With the help of all of Allaah's Names; [including] the Entirely Merciful,

the Especially Merciful.

Certainly, all praise and thanks is due to Allaah. We praise and

thank Him, we seek His help and assistance, and we seek His forgiveness.
We take refuge with Allaah from the evil which is within our very souls,
and from the sinfulness of our actions. Whomever it is that Allaah guides,
no one can mislead him after that, and whomever it is that Allaah sends
astray, no one can guide him after that. I bear witness (without any
hesitation) that there is absolutely nothing that deserves to be
worshipped and adored, except for Allaah; He is One, without partners. I
also bear witness that Muhammad bin 'Abdullaah (blessings and peace be
upon him) is His slave, worshipper, and messenger.

َ‫اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُون‬

َّ ‫يَاأَيُّهَا َّالذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا‬

Allaah says what means, "O you who have believed, fear Allaah as
He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to
Him]." (Aal 'Imraan 3: 102)

‫َث مِنْهُمَا‬
َّ ‫يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ َّالذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَب‬
‫علَيْ ُكمْ رَقِيبًا‬
َ َ‫رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَان‬

Allaah says what means, "O mankind, fear your Lord, who created
you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both
of them many men and women. And fear Allaah, through whom you ask
one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allaah is ever, over you, an
Observer." (An-Nisaa' 4: 1)

ْ‫اللهَ وَقُولُوا َقوْلًا سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ َلكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُم‬

َّ ‫يَاأَيُّهَا َّالذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا‬
‫اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا‬
َّ ِ‫ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِع‬
 Allaah says what means, "O you, who have believed, fear Allaah
and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your
deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allaah and His
Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment." (Al-Ahzaab 33:
70&71)

Thereafter: the truest speech is the Book of Allaah. The best

guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Allaah's prayers and peace be
upon him). The worst matters are those newly invented and introduced
into this religion; and every matter which is newly invented and
introduced in this religion is an innovation. All innovation is misguidance,
and all misguidance is in the Fire.

It is generally understood that the religion of al-Islaam is based on

revelation and (to a certain extent) reason; although reason is always
subservient to revelation. In that spirit what I propose to do is to present
the pillars of the prayer (according to the Hanbalee position) along with
the revelatory proofs used to establish them. I’ll be deriving proofs from
Al-‘Uddah Sharh al-‘Umdah primarily. Whenever that proves impossible,
I’ll resort to Al-Kaafee by the same author as our text; ‘Abdullaah bin
Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (may Allaah show him mercy). As much as I'm
able, I will also comment (where appropriate) on the authenticity of those
proofs. I'm choosing NOT to make this a comparative treatise due to my
limited knowledge and resource, and in respect of the practice of many
who traveled this path in search of knowledge – meaning, limiting myself
to one Mathhab at the beginning of my studies.
The pillars of prayer according to the Mathhab are twelve or fifteen,
depending on how you count some of the particulars. For consistency's
sake, we'll stick with twelve which was the position taken by our text
al-'Umdat ul-Fiqh by Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah show him mercy).
 The first pillar, in order, is 'Standing if capable'. The proofs for this
are many. Among those proofs are the words of Allaah:

َ‫حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ا ْلوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِين‬

This means, "Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in
particular] the middle [i.e., 'Asr] prayer and stand before Allaah, devoutly
obedient." (Al-Baqarah 2: 238)
The second pillar is 'the opening takbeer'. The proof for this is the
words of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him) that
"what makes it sacrosanct is the Takbeer." [Hassan Saheeh; authenticated
by al-Albaanee, collected by Aboo Daawood 1/167 #618]
The third pillar is 'recitation of al-Faatihah'. The proof for this is the
words of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him) that
"there is no prayer for whoever doesn't recite the Opening of the Book."
[Agreed Upon]
The fourth pillar is 'Rukoo' (bowing)'. The proof for this is the words
of Allaah:

َ‫يَاأَيُّهَا َّالذِينَ ءَامَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ َلعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُون‬

This means, "O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and
worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed." (Al-Hajj 22: 77)
The fifth pillar is 'rising from it (bowing)'. The proof for this is the
words of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him) to the
one who prayed badly, "Then rise until standing straight." [Saheeh;
authenticated by al-Albaanee, collected by Aboo Daawood 1/226 #856]
The sixth pillar is 'Sujood (prostration)'. The proof for this is from
the words of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him) to
the one who prayed badly, "then prostrate." [Authenticated earlier]
The seventh pillar is 'sitting after it (prostration)'. The proof for it is
the action of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him)
when he "he sat and spread his left foot and erected his right foot."
[Saheeh; authenticated by al-Albaanee, collected by Aboo Daawood
1/208 #783]
The eighth pillar is 'tranquility in all of these pillars'. The proof for it
is the saying of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him)
to the one who prayed badly, "Until you are calm and settled."
[Authenticated earlier]
The ninth pillar is 'the last tashahhud'. The proof for it is the report
of Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that they used to say,
"Peace be upon Allaah" when they sat with Allaah's Messenger (i.e. in
prayer). When he heard that, he told them not to and then instructed
them to say the Tashahhud as we know it. [See (Saheeh; authenticated by
al-Albaanee, collected by Aboo Daawood and others 1/254 #968)]
The tenth pillar is 'sitting during it (the tashahhud)'. The proof for
this is the same as the one just before this.
The eleventh pillar is 'the first tasleem'. The proof for this is the
statement of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers and peace be upon him),
"That which makes things permissible (after) it (i.e. prayer) is the
Tasleem." [Hassan Saheeh; authenticated by al-Albaanee, collected by
Aboo Daawood 1/167 #618]
The twelfth and final pillar is 'following the order as we mentioned
it'. The proof for this is the statement of Allaah's Messenger (His prayers
and peace be upon him), "Pray as you saw me praying." [Agreed upon]
And this is because nothing different than this (order) was ever narrated
about the Prophet (Allaah's prayers and peace be upon him).
We have succeeded, In Shaa’ Allaah, in delineating the various
pillars of the prayer, without which the prayer would not be complete
and some of the evidences used to establish their necessity. It is hoped
that by doing this one will appreciate and be unmoved by doubts raised
by some who seek to oppose the words of Allaah and His Prophet (His
prayers and peace be upon him). After all, this religion is based on
evidence; first and foremost of which is that which is found in the two
revelations (i.e. Al-Qur'aan was-Sunnah). It is through the knowledge of
the proofs that one's faith and practice can remain firm. Finally, with
Allaah lies all hope of success.

Freed from all imperfections are You, O Allaah, and You are praised! I
bear witness that nothing deserves to be worshipped or adored except
for You. I seek Your Forgiveness and turn in repentance to You. Aameen.