Istijarī Prayer or Paid Prayer is a prayer performed on behalf of another Muslim in exchange for a fee. Stay tuned with Saed News.
Istijari Prayer is a prayer for which a person is hired to perform on behalf of another, and receives a wage in return. Because the hired person is paid for performing the prayer, it is called “Istijari” (rented) prayer. The person who performs the prayer on behalf of another is called the “Na’ib” (deputy), the prayer performed is called “Amal-e-Niyabati” (representative act), and the person on whose behalf the prayer is performed is called the “Manub ‘anhu”.
In Shi’a jurisprudence, Istijari prayer on behalf of a living person is not valid. If the hired person has missed prayers of their own and dies before completing the prayers they were hired to perform for the deceased, someone else must be hired to complete those prayers from the deceased’s wealth. If there is surplus money, with permission of the heirs and a will, prayers beyond the owed ones can also be hired; if the heirs do not allow, then at least one-third of the wealth should be set aside for the deceased’s own prayers.
Jurists have discussed Istijari prayer and its rulings in the contexts of purity, prayer, khums, and hiring. According to Shi’a jurisprudence, Istijari prayer on behalf of a living person is invalid. However, it is reported that Ibn Matouj considered paid representation for voluntary prayers for living persons permissible.
All Shi’a jurists agree that voluntary representation (without pay) in both obligatory and voluntary prayers, and paid representation in voluntary prayers on behalf of the deceased, are valid. There is some difference of opinion about the validity of hiring someone to perform obligatory prayers on behalf of the deceased. It is claimed that most scholars consider Istijari prayer for the deceased permissible.
Q709: I am unable to perform my prayers. Is it permissible for someone else to pray on my behalf? Does it matter if the deputy asks for payment or not?
A: A person must perform their obligatory prayers themselves as long as they are alive, by any means possible. Whether the deputy charges payment or not, their prayer is not sufficient for the original person.
Q710: For someone performing Istijari prayer:
Is it obligatory for them to fully say the Adhan, Iqamah, the three salutations, and the four Tasbihat?
If they pray Dhuhr and Asr one day, and the next day perform all five prayers, is the order important?
Is it necessary to mention the specific details of the deceased in Istijari prayer?
A: Mentioning the deceased’s details is not required. The order is only necessary between Dhuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha prayers. If the rental agreement does not specify special conditions, the hired person should perform the prayers with the usual recommended actions, but saying the Adhan for each prayer is not obligatory.
The deputy must be sane, a Twelver Shi’a, and according to precaution, mature.
The deputy must intend to represent the other person.
The deputy must specify the person they are representing, at least generally.
The deputy must be confident the prayer will be performed.
The deputy must perform the prayer correctly.
The deputy must not be incapable of some optional acts of the prayer, according to precaution.
It is permissible to hire someone to perform prayers for the deceased and pay a fee for this service. The amount paid for praying or fasting on behalf of others is entirely negotiable; there is no fixed price. The person who intends to fast on behalf of another should not have missed fasts themselves. The person performing prayers must recite Al-Fatiha and the Surah correctly and their prayer must be valid.
