28 Feb 2014

- Method of cleaning impure items

There are two types of impure items. Firstly there is the item that is in itself impure which is known as impurity, such as:
a) alcohol, b) faeces, c) urine, d) dung etc. these items until they keep to it's original form, they cannot be made clean.

- Istinja (Cleaning the private parts)

Respects of Istinja
1) When performing excretion or urination or when washing, do not face towards Qibla nor have the Qibla behind you. Whether you are in the home or in a field, and if you do have your face or rear pointing towards the Qibla then change direction as soon as you remember as this may then be forgiven [Fatahul Qadir].

- Istihaza

Recognition and rules of Istihaza
1 The blood that comes out of a woman's vagina but is not due to menstruation or childbirth (Haiz or Nifas) is known as Istihaza.

- Nifas (Meaning Blood after Childbirth)

Definition of Nifas and time
1) Nifas, meaning the blood discharged by a woman after childbirth. It has no minimum time, meaning even if one drop of blood comes out from when the child has half come out then this is Nifas. The maximum time for Nifas is forty days and nights.

- Menstruation (Period)

What is menstruation?
1) After a female becoming a teenager, the blood that comes out from the vagina on a fixed time basis and is not due to childbirth or illness, is known as menstruation or period (Haiz). If the blood is due to illness then it is known as Istihaza, if it is due to childbirth then it is known as Nifas.

- Iqamat

1) Iqamat is the same example as the Adhan. Meaning the rules that have been stated for Adhan also apply to Iqamat. However, there are a few differences. In Iqamat after 'Hayya Alal Falah' also say 'Qad Qamatis Salaat' twice. Also the volume whilst calling the Iqamat should be loud but not as loud as the volume for Adhan. But loud enough so that all that are present can hear.

- Adhan (Azan)

The reward of Adhan
It is stated in the Hadiths that there is a lot of reward for Adhan. In one Hadith it is stated that the Prophet has said "If people knew how much reward there is for calling the Adhan, then there would be fighting of swords between them [Riwa'al Hamd].

- Mazoor

1) All people who have a certain illness within a time, whereby with Wudhu they cannot pray full Salaah and the time passes but this illness does not stop, is known as a Ma'zoor. Meaning in all the time the illness did not stop so that they could perform Wudhu and pray Fardh Salaah.

Sunnah And Nafls Salaah

Rules of Sunnah-e-Maukida and Ghair Maukida
There are many Sunnahs which are regarded as Maukida, whereby it has been regarded as important in Shariah and to miss it even once without reason is worth reprimanding, and to make a habit of missing them would mean being a wrongdoer (Fasiq) who's giving oath would not be counted and is worthy of hell.

- Where is it better to pray Sunnah and Nafl

It is better to pray the Sunnah and Nafl in the home [Hidaya etc.].

Do not talk between the Sunnah and Fardh Salaah as the reward is reduced [Fatahul Qadir], the same rule applies to any action which is forbidden as soon as Takbeer-e-Tahrima is said (i.e. eat, drink, talk etc.) [Tanweer, Bahar].

Qadha Salaah

To make a Salaah Qadha without genuine Shariah reason is a big sin and to pray the Salaah is Fardh and is necessary to perform repentance with sincerity. By the use of repentance or having the Hajj accepted will eradicate the sin for delaying the Salaah [Durr-e-Mukhtar].

- Salaah is Mustahhab during times of difficulty or fear

It is Mustahhab to pray two Rakat Salaah for the following situations; Hurricane, darkness during the day, fearful light during the night, strong storm, heavy snow, the sky goes red, lightning, thunder, plague or other disease spreading, earthquake, fear of an enemy or any other difficult situation. [Alamgiri, Durr-e-Mukhtar].

- Vitar (Witr) Salaah

1) The Salaah of Witr is Wajib and if for some reason it has not been prayed during it's allocated time then it's Qadha is also Wajib [Alamgiri, Hidaya]. Witr Salaah contains three Rakaat to be performed with one Salaam, the same as the Maghrib Salaah. The first Qaidah is Wajib, meaning after two Rakaats you must sit down and only pray Attahiyat and then stand back up and pray Alhamdu and a Surah and then lift both hands upto the ear lobes and whilst saying Allaho Akbar fold them again and pray 'Dua-e-Kunoot'. After praying Dua-e-Kunoot perform Ruku and finish the Salaah as normal.

- Juma (Friday Prayer)

Juma is Fardh-e-Ain meaning obligatory on all individuals. It's obligation is more important than Dhuhr and those who reject it is a Kafir [Durr-e-Mukhtar, etc.]. It is quoted in the Hadith that those who miss three Jumas has thrown Islam behind them, and he is a hypocrite and is disassociated from Allah [Ibne-Khuzaima, Imam Shafaee].

- Salaah of Tahajjud

After praying 'Isha and after sleeping, the time that you wake up is the time of Tahajjud, however, it is better to pray in the last third of the night. Tahujjud is Sunnah and is prayed without the intention of Sunnah and is at least two Rakats and most is eight Rakats [Fatahul Qadir, Alamgiri].

- Salaah Ishraq

This Salaah is also Sunnah. After praying Fajr keep on praying the Durood . After the sun has risen slightly meaning at least twenty minutes from the start of sunrise has passed, then pray two Rakats.

- Salaah of Chaast

This is also Sunnah and there are at least two Rakats or at the most twelve Rakats, and it is better to pray all twelve. The time for this is when the sun has well risen upto the start of midday, however, it is better to pray it when the sun has quarter risen in the sky.

- Salaatul Awaabeen

1 After Maghrib, to pray six Rakats is Mustahhab and they are known as Salaatul Awaabeen. It is better to pray them in two, two Rakats [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

- Salaah for the sick

If a person due to illness cannot stand and pray Salaah then they should sit and pray Salaah. Whilst seated he should perform Ruku by leaning far forward and pray 'Subhana Rabbial Azueem' and then sit back up straight and then go into Sajda as normal. If he is not able to pray Salaah whilst being seated then he should lay down and pray.

26 Feb 2014

- Praying Salaah on a conveyance

Whether a person is a traveller due to religion or due to worldly affairs once he leaves the outskirts of his town he can pray Nafl Salaah on his conveyance (vehicle of travel e.g. car, horse, camel etc.) whilst seated and he can perform the Salaah whilst seated and perform the Ruku by action and the Sajda by bending slightly more than the Ruku. Do not place your head on an ornament to perform Sajda or put something on it to perform Sajda as this is not allowed and whichever way the conveyance is going, keep your face pointing that way as to point it in another direction is not allowed even for the Takbeer-e-Tahrima it is not necessary for the face to be towards the Qibla [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

- Salaah for Traveller

According to Shariah a traveller is a person who leaves his village or area with an intention of travelling for a distance of three days.

- Salaah of Tarawih

Tarawih is the twenty Rakat Salaah that is Sunnah-e-Maukida and is prayed in the month of Ramadan after the Fardh Salaah of 'Isha every night.

1)  The time of Tarawih is after praying the Fardh of 'Isha until the beginning of the break of dawn [Hidaya]. In Tarawih the Jamaat is Sunnah-e-Kifayaa, meaning if all the people of the Mosque missed it then they would all be responsible for the sin and if one person prayed at home alone then he has not committed a sin [Hidaya, Qazi Khan].

2)  It is Mustahhab to delay it until one third of the night has passed and if you wait until half the night has passed then there is no harm [Durr-e- Mukhtar, Bahar-e-Shariah].

3)  Just as the Tarawih is Sunnah-e-Maukida for men, in the same way it is Sunnah-e-Maukida for women and they are not allowed to miss it [Qazi Khan].

4)  The twenty Rakats of Tarawih are to be prayed in two, two Rakats i.e. performing salaam after every two Rakats and therefore in total ten salaams. After every four Rakats it is Mustahhab to rest for the duration it took to pray the four Rakats, this rest is called Tarwih [Alamgiri, Qazi Khan].

5)  After the Tarawih has finished the fifth Tarwih is also Mustahhab. If the fifth Tarwih is a burden on people then do not do it [Alamgiri, etc.].

6)  There is flexibility in Tarwih, whether you remain quiet or you can pray some Tasbeeh, Qur'an, Durood or Dua and if he wished he can pray Nafl alone, but to do this with Jamaat is Makrooh [Qazi Khan].

7)  Those who have not prayed the Fardh of 'Isha cannot pray the Tarawih nor Witr until he prays the Fardh.

8)  Those who prayed the Fardh of 'Isha alone can pray the Tarawih with Jamaat but he must pray the Witr alone [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

9)  If you have prayed the 'Isha Fardh with Jamaat and then prayed the Tarawih alone, he can join the Jamaat for Witr [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

10)  If you have some Rakats of Tarawih left and the Imam has stood up for Witr then it is better to pray the Witr with Jamaat as long as you have prayed 'Isha Fardh with Jamaat and then you can pray the remaining Rakats of Tarawih. It is also allowed to complete your Rakats of Tarawih and then pray Witr alone [Alamgiri, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

11)  If people have prayed the Tarawih and now they want to pray it again then they can pray it alone but it is not allowed to pray it with Jamaat again [Alamgiri]. If one Imam prays Tarawih in two mosques and if he prays the full Tarawih in both mosques then this is not allowed. If the Muqtadee prays the Tarawih in full in both mosques then there is no problem, however, he is not allowed to pray Witr again if he has already prayed in the first mosque [Alamgiri].

12)  It is better to pray the Tarawih with Jamaat in the mosque. If the Tarawih is prayed in a house with Jamaat then you will not get the sin of missing Jamaat as it will still be counted but the reward will be less than praying in the mosque [Alamgiri].

13)  The Tarawih prayed behind a child will not count for any adults who prayed behind the child [Hidaya, Durr-e-Mukhtar, Alamgiri].

14)  In the whole month of Ramadan to finish the Qur'an once is Sunnah-e-Maukidah and to finish it twice is virtuous and to finish it three times is a good thing. You should not miss this opportunity just because people are idle [Durr-e-Mukhtar].

15)  To give a Hafiz a salary for praying the Tarawih is not allowed and the giver and taker are both sinners. A salary is not just a fixing of the fee such as I will take this much for praying the Tarawih or I will give you so much for praying the Tarawih, but if a Hafiz believes he will pray at a certain place he will get so much then this is also not allowed. If the people say we will not give you anything or the Hafiz says I will not take anything and then the public decide to give the Hafiz a gift or some money as a gesture to thank him for his efforts then there is no problem with this [Bahar-e- Shariah].

Shabinah
Shabinah meaning to finish the whole Qur'an in one night in Tarawih. During today's era where a Hafiz prays the Qur'an at great speed that the words cannot be understood. Never mind praying the words where the pronunciation is done correctly the listeners are also in a state where some are sat down, some are lying down, some are even sleeping and some perform the Takbeer-e-Tahrimah when the Imam goes into the Ruku and then they are doing this very quickly, in all these situations the Shabinah is not allowed. If the Hafiz prays speedily to pose off then this is Haram and is a sinner.

- Salaah of Eid

Eid (meaning Fitr and Eid ud Duha) Salaah is Wajib but not for all. It is only Wajib for those for whom Juma is Wajib and the conditions for it are the same as those Juma except in Juma the Khutba is Wajib and for Eid it is Sunnah. 

- Salaah of the Eclipse

1) The Salaah of Sun Eclipse is Sunnah-e-Maukidah and the Salaah for a Moon Eclipse is Mustahhab. It is Mustahhab to pray the Sun Eclipse Salaah by Jamaat but it can be prayed alone. If it is prayed with Jamaat then all the conditions are the same as per Juma except for the Khutba. The same person leads this Salaah as the same for Juma and if they are not available then the Salaah should be prayed alone either in the home or Mosque [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar].

2) Pray the eclipse Salaah when the eclipse is on the Sun and not after the eclipse has moved. If the eclipse has moved but it is still shadowing the Sun then you can still start the Salaah and whilst there is an eclipse and if a cloud covers it then still pray the Salaah [Johra Nera].

3) If the eclipse occurs during a time where Salaah is not allowed then do not pray the Salaah and perform Dua and if the sun then sets, then finish the Dua and pray Maghrib Salaah [Johra, Radd-ul- Mohtar].

4) The Salaah for Eclipse is prayed like a normal Nafl Salaah, that is two Rakats and in every Rakat one Ruku and two Sajdas just like other Salaah.

5) There is no Adhan, Iqamat or praying loudly in the eclipse Salaah and perform Dua after the Salaah upto the time when the sky becomes clear. You can pray more than two Rakats but perform Salaam in either two or four Rakat intervals [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Radd-ul-Mohtar, Fatahul Qadir].

6) If people do not gather together then call them with these words "Assalaatul Jamia" [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Fatahul Qadir].

7) It is better to pray the Jamaat for the Salaah in either the Eid place or the Jamia Mosque and if it's prayed elsewhere then there is no harm [Alamgiri].

8) If you know them, then pray Surah Baqr and Aal-e-Imran or it's length size Surahs and in Ruku and Sajda also make them long and after Salaah perform a Dua until the eclipse is over. It is also allowed to delay the Salaah and extend the Dua. It does not matter whether the Imam when performing Dua is facing the Qibla or facing the audience and this actually better and all the Muqtadees should say Ameen and it is also all right for the Imam to lean when performing Dua on the Asa (stick) or wall but not climb the Mimbar as this not allowed [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Bahar, Fatahul Qadir].

9) If the sun eclipse and a funeral Salaah clash together then pray the funeral Salaah first [Johra, Bahar].

10) There is no Jamaat for the moon eclipse even if the Imam is present, all people should pray on their own [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Hidaya, Alamgiri, Fatahul Qadir].

25 Feb 2014

- Salaah of janaza

Illness is a blessing
Illness is also a great gift and there are many benefits from it although by looking at it may seem as if it is giving you difficulty, but in reality it is a source of rest and easiness and the illness that is of the body is actually a great source of medicine for the recovery of the soul.

8 Feb 2014

- Salaah

After ensuring that your belief and faith is correct, the biggest obligation of all obligations is Salaah. There has been many messages in the Qur'an and Hadith in relation to the importance of Salaah.

- Qaulification of Salaah

Before we show you the way in which Salaah should be prayed, we will first of all show you the six conditions/qualifiers that must be performed, otherwise the Salaah will not begin. These are known as the 'Shara'it-e- Salaah and are as follows;

- What is Sajda-e-Tilaawat?

This is the Sajda which becomes Wajib when you pray or hear the verse of Sajda. It's proper method is to stand up and say Allaho-o-Akbar whilst going into Sajda and then pray at least three times 'Subhana Rabbi'al Aalaa' and then whilst saying Allahu Akbar stand back up. 

- What is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi ?

1) To cough without reason or to yawn without reason is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi. If you yawn naturally then there is no harm but you should try and stop it and if you cannot then you should bite your lips and if you still cannot then cover your mouth with your hand, whilst in Qayam use your right hand and in all other position use your left.

- Makrooh-e-Tanzihi

In Sajda or Ruku, to say the Tasbeeh less than three times is Makrooh-e-Tanzihi. If however, you do this because there isn't enough time or you are going to miss the train, then there is no problem.
 

- Makrooh Times

1) Whilst the sun is rising or setting and at exactly midday, at these three times no Salaah is allowed. No Fardh, no Wajib, no Nafl, no Ada (current), no Qadha (expired), no Sajda-e-Tilawat, No Sajda-e- Sahoo. However, if the 'Asr Salaah for that day is still left to pray then you must pray whether the sun is setting, but to delay it for so long is Haram.

- Jamaat - Congregational Prayers

1) There has been a lot of emphasis given to Jamaat and it carries a lot of reward, upto the extent that a Salaah prayed with Jamaat gains reward twenty seven times more than a Salaah prayed on it's own.

- Praying Salaah on a conveyance

Whether a person is a traveller due to religion or due to worldly affairs once he leaves the outskirts of his town he can pray Nafl Salaah on his conveyance (vehicle of travel e.g. car, horse, camel etc.) whilst seated and he can perform the Salaah whilst seated and perform the Ruku by action and the Sajda by bending slightly more than the Ruku. 

- Compensation for Salaah (Fidya)

1)  If a person's Salaah has become Qadha and he dies then if he has left an order in his will to pay Fidya for his Qadha Salaah and he has left some money or goods, then Fidya should be paid from one third of the money or goods left by him and one half Sa'a (approx. 4lb 8oz) of wheat or one Sa'a (approx. 9lb) of Sadqa is to be given to the poor for every Fardh or Wajib missed.

7 Feb 2014

- Destiny

1)  Within the knowledge of Allah (The Exalted) there is what was going to happen in the world and whatever servants were going to do, Allah (The Exalted) found this out from the beginning and wrote it down.

- Prophets And Messengers

1)  Just as it is necessary to know Allah (The Exalted's) self, characteristics, and attributes, it is also as important to know what aspects should be present in a Prophet and what should not be, so that a person can be protected from infidelity.

- Who is a Prophet

1)  A Prophet is the person who received the Wahi (revelation) meaning a message from Allah (The Exalted) for the guidance of mankind to show people the path to the Lord. Whether this message came via angels to the Prophet or whether the knowledge was given direct to the Prophet from the Lord.

2 Feb 2014

- Belief - Knowledge of a Prophet

1) Allah (The Exalted) gave the Prophets the knowledge of the unseen (Ghaib). Every particle of the sky and earth are in front of the sight of all the Prophets. This knowledge of the unseen (Ilm-e-Ghaib) is given to them by Allah (The Exalted). Therefore this knowledge is 'given knowledge' (Ataayi) and because Allah (The Exalted's) knowledge is 'not given' to Him by anyone it is 'self knowledge' (Zaati).

2) Now that you know the difference between Allah (The Exalted's) knowledge and the Prophet's knowledge, therefore it is clear that to believe the knowledge of the unseen for the Prophets as given to them by Allah (The Exalted) cannot be referred to as Shirk (Polytheism - associate with Allah (The Exalted)) but in fact true Imaan (belief) and is proved by verses (of the Qur'an) and Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet).

3) Any follower cannot, due to their willpower, piety, worship, willingness to follow Allah (The Exalted), be better than any Prophet.

4) Prophets when sleeping or awake are always involved in the remembrance of the Lord.

5) To accurately count the Prophets in quantity, is forbidden. The true figure of all the Prophets is only known to Allah (The Exalted).

- The first human and the first Prophet

1) Adam (upon whom be peace) is the first human, before him the existence of man was not a possibility. All humans are his children. He is also the first Prophet. Allah (The Exalted) made him without the need of a mother or father and was made from soil, and made him His Caliph. Allah (The Exalted) gave him the knowledge of all things and their names. He gave the order to Angels to prostrate to Adam. All the angels performed the prostration except Shaytan (devil), who refused and therefore was evicted forever and became an apostate.

- Maujizaa - miracles performed by Prophets

1) The action which is impossible to perform, and a Prophet performs it to prove their prophecy and astonishes infidels is known as a Maujizaa. For example to bring back to life the dead, with the movement of the finger to split the moon into two.

- What is death ?. Does the soul die ?

1)  Every single person's age is fixed. It cannot increase from it's fixed time nor can it decrease. When the time of life is finishing, Izraeel (upon whom be peace) comes to extract the dying person's soul and the dying person looks to his left and right and sees Angels everywhere.

- What are Munkar Nakkeer like and what do they ask ?

1) At that time two angels called Munkar and Nakeer come ripping through the earth, their faces look very fearful and scary. Their body is black, eyes green and black and very large in size popping out like the Jinn's eyes and made of fire. Their hair is very scary and long from head to toe, their teeth are very long with which they rip through the earth.

- The Coming of Qiyamah and Some Signs

1) One day all the world, humans, animals, jinn, angels, earth, skies and whatever that is in them will be finished. Except for Allah (The Exalted) there will be nothing left. This is known as the coming of Qiyamah.

1 Feb 2014

- When And How Will Qiyamah Come ?

1)  After the passing away of 'Isa and when there will be only forty years to go for Qiyamah. A cold wind will pass underneath everybody's armpits and it's effect will be that all the souls of Muslims will be extracted and only infidels will remain.

- Jannat - Paradise

1) Jannah is a very large and very beautiful place. It has been made by Allah (The Exalted) for Muslims. It's walls have been made of bricks of gold and silver and it's cement is made of musk. The ground is made of saffron and ambergris (a wax like substance). Instead of stones there will be diamonds and pearls. To house the residents of Jannah, there are mansions and large conservatories made of pearls, diamonds and beautiful jewellery.

- Dozakh (Jahannam) - Hell

1) This is also a place where there is complete darkness and strong black fire, which has no shine to it and this place, has been made for the sinners and the infidels to live. The infidels will be imprisoned here forever. It's fire will continue to get hotter. The fire of hell is so strong that if a pinpoint of it was thrown into this world every single person would die from it's heat. If one of the guards of hell came to this world, people would all die just by seeing his frightening face, no one would survive.

- What is Shirk - Polytheism

1)  For a person to become a Muslim it is necessary for them to believe Islam as the true religion and does not reject any of it's necessary aspects, and also does not have beliefs contradictory or against the religion's necessary aspects (Zaruriyat-e-Deen). 

- Khulafa-e-Rashideen - Pious Caliphs

1) After the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) his true Caliphs and related Imam is 'Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him). After him it is 'Umar Farooque (may Allah be pleased with him). Then it is 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). After him it is 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and then Imam Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him). These leader's Khilafah is known as Raashida (Pious) because these great companions gave true representation of the Prophet.

- Who is a Sahhabi ?

1) Sahhabi (companion) is that Muslim who has assisted in the court of the Prophet (in the Holy Prophet's presence) and has passed away from this world with faith. All Sahhabis are of praise and are pious and are also sincere in their Islamic Judgement and the same for their Islamic actions. When there is talk of a Sahhabi, it is compulsory that it be with praise.

- Taqleed - The Following of the four imams

1) Taqleed, meaning to follow one of the four Imams of religion in orders of Islamic law (Shariah), i.e Imam Azam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Shafa'ee or Imam Ahmad bin Hambal and to pray Salaah as per their way or perform Siyam, Zakah etc. is necessary (Wajib) to follow one of them and is known as Taqleed Shakhshi.

- Book of Beliefs

1)  Beliefs Relating To Allah (The Exalted)'s Self And His Characteristics (Allah (The Exalted)'s Monotheism [Oneness] And His Qualities)