Waging a Struggle Consistent with the Qur'an's Ethics

All Muslims should live according to the ethics Allah revealed in
the Qur'an. However fair and just Muslims are in their everyday
life, their business affairs, or in their personal relationships,
they must demonstrate the same values during times of war, while
defending themselves, or even while being driven from their lands.
They must still put themselves in Allah's hands, obey Allah's laws,
and adhere strictly to His instructions.
The word "Islam" has the same meaning as the word "peace" in Arabic.
The Qur'an calls people to the ethics of Islam, through which the
world can be made a haven for peace and love. Allah commands us to
rule justly and without discriminating among people, to preserve
people's rights, oppose cruelty, and help those in need. This
justice requires each Muslim to protect the rights of both parties,
evaluate events objectively, and think without bias. It requires
justice, honesty, love, mercy, and compassion.
As Allah reveals in the Qur'an: "O you who believe! Show integrity
for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let
hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just, for
that is closer to heedfulness. Fear Allah. Allah is aware of what
you do." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 8), true Muslims must not let their
decisions or practices be tainted by such feelings as resentment,
hatred, and rage. Muslims must always conduct themselves according
to the Qur'an, behave with patience and restraint, and avoid
exaggerated responses. As Allah reminds: " We will test you with a
certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and
fruits. But give good news to the steadfast ." (Surat al-Baqara,
155). Thus, given that this life on Earth is merely a trial, we must
never forget that Allah tests His believers with war, attack,
oppression, and all manner of difficulties. The most important thing
is for Muslims to respond to such trials in a manner that pleases
Allah and always to behave in accord with Islamic teachings and
principles.
Thus the Palestinians must remember, as they respond to Israel, that
every difficulty they endure is really a test of their faith. In
addition, they must strictly adhere to Allah's ethics, justice, and
commands not to overstep their bounds. They must follow only those
opposition methods revealed in the Qur'an. The result of such an
intellectual struggle is most certainly salvation, for "Allah only
did this for it to be good news for you and so that your hearts might
be set at rest by it. And victory is not except from Allah, the
Exalted in Might, the Wise." (Surah Al 'Imran, 126)
Attacks against Defenseless Jews Are Incompatible with the Qur'an
The verse: "Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who
have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes,
or from being just toward them. Allah loves those who are just."
(Surat al-Mumtahana, 8) describes how the Palestinians must behave
toward civilians as they oppose the Israeli government. In the
Qur'an, Allah forbids killing innocent people, unarmed women,
children, and the elderly. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) gave specific orders to his commanders going to war,
and warned them not to harm civilians.
In the last few years, however, some Palestinians have carried out
bombings against civilian settlements occupied by unarmed
civilians, children, women, and the elderly. These attacks have made
targets of a cafeteria, a school bus, and places where teenagers
hang out, and have resulted in dozens of civilian deaths. According
to Israeli reports from various news agencies, suicide bombings
since September 2000 have killed 30 Israeli children and injured
272 more. Out of 177 Israelis killed, 128 were civilians; out of
1,743 Israelis injured, 1,216 were civilians. ("Palestinian
Terrorism - The Israel Side," Bridges for Peace Website,
http://www.bridgesforp eace.com/public ations /dispatch/signsoftimes
/Article- 2.html .) These attacks provoked a strong reaction
throughout the world and did more harm than good to the Palestinian
cause. Even those in the West who had opposed Israel's pro-violence
policy were forced to condemn the Palestinians and withdraw their
support.
Obviously, such attacks cannot be excused. As explained above, such
a method is absolutely inconsistent with Islam. When we examine the
Qur'an and the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
actions, we find that Islam does not support attacks against
civilians. Whether during the conquest of Mecca or during other
wars, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
carefully protected the rights of innocent and unarmed people and
prevented them from being harmed. He reminded Muslims of this on
various occasions by telling them: "Set out for war in the name of
Allah and for the sake of Allah. Do not lay hands on the old verging
on death, on women, children and babies. Do good, for Allah loves
the virtuous and the pious." ( Sahih Muslim Hadiths ) Another
reminder is:
"Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman." ( Abu Dawud Hadiths )
"Do not kill the monks in monasteries" ( Musnad of Ibn Hanbal
Hadiths) or "Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of
worship." ( Musnad of Ibn Hanbal Hadiths)
As shown in the hadiths, Muslims must struggle in conformity with
the Qur'an. In other words, their struggle must be just,
compassionate, and free of extremism. Muslims should oppose both
tyranny and barbarism, and all forms of injustice. Another verse
reports that they must always be on the side of peace and
compromise:
If they incline to peace, you too incline to it and put your trust
in Allah. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Surat al-Anfal,
61)
Muslim's stand on the subject of Israel and the Jews must also be in
line with these basic principles. Muslims who live in accordance
with the Qur'an must have an unbiased view of the Jews.
Jews believe in Allah's Oneness and follow a religion Allah revealed
through His messengers. Moreover, the Qur'an refers to them as
People of the Book. They embrace many values, based on Allah's
revelation, as well as the concepts of sin, haram (prohibited) and
halal (allowed). In the Qur'an, one can see that there was a
friendly relationship between Muslims and the People of the Book.
For this reason, if one of the People of the Book cooks some food,
Muslims can eat it and vice-versa, and Muslim men can marry their
women. These commands show that warm neighborly and even family
ties can be established among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and
that they can accept each other's invitations. Another verse calls
for the two groups to unite, based upon a common word for belief
(Surah Al 'Imran, 64).
For these reasons, Muslim communities historically have behaved
moderately and compassionately toward the People of the Book. This
situation is especially evident in the Ottoman Empire, which
accepted the Jews exiled by Catholic Spain at the end of the
fifteenth century and allowed them to live peacefully in the
empire.
Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not
fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from
being just toward them. Allah loves those who are just. Allah
merely forbids you from taking as friends those who have fought you
in the religion and driven you from your homes and who supported
your expulsion. Any who take them as friends are wrongdoers. (Surat
al-Mumtahana, 8-9)
Justice and moderation also should be shown toward followers of
non-monotheistic faiths and toward those with no faith at all, both
of which are far more distant to Muslims. According to the Qur'an,
Muslims have an obligation to protect all, even idolaters, and to
ensure they reach their destination safely when they so request.
If any of the idolaters ask you for protection, give them protection
until they have heard the words of Allah. Then convey them to a
place where they are safe. … (Surat at-Tawba, 6)
Muslims with a responsibility to ensure the safety of all, even
idolaters, must obviously be affectionate and understanding toward
the People of the Book, who believe in the One Allah, are loyal to
the prophets and have the concept of lawful and forbidden. Simply
put, Muslims who are sincere in their religion, obey Allah, and
respect the Qur'an can neither nurture animosity toward Jews just
because of their religion and beliefs, nor treat them with hostility
just because they are Jews.
Islam Forbids Suicide
When discussing attacks on Israeli citizens, the Islamic view of
suicide also must be examined. Some people are gravely misinformed
about Islam, believing that this religion of peace permits suicide
bombings; nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Islam
forbids a Muslim from taking his or her life, just as it forbids
taking somebody else's life. Allah explicitly condemns suicide: " do
not kill yourselves " (Surat an-Nisa', 29), regardless of the
reason. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also
told his Companions that suicide leads one to eternal damnation:
Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself
will be in the (Hell) Fire falling down into it and abiding therein
perpetually forever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself with
it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in
the (Hell) Fire, wherein he will abide eternally forever. Whoever
kills himself with an iron weapon will be carrying that weapon in
his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in the (Hell) Fire,
wherein he will abide eternally forever. ( Sahih Bukhari Hadiths)
As explained in the hadith, committing suicide and engaging in
suicide bombings – not to mention killing innocent people thereby –
violates the Qur'an's ethics. Every Muslim should condemn these
incidents, which cast a pall upon the Palestinians' rights.
It must not be forgotten that those who compel Palestinian youths to
engage in such unjust and irrational behavior are also pulling
Israeli and Palestinian youths into an endless cycle of bloodshed
and retribution. These ongoing suicide bombings destroy these
young people's futures and that of the land itself. The young people
who strap on explosives and detonate them among civilians are
being destroyed on a road that will never lead to success. And it is
essential for this method, which is incompatible with the Qur'an,
to be condemned by all Muslims.
The Solution Is the Implementation of Qur'anic Ethics
Any mode of struggle outside of the Qur'anic value system – for
example, the guerilla tactics envisaged by communist ideology – is
not correct and cannot succeed. For this reason, the current
situation must be evaluated sensibly and realistically, and a method
consistent with Qur'anic values must be devised.
The Palestinians can only attain the rights and peaceful lives they
demand through a campaign waged on the level of ideas and supported
by a very powerful educational project. For this, the Palestinians
need a strong team of educated and cultured individuals who are
aware of legal, diplomatic, and international policies, and who
conduct themselves according to the ethics of the Qur'an.
Of course there are a great many highly cultured, open-minded
intellectuals among the Palestinian people. The important thing is
the work these intellectuals will engage in to raise the
consciousness of the young, turn them in the right direction and
defend the Palestinian cause before the people of the world. This
work could play an important role in raising the Palestinians'
awareness of true Islamic ethics, raising the level of education,
and helping them to explain their rights to the world.
At present a very different picture of the Palestinian people is
being presented to the world, a picture totally at variance with the
truth. The Palestinian cause is suffering serious damage on account
of the irrational attacks, incompatible with Islamic values, being
carried out by a few fanatics or subversive groups who oppose peace
with violence. In the same way that this harm is expressed by many
intellectuals, it is also described by commentators in various
countries, including Turkey. The daily Zaman writer Kerim Balci, who
lives in Palestine, drew attention to this in one of his articles:
Not only are the suicide attacks a violation of fundamental Islamic
values, they also damage the Palestinian cause. Not just me, but
rational thinking Palestinians say the same thing … The Palestinian
cause is a problem of the whole Islamic world. Those at the head of
this movement cannot act in the light of their own personal
interests, out of a desire for revenge and a concern over honor and
pride. The militants who kill innocent Jewish children in Palestine
may well believe they are serving Islam. Yet all of their actions do
is to make things much more difficult for those people who are
trying to repair the damage done to the Muslim image all over the
world … It is blatantly evident that attacks of this kind benefit
Israel much more than Palestine. ( Zaman Turkish Daily, 15 September
2002.)
There are even those Palestinians who, ignorant of the true
Qur'anic morality, may participate in these provocations without
realizing the nature of what they are doing.
Given this, a great education force must be mobilized and spread
among all Palestinians, particularly the young ones, to stamp out
this ignorance and fanaticism and to teach them the true values of
the Qur'an. Schools, universities, and mass education campaigns can
help to raise their awareness and will be the greatest possible
contribution. We say this because when these people recognize the
true Islam revealed in the Qur'an, when they learn that Islam is a
religion of peace and reconciliation, when they comprehend world
politics with the consciousness brought by the Qur'an, they will
understand that suicide bombings and killing innocent people in
cafeterias or on buses are not only wrong, but are not a solution.
It is far easier to reach a solution through compassion and
reconciliation, rational policies, a worldwide diplomatic
initiative, and an intellectual struggle that is consistent with
the Qur'an's moral values.
The many wars of the twentieth century, as well as the numerous
incidents that have inaugurated the twenty- first century, clearly
show that violence cannot undo violence, and that brutality cannot
undo brutality. The only way to stop violence is for the virtues of
the Qur'an's ethics – humility, compassion, reconciliation, and
rationality – to prevail upon people's thoughts and actions, and on
the entire world.

Darwinist Education at Schools is the Main Reason Behind the Violence and Terrorism

Nothing in this world is a coincidence, and neither was the
darkness that the world was dragged into in the 20 th and 21 st
centuries. Allah, through these painful stages in history, showed a
very important example to humanity and He still wants them to see
it. The people need to understand: If they forget that they were
created for love, brotherhood, friendship and altruism, and if they
choose to be divided and fight instead of uniting and getting
stronger, and if they get carried away by false ideologies and
movements and believe that "killing and fighting is necessary to
improve," they will get what they want: fighting and suffering. And
they will ultimately see that conflicts will not bring improvement,
but only destruction.
Darwinism and Its Derivative Communism Is Based on a So-called Need
to Fight and Conflict
Dialectics which first originated in ancient Greece and meant
"debate" was described by Heraclitus (576-480) with the following
words: "... all things come into being by a conflict of opposites. "
To Heraclitus, conflict is the father of everything. Therefore,
there has to be a conflict between the thesis and the anti-thesis.
If the defenders of a thesis are going to be defeated by the other
side, it has to be through war and blood and the other side must be
destroyed at all costs. Then the synthesis will turn into a new
thesis and the same fight and war should continue at full speed.
Hegel and Marx, who followed centuries after him, called it
"conflict," if not directly war and it certainly didn't take long
before the bloody communist leaders perceived it as war and
massacre. They believed in the necessity of war and considered it
the basic condition for Marxism. Even though the green communists
today reject this concept of war, communism requires brutal
ambushes, guerilla war, and massacres without any reservations. The
current massacres in Syria, the bloodshed by the communist PKK in
the Southeastern Anatolia is proof enough of that.
Every Country Facing Terrorism Today Is Actually Suffering from Communism
Every country that is suffering from terrorism, including Turkey,
is actually fighting communism. Communism is very much alive today,
and even if it's not officially recognized; it's controlling parts
of North America, Northern Europe and almost the whole of the Middle
East. Then there are the countries which are officially under
communist rule such as many South America countries, China and of
course, North Korea. This communist, Marxist rule brings terrorism to
the whole world. Those who shut their eyes to this very obvious
Marxist threat are still looking for solutions to terrorism with
never- ending TV debates. However, at the same time, they continue
to teach their students dialectics in their schools. Their own
children's minds are filled with lies that two opposing ideas need
to fight each other and the history is full of such conflicts, and
that only such conflicts can bring improvement and benefit to
societies. Terrorists themselves are also indoctrinated with the
same lies. Ironically, both communist countries and capitalist
countries provide this education; the Marxist state of mind
therefore continues to progress in every country with secretive but
very firm steps.
There is another point that has to be kept in mind: Capitalism is
not a blow dealt to Marxism. On the contrary, according to Marx,
capitalism is an important requirement for societies to move
forward to communism. Communism is simply lying in ambush, waiting
to ensnare people and societies which became selfish under
capitalism, which have abandoned their moral, religious and human
values, thinking about themselves alone. The latest economic crisis
played into the hands of communism. According to Marxists and
communists, everything is now ready. Anyone wishing to understand
this phenomenon better can take a closer look at the many problems in
the world.
The Existence of Opposites Does Not Require Wars
There have always been opposites. The conflict between good and evil
has existed since the beginning of the world. However, this
conflict has to be defined accurately. The existence of opposites
does not require war. The opposites can stand up for themselves
through communication, and intellectual debate, presentation of
evidence, all within the bounds of love and respect; no one can be
forced to accept any idea and no one should be killed simply because
he doesn't want to accept it. No war has ever brought about
definitive improvement to any society so far. The bloody wars and
conflicts of the 20 th century, the endless fights of today, just
help the armaments industry which makes money over weapons
production and destroys people, civilizations, technology, cities and
entire economies. There can be no progress or improvement with
people who are becoming more and more frightened every day. There
can be no going forward when people keep getting hungrier, more
malnourished, less educated, less productive. The cities won't be
better when their infrastructure and technology is destroyed with
bombs and jetfighters. No society can move forward with the younger
generation dying out. The atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki did not bring anything other than wholesale destruction
that lingered through generations. The bloody dialectics introduced
by Marxism never brought that imaginary progress to societies and
it will not do so in the future. If we allow that, the world will
be engulfed with even worse disasters, and everywhere will be
drowning in blood.
Darwinism is the philosophical background of many conflicts in the
world. The theory of evolution claims that all species evolved from
a single cell (whose origin Darwinists can never explain) as a
result of a rather nebulous string of coincidences. According to
them, fighting is one of the elements of this imaginary
evolutionary process. The basis of this brutal ideology, which
claims that the living things can evolve only through fighting, is
about the survival of the fittest. Introducing this twisted Darwinist
religion as a scientific theory and including it in curriculums all
around the world has brought upon a mass public deception and
those twisted Darwinist ideas found a fertile breeding ground, which
ultimately led to loss of millions of lives through various wars.
The Sole Solution against Bloody Ideologies Is Ending the One-Sided
Education Favoring Darwinism
Opposing ideas can give rise to something better only through love
and compassion, respect, freedom of thought and scientific
evidence. Not through force or violence. It is high time for
everyone to understand the reason behind the disasters handicapping
the world. Marxism provides the rationale for war; Marxist societies
set the stage for that in a covert manner. The most effective way to
stop that is through showing that this bloody dialectics is a false
scientific rationale to justify the wars. It should be said all
around that the so-called dialectics of nature is pure nonsense, and
as much as there are predators in nature, there are living things
that act in a very selfless and altruistic manner too. A fast way to
achieve this would be swiftly amending the education system that
teaches young minds this bloody dialectic idea all around the
world. This world is not a battlefield, neither for us, nor for
other beings. The world will be beautiful only with love, as
revealed by Allah in all the Divine religions. Allah wants love from
us. Allah wants us to be one, brothers and sisters. Allah loves to
love and to be loved. This world will change only if we follow
Allah's orders and "love."
Bediüzzaman Points to the Importance of Intellectual Struggle
against Darwinism and Materialism
The great Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman, who devoted his entire life to
an intellectual struggle against disbelief, explained in his works
that disbelief was sustained by Darwinism and materialism. He,
therefore, said that an intellectual struggle against such
ideologies would play a vital role.
Bediüzzaman explains the impact of materialism on unbelievers
trying to ambush him and his friends:
"And thirdly: To corrupt them with the enticing vices and
stupefying, pleasurable poisons of materialist philosophy and
civilization; and destroy their solidarity; and disparage their
leaders with treacherous lies; and discredit their ways with some of
the principles of science and philosophy…" (Bediuzzaman, Risale-i
Nur Collection, The Rays, Thirteenth Ray)
As very wisely put by Bediüzzaman, the unbelievers sought to cheat
believers with temporary and tempting worldly pleasures to nullify
the intellectual works of Bediuzzaman, and with the encouragement
from materialistic culture, tried to impair the unity and
solidarity of the believers and slandered Bediuzzaman repeatedly.
However they invariably failed.
Bediüzzaman says that Darwinism and materialism will get stronger
especially in the End Times and that disbelief will be more
widespread propelled by these two ideologies; however the Prophet
Jesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) will put an end to this trouble
through an effective intellectual struggle. As Bediüzzaman
explained, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will carry out this duty perfectly, and
will intellectually end Darwinism and materialism and help save
people's faith.
" The first: Under the influence of science and philosophy, and the
spread of the materialist and naturalist epidemic into humanity, the
first duty [of Hazrat Mahdi (as)] is first of all to save faith as
to entirely silence philosophy and materialistic thinking ."
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 259)
Bediüzzaman says that Darwinism and materialism are the mainstays
of the antichrist, and that the Prophet Jesus (as) will carry out a
great intellectual struggle against that mischief, effectively
ending it:
"… at the end of time the religion of Christianity will be purified
and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of
unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy, and will be
transformed into Islam. At this point, the collective personality of
Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of
irreligion with the sword of heavenly revelation; so too,
representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (as)
will [spiritually] kill the antichrist, who represents the
collective personality of irreligion, that is, he will kill
atheistic thought [he will intellectually eliminate it]." (The
Letters, First Letter, p. 22)
"... will [intellectually] kill the gigantic collective personality
of materialism and irreligion which the antichrist will form – for
the antichrist will be killed by Jesus' (as) sword [of knowledge] –
and destroy his ideas and disbelief, which are atheistic." (Flashes,
5th Flash, p. 589)
Bediüzzaman Said Nursi makes it very clear that it is Darwinism and
materialism that push people away from the moral values of religion
and lead them to disbelief. He explains that Muslims will carry out
a great intellectual struggle against these two twisted ideas under
the leadership of the Prophet Jesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as). By
the grace of Allah, these ideologies will be ended by these two
blessed personages and the moral values of Islam will come to reign
throughout the world.

Dua seeking guidance to the straight path

Dua seeking guidance to the straight pathDua No: 1
سُورَةُ الفَاتِحَة - بِسْمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَـٰلَمِينَ )٢( ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ )٣(
مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ )٤( إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
)٥(
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ )٦( صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ
عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ )٧(
Translation
(1) In the name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
(2) [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds -
(3) The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
(4) Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
(5) It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
(6) Guide us to the straight path -
(7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those
who have evoked Your anger, or of those who are astray.
N.B. It is the Sunnah to say: 'Aameen' after finishing the recitation
of this Surah.
Transliteration
Ḥ
(1) bismillaahir-raḥmaanir-raḥeem
(2) al-ḥamdu lillaahi rabbil-‛aalameen
(3) ar-raḥmaanir-raḥeem
(4) maaliki yawm-id-deen
(5) iyyaaka na‛budu wa iyyaaka nasta‛een
(6) ihdinaṣ-ṣiraٰṭal-mustaqeem
(7) ṣiraٰṭ-alladheena an‛amta ‛alayhim ghayril-maghḍoobi ‛alayhim wa
laḍ-ḍaaalleen
Sources: The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Fatihah (1:1-7)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • لَا إِلَهَ
إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ
الْحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ،
سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلهِ ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَاللهُ
أَكْـبَرُ ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ الْعَلِيِّ
الْعَظِيمِ
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Translation
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever wakes up at night and says:
'None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone and with no
partner, to Him belongs [all] sovereignty and praise, and He is able
to do all things;
How far from imperfections Allah is, and all praise is for Allah, and
none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Allah is the
greatest, and there is no power nor might except with Allah, The Most
High, The Supreme.'
and then supplicates:
'O my Lord forgive me.'
will be forgiven."
In another narration:
"and then asks [for something], he will be answered. If he then
performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted."
Transliteration
laa ilaaha ill-allaahu waḥdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulku wa
lahul-ḥamd, wa huwa ‛alaa kulli shay'in qadeer,
subḥaan-allaahi wal-ḥamdu lillaah, wa laa ilaaha ill-allaahu wallaahu
akbar, wa laa ḥawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaahil-‛aliyyil-‛aẓeem
rabbigh-fir lee
Sources: Abu Dawud No# 5060

Tips for Dua - Times when Dua is answered:

Tip #1 - The realisation that only Allah responds to dua
This is the essence ofTawhid, that only Allah can hear your dua and
only Allah has the power to grant it.
Tip #2 - Singling out Allah alone for dua
Once a person realises that only Allah can respond to his dua, then
they will only ever ask Allah for help, rather than asking idols or
other people.
Tip #3 - To perform tawassul properly Expand
Tawassul is an important aspect of making dua. Linguistically it means
trying to get closer to a goal. Islamically, it involves using methods
prescribed in Islamic law to help get your du'a answered.
Tip #4 - Tawassul through Allah's names and attributes Expand
Allah's various Names and Attributes may be used when making Dua, they
help one strengthen their connection with Allah and make their Dua
more personal.
Tip #5 - Tawassul by mentioning Allah's favours Expand
Mentioning the favours of Allah is another method of performing
tawassul, in essence, this increases your love for Allah when you
remind yourself of what He has given you.
Tip #6 - Tawassul by mentioning the state you find yourself in Expand
Mentioning the state one is in helps you remember your own weakness
and the fact that only Allah can help you.
Tip #7 - Tawassul through Good Deeds Expand
Mentioning ones good deeds in front of Allah in order to gain favour
from Him is another permissible way of performing tawassul.
Tip #8 - Tawassul through mentioning the Effect of the Dua Expand
When asking for something from someone, there is more chance of you
receiving it if you mention what you are going to do with it, this
concept is the same in Dua and is a permissible form of tawassul
Tip #9 - Tawassul by asking a Living person to make Dua Expand
This is a very detailed aspect of Tawassul and often the most misused.
It involves asking another person to make dua on your behalf in the
chance that it will increase the likelihood of your dua being
Tip #10 - Lack of Hastiness Expand
Hastiness is a cause of your dua being rejected.
And man supplicates for evil as he supplicates for good, and man is
ever hasty. [The Qur'an: Surah al-Isra 17:11]
Surely man is created of a hasty te
Tip #11 - Du'a for things that are good Expand
Your dua must not contain anything impure or evil, such as cutting of
relationship ties with family, as Allah would not help someone to do
that.
Tip #12 - To have good intentions Expand
All deeds are based upon intention in Islam, including Dua. The
intention of the dua can help your dua to be accepted as you are
telling Allah what you intend to do with the response.
Tip #13 - The presence of an attentive Heart Expand
An attentive heart should be present during all forms of worship,
especially in Dua and Salaah, in which you are requesting an audience
with Allah.
Tip #14 - Purity of One's Sustenance Expand
What you earn should be pure, if your earnings are impure, then
everything gained from those earnings will also be impure, this
negatively effects ones dua.
Tip #15 - Prayer upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him] Expand
Praying upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him] is a noble act in itself and adding it into your dua helps the
dua be responded to. This etiquette is specifically mentioned
Tip #16 - That the Du'a doesn't interfere with something more
important Expand
A Muslim must prioritise what needs to be done in life, for example
Dua should not interfere with performing the obligatory prayers, as
the obligatory actions are more important than the voluntary.
Tip #17 - Praising Allah before the Du'a, and Praying upon the
Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings Expand
This is an important etiquette of dua, one who neglects these has been
hasty in his Dua.
Tip #18 - Du'a with Allah's Greatest Name Expand
Allah has a name which is greater than all the others, there are
various opinions as to which name it is, however some ahadith have
narrowed it down.
Tip #19 - Raising One's Hands Expand
Raising ones hands with the palms facing upwards is an etiquette for
dua mentioned in various ahadeeth.
Tip #20 - Facing the Qiblah Expand
The qiblah, being a blessed place, is a good direction to face when
making dua, this helps you focus when asking from Allah.
Tip #21 - Performing Wudu Expand
Being in a state of Wudu is important to a Muslim, one requires it
when performing Salaah, the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him] used to love being in a state of wudu and some
Tip #22 - To Cry Expand
Crying is a way in which one can show and feel true sincerity in dua,
in front of Allah. It is something which shows the helplessness and
seriousness of the person within his dua.
Tip #23 - To expect the best from Allah Expand
Whenever we as Muslims talk about Allah we should avoid speaking in a
negative way or assigning negative attributes to Him. In the same way,
we should always have a good opinion of Allah, and this inc
Tip #24 - To pray with Humility and Fear Expand
One should humble himself when requesting something from Allah, The
Lord of The Worlds, they should also fear His punishment and have hope
for forgiveness.
Tip #25 - To complain only to Allah Expand
A Muslim understands that if all the beings in the world gathered to
benefit or harm him, they cannot do either without the permission of
Allah, thus one should only complain to Allah, whether the iss
Tip #26 - To Pray quietly Expand
From the etiquettes of making dua, is that one makes dua in a quiet
voice. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah goes through the wisdom behind
making dua quietly in the more detailed section.
Tip #27 - Acknowledging ones sins Expand
When one acknowledges ones sins, it helps them realise how much they
need the mercy of Allah and adds to the sincerity of the person.
Tip #28 - To Implore Allah Earnestly Expand
One should ask of Allah with a sense of urgency and comprehensiveness,
for example, asking not just for forgiveness of your sins, but of all
your past sins and future sins as well.
Tip #29 - To be determined in One's request Expand
Determination and resolve are factors which will help get your dua
answered, as they both show how much you want a response. The Prophet
[May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] commanded us
Tip #30 - To use the Proper names and attributes of Allah Expand
Allah has many Names and Attributes, it is good to use specific ones
when asking for things, such as calling Allah, Ar-Razaq, when wanting
sustenance.
Tip #31 - To repeat the du'a three times Expand
Repeating the Dua 3 times brings about a sense of urgency, this was
practised by the Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of
Allah be upon him] many times.
Tip #32 - To Pray with concise Du'a Expand
The meaning of concise here is to be brief but to contain many
meanings, and ask for general benefits, and seek refuge in general
evils.
Tip #33 - To start Du'a with ones self Expand
A person should be concerned with himself first and foremost, as this
is how it will be on the Day of Judgement. So when making dua, before
asking Allah for others, ask for yourself first.
Tip #34 - To Pray for all Muslims Expand
Allah says in the Qur'an: "Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for
the believing men and women". This also comes under loving for your
brother what you love for yourself.
Tip #35 - To Say Ameen Expand
The phrase 'Ameen' is a mercy from Allah, and literally means "O
Allah! Accept (or respond to) this dua".
Tip #36 - To make dua at all times Expand
Dua can be made anywhere, any time. One should take advantage of this
blessing Allah has given us, and make Dua in every situation for
everything, whether small or great.
Tip #37 - To make dua for all matters Expand
One should make Dua for all matters, whether that is something which
seems insignificant, or something great.
Tip #38 - To make du'as when one is in a condition of response Expand
There are specific conditions in which your Dua is more likely to be
accepted, they are listed on the Full Tips page.
Tip #39 - Situations when Dua is answered: The person who has been
Wronged - Expand
Allah accepts the Dua of any person who has been wronged, even if he
is a non-Muslim. This condition gives hope to those who have been
wronged and fear to those who wrong people.
Tip #40 - Situations when Dua is answered: when Dua is answered: The
One in Severe Circumstances - Expand
Allah is the One who responds to the distressed when they call out to
Him, in reality no one can help a person without the permission of
Allah.
Tip #41 - Situations when Dua is answered: After a Calamity Expand
Providing a person has been patient through a trial or calamity, and
has remained pleased with Allah, Allah will accept their dua.
Tip #42- Situations when Dua is answered: The Traveller - Expand
Allah has given many leniencies and graces to the traveller, such as
being able to join the prayers together for ease, another major one is
that Allah will accept the dua of the traveller.
Tip #43 - Situations when Dua is answered: The One who is Fasting - Expand
Fasting is of the most pious deeds that one can do, and brings with it
many benefits, one of which is that the dua of the fasting person is
not rejected.
Tip #44 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Person Reciting the
Qur'an - Expand
The Qur'an is a blessed book given by Allah, the benefits of reading
and acting on it are too many to list, tranquillity descends on the
One who reads it, so we are encouraged to make dua at this time
Tip #45 - Situations when Dua is answered: The person performing
Hajj, Umrah or Jihad - Expand
Hajj is of the greatest deeds one can do, and it is known in an
authentic hadith that the person doing Hajj will have his dua
responded to.
Tip #46 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Dua for a Person in his
Absence - Expand
A specific condition is mentioned regarding the one who prays for his
brother in his absence, and that the angels pray for him also.
Tip #47 - Situations when Dua is answered: The One who Remembers Allah
Constantly - Expand
The one who always remembers Allah will be of those whose duas are not rejected.
Tip #48 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Just Ruler Expand
A Ruler is someone who Allah has put in power, and if he does not
abuse his power and is just, Allah will accept his dua.
Tip #49 - To make duas at the times of response Expand
There are many recommended times in which a dua is more likely to be
accepted, this is a great mercy from Allah. One who wishes for his dua
to be accepted, should utilise these times.
Tip #50 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua in the Last Third of the
Night - Expand
The night is mentioned in many cases in the Qur'an and Sunnah as being
a blessed time, especially the last third of the night, where Allah
descends to the lowest heavens and responds to duas.
Tip #51 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua when the Adhan is called - Expand
A specific condition is mentioned in various ahadeeth singling out the
time after the Adhaan as being a time in which your dua is responded
to.
The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "Two (duas)
are never rejected: the dua during the call for prayer, and the dua
during the calamity, when the two armies attack each other". [Abu
Dawud #2540, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim, from Sahl ibn Sa'd, and
authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami #3079]
In another Hadith: "When the prayer is called, doors of the skies are
opened, and the dua is answered" [al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106;
authenticated in al-Sahihah #1413]
And in another one: "Seek the response to your duas when the armies
meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls" [al-Shafi'i in
his al-Umm 1/223, authenticated in al-Sahihah #1469]
Tip #52 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua between the Adhan and the
Iqamah - Expand
It is mentioned in a hadith that the dua said between the adhan and
the iqamah is not refused, so we are encouraged to make dua during
this time.
Tip #53 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua during the Salaah - Expand
Salaah is a time when you are requesting an audience with Allah, so it
is befitting to make dua in this situation.
Tip #54 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua while Prostrating - Expand
Making dua in Salaah is something good and recommended, even more so
when one is in prostration to Allah as this is when a slave is closest
to his Lord.
Tip #55 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua before the end of Salaah - Expand
We are encouraged by the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings be upon
him] to make dua before the end of Salaah]
Tip #56 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua after the Salaah - Expand
It is mentioned in a hadith that a dua after the obligatory prayer is
the most likely to be responded to.
Tip #57 - Times when Dua is answered: An hour on Friday - Expand
As mentioned in a hadith, there is a specific hour on Jummah, in which
Allah will give the Muslim what he has asked for. There are various
opinions as to when this hour is.
Tip #58 - Times when Dua is answered: When waking up at night - Expand
A person who wakes up in the middle of the night for whatever reason,
and remembers Allah, then his dua will be accepted.
Tip #59 - Times when Dua is answered: After performing Wudu - Expand
Wudu is a blessed state to be in, and brings with it specific
benefits, such as the gates of paradise opening for the one who
performs it properly and says a specific dua.
Tip #60 - Times when Dua is answered: Before drinking Zam Zam - Expand
The water of Zam Zam is known to be a blessed water, and that it will
give people whatever they drank it for.
Tip #61 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua during Ramadan - Expand
The benefits of Ramadan are too many to list. As Muslims we know that
this is the blessed month and that we should increase our worship at
this time, including our duas.
Tip #62 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua on 'The Night of Decree' - Expand
Within Ramadan, there is 1 night in which many blessings are sent
down, it is so great that Allah has revealed a Surah concerning just
that night [Surah al-Qadr], on this night Muslims should strive t
Tip #63 - Times when Dua is answered: While visiting the sick - Expand
A specific mannerism of a Muslim is to visit the sick, when one does
this then they have an increased chance of having their dua accepted.
Tip #64 - Times when Dua is answered: When Rain falls - Expand
It is mentioned specifically that duas will be accepted during
rainfall, as this is a time when the mercy of Allah descends.
Tip #65 - Times when Dua is answered: Before Zuhr - Expand
The time before Zuhr is another time in which your dua is more likely
to be accepted.
Tip #66 - Times when Dua is answered: At the Crowing of a Rooster - Expand
There is a hadith which mentions that when a rooster crows it has seen
an Angel, so we should ask Allah for His Bounties.

Story, - My messed up life

it all started when i was 12, i had friends that are alder than me,
very older.. and they were dating and i was very curious into knowing
what dating felt like, so i had my first boyfriend who was 6 years
older than i was, i know, it was not clever but i loved him.. this guy
would play me like a ball, i would see him with other women but i ddnt
care as i believed it was love... so i kept holding strong, till he
started beating me becsuse he believed i was misbehaving, i still
stood by him, even after de puches and the kicking, he impregnanted my
friend and claimed it was a mistake and i believed him and still held
on, i mean thats how much i realy loved the guy..he was my
everything... till one day there was a public function and evryone who
was evryone was there and he decided to beat me up in public as he was
so drunk and it was that moment that i decided im done with him, thou
i loved him...i completed my school and went to varsity, now i started
dating different men coz i was hurt that it didnt workout with the
love of my life, so i would date not for long and dump them, these ppl
loved me but i ddnt care and juniour was one of them, he cried for me
when i broke up with him, i felt pity but i had just cum out of a
relationship with the love of my life so i ddnt care much,juniour
realy wanted it to work coz he introduced me to his family but i was
just not ready for that so i dumped him... then i met this guy (let me
call hm henry). henry was very patient with me even with all my crap
of giving him a tough time,he was still patient and i started liking
him alot and when i finaly fell for him, his ex started with me,
threatening me, calling me with his phone and all that crap, but i
still held on as im one who likes competitions alot, i had a
graduation party and both henry and juniour were there, henry ewas
mr.party but sumhow i wished juniour was..so after the party henry
leftbek to his plce as he had to work de following day, i kissed
juniour and we talked and i fell for him hard this time but there was
nothing i could do as i was with henry. than one morning henry's ex
calls me at 3am with his phone, i was very pissed but i ddnt ask him
abt it, i decided to hangout with this guy who was crazy about me and
henry got to hear about it, apparently they told him im sliping with
the guy, so he broke up with me...it hurt me alot but i am a strong
person i pulled up and then i went bek to juniour and still with him,
im in contact with his family and i like it but the problem is i feel
as if juniour is pulling bek, i think he has fear that i might dump
him again, but i wont im inlove with him now more than ever... but he
kips blowing me off and ja its all my fault, i messed up my life coz
now henry wants me bek, do i go bek or do i stay with juniour...i have
realy grown fond off him

Story, - My Father Erwin, Forgive Me!

I am Shakie Pangster from Pangasinan and I just want to share my love story.
CHAPTER # 1
When i entered in college, my classmates was amazed because of my name
and surname. I was a half Filipino and half Nigerian that is why my
name is Shakie Pangster. That my story starts when there was this girl
that I adore too much, her name was Anna Fonti. I love her and
obviously, I have a crush on her. She has long hair, brown eyes, white
teeth and I think, she possess almost every positive things that we
want to a girl. I really like this girl but the thing is that, I am
very ugly. My teeth is full of tar-tar, I have bad breath, I have
"galis" in almost every part of my body. In short, the girl I love
will forever be a dream for me. Too sad for me!
CHAPTER # 2
I became a stalker to Anna and even if i already knew that there was
no chance for us, still, I tried my best to show my affection for her.
I am putting flowers, chocolates and gifts to her locker. I could see
her smile and become happy whenever she receives my gifts, if only she
would know where it came from. I bet if she knew that it came from me,
she would immediately throw it away!
CHAPTER # 3
One day, I decided to eat banana-Q in the canteen, that is my favorite
food. I really love foods that has banana on it like banana chips,
banana shake, banana republic? Hehehe!
So while I'm eating alone, I noticed that Anna was staring at me, and
suddenly she walk passionately towards me! To my shock, I cried and
she giggles a lot, I was embarrassed, I don't know what to do that is
why I decided to commit suicide!
CHAPTER # 4
I went to the rooftop and decided to end my life their, as i was about
to jump, I saw Anna run behind me an she said "I love you Shakie!" I
was stunned by what she said and my feet had cramps! Shit! It was a
mistake because before I realize I was already falling and Anna was
crying! I was already in the air, falling in that 90 ft. building. And
I shouted "Father Erwin! I sorry!" and I fell. I survived because my
father hear me shouting when I am falling in the rooftop and he
immediately run towards me. But my face was badly damaged, hehe, it
was damaged even before. And Anna was my wife now, she married me
because their company was bankrupt and her father sold their souls to
the demons, and luckily! My father was a demon! wahaha! By the way I
am prince Shakie Pangster of hell.

Fathwa, - Is women’s Friday prayer valid?

Question:
Is women�s Friday prayer valid?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam,
There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that:
a) the Friday prayer is not obligatory for women; and
b) if a woman performs the Friday prayer, it is valid. [Nawawi,
al-Majmu`, 4.350, quoting Ibn al-Mundhir and others]
Imam Sarakhsi explains in his Mabsut that there is a difference between:
a) conditions of obligation (i.e. those conditions that make an action
obligatory to perform); and
b) conditions of validity (i.e. those conditions that make an action
valid, if fulfilled). [Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut, 2.23]
The reason why it is not obligatory for women to perform the Friday
prayer is because of the hardship and possible harm entailed in them
doing so�especially in the case of mothers and others. However, if a
woman goes ahead and attends the Friday prayer, it counts because she
bore the hardship entailed. [Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut; Nawawi, al-Majmu`]
Imam Nawawi mentions that it has been established by a large body of
authentic hadiths that women used to pray behind the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) at his mosque, and women�s interaction
with men is not haram when there isn�t seclusion (or any other harm)
entailed. [Nawawi, al-Majmu`, 3.350]
And Allah alone gives success.

Fathwa, - Menstruation Started Before She Prayed…

Question:
If a sister is expecting her period anytime... she is doing housework,
or helping around the house and time for Salah enters, but she is
still occupied in doing something as useless as watching TV or doing
something important as housework/helping parents etc. so she keeps the
niyah about making her salah before it is Qadah, but eventually when
she goes to make her salah she finds that she has gotten her period.
Henceforth she cannot make that salah anymore...is this a sin upon
her?...because she could have done it but yet she was occupied... and
she did make the niyah to make the salah before it became Qadah... if
this is a sin depending on what she was doing please explain that as
well
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
There is no sin upon this lady and she is not expected to make the
prayer up. This is because in menstruation we look to the end of the
prayer time. If she menstruated any time before the end of a
particular prayer time, even if only moments before the beginning of
the next prayer time, then she is not responsible for offering that
particular prayer. It would be just as if she was menstruating for
that entire prayer time. (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 1:292, 'Ilmiyya)
This is a great mercy from Allah Most High otherwise ladies in such
situations would have to hasten to pray as soon as a prayer time
enters which could clearly be awkward. Conversely this same principle
applies when a lady's menstruation draws to a close. If the bleeding
stops before the end of a prayer time then one is responsible for
offering that prayer as long as it leaves one with enough time to
perform the ritual bath and to start the obligatory prayer. This means
that one must be careful to check before the end of a prayer time for
the cessation of bleeding if one is expecting the bleeding to end so
that one may hasten to pray before the end of a prayer time.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Praying When Pregnant: Obligatory?

Question:
Is it fard upon a woman in her 9 month pregnancy to pray, as she finds
it very difficult?
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
It remains obligatory for a pregnant woman to pray: if she can pray
standing, she must; if she can�t do so without genuine hardship or
unbearable pain, then sitting down on the ground, with prostration; if
she can�t, then sitting with head motions. But she must pray.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us
that the first deed the believer will be asked about on the Day of
Judgment is their prayer�

Al-Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas

Muslims follow four major schools of jurisprudence in matters of legal
and devotional details. Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas, may Allaah have mercy
upom him, comes second in order from a chronological point of view.
For Maalik ibn Anas, who is known as the scholar of Madeenah, was born
in Madeenah in the year 93 A.H.
Imaam Maalik's mother advised him to join the first school and
university in Islam, the Mosque of the Prophet in Madeenah, where he
started by memorizing the Glorious Quran and then the Hadeeth
]traditions of Prophet Muhammad[. In the age when writing and written
educational material were a rarity, students and scholars had to have
a strong memory to consult and store the knowledge they gained. Imaam
Maalik was not lacking in this special ability. We are told that when
he listened to a teacher narrating Prophetic traditions, Maalik ibn
Anas used to tie a knot for each tradition )Hadeeth(. Later, he tried
to recite the traditions to himself in order to make sure that he
retained every single one. Once he attended a session where 30
Hadeeths were narrated and discussed. When the session was over he
checked his retention of those Hadeeths and found that he forgot one
of them. So he rushed after his teacher to learn the missing Hadeeth
from him, the teacher listened to him, and taught him the one he had
missed.
As an eminent scholar, he not only attended study circles held by no
less than 90 scholars, but throughout his life he discussed different
matters of the faith with his colleagues and the scholars who came to
Madeenah during the Hajj )pilgrimage( season, in addition to
corresponding with well-known authorities in various parts of the
Muslim world. We are told that Maalik ibn Anas started teaching in the
Prophet's Mosque very early in his life )late teens or early
twenties(, but he did not start teaching until his command of
religious learning was witnessed to by no less than seventy of his
teachers, some of whom came to attend the teaching sessions of their
former student to learn from him.
As a conservative traditionalist, Imaam Maalik as a teacher in his
mosque had great reverence for the Hadeeths of the Prophet. History
tells us that before Imaam Maalik embarked upon teaching the Hadeeth,
he would have a bath and wear his best clothes, and he would not allow
anyone to raise his voice too high. It is also reported that he would
not ride in Madeenah, saying that he could not see himself riding in a
town where the Prophetwas buried.
Since Imaam Maalik lived ninety years he witnessed the change of the
Umayyad Dynasty to the Abbasid, and he met many a Caliph whose respect
he commanded with his knowledge and sincere advice, in addition to his
dignity as a scholar. We are told that when the famous Caliph Haroon
Ar-Rasheed learnt about Al-Muwatta' )a book compiled by Imaam Maalik(,
he sent his minister to fetch him in order to read the book to the
Caliph. Imaam Maalik politely answered, "Give my regards to the
Caliph, and tell him that knowledge should be visited, and it should
not visit people. People should come to it, and it should not go to
people." Later, when the Caliph blamed Imaam Maalik for disobeying
him, he said to the Caliph: "O Leader of the Faithful, Allaah the
Almighty has raised you to this honourable position. Do not be the
first one to lower the place and insult the dignity of knowledge and
learning so that Allaah may not lower your place. I did not really
want to disobey you, but I rather wanted the Leader of the Faithful to
show due respect to learning in order that Allaah may raise his
position." Caliph Haroun Ar-Rasheed was convinced, and he walked along
with Imaam Maalik to his own house to listen to him and to his
readings from his book.
Another quality typical of the knowledgeable heroes of Islam, which
Imaam Maalik taught to people through word and action, was humility
and confession to ignorance of matters of which he was not certain. He
emphasized to his students that the most important expression a true
scholar should have the courage to say was, "I do not know." In fact,
we are told that a man came to Imaam Maalik and informed him that he
had travelled for six months to ask him about a certain problem. Upon
hearing the problem Maalik could not find a satisfactory answer. So he
humbly told the man, "I do not know." The man was surprised, and he
said, "What shall I tell my folk when I go home." Imaam Maalik said:
"Tell them Maalik ibn Anas says he does not know."
It was with this sense of responsibility that Imaam Maalik taught
people and gave his religious verdict )fatwa(, despite the fact that
he collected more than 100,000 Prophetic traditions )Hadith( and
studied at the hands of scores of well-known authorities on religious
matters. We read that very often )as a conscientious advisor( he would
ask the inquirer to wait for sometime before he gave him the answer to
his question.
Maalik ibn Anas is specially recognized for his voluminous book
'Al-Muwatta', which is said to be the second compilation in Islamic
history of religious teachings. It was compiled, according to some
historians, in 40 years. Today, that book is still a major guiding
authority for millions of Muslims in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa,
where the "Maalikite School " is dominant.
Imaam Maalik was a very devout, Allaah-fearing person. He lived a life
of self-denial and abstinence. He often fasted, sometimes about four
days in the week. He died in 170 A.H.

The story of Heraclius’ encounter with Islam

All perfect praise is due to Allaah; I testify that there is none
worthy of worship except Allaah and thatMuhammadis His Slave and
Messenger;as well as his family and all his companions.
'Abdullaah ibn 'Abbaas,narrated:"Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb informed me that
Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a
caravan from Quraysh. He was part of a delegation of merchants doing
business in Sham )i.e., Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan( at the
time, and this was when Allaah's Apostle had a ceasefire with Abu
Sufyaan and the rest of the Qurayshi infidels. So Abu Sufyaan and his
companions went to Heraclius at Jerusalem. Heraclius called them into
his court while having all the senior Roman dignitaries around him...
Note: Heraclius had received a message from the
Prophetsallallaahu'alayhi wa sallaminviting him to Islam, and so he
wanted to ask his own people about him.
... He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's
question, said to them: 'Who amongst you is closely related to the man
who claims to be a Prophet?' Abu Sufyaan replied: 'I am the nearest
relative to him )in the group(.' Heraclius said: 'Bring him )i.e., Abu
Sufyaan( close to me and make his companions stand behind him.' Abu
Sufyaan added: 'Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions
that he wanted to ask me some questions regarding that man )i.e., the
Prophet( and that if I told a lie they )my companions( should oppose
me.'
This meant that ifAbuSufyaanlied, his companions would have
immediately indicated so.
AbuSufyaanadded: 'I swear by Allaah! Had I not been afraid of my
companions labelling me as a liar, I would not have spoken the truth
about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was: 'What
is his family status amongst you?'
I replied: 'He belongs to a noble family amongst us.'
Heracliusasked: 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same )i.e.
to be a Prophet( before him?'
I replied: 'No.'
He asked: 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?'
I replied: 'No.'
Heracliusasked: 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?'
I replied: 'It is the poor who follow him.'
He asked: 'Are his followers increasing or decreasing )day by day(?'
I replied: 'They are increasing.'
He then asked: 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion
become displeased and renounce the religion?'
I replied: 'No.'
Heracliusasked: 'Have you ever accused him of lying before his claim
)to be a Prophet(?'
I replied: 'No. '
Heracliusasked: 'Does he break his promises?'
I replied: 'No. We have a treaty with him but we do not know what he
will do during it.'
He was referring to theHudaybiyyahtreaty.
I added: 'I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that.'
Note:AbuSufyaanwas looking for the opportunity to say anything evil
about the Prophetsallallaahu'alayhi wa sallambut could not find any,
and so this was the only thing he could have said in a negative
manner.
Heracliusasked: 'Have you ever been at war with him?'
I replied: 'Yes.'
Then, he asked: 'What was the outcome of the battles?'
I replied: 'Sometimes he was victorious, while at other times it was us.'
Heracliusasked: 'What does he order you to do?'
I replied: 'He tells us to worship Allaah alone and not to worship
anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors have
said. He orders us to pray, to pay alms, to speak the truth, to be
chaste and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.'
Heracliusasked the translator to convey to me the following: 'I asked
you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very
noble family. The fact is that all messengers )of Allaah( come from
noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you
whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing )i.e.,
prophethood(, your reply was in the negative. Had the answer been in
the affirmative, I would have thought that this man )i.e., the
Prophet( was following the previous man's statements. Then I asked you
whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the
negative; had it been in the affirmative, I would have thought that
this man wished to regain his ancestral kingdom.
I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he
said what he is now saying, and your reply was in the negative. I
therefore came to the conclusion that he would not refrain from lying
to people and then tell lies about Allaah. I then asked you whether
the rich or poor follow him, and you replied that it is the poor; in
fact, all the messengers have been followed by this very class of
people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or
decreasing, and your reply was that they were increasing, and this is
the characteristic of true faith, until it is complete in all
respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after
embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded it. Your reply
was in the negative, and in fact this is the sign of true faith when
its delight enters the hearts and blends completely in them. I asked
you whether he has ever betrayed. You replied in the negative, and
likewise, messengers never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered
you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allaah alone and
not worship anything along with Him, and that he forbade you from
worshipping idols, and that he also ordered you to pray, to speak the
truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very
soon occupy this territory beneath my feet. I knew it )from my
readings of the scriptures( that he was going to appear, but I did not
know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him for sure then
I would go immediately to meet him; and if I were with him, I would
certainly wash his feet.' Heraclius then asked for the letter that was
sent to him by the Prophetand delivered by Dihyah to the Governor of
Busraa, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the
letter were as follows:"In the name of Allaah the Beneficent, the
Merciful )This letter is( from Muhammad the slave of Allaah and His
Messenger to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine.who follows the right
path. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim
you will be safe, and Allaah will double your reward, but if you
reject this invitation to Islam, you will be committing a sin by
misguiding your Arisiyeen )i.e., peasants(.)then hequoted Allaah's
saying(which means:"…O people of the scripture! Come to a word that is
equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allaah
and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords
instead of Allaah. But if they turn away, then say: 'Bear witness that
we are Muslims ]submitting to Him.['"]Quran 3: 64[
AbuSufyaanthen added: 'When Heraclius had finished his speech and had
read the letter, there was a great cry in the Royal Court. So we were
turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn
Abu Kabshah )i.e., Prophet Muhammad( had become so prominent that even
the King of Al-Asfar )Byzantine( was afraid of him. Then I began being
certain that he )i.e. the Prophet( would be a victorious conqueror in
the near future, until I embraced Islam )i.e. Allaah guided me to
it(."
A sub-narrator added:"Ibn An-Naathoor was the governor of Jerusalem
and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Shaam; both of them
were Christian scholars who were well learned regarding their
religion. Ibn An-Naathoor narrated that once, while Heraclius was
visiting Jerusalem, he woke up one morning depressed and in a bad
mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in such a mood.
Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer; he replied: 'At night,
when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who
practice circumcision had appeared )i.e., become conquerors(. Who are
these people who practice circumcision?' The priests replied: 'Nobody
except the Jews practice circumcision, so you should not be afraid of
them )the Jews(. Just issue orders to kill every Jew present in the
country.'
While they were discussing this, a messenger sent by the king of
Ghassaan to convey the news of Allaah's messenger to Heraclius was
brought in. Having heard the news, he )i.e. Heraclius( ordered the
people to go and see whether the messenger sent by Ghassaan was
circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was
indeed circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs in
general. The messenger replied: 'The Arabs also practice
circumcision.'
After hearing this, Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the Arabs
had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who
was as knowledgeable as Heraclius. Heraclius then left, heading
towards Hims )a town in Syria( and stayed there until he received the
reply to a letter that he had sent to one of his friends inquiring
about the emergence of the Prophet – his friend agreed with him that
this was indeed the emergence of a true Prophet. With that, Heraclius
invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at
Hims. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace
be closed. Then, he emerged and said: 'O Byzantines! If success is
your desire and you seek the correct guidance, and wish for your
empire to remain, then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet
)i.e. embrace Islam(.'
)On hearing the views of Heraclius( the people ran towards the gates
of the palace like wild beasts, but found the doors closed. Heraclius
then realised their hatred of Islam, and when he lost hope of their
embracing Islam, he ordered that they be brought back to him. )When
they returned( he said: 'What I said was only to test the strength of
your conviction about your religion, and I have seen it.' The people
then prostrated before him and were delighted by him, and so this was
the end of Heraclius's story )regarding his faith.("]Al-Bukhaari[
This story was also reported byImaam Muslim, At-Tirmithi, Abu
DaawoodandAhmad,with a few variations that clarify certain matters in
the message sent from the Prophetsallallaahu'alayhi wa sallamto
Heraclius.
The variations in some of these narrations state that the Prophetgave
Heraclius three choices, which the latter conveyed to his priests and
army leaders:"This man is a messenger and he has sent a letter giving
you three choices: To follow his religion; or to agree to pay him
taxes in return for him allowing you to remain upon your faith; or, to
prepare for war against him".His people angrily shouted:"We will never
follow him and leave the religion of our forefathers; nor will we pay
him any taxes, but instead we will fight him."After this, Heraclius
requested to be sent a man who knew Arabic, so a man by the man ofIbn
Al-Khaythamwas sent to him. Heraclius sent him with a reply to the
Messenger.The Prophetinvited the messenger of Heraclius to Islam, but
he refused to leave the religion of his people; upon hearing this from
him, the Prophetsmiled and recited the verse which means:"Indeed, ]O
Muhammad[, you do not guide whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He
wills…"]Quran 28: 56[ This messenger of Heraclius had gone to the
Prophetwhilst he was inTabook¸so the Prophetsaid to him:"You are our
guest, but you have come to us while we are out without anything to
offer you.")This was because they were travelling and had nothing to
offer him.('Uthmaan,said:"I will gift him a garment of two pieces )of
cloth(."Another man from theAnsaaroffered to give him some food.
The story has more details which were reported byImaam Al-Haakimas was
mentioned byImaam Ibn Katheer,in the interpretation of the saying of
Allaah which 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 …"]Quran 7: 157[ He said:Hishaam
Al-Amawi,narrated:"I was sent with another man to Heraclius to call
him to Islam. We headed out until we reached an area called
Al-Ghootuh, in which lived Jabalah, which was one of the sections of
the Ghassaan Christian tribe, who were allies of the Romans. Their
leader sent his messenger to talk to us and inquire about what we
wanted, but we refused to talk to him and said: 'We swear by Allaah!
We will never talk to a messenger, we were sent to talk to the king of
Ghassaan himself, and if the king refuses to talk to us then we will
return to our land.' The messenger of the leader returned to him and
informed him of our request, so he granted us our wish. When we
entered into the presence of the leader, he said: 'Talk' so Hishaam
spoke to him and invited him to Islam. Hishaam had a black garment on;
the leader asked him about the garment )which looked old( to which
Hishaam answered: 'This is a garment which I swore never to take off
until we )Muslims( expel you from Shaam )i.e., ancient Syria(. I swear
by Allaah! We will )Allaah willing( expel you from your position and
from your land, and will overpower the kingdom of Ghassaan; we were
informed that we would do this by our Messenger, Muhammad.' Then he
added: 'You will not be able to face them )i.e. the Muslims( for they
fast during the days and pray during the nights." The leader then
inquired about the way they fast and so he informed him. Upon hearing
the answer, his face turned black and he was enraged, then he told us
to leave, and sent a man with us to take us to the king of the
Ghassaan tribe. When we approached the city, the messenger who was
sent with us told us that we were not allowed to enter it riding our
own animals and that we had to ride with them, but we refused and told
him that we would never enter except riding our own animals. The
messenger sent a message to the king seeking permission for us, and he
approved. We entered wearing our swords until we reached the hall in
which the king was, then we tied our animals in the courtyard of the
hall whilst he was watching us, and then we shouted: 'Laa Ilaaha
Illallaah, Allaahu Akbar )i.e., none has the right to be worshipped
except Allaah, Allaah is the Greatest(.' I swear by Allaah that the
entire hall began shaking like a branch of a tree on a windy day'. The
king then sent a man telling us that we had no right to proclaim our
religion in his land. After that, he allowed us entry, and when we
entered we saw that he was wearing a red garment, and that he was
surrounded by Roman priests - and everything in the hall was red in
colour. When we came close to him, he laughed and said: 'Why don't you
greet me the way you greet each other?' So we said: 'It is prohibited
for us to greet you with the greeting we use amongst ourselves, and it
is also prohibited for us to answer you using the greeting you use
amongst yourselves.' He then asked us about the greeting we use
amongst ourselves, and we informed him that it was 'As-Salaamu
'Alaykum.' Then he asked us: 'How do you greet your king )i.e., the
Prophet(?' We told him that we say the same to him, and then he asked
us: 'How does he answer you?'We told him that we use the same greeting
to answer him as he does to us. He remarked: 'How wonderful are your
words!' Upon hearing this, we again shouted:'Laa Ilaaha Illallaah,
Allaahu Akbar )i.e., none has the right to be worshipped except
Allaah, Allaah is The Greatest(' I swear by Allaah that the entire
hall began shaking again. He raised his head and then addressed us
saying: 'These words that you just uttered, to which the entire hall
shook… do they shake your rooms when you say them in your land?' We
replied: 'No! The first time we have seen this happen is in your
palace."He asked this question because it was a clear indication of
the prophethood of the Prophet.
The following are some of many benefits that can be derived from the
abovementioned story:
1.The necessity of assuring authenticity of what one hears by means of
asking around, just as Heraclius requested the friends accompanyingAbu
Sufyaanabout the Prophet.
2.Truthfulness was a praiseworthy quality even during the pre-Islamic era.
3.The weak and poor are usually the followers of the truth.
4.The outcome of the wars and conflicts between the truth and
falsehood alternate in defeat and victory for the believers.
5.The Prophetsallallaahu'alayhi wa sallamwas known for his
truthfulness, and even his most vicious enemies testified to this.
6.The people of the Book recognise the Prophetby his characteristics
which they find in their books, and they know that he is the awaited
messenger from Allaah.
7.Arrogance and the keenness to maintain their worldly positions
prevented the people of the Book from adhering to the truth and
accepting the message of the Prophetsallallaahu'alayhi wa sallam.
8.Allaah grants guidance to whomever He wills.
9.As a sign of prophethood, Allaah made the Prophetaware of some of
the matters of the unknown and unseen.
10.Being hospitable is a part of the teachings of theSunnah.
11.A Muslim must display might and pride regarding his religion,
especially whilst inviting disbelievers to Islam.
12.It is not permissible to greet disbelievers withSalaam.
13.Allaah supports the righteous withKaraamaat)i.e. supernatural
abilities or occurrences(, such as that which happened to the hall
which shook when the companionsshouted:"Laa Ilaaha Illallaah, Allaahu
Akbar )i.e., none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, Allaah
is The Greatest(."

The generous, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah

He is Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, the chief of
the Khazraj, and the carrier of the banner of the Ansaar. His mother
is 'Amrah bint Mas'ood. He was nicknamed Abu Thaabit and Abu Qays. He
embraced Islam very early, and attended the second 'Aqabah Pledge of
Allegiance along with seventy men and two women from among the Ansaar,
and was among the twelve leaders.
Although Sa'd, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, was the chief of his
people, his position did not protect him from the harm of the Quraysh.
After the second 'Aqabah Pledge of Allegiance was over, and the Ansaar
got ready for the journey of return to Al-Madeenah, the Quraysh learnt
about the pledge of allegiance they gave to the Messenger of Allaahand
their agreement with him on his migration to Al-Madeenah in order to
support him against the forces of the Quraysh. They were furious and
pursued the Muslims and succeeded to catch hold of Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah.
They tied his hands to his neck and brought him to Makkah, turned
round him, and beat him, troubling him with the most severe harm.
Commenting on that, Sa'd, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said: "By
Allaah, while I was in their hands, behold! Some men from the Quraysh
appeared to them, and among them there was a bright-faced man, meaning
Suhayl ibn 'Amr. I said )to myself(: 'If there is good in anyone of
them, it then would not go beyond this man.' But when he came close to
me, he raised his hand and punched me hard, as a result of which I
said to myself: 'No, by Allaah, they have no good after that.' By
Allaah, I was in their hands, and they were dragging me, behold! A man
from among them called me: 'Woe to you! Do you not have any right of
protection between you and anyone of the Quraysh?' I said: 'Yes, I
used to give the right of protection to the merchandise of Jubayr ibn
Mut'im and protect them from any injustice to be committed against
them in my territory; and the same is true of Al-Haarith ibn Harb ibn
Umayyah.' The man said: 'Then, call the names of both men, and mention
the right of protection between you and them.' I did accordingly, and
the man went to them and found them in the Ka'bah, and told them that
a man from the Khazraj was being beaten in Al-Abtah, and he called
their names, and mentioned that there was a right of protection
between him and them. They asked him about my name, and they were told
that it was Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah. They said: 'He has told the truth, by
Allaah.' They then came and saved me from their hands." ]Ibn Sa'd[
When the Messenger of Allaahand his Companions emigrated to
Al-Madeenah, Sa'd received them with great warmth, and put his
property at their service. He was known for his munificence and
generosity, and his fame for this was far-reaching. He always asked
Allaah for more sustenance and good, saying: "O Allaah! Grant me
glory. O Allaah! There is no glory without a deed, and there is no
deed without property. O Allaah! Little is unfit for me, nor am I fit
for it." ]Al-Haakim[
A man from among the Ansaar might host one, two or three )maximum(,
whereas he used to host as many as eighty. His caller used to ascend
the roof of the house and call at the top of his voice: "Whoever likes
fat and meat, let him come here." The Messenger of Allaahsupplicated
Allaah for him saying:"O Allaah! Confer Your blessings and mercy upon
the family of Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah."]Ahmad[
Sa'd, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, was a good archer, and
extraordinarily brave. About him Ibn 'Abbaas, May Allaah Be Pleased
with him, said:"In all the battlefields, the Messenger of Allaahhad
two banners: the banner of the Muhaajiroon with 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib,
and the banner of the Ansaar with Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah."]'Abdul-Razzaaq
and Ahmad[
The situation of Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, on
the Day of Badr indicated his courage. The Messenger of Allaahsought
the counsel of the Ansaar, thereupon Sa'd, May Allaah Be Pleased with
him, stood and encouraged fighting. He said:"O Messenger of Allaah! If
you order us to set out to Bark Al-Ghimaad, we would surely do."]Ahmad
and Muslim[
In the Battle of Khandaq, the disbelieving tribes gathered against
Islam, and besieged Al-Madeenah. The tribe of Ghatfaan offered to
withdraw from the army of the Confederates in return for receiving
one-third the fruits of Al-Madeenah. The Messenger of Allaahconsulted
both Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah and Sa'd ibn Mu'aath, May Allaah Be Pleased
with them. Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah said:"'O Messenger of Allaah! Is it
something you like, so that we would do for your sake, or Allaah Has
Commanded you to do, so that we should do accordingly, or you do it
only for us?' The Messenger of Allaahsaid, 'It is something I do for
your sake just when I saw the Arabs having gathered collectively
against you.' He said, 'By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, they have
never coveted that from us during the pre-Islamic days. Then, how
could it take place now, given that Allaah Guided us through you,
Exalted and Honored us with you? By Allaah, they deserve nothing but
the sword until Allaah Judges between us.' On that the Messenger of
Allaahsaid, 'Then, let it be as you like.'"]Ibn Hishaam[
After the death of the Messenger of Allaahthe Ansaar gathered in the
shed of Bani Saa'idah, and supported Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah, calling that
the successive authority of the Messenger of Allaahbe from among the
Ansaar. But 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab and Abu 'Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah, May
Allaah Be Pleased with them, saw that Abu Bakr, May Allaah Be Pleased
with him, had more right of the successive authority after the
Messenger of Allaahand the Muslims concurred, and Sa'd gave Abu Bakr
the pledge of allegiance for the caliphate.
He died during the caliphate of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, May Allaah Be
Pleased with him.

Dought & clear, - [Sifat al-Salaah (description of the prayer)] -> If he catches up with the imam when he is bowing, what should he do?.

If I enter the mosque and the imam is bowing, if I bow with him will
that rak'ah count for me, even though I have not recited al-Faatihah?
Should I say one takbeer or two?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If a person enters the mosque when the imam is bowing, he should bow
with him, and his will have caught up with the rak'ah if he joins the
imam when he is bowing, even if he did not bow fully until after the
imam stands up. Imam Abu Dawood said: I heard Ahmed being asked about
a man who catches up with the imam when he is bowing; he says takbeer
and bows, then the imam stands up. He said: If he placed his hands
firmly on his knees before the imam stood up, then he has caught up
with the rak'ah. End quote.
See:Masaa'il al-Imaam Ahmadby Abu Dawood, p. 35;Haashiyat al-Rawd, by
Ibn Qaasim, 2/275;al-Majmoo, 4/215.
Then he should be at ease in bowing, and rise from bowing, and follow his imam.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: If a person catches up with the imam when he is
bowing, that rak'ah counts for him, even if he does not say the
tasbeeh until after the imam has stood up. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/245-246
Secondly:
If he catches up with him when he is bowing, then one takbeer is
sufficient, i.e., the opening takbeer counts for the takbeer of bowing
too. That was narrated from Zayd ibn Thaabit, Ibn 'Umar, Sa'eed,
'Ata', al-Hasan and Ibraaheem al-Nakha'i. It was also the view of the
four imams (Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad). Abu Dawood
said: I said to Ahmad: What if I catch up with the imam when he is
bowing? He said: One takbeer is sufficient for you. End quote.
Masaa'il al-Imam Ahmad, p. 35
That is because the time for bowing is usually too short to combine
two takbeers, and because it is combining two acts of worship of the
same type in the same place. The intention to bow does not cancel out
the intention to start praying. So the pillar or essential part,
namely the opening takbeer, suffices for the obligatory duty, namely
the takbeer for bowing, just as tawaaf al-ifaadah suffices for the
farewell tawaaf if it is done last of all.
Seeal-Mughni, 2/183;al-Qawaa'idby Ibn Rajab, number 18.
If a person can say two takbeers, one for starting the prayer and one
for bowing, that is better. Abu Dawood said: I said to Ahmad: Is
saying two takbeers dearer to you? He said: If he says two takbeers
there is no dispute on the matter. End quote.
Masaa'il al-Imam Ahmad, p. 35
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked: If a person joins the prayer when the imam
is bowing, should he say the takbeers for starting to pray and for
bowing, or say takbeer once and bow?
He replied:
It is better and more on the safe side to say takbeer twice, once for
starting to pray, which is a pillar or essential part of the prayer
which must be done when he is standing, and the second time for bowing
when he starts to bow. If he fears that he may miss the rak'ah, then
the opening takbeer will suffice according to the more correct of the
two scholarly opinions, because they are two acts of worship being
combined at the same time and the greater will suffice for the lesser.
And this rak'ah will count according to the majority of scholars. End
quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/244-245
The one who is joining the prayer has to say the opening takbeer
standing. If he says it whilst leaning forward to bow, it is not
valid.
Al-Nawawi said inal-Majmoo'(4/111):
If a person catches up with the imam when he is bowing, he should say
the opening takbeer standing, then say the takbeer for bowing as he is
leaning forward to bow. If he says some of the opening takbeer when he
is not standing upright, then his prayer does not count as an
obligatory prayer, with no difference of opinion among the scholars on
this point; it also does not count as a naafil prayer, according to
the correct view. End quote.
Seeal-Mughni, 2/130
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inal-Sharh
al-Mumti'(4/123):
But there is a matter which must be discussed, which is that it is
essential to say the opening takbeer when standing straight, before
leaning forward, because if a person leans forward when saying the
opening takbeer, he will have said the opening takbeer when he was not
standing straight, and the opening takbeer must be said when standing
straight. End quote.
Thirdly:
If he bows with the imam, that rak'ah counts for him even if he does
not recite al-Faatihah. This is the view of the majority and it is the
correct view, in sha Allah, because the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him), when he came to the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) when he was bowing and he bowed before he reached the row.
He mentioned that to the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) and he said: "May Allaah make you more keen, but do not do it
again." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 783.
The point here is that if catching up with bowing did not count as
catching up with the rak'ah with the imam, the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have told him to make up that
rak'ah in which he did not catch up with the recitation, but no such
thing has been reported from him. This indicates that the one who
catches up with bowing has caught up with the rak'ah.
See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah, p. 230.
Al-Shawkaan said: Similarly the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) told the one who joins the prayer to do what the imam
does, and it is known that this cannot be done unless he bows with his
imam. If he starts to recite al-Faatihah, he has caught up with the
imam in a state where he is not doing what his imam does, so he has
disobeyed the command to follow the imam. End quote from an essay
quoted by the author of'Awn al-Ma'bood, 3/157
With regard to the evidence for it being obligatory to recite
al-Faatihah in prayer, this is general in meaning and includes the one
who joins the prayer late and the one who does not join the prayer
late. This hadeeth specifically indicates that the obligation to
recite al-Faatihah is waived for the one who catches up with his imam
when he is bowing, so this hadeeth makes an exception from the general
meaning of the other ahaadeeth.
SeeMajmoo' al-Fataawa, 23/290
In the answer to question no. 74999we have explained that recitation
of al-Faatihah is waived for the person praying behind an imam in two
cases:
1 – If he catches up with the imam when he is bowing
2 – If he catches up with the imam just before he bows, and he cannot
complete the recitation of al-Faatihah
SeeAhkaam Hudoor al-Masaajid(p. 141-143) by Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn
Saalih al-Fawzaan.