901. There is no problem in praying a recommended prayer inside the Kaaba. It is in fact recommended to pray a two rak‘ah prayer opposite every rukn of the Kaaba.
1499. The following four phenomena make the prayer for signs—details of which will be elaborated later–obligatory:
1. A solar eclipse.
2. A lunar eclipse, regardless of whether it is a partial or full eclipse, or whether one is frightened or not.
3. An earthquake, regardless of whether one is frightened or not.
4. Instances of lightening, thunder, black or red winds or other similar celestial phenomena, if a majority of people are frightened by them. However, with regards to terrestrial phenomena, such as the receding of sea water, or the breaking and falling of a mountain, by which the majority of people are frightened, recommended precaution dictates that one should offer the prayer of signs.
1500. If more than one of the events for which the prayer for signs becomes obligatory occurs simultaneously, one should recite a separate prayer for signs for each event. For example, if there is a solar eclipse and an earthquake, one should recite one prayer for the solar eclipse, and one for the earthquake.
1501. If a person has a number of qaÃÁ prayers for signs that he is obligated to offer, it is not necessary for him to specify for which event he is offering the qaÃÁ, regardless of whether all of his qaÃÁ prayers are for one type of event, such as all of them being for solar eclipse, or whether they are for distinct events, such as one being for solar eclipse, and another being for lunar eclipse. However, recommended precaution dictates that he should specify which event he is offering the prayer for, though it be in an abstract manner. For example, he may make the intention of offerring the qaÃÁ for the first prayer of signs that became obligatory on him, or the second one to become obligatory on him.
1502. It is only obligatory for the people of the area in which the phenomena—for which the prayer for signs are obligatory—occurred to offer the prayer for signs. It is not obligatory on people in other areas to offer the prayer for signs which occurred elsewhere.
1503. The timeframe in which the prayer for signs must be offered in the event of a solar or lunar eclipse is from the moment the eclipse begins, until the time the disk of the sun or moon completely exists the eclipse. Recommended precaution dictates that one should not delay offerring the prayer until the eclipse starts declining from the sun or the moon. In fact, it is recommended for one to offer his prayer from the moment the eclipse begins.
1504. If a person delays his prayer until the point when the eclipse begins to decline from the disk of the sun or moon, his prayer will be adÁ. However, if he offers it after the entire disk has exited the eclipse, his prayer will be deemed qaÃÁ.
902. Praying in the mosque has been highly advocated in the sharia. The best mosques where prayer may be offered in order of value are:
1. Masjid al-ÍarÁm
2. Masjid al-NabÐ
3. Masjid al-KufÁ
4. The Bayt al-Muqaddas mosque
5. The central (Jami’) mosque of every city
6. The local mosque
7. The mosque of a bazaar
1505. If the total time of a solar or lunar eclipse is sufficient for offerring only one rak‘ah or less, the prayer for signs will be obligatory and adÁ. One’s prayer shall similarly be obligatory and adÁ if the time of the eclipse is greater than this, but he delays it until its last moments, when the time is only sufficient for one rak‘ah or less.
903. It is better for a woman to pray in the house; rather, in the most hidden area of the house.
1506. One should offer the prayer for signs in the event of an earthquake or an instance of lightening, thunder, or any similar phenomenon, as previously elaborated. One should not delay his prayer in such a manner that it would commonly understood as being delayed. If one’s prayer is delayed, he should offer it and obligatory precaution dictates he should not make the intention of qaÃÁ or adÁ.
904. Praying in the shrines of the Imams (Peace be upon them all) is recommended. In fact, it is understood from certain narrations that praying in the shrine of Amir al-Mu’menin and Imam Íusayn (Peace be upon them) is better than praying in a mosque.
1507. If a person is oblivious of a solar or lunar eclipse, and realizes it after it has come to an end, he should offer its qaÃÁ if he discovers that it was a total eclipse. However, if he discovers that it was a partial eclipse, he will not be obligated to offer its qaÃÁ.
905. It is recommended to frequent a mosque and to attend a mosque where nobody prays. It is makrÙh for the neighbour of a mosque to pray in an area other than the mosque without a legitimate excuse.
1508. If a group of people testify that there is a solar or lunar eclipse, and a person does not attain certainty or confidence in their testimony, and there is nobody within the group whose testimony is canonically authoritative, owing to which one does not offer the prayer for signs, but later transpires that their testimony was correct, then in the event it was a total solar or lunar eclipse, he should offer the prayer for signs. However, if it was a partial eclipse, he will not be obligated to offer it. The same will apply if two persons—whose being just is not known—testify to it, or one person—whose being trustworthy is unknown—testifies to it, and it later transpires that the two persons were in fact just, or the one person was trustworthy and there was no conjectural evidence contrary to his testimony.
1509. If a person becomes satisfied with the statement of those who declare that there is a solar or lunar eclipse based on scientific principles, he should offer the prayer for signs. The same will apply if such people declare that there shall be a solar or lunar eclipse at a particular time, and it shall remain for a particular duration, and one is satisfied with their statement, he should act according to his satisfaction.
906. It is recommended that one abstains from sharing a meal with one who does not attend the mosque. Similarly it is recommended to abstain from taking counsel from him, becoming his neighbour, marrying the women in his family or giving a woman in marriage to him.
1510. If a person realizes that the prayer for signs he offered was invalid, he should repeat it. If its time has lapsed, he should offer its qaÃÁ.
1511. If the prayer for signs becomes obligatory on a person during the time for his daily prayers, he may offer any one of the two if there is ample time remaining for both. However, if the time remaining for one of the two is constricted, he should offer that prayer first. If the time for both of them is constricted, he should offer his daily prayer first.
1512. If while engaged in his daily prayer, a person realizes that the time of the prayer for signs is constricted, he should complete his daily prayer if the time for it is also constricted. However, if there is ample time remaining for the daily prayer, he should break away from his daily prayer, offer the prayer for signs, and then offer his daily prayer.
907. Prayer in certain places is makrÙh; amongst them are:
1. In a bath;
2. On a salt marsh;
3. Facing a person;
4. Facing a door that is open;
5. On a highway, street or alleyway if it is not a cause of inconvenience for others. If it is, then inconveniencing others is forbidden;
6. Facing a fire or a lantern;
7. In the kitchen or any place where there is a furnace.
8. Facing a well or a hole in the ground that is used for urination;
9. Facing a photo or a statue of a body that possesses a spirit, unless a curtain is drawn over it;
10. In a room where a junub (a person in the state of janÁbah) is present;
11. In a place where the face of a living creature is present, even if it is not facing the person offering prayer.
12. Facing a grave;
13. On top of a grave;
14. Between two graves;
15. In a graveyard;
1513. If while engaged in the prayer for signs, a person realizes that the time for his daily prayer is constricted, he should leave the prayer for signs, and offer the daily prayer. Upon completing the daily prayer, prior to performing an act that would invalidate prayer, he should continue the remaining portion of the prayer for signs, from the place that he had left it.
908. It is recommended for a person to place an object in front of himself if he is praying in a passageway or facing somebody. In this case it will be sufficient to place a rope or a stick in front oneself.
1514. If there is a solar or lunar eclipse, and a woman is in the state of Îayà or nifÁs, the prayer for signs will not be obligatory on her, and she will not be obligated to offer its qaÃÁ. However in the case of those signs prayer adÁ time of which is not ristricted, such as an earthquake, or an instance of lightening or thunder, obligatory precaution dictates that she should offer it without stipulating the intention of qaÃÁ or adÁ after being purified.
909. It is forbidden to make the floor, ceiling, roof or inner walls of a mosque najis. If a person realizes that any of the aforementioned has been rendered najis, he should immediately make them ÔÁhir. Obligatory precaution dictates that the outer walls of the mosque should similarly not be rendered najis. If they are, the najÁsah should be removed and it should be made ÔÁhir.
910. If a person is unable to make a mosque ÔÁhir or requires help for the task, but is unable to obtain it, it is not obligatory on him to make it ÔÁhir. However, he should inform a person who is able to, and entertains the possibility that such a person will in fact make it ÔÁhir.
911. If an area of the mosque is rendered najis in a manner that it is not possible to make it ÔÁhir without digging or demolishing the area, one should dig it or break it. If it is not a complete demolition, and does not harm that which is dedicated (waqf) to the mosque, it is not obligatory to fill the area that was dug, or rebuild the area that was demolished. However, if an object like a brick becomes najis, it should be washed and returned to its original place if possible.
1515. The prayer for signs consists of two rak‘ah, and each rak‘ah consists of five rukÙ. After one has made his intention, he should pronounce the takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm, recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and a second sÙrah completely, and proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ and recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah and a second sÙrah, then proceed to rukÙ again. He should repeat this five times. After raising his head from the fifth rukÙ, he should proceed to perform two sujÙd, stand up, and repeat the aforementioned instructions in the second rak‘ah. He should then complete the second rak‘ah with tashahhud and salÁm.
912. If somebody usurps the property of a mosque and builds a house or a similar construction on it, obligatory precaution dictates that it is forbidden to render it najis, though it is not obligatory to make it ÔÁhir. However, it is not permissible to render a demolished mosque najis and is obligatory to make it ÔÁhir even if it is not utilized for prayers.
1516. One may also offer the prayer for signs in the following manner: After one has made his intention, he should pronounce takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm, and recite sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah. He may then divide the verses of a second sÙrah into five parts, reciting one verse, more than one verse or less than it, and then proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ and without reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah again, recite the second part of the same sÙrah and then proceed to rukÙ again. He should repeat this until he has completed five rukÙ. He should complete the second sÙrah before proceeding to the fifth rukÙ. For example, if he intends to recite sÙrat al-tawÎÐd, he should recite (بِسْمِ اللهُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ) (Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem), and then proceed to rukÙ. He should then raise his head from rukÙ, recite (قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ) (Qul hu'Allahu ahad), and then proceed to rukÙ again. He should then rise again, and recite: اللَّهُ الصَّمَد (Allahus samad) and proceed to ruku once again. Therafter he should rise from ruku and recite: لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَد (Lam yalid wa lam yulad) and then bow again for ruku. He shouldthen rise from ruku and recite: وَ لَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَد (Wa lam yakul lahu kufuwan ahad) and proceed to his fifth ruku after raising his head from it, he should perform two sujÙd. He should then perform the second rak‘ah like the first one, and after the two sujud he should recite the tashahhud and then the salam of prayers.
He may also divide the surah into less than five parts. However, each time he completes the second surah, before next ruku he must recite surat al-FÁtiÎah and then recite a complete surah or a part of it.
