Almost every Muslim wishes to memorise the Quran and many have
embarked upon the journey of doing so, yet a number among them do this
task rather haphazardly, which leads to difficulty in the process of
memorisation as well as increasing their chances of forgetting what
they have memorised. In view of the great need of ensuring the
successful memorisation of the Quran, some practical steps toward
efficient memorisation and avoiding setbacks are stated in this
article:
1. The Same Copy
Use the same Mus-haf )copy( when you read the Quran and stick to it so
that you may become familiar with it and know the sites of various
verses and how to find them quickly when you revise what you have
memorised.
2. Reader
Try to find a knowledgeable reader, such as a Shaykh )scholar( who is
well versed in the rules of Tajweed )correct recitation(. Start
reading to him what you intend to memorise beforehand so that he may
correct any wrong pronunciation.
3. Group
Read and memorise the Quran within a group rather than individually.
Members of groups help each other in correcting mistakes and thus make
the task easier. Prophet Muhammadsaid: "Whenever a group congregates
in one of the houses of Allaah )i.e., Mosques( to recite the Book of
Allaah )Quran( and study it, peace and mercy will descend upon them,
the angels will surround them and Allaah will mention them to those
with Him )i.e., the angels(." ]Muslim[
4. Repeat
Repeat what you have memorised to yourself frequently, and the best
way to do this is during the prayers.
5. Tajweed
Learn the basic rules of Tajweed before you start memorising and try
to apply these rules while memorising. Allaah Says in the Quran )what
means(:"… And recite the Quran with measured recitation."]Quran 73:4[
6. Supplication
Supplicate to Allaah to help you in memorising what you have read of
the Quran. Many Hadeeths )Prophetic narrations( point to how this is
to be done.
7. Sequence of Chapters
Begin memorising the Quran from the last section )Juz'( and work
backwards, as the verses in the last section are shorter and more
familiar.
8. Audio Cassette
Listening to an audio cassette of the Quran will assist you in
memorising what you have read and make it easier for you to know the
right pronunciation and intonation; however, you must choose a reader
who is well known for being skilled, so that you can memorise the
Quran correctly.
9. Location
Try to read the Quran in a quiet location and stick to this if you
can, as this will put you in the right mood to memorise the Quran and
keep you away from any distractions. An example of such a place is the
Masjid )Mosque(.
10. Time
Make reading and memorising the Quran a daily activity and allocate a
special time devoted to this purpose. Try to choose a suitable time
when you are fresh and not tired. The best time is at dawn, as Allaah
Says )what means(:"…Indeed, the recitation ]of the Quran[ at dawn is
ever witnessed"]Quran 17:78[ and that is after the Fajr )dawn( prayer.
Avoid reading and memorising in the late evenings when you come back
from work tired and sleepy, as it will be difficult for you to
concentrate at that time.
11. Understanding
Try to understand the meaning of what you memorise, as this will
assist further memorisation and enable you to act upon what you read.
12. Review
Always review what you have memorised and make this a regular habit;
otherwise you will tend to forget what you have memorised after a
while. It is advisable to review the whole Quran every thirty days.
Prophet Muhammadsaid: "Take care of the Quran )by memorising it(. I
swear by the One in whose Hand is my soul that it is easier to slip
away from you than the camels from their shackles." ]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[
13. Encouragement
Encouragement of your household, particularly the children, will help
them to compete with each other, particularly if you also reward them
with gifts. Memorising the Quran at an early age is very rewarding as
the ability to register and recall knowledge and information is
quicker and easier then than in later years. Also, when you get older,
your responsibilities increase and you might find it difficult to find
enough time to achieve your goals.
14. Intention
You should be sincere to Allaah and make your intention to seek the
reward from Him before beginning memorising the Quran. You should feel
that the Quran is there to guide mankind to good. Allaah Says in the
Quran )which means(:"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a
guidance for those conscious of Allaah."]Quran 2:2[
One should also realise the great reward of reading and studying the
Quran, and there are many Hadeeths which emphasise this point. Not
only are the Muslims who read the Quran rewarded, but those who listen
to it are as well; Allaah Says )what means(: "So when the Quran is
recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive
mercy."]Quran 7:204[
Reading and memorising the Quran is not difficult, and this fact was
stated clearly in the Quranic verse )which means(:"And We ]i.e.
Allaah[ have certainly made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is
there any who will remember?"]Quran 54:17[
15. Avoid Ostentation
After memorising the Quran, avoid showing off and arrogance. Being
given the ability to memorise the Quran is a blessing from Allaah, and
people might become proud of themselves to have accomplished this
task. Some people might then want everybody to know of their
achievement and thus be admired. This is a kind of Shirk )associating
others with Allaah in worship( which is a dangerous and punishable
act. One should be thankful to Allaah as it is He who made it easy for
him to memorise and understand the Quran.
16. Loud
Try to read with a reasonably loud voice and listen to your reading.
Avoid reading silently - this will also help you to overcome laziness
and tiredness.
17. Set an Amount to Read and Memorise
Set a certain amount of verses to read and memorise from the Quran at
every session. Start with a small amount and then increase gradually.
Do not be driven by your enthusiasm as this will shortly wear out. It
is more important to persevere in memorising, no matter how small the
amount is.
18. Manners
Once you have memorised the Quran, endeavour to acquire its manners,
apply it in your life and act upon it, as this obligation is more
emphasised on those who know it by heart.
"GENERAL ARTICLES"
- Tamil -- Urdu -- Kannada -- Telugu --*-
Share
"BISMILLA HIRRAHMAAN NIRRAHEEM"
WELCOME! - AS'SALAMU ALAIKUM!!
******** *****
*****
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds; -
Guide us to the straight path
*- -*
* * In this Blog; More Than Ten Thousand(10,000) {Masha Allah} - Most Usefull Articles!, In Various Topics!! :- Read And All Articles & Get Benifite!
* Visit :-
"INDIA "- Time in New Delhi -
*- WHAT ISLAM SAYS -*
-
Islam is a religion of Mercy, Peace and Blessing. Its teachings emphasize kind hear tedness, help, sympathy, forgiveness, sacrifice, love and care.Qur’an, the Shari’ah and the life of our beloved Prophet (SAW) mirrors this attribute, and it should be reflected in the conduct of a Momin.Islam appreciates those who are kind to their fellow being,and dislikes them who are hard hearted, curt, and hypocrite.Recall that historical moment, when Prophet (SAW) entered Makkah as a conqueror. There was before him a multitude of surrendered enemies, former oppressors and persecutors, who had evicted the Muslims from their homes, deprived them of their belongings, humiliated and intimidated Prophet (SAW) hatched schemes for his murder and tortured and killed his companions. But Prophet (SAW) displayed his usual magnanimity, generosity, and kind heartedness by forgiving all of them and declaring general amnesty...Subhanallah. May Allah help us tailor our life according to the teachings of Islam. (Aameen)./-
''HASBUNALLAHU WA NI'MAL WAKEEL''
-
''Allah is Sufficient for us'' + '' All praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings beupon the Messenger, his household and companions '' (Aameen) | | |
| | |
|
Share
Follow Me | |
**
Share
-
-*- *: ::->
*
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Practical steps for memorizing the Quran
The importance of Tajweed
The Noble Quran is the literal words of Allaah that He revealed as an
infallible source of legislation for mankind to live an organised life
by. It contains regulations and recommendations about all aspects of
life and references to the Hereafter. Being so important, the Quran
must be read, written, and recited correctly and clearly, so as not to
create any sort of ambiguity or misunderstanding whatsoever. Allaah
Almighty addressed His Messenger Muhammadin the Quran, Saying )what
means(:"…And recite the Quran with measured recitation."]Quran 73:4[
Listening to the Quran being recited correctly is enough to soften
even the hardest of hearts. Muslims and non-Muslims alike find it a
deeply moving experience, even if they do not understand what is being
said. Every Muslim has to recite Quran in prayers, but many of us do
not realise that reciting the Quran correctly while observing the
rules of recitation is not an advanced science for expert reciters
alone, rather it is an obligation upon each and every one of us
whenever we recite the Quran.
What is Tajweed?
The Arabic word Tajweed linguistically means 'proficiency' or 'doing
something well'. It comes from the same root letters as the word
Jayyid, which means 'good'. When applied to the Quran, it means giving
every letter of the Quran its rights and dues of characteristics when
we recite the Quran, and observing the rules that apply to those
letters in different situations. We give the letters their rights by
observing the essential characteristics of each letter. We give them
their dues by observing the characteristics of each letter that are
present in them some of the time and not present at other times.
The Quran was revealed with Tajweed rules applied to it. In other
words, when the angel Jibreel )Gabriel(recited the words of Allaah to
the Prophet Muhammadhe recited them in a certain way and he showed the
Prophetthe ways in which it was permissible to recite the Quran. So it
is obligatory upon us to observe those rules so that we recite it in
the way it was revealed.
At the time of the Prophetthere was no need for people to study
Tajweed because they talked with what is now known as Tajweed, so it
was natural for them. When the Arabs started mixing with the non-Arabs
and as Islam spread, mistakes in the Quranic recitation began to
appear, so the scholars had to record the rules. Now, because the
everyday Arabic that Arabs speak has changed so much from the
Classical Arabic with which the Quran was revealed, even the Arabs
have to study Tajweed.
The Purpose of Tajweed
The Quran is the word of Allaah, and its every syllable is from
Allaah. Its recitation must be taken very seriously. The purpose of
the Science of Tajweed, in essence, is to make the reciter proficient
in reciting the Quran, observing the correct pronunciation of every
letter with the rulings and characteristics which apply to it, without
any exaggeration or deficiency. Through this, the reciter can recite
the Quran according to the way of the Prophetwho received it from
Jibreel who received it from Almighty Allaah in the Classical Arabic
language.
Each Arabic letter has a Makhraj )an exit or articulation point from
which it originates( and Sifaat )attributes or characteristics(.
Knowing the Makhraj and Sifaat of each letter is an important part of
Tajweed. Sometimes two letters have very similar exits, which makes
mixing them up easy. So, if a person does not know the attributes of
each letter, he may change the meaning of the words in Quran
recitation. Observing the rules of Tajweed in reciting prevents the
reciter from making mistakes in reciting the Quran.
The Ruling of Reading with Tajweed
Imaam Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazariwho was a great Quran and Hadeeth scholar
of the 9th Hijri century, stated in his famous poem that details the
rules of Tajweed:
"And applying Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity, Whoever
doesn't apply Tajweed to the Quran, then a sinner is he."
Hence, applying the rules of Tajweed is an obligation to keep away
from the major mistakes in reciting the Quran.
The scholars have divided the types of mistakes one might fall into
when reciting the Quran into two:
1. Clear mistakes:which usually change obvious things and change the meaning.
2. Hidden mistakes:for which one may need to study Tajweed rules.
The majority of scholars agree that applying the Tajweed rules of the
Quran such that the clear mistakes are avoided is an individual
obligation )Fardh 'Ayn( upon every Muslim who has memorised part or
all of the Quran, while applying the rules of Tajweed to avoid the
hidden mistakes is a collective obligation )Fardh Kifaayah( upon
Muslims. That is, there must be some students of knowledge who have
knowledge of that. This is because the Quran was revealed with the
Tajweed rules applied to it, and the Prophetrecited it back to Jibreel
in that way and the companions of the Prophetread it in that way, so
it is an established Sunnah )Prophetic tradition or practice(.
The list below shows the type of mistakes under each category:
Clear Mistakes:
Mistakes related to correct pronunciation of letters so that letters
are not mixed up in a way that changes their meaning. Scholars and
ordinary Muslims alike should avoid these.
Examples of Clear Mistakes:
• Changing one letter into another or a short vowel )Harakah( into
another )e.g. changing Fat-hah into Dhammah or the letter Qaaf into
Kaaf, etc(
• Not observing the elongations )Madd( at all. Reciting them quickly
as if there is no Madd so that they turn into the length of a vowel.
• Making a Madd letter which out of a normal Harakah.
• Stopping or starting at an incorrect place so that the meaning is
spoilt, like stopping at 'Laa ilaaha' )i.e., there is nothing worthy
of worship(, without completing 'illallaah' )except Allaah(.
Hidden Mistakes:
Mistakes which have to do with perfecting pronunciation and are not
obvious. These are known only by those who have studied Tajweed rules
or are experts in this field. Ordinary Muslims may not know such
mistakes or perceive them to be so.
Examples of Hidden Mistakes:
• Not being totally exact with the elongation of letters: )Making the
Madd shorter or longer by a 1/2 or even 1/4 degree, etc.(
• Not observing the attributes of each letter perfectly: )Slightly
rolling the Raa', or exaggerating the 'N' sound in Noon etc.(
• Not observing the rules with which to pronounce letters when they
are next to each other )like not merging certain letters that should
be merged )Idghaam( and not clearly pronouncing those which should be
clearly pronounced )Ith-haar( etc.(
• Making light letters sound heavy and heavy letters sound light
)except if by doing this one changes a letter into another; in which
case it would be an obvious mistake.(
Among the proofs that the scholars bring to show the obligation of
Tajweed and its being an established Sunnah is that Almighty Allaah
Says in the Quran )what mean(:"…And recite the Quran with measured
recitation."]Quran 73:4[
There are various Prophetic narrations also showing us the importance
of Tajweed. Umm Salamahwas asked about the recitation of the
Prophetand she described it as a recitation: "Clearly-distinguished,
letter by letter".
infallible source of legislation for mankind to live an organised life
by. It contains regulations and recommendations about all aspects of
life and references to the Hereafter. Being so important, the Quran
must be read, written, and recited correctly and clearly, so as not to
create any sort of ambiguity or misunderstanding whatsoever. Allaah
Almighty addressed His Messenger Muhammadin the Quran, Saying )what
means(:"…And recite the Quran with measured recitation."]Quran 73:4[
Listening to the Quran being recited correctly is enough to soften
even the hardest of hearts. Muslims and non-Muslims alike find it a
deeply moving experience, even if they do not understand what is being
said. Every Muslim has to recite Quran in prayers, but many of us do
not realise that reciting the Quran correctly while observing the
rules of recitation is not an advanced science for expert reciters
alone, rather it is an obligation upon each and every one of us
whenever we recite the Quran.
What is Tajweed?
The Arabic word Tajweed linguistically means 'proficiency' or 'doing
something well'. It comes from the same root letters as the word
Jayyid, which means 'good'. When applied to the Quran, it means giving
every letter of the Quran its rights and dues of characteristics when
we recite the Quran, and observing the rules that apply to those
letters in different situations. We give the letters their rights by
observing the essential characteristics of each letter. We give them
their dues by observing the characteristics of each letter that are
present in them some of the time and not present at other times.
The Quran was revealed with Tajweed rules applied to it. In other
words, when the angel Jibreel )Gabriel(recited the words of Allaah to
the Prophet Muhammadhe recited them in a certain way and he showed the
Prophetthe ways in which it was permissible to recite the Quran. So it
is obligatory upon us to observe those rules so that we recite it in
the way it was revealed.
At the time of the Prophetthere was no need for people to study
Tajweed because they talked with what is now known as Tajweed, so it
was natural for them. When the Arabs started mixing with the non-Arabs
and as Islam spread, mistakes in the Quranic recitation began to
appear, so the scholars had to record the rules. Now, because the
everyday Arabic that Arabs speak has changed so much from the
Classical Arabic with which the Quran was revealed, even the Arabs
have to study Tajweed.
The Purpose of Tajweed
The Quran is the word of Allaah, and its every syllable is from
Allaah. Its recitation must be taken very seriously. The purpose of
the Science of Tajweed, in essence, is to make the reciter proficient
in reciting the Quran, observing the correct pronunciation of every
letter with the rulings and characteristics which apply to it, without
any exaggeration or deficiency. Through this, the reciter can recite
the Quran according to the way of the Prophetwho received it from
Jibreel who received it from Almighty Allaah in the Classical Arabic
language.
Each Arabic letter has a Makhraj )an exit or articulation point from
which it originates( and Sifaat )attributes or characteristics(.
Knowing the Makhraj and Sifaat of each letter is an important part of
Tajweed. Sometimes two letters have very similar exits, which makes
mixing them up easy. So, if a person does not know the attributes of
each letter, he may change the meaning of the words in Quran
recitation. Observing the rules of Tajweed in reciting prevents the
reciter from making mistakes in reciting the Quran.
The Ruling of Reading with Tajweed
Imaam Muhammad Ibn Al-Jazariwho was a great Quran and Hadeeth scholar
of the 9th Hijri century, stated in his famous poem that details the
rules of Tajweed:
"And applying Tajweed is an issue of absolute necessity, Whoever
doesn't apply Tajweed to the Quran, then a sinner is he."
Hence, applying the rules of Tajweed is an obligation to keep away
from the major mistakes in reciting the Quran.
The scholars have divided the types of mistakes one might fall into
when reciting the Quran into two:
1. Clear mistakes:which usually change obvious things and change the meaning.
2. Hidden mistakes:for which one may need to study Tajweed rules.
The majority of scholars agree that applying the Tajweed rules of the
Quran such that the clear mistakes are avoided is an individual
obligation )Fardh 'Ayn( upon every Muslim who has memorised part or
all of the Quran, while applying the rules of Tajweed to avoid the
hidden mistakes is a collective obligation )Fardh Kifaayah( upon
Muslims. That is, there must be some students of knowledge who have
knowledge of that. This is because the Quran was revealed with the
Tajweed rules applied to it, and the Prophetrecited it back to Jibreel
in that way and the companions of the Prophetread it in that way, so
it is an established Sunnah )Prophetic tradition or practice(.
The list below shows the type of mistakes under each category:
Clear Mistakes:
Mistakes related to correct pronunciation of letters so that letters
are not mixed up in a way that changes their meaning. Scholars and
ordinary Muslims alike should avoid these.
Examples of Clear Mistakes:
• Changing one letter into another or a short vowel )Harakah( into
another )e.g. changing Fat-hah into Dhammah or the letter Qaaf into
Kaaf, etc(
• Not observing the elongations )Madd( at all. Reciting them quickly
as if there is no Madd so that they turn into the length of a vowel.
• Making a Madd letter which out of a normal Harakah.
• Stopping or starting at an incorrect place so that the meaning is
spoilt, like stopping at 'Laa ilaaha' )i.e., there is nothing worthy
of worship(, without completing 'illallaah' )except Allaah(.
Hidden Mistakes:
Mistakes which have to do with perfecting pronunciation and are not
obvious. These are known only by those who have studied Tajweed rules
or are experts in this field. Ordinary Muslims may not know such
mistakes or perceive them to be so.
Examples of Hidden Mistakes:
• Not being totally exact with the elongation of letters: )Making the
Madd shorter or longer by a 1/2 or even 1/4 degree, etc.(
• Not observing the attributes of each letter perfectly: )Slightly
rolling the Raa', or exaggerating the 'N' sound in Noon etc.(
• Not observing the rules with which to pronounce letters when they
are next to each other )like not merging certain letters that should
be merged )Idghaam( and not clearly pronouncing those which should be
clearly pronounced )Ith-haar( etc.(
• Making light letters sound heavy and heavy letters sound light
)except if by doing this one changes a letter into another; in which
case it would be an obvious mistake.(
Among the proofs that the scholars bring to show the obligation of
Tajweed and its being an established Sunnah is that Almighty Allaah
Says in the Quran )what mean(:"…And recite the Quran with measured
recitation."]Quran 73:4[
There are various Prophetic narrations also showing us the importance
of Tajweed. Umm Salamahwas asked about the recitation of the
Prophetand she described it as a recitation: "Clearly-distinguished,
letter by letter".
Dought & clear, - He is asking about the virtues of the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah
Are the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah more special than other days?
What are the righteous deeds that it is recommended to do a lot of
during these ten days?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Among the great seasons of worship are the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, which Allaah has favoured over other days. It was
narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no
days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these
ten days." They said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He
said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out
himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back
with anything." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2/457
It was also narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is
no deed that is better before Allaah or more greatly rewarded than a
good deed done in the (first) ten days of al-Adha." It was said: "Not
even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He said: "Not even jihad for the
sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his
wealth with him and does not come back with anything." Narrated by
al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated inal-Irwa', 3/398.
These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than
all other days of the year, with no exception, even the last ten days
of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better than the
first ten nights of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because they includeLaylat al-Qadr,
which is better than a thousand months. SeeTafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412.
So the Muslim should start these days with sincere repentance to
Allaah, then he should do a lot of righteous deeds in general, then he
should pay attention to doing the following deeds:
1 – Fasting
It is Sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) encouraged us to do righteous deeds in the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, and fasting is one of the best of deeds, which Allaah
has chosen for Himself as it says in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says:
'All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which
is for Me and I shall reward for it." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1805.
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on
the first nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah. It was narrated from Hunaydah ibn
Khaalid from his wife, that one of the wives of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the first nine days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah and the day of 'Ashoora', and three days each month, the
first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. Narrated by al-Nasaa'i,
4/205 and by Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi
Dawood, 2/462.
2 – Reciting tahmeed, tahleel and takbeer a great deal
It is Sunnah to recite takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar (Allaah is most
great)), tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allaah)),
tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah))
and tasbeeh (saying Subhaan-Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)), during the
first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, saying these words out loud in the
mosques, homes, streets and every place in which it is permissible to
remember Allaah, to perform this act of worship openly and proclaim
the greatness of Allaah.
Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward
of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and
mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle
that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)"
[al-Hajj 22:28]
The majority are of the view that the "appointed days" are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because it was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that the appointed days are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah.
It was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There are no days that are greater before Allaah or in which
good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a
great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them." Narrated by
Ahmad, 7/224; its isnaad was classed as saheeh by Ahmad Shaakir.
The takbeer is as follows:
Allaah akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, wa
Lillaah il-hamd(Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is
no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise).
And there are other versions.
This takbeer has become a forsaken Sunnah nowadays, especially at the
beginning of these ten days. You can hardly hear it except from a few.
It should be recited out loud, so as to revive the Sunnah and remind
the heedless. It was proven that Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the marketplace
during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, reciting the takbeer our
loud, and the people would recite takbeer when they heard them, i.e.,
the people would remember the talkbeer and each one would recite it by
himself; it does not mean that they recited in unison – that is not
prescribed in sharee'ah.
Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of
reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs
that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of
everyone who does it, without that detracting from their reward in the
slightest." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this hadeeth is hasan
because of corroborating reports.
3 – Doing Hajj and 'Umrah
One of the greatest deeds that can be done during these ten days is
Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah. Whoever Allaah helps to go on Hajj
to His House and do the rituals in the required manner will – in sha
Allaah – be included in the words of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a
reward than Paradise."
4 – Udhiyah (sacrifice)
One of the righteous deeds that bring a person closer to Allaah in
these ten days is to slaughter the sacrifice and to look for a good,
fat animal and to spend money on it for the sake of Allaah.
Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the
negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and
receives no response.
What are the righteous deeds that it is recommended to do a lot of
during these ten days?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Among the great seasons of worship are the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, which Allaah has favoured over other days. It was
narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no
days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these
ten days." They said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He
said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out
himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back
with anything." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2/457
It was also narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is
no deed that is better before Allaah or more greatly rewarded than a
good deed done in the (first) ten days of al-Adha." It was said: "Not
even jihad for the sake of Allaah?" He said: "Not even jihad for the
sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his
wealth with him and does not come back with anything." Narrated by
al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated inal-Irwa', 3/398.
These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than
all other days of the year, with no exception, even the last ten days
of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better than the
first ten nights of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because they includeLaylat al-Qadr,
which is better than a thousand months. SeeTafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412.
So the Muslim should start these days with sincere repentance to
Allaah, then he should do a lot of righteous deeds in general, then he
should pay attention to doing the following deeds:
1 – Fasting
It is Sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) encouraged us to do righteous deeds in the first ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, and fasting is one of the best of deeds, which Allaah
has chosen for Himself as it says in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says:
'All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which
is for Me and I shall reward for it." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1805.
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on
the first nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah. It was narrated from Hunaydah ibn
Khaalid from his wife, that one of the wives of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the first nine days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah and the day of 'Ashoora', and three days each month, the
first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. Narrated by al-Nasaa'i,
4/205 and by Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi
Dawood, 2/462.
2 – Reciting tahmeed, tahleel and takbeer a great deal
It is Sunnah to recite takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar (Allaah is most
great)), tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allaah)),
tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah))
and tasbeeh (saying Subhaan-Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)), during the
first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, saying these words out loud in the
mosques, homes, streets and every place in which it is permissible to
remember Allaah, to perform this act of worship openly and proclaim
the greatness of Allaah.
Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward
of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and
mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle
that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)"
[al-Hajj 22:28]
The majority are of the view that the "appointed days" are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, because it was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that the appointed days are the first
ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah.
It was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There are no days that are greater before Allaah or in which
good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a
great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them." Narrated by
Ahmad, 7/224; its isnaad was classed as saheeh by Ahmad Shaakir.
The takbeer is as follows:
Allaah akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, wa
Lillaah il-hamd(Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is
no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise).
And there are other versions.
This takbeer has become a forsaken Sunnah nowadays, especially at the
beginning of these ten days. You can hardly hear it except from a few.
It should be recited out loud, so as to revive the Sunnah and remind
the heedless. It was proven that Ibn 'Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the marketplace
during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, reciting the takbeer our
loud, and the people would recite takbeer when they heard them, i.e.,
the people would remember the talkbeer and each one would recite it by
himself; it does not mean that they recited in unison – that is not
prescribed in sharee'ah.
Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of
reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs
that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of
everyone who does it, without that detracting from their reward in the
slightest." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this hadeeth is hasan
because of corroborating reports.
3 – Doing Hajj and 'Umrah
One of the greatest deeds that can be done during these ten days is
Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah. Whoever Allaah helps to go on Hajj
to His House and do the rituals in the required manner will – in sha
Allaah – be included in the words of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a
reward than Paradise."
4 – Udhiyah (sacrifice)
One of the righteous deeds that bring a person closer to Allaah in
these ten days is to slaughter the sacrifice and to look for a good,
fat animal and to spend money on it for the sake of Allaah.
Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the
negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and
receives no response.
Dought & clear, - Ruling on seeking auspicious omens from the Mushaf
Instead of offering salaat al-istikhaarah, some people open the Holy
Qur'an randomly, then they look for anything in the page that they
have chosen of the Mushaf to give them a hint to help them make their
decision. For example, there is a married daughter who came to live
with her parents, because her husband is not giving her her rights,
and she wants to get divorced. Her mother opened the Mushaf (at
random) and there was the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) and his
mother, (where Allah said to her): "but when you fear for him, then
cast him into the river" [al-Qasas 28:7]. From this story, she
understood that her daughter should go back to her husband. Can you
explain this matter to me?
Praise be to Allah.
Salaat al-istikhaarah is a confirmed Sunnah that is proven in reports
from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it
cannot be replaced by what you have mentioned about seeking auspicious
omens in the Qur'an. Rather this seeking omens in the Mushaf is haraam
according to a number of scholars, because it comes under the same
heading as divination with arrows.
Al-Qarraafi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the
haraam pursuit of auspicious omens, at-Tartooshi said in his
commentary that looking for auspicious omens in the Mushaf, geomancy,
drawing lots, throwing grains of barley (and interpreting the patterns
in which they fall), and all such things are haraam, because they come
under the same heading as divination with arrows. During the
Jaahiliyyah, they had arrows or pieces of wood, on one of which was
written "Do it"; on other arrows were written the words "Do not do it"
and "Not clear (or try again)". A person would draw one of them, and
if he found the words "Do it" he would go ahead with what he was
thinking of doing; if he found the words "Do not do it", he would turn
away from what he wanted to do and think that it was bad; if he found
the word "Not clear (or try again)," he would try again. Thus he was
seeking his share of the unseen by means of these arrows, so that if
it was good he would pursue it and if it was bad he would forget about
it. The same applies to one who looks for auspicious omens in the
Mushaf or elsewhere; the one who does that thinks that if he sees
something good he will pursue it or if he sees something bad he will
try to avoid it. This is exactly what is meant by divination with
arrows which the Qur'an states is haraam. End quote fromal-Furooq,
4/240
Al-Nafraawi said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) liked good omens, which refers to anything that makes one feel at
ease, such as a good word. Inas-Saheehit says: "There isno tiyarah
(superstitious belief in bad omens), and the best of it is a good
omen." It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what is a good omen? He
said: "A good word that one of you hears." According to another
report, he said: "But I like good omens." An example of that is if a
person sets out on a journey or to go and visit a sick person and he
hears the wordsYaa saalim(O safe one),yaa ghaanim(O winner) oryaa
'aafiyah(O healthy one). This applies if he was not seeking such an
omen (and heard that by coincidence); but if he was seeking an omen so
that he could act upon whatever he heard, whether it was good or bad,
then it is not permissible, because it is like the haraam divination
with arrows that they used to do during the Jaahiliyyah. A similar
practice, which is also not permissible, is looking for omens in the
Mushaf, because this also comes under the same heading as divination
with arrows, because he may find something in the Qur'an that appears
to point to something he does not like, and that may lead him to
regard the Qur'an as "unlucky". If a person wants to do something then
hears something that upsets him, he should not change his plans;
rather he should say: "O Allah, no one brings good except You and no
one brings evil or wards off evil except You."
End quote fromal-Fawaakih ad-Dawaani, 2/342
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked
about looking for good omens in the Mushaf. He replied: With regard to
looking for good omens in the Mushaf, there is no report of that from
the early generations, and the later generations disputed concerning
it. Al-Qaadi Abu Ya'la mentioned a dispute concerning it. He narrated
from Ibn Battah that he did it and said that someone else disliked it.
But this is not the kind of good omen that the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked; he liked good omens
and disliked superstitious belief in bad omens. The kind of good omen
that he liked is when a person does something or decides to do
something, putting his trust in Allah, then he hears a good word that
makes him happy, such as if he hears the wordsYaa najeeh(O successful
one),Yaa muflih(O prosperous one),Ya sa'eed(O happy one),Yaa mansoor(O
victorious one) and so on. For example, during his hijrah (migration
to Madinah) he met a man en route and said to him: "What is your
name?" He said: Yazeed (meaning increase). He said: "O Abu Bakr,yazeed
amruna(our matter will increase in good)." As for superstitious belief
in bad omens, if a person has done something, putting his trust in
Allah, or he has decided to do something, then he hears a word that he
dislikes, such as "it will not reach its goal" or "he will not
prosper" and so on, and he takes it as a bad omen and gives up his
plans, this is forbidden. It is narrated inas-Saheehthat Mu'aawiyah
ibn al-Hakam as-Sulami said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, among us
are some people who superstitiously believe in bad omens. He said:
"That is something that one of you feels in his heart; do not let it
prevent you from going ahead." Thus the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) forbade letting superstition prevent one from
doing what one intended to do. In both cases, even though he liked
good omens and disliked superstitious belief in bad omens, he would
still pray istikhaarah (seeking Allah's help in making a decision),
put his trust in Allah and go ahead on the basis of what is prescribed
of taking appropriate measures. In the case of a good omen, he did not
make it a reason or motive for going ahead, and he did not let a bad
omen prevent him from going ahead. Rather it was the people of the
Jaahiliyyah who based their decision whether to go ahead or not on
that, for which they would use arrows for divination. Allah forbade
using arrows for divination in two verses of the Qur'an; when they
(the people of the Jaahiliyyah) wanted to make a decision, they would
bring sticks like arrows or pebbles or something else on which they
had made marks to indicate "good", "bad" or "unclear (or try again)."
If they picked up the one that said "good," they would go ahead with
their plans; if they picked up the one that said "bad", they would
refrain; and if they picked up the one that said "unclear", they would
try again. And there are other actions that could come under the same
heading, such as throwing pebbles or barley grains (and "reading" the
patterns in which they fall), or using boards, pieces of wood or
pieces of paper on which were written Arabic letters, verses of poetry
and the like, by means of which a person would decide whether to go
ahead with his plans or not. All of these are forbidden because they
come under the same heading as seeking divination with arrows. Rather
it is Sunnah to pray istikhaarah, seeking guidance from the Creator,
and to consult other people and find out on the basis of shar'i
evidence what Allah likes and is pleased with and what He dislikes and
forbids. These superstitious practices are sometimes intended to find
out whether what a person wants to do is good or bad, and sometimes
they are intended to find out about its usefulness, in the past or in
the future. In either case it is not allowed or prescribed. And Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, knows best.
End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa, 23/66
Thus it is clear that seeking good omens from the Mushaf by opening it
and looking at the page, then basing one's decision on that, is haraam
and is the same as seeking divination with arrows. This is in contrast
to good omens that come immediately after one has taken a decision,
when hearing a good word by coincidence, when not looking for that.
What is mentioned in the question about the wife who is not being
given her rights by her husband indicates that the method mentioned is
not correct, because one may say: Rather the verse mentioned indicates
that she should separate from him and stay away, even if she fears the
consequences thereof, as the mother of Moosa threw her son into the
river, but the consequences were good for her.
In such cases it is essential to examine the problem and its causes
and ways of dealing with it in the appropriate shar'i manner, such as
offering sincere advice, and looking for arbitrators from the
husband's family and the wife's family, and so on.
And Allah knows best.
Qur'an randomly, then they look for anything in the page that they
have chosen of the Mushaf to give them a hint to help them make their
decision. For example, there is a married daughter who came to live
with her parents, because her husband is not giving her her rights,
and she wants to get divorced. Her mother opened the Mushaf (at
random) and there was the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) and his
mother, (where Allah said to her): "but when you fear for him, then
cast him into the river" [al-Qasas 28:7]. From this story, she
understood that her daughter should go back to her husband. Can you
explain this matter to me?
Praise be to Allah.
Salaat al-istikhaarah is a confirmed Sunnah that is proven in reports
from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it
cannot be replaced by what you have mentioned about seeking auspicious
omens in the Qur'an. Rather this seeking omens in the Mushaf is haraam
according to a number of scholars, because it comes under the same
heading as divination with arrows.
Al-Qarraafi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the
haraam pursuit of auspicious omens, at-Tartooshi said in his
commentary that looking for auspicious omens in the Mushaf, geomancy,
drawing lots, throwing grains of barley (and interpreting the patterns
in which they fall), and all such things are haraam, because they come
under the same heading as divination with arrows. During the
Jaahiliyyah, they had arrows or pieces of wood, on one of which was
written "Do it"; on other arrows were written the words "Do not do it"
and "Not clear (or try again)". A person would draw one of them, and
if he found the words "Do it" he would go ahead with what he was
thinking of doing; if he found the words "Do not do it", he would turn
away from what he wanted to do and think that it was bad; if he found
the word "Not clear (or try again)," he would try again. Thus he was
seeking his share of the unseen by means of these arrows, so that if
it was good he would pursue it and if it was bad he would forget about
it. The same applies to one who looks for auspicious omens in the
Mushaf or elsewhere; the one who does that thinks that if he sees
something good he will pursue it or if he sees something bad he will
try to avoid it. This is exactly what is meant by divination with
arrows which the Qur'an states is haraam. End quote fromal-Furooq,
4/240
Al-Nafraawi said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) liked good omens, which refers to anything that makes one feel at
ease, such as a good word. Inas-Saheehit says: "There isno tiyarah
(superstitious belief in bad omens), and the best of it is a good
omen." It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what is a good omen? He
said: "A good word that one of you hears." According to another
report, he said: "But I like good omens." An example of that is if a
person sets out on a journey or to go and visit a sick person and he
hears the wordsYaa saalim(O safe one),yaa ghaanim(O winner) oryaa
'aafiyah(O healthy one). This applies if he was not seeking such an
omen (and heard that by coincidence); but if he was seeking an omen so
that he could act upon whatever he heard, whether it was good or bad,
then it is not permissible, because it is like the haraam divination
with arrows that they used to do during the Jaahiliyyah. A similar
practice, which is also not permissible, is looking for omens in the
Mushaf, because this also comes under the same heading as divination
with arrows, because he may find something in the Qur'an that appears
to point to something he does not like, and that may lead him to
regard the Qur'an as "unlucky". If a person wants to do something then
hears something that upsets him, he should not change his plans;
rather he should say: "O Allah, no one brings good except You and no
one brings evil or wards off evil except You."
End quote fromal-Fawaakih ad-Dawaani, 2/342
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked
about looking for good omens in the Mushaf. He replied: With regard to
looking for good omens in the Mushaf, there is no report of that from
the early generations, and the later generations disputed concerning
it. Al-Qaadi Abu Ya'la mentioned a dispute concerning it. He narrated
from Ibn Battah that he did it and said that someone else disliked it.
But this is not the kind of good omen that the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked; he liked good omens
and disliked superstitious belief in bad omens. The kind of good omen
that he liked is when a person does something or decides to do
something, putting his trust in Allah, then he hears a good word that
makes him happy, such as if he hears the wordsYaa najeeh(O successful
one),Yaa muflih(O prosperous one),Ya sa'eed(O happy one),Yaa mansoor(O
victorious one) and so on. For example, during his hijrah (migration
to Madinah) he met a man en route and said to him: "What is your
name?" He said: Yazeed (meaning increase). He said: "O Abu Bakr,yazeed
amruna(our matter will increase in good)." As for superstitious belief
in bad omens, if a person has done something, putting his trust in
Allah, or he has decided to do something, then he hears a word that he
dislikes, such as "it will not reach its goal" or "he will not
prosper" and so on, and he takes it as a bad omen and gives up his
plans, this is forbidden. It is narrated inas-Saheehthat Mu'aawiyah
ibn al-Hakam as-Sulami said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, among us
are some people who superstitiously believe in bad omens. He said:
"That is something that one of you feels in his heart; do not let it
prevent you from going ahead." Thus the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) forbade letting superstition prevent one from
doing what one intended to do. In both cases, even though he liked
good omens and disliked superstitious belief in bad omens, he would
still pray istikhaarah (seeking Allah's help in making a decision),
put his trust in Allah and go ahead on the basis of what is prescribed
of taking appropriate measures. In the case of a good omen, he did not
make it a reason or motive for going ahead, and he did not let a bad
omen prevent him from going ahead. Rather it was the people of the
Jaahiliyyah who based their decision whether to go ahead or not on
that, for which they would use arrows for divination. Allah forbade
using arrows for divination in two verses of the Qur'an; when they
(the people of the Jaahiliyyah) wanted to make a decision, they would
bring sticks like arrows or pebbles or something else on which they
had made marks to indicate "good", "bad" or "unclear (or try again)."
If they picked up the one that said "good," they would go ahead with
their plans; if they picked up the one that said "bad", they would
refrain; and if they picked up the one that said "unclear", they would
try again. And there are other actions that could come under the same
heading, such as throwing pebbles or barley grains (and "reading" the
patterns in which they fall), or using boards, pieces of wood or
pieces of paper on which were written Arabic letters, verses of poetry
and the like, by means of which a person would decide whether to go
ahead with his plans or not. All of these are forbidden because they
come under the same heading as seeking divination with arrows. Rather
it is Sunnah to pray istikhaarah, seeking guidance from the Creator,
and to consult other people and find out on the basis of shar'i
evidence what Allah likes and is pleased with and what He dislikes and
forbids. These superstitious practices are sometimes intended to find
out whether what a person wants to do is good or bad, and sometimes
they are intended to find out about its usefulness, in the past or in
the future. In either case it is not allowed or prescribed. And Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, knows best.
End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa, 23/66
Thus it is clear that seeking good omens from the Mushaf by opening it
and looking at the page, then basing one's decision on that, is haraam
and is the same as seeking divination with arrows. This is in contrast
to good omens that come immediately after one has taken a decision,
when hearing a good word by coincidence, when not looking for that.
What is mentioned in the question about the wife who is not being
given her rights by her husband indicates that the method mentioned is
not correct, because one may say: Rather the verse mentioned indicates
that she should separate from him and stay away, even if she fears the
consequences thereof, as the mother of Moosa threw her son into the
river, but the consequences were good for her.
In such cases it is essential to examine the problem and its causes
and ways of dealing with it in the appropriate shar'i manner, such as
offering sincere advice, and looking for arbitrators from the
husband's family and the wife's family, and so on.
And Allah knows best.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)