Quality is very important In Islam

The Islamic world is wide-spread not only in its geography, but in
its various traditions. However, when we look at the world of Islam
today, a general coarsening has taken place. At one time, Muslims
were regarded as people of good character; in the Middle Ages,
Saladin was regarded by the Crusaders, including Richard the
Lionhearted, as a wise and noble figure worthy of respect. Islam led
the world in the sciences, the arts and literature. Now when we gaze
upon the Islamic world, we see a degraded culture where
shabby-looking men are held up as saints, where beautiful women are
commanded by bigots to conceal their beauty, and where unkempt women
are held up as paragons of virtue by the very nature of their
appearance, as though having bad skin and uncombed hair somehow
makes you pious.
It goes without saying that many, especially in the West, look at
bedraggled men with long and disheveled beards, wearing rags and
semi-literate, as examples of Islam. This occurs because the media
has made them so, and these particular men love nothing more than
to claim to speak for the whole of the Islamic world. But it is not
only in the West that this has happened; in the Islamic world, far
too many Muslims see these same men and think to themselves, "Why,
look! He wears filthy rags, and has a long and ungroomed beard.
Surely this is a holy man!" Or they see a woman in stylish clothes,
wearing makeup or having her hair uncovered, and the immediate
reaction of far too many is, "Why, this woman is a prostitute, a
Jezebel!" This kind of foolish thinking is unfortunately commonplace
in the Islamic world.
So how has it come to this? How is it that music, art and beauty is
condemned, when music, art and beauty are gifts from God? Why are
these gifts, which uplift and elevate the mind and soul, looked
upon as curses from the devil himself?
Perhaps it is because we have allowed petty and small-minded
provincials with peculiar ideas to rule the discussion for too long.
We have allowed these people to enjoy a cultural dictatorship, a
"tyranny of moral busybodies," as the Christian writer C.S. Lewis
so eloquently said. We have allowed them to become cultural
arbiters. And the results? A world without joy or beauty. A world
where those men and women who wish to share the talents given to
them by God are told their gifts are sins. What madness is this?
Truly, a world in which there is no appreciation of beauty and
aesthetics is little more than a manifestation of Hell itself.
There is nothing from the Quran that prohibits music or the arts. It
is mistaken to say, "The Quran prohibits music!" This is bid'ah, or
heresy, and those who introduce such things are committing a sin.
As it says in the Quran, "Say, 'Do you see that which God hath
provided for you -- you make some of it unlawful (haram) and some of
it lawful?'" "Say, 'Did God allow you to do this, or do you tell lies
about God?'" (10: 59).
Our Prophet was a man of fine appearance and attribute, and he had
an aesthetic appreciation for beauty. He used to grow roses around
his house, and in a desert environment growing almost anything is a
difficult task. At that time there existed a fragrant oil and our
Prophet used to use olive oil as well as that oil mixed with a
beautiful smelling rose extract; he used to wear this in his hair as
a brilliantine, and it made him appear more youthful. It is said
his clothes, his frock and shirt were white and always kept clean
and in good repair. His teeth (owing to the use of a miswak, a
natural toothbrush) were white and clean. All of these descriptions
of his appearance come from the hadiths. All these descriptions are
notably different from what we so often see, and all are notably
different from what we see in Muslim extremists as well.
So to my fellow Muslims, please do not allow yourselves to fall into
the trap of thinking that by looking shabby and scowling, that this
makes you a more devout Muslim. Do not fall prey to the notion
that forbidding music or art or beauty is somehow the commandment
of God. Do not think for one moment that by treating your wife as an
object of scorn or contempt, or as your occasional beast of burden
when you go to the shops, that you are living the truth of Islam.
You are not. You are behaving in an ugly and boorish manner, and
this behavior is fodder for those who seek to portray Muslims as
savages. And above all, do not fall into that trap of utopian
nonsense which says that if the Muslims were simply to go back to
the life of the seventh century A.D., then all would be well in the
world, and we would all live in perfect contentment forevermore.
This rejection of the modern world is not only profoundly silly and
highly reactionary, it is dangerous.
And for the Western reader, I ask you not to fall into the trap of
thinking that unkempt, unclean and loutish individuals who spout
distorted religious speculations mixed with their own superstitions
and cultural peculiarities as being wholly representative of Islam.
They are not; overall, they are a minority. They get the attention
they do simply because they manage to talk over everyone else. And
do not fall into the trap of the anti-Muslim bigots; while they
like to claim they are only opposed to "extremists" and "radicals,"
they portray this vocal and extremist minority as representative of
the entirety of Islam, when in fact the opposite is true.
Extremists speak only for themselves; they are a majority only in
their fevered delusions.

People of the Book are one Another's Trusted Friends

Islam is the religion of peace, love and tolerance. However,
nowadays certain circles are trying to give Islamic morality the wrong
image. The religion of Islam commands people to create an "abode of
peace and well-being" on the face of the Earth, but those circles
try to show the opposite of this as if there was a conflict between
followers of other religions and Muslims.
However, the view Islamic morality takes of Jews and Christians
known in the Qur'an as the "People of the Book" is extremely just and
merciful. God makes this known in the Qur'an as follows:
God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not
fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from
being just towards them. God loves those who are just. (Qur'an,
60:8)
Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way - except
in the case of those of them who do wrong -- saying, "We believe in
what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our
God and your God are one and we submit to Him." (Qur'an, 29:46)
The Qur'an states that there are those among the People of the Book
who are sincere in their belief:
Among the People of the Book there are some who believe in God and
in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them,
and who are humble before God. They do not sell God's signs for a
paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And
God is swift at reckoning. (Qur'an, 3:199)
... There is a community among the People of the Book who are
upright. They recite God's signs throughout the night, and they
prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the
right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are
among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward for any good
thing you do. God knows those who guard against evil. (Qur'an,
3:113-115)
Those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabaeans and the
Christians, all who believe in God and the Last Day and act rightly
will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Qur'an, 5:69)
In the books of truth sent by God as guidance to His people, a
community model is described that is based on love, peace, tolerance
and justice. For example, in the Qur'an God tells that the Torah
brought down to the Jews is a guidance for people:
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the
prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the
Jews - as did their scholars and their rabbis -- by what they had
been allowed to preserve of God's Book to which they were
witnesses... (Qur'an, 5:44)
The arguments and conflicts between Jews, Christians and Muslims
based on historical problems, prejudices, misunderstandings and
misapprehensions should be put to an end once and for all.
Followers of all three religions should live in mutual understanding
and tolerance. What is important is to bring up points in common
rather than differences, to be helpful rather than troublesome,
constructive rather than destructive, cooperative rather than
obstructive, integral rather than separate, and to cause unity
rather than segregation. In the Qur'an God makes known as follows
this responsibility of the believers:
Those who do not believe are the friends and protectors of one
another. If you do not act in this way there will be turmoil in the
land and great corruption. (Qur'an, 8:73)
God has ordered the believers to be the peacemakers and protectors
of peace on Earth. He has condemned those who disturb peace on
Earth, declare war without just cause (such as defense or salvation
from oppression), disrupters, and killers of innocent people. Our
Lord has ordered believers to create a world where all people can
live in peace and it is one of the important responsibilities to
ensure peace and security for mankind.
At the root of wars, conflicts and all forms of corruption is man's
distancing from the true religious moral values. Sometimes the
perverse interpretations of certain individuals allegedly in the
name of religion can influence people who have insufficient
knowledge of the true religious ethic. And this may cause them to
commit acts that are totally inappropriate in terms of religious
ethic. The solidarity of the believers gains importance in the face
of people who believe in the necessity of solving disagreements and
problems by violent means, those who persecute people with
oppressive and despotic implementations.
Every Christian, Muslim or Jewish believer is obliged to do his
utmost to strive to this end. It is right for those Muslims, Jews
and Christians who believe in one God, who try to gain His approval,
who have surrendered to Him, whose hearts are bound to Him, who
praise Him, and who essentially defend the same values, to act in
partnership. Sincere believers should unite in order to live
according to the moral values of religion, prevent the disasters
caused by irreligion, struggle intellectually against atheism and
materialism.
Prejudices arising from ignorance or the provocations of those who
are against the religious moral values should be banished. Jews,
Christians and Muslims should try to cooperate to spread the high
moral values on Earth. This cooperation should be built on the
founding principles of love, respect, tolerance, understanding,
harmony and cooperation. It is necessary to consider the immediate
need for action, and to keep far away from elements that can lead to
conflict, argument and dissidence. In the Qur'an the Muslims' call
to the People of the Book for unity is made known as follows:
Say: "People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same
for us and you -- that we should worship none but God and not
associate any partners with Him and not take one another as lords
besides God." (Qur'an, 3:64)

Islam Goes Hand In Hand With Art And Beauty

One of the main indicators of a society's level of development and
well-being is without doubt its level of art, beauty and quality.
Islam attaches great importance to art. The exceedingly fine
examples of Islamic art that have left many traces in such fields as
architecture and literature are one of the clearest indicators of
this.
Although the first things that come to mind when art is mentioned are
branches such as painting and music, believers are not limited to
these and apply art and beauty in all areas of their lives, to the
very greatest extent possible. High quality manifests itself in the
lives of believers when cleanliness, one of the most important
characteristics of Qur'anic morality, is combined with art and
beauty.
Beauty and Art in Clothing and External Appearance
Believers are people who strive to represent God's faith at every
moment and in all respects. They therefore pay great attention to
external appearance.
Some people make the mistake of interpreting taking care of one's
clothes and external appearance as tending toward the life of this
world or seeking the approval of other people. Yet through the
quality, cleanliness and attention they take over their external
appearance, as with their behavior, believers actually invite people
to the beauty and nobility of Islamic moral values. Our Prophet
(saas) also says in hadiths that there is no pride involved in
dressing well:
"God is beautiful and loves beauty; dressing well is not pride,
pride lies in rejecting the truth and in despising people." (Kütüb-i
Sitte, [The Six Books] Translation and Commentary by Dr. Ibrahim
Canan, vol. 7, Akçağ Press, Ankara, p. 208)
Our Prophet Muhammed (saas) always wore the best and most elegant
clothes possible under all circumstances, and always recommended
this to the Companions. Hazrat Hassan (pbuh), the grandson of the
Prophet (saas), described the Messenger of God's (saas) view
regarding dress as follows:
"Our Prophet (saas) commanded us to wear the best clothes we had
and to use the finest scents we could find." (Bukhari, at-Tarih
al-Kabir, I, 382, no:1222)
Taking care over one's clothing is an explicit command of God's in
the Qur'an. Surat al-Muddaththir says:
Purify your clothes. Shun all filth. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 4-5)
The faith requires that clothing be clean and well-maintained. Since
our Prophet (saas) attached great importance to cleanliness, he
also regarded maintaining the hair and beard, one's external
appearance, as very important. Some sources report that he used to
carry combs, mirrors, a mishwak, toothpicks, scissors and kohl. (Ali
al-Qari, Jam'ul-Wasail fi Sharh ash- Shamail, Istanbul, p. 96-97)
Art and Beauty in Living Quarters
Believers seek the maximum of God's approval at all times. They
strive with all their might to raise their moral values to those of
paradise, of people beloved of God. They also try to keep their
living quarters as close as possible to the descriptions of
paradise. Believers make their homes attractive by keeping them
clean and light and not overfilled with unnecessary objects. They
try to choose harmonious accessories, to decorate their homes with
flowers or pictures, and even if they cannot renew their household
possessions, they at least move them around from time to time to give
an impression of variety.
It is a grave error to imagine that there is no need to bother with
home maintenance, or that it is a waste of time. The fact that the
Qur'an discusses the beauty of the Prophet Solomon's (pbuh) palace
is a sign of the importance of the subject. The beauty of the palace
and the effective nature of the message it conveyed to the queen of
Sheba are described as follows in Surat al-Naml:
She was told: 'Enter the courtyard,' but when she saw it she supposed
it to be a pool and bared her legs. He said, 'It is a courtyard
paved with glass.' She said, 'My Lord, I have wronged myself but I
have submitted with Solomon to the Lord of all the worlds.' (Surat
an-Naml, 44)
The Atrophication in Societies Devoid of Art
Societies devoid of art and beauty, with lives deprived of quality,
have great deficiencies. The members of such societies lack wide
horizons and are always backward in all areas. Some examples of the
atrophication caused by living without art are as follows:
They lose the ability to be considerate
Living devoid of art and beauty kills all the delicacy of the human
soul. The lack of care such a person takes in his daily life and
personal grooming can also be seen in his speech and behavior. The
crude and inappropriate language that such people use toward their
families, friends and even while shopping, etc. immediately
attracts notice.
This behavior, the exact opposite of the conception of quality in
Islam, may also have a damaging effect on people's hearts warming to
Islam. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that shaytan seeks to divide
believers and commands them to take great care over their speech.
Surat al-Isra' says:
Say to My slaves that they should only say the best. Satan wants to
stir up trouble between them. Shaytan is an outright enemy to man.
(Surat al-Isra', 53)
As a result of the pains they take over their external appearance
and their living spaces, believers acquire the ability to think very
considerately. Paying attention to details and being careful over
such matters makes it easier for believers to see the details in
all subjects and to think considerately. In this way, they do not
choose their words carelessly when they speak, but take great pains
with the language they use. As cited in the verse above, this is a
very important matter that strengthens the bonds of brotherhood
between believers.
They are unable to witness the art and beauty in nature
The sensitivity toward artistic structures around them to a large
extent atrophies in people who do not strive to ensure that art
predominates in their lives. One negative consequence of this is
that a child, a lovely flower or a cute kitten produces no pleasant
effect in the souls of such people. They are unable to feel in their
souls the excitement of seeing the artistry of God manifested in
such entities.
Yet someone who takes care over his clothing, who notes that a
flower is created to be elegant, who notes the beauty of hair, who
sees that a cat's fur is always shiny and who decorates his own
home well, will doubtlessly better appreciate the harmony of color
in a sunset he witnesses, because he is more sensitive to the
sensations caused by such delights. Believers know that every
beautiful thing they see is a manifestation of the beauty of God and
that beauty gives them a sense of ease in their hearts. Better
appreciation of beauty leads them to remember God and give thanks to
Him more.
They do not take proper care over religious observances
Art and beauty are of great importance in services made for the
faith. The main aim of a Muslim is to struggle against atheism. As
everyone knows, atheism assumed a supposed scientific guise with the
theory of evolution; it is therefore very important for Muslims to
be punctilious and take pains over all details in their struggles
against atheism because the basic aim in such activities is to show
the fact of creation to people who have been misled by the
scientific- seeming lies of Darwinism. The attractive and esthetic
appearance of and careful labor in any work (be it a web site, a
book or a documentary), will increase people's desire to examine it
closer and thus, by God's leave, enhance its impact.
In contrast, it is immediately apparent that a piece of work done
in a careless, slapdash manner could lead to undesired
consequences, such as destroying the potential impact of the work in
question.
It is obvious that people who have lived far removed from art and
beauty in their daily lives will also be weak when it comes to doing
affective work on behalf of the faith. These people, who are
careless even over their own personal appearance, will inevitably
miss many important details in those activities they undertake.
Some people even fail to see how the real danger against which
Muslims need to direct their attentions is the Darwinist-materialist
system. While aware of the danger of atheism, they may fall into the
error of merely criticizing other Muslims rather than working
effectively against that threat themselves.
Muslims, however, are people who strive to render as much service
as possible - and at all times - to God's religion and who seek to
earn the greatest extent of His approval. They are careful to avoid
being the kind of people described in the words "Among the people
there is one who worships God right on the edge" (Surat al-Hajj,
11) from Surat al-Hajj. The Qur'an reveals how Muslims compete with
one another on the path of God:
They have faith in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the right and
forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the
righteous. (Surat al-'Imran, 114)
They cause a dislike in hearts of those people who are unacquainted
with Islam
Islam is a faith that harbors all that is beautiful, noble and high
quality. A Muslim is the most honest, virtuous and high quality
person you can imagine. The true Islam revealed in the Qur'an is
something to be envied by everyone.
However, a lifestyle devoid of art and beauty, an arid lifestyle
supposedly representing Islam leads to a false prejudice as to the
nature of Islam in the hearts of those who are unacquainted with it.
This is one of the main reasons why many people today tend toward
atheism. This will no doubt rebound on the heads of those who do not
strive to achieve the quality required by Islam, and who live in an
ill-kempt fashion and devoid of cleanliness, misinterpreting the
faith in a shallow manner. (Allah knows the truth.)
As described in the story of the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) in the
Qur'an, Muslims must adopt art and beauty as an effective means of
preaching the word. Fully complying with the Qur'an on this matter
will be instrumental in Islam spreading rapidly across the world.
In preaching the word to the queen of Sheba, the Prophet Solomon
(pbuh) had her own throne brought in and he welcomed her in his
palace. The artwork and decoration in the palace had a huge impact
on the queen of Sheba and was instrumental in her coming to have
faith. The considerate behavior and the use he made of art can be
seen at every stage while he communicated the word. This method of
preaching revealed in the Qur'an is one that all Muslims should
apply.
Conclusion
Everything said here shows what damage an arid lifestyle devoid of
art does to Muslims. All Muslims must strive to achieve a high level
of art, beauty and quality, things which occupy such an important
place in Islam.
Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) whose coming in the End Times - the final age
before the Day of Judgment - is foretold in the hadiths, will
rejuvenate Islam with his conception of art and quality and, by God's
will, will cause it to reign across the world. Every Muslim who
sincerely and passionately loves Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and sincerely
wishes to be his follower must work to improve himself in this
important sphere.

Story, - Can't move on and can't let go.

Well here's my story..okay I started dateing this guy in February 2011
and we just really hit things off really good. I mean we were so much
alike and I seriously thought we were soulmates and sent to eachother.
Me and him dated for a year and got engaged in February of 2012.
We was planning our wedding to be in the summer. But something bad
happen to us we was in a tragic tornado accident together and we both
were hurt physically. It's a long story to go into on here but we both
suffered a lot of injuries and stayed in the hospital for awhile.(my
injuries was a lot more severe) but anyways we ended up going seperate
ways because stuff just happen alot of trauma and we both just kind of
went seperate ways for different reasons. We kind of tried to work
things out a few months later after the split up but things just
wasn't the same. We had both just been through so much and we just
decided it was best to leave things alone and go on with our lives. So
we did..we don't ever talk anymore..unless it's just casual email
randomly. Which is now hardly ever. But I can't seem to move on..
I know in my heart that me and him will not ever be together anymore
because it just isn't meant to be. But I can't seem to just move on
with my life and be with someone else.(even though he has) I mean I
have went out with other guys a few times and even dated one guy again
and had a relationship with him for about a month. But it seems like I
can't really ever just move on and let go of the past.
I can't get close to anyone again..part of it is i'm scared of getting
hurt and other part is i believe i'm trying to hang out to something
that's already gone and I can't let it go. I want to let things go but
it's hard. I want to move on and find someone else and let someoen
else into my life but I don't know how. I sometimes feel like i'm
stupid for feeling that way and like i'm the only girl in the world
that can't move on from a relationship thats been over for almost a
year now..
if anyone has any advice please give it to me lol. Thanks.

Story, - I found you back

Hey this iz me Nayma Islam I read in 10th standard now my story is not
really a story it's the reality of my life so my story starts somehow
like this...
When I was at class 5 I got admitted to a new school far away from my
home my school was behind airport our schools name is Baf Shaheen
school it's a popular school in bangladesh ...
I met him 1st at this school he was in inter 1st year that time he was
so charming n cute also goodlooking whenever I saw him I felt like I
wish I could hug him though it was a single crush n I thought as I was
a teenage grl I think thts y I'm having such dreams
Ok let me say about him he is good looking charming religious and a
very kind and honest man a man who can be believed through closed
eyes...
We went in same bus in school every day .. He never talked to any girl
he was kind of shy but 1day I thought let me take his phone number n
talk to him n ya I took his number and called him we talked for so
many hours I always told him everything of my life suddenly I started
sharing him evry single pain n happiness of my life don't know y bt
both of our feelings were changing it continued for so many months ...
Suddenly 1day I became so much sick that I couldn't go to school fr a
week also I couldn't meet him bt we talked in phone daily when I was
recovered than again we started meeting at school bt still we didn't
shared anything abt tht feeling
I always respected him as my elder bt my feelings was something else
though I wasn't enough aged to tell him abt tht
Suddenly the date was 1st April again at noon as usual I called him n
was talking abt different things suddenly he told me that he wants to
ask me something I said ok bt my heartbeat was suddenly stopped he
asked me tht I love him or not this single question changed my life he
was the 1st guy to ask me something like this I was totally shocked I
jst cut the phone n I was crying after tht almost 3years passed we
didn't saw each other n talked to each other
When I was at 8th standard I had my new phone I though y shouldn't I
talk to him simply I gave him a message he didn't replied to that
again I gv him a message this tym he replied n asked me who I was n I
told him to guess n yes he still didn't forgot me he knew that it was
me i was really shocked at ths tht still he remembers me
Than again we started to talk n ths tym nt as frnds we talked as
lovers because in this 3years he was still waiting fr me n I came back
to his life n now we are true lovers......

Fathwa, - Who has the religious and legal right to name an infant: the mother, father, or ...

Question:
Who has the religious and legal right to name an infant: the mother,
father, or someone else? Even if the wife really wants a specific name
and SHE is the one who carried for 9 months and SHE is the one who
will go through the pains of delivery while the husband does nothing
of the sort, can his choice override the mother's choice for her
child's name?
Answer:
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you and your family well.
From the ahadith of the Prophet, peace be upon him, one understands
that it is the duty of the parents to give the child a good and
respectable name. In answer to your question, it was pointed out to me
that the father has the ultimate say in naming the child based on his
role as amir of the family.
To prevent bad feelings, you and your husband might settle on a
compromise. Perhaps you can both decide on a name that is mutually
pleasing. Or you could pick your husband's choice as the child's first
name, and give him your choice as a middle name, or vice versa. Maybe
you can take turns, that is, your first child get's the name Dad
wants, the second gets Mom's choice, etc.
Ultimately, the father is the amir of the family, but a good amir is
the one who decides through mutual consultation. It is possible for
you to recognize your husband's role as the amir, while at the same
time, making your own wishes clear.
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:
Allah's Apostle said, "Surely! Everyone of you is a guardian and is
responsible for his charges: The Imam (ruler) of the people is a
guardian and is responsible for his subjects; a man is the guardian of
his family (household) and is responsible for his subjects; a woman is
the guardian of her husband's home and of his children and is
responsible for them; and the slave of a man is a guardian of his
master's property and is responsible for it. Surely, everyone of you
is a guardian and responsible for his charges."
[Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 89, Number 252]
Allah Most High speaks of mutual consultation, or shura, as one of the
qualities of the believers, "And those who answer the call of their
Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are a matter of counsel,
and who spend of what We have bestowed on them." [As-Shura, 42:38]
I pray that Allah gives you a solution through mutual consultation
that is beneficial to all.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Hijab: problems can you help me

Question:
I was happy to find out your site because it's been 2 years that I
have a big problem. Indeed, two years ago I decided to wear the
hidjab. First, I have to explain you where I am from. I live in the
North of France, I am originally from Algeria and I am a Sunni muslim.
I'm 20 and I'm a student in university. When I left high school, I
began reading more and more about Islam, being regular about my
prayers, fearing Allah subhanu wata3ala and doing my best to get
closer to HIM. I made the decision to wear the hidjab. My parents
pray. They don't try to learn more science about Islam and they don't
read the Quran. My mother who is 59 doesn't wear al hidjab. When I
wanted to put the veil, they got furious, my father became
high-boiling, he had a fit of rage and there wasn't any dialogue
possible with him. He told me if you wear the veil you have to leave
my home. First, I ignored their remarks and I left the veil on my head
and then he took it off from my hair. I cried a lot, I keep on praying
Allah subhanu wata3ala every day during all the prayers. I study 30
minutes by train far from home. I come back to home every day. During
the last months, I began wearing it in the train just after leaving
home. I wear it during all the day but my parents don't know anything
about it. I want to know what should I do about that? Because I'm fed
up with having this double life. Anyway al hamdulilah, I put my trust
in Allah "Wa tawakal 3ala Allah wa kafa billahi wa kilah" Sourate al
ahzab
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
May Allah Ta'ala reward you for making this decision under very
challenging circumstances. Remember that when you take a step toward
Allah the Exalted, He reciprocates many times over.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who
said that the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: Allah
the Almighty said:
I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of
Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to
Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention
of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an
arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to
Me walking, I go to him at speed.
Hadith Qudsi 15. It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim,
at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).
Obedience to parents is not unconditional. Therefore, if our parents
ask us to do something that contravenes Sacred Law, then we are
obliged to disobey them.
Obedience to Allah Ta'ala, however, is unconditional. That is why we
are Muslims, that is, we fully surrender to Allah the Exalted. As a
Muslim woman, one of your religious responsibilities is to wear hijab.
This is something between you and your Lord, and your parents cannot
interfere.Please remain true to your convictions, but also remain a
good daughter to your parents by emphasizing your love and respect for
them. Try to respond positively when they raise objections.
I pray that Allah Ta'ala opens their hearts and brings them around.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Sleeping with newborn/child

Question:
I would like to know, according to Islam, what is the best way for
small children to sleep, from newborn to 2,3 years old. The culture
that i was raised into, a new born child used to sleep with parents,
on their bed, usually between them, or in a separate bed, with them in
the same room. I used to believe it's good for the child, to be close
to his parents while sleeping , and it gives him a sense of security.
I have been told, that it's unhealthy and dangerous for the child
(especially newborn) to sleep with parents, and it's against modesty
too. Can you please give the Islamic perspective for this situation.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you, your husband, and your new baby in good
health and spirits.
Thank you for your question. I don't know of any specific Islamic
injunction about co-sleeping. There is absolutely no problem with
having your baby in the bed with you. In fact, if you're
breastfeeding, which, according to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam
al-Kawthari,is a religious and moral responsibility toward your child,
then it makes a lot of sense to co-sleep.
If you're concerned about your baby being inadvertently harmed,
however, there are other options, such as attaching a bassinet to your
bed, or putting the baby's bed right next to yours.
If you want to keep your baby in the bed with you, then beware of
having too much soft bedding or pillows. And don't have your baby in a
position where he or she could fall between the mattress and the wall,
or fall out of the bed.
Please see the following article for more information about the pros
and cons of co-sleeping: Cosleeping and Your Baby.
As far as modesty is concerned, this is not an issue when your child
is a baby. Modesty only becomes an issue when your child is old enough
to understand the concept of covering one's private areas. This is
usually around the age of four or five, but, again, this depends on
your child.
The only thing that you might want to consider is that having a baby
in the bed, for obvious reasons, can put a damper on your intimate
life. However, you can deal with that by simply setting up a bed for
your baby in another room, so that Mommy and Daddy can have privacy
when they need it.
And Allah knows best.

Social evils that are destroying Muslim communities - I

The role of the individual in Islam is not limited to fulfilling the
five pillars. The Muslim in an Islamic community has a greater
responsibility than is usually understood. All of a Muslim's
activities in life are included as acts of worship depending upon the
intention underlying them. Nothing is required from a Muslim beyond
service to Allaah The Almighty, and nothing is accepted from him,
which is not a service. Every individual's responsibilities fall into
two parts: his responsibility to adhere to the teachings of Islam and
his responsibility to enjoin good and forbid evil – which is social
reform. There is a reason why enjoining good and forbidding wrong
comes first, even before faith. It emphasizes the Muslim's duty and
implies faith can only be realized by certain actions, which maintains
a relationship between the individual and society.
Neglecting these duties leads to widespread corruption and an increase
in evils that consume the core of the community, such as the
following:
Indifference:Muslims are commanded to play a positive role in their
community and assist in enjoining matters of virtue and preventing
evil by as much as they can. Many Muslims stray away from the right
path because they do not find anyone to assist them and rescue them
from straying in their communities, as those around them act
indifferently. One should not underestimate any input he can give in
such cases and consider the story of the imprisonment of Imaam Ahmadto
see how effective a person can be if he takes the initiative and does
not act indifferently. When Imaam Ahmadwas imprisoned, a thief was
with him in the same cell. The thief said to him, "O Ahmad! I
persevere and tolerate the punishment I receive while I am upon
falsehood and being punished for a sin. Would someone like you, who is
suffering as a result of being upon the truth, not persevere and
endure?" Thus, this thief played an important role in comforting and
consoling Imaam Ahmadin a difficult situation.
Underestimating the harms of intermixing and neglecting to lower the
gaze:If members of a particular community give free rein to their
sight, do not adhere to the Hijaab )Islamic attire for women( and
women wear perfume before leaving their homes, the most obvious
outcome is the spread of immorality in the community. Immoral films,
TV programs, obscene content on the internet and intermixing between
the two sexes are other causes that have led to people committing sins
and indulging in immorality. People nowadays mix with the opposite sex
in universities, schools and workplaces, while Yoonus bin 'Ubaydsaid:
"Never be in seclusion with a woman, even if you wish to teach her the
Quran, and even if only you would be the one reciting."
Being ill-mannered:Many people possess three very evil qualities,
namely: lying, cowardice and miserliness, and these are the worst
three qualities a person can possess. There are also many other evil
qualities that we must be mindful of and hold ourselves to account
regarding, such as backbiting, badmouthing others and tale-bearing,
while replacing them with praiseworthy qualities and morals.
The Salaf )righteous predecessors(would rebuke themselves for every
word they uttered, words which would be considered very normal to
people nowadays. Maalik bin Dhayghansaid,
"Rabaah bin Qays once came asking for my father after the 'Asr prayer,
but he happened to be sleeping, so we informed him of this, to which
he remarked: `Who would sleep at this time of the day?` Then he left.
We sent a man after him to see if he wanted us to wake my father up
for him, but this man did not return until it was time to pray
Maghrib. When we asked him why he returned so late, he said: `I
followed him to ask him, but found that he was headed to the graveyard
while rebuking himself, saying: `What business is it of yours to ask
this kind of question? Why do you ask what does not concern you? What
is it to you when people go to sleep? People are free to sleep any
time they desire, why did you indulge in what does not concern
you?...`'"
Note how lightly such a question would be taken in our time, and how
strongly he rebuked himself for asking it.

Social evils that are destroying Muslim communities - II

Severing ties with kinfolk: The most important of kinfolk are one's
parents, and yet we find many people dealing with them in an
inappropriate manner or even severing ties with them altogether. As
for those who do try to fulfil the needs of their parents, many of
them do it begrudgingly, while expressing discontent or complaining
that it is a burden upon them. This is in spite of the fact that
Allaah The Almighty commands us to not say even the least expression
of discontent in this regard, saying )what means(:}"…Say not to them
]so much as[ 'Uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble
word."{]Quran, 17': 23[
The mother of Huthayl bin Hafsahsaid,
"He would collect wood during the summer and peel off the outer layer
of bark himself. Then, when winter would come, he would come to me
whilst I was praying, light a brazier )in my room( and place the
peeled wood in it, as this does not give harmful smoke. He would do so
just so that I would be warm during prayer. He would do so even though
we had a servant who could do the job. Whenever I thought of stopping
him and commanding him to return to his family, I would remember why
he was doing it, and thus I would allow him to continue."
Why was he doing this himself despite him having a servant who could
have done it for him? It was nothing but a reflection of his full
dutifulness towards his mother.
This type of nobility is not limited to ones parents; rather, one
should be kind to all his relatives and even his fellow Muslims.
Wasting time: The issue of wasting time is a very important one
indeed. We must be careful about it and hold ourselves to account
regarding it because we spend much of our time uselessly instead of
spending it in acts of obedience to Allaah, as it should be utilised.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}"And it is He who has made the
night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or
desires gratitude."{]Quran, 25: 62[
Therefore, time was created so that we would fill it with acts of
obedience to Allaah, The Almighty but many people do the exact
opposite of this. The Salaf )righteous predecessors(were very keen to
make use of every second of their time. Al-Hasansaid, "I have met some
people who were stingier with their time than they were with their
wealth."
People nowadays waste their times in games, late nights, socializing,
watching television and in vain talk. They may even go as far as doing
so at the expense of their religious obligations, such as their daily
prayers, and so on.
Wasting wealth:Many men cave in under pressure from their wives and
children and therefore spend extravagantly, but when they are asked to
spend in charity, one would find that they are so stingy that if they
were to pull out two bills to give in charity, one would invariably
return to his pocket. However, if this same person were to go to a
restaurant, he would have no problem in spending multiples of this
amount.
Allaah The Almighty will ask us about our wealth because we were
informed as such by the Prophet. Abu Barzahreported, "The Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Man's feet will not move on the Day of Resurrection before
he is asked about his life and how he consumed it, his knowledge and
what did he do with it, his wealth and how he earned it and how he
disposed of it, and about his body and how he wore it
out.""]At-Tirmithi[
This does not imply that people do not spend generously or that there
are no people who do any of the abovementioned matters correctly. The
purpose of highlighting these points is to serve as a reminder for
Muslims – at both the individual and community level – so that we
realize the importance of these matters and hold ourselves to account
with respect to them, as there are many of us who are failing to do
so.

Easy tips to a sound upbringing

Dear parent, how do you imagine the successful way of upbringing to be?
In other words, what is your view of the proper way to discipline the
behavior of your child?
I think that discipline in your point of view is the way which obliges
our children to submit to what we say without having the right to
express any objection.
Dear parent, I may agree with you on the definition of discipline, but
I differ with you in the way it is applied.
The best way to discipline your children is to teach and guide them,
more than obliging them to be disciplined. The process of improving a
child's behavior is an educational, not a punitive process. In this
case, you should prefer a smile to frowning, a calm voice to shouting
and a reward to punishment.
In this article, we offer you thirteen tips that will significantly
affect your methodology while you change your child's behavior. These
thirteen tips will form a new atmosphere for discipline making it an
easy matter. However, you should listen to, respond and consider every
tip.
First: Be a good example:
Your child is watching you continuously and he absorbs the way you
face frustration, your behavior while you are angry, the extent of
your truthfulness, honesty, generosity, morals, and so on. Hence, it
would be easier to change your child's behavior if you are his
role-model in doing what you order him to do. It should be known that
you cannot give what you do not have.
Second: Encourage efficiency:
According to experts,"Self-confidence is a good cornerstone for
self-control."When you praise your child's good behavior, you build
his self-confidence. Such self-confidence will help you a great deal
in improving his bad behavior.
Third: Teach your child social skills:
Getting the child accustomed to good social manners at a young age
will save a lot of effort when he gets older. So, from now teach him
to seek permission before entering others' rooms, to say"Jazaak
Allaahu Khayran)May Allaah reward you(" to anyone who does him a
favor, to kiss his parents' hands, to visit his relatives, and to help
his mother with the housework. Every effort that you exert with a
young child will be a great asset helping you to change his bad
behavior when he gets older.
Fourth: Give your child authority to an extent that is proportional to his age:
The more you find ways to encourage independence, the more you save a
lot of time in the future. You should teach your child to make his own
decisions, for example, to choose his own clothes and to buy his own
things. The child who has some kind of authority will control himself
more and will be more capable of changing his behavior.
Fifth: Charge with responsibilities:
Many parents do not entrust tasks to their children because they feel
that it is easier to do them themselves or they do not want to
overburden their children. However, this attitude should be changed
and the child should be encouraged to participate in the housework and
to help his father at work. This should take place after teaching and
training the child to do so in order not to feel a failure. The child
who shoulders responsibility at a young age will be more able to
change his own bad behavior.
Sixth: First attract their attention:
Your children may notice that you talk, but if they do not pay
attention to your words, they will not respond. Therefore, your first
step is to be keen on attracting their attention.
-Go to the room to speak directly to your child.
-Be keen on visual communication which requires flexibility to be on
the same level of the child.
-Your demands should be simple and your explanation should be easy and
clear to understand.
Seventh: Look for other means of rejection:
The child usually turns a deaf ear to everything that he does not like
to hear. This means that the more interesting your speech is, the
greater your chance is to gain their attention.
-Instead of telling the child,"Stop shouting",you should say,"Please,
speak in your normal voice."
-Instead of saying to the child,"Stop throwing the ball inside the
house", you should say,"Take the ball and play outside".
Guiding the child in a positive way will save you from direct
confrontation related to his behavior. It will also give the child a
space to choose. You should not say to him,"Do not play
football";rather, you should say,"Do not play football here."
Eighth: Set limits:
Some parents fear setting limits thinking doing so will weaken the
child's personality. However, when you spend some time with children
who have no limits, you will immediately realize the importance and
positive effect of this approach on the child.
Ninth: Anticipate the situation and deal with it before it takes place:
For instance, if your child insists on having everything he wants from
the toy store, then, you need to go there without accompanying him
until he gets older. It is wise to avoid the development of some bad
attitudes in our children.
Tenth: Setting punishments:
The best way to indicate your dissatisfaction with any bad behavior is
to set punishments. For example, you may say,"If you do not go on
time, you will not be able to go to the picnic","If you beat your
young sister, you will not get your pocket money",and so on.
Eleventh: Be flexible and ready to negotiate if necessary:
Flexibility in upbringing means having sufficient wisdom that does not
drive the parent to ask the child to immediately do his homework after
returning from a hard day at school. In this situation, the parent
should say,"I think you should have some rest now. I will wake you up
after you have rested."
Twelfth: Using the method of rewards:
Reward is different from bribes.
A bribe is to make a previous agreement with the child, for example,
to have a certain amount of money in order not to raise his voice in
the market.
A reward is to give the child a reward in return for his polite
behavior all the day.
Giving rewards enhances good morals and creates a new atmosphere. So,
you should not forget to use it as a successful means of upbringing.
Thirteenth: Be firm on principle:
You should mind what you say and adhere to it. In this way, the child
will understand that you are serious. This will save a lot of your
efforts. Firmness on principles is the basis according to which you
can bring up your child. If you can set some rules and behavior to be
followed inside the family, you will grant your child the starting
point according to which he can make his own decisions.

Dought & clear, - When should the takbeeraat of movementbe said during the prayer?.

When the imam is praying, when should he say takbeer for bowing, for
example? Should he say takbeer before he bows, whilst bowing or after
bowing?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is prescribed for everyone who prays (the imam, the one who is
praying behind the imam and the one who is praying alone) is for the
takbeer for bowing to accompany the movement. So he should start
saying takbeer when he starts to bow, and end it before he reaches the
bowing position, so that his takbeer comes between the two postures of
standing and bowing.
The Sunnah indicates that the takbeer should accompany the intended
movement such as bowing, prostrating and standing up. It is narrated
inal-Saheehaynthat Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
When the Messenger of Allaah (S) stood up to pray, he would say
takbeer when he stood up, then he would say takbeer when he bowed,
then he would say "Sami'a Allaahu limanhamidah(Allaah hears those who
praise Him)" until he was standing up straight after bowing, and when
he was standing he would say, "Rabbana wa laka'l-hamd(our Lord, to You
be praise)." Then he would say takbeer when he went down in
prostration, then he would say takbeer when he raised his head, then
he would say takbeer when he prostrated, then he would say takbeer
when he raised his head, and he did that throughout the prayer until
he finished. And he would say takbeer when he stood up after two
rak'ahs, after sitting."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (789) and Muslim (392).
This hadeeth shows that the takbeer for bowing should be said whilst
bending down to bow, and the takbeer for prostration should be said
when going down for prostration, and the takbeer for standing up from
prostration should be said whilst rising, and so on. This was stated
by al-Nawawi inSharh Muslim, and he said that it is the view of the
majority of scholars.
Some of the fuqaha' were very strict on this point, and said that if
the worshipper starts to say the takbeer when he is standing, before
he bends down, or he completes it after he reaches the bowing posture,
that does not count and he has failed to say takbeer properly, because
he has not done it at the right time. According to the view that
takbeer is obligatory, he has invalidated his prayer if he did that
deliberately, and if he did it by mistake he must perform the
prostration of forgetfulness (sujood al-sahw). The correct view,
however, is that this is forgivable, so as to avoid undue hardship.
Al-Mardaawi said inal-Insaaf(2/59): Majd and others said: The takbeer
for going down and rising and standing up should start when the
movement begins and end when it ends. If he completes it partway
through, that is sufficient [i.e., if it happens between the two
postures without elongating it], because it has not been done at the
wrong time. There is no scholarly difference of opinion on this
matter.
But if he starts it before that or ends it after that, and some of it
happens outside the proper place, then this is like not doing it at
all, because he did not complete it at the right time. It is like one
who completes his recitation whilst bowing, or who starts to recite
the tashahhud before sitting.
But he may be forgiven for that, because avoiding it is difficult, and
mistakes are often made, and it is too harsh to suggest that this
invalidates the prayer or requires the prostration of forgetfulness.
End quote.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The fuqaha'
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If he starts to say the takbeer
before he bends down, or he completes it after reaching the bowing
posture, then that is not valid, because they said that this takbeer
is for movement and its place is between the two postures. If it is
included in the first posture it is not valid and if he includes it in
the second posture it is not valid, because that is a place where this
dhikr is not prescribed. It is not prescribed to say takbeer whilst
standing or whilst bowing, rather the takbeer comes in between
standing and bowing.
Undoubtedly this view is valid to some extent, because the takbeer is
the sign of movement, so it should be done whilst moving.
But the view that his prayer is invalidated if he completes it after
he reaches the bowing position or he starts it before he starts to
bend down causes hardship for people, because if you think about how
people are nowadays, many people do not know this, and some of them
say takbeer before they start to bend down, and some of them reach the
bowing position before they finish saying it.
It is strange that some ignorant imams have come up with a mistaken
ijtihad and say "I will not say takbeer until I reach the bowing
position, because if I say takbeer before I reach the bowing position,
the people praying behind me will bow before I do, and they will bend
down before I reach the bowing position, and perhaps they will reach
it before I do." This is a strange kind of ijtihad, whereby you would
invalidate your own worship, according to the view of some scholars,
in order to ensure the validity of the worship of someone else who is
not enjoined to do things before you, rather he is enjoined to follow
you.
Hence we say: this ijtihad is inappropriate, and we call the one who
comes up with this kind of ijtihad ignorant … because he is ignorant
and he does not know that he is ignorant.
If, let's say, you say takbeer when you bend down, and you want to
finish it before you reach the bowing position, but you reach the
bowing position before you finish it, there is nothing wrong with
that.
The correct view is that if he starts the takbeer before bending down
to bow, and finishes it after that, there is nothing wrong with that.
If he starts it when he is bending down and ends it after he reaches
the bowing position, there is nothing wrong with that. But it is
better for it to be done between the two postures as much as possible.
The same applies during the saying of "Sami'a Allaahu liman hamidah"
and all the takbeeraat of movement. But if he does not start until
after he reaches the position that comes next, then this is not
valid. End quote fromal-Sharh al-Mumti'.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - The status of prayer in Islam.

I hope that you can explain to us the status of prayer in Islam.
Praise be to Allaah.
Prayer occupies a great status in Islam that is not shared by any
other act of worship. This is indicated by the following:
1 – It is the pillar of the religion, which cannot stand without it.
According to a hadeeth narrated by Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be
pleased with him), the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you of the head of the
whole matter and its pillar and top?" I [Mu'aadh] said, "Yes, O
Messenger of Allaah." He said, "The head of the matter is Islam, its
pillar is prayer and its top is jihad." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2616;
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2110.
2 – It is second in status to the Shahaadatayn (twin testimony of
faith) as further proof of the soundness of a person's belief and as
visible evidence of the beliefs that reside in the heart.
The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Islam is built on five [pillars]: the testimony that there is
no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger,
establishing prayer, paying zakaah, performing pilgrimage to the
House, and fasting Ramadaan." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16.
Establishing prayer means performing prayer in full with all its words
and actions, at the appointed times, as it says in the Qur'aan
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, As-Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours"
[al-Nisa' 4:103]
i.e., at defined times.
3 – Prayer occupies a special position among other acts of worship
because of the way in which it was enjoined.
It was not brought down to earth by an angel, rather Allaah wanted to
bless His Messenger Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) by taking him up to heaven and addressing him directly concerning
the obligation of prayer. This is something that is unique to prayer
among all the rituals of Islam.
Prayer was enjoined on the night of the Mi'raaj [Prophet's ascent to
heaven], approximately three years before the Hijrah.
Fifty prayers (per day) were enjoined at first, then the number was
reduced to five, but the reward of fifty remains. This is indicative
of Allaah's love of prayer and its great status.
4 – Allaah erases sins by means of prayer
Al-Bukhaari (528) and Muslim (667) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said –
and in the hadeeth of Bakr it is narrated that he heard the Messenger
of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say – "What do
you think if there was a river by the door of any one of you and he
bathed in it five times a day, would there be any trace of dirt left
on him?" They said, "No trace of dirt would be left on him." He said,
"That is like the five daily prayers, by means of which Allaah erases
sin."
5 – Prayer is the last part of religion to be lost, and if it is lost
the whole religion is lost.
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "Between a man and shirk [associating others with
Allaah] and kufr [disbelief] there stands his giving up prayer."
Narrated by Muslim, 82.
Hence the Muslim should be keen to perform the prayers on time, and
not be lazy or take the matter lightly. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"So woe unto those performers of Salaah (prayers) (hypocrites),
Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)"
[al-Maa'oon 107:4-5]
And Allaah warns those who cause their prayers to be lost by saying
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up
As-Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost,
either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by
not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed
lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell"
[Maryam 19:59]
6 – Prayer is the first thing for which a person will be brought to
account on the Day of Resurrection:
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) say: "The first deed for which a person will be brought to
account on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayer. If it is good
then he will have prospered and succeeded, but if it is bad then he
will be doomed and have lost. If anything is lacking from his
obligatory prayers, the Lord will say, 'Look and see whether My slave
did any voluntary prayers, and make up the shortfall in his obligatory
prayers from that.' Then all his deeds will be dealt with likewise."
Narrated by al-Nasaa'i, 465; al-Tirmidhi, 413. Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami', 2573.
We ask Allaah to help us to remember Him, give thanks to Him and to
worship Him properly.
Reference:al-Salaahby Dr. al-Tayyaar, p. 16;Tawdeeh al-Ahkaamby
al-Bassaam, 1/371;Taareekh Mashroo'iyyat al-Salaahby al-Balooshi, p.
31.

Dought & clear, - When should the one who is praying behind the imam bow? When the imam says takbeer, or straight after the takbeer, or when?.

When we are praying behind the imam, when should we start to bow?
Should we bow when we hear the imam say Allaahu akbar or during that
or after he has finished saying it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is prescribed for the one who is praying behind the imam is to
follow his imam, not to do anything before him or at the same time as
him, or to delay doing it. Rather he should do things straight after
his imam does them.
This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (378) and
Muslim (417), from the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik and Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with them), according to which the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The imam is
only appointed to be followed, so when he says takbeer, then say
takbeer; when he bows, then bow (and do not bow until he bows); when
he saysSami'a Allaahu liman hamidah, then sayAllaahumma rabbana
laka'l-hamd. If he prays standing, then pray standing." The phrase in
brackets was added in the version narrated by Abu Dawood (603).
The words of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
"when he bows, then bow and do not bow until he bows", and the same
with regard to prostration, indicate that the person who is praying
behind the imam should not start to move to the next part of the
prayer until after the imam has done it. So he should not bow until
the imam bows, and he should not prostrate until the imam prostrates.
This is stated clearly in the hadeeth of al-Bara' ibn 'Aazib (may
Allaah be pleased with him) who said: When the Messenger of Allaah (S)
said "Sami'a Allaahu liman hamidah," no one of us would bend his back
until the Messenger of Allaah (S) had gone down in prostration, then
we would go down in prostration after him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(811)and Muslim (474).
Al-Nawawi said inSharh Muslim: This hadeeth shows that this is one of
the etiquettes of prayer and it is Sunnah for the one who is praying
behind the imam not to start going down (for prostration) until the
imam has placed his forehead on the ground. End quote.
Based on this, what is prescribed for the one who is praying behind
the imam is to follow his imam straight after he has moved to the next
part of the prayer. So what counts is the action of the imam, not his
takbeer. This applies to those who can see the imam. As for the
members of the congregation who cannot see him, then they should
follow his words, and they should start to move to the next part of
the prayer after the imam finishes saying the takbeer.And Allaah knows
best.

INTERCESSION OF IMAM REDA (AS), THE IMAM-E-ZAAMIN (Guarantor)

It is written in 'Dhillul Mateen' that Meer Mu'inuddin Ashraf who was
one of the virtuous attendants of the shrine of Imam Reda (as) says
that, "Once I dreamd that I was in the shrine of Imam Reda (as) and
was coming out to perform ablution (Wudu). When I came near the mound
of Ameer Ali Sher, I saw a group of people entering the shrine of Imam
Reda (as). An eminent personality was leading them, and they all
carried spades in their hands. As soon as they entered the shrine, the
eminent personality pointed towards a particular grave and said, "Dig
out the wretched fellow from his grave". Hearing his command they
started digging the grave. I asked one of those men as to who that man
was. He replied that, he is the Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi
Talib. Suddenly I saw that Imam Reda (as) came out of his shrine and
greeted the Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib. The
Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib answered His greeting.
Imam Reda (as) said, "O my Respected Grandfather! I request you, and
have faith, that you will forgive this person on my behalf who lies
buried here under the shelter of my shrine". The Commander of the
faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib answered, "O my dear son! Do you know that
he was a mischief-creator, an adulterer, and a drunkard"? Imam Reda
(as) replied, "I do know, but when his last moment neared he willed to
be buried under the shelter of my shrine, so I request you to forgive
him on my behalf." The Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib
forgave him and left. I awoke from my sleep in awe and woke up the
other attendants and related to them my dream. We all went to the
place which I had seen in my dream, and found a newly constructed
grave, whose mud was scattered. After inquiry we learnt that a Turkish
man who had died was buried there the day before".
Haji Ali Baghdadi had the honour of meeting Imam Mahdi (as)and ask
him some questions. One of the questions put forward by him was that,
"Is it true that a person who goes for the pilgrimage (Ziyarah) to the
shrine of Imam Hussain (as)on Friday night receives salvation"? Imam
Mahdi (as) replied, "Yes, by Allah". Haji Ali Baghdadi says that I saw
tears in the eyes of Imam Mahdi (as). Then I asked him another
question, "In the year 1269 A.H. when we went for the pilgrimage
(Ziyarah) to the shrine of Imam Reda (as), we met a nomadic Arab who
was a native of Najaf. We invited him for a meal and asked him his
views regarding the reward of the love of Imam Reda (as). He replied,
"Paradise", and said, "Since the past fifteen days I have been the
ZAIR (pilgrim) of Imam Reda (as), do Munkar and Nakir have the nerve
to come near me. The food which I consumed from the table of Imam Reda
(as) has turned into flesh and blood". I asked Imam Mahdi (as) whether
his claim was true. Imam Reda (as) replied, "Yes it is true. Imam Reda
(as) himself will come and save him for the questioning in the grave.
For verily by Allah! My Grandfather is a Zaamin (Guarantor) Imam".
(Manazile Akherah by Shaykh Abbas bin Muhammad Reza Al-Qummi, pp. 62-64.)

MAMOON RASHID'S OFFER OF HEIR TO IMAM REDA (AS)

On Imam Reda's (as) arrival in Marw (Khurasan), the seat of Mamoon
Rashid's caliphate, the Abbasid caliph showed him hospitality and
great respect, then he said to him: "I want to get rid of myself of
the caliphate and vest the office in you." But Imam Reda (as) refused
his offer. Then Mamoon Rashid repeated his offer in a letter saying:
"If you refuse what I have offered you, then you must accept being the
heir after me." But again Imam Reda (as) refused his offer vigorously.
Mamoon Rashid summoned him. He was alone with Al-Fadl ibn Sahl, the
Iranian noble incharge of two offices (i.e., military and civil).
There was no one else in their gathering. Mamoon Rashid said to Imam
Reda (as), "I thought it appropriate to invest authority over the
Muslims in you and to relieve myself of the responsibility by giving
it to you." When again Imam Reda (as) refused to accept his offer,
Mamoon Rashid spoke to him as if threatening him for his refusal. In
his speech he said, "Umar ibn al-Khattab made a committee of
consultation (shura) (to appoint a successor). Among them was your
forefather, the Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib. (Umar
ibn al-Khattab) stipulated that any of them who opposed the decision
should be executed. So there is no escape for you from accepting what
I want from you. I will ignore your rejection of it."
In reply, Imam Reda (as) said: "I will agree to what you want of me as
far as succession is concerned on condition that I do not command, nor
order, nor give legal decisions, nor judge, nor appoint, nor dismiss,
nor change anything from how it is at present." Mamoon Rashid accepted
all of that.
On the day when Mamoon Rashid ordered to make the pledge of allegiance
to Imam Reda (as) one of the close associates of Imam Reda (as), who
was present, narrates, "On that day I was in front of him. Imam Reda
(as) looked at me while I was feeling happy about what had happened.
Imam Reda (as) signalled me to come closer. I went closer to him and
he said so that no one else could hear, 'Do not occupy your heart with
this matter and do not be happy about it. It is something which will
not be achieved.'"