Prayer guide
Special Prayers — Janazah, Travel, Sick, Fear
Particular prayers prescribed for particular circumstances — burial, journey, illness, danger.
Salat al-Janazah
The funeral prayer is fard kifayah — a communal obligation. If part of the community fulfills it, the rest are excused; if no one does, all are sinful. It is prayed standing (no ruku' or sujud), with four takbirs. After the first: al-Fatihah. After the second: Durood Ibrahim. After the third: du'a for the deceased — 'Allahumma-ghfir lahu wa-rhamhu, wa 'afihi wa-'fu 'anhu… O Allah forgive him, have mercy on him…' (Muslim 963). After the fourth: a brief moment, then salam to right and left. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever attends a Muslim's janazah out of faith — until it is prayed, has one qirat of reward; until it is buried, has two qirats. The Companions asked: What are two qirats? He said: Like two great mountains.' (Bukhari 47, Muslim 945).
Shortening Prayer in Travel — Qasr
Allah grants the traveller a concession: 'And when you travel through the land, there is no sin upon you for shortening the prayer.' (Qur'an 4:101). The four-rak'ah prayers — Dhuhr, Asr, Isha — are prayed in two rak'ahs. Fajr (two) and Maghrib (three) remain at their original count. Qasr begins when leaving one's town and continues until returning. The Prophet ﷺ shortened his prayers throughout every journey of his life (Bukhari 1080).
Combining Prayers — Jam'
On a journey, the traveller may combine Dhuhr with Asr (jam' taqdim, joined at Dhuhr's time, or jam' ta'khir, delayed to Asr's time) and Maghrib with Isha similarly. This is established Sunnah (Bukhari 1107). The Prophet ﷺ also combined in heavy rain in Madinah without travel (Muslim 705). Fajr is never combined.
Prayer When Sick
Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. The Prophet ﷺ told Imran ibn Husayn, who was severely ill: 'Pray standing. If you cannot, then sitting. If you cannot, then on your side.' (Bukhari 1117). The intention does not change; only the posture is reduced as ability allows. If even the side is impossible, gesture with the head. The reward is not reduced — the Prophet ﷺ said: 'When a servant becomes ill or travels, what he used to do regularly in health is written for him in full.' (Bukhari 2996).
Salat al-Khawf — Prayer of Fear
Allah revealed a specific form for praying under threat in battle: 'When you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand with you and let them take their arms. Then when they have prostrated, let them be behind you, and let the other group, which has not prayed, come forward and pray with you, taking precaution and their arms.' (Qur'an 4:102). Two ways of organizing the prayer are reported in the Sunnah — both preserve the obligation even under combat conditions.