Q412 :What is the difference between fardh and
wajib?
A412 : The two terms fardh and wajib are very close
in meaning. Nevertheless there is an important difference between them
when they occur within the context of Islamic worship. In order to
appreciate the difference, perhaps we should give them different terms
in English. There, we should translate the term fardh as obligation and
wajib as duty. Different schools of thought have different approaches
to the distinction. For example, the Maliki and Shaf’ie schools of
thought consider both terms synonymous in all matters of worship, with
the exception of pilgrimage in which a fardh or an obligation, if
omitted, renders the pilgrimage invalid. The best examples are
attendance at Arafat on the ninth of Thul-Hajjah and the tawaf of
Ifadah. A wajib or duty, is something the omission of which does not
invalidate pilgrimage altogether, but requires netpensation by
sacrifice. As for prayers, fasting and zakah, fardh and wajib, or
obligations and duty are synonymous, according to these two schools of
thought. The other two schools, the Hanafi and the Hanbali assign
different meanings to the two terms. Let us consider these differences
with regard to prayer. The Hanafi school of thought lists 17 duties of
prayer, considering the fact that the Prophet consistently did them in
prayer as the reason for making them duties. If someone omits any of
these during prayer, either inadvertently or through forgetfulness, all
he needs to do is to offer two prostrations at the end of his prayer
which are known as Sujood Assahu. If he deliberately omits any of these
duties, he must repeat his prayer. If he does not, the prayer is valid,
but he is considered to have netmitted an offense. According to the
Hanbali school of thought, there are eight duties or wajib. If any of
them is omitted deliberately and knowingly, the prayer is invalid. If
it is omitted out of forgetfulness, it is netpensated by two
prostrations as we have explained. If any is omitted out of ignorance
that it is a duty, the prayer is valid.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )