Acts of Worship, - Dought &clear, - * Is it permissible to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah for a specific blessing?

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Is it permissible for a person who has bought a car or a house to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The blessings that Allaah bestows upon people are many, and His bounty and generosity towards them are vast. A blessing can only be responded to by giving thanks and appreciating it. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined giving thanks to Him, for He is Appreciative and loves those who give thanks.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So eat of the lawful and good food which Allaah has provided for you. And be grateful for the Graces of Allaah, if it is He Whom you worship”
[al-Nahl 16:144]
“seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:17]
Part of being grateful to Allaah is seeking to draw closer to Him by means of different kinds of acts of worship and to endear oneself to Him by means of good deeds such as prayer, zakaah, fasting and so on.
Another part of being grateful to Allaah is giving thanks to Him by means of sacrifice rituals, which means offering a sacrifice for the sake of Allaah.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verse“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)” [al-Kawthar 108:2]:
What is meant is that prayer and sacrifice are the best of the things by means of which one may draw closer to Allaah, and the usage of the wordfa(translated here as “therefore”) points to the reason, i.e., doing that – prayer and sacrifice – in gratitude for that which Allaah has given him of al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise) and much goodness. So he should give thanks to the One Who has blessed him and worship Him, and the two greatest types of worship are these two acts of worship; indeed, prayer is the ultimate act of worship. It is as if He is saying to him: We have given you al-Kawthar and a great deal of goodness, and We have blessed you with that because you have been doing these two acts of worship in gratitude for Our blessing to you; these are the reasons why We have bestowed these blessings upon you, so do these two things for Us, for prayer and sacrifice are surrounded by blessings that come before them and after them. The best financial act of worship is sacrifice and the best physical act of worship is prayer, and the benefits that a slave of Allaah may gain from prayer cannot be compared to any other type of worship, as is known by those whose hearts are alive and those of high aspirations. Adding to it the benefits of offering sacrifice, which is a sign of devotion to Allaah and thinking positively of Him, and having strong certainty and faith about that which is in the hand of Allaah is something wonderful, if that is accompanied by faith and sincerity. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) obeyed the command of his Lord and prayed and sacrificed a great deal to Him; he even sacrificed sixty-three camels with his own hand during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and he used to offer sacrifices on the Eids and at other times. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa916/532).
If Allaah bestows a great blessing upon a person – and all His blessing are great – then it is mustahabb for him to give thanks to Allaah for it by showing kindness to people, so he should offer a sacrifice and make food and invite his brothers and friends, and give charity to those who are in need.
It says inal-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah(26/180-181):
It is mustahabb to give thanks anew when new blessings come, by speaking words of praise. Gratitude for that may also be expressed by doing acts of worship, which includes offering a sacrifice or inviting people to a meal. The fuqaha’ have mentioned the kinds of meals that may be offered when blessing are renewed, such as the wakeerah which is made for a new home, or naqee’ah which is made on the return of an absent loved one, and hidhaaq which is done when a child completes a reading of the Qur’aan.
The view of the Hanbalis, the more correct view among the Shaafa’is, is that these meals are mustahabb.
Ibn Qudaamah said: These invitations – other than the wedding feast (waleemah) and ‘aqeeqah – are something good, but they are like invitations that are given for no reason; if the person who does them intends thereby to give thanks to Allaah for His blessing and to feed his brothers and offer food, then he will have the reward for that in sha Allaah. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
If one of my children does well in school, is it permissible for me to offer a sacrifice to celebrate his success, and to give thanks to Allaah?
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with making food (waleemah) if the children or one of them succeeds, and inviting one’s loved ones and his child’s friends, to celebrate Allaah’s blessing and to encourage the child. End quote.
Liqaa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh(no. 161, question no. 1).
Secondly:
It is essential to beware of some beliefs which many people hold, and say that in order to protect the new house or car it is essential to offer a sacrifice and sprinkle it with the blood of the slaughtered animal, or that evil spirits will not keep away from you unless you do that, otherwise the blessing will soon dissipate. hese are jaahili beliefs which do not come from someone who believes in Allaah as his Lord Who possesses all powers to bring benefit or cause harm, in Whose hand is the creation and the commandment, and knows that it is not permissible to do acts of worship unless they are done for the sake of Allaah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked about the belief held by many people, that offering a sacrifice on the threshold of the new house before entering it is one of the most important means of warding off the evil eye, and making the house blessed, and avoiding calamities and undesirable events.
They replied:
If this custom – i.e., offering a sacrifice on the threshold of the new house – is done in order to placate the jinn and ward off calamities and undesirable events, then it is a haraam custom, and is in fact shirk. This is what seems to be the case with offering the sacrifice before entering the house, and doing it on the threshold in particular.
But if the intention is to honour one's new neighbours and get to know them, and to give thanks to Allaah for the blessing of a new home, and to honour one's relatives and friends on this occasion, and to show them the house, then this is good and the one who does it is to be praised for his action. But that is only usually done after the people have moved into the house, and not before, and the animal or animals should not be slaughtered on the threshold of the house or in the entryway to the house.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah(1/214)
And Allaah knows best.

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Acts of Worship, - Dought &clear, - * Is it permissible to slaughter an animal with the intention of offering a sacrifice?

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I have been married for four years and have not been blessed with children. Praise be to Allaah, I have recently heard the news that my wife is pregnant, and on my father’s advice I slaughtered two animals (as a sacrifice) and distributed the meat among needy Muslims, purely for the sake of Allaah on behalf of myself and my wife. What is the Islamic ruling on that? May Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
If this sacrifice and feeding the needy was done as an act of thanksgiving to Allaah, then it is permissible, for feeding people is a way of doing good to people, and Allaah loves those who do good.
But if your sacrifice was aimed at warding off evil and bringing about good, then it is not permissible. This is what is well-known among people when the word “sacrifice” (fadw) is used, because they think that by doing this they will ward off evil and bring about good, so they do this when accidents or sickness happen to them or their loved ones.
In Islam, sacrifice is not a means of warding off that which has been decreed by Allaah, whether good or bad.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about slaughtering an animal when a building is completed or halfway through building. He said:
This action is subject to further examination. If the intention behind the sacrifice is to protect oneself against the jinn or some other intention by which the owner of the house intends to achieve something, such as keeping it or its occupants safe, this is not permissible, and it is a kind of bid’ah (innovation). If it is done for the jinn then it is majorshirk, because it is an act of worship done for someone other than Allaah.
But if it is done as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing that Allaah has bestowed, such as reaching the roof or completing the house, so the person gathers his relatives and neighbours and invites them to this feast, there is nothing wrong with this. This is what many people do as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing from Allaah, as He has enabled them to build a house and live in it instead of renting. Similar to this is what some people do when they come back from a journey, and they invite their relatives and neighbours as an act of thanksgiving to Allaah for their safe arrival. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from a journey he would sacrifice a camel and invite the people to eat. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3089).
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/388.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What some people do when they move into a new house and slaughter an animal and invite their neighbours and relatives is fine so long as it is not accompanied by any corrupt beliefs, as is done in some places where, when a person moves into a new house, the first thing he does is to bring a sheep and slaughter it on the threshold so that the blood will fall onto it, and they say that this will prevent the jinn from entering the house. This is a corrupt belief which has no basis in Islam. But if a person slaughters it as an expression of joy and happiness, there is nothing wrong with that.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 7/550, 551.
And Allaah knows best.

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For children, - Responsibility and Reward Story

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Two sons work for their father on the family's farm. The younger brother had for some years been given more responsibility and reward, and one day the older brother asks his father to explain why?
The father says, "First, go to the Kelly's Farm and see if they have any Geese for sale - we need to add to our stock." The older son soon returns with the answer, "Yes they have five Geese, which they are ready to sell to us."
The father then says, "Good, please ask them the price."
The older son returns with the answer, "Each Geese cost us $10."
The father says, "Good, now ask if they can deliver the Geese tomorrow."
And duly the older son returns with the answer, "Yes, they can deliver the Geese by tomorrow."
The father asks the older son to wait and listen, and then calls his younger son from a nearby field, "Go to the Davidson's Farm and see if they have any Geese for sale - we need to add to our stock."
The younger son soon returns with the answer, "Yes, they have five Geese for $10 each, or ten Geese for $8 each; and they can deliver them tomorrow - I asked them to deliver the five unless they heard otherwise from us in the next hour. And I agreed that if we want the extra five geese we could buy them at $6 each."
The father turned to the older son, who nodded his head in appreciation. He now realized why his younger brother was given more responsibility and reward.
A lot of times we face the question why someone is so successful and someone is not. Some people call it luck, some people call it being in the right place at the right time and some people call it influence, however the truth is performance with full responsibility and full potential. These two aspects are constantly observed by all and this is what ultimately leads to success of any individual.
Responsibility is taking care of your duties. Responsibility is answering for your actions. Responsibility is accountability. Responsibility is trustworthiness.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Her period becamelonger becauseof the IUD

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During Ramadaan, my wife went and had an IUD (“the coil”) inserted after her period finished, and her period became longer, so she did not fast for eleven days. After that it was proven that for four of those days the blood was not menses but irregular bleeding. What is the ruling on those days? Is there any expiation to be offered? What is it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If the period becomes longer because of the IUD and the bleeding follows on from the period, then it is all menses, such as if her period is usually seven days but increased to eleven days.
But if the bleeding stopped after the seven days, and she was certain that she had become pure, then she bled for four more days that was different from her usual menstrual bleeding, and that was because of the IUD, then these four days are not regarded as menses, rather they are istihaadah (irregular vaginal bleeding).
Similarly, if it is proven medically that the blood was irregular bleeding and not menses, then it is istihaadah.
Secondly:
If a woman does not fast when she sees blood because she thinks that it is menstrual bleeding, then it becomes clear to her that it was istihaadah, she does not have to do anything apart from making up the days that she did not fast.
Conclusion: If it is proven that these days were not menstrual bleeding, then she does not have to do anything apart from making up those days.
And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * She does ghusl after her menses then she sees a brownish discharge

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I am a woman who has continuous yellowish discharge. And I am of those who do not have a sign of tuhr (purity of menstruation). And I do not know how to make sure of my tuhr in that case. My period is seven days (obvious blood for 7 days). After this I find brownish and yellowish discharge. My question is: If the brownish discharge disappears and the yellowish remains, shall I consider it menstruation or my normal yellowish continuous discharge? As sometimes the brownish discharge disappears for a day and the yellowish one remains, so I make ghusl and pray, then the brownish comes out again sometimes once a day. This puts me in great confusion. Shall I repeat ghusl or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The ongoing discharge that comes out of woman is taahir (pure) according to the most correct of the two scholarly opinions, but it invalidates wudoo’ and the woman who has this problem must deal with it like urinary incontinence, so she should do wudoo’ for each prayer and pray whatever she wants of obligatory and naafil prayers. You will find more details on that in the answer to question no. 50404.
Secondly:
A woman may know that her period has ended by one of two signs:
1 – Emission of the white discharge.
2 – Complete dryness, such that if she inserts a piece of cotton it comes out clean with no trace of blood or yellowish or brownish discharge on it.
al-Baaji said inal-Muntaqa: The usual sign of tuhr (end of the period) is two things: the white discharge or dryness, which is when a woman inserts a piece of cotton or cloth into her vagina and it comes out dry with no trace of blood on it. Women’s usual patterns with regard to that vary; some of them see the white discharge and some see the dryness. End quote.
Thirdly:
If the yellowish or brownish discharge comes immediately after the period then it is part of the menses. If it comes after the tuhr has been established, then no attention should be paid to it.
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in hisSaheeh: Chapter of the coming and going of menses; the women used to send to ‘Aa’ishah vessels containing pieces of cloth on which there were yellowish marks and she would say: Do not be hasty until you see the white discharge, meaning thereby the end of the menses (tuhr).
The colour of menstrual blood usually changes towards the end of the period, and becomes lighter in colour, and it may be followed by a yellowish or brownish discharge. The report of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) indicates this, and indicates that the yellowish discharge that is connected to the period is regarded as menses.
The basic principle is that you should regard this yellowish discharge as part of the period, not spotting, so long as you have not ascertained that the period is over, especially as you see the brownish discharge after doing ghusl. This makes it more likely that it is menses.
But if the end of the period is ascertained by seeing the white discharge or complete dryness, then you should not pay any attention to the yellowish and brownish discharge in that case. This is what is indicated by the words of Umm ‘Atiyah (may Allaah be pleased with her): We used not to regard the brownish and yellowish discharge after the tuhr (end of the period) as being of any significance. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (320) and Abu Dawood (307).
And Allaah knows best.

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Acts of Worship, - Dought & clear, - * Should he focus on purifying his heart or on doing naafil acts?

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Which is more important – dealing with feelings and thoughts that Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward naafil deeds such as prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and fulfilling vows even though those other things are present in the heart? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the acts mentioned are obligatory, and those which are obligatory should be given precedence, as Allaah says according to the hadeeth qudsi narrated from His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined on him.” Then He says: “And My slave continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.” Outward physical acts are not valid and acceptable unless they are accompanied by appropriate actions of the heart, because the heart is like the king and the physical faculties are like his troops. If the king is evil his troops will also be evil. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In the body there is a piece of flesh: if it is sound the whole body will be sound and if it is corrupt then the whole body will be corrupt.” Similarly the (hidden) actions of the heart inevitably affect the (visible) physical actions. So precedence must be given to that which is more obligatory, whether it is called inward or outward. Perhaps things that are called inward may be more obligatory, such as refraining from destructive envy and arrogance, for that is more essential than observing naafil fasts. Or acts that are described as outward or physical may be better, such as qiyaam al-layl (praying at night), which is better than simply giving up some thoughts that may cross one's mind such as (non-destructive) jealousy, etc. Inward and outward deeds support one another, and prayer keeps one from doing evil actions and generates fear of Allaah, and has other important effects. It (prayer) is the best of good deeds and charity. And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him),Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 6/381
So there is no separation between correcting what is inward and correcting what is outward or physical.
The outward acts of worship which a person performs with his physical faculties – if he does them for the sake of Allaah – will undoubtedly have an effect on his inward nature.
For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of something that will take away the evil of the heart? Fasting three days of each month.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2386; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa’i, 2249). The evil of the heart refers to rancour, hatred and destructive envy.
One of the most important remedies for diseases of the heart is to study and ponder the texts which include warnings to the one who leaves these diseases to fester in his heart, such as the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one will enter Paradise who has an atom’s-weight of arrogance in his heart.” (Narrated by Muslim, 91).
And the hadeeth according to which Hell will say, “My share is the arrogant.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4850; Muslim, 2846)
And the hadeeth: “On the Day of Resurrection the arrogant will be gathered like ants in the form of men.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The disease of the nations who came before you has started to spread among you: destructive envy and hatred. These are the shavers. I do not mean that they shave hair but they shave away religious commitment. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something which if you do it, you will love one another. Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2510; classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2038).
Whoever ponders with true insight such warnings about the diseases of the heart will undoubtedly strive to cleanse his heart thereof, and will seek help in doing so by doing outward physical acts, praying to his Lord to cleanse his heart of hatred, destructive envy, rancour and so on, as Allaah says, describing the prayer of the believers:
“and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed”
[al-Hashr 59:10 – interpretation of the meaning]
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad.

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Acts of Worship, - Dought & clear, - * Showing off (riya) in worship

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Is there any chance of getting blessings from an act ruined by riyaa if one's intentions change to please Allaah after the thought of riyaa has already come? For example, I finish reciting Qu'raan, and the thought of riyaa enters my mind. If I immediately fight this thought with thinking about Allaah, can I still get blessings for my recitation, or is it completely ruined forever because of riyaa, given that the act is over and the riyaa thought came after it was already over?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
Showing off may affect worship in three ways:
1 – When the basic motive for worship is to be seen by others, such as one who stands and prays so that people will see him, and so that they will praise him for his prayers. This invalidates the act of worship.
2 – When it is a factor that develops during the act of worship, i.e., if the worshipper is initially sincere in his intention towards Allaah, then the idea of showing off develops whilst he is doing it. In this case one of the following two scenarios must apply:
(i) There is no connection between the first part of his act of worship and the last part, so the first part is valid in all cases, and the last part is invalid.
For example: a man has one hundred riyals that he wants to give in charity, so he gives fifty of them in a sincere act of charity. Then the idea of showing off develops with regard to the remaining fifty. So the first was a sound and accepted act of charity, but the last fifty was an invalid act of charity because the sincerity was mixed with a desire to show off.
(ii) The first part of the act of worship is connected to the last part, in which case one of the following two scenarios must apply:
(a) He wards off the idea of showing off and does not give in to it, rather he turns away from it and hates it. This does not have any effect on him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has forgiven my ummah for what crosses their minds, so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it.”
(b) When he gives in to this idea of showing off and does not ward it off. In this case the entire act of worship becomes invalid, because the first part is connected to the last part. For example, he starts the prayer with a sincere intention towards Allaah, then the idea of showing off develops in the second rak’ah, so the entire prayer becomes invalid because the first part is connected to the last part.
3 – The idea of showing off develop after the act of worship has ended. This does not affect it or invalidate it, because it has been completed soundly, so if showing off occurs after that it does not affect it.
It is not showing off if a person feels happy that the people come to know about his worship, because this developed after he has finished the act of worship.
It is not showing off if a person feels happy because he has done an act of worship, because that is a sign of his faith. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever feels happy because of his good deeds and sad because of his bad deeds, that is the believer.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about that and said: “That is the first glad tidings of the believer.”

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Acts of Worship, - Dought & clear, - * I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah … ten pointers

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My question is short. I want to enter Paradise, I want to strive to control my self (my nafs), I want to kiss my mother’s hand every day, I want to keep away from whims and desires and from the Shaytaan, I want Allaah to call me a devoted slave on the Day of Resurrection, in sha Allaah, I want to love my brothers, and I want my faith to keep increasing. What should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to make your hopes come true, and to make you one of those who turn to Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.
The things you mention in your question indicate that you have a sound and pure nature, and a great desire to achieve great things and to give everyone his rights. These are great hopes that can be achieved through faith, as it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and is proven by actions.” So we will discuss the matter of faith and how important it is in becoming a devoted slave, pleasing and honouring one’s parents and achieving the victory of Paradise.
Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay up at night (worship).
Hence al-Fudayl said: “You hearts can never taste the sweetness of faith until they shun worldly pleasures.” And he also said, “If you cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then know that you are deprived.”
The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was narrated by al-Haakim in hisMustadrakand al-Tabaraani in hisMu’jamwith a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out, so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts.”
The believer’s heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin. This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “There is no heart that does not have clouds like the clouds that cover the moon. When the cloud covers it, it is dark, and when the cloud moves away it shines.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani inal-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the believer’s heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase his store of faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away and the light in his heart starts to shine again. Hence one of the salaf said: “It is part of a person’s smartness to c heck on his faith and be aware of what affects it.” It is also part of a person’s smartness “that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him.”
So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as it requires, then you will achieve what you want. We will tell you of a basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said: “O you who are turned away, O you who are deprived of meeting your loved ones, if you want to know how you stand before the king, then look at how you are spending your time and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the door of the king, but no one enters except the one whom he cares for. Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze.”
If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself and see what he is preoccupied with. If he is busy with da’wah and with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping the weak and needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the fact that he is close to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help anyone to do good except those whom He loves.
But if he is has no interest in da’wah, dislikes the daa’iyahs and does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its gains, and with gossip and asking too many questions, whilst not doing much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far from Allaah and has been deprived of that which will bring him closer to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected (far away from Allaah’s Mercy).
And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)”
[al-Isra’ 17:18-19]
My brother, if you want to have a high position in all kinds of good deeds, to be a devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive the faith in your heart. Faith is what will bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith in one’s heart are many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report: “If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly, I will turn the hearts of My slaves to him with love and mercy.”
Allaah has made worship the ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)”
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always set your sights on the highest degrees, and make your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain the victory of Paradise, or to attain the highest Firdaws. You should strive as hard as you can to achieve these lofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historical Muslim figures such as the Sahaabah, Taabi’een and righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and every heartbeat to use it in such a way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keep company with righteous people, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each one of you look at whom he befriends.” Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du’aa’ in the time just before dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading a portion of Qur’aan daily, and other dhikr that helps you to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur’aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da’wah for the sake of Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long, then be as Allaah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”
[al-An’aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one’s devotion and belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this manner; it can only be achieved by worshipping Allaah in the fullest sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our intention in these words and deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads at certain times, or giving a few pennies every once in a while, or fasting a few days each year, or moving our lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that lead to this status – of being a devoted slave – are innumerable and may take many shapes in all aspects of our lives and the places where we live. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you, and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs, martyrs and righteous, and those are the best of companions.

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For children, - Rewards for taking full Responsibility

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What is one of the most boring and tiresome words ever? Like discipline, responsibility is one of those words you have probably heard so many times from authority figures that you have developed a bit of an allergy to it. Still, it's one of the most important things to grow and to feel good about your life. Without it as a foundation nothing else in any personal development book really works.
It's been said that the line between childhood and adulthood is crossed when we move from saying 'It got lost' to 'I lost it.' Indeed, being accountable, understanding and accepting the role our choices play in the things that happen are crucial signs of emotional and moral maturity. That's why responsibility is one of the main pillars of good character.
Many people have been refusing to grow up and avoiding the burdens implied in being accountable. Yes, responsibility sometimes requires us to do things that are unpleasant or even frightening. It asks us to carry our own weight, prepare and set goals and exercise the discipline to reach our aspirations.
But the benefits of accepting responsibility far outweigh the short-lived advantages of refusing to do so. No one makes his or her life better by avoiding responsibility. In fact, irresponsibility is a form of self-imposed servitude to circumstances and to other people.
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. - George Bernard Shaw
Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment and learn again to exercise his will - his personal responsibility in the realm of faith and morals. - Albert Schweitzer
Following incident illustrates blaming others and not taking full responsibility:
Bernard L. Brown, Jr., once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient's bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked a nurse's aide to mop it up. The patient didn't know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse's aides while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital's housekeeping group.
The nurse's aide decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping group. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed.
"It's not my responsibility," said the nurse's aide, "because it's a large puddle." The housekeeper did not agree. "Well, it's not mine," she said, "the puddle is too small."
The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. "Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?" he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument.
So, responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions and reactions that shape our lives. It is a concept of power that puts us in the driver's seat. The grand panorama of the potential of our lives can only be appreciated when we begin to be accountable and self-reliant.
If you want more control over your life and the pleasures, power of freedom and independence, all you have to do is be responsible. Responsible people not only depend on themselves, but show others that they can be depended on.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Stopping one’sprayer in cases of necessity

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Is it permissible to stop one’s prayer if the warning siren goes off in the case of an accident?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the accident is major and serious, then it is OK to stop one’s prayer; if it is a minor incident that can be dealt with after completing the prayer, then it is not permissible. The scholars said: it is obligatory to stop one's prayer in order to save a negligent person from a fatal accident. For example, if you are praying and you see a snake approaching a man who is sitting down and has not noticed it. If it is heading for him, you have to stop your prayer and tell him so that he will not be bitten, possibly fatally. Or if you see a blind man walking in front of you whilst you are praying, and he is heading towards a well, and you are afraid that he may fall into it, then you have to stop your prayer and save him from that fatal accident, even if this means stopping your prayer. The same applies in cases of fire, etc.
But if the siren goes off for a minor matter which can be dealt with after completing the prayer and it will not be too late if you complete the prayer first, then it is not permissible to stop your prayer before you have completed it, because this accident can be dealt with after completing the prayer, without anyone coming to further harm. And Allaah knows best.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Is it permissible to give salaams tosomeone who is praying?

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Is it permissible for a Muslim to give salaams to a Muslim when he is praying or he is making dhikr or du’aa’?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, it is prescribed for a Muslim to initiate the greeting of salaam to his Muslim brother when he is praying, but the one who is praying should not return the salaams whilst praying, except by making a gesture in a manner that will maintain the validity of his prayer, because it was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“I asked Bilaal, How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) return their salaam when they greeted him whilst he was praying? He said, With a gesture of his hand.”
(Narrated by Ahmad, 6/12; Abu Dawood, 1/569, no. 927; al-Tirmidhi, 2/204, no. 368; al-Bayhaqi, 2/262; also narrated by the five).
It was also narrated from him that Suhayb (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I passed by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was praying. I greeted him with salaam and he responded with a gesture.” And he said: I am not sure whether he said “a gesture with his fingers”.(Narrated by the five, apart from Ibn Maajah. Al-Tirmidhi said: both hadeeths are saheeh in my view).
It was reported that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbidding us to pray two rak’ahs after ‘Asr, then I saw him praying them when he prayed ‘Asr. She said, he entered and there were some women from Bani Haraam, from among the Ansaar, with me. He started to pray them [these two rak’ahs after ‘Asr], so I sent a young girl to him, and I told her, ‘Stand beside him and say to him, Umm Salamah is saying to you, O Messenger of Allaah, I heard you forbidding us to do these two rak’ahs and now I see you praying them. If he makes a gesture with his hand then leave him and go back.’ So the young girl did that and he made a gesture with his hand, so she left him and went back. When he finished praying, he said: ‘O daughter of Abu Umayyah, you asked about the two rak’ahs after ‘Asr. Some people from Banu ‘Abd al-Qays came to me and kept me from doing the two rak’ahs after Zuhr, and that is what these were.’”(Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
These ahaadeeth indicate that it is prescribed to say salaams to a person whilst he is praying, and that he should respond to the greeting with a gesture, because this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of initiating the salaam, and he returned the greeting with a gesture only.
Secondly, it is prescribed for the Muslim to initiate the greeting to one who is engaged in making dhikr or du’aa’, because it was reported that Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Whilst the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting in the mosque and there were some people with him, three people came in. Two of them came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and one went away. When they came up to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), they greeted him with salaam. One of them found a space in the circle and sat down, and the other sat down behind him. The third one turned and went away. When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished (his talk), he said: ‘Shall I tell you about these three people? One of them turned to Allaah so Allaah accepted him; the second felt shy so Allaah will feel shy (to punish him); and the third turned away so Allaah turned away from him.”(Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’, 2/960; Ahmad, 5/219; al-Bukhaari, 1/24, 122; Muslim, 4/1713, no. 2176; al-Tirmidhi, 5/73, no. 2724; Abu Ya’laa, 3/33, no. 1445).
And inal-Saheehaynit is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a Bedouin entered the mosque and prayed, but he did not do the rukoo’ and sujood properly. Then he came and greeted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with salaam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) returned his greeting then said, “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.”
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Wardingoff the insinuating whispers of the Shaytaan

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Sometimes the imaam recites a long soorah and my mind wanders unintentionally. What should I do? Is it permissible for me to repeat some aayahs of the Qur’aan or du’aa’s, or should I listen to the imaam’s reading?
Praise be to Allaah.
Push away the worldly thoughts that come to you whilst praying as much as you can, and listen to the imaam’s recitation and ponder the meanings of what he is reciting, so that you may benefit from it, avoid letting your thoughts wander and ward off the insinuating whispers of the Shaytaan. Recite al-Faatihah in both the silent and loud prayers (where the recitation is done silently or out loud), and recite another soorah or passage of the Qur’aan in the silent prayer, focusing on the meaning of the words. Perhaps by this means Allaah will help you to focus your mind and overcome this lack of concentration. It is also prescribed for you to seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan when you face too many insinuating whispers.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

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For children, - Blaming others Stories

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Sometimes in life, we do come up with lame excuses, blinded by circumstances / challenges we face, but blaming others or making excuses for our behavior is a waste of time because no matter how much fault we find in others and regardless of how much we blame someone, it will not change us and most certainly not add to our growth or success. So read the following story to understand the blaming game.
Once there was a rich man who had a beautiful orchard with splendid figs. He appointed two watchmen for his orchard. One watchman was lame and the other one was blind.
One day the lame watchman said to the blind watchman: "I see splendid figs in the orchard. Come, I will ride on your shoulders, and we will take them and eat them."
So the lame watchman rode on the shoulders of the blind watchman, and they took the fig fruits and ate them.
Some time after, the owner of the orchard came and inquired, "Where are those splendid figs?" The lame watchman replied, "Have I feet to walk with?" The blind watchman replied, "Have I eyes to see with?"
What did the rich man do? He placed the lame watchman on the shoulders of the blind watchman and judged them together.
Now the thing that I call living is just being satisfied. With knowing I got no one left to blame.
Blame someone else for your fault story
One day when my son Scott was two years old, I heard him crying. I went into his room and my daughter Hannah, who was four, was there also. A plastic bat was lying on the floor.
"What happened to Scott?" I asked.
Hannah answered, "He hit his head."
"On what?"
She pointed toward the bat on the floor and said, "The bat."
"Where was the bat?"
Hannah said, "In my hand."
Blaming others also needs wisdom story
Once a ship got caught in a violent storm. It wreaked havoc and the waves cast its wrecks on the sands of the shore. Among them was a sailor who lay senseless on the beach. When he came to his senses, he cursed the sea saying, "The Sea is a cheat indeed. It attracts people with its cool and calm waters and once they are in its grip, it turns furious and destroys them."
Hearing his reproach, the sea felt pinched. But it didn't want to trouble the sailor anymore. So, it came to the sailor in form of a damsel.
"Who are you, O lovely lady?" asked the sailor.
"I am the sea and am as lovely as you see me now. You are blaming me for the wreck but it isn't just." Surprised, the sailor asked, "Who is just then?"
The sea urged, "The wreck was caused by the cruel winds that blew into gusts and gales over me and created stormy waves in my calm waters."
The sailor had nothing to say except feeling sorry for blaming the sea.
Almost all unhappiness in life comes from the tendency to blame someone else.

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Discover Islam, - * The beauty of Islam as seen by others

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American poet, critic and author Colonel Donald S. Rockwell writes: "The simplicity of Islam, the powerful appeal and the compelling atmosphere of its mosques, the earnestness of its faithful followers, the confidence inspiring realization of millions throughout the world who answer the five daily calls to prayer, these factors attracted me from the first.
But after I had determined to become a follower of Islam, I found many deeper reasons for confirming my decision. The mellow concept of life -- fruit of the combined course of action and contemplation, the wise counsel, the admonitions to charity and mercy of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention(.
The broad humanitarianism, the pioneer declaration of women's rights, these and other factors of the teachings of the man of Makkah, were to me among the first obvious evidence of a practical religion so tersely and so aptly epitomized in the cryptic words of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:'Trust in God and tie your camel.'He gave us a religious system of normal action, not blind faith in the protection of an unseen force in spite of our own neglect, but confidence that if we do all things rightly and to the best of our ability, we may trust in what comes as the Will of God...
When I stood in the inspiring mosques of Istanbul, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Algiers, Tangier, Fez and other cities, I was conscious of a powerful reaction -- the potent uplift of Islam's simple appeal to the sense of higher things, unaided by elaborate trappings, ornamentation, figures, pictures, music and ceremonial ritual. The mosque is a place of quiet contemplation and self-effacement in the greater reality of the true God.
The democracy of Islam has always appealed to me. Potentate and pauper have the same rights on the floor of the mosque, on their knees in humble worship. There are no rented pews or special reserved seats.
The Muslim accepts no man as mediator between himself and his God. He goes direct to the invisible source of creation and life -- God -- without reliance on a saving formula of repentance of sins and belief in the power of a teacher to afford him salvation. The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life, and this is another feature which drew me towards the Faith."
The baseless claim that Islam converted the peoples it had 'conquered by force' has also been refuted by prominent non-Muslims.
Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, writes inYoung Indian, 1924:
"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble."
James A. Michener writes in theReader's Digest, under the titleIslam: The Misunderstood Religion: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Quran is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience."
Laurence E. Browne writes inThe Prospects of Islam: "Incidentally, these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings about the Muslims, that wherever they went, they forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword."
De Lay O'Leany also writes inIslam at Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fanatically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."
It is worth mentioning here that it is absolutely wrong to judge Islam by the deteriorating condition of Muslims and the blatant corruption that pervades the Muslim world. What Islam preaches is one thing, and what so many Muslims nowadays practice is something else.
The only way whereby we do justice to Islam is to find out about its noble teachings, which are clearly set out at length in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic traditions. The famous popular singer, Cat Stevens, who later embraced Islam once observed: "It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media.
It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver is drunk and he bangs it into a wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life -- in its spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. Nevertheless, we must find the sources of these instructions -- the Quran and the example of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.Then we can see the idea of Islam."
What is generally said about Islam in the media and in many academic circles can also give a wrong idea about it. As Maurice Bucaille put it: "The totally erroneous statements made about Islam in the West are sometimes the result of ignorance, and sometimes of systematic denigration.
The most serious of all the untruths told about it are, however, those dealing with facts, for while mistaken opinions are excusable, the presentation of facts running contrary to reality is not. It is disturbing to read blatant untruths in eminently respectable works written by authors whoa prioriare highly qualified."

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Discover Islam, - * The future belongs to Islam

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All praise is due to Allaah. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, his household and companions.
Brothers in faith! Be dutiful to Allaah, for that is the best provision and the surest way to salvation on the Day of Resurrection.
Fellow Muslims! Things turn upside-down when those who follow destructive and erroneous sects and beliefs falsely assume that theirs is the true faith and that the good ending and the future belongs exclusively to them. However, the fact that men of reason and understanding do not dispute, is that the future belongs to the religion of Islam; that it shall prevail over all other beliefs, for it is the only true religion that Allaah has perfected for His slaves, with which He has completed His favor upon them and which He has chosen for them as religion. He Says )what means(:
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”]Quran 5:3[
No wonder then dear brothers, that Islam enjoys such a distinguished position. This is because it is a religion that is full of innumerable qualities.
The future belongs to Islam, for it is the religion with which Allaah raised the status of man and honored him. He informed us in His Speech, which is the most-truthful of all speech, that He created man with His two Hands, breathed of His soul in him and made the angels prostrate before him. He honored man by subjecting him to His worship Alone, for there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, glorified are His Names and Attributes. He honored him by subjecting all that is in heavens and earth to him and gave him innumerable other blessings.
The future belongs to Islam, because it is the only religion whose message is characterised by pure monotheism, which agrees with the laws of nature and sound opinion. It is through Islam that Allaah made lawful for His slaves all good and useful things and prohibited all filthy and harmful matters. Removed from this Ummah )Muslims( are the heavy burden and fetters that were upon those who came before them -- such as strictness in matters of religion; for example, the imposition of self-killing as an atonement for sin, cutting the part of the body used for committing an impure act, purifying a cloth by cutting off the place of filth with scissors, compulsory implementation of the law of equity in murder cases )with no option of paying blood money or pardon, whether the killing was intentional or accidental( and prohibition of taking war booty.
All the above restrictions were removed by Allaah from this Ummah by His Mercy. He Says )what means(:“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written ]i.e. mentioned[ in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil, and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be successful.”]Quran 7:157[
The future belongs to Islam because in it, Allaah firmly laid the basis of a sound social system that is well-established like a firm structure. He established through Islam that unique society described by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention( in the most eloquent way thus:“The similitude of the believers in regard to mutual love, affection and mutual-compassion is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body shares the agony, sleeplessness and fever that arises from it.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The future belongs to Islam because it is the religion by which Allaah firmly fixed the principles of justice among His creatures -- Muslims and non-Muslims; Arabs and non-Arabs; black and white; male and female; young and old. He prescribed for each group its rights and duties -- a quality that is non-existent in any of the man-made systems and ideologies that most people follow and respect. These ideologies are full of deficiencies and are restricted to a particular place and time or the personal or national interests of those who formulated them.
The future is for Islam, for it is the religion with which Allaah preserves people’s lives, properties, honor and minds. He prohibits all killing of life except for a just cause, forbids the defamation of a person’s honor, disallows all that could affect the soundness of people’s minds such as narcotics and intoxicants and forbids the usurpation of properties unjustly. All this Allaah does through Islam, in order to protect the social structure of this Ummah from disintegrating.
There is no wonder then that a great and honorable future belongs to this religion. No amount of deception from the enemies of Islam, or their increasing assaults on the Muslims with their cavalry, infantry and wealth, nor their oppression such as killing and expelling people from their lands -- as the Jews do today, can weaken the firm bonds of this religion or disrupt its structure. For, the future is for Islam and the Muslims Inshaa’ Allaah and the victory belongs to Allaah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and to the truthful and persevering Muslims -- those who know with certainty that victory comes with perseverance, relief comes after sorrow and that with every difficulty there is ease. Allaah Says )what means(:“They want to extinguish the light of Allaah with their mouths, but Allaah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers hate it.”]Quran 9: 32[.
Brothers in faith! If this Ummah wishes to attain the promised victory and be well-established on the land, it should truly practice Islam by giving Allaah His right of worship with all sincerity and completely abstain from associating anything with Him in acts of worship. It should implement His Law and submit to His Judgment in all matters and be pleased with that. It is then that the whole of humankind will have felicity -- and the rightly-guided leadership will become that of Islam, the religion of Allaah, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Should one kill snakes and scorpions whilst praying?

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If a man starts to pray, and this prayer is one of the obligatory prayers, and he sees a snake or scorpion in front of him, can he stop his prayer and kill that thing, or should he complete his prayer?
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, he can stop his prayer and kill the snake or scorpion, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Kill the two black ones during prayer, the snake and the scorpion.”
(Narrated by the authors of Sunan and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan).
If you can kill it whilst still praying, without moving more than what is regarded as acceptable, then this is OK and the prayer is still valid.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Answering the telephone whilst praying

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They were praying one of the prayers at home when the telephone started to ring, and it distracted them with its ringing for a long time. Is it permissible in such cases for the worshipper to take a few steps forwards or backwards and pick up the receiver and say “Allaahu akbar” or raise his voice in recitation so that the caller will know that he is praying – by analogy with (the hadeeth with speaks of) opening the door to one who knocks or raising his voice so that he can hear you?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the worshipper is in the position that you describe and the phone starts ringing, it is permissible for him to lift the receiver, even if he has to move a little way forward or back, or to the right or left, on the condition that he keeps facing the qiblah and he says ‘Subhaan Allaah’ so that the person who is calling will know (that he is praying). It was narrated inal-Saheehaynthat the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray whilst carrying his granddaughter Umaamah. When he did rukoo’, he would put her down, and when he stood up he would pick her up again. According to a report in Muslim, this was when he was leading the people in prayer in the mosque. (Narrated by Maalik, 1/170; al-Bukhaari, 1/487, inSutrat al-Musalli,Baab idha hamala jaariyatan sagheeratan ‘ala ‘unuqihi; Muslim, 543, inal-Masaajid,Baab jawaaz Hamal al-Subyaan; Abu Dawood, no. 917-920; al-Nasaa’i, 2/45).
Ahmad and others narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was praying in his house with the door closed. I came (to the door) and he walked over and opened the door for me, then he went back to his place.” She mentioned that the door was in the direction of the Qiblah.(Narrated by Ahmad, 6/31; Abu Dawood, 922; al-Nasaa’i, 1/178; al-Tirmidhi, 2/497).
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever notices something alarming whilst praying, then men should say ‘Subhaan Allaah’and women should clap their hands.”
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

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