o-o
Depends on who you ask, I guess. :/ (As with anything.)
I think usually if you have no way of doing it, you try to make up for it later.
ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᔪᐃᑦᑐᖅ
Writer of horse words
Zersk's second sentence is consistent with what I've heard.
Actually the rules are all in the Qu'ran...I'll see if I can identify where.
I believe there are actual rules for making up a missed prayer, and I KNOW there are rules for doing shortened prayers while traveling, etc...
Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.
Writer of horse words
Correction.
Most of the missed rules seem to come from Hadiths. Hence variations due to different sects having different hadiths and debate over different hadith verses.
The quicker methods for purifying oneself before prayers is in the Qur'an, however:
4:43 (Asad) O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness, [54] [but wait] until you know what you are saying; nor yet [while you are] in a state requiring total ablution, [55] until you have bathed - except if you are travelling [and are unable to do so]. But if you are ill, or are travelling, or have just satisfied a want of nature, [56] or have cohabited with a woman, and can find no water - then take resort to pure dust, passing [therewith] lightly over your face and your hands. [57] Behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, much-forgiving.
One just might
The 5 daily prayer is compulsory. There are various ways to perform it depending on conditions. In the most extreme it could be performed by heart.
To add to Justice 4243
Shortening prayers during travel is only applicable to prayers with 4 rakaʿah. This is called qasar.
Writer of horse words
“Raka’ah
are the prescribed movements and words followed by Muslims during salah (worship).”
I’m just adding this ‘cause I’m not sure how familiar people are with the term. Especially since I never heard of it until I read it in the post above this one. 
edited 18th Sep '11 8:10:20 PM by Justice4243
Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.
Christmas Sheep
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
So if you're in the middle of a battle or something, you just go over the prayer in your mind, or do you just pray extra later?
One just might
The description of prayer during battle.
When conditions does not allow this, then the prayer can be done through combination of gestures and recitations while doing anything necessary for the battle.
If a chicken crosses the road and nobody else is around to see it, does the road move beneath the chicken instead?
Christmas Sheep
Thank you.
Making sure I have this right,
Rak'ah is the motion you make during prayer, and sajdah is lying prostrate in the direction of Mecca, and so if you were to follow the directions in the link, you'd:
- 0) Leave half of your force fighting the enemy, and retreat a bit behind the front line.
- 1) Bow with hands on knees
- 2) Stand up again
- 3) Lie prostrate (this is the first sajdah)
- 4) Lift your head up from prostration
- 5) Go back into prostration (second sajdah)
- 6) Stand back up
- 7) Return to the fray while your imam kneels and recites the tashahud and taslim
- 8) The other half of your force repeats this process
Is this right?
Edit: I forgot that the wiki doesn't like numbered lists.
edited 20th Sep '11 8:10:51 PM by TheEarthSheep
Still Sheepin'
Writer of horse words
Use " # " in place of " * " and you will have numbers.
Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.
One just might
A rak'ah is a portion of the prayer consisting of standing once, bowing once and prostrating twice.
You got that right. Just that the ones returning after the imam finish now perform the prayer on their own. Not following the imam.
If a chicken crosses the road and nobody else is around to see it, does the road move beneath the chicken instead?
Lord high Xecutioner
So it's like that scene in Zulu, "Front rank, FIRE! Middle rank, FIRE! Rear rank, FIRE!"
And if Christians did it, it would be "Front rank HAIL. Second rank, MARY, third rank, FULL OF GRACE".
Liberty! Equality! Fraternity!
Christmas Sheep
Alright thanks.
Can I request a lock?
Still Sheepin'
And I'd prefer one of our Islamic tropers answers this one, but anyone is cool:
How strict is the 'five prayers a day, at the right times' rule? Like, I assume just blowing it off is wrong, but then I also assume if you're in the middle of a battle you can just forget it. So what's the cut-off?
Still Sheepin'