Rape & Incest: Islamic Perspective

Incest and rape are not new in this day and age; these problems have
always existed and will continue to exist if not confronted face on.
If you have ever worked with an incest, sexual abuse or rape survivor
you will never be able to forget the devastating impact it has on all
aspects of their life, nor will you be able to sit back and do nothing
about this issue. These are serious crimes that corrode the fabric of
family and society and cannot go un-addressed, since these problems do
exist in Muslim families it is about time that we address it openly
and take action to put an endto it.
To fully understand this issue we need to examine what Islâm teaches
us about the value of human life.
Islâm views human life asa sacred gift from God. The Qur'ân repeatedly
stresses the sanctity of life (hurmat al hayat). The life of every
single individual regardless of gender, age, nationality or religion
is worthy of respect. In verses referring to the sanctity of life, the
term used is 'nafs' (soul, life); and there is no distinction made in
that soul being young or old, male or female, Muslim or non-muslim.
Sûrah al An'am 6.151:
"Do not take any human being's life, (the life) which God has declared
to be sacred - otherwise than in (the pursuit of) justice: this has He
enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason."
(Also check: Sûrah al Isra 17.33 & Sûrah al Ma'idah 5.32)
Qur'ânic teachings encompass every aspect of life; hence it does not
limit the definition of lifeto the physical body only,but includes the
mental, emotional and spiritual aspects as well. There areabout 150
verses that define the term 'nafs' in various ways making it clear
that the concept of 'life' is not limited to mere physical existence.
Historically, Islam has addressed serious issues openly and sought to
correct actions that constitute harm or 'zulm' (ie: cruelty and abuse)
to the dignity of humankind. Human life and respect for it has been
stressed unstintingly, regardless of age or gender. As a general rule,
Islâm forbids all 'zulm', be it physical, mental, emotional or
spiritual:
Sûrah al An'am 6.120
"Abandon all harm (ithm), whether committed openly or in secret."
(Check Sûrah al A`raf 7:33)
Sûrah al 49:11-12 points out categorically that emotionally abusive
language and behavior isnot acceptable.
"You who believe do not let one (set of) people make fun of another
set. Do not defame one another. Do not insult by using nicknames. And
do not backbite or speak ill of one another."
In the last address to his community, the Prophet (saw) said: "Your
lives and properties are forbidden to one anothertill you meet your
Lord on the Day of Resurrection… Regard the life and property of every
Muslim as a sacred trust… Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you...
You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity." The Prophet (saw)
did not prohibit only the unlawful encroachment of one another's life
and property, but also honor and respect.
Considering that human life is to be valued and cruelty is forbidden,
what is the Islamic perspective on incest andrape?
According to Islâm, a woman has to be respected and protected under
all circumstances, whether she belongs to your own nation or to the
nation of an enemy, whether she follows yourreligion or belongs to
some other religion or has no religion at all. A Muslim cannot outrage
her under any circumstances. All promiscuous relationships have been
forbidden to him, irrespective of the status or position of the woman,
whether the woman is a willing or an unwilling partner to the act. The
words of the Holy Qur'ân in this respect are: "Do not approach (the
bounds of)adultery" (17:32). Heavy punishment has been prescribed for
this crime, and the order has not been qualified by any conditions.
Since the violation of chastity of a woman is forbidden in Islam, a
Muslim who perpetrates this crime cannot escape punishment. (Maudoodi)
The Quran has, in various ways and in different contexts; impressed on
men that they must observe the limits set by God (Hudûd Allah) in
respect to women and must not encroach upon their rights in either
marriage or divorce. In all situations it is the menwho are reminded,
corrected and reprimanded, over and over again, to be generous to
women and to be kind, compassionate, fair and just in their dealings
withwomen. Even in divorce, when the chances of anger and
vindictiveness are high, it is stressed that men are to separate with
grace, equity and generosity.
Forbidding cruelty against children and women is apparent from rulings
against female infanticide and rights of inheritance given even toan
unborn child; and the kindness mandated even when divorcing your wife.
There are numerous ahâdîth about the rights of children to respect and
dignity. The same holds true for respect and the unprecedented rights
given to women.
Relevant verses from the Quran:
Sûrah an Nâs 4.119
'O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will...'
Sûrah an Nûr 24.33
'... And do not, in order togain some of the fleeting pleasures of
this worldly life, coerce your slave women into whoredom if they are
desirous of marriage, and if anyone should coerce them, then, verily,
after they have been compelled (to submit in their helplessness), God
will bemuch forgiving, a dispenser of grace (to them).
During the time of the Prophet (saw) punishment was inflictedon the
rapist on the solitary evidence of the woman who was raped by him.
Wa'il ibn Hujr reports of an incident when a woman was raped. Later,
when some people came by, she identified and accused the man of raping
her. They seized him and brought him to Allah's messenger, who said to
the woman, "Go away, for Allâh has forgiven you," but of the man
whohad raped her, he said,"Stone him to death." (Tirmidhi and Abu
Dawud)
During the time when Umar (raa) was the Khalifah, a woman accused his
son Abu Shahmah of raping her; she brought the infant borne of this
incident with her to the mosque and publicly spoke about what had
happened. Umar (raa) asked his son who acknowledged committing the
crime and was duly punished right there and then. There was no
punishment given to the woman. (Rauf)
Islamic legal scholars interpret rape as a crime in the category of
Hiraba.In 'Fiqh-us-Sunnah', hiraba is described as: 'a single person
or group ofpeople causing public disruption, killing, forcibly taking
property or money, attacking or raping women (hatk al 'arad), killing
cattle, or disrupting agriculture.'
The famous jurist, Ibn Hazm, had the widest definition of hiraba,
defining a hiraba offender as: 'One who puts people in fear on the
road, whether or not with a weapon, at night or day, in urban areas or
in open spaces, in the palace of a caliph or a mosque, with or without
accomplices, in the desertor in the village, in a large or small city,
with one or more people… making people fear that they'll be killed, or
have money taken, or be raped (hatk al 'arad)… whether the attackers
are one or many."
Al-Dasuqi held that if a person forced a woman to have sex, his
actions would be deemed as committing hiraba. In addition, the Maliki
judge Ibn 'Arabi, relates astory in which a group was attacked and a
woman in their party was raped. Responding to the argument that the
crime did not constitute hiraba because no money was taken and no
weapons used, Ibn 'Arabi replied indignantly that"hiraba with the
private parts" is much worse than hiraba involving thetaking of money,
and that anyone would rather be subjected to the latter than the
former.
The crime of rape is classified not as a subcategory of 'zina'
(consensual adultery), but rather as a separate crime of violence
under hiraba. This classification is logical, as the "taking" is of
the victim's property(the rape victim's sexual autonomy) by force. In
Islam, sexual autonomy and pleasure is a fundamental right for both
women and men (Ghazâlî); taking by force someone's right to control
the sexual activityof one's body is thus a form of hiraba.
Rape as hiraba is a violent crime that uses sexual intercourse as a
weapon. The focus in a hiraba prosecution is the accused rapist and
his intent and physical actions, and not second-guessing the consent
of the rape victim. Hiraba does not require four witnesses to prove
the offense, circumstantial evidence, medical data and expert
testimony form the evidence used to prosecute such crimes.
Islamic legal responses torape are not limited to a criminal
prosecution for hiraba. Islamic jurisprudence also provides an avenue
for civil redress for a rape survivor in its law of"jirah" (wounds).
Islamic law designates ownership rights to each part of one's body,
and a right to corresponding compensation for any harm done unlawfully
to any of those parts. Islamic law calls this the 'law of jirah'
(wounds). Harm to a sexual organ, therefore, entitles the person
harmed to appropriate financial compensation under classical Islamic
jirah jurisprudence. Each school of Islamic law has held that where a
woman is harmed through sexual intercourse (some include marital
intercourse), she is entitled to financial compensation for the harm.
Further, where thisintercourse was without the consent of the woman,
the perpetrator must pay the woman both the basic compensation for the
harm, as well as an additional amount based on the 'diyya' (financial
compensation for murder, akin to a wrongful death payment).
Islamic law, with its radical introduction of a woman's right to own
property as a fundamental right, employs a gender-egalitarian attitude
in this area of jurisprudence. In fact, there is a hadith specifically
directed to transforming the early Muslim population out of this
patriarchal attitude of male financial compensation for female sexual
activity. During the time of Prophet Muhammad, a young man committed
zina withhis employer's wife. The father of the young man gave one
hundred goats and a maid as compensation to the employer, who accepted
it. When the case was reported to the Prophet, he ordered the return
of the goats and the maid to the young man's father and prosecuted the
adulterer for zina (Abu Daud 1990, 3: Bk. 33,No. 4430; Bukhâri 1985,
8:Bk. 81, Nos. 815, 821, 826).
Early Islam thus established that there should be no tolerance ofthe
attitude that a woman's sexual activity issomething to be bartered,
pawned, gossiped about, or owned by the men in herlife. Personal
responsibility of every human being for their own actions is a
fundamental principle in Islamic thought.
Marital Rape
The Quran is very clear that the basis of a maritalrelationship is
love and affection between the spouses, not power or control. Rape is
unacceptable in such a relationship.
Sûrah al Baqarah 2.223
'Your wives are your tilth;go then unto your tilth asyou may desire,
but first provide something for your souls*, and remain conscious of
God, and know that your are destined to meet Him...'
* Note in Muhammad Asad's translation: 'a spiritual relationship
between man and woman is postulated as the indispensable basis of
sexual relations.'
Sûrah ar Rum 30.21
"And among His wonders is this: He creates for you mates out of your
own kind, so that your might incline towards then, andHe engenders
love and tenderness between you:in this, behold, there are messages
indeed for people who think!
Sûrah al Baqarah 2.187
"... They are as a garmentfor you, and you are as a garment for them."
Sûrah al Nisa 4.19
"... And consort with yourwives in a goodly manner, for if you dislike
them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet
make a source of abundant good."
"Is there recognition of marital rape in Islam?
In the context of jirah, it would appear so: where there is any
physical harm or disease caused to a spouse, there may bea claim for
jirah compensation. The law ofjirah provides for compensation for
physical harm between spouses, and supports Islamic legislation
againstdomestic abuse. Even in these discussions of appropriate jirah
compensation, the question of the injured party's consent plays a
central role. Some Islamicjurists considered consent to be presumed by
virtue of the marital relationship, while othersmaintain that where
harm occurs, it is an assault, regardless of the consent, and
therefore compensation is due. In our modern era, one might take these
precedents and their premium focus on consent and apply the Islamic
principle of sexualautonomy to conclude that any sex without consent
is harmful, as a dishonoring of the unwilling party's sexual autonomy.
Thus, modern Islamic jurists and legislators, taking a
gender-egalitarian perspective, might conclude that Islamic law does
recognize marital rape, and assign the appropriate injunctions and
compensation for this personally devastating harm." (Qureshi)
An often misquoted and abused hadith that is used to tyrannize womenis
that women cannot and should not say no to their husband when he
approaches them Womenare advised not to turn away from their husbands
except if they have their period or any other reasonable excuse. So
much so that she is to break her voluntary fast if her husband
approaches her. And if they do angels will curse them. However, this
hadith is not quoted withthe complementary one that advises men of the
same consideration.
In the same manner men are advised that meeting the needs of their
wives takes precedence over voluntary worship. Narrated Abdullah bin
Amr bin Al-As: "Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "O Abdullah! I have been
informed that you fast allthe day and stand in prayer all night?" I
said, 'Yes, O Allah's Apostle!' He said, "Do not do that! Observe the
fast sometimes and also leavethem at other times, stand up for the
prayer atnight and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you
and your wife has a right over you." (Bukhâri)
To a certain degree theseahâdîth are used to confuse and distract
fromthe issue, since rape doesnot have anything to do with permission
or lack of permission. In a marriage abusive or forced sexual activity
cannot be justified by abusing this hadith. Rapeis defined as
unwanted, violent and forced sex, whether this occurs in a marital
context or outside it. The definition of rape does not change because
of the relationship.
It is important to not confuse the issue of mutual rights that a
couple has on each other with the misguided, distorted and misogynist
assumption that women become a husband's property. Islam does not
allow for or tolerate ownership of human beings. Human dignity does
not allow that any one person has the right to own, mind/body/soul,
another human being... and Islam demands that all human beings respect
the humanity of everyone.
Incest & Child Abuse
The Quran clearly outlines those with whom marriage is not permitted,
we can extrapolate from it that any sexual relation with these would
be unacceptable.
Sûrah an Nisa 4:23:
Prohibited for you (in marriage) are your mothers, your daughters,your
sisters, the sisters of your fathers, the sisters of your mothers, the
daughters of your brother, the daughters ofyour sister, your nursing
mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, the mothers
of your wives, the daughters of your wives with whom you have
consummated the marriage - if the marriage has not been consummated,
you may marry the daughter. Also prohibited for you are the women who
were married to your genetic sons. Also, you shall not be married to
two sisters at the same time - but do not break up existing marriages.
GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
This includes your foster parents, siblings and children.
Al Hasan reports: 'If somebody commits illegal intercourse with his
sister, his punishment is the same as for any other person who commits
such a crime'. (Bukhâri Vol. 8 pp 526)
Thus, these same laws mentioned above in cases of rape would be
equally applicable, and incest can be prosecuted as a crime within the
bounds of Islamic law.
According to Islam, all aspects of life, ie: the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual, are sacred and must be respected. No gender
or relationship has been given the power or right to hurt or harm the
other. Domestic violence, rape and incest are all violent and criminal
abuses that are outside the bounds of what is permitted in Islam and
there is absolutely no justification for it whatsoever.
References:
-Ghazâlî; "Ihya Ulum ud Din"
-Hasan, Riffat; "Religious Human Rights in Global Perspective:
Religious Perspectives" John Witte, Jr. and Johan D. van der Vyver
Eds. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1996
-Maudoodi, Abu al Ala; "Human Rights in Islam" The Islamic Foundation
UK 1976, 1993
-Qureshi, Asifa LLM; "Her Honor: An Islamic Critiqueof the Rape Laws
of Pakistan from a Woman-Sensitive Perspective"
-Rahman, Afzal ur; "Role of Muslim Women in Society" Seerah
Foundation, London, 1986
-Rauf, Muhammad Abdul; "Umar al Faruq" Al Saadawi Publications, 1998
Abridged version of article published in the September issue of
'Islâmic Reflections 2002'

"Description of Hell"

... In Ramadhan the gates of Hell are closed...
In Ramadhan Allah has some `utaqqa' (freed persons) from Hell...
What is this Hell that it is being told about so much?...
Paradise and Hell had already been created andthey exist now ...
When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise, saying:
Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The
Prophet (pbuh) said: So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had
prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (pbuh) said: So he returned
to Him and said: By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it. So He
ordered that it be encompassed by forms ofhardship, and He said: Return to it
and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet
(pbuh) said: So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of
hardship. Then he returned to Him and said:By Your glory, I fear that no one
will enter it. He said: Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared
therein for its inhabitants, and he found that it was in layers, one above the
other. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, no one who hears of it
will enter it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said:
Return to it. And he returned to it and said: By Your glory, I am frightened
that no one will escape from entering it. [at-Tirmithi and al-Hakim among
others]
Paradise and Hell quarell...
The Prophet said,"Paradise and Hell (Fire) quarreled in the presence of
their Lord. Paradise said, 'O Lord! What is wrong with me that only the poor
and humble people enterme ?' Hell (Fire) said, I have been favored with the
arrogant people.' So Allah said to Paradise, 'You are My Mercy,' and said to
Hell, 'You are My Punishment which I inflict upon whom I wish,and I shall fill
both of you.'" The Prophet added, "As for Paradise, (it will be filled with
good people) because Allah does not wrong anyof His created things, andHe
creates for Hell (Fire) whomever He will, and they will be thrown into it, and
it will say thrice, 'Is there any more, till Allah (will put) His Foot over it
and it will become full and its sides will come close to each other and itwill
say, 'Qat! Qat! Qat! (Enough! Enough! Enough!). [Bukhari]
In another version of thishadith :
Paradise and Hell-fire disputed together, and Hell-fire said: In me are the
mighty and the haughty. Paradise said: In me are the weak and the poor. So
Allah judged between them, [saying]: You are Paradise, My mercy; through you
I show mercy to those I wish. And you are Hell-fire, My punishment; through
you I punish those I wish,and it is incumbent upon Me that each of you shall
have its fill.
A Dialogue between the dwellers of Hell and the Dwellers of Paradise
Surah: 7. al-A`raaf
36. But those who reject our signs and treat them with arrogance they are
companions of the fire to dwell therein (for ever).
37. Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejectshis
signs? For such their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of
decrees); until when Our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls
they say: "where are the things that ye used toinvoke besides Allah?"
They will reply "they have left us in the lurch" and they will bear witness
against themselves thatthey had rejected Allah.
38. He will say: "enter ye in the company of the peoples who passed away before
you men and Jinns intothe fire. Every time a new people enters it curses
its sister-people (that went before) until they follow each other all into
the fire. Saith the last about the first: "Our Lord!it is these that
misled us: so give thema double penalty in the fire." He will say:
"doubled for all": but this Ye do not understand.
39. Then the first will say to the last: "see then! no advantage have ye over
us; so taste ye of the penalty for all that ye did!"
40. To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance no opening will
there be of the gates ofheaven nor will they enter the garden until the
camel can pass throughthe eye of the needle: such is Our reward for those
in sin.
41. For them there is hell as a couch (below) and folds and folds of covering
above: such is Our requital of those who do wrong.
42. But those who believe and work righteousness no burden do We place on any
soul but that which it can bear they will be companions of the garden
therein to dwell (for ever).
43. And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury; beneath
them will be rivers flowing; and they shall say: "Praise be to Allah Who
hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance had
it not been for the guidance of Allah: indeedit was the truth that the
apostles of our Lord brought unto us." And they Shall hear the cry:
"Behold! the garden before you! Ye have beenmade its inheritors for your
deeds (of righteousness)."
44. The companions of the garden will call out tothe companions of the fire:
"We have indeed found the promises of our Lord to us true: have you also
found your Lord's promises true?" They shall say "yes"; but a criershall
proclaim between them: "the curse of Allah is on the wrong- doers;
45. "Those who would hinder (men) from the path of Allah and would seek in it
something crooked: they were those who Denied the Hereafter."
46. Between them shall be a veil and on the heights will be men who would know
everyone by his marks: they will call out to the companions of the garden
"peace on you" they will not have entered butthey will have an assurance
(thereof.)
47. When their eyes shall be turned towards the companions of the fire they
will say: "Our Lord! send us not to the company of the wrong- doers."
48. The men on the heights will call to certainmen whom they will know from
their marks saying: "Of what profit to you were you hoards and your
arrogant ways?
49. "Behold! are these not the men whom you swore that Allah with his mercy
would never bless? Enter ye the garden: no fear shall be on you nor shall
ye grieve."
50. The companions of the fire will call to the companions of the garden; "pour
down to us water or anything that Allah doth provide for your sustenance."
They will say: "Both these things hath Allah forbidden to those who
rejected Him.
51. "Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play and were
deceived by the life of the world." That day shall We forget them as they
forgot the meeting of this day of theirs and as they were wont to reject
Our signs.
52. For We had certainly sent unto them a Book based on knowledge which We
explained in detail a guide and a mercy to all who believe.
WHAT IS HELL ABOUT ?
Allah Ta`ala describes Hellin the Qur'an and His messenger, salla Allahu
alaihi wa sallam, in the pure Sunnah
Anas Bin Malik relates: The Prophet (S) deliveredbefore us a sermon the like
of which I had never heard form him before. In course of it he said: 'If You
could know what I know,you would laugh little and weep much.' Thereupon those
present covered their faces and began to sob loudly. [Bukhari and Muslim].
Another version says: Some reports from the companions reached the
Messenger of Allah (S). Hetherefore addressed them and said: Heaven and Hell
were shown I have neverseen the like of (the these two) till this day in good
and in evil. If you could know what I know, you would laugh little and weep
much. That was the hardest day for the companions of the Messenger of Allah
(S). They covered their faces and started weeping loudly. [Bukhari& Muslim]
I. Hell described in al-Qur'an
Surah: 2. al-Baqara
24. But if ye cannot and of a surety ye cannot then fear the fire whose fuel
is Men and Stones which is prepared for those who reject Faith.
167. And those who followed would say: "If only we had one more chance we
would clear ourselves of them as they have cleared themselves of us." Thus
will Allah show them (thefruits of) their deeds as (nothing but) regrets nor
will there be a way for them out of the fire.
Surah: 4. an-Nisaa
10. Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans eat up a fire intotheir
own bodies: they will soon be enduring a blazing fire!
14. But those who disobey Allah and His Apostle and transgress His limits will
be admitted to a fire to abide therein: and they shall have a humiliating
punishment.
56. Those who reject Our Signs We shall soon cast into the fire: as often as
their skins are roasted through We shall change them for fresh skins that
they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.
145. The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the fire: no helper wilt
thou find for them.
Surah: 5. al-Ma'ida
40. Their wish will be to get out of the fire but never will they get out
therefrom: their penalty will be one that endures.
Surah: 6. al-An`aam
27. If thou couldst but seewhen they are confronted with the fire! They will
say: "Would that we werebut sent back! then would we not reject the Signs of
our Lord but would be amongst those who believe!.
Surah: 9. at-Tauba
34. ... And there are thosewho hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the
way of Allah : announce unto them a most grievous chastisement
35. On the day when heatwill be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of
hell and with it will be branded their foreheads their flanks and their backs
"this is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye then the
(treasures) ye buried!"
Surah: 10. Yunus
27. But those who have earned evil will have a reward of like evil: ignominy
will cover their (faces): no defender will they have from (the wrath of) Allah:
their faces will be covered as it were with pieces from the depth of the
darkness of Night: they are Companions of the Fire: they will abide therein
(for aye)!
Surah: 11. Huud
106. Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: there will be for them
therein (nothing but) theheaving of sighs and sobs:
Surah: 13. ar-Ra'd
5. If thou dost marvel (at their want of faith) strange is their saying:"When
we are (actually) dust shall we indeed then be in a creation renewed?" They
are those who deny theirLord! They are those round whose necks will be yokes
(of servitude): they will be Companions of the Fire who dwell therein (for
aye)!
Surah: 14. Ibrahim
15. But they sought victory and decision (there and then) and frustration was
the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor.
16. In front of such a one is Hell and he is given for drink boiling fetid
water.
17. In gulps will he sip it but never well he be nearswallowing it down his
throat: Death will cometo him from every quarter yet will he not die: and
in front of him will be a chastisement unrelenting.
18. The parable of those who reject their Lord is that their works are as ashes
on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day: No power have they
over aught that they have earned: That is the straying far far (from the
goal).
21. They will all be marshaled before Allah together: then will the weak say
to those who were arrogant, "For us, we but followed you; can you then avail us
at all against the wrath of Allah?" They will reply,"if we had received the
guidance of Allah, we should have given it to you; to us it makes no
difference (now) whether we rage, or bear (these torments) with patience: For
ourselves there is no wayof escape"
Surah: 15. al-Hijr
43. And verily Hell is the promised abode for themall!
44. To it are seven Gates: for each of those Gates is (special) class (of
sinners assigned).
Surah: 18. al-Kahf
29. Say "The Truth is fromyour Lord": let him who will believe and let him
who will reject (it): for the wrongdoers We haveprepared a Fire whose (smoke
and flames) like the wall and roof of a tent will hem them in: if they implore
relief they will be granted water like melted brass that will scald their
faces. How dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch torecline on!
53. And the Sinful shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to all
therein; no means will they find to turn away there from.
Surah: 22. al-Hajj
19. These two antagonists dispute with each other about their Lord: but those
who deny (their Lord) for them will be cut out agarment of Fire: over
their heads will be poured out boiling water.
20. With it will be scaldedwhat is within their bodies as well as (their)
skins.
21. In addition there will be maces of iron (to punish) them.
22. Every time they wish to get away there from from anguish they will beforced
back therein and (it will be said) "Taste ye thePenalty of Burning!"
Surah: 23. al-Mu'minoun
103. But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost theirsouls;
in Hell will they abide.
104. The fire will burn their faces, and they will therein grin, with their
lips displaced.
Surah: 25. al-Furqaan
11. Nay they deny the Hour (of the Judgment to come): but We have prepared a
Blazing Fire for such as deny the Hour:
12. When it sees them from a place far off they will hear its fury and its
raging sigh.
13. And when they are cast bound together into a constricted place therein they
will plead for destruction there and then!
14. "This day plead not for a single destruction: plead for destruction
oft-repeated!"
15. Say: "Is that best or the eternal Garden promised to the righteous? For
them that is a reward as well as a goal (of attainment).
16. "For them there will be therein all that they wish for: they will dwell
(there) for aye: a promise to be prayed for from thy Lord."
Surah: 26. ash-Shu`araa
94. "Then they will be thrown headlong into the (Fire) they and those straying
in Evil
Surah: 27. an-Naml
90. And if any do evil their faces will be thrownheadlong into the Fire:"Do
ye receive a reward other than that which ye have earned by your deeds?"
Surah: 32. as-Sajda
20. As to those who are rebellious and wicked their abode will be the Fire:
every time they wish to get away there from theywill be forced there into and it
will be said to them:"taste ye the Penalty of the Fire the which ye were wont
to reject as false.

Ramadan Articles - Education of Children inRamadan

Children (who have not reached puberty) are not commanded to fast.
However, their parents orguardians are strongly recommended to
encourage them to fast a few days so that they get used to it and they
grow up knowing of the worship of fasting as they would know that of
praying. In fact this was the practice of the first women of Islam who
were living around the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. An
example of that is Ar-Rubayya' bint Mu'awiyyah who reported that:
"The Messenger of Allah sent a man on the morning of the day of
'Ashurah, to the residences of the Ansar, saying: 'Whoever has spent
the morning fasting is to complete his fast. Whoever has not spent
this morning fasting should voluntarilyfast for the remainder of the
day.' We fasted after that announcement, as did our young children. We
would go to the mosque and make toys stuffed with cotton for them to
play with. If one of them started crying due to hunger, we wouldgive
him a toy to play with until it was time to eat." [al-Bukhari and
Muslim.]
Dear brothers and sisters,remember that among the seven that Allah
will shade under His shade onthe Day of Judgement is ayoung man who
grew upin the worship of Allah. Therefore let your children be one of
these.
There are many ways to educate your children about Ramadan. The
bestand most important way is to set the good example by fasting
properly and behaving according to the Prophetic teachings. This is
what your children willtake from you first. Whenyou are fulfilling
this you can very easily teach them what you want, and they will
accept it and practise it easilly as well. Here are few tips that you
can use with your children. No doubt you can think of others as well:
*.Depending on their ageencourage them to fast a number of days upto
every other day or more for those who arealmost at the age of puberty.
For those who are still young let them fast a day or two and praise
them in front of friends and relatives fortheir achivement.
*.Let your children go with their father to the Masjid for Maghrib
prayer and break the fast with the larger Muslim community to make
them feel the greatness of fasting and the unity of Muslims in
worshippingAllah.
*.If your children cannot fast let them eat with you at the time of
Maghrib and teach them that you are breaking the fast even if they ate
before.
*.Teach your children thesupplication of breaking the fast.
*.Take your children to the Taraweeh prayer sothat they get used to it
and know about it fromtheir early age. They may sit or stay in the
back of the prayer room if they get tired.
*.Teach them to give charity. Do it in front of them and tell them you
are doing it because the reward increases in Ramadan.
*.Teach them to recite Qur'an regularly and inform them that the
Prophet (S) used to do that in Ramadan.
*.Correct them if they behave wrongly or say unaccaptable words and
remind them that they are fasting or they are in Ramadan and this may
alter their reward.
*.Wake them up for Suhoor (even if they don't fast) and Fajr prayer.
*.Teach them to feed the fasting people for iftaar, and tell them
about the reward for that.
*.Dress them in the best clothes, give them baths and take them with
you to the Eid Prayer. Teach them thatthis is our feast and
celebration and that Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and otherholidays
are not ours. Stress the distinction.
And remember that the Prophet salla allahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"For one who is given theresponsibility of the bringing up of
daughtersand treats them well, they will be a shield for him from
Hell."(Bukhari and Muslim)

Ramadan Articles - The Inner Dimensions of Fasting

Three Grades
It should be known that there are three grades of Fasting: ordinary,
special and extra-special.
*.Ordinary Fastingmeans abstaining from food, drink and sexual satisfaction.
*.Special Fastingmeans keeping one's ears, eyes, tongue, hands and
feet -- and all otherorgans -- free from sin.
*.Extra-special Fastingmeans fasting of the heart from unworthy
concerns and worldly thoughts, in total disregard of everythingbut
Allah, Great and Glorious is He. This kind of Fast is broken by
thinking of worldly matters, except for those conducive to religious
ends, since these constitute provision for the Hereafter and are not
of this lower world. Those versed in the spiritual life of the heart
have even said that a sin is recorded against one who concerns himself
all daywith arrangements for breaking his Fast. Such anxiety stems
from lack of trust in the bounty ofAllah, Great and Glorious is He,
and fromlack of certain faith in His promised sustenance.
To this third degree belong the Prophets, the true awliya and the
intimates of Allah. It does not lend itself to detailed examination
inwords, as its true nature is better revealed in action. It consists
in utmost dedication to Allah, Great and Glorious is He, to the
neglect of everything other than Allah, Exalted is He. It is bound up
with the significance of His words: 'Say: "Allah (sentit down)": then
leave them to play in their vain discussions.' [al-An'am,6:91]
Inward Requirements
As forSpecial Fasting, thisis the kind practiced by the righteous. It
means keeping all one's organs free from sin and six things are
required for its accomplishment:
1. See Not What Displeases Allah
A chaste regard, restrained from viewing anything that is blameworthy
or reprehensible, or that distracts the heart and diverts it from the
remembrance of Allah, Great and Glorious is He. Said the Prophet, on
him be peace:
"The furtive glance is oneof the poisoned arrows of Satan, on him be
Allah's curse. Whoever forsakes it for fear of Allah will receive from
Him, Great and Glorious isHe, a faith the sweetness of which he will
find within his heart."
Jabir relates from Anas that Allah's Messenger, onhim be peace, said:
"Five things break a man's Fast: lying, backbiting, gossiping, perjury
and a lustful gaze."
2. Speak Not What Displeases Allah
Guarding one's tongue from idle chatter, lying, gossiping, obscenity,
rudeness, arguing and controversy; making (the tongue) observe silence
and occupying it with remembrance of Allah, Great and Glorious is He,
and with recitation of Quran. This is the fasting of the tongue. Said
Sufyan: 'Backbiting annuls the Fast.' Layth quotes Mujahid as
saying:'Two habits annul Fasting: backbiting and telling lies.' The
Prophet, on him be peace, said:
"Fasting is a shield; so when one of you is Fasting he should not
usefoul or foolish talk. If someone attacks him or insults him, let
him say: "Iam Fasting, I am Fasting!"'
According to Tradition:"Two women were Fastingduring the time of
Allah's Messenger, on him be peace. They were so fatigued towards the
endof the day, from hunger and thirst that they were on the verge of
collapsing. They therefore sent a message to Allah's Messenger, on him
be peace, requestingpermission to break theirFast. In response, the
Prophet, on him be peace, sent them a bowl and said:"Tell them to
vomit into it what they have eaten."One of them vomited and half
filled the bowl with fresh blood and tender meat, while the other
brought up the same so that they filled it between them. The onlookers
were astonished. Then the Prophet, on him be peace, said:"These two
women have been Fasting from what Allah made lawful to them, andhave
broken their Fast onwhat Allah, Exalted is He, made unlawful to them.
They sat together and indulged in backbiting, and here is the flesh of
the people they maligned!"'
3. Hear Not What Displeases Allah
Closing one's ears to everything reprehensible; for everything
unlawful to utter is likewise unlawfulto listen to. That is why Allah,
Great and Glorious is He, equated the eavesdropper with the profiteer,
in His words, Exalted is He:"Listeners tofalsehood, consumers of
illicit gain."[al-Ma'idah, 5:42] Allah, Great and Glorious is He, also
said:"Why do their rabbis and priests not forbid them toutter sin and
consume unlawful profit?"[al-Ma'idah, 5:63] Silence in the face of
backbiting is therefore unlawful. Allah, Exalted is He, said:"You are
then just like them."[al-Nisa, 4:140] That is why the Prophet, on him
be peace, said:"The backbiter and his listener are copartners in sin."
4. Do Not What DispleasesAllah
Keeping all other limbs and organs away from sin: the hands and feet
from reprehensible deeds, and the stomach from questionable food at
the time for breaking Fast. It is meaningless to Fast -- to abstain
from lawful food - only to break one's Fast on what is unlawful. A man
who Fasts like this may be compared to one who builds a castle but
demolishes a city. Lawful food is injurious in quantity not in
quality, soFasting is to reduce the former. A person might well give
up excessive use of medicine, from fear of ill effects, but he would
be a fool to switchto taking poison. The unlawful is a poison deadly
to religion, while the lawful is a medicine, beneficial in small doses
but harmful in excess. The object of Fasting is toinduce moderation.
Said the Prophet, on him be peace:"How many of those who Fast get
nothing from it but hunger and thirst!"This has been taken to mean
those who break their Fast on unlawful food. Some say it refers to
those who abstain from lawful food, but break their Fast on human
fleshthrough backbiting, which is unlawful. Others consider it an
allusion to those who do not guard their organs from sin.
5. Avoid Overeating
Not to over-indulge in lawful food at the time ofbreaking Fast, to the
point of stuffing one's belly. There is no receptacle more odious to
Allah, Great and Glorious is He, than a belly stuffed full with lawful
food. Of what use is the Fast as a means of conquering Allah's
enemyand abating appetite, if at the time of breaking it one not only
makes up for all one has missed during the daytime, but perhaps also
indulges in a variety of extra foods? It has even become the custom to
stock up for Ramadan with all kinds of foodstuffs, so that more is
consumed duringthat time than in the course of several other months
put together. It iswell known that the object of Fasting is to
experience hunger and to check desire, in order to reinforce the soul
in piety. If the stomach is starved from early morning till evening,
so that its appetite is aroused and its craving intensified, and it is
then offered delicacies and allowed to eat its fill, its taste for
pleasure is increased and its force exaggerated; passions are
activated which would have lain dormantunder normal conditions.The
spirit and secret nature of Fasting is to weaken the forces that are
Satan's means of leading us back to evil. It is therefore essential to
cut down one's intake to what one would consume on a normal night,
when not Fasting. No benefit is derived from the Fast if one consumes
as much as onewould usually take during the day and night combined.
Moreover, oneof the properties consists in taking little sleep during
the daytime, so that one feels the hungerand thirst and becomes
conscious of the weakening of one's powers, with the consequent
purification of the heart. One should let a certain degree of weakness
carry over into the night, making it easier to perform the night
Prayers (tahajjud) and to recite the praises (awrad). It may then be
that Satan will not hover around one's heart, and that one will behold
the Kingdom of Heaven. The Night of Destiny (Laylat al-Qadr)
represents the night on which something of this Kingdom is revealed.
Thisis what is meant by the words of Allah, Exalted is He:"We surely
revealed iton the Night of Power."[al-Qadr, 97:1] Anyone who puts a
bag of food between his heart and his breast becomes blind to this
revelation. Nor is keeping the stomach empty sufficient to remove the
veil, unless one also empties the mind of everything but Allah, Great
and Glorious is He. That is the entire matter, and the starting point
of it all is cutting down on food.
6. Look to Allah with Fear and Hope
After the Fast has been broken, the heart should swing like a pendulum
between fear and hope. For one does not know if one's Fast will be
accepted, so that one willfind favor with Allah, or whether it will be
rejected, leaving one among those He abhors. This is how one should be
at the end of any act of worship one performs.It is related of
al-Hasan ibn Abil Hasan al-Basri that he once passed by a group of
people who were laughing merrily. He said: "Allah, Great and Glorious
is He, has made the month of Ramadan a racecourse, on which His
creatures compete in His worship. Some have come in first and won,
while others have laggedbehind and lost. It is absolutely amazing to
find anybody laughing and playing about on theday when success
attendsthe victors, and failure the wasters. By Allah, if the veil
were lifted off, the doer of good would surely be preoccupied with his
good works and the evildoer with his evil deeds. I am too full of
joyto indulge in idle sport, while for one who has suffered rejection
laughter will be precluded by remorse."
Of al-Ahnaf ibn Qays it is reported that he was once told: "You are an
aged elder; Fasting would enfeeble you." Buthe replied: "By this I am
making ready for a long journey: Obedience to Allah, Glorified is He,
is easier to endure than His punishment." Such are the inwardly
significant meanings of Fasting.

Fathwa - Pursuing a job that entails missing Friday and 'Eed prayers

Question
salaam alaikum, dear brother/sister )who ever reads this( in islam may
allah's blessings be with you. I am an electronics and communication
engineer working in kuwait with a stable job from 7 am to 3 pm.
HOWEVER the job that i am pursuing is not the one that i am interested
in. I would like to be an Air traffic controller and the timings for
this job are in shifts and coincide with prayer times and also there
is no guarantee that i may get to pray friday prayers or eid prayers
as there are no holidays as such for air traffic controllers. my
question is can i still work towards being an air traffic controller
or is it forbidden to go ahead despite knowing that there is a chance
of missing prayers which include fridays and eid ??
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
There is nothing wrong with pursuing that job, and do not let the
possibility of missing some Friday prayers because of it, prevent you
from that. That is because the current permissible matter is not to be
left for an obligatory matter whose obligation has not become due
yet.Al-Kharashisaid: "'Ali Al-Ujhoori said, it is permissible for one
to sleep at night even if he thinks that his sleeping will last until
the time of Fajr prayer ends. So, one should not leave something
permissible for something that has not become obligatory on him yet as
reported byAl-Baaji from our companions )the Maaliki scholars(." ]End
quote[
However, if you got that job, then you are an employee and it is
obligatory upon you to attend Friday prayer because its duration is
excluded from the Ijaarah )hiring( contract, unless you fear that a
harm may be caused to the work for which you are hired. If this is the
case, then you will be given concession not to attend Friday prayer.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 162925.
As for 'Eed prayer, there is no blame on you if you miss it at all
because it is a Sunnah or Fardh Kifaayah )collective obligation(.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - The sale of this land is valid

Question
We bought a piece of residential land about 25 years ago.The land has
Railway crossing near it.We have sold the land to third person an
received some amount inadvance from him,when remaining amount will be
paid the ownership will be transfered to purchaser.After we have
received the amount of advance we come to know that the railway line
results in some cracks in nearby houses. We have not told purchaser
about this as we were unaware of the fact...No what we shoul ddo? will
this sale transaction be valid?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
What you have mentioned does not affect the validity of the sale and
you are not obligated to tell the buyer about it because if the
railway existed during the sale, then it is something that cannot be
hidden, and if it did not exist, then the occurrence of what you
mentioned )i.e. the cracks in nearby houses( is just an expectation
that does not count at all.Again, you have sold the land to him and he
may benefit from it by building or in other purposes.
In any case, expecting an effect to occur due to therailway line that
is near the land does not affect the stated sale and it is not
obligatory to tell the buyer about it.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - Wages and duration of labor contract must be specified

Question
Dear Shaykh, Assalaamhu Alaikum My question is about working for my
mother who has a house and wishes to rent roomsin it. She agreed, and
as I need to earn a proper salary/wage, she agreed to pay me every
month from the rental profits, provided I look after the running of
the property. Mother has said that she doesn't want any of the profit
and would allow me to have all of it as a wage in return to fulfilling
certain work conditions i.e. deal with estate agents or advertise for
tenants. Deal with any repairs such as calling out electricians,
plumbers etcand paying them out of the rental profits. Deal with
paying bills out of the rental profits. And dealing with tenants'
complaints and ensuring that they have what they need. The amount of
rental income she could receive could vary in the year according to
how many rooms we fill in or how long the tenants stay. Some months
she may get £600 and other months it could be £1200 and then other
months it could be £2400 or even more etc. The problem here is how
should a work contract in Islam bemade between my mother and I? Should
there be a defined fixed period of a beginning and an end
stipulated)and renewed if necessary(, and should she pay me a fixed
wage/salary as opposed to me accepting any odd amount that we are left
with at the end of the month for the same conditions required of me?
And also there may be times where nothing is required of me i.e. a
month or two may pass and the tenants have no need of me or there are
no repairs to be made or no bill to pay etc. Am I still entitled to my
wage/salary for this period within the contract? Is it permissiblefor
me to except whatever amount we receive in total profit at the end of
the month, every month i.e. £600 one month, £1800 the next month etc.
for my services on the basis that my mother has agreed to not wanting
any of the profit and has said that I can take all of it? Please
advise me as to how I should go about all of this insha'Allah.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
There is nothing wrong with working with your mother in running the
house for her, however, there should be a fixed fee and it is not
appropriate for it to be unknown, i.e. to be what remains after paying
billsand the like from the rental income from the rooms. In addition,
this income is not stable for itmay be little or much.
Anyway, you can agree with your mother to get a fixed salary and if
whatremains from the rent money exceeds it, she can give it to you as
a giftif she wills. Also, you haveto agree with her on a fixed period
of the contract and it may be onan annual or monthly basis, i.e. that
a specific sum of money for each month or so.
Allaah Knows best.

- Ramadan Articles, - How we should receive Ramadan - II

5. ReceivingRamadanby making the best use of time
Time is very precious because every minute that passes can never
return.Ramadanis also a means of success or failure, salvation or
destruction…
Amongst the obligatory and recommended acts of worship inRamadanare:
First:Fasting during the daytime:
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}So whoever sights ]the new moon
of[ the month, let himfast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey -
then an equal number of other days.{]Quran 2: 185[
Moreover, the Prophet,, said:"Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and
seeking the reward of Allaah, his previous sins will be
forgiven."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Second:Performing voluntary night prayers )theTaraaweehprayer(:
It was narrated that the Prophet,, said:"Whoever stands )in voluntary
prayer at night in( Ramadan out of faith and seeking the reward of
Allaah, his previous sins will be forgiven."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Third:Reciting the Quran:
Ramadanis the month of the Noble Quran. Allaah The AlmightySays )what
means(:}The month of Ramadan ]is that[ in which was revealed the
Quran, a guidance for the people and clearproofs of guidance and
criterion.{]Quran 2: 185[
The angel Jibreel )Gabriel(would study the Quran with the Prophet,, in
the month ofRamadan. Hence, our righteous predecessors would devote
themselves and their time to reciting the Quran inRamadan. So would
used to recite the Quran in the prayers and at othertimes.
Az-Zuhrisaid at the advent of the blessed month ofRamadan,"It is only
for reciting the Quran and giving food."
Fourth: GivingIftaar)the fast-breaking meal( to fasting people:
It was narrated that the Prophet,, said:"Whoever gives food tosomeone
who is fasting to break his fast with will have a reward like his,
without that detracting from the fasting person's rewardin the
slightest."]Al-Bukhaari andMuslim[
Fifth:Generosity:
It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah,, was the most generous
of people, and he was the most generous duringRamadan. ]Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim[.
Sixth:Performing 'Umrah)lesser pilgrimage( inRamadan:
It was narrated that the Prophet,, said:"'Umrah in Ramadan is
equivalent )in reward( to Hajj."In another narration:"To Hajj with me
."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Seventh:PerformingI'tikaaf)seclusion in the mosque(:
I'tikaafis in the last ten days ofRamadan. It was narrated that
'Aa'ishahsaid,"The Prophetwould practice I'tikaaf duringthe last ten
days of Ramadan until he passed away and then his wives would practice
I'tikaaf after him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Eighth:Seeking the Night ofAl-Qadr)Divine decree( and spending its
time in prayer:
It was narrated that the Prophet,, said:"Whoever stands )in prayer(
during the Night of Al-Qadr out of faith and seeking the reward of
Allaah, he will be forgiven his previous sins."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
This is is during the last ten days ofRamadan.
6. ReceivingRamadanby perfecting and excelling in deeds
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}Indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well
in deeds.{]Quran 18: 30[
•}For indeed, Allaah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who
do good.{]Quran 11: 115[
We mentioned this because some people, may Allaah guide them, made the
fast a pretext forneglecting public duties and the tasks that they are
assigned. If one were to ask one of them why, he would reply, is it
not sufficient that I am fasting? It is as if fasting entails
laziness, neglecting public duties, and making things difficult for
others. On the contrary, it calls for being active, striving,
treatingpeople kindly and making things easy for them.
7. ReceivingRamadanwith forgiveness, tolerance and good morals
It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah,said:"If one of you is
fasting, he should avoid sexual relations with his wife and
quarreling, and if somebody fights or quarrels withhim, he should
respond: 'I am fasting.'"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Thus, we have to adhere firmly tothe noble morals of Islam in this
month as well as in all other months. That is to say, everyone should
fulfill his obligations towards his Lord, the Prophet,and his fellow
Muslims and ask for his needs kindly so that he may attain piety,
which is the main aim behind fasting as Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}Decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those
before you that you may become righteous.{]Quran 2: 183[
Consequently, fasting entails:
1-Refraining from satisfying the desires of the stomach and the sexual organs.
2-Restraining the eyes, tongue, feet, ears and all other organs of the
body from committing sins.
3-Making the heart refrain from ill thoughts and thoughts that would
direct it away from Allaah The Almighty and from thinking about
anything except Allaah TheAlmighty.
8. ReceivingRamadanby calling oneself to account
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}O you who have believed, fear
Allaah. And let every soul look to what it has putforth for tomorrow -
and fear Allaah. Indeed, Allaah is Acquainted with what you do. And be
not like those who forgotAllaah, so He made them forget
themselves.{]Quran 59:18-19[
Furthermore, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab,said,"Hold yourself to account
before you are held to account, and weigh yourselves before you are
weighed, as reckoning yourselvestoday will make it easier for you to
be reckoned tomorrow."
Self-reckoning should be before and after doing any action:
Doing it before doing any action is to reckon oneself on his intention
and in following the way of the Prophet,.
Reckoning after the action is of three types:
First,one should reckon his soul for its gross negligence wit respect
to the acts of worshipingAllaah The Almighty which it has not
performed properly, and the right of Allaah, in acts of
Worship, has six requirements:
1- Sincerity of intention in doing any action.
2- Attempting to do it perfectly and in a way that would Allaah The Almighty.
3- Doing itin accordance with theguidance of the Prophet,.
4-Worshipping Allaah as though one sees Him
5-Acknowledging the Blessings of AllaahThe Almighty upon him with
regard to enabling him to do the act.
6-Acknowledging one's shortcomings with respects to it.
Secondone should reckon his soul for any action that he has done when
it would have been better for him not to have done.
Thirdone should cast a critical look back at whatever permissible acts
he has done andask himself why he did them: Were they for the sake of
Allaah The Almighty and the Hereafter? If so, he will be rewarded
greatly,however, if he did it for this world and its trivial gains, he
willmiss great rewards.
Therefore, we could receive, live, feel delighted and benefit from the
blessed month ofRamadan,and if we cannot do that, we would be like the
Prophet,, said:"It may be that all a fasting person gets from his fast
is hunger and thirst, and it may be that all a person who prays at
night gets from his prayer is sleeplessness."]Ahmad[
]Al-Albaani:Saheeh)Authentic([
We ask Allaah The Almighty sincerely to accept our good deeds and not
to return them as empty.

- Ramadan Articles, - How we should receive Ramadan - I

People have various ideas and ways of receiving the blessed month
ofRamadanand invest this occasion in fulfilling their favorite actions
and activities. Some of them make this an occasion for laziness,
idleness, sleep and neglecting the differentacts of obedience that
they could otherwise be doing. Others find this a good opportunity for
watching shows on satellite television while others stay up late at
night and use this precious time to pay visits, go to markets, relax,
make trips and the like while others make it an occasion for
exaggeration in eating, drinking and doing whatever they like, as
ifRamadanis the month of food and drink, and not the month of fasting.
However, there are some other people for whom Allaah The Almighty
wants good for and thus guides them to the right way so that they
became able to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong.
Such people receive this blessed month warmly and happily since they
believe that it is a golden opportunity to attain forgivenessfor sins
and make a new start that would be sin-free. In fact, the blessed
month ofRamadanisthe month of forgiveness, mercy and emancipation from
Hell. The Prophet,, used to give his Companions glad tidings on the
arrival ofRamadansaying:"There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed
month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of
Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the
rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is
better than a thousand months - whoever is deprived of its goodness is
indeed deprived."]An-Nasaa'i, Al-Albaani:Saheeh)Authentic([
Consequently, these people knewwell the virtues, rewards and goodness
of this blessed month and thus they decide to reap all these fruits
and benefits so that they may not be among those who will say ]what
Allaah The Almighty Says )which means([:}I wish I had sent ahead ]some
good[ for my life.{]Quran 89: 24[ or say ]what Allaah The Almighty
Says )which means([:}My Lord, send me back, that I might do
righteousness in that which I leftbehind.{]Quran 23:99-100[ They do
not wish to be among those who will regret their negligence at a time
when regret will be of no use.
Therefore, those people whom Allaah has guided to receive the blessed
month ofRamadanproperly, are determined to do the following:
1.Sincere Repentance
Repentance of sins is obligatory at all times, especially in the month
ofRamadan. If a person does not repent inRamadan, then when would he
repent? If one does not feel regret inRamadan, then when would he feel
regret? Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And turn to Allaah in
repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.{]Quran
24:31[
O you who delay His repentance, until when will you postpone it?
You told yourself: When I observefast inRamadan, I will repent. Well,
here are the days of the blessed month ofRamadanfast approaching, yet
you still refuse to turn to your Lord in repentance. You are turning
away from Him, not coming closer to Him. You still insist resolutely
on your disobedience. Do you not fear that the Angel of Death may come
to you while you are in such a state? How could you be guided to the
path of repentance while you firmly insist on going in the opposite
direction?
Allaah The Almighty forgives all sins: He spreads out His Hand at
night to accept the repentance ofthe one who has sinned during the
day, and He spreads out His Hand by day to accept the repentance of
the one who has sinned during the night. Allaah The Almighty rejoices
over those who turn to Him in repentance and over the regret of the
sinful people. Therefore, He opens a door from the direction of the
west for seventy years for the purpose of repentance, and it will not
be closed until the sun rises from the west as the Prophet,, said.
]Ahmad and At-Tirmithi[
So where are those who long to turn to Allaah The Almighty in repentance?
2.ReceivingRamadanby devotingall actions sincerely and solely to
Allaah The Almighty
One concept should be very clear to all from the onset: If your acts
lack sincerity, then do not botherexhausting yourself because no
action will be accepted without sincerity. Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(:}So whoever would hope for the meeting withhis Lord - let
him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord
anyone.{]Quran 18: 110[ It was narrated that the Prophet,,
said:"Allaah The Almighty Says: 'I am so self-sufficient that I am in
no need of having an associate. Thuswhoever does an action for someone
else's sake as well as mine, I will leave him to whom he has
associated with Me.'"]Muslim[
Fasting is one of the greatest acts of worship that instill sincerity
in the heart of the Muslim. This is because the fasting person cannot
be known except by Allaah The Almighty, The Most Exalted, especially
if he observes fasting in days other than the days ofRamadanand even
inRamadan, for one can pretend that he is fasting while he is not. In
addition to this, the fasting person keeps away from the slightest
thing that can affecthis fasting out of sincerity to Allaah The
Almighty and seeking His pleasure. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty has
hidden the reward of fasting and made it forHimself in much the same
way asthe fasting person has hidden hisfasting from other people, and
ofcourse Allaah The Almighty only gives that which is bountiful and
plentiful. Allaah The Almighty says in aQudsi)Sacred(Hadeeth:}Every
deed of the son of Aadam)Adam( will be rewarded between ten and seven
hundred fold, except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward it
Myself.{]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
3.ReceivingRamadanby adheringstrictly to theSunnahof the Prophet,
No act can be accepted unless it meets two conditions: that it is
accompanied by asincere intention, which is that one should do it only
for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, andin that it isin accordance
with the guidance of the Prophet,.
The verse mentioned above refers to both of these conditions.
*}So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do
righteous work{refers tofollowing the guidance of the Prophet,, and
*}And not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.{]Quran 18: 110[
refers to a sincereintention.
Indeed the Prophet,, clarifiedeverything about the matter of fasting
such as when to start andstop fasting, its pillars, its obligations,
its recommended acts, its manners, its virtues and its benefits,
things that break thefast, what cannot affect the fast, excuses that
allow one to break the fast, and everything else that is related to
the fast.
4.ReceivingRamadanwith patience
In fact,Ramadanis the month of patience and forbearance. In it, one
abstains from some of his usual habits, food, drink, sexual
intercourse and anything else that would break the fast as a form of
obedience to Allaah The Almighty and worship that brings one closer to
Him.
Patience is one of the most difficult things for the soul. Therefore,
patience represents half of faith and the patient will be given an
immense reward as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed, the
patient will be given their reward without account.{]Quran 39: 10[
Patience is of three types:
1- Patienceconcerning the obligations )required by Allaah The
Almighty( that one should fulfill;
2- Patiencein abstaining from actions forbidden by Him, that one should not do;
3- Patienceconcerning afflictions,that one should not resent or
complain of his Lord to.
One should have all three of these.
There are many reasons why one should observe patience, including:
1-Love for Allaah The Almighty.
2-Fear of Allaah The Almighty.
3-Nobility and purity of the soul.
4-Lack of worldly desires and certainty that one will soon depart this world.
5-Avoiding excess in food, drink, clothing, sex, and mixing with people.
6-Feeling shy and embarrassed before Allaah The Almighty.
7-Remembering the blessings that Allaah The Almighty has given as well
as his kindness.
8-Acknowledging the evil and dire consequences of disobedience.
9-Certain knowledge of the consequences of disobedience and the harm
that may result from it.
10-Knowledge of the good consequences and rewards of obeying Allaah
The Almighty .
11-Faith that is firmly-rooted in the heart.
If one pays attention and adheresto these factors, then they will
bethe finest help for him in fulfillingacts of obedience and
refraining from doing sinful acts, particularly, in this month of
fasting that entails exerting oneself in doing many righteous acts and
keeping away from committing sins.

- Ramadan Articles, - Important Tips to Make Use of the Best of All Months-II

Fifth: Try to decorate the public places and your house
withRamadanposters and decorations
This will please and delight the people in general as well as your
children, in addition to spreadingthe noble principles such as
adhering toHijaab,interest in theQuran, consoling Muslims, and so on.
Sixth: Protect your time during the month ofRamadanand be keen on
utilizing it in the best possible way
The precious and valuable time ofRamadan must be protected and
invested well, because during this month the rewards of good deeds are
doubled. This can be achieved through the following steps:
A-Prepare a written timetable to utilize this month:
1-Allocate a plan for the whole month: In this plan, you should
distribute the means that help you achieve the objectives of the whole
month in writing so that you can check them and determine whether you
and your family are making progress, step by step.
2-A daily plan to organize one's time on a daily basis: This should
specify the times of family gatherings, hours for sleeping, reading
time, social occasions and visits, times of studying for the children
and so on. Let us organize our affairs, keep away from randomness and
leave nothing to circumstances.
B-Tips for saving time duringRamadan:
1-Buy and stock the household needs beforeRamadanas far as possible
)such as the foods that can be stored(.
2-Buy the requirements of'Eed)such as new clothes(
beforeRamadaninstead of wasting timein going to the crowded markets
during the last ten days ofRamadan.
3-Refrain from making long visitsas well as holding or attending
several parties and banquets.
4-Minimize the time spent in front of mass media such as TV even if
you are watching good programs. That is because the programs presented
on the massmedia are attractive and time-consuming. Moreover, you
should be engaged in performinggood deeds instead of just watching
good people while depriving yourself of a similar opportunity. The
time utilized forthis should be estimated rationally and viewing
should be limited to certain times.
C-Utilize one's time in doing several things simultaneously:
For example, you can remember Allaah The Exalted while walking,recite
the Quran while traveling, or listen to the Quran while driving. You
should always carry yourMus-haf)copy of the Quran( with you wherever
you go.
Seventh: Plan well for acts of worship
A-Never eat too much at theIftaarmeal: If you over eat atIftaar,you
will go to the TaraaweehPrayer almost asleep without any ability to
contemplate during prayer. Hence, your prayer would be spiritless and
you would lose the rewards of the month, day by day. Let us adhere to
the guidance of the Prophet,, by breaking our fast immediately after
the Athaan )call for prayer( of the Maghrib Prayer with dry dates or
water )juice(, and then go to perform theMaghribPrayer. When we
return, we should eat a light meal and have some drinks and then go to
theTaraaweehPrayer. The main mealshould be afterTaraaweeh,as this is
better for one's health andenables you to perform acts of worship in a
better way.
B-Be keen on seizing the opportunity of the time before daybreak and
supplicate as muchas you can during it, as the doorsof heaven are
opened during this time.
C-Be keen on having a reward akin to the reward of
completeHajjand'Umrahevery day through investing one's time between
theFajr)morning( Prayer and sunrise in remembering Allaah The Exalted
and then performing theDhuha)mid-morning( Prayer.
Eighth: Consider the following guidelines when holding visits and banquets:
1-The time of the visit should notbe long – half an hour or
three-quarters of an hour is sufficient(.
2-Make sure that there is no banquet during the last ten days
ofRamadanso as not to lose the opportunity of making'Itikaaf.
3-Make sure that the banquet will end before the 'Ishaa'Prayer with
sufficient time so as not to miss it in congregation as well
astheTaraaweehPrayer.
4-Make use of the visits in guiding your friends, relatives and
colleagues to what is good, and avoid gossiping, backbiting and
defaming people.
5-If it is possible to make the banquets during the days of yourwife's
menstruation, it will be better.
6-Try to invite the largest number of friends and relatives to a
single banquet, because it is better to hold one or two banquets
instead of wasting the whole month in holding many small banquets.
7-The banquets should be duringthe first ten days of Ramadan as much
as possible.
8-Avoid extravagance and boasting so as not to deviate from the spirit
of this blessed month.
9-Do not forget the poor and theneedy in your banquets, because they
are the most worthy of partaking of your food.
10-Do not turn the banquets intomeans for social competition
andboasting, because the insistence on holding banquets in return
forthe ones to which they were invited wastes the whole month.
Ninth: Plan well for the last ten days of Ramadan
1-Organize your time and vacation for'Itikaafand be keen on increasing
your acts of worship on the Night ofAl-Qadr)you can make use of the
days of the ordinary vacation(.
2-Buy the things that you need for'Eedas well as the children's new
clothes beforeRamadanor at least before the last ten days.
3-Avoid wasting the last ten daysof Ramadan in making cakes and
biscuits. However, if this is considered necessary then it should be
done prior to these extremely blessed ten days. It is even better to
buy ready-made cakes if possible, or buy them beforeRamadanor during
the wife's menstruation.
Tenth: Plan your spending and prepare the budget
1-Family's budget
2-Donation to provideIftaarmeals for the needy, travelers, and so on.
3-Donation for a bag of provisions to be sent to poor families
4-Donation for war afflicted and troubled areas like Palestine
5-Increasing the children's pocket money to teach them to be
charitable and benevolent
6-Banquets
7-'Eedclothes
8-Zakaat Al-Fitr)charity given before the 'Eed Prayer(.
9-Charity to the poor and the orphans
10-'Eedgifts and pocket money
Finallywe supplicate Allaah The Almighty to makeRamadanblessed for us
and to be a stationwhere we can increase our faith, draw close to Him
and attain Paradise.

- Ramadan Articles, - Important Tips to Make Use of the Best of All Months-I

A great and blessed month…
This is how the Prophet,, described the best of all months!
Little wonder, forRamadanis a great season for making profits.
Whoever wastes it has lost a great deal, whoever refrains
fromcompeting in it is feeble, and whoever is deprived of its
blessings is miserable.
Its great blessings must be sought and received with all the necessary
preparations and strong determination.
Our beloved Prophet,, used to long for this month, wait for itand
supplicate Allaah The Almighty to lengthen his life so that he
witnesses it.
He also used to give the glad tidings of its advent to his honorable
Companions and encourage them to compete in doing good deeds during
it, so asto be among those whom Allaah The Almighty boasts about to
His angels. The Prophetsaid:"Ramadan has come to you. It is a month of
blessing, in which Allaah covers you with blessings, for He sends down
mercy, forgives sins and answers supplications. In it, Allaah looks at
your competition )in good deeds(, and boasts about you to His angels.
So show Allaah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he
who is deprived in )this month( of the Mercy of Allaah, The Almighty,
The Exalted."]At-Tabaraani and its narrators are reliable )on the
authority of 'Ubaadah ibn As-Saamit([
Therefore, we have to prepare a detailed plan to make use of this
great opportunity. Here are somerelevant tips that would help us
achieve this purpose:
First: Define your objectives in this honorable month
Turn to your Lord with a sincere intention and strong determination.
Open a new page with Him through repenting of all sins and acts of
disobedience. Renew one's intention to observefasting during the month
ofRamadanwith faith while seeking its reward from Allaah The Almighty.
Start by determining the objectives that you want to achieve during
this great season. However, you should know that a strong resolve
comes to people of determination, and noble deeds come in proportion
to your share of determination and magnanimity. Nevertheless, always
remember to make your ultimate aim to achieve piety as Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}O you who have believed, decreed upon you
is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become
righteous.{]Quran 2:183[
Then, you can divide your sub-objectives as follows:
1-Personal objectives
2-Family objectives
3-Objectives related to your relatives
4-Objectives related to your neighbors
5-Objectives related to your colleagues
6-Objectives related to the Muslim nation
Second: Plan for the following:
*.A Quranic program to make use of the massive rewards for good deeds.
Be keen on reciting the whole Quran more than once during this blessed
month. You should also be keen on memorizing part of the Quran every
day and you can compete with your friends and relatives in this regard
to encourage each other.
*.A program for supplication: Write down your supplications and
determine your requests. Then, repeat these supplications as much as
you could during this great season.You should remember to ask your
Lord the sublime and most precious things as He is The Benevolent and
The Gracious.
*.A program for acquiring knowledge
*.A program for visits
*.A program for charity
Third: Try to learn the juristic rulings of fasting as well as its
manners. This requires you to sit with your family to study the
rulings and manners of the fast at the beginning of the month
ofRamadanor before it if possible, because this will prepare you notto
fast ignorantly. This will also ensure that you will avoid making
mistakes besides enabling you to turn to scholars forFatwasin special
cases.
Be keen on making your fast of the highest rank, as we have three ranks of fast:
1-The fast of the general Muslim populace: It means restraining
oneself from eating and drinking during the day and avoiding sexual
relations with one's spouse.
2-The fast of the few select Muslims: Beside avoiding eating, drinking
and sexual relations, there is avoidance of sins of the hands, feet,
sight, tongue, and other parts of the body.
3-The fast of the highest class: This is the fast of the prominent
ones who avoid the world completely and immerse themselves in the love
of Allaah The Almighty Alone.
Fourth: Encourage your family to make use of this month.
Hold a family meeting and discuss the topic "Let us make use
ofRamadan." Sit with them and consult them about the program that you
should adopt to make use of this blessed month. Encourage them and
theywill come up with great ideas by the permission of Allaah The
Almighty. Be keen on making a written plan with realistic objectives
and measurable results.

The Prayer: Its prerequisites and essentials – I

In Islam, performing the Prayer isthe most important, mandatory act
after the testimony of faith. The Prophetsaid:"The head of the matter
is Islam, its pillar is the Prayer..."]At-Tirmithi[
It is the last thing, the Prophetrecommended to his nation before
hedied, saying:"The Prayer, the Prayer and what your right hands
possessed."]Abu Daawood[ An act of this weight and status is really
worthy of getting all attention and care of Muslims. Because the
prayer which Allaah accepts and rewards plentifully is the prayer
whose conditions, and basic elements are perfected.
But how could one carry out the prayer in the correct manner? One
could attain that goal by learning the way the Prophetpracticed it. By
knowing its prerequisites, essentials and Sunnah acts. Because
botching the prayer is a harmful act that results in the forfeiture of
the reward, either completely or partially, the Prophetwarned
us:"Truly, a man leaves, and noneof his prayer has been recorded for
him except a tenth of it, a ninth of it, eighth of it, seventh ofit,
sixth of it, fifth of it, fourth of it, third of it, a half of
it."]Abu Daawood[
In the following paragraphs, a detailed description of the
prerequisites )Shuroot( and essentials )Arkaan( of the Prayer is
presented.
Prerequisites and essentials of the prayer
There is a difference between theterms "prerequisite" and "essential".
The former is an object, quality, or condition that is required in
order for something else to happen—and if it is missing, the thing is
invalidand unfulfilled. For instance,Wudhoo')ablution( is a
prerequisite for the Prayer, as perthe Prophetic narration:"The prayer
of one without purification is void..."]Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi[
While"essential"is the property or characteristic of something that
makes it what it is—and if it is missing the thing is null and
void.For instance, the chapter ofAl-Faatihah)the Opening of the Quran(
is an essential for the Prayer because the Prophetsaid:"Anyone who
does not recite the Opening of the Book in one's prayer is not
credited with observing it."]Al-Bukhaari[
The scholars concur that a willful violation of any essential or
prerequisite in Prayer invalidates it. However when an essential actis
unintentionally omitted, two things are required: 1. performing the
missing act and; 2. makingSujoodas-Sahw)prostration of mistake(
beforeTasleem)concluding the prayer with salaam( if it is on account
ofan omission or due to both an omission and an addition; or
afterTasleemif the cause is only an addition. However, if the mistake
is one of involuntary addition—such as an extra bowing—it is atonable
bySujood as-Sahw.
The prerequisites of the Prayer
It is obligatory on the one who wishes to perform the prayer to make
sure thathe/she satisfies the following conditions before he enters
into it:
)1(Islam:One must be a Muslim in order for him/her to obtain
therewards of Islamic acts of worship.
)2(Intention )Niyyah(:The Prophetsaid:"Verily all actions are only by
intentions."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Scholars of all of the four schools of jurisprudence are unanimous
that intention takes place in the heart and that it should not be
uttered by the tongue. The Prophetnever instructed us to audibly or
inaudibly state intentions for any act of worship,and the
Companionsdid not do this either. According to a fewof the late
scholars, one is only permitted to utter one's intention in prayer if
one is in a severe case of forgetfulness or always doubting what he
wants to do—the term they coined to describe the state of such a
person is Al-Mustankah.
)3(Sanity and maturity:One must be able to know and appreciate what
he/she is doing. Sanity is mentioned in the narration in which the
Prophetsaid:"The pen )which records one's deeds( is raised from the
account of a person in the following three situations: a sleeper until
he awakes, a child until he matures)reaches age of puberty( and the
insane until he regains sanity."]Abu Daawood[
One must also have a clear mind at the time of making the prayer.
Allaah Says )what means(:"Oyou who have believed, do not approach
prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are
saying…"]Quran 4: 43[ In addition, the Prophetalso said:"If one feels
drowsy while performing the prayer, one should go to sleep until his
slumber is over, because if one perform the prayer while drowsy one
would not know whether he is asking for forgiveness or for a bad thing
for himself."]Al-Bukhaari[
)4(Knowing the prayer's proper time:Allaah Says )what means(:"…Indeed,
the prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified
times."]Quran 4: 103[ The Prophetsaid:"Jibreel led me in prayer at the
Ka'bah. He led me in the earlyafternoon prayer )Thuhr( when the sun
had passed the meridian to the extent of the throng of a sandal; he
led me in the mid-afternoon prayer )'Asr( whenthe shadow of a thing
was as long as itself; he led me in the sundown prayer )Maghrib( when
the one who fasts breaks the fast; he led me in the night prayer
)'Ishaa'( when the twilight)redness from the horizon at sunset(
disappears; he led me in the dawn prayer )Fajr( when foodand drink
becomes forbidden for the faster. On the following day, he led me in
the early afternoon prayer )Thuhr( when the shadow of a thing was as
long as itself; he led me in the mid-afternoon prayer )'Asr( when the
shadow ofa thing was twice as long as itself; he led me in the sundown
prayer )Maghrib( when the one who fasts breaks the fast; he led me in
the night prayer )'Ishaa'( when the first half of the night had
passed; he led me in the dawn prayer )Fajr( when there was a fair
amount of daylight. Then turning to me Jibreel said, 'Muhammad, this
is the time observed by the prophets before you and the difference in
time foreach prayer we made on both days is anywhere between the two
times.'"]Abu Daawood[
)5(Purification:One must make sure that the following three things are
clear from all kinds of impurity before he starts the prayer:
A. Purity of the body from Major and Minor impurities:
A minor impurity is one that may be removed by the performance of
ablution )Wudhoo'(. A state of minor impurity results after defecation
or urination. A major impurity requires the performance of Ghusl or
ritual bathing. A state of major impurity results after sexual
intercourse or sexual discharge for both men and women.
If one is not in the necessary state of purification then one must
attain it for Allaah Says)what means(:"Oyou who have believed, when
you rise to]perform[ the prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to
the elbows and wipe over your headsand wash your feet to the ankles
And if you are in a state of janaabah )major impurity(, then purify
yourselves…"]Quran 5: 6[ And the Prophetsaid:"When you stand for
prayer, perfect yourablution,"]Al-Bukhaari and Abu Daawood[ and"the
prayer is not accepted from anyone who nullifies one's ablution until
she/he regains another one nor ischarity from stolen
property."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetalso said:"Allaahdoes not accept any prayer that was not
performed while in a state of purity, nor does he accept charity from
what has been stolen from booty."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
Post-natal bleeding and menstrual bleeding are also considered forms
of major impurity. Both postnatal bleedingand menstrual bleeding
waives the prayer from a woman. In those cases, after such
conditionscome to an end, women are required to makeGhuslbefore
praying.
B. Clothes:if the clothes are contaminated with impurities one should
wash them for Allaah Says )what means(:"Andyour clothing
purify."]Quran 74: 4[ andthe Prophetsaid:"If menstrual blood is on
one's clothes she must wash it out andthen make Prayer."]Al-Bukhaari[
C. Place:If the ground is filthy, one can pour water over the
impurity: A Bedouin entered the Masjid )mosque( and urinated. The
people grabbed him and the Prophetordered his release, told them to
pour a tumbler of water over the soiled area, and said:"You have been
sent to make things easy and not make them difficult."]Al-Bukhari[ It
is prohibited to offer prayer in graveyards ]Muslim[, camel pens]Abu
Daawood[, churches and synagogues with images]Al-Bukhari[, public
baths/bathrooms and dunghills]Abu Daawood[, the roof of the Ka'bah,
slaughterhouses, and themiddle of the road.
)6(Covering the private parts:Allaah Says )what means(:"O children of
Aadam, take your adornment at every Masjid"]Quran 7: 31[ The meaning
of "adornment" here is the covering of the'Awrah. The meaning of
"mosque" is "prayer."Therefore, it means "Cover your'Awrahfor every
prayer."
The 'Awrahfor a man, in general,is from his navel to his knees;
however, inside prayer one should be dressed in a proper manner and
the shoulders shouldnot be left uncovered since it is greatly
disliked. The 'Awrahof a woman )for prayer purposes( is her entire
body except her face and hands.
)7(Facing the Qiblah:Allaah Says)what means(:"Turn your face in the
direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam)Sacred Mosque(, and wherever you are
turn your faces)in prayer( in that direction."]Quran 2: 144[ The
Prophetsaid:"When you stand for prayer face the qiblah, make takbeer,
utter glorification and praise for Allaah, recite the Mother of the
Book )Al-Faatihah(..."]Al-Bukhaariand Abu Daawood[
There are many ways to decide theQiblah. And when one is ignorant of
the right direction, one should inquire and strive to determine its
exact or approximate direction, and in case neither of the two is
possible one should follow his best judgement.