Author name: sfadmin

The Conditions Of Performing Friday Prayer (Part III)

Leave a Comment / ARTICLES
The fifth condition is to say the khutba [1] before the salat. It must be said in the presence of discreet men who have reached the age of puberty. But it is not a condition for the jama’at [2] to understand it.

The sixth condition is to perform the Friday prayer in jama’at. It is acceptable if the entire jama’at listening to the khutba leave and other people come and perform the salat. The jama’at may also be formed by musafirs (visitors) or by the invalid in Hanafi Madhhab [3] .

The seventh condition is for the mosque to be open for everybody. If the door is locked and the salat is performed inside the mosque it will not be accepted. However, it does not hurt the salat not to allow women into the mosque in order to prevent fitna [4] .

GLOSSARY
[1] khutba: the preaching delievered at mosque; the homily delivered at the pulpit by the imam at Jum’a and ‘Iyd prayers ( at the prayers of Friday and of Islamic festivals), which must be read in Arabic all over the world (sinful if read in another language).
[2] jama’at: a congregation of Muslims. One person performs namaz in the front; the others, behind him, preform it like him by adapting themselves to him. The person who performs it in the front is called the imam. Those who perform it behind him are called the jama’at.
[3] madhhab: all of what a profound ‘alim of (especially) Fiqh (usually one of the four-Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali) or iman (one of the two, namely Ash-ari, Maturidi) communicated.
[4] fitna: the widespreading of statements and actions that harm Muslims and Islam. : disunion among Muslims.

The Conditions Of Performing Friday Prayer (Part II)

Leave a Comment / ARTICLES
The fourth condition is to say the khutba [1] within the time of the early afternoon prayer. After the khutba, the person who said the khutba may appoint one of those who listened to the khutba to conduct the salat on his behalf. He who has not listened to the khutba cannot conduct the salat.

Our scholars have said that saying the khutba is like saying “Allahu akbar” when beginning the salat, which implies that both must be said only in Arabic. There are also savants who have said that it can be said in Persian or that it is permissible to say it in any language, but then it is tahrimi makruh [2] according to those savants. It is makruh [3] for the khatib (preacher) to say things other than amr-i ma’ruf [4] in the khutba, even in Arabic.

The khatib first says the “A’udhu” silently, then says the “hamd-u-thena,” the kalima-i shahadat, and the salat-u-salam loudly. Afterwards he preaches, that is, sermonizes about things that bring rewards and torment, and then says an ayat [5] . He sits down and stands up again. After saying the second khutba, he prays for the Muslims instead of preaching. It is necessary (mustahab) [6] for him to mention the names of the four Khalifas [7] (Hadrat Abu Bakr [8] , Hadrat ‘Umar, Hadrat ‘Uthman, Hadrat Ali). It is not permissible to mention the name of the Sultan or those of the state authorities. It is haram [9] to praise them with attributes they do not actually have. It has been said by savants that it is permissible to say prayers for them so that they will be just, benevolent, and victorious over their enemies, but when praying nothing must be said that might cause disbelief or haram. It is haram to insert a worldly speech into the khutba. The khutba must not be turned into a speech, a conference.

[Our Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) declared: “There will come such a time that monkey-natured, human-figured people will climb the minbar [10] and teach you what is against the religion and their irreligiousness in the name of the religion.”] Khatibs, preachers, must be careful not to be among those people who are described in this hadith [11] and not to serve as means for irreligiousness. Muslims must not listen to the khutbas and preachings of such people. It is written on the two hundred and eighty-first page of the explanatory book of Nur-al-izah, Tahtawi: “It is sunnat [12] to say a short khutba, and it is makruh to say a long one.”

GLOSSARY
[1] khutba: the preaching delievered at mosque; the homily delivered at the pulpit by the imam at Jum’a and ‘Iyd prayers ( at the prayers of Friday and of Islamic festivals), which must be read in Arabic all over the world (sinful if read in another language).
[2] makruh-tahrima: The omission of a wâjib (obligatory performance), and it is close to harâm (prohibited). It is a venial sin to do an act which has been declared to be makrûh tahrîmî.
[3] makruh: (act, thing) improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam); makruh tahrima: prohibited with much stress.
[4] amru bi ‘l-ma’ruf wa ‘n-nahyu ‘ani ‘l-munkar: duty to teach Allah’s commands and to prevent or to disapprove other’s committing His prohibitions.
[5] ayat: A verse of al-Qur’an al-karim; al-ayat al-karima.
[6] mustahab: (act, thing) deserving thawab if done but no sin if omitted, nor disbelief if disliked.
[7] khalifa: (p. khulafa’) caliph; Khulafa’ ar-Rashidin, the Prophet’s immediate four caliphs.
[8] Hadrat: title of respect used before the names of great people like and Islamic scholars.
[9] haram: an action, word or thought prohibited by Allahu ta’ala.
[10] minbar: the high pulpit in a mosque climbed with stairs, where the Khutba is read.
[11] hadith (sharif): i) a saying of the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam).; al-Hadith ash-sharif: all the hadiths as a whole; ii) ‘ilm al-hadith; iii) Books of the hadith ash-sharif. iv) Al-hadith al-qudsi, as-sahih, al-hasan: kinds of hadiths (for which, see Endless Bliss, II).
[12] sunnat: i) act, thing that was, though not commanded by Allahu ta’ala, done and liked by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) as an ‘ibada (there is thawab if done, but no sin if omitted, yet it causes sin if continually omitted and disbelief if disliked; the Sunna; i) (with fard) all the sunnas as a whole; ii) (with the Book or Qur’an al-karim) the Hadith ash-sharif; iii) (alone) fiqh, Islam.

The Conditions Of Performing Friday Prayer

Leave a Comment / ARTICLES
The first condition is to perform the salat in a shahr (city). A shahr is a place whose jama’at [1] cannot be accommodated by the largest mosque. Also a place that has a Muslim governor or commander powerful enough to carry out the commandments of the Shari’at [2] is called a shahr. Even if he cannot fulfill all the commandments of the Shari’at, it will be sufficient if he can protect the people’s rights and freedom, prevent faction and mischief, and can take back the rights of the oppressed from their oppressors. It is an excuse if a governor cannot have some of the fards [3] carried out because of the government’s oppression. [Those villages that have headmen confirmed and ratified by today’s governments or that have gendarmes, and the regions that are in today’s large cities are each a different city for Friday prayer according to both of the above definitions.]

The second condition is to perform it with the permission of the president of the state or government, or of the governor. A khatib [4] appointed by them can appoint someone else as his deputy. No one other than those who have been deputizing one another in the process of time can conduct Friday prayer. When a person conducts it without permission, the salat will be accepted if someone who has permission to conduct it performs the salat by following him.

The third condition is to perform it during the time of the early afternoon prayer. As soon as the azan [5] for the early afternoon prayer is said a salat of four rak’ats [6] , (the first sunnat [7] of the Friday prayer), is performed. Second, the second azan is said inside the mosque. Third, the khutba is said. Fourth, two rak’ats, (the fard of Friday prayer), are performed in jama’at. Fifth, four rak’ats, (the last sunnat), are performed, and then the zuhr-i akhir is performed by intending, “to perform the last early afternoon prayer that is fard upon me but which I have not performed.” Finally, two rak’ats (the time’s sunnat) are performed. If the Friday prayer is not accepted these ten rak’ats become the early afternoon prayer. Next the Ayatalkursi [8] , the tasbihs [9] and duas (prays) are said. Our Prophet used to perform six rak’ats of sunnat after the two rak’ats of the fard of Friday prayer.

GLOSSARY
[1] jama’at: a congregation of Muslims. One person performs namaz in the front; the others, behind him, preform it like him by adapting themselves to him. The person who performs it in the front is called the imam. Those who perform it behind him are called the jama’at.
[2] Shari’at: (pl. of Shari’a) i) rules and commandments as a whole of the religion. ii) religion.
[3] fard: an act or thing that is commanded by Allahu ta’ala in the Qur’an al-karim. Fard (or fard) means (any behaviour or thought or belief which is) obligatory. Islam’s open commandments are called fard (pl. faraid).
[4] khutba: the preaching delievered at mosque; the homily delivered at the pulpit by the imam at Jum’a and ‘Iyd prayers ( at the prayers of Friday and of Islamic festivals), which must be read in Arabic all over the world (sinful if read in another language).
[5] Azan: at each prayer time, a Muslim goes up the minaret and calls all Muslims to prayer. He has to recite prescribed words. Meanings of these Arabic words are explained in the eleventh chapter.
[6] Rak’at: In performing namaz, the actions of standing, bowing and putting the head on the ground twice are altogether called a rak’at. Most prayers of namaz consist of two or four rak’ats. One of them contains three rak’ats.
[7] sunnat: i) act, thing that was, though not commanded by Allahu ta’ala, done and liked by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) as an ‘ibada (there is thawab if done, but no sin if omitted, yet it causes sin if continually omitted and disbelief if disliked; the Sunna; i) (with fard) all the sunnas as a whole; ii) (with the Book or Qur’an al-karim) the Hadith ash-sharif; iii) (alone) fiqh, Islam.
[8] Ayat-al-kursi: one of the ayats in the Qur’an. It explains the greatness of Allahu ta’ala and the fact that His power is infinite.
[9] tasbih: may be used for the word taqdees, though there is a very subtle difference between their meanings.

The Things Necessary For Everybody

Leave a Comment / ARTICLES
The things necessary for everybody, and
especially for the youth, are three:
The first thing is to correct the faith, so as from
the Hell fire to be set free.
For that purpose you must gain the exact
knowledge of faith and iman [1].
Knowledge is required to believe and then to act
upon the Divine Firman.
You should learn the aqaid [2], and fiqh [3] as much as
needed in your case.
The second thing is to obey the shari’at [4] and follow
Muhammad (alaihissalam) pace by pace.
The third thing is to acquire ikhlas [5] in every deed
discarding vanity and show.
In obtaining all these essentials of Islam, you
should be like an arrow in a bow,
The acceptance and reward for a deed with no
ikhlas is impossible to find.
The source of ikhlas is tasawwuf [6] , keep that
always in mind.
GLOSSARY
[1] iman: faith, belief, beliefs of Islam; kalam, i’tiqad.
[2] aqa’id: doctrines, dogmas, tenets (of a religious faith).
[3] fiqh: knowledge dealing with what Muslims should do and should not do; actions, a’mal, ‘ibadat.
[4] Shari’at: (pl. of Shari’a) i) rules and commandments as a whole of the religion. ii) religion.
[5] ikhlas: (quality, intention or state of) doing everything only for Allahu ta’ala’s sake; sincerity.
[6] tasawwuf: (Islamic sufism as defined by Islam) knowledge and (after adapting oneself to fiqh) practice of the manners of the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) which strengthens iman, makes the practice of fiqh easy and provides one to attain ma’rifa; ‘ilm at-tasawwuf. [See the book Maktubat by Ahmad al-Faruqi as-Sirhindi (rahmatullahi ta’ala ‘alaih)].

Circumstances Of Making Jam’

Leave a Comment / ARTICLES
In the Hanbali Madhhab [1] , it is permissible to make jam’ (bring together) of evening and night prayers, (i.e. to perform one immediately after the other,) at home for reasons such as cold weather, winter, mud, and storm, during a journey of 80 kilometres. The sunnats [2] are not performed when making jam’. You make niyyat (intention) when beginning the earlier one of the two salats.

People with duties and jobs inconvenient for them to perform early and late afternoon and evening prayers within their prescribed periods should imitate the Hanbali Madhhab and make jam’ of early and late afternoon prayers and evening and night prayers instead of resigning from office. If they resign from office, they will share the responsibility for the cruelties and irreligious activities likely to be perpetrated by people who will fill the vacancies they have occasioned.

GLOSSARY
[1] madhhab: all of what a profound ‘alim of (especially) Fiqh (usually one of the four-Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali) or iman (one of the two, namely Ash-ari, Maturidi) communicated.
[2] sunnat: i) act, thing that was, though not commanded by Allahu ta’ala, done and liked by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam) as an ‘ibada (there is thawab if done, but no sin if omitted, yet it causes sin if continually omitted and disbelief if disliked; the Sunna; i) (with fard) all the sunnas as a whole; ii) (with the Book or Qur’an al-karim) the Hadith ash-sharif; iii) (alone) fiqh, Islam.