For children, - Importance of Salah in Islam: Salah (Salat, Namaz)(Prayer according to Islam)

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Allah (SWT) has said in the Noble Qur'an: "I have not created the jinn and humankind for any other purpose except that they should worship Me." (Noble Qur'an 51:56)
It is clear from the above verse of Noble Qur'an that the purpose of our birth and of our life is no other than that of the worship of Allah (SWT). There are many acts of worship (Ibadah, Ibadat) in Islam, and Salah is one of the most important obligatory acts.
Salah (Salat, Namaz) is the ritual prayer practiced by Muslims in supplication to Allah (SWT). The term is commonly used to refer to the five daily prayers, which are compulsory upon all mature Muslims. Salah (Salat, Namaz) is considered the most important act of worship (Ibadah, Ibadat) in Islam and its importance is such that under very few circumstances it can be omitted.
Salah (Salat, Namaz) strengthens the foundations of our faith. It prepares a person to live the life of goodness and obedience to Allah (SWT), and it builds courage and determination. Every time we perform Salah, we renew our commitments to Allah (SWT) and we rid ourselves from worldly pressures five times a day.
According to a Hadith a companion of Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came to him one day and asked him "What is the thing that Allah (SWT) loves most?" Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) replied "The thing that Allah (SWT) loves most is when his people pray Salah on time."
Salah (Salat, Namaz) is a practical sign of obedience to the commands of Allah (SWT). Its importance has been emphasized about 500 times in the Noble Qur'an.
Once Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)shook a dry branch of a tree so that all of the leaves of the branch fell off than the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said "The sins of those who pray Salah, drop off as the leaves of this branch fell off."
Before Salah, we make Wudu. Wudu (Ablution) is a unique way of cleansing certain parts of our body so we are clean before bowing down to the one who created us, who created the universe the one and only Allah (SWT).
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) once asked his companions "Tell me if there was a river at the door step of one of you in which you washed five times a day would any of your dirt remain?" When Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) received the reply that none of it would remain he then said "That is like the five times Salah, with which Allah (SWT) wipes out sin.
The last thing that Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) emphasized at his deathbed was Salah. He also said the first thing we will have to answer about on the day of judgement is Salah.
While in Salah one communicates with Allah (SWT) and experiences his presence. That's why a Hadith says: Salah is the Meraj of a Momin(Namaz is called as Meraj-ul-Momineen).
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) also said "The key to Heaven is Salah. The key to Salah is Purification."
"Namaz is a pillar of Religion. If Namaz is accepted all other deeds are accepted. If Namaz is rejected then all other Deeds are rejected." (Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh))

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Fathwa, - Distribution of a father's property between sons and daughters while the father is still alive

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Question
dear brother the situation of the family has become very complicated, it is difficult to take a decision regarding how the property should be distributed. however to make the problem easy let me put it in a few questions: the property is still not divided, it has to go to five children. two sons and three daughters. 1. one brother died by accident recently. 2. another brother's family has got destroyed by family problems. The wife having relation with other man and sons beating with iron rods mercilessly to the father absolutely to cause pain and damage. he has no security to life due to his children and his inability to face the problems. he has lost his health, very weak, and fragile he is 60 years, his physical stature is such that he can be blown away with the wind. the wife and sons have robbed away all the money from him, taken away all the property which he has made, he is houseless although he has made two houses. she has already spent lot of money to make this man financally strong. suppose the property goes to my brother he is not able to safeguard nor he can enjoy. How should my father distribute the property. AsimaNusrath Associate Professor, Chairman Department of Studies in Geography, Manasagangotri,University of Mysore, Mysore 570006 Office : 0821 2419694 Mob : 09986 525716 home: 0821 2495716
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.
It appears from the question that the father is still alive. If this is the case, then the matter depends on your father in dividing this money as he is its owner. Thus, if he wishes to divide it on his children as a gift and as a way of making them appropriate it while he is in good health, then this is permissible. However, if he wishes to divide it on them as inheritance, then this is not valid as he is still alive and a living person is not inherited.
In case he divides it as a gift, then the juristsdiffered in opinion whether or not he is obliged to divide it equally and justly between them; the most preponderant opinion is that he is obliged to do so. Moreover, they also differed in the matter of dividing it equally between them, the majority of the jurists are of the view that he should give the male the same share as the female, and this is the preponderant opinion. However, some juristsare of the view that he should give the male twice the share of the female like their share in the inheritance.
As regards his dead son, it is not valid to gift him because a dead person does not own. Nonetheless, your father may gift his grandchildren some of this money as a way of consoling them especially if they are needy; in which case, he should help them.
With regard to the son whom you mentioned in the question and whom you described to be unwell and weak, then if he is conscious, his share should be given to him, and he may be advised to keep his money with whomever can save it for him.
Concerning his wife, if what you mentioned about her is true that she has an affectionate relationship with another man, and that she stole the money of her husband, then it is an obligation to advise her and frighten her of Allaah and remind her to repent from this illicit and forbidden relationship especially if she is still in the bond of marriage with him; in which case, she is very sinful. She should be reminded to repent from being unjust to her husband and that she is obliged to give back the money to her husband unless he forgives her.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 81356and 86527.
As regards the children, if you mean that they beat their father and they harm him, and this is really true, then this is very strange and it is a real tribulation. How could they do so while their father was the reason of their existence in this life? How could they do so while Allaah The Almighty joined His Rights with the rights of the father? How could they do so while Allaah The Almighty made it an obligation to be kind and dutiful to him )the father( and He forbade saying even an 'Uff' )a word of disrespect( to him? There is no doubt that this is a great evil and it is considered as them cutting ties with him.
For more benefit on being kind and dutiful to the parents and the prohibition of cutting ties with them, please refer to Fataawa 87019and 87856.
In any case, these children must be advised to fear Allaah The Almighty with regard to their father, and repent to Allaah The Almighty before they regret when it would be too late to regret. Indeed, in case of a person who cuts ties with his parents, Allaah The Almighty may speed up his punishment in this worldly life along with the punishment that awaits him in the Hereafter. The Prophetsaid: “There are two doors whose punishment are speeded up in this worldly life: injustice andcutting ties with the parents.” ]Al-Haakim, Al-Albaani: Sound[
On the other hand, if that man is weak and he cannot protect himself, it is an obligation on whoever is able to protect him and defend him, to do so. The Prophetsaid: “Support your brother regardless of whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed.” A man ]a Companion[ said, “O, Prophet of Allaah: we understand that we should support him if he is oppressed, but how should we support him if he is an oppressor?” Thereupon, the Prophetsaid: “By preventing him from oppressing others, and this is supporting him.” ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[Al-Khaadimisaid in his book Bareeqah Mahmoodiyyah, “Supporting the oppressed is a communal obligation if this can be done.”
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - Husband is required to spend on wife and children and the wife hasthe right to live in separate house

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Question
Assalamualaikum...I am married for the past 10 months...alhumdulillah my husband so far is co operative...i used to work as a teacher but now tat i m 8 months pregnant,he has asked me to take leave.i m in my mom s place till the delivery cuz my mom in law said the first baby delivery charges shd be borne by my dad..ens to whatever she says...she wanted to have a ritual during the seventh month,which i refused n she dint speak to me for a week bcoz of the refusal...now tat i m here at my mom s place..all the expenses out there are borne by my husband)he n his younger bro earn in tat house,dad in law is retired,there are two more younger teenage broz n a married sis wit husband)they ve a house of their own, he earns a handsome salary,still they prefer staying here( n two kids(cuz the younger bro is getting married,he needs to save his salary for his wedding ..Before when i used to work,my salary would also go in the family expenses..now tat i ve taken leave,i don contribute...and wen i m here my husband doesnt gimme a sngle penny for my medicine or doc visits..and now they re indirectly pointing out expensive huge hospitals to have me deliver over there... my question is.... 1.is he right in spending all of his salary on his family? 2.am i right in asking my father to bear my delivery expenses )he has no prob whatsoever,but still..(? 3.do i not have the right to save at least something from my own salary? I am really tensed on these matters cuz whatever my husband earns,goes in the family expenses,when he has a bank loan to repay..no one is bothered about that,if i remind him about it ,i am asked to get it from my father...very very disturbed....kindly help me...in the light of Quran and Sunnah.. jazakallah khair....
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 husband is Islamically required to spend on his wife and his children and the wife is not obliged to spend on herself or her husband let alone spending on the family of her husband. If the husband carries out his obligation towards his wife and children, it becomes permissible for him to spend on his family or on other people as this is an act of goodness and kindness. However, it is not permissible for him to be negligent on the rights of his wife. It is confirmed that‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umarnarrated that the Prophetsaid: “It is enough a sin for a person not to provide means of sustenance to those whom he is obliged to support.” ]Abu Daawood[
Besides, whatever money the wife earns, it is her own money; she may spend of it if she so wishes and she may save it if she so wishes.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 85012and 31645.
Nonetheless, you should not ask your parents to spend on you and this is not an Islamic obligation on him. Moreover, according to the preponderant view of the juriststhe expenses of delivery ]giving birth[ are an obligation on the husband as we clarified in Fatwa 165373.
Finally, it should be noted that the wife has the right to be in a separate house and she is not obliged to live with the relatives of her husband unless there in space in the house in a way that the husband allocates a portion of the house that has separate amenities for his wife.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - How to deal with short-tempered husband and how the children have to act

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Question
Assalaamu Alaikum My mother has been married to my father for 20 years and during these years, my father hardly took up a job. He wants to do business and had tried so many times and has failed for some reason. My mother has brought me and my younger brother up. My father never took responsibility of finances or education of his family upon himself. He also get very agressive with my mother and keeps cursing her mother for every small mistake that anyone in our family commits. My mother has taken this for 20 years and now, she is tired and doesn't know what to do. She tries to be a good muslim and wife and she tries to have patience. My father is also very agressive with my brother and me, and he even hit us many times, even for no apparent reason. He yells at my brother, who is 12 and he threatens him and my brother feels very hurt and he is innocent. He feels scared to do anything because no matter what he does, my father beats him or yells at him. My father is short-tempered and has threatened us many times. I no longer feel safe in my house and my mother is on the verge of breaking down. She is also considering divorce. My father prays salat and fasts but he is very short-tempered and behaves very badly with his family. Please advice. Jazak Allah Khair
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.
If your father is as you have mentioned in the question, then he is definitely in the wrong. Even so, one of the means of being kind and dutiful to him is to advise him in a soft and gentle manner hoping that Allaah The Almighty will rectify him.
First of all, you should seek the help of Allaah The Almighty and then the help of whomever you think may influence him, like your relatives or any other person. For more benefit on how to advise a father who gets angry very easily, please refer to Fatwa 23587.
Also, we advise you and your brothers to be patient with him and not misbehave towards him, because if you do so, your action will be considered as severing ties with him. Indeed, it is not permissible for a child to mistreat his father even if the latter mistreats him.
Among the means of being kind and dutiful to the mother is to be nice to her, stand by her side, and remind her to be patient; for more benefit on the excellence of patience, please refer to Fataawa 85445and 83577.
Besides, you should cooperate with your mother in any way that could be a reason for rectifying your father. However, if she is harmed by staying with him, then she has the right to ask him for divorce. Nevertheless, if she can be patient, then she should do so and this is better because divorce may not always be the best solution.
For more benefit on the stand of the children towards their disputing parents, please refer to Fatwa 97282.
Finally, it should be noted that the father is obliged to bear the expenses of his wife and his children and this is an Islamic principle. Thus, if the father is negligent in this regard, then he is sinful and this is forbidden. The Prophetsaid: “It is enough of a sin for a person not to provide means of sustenance to those whom he is obliged to support.” ]Ahmad and Muslim[
Allaah Knows best.

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