Fathwa, - Ruling on Specifying an Hour and Fifteen Minutes as the Time Gap betweenthe Athaans of Maghrib and ‘Ishaa' all Year Long

Question
We live in a Muslim-majority city in which there are five mosques.
Some of these mosques proclaim the Athaan (i.e. call to prayer),
especially the 'Ishaa' Athaan, according to Al-Aqsa prayer times while
the other mosques raise the Athaan an hour and fifteen minutes after
the Maghrib prayer. This means that there is a time gap between the
Athaans of the city's mosques of 20-25 minutes and this incurs
inconvenience and confusion among people.This is especially the case
in our old mosque wherethe Mu'ath-thin (i.e. callerto prayer) insists
on non-compliance with Al-Aqsa prayer times like the rest of the
mosques under the pretext that hehas been calling the Athaan at that
time throughout the years (and is not willing to change it). Please
note that we know that the accurate time of the 'Ishaa' prayer is when
theold mosque's Mu'ath-thincalls the Athaan (and not like the rest of
the mosques), but we only seek to maintain order and avoid any Fitnah
anddiscord among Muslims in the city's various mosques. Please advise
us in this regard and we will print your Fatwa anddistribute it in the
five mosques in our city, Tamra .
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
isHis slave and Messenger.
The time of the 'Ishaa' prayer begins when the red twilight disappears
from the sky. 'Adullaah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas reported that the Prophet
, said: " The time for Maghrib lasts until the twilight has faded and
the time for 'Ishaa' lasts until midnight. " [Muslim]
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet , said: " The time for Maghrib
starts with sunset and lasts until the twilight has faded. The time
for 'Ishaa' starts when the twilight has faded and lasts until
midnight. " [At-Tirmithi]
The time interval between Maghrib and 'Ishaa' differs according to
various seasons. It maybe long or short, approximately an hour and
fifteen minutes to anhour and thirty-five minutes.
The criterion here is the visual sighting. Whenever the red twilight
fades away, the time of Maghrib elapses and the 'Ishaa' prayer becomes
due. There is noharm in adopting specificprayer times as long as you
are sure of their accuracy.
Moreover, there is no harm in adopting Al-Aqsaprayer timings if they
areproven to be accurate and as long as your city and Al-Aqsa share
the same sunset time. You should not calculate the 'Ishaa' prayer's
time by simply performing the prayer after the passage of an hour and
fifteen minutes after the Maghrib prayer all year long. The time gap
between the Maghrib and 'Ishaa' times differs for various seasons, as
stated above.
At the same time, Muslimsshould be keen to foster unity, brotherly
love exchange sincere advice and denounce blindly following the
habits if they contradict the Islamic Sharee'ah and incur nurturing
discord and disunity among Muslims.
It is unbecoming of Muslims, especially if theylive in one country, to
raise the Athaan for the same prayer in the city's mosques with such a
long time interval (i.e. 20-25 minutes)!
This incurs confusion andinconvenience, especiallyfor women and those
who are exempted from performing the congregational prayer at the
mosque (due to a valid Sharee`ah-acceptable excuse).
Instead, they should all agree on one time to proclaim the 'Ishaa'
Athaan in all the mosquesof the city; let it be at the beginning time
of 'Ishaa' so as to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet so as to avail of
the most primary function of the Athaan (i.e. reminding people that
the prayer is due).
Ibn Qudaamah said in Al-Mughni, " It is recommended to proclaim the
Athaan at the prayer's beginning time in order to remind people of its
due time so that they can get ready to perform the prayer. Jaabir ibn
Samurah said that Bilaal never delayed the Athaan (fromthe prayers'
beginning times ). "
Hence, competent scholars and experts should be consulted to verify
that Al-Aqsa prayer times are accurate. If they were found accurate
and corresponded with your city's prayer times (and the sunset time in
Al-Aqsais identical to that of your city), they should beset as
standard and be adopted by all the mosques in the city. If not, then
each Mu'ath-thin should strive to make the visual sighting of the red
twilight as it fades away or adopt approximate prayer times.
Allaah Knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Fathwa, - Supplication after Athaanand Iqaamah to Grant the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Al-Waseelah and Al-Fadheelah

Question
Should the reported supplication of Al-Waseelah (i.e. the highest rank
in Paradise) and Al-Fadheelah (i.e. Superiority) for the Prophet , be
recited after the Athaan, Iqaamah or both? What isthe ruling on this
matter according to the four schools of Fiqh ?
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
isHis slave and Messenger.
Asking Allaah The Exalted to Grant the Prophet , Al-Waseelah and
Al-Fadheelah after the Athaan is required and recommended. Jaabir
ibn'Abdullaah reported that the Prophet , said:" Whoever says (after)
hearing the Athaan, 'Allahumma Rabba hathihi Ad-Da'wati At-Taammah wa
As-Salaati Al-Qaa'imah, aati Muhammadan Al-Waseelata wa Al-Fadheelah,
wab'ath-huMaqaaman Mahmoodan Al-lathi Wa'adtah.' (O Allaah, Lord of
this perfect call (i.e. Monotheism) and of the current prayer (which
is about to start) Grant Muhammad Al-Waseelah and superior status over
all creatures and raise him to the station of praise and glory (i.e.
the highest degree in Paradise) that You Promised him)', then
intercession for me will be permitted for him on the Day of
Resurrection. " [Al-Bukhaari and others]
' Abdullaah ibn 'Amr reported that the Prophet , said: " When you hear
the Athaan, repeat what the Mu'ath-thin says. Then ask Allaah The
Exalted to Exalt my mention because everyone who does so will receive
in return ten rewards from Allaah. Then beseech Allaah to Grant me
Al-Waseelah, which is a high rank in Paradise. " [Muslim and others]
These narrations underline the permissibility of asking Allaah The
Exalted to Grant the Prophet , Al-Waseelah and superiorstatus over all
creatures after the Athaan and the Iqaamah as well; as both of them
are considered a call to prayer.
As for the different opinions in the four schools of Fiqh, they did
not differ about the permissibility of making this supplication after
theAthaan; due to the many clear narrations that were reported in this
regard.
As for making this supplication after the Iqaamah, what is apparently
deduced fromthe statements of the Hanafi, Shaafi'i and Hanbali schools
of Fiqh is that what is required of one who listens to the Athaan is
no different than what is required of one who listens to the Iqaamah.
Concerning the Maaliki school of Fiqh, wecould not find a stated
opinion for it with regards to the Iqaamah.
Allaah Knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -

Fathwa, - Performing the ‘Asr Prayer and It Occurs to Him that He Was Performing the Thuhr Prayer

Question
Sometimes when I perform the 'Asr prayer, it occurs to me that I am
performing the Thuhr prayer, if I get distracted or absent minded.
However, I rectify my intention and remind myself that I am performing
the 'Asr prayer. Is my prayer in such a case invalid, given that my
intention has changed ?
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
isHis slave and Messenger.
Being distracted and forgetting one's intention during the prayer does
not invalidate it. What invalidates the prayer is deliberately
changing the intention or intending to change it. It is difficult to
maintain one's intention vivid in the mind throughout the entire
prayer.
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet , said: " When the call for
prayer is pronounced, Satan takes to his heels, passing windwith
noise. When the call is finished, he comes back. When the Iqaamah is
pronounced, he again takes to his heels and, after its completion, he
returns again to interferebetween the (praying) person and his heart,
saying to him: 'Remember this or that thing' (things that the person
could not remember before (the prayer) till he forgets whether he has
offered three or four Rak'ahs. So if one forgets whether hehas prayed
three or four Rak'ahs, he should perform two prostrationsof Sahw (i.e.
forgetfulness). " [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Hence, if the change in the worshipper's intention – the way it was
mentioned by the questioner – was becausehe was distracted or (he
temporarily) forgot his intention, this does not invalidate the
prayer, as stated earlier.
However, if you mean that the worshipper revoked his intention and
intended to perform another prayer, then it surely invalidates the
prayer as in such a case the intention totally changed.
If the questioner means that, during the prayer, he questioned his
intention (and doubted whether he had intendedto perform 'Asr or
Thuhr) and then counted on his doubt (without verifying it), this also
invalidates the prayer as such a prayer lacks the condition of having
an affirmed and assertive intention. However, if he did not act on his
doubt until he realized the truth(about his specific intention), there
is no harm in that.
Allaah Knows best.

Refuting Al-Baatiniyyah - IV

The beliefs of Al-Baatiniyyah are, as previously mentioned, based on
the principle that knowledge cannot be attained except through the
infallible Imaam and seeking that from any other source, as they
believe, will be of no avail. The Imaam is the only one who can
interpret texts and his interpretation is decisive and cannot be in
any way rejected. Following him and adopting his thoughts is
considered obligatoryin much the same way as following and believing
in the Prophet . It is the essence of their belief and the core of
their doctrine. Refuting this principle means refuting the body of
their belief as a whole.
Accordingly, we ask them: why do they believe in the narrations of
their infallible Imaam denying Paradise, Hellfire, Gathering,
Resurrection, and other such principles and beliefs of Islam while he
showed no miracle or proof that could substantiate his claims?
Furthermore, why do they give preference to the narrations of their
Imaam and renounce those of the best of creation, Prophet Muhammad
while he was supported by manygreat miracles – the greatest of them
all is the Noble Quran, which includes all that the Baatiniyyah have
denied of Islam and its rulings? If they claim that the Quran contains
apparent meanings, which have hidden esoteric meanings that cannot
beunderstood by anyone except theinfallible Imaam, and thus we have
learnt from him, we answer them by asking another question.The
question is: how can you be so sure that the words of the Imaam do not
have a hidden esoteric meaning that you cannotgrasp, so you should not
trust what you understand of the apparent meaning of his words?
If they claim that he has explained to them explicitly, saying, "What
I have mentioned to you is explicit and has no symbols and what is
meant is theapparent meaning", we will answer them saying: how can you
be sure that his second saying is apparent and does not imply a
symbolic interpretation that you do not know of? He still speaks in
his explicit words and we will say that we cannot be deceived with the
apparent meaning, for it may have hidden meanings.
If he denies the hidden meaning, we will say that his denying may have
symbols and hidden indications. And if he swears to divorce his wife
thrice that he intends nothing but the apparentmeaning, we will reply
saying that his divorce implies a symbol and indication, and that he
disclosed something and hid something else. If they say that such a
methodology will end all attempts at understanding i.e., no one will
understand the speech of anyone else through this way, we will reply
that you have done a similar thing. You have rejected the possibility
of understanding the words of the Messenger and the Quran which is
full of descriptions of Paradise, Hellfire, the Gathering, the
Resurrection and the Day of Return, affirming that with strong oaths
by insisting that such words may be symbols. So what you have said
about the narrations of the Quran and Sunnah has to be applied to the
narrations of your infallible Imaam. Of course, they will never find
an answer to that. Accordingly, everyone must knowthat they are the
worst of all the deviant sects that ever existed.
To further refute their beliefs, it can be said to them, such hidden
and esoteric interpretations that you have mentioned, assuming their
authenticity and truthfulness, then what would betheir ruling in the
Sharee'ah i.e. should they be hidden or disclosed? If you say that
they should be disclosed, we will reply: then why did Muhammad hide
them and did not mention anything about them, neither to his
Companions nor to all people in general? Did the Messenger believe in
the permissibility of that and thus hide the religion of Allaah The
Almighty? Allaah forbid! Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O
Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your
Lord, and if you do not,then you have not conveyed His message.}
[Quran 2: 67]
If they claim that they should be hidden, we would answer them saying,
how do you disclose whatthe Messenger has enjoined to be hidden? Why
did you disclose the secret and breach the ruling? Is this not a clear
transgression against the rulings of religion and disobedience to the
one who legislated those rulings? They will not find any answer.
This is the history of the Baatiniyyah and their atrocities that we
have presented them to you so that you would know the danger of this
deviated sect which was formed only to undermine Islam and destroy its
rites and beliefs. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -