Hajj & Umrah, - * The Blessed Days: Day of ‘Arafah

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The Day of ‘Arafah)the 9thday ofThul-Hijjah(:
This day surpasses other days in virtue and merit and therefore it is worth being discussed independently in order to clarify the aspects of its excellence and honor:
Firstly: It is the day of Allaah The Almighty perfected the religion and completed His favor:
It was narrated that the Jews said to ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab"Indeed you recite a verse which if had been revealed to us we would have taken that day as a day of celebration." ‘Umarsaid,"Indeed I know where and when it was revealed, and where the Messenger of Allaahwas when it was revealed! ]It was revealed[ on the Day of ‘Arafah, while we were, by Allaah, on ‘Arafah."
Sufyaan said, "I doubt whether it was a Friday or not." Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.{]Quran 5:3[ ]Al-Bukhaari[
Indeed, the Islamic religion was perfected on that day because Muslims did not perform the obligatoryHajjbefore that day. Consequently, their religion was perfected by completing all the pillars of Islam. Also,Hajjwas performed according to the methodology of Ibraaheem )Abraham(and polytheism and polytheists were excluded. On that day, none of the polytheists joined the Muslims.
As for completing the favor of Allaah The Almighty, this was attained by the forgiving of the pilgrims' sins by Allaah The Almighty. The favor is not completed unless sins are forgiven, as Allaah The Exalted Said )what means( to His Prophet,:}That Allaah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path.{]Quran 48:2[
Secondly: It is a day of ‘Eed)Islamic festival(:
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Umaamahthat the Prophet,, said:"The day of ‘Arafah, the day of Nahr and the days of Tashreeq are our ‘Eeds, for us Muslims. They are days for eating and drinking."
Thirdly: Fasting the day expiates the sins of two years:
In aHadeeth)narration(, the Prophet,, said about the virtue of fasting the day of‘Arafah)for non-pilgrims(:"It expiates )the sins of( the past year and the coming )year(."
Fourthly: It is the day of forgiving sins and exemption from Hell:
It is narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishahthat the Messenger of Allaah,, said:"Allaah exempts more of His slaves from Hell on the Day of ‘Arafah than on any other day, and Allaah draws near and proudly says to the angels, 'What do these people want and seek?'"]Muslim[
Commenting on theHadeeth,Ibn ‘Abdul-Barrsaid,"This indicates that their sins have been forgiven, as Allaah would not boast of sinful and wrongdoing people unless after their repentance and His Forgiveness. Allaah knows best."
The prescribed deeds on the Day of ‘Arafah:
Firstly: Fasting
In aHadeeth, the Prophet,said:"…I hope Allaah that fasting the day of ‘Arafah expiates sins of the past year as well as the next year…."]Muslim[ Fasting during that day is prescribed only for those who are not pilgrims, as it is not permitted for pilgrims to observe fasting on that day. Controlling one's bodily organs from doing prohibited matters is asserted on that day. In aHadeethnarrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaasthe Prophet,, said:"On this day )i.e. the day of ‘Arafah( a whoever guards his hearing, seeing and tongue will be forgiven."
It is known that guarding the body’s organs preserves one’s fasting andHajj. Consequently, many factors which enjoin towards obedience and abandoning disobedience are collected.
Secondly: Frequent remembrance of Allaah and supplication
In aHadeeth, the Prophet,said:"The best supplication is that of the Day of ‘Arafah, and the best thing that I and other prophets before me said, is: 'Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer )There is none worthy of worship except Allaah Alone and He has no partners, dominion and praise belong to Him, and He is over all things Omnipotent(."
Commenting on theHadeeth, Ibn ‘Abdul-Barrsaid,"The Hadeeth stands as evidence that the supplications on the Day of ‘Arafah are most probably answered and that the best of remembrance of Allaah is to say, 'There is none worthy of worship except Allaah'."
Al-Khattaabisaid,"The Hadeeth means that the most frequent words with which the Prophetused to commence his supplication and give it precedence over his request is praising Allaah The Almighty. One who supplicates Allaah starts with praising Allaah The Almighty and says it before asking Allaah for anything, and therefore praising in this Hadeeth was called supplication."
Thirdly:Takbeer)sayingAllaahu-Akbar(
As it is mentioned in the deeds of the ten days ofThul-Hijjah, it is recommended to repeatTakbeerin all times and at every place where it is permissible to mention the Name of Allaah The Almighty. The scholars said that there are two types ofTakbeer:
First: TheTakbeerwhich is not restricted to a specific time, which is prescribed in every time during the night and day. It starts with the start of the month ofThul-Hijjahand lasts until the last day of the Days ofTashreeq.
Second: TheTakbeerrestricted to a specific time, which is prescribed after prayers. According to the chosen opinion,Takbeeris said after all prayers, whether obligatory or voluntary. It is starts fromFajr)Dawn( prayer of the Day of‘Arafahand lasts until the last day of the Days ofTashreeq.
To sum up, repeatingTakbeeron the Day of‘Arafah, the Day of‘Eedas well as the Days ofTashreeqis both prescribed at all times, and this is the type which is not restricted to a specific time, and it is also prescribed after prayers and this is the type which is restricted to a specific time.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on using a tissue during prayer

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Please can you tell me what we should do when our nose starts to run during prayer.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for a worshipper to use a tissue in this case. The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) stated that it is permissible to make some slight movements during prayer if the worshipper needs to do so, as it says inal-Majmoo’by al-Nawawi (4/94). They quoted as evidence many ahaadeeth that were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For example, Abu Dawood (650) narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “Whilst the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was leading his companions in prayer, he took off his shoes and placed them to his left. When the people saw that, they took off their shoes too. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished his prayer he said, ‘What made you take off your shoes?’ They said, ‘We saw you taking off your shoes so we took off ours too.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to me and told me that there was something dirty on them [my shoes].’ And he said, ‘When any one of you comes to the mosque, let him look at his shoes and if there is anything dirty on them, let him wipe it off and pray in them.’” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood, 605). Al-Khattaabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inMa’aalim al-Sunan(2/329): this shows that a slight movement does not affect one’s prayer.
If a person needs to wipe his nose whilst praying, such as one who has a cold or flu, it is o.k. for him to take a tissue out and wipe his nose. A report was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which indicates that this movement in prayer is permissible. Muslim (855) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw a glob of phlegm in the qiblah of the mosque. He turned to the people and said, “What is wrong with any one of you who stands before his Lord and expectorates in front of Him? Would any one of you like it if someone were to stand in front of him and expectorate in his face? If any one of you needs to expectorate, let him spit to his left, under his shoe. If he cannot do that, then let him do like this – ” then he spat onto his garment and rub part of it against another part.
Should he wipe his nose with his right hand or his left hand?
The answer is that he should wipe it with his left hand, because in Islam the right hand is only for things that are regarded as honourable, and the left hand is for things that are regarded as unclean.
Al-Bukhaari (163) and Muslim (395) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) liked to start with the right when putting on his shoes, combing his hair, purifying himself and in all his affairs.”
Abu Dawood narrated that ‘Aa’ishah also said: “The right hand of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was for his purification and food, and his left hand was for cleaning himself after using the toilet and for everything that was unclean.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Bukhaari inSaheeh Abi Dawood, 26).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inSharh Saheeh Muslim(1/160): “This is a recurring principle in sharee’ah. Whatever has to do with honourable things, such as putting on clothes, trousers and socks, entering the mosque, using the miswaak (tooth-stick), applying kohl, clipping the nails, trimming the moustache, combing the hair, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving the head, saying salaam at the end of the prayer, washing the limbs in wudoo’, coming out of the toilet, eating and drinking, shaking hands, acknowleging the Black Stone, and so on, it is mustahabb to use the right hand or start on the right. With regard to things that are the opposite, such as entering the toilet, exiting the mosque, wiping one’s nose, cleaning oneself after using the toilet, taking off one’s clothes, trousers and socks, etc., it is mustahabb to use the left hand or start on the left. All of that is because of the status of the right hand. And Allaah knows best.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * How does one catchup with a rak’ah?

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If a man comes and joins the prayer when the imam is standing up from rukoo’ (bowing), but he has not yet said “Allaahu akbar”, does this count as a rak’ah for him or not? And why?
Praise be to Allaah.
If a person joins the congregation when the imaam is bowing, one of the following three scenarios applies:
1- He says takbeerat al-ihraam (saying “Allaahu akbar” to start the prayer) whilst standing, then he bows whilst the imaam is bowing. In this case he has caught up with the rak’ah with the imaam.
2- He says takbeerat al-ihraam whilst the imaam is bowing, but he bows after the imaam has stood up from rukoo’. In this case he is not counted as having caught up with the rak’ah with the imaam, and he has to make it up.
3- He bows straightaway without saying takbeerat al-ihraam. In this case his prayer is invalid, because he has omitted one of the pillars or essential parts of the prayer, which is takbeerat al-ihraam.
“The fuqaha’ are agreed that whoever catches up with the imaam in rukoo’ has caught up with the rak’ah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever catches up with rukoo’ has caught up with the rak’ah.’” This was narrated by Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inIrwa’ al-Ghaleel, 496; on p. 262 he said: one of the things that strengthens the hadeeth is the fact that the Sahaabah acted in accordance with this:
1 – Ibn Mas’ood, who said: “Whoever does not catch up with the imaam when he is bowing has not caught up with that rak’ah.” Its isnaad is saheeh.
2 – ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar, who said: “If you come when the imaam is bowing, and you put your hands on you knees before the imaam stands up, then you have caught up (with that rak’ah).” Its isnaad is saheeh.
3 - Zayd ibn Thaabit, who used to say: “Whoever catches up with the rak’ah before the imaam raises his head has indeed caught up with the rak’ah.” Its isnaad is jayyid.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Qunootduring salaah

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I would like to about the Qonute in Salat(raising hand after rukoo) was that the common practice of Prophet Salalaho Alehy Wasalm or was it exceptional as the situation arouses. Please respnod me cause Ameer of our masjid said Prophet (pbuh) once asked which of the salat is best He (pbuh) replied the one which has longer Qonute.
Praise be to Allaah.
Qunoot, according to the definition of the fuqaha’, “is the name of a du’aa’ (supplication) offered during prayer at a specific point while standing.” It is prescribed in Witr prayer after the rukoo’ (bowing), according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions.
If a calamity (naazilah) befalls the Muslims, it is prescribed to say Du’aa’ al- Qunoot after standing up from rukoo’ in the last rak’ah of each of the five daily obligatory prayers, until Allaah relieves the Muslims of that calamity.
(SeeTasheeh al-Du’aa’by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd, p. 460).
With regard to saying Du’aa’ al-Qunoot in Fajr prayer all the time, in all circumstances, there is no saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) singled out Fajr for Qunoot, or that he always recited it in Fajr prayer. Rather what is proven is that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said Du’aa’ al-Qunoot at times of calamity with words that were appropriate to the situation. He said Du’aa’ al-Qunoot in Fajr and in other prayers, praying against Ra’l, Dhakwaan and ‘Usayyah for killing the Qur’aan-readers whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had sent to them in order to teach them their religion. And it was proven that he prayed in Fajr prayer and other prayers for the weak and oppressed believers, that Allaah would save them from their enemies. But he did not do that all the time. The Rightly-Guided khaleefahs after him followed the same practice. It is better for the imam to limit Qunoot to times of calamity, following the example of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as it was proven that Abu Maalik al-Ash’ari said: “I said to my father, ‘O my father, you prayed behind the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and behind Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan and ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them). Did they used to say Du’aa’ al-Qunoot in Fajr?’ He said, ‘O my son, this is a newly-invented matter.’” (Narrated by the five, apart from Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Irwa’, 435). The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
(al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa’, 7/47)
If you ask, is there a specific wording for Qunoot during Witr prayer, or Qunoot at times of calamity?
The answer is: for Du’aa’ al-Qunoot in Witr prayer a number of wordings have been narrated, including the following:
1 – The version which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), which is:
“Allaahumma ihdini feeman hadayta wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayta wa tawallani feeman tawallayta wa baarik li feema a’tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta , fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayta, tabaarakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayta la munji minka illa ilayk
(O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honoured who is Your enemy. Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted. There is no place of safety from You except with You).”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1213; al-Nasaa’i, 1725; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Irwa’, 429).
It was narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say at the end of Witr:
“Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bi ridaaka min sakhatika wa bi mu’aafaatika min ‘uqoobatika wa a’oodhu bika minka, la uhsi thana’an ‘alayka anta kama athnayta ‘ala nafsika(O Allaah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment. I cannot praise You enough; You are as You have praised Yourself.”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1727; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Irwa’, 430; Saheeh Abi Dawood, 1282).
Then he should send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as it was narrated that some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) – including Ubayy ibn Ka’b and Mu’aadh al-Ansaary (may Allaah be pleased with them) – did that at the end of Qunoot al-Witr.
(SeeTasheeh al-Du’aa’by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd, p. 460). Qunoot at times of calamity (Qunoot al-Naazilah)
When praying Qunoot at the time of calamity, one should make supplication as is appropriate to the situation, as it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed some Arab tribes who had betrayed his companions and killed them, and he prayed for the weak and oppressed believers in Makkah, that Allaah would save them. It was narrated that ‘Umar prayed Qunoot with the following words:
“Allaahumma inna nasta’eenuka wa nu’minu bika, wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alayka al-khayr, wa laa nakfuruka. Allaahumma iyyaaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas’aa wa nahfid. Narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhaabaka, inna ‘adhaabaka al-jadd bil kuffaari mulhaq. Allaahumma ‘adhdhib il-kafarata ahl al-kitaab alladheena yasuddoona ‘an sabeelika
(O Allaah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allaah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment will certainly reach the disbelievers. O Allaah, punish the infidels of the People of the Book who are preventing others from following Your way).”
(Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 2/210; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Irwa’, 2/170. Al-Albaani said: This was reported from ‘Umar concerning Qunoot in Fajr, and it seems that this Qunoot is Qunoot al-Naazilah (Qunoot at times of calamity) as is indicated by his praying against the kuffaar).
If you ask, can we make du’aa’ using words other than those mentioned here?
The answer is:
Yes, that is permissible. Al-Nawawi said inal-Majmoo’(3/497): “The correct view which was stated definitively by the majority of scholars is that there are no specific words, rather any du’aa’ may be said.”
The version narrated from ‘Umar is not something that we have to follow, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not pray using these words, so there is nothing wrong with adding more to them. Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “There is nothing wrong with adding more to this, cursing the infidels and sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and praying for the Muslims.”
(Qiyaam Ramadaanby al-Albaani, 31).
We still have an important question which is: should Du’aa’ al-Qunoot be said before rukoo’ (bowing) or after?
The answer is: Most of the ahaadeeth and the opinion of most of the scholars state that Qunoot comes after rukoo’, but if you say Qunoot before rukoo’ that is acceptable. So you have the choice of doing rukoo’ when you have finished reciting Qur’aan, then standing up and saying “Rabbana wa laka al-hamd” then saying Qunoot… or saying Qunoot when you have finished reciting Qur’aan, then saying “Allaahu akbar” and bowing. Both of these were narrated in the Sunnah.
(Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him),al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/64)
Note: The questioner says that the best of prayer is that which has longer Qunoot. Perhaps he is referring to the hadeeth narrated by Muslim (1257) from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him), which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of prayer istool al-qunoot(the longest in standing).”
Al-Nawawi said: “What is meant byqunoothere is the standing, according to the consensus of the scholars, as far as I know.”
So the hadeeth is not referring to Qunoot in the sense of the du’aa’ said after standing up from rukoo’, rather it is referring to standing for a long time.
And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * A spotof blood is not a sign of reaching puberty

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My mother’s friend has a daughter who is 13 years old. She found a drop of blood in her underwear two years ago. The mother advised her to fast that previous Ramadaan; as she thought that the drop of blood is a sign of puberty. The mother did not notice any sign of puberty on her daughter since that time. The mother is asking now if her daughter must fast, bear in mind that her daughter has already fasted the previous Ramadaan.
Praise be to Allaah.
It seems – and Allaah knows best – that a spot of blood in the case of this girl cannot be regarded as menses, rather it is temporary bleeding that may be the result of sickness and the like. That is for several reasons:
1- This bleeding did not happen again after that. For two years until now she has not seen any real menses. This clearly indicates that she has not started to menstruate yet.
2- One or two spots of blood is not regarded as menses.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked – as it says inFataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah(1/137) – about a woman who experienced spotting in Ramadaan, and this spotting lasted throughout the month, but she fasted. Is her fast valid?
He replied:
Yes, her fast is valid. As for this spotting, it does not mean anything, because it comes from a vein. End quote.
This girl is not menstruating and she has not reached puberty, so she is not obliged to fast, but she should get used to fasting so long as she is able for it, so that it will be easier for her in the future. If she fasts, her fast is valid and she will be rewarded for it in sha Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * If she brings on a period is she subject to the rulings thereon?

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A woman brought on her period by using medicine, and she stopped praying. Should she make up the prayers or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
A woman should not make up the prayers if she brings on her period, because when the menstrual blood is present the rulings thereon apply, just as if she takes medicine to prevent menstruation, then she has to pray and fast, and she does not make up the fasts, because she is not menstruating. The ruling is connected to the reason for it. 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)” [al-Baqarah 2:222]. When thatadhais present, the rulings thereon apply, and when it is not present the rulings thereon do not apply.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Her menses has ended; can shewear the clothes that she was wearing during her period?

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I had my period. Is it permissible for me, after the period ends, to put on the clothes that I was wearing during my period or must I purify them again?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with a woman whose period has ended putting on the clothes that she was wearing whilst menstruating, so long as they are still clean and pure and none of the menstrual blood got on them.
But if some of the menstrual blood got onto the clothes, then the place where it is must be washed before praying in them. A woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: Menstrual blood may get onto the clothes of any one of us; what should she do with it? He said: “She should scratch it, then rub it with water, then wash it, then pray in it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (227) and Muslim (291).
So the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined purifying the clothes before praying in them.
And Allaah knows best.

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For children, - Muslims in Sri Lanka – some impressions

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Sri Lanka, until 1972 known as Ceylon, currently has a population of about 21 million people. With approximately 10 % of these being Muslims, Islam constitutes the third most dominant religion in the country. Muslims are mostly found in the Eastern Province, at the western coast, and in the urban centres such as Colombo and Galle.
Moors, Malays, Memons
The Muslim community in Sri Lanka includes three main ethnic groups: i) the Moors, ii) Malays, and iii) Memons.
About 95 % of the Muslims in Sri Lanka are Moors (Hussein 2011: 1-649). The term seems to derive from the Portugese “Mauro” meaning being of Arab or Moroccan origin. Prakrit texts from the 5th century refer to the Arab traders as Yonas (from Sanskrit Yavana, lit. Greeks). In Sinhala Moors are referred to asmarakkala minisun, lit. ship-people. The Sri Lanka Moors are Shafiites and not Malikites as the Moroccans. It is important to note that the Arab traders were in Sri Lanka before Islam became a religion.The early Moors dominated the maritime trade, later established pearl fisheries and the gem trade in Sri Lanka.
About 4 % of the Muslims in Sri Lanka are Malays. “Sri Lanka’s Malays are largely descended from political exiles including nobles and chiefs, soldiers, convicts, and freed slaves from the Indonesian archipelago who were brought over to the island during the period of the Dutch occupation which lasted from 1658-1796.” (Hussein 2011: 650). Malay Muslims hence are mostly found today at the Southern coast (particular in Hambantota District) and in Colombo, in particular in Slave Island (Colombo 2).

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Discover Islam, - * Equality in Islam

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One basic element in the value system of Islam is the principle of equality or equity. This value of equality is not to be mistaken for or confused with identicalness or stereotype. Islam teaches that in the sight of Allaah Almighty, all people are equal, but they are not necessarily identical. There are differences of abilities, potentials, ambitions, wealth and so on.
The limitations in these examples are natural. The social limitations are those imposed by society as a result of experience and practice; in the final analysis, they are intellectual attitudes related to the previously mentioned traits. There is, for instance, the established difference between the ignorant and the learned. No one would assign major responsibilities that are crucial to the community to an ignorant person.
Yet, none of these differences can by themselves, establish the status of superiority of one man or race over another. The stock of man, the color of his skin, the amount of wealth he has and the degree of prestige he enjoys have no bearing on the character and personality of the individual as far as Allaah is concerned. The only distinction, which Allaah recognizes is the distinction in piety; the only criterion which Allaah applies, is the criterion of goodness and spiritual excellence. In the Quran, Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female, and have made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Indeed the most honored of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous. Indeed, Allaah is Knowing and Acquainted"]Quran 49:13[
This is to assert that in Islam, no nation is created to be above other nations or to rise above them. Man's worth in the eyes of men and in the eyes of Allaah is determined by the good he does, and by his obedience to Allaah.
The differences of race, color or social status are only incidental. They do not affect the true stature of man in the sight of Allaah. Again, the value of equality is not simply a matter of constitutional rights or the agreement of noblemen or condescending charity. It is an article of faith, which the Muslim takes seriously and to which he must adhere sincerely. The foundations of this Islamic value of equality are deeply rooted in the structure of Islam. It stems from basic principles such as the following:
)1( All men are created by One and the Same Eternal God, the Supreme Lord of all.
)2( All mankind belong to the human race and share equally in the common parentage of Aadam )Adam(, may Allaah exalt his mention, and Eve.
)3( Allaah is Just and Kind to all His creatures. He is not partial to any race, age or religion. The whole Universe is His Dominion and all people are His creatures.
)4( All people are born equal, in the sense that no one brings any possession with him; and they die equal in the sense that they take back nothing of their worldly belongings.
)5( Allaah judges every person on the basis of his own merits and according to his own deeds.
)6( Allaah has conferred on man, a title of honor and dignity.
Such are some of the principles behind the value of equality in Islam. When this concept is fully utilized, it will leave no place for prejudice or persecutions. And when this Divine ordinance is fully implemented, there will be no room for oppression or suppression. Concepts of chosen and gentile peoples, words such as ‘privileged’ and‘condemned’ races, expressions such as “social castes” and “citizens” will all become meaningless and obsolete.
Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"O mankind, your Lord is One and your father is one. You all descended from Aadam, and Aadam was created from earth. He is most honored among you in the sight of God who is most upright. No Arab is superior to a non-Arab, no colored person to a white person, or a white person to a colored person except by Taqwa )piety(."]Ahmad and At-Tirmithi [
In another narration, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was asked:"Who among men is most favored by Allaah?' He,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: "A man who does the most good to people."]At-Tabaraani [Therefore, it would be unrealistic to assert the absolute equality of human beings, although humans are basically equal in rights, duties and accountability, and there is some degree of similarity in physical and mental traits, which enables them to understand and apply rules and laws. At the same time, it is obvious that there is a natural diversity among human beings in terms of traits and talents; therefore there will be limitations in natural, social and political positions. Some of the limitations are temporary, some permanent; some are infrequent, some frequent. However, a limitation is specific to a particular situation. It may not be generalized to inequality in other rights. A person who is morally upright is not equal to a crook in terms of morality, but they may be equal otherwise. Nor is an intelligent person equal to a dull one, but they are equal in other spheres. In the same way, a woman is not identical to man in her traits, gifts and abilities.

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Discover Islam, - * Examples of equality in Islam

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First Example
Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, somehow got angry with the freed slave of Abu Bakr, Bilaal of Abyssinia, may Allaah be pleased with them both. Both of them were Companions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. The altercation became prolonged and Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, in his fury called Bilaal, may Allaah be pleased with him, a "son of a black skinned mother". Bilaal complained to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who addressed Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, saying:"Did you call him a name reviling his mother? It appears that you still retain vestiges of Jaahiliyyah )the period of ignorance before Islam.("
Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, failed to understand the word Jaahiliyyah and took it to signify some sort of sexual immorality, and meekly questioned in surprise, "At this ripe age, O Prophet of Allaah?" The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said in reply: "Yes, you are his brother." Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, became ashamed and repentant, and - out of extreme repentance and humility - requested Bilaal, may Allaah be pleased with him, to tread on his face with his feet.
Second Example
When a woman of the Bani Makhzoom tribe called Faatimah was found guilty of theft, she was brought to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam to be judged according to Sharee'ah Law. The Quraysh tribe tried to intercede not to punish the woman and after deliberation, sent Usaamah bin Zayd, may Allaah be pleased with him, for intercession since he was very much a favourite of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. When he talked to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam became very angry and said to Usaamah, may Allaah be pleased with him:"Do you )attempt to( intercede in the matters of the limits prescribed by God?" Then he gathered the people and said to them: "The people before you who met their doom, discriminated between the elite and the common-folk in the dispensation of justice for crimes like theft. The high-placed were spared while the weaker elements of society were readily punished. By Allaah! Had Faatimah the daughter of Muhammad committed this theft, then I would have amputated her hand for it also!"
Third Example
Qays bin Mutatiyah, a hypocrite, came to a gathering where Salmaan al-Faarisi )the Persian(, Suhayb Ar-Roomi )the Roman(, and Bilaal Al-Habashi )the Abyssinian( were present. He remarked tauntingly: "'Aws and Khazraj have rendered some service to this person )the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam( but I fail to understand what these people )Bilaal, Suhayb and Salmaan( have done )to deserve this honour(." Mu'aath bin Jabal was in that gathering, and he caught hold of him by his neck, dragged him to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and told him what the hypocrite had uttered. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam became angry and went to the mosque and gave a sermon, stating in it:"O people! Always remember that your Lord and Cherisher is one and your supreme ancestor is one, and your faith is also one and the same."
Fourth Example
'Adiyy bin Haatim, may Allaah be pleased with him, went to Madeenah before embracing Islam and found the Companions sitting around the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. 'Adiyy was inspired with awe when he witnessed their reverence for him. Meanwhile, a humble woman came to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and asked to see him in private. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam got up and at some distance from the gathering talked to her, and returned when he finished. 'Adiyy was very much touched by this inconceivable concept of philanthropy and, eventually, embraced Islam.
Fifth Example
When the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam conquered Makkah, those who had driven him out and fought with him were brought before him vanquished. Even then, he called them to the same thing, to Islam. Standing at the gate of the Ka'bah he said:"O people of Quraysh! Allaah has, this day, put an end to your pride of the Jaahiliyyah )ignorance( and also the pride of your ancestry. Keep in mind! All men are from Aadam, and Aadam was fashioned out of clay." On this occasion he recited the verse which means:"O Mankind! Indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you..."]Quran: 49:13[
Sixth Example
'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, was a glorious caliph. He was sympathetic to the weak, firm in his stand by the truth. He used to go without food to feed others, and kept himself deprived to give to others. He used to go from door to door asking people about their conditions of living, etc.
Seventh Example
When a caravan came to Madeenah, 'Umar and 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf, may Allaah be pleased with them, stood guard for the caravan. During that night, 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, heard a baby's cry. He approached the mother and said to her: "Fear Allaah and look after your child carefully."
Then he went back to his own position. Once again he heard the baby crying, and went over to the mother yet again and gave her the same advice. Later, during the last part of the night the child cried once more. 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, came to the mother and said: "Woe to you! You appear not to be a good mother. How is it that your child can not sleep peacefully during the night?"
The woman, little suspecting that she was speaking to the Ameer of the believers, said in reply: "May Allaah bless you, you have pestered me several times during the night. I want to wean it forcefully )before time,( but the child is intractable." 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked her: "Why wean it forcefully?" She said in reply: "Because 'Umar grants allowance only for such children that have been weaned."
'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with her, asked her: "How old is your child?" She told him it was only a few months old. 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked the woman not to be hasty in weaning her child. Then he led the dawn prayer in such a state that his weeping made his recital of the Quran inaudible and unintelligible. At the end of the prayer he said: "'Umar is ruined! He has killed the children of the believers!" Thereupon, he ordered the crier to proclaim in the town ofMadeenahthat the mothers should not wean their children only for the sake of the allowance for their children. From now on, every child, suckling or weaned, was to receive a stipend.
Eighth Example
One of the unique incidents relating to sympathy and equality in the history of mankind is that 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, came by one night. It was usual for him to go out during the nights to see with his own eyes the conditions under which the people were living. One night, he heard somebody crying in a nearby tent, at whose door was standing a man. 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, greeted him and asked him who he was.
He said in reply that he was a Bedouin who had come to Madeenah to ask the Ameer of the believers for help. Then 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked him about the crying and wailing inside the tent. The Bedouin tried to evade this question, saying that since it did not concern him he should not interest himself in it and go his way.
However, on the insistence of 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, he told him that his wife was in labour and had no one to help her with the delivery. 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, returned to his home and asked his wife, Umm-Kulthoom bint 'Ali, may Allaah be pleased with her, whether she was interested in the reward from Allaah which He might have brought her way. He asked her to take with her the requisites of a newborn and the delivered mother and also some provisions for food.
He took all those things from her and started, Umm-Kulthoom following him. When they came to the Bedouin's tent, 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, sent his wife inside. He himself sat with the husband and, lighting a fire, started cooking food with the provisions he had brought with him. The Bedouin was still unaware that he was sitting beside a great man of the world.
Then the child was delivered and Umm-Kulthoom, may Allaah be pleased with her, called him from inside the tent, addressing him as Ameer Al-Mu'mineen, and asked him to congratulate his friend on the birth of his child. The Bedouin on hearing her words became conscious of the fact that he had been with the head of the Islamic state all this time and had been rude to him, and was awe-struck and began receding from 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him.
But 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, reassured him and asked him to keep sitting where he was, unceremoniously. He asked Umm-Kulthoom to offer the mother the food that he had cooked while he offered some to her husband saying, "Partake of it, you have been kept up the whole night and have been inconvenienced."
Here we must also mention that 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, is not an isolated example presented as a perfect and affectionate person by the Islamic civilisation. The lives of Abu Bakr, 'Uthmaan and 'Ali, may Allaah be pleased with them all, were also moulded in the mould of perfect humanity, brimming over with mercy and affection.
Similar were the lives of 'Umar bin 'Abdul Azeez, Salaahuddeen Ayyoobi, and many other big personages, legists and leaders who also present countless immortal examples. They are in themselves brilliant evidence in favour of this glorious civilisation from every aspect.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Disturbed by Waswaas (Whispers From the Shaytaan) and Evil Thoughts

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When I do Salah (formal prayers) or intend to do good deeds I often get very evil thoughts in my mind. When I concentrate in Salah, and try to focus on the meaning of the words, evil thoughts enter my mind, which make evil suggestions about everything including Allah. I feel very frustrated and angry about this. I know that none forgives sins except Allah alone, but because of my thoughts I feel that there is nothing worse than to have evil thoughts about Allah. After Salah I ask Allah's forgiveness, but feel very bad because I want to stop these evil thoughts, but I can't stop them. These thoughts spoil my enjoyment of Salah, and also make me feel as though I am doomed. Please advise me.
Praise be to Allaah.
Evil whispers during prayer and at other times come from the Shaytaan, who is keen to misguide the Muslim and deprive him of good and keep it far away from him. One of the Sahaabah complained to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about waswaas during prayer, and he said: “The Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “That is a devil called Khanzab. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and spit drily to your left three times.” He [the Sahaabi] said, I did that and Allaah took him away from me.
(Narrated by Muslim, 2203)
Proper focus (khushoo’) is the essence of prayer. Prayer without proper focus is like a body without a soul. The following are two of the things that help one to develop the proper focus:
1 – Striving to think about what you are saying and doing, pondering the meanings of the Qur’aan, dhikr (words of remembrance) and du’aa’s (supplications) that you are reciting; bearing in mind that you are conversing with Allaah as if you can see Him. For when the worshipper stands to pray, he is speaking to his Lord, and ihsaan means worshipping Allaah as if you are seeing Him, and knowing that even though you cannot see Him, He sees you. Every time a person experiences the sweetness of prayer, he will be more inclined to do it. This depends of the strength of one's faith – and there are many means of strengthening one’s faith. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Of the things of your world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my joy is in prayer.” According to another hadeeth he said, “Let us relax, O Bilal, with prayer,” and he did not say, Give us a break from it.
2 – Striving to ward off the things that may distract you during prayer, namely thinking about things that are irrelevant or distracting. Waswaas affects each person differently, because waswaas has to do with a person’s level of doubts and desires and the degree to which a person is attached to other things or is fearing other things.
(FromMajmoo’ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/605)
With regard to what you say about the waswaas reaching such a great level that you have begun to experience waswaas that makes you think about Allaah in ways that are not appropriate, these are evil whispers from the Shaytaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Knower”
[Fussilat 41:36]
Some of the Sahaabah complained about the waswaas that was bothering them. Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, ‘We find in ourselves thoughts that are too terrible to speak of.’ He said, ‘Are you really having such thoughts?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is a clear sign of faith.’” (Narrated by Muslim). (Narrated by Muslim, 132 from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah).
Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth (narration): “The Prophet’s words, ‘That is a clear sign of faith’ means, the fact that think of this waswaas as something terrible is a clear sign of faith, for if you dare not utter it and you are so afraid of it and of speaking of it, let alone believing it, this is the sign of one who has achieved perfect faith and who is free of doubt.”
And it was said that what it means is that the Shaytaan only whispers to those whom he despairs of tempting, because he is unable to tempt them. As for the kaafir (non-Muslim), he can approach him in any manner he wants and is not restricted to waswaas, rather he can play with him however he wants. Based on this, what the hadeeth means is that the cause of waswaas is pure faith, or that waswaas is a sign of pure faith. See also question no. 12315
The fact that you hate that and your heart recoils from it is a clear sign of faith. Waswaas happens to everyone who turns to Allaah by reciting dhikr etc. It is inevitable, but you have to be steadfast and patient, and persevere with your dhikr and prayer, and not give up, because in this way you will ward off the plot of the Shaytaan.“Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan” [al-Nisa’ 4:76 – interpretation of the meaning]. Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah, waswaas brings other matters to mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit: every time a person wants to move towards Allaah, he wants to block the way. Hence when it was said to one of the salaf that the Jews and Christians say, “We do not experience waswaas,” he said, “They are speaking the truth, for what would the Shaytaan do with a house in ruins?”
(FromFataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/608).
The remedy:
1 – If you feel that you are being affected by this waswaas, say, “Aamantu Billaahi wa Rasoolihi(I believe in Allaah and His Messenger).” It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created you?’ And he says ‘Allaah.’ Then the Shaytaan says, ‘Who created Allaah?’ If that happens to any one of you, let him say,Aamantu Billaahi wa Rusulihi(I believe in Allaah and His Messenger). Then that will go away from him.”
(Narrated by Ahmad, 25671; classed as hasan (sound)by al-Albaani inal-Saheehah, 116).
2 – Try to stop thinking about that as much as possible, and keep busy with things that will distract you from it.
Finally we advise you to keep on turning to Allaah in all situations, and to ask Him for help, and to beseech Him, and to ask Him to make you steadfast until death, and to cause you to die doing righteous deeds… And Allaah knows best.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Reasons for doing the prostration of forgetfulness

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When is it prescribed for a worshipper to do the prostration of forgetfulness?.
Praise be to Allaah.
By the mercy of Allaah to His slaves, as one of the beauties of this perfect religion, Allaah has prescribed that His slaves may make up for shortcomings and mistakes that they make in their worship and cannot avoid completely, by performing supererogatory (naafil) acts of worship, praying for forgiveness and so on.
One of the things that Allaah has prescribed for His slaves to make up for shortcomings that may occur in their prayer is the prostration of forgetfulness, but it is only prescribed to make up for certain things; it does not make up for everything nor is it prescribed for everything.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the reasons for doing the prostration of forgetfulness, and he replied as follows:
The prostration of forgetfulness in prayer is generally prescribed for three reasons:
1- Doing something extra
2- Omitting something
3- Being uncertain
Doing something extra: for example, doing an extra bow (rukoo’), prostration (sujood), standing or sitting.
Omitting something: such as omitting an essential part of the prayer, or omitting one of the obligatory parts of the prayer.
Being uncertain: such as when a person is not sure how many rak’ahs he has prayed, whether it was three or four, for example.
In the case of doing something extra, if a person adds something to his prayer – bowing, prostrating, standing or sitting – deliberately, then his prayer becomes invalid, because when he added it, that means that he did not do the prayer in the manner ordained by Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.” Narrated by Muslim, 1718.
But if he did that extra thing by mistake, then his prayer is not invalidated, but he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said the salaam after two rak’ahs in one of the two afternoon prayers, either Zuhr or ‘Asr, and they told him about that, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the salaam, then he prostrated twice (the prostration of forgetfulness) after saying the salaam. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 482; Muslim, 573.
And Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led them in praying Zuhr and he prayed five rak’ahs. When he had finished it was said to him: “Has something been added to the prayer?”
He said: “Why are you asking that?”
They said: “You prayed five (rak’ahs).”
So he turned towards the qiblah and prostrated twice. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4040; Muslim, 572.
In the case of omitting something, if a person omits one of the essential parts of the prayer, one of the following two scenarios must apply:
Either he remembers it before he reaches the same point in the following rak’ah, so he has to go back and do that essential part of the prayer and whatever came after it,
Or he does not remember it until he reaches the same point in the following rak’ah, in which case the following rak’ah takes the place of the one in which he omitted that essential part, and he should make up the invalid rak’ah.
In either of these two cases, he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam.
For example: a man stood up after doing the first prostration of the first rak’ah and did not sit or do the second prostration. When he started to recite Qur’aan he remembers that he had not done the second prostration or sat between the two prostrations. In that case he should go back and sit as between the two prostrations, then prostrate, then stand up and do whatever is left of his prayer, and do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam.
An example of one who did not remember until after he reached the same point in the following rak’ah is a man who stood up following the first prostration in the first rak’ah and did not do the second prostration or sit between the two prostrations, but he did not remember that until he sat between the two prostrations in the second rak’ah. In this case he should make the second rak’ah the first rak’ah, and add another rak’ah to his prayer, then say the salaam then do the prostration of forgetfulness.
Omitting an obligatory part of the prayer – such as if he omits an obligatory part and moves on to the next part of the prayer. For example, he forgets to say Subhaan Rabbiy al-A’la (Glory be to my Lord Most High) and he does not remember until he has got up from prostrating. In this case he has omitted an obligatory part of the prayer by mistake, so he should carry on with his prayer then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam, because when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) omitted the first tashahhud he carried on with his prayer and did not go back and repeat anything, then he did the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.
In the case of being uncertain, such as if a person is not sure if he has done something extra or omitted something, e.g., he is not sure whether he has prayed three rak’ahs or four, one of the following two scenarios must apply:
Either he thinks that one or the other is more likely to be case, whether it is doing more or omitting something, in which case he should proceed on the basis of what he thinks is more likely to be the case, complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam;
Or neither appears more likely to be the case, so he should proceed on the basis of what is certain, namely the lesser amount, and complete his prayer accordingly, then do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.
For example: a man prays Zuhr then he is not sure whether he is praying the third or fourth rak’ah, but he thinks it more likely that it is the third. So he should pray another rak’ah, then say the salaam, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.
An example of when neither seems to him more likely to be the case is when a man is praying Zuhr and is not sure whether he is in the third rak’ah or the fourth, and neither seems to him more likely to be the case. In that case he should proceed on the basis of what is certain, which is the lesser amount. So he should regard it as the third rak’ah, then do another rak’ah and do the prostration of forgetfulness before saying the salaam. Thus it becomes clear that this should be done before the salaam if you have omitted one of the obligatory parts of the prayer or if you are not sure how many rak’ahs you have done, and neither of the two choices seems more likely to be the case. And it should be done after the salaam if you have added something extra to the prayer or you are not certain but one of the two choices seems more likely to be the case.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.

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Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * The prohibition on praying at the time of sunrise and sunset

I read several hadith that said :
if you pray at the time of sunrise and sunset, it is like praying
between the two horns of shaytaan. These times for salat are
prohibited. also it stated that this is the time the Jins pray to
shaytaan.... is this a sound hadith?
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, it was narrated inSaheeh al-Bukhaari(581) andSaheeh Muslim(831)
that it is forbidden to pray after Fajr prayer until the sun has risen
above the horizon to the height of a spear, at the time of noon when
the sun is at its zenith, and after the time of 'Asr until the sun is
fully set. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
told us that the sun rises and sets between the two horns of a devil,
at which time the kuffaar prostrate to it.
Shaykh Sa'd al-Humayd
There is nothing in the hadeeth to say that the jinn pray to the
devils at that time, rather the devils (shayaateen) are the evil ones
among the jinn.

For children, - Moral Story: Efforts of a little bird (Ababeel)

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Once there was a little bird (Ababeel) that lived during the times of Prophet Abraham (Hazrat Ibrahim AS). When Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was thrown into fire by the enemy of faith, King Nimrod, a little bird saw what happen and decide to put out the fire to help Prophet Abraham (pbuh). The little bird starts scooping up few drops of water in her tiny beak from the nearby river. The larger birds in the vicinity watched and laughed at the little bird and they said, "Where are you carrying the water?"
The little bird said, "To put out the fire around Prophet Abraham (pbuh)." The larger birds continue laughing. "How could you put out such a huge fire with such a small amount of water? It is pointless and useless."
Do you know what the little bird replied? "I am sure Allah (SWT) will not asked me whether I manage to put out the fire or not. But Allah (SWT) will ask what I have done to stop the fire."
Hearing the answer, all the larger birds are silenced.
We often think that our effort is the one responsible for our success. This is wrong way of thinking because Allah (SWT) is the One. If he says we succeeded, we will succeed. Our effort is just a sacrifice that we are willing to make. Similarly little bird knows that with few drops of water fire will not extinguished but it is his responsibility to contribute whatever it can in anyway with his capability.
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better. - Robert F. Kennedy
One more practical example from our time: The leader of the revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (ra), was questioned by the media personnel in Paris, at the time when the climax of the scenario was set in, whether he thought the revolution would be successful or not. He replied, "I don't know." And the whole world was taken by astonishment. Such a great leader and such a simple answer. So he went onto say that he was not doing what he was doing, for the sake of achieving a result or success. It was just he felt that it is his duty and responsibility to do something for his nation. He went onto explain that when Allah (SWT) will question him of what he had done when everyone was wrong, then atleast he could reply that he put in his best efforts in his full capacity to make a difference.
It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.

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Hajj & Umrah, - * Hajj: An Obligation Once in a Lifetime

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Religious obligations based on time take different forms: some obligations are yearly, like fasting the month ofRamadan; others are weekly, like theJumu'ahprayer, while others are daily, like the five daily prayers. However, there is an obligation that is only required once in a lifetime, which is the performance ofHajj)pilgrimage(.
One might ask: why wasHajjmade obligatory only once in a lifetime? Is it to make things easy for people? This is possible, yet the fact that one cannot overlook is that many lessons can be learned fromHajjand that includes different great instructions that reform one's character.
If a Muslim acts upon these instructions and benefits from these lessons, they would suffice him from having to performHajjanother time. If a Muslim performsHajjthe way he is supposed to and in a way that pleases Allaah The Almighty, then he would not need to performHajjonce more to learn or benefit from the lessons instilled inHajj.
After performing that one obligatory time, it becomes only recommended to performHajja second or a third time in order for these lessons to become engraved in his heart and become well founded therein; until these lessons become second nature, and he consequently becomes entitled to be showered with the Mercy of Allaah and obtain the spiritual treasures
The Objectives ofHajj:The real essence ofHajjis to establish pure monotheism to Allaah The Almighty, as was stated in the narration:"He who performs Hajj for the sake of Allaah …"This means that he performsHajjpurely for Allaah The Almighty as a way to testify to The Oneness of Allaah.
Monotheism is an obvious feature of this act of worship from the time Allaah The Almighty mandated it, and as it is noticed in its rites, from beginning to end. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}"And ]mention, O Muhammad[, when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, ]saying[, “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaaf and those who stand ]in prayer[ and those who bow and prostrate."{]Quran 22:26[
Imaam Al-Qurtubicommented on this verse saying,"This means that monotheism was made a condition upon your father )Ibraaheem( and those who came after, and you are part of those addressed with the verse ]…[ a pilgrim starts the rites of Hajj with monotheism by proclaiming; ' Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayk la shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk la shareeka lak )Here I am at Your service, O Allaah! You have no partner. Here I am at Your service, O Allaah. Verily, all the praise, the grace and the sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.('"
A Muslim is encouraged to exert a lot of effort proclaiming the above-mentioned phrases and frequently mention Allaah The Almighty duringHajj, especially"La Ilaaha Illallaah)None is worth of worship except Allaah(". He is instructed to utter "Allaahu Akbar)Allaah is The Greatest(" every time he throws the pebbles throughout the'Eeddays. When the Muslim is about to depart and return to his home country, he is instructed to perform the farewellTawaaf)circumambulation around theKa'bah( and to mention Allaah The Almighty abundantly and supplicate Him.
Therefore, the pilgrim starts hisHajjwith pure monotheism and ends hisHajjwith it. Sincerity is an essential condition for the acceptance of one's deed, and thus one is instructed to proclaim hisHajjsaying:"Allaahumma hajjatan la riyaa'a feeha wa la sum`ah" )O Allaah, )enable me to perform( Hajj with no Riyaa' )show-off in the sense of desire that others witness one's good acts( or Sum`ah )show-off related to desire that others hear about one's good acts( in it."
Things that invalidate Hajj:
·Rafath)i.e. sexual intercourse or what leads to it from sayings or actions( and sins are things that prevent the slave from obtaining the hoped rewards of Hajj.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}"Hajj is ]during[ well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein ]by entering the state of Ihraam[, there is ]to be for him[ no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj"{]Quran 2:197[
Commenting on this verse, Abu Bakr Al-Jassaassaid,"This verses instructs one to control his tongue and private parts from all prohibited matters and instructed him to refrain from sinning and disobedience. Although sinning and disobedience are prohibited before one goes in the state of Ihraam for Hajj, yet Allaah stated the prohibition when talking about Hajj to highlight the sanctity of both Hajj and Ihraam, because sinning whilst in the state of Ihraam is graver and the punishment in such case is greater than sinning during other times."
It is not befitting for one to commit such vices whilst in the state ofIhraam)sacral state( and whilst performing such an honorable act of worship. A pilgrim refrains from such behavior as a way of purifying himself and reforming it, and as a means to elevate his soul and cultivate himself. All of this is done in order for the pilgrim to perfect his manners, purify his soul and reform his moral conduct.
The reward awaiting pilgrims:What a great reward awaits those who performHajjin the way that pleases Allaah The Almighty… the great reward is the forgiveness of all previous sins. The pilgrim returns as sinless as the day he was born. One returns after having struggled and sacrificed and purified his soul from polytheism…after having dealt compassionately with the poor and the needy …after having refrained from evil and sins … indeed this entitles him to return as sinless as the day he was born, with a pure white record of deeds.
Commenting on the narration in which the Prophetsaid:“Whoever performs Hajj for Allaah and does not do Rafath nor commits sins )while performing Hajj(, he will return as sinless as he was on the day he was born.”]Al-Bukhaari[ Ibn Hajarsaid:"This entails forgiving all minor and major grave sins" .
What a great reward indeed … a reward that cannot be measured … a reward worth more than the earth's fill of gold. A pilgrim should be prepared for these days and must be keen on purifying his record of deeds. Allaah Says )what means(:}"The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present ]before it[ …"{]Quran 3:30[
Undoubtedly,Hajjis a school that teaches great lessons and that has countless benefits and one must take advantage of it and get the best he can out of it.

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Hajj & Umrah, - * Hajj and the Muslims’ Unity

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Unity and agreement lead to strength and victory, while disunity and disagreement lead to weakness and defeat. Powerful nations only succeeded because of unity among its members and integration of its efforts. History is the best witness to this rule. Hence, we find several texts in the Quran and the Sunnah stressing this great principle and warning against disagreement and dispute. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And obey Allaah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and ]thus[ lose courage and ]then[ your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allaah Is with the patient.{]Quran 8:46[
Abu Mas‘ood, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said:“The Messenger of Allaahused to place his hand upon our shoulders at prayer time )when we would form rows for the prayer( and say, ‘Stand in straight rows and do not differ among yourselves, or else your hearts will differ )due to disaccord(.’”]Muslim[
Hajj is a great occasion where the Muslims’ unity appears in its most beautiful forms. All differences disappear, all barriers melt and Muslims gather in this imposing scene, which delights the souls and hearts.
Muslims from all over the world gather around this Ancient House, towards which they turn to perform the prayers five times a day, the House towards which they turn their souls and hearts during prayers in their faraway lands. Now, they gather around it to see, consult, love, and shake hands with each ‎other. They took off those different and distinguishing clothes to wear a white uniform indicating the whiteness of their hearts, as well as the purity of their appearance and souls.
Indeed, these are magnificent moments when all pilgrims move from Mina to stand this great standing in ‘Arafah confirming the unity of place, time, clothes and destination.
There are unanimous manifestations of unity in Hajj, including:
- Unity of place and time: Hajj is performed in a specific time and place and it is impermissible to be performed at any other time or in any other place. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Hajj is ]during[ well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein ]by entering the state of Ihraam[, there is ]to be for him[ no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing duringHajj.{]Quran 2:197[
The Prophetsaid:“Hajj is the standing at ‘Arafah.”]At-Tirmithi[
- Unity of rituals: All pilgrims are required to perform the rituals of Hajj including Ihraam, Tawaaf, Sa‘y between the Safa and Marwah, standing at ‘Arafah, spending the night at Mina, stoning the Jamraat and so on.
All pilgrims perform the same rituals, the thing that embodies and deepens brotherhood and love among them.
- Unity of aim and feeling: All pilgrims come from every distant pass hoping for the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty, fearing His punishment and raising their hands to implore Him and ask for His forgiveness, bounty and satisfaction.
They have one Qiblah, one Lord, similar feelings and similar clothes. These manifestations of unity that take place in this blessed occasion maintain the feeling of unity and reinforce the feeling of brotherhood among Muslims. They also strengthen mutual sympathy and sharing in joy in addition to religious and worldly cooperation among Muslims.
This was a brief overview of this important issue that occupy the minds of all Muslims, who aspire to a time when the Muslim nation will reunite to achieve superiority over the other nations and restore its leadership that the Muslims lost because of disunity and disagreement. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Allaah Has Promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He Will surely Grant them succession ]to authority[ upon the earth just as He Granted it to those before them and that He Will surely Establish for them ]therein[ their religion which He Has Preferred for them and that He Will surely Substitute for them, after their fear, security, ]for[ they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient.{]Quran 24:55[

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Sunan al-fitrah during menses

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Is it not permissible for a woman to do the “sunan al-fitrah” during her menses?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no reason why one should not do the “sunan al-fitrah” or keep oneself clean or beautify and adorn oneself, rather the menstruating woman is like any other woman in that regard.
Rather the menstruating woman is not allowed to pray, fast, circumambulate the Ka’bah (tawaaf), touch the Mus-haf, enter the mosque or have intercourse.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: Is it permissible for me to put henna on my hair and hands during my monthly period?
They replied:
That is permissible for you, because the basic principle is that it is permissible and there is no shar’i proof to the contrary. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah(5/403)
Secondly:
Doing the sunan al-fitrah depends on whether there is a need for that. If a person’s hair or nails have grown long, it is Sunnah for him to hasten to shorten them.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inal-Majmoo’(1/340):
With regard to the time limit for cutting the nails, it depends how long they are– when they grow long one should cut them. That varies from one person to another. The guideline with regard to cutting the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs and shaving the pubes is the same. End quote.
It is well known that the menses may last for more than a week, and nifaas may last up to forty days, so how can one be enjoined to ignore these sunan al-fitrah and not do them during that time?
Thirdly:
Some people believe that the person who is in a state of major impurity should not remove any of his hair or nails. This is a false belief that has no basis in Islamic sharee’ah.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a man who cut his nails and moustache and combed his hair whilst he was junub – is there any blame on him for that? Some of them referred to this and said: If the person who is junub cuts his hair or nails, then these parts will come and join his body in the Hereafter, and he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection with a measure of janaabah commensurate with what he cut of that, and on every hair will be a measure of janaabah. Is that the case or not?
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied:
It is proven in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah and the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that when the person who is junub was mentioned to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he said: “The believer does not become junub.” InSaheeh al-Haakimit says: “alive or dead.” I do not know of any shar’i evidence to suggest that it is makrooh for one who is junub to cut his hair or nails. Rather the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to one who became Muslim: “Cut off the hair of kufr and get circumcised.” And he told the one who became Muslim to do ghusl, but he did not tell him to delay getting circumcised or removing his hair until after he had done ghusl. The general meaning of his words indicates that both are permissible. Similarly the woman who is menstruating is enjoined to comb her hair whilst doing ghusl, even though combing the hair will cause some of the hairs to fall out.
And Allaah knows best.

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