Dua - ''O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner'' You can tag your friends in the pic or in the comment section to share this dua with them.

For children, - No Escape From Death: A Real Life Story of Prophet Solomon / Sulaiman (as)

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Almighty Allah (SWT) made Prophet Solomon / Sulaiman (as)King of a vast kingdom, which included His entire creation. The Jinn and men obeyed his will and even the birds adhered to his commands, to the extent of using their wings to provide shelter for him. He was also given many other powers such as being able to talk to animals and control the wind so that it could carry him wherever he wished to go. Prophet Solomon (as) was blessed with an extraordinary power of perception and intelligence.
It is narrated that one day, a man entered the court of Prophet Solomon (as), looked around at all the people and went out again. When the court adjourned, one of the people present approached Prophet Sulaiman (as) and asked him whether he knew this strange man.
"The person you saw was the angel of death (Izrael)" replied Prophet Solomon (as). The man was taken aback and looked worried.
"Why was he staring at me as though he wanted to take my soul?" he asked.
"What do you want me to do?" enquired Prophet Sulaiman (as).
"O Solomon!" exclaimed the man. "You have power over the wind. Command it to transport me to the land of Hind (India)."
As the man was a believer, Prophet Solomon (as) agreed and granted his wish.
A few days later, Prophet Solomon (as) saw the angel of death again. He asked him why he had been staring at the man so intently on that particular day.
"O Solomon!" replied the angel of death. "Allah (SWT) commanded me to take the soul of that man on the soil of Hind. When I saw him sitting in your court, I could not understand how I could carry out Allah's order. Nevertheless, as it was a divine command, I left for Hind and fortunately found the man there. I took his soul as Allah (SWT) had commanded."
There is nothing more certain than death. It is a reality, which nobody can escape from. Allah (SWT), the Almighty says: "Wherever you may be, death shall overtake you, even if you were in fortified towers". Noble Qur'an (4:78)
Imam Ali (as)said: Any breath that a man breathes is a step towards death.
Imam Ali (as) said: You are the game that death hunts. If you stand still it will seize (catch) you. If you ran (flee) away it will overtake you.

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Fwd: Scholar Alert - [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]

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Date: Sat, 17 May 2014 07:10:32 +0000
Subject: Scholar Alert - [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]
To: aydnajimudeen@gmail.com

Scholar Alert: [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]

… Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is justified by current guidelines—a
comprehensive assessment of drug prescriptions in patients needing
inpatient treatment for diabetes‐ …
S Bauer, MA Nauck - Diabetic Medicine, 2014
... BMI (kg/m2) 27.3 ± 5.3 33.7 ± 6.2 < 0.0001 Diabetes duration
(years) 18 ± 13 12 ± 11 <
0.0001 ... Diabetic cardiomyopathy 0/155 (0.0) 5/149 (3.2) 0.030 ...
Associated diseases
[yes/no (% yes)]: Arterial hypertension 102/53 (65.8) 146/8 (94.8) <0.0001 ...

[PDF] Effect of Peripheral Arterial Disease on Serum Ischemia-Modified
Albumin Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
T Gencpinar, U Ayoğlu, K Aykut, G Albayrak, HY Ellidag… - World
Journal of …, 2014
... It can be increased most commonly by smoking, hypertension (HT),
diabetes, kidney and heart
failure disease ... K., Aggarwal, K., Seth, S., Singh, V. and Sharma,
TK (2010) Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus without ... [9] Amstrong, DG and Lavery, LA (1998) Diabetic
Foot Ulcers: Prevention ...

Validity of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision,
Clinical Modification codes for estimating the prevalence of venous
ulcer
ML Gloviczki, H Kalsi, P Gloviczki, M Gibson, S Cha… - Journal of
Vascular Surgery: …, 2014
... 4, Absence of other causes of ulcers (arterial occlusive disease,
uncontrolled hypertension,
diabetes, neuropathy). ... Non-VUs (ischemic, diabetic, and others) or
no ulcer occurred in 134
patients (59 ... ulcer etiology or other possible causes for ulcers,
such as diabetes or peripheral ...

[PDF] Exercise and diabetes mellitus type II (with approach to animal
and human studies)
MH Boostani, S Khatamsaz - European Journal of Zoological Research, 2014
... It can reduce blood pressure in people with moderate hypertension
[12 ... 5) Type II diabetic patients
before starting an e him to do ... 3) Carbohydrates that are rapidly
absorbed of exercise-induced
hypoglycemia occurs, may b 4) People with type II diabetes because of
poten to nerve ...

[PDF] Clinical response to sunitinib as a multitargeted
tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) in solid cancers: a review of clinical
trials
S Kim, W Ding, L Zhang, W Tian, S Chen - OncoTargets and Therapy, 2014
... Furthermore, sunitinib targets mutant RET, which is involved in
the multiple endocrine neoplasia
types 2A and 2B autosomal-dominant syndromes, familial medullary ...
Notes: #Sunitinib-induced
hypertension with antitumor efficacy; *everolimus 2.5–5 mg daily or
20–30 mg weekly ...

[HTML] Characterization of primary symptoms leading to Chinese
patients presenting at hospital with suspected obstructive sleep apnea
Z Li, L Du, Y Li, L Huang, F Lei, L Yang, T Li, X Tang - Journal of
Thoracic Disease, 2014
... choking (n=3), bruxism (n=2), nose bleeds (n=3), numbness in hands
and feet (n=2 ... Impact of
obstructive sleep apnoea on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. ...
Prevalence, risk factors and
impact on daytime sleepiness and hypertension of periodic leg
movements with arousals ...

[HTML] Hemoglobin in normal range, the lower the better?—Evidence from
a study from Chinese community-dwelling participants
L Ren, B Gu, Y Du, X Wu, X Liu, H Wang, L Jiang… - Journal of Thoracic
Disease, 2014
... Hypertension 2012;60:936-41. ... Diabetes Res Clin Pract
2003;60:205-12. ... Age- and body mass
index-dependent relationship between correction of iron deficiency
anemia and insulin resistance
in non-diabetic premenopausal women. Ann Saudi Med 2007;27:356-61. ...

[PDF] The role of exercise in the control and prevention of diabetes
type I (with approach to animal and human studies)
MH Boostani, S Khatamsaz - European Journal of Zoological Research, 2014
... People with diabetes are also at risk for hypertension has been
shown that exercise reduces ...
Diabetic peripheral nerve injury, have activities such as cycling or
swimming, are selected because
such ... Therefore, the main points about exercise and diabetes type I
are as follows: 1 ...

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty versus primary stenting in
infrapopliteal arterial disease: A meta-analysis of randomized trials
R Wu, C Yao, S Wang, X Xu, M Wang, Z Li, S Wang - Journal of Vascular
Surgery, 2014
... Hypertension, NA, NA, 51 (89.%), 51 (85%), 22 (100%), 16 (100%),
27 (81.8%), 19 ... retarded, Inflow
obstruction; acute limb ischemia; myocardial infarction; blue toe
syndrome; inability to ... CAD,
Coronary artery disease; CKD, chronic kidney disease; DM, diabetes
mellitus; DVT, deep ...

Orthopaedic cases
D Tew, A Norrish - A Surgeon's Guide to Anaesthesia and Perioperative …, 2014
... peri-operative care in orthopaedic patients are: cardiovascular
disease (hypertension, ischaemic
heart ... valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease)
respiratory disease diabetes
musculoskeletal disease ... heart disease Review of medical therapy
for diabetic control and ...

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Fwd: Scholar Alert - [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Google Scholar Alerts <scholaralerts-noreply@google.com>
Date: Thu, 22 May 2014 05:38:13 +0000
Subject: Scholar Alert - [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]
To: aydnajimudeen@gmail.com

Scholar Alert: [ Hipertention, Diabetic foot syndrome ]

Preoperative Assessment and Management of Donor and Recipient for
Renal Transplantation
N Sethi, J Sood - Anesthesia for Transplant Surgery, 2014
... however in the general non-diabetic population the –90 ... uremic
pericarditis, cardiac tamponade,
Cardiovascular abnormalities dysrhythmias, systemic hypertension (left
ventricular ... Hemostatic
abnormality production Fluid, acid-base and electrolyte Diabetes
mellitus, secondary ...

AnesthesiA for trAnsplAnt surgery
J Sood, V Vohra - 2014
... Symptoms and Signs 178 Diagnosis 179 Treatment 179 porto-pulmonary
hypertension 182
Anjeleena ... In fact the Chimera (serpent's tail, lion's head and
feet, and goat's head ... significant side
effects like nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, opportunistic infection,
de novo diabetes, and B ...

AN UNUSUAL CASE OF TACHYCARDIA CARDIOMYOPATHY Trainee name: Sylvia Wu
S SENSITIVITY - Internal Medicine Journal, 2014
... Aim: To promulgate the capillary theory of hypertension (HT) and
the cardio-renal dynamic
involving capillaries in ECF regulation. ... 9 594 – 597). Prostate
Cancer Metastases to the Leg,
Ankle, and Foot (JAPMA May 1, 2008 vol. 98 no. ... Mother had history
of diabetic neuropathy. ...

THE HEALTH CARE DILEMMA: An Inside View
RR Estwick - 2014
... This meant that the family of four, two adults and two children,
would be living in a
one-hundred-square-foot shack for one month, the ... SOME ESTABLISHED
RISK FACTORS: •
Hypertension/preexisting heart disease and atrial fibrillation •
Diabetes • *Tobacco smoking ...

[HTML] Tag Archives: blood pressure
S Portable, S Kits
... Every doctor would give me a new name for this 'illness.' The
diagnoses ranged from Spastic
Colon to Hiatal Hernia to Irritable Bowl Syndrome. ... My cholesterol
level has dropped from 210
to 180, my blood pressure has become normal, and hypertension is under
control. ...

Cataract Surgery in Diseased Eyes
A Chakrabarti - 2014
... and Irrigation/Aspiration 59 • Biometry 59 9. Phacoemulsification
in a Small Pupil Vaishali
Vasavada, Abhay R Vasavada • Preoperative Considerations 61 •
PostoperativeConsiderations
65 Cataract Surgery in Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) Eyes
Steve A Arshinoff ...

[HTML] Tongue-tie–to cut or not to cut? by Tessa Davis
XR Elbow
... However, frenotomy is only a minor procedure with no real risks to
the baby, so if the family
is keen to go ahead for the multitude of reasons discussed above, I
cannot see why as doctors
we would put our foot down and deny them this. References. ...

[HTML] Sustainable Line of Cotton Wet Processing
DF Ibrahim - Journal of Textile Science & Engineering
... Open Access Clinical Research & Bioethics Clinical Research on
Foot & Ankle ... Community
Medicine & Health Education Dentistry Depression and Anxiety Diabetes
& Metabolism ... Current
Reviews Hereditary Genetics Human Genetics & Embryology
Hypertension-Open Access ...

[HTML] Obesity Takes Hold Early In Life
G Kolata
... of serious and deadly reactions to appetite suppressants,
including primary pulmonary
hypertension. ... vascular disease, high blood pressure,
alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis, or diabetes. ...
kind of "heat syndrome," heart disease, convulsions, cramps, diabetic
neuropathy, extreme ...

Things They Should Tell You about Parenthood But Don't Pregnancy to
the Toddler Years
M Nottage
... These may include but are not limited to preeclampsia
(hypertension due to pregnancy) and
gestational diabetes. ... Suggestions to relieve this pain:  Avoid
both standing and sitting for long
periods of time  When you are sitting keep your feet elevated  Place
cold packs on ...

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Fathwa, - {Misconceptions about Muslim Women}, - She is worried that if she has a daughter her Muslim husband will force her to wear Hijaab

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Question
Hello. I have two questions. My husband is muslim and I am christian. We have both been married previously, and we both feel very lucky to have found each other. We are best friends. I realize that if we have children they must be raised muslim. I think that there are very many beautiful things about islam, but I don't agree with everything. We don't have children yet, but I am worried that if we have a daughter things will get difficult. While I realize the reasons behind hijab and I feel it is right for some people, I am having a hard time hearing my husband say he will force our daughter to wear hijab as he feels this is the best way to protect her. I was raised well by my family, and he thinks I will make a great role model for our children. I never wore hijab and am a chaste woman who dresses modestly. I don't feel that I have been harassed by men or been treated badly because I don't wear hijab. My parents kept an eye on me and raised me to be virtuous. I don't know how it will work for a christian mother raising a daughter )with my husband( and she is forced to wear a hijab when many of her friends )and I( won't. We live in a hot climate in the USA. If she chooses to wear hijab on her own, I have nothing against it, but sometimes if you force children to do something, they will rebel. I feel that until she is ready to wear hijab on her own and accept it as the right thing, it is wrong to force her as it may drive her from islam. What is correct? 2. We have talked about getting in vitro fertilization to try to have a boy, mainly to avoid the disagreements about raising a daughter. The process they use to make you have a boy or a girl child increases your chances but is not 100%. Some people say this is permissible )to try to choose the gender( because in the end Allah has the final decision on gender, and will decide if the surgery works in the first place. What do you think? Thank you for your help.
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 Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
First of all, we thank you for visiting our website and trusting it and we ask Allaah )God( to make us as good as you think. Indeed, you appear to be of sound mind and we hope that this will guide you to goodness.
As regards the daughter who is not yet created, then talking about her now and about her wearing Hijaab or not wearing it, and discussing about forcing her to wear the Hijaab or not forcing her to do so, then this is not the right time to debate this issue.
However, you did well by mentioning that Islam has many very good aspects. Indeed, if one looks at Islam while being impartial, unbiased, rational and without following one’s desires or being affected by the misconceptions that are spread against it by some prejudiced people, he will find that Islam has all good aspects. It is appropriate here to refer you to some Fataawa )plural of Fatwa( that give you some idea about Islam and its good aspects, so please refer to Fataawa 81979, 88906and 88051.
Furthermore, we advise you to read about Islam from its authentic sources, i.e. from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophetand you should not judge Islam just by the )improper( conduct of some individual Muslims.
If you have any misconceptions about Islam, you may visit our site. Also, you may visit some Islamic Centers to ask them your questions orally and they will clarify the matter to you.
On the other hand, Christianity to which you belong, has been infiltrated by many wrong beliefs and there are many contradictions between one Gospel and another because of the forgeries which it was subjected to. In this regard you may refer to Fataawa 85307, 90986and 90449.
As regards carrying out an in-vetro fertilization in order to determine the gender of the baby, then in our view this is not permissible for whoever is able to give birth in normal circumstances, as this fertilization necessitates looking at your ‘Awrah )the parts of the body that must be covered in Islam( from a person who is not permitted to do so. Indeed, such a procedure is only permissible in case of necessity.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - {Misconceptions about Muslim Women}, - Marrying a young girl does not mean permissibility of having intercourse with her

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Question
Al Salam alekum, I was in debate in Islam and there was question regarding the answer to the following translation of the Quran from Al_Tabari Al-Tabari )may Allaah have mercy on him( said: The interpretation of the verse “And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah )prescribed period(, if you have doubt )about their periods(, is three months; and for those who have no courses ])i.e. they are still immature( their ‘Iddah )prescribed period( is three months likewise”. He said: The same applies to the ‘idaah for girls who do not menstruate because they are too young, if their husbands divorce them after consummating the marriage with them. that the last comment )He said: The same applies to the ‘idaah for girls who do not menstruate because they are too young, if their husbands divorce them after consummating the marriage with them. "( they conclude the meaning in having `Iddah after having intercourse with minor girl who did not reach the age of puberty. by highlighting the words )consummating the marriage( can you explain it please. thanks.
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.
Giving a young girl in marriage is something permitted in Islam. We have previously pointed that out in Fataawa 88199and 116746. Praise be to Allaah, there is no ambiguity in the opinion that ImaamAt-Tabarimentioned. That is because if the young girl is not able for intercourse, then it is not permissible for her guardian to give her to her husband until she becomes able for it. If her husband divorces her before consummating marriage with her, then there is no ‘Iddah )i.e. waiting period( and thus she is not included in that verse; rather, she is included in the saying of Allaah The Almighty )which means(: }O You who have believed, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, then there is not for you any waiting period to count concerning them. So provide for them and give them a gracious release.{]Quran 33:49[
However, if she is able for intercourse and her husband asks for her, and she was given to him, and he had intercourse with her and then divorced her, then ‘Iddah will be obligatory upon her.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - {Misconceptions about Muslim Women}, - Islam did not command detaining a sinful wife in a separate room

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Question
Salam alaikum, I have read following hadith: Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 969 - Requires that a married woman be "put in a separate room and beaten lightly" if she "act in a sexual manner toward others." According to the Hadith, this can be for an offense as petty as merely being alone with a man to whom she is not related. Kash-shaf of al-Zamkhshari )Vol. 1, p. 525( - ]Muhammad said[ "Hang up your scourge where your wife can see it" Are those hadith sahih?
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.
The wording of the first Hadeeth that we have read inSeerat Ibn Hishaamdoes not include detaining the woman in the house and its wording is as follows: “...and they should not commit a clear immorality. But if they do that, then Allaah has given you permission to forsake them in bed and to hit them but not severely...” This Hadeeth was originally reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority ofJaabirin the Farewell Khutbah )Sermon( and it is a sound Hadeeth.
Forsaking means turning one’s back to his wife in bed while hitting refers to light beating. That is not meant to inflict physical pain on her )the recalcitrant wife(, but rather to discipline her in a psychological manner. Islam actually calls for treating women kindly, prohibits oppressing them or causing harm and assaulting them. Also, if you go back to that Hadeeth, you will find that before the words you have stated the Prophet, said: “Fear Allaah concerning women” and after that he said, “Thus, treat women kindly.”
There is absolutely no doubt that no religion has given women the great status that Islam has given them. We have pointed that out in the Fatwa 81237, so please refer to it.
As for the second Hadeeth which is the saying of the Prophet: “Hang your whip where the members of your household can see it.” ]At-Tabaraani in Al-Mu‘jam[, some scholars deemed it weak while some others deemed it Hasan ]good[. It means that this will motivate them )members of the household( to behave properly. Therefore, another narration of this Hadeeth reads: “Hang your whip where the members of your household can see it, for that will discipline them.”
It was stated in Faydh Al-Qadeer: “It means that this will motivate them to act properly and be good-mannered, and thus refrain from indulging in vice...Ibn Al-Anbaarisaid: “There is nothing to suggest that it should be used for beating, because he, did not command anyone to do that. What he, meant was: do not stop disciplining them.”
Allaah Knows best.

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Personal, - Breastfeeding prevents diseases and increases Affection

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Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby’s life is the traditional and ideal way to feed the baby. Breast milk is far superior in terms of nutrients concerning its unique composition that provides the baby with the components that are vital for life, nourishment and development, such as proteins, fats, vitamins, salts and minerals.
It contains all these elements at the best level and composition for the baby’s body to fully benefit from throughout his stages of development. Medical research stresses that breast milk contains cells which are able to form antibodies for microbes and viruses. So far, scientists know of four types of antibodies that are able to protect the baby from many diseases throughout the different stages of his life. Breast milk protects the child against food allergies that may emerge in the early years of the child’s life. Symptoms of food allergy can be rashes, digestive disorders or breathing difficulties. In some cases, a food allergy can even cause unconsciousness.
Doctors say that genetics determine a child's predisposition to allergies, but breast milk helps guard against it.
The results of researches which were conducted by Dr. Phialat, Professor of Allergies in the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, and Dr. Sameer Khidhr, Professor of Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine in Tanta )Egypt(, show that breast milk contains immune bodies that decrease the production of immunoglobins, which cause allergies. Thus, breastfeeding has a great effect on preventing the emergence of allergies in the early years of the child’s life. It also contains elements from the environment that guard the body of the baby against any disease. Breastfeeding gives an opportunity for the child to build his immune system within approximately three months.
Medical research, which was conducted on breastfed children and children on baby formula, revealed that phosphorus fats are available in breast milk at higher rates. Phosphorus fat helps to form the nervous system of the child and plays a key role in his development. It has a great effect that extends throughout his lifetime. The research confirms that breastfed babies are more intelligent than babies who are fed on baby formula. The reason behind this is that the fastest development of the brain takes place in the first year of life. At that time, the baby needs full nutrients that are only available in breast milk. Shortage in such substances during this period often leads to shortcomings in the baby's mental capacities.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breast milk is considered to be the best nourishment for the baby and helps him grow and develop emotionally and mentally. Breast milk is clean and bacteria-free. It contains living white blood cells that help combat diseases, gives the baby necessary immunity and protects him from digestive disorders, diarrhea, respiratory system diseases, middle ear infection, allergy problems and sudden death syndrome. Breast milk strengthens the bond between the mother and the baby in a way that enhances the baby's ability to acquire knowledge in the future. Breast milk provides the baby with a balanced and nutritious food that suits each stage of development, especially during the first six months of the baby’s life.
Breast milk contains:
-A quantity of water which suffices the baby, even in hot weather.
-Various amounts of iron, salt, calcium and phosphate which are sufficient for the baby at this age.
-An amount of the lipase enzyme that helps the baby’s stomach to digest fats.
-Most forms of proteins and fats which are suitable for the baby and in the quantities required.
-Sufficient vitamins for the baby.
-It helps the baby’s jaws, speech and teeth to develop properly.
Benefits for the Mother
Breastfeeding benefits the mother as well, since it helps in:
-Cessation of post-partum bleeding.
-Prolonging the interval between two successive pregnancies, especially when breastfeeding runs regularly every 2-3 hours night and day without adding formula to the baby's diet.
-Rapid loss of weight.
-Minimizing the danger of breast and ovarian cancers.
-Saving time, since breast milk is always ready and does not need preparation or warming. A mother can breastfeed her baby whenever she wants and wherever she is without special preparation.
-Saving money, for breast milk is free.
-Strengthening the bond and love between the mother and her baby.
Risks of Infant Formula for the baby:
-Infant formula can be easily contaminated with microbes and bacteria, due to improperly cleaned bottles, teats )bottle nipples(, or spoons. It may be contaminated via water or hands.
-Baby formula does not contain antimicrobials to protect the baby against infection.
-Baby formula becomes easily rancid if it is not used once prepared, particularly in hot weather.
-Baby formula is often powder whose preparation requires adding water. It is possible that a mother could put the incorrect quantity of water in, so the milk is too concentrated or too light, which can disturb the stomach of the baby and fail to satisfy his dietary needs.
-The holes of the teats may be too narrow so that a baby hardly sucks, or may be too wide so that the milk comes out rapidly and the baby chokes.
-The milk may be contaminated during preparation
-The heavy nature of formula milk may cause the baby to be overweight, and increases the risk of chronic diseases.
-A bottle-fed baby may be exposed to allergies, intestinal colic, respiratory diseases and permanent diarrhea.
-A baby may reject his mother's breast because baby formula tastes better to him.
-Lastly, it causes the baby to be confused between the breast nipple and the bottle teat, and this affects the emotional connection between the mother and the baby.
Risks of baby formula for the mother:
-Delay and decrease of breast milk production because the baby does not suck properly.
-An increase of the possibility of breast congestion or inflammation as the baby does not regularly take her milk.
-An increase of the risk of unplanned pregnancy
-An increase in the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and obesity.
-It reduces the possibility of regaining body shapeliness after childbirth.
Looking for the reasons why some mothers refuse to breastfeed their babies, it was found that there are a few: the mother might be going out to study or work, the mother fears that breastfeeding would affect her shapeliness, the mother may be fond of imitating Western women, and think that using formulas is some sort of modernity. Also, the mother may be unaware of the ideal way to breastfeed a baby.
Final Advice
We advise mothers to start breastfeeding their babies from the first hours after childbirth, meaning, once the milk comes. This must be in the first days that follow delivery. It is recommended that a baby is fed from one breast for at least half an hour, until the mother is sure that he is full, because the first quantity of milk contains water and sugar that increase the appetite of the baby and encourages him to continue breastfeeding.
All these facts unveil the secrets embedded in what Allaah The Almighty Says )which means(:}Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing ]period[.{]Quran 2:233[

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Personal, - A healthy and balanced food system

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Many people get into the bad habit of overeating during the month ofRamadan, which often causes different types of diseases, like constipation, rapid weight gain, and many others. This is because they are heedless of the instructions of the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the etiquettes one must adhere to at the time of breaking the fast when eatingIftaar. The instructions of the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, are all about healthy practices. They also include measures to prevent stressing the body and over-exhausting it, as well as not subjecting it to pain. These measures therefore reflect the great benefits of fasting.
In order to achieve benefit from this healthy system, we must adhere to certain instructions related to our eating habits during the period of fasting. The following are some of these instructions:
Hastening to break the fast immediately at sunset:Sahlibn Sa`d, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allaah,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“People will continue to adhere to good as long as they hasten to break their fasting.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[“Adhere to good”here means the welfare of the religion as well as that of this world. Breaking the fast early does not mean that it is terminated before the prescribed time. What it means is that it is done without any delay immediately after sunset. Hastening to break ones’ fast has many benefits and effects on the fasting person who has been fasting for a period that ranges from 10-14 hours. The fasting person at the time of breaking his fast is in dire need to make up for the fluids and energy that he has lost during the day. The one who delays breaking the fast usually suffers from a drop in his blood sugar level, which results in total weakness.
Breaking the fast on dates:The fasting person has been instructed bythe Messenger of Allaah,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to start breaking his fast by eating a ripe or dry date. The benefit from this lies in it making up for the sugar he consumed during the day while fasting. If he cannot find dates, then the next best thing is water, and one may also drink milk or warm soup. One should take a short break )by going to prayMaghrib(, in order to allow the body to prepare itself for the next step of eating the main meal.
Eating the main meal after performing the Maghrib prayer:In order to attain a healthy, balanced food system, the main meal must include all the primary food components, namely: protein, starch, sugar, fat, vitamins and minerals. There is no restriction on any type of food unless the person suffers from a certain disease which requires him to maintain a special diet. We would like to draw attention to the following important matters:
·Avoid overeating.
·Reduce the consumption of fat in general, especially saturated fat, and sweets.
·Do not eat a lot of pickles, spices and pepper.
·Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.
·Do not drink a lot of coffee and tea because they exhaust the stomach.
·Stay away completely from soft drinks and fruit juices that include preservatives.
Means to avoid constipation:It is a known fact that an empty stomach, after long hours of fasting, will not accept large amounts of food all at once. It can only do so in stages. Eating large amounts of food in one go therefore will cause pain to the stomach and the intestines. Additionally, this causesindigestion in the form of gases and constipation as well as other symptoms like feeling lazy and fatigue. Therefore, we highly advise people to break their fast in two stages:
·First: Eating dates, which acts as an introduction and prepares the stomach for the main course.
·Second: Eating the main meal after having performed the prayer.
A warning against some bad eating habits:People exercise very bad eating habits at the time they break their fast during the month ofRamadan, and we will shed light on some of them in the following:
·Sleeping after eatingIftaar.
·Smoking: Many people rush to light their cigarettes and start smoking as soon as the sun sets, thinking )mistakenly( that this satisfies their hunger or thirst. They forget the immensely harmful effects smoking has, especially on an empty stomach, let alone its bad impact on the fasting person’s appetite - in addition to the numerous bad effects on the rest of the human body.
·Drinking a lot of tea or coffee and other sweetened juices, all of which negatively affect the stomach.
Finally, the fasting person must always remember the advice of the Messenger of Allaah,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.Al-Miqdaad ibn Ma`dikarib, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported:“I heard the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, say:‘No man fills a container worse than his stomach. A few morsels that would keep his back upright are sufficient for him. If he has to do so, then he should keep one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for his breathing.’”]At-Tirmithi[ This narration dissuades us from overeating as this causes laziness and negatively affects one's health.

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Personal, - A delayed pregnancy should not be a cause or worry

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Medical research gives glad tidings to spouses who have been married for a year and still have no children that this is not a sign of being sick or sterile. A recently published study showed that spouses who do not suffer from health problems, even though they become worried after one year of trying to conceive, often succeed in realizing their goal during the second year.
Many spouses hurry to clinics of reproductive health and fertility when there is a delay in pregnancy for fear of having any problems concerning their ability to have children. Scientists, however, believe that doctors should not be hasty in prescribing medicines unless they discover substantial reasons requiring this. They add that the spouses should also keep trying for a longer time if there is no medical cause behind the delay.
Scientists point out that the definition of sterility or subfertility includes the inability to conceive after a year of trying. Frequently, young men and women visit fertility clinics for this reason. However, new research shows that chances of normal pregnancy in spouses who are in their late thirties reach about 91% during the first two years of trying.
After analyzing the recorded data of 782 spouses from seven European cities, researchers discovered that nowadays spouses wait for a longer period before trying to have children. They also discovered that the man’s age plays an important role in the delay of pregnancy. Previous research showed that the rate of fertility decreases to a greater rate than previously thought. Fertility in women starts to decline as early as the late 20s and for men in their late 30s, which increases fears of sterility when there is a delay in pregnancy.
Doctors advise spouses who are under 30 to visit fertilization clinics only after two years of unsuccessful attempts in conceiving. Nonetheless, spouses who are over 30 must not wait for a long period; rather they should start treatment in case there are any specific problems like menstrual irregularity or sexual diseases.
Doctors also mention that fertility treatment, which includes drugs or methods promoting pregnancy like in-vitro fertilization where the egg is fertilized with sperm outside the body in the laboratory and inserting the resulting embryo into the womb, are somewhat risky. They increase the risk of giving birth to twins, multiple labors, complications in pregnancy, giving birth to babies of low weight and size, or babies suffering from deformities and disabilities. They drew attention to the fact that as the woman grows older, the effectiveness of treatment decreases, while the risks and side effects increase.
A new study reveals that most healthy spouses who have no health problems succeed in conceiving naturally at the end of the second year, regardless of age. Specialists noticed that only 9% of women between 35-39 years and whose husbands are under forty, fail to conceive after two years of trying. However, this percentage rises to 16% if the husband is above the age of 40.
In another discovery, new medical research has revealed that it is possible to help women who experience unexplained repeated miscarriagesto conceive through subjecting the embryo to genetic analyses and checks. Scientists at theInstituto Valenciano de Infertilidadin Valencia, Spain said that the simple analysis of the hereditary and genetic structure in the embryos before transferring them to the womb within the operations that promote pregnancy like in-vitro fertilization, through a technique known as Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosismay help in defining the problem and solving it.
Those scientists stated in the Annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, which was recently held in Vienna, that the disturbance and disorders in the chromosomes might be the main and major cause of miscarriage. They clarify that it is possible to discover such disorders that are known as Aneuploidythrough a simple genetic test. Spanish specialists succeeded in achieving normal pregnancy rates and reducing the dangers of abortion in women who have a history of repeated miscarriages and failure of embryo implantation in techniques of in-vitro fertilization. This was achieved through checking the embryos to know if they carry any genetic disease during the in-vitro fertilization procedure to only implant the embryos that have normal genetic patterns into the woman’s womb.
Those specialists explained that the non-genetic disordersin a number of chromosomes are common causes of miscarriage. These non-genetic disorders often afflict the embryos that fail to implant themselves in the womb during the techniques of in-vitro fertilization and the ICSI )Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection(. Spanish researchers observed 71 women who suffered from unexplained and repeated miscarriages and 42 others who suffered from failure of embryo implantation in three or more attempts of in-vitro fertilization and ICSI )Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection(. They compared them to 28 women, who experienced no miscarriages, by taking a cell from the embryo in a very early stage of its development, which does not cause it the least harm.
Doctors found that the rate of the embryos that are affected with chromosomal disorders in the first two groups )repeated miscarriage and implantation failure( increased by one third compared to the third )normal( group. They mentioned that these differences were particularly clear in the embryos of the women who were under the age of 37 as the rate of the abnormal embryos of these women was double. This rate greatly increases in women who are above this age.
Those researchers noticed that after implanting only healthy embryos, the rates of pregnancy and miscarriage were similar in the three groups, which means that it is possible to increase the rate of successful pregnancy and reduce the dangers of abortion through genetic analysis before implantation to select only normal embryos to be inserted into the womb. In addition, this operation helps in defining the spouses who are most likely to produce diseased embryos and those who could not have normal embryos.

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Ahle sunnathwal Jamath, - Reading Fatiha Behind the Imam Part 2

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After Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah’s statement, no one can say that recitation behind the Imam is fard and that the one who recites behind the Imam his salaah will not be accepted.
Evidence from the Qur’an for not reciting behind the Imam
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“When the Qur’an is being recited, listen to it and be silent”
[Surah Araf verse 204]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir explains the meaning of this verse as follows:
You should remain quiet when the Imam is reciting Qur’an loudly in the fard salaah. There is a Hadith in which the Prophet said, “When offering Salaah behind the Imam you should recite takbir when he recites takbir, and when he recites Qiraat you should remain quiet”.
There is also another narration:
Abdullah Ibn Masud heard some people reciting Qiraat behind the Imam and said to them "What is wrong with you? Why are you not obeying the Qur’an?”
This implies that when the Qur’an is being recited remain quite. Imam Zuhri states that this verse was revealed because one man used to recite behind the Prophet SallalahoAleheWasalam. Abu Hurairah said that before this verse, was revealed people were in the habit of reading behind the Imam aloud in salaah Fajr, Maghrib and Isha salaah and when this verse was revealed they stopped this practice.
Imam Zuhri says that in the salaah, where the Imam recites loudly, you should not recite behind him because the Imam’s recitation is sufficient for you, even if you cannot hear. But there were some people who thought that they could recite behind the Imam if his voice did not reach them, but I (Ibn Kathir) say that this is wrong, no one should recite behind the Imam, whether his voice reaches them or not. This is because Allah says in the Qur’an
“When the Qur’an is being recited, listen to it and remain quiet”.
A group of scholars say the following:
Imam Ahmad and Abu Hanifah say that a person should not recite Qiraat behind the Imam in any Salaah, because the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] stated that the Imam’s reciting is sufficient for the followers.
Imam Shafi has two opinions on this subject:
1) A person should recite Qiraat behind the Imam
2) A person should not recite Qiraat behind the Imam.
I (Ibn Kathir) say that the second opinion is correct as it corresponds with the Qur’an.
Imam Bukhari states that a person is entitled to recite Qiraat in every salaah behind the Imam weather the Imam recites quietly or loudly, but the Sahaba and Tabi'een say that it is essential to listen to the Imam and remain quiet. This is the opinion held by Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ibn Jubair, Ibn Masud, and many other great Sahaba and Tabi'een.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir under Surah Araf verse 204 By Hafidhh Ibn Kathir]
Imam Tabari writes [that]:
This verse was revealed about salaah, but some scholars say that the verse is not for salaah but is also for the Jumma and Eid Khutbah. The companions agree with this. Ibn Masud, Abu Hanifah, Imam Zuhri, Zaid, Ibn Musaib, Hasan Basri, Ubaidh, Ata, Dhahak, Ibrahim, Nakhai, Qatada, Shabi (who had seen 500 of the Prophets companions), Sadai all hold this opinion.
[Tafsir Tabari, Surah Araf verse 204 by Imam Tabari]
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes [that]:
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal says that the whole Ummah has agreed upon the fact that the verse which states “When Qur’an is recited, listen and remain quiet”, was revealed for salaah, and all scholars agree that it is not essential for the Muqtadi (follower) to recite but he should stay quite and listen. This opinion is authentic because it is in line with the Qur’an.
[Fatawah Ibn Taymiyyah Volume 2 Pages 143, 168 and 412 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah]
From the tafsirs of Hafidhh Ibn Kathir and Imam Tabari it is clear that the verse from Surah Araf was revealed for salaah. The Sahaba and Tabi’een also agreed on this. It may still be said that the Sahaba and Tabi'een, who say that this ayah was revealed for salaah, made a mistake. To remove this doubt, Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Kathir were quoted. These are the names of the people who along with other great scholars have passed the deen down to us. When these people interpret any verse of the Qur’an, they say that their interpretation is authentic and any other opinion is useless. This is because of their knowledge in the Islamic Sciences.
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes [that]:
The Tabi’een gained knowledge from the Sahaba and settled in different places. The people of Makka had the most knowledge in Qur’anic Tafsir because Ibn Abbas once lived there, and his students gained knowledge of Tafsir from him. An example is Mujahid who was the most knowledgeable in interpreting the Qur’an. Imam Shafi, Ahmed and Bukhari used to prefer the Tafsir of Mujahid over others. Indeed, Mujahid was the “sign of Allah on this earth”. Students of Abdullah Ibn Abbas were Ata Ibn Rubah, Ikrima, and Sa’eed bin Jubair.
In Kufa Abdullah Ibn Masud taught the people the knowledge of the Qur’anic Tafsir. They, and their students, had great knowledge in the field of Tafsir.
In Madina, Zaid bin Salaam had the most knowledge of the Qur’anic Tafsir. This is the reason why Imam Malik's quotations of Tafsir are from Zaid bin Aslam. Hasan al-Basri, Musrooq, Qatadah, and Abu Aliya, who were also great scholars of Tafsir.
[Usool ut Tafsir p21, 66 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes [that]:
Mujahid, Ikrima, Ata, Hasan Basri, Musrooq, Sa’eed and Abu Aliya had great knowledge of Tafsir but Mujahid was the “Proof of Allah on this earth”. Sufiyan ath Thawri used to say that if Mujahid's Tafsir had said such and such a thing then futher research is useless as his Tafsir is sufficient.
[Muqadama Tafsir Ibn Tafsir by Hafidhh Ibn Kathir]
Therefore, if anyone should state that Surah al Araf’s verse was not revealed for salaah, his statement can be ignored. This is because this opinion would be against the Sahaba and Tabi’een. This is proved from the above statements.
Not reciting Qiraat behind the Imam, evidence from the Hadith
Imam Muslim writes [that]:
Abu Musa Ashari reported that the Prophet SallalahoAleheWasalam taught us how to perform salaah, and said “First straighten the rows, then one person should become Imam, then follow him, when he says takbir say takbir and when he recites, remain quiet.”
[Sahih Muslim book of Salaah Chapter Tashahud, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad, Nayl ul Awtaar, Kitabul Qiraat, Muhallah Ibn Hazm Chapter Salaah]
Imam Muslim writes [that]:
My student, Abu Nasr, asked me if the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah in which it says “…when the Imam recites, stay quiet…” is authentic. I (Imam Muslim) said “Yes, it is authentic.”
[Sahih Muslim Chapter Tashahhud]
Imam Muslim writes [that]:
Zaid bin Thabit was asked if a person should recite behind the Imam, he in reply said “Behind the Imam there is no Qiraat”
[Sahih Muslim Chapter Sujud e Tilawah]
Imam Malik writes [that]:
Jabir reported that if a person performs Salaaqh and fails to read Surah Al-Fatiha, his Salaah is nullified, but if he is behind the Imam then his Salaah is valid.
[Muatta Imam Malik Chapter Majati Umal Qur’an]
Imam Malik further writes [that]:
Nafi (who was a famous student of Ibn Umar) reported that when anyone asked Ibn Umar: Should a person recite Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam, he used to reply that the Imam’s reciting of Surah Al-Fatiha is sufficient for you. Ibn Umar did not read Surah Al-Fatiha behind the Imam.
[Muatta Imam Malik book of Salaah Chapter Qiraat Khalful Imam].
Imam Ahmad writes that Ibn See’reen asked Ibn Umar “Should I recite Al-Fatiha behind the Imam?” He replied that the Imam’s recitation is sufficient for you.
[Musnad Ahmad narration’s of Ibn Umar].
Imam Ahmad writes [that]:
Jabir bin Abdullah reported that the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said that the Imam’s recitation is the persons recitation who is reading behind him.
[Musnad Ahmad narration’s of Jabir bin Abdullah].
Ibn Majah also wrote this Hadith in his book of salaah. In Ibn Majah’s narrative chain, there is a person called Jafar who is considered weak.
Imam Ahmad writes [that]:
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet SallalahoAleheWasalam said that the Imam is selected to be followed and when he says takbeer you say takbir, when he goes into raku you go into raku, when he goes into sajdah you go into sajdah, but when he reads Qiraat you remain quiet.
[Musnad Ahmad narration’s of Abu Hurairah also Nasai Nayl al Awtaar Muhalla Ibn Hazm Chap of Salaah Kitabul Qiraat, Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah volume 2 Page 144].
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal reports [that]:
Abu Darda reported that one day the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] told us (and I was the closest to the Prophet) about recitation behind the Imam. He said that the Imam’s recitation is sufficient for the Muqtadi.
[Musnad Ahmad narration’s of Abu Darda].
Imam Tirmidhi writes [that]:
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said that instruction from the Hadith that states, “…Salaah is not accepted if Surah Al-Fatiha is not read…” is for that person who is reading alone.
[Tirmidhi Chapter of Qiraat Khalful Imam].
Imam Abd al Razzaq (who was a great teacher of Imam Bukhari and Muslim) writes [that]:
Ali said that he who recites Qiraat behind the Imam goes against nature. One person asked Ibn Musood whether he should recite behind the Imam, Ibn Musood replied “No”. Zaid bin Aslam reported that the Prophet had prohibited a person from reading Qiraat behind the Imam.
Abu Is-haaq said that Ibn Masood’s students did not recite behind the Imam. Abaidullah asked Jabir bin Abdullah whether he recited behind the Imam at Zuhr and Asr? He replied “No”?
[Musanaf Abdul Razzaq Chapter on Qiraat Khalful Imam].
Imam Abdul Razzaq, who died in 221H, was neither a Hanafi nor Abu Hanifah’s student. No one can say that Imam Abdul Razzaq made up the narration to support the Hanifi position, so it should be accepted that this narration is not fabricated.
Imam Ibn Abi Shaiba writes [that]:
The Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said that for any person, who recites behind the Imam, my wish is that fire should be placed in his mouth.
Nafi, Zahid bin Aslam, Ibn Umar, Jubair and Said Ibn Jubair say that there is no Qiraat behind the Imam whether he reads aloud or reads quiet.
[Musanaf Ibn Abu Shayba Chapter on Qiraat Khalful Imam].
Imam Ibn Abi Shayba, who strongly opposed Abu Hanifah, had written a full chapter against Abu Hanifah. In the same book he wrote the above narration without criticism. If this narration had not been true then, he would have rejected them it or criticised them it. Also, because he has not criticised this reports, it is proof in itself that the narration had taken place. No one can say that he had fabricated these narrations in order to support Abu Hanifah.
Imam Dar Qutini writes [that]:
The Prophet said that there is no recitation behind the Imam. Ali says that a person who recites Qiraat behind the Imam has gone against Sunnah.
[Dar Qutni Chapter on Qiraat]
Dar Qutni was also opposed to Imam Abu Hanifah, and tried to tamper with ahadiths, which supported the Hanafi School. He did not critisise the above, true narrations, which means that the above narrations are authentic.
Imam Dahabi writes [that]:
One man was performing Salaah behind the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] and was reciting. The person next to him tried to stop him with certain signals or signs. When the prayer had finished, they went to the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] and told their case. The Prophet SallalahoAleheWasalam said the Imam’s Qiraat is sufficient for the followers.
[Talqis Mustadrak Chapter on Salaah by Imam Dahahbi].
The book, Mustadrak, is written by Hakim. In this book there are all sorts of narrations both authentic and fabricated. Imam Dhahabi has, in his book, examined every Hadith to see whether it is authentic. Imam Dhahabi’s above Hadith has been recorded as authentic; therefore, there can be no doubt about this Hadith.
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes [that]:
When the Imam recites loudly it means that the Muqtadi should listen. This is the reason that the Imam recites loudly so the Muqtadi can say Amin with him. When the Imam recites quietly, they do not say Amin with him. If the Imam should recites and the Muqtadi's also recites, this will mean that the Imam has been given the order to recite to people who do not want to listen to the Qiraat. This is the same as saying to a person to do a speech to a nation that does not want to listen to it. This is such nonsense that Islam does not permit it. There is a Hadith, which states that when a ­­­­Khutba is being read and a person is talking, it is as though a pile of books is loaded onto a donkey. This is similar to a person reciting Qiraat behind the Imam in the audible prayers.
[Fatawah Ibn Taymiyyah Volume 2 Page 147 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah].
So now it should be clear, without any doubt whatsoever, with all that has been mentioned and all the evidence to support the claim that when the Imam recites qiraat the Muqtadi should stay quiet and listen – for the Imam's recitation is sufficient for the Muqtadi.

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Ahle sunnathwal Jamath, - Reading Fatiha Behind the Imam Part 1

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Those of us who adhere to the madhab of Imam Abu Hanifah believe that when an individual performs salaah alone then, it is wajib to recite al-Fatiha, but when one is praying behind the Imam then, al-Fatiha should not be recited, whether the Imam is reciting loudly or quietly. The evidence available from the Qur’an and Sunnah are as follows:
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it.”
[Surat-ul-A’raaf: 204]
Hafidh Ibn Kathir writes [that]:
The Prophet SallalahoAleheWasalam said: The Imam’s recitation is enough for the followers.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir under Surah Al Fatiha]
The position taken by those who adhere to this madhab, is that it is impermissable to recite behind the Imam in any salaah.
There are people who believe that we should recite behind the Imam even when the Imam recites loudly or quietly. Their evidence is from the Hadith, in which the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said:
The Salaah of the person who does not recite Al-Fatiha, is not accepted
[Bukhari Muslim Kitabul Saklah Chapter Wujub-ul-Qiraat]
Rather than reciting this in isolation, when we read other sources of Islamic Law, we can establish that the meaning of this Hadith is that it is essential to recite Al-Fatiha when praying Salaah alone. Some people have also established from the above Hadith that it implies that the recitation of al-Fatiha in every rakaah is fard compulsary.
It is also worth mentioning that this Hadith is established from a single narration, so an action cannot be proved to be fard from such type of narration. There is proof from Qur’an and Sunnah which supports the view that if someone reads any part of the Qur’an in the Salaah, the Salaah will be accepted.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
Recite the Qur’an (in Salaah) that which is easy for you
[Surat-ul-Muzzammil: 20]
If surat-al-Fatiha was fard then, the verse would have stated this explicitly. There is also another Hadith which states that the Prophet taught a man how to perform salaah, yet he [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] did not mention Al-Fatiha.
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write [that]:
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] was sitting in the masjid and a man came and performed salaah. The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] ordered him to perform salaah again. When he finished, the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] told him again to perform Salaah. The man said “This is the best way that I can perform salaah. Teach me a better way.” The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said “When you stand, say takbir then recite from the Qur’an whatever is easy for you.”
[Bukhari & Muslim, baabu wujoob-il-Qiraah]
Imam Darral Qutini writes [that]:
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said that whoever joins the salaah with the Imam in ruku (before the Imam stands straight), that ruku will not have to be repeated.
[Daar Qutini chap Adrak Imam Qabl al Rakooh]
If the recitation of Surat al Fatiha was fard, the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] would have told the man to recite al-Fatiha first and then to recite any other part of the Qur’an which was easy for him. Also the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] would not have said that the ruku of the person, who joins the Imam while the Imam is in rukoo, does not have to be repeated. In such a case Al-Fatiha is missed. If Al-Fatiha was fard, the person joining the Salaah at rukoo would have had to repeat his Salaah– simply because a fard was missing.
Alama Sa’eedi writes:
The meaning of the above debated Hadith is similar to the following ahadeeth:
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said that
“whoever lives close to the masjid and does not pray in the masjid his salaah is not accepted.”
There is another Hadith, which states that if a person makes wudu and does not recite Bismillah, the wudu is invalid. There is also another Hadith stating that a person is not Muslim if his neighbour sleeps in a hungry state. Another Hadith states that if a person does not fulfil their promise then, he is not a Muslim. Of course, the person who doesn’t fulfil their promise is still a Muslim, and in the same way, if someone doesn’t recite Al-Fatiha in salaah, his salaah is still accepted but without full Excellency. If this wasn’t the case, the Prophet should have said: “The salaah of the one who does not recite al-Fatiha is false.”
[Sharh Muslim Baab Wujoobe Qiraat] By Allama Sa’eedi
There is a further explanation of this Hadith, which we shall touch upon later, InSha’Allah. We accept that there are scholars who hold the view that people should recite al-Fatiha behind the Imam. The scholars have also written books on this subject.
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
Some scholars say that Al-Fatiha should be recited behind the Imam. The scholars of Hadith say this opinion is weak. Qur’an and authentic Hadith and the opinion of the early Muslims (salaf) is with those scholars who say that Al-Fatiha should not be recited behind the Imam.
[Tanaww Ibaadaat, Page 76 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes [that]:
Imam Ahmad and Imam Abu Hania say there should be no recitation behind the Imam during any Salaah. This is more accurate because Imam Shafi has one opinion which is similar to this.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir under Surah Araf verse 204]
Surley, after reading such statementsit should suffice to understand which position is in accordance with the Prophets [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] command of “pray as you see me pray.”
Whoever decides to embark on their own research on this subject, will find it difficult not to arrive at the same conclusion of Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah and Hafidhh Ibn Kathir.
Let us now examine the evidence of the people who insist that they should recite behind the Imam.
Essentialiy, they claim that there are three Ahadith which state that the Prophet said that we should recite behind the Imam. In fact, there is not a single Hadith in which the Prophet has commanded us to recite behind the Imam. As we have seen thus-far there is proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah to suggest that we should NOT recite behind the Imam.
Let us examine the three narrations which have been put forward.
The first narration is from Ali bin Abdullah from Sufiyan from Zuhri from Mahmood who reported that:
The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said that the salaah of whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha is not complete.
[Bukhari Muslim Baabu Wujoob-il-Qiraa’h]
Those who recite behind the Imam put forward this Hadith as their evidence to recite Surah al-Fatiha in every salaah behind the Imam. There is no word in this Hadith that proves that Al-Fatiha should be recited behind the Imam. If we take the literal meaning of reciting behind the Imam, then this narration would go against the Qur’an and authentic ahadith. The actual meaning of this narration is that when a person is praying alone and does not recite al-Fatiha then, his salaah is not complete. This is the actual opinion held by narrators of this narration. The following proves this.
Imam Muslim writes [that]:
Ma’mar reported from Zuhri that the Prophet Muhammad said that the salaah of the person who does not recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another part of the Qur’an is not accepted.
[Muslim, Bab al Qira’]
Imam Muslim’s narration confirms that this Hadith is for the person who is praying alone because, when a person prays alone he reads Surah Al-Fatiha and another part of the Qur’an. Even the people who recite Al-Fatiha behind the Imam they, do not say that there should be another part of the Qur’an recited. So it is clear that this Hadith is for those people who are praying alone.
An objection raised
Imam Bukhari narrated a narration from Sufiyan which is about the wujub of only reciting Al-Fatiha and Imam Muslim narrates from Ma’mar a Hadith which says that the person’s prayer is not accepted if they do not recite Surah Al-Fatiha AND another part of the Qur’an. We prefer Sufiyan’s narration over Ma’mar’s because Sufiyan is more reliable.
This objection can be cleared easily by looking at what the books of al-jarhu-wat-ta’deel say about the quality of Hadith narrators.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidhh Asqalani write [that]:
Imam Yahya bin Mo’een was asked by his students, who had memorised more of Imam Dhahabi’s narrations, as to whom he prefered. He replied: “Imam Ma’mar. “Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said that Sufiyan heard Ahadith from Imam Zuhri at a young age, so this is why, when he reported Ahadith from Zuhri, he made mistakes in 20 of them.
[Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb, Meezaan ul- ‘itidaal, biography of Sufiyan and Ma’mar]
This reference proves that Ma’mar’s narration is more authentic than Sufiyan’s narration.
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes [that]:
Sufiyan sometimes committed Tadlees [which means that when he narrated some of the Hadith, he made out that he heard it directly from Zuhri, but he had actually heard it from someone else who in turn heard it from Zuhri]. One day, Sufiyan was sitting with his students and he told them a Hadith, which he was narrating from Zuhri. One of the students questioned: “Did you hear this directly from Zuhri?” Sufiyan paused and said: “No, I heard it from Abdul Razzaq, who heard it from Ma’mar, who heard it directly from Zuhri.”
[Iftisaaru Uloom il Ahadith, Baab ut Tadlees, by Hafidhh Ibn Kathir]
This reference, proves that Sufiyan at times committed Tadlees, but Ma’mar did not. Someone may say that Sufiyan’s narrations are prefered over Ma’mar’s, even if Ma’mar is more reliable concerning Zuhri’s narrations than Sufiyan. This claim is dealt with below.
Sufiyan’s narrations prove that we should read Al-Fatiha even if we are praying behind an Imam
The answer is No. Let us examine what Imam Zuhri and his other students, Imam Malik and others, (including Sufiyan,) understood from this narration. The main narration comes from Imam Zuhri then his students, Imam Malik, Sufyan, Yunus, Ma’mar, Auzai’ee and others narrate this narration.
Imam Abu Dawud writes [that]
Sufiyan narrates from Imam Zuhri that the Hadith that a prayer of the person who does not recite Al-Fatiha and another part of the Qur’an is not accepted is meant for the person who is praying alone. Imam Zuhri says that when the Prophet used to lead the prayer loudly the people used to recite behind him. This narration is from Imam Zuhri, narrated by Sufiyan, Ma’mar, Abdullah bin Muhammad, Auzai’ee, Abdur Rahman bin Is-haaq, Yunus, Usama and Imam Malik.
[Abu Dawud, Baab Tark ul Qiraa’h Khalf ul Imam]
From this we can prove that the Hadith concerning nullification of the prayer, of the one who does not recite Al-Fatiha in their prayer is meant for that person who is performing salaah alone, and not behind the Imam. This is what Imam Sufiyan, his teacher and colleagues understood by this narration. This Hadith is found in two versions; One version is narrated by Sufiyan, this concerning just reading Al-Fatiha – (this is without any clarification.) The other version is that the persons prayer is not accepted who does not recite Al-Fatiha AND another part of the Qur’an. This narration comes from Sufiyan, Ma’mar and others. The second narration is an explanation of the first one. Imam Sufiyan himself explained that this narration is for that person who is performing salaah alone.
More evidence supporting the recitation behind the Imam
Imam Muslim writes [that]:
Someone asked Abu-Hurairah “What do we do when we are behind the Imam, should we recite Al-Fatiha or not?” He answered “Recite it in your heart.”
[Muslim Baab Wujube Qiraat]
The people who recite behind the Imam take evidence from this narration by saying that reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam is fard as Abu-Hurairah said that it should be recited in the heart. These words are neither from Allah nor the Prophet, but are the words of Abu-Hurairah himself. In Bukhari, Muslim, and other books of Ahadith, there is no such narration, which says that when you are behind the Imam you must recite Al-Fatiha in your heart. There are, however, narrations, which say that when the Imam is reciting Al-Fatiha one should listen to it.
Imam Muslim writes in Sahih Muslim:
Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said that when the Imam recites, listen and stay quiet.
[Muslim Baab ut Tashahhud]
How is it possible that Abu-Hurairah is contradicting his own narrations? The actual meaning of Abu-Hurairah’s words concerning reciting in the heart is to contemplate its meanings. This is the true meaning which does not go against the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Qadhi Shawkani writes (Imam Qurtubi has also written something similar):
The word “Nafsaka(Your self)” means to think about the meaning.
[Fath ul Qadeer, under Surat ul-Araf, Aayah 203]
Imam Nawawi writes [that]:
Some Maliki scholars have explained Abu-Hurairah’s words about “reading in the heart”, as to think about the words of Al-Fatiha, because if you read something in the heart it cannot be called recitation because recitation is actually when one reads from the tongue. So it is only called recitation when the tongue is actually moving. The proof of this is that all the scholars say when a woman is in an impure state she cannot recite with the tongue, but she can think about the meaning in her heart.
[Shara Muslim Baab Wujoobe Qiraat]
From the above we can see that Abu-Hurairah’s words do not mean to recite behind the Imam but rather they mean to think about the meaning in the heart.
The status of the words of the companions
It is said that the words of Abu-Hurairah prove that recitation behind the Imam is fard. This objection can be easily cleared, as the words of the companions cannot prove something to be fard, wajib, halal or haraam. (The Qur’an and Ahadith of the Prophet can only prove this), particularly when the words of the companion contradict any Hadith that, the companion have himself or herself reported. The words of the companions are normally proof of something when there is nothing related to it, (from the Qur’an and Sunnah).
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes [that]:
The words of the Sahaba cannot prove anything to be fard, wajib, halal or haraam, especially when words go against authentic Hadith. So when the words go against the Hadith it is not necessary for Muslims to follow it. There is a narration saying that Abu-Hurairah used to wipe his neck during wudu. We know that to perform this wiping is against Sunnah. This is why groups of scholars criticise those people who wipe the neck during wudu.
[Kitab ul Wasila Baab Hadith ul Ama]
After Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah’s statement one cannot prove that reciting Al-Fatiha behind the Imam from Abu-Hurairah’s words.
More evidence supporting recitation behind the Imam
Imam Abu-Dawud writes [that]:
Ubada bin Samid reported: Once we prayed Fajr behind the Prophet, He experienced difficulty in his recitation. When he finished praying he asked “Maybe one of you was reciting behind me”. We said, “Yes”. The Prophet said “Do not recite anything behind me except Al-Fatiha”. Narrated by Muhammad bin Is-haaq, Muqhool, and Naf’e from Ubada.
[Abu Dawud Baab ul Qiraat Fi Salaah]
From this narration, one cannot prove that the recitation behind the Imam is necessary. Here are some reasons for this.
1) This narration opposes the Qur’an and the authentic Ahadith, which say that one should not recite behind the Imam of (which we have mentioned but a few above);
2) This narration is very weak. The reason for this is that the narrators of this Hadith have been criticised by the scholars of Hadith;
3) Abu-Dawud, who collected this Hadith, wrote a second chapter in which there is the full explanation of this Hadith. When we read the full explanation we can see that we should not recite behind the Imam, and
4) The narrator of this narration himself never recited behind the Imam.
The narrator of this Hadith
Abu-Dawud writes [that]:
Muqhool sometimes got this narration confused because sometimes he said he got the narration from Ubada and sometimes that he said he heard it from Naf’e and sometimes he said he heard it from Mahmood.
[Abu Dawud Baab Qiraa’ah Khalful Imam]
The other narrator of this Hadith is Naf’e who is unknown.
Imam Dahabi and Hafidhh Asqalani write [that]:
Naf’e only ever narrated one Hadith (which was the one above). This is the reason why Imam bin Abdul barr says that he is unknown. Imam Bukhari and Imam Abu Hatim never mentioned Naf’e’s name in their books. Ibn Habban said that Naf’e’s narration is weak, but he was not a liar.
[Mizan ul Ittadeel Tahzeeb al Tahzeeb biography of Naf’e bin Mahmood]
The other narrator of this narration is Muhammad bin Is-haaq, who was very knowledgeable in Islamic history but very weak in narration of Hadith.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidhh Asqalani write [that]:
The scholars of Hadith have different opinions about Muhammad bin Is-haaq. Yahya bin Mo’een says that he is authentic but his narration of Hadith is not good. Ali Ibn Madini says his two narrations are unknown. Nasai said that he is not strong in the knowledge of Hadith. Imam Dar Qutni said that his Hadith cannot be used as evidence. Imam Abu Bakr said that Muhammad bin Is-haah was Qadri. Imam Hashaam and Imam Salaiman said that he was a liar. Imam Malik said that he is a liar and is a Dajjal. Abdullah bin Mubarak said, “I saw Muhammad bin Is-haaq in Masjid ul Haif, I did not go near him because people might have said that I have wrong beliefs like him.” Imam Ahmad said “When he narrates Hadith, he narrates Hadith from those people whom he never met. Imam Yahya bin Sa’eed says “I bear witness that Muhammad bin Is-haaq is a liar. He has narrated one thousand Hadith’s which no one else has narrated.” Imam Bukhari never wrote any Hadith that was narrated by Muhammad bin Is-haaq. No one can use his narration of Hadith as evidence for halal and haraam. But there are a few people who praised him like Imam Shoba.
[Mizan ul I’tidaal, Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb, Tazkarat ul Huffaaz, biography of Muhammad bin Is-haaq]
We can see that the majority of scholars have criticised Muhammad bin Is-haaq so how can we use his narration as evidence?
1) Imam Abu Dawud writes [that]:
One day the Prophet [May Allah blss him and grant Him peace] was leading the prayer. After he had finished praying he said “Perhaps some of you were reciting behind me?” The followers said “Yes”. The Prophet said “That was why I was facing difficulty in reciting”. Abu Hurairah, Imam Zuhri and Imam Auzai’ee said that after this advice from the Prophet everyone stopped reciting behind the Imam.
[Abu Dawud Baab Man al Qiraat]
From this narration, we can see that people used to recite behind the Imam but stopped it afterwards.
2) Imam Abu Dawud writes [that]:
Naf’e reported: One day, Ubada and I, performed salaah behind Abu Naeem, Ubada was standing besides me. He recited behind the Imam. When the salaah was over, I asked him “Why, when the Imam was reciting loudly, did you recite behind him?” He told me about the Hadith that has been mentioned above.
[Abu Dawud Baab Qiraat Khalful Imam]
From this, we can see that Naf’e (who is the narrator of the Hadith) did not recite behind the Imam, and nor did the other people who were there. Secondly, it is proved that Ubada was reciting Al Fatiha loud enough so that the next person could hear him. So the people who use this Hadith as evidence should only recite loud enough so that the next person can hear them. If everyone recites loudly behind the Imam it would sound like similar to the “Amin” said in unison. So these are the reasons why this narration cannot be used as evidence, we also know that, there are authentic Ahadith that say when, the Imam is reciting, you should listen to it. So how can we leave the authentic Hadith and follow the weak Hadith?
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes [that]:
To listen to the recitation of the Imam is mentioned in the Qur’an and the authentic Ahadith. The whole Ummah agrees on this. All the companions say that when the Imam recites Al-Fatiha or any other Surah it is fard to listen and to stay quiet. Imam Shah’s saying is also like this. This is the reason that the knowledgeable Shafi scholars like Imam Qadri and Imam Abu Muhammad say that if the Imam is reciting loudly, and someone recites behind him, that person would be denying the Qur’an, Sunnah and the opinion of all the companions.
[Tanow al Ibadaat Page 87 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah]
After Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah’s statement, no one can say that recitation behind the Imam is fard and that the one who recites behind the Imam his salaah will not be accepted.

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Ahle sunnathwal Jamath, - Preface

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In The Name Of Allah, The Most High, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah The Most High, The Creator, The Provider. He has no Partners, and is in no need of any. He is Alone, He made the Heavens and the Earth. He knows what was before time, what is present and what is after. He shows the straight path to whosoever He wishes, and whoever He chooses to bless. He makes them the best among the best. O Allah, send salutations on our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), who is the last and final Messenger. After him there will be no Prophets to come until the Day of Judgement. Allah The Most High has given Him the highest excellence. On the Day of Judgement when every indi­vidual will be present, our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) will intercede on the behalf of the Muslims. Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), his family, his companions who passed on the knowledge gained directly from the Prophet to the coming generations. Blessings also be upon the scholars of Hadith who spent their lives in compiling the books of hadith and the others who continue to serve Islam until the day of Judgement.
The impetus behind writing this book, came after speaking to some young Muslims who were confused and held erroneous misconceptions as to what it meant to be of the Ahl al-Sunna. There were various issues in which they argued much over – take for instance, calling ‘Ya Rasul-Allah’; seeking assistance from other than Allah and the issue of Hadhir and Nadhir. I also found that some points of Hanafi Fiqh were being criticized without just cause. With the help of Allah almighty in this book, I have tried to clarify those issues, refute the objections and support the points with evidence from the Holy Qur`an and the hadith of the Prophet (may Allah bless Him and Grant Him peace).
Before commencing with this book, there are a few issues that need to be mentioned at the very beginning. Firstly, it should be mentioned that this book was first translated from Arabic into Urdu and then into English. As such, there will be some meanings that cannot be fully conveyed into English: Arabic is a complex language that has richness that cannot always be handled well by the English language. However, this does not mean to say that the meanings are distorted to prove a point, but rather are translated as best as possible using the words that were best found. I will be pleased if after reading this book, people write in and inform me of any incorrect translations that have been made. These will be rectified as soon as possible.
Secondly, some may raise the question as to why chapters rather than page numbers are quoted. It is from my own personal experience that I would often find it difficult to try and find what it was I was looking for by referring to page numbers: the page numbers would almost invariably differ with the plethora of different editions and publishers. As a result, I decided to use the Chapter heading, since readers would be able to easily look this up under the relevant chapters. It is interesting to note that back in the times of the great scholars of Islam, they never mentioned the source of their information – since the readers were very aware as to their status and scholarly capacity. However, in our day, references are a necessary feature, since it is very easy to claim one thing and then fabricate its source. References thus provide an easy and ready source for the reader to check and examine for himself or herself.
Thirdly, it is important to point out that when a hadith or other narration is mentioned, it may not always be quoted in full. An explanation is of course required for this. It is simple. In many instances, in either a hadith or other narrations, a number of different subjects would be included which are not required for the particular point that I wish to convey. As a result, I have left out what does not concern the point that is being emphasized. It is very important to note that by doing this I have not left out anything that would report back contrary to the point that is being made. There is no foul play at work.
Fourthly, and very importantly, there are at some places in this book, accusations that were written against various scholars. My point here is not to resurface these gross allegations, but rather to highlight that all scholars were and are humans and capable of making mistakes. The point, more precisely being made is that there were no scholars – that did not receive some sort of criticism from other great scholars and muhadithin. It would be very difficult to prove otherwise. It is unfair to highlight the criticism of a particular scholar and then to propagate this to the world at large. It is most definitely assured that the scholar highlighting these accusations would also have received criticism from his peers. It is very unfortunate that in our time, some Muslims have taken it upon themselves to give credence to these accusations. The aim that I hope I have conveyed in these sections is that if Muslims choose to leave the rulings a scholar simply because he has been criticized, this would really mean that the Muslims would have to leave all our scholars, since at one point in time or another, they all indeed were criticised.
Finally, the muhadithin, have compiled books of hadith but, at the same time, the same scholars have also written books discussing the authenticity of the narrators of the hadith that they have mentioned in their books. For instance, Imam Bukhari wrote Sahih Bukhari and he also wrote; Tarikh al-Kabir, Tarikh al-Saghir and Kitab al-Du’fa. Similarly, Imam Muslim wrote Sahih Muslim and also wrote about his narrators in ‘Kitab al-Asma’ wal- Kuna. Likewise, Imam al-Tirmidhi wrote Tirmidhi but along with it he wrote Kitab al-I’lal. Moreover, apart from these scholars of hadith, the teachers of these scholars also wrote the biographies of the narrators; for example, Imam Yahya bin Mu’in, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Imam Ali-Ibn al-Madini all wrote the biographies of the narrators of hadith. Such work was continued by the predecessors of the muhaddithin. For instance, Imam Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi wrote Al Jarhu wat ta’dil; Imam Ibn Habban wrote Thiqat; Khatib al- Baghdadi wrote Tarikh al-Baghdad and Ibn al- Addi wrote Al-Kamil.
These were very informative and beautifully written books but they were very detailed books. Some scholars, therefore, summarized these books. The best summary of these books was produced by Imam al-Dhahabi, who wrote a number of books. For instance Saiyar al-‘Alam al-Nubala, Tadhkarat all- Huffadh, Mizaan al- I’tidal etc. These books were then summarised further by Hafiz Ibn Hajr Asqalani, who wrote Tahdhib al-Tahdhib and Lasan al-Mizan.
In Traditional Scholarship and Modern Misunderstandings: Understanding The Ahl al-Sunnah, when mentioning the narrators, sometimes I have taken references directly from the books of the scholars from the first generation. However in the main, I have taken references from Imam al-Dhahabi and Hafiz Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani. However, when a particular narrator is being discussed, and I have used their quotes on the matter – it does not imply that these are the personal opinions of the narrators, rather, they have taken these quotes from the original books and by using the references of Imam al-Dhahabi and Hafiz Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, this does not mean that the personal opinion of Iman al-Dhahabi and Hafiz Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani is being quoted. Because they have taken quotes from the original books of scholars of hadith that came before them, and were established for their scholarly scrutiny and capacity, such as the authors of Tarikh al- Kabir and Al Jarhu wat Ta’dil.

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Ahle sunnathwal Jamath, - Placing Hands in Namaz

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There are some who claim that placing the hands below the navel whilst performing the prescribed prayers is either of a weaker opinion than that of placing the hands upon the chest or has no evidence. This chapter will address this issue in the light of the Sunnah and prove that this false claim has absolutely no foundation.
According to Imam Abu Hanifah (Allah be well pleased with him), it is part of the Sunnah for a man performing the ritual prayer, Salaah, to place his hands beneath the navel. Many companions of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), and their students (Tabi’een) performed their Salaah in this manner.
Imam Tirmidhi writes that it is Sunnah to place one hand over the other but there are different opinions amongst the companions and their students regarding the actual positioning of the hands.
(Tirmidhi Chapter Watalya’meen alashimal).
Qadhi Shawkani writes that there existed different opinions amongst the scholars regarding the positioning of the hands during Salaah. The following consider it correct to place the hands beneath the navel; Imam Abu Hanifah, Sufiyan Thawri, Is-haaq-bin Rahwia and Abu Is-haaq.
(Nal-ul-Awatar, Chapter: WazalyAmin alashimal).
The aforementioned scholars were outstanding in the field of Hadith sciences and clearly knew the differences between authentic, acceptable, weak and fabricated narrations. Furthermore, if the Ahadith stating that the hands should be placed beneath the navel were fabricated then why would Imam Ahmed, Yahya bin Mo’een, the teacher of both Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim practice these narrations?
Evidence about the validity of placing the hands below the navel during the prayer
Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal writes:
Ali said that it is a sunnah to place one hand over the other and beneath the navel.
(Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal also Dar Qutni, Abu Dawud, Chapter: Watul-YAmin Alashimal).
Imam Ibn Abi Shayba writes :
Alqamah reported from his Father that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), would place his right hand over his left and beneath the navel. Imam Ibrahim says that Ali said it is a sunnah to place your hands beneath the navel during the Salaah.
(Musannaf Ibn abi Shaeba, chapter ‘Ashimal bin-YAmin’).
Alama Ibn Hazm writes that the hands should be placed beneath the navel and Anas reported that there are three things which are Sunnah :
1. Not to delay the opening of the fast (during Ramadhan)
2. To close the fast at the very last minute
3. To place the hands beneath the navel during the prayer.
(Muhalla, chapter ‘Wat-ul-YAmin’ Ibn Hazm).
The aforementioned narrations prove that it is an established Sunnah to place the hands beneath the navel. These Ahadith are neither weak nor fabricated as Ibn Hazm would have declared them as being such because Imam Dar Qutni was in strong opposition to the Hanafi School of thought.
Evidence about the validity of placing the hands upon the chest during the prayer
Wyle says I saw that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) was performing his prayers with his hands placed upon his chest.
(Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, chapter on Salaah).
We respond to the above narration with the observation that it is neither present in Muslim nor Bukhari. It is amazing how people who rigorously promote Bukhari and Muslim, as the only book to follow for Sunnah will quickly use a Hadith that doesn’t appear in either, just as long as they feel it will win them an argument! A close examination of the Hadith in question will show who is following a Sahih Hadith and who is blindly following the mistakes of their scholars - who have the audacity to criticise scholars of the orthodox four schools of fiqh but don’t see their own glaring mistakes.
Secondly, the main narrator of this Hadith; Muammal-bin-Isma’il has been criticised by the scholars of Hadith (muhadtheen).
Imam Dhahabi and Ibn Hajar Asqalani write that Imam Bukhari said that Muammal-bin-Isma’il was amongst the Mukirul Hadith (deniers of Hadith).
Imam Abu Khatim, Imam Abu Zhara, Imam Saje, Imam Ibn Sa’ad, Hafidhh Marwaze and Dar Qutni all consider Muammal-bin-Isma’il as having a weak memory. When informing others of Hadith Muhammad bin Isma’il would make many mistakes . He has known to have burnt his books and hence made errors in transmitting his Hadith from memory. He also made erroneous claims by stating that he heard many of his narrations from the great scholars, whereas he had not done so. Only some scholars, such as Ibn Habban and Ibn Khuzayma claim that he was a knowledgeable scholar.
(Mezan-ul-Itidal Tahzeeb-ul-Tahzeeb, biography of Muammal-bin-Isma’il by Imam Dhahabi and Hafidhh Ibn Hajar Asqalani).
Alama Ghulam Rasool Sa’eedi writes that Imam Bayhaqi wrote another two Ahadith in his book, Sunan, regarding the placement of the hands upon the chest during the Salaah. However, neither of these Ahadith are authentic as their narrators have been criticised by the scholars of Hadith. We will look at each one in turn.
*First Hadith:
One of the narrators of the Hadith is Muhammad bin Hujjar, whom Imam Dhahabi writes as having been criticised. Notably, he did not fit the criterion that Imam Bukhari has for accepting Hadith from someone. Imam Bukhari says that it is impermissible to accept any Hadith narrated by him because he narrates doubtful Ahadith from his uncle.
The other narrator of that Hadith is Umm -Jabbar, she is unknown. Imam Bayhaqi wrote himself that this Hadith is weak.
*Second Hadith:
The second narrator is known as Ibn Abbas while the main narrator is Ruh bin Musayyib. Imam Ibn Addi says that Ruh bin Musayyib has been criticised by the scholars of Hadith. Imam Ibn Habbaan says that Ruh narrates fabricated Hadith and therefore it is impermissible to accept his narrations. Also Imam Fikri considers Ruh as transmitting unknown Hadith which should not be accepted.
(Sharh, Sahih Muslim, Chapter on Wujube Qira’at by Alama Saedi).
We close this chapter by stating that there exists no single authentic Hadith proving the permissibility of placing the hands upon the chest during the Salaah.

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Dought & clear, - (Manners of Seeking Knowledge), - The problem of theone who memorizes Qur’aan and comments on it

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Which books of Tafseer do you advise me to read? And with regard to memorizing Qur’aan – if a person memorizes Qur’aan then forgets it, is there any warning of punishment in this case? How should one retain what one has memorized?
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked this question and he replied as follows:
The sciences of the Qur’aan vary. Every mufassir who comments on the Qur’aan focuses on one aspect of these sciences. It is impossible for one tafseer to encompass all aspects of the Qur’aan.
Among the scholars are those who focus on the theoretical aspects of tafseer, like al-Zammakhshaari and others. But I think that he should think of the meaning of the aayah himself first – i.e., he should think of the meaning of the aayah – then he should check what the scholars said concerning it, because this will help him to be strong in Tafseer and not dependent on others. From the time when the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent until the present, the word of Allaah has always been “In the plain Arabic language” (cf. al-Shu’araa 26:195 – interpretation of the meaning).
It is necessary to refer to the tafseer of the Sahaabah, because they had the greatest understanding of its meanings; then to the books of the mufassireen among the Taabi’een. But despite that no one can ever encompass all the meanings of the words of Allaah.
What I think is the best way is for a person to think of what an aayah means, then to refer to the words of the scholars. If he finds that his view is the same, that will help him to become good in tafseer and make it easy for him. If he finds that his view is different, then he should follow that which is correct.
With regard to memorizing the Qur’aan, the way in which it is memorized varies from one person to another. Some people memorize Qur’aan aayah by aayah, i.e., they memorize one aayah, reading it two or three times, then they work at it until they have memorized it, then they memorize the following aayah, and so on until they have completed one-eighth or one-quarter of the juz’ and so on. Other people read the whole one-eighth of a juz’ and repeat it until they have memorized it. In such matters we cannot lay down a general rule, so we tell people, use whatever method suits you to memorize Qur’aan.
But it is important that you should know what you have memorized when you want to go back to it. The best way that I have seen is that if a person memorizes something on one day, he should read it again early the following morning. This is a great help in remembering what he memorized on the previous day. This is something that I have done myself and it was a great help in memorizing properly.
With regard to the warning against one who forgets, Imaam Ahmad said, “How severe the warning is,” i.e., against one who memorizes an aayah then forgets it. What is meant here is the one who neglects it until he forgets it. But if a person forgets it because of some natural reason or because of duties which he got involved in, which kept him away from revising what he mad memorized, in this case he is not guilty of sin.“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope” [al-Baqarah 2:286 – interpretation of the meaning].
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in prayer, and he forgot an aayah. One of his companions reminded him of it after the prayer. He said, “Why did you not remind me of it sooner?” But the one who is negligent concerning that or who turns away from it is undoubtedly a loser and deserves to be guilty of sin But the one who forgets it because he became involved in duties which Allaah has enjoined upon him, or who forgot it for some natural reason, is not guilty of anything.

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