زرارة بن أعين

I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), about Umm al-Walad (a female slave who bears a child for her master). Imam (as) said: "She is a slave. She can be sold, inherited, and gifted, and her legal ruling is the same as that of a slave."

He said: "The Messenger of Allah (sw) never prayed the Duha prayer." So I (Zurarah) said to him, "Did you not inform me that He (sw) used to pray four rak'ahs in the forenoon?" Imam (as) replied: "Yes, but he used to count it among the eight rak'ahs that are prayed after Dhuhr."

He said: "There is no prayer except toward the Qiblah." Zurarah asked: "And where is the boundary of the Qiblah?" Imam (as) replied: "The entire area between the east and the west is the Qiblah." Zurarah then asked: "What if someone prays facing a direction other than the Qiblah, or on a cloudy day when they miss the correct time?" Imam (as) said: "They must repeat the prayer”.

He said: "The adhan is not sufficient for you unless you hear it yourself or understand it. Clearly articulate the 'alif' and 'ha'." Send blessings upon the Prophet and his family (as) whenever you mention him or hear someone mention him, whether during the adhan or outside of it. The louder your voice, without straining yourself, the more people will hear, and your reward will be greater."

He said: "You may give the adhan (call to prayer) without being in a state of wudu (ritual purity), wearing a single garment, whether standing or sitting, and in any direction you face. However, when you perform the iqamah (second call to prayer), you must be in a state of wudu, prepared for the prayer."

He said: "The minimum that suffices for the adhan is to begin the night with an adhan and iqamah and to begin the day with an adhan and iqamah. For the other prayers during the day, an iqamah without an adhan suffices."

"Whoever does this deliberately has invalidated his prayer and must repeat it. However, if he does so out of forgetfulness, inattentiveness, or without knowing, there is no penalty on him, and his prayer remains valid." Zurarah then asked: "What if a person forgets to recite in the first two rak’ahs (units of prayer) but remembers in the latter two?" Imam (as) replied: "He should make up the recitation, takbir (saying 'Allāhu Akbar'), and tasbih (glorifications) that he missed in the first two rak’ahs during the latter two, and there is no penalty on him."

"I asked about a man who forgot the first Takbir of the prayer (Takbir al-Ihram). Imam (as) said: 'If he remembers it before the bowing (ruku'), he should say the Takbir, then recite, and then perform the ruku'. If he remembers it during the prayer, he should say the Takbir at the place of the Takbir, whether before or after the recitation.' I asked: 'What if he remembers it after the prayer?' Imam (as) said: 'Then he should make it up, and there is nothing wrong with him.'"

He said: "The prayer is only to be repeated in five cases : purification (tahur), time (waqt), the direction of the Qiblah, the bowing (ruku'), and prostration (Sujood)." He then said: "Recitation (qira'ah) is a Sunnah, and the testimony (tashahhud) is a Sunnah, and the Sunnah does not invalidate the obligatory act (fardh)”. COMPEV والأصل في السهو أن من سها في الركعتين الأولتين من كل صلاة فعليه الإعادة ومن شك في المغرب فعليه الإعادة، ومن شك في الغداة فعليه الإعادة، ومن شك في الجمعة فعليه الإعادة، ومن شك في الثانية والثالثة أو في الثالثة والرابعة أخذ بالأكثر، فإذا سلم أتم ما ظن أنه قد نقص. The general rule regarding forgetfulness (Sahw) is that if someone forgets in the first two rak'ahs of any prayer, they must repeat the prayer. If someone doubts during the Maghrib prayer, they must repeat it. If someone doubts during the Fajr prayer, they must repeat it. If someone doubts during the Jumu’ah prayer, they must repeat it. However, in the second and third rak'ahs, or in the third and fourth rak'ahs, they should follow the majority (what they believe is more likely correct). After concluding the prayer, they should complete what they think may have been missing.

He said: "When you say the Takbir at the beginning of your prayer after the opening Takbir (Takbir al-Ihram), if you say twenty-one Takbirs and then forget the remaining Takbirs, or fail to say them, the first Takbir will suffice for all the Takbirs in the prayer”.

He said: "Do not recite anything (from the Qur'an) in the last two rak'ahs of the four obligatory rak'ah prayers, whether you are an Imam or not." I (Zurarah) asked: "So what should I say in them?" Imam (as) said: "If you are an Imam or praying alone, say: 'Subhan Allah (swt) (Glory be to Allah (swt)), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah (swt)), and La ilaha illAllah (swt) (There is no god but Allah (swt))' three times, making a total of nine glorifications. Then say the takbir and bow (for ruku')."

He said: "The last prayer that the Messenger of Allah (sw) led the people in was while wearing a single garment, with its ends crossed over one another. Shall I show you the garment?" I said: "Yes." He then brought out a cloak, and I measured it—it was seven cubits by eight hand spans.

I asked him about a person who is behind the Imam, and the Imam prolongs the tashahhud (sitting for testimony). Imam (as) said: "He may perform the taslim (salutation of peace) and leave if he wishes."

He said: "When the prayer has been established (by the iqamah), speaking becomes forbidden for the Imam and the people of the mosque, except in the matter of appointing an Imam”.

He said: "The rows (in prayer) should be complete and continuous, one row connected to another, and there should not be a gap between the rows that cannot be crossed, such that it should only be the space of a human body when in prostration”.

He said: “I asked him whether a woman can lead other women in prayer.” Imam (as) said: "No, except for the prayer over the deceased (funeral prayer) if there is no one more appropriate than her. In that case, She should stand among them in the row, and She recites the takbir and they follow her."

"Whoever recites a line of poetry on the day of Jumu’ah, that will be his share of that day."

"If a man forgets a prayer or prays it without purification, whether he is at home or traveling, and then remembers it, he must make up the prayer that is due, neither adding to it nor subtracting from it. If he forgot four rak'ahs (units of prayer), he should make up four rak'ahs when he remembers, regardless of whether he is traveling or at home. And if he forgot two rak'ahs, he should perform two rak'ahs when he remembers, whether traveling or at home."

He said: "There are four categories of people who are required to offer the full (complete) prayer whether they are traveling or at home: the mule driver (al-Mukari), the camel driver (al-Karri), the shepherd, and al-Ashtaqan (those who constantly travel as part of their work). This is because it is their work (which involves constant travel)." It was also narrated: "The sailor (al-Mallah) and al-Ashtaqan (a type of courier or mail carrier) are also included."

He said: "One who fears robbers or a wild beast should perform the prayer of a stopped traveler using gestures while on their mount." I (Zurarah) asked: "What if the person does not have wudu (ablution) and cannot dismount? What should they do?" Imam (as) said: "They should perform tayammum (dry ablution) using the saddlecloth, saddle, or the cover of their mount, as it contains dust, and then pray, making the gesture for prostration lower than that of bowing. They do not need to turn to face the Qiblah; rather, they should face the Qiblah for the initial takbir (opening declaration) and then continue as the mount moves."