FIQH OF ATHAN AND PRAYER

ACCORDING TO FIVE ISLAMIC SCHOOLS

SHII (JAFARI) AND SUNNI (HANAFI, MALIKI, SHAFII, HANBALI)

Each of the Shii and the Sunni schools has its particular Fiqh. The Fiqh is the summation of the rules and regulations formulated by the leader of the Madhhab according to certain methodology (format) formulated by that Madhhab. Since each Madhhab has its particular Fiqh, the rules of one Madhhab may differ in subtle or not so subtle ways from other Madhhabs. A Hanafi may differ from a Shafii and Hanbali, a Maaliki may differ from Hanafi or Shafii or Shia. The Shia may differ from most of the Sunni Madhhabs, or be in agreement with 3 out of 4 in some aspects. In this publication some outstanding matter in the technique of performing the Salat are explained.

EXPLAINING THE TABLES

The subject of Salat has been divided into categories, each category is put in a table. To have more detail about some points the reader is referred to the specific items that appear below that table. These items explain the rules (Ahkaam) of different Madhhabs. Thus it is recommended that the reader pays special attention to the rules in the items and compare them with those appearing in the table itself.

TABLE OF ATHAN

ATHAN	Shia Jafari	Sunni THE 4 SCHOOLS
ALLAHU AKBAR (Allah is the Greatest)	To be said 4 times	Variable numbers depending on the Madhhab. See item 2, (Takbiraat), below.
ASH'HADU ANN LAA ILAAHA ILLA ALLAH (I declare there is no God except Allah)	To be said 2 times	To be said 2 times
ASH'HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN RASOOLUL-LLAH (I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)	To be said 2 times	To be said 2 times
HAYYA ALA SALAAH (Hasten for Salat)	To be said 2 times	To be said 2 times
HAYYA ALA FALAAH (Hasten toward eternal bliss)	To be said 2 times	To be said 2 times
HAYYA ALA KHAYR AL-'AMAL (Hasten for the best deeds)	To be said 2 times	Not said. See item 4, (Khayr Al-'Amal), below.
ALLAHU AKBAR Allah is the Greatest	To be said 2 times	To be said 2 times
LAA ILAAHA ILLA ALLAH	To be said 2 times	To be said once
AL-SALATU KHAYRUN MINA NAWM (Salat is better than sleep)	Not said.	To be said 2 times. See item 5 (Nawm), below.

1. Athan, a must or otherwise: Shia, Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafii say Athan is a Sunnah, near Wajib (a Must). Al-Hanbali on the other hand regards Athan as Fardh, while many of its followers regard it as Sunnah.

2. Takbiraat: All say Takbiraat 4 times except the Maaliki who say it 2 times.

3. Wali: As an option (even Mustahab) Shia say Ali is the devotee of Allah twice. None of Sunni Madhhabs say it. Many Shia do not say it either.

4. Khayr Al-Amal: To say hayya Ala Khayr al-amal is a must (Wajib) for Shia, since this was said by the Prophet (s), Abu Bakr, and early days of Omar's Khilaafah, as well as cotninued by Ibn Omar, Ali ibn Al-Husain, Zayd ibn Arqam, Imam Ali and numerous others. This was stopped by order of Khalifa Omar since according to his Ijtihaad he was afraid that saying it in Athan or Iqaama would discourage Muslims from emphasizing Jihad (See Al-Bahr Al-Zaakhir, Vol. 1, Page 192. Also Al-Muhalla, Vol. 3, Page 160).

None of the Hanafi, Maaliki, Shafii, or Hanbali say it.

5. Nawm: Because this was not said at the time of Prophet Muhammad (s) Shia do not say it in their Athan or Iqaama. The phrase of (Salat is better than sleeping) was introduced by Khalifa Omar. (See Muwatta Malik, in Masabih Al-Sunnah, Al-Baghwi, Vol. 1, Page 37). This became a routine afterwards by Hanafi, Maaliki, and Hanbali. Imam Ali said not to increase in the Athan what was not intended in it.

Shafii: It is Makrooh (detestable) to say the phrase.

IQAAMA While Shia utter the Iqaama like their Athan but with every phrase twice said, and the last phrase once, Sunni Madhhabs have differed remarkably in the number of times the phrases (be they Takbiraat or others) are said.

TABLE OF SALAT

Salat	Shia Jafari	Sunni The 4 schools
INTENTION, TAKBIR, WUQOOF)	Takbir Iftitah: A Must (Rukn)	Variable depending on the Madhhab. See item 6, (Takbir Iftitah), below.
ARMS POSITION	Arms not to be folded.	Arms to be folded. See item 7, (Arms), below.
(BASMALAH): Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim.	Basmalah has to be said before Fatiha or any other Surah, preferably loudly.	Variable ways depending on the Madhhab. See item 8, (Basmalah), below.
AMEN	Not to be said after Surah Al-Fatiha while in Salat	To be said after Fatiha in Salat. See item 9, (Amen), below.
COMPLETE SURAH AFTER AL-FATIHA	Reading no less than a complete Surah after Fatiha.	May read part of Surah after Fatiha. See item 10, (Surah), below.
THIRD & FOURTH RAKA	Reading Al-Fatiha or saying 3 times: Subhaana Allah wal Hamdu Lillaah, wa la Ilaaha Illa Allah wa Allah Akbar	Saying Surah Al-Fatiha.
RUKOO	To say: Subhaana Rabbiya Al-Adheemi wa Bi-Hamdih.	Subhaana Rabbiya Al-Adheem
SUJOOD	To say: Subhaana Rabbiya Al-Ala wa Bi-Hamdih	Subhaana Rabbiya Al-Ala.
QUNOOT	Highly preferable; Qunoot is done before Rukoo of the second Raka (Usually a Duaa from the Quran).	Qunoot is done in Salat of Witr and others. See item 11, (Qunoot), below.
JULOOS (Forefinger)	During Tashahhud no pointing with the forefinger or moving it in circles	To point with the forefinger or move it in circles. See item 12 (forefinger), below.
JULOOS (Feet position)	Sitting comfortably on the bent feet.	Sitting on folded left foot, big toe of right foot to touch the ground. See item 13, (Toe), below.
TASHAHHUD	Wording of Tashahhud are specific as Ahlul Bayt quoted the Prophet (s).	Wording of Tashahhud as taught by Ibn Abbas, Ibn Masood, or Ibn Omar quoting the Prophet (s). See item 14, (Tashahhud), below.
TASLEEM	Wording of Tasleem are specific as Ahlul Bayt quoted the Prophet (s).	Wording of Tasleem are specific to various Madhhabs. See item 15, (Tasleem), below.

6. Takbir Iftitah: To say ALLAHU Akbar after the intention to pray is Wajib (a Must) with Shia, Maaliki, and Hanbali.

The Hanafi may say any of the wordings of Al-Asmaa al-Husna, yet Abu Yusuf prefer Shia ruling.

The Shafii may say Allah Al-Akbar (they have added Al, meaning the). See Sharh Al-Muwatta, Al-Baji, Vol. 1, Page 142. Also Al-Mugni, Ibn Qidaamah, Vol. 1, Page 460).

7. Arms: Shia, along with the Maliki do not fold their arms while in Wuqoof, though it is allowed if believed as an option of reverence on the part of the person praying. Some Shia authorities even regard it as an invalidator of the Salat (if done thinking this is the correct way). (See Al-Majmoo, Vol. 1, page 312). It is said that folding the arms was started after the Prophet (s).

Hanafi, Shafii, and Hanbali: Regard folding the arms as preferable (Mustahab) as a sign of reverence, therefore, they subscribe for folding the arms during Wuqoof, however, they differ in the manner the right arm is to be put on the left, whether on lower chest or its upper, in a female different from a male.

Maaliki regards folding the arms, if done, as allowed, but not a Sunnah.

8. Basmalah: While Shia start the Surahs by saying Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim (Basmalah), as part of the Surah, they are to say it loud enough to be heard. The Prophet (s) used to start Al-Fatiha with Basmalah but Muawiya was the culprit in deleting it. (See Al-Umm, Al-Shafii, Vol. 1, Page 108).

Hanafi, and Maaliki: They regard Basmalah as not part of Surah Fatiha, so they read Surah Al-Fatiha without it, though they have the option to say it. However, they say Basmalah with the subsequent Surahs. Also, the Hanafi and Hanbali can read it without being heard. Maaliki would not read at all.

Shafii and Hanbali: Regard Basmalah as part and parcel of Al-Fatiha, and has to be said loudly. (See Al-Uddah, Vol. 2, Box 410. Also Al-Muntaqa, Vol. 1, page 151).

9. Amen: Because Amen is a Hebrew word, Shia's Fiqh prohibits saying it during Salat, otherwise, their Salat becomes invalid. However, they can say "Amen" when not in Salat. Instead of Amen, Shia say Al-Hamdu Lillaah. (See Al-Saadiq and the Four Madhhabs, Vol. 3, page 331. Also Fiqh according to the five Madhhabs, Muhammad J. Maghniya, page 111).

Hanafi, Maaliki, Shafii, and Hanbali: As Mustahab (preferable) they say Amen after reading the Fatiha during Salat. They follow what Abu Hurairah once recommended to utter "Amen" after Al-Fatiha, but Shia claim that the specific narration was not credible. (See Bukhari, Section Salat. Also Fiqh according to the five Madhhabs, Muhammad J. Maghniya, page 111).

10. Sura: While Shiaa complete (not partial) Surah has to be said following Al-Fatiha during Salat, and without this rule the Salat is invalidated. Other Madhhabs are divided about this point, for instance, with the Hanafi portion of a Surah is sufficient, even one Ayah.

11. Qunoot: Qunoot is saying a Duaa, usually a passage from the Holy Quran. Qunoot is highly recommended (preferable) with Shia, since the Prophet (s) used to do so. Qunoot is not practiced regularly in the other Madhhabs during regular Salat, though the Prophet (s) used to practice it but more than 40 years later Muawiya stopped it. (See Al-Saadiq and the Four Madhhabs, Asad Haidar, Vol. 3). However, Qunoot is said during Subh Salat (morning prayer) by the Maaliki and Shafii. As to the Hanafi and Hanbali, they say Qunoot during Witr Salat in various manners.

12. Forefinger: Shia do not point with the forefinger while in Tashahhud. The Hanafi and Shafii do point with the forefinger and even move it in a circular manner, as a preferable (Mustahab) procedure.

13. Toe: While Shia are to sit comfortably on the folded feet during Tashahhud, the Hanafi are to sit on the twisted left foot while the big toe of the right foot is touching the floor.

14. Tashahhud: Shia follow the version of Tashahhud as taught by Ahlul Bayt quoting the Prophet (s).

The Hanafi follow the Tashahhud taught by Ibn Masood, quoting the Prophet (s).

The Maaliki follow the Tashahhud taught by Ibn Omar, quoting the Prophet (s).

While the Sahafii and Hanbali follow the Tashahhud taught by Ibn Abbas, quoting the Prophet (s).

15. Tasleem: Shia follow the version of Tasleem as taught by Ahlul Bayt quoting the Prophet (s). Tasleem is a Must (Wajib). The Hanafi, Shafii, and Hanbali do Tasleem in various forms as appears in Sahih Bukhari and Muslims. It is regarded as Wajib (a Must) by the Maaliki, Shafii and Hanbali; and as Sunnah by the Hanafi (See Kashf Al-Ghumma, Al-Sharani, vol. 2, page 220. Also Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 2, page 162).