning prayer, after bowing down in the second prayer unit.

b) In separate prayer (Salat AL-Witr) in the second half of Ramadan.

●Malik ibn AL-Huwayrith reported: We came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being young men of a similar age. We spent twenty nights with him. 
He thought that we desired our own people and he asked us about those of our family we had left behind, and we told him. 
He was merciful and kind, and said,“Go back to your family. Instruct and command them. Pray as you have seen me praying. When it is time for the prayer, then let one of you pronounce its call and let the oldest of you lead you in prayer.” [AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

*An Educational Mission.

The Prophet was the first to apply the educational missions approach. If a tribe converted to Islam, they would send a delegation to AL-Madinah to experience Muslims’ life with the Prophet and his companions. 
Then the members of the delegation return to their home to disseminate what they have learnt, according to God’s saying ﴾And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group[remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious﴿ Chapter of Repentance. Verse NO 122

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Non-Emphasized Sunnah Practices of Prayer

❶Raising palms in saying “God is the Greatest” as in case of consecration.

●It was narrated from Salim, from his father, that: The Messenger of Allah used to raise his hands until they were in level with his shoulders when he started to pray, when he 
said “God is the Greatest” for bowing, and when he raised his head from bowing. And he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostration.  [AL-Bukhari].

❷Saying “I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, as a monotheist, and I am not of the polytheists.” after saying “God is the Greatest.”

❸Putting the right hand on the left hand under the chest.

❹Seeking refuge, then (Basmallah) which means saying “In the name of Beneficent, Merciful God” in reading Chapter of the Opening.

❺Saying “Ameen” in the end of the Opening Chapter.

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that Allah’s Apostle (P.P.B.U.H) said: “When the reciter (AL-Imam) says ‘Ameen’, say ‘Ameen’, for if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [The Two Scholars].

❻Reciting a Chapter or verses after reciting the Opening Chapter according to a person’s ability.

Imam Shafii allowed reading from Qurᶦan (i.e. putting it in front of the praying person), but Abu-Hanifah objected to that. Ibn Hanbal allowed it in voluntary prayer only.

❼Loudness in the first two prayer units of sunset and night prayers, and in the two prayer units of morning, Friday, and the Two Festivals prayers.

❽Saying “God is the Greatest” between acts of prayer.

❾Glorification of Allah in bowing down and prostration.

❿Saying “Allah hears the one who praises Him.” after raising from bowing down.

●It was narrated from Ibn ᶦAbbas that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “I have been forbidden to recite the Qurᶦan in the state of bowing and prostration. As for bowing down, honor the Lord in it, and as for prostration, do your best in invocation, that is worthy of being accepted.” [Muslim].

●It was narrated from Abi-Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: “The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is in prostration. So increase invocation in prostrations.” [Muslim].

True Prostration:

Make your hands away from your face, and raise your elbows above the earth. As for a woman, she makes her body parts near each other.

●Maimunah bint AL-Harith, the mother of believers, reported: When the Messenger of Allah prostrated, he kept his hands so much apart from each other that when it was seen from behind, the armpits became visible.

●It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (P.P.B.U.H) said, “Be moderate in prostration and do not rest your forearms along the ground like a dog.” [AL-Bukhari]. 

●Ibn Abbas reported from the Apostle of Allah: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: forehead, and then pointed with his hands towards his nose, hands, knees, and the extremities of the feet. And we were forbidden to fold back clothing and hair.” [The Two Scholars].

●Rifaa ibn Rafi (May God be pleased with him) reported: “One day we were praying 
behind the Messenger of Allah, when the Messenger of Allah raised his head from 
bowing down and said, ‘Allah hears the one who praises Him (Samiᶦ Allahu Liman hamidah).’ 
A man behind him said, ‘Our Lord, praise belongs to You- blessed, pure and abundant  praise (Rabbana wa laka AL-Hamd, Hamdan Kathiran Tayiban  Mubarakan fihi).’ When the Messenger of Allah had finished, he said, ‘Who was it who spoke just now?’ The 
man said, ‘I did, Messenger of Allah.’ And the Messenger of Allah said, ‘I saw more 
than  thirty angels rushing to it to see which one of them would record it first.’” 
[AL-Bukhari and Muslim].

⓫Putting hands on knees in the sitting for testification.          

 ۞Stretch the left hand.
 ۞Do not extend the right hand.
۞ Raise the right index finger.

●Ibn ᶦUmar reported: When the Messenger of Allah sat for testification, he placed his left hand on his left knee, his right hand on his right knee, and raised his right finger which    was next to his thumb, making invocation in this way, and he stretched his left hand on    his left knee. [Muslim].

⓬The second prayer-end greeting.

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 Humility (Qunut) in Morning Prayer

Imam Shafii allowed it, but Abu-Hanifah did not approve it. Ibn Hanbal sees that AL-   Qunut is a Sunnah which is performed in serious events or wars by humility to Allah and invocation against an enemy, as the Prophet has done.

I testify that our chief (Sayedona) Muhammad……

Scholars have disliked saying “I testify that our chief Muhammad….” in testification, according to the Prophet’s saying “Do not make me your chief in prayer.” and his 
saying in his traditions: “And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle.” 
And his saying “Say: ‘O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family.’”

On the other hand, Imam Shafii considered the tradition “Do not make me your chief in prayer.” a weak tradition, therefore he allowed to say “Our chief Muhammad.”
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Invalidators of Prayer

1) Change of intention: When a praying person decides, during the prayer, to change the type of the prayer, (for example: changing it from an obligatory prayer to a voluntary   prayer), or the number of prayer units.

2) When AL Kaᶦbah direction (AL-Qiblah) is at the back of the praying person.

3) When private parts are uncovered.     

4) Invalidation of ablution.

5) When there is an apparent uncleanness on the praying person or on his clothes.

6) Sudden menses or confinement.

7) A lot of action during prayer. For example: walking three steps in any direction, or when his movements are more than three in one prayer unit.

8) Eating, drinking, laughing in prayer, or saying words other than those of prayer.

*Abu-Hanifah sees that giggling in prayer invalidates prayer and ablution also.

*In all cases mentioned previously, a praying person has to give salutation and end his 

prayer.