Will you please explain the ruling "it is fard to sit long enough to recite the dua (prayer) of at-tahiyyat in the last sitting (Qa'da al-Akhira) of prayer"? Is man obliged to sit in silence for a while in the last sitting of prayer?

Will you please explain the ruling "it is fard to sit long enough to recite the dua (prayer) of at-tahiyyat in the last sitting (Qa'da al-Akhira) of prayer"? Is man obliged to sit in silence for a while in the last sitting of prayer?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Sitting long enough to recite tashahhud at the end of prayers is a fard of the prayer and its rukn (part). This is called (Qa'da al-Akhira) (last sitting). The single sitting in two-rak'ah prayers is also called (Qa'da al-Akhira), for instance, the one in fajr (morning) prayer.

What is meant by sitting long enough to recite tashahhud is a length of time enough to recite "at-tahiyyat". It is fard for the person to wait long enough to recite the prayer of at-tahiyyat in the last sitting. It is also wajib (obligatory) to recite at-tahiyyat at this stage. It is sunnah to recite the prayers of Salli and Barik. The prayer of a person is valid even though he does not recite at-tahiyyat and other duas during this waiting stage but he is considered to have sinned and abandoned wajib as he did not recite at-tahiyyat.

What is meant by waiting long enough to recite at-tahiyyat does not mean to wait for a while and then to start reciting the prayer of at-tahiyyat. The prayer of at-tahiyyat can be recited immediately after sitting in the prayer.

Questions on Islam