A Commentary on the treatise: The Conditions of Prayer, Its Pillars, and Obligatory Acts by Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Raajihi

The treatise on the conditions of prayer, its pillars, and obligatory acts is one of the most studied short texts in Islamic education — written by Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab as a concise summary of what a Muslim must know to pray correctly. A Commentary on the Treatise: The Conditions of Prayer, Its Pillars, and Obligatory Acts by Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah al-Raajihi expands on that foundational text, explaining each condition, pillar, and obligation with its evidence and practical application.

What This Book Covers

The Conditions of Prayer (Shurut al-Salah)

The conditions that must be fulfilled before the prayer begins and that must remain present throughout it — including Islam, sanity, the time of prayer, facing the qiblah, covering the awrah, ritual purity, and freedom from impurity. Shaykh al-Raajihi explains each condition, its evidence, and what happens when a condition is missing.

The Pillars of Prayer (Arkan al-Salah)

The pillars are the essential components of the prayer whose omission — whether deliberate or through forgetfulness — invalidates it entirely. Each pillar is explained: the opening takbeer, standing, recitation of al-Fatihah, ruku', rising from ruku', sujood, sitting between the two prostrations, the final tashahhud, the tasleem, and sequential order. The commentary explains the evidence for each and what the Muslim must do if one is missed.

The Obligatory Acts (Wajibat al-Salah)

Distinct from the pillars, the obligatory acts are those whose deliberate omission is sinful but whose forgetful omission is remedied by the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood as-sahw). Shaykh al-Raajihi covers each of the eight obligatory acts and the related rulings on sahw.

About the Author

The original treatise is by Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1115–1206 AH). This commentary upon it is by Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah al-Raajihi, a senior Saudi scholar known for his work in fiqh and aqeedah, who taught at the Islamic University of Madinah for many years. Published by Al-Ihsan Publications.

Who This Book Is For

Every Muslim who prays — which is every Muslim. Especially valuable for those who want to verify that their prayer meets its conditions and pillars correctly, for students studying the fiqh of salah systematically, and for anyone who has studied the original treatise of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and wants a detailed scholarly commentary on it.

Continue Reading

For the Prophet's prayer described in full from the authenticated narrations, see al-Albani's A Textbook on the Prayer; for the errors people fall into, Common Mistakes Regarding Prayer; and for the fullest single-volume reference, Prayer According to the Qur'an and Sunnah. Browse the full salah collection.