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Light For Life

Imam Jamal Ahmed El-Chebli

ISLAM LIGHT FOR LIFE

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INDEX

PREFACE ...... 8

CHAPTER 1 ...... 11

ISLAM AND ...... 11 The Meaning of Islam 11 Muslims 12 The concept of in Islam 13 The Oneness of God 13 ...... 14 Accountability 18 Rewards of Actions 18 Hellfire and 18 SUMMARY: ...... 20 PROPHETHOOD ...... 21 The concept of Prophethood in Islam 21 The Characteristics of the Prophets and Messengers ...... 22 The Prophets Perform Miracles 23 The Message of the Prophets 24 Every Nation Was Sent a Prophet 25 Why Doesn't Everyone Receive Direct Revelation? ...... 26 THE FINAL PROPHET ...... 26 ...... 26 Who is Muhammad? 26 Childhood of Muhammad 27 Manhood of Muhammad 27 The Beginning of revelation 28 The Beginning of (Inviting people to Islam) ...... 29 The First Generation of Muslims 30 CONCLUSION ...... 32

CHAPTER 2 ...... 34

THE MEANING OF SHARI’A (ISLAMIC LAW) ...... 34 The Sources of the Shari’a 37 THE QUR’AN ...... 37 2

THE OR THE ...... 38 IJMAA (CONSENSUS) ...... 40 (COMPARISONS) ...... 43 THE RATIONALES AS GUIDELINES TO NEW CASES ...... 44

CHAPTER 3 ...... 46

ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENTIAL TERMINOLOGY ...... 46 Nafl (Optional) 47 (Permissible) 47 (Impermissible) 48 Mandoob (Recommended) 48 (Acceptable) 48

CHAPTER 4 ...... 49

ESSENTIAL ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE ...... 49 THE SACRED EDUCATION ...... 49 SEEKING KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM ...... 52 PERSONAL OBLIGATORY KNOWLEDGE ...... 52

CHAPTER 5 ...... 54

ISLAM AND ...... 54

CHAPTER 6 ...... 57

IMAN ...... 57 1. The Oneness of God 59 2. The (Malaika) 59 3. The Books 61 4. The Messengers / The prophets 61 5. The Day of Judgment 63 6. The Divine decree 63

CHAPTER 7 ...... 67

THE PILLARS OF ISLAM ...... 67 1. THE SHAHADAH ...... 67 3

The Virtues of Shahadah 69 PURIFICATION ...... 70 Ablution () 71 Du’a after finishing the wudu 73 Cleansing () 73 Purification with Dust () 74 Wiping over Socks 75 The place to be wiped on a sock: 75 The duration of the wiping: 75 What invalidates the wiping? 76

CHAPTER 8 ...... 77 Benefits of Prayer 81 Definition of the Prayer (SALAT) 81 Who must pray? 82 Time for Prayer (Salat) 83 AZAN AND IQAMAH ...... 83 How do you call the Azan? 83 Transliteration: 84 IQAMAH 85 Requirements for the Prayer 86 Obligatory Duties (Fara’ed as-Salat) (The Pillars of the prayer)86 Necessary Duties (Wajibatu- Salat) 86 Preferred Acts of the Salat (Sunnah Salat) ...... 87 Things Which Invalidate the Prayer (Mubtilatu-Salat) ...... 88 How to perform the prayer? 89 Tashahud 92 Assalatu alibrahemeyah 93

CHAPTER 9 ...... 95

JUMU’AH PRAYER ...... 95 Recommendations before the Jumu’ah prayer ...... 96 Timing of Jumu’ah Prayer 96 How does one perform Salat Al-Jumu’ah? ...... 96 How to Give a ? 97 Rules of the Khutbah: 97 4

CHAPTER 10 ...... 99

THE VARIOUS TYPES OF SALAT (PRAYER) ...... 99 TYPES OF SALAT 99 A. (obligatory) Salat: 99 1. Fard Al-ayn salats are the following: 99 2. Fard Kifayah salats are the following: ...... 99 B. Salat (Odd raka’ah): 100 C. EID Al-fitr & EID Al Ad’ha: 101 D. Sunnah Salat prayer: 101 Sunnah Muakkadah (Recommended) 101 Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah (optional), 101

CHAPTER 11 ...... 103

ZAKAT ...... 103

CHAPTER 12 ...... 106 FASTING...... 106 The Meaning of Fasting 107 Duration of Sawm 107 Compulsory duties during the fast: 108 Atonement (Kaffarats) for breaking of a fast: ...... 109 Recommended actions in : 109 Things that break the fast (Muftirat): 109 Prohibited Fasts: 110 Supererogatory Fasts: 110 () Disliked Fasts: 111 AL-FITR ...... 111

CHAPTER 13 ...... 113

TARAWEEH PRAYER ...... 113 What is Taraweeh Prayer? 113 The virtues of the Taraweeh Prayer 113 The Number of Raka’ahs of the Taraweeh prayer ...... 114

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CHAPTER 14 ...... 116

HAJJ () ...... 116 OBLIGATION OF (PILGRIMAGE) ...... 116 The obligation of Hajj in the Qur’an 116 The obligation of Hajj in the Sunnah 117 Who must perform Hajj? 117 When can a person perform hajj? 117 Terms those are used during (Pilgrimage) Hajj...... 118 The Ka’abah 119 MAKKAH 120 MEDINAH 120 ...... 121 What is Umrah? 121

CHAPTER 15 ...... 124

ISLAMIC CALENDAR ...... 124

CHAPTER 16 ...... 125

SINCERITY (IKHLASS) ...... 125 Sincerity in the Qur’an: 125 How can we achieve sincerity? 130

CHAPTER 17 ...... 131

REPENTANCE (TAWBAH) ...... 131 Can a person repent from some sins, and not all sins? ...... 131 Benefits of Repentance: 133

CHAPTER 18 ...... 136

DU’A (SUPPLICATION) ...... 136 The Necessity of Supplication 136 The rewards of Supplication 137 Why our supplications (Du'as) are not answered? ...... 138 The best times to pray Du'a 139 QUR’ANIC SUPPLICATIONS ...... 139 6

Private Supplications Recited Upon completing Prayers ...... 142 Terms of Du’a 144

REFERENCES ...... 147

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PREFACE In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful Praise be to Allah; we praise Him and seek His help and ask His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomever Allah guides no one can misguide, and whoever is misguided no one can guide aright. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, alone with no partner. He is the Creator of everything, the Owner of the heavens and the earths and whatever is between them. I bear witness that Muhammad (the son of Abdullah of Makkah) is the last Prophet and the last Messenger. Allah sent him as a witness, as a Warner, and as a mercy to all God’s creation. Muhammad was sent to teach people the way of worshipping only one God and living according to God’s way. Verily, the best of speech is the book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The evillest of things are newly invented matters in the religion, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in (leads to) fire. Proceeding, the misunderstanding of Islam in western society is very clearly recognized by any Muslim living there. In searching for the reasons that created this misunderstanding, I noticed that some are the fault of Muslims and some are not. Here I mention some of the Muslims’ issues and try to propose solutions. The majority of the Muslims in the West are very professional and successful in their fields. They put all their effort into reaching the top of their profession. However, they can be very lazy in regard to Dawah (educating others about Islam). Although some few are working at Dawah, it amounts to small attempts which have a little to no effect. A second fault of the Muslims in the West is that of Muslim religious leaders () who are satisfied with just serving their own communities without making any effort to reach out to society at large. Understanding that, I believe it is the responsibility of every Muslim to do his or her best to introduce the real Islam to people. Just leaving it to the media and the political system to explain Islam in their own self-serving ways in no longer acceptable! Taking the above facts in to consideration, as a Muslim living in the United States of America and working in the field of Dawah, I could no longer tolerate that Islam (which has been 8

revealed to mankind to be the final religion and the law of the land) should any longer be presented as a religion of violence and terror. Therefore, I decided to take responsibility (in front of my Lord, that I will not be accused of dereliction on the Day of Judgment) to do my best to clarify some of the misunderstandings about Islam for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, starting with those nearest to me in my daily life. To that end, there are a large number of people in correctional facilities all around the United States that are accepting Islam. As an working for the Department of Corrections, I noticed that many of the misunderstandings about Islam among those who are incarcerated are due to the huge shortage of Islamic religious sources available. New Muslims like to learn Islam and the correct way to practice it. Non-Muslims want to understand Islam as a religion and the Muslims’ actions and practices. In order to achieve this noble purpose, I started collecting information about Islam and presenting it in a way that helps incarcerated Muslims to practice Islam in light of the conditions and circumstances they face every day, and Non-Muslims to have a clearer understanding of Islam and their Muslim neighbors. During my research I found that the majority of books about Islam are written in or , and only few of them have been translated into English. However, most of those translations have some weaknesses (i.e. archaic language and / or subject matter.) Taking into consideration all the above issues, I compiled a book entitled “Islam Light For Life.” It contains all of the essential details of Islam without being too bulky or complicated so that the reader can have a full understanding of Islam. All the information included in this book is from the words of Allah (Qur’an), the speech of His Messenger (), and the words of the Muslim scholars (Ijmaa). Therein, I begin by explaining the basics of Islam, who the Muslims are, the concept of God (Allah), the concept of prophethood, and Muhammad himself. In the second chapter I quote the sources of Islamic law (i.e. the Qur’an, the hadith, and the consensus of the scholars). In the third chapter I discuss the knowledge obligatory on all. While in the fourth, fifth and sixth

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chapters I discuss the pillars of belief (Iman) and Islam with a brief explanation of each. In the last three chapters I discuss some actions concerning the daily activities of every Muslim. It is my sincere hope that this information will, Insha a Allah, go a long way towards filling the gaps and shortcomings found in other books on the subject. However, this book cannot (and is not meant to) be a substitute for the other works on the Daily activities. Additionally, this work may not necessarily be free from technical, typographical, or other errors. As such, I make a kind appeal to all those who may discover something incorrect in this work to communicate the same to the Author for due correction in the next re-print. Compiling this work did not only require my reference to a wide range of books including the Holy Qur'an, Hadith and (Jurisprudence) books, but also the help of other learned Muslims. In this regard, my appreciation goes to Imam Hamad Chebli (Imam of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey), Imam Muhammad Cheble (Imam of Zubaida foundation), and Brother Athar Rafiq, (CEO of Gifts foundation) for their continuous help and advice. I ask Allah to reward whoever took part in the writing, editing, printing, and distributing of this work. I also ask Allah to make our intention for this work only for His sake and bestow on us it is blessings and forgiveness. I request that the readers who might gain benefit from this work pray for me, my parents, my family, my friends, and our Muslim brothers and sisters. I ask Allah to help us remember Him, thank Him, and worship Him properly, and that He helps us and our Muslim brothers and sisters to establish the Deen in our lives according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. I pray to Allah to honor us by entering the delight of paradise. He is our Protector and our best Helper. Indeed, there is no power except with Allah Almighty, and the blessings of Allah are upon our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and his family and companions. Jamal Ahmad Chebli New Jersey October 2015/ Muharam, 1437

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CHAPTER 1 Islam and Muslims The Meaning of Islam The word Islam (originally) is an Arabic word which is derived from the root “SLM”. Literally, Islam means (including but not limited to) peace, purity, submission, and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the Will of God (Allah) and obedience to His Law. Historically, the word Islam was never mentioned in the Arabic language (as a name) before the revelation of the Qur’an. The first time was mentioned when Allah says in the Qur’an: Truly, the religion (Deen) with Allah is Islam. (3:19) Islam is a name for the religion (belief and practice) which God (Allah) has revealed to Muhammad (the son of Abdul Allah of Makkah) to be taught to all of mankind. Allah is the one who named this religion Islam. Allah says in the Qur’an (which means): This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (5:3) Also, Allah says in the Qur’an (which means): Truly, the Deen (religion) with Allah is Islam. (3:19) Islam is a Deen. The concept of Deen is wider and more comprehensive than the concept of religion. Deen means way of life (believing in the fundamental pillars of religion and living according to its laws). Not only that, Islam also is submission to the One God, living in peace with the Creator, within one's self, and with other creation. Therefore, Islam is a total system of living. A Muslim is supposed to live in peace and harmony with all these facets of life. Islam is based on two sets of imperative articles and pillars: • Articles of Faith (Pillars of Iman) • Practice system (Pillars of Islam) When the word Islam is mentioned in the Qur’an or in the Sunnah it may at one time mean the articles of belief (Faith/Iman), at another it may mean system of practice (Methodology/Actions). It occasionally will mean both. Every Muslim believes that Allah revealed Islam (the articles of faith) to many prophets of different nations at different times. Including but not limited to Ibrahim, Ismail, , , , 11

Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them). It is very important for everyone to understand that Muslims must believe in all the prophets and the Messengers before Muhammad without discrimination against any of them. Muslims Allah made Islam the final message and the universal religion for all of mankind to follow. Islam is not based on race, color, language, or ethnicity. Therefore, there is no restriction on any human becoming a Muslim. People become Muslims from all over the globe. There are over one billion Muslims in the world from every race, nationality, and culture. They are all united by their common belief (Islam). There is a misconception that all are Muslims, and Muslims are only Arabs. The fact is that the Arabs are one of the minorities among the Muslims. There are Christian and Jewish Arabs as well. A Muslim is a follower of Islam. Here are some frequently asked questions: Who is the Muslim? How does one become a Muslim? Is there any special ceremony involved? Once someone becomes a Muslim, are they a Muslim for life? The real Muslim is the person who is a slave himself to none but Allah and a follower of none but His messenger. He sincerely believes that the teaching of Allah and His Messenger is absolute truth, and that whatever is against it is false. As to how one becomes a Muslim; when a person understands and is convinced of the truthfulness of Islam and seeks to become a Muslim all he or she must do is to believe in the heart and publicly confess: "I bear witness that there is no God except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the last Messenger of Allah." There is no special ceremony for this conversion to Islam except the public declaration of the above. Once a person becomes a Muslim, he cannot be declared a non-Muslim until he himself renounces Islam in clear terms. Islam instructed Muslims not to call someone a non-Muslim when he offers you a salutation in the Islamic way. There are Hadith (Traditions) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), which declare that if a person has one out of a hundred reasons to be known as a Muslim and ninety-nine reasons for being a non-Muslim, he should not be called a non-Muslim. Then again, there is a Hadith which tells us

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that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said that whosoever prays our way and adheres to our and eats our slaughtered meat is a Muslim and Allah and Allah’s Messenger vouchsafe for him. Now in the presence of such clear injunctions, whosoever calls a Muslim a non-Muslim is clearly violating the Qur’an and Sunnah and his words clearly show his bias. Such idiocy merits the dislike of all righteous Muslims who believe in the supremacy of the Qur’an and Sunnah over all other things. What do Muslims believe? This is the belief of the Muslims, (i.e., The belief in the Oneness of Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the resurrection after death, the belief in Divine Decree (Qadar), be it good or bad). Muslims believe there is only One God (Allah). Part of the belief in the Oneness of Allah is the belief in how He has described Himself in His book (the Qur’an) and how His Messenger Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has described Him. He has sent many Prophets and Messengers to teach people how to worship Him. The last and final Messenger was Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and He (Allah) Almighty revealed to Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) a book called the Qur’an as His final words. The concept of The Oneness of God It should not be difficult for anyone to understand the oneness of God. It is the message of all religions. Religious teachings are simple, accessible, understandable, and straightforward. However, because we live with the mentality that nothing is acceptable without proof and most people think that many aspects of religion are based on faith alone, this leads to widespread skepticism. Most people think that they will be required to believe in many things, both with and without proof. From amongst these things, is the belief that Allah exists and that He is the creator of this world. That He is the One and Only, and He has no partner in His being or any of his infinite qualities. To accept Islam, one must not only believe this, but also to proclaim it publicly.

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If we investigate the lives of the pious predecessors, we will find that they have been asked about Allah’s existence. They have answered in many ways: 1) Imam Abu Hanifah was posed with this question in a debate with an atheist. The time and date were set for the debate. The whole village gathered but the Imam did not show up on time. When he eventually arrived, the atheist taunted him by saying that he was scared, and his fear explained his lateness. The Imam answered calmly: “I was on my way but encountered a river. There was no bridge or boat to cross the river. To my amazement, I saw a tree coming out of the ground that began to shape itself in the form of a boat that then entered the water I was able to board it and cross the river.” The atheist began to laugh and mock the Imam. The Imam said “The real joke is on you. If this is not possible then how can this whole world come into existence and be maintained in this order without a creator?” 2) Imam Malik was asked the same question. He replied that a cow, a silkworm, and a honeybee all eat the same leaf but produce different products. This proves to me that there is a creator who has the power to do this. 3) Imam Shafi replied to this question by saying that the different languages that people speak and use to communicate proves that this world has a creator. 4) Imam Ahmed, on being asked this question, replied that once he took three eggs of a chicken and three of a duck and placed them with the mother hen. When they hatched, they were taken to a pond. The ducks, without hesitation, jumped into the water. But the chicks remained on the bank! Who taught the ducklings to jump in the water taught the chicks to refrain from this? There surely must be a creator. Besides this, if a person truly ponders creation, he himself will find the many signs guiding him to the belief that Allah exists and that He is the One and the Only. Allah Who is Allah (The Almighty)? Reading any theological book (Taw rah, Bible, and Qur’an) in the Arabic language we find that the proper terminology (Name) used for God is “Allah.” The word Allah is used as God’s name by all the Arabic speaking , , and Muslims. The word “Allah”

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means (in Arabic) the one and only universal God or Creator and Provider of the universe. The following is included in this idea how Allah describes Himself: Allah says (which means) Say "He is Allah, the One and the Only; "Allah-us-Samad (Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). "He begets not, nor was He begotten; "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him." (112:1-4) Saying “Allah is the one and only” is more accurate and stronger than saying “There is one God.” Unfortunately in many writings we find Muslim and non-Muslim writers alike are translating the first part of the (testimony) as follows: “I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship but Allah” This statement is not accurate for Muslims because we can argue that this statement does not support the belief in the Oneness of God. In other words, it implies that there are other than Allah, but they are just not worthy of worship. When Allah says “Say, “He is Allah the One and the Only”, it means that there are no Gods (worthy or unworthy of worship) but Him. The accurate Shahadah (testimony) is to say “there is no God but Allah” The word Allah does not just mean “God”, but it is one of the names of God. Muslims do not only use the name Allah for God, but they say “Lord” and other names and attributes as well. Another point, which is also relevant, is that the word Allah is not subject to plurality. For example, in English you can say God and you can also say gods. In Arabic there is nothing that is equivalent to [the English term] Gods. This emphasizes the purity of Tawheed (Islamic monotheism). Also, the word Allah does not imply a gender. This shows that the word Allah is much more accurate than using the word God in conveying the true nature of the Supreme Creator. The word Allah is also free from any human qualities. To understand more about Allah, we must read His word (The Qur’an) where He describes Himself and explains the way He wants Himself understood. Allah says in the Qur’an: Say "He is Allah, (the) One and the only; "Allah-us-Samad (Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). "He begets not, nor was He

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begotten; "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. (112:1-4) He is Allah, beside whom there is no God. He is the All- Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. He is Allah beside Whom La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory is to Allah! (High is He) above all that are associated as partners with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, and the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (59:22-24) Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the , the moon, and the stars as subject to His Command. Surely, He is the Creator and Commander. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, and all that exists)! (7:54) Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (there is no God but Him), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. They will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi1 extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. He is the Most High, the Most Great”. (2:255) This Verse is called Ayat-ul-Kursi. All the praises and thanks are due to Allah, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. To Him belong all the praises and thanks in the Hereafter, and He is

1 The word Kursi should be accepted as is. (Allah knows best)

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the All-Wise, the All-Aware. He knows that which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it and that which descends from the heaven and that which ascends to it. And He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving. Those who disbelieve say: "The Hour will not come to us." Say: "Yes, by my Lord, the All-Knower of the unseen, it will come to you." Not even the weight of an atom (or a small ant) or less than that or greater, escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth, but it is in a Clear Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz). (34:1-3) Muslims believe that: • There is no god other than Allah • There is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. • He begets not, nor was He begotten. Neither has He a wife or partner. • Allah is the First without beginning, and the Last without ending. • Those who try to describe Allah can never do so. • Allah has full control and authority over all creation, high and low, and His preservation of them is no burden for Him. • All the Most Beautiful names belong to Allah, so we should call on Him by them. • Allah is everywhere by His knowledge. • Allah created man and He knows his innermost dreams and desires. • Allah is nearer to man than his own jugular vein. • No leaf falls without him knowing of it, nor is there any seed in the darkness of the earth about which He does not know. All things, young and old, apparent or obscure, human, animal, or plants are known to Him clearly. • Allah is firmly established on His throne and has absolute control over His kingdom. No one knows the true interpretation of this expression. Imam Malik (May Allah have mercy on him) was asked about it and said, "'Firmly established' is known, but how is not known."2 • Nothing is hidden from Him and His control is absolute. • Allah knows all things before they come into existence and they take place in the way He has already decreed.

2 Risala-A-Treatise-on--Fiqh

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• There is nothing that His servants say or do which He has not decreed and of which He does not have knowledge. He is the Subtle and the Aware. • Allah spoke to Prophet Musa with His speech, which is an attribute of His essence and not something created. He manifested Himself to the mountain, and it disintegrated through exposure to His majesty. • The Holy Qur'an is the speech of Allah, not something created which must therefore die out, nor the attribute of something created which must therefore come to an end. • Allah leads astray whomever He wills and His justice debases them. He guides whomever He wills and His generosity grants them success. In that way everyone is eased by Him into that which He already knows and has decreed. As to whether they are to be among the fortunate or the miserable is also decreed. He is exalted above any desire or need that there should be anything not dependent on Him, or that there should be any creator of anything other than Him. He is the Lord of all people and their actions, the One who decrees their movements and the time of their death. He has sent Messengers to them in order that they should have no argument against Him. • It must be believed by Muslims that Allah Al-Mighty will raise up all who have died: "As He brought them into existence the first time so they will be brought back again;" Accountability Rewards of Actions Allah multiplies the reward of the good actions of His believing servants. He pardons and forgives them for their wrong actions by virtue of their repentance (tawbah) and avoidance of the bad actions. Those who do not repent of their major sins become subject to His will to be forgiven or not. "He does not forgive anything being associated with Him, but He forgives anything other than that to whoever He wills." Those He punishes with His Fire, He will remove them from it because of any belief they have and by this He will cause them to enter His Paradise. "Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it." Any of the community of the Prophet who have committed major wrong actions and for whom he intercedes, will be brought out of the Fire by his intercession. Hellfire and Paradise 18

Allah has created the Fire and has made it ready as an everlasting abode for those who disbelieve in him and deny His signs, Books and Messengers (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon them all) and He keeps them veiled from seeing Him. The picture as depicted in the Qur’an (it is mentioned in so many places) is so horrifying that I bet any person would say this is not who knows of it would do anything to stay away from it. The description given is that first the intensity of the fire is very great. The food would be like thorns that would cut a person’s intestines and the water would be boiling water, the cloths would be made of fire and the beds that there would be fire underneath and above them so that they are totally engulfed in fire. What is even worst is that they don’t die as they don’t totally burn as they would in the earthly life. The suffering will not end. In (20:74) and (87:13) it talks about people not really dying when they are in hell fire, they just keep on going. What is even more painful in (4:55) it says that whenever their skins are burned God will replace them with new skins so that they may really experience the punishment. When someone has a third degree burn they don’t feel the pain as much afterwards because the nerves are close to the surface. This is an interesting thing having been revealed 1400 years ago and really described in a vivid and accurate way conveying the nature of torture that the most sensitive parts are replaced whenever they are burned so that the person keeps getting the punishment. After all the indicates that this is the just reward for those who rejected God and who ignored the guidance he provided through and ending with the last Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) The description of hell fire is beyond imagination even with the picture given just makes it easier to understand but it could be worst. The same thing applies to the description of paradise. This description communicates felicity, enjoyment and pleasure but we can’t totally comprehend the real picture of paradise. The Qur’an describes things that exist in paradise like fresh milk, fresh sparkling sweet water, delicious and all kinds of delicious foods instantaneously available whenever the person wants them. One doesn’t even have to make an effort. Clothing is of pure silk, there are beautiful comfortable places to sleep and sit on. There are palaces with rivers flowing underneath them. There are descriptions of gold and precious stones readily

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available. There will be pure spouses which includes spouses of this life, in other words a good male believer would have his believing spouse with him on The Day of Judgment. One verse in the Quran says “they and their spouses” (husbands or wives). There is also a description of drinks that are pleasing. On that point some people say how come Islam prohibits wine drinking while the Quran mentions people drinking khamr wine in paradise. This is a misunderstanding because if one takes the world khamr literally it means something fermented or intoxicating but we have evidence from the Quran is the pleasure of the drinks but it is not necessarily something that beclouds the mind. More specifically in (56:19) it talks about pleasurable drinks that don’t becloud the mind as it is not champagne, whisky or vodka. Some people think it is too material but what they forget is that this description is of a material nature but different from what we understand. As we find in (2:25) it talks about fruits that look like what we have on earth but it tastes quite different. Above all we find that the Quran describes different kinds of pleasures for people who have more spiritual inclinations. It talks about the company of pure angels like in (13:24) and it talks about the feeling of God’s pleasure in (9:72). But the greatest of all is that the perceptual barriers would be removed in such a way that we would be able to look at God as the Quran says that there would be faces on that day shining with light looking at their Lord. Above all the description of paradise is only something that will make it comprehendible to use because as the Quran says no soul knows what is hidden by way of surprises for them on The Day of Judgment. As the Prophet was quoted as saying that God has prepared for His servants in paradise things that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no thought could have made it imaginable to any human being. Allah Almighty has created the Paradise and has made it ready as an everlasting abode for His beloved servants. He will honor them in it with the vision of His Noble Face. This is the same Paradise from which He sent down Adam (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), His Prophet and Khalifa, to the earth, as it had already been decreed in His foreknowledge. Summary: It is confirmed by transmission that Allah is worthy of worship, and there is no god other than He, and that no one is

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similar or equal to Him. He has no wife or partner, He begets not, nor was He begotten. He has sent Messengers and Prophets and the last one among them is Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Prophethood The concept of Prophethood in Islam Allah (God), the Creator of the heavens, the earth, and whatever is between them and in them, created humans on the earth only for one noble purpose to worship Him alone and live their lives based on His teachings and guidance. However, one cannot fulfill this noble purpose without receiving clear guidance and understanding the ways that Allah, The Creator, wants him to practice. Allah, the Most Merciful and Just, did not leave mankind to wander the Earth without direction. Allah says in the Qur’an (which means): Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us? (23:115) In order to inform mankind of that purpose, Allah chose certain individuals to communicate and demonstrate His message to their nations. Muslims must have a general faith in all Prophets that Muslims do not have to wrangle about the faith in their Prophethood and Messengership, their names and their numbers, for Allah Alone has this knowledge. He says: And messengers We have mentioned unto thee before and messengers We have not mentioned unto thee; and Allah spake directly unto Moses; (4:164) However, the last One (Muhammad the son of Abdullah of Makkah) was sent to all of mankind. These individuals are known as Prophets and Messengers. They include, but are not limited to, Adam, , , Moses, , and Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon them all) Here are some frequently asked questions: How many prophets did God send to mankind? This is a debated issue, but what we know for sure is what God has told us in the Quran. In the Qur’an it is cited that Allah sent a prophet to every nation. He says:

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And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! (16:36) This is because one of the principles by which God operates is that He will never take a people to task unless He has made clear to them His expectations. Messengers of good cheer and of warning, in order that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the messengers. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise. (4:165) It is necessary for a Muslim to have specific faith in the 25 Rasool (Messengers) mentioned by Allah in the Qur’an. The Names of the 25 25 Rasool (Messengers) are as follows: Adam () Nuh (Noah) (Heber) Salih (Methusaleh) Lut () Ibrahim (Abraham) Ismail () Ishaq (Isaac) Yaqub () Yusuf () Shu’aib (Jethro) Ayyub () Dhulkifl (Ezekiel) Musa (Moses) Harun () Dawud (David) Sulayman () Ilias (Elias) Alyasa () Yunus () Zakariya (Zachariah) Yahya () Isa (Jesus) Muhammad Peace Be Upon Them All. The Characteristics of the Prophets and Messengers

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Prophets are all unique human beings selected by Allah to carry His message and be models for His teachings. All Prophets have common characteristics which make them exceptional. Prophets were the best individuals of their time and were the best examples amongst their people in character, manners and righteousness. They lived with excellent morals and were always truthful in speech and conduct. Prophets never sought personal benefits such as wealth, high status, or power. Rather, they sought only the pleasure of Allah. Allah gave all Prophets certain characteristics in order for them to successfully fulfill their mission, such as persistence, courage, leadership, patience, and wisdom. There are many examples in the Qur’an. Prophets or Messengers of Allah never committed a single sin even before they received the prophethood from Allah. Therefore, Muslims totally reject the false attribution of any sins to the Prophets as appears in the scriptures of some other religions. The Qur’an, which relays stories concerning some of these prophets, does not have a single passage that attributes sins to any of them. Doing so would blemish the moral standing and character of the prophets! All the prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an with a great deal of adoration and respect. Prophet David and Prophet Solomon are mentioned to be faithful to Allah. Prophet Jacob is not a deceiver and cheater, but a respected messenger of Allah. The Prophets Perform Miracles Allah has added to the credibility of every Prophet by granting them the ability to perform different miracles, usually in a field in which his nation excels. For example, the people of Israel to whom Moses (peace be upon him) was sent were very knowledgeable about magic. Therefore, Moses (peace be upon him) was able to perform miraculous acts which even the accomplished magicians could not perform. The people to whom Jesus (peace be upon him) was sent were experts in matters of medicine. Therefore, Jesus (Peace be upon him) was able to perform acts of healing beyond the skill of his own people. The Arabs to whom Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was sent excelled in poetry. Therefore, Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) delivered the Qur’an, containing eloquent words the like of which with no poet could ever compete. In addition, many Prophets conveyed truthful

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prophecies of future events. All of these miracles were performed only by the permission and with assistance of Allah. All of the miraculous things that can be attributed to Prophets were manifestations of Allah’s power alone. All of the prophets and Messengers were human and not divine. They were selected by Allah Almighty to do His will and should not be worshipped! All the Prophets and Messengers were commanded to inform the people about their status. For example: Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was commanded to say, I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is One God. (18:110) It is even clear from the Bible, (both the Old and New Testaments) that the Prophets were not divine. They all worshipped and prostrated to the One True God. The Message of the Prophets Since all Prophets were sent by the One True God, they all conveyed the same message and had the same mission - to remind and educate their people of the purpose of life. Allah says in the Qur’an (which means): Certainly, We sent to every nation a Messenger (saying): Worship Allah and avoid false gods. (16:36) Their message was to: • Clarify the true concept of God and reject false beliefs. • Teach the true purpose of life. • Demonstrate how Allah should be worshipped. • Convey Allah's definition of righteous and sinful conduct and advise people accordingly. • Describe the rewards for obedience (Heaven) and warn of the punishment for disobedience (Hell). • Explain commonly misunderstood issues such as the soul, angels and spirits, the afterlife, and fate. The main focus of all the Prophets and the Messengers was to clarify the concept of God: that He has no partners or equals, and that all worship should be directed exclusively toward Him. In the Qur’an, there are numerous examples of Prophets proclaiming this message. Allah says about Prophet Noah (Peace be upon him): Indeed, We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people and he said: O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day! (7:59) 24

Allah says about Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (Peace be upon him): And (remember) Ibrahim (Abraham) when he said to his people: "Worship Allah (Alone), and fear Him, which is better for you if you did but know. (29:16) Allah says about Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him): Moses said to his people, Shall I seek for you an ilâh (a god) other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the Alamîn (mankind and jinn of your time). (7:140) Allah says about Prophet Hud (peace be upon him): And to the people of Ad, (We sent) their brother Hud. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. Will you not fear (Allah)? (7:65) Allah says about Prophet Salih (Peace be upon him): And to the people of , (We sent) their brother Salih (). He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. (7:73) Allah says about Prophet Shu’aib (Peace be upon him): And to the people of Madyan (), (We sent) their brother Shu'aib. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him. (7:85 Allah says about Prophet Isa (Jesus) (Peace be upon him): Jesus said, Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path. (3:51) Allah says about Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): Say (O Muhammad): I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God — i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. (18:110) This message was consistent throughout the generations and highlights the importance of having the correct belief in God. Every Nation Was Sent a Prophet Allah says in the Qur’an (which means): And for every (a community or a nation), there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes, the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged. (10:47) Muslims believe that thousands of Prophets were sent by Allah, at least one to every nation for their guidance. In certain circumstances, the message of the Prophets was lost, corrupted,

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forgotten, neglected, or denied by the people. These were some of the reasons why a new Prophet would be sent to re-convey Allah's message. Muslims believe in and respect every Prophet sent by Allah. Why Doesn't Everyone Receive Direct Revelation? Allah created life and gave humans free will and intellect, as a test to see who will willingly follow His path and who would deviate. If every person received direct revelation, life would not be a true test of faith. The real test of one's faith is in using one's intellect and reason to contemplate and recognize God's signs, rather than being spoken to directly by God. That would not require any effort and would render belief meaningless. Although Prophets received direct revelation, this did not exempt them from life's tests, as Prophethood brings with it many difficulties and trials. The Final Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) Over the years, the messages with which prophets were sent were corrupted and misunderstood by many people, therefore, Prophets were sent to specific groups over time to correct the errors and show people the right way to worship Allah. However, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was not sent to a specific people, but to mankind as a whole. His message was the same as that with which all the prophets came, but Muhammad’s was the final and was therefore sent to all mankind and jinn. His message has been preserved both in the form of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is the final Prophet for all mankind until the end of time. That includes all current and future generations. He was a perfect example of an honest, just, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave human being. He, like other Prophets before him, did not have any evil characteristics and strove solely for the sake of Allah. Who is Muhammad? (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) • First Name: Muhammad • Muhammad means "highly praised”. • Father’s Name: Abdullah son of Abd al Muttalib. • Mother’s Name: daughter of Wahab.

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• Date of Birth: Monday the 12th of Rabi’a al awwal, this corresponds to the 20th of April 571. • Place of Birth: Makkah (City in ) • Date of Death: 8th of June 632. • Place of Death: Al-Madina Al-Monawarah (Saudi Arabi) Muhammad’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) genealogy has been traced to the noble house of Ishmael, the son of Prophet Ibrahim. (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon them all) Childhood of Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) According to the Arab custom (at that time) Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was given to a wet nurse named Haleemah to raise outside of the city in free, healthy surroundings. Two years later, Haleemah returned Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to his mother in Makkah. At the same time Haleemah was hoping that his mother would allow her to keep him for few more years. She was granted her wish and Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) stayed with her until he was five years old. Haleemah returned him to his mother with whom he stayed until he was six years old. Muhammad’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) father, Abdullah, died several weeks before his birth. His mother Aminah passed away when he was six years old during a trip back from visiting her late husband’s grave in Yathrib (Madinah). His paternal grandfather Abd al Muttalib, whom had raised him after the death of his mother, died when Muhammad was eight years of age. After the death of his grandfather, his paternal uncle (Abu Talib) took him under his wing and raised him with his family. Allah has informed us about Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) living conditions by stating in the Qur’an that: Did He not find you (O Muhammad) an orphan and gave you a refuge? (93:6) Manhood of Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) from his childhood through youth ad on to manhood never depended on anyone’s help. He worked tirelessly all the time taking care of

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his uncle’s and other’s flocks. Due to his honesty and trust, Muhammad used to be called by the people of Makkah “Al Ameen” (the Trustworthy). Most of the people of Quriaysh were businesspeople. Khadijah, daughter of Khuwalid, was one of the merchants of great honor and fortune. She used to employ men to do her business. Khadijah asked Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to manage her business and lead her caravan to . Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) accepted the offer and traveled to Syria with other businessmen. His trade and business earned the most among them all. After returning to Makkah, Khadijah asked her servant (Maysarah) about Muhammad’s way of life and behavior. “Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the best of the best in manners and behavior,” Maysarah said. Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was twenty-five at that time. Khadijah and Muhammad were married after she learned of his good manners and character. They had four girls and two boys, all of whom died during the Prophet’s life save Fatimah, the oldest daughter, who died six months after his death. Khadijah fully supported her husband without any hesitation, and she put all her wealth at his service. Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was against the bad customs and false thoughts of his people. He never believed in many gods and never was in support of the pagan worshipping of idols. For these reasons and many others, he sought peace of mind. He would go to Mount Hira and there think deeply about the amazing phenomena of nature and the signs of God. He also meditated about the Creator of all the things around him. The Beginning of revelation He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) frequently retreated to a cave in the mount of Hira and stayed there for days thinking, meditating, and asking God to guide him to the right belief. He did it day after day, year after year, thinking and looking for guidance. By the time Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) reached the age of forty (40), he was ready for his divine mission. Suddenly, One day during the month of Ramadan, while he sat by himself in a cave on Mount Hira, (the of Revelation), appeared to him and said, `Recite!' He said in

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surprise, `What shall I recite?' Again the voice very clearly and openly called out, `Recite, O Muhammad!' And a third time Gabriel repeated, Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not. (96:1-5) Those verses were the first revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet, and the voice was from Angel Gabriel. Angel Gabriel visited Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) many times over a period of twenty-three years. Gabriel taught Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the verses and he instructed his scribes to record them. All the revealed verses are compiled in the Qur'an. The Beginning of Dawah (Inviting people to Islam) Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) gained the sympathy and trust of the people who knew him by being reliable and trustworthy. He began the mission of spreading Islam after the establishment of that high character. People knew of his beautiful character, goodness, and integrity prior to his prophethood and they loved him. Additionally, the prophet removed himself from all kinds of wrongdoing and from violating the rights of Allah and any human being. Everyone who knew the prophet trusted him, even his enemies in Makkah. Because of this fact, even in the early time of dawah (inviting people to Islam) no one could label him a liar. Even Abu Jahl (the first enemy of Islam) said to the Prophet “O Muhammad! I do not call you a liar, but I do not like the religion you have brought” Since Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was ordered by Allah to invite his family and his people to Islam he became a public figure and his life became of public interest. His followers soon realized that all of Muhammad’s words and deeds were directly from Allah. Therefore, they started to memorize his sayings and implemented his actions as their way of life. This is called the Sunnah. The Prophet's (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) sayings and actions are recorded separately from the Qur’an. These collections are called Hadiths or Sunnah.

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Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) spent thirteen years in Makkah inviting people to worship the One True God, Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, (as taught by Prophet Ibrahim, and all Prophets of Allah), and demonstrating the laws of moral, ethical, legal, and social conduct. Allah says in the Qur’an: Say, "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishmael (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)." (2:136) The Prophet's (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) mission was to restore belief in the oneness of God in the hearts and the lives of people. The First Generation of Muslims Muhammad's (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) first followers were from his immediate family and friends. His wife Khadijah, their daughters, his friend , his cousin son of Abu Talib, and his servant Zayd son of Harithah. They all accepted Islam by testifying that: "There is no God except Allah (The One True God) and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was ordered by Allah to preach His words to mankind. During those thirteen years in Makkah the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) had a lot of difficulty and was persecuted by his own tribe. He went to other tribes in the nearest cities hoping that he would find someone to believe in his message and support him, but these tribes treated him worse than his own. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) believed that, no matter what had happened to him, he had to continue inviting people to believe in God. He continued preaching to the Arabs in a most gentle and reasonable manner as he was ordered by Allah. Allah says in the Qur’an: Invite (mankind, O Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’an) and fair

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preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided. (16:125) Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to meet the visitors of Makkah during the Hajj season to invite them to Islam. During the Makkah period of Islam (the first thirteen years of revelation) very few people from different tribes and cities believed in his message. The majority of the original followers of Islam were from Al (Yathrib - another city in Arabia). When the people of Al Medina pledged to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) their full support and protection allowed him to move to Al Medina where the first Islamic state was established. Within a period of ten years Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was able to establish an Islamic community in Madina. Muslims used to travel from Madina to Syria and for business. In this way Islam was spread all over the world through wisdom and good behavior. Muhammad’s name (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has been mentioned only a few times in the Qur’an. However, Allah referred to him as Prophet, or Messenger many times. Allah has blessed him, purified him, and raised his status high. Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is the model of Qur'anic behavior for Muslims. When Muhammad’s (or any other prophet’s or Messenger’s name is mentioned), Muslims should say “Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him”. Muslims should follow the Qur'an and the Prophet’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) example in every detail. All Prophets and Messengers who came before Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) were sent to a particular people, place, and period of time. However, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was sent with the truth for all mankind. Allah says in the Qur’an: Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah, to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. La ilaha illa Huwa (there is no God but Him); It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) who believes in Allah and His Words

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[(this Qur’an), the Taurat () and the Injeel () and also Allah’s Word: "Be!" - And he was, i.e. 'Isa (Jesus) son of (Mary),], and follow him so that you may be guided." (7:158) Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has been described in the Qur’an as "a Mercy for all (the inhabitants of) the worlds" And We (Allah) have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). (21:107). Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has been described in the Qur’an as the last of the chain of true prophets. Allah says in the Qur’an: Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (seal) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything. (33:40) Since the Qur’an and Sunnah are fully preserved and easily accessible, there is no need for another Prophet. The message of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is in complete harmony with the teachings of the previous Prophets and reaffirms their message. Conclusion Prophets were sent as a mercy by Allah, to convey His message and to teach people how to live a righteous life. They have the best of characteristics and are to be followed and obeyed. Following a Prophet is obedience to Allah and rejecting a Prophet is disobedience to Allah. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is the last of the Prophets, As such, Allah's guidance was complete with his coming, and our salvation is complete with the obedience to Allah and His Final Prophet. The Message of Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was not meant for any particular people, place, or period. He was raised as the world prophet, the messenger of the truth for the entire mankind. The Qur’an has commanded Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to declare: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.” He has been described as "a blessing for all (the people of) the worlds" and his approach has been universal and human.

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That is why after him there is no need for new prophethood because he has been described by the Qur’an as khatam-un- Nabiyyin (the last of the chain of the true prophets). Therefore, the only source for the knowledge of Allah and His way is Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). We can know of Islam only through his teachings which are so complete and so comprehensive that the world does not need a new prophet. It needs only such people as have full faith in Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) who become the standard-bearers of his message, propagate it to the world at large, and attempt to establish the culture which Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) gave to Man. The World needs such men of character as can translate his teachings into practice and establish a society which is governed by Divine Law, whose supremacy Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has made abundantly clear. Our success as man depends upon it.

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CHAPTER 2 The Meaning of Shari’a (Islamic Law) What does Shari’a (Islamic law) mean, and what are its sources? No nation, from the beginning of creation until today, was able to function without rules and regulations. Therefore, every nation has or had its own legislative body to develop laws for people to follow and by which to be bound. These national laws are not meant to be acceptable or to apply to outsiders when they are not living within the borders of that governing body. Historically, different nations, governments, religious societies, and tribes all have had their own internal laws which applied to them alone. The Islamic state is similar to that; it has its own law which is called Shari’a in the Arabic language. Today, when the term Shari’a is mentioned, (usually by liberal mainstream media outlets) it is used negatively and intended to exacerbate the xenophobic feelings most uninformed non- Muslims have about Islam. Shari’a has the same definition as “law” in the English language. “Law” means, “a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially legislators.” (The legislators of this law are the people) Shari'a is an Arabic word which literally means “path” or “way.” Allah says in the Qur’an: To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way to act. (5:48) In Islam “Shari’a” means Islamic Law. According to the previously mentioned definition this is “a rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially legislators.” In the Shari’a, Allah and His prophet are the governing authority and legislators. Additionally, any (man made) laws that do not conflict with the religious obligatory actions are also considered part of the Shari’a. Muslims are strongly encouraged to follow the Islamic law in every aspect of their lives, because the Shari’a offers guidance for a complete and correct Islamic lifestyle. Allah says in the Qur’an 34

Then We put you on the right way of (Our) commandment: so follow it that (Way), and follow not the desires of those who know not. (45:18)

Today the term Shari’a is usually used to mean the opposite of common law. Muslims should not live their lives according to their own desires. Nor by that which they think is right without referring to the Qur’an and/or the Sunnah. The detailed system of Shari’a was developed by Muslim scholars in the early time of Islam and is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah. This was done to codify the code of conduct revealed by Allah through the Qur’an and Sunnah into straightforward laws that could be more easily accessed and understood by the common man. Shari'a tries to describe in detail all possible human acts, dividing them into the halal (permitted) and the haram (prohibited). It subdivides them into various degrees of good or evil such as obligatory, recommended, neutral, objectionable, or forbidden. Those rules regulate all matters of life, worship, ritual purity, marriage and inheritance, criminal offenses, commerce, and personal conduct. It also regulates the governing of the Islamic state and its relations to other states and governments. Shari'a influences the behavior and worldview of most Muslims, even in secular states where it forms no part of the law of the land. This code of behavior and conduct includes (but is not limited to) the following topics: • Ibadat (such as Salat, Zakat, Fasting and Hajj) • Religious obligations • Akh laq (Modesty) • Tazkiyah (Morality) • Business • Social dealings • Marriage • Divorce • Inheritance • Politics • Economics • Penal laws 35

Allah Says in the Qur’an: It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error. (33:36) Muslims alive during the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) lived by the Shari’a by following the Qur’an and the Sunnah. In the Qur’an there are some verses that deal with general issues, and some others that mention the basic principles of belief and the Muslim way of life. At the same time, the Qur’an is much more than a constitution or a book of laws. Allah, in the Qur’an, clearly states that: the Prophet’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) duties include (but are not limited to) those that are mentioned in the following verses: He it is, Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and ), and teaching them the Book (this Qur’an, Islamic laws) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship,). And verily, they had been before in manifest error. (62:2) Allah also says: With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We (Allah) have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the (the Qur’an), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. (16:44) These two verses prove that Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) job was not only a Messenger delivering the Qur’an to the world. He was a teacher and a commentator, and his actions were a source of guidance for Muslims: Allah says: Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. (33:21) Also, Allah ordered Muslims in the Qur’an to consider the Sunnah (the way of life of Prophet Muhammad) (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)) as the second source of the Shari’a.

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Allah says in the Qur’an: Say: “Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers (3:32) Allah further says: He, who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent ۬ (you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them. (4:80 Say: If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (3:31) The Sources of the Shari’a The two main sources for these directives are the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah – Hadith (the Sayings, actions and approvals or disapprovals of Prophet Muhammad Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Shari’a is also derived from Ijmaa (the consensus of Islamic scholars and jurists) and Qiyas (analogical deduction of legal matters). The Qur’an What is the Qur’an? The Qur’an is the word of Allah Almighty as it was revealed from Allah through the Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) during a period of twenty-three years. The Qur’an is truly the Word of Allah not the word of any other, it was instantly memorized by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and some of his followers. It was then dictated to his companions and written down by scribes who then crosschecked it during the Prophet’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) lifetime. Not one word of its 114 (chapters) has been changed over the centuries. The Qur’an is in every detail the same unique and miraculous text that was revealed to Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) over fourteen centuries ago. The Qur’an is the principle source of every Muslim’s faith and practice. Allah describes the Qur’an in the following Qur’anic verses. Allah says: All the praises and thanks are to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad) the Book (the Qur’an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from

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Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), who do righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise). (18:1-2) This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun. (2:2) He (Allah) has sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) with truth, confirming what was revealed before; And He sent down the Torah (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind and He sent down the Criterion. (3:3) The Qur’an was revealed in the Arabic language to an Arab Prophet over a period of twenty-three years. Allah says: And those who disbelieve say: “Why is not the Qur’an revealed to him all at once?” Thus (it is sent down in parts), that We (Allah) may strengthen your heart thereby. And We (Allah) have revealed it to you gradually, in stages. (25:32) The Qur’an is the Holy book for the Muslims. Besides its proper name, the Qur’an is also known by the following names: Al Kitab (The Book), Al Furqan (The Discrimination), Al Dhikr (The Exposition), Al Bayan (The Explanation); Al Haqq (The Truth); Al Tanzil (The Revelation), Al Huda (The Guide) and may others. The Quran is divided into: • JUZU’A (parts). There are Thirty JUZU’A and each Juzu’a contains several Surahs or Chapters • SURAHS. There are One Hundred fourteen Surahs and each contains several AYATS or verses • AYATS the number of verses in the Quran is 6,236. The text of the Holy Qur’an has remained unchanged over the past 1450 years. The millions of copies of the Quran circulating in the world today are all identical down to a single letter. This is not unusual since God Himself says in the Holy Quran that He would guard this book: Surely it is We Who have revealed the Qur’an, and surely it is We Who are its guardians (15:10) The Hadith or the Sunnah The Hadith and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) are the second most important source of the Shari’a (Islamic law) after the Qur’an. Hadith and Sunnah are generally understood as having the same meaning. This is incorrect. The words Hadith and Sunnah have entirely different implications, and each one holds a different

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status in the Shari’a. It is necessary to know exactly the difference between the terms Hadith and Sunnah. “Hadith” is the term for the narration of a saying, or of an act, or of an approval of the Prophet which was reported by any of his wives or companions. “Sunnah” is the term for a physical action which has been done (even only once) by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). Over time, during the first few centuries of Islam, it became obvious that many “so-called” Ahadith were in fact false sayings that had been fabricated for various motives. At best they were meant to encourage believers to act righteously, and at worse to corrupt believers understanding of Islam and to lead them astray. Since Islamic legal scholars were compiling Ahadith as an addition to the Qur’an in their development of the Islamic legal system, it became seriously important to have reliable collections of Ahadith. While the early collections often contained Ahadith that were of questionable origin, gradually collections of authenticated Ahadith called sahih3 were compiled. Such collections were made possible by the development of the science of hadith criticism. This science is at the basis of the critical analysis of the chain of (oral) transmission of the hadith going all the way back to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). The two most highly respected collections of hadith are the authenticated collections entitled: • Sahih Bukhari. • . In addition to these two books of sahih, there are four other collections that came to be well known, accepted, and respected. (But these books are not to the degree of Bukhari’s and Muslim’s Sahih collections.) These four collections are: • Sunan Al Tirmidhi. • Sunan Al Nasa’i. • Sunan Ibn Majah. • Sunan Abu Da’ud.

3 (lit. true, correct)

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Together these four and the two sahih collections are called the “six books”. Two other important collections in particular are: • The Muwatta of Imam Malik ibn Anass. • The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Today many Muslims do not understand this point, incorrectly thinking that following and obeying the Prophet’s (Peace and o Blessings of Allah be upon him) commands is a matter of choice, and that it is only the commandments in the Qur’an that they are duty-bound with which to comply. This misconception was indeed prophesied by the Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) who made the importance and status of the Sunnah explicitly clear. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed I have been given the Qur’an, and yet the time is coming where a man reclining on his couch will say, “Keep to this Qur’an: what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible; and what you find prohibited treat as prohibited.” But what Allah’s Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has prohibited is like unto what Allah has prohibited. Ijmaa (Consensus) Beside the main two principal sources of Shari’a, which are The Qur’an and The Hadith and Sunnah, there are two other sources, Ijmaa and Qiyas. Ijmaa is considered the third source of Shari’a. The root of the word Ijmaa is jama’a which means collected, gathered, or united. In Islamic terminology, Ijmaa means a consensus or majority of opinions of the Muslim scholars at a particular time, particular generation, and on a particular question of law. When the majority of the Muslim scholars have agreed on a particular question, then the rule is only binding upon every Muslim alive during that generation. Ijmaa is binding if it is not contrary to the Quran or and the Hadith. Imam al-Shafi`i define ’a in his book Al-Risala as: The adherence of the congregation of Muslims to the conclusions of a given ruling pertaining to what is permitted and what is forbidden after the passing of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him.) By "congregation of Muslims" Imam Al-Shafi’I actually means the experts of independent reasoning (ahl al-) and legal answers in the obscure matters which require insight and

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investigation, as well as the agreement of the Community of Muslims concerning what is obligatorily known of the religion with its decisive proofs. Imam Shafi`i continues (Risala p. 253): "The Prophet's order that men should follow the Muslim community is a proof that the Ijma` of the Muslims is binding." Later on (p. 286) he quotes the hadith whereby the Prophet said: "Believe my Companions, then those who succeed them, and after that those who succeed the Successors. But after them falsehood will prevail when people will swear to the truth without having been asked to swear and testify without having been asked to testify. Only those who seek the pleasures of Paradise will keep to the Congregation..." Imam Shafi`i comments: "He who holds what the Muslim jama`a (Congregation) holds shall be regarded as following the Congregation, and he who holds differently shall be regarded as opposing the Congregation he was ordered to follow. So the error comes from separation; but in the Congregation as a whole there is no error concerning the meaning of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and Qiyas (analogy)." The Proof that Ijmaa is a source of Islamic Law is as follows: Allah says in the Qur’an: And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves. (3:103). And they divided not till after knowledge had come to them, through (selfish) transgression between themselves. (42:14). O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you who are in authority. (4:59). And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him and follows other than the believers' way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination. (4:115). And keep yourself (O Muhammad) patiently with those who call on their Lord (i.e. your companions who remember their Lord with glorification, praising in prayers, and other righteous deeds) morning and afternoon, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, and who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost. (18:29)

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Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah, a just and the best nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you. (2:143) The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said in the following Ahadith: “Verily Allah will not make my community -- or Muhammad's community -- agree on error, and Allah's hand is with the largest congregation." Tirmidhi said: "And the meaning of "jama`a" according to the people of knowledge is: the people of jurisprudence, learning, and hadith." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever among you wants to be in the middle of Paradise, let him be part of the congregation." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Shaytan is a wolf like the wolf that preys on sheep, taking the isolated and the stray among them; therefore, avoid factionalism and keep to the congregation and the collective and the masjid." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "My community shall never agree upon misguidance, therefore, if you see divergences, you must follow the greater mass or larger group." Huzayfa Ibn Al-Yaman said: "People used to ask the Prophet about the good and I used to ask him about the evil... I said: O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us [the callers at the door of the fire]. He said: They are of our complexion and they speak our very language. I said: What do you order me to do if that day reaches me? He said: You must keep to the congregation of Muslims and to their leader." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah's hand is with the Jama’a (the congregation), and whoever dissents from them departs to hell." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever leaves the community or separates himself from it by the length of a span, dies the death of the Jahiliyya (period of ignorance prior to Islam)”. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "That which the Muslims consider good, Allah considers good."

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The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "My Community will split into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the fire except one group. They asked: Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? He said: Those that follow my way and that of my companions." The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There will always be a group from my Community that fight for truth and remain victorious until Judgment Day." There are many other Ahadith in the support of Ijmaa and prove that the agreement of the Muslims upon an issue is a part of shari’a. Qiyas (Comparisons) Qiyas is the fourth component of Shari’a. Definition of Qiyas Literally, Qiyas means measuring or ascertaining the length, weight, or quality of something. Scales are called miqyas. Example: the cloth was measured by the yardstick. Qiyas also means comparison – equality or similarity between two things. Islamicaly, Qiyas is an extension of a Shari'a value from an original case (asl) to a new case, because the latter has the same effective cause reason (illah) as the former. The original case is ruled by the Qur’an or the Sunnah. Qiyas aims to extend the same ruling to the new case based on the same reason (illah). The Basis of Qiyas The Scholars quoted several proofs from the Quran and Sunnah as well as the practice of the Companions as an indirect evidence to support the utilization of Qiyas: Allah says: Then if you quarrel of anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger. (4:59) The Scholars have reasoned that a dispute can only be referred to Allah and the Prophet by following the signs/indications found in the Quran and Sunnah. One way of achieving this is to identify the rationale of the rulings and apply them to disputed matters, in case both issues in question share the same Qiyas (rationale). Also Allah says:

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We have sent to you the book with the Truth so that you may judge among people by means of what Allah has shown you. (4:105) Based on the above verse, a judgment may be based on the guidance that Allah has clearly given or on that which bears close similarity to it. Thus, exercising Qiyas is considered as following the guidance of the Qur’an. The Qur’an specifies the rationale of its law either explicitly or by reference to its objectives. The rationales as guidelines to new cases Qiyas is a form of personal reasoning (ijtihad) which the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) expressly validates in the famous Hadith of Muaz bin Jabal when he was sent to Yemen. A woman came to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said that her father had died without performing the hajj. Will it benefit him if she performs the hajj on the father’s behalf? The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) told her: “Supposing your father had a debt to pay and you pay it on his behalf, would this benefit him?” To this her reply was affirmative and the Prophet said, “The debt owed to Allah merits even greater consideration”. The Companions of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) also utilized qiyas in deducing the rulings of Fiqh. For example, Abu Bakr drew an analogy between the father and the grandfather in respect to their entitlement in inheritance. When the Companions held a council to determine the punishment of wine drinking, Ali bin Abi Talib suggested that the penalty of false accusation should be applied to the wine drinker, and he reasoned, by way of analogy, “When a person gets drunk, he raves and when he raves, he accuses falsely”. Examples of Qiyas The Quran forbids selling or buying of goods after the last call for Friday prayers until the end of the prayer as stated in Surah al-Jumu’ah. By analogy, this prohibition is extended to all kinds of transactions and activities such as agriculture, administration, and other activities beside the Jumu’ah prayer. According to a Hadith, it is forbidden for a man to make an offer of betrothal to a woman who is already engaged to another man unless the latter discontinues the relationship or has totally abandoned his offer. The illah (reason) is to avoid conflict and

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hostility among people. By analogy, the same rule is extended to all other transactions in which the same illah is found to be operative. The Pillars of Qiyas The Asl (original case) which is a ruling is given in the text and the analogy seeks to extend it to a new case. The Fare’a (new case) where a ruling is needed. The Illah (effective cause) is an attribute of the original case that is found to be in common between the original and the new case. The Hukom (rule), which governs the original case extended to and affects the new case. Examples For example: the Qur’an prohibited alcohol. Therefore, it means that by reasoning it has also banned all forms of drinks whose effects are like alcohol or other intoxicates. Prohibition of alcohols drinking based on the Qur’anic verse in Surah Al-Maidah where Allah says: O you who believe! Alcoholic drinks (all kinds of Intoxicants), gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al¬Azlâm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of 's () handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful. (5:90) Asl: Alcohol Illah: Intoxicating Hukm : Prohibition Qiyas: Asl: Drugs Illah: Intoxicating Hukm: Prohibition Therefore, any substance that leads to the same result (intoxication) then the Hukom (rule) of it is the same as the rule of Alcohol. Qiyas is based on three considerations: • Istahsan (equitable points of view), • Isteslah (consideration of the public good), • Istedlal (consideration of the customs, usages, and un- appealed laws of the former revealed religions).

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CHAPTER 3 Islamic Jurisprudential Terminology Muslim scholars have created various terms used in the Shari’a in order to differentiate between levels of importance and characteristics of the various prohibitions and injunctions. The terms are as follows: Fard (Obligatory): Fard: an Obligatory act which is ordained by Allah and/or the Prophet and is supported by clear evidence. The one who performs it will be rewarded and the one who refrains from it will be punished. The following explains Fard in more detail: • An act that is obligatory • Has been proven by rigorously authenticated texts • The denial of any Fard action is apostasy. • If one purposefully omits any Fard action without valid shari'a reason, such a person becomes a (transgressor) and is regarded as having committed major sin. Fard is divided into two categories: 1. Fard Ayn (a personally obligatory act) Fard Ayn. This act must be performed by every person individually and it is insufficient for someone to perform it on his behalf, such as the prayer, fasting in Ramadan and so on. 2. Fard Kifayah (a Collective obligatory act) Fard kifayah. This act must be performed by the community at large and not necessarily by the individual. It is sufficient to be performed by someone to remove the obligation from the rest. Whoever if no one performs it, then all are guilty of a serious sin for neglecting the obligation such as: the funeral prayer, commanding the good, forbidding the wrong, building Islamic schools, and so on. Wajib (Necessary): An act that is almost as compulsory as a Fard. Wajib is the second in importance and obligation. It is also an injunction of the Qur’an and Sunnah but not necessarily in clear terms and with convincing proof. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) never omitted it. A Wajib act is one that is highly recommended. It is proven by religious arguments through ijtihad. Whoever denies a Wajib is misguided. If one omits a Wajib without a valid shari'a reason, then he is a transgressor and liable for punishment. To miss a Wajib once

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(deliberately, without any valid reason) is a minor sin. However, persistently omitting a Wajib turns it into a major sin. Sunnah Sunnah: an act done or preferred by the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in relation to worship. One shall gain reward for performing a Sunnah, but there is no sin if one omits it. If one shows dissatisfaction with Sunnah, then this is kufr (disbelief). The Sunnah is divided into two categories: 1. Sunnah Mu'akkadah Sunnah Mu'akkadah: (Confirmed Sunnah) is a necessary act. It is an act that was always performed by the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and was never missed. One gains the displeasure of Allah the Most High and His Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) if a Sunnah Mu'akkadah is omitted, even occasionally. Therefore, making it a habit to neglect a Sunnah Mu'akkadah earns the displeasure of Allah and His Beloved Prophet. Inevitably one becomes liable for punishment. The status of a Sunnah Mu'akkadah is nearly Wajib. An example of Sunnah Mu’akkadah is praying two Raka’ahs before the . 2. Sunnah Ghair Mu’akkadah Sunnah Ghair Mu’akkadah: (Unconfirmed Sunnah) is an Act which the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon Him) performed occasionally but not always. Omitting a Sunnah Ghair Mu'akkadah is disliked under the Shari'a. One is not punished for this omission. However, if it is performed one reaps it is rewards. An example of a Sunnah Ghair Mu’akkadah is praying four rak’ahs before the . Nafl (Optional) Nafl: an optional act. An act which was performed by the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) or some of his companions with his approval but was never ordered to be observed. There is no harm or punishment if one omits it, but one gains reward for doing it. An example of a Nafl is praying two rak’ahs after making wudu or facing the Ka’abah while in the Masjid. Halal (Permissible) Halal: permissible, lawful, allowed, and not prohibited. In other words, everything not prohibited by the Qur’an, the

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Sunnah, the Ijmaa, and the Qyias with clear proof. Muslims are allowed as much as is wanted. Haram (Impermissible) Haram: impermissible, unlawful, and not allowed. Totally forbidden in Islam In other words, whatever is prohibited by the Qur’an and the Sunnah with clear proof. Muslims are ordered to leave and stay away from it. No one has the authority to make halal things as haram or vice versa except Allah and His Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). Anyone who denies something proven by the Qur'an and the Hadith as haram becomes a disbeliever. If this act is committed deliberately and intentionally, even once, then such a person is a transgressor (fasiq) and has committed a major sin. Therefore, such a person shall be punished. Refraining from these acts for the sake of Allah is rewarded. Mandoob (Recommended) Mandoob: Recommended. These are the acts that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) did not consistently perform. He did them one or more times and then discontinued. An example is the fasting of three days of every month. Mubah (Acceptable) Mubah: a neutral or a simply lawful thing. It is neither prohibited nor commanded by the Shari'a. There is no reward for doing it and no punishment for its omission. Makruh (Disliked) Makruh: undesirable and disliked by Islamic Law. Makruh is an abominable, improper or unbecoming thing. It is in the neighbor of the Haram. It is essential to refrain from the Makruh. Doing an act that is Makruh is a sin and against the commands of the Shari'a. There is a reward in refraining from such acts. Anyone who does it leads himself or herself towards the haram. If such acts are done once they are not classified as a sin. However, persevering with such acts turns it into sin. There are many rules and definitions for human acts and the scholars are divided. The above listed definitions should be considered only as brief explanations and examples for the average Muslim.

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CHAPTER 4 Essential Islamic Knowledge The Sacred Education In the Islamic theory of knowledge, the term used for knowledge in Arabic is “'ilm”. It is said that Islam is the path of knowledge. In the Qur'an the total number of verses in which ilm (knowledge) or its derivatives and associated words are used is 704. The tools of knowledge such as book, pen, ink etc. have been mentioned in many verses. For example: Qalam (pen) occurs in two places, al- kitab (book) in 230 verses, among which al-kitab meaning al- Qur'an occurs in 81. Other words associated with kataba (writing) occur in 319 verses. It is important to note that pens and books are essential in the acquisition of knowledge. The Islamic revelation started with the word Iqra (read or recite). Beside that there are various Qur'anic verses emphasizing the importance of education, in addition to hundreds of Ahadith (Prophetic traditions) that encourage Muslims to acquire all types of knowledge from anywhere in the world. Muslims, during their periods of stagnation and decline, confined themselves to theology as the only obligatory education. Allah the Most High says: Say: Are those who know equal to those who know not? (39:9) It should be noted that there are two kinds of men being mentioned here. First, there are those who have made it their permanent way of life to obey, worship, and serve Allah. Second, there are those who turn to Allah only when a calamity befalls them, but normally they worship other than Him. The first kind of man has been called learned, even if he be illiterate. The second kind of man has been called ignorant by Allah, even if he might have devoured entire libraries. The supremely important thing is knowledge of the truth and man's action according to it, and on this depends his true success! Allah asks: “How can these two be equal? How can they possibly follow the same way together in the world, and meet with the same end in the Hereafter”?4

4 The meaning of the Qur’an (Abu A ala Maududi) (39:9) 49

Allah also says: It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving. (35:28) That is, the more a person is unaware of the attributes of Allah, the more he will be fearless of Him. Contrary to this, the more a person is aware and conscious of Allah's Powers, His Knowledge, His Wisdom, His Vengeance, His Omnipotence, and His other attributes, the more he will fear being disobedient. Therefore, “knowledge" in these verses does not imply knowledge of academic subjects like philosophy, science, history, and mathematics, etc, but the knowledge of Divine attributes, no matter if one is literate or illiterate. The one who is fearless of Allah is illiterate as regards to this supreme knowledge even if he has all the academic knowledge in the world. However, the one who knows the attributes of Allah and fears Him in his heart is learned even if he is illiterate! In the same context, one should know that in this verse the (scholars) does not imply scholars in a technical sense, meaning those who are termed as religious scholars because of their knowledge of the Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh and philosophy. They will only prove true to this verse when they possess genuine fear of Allah in their hearts. A similar thing has been said by Abdullah bin Mas'ud: "Knowledge is not due to much narration of Hadith but due to much fear of Allah." Imam Hassan Al-Basri also said: "The scholar is he who fears Allah though he has not seen Him and turns to what is approved by Him and keeps away from what makes Him angry." Allah says: Allah will exalt in degrees those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well acquainted with what you do. (58:11) The real means to exaltation of ranks is faith and knowledge. The efforts of those who tried to sit nearest to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in his assembly and sit with him the longest were truly in vain. A person sitting nearer to the Prophet does not necessarily mean that he became exalted in rank, for the high ranks belong only to those who have attained a wealth of knowledge and faith. In truth, a person who prolonged sitting with the Holy Prophet caused inconvenience and discomfort, and in fact only displayed a lack of good manners. Sitting with him for a long time will not exalt someone in rank in

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any way. Far higher and exalted in rank in the sight of Allah is he who attained faith and knowledge and embodied of the believer. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever Allah wants to be good; He gives knowledge of the Deen (religion) and makes him understand it. (Bukhari) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is as my superiority over the least of you." Then the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said, "Allah and His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, the very ant in its anthill and the fish, bless those who teach people what is good. (Tirmidhi) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When a human being dies his work comes to an end except for three things: ongoing charity, knowledge benefiting others, or a pious son who prays for him." (Muslim) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "A single learned (educated) Muslim is harder on the than a thousand worshipers." (Albayhaqe) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge Allah makes easy for him a path to paradise.” (Muslim) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of pleasure in what he seeks. Those in the heavens and the earth, and the very fish in the water ask Allah to forgive the person endowed with Sacred Knowledge. The superiority of the learned Muslim over the devotee is like the superiority of the moon over all the stars. The learned are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets have not bequeathed a dinar or a dirham, but have only left Sacred Knowledge, and whoever takes it has taken an enormous share." (Muslim) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "He who calls others to guidance shall receive the like of the reward of those who follow him without this diminishing their own reward in the slightest. And he who calls others to misguidance shall bear the like of the sins of those who follow him without this diminishing their own sins." (Muslim) 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The religious scholar is greater in reward than the fighter in the way of Allah who fasts the day and prays the night."

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Abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Teaching Sacred Knowledge for a brief time is better than spending a night in prayer." Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said, "Studying Sacred Knowledge is a prayer." Sufyan al-Thawri and Shafi'i said, "There is nothing after what is obligatory that is superior to seeking Sacred Knowledge." Nawawi said: “There are similar statements from whole groups of early Muslims which I have not mentioned that are like those I have quoted above. The upshot of which is that they understood that devoting one's time to Sacred Knowledge, is better than devoting it to voluntary fasting or prayer, better than saying "Subhan Allah", or and other supererogatory devotions”. Among the proofs for this, besides the foregoing, are: 1. The benefit of Sacred Knowledge affects both its possessor and the Muslims as a whole, while the above-mentioned supererogatory works are confined to oneself. 2. Sacred Knowledge validates, so other acts of worship require it, though not vice versa. 3. Scholars are the heirs of the prophets, while devotees are not characterized as such. 4. The devotee follows the scholar, being led by and imitating him in worship and other acts, obeying him and being obliged to him and not the other way around. 5. The benefits and effects of Sacred Knowledge remain after its possessor departs, while supererogatory works cease with the death of their doer. 6. Knowledge is an attribute of Allah Most High. 7. Sacred Knowledge is a communal obligation and it is thus better than the supererogatory. Seeking Knowledge in Islam Personal Obligatory Knowledge Seeking knowledge in Islam is obligatory upon every Muslim, both male and female. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Seeking knowledge is Obligatory on every Muslim.” He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: “Seek knowledge even though in China”. Knowledge is of two kinds - knowledge of practical religion and knowledge of spiritual matters. The compulsory knowledge

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pertains to practical religion and deals with three matters: beliefs, actions, and prohibitions. For instance, when a person reaches puberty, it becomes obligatory on him or her to learn and say the Shahadah "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah” and know it’s basic meaning. However, knowing its conditions, orders, and inner meaning does not become obligatory on him. He or she is to believe it without any doubt. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) first required only mere verbal acceptance of Islam and confession of faith from the Arabs in the beginning of the Dawah. What was obligatory on them at that time was fulfilled. After that, knowledge of the duties involving actions and prohibitions became compulsory on them. The same duties are applied to the new Muslim. These duties deal with actions and prohibitions. Regarding actions, if a Muslim reaches the early afternoon prayer, it becomes compulsory on him to know first how to pray and then how to put it into action. This is the case with him for the other prayers as well. If he lives during the month of Ramadan, it becomes compulsory on him to learn the rules of fasting and then to fast. This is also the case with Pilgrimage, Zakat and other duties ordained by God and binding as all Muslims. As to prohibitation: It depends upon circumstances and new events. It is not compulsory on the blind man to know which sight is unlawful, or on the mute to know which words are unlawful. So to know a thing is not compulsory on a Muslim who does not require it. If after the acceptance of Islam there is anybody who wears silk clothing, takes property of another man by force, or looks to a strange woman with passion, he must have learned how to restrain himself from these things.

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CHAPTER 5 Islam and Iman To understand the correct meaning of any word mentioned in the Qur’an or Sunnah, one must first understand it’s meaning in the Arabic language. Then, one must study the different uses of this word in various Islamic texts. It is impermissible to define any word relating to Shari’a according to any time frame, other than the time of its revelation. “Islam and Iman” are two of the words that must be interpreted exactly the way which was intended by Allah and His Messenger. Explaining words according to their meanings at the time of the revelation provides us with the correct meanings according to Islamic terminology. Whoever studies the uses of the word “Islam,” he finds that sometimes it can mean the name of the Deen (Religion). This includes the theological and practical parts. At other times it means only the practical parts, for example “the .” However, studying the word “Iman,” one finds that there are two basic meanings: faith and acceptance, and adherence and implementation. Whenever Iman (belief) and Amal (action) are mentioned in the same verse you will find the word Iman comes before the word Amal. Allah says in the Qur’an: By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe in Allah and do righteous good deeds and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience. (103:1-3) Allah also says: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:62) Narrated Abu Hurraira (May Allah be pleased with him): One day while the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was sitting in the company of some people, the angel Gabriel came in a human form, sat next to him and asked, "What is Iman?” The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “Iman is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Messengers, and to believe in Resurrection”. Then Gabriel further asked, "What is Islam?” The Messenger of Allah 54

(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "To worship Allah Alone and no one else, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay the compulsory (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then Gabriel further asked, "What is (perfection)?" The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you." Then Gabriel further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master, and when the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah. The Prophet then recited: "Verily, with Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour--." (31: 34). Then Angel Gabriel in human form left and the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) asked his companions (who had been sitting there and witnessing to this event) to call him back, but they could not see him. Then the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion." (Bukhari) Narrated Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be please with him): “One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs”. He said: “O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.” The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakat, to fast in Ramadan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so. The man said: “You have spoken rightly,” and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. Then he said: “Tell me about Iman (faith).” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny,

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both the good and the evil thereof. The man said: “You have spoken rightly. Then tell me about Ihsan (spiritual perfection).” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly, He sees you. The man said: “Then tell me about the Hour.” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner. The man said: “Then tell me about its signs.” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The slave-girl will give birth to her mistress. And you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings. Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: O Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I said: “Allah and His messenger know best.” He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: He was Jibril (Gabriel), who came to you to teach you your religion. (Muslim) Conclusion The above two Hadiths have the same meaning. However, in the first hadith Iman is mentioned before Islam, where in the second hadith Islam is mentioned first. Therefore, we are providing the basic of overview the pillars of Iman and then the pillars of Islam.

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CHAPTER 6 Iman “Iman” is an Arabic word which is usually translated to mean “belief.” The Qur'an has provided a comprehensive definition of Iman. If one is ever to fully understand the meaning of the word IMAN, one will have also understood it’s essential reality. Iman signifies accepting with complete certitude a statement made by someone out of one's total confidence and complete trust in him. Iman, on the other hand, creates a commitment to Allah. The commitment entails learning about Islam, practicing Islam, teaching Islam to others, and is a life-changing process. The commitment to attain Iman is to agree to a commitment of life- changing action. A Muslim who has iman does not merely believe in Allah. He or she must commit to following the commands of Allah in every aspect of life. Iman is not only a key to success in the religious realm, and also in other areas. Iman affects all the actions a person does and also all the actions a person avoids. Having iman leads a person towards peace, since doubt creates fear and anxiety. Peace, whether the peace of mind of an individual or the global peace that remains an elusive dream, satisfies a need deep in the human heart. Allah says in the Noble Quran: And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe?" He [Ibrahim (Abraham)] said: " Yes (I believe), but to satisfy my own heart. (2:260) Allah also mentioned the story of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), and his brothers. They came back at night crying to their father, carrying Yusuf’s bloody shirt, and saying: They said: "O our father! We went racing with one another, and left Yusuf (Joseph) by our belongings and a wolf devoured him; but you will never believe us even when we speak the truth. (12:17) This means, “You will never believe us and accept our claim that Yusuf was eaten by a wolf.” Furthermore, Allah said that Pharaoh said (when he was facing certain death by drowning): And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Fir'aun (Pharaoh) with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, until when drowning overtook him, he said: "I believe 57

that none has the right to be worshipped but He (Allah)," in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allah's Will). (10:90) I believe or accept is followed by a preposition that completes the meaning by explaining what is believed. When one says “I believe in Allah,” this means that he believes in His Names and Attributes and that he submits to His will. Likewise, when one says, “I believe in the Messenger, who calls unto Allah,” this means “I believe in the revelation sent from Allah to His Messenger.” An obvious example of the above could be, “but you will never believe us”, meaning “you will never accept what we say.” Another example is: But none believed in Musa (Moses) except the offspring of his people, because of the fear of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them; and verily, Fir'aun (Pharaoh) was an arrogant tyrant on the earth; he was indeed one of the Musrifûn (polytheists, sinners and transgressors, those who give up the truth and follow the evil, and commit all kinds of great sins). (10:83). This Ayah means that a few young believed in what Moses told them; that they will escape from , become victorious, and that Pharaoh will die. The above verses attest to the first use of the word “Iman.” This form of speech means that Iman entails believing in what Allah and His Messenger have said. Iman is a theoretical system which encompasses the heart’s actions, while Islam (The Pillars of Islam) is a practical system. In the practical system, a person is saved by worshipping Allah through actions, (through performing the five Pillars of Islam). While in Iman a person is saved by believing in the pillars of Iman in his heart.

Allah says in the Qur’an: The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say), "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all). (2:285)

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The Prophet explained the cornerstones of Iman when he said in an authentic Hadith that Iman is: “To believe in Allah, His Angles, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day. And also, to believe in the good or bad that Al-Qadar (Predestination) brings from Allah.” Muslim. This Hadith is understood to mean that the six things on which were maintioned in the Hadith, it is compulsory to have faith are regarded as the pillars of the faith. Unless one has faith in these six pillars in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, his faith will not acquire perfection. If someone denies even one of these six pillars or does not believe in it in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, he is not Muslim. The true, faithful Muslim believes in all the following principal articles of faith: • Belief in the existence of Allah as the One and only God, The Creator of everything. That all things are in need of Him, and He is not in need of anything, • Belief in the existence of His angels • His books, • His messengers, • The Last Day, • And belief in divine destiny.(Both the good and the evil thereof.)

1. The Oneness of God Muslim believes in One God, The Supreme and The Eternal, The Infinite and The Mighty, The Merciful and The Compassionate, The Creator and The Provider. This belief, in order to be effective, requires complete trust and hope in God, submission to His Will and reliance on His aid. It secures man’s dignity and saves him from fear and despair, from guilt and confusion. See also the references in the Chapter: “Who is Allah” 2. The Angels (Malaika) Muslim believes in the existence of the angels (Malaika) of Allah. That they are purely spiritual and splendid beings whose nature requires no food, drink or sleep. They have no physical desires of any kind nor any material needs. They spend their days and worshiping Allah. There are many of them, and each one is charged with a certain duty. Allah has created them to inhabit the heavens and has assigned them the affairs of His 59

creatures. They do not disobey Allah and follow whatever they are commanded to do. Belief in the angels (Malaika) originates from the Qur’an. The word angel is mentioned in the Qur’an about seventy-three times. Following are a few verses cited as the proof for the existence of the angels (Malaika). Allah Says in the Qur’an: And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth." They said: "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You." He (Allah) said: "I know that which you do not know. (2:30) And He taught Adam all the names (of everything), then He showed them to the angels and said, "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful. (2:31) They (angels) said: "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All- Knower, the All-Wise. (2:32) He said: "O Adam! Inform them of their names," and when he had informed them of their names, He said: "Did I not tell you that I know the Ghaib (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing? (2:33) And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam." And they prostrated except (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers” (disobedient to Allah) (2:34) And to Allah prostate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allah) with humility]. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded. (16:49-50) Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibrael (Gabriel) and Mikael (), then verily, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers. (2:98) Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honors, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As-Salamu 'Alaikum). (33:56)

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3. The Books Muslims believe in all the original scriptures and revelations of Allah, that they were the guiding light which the Messengers received to show their respective peoples the Right Path of God. In the Qur’an a special reference is made to the books of Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. They are as follows: The Scrolls revealed to Abraham. (IBRAHIM) The Torah revealed to Musa. (MOSES) The revealed to David. (DAWOOD) The Injeel (Bible) revealed to Jesus. (ISA) The Qur’an revealed to Muhammad. (MUHAMMAD) However, Muslims must only believe in the previous books and revelations as they were originally revealed. The Qur’an is complete and authentic. Nothing of it is missing and no more of it is expected. Its authenticity is beyond doubt, and no serious scholar or thinker has ventured to question its genuineness. The Qur’an was revealed from Allah and He made it incumbent upon Himself to protect it against interpolation and corruption of all kinds. Thus it is given to the Muslims as the standard or criterion by which all the other books are judged. So whatever agrees with the Qur’an is accepted as Divine truth, and whatever differs from the Qur'an is either rejected or suspended. Allah says in the Qur’an: Verily We: It is We (Allah) Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'an) and surely, We will guard it from corruption. (15:9) The Qur’an cannot be fully translated into any other language. The Qur’an is the only book that challenged (continually so) the native masters of the Arabic Language and literature and proved their inability to produce anything even remotely similar to the shortest chapter of the Book. It is impossible, therefore, to reproduce the meaning, beauty, and fascination of the Qur’an in any other form by human hand. What appears here then, is neither the Qur’an proper nor its perfect translation (even if such was possible). Rather it is a human interpretation in a different language that by its nature must fall short of the forcefulness of the original Book of God. 4. The Messengers / The prophets Muslims believe in all the Messengers of Allah without any discrimination amongst them. Allah says:

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And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers), We shall give them their rewards, and Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (4:152) Every known nation had a messenger from Allah to warn humanity of wrongdoing. These messengers were great teachers of the good and true champions of the right. They were chosen by Allah to teach mankind and deliver His Divine message. They were sent at different times of history and every known nation had one or more messengers. During certain periods two or more messengers were even sent by God at the same time to the same nation. And verily, We (Allah) have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see the end of the denials of the truth. (16:36) Allah says in the Qur’an: Verily! We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner. And there never was a nation but a Warner had passed among them. (35:24) The Holy Qur’an mentions the names of twenty-five of the Messengers. The Muslim believes in them all and recognizes them as authorized messengers of Allah. They were, with the exception of Muhammad, known as “national” or local messengers. But their message, and their religion, was essentially the same and was called ISLAM, because it came from the Same God (Allah) and served the same purposes guiding humanity to the Straight Path of God. All the messengers, with no exception whatsoever, were mortals’ human beings endowed with Divine revelations and appointed by God to perform certain tasks. Among them Muhammad stands as the Last Messenger and the crowning glory of the foundation of prophethood. Also, it may be useful to mention here the names of some of the great messengers like Noah and Abraham, Ishmael and Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of Alah be upon them all. Allah says in the Qur’an: Say (O Muslims), "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim

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(Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the offspring twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)." (2:136) Muslims believe that Muhammad, the son of Abdul Allah of Makkah is the last Prophet and Messenger, and the Qur’an is the final and last word Allah revealed. Anyone who believes that there is a Prophet or Messenger who came or who will come after Muhammad the son of Abdull Allah of Makkah is not considered a Muslim even if he pray, read the Qur’an, complete all the Islamic acts and call himself “Muslim”. 5. The Day of Judgment Muslims believe in the Last Day of Judgment. This world will come to an end someday. When? Only Allah knows, and has kept it a secret for reasons known only to Him. Allah says in the Qur’an: People ask you concerning (The timing of) the Hour (The Day of Judgment), say: "The knowledge of it is with Allah only. What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!" (33:63) Allah also says in the Qur’an: Verily, the Hour (The Day of Judgment) is coming and I would keep it secret, that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives. "Therefore, let not the one who believes not therein (i.e. in the , Reckoning, Paradise and Hell), but follows his own desires, divert you there from, lest you perish. (22:15-16) On that day, the dead will rise to stand for their final fair trial. Everything we do in this world, every intention we have, every move we make, every thought we entertain, and every word we say, all are counted and kept in accurate records. On the Day of Judgment, they will be brought up. People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to Paradise, and those with bad records will be punished and cast into Hell. Allah says in the Qur’an: Whosoever does a good deed equal to the weight of an atom shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom shall see it. (99:7-8) 6. The Divine decree

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Muslims Believe in al-qada’a and al-qadar (the Divine decree) which is the sixth pillar of faith. The meaning of al-qada’a and al- qadar is everything that happens in this universe happens by the will and decree of Allah. Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) heard that some people were denying al-qadar. He said: “If I meet these people, I will tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. By the One by Whom ‘Abd-Allah Ibn ‘Umar swore, if one of them had gold equivalent to Mount Uhud and he spent it, Allah would not accept it from him unless he believed in al-qadar.” (Muslim) Muslim should also note that belief in al-qada’a and al-qadar is not valid unless he believes in the four aspects of al-qada’a and al-qadar, which are as follows: Muslims must believe that Allah knows all things, in general terms and in detail, from eternity to eternity. Not a single atom is unknown to Him in the heavens or on the earth. Allah says in the Qur’an: And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls, but he knows it. Neither there is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry but is written in a Clear Record. (6:59) Verily! Your Ilah (God) is only Allah, (the One) La ilaha illa Huwa (there is no God but Him). He has full knowledge of all things. (20:98) He (Allah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), but they will never compass anything of His Knowledge. (20:110) Muslims must believe that Allah has decreed all things in al- Lawh al-Mahfooz, before He created the heavens and the earth. Allah also says in the Qur’an: Know you not that Allah knows all that is in heaven and on earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lauh al-Mahfûz). Verily! That is easy for Allah”. (22:70) And the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah wrote the decrees concerning all created beings fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.” (Muslim) Muslims must believe that everything that happens in this universe happens by the Will of Allah. Whatever Allah wills

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happens and whatever He does not will does not happen. Nothing exists outside of His Will. Allah says in the Qur’an: But you cannot will, unless Allah wills. Verily, Allah is Ever All- Knowing, All-Wise. (76:30) Muslims must believe that all that exists was created by Allah. He is the Creator of all beings and the Creator of their attributes and actions. Allah says in the Qur’an: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakîl (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. And those who disbelieve in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, such are they who will be the losers. (39:62-63) That a person’s will and ability do not operate outside the will and decree of Allah, Who is the One Who has given him that ability and made him able to distinguish (between good and evil) and make his choice. That al-qada’a and al-qadar is Allah’s plan for His creation. What He has shown us of it, we know and believe, and what He has hidden from us, we accept and believe. We do not dispute with Allah concerning His actions and rulings with our limited minds and comprehension. Rather we believe in Allah’s complete justice and wisdom, and that He is not to be asked about what He does. Any person not believing in any of the above six pillars of Iman he or she will not be considered a Mu’meen. (True believer) Summary: The person reaching Iman is called a Mu'meen. A Mu'meen believes that not only does Allah exist but He is capable of doing anything He wants. A Mu'meen believes in everything Allah says in the Holy Qur'an. He or she believes that there are other creations of Allah other than human beings, particularly angels. A Mu'meen also believes that Allah revealed His guidance to humanity in previous Books before the Holy Qur'an. These Books included the same message of guidance to humanity as is summarized in the Holy Qur'an. Further, Mu'meen has the same respect and love for the previous messengers of Allah, and should not differentiate one from the other, or side with one against the other.

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A Mu'meen believes that this life is a test, in which all our deeds and activities are recorded by angels. We will be held accountable for the entire test when we meet our Creator in the Day of Judgment. So the belief in the Last Day is an acknowledgement of accountability and reckoning. It is an incentive for people to do well in this life in order to be rewarded in Paradise, and a warning against doing bad in order to avoid punishment in the Hellfire. A Mu'meen believes in Al-Qada wal Qadar, or divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof. This is a belief in the ability of Allah. Finally, to reach the highest level of Iman, more faith is needed. A deeper degree of acknowledgement is required. This includes testifying that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, performing the daily prayers and applying the Islamic rules and regulations in his or her daily life.

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CHAPTER 7 The Pillars of Islam The Five Pillars of Islam are the core beliefs that shape the Muslim’s thought and actions during his life. There are five obligatory acts of worship which every Muslim must dutifully carry out according to their individual condition. A Muslim who fulfills the Five Pillars of Islam, keeping his or her faith, and sincerely repents of his or her sins, will be successful in this life and the hereafter. Failure to follow any of the pillars of Islam is a great sin. Anyone who performs the Five Pillars, but denies any of the obligatory acts, has lost his or her faith and will not to be considered a Muslim by the majority of the Islamic scholars. Therefore, he or she will not be saved from the punishment in the hereafter. Narrated by Ibn Umar, the son of Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them both): the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Performing the prayers (five daily prayers), paying the Zakat, making the Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (Masjid Al-harah in Makkah), and fasting the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari and Muslim) The above Hadith is the foundation of the Pillars of Islam which are as follows: • Shahadah, which is the verbal testimony that “there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” • Establishing the five daily prayers • Paying the Zakat • Fasting the Month of Ramadan • And making pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj) when the means are available. Explanation of the five pillars of Islam

1. The Shahadah The Shahadah is the Islamic proclamation that "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Shahadah is a confession that Allah is the One and only God, Allah alone is worthy of worship, Allah alone is the Creator and the Sovereign Lord. He who does what He wills with whomever He wills and whenever He wills. This means that Allah is the Lord of mankind, jinn and all that exists. He is who creates men, He is 67

Who guides man and He is Who feeds him, gives him drink, cures him when he is ill. Allah is who causes man to die and then He is who brings him to life again. It means that all rules and laws found in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah are to be followed. “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” The recognition that Muhammad is the Prophet of God is obligatory. This also means that Muhammad is the true and greatest prophet of Allah and he is the last Prophet and Messenger. It was through Muhammad that Allah conveyed the last and final revelation. Proclaiming the Shahadah is obligatory for every person intending to enter Islam. By the declaration of the Shahadah a person is considered a Muslim. When a person says the Shahadah he or she is repeating what Allah says in the Qur’an regarding the oneness of Allah and the Messengership of Muhammad. Allah says: Allah bears witness that La ilaha illa Huwa (there is no God except He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in Justice. La ilaha illa Huwa (there is no God except He), the All- Mighty, the All-Wise. (3:18) Allah also says regarding the same topic: So know (O Muhammad) that La ilaha ill-Allah (there is no God but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest (in your homes). (47:19) Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, (the) One, "Allah-us-Samad [Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). "He begets not, nor was He begotten; "And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. (112:1-4) Allah says regarding the confirmation of the second part of the Shahadah that: Muhammad is no more than a Messenger and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful. (3:144).

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By believing and saying the testimony of faith, a person rejects all false objects of worship and asserts that Allah is the only God and the only one to be worshipped. He or she also negates any associates or similitude with Allah, His Lordship, His Actions, or Names and Attributes. He or she also believes in Allah as He is described in the Qur’an and the hadiths. One may ask, “Since Allah says in the Qur’an (in the English translation) that all Prophets and Messengers are equal, then why does the Shahadah only affirm the Prophethood of Muhammad”? It must be understood that Muhammad is the seal of all Prophets and Messengers. Therefore, anyone who affirms the Prophethood of Muhammad is acknowledging all the prophets and Messengers before him. If one were to mention in the testimony any of the Prophet or Messenger names other than Muhammad it would not necessarily mean that person has accepted the Prophethood of Muhammad. Shahadah is the key to Islam. No deeds will be accepted on the Day of Judgment without it.

The Virtues of Shahadah Indeed the statement of Shahadah has tremendous virtues and numerous benefits, and it is impossible to mention them all. However, here I would like to present some of the virtues and the benefits of the Shahadah: Allah promises that once a person says the Shahadah (with belief and sincerity) they will be guaranteed: To be chosen by Allah to be among His slaves, To become one of the Islamic ummah (community), To have all the previous sins removed. To have all previous good deeds increased. To not remain in the hellfire, To enter Paradise () Also, repeating the Shahadah is renewing ones Iman. Indeed it is obligatory upon the person who has accepted and said the Shahadah to live according to it, establish its rights, fulfill the requirements of its conditions and pillars, and move to the second pillar of Islam to learn and practice his or her new deen (way of life). By accepting the Shahadah a person purifies his heart from all kinds of internal impurities such as believing that there is any

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god beside God, that God begets or was begotten, or that there is anything comparable to Him. Then one should purify the body and the garments of all kinds of external impurities (such as blood, urine, and so on) and be able to perform any prayer and the many other acts of worship. Purification Purification literarily means the physical cleanliness of the body and one’s clothes. Purification Islamicaly means: cleaning the body and the clothes of all kinds of impurities according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Purification was the first duty enjoined on the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) after the doctrine of Tawheed. Allah says in the Qur’an: And purify your garments! (74:4) The above verse means that: (O Muhammad) as you purified your heart from all kinds of impure beliefs, you should purify your body and clothes of all kinds of impurities. The Qur’an and the Sunnah have impressed on the importance of the personal purification, so much so that Allah says: Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers). (2:222) The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:" Purification is half of the faith. The phrase al- hamdulillah (All praises be to Allah) fills the scale. The phrases sub-haanallaah (High is Allah above every imperfection and need; He is pure and perfect) and al-hamdullilah (All praise be to Allah) fill together – or each fill – what is between the heavens and earth. Prayer is a light. Charity is a proof. Patience is brightness. The Qur’an is either an argument for you or against you. And everyone goes out in the morning and sells himself either freeing or destroying himself.” (Muslim) Purification must be from impurity (Najasah). Najasah refers to impure substances that the Muslim must avoid and wash off if they should happen to contaminate his / her clothes, body and so on. There are two kinds of impurities as follows:

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• Impurity in Fact (Najasah Haqiqi’yah) which is that impurity which one must keep himself / herself clean and pure from. The impurity in fact such as urine, excrement, semen, blood, swine, dogs and so on. • Impurity in effect is that state of impurity which is not visible to the eye, but which is known through the Islamic Law (shari’ah) injunctions, such as being without ablution (WUDU) or bath (Ghusl) when it is enjoined and needed.. Impurity in effect is two kinds: • Minor impurity which requires ablution (WUDU) to remove it. • Major impurity which requires bathing (Ghusl) to remove it. When must Ablution (WUDU) be performed? Ablution (WUDU) must be performed • After whatever goes out from either one of the two exits of the body (except the semen and the blood of menstruation), • after the absence of mind in any means even for a short time such as sleeping, drunkenness or maddening paroxysm, • after the touch of bodies for sexual pleasure, • after the touch of either one of the private parts for sexual pleasure, • after kissing for sexual pleasure • After the touch of same or other gender for sexual pleasure. Bath (Ghusl) must be performed • After the semen goes out of the body either by sexual intercourse, dream or any other way from a man or woman, • After menstruation. Ablution (WUDU) Ablution (WUDU) is the key to the prayer in Islam. No prayer will be accepted without ablution, when a person stands in prayer he is standing and talking to Allah. Therefore, he has to be prepared for it by performing ablution or bath. Allah says: O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey or any of you come after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse) and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your 71

faces and hands. Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favor to you that you may be thankful. (5:6) How does one perform ablution (WUDU)? Four things have been mentioned in the above verse and two things were driven and understood as the obligatory parts of ablution. If any of them is missed then ablution is not performed and must be repeated. There are total six (6) obligatory (FARD) actions in ablution. These are: 1. Intention of performing ablution (WUDU) 2. Washing the whole face (one time) 3. Washing the hands up to the elbows (one time) 4. Wiping part of the head (one Time) 5. Washing the feet up to the ankles (onetime) 6. Keep it in order There are a total of thirteen (13) Sunnah actions in Ablution. These are: • Saying the Intention () • Reciting ‘Bismillah’ • Washing the hands, three times, up to the wrists • Brushing teeth with a tooth-stick () • Rinsing the mouth, thrice • Sniffing water into the nostrils, thrice, • Combing (doing Khilal) the beard with the fingers • Passing fingers of both hands, against each other, and also passing them through the toes (Khilal of fingers and toes) • Washing, each limb, three times • Performing the Masa’h once over the whole head • Performing the Masa’h of the two ear • Performing Ablution (Wudu) in proper order • Washing each part one after the other without pause to ensure that no part dries up before the next step. In addition to Fard and Sunnah there are some other desirable actions (Mustahabbat) in Wudu. These are: • To begin Ablution (Wudu) from the right side some scholars regard this among the Masnun (Sunnah) acts. This is quite likely. • Performing Ablution all by himself, without taking other’s help. • Facing Qiblah. 72

• Performing Ablution while sitting at a clean and elevated place. Things are invalidate and break the ablution Things are invalidated and break the ablution and these are called nawaqid (breakers) of ablution (WUDU): • Discharging urine or stool, or any other fluid from the mentioned parts • Sexual intercourse or extreme touching • Discharge of gas • Flowing of blood or pus out of any part of the body • Vomiting in mouthfuls • To sleep lying down or by resting the body against something • To faint due to some illness or by any other reason • Becoming insane or going mad. • Getting drunk by taking alcohol or drugs • Laughter in prayer Du’a after finishing the wudu After finishing the wudu it is highly recommended to say the following Du’a Arabic: أشهدان آل اله اال هللا و أشهد ان محمدا رسول هللا اللهم اجعلني من المتطهرين واجعلني من التوابين واجعلني من عبادك الصالحين Transliteration: “Ash hadu ann la illah illa Allah, Wa Ash hado anna Muhammadan Rasoul Allah. Allahumma ij alni mina al tawabeen we ij alni mina al mutatahereen wa ij alni min Ibadika al saleheen” Translation: “I bear witness there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. O Allah! Make me among those who are penitent and make me among those who are purified, and make me among your good servants”. Cleansing (GHUSL) Cleansing (GHUSL) literally means washing of the whole body. In the Islamic term, it means to imply purifying oneself in the prescribed way or performing total ablutions as a religious duty. How does one perform Cleansing (GHUSL)? One shall start cleansing (GHUSL) after saying in the name of Allah. • Wash his hands thrice and • Washing the private parts • Remove any impurity from his / her body.

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• He shall then perform ablution in the manner already described with the exception of washing the feet. • He shall then pour water on his head thrice, over the right side thrice, over his left side thrice. • He shall then rub his body in front and back including beard and hairs. He is not required to make ablution after bath provided he has performed it before bath. Cleansing (GHUSL) is compulsory in four cases: • In case of emission of semen • In case of copulation • After masturbation • And after child birth Other baths are Sunnah, such as: • Bath on the two days of EIds • on the day of Friday • at the time of • at the day of Arafat • at the time of conversion to Islam • after recovery from fainting • and after washing a dead body Purification with Dust (TAYAMMUM) The ideal means of purification is water, If in the case water is not available, or water is available but cannot be reached, or used for a reason, Allah has made it possible for Muslims to use pure dust as means of purification, and taught them the way to use it. Allah Says: O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey or any of you come after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favor to you that you may be thankful. (5:6) When and how does one perform Tayammum?

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In case water is not available or harmful, a person should wait till the time of compulsory prayer comes. He should then proceed to use pure soil with intention of Tayammum. He should put his palms over the sandy soil or dust and lift it to his face, wipe it and intend to observe prayer. It should be done only once. Then he shall again place his palms over the sand and wipe his right hand up to the elbows then left palms, then wipe his left hand up to the elbows. A person can perform only one prayer with each Tayammum. All things that break the WUDU break the Tayammum and also the additional two items listed below: • Availability of water for performing the wudu • Time for the next prayer Wiping over Socks Wiping over the socks is part of the Sunnah. There is a full agreement between the scholars that it is allowed to wipe over the socks--during traveling or at home, if needed or not--even a woman who stays at home or a handicapped person who cannot walk can do so. Wiping over Shoes It is allowed to wipe over shoes. There is no real difference between socks and shoes. It is correct that they take the same ruling. Most scholars say that one can wipe over either one. As it is permissible to wipe over socks so it is permissible to wipe over any foot covering, which has been used to avoid the cold or protect the wound, and so on, usually a foot covering is used for some need and to protect the feet from some harm. If wiping over the socks and slippers is allowed, then wiping over any foot covering should come first. Even if there are some holes or cuts in the socks, it is permissible to wipe over them, as long as the person has only such socks to wear. It was reported that: The slippers of the emigrants and helpers were not free of cuts or holes, like the slippers of the people (in general). If this were a matter of concern, it would have been mentioned and related by them. Conditions that allow for wiping over the socks during Wudu: One must have put his socks (or whatever covering he is using) while in a state of purity. The place to be wiped on a sock: Islamic law prescribes that the top of the sock is to be wiped. The duration of the wiping:

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For the resident, this period is one day and night. For the traveler, it is three days and nights. Some say that the duration begins with the time of the wiping, while others say it begins from the time of nullifying the ablution after wearing the socks. What invalidates the wiping? The following invalidates the wiping: • Post-sex impurity • Removal of the socks

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CHAPTER 8 SALAT (Prayer) Importance of Prayer Allah has enjoined the Salat or the prescribed Prayer (the five daily prayers) on the Muslim Ummah, and made it one of the pillars of Islam; it is the greatest pillar after the two testimonies (Shahaadatayn), and it is a strong link between Allah and His believing slaves where the servant talks to his Lord directly at least five times a day, and has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as an essential characteristic of a true believer Allah Says in the Qur’an: Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours. (4:103) This is the perfect Book, there is no doubt in it. It is guidance for the righteous, who believe in the Unseen, observe Prayer, and spend out of what we have provided for them. (2:3-4) Prayer, Salat 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 you of the Book and observe Prayer. Surely Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil. Verily, the remembrance of Allah possesses the highest beneficence. 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 Salat alone that we are able to establish a living communion with Allah. Allah says: Surely those who follow the Book of Allah and observe Prayer and spend out of that which we have provided for them, secretly and openly, are pursuing a commerce that suffers no loss, for Allah will give them their full reward, and will add to them out of His bounty. He is surely, Most Forgiving, Most Appreciating. (35:30-31) According to the Holy Prophet, (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), Salat is the pinnacle of the spiritual life of the believer. It is the highest form of Divine worship. The Holy 77

Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is further reported to have observed: Prayer brings the believer into communion with his Lord. It must be realised that sincere prayer never goes in vain. Sometimes, the deep spiritual experience of the intense love of Allah 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 except when the Imam straightens himself from the position of , i.e; the bowing position, when instead of saying Allahu Akbar, he says Same Allahu Liman Hamidah which means most certainly Allah listens to those who praise Him. At this call, all the followers also straighten up with arms by their sides, saying Rabbana Wa Lakal Hamdan Katheeran Tayyiban Mubarakan Feehe. Sincerity and humility are the essence of prayer. Allah enjoins believers: Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their Prayers. (23:2-3) The Holy Prophet, (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), has said: No servant of Allah humbles himself for the sake of Allah, but Allah thereby brings about his Raf'a. Raf'a is an Arabic word meaning 'to raise'. It does not mean that Allah will lift him bodily to heaven. Obviously it means that Allah will exalt his status before Him. True humility can only be achieved by mentally concentrating on the attributes of Allah. When His immense greatness on someone, one has no choice but to be humbled. Allah imposed it on the believing slaves to raise their grades, multiply their good deeds, remove their sins and mistakes, bring them into the Paradise, and save them from the Hell-fire, with the

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performance of the rest of the duties and leaving the forbidden actions. The Prophet said: Allah has made compulsory for His servants prayer five times. If a man observes them and does not leave anything out of their duties, there is a covenant for him from Allah that He will admit him in paradise. If a man does not observe them, there is no covenant from Allah for him. If He wishes, He may punish him and if He wishes, He may admit him in paradise. (Nasa’ee) The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) ordered us to pray as he prayed, by informing us about the virtues and the benefits of the prayer, warned us of the punishments of not performing them, neglecting the prayer or even delaying it from its time. On the other hand He promised us that by maintaining it, we will have happiness and satisfaction in this world and the Hereafter. Allah says: Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah (by establishing the Prayer), Verily, in the remembrance of Allah (by establishing the Prayer), do hearts find happiness and satisfaction. (13:28) Prayer is the root of Islam, the pinnacle of good deeds, and the peak of obedience. ` ibn `Afan (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If the time for a prescribed comes, and a Muslim performs Wudu' properly (and then offers his Salah) with humility and bowing (to Allah), it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this is applicable to all times." (Reported by Muslim) Prayer on one hand is a kind of supplication, humility and obedience, and on the other hand it is a protection. Allah Says: Recite (O Muhammad) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur'an), and perform As-Salat. Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshâ' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed) and the remembering (praising) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising) of Allah in prayers. And Allah knows what you do. (29:45)

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The Prayer was orderd by Allah to His Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and his nation on the night of Isra and Me’araj, The obligatory prayers were fifty prayers in a day, but Allah has reduced them to five prayers out of His mercy towards His slaves, and made it easy for them, and kindness to them, and made the reward of these five the same rewards as the fifty out of His generosity upon His servants. Allah describes those who establish the prayers as successful and those who do not as losers. Everyone must be aware of that: neglecting the daily prayers is neglecting Islam. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said in the meaning of the Hadith that: The prayer is the foundation of the Deen, whoever has established it, he has established the Deen and whoever has neglected it, he has destroyed the Deen. He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The first matter of the Muslim deeds will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound; if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad”. The Prayer is the first act that will cause people to enter hell if it was neglected. Allah is telling us in the Qur’an when some people will be asked that: What has caused you to enter Hell?" They will say: "We were not of those who used to offer the Salat (prayers) (74:42). All scholars agree on that Neglecting the Salat and denying its obligation is seen as disbelief and places the person outside the religion of Islam. They base their opinion on several hadith, some of which are: The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer.” The Prophet, (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The pact between us and them is prayer. Whoever abandons it is a disbeliever." Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet, (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The ties of Islam and the principles of the religion are three, and whoever leaves one of them becomes an unbeliever, and his blood becomes lawful: testifying that there is no god except Allah, the obligatory prayers, and the fast of Ramadan.”Another narration states that: "If anyone leaves one of

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them, by Allah he becomes an unbeliever and no voluntary deeds or recompense will be accepted from him, and his blood and wealth become lawful.” Benefits of Prayer Here are many of the Prayer’s benefits in Islam: In the Books of Sunnah it is reported that the Messenger of Allah, (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to hasten to the prayer whenever an affair disturbed him. Previously discussed was the concept of healing most ailments through prayer before seeking out other ways of dealing with them. • Prayer keeps a person obedient to Allah. • Prayer is something that causes one to receive sustenance. • It is something that safeguards one’s physical health. • It keeps away harmful things. • It casts away illnesses. • It strengthens the heart. • It brightens one’s countenance. • It delights the soul. • It gets rid of laziness. • It makes the limbs active. • It increases one’s physical strength. • It expands the chest (making one at ease and giving him insight). • It is nourishment for the soul. • It illuminates the heart. • It safeguards one’s blessings. • It repels catastrophies. • It brings on blessings. • It keeps away the Shaytaan (the Devil). • It draws one close to Ar-Rahmaan (Allah, the Most Merciful). Definition of the Prayer (SALAT) Salat Literally means: Supplication Prayer in Islam means: a type of worship consisting of specific statements and actions. It is begun with (Takbeer) (Saying (ALLAHU AKBAR) in the beginning of the prayer), and is concluded with (Tasleem) (Saying (ASSALAMU ALAYKOM WA RAHMATU ALLAH) in the end of the prayer). Definition’s explanation: 1. Prayer is a type of worship which means that: (have separated

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it from other acts of worship because it has specific rules and conditions to be followed before or while performing it) 2. It is consisting of specific statements and actions, (Statements) means that: Reciting the Fatihah and part of the Qur’an while standing in every rak’ah, say Subhana Raby ya Al Adheem in Rukku’a, Say sami’a Allah Hu li man hame dah after Rukku’a, Say Subhana Raby ya Al A’ala in sujood, and reading the tashahud and the blessing for the prophet. (Actions) means that: Raising hands in the first Takbeer, Standing, Ruku, , and Sitting. 3. Start with Takeer means that: Have to say (Allah Hu Akbar) when starting the Prayer. In another meaning a person cannot start his prayer with any sentence except (Allah Hu Akbar). 4. Concluded with Tasleem means that: Have to turn face to the right and say Assalamu Alaykom Warahmatu Allah, and turn to the left and say the same. Who must pray? The Five daily prayers are obligatory on every sane, adult Muslim (male and female, free and slave, resident and traveler, rich and poor, healthy and sick), but to be performed depending on the individual’s condition and as much as he/she can. Aishah related that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), said: "The pen is raised for three (meaning: there is no obligation upon three): one who is sleeping until he wakens, the child until he becomes an adult, and one who is insane until he becomes sane”.(Bukhari) Although it is not obligatory for a child to pray, it is a must that his guardian orders him to do so when he is seven, and he should punish him if he does not pray after he reaches the age of ten. The number of prayers were prescribes by Allah are five. They are in order as follows: (), Zuhur (Noon), Asr (Afternoon), Maghrib (Sunset) and Isha (Evening). Talhah ibn 'Ubaidullah narrated that a bedouin with unkempt hair came to the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, inform me of what Allah has made obligatory on me as regards praying." He said, "Five prayers, unless you do others voluntarily." He asked the Prophet to inform him about fasting, and he said, "The fast of Ramadan, unless you do others voluntarily." Then he asked him about charity...and the Messenger of Allah informed him of the Islamic legislations. The

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bedouin then said, "By the One who has honored you, I shall not voluntarily add anything to it, nor shall I be deficient in what Allah has ordered me to do." The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, then said, "He will enter Paradise if he is truthful (to what he said)." Time for Prayer (Salat) Each prayer has its own particular time, at which it must be performed. Allah says: Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours. (4:103) The times of the prayers (Salats) were stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah as follows: • The Fajir (Dawn) prayer begins with the true dawn and lasts until sunrise. • The Zuhur (Noon) prayer begins when the sun passes its meridian and it continues until an object's shadow is approximately the same length as the object itself. • The Asr (Afternoon) prayer begins in the afternoon when the shadow of an object is of the same length as the object itself, and continues until the sun sets. • The Maghrib (Sunset) prayer begins with the disappearance of the sun and lasts until the red ends. • The Isha (Evening) prayer begins when the red twilight disappears and continues up to half of the night. , with the mercy of Allah, nowadays we do not have to look at the to know the Salat time, we can use the watch to know the beginning of each Salat. Azan and Iqamah When the time for Prayer begins a Muslim should call for the prayer. This announcement is called AZAN. Azan means to make an announcement informing others about the beginning of the Prayer’s time. Iqamah is inviting them to gather for congregational Prayer (Salat). Azan and Iqamah are obligatory to be called in and for people praying in group. When any man is alone it is permissible for him to call the Azan or not; however, it is better if he calls it, but he must call the Iqamah. A woman is permitted not to call the Azan or Iqamah. How do you call the Azan? 83

The person who is calling the Azan must say:

Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Ashhadu an la ilaha illal lah, ashhadu an la ilaha illal lah, Ash hadu an-na Muhammadan rasool-lah, Ash hadu an-na Muhammadan rasool-lah, hayya 'alas, salah, hayya 'alas salah, hayya 'alal falah, hayya 'alal-falah Allahu Akbar; Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illal lah.' Meaning of Azan: The following is the Arabic transliteration and the English translation of what you hear: Transliteration: Allahu Akbar Translation: Allah is Great Transliteration: Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah Translation: I bear witness that there is no god except the One God (Allah). (said two times) Transliteration: Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah Translation: I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. (said two times) Transliteration: Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah Translation: Hurry to the prayer (Rise up for prayer) (said two times)

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Transliteration: Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah Translation: Hurry to success (Rise up for Salvation) (said two times) Transliteration: Allahu Akbar Translation: Allah is Great [said two times] Transliteration: La ilaha illa Allah Translation: There is no god except the One God (Allah) For the pre-dawn (Fajr) prayer, the following phrase is inserted after the fifth part above, towards the end: Transliteration: As-salatu Khayrun Minan-nawm Translation: Prayer is better than sleep (said two times) IQAMAH Iqamah will be called when group of people or individual are ready to start the prayer. The one who calls Iqamah should say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah, Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah, Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah, Qad qamatu as-salah, Qad qamatu as-salah Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar La ilaha illa Allah Each Salat has its own numbers of Raka’ahs. Raka’ah means Unit, or section. Each Raka’ah contains of the following acts: • Takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) • Standing () • Reciting the Fatihah and part of the Qur’an in the first two Raka’ahs • Ruku (Bow down) • E’atidal (standing from Ruku) • Sujud (prostration) • Sitting (Julus) • Tasleem (in the last sitting of each prayer) Each prayer contains a number of Raka’ahs as follows: • Fajr is two Raka’ahs • Dhuhr is four Raka’ahs • Asr is four Raka’ahs • is three Raka’ahs 85

• Isha is four Raka’ahs. Requirements for the Prayer It is obligatory upon every Muslim to be aware of all the prayer’s requirements which have to be fulfilled for the prayer to be valid and proper. Some of these requirements must be fulfilled before the prayer and some within the prayer. Requirements to be fulfilled before starting the prayer are the following: • Purification of the body • Purification of the place of the prayer • Purification of the garments • Covering the Awrah (which denotes the intimate parts of the body, for both men and women, which must be covered with clothing). For men it includes what is between the navel and the knees, for woman all the body except the hands and the face. • Starting at the time of the prayer • Facing the direction of the Qiblah (the ka’abah in Makkah) Obligatory Duties (Fara’ed as-Salat) (The Pillars of the prayer) In additional to the above duties, there are certain obligatory duties to be fulfilled during the prayer which are the following: • Intention to perform a specific prayer • Takbirat Al Iharam (to begin the prayer with saying Allahu Akbar) • Qiyam (Standing) • Reciting the Fatihah and part of the Qur’an in the first tworaka’ahs • Ruku (Bow down) • E’atidal (standing from Ruku) • Sujud (prostration) • Julus (Sitting) • Tasleem (Ends the prayer) The above are the pillars of the prayer. If any of them is omitted, it is required to repeat the whole Raka’ah (Unit) in which the pillar is omitted; but, if the Takbirat- al-lhram is omitted, it becomes necessary to repeat the whole Salat. Necessary Duties (Wajibatu- Salat) In addition to the above pillars of the prayer, there are also certain necessary duties which need to be fulfilled in the course of the Salat. These are as follows: 86

• Saying "ALLAHU AKBAR" • Saying "SUBHANAA RABBIYAL AZIM" when in Ruku position. • Saying "SAMI ALLAHU LIMAN HAMIDAH" while resuming standing position from the Ruku whether the person is an "Imam" (leader) or is praying alone. • Saying "RABBANA WALAKAL HAMD" when resuming the standing position from the Ruku after saying the words. • Saying "SUBHANA RABBIYAL AALA" when in Sujud (prostration) position. • Taking a sitting position for the recitation of At-Tashahud after the first two raka’ah (units) Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghreb and Isha prayers. • Reciting the At-Tashahud (words of witness) after the first two raka’ah (units) of Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghreb and Isha prayers. • Saying "SAMI ALLAHU LIMAN HAMIDAH". This is required from the Imam (leader), from the congregation and even from a person who is praying alone. The above actions constitute the necessary duties of the prayer and if one of them is missed unintentionally, then the person is required to amend the mistake with the two prostrations of forgetfulness at the end of the prayer. However, if any of these duties is left out deliberately, then the whole prayer is nullified and shall require a repetition. Preferred Acts of the Salat (Sunnah Salat) In addition to the Pillars and Necessary duties already discussed, there are also certain preferred acts to be fulfilled in the course of the prayer. These areas are as follows: • Reciting of an opening supplication (Du'a-al-Istiftaah) after the "Takbiirat al-lhram". • Placing the hands over the chest while the person is in a standing position with the right hand placed over the left hand. • Rising of both hands up to the level of the shoulders or near to the lobes of the ears when saying "Takbiiratil-lhraam", when heading for the Ruku; when resuming standing position from the Ruku. • Seeking the protection of Allah from the cursed Satan (only at the start of the first Raka’ah) by saying: "Audhu billahi mina asshaytani-r-rajiim" which means, "I seek Allah's refuge from the cursed Satan."

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• Starting the prayer with the silent of Allah by saying: "BISMILLAHI-R-RAHMANI-R-- RAHEEM" which means, "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful." • Saying "Ameen" upon concluding the recitation of "Al- Fatihah". • Reciting some chapters or verses of the Holy Qur'an after Al- Fatihah in the first and the second Raka’ahs of each prayer. • A preference that the recitation of Al- Fatihah and of any other additional readings from the Holy Qur'an to be recited in a loud voice in the first and the second raka’ah of Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers. • Reciting the supplication, when sitting for At-Tashahud, in between the supplication for the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the final words of peace. The above points are the preferred acts of the prayer and all Muslims are encouraged to preserve these practices because their observance entitles the person great rewards from Allah. However, missing any of them does neither invalidate the Salat nor require the two prostration of forgetfulness.

Things Which Invalidate the Prayer (Mubtilatu-Salat) Prayer if performed well with due regards to its conditions, pillars, duties and preferred acts, truly illuminates the heart and purifies the soul. It is the means by which man communicates with Allah and therefore, one should keep it free from anything which would render it invalid. In the Arabic Language, the acts which invalidate the prayer are known as "Mubtillatu-Salat" and we now list them here below: • Speaking or talking in the course of the prayer. • Laughing in the course of the prayer. • Eating while praying, even though what is eaten maybe as small as a piece of dates. • Drinking while praying, even though what is drank maybe as small as taking only a mouthful. • If someone in the course of the prayer remembers that he/she did not actually perform the ablution (wudu), then, such a person is required to break the prayer to perform Wudu. • If a person's ablution (wudu) gets invalidated in the course of the prayer, then the prayer becomes invalid. • The prayer is also invalidated by carrying out the Ruku and Sujud postures with haste and without ease. While in 88

prostration, bobbing (jerking) up and down like chicken pecking food from the ground is not allowed. • Turning oneself away from the direction of the Qiblah also invalidates the prayer. How to perform the prayer? It’s so important to know how to pray and pray as the Prophet prayed. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon Him) said: “Pray as you have seen me praying” And He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said:” Teach your children to pray when they are seven and punish then if they do not pray when they reach ten.” To perform the prayer correctly as the Prophet has performed it you have to be aware of the following: • Make sure your body, clothes and place of prayer are clean of all impurity. • After Azan is called and Iqamah is made then; 1. Stand up facing the direction of the Qibla. 2. Make the intention to perform your obligatory prayer. 3. While standing up, raise the hands up above the shoulders, starting the Prayer with by saying (). Arabic: هللا اكبر Transliteration: Allahu Akbar Translation: Allah is Great • Standing (Qiyam) with hands folded over chest, the right hand over the left hand. • Reciting Al-Istiftah (Supplication of Starting) which to be recited only in the first Raka’ah. Arabic: سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك و تبارك اسمك و تعالى جدك و ال اله غيرك Transliteration: Subhana Kal-lah hum-ma wabi hamdika wata- bara kasmuka wata'ala jad-duka wala ilaha ghyruka. Translation: Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are due unto you, and blessed is your name and high is your majesty and none is worthy of worship but You. Next recitation is called Ta'awwuz (Also recited only in the first Raka’ah) Arabic: أعوذ باهلل من الشيطان الرجيم Transliteration: A'uzu bil-lahi mina Shayta-nir-rajeem

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Translation: I seek Allah's protection from Satan who is accursed. • After this, recite the Tasmiah (Should be recited in every Raka’ah before starting a Surah) Arabic: بِ ۡس ِم ٱهللِ ٱل َّر ۡح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل َّر ِحي ِم Transliteration: Bismillah hir-Rahma nir-Raheem Translation: In the name of Allah, the most Gracious the most Merciful. Note: Surah Fatiha (must be recited in every Raka’ah, very important to memorize) Note: In the first two raka’ah of Fajir (dawn), Maghrib (Sunset) and Isha (evening) prayers, the recitation of the Fatihah and short surah must be loud, however, in the Zuhr (Noon) and Asr (Afternoon) must be silent. Arabic: بِ ۡس ِم ٱ ِهلل ٱل َّر ۡح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل َّر ِحي ِم )١( ٱۡل َح ۡم ُد ِ َّ ِّلِل َر ِب ٱۡلعَ ٰـ َل ِمي َن )٢( ٱل َّر ۡح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل َّر ِحي ِم )٣( َم ٰـ ِل ِك يَ ۡو ِم ٱل ِ دي ِن )٤( إِيَّا َك نَ ۡعبُ ُد َوإِيَّا َك نَ ۡستَ ِعي ُن )٥( ٱ ۡه ِدنَا ۡ ۡ ٱل ِ ص َرٲ َط ٱل ُم ۡستَ ِقي َم )٦( ِص َرٲ َط ٱ َّل ِذي َن أَۡنعَ ۡم َت َع َل ۡي ِه ۡم َغ ۡي ِر ٱل َم ۡغ ُضو ِب َع َل ۡي ِه ۡم َو ََل ٱل َّضآ ِ لي َن )٧ ( Transliteration: • Bismillah hir-Rahma nir-Raheem • Alhamdul lil-lahi rab-bil 'alameen • Ar rahma nir-raheem • Maliki yawmid-deen • Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een • Ihdinas siratal mustaqeem • Siratal Lazeena an'amta 'alayhim Ghai-ril maghdubi 'alayhim Walad dal-leen. Ameen Translation: • In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful • Praise is only for Allah, Lord of the Universe. • The most Gracious, the most Merciful • The Master of the Day of Judgment • You alone we worship and to You alone we pray for help. • Show us the straight way. • The way of those whom You have blessed. Who have not deserved Your anger, Nor gone astray. After Surah Fatiha - recite any Surah from the Quran or a few verses. Please note that the recitation in the first Raka’ah should be longer than the one recited in the second Raka’ah. for example: 90

Arabic: بِ ۡس ِم ٱهللِ ٱل َّر ۡح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل َّر ِحي ِم قُ ۡل ُه َو ٱ ََّّللُ أَ َحدٌ )( ٱ ََّّللُ ٱل َّص َمدُ )( َل ۡم يَ ِل ۡد َو َل ۡم يُو َل ۡد )( َو َل ۡم يَ ُكن َّلهُ ۥ ُڪفُ ًوا أَ َحدٌ )( Transliteration: Qul huwal lahu ahad. Allah hus-Samad. Lam yalid walam yulad. Walam yakul-lahu Kufuwan ahad. Translation: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, (the) One. (1) "Allah-us-Samad [Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (2) He begets not, nor was He begotten. (3) And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.(4)

Arabic: بِ ۡس ِم ٱ ِهلل ٱل َّر ۡح َم ٰـ ِن ٱل َّر ِحي ِم َوٱۡلعَ ۡص ِر )( إِ َّن ٱ ۡ ِۡلن َس ٰـ َن َل ِفى ُخ ۡس ٍر )( إِ ََّل ٱ َّل ِذي َن َءا َمنُو ْا َو َع ِملُو ْا ٱل َّص ٰـ ِل َح ٰـ ِت َوتَ َوا َص ۡو ْا بِٱۡل َح ِق َوتَ َوا َص ۡو ْا بِٱل َّص ۡب ِر Transliteration: “Wa Al Asr, Inna al insana lafi khusr, illa allazeena amanoo wa amilow as-salihat, wa tawasow bi-alhaq wa tawasow bissabr. Translation: By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe, do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience. (103:1.2.3) 4. Ruku, (bow down) Recite Allahu Akbar while raising the hands up above the shoulders before going to Ruku. While in Ruku place the hands on the knees, recite the following supplication 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or more times. Make it an odd number. Supplication in Ruku

Arabic: سبحان ربي العظيم سبحان ربي العظيم سبحان ربي العظيم Transliteration: Sub-hana -al 'azeem) three times) Translation: Glory to my Lord the Exalted.

E’atidal (Standing after Ruku) says: Arabic: سمع هللا لمن حمده ربنا لك الحمد

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Transliteration: Sami 'allahhu liman hamida. Rab-bana lakal hamd. Translation: Verily Allah listens to one who praises Him. Oh our Lord, all praise be to You.

First Sajdah (Prostration): Before going to the Sajdah, recite Allahu Akbar. While in Sajdah, recite the following supplication 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or more times. Make it an odd number. Arabic: سبحان ربي االعلى سبحان ربي االعلى سبحان ربي االعلى Transliteration: Sub-hana Rabbi yal a'la (three times) Translation: Oh Allah, glory be to You, the most High.

Jalsah (Sitting between two Sajdah): To rise and sit from the first Sajdah, recite Allahu Akbar. Sit for a short while and recite the following: اللهم اغفر لي و ارحمني :Arabic Transliteration: Allah humma ighfir lee wa ir-hamnee Translation: Oh Allah, forgive me, and have mercy on me.

Second Sajdah: Recite Allahu Akbar before going to the second Sajdah from Jalsah. Recite the same supplication as the first Sajdah. Before starting second raka’ah, say Allahu Akbar while standing up. Now, you have completed one Raka’ah. Then recite Tasmiah and Surah Fatiha. After Fatiha, recite tasmiah and another surah and proceed to Ruku by saying Allahu Akbar. Carry on the acts till the second Sajdah. After second Sajdah, say Allahu Akbar, but sit down for reciting Tashahud, and some supplications before finishing the prayer with Salam. Tashahud Arabic: التحيات المباركات الصلوات الطيبات هلل السالم عليك ايها النبي و رحمه هللا وبركاته السالم علينا وعلىعباد هللا الصالحين اشهد ان َل هللا اَل هللا واشهد ان محمدا رسول هللا Transliteration: At-tahiy-yatu, al-Mobarakato, as sala-watu, at- tay yibatu Lillah. As-salamu 'alayka ay-yuhan-nabiy-yu wa rahma tullahi wa bara-katuhu. As-salamu'alayna wa'ala 'ibadil-la

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his-sali-heen.Ash hadu al-la ilaha il-lal lahu, wa ash hadu an-na Muhammadan 'ab-duhu wa rasuluh.

Translation: All compliments, all physical prayer, and all monetary worship are for Allah. Peace be upon you, Oh Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessing. Peace be on us and on all righteous slaves of Allah.. I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship except Allah And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. If you are offering 3 Raka’ah of salat (as in Maghrib), then after Tashahud in second Raka’ah, you say Allahu Akbar and stand up. Then you recite the Fatiha. Note: No short surah to be recited after Fatiha in the third or the fourth raka’ahs. It is only recited only in the first and the second raka’ahs. Carry on untilsecond Sajdah in the normal manner and sit for second Tashahud in the third Raka’ah. After that, you are to recite the following two supplications and finish the prayer. If you are offering four Raka’ah of salah, then don't sit for Tashahud in the third Raka’ah. Simply stand up after the second Sajdah in the third Raka’ah by saying Alla-hu Akbar. Carry on till second sajdah and sit for Tashahud in the fourth Raka’ah. Recite the tashahud and the following supplication to finish the prayer. Assalatu alibrahemeyah Arabic: اللهم صلي على محمد وعلى ال محمد كما صليت على ابراهيم وعلى ال ابراهيم وبارك على محمد و على آل محمد كما باركت على ابراهيم و على آل ابارهيم انك حميد محيد Transliteration: Allah humma sal-li 'ala Muhammadin, wa 'ala ali Muhammadin, Kama sal-layta 'ala Ibrahim, Wa'ala ali Ibrahim, wa barik 'ala Muhammad, wa 'ala ali Muhammad, Kama barakta 'ala Ibrahim, Wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hameedum Majeed.

Translation: Oh Allah, send grace and honor on Muhammad and On the family and true followers of Muhammad, just as You sent Grace and Honor on Ibrahim, as You sent blessings on Ibrahim and his true followers. And bless Muhammad and On the family and true followers of Muhammad, just as You blessed Ibrahim, as You sent blessings on Ibrahim and his true followers Surely, You are praiseworthy, the Great.

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Now, it's time to finish the prayer by saying Salam. Look towards your right shoulder and say it once then look towards your left shoulder and say it once again. Then you are done! السالم :Arabic عليكم و رحمة هللا Transliteration: As-salamu 'alaykum wa rah-matul lah Translation: Peace be on you and the mercy of Allah.

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CHAPTER 9 Jumu’ah Prayer Jumu’ah Prayer is one of the prayers that are made obligatory to be performed in congregation. The obligatory nature of salat Al-Jumu'ah is from the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the Ijmaa. Allah says in the Qur'an: O you who believe When the call is proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on Friday (Jumu'ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [the Salat in congregation] and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you if you did but know!(62:9) Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said: "We are the last [of the people to come] but the first on the Day of Resurrection. They received their books before us and we got ours after them. This day was obligatory upon them, but they differed concerning it, and Allah guided us. The people, therefore, follow us: the Jews tomorrow and the Christians the day after tomorrow." (Muslim) The scholars are in agreement that Salat Al-Jumu'ah is an individual obligation to be performed in congregation, and it consists of a Khutbah (Speech) and two (units) raka'ah. Salat al- Jumu'ah is an obligation upon every Muslim, male, adult, sane, resident who has the ability to attend the salat and does not have a valid excuse to miss it. The majority of the companions and successors were of the opinion that the time of al-Jumu'ah is the same as that of the zuhr. However, the scholars of the ’s school and some other scholars from different schools are of the opinion that: the time for al-Jumu'ah is from the beginning of the time for salat ul 'id to the end of the time for the zuhr. The majority of scholars now a day are following the second opinion due to the limitation of the time and space in most of the Mosques. (Masjids) There is no dispute among the scholars that a congregation is a condition for the validity of al-Jumu'ah and that salat ul Jumu'ah is valid if there are two or more people present since the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said: "Two or more constitute a congregation." It is valid to perform the Jumu'ah salat in any country, city, , any building in a city, or in any space in a city, and it is also valid to have it performed (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in more than one place. 95

The majority of the people of knowledge are of the opinion that khutbahtul Jumu'ah is obligatory and they support this by the confirmed hadith which state that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) always made khutbah (Speech) with the Jumu'ah salat. It is preferred that the Friday khutbah include praises of Allah, the Exalted, prayers upon the Prophet, admonitions, and Qur'anic recitations. Recommendations before the Jumu’ah prayer Few rules should be observed on the Jumu’ah day. • It is better to prepare for the Jumu’ah day. • Make your clothes clean on this day. Use scented oil and keep your mind free from anxieties so that you may rise up with a free mind on Friday morning. • Take a bath in the morning of Friday. • It is commendable to take recourse to beauty on this day, to be finely dressed, to be pure and to use scented oil. Regarding purity, cleanse your teeth, cut your hair; snip-your mustache and do everything necessary for purity. • It is commendable to go as soon as possible to the mosque. (Masjid) • Ranks of entering a mosque: Nobody should go to the front row of the mosque crossing the necks of men. • Try to take a seat in the first row. • Prayer should be stopped at the time when the Imam gets upon the pulpit. • Not to speak during the Khutbah. • Not to perform any Nawafil prayer during the Khutbah. • Follow the Imam in Jumu’ah. Timing of Jumu’ah Prayer It is very well known among the Muslims that the time for Jumu’ah prayer is the same time as the , However, It is permissible to performe Jumu’ah prayer before Zuhr time for a reasons Like a cold day, limit of time and space, or for security and safety issues. Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet used to offer the prayer earlier if it was very cold; and if it was very hot he used to delay the prayer, i.e. the Jumu’ah prayer. How does one perform Salat Al-Jumu’ah? Salat Al-Jumu’ah consists of a khutbah (speech) and two (2) raka’ahs which must be performed in congregation. 96

How to Give a Khutbah? Al-khutbah, is a religious talk given on Friday just before performing Salat (prayer). It is considered very important to the extent that it is part of Salat. The daily noon prayers are composed of four (Raka'ah), but the Friday Salat is composed of two parts. It is explained that the khutbah is part of Salat, and hence the number of Raka’ah on Friday Salat is reduced from four to two. Since the Khutbah is part of the Salat, and given before Salat, Muslims are supposed to come to the Masjid before the speaker (Khateeb) starts his khutbah. Rules of the Khutbah: The following is a partial list of recommendations concerning the rules and regulations of giving a khutbah. The khutbah is composed of two consecutive speeches with a short break of (asking Allah for His forgiveness) between them. The Khateeb goes up to the pulpit while still standing and greets the congregating Muslims by saying to them: "Assalamu 'Alaikum"; and then he sits down. The Mu'azin calls the Azan (call to prayer). It is the standard Azan, except that it is given inside the Masjid and in front of the Khateeb, immediately after the Khateeb sits down on the pulpit. The Khateeb should start the khutbah by: Praising Allah, Sending blessings and greetings to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon Him), to his family and to his companions, and Saying the Shahadah (I bear witness there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the last Prophet and Messenger of Allah). The Khateeb should quote at least one Ayah (verse) from the Qur'an and one Hadith from the Prophet. It is preferable that they be recited in their original Arabic texts. Before he sits down, he should ask the congregating Muslims to ask Allah for forgiveness, guidance and mercy. He should also ask forgiveness for himself. After a few moments of pause, he stands up and starts the second khutbah. The second khutbah should start with praise to Allah, followed by Salat and greeting unto the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), his family, his companions, and unto their followers. It is preferable that the second khutbah be devoted to

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Du'a' (supplications). The best Du'a' are those from the Qur'an as well as from the Prophet. After the ending of the Khutbah, The Speaker (Khateeb) will ask the Mu’azin to make Iqamah for the Prayer, then he goes down to the prayer area to lead the prayer. Jumu’ah Prayer is two raka’ahs, which are similar to the two raka’ahs of Fajr prayer. The recitation of the Qur’an must be loud in it. In case an individual comes late to the mosque and misses one raka’ah is his Jumu’ah prayer valid? Most of the people of knowledge are of the opinion that if a person catches only one raka'ah of al-Jumu'ah, then that raka'ah will be valid and the person needs to only make up the one raka'ah that he misses. Whoever catches less than one raka'ah of the salat has not caught the Jumu'ah and he is to pray four raka'ah of the zuhr salat according to the majority of the scholars. Ibn Mas'ud says: "Whoever catches one raka'ah from al- Jumu'ah is only to add another one to it. Whoever misses both raka'ah is to pray four raka'ahs." Due to space limitation and condition of the people, it is permissible to perform the Jumu’ah prayer many times in the same location.

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CHAPTER 10 The Various types of Salat (Prayer) TYPES OF SALAT A. Fard (obligatory) Salat: There are two type of the Fard (obligatory) salat: • Fard Al-ayn (A personal obligation) • Fard Kifayah (A Collective obligation) 1. Fard Al-ayn salats are the following: • Fajr : Two Raka’ah Fard , • Dhuhr : Four Raka’ah, • Asr: Four Raka’ah, • Maghreb: Three Raka’ah, • Isha: Four Raka’ah, • Jumu’ah prayer: Khutbah and two Raka’ah. Failure to observe any one of the five obligatory prayers and the Jumu’ah prayer is a serious and punishable sin. 2. Fard Kifayah salats are the following: A. Salat Aljanazah (Funeral Salat) Salat Aljanazah (Funeral Salat): Four Takbeerats without bowing down (Ruku) or prostration (Sujud). The following procedure is the way to offer the Aljanazah salat First Takbeer: Raise hands and say Allahu Akbar loudly, then recite Surah Fatiha silently. Second Takbeer: With hands folded say Allahu Akbar loudly, then صلى( هللا عليه وسلم) invoke peace and Blessings on the Holy Prophet Third Takbeer: Hands still folded say Allahu Akbar loudly, then recite Dua for the deceased. This is the Dua that is to be recited:

Arabic: اللهم اغفر لخينا وميتنا وشاهدنا وغائبنا وصغيرنا وكبيرنا وذكرنا وانثانا اللهم من أحييته منا فأحيه على االسالم ومن توفيته منا فتوفاه على االيمان اللهم ال تحرمنا أجره وال تفتنا بعده Transliteration: Allaahumma ighfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa-ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa, wa kabeerinaa, wa dhakarinaa wa unthaanaa. Allaahumma man ahyaytahoo minnaa fa ahyihee alal Islam wa man tawaffaytahoo minnaa fatawaffahoo alal al Iman. Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la taftinna ba’a dahu. Translation: Oh Allah! Forgive those of us that are alive and those of us that are dead; those of us that are present, and those 99

of us who are absent: those of us that are young, and those of us that are adults; our males and females. Oh Allah! Whomsoever of us You keep alive, let him live as a follower of Islam, and whomsoever You cause to die, let him die as a Believer. 0 Allah, do not deprive us of the reward of our praying for him, and do not test us after him. Fourth Takbeer : With hands still folded say Allahu Akbar Loudly and immediately thereafter Loudly calls (Tasleem) Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah (twice), turning the head First to the right and then to the left. B. Witr Salat (Odd raka’ah): The Witr prayer is Wajib (Highly recommended). This is the preponderant opinion of the Muslim scholars. It is not an obligatory prayer like the other five obligatory prayers. Performing only one Raka’ah of Witr prayer is permissible. But despite its permissibility, praying three Raka’ah or five or seven Raka’ah is more perfect. The time to perform the Witr prayer is after the Isha (evening) prayer. Performing the Witr prayer: The way of performing three (3) Raka’ahs of Witr should not be similar to the way of performing the three (3) Raka’ah of the . In the third raka’ah of the Witr prayer one should after reciting the Fatihah and short surah or passage, raise the hands with takbeer to the ears and then replace them to the chest and recite Du’a Al read the following: Arabic: اللهم انا نستعينك و نستغفرك ونؤمن بك ونتوكل عليك ونثني عليك الخير ونشكرك وال نكفرك ونخلع ونترك من يفجرك اللهم اياك نعبد ولك نصلي ونحفد ونرجوا رحمتك ونخشا عذابك ان عذابك بالكفار ملحق Transliteration: "Allah humma inna nasta-eenoka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu'minu bika wa natawakkalu alaika wa nuthni alaikal khair, wa nashkuruka wala nakfuruka wa nakhla-oo wa natruku mai yafjuruka, Allah humma iyyaka na'budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilaika nas aaa wa nahfidu wa narju rahma taka wa nakhshaa azaabaka inna azaabaka bil kuffari mulhiq" Translation: "O' Allah! We implore You for help and beg forgiveness of You and believe in You and rely on You and extol You and we are thankful to You and are not ungrateful to You and we alienate and forsake those who disobey You. O' Allah! You alone do we worship and for You do we pray and prostrate and we

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betake to please You and present ourselves for the service in Your cause and we hope for Your mercy and fear Your chastisement. Undoubtedly, Your torment is going to overtake the ". Then go to the ruku position and continue the prayer as usual. Performing two Raka’ah and concluding them with Tasleem and then praying one Raka’ah separately with a Tashahud and Tasleem is permissible. C. EID Al-fitr & EID Al Ad’ha: The time for both of the starts when the sun has risen and brightens up sufficiently and lasts till it begins to decline. If possible, the prayer should not be delayed; the Eid al Ad’ha prayer should be offered a little earlier than the Eid al-fitr prayer. The way of performing the Eid prayers is similar to the Jumu’ah prayer but with some change. The changes are the following: • No Azan or Iqamah is required. • The Prayer is before the Kutbah • Add seven Takbeerat in the first raka’ah before the recitation of surah Al-Fatihah • Add five Takbeerat in the second raka’ah after standing from Sujud, before starting the recitation of surah Al-Fatihah. D. Sunnah Salat prayer: The Sunnah Prayers are those which the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) observed before or after Fard at special and isolated occasions. It also includes those which he encouraged Muslims to pray. The can be divided into two categories: Sunnah Muakkadah (Recommended) That is those which are emphasized by the holy Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and offered regularly by him before or after the Fard prayer, Not praying this type of Salat does not invalidate the (Fard) Obligatory Prayer. The Following were emphasized: • Two (2) raka’ah before Fajr, • Four (4) raka’ah before Zuhr, • Two (2) raka’ah after Zuhr, • Two (2) or four (4) raka’ah before Asr • Two (2) raka’ah after Maghreb, • And Two (2) raka’ah after Isha. Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah (optional),

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That is those prayers offered only occasionally by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) This is an extra prayer. There is a reward for praying it and no sin for leaving it. It can be offered at any isolated instance according to the time and capacity of the believer. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), encouraged the believers to pray Nafl to help make up for any minor omissions or other defects in the obligatory prayer. I would like to recommend you to the books of Fiqh to learn more about other types of prayers in Islam. Times when performing prayer is forbidden There are times of the day when a Muslim should never offer any optional or Sunnah prayers, however he can offer an obligatory prayer. Times prayer is forbidden to be offer at are the following: • Starting from the rising of the sun until it is clearly up (around 20 minutes after its rising) • When the sun is at its Zenith • Starting from after Asr until the sun set.

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CHAPTER 11 Zakat Allah placed Zakat next to prayer in many Qur’anic verses, and Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) corroborated it by his (Sunnah), and the community (ummah) by consensus upheld it. Without doubt, Zakat is the third Pillar of Islam. Due to the importance of the Zakat in Islam, the punishment of those who do not pay Zakat has been mentioned in this verse: And those who hoard up gold and silver [the money, the Zakat of which has not been paid], and spend them not in the Way of Allah, -announce unto them a painful torment. On the Day when that will be heated in the Fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them):-"This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard." (9:34-35) Spend means here to pay the compulsory duty of Zakat. It is not an optional charity; it is an individual obligatory act similar to Salat and Fasting, with some rules in fulfilling this "individual" obligation. Who must pay Zakat? Every Muslim whose finances are above a certain specified minimum must pay 2.5 percent of his cash balance annually. This is the minimum. The more you pay, the greater the reward that Allah will bestow on you. The money that we pay as Zakat is not something Allah needs or receives. He is above any want and desire. He, in His benign Mercy, promises us manifold rewards if we help our brethren. But there is one basic condition for being thus rewarded: when we pay in the name of Allah, we shall neither expect nor demand any worldly gains from the beneficiaries nor aim at becoming known as philanthropists. Zakat is as basic to Islam as other forms of ‘: Salat (prayer) and Sawm (fasting). Zakat is not merely on the cash balance. It is also charged on gold, silver, merchandise, cattle and other valuables. The rate of Zakat for all these commodities can be found in the books on Fiqh and is not given here for the sake of economy of space. Muslim societies have much to gain from the institution of Zakat. It is the bounden duty of every well-to-do Muslim to help 103

his lowly-placed, poor brethren. His wealth is not to be spent solely for his / her own comfort and luxury - there are rightful claimants on his wealth, and they are the nation’s widows and orphans, the poor and the invalid; those who have the ability but lack the means to get useful employment, and those who have the talent but not the money to acquire knowledge and become useful members of the community. He who does not recognize the call on his wealth of such members of his own community is indeed cruel. For there could be no greater cruelty than to fill one’s own coffers while others die of hunger or suffer the agonies of unemployment. Islam is a sworn enemy of selfishness, greed and acquisitiveness. Islam’s teachings are the antithesis of this attitude. Here one shares one’s wealth with others and helps them stand on their own feet and become productive members of society. What is Zakat? Allah says in the Qur’an: Take (Zakat) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (9:103) Zakat means grow (in goodness) or 'increase', 'purifying' or 'making pure'. So the act of giving zakat means purifying one's wealth to gain Allah's blessing to make it grow in goodness. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to Allah, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth. Zakat not only purifies the property of the contributor but also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed. It also purifies the heart of the recipient from envy and jealousy, from hatred and uneasiness and it fosters instead good-will and warm wishes for the contributors. ZAKAT: (Alms) The Zakat is a form of giving to those who are less fortunate. It is obligatory upon all Muslims to give 2.5 % of wealth and assets each year (in excess of what is required) to the poor. Giving the Zakat is considered an act of worship because it is a form of offering thanks to God for the means of material well- being one has acquired.

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Zakat is distributed among 8 categories of people, namely: As-Sadaqat (here it means Zakat) are only for the Fuqara'a (poor), and Al-Masâkin (the poor) and Al Amileen Alayha (those employed to collect the Zakat if they are in need); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined towards Islam; and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah's Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise. (9:60) The Holy Qur'an classifies the due recipients of Zakat under the following eight categories. • Fuqara’a - Those who have neither material possessions nor means of livelihood. • Masakin - Those who with insufficient means of livelihood to meet basic needs. • Amileen - Those who are appointed to collect Zakat. • Muallafah qulubahum - Those who are looking to converts to Islam but they fear poverty or the society. • Riqab - Is the One who wants to free himself from bondage or the shackles of slavery. (Due to the fact that the recipients of this category are unavailable any more so Zakat can be spent on those who need help to pursue education or to improve their standard of living). • Gharmineen - those who are in debt. • Fisabillillah - For the cause of Allah.(to build educational institutions, Hospitals, roads, strengthen the Army of the country, and so on) • Ibnus Sabil - Is the One who is stranded in journey. The purpose of Zakat in Islam is to keep the community together by extending the hand of the wealthy to the needy and change the poor conditions from recipients to a giver, to alleviate their state of poverty.

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CHAPTER 12 FASTING Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. is the fourth pillar of Islam, and there is no doubt that the obligation of fasting Ramadan is very clear in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the Ijmaa of the scholars. Allah says: O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (2:183) Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, is better for you if only you know. (2:184) The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allahu Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him. (2:185) There are many hadiths in the Sunnah as proof of the obligation of fasting. It shall mention a few of them as follow: Narrated ': (The tribe of) Quraish used to fast on the day of ' in the Pre-Islamic period, and Allah's Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast it too. When the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah He fast that day and ordered the Muslims to fast on it till the fasting in the month of Ramadan was prescribed; whereupon the Prophet said, "He who wants to fast (on 'Ashura')

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may fast, and he who does not want to fast may not fast." (Bukhari) Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting." (Bukhari) The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one disputes this, he cannot be called a Muslim. The Meaning of Fasting The Arabic word for fasting is (As-Siyam) which means "to abstain from something”. Fasting in the Islamic term means abstaining from food, drink, smoke, sexual intercourse, or anything entering the body from dawn until sunset with the explicit intention of doing so (for the sake of Allah). Duration of Sawm Fasting starts every day in Ramadan at the break of dawn, which is also the start of the Salatul Fajr time. Fasting ends at sunset or with the call of Salatul Maghrib. Who must fast Ramadan? Fasting Ramadan is obligatory for every Muslim male or female, sane, adult, healthy, and resident. Fasting Ramadan is not obligatory for the following: non- Muslim, and Muslim who has any of the following categories: (children, insane, sick, traveler, elderly, female who is in the period of menstruation or postnatal bleeding (nifas), and breast- feeding or pregnant women. The following are not required to fast, though they are obliged to make up fast-days missed. (Meaning that one fasts a single day for each obligatory fast-day missed):

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• those who are ill (the illness that permits not fasting being that which fasting would worsen, delay recovery from, or cause one considerable harm with; the same dispensation applying to someone who needs to take medicine during the day that breaks the fast and that he cannot delay taking until night); • those who are traveling • or a woman who is in her menses or period of postnatal bleeding • Woman who is breast-feeding • Woman who is pregnant It is permissible not to fast when traveling or sick, However, If the ill person or traveler takes it upon himself to fast, his fasting is valid, but It is preferable for the ill person not too fast, and for traveler not to fast if fasting would harm him/her, though if not, then fasting is better. A person is considered a traveler when the journey is at least 50 miles one way. A woman who is breast-feeding a baby or is pregnant and apprehends harm to herself or her child may omit the fast and make it up later. When not fasting on a day of Ramadan, if a non-Muslim becomes a Muslim, an insane person regains his sanity, or a child reaches puberty, it is recommended but not obligatory that they fast the rest of that day and make up the fast later. A child who reaches puberty while fasting on a day of Ramadan is obliged to fast the rest of the day, and is recommended to make it up. A woman whose period ends during a day of Ramadan is recommended to fast the rest of the day and is obligated to make up the fast (and the fast-days prior to it missed during her period or postnatal bleeding). Compulsory duties during the fast: • To make niyyah (Intention) of fasting: To make niyyah (Intention) for any act is compulsory in Islam, Niyyah (Intention) for the obligatory fasting is compulsory every night to be made before dawn. One niyyah for full Ramadan month is sufficient. • No to admit anything outside in the body willingly during fast. • Abstinence from sexual intercourse or any act which leads to it during fast.

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• Abstinence from deliberate vomiting. Willful vomiting breaks fast. Atonement (Kaffarats) for breaking of a fast: There are four modes of compulsory atonement (kaffarats) of fast if it is broken. 1. Making amend (Kaffara). It is compulsory on every Muslim to make up the missed days after Ramadan. 2. Kaffara or Atonement is not compulsory except in case of sexual intercourse in which case one is to set a Muslim slave free, to fast for two consecutive months, failing that, to feed sixty poor people. 3. Imsak or refraining oneself from food drink, and from sexual intercourse. If a man breaks fast carelessly but without excuse, it is compulsory on him to refrain from food, drink and sexual intercourse for the remaining portion of the day. 4. Fidya or expiation: if a pregnant or suckling woman does not keep her fast for fear of her child, it is compulsory on her to give its compensation by giving one Mud of food-stuff to a poor person. If an old-person of age is unable to keep her fast, he may compensate each fast by giving food crops of one Mud for each day. Recommended actions in Ramadan: • To eat Suhur later (late Meal), • To breakfast with dates or water, • To breakfast before performing the Magrib prayer, • Not to cleanse teeth after mid-day, • Perform the Taraweeh prayer, (will be explained in the end of this chapter Insha a Alaah) • To give charity, • To recite the Quran, • And to observe I' tekaf (staying) in a mosque in the last ten nights of Ramadan. Things that break the fast (Muftirat): The muftirat are those things from which it is obligatory to refrain during the fast, from dawn to sunset. They are: 1. Eating and drinking deliberately. 2. Inhaling tobacco (smoking). (This is Haram (forbidden) all the Time) 3. Sexual intercourse. 4. Seminal emission (masturbation). 5. Vomiting: It invalidates the fast if deliberate. 109

6. Injection (of vitamins or other nutrition). 7. Chewing gum. 8. Inhaling Smoke from someone who is smoking. 9. The intention to discontinue the fast. 10. A person who deliberately remains in the state of janabah until the sunset, his fast remains invalid and he Has to fast that day again. (According to some schools of Fiqh) 11. A person who deliberately ascribes some-thing falsely to Allah or the Messenger (i.e. if he speaks or writes that Allah or the Messenger said so and so or ordered such and such a thing while he is aware that it is not true), his fast will be invalid and he will be liable to fast another day, as well as a kaffarah (Pay due). A group of Imams legists go further by requiring of such a fabricator the kaffarah of freeing a slave, fasting for two months, and feeding sixty poor persons. This shows the ignorance or malice of those who say that the Imams consider it permissible to forge lies against Allah and His Messenger. A fasting person should control himself/herself from all the Haram (unlawful) and bad issues, and to be mindful of all the issues which could lead to destroying his/her fasting such as: falsehood, back-biting, slander, perjury and looking with sexual passion, abusive speech, obscenity, hypocrisy and enmity and hearing the evil talks. A fasting person should save the tongue, hands, feet and other organs from committing any sin. Prohibited Fasts: Fasting is prohibited on the following days and conditions: 1. Fasting on the days of 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-'Adha. 2. A woman's fasting during her monthly parioed or after birth. Supererogatory Fasts: Fasting is considered mustahab on all the days of the year except those on which it has been prohibited. But there are days whose fast has been specifically stressed and they include but not limited to: • Three days of each month, preferably the 'moonlit' days (al- 'ayyam al-bid), which are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of each lunar month. • Fasting on the day of 'Arafah (9th of Dhu al-Hijjah) Not the people performing Hajj. • Fasting on the days of Ashura’a (9th and 10th or 10th and 11th of Muharam).

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• The fasts of the months of Rajab and Sha'ban. • Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. • There are other days as well which have been mentioned in elaborate works. There is consensus among all the schools that fasting on these days is mustahab. (Makruh) Disliked Fasts: • It is mentioned that fasting is makruh in the following conditions: Single out Fridays and Saturdays for fasting. • Fasting on the day or the two days just before the month of Ramadan. • A guest to fast without the permission of his host, • A child to fast without the permission of his / her parent, • And when there is doubt regarding the new moon of Dhu al- Hijjah and the consequent possibility of the day is being that of 'Id. Zakat al-fitr Zakat ul-fitr is a type of Zakat which must be paid by every Muslim regardless of age, sex, personal condition within the month of fasting (Ramadan). Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the 'Id prayer. (Bukhari) Purpose Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) made the Zakat al-Fitr obligatory for the purpose of: purifying our fasting from vain talk and shameful mistakes, to make arrangements for the poor and the needy for food and clothing (for the festival of Eid). (Hadith: Abu Dawud, Ibn Maja). Who should pay? Every adult Muslim, with sufficient food for the family for a day, should pay Zakat al-Fitr for himself/herself and all his/her dependents. Even those who did not fast should pay it. Zakat al- Fitr should also be paid for the child born or the person who died before the Fajr (dawn) on the day of Eid. How much should be paid? At the time of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), payment of Zakat al-Fitr was made in terms of weight of grain. It is one Sa for each person. One Sa approximately 111

equals to 3.15 kg or 6.94 lbs. The Muslim jurists agree that Zakat al-Fitr can also be paid in cash equivalent to the cost of 3.15kg/6.94 lb. of grain including rice, wheat, lentils, corn, and dry cheese. Zakat al-fitr is a flat amount per household member paid by the head of the household for himself and his or her dependents. It should be paid no later than the eid-al-fitr. For example, a married person with three children should add the number of his household and multiply by the amount to pay. When to pay? Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has said, "Whoever paid it (Zakat al-Fitr) before Salatul Eid, it is acceptable Zakat before Allah. Whoever paid it after Salat-ul- Eid, it is just a charity." The companion of the Prophet used to pay it a few days earlier. (Hadith: Bukhari) Imam Shafi'i held the opinion that Zakat al-Fitr can be paid as early as the beginning of Ramadan. I suggest that Zakat al-Fitr should be paid early enough so it will reach the needy and the poor before the Eid day. It will enable them to use it for food and clothes and give them the opportunity to enjoy the happiness of Eid-ul-Fitr. Who should be paid? Zakat al-Fitr should be paid directly to the needy and the poor. However, you can also pay it to an organization, which would distribute it in accordance with the teaching of Islam. Abu Hanifah, Muhammad, and Ibn Shubrumah made it permissible to give zakat ul-fitr to a Non-Muslim. Allah, the Exalted One, says: "Allah allows you to show kindness and deal justly with those who did not war against you on account of religion and did not drive you out from your homes. Lo! Allah loves those who are just". (60:8)

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CHAPTER 13 Taraweeh Prayer What is Taraweeh Prayer? The Taraweeh Prayer is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) during the month of Ramadan. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that: the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), prayed one night in the mosque, and the people followed him in prayer. Then he prayed the next night, and many people came. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night, and the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), did not come out to them. The next morning he said: “I saw what you did, and nothing kept me from coming out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made obligatory for you.” And that was in Ramadan. (Bukhari and Muslim) These hadith show that praying Taraweeh in congregation is prescribed in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Umar during his Khilafah re-established this Sunnah of praying in congregation. “Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abd al-Qaari said: I went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) to the mosque one night in Ramadan, and the people were scattered, each man praying by himself. Some men would pray and have groups of people behind them following them. ‘Umar said: “I think that if I unite all these people to pray behind with one Imam, it will be better. Then he resolved to gather them behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b”. (Bukhari) “When the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) died, there was no longer any fear of that happening, and ‘Umar thought, because of the potential division that might arise from people praying separately, and because uniting them behind one Imam is more motivating for many people. The majority agreed with ‘Umar’s decision.” (Fath al-Baari) The virtues of the Taraweeh Prayer Abu Hurayrah said: Allah's Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said "He who prays during the night in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven" (Bukhari and Muslim). The Majority of scholars say that: “all his past sins” means his minor sins not major sins, if the person stands all the nights of 113

Ramadan in prayer and not just a few nights. The scholars say in order for major sins to be forgiven a person is required to make sincere repentance (Tawbah). Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever stands with the Imam until he finishes, it is equivalent to spending the whole night in prayer.” The time for Taraweeh prayer is between Isha and Fajr. Generally during Ramadan the taraweeh prayer is prayed after the in the Masjids in congregation.

The Number of Raka’ahs of the Taraweeh prayer There are two opinions as to how many raka’ahs should be prayed. One opinion says that it should be 8 raka’ahs followed by three raka’ahs of witr. The proof of which are in the following hadiths: This proof is the hadith of Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), “How did the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) pray during Ramadan?” She said: “He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) did not pray more than eleven (17) raka’ahs in Ramadan or at other time. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and how long they were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and how long they were, then he would pray three. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, will you sleep before you pray witr?’ He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘O ‘A’ishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not.’ (Bukhari and Muslim) ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray eleven raka’ahs at night, and say the tasleem after each two raka’ahs, and he would pray Witr with one raka’ah. Saheeh, (agreed upon) Some scholars opted for a different number of raka’ahs Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Haneefah and Imam al-Shafa’i said one should pray 20 instead of 8. Imam Malik said it is thirty-six. There is no set limit as to how much Quran is recited in each night of the taraweeh prayers. Most Masjids have Imams who have memorized the whole Quran. They will recite it in the taraweeh prayers and by the end of Ramadan the congregation will have listened to the recitation of the whole Quran.

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If you are praying at home but have not memorized the whole Quran, then you recite what you have memorized of the Quran in the 8 raka’ahs and then pray (3) reka’ahs witr.

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CHAPTER 14 Hajj (Pilgrimage) Writing about Hajj and the performance of it needs a separate book because there are many different details that go into it. In this chapter we will not state the rules and regulations of Hajj, neither the performance of it in details. We will however, touch base on the secrets and excellence of Hajj, some of the terms used, and the importance of Makkah and Madinah for the Muslims. We would like to refer you to the Fiqh books relating to the performance of Hajj. OBLIGATION OF HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE) Hajj (Pilgrimage) is the fifth pillar of Islam; Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after Hijrah (Migration of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) from Makkah to Madinah). Allah made it obligatory on those who can afford it to visit Makkah at a specific time, at least once in a lifetime. The pilgrimage is, in a way, one of the best forms of Ibadah. Unless a person really loves Allah he/she would never undertake such a long, expensive, and tiring journey leaving all his/her near and dear ones behind. Hajj must be devoted to Allah only with the performance according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). The obligation of Hajj upon Muslims is once in a lifetime. It is very clear in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus among the scholars of Islam. The obligation of Hajj in the Qur’an Allah says in the Qur’an: Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at (Makkah), full of blessing, and guidance for Al- 'Alamîn (the mankind and jinn). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the 'Alamîn (mankind and jinn and all that exists). (3: 96-97) And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from

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every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj). (22:27) Verily! As-Safâ and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Hajj or 'Umrah (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawâf) between them (As-Safâ and Al-Marwah). And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allah is All-Recognizer, All-Knower. (2:158) The obligation of Hajj in the Sunnah Abu Hurairah narrates that once, in a , the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "O people! Allah has prescribed Hajj for you, so you must perform it." A man asked: "Every year, O Prophet of Allah?" The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) remained silent. When the man repeated it thrice, the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Had I said 'yes', it would have become a yearly obligation, and this would have been beyond your power." Then he added: "Leave me alone so long as I leave you alone (i.e., do not pester me with questions about things which I omit and do not mention). Some people who lived before you were destroyed because they asked too many questions and disagreed with their Prophets. So when I command you to do something, you must obey and do it to the best of your power, and if I forbid you from something, then avoid it." (Muslim) There is a consensus among the Muslims scholars that Hajj is obligatory once in the lifetime. Who must perform Hajj? There is a consensus among jurists concerning the prerequisites that must be found in a person for Hajj to be incumbent on him: • He/She must be a Muslim. • He/She must be an adult. • He/She must be of a sound state of mind. • He/She must be free to travel. • He/She must have the necessary power and ability. When can a person perform hajj? A person should perform Hajj as soon as he/she has the ability to do so. However, a person can delay it till a later time. The obligation of performing Hajj is once in a lifetime starting from the age of puberty until before his/her death.

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Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam that someone can perform on behalf of another. If a person died before performing Hajj, then his/her heir can assign someone to perform it on his/her behalf. Even if someone has the ability to perform Hajj but afterward he/she is unable to perform it due to old age or sickness, he must send someone to perform Hajj on his/her behalf. The one who is assigned to perform Hajj on behalf of someone else must have performed his own hajj ahead of time. Terms those are used during (Pilgrimage) Hajj. Hajj is a kind of Ibadah which is different from other Ibadat because a person must perform it at a specific time, specific places, and use specific dresses. The other Ibadat (Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Fasting) a Muslim can perform them wherever he / she is. 1. Mawaqit: can be referred to as: a. The starting time for Hajj b. The place where no one should pass without making his / her intention for Umrah or Type of Hajj to be performed and changing of the regular clothing to put on the Ihram. 2. Ihram is: Taking off all sewn cloths and putting on Hajj garb, which consists of two sheets of cloth with the intention to perform hajj or Umrah or both. 3. Qiran: Making the Intention of combining both Umrah and Hajj with no (Tahleel) break in between. 4. Tamattu: Making the intention to combine both Umrah and hajj with a (Tahleel) break in between. 5. Ifrad: Making the intention to perform Hajj only. 6. Umrah consists of Ihram, Tawaf, sa’ay and Tahleel. 7. Ka’abah is the place where the Muslims face in their prayers and where the one who is performing Hajj or Umrah must make Tawaf. 8. Tawaf (circumambulation) seven times around the Ka’abah. 9. Sa’ay is the walking and running between the Safa and the Marwa hills. 10. Safa is a hill where the person performing hajj or Umrah should start the Sa’ay. 11. Marwa is a hill where the person performing hajj or Umrah ends the Sa’ay. 12. Mina is the place where people performing Hajj should move to on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah. (Before hajj)

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13. Arafat is the Mountain where everyone performing Hajj must be from noon time on the ninth of Dhul-Hijah to the sunset of the same day or part of that day until Fajr. 14. Mozdalifah is a place where people will move to from Arafat after the sunset. They pray Maghrib and Isha there; collect the pebbles (stones) for Rajem. Then stay there until mid- night or upto dawn where they pray fajr, then they go back to Mina to throw the pebbles. 15. Rajem is throwing the pebbles (one emulates Abraham when Allah ordered him to throw pebbles on the Satan to drive him away). 16. Sha’aer is the place where the pebbles are thrown. 17. Zabihah is the sacrificing of an animal (to be done on the 10th, 11th or the 13th of Dhul-Hijah). 18. Tahalull means coming out of the state of Ihram; making lawful what was previously prohibited during Ihram. The Ka’abah The Qur'an makes it clear that Prophet Abrahim and his son Ismail were the true founders of the Ka’abah. Together they built the holy shrine dedicated to the worship of Allah. Five times each day more than a billion Muslims around the world turn to face the direction of the Ka’abah to offer their prayers to Allah. It is also, of course, the focal point of the Hajj and Umrah. Set in the eastern corner of the Ka’abah is the (al- Hajar al-Aswad). The Black Stone predates the birth of Islam. Now, set in gold; forms an integral part of the Ka’abah. In the course of the pilgrimage, the will kiss or touch the Black Stone, not because the Black Stone is holy in itself but because it was kissed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). It was narrated that Umar once made prostration over it. He was then making Tawaf riding and he placed the staff in his hand on it and kissed one end of it. He said once after kissing it: I know certainly that you are a mere piece of stone and you cannot do any benefit or harm. Had I not seen the Prophet kissing you, I would have never kissed you. Then he wept and raised his voice high. Then he said to Ali behind him: O Abul Hasan, take advice and intercede, your prayer will be accepted. Ali said: O Commander of the Faithful, it has got benefits and harms. He asked: In what way? He said: When Allah took promise from the descendants of Adam, He wrote a scroll on them and impressed it

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on this stone. It will bear witness for those who fulfilled their promise and against the infidels for infidelity. MAKKAH The Holy City of Makkah is the place where Prophet Abraham made some of His offspring to dwell by God’s sacred House (the Ka’abah). It is the place where Abraham and His son Ishmael built the First House for people as a place of worship. It is the place where the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), was born - the place where God's message was first revealed to him and the city to which he returned after the migration to Madinah in 622 CE. Makkah is the holiest city on earth to Muslims. It is variously known as Makkah Al- Mukarramah, Umm Al-Qura (the origin of the Cities), Al Balad Al- Ameen (the Secure City), and Al-Balad Al-Haram (the Sacred City). Five times each day, more than one billion Muslims, wherever they may be, turn to the Holy City of Makkah to pray. And at least once in their lives, all Muslims who are not prevented by personal circumstance perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. The Holy Mosque in Makkah houses the Ka’abah. The multiplication of reward for prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam is proven in the report narrated from Jaabir (may Allah be :said )صلى هللا عليه وسلم( pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah “One prayer in my mosque is better than one thousand prayers elsewhere, except al-Masjid al-Haraam, and one prayer in al- Masjid al-Haraam is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.” Ahmad and Ibn Majaah. MEDINAH Madinah is the second holiest city in Islam. It was to Madinah that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and his followers migrated. Faced by the hostility and persecution of some of the disbelievers of Makkah, and when the citizens of Madinah asked the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to live amongst them and to arbitrate in their affairs after they believed in him and accepted Islam. It was in Madinah that the Islamic era began. Madinah is then the city of the Prophet. As the place in which the Holy Qur'an was compiled, the place in which the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) died, the place in which is the Mosque and the shrine of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and from which the Prophet's companions administered the affairs of the Muslim community; it was the capital of the Islamic state.

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From Madinah, Islam spread to the rest of the world. The full name of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah means "Enlightened City". A visit to Madinah is not part of Umrah or Hajj but the deep affection in which the Prophet held the city and its intimate connection with the birth of Islam puts it on the itinerary of most pilgrims performing Hajj or umrah. Umrah What is Umrah? Umrah means paying a visit to the Ka’abah, performing Tawaf (circumambulation) around it seven times, walking between seven times. A performer of 'Umrah removes his Ihram by having his hair shaved or cut. Umrah can be performed along with Hajj and on other days as well. Allah Says in the Qur’an regarding the Umrah: Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwa (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who performs Hajj or Umrah of the House (the Ka'abah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them (As-Safa and Al-Marwa). And whoever does well voluntarily, and then verily, Allah is All- Recognizer, All-Knower. (2:158) Umrah is one of the that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) has performed many times. Narrated Anas: Allah's Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) performed four 'Umrahs, all in the month of Dhul-Qi'dah, except one, which he performed with his Hajj (i.e. in Dhul-Hijja). He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) performed one 'Umra from Al-Hudaibiya in Dhul-Qi'dah, another Umra in the following year in Dhul Qi'dah, a third from Al-Jirana where he distributed the war booty of Hunain, in Dhul Qi'dah, and the fourth Umra he performed was with his Hajj. Umrah is a Sunnah for anyone visiting Makkah to perform. Umrah can be performed anytime during the year. There is no fixed time for Umrah, and can be done within a few hours. The Pillars of Umrah are four: a) Ihram b) Tawaf c) Sa'ay d) Tahleel: How to perform Umrah? When the one who wants to perform 'Umrah arrives at the Meeqat, it is recommended for him (both man and woman) to:

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take a bath if convenient. Men are to change into their clothing of Ihram while the women only need to make their intention at that time in the clothing they are already wearing. There is no specific clothing designated for women, except that they are prohibited from wearing the Niqaab (face-veil) and gloves. As for men, they must assume their Ihram at the Meeqaat by wearing two pieces of fabric called the Izaar and the Ridaa'. The Ridaa' covers the top half of the body, while the Izaar covers the lower half. No other clothing is allowed to be worn in addition to these – (e.g. no underwear, no pants, no shirt, no , no hat, etc. are to be worn unless there is a reason for it). Then the pilgrim makes the intention at the Meeqaat to begin the rites of Umrah by entering the state of Ihram. The intention must be made in the heart, while the statement made afterwards is: "Allahumma labbayka for 'Umrah". This statement begins the rites of Umrah. So the first pillar of `Umrah is the Ihram. The intention is made in the heart, while the tongue recites the opening Talbiyyah which is the following: لبيك اللهم لبيك لبيك ال شريك لك لبيك ان الحمد والنعمة لك والملك ال شريك لك

Upon arriving at the sacred mosque in Makkah (Al-Masjid Al- Haraam), you should enter with your right foot then walk until you reach the Ka’abah. Upon arriving at the Ka’abah, stop reciting the Talbiyyah, then approach the Black Stone, touch it with your right hand and kiss it. If this is not possible, you should face the Black Stone and point to it. Don’t push and shove, causing harm and being harmed by other people. When touching the Stone, the following is said: "Bismil-laah, Allah hu Akbar". A pilgrim must walk, keeping the Ka'abah on his left. When you complete seven circuits of Tawaf, approach Ibrahim (Ibrahim’s station) and then pray two short Raka’ahs, behind Maqaam Ibrahim. If it is not possible then you can pray them anywhere in the sacred mosque. Upon completing the two Raka'ahs, return to the Black Stone and touch it, if convenient. The next stage is to go to Safa where a pilgrim should start the sa’ay, facing the Ka’abah and then descend and go towards Marwa, running between the fluorescent green lights (for men only); upon reaching Marwa climb upon it if it is possible. This completes one circuit. Then one continues back to Safa running

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between the fluorescent green lights (for men only) - thus completing two circuits. There are no particular supplications to be recited between Safa and Marwa. Seven circuits are to be completed ending the last one on Marwa. Then one is to have his hair cut although shaving it is better. Women should shorten their hair a finger’s-tips length from the end. The rights of Umrah have now been completed. This is only a brief summary of all the rites of Hajj, Umrah and visiting Al-Madinah.

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CHAPTER 15 The Islamic calendar is based on lunar months, which begin when a thin new crescent Moon is sighted in the western sky after sunset within a day or so after the New Moon. Hence, the month is either 29 days or 30 days. There are 12 months in an Islamic year, which is either 354 days long or 355 days long, compared to (Gregorian) calendar year of 365 or 366 days. Since the Islamic Lunar year has 12 lunar months, it is on an average, 11 days shorter than the (Gregorian) year, and the Islamic year shifts earlier in each Gregorian year by about 11 days. The 12 months of the Islamic calendar are: 1. Muharram 7. Rajab 2. Safar 8. Sha’ban 3. Rabi' al-Awwal 9. Ramadan 4. Rabi' al-Thaani 10. 5. Jumada al-Oola 11. Dhul al-Qi’dah 6. Jumada al-Thania 12. Dhu al-Hijjah

The Islamic (Hijri) calendar year is usually abbreviated A.H. Commonly known as "After Hijrah. It was during the Messenger Muhammad's (peace be upon him) last pilgrimage in the 10th year of Hijrah (10th year of his migration from Makkah to Madinah), that the decision was made to introduce a purely lunar Islamic Calendar. Although, the Islamic calendar was introduced in the Christian Era of 632 AD by the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), the beginning of the Islamic era for the count of Islamic years was considered and discussed during 639 AD, the time of the 4th year of the of Omar who declared that the most important event in establishing the roots of Islam in Madinah is Hijrah (Messenger's migration from Makkah), therefore let it become the epoch of the era which happened in 622 AD. The actual starting date for the Islamic Calendar was chosen to be the first day of the first month (1st Muharram) of the year of the Hijrah.

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CHAPTER 16 Sincerity (IKHLASS) Sincerity is generally understood to be truth in word and action. One who means what he says is a sincere person. One who does not mean what he says is not a sincere person and is perhaps even a hypocrite. Because of its purity the term ‘sincerity’ has endeared itself to Muslims. Allah loves the sincere people and Muslims also love to be known as sincere people. Sincerity in the Qur’an: Allah says: He (Allah) is the Ever Living, Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (There is no God but Him), so worship Him making your worship pure for Him Alone (by worshipping Him Alone, and none else, and by doing righteous deeds sincerely for Allah's sake only, and not to show off, and not setting up rivals with Him in worship). All praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) (40:65) They were only ordered to worship Allah, making their Deen sincerely His as people of pure natural pure belief (hunafa'), and to establish the Salat and pay Zakat - that is the Deen of the correct. (deen al-qayyima)." (98:5) He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (4:100) Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If you are righteous, then, verily, He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn unto Him again and again in obedience, and in repentance. (17:25) It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. (22:37) Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "It means that your intentions reach Him." Ibrahim said, " is the means by which you desire His Face." The meaning of this is that Allah will not accept an offering of flesh and blood when it is offered without fearful awareness of Allah. He accepts that through which you show Him your fearful

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awareness of Him. This indicates that no act of worship is without intention. Sincerity in the Sunnah: Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), reported: Messenger of Allah said, "The deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration will be for Allah and His Messenger; and whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration would be for what he emigrated for".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments". (Muslim) 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated that: He heard Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying: "Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A rock fell down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They said: 'Nothing will save you from this unless you supplicate to Allah by virtue of a righteous deed you have done.' Thereupon, one of them said: 'O Allah! I had parents who were old, and I used to offer them milk before any of my children or slaves. One day, I went far away in search of grazing and could not come back until they had slept. When I milked as usual and brought the drink I found them both asleep. I hated to disturb them and also disliked to give milk to my children before them. My children were crying out of hunger at my feet but I waited with the bowl in my hand for them to wake up. When they awoke at dawn, they drank milk. O Allah! If I did so to seek Your Pleasure, then deliver us from the distress caused by the rock. The rock moved slightly but they were unable to escape. The next said: O Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved more than anyone else (in another version he said: as a man can love a woman). I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused. Hard pressed in a year of famine, she approached me. I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would yield herself to me. She agreed and when we got together (for sexual intercourse), she said: Fear Allah and do not break the seal unlawfully. I moved away from her in

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spite of the fact that I loved her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Allah! If I did that to seek Your Pleasure, then, remove the distress in which we are.' The rock moved aside a bit further but they were still unable to get out. The third one said: 'O Allah! I hired some laborers and paid them their wages except one of them departed without taking his due. I invested his money in business and the business prospered greatly. After a long time, he came to me and said: O slave of Allah! Pay me my dues. I said: All that you see is yours - camels, cattle, goats and slaves. He said: O slave of Allah! Do not mock at me. I assured him that I was not joking. So he took all the things and went away. He spared nothing. O Allah! If I did so seeking Your Pleasure, then relieve us of our distress.' The rock slipped aside and they got out walking freely". The first hadith clearly indicates that one’s actions are accepted by Allah only if they are done with the right intention, i.e. truly for the sake of Allah. This brings us to a very important aspect of the religion of Islam - the concept of Sincerity. The Arabic word used for this is 'Ikhlass'. The intention is that you want to draw near to Allah and carry out His command. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Indeed, actions only go by intentions. Everyone gets what they intend. Anyone, therefore, who emigrates for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration, is indeed for Allah and His Messenger. But anyone who emigrates to gain something of this world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that for which he emigrated."(Bukhari and Muslim) The meaning of the intention is to aim for the goal. It is the heart's resolve. "Indeed" is used to express limitation. It affirms what is mentioned, and rejects everything else. The meaning of the hadith is that the actions of the Shari'a are only valid by intention. According to this hadith, the intention is a precondition for all type of Ibadats (wudu', ghusl, tayammum, prayer, zakat, fasting, retreat, hajj, etc). Imam Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi'i, (may Allah be pleased with him), said, "This hadith contains one-third of knowledge." Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, (may Allah be pleased with him), stated, "It contains a third of knowledge." Others have mentioned this hadith in the same way.

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What is meant by sincerity in Islam is to ensure that all of our deeds of worship and other matters are solely for Allah and to gain His pleasure. Hence, sincerity is a condition for the acceptance of our deeds that are performed in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). Thus we are commanded to perform our religious acts, what compose our religion for us, based on sincerity. This is what Allah has commanded the Muslims. This is the foundation of the Muslims faith. In one of the statements of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), He said, whoever says 'La ilaha ill aalah' will enter paradise. He made a general statement, but he further clarified his statement by saying whoever says 'La ilaha illaalah' sincerely from his heart will enter paradise. Hence, once the true faith has entered the heart, it will never go. A person may do wrong, may go astray sometimes but once he/she has tasted the reality of faith, it causes him/her to be sincere in all his/her deeds; This sincerity will insha a Allah, ultimately make the person attain paradise. A heart that lacks sincerity is, from an Islamic point of view, the worst of hearts. It is the heart of a hypocrite, or the heart of the enemy of Allah. Sincerity is not an easy thing to achieve. It is much harder for the people to purify their intentions than it is to execute any of their actions, in order to be truly sincere, one has to give up the worldly desires, and devote himself to the love of Allah. He has to contemplate on the next world, that is to come and this would leave no place in his heart for the love of this world. Such a person should be devout in his actions, even in eating, drinking and answering the calls of nature. Without that it is very difficult for a person to be really sincere to Allah. Many times, it so happened, that we think our actions are for Allah, but in reality, they are lacking sincerity. Here is a story of a man who used to stand in the first row for every salat. As the prophet mentioned in one of the hadith that if people knew the reward of standing in the first row and calling the , they would fight one another to perform these acts. But once it so happened, that this man was late for prayers and had to stand in the second row. He felt embarrassed that people would see him in the second row, and it was then that he realized that the satisfaction he used to get from standing in the first row

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was from people seeing him in the first row and his sincerity in doing this act was impure. This is just a small example of how our sincerity towards our Lord is unsafe from being impure. It is very important that we realize the gravity of this situation in this world. Because if we do not, then on the day of Resurrection, these very deeds of ours, that we thought to be good will appear as bad deeds. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned that, the Sahabah, the best generation of this ummah, were afraid of being insincere and hypocrites. Imam Bukhari mentioned on the authority of Abu Maleeka that he said: “I met thirty of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) every one of them fears for himself from hypocrisy”. This was the state of the companions of the Prophet (Sahabah), so how about us? Hence, we should check ourselves and be certain that we are doing our best to be sincere to our Lord in whatever we are doing whether it includes the religious acts or the acts which we do not consider as religious per say. In Islam, principles cover everything and concept of sincerity is required in all aspects of our lives. For example, there is no way we can be sincere to Allah and not be sincere to our fellow Muslims. Worshipping Allah sincerely necessitates dealing properly and justly with other Muslims. Now let us look at some examples from the seerah of Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Sahabah, as to how sincere they were. For example, during the battle of Tabuk when the call for was made, some people came to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and wanted to join in the Jihad; however due to lack of sufficient resources, there was no opportunity for them to join in the Jihad. Hence, these people turned away by the Prophet. It is described in the Qur’an that they left with tears in their eyes. This was the sincerity of these people, for their deen. They knew that they were dealing with their Lord who was the owner of their lives and wealth, for the everlasting life in the hereafter. This is why they had no problem in giving their lives for the sake of Allah. Who amongst us would cry because he could not go to Jihad, where his life would be in danger twenty four hours a day? When we look at the lives of those people, it tells us where we really

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stand in terms of our Iman, and informs us of the states of our hearts. Another example is of a desert Arab, who when he became Muslim went to Jihad. When after the jihad he was offered some booty gained from the war, he replied that he didn't make the oath of allegiance for the booty, but to find an arrow in his heart and to die to achieve Paradise. It is due to this very sincerity whatever a believer does; it becomes an act of righteousness. How can we achieve sincerity? Sincerity can be achieved by looking at the life of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Sahabah and reflecting on those ayaats and ahadith of sincerity. For example, those ayaats in which Allah’s attributes of being the All-Seeing, All-Knowing and All-Hearing are mentioned. Whatever we do and whatever intention we perform those deeds with, Allah knows it all. There is nothing that we can hide. One important thing that will make us sincere to Allah is keeping away from pride and arrogance. It is this sin of pride and arrogance that was committed by Iblees, the shaitan. Although he knew Allah better than all of us, he still disobeyed Him due to his arrogance and pride. Pride is the thing that makes us perform deeds, to show off to others rather than for the sake of Allah .We should not only try to avoid this pride in ourselves, but also, if we see it in others we should advise them and inform them about its consequences. Before any action we take, we must be clear in our minds that the action is in accordance with the commands of Allah. This can be done by constant thinking and true understanding of the aim of our lives. We have to understand what Allah really wants from us. Finally, we should seek knowledge of our religion of Islam. The more we learn about Allah and His deen, the closer we will get towards our Lord. We will love Him more, fear Him more, and will hope in Him to forgive our sins and enter us into Paradise with His Mercy. Allah says: Say (O Muhammad): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) (6:162)

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CHAPTER 17 Repentance (Tawbah) Tawbah means repentance for wrong doings by taking promise not to do the same evil again and to return to Allah. Repentance is the beginning in the life of a person who intends to walk in the path of religion. It is the root of the fortune of those who are successful, the first step of a disciple, the key to guidance to the straight path, and the weapon of purification of those who wish to come close to their Lord. It is necessary for a person to return to Allah penitently after committing sins. He who does good deeds is close to Allah, and he who always does sinful deeds is close to the devil. He who does good deeds after committing a sin, is truly an earnest. Every person has got spirit and desire, He who always does sinful acts keeps following his desires. He who always does good acts will keep following his spirit. Nothing can give salvation and safety to a man except the repentance. It should not be forgotten that we, being human beings are going to commit sins. No one is Sinless in the universe except the Prophets and the Messengers. Scholars say that it is a duty to repent of every wrong action. If it is disobedience which occurs between a person and Allah and does not involve the right of another human being, repentance has three preconditions. The first is that one divests himself of disobedience. The second is that he regrets doing it. The third is that he resolves not to ever return to it. If one of the three is lacking, then his repentance is not sound. If it involves another human being, repentance has four preconditions: these three and that he discharge his duty to the other person. Tawbah (repentance) is Fard upon every person from all sins every time. Can a person repent from some sins, and not all sins? It is highly recommended that a person repents of all wrong actions at once to gain the pleasure of Allah and show sincerity about his belief and actions. However, if he repents of some of them, his repentance of them is sound, but he still has to repent from the rest. There is much evidence in the Qur’an and the Sunnah about the obligation to repent. Some verses regarding repentance:

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Say: "O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (39:53) And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. (24:31) O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! (66:8) And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (4:110) Some Hadiths regarding repentance: Abu Hurayrah has narrated that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By Allah verily I ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day”. (Bukhari) Umar bin Al Khattaab has narrated that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily, Allah the Almighty will accept the repentance of his servants’ right until the last moments of his death”. (Ahmad) Abu Musa Ash’ari has narrated that the Prophet ((Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “verily, Allah the Almighty spreads open His arms of forgiveness every morning so the one who disobeyed Him during the day can repent to Him, and spreads open His arms of forgiveness throughout the night so the one who disobeyed Him in the day can seek His forgiveness and repent to Him and this will continue until the day the sun rises from the west”. (Muslim) Abu Hurayrah has narrated that the Prophet ((Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who repents prior to the rising of the sun from the west Allah will accept his forgiveness”. (Muslim) Anas bin Malik has narrated that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah becomes even more happier when you repent to Him than the happiness of one of you who is in a barren land and he has all his belongings on a conveyance and he loses it, he becomes despondent at finding it and waits for death to overcome him, to his utter amazement he finds it in front of him, due to excessive happiness and joy as a result of finding his conveyance with all his belongings, as a slip of the tongue he utters Oh Allah, I’m your Lord and You are my

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servant, one can imagine how happy he must be, Allah when the lost servant finds his direction and repents to Allah, Allah becomes even more Happier”. (Muslim) Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri has narrated that the Prophet(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “In the times before you there was a man who committed ninety nine murders, he asked for the most learned on the earth and was directed to a monk. He told the monk that he had killed ninety nine people and was looking for a path to repentance and if there was any chance for his repentance to be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and the man killed him making it one hundred murders. He again asked for the most learned on the earth and was directed to a scholar. He told the scholar that he has committed one hundred murders and was looking for a path to repentance and whether there was any chance of his repentance to be accepted. He replied in the affirmative and asked who stands between you and repentance? Go to such and such a land and there you will find people devoted to prayer and the worship of Allah. Join them in worship and do not come back to your land because it is an evil place. He left straight away and upon reaching halfway death overtook him; there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of torment. The angels of mercy pleaded that this man has come with a repenting heart to Allah. The angels of torment replied, he never did a virtuous deed in his life and he has committed one hundred murders. Allah sent an angel in the form of a human being and the contending angels agreed to make him arbitrator between them. He said, measure the distance between him and the two lands and he will be considered belonging to the land to which he will be closer towards. Allah commanded the land which he left to move away and distance itself from him and the land to which he was going to come closer to him and narrow up on him. They measured and found that the land to which he was intending to go was closer by a cubits length. In one narration it is mentioned that Allah ordered his body to move slightly from the chest. It was thus concluded that the angels of mercy may collect his soul”. (Bukhari, Muslim). Benefits of Repentance: There are many benefits of repentance; hence we are stating a few of them as follows:

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1- It is a cause to receive the Love of Allah. Allah says: Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves. (2:222) 2- It is a cause of success. Allah says: And all of you beg Allah to forgive you, O believers, that you may be successful. (24:31) 3- It is a cause of the acceptance of the deeds of a slave and pardoning of his sins. Allah says: And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and pardons sins. (42:25) And Allah says: And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds; then verily, he repents towards Allah with true repentance. (25:71) 4- It is a cause of entrance into Jannah and safety from the Hell- Fire. Allah says: But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil. Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all. (19:59-60) 5- It is a cause of forgiveness and mercy. Allah says: But those who committed evil deeds and then repented afterward and believed, verily, your Lord after (all) that is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (7:153)

6- It is a cause in the changing of evil deeds into good deeds. Allah says: Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (25:70) 7- It is a cause of [receiving] every good. Allah says: If then they repent, it will be better for them”. (9:74) 8- It is a cause of emaan and [receiving] a great reward. Allah says: Except those who repent, do righteous good deeds, hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion for Allah, and then they will be with the believers. And Allah will grant the believers a great reward”. (4:146) 9- It is a cause of the sending of blessings from the sky and an increase in strength. Allah says:

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And O My people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain, and add strength to your strength, so do not turn away as criminals”. (11:52) 10-It is a cause of [receiving] the supplication of the Angels for those who repent. Allah says: Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying): “Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire”! (40:7) 11- It is obeying the Will of Allah. Allah says: And Allah desires to accept your repentance”. (4:27) So the one who repents is doing what Allah loves and Pleases Him. 12- Allah becomes happy with the repentance of His slave. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Truly, Allah is happier with the repentance of His slave than one of you who is on his mount, and upon his mount is his drink and food; then he loses his mount in the desert, and he searches for it until he loses hope; so he sleeps and then wakes up to find that his mount is beside him, and he says, ‘O’ Allah, you are my slave and I am your Lord’. He pronounced this mistake as a result of extreme happiness.” (Muslim) Muslims should develop a healthy balance between fear and hope of Allah. A true believer is afraid of Allah's displeasure when he sins, but he repents and hopes for Allah's Mercy as described in the following hadith: Abu Musa Ash'ari says that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Allah extends His Hand at night so that He can forgive the sinner of the day; He extends His Hand in the day so that He can forgive the sinner of the night. He will continue to do this until the sun rises from the West (the Day of Judgment). (Muslim)

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CHAPTER 18 Du’a (Supplication) The word du’a in Arabic means "calling" - the act of remembering Allah and calling upon Him. In addition to the five daily prayers, Muslims are encouraged to call upon Allah for every thing they need. Allah says in the Qur’an that: And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright”. (2:186) Muslims make personal supplications (du’a) throughout the day according to his / her need. These personal supplications are known as du'a (supplication) Muslims can make personal supplications in their own words, in any language at any time anywhere, but there are also recommended examples from the Qur'an and Sunnah. The Necessity of Supplication We shall begin this discussion with the question: Is supplication necessary? To answer this question, we resort to this verse of the Qur'an: Say (O Muhammad to the disbelievers): "My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied (Him). So the torment will be yours forever (inseparable permanent punishment)." (26:77) This means that supplication is the only way of the relation between the servants and their Lord (Allah), and it is the only way commanded by Allah for people to have a relation with Him. In other words, all of the supplications establish relations between the Creator and the creatures. Allah would cut His special favors if these relations were not established. In such cases, Allah's subjects would lose the ability to deserve Allah's favors. The Holy Qur'an calls this state “pride” (Istikbar) by a creature that originally has no prestige except for the prestige of being Allah's humble servant. And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship (do not invoke Me) they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!" (40:60) 136

Supplication is very important in the daily life of the Muslim. Here we will briefly mention some reasons why the Supplication is so important: • Supplication (du’a) is a form of worship. • Supplication is an act of obedience to Allah. • Supplication protects us from arrogance. • Supplication is the most noble of deeds before Allah. • Supplication is beloved to Allah. • Supplication expands a person’s heart. It alleviates worry, removes distress, and eases a person’s affairs. • Supplication is a means of warding off Allah’s anger. Allah is angry with those who do not beseech Him. • Supplication shows our reliance upon Allah. • Supplication keeps us from helplessness and is an indication of our astuteness. • Supplication brings relief from affliction after it has occurred. • Supplication opens to the servant the doors of communion with Allah and all the pleasures of doing so. • Supplication fosters love between Muslims. When one supplicates for his fellow Muslim without the other knowing about it, his supplications are answered. • Supplication is a characteristic of the pious and God-fearing. • Supplication is a sign of having true faith in Allah. It is an admission of Allah’s Lordship. It is an admission of Allah’s divinity, of His exclusive right to be worshipped. It is recognition of Allah’s most beautiful names and attributes. When a worshipper beseeches his Lord in supplication, it implies that he believes in His existence, His independence, His hearing and seeing all things, His generosity, His mercy, His power, and his worthiness of being worshipped alone without partner. The rewards of Supplication The rewards of supplication are guaranteed. As long as the supplicant fulfills the conditions for having his supplication answered, he will certainly achieve what is good and invariably earn a good share of benefit on account of his supplication. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No one beseeches Allah in supplication without Allah either giving him what he asks for or preventing him from being afflicted with a harm equivalent to it in magnitude, as long as he does not

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supplicate beseeching something sinful or the breaking of blood ties.” )Tirmidhî) The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is never a Muslim who raises his hands to Allah and asks something of Him except that Allah gives him what He asks for, either immediately in this world or by reserving it for him in the Hereafter, as long as he does not get impatient.” They asked: “O Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), What is it to get impatient in this?” He said: “It is to say: I have beseeched and beseeched and I do not see myself being answered.” (Musnad Ahmad) These hadith show us that a Muslim’s supplication is never neglected. He will, by Allah’s mercy and favor, be given what he asks for, either now or later. Ibn Hajar says [Fath al-Bârî (11/95)]: Every supplicant is answered. However the answer will come in different ways. Sometimes it comes precisely as requested and sometimes by way of something else instead. Why our supplications (Du'as) are not answered? Ibrahim ibn Adham - May Allah has mercy on him - a third century scholar, a teacher and a companion of Sufyan ath- Thawri, was asked about the saying of Allah - the Most High: And your Lord says: "Call on me I will answer your prayer..." (40:60) We supplicate and we are not answered." Why? So, he said to them: • You know Allah, Yet you do not obey Him, • You recite the Qur'an, Yet do not act according to it, • You know Shaitan, Yet you have agreed with him, • You proclaim that you love Muhammad, Yet you abandon his Sunnah, • You proclaim your love of Paradise, Yet you do not act to gain it, • You proclaim your fear for the Fire, Yet you do not prevent yourselves from sins, • You say "Indeed death is true", Yet you have not prepared for it, • You point out the faults of others, Yet you do not look at your own faults, • You eat of that which Allah has provided for you, Yet you do not thank Him, • You bury your dead, Yet you do not take a lesson from it." 138

The best times to pray Du'a There are certain times du'a (supplication) is more likely to be accepted by Allah as mentioned by the prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him). These times are as follows: • The Last Third of The Night • Late at night • Between Azan and Iqamah • An Hour on Friday • While Drinking Zam zam Water • While Prostrating • When Waking Up at Night • At the End of The Obligatory Salat • The Night of 'Qadr' (Decree) • During the Rain • At the Azan • Du'a after praising Allah and giving salat on the Beloved Prophet after the tashahud at the end of salat. Du’a will be accepted when someone offers it in the following conditions: • The one Who Is Suffering Injustice and oppression • The Traveler • The Parent's Supplication for their Child • The Sick.

Qur’anic Supplications The original text is given in Arabic, followed by its transliterated forms, as well as by the English meaning of each supplication (Du'a).

َربَّنَآ َءاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّۡنيَا َح َسنَ ًة َوفِى ٱۡۡلَ ِخ َرةِ َح َسنَ ًة َوقِنَا َعذَا َب ٱل َّنا ِر :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirati hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar." Translation: "Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire." (2:201) َربَّنَآ أَ ۡف ِر ۡغ َع َل ۡينَا َص ۡب ًرا َوثَب ِ ۡت أَ ۡقدَا َمنَا َوٱن ُص ۡرنَا َع َلى ٱۡل َق ۡو ِم ٱۡل َڪ ٰـ ِف ِري َن :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbana afrigh 'alayna sabran wa thabbit aqdamana wansurna 'alal-qawmil-kafirin." Translation: "Our Lord! pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people." (2:250) Arabic: 139

ۡ َربَّنَا َال تُ َؤا ِخ ۡذنَآ إِن َّن ِسينَآ أَ ۡو أَ ۡخ َطأنَ ۚا َربَّ نَا َو َال تَ ۡح ِم ۡل َع َل ۡينَآ إِ ۡص ًرا َك َما َح َمۡلتَه ُۥ َع َلى ٱ َّل ِذي َن ِمن َق ۡب ِلنَ ۚا َربَّنَا َو َال تُ َح ِ مۡلنَا َما َال َطا َق َة َلنَا بِ ِۖه ۦ َوٱ ۡع ُف َع َّنا َوٱ ۡغ ِف ۡر َلنَا َوٱ ۡر َح ۡمنَ ۚا ٓ أَن َت َم ۡو َل ٰٮنَا َفٱن ُص ۡرنَا َع َلى ٱۡل َق ۡو ِم ٱۡل َڪ ٰـ ِف ِري َن Transliteration: "Rabbana la tu'akhizna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na. Rab-bana wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala- lladhina min qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-'fu 'anna wa 'ghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna 'alal-qawmil kafirin." Translation: “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maulâ (Patron, Supporter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people." (2:286) Arabic: َربَّنَآ إِ َّن َك َمن تُ ۡد ِخ ِل ٱل َّنا َر َف َق ۡد أَ ۡخ َز ۡيتَه ُ ۖۥ َو َم ا ِلل َّظ ٰـ ِل ِمي َن ِم ۡن أَن َصا ر )( َّربَّنَآ إِ َّننَا َس ِم ۡعنَا ُمنَا ِد يًا يُنَا ِدى ِل ۡ ِۡلي َم ٰـ ِن أَ ۡن ۡ َءا ِمنُو ْا بِ َرب ِ ُك ۡم َفـَٔا َم َّن ۚا َربَّنَا َفٱ ۡغ ِف ۡر َلنَا ذُنُوبَنَا َو َڪ ِ ف ۡر َع َّنا َسي ِـَٔاتِنَا َوتَ َو َّفنَا َم َع ٱۡلَۡب َرا ِر )( َربَّنَا َو َءاتِنَا َما َو َعدتَّنَا ۡ ۡ َع َل ٰى ُر ُس ِل َك َو َال تُ ۡخ ِزنَا يَ ۡو َم ٱل ِقيَ ٰـ َم ِۗة إِ َّن َك َال تُ ۡخ ِل ُف ٱل ِميعَاد َ Transliteration: "Rabbana innaka man tudkhilin-nara fa-qad akhzaytahu, wa ma liz-zalimina min . Rabbana innana sami'na munadiyan yunadi lil imani an aminu bi-Rabbikum fa- amanna, Rabbana faghfir lana dhunubana wa kaffir 'anna sayyiatina wa tawaffana ma'al-abrar. Rabbana wa atina ma wa'adta-na 'ala russuli-ka wa la tikhzi-na yauma-l-qiyamati innaka latukhlifu-l-mi'ad." Translation: "Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. "Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrâr (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). "Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise."" (3:192-194) ۡ َر ِب ٱ ۡجعَلنِى ُم ِقي َم ٱل َّص َل ٰوةِ َو ِمن ذُ ِ ريَّتِ ۚى َربَّنَا َوتَ َقبَّ ۡل دُ َعآ ِء )( َربَّنَا ٱ ۡغ ِف ۡر ِلى َو ِل َوٲ ِلدَ َّى :Arabic ۡ ۡ َو ِل ل ُم ۡؤ ِمنِي َن يَ ۡو َم يَقُو ُم ٱل ِح َسا ُب Transliteration: "Rabbi 'j'alni muqima's-Salati wa min Thurriyati, Rabbana wa taqqabal du'a', Rabbana'ghfirli wa li walidayya walil- Mu'minina yawma yaqumul-Hisab."

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Translation: "O my Lord! Make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring. O our Lord! and accept Thou my prayer." "O our Lord! Cover (us) with Your Forgiveness - me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!" (14:40-41)

َربَّنَآ َءاتِنَا ِمن َّلدُن َك َر ۡح َم ًة َو َهي ِ ۡئ َلنَا ِم ۡن أَ ۡم ِرنَا َر َش دًا :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi' lana min amrina rashada." Translation: "Our Lord! Give us mercy from Your presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight." (18:10)

َر ِب ٱ ۡش َر ۡح ِلى َص ۡد ِرى )( َويَ ِ س ۡر ِل ٓى أَ ۡم ِرى )( َوٱ ۡحلُ ۡل ُع ۡقدَةً ِ من ِ ل َسانِى )( يَ ۡف َق ُهو ْا َق ۡو ِلى :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbi-'shrah li sadri wa yassirli amri wa-hlul 'uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli." Translation: "O My Lord! Expand my breast for me. And ease my task for me; and loose a knot from my tongue, (That) they may understand my saying. (20:25-28) َربَّنَا ٱ ۡص ِر ۡف َع َّنا َعذَا َب َج َه َّن َۖم إِ َّن َعذ َابَ َها َكا َن َغ َرا ًما :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbana Isrif 'anna 'adhaba Jahannama, 'inna 'adhabaha kana gharama." Translation: "O Our Lord! Turn away from us the chastisement of hell, surely the chastisement thereof is a lasting evil." (25:65) َربَّنَا َه ۡب َلنَا ِم ۡن أَ ۡز َوٲ ِجنَا َوذُ ِ ريَّ ٰـتِنَا قُ َّرةَ أَ ۡعيُ ن َوٱ ۡجعَۡلنَا ِلۡل ُمتَّ ِقي َن إِ َما ًما :Arabic Transliteration: "Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhuriyyatina qurrata A'yunin waj'alna lil-muttaqina imama." Translation: "Our Lord! Grant us in our mates and offspring the joy of our eyes and make us patterns for those who guard against evil." (25:74)

َر ِب أَ ۡو ِز ۡعنِ ٓى أَ ۡن أَ ۡش ُك َر نِ ۡع َمتَ َك ٱ َّلتِ ٓى أَۡنعَ ۡم َت َع َل َّى َو َع َل ٰى َوٲ ِلدَ َّى َوأَ ۡن أَ ۡع َم َل َص ٰـ ِل ًح ا :Arabic ۡ تَ ۡر َض ٰٮهُ َوأَ ۡص ِل ۡح ِلى فِى ذُ ِ ريَّتِ ٓۖى إِ نِى تُۡب ُت إِ َل ۡي َك َوإِ نِى ِم َن ٱل ُم ۡس ِل ِمي َن Transliteration: "Rabbi awzi'ni an ashkura ni'mata-ka-llati an'amta 'alayaa wa 'ala walidayya wa an a'mala salihan tardahu wa aslih li fi dhurriyyati, inni tubtu ilaika wa inni minal- muslimeen." Translation: "My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims (submitting to Your Will)." (46:15) There are many more Du’as in the Qur’an

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Private Supplications Recited Upon completing Prayers Accordance to the Sunnah, there are quite several supplications and "Dhikr" which are highly commended to be recited at the end of each prayer. These supplications and (dhikr) are non-obligatory, hence, reciting them or not, does not affect the prayer. Some of the recommended supplications and "Dhikr" to be done upon completing the prayer are the following: استغفر هللا :Arabic Transliteration: "Astagh firullah" three times, Translation: I seek Allah's forgiveness. سالم ومنك السالم تباركت ياذا الجالل واالكرام :Arabic Transliteration: "Allahumma anta assalam wa minka assalam tabaracta ya za aljalaly wa al ikram " Translation: "O Allah, You are the source of peace and from You comes peace, exalted You are, O Lord of Majesty and Honor." It is also recommended to recite thereafter the following supplication: َل اله اَل هللا وحده َل شريك له. له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير :Arabic Transliteration: "La illah illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu almulk, wa lahu al hamd, wa huwa ala kull shay in qadeer" Translation: "There is no god but Allah, He is one, He has no partner, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him belongs praise and has power over all things". The person may thereafter say: هللا َل ما نع لما اعطيت وَل معطي لما منعت وَل ينفع ذا الجد منك الجد :Arabic Transliteration: "Allahuma la mani a lima a’atayt, wa la mu’atiya lima mana’at, wa la yanfa’u the al jadu minka al jadd" Translation: "O Allah, none can withhold what You have granted, and none can grant what You have withheld, and nothing can be offered by the rich,- richness and fortune comes from You alone". ال حول وال قوة اال باهلل :Arabic Transliteration: "La hawla wala quwata illa bi llah" Translation: "There is no might or power, except from Allah". َلاله اَل هللا وَل نعبد اَل اياه له المنة وله الفضل وله الثناء الحسن :Arabic Transliteration: "La ilaha illa Allah wa la na’abudu illa iyah, lahu al minnah, wa lahu al faddal, wa lahu al thana’u al hassan" Translation: "There is no god but Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) and we worship none but Him, to Him belong prosperity, and to Him belongs favors and to Him belongs all good praises".

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َل اله اَل هللا مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون :Arabic Transliteration: "La ilaha illa Allah mukh liseen lahu al deen wa llow kareha al kaferoon" Translation:" There is no god but Allah, (and we) offer Him sincere devotion even though the unbelievers may detest it". اللهم اعني على ذكرك و شكرك و حسن عبادتك :Arabic Transliteration: “Allahumma a’enni ala zekrika wa shok rika wa hussna ibadatik” Translation: “O Allah, help me in remembering You, thanking You and conducting my worship to You in a perfect way”. The person also says: سبحان هللا و الحمد هلل وهللا اكبر :Arabic Transliteration: 1. SUBHANA -ALLAH - Glory be to ALLAH - (33 times). 2. AL HAMDU-LILLAH- Praise be to Allah - (33 times) 3. ALLAHU AKBAR - Allah is great (33 times). Translation: Then, at the end of the above three recitations, the worshiper recite the following supplication: َل اله اَل هللا وحده َل شريك له له الملك و له الحمد و هو علي كم شيء قدير :Arabic Transliteration: "La illah illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu almulk, wa lahu al hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay in qadeer"" Translation: "There is no god but Allah alone, He has no partners, to Him belong dominion and to Him belongs praises, and He has power over all things". By this supplication, the worshipper makes up a total of 100 readings. In this regard, it was reported in an authentic prophetic saying that whoever comes up with this 100 phrases at the end of every obligatory prayer: “Allah will forgive him, even if his sins were as abundant as the foam of the sea” (Muslim). It is also recommended for the person to recite thereafter "AYAT AL KURSI" Arabic: ۡ ٱ ََّّللُ َ ٓال إِ َل ٰـهَ إِ َّال ُه َو ٱۡل َح ُّى ٱۡل َقيُّو ُۚم َال تَأ ُخذُه ُۥ ِسنَةٌ َو َال نَ ۡو ٌۚم َّله ُۥ َما فِى ٱل َّس َم ٰـ َوٲ ِت َو َما فِى ٱۡۡلَ ۡر ِ ۗض َمن ذَا ٱ َّل ِذى يَ ۡش َف ُع ِعندَه ُۥۤ إِ َّال بِإِ ۡذنِ ِۚه ۦ يَ ۡع َل ُم َما بَ ۡي َن أَۡي ِدي ِه ۡم َو َما َخۡل َف ُه ۡ ۖم َو َال يُ ِحي ُطو َن بِ َش ۡى ء ِ م ۡن ِعۡل ِم ِۤهۦ إِ َّال بِ َما َشآ َۚء َو ِس َع ُك ۡر ِسيُّهُ ۡ ۡ ۡ ٱل َّس َم ٰـ َوٲ ِت َوٱۡلَ ۡر َ ۖض َو َال يَـ ودُه ُۥ ِح ۡف ُظ ُه َم ۚا َو ُه َو ٱلعَ ِل ُّى ٱلعَ ِظي ُم Translation: Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in

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this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursî[] extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (2:255) The importance of this verse was confirmed by the Prophet (peace and Blessings of Allah be upom him), in an authentic saying that: “Whoever recites this verse at the end of every prayer; nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise” (Bukhari). It is also strongly recommended that the person recites the following three chapters of the Holy Qur'an after each prayer: 1. Surah Al-lkhlaas, Chapter 112. 2. Surah Al-Falaq (The Dawn), Chapter 113. 3. Surah An-Naas (Mankind), Chapter 114. Note: It is preferred that each of these three chapters be recited three times at the end of Fajr (Dawn) and Maghrib (Sunset) prayers; while, each chapter may be recited only once at the end of the other obligatory prayers namely, Dhuhr (Noon), Asr (Afternoon) and Isha (Evening) prayers.

Terms of Du’a When starting to do somethingsay: In the name of Allah سم بهللا Bismillah

When intending to do something say: If Allah wills انشاء هللا – Insha a Allah

When something is being praised say: Glory be to Allah سبحان هللا -Subhan-Allah

When in pain and distress say: Oh Allah يا هللا - Ya Allah

When expressing appreciation say: As Allah willed it ماشاء هللا - Masha-Allah

When thanking someone say: May Allah reward you جزاك هللا -Jazak-Allah

When awakening from sleep say: there is no God but Allah ال اله اال هللا La Ilaha ill Allah

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When taking an oath say: I swear by Allah - وهللا - Walla

When sneezing say: All praise is due to Allah الحمد هلل - Al-hamdu-lillah

When someone else sneezes say: Bless you –يرحمكم هللا Yar Hamokam Allah

When repenting of a sin say: I seek the forgiveness of Allah استغفر هللا Astagh Ferullah

When giving to charity say: For the sake of Allah في سبيل هللا Fi Sabi Lillah

When having love for someone say: I love you for the sake of Allah- احبك في هللا -Uhibboka Fi llah

When parting from someone say: May Allah protect you في امان هللا Fi Amaan Allah

When a problem appears say: I leave my faith in Allah's توكلت على هللا Tawak kalto al-Allah hands

When unpleasantness occurs say: We seek refuge in Allah نعوذ باهلل Na uzo Billah When pleasantness appears say: Glory to Allah تبارك هللا ta Barak Allah

When hearing of a death say: انا هلل و انا اليه راجعون Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi Raji'un To Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return It may look difficult to memorize all these supplications in the beginning but keep on learning every day. Soon, you will be able to memorize them all. insha a Allah. In the end I ask Allah to forgive me for all my shortage of knowledge, and may Allah accept this humble work.

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Finally, we say: whatever is correct is from the grace of Allah Alone, and whatever is incorrect is from my ignorance and the shaitan. May Allah shower us with His mercy and accept this work and make it sincere and solely for his face and pleasure. And may Allah’s prayers and blessing be upon our prophet Muhammad, His family, his companions, and all those who follow them until the Day of Judgment. This is our knowledge and Allah knows best.

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REFERENCES 1. The Qur’an 2. The Noble Qur’an (Dr. Halaly and M. Khan) 3. Sahih Al-Bukhari 4. Sahih Muslim 5. Reyad al-Saleheen 6. Musnad Imam Ahmad 7. Al-Resalah (The Message) Imam Al-Shafi’e 8. The Fiqh According to the four Maz’habs 9. Fiqh As-Sunnah (Said Saabiq) 10. Fatawa Ibn Taymeyah 11. Salat Al-Nabi (Al-Albani) 12. Kitab Al-Tawheed (Abdul Wahab) 13. Serat Ibn Heesham 14. Tafseer Ibn Khatheer 15. The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihyaa ulum al-deen) (Ghazali) 16. Towards understanding Islam (Mawdudi) 17. Islam in Focus (Abdalati) 18. Some articals from deffirents Islamic scholers such as Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz, Sheikh Al-uthaymenan, Alfawzan, Dr. Ahmad Sakr, and so many others May Allah reward them for their nobel work.

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