Qiyam is fard in the obligatory prayer

Question

Among the fards of prayer is the qiyam (standing). The matter requiring an answer is: what is meant by qiyam? In “Bihishti Zewar” (“Heavenly Ornaments”) it is written that qiyam of the length of saying “subhan Allah” three times is fard. From this it would seem that prayer seated is not permissible at all, since one fard — the qiyam — is lacking, and when any fard is missing the prayer is not valid?

Answer

In a fard prayer the qiyam is fard: if the qiyam is abandoned without an excuse, the fard prayer will not be fulfilled. In a nafl prayer the qiyam is not fard — it is valid seated as well; however, praying it seated without an excuse earns half the reward. So it is in “al-Bahr al-Ra’iq”.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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