Worship on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr)

Question:
Would I have to spendthe entire night at theMasjid until after Fajr
prayer? Could I go late, say around 01:00? Could I go when it begins
and leave around 02:00 and still receive my blessings of forgiveness
from Allah?

Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
One attains unto the reward of worshipping on the Night of Power
through any worship one does that night. The most important is to
strive onesutmost to perform Isha and Fajr in congregation. After
that, the most important of spiritual actions on that night is sincere
repentance: one should seek to return to ones Lord through makingthe
firm commitment to leave ones state of heedlessness and disobedience
and make the commitment to turn ones heart in the directionof Divine
Pleasure.
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,

Can we apply attar duringfast?

Question
Can we apply attar duringfast?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Yes, Attar can be applied during fast. Itwill not invalidate the fast. [1]
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Inhaler and Nasal Spray

Question
If a person who has ASTHMA and has to use anInhaler at least twice a
day, and these are used atSehri & Iftaar, can the Inhaler be used
whilst fasting in the case of need?
If a person suffers from Hayfever and also one uses a Nasal Spray
which is used during Sehri & Iftaar and can the Nasal Spray be used
whilst fasting in case of need?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Both Ashthma inhalerand nasal spray may be used at Sehri and then at Ift ā r.
As for during fast:
1. Asthma pump is specifically designed to pass the medication through
ones throat. Using theasthma inhaler during fast without any need for
it, will invalidate the fast and a Qadha along with a Kaffarah will
have to be kept for the invalidated fast. However, if the inhaler is
used in case of an asthma attack, then only a Qadha will be wajib
without kaffarah.
2. Nasal Spray is used for the inner lining ofthe nose. It is makruhto
use an inhaler during fast. If the medication from the nasal spray
passes the throat, then the fast is invalidated and a Qadha will have
to be kept alongwith a kaffarah. However, if the spray is used in case
of an attack, then only a Qadha will become wajib without kaffarah.
[1]
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Question on using deodorant while fasting

Question
If one intentionally uses deodorant spray knowingthat you are fasting
and then despite your efforts to hold your breath or cover your mouth
and nose with a cloth you still inhale and you feel the smell strongly
on your nose, will the fast still break and will the kaffarah have to
be performed?
And is intentionally deodorant is used but oneforgets to take measures
to prevent inhalation will the fast break then?
-
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu 'alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, if one uses a deodorant spray or any other spray that
has a chemical form and makeup in the state of fasting and such a
spray passes one's throat while fasting unintentionally, then one's
fast is not broken.
However, if such sprays pass one's throat intentionally, then one's
fast is broken on account of such an action. [1]
Since the passing of such sprays is unintentional in both the
scenarios in reference, one's fast is still valid.
If one's fast is brokendue to the intentionalinhalation and passing
down of suchsprays, then both Qadha and Kaffarah becomes Wajib. [2]
We advise one to be more cautious and careful when using such sprays
as they could jeopardize one's fast.
And Allah Ta'āla Knows Best/

Should one return salaams to aparrot?!

In my grandfather's house thereis a real live parrot, and when I pass
by it, it greets me and says 'al-salaamu 'alaykum". In this case do I
have to return the greeting of this bird?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Al-Fayyoomi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The babgha' (parrot) is a well-known bird. The word babgha' may be
masculine or feminine, and the plural is Babghawaat.
Al-Misbaah al-Muneer fi Ghareeb al-Sharh al-Kabeer, 1/35
Secondly:
It seems that it is not prescribed to return the greeting of a parrot
which has learnt how to say salaams, because saying salaam is an act
of worship and a supplication which requires intention on the part of
the one who said it, and there is no suchintention on the part of this
trained creature. So one should not return its greeting. The ruling is
the same as that on a tape on which the greeting is recorded and can
be heard. It is transmission of sound and doesnot come under the
ruling on greeting when it is broadcast live, in which case returning
thegreeting is prescribed and is a communal obligation (fard
kifaayah).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Sometimes the greeting may be recorded and they put it on the tape and
run it. If it is recorded then you are not obliged to return the
greeting, because thisis just transmission of sound.
Liqa' al-Bab al-Mmaftooh, 28/229
See the rest of the fatwa and details on this issue in the answer to
question number 128737 .
Based on that, the parrot does not intend to give the greeting of
salaam, because it does not possess the power of reason, and when it
speaks it is just repeating what it has been taught, without meaning
what itsays.
Some of the scholars have stated that it is not prescribed toprostrate
if one hears a verse from a parrot or from a recorded tape.
One of the conclusions of the book Bahjat al-Asma' fi Ahkaam al-Samaa'
fi'l-Fiqh al-Islami by Prof. 'Ali ibn Dhariyaan ibn Faaris al-Hasan
al-'Anzi (published by Dar al-Manaar in Kuwait) is:
The listener need not do the prostration of recitation if he hears it
from a source that is nothuman, such as a trained bird like a parrot
or hearing it from an echo. End quote.
And Allah knows best.

It is haraam for a man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman in the Maaliki madhhab

I want to know in what reference it says that Imam Maalik forbade a
man to shake hands with a non-mahram woman.
There is an opinion which says that there are four possible scenarios,
and in only one is it regarded as haraam for a man to shake hands with
a non-mahram woman. These four scenarios are: when the one who is
shaking hands does it for the sake of pleasure and finds pleasure in
it; when he does it for the sake of pleasure but does not find
pleasure in it; when he does not do it for the sake of pleasure but
finds pleasure in it; and when he doesnot do it for the sake of
pleasure and does not find pleasure in it.
Who is the author of this opinion? Does he belong to the Maaliki madhhab?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
In Mukhtasar al-Akhdari and other Maaliki books there is an indication
that it is haraam to shake hands with a non-mahram woman according to
the madhhab of Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him).
'Aleesh said in Minah al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (1/22): It is
not permissible for a man totouch the face or hand of a non-mahram
woman, and it is not permissible for them to put their hands together
without a barrier. 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never accepted the
oath of allegiance (bay'ah) of a woman by holdingher hand; he would
accept women's oath of allegiance verbally. According to another
report: His hand never touched the hand of a woman; rather he would
accept their oath of allegiance verbally. End quote.
Secondly:
The details that you mentioned have to do with losing wudoo' by
touching; wudoo' is broken in the event of seeking pleasure,or finding
pleasure (even if he was not seeking it), or seeking itand finding it.
Wudoo' is not broken when one does not seekpleasure or find it.
The prohibition is connected to doing it deliberately, whether there
is pleasure or not.

And Allah knows best.

2a] What Do Muslims Believe about Jesus?

2a]
:-> So believe in Allah and His messengers . . . " (Qur'an 4:171; see
also 66:12).
In the above passage Jesus in called by four noble titles. He is the
Messiah, the Messenger of Allah, a Word from Allah, and a Spirit from
Allah. In the same passage, it is clear that the Qur'an seeksto
discourage exaggeration in religion. Further in the same passage,
Allah says:
"Allah is only One God. Faris it removed from His transcendent majesty
thatHe should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all
that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender" (Qur'"an
4:171).
Refusing to call Jesus son of God is not done with a view to belittle
Jesus. No! On the contrary, it is done to Glorify God, to magnify His
name, and to proclaimHis transcendent majesty.
The Qur'"an confirms that Jesus was born of a virgin.When the angel
announced to Mary, on whom be peace, that she will bear a child, she
said:
"My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal has touched me"
She received the following reply:
"So (it will be). Allah creates what He will. If Hedecrees a thing, He
says unto it only: Be! and it is. (Qur'"an 3: 45, 47).
In another surah, after relating the incidents surrounding the birth
of the Messiah, the Qur'"an concludes as follows:
"It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself
a son. Glory be to Him! When he decrees a thing, He says unto it only:
Be! and it is."" (Qur'an 19:35).
The Qur'an seeks to correct a common misconception in the minds of
people. Many assume that since Jesus had no father then God must be
his father.
Glory be to Allah. He does not father children. He created everyone we
know from a man and a woman. But He created Adam from neither a man
nor a woman. And He created Eve from a man, but not from a woman.
Then, as if to complete the picture, God created Jesus from a woman
but not from a man. God has demonstrated His power to create in every
way.
Allah says:
"Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He
created him from dust, then he said unto him: Be!and he is" (3:59).
It is important to realise that Jesus, on whom be peace, never taught
that he is the Son of God. Allah says that those who call Jesus "Son
of God" are following the saying of other people (see surah 9:30).
Jesus taught only what he was commanded(5:117). He himself was quite
pleased with being a servant of Allah (4:172). As a messenger of
Allah, Jesus knew that none in the heavens or the earth can approach
Allah exceptas a slave (19:93).
Finally, those who say that God has a son should know that they have
no warrant for this, but they are saying something without knowledge
(10:68).
In the next part,
God willing, we will see from acareful study of the Bible that Jesus
never called himself God's son.

2] What Do Muslims Believe about Jesus?

2]
Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They consider
him one of the greatest ofGod's messengers to mankind. The Quran
confirms his virgin birth, and a chapter of the Quran is entitled
'Maryam'(Mary). The Quran describes the birth of Jesus as follows:
(Remember) when the angels said, "O Mary, God gives you good news of a
word from Him (God), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary,
revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near
(to God). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man,
and he is of the righteous." She said, "My Lord, how can I have a
child when no mortal has touched me?" He said, "So(it will be). God
creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says toit only, 'Be!'
and it is." (Quran, 3:45-47)
Jesus was born miraculously by the command of God, the same command
that had brought Adam into being with neither a father nor a mother.
God has said:
The case of Jesus with Godis like the case of Adam. He created him
from dust,and then He said to him,"Be!" and he came into being.
(Quran, 3:59)
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. God tells
us that Jesus said:
"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the
shape ofa bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird
by God's permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I
bring the dead to life by God's permission. And I tell you what you
eat and what you store in your houses...." (Quran, 3:49)
Muslims believe that Jesuswas not crucified. It was the plan of Jesus'
enemiesto crucify him, but God saved him and raised him up to Him. And
the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus' enemies took
this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus. God has said:
...They said, "We killed theMessiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger
of God." They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the
likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)...
(Quran, 4:157)
Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the
beliefin one God, brought by earlier prophets, but rather to confirm
and renew it.
Jesus is a Servant of God
It will be quickly obvious that they often referred tohim as a servant
of God, but never Son of God. Peter, for example, said:
"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has
glorified his servant Jesus"(Acts 3:13).
Peter further said:
"God raised up his servant" (Acts 3:26), where the title servant
refers to Jesus.
Not only Peter, but the entire group of believers viewed Jesus as
God's servant. When they raisedtheir voices together in prayer to God,
in the course of their speaking to God they called Jesus"your holy
servant Jesus whom you anointed" (Acts 4:27). They repeatedthis title
also in verse 30. Consistently, Jesus was being called servant of God
by the original followers of Jesus.
Some people mistakenly thought that the disciples called Jesus Son of
God. Aninconsistency of translation actually helped to give this wrong
impression. In the King James Bible, the translators call Jesus "Son
of God" in Acts 3:13, 26, and "child of God" in Acts 4:27. They simply
translated the Greek wordpaida as "son" or "child". But the word paida
also means "servant", and the present context demands this translation
since the author of Acts is trying in this passage to establish that
Jesus is indeed the servant of God.
The translators knew that the Greek word paida means servant. When the
same word was used for David in chapter 4, verse 25, they translated
it"servant". Why not call Jesus also by the same title? Or, if they
feel that"son" is the correct translation, why not also call David
"Son of God"? Jesus and David are both called by the same title in
Greek. Why not call them by a same title in English also?
Other translators recognized this inconsistency and corrected it in
the moderntranslations of the Bible. Therefore the New International
Version of the Bible and many otherscall Jesus Servant of God in the
verses already quoted above. Nevertheless, the fact thatJesus was
God's servant was so well known that even the King James Bible called
him by this title in Matthew 12:18. Referring back to Isaiah 42:1,
Matthew identified Jesus as the servant of the one true God Yahweh.
In the next part, we will see how the eagerness in some people to call
Jesus"Son of God" led them to invent explanations that indirectly
insult God.
The Messiah, Jesus Son of Mary
"O People of the Scripture!Do not exaggerate in yourreligion, and do
not say anything concerning Allahexcept the truth. The Messiah, Jesus
son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He
conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His
messengers . . . " (Qur'an 4:171; see also 66:12).

1a] Is it permissible for a person who has bought a car or a house to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah?.

1a]
If one of my children doeswell 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 childrenor
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 ofsome 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 wereasked about the belief held
by many people, thatoffering a sacrifice on the threshold of the new
house before entering it isone 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, andis
in fact shirk. This is what seems to be the case with offering the
sacrifice before entering the house, and doing it onthe 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
showthem the house, then this is good and the one who does it is to be
praised forhis action. But that is only usually done after the people
have moved into the house, and not before,and the animal or
animalsshould not be slaughteredon the threshold of the house or in
the entryway to the house. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (1/214)
See also the answer to question no. 26952 , which quotes two fatwas
from Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz and Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen
concerning the same topic.
And Allaah knows best.

1] Is it permissible for a person who has bought a car or a house to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah?.

1]
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The blessings that Allaah bestows upon people are many, and His bounty
andgenerosity 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 (interpretationof 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 fromAllaah (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 ofdifferent 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 givingthanks 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
word fa (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 twogreatest 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 othertype of worship, as is known by those
whose hearts are alive and those of high aspirations. Adding to it the
benefits of offering sacrifice, whichis 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-Fataawa 916/532).
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 itby 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 in al-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
peopleto a meal. The fuqaha' have mentioned the kindsof meals that may
be offered when blessing arerenewed, such as the wakeerah which is
made for a new home, or naqee'ah which is made on the return of an
absentloved 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: Theseinvitations – 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 doeswell in school, is it permissible for me to
offer a sacrifice to celebrate his success, and to give thanks to
Allaah?
He replied:

Concerns of the Islamic Scholar During the Month of Ramadan

Allah Almighty declares in the Quran:
Verily, [O you who believe in Me,] this community of yours is one
single community, since I am the Sustainer of you all: worship, then
Me [alone]' (21:92).
He further explains:
'All believers are but brethren' (49:10)
As for the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, he clarified the
nature of the relationship between Muslims in this famous hadith:
'The example of the Muslims in their love and mercy for each other is
likethe body. If one part is afflicted, all the other partsrally to
its aid with fever and sleeplessness.'
Today Muslims pass this month of Ramadan in transgression and crises.
Capitalism is rife with greed. It directs its hostility against the
Islamic world with intellectual onslaughts. The foremost means toward
this is through women, wine and other enticements, distractions,
luxuries and unlawful amusements.
Secularism calls for the separation between the religion and worldly
affairs. It seeks to oust Islam from life's stage on the pretext that
religion distinguishes between people. In effect, secularism is an
atheist ideology that disregards all religions and, therefore,excludes
Islam in its entirety from playing any role in human life.
Freemasonry, the Jewish creation, has come to destroy religions
including Islam. On the surface it appears to be calling for the unity
of all people. It has its own means, taboos,emblems and cliques. It
operates in secret, has world-wide influence and springs from Zionist
origins. Hence today the Islamic nation suffers from intensewounds:
Palestine has been stolen from it, Al Aqsa mosque remains a hostage
while old men, women and children are slaughtered morning and evening.
Yet, Palestine will never be returned to the Muslim lands except by an
Islam with the rage of Umar ibn al Khattab, the boldness of Salah al
Din and the sincerity of Ibn Taymiya.
The Muslim woman is fought against because of her covering, modesty,
purity and religion.
Our young men are seduced by destructive means, satanic enticements
and sensual delights.
Evangelism is penetrating the Islamic world from all four directions.
Divisions and schisms are widespread among Muslims except those whom
Allah has shielded.
In the circumstances, whatis required is that the Muslim should live
for these great issues with his sentiments, wealth and prayers. He
should strive to increase awareness among his Muslim brothers of these
dangers. The Muslim should work relentlessly to bring about unity
within the ranks of his own community. More importantly, the Islamic
nation must avoid disputes and internal wrangling that only cause
failure; particularly when the news of these calamities that afflict
the Islamic world are exposed and become the issues of the day. As a
result, no Muslim should despise himself because in every Muslim there
is good. Indeed, every Muslim is expected to struggle if he or she is
able and to stop making excuses. They must strive with their persons
and their wealth. If not, with their wealth and the support of others
who spend of their wealth to advance the cause of Islam. They should,
at the end of each prayer, in the early hours of the morning, and
other times when prayers are answered, implore Allah toestablish and
grant victoryto the Muslims. We must, moreover, all call upon Allah to
increase us in piety and God-consciousness because the disasters and
calamities that have befallen us are all on account of our sins and
shortcomings. 'And do you,now that a calamity has befallen you after
you had inflicted twice as much [onyour foes], ask yourselves
"How has this come about?" Say: "It has comefrom your own selves"' (3:165)

4a] A Christian is asking, what do you do during the month of Ramadaan?

4a]
Perhaps if you visit an Islamic Centre, you will see for yourself the
happiness and joy that the Muslims, young and old, feel during
Ramadaan. This is due to the effects of worship andobedience, as
stated above.
We ask Allaah to guide you to that which is good for you and will
bring youhappiness in this world and in the Hereafter.
And Allaah knows best.

4] A Christian is asking, what do you do during the month of Ramadaan?

4]
What do you do during the month of fasting?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has singled out the month of Ramadaan with special virtues that
are not present in any other month. It is the best of months. Allaah
has the right to single out some months and nights and prefer them
over others, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "And your
Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses"
[al-Qasas 28:68]
Allaah has placed in the month of Ramadaan Laylat al-Qadr (the Night
of Decree), of which He says (interpretation of themeaning):
"The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months"
[al-Qadr 97:3]
i.e., worship on that night brings a greater reward than worshipping
for a thousand months; this is by the great bounty of Allaah towards
this ummah (nation - i.e., the Muslims).
Laylat al-Qadr occurs during the last ten nights of Ramadaan. Hence
the Muslims strive hard in worship during these ten days more than at
other times, seeking this blessed night.
With regard to what we Muslims do in Ramadaan, we seek to draw closer
to Allaah and strive hard in worship. Various kinds of worship have
been prescribed for us, by which we seek to draw closer to Allaah.
These include the following:
1 -Fasting.
This means refraining from food, drink, intercourse and sexual
activity from dawn until sunset. We are not the only nation on whom
Godhas enjoined fasting, rather there is no nation among the previous
nations upon whom God did not enjoin fasting. Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning):
"O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for
you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become
Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)"
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
2 - Prayers at night (Taraweeh)
Praying at night (qiyaam al-layl) has a great effect in purifying and
reforming hearts, and is also a means of forgiveness of sin.
3 - Reading Qur'aan
Ramadaan is the month of the Qur'aan, in which the revelation of the
Qur'aan to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
first began. Hence you will findthe Muslims reading the entire Qur'aan
during Ramadaan, and some of them read the entire Bookonce or twice,
or more than that. The Muslim knows that reading a single letter of
the Qur'aan brings a tenfold reward, and that reading a single page
brings a thousand rewards (hasanaat).
4 - Charity and feeding the poor
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most
generous of people, and he was at his most generous in Ramadaan.
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us
to feed the poor and to give fasting people food to break their fast.
He toldus that the reward of the one who gives food to a fasting
person to break his fast is equivalent to the reward of the fasting
person, without that detracting from the reward of the fasting person
in the slightest.
5 - Supplication
Ramadaan is the month of supplication (du'aa'). It is mustahabb for
the fasting person to make du'aa', and the du'aa' (supplication) of
one who has fasted at the time of breaking the fast will not be
rejected.
6 - I'tikaaf ("retreat" for worship)
This means staying in the mosque in order to devote oneself to
worshipof Allaah. It is Sunnah in the last ten days of Ramadaan,
seeking Laylatal-Qadr.
7 - Allaah has enjoined a special charity to be givenat the end of
Ramadaan. This is called Zakaat al-Fitr, by means of which the fasting
person offers expiation for any idle or obscene speech he may have
uttered during his fast; it is also a means of feeding and helping the
poor.
It is obligatory upon every Muslim, young and old, male and female. It
is one of the ways of making people feel the unity, cohesion and
mutual compassion of theMuslim community.
8 - Allaah has also enjoined that those who have fasted should offer
the Eid prayer, as a conclusion to these good deeds that they have
done during Ramadaan, and as a way of bringing them together to
express their joy and gratitude towards Allaah.
The point is that the Muslim spends the month of Ramadaan in fasting,
praying, offering night prayers (Taraweeh), remembering Allaah and
reading Qur'aan, and has ended it with i'tikaaf and charity, as well
as striving to uphold the ties of kinship and do good deeds, and
spending a great deal for the sake of Allaah, and other righteous good
deeds. Ramadaan is an occasion that is good for him, in which he does
acts of worship and rids himself of the burdens of sin. On every night
of Ramadaan Allaah frees people from Hell, overlooks their bad deeds
and forgives their sins. Hence the month of Ramadaan is the most
beloved of months to the Muslims, and they feel happy, joyful and
content at this time, and they wish that the whole year was
Ramadaan.:->

Communal du’aa’ after Taraaweeh prayer

My question is about the saheeh Sunnah with regard to Taraaweeh prayer
and what innovations have been introduced into it, and thecommunal
du'aa' after Taraaweeh prayer. May Allaah reward you with allgood on
my behalf and on behalf of the Muslims.
Praise be to Allaah.
With regard to the first part of your question, please see the section
on Taraaweeh prayer and Laylat al-Qadr under the heading of Fasting on
this website.
With regard to communaldu'aa' after Taraaweeh prayer, this action is
an innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, "Whoeverdoes an action that is not part of this matter
of ours(Islam), will have it rejected." Narrated by Muslim, 3243.
What was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) was that after Taraaweeh prayer he would say, "Subhaan
al-Malik al-Quddoos (Glorybe to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)", three
times, raising his voice on the third time.
Ahmad (14929), Abu Dawood (1430) and al-Nasaa'i (1699) narratedthat
Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite in
Witr "Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la (Glorify thename of your Lord, the
Most High)…" [i.e., Soorat al-A'laa 87] and Qul yaa ayyuha'l-kaafiroon
(Say (OMuhammad), 'O al-Kaafiroon (disbelievers))…'" [i.e., Soorat
al-Kaafiroon 109] and "Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad (Say (O Muhammad),'He is
Allaah, (the) One)…" [i.e., Soorat al-Ikhlaas 112]. And after he said
thetasleem he would say "Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos, Subhaan al-Malik
al-Quddoos, Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos (Glory be to the Sovereign,
the Most Holy; Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy; Glory be to
the Sovereign, the Most Holy)", raising his voice. Classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa'i, 1653.
Then in Witr prayer the imam will recite du'aa al-qunoot and the
worshippers will say Ameen behind him, as Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allaah
be pleased with him) used to do when he led the people in praying
Taraaweeh at the time of 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him). So
there is no need to introduce this bid'ah. Howtrue are the words of
the one who said, "All goodness is in following those who came before,
and all evil is in the innovation of those who came later."
And Allaah knows best.

Giving a talk after four rak’ahs of Taraaweeh

What is the shar'i ruling on giving a lesson after four rak'ahs of
Taraaweehprayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
With regard to the lesson which some imams and preachers give after
four rak'ahs of Taraaweeh, there is nothing wrong with it in sha
Allaah, but itis better not to do that all the time lest the people
think that it is part of the prayer and lest they think it is
obligatory and denounce the one who does not do it.
The imam, teacher or preacher can draw the people's attention to a few
shar'i rulings, especially those that they need to know in this month
of matters, provided that he does notdo that every time.
Undoubtedly words such as these are more beneficial than going out or
engaging in worldly conversations or raising one's voice, and it is
better than innovated dhikrs that some imams have introduced after
completing four rak'ahs.
Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen said:
Because people nowadaysmake the prayers short and do it in an hour or
less, there is no need for them to have this rest, because they do not
get tired or find it difficult. But if some imams separate the
rak'ahs of Taraaweeh by sitting or by pausing to catch their breath,
then it is better touse this rest to offer someadvice or give a
reminder,or to read from a useful book, or to give some tafseer
(commentary) on a verse that the imam hasrecited, or to give a
lessonor reminder of an Islamic ruling, so that the people will not
leave or get bored. And Allaah knows best.
Al-Ijaabat al-Bahiyyah fi'l-Masaa'il al-Ramadaaniyyah (Question 2)
And Allaah knows best.

3a] Ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylat al-Qadr only

3a]
With regard to singling out one night of Ramadaan as Laylat al-Qadr,
this requires evidence to show that it isthis night and not any other.
But the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan are
more likelythan others (to be Laylat al-Qadr) and the twenty-seventh
night is the most likely night to be Laylat al-Qadr, because of the
ahaadeeth to that effect.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta', 10/413
Hence the Muslim should not assume that any particular night is Laylat
al-Qadr, because that would mean that he is being certain about
something concerning which we cannot be certain, and because it means
that he is missing out on something that is good for him. It may be
the night of the twenty-first, or the twenty-third, or the
twenty-ninth. If he spends the night of the twenty-seventh only in
prayer, then he will have missed out on a lot of goodness, and he may
have missed that blessed night.
The Muslim should strive his hardest to do acts of obedience and
worship throughout Ramadaan, and more so in the last ten days. This is
the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him).
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
When the last ten days of Ramadaan began, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would tighten his waist-wrapper,
spend his nights in prayer, and wake his family.
Narrated by Muslim, 2024;Muslim, 1174.
And Allaah knows best.

3] Ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylat al-Qadr only

3]
What is the ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylatal-Qadr and not on
other nights?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
There are reports which speak of the great virtue of doing acts of
worship on Laylat al-Qadr. Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted,
has told us that it is better than a thousand nights, and the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that whoever spends
this night in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward will be
forgiven his previous sins.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down in theNight of Al-Qadr (Decree).
2. And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?
3. The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months
(i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him
a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
4. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by
Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,
5. (All that night), there is peace (and goodness fromAllaah to His
believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn"
[al-Qadr 97:1-5]
And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaahbe pleased with him)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoeverspends this night in prayer out of faith and in the hope of
reward will be forgiven his previous sins." Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
1901; Muslim,760.
Out of faith means believing in its virtue and in the reward for that.
In the hope of reward means by seeking the pleasure of Allaah.
Secondly:
The scholars differed as tothe definition of Laylat al-Qadr, and there
are many opinions, more thanforty as it says in Fath al-Baari. The
most likely to be correct is the view that it is one of the
odd-numbered nights among the last ten nights of Ramadaan.
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that
theMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Seek Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numberednights of the last
ten nights of Ramadaan." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2017; Muslim, 1169.
Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth in a chapter entitled: "Seeking
Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights
(of Ramadaan)."
The reason why it is hidden is to encourage the Muslim to strive hard
in worship and du'aa' and dhikr during all the last ten nights of
Ramadaan. This is the same reason why the time when du'aa'is answered
on Friday has not been defined, and why the ninety-names of Allaah
have not been defined, concerning whichthe Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoeverlearns them by heart
will enter Paradise." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2736; Muslim, 2677.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The words of Imam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) -
"Seeking Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numberednights of the last ten
nights (of Ramadaan)" - indicate that it is most likely that Laylat
al-Qadar cannot be in any month other than Ramadaan, and is in the
last ten nights thereof, and is one of the odd-numbered nights, but
not on any particular night. This is what is indicated by a number of
the reports that have been narrated concerning it.
Fath al-Baari, 4/260.
And he said:
The scholars said: The reason why Laylat al-Qadar has been concealed
is so that people will strive to seek it, because if its timing was
known, they would limit their efforts to that night only, as we have
explained previously about the time on Friday (when du'aa's are
answered).
Fath al-Baari, 4/266.
Thirdly:
Based on this, it is not possible for anyone to be certain that a
particular night is Laylat al-Qadr, especially since we know that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to tell his
ummah when it was, then he told them that Allaah had taken away that
knowledge.
It was narrated from 'Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) cameout with the news of Laylat al-Qadr, but two men
among the Muslims started arguing. He said: "I came out to tell you
about Laylat al-Qadr, but So and so and So and so started arguing, so
(that knowledge) was taken away. Perhaps that will be better for you.
So seek it on the (twenty-) seventh and the (twenty-)ninth and the
(twenty-) fifth." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 49.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
With regard to singling out one night of Ramadaan as Laylat al-Qadr,
this requires evidence to show that it isthis night and not any
other.:->

2b] Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

2b]
most of the night. Indeed, one night in which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in
prayingTaraaweeh, he did not end his prayer until just before dawn,
and the Sahaabah feared that theywould miss suhoor. The Sahaabah (may
Allaah be pleased with them) loved to pray behind the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and they did not feel that it was
too long. The scholars thought that if the imam made the prayer so
long, this would be too difficult for the members of the congregation
and that might put them off. So they thought that the imam should make
the recitation shorter and increase the number of rak'ahs.
The point is that the one who prays eleven rak'ahs in the manner
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
is doing well and is following the Sunnah. Whoever makes the
recitation shorter and increases the number of rak'ahs is also doing
well. A person who does either of these two things is not to be
denounced. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
If a person prays Taraaweeh according to the madhhabs of Abu
Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad, with twenty rak'ahs, or according to
the madhhab of Maalik, with thirty-six rak'ahs, or with thirteen or
eleven rak'ahs, he has done well, as Imam Ahmad said, because there is
nothing to specify the number. So the greater or lesser number of
rak'ahs depends on how long or short the qiyaam (standing in the
prayer) is.
Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 64
Al-Suyooti said:
What is narrated in the saheeh and hasan ahaadeeth is the command to
observe night prayers during Ramadaan, which is encouraged without
specifying a particular number. It is not proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak'ahs of
Taraaweeh, rather that he prayed at night, with an unspecifiednumber
of rak'ahs. Then he delayed it on the fourth night lest it become
obligatory for them and they might not be able to do it. Ibn Hajar
al-Haythami said: There is no saheeh report that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak'ahs of
Taraaweeh. Thenarration which suggests that he "used to pray twenty
rak'ahs" is extremely weak (da'eef).
Al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 27/142-145
So you should not be surprised that people prayTaraaweeh as twenty
rak'ahs. There have been generation after generation of those imams
(who used to pray twenty rak'ahs), and all ofthem are good.
And Allaah knows best./

2a] Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

2a]
nine rak'ahs sometimes. But what is meant by the hadeeth is pray as
you have seen me praying with regard to how to pray not how many
rak'ahs, unless there is a text to state what the number is.
Whatever the case, a person should not be strict with people with
regard to a matter that is broad in scope. We have even seen some
brothers who are strict on this matter accusing the imams who pray
more than eleven rak'ahs of following bid'ah, and theyleave the
mosque, thus missing out on the reward of which the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever
stands with theimam until he finishes (the prayer), the reward of
qiyaam al-layl will be recorded for him." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,
806; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 646). Some
of them even sit down after completing ten rak'ahs, thus breaking up
the rowsof worshippers by sitting there, and sometimes they start
talking and disturb the people who are praying.
We have no doubt that their intentions are good and they are doing
their best to come to the right conclusion, but that does not mean
that they are correct.
The other group does the opposite. They sternly denounce those who
prayonly eleven rak'ahs and say that they have gone against scholarly
consensus. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after
the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than
the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and
burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!"
[al-Nisa' 4:115]
All the generations who came before you only knew the number as
twenty-three rak'ahs, and they denounce anyone who says anything
different.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 4/73-75
With regard to the evidence quoted by those who say that it is not
permissible to do more than eight rak'ahs in Taraaweeh, they quote the
hadeeth of Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked 'Aa'ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with her), "How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pray during Ramadaan?" She said:
"Hedid not pray more than eleven rak'ahs in Ramadaan or at other
times. He would pray four,and do not ask how beautiful and long they
were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long
they were, then he would pray three. I said, 'O Messenger of Allaah,
will you sleep before you pray Witr?' He said, 'O 'Aa'ishah, my eyes
sleep but my heart does not.'"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1909; Muslim, 738
They said: This hadeeth indicates that the Messenger of Allaah was
consistent in his prayers at night in Ramadaan andat other times.
The scholars refuted this use of the hadeeth as evidence by saying
that this is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) did, but the fact that he did something does not
implythat it is obligatory.
The evidence that there is no set number for prayersat night – which
include Taraaweeh – is the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar according to which a
man asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) about prayer at night. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Prayers at night are to beoffered two by
two (two rak'ahs at a time). If any of you fears that the time of dawn
is approaching then let him pray one rak'ah as Witr."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 846; Muslim, 749)
If we look at what the scholars of the prominent schools of thought
said, you will clearly see that this matter is broad in scope and that
there is nothing wrong with doing more than eleven rak'ahs.
Al-Sarkhasi, who is one of the imams of the Hanafi school, said:
It is twenty rak'ahs, apart from Witr, in our view.
Al-Mabsoot, 2/145
Ibn Qudaamah said:
The favoured view according to Abu 'Abd-Allaah (i.e., Imam Ahmad, may
Allaah have mercy on him), is that it istwenty rak'ahs. This was the
view of al-Thawri, AbuHanfeefah and al-Shaafa'i. Maalik said it is
thirty-six.
Al-Mughni, 1/457
Al-Nawawi said:
Taraaweeh prayer is Sunnah according to scholarly consensus. Our view
is that it is twenty rak'ahs with ten tasleems,and it is permissible
to pray it individually or in congregation.
Al-Majmoo', 4/31
These are the views of thefour imams concerning the number of rak'ahs
of Taraaweeh prayer. All of them said something more than eleven
rak'ahs. Perhaps the reasons why they said something morethan eleven
rak'ahs include the following:
1- They thought that the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah did not mean that
this was the specific number.
2- A greater number was narrated from many of the salaf.
See al-Mughni, 2/604; al-Majmoo', 4/32
3- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
pray eleven rak'ahs and make them very lengthy, so much so that it
used to take him most of the night. Indeed,:->

2] Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

2]
have asked this earlier butdid not get a satisfactory answer. My
question is about Taraweeh Prayer inRamadan. You have answered to me
in a question before that Taraweeh should not be more that 11 rakat.
It has been authentically reported that MuhammadSAAW prayed Taraweeh 3
times in Ramadan and it consisted 11 Rakah. Also the book by Shaykh
Naasir-ud-Din Al-Albani (May Allah have mercy on him)، Qiyam and
Taraweeh states that Taraweeh should be 11 Rakah. The sunnah is 11
Rakat. Now the question which is confusing and often becomes a
discussion among brothers is whether the number of Rakat in Taraweeh
should be 11 Rakat or 20 Rakat. Some people during Ramadan go to
masjids where the Imam does 11 Rakats andother go to Masjids wherethe
Imam does 20 Rakats.In most of the Hanafi Masjids around the US the
Imam does 20 Rakat. The point to note is whether 20 Rakat or 11 Rakat
the Imam completes the entire Qurran during Ramadan. The people are
very sentitive about this issue and this issue becomes a topic in
gathering in the United States. The people who pray 20 Rakat blame the
other groug praying 11 asbeing wrong and the group praying 11 Rakat
blames the group praying20 as wrong. This is a big fitnah in the US.
This leadsto disunity. People alwaysquote that in Prophets Mosque the
Imam prays 20 Rakats and also in Masjid-ul-Haraam in Mecca the Imam
prays 20 Rakat. Also those who during Ramadan go to Saudi Arabia for
Umrah say that the Imam prays 20 Rakat. This is a confusion.
Please answer and explain to me the following issues:
1. The sunnah is to pray 11 Rakat then why is Prophets mosque in
Medina and also in Masdid-ul-Haram the imam leads the people to pray
20 Rakat? Why? Whyis this different from the sunnah?
2. Why are the number of Rakat of Taraweeh in Prophets mosque and
Masjid-ul-Haraam 20 Rakat? Please explain to us so.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not think that the Muslims should be so sensitive with regard to
issues that are the matter of scholarly differences or make them the
cause of division and fitnah amongthe Muslims.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, when
speaking about the matter of one who prays ten rak'ahs with the imam,
then sits down andwaits for Witr and does not complete the Taraaweeh
prayers with the imam:
It grieves us deeply that we find in the Muslim ummah a group which
differs concerning mattersin which differences of opinion are
acceptable, and they take these differences as a means to cause
division. Differenceswithin the ummah existed at the time of the
Sahaabah, yet they remained united. The youth in particular and to all
those who are committed to Islam must remain united, because they have
enemies who are laying in wait.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 4/225
Two groups have gone to extremes with regard to this matter. The first
group denounced everyone who prays morethan eleven rak'ahs and said
that doing so was bid'ah. The second group denounced those who do only
eleven rak'ahs and said that they are going against scholarly
consensus (ijmaa').
Let us listen to what Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Here we say that we should not go to extremes or be negligent. Some
people go to extremes in adhering to the number mentioned in the
Sunnah, and say that it is not permissible to do more than the number
mentioned in the Sunnah, and they aggressively denounce those who do
more than that, saying that they are sinners.
This is undoubtedly wrong. How can they be sinners, when the
ProphetSAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), upon being
asked about night prayers, said that they areto be done two by two,
and he did not specify anyparticular number? Of course the one who
asked him about the night prayer did not knowthe number, because if he
did not know how to do it, it is even more likely that he did not know
the number. And he was not one of those who served the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so that we might say that he knew
what happened inside his house. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) told him how to do it but did not say how many
times, it may be understood thatthe matter is broad in scope, and that
a person may pray one hundred rak'ahs then pray Witr with one rak'ah.
With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah
be upon him), "Pray as you have seen me praying", this does not apply
in absolute terms even for these people. Hence they do not say that a
person should pray Witr with fiverak'ahs sometimes and with seven
rak'ahs sometimes and with nine rak'ahs sometimes. If we understand it
in absolute terms, then we would have to pray Witr with five rak'ahs
sometimes and with seven rak'ahs sometimes and with nine rak'ahs
sometimes.:->

What can a woman who is menstruating do on Laylat al-Qadr?

I was wondering what a woman can do on laylat al-qadr if she is
menstruating at that time. can she earn extra rewards for engaging
herself in worship? if so, what is permissible for her to do so that
night?.
Praise be to Allaah.
A woman who is menstruating may do all acts of worship apart from
praying, fasting, circumambulating the Ka'bah and doing i'tikaaf in
the mosque.
It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to stay upat night during the last ten nights of
Ramadaan. Al-Bukhaari (2401) and Muslim (1174) narrated that 'Aa'ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "When the last ten nights of
Ramadaan came, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
would refrain from marital relations, stay up at night and wakehis
family up."
Staying up at night is not only for prayer, rather it includes all
kinds of acts of worship. This is how the scholars interpreted it.
Al-Haafiz said: "Staying upat night" means staying up to do acts of worship.
Al-Nawawi said: spendingthe night staying up to pray etc.
He said in 'Awn al-Ma'bood: i.e., in prayer, dhikr and reciting the Qur'aan.
Praying qiyaam is the best act of worship that a person can do on
Laylat al-Qadr. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Whoeverspends the night of Laylatal-Qadr in prayer
out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be
forgiven." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1901; Muslim, 760).
Because the woman who is menstruating is not allowed to pray, she can
spend the night in doing other acts of worship apart from prayer, such
as:
1- Reading or reciting Qur'aan. See question no. 2564 .
2- Dhikr – such as saying Subhaan-Allaah, Lailaaha illa-Allaah,
al-Hamdu Lillaah, etc. She can repeat the words "Subhaan-Allaah
wa'l-hamdu Lillaah, wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar (Glory
be toAllaah, praise be to Allaah,there is no god but Allaah and Allaah
is Most Great)" and "Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi, subhaan Allaah
il-'Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the
Almighty)" etc.
3- Istighfaar (praying for forgiveness), by repeating the phrase
"Astaghfir-Allaah (I ask Allaah for forgiveness)."
4- Du'aa' (supplication) – she can pray to Allaah and ask Him for
what is good in this world and in the Hereafter, for du'aa' is one of
the best acts of worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "Du'aa' is 'ibaadah (worship)." (Narrated by
al-Tirmidhi, 2895; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh
al-Tirmidhi, 2370).
The woman who is menstruating can do these acts of worship and others
on Laylat al-Qadr.
We ask Allaah to help us to do that which He loves and which pleases
Him. May Allaah accept our righteous deeds.

1a] Should Taraweeh prayer be offered individually or in congregation? Is completing the Qur’aan in Ramadaan bid’ah?

1a]
became caliph, he united them behind one imam, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, who
united the people in one congregation on the orders of 'Umar ibn
al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him). 'Umar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) was one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, of whom the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I urge you
to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphsafter
me; cling tightly to it." So what he did was Sunnah but he said, "What
a good innovation this is," because it was an innovation in the
linguistic sense, as they were doing something that they had not done
during the life of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), i.e., gathering to do this, but itis Sunnah in
the shar'i sense."
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 22/234, 235
For more information, please see question no. 21740 and 45781
Secondly:
Completing the Qur'aan inRamadaan, whether during prayer or outside
prayer, is something that is praiseworthy. Jibreel (peace be upon him)
used to review the Qur'aan with the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) every Ramadaan, and in the Prophet's last year he
reviewed it with him twice.

And Allaah knows best.

1] Should Taraweeh prayer be offered individually or in congregation? Is completing the Qur’aan in Ramadaan bid’ah?

1]
I have heard from some people that it is recommended to pray taraweeh
indivually as the prophet preyed it individually except 3 times, is
this true? I also heard that it is a bid'ah to recite the whole Quran
during taraweeh in ramadan as the prophet never did this, is this
true.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is prescribed to offer the night prayers in Ramadaan in
congregation or individually, but it is better to do it in
congregation than to do itindividually. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in offering these
prayers in congregation on several nights.
It is proven in al-Saheehayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) led his companions in prayer (Taraweeh) for
several nights, then on the third or fourth night he did not come out
to them. When morning came he said: "Nothing prevented me from coming
out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made
obligatory for you."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1129. According to the version narrated by
Muslim (761): "But I feared that night prayers would be made
obligatory for you and you would not be able to do them."
Offering Taraweeh prayer in congregation is something that is
established by the Sunnahof the Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah
be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
stated the reason why he did not persist in offering this prayer in
congregation, which is that he feared that it might be made
obligatory. This reason cased to be applicable after the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died, because when he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died, the wahy
(revelation) ceased and there was no longer any worry that it might be
made obligatory. Once thereason, which was the fear of it being made
obligatory, disappeared with the cessation of the wahy, then the fact
that itis Sunnah to offer this prayer in congregation resumed.
See al-Sharh al-Mumti' by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 4/78.
Imam Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This indicates that prayingqiyaam in Ramadaan is one of the Sunnahs of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and is
recommended and encouraged. It was not introduced by 'Umar ibn
al-Khattaab, rather he revived something that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) lovedand approved of.
Nothing stopped him from doing itregularly except the fear that it
might be made obligatory upon his ummah. He (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards his ummah.
'Umar knew from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) that the obligatory duties would not be increased or
decreased after his death (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
so he revived this practice and enjoined it upon the people. That
happened in 14 AH, and 'Umar has the honour of being the one who
revived this Sunnah.
Al-Tamheed, 8/108, 109
After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) prayed Taraweeh
in small groups and individually, until 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased
with him) united them behind a single imam.
It was narrated that 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Abd al-Qaari' said: I went
out with 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) one
night in Ramadaan to the mosque, and the people were scattered, with
one man praying by himself and another with a group of men following
his prayer. 'Umar said: "I think that if I gather thembehind one
reader, it will be better." Then he decided to unite them behind Ubayy
ibn Ka'b. Then I went out with him on another night, and the people
were praying behind their reader. 'Umarsaid: "What a good innovation
this is. But the prayer that they forget about and sleep is better
than the one they are offering." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1906.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, when refuting the view of thosewho
quoted 'Umar's words "What a good innovation this is" as meaning that
innovation (bid'ah) is permissible:
With regard to qiyaam in Ramadaan, the Messengerof Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) introduced thisto his ummah, and he
led them in prayer for a number of nights, becauseat his time they
used to pray in congregation and individually. But he did not persist
in leading them in one congregation, lest that be made obligatory for
them.When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
died, sharee'ahwas established (and would not change after that). When
'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) became caliph, he united them
behind one imam,:->

Staying up on Laylat al-Qadr and the ruling on celebrating it

How should we spend thenight of Laylat al-Qadr? Is it by praying,
reading Qur'aan and the Seerah (Prophet's biography), listening to
sermons and lessons and celebrating that in the mosque?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to strive hard in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadaan
as he did not do at other times, praying and reading Qur'aan.
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) that when the last ten days of Ramadaan began, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would stay up at night,
wake his family and tie his lower garmenttight. According to Ahmadand
Muslim: he would strive hard in worship during the last ten nights of
Ramadaan as he did not do at other times.
Secondly:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to
spend the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the
hope of reward. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer
out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous
sins."
This was narrated by the group apart from Ibn Maajah. This hadeeth
indicates that it is prescribed to stay up and spend this night in
prayer.
Thirdly:
One of the best du'aa's that can be recited on Laylat al-Qadr is that
which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). It was narrated by
al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh, that 'Aa'ishah said: I said: "O
Messenger of Allaah, If I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what
should I say?" He said: "Say: Allaahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibb
al-'afwa fa'fu 'anni (O Allaah, You are All-Forgiving and You love
forgiveness so forgive me)."
Fourthly:
With regard to singling out one night of Ramadaan and regarding that
as Laylat al-Qadr, thisrequires evidence. But theodd-numbered nights
during the last ten nights are more likely than others, and the night
of the twenty-seventh is more likely to be Laylat al-Qadr, because of
the ahaadeeth which indicate that.
Fifthly:
With regard to bid'ah (innovation), it is not permissible either in
Ramadaan or at other times. It was proven that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever innovates
anything in this matter of ours [Islam] that is not part of it will
have it rejected." And he said: "Whoever does any actionthat is not
part of this matter of ours will have itrejected."
With regard to the celebrations that are held on some nights of
Ramadaan, we know of no basis for that. The best guidance is the
guidance of Muhammad and the worst of matters are those which are
innovated.
And Allaah is the Source ofstrength. May Allaah send blessings and
peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah,

Is the du’aa’ of Witr obligatory, and what should a person say if he cannot memorize it?

I have noticed that it takes me time to learn a certain dua or surah
by heart .i know that dua -e -qunood is farz in 3 witr prayer of the
isha prayer...i always used to read some other surah instead of this
dua as i didnot know the dua by heart but i recently found out that it
is farz so i triedto learn the dua but it is taking me time...so for
several days i have been doing this that when i do 3 witr , in the
third rakah iread from a book which i pick up from the side table
during the prayer..i still face the qiblah when ipick it up, infact i
do not have to move to pick it up....i want to know if thatis allowed
that u read a surah or dua from a book during the prayer.
Praise be to Allaah.
1 – There is noting wrong with reading the du'aa' of Qunoot from a
piece of paper or a booklet in Witrprayer until one is able to
memorize it, after which you can stop reading it and can recite it
from memory. It is also permissible to recite Qur'aan from the Mus-haf
during naafil prayers for those who have not memorized a lot of
Qur'aan.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked about the ruling on reading Qur'aan from the
Mus-haf in Taraaweeh prayer, and what the evidence is for that from
the Qur'aan and Sunnah.
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with reading from the Mus-haf when praying at
night during Ramadaan because that will enable the believers to hear
all ofthe Qur'aan. And because the evidence of sharee'ah from the
Qur'aan and Sunnah indicates that it is prescribed to recite Qur'aan
in prayer, which includes both reading it from the Mus-haf and
reciting it by heart. It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be
pleased with her) that she told herfreed slave Dhakwaan to lead her in
praying night prayers during Ramadaan,and he used to read from the
Mus-haf. This was narrated by al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on
him) in his Saheeh, in amu'allaq majzoom report.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/155
2 – It is not obligatory for the du'aa' of Qunoot to bein the words
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him);
rather it is permissible for the worshipper to say other words or to
add to them. Even if he were to recite verses from the Qur'aan that
include words of supplication, that would be sufficient. Al-Nawawi
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Note that there is no specific
du'aa' for Qunoot according to the preferred point of view. Any du'aa'
that is said will serve as Qunoot, even if one recites a verse or
verses from the Qur'aan that include words of supplication, thiswill
count as Qunoot, but it is better to recite the words that were
narrated in the Sunnah.
Al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah, p. 50
3 – As for what the brother mentions about reciting Qur'aan instead
ofthe du'aa' of Qunoot, there is no doubt that he should not do this,
because the purpose behind Qunoot is du'aa' orsupplication. Hence if
these verses include words of supplication, it ispermissible to recite
themas Qunoot, for example, the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of themeaning):
"Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have
guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:8]
4 – With regard to what the brother says about Qunoot being
obligatory, this is not correct, becauseQunoot is Sunnah. Based on
this, if a worshipper omits Qunoot, his prayer is still valid.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about
theruling on reciting the du'aa' of Qunoot in Witr during the nights
of Ramadaan, and whether it is permissible to omit it.
He replied:
Qunoot is Sunnah in Witr and if a person omits it sometimes, there is
nothing wrong with that.
And he was asked about aperson who always recites Qunoot in Witr every
night – was that narrated from our forebears (the salaf)?
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with that, rather it is Sunnah, because when
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught
al-Husayn ibn 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) to say Qunoot in
Witr, he did not tell him to omit it sometimes or todo it all the
time. This indicates that either is permissible. Hence it was narrated
that when Ubayyibn Ka'b (may Allaah be pleased with him) led the
Sahaabah in prayer in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), he used to omit Qunoot some
nights;perhaps that was in order to teach the people that itis not
obligatory. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/159.

If he missed something at the beginning of Taraweeh, how can he make it up?

If I enter the mosque late for 'Isha' prayer and I missed the 'Isha'
prayer incongregation and I pray iton my own, and I am late in joining
the Taraweeh prayers because of doing 'Isha', and I miss two rak'ahs
of Taraweeh, how should I do these two rak'ahs? Alone or what?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If you miss 'Isha' and you arrive when the imam is praying Taraweeh,
it is better for you to join him with the intention of praying 'Isha'.
When he says the salaam, you should complete your prayer and not pray
aloneor with another jamaa'ah (congregation), so that there will not
be two jamaa'ahs at the same time, which may lead to distraction due
to the intermingling of voices.
Secondly:
As for what you have missed of Taraweeh, if you wish you may do it, so
you may pray two rak'ahs when the imam prays Witr, then pray what you
missed, then pray Witr.
What is meant by prayingtwo rak'ahs when the imam prays Witr is that
you do not say salaam with him when he ends his Witr, rather you
should stand up and pray another rak'ah, then say the salaam.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: If I
join the people when theyare praying Taraweeh andI have missed part of
it, should I make up what I have missed after Witr or what should I
do?
He replied: Do not make up what you have missed after Witr, rather if
you want to make up what you have missed, then pray two rak'ahs when
the imam prays Witr, thenoffer the prayers you missed, then pray Witr.
Here there is an issue to which attention should bedrawn: If you
arrive whenthe imam is praying Taraweeh and you did notpray 'Isha'
yet, what should you do? Should you pray 'Isha' on your own or join
the imam in Taraweeh with the intention of praying 'Isha'?
The answer is that you should join the imam in Taraweeh with the
intention of praying 'Isha'.When the imam says salaam from Taraweeh,
then stand up and make up the rest of 'Isha'. ImamAhmad (may Allaah
have mercy on him) mentionedthe exact same issue, and this was also
the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and this is the
correct view, because the correct view is that it is permissible to
offer an obligatory prayer in congregation behind an imam who is
offering a naafil prayer, based on the evidence of the hadeeth of
Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that he
used to pray 'Isha' with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), then he would go back to his people and lead them in
offering that prayer – it was naafil for him and obligatory for them.
End quote from al-Liqa' al-Shahri.
It is better for you to make it up in congregation if you can, but if
that is not possible then there is nothing wrong with you making itup
on your own.
And Allaah knows best.

Making Taraweeh prayer lengthy

An imam leads people in taraweeh prayer and recites one page each
raka'ah, which may equal 15 verses. Some people say he prolongs
reciting, and some say the opposite. What is known from the Sunnah
regarding taraweeh prayer? Is there a way to know if it is long or not
according to the Sunnah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is proven in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night in Ramadaan
and at other times, but he would makethe recitation and other
essential parts of the prayer so long that on one occasion he recited
more than five juz' (sipara) in a single rak'ah, reciting slowly and
carefully.
And it is proven that he would get up halfway through the night, or
shortly before or after that, and he would carry on praying until it
was close to dawn, so he would pray thirteen rak'ahs in approximately
five hours. This requires making the recitation andother essential
parts of the prayer lengthy.
And it is proven that when 'Umar united the Sahaabah in praying
Taraweeh, they would pray twenty rak'ahs, reciting approximately
thirty verses of al-Baqarahin each rak'ah, i.e., roughlyfour or five
pages, so theywould recite Soorat al-Baqarah in eight rak'ahs, and if
they recitedit in twelve rak'ahs they would think that it was short.
This is the Sunnah in Taraweeh prayer: if the recitation is kept short
then the number of rak'ahs is increased to forty-one rak'ahs, as
someof the imams said. If a person wants to limit himself to eleven
rak'ahs or thirteen rak'ahs, then he should lengthen the recitation
and other essential parts of the prayer. There is no set number for
Taraweeh prayer, rather what is required is to pray in the time that
will enable you to attain tranquillity and not rush, no less than an
hour or so. Whoever thinks that this is too longis going against what
has been narrated and no attention should be paid to him.

Can we join ‘Isha and Taraaweeh together with Maghrib in Ramadaan if it is raining?

If it is raining at the time of Maghrib in Ramadaan, should we not
join Maghrib and 'Ishaa', or can we join Maghrib and 'Ishaa' and delay
Taraaweeh?
We put this question to Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him), who replied:
The matter is flexible, in sha Allaah. Putting the prayers together
(in this case) may make the people miss out on a lot of benefits.
And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)