A Thought About TheEid Celebration

As I left for the Eid Prayer on the early morning of Eid Al-Fitr, my
husband and I begin making the EidTakbeers through all of thetraffic
and the stop lights. Iwas feeling quite content, it was after all,
Eid. But notonly Eid, I had been to many other Eid prayers
before...this one was somehow different for me.Since I have converted
to Islam almost seven years ago, it has taken me quite sometime to
begin to comprehend the greatnessof this religion and to study it a
little more in-depth. It has taken some time to understand why and how
we do certain things as Muslims. Also, it has taken some time for this
holiday to have a deep meaning for me as well as time for me to grow
as a Muslim. I began thinking about another reason why this Eid was
different for me. I realize now that it was also very special because
I was going to the Eid prayer where I knew almost everyone there,
almost as though they were my close family (and for many converts to
Islamthat means a great deal).
As my husband and I arrived at the place of the prayer and we looked
to see a good friend of my husband's directing the traffic. We parked
and I walked towards the prayerarea, it was such a peaceful morning. I
entered the prayer area, and I was greeted by a couple of sisters that
I know to be kind-hearted and Masha Allah, pious Muslimahs. They were
directing the other sisters towards the Qibla and directing them to
remove their shoes from the court area as they passed through the big
doors of the gymnasium. My job was handing out the Takbeer sheet to al
those entering. As I stood by the entrance door, saying,"As-salaamu
Alaykum, Eid Mubarak and TaqabballahuMina wa Minkum (Peace beupon you,
Happy Eid and May Allah accept your good deeds and mine)", everyone
was smiling and joyful. Some sisters grabbed me with delight hugging
me and others shaking my hand enthusiastically. SubhanAllah, I
couldn't help but feel so strong in my Eman as I was on this last Eid
day. A feeling of trust, and a feeling of closeness that you cannot
experience in any other way. I had been a Christianbefore, and had
been to the Christian celebrations and through all the
hooplasurrounding it, not a shredof a similar feeling ever existed as
on the Eid.
I thought of the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) where he had told the
us, after seeing the people of Medinah had two holidays they
celebrated before Eid,he said, "Allah has given you better than those
(feasts): The Eid Al-Udhaa and the Eid Al-Fitr" [Ahmad, Abu Dawoud &
Nasaa'ee] SubhanAllah it isso true. Even with all the sparkle and
pizzazz that the non-Muslims surround their holidays with, it still
cannot compare to the feeling of the Eid. A feelingof true kinship
with your fellow brothers and sisters in Islam, and true feeling of
peacefulness. Masha Allah, it is something to ponder over, and we must
always keep in mind what a great blessing it really is that Allah has
bestowed on us all the Greatest of Mercies...that He (SWT) made us
Muslims. Amy Allah (SWT) keep us all on the Siratul Mustaqeem (The
Straight Path) and bless us all with a strong Eman, ameen.

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Muslims celebrate this Eid with aid Many forgo traditional gifts to help victims of Asia earthquake

By Tara Dooley, Houston Chronicle
Nov. 3, 2005, 12:06AM
~
Any other year, Dr. Kashif Ansari would be celebrating Eid al-Fitr
with a gathering of friends and family. He would be decked out in a
new suit for an elaborate feast and the exchange of gifts, traditions
of the Muslim holiday.
Not this year.
With the start of Eid today,Ansari will observe the traditionally
festive holiday with prayer, as is required by the faith. But there
will be few new clothes or gifts, he said. A banquet will be held as
afundraiser for survivors of the Oct. 8 earthquake in South Asia that
killed more than 73,000 peopleand left millions of others homeless,
most inPakistan.
"None of the families I know are (buying) new clothes," said Ansari,
who is involved in relief efforts through the Association of
Physiciansof Pakistani Descent of North America. "In Houston,
everybody I talk to has said, 'No, not this year.'
'Eid starts after the sighting of the crescent moon, which happened
Wednesday. It comes at the end of Ramadan, the holiest month of the
Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast in daylight hours.
Observing Ramadan, which began Oct. 5, is considered one of the five
main pillars, or tenets, of the faith.
Another of the five pillars is giving to charity. And many Muslims
donate the required 2.5 percent of their assets during Ramadan.
Andy Ayub Badat helps the Islamic Circle of North America Relief
USA-Houston coordinate the purchase and shipment of two ambulances to
aid disaster relief efforts in Pakistan.
"Ramadan and charity are like brother and sister," said Naeem Baig, a
spokesman for the Islamic Circle of North America, which is providing
earthquake aid. "We knowfrom the life of the Prophet ... that during
the month of Ramadan his generosity is described as a 'rain that comes
with thewind.' "
Many Muslims, especially those of Pakistani descent, said they plan to
tone down their Eid festivities this year. Some said they plan to give
the money earmarked for feasts and finery to relief efforts in the
Pakistan tent cities that are being set up for survivors.
"It is very, very low key," said Anjali Khusro of Khazana Jewels, who
has experienced lower than normal holiday sales this year. "People are
not in the mood of celebrating Eid. They are in the mood of giving."
Ramadan is the most important time of the year for Muslim charities.
Since the federal investigations of Islamic aid groups with suspected
ties to terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, some Muslims
have opted to donate only to neighborhood causes.
But with the earthquake striking a predominantly Muslim country three
days after start of the holy month, donors have responded generously,
relief organizers said. Islamic Relief had to hire temporary employees
to keep up. "Donations have been coming in at record pace," said Arif
Shaikh, spokesman for the nonprofit headquartered in Los Angeles.
Since the earthquake, the agency has received $4 million in cash
contributions, Shaikh said. Money has been used to provide medicine,
food, winterized tents, mattresses and blankets.
Similarly, the relief arm of the Islamic Circle, ICNA Relief ,
experienced a marked increase in donations. In the three days after
the earthquake the group received$800,000, Baig said. In Houston, ICNA
Relief volunteers held fundraisers at local restaurants and collected
medicine to send to Pakistan, said Ayub Badat, a volunteer operation
manager for the agency.
The group also raised money to buy two ambulances which will be
shipped Friday to Pakistan.
The Islamic Society of Greater Houston collectedroughly $275,000 in
donations earmarked for Pakistan, President Rodwan Saleh said, and
headded that the majority of the group's Muslims are of Pakistani
descent.
"Everybody is paying, paying, giving, giving," said Badat, who plans
to travel to Pakistan next week.
Indeed, Muslim charities have been in overdrive since last year's
tsunami inSoutheast Asia struck a little more than a month after
Ramadan had ended, when people had already donated to their favorite
causes. Many charities, such as Islamic Relief, also supported relief
efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Efforts in Pakistan will continue for years, relief groups said.
Though some are concerned that generosity may decrease with the end of
Ramadan when donors feel tapped out, Baig thinks the aid will
continue.
"The Muslim community inNorth America ... is a very blessed community
when it comes to financial resources," he said. "I am very hopeful it
will continue."

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Ramadan and Community Health

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the fivepillars of Islam
enjoined upon Muslims by almighty Allah as mentioned in verse 183 of
chapter 2: "O you who believe! Fastingis prescribed to you as it was
prescribed to those before you, that ye may learn self restraint."
Reduced Crime and Higher Morale
The enormous impact of Ramadan on a Muslim society is seen from the
fact that as compared to the other months, the number of all sorts of
crimes and the magnitude of corruption, indecency, vicious behaviour
and immoral acts are all reduced markedly. The rate of crimes in
Muslim societies is already lower than other societies and it declines
even more in the holy month of Ramadan.
Violence and crime imposea great burden on the health budget of any
country. As a matter of factin most developed countries they supersede
the expenditure and agony caused even by the road traffic accidents.
In a Muslim country like Saudi Arabia the crime rate is already much
lower than other countries and it becomes minimal in the month of
Ramadan.
Fasting is not just the act of refraining from food and water; rather
it is a devotion to fulfill the religious duties as well as to behave
in a manner which is harmless to others, so that even if someone
incites a person to quarrel, he has to pacifyhim by acting upon this
saying of the Holy ProphetMuhammad (pbuh), "Fasting is a shield or
protection from the fire and from committing sins, if one of you is
fasting, he should avoid quarrelling and if somebody should fight or
quarrel with him he should say I am fasting."
In another Hadith, Allah's Apostle says, "Whoever does not give up
forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of hisleaving
food and drink."
Although such good teachings of Islam are not confined to the month of
Ramadan alone, yet they are best observed in this month. Hence, one
can notice a great fall in the crime rate, violence, loss ofworking
days due to offensive injuries and a great reduction in the cost of
medico-legal expenditure which has a pronounced effect on the health
budget of a given community.
There is no doubt in sayingthat the number of offensive injuries and
trauma cases reported to the emergency rooms in a Muslim country is
far less in the month of Ramadan than in any other month. Ramadan, in
other words, is a training period for the Muslims in which the
foundations of a subtle character are laid whose gains can also be
seen round the year and this has a positive effect on themorale of the
whole society.
Happiness and Reduced Stress
Now, to come to another blessedness of Ramadan. In today's stressful
time when every third person issuffering from a psychological problem
even though it might be a mild depression, the advent of Ramadan
meansan era of happiness and felicity for all Muslims.
Social insecurity is the rootcause of today's psychological chaos and
bereavement. Ramadan, incontrast, is a month of optimum social
interactionand familiarization with each other. Mosques are thronged
with worshippers, people invite intimate friends to iftar, shopping
centers are packed with crowds and Eid offers a rainbow of joyous
moments, althoughthe real happiness which the believers derive
comesfrom the fulfillment of Allah's order about which He says that
fasting is for Him alone and He will pay its reward.
Ramadan has its own culture, a glimpse of whichcan be seen at Iftar
when the whole family joins together to dine. Allah's apostle (pbuh)
says, "There are two pleasuresfor the fasting person: one, at the time
of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his
Lord. Then he will be pleased because of his fasting."
Not surprisingly, due to the decreased stress the human body's steroid
level, which is raised in stress and anxiety, has been found to be
decreased among Muslims in the month of Ramadan.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is the hallmark of Islamic virtues. Although according to
Islamic teachings, a good Muslim offering his prayersregularly is
supposed to beneat and tidy, in the month of Ramadan personal
cleanliness among the Muslims reaches its peak. I need not mention
that a high level of cleanliness in the days of Ramadan will deter
infections. The zeal to offer prayers in Ramadan continues in other
days as well, more and more people form the habit of offering prayers
regularly, which by itself isa spiritual and health package for
Muslims.

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Ramadan for a Novice

I attended my first iftar earlier this month.

Iftar is the breaking of the fast that takes place every night in the
homes of observant Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Hosted by the
Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims, the iftar I attended was
an interfaithevent, intended to educatenon-Muslims like me aboutthe
significance of Islam's holiest month.
Arden Fair Mall
I learned that Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar
calendar, the month Mohammed was supposed to have first received
divine revelationsfrom the Archangel Gabrielthat became the Holy
Qur'an. For a full lunar cycle, from full moon to crescent, adult
Muslims around the world refrain from food, drink and sexual relations
from dawn to sunset.
The fasting or sawm - the word in Arabic literally means
self-restraint - is meant to build discipline. As Imam Azeez, the
spiritual leader of the SALAM center, explained it, when people deny
themselves the simple permissible pleasures - food, drink, sex - it
becomes easier to refrain from the impermissible - alcohol or drugs or
criminal behavior. While attention focuses on food and drink, the
faithful are also supposed to refrain from foul language, gossip,evil
thoughts and even war during Ramadan.
Fasting is also a way to build understanding and empathy for those who
are suffering. Those who cannot fast because of illness or because
they are pregnant are required to feed the poor each day that they
themselves fail to refrain from.
Finally, Ramadan, we weretold, is about family. At theend of the day,
after prayer, families and friendscome together for iftars, tobreak
the fast. By tradition,the first foods eaten are dates and milk. At
the SALAM center that Saturday night, a sumptuous feast of spiced
rice, lamb, fried dumplings and sweets followed, all served in a
joyful holiday spirit.
It felt like Christmas. Our hosts regaled us with talesof Ramadan back
home in Egypt, Syria and Pakistan. They told us the month is very much
like Christmas, atime when mothers prepare their favorite dishes and
families and friends visit. On the last day of Ramadan, gifts are
exchanged. In fact, in many Muslim countries, Ramadan, like Christmas,
has become the principal shopping season and that has some worried
that, like Christmas, Ramadan will become tainted by commercialism.
But as I've watched the Muslims I know this Ramadan and in the past,
it seems unlikely. The central ritual of Ramadan, the fast itself,
prevents theMuslim holy season from drifting too far from its
spiritual roots.
To deny oneself all food and drink for 12 hours - not even a sip of
water is permitted - is very hard. To do that not just for a day or a
week, but for a full month, represents a commitment to faith that is
rare and precious and real. Certainly, it seems so to someone like me,
who has a hard time walking past the candy vending machine at work,
even after I've just had lunch. So, I left my first iftar impressed
and deeply moved.

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What does Jihad mean?

The word Jihad representsa concept which is much misunderstood in the
West. The concept is explained nicely by the Christian scholar Ira 6.
Zepp, Jr. in his book entitled A Muslim Primer on pages 133-135.We
adapt from his answer thefollowing:
The essential meaning of Jihad is the spiritual, psychological, and
physical effort we exert tobe close to God and thus achieve a just and
harmonious society. Jihad literallymeans "striving" or "struggle" and
is shorthand for Jihad fi Sabeel Allah (struggle for God's cause). In
a sense, every Muslim is a Mujahid,one who strives for God and
justice.
Al-Ghazali captured the essence of Jihad when he said: "The real Jihad
is the warfare against (one's own) passions. Dr. Ibrahim Abu-Rabi
calls Jihad "the execution of effortagainst evil in the self and
every manifestation of evil in society." In a way, Jihad is the
Muslim's purest sacrifice: a struggle to livea perfect life and
completely submit to God.
Another form of Jihad is the striving to translate the Word of God
into action. If one has experienced God and received guidance from the
Qur'an, one struggles to apply that guidance in daily life. So the
larger, more prevalent meaning of Jihad is the spiritual struggle of
the soul. In this case, Jihad is always present for the believer
whether there is an external enemy or not. We should never reduce
Jihad to violence.
A third level of Jihad is popularly known as "holy war." The classic
passage is found in the Qur'an:
Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, but transgress
not the limits. Truly Allah likesnot the transgressors (Qur'an 2:190).
It is crucial to note here that what is condoned is defensive warfare;
Islam cannot justify aggressive war. Muhammad and the Tradition are
also against killing non-combatants, torturing of prisoners, the
destruction of crops, animals andhomes. Adapted from Ira 6. Zepp,
Jr., A Muslim Primer (1992,Wakefield Editions, US) pp.133-135.
Robert Ellwood of the University of Southern California has the
following to say about the Muslimconcept of Jihad:
Out of the community ideal of Islam comes the concept of jihad,or
holy war, which is designed to defend Islam and allow itssocial
practice, though notto force individual conversions, which is
forbidden. Since Islam in principleis a community as well as a
religion, presumably only an absolute pacifist would beable to reject
the theory of jihad out of hand, since other communities also fight to
defend or expand their ways of life. (Many Peoples, Many Faiths by
Robert S. Ellwood, 4th edition, Simon & Schuster,US, 1982, p.346)./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

a]If a person prays some of Taraweeh with the imam then prays Witr and leaves, will it be recorded for him as having prayed qiyaam al-layl?

a]
completely finished. Although some brothers leave when they have prayed eleven rak‘ahs and say that this isthe number of rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peaceof Allah be upon him) prayed, and we agree with them that it is betterto follow the number thatthe Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed and no one doubts this, nevertheless I think that there is no reason why the number of rak‘ahs should not be increased. This is not on the basis of turning away from the number chosen by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but on the basis thatthis is part of the goodness that it is prescribed to seek more of.
But the problem is if thereare two Witrs in one night, what should the worshipper do?
We say: if you want to pray tahajjud with the second imam, when the first imam prays Witr, do an additional rak‘ahs so that you will be praying two by two, and if you donot want to pray tahajjud at the end of the night, then pray Witr with the first imam, then if it so happens that after that you pray tahajjud, then do another rak‘ah after Witr with the second imam. End quote.
Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 13/436
What should be done in this case is that the people of the mosque should agree upon the number of rak‘ahs they will pray each night, which should suit all or most of them, so that there will not be any division among the worshippers and so that none of them will be deprived of reward, whichthey may be keen to attain were it not for theirwork.
We ask Allah to accept from us all and help us to obey Him.
And Allah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

If a person prays some of Taraweeh with the imam then prays Witr and leaves, will it be recorded for him as having prayed qiyaam al-layl?

In the mosque in the neighbourhood where I live, twenty rak‘ahs of Taraweeh are offered, as well as two rak‘ahs of al-shaf‘ and Witr. Now, as ‘Isha’ prayer will be held very late, we were thinking of praying Witr for those who want to leave the prayer early, and on that basis this group will pray the two rak‘ahs of al-shaf‘ and Witr with the qaari’, then they will leave, and the qaari’ will stay and complete the remaining rak‘ahs. Is it permissible to do that? Will those who are going to pray tenrak‘ahs with the (one) rak‘ah of Witr and then leave take the same reward as those who praybehind the other imam and pray twenty-three rak‘ahs in all? I hope you can advise us about this issue because we are thinking of implementing it starting next Ramadan, in sha Allah. May Allah reward you with good forthis advice.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is proven from the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he encouraged praying Taraweeh in congregation and he said:“Whoever stays with the imam until he leaves, (thereward of) qiyaam al-layl will be written for him.”
Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi (806); also narrated by Abu Dawood (1375), al-Nasaa’i (1605), and Ibn Maajah (1327). Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
This reward will not be attained by anyone but the one who prays with the imam until he has finished all the prayers. The one who only prays some of the prayer and then leaves is not entitledto the reward promised inthis hadeeth, which is thatof spending a night in prayer (qiyaam laylah).
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
If a person prays in Ramadan with someone who prays twenty-three rak‘ahs, but he only prays eleven and does not complete the prayer with the imam, is this action of his in accordance with theSunnah?
He replied: The Sunnah is to complete the prayer with the imam, even if he prays twenty-three rak ‘ahs, because the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever stands (in prayer) with the imam until he finishes, Allah will record for him (the reward of) spending a night in prayer.” According to another report: “… The rest of that night.”
It is better for one who is praying behind an imam to stay with him until he finishes, whether he prayseleven rak‘ahs or thirteen or twenty three or whatever. That is preferable, to follow the imam until he finishes. End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/325
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Praying qiyaam in Ramadan is attained by praying part of the night, such as half of it or one third of it, whether that is by praying eleven rak‘ahs or twenty-three. Qiyaam is attained by praying behind the neighbourhood imam until he finishes, even if he finishes within one hour.
Imam Ahmad used to pray with the imam and not leave until he finished, acting in accordance with the hadeeth. And whoever wants to attain this reward has to pray with the imam until he finishesWitr, whether he prays a little or a lot, and whetherthe time taken is long or short. End quote.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Jibreen. 24/9
If two imams pray in the mosque, then Taraweeh prayer is the prayer of both the imams, so the one who wants to attain the reward of spending the night in prayer shouldnot leave until the secondimam has completed his prayer and leaves.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked: What about one who prays Taraweeh with the first imam, then leaves and says: I will have (the reward for) praying qiyaam al-layl according to the text of the hadeethbecause I started with theimam and finished with him?
He replied: As for his saying, “Whoever stands (in prayer) with the imam until he finishes, Allah willrecord for him (the reward of) spending a night in prayer”, that is correct.
But if there are two imams in one mosque, is each one of them regarded as independent of the other or is each of them the deputy of the other?
What would seem to be correct is the second understanding – that eachof them is the deputy of the other and is complementary to him. Based on this, if two imams pray in the mosque, then these two imams are to be regardedas if they are one imam. So the worshipper should stay until the second imam finishes, because we know that prayer behind the second imam is complementary to prayer behind the first one.
Based on this, what we advise our brothers to do is to follow the imams there in the Haram until they are completely finished.
/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Three imams reply to the atheists

"Is there any proof that God exists?" was asked, by an atheist, of
Imam Abu Hanifa and he replied,"Forget it! At the moment,I am busy
thinking about this ship. People tell me there is a big ship, it
contains
different goods on board. There is no one to steer it,no one
maintaining it. Yet, this ship keeps going back and forth; it even
traverses big waves on the oceans; it stops at the locations that it
is supposed to stop at; it continues in the direction that it is
supposed to head. This ship has no captain and no one planning its
trips."
The atheist who posed the question interrupted and exclaimed, "What
kind of strange and silly thought is this? How can any intelligent
person think that some thing likethis can occur?"
Imam Abu Hanifa said, "I feel sorry about your state! You cannot
imagineone ship running without some one looking after itsaffairs. Yet
you think that for this whole world, which runs exactly and precisely,
there is no one who looks after it, and no one owns it."
Hearing the reply, the atheist was left speechlessbut he found out
more about Haqq (The Truth) and proclaimed Islam.
Imam Shaa'fi replied to the question in the following way, "The leaves
of Toot (berries) are all but one. Each leaf tastes exactly the same.
Insects, honey bees, cows,goats, and deer live off of it. After eating
these the insects produce silk; bees produce honey; deer give musk (a
special kind of scent), cows and goats deliver off-springs. Is this
not clear evidence that one kind of leaf has so many qualities, and
who created these qualities? It is the Khaliq (Creator) whowe call
Allah (S.W.T.) Who is the Inventor and the Creator."
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal reflected on the question in the following way.
He said, "There is an incredibly strong fort, it has no doors, there
is no way to get in. In fact, there is not even a hole init. From
outside it glows like the moon and from inside it shimmers like gold.
It is sealed from all sides, matter of fact it is air tight. Suddenly
one of its doors breaks down, a living thing with eyes andears, a
beautiful looking animal appears yelling and wandering all over. So is
not there a creator who made it possible for life to take place in
this secured and closed fort? And is not this Creator better than
humans? This Creator has no limit." Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was
referring to an egg which is closed from all sides but Allah (S.W.T.)
The Khaliq (Creator) puts life in it and a chick pops out.

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2e] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2e]
so he would take his lunch along with him (to work) but donate it to
charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would break his fast
with the family and they did not know that he was fasting."
Sufyan Al-Thawri said,"The servant of Allah would do his deeds
secretly, and the devil would persist in tempting him until he
convinces himto do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist
until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be
converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off."
Amusement During Ramadan:
Dear brothers and sisters, Ithink I have prolonged myadmonition to you
to seizethis opportunity. I have taken some of your time, but let us
look together at a very critical phenomenon that we all fall into,
especially during Ramadan. It is the phenomenon of wasting time and
spending it in ways other than obedience to Allah. This indeed means a
lack of awareness and amounts toturning away from the Mercy and Bounty
of Allah Who says,
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, Verily for him is a life
narrowed down, and We shall raise Him up blind on the Day of Judgment.
He will say, 'My Lord, why have You raised me up blind while I had
sight (before)?' Allah will say, 'Thus did you, when our signs came
upon you, forget them; So will you be this day forgotten. And thus do
we recompense him who transgresses and believes not in the signs ofhis
Lord. And the chastisement of the Hereafter is far more grievous and
enduring." [Qur'an 20:124-127]. One feels so much pain in his heart
and is so much dismayed to find Muslim youth filling the sidewalks and
playgrounds during the most virtuous nights of Ramadan.
How so many are the sins and forbidden acts committed during the
nights of Ramadan! Yes, the Muslim must be truly concerned about the
manner in which Muslims spend their time. He must also be disturbed to
find Muslim youth spending their time in ways that arenot pleasing to
Allah. But do not worry. The path to your happiness and that ofyour
Muslim brothers is to call them to apply Islamic teachings (i.e. doing
da 'wah) and to make supplications for them. Yes, da 'wah to those
Muslims who have becomeunaware of their Islamic duties, and guiding
them to the Straight Path. Also, make supplications for them in their
absence that Allah may accept it from you and that they do not become
among those deprived of guidance./

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2d] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2d]
7. Performing Umrah During Ramadan:
It has been established that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "An Umrah
performedin Ramadan is equal in reward to Hajj." [Related by AlBukhari
and Muslim). In another version the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The same
(reward) as performing Hajj with me." So, congratulations to you my
brother (who succeeds)in performing a pilgrimagewith the Prophet
(pbuh).
8. Anticipating Laylat Al-Qadr:
Allah the Almighty says,
"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And
what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of
Power is better than a thousand months." [Qur'an 97:1-3).
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "He who observes laylat al-Qadr with sincere
faith and hope for the reward ofAllah will have his past sins
forgiven." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (pbuh) used
to look out for laylat al-Qadr and commanded his Companions also to
look out for it. He used to wake up his family members during the last
ten nights in the hope thatthey would succeed in meeting the blessed
night (in worship).
It is related in Musnad Ahmad from Ubada that the Prophet (pbuh said,
"Whoever stays awake in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, and succeeds
in getting it, will have all of his sins both past and future
forgiven." [AlNasai reported a similar hadith, while Al-Hafidh Ibn
Hajar said that its chain meets the conditions for authenticity].
It has been reported that some of our predecessors among the
Companions and their successors took acomplete bath and used perfume
during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) inanticipation of laylat
al-Qadr, which has been highly honored by Allah.
So those of you who have wasted their time with nothing beneficial,
make up for what you have missed by observing the night of laylat
al-Qadr, as itis reckoned from your age.Good deeds undertaken in this
night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is
deprived of its benefits hasindeed been much deprived.
9. Remembering Allah,Supplicating and Seeking Forgiveness
Dear brother, the days andnights of Ramadan are distinguished times,
so seize the opportunity by increasing your remembrance of Allah,
andmaking supplications, especially during the chosen periods when
they are more acceptable to Allah. These include:
*. When breaking the fast, since the fasting person'ssupplications are
not rejected.
*. The last third of the night, when our Lord descends and says, "Is
there anyone asking thatI may give;is there anyone seeking forgiveness
that I may forgive?"
*. Asking for forgiveness at dawn, as Allah says, "And in the hours of
early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness." [Qur'an
51:18].
*. Looking out for the chosen hour on Friday when supplications are
answered. This hour is most likely to be the last hour of Friday
(before sunset).
Finally, dear brothers and sisters:
After this round in the garden of Paradise, under the shade of
righteous deeds, I would like to draw your attention to an important
issue. Do you know what that is? It is sincerity. Yes, sincerity. How
so many are the people who fast but benefit nothing other thanhunger
and thirst from their fast. And how so many are the people who stay
awake in worship but get nothing other than sleeplessness and fatigue.
May Allah save you and mefrom that kind of outcome.Consequently, we
find the Prophet (pbuh) stressing this matter when he said, "(Fasting)
with full faith and hoping for a reward from Allah." The Salaf
therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly infear of falling
into showingoff.
Hence, we find this great Tabi'i, i.e. from the generation succeeding
the Companions of the Prophet, Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani, about whomHamad
Ibn Zayd said,"Sometimes, when studying hadith, Ayyoub would be so
moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say,
'How severe this cold is! Pretending to be having a cold to hide his
weeping."
It has been reported that Muhammad Ibn Wasi' said,"I have known men
among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his
wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his
cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have
also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down
their cheeks and the one next tothem would not notice it. Ayyoub
Al-Sakhtiyani used to remain awake for the entire night (in worship)
yet he would hide it. So when morning came, he raised his voice as if
he had woken up that instant.Ibn Adiy related that Dawud Ibn Abi Hind
fastedfor forty years without his family knowing about it. His
occupation was embroidery,

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2c] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2c]
and the place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Ishaq and others among
the distinguished scholars. As we indicated earlier, the actions of
otherscholars also support this view.
b) Weeping During the Recitation of the Qur'an:
It was not reported from the Salaf that they chantedthe Qur'an like
poetry without pondering and understanding (its meanings); rather,
they were moved by the Wordsof Allah, and they in turn changed the
hearts of others with it. In a hadith in AI-Bukhari, Abdullah
IbnMas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said,"The Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) said, 'Recite (the Qur'an) to me.' Then I said, 'How can I
recite to you when it was revealed to you?' The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'I like to hear it from someone else." ' Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "I
recited the Qur'an from Surah Al-Nisa' until I reached the verse that
says, 'How will itbe then, when We bring from every nation a witness
and bring you to witness over all of them"' [Qur'an 4:41]. The Prophet
(pbuh) said, 'That is enough.' I turned to the Prophet (pbuh) and
found his eyes flooding with tears."'
Al-Bayhaqi related from Abu Hurayrah that he said,"When the verse of
the Qur'an that says 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an)
and you laughat it and weep not.' [Qur'an53:59-60] was revealed, the
Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's
mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the
Prophet (pbuh) heard theirweeping, he wept with them and his weeping
made us weep. The Messenger of Allah said, "The person who weeps
inhumility to Allah will not enter Hell."
Ibn Umar read surah Al-Mutaffifin until he reached '...the Day when
(all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds...' [Qur'an
83:6]. He wept to such an extent that he fell to the ground and could
not move on to the next verses. Furthermore, Muzahim IbnZafar related,
"Sufyan Al-Thawn lead us in maghrib prayer, and whenhe reached 'You
(Alone) do we worship and You (Alone) do we ask for help' [Qur'an
1:5], he began to weep so that his recitationwas disrupted. So he
started from Alhamdulillahagain."
It has been reported that Ibrahim Al-Ash'ath said,"One night, I heard
Fudhayl Ibn Ayadh recitingthis verse of the Qur'an, repeatedly as he
wept, 'And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive
their utmost and persevere in patience, and We shall test your facts
(whether true or false)' [Qur'an 47:31] But he kept on saying the
words of Allah, 'And We shall test your facts' , then he would say,
'And You will test our facts? If You test our facts, You will disgrace
us and expose oursecrets. Indeed if You do that, You will destroy us
and punish us,' and he would continue crying.
5. Sitting in the Mosque Until Sunrise
"When the Prophet (pbuh) prayed fajr prayer, he sat in his prayer
place until sunrise." [Related by Muslim].
At-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever
prays fajr in the congregation and remains seated, remembering
Allahuntil sunrise, then performs two rak"at; it will be for him as
the reward of complete Hajj and Umrah." [Verified by Al-Albani as
sahih].
This is the reward promised for everyday, so how will it be for Ramadan?
Dear brother, may Allah protect you, have a good sleep at night to
assist youin getting this great reward. Also, emulate righteous people
and trainyour soul to strive for the pleasure of Allah. Have high
aspirations to reach the highest of the grades of Paradise.
6. Observing I'tikaf:
The Prophet (pbuh) used to observe I'tikaf during ten days of Ramadan.
But in the year of his death, hestayed in I'tikaf for twenty days.
[Related by Al- Bukhari). Thus, I'tikaf which means staying in the
mosque continuously for a certain period of time, is an act of worship
that embraces many acts of obedience to Allah, suchas reciting the
Qur'an, praying, remembering Allah, supplicating, etc.
The person who has not experienced it might think that is difficult to
bear, butit is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy. Thus, whoever
arms himself with good intentions and true determination, Allah helps
him undertake the task with ease. I'tikaf is stressed more during the
last ten days of Ramadan in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr. It is a
permissible form of seclusion as the person observing it holds himself
in seclusion out of obedience to Allah and His remembrance. He also
cutshimself off from anything that would distract him from the
observance of I'tikaf His heart is set on alldeeds that draw him
closer to Allah and the only desire he has is to do what pleases
Allah.

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2b] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2b]
The Messenger of Allah (')buh) said, "When a believer feeds a hungry
believer, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise. And when he
quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will make him drink from the
pure sealed wine of Paradise." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi with a good
chain of narration].
Some of our pious predecessors said, "For me to invite ten of my
friends and feed them with a mealthat they like is better for me then
freeing ten of the descendants of (Prophet) Isma'il." Many among the
Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. They
included Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),Dawud
Al-Ta'i, Malik Ibn Dinar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. Ibn Umar did not break
his fast except with the orphans and the needy. Sometimes, if he
learned that his family hadturned back the orphans and the needy, he
would not break the fast that night. Also among the Salaf were those
who fed their brother Muslims while they still continued to fast. They
also served them and attended to their well-being. Among them were
AI-Hassan Al-Basri and Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak.
Abu Al-Sawar Al-'Adwi said, "Some men from Banu Adiy tribe used to
pray in the mosque. None of them ever broke the fast alone with his
food. If he found someone to share with, he ate with him, if not, he
would take it to the mosque, so that others ate with him and he ate
with others. Feeding other people is an act of worship which triggers
many other acts ofworship. Ties of love and brotherliness are
strengthened between you and the person you feed and that may lead you
to Paradise." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "You will not enter Paradise
until you believe and you will not believe until you love one
another." This deed will keep you close to righteous people and Allah
will reward you as the food you provide helpsthem with their acts of
obedience (to Allah).
b) Providing Food to Break the Fast:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person
will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any
reduction in his reward." [Related by Ahmad and Al-Nasai. Also
verified by Al-Albani as sahih]. In a hadith narratedby Salman
Al-Farisi, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person,
will be recompensed with forgiveness of sins and salvation from Hell.
He willreceive the same reward as the fasting person without causing
him any reduction (in his reward)." (The Companions) said, 'Messenger
of Allah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.'
The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'Allah will give this reward to he who feeds
a fasting person with a sip of milk or a piece of dates, or a sipof
water. And Allah will make him who quenches the thirst of a fasting
person to drink from my cistern a drink that he will never feel
thirsty until he enters Paradise (where there is no thirst)."
4. Intensifying the Recitation of the Qur'an:
I will remind you dear brother of two actions of the pious Salaf of this Ummah:
a) Undertaking Much Recitation of the Qur 'an:
The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. The Muslim must
thereforerecite the Qur'an a great deal. The Salaf used to pay
particular attention to the Book of Allah, and angel Jibril (Gabriel)
used to study the Qur'an with the Prophet (pbuh) during Ramadan.
Uthman Ibn Affan used to complete reciting the Qur'an once each day.
Some of the Salaf also completed the Qur an in their qiyam prayer
every three nights. Others completed it every seven days, while some
others completed it every ten nights. They used to recite the Qur'an
during prayers and at other times.During Ramadan, Al-Shafi'i used to
complete reciting the Qur'an sixty times, excluding prayer times.
AI-Aswad used to complete reciting the Qur'an every two nights. Qatada
regularly completed the Qur'an within seven nights, while during
Ramadan, he completed it every three nights, but in the last ten days
of Ramadan, he completed it every night. When Ramadan came, Al-Zuhri
left studying the hadith and study circles with scholars and he
concentrated on reciting the Qur'an from the book (i.e. not from
memory).
Also, when Ramadan came, Sufyan Al-Thawri left all other acts of
worship and concentrated on the Qur'an.
Ibn Rajab said that it was reported from the Prophet(pbuh) that the
Qur'an may not be completed in less than three days by those who
recite it constantly. As for the blessed times such as Ramadan,
especially during the nights of expecting Laylat al-Qadr orwhen in
holy places such as Makkah for those not inhabiting it, it is
recommended that the recitation of the Qur'an be increased in order to
benefit from the blessings of the time and

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2a] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2a]
his family to pray; then he would say to them"prayer.. prayer," and
would recite this verse of the Qur'an, "Enjoin prayer on your people,
and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance: We
provide it for you. But the fruit of theHereafter is for
righteousness" [Qur'an 20:132].
Ibn Umar used to recite,
"Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night,
prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the
Hereafter, and who places his hope in theMercy of his Lord like one
who does not?" [Qur'an 39:9].
He said that was referring to Uthman Ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased
with him).Ibn Abi Hatim said Ibn Umar said that it was due to the
length of the prayerof the commander of the faithful, Uthman, at night
and his recitation to the extent that he may have recited the entire
Qur an inone rak'ah.
Alqamah Ibn Qays narrated, "I slept with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may
Allah be pleased with him)one night. He woke up in the early part of
the night and began to pray. He recited with a recitation similar to
that of the neighborhood imam with a medium regular pace. Those around
him could hear him and he continueduntil what remained of thenight's
darkness was equalto the time between the adhan (call) for maghrib
prayer and the end of the maghrib prayer time, i.e. a short time
before daybreak. He then performed witr prayer."
Furthermore, Al-Sa'ib Ibn Zayd narrated in a hadith that the reciter
would recite (the Qur'an) with hundreds of verses such that we
supported ourselves with staves due to the lengthiness of the prayer
and did not leave until the time of fajr (dawnprayer).
Caution: Brother Muslim, you have to complete the tarawih prayer with
the imam in order to be reckoned as one of those who stood (the night)
in prayer. The Prophet (pbuh)said, "Whoever stays with his imam until
he completes the prayer, will have the night written for him as one
who performed qiyam al-layl, i.e. one who stood the night in prayer."
[Related by compilers of sunan books].
3. Charity (Sadaqah):
The Prophet (pbuh) was the most generous of people, and he was most
generous during Ramadan.He was more generous with good deeds than the
blowing wind. The Messenger of Allah also said, "The best charity is
one given during Ramadan." [Related by Al-Tirmidhi from Anas].
Zayd Ibn Aslam narrated from his father as saying,"I heard Umar Ibn
Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) say, 'TheMessenger of Allah
(pbuh) commanded us to donate to charity, so I gave some of my wealth.
Then I said, 'Today I will compete withAbu Bakr if I can ever do so.'
Then I donated half of my wealth. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked
me, 'What did you leave for your family?' He said, 'I said the same as
what I gave out.' But Abu Bakr brought all of his wealth and the
Messenger of Allah(pbuh) asked him, 'What did you leave for your
family?' He replied, 'I left them with Allah and His Messenger,' I
said, 'I will never compete with you for anything again.
Talha Ibn Yahya Ibn Talha narrated, "My grandmother Sa'da bint Awf
AI-Mariyah who was the wife of Talha Ibn Ubaydullah related to me,
'Talha came to me one daydisconcerted. So I asked him, 'Why is it that
I see you with a gloomy face? What is the matter with you? Is there
anything that I can help you with?" He said, "No, you are a faithful
Muslim wife." I said, "Then what is the matter?" He said, "The wealth
that I have has increased and that disturbsme." I said, "Don't worry,
distribute it." She said, 'He divided it until not even a single
diniam was left." Talha Ibn Yahya said: "I asked the custodian of
Talha's property how much the amount was." Hesaid, 'Four hundred
thousand."'
Therefore dear brothers and sisters, charity during Ramadan has
special significance, so hasten to give it out according to your
means. Charity takes many forms.
a) Feeding the Needy:
Allah the Almighty says,
"And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and
the captive, (saying), 'We feed you for the sake of Allah Alone. No
rewards do we desire from you, nor thanks. We only fear a Dayof
frowning and stress from the side of our Lord.' But Allah will deliver
them from the evil of that day, and will spread over them brightness
and a (blissful) joy. And because they were patient and constant,He
will reward them with a garden (and garments of) silk." [Qur'an
76:8-12].
The Salaf used to ensure feeding others and they placed it before many
acts of worship, and it is equally rewarded whetheryou feed a hungry
person or a good Muslim brother of yours. Hence, poverty is not a
condition for feedinga person.

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2] How the Salaf Observed Ramadhan A Message to Every Muslim On the Occasion of this Blessed Month

2]
Brother and sister Muslims,may the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah
be upon you.
I send you this message filled with love and greetings. I send it to
you from a heart that loves you for the sake of Allah and I ask Him to
bring us together in the abode of His Benedictions and Mercy.
On the occasion of the blessed month of Ramadan, I extend to you this
advise as a humble gift which I hope you will accept with an open mind
and that in turn, you advise me. May Allah protect you and take care
of you.
How do we receive the blessed month of Ramadan? Allah the Almighty says,
"You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was
prescribed for those before you that you may attain piety" [Qur'an
2:183].
My esteemed brothers andsisters:
Allah has distinguished Ramadan from other months with many merits and
virtues which include:
*. The bad breath from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to
Allah than the fragrance of musk.
*. The angels ask forgiveness for those fasting until they break their fast.
*. Allah beautifies His Paradise each day and says, "My righteous
servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be
sent to you."
*. The devils are chained during the month.
*. The doors of Paradise areopened while those of Hell are locked.
*. The night, Laylat al-Qadr,which is better than a thousand months
occurs in this month. Whoever is deprived of the good of this night
has indeed been deprived of goodness altogether.
*. Those fasting receive forgiveness on the last night of Ramadan.
*. Allah saves people from Hellfire during each nightof Ramadan.
My esteemed brother and sister:
How then do we receive the month containing these merits and virtues?
Is it by occupying ourselves with playfulness and spending our nights
with non-beneficial things? Or do we feel burdened and panic at its
arrival? We seek refuge with Allah from such attitudes. The righteous
servants of Allah welcome it with repentance and true determination to
reapits benefits and fully utilizeits precious time. They ask Allah to
help them perform their acts of worship in the best manner. I
therefore present to you my dear brothers and sisters, the righteous
deeds that are stressed during Ramadan.
1. Fasting (Sawm):
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said, "Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied. He will
receive ten-fold to seven-hundred-fold reward for a good deed. Allah
the Glorious and Majestic has said 'but fasting is exceptional, for it
is done for Me and I will give reward for it, since one abandons his
passion and food for My sake. There aretwo occasions of joy for one
who fasts, joy when he breaks it and joy when he meets his Lord; and
the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the
fragrance of musk." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim].
Undoubtedly, this great reward will not be for those who only abstain
from food and drink, but as the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever does not
abandon obscene speech and evil action, Allah does not need his
refraining from eating and drinking." [Related by Al-Bukharij. The
Prophet (pbuh) also said, "Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is
fasting on a day, he shouldneither indulge in obscene language, nor
raise his voice; rather if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he
should say, 'I am fasting."' [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Therefore when you fast, servant of Allah, let your hearing, sight,
tongue and all your limbs fast, so that your fasting and non-fasting
days are not the same.
2. Praying Qiyam Al-Layl:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh.) said, "He who observes the fast of the
month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah
will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Also, Allah says,
"And the servants of Allah most gracious are those who walk on the
earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them,they say
(Peace); Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord
prostrating and standing" [Qur'an 63-64].
Thus, waking up in the night to pray qiyam al-layli.e. performing
prayer in the middle of the night, was a regular act of the Prophet
(pbuh) and his Companions. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said,
"Do not abandon qiyam al-layl, for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) never
left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting."
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, used to pray at night what he wished, until it
was in the middle of the night, when he would wake up his family to
pray;

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1a] Is it better for men and women who come to do‘umrah to pray Taraweeh in Makkah and Madinah in the hotel or in the Haram?

1a]
We may add another important condition here which was added by some of
the scholars and which is relevant to what the questioner asked about.
This is that for it tobe preferable for a personto pray in his house
on hisown rather than offering the prayer in the Haramain, he should
be one of the people of the Haramain (i.e., a resident of Makkah or
Madinah). The one who comes to the Haram in Makkah to do 'umrah – and,
similarly,the one who comes to Madinah to pray in the Prophet's Mosque
– is not subject to the ruling that praying Taraweeh in his house is
preferable.
Muhammad al-Dasooqi al-Maaliki (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
The recommendation to do it (pray Taraweeh) in one's house is subject
to three conditions: that the mosques should not be left empty, that
he has the motivation to do it and he should not be one of those who
are coming from afar to visit the Haramain. If one of these conditions
is absent, then doing it in the mosque is preferable.
End quote from Haashiyatal-Dasooqi, 1/315
Looking at the state of people nowadays – including many of the good
and righteous youthwho are devoted to worship – we find that praying
Taraweeh in congregation in the mosque is better for them, because
praying in the mosque is very encouraging for them, as it is done at
the beginningof the night, and because of the beauty of the imam's
voice – for those who seek to pray with an imam like this – and
because of the large numbers of people who pray. And also because
there are many distractions in the home that lead people to become
lazy in offering the prayer. Hence we think that calling on ordinary
people nowadays to pray Taraweeh at home is an invitation to abandon
thisprayer! Where are those who have memorized anything of the Qur'aan
among those people? What else will these people be doing if they are
not praying in the mosque at the beginning of the night? Where is
themotive that will make them get up at the end of the night to pray
qiyaam?
If we assume that the correct view concerning this matter according to
some people is the secondopinion, then let this apply only to the
elite, not the common folk; perhaps this is what was meant by those
among the salaf who favoured this opinion. Hence 'Umar ibn al-Khattab
(may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people together in the
mosque topray Taraweeh, and he prayed on his own in his house.
How beautiful are the words of Imam Malik, who summed up what weare
trying to say. When Ibn al-Qaasim asked him about whether it is better
for a man to pray qiyaam in Ramadan with the people or on his own in
his house? He replied: If he is able to do it in his house, then I
prefer that, but not all the people are able for that.
End quote from al-Mudawwanah al-Kubra,1/287
Secondly:
With regard to women praying Taraweeh in theirhouses, this has already
been dealt with in the answer to question no. 3457 , where we said
thatit is better for women to pray qiyaam in their houses, because the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Do not
preventyour women from going to the mosques, although their houses are
better forthem." Narrated by Abu Dawood. The fact that praying at home
is preferred does not mean that they should not be permitted to go to
the mosques, but that is subject to certain conditions, which are
mentioned in the question referred to.
In the same answer we quoted a fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Baaz which states
thatTaraweeh at home is better for a woman than in the mosque.
In the answer to question no. 12451 , we quoted Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
(may Allah have mercy onhim) as saying:
The Sunnah indicates that it is better for a woman topray in her house
wherever she is, whether she is in Makkah or elsewhere. End quote.
And Allah knows best.

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1] Is it better for men and women who come to do‘umrah to pray Taraweeh in Makkah and Madinah in the hotel or in the Haram?

1]
Is it better for men and women who come to do'umrah to pray Taraweeh
in Makkah and Madinah in the hotel or in the Haram?
~
I know that it is mustahabb to offer Sunnah prayers (such as tahajjud)
at home, but if we are visiting Makkah or Madinah and are staying in
the hotel, is the ruling different? I mean, is it better to offer
Sunnah prayers in the hotel room or in the Haram? With regard to
women, for whom it is regarded as being preferable to offer obligatory
prayers at home – when my family travels with me to Makkah and
Madinah, is it better for them to offer the obligatory prayers in the
hotel or in the Haram?Are we regarded as travelling, as we are staying
in the hotel?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The scholars differed as towhat is preferable in the case of Taraweeh
prayer: Is it better to offer it in the mosque in congregation or to
offer itat home individually? There are three opinions concerning
that:
1.
That offering it in congregation in the mosque is preferable. Thisis
the opinion of the earlier Hanafis, Ahmad ibnHanbal and the majority
of his companions.
We have quoted the evidence presented by those who hold this view, in
the answer to question no. 45781 , where we stated that we regard it
as more likely to be correct.
2.
That praying it individually at home is preferable. This is the view
of Maalik and al-Shaafa'i and most of their companions. Maalik (may
Allah have mercy onhim) quoted as evidence the action of the seniors
among his shaykhs and the senior Sahaabah.
Al-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) quoted as evidence the
hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him), according
to which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) made a booth out of a reed mat in Ramadan and prayed init at
night, and some men among his Companions followed him in prayer. When
he realized that they were doing that, he started praying seated
(sothat people could not see him and follow him in prayer). Then he
came outto them and said: "I knowwhat you did. O people, pray in your
houses, for the best of a man's prayeris in his house, apart from the
obligatory prayers."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (698) and Muslim (781).
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Maalik said: Rabee'ah and more than one of our scholars would leave
and not pray qiyaam with the people. Maalik said: And I also do that;
and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
did not pray qiyaam except inhis house.
Al-Shaafa'i also quoted as evidence the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit,
which he quoted. And al-Shaafa'isaid: The point is further emphasized
by the fact that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peaceof Allah
be upon him) toldthem to pray qiyaam in their homes rather than inhis
mosque despite all thevirtue that there is in that.
End quote from al-Tamheed, 8/116
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr also said:
If offering a naafil prayer at home is better than offering it in the
mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in
which one prayer is better than a thousand prayers offered anywhere
else, what can be clearer than this? Hence Maalik and al-Shaafa'i, and
those whofollowed their path, thought that praying alone at home was
better in the case of all naafil prayers. If qiyaam is held in the
mosque in Ramadan, even with the smallest number of people, prayer at
home is still better.
End quote from al-Istidhkaar, 2/73
It should be noted that those imams who said that praying Taraweeh
alone at home is better than praying it in congregation in the mosque
only applied that to the one who has memorised some Qur'aan – or the
entire Qur'aan – and has the motivation topray at home and there is no
fear that he will become lazy and miss the prayer, and that the prayer
in congregation in the mosque will not be affected by his absence. If
these conditions are not met, then there is no doubt, according to
their view, that praying Taraweeh in congregationin the mosque is
better.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Our companions, the Iraqis, al-Saydalaani, al-Baghawi and others among
the Khorasanis said: The difference of opinion has to do with one who
has memorised Qur'aan and for whom there is no fear that he will
become lazy if he prays on his own and thatthe congregation in the
mosque will not be affected if he stays away. If one of these
conditions is not met, then praying in congregation is preferable and
there is no difference of opinion concerning that.
End quote from al-Majmoo', 4/31/

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Hidden under the tongue - the story oftwo slaves

Once a king purchased 2 slaves. One of them was very handsome while the other was very ugly.
The king asked the handsome slave to go andtake a bath. While he was away the king turned to the other slave and said"Your companion has given a very bad account of you, he said that you are a thief and of bad character. Is this correct?"
The slave replied that his companion was a handsome person, and hisexterior beauty must be reflected by inward beauty as well. He could not believe that such a beautiful man could tell a lie. He therefore said "If my companion has a bad opinion about me, there must certainly be something wrong with me. I am afraid he must be correct."
The king observed that beauty was only an Allah given gift, and it did not follow that a person who had a handsome face had a pure heart as well.
The king was greatly impressed with the character and intelligence of this slave. In the meantime, the first slave had returned from his bath.
The king sent the second slave (i.e. the ugly slave tohave a bath) and in his absence told the handsome slave that his fellow slave had given a bad account of him. On hearing this, the slave burst into invectives against his companion and said that he was a rascal and a liar.
The king thus came to theconclusion that the slave with a beautiful face had no inner worth while the slave with an ugly face had much inner worth.
The moral of the story is that beauty is only skin deep. All that glitters is not gold. "Every man is hidden under his own tongue" The tongue reveals the inner intelligence as well as inner vileness . "The safety of a man lies in holding his tongue"
Rasulullaah (s.a.w.s) said:" He who is silent is successful!"/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Merchant with four wives

There was a rich merchantwho had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the
most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He
took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. He also
loved the3rd wife very much. He was very proud of her andalways wanted
to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in
great fear that she might run away with some other men. He too, loved
his 2nd wife. She was a very considerate person, always patient and in
fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some
problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help
him out and tide him through difficult times. Now, the merchant's 1st
wife was avery loyal partner and hasmade great contributions in
maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the
household. However, the merchant did not love thefirst wife and
although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. One day,
the merchant fellill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die
soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4
wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowedyou with the
finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying,
will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th
wife and she walked away withoutanother word. The answercut like a
sharp knife rightinto the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much
for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me
company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm
goingto remarry when you die!" The merchant's heartsank and turned
cold. He then asked the 2nd wife,"I always turned to you for help and
you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die,
will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you
out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only
send you to yourgrave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the
merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out :"I'll live with you. I'll follow you no
matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first
wife. She was so skinny, almostlike she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better
care of you while I could have!"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives ....... The 4th wife is our
body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look
good, it'll never live with us when we die. Our 3rd wife? Our
possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family andfriends. No matter how close they had
been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us
is up to the grave. BOTTOMLINE! "The 1st wife is in fact our soul,
often neglected in our pursuit of material wealthand sensual pleasure.
Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we
go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather
than to wait until we're on our death-bed to lament."

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3a] Are the angels superior or the Prophet and the righteous?

3a]
He also said:
Allah created Adam from clay; because He shaped him and breathed into
him the spirit He created for him, and instructed the angels to
prostrate to him, and He favoured himover them by teaching him the
names of all things and He created himwith His own hand and soon, he
and the righteous among his descendants are superior to the
angels,even though mankind was created from clay andthe angels from
light.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 11/95
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah, may He be glorified,created from inferior material that which
is superior to that which was created from something else. This is a
sign of His perfect power, may He be glorified. Hence Muhammad,
Ibraaheem, Moosa, 'Eesa, Nooh and the Messengers are superior to the
angels.The view of Ahl as-Sunnahis that the righteous among mankind
are superior to the angels, even though their substance is light and
the substance of mankind is dust.
End quote from as-Sawaa'iq al-Mursalah, 3/1002
He also said:
The righteous among mankind are superior to the angels, because the
worship of the angels is free from any contamination of the whims and
desires of the human nafs; it is done by beings that have nothing to
prevent, undermine or resist it. It is like breathing for the living.
As for the acts of worship of human beings, they aredone despite the
inclinations of their heartsand by suppressing their whims and desires
and going against their natural urges. So they are more perfect. Hence
most of the scholars said that humans were superior to the angels for
this reason and others.
End quote from Tareeq al-Hijratayn, 349-350
There are some scholars who highlighted a different approach to this
issue. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Comparing angels to the righteous among mankind is a matter concerning
which there are differences among thescholars, each of whom quoted
texts to support his opinion. But the most correct view is that the
righteous among mankind are superior to the angels on the basis of the
final outcome becauseAllah, may He be glorified and exalted, will give
them reward the like of which cannot be attained by the angels as far
as we know. Rather the angels will be in the abode of thebelievers –
namely Paradise – and will enter upon them from every gate,
congratulating them(with the words): "Salamun Alaikum (peace be upon
you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the
final home!" [ar-Ra 'd 13:24 – interpretation of the meaning]. From
the point of view of their origin, the angels are superior because
they were created from light and their innate nature is to worship and
obey Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and they have been given
the strength to do that. Allah, may He be exalted, says that among the
angels are the angels of Hell:
"over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobeynot,
(from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that
which they are commanded"
[at-Tahreem 66:6]
"And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to
worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship).
They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they
never slacken (to do so)"
[al-A'raaf 7:206].
This is the decisive view concerning this matter.
Indulging in discussion of this matter and seeking todetermine whether
the righteous among mankind or the angels aresuperior is a kind of
superfluous knowledge. Man has no need of understanding and learning
about this matter.
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb, 8/6
He is right, may Allah have mercy on him. This and similar matters are
things that people have no need to indulge in discussion of and enter
into disputes as to which group is superior and which group worships
more? It is a kind of superfluous knowledge and the Muslim has no need
to know which group is superior and more perfect. What the Muslim
should do is focus on putting his own affairs in order by obeying his
Lord.

And Allah knows best.

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3]Are the angels superior or the Prophet and the righteous?

3]
Do the angels worship Allah better and more perfectly than the
Prophets themselves?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The angels are honoured slaves and do not disobeyAllah in what He
commands them to do; they do whatever they are commanded. Allah
created them and made their innate nature one of obedience and worship
ofHim. Some of them are appointed in charge of the revelation, some
are appointed in charge of provision, some are appointed in charge of
the mountains and some are created to worship, pray, and glorify and
remember Allah.
At-Tirmidhi (2312) narrated, in a report which he classed as
hasan,that Abu Dharr said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "Verily I see what you do not see and I
hear what you do not hear. The heaven is creaking and it should creak,
for there is no space in it the width offour fingers but there is an
angel there, placing hisforehead in prostration toAllah."
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi
In the hadeeth of the Isra'(Prophet's Night Journey) it says: "Then
the Much-Frequented House (al-bayt al-ma'moor) was raised up for me,
and I asked Jibreel (about it). Hesaid: 'This is the Much-Frequented
House. Every day seventy thousand angels enter it and when they depart
from it, they never return to it.'"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3207) and Muslim (164).
At-Tabari narrated in his Tafseer (21/127) from Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah
be pleased with him) that he said: Among the heavens is one in which
there is nospace the size of a handspan but on it there is the
forehead of an angel or his foot standing there. Then he recited the
words: "Verily, we (angels), we stand in rowsfor the prayers (as you
Muslims stand in rows for your prayers). Verily, we (angels), we are
they whoglorify (Allah's Praises i.e. perform prayers)" [as-Saffaat
37:165-166].
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah,1059
Such worship is beyond the capabilities of any human being, and they
are not able to do it. The angels do not slow down or become tired, as
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But if they are too proud (to do so), then there are those who are
with your Lord (angels) glorify Him night and day, and never are they
tired"
[Fussilat 41:38].
What is instilled in humanbeings is human nature, including the
Prophets and Messengers of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
them); theyare different from the angels in their attributes and
natures.
The angels are able to do feats of worship that no human is able to do.
But the fact that their worship is greater does not mean that they are
superior to the Prophets; the Prophets are to be viewed on the basis
that they are human beings with human nature. It is because they have
risen to such a high status in obedience to their Lord that they have
a particular virtue and sublime position, so muchso that more than one
of the scholars has said that the righteous among mankind are of a
higher status than the angels, because the angels do nothave any
inclination towards evil or disobedience, whereas the righteous among
mankind have these inclinations, but they resist them and overcomethem
in order to obey Allah.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about those who obey Allah
among the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him): are they superior to the angels?
He replied:
It was proven that 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said: The angels said: O Allah,
You have created the sonsof Adam, and they eat anddrink and enjoy life
in the world; create for us the Hereafter as you created the world for
them. He said: I shall not do that. They asked Him again andHe said: I
shall not do that. Then they asked Himagain two or three times and He
said: By My Glory, Icannot regard the righteous among the descendants
of the one whom I have created withMy own hand as being like one to
whom I said: Be! And he was (i.e., the angels). This was narratedby
'Uthmaan ibn Sa'eed ad-Daarimi.
It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Salaam that he said: Allah has not
created any creation dearer to Him that Muhammad. It was said tohim:
Not even Jibreel and Mika'eel? He said to the one who asked him: Do
you know what Jibreel and Mika'eel are? Jibreel and Mika'eel are
subjugated creations like the sun and the moon. Allah has not created
anyone who is dearer to him than Muhammad (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him).
I do not know of any one among the Sahaabah whodisagrees with that.
This is the well-known view among those who claim to belong to Ahl
as-Sunnah, the companions of the four imams and others, namely (the
view that) the angels and close friends of Allah (awliya') are
superior to the angels.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 4/344

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Ruling on Salaat ul Taraaweeh for Women

Is taraaweeh prayer required for women?
Which is better for women, to perform Taraaweeh at home or in a mosque?
Praise be to Allaah.
Taraaweeh prayer is not obligatory for women, and it is still better
for them to perform the Night Prayer at home, because the Prophet SAWS
(Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said:
"Do not prevent your women from going to themosque, even though their
houses are better forthem." (Reported by Abu Dawud in al-Sunan, Baab
maa jaa'a fee khurooj al-nisaa' ilaa'l-masjid: Baab al-tashdeed fee
dhaalik. See also Saheeh al-Jaami', no. 7458) .
Whenever a woman praysin a place that is more private and more hidden,
that is better for her, as the Prophet SAWS (Peace& Blessings of Allah
be upon Him) said: "A woman's prayer in her house is better than her
prayer in her courtyard, and her prayer in her bedroom is better than
her prayer in her house." (Reported by Abu Dawud in al-Sunan, Baab maa
jaa'a fee khurooj al-nisaa' ilaa'l-masjid. See also Saheeh al-Jaami',
no. 3833).
Umm Humayd, the wife ofAbu Humayd al-Saa'idi reported that she came
tothe Prophet SAWS (Peace& Blessings of Allah be upon Him) and said:
"O Messenger of Allaah, I loveto pray with you." He said: "I know that
you love to pray with me, but praying in your house is better for you
than praying in your courtyard,and praying in your courtyard is better
for youthan praying in the mosque of your people, and praying in the
mosque of your people is better for you than praying in my mosque." So
she ordered that a prayer-place be built for her in the furthest and
darkest part of her house, and she always prayed there until she met
Allaah (i.e., until she died). (Reported by Imaam Ahmad; the men of
its isnaad are thiqaat (trustworthy) ).
But the fact that praying at home is preferable does not mean that
that women are not permittedto go to the mosque, as is clear from the
following hadeeth:
From 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah
SAWS(Peace & Blessings of Allahbe upon Him) say: 'Do not prevent your
women from going to the mosqueif they ask your permission.'" Bilaal
ibn 'Abdullah said, "By Allaah, we will prevent them." (Ibn 'Umar)
turned to him and told him off in an unprecedented fashion, saying: "I
tell you what the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (Peace & Blessings of Allah
be upon Him) said, and you say 'By Allaah, we will prevent them'!!"
(reported by Muslim, 667).
But there are conditions attached to the permission for women to go to
the mosque, as follows:
(1) She should wear complete hijaab.
(2) She should not go out wearing perfume.
(3) She should have the permission of her husband.
Her going out should not involve any other kind of prohibited acts,
such as being alone in a car with a non-mahram driver. If a woman does
something wrong like that, her husband or guardian has the right to
stop her; in fact it is his duty to do so.
I asked our shaykh, Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez, about Taraaweeh prayer in
particular, and whetherit is better for a woman toperform this prayer
in the mosque. He replied in the negative and said that theahaadeeth
that state that it is preferable for a woman to pray in her house
apply to all prayers,and this includes Taraaweeh as well as others.
And Allaah knows best.

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3a] Ramadan - A Reminder of Unity

3a]
Thus, Abu Daawood relates(1/307) that 'Uthmaan (raa) prayed four
rak'ahs atMinaa, so 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood criticized him saying: "I
prayed two rak'ahs with the Prophet (saws) and two rak'ahs with Abu
Bakr, and two rak'ahs with 'Umar, and two rak'ahs with 'Uthmaanin the
beginning of his rule, then he completed it (i.e. by praying four
rak'ahs). After that the ways became divided withyou all. So I hope
from these four rak'ahs, that two of them would be accepted." Then Ibn
Mas'ood prayed four rak'ahs. So it was said to him: You criticized
'Uthmaan, yet you prayed four? So he said: "Differing is evil."
Its chain of narration is Saheeh (authentic), and something similar to
this isrelated in the Musnad (5/155) of Imaam Ahmad, from Abu Dharr
(raa).
So those who continue splitting-up with regards to the Prayer, and who
refuse to follow the local Imaams in some mosques - especially in the
witr Prayer during Ramadaan - using as proof that this is against
their madhhab (school of thought), then they should reflect upon the
above mentioned hadeeth and athar (narration). Likewise, thosewho
claim knowledge of astronomy and who, due to their opinion, fast and
end their fast alone - preceding or lagging behind the majority of
Muslims, not seeing any problem in doing so - should also reflect upon
the previously quoted proofs. So all of them should consider, and
reflect upon the knowledge that has been mentioned. Perhaps they will
find for themselves a cure for their ignorance and self-delusion, so
that they may then become a unified rank along with their Muslim
brothers - for indeed the Hand of Allaah Subhanahu wa Taa'ala is over
the Jamaa'ah.

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3] Ramadan - A Reminder of Unity

3]
Abu Hurayrah (raa) related that the Prophet sallallahualaihi wa sallam said:
"Fast when they fast, endthe fast when they end theirs, and sacrifice
the day that they sacrifice." [2]
Al-Bayhaqee relates by way of Abu Haneefah, whosaid: 'Alee ibn
al-Aqmar related to me, from Masrooq, who said: I entered upon
'Aaishah on the day of 'Arafah, so she said: "Serve Masrooq with some
gruel, and make it more sweet." Masrooq said: Nothing prevented me
from fasting this day except that I feared that it may be the day of
Sacrifice. So 'Aa'ishah said to me: "The day of Sacrificeis when the
people sacrifice, and the day of ending the fast is when the people
end their fast." This chain of narration is jayyid (good) due to what
has preceded.
Understanding This Hadeeth:
Imaam at-Tirmidhee says after quoting the hadeeth:"One of the people
of knowledge has explained this hadeeth by saying: Its meaning is to
fast and endthe fast along with the Jamaa'ah and the majority of
people."
As-San'aanee said in Sublus-Salaam (2/72): "In this (hadeeth) is a
proof that being in agreement with the people is accepted in
establishing 'Eed, and that the individual person who believes that it
is the day of 'Eed - because of the sighting of the moon - then it is
obligatory upon him to be in agreement with the people, and that the
ruling of the people - concerning the Prayer, breaking the fast, and
sacrificing - is binding upon the individual."
Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) mentioned this meaning
inTahdheebus-Sunan (3/214), and said: "It is said: In it a refutation
of those who say that whosoever knows the positions of the moon due to
astronomical calculations, then it is permissible for him to fast and
end the fast, even if others do not know. It is also said: That the
individual witness who sees the moon, but the qaadee (judge) has not
accepted his testimony, then there is no fasting forhim, just as there
is no fasting for the people."
Abul-Hasan as-Sindee said in Haashiyah 'alaa Ibn Maajah, after
mentioning the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah which was related by
at-Tirmidhee:"And its apparent meaningis: That there is no room for
individual (opinions) toenter into these affairs, norto act
individually in this. Rather, this affair goes back to the Imaam (the
Leader of the Muslims) andthe Jamaa'ah (united body of Muslims under
the Imaam). It is obligatory upon the individuals to follow the Imaam
and the Jamaa'ah. From this is that is an individual sights the moon,
but the qaadee rejects his witness, then the individual has no right
in these matters, but rather he must follow the Jamaa'ah in this."
And this is the meaning which is evident from the hadeeth, and which
is emphasized by the fact that 'Aa'ishah (raa) used it with Masrooq
when he prevented himself from fasting on the day of 'Arafah, fearing
that it could be the day of Sacrifice. So she explained to him that
there is no weight given to his individual opinion in this, and that
he should follow the Jamaa'ah. So she said to him: "The day of
Sacrifice is when the people sacrifice, and the day of ending the fast
is when the people end theirfast."
Unity is One of the Goals of the Sharee'ah
And this is what is befitting for the easy-natured and tolerant
Sharee'ah (Prescribed Islaamic Law), one of the goals of which is
uniting the people together, unifying their ranks and keeping away
from them all that would split their comprehensive unity - from the
individual opinions. So the Sharee'ah does not give any weight to the
individual opinion in matters concerning 'ibaadah jamaa'iyyah
(collective acts of worship),such as Fasting, 'Eed and Prayer in
congregation - even if the opinion is correct, from one angle. Doyou
not see that the Sahaabah (the Companions) - radiallaahu 'anhum - used
to pray behind each other. So fromthem were those who heldthe view
that touching a woman, or the flowing of blood from the body
invalidates the wudhoo' (ablution), along with those who did not hold
this view. From them werethose who would complete the Prayer
whilsttraveling, whilst others shortened. Yet these, and other such
differences, did not prevent them from collectively praying behinda
single Imaam and deeming it to be acceptable. And this is because they
knew that tafarruq (splitting-up) in the Religion is more evil than
having ikhtilaaf (differences) in some opinions. Indeed, the matter
with one of them reached the extent that hewould not even deem
acceptable any opinion which differed with the great Imaam in the
major gatherings; such as the gathering at Minaa (duringHajj), to the
extent that he would totally abandon acting upon his opinion in that
gathering - fleeing from that which could result from this evil,
because of acting according to his own opinion.

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