Bismil laahir Rahmaanir Rahim.

Alhamdulil lahi nahma……………………………………

Today is……….. of ……… Hijra is 1442 years equivalent to ………………… 2020.

The time is …….. o’clock pm here in Thailand. And we welcome you to Mam
Online radio, TV, Facebook, You tube and all other affiliates.

The program now is called Islamic Thoughts and my name is Faisal Taubah
Mohammed.

Today we are talking about; Who is a Muslim?

Introduction

The divine message of the messengers of God is called ‘Religion`. The term
‘religion` (Deen in Arabic) literally means obedience and following the path and
the command of God. Religion is the collection of divine laws which designs a
system of life, which brings man closer to God and a prosperous life both here
and in the hereafter.

As Muslims we believe in One Unique God, Who due to His Wisdom and Mercy
has chosen some of the noblest men to be the recipients of His revelation
called prophets and Messengers. The Almighty God dispatched His messengers
to guide people to the Right Path. The duty of the messengers was to proclaim
the divine message to people for whose guidance they were sent.

The term Muslim according to Islamic scholars refer to one who submits to the
teachings of Islam.

Allah says inna deena indal laahil Islam. And He a.w. again said waman yabtagi
gailral Islama deenan falaa yukubalu min’u wahuwa fiil akhiratiti minal
khaasiriina.
So we have to know what Islam is?

In sahih Muslim in muqaddimah, and Imam Muhwis Sunnah Abu Muhammad

Al Husein Ibn Masuudin Al Bagawi in sharhis sunnah gave an hadith:

There was a man who brought some confusion in Basra. He was part of an
Aqeada of qadariyya which says Allah don’t know what will happen tomorrow,
and even if He knows, He has no power on it. subhaanallah.

Then, two taabi’i head forth to Makkah hoping to meet a Sahabi for
clarification on that matter. Luckily, they met Abdullah Ibn Umar( r. a ) and
presented their case to him. Abdullah Bun Umar said, his father said, one day
they were sitting and a man came to the Prophet s.a.w to ask questions……

He said yaa Muhammed…….laa taj’aluu dua’a rasuulika dua’i ba’dukum ba’da

don’t call the prophet like the way you call yourselves.

Questioner: maa huwa Islam?

Answer: al Islam huwa an tash adu an laa ilaaha illallah, wa anna Muhammda
rasuulullah. Wa iqaamus salaat , wa aatu zakat ,wasaumu Ramadan, wahaaju
baitil lah. Limanistathaaha ilaihis sabiila.(Pillars of Islam) Sadakta.

Questioner: maa huwal eeman

Answer : Al eeman huwa antuuminu billah , wamalaaikatihii, wakutubihii,

warusulihii, wal yaumil aakhir, wakadirihi khairi washarri.(Articles of faith)
Sadakta.

Questioner: mal Ihsaan?

Answer: huwa anta abudal laaha ka annaka taraau fa inlam takun taraahu fa
innahuu yaraaka. To worship Allah as if you see Him. If can’t see, know that He
see you. That’s to do everything because of Allah.

When he left, the prophet asked them to call him back. But they couldn’t find
him. He then said; that was Jibriel who came to teach you your deen.

Now, from the hadith above, we know 3 levels of Muslim. These are; Muslim,
Mumin and Muhsin.
In this write up, I am going to take my time to talk about all these principles in
details. After that, you can sit down and analyze yourself and see whether you
are really submitted to Islam. May Allah help us.

Lets begin with the discussion of the five pillars of Islam.

What do we mean by laa ilaaha ilal lah Muhammadu rasuulullah.?

I have divided the explanation in two folds. Firstly, I will elaborate on the
meaning of laa ilaaha illal lah. Then afterwards I will talk about Muhammad
rasuulullah.

The prophet said antash ahdu an laa ilaaha illal lah…Listen carefully, he didn’t
say, (qul) laa ilaaha……..he said bear witness, now, can you bear witness to
something you don’t know, doubt or don’t believe in its existence?

Quran says, wamaa shahidnaa illaa bimaa allim naa wamaa kunnaa bighairin
haafiziin. Before we can bear witness about Allah we have to know Him first.
That’s why He said fa a’lam annahuu laailaaha illallah.

Jamaa every Muslim should have adequate knowledge about Allah. In fact if
you don’t know Allah you can never worship or fear Him the way you suppose
to. The prophet s.a.w fear Allah most because he knows Him.

Example in the hadith of the eclipse (salaatul kusuf)………….

Example with circumcision, injections, ………

Example of children who lost and were playing with lion…….

In suratu Naaziaat 79:42-46..

yas aluunaka anis saa ati ayyaana mursaha.

Fii maa anta mizikraahaa…….. ilaa Rabbika muntahaha.

Inna maa anta munziru man yah sha ahaa…

Ka annahum yawma yaraunahaa ……lam yalbasuu illaa ashiiyatan awuduhaaha.

You think saying laa ilaaha,……..is easy?,,…Makans refused to say…..they were
surprised ..aj alal aaliyaha alal waahida?......

Mallams say if you are able to keep these 3 areas which they call Tawheed, you
have fulfilled laa ilaa…

a. The Unity of Allah's Lordship (that’s to single Allah out in creation): This
first category of tawheed is known as tawheedur-ruboobiyyah. Know that He
alone created everything without helper Al-Khaliq (the Creator).

Alhamdulillaahil lazii faathiris samaawaati wal ard………

21:30-35…awalam yaraul laziina kafaruu annas samawati wal arda kaanaa

ratkan fafataknaahumaa ……

32:9…allazii ahsana kulli shai’in khalaqa……perfected everything.

After reading elaborate on it. start with hausa………………..

Through this we know that it is Allaah alone who controls the universe and
allows things to happen. AI-Malik (The Owner of the universe). Hence when
something happens, it only happens with the permission of Allaah: maa asaba
min musiibatin illaa bi izinil lah…. 64:11

The prophet s.a.w.said: "Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered

together in order to do something to help you they would only be able to do
something for you which Allaah had already written for you. Likewise, if the
whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to
do something to harm you which Allaah had already written to happen to you."

b.. Worship Allah alone. Tawheed al ibaadah Uluuhiyya

This part of tawheed is known as tawheed-al-Ibadah. It is this aspect of

tawheed which it could be said is the most important. It is through this that we
learn how to worship our Creator alone. Allaah is not the kind of god who does
not respond or hear your calls. He is not the kind of god who needs some sort
of middleman to take our prayers up to Him.

Allaah says: wa qaala Rabbukum ; id uunii astajib lakum. Innal laziina

yastakbiruuna an ibaabati sayad huluuna jahannama daahiriin. 40:60
There is nothing to prevent a person from calling directly upon Allah and
asking for His help and forgiveness. Unfortunately this is violated by most of
mankind who believe that other men can intercede for them and even grant
them forgiveness because of their apparent special status!

As Muslims we should careful of this, because it seems that many of our

brothers and sisters are indulging in this kind of evil and are not even aware of
it. How many Muslims are there today who call upon others besides Allah?

There are millions of Muslims who go to the graves of 'saints' and ask them for
children, wealth, fame and more sadly, forgiveness

What makes this more ironic is the fact that many of these Muslims pray five
times a day, and in every rakat (unit) of their prayer they say the followingg to
their Creator: iyyaa kana aabudu………………. 1:4 ( Your example)

c. The Unity of Allaah's names and Attributes

This category of tawheed is known as Tawheed-al-Asma Wa-Siffaat :

The people of Makah used to misuse the names of Allah during the time of
Jahiliyyah. The name of Allah Ilaahu…..allaatu…Al-Aziz..al Uzza..Almannan…al
manaatu……

Allaah says in the Qur'aan: Allaahu laa ilaha illaa huu, lahul asmaa ul husna
20:8

Through His Names and Attributes we know that Allah is far beyond our
imagination and bears no resemblance to human beings. In fact it is this
principle which makes Islam unique from all the other religions on the face of
this earth.

Allaah says in the Qur'aan: laisa kamislihii shai’un wahuwas sammiul basiir.
42:11)

Ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer). It is Allaah who provides us with our food, shelter,
clothing, families and friends.

When our crops seem to be dying and there is not a cloud in sight, it is Allaah
who sends down His rain from the skies and sustains us.

Allah says : walil laahil asmaa ul husnaa fad uuhu bihaa. ..7:180.
Learning about the tawheed of Allaah is the most important thing for the
whole of humanity. For if we learn how to trust and worship our Creator with
sincerity, then -and only then- will we escape from the slavery and captivity of
this life. By worshipping Allaah alone does a man achieve true peace and
success. This is the reason why when the adhaan is called, the muezzin says
"Haya alal Falaa" (come to success). And we ask Allaah to make us amongst
those who go to this success. Ameen.

WHERE IS ALLAH?

All Muslims in the past and in the present, when supplicating Allah or imploring
His help, they always raise their hands with palms towards the heaven. They
do not lower their hands with palms towards the earth, nor do they turn them
right or left, nor towards any other direction. They raise their hands up,
knowing that Allah is above them.
However, there are some Muslims who believe that Allah is everywhere, and
they quote the following verses as their proofs.
1… sura 6:3 Allah says; wahuwal laahu fis samaawati wafil ar’di ya’lamu
sirrakum wajahrakum wa ya’lamu maa taksibuun.
Their argument is refuted by realizing that this verse refers to the knowledge
of Allah, according to the renowned exegetes, not His essence. They further
assert that this verse signifies that the knowledge of Allah encompasses all
things in the heavens and on the earth. The reference to the divine knowledge
is made clearly by repeating the clause, 'He knows' twice in this verse, that is to
say: "Allah, the Exalted, knows the hidden and the open, and He knows what
you achieve."
2.. sura 58:7 Allah says; alam tara annal laaha ya’lamu mafis samaawaati wa
maa fir’adi. Maa yakuunu min najwaa salaasatin illaahuwa raabi uhum.
walaa hamsatin illaa huwa saadisuhum. walaa adnaa min zaalika. walaa
aksara illaa huwa ma ahum aina maa kaanuu. summa yunabbi uhum bimaa
amiluu yawamal qiyaama. Innal laaha bikulli shai’in aliimun.
Ibn Kathir says."Al-Qurtubi said, Al-Qasimi says, "The scholars among the
Prophet's companions, who transmitted the meaning of the Qur'an to their
successors, held this verse to mean that Allah is above His 'Arsh, but His
knowledge is everywhere."
The believe that Allah is everywhere is deviant. The correct believe is Allah is
in heaven Who has established Himself on His Throne.
There following verses in the Quran asserts this fact.
To begin with, let’s look at what Allah said in sura 20:5 Arrahmanu alal ar’shis
tawa.
This is one of the seven Quranic verses in which Allah, the Exalted, refers to
His istiwa' on His 'Arsh.
In sura 32:4 Allaahul lazii khalaqas samaawaati wal ar’da wamaa bainahumaa
fii sittati ayyaamin summas tawaa alal ar’sh , maa lakum min duunihii min
waliiyyin walaa shafii’in, afalaa tatazakkaruun
To make you really sure that He is in heaven, He made it clear in the next
verse(32:5) that, yudabbirul am’ra minas samaa’i ilal ar’d , summa ya’ruju
ilaihi fii yawmin kaana miqidaaruhuu alafa sanatin mimmaa ta udduun.
Moreover, in sura 7:54 Allah says; inna rabbakumul laahul lazii khalaqas
samaawaati wal arda fii sittati ayyaamin summas tawaa alal arshi. yugshiil
lailan nahaar yathlubuhuu hasiisan. wash shamsu wal qamar wannujuum
musah’ haraatin bi amri. Alaa lahul khalku wal amru. Tabaarakal laahu rabul
aalamiina.
The other 4 verses talking about Allah establishing Himself on the Throne are;
10:3, 13:2, 25:59 and 57:4
In addition, when you read sura 3:55 Allah was talking about Annabi Easa a.s
that; iz qaalal laahu yaa Eesa innii mutawaf fiika wa raafi uka ilayyah………..
Finally, it may be worthwhile to say that even the enemy of Allah, Fir'awn
(Pharoah), who flagrantly claimed to be a god of his people, knew where Allah
is more than the followers of Jahm today. Allah says in sura 40:36-37 wa qaala
Fir’awnu yaa Haamaanu ibuni lii sar’han la allii ablugul as baab. Asbaabas
samaawaati fa at-thali’a ilaa ilaahi Muusa, wa innii la azunnuhuu kaaziban.
Apart from these verses, there are indeed a lot of hadith on this matter. The
point out clearly that Allah is above the heavens. Let look at few of them.
1. Hadith of salat
The Prophet s.a.w reported his eventful journey from Makkah to Jerusalem
(Al-Mi'raj)  and from there up to the heaven to receive salat. If Allah is
everywhere, why would he have gone to heaven?

2. Abdullah ibn Amr reported that the Prophet s.a.w said: "Be merciful to those
on earth, so that the One above the heavens will be merciful to you." [Imam Al-
Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and others]

3. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet s.a.w said: "The angels of death

usually attend the dying person. If he is pious, they would address his soul
saying, 'O good soul! Come out of the good body, and rejoice in the
annunciation of mercy and provision from the Rabb Who is well pleased with
you'. The angels would keep coaxing it with these words until the soul emerges
from the body. Then it would be taken up to the heaven where permission to
open the gates of the heaven would be sought. The guards would inquire,
'Who is this?' 'So and so', the angels would answer. The guards would say: 'O
good soul! You are welcome'. The soul would be flattered by such words and
finally be taken up to heaven above which is Allah." [Imam Ahmad, Al-Hakim,
and others] It is quite evident that Allah, the Exalted, is above the seven
heavens. Otherwise, why would the souls and the believers’ deeds is taken up
to the heavens to reach Allah?

4. Abu Hurayrah r.a reported that the Prophet s.a.w said: "The angel of death
used to appear to people whose souls he would collect. When he came to the
Prophet of Allah, Musa a.s to collect his soul, Musa punched out his eye. The
angel of death ascended to his Rabb, and said to Him, My Rabb! You have sent
me down to Musa who punched out my eye. Had he not been honored by You,
I would have given him hard time..." The angel of death descended to Musa
from the heaven to collect his soul. He did not come to him from east, west,
north, or south, nor did he emerge from the earth, and then he ascended to
His Rabb Who is above the heavens.

6. Mu'awiyah as-Sahmi reported: "I had some sheep which I kept between

'Uhud and Juwaniyyah with a slave-girl to look after them. One day, I went out
to check on my sheep and discovered that a wolf had devoured one of them.
Since I am just a human, (I became angry) and struck the girl. Later on, I came
to the Prophet s.a.w and reported to him the incident. He terrified me with the
gravity of my action.

I said, 'Messenger of Allah'! Shall I free her (as an expiation of my sin.) He said
'Call her over'. When I did, he asked her, 'Where is Allah? 'She said, 'Above the
heavens'. Then he asked her, 'Who am I?' She said, 'The Messenger of
Allah s.a.w. Thereupon, the prophet s.a.w ordered me, 'Free her. She is a
believer. [Imam Muslim, Abu Dawud, and others]

7. Abu Hurayrah r.a reported that the Prophet s.a.w said: "Our Rabb, the
Blessed, the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven every night, during the
last third of the night, and says: 'Anyone calls Me, I will respond to him? Is
there anyone asking for anything? I will give it to him? Is there anyone seeking
My forgiveness, I will forgive him?' " [Imam Malik, Imam Al-
Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and others]

Were Allah to exist everywhere, there would be no need for the

Prophet s.a.w who knew Allah best, to say, "Allah descends", nor would there
be a reason to distinguish one portion of the night from another. There is only
one answer to this: Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, is above the seven heavens,
and above the great 'Arsh.

Allah, the Exalted, described Himself in the Torah too that He is above His
creatures. Ka'bul-Ahbar said: "Allah, azzawajall, said in the Torah, 'I, Allah Am
above My slaves, and My 'Arsh is above My creatures, and I am upon
My 'Arsh running the affairs of My slaves. Nothing is hidden from Me neither in
heaven nor on the earth.' " [Adh-Dhahabi and others]

Conclusion

It should be clear in the minds of the true believers that there is nothing to
surround Allah, the Exalted, nor is there a place to contain Him. Things and
places are creatures, and Allah is above all His creatures. All creatures need
Him, while He is separated from His creatures, and stands in need of none of
them.

It is not permissible to say that Allah is everywhere, or He inheres in any of His

creatures, for Allah was when there was nothing. He who asserts that Allah is
not outside the universe, not only denies the existence of Allah, but he
worships a non-existent god. The Believer must believe that there is none like
unto Allah, the Exalted, in His essence, attributes, nor His actions. He is above
His 'Arsh, above the seventh heaven, and above all His creature essentially and
realistically not allegorically.

We ask Allah to keep us on the straight path of His Messenger sallallahu

'alayhi wa sallam and his Companions and to make us join their company on
the Day when neither wealth nor offspring would avail.
 This discourse has been based mainly on two books: Ithbat Uluwi'l-Lah by
Usamah ibn Yusuf al-Qassas, may Allah grant him His mercy, and Ar-Rahman
alal-Arsh Istawa by Dr. Awad Mansur

2. Muhammad rasuulul laahi s.a.w laa shariika lahu, fii risaalatu wan
nubuuwaati wal it-tibaai…..

What do we mean by this?

Firstly Allah sent Muhammad s.a.w as a blessing to mankind. The coming of

Prophet Muhammad is great bounty from Allah which should never be
downplayed.

In sura 3:165….laqad mannal laahu alal muuminiina izba asa fiihim rasuulan
min anfusihim yatluu alaihim aayaatihii wayuzakkiihim wayu allimuhumul
kitaaba wal hikmata wa inkaanuu minqablu lafii dalaalin mubiin.

Sura 2:151 kamaa arsalnaa fiikum rasuulan minkum yatluu alaikum

aayaatinaa wayuzakkiikum wayu allimukumul kitaaba wal hikmata wayu
allimukum maa lam takuunuu ta’lamuuna…….

He is the only person Allah said wa in tuti3huu tahtaduu…And if you follow

him, you will be rightly guided. Whatever he brought is from Allah and no
doubt about it.
Ibn Mas’uud was saying prophet s.a.w has banned joining hairs, nails, teeth,
tattoos, etc …one woman said , she had read the whole Quran and hasn’t see
where Allah banned it. Ibn Mas’uud asked her that have you read where Allah
said wamaa ataakumur rasuulu fahuzuuhu wamaa nahaakum fantahuu…
what the prophet brought we should accept and what he banned too we
should desist?

If you don’t know hadith you will do cos90 work. Laisal birri asiyaamu fii safar.

It is not piousness to fast while on a journey.

Umar bun Khattab didn’t want women especially his wife (Aatiqa) to go to the
Masjid but he couldn’t prevent them because the prophet didn’t stop them.
Laa tamnahuu imaa Allaahi masaajidal laahi wal yah ruju naa tafilaat …
women are Allah’s servant if they want to go to the masjid, don’t forbid them.
In another narration,....izasta azanat zawjatu ihdaa kunna fa laa yam na
ahaa..if a wife ask permission to go to the masjid, husband should not prevent
her.

Abdullah bun Umar was saying this in masjid and his son Bilal said wallaahi we
will stop them, because women this, that….his father became angry ….and
cursed..

We should preach and make judgments only with The Quran

Al Imaamul Hakim hadith sahih in kitaabul mustadrak….when they went to the

Battle of khaibara…8 years after hijra.. Umar bin Khattab found a paper of
Attaurah then begun to read after founding some words same as that of the
Quran, he came to read in front of the Prophet. S.a.w. The Prophet face
changed angrily. Abubakar saw and hit Umar’s hand and said sakilat ka
thsawaakib…can’t you see he’s angry………

Prophet s.a.w said, alam aatiikum bihaa baidaa a nakiiyan……haven’t I come

with the deen completely and explanatory?........lailuhaa kana haari haa… its
night like its day….laa yaziibuhaa illaa haalik……no lies in it except
truth…..wallaahi law kaana Musa hayyan ….if Musa were to be alive….maa
wasiahuu illat tibaai…..he would have followed me….ana hazzzukum minal
ambiyaai….in prophets I’m yours ……wa antum hafzi minan umam….and in
ummas, you are mine. So I have to be patient with you, and you too should be
patient with me.

Umar then said; radiitu billaahi rabban , wabil Islaami deenan ,wa bil
Muhammadi rasuulan.

There is no need to use any previous book to preach other than the Quran and
the sunnah of the prophet. No mallam zabura, bible doctor etc,…

In sahih Muslim and Musnad Imaam Ahmad: Anyone who hears of me be

Christian or Yahuudi and refuse to believe in me and dies will enter hell.

That’s why they will have double laada. Everything the prophet s.a.w brought
was correct and no one should oppose it.

He taught everything to the point that he was asked, what is the

best prayer and fast, he said that of Dawood….

Everyone is touched by Satan except Maryam and Jesus

Ibrahim will be the first dressed.

When we resurrect we will see Musa raised already.

Every Muslim should make sure he follows only the prophet and none else.

If your Eemaan is not up to that level, don’t argue anyhow.

The solution to human problems is that we should teach people to know Allah
and follow the teachings of the prophet so that they will fear Him and evil will
vanish.

I entreat you to find this Tawheed book: Taisiirul Aziizul Hamid by Mallam
Suleiman bin Abdul Wahab.

Qurratal Uluumul muwahiddin by Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Wahab.

Fath’ul Majid
Salaat

Background
The purpose of the creation of man, according to Islam, is that he should
worship Allah. Allah says in the Holy Quran: And I have not created the Jinn
and the men but that they may worship Me. (51:57) Worship means total
obedience to the commands of Allah. The Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a
brought the message of God and explained all the commandments concerning
the religion of Islam. The second pillar is called Salat, i.e. to perform Prayer in a
prescribed form.

Meaning and Origin

Salah is defined as the act of offering prayers to Allah SWT. Literally translated,
salah can mean prayer or supplication and is generally considered the act of
worshipping Allah. This is the second pillar of Islam and a very important one.
Any Muslim who doesn’t perform salaat is not a muslim. Allah says, wa izaa
kiila lahumur ka uu laa yarka uun.

The prophet s.a.w said, arfarku baina naa wabainahuu assalaat. Man tarakahaa
fakad kafara.

Awwalu yuhaa sibu abda yawmal qiyaamati assalaat. ……

Salaat is very important that’s why Allah invited the Prophet to heaven to
receive it. Allah said in sura 17 that subhaana lazii asraa bi abdihii lailan minal
Masjidil Haram ilal Masjidil Aqsaa, allazii baaraknaa hawlahuu.

In sahih Bukhari; the Hadith of Isra wal Miraaj.

In Sunan Abu Dawood and Musnad Imam Ahmad prophet s.a.w said, we
should teach and send our children to masjid from 7 years and when they
reach 10 and they don’t to pray, admonish them. Allah says order your children
to pray I provide your sustenance. This world is just a pass over, we came with
nothing and we shall go with nothing. That’s why a musician use to sing: wa fii
ghabdi kaffi tifli inda wiyaadatin, daliilun alaa hifsul laziihuwa jaami’u.

wa fii bastihii indal mamaati alaamatun, alaa fanzuruuni kad khalatu bilaa
shai’in.
CATEGORIES OF SALAAT
Islam has laid greatest emphasis on the institution of Salat. There are two
categories of salaat.

1.. Obligatory Prayers: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha.

2. Optional Prayers: Optional prayers before the five obligatory prayers,

Taraaweh, Janaaizah, Salaatul kusuf, Tayyatul Masjid, Tayyatul uduu, Duha
etc.

THE TIMING OF PRAYERS

Inna sallaata kaanat alal muminiina kitaaba maukuuta…

For each of the five obligatory Prayers, there is an appointed time fixed in
relation to the sun’s position. All the salat have two time frames namely;
Mukhatar and Daruul.

Mukhtari refers to the wide time frames between a particular salat and the
other. This allows the believer to prayer later in case he missed a prayer on
time.

Daruuri on the other hand is the limited time available for the believer. That is
to say, very few minutes left to enter another prayer.

Fajr Prayer

The time of the Fajr begins with dawn and ends just before sunrise.

Zuhr Prayer

The time of the Zuhr begins after the sun has crossed the zenith point and has
begun to decline.

Asr Prayer

The time of the ‘Asr Prayer is when the sun has further advanced in decline
and reaches a point nearly halfway between the beginning of decline and
sunset, which we may call late afternoon but not very late. It ends up quite
some time before sunset, when the sunlight has paled. Although it is not
entirely forbidden to say the ‘Asr Prayer that late in the day, it is most certainly
preferred that it be offered before daylight has started fading out while the
sun is still above the horizon by a good measure. It is to be remembered that at
the times of sunrise, sunset and when the sun is at its zenith, it is forbidden to
offer Prayers. Also, when the ‘Asr Prayer has been performed, no optional
Prayer should be offered between that time and the time of sunset. Similarly,
between Fajr and sunrise no optional prayer should be offered.

Maghrib Prayer

The time of Maghrib Prayer begins immediately after the sun has set. It lasts till
dusk. But the word dusk is differently understood by the different schools of
Jurists. The Wahhabis and similar sects with a rigid attitude insist that Maghrib
Prayer should be offered almost immediately after sunset and that the time of
dusk, according to them, ends when the redness of the sunset gives way to a
dusky grey. Many other sects believe that dusk lasts still when there is some
light left on the horizon after sunset. According to such schools, the allotted
time for offering Maghrib Prayer is almost as long as that allotted for
performing Fajr Prayer which lasts from early dawn to sunrise.

Isha Prayer

All schools of jurisprudence agree that the time for the ‘Isha’ Prayer begins
when dusk has finally disappeared, giving way to the darkness of night.
According to most, this period lasts till midnight but some even extend it
beyond midnight till one retires for sleep.

It is, however, very strongly advised and preferred that Prayers should be
generally offered at the beginning of their respective times and should not be
delayed until the time is about to run out.

ABLUTION

The word ablution applies to washing some parts of the body preparatory to
the performance of Prayer. This is a prerequisite which must be fulfilled,
otherwise the Prayer will not be considered valid.
In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Sunan Imam Ahmad and Ibn Maaja, Uthman bun
Affan stood and perform Ablution like this;

a.wash hands 3x b. Put water into your mouth and leave some to rinse your
nose 3x. any type apart from this is not authentic as reported by Imaam
Tirmidhi therefore daeef. d. wash your face with both hands 3 x

e. wet the hands and make a pass on the head entirely back and forth and
clean the ear with the same weting. Al Imam Baihaqi’s version of separation is
daeef. f. wash the feet 3x.

Then, you recite the following prayer;

Allahummaj‘alni minat-tawwabina waj‘alni minal mutatahhirin.

Translation: O Allah make me of those who seek forgiveness and make me of

those who are cleansed.

Upon completion Uthman said, the Prophet s.a. sat right here and perform
ablution similar to what I’ve done and said, whoever perform Ablution like this
and perform two rakats, all his sins will be forgiven.

This is ablution in normal circumstances when one is healthy and the use of
water is not medically inadvisable, and where clean water is easily available.

In case of illness or non-availability of water, there is a simple substitute for

ablution in the following form which is called Tayammum.

If a clean dusty surface or a solid surface is available, one should pat the
surface with the open palms of both hands, and make a motion with both
hands passing them over one’s face. Then, one should pass the hands over the
back of each other successively. If too much dust accumulates on the hands,
then one is permitted to dislodge the excess. This is only a token ablution to
remind one that whenever possible, proper ablution should be performed with
water.

If one’s ablution remains intact then even with one ablution, more than one
Prayer can be performed
FACTORS WHICH RENDER AN ABLUTION INEFFECTIVE

a. Passing wind.

b. Urination even if a drop has passed out.

c. Passing stool in however small quantity.

d. Sleeping, dozing off to the degree that if one were without a support, one
would not be able to keep balance.

e. Menstruation and ejaculation.

f. About vomiting and bleeding, opinions are divided but minor bleeding from
any part of the body by an ordinary cut, etc., or throwing-up of a little food
during belching should not be counted as bleeding and vomiting. Otherwise,
after vomiting and bleeding, ablution should be performed again.

If after ablution, one puts on socks, then it is not essential to wash one’s feet
for the following 24 hours when one performs ablution. Instead, one should
wet one’s hands and after shaking off the excess water, one should make
passes with the hands on both feet on top of the socks. This should be
considered an alternative to the washing of the feet. This permission is
extended to three days during a journey.

Ghuslul Janaba

Taking a bath is always encouraged and promoted in Islam. Islam emphasizes

not only the cleanliness of the soul but also that of the body. In some
situations however, it has been made a prerequisite to the offering of any
formal Prayer. The following are the conditions which necessitate taking a bath
and where ablution alone is not enough.

1. In Case of Women

a. After each menstruation when the flow of blood has completely stopped.

b. After childbirth when the bleeding has finally stopped. Note: During these
bleeding periods, women are not required to Prayer.
2. In Case of Men and Women

a. After seminal ejaculation or orgasm, whether resulting from conjugation or

from any other cause. The same applies to night discharges during sleep.

b. Sexual contact between man and woman, even without ejaculation and
however brief it may be.

c. All non-Muslims who become Muslims are also obliged to take a bath and
start a new, fresh life as a Muslim.

d. Every new born child must be bathed, and also the body of every person
who has died should be bathed before the Janazah Prayer. However, for those
who are martyred or killed during war or murdered in any way, an exception is
made and they are not bathed.

e. Apart from the occasions when bathing becomes necessary, the taking of a
bath every Friday, on the celebrations of ‘Id and just before performing Hajj
were strongly emphasised by the Holy Prophet s.a.

How to bath Janaba

Bath is done in the following manner: The Prophet s.a. would start bathing by
performing Wudu’, i.e. ablution, but not including washing of the feet which he
would do at the end. Then he would pour water at least three times on the
right side of his body, followed by three times on the left. He bathed so
meticulously that every pore of every part of his body was washed thoroughly.

In all such conditions where bathing becomes obligatory, one can neither
perform Prayer without bathing nor enter the mosque, nor recite the Holy
Quran. Exception is made for women during their periods as far as the reading
of the Holy Quran is concerned. They can read the Holy Quran but are advised
not to touch it with their bare hands.

WATER

Water to be used for ablution and bathing should be clean and salubrious.
Stagnant or polluted water may not be used. However, when salubrious water
is not available and people are forced to use whatever water is available, the
same can also be used for ablution and bath.
DRESS

During Prayer, one’s body should be decently covered, particularly the private
parts and the areas around them. In case of men, this can be defined as an
area of body beginning from the navel down to the end of the knee-cap. As far
as women are concerned, they should cover their entire body, including their
arms but excluding the hands and feet. However, when praying at home or
among other women, they do not have to cover their faces.

According to most schools of Jurisprudence, men should cover their heads

when praying. But the Malikis and a few others do not consider this necessary.

ADHAN

In the early days of Islam, there was no prescribed way of telling people that
the time for Prayer had commenced nor was there any means to call the
Muslims to the mosque for congregational Prayers. The Holy Prophet s.a was
however, aware of the Jewish, Christian and pagan practices in this regard. He
sought counsel and asked his Companions as to what should be done to call
Muslims to the mosque for congregational Prayers.

One morning, Abdullah ibn ‘Aziz r.a approached the Holy Prophet s.a and
related to him a dream which he had had the night before. He had seen
someone announcing the Prayer time and calling people to the mosque for the
congregational Prayer in a loud voice. He then related the words of the Adhan
which he had heard in the dream. They were as follows:

Allahu Akbar (four times)

Ashhadu allä ilāha illallah (twice)

Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullāh (twice)

Hayya 'alas-Salah (twice) come to prayer

Hayya ‘alal-Falah (twice) come to success

Allahu Akbar (twice)

La ilaha illallah
Umar bin Khataab r.a, who was also in that sitting said that he had also had a
dream and had heard the same words. The Holy Prophet s.a was therefore in
no doubt that this was a message from Allah, so he adopted the method of
Adhan to call worshippers to the mosque. Adhan is thus widely recognised as
the call to Prayer all over the world.

The Method of Saying the Adhan

The Mu’adhdhin, the person who says the Adhan, should stand in a prominent
position with his face turned towards the Qiblah. These days a loudspeaker
system is also used to say the Adhan. The Mu’adhdhin should touch his ears
with his index fingers, right finger touching the right ear and the left finger
touching the left, and recite the Adhan in a loud voice. He should turn his face
towards the right when saying the words, Hayya ‘alas-Salah and turn his face
to the left while reciting the words Hayya ‘alal-Falah. During the Adhan for
Fajr Prayer, the Mu’adhdhin should also recite the words given below twice
after saying, Hayya ‘alal-Falah: Assalatu khairum-minan-naum (twice)

The Holy Prophet s.a has said: Izaa sami‘tumun-nida’a Faquuluu misla ma
yaqulul mu’azzin. (Bukhari Kitabul-Adhan)

Hence, anyone who hears the Azān should repeat the same, phrase by phrase,
after the Mu'azin has recited them but when the Mu'azin says the words Hayya
'alas-Salah and Hayya 'alal-Falah, the person hearing the Azaan should say La
haula wala quwwata illa billā-hil 'aliyyul Azim which means: There is neither
might nor any power except with Allah.

After completion of the Adhān, listeners should recite the following prayer:
Allāhumma Rabba hadhihidda 'watit-tämmati wasSalátil qā 'imati, ati
Muhammada-nil-wasilata wal-fadilata waddarajatar-rafi'ata, wab'ath-hu
maqāmam-mahmuda-nilladhi wa 'attahu. (Bukhāri, Kitābul-Adhān)

O Allah, Lord of this Perfect Call, and of the Congregational Prayer, make
Muhammad a means of our access to You, and bless him with excellence and
the lofty office, and grant him the most exalted station Thou hast promised
him. Verily, Thou goest not back on Thy promise.
IQAMAT (IQAMAH)

When the Prayer is about to commence, Iqamah is recited. This is an indication

that the Imam has taken his place facing towards the Ka‘bah and is ready to
begin the Prayer. The Iqamah is a shorter version of the Adhan.

Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar;

Ashhadu alla Ilaha illallah;

Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullāh;

Hayya 'alas-Salāh; Hayya 'alal-Falah,

Qad qāmatis-Salātu, Qad qāmatis-Salāh;

Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar; La Ilāha Illallah.

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is Greatest;

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah;

I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Come to Prayer. Come to success. Salāt is ready.

Allah is the Greatest; Allah is the Greatest;

There is none worthy of worship except Allah.

According to the Sayings of the Holy Prophet” the person who has recited the
Adhan should also recite the Iqāmah. (Sunan Tirmidhi, Abwabus-Salāt, Bāb Mâ
Jâ'a anna man Adhdhana fa huwa yuqim).

However, in certain cases, another person may recite the Iqāmah with the
permission of the Mu'adhdhin or the Imām.

NIYYAT (NIYYAH)

Niyyah means the intention to perform a prayer.Make a Niyyah in your mind as

to which type of Prayer, Fard, Sunnah or Nafl etc., including the number of
rakaats you are going to perform. It is not necessary to make Niyyah by saying
the words aloud. The mere intention in one’s mind will suffice.
COMBINING PRAYERS

Under certain conditions, two Prayer services may be combined together. For
example, Zuhr Prayer may be combined with ‘Asr Prayer. Similarly Maghrib
Prayer may be combined with ‘Isha’ Prayer, if the following conditions prevail:
a. If a person is sick.

b. If a person is on a journey.

d. If it is difficult to go to the mosque because of general discomfort caused by

heavy rains. It is preferable to combine the later Prayer with the earlier Prayer.
However, in unavoidable circumstances, the earlier Prayer may be combined
with the later one.

When the Prayers are combined, one Adhan is sufficient for both Prayers but
Iqamah has to be recited separately for each Prayer.

THE METHOD OF OFFERING PRAYER

Normally, Salat should be offered in congregation in a mosque, a place

dedicated to Divine worship but it may be held anywhere, the only
requirement being that the place chosen should be clean. Before a worshipper
commences his Prayer, he should cleanse his body and ensure that his clothes
are also clean. He should perform Wudu’ and then stand in a row along with
other worshippers behind the Imam, all facing towards the Ka‘bah.

FACING THE KA'BAH

When the Messenger of Allaah s.a.w stood for prayer, he would face the
Ka'bah in both obligatory and voluntary prayers.

"During a journey, he would pray voluntary prayers and witr on his mount,
wherever it faced carrying him [east or west]. The saying of Allaah, the Exalted,
"Wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allaah" (Baqarah, 2:115) applies to
this. "[Sometimes] when he intended to pray non-obligatory prayers on his
she-camel, he would make it face the qiblah, say takbeer, and pray towards
wherever his mount turned its face. "He would make rukoo' and sajdah on his
mount by lowering his head, making the sajdah lower than the rukoo. "When
he intended to pray obligatory prayers, he would dismount and face the
qiblah.
 In prayer during severe fear, he set the example for his ummah to pray "on
foot, standing on their feet, or mounted; facing the qiblah or not facing it, and
he also said, When they (the armies) meet, then it (i.e. the prayer) is takbeer
and indication with the head.

He (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) also used to say: What is between the east
and the west is qiblah.

Jaabir (Radi Allaahu 'anhu) said: "Once, when we were with the Messenger of
Allaah s.a.w. on an expedition, the sky was cloudy, so we tried to find the Qibla
but we differed, so each one of us prayed in a different direction, and each of
us drew marks in front of him in order to mark our positions. In the morning,
we looked at it and found that we had not prayed towards the Qiblah. So we
mentioned this to the Prophet s.a.w. [but he did not order us to repeat (the
prayer)] and he said: Your prayer was sufficient."

"He s.a.w. used to pray towards Bait al’Muqaddas [with the Ka'bah in front of
him] before the following verse was revealed:

"We see the turning of your faces to the heavens; now shall we turn you to a
Qiblah that shall please you: turn then your faces in the direction of the Sacred
Mosque" (Baqarah 2:144). When it was revealed he faced the Ka'bah. There
were people at Qubaa' praying Fajr when someone came to them and said,
'Verily the Messenger of Allaah s.a.w. has had some of the Qur'aan revealed to
him last night and he has been ordered to face the Ka'bah, [verily] so face it'.
Their faces were towards Shaam, so they turned round [and their Imaam
turned round to face the qiblah along with them].

STARTING THE PRAYER

The rows must be perfectly straight and the worshippers should stand
shoulder to shoulder but in no way in a position to interfere with each other’s
Prayer.

The Prayer starts with Takbir-i-Tahrimah, i.e. Raise both hands to the level of
the earlobes and says Allahu Akbar.

After that, fold the hands on the chest so that the right arm is over the left
arm. This standing posture in such an utmost humility is called Qiyam.
The Holy Prophet used to say; We, the company of prophets, have been
commanded to hasten the breaking of the fast, to delay the meal before the
fast, and to place our right arms on our left arms during prayer.

Also "he passed by a man who was praying and had placed his left arm on his
right, so he pulled them apart and placed the right on the left.

"He used to place the right arm on the back of his left palm, wrist and forearm,
"and he commanded his companions to do likewise", and (sometimes) "he
would grasp his left arm with his right. "He used to place them on his chest."
Also "he used to forbid putting one's hand on the waist during prayer [and he
put his hand on his waist (to demonstrate)]". And this is the "silb" which he
used to forbid.

He would raise his hands sometimes with the takbeer, sometimes after the
takbeer, and sometimes before it. "He would raise them with fingers apart [not
spaced out, nor together]", and "he would put them level with his shoulders",
although occasionally, "he would raise them until they were level with [the
tops of] his ears."

TO LOOK AT THE PLACE OF POSTRATION

"He s.a.w. used to incline his head during prayer and fix his sight towards the
ground while he was in the Ka'bah, his sight did not leave the place of his
prostration until he came out from it; and he said, It is not fitting that there
should be anything in the House which disturbs the person praying. "He used
to forbid looking up at the sky", and he emphasised this prohibition so much
that he said: People must refrain from looking up at the sky in prayer, or their
sight will not return to them (and in one narration: or their sight will be
plucked away). In another hadeeth: So when you pray, do not look here and
there, for Allaah sets His Face for the face of his slave in his prayer as long as
he does not look away, and he also said about looking here and there, "it is a
snatching away which the devil steals from the slave during prayer."

Next, he s.a.w. would commence his recitation with many kinds of

supplications in which he would praise Allaah the Exalted, and glorify and extol
Him. He in fact ordered "the man who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him:
No person's prayer is complete unless he says takbeer, praises Allaah the
Mighty and Sublime and extols Him, recites of the Qur'aan what is easy for him
... He would say any one of the following supplications:

Allaaahumma baa id bainii wa baina hataayaaya kamaa ba’ atta bainal

mashrik wal maghrib. Oh Allah separate me far from my sins like you have
separated the east far from the west.

Allahumma naqqinii min hataayaaya kama yunaqqi saubul abyadu minad

danas. Oh Allah cleanse me of my sins as white cloth is cleanse from dirt.

Allahumma igsilnii min hataayaaya bil maai was salji wal barad.

Oh Allah cleanse me of my sins with water, ice and snow.

Subhanakallah-humma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta‘ala jadduka

wala ilaha ghairuk.

Holy art Thou, O Allah, and all praise is Thine; blessed is Thy name, and exalted
is Thy state. There is none worthy of worship except Thee alone.

The above glorification is followed by Ta‘awwudh, which is also recited silently:

A‘udhu billahi minash-shaitanir-rajim. Min hamzihii wanafhi’ii wanafsi.

I seek refuge with Allah from the Evil one, the rejected, from his madness, his
arrogance and his poetry.

A uuzubil laahi samii’il alim minash shaitaanir rajim…

I seek refuge with Allah the All-hearing the All-knowing from the evil one…

After Ta‘awwudh, Bismillah is recited but silently.

Next, he would recite Soorah al-Faatihah and divide his recitation, reciting one
verse at a time.

At the end of Surah Al-Fatihah, the worshippers say Amin which means 'O
Allah! Accept our supplications.

The Necessity of al-Faatihah, and its Excellence He would vehemently

emphasise the importance of this soorah, saying: "There is no prayer for the
one who did not recite [in it] the opening chapter [at least]" and in another
saying: That prayer is not sufficient in which a man does not recite the Opening
of the Book. He also said: He who performs a prayer in which he does not
recite the Opening of the Book, then it (i.e. the prayer) is deficient, it is
deficient, it is deficient, incomplete. He also said: Allaah the Blessed and
Exalted has said: "I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant,
into two halves: half of it is for Me and half is for My servant, and My servant
shall have what he has asked for."Then the Messenger of Allaah s.a.w. said:
Recite! The servant says "Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds"; Allaah
the Exalted says "My servant has praised Me". The servant says, "The Most
Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy"; Allaah says, "My servant has extolled Me".
The servant says "Master of the Day of Judgment"; Allaah the Exalted says,
"My servant has glorified Me". The servant says, "It is You (alone) we worship
and it is You (alone) we ask for help"; [He says:], "This is between Me and My
servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for". The servant says,
"Guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favoured, not
of those who receive Your anger, nor of those who go astray". [He says:], "All
these are for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.

He s.a.w. also used to say: Allaah did not reveal in the Torah or the Gospel
anything like the Mother of the Qur'aan. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated [and the
Grand Recitation which have been bestowed upon me].

THE ABROGATION OF RECITATION BEHIND THE IMAAM

In the Loud Prayers He had given permission for those being led by the Imaam
to recite Soorah al-Faatihah in the loud prayers, when once: "he was praying
Fajr and the recitation became difficult for him. When he finished, he said:
Perhaps you recite behind your imaam. We said: "Yes, quickly, O Messenger of
Allaah." He said: Do not do so, except for [each of you reciting] the opening
chapter of the Book, for the prayer is not valid of the one who does not recite
it. Later, he forbade them from reciting in the loud prayers at all, when: "He
finished a prayer in which he was reciting loudly (in one narration: it was the
dawn prayer) and said: Were any of you reciting with me just now?! A man
said: "Yes, I was, O Messenger of Allaah". He said: I say, why am I contended
with? [Abu Hurairah said:] So the people stopped reciting with the Messenger
of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) when he was reciting loudly after
hearing that from him [but they recited to themselves quietly when the imaam
was not reciting loudly]." He also made silence during the imaam's recitation
part of the completeness of following the imaam, saying: The imaam is there
to be followed, so when he says takbeer, say takbeer, and when he recites, be
silent, just as he made listening to the imaam's recitation enough to not have
to recite behind him, saying: He who has an imaam, then the recitation of the
imaam is recitation for him - this applying in the loud prayers.

THE OBLIGATION TO RECITE IN THE QUIET PRAYERS

As for the quiet prayers, he urged them to recite during them; Jaabir said, "We
used to recite behind the imaam in Zuhr and 'Asr: soorah al Faatihah and
another soorah in the first two rak'ahs, and soorah al Fatihah in the last two."
However, he dissuaded them from confusing him with their recitation, when:
"he prayed Zuhr with his Companions and said (afterwards): Which of you
recited "Glorify the name of your Lord the Most High" (soorah al-A'laa, 87)?
Someone said: It was I [but I was only intending nothing but good by doing so].
So he said: I knew that someone was contending with me by it. In another
hadeeth: "They used to recite behind the Prophet s.a.w. [loudly], so he said:
You have mixed up my (recitation of the) Qur'aan. He also said: Truly, the
person praying is privately consulting his Lord, so he should be careful about
what he consults him with, and you should not recite the Qur'aan loudly over
each other. He also used to say: Whoever recited a harf (letter) from the Book
of Allaah, it will count for him as one good deed, and a good deed is worth ten
times over. I do not mean that "alif laam meem" is a harf, but "alif" is a harf,
"laam" is a harf, and "meem" is a harf.

THE AAMEEN, AND THE IMAAM'S SAYING IT LOUDLY

When he finished reciting al- Faatihah, he would say: aameen ("aameen")

loudly, prolonging his voice. He also used to order the congregation to say
aameen. When the imaam says, ghairul magduubi alaihim walad daaliin. "Not
of those who receive (Your) anger, nor of those who go astray", then say
"aameen" [for the angels say "aameen" and the imaam says aameen"] (in
another narration: when the imaam says "aameen" say "aameen"), so he
whose aameen coincides with the aameen of the angels (in another narration:
when one of you says "aameen" in prayer and the angels in the sky say
"aameen", and they coincide), his past sins are forgiven. In another hadeeth: ...
then say aameen; Allaah will answer you. He also used to say: The Jews do not
envy you over anything as much as they envy you over the salutation and
aameen [behind the imaam]

THE RECITATION AFTER AL-FAATIHAH

Next, he s.a.w. would recite another soorah after al-Faatihah, making it long
sometimes, and on other occasions making it short because of travel, cough,
illness or the crying of infants.

Anas ibn Maalik r.a. said: "He s.a.w. made it [i.e. the recitation] short one day
in the dawn prayer." (In another hadeeth: he prayed the morning prayer and
recited the two shortest soorahs in the Qur'aan.) So it was said: "O Messenger
of Allaah, why did you make it short?" He said: I heard the crying of a child, and
I supposed that his mother was praying with us, so I wanted to free his mother
for him. He also used to say: I enter into prayer intending to lengthen it, but I
hear the crying of a child so I shorten my prayer because I know how deeply his
mother feels about his crying. He used to start from the beginnning of a
soorah, completing it most of the time. He used to say: Give every soorah its
share of rukoo' and sujood. In another narration: Every soorah should have a
rak'ah. Sometimes he would divide the soorah into two rak'ahs and sometimes
he would repeat the whole soorah in the second rak'ah. Sometimes he would
combine two or more soorahs in one rak'ah.

One of the Ansaar used to lead them in the mosque of Qubaa', and every time
he recited a soorah for them, he would begin with "Say: He is Allaah, the One
and Only " (soorah al- Ikhlaas, 112) until its end, and then recite another
soorah with it, and he would do this in every rak'ah. Because of this, his people
spoke to him, saying: "You begin with this soorah, and then you do not regard
it as enough until you recite another one: you should either recite it (only) or
leave it and recite another one. He said: "I will not leave it: if you do not mind
me leading you with it, I shall carry on, but if you do not like it, I shall leave
you." They knew that he was one of their best, and they did not like to be led
by anyone else, so when the Prophet s.a came to them, they told him the
story. He said: O so- and-so, what stops you from doing what your people ask
you to? What makes you recite this soorah in every rak'ah? He said: "I love this
soorah." He said: Your love for it will enter you into the Garden.
Sometimes he would combine soorahs from the seven tiwaal (long soorahs),
such as al-Baqarah, an-Nisaa' and aal-Imraan in one rak'ah during night prayer
(below). He used to say: The most excellent prayer is one with long standing.

THE PERMISSIBILITY OF RECITING AL-FAATIHAH ONLY

Mu'aadh ibn Jabal used to pray 'Ishaa' [the last] with the Messenger of Allaah
s.a. and then return and lead his people in prayer. One night when he
returned and prayed with them, a young man [called Sulaim, of the Banu
Salamah] from his people prayed, but when it became too long for him, he
[went away and] prayed [in the corner of the mosque], then came out, took
the reins of his camel and departed. When Mu'aadh had prayed, this was
mentioned to him, so he said: "He surely has some hypocrisy in him! I will
surely tell the Messenger of Allaah s.a. what he has done." The young man
said: "And I will tell the Messenger of Allaah s.a.w. what he has done." So in
the morning they came to the Messenger of Allaah s.a. and Mu'aadh informed
him of what the young man had done. The young man said: "O Messenger of
Allaah! He stays a long time with you, and then he returns and lengthens it for
us." So the Messenger of Allaah s.a said: Are you one who causes great
trouble, Mu'aadh?! and he said to the young man: What do you do when you
pray, son of my brother? He said: "I recite the opening chapter of the Book,
then I ask Allaah for the Garden, and seek refuge with Him from the Fire. I
know neither your dandanah nor the dandanah of Mu'aadh!" So the
Messenger of Allaah s.a said: I and Mu'aadh are similar in this. The narrator
said: The young man said, "But Mu'aadh will know (about me) on going to the
people when they will have been informed that the enemy has arrived." The
narrator said: So the enemy came, and the young man attained shahaadah
(martyrdom). So after that the Messenger of Allaah s.a said to Mu'aadh, What
did the one disputing with me and you do? He said, "O Messenger of Allaah, he
was true to Allaah, and I spoke falsely - he was martyred.

QUIET AND LOUD RECITATION IN THE FIVE PRAYERS AND OTHERS

He s.a. used to recite loudly in the morning prayer and in the first two rak'ahs
of Maghrib and 'Ishaa', and quietly in Zuhr, 'Asr, the third rak'ah of Maghrib
and the last two rak'ahs of Ishaa'. They could tell when he was reciting quietly
from the movement of his beard, and because he would let them hear an
aayah or so sometimes. He also recited loudly in Friday prayer and the two 'Eid
prayers, in the prayer for rain, and in the eclipse prayer.

As for night prayer, he would sometimes recite quietly and sometimes loudly,
and "he used to recite in his house such that he could be heard in the
courtyard. "Occasionally he would raise his voice more than that until
someone lying in bed could hear him (i.e. from outside the courtyard). He
ordered Abu Bakr and 'Umar (Allaah be pleased with them) likewise, when: "he
came out at night to find Abu Bakr r.a. praying in a low voice, and he passed by
'Umar ibn al-Khattaab r.a. who was praying in a loud voice. Later, when they
gathered around him, he said: O Abu Bakr, I passed by you and you were
praying in a low voice? He said: "I let Him whom I was consulting hear, O
Messenger of Allaah." He said to 'Umar: I passed by you and you were praying
raising your voice? So he said: "O Messenger of Allaah, I repel drowsiness and
keep the devil away." The Prophet s.a. said: O Abu Bakr, raise your voice a little
bit and to 'Umar: lower your voice a little bit.

He used to say: The one who recites the Qur'aan loudly is like the one who
gives charity loudly, and the one who recites the Qur'aan quietly is like the one
who gives charity quietly.

Going to Rukuu, sujuud………………

At the end of the recitation, the worshiper goes from the Standing position to
the Bowing position called Rukuu, by calling out loud Allaahu Akbar.

In this posture, the right hand of the worshipper should press the right knee
and the left hand the left knee, and the upper half of the body from the waist
to the head is kept level and horizontal to the ground.

In the Bowing posture the following Tasbih is recited silently three times or
more in odd numbers: Subhána Rabbiyal Azim. Holy is my Lord, the Most
Great.

Then he straightens up and stands with his arms by his sides. When he initiates
this movement, he recites Tasmi loudly which is an indication for the
congregation to change the posture from Bowing to Standing. The Tasmi is
recited as follows: Sami allāhu liman hamidah. Allah listens to him who
praises Him.
In congregational, they will respond the Tahmid: Rabbana walakal-hamd,
hamdan kathiran Tayyiban Mubarakan fih. Meaning our Lord, Thine is the
praise, the praise which is bountiful, pure and blessed.

This position of standing erect ends with the recitation of Tahmid. Then the
Imam says Allahu Akbar loudly again and leads the congregation into the
Prostration position called Sajdah, knees on the ground, then the head. In this
posture, the knees, hands, nose and the forehead of the worshipper should be
touching the ground.

The head should be placed on the ground between the two hands. The arms
should be away from the ground and away from one’s sides. The Holy Prophet
s.a has said: When you prostrate before God, you should place your limbs on
the ground in the correct manner. In no way should you spread your arms on
the ground like the front legs of a dog when it sits. (Musnad Ahmad bin
Hanbal, vol. III, p.279)

The fingers are held together pointing towards the Ka‘bah. The feet should be
planted on the ground so that the toes are bent in the direction of the Ka‘bah.
In this posture the Tasbih given below should be recited silently three times at
least. If the worshipper wishes to recite it more than three times, he should
make sure that the number of recitations are odd and not even: Subhana
Rabbiyal-a‘la. Meaning, Glory to my Lord, the Most High.

Prostration is a posture of utmost humility, submission and helplessness in

which a supplicant pours his heart before God Almighty and asks for His
forgiveness.

It should also be noted that during the Ruku‘ and Sajdah, the Holy Prophet s.a
has forbidden the recitation of any Quranic verse. (Sahih Muslim, Kitabus-Salat,
Babun Manahi an Qira’til-Quran fir ruku‘ was-sujud.)

The Imam then says Allahu Akbar again, at which he and the congregation raise
their heads and then their hands from the ground and go into the Sitting
position called Jilsah. When sitting in this position, the worshipper spreads his
left foot horizontally on the ground and rests on it while his right foot is placed
on the ground in a perpendicular position, with the toes facing the Ka‘bah. The
hands are placed on the thighs with the fingers pointing towards the Ka‘bah,
very close to the knees. In this position, the following supplication is recited
silently: Allahum-maghfir li warhamni wahdini wa ‘afini warfa‘ni wajburni
warzuqni. Lord forgive me and have mercy on me and guide me and grant me
security and raise me up and make good my shortcomings and provide for me.

After Jilsah, the Imam leads the congregation into a second Prostration by
saying Allahu Akbar and, again Subhana Rabbiyal A‘la is done three times or, if
more, in odd numbers. In every Rak‘at of Prayer there are always two
Prostrations. At the end of the second prostration, one Rak‘at of Prayer is
completed. After saying Allahu Akbar once again, the Imam leads the
congregation into the Standing posture to commence the second Rak‘at which
is offered exactly as the first Rak‘at.

However, during the second Rak‘at, Thana’ (Glorification) and Ta‘awwudh are
not recited. Thana’ and Ta‘awwudh are recited only in the first Rak‘at of every
Prayer. The Imam recites Surah Al-Fatihah and then some verses of the Holy
Quran and completes the Rak‘at in the same manner as the first.

After the second Prostration, he sits down in the same manner as he sat in the
position called Jilsah. This Sitting Position, at the end of the second Rak‘at is
called Qa‘dah. During this position Tashahhud is recited silently, which is as
follows:

Attahiyyātu lillahi was—Salawatu wat-tayyibatu, Assalamu 'alaika ayyuhan-

Nabiyyu WaRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, Assalāmu 'alaina wa alaa ibaadullaahis
saalihiin. Ash hadu anlaa ilaaha ilalah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu
wa Rasuluh. (Assalaamu alan Nabiy..was used to say after his death)

All compliments , prayers and pure words are due to Allaah. Peace be on you,
O Prophet, and also the mercy of Allaah and His blessings. Peace be on us, and
on the righteous slaves of Allaah. [For when one says that, it includes every
righteous slave in the heaven and the earth.] I bear witness that none has the
right to be worshipped except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is
His slave and messenger.

He s.a. used to send prayers on himself in the first tashahhud as well as the
other. He also established it for his ummah, ordering them to send prayers on
him after sending peace on him, and he taught them several ways of doing so:
Allāhumma Salli 'ald Muhammadin wa 'alā āli Muhammadin kama Sallaita
'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum-Majid. Allāhumma Bârik
'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin kama Barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa
'ala ali lbrahima innaka Hamidum-Majid.

Bless, O Allah, Muhammad and the people of Muhammad, as Thou didst bless
Abraham and the people of Abraham. Thou art indeed the Praiseworthy, the
Glorious. Prosper, O Allah, Muhammad and the people of Muhammad, as Thou
didst prosper Abraham and the people of Abraham. Thou are the
Praiseworthy, the Glorious.

The invocation Durud (Assalatu'alan-nabi) is followed by a short prayer or

prayers, some of which are given below:

Rabband ātina fiddunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan waqind

adhābannär. (2:202)

Our Lord, grant us good in this world as well as good in the world to come, and
protect us from the torment of the Fire.

Rabbij alni muqimas-Salāti wanin dhur-riyyati. Rabbana wa taqabbal du ‘à '.

Rabbanaghfir li wali walidayya wa lil-mu'minina yauma yaqumul hisãb.
(14:41-42)

My Lord, make me observe Prayer, and my children too. Our Lord! bestow Thy
grace on me and accept my prayer. Our Lord, grant forgiveness to me and to
my parents and to the believers on the day when the reckoning will take place.

'Allāhumma inni a 'udhu bika minal-hammi wal huzni, wa a 'udhu bika minal
'ajzi wal kasli, wa a ’udhu bika minal jubni wal-bukhli. Wa a 'udhu bika min
ghalbatid-daini wa qahrir-rijal. (Sunan Abil Dawud, Kitābus-Salāt).

O Allah, I seek Thy protection against problems and anxieties, and I seek Thy
protection against helplessness and shiftlessness, and I seek Thy protection
against cowardice and miserliness, and I seek Thy protection against
indebtedness and the tyranny of people.

Allāhumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran, wa ld yaghfirudh-dhunuba

illā anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min indika warhamni innaka antal Ghafurur-
Rahim.
O Allah, I have been unjust to myself and no one grants pardon for sins except
You; therefore, forgive me with Your forgiveness and have mercy on me. Surely
You are the Forgiver, the Merciful.

Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min ‘adhabil-qabri wa a‘udhu bika min fitnatil-
masihid-dajjal. Wa a‘udhu bika min fitnatil mahya wal mamat. Allahumma
inni a‘udhu bika minal ma’thami wal maghram.

O Allah, I seek Thy protection from the punishment of the grave, and I seek Thy
protection against Dajjal, the architect of disorder and trials, and I seek refuge
with You from afflictions of life and death. O Allah, I seek Thy protection from
sins and from being in debt.

After reciting one or more of these prayers, the Imam turns his face towards
the right and says Assalamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, i.e. peace be upon you
and the mercy of Allah, and then turns his face towards the left and repeats
Assalamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, to mark the end of the Prayer. He
(Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) used to say, ... it (the prayer) is exited by the
tasleem.

REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AFTER CONCLUSION OF THE PRAYER

Continuing the remembrance of Allah for a while when the Salat is over and
engaging in Tasbih and Tahmid is highly recommended.

Allah says in sura 4:104: Faizaa qadaitumus-Salata fazkurullah. And when you
have finished the Prayer, remember Allah.

A’ishah r.a relates that after finishing his Prayer the Holy Prophet s.a would
continue sitting long enough to recite the following prayer:

Astagfirul lah 3x

Allahumma antas-salamu wa minkas-salamu, tabarakta ya dhal-jalali wal-

ikram.

O our Lord! Thou art (the embodiment of) peace. And true peace comes from
Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord of Majesty and Bounty. (Sahih Muslim, Kitabul
Masajid wa mawadhi‘us-Salata, Bab Istihbabu-dhikri ba‘das Salat)
La ilāha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamd. Wa
huwa ala kulli Shai'in qadir.

There is no one worthy of worship except Allah. He is alone and has no

partner. Sovereignty and praise are only for Him and He has full authority over
everything.

Allāhumma la mani 'a lima a 'taita wala mu 'tiya lima mana 'ta wald yanfa'u
dhal jaddi minkal jaddu. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitābus-Salāt, bābu dhikri ba'das-
Salāt).

O Allah! Nobody can hold back whatever You have granted and none can grant
what Thou hold back. And no great person can benefit from his greatness in
opposition to Thy Greatness.

Allāhumma a ‘inni 'ala dhikrika wa Shukrika wa husni ‘ibadatika.

O my Lord, help me so that I can properly perform Thy remembrance and Thy
thanksgiving, and that I may worship Thee in the best possible manner.

Subhána Rabbika Rabbil 'izzati 'amma yasifun, Wa salamun 'alal-Mursalin,

Wal hamdu lillahi Rabbil 'alamin. (Tirmidhi, Kitābus-Salāt, Bāb ma Yaqulu
idhã Sallama)

Thy Lord is Holy and clear of all that is alleged against Him (by the non-
believers); and He is Exalted. May God's blessing be upon all Messengers. All
praise truly belongs to Allah Who is the Sustainer of all the worlds.

Subhaanal 33 alhamdulillah 33 laa ilaaha ilal lah 1 Allaahu akbar 33

PAY ATTENTION TO ZIKR AFTER SALAT

Prayers and rememberance is the most important aspect of our spiritual life.
We have all these problems on our necks and no one can take away all these
headache from us without strings attached if not Allah. You refuse to accept
this fact and even if you claim you do, your actions never testify to that. Your
heart hit it when the Imam stretches the prayers a little longer.

Look at you now, not heir to any wealthy thrown, riches and you don’t have.
But you are very lazy to spend time after salat to pray.
Listen carefully, there is no aspect of life that the Prophet of Allah did taught us
zikr before and after doing it. Before sleeping and waking up, before entering
the places of convenience and upon coming out, before eating and after,
wearing a clothes and removing, leaving the house and returning home,
walking on the street alone or with someone, climbing mountains, visiting
someone or being visited, etc, all have special prayers before and after them.
Do you know these? We are reluctant to even say the various azkaar in salat
not to talk about doing them after salat.

Allah say remember and I will remember you. And in other place He says
iduunii astajiibulakum…and in suratul Ghafir, 40:

Waqaala Rabbukum, id’uunii astajiblakum, innal laziiina yastakbiruuna an

ibaadati sayadhuluuna jahannama daahiriin. …..those who disdain my worship
will enter Hell contemptible.

In this aaya, in Tafseer Ibn Kasir(Al Misbaahul Munir), he said:

Allah encourages His servants to call upon Him, and He guarantees to

respond……

In Hdith Qudsi, Allah says; If all people, jinns since creation till now present
their needs together, He can provide for all and what will reduce from His
bounty is not more than what a needle will take out when dipped inside an
ocean.

But check very well, it is very difficult for you to pray. The few people that pray
has also meddle it with kabaairs iri iri. The mouth that will be used to pray and
ask for forgiveness is the same mouth used to gossip, tell great lies, drink
alcohol. How would your prayers be accepted.

Now, the best zikr is Quran recitation and saying laa ilaaha illal lah. But some, if
you see them listening to Quran, it means they are in salat. Most peple don’t
know how to recite the Quran and they haven’t made any efforts to learn.
Some masjids make some time to teach the members after some salats, but
people don’t have time for it. after salam alaikum, they all disperse.

In Sahih Bukhari hadith no. 6408

An Abi Hurairata r.a qaala; qaala rasullul laahi s.a.w;

Inna lil laahi malaaikatan…….....yathuufuuna fit thurk…………yajitamisuuna ahlal

zikr………………..faizaa wajaduu kawman yazkuruunal laaha when they see
people talking about Allah…………..tanaadaw they call the others saying..
kaluumu ilaa haajatikum come this is what we are looking for……………….

Qaala: fayakuufuunahum bi ajinatihim ilas samaa id dunya they will surround

them with their feathers until they reach the sky…………….

Qaala: fayas aluhum rabbuhum , wahum aalamu bihim…………….maa yakuuluu

ibaadii………………………..

Qaala , yakuuluuna, subhaanaka, wa yukabbiruunaka, wayahmaduunaka,

wayumajjiduunaka,………………………..

Qaala, fayakuulu hal raw nii?................

Qaala ,laa raw ka……qaaluu ash shadulaka ibaadatan, wa ashaddu laka

tamjiidan wa aksarulaka tasbiihaa….they would have done it more …….

Qaala, famaa yas aluu min’u….what are they asking for?

Qaala yas’aluulakal jannah……………..

Qaala, wahal raw uuhaa?.............

Qaala yakuuluuna, laa wallaa ya Rabb………..

Qaala, law annahuu ra aw haa?...what do you think if they’ve seen it?

Qaala ,yakuuluuna, law annahum ra aw haa ash shadda alaihaa harsan wa ash
shadu lahaa thalaban wa a’azamu fiihaa raghaba…..they zeal ……..

Qaala, fa mimmaa yata awwazuna….what are they seeking reguge against..

Qaala yakuuluuna minnan naari…….…they are seeking refuge against Hell.

Qaala wahal ra aw haa…..?

Qaala laa wallaahi yaa Rabbi maa ra aw haa, qaala, yakuuluuna law ra aw haa,
kaanuu ash shadda min haa firaaran wa ash shadda lahaa ma haafatan…….they
will be first ….
Qaala fa yakuulu, fatush hidukum…be My witness…annii qad gafartu lahum……
I have forgiven them all.

Qaala yakuulu minal malaaika, ….fiihim fulaanun laisa minhum…….innamaa jaa

lihaajati …he is here because of stealing, gossip, evil plan etc….

Qaala humul julasaa, laa yash kaa bihim jaliisu …I forgive everyone sitting there

Hadith , any sitting and finishing without zikr, we goes like dead camels.

Even if you go to gossip do zikr, maybe it will prevent you.

Everything is for Allah so ask Him.

Abu Saeed Kudri Hadith from Muaawiya……………..

Those who do zikr will have the hihest ranks in Jnnah.

Refer to Hisnul Muslim min azkaar kitaabu wasunnah.

All that has been mentioned of the description of the Prophet's prayer s.a
applies equally to men and women, for there is nothing in the Sunnah to
necessitate the exception of women from any of these descriptions; in fact, the
generality of his statement s.a. "Pray as you have seen me praying", includes
women. This is the view of Ibraaheem an-Nakh'i, who said, "A woman's actions
in the prayer are the same as a man's" - transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah
(1/75/2), with a saheeh sanad from him.

Also, Bukhaari reported in at-Taareekh as-Sagheer (p. 95) with a saheeh sanad
from Umm ad-Dardaa', "that she used to sit in her prayer just as a man sits,
and she was a woman of understanding.

The hadeeth about the indimaam (tucking up) of a woman in prostration, and
that she is in that regard not like a man, is mursal and not authentic. Abu
Daawood transmitted it in al- Maraaseel on the authority of Yazeed ibn Abi
Habeeb. As for what Imaam Ahmad has reported, as in his son 'Abdullaah's
Masaa'il, from Ibn 'Umar, that he used to instruct his wives to sit crosslegged in
prayer, its sanad is not authentic, for it contains 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar al-'Amri,
who is a da'eef (weak) narrator.

IMPORTANCE OF SALAT

The prescribed Prayer has been mentioned in the Holy Quran as an essential
characteristic of a true believer. The Holy Quran says: This is a perfect Book;
there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous, Who believe in the
unseen and observe Prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for
them; (2:3-4)

Salāt, helps us to get rid of sins; inclines us more and more towards God and
goodly things and so gradually purifies us. But this is not the end. Prayer does
much more than this. It brings man closer to his Creator. The worshipper tries
to imitate God in His most excellent attributes and is constantly transformed
from a lowly and worldly person to a highly noble and sublime servant of God.
The Holy Quran mentions this distinctive quality of Salat by saying: Recite that
which has been revealed to thee of the Book, and observe Prayer. Surely,
Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil, and remembrance of
Allah indeed is the greatest virtue. And Allah knows what you do. (29:46)
Prayer is indeed a sure and well-tried prescription for purity of the heart and
the soul. It is through Salāt alone that we are able to establish a living
communion with Allah. The Quran says: Surely, only those who follow the Book
of Allah and observe Prayer and spend out of what We have provided for
them, secretly and openly, hope for a bargain which will never fail; In order
that He may give them their full rewards, and even increase them out of His
bounty. He is surely Most Forgiving, Most Appreciating. (35:30-31)

According to the Holy Prophet” Salāt is the pinnacle of the spiritual life of the
believer. It is the highest form of Divine worship. The Holy Prophet” is further
reported to have observed: Prayer brings the believer into communion with his
Lord.

It must be realized that sincere prayer never goes in vain. Sometimes, the deep
spiritual experience of the intense love of God brings tears to the eyes.
Sometimes, a milder pleasure of love fills the heart with sublime happiness.
These experiences are signs of the Prayer being alive, meaningful and fruitful.
Otherwise, just a performance of formality is not enough to benefit man. That
would be obeying an order without one’s heart being in it. That is why it is
highly essential that every beginner should keep this noble objective before
him and always try to make his Prayers come alive.

The Salat combines all forms and degrees expressive of humility and
submission. The worshippers stand in rows and respectfully behind the Imam.
All the worshippers who line up behind the Imam must follow his movements
at his call. The call for every movement is Allahu Akbar except when the Imam
straightens himself from the position of i.e. Ruku‘, the bowing position, when
instead of saying Allahu Akbar, he says Sami‘allahu Liman Hamidah which
means 'most certainly God listens to those who praise Him.' At this call, all the
followers also straighten up with arms by their sides, saying Rabbana Wa
Lakal Hamd, Hamdan Kathiran Tayyiban Mubarakan Fihi.

Sincerity and humility are the essence of prayer. Allah enjoins believers: Surely,
success does come to the believers, who are humble in their Prayers, (23:2-3)

Every position you hold if you want to be successful, don’t joke with salaat.
Father, mother, director, governor, minister President….if you order people to
obey Allah, they will obey you too.
In Muwatta of Imam Malik, Umar bin Khattab wrote a letter to his governors
and public officials saying that, salah is more important than the government
you are assigned. So whatever you are doing and it is time for prayer, stop and
pray first.

A Muslim takes the spiritual side of life as seriously as a worldly person takes
the material side of it. As air and food are essential for our physical life,
likewise, we cannot survive spiritually without offering Salat or Prayer regularly
in different parts of the day.

HAJJ

Millions of Muslims from around the world gather annually in Mecca in

anticipation of Hajj – the Muslim pilgrimage, which follows the actions of the
Prophet Muhammad 1442 years ago.

Taking part in the pilgrimage at least once in one’s lifetime is a major

obligation for all able-bodied Muslims of financial means and between two and
three million people participate in the six-day ritual every year.

Hajj occurs in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, called Dhul-Hijjah,
between the 8th and 13th days of the month. This year it begins in the evening
of Saturday, July 17 and ends in the evening of Thursday, July 22 dates may
vary anyway.

While the specific rituals carried out by Muslims today date back to the
Prophet Muhammad’s “farewell pilgrimage” in 632 AD, travelling to Mecca was
a sacred annual rite for Arabian tribes centuries before the advent of Islam.

According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba – a black silk-clad stone structure at

the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca – was built by the Prophet Abraham
in biblical times.

There are several different ways of performing it, and numerous schools of
Islamic thought, between which lie many scholarly differences. Here is a
breakdown of the steps included in performing hajj.

Day 1 – July 17

Enter ihram (the sacred state)

The very first rite of Hajj is entering ihram – a pilgrim’s sacred state – when
crossing the outer boundaries of Mecca, called Miqat.

On the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims enter ihram, which entails wearing plain
garments – two unstitched cloths for men, or loose-fitting clothing for women
– as well as following certain rules, such as not giving in to anger or engaging in
sexual activity.

Head to Mina, a sprawling tent city

The pilgrims then set out en masse from Mecca to the sprawling tent-city of
Mina, whether by foot along pilgrim paths or by buses and cars. It is an 8 km
journey.

The pilgrims will spend the day in Mina, only setting out the next morning at
dawn. Most of the time in Mina is spent in prayer and remembering Allah.

Day 2 – July 18
Spend the day at Arafat

The Day of Arafat is considered one of the most important days, not just of
Hajj, but of the Islamic calendar. Mount Mercy at Arafat was the scene of the
Prophet Muhammad’s final sermon. After making the 14.4 km journey from
Mina, pilgrims spend the day here in reverent prayer.

Elsewhere in the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.

Collect pebbles at Muzdalifah

After sunset, its time to move again, this time to Muzdalifah – a 9 km trip –
where they spend the night under the stars. Many will also begin collecting
pebbles here for tomorrow’s rites, departing again just before sunrise.

Day 3 – July 19

Throw stones at the pillars

For those performing Hajj, the day is known as yawm-ul hajj al-akbar (The big
hajj day) and is probably the longest day of the pilgrimage, and the most
dangerous. The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah is Eid al-Adha, a day celebrated by Muslims
around the world as the greater of the two Muslim holidays.
Pilgrims start the day in Muzdalifah and begin heading back to Mina before
dawn. Once in Mina, they perform the first rami, throwing seven pebbles at
the largest of three columns known as Jamarat.

This act is a symbolic stoning of the devil, based on historical tradition. God
told Abraham to sacrifice his son, the story goes, as proof of faith. It is believed
that at this spot in Mina, the devil appeared and tried to dissuade Abraham
from heeding the command. Abraham responded by throwing stones to scare
him off.

Millions of pilgrims converge at the Jamarat Bridge, which houses the three
columns representing the devil, in order to re-enact the story.

The bridge has been the sight of deadly stampedes in the past, with around
350 people being crushed to death in 2006.

But in recent years, the event has taken place without major incident.

After casting their stones, pilgrims must perform the sacrifice. Completing the
story, when Abraham went to sacrifice his son, he found God had placed a ram
there to be slaughtered instead.

Pilgrims thus must slaughter a sheep, goat, cow or camel – or more likely, pay
for it to be done in their names.

At this point, pilgrims trim or shave (men only) their hair and remove their
ihram clothes. Many will then proceed to Mecca to perform tawaf and sa’ee,
first circling the Kaaba seven times, then walking seven times between the hills
of Safa and Marwa.

When all is finally done, they return to their campsite in Mina.

Day 4 and 5 – July 20 and 21

Final days in Mina

On each day, they will again symbolically stone the devil – this time throwing
seven pebbles at each of the three pillars, with the hardest part behind them,
pilgrims will now spend the next two or three days in Mina.

When their time in Mina is finished, the pilgrims return to Mecca to perform
the final circulation of the Kaaba, a “farewell” tawaf.
Before heading home, many also go to Medina, the second holiest city in Islam,
where the Prophet Muhammad is buried along with his closest companions.
Visiting Medina, however, is not part of the pilgrimage.

One kaafir with 9 solid men was fooling in Makkah boasting with his children
……..Allah said……

We shouldn’t play with salah jamaa. Each and every one of us should learn and
pray like the way the prophet used to pray. In Sahih Bukhari and Sunan Abu
Dawood the prophet s.a.w said sallu kammaa raitu uunii usallii….pray……

Find this book, Siffatu salaatin Nabii mina takrimi ilal tasliimi ka annaka
taraahaa. By Sheick Muhammad Nasrudeen Albani.

When Allah said inna salaata tan haa anil faashaai wal munkar.
Faith( Eemaan)

Belief in one God (Tawhid) 

This means having absolute faith in the oneness of God. Allah is simply the
Arabic word for God. It has no plural in Arabic, which shows that there is only
one God. Muslims believe that no being is like Allah. To believe in Allah alone
that He is all powerful and Mighty in all aspect called Tawheed. To Allah
worship alone without any intermediate. Anything contrary to that is called
Shirk which is a sin Allah says will never forgive if not repent.

Lets go a little deep into this matter by referring to Imam book called Addaau
waddawa by Imam Ibn Qayyim which elaborates deeply into this matter.

In the book, he opened a chapter called Faslul fii hakikatus shirk. He says;

Wa izaa arafta hazihii muqaddima. Infata lakal jawaabu anil suaal marfu.
This chapter will answer the earlier question. The question is will Allah punish
someone who thinks that Allah is so supreme to the extent that he don’t
qualify to worship Him directly so he will worship Him through His angels,
prophets , saints etc and they will send to Allah since they are pious and closer
to Him.

Fa na kuulu waminal laahi wahdahuu nastamiddu sawaa..we seek guidance

from Him alone then we say;

Hakiikatus shirk; huwa tashabbahu bil khaaliki wa tash ul ma ulukihii…thus

shirk is to imitate Allah and setting equals to Him. Meaning either doing things
to others which should be done solely for Allah or receiving things which
should be received solely by Him. So the one doing this thinks that he can’t
serve Allah directly hence should be through pious beings.

Haazaa tash diiku fil hakiika……this is actually setting equals and allowing
creatures to assume the position of the Creator. Laa isbaata sifaata bil
kamaalihii… which is not just portraying Him. Allatii wassafal laahu bihaa
nafsahuu…which He has established for Himself….wawasahu bihaa rasuluhu
s.a.w. so don’t think you have valued Allah so high that’s why. It doesn’t work
that way.
Wa akasal amr man nakasal laahu kalbahu, but the one whose heart is
destroyed, doing opposite of what he has been taught …..wa amaa amma
basiiratihii…and no basiira……wa akasahu bil uksi amri…so Allah will bring him
down for his misguidance.

Waja ala tawhiidi tas biihan watash bihii thaaziiman watha’a..….for he thinks
that is correct tawhiid and loyalty.

Fal mushrik, mushabbihun lil maaluukin bil khaalik fil khasaaisil ilaahiya…….
He sets equals with Allah in His Lordship. So you will see him either taking the
divine characteristics to someone or upon himself. The fundamentals of
worship is to Allah alone, but they will rather do to others. If we ask he will say
this is real tawheed. For example when you are going to Acrra you take the left
side of the road, but you take the right side contrary to the law. You will be
punished.

Fa inna min khasaaisil ilaahiyya, among the Devine features of Allah is

attafarrud bil malikil ddar, wannafa, wal atha’a…Allah possess the sole ability
to benefit and harm and loyalty to him alone. So if you agree that He alone has
theses Devine features then you should understand that He alone should be
worshipped.

Wazaalika ta’ajjibu taaliku dua, ….so your prayers…..walkhaufi…fear,… wata

allakubihii wahadahuu….depend on Him alone.

Fa man anla kazaalika bimahaluukin, fakad shabbahahuu bil khaalik…..so

after this fact is established anyone who does contrary, has shirk. Elaborate.

Waja ala man laa yamliku nafsihii darraa….the one who can’t benefit …walaa
naf’a…or harm…. walaa mautan…or kill.. walaa hayaatan…or give live…. walaa
nushuur…or save.. fadlan anghairihii shabiihan liman lam amru kullu…he cant
help anything let alone help someone. So why do you give such Devine
features to him instead of Allah.

Fa azimmatu umuurihaa kunli biya daiy…….eveything is in His Hands.

Wamarjiuhaa ilaihi…and to Him is their return.

Famaa shaa kaana………so what He wills come true……wamaa lam yashaa lam
yakun……laa maani ama limaa atha’a…no one can bring what He withhold

Walaa muuthia limaa mana’a ….and none can withhold what He brings.
Bal izaa fat hal lil abdihii baaba rahmatihii bal yumsikhaa ahdun….if He opens
the doors of mercy to someone, no one can block it.

And if He closes ….lam yursirhaa ilaihi ahadun….no one can open.

And Jews say uzairu is the son of God…..

Lakad kafaral laziina qaaluu innal laaha huwal masiihu ibn Maryam.

On the Day, Allah will call Isa a.s and ask him, a anta kulta linnaasi tahzunii wa
ummii ilaa haini min duunil lah, qaala subhaanak. Maa yakuuni li an akuula
maa laisa lii bil haqqin. Inkuntu kultuhuu faqad alimta. Taalamu maa fii nafsii
walaa aalamu maa fii nafsik. Innaka anta allaamul guyuub.

These people were called kaafir if you are muslim and you give Allah’s daraja to
anyone, you are kaafir straight.

Give example of praising a small chief in front of the king.

All people are servants of Allah. Allah said in the Quran. in kunlu man fiis
samaawaati wal ardi ilaa aatir rahamaani abda.

But you see because of wrong thinking someone will say so you and annabi are
the same? No.

Allah called Prophet Ayyub….wazkur abdanaa Aayuuba iznaadaa rabbahuu

anni massanias shaitaanu binusubin wa azwaab.

Allah said, subhaanal lazii asraa bi abdihii lailan minal masjidil haram ilaa
masjidil aqsal lazii baaraknaa haulahuu.

So Mallam says putting waasitha between you and your Lord is shirk. Look
what has eluded mushriki is azzanna bil laahi zannas saut.

Faman akbahi tash biihi…..continuing , tashbiihu haazal aajizu faqiiru ganiu bi

izzat…when people set such co-equals with Allah, is like comparing a pauper
with a well-established wealthy one. People are weak, poor incapable. Whiles
Allah have, capable limitless etc….

Wa min khasaaisi ilaahiyya; is al kamaalul mut’lak min jamii ujuui.. Complete

perfection in all angles.
Allazii laa nakasa fiihi bi wajihi minal ujuui….no stains whosesoever.
Wazaalika therefore…yuujibu antakuuna ibaada kunluhaa wahadahuu…..it is
compulsory that all worship and praises should be directed to Him alone.

Wattaaziimu….mightiness, wal ijlaal …honor.. walkhasiia fear….. waddua…

prayer…… warrajaau…hope for good…wal inaaba ….returns wattauba…
repentance… watta wakkul..dependency(awer3shemu) …wal isti aana …for
support.. all should be directed to Him.

Waghaayatuz zulli maa aghaayatul hub…die hard for Allah in worship and die
hard for Allah in love. Kunlu zaalika ilal laahi akalan washar’an. Fitaratan an
yakuuna annahuu wahadahuu.

So if you say no but this one also is great. Then we ask; when was he born?
When did he died?.. does he eat?....go to toilet?.....

Wa yantahij akalan washarran fitratan an yakuuna lighairihii....its not normal

to give to other that Allah. Faman ja ala shai’an min zaalika lighairihii, fakad
shabbaha zalika biman laa shabiiha lahu. He has shirk.

Walaa ghaafira lahuu….walaa midda lahuu…He has no coequal …wa zaalika

akbalu tash bib…that is very evil shirk…wa akbaluhuu and grave one.

Wal shiddati kubulihii…and because of this grave setting coequal with Allah,
watadammunihii ghayaatal zulmi….with such a grave deception, ahbara
subhaanahuu ibadahuu annahuu laa yagfiru lahuu.

Don’t forget that despite the fact that, annahuu kataba alaa nafsihii rahama..

Look read the whole Quran the sin that causes the earth, sky and mountains
want to crumple is shirk.

Wamin khasaaisi ilaahiyya, al ubuudiiyatil latii kaanat alaa saakaina. Worship

built on two legs. Akiwalahaa biduunihii mara. That ibaada is done without
them.

That’s ghayaatul hub…strong affection for Allah…wa ghayaatul zilb….abject

humility before Allah. The goes hand in hand.

The believers are kurrata aayun fis salaat.

Haazaa tamaamul ubuudiyya. That’s perfect ibaada.

Allah created mankind pure but the Shaitans came to change them. Kunlu
mauluudun alaa fitra. Look Adam was created from clay. You can mould it any
shape you want.

Khalkati ibbadi hulafa faj taalatuhum shayaataiin. That’s why Allah has
warned us strongly against Shaitan…alam aahad ilaikum yaa banii Aadama
anlaa taabudu shaitaan innahuu lakum aduuwum mubiin….

Annabi Ibrahim told his father yaa abatiii laa taabudus shaitaan……

So

Names of the Quran

In reference from the book by a female Scholar Doctora Muniratu Nasri

Dausari ,from her book titled, Asmaaul surarul quran wa fadaa iluhaa.

She says, Allah has called the Quran various names unlike the other scriptures.
In which all has meaning and effect on this great book.

The five popular names are ;

1. Al Quran: The word al Quran means the recitation. wahaazaa ismuhuu

huwa ash haru asmaa ihii wa aksaruhaa uruudan fii aayaatihii wa ash aruhaa
dauraanan alaa alsinatis salafi… this is the most popular and widely name
used by the pious predecessors and it appears in several places.

In sura 17:88 Qul lainijitama’til insu wal jinnu alaa anyaatu bimithly haazal
qur’aaani laa ya’tuuna bimithlihii walau kaana ba’duhum liba’din zahiiraa.
Say if mankind and jinn gather in order to produce the like of this Quran, they
could not produce the like of it even if they were to each other assistant.

43:3 inaa ja alnaahu qur’aanan arabiiyan la allakum ta’kiluuna. Indeed we

have made it an Arabic Qur’an that you might understand.

Based on this aaya, some scholars such as Imam Shaafii says it expedient that
all Muslims learn Arabic in order to understand the Quran. It is recited for
laada even yet to work with it.
2. Alfurqaan: The distinguisher. Distinguish between good and evil, truth and
falsehood guidance and misguidance, hence revealed step by step.

Al Imam Ibn Mansuur Al Ifriiqi in his book Lisaanu Arab says kullu maa furrika
bihii bainal haq wal baatil fawuha furqaan. Anything that distinguish between
truth and falsehood is al furqaan.

In Annihaayatu fii ghariibil hadith says, alfurqaanu min asmaail quran.

Annahuu faaraqu bainal haq wal baatil , wal halaali wal haraami, it will tell
you all the things that are haram, hence the rest is halal. This is because the
halal are many but the haram are few. It is the only book with that style. So
faariqu is the word of Allah that tells the positions of all beings. Fariiqun fii
jannati, wa fariiqun fis saiil. Wassidiiqi wal kazib wal makali wasaaleh.

That’s the good and the foolish. Musa and Firawn.

WakaUluhuu ta aala; fii 25:1 tabaarakal lazii nazzal furqaana alaa abdihii li
yakuuna lil aalamiina naziiraa. Blessed is He who sent the criterion upon His
servant that he may be to the world a warner.

3. Alkitaabu: The book. Mallams says it is al jaamiu, collections and joining of

information about ancient, wal ahkaam, wal ahzaar in a unique way. The
Quran has a special way of narrating a story in series , bit by bit to avoid
boredom. Look at the story of Annabi Musa. Starting from Bakara up to
Sabbi…….wa iz kataltum nafsan……

Jamaa the quran is full of theories, which if muslims study them carefully, they
will develop a lot of findings. Imamul Qurtubi read awalam yarau ilattairi
fawqahum saaffaatin waqabin maa yumsikuhunna illar arahaman innahuu
bikulli shai in basiir.……

18:1 Alhamdulil laahil lazii anzala alaa abdihii kitaaba walam yaji anlahuu
iwaja. All praise is due to Allah Who has sent down upon His servant the book
and has not made therein any deviance.

2:2 zaalikal kitaabu laa raiba fiihi hudal lil muttaqiin. This is the Book which
there is no doubt, guidance for those conscious of Allah.

40:2 tanziilul kitaabi minal laahil aziizul alim.. the revelation of the book is
from Allah, the exalted in Might the Knowing.
Mallam Ibn Aashur Mohammad Thaahir in his book Attahriiru wattalwiir. Said
Wa fii hazihii tasmia, and this name Alkitaab, muujizatu lirrasululah s.a.w. ..bi
annamaa uuhia ilaihi sayuftbu fii masaalifi….because it wasn’t given to the
prophet as a book.

Book of kitaabul masaaif by Imam Abubakar Ibn Abi Dauda Sijistaani contains
everything you need to know about the revelation, compilation and writing of
the quran.

6:92 wahaazaa kitaabun anzalnaahu mubaarakun musaddikul lazii baina

yadaihi walitunzira ummal kuraa waman haulahaa. Wal laziina yuuminuuna
bil aakhirati yuuminuunabih. Wahum alaa salaatihim yuhaafizuun. And this is
a book which We have sent down, blessed and confirming what was before it,
that you may warn the mother of cities and those around it. Those who believe
in the hereafter believe in it., and they are maintaining their prayers.

daawa anlabiiya…Ibn Masuud was sent to kufa, though he didn’t like

4. Attanziil. (Sawkeke)..The revelation, qaala ta aala:

41:1 Tanziilum minar rahmaanir Rahim. A Revelation from the entirely

Merciful, the especially Merciful.

32:2 Tanziilul kitaabi laaraiba fiihi min rabbil aalamiina. This is the Revelation
from the Book from the Lord of the worlds.

wa innahuu huwa tanziilul lil aalamina.

5. Azzikir: The Reminder, honor because it contains preaching, warning, glad

tidings stories of the prophets etc. wa anzarna ilaikaz zikra litubayyinu
linnaasi maa nuzzila ilaihim.

15:9 innaa nahnu nazzalnaa zikra wa innaa lahu lahaafizuun. Indeed it is We

Who has sent down this Message , and indeed We will be its guardian.

Imam Ibn Jarir says there are two main reasons why the Quran is called Azzikir.

1. It is full of remembrance of Allah.

2. It is full of honor for whoever is able to recite it. As Allah says wa innahuu
lazikruka wa likaumika.
Malama Doctora Munira says these are the five popular names. And Quran and
AlKitab is the most popular among them.

Features of Al Quraan
Maalama Doctora Muniratu Nasri Dausari , from her book titled, Asmaaul
surarul quran wa fadaa iluhaa.

1. Says al wasful alwal An-Nuur: The Light. Jamaa before the advent of Quran ,
the highest light that existed was not more than lamp. Then through the Quran
scientist developed formulas to improve the lights that we have today. Emruur
Qais, a popular singer of Jaahiliyyah used to sing for his concubine.” Zalaama
bil iishaai ka annahaa manaaratun mamsaa raahibim mutabattali…she is too
bright than the lamp of the pastor when he raised it at night in the church.

Anyone who believes in the Quran will have a brighter face, heart and speech.
It is very expedient for believers to start the life of their children with the
Quran. If you want your child to be a doctor, nurse, lawyer, teacher, judge etc
don’t forget to give much importance to the studies of Quran.

Allah says,4:174 yaa ayyuhan naasi qad jaa akum burhaanum min rabbikum
wa anzalnaa ilaikum nuuram mubiina. Oh mankind, there comes to you a
conclusive proof from your Lord and We sent down to you a clear light.

Jamaa, we should spread the light of the Quran to the world. We are the only
umma whose book is intact without a slightest change in a dot. We are the
only umma who worship Allah with the language of the Prophet.

Waqauluhuu ta aala; fallaziina aamanubihii wa azzaruuhu wa nasaruuhu, wat

tabahuu nuural lazii unzila maahuu,ulaaika humul muflihuun….those who
believed in him, supported him, helped him succeed, who followed the light
revealed to him, they are those who are successful. i.e will enter Jannah.

Waqauluhuu ta aala; fa aamanuu bil laahi warrasuulihii wan nuural lazzii

anzalnaa wallaahu bimaa ta’maluuna khabiir….and Allah knows whatever we
do. Jamaa make sure you don’t have problem with these three…..so learn and
know what is permissible and what’s not.
Waqauluhuu ta aala; waka zaalika auhainaa ruuham min amrinaa, maa kunta
tadrii mal kitaabu walal iimaanu walaakin ja alnaahu nuuran nahdii bihii man
nashaau min ibaadinaa wa innaka latahdii ilaa siraatim mustaqiim. And we
revealed to you knowledge from our affairs, before this you didn’t know any
book nor iiman, And We revealed to you the light and guide from our servants
whom We will, and Indeed you are rightly guided on the straight path.

Jamaa the prophet died a long time ago but because of the light of the Quran,
we those who followed him are still rightly guided.

2. Al wasful thaani; Al Huda The Guidance. The opposite is misguidance.

Wahuwa Rashad. Hudan wa bushraa lil muuminiin. That is the clear path.
Guidance here is not only about religion, but it affects worldly life too. In
school, business, governance, social life etc

The Quran is characterized as guidance in various aayas. Among them are ;

Zaalikal kitaabu laa raiba fiihi hudan lil muttaqiina.

Maalama says the Quran is Huda because it shows man the good from the bad
path and it is very consistent in that.

In Attibun nabawi of Imam Ibn Qayyim Jawziah he says diseases are of two
kinds. The disease of the heart and the disease of the body.

Heart diseases includes; kaafrinci, munaafinci, shirka, the quran came to

cleanse us from all those diseases.

A big kaafir surakatu bun Malik in sahih Bikhari chased the prophet and
Abubakar to kill them,,,,,

Body diseases: head ache etc…

3. Ar Rahma; The Mercy. Allah says

10:57 yaa ayyuhannasu qad jaa atkum mauizatum min rabbikum wa shifaa ul
limaa fis suduur wa hudan warahamatun lil muuminiin. Oh mankind there has
come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breast
and guidance and mercy for the believers.
12:111 …Laqad kaana fii qasasihim ibratun li uulul al baab. Maa kaana
hadiithan yuftaraa… walaakin tasdiiqal lazii baina yadai… wa tafsiila
kunlishain ….wa hudan warahmatan liqaumin yuuminuuna.

There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding. Never
was it a narration invented. But a confirmation of what was before it. and a
detailed explanation of all things. And a guidance and a mercy for a people
who believe.

Other books are quick to judge but the Quran gives people the time to repent.

There is a sheikh called Harun Yahya of Turkey has a book on stories in the
Quran and research on their authenticity.

4. Shifaa un; Healing: Malama says quran is shifaa because it heals the disease
of ignorance. If you meet a kaafir, use the quran to preach to him.

17:82 wanunazzilu minal quraani maa huwa shifaaun warahamatun lil

muuminiina walaa yaziiduz zaalimiina illaa khasaaraa. And We sent the quran
that which is healing and mercy for the believers. But it does not increase the
wrong doers except in loss.

5. Mau izatun: Admonition/ Advice/Preaching: Allah says;

10;57 yaa ayyuhannasu qad jaa atkum mauizatum min rabbikum wa shifaa ul
limaa fis suduur wa hudan warahamatun lil muuminiin. Oh mankind there has
come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breast
and guidance and mercy for the believers.

Jamaa the quran is warning and a shield from shameful deeds. Wa shifaau
limaa fii suduurikum. And a cure for what is in your breast…a cure from
suspicion and doubts. The Quran removes all the filth of shirk from the hearts.
Wahudan warahma …a guidance and a mercy for the believers.

Allah says in 41:44 qul huwa lil laziina aamanuu hudan wa shifaau.. say it is for
those who believe a guide and a cure.

May Allah bless us with the quran and help us successful in this world and
hereafter.
Effects of Explaining the Quran with our own Minds

Jamaa the Quran scholars says is ahsanul hadith….nazzalal hadithi

mutashaabihan. Before you decide to interpret it you should learn
the tafseer of the salaf, such as Qurtubi, Ibn Jariirit Tabri, aduwaaul
quraan fii iizaail quraani bil quraan…Imam Shankiti….al iitiqaaan fii
uluumil quran..Imam Suyuuti….ma aalimut tanziil….Imam Baghawi…

In a book called iktibaau siraatum mustaqiim muhaalafatan ashaabul

jahiim…Sheikhul Islam Ahmad Ibn Abdul Halim Ibn Abdul Salam Ibn
Taymiyyatal Harraani says: It is expedient for us to base on the
explanation of the prophet s.a.w , sahabas and the salaf who
followed them. However before doing that, we should make sure
whatever we are copying from them is authentic. The scholars of
hadith set their criteria, benchmarks that whoever doesn’t meet
those criterion their hadith were rejected.

Tafseer of Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Ibn Masuudin, Ubaiy bn Kaab, Umar,

Ali, etc should be verified before bringing them. And we should make
it clear that, no sahaba wrote the tafseer of Alquran. A certain kaafir
told me that he reads tafseer Ibn Abbas…and I asked him what’s the
name, he couldn’t tell. Then I told him Tanweelul Mikbaas of Fairus
Abaadii in Al qaamusul Muhiit. He made reference from Sahiifa Ibn
Abii Talha which its isnad is daeef or even munkar.

Before you set to explain the Quran, you need the knowledge of
Madaarisu sahaaba attafseeriyya….schools of sahaabas regarding
tafseerul quranil karim.

Jamaa, do you know that all the sects we have in Islam is as the
result of people not following the tafseer of the prophet and his
sahabas?
The first group to emerge in Islam is the khawaarij. They were the
people who claim to be supporters of S. Ali bn Abi Talib. But later
forsake and subsequently killed him.

This group interpreted the Quran with their own understanding.

They interpreted the verses revealed upon kaafirs on the sahabas
and the believers. They said S. Uthman, S. Ali S. Muawiya bin Abi
Sufyan are all kaafirs and not just that, they should be executed.
They sat down and plan the execution strategy and succeeded in
killing S. Ali, S. Muaawiya was permanently damaged sexually, whiles
Amru bin Aas own failed because he didn’t lead the dawn prayer that
day. Whiles the sahabas used the interpretation of the prophet
s.a.w, looking at dalaailuln nusuus and other wisdom of the Prophet
to explain the aayas, they used their own minds to screw the aaya to
their interest.

For example in Tafseer Ibn Jariiri Tabari (r) , a man came to S. Ali r.a
and said if your explaining about this aaya is true, then why did Allah
said, walan yaja alal laahu lil kaafiriina alal muuminiina sabeela
Allah will never let kaafirs have victory over believers. S. Ali said this
means on kiyaama. So if you see disbelievers having some victories
sometimes, it’s possible that can happen. Just read the aaya before it
and after it, you will know that it is talking about kiyaaama not this
earth. So you see if you follow your own understanding, you will get
lost,

wadalaailuhaa…. And the reason behind it, and you end up

wandering in the bush while the aaya will be live in town.

You hear someone quoting an aaya and saying because of that, there
is no bayie, evil spirits jinn etc, where did he get that from, and don’t
be deluded, not all things in books are true.
He hasn’t read where Allah said;

29:2 ahasiban naasu an yut rakuu anyakuulu aamannaa wahum laa

yuftanuun? ..do the people think they will be left not tested just
because they say they believe?

38:41 waz kur abdanaa Aayuuba, iznaadaa a rabbahuu ani

massania shaitaanu binusubin wa azaab.

3:144-145 wamaa muhammadun illaa rasuulun qad halat min

qablihiir rusul . afa im maata aukuttila inqalabtum alaa
aakaabikum? Walan yanqalib alaa aakibaiy, falan yadurral laahu
shai’a, wasayjizish shaakiriian.

145: wamaa kaana linafsin an ta muuta illaa bi iznil laahi kitaaban

muajjala..

Read Qaaidatul jaliila fit tawassul wal wasiila—Ibn Taymiyya. You will
get more explanation on evil spirits……talk about someone leading
salat and withdrawing..

You will see a shia, also saying wa inna min shiiatihii la ibraahima iz
jaa a rabbahuu bi qalbil salim.

Tariiqa too will say : wa allawistaqaamuu alat tariiqati la

askainaakum maa an gadaqa…

Jamaa look at this aaya where Allah was saying, kul bi fadlil laahi,
wabi rahmatihii fabi zaalika fal yaf’rahuu huwa khairum mimmaa
yaj’ma uuna. Tell them the attributes of Allah and His mercy. Then
they should rejoice in that , is better for them than what they are
gathering.

In Tafseer Jariirit Tabari, Ibn Katheer, Kurtubi, Suyuuti They all says
Fadlil laahi = Islam, Rahmatihii= Al Qur’aaan
others says Fadlil Laahi= The guidance of Allah warahmatihii=
Annabi Muhammad s.a.w and these explanations doesn’t contradict
at all.

Falizaalika fal yafrahu……Then they rejoice with it…huwa khairum

mimmaa yajmauuna…that’s better than what they are
gathering….not yajtamiuuna….your gathering.

Apart from the damage they have done to the luga, ask him that
Sheikh who among the salafs have this explanation?

If you bring aaya they say it has been abrogated, if you bring hadith
they say it is daeef,,,they know how to handle all situations.

Qaala ibn Taymiyya (r) says, wa kad adalatil murjia, fii haazal afsili
am bayaanil kitaabi wa sunnah wa ak waaali sahaaba wat taabi iina
lahum bi ihsaani…Murjias, ignored the interpretation of the salaf
and became too soft in religious matters. They used to say al insaanu
karriij, laa kaatalahum fil maasia wa fil ittibaai…Son of man, like a
hair floating in the wind, it is carried to the direction of the wind. If
he drinks what is his fault? It is the kadara of Allah, zina, etc,,,he cant
be blame for that. So therefore whatever a man does, he will not be
punish, he will be covered by the Rahma of Allah. Sharp contrast to
Khawaari who says every evil you do, you will enter hell forever.

Wa atamaduu alaa raai ihim…they base on their minds

Walaa ma ta awwaluuhu…and their twisting of the aaya to sue their

interest. …bi fa ami minal luga…based on the understanding of the
Arabic language.

When they read an aaya, they don’t find out which aaya will help
them explain it, hadith or scholarly explaining. They just explain it
according to the language and move on. There are countless aayas
that people have done wrong explanation to. Arrahmaani alal arshi
stawaa…..istawa means what..?

Wahaazihii tariikatu ahlil bid’a…this is the way of innovators. Those

shiiyas, naasibas, murjias murtazilas, tariikas, qaadiniyyas, khwaarijs
etc all went wayward because of their shunning of the salaf.

Suufis, says, tarikatus salaf ad’yak, watariikatul khalaf ab’yad…the

methodology of the salaf is narrow whiles that of the khalaf is wide.
They just want wide explanation of events even if it will lead them
astray.

A person will make a contentious statement if you ask, he says this is

ilmul baatili. Eg. Prophet s.a.w is the same as roman father…..if you
say a uuzubil laahi, he says wait let me explain…..

Salaati is 6000 times richer than quraan…..subhaanal lah he says wait

Look at water and spray for example….

If says these kaafir statements they come back to say look ooh we
say laa ilaaha …..and they say we are kaafirs… no after your laa ilaaha
what did you fllowed with..we say haazaa kalimatul kufru wal
ilhaat. ..nobody will oppose you if you, al quraan , prophet and his
salaati is the greatest …..else we can’t call you a Muslim when you
have such bombs under your garment.

Walihaazaa kaana Imam Ahmad yakuulu…aksaru maa yukti un

naasu min jiati taaweeli wakiaas…what gets people into trouble is
their trying to make taweeli or kiass to divert the meaning of the
quran. eg. Jamaa go and write abcz,,,acegt…and see whether kg
students will allow you even before it gets to the English professor.

Or dress anyhow, top dress to bottom and vice versa.

Wali haazaa tijidu murtazila wa raafida waghairahum…min ahlil
bid’i yufassiruunal quraana min raai ihim…..murtazilaas are among
the people who interpret Quran with their own understanding.
Murtazilas are those who don’t believe in hadith. They say Allah says
fabihayyi hadiithi baadal laahi wa aayatuhuu yuuminuun?..

They later will contradict themselves by saying in hadith prophet

s.a.w says if you get hadith and it agrees with the Quran take it but if
it contradicts throw it away. Unfortunately that hadith is daefi…
Imam Suyuuti wrote a book about this topic called Miftaahul Jannah
fil ijitibaahis sunnah. The keys of Jannah is making hujja with
sunnah.

Allah said, wa anzalnaa ilaikaz zikra litubayyina linnaasi maa nuzzila

ilaihim.

Imam Ahmad used to say:

diinun nabii Muhammadin ahbaaru …

niimal matiiyati lil fathaa aathaaru

latarghabanna anil hadithi wa ahlihii

farraayu lailu wa hadiithi nahaaru

falarrubamaa jahilal fataa atharal huda

wash shamsu baazigatul lahaa anwaaru

They are people who put their minds first before nafsi(aaya). So
anything they don’t see in the quran, they won’t do it. you will find
their women praying whiles in janaba. No attaiya in salat,

Some goes on to use kutubil adhab ..wakutubil kalaam…wa falsafa..

Look, Allah even prevented us from using Attaura, zabuura injiila His
own previous books, how much more these books?..

Finally S. Umar said, innahuu sayaali unaasun ya’huzuunakum bi

shubuuhaatil quran. fahuzuuhum bi sunani, fa inna as’haabul sunan
a’lamu bi kitaabil laahi…Imam Ibn Abdul Barr--- Jaamiul bayaanil ilm
wa fadlihii.

Muslims have pious predecessors who we should follow and stop

where they stopped.

May Allah be with you all.

QIYAAMA

Table of contents

1. Definition

2. Different names of Qiyaama in the Quran

3. Proof of existence of Qiyaama

4. When is it?

5. The Grave; punishment, blessing, causes, visiting the grave etc.

6. Signs: greater and lesser; Dajjaal, Mahdi, Yajuuj&Majuuj,Descent of Isa,

8. Events of that Day, intercession, process of judgement, book of deeds, etc.

9. Bridge (Sirat)

10. Entry to Heaven or Hell, gates of heaven and hell, etc

Definition

According to Islamic tradition, Yawm al-Qiyāmah, the Day of Resurrection or

Yawm ad-Din (the Day of Judgement) refers to Allah’s final assessment of
humanity. Yawm ad-Din is the Day of Judgement, when Allah will decide how
people will spend their afterlife. This is the day on which all of humanity will be
resurrected, and each person will be taken to account for their deeds, before
ultimately entering their final abode of either heaven or hell.

This is directly opposite to the concept of reincarnation, also known as rebirth

or transmigration. This is a philosophical or religious concept that the non-
physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form
or body after biological death.

Different names of Qiyaama in the Quran

1. Al-Haaq’qah [The inevitable Reality] 69: 1

2. As-Saa’ah [The Hour] 6:31

3. As-Saakh’khah [The Deafening Blast] 80:33

4. At-Taammatul-Kubra [The Greatest Overwhelming Calamity] 79:34

5. Al-Ghashiyah [The Overwhelming (Event)] 88:1

6. Al-Qari’ah [The Striking Calamity] 101:1 , 69:4

7. Al-Waqi’ah [The Occurence] 56:1

8. Yawmul-Akhir [the Last Day]  2: 8

9. Yawmul-Aazifah [The Day That Is Drawing Near, the Aprroaching Day]  40: 18

10. Yawmul-Ba’th [the Day of Resurrection] 30:56

11. Yawmud-Deen [Day of Judgment] (1:4)

12. Yawmut-Taghabun [the Day of Deprivation, the Day of Mutual Loss &
Gain] 64:9

13. Yawmut-Talaaq [the Day of Meeting] 40:15

14. Yawmut-Tanaad [The Day of Calling]  40:32

15. Yawmul-Jam’i [the Day of Assembly] 42:7

16. Yawmul-Hisaab [the Day of Account] 38:16

17. Yawmul-Hasrah [the Day of Regret] 19:39

18. Yawmul-Haqq [the True Day, the Day of Truth] 78:39

19. Yawmul-Khurooj [Day of Coming Out] (50:42)

20. Yawmul-Khulood [Day of Eternal Life] (50:34)

21. Yawmul-Fath [Day of Decision] (32:29)

22. Yawmul-Fasl [Day of Sorting Out] (37:21)

23. Yawmul-Qiyamah [Day of Resurrection] (2:85)

24. Yawmul-Maw’ood [Promised Day] (85:2)

25. Yawmul-Wa’eed [Day of Warning] (50:20)

26. Yawmul-Waqtil-Ma’loom [Day of The Time Appointed] (15:38)

27. Yawmun ‘Asir [A Hard Day] (54:9)

28. Yawmun-‘Aseer [A Hard Day] (74:9)

29. Yawun-‘Aseeb [A Distressful Day] (11:77)

30. Yawmun-‘Aqeem [Day of Disaster] (22:55)

31. Yawmul-Laa Bay’un Feehi wa Laa Khilaal [A Day on which there will be no
mutual bargaining nor befriending] (14:31)

32. Yawmul Laa Rayba Feeh [A Day about which there is no doubt] (3:9)

33. Yawmun-Laa Marad’da lah [A Day which none can avert it] (30:43)

34. Yawmum-Majmoo’ [A Day where mankind will be gathered together]

(11:103)

35. Yawmum-Mashhood [A Day when all will be present] (11:103)

36. Yawmu Nahsim Mustamirr [A Violent Day] (54:19)

May Allah save us from the torment of the Judgement Day. 

Proof of existence of qiyaama

Belief in the hereafter is not based on blind faith. Many people wonder as to
how a person with a scientific and logical temperament, can lend any credence
to the belief of life after death. People assume that anyone believing in the
hereafter is doing so on the basis of blind belief. However, my belief in the
hereafter is based on a logical argument.

Hereafter a logical belief

There are more than a thousand verses in the Glorious Qur’an, containing
scientific facts (refer my book “Qur’an and Modern Science-Compatible or
Incompatible?”). Many facts mentioned in the Qur’an have been discovered in
the last few centuries. But science has not advanced to a level where it can
confirm every statement of the Qur’an. Suppose 80% of all that is mentioned
in the Qur’an has been proved 100% correct. About the remaining 20%,
science makes no categorical statement, since it has not advanced to a level,
where it can either prove or disprove these statements. With the limited
knowledge that we have, we cannot say for sure whether even a single
percentage or a single verse of the Qur’an from this 20% portion is wrong.
Thus when 80% of the Qur’an is 100% correct and the remaining 20% is not
disproved, logic says that even the 20% portion is correct. The existence of the
hereafter, which is mentioned in the Qur’an, falls in the 20% ambiguous
portion which my logic says is correct.

Concept of peace and human values is useless without the concept of

hereafter

Is robbing a good or an evil act? A normal balanced person would say it is evil.
How would a person who does not believe in the hereafter convince a
powerful and influential criminal that robbing is evil? Suppose I am the most
powerful and influential criminal in the world. At the same time, I am an
intelligent and a logical person. I say that robbing is good because it helps me
lead a luxurious life. Thus, robbing is good for me. If anybody can put forward a
single logical argument as to why it is evil for me, I will stop immediately.
People usually put forward the following arguments:

a. The person who is robbed will face difficulties: Some may say that the
person who is robbed will face difficulties. I certainly agree that it is bad for the
person who is robbed. But it is good for me. If I rob a thousand dollars, I can
enjoy a good meal at a five-star restaurant.

b. Someone may rob you: Some people argue that someday I may be robbed.
No one can rob me because I am a very powerful criminal and I have hundreds
of bodyguards. I can rob anybody but nobody can rob me. Robbing may be a
risky profession for a common man but not for an influential person like me.
c. The police may arrest you: Some may say, if you rob, you can be arrested by
the police. The police cannot arrest me because I have the police on my
payroll. I have the ministers on my payroll. I agree that if a common man robs,
he will be arrested and it will be bad for him, but I am an extraordinarily
influential and powerful criminal. Give me one logical reason why it is bad for
me and I will stop robbing.

d. Its easy money: Some may say its easy money and not hard-earned money. I
agree completely that it is easy money, and that is one of the main reasons
why I rob. If a person has the option of earning money the easy as well as the
hard way, any logical person would choose the easy way.

e. It is against humanity: Some may say it is against humanity and that a

person should care for other human beings. I counter argue by asking as to
who wrote this law called ‘humanity’ and why should I follow it? This law may
be good for the emotional and sentimental people but I am a logical person
and I see no benefit in caring for other human beings.

f. It is a selfish act: It is true that robbing is a selfish act; but then why should I
not be selfish? It helps me enjoy life.

No logical reason for robbing being an evil act. Hence all arguments that
attempt to prove that robbing is an evil act are futile. These arguments may
satisfy a common man but not a powerful and influential criminal like me.
None of the arguments can be defended on the strength of reason and logic. It
is no surprise that there are so many criminals in this world. Similarly raping,
cheating etc. can be justified as good for a person like me and there is no
logical argument that can convince me that these things are bad.

How a Muslim can convince a powerful and influential criminal logically

i. Every human being wants justice: Each and every human being desire
justice. Even if he does not want justice for others, he wants justice for himself.
Some people are intoxicated by power and influence and inflict pain and
suffering on others. The same people, however, would surely object if some
injustice was done to them. The reason such people become insensitive to the
suffering of others is that they worship power and influence. Power and
influence, they feel, not only allows them to inflict injustice on others but also
prevents others from doing likewise to them.

ii. God is Most Powerful and Just: As a Muslim I would convince the criminal
about the existence of Almighty God (refer to answer proving the existence of
God). This God is more powerful than you and at the same time is also just.
The Glorious Qur’an says: “Allah is never unjust in the least degree …” [ 4:40].

iii. Why does God not punish me: The criminal, being a logical and scientific
person, agrees that God exists, after being presented with scientific facts
from the Qur’an. He may argue as to why God, if He is Powerful and Just,
does not punish him.

iv. The people who do injustice should be punished: Every person who has
suffered injustice, irrespective of financial or social status, almost certainly
wants the perpetrator of injustice to be punished. Every normal person
would like the robber or the rapist to be taught a lesson. Though a large
number of criminals are punished, many even go scot-free. They lead a
pleasant, luxurious life, and even enjoy a peaceful existence. If injustice is
done to a powerful and influential person, by someone more powerful and
more influential than he, even such a person would want that person
perpetrators of injustice to be punished.

v. This life is a test for the hereafter: This life is a test for the hereafter. The
Glorious Qur’an says: “He who created Death and life that He may try which of
you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving” [Al-Mulk
67:2]

f. Final justice on day of judgement: The Glorious Qur’an says: “Every soul
shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid
your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to
the Garden will have attained the object (of life): for the life of this world is but
goods and chattels of deception.” [3:185] Final justice will be meted out on the
Day of Judgement. After a person dies, he will be resurrected on the Day of
Judgement along with the rest of mankind. It is possible that a person receives
part of his punishment in this world. The final reward and punishment will only
be in the hereafter. God Almighty may not punish a robber or a rapist in this
world but he will surely be held accountable on the Day of Judgement and will
be punished in the hereafter i.e., life after death.

g. What punishment can the human law give Hitler: Hitler incinerated six
million Jews during his reign of terror. Even if the police had arrested him,
what punishment can the human law give Hitler for justice to prevail? The
most they can do is to send Hitler to the gas chamber. But that will only be
punishment for the killing of one Jew. What about the remaining five million,
nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine Jews?

h. Allah can burn Hitler more than six million times in hellfire: Allah says 4:56:
“Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire; as often as their
skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may
taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise”. If Allah wishes he can
incinerate Hitler six million times in the hereafter in the hellfire.

i. No concept of human values or good and bad without concept of hereafter:

It is clear that without convincing a person about the hereafter, i.e. life after
death, the concept of human values and the good or evil nature of acts is
impossible to prove to any person who is doing injustice especially when he is
influential and powerful.

When is it?

We are not the first generation to ask that question.  Prophet Muhammad was
asked many times by many people about when this Day would arrive.  The
answer now, even though we have made remarkable advances in all forms of
knowledge, particularly technology and science, is still the same.  Allah alone
knows when the Day of Judgement will be.  When the angel Gabriel came to
the Prophet in the guise of a well-dressed man, one of the questions he asked
was about the Hour.  Prophet Muhammad answered that, “The one
questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.”

In some verses in suratun Naaziat ....yas aluunaka anis saa ati ayyaana
mursaaha…..
The exact timing of the Great Hour (as-Saa'at al-'Uzmaa) is something which
Allah alone knows and which He has not revealed to anyone. There is sahih
hadith in which the Prophet s.a.w. said: "There are five things which nobody
knows except Allah;" then he recited, 31:34 …innal laaha indahuu ilmus saa’a.
wa yunaz zilu gaithu. wa ya’alamu maa fil arhaam. wa maa tadrii nafsun maa
zaa taksibu ghada. wamaa tadrii nafsun bi ayyi ardin tamuut. innal laaha
aliimul khabiir.

In Bukhari, a Bedouin asked the Prophet s.a.w. about the Hour. He s.a.w said,
"It will surely come to pass. What have you prepared for it?" The man said, "O
Messenger of Allah, I have not prepared much in the way of prayer and good
works, but I love Allah and His Messenger." The Prophet s.a.w. said, "You will
be with those you love."

The Muslims had never rejoiced as much they did when they heard this
Hadeeth.

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said: "People used to ask the Prophet s.a.w. about
good things, but I used to ask him about bad things because I was afraid that
they might overtake me. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we were lost in
ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil, then Allah brought this good (i.e. Islam). Will
some evil come after this good thing?' He said, 'Yes' I asked, 'And will some
good come after that evil?' He said, 'Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil' I
asked, 'How will it be tainted?' He said, 'There will be some people who will
lead others on a path different from mine. You will see good and bad in them."
I asked, 'Will some evil come after that good?' He said, 'Some people will be
standing and calling at the gates of Hell; whoever responds to their call, they
will throw him into the Fire.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, describe them for
us.' He said, 'They will be from our own people, and will speak our language.' I
asked, 'What do you advise me to do if I should live to see that?' He said, 'Stick
to the main body (jamaa'ah) of the Muslims and their leader (Imaam). I asked,
what if there is no main body and no leader?' He said 'Isolate yourself from all
of these sects, even if you have to eat the roots of trees until death overcomes
you while you are in that state.'
Some Hadith reported that the Prophet s.a.w. was asked about the Hour. He
looked towards a young boy and said, "If he lives, he will not grow very old
before he sees your Last Hour coming to you."

The Grave; punishment, blessing, causes, visiting the grave etc.

The Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said, "Verily the grave is the first stopping place
for the Hereafter; so, if he is saved therein, then what comes after is easier
than it. And if he is not saved therefrom, then that which comes after is
harder." [Hasan: At-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, al-Haakim: from 'Uthmaan.]

It was narrated that al-Bara’ (r) said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah
s.a.w. for the funeral of a man from among the Ansaar. We came to the grave
and when (the deceased) was placed in the land, the Messenger of Allah s.a.w
sat down and we sat around him, as if there were birds on our heads (i.e.,
quiet and still). In his hand he had a stick with which he was scratching the
ground. Then he raised his head and said, “Seek refuge with Allah from the
torment of the grave”, two or three times. Then he said, “When the believing
slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down
to him from heaven angels with white faces like the sun, and they sit around
him as far as the eye can see. They bring with them shrouds from Paradise and
perfumes from Paradise. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head,
and he says, ‘O good soul, come forth to forgiveness from Allah and His
pleasure.’ Then it comes out easily like a drop of water from the mouth of a
water skin. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant
before they take it and put it in that shroud with that perfume, and there
comes from it a fragrance like the finest musk on the face of the earth. Then
they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is
this good soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him
by the best names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the
lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is opened, and (the
soul) is welcomed and accompanied to the next heaven by those who are
closest to Allah, until they reach the seventh heaven. Then Allah says: ‘Record
the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon in the seventh heaven, and return him to the
earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring
them forth once again.’ So his soul is returned to his body and there come to
him two angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’
He says, ‘Allah.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘My religion is
Islam.’ They say, ‘Who is this man who was sent among you?’ He says, ‘He is
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).’ They say,
‘What did you do?’ He says, ‘I read the Book of Allah and I believed in it.’ Then
a voice calls out from heaven, ‘My slave has spoken the truth, so prepare for
him a bed from Paradise and clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a
gate to Paradise.’ Then there comes to him some of its fragrance, and his grave
is made wide, as far as he can see. Then there comes to him a man with
handsome face and handsome clothes, and a good fragrance, who says,
‘Receive the glad tidings that will bring you joy this day.’ He says, ‘Who are
you? Your face is a face which brings glad tidings.’ He says, ‘I am your righteous
deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, hasten the Hour so that I may return to my family and
my wealth.’ But when the disbelieving slave is about to depart this world and
enter the Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven angels with black
faces, bringing sackcloth, and they sit around him as far as the eye can see.
Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, ‘O evil soul,
come forth to the wrath of Allah and His anger.’ Then his soul disperses inside
his body, then comes out cutting the veins and nerves, like a skewer passing
through wet wool. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an
instant before they take it and put it in that sackcloth, and there comes from it
a stench like the foulest stench of a dead body on the face of the earth. Then
they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is
this evil soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him by
the worst names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the
lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is not opened.”
Then the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. recited: “…. for them the gates of heaven
will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes
through the eye of the needle ….” ( 7:40) He said: “Then Allah says, ‘Record the
book of My slave in Sijjeen in the lowest earth, and return him to the earth, for
from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring them forth
once again.’ So, his soul is cast down.” Then the Messenger of Allah s.a.w
recited the verse: “…. and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had
fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown
him to a far-off place” (Al-Hajj 22:31)

He said: “Then his soul is returned to his body, and there come to him two
angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says,
‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I
don’t know.’ Then a voice calls out from heaven, ‘Prepare for him a bed from
Hell and clothe him from Hell, and open for him a gate to Hell.’ Then there
comes to him some of its heat and hot winds, and his grave is constricted and
compresses him until his ribs interlock. Then there comes to him a man with
ugly face and ugly clothes, and a foul stench, who says, ‘Receive the bad news,
this is the day that you were promised.’ He says, ‘Who are you? Your face is a
face which forebodes evil.’ He says, ‘I am your evil deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, do
not let the Hour come, do not let the Hour come.’” Narrated by Abu Dawood,
4753; Ahmad, 18063 – this version was narrated by him. Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1676. The correct view is that the two angels
will only question the deceased in his grave about matters of Tawheed
(monotheism) and ‘aqeedah (belief). This is quite clear. And Allah knows best.

In sahih Muslim, izaa maata insaanu qata’a anhu amaluhuu inlaa thalaathati
ashi’a… 1. Waladus saalihin yad’uu lahuu. 2. Au ilmin yuntafahu bihii..3. au
sadaqatun jaariatun. …..wal tanzur nafsun maa qaddamat ligadin. Wat
takullah..jamaa what have you done for tomorrow…wa anlaisa lil insaanu illaa
maasaa.. [Sahih Muslim]

It was narrated from Aishah (r) that the Prophet s.a.w. used to say:

Allaahumma inni a’oodzu bika minal kasali

wa’l-haram wa’l-maghram wa’l-ma’tham.

Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adzaab al-naar wa fitnat il-naar,

wa fitnat il-qabri, wa ‘adzaab il-qabri,

wa sharri fitnat il-ghina, wa sharri fitnat il-faqair

wa min sharri fitnat il-maseeh il-Dajjaal.

Allaahumma ighsil khataayaaya bi ma’ al-thalji wa’l-baradi

wa naqqi qalbi minal khataaya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-
danas, wa baa’id bayni wa bayna khataayaaya kama baa’adta bayna al-
mashriqi wa’l-maghrib.

O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness and old age, and from debts and
sins; from the torment of the Fire and from the tribulation of the Fire, and
from the tribulation of the grave and the torment of the grave, and from the
evil of the tribulation of wealth, and from the evil of the tribulation of poverty,
and from the evil of the tribulation of the Dajjaal (Antichrist). O Allah! Wash
away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from sin
as a white garment is cleansed from filth, and put a great distance between me
and my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the East and the
West).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6014). bn Hajar said: The phrase “from the
tribulation of the grave” means the questioning of the two angels.Fath al-Baari,
11/177. And al-Mubaarakfoori said: “The tribulation of the grave” means
confusion when answering the two angels. Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 9/328.

Sins for which people will be punished in the grave

1. Shirk (associating others with Allah) and kufr (disbelieving in Him): Allah
says concerning the people of Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning): “The
Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the
Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s
(Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!” [40:46]

And Allah says: “...And if you could but see when the Zaalimoon (polytheists
and wrongdoers) are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching
forth their hands (saying): ‘Deliver your souls! This day you shall be
recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to
utter against Allah other than the truth. And you used to reject His Ayaat with
disrespect! [ 6:93]
Another evidence that shirk is one of the causes of punishment in the grave is
to be found in the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit (r) who said: When the Prophet
s.a.w was in a garden belonging to Banu’l-Najjaar on a mule of his and we were
with him, it stumbled and nearly threw him. There he saw some graves, six or
five or four. He said: “Who knows the occupants of these graves?” A man said:
I do.” He said: “When did these people die?” He said: “They died in shirk.” He
said: “This ummah will be punished in their graves. Were it not that you would
not bury one another, I would pray to Allah to make you hear what I hear of
the torment in the grave.” Then he turned to us and said: “Seek refuge with
Allah from the punishment of Hellfire…” (Muslim 2867). The words in this
hadeeth, “They died in shirk,” indicate that shirk is a cause of the punishment
in the grave.

2. Hypocrisy: Hypocrisy is one of the causes of the punishment in the grave.

Hypocrites are people who act as believers outwardly but inwardly they are
not. In fact, they are people among the Muslims who emerged in Madinah. In
Makkah you are either a kaafir or a Muslim. In suratul Bakara which was
revealed in Madinah, Allah revealed four verses about the believers, two about
disbelievers and thirteen about the hypocrites.

Allah says: “And among the Bedouins around you, some are hypocrites, and so
are some among the people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you (O
Muhammad) know them not, We know them. We shall punish them twice, and
thereafter they shall be brought back to a great torment” [9:101]
Qataadah and al-Rabee’ ibn Anas said concerning the phrase “We shall punish
them twice”: once in this world, and the second is the punishment in the
grave...

3. Not taking care to avoid getting urine on oneself, gheeba, backbiting, lying

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Most of the torment
of the grave is because of urine, so be careful to avoid it.” Narrated by al-
Daaraqutni and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb (1/152)
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by two graves and said, “They are being
punished, but they are not being punished for something that was difficult to
avoid. One of them used to walk about spreading nameemah (malicious
gossip) and the other used not to take care to avoid getting urine on himself.”
(Bukhaari (218) and Muslim (292).

Lying --According to the hadeeth of Samurah ibn Jundub (r), the Prophet said:
“… We came to a man who was lying flat on his back, with another man
standing over him, holding an iron hook. He put the hook in the man's mouth
and tore off that side of his face to the back (of his neck), and he tore his nose
and his eye from front to back in a similar manner. Then he turned to the other
side of the man's face and did likewise. No sooner had he finished the second
side but the first side was restored to its former state, then he went back and
did the same thing again. I said to my two companions, ‘Subhaan Allah! Who
are these two persons? he said: “is the man who goes out of his house in the
morning and tells a lie that is so serious that it spreads all over the world”.
Bukhaari (7074).

4. Forsaking the Qur’an after having learned it, sleeping and missing an
obligatory prayer-In the hadeeth of Samurah ibn Jundub he said: The
Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “… we came across a man who was lying down,
with another man standing over him, holding a big rock. He threw the rock at
the man's head, smashing it. The rock rolled away, and the one who had
thrown it followed it, and picked it up. By the time he came back to the man,
his head had been restored to its former state. Then he (the one who had
thrown the rock) did the same as he had done before. I said to my two
companions, ‘Subhaan Allah! Who are these two persons?’ … ‘The one whom
you saw with his head being smashed with the rock, is the man who studies
the Qur’an then he neither recites it nor acts upon it, and he goes to sleep,
neglecting the obligatory prayers.’ According to another version: “As for the
man whom you saw with his head being crushed by a rock, he is a man who
learned the Qur’an then abandoned it and he slept and missed the obligatory
prayer.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7076). Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (r) said that this
report is clearer than the first one. The apparent meaning of the first one is
that he is being punished for not reading Qur’an at night, whereas the second
report indicates that he is punished for sleeping and missing the obligatory
prayer. He said: It may be that the punishment is for both, not reading and not
acting upon it. Ibn Hajar said: Ibn Hubayrah said: Abandoning the Qur’an after
learning it is a serious crime, because it may imply that he has seen in it
something that made him abandon it, and because he has abandoned the
noblest of things, namely the Qur’an, he should be punished in the noblest
part of his body, which is the head. Fath al-Baari, 3/251

5. Consuming Riba---In the hadeeth of Samurah (r) it says: “… So we went on

and came to a river – I think he said, red like blood. – In the river there was a
man swimming, and on the bank, there was a man who had gathered many
stones. Whilst the swimmer was swimming, the man who had gathered the
stones approached him. The swimmer opened his mouth and the man on the
bank threw a stone into it, then the swimmer carried on swimming. Each time
he came back, he opened his mouth again, and the man on the bank threw
another stone into his mouth. … The man you saw swimming in the river with
rocks being thrown into his mouth is the one who consumed riba (usury).”

6. Zina (adultery, unlawful sexual relationships) In the hadeeth of Samurah (r)

it says: “So we went on, and came to something like a tannoor (a kind of oven,
lined with clay, usually used for baking bread). – I think the Prophet s.a.w.
said, in that oven there was much noise and voices. The Prophet s.a.w. added:
We looked into it and saw naked men and women. A flame of fire was reaching
them from underneath, and when it reached them, they cried out loudly. I
asked them, ‘Who are these?’ … The naked men and women whom you saw in
a structure that resembled an oven are the adulterers and adulteresses.”

7. Enjoining righteousness upon others and forgetting oneself ---It was

narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (r) said: The Prophet s.a.w. said: “On the night
on Isra’i, I saw men whose lips were being cut off with scissors of fire. I said:
‘Who are these, O Jibreel?’ He said: ‘These are the khateebs from among your
ummah who used to enjoin righteousness on the people and forget
themselves, and they used to recite the Book but they did not understand.’”
Narrated by Ahmad, 3/120; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah
(291).

8. Breaking the fast in Ramadaan with no excuse ---It was narrated that Abu
Umaamah al-Baahili (r) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. say: “Whilst
I was sleeping, two men came to me and took me by the arms, and they
brought me to a mountain and said: ‘Climb up.’ I said: ‘I cannot.’ They said:
‘We will make it easy for you.’ So I climbed up until, when I was at the top of
the mountain, I heard loud voices. I said: ‘What are these voices?’ He said:
‘These are the cries of the people of Hell.’ Then they took me on, and I saw
some people hanging by their heels, with the sides of their mouths torn, and
the sides of their mouths were flowing with blood. I said: ‘Who are these?’ He
said: ‘They are the ones who broke the fast before it was permissible for them
to do so.’” Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim (1/210, 290); classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah (3951).

9. Dragging one’s garment out of pride: This is indicated by the hadeeth of Ibn
‘Umar (r), according to which the Prophets.a.w. said: “Whilst a man was
dragging his garment out of pride, he was swallowed up by the earth and he
will continue sinking into it until the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-
Bukhaari (3485) and Muslim (2088).

10. Detaining animals and tormenting them and not being compassionate
towards them: According to the hadeeth of Jaabir about the eclipse prayer,
the Prophet s.a.w. said: “And I saw therein the woman who had a cat which
she tied up and did not feed, and she did not let it eat from the vermin of the
earth, until it died of starvation.” Narrated by Muslim (904.

13. Debt: One of the things that harm the deceased in his grave is debt that he
owes. It was narrated that Sa’d ibn al-Atwal said: My brother died and left
behind three hundred dinars, and he left behind young children. I wanted to
spend on them, but the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said to me: “Your brother is
being detained by his debt, so go and pay it off.” So, I went and paid it off, then
I came and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have paid it off for him, and there is
nothing left but a woman who is claiming two dinars, but she does not have
any proof. He said: “Give it to her, for she is telling the truth.” Narrated by
Ahmad (16776) and Ibn Maajah (2/82); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami’ (1550).

Clearing the doubts.

Question: My aqeedah is that after the body is dead it is of no use and they
cannot hear, but according to hadith there is punishment in the grave. Does
this mean that the body is still alive?

Also, in the Quran it is mentioned that martyrs don’t die, and also it is
reported in a hadith of Muslim that when prophet (saw) addressed the body
of Abu Jahl, Umaya and others, Umar (ra) asked him how can the dead hear
to which the prophet (saw) replies that they can hear but cannot reply.

Answer: By Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

1. What is mentioned in the question, that the dead do not hear anything that
the living say is true and is correct. Allah says 35:22…wamaa yastawiil ahyaau
walaal amwaat. innal laaha yusmiu man yashaa.wamaa anta bimusmi i man
fil qubuur.

30:52..fa innaka laa tusmi ul amwaataa walaa tusmi’ul summa du aa a izaa

wal lau mud’biriin.

2. We belief that there is torment and punishment in the grave and life in al-
barzakh (the interval between death and the Day of Resurrection), and there is
blessing and pleasure, according to the status of the deceased. The evidence
for that is the aayah 40:46..annaaru yu’raduuna alaihaa guduwan wa
ashiiyan. Wayauma takuumus saa atu adhil huu aala fir’awna ashaddal azaab

From this aayah, the scholars affirmed that the torment of the grave is real. Ibn
Katheer said: This aayah is the main basis of our belief in the torment of al-
barzakh.

According to the hadeeth of Aishah (r) read already, the Prophet s.a.w. used to
seek refuge from the punishment of the grave. No one disputed the torment of
the grave apart from the Mu’tazilah and some other groups who are not worth
paying attention to.

3. With regard to the hadeeth which describes the Prophet s.a.w. addressing
the dead bodies of the mushrikeen on the day of the battle of Badr, it is to be
understood that this was a unique case, where Allah brought them back to life
so that His Prophet s.a.w. might rebuke them and humiliate them.
(a) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar r.a. said: “The Prophet s.a.w. stood over the
well of Badr (into which the bodies of the mushrikeen had been thrown) and
said, ‘Have you found the promise of your Lord to be true?’ Then he said, ‘They
can hear what I am saying now.’” [Bukhaari, 3980; Muslim, 932]

(b) It was narrated that Abu Talhah said: “‘Umar r.a said, ‘O Messenger of
Allah, why are you speaking to bodies that have no souls?’ The Messenger of
Allah s.a.w. said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, you do
not hear what I am saying any better than they do.’” Qataadah said: Allah
brought them back to life so that they could hear what he was saying, so that
they might be rebuked and feel regret and shame. [Bukhaari, 3976; Muslim,
2875. See Fath al-Baari, 7/304]

The relevant point here is that Allah caused the people in the well to hear the
words of His Prophet s.a.w. so that they might be humiliated. But it is not
correct to deduce from this hadith that the dead can hear everything, because
this applied only to the people in the well. Some scholars made an exception
and said that the dead can hear the salaam, but this is a view for which clear
sound evidence is lacking.

4. According to the most correct scholarly view, the torment of the grave
befalls both the soul and the body. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (r) said: “The
view of the salaf of this ummah and its imams is that the torment or blessing
(of the grave) happens to the soul of the deceased and his body. After it
departs from the body, the soul continues to be blessed or punished, and it is
also connected to the body from time to time, so that the blessing or torment
befalls the body as well as the soul.” So, we must believe in that which Allah
has told us. (al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 94)

Ibn al-Qayyim said: Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah) was asked about this
matter, and we will quote his reply in full: “Indeed, the torment and blessing
happen to both the soul and the body, according to the consensus of the
ulamaa. The soul is blessed or tormented separately from the body, and it is
blessed or tormented in connection with the body. The body is connected to it,
so in this case the blessing or torment happens to them both, and it may
happen to the soul separately from the body. The view of the salaf and imams
of this ummah is that when a person dies, he will be in a state of blessing or
torment, and that happens to his soul and his body. After the soul has
departed from the body, it remains in a state of blessing or torment, and that
is sometimes connected to the body and the blessing or torment happens to
them both. Then when the Day of Resurrection comes, the souls will be
returned to their bodies and they will rise from their graves to meet the Lord
of the Worlds. The physical resurrection is a matter upon which the Muslims,
Jews and Christians are agreed.” (al-Rooh, p. 51, 52)

The scholars likened that to dreams when one is asleep, for a person may
dream that he is going and traveling, and he may feel happiness or grief and
sorrow while he is sleeping, and that is when he is in his place and in this
world. So, it is more apparent that things should be different in the life of al-
barzakh which is completely different from the life of this world and the life of
the Hereafter. Al-Nawawi said: “If it is said, we see the deceased and how he is
in his grave, so how can he be questioned, made to sit up and beaten with iron
rods, when no mark is left on him? The answer is that this is not impossible,
and indeed there is a similar case in our regular lives, that of the sleeper who
feels joy or pain of which we feel nothing. A person who is awake may also
feel joy or pain because of something he hears or thinks about, and those who
are sitting with him feel nothing of that. Similarly, Jibreel used to come to the
Prophet s.a.w. and tell him of the Wahy (Revelation), and the people present
were unaware of it. All of that is clear and evident.” (Sharh Muslim, 17/201)

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “When a person sleeps, he may feel joy or
pain, and that happens to his soul and his body. He may dream that someone
is beating him and wake up with pain in his body, or he may dream that he is
being fed some good food, then wake up with the food in his mouth. This is
something that really happens. If the body and soul of a sleeping person can
experience joy and pain that are not felt by the person next to him, and a
sleeper may even cry out because of the intensity of pain or fear of what is
happening to him, and those who are awake can hear him, and he may speak,
reciting Qur’an or dhikr, or talking to someone, and those who are awake can
hear that, even though he is asleep with his eyes closed, and he does not hear
them if they speak to him – then how can we deny that the one who is buried
in his grave also feels things, when the Messenger s.a.w. has told us that he
“hears the sound of their footsteps” and “You do not hear what I say any
better than they do”?

The heart is akin to the grave, hence the Prophet s.a.w. said, when he missed
‘Asr on the day of al-Khandaq: “May Allah fill their hearts and graves with fire.”
And Allah differentiated between them (graves and hearts) in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): 100:9-10…afalaa ya’lamu izaa bu’thira maa fil
qubuur. Wahus sila maa fis suduur.

This is just to explain that this could happen. We cannot say that the blessing
or torment that the dead experience is like that which a sleeper experiences
when he dreams, rather that blessing or torment is more complete and more
far-reaching; it is a real blessing and a real torment. But this example is given
to show that this is possible. If someone were to say that the dead person does
not move in his grave, and the soil does not change, and so on, this matter may
be explained in more detail, but that would take too long to explain here. And
Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and
companions. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 4/275, 276) And Allah knows best.

Visiting the graves

Question---What is the Islamic view of visiting the graves of relatives to pray

Allah to make the soul of the deceased rest in peace? People also visit the
tombs of saints, thinking that such visits will make Allah fulfill their requests
with promptness. How far should we differentiate between a visit to graves
expecting the deceased to be of help to us and a visit without any such
expectations?

Visiting graves is recommended if it is for the purpose of expressing dutifulness

to deceased parents or to remind oneself of the inevitability of death so that
one can prepare for the hour when he is no longer able to do anything to
improve his situation in the life to come. The Prophet describes death as a
silent preacher because when people remember death, they remember that
they have to do well in this life in order that they ensure a happy future in the
hereafter. Visiting the graves of parents is recommended as evidence of
dutifulness, at least once a year.
These visits should not be related to a particular date only, e.g., death
anniversaries, etc. Such visits are rewarded by Allah in the same way as other
aspects of dutifulness are. I hope I have made the purpose of visiting graves
very clear. We have to remember that the deceased cannot benefit the living.
Indeed, it is the other way round. The living can pray Allah to have mercy on
those who have died and Allah may answer such prayers. In this respect, the
living can benefit the dead. The dead, however, cannot benefit the living. This
applies to all people no matter how good and devoted they are during their
lifetime on earth. The Prophet says that "a human being" is unable to do
anything after his death. The description "human being" applies both to saintly
people and those who are weaker in faith. He says: "When a human being dies,
all his actions come to an absolute end, except in one of three ways: a
continuous act of charity, a useful contribution to knowledge and a dutiful
child who prays for him. "Moreover, it is not for us to classify dead people as
saints or non-saints. Who are we to judge people, especially those with whom
we have had no contact, because they may have died before we were born.
Some people may have the appearance of being dedicated to the service of
Allah. But how can we judge their intentions? And if we cannot judge those
who we know, how can we judge those whom we have not known?

As you have said, people do visit the tombs of persons whom they call saints in
the hope that they would have their wishes through such visits. Now who will
fulfill these wishes? Is it the deceased person in his grave? If the answer is in
the affirmative, then we tell that person that he has done a gross error. He has
attributed to a dead person powers which he does not have. Moreover, he has
appealed to him instead of appealing to Allah for the accomplishment of his
purpose. In effect, he has associated the dead person with Allah as a partner.
Some people say that they know that the deceased person does not do
anything by himself in his grave, but he can appeal to Allah on our behalf. This
is absolute rubbish. It makes the dead person an intermediary between Allah
and His creation. Allah has said so may times in the Qur'an that he accepts no
partners. If people associate partners with Him, He abandons those people to
those partners to sort their affairs with them the way they like. Eventually they
are the losers because the partners they associate with Allah are of no use to
them. It is for this reason that we say time and again that such visits to the
graves of deceased people in the hope that the visit will be of use in the
fulfillment of the visitor's wishes is an act of polytheism. It is needless to say
that it is absolutely forbidden. To sum up, we must not confuse visiting graves
in order to remind ourselves of death and the need to be better servants of
Allah or to show dutifulness to our deceased parents on the one hand and
visiting the so-called saints in the hope that they will be of use to us, helping in
the fulfillment of our wishes on the other. The first action is recommended
while the second is forbidden, as it is a polytheistic act.

Reading Quran over graves

Reading the Holy Quran at the graveside is bid’ah. It was not narrated from the
Prophet s.a.w. or from his companions. As it is not narrated from the Prophet
s.a.w. or from his companions, then we should not introduce it by ourselves,
because the Prophet s.a.w. said, according to a sahih report: “Every
introduced matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a going astray,
and every going astray will be in the Fire.”

What the Muslims must do is to follow the example of the earlier generations,
the Sahaabah and those who followed them in truth, so that they will be
following goodness and true guidance, because it is proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best of speech is the
Book of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad s.a.w.”

The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: Is it permissible to read
al-Faatihah or anything from the Quran for the deceased when visiting his
grave, and does that benefit him?

They replied: It is proven that the Prophet s.a.w. used to visit graves, and he
would recite du’aa’s for the dead that he taught to his companions and they
learned them from him. For example: “Al-salaamu ‘alaykum ahl al-diyaar min
al-mu’mineen wa’l-Muslimeen, wa inna in sha Allah bikum laahiqoon, nas’al
Allaha lana wa lakum al-‘aafiyah (Peace be upon you, O people of the
dwellings, believers and Muslims. If Allah wills, we will join you. We ask Allah
to grant us and you safety).” But there is no report that he s.a.w. recited a
surah of the Quran or any verses thereof for the dead, even though he visited
them often. If that had been prescribed, he would have done it and would
have taught it to his companions, seeking the reward and out of mercy
towards his ummah, and fulfilling the obligation to convey the message. For he
was as Allah described him in 9:128 .. laqad jaa akum…

The fact that he did not do that even though there were reasons why he might
have done it, indicates that it is not prescribed. His companions r.a knew that
and followed in his footsteps, and they limited themselves to learning lessons
and making du’aa’ for the dead when they visited them. There is no report that
they read Quran for the dead. For them such reading was an innovation
(bid’ah), and it was proven that the Prophet s.a.w. said: “Whoever introduces
anything into this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not part of it will have it
rejected.” Agreed upon. From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 9/38

As for saying du’aa’ for the deceased at the graveside, there is nothing wrong
with that. A person may stand at the graveside and say whatever du’aa’s he
can, such as saying, “O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah,
admit him to Paradise; O Allah, make his grave spacious” and so on.

With regard to a person saying du’aa’ for himself at the graveside, if he does it
deliberately then it is also an innovation (bid’ah), because no place is specified
as a place for du’aa’ unless there is a text concerning it. If there is no text
concerning it and no Sunnah has been narrated concerning it, then that – i.e.,
singling out a place for du’aa’, no matter what the place is – is a bid’ah.

End quote. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (17/228) And Allah knows best.

Women Visiting graves

Let’s start the discussion with two authentic Hadiths on this subject. The first is
reported by Buraidah, a companion of the Prophet s.a.w, who quotes him as
saying: "I had ordered you not to visit graves, now I say: Visit them; and I did
prohibit you to keep sacrificial meat for more than three days, now I say: Keep
what you wish; etc." (Muslim). This Hadith is clear that an early prohibition has
been abrogated. Scholars suggest that in the early years of Islam, the Prophet
was keen to restrict every action which had even the slightest connotation of
associating partners with Allah. Because people used to do various rituals at
graveyards, the Prophet wanted them to get used to accepting death as a
natural thing, determined by Allah, and which does not justify any wailing or
the performance of any rituals. In the case of sacrificial meat, the early
prohibition encouraged the distribution of meat at a time when the
circumstances of the Muslims were hard and things scarce. When the Muslim
state became richer, the Prophet allowed people to keep what they wished of
the meat of animals they had sacrificed. The second Hadith is that which
encourages visiting graveyards. Abu-Hurairah reports that the Prophet "visited
his mother's grave and wept until everyone around him was in tears. He then
said: I sought my Lord's permission to pray Him to forgive her, but this
permission was not given me. I also sought His permission to visit her grave,
and He has permitted me. Visit graves, because such visits remind you of
death. [Muslim]

Some of the scholars do maintain that women are not allowed to visit graves.
In support of their view, they cite the Hadith which prevents women from
following funerals and the one which quotes the Prophet as saying: "Allah
curses the women who visit graves frequently and the ones who pray at them
and put lanterns at them" (related by Abu-Dawood and An-Nassaie). Al-
Qurtubi, a renowned scholar, explains that this curse is limited to those who
carry the habit of visiting graves too excess. This is clearly indicated by the way
the Arabic text of this Hadith is phrased. He suggests that the reasons for such
a curse may be that such frequent visits may lead a woman to abandon her
duties, or cause her to dress improperly or she may often wail at the grave, etc.
If she visits graves and does not do any of these things, then that is appropriate
because both men and women need to remember death. A larger number of
scholars, however, are of the view that visiting graves is permitted for women.
In support of their view, they cite the Hadith of Lady Aisha, which is related by
Al-Hakim on the authority of Abdullah ibn Maulaikah, who saw her coming
back from visit to the grave of her brother, Abdurrahman. He asked her: "Had
not the Prophet prohibited this?" She said: "Yes, he had prohibited it, but he
later encouraged visiting them (graves)."There is nothing in this Hadith to
suggest that this permission applies to men only. Indeed, we have an authentic
Hadith which may be quoted in support of this view. Anas ibn Malik, a
companion of the Prophet, reports: "The Prophet s.a.w passed by a woman
crying at a grave. He said to her: Fear Allah and be patient. She said: Leave me
alone, for you have not had a calamity like mine and you have not known him.
She was subsequently told that she was talking to the Prophet. She went to
him at his place where she found no door-keepers. She said: I did not know
you. He said: Real patience is that shown at the first shock" (Al-Bukhari). The
evidence in this Hadith is that the Prophet saw a woman visiting a grave and he
did not prohibit her from doing so. Nor did he suggest to his companions who
were with him that her action was wrong. Indeed, he approved of it. Such
approval is sufficient to consider the action of the women, i.e. visiting the
grave of a close relative, permissible.

Signs: Greater and Lesser; Dajjaal, Mahdi, Yajuuj&Majuuj,Descent of Isa,

Introduction

The signs and portents of the Day of Resurrection can be divided into lesser
and greater signs. The lesser signs, for the most part, will occur a long time
before the Resurrection begins. Some of them have happened and ended,
although they may be repeated, and some of them have appeared and are
ongoing. Some have not yet happened, but they will happen as the truthful
one (the Prophet) s.a.w has told us. The lesser and major signs of the Hour are
many, and are mentioned in many sahih ahaadeeth.

Following are a brief summary of the signs:

Past Signs

1. Splitting of the Moon.

2. Death of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

3. A form of death which will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood to refer

to the plague of Amwas during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.)

4. A major fighting in Madinah (understood to refer to the battle of al-Harrah

during the caliphate of Yazid, 63 AH).

5. The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.

6. The Muslim conquest of Constantinople.

7. Two large groups of Muslims will fight in war.

8. A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes, wearing
sandals made of hair (understood to refer to the Mongol Tatar invasion of the
Islamic lands.)

9. A peace agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslims from the yellow
race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)

10. Thirty impostors (dajjal) will appear, each thinking he is a prophet.

Present Signs

1. Naked destitute barefoot shepherds will compete in building tall buildings.

2. The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress.

3. A trial (fitnah) which will enter every Arab household.

4. Knowledge will be taken away, and ignorance will prevail.

5. Widespread drinking of alcohol. The prevalence of musical instruments.

6. Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.

7. Appearance of women who are clothed yet naked.

8. Earthquakes will increase.

9. Time will pass more quickly.

10. The spread of riba (usury, interest)

11. Bloodshed will increase. (Widespread killing)

12. Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. People will distrust one who is
trustworthy, and trust one who is treacherous.

13. When any gain is shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the
poor; when a trust becomes a means of making a profit.

14. When the leader of a people is the worst of them.

15. When people treat a man with respect because they fear some his evil.
16. Knowledge will be in the hands of the lowest of you. Authority will be
given to those who do not deserve it.

17. Trade will become so widespread that a woman will help her husband in
business.

18. Family ties will be cut; the giving of false witness will be common, while
truthful witness will be rare.

Future Signs

1. People will gather for prayer, but will be unable to find an imam to lead
them.

2. The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will
increase, until for every man there are 50 women.

3. The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in
circumambulation (tawaf) around the idol Dhul-Khulsah.

4. The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die fighting over
it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the treasure.

5. The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A’maq or Wabiq, and an
army of the best people will go forth from Madinah to face them.

6. A major war between the Muslims (including Jews and Christians who truly
believe in Jesus after his return) led by the Imam Mahdi, and the Jews plus
other non-Muslims led by the Antichrist.

7. Only the worst people will be left; they will not know any good or forbid any
evil. The worst of the people are those upon whom the Hour will come while
they are still alive, and those who turn graves into mosques.

8. When paying Zakaat becomes a burden; when a man obeys his wife and
disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly whilst shunning his father

9. There will be no-one who knows what fasting, prayer, charity and rituals are.

10. The Quran will disappear in one night, and no Ayah will be left on earth.

11. The Mahdi (guided one) will appear, and be the Imam of the Muslims.
12. Jesus Christ will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi.

13. Jesus will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the false
Christianity.

14. The Antichrist (al-masih al-dajjal, the false Christ) will appear, with all his
tools of deception, and be an immense trial. He will be followed by 70,000
Jews from Isfahan (present-day Iran).

15. Gog and Magog will appear from all directions, eating and drinking
everything they find.

16. The emergence of the Beast.

17. Among my Ummah, some will be swallowed up by the earth, some

bombarded with stones, and some transformed into animals.

18. Kaaba will be destroyed by Dhul Suwayqatayn.

19. The Hour will not come until wild animals talk to men, and a man speaks to
his whip or his shoe, and his thigh will tell him about what happened to his
family after he left.

20. Wealth will increase, so that a wealthy man will worry lest no-one accept
his Zakaat, and when he offers it to anyone, that person will say, "I am not in
need of it."

The Mahdee

The Mahdee will come at the end of time; he is one of the Rightly-Guided
Caliphs and Imaams. He is not the Mahdee, who is expected by the Shee'ah,
who they claim will appear from a tunnel in Saamarraa. This claim of theirs has
no basis in reality nor in any reliable source. They allege that his name is
Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Askaree, and that he went into the tunnel
when he was five years old. The matter we intend to discuss has been proven
by Ahaadeeth narrated from the Prophet s.a.w. that the Mahdee will appear at
the end of time. I believe that he will appear before Jesus the son of Mary
comes down, as the Ahaadeeth indicate. Hajjaaj said that he heard Ali r.a. say:
"The Prophet s.a.w. said, "Even if there were only one day left for the world,
Allah would send a man from among us to fill the world with justice, just as it
had been filled with oppression and justice." [Ahmad].

The Dajjaal, Isah (a.s), Gog and Magog

Al-Nuwas ibn Saman said: "One morning the Prophet s.a.w. spoke about the
Dajjaal. Sometimes he described him as insignificant, and sometimes he
described him as so dangerous that we thought he was in the clump of date-
palms nearby. When we went to him later on, he noticed that fear in our faces,
and asked, 'What is the matter with you?' We said, 'O Messenger of Allah, this
morning you spoke of the Dajjaal; sometimes you described him as
insignificant, and sometimes you described him as being so dangerous that we
thought he was in the clump of date-palms nearby. The Prophet s.a.w. said, 'I
fear for you in other matters besides the Dajjaal. If he appears whilst I am
among you, I will contend with him on your behalf. But if he appears while I am
not among you, then each man must contend with him on his own behalf, and
Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf.

The Dajjaal will be a young man, with short, curly hair, and one eye floating. I
would liken him to 'Abd al-Uzzaa ibn Qatan. Whoever amongst you lives to see
him should recite the opening Ayaat of Surat al-Kahf. He will appear on the
way between Syria and Iraq, and will create disaster left and right. O servants
of Allah, adhere to the Path of Truth.'

We said, 'O Messenger of Allah, for the day which is like a year, will one days
prayers be sufficient?' He said, 'No, you must make an estimate of the time,
and then observe the prayers.' " "We asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, how
quickly will he walk upon the earth?' He said, 'Like a cloud driven by the wind.
He will come to the people and call them (to a false religion), and they will
believe in him and respond to him. He will issue a command to the sky, and it
will rain; and to the earth, and it will produce crops. After grazing on these
crops, their animals will return with their udders full of milk and their flanks
stretched. Then he will come to another people and will call them (to a false
religion), but they will reject his call. He will depart from them; they will suffer
famine and will possess nothing in the form of wealth. Then he will pass
through the wasteland and will say, bring forth your treasures, and the
treasures will come forth, like swarms of bees. Then he will call a man
brimming with youth; he will strike him with a sword and cut him in two, then
place the two pieces at the distance between an archer and his target. Then he
will call him, and the young man will come running and laughing.'

At that point, Allah will send the Messiah, son of Mary, and he will descend to
the white minaret in the east of Damascus, wearing two garments dyed with
saffron, placing his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his
head, beads of perspiration will fall from it, and when he raises his head, beads
like pearls will scatter from it. Every Kaafir who smells his fragrance will die,
and his breath will reach as far as he can see. He will search for the Dajjaal until
he finds him at the gate of Ludd, where he will kill him."

"Then a people whom Allah has protected will come to Jesus son of Mary, and
he will wipe their faces (i.e. wipe the traces of hardship from their faces) and
tell them of their status in Paradise. At that time Allah will reveal to Jesus: "I
have brought forth some of My servants whom no one will be able to fight.
Take My servants safely to at-Toor.

Then Allah will send Gog and Magog, and they will swarm down from every
slope. The first of them will pass by the Lake of Tiberias, and will drink some of
its water; the last of them will pass by it and say, "There used to be water
here." Jesus, the Prophet of Allah, and his Companions will be besieged until a
bull's head will be dearer to them than one hundred dinars are to you
nowadays.

Then Jesus and his Companions will pray to Allah, and He will send insects who
will bite the people of Gog and Magog on their necks, so that in the morning
they will all perish as one. Then Jesus and his Companions will come down and
will not find any nook or cranny on earth which is free from their putrid stench.
Jesus and his Companions will again pray to Allah, Who will send birds like the
necks of camels; they will seize the bodies of Gog and Magog and throw them
wherever Allah wills. Then Allah will send rain which no house or tent will be
able to keep out, and the earth will be cleansed, until it will look like a mirror.
Then the earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing. On
that day, a group of people will be able to eat from a single pomegranate and
seek shelter under its skin (i.e., the fruit would be so big). A milch camel will
give so much milk that a whole party will be able to drink from it; a cow will
give so much milk that a whole tribe will be able to drink from it; and a milch-
sheep will give so much milk that a whole family will be able to drink from it. At
that time, Allah will send a pleasant wind which will soothe them even under
their armpits, and will take the soul of every Muslim. Only the most wicked
people will be left, and they will fornicate like asses; then the Last Hour will
come upon them." [Muslim] [1]

The Emergence of the Beast

Among the signs of the Hour will be the emergence of a beast from the earth.
It will be very strange in appearance, and extremely huge; one cannot even
imagine what it will look like. It will emerge from the earth and shake the dust
from its head. It will have with it the ring of Solomon and the rod of Moses.
People will be terrified of it and will try to run away, but they will not be able
to escape, because such will be the decree of Allah. It will destroy the nose of
every unbeliever with the rod, and write the word "Kaafir" on his forehead; it
will adorn the face of every believer and write the word "Mu'min" (true
believer) on his forehead, and it will speak to people. Allah said: “And when
the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), We shall produce from the
earth a Beast to (face) them: it will speak to them..." (27:82).

Ibn 'Abbas, al-Hasan and Qataadah said that "It will speak to them"
(tukallimuhum) means that it will address them.

Ibn Jareer suggested that it means that the Beast will address them with the
words "...for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs. Latter
part of the aaya, Ibn Jareer reported this from 'Alee and 'Ata'.
It was reported from Ibn 'Abbaas that tukallimuhum means that the Beast will
cut them, i.e., it will write the word "Kaafir" on the forehead of the unbeliever.
It was also reported from Ibn 'Abbaas that he will both address them and cut
them; this suggestion incorporates both of the previous suggestions; and Allah
knows best.

In the Hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn Usayd, the Prophet s.a.w. is reported to have
said: "The Hour will not come until you see ten signs: the smoke; the Dajjaal;
the Beast; the sun rising from the West; the descent of Jesus son of Mary; Gog
and Magog; and three land-slides - one in the East, one in the West, and one in
Arabia, at the end of which fire will burst forth from the direction of Aden
(Yemen) and drive people to the place of their final assembly.

Abu Hurairah said: "The Prophet s.a.w. said, 'Hasten to do good deeds before
six things happen: the rising of the sun from the West, the smoke, the Dajjaal,
the Beast, the (death) of one of you or general tribulation. [Muslim]

When these great signs occur, no repentance will be accepted.

Allah says: "Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should
come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the Signs of
your Lord should come (i.e. portents of the Hour e.g., arising of the sun from
the west)! The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it
do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by
performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith. Say: ' Wait you! we (too)
are waiting.'" (Al-An'aam 6:158) It was reported from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree
that the Prophet (sal-Allahu 'alayhe wa sallam) explained, "The day that some
of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe
then...", referring to the rising of the sun from the West. [Ahmad] [1]Abu
Hurairah said: "The Prophet (sal-Allahu'alayhe wa sallam) said, 'The Hour will
not come until the sun rises from the West. When the people see it, whoever is
living on earth will believe, but that will be the time when - No good will it do
to a person to believe then, if he believed not before then' " [Bukhaaree]

Events of that Day, intercession, process of judgement, book of deeds, etc.

Resurrection
The trumpet is blown, the earth is rolled up like a scroll and the dead rise. 
Bones and body parts join together, brains begin to work.  Truly humankind
has been returned to Allah.  All of humankind were dead, those who died
before the blowing of the trumpet and those who died in the cataclysmic event
that levelled the earth to a plane.  The Day of Judgement has begun.  People
stand in groups, staring ahead.

In sura Yasin 36:51-54

Also, in sura 39:67-70...

“Every soul will taste death.  Then to Us will you be returned” (Quran 29:57)

“Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes.  [We are] Able
[even] to proportion his fingertips!” (Quran 75:3-4)

Once the initial shock of being returned to life begins to wear off, the reality of
the situation begins to set in.  The veil of the physical world has been
removed.  The deeds we did are set out for us to see.  “So whoever does an
atom’s weight of good will see it.  And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil
will see it.” (Quran 99:7, 8) Another promise of Allah’s fulfilled.  Some people
are happy with their situation others begin to tremble in fear.

Waiting for the Judgement

A person’s deeds will determine their length of the standing but all people
waiting will be barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised.  Ahadith tell us that this
standing in fear and trepidation could be as long as 50,000 years  but for a
pious person it might be as little as the time it takes to pray two rakahs of
prayer.  The people waiting will be frightened, their hearts beating like drums
in their chests and ears.  They will run about as if in a drunken state and care
nothing about anyone but themselves.  Parents, spouses and children will be
long forgotten.  Gripped by fear they will begin to question their situation. 
“He will say: ‘O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight
(before)?’ [Allah] will say, ‘This is how it is: Our signs came unto you, but you
disregarded them, and thus will you this Day be forgotten.’” (20:125)

People will be under the shade

Prophet Muhammad informs us that on the Day of Judgement the sun will be
bought near to humankind.  The sun would only be a mile away and the people
will perspire according to the level of their deeds. For some there will be no
need for fear, they will be shaded by Allah. 

Narrated Abu Hurairah r.a. The prophet s.a.w. said “Seven people will be
shaded by Allah under His Shade on the Day (Day of Resurrection) when there
will be no shade except His. They are:

a) A just ruler.

b) A young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e.
worships Allah alone sincerely from his childhood)

c) A man whose heart is attached to the mosque (who offers the five
compulsory congregational prayers in the mosques)

d) Two persons who love each other for the sake of Allah, and they meet and
part in Allah’s cause only.

e) A man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illegal
sexual intercourse with her and says, I fear Allah.

f) A person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know
what his right hand has given.

g) A person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes becomes flooded
with tears.

(Sahih Al Bukhari Vol.2, Hadith 504)

The people are left standing, there on a great open plane, and they begin to
call out.  “Where is Allah to judge us?”

Waiting for what is to come

The people will be distressed and their hearts remain filled with fear and
remorse.  They will be confused and in utter disbelief.   Allah tells us that this
will be a time, “When sight is confounded, and the moon is eclipsed (hidden
from view), and the sun and the moon are brought together.” (75:7-9).  The
people are gathered under an eerie light and will be made to wait.  This is a
day when the heavens will be rent asunder and the “…and the angels will be
sent down, a grand descent.” ( 25:25)

The angels are sent down in rows, a grand descent as Quran describes it.  Both
the people and the angels stand in rows waiting for the judgement and time is
not behaving as the people expect.  The standing seems interminable, will it
ever end?

Prophet’s intercession before the process of Judgement.

On this Day even those whose light shines through their faces will fear to stand
before Allah and those who are shaded by the grace of Allah remain fearful of
the momentous occasion.  The people’s distress on this Day of Reckoning will
become so intense that they will run to various prophets begging for their
intercession and ask Allah to begin the judgment.

The people will be gathered together in groups or individually, caring nothing

for those around them.  “Who will help us!” they cry and turn to the prophets. 
They will rush to Adam, the father of humanity and beg for his intercession on
their behalf but Adam is also afraid.  They will say, “Please Adam you are the
one to whom the angels prostrated”, but Adam, peace be upon him, will reply
“Myself, myself” and he tells the people that his Lord is angry like never
before, go to Prophet Ibrahim.

The people will go to Ibrahim and beg, “You are the one who is beloved by
Allah, please ask Him to start judgment”.  Ibrahim will reply just as Adam did,
“Myself, myself.  Today my Lord is angry like never before, go to Musa”.  Then
they will go to Prophet Musa, begging for the judgment to start.  In mental and
physical pain, sweat dripping down their bodies, hearts thumping, the people
will continue in the same vein and Musa will send them to Prophet Isa.  Each
Prophet is fearful of Allah and concerned about his own punishment.
The people will then surge to Prophet Isa begging for his help.  “You were
created by Allah’s command; you talked to people from the cradle, intercede
for us before your Lord!” Prophet Isa will respond in exactly the same way as
the others.  Even though he is the slave of Allah, and even though he ascended
to Allah after his time on earth, Prophet Isa too will be concerned for his own
judgment.   “Myself, myself.  Today my Lord is angry like never before so go to
Muhammad, the final prophet”. 

The people will rush to Prophet Muhammad, and say to him, “you are the last
of the prophets and our final hope, please ask Allah to start judgment!”  He
replies, “I’ll go, I’ll go”. 

In sura 17:79 ..Allah says..waminal laili fatahajjad bihii naafilatal lak. Asaa an
yab’asaka rabbuka maqaamam mahmuuda…. Refer this aaya for details.

34:23...walaa tanfau shafaa atu indahuu illaa liman azina lah…

In Tafsir Ibn Kathir, he brought hadith from Bukhari and Muslim about Al
Maqam Al Mahmuud (The Praised Position) That’s why he said we should say
this prayer immediately after azaan. Allaahuma haazihii da’watit taama.
Wasalaatil qaa ima……….

Fa asjudu lil laahi ta aala. Fa yad’unii maa shaa Allah. An yad’anii wayaftau
alayya bi hamida. Laa uusihal aana. Summa yuqaaluu yaa Muhammad.

Irfa’a raasak. Wakul tusma’a wasal thuthau. Wash fa tushaf fah.

He will say, ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head; ask, for it will be given to you,
and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.’ I will raise my head and
say, ‘My Ummah, O Lord! My Ummah, O Lord!

The commencement of Judgement

Judgment will begin with animals. Those who had horns and used it unjustly
will be retaliated.

Then the people will follow suit. Their books of deeds will be given to them.
And they will be asked to read them. Like Allah said iqraa kitaabaka kafaa
binafsin yauma alaika hasiiba.
The Book of Deeds

When people have been brought to account for their deeds, each person will
be given the book that contains the record of all his deeds. Each person will be
given a book in either their right or left hand. Everything we do in this world
has been recorded by angels. The good and the bad, things we have forgotten
or never given a thought to, it is all recorded and Allah might choose to
question us about each and every word.

The believer will be given his book in his right hand, as a sign of honour. He
will be the one who is saved and happy on the Day of Resurrection. In 84:7-9,
Allah says : fa ammaa man uutia kitaabahuu biya miinihii…fasaufa yuhaasabu
hisaaban yasiiraa..wayanqalibu ilaa ahlihii masruuraa..

But the disbelievers, hypocrites and followers of misguidance will be given

their books in either their left hands or from behind their backs. In 84:10-
12,Allah says..wa am maa man uutia kitaabahuu walaa azahrih. Fasaufa yad’uu
subuuraa..

In sura 69:25-32..wa am maa man uutia kitaabahuu bi shimaa lihii, fa yakuulu

yalaitanii lam uuta kitaabiya..wa lam adri maa hisaabiya..

The Balance

The Balance is a real Balance, with two pans, in which people’s deeds will be
weighed. It is a huge Balance, the size of which is known only to Allah . In sura
21:47..wa nada ul mawaaziinal qista liyaumil qiyaama..falaa tuzlamuunafsun
shai’an…..

The Balance will be set up to weigh people’s deeds. Imaamul Qurtubi said:
“When the Reckoning is completed, then people’s deeds will be weighed,
because the weighing has to do with reward and punishment. So, it is apparent
that it should come after the Reckoning. The Reckoning is to evaluate the
deeds, and the weighing is to determine the amount of reward or
punishment.”

One or more Balances?

The scholars differed as to whether it is one Balance in which people’s deeds
will be weighed, or whether there are numerous Balances, so that each person
will have his own Balance. Those who said that there will be numerous
balances quote as evidence the fact that the word appears in plural form in
some verses, for example the verse quoted above and others.

Those who say that it will be one Balance quote as evidence the words of the
Prophet s.a.w that: “The Balance will be set up on the Day of Resurrection, and
if the heavens and the earth were to be weighed in it, it would be sufficient to
carry them. And the angels will say, ‘O Lord, who is this for?’ Allah will say, ‘For
whomsoever I will from among My slaves.’” (al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 941). They
interpret the verse in which the plural form is mentioned as referring to the
large number of things to be weighed, namely words, deeds, records and
people.

One of the things that indicate that words will also be weighed is the hadeeth
narrated by Abu Hurayrah, according to which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Two words which are light on the tongue
but will weigh heavily in the Balance and are beloved to the Most Merciful:
Subhaan Allah il-‘Azeem, Subhaan Allahi wa bi Hamdihi (Glory be to Allah the
Almighty, Glory and praise be to Allah).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6406).

The fact that deeds will be weighed is indicated by the saheeh hadeeth
narrated from Abu’l-Darda’ who said: “I heard the Prophet s.a.w. say, ‘There is
nothing that will be placed in the Balance that will weigh more heavily than a
good attitude. The one who has a good attitude will attain thereby the status
of one who fasts and prays (a great deal).’” (Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1629).

The Blame games

“Behold, they will dispute with each other in the Fire! The weak ones (who
followed) will say to those who had been arrogant, "We but followed you: Can
ye then take (on yourselves) from us some share of the Fire?” (47) Those who
had been arrogant will say: "We are all in this (Fire)! Truly, Allah has judged
between (his) Servants!" (48) Those in the Fire will say to the Keepers of Hell:
"Pray to your Lord to lighten us the Penalty for a day (at least)!" (49) They will
say: "Did there not come to you your messengers with Clear Signs?" They will
say, "Yes". They will reply, "Then pray (as ye like)! But the prayer of those
without Faith is nothing but (futile wandering) in (mazes of) error!" (Al-Ghaafir
40:47 - 50)

“And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you a
promise of Truth: I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had no
authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not
me, but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries, nor can ye listen
to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrong-doers
there must be a grievous penalty" (14:22)

The process of Judgement

The first thing that each person will be questioned about is his prayer. Prayer is
what is known as one of the rights we owe to Allah. Each person will be asked
about the quality of their prayers. This is confirmed and reinforced by the
words of Prophet Muhammad.

It is recorded in an authentic hadith that Prophet Muhammad said, “The first

thing the people will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer,
Allah will say to His angels (even though He already knows), ‘Look at my slave’s
prayers. Were they complete or not?’ If they were complete, it will be written
as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: ‘See if my slave has
voluntary prayers’, if he has them Allah will say, ‘Complete the shortage in his
obligatory prayers with his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will
be dealt with in the same manner.

He also said, “The son of Adam will be questioned by Allah about five things:
how he lived his life, and how he utilized his youth, by what means did he earn
his wealth, how did he spend his wealth, and what did he do with his
knowledge.

The words of Prophet Muhammad help us to paint a very clear picture in our
minds of what will happen to us when we stand before Allah on the Day of
Accounting.

We should be grateful that we are able to prepare ourselves adequately before

the great Day occurs, as we even know the type of questions that we will be
asked and the types of behavior that we will be questioned about.  The good
believer prepares for this difficult event, so that he or she will not be among
those whose body parts testify against them.

Body parts will testify against disbelievers

24:24... yauma tash hadu alaihim alsinatuhum wa aidiihim wa arjuluhum

bimaa kaanuu ya’lamuun..

Again in sura 41:20-21….hattaa izaa maa jaa ah uuhaa shahida alaihim sam
uhum wa absaaruhum wa juluuduhum bimaa kaanuu ya’maluuna……

21…waqaaluu lijuluudihim limaa shahid tum alainaa..qaaluu antaqanal laahul

lazii anthaqa kullishain wahuwa khalaqakum awwala marratin , wa ilaihi
turja uun.

Bridge to hell

After the questioning and accounting, all people will pass over the sirat. A
bridge that is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair. There will be no
natural light but each person will be guided by their own light. The light will
shine with a brightness dependent upon the piety and goodness of the person.

Allah tells us in the Qur'an that every single person shall come close to hell. He
says: Everyone of you will come within sight of it: this is with your Lord a
decree that must be fulfilled. (71) We shall then save (from hell) those who
have been God-fearing: but We shall leave in it the evildoers, on their knees."
(19:71-72).

There are several Hadiths which mention "the bridge to hell". While one report
mentions that this bridge is as sharp as the edge of a sword, the more
authentic ones do not mention that particular aspect. These authentic Hadiths
mention that believers will cross it as quickly as a wink, or lighting, or wind, or
fast horses. What determines their speed is the quality of their deeds in this
world. Those with the best deeds are the first and the fastest to cross it. In a
Hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Massoud, the Prophet is quoted as saying:"
They (i.e. believers) are told to save themselves according to their light (which
is given them in proportion to their good deeds). Some of them will pass as
quickly as a wink, some as wind, some as birds, some as fast horses and some
as people running. The last of them is a man who has no more light than the
size of his large toes, and who stumbles over the bridge. In one version of this
Hadith, this last person is reported to turn to Allah and ask Him why has He
made his crossing so slow. Allah will answer him: "It is your deeds that have
made you slow." It is needless to say that the non-believers will not be able to
cross this bridge.

The bridge has hooks that will scratch and snare people causing them to fall
into Hell. Those who successfully cross the bridge will enter Paradise

As believers we must be mindful that Allah has given us the road map to
Paradise, He has shown us the pitfalls. The Day of Judgement can become an
easy ordeal for a believer if they follow the guidance given in the Quran and
the authentic sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him.

Life in Hell

“Therein will they cry aloud (for assistance): "Our Lord! Bring us out: we shall
work righteousness, not the (deeds) we used to do!" - "Did We not give you
long enough life so that he that would should receive admonition? and
(moreover) the warner came to you. So taste ye (the fruits of your deeds): for
the wrong-doers there is no helper" (Fatir 35:37)

They shall have Layers of Fire above them, and Layers (of Fire) below them….!"
(39:16)"The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they arrive,
there, its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, "Did not messengers
come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord,
and warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?" The answer will be:
"True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against the
Unbelievers!" (71) (To them) will be said: "Enter ye the gates of Hell, to dwell
therein: and evil is (this) Abode of the Arrogant!" (39 : 71-72)

Different gates/levels of Hell

In sura 15:43 Allah says.. wa inna jahannamah lamauiduhum ajmaiin. Lahaa

sab’atu abwaabin ..likulli baabin min hum juz un maqsuum.
It is called Jaheem, Jahannam, Lazaa, al-Sa’eer, Saqar, al-Hutamah and al-
Haawiyah, according to its various characteristics. That which is named is one
and the same. Some of the scholars, mufassireen and others mentioned other
names besides these. The believer is obliged to believe in and affirm all the
names that have been proven in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His
Messenger s.a.w. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-‘Uthaymeen (r)

Some of them said that these names are the names for the various levels and
degrees of Hell, and some of them divided people into various categories on
the basis of these levels. But it is not correct to divide people in Hell into
categories on this basis, even though the basis of their actions is something
that is proven from the texts, just as it is not correct to name the various levels
of Hell in the manner in which they are mentioned. The correct view is that
each of these names which they mentioned is a name for the whole of Hell,
not for a part of it in exclusion of another part.  Read Al-Yawm al-Aakhir – al-
Jannah wa’l-Naar by Dr. ‘Umar al-Ashqar.

Entry to Heaven

In 15:45-48, Allah says… innal muttaqiina fii Jannaatin wa uyuun.

Paradise does not have only one gate, rather it has many gates. There is also
evidence narrated in the Sunnah which points to the number of these gates.
For example, the Prophet s.a.w said: “In Paradise there are eight gates, among
which is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through which no one will enter except those
who fast.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3257; Muslim, 1125. This hadeeth indicates
that the number of gates is eight.

The 8 Gates of Jannah are; Baab As-Salaat, Baab Al-Jihad, Sadaqah, Baab Ar-
Rayyaan, Baab Al-Hajj, Baab Al-Kaazimeen Al-Ghaiz Wal Aafina Anin
Naas: For those who controlled or withheld anger and practiced forgiving
others. Baab Al-Iman, Baab Al-Dhikr: For those who showed zeal in
remembering Allah.
In conclusion

We should also note that speaking about this topic or similar topics that have
to do with Paradise, Hell or other matters of the unseen cannot be accepted as
correct unless it is based on revelation (wahy) that is proven to be from Allah,
on the lips of His Messenger. 

And we have to ask ourselves: what is the practical benefit of knowing such
things? What good things will we be missing out on if we do not know this? 

The question which we should really be asking is: How can we get to those
gates? How can they be opened for us? How can we enter them? 

This is the decisive question which people should concern themselves with. 

In truth there is only one way to reach Paradise: the straight path in which
there is no crookedness. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths,
for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you
that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-An’aam 6:153]

The first step on that straight path is believing that there is no god but Allah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, believing that Muhammad
s.a.w. is a Prophet and Messenger from Allah. This is the matter concerning
which Allah took the covenant and pledge from the Prophets before they were
sent. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allah
took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the
Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allah), and afterwards there
will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you
must, then, believe in him and help him.’ Allah said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and
will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said: ‘We
agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses
(for this).’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:81]

Allah called all of those who were given a book before him to believe in this
final Prophet and His plain Book. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our
Messenger (Muhammad) explaining to you much of that which you used to
hide from the Scripture and pass over (i.e., leaving out without explaining)
much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light (Prophet Muhammad)
and a plain Book (this Qur’an).

16. Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of
peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides
them to the Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)” [al-Maa'idah 5:15-16] 

Allah tells us that His proof is established against the People of the Book and
others by means of this final Prophet. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our
Messenger (Muhammad) making (things) clear unto you, after a break in (the
series of) Messengers, lest you say: ‘There came unto us no bringer of glad
tidings and no warner.’ But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings
and a warner. And Allaah is Able to do all things” [al-Maa’idah 5:19] 

After he has come, no one can enter Paradise unless they follow him and obey
him.

According to a report narrated by al-Daarimi: Rabee’ah al-Jurashi said: Some

(angels) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
it was said to him: “Let your eyes sleep and let your ears hear and let your
heart understand.” He said: “My eyes slept but my ears heard and my heart
understood.” He said: “It was said to me: A master built a house, then he
prepared a banquet and sent a caller (to invite people). Whoever responded to
the caller entered the house and ate of the banquet and the master was
pleased with him, and whoever did not respond to the caller did not enter the
house or eat of the banquet, and the master was angry with him.” Allah is the
master, Muhammad is the caller, the house is Islam and the banquet is
Paradise.”  

Sunan al-Daarimi, 11. 

If you want to study some of the foretelling of the coming of the Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that is mentioned in
the Torah and Gospel (the Bible), you can refer to the book Izhar al-Haqq by
Shaykh Rahmatullah al-Hindi. 
May Allah guide us and you to His Straight Path, the path of those on whom
Allah has bestowed His grace, not the path of those who have earned His anger
nor of those who went astray.
3. wa iithaaiz zakat
Zakat is giving part of your wealth freely to the needy.

4. wasaumu Ramadan

It is obligation of every muslim to fast in the month of Ramadan. Unless you

are sick, travelling or circumstances beyond your control.

In Bakara 183….

5. wa haaju baitil laah..to visit the house of Allah. To perform hajj when you are
capable.

Then the man said sadaqta. Then they were surprised about that.

Then he asked , what is eeman ?

Believe in Allah, the prophets ,books, Angels, judgment day and destiny good
or bad.

To believe in Allah, prophets, books etc,,,, for example

4:36

6:151-153

Mal Ihsaan?

Anta abudal laaha ka anaka tarahu fa in lam takun taraahu fa innahuu yaraaka.

2:177…laisal birra…………….

Do everything because of Allah.

In summary Islam has 3 steps: Muslim, Mumin, Muhsin.

Read al Aqeadatu tahwiyyah of Imam Muhwi Sunnah Albaghawi……..detailed

explanation of the Aqeada of Imam Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafihi ETC…
This is where we bring the program to an end;

Fa sub haanakl laahumma wabihamdik

Ash hadu al laailaaha illaa anta

Astag firuka wa atuubu ilaik

Assalaamu alaikum