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Salat General Questions & Answers Taleem Department Lajna USA, 2015

Prayer and Spirituality

1. Why does want us to pray? God, the Self-Sustaining, does not need our . Prayers are a means by which humans can purify their spirit to enable them to come closer to God. Humans need to pray to God to improve their moral condition and to become useful human beings. God has made humans capable of continuous development and spiritual evolution; prayers are a mode of reaching higher spiritual levels. (Taleem Department). 2. Why has God created worship, and what are the advantages of different forms of worship that God has prescribed in ?There are 4 forms of worship in Islam that are designed to improve the physical, moral, and spiritual condition of the individual so that he can realize his full capabilities that he has been created for.

 The first type of worship, such as offering 5 daily prayers, , nawaafil, tahajjad, &Zikr-e- Illahi, strengthens a believers relationship with God.  The second type of worship improves one‟s physical condition and prepares one to make sacrifices for , for example fasting in Ramadhan and nawaafil-rosa (fasting on other days of the year).  The third type of worship, which is performing and Omrah, strengthens the sense of community and unifies providing them a center of worship.  The last type of worship, paying and Sadqa, requires sacrifice of wealth and maintains the economic well-being of the community. (Taleem Department).

3. What is the reasoning behind the prescribed way of saying Salat?

 This is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophetsaw to whom Allah has taught as such  This is the perfect form of supplication in front of Allah in which every part of the body is participating  In the prescribed way of salat, the posture changes through out so as to maintain the attention of the person offering the salat (Taleem Department).

4. Why is one supposed to look at the place of sajda while praying? Restricting your eyes to a certain place helps the mind focus. (Taleem Department). 5. What is the significance of saying salat? The Holy Prophetsawsaid that on the Day of Judgment the first question asked is about salat. If a person is successful in that part, he is (Ba-Murad) successful otherwise he will suffer great loss. (Tirmizi-Abwabus-Salat). 6. What are some blessings of salat mentioned by the Holy Prophetsaw?

 Sins are forgiven, those sins that we commit and ones we are not aware of.  When a person stands for the salat, all of his sinsare brought up and put on his body; and when he bows down for and sajda, they fall off his body. (Abu Nu‟aim)  A person requested the Holy Prophetsaw to punish him because he had committed a sin. Meanwhile, it was time for salat, and he prayed. After the salat, he repeated the question again. The Holy Prophetsaw asked him if he had prayed. The person responded that he had. The Holy Prophetsawsaid that you are forgiven. “Allah has forgiven all your sins.” (Bukhari, Katabul- Muharibeen)

7. What is the example of the dried leaves the Holy Prophetsawgave regarding salat? In the fall/winter months when leaves fall from the trees, the Holy Prophetsaw shook two branches of a tree causing dried leaves to start falling. The Holy Prophetsaw said that when a Muslim performs salat to please Allah, his sins start falling down like these leaves are falling from this tree. (Musnad ) 8. What if one knowingly misses salat? According to Islamic jurisprudence, if someone has missed a prayer knowingly and deliberately, no salat can compensate for it, but the true judge in such cases is God Almighty. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book). The Holy Prophetsawsaid if someone knowingly forsakes the salat, he openly commits Kufar (denies the existence of God). (Katabul-Salat). 9. I perform salat myself and hope my children will also when they grow up. I ask them to pray now, but sometimes they do not. What should I do? The Holy Prophetsaw directed parents to ask children to pray at the age of seven. If they do not pray by age ten, then parents may discipline the child to establish the habit of prayer. (Katabul- Salat, Abu-Daoud). Children should learn the salat before age seven. Starting at age seven, the child should start saying salat. He might only say one prayer but consistency is important. When the child is regular with one salat, then increase to the next level and keep watch for regularly saying two. Then, increase to three, four, and five. (Taleem Department) 10. The Holy says that salat stops you from what? In Sura Ankaboot, verse 46, the Holy Quran says salat stops you from committing all types of sins and satanic activities. (Taleem Department) 11. What actions does God like the most? The Holy Prophetsawsaid that it is to perform the prayer on time. (Bukhari, Ketabul-Jehad). 12. Can salat change a person who is leading a destructive life?The Promised Messiahas said:In my opinion, if a person is mired deep in sins, but offers salat, then he will still have the chance to recover from this situation. A person who performs salat with care and fulfills all of its requirements will find a change in himself right away. (Tafseer-e-Kabeer, Sura Ankaboot, pg. 652-53) 13. What have we pledged as Ahmadis regarding salat? In the third condition of the ba‟ait, we pledge that we “...shall regularly offer the five daily prayers in accordance with the commandments of God and the Holy Prophetsaw; and shall try his/her best to be regular in offering the and invoking darood on the Holy Prophetsaw; that he/she shall make it his/her daily routine to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to remember the bounties of God and to praise and glorify Him.”(Taleem Department)

General Knowledge (Timings and Types of Prayers)

14. How many obligatory prayers are prescribed in Islam?There are 5 obligatory prayers: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 15. What are the timings of these prayers? Fajr—At dawn, before sunrise Zuhr—In early afternoon, Asr—In late afternoon, Maghrib—Just after sunset and Isha—In the evening before midnight. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book). 16. During what time can prayers not be offered?Prayers may not be offered in the following times: 1) during the rising of the sun, 2) when the sun is at its zenith, 3) after till sunset, 4) during the setting of the sun, 5) after till sunrise. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 17. Offering of prayers is prohibited at the rising of sun, setting of sun and when the sun is at the zenith at noon. Why is that? The Holy Prophetsaw did not like the Muslims to pray at the times when idol- worshippers would pray, because they worshipped the sun. However there are exceptions in certain situations. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 18. What does the Arabic word “” mean when referring to prayer? Fard means obligatory prayers. If possible, these prayers should be performed in congregation behind an at a . However, one can offer fard prayers at home or other places. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 19. What does the Arabic word “Waajib” mean when referring to prayer? These prayers, the Vitr, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Adhiya, are considered necessary but not obligatory prayers. One should not intentionally skip Waajib prayers. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 20. What does the Arabic word “Sunnah” mean when referring to prayer? This refers to additional prayers offered before and after Fard prayers. It was a practice of The Holy Prophetsawto offer these prayers. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 21. What does the Arabic word “Nafl” mean when referring to prayer? These are additional but optional prayers. By offering them, one can achieve further blessings from Allah. The Tahajjad prayer is an example of , and they should be performed two raka‟at at a time. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 22. Define “Taraveeh” prayer. Taraveeh prayers are performed each night during the month of Ramadhan after Isha or at the time of Tahajjad. They are offered in four units of 2 raka‟aat each. These nawaafil may be offered in congregation or separately at home. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 23. What is the Qadha (missed) prayer, and how is it performed? If a believer forgets to say his prayers at the appropriate time, then he is allowed to say those prayers in the form of Qadha prayers, as soon as he remembers. If more than one prayer was missed, then the order of the prayers must be preserved. If one forgets the order or if the number of missed prayers is more than six then the order is not critical. When offering the Qadha prayer, one skips all the sunnah prayers except for the sunnah prayers of Fajr. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 24. When is Du’a-e-Qunoot offered? Du’a-e-Qunootis offered during Vitr prayer in the third raka‟aat, after ruku. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

Ablution

25. Describe how to perform ablution? 1) Begin by reciting “Bismillah-ir- Rahman-ir-Raheem” and wash hands up to the wrists three times. 2) Rinse the mouth three times. 3) Wash the nostrils three times & blow the nose with the left hand. 4) Wash the face three times. 5) Wash the right forearms up to the elbows three times, followed by left. 6) Perform the Al-Mas-ha (or Massah) which is wiping the head with wet hands backward & forward only once. Also at this time, wipe the ears with wet fingers andwipe the outside of the ears with wet thumbs. 7) Wash the feet up to the ankles three times, starting with the right foot. 8) Recite the following prayer after performing ablution: Alaahumajalneeminat-tawwaabeenawajalneeminalmutatah- hireen(O Allah! Make me from among those who repent of their sins and from among those who keep themselves pure and clean.) (Salat- The Muslim Prayer Book) 26. If water is scarce, does a believer still have to wash the different parts of the body three times for complete ablution? No, whether you wash your body parts three times depends on the time and quantity of water available. You may wash the different parts twice or even once. If no water is available then Tayyamum can be performed.(Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 27. If a believer wears socks after performing complete ablution, does he need to rewash the feet for subsequent ablutions? If after ablution, he puts on socks, then it is not essential to wash his feet for the following 24 hours when one performs ablution. Instead, he should wet his hands and after shaking off the excess water, he should make passes with the hands on both feet on top of the socks. This should be considered an alternative to the washing of the feet. This permission is extended to three days during a journey. (Taleem Department) 28. What conditions require the believer to redo the ablution?

The guidelines are:

 Passing wind  Urination even if a drop has passed out.  Passing stool in however small quantity.  Sleeping, dozing off to the degree that if one were without a support, one would not be able to keep balance.  Menstruation and ejaculation  Vomiting and bleeding, opinions are divided but minor bleeding from any part of the body by an ordinary cut, etc., or throwing- up of a little food during belching should not be counted as bleeding and vomiting. Otherwise, after vomiting and bleeding, ablution should be performed again. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 29. What is ? In case of illness or non-availability of water, there is a simple substitute for ablution in the following form, which is called Tayammum.If a clean dusty surface or a solid surface is available, one should pat the surface with the open palms of both hands, then make a motion with both hands, passing them over the back of each other successively, as if one is washing them, and then pass them over one's face. This is only a token ablution to remind one that whenever possible, proper ablution should be performed. (Salat- The Muslim Prayer Book) 30. Is it necessary to perform ablution before each prayer? It is essential that one should offer Prayer while one's ablution is intact. If one's ablution remains intact then even with one ablution, more than one Prayer can be performed. This means that the state of ablution is necessary when one performs Prayer but for each Prayer repetition of ablution is not necessary if the previous ablution is still valid. (Salat- The Muslim Prayer Book) Cleanliness of Environment

31. It is essential that the place where salat is performed should be clean. Where should prayer not be performed? Prayer mustbe offered in a clean place. (Taleem Department) 32. If a woman is not praying due to her monthly course, then is she allowed to come to the masjid? Yes, such a person is allowed to come to masjid to increase her religious knowledge by listening to the imam. However when salat begins, such ladies should not remain in the prayer area; instead, they should stay in an area behind the individuals praying. It is better to sit aside and not disturb the lines when salat is offered. (Taleem Department)

Personal Appearance

33. What is the appropriate attire when individuals say salat? Clothing should be clean. The body should be appropriately covered with clean, decent dress. At a minimum, men are required to cover themselves from the navel to just below the knees. Women are allowed to expose only their faces, hands, and feet. The rest of their bodies including the hair, forearms, and legs need to be covered. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)Wearing see-through or extremely tight garments are not appropriate attire for women. (Taleem Department)

Bathing before prayer

34. In what instances is bathing required before prayer is offered? Taking a bath is always encouraged and promoted in Islam. Islam emphasizes not only the cleanliness of the soul but also that of the body. In some situations however, it has been made a prerequisite to the offering of any formal Prayer. The following are the conditions, which necessitate taking a bath and where ablution alone is not enough.

 For women o After each menstruation when the flow of blood has completely stopped. o After childbirth when the bleeding has finally stopped. o It should be noted that during these bleeding periods, women are not required to perform formal Prayers.  For men and women together o After seminal ejaculation or orgasm, whether resulting from conjugation or from any other cause. The same applies to night discharges during sleep. o Sexual contact between man and woman, even without ejaculation and however brief it may be. o All non-Muslims who become Muslims are also obliged to take a bath and start a new, fresh life as a Muslim.  Additional situations where a bath is essential o Every new born child must be bathed, and also the body of every person who has died should be bathed before the Janazah Prayer. However, for those who are martyred or killed during war or murdered in any way, an exception is made and they are not bathed.(Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

35. What was the Holy Prophetsaw view on bathing? Apart from the occasions when bathing becomes necessary, the taking of a bath every Friday, on the celebrations of Eid and just before performing Hajj were strongly emphasized by the Holy Prophetsaw.It is interesting to note that the Holy Founder of Islam, used to take a bath in the following manner: He would start bathing by performing Wudhu, i.e; ablution, but not including washing of the feet which he would do at the end. Then he would pour water at least three times on the right side of his body, followed by three times on the left. He bathed so meticulously that every pore of every part of his body was washed thoroughly. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 36. What are the minimum requirements for men and women when bathing to be clean for salat.Three essentials actions to be performed during bathing are 1) gargling, 2) cleaning the nose with water, and 3) running water on the entire body. If washing the hair is burdensome on a woman because it is too thick or braided (and undoing the style is cumbersome) or even if cold weather inhibits washing the hair, then instead, she may perform massah by passing wet hands over her head. (Taleem Department)

Adhan and Iqamat

37. What is Iqamat and what are the differences between the and the Iqamat? When the Prayer is about to commence, Iqamat is recited. This is an indication that the Imam has taken his place facing towards the Ka'aba and is ready to begin the Prayer. The Iqamat is a shorter version of the Adhan. Other differences between the Adhan and the Iqamat are as follows:

 The Adhan is called aloud while the Iqamat is recited in a low tone.  During the recitation of Iqamat, the fingers are not raised so as to touch the ears as is done in Adhan; instead the arms are left hanging straight by one's sides.  The sentence, As-Salatukhairumminan-naum is not recited in the Iqamat.  The Iqamat is recited rapidly, though the school of thought is to recite both the Iqamat as well as the Adhan, with pauses between the verses. During the Iqamat the sentence Qadqaa-mat- tis-Salati.e;Salat is ready, is repeated twice after saying, Hay- yaalalfalah.  During the Iqamat, the face is not turned towards the right or to the left when Hayya alas and Hayyaalalfalah are recited, as is done in the Adhan. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 38. What should we do while the is reciting the Adhan? Anyone who hears theAdhan should repeat the same, phrase by phrase, after the Mu'athin has recited them but when the Mu'athinsays the wordsHayya alas-Salat andHayyaalalfalah, the person hearing theAdhanshould say La hawlawa la quwwataillabilla-hilaliy- yilAzeemwhich means: There is neither might nor any power except with Allah.(Taleem Department) 39. Can we talk or read during the Adhan? Only if you are engaged in religious matters. (Taleem Department)

Etiquette during Salat

40. In addition to timing, what are four other basic elements of Salat?

 Cleanliness  Proper covering of the body  (direction)  Niyyat (Intention)

(Taleem Department)

41. What basic etiquette should be observed during prayer?

 Congregation prayers must be offered in straight lines.  Lines originate in the center of a row since the aim is to stay centered behind the Imam.  No gaps should be present between the believers. If there is gap evident during the prayer, the believers should eliminate the gap by stepping closer to each other. Eliminate the gap by movingtowards the middle.  Talking or any distracting activity is not permitted near the individuals saying the prayers. Nothing should distract the attention of the individual from his prayer. One should even cease reciting the Holy Quran out-loud while others are praying.  Prayer area should be clean and clear of distractions. One should not pray while pictures of humans, animals, or impertinent scenery are in front of them. (Taleem Department)

42. Is passing in front of those engaged in prayers prohibited? Why? Passing in front is prohibited because it is distracting and leads to a loss of concentration for persons offering prayer. (Taleem Department) 43. Are there any cases when an individual may pass in front of someone saying prayers?Yes, an individual with a dire need may pass in front of someone offering the prayer if there is significant distance between him and the person praying; this distance is generally considered about the length of 2 rows. Also in an emergency if there is not enough distance, then the person passing may place an object, such as a cushion, between himself and the person offering the prayer. (Taleem Department) 44. What should be the appropriate length of time forsalat, and what was the practice of the Holy Prophetsaw? The length of prayer depends on the individual and the situation. When the Holy Prophetsaw said prayer in congregation he did not make salat unnecessarily long out of consideration for other peoples‟ obligations. However, when he was alone he would spend a much longer time and devotion. In general, salat should be long enough for an individual to concentrate on the meaning of every word and should be long enough to include the required prayers. (Taleem Department) 45. While praying, the doorbell or phone rings can you discontinue the salat and answer the door or phone? If so, do you resume the prayers where you left off? In emergency situations you may discontinue your prayer and resume it later when the situation has been resolved and there is no longer any interference. (Taleem Department) 46. What special allowances, regarding praying salat, are permittedto people who are sick? A sick person is allowed to say his prayers while sitting or lying down. In extreme situations when mobility is limited, he should still perform the salat and the change in positions can be signified with any possible movement, such as the head slightly. (Taleem Department) 47. Can one recite the prayer out loud? Generally, prayer should not be recited out loud or in a manner in which it may disturb and distract others who are also praying.(Taleem Department) 48. What should I do if I have difficulty concentrating during salat

 Pray that you are able to concentrate  Learn the meaning of salat and concentrate on the meaning and on the attributes of Allah  Pray in the right environment (clam and quiet)  Can whisper to yourself while doing salat  Pray at fixed time

(Taleem Department)

49. Should we Perform (silent prayer by raising hands) after salat or adhan? After adhan and prayer, we should continue remembering Allah but it is not important to raise hands during this. The Promised Messiahas did not like raising hands for prayer directly after salat because the Holy Prophetsawand his companions never prayed in this way and we do not see any in this regard. (Taleem Department) 50. Should we recite verse of the Holy Quran during Ruku and Sajdah? It should be noted that during ruku and sajdah the Holy Prophetsaw has forbidden the recitation of any Quranic verse (Salih Muslim, Kitab -us- Salat, BabAlnahi an Quirat-ul-Quran fir-Ruku was-Sujood). Ruku and sajdah is the action where we show the most humility and submission and the Holy Quran is the word of God that requires utmost respect. We do not find any Hadith that tells us that the Holy Prophetsawsaid any Quranic prayers at these times. The Promised Messiahas said however when you are saying prayers in your own words and using Quranic words or part of a verse, than it is ok.(Taleem Department) 51. Women should not perform salat during their menstrual cycle.Can they say Duroodshareef or other prayers during this time? Hazrat KhalifatulMasihIIra said that these types of prayers can be said during their periods.It is reported during such times, Hazrat AmmaJaan, the wife of Promised Messiahas would say Duroodshareef and other prayers at the time when she would normally offer her salat. (Taleem Department)

Traveling

52. What is the protocol concerning salat while travelling? When travelling, the sunnahraka‟aat are dropped in every prayer except Fajr prayer. The four fardraka‟aat of Zuhr, Asr, and Isha are reduced to two raka‟aat each. It is also permitted to combine Zuhr and Asr or Maghrib and Isha while travelling.(Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 53. What places can a traveler visit where he has option of whether or not to shorten the prayer? When the traveler visits a Muslim religious center such as , , Qadian, Rabwah, or the place where the Khalifa is, he has the option to say either the shortened or complete prayer. This option also applies when an individual visits a place that he considers a second home such as the parents‟ home or in-laws‟ home. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 54. Can a traveler be an Imammu-Salat and lead the residents in Salat? Yes, a traveler Imam may lead the residents in prayer. The traveler Imam may shorten his prayer by saying Salam after two Rakaats; meanwhile, the residents continue to say remainder of the prayer. However, when the traveler is following the resident Imam, then the traveler must say the complete prayer. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 55. Does a traveler have to face Qibla while riding or traveling in a car, train, or airplane? No, the traveler is not required to face towards the Qibla because his direction while in travel might be changing. (Salat- The Muslim Prayer Book) 56. What is the length of time of a trip that is considered appropriate for shortening the salat? Salat can be shortened on a trip where one is away for 15 days or less. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

Correcting mistakes during salat

57. Describe when and how to perform Sujood-us-Sahv (Prostrations of Condonation)? If a person commits a mistake during Prayer, which affects the validity of the prayer, the prostrations of condonation (sujood-us-sahv) are necessary.Sujood-us-Sahvis also known as the rectifying prostration.The prostrations are offered after the recitation of Tashahud, and Durood, and other prescribed prayers in the final Qa’dah of the Prayer (at the end of the Prayer before the salutation). Thus, after saying Allahu Akbar, two prostrations are performed, in which Subhana yalA'alaa is recited, then the Imam reverts back to Qa'dah position and says AssalamoAlaikumwaRahmatullah turning his face towards the right and then towards the left, to mark the end of the prayer. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) The prostrations of condonation are an acknowledgement to Allah that only He is the one without any weaknesses. We human beings are weak and we seek his forgiveness for our mistakes (Taleem Department)

58. What should you do if you forget how many raka’ats you have prayed, or if you forget the number that you should be praying? If there is a doubt as to how many Raka'at have been performed, then one should observe the rule of certainty, i.e; if the doubt is whether one has offered three or four Raka'at, for instance, one should offer the fourth Rak'at to be on the safe side though one might have offered it before. If a person is in doubt whether he has offered the prescribed number of raka'at, the prostrations of condonation (sujood-us-sahv) are necessary. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 59. What should the followers do if an Imam makes a mistake during the salat?In congregation the followers can point out that the imam made a mistake by saying “Subhanullahi” during the prayer. The imam may correct the mistake and perform the rectifying prostration before ending the salat. If the imam does not perform the sajdah thinking he did not make a mistake then the followers should not perform the sajdah. When a person is praying himself and realizes he made a mistake he should perform the two sajdahs as well. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 60. How do men acknowledge a mistake in the Imam’s recitation differently than women? Men say “Subhaan-Allah” out loud to draw attention to the Imam‟s error. Women are not allowed to speak out loud, however, they may clap to acknowledge the mistake. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 61. What should you do if the Imam commits a mistake while leading the congregation?If the Imam commits a mistake while leading the congregation, the following method is adopted to point it out to him:

 If the mistake is an incorrect recitation of the Holy Quran, or the Imam has forgotten a verse of the Holy Quran, anyone in the congregation, who clearly remembers the correct wording, should remind the Imam by reciting the correct verse in a clear and audible voice.

 If the Imam commits any other mistake, a member of the congregation should draw his attention to it by saying Subhanallah. Subhanallah means 'Allah is free from all faults.' It gives a clue to the Imam that he must have committed a mistake and in order to rectify his mistake the Imam leads the congregation in Sujood-us-Sahv (two additional Prostrations at the end of the Prayer before the salutation). If he does not rectify his mistake, the congregation has to follow him and no one has the right to differ with him during the Prayer. They must follow the Imam even in his mistake. However, he should be told of his mistake after the Prayer. Then he should lead the congregation in two additional Prostrations by way of condoning the mistake. These are called Sujood-us-Sahv or the Prostrations of condonation.  If a woman wants to draw the attention of the Imam to a mistake, which he had committed, she is not allowed to say Subhanallah aloud; instead, she should clap her hands. The sound of clapping from women conveys to the Imam the message that he has committed a mistake. In the case where a female Imam commits a mistake during Prayer, her followers may draw her attention to it by either reciting the verse correctly or by saying Subhanallah, as the case may be.

(Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

Joining congregational prayers

62. If someone arrives late (i.e. others have already finished some raka’aat) during congregational prayers – what should they do? If the Prayer has already started, the latecomer should join in the congregation in the position in which he finds them. For example, if they are in the Standing position, he should start his Prayer in standing position but if they are prostrating, he should join the congregation in prostration.When the Imam ends the congregational Prayer by saying the Salutation (Assalamu 'AlaikumwaRahmatullah and turning his face towards the right and towards the left) the person who joined the Prayer later should go into (standing) position and complete the remaining Raka'at of his Prayer individually. (Salat- The Muslim Prayer Book) 63. In certain instances a Muslim who has not offered his prayers will come to the mosque when congregation prayers are in progress. He is not aware of which prayer is being offered or if 2 prayers are being joined. A) What should the Muslim do? The Muslim should join-in the congregation prayers. B)After the prayer the Muslim realizes that he joined-in with Asr prayer while he had not offered his , then what becomes of his Zuhr prayer?The believer may say his Zuhr prayer after saying the Asr prayer with the congregation since he was not aware that he joined with Asr. However, if the believer is informed that the congregation is performingAsr prayer, then the believer should say the Zuhr prayer first, while the congregation continues with Asr prayer. After completing his Zuhr prayer, then the believer may join-in the remainder of the Asr prayer with the congregation and then complete the missed portion of Asr appropriately. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

64. If you have already prayed your salat at home should you join in congregational prayer? It is optional but it is preferred to join in the congregational prayer. Allah knows that one salat will become Nafl.(Taleem Department) 65. What rules should we follow in forming rows during congregational prayers? If congregational prayers have started and there is a gap in the row, who should move to fill it? Do not stand alone or out of any row or leave a gap among the rows. If there is no space in the row in front, then a person can start a new rowfrom the middle of the prayer area. It is preferable that therow is made up of more than one person.(Taleem Department) 66. If you are engaged in Sunnah prayers in the middle of a row and the Imam starts the congregational prayer, should you stop your Sunnah prayers?Once the congregational prayer has begun, one should not commence with Sunnat and Nafl Prayer. If someone is already engaged in Sunnat Prayer when the Imam starts the Prayer, and he finds himself in the middle of a row formed for the congregational Prayer, he should terminate his Prayer immediately and join in the congregation. If he is offering his Sunnat or Nafl Prayer away from the Prayer Service and he thinks that he can join in the congregation without losing much of the first Rak'at, he may complete his Prayer; otherwise he should terminate his Prayer and join in the congregation. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book)

Immamus-Salat

67. Can a woman lead Salat? If so, under what circumstances and describe the procedure for a woman to lead other women in congregational prayers? A woman can lead prayers only in a woman‟s congregation. She should stand in the middle of the first row among the other women (not ahead of the first row. (Taleem Department)

68. What is the criterion for the selection of an Imam? The Imam should be a pious individual who possesses religious knowledge especially knowledge of the Holy Quran. (Salat-The Muslim Prayer Book) 69. Can a woman say Iqamat?Yes, for complete answer see link: http://www.lajnausa.net/web/webfiles/taleem/Video%20from%20Aug %2016,%202015(1).mp4

Qibla

70. In North America, in what general direction are prayers offered? Prayers should always be offered towards the Qibla (KhanaKa‟bah). From North America the direction is North East. (Taleem Department) 71. In case a believer finds out prayers were said in a direction that does not face the Ka’bah, does the believer have to repeat his/her prayers? No. (Taleem Department) 72. What should the believer do if he/she finds out the correct direction of the Ka’bah while performing his/her prayers in the incorrect direction? The believer is allowed to turn to the right direction even during his prayers. (Taleem Department)

Note:Taleem Department prepared the questions and translated the answers from the Salat book „Namaz Mutrujum‟ published in Rabwah,The answers referenced as „Salat, The Muslim Prayer Book‟ are slightly adjusted and clarified for the American reader. The link to the „Salat, The Muslim Prayer Book‟https://www.alislam.org/books/salat/index.html

Taleem Committee member Akavish Khan helped in the review and update of these questions.