Fard (Obligatory)
The obligatory acts in Islam, including the five daily prayers.
Fard (Arabic: فرض) means "obligatory" or "commanded" and refers to actions in Islam that are strictly required of every adult Muslim. The five daily prayers are fard — neglecting them is a sin, and performing them brings great reward.
In the context of prayer, a distinction is made between two types of fard: fard 'ayn (individual obligation) and fard kifayah (collective obligation). The five daily prayers are fard 'ayn — each individual Muslim is personally obligated to pray them. The Jumu'ah prayer (Friday prayer) is fard 'ayn for men who are able to attend.
Within the prayer itself, certain actions are fard (obligatory for the prayer's validity): standing upright, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha, performing ruku and sujud, and sitting for the final tashahhud. If one omits a fard action, the prayer is invalid.
Related terms
Salah (Prayer)
The Islamic ritual prayer, performed five times daily.
Tawassul (Intercession/Mediation)
Seeking nearness to Allah through holy persons such as the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt.
Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
The Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, the second holiest mosque in Islam.
Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
Islamic legal theory that defines the methods for deriving legal rules from the sacred sources.
Munajat (Intimate Supplication)
Intimate, personal conversations with Allah, an important part of Shia prayer tradition.
Al-Kafi (The Sufficient)
The most important Shia hadith collection, with extensive chapters on prayer.