Our Salaf's endeavours in calling to Allaah – I

The importance of calling to Allaah and its virtue:
Calling to Allaah yields many great rewards, and it was the task of
the Messengers of Allaah. Sahl Ibn Sa`dreported: "The Messenger of
Allaahsaid on the day of the Battle of Khaybar to `Ali Ibn Abu
Taalib:"Advance cautiously until you reach their open places;
thereafter, invite them to Islam and inform them of what is obligatory
for them from the rights of Allaah because by Allaah, if Allaah guides
even one person through you that is better for you than possessing a
herd of red camels."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[ This was a reference to the
finest and most valuable type of camel, which reflects the virtue of
calling people to Allaah and guiding them to the right path.
`Uqbah Ibn `Amrreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Whoever
guides someone to virtue will be rewarded )with the( equivalent reward
of he who practices that good action."]Muslim[
Abu Hurayrahreported: "The Messenger of Allaahsaid:"If anyone calls
others to follow the correct guidance, his reward will be equivalent
to those who follow him )in righteousness( without their reward being
diminished in the least."]Muslim[
Abu Umaamahreported: "The Messenger of Allaahsaid:'Allaah, His angels,
the dwellers of the heaven and the earth and even the ant in its hole
and the fish )in the waters( supplicate in favour of those who teach
people )religious( knowledge.'"]At-Tirmithi[
These narrations and many others encourage people to endeavour in the
act of worship of calling to Allaah, so what more could a person ask
for? The depths that people have sunk to in this regard are a result
of them neglecting their duty of calling others to Allaah, despite the
great status of this act of worship.
When people abandoned this act of worship, evil prevailed,
prohibitions spread and many people deviated.
Examples of the call of the Prophetsto Allaah:
Calling to Allaah proves the sincerity of the person with regards to
the principles he claims to believe in as only he who truly loves his
religion will call others to it. The following are some examples of
the prophets and messengers calling to Allaah:
The call of Noohto his people:
Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, was extremely dedicated in calling
his people to Allaah and he persevered in this, as Allaah Says )what
means(:"…And he ]i.e., Nooh[ remained among them a thousand years
minus fifty years…"]Quran 29: 14[ Hecalled them tirelessly and
utilised all possible means to do so, as Allaah Says )what means(:"He
]i.e., Nooh[ said: 'My Lord! Indeed I invited my people ]to truth[
night and day. But my invitation increased them not except in flight
]i.e., aversion[. And indeed, every time I invited them that You may
forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves
with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with ]great[
arrogance."]Quran 71: 5-7[ Did this prevent him from continuing his
mission in calling them to Allaah? Indeed not, he used all possible
methods to call them, as Allaah Says )what means(:"Then I invited them
publicly. Then I announced to them and ]also[ confided to them
secretly."]Quran 71: 8-9[
The call of Yoosuf:
When Yoosufwas imprisoned, he did not forget his duty of calling to
Allaah. Rather, the first thing he did was to practice this duty when
his two cellmates requested him to interpret the dreams they saw. He
promised them that he would do so, but first mentioned what Allaah
describes as )what means(:"…That is from what my Lord has taught me.
Indeed I have left the religion of a people who do not believe in
Allaah, and they, in the Hereafter, are disbelievers. And I have
followed the religion of my fathers, Ibraaheem )Abraham(, Is'haaq
)Isaac(, and Ya'qoob )Jacob(. And it was not for us to associate
anything with Allaah. That is the favour of Allaah upon us and upon
the people, but most of the people are not grateful. O ]my[ two
companions of the prison! Are separate lords better or Allaah, the
One, the Prevailing?"]Quran 12: 37-39[ Note how he immediately called
them, despite the normal feeling of anguish that a person would feel
at being imprisoned.
The call of Prophet Muhammad:
The Prophethas set the greatest example in terms of dedication and
endurance in guiding people. This was very evident in his call to the
tribe of Quraysh, the Arab tribes and the masses in general. Hewould
call to Allaah whilst upon a mountain, in the Sacred Mosque, in the
street, in the market, in people's houses, during Hajj season, in the
desert, during times of peace and times of war, when healthy and when
sick, when visiting people, and when he was being visited. He was
calling people to Allaah all of the time.
Hewould call those who loved him as well as those who hated him.
Hewould approach tribes during the season of Hajj and call them to
worship Allaah saying:"O people! Allaah commands you to worship Him
alone and ascribe no partners to Him."
Heused to approach them during the season of markets like that of
'Ukaath and say:"O people! Who will protect me? Who will support me?
Who would help me convey the message of my Lord?"
Hecontinued to do so until Allaah blessed him with the honourable
Ansaar who resided in Madeenah and who gave him the pledge of support
in the first famous pledge of Al-'Aqabah. This marked the great
initiation point for the expansion of his mission.
The Prophetendured all types of torture and insult for the sake of
propagating the message of Islam and calling the people to Allaah.
Once, riding a donkey hewent to invite 'Abdullaah Ibn Ubayy, who was
the chief hypocrite, to Islam, but the latter said to him: "Keep your
donkey away from me, its stench offends me." Yet hebore this
hypocrite's despicable manners and continued calling him to Allaah.
Anasreported: "Once, a Jewish boy who served the Prophetfell
)terminally( ill, so hewent to visit him. Hesat down by his head and
said to him:"Embrace Islam."The boy looked at his father who was
sitting beside him. The father said: 'Obey Abul-Qaasim )i.e., the
Messenger of Allaah(.' The )dying( boy therefore embraced Islam and
the Prophetstepped out of their home, saying:"Praise be to Allaah who
has saved him from the Hellfire."]Al-Bukhaari[
Hewent to call the people of Taa'if, but they refused to accept his
call and thus hereturned grieved and saddened. But why? His anguish
was due to them not embracing Islam and refusing the message of
Allaah.
Distance did not stop him from conveying the message of Allaah to
anyone, but due to not being able to leave his followers who were in
dire need of his personal instruction, hesent messengers on his behalf
to convey the message of Allaah to all those that he was unable to
personally visit. Hesent messengers to all the kings and rulers that
hepossibly could.
The Prophetsent a message with Dihyahto the Governor of Busraa, who
forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as
follows:"In the name of Allaah The Beneficent, The Merciful. )This
letter is( from Muhammad the slave of Allaah and His Messenger to
Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon he who follows the
right path. I invite you to Islam, and if you should become a Muslim
you will be safe, and Allaah will double your reward, but if you
reject this invitation to Islam then you will be committing a double
sin by misguiding your Areesiyyeen )i.e., peasants(.)Hethen
quoted)which means(:"…O people of the scripture! Come to a word that
is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except
Allaah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as
lords instead of Allaah. But if they turn away, then say: 'Bear
witness that we are Muslims ]submitting to Him[.'"]Quran 3: 64[

Prerequisites of the Prayer

Some prerequisites exist regarding the offering of Prayers.
Theseprerequisites must be fulfilled before the commencement of the
Prayer, otherwise the Prayer will not be considered valid. The
following are the prerequisites:
1.Knowledge that the time for the Prayer has begun:
Each prayer has its own particular time at which it must be performed.
Allaah Says )what means(:"…Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the
believers a decree of specified times."]Quran 4: 103[ The Prophethas
clarified when the time of each prayer starts and when it ends. So
anybody who prays a given prayer before its fixed time, his prayer is
invalid.
2. Purity from Major and Minor impurities:
A minor impurity is one that may be removed by the performance of
ablution )Wudhou'(. A state of minor impurity results after defecation
or urination. A major impurity requires the performance of Ghusl or
ritual bathing. A state of major impurity results after sexual
intercourse or sexual discharge for both men and women. Menstruation
and postpartum bleeding are considered forms of major impurities. In
those cases, after such conditions come to an end, women are required
to make Ghusl before praying.
Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"O you who have believed, when you
rise to ]perform[ prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the
elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And
if you are in a state of Janaabah )major impurity(, then purify
yourselves…"]Quran 5: 6[
The Prophetsaid:"Allaah does not accept any prayer that was not
performed while in a state of purity, nor does He accept charity from
what has been stolen from booty."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
3. Purity of the body, clothes and place:
Such objects should be clean of physical impurities as much as
possible. If one can not remove them, he may pray with the impurities
present and does not have to repeat the prayer later. Concerning
bodily purity, it was related that the Prophetsaid:"Stay clean of
urine, as the majority of punishment in the grave is due to
it."]Ad-Daaraqutni[
'Alireported:"I used to have a great deal of prostatic fluid flowing,
so I asked a man to ask the Prophetabout it. He asked him and the
Prophetsaid:'Make ablution and wash your genital organ.'"]Al-Bukhaari[
Concerning purity of clothing, Allaah Says )what means(:"And your
clothing purify."]Quran 74: 4[
Jaabir Ibn Sumrahreported that he heard a man asking the Prophet:"May
I pray in the same clothes that I had on during intercourse with my
wife?"Hesaid:"Yes, but if you see some stains on it, you must wash
it."]Ahmad and Ibn Maajah[
Concerning the purity of the place where one is praying, Abu
Hurayrahsaid: "A Bedouin stood and urinated in the mosque. The people
got up to grab him. The Prophetsaid:'Leave him and pour a container
full of water over his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the
people, not to be hard on them.'"]Al-Bukhaari[
4. Covering the 'Awrah)parts of the body that should be covered(
Allaah, Almighty, Says )what means(:"O children of Aadam, take your
adornment at every Masjid )Mosque(…"]Quran 7: 31[
The meaning of "adornment" here is the covering of the 'Awrah. The
meaning of "Mosque" is "prayer." Therefore, it means "Cover your
'Awrah for every prayer." Salamah Ibn Al-Aku'said to the Prophet:"O
Messenger of Allaah, may I pray in a long shirt?"Hesaid:"Yes, but
button it, even with just a thorn."]Al-Bukhaari[
6. Facing the Qiblah:
All scholars agree that one must face the Qiblah during every prayer.
Allaah Says )what means(:"…Turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haraam.
And wherever you ]believers[ are, turn your faces toward it ]in
prayer[..."]Quran 2: 144[
If one can not determine the direction of the Qiblah,he should ask one
who knows. If he finds no one to ask, he should try his best to
determine it. In such a case, his prayer will be valid, and he needs
not repeat it even though he discovers later on that he had faced in
the wrong direction. If it is made clear to him while he is praying
that he is facing the wrong direction, he needs only turn in the
proper direction without stopping his prayer.
The first one is performing voluntary prayers while riding )an animal,
car and so on(. The rider may bend his head slightly for the bowings,
but he should bend a little bit lower for the prostrations. He may
face in whatever direction his ride is going.
He did not, however, do this for the obligatory prayers. Ahmad and
Muslimrecorded that hewould pray on his mount while traveling from
Makkah to Madeenah, facing away from Makkah. Upon this, Allaah
revealed )what means(:"…Wherever you ]might[ turn, there is the Face
of Allaah..."]Quran 2: 115[ Ibraaheem An-Nakhaa'isaid:"They would pray
on their mounts and animals in the direction in which they were
facing."Ibn Hazmcommented:"This has been related from the companions
and those of the following generation, during travel and residence."
The second case is praying while having to deal with forced
conditions, illness and fear. Under such circumstances, it is allowed
to pray without facing the Qiblah. The Prophetsaid:"If I order you to
do something, do what you are capable of doing."Allaah Says )what
means(:"And if you fear ]an enemy, then pray[ on footor riding…"]Quran
2: 239[. Ibn 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased withhim,added:"Facing the
Qiblah or not facing it."]Al-Bukhari[
There are two cases in which one doesn't have to face the Ka'bah.'Amr
Ibn Rabee'ahreported: "I saw the Messenger of Allaahpraying while
riding and hefaced the direction in which he was going."]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[

The creation is in need for Allaah

Man always looks for what benefits him and what protects him from
harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realize what is
harmful. He must then know whom he should need, trust, and love so
that he can attain what is beneficial as well as to feel good about
his choice.
He also must know the proper and good approach that would make him
achieve this goal. This latter condition requires that man:
1.Know about harm
2.What ways can be used to drive harm away?
Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from
the One Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has no
deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is
Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better than the
One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the
One who, after all, controls man's soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is
Allaah, the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he
seeks other than Allaah for help. Allaah is the One Who can help man
drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His
Power.
Allaah Almighty sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to:
1. Know His Lord as He Almighty had explained about Himself, and
2. Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan
Knowing Allaah's Names and Attributes liberates man from worshiping
any form of creation because creation is weak and is in need of The
Creator, Allaah. The knowledge about Allaah leads man to know that he
is created to live according to Allaah's way as revealed to His
Messengers may Allaah exalt their mention the final of whom was
Messenger Muhammad.
This Revelation contains a complete code of life. Everything that is
beneficial or harmful is established so that man can center his life
around this Revelation. If man commits wrong and knows that Allaah is
Oft-Forgiving he would turn to Him, and to Him alone, seeking His
forgiveness; Allaah Says )what means(:"So know, ]O Muhammad
sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam[, that there is no deity except Allah and
ask forgiveness for your sin ."]Quran 47:19[
It is wrong to think or believe that Allaah created other 'gods'
besides Him so that man turns to them for help; loves them or fear
them, etc. He is the same God of all nations. He does not order that
people should make of stars, sun, fire, 'Eesaa )Jesus(, Moosaa
)Moses(, Muhammad may Allaah exalt their mention etc. gods besides
Him. He )Most Exalted( cannot be 'contradictory'. He has one way
)religion( that calls man to surrender his will only to Him.
He warned that if man )even Muhammad( would take partners with Him,
then his work will fail and will be among losers; Allaah Says )what
means(:"And verily, it had been revealed to you )O Muhammad ( as has
been revealed to those before you. If you join others in worship with
Allaah )then( surely )all( your deeds will be in vain and you will
certainly be among the losers. Nay! But worship Allaah and be among
grateful."]Quran 39:65-66[
Let us know what Muhammadthe man-Prophet, who knew Allaah best, used
to say:"O Allaah, I seek refuge in You for Your Pleasure and against
Your Wrath, and in Your Forgiveness and against Your Punishment and in
You from You, I cannot Praise You as You can Praise Yourself.")Muslim,
Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah(
Heused to say also:"I have surrendered myself to You, I have directed
my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to You, I have compelled
my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You, there is no
resort nor survival from You except )in turning( to You. I have faith
in Your book )i.e. the Quran( which You brought down and in the
Prophet )Muhammad ( you have sent.")Al-Bukhaari & Muslim(
When we read in the Quran )what means(:"Whatever of Mercy )i.e. of
good(, Allaah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever
He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the
All-Mighty, the All-Wise."]Quran 35:2[
And when we read )what means(:"If Allaah touches you with hurt, there
is none can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you,
there is none who can repel His favor which He causes it to reach
whomsoever of His slaves He will, and He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful."]Quran 10:117[
We should be motivated to return to Him Alone at times of ease and at
times of hardship. And when we read )what means(:"If Allaah helps you
none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there, after
Him, that can help you. And in Allaah )alone( let believers put their
trust."]Quran 3:160[
The Quran, therefore, leads man to a true liberation from any false
attachment. It brings peace to the heart. It helps the believer
against hypocrisy and all forms of dishonesty.
Imagine, for example, a believer facing a problem at work. He sees
wrong and faces unlawful practices. He does not fear rejecting what is
wrong. He knows that the job is only a means to gain his sustenance.
While he may be unable to correct what is wrong, he knows well that
Allaah is the One Who provides. If he leaves his job for the sake of
Allaah, Allaah will give him a better one. Allaah Almighty Said )what
means(:"And whoever fears Allah—He will make for him a way out. And
will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies
upon Allah — then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will
accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a
]decreed[ extent."]Quran 65:2-3[
The above texts, necessitates that man must depend upon Allaah
Almighty asking Him Alone for assistance. It also requires that man
must love Allaah and worship Him Alone to gain His pleasure and His
help. Is it not true that the people who consider this life as the
"Final Goal" end up worshiping many things in it? You see them so
careful about "having it all". They torture themselves: pain,
difficulty, constant worry, keeping their hands in the banks for loan
after loan to keep up with the "demands of development". They are
under the constant threat of fore-closure. They constantly see poverty
in front of their eyes.
The Prophetsaid:"Allaah says: 'Son of Aadam: Fill your time with My
worship and I will fill your heart with richness, and end off your
poverty. But if you do not, I would make your hands fully busy )i.e.
in worldly affairs( and I would not end off your
poverty.'")At-Tirmithi(
Our purpose of existence on earth is more meaningful than being slaves
to worldly gains. There can be no meaningful life better than that
prescribed by our Creator Allaah. Every act done according to Allaah's
way is an act of worship. Man is the beneficiary and Allaah is in no
need; Allaah Says )what means(::"O mankind! It is you who stand in
need of Allaah, but Allaah is Rich )Free of all wants and needs(,
Worthy of All Praise."]Quran 35:15[

Dought & clear, - Sending blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) when he is mentioned in obligatory and naafil prayers.

If a person recites a verse whilst praying in which there is mention
of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), should you
send blessings upon him because of mentioning him, or is sending
blessings upon him not among the actions of prayer except at the
appropriate point in the Tashahhud, so it should only be done then and
not at any other point?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the obligatory prayer, that should not be done, because there is no
report of that from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon
him). But in the naafil prayer, there is nothing wrong with it,
because when he (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) prayed
tahajjud at night, he would pause at every verse in which Allaah was
glorified and glorify Him, and at every verse that mentioned seeking
refuge with Allaah and seek refuge with Him, and at every verse that
mentioned asking and ask of Him. Sending blessings upon him (blessings
and peace of Allaah be upon him) falls into the same category.
And Allaah is the source of strength. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (11/201)

Dought & clear, - Wording of the tashahhud and sending blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

I want to know the wording of the tashahhud in prayer, and how to send
blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Praise be to Allaah.
The Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us
to learn the rulings on prayer and how he(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) prayed, so that we would follow his example in
that. He said: "Pray as you have seen me praying." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (631).
Based on this, we must pay attention to learning this.
The wordings for the tashahhud and the blessings on the Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been narrated in
reports are many and various. It is best for the Muslim to recite all
of them, saying it in one form on one occasion and in another form on
another occasion, and so on, so that he will have done all the
sunnahs. He should not limit himself only to some of them. But if that
is too hard for him, then he should stick to what he is able to do,
and there is no sin on him in sha Allaah.
There follow some of the versions of the tashahhud and blessings on
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been
narrated in proven reports from the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) in the prayer.
Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) recited the tashahhud as
follows:At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa's-salawaatu wa't-tayyibaat,
as-salaamu 'alayka ayyuha'n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu.
As-salaamu 'alayna wa 'alaa 'ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an
laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa
rasooluhu(All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allaah.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His
blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allaah. I
bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah,
and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6265) and Muslim (402).
Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) recited the tashahhud as
follows:At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi wa's-salawaatu wa't-tayyibaat,
as-salaamu 'alayka ayyuha'n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu.
As-salaamu 'alayna wa 'alaa 'ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an
laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah wa ash-hadu anna
Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasooluhu(All compliments, prayers and pure
words are due to Allaah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy
of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon us, and on the righteous
slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has the right to be
worshipped except Allaah alone with no partner or associate, and I
bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).
Narrated by Abu Dawood (971) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
The tashahhud of 'Umar was recited by him on the minbar in order to
teach the people: "At-tahiyyaatu Lillaahi, az-zaakiyaatu Lillaahi,
al-tayyibaatu Lillaahi, al-salawaatu Lillaahi. As-salaamu 'alayka
ayyuha'n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu. As-salaamu 'alayna
wa 'alaa 'ibaad-Illaah is-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah
wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasooluhu(All compliments are
due to Allaah, all pure things are due to Allaah, all pure words are
due to Allaah, all prayers are due to Allaah. Peace be upon you, O
Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be upon
us,and on the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has
the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).
Narrated by Maalik (204) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
As for the wording of the blessings on the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), it is as follows:
"Allaahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad kama salayta
'ala Ibraaheem wa 'ala aali Ibraaheem, innaka hameedun majeed.
Allaahumma baarik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad kama baarakta
'ala Ibraaheem wa 'ala aali Ibraaheem, innaka hameedun majeed(O
Allaah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as
You sent prayers upon Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem; You
are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. O Allaah, send blessings
upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings
upon Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy
of Praise, Full of Glory)."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370).
"Allaahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad kama salayta
'ala aali Ibraaheem, wa baarik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad
kama baarakta 'ala aali Ibraaheem fi'l-aalameen, innaka hameedun
majeed(O Allaah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of
Muhammad, and send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad,
as You sent prayers and blessings upon Ibraaheem and the family of
Ibraaheem among the nations; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of
Glory)."

Dought & clear, - Is it prescribed to repeat al-Faatihah if a person did not focus properly when he recited it in prayer?.

There is a sister who recites al-Faatihah when she prays, then she
starts to recite whatever she can of Qur'aan, but sometimes, if she
realizes that she did not focus properly when she recited al-Faatihah,
she goes back and recites it again, then she recite whatever she can
of Qur'aan, and continues her prayer. Is this permissible?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not prescribed to repeat the recitation of al-Faatihah in one
rak'ah. If this sister failed to focus properly when reciting
al-Faatihah, then she realised, she should focus properly in what is
left of her prayer. If she does that, she will soon get used to paying
attention and continuing to focus properly, in sha Allah.
With regard to repeating al-Faatihah for this purpose, there is the
fear that it will lead to waswasah, then she will not offer any
prayers until she has repeated al-Faatihah several times. Waswasah is
a disease and an evil that one should beware of.
It says inal-Insaaf(2/99): It is makrooh to repeat al-Faatihah. This
is our opinion as it is the view of the majority of our companions,
and it was stated definitively by many of them. And it was said that
it invalidates (the prayer). End quote.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The words
"repeat al-Faatihah" mean repeating it twice or more.
The reason for that is that it was not narrated from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he did that. If a
person repeats al-Faatihah as an act of worship, there is no doubt
that it is makrooh, because if doing so were good, the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have done it. But if
a person repeats al-Fatihah not as an act of worship, but because he
did not do it in the recommended manner, it seems that it is
permissible, such as repeating it because he forgot and recited it
silently when it is prescribed to recite it out loud, as happens to
some imams who forget and recite al-Faatihah silently. In this case we
say: There is nothing wrong with repeating it from the beginning in
order to make up for what was omitted of reciting out loud. The same
applies if one recites it without focus and wants to repeat it whilst
focusing on the second recitation; in this case repeating it has a
legitimate purpose, which is to focus with presence of mind. But if
there is the fear that this will open the door to waswaas, one should
not do it, because for some people, if they open this door they will
face a great deal of waswaas and when they recite it, if they are
careless in one verse they will repeat it. Then if they lose focus
when repeating it, they will lose focus a second time, and a third and
a fourth and so on, and then things will become very hard on him.
End quote fromal-Sharh al-Mumti', 3/331.
And Allah knows best.

For children - Even in situations one would think in his own mind that there is no way out, there is always a way out for real believers

One of the mistakes people generally fall in is their descending
into desperation whenever they face even the slightest difficulty.
Most people, under such circumstances, instead of thinking "There is
definitely a way out that would correct this situation", they are
prone to believe that all the solution ways are exhausted by acting
with logics such as: "that's it", "there is nothing more to be
done," "this is as far as it goes", "we came to a deadlock", "this
matter is in a deadlock now".
Yet, no matter how difficult the circumstances are; no matter how
limited the means he has are; and no matter if he has done
everything that could have been done; he should believe that there
can always be a new way out, and never lose hope.
Allah has revealed in the Qur'an that a person who believes in Allah
would never lose hope in any matter as follows:
"My sons! Seek news of Yusuf and his brother. Do not despair of
solace from Allah. No one despairs of solace from Allah except for
people who are unbelievers. '" (Surah Yusuf: 87)
They said, 'We bring you good news of the truth, so do not be among
those who despair .' (Surat Al-Hijr: 55)
Consequently, no matter what the situation a Muslim faces is, he
should never give way to hopelessness, despair or negative thoughts
even indirectly. This is a command of Allah on Muslims.
Lower self, when facing such a situation, -almost like a reflex-
would lead one to instantly think about the most negative
possibilities that might happen. Almost everyone, ever since their
childhood –until they learn the morality of the Qur'an- approach
every incident with such a point of view. Since they do not think
about the falsity and the harm of this, they do not feel the need
to resist and change this reflex. This is the reason why the first
words that come out of their mouths are words like "alas!" and
"unfortunately".
And the pain that desperation, thinking with negative possibilities
and believing that there is no way out, would make people feel is
really severe. The state of mind of people, who feel this way, is
the reward Allah had created for them in this world as a result of
their living by a morality Allah does not approve.
Yet, living by the morality which is opposite to this one is really
easy. A person's knowing Allah Who has infinite wisdom, Who has
infinite justice, Who has infinite compassion and infinite grace,
Who is forgiving and Who possesses infinite creation power is
really a great blessing for him. Allah is mighty of creating
whatever He wills, whenever He wants. And in the Qur'an Allah says:
"If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the
caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me and
believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided" (Surat
al-Baqara: 186) In the Qur'an Allah had informed us that people can
ask whatever they want from Allah. Since a person could ask for
anything from Allah Who has the power to create whatever He wants,
whenever He wills, it is totally unreal for him to be living among
the possibilities such as: having exhausted all the ways out or
having no way out. That is because –by the will and help of Allah-
a person's way is always open in every matter. His knowing Allah's
might and compassion would always enable him to be hopeful about
every matter.
This morality is the one Allah commanded in the Qur'an. And carrying
out this command of Allah turns into a great blessing for people.
It is much more beautiful, reassuring and comfortable for people
to live by a hopeful morality, instead of pessimism. While, in the
contrary, a person would be continuously living restless, in a state
of fear with his mind occupied in negative suggestions; someone
abiding by the morality Allah demands, would live in peace,
tranquility and joy of expecting the help, mercy and the closeness
of Allah even under most difficult conditions.
And another point that should be thought about here is; while living
among blessings, plenty and safety, a person trusts in Allah and
lives in the awareness of the truth that all those come about
because of the infinite might of Allah; but when there is something
missing about those, he forgets how limitless and endless the might
of Allah is. Allah has informed us about the morality that people
in this situation would show in the Qur'an, as follows:
When We give people a taste of mercy, they rejoice in it, but when
something bad happens to them because of what they themselves have
done, they immediately lose all hope. (Surat Ar-Rum : 36)
Man never tires of praying for the good and if evil touches him, he
despairs and loses hope. (Surat Fussilat : 49)
Such a person cannot appreciate the fact that Allah Who had given
him blessings before, also have the Power to give –again and again
whenever He wants as much as He wills. He fails to think that all
the beauties he has in his life exist not because he himself had
found a way to attain them but because Allah had willed them to be so
and granted him that means through His Grace. Everything that he
possesses has been created from nothing. When difficulty and
troubles arise the situation is no different than that: Allah, Who
created everything from nothing, even if there is a situation in
which there seems to be a no way out, would again create the way
from nothing and would show him the way out.
Allah says in the Quran: "… But your Lord is a sufficient guide and
helper." ( Surat Al-Furqan: 31). The guidance of Allah for a man
is – by the leave of Allah- a great blessing with which he can solve
every matter. And moreover man does not have the power to find a
way out on his own anyway. Humans are weak creatures who have no
power for anything unless Allah wills the contrary. Man is in need
of Allah showing him the ways out, the solutions and rights.
Consequently what one should do is to trust in Allah very much, by
being very sincere towards Allah; to ask full of hope for His help
and to show all the effort that he is capable of showing by using
his mind and conscience in the best possible manner. However the
secret here is in wanting everything from Allah in hope and believing
that they can definitely come true. It is Allah Who creates the
result. And Allah is the One Who always creates the best for
Muslims both in this world and in the Hereafter.
Their sides eschew their beds as they call on their Lord in fear and
ardent hope . And they give of what We have provided for them.
(Surat Al-Sajda:16)
And when the two hosts came into sight of one another Musa's
companions said, 'We will surely be overtaken!'
He said, 'Never! My Lord is with me and He will guide me. '
So We revealed to Musa, 'Strike the sea with your staff.' And it
split in two, each part like a towering cliff.
And We brought the others right up to it.
We rescued Musa and all those who were with him. (Surat Ash-Shu'ara': 62-65)

For children - The First Female Convert to Islam: Our mother Hazrat Khadija

Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra), the first wife of our beloved
Prophet (saas), was at the same time the first female Muslim.
Our worthy mother made great efforts to assist the spread of Islam
through her intellect, foresight and wisdom.
With her submission, courage and devotion, our mother Hazrat
Khadija (ra), one of our Prophet's (saas) greatest supporters, was a
role model for all Muslims.
Our Prophet (saas) first told Hazrat Khadija (ra) of the revelation
that came to him; and she, with her intelligence and foresight, her
unquestioning obedience to and trust in our Prophet (saas),
realized that he had been especially chosen by Allah and believed
him straight away . When the prophethood was bestowed upon him,
Hazrat Khadija (ra) said "I bear witness that you are the Messenger
of Allah" and converted to Islam.
Hazrat Khadija (ra) was from the Quraysh, one of the leading Arab
tribes, and her family shared the same line of descent as our
Prophet (saas). And although she was subjected to many tests
reflecting the moral values of the ignorant Arab society in which
she lived, she always exhibited a most powerful and determined
character in the face of all adversities.
· According to accounts, Hazrat Khadija (ra) died three years
before the hegira (19 April, 620 A.D.) and lived at a time when
Islam had not yet become strong and achieved dominion. Despite the
difficult conditions of the time, and all the persecution by the
pagans of Mecca, she maintained her unquestioning submission to
Allah and our Prophet (saas).
· At a time when there were quite literally only three
Muslims in the world, Hazrat Khadija (ra) would sometimes worship
around the Kaaba with the Messenger of Allah (saas) and Hazrat Ali
(ra), and sometimes at home.
· When the pagans of Mecca besieged the Muslims at Shi'bu Abi
Talib, Hazrat Khadija (ra) withstood the siege alongside our Prophet
(saas) with tremendous courage, fortitude and heroism.
· The immaculate line of our Prophet (saas), that will continue
until the Day of Reckoning, is descended from our mother Hazrat
Khadija (ra). With the exception of Hazrat Maria (ra), whose son
Abraham died subsequently, our Prophet (saas) had no children with
any of his other precious wives.
· Our Prophet (saas) had six children with our mother Hazrat
Khadija (ra). The first of these was Hazrat Fatima, who would
continue the line, from whom Hazrat Hassan and Hazrat Husseinm whose
lines will also continue until the Day of Reckoning, were born.
· Our mother Hazrat Khadija (ra) was a wealthy person engaged
in business; but after becoming a Muslim, instead of seeking
worldly advantages, she happily used everything she had acquired in
order to earn the approval of Allah and was a role model in terms
of spending her fortune for the sake of Islam.
· Hazrat Khadija's (ra) purity and chastity were renowned even
before her conversion to Islam, for which reason she was known as
"Tâhire" (the spotless and immaculate woman).

Dua -> Final Prophet used :- PROTECTION FROM FEVER /OTHER AILMENTS

In Da'aw¡t al-R¡wandi: The Noble ProphetXE "Noble Prophet"9would seek
protection from fever and pains by saying:
أَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ عِرْقٍ نَعَّارٍ وَمِنْ
شَرِّ حَرِّ النَّارِ.
O All¡hXE "All¡h"! I seek refuge with You from the harm of a gushing
blood-vessel and from the evil of the fire of hell. [i]
[i]al-Da~aw¡t: 208 and Bi¦¡r al-Anw¡r 95:31

Dua -> Final Prophet used :- HIS REMEDY FOR HEADACHE

In Tibb al-A'immah: From A¦mad ibn Ziy¡d from Fadh¡lah from Ism¡~¢l
ibn Ziy¡d from Ab¢ ~Abdill¡hXE "Ab¢ ~Abdill¡h"Dwho said: Whenever the
Noble ProphetXE "Holy Prophet"9was afflicted with sluggishness or a
headache, he would extend his hands and recite S£rah al-F¡ti¦ah and
the Mu`awwadhatayn [i]and he would be relieved from that which
afflicted him. [ii]
[i]S£rat al-N¡s (114) and S£rat al-Falaq (113). (Tr.)
[ii]Tibb al-A`immahc: 39, Bi¦¡r al-Anw¡r 7:95 and al-Ja`fariyy¡t: 216

There are those who say, “The collapse of the Ottoman Empire has not yet finished, but that collapse will be completed when the Southeast breaks away:” But the Qur’ansays, “Division is a sin,unity is an obligation”...

"There are those who think that 'The collapse of the Ottoman Empire
has not yet finished. Everywhere has split up as Ottoman provinces.
Only the Southeast is left; and that is the final stage. Once that
breaks away, too, the collapse of the Empire will be complete.' But
division is a sin whether or not the Ottoman Empire even exists. Allah
imposes unity among Muslims as an obligation."
There is a theory proposed by some people that'The collapse of the
Ottoman Empire has not yet finished, it is still going on.' In other
words, they supposedly see the Ottoman Empire surviving within the
Republic of Turkey. They regard the Southeast as one of the
provinces of the Ottoman Empire that has not yet broken away.'The
Southeast also needs to break away as an Ottoman province. In the same
way that Bulgaria, Greece and all the other places broke away; just
the Southeast now remains. There is the final stage. Then the collapse
of the Empire will be complete,' they think.
For one thing, the Ottoman Empire never pressured anyone. It never
interfered in anyone's religion or language. Everyone in Bulgaria
spoke Bulgarian, not Ottoman. Everyone in Algeria spoke French.
There was never any interference in their religions, either;
everyone was free and at peace. That is a feature unique to the
Ottoman Empire. The reason for the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
was fundamentalism and bigotry. The coming of Darwinism, the spread
of a Darwinist and materialist system, the spread of atheism, the
weakening of faith within the state and finally the almost complete
domination of the state by Darwinism. It was a collapse resulting
from weakness of faith caused by that. During the initial expansion
of the Ottoman Empire it spread very fast. A policy of conquest was
followed and the Ottomans ruled everywhere, but they were devout
believers with a strong religious structure. But then this weakness
of faith appeared. The collapse began with the growth of Darwinism
and materialism within the Ottoman Empire. And then it came to this
position. I am saying this in order to resolve the misunderstanding
here; the collapse of the Ottoman Empire did no good to anyone. It
brought no prosperity to Greece. Greece was ruined. They saw no
abundance or beauty as a result. The same with Cyprus. The Turkish
part is well-off now, but not the Greek part. The economy in the
Greek part has collapsed. The state is bankrupt. The state is also
bankrupt in Greece. The economy has collapsed. It brought no
prosperity with it. And even if the Ottoman Empire collapsed, we are
Muslims. And Muslims must be as one. It is not essential to call it
the Ottoman Empire. There is Islamic Unity and Muslims have a duty
to be united. The people of the Southeast, our brothers there, are
also Muslims, and we are Muslims. We must be united as Allah
commands. Division due to tribalism is a sin. "Do not separate"
(Surat al-'Imran, 103) says Almighty Allah; "... do not quarrel
among yourselves lest you lose heart and your momentum
disappear.... " says Allah (Surat al-Anfal, 46) . It is a sin. Look,
"Do not separate". This is why we need to analyze the matter on the
basis of the Qur'an. We should not attach any credence to the words
of those who engage in sociological analyses.

Allah creates every incident for the best

What are the reasons that prevent us from seeing the good in things?
Every person has moments in life that may be called difficult. Most
people who live away from the moral values of the Qur'an experience
these moments with feelings like discomfort, sadness and boredom.
In such environments, these people display attitudes like
aggressiveness, tension and a disputatious attitude. The reason for
these reactions is that they do not have faith in Allah and the
perfection of the destiny He created. The reasons, which prevent
these people seeing the goodness behind these events, can be summed
up as follows:
Not Forgetting That the World is A Place of Trial
Some people think that most of their lives develop as a result of
coincidences in a flow. But this mistaken evaluation is a grave
misconception. Everything from big incidents like having cancer or
losing a close one in a traffic accident, to the food he eats or
the clothes he wears are special events preordained in that
person's destiny. Allah creates all these incidents down to the
finest detail for that person's trial.
A person is subject to a continuous trial throughout his life;
nothing happens by coincidence. If a person cannot grasp this fact
and thinks that events take place independent of Allah, then he is
greatly mistaken. This is because all things that happen through the
course of life are a test Allah created especially for this person,
and this person is held responsible for his reactions and
behaviors. His behaviors and morals will determine his condition in
the hereafter. The knowledge that everything great and small could
not happen by coincidence and all of them are incidents Allah has
created in that person's destiny is one of the most important
truths that he should always keep in mind. As long as a person do
not forget this truth, he would never forget that everything he
faces is good for him because everything happens by Allah's leave.
In this case people should first bear in mind that the life of this
world is a place of trial in order to "see the best" in everything.
No Self is Burdened With More Than It Can Stand
Allah tests every person with different events and people in many
ways. However it is important to point this out ; Allah has infinite
power and He is very merciful (Al-Halim) to His servants; He does
not give His servants a trial that is beyond their power. This is a
promise made by Allah:
"We do not impose on any self any more than it can stand. With Us
there is a Book which speaks the truth. They will not be wronged."
(Surat al-Muminun, 62)
Every difficult trial, diseases, accidents, financial and spiritual
troubles a person may face in the life of this world are trials
within the boundaries that he can handle. However, if a person
chooses rebellion and thanklessness suggested by satan instead of
good morals and patience, then this is his own choice and he will be
held responsible for his attitude.
From time to time, a person may think that he has no way out,
everything is over or that this is a difficulty he cannot overcome.
He may display a rebellious attitude by forgetting that there may
be a goodness in that incident. But all of these are actually empty
illusions given by satan. A sincere believer should know this truth;
no matter what he lives through, this is something he can use to
show good morals and patience. Despair is a suggestion given by
satan.
A believer should never fall into despair, as Allah commands us, and
should deeply think about every situation he faces.
Believers know that the difficulties Allah creates for them in the
life of this world are but trials. They know that these trials are
created especially to distinguish between sincere Muslims and those
who have sickness in their hearts. This is because Allah reveals in
the Qur'an that He will test Muslims and distinguish the right ones
from the wrong ones:
" Or did you imagine that you were going to enter the Garden without
Allah knowing those among you who had struggled and knowing the
steadfast?" (Surah Al 'Imran, 142)
Misunderstanding the Fact of Destiny
People make many plans for their future, the next day or an hour from
now throughout their lives. These plans are sometimes realized
according to plan, but sometimes they are hindered due to
unexpected developments. People who are astray from the moral
values of religion think that these disruptions happen by
coincidence.
In reality neither plans nor unexpected disruptions take place.
Whether or not a plan is carried out or not, all incidents a person
faces are in that person's destiny and are events preordained by
Allah. As it is revealed in the verse; " He directs the whole
affair from heaven to earth..." (Surat as-Sajda, 5) And it is also
revealed in another verse; "We have created all things in due
measure." (Surat al-Qamar, 49)
A person may think that he lives what he plans, but actually he only
lives the destiny Allah creates for him. Therefore, even if a
person thinks that he can change his destiny by doing something, he
actually thinks that because this is also in his destiny. Not even a
single moment is outside destiny. A person in coma dies because it is
in his destiny and a person who wakes up from a coma months later
is also saved because it is in his destiny.
A person who could not understand faith completely would think that
all incidents are a result of random developments and coincidences.
Such a person believes that everything in the universe exists
unattended. When something bad happens to him because of that, he
would name such things with meaningless words like "luck".
However a person's intelligence and discernment is very limited;
also a person is a being limited to time and place. Everything that
happens in a person's life is created by Allah Who is not bound by
time and place and Who has "infinite wisdom". This truth is revealed
in the Qur'an as such:
"Nothing occurs, either in the earth or in yourselves,without its
being in a Book before We make it happen. That is something easy for
Allah."(Surat al-Hadid, 22)
As a result of this great truth, what a person needs to do is to
understand that every incident is created for the best and that they
should surrender to the destiny Allah has created for him. However,
people who have sincere faith live their lives knowing that
everything in their lives is subject to the destiny Allah creates
and they are all created for a reason. As a result of this they
always reach goodness. This good morality and solid submission
shown by believers is revealed in the Qur'an as such:
"Say: 'Nothing can happen to us except what Allah has ordained for
us. He is Our Master. It is in Allah that the faithful should put
their trust.'"(Surat at-Tawba, 51)
Satan Seeks to Prevent Us From Seeing Good
It is revealed to us in the Qur'an that satan is thankless and
rebellious. We understand from the verses that he will approach
people from the right, left, front and back and try everything to
divert people from the true path. One of the most important methods
satan uses to reach this evil goal is the prevent people from seeing
the best in everything that happens, and thus make them rebellious
and unthankful towards Allah. People who do not comprehend the
beauty of the Qur'an's moral values, who live away from religious
morality and spend their lives in empty and meaningless pursuits
fall into this trap of satan.
Satan tries whisper suggestions into people's hearts by finding
their sensitive areas; he tries to call them to rebel against Allah
and the destiny He has determined. For example, when someone's
neighbor has a traffic accident, he can easily remind one that this
incident is in destiny and explain the good things about this
incident. And he can even calm them by saying, "The important thing
is you are saved; Allah protected you". But some people cannot act
the same when his family or he goes through the same events. They
can fall into satan's trap and see rebellion as much easier, because
it is a matter of consciousness to try and see the best in things,
submit to Allah and be patient. If the person does not use his
consciousness enough, he would always display the wrong behaviors
under such circumstances.
Allah Creates Every Incident for the Best Advantage of His Servants
In short, as we have emphasized with examples throughout this
article, satan approaches people in two ways to prevent the good.
The first is that he does everything he can to prevent good deeds
and tries to guide people to cling to the life of this world. The
second is that he tries to prevent people from seeing the good and
wisdom behind incidents. Especially when there is a calamity, he
tries to make it appear as "evil" (Allah is beyond that) and tries
to divert people into rebelling against Allah.
However, Allah has granted people countless blessings. He shows His
kindness to people with blessings from birth till death. Therefore
believers take Allah as a friend and guide, trust and submit to
Allah even if they do not understand the wisdom of something they
are faced with and endure in knowing that a good result will surely
come out of it. No matter what the situation is, they do not rebel or
complain. They know that even in the case of fatal situations it
will turn to their advantage in the end. And every difficult thing
they have faced will be a vital and crucial turning point that will
help save them in the hereafter, by Allah's leave. As revealed in
the verse "... It may be that you hate something when it is good for
you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you.
Allah knows and you do not know. (Surat al-Baqara, 216)

Miracles of The Quran About the Sun

He created the heavens and the Earth with truth. He wraps the night
around the day and wraps the day around the night, and has made the
Sun and Moon subservient, each one running for a specified term. Is
He not indeed the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving? ( Surat
az-Zumar, 5)
In the above verse the movement of the Earth is described by the word
"yukawwiru," which comes from root verb "takwir," meaning "to
cover up a spherical body," in the way that the rotation of the
Earth gives rise to night and day, like the winding of a turban. In
addition to the spherical shape of the Earth the word is also the
most accurate expression of its movement around the Sun. Because
of the Earth's spherical shape and its movement around the Sun, the
Sun always illuminates one side of the Earth while the other is in
darkness. The side in shadow is shrouded by the darkness of night,
to be replaced by the brightness of day when the Sun rises. The
positions of the Sun and Earth are revealed as follows in Surah Ya
Sin:
And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the
Almighty, the All-Knowing. And We have decreed set phases for the
Moon, until it ends up looking like an old palm spathe. It is not
for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the
day; each one is swimming in a sphere. (Surah Ya Sin, 38-40)
The movements of the Sun and Moon in verse 40 of Surah Ya Sin are
described by the Arabic word "yasba h oon a ," meaning "flowing,
passing or swimming." This word refers to an action performed by
someone on their own. Someone acting according to this verb
continues to perform it alone, with no intervention from anyone
else. The above verses may therefore be referring to the Sun's
independent movement in the universe, independent of any other
celestial body. (Allah knows the truth.) It is impossible for us to
see or follow the movement of the Sun with our own eyes. It is only
possible to determine that movement using special technological
equipment. As stated in verse 39 of Surah Ya Sin, in addition to
rotating around its own axis once every 26 days, the Sun also moves
through its own course.
The verse also reports that the Sun is not allowed to "overtake the
Moon," and the Qur'an thus states that the Sun and Moon do not
revolve around the same body, as astronomers put it. At the same
time, the verse makes it clear that there is no connection between
the motion responsible for night and day and the movement of the
Sun and Moon. (Allah knows the truth.)
Until the 16th century it was thought that the Earth was the center
of the universe. This view is known as the "geo-centric model,"
from the Greek words geo (Earth) and centron (center). This belief was
questioned by the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in 1543 in
his book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (Of the Revolutions of
Heavenly Spheres), in which he suggested that the Earth and the
other planets revolve around the Sun. But as a result of
observations using a telescope performed by Galileo Galilei in 1610,
it was scientifically established that the Earth revolves around
the Sun. Since it had hitherto been thought that the Sun revolved
around the Earth, most scholars of the time rejected Copernicus'
theory. The famous astronomer Johannes Kepler's views setting out
the movements of the planets confirmed the helio-centric model in
the 16th and 17th centuries. In this model, whose name comes from
the words Helios (Sun) and centron (center), the Sun is the center of
the universe, rather than the Earth. Other heavenly bodies also
revolve around the Sun. Yet this was all revealed 1400 years ago in
the Qur'an.
By saying that the Earth was the center of the universe, the ancient
Greek astronomer Ptolemy was responsible for the geo-centric idea
of the universe that prevailed for hundreds of years. For that
reason, at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, nobody knew
that the Earth-centered model that accounted for the formation of
day and night in terms of the movement of the Sun was incorrect. On
the contrary, all the stars and planets were regarded as revolving
around the Earth. Despite these prevalent errors of the time, the
Qur'an contains many expressions that agree with the scientific
facts regarding day and night:
By the Sun and its morning brightness, and the moon when it follows
it, and the day when it displays it, and the night when it conceals
it (Surat ash-Shams, 1-4)
As set out in the above verse, day, the brightness of the Sun, is
the result of the movement of the Earth. It is not the movement of
the Sun that is responsible for night and day. In other words, the
Sun is immobile in terms of night and day. The information in the
Qur'an refutes the thesis that the Earth is fixed while the Sun
revolves around it. The Qur'an is clearly descended from the
presence of our Lord, He Who is unfettered by space and time. As
science and technology advance more and more examples of the
compatibility between the Qur'an and science are coming to light.
This is set out in another verse from the Qur'an:
There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence.
This is not a narration which has been invented but confirmation of
all that came before, a clarification of everything, and a
guidance and a mercy for people who believe. (Surah Yusuf, 111)

Fathwa, - Severe Migraines: Removing Hijab

Question:
I am a 22 year old Muslimah. I have been observing hijab, and
practicing Islam consciously for the past 4 years, alhumdulillah,
despite family objections towards my decision. Shortly after embracing
the hijab, I developed migraines. Now my migraine is so severe that I
cannot perform daily tasks, without having an attack. This is making
me very ill and weak. I have tried wrapping in different ''styles'' to
see if my migraine will improve, but it does not help. MY migraine
attacks are highly frequent, and I feel it has sadly become a burden
on me. 9/10 times I will have a severe attack after wearing hijab. The
strength of effects is also worsening, I also get extremely nauseous,
dizzy and lethargic. I have made an appointment with my doctor to see
if there is anything to help me. I have had a blood test for this
previously, and Alhumdulillah it is clear. Now I fear there is nothing
the doctor can prescribe me, that will make my health better. I would
like to know the Islamic perspective on this ~ in such cases, would it
be permissible to remove the hijab?
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Allah gives everyone a different trial, and those who struggle to obey
His command throughout such trials, their reward is truly with Allah.
Removing the hijab in front of non-mahrams would not be permissible,
do not allow yourself to be pressured into doing so. My advice would
be for you to find cotton hijabs which come in both one piece and two
piece styles, the one piece seems like it would give you the most ease
� both are light, not tight, and require no pins. Ask for the
�Amira-style� or �cotton 1 or 2 piece hijabs� at your local Islamic
store or search online.
An example:
http://www.almuhajabat .com/Merchant2 /merchant.mvcScreen=CT
GY&Store_Code=A& Category_Code=amira
Also: have you tried a traditional homeopath to treat your migraines?
May Allah give you shifaa and afiya, Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam,

Fathwa, - Getting someone towax one's private parts if one's spouse demands, requests, or prefers it a

Question:
Getting someone to wax one's private parts if one's spouse demands,
requests, or prefers it and you can�t do it yourself
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
�Guard your nakedness from anyone other than your spouse�� [Tirmidhi
and Ibn Maja, and Abu Dawud]
It is unlawful to uncover one�s nakedness (awra) in front of anyone
besides one�s spouse, except in situations of genuine necessity�such
as medical treatment (to the extent of the necessity). [Ibn Abidin,
Radd al-Muhtar]
Waxing one�s private parts does not constitute genuine need or
necessity and does not thus permit one to uncover one�s nakedness in
front of another person (even of the same sex).
However, you could seek your spouse�s help. And, like in all other
things, practice makes perfect�
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,

Fathwa, - Listening to Female Naat Singers

Question:
I was listening to some Naats yesterday and was told that it was not
religious to do so as a woman was singing it. I just wanted to know
whether this was true or not. The naat in question is Shahe-Madina.
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
From a previous question answered by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari:
From the contemporary scholars, Dr. Wahaba al-Zuhayli from Damascus
writes in his famous 'al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu:
"It is Haram (unlawful) to listen to the voice of a female, which is
in a melodious and musical tone, even if it is by reciting Qur'an"
(Vol:1, P755).
In conclusion, it is evident that a male should avoid listening to the
Nasheed and Na'at of non-Mahram females. Similarly it is necessary
that the females do not sing in front of non-Mahram men, whether in
their presence or by recording their voices and releasing albums.
Wassalam,

Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib

Equality and brotherhood of man in Allaah are two of the major
principles of the Islamic faith. We read in the Qur'an what may be
translated as:"O mankind! Indeed, We have created you from male and
female and made you Peoples and tribes that you may know one another.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most
righteous of you. Indeed, Allaah is Knowing and Acquainted."]Quran,
49: 13[. Whenever we read the glorious history of Islam we are
reminded again and again of these principles, especially that of
equality. An interesting illustration of this involved Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwho was not only a beloved uncle of Prophet Muhammadbut
also a playmate )since they were only a couple of years apart in age(.
In the Battle of Badr, the first major battle in Islamic history, some
leaders of the Makkah community were forced to join the army of the
pagan enemies of Islam mainly through moral pressure. These included
Al-'Abbaas and another prominent leader of Quraysh, who was known for
his sympathetic attitude and conduct towards the Companions of
Muhammad. Realizing this fact, Prophet Muhammadgave orders to his
followers not to kill such people, pointing out that they were not
real enemies who deserved death. Later, when Al-'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalibwas taken captive to Al-Madeenah, the Companions found
the Prophet sleepless. So they asked him: "Why are you restless, O
Messenger of Allaah?" He Answered, "I heard the moaning of Al-'Abbaas,
due to the tightness of the ropes with which he is being tied." A
little while later the Prophet asked, "Why is Al-'Abbaas quiet now?"
He was told that someone loosened the fetters for him. The Prophet
ordered that the same be done with the other prisoners.
The second incident occurred when ransom was collected from the
prisoners of war. When asked to pay ransom for himself and some
followers of his, Al-'Abbaas said, "But I am a Muslim and I was forced
to join the Makkah army." The Prophet's answer was, "Allaah knows
about your Islam. If it be true, then He will reward you and return to
you whatever you pay. According to what appears to us, you have to pay
the ransom." Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abdul Muttalibdespite his relationship
with the Prophetwas treated on equal footing like any other prisoner
of war, and was freed only upon payment of his ransom.
The supporting spirit of Al-'Abbaas to Islam and its Prophet explains
his attendance of the secret meeting at Al-'Aqabah where seventy-three
Medinites gave their oath of allegiance to Prophet Muhammadto protect
him whenever he migrated to Al-Madeenah. It was Al-'Abbaas who checked
the sincerity of the Medinites for the Prophet.
After the Prophet'svictorious re-entry to Makkah, the pagan tribes in
the neighbourhood of Makkah joined forces to fight the Muslims. For
the first time the Muslim army exceeded twelve thousand in number. So
many of the fighters had a sense of self-assurance, an attitude that
leads to defeat. Some Muslims said, "Never will we be defeated due to
paucity." However, it was Allaah's will that His soldiers be properly
trained for the battles they were to enter at various places and times
on this earth. The Muslim army in the battle of Hunayn was surrounded
by the enemy )being ambushed and taken by surprise(. The Messenger of
Allaah turned to the right and said: "O people! I am the Messenger of
Allaah. I am Muhammad, the son of Abdullah." Those who stoodfast by
him were only a few emigrants and some of his kinsmen and Al 'Abbaas
was one of them. The matchless bravery of the Prophetwas then brought
to light. He went on and on in his attempts to make his mule steadfast
in the face of the disbelievers while saying loudly:
"Truly saying, I am the Prophet
I am the )grand( son of Abdul Muttalib."
However, Abu Sufyan Ibn Al-Haarithwho was then holding the rein of the
Prophet's mule, and Al-'Abbaas, who was holding its stirrup; were
endeavoring to make it halt. The Messenger of Allaah dismounted and
asked his Lord to render him help.
"O, Allaah, send down Your Help!"
The Messenger of Allaahordered his uncle Al-'Abbaas — who was a
sonorous voiced man — to call out on the companions. As loudly as he
could, Al-'Abbaasshouted: "Where are the lancers?" Al-'Abbaas said,
"By Allaah, upon hearing my voice calling them back, they turned round
to the battlefield as if they had been oryxes )wild cows( tending
towards their calves."
It was the Prophet's strong and firm faith in Allaah and his courage
as well as the heroic nature and behavior of people like Al-'Abbaas
Ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib that saved the day in that battle, known as 'the
Battle of Hunayn.' At those critical moments, it was Al-'Abbaas who
stayed all the time with the Prophetalong with a handful of
companions. The battle took a new turn, the enemy was defeated, and
the Muslim army came out victorious.
Al-'Abbaasas pointed out earlier, was an uncle of Prophet Muhammadand
a dear one for that. Besides this, he is remembered for being the
father of the well-known authority 'Abdullah Ibn Al-'Abbaas on matters
of the Quran and the teachings of the faith. He passed away in
Al-Madeenah in 32 AH during the reign of 'Uthmaan Ibn Affaan.

Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid

Khadeejahwas the first wife of the Prophet,, the mother of his
children, the best of his wives and the first to believe in him. Her
name wasUmmHind Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid ibn Asad ibn 'Abd Al-'Uzzaa
ibn Qusayy. She was fromBanu Asad, a branch ofQuraysh, and her mother
wasFaatimah bint Zaa'idah, fromBanu'Aamir ibn Lu'ayy, a branch of
theQuraysh.
She was born inMakkah, and grew up in a noble home. Her father died
during theAl-Fijaarwar.
Before marrying the Prophet,, she was married to two Arab leaders. The
first wasAbu Haalah ibn Zuraarah ibn An-NabbaashfromBanu Tameem, who
was the father of her daughtersHindandHaalah. The second was'Ateeq ibn
'Aa'ith ibn 'Umar ibn Makhzoom, who was the father of her daughterHind
bint 'Ateeq.
Khadeejahhad a successful business and her commercial caravans
travelled betweenMakkahandMadeenah. She would also hire men and give
them money to invest it for her in trade. The Prophet,, was one of
those who dealt with her in such a manner. She sent him in the company
of her slaveMaysarahto Ash-Shaam)greater Syria( on a business trip.
When they came back,Maysarahtold her about the manners of the
Prophet,, and his honesty and purity. He also told her of the
blessings which Allaah The Almighty caused to appear at his hands so
that her business multiplied in profit. As a result, she wanted to
marry him.
Soon afterwards,Hamzah ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalibmet her uncle'Amr ibn Asad
ibn 'Abd Al-'Uzzaaasking for her hand to his nephewMuhammad,. Their
marriage was consummated fifteen years before he was commissioned as a
Prophet, when he,, was twenty five years old andKhadeejahwas forty.
The couple were blessed with six children:Al-Qaasim, 'Abdullaah,
Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm KulthoomandFaatimah.
Khadeejahloved the Prophet,, very much and would do whatever pleased
him. She even gave him her servantZayd ibnHaarithahwhen she saw his
fondness for him.
One of the first examples of her support for the Prophet,, was when he
sawJibreel)Gabriel(for the first time. He was terrified and went
toKhadeejahand said:"Cover me! Cover me!"When his fear had subsided,
he said:"I feared that something terrible would happen to
me."Khadeejahreplied,"Never! By Allaah, Allaah will never fail you.
You maintain the ties of kinship, you speak the truth, you help the
poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you
assist those who are afflicted with misfortune."]Al-Bukhaari[
She then took him to her cousin,Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who assured him
that Allaah The Almighty had chosen him to be the final of the
Messengers.
She did not hesitate for a moment to accept hisDa'wah)call(, thus
becoming the first person to have faith in and believe in him. She
supported him in the course of hisDa'wahand consequently, the
Prophet,, gave her the glad tidings of a house in Paradise built of
pearls wherein there will be neither noise nor fatigue.
]Al-BukhaariandMuslim[
As a sign of his gratitude to her, the Prophet,, never married another
wife during her lifetime. When she died, he grieved greatly for her.
He would mention her name frequently and compliment her generously,
saying:"I have been endowed with her love."]Muslim[
The Prophet,, was very faithful to her to the extent that he would be
extremely generous and kind to her friends, even after her death.
He,, also said thatKhadeejahwas the best woman on earth during her
time when he said:"Maryam the daughter of 'Imraan was the best among
the women ]of the world at her time[ and Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid is
the best amongst the women ]of the world during her
time[."]Al-BukhaariandMuslim[
Khadeejahdied three years before theHijrah)emigration( and the
ascension of the Prophet,, to the heavens, at sixty five years of age.
She was buried inAl-Hajoon, leaving behind a great legacy and an
eventful life which history could never forget.

'Aa'ishah: the mother of the believers

When the Prophetemigrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah he was
accompanied by Abu Bakr)'Aa'ishah's father( who had the most knowledge
about the Quraysh -- both the good and bad aspects. He was a
well-known honorable merchant to whom people came to seek and gain
more knowledge.
'Aa'ishah's motherwas called Umm Rummaan bint 'Umayr bin 'Amer coming
from the sons of Al-Haarith bin Ghanam bin Ka'ab, and she was among
the first group who embraced Islam. She had been married to 'Abdullaah
bin 'Abdul-Asad before she married Abu Bakr, and she had a son from
her first husband called At-Tufayl, and she gave birth to 'Aa'ishah
and 'Abdur-Rahmaan from Abu Bakr. She emigrated to Al-Madeenah after
the establishment of Islam there. When she died, Abu Bakrsaid: "O
Allaah! You know best how Umm Rummaan was hurt for Your sake and the
sake of Your Prophet."
The Prophetused to entrust 'Aa'ishahto Umm Rummaan's charge and say:"O
Umm Rummaan, be kind to 'Aa'ishah and be mindful of me by this
kindness."
In fact, the Prophetused to love the clean and pure household of Abu
Bakrbecause the man of the house -- Abu Bakr -- was a man who needed
no introduction; his character and lineage were not something to
inquire about.
The Messenger of Allaahthought about proposing to 'Aa'ishahfor
marriage when Khawlah bint Haakim Al-Aslamiahsaid to him: "What do you
say about marrying 'Aa'ishah the daughter of Abu Bakr?"; he,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam then moved his head in the affirmative,
saying yes. Then Khawlah went to Umm Rummaan to tell her the news and
said: "O Umm Rummaan, you cannot imagine how Allaah has blessed your
house!"
Khawlahsaid: "The Messenger of Allaahsent me to seek 'Aa'ishah for
marriage." Umm Rummaansaid: "Wait for Abu Bakr, he is coming soon."
When Abu Bakrcame back, Khawlah told him the news and he said: "Is she
suitable for him? She is his niece." Khawlah then went back to the
Prophetand told him what Abu Bakr had told her, and hesaid: "Go back
and tell Abu Bakr that he is my brother in Islam and I am his, and his
daughter is good enough for me."
Abu Bakr thought deeply about this and then went to Mut'am bin 'Uday,
who had proposed 'Aa'ishahfor marriage to his son Jubayr. These people
were still disbelievers. When Abu Bakrentered their house, they said:
"O son of Abu Quhaafah, we fear that if our son married your daughter
'Aa'ishah, then she would convince him of Islam and we do not want
this to happen."
Abu Bakrdid not answer, but on the contrary he was very pleased with
that. In this way he was freed of their promise and he could give his
full agreement for the blessed marriage.
'Aa'ishahnarrated how she became married to the Messenger of Allaah,
sallallaahu ''alayhi wa sallam, and said: "The Prophetcame to our
house, and many people gathered there to meet him. Then my mother came
to me while I was playing, she took me to the door where the
Prophetwas sitting. I was so embarrassed and I melted in shyness. Then
my mother put me beside the Prophetand said: "This is your wife, may
Allaah bless her for you, and bless you for her." People then left the
room, and at that night nothing was slaughtered for me and I was nine
years old at that time." Although she was young, she was a mature girl
who had reached puberty. People described 'Aa'ishah on her wedding day
and said: "She was a nimble, wide-eyed bride, with curly hair and a
shiny face."
Whereas Khadeejahwas already a wise and mature woman when she married
the Prophet Muhammad'Aa'ishahwas a spirited young girl who still had a
great deal to learn when she married the Prophet. However, she was
very quick to learn, for she had a clear heart, a quick mind and an
accurate memory. She was not afraid to talk back in order to find out
the truth or make it known, and whenever she beat someone else in
argument, the Prophetwould smile and say: "She is the daughter of Abu
Bakr!"
Moosaa bin Talhahonce said: "I have not seen anyone more eloquent than
'Aa'ishah." 'Aa'ishahbecame so wise that one of her contemporaries
used to say that if the knowledge of 'Aa'ishah were placed on one side
of the scales and that of all other women on the other, 'Aa'ishah's
side would outweigh the others. She used to sit with the other women
and pass on the knowledge that she had received from the Prophet. She
was a source of knowledge and wisdom for both women and men long after
the Prophetdied and as long as she lived. Abu Moosaaonce said:
"Whenever a report appeared doubtful to us )the Companions of the
Prophet( and we asked 'Aa'ishah about it, we always learned something
from her about it."
In addition to being extremely intelligent, 'Aa'ishahbecame a very
graceful young woman. When she first came to live in the Prophet's
household as a young girl, a strong and lasting friendship grew up
between her and Sawdah, and Sawdahtook care of her along with the rest
of the household. When 'Aa'ishahgrew up, Sawdah, who was by then an
old woman, gave up her share of the Prophet's time in favor of
'Aa'ishah and was content to manage his household and be Umm al
Mu'mineen 'The Mother of the Believers' -- a title of respect that
was given to all the wives of the Prophetwhich confirmed what the
Quran clearly states that no man could marry any of them after they
had been married to the Prophet:
}The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his
wives are )in the position of( their mothers.{]Quran 33:6[
During the nine years that 'Aa'ishahwas married to Prophet Muhammadshe
witnessed many of the great events that shaped the destiny of the
first Muslim community of Al-Madeenah al Munawarra: It was during the
course of their marriage that the direction of the Qiblah was changed
from Jerusalem to Makkah, thereby distinguishing the Muslims more
clearly from Jews and Christians. It was during the course of their
marriage that she must have listened to many of the Jews, Christians
and idol worshippers who came not to listen to the Prophetbut to argue
with him, in the hope that they could find a plausible excuse to
justify their rejection of him. It was through exchanges such as these
that 'Aa'ishahlearned to distinguish what was true from what was
false.
As the prophetic guidance continued to be revealed through the Prophet
Muhammad, sallallaahu ''alayhi wa sallam, 'Aa'ishah's way of life,
along with that of all the Muslims, was gradually reshaped and
refined. It was during the course of their marriage that drinking
alcohol was finally forbidden, it was made clear what food was allowed
)Halaal( and what was prohibited )Haraam(, it became necessary for
women to wear the Hijaab in public and while praying, guidance
regarding how to fast was revealed, paying the Zakaat became
obligatory on all Muslims and all rites of Hajj were purified and
clarified.
In fact, every aspect of life -- from birth to death and everything
that happens in between -- was illuminated by the way in which the
Prophetbehaved. It was this way of behavior )the Sunnah(, that
'Aa'ishahhelped to preserve and protect, not only by embodying it
herself, but also by teaching it to others.
The life of 'Aa'ishahis proof that a woman can be far more learned
than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her
life is also a proof that a woman can exert influence over men and
women and provide them with inspiration and leadership . Her life is
also proof that the same woman can retain her feminity and be a source
of pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband.
'Aa'ishahspent her life with the Prophetuntil he died in her lap,
whereupon she said: "Hedied between my chest and my neck, then I put
his head on a pillow when people became very quiet while I was
mourning and suffering deep sadness."

Dought & clear, - She cannot move her head because of severe pain; how should she pray?.

A sister is asking that she has a very strong pain in her head that
makes her vomit. When this happens she cannot pray in any position, as
she cannot raise her head. How shall she pray when prayer time comes?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We ask Allaah to grant our sister healing and well being in her
religious and worldly affairs.
Secondly:
If the time for prayer comes and she feels pain, then she may delay
the prayer until the end of its preferred time, in the hope that she
may be able to offer the prayer in the proper manner. But if the pain
persists, then she may pray in the manner that she is able to, even if
she is lying on her back.
The basic principle concerning that is the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope"
[al-Baqarah 2:286].
And the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to
'Imraan ibn Husayn: "Pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting,
and if you cannot, then (lying) on your side." Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(1117) and Abu Dawood (952).
If a person prays sitting, then he should lean forward for rukoo'
(bowing) and sujood (prostration), and he should lean forward more for
prostration than for bowing.
If a person prays lying on his right or left side, then he should tilt
his head towards his chest for bowing and prostration. If a person
prays lying on his back, he should put his feet towards the qiblah and
tilt his head towards his chest for bowing and prostration. If he is
unable – when sitting or lying – to move his head, then the actions
are waived in his case, because that is the thing that he is unable to
do, but the words are not waived because he is able to say them, and
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"So keep your duty to
Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"[al-Taghaabun 64:16]. So he
should say takbeer and recite Qur'aan, and intend to bow and say
takbeer and recite the tasbeeh of bowing, then he should intend to
stand up and saySami'aAllaahu liman hamidah, rabbana wa
laka'l-hamd(Allaah hears the one who praises Him, our Lord to You be
praise) etc. Then he should intend to prostrate and say takbeer and
the tasbeeh of prostration, because this is what is implied by the
shar'i principle,"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as
you can".
End quote fromal-Sharh al-Mumti'(4/332).
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - It is makrooh to pray facing a person’s face.

Can I pray if there is someone sitting in a chair in front of me and I
can only see his back?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with praying behind someone who is sitting if
he gives you his back; rather it is makrooh to pray facing his face,
if that will distract the one who is praying.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said inal-Mughni(2/40):
It is makrooh to pray facing a person's face, because 'Umar
disciplined people for doing so. According to the hadeeth of
'Aa'ishah, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used
to pray level with the middle of the bed whilst I was lying down
between him and the qiblah. When I needed something, I would not want
to get up facing him, so I would slip away. Agreed upon. End quote.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said inal-Majmoo'(3/230): It
is makrooh to pray with a man or woman in front of you, facing him
where you can see him. This was regarded as makrooh by 'Umar ibn
al-Khattaab and 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan (may Allah be pleased with them).
And because it usually distracts one. It is also makrooh to look at
what will distract one, such as a garment with decorations on it, or
looking up towards the sky, and other things that are mentioned in the
saheeh hadeeths. Al-Bukhaari said in hisSaheeh: 'Uthmaan (may Allah be
pleased with him) regarded it as nakrooh to face a man when praying.
Al-Bukhaari said: Rather that applies if one will be distracted by
that, but if he will not be distracted, Zayd ibn Thaabit said: I do
not mind; a man does not interrupt the prayer of another man.
End quote.
With regard to one who is sitting with his back towards the one who is
praying, if he does not move and distract the one who is praying,
there is nothing wrong with praying behind him, just as there is
nothing wrong with praying facing one who is sleeping, because of the
report narrated by al-Bukhaari (382) and Muslim (512) from 'Aa'ishah,
the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him),
who said: I used to sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), with my legs in the
direction of his qiblah. When he prostrated he would poke me and I
would draw my legs up, and when he stood up I would stretch them out.
She said: There were no lamps in the houses at that time.
And Allah knows best.