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
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Qasr (Shortened Prayer)
The permission to shorten the four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ah during travel.
Qiyam (Standing Position)
The standing position in prayer, during which the Quran is recited.
Adl (God's Justice)
The doctrine of God's absolute justice — the second article of faith in Shia Islam.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Nahj al-Balagha (The Peak of Eloquence)
Imam Ali's collection of sermons and wise sayings, central to Shia prayer tradition.