What are the conditions for a valid prayer?
The classical jurists laid out the prerequisites without which the prayer itself is not accepted — purity of body and place, facing the qiblah, having the time entered, proper dress, the intention. Understood carefully, they are not burdens.
10 passages from 6 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 6 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
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"First, observe the conditions of prayer, including purification from impurities, in one's clothes,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, performed wudu with water from a Christian jar, indicating"
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"Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, emerged from relieving himself without performing wudu."
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"The second section, purification from ritual impurities, including wudu, ghusl, and tayammum,"
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"cleansing with water, they should begin with wudu ablution. It is never reported that the"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Most people are ignorant of legal requirements even for conditions of prayer in cities, let"
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"Anyone familiar with the conditions of prayer must inform others, otherwise he shares in"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"loses their wudu, their prayer is invalidated. When one enters into the prostration, it is"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
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"There was Emir Ala al-Din ibn Hilal overseeing the construction of the wudu house outside"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Then he would take a miswak from his bed and perform siwak, then do wudu and pray until"
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