Defining the time for salaat al-istisqaa’ (prayerfor rain)

Is there any report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) which definesthe time for going out topray Salaat
al-Istisqaa' (prayer for rain)?
Praise be to Allaah.
There is a hadeeth in Sunan Abi Dawood with an acceptable isnaad from
'Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) which states that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set a day when the
people should go out. 'Aa'ishah said: "The Messenger of Allaah(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out when the rim of the sun
appeared…" The hadeeth clearly indicates that a day was set when the
people were to go out to pray Salaat al-Istisqa', even though it does
not namethis day. More than one of the scholars have stated that it is
mustahabb to choose Mondays and Thursdays, because deeds are shown to
Allaah on those days, and because these are good days for fasting. So
if the Muslimscombine fasting and praying for rain, their du'aa's in
this case are more likely to be accepted.
It may be said that it is not prescribed to single out these two days
rather than others, because that was not proven from the Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from any of the Sahaabah, and
this is thecorrect view. So it is not prescribed to choose one day
rather than another without there being any text to prove that. What
is prescribed is to choose a day on which the people shouldgo out,
which may happen to be a Monday or any other day, according to what is
in the people's best interests and according to what is convenient for
them.

Salaat al-Haajah

My question has to do with praying to allah for a need. I know it is
called satatul hajah. Howmany times does a person have to pray it and
when should it be prayed. Is it right to prayit at the times when
duaas are most likely to be answered
Praise be to Allaah.
It is prescribed for the Muslim to worship Allaahin the ways that He
has prescribed in His Book, and in the ways that have been proven from
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The
principleconcerning matters of worship is tawqeef [i.e., following
what is in the Qur'aan and saheeh Sunnah; with no room for individual
opinion]. And we cannot say that any act of worship is prescribed
unless there is saheeh evidence.
The so-called Salaat al-Haajah was narrated in da'eef (weak) or munkar
(denounced) ahaadeeth – as far as weknow – which cannot beused as
proof and whichare not fit to base acts ofworship on.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 8/162
The hadeeth narrated concerning Salaat al-Haajah says:
"From 'Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Awfa al-Aslami, who said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out to us and
said: 'Whoever has need of something from Allaah or any one of His
creation, let him do wudoo' and pray tworak'ahs, then let him
say,"There is no god but Allaah, the Forbearing, the Most Generous.
Glorybe to Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne. Praise beto Allaah the
Lord of the Worlds. O Allaah, I ask You for Your mercy and forgiveness
and I ask You for all good things and for safety from all sins. I ask
You not to leave any sin without forgiving it, or any distress without
relieving it, or any need which it pleases You to fulfil without
fulfilling it for me." Then let him askAllaah for whatever matter of
this world or the Hereafter that he wishes, for it will be fulfilled."
(Narrated by Ibn Maajah,Iqaamat al-Salaah wa'l-Sunnah, 1374)
Al-Tirmdihi said: this is a ghareeb [strange] hadeeth, and concerning
its isnaad it was said: Faa'id ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan is weak in hadeeth.
Al-Albaani said: rather it is da'eef jiddan (very weak). Al-Haakim
said: mawdoo' (fabricated) ahaadeeth were narrated from Abu Awfa.
Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, vol. 1, p. 417
The author of al-Sunan wa'l-Mubtada'aat said, after mentioning what
al-Tirmidhi said concerning Faa'id ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan: Ahmadsaid he
is matrook (left, i.e., his hadeeth is not to be accepted), and Ibn
al-'Arabi described him as da'eef (weak).
And he said: You know what is said concerning this hadeeth. It is
better and more perfect and safer for you to make du'aa' to Allaah in
the depths of the night and between the adhaan and iqaamah and at the
end of every prayer before the tasleem; and on Fridays, for then there
are times when du'aa' is answered; and when breaking one's fast. For
your Lord says (interpretation of the meanings):
'Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask
Mefor anything] I will respond to your (invocation)'[Fussilat 40:60]
'And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer
them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the
invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any
mediator or intercessor)'[al-Baqarah 2:186]

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Sufees - HADRAT FARIDUDDIN GANJ-E-SHAKAR (R.A)

The Reverend Pir of Hadrat Qutab Jamal
Shaikh Fariduddin was born in 569/1173-74 or 571/1175-76. His father
was a scholar, but it was his lengthy an exceedingly pious woman, who
prayed nightly at lengthy vigils, who exerted the greaterinfluence on
the future sufi saint. One story regarding the spiritual power of Baba
Farid's mother related is that a thief, entering the houseglanced at
the playing woman and was instantly blinded. The thief implored the
Swhaikh's mother to restore his eyesight. She did so, and the
blindnesswas removed. The following day, the thief returned with his
family to the Shailkh's house and was converted to Islam.
His mother's influence helped to promote an extreme asceticism in
Shaikh farid. Unconcerned with food or clothing, he was constantly
occupied withmeditation in a place behind the mosque at Khtwal. The
townsfolk came to believe he was deranged, and they spoke so to Shaikh
Jalau'd-Din Tabrizi of Baba Farid and what to them were his strange
habits.
When Jalalu'd-Din Tabrizi went to see BabaFarid he had only torn
clothing to wear so he had great difficulty in presenting himself
respectably to his distinguished visitor. Jalalu'd-Din had with him a
pomegranate, andbroke it, offering it to Baba Farid. As the Baba was
fasting he refused to eat it, but after his guest had left he picked
up a seed and in the evening ate that. Instantly his heart was
illuminated and he lamented no having eaten the whole fruit. However
in Dehli KhwajaQubu'd Din consoled the Baba saying that in pomegranate
there was only one seed endowed with spiritual blessings and that he
had had it.
At the age of eighteen, Baba Farid settled in Multan to undertake
further studies and joined a seminary at the mosque of Maulana
Minhaju'd-Din Tirmizi. There he met Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki
and asked to become his disciple. According to Jamali, Baba Farid was
initiated into silsila by the Khwajaat Multan and was advised to
complete his education there. Shortly afterwards the Khwaja left for
Delhi. Jamali addsthat the Baba then visited Qandhar to acquire
further knowledge, but it is more likely that Baba Farid reached Delhi
shortly after the Khwaja arrival and was initiated into the
distinguished group of Sufis residing in the Khwaja's jama'at khana.
Baba Farid lived in a small cell near the jama'at-khana and, under
guidance, performed severe asceticexercises. His austerities so
impressed Khwaja Mu'inu'd-Din during his visit to Delhi, that he took
a special interest in Baba Farid, prophesied his later fame and asked
Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din to join him in prayer for hisdisciple's future
greatness.
The severities practiced by the Baba in his Delhi cell failed to
satisfy him and he asked his master if he could perform a chilla which
involved spiritual exercises and fasting for forty days. The Khwaja
finally permitted him to perform a chilla-I ma'kus(inverted chilla).
Ignorant of the details he asked Bdru'd-Din Ghaznawi to obtain them
from the Khwaja who replied that it required a man to tie a rope
around his feet andremain suspended in a well, head down, for forty
days and nights, while both fasting and praying. The Baba founda
lonely mosque in Uch and, talking the mu'azzin into his confidence
performed the chilla-ima'kus.
The reason why the Shaikh came to be known as Ganj-I Shakar (Store of
Sugar) is described in different stories in various hagiological
works. A more popular version is that, overpowered by incessant
fasting for three days, the Baba placed some pebbles in his mouth.
These immediately changed into sugar. Baba Farid, believing that this
had been the work of the devil, spat them out. At midnight, again
overcome by hunger, he repeated his actions, thestones became sugar
and he refused to eat them. Finally, overpowered by extreme hunger he
ate some pebbles which hadbecome sugar so that he could continue
praying. Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din approved his action, telling him that
whatever was received from the unseen world must necessarily be good.
After the Baba's fame in Delhi became an obstacle to prayer and
meditation, he left for Hansi in the Hisar district. He was therefore
absent from Delhi at the time of the Khwaja's death, arriving five
days after the event.In accordance with the khwaja's will, Qazi
Hamidu'd-Din Nagauri gave Baba Farid relics from the Khwaja including
his khirqa, turban, stick and wooden sandals. Although this implied
that the Baba was the Khwaja's successors in Delhi, the Baba's
asceticism and total withdrawal from the world precluded any conflict
with Shaikh Badru'd-Din who had also been extremely close to the
khwaja and who wished to be his spiritual successor in Delhi.
First going to Hansi, the Baba finally settled at Ajodhan, where the
remained from about 1236 until his death on 5Muharram 664/17 October
1265. His long stay on th Stalaj, along one of the main routes from
Multan to Lahore and Delhi, was a spiritually rewarding experience.
Although he selected a lonely place toreside, Baba Farid was harassed
by local officersof the Qazi of Ajodhan and by the rudeness of the
people of the town. This was prompted mainly by the Qazi's hostility
towards the sufimovement.
Through an example of sanctity and austerity, Baba Farid sought to
reform the Muslims in Punjab.
Shaikh Faridu'd-Din livednear the Jaml' mosque, in a small house of
mud walls covered with a thatched roof. He had strictly forbidden the
useof burnt bricks for the building which, according to Chishti
tradition, were not simple enough for an ascetic's dwelling. The door
remained open until midnight as a welcome to visitors. Among his few
possessions, the Baba had a small rug which heused by night as a
blanket, but which hardly covered him. During the day it was used as a
sitting rug. Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din's stick rested behind his head as a
pillow. His food consisted of wild fruit and millet bread. Abstaining
from nourishment during the day, in the evening he broke his fast by
taking sherbet. A bowl of it would be brought to theBaba and often
mixed with dried grapes. Of this he drank never more than half,
dividing the rest among his visitors. After prayers, two pieces of
bread smeared with ghee weretaken to Baba Farid. One was given away,
the other he himself ate, sharing it with his favourite disciples.
The jama'at-khana consisted only of a thatched hall, used for communal
living and a separate cell was for the Shaikh's meditation.
The jama'at-khana contained not a single piece of furniture, every
member sat and slept onthe floor. On special occasions a bed was
provided for a new visitor. The Shaikh, followed the same practices as
his disciples. Once when ill and forcedto rest on the bed he
apologized profusely to those sitting on the floor.
The establishment was run by Baba's chief disciples. Fuel and wild
berries, which were then boiled, were collected from the forests. In
the early yearsof his stay at Ajodhan a zanbil (a basket made of palm
leaves hung round the neck) was carried by some members of the
jama'at-khana twice a day to the town and the offerings placed in it
were shared by everyone. The Baba also preferred to eat bread from the
zanbil, perhaps to be more fully integrated into the life of all
members of his jama'at-khana. Other Chishti Shaikhs, including his own
teachers, had permitted the borrowing of small amounts of money for
household needs, but the Baba strictly forbadethis practice. Anything
received as futuh if not used immediately was kept no longer than a
day and was distributed to the needy. To a sufi a new day ushered in
newhope in God, and a concern for future needswas seen as totally
opposed to a complete trust in Him.
The jama'at-khana, situated on a main route, attracted many visitors.
These included scholars, merchants, government servants, artisans,
Sufis and qalandars, in short, men from all classes and sections of
society. Some, disillusioned with a life of affluence and comfort,
became permanent members, others stayed for short periods to seek the
Baba's blessing and experience a spiritual rejuvenation. Some of his
eminent disciples who lived in other areas also visited the
jama'at-khana, but one such visitor, Maulana Badru'd-Din Ishaq, stayed
and became a steward of thejama'at-khana. Prestigious guests, and many
other people who came to the Shaikh werehumble. A large number
requested ta'wiz (amulets) and the demand for amulets became to
fulfill all requests, so often they would be written instead by
Maulana Ishaq.
The jama'at-khana received visitors who were often less than polite
and considerate to its inmates.
To Baba Farid, Sufism was a strenuous exerciseleading one to a pious
life within the society in which one lived. It demanded humility,
modesty , patience, fortitude and a cleansing of the heart from all
conceit. Self-abnegation involved careful concernfor any offence to
another, and in the event of such a situation,sincere and copious
apologies were demanded.
Baba Farid was him self a scholar and wrote excellent poetry in
Arabic, Persian and the local Hindawi dialect. He recited the Qur'an
perfectly, popularized the study of the 'Awarifu'l-M'aarif and
lectured on the subtle philosophy of the Lawa'ih of Qazi Hamidu'd-Din
Nagauri. Nevertheless, he did not pride himself on his intellectual
achievements and felt a genuine sense of humility. He encouraged
education in his disciplesand considered the 'ulama' to be nobler than
the common people, though he disliked their self-satisfied
indifference to others. The faqirs, he asserted, were superior to the
'ulama' and occupied the same place among them as the full moon
amongst a sonstellation of stars.
Baba Farid illustrated the difference between Shari's, Tariqa and
Haqiqa by using the zakat, an obligatory payment for all Muslims, as
an illustration. The zakat of Sharia'a was five dirhams our of 200,
the zakat of Tariqa omvolved the payment of 195 dirhams out of 200 and
the retention of only five dirhams and the zakat of Haqiqa entailed
the payment of everything, retaining nothing.
Five hundred aphorisms of Baba Farid were collected, of which the
following, selected by Amir Khwurd, give some insight into the Baba's
broadly based, humanitarian teachings.
1. Pray to God alone for everyone else takes away but He gives.
Whatever He gives cannot be taken away by anyone else.
2. Escaping from the carnal self should be deemed as a means of reaching God.
3. Do not satisfy the demands of the carnal self for its demands know no limit.
4. Do not regard the ignorant as amongst the living.
5. Avoid the ignorant who pose a though they were wise.
6. Do not utter a truth which resembles a lie.
7. Do not sell what people do not wish to buy.
8. Do not worry about position and wealth.
9. Do not eat every body's bread, but give bread to everybody.
10. Never forget death atany place.
11. Do not make a statement based on supposition.
12. Treat a calamity as the consequence of greed.
13. Do not boast of having committed a sin.
14. Do not make the heart a plaything of the devil.
15. Keep your internal self better than the external one.
16. Do not try to adorn yourself.
17. Do not lower yourselfin order to secure a position.
18. Do not borrow eitherfrom the helpless or from the upstart.
19. Protect the honour of old families.
20. Strive to obtain freshgrace everyday.
21. As far as possible prevent women for developing the habit of using
abusive language.
22. Consider good healtha divine blessing.
23. Be grateful but do not compel others to be grateful to you.
24. While doing good to others think that you arehelping yourself.
25. Give up immediately that which your heart finds evil.
26. Do not retain a slave who wishes to be sold.
27. Seek a pretext to perform a good work.
28. Always keep the doors of peace open in awar.
29. Consider levity and harshness signs of weakness.
30. Do not consider yourself safe from the enemy however conciliatory
he might appear.
31. Fear the man who fears you.
32. Do not rely on your own strength.
33. Self-restraint is neveras imperative as it is at the time of sexual desire.
34. Do not forget religion in the company of state dignitaries.
35. Glory and honour depend upon equity andjustice.
36. Be magnanimous to the righteous.
37. Do not consider anything a substitute forreligion.
38. There is no compensation for the (loss) of time.
39. Be magnanimous to the righteous.
40. Be arrogant to the stubborn.
41. Do not be extravagant in entertaining guests.
Make wisdom and solitude your 42. (main) provision.
43. Do not flee from calamity sent to you by God.
44. Consider the dervish who seeks riches as covetous.
45. entrust the government to the care of a God-fearing visor.
46. Annihilate the enemyby discussion and captivate the heart of
friends by hospitality.
47. Consider worldliness as unforeseen calamity.
48. Seek out your faults.
49. Acquire wealth honestly in order to be able to retain it.
50. Acquire knowledge through humility.
51. Do not be concerned by the bitter words of enemies.
52. Do not flee from the enemy.
53. If you wish to avoid disgrace, do not beg.
54. if you wish to make the whole world your enemy, be arrogant.
55. Keep your good and bad points secret.
56. Protect religion through knowledge.
57. If you wish to be great be humble.
58. If you want satisfaction, do not be jealous.
59. Accept affliction as a gift.
60. Try to become immortal by obliteratingyour carnal self.
The above sayings are profound, but the inner nature of the Baba's
mystical consciousness isbest expressed in the following verses which
he often recited while praying in solitude:
'I pray to live only for the sake of loving Thee,
I wish to become dustand dwell eternally under
Thy feet.
My principal expectation from both worlds in that,
I should die and live for Thee.'
According to the Shaikh, the initiation of a disciple should be
performed personally byhis preceptor. He was opposed to the
initiationcustoms involving head shaving rituals at the tombs of sufi
saints. When one of his own sons performed such a ceremony at the foot
of Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din Bakhtiyar's tomb, his father remarked that such
an initiation was invalid. True initiations involved the disciple
holding the Shaikh's hand, while it was usual for his Pir to offer
blessings and prayers forthe disciple's welfare.
Hadrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj-e-Shakkar died on 5th of Muharram 664 A.H.
corresponding to 17 October 1265 C.E. He was buried in Pak Pattan (135
miles off Lahore).

Sufees - Shaykh Abul-Hassan Ash-Shadhili (R.A)

Shaykh Abu'l-Hassan ash-Shadhili was born inthe north of Morocco in
1175 into a family of peasant labourers. For his education he went
tothe Qarawiyyin University in Fes, where he met some scholars who
introduced him to the sciences of Islamic Law. He also traveled to
many countries. In Iraq he met a great Sufi called Wasiti who told him
to return to his country where he could find Moulay Abdas-Salamibn
Mashish, the great Moroccan spiritual master. He did so, and became
the close follower of this spiritual master who initiated him in the
way of remembrance of Allah and enlightenment. When he met Moulay
Abdas-Salam after ritually washing himself, he said, 'O Allah, I have
been washed of my knowledge and action so that I do not possess
knowledge or action except what comes to me from this Shaykh.'
Shaykha Abu'l-Hassan ash-Shadhili travelled from Morocco to Spain and
finally settled down in Alexandria. Later on inlife, when asked who
hisspiritual master was, he used to reply, 'I used to be the close
follower of Moulay Abdas-Salam ibn Mashish, but I am no more the close
follower of any human master.' Shaykh Abu'l-Abbas al-Mursi (d. 1288),
who succeeded Shaykh ash-Shadhili as the next spiritual master of the
Order, was asked about the knowledge of his spiritual master and
replied, 'He gave me forty sciences. He was anocean without a shore.'
Shaykh ash-Shadhili had hundreds of close followers in both Alexandria
and Cairo, not only from among thecommon people but alsofrom among the
ruling classes. He taught his close followers to lead a life of
contemplation and remembrance of Allah while performing the normal
everyday activities of the world. He disliked initiating anywould-be
follower unless that person already had a profession. His admonition
to his close followers was to apply the teachings of Islam in their
own lives in the world and to transform their existence.
Shaykh Abu'l-Hassan Ash-Shadhili died in the south of Egypt near the
Red Sea while he was onhis way to the pilgrimage in Mecca in 1258. His
shrine, which appears to be nowhere, in the middle of the desert,
stands to the present day and is highlyvenerated. Near his tomb are
two wells, one containing bitter water, the other containing sweet
water. He was an interspace between two seas, the sea of the outerlaw
and the sea of the inner reality. The Shadhili Order derives itsname
form him. He said:
"O Allah, you have sentenced the people to abasement until they become
mighty, and Youhave sentenced them to loss until they find. The one
who has no abasement becomes the one who has no might, and the one who
has no loss becomes the one who has no finding. The one who lays claim
to finding without abasement is deluded. The one who lays claim to
finding without loss isa liar."

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