Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * What about the mark on a person’s forehead caused by sujood?

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When a person prays salah,usaually his forehead gets darker because of sajda and people know that he prays.
Because of this,this person can feel proud and may be some times he likes people to talk positive about him and say good remarks about him because of his prayers.
Is it O.K. or better in this case for this person to do sajda very lightly and softly or what do you suggest.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to do rukoo’ and sujood perfectly and completely.
It was reported from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do your rukoo’ and sujood perfectly and completely, for by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I can see you behind me when you do rukoo’ and sujood.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6268; Muslim, 425)
Part of doing rukoo’ and sujood properly and correctly is to be at ease in both.
It was reported from Abu Hurayrah that a man entered the mosque and prayed. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting in a corner of the mosque, and the man came and greeted him with salaam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) answered “Wa ‘alayk (and also upon you). Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” So he went back and prayed, then he came and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with salaam, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) answered “Wa ‘alayk (and also upon you). Go back and pray, for you have not prayed yet.” The third time this happened, the man said, “Teach me, O Messenger of Allaah.” He said: “When you stand up to pray, do wudoo’ properly, then face the qiblah and say ‘Allaahu akbar.’ Then recite whatever you can of Qur’aan. Then do rukoo’ until you are at ease in rukoo’. Then stand up until you are at ease in standing, then do sujood until you are at ease in sujood. Then sit up until you are sitting up straight. Do that throughout your prayer.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 724; Muslim, 397).
Not doing rukoo’ and sujood properly and completely is something which invalidates one's prayer.
It was reported that Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari al-Badri said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘A prayer in which a person does not straighten his spine in his rukoo’ and sujood does not count.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 265; he said it is hasan saheeh. Also narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 1027; Abu Dawood, 855; Ibn Maajah, 870)
Imaam al-Tirmidhi said:
“Prayer should be done in accordance with this, according to the scholars among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and later scholars, who said that a man should straighten his spine when he does rukoo’ and sujood.”
Al-Shaafa'i, Ahmad and Ishaaq said: “A prayer in which a person does not straighten his spine in his rukoo’ and sujood does not count, because of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘A prayer in which a person does not straighten his spine in his rukoo’ and sujood does not count.’” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2/52)
It was reported from Abu Waa’il that Hudhayfah saw a man who was not doing rukoo’ and sujood perfectly and completely. When he finished praying, Hudhayfah said to him, “You have not prayed.” He (the narrator) said: “I think he said, ‘If you were to die now, you would die on something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 382).
According to another report (758): it was reported that Zayd ibn Wahb said: “Hudhayfah saw a man who was not doing rukoo’ and sujood perfectly and completely. He said, ‘You have not prayed. If you were to die now, you would die on something other than the fitrah to which Allaah guided Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’”
It is essential to place the forehead and nose firmly on the ground when making sujood.
It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I was commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead’ – and he pointed to his nose – ‘the two hands, the two knees and the toes. And do not tie up your clothes or hair.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 779; Muslim, 490).
There is nothing wrong with making the sujood long, especially when praying alone, or in Salaat al-Kusoof (eclipse prayer) or in qiyaam al-layl (naafil prayers at night).
It was reported from Asmaa’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Salaat al-Kusoof (eclipse prayer). He stood and made his standing lengthy; then he did rukoo’ and made his rukoo’ lengthy; then he stood up and made his standing lengthy; then he did rukoo’ and made his rukoo’ lengthy; then he stood up and did sujood, then he sat up and did sujood again, and made his sujood lengthy. Then he stood up and made his standing lengthy; then he did rukoo’ and made his rukoo’ lengthy; then he stood up and made his standing lengthy; then he did rukoo’ and made his rukoo’ lengthy; then he stood up and did sujood, and made his sujood lengthy; then he sat up and did sujood again, and made his sujood lengthy, then he finished.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 812).
It was reported that Hudhayfah said: “I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one night. He started to recite al-Baqarah, and I thought that he would do rukoo’ after one hundred aayaat, but he carried on. I thought that he would finish it and then do rukoo’, but he carried on. Then he started to recite al-Nisaa’ and he recited it all, then he started to recite Aal ‘Imraan, and he recited it all, at a steady and moderate pace. If he recited an aayah which mentioned tasbeeh (glorifying Allaah), he would glorify Allaah; if he recited an aayah which mentioned asking, he would ask Allaah; if he recited an aayah which mentioned seeking refuge with Allaah, he would seek refuge with Him. Then he did rukoo’ and started saying ‘Subhaan Rabbi al-al’Azeem,’ and his rukoo’ was almost as long as his standing. Then he said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu li man hamidah’and stood up, and his standing was almost as long as his rukoo’. Then he prostrated and said, ‘Subhaana Rabbi al-A’laa’, and his sujood was almost as long as his standing.” (Narrated by Muslim, 772)
The Sunnah in sujood is to be level in sujood, as it was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “be level in sujood, and none of you should spread his forearms as a dog spreads them.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 788; Muslim, 493).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) said:
This means that you should do sujood in a level way, not bunched up tight so that the stomach rests on the thighs and the thighs on the calves, and not stretched out as some people do when they prostrate, so that they are almost lying on their fronts. Undoubtedly this is a kind of bid’ah and is not Sunnah. It was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from any of the Sahaabah, as far as we know, that a person should stretch out his back in sujood. He should stretch his back in rukoo’, but in sujood he should raise his stomach and not stretch it out.” (al-Sharhal-Mumti’, 3/168).
If a person does as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded, and he is prostrating on soil or a rough surface, then he may get a mark on his forehead. This may generate some pride in his heart, as mentioned in the question, but if a person’s heart is filled with sincere faith and he does what he does only for the purpose of seeking that which is with Allaah, then he will not care what people say about him. But if he deliberately tries to make a mark on his forehead that looks like the sign of sujood, then this is a kind of showing off and lying, so woe to him of the punishment of a painful Day!
With regard to the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“… You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking Bounty from Allaah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers)….” [al-Fath 48:29]
-- the correct meaning of the phrase “the mark of them is on their faces” is that this refers to the light of obedience and worship, and it does not necessarily mean that there is a physical mark on the skin in the place of prostration.
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in hisTafseerof this aayah:
“… ‘ the mark of them is on their faces from the traces of prostration’- ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them): ‘the mark of them is on their faces’means their outward appearance. Mujaahid and others said that it means khushoo’ and humility. Ibn Abi Haatim said: my father told us, ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Tanaafusi told us, Husayn al-Ja’fi told us, from Zaa’idah from Mansoor from Mujaahid: ‘the mark of them is on their faces from the traces of prostration’– he said: (this means) khushoo’ (humility). I said, I always thought that it meant this mark on the face. He said, That may appear between the eyes of one whose heart is harder than Pharaoh’s. Al-Saddi said: Prayer makes their faces beautiful. One of the Salaf said; Whoever prays more at night, his face becomes more handsome by day… Some of them said that a hasanah (good deeds) brings light (noor) to the heart and a glow to the face, an increased provision and the love of the people.”
The point is, the fact that this mark is present on the skin and there is a change in the colour of the forehead, does not mean that a person is righteous and sincere. By the same token, if this mark is absent, that does not mean that a person is failing in his prayers. In many cases it has to do with the nature and sensitivity of an individual’s skin.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) was asked: is there any report to indicate that the mark on the forehead caused by sujood is a sign of the righteous?
He replied:
This is not one of the signs of the righteous; the sign is the light (noor ) which appears on the face, and being content and at peace, a good attitude, and the like.
As for the mark made by sujood on the face, it may appear on the faces of people who do not even pray the obligatory prayers, if their skin is very soft and sensitive, and it may not appear of the faces of people who pray a lot and make lengthy sujood.
(Fataawaa Islamiyyah, 1/484)
In conclusion, then, if you are sincere towards Allaah and seek to earn His pleasure when you pray, then what people say will not affect you; in fact, their praise of you may be a kind of hastening of glad tidings for you in this world. So follow the Sunnah and do sujood properly, and then do not worry about whether people praise you or condemn you. We ask Allaah to make you sincere and to accept your prayers.
And Allaah knows best.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Praying in a place under which there is a sewage pipe

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A man has an apartment in which there is a bookstore containing copies of the Holy Qur’aan. But there is a sewage pipe which passes beneath this apartment. Is it permissible to pray and recite Qur’aan there or not? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with this so long as (the apartment) is separate (from the pipe). Al-Imaam al-Muwaffaq, the author ofal-Mughniand ofal-Sharh al-Kabeer, said: It is permissible to use the area above the roof of the pipe and similar places, because the pipe is beneath and there is a roof over it. It is not allowed to pray in toilets and similar places, but according to the correct view, it is permissible to pray and read Qur’aan on the roof over them, as we have stated above. Some scholars said that it is not permissible to do that, but the correct view, in sha Allaah, is that it is OK. And Allaah knows best.

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For children, - Constructive criticism

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Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't. - Eleanor Roosevelt
What do you fear in your everyday life? One common answer would probably be to be criticized. To stand there and hear those words streaming out of someone's mouth and feel stupid or feel rejected or like you are getting smaller and smaller.
For every action we do get positive and as well as negative feedback, because it is a part of life if you want to live your life your way.
When dealing with others, it is all too easy to find fault, to criticize and to condemn. How often do criticisms lead to actual change and improvement? Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, we find that people don't criticize themselves for anything, despite how wrong they might be.
Criticism is futile, because it puts a person on the defensive and causes him to justify himself. Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a person's pride and arouses resentment. Criticism is vain, because in judging others, we regard ourselves as more righteous than they.
Remember criticism doesn't always come gently from someone legitimately trying to help. A lot of the feedback we receive is unsolicited and doesn't come from teachers.
We can't control what other people will say to us, whether they will approve or form opinions and share them. But we can control how we internalize it, respond to it, and learn from it, and when we release it and move on.
Many of the world's most successful business leaders were criticized - even laughed at -when they first introduced their ideas. Instead of believing the naysayers, they used that criticism as motivation to succeed.
The best way to let criticism drive you is to be open to hearing it in the first place. Successful leaders know how to identify valid criticism and adapt accordingly. They use it to help them succeed.
Judging others is part of human nature. Our eyes are set in our head in such a way that we can look at others, better than at ourselves. Yet we all have faults of our own. As humans, we are also aware that no one is perfect, including ourselves. Prophet Jesus (pbuh)once said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Do you think you are perfect? Of course not! So if you want to reach your potential, look for constructive criticism. When someone is committed to reaching a goal, they will accept incredible doses of nagging, harassments and insults.
When we see the benefits, we actually like criticism. Imagine you left your wallet in the Grocery Store and someone calls after you: "Hey! You forgot your wallet!" Rather than get defensive at the criticism, you would say, "Thank you very much. Next time I will be more careful."
Criticism doesn't mean you are no good. It means, "You are good, but I believe you can be even better." To criticize does not necessarily imply "to find fault", but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an objection against a disapproval.
No one is good at everything and few people are great at the first time they try something. You will always have room to improve, no matter what you are doing and the best way to grow is to take constructive criticism from people who have the skills and know-how that you are lacking. The key, however, is separating the constructive from the unconstructive and separating yourself worth from the object of the constructive criticism.
Constructive criticism is a communication technique intended to identify and find solutions to problems in a positive way. Anyone can use the strategy, although professionals can provide more thorough analysis in many cases. It usually applies to work a person does, or to an individual's behavior. People respond to the method differently based on their own experiences, preferences and psychology, but a good, well-timed delivery can make a person more receptive to the message.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Her period came before she did her ‘umrah

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My wife and I went to Makkah two days ago to perform Hajj, and in the airplane we intended to enter ihraam for ‘Umrah. When we reached Makkah, we went to the hotel to put our luggage there, and after that my wife found out that her period had come when we reached the hotel.
What is the ruling on that? Does she have to offer a ransom (fidyah)? What is the value of the fidyah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Menses does not prevent a woman from entering ihraam for Hajj and ‘umrah, but it is haraam for her to circumambulate the Ka’bah until after her menses ends. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) when she got her menses before entering Makkah: “Do everything that the pilgrim does but do not circumambulate the House until you become pure (i.e., your menses ends). Agreed upon.
It is proven inSaheeh al-Bukhaarithat when she became pure, she circumambulated the Ka’bah and did saa’i between al-Safa and al-Marwah. This indicates that if a woman gets her menses before doing tawaaf, she should not do tawaaf and saa’i until she becomes pure.
Based on this, what you wife must do is wait until she becomes pure, and then circumambulate the Ka’bah and do saa’i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, then cut her hair. Then she will have completed her ‘umrah. And she does not have to offer a ransom for having gotten her menses when she was in ihraam.
And Allaah knows best.

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