Salat al-Janazah (صَلَاةُ الجَنَازَة — the funeral prayer; from *janaza/jinaza* — the bier, the funeral; also called *salat al-mayyit* — the prayer for the deceased) is a communal obligation (*fard kifaya*) on the Muslim community — if enough people perform it, the obligation is discharged for all; if no one performs it, all who could have done so are sinful. The Prophet (SAW) said: *'Pray on your dead.'* (Abu Dawud) and *'Whoever performs the funeral prayer and follows [the bier to the burial] will receive two qirat [of reward]; whoever performs the prayer only will receive one qirat.'* When asked what a qirat is, he said: *'Like the size of Mount Uhud.'* (Bukhari, Muslim) The funeral prayer has a unique structure unlike any other salat: no ruku' (bowing), no sujud (prostration), no adhan, and no iqama. It consists entirely of four takbirs (*Allahu Akbar*), specific du'as, and two formats of salah depending on the school. Its primary purpose is supplication for the deceased — asking Allah for mercy and forgiveness. This article covers the complete rites of the funeral prayer and the Islamic obligations toward the deceased.
The two Eids — 'Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast, on the 1st of Shawwal, marking the end of Ramadan) and 'Eid al-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice, on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, concurrent with the Hajj season) — are the two great festivals of Islam. The Prophet (SAW) said: *'Allah has given you something better than your [pre-Islamic] festivals: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.'* (Nasai) The Eid prayer (*Salat al-'Idayn*) is its own unique salat — performed once a year for each Eid, typically in an open prayer ground (*musalla*) to accommodate the entire community, with a sermon (*khutbah*) following the prayer. Its structure differs from the five daily prayers: it has extra *takbirs* (between 6-12 additional takbirs depending on the school), and unlike Jumu'a, the sermon comes *after* the prayer. Attending Eid prayer is considered by many scholars to be *fard kifaya* (communal obligation) and by some (Hanbali school) *wajib* (individually obligatory). This article covers the complete rites of both Eid prayers, their preparations, and the recommended practices for each day.
The Kiswah (الكِسوَة — the garment, the covering; from *kasa* — to clothe, to cover; the black silk and gold embroidered cloth that covers the exterior of the Ka'ba al-Musharrafah in Mecca) is the most visible symbol of the Ka'ba's sacred status and the most expensive textile object produced annually in the world. The current kiswah is a black cloth (*ihram* black) woven with gold and silver thread Quranic inscriptions, renewed every year on the day of 'Arafah (9th Dhu al-Hijja) — the primary day of the Hajj — by the Saudi government in a dedicated factory established in Mecca. Each kiswah weighs approximately 650 kg, requires approximately 670 kg of raw silk, and its production employs approximately 200 specialized craftsmen over eight months. The tradition of clothing the Ka'ba predates Islam — the Himyarite king Tubba' Abu Karib is among the first recorded to have covered the Ka'ba, according to Islamic historical tradition — and the Prophet (SAW) confirmed and continued it after the Conquest of Mecca. The kiswah is one of the most coveted objects of baraka (blessing) in the Islamic world.
Sa'ee (السَّعيُ — the striving, the seeking, the walking; from *sa'a* — to strive, to go back and forth; the Hajj and 'Umra ritual of walking seven times between the hills of al-Safa and al-Marwa, located within the extended precincts of Masjid al-Haram in Mecca) is the ritual re-enactment of Hagar's search for water for her infant son Ishmael after Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) left them in the barren valley of Mecca by divine command. Hagar ran between the two hills seven times, desperately searching for water, before the spring of Zamzam burst from the earth. The Quran: *'Indeed, al-Safa and al-Marwa are among the symbols [sha'air] of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House or performs 'Umra — there is no blame upon him for walking between them.'* (2:158) Sa'ee begins at al-Safa and ends at al-Marwa; one *shawt* (circuit) = walking from Safa to Marwa or from Marwa to Safa; seven *ashwat* (circuits) complete the sa'ee. The ritual's spiritual teaching: divine provision comes after striving; tawakkul is not passive waiting but active seeking combined with trust in Allah's response.
Yawm 'Arafah (يَومُ عَرَفَة — the Day of 'Arafah; 9th Dhu al-Hijja, the day pilgrims gather on the plain of 'Arafah approximately 13 miles east of Mecca; the central and defining act of Hajj — *wuquf* [standing] on 'Arafah) is described by the Prophet (SAW): *'The Hajj is 'Arafah'* (Ahmad, al-Nasa'i — authenticated), meaning the entire Hajj is defined by this one act: being present on 'Arafah from after Dhuhr until sunset. A person who misses the wuquf of 'Arafah entirely has missed the Hajj. The day is also the greatest day of the entire year for non-pilgrims: the Prophet said: *'There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of 'Arafah. He comes close and then boasts to His angels and says: What are these people seeking?'* (Muslim) For those not on Hajj, the Sunnah is to fast on 9th Dhu al-Hijja — the Prophet: *'Fasting on the Day of 'Arafah, I hope from Allah, expiates [sins of] the year before and the year after.'* (Muslim — authenticated)
Mina (مِنى — a valley approximately 5 miles east of Mecca, between Muzdalifah and Mecca; the site of the three stone pillars [Jamarat] representing the stations where Ibrahim [Abraham] repelled Shaytan, and where the climactic acts of Hajj take place: the stoning of the Jamarat, the animal sacrifice [Udhiyya/Qurbani], and the shaving/cutting of hair [halq/taqsir]) is the place where Hajj reaches its culminating acts over three or four days (10th-12th or 10th-13th Dhu al-Hijja — the *ayyam al-tashriq*, the Days of Tashriq). On the 10th Dhu al-Hijja (Eid al-Adha), the Hajji performs four acts in order: (1) stone the largest Jamara (Jamarat al-'Aqaba) with seven pebbles; (2) perform the Udhiyya sacrifice; (3) shave or cut the hair; (4) return to Mecca for the tawaf al-ifada and sa'ee. After these four acts, the Hajji exits the major ihram state and may return to normal dress — though relations with spouses remain prohibited until the tawaf al-ifada is completed.
The Jamarat (الجَمَرَات — the plural of *jamra* — burning ember, pebble; the three stone pillars in Mina at which Hajj pilgrims throw seven pebbles each, symbolically stoning the Shaytan in re-enactment of the act of Ibrahim [Abraham] who repelled Satanic temptation at three points while preparing to sacrifice his son Ishmael on Allah's command) is one of the most visceral and dramatic of the Hajj rituals. The three pillars — named Jamarat al-Ula (First), Jamarat al-Wusta (Middle), and Jamarat al-'Aqaba (Large/Great) — mark the specific locations in the valley of Mina where, according to Islamic tradition, the Shaytan appeared three times to Ibrahim trying to dissuade him from obeying Allah's command, and Ibrahim drove him away with stones. Jibril (the angel Gabriel) reportedly said to Ibrahim: *'Do with him as he did'* — establishing the practice. The Prophet (SAW): *'Stoning the Jamarat and the sa'ee between Safa and Marwa were only established to raise up the remembrance of Allah.'* (Abu Dawud — authenticated) — clarifying that the throwing is not magical but symbolic: a declaration of the believer's rejection of Shaytan and commitment to divine obedience.
Halq (الحَلق — shaving the head; the complete shaving of all head hair) and Taqsir (التَّقصِير — shortening; the trimming of hair by at least a finger's length all around the head, or for women, a fingertip's length of all hair) are the acts that mark the exit from the state of ihram in both Hajj and 'Umra. After the major rituals are complete — stoning the Jamarat (in Hajj), completing the Udhiyya sacrifice (in Hajj), performing tawaf and sa'ee — the pilgrim cuts or shaves their hair and thereby exits the physical and spiritual restrictions of ihram. The Quran: *'Surely you will enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and hair shortened.'* (48:27) The Prophet (SAW), on seeing those who shaved their heads completely at Hudaybiyya (even without completing the 'Umra, as the treaty prevented entry to Mecca), made du'a three times for those who shaved (*halq*) and once for those who only cut (*taqsir*) — indicating that the complete shaving carries greater reward. The reasoning: hair is an adornment the believer surrenders as a mark of submission and humility; the complete shaving is a more total act of this surrender.
Qurbani (قُربَانِيّ — from *qurb* — proximity, nearness; the act of drawing near to Allah through sacrifice; the Persian/Urdu form of the Arabic *Udhiyya* [أُضحِيَة — from *duhaa* — the morning time after sunrise, when the sacrifice begins on Eid al-Adha]) is the animal sacrifice performed by Muslims worldwide on Eid al-Adha (10th Dhu al-Hijja) and the days of Tashriq (11th-13th Dhu al-Hijja) in commemoration of Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at divine command, and Allah's substitution of a ram. The Quran: *'Indeed, I have directed my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah.'* (6:79) — Ibrahim's statement of complete submission that culminated in the sacrifice. The Quran: *'Never does their meat reach Allah, nor does their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.'* (22:37) — The definitive statement that the sacrifice is not for Allah's benefit but for the transformation of the believer through the act of giving and surrender. Legal scholars debate whether Qurbani is wajib (obligatory for those with means) or Sunnah mu'akkada (strongly recommended); the Hanafi school holds it wajib.
Umra (العُمرَة — visit, act of visiting the Ka'ba; the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca consisting of ihram, tawaf, sa'ee, and halq/taqsir — distinguished from Hajj by the absence of the Hajj-specific rites: wuquf at 'Arafah, stoning at Mina, overnight stay at Muzdalifah, and the Eid al-Adha sacrifice) may be performed at any time of year, unlike Hajj which is limited to specific days of Dhu al-Hijja. The Prophet (SAW): *'The performance of 'Umra is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous 'Umra; and the reward of Hajj al-Mabrur [the accepted Hajj] is nothing except Paradise.'* (Bukhari — authenticated) The Prophet also: *'Alternate between Hajj and 'Umra, for these two remove poverty and sins just as the bellows remove impurity from iron, gold, and silver.'* (Tirmidhi) 'Umra is classified by the four schools variously as wajib (Maliki, Hanbali, and Ibn Hazm's reading) or Sunnah mu'akkada (Hanafi, Shafi'i majority). The Bohra tradition follows the position that 'Umra is highly recommended — a separate act of worship with its own spiritual weight distinct from Hajj.
Al-Haram al-Makki (الحَرَمُ المَكِّي — the Meccan sacred precinct; from *haruma* — to be forbidden, sacred, inviolable; the designated sacred zone around Mecca whose sanctity was established by Ibrahim [AS] and confirmed by the Prophet [SAW]) is not merely the Masjid al-Haram mosque but an entire geographic zone surrounding Mecca — historically demarcated by stone markers set up by the Prophet and re-measured by every Islamic state since. The Quran: *'Have they not seen that We have made [Mecca] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away all around them?'* (29:67) — and Ibrahim's prayer: *'My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits.'* (2:126) The Prophet (SAW): *'This land was made sacred by Allah on the day He created the heavens and the earth. It is sacred by Allah's sanctification until the Day of Resurrection. It was not made lawful for anyone before me, and it was only made lawful for me for one hour of a day [the conquest of Mecca]. It has now returned to its sanctity as before. Let those who are present inform those who are absent.'* (Bukhari and Muslim — authenticated) This hadith establishes the timeless nature of the Haram's sanctity — not a human convention but a divine designation from the moment of creation.
Ghusl al-Mayyit (غُسلُ المَيِّت — the ritual bathing of the deceased; from *ghassala* — to wash; *al-mayyit* — the dead person; the obligatory Islamic rite of washing a deceased Muslim's body before burial) is a fard kifaya (communal obligation) — if some Muslims perform it, the obligation is lifted from the community; if no one does, all Muslims in the community carry the sin. The Prophet (SAW): *'The rights of a Muslim upon a Muslim are five: returning the greeting, visiting the sick, following the funeral procession, responding to the one who sneezes [with praise of Allah], and fulfilling the invitation.'* (Bukhari and Muslim) — and more specifically on the rights of the deceased: the Prophet instructed on how to bathe the body and emphasized doing it well. The washing is both an act of purification (taharah) for the deceased's body and an act of love — treating the dead with the same dignity given to the living entering salah.
Salat al-Mayyit (صَلَاةُ المَيِّت — funeral prayer for the deceased; also called *salat al-janazah*; a fard kifaya — communal obligation — performed over the body of a deceased Muslim before burial) is unique among the five forms of Islamic prayer: it has no ruku' (bowing), no sujud (prostration), no tashahhud, no sitting — it consists entirely of standing (qiyam), four takbiraat (declarations of 'Allahu Akbar'), recitations of Fatiha, salawat on the Prophet, and du'a for the deceased. The Prophet (SAW): *'Whoever prays the funeral prayer will have one qirat [of reward], and whoever follows it to the grave will have two qirats.'* (Bukhari and Muslim) — when asked what a qirat is: *'Like Mount Uhud.'* The primary purpose of the prayer is not ritual compliance but sincere intercession (*shafa'a*) for the person who has just departed to meet their Lord — making the quality of sincerity in du'a the most important dimension.
Khitan (الخِتَان — circumcision; from *khatana* — to circumcise; the removal of the prepuce [foreskin] for males [khitan al-dhakr] and, separately, a minor form for females [khitan al-itha — a disputed practice]; among the sunan al-fitrah — the five or ten practices of natural human disposition established by the Prophets) is one of the most universally practiced Islamic rites, observed across all four Sunni madhabs and all Shi'a traditions. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is identified in the hadith as having performed khitan upon himself at age 80 — and it became one of the distinguishing marks (*sha'a'ir*) of the Abrahamic covenant passed through Prophet Muhammad's community. The Prophet (SAW): *'Ibrahim was circumcised with an adze when he was eighty years old.'* (Bukhari and Muslim) — and in the hadith on sunan al-fitrah: *'Five are from the fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the mustache, trimming the nails, and plucking the underarm hair.'* (Bukhari and Muslim)
Sadaqat al-Fitr (صَدَقَةُ الفِطر — the charity of breaking the fast; also called *Zakat al-Fitr* — the zakah of the [end of] Ramadan fast; a fixed per-person obligatory charity paid by every Muslim for themselves and their dependents before the Eid al-Fitr prayer) is one of the most important social welfare obligations in Islam. Ibn 'Abbas (RA) narrated: *'The Messenger of Allah made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory as a purification of the fasting person from vain talk and indecent behavior, and as food for the needy.'* (Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah — authenticated) This dual purpose — purifying Ramadan's fast and ensuring the poor can celebrate Eid with dignity — makes Sadaqat al-Fitr more time-sensitive than most zakat: it must be paid before the Eid prayer begins for it to count as sadaqat al-fitr; paid after, it is merely general sadaqah.
Al-Ruqya (الرُّقيَة — incantation, spell, recitation for healing; from *raqa* — to recite/blow upon; in Islamic usage: the recitation of Quranic verses and authenticated prophetic supplications over a sick person for healing — distinguished from prohibited *sihr* [sorcery] by its exclusive reliance on Quran, Sunnah du'as, and Arabic words with clear meaning) is a prophetic medicine confirmed by multiple authentic hadiths. The Prophet (SAW): *'There is no harm in ruqya as long as it does not involve shirk.'* (Muslim) — and: *'Surah al-Fatiha is a ruqya.'* (Abu Dawud) — and Aisha narrated that the Prophet used to blow (*nafa*) over his body when ill, reciting the Mu'awwidhatain (Qul A'udhu...). The Quran explicitly describes itself as a shifa' (healing): *'We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers.'* (17:82)
Al-'Ayn (العَين — the eye; colloquially *al-'ayn al-sharira*, the evil eye; *nazar* in Turkish/South Asian usage; the transmitted power of an admiring or envious gaze to cause real harm to a person, animal, or object) is explicitly confirmed by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW): *'The evil eye is real.'* (Muslim — authenticated) — and: *'Most of those who die from my community, after the decree of Allah, die from the evil eye.'* (Ahmad) — and: *'The evil eye can take a man into his grave and a camel into the cooking pot.'* (attributed in hadith collections). The concept is also Quranic: when Prophet Ya'qub (Jacob) warned his sons not to enter Egypt from one gate all together (*'wa la tadkhulu min babin wahid'* — 12:67), the classical tafsir identifies this as protection from 'ayn. The Prophet's companion Abu Bakr accepted 'ayn's reality without hesitation. Protection from 'ayn is among the stated purposes of the daily morning/evening adhkar.
The first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja (ذُو الحِجَّة — the month of the Hajj; the 12th month of the Islamic calendar; the month in which Hajj takes place, culminating in the 'Eid al-Adha on the 10th) are described in the most emphatic possible terms by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW): *'There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.'* The companions asked: 'Not even jihad in the path of Allah?' He said: *'Not even jihad in the path of Allah — except for the man who goes out with his life and wealth and does not return with either.'* (Bukhari) And the Quran (89:1-2): *'By the dawn! And [by] ten nights!'* — Ibn 'Abbas and the majority of tafsir scholars interpret the 'ten nights' as the first ten nights of Dhu al-Hijja. The combination of: the completion of Hajj, 'Arafah, 'Eid al-Adha, and the days of increased worship makes this the peak of the Islamic year's devotional calendar.
Al-Ghanimah (الغَنِيمَة — war spoils, booty; the movable property captured from the enemy in legitimate warfare; pl. *ghana'im*) is the subject of the Quran's most specific verse on military law: *'And know that whatever you obtain of war spoils — then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler.'* (8:41) This verse establishes the *khums* (one-fifth) principle: 4/5 of captured wealth goes to the soldiers who fought; 1/5 goes to the state for distribution to specific beneficiaries. The verse's specificity reflects the practical need to regulate what was, in 7th-century Arabian warfare, a primary source of military incentive and communal wealth. The Prophet distributed the ghanimah from every major battle according to this principle.
Al-Salawat 'ala al-Nabi (الصَّلَوَاتُ عَلَى النَّبِيّ — blessings/prayers upon the Prophet; singular *salawat*; from *salla* — to bless, to pray for; sometimes called *salat al-Ibrahim* for its most common formulation) is grounded in one of the Quran's most remarkable verses: *'Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.'* (33:56) This verse is unique in Quranic theology: it reveals that the divine act of sending blessings (*salat*) on the Prophet precedes the human act — Allah and the angels bless the Prophet before the believers are commanded to do so. The human *salawat* is thus participation in a divine-angelic practice already in progress.
A clear, practical reference to how many rak'at make up each of the five daily namaz and how Dawoodi Bohras pray them across three sittings of the day. The obligatory (fard) counts are fixed: Fajr is 2 rak'at, Zohr is 4, Asr is 4, Maghrib is 3, and Isha is 4. Following the Fatimid Ismaili method codified in Da'a'im al-Islam, Bohras combine the day's prayers into three sittings — Fajr on its own at dawn, Zohrain (Zohr followed by Asr) around midday, and Maghribain (Maghrib followed by Isha) in the evening — so the fard are offered together while their times remain valid. Alongside the fard, sunnat and nafl rak'at are offered with each sitting per community practice. Prayer times follow the Fatimid (Misri) reckoning. This guide gives the counts plainly and reminds you to confirm the exact method with the community Mansak and your aamil saheb.
Every fard namaz begins not with the tongue but with the heart: niyyat (intention) is the inward resolve, present at the moment you raise your hands for takbirat al-ihram, to offer this particular prayer purely for Allah. In Dawoodi Bohra (Fatimid) practice you settle in your heart which prayer you are about to pray (for example, the fard of Fajr), how many rak'at it carries, whether it is ada (on time) or qaza (being made up), and that it is qurbatan ila-Allah — done seeking nearness to Allah alone. The niyyat need not be spoken aloud; what matters is that the heart is clear and the intention is firmly settled before you begin. This guide gives the simple components of a correct niyyat, a general formula you can hold in mind, and a reminder to keep your focus turned to Allah. It is offered as a study aid; for the precise wording and method always follow the community Mansak and confirm with your aamil saheb.
A practical guide to when each of the five daily namaz becomes due in the Dawoodi Bohra (Fatimi Tayyibi) tradition. The day's worship is anchored to the sun: Fajr (Sihori) opens at true dawn and closes at sunrise; Zohr begins after the sun passes its midday zenith and starts to decline (zawaal); Asr follows in the afternoon; Maghrib opens after sunset; and Isha extends until nisful-layl, the midpoint of the night. A defining feature of Bohra practice is that the five prayers are offered in three sittings — Fajr on its own, Zohr with Asr together (Zohrain), and Maghrib with Isha together (Maghribain) — so the daily rhythm settles into morning, midday, and evening. The app calculates these times for your location, but the locally announced relay or masjid timetable (miqaat) is the authoritative reference. Always confirm details with your aamil saheb and follow the community Mansak.
A clear, practical walk-through of wudu (ablution) as performed in the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Ismaili, Fatimid) tradition, drawn from the teaching of Da'a'im al-Islam and codified in the community Mansak. Wudu is the purification required before namaz and other acts of worship. You begin with niyyat (intention), then wash the hands, rinse the mouth (madmada) and draw water into the nose (istinshaq), wash the face, wash the arms up to and including the elbows, perform masah (wiping) of the head, and then WASH the feet up to the ankles — a defining feature of the Bohra method, which does not permit wiping over socks. The Quran sets out the core of wudu in sura al-Ma'idah (5:6). Throughout, the limbs are washed in order, and one is taught to use water with moderation rather than waste. This guide is a study aid; for the exact wording, sequence and finer details always follow your community Mansak and confirm with your aamil saheb.
Ghusl (الغُسل) is the complete ritual washing of the whole body that restores the major state of purity (tahara) required before salat, touching the Quran, and other acts of worship. Unlike wudu, which washes only specific limbs, ghusl must reach every part of the skin and the roots of all the hair with water. In Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Ismaili, Fatimid) practice, as codified in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak, ghusl begins with a clear niyyat (intention), the removal of any najasat from the body, and then the washing of the entire body. The recommended sequence is to wash the head first, then the right side of the body, then the left, taking care that no spot — under the chin, the navel, behind the ears, between the fingers and toes — is left dry. The Quran refers to this purification in 5:6: 'and if you are in a state of janaba, then purify yourselves.' This guide explains the practical method; always confirm exact details with your aamil saheb and the Mansak.
Ghusl is the complete ritual washing of the whole body, and there are times when it becomes wajib (obligatory) before a person may pray or touch the text of the Holy Qur'an. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice, as codified in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak, the chief causes of janabah are sexual intercourse and the emission of semen (and the parallel discharge for women). Ghusl also becomes obligatory at the end of haid (menstruation) and nifas (post-natal bleeding), and the ghusl of mass (touching a corpse) is recognised. While in a state of janabah a person may not offer salat, may not touch the writing of the Holy Qur'an, and refrains from certain acts of worship until the ghusl is performed. This guide explains the recognised causes, what is restricted until you bathe, and points you to the method itself, while reminding you to confirm the details with your aamil saheb and the community Mansak.
Tayammum is the dry ablution Allah has graciously permitted when water is genuinely unavailable or when using it would harm you, named in the Qur'an at 4:43 and 5:6. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice codified in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak, it stands in place of wudu, and in the same circumstances in place of ghusl, so that you may still offer your salat. The method is simple: form the niyyat, strike both palms upon clean earth or natural dust, wipe the face, then wipe the hands and forearms. It is a concession (rukhsa) given out of mercy, valid only while the excuse lasts; the moment water becomes available and usable, you return to wudu or ghusl. This guide explains when tayammum is allowed, what surface is suitable, and the practical steps in order, so you can perform it correctly and pray with a settled heart. Always confirm the fine details with your aamil saheb.
Wudu is the state of ritual purity required before salat, and certain things break it (the 'nawaqid al-wudu'), after which it must be renewed before praying again. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Fatimid Tayyibi) practice, as set out in Da'a'im al-Islam, the agreed nullifiers centre on what naturally exits the body: urine, stool, and breaking wind, as well as anything else that leaves through the two passages. Wudu is also broken by deep sleep that overcomes awareness and by the loss of consciousness through fainting, intoxication, or similar. Once wudu is nullified you cannot offer salat or touch the text of the Quran until you have performed a fresh, complete wudu (and in the Bohra method the feet are washed, not merely wiped). This guide explains the recognised nawaqid, the situations people most often ask about, and reminds you that the authoritative reference is the community Mansak — confirm the finer points with your aamil saheb.
Salat is a deliberate, ordered act of worship, and certain things break it — collectively called the 'mubtilat al-salat' — so that the prayer becomes void and must be begun again from the start. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Fatimid Tayyibi) practice, as drawn from Da'a'im al-Islam and codified in the community Mansak, the recognised nullifiers include speaking deliberately, eating or drinking, laughing out loud, excessive or non-prayer movement, turning the body away from the qibla, and anything that breaks wudu during the prayer. Leaving out a fard (obligatory) element of namaz also makes it invalid. When a prayer is nullified you do not patch it over: you stop, restore wudu if it was lost, and pray the salat afresh with a new niyyat. This guide explains the main mubtilat, what to do when one occurs, and reminds you that the authoritative reference is the community Mansak — confirm the finer points with your aamil saheb.
Sajda al-sahw is a remedy built into salat for the moments when our attention slips: we forget an action, add something we should not, or fall into doubt about how many rak'at we have prayed. Rather than letting the namaz be lost or anxiously restarting it, the practice is to perform two extra prostrations (sajdatayn) that 'mend' the lapse and humble us before Allah, who alone never forgets. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Fatimid) tradition, as set out in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak, these two sajdas are typically offered after the salam, with niyyat, before rising. This guide explains the common situations that call for sajda al-sahw — forgetting a part of the prayer, doing an extra act, or genuine doubt in the count — and walks through the method of the two prostrations in plain steps. Because the precise rulings for each case (which lapses require it, what to do when doubt cannot be resolved, and the exact words said) are detailed in the Mansak and can vary by situation, treat this as a study aid and confirm specifics with your aamil saheb.
When a believer sets out on a recognised journey (safar), the four-rak'at prayers — Zohr, Asr and Isha — are shortened to two rak'at each. This is the prayer of the traveller (salat al-musafir), a mercy and concession granted in the Quran (4:101) and codified in Da'a'im al-Islam. Fajr (two rak'at) and Maghrib (three rak'at) are never shortened; only the four-rak'at obligatory prayers become two. For qasr to apply, several conditions must be met together: the journey must reach the defined minimum distance, it must be for a lawful purpose, the traveller must form the intention (niyyat) to cover that distance, and must not be settling at the destination in a way that ends the journey. In the Bohra practice, the traveller continues to pray in the three sittings — Fajr, Zohrain (Zohr and Asr together) and Maghribain (Maghrib and Isha together) — combining naturally alongside the shortening. Because the exact distance threshold and the rules for one's hometown, intended stay and place of work are matters the community Mansak settles precisely, confirm the details with your aamil saheb before relying on them.
When a fard (obligatory) namaz is missed — whether through sleep, forgetfulness, illness, travel, or neglect — it does not simply lapse; it becomes a debt owed to Allah that must be repaid by performing it later, called qaza. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice as set out in Da'a'im al-Islam, a missed prayer is made up with the same number of rakat as the original, and the worshipper forms a clear niyyat that this is a qaza (make-up) prayer rather than an ada (on-time) one. The Bohra habit of offering namaz in three sittings — Fajr alone, Zohr with Asr (Zohrain), and Maghrib with Isha (Maghribain) — makes it natural to clear two missed prayers together. Scholars encourage making up missed prayers in their proper order where you can, beginning the earliest first, and not delaying the repayment. The app's Qaza tracker helps you count what is owed and tick off each one as you complete it, turning a vague worry into a clear, finishable list.
Witr (literally 'the odd one') is a night-time, voluntary prayer offered after Isha and before Fajr, traditionally regarded as the seal of the night's worship. In Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice it belongs to the family of night nawafil that surround the obligatory salat, and like all daily prayers in our community it falls within the three sittings — here within the Maghribain sitting where Isha is prayed. Witr is highly recommended (not one of the five fard salat), and it is offered as an odd number of rak'at, the witr proper being a single concluding rak'at often joined to a preceding pair. Because the exact rak'at structure, the wording of any qunut or supplication, and the precise method are codified in the community Mansak, this guide gives the established outline and asks you to confirm the details — including how many rak'at to offer and how to perform the niyyat — with your aamil saheb before making witr a regular practice.
Beyond the obligatory (fard) namaz, Dawoodi Bohra practice cherishes a circle of recommended (nafl, also called sunnat) rak'at offered before and after the fard, plus standalone nawafil that draw a believer closer to Allah. These voluntary prayers are not compulsory: missing them carries no sin, yet offering them earns great reward and 'completes' any shortcoming in the fard. The most beloved nightly nafl is salat al-layl (the night vigil, tahajjud) offered in the last part of the night, traditionally closed with witr. Nafl rak'at also accompany the daily prayers and cluster around Maghribain. Their niyyat names them as nafl or sunnat rather than fard, and many are prayed two rak'at at a time. Because exact counts, timings and the order in which nawafil are offered are set out in detail in the community Mansak and can vary, treat this as a practical orientation and confirm the precise method with your aamil saheb. See the linked guides for rak'at counts, witr and the night prayer.
A practical guide to sajda al-tilawah (sajda of recitation) in the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Ismaili, Fatimid) tradition, drawn from the teaching of Da'a'im al-Islam and codified in the community Mansak. Certain ayahs of the Quran are designated verses of sajdah: when you recite one of them, or hear it recited, you make a single prostration to Allah in response to His command. This is not a full namaz — there is no extra ruku or set of rakat — but a single sajda, made facing the qiblah, in a state of taharat (wudu) and modest covering, with the niyyat that you are prostrating for the verse you have recited or heard. You go down into sajda, glorify Allah, and rise; the prostration may be accompanied by a brief tasbih or supplication. This guide explains which verses trigger it, the simple method, and the conditions that apply. It is a study aid; for the exact verses, wording and finer points always follow your community Mansak and confirm with your aamil saheb.
The qiblah is the direction every mu'min faces in namaz: towards the Ka'ba, the sacred House in Makkah that Allah commanded the believers to turn to in the Quran (2:144, 2:149-150). For namaz to be valid, you must face the qiblah to the best of your knowledge. The simplest tools today are the built-in Qibla compass in this app or a reliable compass app, which point you towards Makkah from wherever you stand. Where no device is available, you can estimate from the sun's position, the stars, or the most dependable method of all — aligning yourself with the mihrab or rows of an established local masjid, which the community has already set correctly. Inside the Haram in Makkah the qiblah is the Ka'ba directly before you. If you are genuinely uncertain and cannot verify the direction, face your best honest estimate and pray; a sincere effort is accepted. This guide gives practical steps for finding the qiblah at home, while travelling, and when no instrument is at hand.
Beyond the obligatory pillars, salat is perfected by a set of recommended (mustahab) acts that turn a correct prayer into a beautiful, heartfelt one. The heart of it all is khushu — presence of heart and humble awareness that you stand before Allah. Practically, this means praying slowly and without haste, completing each posture before moving to the next, keeping the gaze lowered toward the place of sujud, reciting the Quran clearly and unhurried (tartil), and adding the recommended adhkar and tasbih in their proper places. The Dawoodi Bohra adab also includes attention to cleanliness and dress, facing the qiblah with full attention, and the dignified, settled manner of standing, bowing, and prostrating taught in the community Mansak. None of these replace the obligatory acts, but together they elevate your namaz. This guide gives a practical, everyday picture of these recommended acts as taught in the Bohra tradition, so you can pray with more focus and reverence. Always confirm the exact method with your aamil saheb.
The Eid namaz (salat al-eidayn) is offered once a year for each of the two festivals — Eid al-Fitr on the 1st of Shawwal, after Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, in the days of Hajj. It is a two-rak'at prayer prayed in congregation in the forenoon (after sunrise and before zawal), under the establishment (nasb) of the Dai al-Mutlaq, led by the aamil saheb or a mu'min he authorises. What makes it distinct from the daily salat is the series of extra takbirs (raising the hands and saying Allahu Akbar) added in each rak'at before the recitation, and the khutbah (sermon) delivered after the prayer rather than before it as in Jumu'a. In Bohra practice the salat follows the codified Fatimid method drawn from Da'a'im al-Islam and set out in the community Mansak; the exact count of takbirs, the chosen suras, and the accompanying du'as are specified there. Ghusl, fine clothes, and the takbirat of the days are mustahab around both Eids. This guide gives the practical shape; the binding detail is the Mansak.
When a Dawoodi Bohra mumin sets out on a qualifying journey, the Shariat lightens the daily salat in two ways: the four-rak'at prayers (Zohr, Asr and Isha) are shortened to two rak'at each (qasr), and the day's prayers are gathered into the community's three sittings — Fajr alone, Zohrain (Zohr joined with Asr) and Maghribain (Maghrib joined with Isha). Maghrib keeps its three rak'at and Fajr its two; only the four-rak'at prayers are halved. This guide explains who counts as a musafir, the conditions that must be met (a real intention to travel a qualifying distance and not staying long enough to break travel status), how to form the niyyat for a shortened and combined prayer, and the simple practical order of performing Zohrain and Maghribain on the road. Counts and methods follow the Fatimid fiqh of Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak; always confirm the exact distance, duration and method with your aamil saheb.
Illness never excuses a conscious believer from salat — it only changes how the prayer is performed. The rule is a gentle ladder of ability: if you cannot stand, pray seated; if you cannot sit, lie on your side facing the qibla (preferably the right side, like one resting); if even that is beyond you, pray by gestures of the head and eyes, lowering the head a little more for sajda than for ruku and forming the intention and recitation in the heart. Whatever a person can do, they do; whatever they cannot, falls away — the niyyat, the words, and the directing of the heart toward Allah remain. If using water for wudu or ghusl would harm you or delay recovery, perform tayammum instead. Salat is offered in the usual three Bohra sittings (Fajr, Zohrain, Maghribain), and missed prayers from a period of unconsciousness or extreme weakness are made up where required. This is a study aid; for your situation confirm the method with your aamil saheb and the community Mansak.
Istinja is the act of cleansing the private parts with water after passing urine or stool, and it is the everyday foundation of the purity (taharat) that salat requires. In the Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice, codified in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak, water is the cleansing agent: one washes the area thoroughly with the left hand until all trace of impurity (najasat) is removed and a sense of cleanliness is felt. Around it sits a gentle adab of the toilet — entering with the left foot and a short dua, keeping the body covered, not facing or turning one's back to the qiblah while relieving oneself, avoiding speech, and leaving with the right foot and a dua of gratitude. This guide explains, in practical steps, how istinja is performed, the manners that surround it, and why it matters: a valid wudu and a valid salat both begin with a body and clothing free of najasat. Confirm the exact method with your aamil saheb and the Mansak.
A practical guide to najasat (ritual impurities) and how the Dawoodi Bohra community, following Da'a'im al-Islam and the Mansak, removes them. It distinguishes hadath (the inner state lifted by wudu, ghusl, or tayammum) from najasat (physical filth on the body, clothing, or ground), and covers the common impurities a person meets day to day — urine, faeces, blood, and other discharges. The core method is washing the affected spot with clean (tahir) water until the substance and its visible trace are gone, repeating as needed so the place becomes tahir again. It explains what counts as tahir, how to deal with najasat on the body versus on clothes versus on a floor or prayer mat, and the link between cleanliness and valid salat. For exact counts, amounts, and edge cases the guide directs the reader to the community Mansak and their aamil saheb rather than guessing.
A clear, practical guide for women on how worship changes during haid (monthly menstruation) and nifas (bleeding after childbirth), following the Dawoodi Bohra Fatimid method codified in Da'a'im al-Islam and the community Mansak. During these days salat (namaz) is set aside entirely and is not made up afterwards, and fasting in Ramadan is paused but the missed days are made up later (qaza). When the bleeding ends, ghusl (full ritual bath) is performed to return to a state of purity, and only then are salat, fasting and other acts requiring purity resumed. This guide explains what is paused and what is not, how to count the start and end, the role of ghusl in resuming worship, and the everyday questions women face. Exact durations, minimum and maximum day-counts, and finer details vary and should be confirmed with your aamil saheb against the authoritative Mansak rather than estimated.
A clear, practical guide for Dawoodi Bohra mumineen on what invalidates the daytime fast (sawm) of Ramadan and what does not. The fast runs from true dawn (the time of sihori ending and Fajr beginning) until sunset (iftar at Maghrib). The recognised nullifiers (muftirat) include deliberately eating or drinking, intentional vomiting, and marital intercourse during the fasting day, alongside other established invalidators. Crucially, acts done by genuine forgetfulness or compulsion are treated differently from deliberate acts: eating or drinking by mistake while you forgot you were fasting does not, by the merciful provision, ruin the fast. This guide also distinguishes the two consequences of a broken fast — making it up later (qaza) only, versus qaza together with the heavier expiation (kaffarah) for the most serious deliberate breaches. It closes with the firm reminder that the authoritative method is the community Mansak and your aamil saheb, whom you should always consult for precise rulings and amounts.
Fasting in the Dawoodi Bohra tradition begins not with the first hunger pang but with the heart: every fast must be held together by a sincere niyyat (intention) made qurbatan ila-Allah, for the sake of nearness to Allah alone. For the obligatory fasts of Ramadan, the niyyat must be settled in the heart before the break of true dawn (fajr al-sadiq), and the natural moment to confirm it is at sihori, the pre-dawn meal — so that when you stop eating you have already resolved to fast that day. The niyyat need not be a memorised formula spoken aloud; it is the firm purpose of the heart to keep this day's fast for Allah, knowing which fast it is (Ramadan, qadha, nazar, or nafl). For voluntary (nafl) fasts the rule is gentler: the intention may be formed later in the morning, provided you have not yet eaten, drunk, or done anything that breaks the fast. This guide explains what niyyat is, when it must be made, and how to keep it simple and sincere.
A practical Dawoodi Bohra guide to the two meals that frame the fast: sihori, the pre-dawn meal eaten before the time of Fajr, and iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset with the Maghrib adhan. Eating sihori is a stressed sunnah and a barakat — even a sip of water counts — so rise, take it late, and form your niyyat for the fast. Hasten iftar the moment Maghrib enters; do not delay it. The Prophet broke his fast on simple things such as dates and water, so begin with something sweet and light, recite the dua of iftar with gratitude, then pray Maghrib in its proper sitting. The guide covers recommended foods, the adab of moderation and thankfulness, and the iftar supplication, and reminds the reader to follow the community Mansak. The app shows your local sihori and namaz times so you know exactly when each window opens and closes.
Beyond the obligatory fast of Ramadan, the Dawoodi Bohra tradition treasures many voluntary (mustahab, also called nafl) fasts kept across the year for great spiritual reward and nearness to Allah. These are recommended, never compulsory — you fast them by choice, with a sincere intention (niyyat) made the night before or by dawn, and they carry their own blessings as taught in Da'aim al-Islam and the community Mansak. Notable recommended days include certain days in the sacred months of Rajab and Sha'ban (the month leading into Ramadan), the days of Moharram associated with mourning and remembrance, and the 'white days' (ayyam al-beedh) in the middle of each lunar month. Because the exact recommended days, their order, and any special supplications vary by month and are guided by the Dai al-Mutlaq, every believer should follow the dates and method set out in the official Mansak and the calendar issued under the Dai's guidance rather than relying on memory or general lists. This guide is a warm encouragement to take up these fasts, kept simply and sincerely, as a way to draw closer to Allah throughout the year.