Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Rulingson menstruation

What are the rulings on menses in women?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are many rulings to do with menstruation, more than twenty, of
which we will mention those which we think are most essential. They
are:
1 - Prayer
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to pay both obligatory and
naafil prayers, and they are not valid if she does them. She does not
have to do a particular prayer unless she was pure or became pure with
enough time to perform a complete rak'ah, in which case she has to do
the prayer, whether it is at the beginning of the time for it or at
the end. An example of that happening at the beginning of the time for
prayer is a woman who got her menses after the sun set but she had
enough time to perform a complete rak'ah (but she did not do it), so
when she becomes pure she has to make up that Maghrib prayer, because
she had enough time to perform a complete rak'ah before she got her
menses.
An example of that happening at the end of the time for prayer is a
woman whose menses ended before the sun rose and there was enough time
left to perform a complete rak'ah. When she becomes pure she has to
make up that Fajr prayer, because she had enough time to perform one
rak'ah.
But if there is not enough time to perform a rak'ah, such as in the
first scenario, if a woman gets her menses a moment after the sun sets
or, in the second scenario, she becomes pure a moment before the sun
rises, then she does not have to do that prayer, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever catches up
with a rak'ah of prayer has caught up with the prayer." Agreed upon.
With regard to dhikr, takbeer, saying Subhaan-Allaah, praising Allaah,
saying Bismillaah when eating and so on, and reading hadeeth, fiqh and
du'aa's, or saying Ameen to du'aa's, and listening to Qur'aan, none of
these things are forbidden to her. It is proven inal-Saheehaynand
elsewhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to recline in 'Aa'ishah's lap (may Allaah be pleased with her)
when she was menstruating, and he would recite Qur'aan.
Inal-Saheehaynit is also narrated from Umm 'Atiyyah that she heard the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: "Let the
girls who have attained puberty, women in seclusion and menstruating
women go out - i.e., to the Eid prayer - and witness good and the
gathering of the believers. But let the menstruating women avoid the
prayer place."
With regard to the menstruating woman reading Qur'aan, if she is
looking at it or thinking of it in her heart, without speaking the
words out loud, there is nothing wrong with that, such as if the
Mus-haf is placed there, and she looks at the verses and reads them in
her heart. Al-Nawawi said inSharhMuslim: it is permissible and there
is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point.
But if she is reciting it out loud, the majority of scholars are of
the view that this is not allowed.
Al-Bukhaari, Ibn Jareer, al-Tabari and Ibn al-Mundhir said it is
permissible, and this was also narrated from Maalik and from
al-Shaafa'i in his former view. That was narrated from them inFath
al-Baari. And al-Bukhaari narrated in a mu'allaq report from Ibraheem
al-Nakha'i that there is nothing wrong with her reciting a verse.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said inal-Fataawa: There is no report
saying that she should not read Qur'aan. The hadeeth "No menstruating
woman or person who is junub should recite anything from the Qur'aan"
is a weak hadeeth, according to the consensus of the scholars who are
well-versed in hadeeth. Women used to menstruate at the time of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and if reading was
haraam for them as prayer is, this would have been something that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained to his
ummah and the Mothers of the Believers would have known that, and it
would have been something that they told to the people. But since no
one narrated any prohibition concerning that from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is not permissible to regard
it as haraam, since it is known that he did not forbid that, and as he
did not forbid that despite the fact that menstruation was widespread
at his time, it is known that it is not haraam. End quote.
Since we know that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars
concerning this, what should be said is: it is better for a
menstruating woman not to recite Qur'aan out loud except when there is
need for that, such as if she is a teacher and she needs to teach her
students, or in the case of an exam when the student needs to recite
in order to be tested, and so on.
2 - Fasting
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to fast, whether it is an
obligatory or a naafil fast, and it is not valid if she does it. But
she has to make up any obligatory fasts that she misses, because of
the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said:
"That - meaning menses - used to happen to us and we were commanded to
make up fasts but we were not commanded to make up prayers." Agreed
upon.
If a woman gets her menses when she is fasting, her fast becomes
invalid even if that happens just before Maghrib, and she has to make
up that day if it was an obligatory fast.
But if she feels that the period was coming before Maghrib, but no
blood came out until after the sun set, then her fast is complete and
is not invalidated, according to the correct view, because there is no
ruling connected to blood that is still inside the body, and when the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about a
woman who sees in a dream what a man sees (i.e., an erotic dream),
does she have to do ghusl? He said: "Yes, if she sees water." So the
ruling is connected to seeing water, not feeling body sensations. The
same applies to menses: the rulings do not apply until it is seen
outside the body, not just the body sensations.
If dawn comes when the woman is menstruating, it is not valid for her
to fast that day even if she becomes pure even a moment after dawn.
If she becomes pure just before dawn and fasts, her fast is valid even
if she does not do ghusl until after dawn. This is like the one who is
junub - if he intends to fast when he is junub and dos not do ghusl
until after dawn breaks, his fast is valid, because of the hadeeth of
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wake up junub as
the result of intercourse, not a wet dream, and he would fast in
Ramadaan. Agreed upon.
3 - Tawaaf around the Ka'bah
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to circumambulate the Ka'bah,
whether that is obligatory or naafil, and it is not valid if she does
it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said to 'Aa'ishah when she got her menses: "Do everything that the
pilgrims do, but do not circumambulate the House until you become
pure."
As for the other actions of Hajj, such as saa'ee between al-Safa and
al-Marwah, standing at 'Arafah, staying overnight in Muzdalifah and
Mina, stoning the jamaraat and other rituals of Hajj and 'Umrah, they
are not haraam for her. Based on that, if a female does tawaaf when
she is pure, then her period begins immediately after she does tawaaf,
or during sa'ee, there is nothing wrong with that.
4 - Tawaaf al-wadaa' (the farewell tawaaf) is waived in her case
If a female completes the rituals of Hajj and 'Umrah, then she gets
her menses before she goes home and that continues until she leaves,
she may depart without doing the farewell tawaaf, because of the
hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: (the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) told the people
that the last thing they should do was (tawaaf) around the House, but
he made an exception for women who were menstruating . Agreed upon.
But the tawaaf that is required for Hajj and 'Umrah is not waived, and
she must do it when she becomes pure.
5 - Staying in the mosque
It is haraam for the menstruating woman to stay in the mosque and even
in the Eid prayer-place, because of the hadeeth of Umm 'Atiyyah (may
Allaah be pleased with her), who said that she heard the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: "Let the girls who
have attained puberty, women in seclusion and menstruating women go
out - i.e., to the Eid prayer." In this hadeeth it says: "But let the
menstruating women avoid the prayer place." Agreed upon.
6 - Intercourse
It is haraam for her husband to have intercourse with her, and it is
haraam for her to allow him to do so, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful
thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while
she is having her menses), therefore, keep away from women during
menses and go not unto them till they are purified (from menses and
have taken a bath)"
[al-Baqarah 2:222]
What is meant by maheed (translated here as menstruation) is the time
of menses, and the location of this menses is the private part.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do
everything except have intercourse." Narrated by Muslim.
And the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is haraam to have
intercourse with a menstruating woman in her vagina.
But it is permissible for him to do that which will satisfy his desire
without having intercourse, such as kissing, touching and intimacy
that is less than intercourse, but it is better not to be intimate
with that which is between the navel and the knee except through a
barrier, because 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell me to
wear a waist wrapper, then he would be intimate with me when I was
menstruating. Agreed upon.
7 - Divorce
It is haraam for a husband to divorce a menstruating woman during her
menses, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)! When you
divorce women, divorce them at their 'Iddah (prescribed periods)"
[al-Talaaq 65:1]
and that can only be if they are divorced when they are pregnant or
pure without having had intercourse since the menses ended. Because if
a woman is divorced when she is menstruating she cannot start her
'iddah, because the menstrual period during which she was divorced
cannot be counted as part of the 'iddah; and if she is divorced when
she is pure but has had intercourse since her period ended, she cannot
start her 'iddah, because it cannot be known whether she became
pregnant from this intercourse. So it should be reckoned by her
pregnancy, or if she is not pregnant it should be reckoned by her
menstrual cycle. If it cannot be ascertained what sort of 'iddah it
is, it is haraam for him to divorce her until things become clear.
Divorcing a menstruating woman at the time of her menses is haraam
because of the verse quoted above, and because of the report
inal-Saheehaynand elsewhere from Ibn 'Umar who said that he divorced
his wife when she was menstruating. 'Umar told the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) about that, and the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) got angry and said: "Tell him to
take her back and keep her until she becomes pure, then menstruates,
then becomes pure again. Then if he wishes he may keep her after that,
or if he wishes he may divorce her before he touches (has intercourse
with) her. That is the prescribed period within which Allaah has
enjoined divorce of women."
If a man divorces his wife when she is menstruating, he is sinning and
he has to repent to Allaah and take the woman back in order to divorce
her in the prescribed manner as enjoined by Allaah and His Messenger.
Then he should leave her alone after he takes her back until she
becomes pure from the menses during which he divorced her, then
menstruates again, then when she becomes pure again, if he wishes he
may keep her or if he wishes he may divorce her before having
intercourse with her.
There are three cases where an exception is made from the prohibition
on divorcing a woman during her menses:
1 - If the divorce occurs before he spent time alone with her or
touched her. There is nothing wrong with him divorcing her when she is
menstruating, because in that case she does not have to observe any
'iddah, so this divorce does not go against the words of
Allaah,"divorce them at their 'Iddah (prescribed periods)".
2 - If the menses occurs during pregnancy.
3 - If the divorce takes place in return for some compensation, in
which case there is nothing wrong with divorcing her when she is
menstruating.
There is nothing wrong with doing a marriage contract with a woman who
is menstruating, because the basic principle is that it is
permissible, and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise. But the
idea of the husband entering upon her when she is menstruating is
subject to further discussion. If he can be trusted not to have
intercourse with her, there is nothing wrong with it, otherwise he
should not enter upon her until she becomes pure, for fear of his
doing something that is forbidden.
8 - Reckoning the 'iddah of divorce by means of the menstrual cycle
If a man divorces his wife after having had intercourse with her or
being alone with her, then she has to observe an 'iddah of three
complete menstrual cycles, if she is a woman who menstruates and she
is not pregnant, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And divorced women shall wait (as regards their marriage) for three
menstrual periods"
[al-Baqarah 2:228]
If she is pregnant, her 'iddah lasts until her pregnancy ends, whether
the time is long or short, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And for those who are pregnant (whether they are divorced or their
husbands are dead), their 'Iddah (prescribed period) is until they lay
down their burden"
[al-Talaaq 65:4]
If a woman does not menstruate because she is old or she had had a
hysterectomy, or for some other reason and there is no hope that she
will menstruate again, then her 'iddah is three months, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses,
for them the 'Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubt (about
their periods), is three months; and for those who have no courses
[(i.e. they are still immature) their 'Iddah (prescribed period) is
three months likewise"
[al-Talaaq 65:4]
If a woman normally menstruates but her menses have ceased for a
reason such as sickness or breastfeeding, then she should observe the
'iddah no matter how long it lasts, until her menses returns and she
can count her 'iddah. If the reason ceases but her periods do not come
back, such as if she recovers from sickness or stops breastfeeding and
still does not menstruate, then she should observe 'iddah for a full
year from the time the reason ceased. This is the correct view which
is based on Islamic principles, because if the reason ceases and her
periods do not come back, she is like one whose periods have stopped
for no apparent reason, and if her periods stop for no apparent reason
then she should observe an 'iddah of one year - nine months for
pregnancy based on the usual length of pregnancy, and three months for
the 'iddah.
*But if the divorce takes place after the marriage contract is done
and before intimacy or being alone together, then there is no 'iddah
at all, whether it is reckoned by the menstrual cycle or otherwise,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! When you marry believing women, and then divorce
them before you have sexual intercourse with them, no 'Iddah [divorce
prescribed period, see (V.65:4)] have you to count in respect of them"
[al-Ahzaab 33:49]
9 - Establishing the absence of pregnancy
This is required every time there is a need for a ruling that there is
no pregnancy. There are many issues connected to this.
10 -Requirement of ghusl
When the menstruating woman's period ends, she must do ghusl by
purifying her entire body, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to Faatimah bint Abu Hubaysh: "When the time
of your menses comes, stop praying, then when it ends, do ghusl and
pray." Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
*The minimum that is required for ghusl is to ensure that water
reaches every part of the body, even beneath the hair. But it is
better if it is done in the manner mentioned in the hadeeth from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when Asma' bint
Shakl asked him how a menstruating woman should do ghusl. He (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: One of you should take her
water and lotus leaves and purify herself and purify herself well.
Then she should pour water over her head and rub it vigorously, so
that it reaches the roots of her hair, and pour water over herself.
Then she should take a piece of cloth that is scented with musk and
purify herself with it." Asma' said: "How should she purify herself
with it?" He said: 'Subhaan Allaah, let her purify herself with it."
'Aa'ishah said to her: "She should follow the traces of blood."
Narrated by Muslim.
*She does not have to undo the braids in her hair, unless they are
tied so tightly that she fears that the water will not reach the
roots, because of the hadeeth of Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) that is narrated inSaheeh Muslim, where she asked the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: I am a
woman with braided hair; should I undo it when doing ghusl following
menses or for janaabah? He said: "No, rather it will be sufficient for
you to pour three handfuls of water on your head, then pour water over
yourself and you will be purified."
If a menstruating woman becomes pure during the time for prayer, she
must hasten to do ghusl so that she can offer the prayer on time. If
she is travelling and does not have any water, or she has water but
she is afraid that she may be harmed by using it, or she is sick and
the water will harm her, then she should do tayammum instead of ghusl,
until the reason for not doing it ceases, then she should do ghusl.
Some women become pure at the time for prayer, but they delay ghusl
until later, saying that they cannot purify themselves fully in this
time. But this is no excuse, because they can limit themselves to the
minimum that is required in ghusl and do the prayer on time, then when
they have more time they can purify themselves more fully. End quote.
These are the most important rulings that have to do with menses in women.
Risaalah fi'l-Dima' al-Tabee'iyyah li'l-Nisa'by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
(may Allaah have mercy on him).

Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Rulingson istihaadah

What are the rulings to do with istihaadah (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 68818we explained when bleeding is
menses (hayd) and when it is isthaadah. When it is menses then it is
subject to the rulings on menses, and when it is istihaadah it is
subject to the rulings on istihaadah.
The main rulings on menses have been mentioned in the answer to
question no 70438.
The rulings on istihaadah are like the rulings on purity (i.e., when
one is not menstruating). There is no difference between a woman who
is experiencing istihaadah and a woman who is not menstruating or
bleeding, except the following:
1 - She has to do wudoo' for each prayer, because the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Faatimah bint Abi
Hubaysh: "Then do wudoo' for every prayer." Narrated by al-Bukhaari in
the chapter on washing away blood. What that means is that she should
not do wudoo' for a prayer that is to be performed at a particular
time until the time for it has begun. If it is a prayer for which
there is no particular time, she may do wudoo' for it when she wants
to perform the prayer.
2 - When she wants to do wudoo', she has to wash away the traces of
blood, and put a piece of cotton over her private part to hold back
the blood, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said to Hamnah: "I suggest you use a piece of cotton, for it will
absorb the blood." She said: It is more than that. He said: "Use a
cloth." She said: It is more than that. He said: "Then tie it tightly
around yourself." Then whatever comes out after that will not matter,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
to Faatimah bint Abi Hubaysh: "Do not pray during the days of your
menses, then wash yourself and do wudoo' for every prayer, then pray,
even if the blood falls onto the mat." Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn
Maajah.
3 - Intercourse. The scholars differed as to whether it is permissible
when one is not concerned about suffering hardship as a result of
giving it up. But the correct view is that it is permissible in all
cases, because many women, ten or more, experienced istihaadah at the
time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and
neither Allaah nor His Messenger forbade them to have intercourse.
Rather the words of Allaah -"keep away from women during menses"
[al-Baqarah 2:222]- indicate that it is not essential to keep away
from them at other times. Also, it is permissible for her to pray, and
intercourse is a less serious matter. Drawing an analogy between
intercourse with a woman experiencing istihaadah and a woman who is
menstruating is not correct, because they are not the same, even in
the view of those who think that it is haraam, and analogies are not
valid if the two things concerned are different. End quote.
Risaalah fi'l-Dima' al-Tabee'iyyah li'l-Nisa'by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
(may Allaah have mercy on him).

Hajj & Umrah, - * Hajj is a Reflection of the Ummah

One of the advantages of a mirror is that it reflects the reality of
things clearly and precisely. A person who has a mirror takes care to
keep it clean and shiny so that when he looks in the mirror, if he
were to see anything amiss such as dirty clothes or the like, he would
know that the mirror has nothing to do with this as it is just
reflects reality. A person might be angry and upset when he sees any
defect, but if he is sensible, he would attempt to rectify the
situation so that his reflection in the mirror would be better.
However, those who are foolish might break the mirror, and to such
people we say, "You have not only failed to change the reality but you
also lost the means that could tell you about the defects."
Similarly,Hajjis the mirror of the Ummah )Muslim nation( that reflects
its positive and negative aspects, asHajjis the greatest gathering of
the Ummah where the greatest number of people come together from a
variety of backgrounds and places.Hajjgathers princes, scholars,
people of culture, men of letters, and ordinary men and women.
Undoubtedly, the mirror of Hajj reflects many positive aspects, such
as unity in the worship of Allaah
The Almighty and the establishment of equality and unity. At the same
time, however, it reflects some defects in the Muslims that clash with
these positive aspects.
It is difficult to ignore the mistakes and faults of the pilgrims,
which become noticeable duringHajj, such as defective'Aqeedah)creed(,
innovations in the religion, negligence regarding acts of worship,
absence ofKhushoo')fear of Allaah The Almighty( and ignorance about
matters of the religion. Moreover, one can see other forms of
ignorance which are exemplified in being negligent about cleanliness
and the most basic rules of health and hygiene, not adhering to or
complying with health instructions and breaching orders. Other
shortcomings include causing chaos, rigidity in one's dealings,
harshness when crowding with others, being irritable, having fanatical
feelings towards a certain race or country, or feeling uncomfortable
when dealing with others.
This does not mean that there are many negative aspects toHajj, but at
the same time, we should not allow these faults to go unaddressed. We
should not break the mirror but be grateful for it, as we have managed
to see the defects through it and now simply have to find the remedy.
Hajjis an event that shows the great efforts exerted to turn
theUmmahfrom disunity to unity, from humiliation to dignity, from
weakness to strength and from ignorance to knowledge and advancement.
There is no doubt that the greatest role is that of the Islamic
governments, their mass media, and their educational curricula.
Another important role is that of scholars, and their efforts in
spreadingDa'wah)the call to Allaah The Almighty(, preserving
the'Aqeedahof Muslims, declaring the truth, combating ignorance and
resisting the invasion of harmful ideas. Other efforts and duties are
the initiative of wealthy people and economic institutions; still
others are related to intellectuals and men of letters. A third
category is related to writers and the Imaams who
deliverKhutbahs)sermons(. Indeed, every Muslim bears part of the great
responsibility towards raising the status of theUmmah. Thus, we should
encourage every individual in general and every pilgrim in particular
to fulfill his duty so that the promise of Allaah The Almighty may be
achieved, as He Says )what means(:}Indeed, Allaah will not change the
condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.{

Hajj & Umrah, - * If Only We Understood Hajj!

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When I was very young, at the end of every Thursday I would stand with the other children at the outskirts of our village waiting for the people returning from the weekly market carrying their goods after a long day of buying and selling. Some people had profited and become joyous, whereas others had incurred loss and returned miserable.
Today, decades later, I find myself standing at the borders of the country to see the groups of pilgrims returning from their great trip. I see in their eyes the same expressions that I would see in the eyes of the people returning from the market. Some of these pilgrims rejoice at the gained pleasure and forgiveness of Allaah and returning without sins just like they were the day they were born. Their food and clothes were obtained from lawfully gained property. They were patient and sought reward in their Hajj and did not indulge in sexual relations, indecent speech, wicked acts or arguing therein. They return in happiness after being hosted by Allaah The Almighty as if they have heard this response of Allaah to theirTalbiyah)Hajj-related chant,“Your call has been heard! You are fortunate. Your provisions are lawful, your mount is lawful and your pilgrimage is free of sin and is acceptable.”Accordingly, these people are delighted with the pleasure of Allaah and determined to hold fast to the light shining on their faces and to never return to their past misdeeds and sins.
On the other hand, other pilgrims return psychologically defeated. They uselessly exerted efforts and spent money because they return carrying their sins and more. They did not stop arguing, desist from immoral acts, purify their intention, make sure of lawful gain or purify their hearts from diseases. They are disenchanted because they return empty-handed. They return as if they - from among the humble crying people - heard a caller giving them a quivering announcement saying,“Your call is not accepted; nor are you welcome; your food is unlawful; your provisions are unlawful; and your pilgrimage is not free of sin and is therefore unacceptable.”Such people lose in the worldly life and the Hereafter. They have wasted their time, efforts and money. They went along with the pilgrims; yet, they were bearing grudges, rancor, racism and boasting of position, status, nationality, and so on. Then, they came back carrying the same load, boasting of what they used to boast of, insisting on committing sins, dreaming of practicing immorality again and flaunting their ability to deceive, setting up traps for others and stabbing them in the back.
If only we understood the wisdom behindHajj!Hajjhas not been prescribed in order to make people psychologically and physically distressed through theirTawaaf)circumambulation of theKa'bah(,Sa‘y)walking between MountsAs-SafaaandAl-Marwah(, casting pebbles, standing on mountains all day long, staying nights in the desert, sleeping on the sand and using the sky for cover; nor is it meant to make people arbitrarily spend their money in transportation and boarding. Rather,Hajjis a universal annual conference for all Muslims the world over that is attended by their representatives to renew the pledge and renew their belonging to this religion as well as affirm their allegiance to this location and message. They declare to themselves, to the whole world and to their fellow Muslims who did not get this opportunity, that they follow the moral and material footsteps of the Prophet. They obtain light and guidance from the original spring of light and guidance, from the cradle of the message and the Messenger. Then, they return as ambassadors to their countries and families guiding them to that light until the conference of the next year. This was the custom of the early generation who used to go forHajjin order to learn more about Islam and renew their pledge of steadfastness to the Prophet. The Messenger of Allaahand his companionswould meet delegates who gave them the oath of allegiance, discussed with them their affairs and then go back to their homes carrying the message of this religion.
Do pilgrims nowadays recognize these meanings? Do they feel that while they may be almost three million souls, they have to return after Hajj in a better and more pious state than their previous one? Do they feel that they have to hold fast to the inspired meanings, spirituality and transparency that they have experienced in their hearts? Do they realize that they have to strictly adhere to this religion and its teachings as those who have theirHajjaccepted return sinless like the day of their birth? They should therefore seize the opportunity of having the sins of tens of years erased. Do they know that they are ambassadors to those who could not performHajjand their mission is to return to them bearing new motives and inspirations towards the true faith? Do they realize that they have to mix with people in order to correct their mistakes, remove the accumulated blackness of sins from their hearts and take their hands to the sublimity of the soul and longing for Paradise that they have tasted?
By Allaah, if these meanings were understood, we would not be in this state of disunity, partisanship, racism, superficiality of thought, infirm beliefs, and so on. Year after year,HajjafterHajj,‘Umrah)minor-Hajj( after‘Umrah, one wave of ambassadors after another... Had we understood and known and had sincere intentions, we would have been transformed and would have transformed others. We would have been influenced and would have influenced others. Unfortunately, we have become like the useless foam of a flood - the condition against which the Prophetwarned us.
Throngs of people go toHajj, makeTawaaf, performSa‘y…planes, ships, buses and cars transport people to and from the holy lands…a state of alert and readiness among security personnel in airports and bus stops…passports, visas, permissions, prohibitions, checks, letters…millions of people and millions in expenditure; but – and how painful it is - hearts are disagreeing, disputing, hard and inflexible, disunity, racism, nepotism, driving wedges between others, bearing grudges towards neighbors and colleagues! If the person is saved from these diseases, he still may be heedless of its dangers to his religion and country and does not care about the fire that approaches his home and offspring. He does not even burden himself with thinking about this tragic end.
If only our hearts would become harmonious! If only the stain over them would be removed! If only the souls would be sincere towards each other! If only intentions would become devoted only to Allaah! If only we could get rid of our attachment to the worldly life and rise above our worldly thoughts! If only our efforts were exerted for Allaah’s sake! If only our souls hugged and not just our bodies! If only our hearts throbbed with love!
If only we understood the lessons ofHajj!
If only we acted according to what we are certain about and asked about what we are not certain about!
Were this to happen, we would become, once again, the finest nation ever raised for humankind.

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Hajj & Umrah, - * Hidden Wisdom Underlyingthe Rituals of Hajj

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The rituals of theHajjentail great wisdom and excellent lessons, the most important of which is a manifestation of humility to Allaah The Almighty. This is because the pilgrim leaves a life of luxury and adornment to wear the clothes ofIhraam, declaring his dire need for his Lord. In this journey, he frees himself from the worldly life and its occupations that divert him from Allaah The Almighty to win by this the forgiveness and mercy of Allaah The Almighty.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And proclaim to the people the Hajj ]pilgrimage[; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass. That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the Name of Allaah on known days over what He Has Provided for them of ]sacrificial[ animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.{]Quran 22: 27-28[
The Messenger of Allaah,, also said:“Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any Rafath )obscenity( or commit any evil will go back free of sin as on the day his mother gave birth to him.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Spirit of the warrior:
The pilgrim stands at ‘Arafaat supplicating his Lord humbly, praising and thanking Allaah The Almighty for the blessings endowed upon him, and seeking forgiveness of his sins and mistakes.
Performing the obligation ofHajjis one way of expressing thanks and appreciation to Allaah The Almighty for the blessings of wealth and health. They are the best blessings that one can enjoy in this world.
DuringHajjone expresses his gratitude to Allaah The Almighty for both great blessings because one tires himself and spends his money to obey his Lord and draw near to Him.
It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishahthat the Messenger of Allaah,said:“There is no day on which Allaah frees more of His slaves from Hell than the Day of ‘Arafah. He boasts about them before the angels.”]Muslim[
The Messenger of Allaah,, was asked which deed is best. He said:“Belief in Allaah and His Messenger,thenJihaad for the Sake of Allaah, and then an accepted Hajj.”]Al-Bukhaari[
The pilgrim trains himself in the spirit of warriorship by exercising patience and enduring harm. It is very similar to an organized military campaign during which one cooperates with other people. Do you not see that the pilgrim suffers from the difficulties of travel from the time all the pilgrims gather in Makkah, the Sacred Land of Allaah, and then go on to perform the rites ofHajj? They move briskly and joyfully, something like the travels of scouts on the path of spirituality.
No differences inHajj
InHajj, all differences and distinctions vanish i.e. the differences of wealth and poverty, race and color, and the differences of tongues and languages. The gathering unifies all humans, making it full of goodness, blessings, mutual consultation, advice and cooperation in righteousness and support.
During theHajj, people cooperate in righteousness and piety, advise each other to adhere to the truth and patience and take care of the interests of theUmmah)Muslim nation(. The sublime aim behind such a great conference and gathering is to link worldly goals to heavenly ones.Hajjleads to precious memories which instill in souls the spirit of endless and complete servitude and submission to the commands of Allaah The Almighty and HisSharee‘ah)the revealed lawsof Islam(.
Perhaps they would be grateful
In such sacred places and honorable sites, precious lessons are drawn. At the Ka‘bah, the father of the Prophets, Ibraaheemstopped his camel along with his wife Haajar and Ismaa‘eel )Ishmael(. Al-Bukhaari narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaasin a longHadeeth)narration( in which the Messenger of Allaah,, said:
Ibraaheem brought her )Haajar( and her son Ismaa‘eel while she was suckling him, to a place near the Ka‘bah under a tree on the spot of Zamzam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Makkah, nor was there any water. So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water. Then Ibraaheemset out homeward. Ismaa‘eel’s mother followed him saying, "O Ibraaheem! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything )to enjoy(?" She repeated the question to him many times, but he did not look back at her. Then she asked him, "Has Allaah ordered you to do so?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not fail us," and returned while Ibraaheem proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniyyat Al-Wadaa‘ where they could not see him. There he faced the Ka‘bah, and raising both hands, invoked Allaah The Almighty saying the following prayers:}Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.{]Quran 14: 37[
There, in this barren desert, the spring of Zamzam gushed out from under the feet of Ismaa‘eel. This water was a miracle for him and his mother so that people may learn. This small family became the nucleus of life and prosperity in this place. It brought to the desert of the Arabian Peninsula the honor of prophethood and the Divine message. Those who submitted in this way to the commands of Allaah The Almighty truly deserved to be gifted with such an honor and establish the House, towards which the hearts of the people of faith incline spontaneously.

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Making Up Missed Prayers, - Dought & clear, - * Praying Witr after the adhaan of Fajr

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What happens if one intends on praying Witr but unintentionally sleeps in or is eating for Suhoor and loses track of time....can they still pray Witr once the athan for Fajr has been made?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The time for praying Witr ends when dawn comes, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The night prayers are two by two, then when you fear that dawn is about to break, then pray one (rak’ah) and make the prayers that you have offered odd-numbered.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 472.
Muslim (754) narrated from Abu Sa’eed (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Pray Witr before dawn comes.”
If the adhaan for Fajr is given and a person has not yet prayed witr, he should delay it until the forenoon, after the sun has risen high, then he should pray whatever he can, two or four rak’ahs or more, two by two. If his habit is to pray three and he did not pray them at night, he should pray them in the forenoon with four rak’ahs and two tasleems. If his habit is to pray five and he was not able to do them at night because he was sick or he was asleep and so on, he should pray them in the forenoon with six rak’ahs and three tasleems, and so on, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do that. He used to pray witr with eleven rak’ahs, but if sickness or sleep kept him from doing that, he would pray them during the day with twelve rak’ahs. This is what ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said according to the report narrated from her by the two shaykhs al-Bukhaari and Muslim, and this is what is prescribed for the ummah, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/300
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was also asked: Should the last of Witr prayer be done when the adhaan begins for Fajr or at the end of the adhaan? If a person sleeps and misses it, should he make it up and how?
He replied:
It is prescribed for every believer, male and female, to pray Witr every night. The time for it is between ‘Isha’ prayer until dawn begins, because it is narrated inal-Saheehaynfrom Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The night prayers are two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn is about to break, let him pray one rak’ah to make what he has prayed odd-numbered.” Muslim narrated in hisSaheehthat Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “Pray witr before dawn comes.” Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi narrated, in a report that was classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, from Khaarijah ibn Hudhaafah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has blessed you with a prayer that is better for you than red camels.” We said: O Messenger of Allaah, what is it? He said: “Witr, between ‘Isha’ prayer and the break of dawn.” And there are many ahaadeeth on this topic, which indicates that Witr ends with the break of dawn.
If a worshipper does not know when dawn is, he may rely on a muezzin who is known to pay attention to the right time. If the muezzin who pays attention to the right time gives the adhaan, then he has missed witr. As for the one who gives the adhaan before dawn breaks, he has not missed witr when he gives the adhaan and this does not mean that it has become haraam for one who is fasting to eat and drink, and the time for Fajr prayer has not begun with this adhaan. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Bilaal gives the adhaan at night, so eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoom gives the adhaan.” Saheeh – agreed upon. Ibn Umm Maktoom was a blind man who did not give the adhaan until he was told that dawn had come. From what we have mentioned it is clear that the time for witr ends with the first adhaan if the muezzin pays attention to the correct time of dawn, but if the muezzin gives the adhaan when the Muslim is in the final rak'ah of witr, he should complete it because he cannot be certain that dawn has come just from hearing the adhaan, and there is nothing wrong with that in sha Allaah.
If a person misses Fajr, it is prescribed for him to pray what he usually prays during the day, but he should make it even-numbered by adding one rak’ah. If he usually prays three, he should make it four, and if he usually prays five, he should make it six, and so on, saying the tasleem after each two rak’ahs. It is narrated inSaheeh Muslimthat ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) missed witr at night because he was sick or sleeping, he would pray twelve rak’ahs during the day. And he usually prayed eleven rak’ahs, but if sickness or sleep kept him from doing that, he would pray twelve rak’ahs as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, saying the tasleem after each two rak’ahs, as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray ten rak’ahs at night, saying the tasleem after each two rak’ahs, and praying witr with one.” Saheeh – agreed upon. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The prayers of the night and day are two by two.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the authors ofal-Sunanwith a saheeh isnaad from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him). It is narrated inal-Saheehaynwith the wording, “The night prayers are two by two,” as we stated at the beginning. And Allaah is the Source of strength. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/305-308
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: I am keen to offer witr prayer at the best time for it, before dawn breaks, but sometimes I cannot do it before dawn. Is it permissible for me to pray witr after dawn breaks?
He replied:
If dawn breaks and you have not prayed witr, then do not pray witr, rather pray four rak'ahs during the day if you usually pray witr with three, and six if you usually pray witr with five, and so on.
Because if the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) missed the night prayers, he would pray twelve rak’ahs during the day. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 14/114
It was narrated from a number of the Sahaabah that there is nothing wrong with praying witr after the adhaan of Fajr until the iqaamah is given – such as Ibn Mas’ood (as was narrated by al-Nasaa’i (1667) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa’i), Ibn ‘Abbaas (as narrated by Maalik inal-Muwatta’(255)) and ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit (as narrated by Maalik inal-Muwatta’(257)).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a person who sleeps and misses Witr prayer.
He replied: He may pray between dawn and Fajr prayer, as ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar, ‘Aa’ishah and others did. Abu Dawood narrated in hisSunanthat Abu Sa’eed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps and misses Witr or forgets it, let him pray it when morning comes or he remembers.” There are different reports from Ahmad as to whether he should make up the even-numbered rak’ahs too. The correct view is that he should make up even-numbered rak’ahs too. It is narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps and misses a prayer or forgets it, let him offer it when he remembers it, for that is the time for it.” This includes obligatory prayers, qiyaam al-layl, Witr and regular Sunnah prayers.” End quote fromal-Fataawa al-Kubra, 2/240.
If the Muslim does either of these two things, there is no sin on him in sha Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.

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Making Up Missed Prayers, - Dought & clear, - * He used to pray without having purified himself

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When I reached puberty, I used to pray without doing ghusl, although I knew the ruling, but I was young and I was too lazy to do ghusl. I continued like that for 4 years, then after I grew up I realized what I was doing. Now I am confused about my situation and I always feel regret. Do I have to make up the prayers of 4 years or is repentance sufficient?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Praying without having purified oneself is a major sin, and is one of the things for which a sinner will be punished in his grave. Al-Tahhaawi narrated inMushkil al-Athaarfrom ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It was ordered that one of the slaves of Allaah be given one hundred lashes in his grave, but he kept asking Allaah and pleading until it was made one, and his grave was filled with fire. When it was lifted from him, he woke up and said: ‘Why did you whip me?’ They said: ‘You offered a prayer without having purified yourself, and you passed by one who was being wronged and you did not help him.’” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Targheeb, 2234.
Your feeling regret for that is repentance, but does your repentance also require you to make up those prayers or not? This is a matter concerning which the scholars differed. It seems that you do not have to make them up, because prayer is an act of worship that is connected to a specific time, and if a person fails to do it at the specified time, then it is not valid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2697; Muslim, 1718. Your praying without having purified yourself is like your not having prayed at all, because a prayer offered without being pure is not valid.
We have stated in the answer to question no. 13664that the scholars differed concerning the ruling on one who does not pray until the time for the prayer is over, without any excuse – does he have to make it up or not? So what you have to do is:
Repent from this great sin, and resolve not to return to it. And you have to offer a lot of naafil prayers, for “good deeds erase bad deeds.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inal-Ikhtiyaaraat(p. 34): It is not prescribed for the one who deliberately does not pray to make up the prayers, and they are not valid if he does them. Rather he should offer a lot of voluntary prayers. This is the view of a number of the salaf. End quote.
And Allaah knows best.

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Making Up Missed Prayers, - Dought & clear, - * He missed some prayers during Ramadaan because he was asleep. What does he have to do?

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During the month of fasting I feel so tired that if I sleep, I miss two or more obligatory prayers and I feel that I am sinning. My question is: If I sleep and miss Zuhr and ‘Asr until Maghrib comes, and I am afraid that the time for Maghrib is about to end, what should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Not offering the prayers at the proper time is a serious matter, concerning which Allaah has issued a stern warning, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As‑Salaah (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaah (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell”
[Maryam 19:59]
With regard to what is meant byghayy(translated here as “Hell”):
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: it means loss. Qataadah said it means evil. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said it is a valley in Hell that is very deep and its food is foul.
See:Tafseer Ibn Katheer(3/172).
It was said to Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him): Allaah often mentions prayer in the Qur’aan:“Except those who are devoted to Salaah (prayers)” [al-Ma’aarij 70:23],“And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawaat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours)” [al-Mu’minoon 23:9, al-Ma’aarij 70:34],“So woe unto those performers of Salaah (prayers) (hypocrites), Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)” [al-Ma’oon 107:5]. He said: That warning is about (not praying) on time. They said: O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, we thought it was about not praying at all. He said: Not praying at all is kufr.
Ta’zeem Qadr al-Salaahby al-Marwazi (2/5). The editor said its isnaad is hasan.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned praying and missing an obligatory prayer as being some of the reasons for which a person will be punished in the grave. See the answer to question no. 46068to learn more about the horror and intensity of this punishment. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
There follows an exhortation from the great Sahaabi ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), in which he speaks eloquently of the ruling on prayer in congregation, the situation of the one who fails to pray in congregation, the reward of the one who goes to prayer, and the situation of the one who is eager to go and stand in the row even though he is excused.
He said: “Whoever would like to meet Allaah, may He be exalted, tomorrow as a Muslim, let him regularly offer these prayers where the call to prayer is given, for Allaah has prescribed the Sunnahs of guidance to your Prophet (S) and they (the prayers) are among the Sunnahs of guidance. If you pray in your houses like this one who stays away from the mosque prays in his house, you will have forsaken the Sunnah of your Prophet, and if you forsake the Sunnah of your Prophet you will go astray.” [This is what he said about one who offers the prayer on time, but he does not pray in congregation in the mosque, and prays in his house. So what about one who does not pray until the time is over altogether!] Then he said: There is no man who purifies himself and purifies himself well, then he goes to one of these mosques, but Allaah will record one good deed for him for every step he takes, and will raise him in status one degree thereby, and will erase one bad deed thereby. I remember when no one would stay away but a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was known, and a man would come staggering between two others in order to stand in the row. Narrated by Muslim (654).
It is not right for a Muslim to fast only in the month of Ramadaan. During the year there are other virtuous days when it is mustahabb to fast, such as the day of ‘Arafah and ‘Ashoora’. During the week it is mustahabb to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. During every month it is mustahabb to fast three days of the month. If you accustomed yourself to fasting all year round, you would not experience such hardship that makes you sleep all day and miss the prayers.
You have to adopt the means that will wake you up for prayer. It is not permissible for you to deliberately miss prayers on the basis of sleeping when you are able to wake up at the time for prayer.
You should look at the reason why you are so tired when fasting. If it is because of work, then you should weigh up work and fasting, and if you do not have to work, and you cannot fast, pray and do other acts of worship because of work, then you should take a leave of absence from work during the fasting month. See the answer to question no. 65803and 43772. If the reason is staying up late at night, then it haraam for you to stay up late if that is causing you to miss prayers until the time for them is over.
You have to advise your family members, wife and children to wake up for prayer, and they have to help you to obey Allaah and offer the prayers on time.
If you have adopted the means and are still not able to wake up because of intense tiredness or sickness, and the time for prayer has ended, then you must make up the prayers that you have missed in the proper order. So you should pray Zuhr and then ‘Asr and so on, unless you fear that the time for the second prayer is about to end, in which case you should start with that. If you wake up before the sun sets and you have not prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr, and so little time is left for ‘Asr that the sun is about to set, then start with ‘Asr, then pray Zuhr after that, then Maghrib.
We ask Allaah, may He be exalted, to help you to obey Him and worship Him well, and to make you more keen to do good.
And Allaah knows best.

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Welcome to Islam, - * The tears of finding the truth through the Internet

Introduction:
The following story occurred on the Internet through one of the chat
programs )Freetel( in January 1999. It is a real dialogue between a
Christian and a Muslim. The story centers on Derek's realization of
today's Christianity and his subsequent conversion to Islam. This
Christian-Muslim dialogue has been edited for readability and for the
clarity of its message.
'Abdullaah: Hello there! How are you man?
Derek: Hello! Well, how are you?
'Abdullaah: I'm fine and you?
Derek: I'm fine, thanks.
'Abdullaah: Where are you from?
Derek: I'm from L.A. )Los Angeles(.
'Abdullaah: The land of Hollywood!
Derek: Well, that's right. Have you ever been to L.A?
'Abdullaah: No, never. Why are you calling yourself 'Black Magic'?
Derek: It's just a nickname, man!
'Abdullaah: I see.
Derek: Where are you from? Are you an Arab?
'Abdullaah: Yes, I am from Saudi Arabia but I'm in Qatar now.
What is your name?
Derek: My name is Derek. What's your name?
'Abdullaah: My name is 'Abdullaah.
Derek: What does 'Abdullaah mean?
'Abdullaah: 'Abdullaah means the servant of Allaah and it is the
function of each individual on the face of the earth to serve Allaah
according to what Allaah wants from us. By the way, Allaah is the
proper name of God.
Derek: How do we know what God or Allaah wants from us?
'Abdullaah: All of this is outlined in the Quran and
theSunnah)traditions and approved actions of Prophet
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)may Allaah exalt his mention(.
These are the two major sources of guidance in Islam. Could you
please tell me more about yourself? How old are you?
Derek: I am 19 years old, black and very much interested in
knowing more about Islam. First of all, what should a person do or
believe in, to become a Muslim?
'Abdullaah: Very easy brother, you just say that there is no one
worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger, and you
become Muslim.
Derek: You mean Muhammad is his apostle? But as a Christian
or non-Muslim, this sentence is not enough to make it clear to me.
'Abdullaah: O.K. Allaah sent Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam,as His last Prophet and Messenger and revealed the Quran to him
as the final revelation to mankind. Allaah said that He perfected His
religion and called it Islam )see Quran 5:3(. Islam means peaceful
submission to the Will of Allaah.
Derek: I see.
'Abdullaah: Yes, and unfortunately, most Christians don't know or
they deny that the coming of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam,is foretold in their scriptures )See Deuteronomy 18:18; 21:21;
Psalms 118: 22-23; Isaiah 42:1-13; Habakuk 3:3-4; Matthew 21:42-43;
John 14:12-17, 15:26,27; 16:5-16(. Muslim theologians have stated
that the person who is described by Jesus, may Allaah exalt his
mention, to come after him )in the above verses( is
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
Derek: O.K. Fine, but why was there a need for another
Prophet after Jesus and another revelation after the Bible?
'Abdullaah: All of the Prophets came to teach their peoples the
Oneness of God. In the case of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
he was only sent as Messenger to the lost sheep of the house of Israel
)see Matt. 15:24(. What happened was that all of these Prophets were
not well received by the majority of the people. For instance, they
started tampering with the teachings of Moses and Jesus, may Allaah
exalt their mention )see Quran 2:79(. That is why Allaah sent
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,with the last Message, )i.e.,
the Quran(, to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship
of One God, without partners or intermediaries.
Derek: Is the Quran similar to the Bible? I mean, what is
it composed of?
'Abdullaah: The Quran came as the last code emphasizing the same
pure monotheistic teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
defending all the previous pure teachings of monotheistic beliefs and
clarifying who Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention, was and who his
mother was, showing that they were no more than great people.
Derek: O.K then, how can we be sure that the Quran has
remained the same since the time of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam?
'Abdullaah: Allaah Himself has guaranteed that He would guard the
Quran and keep it free from corruption )see Quran 15:9(. Hence, the
real and pure words of Allaah are found in the Quran which was
revealed in Arabic, the language of the people of Muhammad,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam. Since then, not an iota has changed. This is
unlike what has happened in the other religions. For example, if you
look at the Bible you find a lot of versions; the name Bible itself is
indicative of those changes because Bible means a collection of books
from different writers.
Derek: But didn't God call it the Bible?
'Abdullaah: God calls the Scripture revealed to Jesus "Injeel" in
the Quran, for which the closest name in the Bible would be the word
Gospel. The Bible was written many years after the time of Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, in a language that was alien to Jesus -- it
was Latin Vulgate, a language that he never spoke. Isn't this
strange? Interestingly, most of what was written in the New Testament
was authored by Paul, who, according to James, the brother of Jesus in
the Bible, had a polluted mind because he changed and contradicted
most of the teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention.
Derek: I think you know more about Christianity than the Pope does!
'Abdullaah: You are wrong by saying that I know more than the
Pope. I have simply investigated the Bible with an inquiring mind,
which is something that all Christians should do.
Derek: Is there any English version of the Holy Quran?
'Abdullaah: There are many translations of the meanings of the
Quran. The Quran was revealed in Arabic, which means that the words
of Allaah are in Arabic. The translations are the words of human
beings relating to the meanings of the Quran to the non-Arabic
speaking masses.
Derek: How does the Quran define God to mankind or how does
the Muslim perceive God?
'Abdullaah: God is the One and Only True God, and the Creator of
all. He does not beget nor is He begotten. He is unlike His creation
in every respect. He is the All-Knowing, The Powerful, The Merciful,
The Irresistible, and The King of kings.
Derek: But it is somehow difficult for me to perceive God as
being the same as His creatures.
'Abdullaah: You are absolutely right to have difficulty perceiving
this, because human beings have a limited capacity. This is why
Allaah sent revelations to His Prophets and Messengers to tell us who
He is. So if you want to know who God is, just read the Quran.
Derek: Christians believe that Jesus was sent for the
salvation of all mankind. If this is not true, then the foundation of
Christianity is faulty. Right? What do you think?
'Abdullaah: That's correct. The Christians of today are following
what Paul taught and also tend to follow what the priests tell them to
do instead of following what Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
said.
Derek: Kindly explain the concept of salvation through the
crucifixion of Jesus.
'Abdullaah: In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the
reason that there is a need for salvation through Jesus' crucifixion.
However, this doctrine was invented by Paul and it is strongly negated
in the Old Testament )see Ezekiel 18:20, Jeremiah 31:30, Deut. 24:16(.
This doctrine is an attempt to escape the responsibility of
righteousness with the belief that punishment is given to someone else
to release us from our burden of sins )see Ephesians 1:7, Romans 4:25,
10:9,Corinthians 15:21(. In the Quran, every soul is responsible for
its own deeds, good or bad )see Quran 74:38, 41:46, 3:25, 6:154(.
Derek: What about the crucifixion itself?
'Abdullaah: The Bible says Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
cried out in a loud voice beseeching God for help on the cross: "My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" )Matt. 27:46( Does that sound
like Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention, to you?
Derek: No, then what about Jesus' appearance to his
disciples after the crucifixion?
'Abdullaah: Jesus didn't die on the cross nor was he resurrected.
If he were resurrected, then he would have come to his disciples in a
spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, he met them with his
physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. In the
Quran, it says that Jesus was not crucified, but it was someone else
who was made to look like him )see Quran 4:15,58(.
Derek: How did the story of the crucifixion of Jesus get
into the Bible then?
'Abdullaah: Once again, Paul was responsible )see Timothy 2:8 and
Romans 5:10(.
Derek: Well, I very deep in my heart, believe that God can
never look like His creation nor does He do what they do. What I
believe is that God is the Perfect One who is very much different from
everything we see or touch. In other words, I think the writer can
never look like his book.
'Abdullaah: You are right. There is nothing comparable to Allaah
)see Quran 112:4(. The Prophets came with a very clear message to
worship God alone, without any partners or intercessors. However,
Paul took pagan beliefs and practices from the Romans and mixed them
with the teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention.
Consequently, Paul was mostly responsible for elevating Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, to the status of Son of God )see Acts. 9:20(
and god.
Derek: Yes. Now I remember. The first Commandments is:
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord."
'Abdullaah: You're right. That's in Mark 12:29. Moreover, the
Quran confirms that God is One )which means(:"Say He is Allaah, the
One and Only )God(."]Quran 112:1[
Derek: What you are saying makes perfect sense. This is
just incredible! You mean that for almost 2000 years what the
Christians have been following is wrong?
'Abdullaah: Yes, especially their misunderstanding of who Jesus was.
Derek: Oh my God! I've been deceived! Really, I feel
religiously raped. I have been fooled simply because I followed
blindly the religion that I was born with and didn't take care to
investigate it thoroughly. But still inside me there is something
holding me back from accepting Islam, even though Islam is clearly the
True Religion.
'Abdullaah: Your last comment shows that you are a Muslim not a
Christian and if you really love God and His Messenger Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, you will follow Islam and Prophet
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Break this barrier inside you
and come back to the way of your ancestors. You are now free because
you are looking for the Truth and our great Prophet Jesus, may Allaah
exalt his mention, told us that we should look for the Truth and the
Truth will set us free. So you will be a free man as soon as you
accept it. Be strong enough to accept Islam as the Truth, without any
hesitation on your part and you will taste real freedom and real
happiness that you have never tasted before.
Derek: Frankly, I am concerned about the negative way Islam
and Muslims are shown in the media. In the West, there is a stigma
attached to being a Muslim and I'm not sure I'm ready to live with
that stigma.
'Abdullaah: This is why I have chosen to tell people about the
right picture of Islam.
Derek: Then, what is the right picture of Islam?
'Abdullaah: The right picture of Islam is conveyed in the Quran
which is exemplified by Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam. The reality is that it is not fair to judge a religion by the
actions of its followers alone, because there are good and bad
followers in every religion. The correct thing to do is to judge a
religion by its documented revelation from God and the Prophet who
brought that revelation.
Derek: I see. I agree with you, but I'm still concerned
about the reaction of my family and friends if they know that I am a
Muslim.
'Abdullaah: Brother, on Judgment Day, no one will be able to help
you, not even your father, mother or any of your friends )see Quran
31:33(. So if you believe that Islam is the true religion, you should
embrace it and live your life to please the One Who created you. Be
an illuminating torch for them. Do not delay your coming to Islam.
If you die before becoming a Muslim, then it's too late )see Quran
2:132, 3:102, 3:85(. So grab this opportunity now. You can only
remedy this pain inside you by becoming a Muslim and being able in the
future, God willing, to come and perform pilgrimage )Hajj(.
Derek: You are very wise man. I want to say that when I
sometimes see on the satellite, especially in the season of Hajj,
people of different colors and different races sitting side by side
and praying to God, I feel a pain deep inside my heart and I feel
something urging me to talk with someone to know more about that great
religion that can gather all the races in the same place. Thanks to
you, I have found that person. So please help me become a Muslim!
'Abdullaah: Brother, let us take it step by step. First, enter
Islam by saying:I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger. Let
us say this again:I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger.
DerekI bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except
Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger
'Abdullaah: By the way, Jesus' name is not Jesus. It is a
Latinized name. His real name is 'Eesaa. Now you will say the same
thing in Arabic, the language of the Quran. I will transliterate for
you:Ash'hadu an laa ilaahaa illallaah, wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadun
rasoolullaah, wa ash'hadu anna 'Eesaa 'abdullaahi wa rasooluhu.
Derek:Ash'hadu an laa ilaahaa illallaah, wa ash'hadu anna muhammadun
rasoolullaah, wa ash'hadu anna 'Eesaa 'abdullaahi wa rasooluhu.
'Abdullaah: Brother, say Allaah is the greatest because you are a
Muslim now. You are not a Christian anymore. You are in the House of
Islam. If I were with you, I would hug you as my brother in Islam.
How do you feel now? A burden has been removed from you and you feel
like you are so light. Isn't this right?
Derek: If you were with me now, you would have seen my
tears reaching my neck. You are a great brother. I feel that I have
just come to life. This is exactly how I feel from now. I don't have
to listen to the words of the priests in the church, who knowingly or
unknowingly lead people astray. I hope to be a good servant of
Allaah.
'Abdullaah: You know what came out of you was disbelief and it was
replaced by belief. You are so clean now, because when someone
embraces Islam sincerely, Allaah forgives all of his past sins. So,
go to an Islamic center that has Muslims from all over the world and
announce your Islam there and continue to learn more about Islam from
them. In addition, find a book on prayer in Islam and practice it.
This is essential. Now after you are through with me, you must take a
shower to purify yourself from previous wrong beliefs. Remember to
stay away from bad company and be with righteous Muslim people. Also,
beware of those so-called Muslims who call to nationalistic ideas or
racial thoughts, which are rejected in Islam. I love you as a brother
in Islam and I hope one day I will see you and hear your voice.
Derek: I will for sure do what you have asked. And tomorrow
I will go to the Islamic center. Thank you for showing me the Truth.
I will do my best to meet people who know about Islam for sure. May
God help you guide more and more people to the true word of God.
There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is his Apostle ... Well it is as
difficult for me as it is for you to leave you.
'Abdullaah: Well brother, you will not leave me for a long time.
I will soon be with you through my supplications, God willing. Pray
for me, brother.
Derek: Well, I thank you, I love you although I do not know
you yet. But it is enough for me to remember that one day, a very dear
man has picked me up from the mud of life. Please teach me another
Islamic word in Arabic so as to make use of it in the Islamic center.
'Abdullaah:As-Salaamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh
and Astaghfirullaah.
Derek: What do they mean?
'Abdullaah: May the Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allaah be upon
you. This is used as a greeting to all Muslims. The last word means,
Allaah forgive me. Well, I have to leave you now but be sure it will
not be for long.
Derek: Assalaamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh and
Astaghfirullaah for being astray from the Truth all those years. May
God bless you. You have occupied a great place in my heart and I will
never forget you. Bye and talk to you later. Your brother in Islam,
Derek, but I will call myself 'Eesaa from now on.
'Abdullaah: O.K. 'Eesaa. I will leave you some final words of
inspiration. Certainly, the ultimate goal of every individual is to
be in Paradise forever. This reward of Paradise is too great to not
have a price. That price is true faith, which is proven obedience to
Allaah and following theSunnahof Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam. This is the road to Paradise. Let's stay in touch!
Assalamu Alaykum!
Derek: O.K. Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.

Welcome to Islam, - * I had not gone shopping for a new religion

After twenty-five years a writer in America, I wanted something to
soften my cynicism. I was searching for new terms by which to see. The
way one is raised establishes certain needs in this department. From a
pluralist background, I naturally placed great stress on the matters
of racism and freedom.
Then, in my early twenties, I had gone to live in Africa for three
years. During this time, which was formative for me, I did rubbed
shoulders with blacks of many different tribes, with Arabs, Berbers,
and even Europeans, who were Muslims. By and large these people did
not share the Western obsession with race as a social category. In our
encounters being oddly coloured rarely mattered. I was welcomed first
and judged on merit later. By contrast, Europeans and Americans,
including many who are free of racist notions, automatically class
people racially. Muslims classified people by their faith and their
actions. I found this transcendent and refreshing. Malcolm X saw his
nation's salvation in it. "America needs to understand Islam," he
wrote, "because this is the one religion that erases from its society
the race problem".
I was looking for an escape route, too, from the isolating terms of a
materialistic culture. I wanted access to a spiritual dimension, but
the conventional paths I had known as a boy were closed. My father had
been a Jew; my mother Christian. Because of my mongrel background, I
had a foot in two religious camps. Both faiths were undoubtedly
profound. Yet the one that emphasizes a chosen people I found
insupportable; while the other, based in a mystery, repelled me. A
century before, my maternal great--grandmother's name had been set in
stained glass at the high street Church of Christ in Hamilton, Ohio.
By the time I was twenty, this meant nothing to me.
These were the terms my early life provided. The more I thought about
it now, the more I returned to my experiences in Muslim Africa. After
two return trips to Morocco, in 1981 and 1985, I came to feel that
Africa, the continent, had little to do with the balanced life I found
there. It was not, that is, a continent I was after, nor an
institution, either. I was looking for a framework I could live with,
a vocabulary of spiritual concepts applicable to the life I was living
now. I did not want to "trade in" my culture. I wanted access to new
meanings.
After a mid-Atlantic dinner I went to wash up in the bathroom. During
my absence a quorum of Hasidim lined up to pray outside the door. By
the time I had finished, they were too immersed to notice me. Emerging
from the bathroom, I could barely work the handle. Stepping into the
aisle was out of the question.
I could only stand with my head thrust into the hallway, staring at
the congregation's backs. Holding palm-size prayer books, they cut an
impressive figure, tapping the texts on their breastbones as they
divined. Little by little the movements grew erratic, like a mild,
bobbing form of rock and roll. I watched from the bathroom door until
they were finished, then slipped back down the aisle to my seat.We
landed together later that night in Brussels. Reboarding, I found a
discarded Yiddish newspaper on a food tray. When the plane took off
for Morocco, they were gone.
I do not mean to imply here that my life during this period conformed
to any grand design. In the beginning, around 1981, I was driven by
curiosity and an appetite for travel. My favourite place to go, when I
had the money, was Morocco. When I could not travel, there were books.
This fascination brought me into contact with a handful of writers
driven to the exotic, authors capable of sentences like this, by Freya
Stark:
The perpetual charm of Arabia is that the traveler finds his level
there simply as a human being; the people's directness, deadly to the
sentimental or the pedantic, like the less complicated virtues; and
the pleasantness of being liked for oneself might, I think, be added
to the five reasons for travel given me by Sayyid Abdulla, the
watchmaker; "to leave one's troubles behind one; to earn a living; to
acquire learning; to practise good manners; and to meet honourable
men".
I could not have drawn up a list of demands, but I had a fair idea of
what I was after. The religion I wanted should be to metaphysics as
metaphysics is to science. It would not be confined by a narrow
rationalism or traffic in mystery to please its priests. There would
be no priests, no separation between nature and things sacred. There
would be no war with the flesh, if I could help it. Sex would be
natural, not the seat of a curse upon the species. Finally, I did want
a ritual component, daily routine to sharpen the senses and discipline
my mind. Above all, I wanted clarity and freedom. I did not want to
trade away reason simply to be saddled with a dogma.
The more I learned about Islam, the more it appeared to conform to
what I was after. Most of the educated Westerners I knew around this
time regarded any strong religious climate with suspicion. They
classified religion as political manipulation, or they dismissed it as
a medieval concept, projecting upon it notions from their European
past.
It was not hard to find a source for their opinions. A thousand years
of Western history had left us plenty of fine reasons to regret a path
that led through so much ignorance and slaughter. From the Children's
Crusade and the Inquisition to the transmogrified faiths of nazism and
communism during our century, whole countries have been exhausted by
belief. Nietzsche's fear, that the modern nation-state would become a
substitute religion, have proved tragically accurate. Our century, it
seemed to me, was ending in an age beyond belief, which believers
inhabited as much as agnostics.
Regardless of church affiliation, secular humanism is the air
westerners breathe, the lens we gaze through. Like any world view,
this outlook is pervasive and transparent. It forms the basis of our
broad identification with democracy and with the pursuit of freedom in
all its countless and beguiling forms. Immersed in our shared
preoccupations, one may easily forget that other ways of life exist on
the same planet.
At the time of my trip, for instance, 650 million Muslims with a
majority representation in forty-four countries adhered to the formal
teachings of Islam. In addition, about 400 million more were living as
minorities in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Assisted by postcolonial
economics, Islam has become in a matter of thirty years a major faith
in Western Europe. Of the world's great religions, Islam alone was
adding to its fold.
My politicized friends were dismayed by my new interest. They all but
universally confused Islam with the machinations of half a dozen
middle eastern tyrants. The books they read, the new broadcasts they
viewed depicted the faith as a set of political functions. Almost
nothing was said of its spiritual practice. I liked to quote Mae West
to them: "Anytime you take religion for a joke, the laugh's on you".
Historically a Muslim sees Islam as the final, matured expression of
an original religion reaching back to Adam. It is as resolutely
monotheistic as Judaism, whose major Prophets Islam reveres as links
in a progressive chain, culminating in Jesus and Muhammad. Essentially
a message of renewal, Islam has done its part on the world stage to
return the forgotten taste of life's lost sweetness to millions of
people. Its book, the Qur'an, caused Goethe to remark, "You see, this
teaching never fails; with all our systems, we cannot go, and
generally speaking no man can go, further".
Traditional Islam is expressed through the practice of five pillars.
Declaring one's faith, prayer, charity, and fasting are activities
pursued repeatedly throughout one's life. Conditions permitting, each
Muslim is additionally charged with undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca
once in a lifetime. The Arabic term for this fifth rite is Hadj.
Scholars relate the wto the concept of kasd, "aspiration," and to the
notion of men and women as travelers on earth. In Western religions
pilgrimage is a vestigial tradition, a quaint, folkloric concept
commonly reduced to metaphor. Among Muslims, on the other hand, the
hadj embodies a vital experience for millions of new pilgrims every
year. In spite of the modern content of their lives, it remains an act
of obedience, a profession of belief, and the visible expression of a
spiritual community. For a majority of Muslims the hadj is an ultimate
goal, the trip of a lifetime.
As a convert I felt obliged to go to Makkah. As an addict to travel I
could not imagine a more compelling goal.The annual, month-long fast
of Ramadan precedes the hadj by about one hundred days. These two
rites form a period of intensified awareness in Muslim society. I
wanted to put this period to use. I had read about Islam; I had joined
a Mosque near my home in California; I had started a practice. Now I
hoped to deepen what I was learning by submerging myself in a religion
where Islam infuses every aspect of existence.
I planned to begin in Morocco, because I knew that country well and
because it followed traditional Islam and was fairly stable. The last
place I wanted to start was in a backwater full of uproarious
sectarians. I wanted to paddle the mainstream, the broad, calm water.

Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * He is going to form the intention to do a second ‘umrah when he is in Jeddah;where should he enter ihramfrom?

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I am going to go from al-Jawf to perform ‘umrah, then go to Jeddah to meet my mother on the same day; she is coming from Egypt. Then I will form the intention to enter ihram again to perform ‘umrah with my mother. Where should I enter ihram for the second time – in Jeddah or in at-Tan‘eem?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
What is required of the one who sets out for Makkah to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah is to enter ihram from the miqaat that he passes through or comes in line with. It is not permissible for him to go beyond that point without entering ihram. If he is closer [to Makkah] than that, then his miqaat is the place from which he sets out, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, when he defined the miqaats: “They are for them and besides them for those who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and 'Umrah; and whoever is living within these boundaries can enter ihraam from the place he sets out, and the people of Makkah can start from Makkah”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1524) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him).
Based on that, what you must do is enter ihram from the miqaat through which you pass or with which you come in line on your way from al-Jawf to Makkah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
Whoever passes through one of the miqaats that are proven from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or comes in line with it by air or land or sea, intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, it is obligatory for him to enter ihram. If he is not intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, then he does not have to enter ihram. If he passes it without intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, then he sets out for Hajj or ‘Umrah from Makkah or Jeddah, then he should enter ihram from wherever he sets out from in Makkah or Jeddah, for example. In the case of ‘umrah, if he sets out for it from outside the Haram zone, he should enter ihram for it from where he sets out, but if he sets out for it from within the Haram zone, he has to go out to the nearest point outside the Haram zone and enter ihram from there for ‘Umrah. This is the basic principle with regard to this matter. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/122)
Secondly:
With regard to the second ‘umrah that you are intending to do from Jeddah, you can enter ihram for it from Jeddah, and you do not have to go to at-Tan‘eem, because at-Tan‘eem is not specified as a place to enter ihram. Rather it is a place outside the Haram zone to which a resident of Makkah goes to in order to enter ihram for ‘umrah, but if he goes out in a different direction beyond the Haram zone and enters ihram for ‘umrah from there, that is valid.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a person wants to perform ‘umrah from Makkah, he should go out of the Haram zone and enter ihram from there, such as at-Tan‘eem, al-Ji‘raanah and so on, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed ‘Aa’ishah, when she was in Makkah and wanted to perform ‘umrah, to go out to at-Tan‘eem and enter ihram from there. End quote.
Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz(17/41)
If a person goes out to Jeddah, and wants to perform ‘umrah, he may enter ihram from Jeddah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee also said:
If you set out for ‘umrah from Jeddah, then enter ihram from Jeddah.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/136)
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Jeddah is not a miqaat for those coming from further afield; rather it is a miqaat for those who live there and for those who come there not intending to do Hajj or ‘Umrah, then they set out for Hajj and ‘Umrah from there.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz(17/34)
Thirdly:
Doing a second ‘umrah on the same day or soon after doing your first ‘umrah is not in accordance with the Sunnah and it was not the practice of the early generations; rather your first ‘umrah that you did from al-Jawf is sufficient for you.
If you want to do your ‘umrah with your mother, then you can delay your ‘umrah; you can come from al-Jawf and enter ihram at the miqaat at which the people of al-Jawf enter ihram, then go to Jeddah and meet your mother, and you can delay your ‘umrah so that you can accompany her.
Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said inMajmoo‘ al-Fataawa(26/45):
Hence the more correct view according to our companions is that which was narrated from Ahmad, that he did not regard it as mustahabb to do ‘umrah repeatedly, either from Makkah or elsewhere. Rather there should be a period of time between each two ‘umrahs, even if it is only enough time for his hair to regrow so that he will be able to shave it.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * Various issues concerning Hajj and ‘Umrah

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Allah has blessed me and I have been chosen to be among the doctors who will be sent with the Egyptian group to care for pilgrims to the House of Allah, and by Allah’s leave I will perform Hajj this year. I have been allocated to the clinic in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. The journey from Egypt will be directly to Madinah, and I will stay there until the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. I am going to do ‘Umrah before Hajj, then do Hajj, then return to Madinah until it is time to go home.
My questions are as follows:
1. What is the wording of the niyyah (intention) and Talbiyah for Hajj and ‘Umrah?
2. What is the miqaat for entering ihram, seeing that I do not know when I will be doing ‘Umrah?
3. If I am doing tamattu‘ [doing ‘umrah followed by Hajj, exiting ihram in between], what is the latest time I can perform ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Hijjah before the 8th or 9th?
4. Is it permissible to do ‘Umrah after Hajj in the case of qiraan [doing ‘umrah and Hajj together, without exiting ihram in between] or tamattu‘, if I cannot do it before Hajj?
5. Is it permissible to do more than one ‘Umrah, either before or after Hajj? Please note that I will stay for a while after Hajj is over.
6. Someone asked me to convey his salaam to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); is that permissible?
7. One of my acquaintances asked me to do ‘Umrah for her and give the reward thereof to her as a gift. Please note that she is physically in good shape, and I do not know whether she would be able to afford the expenses of ‘Umrah or not, but she cannot ask her husband to do ‘Umrah.
8. I am not going to pay for the expenses of this Hajj out of my own pocket; rather on the contrary I will receive some payment. Will I have performed my (obligatory) Hajj, or should it be from my own money?
Praise be to Allah.
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There is a difference between the niyyah (intention) and the Talbiyah with regard to the pilgrimage. The place for the niyyah is in the heart and it should not be uttered out loud. It is obligatory in the case of Hajj and other acts of worship. As for the Talbiyah, it is mustahabb according to some scholars and is obligatory according to others. It is prescribed for the pilgrim in ihram to say it out loud. The purpose of the Talbiyah is to define the type of pilgrimage. The one who wants to do ‘Umrah says in his Talbiyah: “Labbayk Allahumma ‘umratan(Here I am, O Allah, for ‘umrah)” and the one who wants to do Hajj says in his Talbiyah: “Labbayk Allahummah Hajjan(Here I am, O Allah, for Hajj”). The one who wants to do Hajj and ‘umrah together says “Labbayk Allahumma ‘umratan wa hajjan(Here I am, O Allah, for ‘umrah and Hajj).”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It should be noted that the place for the intention is the heart. It is not Sunnah for a person to say “O Allah, I have intended to do ‘Umrah” or “I have intended to do Hajj”, because there is no report to that effect from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Rather he should say Talbiyah based on what he intends. The Talbiyah is not regarded as expressing the intention, because the Talbiyah signifies responding to Allah, so in and of itself it is dhikr which is not expressing the intention in the heart.
End quote fromash-Sharh al-Mumti‘(2/291)
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 31821
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So long as you are going to travel from your country, Egypt, directly to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, then you should enter ihram from the miqaat of Madinah, which is Dhu’l-Hulayfah. You do not have to enter ihram for Hajj or ‘Umrah from Egypt, or from the time you arrive in Madinah. Rather when you decide to travel to Makkah, you should enter ihram from the miqat of the people of Madinah.
For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 135298and 96758
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It is preferable to do the ‘umrah of Tamattu‘ before Duha (mid-morning) on the 8thof Dhu’l-Hijjah (Yawm at-Tarwiyah), because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. So tamattu‘ ends with Hajj, and the deeds of Hajj begin on the eighth day (of Dhu’l-Hijjah).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it valid to do tamattu‘ after the time for Hajj begins, i.e., after Zuhr on the eighth?
He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. This indicates that ‘umrah should be done before the time for Hajj comes. So if you come to Makkah on the eighth, then you have only two choices: ifraad (doing Hajj only) or qiraan.
As for tamattu‘, the time for it has ended. The individual should not let himself be distracted from going out to Mina, because when the time of Duha comes on the eighth, what he is required to do is be in Mina, but if he does ‘Umrah that will take time away from the time of Hajj. That is because the time of Hajj begins at Duha (mid-morning) on the eighth, as the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) entered ihram at that time. If a person comes late, then what I prefer in his case is that he should do Hajj on its own (ifraad), or Hajj and ‘umrah together (qiraan). As for tamattu‘, it is not an option in this case.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(22/52)
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Doing ‘umrah after Hajj with the intention of tamattu‘ or qiraan is not valid, because ‘umrah of tamattu‘, according to the Qur’anic text, can only come before Hajj; Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. When the time for Hajj begins, if the pilgrim has not done ‘umrah before that, then he has missed out on tamattu‘. Moreover he cannot do ‘umrah after Hajj with the intention of Hajj qiraan. If he does that, his Hajj and ‘umrah cannot be regarded as having been done together; rather he has done Hajj separately and ‘umrah separately. But he can do Hajj qiraan and combine the two rituals in his intention and in his Talbiyah, by saying “Labbayk Allahumma Hajjan wa ‘umratan(Here I am, O Allah, for Hajj and ‘umrah)”, and also in his actions.
This is the best option for him if he has missed tamattu‘. Rather some of the scholars regarded it as the best way of combining the two. Whatever the case, it is preferable to Hajj ifraad, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on that point.
Moreover, when he does his Hajj, he will be able to combine Hajj and ‘umrah (qiraan), because he will do the actions once and not distinguish between them. In that case he should not think that he has missed out on ‘umrah if he is doing qiraan.
He also has the option of doing the third type of pilgrimage, which is to do Hajj on its own (ifraad). This is the least favoured option, because it involves the least actions. Those who do tamattu‘ and qiraan do two pilgrimages, whereas the one who does ifraad does only one.
With regard to the issue of doing ‘umrah before or after Hajj, please see the answers to questions no. 174622and 126752
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Requesting the one who is travelling to the Prophet’s Mosque to convey salaam to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is something that is not prescribed in Islam; it was not part of the practice of the righteous early generations, namely the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een. Moreover, our blessings (salawaat) upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reach him no matter where we are. Abu Dawood (2042) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses graves and do not make my grave a place of regular visitation. Send blessings (salaah) upon me, for your blessing will reach me no matter where you are.” If our blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reach him no matter where we are, there is no point in sending salaams to him with someone else.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 69807
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Doing ‘umrah on behalf of someone else is permissible if that other person is unable to do it because of old age or sickness from which there is no hope of recovery, or if he is deceased.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: I want to go on ‘umrah to the Sacred House of Allah, then when I have finished my ‘umrah, I want to do ‘umrah on behalf of my parents – who are both still alive, praise be to Allah, and on behalf of their fathers – who have both died, may Allah have mercy on them. Is this valid on my part, or not?
They replied:
When you have done ‘umrah on your own behalf, it is permissible for you to do ‘umrah on behalf of your mother and father, if they are unable to do it because of old age or sickness from which there is no hope of recovery. It is also permissible for you to do ‘umrah on behalf of your parents’ fathers who have died.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/80-81)
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 10318and 65641.
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It is not essential in the case of Hajj for it to be done only with the pilgrim’s own money. If he does Hajj at the expense of someone else, his Hajj is valid and the obligation has been fulfilled.
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is the ruling on one who does Hajj at the expense of the ruler? That is if one of the rulers wants to give his subjects some money and he says to them: Do Hajj with this money. Is it permissible for them to do Hajj with it, or not? If they do Hajj with it, have they fulfilled the Islamic obligation to do Hajj? Please provide evidence for what you say.
They replied: It is permissible for them to do that, and their Hajj is valid, because of the general meaning of the evidence.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/36).
Similar to that, and in fact more appropriately so, is the case of one who works during Hajj in order to earn money, and also does Hajj. There is nothing wrong with him doing that, so long as he is not distracted from the actions of Hajj.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Trade is not haraam, but a person should not do any work that distracts him from Hajj.
End quote fromal-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyahby al-Ba‘li (115)
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on praying in ihram garments and delaying exiting from ihram after ‘umrah

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if a person goes to perform the rituals of ‘umrah, and he reaches his home at dawn on Friday, is it permissible for him, after completing the rituals of ‘umrah, to wait in the mosque in ihram, without doing ghusl, until he prays Jumu‘ah, or does he have to exit ihram and do ghusl?
Also, with regard to praying Jumu‘ah in al-Masjid al-Haraam, is it better to be close to the Ka‘bah or to the imam?
I hope that you can tell us some of the rulings on al-Masjid al-Haraam.
Praise be to Allah.
It is permissible for the one who is doing ‘umrah, after he has circumambulated the Ka‘bah (tawaaf) and gone between as-Safa and al-Marwah (sa‘i) to delay shaving his head or cutting his hair, on condition that he does not do any of the things that are prohibited whilst in the state of ihraam, such as covering his head, putting on perfume, trimming his nails or any of the other prohibited actions, until he exits ihram following ‘umrah by shaving his head or cutting his hair. For more information, please see the answer to question no. 138178.
But if he has shaved his head or cut his hair, then he has in fact exited ihram following his ‘umrah, regardless of whether or not he has changed out of his ihram garments, and it is permissible for him to do all of the things that had been prohibited to him because of ihram.
With regard to hastening to change his clothes or otherwise, that depends on his circumstances and what is easiest for him. However it is preferable for him to take off the ihram garments and put on his usual garments, so that he will be able to offer his prayers and go about all of his business comfortably, with no difficulty.
Secondly:
The Sunnah on Friday is for the Muslim to do ghusl, put on perfume, and wear his best clothes, because the Prophet (lettings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl on Friday, puts on his best clothes, puts on perfume if he has any, then comes to Jumu‘ah and does not step over the people’s necks, then prays what Allah has ordained for him, then listens attentively when his imam comes out, until he has finished the prayer, it will be expiation for whatever came between it and the previous Jumu‘ah.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (290). Classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani inSaheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
Based on that, it is better and more appropriate, if there is no great difficulty involved, for him to hasten to exit ihram following his ‘umrah, and to prepare for Jumu‘ah prayer by doing ghusl, putting on perfume, and putting on his best clothes.
Thirdly:
It is mustahabb for the worshipper to be close to the imam during his khutbah, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl and causes his wife to do ghusl, then comes early, walking and not riding, and sits close to the imam, then he listens and does not engage in idle speech, for every step he will have the reward of one year’s fasting and praying qiyaam.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (292); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami‘(6405)
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is mustahabb to be close to the imam because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl and causes his wife to do ghusl, then comes early, walking and not riding, and sits close to the imam, then he listens and does not engage in idle speech, for every step he will have the reward of one year’s fasting and praying qiyaam.”
End quote from al-Mughni (2/103)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Undoubtedly sitting close to the imam, in al-Masjid al-Haraam or elsewhere, is better than being far away from him.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(13/30).
Based on that, being close to the imam is better than being close to the Ka‘bah.
Fourthly:
One of the unique characteristics of al-Masjid al-Haraam, is that it is the best of mosques and the greatest in reward for the one who prays in it, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “One prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam is equal to one hundred thousand prayers offered elsewhere.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (1396); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) inSaheeh Ibn Majah
Another of its unique characteristics is that Allah has made it secure, as He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) focal point for mankind and a place of safety” [al-Baqarah 2:125].
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 3748
There are other rulings having to do with al-Masjid al-Haraam and the Haram (sanctuary) area in general, which the scholars have discussed in their books on the basis of the texts which speak of that. For more information, see the book entitledAhkaam al-Haram al-Makkiby Shaykh Saami ibn Muhammad as-Suqayr, in which he discusses issues and rulings having to do with the sanctuary of Makkah and al-Masjid al-Haraam.
And Allah knows best.

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