Arkaan of Salaah

Q. What are the arkaan of salaah?

A. Things which are fard (compulsory) during prayer are called arkaan. Arkaan is the plural of rukn, which means a pillar, support, or a compulsory element.

Q. How many things are fard in namaaz?

A. Six things are fard in prayer (Arkaan-e-Namaaz):

• Takbeer Tahreemah
• Qiyaam (Standing up)
• Qiraa’ah (Recitation of the Qur’aan)
• Rukuu’
• Sujood
• Qa’dah Aakhirah (Sitting at the end of the prayer)

Note: Takbeer Tahreemah is technically a condition of beginning the prayer, not a rukn.

Q. If takbeer tahreemah is a condition of the prayer, why was it not dealt with with the previous seven conditions?

A. There is no interval between takbeer tahreemah and the other arkaan of the prayer, and the prayer begins with it. Therefore, it is more appropriate to discuss takbeer tahreemah with the arkaan of salaah.