What to Know as New Muslim. Volume One

Transcription

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2 Foreword What to Know as New Muslim Editor: Hamza (Philippe) De Coster, B.Th., DD Volume One Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world's population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith. One billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe - from the southern Philippines to Nigeria - are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world's largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the former Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe. Basic of Becoming a Muslim Islam is an Arabic word and it connotes submission, surrender and obedience. As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah (God). Islam, in fact, is an attributive title. Anyone who possesses this attribute, whatever race, community, country or group he or she belongs to, is a Muslim. According to the Qur'an (the Holy Book of the Muslims), among every people and in all ages there have been good and righteous people who possessed this attribute - and all of them were and are Muslims. Islam is a universal and eternal religion. Its appeal is to the whole humanity. Any person who declares belief in La ilaha illallah Muhammad-ur- Rasulullah (there is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet, enters the fold of Islam and entitles him or herself to the same rights as those of other Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) has enjoined us to believe in five articles of faith: 1. Belief in one God Who has absolutely no associate with Him in His divinity; 2. Belief in God's Angels; 2

3 3. Belief in God's Books, and in the Holy Qur'an as His Last Book; 4. Belief in God's Prophets, and in Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) as His Last and Final Messenger; and 5. Belief in life after death. One who believes in these articles enters the fold of Islam and becomes a member of the Muslim community. But one does not become a complete Muslim by mere vocal profession alone. To become a complete Muslim one has to fully carry out in practice the instructions given by Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) as ordained by God. These five articles form the foundation for the superstructure of Islam. Their gist is contained in the short sentence known as Kalimah-tayyibah (also called the Shahada). When you declare La ilaha illallah (there is no deity but Allah), you give up all false deities, and profess that you are a creature of the One God; and when you add to these words Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah (Muhammad is Allah's Messenger) you confirm and admit the Prophethood of Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him). With the admission of his Prophethood it becomes obligatory that you should believe in the divine nature and attributes of God, in His angels, in His Revealed Books and life after death, and earnestly follow that method of obeying God and worshipping Him which the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) has asked us to follow. Now let us see what code of conduct Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) has taught as ordained by God Almighty. The first and foremost things in this respect are the 'Ibadah (or worships) - the primary duties which must be observed by each and every person professing to belong to the Muslim community. 'Ibadah is an Arabic word derived from 'Abd (a slave) and it means submission. The concept of 'Ibadah is very wide. All your activities are 'Ibadah if they are in accordance with the law of God and your ultimate objective is to seek the pleasure of God. A set of formal 'Ibadah (worships) are thus the pillars on which the edifice of Islam rests: The Five Pillars of Islam They are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able. 1. Faith "There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger." This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is: La ilaha illa Llah - 'there is no 3

4 god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves. 2. Prayer Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life. A translation of the Call to Prayer is: 3. The Zakat God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. I testify that there is no god except God. I testify that there is no god except God. I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)! Come to success! God is most great. God is most great. There is no god except God. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat 4

5 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. Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital. A pious person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.' The Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim.' He was asked: 'What if a person has nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity.' The Companions asked: 'What if he is not able to work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The Companions further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should urge others to do good.' The Companions said 'What if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity.' 4. The Fast Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier. Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life. Haji The Pilgrimage The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, over two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear 5

6 special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God. The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities. The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar. top Al-Fatiha (briefly) In the name of Allah (God), the Beneficent, the Merciful. 6

7 All Praise is due to Allah (God), Lord of the worlds, the Beneficent, the Merciful, Owner of the Day of Judgement. Thee alone we worship and Thee alone we ask for help. Show us the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast favoured, not (the path of) those who earn Thine anger nor (of) those who go astray. (Amen) Being a Muslim Manners! The Messenger of Allah (s) says: Among the best things about a man being Muslim is that he does not interfere in things with he is not concerned, so beware of this as you will not be excused it. In this hadith, the Holy Prophet (s) forbids us from interfering in the affairs of people which have nothing to do with Muslims and with which we have no connection. For example, if you see two persons holding a private conversation, do not eavesdrop or try to join in. It maybe that they have certain confidences between them which they do not want others to be aware of or involved in. If someone says something which has nothing to do with you, do not try to involve yourself in such a conversation, or speak as a representative for one who has not asked you. And if you find out something which does not concern you, do not use it to intervene. For example, do not lend your friend's book to another person. It is not yours to do so, and if you do indeed you have interfered in another person's business. For sure, the faithful with strong beliefs and good morals is not arrogant and never interferes in other's affairs. If you do involve yourself, indeed you have committed a grave mistake against people and must correct yourself by apologizing because you have done harm to others in affairs that do not concern you. Among the best characteristics of the believer is not doing harm to anyone and in case of erring, one should repent and confess their fault. A faithful differs from a hypocrite, who never admits his/her mistake nor apologizes for the harm he/she continually does against people. Although it is among the believer's characteristics not to become involved in others' affairs and not to be officious, it is necessary to distinguish between 7

8 interfering and intervening in the case of bidding what is right and forbidding what is wrong. For instance, it we see a person committing a crime, or lying, stealing, or oppressing others, or deceiving or behaving in a vulgar manner, it is obligatory upon us to advise them of their wrong doing in order that they abstain from such misdeeds. Such intervention is not interfering but only doing one's moral duty as a true believer. Adhan, the Islamic Call to Prayer In Islamic tradition, Muslims are called to the five scheduled daily prayers (salat) by a formal announcement, called the adhan. (The adhan is also used to call believers to Friday worship at the mosque.) The adhan is called out from the mosque by the muezzin (or muadhan; the prayer leader) which is recited from the mosque's minaret tower, if the mosque is large, or at a side door in smaller mosques. In modern times, the muezzin's voice is usually amplified by a loudspeaker, or a tape recording of the adhan is played. The Arabic word adhan means "to listen," and the ritual serves as a general statement of shared belief and faith, as well as an alert that prayers are about to begin inside the mosque. A second call, known as iqama, (set up) will then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers. The muezzin ( or muadhan) is a position of honour within the mosque, a servant selected for his good character and clear, loud voice. As he recites the adhan, the muezzin usually faces the Kaaba in Mecca, although there are other traditions in which he faces the four compass directions in turn. The muezzin institution is a very old position in the Islam, dating back to Mohammad's times, and those muezzins with exceptionally beautiful voices have achieved minor celebrity status, with worshipers traveling great distances to their mosques simply to hear their breath-taking renditions of the adhan. Notable performances of the adhan from well-known muezzins are available online in video form. The following is the Arabic transliteration and the English translation of what you hear: Allahu Akbar God is Great (said four times) Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah 8

9 I bear witness that there is no god except the One God. (said two times) Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. (said two times) Hayya 'ala-s-salah Hurry to the prayer (Rise up for prayer) (said two times) Hayya 'ala-l-falah Hurry to success (Rise up for Salvation) (said two times) Allahu Akbar God is Great [said two times] La ilaha illa Allah There is no god except the One God For the pre-dawn (fajr) prayer, the following phrase is inserted after the fifth part above, towards the end: As-salatu Khayrun Minan-nawm Prayer is better than sleep (said two times) Salah Islamic Prayers The Islamic prayers are like a contract. As a Muslim, I have made an agreement with my Lord that I will uphold and maintain the Five Pillars of Islam. After testifying to Allah s monotheistic qualities, I must also pray five times a day. No matter what I m doing. I could be working, playing with my children, eating, sleeping, or watching TV. Every day, for the rest of my life, five times a day, I must stop whatever it is I m doing and perform the obligatory Islamic prayers known as Salah. 9

10 And you know what? I love it. I am so grateful that Allah has given me the chance to worship Him and praise Him and ask Him for whatever my heart desires. I am so happy that He has given me the perfect method of one on one communication. And I m also happy that He requires me to keep in touch at least five times a day. The Different Prayers in Islam First, let s distinguish the different types of prayer in Islam. There is an informal prayer and a formal prayer. Without getting too technical, the informal prayer is simply asking or calling out to Allah for whatever reason. This is generally called dua. There are no special rules or format to making a dua. A person can make a dua before a job interview, or before a test. One can also make dua asking Allah for health, wealth, sustenance, ease, or whatever else one may need. But the formal Islamic prayers are much different. The Salah, as they are known, must be made in a specific fashion and according to certain rules. There are also definitive times during the day that the Salah must be made. And there are times when the Salah should not be made. It is these formal Muslim prayers, the Salah, which a Muslim must perform five times a day. The Benefits of the Islamic Prayer I know some people, especially those unfamiliar with Islam, might think that praying five times a day would be a hassle. While I can understand such feelings, that is not how most Muslims feel. Most Muslims do not think of the Salah as a burden or a chore. In fact, the Salah has many benefits. And after experiencing those benefits, most of us accept the Muslim prayers as a part of our lives and something that we just couldn t do without. For me, the best thing about making Salah five times a day is that it keeps me focused. My mind is always on the next prayer. I plan my day around accommodating the five daily Islamic prayers. I do not go to sleep at night without having made all five Salah. What does this mean? This means that my mind is always focused on the Creator. I plan my day around worshiping Allah. I do not go to sleep without ensuring that I have fulfilled my obligation to God. Think about it. For those who do not pray five times a day, what is their day like? What are their lives about? Chances are, their lives are only about working, 10

11 eating, and surviving another day just to start all over again. That doesn t make them much different from a cow or chicken. Details of the Islamic Prayer I really don t want to get into too much detail about how the Salah is performed. There are many good children s books and grownup books about Salah, as well as videos, CD s, and from YouTube you may download, out there that can do a much better job than I can. However, I do want to explain some of the basics of the prayer in Islam. As I ve already mentioned, the Salah is direct communication between man and God, the Supreme. However, when coming before Allah, we must come correct. Therefore, a person must first be clean. A Muslim must perform ablution; in Arabic this is called wudu. Wudu is a type of ritual washing. Also, a Muslim cannot just pray in any old fashion. First, we have to face towards the Kaaba in Mecca. We also must have the correct intentions, meaning we are clear in our purpose for establishing that particular prayer. And finally, the prayer must be done in the same manner as taught by Prophet Mohammad, may Allah be pleased with him. The Times of Salah The five daily Islamic prayers must also be made during specific times of the day. These times are: Fajr From the onset of dawn until sunrise Zuhr From just after noontime until mid-afternoon Asr From mid-afternoon until sunset Maghrib From sunset until the full darkness of night Isha From beginning of the night until the middle of the night (not midnight) These five prayers are mandatory for all Muslims. But we are not limited to only praying during these times. Muslims are encouraged to make voluntary Salah throughout the day. These voluntary prayers are sometimes called Naafil or Sunnah prayers. Islamic Prayers are Obligatory Now keep this in mind. The five daily prayers are OBLIGATORY for Muslims. We cannot just abandon the Islamic prayers. The Salah are part of our identity as Muslims. 11

12 In fact, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has stated: (The difference) between the believer and the disbeliever is the Salah. For this reason, many Islamic scholars say that a person who deliberately abandons the Muslim prayers, and never makes them up, is not a Muslim. For those of you who are Muslim but are negligent on your prayers, take this opportunity to make the change now. You must immediately correct this, and make the Salah a part of your daily routine. And for those that are not Muslim, I encourage you to find out more about Islam and consider the benefits of the Islamic prayers. You will be amazed at how your life changes when you focus on the Creator as often as Muslims do. How to Perform the Daily Muslim Prayers Five times each day, Muslims bow down to Allah in prayer. If you are learning how to pray, or are just curious about what Muslims do during prayers, follow along with these general guidelines. For more specific guidance, check out these online prayer tutorials to help walk you through it. It s easy; and, the time required is ten minutes. What you need The heartfelt intention to perform the prayer A clean body with correct ablutions A clean place to pray A prayer rug (optional) 1. Make sure your body and place of prayer are clean. Perform ablutions if necessary. Make the intention to perform your obligatory prayer. 2. Standing, raise hands up and say "Allahu Akbar" (God is Most Great). 3. Standing with hands folded over chest, recite the first chapter of the Qur'an in Arabic. Then recite any other verses of the Qur'an that you would like. 4. Raise hands up, saying "Allahu Akbar." Bow, reciting three times, "Subhana rabbiyal adheem" (Glory be to my Lord Almighty). 5. Rise to standing while reciting "Sam'i Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal hamd" (God hears those who call upon Him; Our Lord, praise be to You). 12

13 6. Raise hands up, saying "Allahu Akbar." Prostrate on the ground, reciting three times "Subhana Rabbiyal A'ala" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High). 7. Then say while sitting: Allahummaghfirly warhammi, or Rabbighfir li warhamni wajburni warfa ni warzuqni wahdini wa afini (0 my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, fulfil my needs, raise me, provide for me, guide me, and protect me from sickness). It is also recommended to do the sitting with the left foot tucked under the buttocks while the right foot is kept vertical as in sujud 8. Rise to a sitting position, saying "Allahu Akbar." Prostrate again in the same manner. 9. Rise to a standing position, saying "Allahu Akbar." 10. This concludes one rak'a (cycle or unit of prayer). Begin again from Step 3 for the second rak'a. 11. After two rak ahs, one remains sitting after the prostrations and recites the first part of the Tashahhud in Arabic. 12. If the prayer is to be longer than these two rak ahs, one now stands up and begins again to complete the prayer, sitting again after all rak ahs have been completed. 13. Recite the second part of the Tashahhud in Arabic. 14. Turn to the right and say "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah" (Peace be upon you and God's blessings). 15. Turn to the left and repeat the greeting. This concludes the formal prayer. Above Instructions in Detail illustrated Wudu included Introduction The five prayers are among the best acts of worship that the Muslim performs. Performing them is the best deed after having the correct belief in God and His Messenger. Prophet Muhammad, may Allah raise his rank, was asked what the best deed was and he said it was performing the obligatory prayers at the beginning of their times (al-bayhaqiyy): When we say prayers we are referring to an act of worshipping God which has a 13

14 specific format as God revealed to Prophet Muhammad, may Allah raise his rank. The prophets from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad, may Allah raise their rank, ordered their followers to pray as per God s orders. Since the prayer is the most important matter of Islam after having the correct belief in God and His Messenger, one must plan his life around the prayer. It would be a great sin to neglect praying when at work if a prayer was required at that time. If a believer is shopping at the mall or waiting at the airport and there is no way to get home or to a mosque, he is still obligated to perform the prayer within its due time instead of purposely leaving out or delaying the prayer. This indicates the importance of the obligatory prayer. Doing the obligatory prayer on time takes priority over other non-obligatory matters. Chapter 1 Preparations before Praying There are five prayers which are obligatory and rewardable. There are other prayers which are rewardable but optional to perform. The optional prayers require the same preparation as the five required prayers. There are several requirements of the person who performs the prayer. The person praying must be Muslim and must have reached the state of mental discrimination which is usually around seven lunar years (about 6 3/4 solar years). Taharah (Purification) The Muslim must have the proper Taharah (purification) before performing the prayers. This comprises the removal of najas (filthy) substances and performing wudu (ablution) or ghusl (full shower). Removal of Najas (Filthy substances) Islamically, there are substances that are considered filthy and must not be on the person s body, clothes, place of prayer, or even carried when praying. Some of these substances include urine, feces, blood, vomit, pus, and discharges from the penis and vagina, except maniyy (semen and the woman s fluid of orgasm) which is not filthy. To clean oneself after urinating and defecating, the person dries himself of all urine with toilet paper after urinating, and then pours water on the areas where the urine was. In the case of defecation, the person is correct if he removes the defecation with toilet paper and then pours water on the stained area to remove the traces. It is also acceptable to use either toilet paper or water only. However, the exclusive use of toilet paper has conditions. The urine must not go beyond the exit area and must not dry there. Also, one s defecation must not spread past the area of the buttocks which comes together when one is standing. 14

15 Wudu' (Ablution) Allah revealed: قال هللا تعالى: ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين ءام ن وا إ ذ ا ق م ت م إ ل ى الص الة فاغ س ل وا و ج وه ك م و أ ي د ي ك م إ ل ى ال م ر اف ق و ام س ح وا ب ر ؤ وس ك م و أ ر ج ل ك م إ ل ى ال ك ع ب ين This verse from the Qur an means: 0 you who believe, if you stand up for prayer, wash your face and arms up to [and including] the elbows and wet wipe [part of] your head and wash your feet up to [and including] the ankles. (al-ma idah) Wudu' (Ablution) has obligatory and recommended parts. The obligatory parts are those parts which if left out the wudu' is not valid. The recommended parts are those parts which if left out the wudu' would still be valid, but one misses out on that reward. The wudu must be made with water only. How to Perform Wudu 1. It is recommended to say هللا مس ب Bismillah (with the Name of Allah) while washing the hands. 2. It is recommended to wash the two hands with the wrists three times (figure-1- ). 3. It is recommended to rinse the mouth three times using the right hand (figure -2- ). Figure-1- Figure-2-4. It is recommended to draw water into the nose with the right hand and to blow it 15

16 out of the nose with the left hand three times (figure-3- ). 5. It is an obligation to have the proper intention. When the water touches the first part of your face say in your heart I intend to perform wudu'. 6. It is an obligation to wash your face, from the normal hairline to the chin and from one ear to the other including the hair and skin. The inner part of the man s thick beard is excluded (figure-4- ). If a string was put at the middle of the forehead at the normal hairline and drawn to the top of the ear, then one washes all that would be below that string, both hair and skin, with the ears excluded (figure-4a-4b). It is recommended to wash the face three times. Figure-3- Figure-4-7. It is an obligation to wash the hands, forearms, and elbows. It is recommended to wash them three times each. Start with the right and then the left (figure-5- ). 8. It is an obligation to wet wipe part of the head, between the normal hairline and the occiput (figure-6- ). 16

17 Figure-4a- Figure-4b- Figure-5- Figure-6-9. It is recommended to wet wipe both ears three times (figure-7- ). 10. It is an obligation to wash the feet with the ankles. It is recommended to wash them three times starting with the right foot (figure-8- ). 11. Do the obligatory parts (from step 1 to 10) in the aforementioned order. 12. It is recommended to say a supplication after finishing wudu (see Appendix 1). 17

18 Figure-7- Figure-8- Benefit It is preferred to use a small amount of water in wudu and ghusl. It is mentioned in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah used a mudd مد (about half a cup) of water for wudu' and a sa صاع (about a pint) for ghusl. A mudd is the fill of a pair of average-sized hands cupped together. The sa^ is four mudds. It is also mentioned in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah used six (6) mudds (about 3 cups) of water for wudu and thirty (30) mudds (about one cup less than a gallon) for ghusl. Invalidators of Wudu' If you have wudu' and any of the matters which invalidate wudu takes place, you must not pray until you make a new wudu' Among the invalidators of wudu' are: 1. The emission of any substance from the eliminatory outlets, such as urine, defecation, or gas, except maniyy. 2. Touching the penis or vagina, or the anus with the inside of the bare hand (the palm). 3. Losing the mind or losing consciousness 18

19 4. Sleeping without having the buttocks firmly seated, such as sleeping on the stomach, back, and on the side. 5. Skin to skin contact with a member of the opposite sex, who has reached an age where he or she is normally desired. (the females whom one is not allowed to marry in any circumstance such as his mother, sister etc. (are not included). 6. If one of these matters happens to you during prayer, you stop the actions of the prayer, perform wudu' and then start the prayer from the beginning. Summary of Wudu Summary Wudu' - Ablution Before doing the prayer, all Muslims must purify themselves as follows: 1) Intention: Make the intention to do wudu' and say, BISMILLAH (In the name of Allah) 2) Hands: Wash both hands to the wrists 3 times. 3) Mouth: Rinse out 3 times. 4) Nose: Snuff up water and blow out 3 times. 5) Face: Rub with water thoroughly using both hands 3 times. 6) Forearms: Rub vigorously with water up to and including the elbows, first right and then left, making sure that water goes between the fingers. Do each arm 3 times. 7) Head: Pass the hands over the head from the forehead to the nape of the neck and bring them back to the forehead once. 8) Ears: Wet both thumbs and forefingers and rub inside and out, once. 9) Feet: Rub with water all over, including the ankles, first right then left. Do each foot 3 times. 10) Shahada: Raise the forefinger of the right hand and say, ASH-HADU AN LA ILAHA ILLA'LLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MUHAMMADA RASULU'LLAH I witness that there is no god but Allah And I witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 19

20 Ghusl (Full Shower) You must perform a ghusl (full shower) in order to pray after: 1. You perform sexual intercourse. 2. Your menstruation ends. 3. Your postpartum bleeding ends. 4. You give birth to a child, even if it was without bleeding. 5. Your maniyy is emitted How to Perform Ghusl After removing any najas from the body, the ghusl is performed in the following way: 1. It is obligatory for you to intend in the heart to perform the obligation of ghusl when the water first touches your body. 2. It is obligatory to wash the whole body with water, including all of the hair. It is recommended to do this three times. When performing either the wudu' or ghusl, all substances which prevent water from reaching the parts to be washed and wiped must be removed. Examples are: nail polish on fingernails and toenails and waterproof mascara. Tayammum (Dry Purification) In the absence of water or when unable to use water, one may instead of performing wudu or ghusl perform tayammum. This is stated in the Qur an: ف ل م ت ج د وا م اء ف ت ي م م وا ص ع يد ا ط ي ب ا ف ام س ح وا ب و ج وه ك م و أ ي د يك م م ن ه م ا ي ر يد هللا ل ي ج ع ل ع ل ي ك م م ن ح ر ج و ل ك ن ي ر يد ل ي ط ه ر ك م و ل ي ت م ن ع م ت ه ع ل ي ك م ل ع ل ك م ت ش ك ر ون }6} This verse means: If you do not find water, then perform tayammum with the pure soil. Pass it onto your faces and arms. (al-ma idah, 6). The Prophet said: 20

21 >>ج ع ل ت لنا األرض كل ها م س ج دا وج ع ل ت ت رب ت ها لنا ط ه ورا << رواه مسلم which means: The earth is made a place for our prayers, and its soil is made for our purification (Muslim). One must make sure that the time of the prayer has set in before performing the tayammum. The tayammum is valid for one obligatory prayer only and for as many optional prayers as one wishes. However, one repeats the tayammum before each obligatory prayer. How to perform Tayammum Make sure that you have pure, dusty soil unused before in tayammum (figure-1-). 1. It is recommended to say Bismillah. It is an obligation to strike the soil with your palms. Make the intention: I intend to perform tayammum to make performing the prayer permissible while transferring the soil until it touches your face (figure-2-). 2. Pass the soil on all of your face (figure-3-) Figure-1- Figure-2-21

22 Figure-3- Figure-4- Figure-5- Figure-6-22

23 Figure-7- Figure-8-3. Strike the soil again and pass it on both hands and forearms, including the elbows. It is recommended to pass it on the right arm first then the left (figure-4-). It is an obligation to make sure that the soil on the left hand reaches all the parts of the right arm and conversely (figure-5 thru 8). Knowing the Prayers and their Times You can pray only after being sure that the prayer time is in. Hence, you need to learn how to recognize when the prayer times come in and go out. The Five Obligatory Prayers Allah revealed: حافظوا على الصلوات which means: Perform the [five obligatory] prayers (al-baqarah, 238). The Messenger of Allah said: 23

24 which means: There are five prayers that Allah obligated the slaves to perform. Whoever performs them properly without belittling their obligation, Allah promised to admit him into Paradise. Whoever leaves them out does not have a promise from Allah to have Paradise without torture before. If He willed, He tortures him, and if He willed, He forgives him. Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad. It is obligatory to perform each of these five prayers in its due time. It is better to perform each prayer early in its time. Dhuhr (Noon) Prayer [Four rak ahs (cycles)]: Its time begins when the sun has declined westward from the middle of the sky (zenith). The time remains until the length of the shadow of an object becomes equal to that of the object per Se, in addition to the length of the shadow of that object when the sun was at its zenith. For example, if the length of your shadow when the sun is at its zenith is 5 feet and you are 6 feet high, then once your shadow becomes 11 feet long the Dhuhr prayer time ends. casr (Mid-afternoon) Prayer [Four rak ahs] As soon as the Dhuhr prayer time ends the casr prayer time starts. Its time remains until sunset. Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer [Three rak ahs] After the entire disk of the sun has set, then the Maghrib prayer time begins. This prayer time lasts until the redness has disappeared in the western horizon. Isha' (Nightfall) Prayer [Four rak ahs] As soon as the Maghrib prayer time is finished the Isha' prayer time begins. You can be certain that this prayer time is in when you can see many small stars in the sky on a clear night. This prayer time lasts until the true dawn appears. Subh or Fajr (Dawn) Prayer [Two rak ahs] The true dawn begins when we see light spread at the horizon in the East. When the true dawn appears the Fajr prayer time has begun and this prayer time remains until the first glimpse of the disk of the sun appears on the Eastern horizon. 24

25 The Covering for the Prayer The women must cover everything but their faces and hands with a material which conceals the colour of their skin. The body must remain covered throughout the various movements of the prayer. So if, for example upon bending, the woman s scarf hangs forward exposing her neck from an angle, this is not acceptable. Either the woman needs to be sure that her clothing is tucked in properly to prevent exposure, or she may put clothing over her normal clothing which does not allow exposure at angles. This clothing has an added benefit in that it conceals the shape of the body, for it is disliked for the shape of the woman s body to be apparent while she is praying. For the man, his area between his navel and his knees must be covered during the prayer. Like for the woman, the material with which he covers this area must not be see-through; that is, it must be opaque so as to conceal the colour of the skin. Chapter 2 The Salah (Prayer) There are five (5) prayers which must be performed by the Muslims and are called obligatory prayers. It is a great sin to neglect performing any of these obligatory prayers. Among the merits of performing the obligatory prayers is that one s small sins, which may be committed between prayers, are forgiven. The Prophet, may Allah raise his rank, said: which means: Whoever makes a complete wudu', his sins will depart his body, until they leave from under his nails (Muslim). How to Perform the Dhuhr (Noon) Prayer The Dhuhr Prayer is four rak ahs 1. Facing the Qiblah: It is obligatory to stand directing your chest to the honourable Qiblah. The Qiblah is the Ka bah in Makkah. 2. Intention: It is obligatory to intend in your heart performing the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. Do that while saying اك بر هللا Allahu Akbar (God is great). An example is to say in your heart I intend to pray the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. 25

26 3. The Opening Takbir: It is obligatory to say Allahu Akbar at least as loud as you can hear yourself, while raising your hands next to your ears. Raising your hands is a recommended part (figure-1-). Figure-1- Figure-2-4. Standing: It is obligatory to stand in the obligatory prayer when able. It is recommended to hold the wrist of the left hand with the right hand, placing both above the navel (figure-2a-2b). 5. Reciting the Fatihah: It is obligatory to recite the Fatihah (the first chapter of the Qur an) at least as loud as you can hear yourself. It is an obligation to recite the Fatihah properly, that is, to pronounce all the letters correctly. Learn the recitation of the Fatihah from a qualified teacher (see Appendix 3). Whoever cannot recite the Fatihah correctly must recite other parts of the Qur an, the number of letters of which should be at least equal to that of the Fajihah (156 letters). If one knows one or more qyahs of the Fatihah, one may repeat them as many times as would render minimally the same number of letters in the Fatihah. If one cannot recite any ayah of the Fatihah, one recites other ayahs of the Qur'an the letters of which add up to at least the same number of letters of the Fatihah. If one cannot recite any part of the Qur an, one must recite certain words of dhikr, such as: 26

27 subhanallah, al-hamdulillah, la ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar (I declare that Allah is clear of all imperfections, praise and thanks to Allah, no one is God but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest) as many times as would render minimally the same number of letters in the Fatihah (Ibn Hibban an-nawawiyy): For example, reciting Allahu Akbar twenty times is sufficient. In the unusual case of someone being unable to recite the Fatihah, other parts of the Qur an, or dhikr statements one stands as long as reciting the Fatihah with moderate speed takes. It is recommended to say ءام ين Amin (0 Allah, fulfil my request) after finishing the Fatihah, and to recite at least one verse from another chapter of the Qur an in the first and second rak ah (see Appendix 5). It is also recommended before reciting the Fajihah in the first cycle to say the Tawajjuh supplication and then the isti adhah (asking for Allah s protection from the cursed devil) (see Appendix 2). 6.The Ruku (Bowing): It is obligatory to bend at the waist until your palms can reach your knees (figure-3-) and stay still in this position for at least the time it takes to say هللا س بحان subhanallah. It is recommended upon bending to raise your hands next to your ears and say ب ب س سبحان س times: Allahu Akbar. Also it is recommended while in ruku, to say three Lord). subhana Rabbiyal- Adhim (Praise be to my Great ال عظ يم 27

28 Figure -3a- Figure -3b- 7. The I tidal (Straightening up): It is obligatory to straighten your back and stay still in this position for at least the time it takes to say subhanallah (figure- 4-). It is recommended while raising your trunk to raise your hands next to your ears and to say ح عد مس لع ن س هللاس س عم س sami allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears who ل ك س ب ب ا praises Him). While your back is straight up it is recommended to say due). Rabbana lakal-hamd (0 our Lord, to You the praise is الح عدس 8. The Sujiud (Prostration): It is obligatory to go down to the floor and prostrate by pressing your bare forehead, and putting your palms, knees, and pads of the toes on the floor. Both feet are kept vertical with the heels up and the toepads down touching the floor. Stay still in this position for at least the time it takes to say subhanallah (figure-5-). 28

29 Figure -4a- Figure -4b- It is recommended upon going down to the floor to raise your hands next to your ears and to say Allahu Akbar. Also it is recommended while in sujud to say three times subhana Rabbiyal-'a la (Praise be to my Supreme Lord). It is also recommended while in sujud to place your hands next to your shoulders, having your fingers together directed towards the Qiblah. It is recommended for the male to keep his elbows away from his sides in his sujud and in his Ruku, and to keep his abdomen lifted away from his thighs in his sujud (figure5a-5b). However, the female keeps her elbows pulled in to her sides in her sujud and Ruku and keeps her trunk close to her thighs in her sujud (figure-5c-). 29

30 Figure -5b- Figure -5c- 9. The Sitting between the two Sujuds: It is obligatory to raise your trunk from prostration and sit, staying still in this position for at least the time it takes to say subhanallah (figure-6a-). It is recommended to say Allahu Akbar while coming to sitting. Also, it is recommended while sitting to say: Rabbighfir li warhamni wajburni warfa ni warzuqni wahdini wa afini (0 my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, fulfil my needs, raise me, provide for me, guide me, and protect me from sickness). It is also recommended to do the sitting with the left foot tucked under the buttocks while the right foot is kept vertical as in sujud (figure-6b-). 30

31 Figure -6a- Figure -6b- An alternate recommended way of sitting is to rest the buttocks on the heels of both feet which are kept as in sujud (figure-6c-) It is recommended that the hands be placed on the thighs at the knees with the fingers extended and spread slightly towards the Qiblah. 10. It is obligatory to perform a second sujud from your sitting position. This sujud is similar to the first sujud. After the second sujud is fulfilled you have completed the first rak ah (cycle) of the prayer. 31

32 Figure -6c- Figure It is obligatory to stand up for the second rak ah. It is recommended while doing so to say Allahu Akbar. Repeat steps 5 to 10. This ends your second rak ah. 12. It is recommended at this time to sit up from sujud, recite the Tashahhud (see Appendix 4), and say Allahumma salli ala Muhammad (see Appendix 4) at least as loud as you can hear yourself. It is recommended to sit with the feet as in step 9. An alternate way of sitting is to rest the buttocks on both crossed feet (figure-7-). It is also recommended to keep both hands on your thighs. The fingertips of your left hand should be spread towards your knee. In this sitting, the fingers of the right hand are lightly fisted except for the index finger which is extended slightly down (figure-8a-). The index finger is lifted slightly at saying هللا س ا illallah (in the Tashahhud) and is kept as such until the end of this sitting (figure-8b-). Figure -8a- Figure -8b- 13. It is obligatory to stand up and do two more rak ahs in the same way that you did from steps 5 to 11. It is recommended while rising for the third rak ah to raise your hands next to your ears and say Allahu Akbar. However, raising the hands is not recommended while rising for the fourth rak ah. 14. Upon completion of the second sujud of the last rak ah, it is obligatory to sit up, recite the Tashahhud, and say Allahumma salli ^ala Muhammad (see 32

33 Appendix 4 It is recommended to keep the hands as in step 12. However, after the index finger is lifted slightly at saying illallah it is kept as such until the end of the prayer. For this sitting it is also recommended to pass the left foot past the right leg and place the buttocks on the floor, keeping the right foot as in sujuji (figure-9-). Figure -9- Afterwards, it is recommended to say (see Appendix 4). Then it is recommended to say a supplication such as: Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil- akhirati hasanah, wa qina adhaban-nar, which means: 0 our Lord, grant us in this life and in the Hereafter good things, and protect us from the torture of the Hellfire. 16. The Ending Salam: It is obligatory to say assalamu ^alaykum at least as loud as you can hear yourself. It is recommended to say as-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah first to one s right and then to one s left 33

34 (figure-10-). By saying this your Dhuhr prayer is ended. Figure -10a- Figure -10b- How to Perform the casr (Mid-afternoon) and Isha' (Nightfall) Prayers The casr and Isha' prayers are performed exactly as the Dhuhr prayer. However, in step 2 you intend the obligatory casr and Isha prayers, respectively. Moreover, it is recommended to recite the Qur'an in a louder manner in the first two rak ahs of the Isha prayer. How to Perform the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer The three rak ahs of the Maghrib prayer are performed exactly as the first three rak ahs of Isha. After the second sujud of the third rak ah it is obligatory to sit up and do steps 14 and 15. How to Perform the Subh or Fajr (Dawn) Prayer The two rak ahs of the Fajr (or Subh) prayer are performed exactly like the first two rak ahs of the Isha prayer, but with the intention of performing the obligatory Fajr (or Subh) prayer. After the second sujud of the second rak ah, do steps 14 and 15. Also after saying Rabbana lakal-hamd in the I tidal (step 7) of the second rak ah, it is recommended to say the Qunut supplication (see Appendix 6) at least as loud as you can hear yourself. 34

35 Invalidators of the Prayer In addition to leaving out the obligatory parts, there are other matters that invalidate the prayer. They must be known to be avoided. Among these matters are: 1. Saying words other than the words of the prayer intentionally, remembering that one is praying, and knowing that it is forbidden to do so. 2. Making many moves for a time that is enough to make one rak ah. 3. Performing an excessive move, such as an excessive jump. 4. Adding an extra obligatory action such as making two ruku s or three sujuds in one rak ah, on purpose and while remembering that one is praying. 5. Making one move with the intention of playing, such as to extend one s tongue or to wink playfully. 6. Eating or drinking even a small amount while remembering one is praying. 7. Invalidating one s ablution, such as passing gas or urine. 8. Intending in the heart to interrupt the prayer. Intending to interrupt it if a specific matter happens, such as if one holds: if the doorbell rings I will interrupt my prayer, invalidates the prayer immediately. The Jam ah (Congregational) Prayer It is very rewardable to perform the five obligatory prayers in congregation. This can be done in the masjids (mosques) and elsewhere. In the congregational prayer one person (imam) leads the prayer, with one (ma mum) or more persons following him. The reward of the prayer performed in congregation is 27 times that of the one performed individually, as mentioned in the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim: While following the imam in the congregational prayer: Your heels must not be ahead of those of your imam. It is recommended that they be behind those of the imam. Say your opening takbir only after the iman has finished saying his opening takbir. Have the intention to follow the iman. For example, intend in the heart to follow the 35

36 imam, praying the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. It is recommended that you wait for the iman to change his position before you go to that same position. The Jumu ah (Friday) Prayer Friday is the best day of the week. On Friday there are certain blessings that may be bestowed particular to that day. The Muslim men are required to attend the Friday prayer as stated in the Holy Qur an (al-jumu ah, 9): ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين ءام ن وا إ ذ ا ن ود ي ل لص الة م ن ي و م ال ج م ع ة ف اس ع و ا إ ل ى ذ ك ر هللا و ذ ر وا ال ب ي ع ذ ل ك م خ ي ر ل ك م إ ن ك نت م ت ع ل م ون Prophet Muhammad said: which means: Performing the Jumu ah prayer is an obligation upon every [male] pubescent person. (annasa'iyy) Although not obligated, women can pray the Friday prayer. The Friday prayer is usually performed in a congregation at a mosque. It is performed in the Dhuhr prayer time, replacing the Dhuhr prayer for that day. Instead of the four rak ahs of the Dhuhr prayer, you pray only two rak ahs and begin your prayer intending to pray the congregational Friday prayer instead of intending the Dhuhr prayer. If you miss joining the group of the Friday prayer, then you must pray the Dhuhr prayer with its normal four rak ahs. At the Friday prayer, the group listens attentively to two speeches which the imam gives before the prayer. Both the speeches and the prayer are done in the Dhuhr prayer time,. and the prayer follows immediately after the speeches. Janazah (Funeral) Prayer Upon the death of a Muslim, Muslims are obligated to pray for him. Just like in the obligatory prayers, one must have wudu. However, the Funeral prayer does not have Ruku or sujud. It is recommended that the dead person be laid in front of the imam. 36

37 How to Perform the Janazah (Funeral) Prayer 1. Stand facing the Qiblah with your chest. 2. Have the intention: I intend to pray the Funeral prayer for this dead Muslim while saying: Allahu Akbar. 3. Recite the Fatihah softly, then say Allahu Akbar. 4. Say Allahumma salli ala Muhammad. It is better if you recite the whole Salatul-Ibrahimiyyah, then say Allahu Akbar. 5. Make supplication for the dead Muslim Allahumma-ghfir lahu warhamh (u). It is better to include other Muslims and to say: Allahumma-ghfir lihayyina wa mayyitina, wa shahidina wa gha ibina wa saghirina wa kabirina, wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi ^alal-islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa tawaffahu alal- iman. This means: 0 Allah, forgive our dead and alive, our present and absent, our young and old, our male and female [Muslims]. 0 Allah, whomever among us You gave life, let him live with Islam. Whomever among us You took life from, let him die with Iman (Faith). Then say Allahu akbar. 6. It is recommended to say Allahumma la tahrimna ajrahu wa la taftinna ba dah(u), which means: 0 Allah, do not deprive us of the reward of our praying for him, and do not test us after him. 7. Say as-salamu alaykum. It is recommended to say: assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah while turning the head to the right, then to say it while turning to the left. 37

38 Upon consoling a Muslim for the death of his Muslim beloved you say: a dhama-llau ajrak(a), wa ahsana aza'ak(a), wa ghafara limayyitik, which means: May Allah reward you greatly, give you good patience, and forgive your deceased (loved) one. However, upon consoling a Muslim concerning the death of a non-muslim relative, you say: A dhama-llahu ajrak(a), wa sabbarak, which means: May Allah reward you greatly and give you patience. Appendix 1 What is Recommended to Say After Finishing Wudu'? Du a'-ul-wudu' Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah (u), wahdahu la sharika lah (u), wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh (u). Allahumma-j alni minat-tawwabin (a), waj alni minalmutatahhirin. Subhanaka-llahumma wa bi hamdik (a), ashhadu alla ilaha illa ant (a), astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk. 38

39 The Meaning of the Wudu (Ablution) Supplication I testify that no one is God but Allah, alone, without a partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. 0 Allah, make me among the frequent repenters and make me among the purified. Praise and thanks be to You, 0 Allah. I testify that no one is God but You. I ask You for forgiveness and I repent to You. Appendix 2 What is Recommended to Say After Finishing the Opening Takbir Du a'uliftitah or Du a'ut-tawajjuh Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fataras-samawati wal- arda hanifam Muslima, wa ma ana minal-mushrikin. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lillahi rabbil alamin (a), la sharika lah (u), wa bi dhalika umirt (u), wa ana minal-muslimin. The Meaning of the Opening or Tawajjuh Supplication I direct myself in worship to the One Who created the heavens and Earth, following the upright path, being a Muslim, and not among those who associate partners with Allah. Surely, my prayer, my acts of worship in obedience, my life, and my death belong to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Who has no partner. With this I was ordered, And I am one of the Muslims. What is Recommended to Say Before the Fatihah 39

40 Alisti adhah A udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajm The Meaning of the Isti adhah I seek refuge with Allah from the [harm of the] cursed devil. Appendix 3 What Must be Recited in Every Rak ah الفاتحة سورة ب س م هللا الر ح م ن الر ح يم }1{ ال ح م د هلل ر ب ال ع ال م ين }2{ الر ح من الر ح يم }3{ م ل ك ي و م الد ين }4{ إ ي اك ن ع ب د وإ ي اك ن س ت ع ين }5{ اهد ن ا الص ر اط الم ست ق يم }6{ ص ر اط ال ذ ين أ نع مت ع ل يه م غ ير الم غض وب ع ل يه م و ال الض ال ين }7{ Suratul-Fatihah 1. Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. 2. Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil- alamin 3. Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim. 4. Maliki yawmid-din. 5. Iyyaka nabudu wa iyyaka nasta in. 6. Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim 7. Siratal-ladhina an amta ^alayhim, Ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa laddallin. The Meaning of the Fatihah 1. I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is ar-rahman (the One Who is merciful to both Muslims and non- Muslims in this life), and ar-rahim (the One Who is merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). 2. Praise and thanks to Allah, the Rabb (Owner) of the worlds (of angels, humans, jinn, and others) for the giving s He granted without Him being obligated to do so. 3. He is ar-rahman (the One Who is merciful to both Muslims and non- Muslims in this life), and ar-rahim (the One Who is merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). 40

41 4. He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. 5. To You (Allah) only we dedicate worship (the ultimate subjugation), and from You (Allah) only we seek help. 6. Keep us guided (firmly) on the Straight Path (Islam), 7. Which is the Path of those upon whom You bestowed guidance by Islam (prophets and other Muslims), not the path of those whom You willed to punish, or the path of those who went astray. Appendix 4 What is Said in the Sitting At-Tashahhud was-salatul-'ibrahimiyyah At-Tahiyyatul-mubarakat, as-salawatut-tayyibatu lillah. AsSalamu alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-Salamu alayna wa ala ibadillahis-salihin Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar-Rasulullah. (End of the Tashahhud) Allahumma salli ala Muhammad, (This completes the obligation) wa ala 'Ali Muhammad, kama sallayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala 'Ali Ibrahim. Innaka Hamidum Majid. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa ala 'Ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala 'Ali Ibrahim. Innaka Hamidum Majid. 41

42 The Meaning of the Tashahhud and Salatul- Ibrahimiyyah The blessed salutations, Five Prayers, and the good deeds are all owned by Allah. 0 Prophet of Allah, may the safety from infirmities, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you. May safety be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I profess (know, believe, and declare) that no one is God but Allah, and I profess that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. 0 Allah, we ask You to raise the rank of Muhammad, and have mercy upon the Al (wives, Muslim kin, and pious Muslim followers) of Muhammad, as You raised the rank of Ibrahim, and the Al of Ibrahim. Verily, You are the One Who deserves to be praised and thanked, and the One Who is glorified. 0 Allah, we ask You to bless Muhammad, and the Al of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim, and the Al of Ibrahim. Verily, You are the One Who deserves to be praised and thanked, and the One Who is glorified. 42

43 Appendix 5 Examples of What Could be Recited After the Fatihah ءاية الك ر س ي هللا ال إ ل ه إ ال ه و ال ح ي ال ق ي وم ال ت أ خ ذ ه س ن ة و ال ن و م ل ه م ا ف ي الس م او ات و م ا ف ي األ ر ض م ن ذ ا ال ذ ي ي ش ف ع ع ن د ه إ ال ب إ ذ ن ه ي ع ل م م ا ب ي ن أ ي د يه م و م ا خ ل ف ه م و ال ي ح يط ون ب ش ى ء م ن ع ل م ه إ ال ب م ا ش اء و س ع ك ر س ي ه الس م او ات و األ ر ض و ال ي ؤ ود ه ح ف ظ ه م ا و ه و ال ع ل ي ال ع ظ يم Ayatul-Kursiyy Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Allahu la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum, la ta khudhuhu sinatuwwala nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wama fil- ard, man dhalladhi yashfa u indahu illa bi idhnih, 43

44 ya lamu ma bayna aydihim wama khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bishay immin ilmihi illa bima sha, wasi a Kursiyyuhus-samawati wal- ard, wa la ya uduhu hifdhuhuma, wa Huwal- Aliyyul- Adhim. The Meaning of Ayatul-Kursiyy I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is ar-rahman (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims and non-muslims in this life), and Who is ar-rahim (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). Allah is the One Who is the Only God. He is the One Who is attributed with an eternal and everlasting Life (which is without soul, body, blood, bones or need for food). He is the One Who manages and takes care of the world and does not need anyone and everyone needs Him. He is not seized with somnolence or sleep. To Him belongs what is in the heavens and Earth. No one will intercede, on the Day of Judgment, except with His permission. He knows all about His creation. They do not know except that which Allah allowed them to know. His Kursiyy extends farther than the heavens and Earth and He is not exhausted from preserving them. He is the One Who has the highest status (and does not need a place) and Who rightly has the attributes of exaltedness, glory, greatness, and purity from all imperfection. 44

45 Suratul-'Ikhlas Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim 1. Qul Huwallahu Ahad. 2. Allahus-Samad. 3. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. 4. Wa lam yakullahu kufuwan ahad. The Meaning of Suratul- Ikhlas I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is ar-rahman (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims and non-muslims in this life), and Who is ar-rahim (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). 1. [0 Muhammad,] say that Allah is One without a partner to Him in the Self or attributes, and the One Who is indivisible (because He is not a body.) 2. All creations need Allah and He does not need any of, them. He is the One to Whom all 45

46 resort in all types of adversities. He does not benefit from His creations and does not ward any harm off Himself by them. 3. Nothing was born out of Him; so no one inherits Him. He was not born; so no one shares property with Him. He is not the origin of anything and He did not originate from anything. 4. He has no equal in any way. Suratul-Falaq The Meaning of Suratul-Falaq Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim 1. Qul a^udhu birabbil-falaq. 2. Min sharri ma khalaq. 3. Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab. 4. Wa min sharrin-naffathati fil- uqad. 5. Wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad. I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is ar-rahman (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims and non-muslims in this life), and Who is ar-rahim (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). 46

47 1. [O Muhammad,] say: I seek refuge with Allah, the Lord (Creator and Sustainer) of dawn, 2. from the evil of what He created (such as the Devil and fire), 3. and from the evil of the night when it comes, 4. and from the evil of the witches who blow on knots, 5. and the evil of the covetous one when he covets. Suratun-Nas The Meaning of Suratun-Nas Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim 1. Qul a^udhu birabbin-nas. 2. Malikin-nas. 3. Ilahin-nas. 4. Min sharril-waswasil-khannas. 5. Alladhi yuwaswisu f sudurin-nas. 6. Minal-jinnati wan-nas I start my recitation with the Name of Allah (the One Who deserves to be worshipped), Who is ar-rahman (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims and non-muslims in this 47

48 life), and Who is ar-rahim (the One Who is very merciful to Muslims only in the Hereafter). 1. [O Muhammad,] say: I seek refuge with Allah, the Lord (Creator and Sustainer) of mankind, 2. the Owner of mankind, 3. [the only] God of mankind, 4. from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws (when the Name of Allah is mentioned), 5. who whispers in the hearts of creations, 6. among the jinn and mankind. Appendix 6 What is Said in the I tidal of the Second Rak ah of the Fajr Prayer Du aul-qunut Allahummahdini fiman hadayt (a), wa afini fiman afayt (a), wa tawallani fiman tawallayt (a), wa barik li fima a tayt (a). Wa qini sharra ma qadayt (a), fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda alayk (a). Wa innahu la yadhillu maw walayt(a), wa la ya izzu man adayt (a). Tabarakta Rabbana wa ta alayt (a). Fa lakal-hamdu ala ma qadayt (a). Astagfiruka wa atubu ilayk (a). Wa sallallahu ala Muhammad (iwwa) ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam. The Meaning of the Qunut Supplication O Allah, guide me among those whom You guided, relieve me from sickness among those 48

49 whom You relieved, support me among those whom You supported, bless for me what You gave me. Protect me against the evil of what You created, for You are the One Who orders (ordains) and not the One Who is ordered (ordained for). Whomever You support is not weakened and ignored, and whomever You oppose is not dignified. O our Lord, may Your giving s increase. You are the Supreme One Whose status is high and great and You are clear of any imperfection. Praise is due for what You ordained. I ask You for forgiveness and I repent to You. May Allah raise the rank of Muhammad, and his Al and Companions. May Allah protect the Prophet s Nation from what he feared for it. 49

50 Transliteration System 50

51 The Sciences of the Qur an Selections from the Introduction of Tafsir al-qurtubi The General Virtues of the Qur'an and encouragement to study it This topic is vast and scholars have written many books on it. We will mention some points which point out the excellence of the Qur'an and what Allah has prepared for its people when they are sincere for His sake and act by it. The first aspect of the excellence of the Qur'an that the believer should be aware of is that it is from the Lord of the worlds and is uncreated. It consists of unparalleled words and has a quality which has no equivalent or like. It comes from the light of Allah's Essence. Recitation is the voices of the reciters and their tunes. It is their acquisition, and they are commanded to do it as an obligation in certain acts of worship and it is recommended at many times. They are forbidden to recite it when they are in a state of major impurity, and are rewarded for doing it and punished for abandoning it. This is part of what the Muslims, the people of the Truth, agree on. Traditions state that and well-known reports prove it. Reward and punishment are only connected to what is part of what people earn, as will be explained. Were it not that Allah had placed in the hearts of His slaves the strength to bear it so that they can reflect on it, study it and remember what it contains of His obedience, worship and performing his duties and obligations, they would be too weak and would collapse under its weight or perish. How could they bear it when Allah says, "Had We sent down this Qur'an onto a mountain, you would have seen it humbled, crushed to pieces out of fear of Allah" (59:21)? What is the strength of hearts compared to that of the 51

52 mountains? But Allah provided His slaves with the strength to bear what He wishes as a favour and mercy from Him. As for traditions about this topic, the first is what at-tirmidhi transmitted from Abu Sa'id that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The blessed and exalted Lord said, 'If anyone is distracted from asking Me by the Qur'an and remembering Me, I will give him better than what I give the askers." He also said, "The excellence of the words of Allah over all other words is like the excellence of Allah over His creation." (hasan gharib hadith) As-Samarqandi reported in his Musnad that 'Abdullah said, "The seven long suras are like the Torah. The suras with a hundred ayats are like the Gospel. and the Mathani is like the Zabur. The rest of the Qur'an is excellent." In at-tirmidhi, 'Ali reported, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'There will be trials like patches of dark night.' I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, how can one escape them?' He replied, 'The Book of Allah, Blessed and exalted, contains your history, information about what came before you, news about what will come after you and correct judgement between you. It is decisive, not a jest. Allah will crush any tyrant who abandons it and Allah will misguide whoever seeks guidance from other than it. It is the Firm Rope of Allah, His Clear Light and the Wise Reminder. It is the Straight Path. Passions are not misguided by it, the tongues do not become sated with it, and the god-fearing do not become bored by it. It does not wear out when it is recited a lot and its wonders do not cease. It is that which the jinn did not leave once they had heard it. They said, "We heard a wonderful Qur'an which guides to right guidance." (72:1-2) Whoever knows it has knowledge which takes precedence. Whoever utters it speaks the truth. Whoever judges by it is just. Whoever acts by it is rewarded. Whoever calls to it is guided to a straight path. Take it, one-eyed."1 [1. Referring to Ibrahim an-nakha'i, who had one eye.] Al-Anbari says in his book, The Refutation of the One who Opposes the Recension of 'Uthman, transmitting from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "This Qur'an is the Banquet of Allah. Learn as much as you can from His banquet. This Qur'an is the Rope of Allah, and it is the Clear Light and Useful Healing. It is a protection for the one who clings to it and a rescue for the one who follows it. It is not crooked and so puts things straight. It does not deviate so as to be blamed. Its wonders do not cease. It does not wear out with much repetition. So recite it. Allah will reward you with ten good deeds for every letter of its recitation. I do not say that Alif-Lam-MÆm is a letter nor two alifs, one placing its foot on the other. You should not stop reciting Surat al-baqara. Shaytan flees 52

53 from a house in which Surat al-baqara is recited. The house most devoid of good is a house empty of the Book of Allah." In Gharib Abu 'Ubayd quotes 'Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud): "This Qur'an is the Banquet of Allah. Whoever enters it is safe." He said, "The interpretation of the hadith is that it is a metaphor. The Qur'an is likened to something Allah has prepared for people. They have good and benefits in it. Then He invited them to it." Al-Bukhari transmits from 'Uthman ibn 'Affan that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it." Muslim transmitted from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The metaphor of a believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron its scent is fragrant and its taste is good. The metaphor of a believer who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a date it has no scent but its taste is sweet. The metaphor of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is that of basil - its scent is fragrant but its taste is bitter. The metaphor of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is that of colocynth - it has no scent and its taste is bitter." Abu Bakr al-anbari mentioned that when someone finished the Qur'an, Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman as-sulami would sit him before him and put his hand on his head and say to him, "You! Fear Allah! I do not know of anyone better than you if you act by what you know." Ad-Darimi reported that Wahb ad-dhimari said, "If Allah gives someone the Qur'an and he stands reciting it at the ends of the night and the ends of the day and acts by what is in it and dies in obedience, on the Day of Rising Allah will raise him up with the angels and Prophets." Muslim related that 'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Someone who recites the Qur'an and is fluent in it is with the noble pious angels. Someone who recites the Qur'an and stammers in it has two rewards as it is difficult for him." He will have one reward for the recitation and one reward for the difficulty. The levels of the fluent reciter are all above that because the Qur'an was difficult for him and then he rose beyond that to be like the angels. Allah knows best. At-Tirmidhi reports from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah earns a good deed, and each good deed is worth ten like it. I do not say that 'Alif-lam-mim' is one letter, but that alif is a letter, lam is a letter, and mim is a letter." (hasan sahih gharib) Muslim reported that 'Uqba ibn 'Amir said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out to us while we were in the Suffa and asked, 'Which of you would like to go every day to Buthan or to al-'aqiq and 53

54 bring two large-humped she-camels from it without wrongdoing?' We said, 'Messenger of Allah, all of us would like that!' He said, 'Does not one of you go to the mosque and teach or recite two ayats from the Book of Allah? That is better for him than two camels, and three verses are better for him than three camels, four verses are better than four camels, and so on regarding the number of camels." Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah will relieve anyone who relieves a believer of one of the afflictions of this world of one of the afflictions of the Day of Rising. Allah will give ease in this world and the Next to anyone who eases the hardship of another. Allah will veil anyone who veils another Muslim in this world and the Next. Allah will help His slave as long as His slave is helping his brother. Whoever travels a path on which he seeks knowledge, Allah will make the path to the Garden easy for him. People do not meet in one of the houses of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and study it together without tranquillity descending on them, mercy covering them, angels encircling them and Allah mentioning them to those who are with Him." Abu Dawud, an-nasa'i, ad-darimae, and at-tirmidhi reported that 'Uqba ibn 'Amir heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "The one who recites the Qur'an publicly is like the person who gives his sadaqa publicly. The one who recites the Qur'an secretly is like the person who conceals his sadaqa." (hasan gharib) At-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Qur'an will come on the Day of Rising and say, 'O Lord, robe him!' and he will put on him the crown of nobility.' It will say, 'O Lord, more!' and he will put on him the robe of honour. Then it will say, 'O Lord, be pleased with him!' and He will be pleased with him. It will be said, 'Recite and ascend,' and he will be increased with a good deed for every ayat." (sahih) Abu Dawud reported from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Those who know the Qur'an will be told, 'Recite and ascend. Recite slowly as you did in the world below. Your station will be at the last verse you recite.'" Ibn Majah transmits it from Abu Sa'id al-khudri who reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The one who knows the Qur'an will be told, 'Recite and ascend.' He will recite and rise a degree by every ayat until he reaches the last thing he has." Al-Anbari transmitted from Umm Umama al-himsi that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever is given a third of the Qur'an has been given a third of Prophethood. Whoever is given two-thirds of 54

55 the Qur'an has been given two-thirds of Prophethood. Whoever recites all of the Qur'an has been given all of Prophethood although he has not received any revelation. On the Day of Rising he will be told, 'Recite and ascend.' He will recite an ayat and rise a degree until he finishes what he knows of the Qur'an. Then he will be told, 'Take,' and he will take. Then he will be asked, 'Do you know what is in your hands? Eternity is in your right hand and bliss in your left.'" Al-Marwazi reported from 'Ali that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If someone reads the Qur'an, recites it and memorises it, Allah will admit him to the Garden and let him intercede for all the people of his family for whom the Fire is mandatory." Umm ad-darda' said, "I visited 'A'isha and asked her, 'What is the excellence of the one who recites the Qur'an over the one who does not recite it among those who enter the Garden?' 'A'isha replied, 'The number of the ayats of the Qur'an is according to the number of degrees of the Garden. No one will enter the Garden better than the one who recites the Qur'an." Abu Muhammad Makki mentioned it. Ibn 'Abbas said, "If anyone recites the Qur'an and follows what is in it, Allah has guided him from misguidance and will protect him on the Day of Rising from an evil reckoning. That is because Allah says, 'All those who follow My guidance will not go astray and will not be miserable.' (20:121)" Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah has guaranteed that the one who follows the Qur'an will not go astray in this world nor be wretched in the Next." Makki also mentioned that. Al-Layth said, "It was said that mercy does not come quicker to anyone than to the one who listens to the Qur'an according to the words of the Almighty, 'When the Qur'an is recited, listen to it and be silent so that hopefully you will gain mercy.' (7:204)" The word "hopefully" makes it mandatory for Allah. In the Musnad of Abu Dawud at-tayalisi, it is reported from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who stands [in prayer] for ten ayats will not be written among the heedless. Anyone who stands for a hundred ayats will be written among the obedient. Anyone who stands for a thousand ayats will be written among those with heaps [qintars] of reward." There are many traditions about this, and what we have mentioned is adequate. Allah is the One who grants success. How to recite the Book of Allah and what is disliked and forbidden in it Al-Bukhari transmitted that Qatada said, "I asked Anas about the recitation of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'He would lengthen syllables when he recited, 'In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful.' He would extend the name 'Allah', extend 'ar- Rahman' (the All-Merciful) and extend 'ar-rahim' (the Most Merciful). 55

56 At-Tirmidhi reported that Umm Salama said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to put stops in his recitation. He would say, 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,' and stop, 'the All- Merciful, Most Merciful,' and stop. Then he would recite, 'Master of the Day of Repayment.'" (gharib, Abu Dawud transmitted a similar hadith.) It is related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The person with the best voice is the one that I see fears Allah Almighty when he recites." It is related that Ziyad an-numayri came with the reciters to Anas ibn Malik and was told to recite. He raised his voice and intoned. He had a loud voice and Anas uncovered his face, as he had a black cloth over it, and said, "You! what is this you are doing?" When he saw something he objected to, he would remove the cloth from his face. It is related that Qays ibn 'Ubbad said, "The Companions of the Messenger of Allah used to dislike raising the voice in dhikr." Those who disliked raising the voice in recitation of the Qur'an included Sa'id ibn al-musayyab, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, al-qasim ibn Muhammad, al-hasan, Ibn Sirin, an-nakha'i and others. Malik ibn Anas and Ahmad ibn Hanbal also disliked it. All of them disliked raising the voice with the Qur'an and intoning it. It is related that Sa'id ibn al- Musayyab heard 'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz leading the people and he intoned in his recitation. Sa'id sent a message to him saying, "May Allah put you right! Imams should not recite like that." So 'Umar stopped singing. Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said, "A man recited in the mosque of the Prophet and intoned and al-qasim objected to that. He said, Allah Almighty says, 'Truly it is a Mighty Book. Falsehood cannot reach it from before it or behind it.' (41:40-41)" Malik related that he was asked about nabr (raising the voice) when reciting the Qur'an in the prayer and he disliked that strongly and objected to the raising of the voice in recitation. Ibn al-qasim related from him that he was asked about melody in the prayer and he said, "I do not like it." He said, "It is a kind of singing which they do and for which they are paid money." One group permit raising the voice in the Qur'an and intoning it. That is because, when someone beautifies his voice in it, it settles more deeply in the selves and the hearts listen more to it. They find evidence in the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Adorn the Qur'an with your voices." Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib transmitted it as did Abu Dawud and an-nasa'i. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "He who does not sing the Qur'an is not one of us." (Muslim). There is also what Abu Musa told the Prophet: "If I had known that you listened to my recitation, I would have beautified it for you." 'Abdullah ibn Mughaffal said, "In a journey in the year of the Conquest, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him 56

57 peace, recited Surat al-fath on his mount and he used a quavering tone in his recitation." Some of those who believed this were Abu Hanifa and his people, ash-shafi'i, Ibn al-mubarak and an-nadr ibn Shumayl. It is the choice of at- Tabari, Abu'l-Hasan ibn Battal, Qadi Abu Bakr ibn al-'arabi and others. The first position is sounder because of what we already mentioned and will mention. As for using the first hadith as evidence, it is not apparent. It is an example of the reversal of the normal order and in fact means, "Adorn your voices with the Qur'an." Al-Khattabi said, "That is how more than one of the Imams of hadith have explained it, saying it is reversal." Al-Khattabi related from al-bara' that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Adorn the Qur'an with your voices." He said, "It means be melodious in the recitation and employ your voices to do it and take it as a sign and adornment. It is said that it means to encourage people to recite the Qur'an and persist in it. It is related from Abu Hurayra that he heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Adorn your voices with the Qur'an." It is related that 'Umar said, "Make your voices good with the Qur'an." It is to this sense that the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refer when he said, "The one who does not sing the Qur'an is not one of us," meaning "the one who does not make his voice good with the Qur'an is not one of us." That is how 'Abdullah ibn Abi Mulayka interpreted it. 'Abdu'l- Jabbar ibn al-wird said that he heard Ibn Abi Mulayka say that 'Abdullah ibn Abi Yazid said, "Abü Lubaba passed us and we followed him until he went into his house. He was a man of shabby appearance. I heard him say, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "He who does not sing the Qur'an is not one of us."' 'Abdu'l-Jabbar said, "I asked Ibn Abi Mulayka, 'Abu Muhammad, what do you think of the one who does not have a good voice?' He replied, 'He makes it as good as he can.'" (Abu Dawud) This is also the meaning of Abu Musa's words to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "If I had known that you were listening to my recitation, I would have made my voice good in the Qur'an, adorned it and used tartil (slow recitation)." This indicates that he was quick in his recitation with a good natural voice. If he had known that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was listening, he would have extended his recitation and used tartil as he usually did when he recited to the Messenger of Allah. He used to do that in order to increase the beauty of his voice when reciting. We seek refuge with Allah from interpreting what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said as meaning that the Qur'an is adorned by voices or anything else! Whoever interprets it in this way has committed 57

58 something terrible in saying that the Qur'an is in need of someone to adorn it. It is Light, Illumination, and the Highest Adornment for the one who wears its splendour and is illuminated by its light. It is said that the command to adorn means to learn the readings and to adorn them with our voices. That implies: "adorn the recitation with your voices," since "qur'an" means recitation as Allah says, "The recitation (qur'an) of dawn." (17:78) According to this interpretation, it is valid that it simply means "to recite" as we made clear. It is said that the word understood as "singing" (yataghanna) comes from istighna, "not having any need", not from ghina' (singing). This was the interpretation adopted by Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna and Waki' ibn al-jarrah. Sufyan related that from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas. Another point is also related from Sufyan which Ishaq ibn Rahawayh mentioned, which is that it means "to be enriched and without need of other words". This is the interpretation preferred by al-bukhari when he dealt with the verse, "Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book which is recited to them?" (29:51) What is meant by being enriched by the Qur'an is not being in need of the history of nations. Interpreters have said that. It is said that "yataghanna" means to display sorrow. In other words sorrow should appear in the reciter when he reads and recites, and it does not come from "ghunya" (being able to dispense with) because a different form of the verb would have been used for that. A group of scholars believed that, including Imam Ibn Hibban al-busti. Their evidence was what Mutarrif ibn 'Abdullah ibn ash-shikhkhir related from his father: "I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was praying and his chest was heaving like a cauldron from weeping." They said, "This report makes it clear that what is meant is displaying sorrow. This is also supported by what the Imams related from 'Abdullah: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Recite to me.' So I recited Surat an-nisa' to him until I reached the ayat, 'How will it be when We bring a witness from every nation and bring you as a witness against them?' (4:41) I saw his eyes overflowing with tears." These are four interpretations and none of them indicate that recitation is done with tunes or quavering voices. Abu Sa'id al-a'rabi said about "He who does not sing the Qur'an is not one of us": "The Arabs were keen on singing and using verse in most of what they said. When the Qur'an was revealed, they wanted to use the Qur'an as their chant instead of singing, and the Prophet said this." The fifth interpretation is what some claim as evidence for quavering and singing. 'Umar ibn Shayba said, "I told Abu 'Asim about Ibn 'Uyayna's interpretation regarding 'singing' meaning 'beyond need' and he said, 'Ibn 'Uyayna did not do well.'" Ash-Shafi'i was asked about the interpretation of Ibn 58

59 'Uyayna and said, "I know better than this. If the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had meant not having need, he would have said it. He said, 'singing' and so we know that he meant singing." At-Tabari said, "What is known in our view is that taghannin is singing in the language of the Arabs, which is using a good voice with quavering." As for those who claim that it means 'being without need', that is not part of the language and poems of the Arabs. We do not know any of the people of knowledge who said that. In respect of what at-tabari claimed about taghanna not meaning istighna in Arabic, al-jawhari stated what we mentioned as did al-harawi. There is nothing to prevent it meaning istighna, as it is indeed more appropriate to accept that which is it related from a great Companion as Sufyan reported. Ibn Wahb said about Sufyan, "I have not seen anyone with better knowledge of the interpretation of ahadith than Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna." A sixth interpretation is what has come in the form of an addition in Sahih Muslim which is that Abu Hurayra heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Allah does not listen to anything so gladly as He listens to a Prophet with a good voice chanting the Qur'an aloud." At- Tabari said, "If it had been as Ibn 'Uyayna said, there would be no point in mentioning a good voice and aloud." The word "aloud", can be part of the words of the Prophet, Abu Hurayra or someone else. If it is the first, which is unlikely, it is evidence of lack of warbling (tatrib) and quavering because he did not say that. He said, "aloud", meaning so that he and those around him can hear him as the Prophet said to someone he heard raising his voice in the shahada, "O mankind! Be kind to yourselves. You are not calling out to someone dead or absent." So there is no evidence for what they claim. Some of our scholars preferred this interpretation, saying that it is the most likely because the Arabs use the term translated as "singing out" for the one who raises his voice and directs it to someone absent even if it had no tune. He said, "This is the explanation of the Companion, and he knows their manner of speaking far better." Abu'l-Hasan ibn Battal argues for the school of ash-shafi'i and says, "The removal of the difficulty in this question is found in what Ibn Abi Shayba reported É from 'Uqba ibn 'Amir who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Learn the Qur'an, sing it and write it. By the One who has my soul in His hand, it is more likely to escape than a camel from the hobble." Our scholars said, "Even if this hadith has a sound isnad, what is known absolutely and definitively refutes it: the recitation of the Qur'an has reached us mutawatir from many shaykhs, generation after generation back to the noble era and to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless 59

60 him and grant him peace, and there was no making of tunes or intoning (tatrib) related by them while they go into depth regarding the pronunciation of the letters, madda, idgham, izhar and other types of recitation. Furthermore, in quavering and intoning, there is putting a hamza on what does not have a hamza and a lengthening of what should not be lengthened. So the single alif will be made into two alifs and one waw into two. That leads to an increase in the Qur'an which is forbidden. If that occurs in a place where there is hamza, they make several hamzas. It may be said that 'Abdullah ibn Mughaffal said that Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited on his camel in the Year of the Conquest of Makka (8/630) and quavered, which al-bukhari mentioned. He said, describing it, "a' a' a'" three times. That may mean ishba' which is lengthening the vowel of the madda in its proper place. It is also possible that the story of his voice has to do with the rocking of his camel, as it happens to someone in a loud voice when he is riding and his voice tightens and is cut because of the rocking of the camel. Since this is possible, then there is no evidence in it. 'Abdu'l-Ghani ibn Sa'id transmitted from the hadith of Qatada from 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr who reported that his father said, "The recitation of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was extended (madd) but there was no quavering (tarji')." Ibn Jurayj reported that Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah had a mu'adhdhin who intoned. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The adhan should be easy and smooth (i.e. without trilling). If your adhan is not easy and smooth, then do not give the adhan." (ad-daraqutni) If the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade it in the adhan, it is more likely that he would not permit in the Qur'an which the All-Merciful preserves as Allah says, "It is We who have sent down the Reminder and We will preserve it." (15:9) This disagreement regarding recitation is a result of the meaning of the Qur'an not being understood due to the repetition of voices and the great amount of quavering. If the matter goes further so that the meaning cannot be understood, then that is agreed to be forbidden. This is done by reciters in the towns of Egypt who recite before kings and at funerals and receive wages and stipends for doing so. Their effort is misguided and their work is ruined. By so doing they allow the alteration of the Book of Allah and it makes it easy for them to be bold against Allah by adding to His revelation what was not in it out of ignorance in their deen, deviation from the Sunna of their Prophet, rejecting the course of the righteous Salaf in respect of that matter, and longing for what shaytan has made seem attractive in what they do. They "suppose that they are doing good" while they repeat their error and play with the Book of Allah. We are returning to 60

61 Allah, but the Truthful One, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported that that would happen and so it is as he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported it would be. Imam Razin and at-tirmidhi al-hakim in Nawadir al-usul reported the hadith transmitted by Hudhayfa in which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Recite the Qur'an with the tunes and voices of the Arabs and beware of the tunes of the people of passionate love and the tunes of the People of the two Books [meaning the Torah and Gospel]. After you will come a people who quaver their voices while reciting the Qur'an, as is done in singing and wailing. That will not go beyond their throats. Their hearts are tempted and attracting the hearts of those who admire them are what really concerns them." "Tunes" refers to intoning, quavering the voice and being good in recitation, poetry and singing. Our scholars state that this is like those of the reciters of our time who do that before prayers and in gatherings, using foreign tunes which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade. Quavering (tarji') in recitation is to repeat the letters like the Christians do. Tartil in reciting the Qur'an is to recite slowly and deliberately, and to make the letters and vowels clear. It is like the petals of the daisy. It is desirable when reciting the Qur'an. Allah says, "Recite the Qur'an distinctly." (73:4) Umm Salama was asked about the recitation and prayer of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and she said, "What do you have to do with his prayer! He prayed and then slept the amount he prayed. Then he prayed the amount he slept and then he slept the amount he prayed until morning." Then she described his recitation, which was an explanatory recitation, letter by letter. An-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud and at-tirmidhi transmitted it as being hasan sahih gharib. Cautioning the people of the Qur'an and scholars against showing off Allah Almighty says, "Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him" (4:36) and the Almighty also says, "So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord." (18:105). Muslim reported from Abu Hurayra that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "The first of people to be judged on the Day of Rising will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought forward and will be informed of the blessings he had and will acknowledge them. Allah will ask, 'What did you do with them?' He will say, 'I fought for You until I was martyred.' Allah will say, 'You lie. Rather you fought so it would be said, "A 61

62 bold man!" And so it was said.' Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire. "There will also be a man who studied knowledge and taught it and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought and informed of his blessings which he will acknowledge. Allah will say, 'What did you do with them?' He will reply, 'I studied knowledge and taught it and I recited the Qur'an for You.' Allah will say, 'You lie. Rather you studied so that it would be said, "A scholar!" and you recited so that it would be said, "He is a reciter!" And so it was said.' Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire. "There will also be a man to whom Allah gave a lot of wealth and all sorts of property. He will be brought and informed of his blessings which he will acknowledge. Allah will ask, 'What did you do with them?' He will answer, 'There was no path in which You like spending to be done but that I spent in it for You.' Allah will say, 'You lie. Rather you did it so that it would be said, "He is generous." and so it was said.' Then the command will be given and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire." In the Raqa'iq, Ibn al-mubarak transmitted from al-'abbas ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "This deen will be victorious until it passes the sea and until you plunge into the sea with horses in the Way of Allah Almighty. Then there will come a people who recite the Qur'an. When they recite it, they will say, 'Who reads more than us? Who knows more than us?'" Then he turned to his Companions and said, "Do you think that there will be any good in those?" "No," they replied. He said, "Those are from you and those are from this Community and those are the fuel of the Fire." Abu Dawud and at-tirmidhi transmitted that the Messenger of Allah said, "Anyone who learns knowledge which should be learned for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, only to obtain by it goods of this world, will not experience the scent of the Garden on the Day of Rising." At-Tirmidhi said it is a hasan hadith. It is reported that Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Seek refuge with Allah from the Pit of Sorrow." They asked, "Messenger of Allah, what is the Pit of Sorrow?" He replied, "It is a valley in Hell from which Hell seeks refuge a hundred times a day." He was asked, "Messenger of Allah, who will enter it?" He replied, "Those who recite to show off their actions." (gharib) In the book of Asad ibn Musa it is reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There is a valley in Hell, and Hell seeks refuge from the evil of that valley seven times a day. In that valley is a pit, and Hell and that valley seek refuge from the evil of 62

63 that pit. In that pit is a serpent and Hell, the valley and the pit seek refuge with Allah from the evil of that serpent seven times. Allah has prepared it for the wretched among those who know the Qur'an and disobey Allah." So the one who knows the Qur'an and seeks knowledge should fear Allah regarding himself and act sincerely for Allah. If he does anything which is disliked, he should hasten to repent and begin to show sincerity in his goal and his actions. The one who knows the Qur'an must guard himself more carefully than others, as he has a wage which others do not have. At-Tirmidhi transmitted that Abu'd-Darda' reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah revealed in one of the Books to one of the Prophets, 'Warn those who seek understanding for other than the deen and learn for other than action and seek this world by the deeds of the Next world. They will wear sheep-skins in front of people to give the impression of meekness while their hearts are like the hearts of wolves. Their tongues are sweeter than honey while their hearts are more bitter than aloes. They will try to deceive Me and will make light of Me. I will send them trials which will leave even the forbearing bewildered.'" At-Tabari transmitted in Adab an-nufus that one of the Companions of the Prophet said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do not try to deceive Allah. If anyone tries to deceive Allah, Allah will deceive him. It is his own self which is deceived if he were only aware." They asked, "Messenger of Allah, how can someone try to deceive Allah?" He replied, "By doing what Allah has commanded you while you seek other than Him by it. Fear showing-off. It is shirk. The one who shows off will be summoned before witnesses on the Day of Rising by four names which he is called: 'O unbeliever! O loser! O perfidious! O deviant! Your actions are lost and your reward is nullified. You have no share today. Seek your reward from those you acted for, O impostor!" It is reported from 'Alqama that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "How will you feel when you are enveloped by a trial in which children grow old and the old become senile and people will act according to an innovated sunna? When any of it is changed, it will be said, 'The sunna has been changed.'" He was asked, "When will that be, Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman?" He replied, "When your reciters are many and your fuqaha' are few, and your leaders are many and your trusted ones are few, and this world is sought by the actions of the Next World and people learn fiqh for other than the deen." Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna said, "I heard that Ibn 'Abbas said, "If those who know the Qur'an had taken it as it should be taken and in the way that is proper, Allah would love them. But they seek this world by it and so Allah hates them and they are indulgent with people." It is related 63

64 from Muhammad ibn 'Ali about the words of the Almighty, "They will be bundled headfirst into it, they and the misled" (26:94), "This refers to people who describe the truth and justice with their tongues and then oppose it by espousing something other than that." What the one who knows the Qur'an must do and not neglect to do The first thing is to be sincere in seeking it for Allah as we mentioned. You should make yourself recite the Qur'an night and day, in the prayer or outside the prayer, so that you do not forget it. Muslim transmitted from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The example of the one who knows the Qur'an is like the one who has hobbled camels. If he takes care of them, he will keep them. If he releases them, they will go off. When the one who knows the Qur'an stands and recites it night and day, he remembers it. If he does not do that, he forgets it." So someone who knows Qur'an must praise Allah, be thankful for His blessing, remember Him, rely on Him, seek His help, desire Him and cling to Him. He must remember death and prepare for it. He should fear his wrong actions and hope for his Lord's pardon. His fear when his health is good should be stronger since he does not know what his seal will be. When he is close to dying, his hope should be stronger in himself because of his good opinion of Allah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you should die except with a good opinion of Allah." This means you should think that He will have mercy on you and forgive you. He should know the people of his time, preserve himself from the ruler, and strive to save himself and save his life, having to hand what he can of the goods of this world, striving for himself in that as much as he can. His greatest concern should be scrupulousness in his deen, fearfulness of Allah and watchful awareness of Him in what He commands and forbids. Ibn Mas'ud said, "The one who recites the Qur'an should be known by his nights when people are asleep and his days when people are awake, his weeping when people laugh, his silence when people delve into improper matters, his humility when they are arrogant and his sorrow when they are happy." 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said, "The one who knows the Qur'an should not delve with those who delve, nor be ignorant with the ignorant, but he should pardon and overlook by the right of the Qur'an because inside of him are the words of Allah Almighty. He must protect himself from doubtful paths and laugh little and speak little in the gatherings of Qur'an and elsewhere concerning anything in which there is no benefit. He must be forbearing and grave. 64

65 He should be humble to the poor and avoid arrogance and vanity. He should withdraw from this world and its people if he fears temptation for himself, and should abandon argumentation and dispute. He should make an effort to be kind and show proper adab. He should be with those from whose evil he is safe, whose good he hopes for and from whose injury he is safe. He should not listen to those who slander in his presence and should keep the company of those who lead him to what is good and direct him to truthfulness and noble character, those who adorn him and do not sully him. He must learn the rulings of the Qur'an and understand what Allah means and what He obliges. Then he will benefit from what he reads and act by what he recites. How vile is the one who knows the Qur'an and recites its obligations and rulings by heart but does not understand what he recites. How can the one who does not understand what it means act? How ugly it is that he is asked about the fiqh of what he recites but does not know it. The example of someone with a state like this is only like "a donkey who carries volumes" (62:5). He should know the Makkan from the Madinan suras so that by that he can distinguish between what Allah told His slaves at the beginning of Islam and what was recommended for them at the end, what He obliged on them at the beginning of Islam and those obligations He added to it at the end. The Madinan abrogates the Makkan in most of the Qur'an. It is not possible for the Makkan to abrogate the Madinan because the abrogated was revealed before the abrogating. Part of his perfection is to know the i'rab (inflection/grammar) and the unusual. That is part of what will make it easy for him to know what he reads and will remove doubt from him in what he recites. At-Tabari said, "I heard al-jarmi say, "For thirty years, I have been giving people fatwas in fiqh taken from the book of Sibuwayh [i.e. based on grammar]." Muhammad ibn Yazid said, "That was because Abu 'Umar al-jarmi knew ahadith. When he learned the book of Sibuwayh, he learned fiqh in hadith since it is from the book of Sibuwayh that he learned investigation and tafsir. Then he looked into the sunnas which are firmly transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is by means of them that the seeker reaches what Allah means in His Book and that opens up for him the judgements of the Qur'an. Ad-Dahhak said about the words of the Almighty, 'Be people of the Lord because of your knowledge of the Book.' (3:79), 'It is a duty for whoever learns the Qur'an to be a faqih.'" Ibn Abi'l-Hawari mentioned, "A group of us went to FuÆayl ibn 'Iyad in 185 AH and stopped at his door, but he did not give us permission to enter. One of the people said, 'If he comes out for anything, he will come out to recitation of the Qur'an.' So we ordered a reciter to recite and he appeared to us from a 65

66 window. We said, 'Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.' He said, 'And peace upon you.' We asked, 'How are you, Abu 'Ali?' He replied, 'I am in wellbeing from Allah and harm from you. What you are doing is something new in Islam. We belong to Allah and are returning to Him! This is not how we seek knowledge! We used to go to the shaykhs and would not see ourselves worthy of sitting with them. We sat below them and eavesdropped. When a hadith was given, we would ask them to repeat it and we would retain it. You seek knowledge with ignorance. You waste the Book of Allah. If you had sought the Book of Allah, you would have found in it healing for what you want.' We said, 'We have studied the Qur'an.' He said, 'Your study of the Qur'an is work enough for your lives and the lives of your children!' We asked, 'How, Abu 'Ali?' He replied, 'You will not learn the Qur'an until you know its i'rab, its muhkam from its mutashabih, and its abrogating from its abrogated. When you know that, then you will have no need of the words of Fudayl and Ibn 'Uyayna.' Then he said, 'I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Knowing from the Accursed Shaytan. In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. "O mankind! An admonition has come to you from your Lord and also healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. Say: 'It is the favour of Allah and His mercy that should be the cause of their rejoicing. That is better than anything they accumulate.'"' (10:57-58)" When the reader of the Qur'an obtains these ranks, he will be fluent in the Qur'an and know the Discrimination. He will be close to the one who brings him close to it. He will not benefit from any of what we have mentioned until he has a sincere intention for Allah when he seeks it, or continues to have a sincere intention after learning it, as was already stated. A seeker of knowledge may begin by desiring reputation and honour in the deen. Then his understanding of knowledge continues until it is clear to him that he has erred in his belief, and so he repents of that and makes his intention sincere for Allah. He benefits from that and improves his state. Al-Hasan said, "We used to seek knowledge for this world and it dragged us to the Next World." Sufyan ath-thawri said that. Habib ibn Abi Thabit said, "We sought this matter and we had no intention in it. The intention came afterwards." The syntax of the Qur'an, learning it and studying it and the reward for the one who recites the Qur'an with proper inflections Al-Anbari said, "The Prophet, his Companions and their Followers all mention the excellence of proper understanding of the syntax of the Qur'an and the encouragement to learn it and censure and dislike poor grammatical understanding. This obliges the reciters of the Qur'an to strive to learn it. 66

67 "One aspect of that is in what is related from Abu Hurayra who reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Use the proper syntax in the Arabic of the Qur'an and search out its unusual words." It is reported from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If someone recites the Qur'an without its correct grammar, an angel is entrusted to him to write for him, as is revealed, ten good deeds for every letter. When he uses correct grammar for some of it and fails to do so for some of it, two angels are entrusted who write down every letter with twenty good deeds. If he inflects it correctly, four angels are entrusted to him to write down seventy good deeds for every letter." Ad-Dahhak reported that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Recite the Qur'an well and adorn it with your voices and employ its correct syntax. It is Arabic and Allah loves the correct syntax to be employed." Mujahid reported that Ibn 'Umar said, "Use correct syntax in the Qur'an." Abu Bakr and 'Umar said, "We prefer some syntax of the Qur'an to simply memorising its letters." Ash-Sha'bi reported that 'Umar said, "Anyone who recites the Qur'an with its syntax has the reward of a martyr with Allah." Makhul said, "We were told that anyone who recites with correct syntax has double the reward of someone who recites without it.' Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Love the Arabs for three reasons: because I am an Arab, the Qur'an is in Arabic and the language of the people of the Garden will be Arabic." Abu Æamza said, "Al- Hasan was asked about people studying Arabic and he said, 'They do well. They learn the language of their Prophet.'" Al-Æasan was told, "We have an imam who uses ungrammatical Arabic." He said, "Dismiss him." Ibn Abi Mulayka said, "A bedouin arrived in Madina in the time of 'Umar ibn al-khattab and asked, 'Who will recite some of what was revealed to Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?' A man recited Surat at- Tawba to him. He said, 'Allah is free of the idolaters and His Messenger' using the genitive for Messenger (rasulihi).' The bedouin said, 'Allah is free of His Messenger? If Allah is free of His Messenger, we are more free of him.' 'Umar heard what the bedouin had said so he summoned him and said, 'Bedouin, are you free of the Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'Amir al-mu'minin, I came to Madina with no knowledge of the Qur'an. I asked someone to recite it to me and he recited this Sura at-tawba and said, "Allah is free of the idolaters and His Messenger." So I said, "Allah is free of His Messenger? If Allah is free of His Messenger, we are more free of him."' 'Umar said, 'That is not how it is, bedouin.' He said, 'How is it then, Amir al-mu'minun?' He said, 'Allah is free of the idolaters, as is His Messenger (rasuluhu).' The bedouin said, 'We, by Allah, are more free of what Allah and His Messenger are free of!' So 'Umar ibn al- 67

68 Khattab commanded that only those who knew proper grammar should recite to people and he commanded Abu'l-Aswad to set out the grammar." 'Ali ibn al-ja'd reported that he heard Shu'ba say, "The metaphor of someone who knows the hadith but does not know Arabic is that of a donkey which has a nosebag with no fodder in it." Hammad ibn Salama said, "The one who seeks hadith and does not learn grammar or Arabic is like a donkey who has a nosebag in which there is no barley." Ibn 'Atiyya said, "The syntax of the Qur'an is a basic principle in the Shari'a because it is that by which its meanings, which are the Shari'a, are established." Ibn al-anbari said, "The Companions of the Prophet and their Followers provide evidence for using language and poetry to explain unusual and problematic words in the Qur'an and that demonstrates the soundness of the school of the grammarians respecting that and the falsity of those who deny that. It is reported from 'Ikrima that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When you ask me about the unusual words of Allah, look for them in poetry. Poetry is the lexicon of the Arabs." Sa'id ibn Jubayr and Yusuf ibn Mihran were heard to mention that they heard Ibn 'Abbas being asked about something in the Qur'an and he replied. "It means such and such. Have you not heard the poet say such-and-such?" What is reported about the excellence of tafsir of the Qur'an and those who do it Our scholars say that part of what is transmitted from the Companions and Followers about the excellence of tafsir is that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib mentioned Jabir ibn 'Abdullah and described him as having knowledge. A man said to him, "May I be your ransom! You describe Jabir as having knowledge when you are who are you are!" He said, "He knew the tafsir of the words of Allah, 'He who has imposed the Qur'an upon you will most certainly bring you back home again.' (28:85)" Mujahid said, "The dearest of creatures to Allah Almighty is the one who has the most knowledge of what is revealed." Al-Hasan said, "Allah has not revealed an ayat but that He wants people to know about what it was revealed for and what it means." Ash-Sha'bi said, "Masruq travelled to Basra for the tafsir of an ayat and was told that the one who could explain it had travelled to Syria. So he made preparations and travelled to Syria to learn its tafsir." 'Ikrima said about the words of the Almighty, "If anyone leaves his home, making hijra to Allah and His Messenger" (4:99), "I sought for the name of this man 'who left his home, emigrating for Allah and His Messenger' for fourteen years until I found him." Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr said that it was Damra ibn Habib. Ibn 'Abbas said, "I remained for two years wanting to ask 'Umar about the two 68

69 women who helped each other against the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and only awe of him prevented me from asking. Finally I asked him and he replied that it was Hafsa and 'A'isha." Iyas ibn Mu'awiya said, "The metaphor of those who recite the Qur'an without knowing its tafsir is that of some people to whom a letter comes from their king at night when they have no lamp. They are alarmed, not knowing what the letter contains. The metaphor of the one who knows the tafsir is that of a man who brings them a lamp so that they can read what the letter says." What is reported about the one who is a bearer of the Qur'an, who he is and those who are hostile to him Abu 'Umar said, "It is related by various paths that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Part of esteem for Allah is honouring three: a just ruler, a Muslim with white hair and a bearer of the Qur'an who is neither excessive in it nor turns away from it." Abu 'Umar said that the bearers of the Qur'an are those who know its rulings, its lawful and unlawful and act by what it contains. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Qur'an is better than everything. Whoever respects the Qur'an has respected Allah. Whoever makes light of the Qur'an has made light of the right of Allah Almighty. The bearers of the Qur'an are those who are encircled by the mercy of Allah, exalting the Word of Allah, touched by the light of Allah. Allah befriends whoever befriends them and Allah is hostile to whoever is hostile to them. Such people have made light of the right of Allah." The respect and esteem for the Qur'an which is mandatory for someone who recites and bears the Qur'an In Nawadir al-usul, at-tirmidhi al-hakim said, "Part of respect for the Qur'an is to only touch it when pure. Part of respect for it is to recite it in a state of purity. Part of respect for it is to use the tooth-stick (siwak), clean between the teeth and make the mouth clean as the mouth is its pathway. Yazid ibn Abi Malik said, 'Your mouths are the pathways of the Qur'an, so purify and clean them as much as you can.' "Part of respect for it is to dress as you would dress to visit the amir because you are speaking privately. Part of respect for it is to face qibla to recite it. When Abu'l-'Aliyya recited he would put on a turban, dress, wear a mantle and face qibla. Part of respect for it is to rinse your mouth when you spit. Shu'ba reported from Abu Hamza from Ibn 'Abbas that he had a spittoon in front of him and when he spat, he would rinse his mouth and then begin recitation. Whenever he spat, he rinsed. Part of respect for it is that when you yawn, you should stop 69

70 reciting, because when one recites, one is addressing and conversing with the Lord. Yawning is from Shaytan. Mujahid said, 'When you yawn while reciting the Qur'an, stop reciting out of respect until you stop yawning.' 'Ikrima said, 'By that he meant to respect the Qur'an.' "Part of respect for it is to seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan when starting to recite it. You should say 'In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, the Most Merciful' when beginning to recite it from the first sura or from wherever you start. Part of respect for it is that, when you begin to recite it, you should not stop for a time to speak to people without need. Part of respect for it is that you should not stop reciting it when someone interrupts you by speaking to you and mix recitation with your reply. That is because when you do that, you remove the effectiveness of the formula of seeking refuge which you uttered at the beginning. Part of respect for it is to recite it deliberately, slowly and carefully. "Part of respect for it is to deploy your mind and intelligence in understanding what is addressed to you. Part of respect for it is to stop at an ayat of promise and have hope in Allah and ask Him for His bounty, and to stop at an ayat of warning and seek refuge with Allah from the threat. Part of respect for it is to stop at its metaphors and visualise them. Part of respect for it is to investigate its unusual words. Part of respect for it is to give every letter its due so that the words are fully articulated and then you will receive ten good deeds for every letter. "Part of respect for it is to end its recitation by proclaiming the truthfulness of its Lord and testifying to its delivery by His Messenger and testifying that that is true. You say, 'Our Lord has spoken the Truth and His Messengers conveyed it and we testify to that. O Allah, make us among the witnesses to the Truth, establishing justice.' Then you make supplication. "Part of respect for it is that when you recite, you do not take ayats piecemeal from each sura and recite them. It is related to us that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by Bilal who was reciting a little from each sura and he commanded him to recite the entire sura. "Part of respect for it is that when you put down a copy of the Qur'an, you do not leave it open and do you not put any other book on top of it. It should always be on top of any other books, be they books of knowledge or other books. Part of respect for it is that when you recite, you put it in your lap or on top of something in front of you and do not put it on the ground. Part of respect for it is not to erase the board it is written on with spit, but rather use water. Part of respect for it is that when it is washed with water you avoid impurities from 70

71 various places and in the places where it is put. That washing is respect. Some of the Salaf before us used to use that water to heal themselves. Part of of respect for it is to not take a page when it is worn out and brittle out of fear for the writing. That is great coarseness. It should be erased with water. "Part of respect for it is to not let a day pass without looking at least once at the Qur'an. Abu Musa used to say, 'I am ashamed not to look once a day at the contract of my Lord.' Part of respect for it to give the eyes their share of it. The eye leads to the self. Between the self and the breast is a veil and the Qur'an is in the breast. When you recite it by heart the ear listens and conveys it to the self. When you look at its writing, the eye and the ear both convey it. That is more likely to achieve the conveyance. Then the eye has its share just as the ear does. Zayd ibn Aslam reported from 'Ata' ibn Yasar from Abu Sa'id al-khudri that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ''Give the eyes their portion of worship.' They asked. 'Messenger of Allah, what is their portion of worship?' He replied, 'To look at the Qur'an and reflect on it and study its wonders.' Makhul reported from 'Ubada ibn as-samit that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'The best worship of my community is to read the Qur'an with the eyes.' "Part of respect for it is not to resort to it when offered worldly goods. It is reported É that Ibrahim [an-nakha'i] used to dislike to resort to any of the Qur'an when he was offered worldly goods. That is like saying to a man who comes to you, 'You have arrived at the pre-ordained time, Musa,' (20:40) and like saying, 'Eat and drink with relish for what you did before in days gone by' (69:24) when food is served, and other such things. Part of respect for it is not to say Surat an-nahl, Surat al-baqara and Surat an-nisa', but to say, 'The sura in which such-and-such is mentioned.' (This, however, is contrary to the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "If anyone recites the two ayats from the end of Surat al-baqara at night, they will be enough for him.") (al-bukhari and Muslim from 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud) "Part of respect for it is to not invert it as some teachers of children do in order to show off cleverness and fluency. That is opposition to Allah. Part of respect for it is to not deepen its recitation as if done by those obstinate innovaters who intensify the pronunciation of the hamza and pronounce words with affectation. That is an innovation which Shaytan suggested to them which they accepted. Part of respect for it is not to recite it using musical tunes like the tunes of the people of depravity nor with the quavering of the Christians nor chanting of the monks. All of that is deviation. "Part of respect for it is to make its letters bold. Abu Hukayma reported that he used to copy out Qur'an in Kufa. 'Ali passed by him, inspected his writing and 71

72 ordered, 'Make your pen thicker.' 'So I took the pen and cut off part of it and then wrote while 'Ali was standing and looking at my writing. He said, 'Like that. Give light to it as Allah gave it light."' "Part of respect for it is not to compete in loudness in recitation so that it becomes spoiled for him and he hates what he hears and it becomes like a contest. Part of respect for it is not to argue or quarrel about its recitations or say to a person, 'It is not like that.' Perhaps that recitation is a sound and permitted one and then you would be denying the Book of Allah. "Part of respect for it is not to recite it in the market or in places of clamour, worthless talk, and the places where fools congregate. Do you not see that Allah Almighty mentioned the slaves of the All-Merciful and praised them because, when they pass by worthless talk, they pass by it with dignity? (cf. 25:72) This is about simply passing by those engaged in worthless talk. So how could they recite the Qur'an in the midst of worthless talk and a gathering of fools? "Part of respect for it is not to use it as pillow or lean on it or throw it to someone when he wants it to be passed to him. "Part of respect for it is not to make it small. É It is reported that 'Ali said, 'Do not make the Qur'an small.' It is related that 'Umar ibn al-khattab saw a small Qur'an in the hand of a man and asked, 'Who wrote it?' 'I did,' he replied, and then 'Umar struck him with his whip and said, 'Esteem the Qur'an.' It is related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade people to say, 'a little mosque or a little Qur'an' (using the diminutive). "Part of respect for it is not to adorn it with gold or write it in gold so that it is mixed with the adornment of this world. Mughira related that Ibrahim disliked adorning the Qur'an or writing it with gold or putting marks at the beginning of ayats or making it small. It is related from Abu'd-Darda' that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'When you adorn your mosque and decorate your Qur'an, then ruin is upon you.' When Ibn 'Abbas saw a Qur'an adorned with silver he said, 'You tempt the thief with it. It s adornment is inside it.' "Part of respect for it is that it should not be written on the ground or on a wall as is done in modern mosques. It is reported that 'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by some writing on the ground and said to a lad of the tribe of Hudhayl, 'What is this?' He replied, 'It is from the Book of Allah. A Jew wrote it.' He said, 'May Allah curse the one who did this. Only put the Book of Allah in its proper place.' 72

73 Muhammad ibn az-zubayr said that 'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz saw a son of his writing the Qur'an on a wall and beat him. "Part of respect for it is that when its writing is washed for treating an illness, it should not be poured on a rubbish heap or in a place of impurity or in a place where people walk, but in a place where people do not walk, or a hole should be dug in a pure place so that it can be poured into it, or it can be poured into a large river. "Part of respect for it is that, whenever someone completes the recitation of the entire Qur'an, he recites some of the beginning so that it does not have the form of something abandoned. That is why when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished reciting, he would recite about five ayats from the beginning so that it would not be in an abandoned form. Ibn 'Abbas said that a man came and asked, 'Messenger of Allah, which action is best?' He replied, 'You must have the embarking state.' 'What is the embarking state?' he asked. He replied, ''The one with the Qur'an who starts from its beginning until he reaches its end and then starts at the beginning. Whenever he alights, he immediately travels on.' It is recommended to gather your family when you finish the Qur'an. Al-Anbari reported É from Qatada that when Anas ibn Malik finished reciting the Qur'an, he would gather his family and make supplication. It is reported that when Mujahid, 'Abda ibn Abi Lubaba and various people were about to complete the recitation, they would summon people since mercy descends at the conclusion of the Qur'an. It is reported that Ibrahim at-taymi said, "When someone finishes the Qur'an at the beginning of the day, the angels bless him until evening. When someone finishes the Qur'an at the beginning of the night, the angels bless him until morning." He said, "They recommended that it should be finished at the beginning of the night or at the beginning of the day." "Part of respect for it is that you should not write the refuge suras from it and then enter the lavatory unless they are inside a covering of leather or silver or something else. Then it is as if it were inside his breast. "Part of respect for it is that when you write it out [for medicinal purposes] and then drink it, you should say the Name of Allah for every breath and have a very strong intention. Allah will give to you according to your intention. Mujahid said, 'There is no harm in writing out the Qur'an and then having a sick person drink it.' Abu Ja'far said, 'If someone has hardness in his heart, he should write 'Yasin' on a goblet with saffron and drink it.' 73

74 "Part of respect for it is not to say, 'What a short sura!' Abu'l-'Aliyya disliked saying 'what a short or large sura'. When he heard someone say that, he would retort, 'You are smaller than it. All of the Qur'an is immense.'" Abu Dawud related the contrary of this from the hadith of 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb from his grandfather which states that one can use those terms. 'Amr said, "No small or large sura is part of the Mufassal." What is reported regarding threats against engaging in tafsir of the Qur'an by means of opinion (ra'y) or being bold in that, and the ranks of the commentators It is related that 'A'isha said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not explain the Book of Allah except for some ayats which Jibril taught him." Ibn 'Atiyya said, "The meaning of this hadith is that it is about the unseen things of the Qur'an, explaining what is ambivalent (mujmal) and the like to which there is no way to uncover except with Allah's help. Part of that are those unseen matters which Allah has not made known, like the time of the Rising and the number of blasts on the Trumpet and the order of the creation of the heavens and the earth. At-Tirmidhi reported from Ibn 'Abbas that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Fear attributing words to me which you do not know. Anyone who deliberately tells a lie regarding me will take his seat in the Fire. Anyone who speaks about the Qur'an by own opinion, should take his seat in the Fire." It is also reported from Jundub that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who speaks on the Qur'an by his own opinion and is right is still wrong." This is a gharib hadith in Abu Dawud and one of its transmitters is questionable. Razin added, "Whoever speaks by his opinion and errs has disbelieved." Al-Anbari said in the Kitab ar-radd, "There are two interpretations of the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas. One is that someone who speaks on problematic things (mushkil) in the Qur'an by what he does not know, differing from the position of the first Companions and Followers, exposes himself to the anger of Allah. The second, which is the firmer and sounder of the two, is that when someone says something about the Qur'an knowing the truth to be different, he should take his seat in the Fire." Regarding the hadith of Jundub, some of the people of knowledge say that "opinion" here means "whim". Whoever speaks about the Qur'an according to his own whims and does not take from the Imams of the Salaf and happens to be right is still wrong since he has judged the Qur'an by something whose basis is 74

75 not recognised and is not based on the position of those with expertise in traditions and transmission. Ibn 'Atiyya says, "The meaning of this is that a man is asked about a meaning of the Book of Allah and hurries to explain it by his own opinion without looking at what the scholars have said and what the rules of knowledge like syntax and usul demand." Not included is the explanation of grammarians and linguists of its grammar and the fuqaha' of its meaning where each speaks by his ijtihad based on the rules of his own branch of knowledge and investigation." This is sound and more than one scholar prefers it. The one who speaks according to what pops into his imagination and occurs to his mind without seeking evidence for it in the fundamental principles errs. Anyone who derives its meanings by basing himself on the fundamental principles which are agreed upon is praised. Some scholars said that Tafsir is dependent on oral transmission since Allah says, "If you have a dispute about something, refer it back to Allah and His Messenger." (4:59) This is false because the prohibition against explaining the Qur'an is either that what is desired is to confine oneself to transmission and not investigate, or it is something else. It is false that what is meant is that no one should say anything about the Qur'an other than what he has heard. The Companions recited the Qur'an and differed about its interpretation in some cases. Not all of what they said was what they heard from the Prophet. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made supplication for Ibn 'Abbas and said, "O Allah, give him understanding in the Deen and teach him interpretation." If interpretation is confined to Revelation and Prophetic reports, what is the point of singling him out for that? This is clear and undoubted. The prohibition against Tafsir applies to two instances. The first is when the interpreter has opinion about something on the basis of his nature and passion and, therefore, interprets the Qur'an according to his opinion and passion in an effort to justify his position. If it had not been for that opinion and passion, that meaning about the Qur'an would not have occurred to him. This can sometimes be conscious, as in the case of someone who uses some ayats of the Qur'an to prove the validity of an innovation, when he knows that that is not what is meant by the ayat, but his aim is to confuse his opponent. Sometimes it is done in ignorance which may happen when an ayat can be applied in various ways and his understanding inclines to the meaning which coincides with his position. He prefers that interpretation because of his opinion and passion and so he interprets it according to his own opinion. If it had not been for his opinion, he would not preferred that meaning. 75

76 Sometimes someone has a sound purpose and seeks evidence for it in the Qur'an and uses what he knows of it as evidence for what he wants, like the one who calls people to strive against a hard heart. Allah says, "Go to Pharaoh. He has overstepped the bounds." (20:23) He points to his heart and suggests that that is what is meant by 'Pharaoh' in this ayat. This kind of interpretation is used by some preachers with good motives to make their words effective and encourage their listeners. This is forbidden because it is unacceptable linguistic analogy and is not permissible. The esotericism use the same method to false purposes with the goal of deluding people and calling them to their false beliefs. They use the Qur'an according to their opinion and position in matters that they absolutely know are not meant. This is one of the aspects of Tafsir that is forbidden. The second instance is when an interpreter hastens to explain the Qur'an according to the literal meaning of the Arabic without the help of transmission about what the unusual words of the Qur'an mean and what has been passed down about the ambiguous and interchangeable words, conciseness, elision, concealment and reversal of order it contains. Someone who does not have a firm grasp of the literal Tafsir and then sets out to derive meanings by simple understanding of Arabic often errs and joins the company of those who interpret the Qur'an according to their own opinions. Transmission is necessary first of all in the primary Tafsir so that one avoids error, and then after that one employs understanding and deduction to expand on it. The unusual words which are only understood via transmission are numerous, and one cannot hope to reach the inward before having a firm grasp of the outward. Do you not see that the Almighty says, "We gave Thamud the camel as a visible sign (mubsira) and then they mistreated her" (17:59)? It means a visible sign and they wronged themselves by killing it. Someone who looks at the literal Arabic might think that it means that the camel could see (mubsira) and therefore not know what they did wrong and how they wronged others and themselves. This is part of elision and concealment. There are many such examples in the Qur'an. In cases other than these two, there is no prohibition against interpretation, and Allah knows best. Ibn 'Atiyya said, "Most of the righteous Salaf like Sa'id ibn al-musayyab, 'Amir ash-sha'bi and others used to be overawed at the prospect of making interpretation of the Qur'an and would refrain from it out of scrupulousness and cautiousness for themselves in spite of their perfection and precedence." Al- Anbari said, "The imams of the Salaf were too scrupulous to explain the problematic parts of the Qur'an. One supposed that his Tafsir might not coincide with what Allah meant and so refrained from speaking. Another feared that he would become an imam in Tafsir and people might follow his method, when he 76

77 might hesitate to explain a single letter according to his own opinion or to err about it and then his follower might say, 'My imam in the tafsir of the Qur'an by opinion is so-and-so, the imam of the Salaf.' Ibn Abi Mulayka said, 'Abu Bakr as-siddiq was asked about the Tafsir of a letter of the Qur'an and said, "Which heaven will cover me and which earth will bear me? Where will I go? What will I do if I say about a letter of the Book of Allah other than what Allah Almighty meant?" Ibn 'Atiyya said, "Several of the Salaf used to explain the Qur'an and made the Muslims continue in that. As for the beginning of the commentators on whom they relied, there was 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and he was followed by 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, who devoted himself to the subject and perfected it. He was followed by scholars like Mujahid, Sa'id ibn Jubayr and others. More is transmitted from him in that than is retained from 'Ali. Ibn 'Abbas said, 'What I took of Tafsir of the Qur'an was from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.' 'Ali used to praise the Tafsir of Ibn 'Abbas and encouraged people to take it from him. Ibn 'Abbas used to say about himself, 'An excellent translator of the Qur'an is 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas.' 'Ali said about him, 'It is as if Ibn 'Abbas looks at the unseen through a fine curtain.'" He was followed by 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Zayd ibn Thabit, and 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'as. All that is taken from the Companions has excellent preference because they witnessed the revelation and its descent in their language. 'Amir ibn Wathila said, "I saw 'Ali ibn Abi Talib speaking. I heard him say in his khutba, 'Ask me. By Allah, you will not ask me about anything that will happen until the Day of Rising but that I will tell you about it. Ask me about the Book of Allah. By Allah, there is no ayat but that I know whether it was revealed at night or in the day, revealed on flat ground or on a mountain.'" Ibn al-kawwa' rose and asked about Surat adh-dhariyat (51). 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "If I knew of anyone with more knowledge of the Book of Allah than me, who could be reached by mounts, I would go to him." A man asked him, "Have you not met 'Ali ibn Abi Talib?" 'Yes," he replied, "I have met him." Masruq said, "I found some of the Companions of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, like pools which water one person, some like pools which water two, and some such that if all people had come to it, it would satisfy them. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was one those pools." Abu Sa'id al-khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The most merciful to my community is Abu Bakr, the strongest in the deen of Allah is 'Umar, the most truly modest is 'Uthman, the one with the most knowledge of judgement is 'Ali, and the one with most knowledge of the shares of inheritance is Zayd. The one with the most recitation of the Book of Allah is Ubayy ibn Ka'b. The one with the most knowledge of the 77

78 lawful and unlawful is Mu'adh ibn Jabal. The trustworthy representative of this community is Abu 'Ubayda ibn al-jarrah. Abu Hurayra is a vessel of knowledge and Salman is a sea of knowledge which is not perceived. Vegetation has not shaded nor has the earth supported anyone with a more truthful tongue than Abu Dharr." Ibn 'Atiyya said, "The prominent Followers (Tabi'un) included al-hasan al- Basri, Mujahid, Sa'id ibn Jubayr and 'Alqama. Mujahid studied recitation with Ibn 'Abbas coupled with understanding the meaning, stopping at every ayat. 'Ikrima and ad-dahhak followed them. Even if ad-dahhak did not meet Ibn 'Abbas, he studied with Ibn Jubayr. As for as-suddi, 'Æmir ash-sha'bi attacked him and Abu Salih because he thought that they fell short in investigation." Then the tafsir was transmitted by just men of every generation, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "This knowledge will be carried by just men of every generation, discarding from it the deviation of the excessive, the ascriptions of the falsifiers and the interpretation of the ignorant." (Abu 'Umar and others related it). Al-Khatib al-baghdadi said, "This testimony from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, shows that Qur'anic interpreters are scholars of the deen and imams of the Muslims because they guard the Shari'a against deviation and the ascription of falsehood and refute the interpretation of ignorant fools. One must consult them and rely on them in the business of the deen." The Book being explained by the Sunna, and what has been transmitted about that Allah says, "And We have sent down the Reminder to you so that you can make clear to mankind what has been sent down to them" (16:44), and "Those who oppose his command should beware of a testing trial coming to them or a painful punishment striking them" (24:59) and "Truly you are guiding to a Straight Path." (42:49) It is made obligatory to obey the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in more than one ayat of the Book and that is connected to obeying Allah, Allah says, "Whatever the Messenger gives you you should accept and whatever He forbids you you should forgo." (59:7) Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr mentioned that 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Yazid saw a muhrim wearing his ordinary clothes and he forbade him to do that. The man said to him, "Bring me an ayat from the Book of Allah which removes my clothes." He recited to him, "Whatever the Messenger gives you you should accept and whatever He forbids you you should forgo." (59:7) Hisham ibn Hujayr said, "Tawus prayed two rak'ats after 'Asr and Ibn 'Abbas said, 'Stop performing them.'' He said, 'It is only forbidden to take them as a sunna.' Ibn 'Abbas said, 'The Messenger of 78

79 Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade praying after 'Asr. I do not how whether you will be punished or rewarded for them because Allah says, "When Allah and His Messenger have decided a thing it is not for any believing man or believing woman to have a choice about it." (33:36)'" Abu Dawud related from al-miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I was given the Book and it s like with it. It will not be long before a satiated man on his throne declares, 'This Qur'an is all you need. Make lawful whatever you find lawful in it and make unlawful whatever you find unlawful in it.' But domestic donkeys are not lawful for you nor is eating any beast of prey with fangs nor is something dropped by someone who has a treaty with you until its owner declares himself free of it. If someone stops off with some people, they must give him hospitality. If they do not, he can legally pursue them for the equivalent cost of his due hospitality." Al-Khattabi said that the words, "I was given the Book and its like with it," can be interpreted in two ways. One is that it means he was given hidden revelation which is not recited in the same way that he was given the outward recited part. The second is that he was given the Book as recited revelation and was given clarification like it, meaning permission to explain what was in the Book, making it general and specific, adding to it and legislating what is in it. Therefore it is mandatory to act by that and to accept it like the outward recited Qur'an. The hadith is a warning against opposing those established sunan which are not in the Qur'an, as was done by the Kharijites and Rafidites. They attached themselves to the literal text of the Qur'an and abandoned the sunnas which contain the clarification of the Book. This hadith contains evidence that there is no need to compare the hadith with the Book. Whatever is confirmed as being from the Prophet is evidence in itself. As for what some relate, "When a hadith comes to you, compare it with the Book. If it agrees with it, take it. Otherwise, discard it," it is a baseless false hadith. The clarification is of two types: a general clarification of the Book, like clarifying the five prayers, their times, prostration, ruku' and all their rulings, the amount and time of zakat and the types of property from which it is taken, and the details the practices of hajj. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, performed the hajj with the people, he said, "Take your practices from me," and he said, "Pray as you saw me praying." (al-bukhari) 'Imran ibn Husayn said to a man, "You stupid man! Do you find Dhuhr in the Book of Allah as four rak ahs in which recitation is not aloud!" Then he enumerated for him the prayer, zakat and the like and then said, "Do you find 79

80 this explained in the Book of Allah? The Book of Allah Almighty did not define this while the Sunna explains it!" Al-Awza'i reported that Hassan ibn 'Atiyya said, "Revelation descended on the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Jibril brought him the Sunna which explains that." É Al-Awza'i also reported that Makhul said, "The Qur'an is more in need of the Sunna than the Sunna is of the Qur'an." Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said, "The Sunna judges the Book and the Book does not judge the Sunna." Al-Fudayl ibn Ziyad said that he heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal being asked about this hadith and he said, 'I am not so bold as to say it, but I say the Sunna explains and clarifies the Book." How to learn and understand the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Prophet. It is reported that it used to be easier to act by it than to memorise it In the Kitab al-bayan, ad-dani reports from 'Uthman, Ibn Mas'ud and Ubayy that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to recite ten ayats to them, and they did not go on to another ten until they knew what action was connected to those ayats. So we should learn the Qur'an and how to act by it at the same time. It is reported that as-sulami said, "When we learned ten ayats of the Qur'an, we did not learn the ten after them until we knew what they contained of the halal and haram, of prohibitions and commands." In the Muwatta', Malik reported that he heard that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar spent eight years learning Surat al-baqara. In his book, The Names of Those who Transmitted from Malik, Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn Thabit mentions that Nafi' transmitted that Ibn 'Umar said, "'Umar learned al-baqara over twelve years. When he finished, he slaughtered a camel." Al-Anbari reports that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "It was difficult for us to memorise the words of the Qur'an, but easy for us to act by them. After us will be people for whom it is easy to memorise the Qur'an, but hard to act by it." It is reported that Ibn 'Umar said, "The best of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, at the beginning of this Community only memorised a sura or two of the Qur'an. They were given the gift of acting by the Qur'an. The last of this community will recite the Qur'an children and blind and will not be given the gift of acting by it." Khalaf ibn Hisham al-bazzar was heard to say, "I only think that the Qur'an our hands has been denuded [of action]. That is because we were told that 'Umar ibn al- Khattab memorised Surat al-baqara over the course of about ten years. When he had memorised it, he slaughtered a camel to thank Allah. In our time, a boy sits before me and recites a third of the Qur'an without missing out a single letter. I only reckon that the Qur'an is denuded in our hands." 80

81 Seven ahruf and qira'at and the 'Uthmani Codex The meaning of the words of the Prophet, "The Qur'an was revealed in seven ahruf (dialects/modes)." In the Sahih of Muslim, Ubayy ibn Ka'b reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was with the Banu Ghifar when Jibril came to him and said, "Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your Com-munity in one mode." He said, "I ask Allah for His pardon and forgiveness. My Community will not be able to do that." Then he came a second time and said, "Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your Community in two modes." He said, "I ask Allah for His pardon and forgiveness. My Community will not be able to do that." He came a third time and said, "Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your Community in three modes." He replied, "I ask Allah for His pardon and forgiveness. My Community will not be able to do that." He came a fourth time and said, "Allah commands you to recite the Qur'an to your community in seven modes. Whichever mode they recite, it is correct." At-Tirmidhi reported that Ubayy said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, met Jibril and said, 'Jibril, I was sent to an illiterate community. Some of them are old women and old men, boys and girls, and men who do not read at all.' He said to him, 'Muhammad, the Qur'an was revealed in seven modes." (sahih) This story is confirmed in the main authorities: al-bukhari, Muslim, the Muwatta', Abu Dawud, an-nasa'i and other books in the form of the story about Hisham ibn Hakim with 'Umar which we will mention later. Scholars disagree about what is meant by the seven modes, and there are thirtyfive things mentioned by al-busti. We will mention five of them here: -This is the position of most of the people of knowledge, such as Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna, 'Abdullah ibn Wahb, at-tabari, at-tahawi and others. What is meant are the seven manners of synonyms with different expressions, like aqbala, ta'ala and halluma (all of which mean "come here"). At-Tahawi said, "The clearest elucidation of that is what is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Bakra, 'Jibril came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Recite in one mode." Mika'il said, "Increase it." He said, "Recite it in two modes." Mika'il said, "Increase it," until it was seven modes. He said, "Recite it. Each is adequate unless you confuse an ayat of mercy for an ayat of punishment or an ayat of punishment with an ayat of mercy."' That is like halluma, ta'ala, aqbala, adhhaba, asra'a and 'ajjala. It is related from Ibn 'Abbas that Ubayy ibn Ka'b used to recite "wait for us" (57:13) "undhuruna" as "umhuluna", "akhkhiruna", and "arqubuna". With the same isnad, it is reported that Ubayy recited in 2:19 "marru" instead of "mashaw" and "sa'aw" (they walk). In al- 81

82 Bukhari, az-zuhri said, "These modes are about the same matter. They do not differ in respect of the halal and haram." At-Tahawi said, "There was scope for people in the letters since they were unable to take the Qur'an in other than their dialects because they were illiterate and only a few of them could write. It was hard for someone with a dialect to change to another. If he wanted to do that, it would have entailed great hardship and so they were given scope regarding different expressions as long as the meaning was the same. They remained like that until many of them could write and the dialects reverted to that of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Then they were able to memorise those words and they no longer had the allowance to recite differently." Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr said, "It is clear that scope for the seven modes was at a particular time out of necessity. When that necessity was removed, the ruling of the seven was removed, and the Qur'an was recited in one mode." - Some people say that the seven dialects in the Qur'an are the seven dialects of all the Arabs, both Yamani and Nizar, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not ignorant of any of them. He was "given all the words". It does not mean that the one mode has seven aspects, but these seven dialects are in different parts of the Qur'an. Some of it is in the dialect of Quraysh, some in that of Hudhayl, some in Hawazin, and some in Yamani. Al-Khattabi said, "That is how the Qur'an is recited in seven ways." This is the meaning of the Qur'an being revealed in seven modes. Al-Qasim ibn Sallam believed that and Ibn 'Atiyya preferred it. Some tribes used writing more than others. Anas mentioned that when 'Uthman told them copy out the Qur'an, he said, "When you and Zayd differ, then write in the dialect of Quraysh. It was revealed in their dialect." (al-bukhari) Qadi Ibn at-tayyib [al-baqillani] said, "The meaning of 'Uthman's words that it was revealed in the dialect of Quraysh, means most of it. It is not a definitive proof that it is all in the dialect of Quraysh since there are words and letters which differ from the dialect of Quraysh. This indicates that it was revealed in all the language of the Arabs, and no one can say that it was just Quraysh or one part of the Arabs rather than others. Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr said that this meant that most of it was revealed in the dialect of Quraysh because other than the dialect of Quraysh exists in sound readings with the use of the hamzas and the like. Quraysh did not use the hamza. Ibn 'Atiyya said that the meaning of the "seven modes" is that the expressions of the seven tribes are in it. - These seven dialects are all from the tribes of Mudar. Some people said that. They used as evidence what 'Uthman said, "The Qur'an was revealed in the language of Mudar." They said, "It is possible that part of it is that of Quraysh, 82

83 part Kinana, part Asad, part Hudhayl, part Taym, part Daba, and part Qays. They said these tribes of Mudar contain the seven dialects in these ranks. Ibn Mas'ud used to like those who copied out the Qur'ans to be from Mudar. Others objected to the idea that it was all from Mudar and said that there are rare usages in Mudar with which it is not permitted to write the Qur'an. - What is related from some scholars is exemplified by Qadi Ibn at-tayyib who said, "I have reflected on the aspects of the differences in recitation and have found them to be seven. Some involve changes of voweling while the meaning and form remain, like atharu and athara in 11:78; some do not change their form but change their meaning through inflection, as in 36:19, reading ba'id or ba'ida; some retain their form and change their meaning with different letters; some change the form while the meaning remains as in 101:5 where both 'ahn and suf mean wool; some change their form and meaning; some entail a change of order; and some consist of addition or reduction. - What is meant by the seven modes are meanings in the Book of Allah: command and prohibition, promise and threat, stories, arguments and parables. Ibn 'Atiyya says that this is weak because that is not called ahruf. Furthermore there is consensus that it does not occur in making the lawful lawful or changing any of the meanings. Qadi Ibn at-tayyib mentioned a hadith along these lines from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and then said, "This is not part of what it is allowed for them to recite." Harf in this means 'manner' as Allah says, 'one who worships Allah on an edge.' (22:11). That is the meaning of the hadith about the seven means of allowing and forbidding and the like. It is also said that what is meant by the seven ahruf are the seven readings that we have because all of that is sound as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated. This, however, is not correct, as we will now explain. The seven readings Most scholars, like ad-dawudi, Ibn Abi Sufra and others said that these seven readings which are ascribed to the seven readers are not the seven ahruf for which the Companions had allowance to recite. They refer merely to one harf of those seven, which is what 'Uthman collected in the copy of the Qur'an which he authorised. Ibn an-nahhas and others mentioned that. These seven famous readings (qira'at) are the selections of those Imams of recitation. That is because each of them chose what he related and the aspect he knew of the recitations which he considered to be the best and most appropriate. Each held to a path, related and recited it, and became famous for it. He is known for it and it is ascribed to him, like the mode of Nafi' and the mode of Ibn Kathir. One of them 83

84 did not forbid choosing another nor object to it. He allowed it. Each of those seven has two or more choices related from him. All are sound. Muslims at this time have agreed to rely on what is sound from these imams. That which they related of the readings and wrote in books. The consensus remains that they are correct, and the preservation of the Book which Allah promised has been secured. This is the position of the earlier imams and excellent reliable men like Qadi Abu Bakr ibn at-tayyib, at-tabari and others. Ibn 'Atiyya said, "These seven readings have lasted through different times and places and the prayer is performed using them as their soundness is established by consensus. As for the rare (shadhdh) readings, the prayer is not performed using them because there is no consensus on that. As for what is related from the Companions and the Followers about that, it can only be believed that they transmitted that. As for what is related from Abu's-Sammal and those connected to him, one does not rely on it." Someone else said, "As for the rare (shadhdh) readings of the copies of the transmitted Qur'an, they are not considered to be the Qur'an, and are not acted on as if they were part of it. It is most probable that they are clarification of the interpretation of the position of the one to whom they are ascribed, like the reading of Ibn Mas'ud. If the transmitter is explicit about having heard it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then scholars have two positions about acting on it: negative or positive. The negative position is based on the fact that the transmitter did not relate it as a hadith, but as Qur'an, and it is not affirmed as such and so is not confirmed. The positive position is that even if it is not affirmed as Qur'an, it is affirmed as sunna, and that obliges action, just as the case with all single ahadith. The hadith of 'Umar and Hisham Ibn 'Atiyya said, "Allah allowed these seven modes to His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Jibril brought them to him in a way which ensured inimitability and precise cohesion. His words, 'Recite what is easy of it,' did not permit any of the Companions to change any expression in one of these dialects as he wished. If that had been the case, then the Qur'an would not have been inimitable, as people would have changed this and that and then it would have become other than what was revealed from Allah. The permission was for the seven modes of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in order to give ample scope to his Community. Once he recited to Ubayy what Jibril brought him, and once to Ibn Mas'ud what had been presented to him. This was the crux of the difference between 'Umar ibn al-khattab's reading of Surat al-furqan and that of Hisham ibn Hakim. Otherwise how was it proper for 84

85 the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to say about the recitation of each of them which differed, 'That was how Jibril recited it to me.' Was it only that he recited it once like that and once like this? This is the meaning of what Anas said when he recited 'aswab' instead of 'aqwam' in Surat al-muzzammil (73:5) meaning "more conducive". He was told, 'We recite it "aqwam".' He replied, '"Aswab", "aqwam" and "ahya'" are all the same." This is the sense of what is reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. If anyone had been permitted to do that, that would have invalidated the words of Allah, 'It is We who have sent down the Reminder and We will preserve it.' (15:9)." Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others related that 'Umar ibn al-khattab said, "I heard Hisham ibn Hakim reciting Surat al-furqan in a different way from how I read it, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself had recited it to me. I almost grabbed him, but I waited until he had finished. Then I got him by his cloak and took him to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I said, 'Messenger of Allah, I heard this one reciting Surat al-furqan differently to how you recited it to me!' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him recite.' He recited it as I had heard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'That is how it was revealed.' Then he told me, 'Recite.' I recited it and he said, 'That is how it was revealed. This Qur'an was revealed in seven modes, so recite whatever you find easy of it.'" Similar to this hadith is what Muslim transmitted from Ubayy ibn Ka'b. He said, "I was in the mosque when a man came in to pray. He recited a reading to which I objected. Then another man entered and recited a different recitation to that of his companion. When they finished the prayer, we all went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I said, 'This one recited a reading to which I objected and the other entered and used a different recitation to that of his companion.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded them to recite, and the Prophet commended what they done. Then doubt entered my heart such as had not even affected me in the Jahiliyya. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw what had overpowered me, he struck my chest and I started to sweat, feeling alarm as if I had been looking at Allah. He said to me, 'Ubayy, I was sent a message to recite the Qur'an in one mode and I replied that I wanted it to be made easy for my community. A second message commanded me to recite it in two modes, and I replied that I wanted it to be made easy for my community. Then I was told the third time, "Recite it in seven modes. You can ask for something for each time you returned to ask." I said, "O Allah, forgive my Community! O Allah, forgive 85

86 my Community!" I delayed the third until a Day when all creation even Ibrahim, peace be upon him, will ask of me.'" Ubayy meant that he felt confusion and astonishment, in other words he had an impulse from Shaytan which sullied his state and muddied his mind at that moment. The difference of the readings seemed terrible to him while it was not in itself terrible. Otherwise what would entail denial of the difference in the recitations, when that is not necessary? Praise be to Allah who abrogated what is greater than a reading! When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw the thought that occurred to him, he woke him up by striking his chest. The result of that was the expansion of his breast and inward illumination so that the unveiling and expansion took him to a state of vision. When the ugliness of that thought was clear to him, he feared Allah and sweated profusely out of shame before Allah. This thought is the type of thing about which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, spoke when they said to him, "We find things in ourselves which one of us finds too terrible to speak about." He asked, "Do you experience that?" "Yes," they replied. He said, "That is clear faith." (Muslim from Abu Hurayra) The collection of the Qur'an and the reason 'Uthman had copies of the Qur'an copied out and burned the rest. The memorisation of the Qur'an by the Companions in the time of the Prophet In the time of the Prophet, the Qur'an was scattered in the breasts of men. People wrote some of it in on pages, on skins and on white stones and flat stones, scraps and other things. Then a great number of the reciters were killed in Battle of Yamama in the time of Abu Bakr. Something like 700 of them were killed in a single day and 'Umar ibn al-khattab suggested to Abu Bakr to collect the Qur'an out of fear that the shaykhs of the reciters such as Ubayy, Ibn Mas'ud and Zayd would all die. Zayd ibn Thabit recommended that, and so after great effort. he collected it together without putting the suras in order. Al-Bukhari reports that Zayd ibn Thabit said, "After the slaughter in the war of Yamama, Abu Bakr sent for me, and 'Umar was with him. Abu Bakr said, ''Umar has come to me and said, "Many people were killed in the Battle of Yamama, and I fear that many Qur'an reciters will be killed in other places and so much of the Qur'an will be lost unless you collect it. I think that you should collect the Qur'an together."' Abu Bakr said, 'I said to 'Umar, "How can I do something which the Messenger of Allah did not do?" 'Umar said, "By Allah, it is better." 'Umar kept on at me about it until Allah opened my breast to it. I think what 'Umar thinks.'" Zayd ibn Thabit continued, "'Umar was sitting with him, not speaking. Abu Bakr said, 'You are an intelligent young man and we have no 86

87 doubts about you. You used to write down the revelation for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Therefore you are to search out the Qur'an and collect it.' By Allah, if he had obliged me to move one of the mountains, that would not have been weightier for me than his command to me to collect together the Qur'an. I replied, 'How can the two of you do something which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not do?' Abu Bakr said, 'By Allah, it is better.' He continued to keep on at me until Allah opened my breast to that which Allah had opened the breasts of Abu Bakr and 'Umar. So I began to search out the Qur'an and collect it from the parchments, shoulder-blades, palm fronds and the breasts of men until I found two ayats of Surat at-tawba with Khuzayma al-ansari that I did not find with anyone else: 'A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves...' (9:128) The copy of the Qur'an in which the Qur'an was collected remained in the possession of Abu Bakr until Allah took him, and then it was with 'Umar until Allah took him, and then it was with Hafsa bint 'Umar." If it is asked what was the point of 'Uthman unifying people under a single copy of the Qur'an when Abu Bakr had already achieved that, then the response is that the aim of 'Uthman was not to gather people in order to compile the Qur'an. Do you not see that he sent to Hafsa to ask her to give him the copy of the Qur'an so that it could be copied out and then returned to her? 'Uthman did that because people were disagreeing about the various recitations owing to the fact that the Companions had spread to different areas and had begun to strongly disagree, such as the conflict which took place between the people of Iraq and the people of Syria according to Hudhayfa. They joined an expedition to Armenia and each group recited what had been transmitted to them. They disagreed and quarrelled and some of them called the others unbelievers, renouncing them completely, cursing one another. Hudhayfa was alarmed at what he saw. As soon as he arrived back to Madina, according to al-bukhari and at-tirmidhi, before returning to his house he went to 'Uthman and said, "This Community has reached the stage where it will be destroyed!" "Why?' asked 'Uthman. He said, "It is about the Book of Allah. I was on this expedition and some of the people of Iraq, Syria and the Hijaz came together." Then he described what had happened and said, "I fear that they will differ about their Book as the Jews and Christians differed." This is evidence of the falseness of those who say that the seven ahruf are the seven present readings because there is no disagreement about them. Suwayd ibn Ghafala reported from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib that 'Uthman said, "What do you think about the copies of the Qur'an? The people have disagreed about the reciters until a man says, 'My reading is better than your reading. My reading is 87

88 more excellent than your reading.' This is equivalent to disbelief." He replied, "What is your view, Amir al-mu'minin?" He said, 'I think that we people should agree on one reading. If you differ today, those after you will disagree more strongly." 'Ali said, "The correct opinion is yours, Amir al-mu'minin." So 'Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, "Send us the pages in your possession and we will copy them and then return them to you." She sent them to him and he ordered Zayd ibn Thabit, 'Abdullah ibn az-zubayr, Sa'id ibn al-'as, and 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn al-harith ibn Hisham to make copies of them. 'Uthman told the group of Qurayshis, "When you and Zayd ibn Thabit disagree about any of the Qur'an, write it in the dialect of Quraysh. It was revealed in their language." They did that. When they had copied it out, 'Uthman returned the pages to Hafsa and he sent a copy of what they had copied out to every region and commanded that every sheet or copy which had any other form of the Qur'an should be burned. 'Uthman did this after gathering the Muhajirun and Ansar and a group of Muslims and consulting them about it. They agreed to collect what was sound and firm of the well-known readings from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and discard anything else. They thought that what he decided was right and correct. May Allah have mercy on him and all of them." Ibn Shihab said that he was told by 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abdullah that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud disliked Zayd ibn Thabit copying out the Qur'an and said, "Company of Muslims, withdraw from making copies and entrusting it to one man. By Allah, I became Muslim while he was in the loins of an unbelieving father!" meaning Zayd ibn Thabit. That is why 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "People of Iraq, conceal the copies of the Qur'an you have and conceal them. Allah says, 'Those who misappropriate will arrive on the Day of Rising with what they have misappropriated.' (3:161). Meet Allah with the copies of the Qur'an." (at- Tirmidhi) Abu Bakr al-anbari said, "The fact that Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman chose Zayd in the matter of collecting the Qur'an does not mean that they were putting him over 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. 'Abdullah was better than Zayd, older in Islam, had attended more battles and possessed more virtues. Zayd, however, knew more of the Qur'an than 'Abdullah since he had memorised it all during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whereas 'Abdullah had only memorised about seventy surahs while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alive and learned the rest after his death. The one who knew the entire Qur'an and memorised it while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alive was more entitled to compile the Qur'an and to be preferred and chosen to do so. No ignorant person should suppose that this is an attack on 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud since the fact that Zayd had the better memory of the 88

89 Qur'an of the two does not mean that he should be preferred to him in general terms because Zayd also knew more Qur'an than Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and he was certainly not better than them or equal to them in virtue." Abu Bakr al-anbari said, "The objection which 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud made was done in anger and is not acted upon or accepted. There is no doubt that once he was no longer angry he was satisfied with the excellence of the decision of 'Uthman and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and concurred with their agreement and abandoned his opposition to them." One scholar said that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud died before learning all the Qur'an. Yazid ibn Harun said, "The two surahs of refuge have the same status as al- Baqara and Al 'Imran. Anyone who claims that they are not part of the Qur'an has rejected Allah Almighty." He was asked, 'What about what 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud says about them?" He replied, "There is no disagreement among the Muslims that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud died before memorising all of the Qur'an." This requires some investigation, as will come. Hammad said I think quoting Anas ibn Malik "They disagreed about an ayat and would say, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited it to so-and-so.' He might be three days from Madina and he would be sent for and would be asked, 'How did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recite such-and-such an ayat to you?' and they would write it as he said." Ibn Shihab said, "One day they disagreed about tabut. Zayd said tabuh. Ibn az-zubayr and Sa'id ibn al-'as said, tabut. The disagreement was taken to 'Uthman who said, 'Write it with ta'. It was revealed in the language of Quraysh." (al-bukhari and at-tirmidhi) 'Uthman had several copies of the Qur'an made. Some say there were seven while the majority say that there were four. They were sent to various areas. Matrix copies were sent to Iraq, Syria and Egypt, and the reciters of the cities relied on them and none of them differed from the original copy in the manner in which it was conveyed. There is not found among the seven reciters any real difference in the words, neither more nor less. That is because they all relied on what was conveyed in 'Uthman's copy. Al-Anbari quoted Suwayd ibn Ghafala in Kitab ar-radd, "I heard 'Ali ibn Abi Talib say, 'Company of people! Fear Allah and beware of excess about 'Uthman and calling him "The burner of Qur'ans". By Allah, he only burned them on the basis of the advice of a council of us, the Companions of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'" It is also reported that 'Ali said, "If I had 89

90 been ruler at the time of 'Uthman, I would have done to the copies of the Qur'an the same thing that 'Uthman did." Notes: Our scholars say that what 'Uthman did refutes the Hululis and Hashwites who say that the letters and sounds are eternal and that recitation and reading are eternal and that faith is eternal and the ruh is eternal. The Community and all groups of the Christians, Jews and Brahmans believe and indeed, every theist and unitarian that that which is eternal is unaffected by any event, and no one's power can affect it by any aspect or means. Non-existence is not possible for the eternal and the eternal does not become temporal and the temporal does not become eternal. As for the eternal, there is no beginning to its existence whereas the temporal is that which exists after it was not. Notes: The Rafidites attack the Qur'an and say, "One person is sufficient to confirm the transmission of an ayat and mode just as you have done. You confirmed the statement of a single man, Khuzayma ibn Thabit, in reporting about the end of Surat al-tawba and the ayat in Surat al-ahzab 'Among the believers are mené' (33:23)." The reply to them is that when Khuzayma mentioned these words, many of the Companions remembered them and Zayd himself recognised them. That is why he said, "The last two ayats of Surat at-tawba were missing." If he had not already known them, he would not have known that anything was missing. So the ayat was in fact established by consensus, not by Khuzayma alone. The second answer is that it was established by the testimony of Khuzayma alone and the evidence of its soundness is found in the description of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and so has no need for another witness, which is not the case of the ayat in al-ahzab. That is established by the testimony of Zayd and Abu Khuzayma who heard it from the Prophet. It is mentioned that Abu Khuzayma is not the same Khuzayma with whom the ayat of at-tawba found and he was known among the Ansar. Anas knew him. The one with whom the ayat of al-ahzab was found was Khuzayma ibn Thabit. There is no confusion in the story. In Muslim and al-bukhari, Anas ibn Malik said, "The Qur'an was gathered together in the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by four, all of whom were from the Ansar: Ubayy, Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Abu Zayd." Anas was asked, "Who is Abu Zayd?" and he replied, "One of my paternal uncles." Also in al-bukhari, Anas said, "When the Prophet 90

91 died, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, only four knew all the Qur'an: Abu'd-Darda', Mu'adh, ibn Jabal, Zayd and Abu Zayd." Ibn at-tayyib said, "These traditions do not indicate that the Qur'an was not memorised in the time of the Prophet and that only four of the Ansar knew it by heart as Anas stated. It is confirmed by multiple paths of transmission that the entire Qur'an was also known by 'Uthman, 'Ali, Tamim ad-dari, 'Ubada ibn as- Samit, and 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'as." Anas' words mean that only these four took it directly from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Most of them learned it from one another. The Qadi did not mention 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and Salim, the client of Abu Hudhayfa, although they were among those who knew the entire Qur'an. It is reported that 'Umar ibn al-khattab said, "I was with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and with him were Abu Bakr and whomever Allah wished. We passed 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud who was praying. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, 'Who is reciting the Qur'an?' He was told, ''Abdullah ibn Umm 'Abd.' He said, ''Abdullah recites the Qur'an fresh as it was revealed.'" One scholar said that this meant that he recited the first harf in which the Qur'an was revealed rather than the other seven which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was allowed after the Messenger of Allah, Jibril, recited the Qur'an to him in Ramadan. It is related that Abu Æubyan said, "'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas asked me, 'Which of the recitations do you recite?' I replied, 'The first recitation, that of Ibn Umm 'Abd.' He told me, 'Rather it was the last. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to present the Qur'an to Jibril once a year. In the year that he died, the Messenger of Allah read it to him twice. 'Abdullah was present and knew what was abrogated and changed in that.'" In Muslim, 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr stated that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Take the Qur'an from four: Ibn Umm 'Abd and he began with him Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Salim, the client of Abu Hudhayfa." These reports indicate that 'Abdullah knew all the Qur'an in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, contrary to what was said, and Allah knows best. In Kitab ar-radd, al-anbari transmitted that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "I learned 72 (or 73) suras from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I read to him from al-baqara as far as 'Allah loves those who repent' (2:222)." Abu Ishaq says that he learned the rest of the Qur'an from Mujammi' ibn Jariya al-ansari. If this is true, the consensus which Yazid ibn Harun mentioned is true and that is why Qadi Ibn at-tayyib did not mention him 91

92 among those who knew the Qur'an by heart in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah knows best. Part of what will indicate the soundness of Ibn Mas'ud's knowledge of the Qur'an is that the people with the readings among the people of the Hijaz, Syria and Iraq all traced their readings which they chose back to one of the Companions who read it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Asim traced his reading to 'Ali and Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Kathir to Ubayy as did Abu 'Amr ibn al-'ala', and 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir traced his to 'Uthman. All of them said that they had read it to the Messenger of Allah. The isnads of these readings are continuous and the transmitters are reliable, as al- Khattabi stated. The order of the Qur'an, vowelling and divisions What has come about the order of the surahs and ayats of the Qur'an, its vowelling and dots, its hizbs and tens, the number of its letters, juz's, words and ayats Ibn at-tayyib said, "Some say that the Salaf differed about the order of the suras of the Qur'an and some of them wrote the suras in the order that they were revealed and put the Makkan before the Madinan, and some put al-hamd (Fatiha) at the beginning, and others put al-'alaq at the beginning.' This was the case in the first copy of 'Ali. As for the copy of Ibn Mas'ud, it begins with 'Master of the Day of the Deen'' (1:4) and then al-baqara, and then an-nisa' with a different order. The copy of Ubayy began with al-hamd, then an-nisa', then Al 'Imran, then al-an'am, then al-a'raf, then al-ma'ida. There were significant differences." Ibn at-tayyib's answer is that it is possible that the order of the suras as we have today in the Qur'an is by ijtihad on the part of the Companions. Makki mentioned this in the tafsir of Surat at-tawba. He mentioned the order of the ayats in the sura and that the placing the basmala at the beginnings of them was from the Prophet, peace be upon him. Since he did not command that for Surat at-tawba, it was left without a basmala. This is the soundest of what is said about it. In the Jami', Ibn Wahb stated that Sulayman ibn Bilal heard Rabi'a being asked why al-baqara and Al 'Imran were put first when there were about eighty suras revealed before them and they were revealed in Madina. Rabi'a said, "They were put first and the Qur'an was arranged according to the knowledge of those who arranged it and had knowledge of that. This is what we ended up with and we do 92

93 not ask about it." It is reported from Qatada that Ibn Mas'ud said, "Whoever of you seeks a model, should model himself on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. They have the best hearts of this community, the deepest knowledge, least artifice, straightest guidance and the best state. Allah chose them to be the Companions of His Prophet and to establish His deen. So acknowledge their excellence and follow in their footsteps. They followed straight guidance." Some scholars say that the arrangement of the surahs of the Qur'an which we find in our copies of the Qur'an was at the instruction of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. What is related about the differences between the copies of Ubayy, 'Ali and 'Abdullah was before the final presentation. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arranged those surahs for them after they had done that. It is reported from Ibn Wahb that he heard Malik say, "The Qur'an was arranged according to what they heard from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." Al-Anbari mentioned in Kitab ar-radd, "Allah Almighty revealed the Qur'an all at once to the lowest heaven, and then it came down in parts to the Prophet over twenty years. A surah would be revealed about a matter which happened and an ayat would answer an inquiry. Jibril would give the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the place of the surah and the ayat. So the surahs are in order as the ayats and letters are in order. All of it is from Muhammad, the Seal of the Messengers, peace be upon him, from the Lord of the Worlds. Whoever changes the order of the surahs is like someone who invalidates the order of the ayats and changes the letters and the words. There is no argument against the people who possess the truth in putting al-baqara before al-an'am when al-an'am was revealed before al-baqara because the order is taken from the Messenger of Allah. He said, "Put this sura in such-andsuch a place." Al-Bara' said, "The last of the Qur'an to be revealed was, "They will ask you for a fatwa. Say: "Allah gives you a fatwa about people who die without direct heirs."'" (4:175). Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash said, "Abu Ishaq erred because it is reported from Ibn 'Abbas that the last part of the Qur'an to be revealed was, 'Show fear of a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every self will be paid in full for what it earned. They will not be wronged' (2:281). Jibril told the Prophet, peace be upon both of them, 'Muhammad, put it at the beginning of 281 of al-baqara.'" Ibn Battal said, "Whoever says this, does not say that the recitation of the Qur'an in the prayer and lessons must be in the order that it is in copies of the Qur'an. Rather it is only mandatory to put the surahs in order when writing them down, and it is not known that any of them said that the same order is mandatory in the 93

94 prayer, in recitation of the Qur'an and study or that it is not lawful for someone to learn al-kahf before al-baqara or al-hajj before al-kahf. Do you not see that 'A'isha told the person who asked about this, 'There is nothing wrong in whichever you recite first. The Prophet used to recite one surah in a rak'at and then would recite in the next rak'at a different surah than the one that follows it.' As for what is reported from Ibn Mas'ud and Ibn 'Umar about it being disliked to recite the Qur'an out of order, claiming that it upsets the heart, what they meant by that was reciting the surah out of order and beginning from its end and then working backwards, because that is forbidden. Some people do this with the Qur'an and poetry to subject the tongue to that and facilitate memorisation. Allah forbade doing this in the Qur'an because it disorders His surahs and is counter to what He meant by it." Part of what indicates that it is not obliged to use the chronological order of revelation in copies of the Qur'an is that it is confirmed that certain ayats were revealed in Madina and then placed in Makkan suras. 'A'isha said, "Surat al- Baqara and Surat an-nisa' were revealed when I was with him (i.e. in Madina), but they come in the copies of the Qur'an before earlier surahs of the Qur'an revealed in Makka." Notes As for the vowelling of the Qur'an and its dots, it is reported that 'Abdu'l-Malik ibn Marwan commanded them to be added, and that was undertaken by al-hajjaj in Wasit. He worked on the task and added its hizbs. He commanded the governor of Iraq, al-hasan, and Yahya ibn Ya'mur to do that. After that he wrote a book in Wasit on the readings in which he compiled what was related about the disagreement of people in relation to the script. People used that book for a long time until Ibn Mujahid wrote his book on the readings. In Kitab at-tabaqat az-zubaydi quotes al-mubarrad as saying that the first person to use dots in the Qur'an was Abu'l-Aswad ad-du'ali. Ibn Sirin also mentioned that he had a copy of the Qur'an in which Yahya ibn Ya'mur had put the dots. Notes As for the position regarding the division of the Qur'an into groups of ten ayats, Ibn 'Atiyya said, "In one of the histories I read that the 'Abbasid al-ma'mun commanded that to be done. It is also said that al-hajjaj did it." In the Kitab al- Bayan, ad-dani said that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud disliked the marking of tens in the copies of the Qur'an and that he erased them. Mujahid is reported to have disliked the tenths in copies of the Qur'an. 94

95 Ashhab said, "I heard Malik being asked about the tens which are in the Qur'an in red and other colours and he disliked that, saying, "There is nothing wrong in marking the tens with [normal] ink." He was asked about copies of the Qur'an in which the ends of surahs were written along with the number of ayats in every surah. He said, 'I dislike for anything [additional] to be written or vowelled in the master copies. As for those copies by which children learn, I see no harm in doing that." Ashhab said, "Then he produced for us a copy of the Qur'an which had belonged to his grandfather. He had written it when 'Uthman had the Qur'an copied out. We saw the ends were written in ink in something resembling a chain which extended for an entire line and I saw that the ayats had diacritical marks in ink." Qatada said, "They began with the dots, then with marking the division of the fives and then the tens." Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said, "The Qur'an was bare in the original copies and the first thing that they did was to put dots on the ba', ta' and tha'. They said, "There is nothing wrong in it. It makes it clearer." Then they put dots at the ends of ayats and then they put openings and ends of surahs." Abu Hamza said, "Ibrahim an-nakha'i noticed in my copy of the Qur'an the opening of such-and-such a surah. He said to me, 'Erase it. 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Do not mix with the Book of Allah something which is not part of it." Abu Bakr as-sarraj said, "I asked Abu Razin, 'Do I write 'Sura such-and-such' in my copy of the Qur'an?' He replied, 'I fear that people will come who do not know it and think that those words are part of the Qur'an.'" Ad-Dani said, "All these reports which allow the marking of tenths and fives and beginnings of surahs and the beginnings of ayats say that it was done by the Companions whose ijtihad led them to that. I think that those of them who objected to that objected to the use of colours like red, yellow and so forth, although the Muslims in other areas agreed on their use in the master copies and other copies, and prohibition and error were removed from them in what they agreed upon, Allah willing. Notes As for the number of its letters and juz's, Sallam al-himani said, "Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf gathered the reciters, huffaz and scribes and said, 'Tell me how many letters are in the entire Qur'an.' I was one of that group. We calculated and agreed that the Qur'an had three hundred and forty thousand, seven hundred and forty (340,740) letters. Then he said, 'Tell me which letter ends half of the Qur'an.' It was in al-kahf, on the fa' of wa layatalattaf [18:19, "he should go about with caution."] He said, 'Tell me the thirds.' The first third was found to be at the beginning of 9:100 and at the second at the beginning of 26:100 or

96 The last third was the rest of the Qur'an. He said, 'Tell me the sevenths of the letters.' We did so." Sallam, Abu Muhammad, stated, "We did that over four months. Every night al- Hajjaj would read a fourth. The end of the first fourth was at the end of al- An'am, the second in al-kahf, the third at the end of az-zumar and the fourth consisted of the rest. This is contrary to what is mentioned by ad-dani in Kitab al-bayan. Notes As for the number of the ayats of the Qur'an in the first Madinan copy, Muhammad ibn 'Isa said, "The number of the ayats of the Qur'an in the first Madinan copy was six thousand." Abu 'Amr said, "It is the number related by the people of Kufa from the people of Madina, and they did not name anyone specifically on whom they relied in that." As for the final Madinan copy, according to Isma'il ibn Ja'far, it has six thousand two hundred and fourteen (6214) ayats. Al-Fadl said, "The number of the ayats of the Qur'an according to the Makkans was six thousand two hundred and nineteen (6219). That is the number related by Salim and al-kisa'i from Hamza. Al-Kisa'i attributed it to 'Ali. Muhammad said, "The number of the ayats of the Qur'an according to the Basrans was six thousand two hundred and four (6204), which is the number which their Salaf passed down. As for the number of the people of Syria, Yahya ibn al-harith adh-dhamari said it was six thousand two hundred and twenty-six (6226). One transmission has six thousand two hundred and twenty-five (6225)." Ibn Dhakwan said, "I think that Yahya did not count the basmala." As for the number of its words, al-fadl ibn Shadhan said, "The total number of the words of the Qur'an according to 'Ata' ibn Yasar is seventy-seven thousand four hundred and thirty-nine (77,439) and its letters are three hundred and twenty-three thousand, and fifteen (323,015)." This differs from what al-himani said. Ibn Kathir reported that Mujahid said, "This is what we counted of the Qur'an: it has three hundred and twenty-one thousand, one hundred and eighty (321,180) letters. This also differs from what al-himani mentioned. The meaning of the words surah, ayat, kalima (word) and harf (letter) The word "surah" which means chapter, wall or fence in Arabic is used in the Qur'an to make each chapter clear and distinct from every other sura. The chapters are called that because in them one ascends from one degree to the 96

97 next. It is said that they are called that because of their honour and elevation, as is said of walls which are raised up in the land. It is said that they are called that because the one who reads them looks forward at what lies ahead, like the walls of a building. All these are without hamza. It is said that they are called that because they are cut out from the Qur'an on their own, as the Arabs call a leftover su'r. In that case the word would have a hamza which was replaced with a waw. It is said that they are called that because of their completion and perfection as this word is used for a fine camel. An aya[t] is a sign. It is a sign since it is separate and distinct from the words before it and the words after it; it is clear from other signs and is on its own. It can mean a proof or token. It is said that it is called that because it is a collection of letters of the Qur'an, as one says, "The people went forth with their full company (aya)." It is said that it is called aya because it is a wonder which people are unable to imitate. Grammarians disagree about the root of aya. Sibuwayh said that it is ayaya and because the ya' is vowelled and has a fatha before it, it becomes alif and so it is aya. Al-Kisa'i said that its root is ayaya and the ya' accepts the alif with a fatha before it and is elided because they are similar. Al-Farra' says that its root is ayyaya and it accepts the alif out of dislike of the doubling and becomes aya. As for the word kalima, it is a composite structure which is made up of a mixture of letters. The longest words in the Book of Allah are eleven letters long, like "la-yastakhlifannahum" (24:55) and "a-nulzimukumuha" (11:28) and the like. As for "fa-asqaynakumuhu" (15:22), it is ten in writing and eleven in articulation. The shortest have two letters, like ma, la, laka, lahu, and the like. Some words are just one letter, such as the interrogative hamza and the conjunctive waw, but are not spoken alone. Sometimes a complete ayat is comprised of a single word, as in "wa'l-fajr", "wa'd-duha", and "wa'l-'asr". That is also the case in "alif-lam-mim", "alif-lammim-sad", "ta-ha", "ya-sin", and "ha-mim" according to the Kufans. That occurs at the beginnings of surahs, but not inside them. Abu 'Amr ad-dani said, "I do not know of any word which on its own is an ayat except for 'mudhammatan' in Surat ar-rahman (55:64)." Two words may become connected and be two ayats, as in "ha-mim. 'ayn-sin-qaf" according to the Kufans. It is possible that elsewhere a single word may stand for a complete and selfsustaining ayat. Allah says, "The most excellent Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Tribe of Israel for their steadfastness." (7: ) It is said that "word" here refers to Allah's words: "We desired to show kindness to those who were oppressed in the land." (28:4-5) The Almighty says, "He bound them to 97

98 godfearing self-restraint (lit. word of taqwa)" (48:26). Mujahid said that the "word" is: "There is no god but Allah." The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Two words are light on the tongue, heavy in the balance, beloved to the Al-Merciful: 'Glory be to Allah and by His praise. Glory be to Allah, the Immense.'" The Arabs sometimes call an entire ode and story a "word". The word harf (letter) is the shape which stands alone in a word of which it is made up. A letter can be called a word and a word a letter as we made clear. Abu 'Amr ad-dani said, "Are the letters of the alphabet at the beginnings of surahs, such as sad, qaf, and nun letters or words?' I say that they are words, not letters. That is because a letter is not unvowelled nor is it alone in a surah nor separate from what is mixed with it. But these are unvowelled, alone, separate, like words which are distinct." Does the Qur'an contain words which are not Arabic? There is no disagreement among the Arabs that the Qur'an contains words composed in a non-arabic mode and names of people which are not Arabic, like Isra'il, Jibril, 'Imran, Nuh and Lut. They disagree about whether there are words other than proper names which are non-arabic. Qadi Ibn at-tayyib, at-tabari and others believe that there are no non-arabic words in it and the Qur'an is pure Arabic, and whatever words which are found in it ascribed to other languages happen to be common to both, and so the Arabs, Persians, Abyssinians and others used them. Some claim that non-arabic words exist in the Qur'an but that since they are so few that does not preclude the Qur'an being pure Arabic and the Prophet from speaking the language of his people. Mishkat (24:35) is a niche, nasha'a means "to rise in the night" as in "nashi'ata'l-layl" (73:6), qaswara (74:51) is a lion and kiflatayn (57:28) means "double". These are found in Abyssinian. Ghassaq (38:57) means "foul" in Turkish. Qistas (17:35; 26:182) means "balance" in Greek. Sijjil (21:104; 15:74; 105:4) means "stones" in Persian. Tur (2:63; 2:93, etc.) is a mountain and yamm (7:136. etc.) means sea in Syriac. Tannur (11:40; 23:27) is the surface of the earth in Persian. Ibn 'Atiyya said, "The truth about the expression of these words is that their origin is foreign, but the Arabs used them and Arabicised them and so they are Arabic. When the Qur'an was revealed in their language, the Arabs had mixed with other languages via trade and travel." And Allah knows best. 98

99 Points about the inimitability of the Qur'an, preconditions of the miracle and its reality A miracle (mu'jiza) is the evidence of the Prophets which indicates their truthfulness. It is called that [the verb means "to be unable to do"] because no human being is able to do the like of it. It has five preconditions. If one of them is missing, it is not a miracle. - It must be something which only Allah can do. This precondition is necessary because if someone comes at a time in which it is possible for there to be Messengers and claims to be a Messenger and makes his miracle consist of moving and being still, standing and sitting, that is not a miracle nor evidence of his truthfulness since another creature can do that. Miracles consist of things like splitting the sea, splitting the moon and other such things. - It must break normal patterns. If someone comes at night and his sign is that the night will come after the day or the sun rise in the east in the morning, that is not a miracle because it is something which only Allah can do and it was not done for his sake. Things which break normal patterns are like turning a staff into a snake, the rock splitting and the she-camel emerging, or water springing from fingers like a spring. - It must be claimed to testify to the Message. - It must occur in order to support this claim against those who challenge him as when he says, "I am a Prophet and my sign is that this she-camel will speak." - It must be that no one successfully comes up with the like of what he is challenged to do. It is not said that the miracle with the five preconditions is limited to the truthful, because the Dajjal, as our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, will have immense matters appear at his hands. The difference is that one claims to be a Messenger and the other to be a Lord, and there is a great difference between the blind and the seeing. Notes If you affirm this, know that there are two types of miracle. The first is that which is famous and whose time ended at the death of the Prophet, and the second are those transmitted by multiple traditions as being sound and confirmed and hence must be known. The precondition is that many people transmitted it and have knowledge of what they transmit and the whole chain is 99

100 reliable so that it is impossible that there be any falsehood in it. This is the case with the Qur'an which has been transmitted from large numbers of people continuously and has gone to many lands. The Qur'an will remain a miracle until the Day of Rising whereas the miracles of other Prophets ended with their death. The Qur'an will not be changed or altered as happened with the Torah and Gospel. There are ten aspects to the inimitability of the Qur'an. - Its wondrous composition differs from every usual order in Arabic and other languages because its arrangement is not poetry at all, as Allah says, "We did not teach him poetry nor would it be right for him." (36:68) In the Sahih Collection of Muslim, it is reported that Unays, the brother of Abu Dharr, told Abu Dharr, "In Makka I met a man who claims that Allah sent him." He asked, "What do people say about him?" He replied, 'They say: he is a poet, a soothsayer and a sorcerer." Unays was a poet and said, "I have heard the words of the soothsayers and this is not like their words. I compared him with the reciters of poetry and it was not like them. No one after me should err and say he was a poet. He is truthful and they are liars." When 'Utba ibn Rabi'a heard the Qur'an, he affirmed that it was not sorcery or poetry and that he had never heard anything like it. - Its style differs from all the styles of the Arabs. - It has a lucid, eloquent style which could never come from a creature at all. Reflect on that in Surat Qaf (50) and Surat as-zumar (39) and you will clearly see its eloquence which a creture could not possibly originate. Ibn al-hassar said, "These three arrangement, style and lucid eloquence are found in every surah, indeed, in every ayat, and the combination of these three distinguishes what is heard of every ayat and every surah from the words of ordinary humans. By this there is a challenge [to opponents] and inimitability. Every surah has these three, although other aspects of the ten may be ascribed to it as well. Surat al-kawthar (108) consists of only three short ayats, being the shortest surah in the Qur'an, and it contains reports about the unseen matters: about Kawthar and its immensity and abundance which indicates that the Prophet will have the greatest number of Followers. The second is about al- Walid ibn al-mughira, who was a wealthy man with many children when this was revealed, and then later he was destroyed. - The Arabic usage used in it is beyond what any Arab could master and they all agree that it is correct. 100

101 - It talks of matters which occurred from the beginning of the world until the time of its revelations, all this issuing from the mouth of someone illiterate who could neither read nor write. It reports about the stories of Prophets with their communities and past generations as well as those matters the People of the Book asked about when they challenged him about the People of the Cave, al- Khidr and Musa, and Dhu'l-Qarnayn. Qadi ibn at-tayyib points out that we know that there was no way for him to learn this because he did not have contact with people with knowledge of history or frequent a teacher so that he could take from them, and so it is known that it could only have come by way of revelation. - There is the fulfilment of Allah's promises which were visually perceived in all that He promised in the Qur'an. That is divided into general reports, like promising His Messenger, peace be upon him, victory and expelling those who expelled him, and promises which have preconditions like, "If someone trusts in Allah, He is enough for him." (65:3) - There are reports about unseen matters in the future which could only be known by revelation. Part of that is Allah's promise to His Prophet that his din would overcome all other dins, as happened. When Abu Bakr sent his armies on expeditions, he would inform them of Allah's promise to make His din victorious so that they would be confident of victory and certain of success. 'Umar also did that, and the conquests continued in the east and west. Allah says, "Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them the successors in the land as He made those before them the successors." (24:55) -There is the knowledge that the Qur'an contains, which is the basis for all people regarding the lawful and unlawful and other rulings. -There are eloquent expressions of wisdom which do not normally issue from a human being. - The perfect symmetry of the entire Qur'an, outward and inward without disparity or inconsistency, is a final factor. Allah says, "If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found many inconsistencies in it." (4:82) These are ten points and an eleventh, mentioned by an-nazzam and some Qadaris, is that the meaning of inimitability is the impossibility of opposition and being prevented from undertaking to meet the challenge. They said that the prohibition and diverting people from attempting to do that are the miracle rather than the Qur'an itself. That is because Allah directed their aspirations away from undertaking the challenge to bring a sura like it. This is false because 101

102 the consensus of the community without any disagreement is that Qur'an itself is the miracle, not the diversion and prohibition because its eloquence and lucidity are beyond normal patterns. If there had been any words like it, it would not be the case. Information about ahadith forged about the excellence of the surahs of the Qur'an and other matters One does not pay any attention to what forgers devise and opponents create of false ahadith and baseless reports about the excellence of the surahs of the Qur'an and other virtuous actions. Many people do this, and their goals and aims vary. Some of them are zindiqs, like al-mughira ibn Sa'id al-kufi and Muhammad ibn Sa'id ash-shami. They forged ahadith and used to create doubt in the hearts of people. Part of that is what Muhammad ibn Sa'id related from Anas ibn Malik about the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "I am the seal of the Prophets and there will be no Prophet after me except as Allah wishes." He added the exception and that is heresy on his part. This is mentioned by Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr in the Kitab at-tamhid. Some forged ahadith to support a sect to which they called people. One of the Kharijites said after he repented, "These ahadith are the deen. So look to whom you take your deen. When we desire something, we make up a hadith about it." A group forged ahadith about rewards, calling people to virtuous actions, as related from Nuh ibn Maryam al-marwazi, Muhammad ibn 'Ukkasha al- Kirmani, Ahmad ibn 'Abdullah al-juwaybari and others. He was asked, "Where did you get what you have from 'Ikrima from Ibn 'Abbas about the virtue of certain surahs?" He replied, "I saw that people turned from the Qur'an and busied themselves with the fiqh of Abu Hanifa and the expeditions of Muhammad ibn Ishaq and so I made up this hadith about rewards." There are other examples like this, like the long hadith reported from Ubayy about the virtues of each surah of the Qur'an. Some beggars who stand in markets and mosques forge ahadith with isnads from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which they have memorised. They mention these forged ahadith along with their isnads. At- Tayalasi said, "Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma'in prayed in the Rusafa mosque and a storyteller stood before them and said, 'Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma'in related to me from 'Abdu'r-Razzaq from Ma'mar from Qatada from Anas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If anyone says, "There is no god but Allah," a bird is created from every word whose beak is of gold and feathers of coral.' He began a story which 102

103 would cover about twenty pages. Ahmad looked at Yahya and Yahya looked at Ahmad. He asked, 'Did you say this?' He said, 'By Allah, I only just heard it at this moment.' "They remained silent until he finished his story. Then Yahya asked him, 'Who told you this hadith?' 'Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Ma'in,' he replied. He said, 'I am Ibn Ma'in and this is Ahmad ibn Hanbal and we have not heard this at all in the ahadith of the Messenger of Allah. This must be a lie.' 'You are Yahya ibn Ma'in?' he asked. 'Yes,' he replied. He said, 'I had not heard that Yahya ibn Ma'in was a fool and I did not know it until this moment!' Yahya asked, 'And why do you say that I am a fool?' He replied, 'It is not as if there was no Yahya ibn Ma'in and Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the world but you two! I have written from seventeen Ahmad ibn Hanbals other than this.' Ahmad hid his face in his sleeve and said, 'Let him go.' He went as if he was mocking them." These groups lie about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. If they had confined themselves to what is established in the Sahih collections and Musnads and other books made by scholars related by the imams, they would have had enough. They abandoned his warning, "Fear Allah when reporting from other than those you know. Whoever deliberately lies about me should take his seat in the Fire." So he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, warned his Community about lying, indicating that he knew that it would happen. His warning was about what is forged by the enemies of Islam and the zindiqs in encouragement and warning and other things. Those who do the greatest harm are those who ascribed asceticism to themselves and forged ahadith about rewards that they claim. People accepted their forgeries and relied on them, and so they were misguided and misguided others. What has come on the refutation of those who attack the Qur'an and oppose the text of 'Uthman by adding to it or removing some of it There is no disagreement in the Community between the Imams of the Sunna that the Qur'an is the name used to designate the Words of Allah which Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought as a miracle, as we have said. It is preserved in the hearts, recited on the tongues, written in the copies of the Qur'an, and known by necessity in surahs and ayats. It is free of any addition or increase in words and letters. There is no need for a definition to define it nor number to contain it. Anyone who claims increase or decrease in it has declared the consensus false and such an action astonishes people. We read what Allah said about what the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought of the Qur'an revealed to him, "Say: 'If both men and jinn banded 103

104 together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could never produce anything like it, even if they backed each other up.'" (17:88). That is an attempt to invalidate the Sign of the Messenger because if it had been something someone was capable of doing, it would not be a proof or a sign and therefore not a miracle. Those who say that there is addition and decrease in the Qur'an reject the Book of Allah and what the Messenger has brought. It is like someone who states that the obligatory prayers are fifty, one can marry nine women and that Allah obliged extra days to be fasted together with the days of Ramadan, and so forth. As all of that is refuted by consensus, so consensus about the Qur'an is more binding and necessary. Seeking Refuge and the Basmala Seeking Refuge with Allah from Shaytan Allah orders people to seek refuge at the beginning of every recitation, when He says, "Whenever you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan." (16:98) This command is a recommendation according to the position of the majority for every time of recitation other than the prayer. There is disagreement where the prayer is concerned. An-Naqqash reported from 'Ata' that seeking refuge is mandatory in it. Ibn Sirin, Ibrahim an-nakha'i and some other people sought refuge in the prayer in every rak'at and treated the command of Allah to seek refuge as applying in every case. Abu Hanifa and ash-shafi'i sought refuge in the first rak'at of the prayer and considered all the recitation during the prayer to constitute a single act of recitation. Malik did not think that there was any need to seek refuge in the obligatory prayers but thought it should be done in night prayers in Ramadan. Scholars agree that the formula of seeking refuge is not part of the Qur'an nor an ayat of it. It is the words of the reciter, "A'udhu bi'llahi min ash-shaytani'r-rajim ('I seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan')." This formula is that on which the majority of scholars agree because it concurs with the expression in the Book of Allah. It is related that Ibn Mas'ud said, "I say, 'I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Knowing from the accursed Shaytan.'" The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "Ibn Umm 'Abd, I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan as Jibril read it to me from the Preserved Tablet from the Pen." Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah related in their Sunan collections that Jubayr ibn Mut'im saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 104

105 praying. ('Amr said, 'I do not know which prayer it was.") He said, 'Allah is very much greater. Allah is very much greater (three times). Praise be to Allah abundantly. Praise be to Allah abundantly (three times) Glory be to Allah morning and evening (three times). I seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan and his blowing, spitting and spurring." Spurring is madness, spitting is poetry and blowing is pride. Abu Dawud also related that Abu Sa'id al-khudri said that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rose at night, he would say the takbir and then say, "Glory be to You, O Allah, and by your praise. Blessed is Your Name and exalted are You. There is no god but You." Then he said, "There is no god but Allah" three times, "Allah is very great" three times, and "I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, all-knowing from the Accursed Shaytan from his spurring, blowing and spitting." Then he would recite. Sulayman ibn Salim related from Ibn al-qasim that the refuge formula is: "I seek refuge with Allah, the Immense from the Accursed Shaytan. Allah is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful." Ibn 'Atiyya stated, "Those who recite often change the attribute of the Name of Allah and that of the other, as when one says 'I seek refuge with Allah the Glorious from the rebellious Shaytan,' and the like. I do not say that this is a good innovation nor that it is not permitted." Al-Mahdawi said, "The reciters agree about reciting the refuge formula at the beginning of the Fatiha except for Hamza who does it silently. As-Suddi related that the people of Madina used to begin recitation with the basmala. As- Samarqandi related from some of the commentators that seeking refuge is an obligation. When the reciter forgets it and then remembers at some point in his recitation, he stops and seeks refuge and then begins from the beginning again. One of them said that he seeks refuge and then returns to where he stopped. The first is the position of the authorities of the Hijaz and Iraq and the second is that of the authorities of Syria and Egypt. Az-Zahrawi said, "The ayat was revealed about the prayer, and it was recommended to seek refuge outside the prayer, but it is not obligation." Another said, "It was an obligation only for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we emulate him." It is related from Abu Hurayra that the refuge formula should be recited after recitation. Da'ud said that. Abu Bakr ibn al-'arabi said, "Not knowing the correct way led people to say that when the reciter finishes reciting the Qur'an, he should seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan." Abu Sa'id al- 105

106 Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge in the prayer before the recitation. This is a confirmed text. If it is asked, "What is the benefit of seeking refuge from the Accursed Shaytan at the time of recitation?" the reply is that the benefit lies in obeying the command. The only benefit of prescribed matters lies in obeying them if they are commands or avoiding them if they are prohibitions. It is said that its benefit is to obey the command to seek refuge from the whispering of Shaytan in recitation as Allah says, "We did not send any Messenger or any Prophet before you without Shaytan insinuating something into his recitation while he was reciting." (22:50). Ibn al-'arabi said, "Very strange is what we find of the words of Malik in the Collection regarding the tafsir of this ayat, 'Whenever you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan' (16:98) when he says, 'That is after the recitation of the Umm al-qur'an for the one who recites in the prayer.' This position has no effect and investigation does not support it. If it is as some people say about seeking refuge being after the recitation, it specifies that that is after the Fatiha in the prayer. That is a vast claim and does not resemble the basic principle or understanding of Malik. Allah best knows the secret of this transmission." Regarding the excellence of seeking refuge, Muslim related that Sulayman ibn Surad said, "Two men were quarrelling in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. One of them became angry and his face turned red and his veins stood out. The Prophet looked at him and said, 'I know a statement which, if you say it, will remove what you feel: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan." A man who had heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to the man and said, 'Do you know what the Messenger of Allah said? He said, "I know a statement which, if you say it, will remove what you feel: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan."' The man said to him, 'Do you think I am mad?'" (al-bukhari) Muslim reported that 'Uthman ibn Abi'l-'As said, "I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah, Shaytan comes between me and my prayer and recitation and confuses me.' He said, "That is a Shaytan called Khinzab. When you feel that, seek refuge in Allah from him and spit to your left three times.' I did that and Allah removed it from me." Abu Dawud reported that Ibn 'Umar said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, travelled, and night was coming he said, 'O earth, my Lord and your Lord is Allah. I seek refuge with Allah from your evil 106

107 and the evil of what He creates in you, from the evil of what crawls on you, from the lion and the black scorpion, from snakes and scorpions and the dwellers of the land, and the parent and what he begets." Khawla bint Hakim reported that she heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "If anyone makes camp and then says, 'I seek refuge with the complete words of Allah from the evil of what He created,' he will not be harmed by anything until he sets out again." (Muwatta', Muslim and at-tirmidhi) The refuge formula (isti'adha) in Arabic is seeking protection in something so that it will guard a person against what he dislikes. The name "Shaytan" comes from a root which means to be far from good. Shatun is a deep well. Shatan is a rope. It is called that because its ends are from far from one other. The Arabs describe a refractory horse as a shaytan. Shaytan himself is called that because he is far from the truth and is rebellious; and the word is used for every rebellious one among the jinn and animals. It is said that "shaytan" is derived from shata which is a word used for someone who is destroyed or burned. Ar-rajim (accursed) means to be far from good and humiliated. Its root means "stoning". "Stoning" is a metaphor for killing, cursing, exile and abuse. It is reported from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, "I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, at Safa, facing an individual in the form of an elephant whom he was cursing. I asked, 'Who are you cursing, Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'This is the accursed shaytan.' I said, 'Enemy of Allah, by Allah, I will kill you and relieve the Community of you!' He said, 'This is not my repayment from you.' I asked, 'And what is your repayment from me, enemy of Allah?' He said, 'By Allah, no one will hate you at all unless I had a share of him with his father in his mother's womb.'" The Basmala In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful Scholars say that "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful" is an oath from our Lord which He revealed at the beginning of every surah. By it, He swears to His slaves, "What I have laid down for you, My slaves, in this surah is true. I will fulfil for you all that I guarantee in this surah of My promise, kindness and gentleness." "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful" is part of what Allah revealed in His Book, and this is special for this Community after Sulayman. Some scholars say that "In the Name of Allah, the 107

108 All-Merciful, Most Merciful" contains all the Shari'a because it indicates the Essence and the Attributes. Sa'id ibn Abi Sakina said that he heard that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib looked at a man who had written, "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful," and told him, "Do it well. If a man does it well, he will be forgiven." Sa'id said, "I heard that a man looked at a parchment on which was written 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful,' and kissed it and placed it on his eyes and was forgiven on account of that." There is a similar story from Bishr al- Hafi. When he picked up a rag on which was "the Name of Allah" and perfumed it, his own name became honoured. Al-Qushayri mentioned that. An-Nasa'i reports from Abu'l-Malih about a man who rode behind the Messenger of Allah that he mentioned that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When your animal stumbles with you, do not say, 'Shaytan has made it stumble!' because that puffs him up him until he becomes like a house and says with strength, 'I have done it.' Rather say, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful' and Shaytan will become small until he is like a fly.'" 'Ali ibn al-hasan said about the words of the Almighty, "When you mention your Lord alone in the Qur'an, they turn their backs in flight" (17:46), 'That refers to when you say, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful.'" It is reported that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Whoever wants Allah to rescue him from the nineteen Zabaniyya should recite, 'In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful' so that Allah will make each letter a shield for him against one of them. The basmala contains nineteen letters according to the number of the angels of the Fire who Allah says are also nineteen. (74:30) They say in all that they do, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful.' That is their strength and they take their strength from the name of Allah." Ibn 'Atiyya said, "The like of this is what they say about the Night of Power being the 27th night, taking note of the position the word "hiya" in the words of the sura, Al-Qadr (97:1-5). [It is the twenty-seventh word in the surah.] That is like what they say about the number of angels who hastened to report the words of the one who said, 'My Lord, praise is Yours, abundant, excellent and blessed,' [after rising from ruku' when the Prophet said, "Allah hears the one who praises Him."] It is about thirty letters. That is why the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'I saw about thirty angels racing to see which would be the first to write it down.'" Ibn 'Atiyya said, "This is an elegant tafsir, but not a firm tafsir." 108

109 Ash-Sha'bi and al-a'mash report that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wrote, "In Your Name, O Allah" until he was commanded to write 'In the Name of Allah,' and then he wrote that. When it was revealed, "Say: 'Call on Allah or call on the All-Merciful" (17:109), he wrote, "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful." When there was revealed, "It is from Sulayman and says, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful" (27:30), he wrote that. In Abu Dawud, ash-sha'bi, Abu Malik, Qatada and Thabit ibn 'Umara said that the Prophet did not write "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful" until Surat an-naml (27) was revealed. It is reported that Ja'far as-sadiq said that the basmala is the crown of the surahs. This indicates that it is not an ayat of the Fatiha or other surahs. People disagree about this and have three positions regarding it. - It is not an ayat of the Fatiha or any other surah. This is the position of Malik. - It is an ayat of every surah, and this is the position of 'Abdullah ibn al- Mubarak. - Ash-Shafi'i said that it is an ayat of the Fatiha and what he says about the other surahs varies. Sometimes he says that it is an ayat of every surah and sometimes that it is only one of the Fatiha. There is no disagreement that it is an ayat of the Qur'an inside Surat an-naml. Ash-Shafi'i's evidence is what ad-daraqutni related from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When you read 'Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds,' then recite 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful'. It is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, and the Seven Mathani. 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful' is one of its ayats." The evidence of Ibn al-mubarak and one of the positions of ash-shafi'i is what Muslim reports from Anas: "One day while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was among us he nodded off and then he raised his head smiling. We asked, 'What has made you smile, Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'A surah was just revealed to me. It is: "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. Truly We have given you the Great Abundance. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. It is the one who hates you who is cut off without an heir."' (108)" The sound position is that of Malik because the Qur'an is not established by single reports, but by way of definitive multiple transmission about which there is no disagreement. Ibn al-'arabi said, "It is enough for you that there is no 109

110 disagreement between people about the Qur'an. There is no disagreement about the Qur'an." Sound reports which cannot be attacked indicated that the basmala is not an ayat of al-fatiha or any other surah except for Surat an-naml. Muslim reported that Abu Hurayra said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah says, "I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My slave, and My slave will have what he asks for. When My slave says, "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds," Allah says, 'My slave has praised Me." He says, "the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful," and the Lord says, "My slave has lauded Me." My slave says, "the King of the Day of Judgement," and Allah says, "My slave has magnified Me (or entrusted to Me)." The slave says, "You alone we worship. You alone we ask for help," and Allah says, "This is between Me and My slave and My slave will have what He asks for." The slave says, "Guide us on the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have blessed, not of those with anger on them, nor of the misguided," and Allah says, "Those are for My slave and My slave will have what He asks for."'" Allah said, "I have divided the prayer", meaning the Fatiha, and he called it "prayer" because the prayer is not valid except with it. So He designated the first three ayats for Himself, singling them out for Himself, and the Muslims do not disagree about that. Then he made the fourth between Him and His slave because it contains the abasement of the slave and seeking help from Him. That contains esteem for Allah. Then three ayats conclude the seven. They are three, because He uses the plural, not the dual in "Those are for My slave," So "those You have blessed" is an ayat. Ibn Bukayr reported that Malik said that "those You have blessed" is an ayat. This is confirmed by the division and by what the Prophet said to Ubayy when he asked the Prophet, "How do you recite when you begin the prayer?" He replied, "I recited, 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds' to the end." The basmala was not part of it. That was the position of the people of Madina, the people of Syria and the people of Basra. Most reciters counted "those You have blessed" as an ayat. This is also related from Abu Nadra from Abu Hurayra who said that the sixth ayat is "those You have blessed". The people of Kufa count the basmala as part of it and do not count "those You have blessed". If it is said that it is confirmed in the copies of the Qur'an that the basmala is written and transmitted as it is transmitted in an-naml and that this is multiple transmission, we reply that that is sound, but is it is because it is Qur'an, or is it a divider between suras as is related from the Companions, "We did not know the end of the sura until 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful' was revealed." (Abu Dawud) Or it may be for the blessing, in the same way that the 110

111 Community agrees to write it at the beginning of books and letters. All of that is possible. Al-Jurayri said, "Al-Hasan was asked about 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful' and said 'At the beginning of letters.'" He also said, "'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful' was not revealed in any of the Qur'an except an-naml." The criterion is that the Qur'an is not established by logic and deduction. It is established by definitive multiple transmission. So the statement of ash-shafi'i about the basmala being at that beginning of each surah is unsound because the basmala is not an ayat of each sura. Praise belongs to Allah. It is reported that a group related that the basmalas are part of the Qur'an. Ad- Daraqutni dealt with all of that. We do not deny the transmission of that and we have indicated it, but we have firm reports which counter it which are related by reliable imams and fuqaha'. In Sahih Muslim, 'A'isha is reported as saying, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to begin the prayer with the takbir and the recitation of 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.'" Muslim also reported that Anas ibn Malik said, "I prayed behind the Prophet, Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and they began with 'Praise be to Allah.' They did not mention 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful', either at the beginning or the end of recitation." So our school prefers that, and it is logical. That is because the Mosque of the Prophet in Madina passed through many years from the time of the Messenger of Allah, until the time of Malik and during all that time no one recited, "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful," following the Sunna. This refutes the ahadith you cite. Our people, however, prefer to recite it in the voluntary prayers, and there are traditions (athar) about reciting it or an allowance for doing that. Malik said, "There is no harm in reciting it in the nafila or simply reading the Qur'an." A group of the school of Malik and his people said that it is not part of the Fatiha or any other surah, and it is not read by the one who prays the obligatory or any other prayer, either silently or aloud. It is permitted to recite it in nafila prayers. This is well-known in his school and with his people. There is another transmission that it is recited at the beginning of the sura in nafila prayers but not at the beginning of the Fatiha. It is related that Ibn Nafi' began his recitation with it in the obligatory and nafiila prayers and did not ever omit it. Some of the people of Madina say that there must be "In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful," among them Ibn 'Umar and Ibn Shihab. Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abu Thawr and Abu 'Ubayd said that. That indicates that it is a matter of ijtihad and not definitive, as some ignorant individuals claim. 111

112 A group of scholars believe that it is recited silently with the Fatiha. They include Abu Hanifa and ath-thawri. That is related from 'Umar, 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, 'Ammar and Ibn az-zubayr. It is also the view of al-hakam and Hammad, and it is stated by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Abu 'Ubayd. Something similar to that is related from al-awza'i. The evidence is the report from Anas ibn Malik: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led us in the prayer and we did not hear him recite, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful.'" This is a good position, and the traditions (athar) reported from Anas agree on it and remove the disagreement about the recitation of the basmala. It is related that Sa'id ibn Jubayr said, "The idolaters used to come to the mosque. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited, 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful,' they said, 'This Muhammad mentioned the Rahman of Yamama,' meaning Musaylima. So he was commanded to recite it silently and it was revealed, 'Do not be too loud in your prayer or too quiet in it.' (17:110)" At-Tirmidhi al-hakim said, "That has lasted until now, even if the cause no longer exists, as running remains in tawaf even if the cause no longer exists and silence in the day prayers even if the cause no longer exists." The Community agree that it is permitted to write it at the beginning of every book of knowledge and letter. There is disagreement about books of poetry and whether or not it should be written in them. The Shari'a recommends mentioning the basmala at the beginning of every action, like eating, drinking, slaughtering, sex, purification, embarking on a ship and the like. Allah says, "Eat that over which the name of Allah has been mentioned" (6:119) and "He said, 'Embark in it. In the name of Allah be its voyage and its landing!'" (11:41) The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Lock your door and mention the Name of Allah. Put out your lamp and mention the Name of Allah. Cover your vessel and mention the Name of Allah. Tie up your water skin and mention the Name of Allah." He said, "If anyone of you wants to go to his wife, he should say, 'In the Name of Allah. O Allah, keep shaytan away from us and keep shaytan away from what You provide us with.' If a child is decreed for them, Shaytan will not harm him at all." He told 'Umar ibn Abi Salama, "Boy, say the name of Allah Almighty and eat with your right hand and eat what is in front of you." When 'Uthman ibn Abi'l-'As complained to him of a pain he had in his body since he had become Muslim, the Messenger of Allah said to him, "Place your hand on that part of your body which pains you and say 'In the Name of Allah' three times and then say seven times, 'I seek refuge in the might and power of 112

113 Allah from the evil of what I feel and am on my guard against.'" Ibn Majah and at-tirmidhi report that the Prophet said, "The veil between the jinn and the private parts of the sons of Adam when he enters the privy is to say, 'In the Name of Allah.'" Ad-Daraqutni reported that 'A'isha said, "When the Prophet touched his wudu' vessel, he said the Name of Allah and then poured the water on his hands." Our scholars say that this refutes the Qadarites and others who say that our actions are decreed for us. The argument against them in that is that Allah commanded us to begin every action with the basmala. The meaning of "In the Name of Allah" is "by Allah", and the meaning of "by Allah" is by His creation and determination to reach what is reached. Some say that "In the Name of Allah" means "I begin with the help, success and blessing of Allah. This is Allah teaching His slaves to mention His Name at the beginning of actions. There is disagreement about the derivation of ism (Name), with two basic positions. The Basrans say that it is derived from sumu, which means height and elevation. It is said that ism means that the person is in an elevated place. It is said that the name lifts the named from others. It is said that the name is called that because it is higher than the other parts of speech by its strength. The noun (ism) is stronger by agreement because it is the root. These are three statements. The Kufans say that it is derived from sima, which means a sign, because the Name is a sign of the One to whom it is given. So the root of ism is wasam. The first is sounder because of the form of the diminutive and the form of plural which is asma'. Another disagreement indicates the soundness of that, and it is the next point. If it is true that ism is derived from height, Allah was described by it before creation existed, after it existed and will be when it is annihilated, and creatures have no effect on the Names or Attributes. This is the position of the people of the Sunna. Those who say that it is derived from sima, say that before time Allah was without name or attribute. When He created creatures, they gave Him Names and Attributes. When He annihilates them, He will again have no name or attribute. This is the position of the Mu'tazilites, and it is contrary to that on which the Community agree. It is worse than their error when they say, "His Word is created." Exalted above that is Allah! It is according to this that there is a disagreement about the Name and Named. The people of truth believe, as Qadi Abu Bakr ibn at-tayyib al-baqillani mentioned, that the name is the thing named and Ibn Furak is content with that. 113

114 It is the position of Abu 'Abida and Sibuwayh. If someone says, "Allah is Knowing" his words indicate the Essence which is described as being knowing. So the Name is Knowing and it is what is Named. It is the same when someone says, "Allah is the Creator." The Creator is the Lord and it is the Name itself. So their view is that the Name is the Named itself with no distinction. Ibn Hassar said, "Those among the innovators who deny the attributes claim that namings have no meaning except the Essence. That is why they say that the Name is not the Named. Whoever affirms the Attributes, affirms that the names have meanings which are the qualities of the Essence. They are not expressions, but they are Names in their view. More of this will come in al-baqara and al- A'raf. Allah is the greatest and most comprehensive of all the Names, so that one scholar said that it is the Greatest Name of Allah and no one else has it. That is why it has no dual nor plural. That is one of two interpretations of the words of the Almighty, "Do you know of any other with His Name?" (19:65), in other words anyone named with His Name which is Allah. Allah is the Name of the True Existent who has all the Divine Attributes and is described as Lord and alone possesses real existence. There is no god but Him. Glory be to Him! It is said that it means the One who should be worshipped. It is said that it means the One whose existence is necessary who always was and always will be. The meaning is the same. There is disagreement about whether this Name is derived or a unique designation for the Divine Essence. Many of the people of knowledge believe the first but then disagree on its actual derivation and root. Sibuwayh reported from al-khalil that its root is ilah, on the measure of fi'al. The alif and lam replace the hamza. Sibuwayh said that it is like an-nas (people) whose root is anas. It is said that its root is lah and the alif and lam are added to exalt it. This is what Sibuwayh preferred. Al-Kisa'i and al-farra' said that "bismillah" is made up of 'bismi - al-ilah' and elision has occurred and the first lam assimilated into the second and so becomes a double lam. It is said that the name Allah is derived from walaha, to be bewildered. Walah means loss of intellect, and someone who is walih is bewildered. Allah bewilders minds when they think on the realities of His attributes and reflect on gnosis of Him. So the basis of ilah is walah and the hamza is changed from the waw. That is also reported from al-khalil. It is related that ad-dahhak said, "He is called Allah because creatures devote (ta'allaha) themselves to Him in their needs and make supplication to Him in times of hardship. It is related that al- Khalil ibn Ahmad said something similar. It is also said that it is derived from 114

115 elevation and that the Arabs used to use "laha" for something elevated and they used the verb for sunrise. It is said that the name Allah is derived from the word ilah (god), which means an object of worship so that the meaning of "Allah" is the Object of Worship. So what the unifiers say, "There is no god but Allah" means "there is no object of worship other than Allah." Here "illa" means "other", not "except." Some claim that the root is al-ha' which alludes to the third person. That is since they affirm Him as existing in their natural intellects and indicate Him with the letter of allusion. Then the lam of possession is added to it since they know that He is the Creator and Master of things, and laha then is added for magnification. The second position is taken by a group of scholars, including ash-shafi'i, Abu'l- Ma'ali, al-khattabi, al-ghazali, al-mufaddal and others, and is related from al- Khalil and Sibuwayh. It is that the alif and lam are a necessary part of it and cannot be elided from it. Al-Khattabi said that the evidence that the alif and lam are an intrinsic part of the structure of this name and not added for definition is that it is included in the vocative, as "Ya Allah!" The vocative is not combined with the definite article alif-lam. One does not say, "Ya ar-rahman." Allah knows best. There is also disagreement about the derivation of ar-rahman. Some of them said that it has no derivation because it is one of the names particular to Him and if it had been derived from mercy (rahma), it would be connected to the one shown mercy and it would be possible to say, "Allah is Rahman to His slaves" as one does with rahim. If it had been derived from rahma, the Arabs would not have denied it when they heard it because they did not deny the mercy of their Lord. Allah says, "When they are told to prostrate to the All-Merciful, they say, 'And what is the All-Merciful?'" (25:60) At al-hudaybiyya, when 'Ali wrote at the command of the Prophet "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful," Suhayl ibn 'Amr said, "As for 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful,' we do not know 'In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful'! Rather write 'In Your Name, O Allah.'" Ibn al-'arabi says that this indicates that they did not know the attribute rather than the One Described. Evidence is found in the fact that they said, "What is the Rahman?" not "Who is the Rahman?" Ibn al-hassar said, "It is as if he [the one who said this] had not recited the other ayat, 'Yet they still reject the All-Merciful.' (13:31)" One group believe that it is derived from rahma, and is intensive, meaning the One who possesses mercy such as no one else has. It has no plural or dual whereas rahim can be dual or plural. 115

116 Ibn al-hassar said that part of what indicates the derivation is what at-tirmidhi transmitted as sound from 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn 'Awf. He heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Allah Almighty says, "I am the All-Merciful. I created kinship (rahim) and split it as a name from My Name. Whoever maintains ties, I maintain ties with him. Whoever severs it, I sever him." This is a text for its derivation and so there is no point in contention about it. The denial of the Arabs was simply due to their ignorance of Allah and what is mandatory for Him. Al-Anbari mentions that al-mubarrad stated that ar-rahman is a Hebrew name. Ahmad ibn Yahya also said that. This view is unwarranted. Abu'l-'Abbas says that the attribute is for praise. Qutrub says that it is possible to combine the two for stress. There is disagreement about whether the two names Rahman and Rahim have one meaning or two meanings. It is said, that they mean the same, as do nadman and nadim. It is said that Rahman is a special name with general action and Rahim is a general name with a particular action. This is the position of the majority. Abu 'Ali al-farisi said that Rahman is a general name for all types of mercy for which Allah is singled out. Rahim can be used for how He is towards the believers, as He says, "He is merciful to the believers." (33:43). Al-'Arazami says that Rahman is merciful to all His creatures with rain, physical and general blessings, and Rahim is merciful to the believers in guiding them and being kind to them. Ibn al-mubarak said that when the Rahman is asked He gives and when the Rahim is not asked, He is angry. Ibn 'Abbas said that they are two fine (raqiq) names, and one is finer than the other, meaning that it has more mercy. Al-Khattabi said, "This is problematic because fineness has no place in any of the attributes of Allah." Al-Husayn ibn al-fadl al-bajali said, "This is an error on the part of the transmitter because fineness (riqqa) is not part of the attributes of Allah at all. Rather 'they are two compassionate (rafiq) names, one more compassionate than the other. Compassion is one of the Attributes of Allah Almighty. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah is Compassionate. He loves compassion and gives for compassion what he does not for harshness." Most scholars agree that the name ar-rahman is used only for Allah Almighty and it is not permitted to call anyone else by it. Do you not see that He says, "Say: 'Call on Allah or call on the All-Merciful" (17:109)? So it is equal to the Name in which none but Him share. He says, "Ask those We sent before you as Our Messengers: Have We ever designated any gods to be worshipped besides the All-Merciful?" (43:44) So they reported that the Rahman deserved worship. 116

117 Musaylima the Liar may Allah curse him was outrageous and called himself "the Rahman of Yamama" and so was called "the Liar". Ar-Rahim is general and can be used in respect of creatures. As ar-rahman is universal, as we said ar-rahim is in harmony with revelation. Al-Mahdawi stated that. It is said that the meaning of ar-rahim is: "It is by the Rahim that you reach to the Rahman." So ar-rahim is the attribute of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Allah described him with that. He says, "compassionate, merciful" when describing him. So it as if the meaning of saying, "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful" is "It is by Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that you will reach Me," in other words by following him and what he has brought, you will reach My reward, honour and the vision of My face." Allah knows best. It is related that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "Bismillah is healing from every illness and protection against every disease. Ar-Rahman is a help for everyone who believes in Him. It is a name not used for anyone else. Ar-Rahim is for those who repent, believe and perform righteous actions." Some of them explained the meaning according to the letters. It is related that 'Uthman ibn 'Affan asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about the interpretation of "In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful." He said, "The ba' is the trial (bala') of Allah, His relief, brilliance and radiance (baha'). The sin is the splendour (sana') of Allah. The mim is the kingdom (mulk) of Allah. As for Allah, there is no god but Him. The Rahman is kind to both the pious and impious of His creatures. The Rahim is kind only to the believers." It is reported that Ka'b al-ahbar said, "The ba' is His radiance (baha'), the sin is His splendour (sana'), and there is nothing higher than it. The mim is His kingdom, and He has power over all things and nothing is hard for Him." It is said that every letter is the opening of one of His Names. The ba' is the key to His Name Basir (All-Seeing). The sin is the key to His Name, Sami' (All- Hearing). The mim is the key to His Name, Malik (Master). The alif is the key to His Name, Allah. The lam is the key to His Name, Latif (Kind). The ha' is the key to His Name, Hadi (Guide). The ra' is the key to His Name, Raziq (Provider). The ha' is the key to His Name, Halim (Forbearing). The nun is the key of His Name, Nur (Light). The meaning of all this is supplication of Allah at the beginning of everything. There is disagreement how 'ar-rahim' is connected in recitation to 'al-hamdu lillah'. Umm Salama related that the Prophet recited 'ar-rahim' with a sukun on the mim, and stopping there and then beginning with a fresh alif. Some of the 117

118 Kufans recited it in that way. Most people recite, 'ar-rahimi'l-hamdu', with a kasra on the mim and connecting it to the alif in al-hamd. Al-Kisa'i reported that some Arabs read it 'ar-rahima'l-hamdu', with fatha on the mim and connected to the alif, as if the mim was in fact silent, but with an elision into the alif. Ibn 'Atiyya said, "This recitation is not reported from anyone I know." 1 The Times of Prayer 1.1 The Times of Prayer Hadith Al-Muwatta' Imam Malik ibn Anas 1 He said, "Yahya ibn Yahya al-laythi related to me from Malik ibn Anas from Ibn Shihab that one day 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'aziz delayed the prayer. 'Urwa ibn az-zubayr went to him and told him that al-mughira ibn Shu'ba had delayed the prayer one day while he was in Kufa and Abu Mas'ud al-ansari had gone to him and said, 'What's this, Mughira? Do you not know that the angel Jibril came down and prayed and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed. Then he prayed again, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed. Then he prayed again, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed. Then he prayed again, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed. Then he said, "This is what I was ordered to do." ' 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'aziz said, "Be sure of what you relate, 'Urwa. Was it definitely Jibril who established the time of the prayer for the Messenger of Allah?" 'Urwa replied, "That's how it was related to Bashir ibn Abi Mas'ud al-ansari by his father." 118 [see 499- al-bukhari] 2 'Urwa said that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray 'Asr while the sunlight was pouring into her room, before the sun itself had become visible (i.e. because it was still high in the sky). [see 499- al-bukhari]

119 3 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that 'Ata' ibn Yasar said, "A man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked him about the time of the Subh prayer. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not answer him, but in the morning he prayed Subh at first light. The following morning he prayed Subh when it was much lighter, and then said, 'Where is the man who was asking about the time of the prayer?' The man replied, 'Here I am, Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'The time is between these two.'" 4 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from 'Amra bint 'Abd ar-rahman that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray Subh and the women would leave wrapped in their garments while they could not yet be recognised in the darkness." 119 [cf. Bukhari 553] 5 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from 'Ata' ibn Yasar and from Busr ibn Sa'id and from al-a'raj - all of whom related it from Abu Hurayra - that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever manages to perform a rak'at of Subh before the sun has risen has done Subh in time, and whoever manages to perform a rak'at of 'Asr before the sun has set has done 'Asr in time." [cf. Bukhari 554] 6 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi', the mawla of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, that 'Umar ibn al-khattab wrote to his governors, saying. "The most important of your affairs in my view is the prayer. Whoever protects it and observes it carefully is protecting his deen, while whoever is negligent about it will be even more negligent about other things." Then he added, "Pray Dhuhr any time from when the afternoon shade is the length of your forearm until the length of your shadow matches your height. Pray 'Asr when the sun is still pure white, so that a rider can travel two or three farsakhs before the sun sets. Pray Maghrib when the sun has set. Pray 'Isha 'any time from when the redness in the western sky has disappeared up until a third of the night has passed - and a person who sleeps, may he have no rest, a person who sleeps, may he have no rest, a person who sleeps, may he have no rest. And pray Subh when all the stars are visible and like a haze in the sky." 7 Yahya related to me from Malik from his uncle Abu Suhayl from his father that 'Umar ibn al-khattab wrote to Abu Musa saying that he should pray Dhuhr

120 when the sun had started to decline, 'Asr when the sun was still pure white before it was tinged with any yellowness, Maghrib when the sun had set, and to delay 'Isha' as long as he did not sleep, and to pray Subh when the stars were all visible and like a haze in the sky, reciting in it two long suras from the Mufassal. 8 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that 'Umar ibn al-khattab wrote to Abu Musa al-ash'ari that he should pray 'Asr when the sun was still pure white so that a man could ride three farsakhs (before Maghrib) and that he should pray 'Isha' during the first third of the night, or, if he delayed it, then up until the middle of the night, and he warned him not to be forgetful. 9 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn Ziyad that 'Abdullah ibn Rafi', the mawla of Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked Abu Hurayra about the time of the prayer. Abu Hurayra said, "Let me tell you. Pray Dhuhr when the length of your shadow matches your height, 'Asr when your shadow is twice your height, Maghrib when the sun has set, 'Isha' in the first third of the night, and Subh in the very first light of dawn," i.e. when the dawn has definitely come. 10 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abi Talha that Anas ibn Malik said, "We used to pray the 'Asr prayer and then if one of us went out to the Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf, we would find them praying 'Asr." 120 [cf Bukhari 523] 11 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Anas ibn Malik said, "We used to pray 'Asr and then it was still possible for one of us to go to Quba' and reach there while the sun was still high." [cf. Bukhari 526] 12 Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabi'a ibn Abi 'Abd ar-rahman that al- Qasim ibn Muhammad said, "None of the Companions that I met prayed Dhuhr until well after noon," (i.e. until when the sun had lost it fierceness). 1.2 The Time of the Jumu'a Prayer 13 Yahya related to me from Malik from his uncle Abu Suhayl ibn Malik that his father said, "I used to see a carpet belonging to 'Aqil ibn Abi Talib spread out on the day of Jumu'a up to the west wall of the mosque. When the shadow of the wall covered the whole carpet, 'Umar ibn al-khattab would come out and pray the Jumu'a prayer."

121 Malik, Abu Suhayl's father, added, "We would then return after the Jumu'a prayer and take our midday sleep". 14 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Amr ibn Yahya ibn Yahya al-mazini from Ibn Abi Salit that 'Uthman ibn 'Affan prayed Jumu'a in Madina and 'Asr in Malal (a place seventeen miles from Madina). Malik commented, "That was by praying Jumu'a just past midday and then travelling fast." 1.3 Catching a Rak'at of the Prayer 15 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Salama ibn 'Abd ar-rahman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever catches a rak'at of the prayer has caught the prayer." (cf. Bukhari 555) 16 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar ibn al- Khattab used to say, "If you have missed ruku', you have missed sajda.". 17 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and Zayd ibn Thabit used to say, "Whoever catches the ruku' has caught the sajda." 18 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abu Hurayra used to say, "Whoever catches the ruku' has caught the sajda and whoever misses the recitation of the Umm al-qur'an has missed much good." 1.4 Duluk ash-shams and Ghasaq al-layl 19 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say, "Duluk ash-shams begins from when the sun passes the meridian." 20 Yahya related to me from Malik that Da'ud ibn al-husayn said that someone had told him that 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas used to say, "Duluk ash-shams begins from when the sun passes the meridian. Ghasaq al-layl is the gathering of the night and its darkness." 1.5 The Times of Prayer in General 21 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If 121

122 someone misses the 'Asr prayer, it is as if he has been deprived of his family and all his wealth."" 122 [cf. Bukhari 527] 22 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that once 'Umar ibn al- Khattab left after doing the 'Asr prayer and met a man who had not been there. 'Umar asked him what had kept him from the prayer and even though the man gave a good reason, 'Umar said, "You have given yourself short measure." Yahya added that Malik commented, "It is said that everything has a short measure and a full measure." 23 Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Sa'id used to say, "Even if someone manages to pray before the time of the prayer has passed, the time that has passed him by is more important, or better, than his family and wealth." Yahya said that Malik said, "If the time for a prayer comes and a traveller delays the prayer through neglect or forgetfulness until he reaches his family, he should do that prayer in full if he arrives within the time. But if he arrives when the time has passed, he should do the travelling prayer - that way he only repays what he owes." Malik said, "This is what I have found the people and men of knowledge doing in our community." Malik explained that shafaq is the redness in the sky after the sun has set, and said, "When the shafaq has gone then the 'Isha' prayer is due and you have left the time of Maghrib." 24 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that one time 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar fainted and lost consciousness and he did not make up the prayer. Malik commented, "We consider that that was because, and Allah knows best, the time had passed. Someone who recovers within the time has to pray." 1.6 Sleeping through the Prayer 25 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Sa'id ibn al-musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, travelled by night on the way back from Khaybar. Towards the end of the night he stopped for a rest and told Bilal to stay awake to keep watch for the Subh prayer. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his

123 companions slept. Bilal stayed on guard as long as was decreed for him and then he leant against his riding camel facing the direction of the dawn and sleep overcame him and neither he nor the Messenger of Allah nor any of the party woke up until the sun's rays struck them. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alarmed. Bilal excused himself, saying, "Messenger of Allah! The One who took your self was the One who took my self." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, ordered the party to move on and so they roused their mounts and rode on a short distance. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered Bilal to give the iqama and then led them in the Subh prayer. When he had finished he said, "A person who forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers. Allah the Blessed and Exalted says in His book, 'Establish the prayer to remember Me.' " [Mursal hadith, which Muslim has from Abu Hurayra] 26 Yahya related to me from Malik that Zayd ibn Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped for a rest one night on the way to Makka and appointed Bilal to wake them up for the prayer. Bilal slept and everyone else slept and none of them woke up until the sun had risen. When they did wake up they were all alarmed. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to ride out of the valley, saying that there was a shaytan in it. So they rode out of the valley and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to dismount and do wudu and he told Bilal either to call the prayer or to give the iqama. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then led them in prayer. Noticing their uneasiness, he went to them and said, 'O people! Allah seized our spirits (arwah) and if He had wished He would have returned them to us at a time other than this. So if you sleep through the time for a prayer or forget it and then are anxious about it, pray it as if you were praying it in its time.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned to Abu Bakr and said, 'Shaytan came to Bilal when he was standing in prayer and made him lie down and lulled him to sleep like a small boy.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then called Bilal and told him the same as he had told Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr declared. 'I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.'" [Mursal hadith] 1.7 Not Doing the Prayer at the Hottest Hour of the Day 27 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from 'Ata' ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 123

124 "Scorching heat is from the blast of Jahannam. So, when the heat is fierce, delay the prayer until it gets cooler." He added in explanation, "The fire complained to its Lord and said, 'My Lord, part of me has eaten another part,' so He allowed it two breaths in every year, a breath in winter and a breath in summer." [mursal hadith] 28 Malik related to us from 'Abdullah ibn Yazid, the mawla of al-aswad ibn Sufyan, from Abu Salama ibn 'Abd ar-rahman from Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar- Rahman ibn Thawban from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When the heat is fierce, delay the prayer until it gets cooler, for scorching heat is from the blast of Jahannam." He added, "The Fire complained to its Lord, so He allowed it two breaths in each year, a breath in the winter and a breath in summer." [cf. Bukhari 512] 29 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-a'raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When the heat is fierce, wait until it gets cooler before you do the prayer, for scorching heat is from the blast of Jahannam." [cf. Bukhari 510] 1.8 Not Entering the Mosque Smelling of Garlic and Not Covering the Mouth in Prayer 30 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Sa'id ibn al-musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who eats this plant should not come near our mosques. The smell of the garlic will offend us." 31 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abd ar-rahman ibn al-mujabbar that he used to see Salim ibn 'Abdullah pull the cloth away fiercely from the mouth of any man he saw covering his mouth while praying. [mursal hadith. It is related by Muslim from Abu Huraya] 124

125 2 Purity 2.1 How to do Wudu 1 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Amr ibn Yahya al-mazini that his father once asked 'Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn 'Asim, who was the grandfather of 'Amr ibn Yahya al-mazini and one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,used to do wudu'?" 'Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn 'Asim said, "Yes," and asked for water to do wudu'. He poured some out on to his hand and washed them twice and then rinsed his mouth and snuffed water up his nose and blew it out three times. Then he washed his face three times and both of his arms up to the elbows twice. He then wiped his head with both hands, taking his hands from his forehead to the nape of his neck and then bringing them back to where he had begun. Then he washed his feet. [cf Bukhari 183] 2 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-a'raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When you do wudu, snuff water into your nose and blow it out, and if you use stones to clean your private parts use an odd number." [cf Bukhari 160] 3 Yahya related to me from Ibn Shihab from Abu Idris al-khawlani from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The person doing wudu should snuff water up his nose and blow it out again." [cf Bukhari 159] 4 Yahya said that he heard Malik say that there was no harm in washing the mouth and cleaning the nose with only one handful of water. 5 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Abi Bakr was visiting 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the day that Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas died, and he asked for some water to do wudu. 'A'isha said to him, "'Abd ar-rahman! Perform your wudu fully, for I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Woe to the heels in the fire.' " 125 [In Muslim]

126 6 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Talha from 'Uthman ibn 'Abd ar-rahman that his father related to him that he had heard that 'Umar ibn al-khattab used to wash what was beneath his waist-wrapper with water. 7 Yahya said that Malik was asked what a man should do if, when he did wudu, he forgot and washed his face before he had rinsed his mouth, or washed his forearms before he had washed his face. He said, "If someone washes his face before rinsing his mouth, he should rinse his mouth and not wash his face again. If someone washes his forearms before his face, however, he should wash his forearms again so that he has washed them after his face. This is if he is still near the place (of wudu)." 8 Yahya said that Malik was asked about what a man should do if he does not remember that he has not rinsed his mouth and nose until after he has prayed. He said, "He does not have to repeat the prayer, but should rinse his mouth and nose if he wishes to do any more prayers after that." 2.2 Wudu for Prayer after Sleep 9 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-a'raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When you wake up from sleep, you should wash your hands before putting them in the wudu water, for none of you knows where his hands were during the night." [cf. Bukhari 160] 10 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that 'Umar ibn al- Khattab said, "If you fall asleep lying down you must do wudu' (before you pray)." Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that the ayat "You who believe! When you rise for prayer wash your faces, and your arms to the elbows, and wipe over your heads and your feet up to the ankles," refers to rising from bed, meaning sleep. 11 Yahya said that Malik said, "The situation with us is that you do not have to perfom wudu 'on account of a nose-bleed, or for blood, or on account of pus issuing from the body. You only have to perform wudu' on account of impurities which issue from the genitals or the anus, or for sleep." 126

127 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that Ibn 'Umar used to sleep while sitting and then would pray without doing wudu'. 2.3 What is Pure for Wudu' 12 Yahya related to me from Malik from Safwan ibn Sulaym from Sa'id ibn Salama of the Banu Azraq from al-mughira ibn Abi Burda of the tribe of Banu 'Abd ad-dar that he heard Abu Hurayra speak about a man who came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Messenger of Allah! We travel by sea and we do not carry much fresh water with us so if we do wudu with it we go thirsty. Can we do wudu with seawater?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, "Its water is pure, and its dead creatures are halal." [In Abu Dawud, at-tirmidhi, an-nasa'i and Ibn Majah] 13 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abi Talha from Humayda bint Abi 'Ubayda ibn Farwa that her maternal aunt, Kabsha bint Ka'b ibn Malik, who was the wife of the son of Abu Qatada al-ansari, told her that once Abu Qatada was visiting her and she poured out some water for him to do wudu with. Just then a cat came to drink from it, so he tilted the vessel toward it to let it drink. Kabsha continued, "He saw me looking at him and said, 'Are you surprised, daughter of my brother?' I said, 'Yes.' He replied that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Cats are not impure. They intermingle with you.' " [In Abu Dawud, at-tirmidhi, an-nasa'i and Ibn Majah] Yahya said that Malik said, "There is no harm in that unless one sees impurities on the cat's mouth." 14 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-harith at-taymi from Yahya ibn 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Hatib that 'Umar ibn al-khattab set out on one occasion with a party of riders, one of whom was 'Amr ibn al-'as. They came to a watering place and 'Amr ibn al-'as asked the man who owned it whether wild beasts drank from it. 'Umar ibn al- Khattab told the owner of the watering place not to answer, since the people drank after the wild beasts and the wild beasts drank after them. 15 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say that men and their wives used to do wudu together in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 127

128 [cf. Bukhari 190] 2.4 Things which do not break Wudu 16 Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn 'Umara from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim that the mother of the son of Ibrahim ibn 'Abd ar- Rahman ibn 'Awf questioned Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "I am a woman who wears a long skirt and (sometimes) I walk in dirty places." Umm Salama replied, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'What follows (i.e. clean places) purifies it. [Abu Dawuf, at-tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah] 17 Yahya related to me from Malik that he saw Rabi'a ibn 'Abd ar-rahman vomit several times when he was in the mosque and he did not leave, nor did he do wudu before he prayed. Yahya said that Malik was asked whether a man who vomited food had to do wudu and he said, "He does not have to do wudu, but he should rinse the inside of his mouth and wash his mouth out." 18 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar prepared the body of one of Sa'id ibn Zayd's sons for burial and carried it and then entered the mosque and prayed without doing wudu. Yahya said that Malik was asked whether it was necessary to do wudu because of regurgitating undigested food and he said, "No, wudu is not necessary, but the mouth should be rinsed." 2.5 No Wudu on Account of Eating Cooked Food 19 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from 'Ata' ibn Yasar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ate a shoulder of lamb and then prayed without doing wudu. 128 [cf. Bukhari 204] 20 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from Bushayr ibn Yasar, the mawla of the Banu Haritha, that Suwayd ibn an-nu'man told him that he went with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the expedition to Khaybar. When they reached as-sahba', which was near

129 Khaybar, "the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped and prayed 'Asr. He asked for food but only parched barley (sawiq) was brought, so he asked for it to be moistened. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ate and we ate with him. Then he got up to do Maghrib and rinsed his mouth out and we rinsed out ours. Then he prayed without repeating wudu." 129 [cf. Bukhari 206] 21 Yahya related to me from Malik that both Muhammad ibn al-munkadir and Safwan ibn Sulaym transmitted to him from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al- Harith at-taymi from Rabi'a ibn 'Abdullah ibn al-hudayr that he had eaten an evening meal with 'Umar ibn al-khattab who then prayed without doing wudu. 22 Yahya related to me from Malik from Damra ibn Sa'id al-mazini from Aban ibn 'Uthman that 'Uthman ibn 'Affan ate bread and meat, rinsed his mouth out, washed his hands and wiped his face with them, and then prayed without doing wudu. 23 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas did not do wudu after eating cooked food. 24 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that he asked 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir ibn Rabi'a whether a man who did wudu for prayer and then ate cooked food had to wudu' again. He said, "I saw my father do that without doing wudu." 25 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu Nu'aym Wahb ibn Kaysan that he heard Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al-ansari saying, "I saw Abu Bakr as-siddiq eat meat and then pray without doing wudu." 26 Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn al-munkadir that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was invited to eat, and some bread and meat was brought to him. He ate some of it, and then did wudu and prayed. Then more of the same food was brought and he ate some more and then prayed without doing wudu. [Mursal hadith. Abu Dawud has it from Jabir. at-tirmidhi reports it.] 27 It was related to me from Malik from Mua ibn 'Uqba from 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Yazid al-ansari that when Anas ibn Malik came back from Iraq, Abu Talha and Ubayy ibn Ka'b visited him. He brought them some cooked food and they ate, and then Anas got up and did wudu'. Abu Talha and Ubayy ibn Ka'b asked,

130 "What's this, Anas? Is it an Iraqi custom?" and Anas said, "I wish I had not done it." (i.e. wudu). Abu Talha and Ubayy ibn Ka'b both got up and prayed without doing wudu. 2.6 Wudu in General 28 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about cleaning after excretion. He replied, "Are any of you unable to find three stones?" [mursal. Abu Dawud reports it from 'A'isha, and it is in an-nasa'i] 29 Yahya related to me from Malik from al-'ala' ibn 'Abd ar-rahman from his father from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to the burial grounds and said, "Peace be upon you, home of a people who believe! We shall be among you, Allah willing. I wish that I had seen our brothers!" The people with him said, "Messenger of Allah! Are we not your brothers?" "No," he said, "You are my companions. Our brothers are those who have not yet come. And I will precede them to the Hawd." (The Hawd: the watering place of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from which he will give to the people of his community on the day of rising.) They asked him, "Messenger of Allah! How will you recognise those of your community who come after you?" He said, "Does not a man who has horses with white legs and white blazes on their foreheads among totally black horses recognise which ones are his own?" They said, "Of course, Messenger of Allah." He went on, "Even so will they come on the day of rising with white marks on their foreheads, hands and feet from wudu, and I will precede them to the Hawd. Some men will be driven away from the Hawd as if they were straying camels and I shall call out to them, 'Will you not come? Will you not come? Will you not come?' and someone will say, 'They changed things after you,' so I shall say, 'Then away with them, away with them, away with them!' " [In Muslim] 30 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from Humran, the mawla of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, that 'Uthman ibn 'Affan was once sitting on the Maqa'id (the benches surrounding the mosque in Madina, or else a stone near 'Uthman ibn 'Affan's house where he sat to discuss with people), when the mu'adhdhin came and told him that it was time for the 'Asr prayer. He called for water and performed wudu. Then he said, "By Allah, I shall tell you something which I would not tell you if it were not in the Book of Allah. I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Anyone 130

131 who does wudu, and does it well, and then does the prayer, will be forgiven everything that he does between then and the time when he prays the next prayer.' " Yahya said that Malik said, "I believe he meant this ayat: 'Establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first part of the night. Good actions eradicate bad actions. This is a reminder for people who pay heed.'" (11:114). 131 [cf Bukhari 158] 31 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from 'Ata' ibn Yasar from 'Abdullah as-sanabihi that the Messenger of the Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The believing slave does wudu and as he rinses his mouth the wrong actions leave it. As he cleans his nose the wrong actions leave it. As he washes his face, the wrong actions leave it, even from underneath his eyelashes. As he washes his hands the wrong actions leave them, even from underneath his fingernails. As he wipes his head the wrong actions leave it, even from his ears. And as he washes his feet the wrong actions leave them, even from underneath the toenails of both his feet." He added, "Then his walking to the mosque and his prayer are an extra reward for him." [In an-nasa'i and Ibn Majah] 32 Yahya related to me from Malik from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih from his father from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Muslim (or the believer) does wudu and as he washes his face every wrong action he has seen with his eyes leaves with the water (or the last drop of water). As he washes his hands every wrong action he has done with his hands leaves with the water (or the last drop of water). And as he washes his feet every wrong action his feet have walked to leaves with the water (or the last drop of water) so that he comes away purified of wrong actions." [In Muslim] 33 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abi Talha that Anas ibn Malik said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when it was near the time of 'Asr. People were looking for water for wudu' but could not find any. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought some water in a vessel. He put his hand into that vessel and told them all to do wudu' from it." Anas added, "I saw water gushing up from under his fingers. Then all of them to the last man did wudu." [cf Bukhari 167]

132 34 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nu'aym ibn 'Abdullah al-madani al- Mujmir that he heard Abu Hurayra say, "If someone does wudu and does it correctly and then goes off intending to do the prayer, he is in prayer as long as he intends to do the prayer. A good action is written for every alternate step he makes and a wrong action is erased for the other. When you hear the iqama do not lengthen your stride, and the one who has the greatest reward is the one whose house is furthest away." They said, "Why, Abu Hurayra?" He replied, "Because of the greater number of steps." [Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr mentions that Malik and others said that Nu'aym has many traditions from Abu Hurayra in the mawquf form.] 35 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that he heard someone ask Sa'id ibn al-musayyab about washing off excreta with water. Sa'id said, "That is the way women wash." 36 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-a'raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a dog drinks from a vessel belonging to one of you, he should wash it seven times." [cf Bukhari 170] 37 Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Try to go straight, although you will not be able to do so. Act, and the best of your actions is the prayer. And only a believer is constant in his wudu." [mursal. Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr relates it from Thawban, and Ibn Majah has it.] 2.7 Wiping the Head and Ears 38 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used two fingers to take up water to his ears. 39 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al- Ansari was asked about wiping over the turban. He said, "Not unless you have wiped over your hair with water." 40 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa that Abu 'Urwa ibn az-zubayr used to take off his turban and wipe his head with water. 132

133 41 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that she saw Safiyya bint Abi 'Ubayd, the wife of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, remove her head-covering and wipe her head with water. Nafi' was a child at the time. Malik was asked about someone who did wudu but forgot to wipe his head until the water had dried. He said, "I consider that he should wipe his head and then repeat the prayer if he has already performed it." Malik was asked about wiping over the turban and the head-covering. He said, "Neither the man nor the woman should wipe over the turban or the headcovering. They should wipe over the head itself." 2.8 Wiping over Leather Socks 42 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from 'Abbad ibn Ziyad, a descendant of al-mughira ibn Shu'ba from his father from al-mughira ibn Shu'ba that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to relieve himself during the expedition of Tabuk. Mughira said, "I went with him, taking water. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came back and I poured out the water for him. He washed his hands and then went to push his arms out of the sleeves of his garment, but could not do so because of their narrowness. So he brought them out from underneath his garment. Then he washed his arms, wiped his head and wiped over his leather socks. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, returned and 'Abd ar-rahman ibn 'Awf was leading the people in prayer, and he had already finished one rak'a with them. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed the remaining rak'a with them to everyone's concern. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished he said, 'You have acted correctly.' " 133 [cf. Bukhari 4156] 43 Yahya related to me from Malik that Nafi' and 'Abdullah ibn Dinar told him that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar arrived at Kufa and went to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, who was the Amir of Kufa at that time. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar saw him wiping over his leather socks and disapproved of it. So Sa'd said to him, "Ask your father when you get back." 'Abdullah returned but forgot to ask 'Umar about the matter until Sa'd arrived and said, "Have you asked your father?" and he said, "No." 'Abdullah then asked 'Umar and 'Umar replied, "If your feet are ritually pure when you put them in the leather socks then you can wipe over the socks." 'Abdullah said, "What about if we have just come from relieving ourselves?" 'Umar said, "Yes, even if you have just come from relieving yourself."

134 44 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar urinated in the market place and then did wudu, washing his face and hands and wiping his head. Then as soon as he had come into the mosque, he was called to pray over a dead person, so he wiped over his leather socks and prayed. 45 Yahya related to me from Malik that Sa'id ibn 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Ruqaysh said, "I saw Anas ibn Malik come and squat and urinate. Then water was brought and he did wudu. He washed his face, then his arms to the elbows, and then he wiped his head and wiped over his leather socks. Then he came to the mosque and prayed." Yahya said that Malik was asked whether someone who did wudu for prayer and then put on his leather socks, and then urinated and took them off and put them back on again, should begin wudu afresh. Malik replied, "He should take off his socks and wash his feet. Only someone who puts on leather socks when his feet are (already) ritually purified by wudu can wipe over them. Someone who puts on leather socks when his feet are not ritually purified by wudu, should not wipe over them." Yahya said that Malik was asked about someone who did wudu with his leather socks on and forgot to wipe over them until the water was dry and he had prayed, and he said, "He should wipe over his socks and repeat the prayer but not repeat wudu." Malik was asked about someone who washed his feet and put on his leather socks and then started doing wudu, and he said, "He should take off his socks and do wudu and wash his feet." 2.9 How to Wipe over Leather Socks 46 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa that he saw his father wiping over his leather socks. He said, "When he wiped over his socks he would never do more than wipe the tops and he would not wipe the bottoms." 47 Yahya related to me that Malik asked Ibn Shihab how to wipe over leather socks. Ibn Shihab put one hand under the sock and his other hand above the sock and then passed them over it. Yahya said that Malik said, "Of all that I have heard about the matter I like what Ibn Shihab said the most." 134

135 2.10 Nosebleeds in the Prayer 48 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar would leave and do wudu if he had a nosebleed and then return and complete his prayer without saying anything. 49 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas used to have nose-bleeds and would leave to wash off the blood. He would then return and complete his prayer. 50 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn 'Abdullah Qusayt al-laythi that he saw Sa'id ibn al-musayyab having a nosebleed while praying. He went off to the room of Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and water was brought to him and he did wudu.' He then returned and completed his prayer Nosebleeds in General 51 Yahya related to me that 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Harmala al-aslami said, "I saw Sa'id ibn al-musayyab with his nose bleeding and the blood was pouring out of it so that his fingers were all red from the blood coming out of his nose, and prayed without doing wudu. 52 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abd ar-rahman ibn al-mujabbar that he saw Salim ibn 'Abdullah with blood running from his nose so that his fingers were all coloured red. Then he rubbed his nose and he prayed without doing wudu." 2.12 Bleeding from a Wound or a Nosebleed 53 Yahya related to me from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that al-miswar ibn Makhrama told him that he had visited 'Umar ibn al-khattab on the night he was stabbed and had woken him up for Subh and 'Umar had said, "Yes. Whoever stops doing the prayer will get nothing from Islam," and he did the prayer with blood pouring from his wound. 54 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that Sa'id ibn al- Musayyab was asked, "What do you say about someone who is afflicted by a nosebleed which does not stop?" Malik stated that Yahya ibn Sa'id said that Sa'id ibn al-musayyab said, "I say that he should signal with his head." (i.e. instead of doing sajda or ruku'.) 135

136 Yahya said that Malik said, "That is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter." 2.13 Wudu on Account of Prostatic Fluid 55 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n-Nadr, the mawla of 'Abdullah ibn 'Ubaydullah, from Sulayman ibn Yasar from al-miqdad ibn al-aswad that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib told him to ask the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what a man should do, who, when close to his wife, had a flow of prostatic fluid. 'Ali explained that the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was living with him then and he was too shy to ask for himself. Al-Miqdad said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about it, and he said, "When that happens, wash your genitals with water and do wudu as for prayer." 136 [Muslim has it from Ibn 'Abbas.] 56 Yahya related to me from Zayd ibn Aslam from his father that 'Umar ibn al- Khattab said, "I find it dropping from me like small beads. When that happens, wash your penis and do wudu as for prayer." 57 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from his father that Jundub, the mawla of 'Abdullah ibn 'Ayyash, said, "I asked 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar about prostatic fluid and he said, 'When you find it, wash your genitals and do wudu as for prayer.' " 2.14 Indulgence about not having to do Wudu on account of Prostatic Fluid 58 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that he was listening to Sa'id ibn al-musayyab and a man questioned him saying, "I discover a discharge when I am praying. Should I leave?" Sa'id ibn al-musayyab said to him, "Even if it were to flow on my leg I would not leave until I had finished the prayer." 59 Yahya related to me from Malik that as-salt ibn Zuyayd said, "I asked Sulayman ibn Yasar about a discharge I discovered. He said, 'Wash what is under your garments with water and forget about it.' " 2.15 Wudu on Account of Touching the Genitals 60 Yahya related to me from Malik that 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn Hazim heard 'Urwa ibn az-zubayr saying, "I went to see Marwan

137 ibn al-hakam and we were talking about what you had to do wudu for, and Marwan mentioned that you had to do wudu if you touched your penis." 'Urwa continued, "I hadn't known that." Marwan ibn al-hakam said that Busra bint Safwan had told him that she heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "If any of you touches his penis he should do wudu'." [Abu Dawud, at-tirmidhi, an-nasa'i and Ibn Majah] 61 Yahya related to me from Malik from Isma'il ibn Muhammad ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas that Mus'ab ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said, "I was holding the Book for Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and I rubbed myself. Sa'd enquired whether I had touched my penis. I replied that I had and he told me to get up and do wudu. So I got up and did wudu and then returned." 62 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say, "If you touch your penis you have to do wudu'." 63 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa that his father used to say, "If any of you touches his penis he has to do wudu'." 64 Yahya related from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Salim ibn 'Abdullah said, "I saw my father 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, do ghusl and then do wudu'. I said to him, 'Father, isn't ghusl enough for you?' He said, 'Of course, but sometimes I touch my penis, so I do wudu'.' " 65 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that Salim ibn 'Abdullah said, "I was with 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar on a journey and after the sun had risen I saw him do wudu' and then pray. So I said to him, 'This isn't a prayer that you normally do.' He said, 'After I had done wudu for Subh, I touched my genitals. Then I forgot to do wudu. So I did wudu again and repeated my prayer.' " 2.16 Wudu' on Account of a Man Kissing his Wife 66 Yahya related to me from Malik from ibn Shihab from Salim ibn 'Abdullah that his father 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say, "A man's kissing his wife and fondling her with his hands are part of intercourse. Someone who kisses his wife or fondles her with his hand must do wudu." 67 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud used to say, "Wudu is necessary if a man kisses his wife." 137

138 68 Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "Wudu is necessary if a man kisses his wife." Nafi' said that Malik said, "That is what I like most out of what I have heard." 2.17 How to do Ghusl for Major Ritual Impurity 69 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from 'A'isha, Umm al-muminin, that whenever the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did ghusl for major ritual impurity (janaba), he would begin by washing his hands, and then do wudu as for prayer. He would then put his fingers in the water and rub the roots of his hair with them. Then he would pour as much water as two hands can hold on to his head three times, and over the entire surface of his skin. [cf. Bukhari 245] 70 Yahya related to me from Malik from ibn Shihab from 'Urwa ibn az-zubayr from 'A'isha, Umm al-muminin, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to perform ghusl for major ritual impurity from a vessel called a faraq. [A faraq holds two or three sa's.] [cf Bukhari 247] 71 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that when 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to do ghusl for major ritual impurity he would begin by pouring water on his right hand and washing it. Then, in order, he would wash his genitals, rinse his mouth, snuff water in and out of his nose, wash his face and splash his eyes with water. Then he would wash his right arm and then his left, and after that he would wash his head. He would finish by having a complete wash and pouring water all over himself. 72 Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that 'A'isha was asked about how a woman should do ghusl for major ritual impurity. She said, "She should scoop water over her head with both hands three times and rub the roots of her hair with her hands." 138

139 2.18 Ghusl from the Two "Circumcised Parts" Meeting 73 Yahya related to me frrrm Malik from ibn Shihab from Sa'id ibn al- Musayyab that 'Umar ibn al-khattab and 'Uthman ibn 'Affan and 'A'isha, the wife of tom Malik from ibn Shihab from Sa'id ibn al-musayyab that 'Umar ibn al-khattab and 'Uthman ibn 'Affan and 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, "When the circumcised part touches the circumcised part, ghusl is obligatory." 74 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n-Nadr, the mawla of 'Umar ibn 'Abdullah that Abu Salama ibn 'Abd ar-rahman ibn 'Awf related that he had asked 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what made ghusl obligatory. She said, "Do you know what you are like, Abu Salama? You are like a chick when it hears the cocks crowing and so crows with them. When the circumcised part passes the circumcised part, ghusl is obligatory." [At-Tirmidhi also transmits it.] 75 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from Sa'id ibn al- Musayyab that Abu Musa al-ash'ari came to 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said to her, "The disagreement of the companions about a matter which I hate to bring before you has distressed me." She said, "What is that? You did not ask your mother about it, so ask me." He said, "A man penetrates his wife, but becomes listless and does not ejaculate." She said, "When the circumcised part passes the circumcised part ghusl is obligatory." Abu Musa added, "I shall never ask anyone about this after you." [Ibn 'Abdu'l-Barr says that this hadith is mawquf. Muslim also transmits it.] 76 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from 'Abdullah ibn Ka'b, the mawla of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, that Mahmud ibn Labid al-ansari asked Zayd ibn Thabit about a man who penetrated his wife but became listless and did not ejaculate. Zayd ibn Thabit said, "He does ghusl." Mahmud said to him, "Ubayy ibn Ka'b used not to think that ghusl was necessary," but Zayd ibn Thabit said, "Ubayy ibn Ka'b withdrew from that position before he died." 77 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say, "When the circumcised part touches the circumcised part, ghusl is obligatory." 139

140 2.19 Wudu' of a Person in a State of Major Ritual Impurity (Janaba) 78 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar related that 'Umar ibn al-khattab mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he would sometimes become junub in the night. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "Do wudu and wash your penis, and then sleep." [cf Bukhari 286] 79 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, "If you have intercourse with your wife and then wish to go to sleep before doing ghusl, do not sleep until you have done wudu as for prayer." [In Muslim] 80 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, if he wished to sleep or eat while junub, would wash his face and his arms to the elbows and wipe his head. Then he would eat or sleep The repetition of the prayer by a person in a state of major ritual impurity, his doing ghusl, when he has prayed without remembering it, and his washing his garments 81 Yahya related to me from Malik from Isma'il ibn Abi Hakim that 'Ata' ibn Yasar told him that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said the takbir in one of the prayers and then indicated to them with his hand to stay in place. He left and then returned with traces of water on his skin. [Mursal, but related by al-bukhari 271 and Muslim from Abu Hurayra] 82 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa that Zubayd ibn as- Salt said, "I went with 'Umar ibn al-khattab to Juruf and he looked down and noticed that he had had a wet dream and had prayed without doing ghusl. He exclaimed, 'By Allah, I realise that I have had a wet dream and did not know it and have not done ghusl.' So he did ghusl and washed off whatever he saw on his garment, and sprinkled with water whatever he did not see. Then he gave the adhan or the iqama and prayed in the mid-morning." 83 Yahya related to me from Malik from Isma'il ibn Abi Hakim from Sulayman ibn Yasar that 'Umar ibn al-khattab went out early in the morning to his land in 140

141 Juruf and found semen on his garment. He said, "I have been tried with wet dreams since I was entrusted with governing the people." He did ghusl and washed any semen that he saw from his garment, and then prayed after the sun had risen. 84 Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id from Sulayman ibn Yasar that 'Umar ibn al-khattab led the people in the Subh prayer and then went out to his land in Juruf and found semen on his clothes. He said, "Since we have been eating rich meat our veins have become fulsome." He did ghusl, washed the semen from his clothing, and did his prayer again. 85 Yahya relatedto me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from Yahya ibn 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Hatib that he had set off for 'umra with 'Umar ibn al-khattab in a party of riders among whom was 'Amr ibn al-'as. 'Umar ibn al-khattab dismounted for a rest late at night on a certain road near a certain oasis. 'Umar had a wet dream when it was almost dawn and there was no water among the riding party. He rode until he came to some water and then he began to wash off what he saw of the semen until it had gone. 'Amr ibn al-'as said to him, "It is morning and there are clothes with us, so allow your garment to be washed." Umar ibn al-khattab said to him, "I am surprised at you, 'Amr ibn al- 'As! Even if you can find clothes, is everybody be able to find them? By Allah, if I were to do that, it would become a sunna. No, I wash what I see, and I sprinkle with water what I do not see." Malik spoke about a man who found traces of a wet dream on his clothes and did not know when it had occurred and did not remember anything he had seen in his sleep. He said, "Let the intention of his ghusl be from the time when he last slept, and if he has prayed since that last sleep he should repeat it. This is because sometimes a man has a wet dream and sees nothing, and sometimes he sees something but does not have an emission. So if he finds liquid on his garment he must do ghusl. This is because 'Umar repeated what he had prayed after the time he had last slept and not what was before it." 2.21 Ghusl of a woman when she experiences the same as a man in her sleep 86 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from 'Urwa ibn az-zubayr that Umm Sulayman asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Should a woman do ghusl when she experiences the same as a man in her sleep?" The Messenger of Allah said to her, "Shame on you! Does a woman see that?" (i.e. a liquid.) 'A'isha said to her, "May your right hand be full of dust. From where does family resemblance come?" 141

142 142 [Reported in Muslim] 87 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from Zaynab bint Abi Salama that Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Umm Salama, the wife of Abu Talha al- Ansari, came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Messenger of Allah! Allah is not shy about the truth - does a woman have to do ghusl if she has had an erotic dream?" He said, 'Yes, if she has a visible discharge.'" 2.22 Ghusl for Major Ritual Impurity [cf Bukhari 130] 88 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to say, "There is no harm in doing ghusl with water that has been used by one's wife as long as she is not menstruating or in a state of major ritual impurity (janaba)." 89 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to sweat in a garment while he was in janaba and then pray with it on. 90 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that the slave girls of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to wash his feet and bring him a mat of palm-leaves while they were menstruating. Malik was asked whether a man who had wives and slave girls could have intercourse with all of them before he did ghusl. He said, "There is no harm in a man having intercourse with two of his slave girls before he does ghusl. It is disapproved of, however, to go to a free woman on another's day. There is no harm having intercourse first with one slave girl and then with another when one is junub." Malik was asked about a man who was junub and water was put down for him to do ghusl with. Then he forgot and put his finger into it to find out whether it was hot or cold. Malik said, "If no impurity has soiled his fingers, I do not consider that that makes the water impure." 2.23 Tayammum 91 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abd ar-rahman ibn al-qasim from his father that 'A'isha, Umm al-muminin, said, "We went out on a journey with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and, when we

143 came to Bayda' or Dhat al-jaysh, a necklace of mine broke. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped to look for it and the people stopped with him. There was no water there and the people were not carrying any with them, so they came to Abu Bakr as-siddiq and said, 'Don't you see what 'A'isha has done? She has made the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the people stop when there is no water nearby and they are not carrying any with them.'" 'A'isha continued, "Abu Bakr came and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had fallen asleep with his head on my thigh. Abu Bakr said, 'You have made the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the people stop where there is no water nearby and they are not carrying any with them.' " She continued, "Abu Bakr remonstrated with me and said whatever Allah willed him to say, and began to poke me in the waist. The only thing that stopped me from moving was that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had his head on my thigh. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, slept until morning found him with no water. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, sent down the ayat of tayammum and so they did tayammum. Usayd ibn Hudayr said, 'This is not the first blessing from you, O family of Abu Bakr.'" 'A'isha added, "We roused the camel I had been on and found the necklace under it." [cf Bukhari 327] Malik was asked whether someone who did tayammum for one prayer should do tayammum when the time of the next prayer came or whether the first tayammum was enough. He said, "No, he does tayammum for every prayer, because he has to look for water for every prayer. If he looks for it and does not find it then he does tayammum." Malik was asked whether a man who did tayammum could lead others in prayer if they were in wudu. He said, "I prefer that someone else should lead them. However, I see no harm in it if he does lead them in prayer." Yahya said that Malik said that a man who did tayammum because he could not find any water, and then stood and said the takbir and entered into the prayer, and then someone came with some water, did not stop his prayer but completed it with tayammum and did wudu for future prayers. 143

144 Yahya said that Malik said, "Whoever rises for prayer and does not find water and so does what Allah has ordered him to do of tayammum has obeyed Allah. Someone who does find water is neither purer than him nor more perfect in prayer, because both have been commanded and each does as Allah has commanded. What Allah has commanded as far as wudu is concerned is for the one who finds water, and tayammum is for the one who does not find water before he enters into the prayer." Malik said that a man who was in a state of major ritual impurity could do tayammum and read his portion of Qur'an and do voluntary prayers as long as he did not find any water. This applied only to circumstances in which it was allowable to pray with tayammum How to do Tayammum 92 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and he were approaching Juruf. When they got to Mirbad, 'Abdullah got down and did tayammum with some good earth. He wiped his face, and his arms to the elbows, and then prayed. 93 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar used to do tayammum up to his elbows. Malik was asked about how tayammum was done and what parts were covered and he said, "Strike the ground once for the face and once for the arms and wipe them to the elbows." 2.25 Tayammum of Someone in a State of Major Ritual Impurity 94 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abd ar-rahman ibn Harmala that a man asked Sa'id ibn al-musayyab about what a man who was junub and had done tayammum should do when he found water. Sa'id said, "When he finds water he must do ghusl for what comes after." Malik said about someone who had a wet dream while he was on a journey and there was only enough water for wudu and he was not thirsty so he did not need to use it for drinking. "Let him wash his genitals, and whatever the semen has fallen on, with the water and then he does tayammum with good earth as Allah has ordered him." Malik was asked whether a man who was junub and wished to do tayammum but could only find salty earth could do tayammum with that earth, and whether 144

145 it was disapproved of to pray on salty earth. He said, "There is no harm in praying on salty earth or in using it to do tayammum because Allah the Blessed and Exalted has said, '...and do tayammum with good earth.' One is purified by tayammum with everything that is earth, whether it is salty or otherwise." 2.26 What is permitted to a man from his wife when she is menstruating 95 Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that a man questioned the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, "What is permitted to me from my wife when she is menstruating?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Let her wrap her waist-wrapper round herself tightly, and then what is above that is your concern." [Abu Dawud transmits it from 'Abdullah ibn Sa'd al-ansari] 96 Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabi'a ibn Abi 'Abd ar-rahman that on one occasion 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sleeping with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in one garment, when suddenly she jumped up sharply. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to her, "What's the matter with you? Are you losing blood?" meaning menstruating. She said, "Yes." He said, "Wrap your waist-wrapped tightly about you, and return to your sleeping-place." [Mursal hadith, Al-Bukhari transmits a similar hadith from Umm Salama 294] 97 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' that 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar sent a question to 'A'isha asking her, "May a man fondle his wife when she is menstruating?" She replied, "Let her wrap her waist-wrapper around her lower part and then he may fondle her if he wishes." 98 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Salim ibn 'Abdullah and Sulayman ibn Yasar were asked whether the husband of a menstruating woman could have sexual intercourse with her when she saw that she was pure but before she had had a ghusl. They said, "No, not until she has had a ghusl." 2.27 The Purity of a Woman after Menstruation 99 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Alqama ibn Abi 'Alqama that his mother, the mawla of 'A'isha, Umm al-muminin, said, "Women used to send little boxes to 'A'isha, Umm al-muminin, with a piece of cotton cloth in each 145

146 one on which was yellowness from menstrual blood, asking her about the prayer. She said to them, "Do not be hasty until you see a white discharge." By that she meant purity from menses. 100 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr from his paternal aunt from the daughter of Zayd ibn Thabit that she had heard that women used to ask for lamps in the middle of the night to check their purity. She would criticise them for this saying, "Women never used to do this," i.e. in the time of the Companions. 101 Malik was asked whether a woman whose period had finished could do tayammum to purify herself if she could not find water and he said, "Yes, because she is like someone in a state of major ritual impurity, who, if he cannot find water, does tayammum." 2.28 Menstruation in General 102 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that a pregnant woman who noticed bleeding left off from prayer. 103 Yahya related to me from Malik that he asked Ibn Shihab about a pregnant woman who noticed bleeding. Ibn Shihab replied, "She refrains from prayer." Yahya said that Malik said, "That is what is done in our community." 104 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I used to comb the head of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while I was menstruating." 146 [cf. Bukhari 291] 105 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from Fatima bint al-mundhir ibn az-zubayr that Asma bint Abu Bakr as-siddiq said, "A woman asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, 'What do you think a woman should do if menstrual blood gets on her clothes?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If menstrual blood gets onto your clothes, she should gather up the place in her fingers, rub it, and wash it with water and then she can pray in it.' " [cf. Bukhari 301]

147 2.29 Bleeding as if Menstruating 106 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Fatima bint Abi Hubaysh said, 'Messenger of Allah, I never become pure - should I abandon the prayer?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'That is due to a vein, not menstruation. So when your period comes, leave off from the prayer, and when it stops, wash the blood from yourself and pray.' " 147 [cf. Bukhari 300] 107 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' from Sulayman ibn Yasar from Umm Salama,, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that a certain woman in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to bleed profusely, so Umm Salama consulted the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for her, and he said, "She should calculate the number of nights and days a month that she used to menstruate before it started happening, and she should leave off from prayer for that much of the month. When she has completed that she should do ghusl, bind her private parts with a cloth, and then pray." [Also in Abu Dawud and an-nasa'i] 108 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father from Zaynab bint Abu Salama that she saw Zaynab bint Jahsh, the wife of 'Abd ar-rahman ibn 'Awf, and she used to bleed as if menstruating. She would do ghusl and pray. 109 Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr ibn 'Abd ar-rahman that al-qa'qa' ibn Hakim and Zayd ibn Aslam sent him to Sa'id ibn al-musayyab to ask how a woman who was bleeding as if menstruating should do ghusl. Sa'id said, "She does a ghusl to cover from the end of one period to the end of the next, and does wudu for every prayer, and if bleeding overtakes her she should bind her private parts." 110 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa that his father said, "A woman who bleeds as if menstruating only has to do one ghusl, and then after that she does wudu for each prayer." Yahya said that Malik said, "The position with us is that when a woman who bleeds as if menstruating starts to do the prayer again, her husband can have sexual intercourse with her. Similarly, if a woman who has given birth sees

148 blood after she has reached the fullest extent that bleeding normally restrains women, her husband can have sexual intercourse with her and she is in the same position as a woman who bleeds as if menstruating." Yahya said that Malik said, "The position with us concerning a woman who bleeds as if menstruating is founded on the hadith of Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father, and it is what I prefer the most of what I have heard about the matter." 2.30 The Urine of an Infant Boy 111 Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn 'Urwa from his father that 'A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "An infant boy was brought to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and it urinated on him. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called for some water and rubbed over the urine with it." [cf. Bukhari 220] 112 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Utba ibn Mas'ud from Umm Qays ibn Mihsan that she brought a baby boy of hers who was not yet eating food to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he sat him in his lap and and the boy urinated on his clothes, so the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called for some water and sprinkled over the spot but did not wash it Urinating Standing and Otherwise [cf. Bukhari 221] 113 Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Sa'id said, "A Bedouin came into the mosque and uncovered his private parts to urinate. The people called out to him and began to raise their voices but the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him be.' So they let him be and he urinated. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered a bucketful of water to be brought and it was poured on the place." [cf. Bukhari 219; also in Muslim] 148

149 114 Yahya related to me from Malik that 'Abduillah ibn Dinar said, "I saw 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar urinating while standing." Yahya said that Malik was asked if any hadith had come down about washing the private parts from urine and faeces and he said, "I have heard that some of those who have passed away used to wash themselves from faeces. I like to wash my private parts from urine." 2.32 The Tooth-stick (Siwak) 115 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Ibn as-sabbaq that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in a Jumu a, Muslims! Allah has made this day a festival day so do ghusl, and it will do no harm if whoever has perfume to applies some of it, and use a toothstick. [Also ibn Ibn Majah] 116 Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu z-zinad from al-a raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Were it not that I would be overburdening my community I would have ordered them to use the tooth-stick. [cf Bukhari 847] 117 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Humayd ibn Abd ar-rahman ibn Awf that Abu Hurayra said, Were it not that he would have been overburdening his community he (the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would have ordered them to use the tooth-stick with each wudu. 149

150 Islamic Spirituality To understand Islamic Spirituality it is necessary to study carefully the difference between the Islamic concept of spirituality and that of other religions and ideologies. Without a clear understanding of this difference it often happens that, when talking about the spirituality in Islam, many of the vague notions associated with the word spiritual unconsciously come to mind; it then becomes difficult for one to comprehend that this spirituality of Islam not only transcends the dualism of spirit and matter but is the nucleus of its integrated and unified concept of life. Islamic spirituality is defined as the presence of a relationship with Allah that affects the individual s self-worth, sense of meaning, and connectedness with others and nature. The relational quality of spirituality is understood to be a core theme of Islamic religion that comprises beliefs, rituals, daily-living behaviours, and knowledge. Hence, central beliefs of the Islamic religion -- such as belief in Allah and His prophets, judgment day, etc. -- are lived out daily in spirituality, ways of relating to Allah, others, nature, and the self. Similarly, in following the set of rituals and codes of Islamic religion, an individual is striving to become closer to Allah and to find personal worth and actualization Hence, spirituality is depicted as the individual, motivational, and relational face of religion. 150

151 Since relation to Allah is a central theme in Islamic spirituality and Islamic religion, in the context of attachment to Allah, Islamic spirituality and religion point to the same construct. However, the term Islamic spirituality is preferred in the context of attachment theory because it emphasises the core of Islam and highlights the psychological reality of religion for Muslims. Islam doesn t view spirituality separately from everyday activities. In Islam everything is spiritual because all actions must be in accordance with God s pleasure. This view comes from the Islamic creed and the Muslim s understanding of tawhid (the oneness of God). There is no deity worthy of worship except God this convinction creates a world view, a perspective and a unique behaviour. It essential means that all actions from having a shower to picking up litter from the floor should be referred to the Creator. This establishes a constant awareness, mindfulness and consciousness of God in everything that the Muslim says or does. The understanding of spirituality in Islam is unlike the secular understanding. It is the constant reference to God and ensuring that everything he or she does is in accordance with God s pleasure. This consciousness is not static, it is dynamic. The level of God consciousness is dependent upon how close the Muslim is with His Lord. This personal relationship is established and strengthened by following a unique programme of activities that have been prescribed by God Himself. This spiritual programme is also an effective means to change the negative traits and habits of the Muslim. Some of these activities include remembrance of God, prayer, giving charity, fasting, reflecting on creation, meditation, reading and reflecting upon the Qur an, memorising the Qur an and daily supplications. The Prophet Muhammad emphasised on developing a good character by engaging a constant practice of prayer, meditation, remembrance of God and other activities, as these actions change the heart and thereby bring one closer to God. Verily in the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the body is all sound. If it is corrupt, the body is all corrupt. Verily, it is the heart. God consciousness is an essential element in Islamic spiritual practice, without it, the Muslim s behaviour and attitude are corrupted. The benefits of God consciousness as derived from the Qur an are: 151

152 Guidance: because of His words guidance for the muttaqeen (the people of God consciousness) Help: because of His words Truly, Allah is with the people who have taqwa (God consciousness) Closeness with God: because of His words, Allah is the close friend of the muttaqeen Love: because of His words, Truly Allah loves the muttaqeen A way out from unhappiness, and provision from where one does not expect because of His words, Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will make a way out for him and provide him from where he does not expect Facilitation of affairs because of His words, Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will make ease for him in his affair Full covering over of wrong actions and magnification of rewards because of His words, Whoever has taqwa of God He will cover over his wrong actions and magnify a reward for him Islam has a unique view on spirituality as it encompasses all aspects of the Muslim s life. All actions that are referred to God are spiritual, and these actions include the supplications we utter before we go to bed to the type of bank account we hold. God has prescribed certain actions that develop positive characters as well as bringing the Muslim closer to God thereby attain God consciousness. This state achieves many things including God s love, closeness and divine assistance. The Spiritual Path to God in Islam What is the spiritual path in Islam and what is its place in the life as a whole? To answer this it is necessary to study carefully the difference between the Islamic concept of spirituality and that of other religions and ideologies. Without a clear understanding of this difference it often happens that, when talking about the spirituality in Islam, many of the vague notions associated with the word spiritual unconsciously come to mind; it then becomes difficult for one to comprehend that this spirituality of Islam not only transcends the dualism of spirit and matter but is the nucleus of its integrated and unified concept of life. Body, Higher Self Within conflict The idea which has influenced most the climate of philosophical and religious thought is that body and soul are mutually antagonistic, and can develop only at each other s expense. For the soul, the body is a prison and the activities of daily life are the shackles which keep it in bondage and arrest its growth. This has inevitably led to the universe being divided into the spiritual and the secular. 152

153 Those who chose the secular path were convinced that they could not meet the demands of spirituality, and thus they led highly material and hedonistic lives. All spheres of worldly activity, whether social, political, economic or cultural, were deprived of the light of spirituality; injustice and tyranny were the result. Conversely, those who wanted to tread the path of spiritual excellence came to see themselves as noble outcasts from the world. They believed that it was impossible for spiritual growth to be compatible with a normal life. In their view physical self-denial and mortification of the flesh were necessary for the development and perfection of the spirit. They invented spiritual exercises and ascetic practices which killed physical desires and dulled the body s senses. They regarded forests, mountains and other solitary places as ideal for spiritual development because the hustle and bustle of life would not interfere with their meditations. They could not conceive of spiritual development except through withdrawal from the world. This conflict of body and soul resulted in the evolution of two different ideals for the perfection of man. One was that man should be surrounded by all possible material comforts and regard himself as nothing but an animal. Men learnt to fly like birds, swim like fish, run like horses and even terrorize and destroy like wolves ¾ but they did not learn how to live like noble human beings. The other was that the senses should be not only subdued and conquered but extra-sensory powers awakened and the limitations of the sensory world done away with. With these new conquests men would be able to hear distant voices like powerful wireless sets, see remote objects as one does with a telescope, and develop powers through which the mere touch of their hand or a passing glance would heal the unhealable. The Islamic viewpoint differs radically from these approaches. According to Islam, Allah has appointed the human soul as His Khalifah (vicegerent) in this world. He has invested it with a certain authority, and given it certain responsibilities and obligations for the fulfillment of which He has endowed it with the best and most suitable physical frame. The body has been created with the sole object of allowing the soul to use it in the exercise of its authority and the fulfillment of its duties and responsibilities. The body is not a prison for the soul, but its workshop or factory; and if the soul is to grow and develop, it is only through this workshop. Consequently, this world is not a place of punishment in which the human soul unfortunately finds itself, but a field in which Allah has sent it to work and do its duty towards Him. So spiritual development should not take the form of a man turning away from this workshop and retreating into a corner. Rather, man should live and work in it, and give the best account of himself that he can. It is in the nature of an 153

154 examination for him; every aspect and sphere of life is, as it were, a question paper: the home, the family, the neighborhood, the society, the market-place, the office, the factory, the school, the law courts, the police station, the parliament, the peace conference and the battlefield, all represent question papers which man has been called upon to answer. If he leaves most of the answer-book blank, he is bound to fail the examination. Success and development are only possible if man devotes his whole life to this examination and attempts to answer all the question papers he can. Islam rejects and condemns the ascetic view of life, and proposes a set of methods and processes for the spiritual development of man, not outside this world but inside it. the real place for the growth of the spirit is in the midst of life and not in solitary places of spiritual hibernation. Condition of Spiritual Development We shall now discuss how Islam judges the development or decay of the soul. In his capacity as the vicegerent (Khalifah) of God, man is answerable to Him for all his activities. It is his duty to use all the powers which he has been given in accordance with the Divine will. He should utilize to the fullest extent all the faculties and potentialities bestowed upon him for seeking Allah s approval. In his dealings with other people he should behave in such a way as to try to please Allah. In brief, all his energies should be directed towards regulating the affairs of this world in the way in which Allah wants them to be regulated. The better a man does this, with a sense of responsibility, obedience and humility, and with the object of seeking the pleasure of the Lord, the nearer will he be to Allah. In Islam, spiritual development is synonymous with nearness to Allah. Similarly, he will not be able to get near to Allah if he is lazy and disobedient. And distance from Allah signifies, in Islam, the spiritual fall and decay of man. From the Islamic point of view, therefore, the sphere of activity of the religious man and the secular man is the same. Not only will both work in the same spheres; the religious man will work with greater enthusiasm than the secular man. The man of religion will be as active as the man of the world ¾ indeed, more active ¾ in his domestic and social life, which extends from the confines of the household to the market square, and even to international conferences. What will distinguish their actions will be the nature of their relationship with Allah and the aims behind their actions. Whatever a religious man does, will be done with the feeling that he is answerable to Allah, that he must try to secure Divine pleasure, that his actions must be in accordance with Allah s laws. A secular person will be indifferent towards Allah and will be guided in his actions only by his personal motives. This difference makes the whole of the material 154

155 life of a man of religion a totally spiritual venture, and the whole of the life of a secular person an existence devoid of the spark of spirituality. The Path to Spirituality The first necessity for progression along the path of spiritual development is MAN (faith). The mind and heart of a man should always be aware: Allah alone is His Master, Sovereign and Deity; seeking His pleasure is the aim of all his endeavors; and His commands alone are the commands that are to be obeyed. This should be a firm conviction, based not merely on the intellect, but also on acceptance by the will. The stronger and deeper this conviction, the more profound a man s faith will be. The second stage is that of obedience (it at), meaning that man gives up his independence and accepts subservience to Allah. This subservience is called slam (submission) in the language of the Qur an. Thus, man should not only acknowledge Allah as his Lord and Sovereign but should actually submit before Him and fashion his entire life in obedience to Him. The third stage is that of taqw~ (Allah-consciousness). It consists in a practical manifestation of one s faith in Allah in one s daily life. Taqw~ also means desisting from everything which Allah has forbidden or has disapproved of; man must be in a state of readiness to undertake all that Allah has commanded and to observe the distinctions between lawful and unlawful, right and wrong, and good and bad in life. The last and the highest stage is that of ihs~ n (godliness) It signifies that man has attained highest excellence in words, deeds and thoughts, identifying his will with the will of Allah and harmonizing it, to the best of his knowledge and ability, with the Divine will. He thus begins to like what is liked by the Lord and to dislike what He dislikes. Man should then not only avoid evil, for it displeases his Lord, but should use all his powers to eradicate it from the face of the earth; he should not be content with adorning himself with the good which Allah wants to flourish but should also strive to attain and propagate it in the world, even at the cost of his life. A man who reaches this stage attains the highest pinnacle of spirituality and is nearest to Allah. This path of spiritual development is not meant for individuals only but for communities and nations as well. Like individuals, a community, after passing through the various stages of spiritual elevation may reach the ultimate stage of ihs~n a state also, through all its administrative machinery, may become mu min (faithful), muslim (obedient), muttaq (God-conscious) and muhsin (godly). In fact, the ideals aimed at by Islam are fully achieved only when the whole 155

156 community accepts them and a muttaq and muhsin state comes into existence. The highest form of civilization, based on goodness, is then reached. Let us now look at the mechanism of spiritual training which Islam has laid down to prepare individuals and society for this process. The methods that Islam lays down for spiritual development rest, in addition, obviously, to faith (Im~ n), on five pillars. The first is the Prayer (Salat), which brings man into communion with Allah five times a day, reviving his remembrance, reiterating his fear, developing his love, reminding him of this Divine commands again, and thus preparing him for obedience to Allah. It is obligatory to offer some of these Prayers in Congregation as well so that the whole community and society may be prepared to journey on the path of spiritual development. The second is the Fast (Sawm), which for a full month every year trains each man individually, and the Muslim community as a whole, in righteousness and self-restraint,; it enables society, the rich and the poor alike, to experience hunger, and prepares people to undergo any hardships in their search to please Allah. The third is the Almsgiving (Zakat), which develops the sense of monetary sacrifice, sympathy and co-operation among Muslims. There are people who wrongly interpret Zakat as a tax; in fact, the spirit underlying Zakat is entirely different from that of a tax. The real meaning of Zakat is sublimity and purification. By using this word, Islam seeks to impress on man the fact that, inspired by a true love of Allah, the monetary help which he renders to his brethren will uplift and purify his soul. The fourth is the Pilgrimage (Hajj), which aims at fostering that universal brotherhood of the faithful which is based on the worship of Allah, and which results in a worldwide movement that has been responding to the call of Truth throughout the centuries and will, Allah willing, go on answering this call till eternity. The last is Jihad, that is, exerting oneself to the utmost to disseminate the word of Allah and to make it supreme, and to remove all the impediments to Islam ¾ through tongue or pen or sword. the aim is to live a life of dedication to the cause of Allah and, if necessary, to sacrifice one s life in the discharge of this mission. This is the highest spirituality, rooted in the real world, which Islam wants to cultivate. Life-affirmation based on goodness and piety, and not lifedenial, is what Islam stands for. And this lends a unique character to Islam. 156

157 The Believer s Journey through Spiritual Experiences In Islam, prayer and meditation are intertwined experiences, which bring you peace. A Muslims prays five times a day and these regular prayers, also known as Salah, is his or her connection to God. For a few minutes, several times a day, the world is left behind as we find tranquility in the loving presence of our Creator. Many devout Muslims aspire to spend more time in communion with their Lord. After the obligatory prayers, they spend their free time in spiritual practices like reciting the 99 divine names of God, Dua and reading Quran. As a Muslim who has had a chance to participate in many mindfulness sessions and travel on many spiritual paths, I wanted to share my experiences with you. I found in my journey that there are three stages of spirituality Mindfulness, Meditation, and finally, Realizing the Presence of Allah in our lives. Stage 1: Mindfulness One tool, which can be of great value in spiritual practice, is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a method of training your mind to make it less vulnerable to distractions. Mindfulness exercises are based on scientific research and are proven to relax your mind. Mindfulness encourages you to enjoy the present moment by paying attention to everything you do. As an example, if you are eating, you are encouraged to notice the taste of food and avoid other distractions like watching TV. With constant practice, these positive habits take root, and you are able to live life more fully aware of your blessings. As a quick test for mindfulness, ask your self this question What have I to be grateful for? It is proven, that by simply asking yourself this question, you can relax your mind immediately. This question immediately reminds you of many things, which God has given you today, which others don t have. Even being blessed with eyesight and the ability to hear is not given to everyone. Mindfulness lets you focus on the positive instead of focusing on the negative. Mindfulness exercises have been made very popular by new age spiritual practitioners. Many of the new-age spiritual teachers have interwoven mindfulness techniques in their own teachings. The appeal of modern spiritual teachers is so great since most of these practice sessions do not require you to comply with any static belief system or religious tradition. 157

158 However mindfulness can also be practiced within the context of Islam, since it s really training your mind to be quiet, using scientific principles. Bringing stillness to your mind, will allow you to concentrate in your Salah. Stillness, or quietude, is a part of the Islamic tradition. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) often used to spend time in his mountain retreat, in quiet contemplation. One blessed night, while he was engaged in meditation in the cave named Hira, all creation grew very still. In the midst of the stillness, the angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) spoke to him, and told him he was appointed as the messenger of God, the one who would bring Allah s message to the world. Spiritual masters say that only when you empty your mind of worldly noise can there be space for the divine. To cultivate mindfulness, the best tip is to avoid multi-tasking. Do one thing at a time. When walking, be aware of your surroundings, the smell of the earth and feel the fresh air on your skin. When eating, avoid reading, make a conscious effort to be present and enjoy the taste of food. Stage 2: Meditation Many people are a little wary when they hear the word meditation. Meditation is not a religion or spiritual practice. It is simply mental training, which recognizes the fact that our thoughts could drive our moods. Moods in turn affect your body directly. Have you noticed that when you are depressed you walk slowly or sit in a slumped forward position? When you remain depressed and slumped for long, your body starts throbbing, and eventually you get headache, or worse, chronic diseases start taking root. Meditation for Beginners: Focusing on Breath and Thoughts In meditation, as a beginner, you would allow your mind to relax by focusing on your breath. As thoughts arise in your mind, you observe these thoughts without getting attached to them or following them through. Imagine yourself as an outside spectator viewing your various thoughts arising in your mind. After a few minutes of sitting still, you will find that your wildly distracting thoughts gradually start dissolving into a calm stillness. Your mind is like water in a large lake, which can easily return to its natural calm state when you let the ripples created by external disturbances to dissolve. 158

159 At first meditation appears difficult. It s tedious to sit still for a long time. Our mind drifts. However I found that regular practice enhances our ability to enter the state of quiet more easily and quickly. Advanced Meditation: Focusing on Compassion and Kindness Meditation is not simply the act of observing your breath or controlling your thoughts. Advanced practitioners of meditation know that tranquility in meditation comes only from allowing our hearts to be full of loving-kindness for everyone around us. When we allow our hearts to fill up with loving kindness for all living beings around us, we feel a sense of deep peace. When we fill ourselves with pride, then we are apt to be easily hurt and angered by other people who do not pay us respect. It is only by making our ego to be zero, and consciously reminding ourselves to be compassionate even towards our enemies that we can feel a sense of peace. Meditation without a feeling of compassion simply becomes a transitory restful state not a spiritual journey. In your meditation practice remember to ask God to give you humility, and love for your fellow creatures. As you finish your meditation practice, beseech Him to shower His mercy and compassion on all His faithful servants. Stage 3: Realizing the Presence of Allah Mindfulness and meditation help to train our mind and bring tranquility in our prayers. However, making your mind quiet and the experience of happiness in this meditative state is only the first stage of your spiritual journey. It is only when our faith deepens through the blessings of God that we truly start on the mystical spiritual path. Islam Blends Asceticism with Community Life Islam makes the mystical spiritual path available to all. You do not have to be an ascetic in the forest to connect with Him. In Islam there is no separation of Deen (spirituality) and Duniya (world). In Islam the mystical blends with everyday life. The Sufi saints, the companions of the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and the prophet himself all lived in this world and worked in their community. 159

160 The Goal of Spiritualism from Islamic Viewpoint The pinnacle of spirituality is being able to connect with our Creator. This is what every spiritual master yearns for. Sufi saints spend their entire life in their quest to realize the presence of God in their daily life. How to Connect with Your Creator Islamic Daily Prayer for Muslims, salah, namazinstead of needing to follow esoteric rituals and secret exercises, every Muslim has available to him or her, an easy and clear way to connect with Allah. The daily prayers, Namaz, allow you to connect with Allah 5 times a day. In the Quran, Allah has promised us that He is closer to us than our jugular vein and is willing to listen when His faithful servant prays. Through His prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), He has taught us the right way to pray and invoke His blessings. As you pray with the conviction that Allah is listening to you, you will sense His grace and mercy. Many times when I have felt depressed and sad, a 2 rakat prayer instantly revives me. When everything seems to be going wrong, then Tawakkul trust in Allah gives me instant calm. And, reading Quran is such a beautiful way to remind us of His words. In Conclusion In my life I have explored many paths and religious practices. Every path at first glance promises salvation without requiring any effort on the part of wayfarer. However, I realize now that the path of Islam, which was taught to me as a kid, is the true path. It is only by His blessings that we can realize the truth and I constantly pray for God s help to deepen my faith and guide me on the right path. We are tempted to disregard the easy and clear path and we constantly yearn for something different. However as you practice the simple, clear path brought to us by the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), your faith will deepen and, if He wills, you will start feeling His presence in your daily life. An Intellectual Process What is spirituality? or rabbaniyat, to use the Quranic term. It is the elevation of the human condition to a plane on which the mind is focused on the higher, non-material realities of a godly existence. The opposite of spirituality is materialism, a course followed all too often in this world. One who takes this course, giving all the attention to worldly things, or to put it another way, who 160

161 centres attention on mere appearances, is regarded as being materialistic. Conversely, one who rises above material things or appearances, who finds a focus of interest in non-material things, is regarded as being spiritual or godly. The latter is one who obeys the injunction of the Quran: Be devoted servants of God (THE QURAN 3: 79) or, alternatively, O people, be godly servants of Allah. The pleasure to be derived from material things is limited in nature and very short-lived. Whereas spiritual pleasure may be eternally savoured. To understand what constitutes materialism, imagine that you come across a palatial house, or see an attractive car being driven along the street. If a strong desire is kindled within you to have such things in your possession; that is a clear indication that materialism is a major motivating factor in your life. One who sees the same things, but remains unaffected by the notions of luxury that they convey, and therefore feels no desire to acquire them, lives in a more rarefied sphere in which materialism plays no part. He sees no attraction in the lesser world of material appearances, being engrossed in the higher realities of the supremely spiritual life. The truly non-material person is never influenced by superficialities: his soul exists at too profound a level of spirituality. This is true, and without any exaggeration. Those who live for worldly pleasures believe that gratification cannot be had except from material things. But this thinking is due to sheer ignorance. Worldly pleasure being the only thing they have experienced, they imagine that for enjoyment they must depend solely on material things. Had they experienced spiritual pleasure, they would certainly have forgotten material pleasure. The pleasure to be derived from material things is limited in nature and very short-lived. Whereas spiritual pleasure may be eternally savoured. Eating tasty food certainly gives us a sense of enjoyment. But it is only when the experience of enjoyment results in an outpouring of thanksgiving to God that our pleasure knows no bounds. Travelling in a modern car is also enjoyable, but the pleasure which comes from a deep perception of reality, i.e. the apprehension of the indescribably unique power of God as manifested in the world in the form of cars, aeroplanes and all the other modern amenities created for man s comfort is far superior to that which one experiences while travelling in a luxurious automobile. The materialistic person can find pleasure only in something which he or she actually experiences. But the spiritual person lives on a higher plane. For him, even seeing things in another s possession occasions an outpouring from the innermost recesses of his heart of his gratefulness to God. Another s material 161

162 pleasure transforms itself into a spiritual pleasure for him as well. A materially minded person sees only the creation, while a spiritually-inclined person sees the splendour of the Creator through the creation. And it is obvious that the spiritual riches accruing from the discovery of the Creator cannot be gained in the discovery of mere objects of creation. Furthermore, in the spiritual world there is no great difference between comfort and deprivation. What one gains from experiences of material pleasure is of far less value than what one gains from experiences of deprivation. The tears of pain flowing from an aching heart gives far greater satisfaction than the laughter of happiness due to material gain. The greatest source of pleasure is in the remembrance of God. It is this reality which finds expression in the following verse of the Quran: It is only in the remembrance of God that hearts are comforted. (THE QURAN 13: 28) Those who live for worldly pleasures believe that gratification cannot be had except from material things. Here comfort means not just the temporary solace to be found in everyday convenience, but the real comfort with its implications of peace of mind that can stem only from God Almighty. Man by nature is an idealistic creature. Anything short of ideal can attract only fitful attention from him, whereas true and lasting comfort can be achieved only through the Perfect Being.' Existing at the level of materialism is like descending into animality. Materialism is, in other words, a form of shallowness. The real man is one who discovers the secret of living on the elevated plane of spirituality. If materialism is to live a life of limitations, spirituality is to live in limitlessness. The Universe A Source of Divine Inspiration The universe has been fashioned by God in a way that it may become a source of spiritual inspiration for man. According to the Quran, it is the quality of tawassum (THE QURAN 15: 75) that enables one to find inspiration in the universe. What is tawassum? It is the ability to understand the signs of nature. That is, to observe the phenomena of the universe in order to draw lessons from them and receive spiritual nourishment from physical events. Tawassum is, in a sense, a matter of conversion, on a parallel with grass entering the body of the cow and through a natural process being transformed into milk. Similarly, the truly religious person is like a divine industry. He is able to convert physical events into spiritual lessons. He extracts spiritual nourishment from material things. Spirituality is the direct result of the kind of intellectual 162

163 development that takes place when a believer ponders over the Creator and His creation. The distinguishing feature of the wise people described in the Quran is that, they continuously derive such sustenance from their environment, thus maintaining their intellectual and spiritual well-being. This is elaborated upon in the Quran as follows: In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are signs for men of understanding; those that remember God when standing, sitting, and lying down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (saying): Lord, You have not created these in vain. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the fire, Lord. (THE QURAN 3: 191) A Personal Experience Maulana Wahiduddin Khan It was Thursday morning, 17th June I was in Manchester, England, staying in the house of an Arab Brother Alaref Ahmad. While I was Spirit of Islam Issue 26 February sitting in my room on the upper floor, I heard a gentle knock on the door. When I opened it, I found a child of about five years of age. It was Qanita, the first-born daughter of Brother Alaref. She asked in all innocence and gentleness, Do you need anything? (turidu haja). Perhaps it was her mother who had sent her, and although this was a simple question, I was quite overwhelmed by this innocent voice; to the extent that I could not utter a single word in reply. This was a normal incident, but in my mind, it became transformed into a supra-normal event. Children are like the flowers of God and little angels. I felt as if God Himself had sent me an angel to discover and meet my needs. At this moment, a famous Hadith (words and sayings of Prophet) came to mind: Your Lord descends to this worldly haven every day, looks at His servants and says, Is there anyone who has a need and asks Me, that I may give it to him? (Muslim). Do you need anything? was a short question that came from an innocent soul, but it was enough to cause a great revolution in my inner being. For a while, I felt that I could see the whole of the Universe on the screen of my mind. This was a great spiritual experience which could not be expressed in human words. In the beginning, it seemed as though God, through a little angel, was saying, O my servant, do you need anything? Then, the matter extended to include the whole Universe with its Heaven and its Earth. 163

164 In fact, it was only a little girl at the door of my room, asking, Do you need anything? but in its extended sense, it was as if the whole Universe was asking the very same question. The vast Heaven was saying, Do you need shelter? Here I am to provide you with one, because God has ordered me to do so. The gleaming sun was saying, Do you need light? I am here to supply it and transform your darkness into light. The majestic mountains were announcing, Would you like to be on the highest level in all humanity? I am here at your service to help you attain that high position. The flowing water in the river-beds was murmuring, Do you want to have a spiritual bath to purify your soul? I am here to offer you that. And the gusting wind was asking, Do you want to tour the Universe to see the wondrous signs of God? Here is my back for you to ride on to embark on such a Divine journey. The trees were whispering, Would you like to have a personality as radiant as ours? We are here to make your wish a reality. The fruits on their branches and the crops in their husks were declaring, If you crave nourishment for your intellectual and spiritual life, we are here to provide you with it. While this reel was playing in my mind, I heard birds chirping, O servant of God! Here is good news for you: If you have a need, then God has made the whole Universe to serve your needs. God is so generous that He has created the whole of the Universe to be at your service, day and night. In addition to this, if you show thankfulness to God, He will give you what is greater than all of this Eternal Paradise in which there will be...neither fear nor grievance (THE QURAN 6: 48). The truly non-material person is never influenced by superficialities. Then, the following Quranic verse came to mind: And He gave you all that you asked for (THE QURAN 14: 34). This means that whatever is needed for Man to live a good life on this Earth has been prepared in advance by God, directly and indirectly. Horses, for instance, were directly created; whereas aeroplanes were provided indirectly. The travelling of the voice through the air is an example of a direct provision, while its transmission by means of electronic equipment is a form of an indirect provision. Perhaps, this is what is meant by the following Quranic verse: And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride, and as an adornment. And He has created (other) things which are beyond your knowledge (THE QURAN 16: 8). 164

165 Endless Blessings of God God Almighty says, O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you. And be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship (THE QURAN 2: 172). This means that God Almighty has created everything, imaginable and unimaginable; great and small, in the most perfect form. Then, He entrusted all of these to man as gifts for his use. The only price to be paid for these endless blessings is thankfulness; it is Man s recognition, from the depths of his heart, that God is the Giver and Man the receiver. The Quran mentions as examples of God s beneficiaries the people of Saba. God Almighty gave them a sign in the, two Gardens to the right Spirit of Islam Issue 26 February hand and to the left; (and it was said to them): Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him: fair is your land and Oft- Forgiving is your Lord (THE QURAN 34: 15). This means that if Man pays the price that is, gratitude then not only will he be allowed to avail of these blessings, but more importantly, he will also be rewarded with eternal Paradise, which is a perfect version of this present imperfect world of God. God Almighty bestowed upon Man all these material things which man needs if he is to live a good life on this Earth. All these things are silently conveying the following message: O Man! Are you seeking something greater than all this? Do you want spiritual peace in addition to material peace? Do you want a world of perfection after this imperfect world? Would you like to taste the blessings of God in the world of eternity after you have tasted them in this ephemeral world? Do you wish to have all these comforts as a blessing in the world to come, after you have had them as a trial in this transient world? Would you like to realize your full potential after experiencing the limitation of your capacities in this present world? If materialism is to live a life of limitations, spirituality is to live in limitlessness. God created a perfect and complete world as an eternal abode for Man. Then, He wanted to know who was worthy of inhabiting that eternal world. For this purpose, He created the time-bound and imperfect abode in which we are now living. This life, therefore, is only a test. Man is constantly under the observation of his Lord. With every utterance and movement, Man is writing his own eternal destiny. One who, during his pre-death period proves himself through his conduct deserving of that world will, in his post-death period, be rewarded with admission into it. Others, however, will be flung into the Universal junkyard, that is Hell, condemned for all eternity. So, they will lose both worlds, the present incomplete world as well as the next, perfect and everlasting world. 165

166 God has revealed Himself in two books the Quran and the Universe. The Quran is a literal version of God's word, while the Universe, or nature, is a practical demonstration of it. These two are the basic sources of spiritual inspiration for a man who seeks to live a life according to the divine scheme. This dual source of divine inspiration is mentioned in the Quran in the following verse: God is He who raised the Heavens without visible supports, then He ascended the Throne. He has compelled the sun and the moon to be of service, each pursuing an appointed course; He controls the affairs (of the Universe); He makes plain His revelations, so that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord (THE QURAN 13: 2). So, the Quran is like a guidebook. It prepares the mind so that one may properly understand the Universe and live in it as desired by God. Hence, a momin (true believer) has precisely that kind of prepared mind. When he sees the Universe with its various parts functioning in an absolutely coherent manner, he will spontaneously say: There is no god but the one God! and when he examines it, he will find that there are so many complex happenings in its vastness. Nevertheless, he finds that every part of the universe is highly predictable. With this discovery, he realizes that it is as if God was suggesting that he himself should have a predictable character. When he observes that the various parts of the Universe function with absolute harmony, he realises that, in like manner, he should live in complete harmony with society; without hatred or malice towards anyone. When he sees the events of the universe always proceeding towards a meaningful result, he realises that man s life, too, must have a meaningful end. Thus he exclaims: O our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose. Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the torment of Hellfire! (THE QURAN 3: 191). The signs of God lie hidden all around us in the very creation of the universe. In brief, the universe is a manifestation of the Attributes of Almighty God. Hence, it is a source of spiritual nourishment for those who want to lead a divine life on earth. For them, the entire universe becomes a great means of their reaching spiritual perfection. This spiritual development continues incessantly throughout their earthly life. As the ultimate result of this life-long developmental process, they attain that degree of spirituality which the Quran calls the Rabbani soul. It is such as these who, in the life Hereafter, will be told by their most compassionate Lord: Dwell in Paradise; you shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve. (THE QURAN 7: 49) There is nothing mysterious about spirituality in Islam. It is the direct result of the kind of intellectual development that takes place when a believer ponders 166

167 over the Creator and His creation: he gains something in the process that may be termed spirituality. The source, therefore, of Islamic spirituality is perusal and reflection rather than any sort of mysterious exercise. That is why the Quran rejects asceticism (monasticism), referring to it as a bida a (innovation) in religion which God did not prescribe for people. (THE QURAN 57: 27) From the Quran we learn that, in the very creation of the universe, the signs of God lie hidden all around us. A person who is in a state of keen awareness when he reflects upon the things of the world comes to see the Creator in the creatures. The meaning of the creation of the Universe is laid bare before him. Ultimately, the universe becomes a permanent source of spiritual inspiration. He is continuously nourished by it during his worldly experience, and his observation of the universe awakens in him latent divine qualities. The result of this observation and contemplation of the universe does not result in his shunning normal life. Far from withdrawing from the world, he lives in it, participating in all its activities; yet despite his involvement, he remains aloof. That is to say, although he fulfils all his duties and responsibilities, his heart is not attached to worldly affairs. He appears to live in the world, but he stands apart from it. Thanks to this state of his heart, he acquires tremendous spiritual gains. Prophet Muhammad, says of such individuals: God plants wisdom in the heart of one who shows disinclination for the world. There is life for man in spirituality: this is indeed the real life for man. Islamic Contemplative Living and Mysticism The true Islamic concept of spiritualism is based on the concept of dualism or the duality of reality that the Creator and the creature are completely separate from one another. God, according to this concept, has a real and eternal existence based on tawheed or monotheism. According to monotheism, God is One and has no partner. He created all things and has complete control over the universe. As the Creator of all things, He is distinct from all He has created. His creatures, in their seemingly independent existence, totally depend upon the will of God. The sole possessor of all power, God has created man to live for a specific period of time, during which he is sent into this world to be tested. It is this concept of the Creator as totally distinct from the creature, which sets the Semitic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam apart from the Aryan religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism in which God is a symbol, not a reality. God in Islam is a real and independent personality. Man should serve Him and submit to Him alone. Though He cannot be seen, He is so close to man 167

168 that He hears and answers him when he calls upon Him. He is alive and selfsustaining, self-perpetuating. He has knowledge and takes decisions. He rewards and punishes. According to the Islamic concept of spirituality or Rabbaniyat, the target of the spiritual quest of man is that the creature man has to discover and realize God his Creator, to whom he is accountable, and make contact with Him through the process of contemplation or tafakkur or tadabbur or tawassum as mentioned in the Quran. That is to say that God is the treasure house of all virtues. And when man s contact with God is established, through contemplation, in the world of his feelings, at the psychological level, an unseen, inner revolution is brought about which is called rabbaniyat or spirituality. In this matter the relationship between God and man can be likened to an electric wire and the powerhouse. When the wire is connected to the powerhouse, electricity is produced, and the place is lit up. In this way, light is the result of the wire s connection to the powerhouse of God. Human nature is like an inflammable element. When an inflammable element like petrol comes near fire, it is ignited. Similarly, human nature is awakened when it comes in contact with God. This finds expression in the Quran in these words: God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The metaphor of His light is that of a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, the glass like a brilliant star, lit by a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire did not touch it. Light upon light! God guides to His light whom He wills. And God sets forth parables to men, and God has knowledge of all things. (24:35) This is a compound simile. Light here means the guidance of Almighty, niche means the human mind and lamp denotes the capability to receive divine inspiration. Glass and oil elaborate upon this receptivity. Glass shows that this receptivity has been lodged in the human mind; protected from outside influences, and clear oil indicates that this receptivity is very strong and is eagerly waiting to receive inspiration. This verse makes it clear that, on the one hand, is God, the source of inspiration, and on the other, is the consciousness of spirituality (God-consciousness) with which man is born. In this way when these two things come together, Islamic spirituality or Rabbaniyat comes into existence. This is indeed another name for the awakening of God-consciousness. When it reaches its highest stage the believer s realisation of God comes to that point where he begins to feel consciously in his worship that he is seeing God and that if he is not seeing God, 168

169 God is seeing him. If the first type of experience is called direct spiritual experience, the second-type may be termed indirect spiritual experience. As the Quran tells us, Prostrate yourself and draw near. (96:19) For God is always close to us closer than the lifeblood in the jugular vein (50:16). By total surrender to God, the soul can realise nearness to God. Similarly, according to this hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), Worship God as if you are seeing him (Sahih Al-Bukhari). When man engages himself in true devotion, he is linked with God at a sensory or psychological level. He comes close to God. Through an invisible cord he comes in contact with God, God s light passes through him. His entire existence comes to be pervaded by this indescribable feeling, which is called spiritual experience. This is called Rabbaniyat in the Quran (Be people of the Lord). 3:79 Rabbani means one whose thinking, and whose actions are God-oriented, who has placed God at the centre of his attention. When an individual attains spirituality, his state becomes like a lamp lit all of a sudden. He undergoes spiritual experiences. His mind becomes an ocean of spiritual waves. He appears to live in this world, but he has found another far superior world for himself. These spiritual experiences cannot be explained in words. Everything in the universe seems to convey to him a divine message. To receive this divine message, man must undertake what Quran refers to as Tawassum. Tawassum is the ability to observe and contemplate (tafakkur or tadabbur) on the phenomena of the universe. This is done with the objective of drawing lessons and thereby receiving spiritual nourishment from them. In this way, the leaves of the tree become a thrilling experience for him. A waft of air gives him the message of truth. He can hear divine music in the waves of the river and the chirping of the birds. Thus the entire universe becomes a storehouse of spirituality. One, therefore, does not have to go away from the world to receive spirituality. Through the process of tawassum, man can live in the world and continuously receive spiritual inspiration from it. Due to his high state of receptivity, he reaches the stage where the wavelength of God and man becomes one. And he is enabled, in the words of the Prophet: to see with God s eye, to speak with God s tongue, to walk with God s foot, to hear with the ear of God. Then all limitations vanish and his day and night are spent in God s neighbourhood. All this can be felt, not described in words. This can be explained with the example of a child who has limitless love for his mother. He knows it himself in the full sense but he cannot fully describe it in words. The same is true of spirituality. 169

170 When a person is linked with the source of spirituality the Creator of the universe, he undergoes such spiritual experiences as he himself fully understands, but has difficulty in conveying to others. He may describe some external signs but he cannot describe inner reality. Therefore, the philosophy of spirituality according to Islam is explicitly that of the duality of reality or monotheism and in it man s quest is to discover reality God through the process of contemplation (tafakkur and tadabbur) and to make contact with Him to receive spirituality or rabbaniyat from Him so that he can live a God-oriented life. The Primary Obligation of the Muslim Summary on 'Ibadat according to the School of Imam Malik Primary Obligations 1. To have sound faith. 2. To know how to properly carry out individual obligations, like the judgements regarding the prayer, purification and fasting. 3. To observe the limits (hudud) imposed by Allah, and hold to His commands and prohibitions and turn in repentance to Allah All-Glorious before He becomes angry. The preconditions for repentance are: 1. Regret for what you did. 2. The intention not to revert to the wrong action for the rest of your life. 3. To stop the act of disobedience immediately if one is actually doing it. It is not lawful for him to put off repentance or say, "I will repent when Allah guides me." That is a sign of misery, abandonment by Allah and lack of insight. 4. To guard the tongue against obscene language and ugly words, and swearing by divorce (e.g. "If I do not, I will divorce my wife") 5. To avoid putting down another Muslim, treating him with contempt, cursing him, or frightening him without a legitimate reason. 170

171 6. To guard his eyes against looking at what is unlawful. It is not lawful for him look at a Muslim with a glance which hurts him unless he is impious in which case he should shun him. 7. He must preserve all of his limbs as much as possible from blameworthy actions. 8. He must love for Allah and hate for Him, and be pleased for Him and angry for Him, and he must command the correct and forbid the objectionable. Unlawful Matters: 1. It is unlawful for him to lie, to slander, carry tales, be arrogant, be proud, show off for the sake of appearance and reputation, to envy, to hate, to see one oneself as better than others, to fault find, to backbite, to mock, or to ridicule. 2. It is unlawful to commit fornication or to look with lust at a woman to him he is not married and take pleasure in her words; or to consume the property of people without their consent; or to receive money in exchange for intercession or because of a debt; or delaying the prayer until its time has past. 3. It is not lawful for him to keep the company of a deviant (fasiq ) or to sit with him without necessity. 4. He should not seek to please creatures at the price of the incurring the anger of the Creator. Allah Almighty says, "It would be more fitting for them to please Allah and His Messenger if they are believers."(9:62) The Prophet, peace be upon him said, "There is no obedience owed to a creature when it involves disobedience of the Creator." 5. It is not lawful for him to do an action until he knows what Allah's judgement is in it. He should ask the people of knowledge and imitate those whose who follow the Sunna of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who direct people to how to obey Allah and warn against following Shaytan. 6. He should not be content to allow himself to do what the spiritually bankrupt are content to do those who waste their lives obeying other than Allah Almighty. What regret they will suffer! How long they will weep on the Day of Resurrection! We ask Allah Almighty to give us success in following the Sunna of our Prophet, intercessor and master, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 171

172 Purification (complementary comments, see beginning of EBook) There are two categories of purification: 1. Purification from ritual impurity. 2. Purification from filth. Both forms of purification are only valid with pure and purifying water. It is water whose colour, taste or smell has not been altered by something which is normally separate from it, like oil, ghee, all grease, dung, soap, filth and other things. There is no harm in earth, mud, salty earth, and the like. Removing Impurity When there is impurity on a particular place, then that place must be washed. If it is unclear where the impurity is, then the entire garment should be washed. Is someone is unsure whether impurity has touched the garment, he should sprinkle water on it. If something gets on someone and he is unsure about whether or not it is impure, he does not sprinkle water on it. If someone remembers an impurity on him while he is praying, he should stop the prayer unless he fears that he will miss the time. If someone prays with the impurity out of forgetfulness and then remembers after the salam, he should repeat the prayer if it is still within the time. Wudu' (Minor Ablution) The Seven Obligatory Elements of Wudu': 1. The Intention 2. Washing the face 3. Washing the hands to the elbows 4. Wiping the head 5. Washing the feet to the ankles 6. Rubbing the limbs 7. Continuity The Sunnas of Wudu': 1. Washing the hands to the wrists at the beginning of wudu' 2. Rinsing the mouth 3. Snuffing water up the nose 4. Blowing it out 172

173 5. Repeating the wiping of the head 6. Wiping the ears 7. Using fresh water for the ears 8. The correct order of the obligatory elements If someone forgets an obligatory element and remembers it soon afterwards he should do it and re-do the rest of wudu' after it. If a long time has passed, then he performs only that element and repeats any prayers he has done before it. If he omits a sunna he performs that missing part of wudu' but does not repeat the prayer. If someone omits something insignificant, he washes it alone while making an intention to do so. If he prayed before that, then he repeats the prayer. If someone remembers that he forgot to rinse his mouth and snuff water up the nose after he has started to wash the face, he should not go back and do them until he finishes wudu'. Its Meritorious Elements are: 1. The basmala 2. Using the siwak (the tooth-stick) 3. Wiping the face and hands three times 4. Wiping the head beginning with the forehead 5. The correct order of the sunnas 6. Using small quantities of water 7. Starting with the right before the left He must put water between his fingers and it is recommended to put it between the toes. He must make water penetrate the thin beard in wudu', but not the thick beard. He must make water penetrate the beard in ghusl, even if it is thick. Things that break Wudu' Breaking wudu' can ensue from ritual impurity or actual causes. Things that ritually break wudu': 1. Urine 2. Defecation 173

174 3. Breaking wind 4. Emission of prostatic fluid and genital discharge. Actual Causes: 1. Heavy sleep 2. Unconsciousness 3. Intoxication 4. Insanity 5. A lustful kiss 6. Touching a member of the opposite sex if pleasure is either intended or experienced 7. Touching the penis with the inside of the palm or the inside of the fingers. If someone is unsure about having broken wudu' he must perform wudu' unless it is a whispering originating from Shaytan in which he case he does not have to do anything. He must wash the entire penis of prostatic fluid, but not the testicles. Prostratic fluid is the liquid which is produced by thought, look or something else. Things forbidden by lack of wudu' It is not lawful for someone who is not in wudu' to pray, perform tawaf of the Ka'ba, touch a copy of the Qur'an or its cover either with his hand or a stick or the like although there is an allowance for someone who is learning it. The tablet of the Qur'an is not touched without wudu' except in the case of the teacher or when a teacher needs to correct it. The rule for a child touching the Qur'an is the same as the adult. The sin belongs to the one who hands it to the child not in wudu'. Wheover prays deliberately without wudu' is an unbeliever - may Allah preserve us! Ghusl (Major Ablution) Ghusl is obliged on account of three things; janaba, menstruation and lochia. There are two categories of janaba: 1. Arising from the emission of sperm with normal pleasure while asleep or awake, by intercourse or any other reason. 174

175 2. Arising from the disappearance of the glans of the penis in the vagina. Whoever dreams that he is having intercourse but no sperm issues from him owes nothing. Whoever finds dry sperm on his garment and does not know how it got there should perform a ghusl and repeat any prayers he has done since the last time he slept. The obligatory elements of ghusl: 1. The intention at the beginning. 2. Continuity 3. Rubbing Its Sunnas: 4. Washing the entire body 1. Washing the hands to the wrists as in wudu' 2. Rinsing the mouth 3. Snuffing water up and blowing it out, 4. Washing the inner parts of the ears. As for the lower lobes of the ears, it is obligatory to wash the front and back of them. Its meriorious elements: 1. Beginning by washing away the impurity, and then the penis and he making the intention. 2. Then washing the limbs of wudu' one by one and then the upper part of his body 3. Washing the head three times 4. Doing the right side first 5. Using a minimum quantity of water. Anyone forgets to wash a small area or a limb in his ghusl, should wash it when he remembers, even after a month has passed, and repeat what he prayed before then. If he delays after he remembers it, his ghusl is invalid. If it is one of the limbs of wudu' and it happens to be washed in wudu' that is enough. What is not permitted for someone in janaba It is not permitted for someone in janaba to enter the mosque or recite the Qur'an except for an ayat or the like for seeking protection, supplication or the like. 175

176 It is not permitted for the one who cannot use cold water to go to his wife (for intercourse) until he has prepared the vessel with warm water. If he has a wet dream, that is not his fault. Tayammum The traveller can do tayammum when the journey is not for the sake of doing something which entails disobeying Allah, and the sick person can do it for the fard (obligatory) or nafila (voluntary) prayers. The healthy person can do tayammum for the fard prayer if he fears he will miss the time. The healthy person who is not travelling cannot do tayammum for a nafila prayer, Jumu'a, or a funeral prayer unless the funeral prayer is a specific duty for him. The Obligatory Elements of Tayammum: 1. The Intention 2. Pure earth 3. Wiping the face 4. Wiping the hands to the wrists 5. Striking the ground once 6. Immediacy 7. The arrival of the time of the prayer 8. Doing it directly before the prayer. The word for earth, "sa'id" means earth and sand itself, as well as sun-dried bricks, stones, snow, dirt which has been moved from its original place and the like. It is not permitted to perform tayammum on whitewashed (or painted) walls, mats, wood, grass and the like. There is an allowance for the sick person a stone or sun-dried brick wall if he cannot get anything else. Its sunnas: 1. Striking the earth again for the hands 2. Wiping between the wrists and elbows 3. The correct order. Its Meritorious Elements: 1. The basmala 2. Doing the right before the left 176

177 3. Doing the outside of the arm before the inside 4. Doing the front before the end. What invalidates Tayammum: The same things that break wudu' invalidate tayammum. You cannot pray two fard prayers with the same tayammum. If you do tayammum for a fard prayer, you are permitted to do the nafilas after it, touch the copy of the Qur'an, perform tawaf, or recite, if you intended that and it is directly connected to the prayer and the time of the prayer has not gone. Tayammum for nafila permits all that was mentioned above except the fard prayer. If someone prays the 'Isha' prayer with tayammum, he should get up to pray the Shaf' and witr without delay. If someone does tayammum when he is in janaba, he must make such an intention specific. Menstruation Women are are in three categories in this: 1. Beginning menstruation 2. Having regular periods 3. Pregnant. The maximum of length a woman beginning menstruation is 15 days. For the woman with a regular period, it is her normal period plus three days more as long as that does not exceed 15 days. For a pregnant woman, the maximum is 15 days when she is more than three months and less than six months. After six months, it is twenty days. If the bleedings stops, she puts her days together until she completes her normal period. [nb. The rules regarding irregular periods vary greater from one jurist to another. The minimum period of purity between periods is fifteen days.] It is not lawful for a menstruating woman to pray, fast do tawaf, touch the Qur'an or enter the mosque. She must make up the fast but not the prayers. Her recitation is permitted. Her vagina is not permitted for her husband nor what is between her waist and knees until she has had a ghusl. 177

178 Lochia (Bleeding after Childbirth) Lochia is like menstruation in what it prohibits. Its maximum length is 60 days. If the blood ends before it, even a day after childbirth, then she has a ghusl and prays. If the bleeding resumes, and there is 15 days or more between them, then the second is menstruation. Otherwise, it is added to the first, and is part of lochia. Times of Prayer The Prayer The preferred (ikhtiyari) time for Dhuhr is from the time the sun begins to decline until the shadow of an object is equal to its length. The preferred (ikhtiyari) time for 'Asr is from the end of the time of Dhuhr to the yellowing of the sun, The time (daruri) in which the must be done of Dhuhr and 'Asr extends until sunset. The preferred (ikhtiyari) time for Maghrib is the length of time it takes to pray it after its preconditions have been met. The preferred (ikhtiyari) time for 'Isha' is from the disappearance of twilight to the end of the first third of the night. Its daruri time lasts until dawn. The preferred (ikhtiyari) time for Subh is from dawn until the first brightening, and its daruri time is until sunrise. 178

179 Performing a prayer outside these times is considered to be making it up. Whoever delays the prayer until its time has gone has committed a grave wrong action unless it was due to forgetfuless or because he was asleep. There are times when no nafila prayers are performed: 1. After the Subh prayer until the sun is high 2. After the ]Asr prayer until the Maghrib prayer 3. After the rising of dawn except for the witr if someone has slept without praying it 4. When the Imam of the Jumu'a sits on the minbar 5. After Jumu'a until he leaves the mosque. The Preconditions of the Prayer 1. Purity from ritual impurity 2. Purity from impurities on the body, clothes and place 3. Covering the private parts 4. Facing qibla 5. Not talking 6. Avoidance of extra movements The nakedness of a man is considered to be what between the navel and knees. All of a woman is considered to be a private part except the face and palms. It is disliked to pray in drawers unless there is something over them. If someone has an impure garment and cannot find another and cannot find water with which wash it with or does not have anything to wear when he washes it and fears to miss the time, he prays with the impurity. It is not permitted to delay the prayer for want of purity. Whoever does that disobeys his Lord. If someone does not find anything to cover his nakedness, he prays naked. If someone makes a mistake about the direction of the qibla, he repeats the prayer within the time. Every repetition within the time is meritorious. All the prayers can be repeated in the time, but so he does not repeat them missed prayers and the nafila. The Obligatory Elements of the Prayer 1. The intention for the specific prayer 179

180 2. The takbir al-ihram 3. Standing for it 4. The Fatiha 5. Standing during it 6. Ruku' (bowing) 7. Rising from it 8. Prostration on the brow 9. Rising from it 10. Correct proportion between the elements 11. Stillness in the positions 12. The correct order between the obligatory elements 13. The salam 14. The final sitting which accompanies it The precondition of the intention 1. That it accompanies the takbir al-ihram. The sunnas of the prayer 1. Standing 2. The sura after the Fatiha 3. Standing during it 4. Reciting silently in what is silent 5. Reciting outloud in what is outloud 6. Saying "Sami'allahu liman hamidah" 7. Every takbir is sunna except the first 8-9. The two shahadas 10. Putting the Fatiha before the sura 11. The second taslim and (a third for the Imam) 12. Saying the obligatory taslim aloud 13. The prayer on the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 180

181 14. Prostration on the nose, the palms, knees and ends of the toes 15. The sutra for other than the one following a Imam (its minimum is the thickness of a spear and the length of a forearm, pure and firm and not distracting. (The sutra is something which you put in front of you when performing the prayer) Its meritorious parts: 1. Raising the hands in the takbir al-ihram level with the ears 2. The words of the follower and the one praying alone, "Rabbana wa' laka'l-hamd" 3. The amen after the Fatiha for the one alone and the follower, but the imam only says it in the silent recitation 4. Saying "Subhanallah" in the ruku'. 5. The du'a (supplication) in the prostation 6. Long recitation in Subh, a similar length in Dhuhr, it shorter in 'Asr and Maghrib and medium length in 'Isha'. 7. The first sura should be before the second in the Qur'an and longer than it 8. The known form of ruku', prostration and sitting 9. Saying the qunut supplication silently before ruku' 10. The du'a after the second tashahhud. 11. The second tashahhud should be longer than the first 12. The salam said to the right side 14. The finger being moved during the tashahhud Disliked things in the prayer: 1. It is disliked to look about in the prayer 2. To close the eyes 3. Say the basmala or the seeking refuge in the fard prayer, but they are permitted in the nafila 4. To stand on one foot unless someoneis standing for a long time 5. To put the feet right together 181

182 6. To put a dirham or something else in his mouth, and all that would distract him in his pocket, sleeve or on his back 7. To think about worldly things and all that would distract him from humility in the prayer. The Greatness of Prayer The prayer has an immense light which by which the hearts of those who pray shine, and is only obtained by those who fear Allah. When you go to the prayer, you should empty your heart of this world and what is contains and occupy yourself with watchfulness of our Master for whose sake you pray. Believe that the prayer is humbleness and humility to the Allah by standing, bowing, prostating, respect and esteem for Him by the takbir, glorification and dhikr. Guard your prayer. It is the greatest of acts of worship. Do not abandon it. Shaytan will try to play with your heart and distract you from your prayer until your heart is obliterated and so deprive you of the pleasure of the lights of the prayer. You must continue to be humble in it. It prevents abomination and the disliked because of humility in it. Seek help with Allah, the Best of those whose help is sought. The obligatory prayer has seven manners of performance which are ranked in four, four are obligatory and three are recommended. The four obligatory manners are: 1. Standing without support 2. Standing with support 3. Sitting without support 4. Sitting with support. The order in these four in obligation is such that when someone is able to pray in one manner and then prays in a lesser manner, his prayer is invalid. The three which are recommended are for someone who is unable to do pray in one of the first four: 1. On the right side 2. On the left, side 3. On his back. 182

183 If he prays one rather than another, his prayer is not invalid. The support which invalidates the prayer of the one who is able to dispense with it is such that he would fall if it fell. If he would not fall with it, then it is disliked. As for the nafila, it is permitted for the one who is able to stand to pray it sitting, but he has half the reward of the one standing, and it is permitted to begin it sitting and then stand afterwards, or to begin it standing and then sit after that unless he begins with the intention of standing in it in which case he is forbidden to sit after that. Making up Prayers Prayers owed must be made up, and it is not lawful to neglect them. Someone who does the prayers for five days in one day is not negligent. He makes up what he missed. If the prayer was while he was resident, he makes it up as a resident prayer. If it was a travel prayer he makes it up as a travel prayer, whether the time when, at the time he makes it up, he is resident or on a journey. The order between two current prayers is obligatory as it is between a few missed prayers when he remembers. A little means four prayers or less. If someone owes four or less prayers, he prays them before the present prayer even if he misses its time. He is permitted to make up prayers at any time. He does do not nafila for what is made up, or the Duha prayer, or Ramadan night prayers. He is only permitted the Shaf' and Witr, Fajr, the two' ids, the eclipse prayer and the rain prayer. It is permitted for the one who must make up prayers to pray in a group prayer if their lines have formed. If anyone forgets the number he must make up prays a number so that there is no doubt after it. On Forgetfulness Prostration on account of forgetfulness in the prayer is sunna. For something left out, there are two prostrations before the salam after the tashahuhd, and there is another tashahhud after it. For something added, there are two prostrations after the salam, with a tashahhud after them and then another salam. Whoever both adds and leaves something out prostrates before the salam. If someone forgets the prostration before the salam until he has already said the salam, he prostates if it is soon afterwards. If it is a long time afterwards or he 183

184 has left the mosque, the prostration is invalid and the prayer is also invalid it if it was on account of three or more sunnas. Otherwise it is not invalid. If someone forgets the prostration done after the salam, he does it, even a year later. If someone omits an obligatory part, the prostration is not adequate for its omission. There is no prostration in account of omitting a meritorious part of the prayer. There is no prostration before the salam except for the omission of two or more sunnas. If it is a single sunna, there is no prostration for it except for reciting silent or outloud. If someone does the outloud prayer silently, he prostates before the salam, and if someone does the silent prayer outloud, he prostrates after the salam. If someone speaks inadvertantly he prostrates after the salam. If someone says the salam inadvertantly after two rak'ats, he prostrates after the salam. If someone adds one or two rak'ats to the prayer, he prostrates after the salam. If someone doubles the number of rak'ats in the prayer, the prayer is invalid. If someone is unsure about finishing the prayer, he does what he is unsure about. Doubt about omission should be resolved. If someone is unsure about having done a rak'at or a prostration, he does that and prostrates after the salam. If someone is unsure about the salam, he says the salam if it is soon afterwards and owes no prostration. If it is has been a long time, his prayer is invalid. Someone subject to whisperings ignores the whispering and does not perform what he is unsure about, but he prostates after the salam whether he is unsure about adding or omitting. If someone does the qunut aloud, he does not prostrate for it, but it is disliked to do it deliberately. If someone adds a sura in the last two rak'ats, he does not prostate for it. If someone hears Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned while he is praying and says the prayer on him, he owes nothing, whether it was inadvertant or deliberate, standing or sitting. 184

185 If someone recites two or more suras in one rak'at or goes from one sura to another or goes into ruku' before completing the sura he owes nothing for any of that. If someone makes a gesture with his hand or head in the prayer he owes nothing. If someone repeats the Fatiha inadvertantly, he prostrates before the salam. If he does it deliberately, it is probable that his prayer is invalid. If someone remembers not reciting the sura after he has gone into ruku' he does not go back to it. If someone remembers that he should be reciting silent or aloud before ruku', he repeats the recitation. If that is only in the sura, he repeats it and does not prostrate for it. If it is in the Fatiha, he repeats it and prostrates after the salam. If he misses the ruku', he prostrates for lack of being aloud before the salam, and for not being silent after the salam, whether in the Fatiha or sura alone. If someone laughs in the prayer, his prayer is invalid, whether it is inadvertant or intentional. Only a heedless or someone playing about laughs in the prayer. When the believer stands for the prayer, he turns with his heart from all except Allah Almighty, and leaves this world and what it contains so that he is present with his heart in the majesty of Allah Almighty and His immensity, and his heart trembles and his soul is filled with terror and awe of Allah. This is the prayer of the godfearing. He owes nothing for smiling. The weeping of the humble in the prayer is excused. Whoever hears hears someone say something owes nothing. If someone stands up after two rak'ats before sitting and remembers before his hands and knees have left the ground, he sits and does not have to prostrate. If he has left the ground, he continues and does not go back but prostates before the salam. If he goes back after leaving the ground and after standing out of forgetfulness or intentionally, his prayer is valid and he prostrates after the salam. Whoever blows in his prayer inadvertantly prostrates after the salam. If anyone does it deliberately, his prayer is invalid. [This is expelling breath loudly.] If someone sneezes in the prayer, he does not say "al-hamdu lillah", nor does he reply to the one who blesses him nor bless someone who sneezes. If he praises Allah, he owes nothing. If he yawns, he should put his hand over his mouth, and he should not spit in his garment or articulate any letters. 185

186 If someone is unsure about ritual impurity or something impure, and thinks a little in his prayer and then is sure he is pure, owes nothing. If someone looks about inadvertantly in his prayer, he owes nothing. If he does it deliberately it is disliked. If he turns his back to qibla, he breaks the prayer. If someone prays wearing silk or gold, or steals in the prayer or looks at something forbidden, he is a rebel but his prayer is valid. If someone errs in reciting by a word which is not the Qur'an, he prostrates after the salam. If it is in the Qur'an, he does not prostrate for it unless he altered the phrase or ruined the meaning and then he prostrates after the salam. Someone who dozes in the prayer does not owe a prostration. If he sleeps heavily, he repeats the prayer and wudu'. The groan of the sick person is excused and clearing the throat is excused, but to do it for attention is disliked but the prayer is not invalidated by it. If someone calls him and he says, "Subhanallah," that is disliked, but his prayer is valid." If someone stops in his recitation and no one prompts him, he should leave the ayat and recite the one after it. If that is impossible for him, then he does ruku' and does not look at a copy of the Qur'an before him, unless it is in the Fatiha and then he must complete it by looking at a copy of the Qur'an or something else. If he omits a single ayat of it, he prostrates before the salam. If it is more, his prayer is invalid. Helping someone in recitation other than the Imam invalidates a person's prayer, and he does not help his Imam unless he is waiting for it or has altered the meaning. If someone thinks a little about worldly matters, his reward is decreased but his prayer is not invalid. If someone pushes away someone who walks in front of him, or prostrates on the side of his forehead, or prostrates on on a roll or two of his turban, he owes nothing. There is nothing owed for involuntary vomiting or belching in the prayer. The forgetfulness of the follower is borne by the Imam, unless it is the omission of an obligatory part. When the follower forgets or dozes or is pushed so that he bows and it is not in the first, if he desires to catch the Imam before he rises from the second 186

187 prostation, he bows and joins him. If he does not want to leave the ruku' and follow the Imam, he makes up the rak'at in the place after the salam of the Imam. If he forgets a prostration or is pushed or dozes until the imam stands for the next rak'at, he prostrates, even if he wants to catch the Imam before the ruku'. Otherwise he leaves it and follows the Imam and makes up another rakat. When he makes up the rak'at, he owes no prostration unless he is unsure about bowing or prostrating. If a snake or scorpion comes to someone and he kills it, he owes nothing, unless he takes a long time or he turns his back on qibla which ends the prayer. If someone is unsure about whether he is in the witr or the second rak'at of the Shaf', he considers it to be the second rak'at of the shaf' and prostrates after the salam and then does the witr. If someone speaks inadvertantly between the shaf' and the witr, he owes nothing. If it is intentional, it is disliked, but he owes nothing. When someone arrives late and catches less than one rak'at with the Imam he does not prostrate with him either before after. If he prostrates with him, his prayer is invalid. If he catches a full rak'at or more, he prostrates the first with him and delays the other until he finishes the prayer and then prostrates after the salam. If he prostrates intentionally, with the Imam, his prayer is invalid. If he prostates inadvertantly, he prostrates after the salam. If the one who arrives late forgets after the salam of the Imam, he is like the one praying alone. When he forms the order afterwards from the aspect of his Imam and before from the aspect of himself, the one before is enough. If someone forgets to bow and remembers while in prostration, stands up again and it is recommended to repeat some of the recitation and then bow and prostrate after the salam. If someone forgets one prostration and remembers it after he has stood up, he goes back to sitting and prostrates. However, if he sits before the standing, he does not go back to sitting. If someone forgets two prostrations, he goes into prostration without sitting and prostates after the salam for all of that. If he remembers the prostration after rising from the rak'at after it, he continues in his prayer and does not return and nullifies the rak'at with the forgetfulness, and adds a rak'at in its place and prostrates before the salam. If it is one of the first two and he remembers after starting the third and after the salam, or if it is not one of the first two or part of them and he remembers before the starting the third (because the sura and the sitting are not missed). 187

188 If someone says that salam unsure whether his prayer is complete, his prayer is invalid. Forgefulness in the prayer which is made up is like forgetfulness in the actual performance of the prayer. Forgetfulness in the nafila Forgetfulness in the nafila is like forgetfulness in the fard except in six matters: the Fatiha, the sura, silently and alout, adding a rak'a, and forgetting one of the pillars if it is a long time. If someone forgets the Fatiha in the nafila and remembers after the ruku', he continues and prostrates before the salam, as opposed to the fard prayer. He nullifies a rak'at and adds another and continues, and his prostration, as we said, is not for not prostrating. If someone forgets the sura, or recites aloud or silently in the nafila and remembers after the ruku', he continues and does not owe any prostration, which is not the case with the fard prayer. If someone stands for a third rak'at in the nafila prayer and remembers before he bows, he goes back and prostrates after salam. If he performs the third rak'at, he continues and adds a fourth and prostrates befor the salam, as opposed to the fard. He goes back whenever he remembers and prostrates after the salam. If someone remembers an obligatory element in the nafila like bowing or prostration and does not remember until he he has said the salam and it is a long time, he does not have to repeat it which is different from the fard, which he always must repeat. If someone stops the nafila deliberately or leaves out a rak'at or prostration of it deliberately, he always repeats it. If someone sighs in his prayer he owes nothing unless he articulates a letter. Forgetfulness on the part of the Imam If the Imam forgets an omission or addition, the follower says, "Subhanallah." When the Imam rises after two rak'ats (without sitting), say, "Subhanallah." When he leave the ground, follow him When he sits in the first or the second, stand and do not sit with him. If he prostrates one and leaves the second, say, "Subhanallah" and do not stand with him unless you fear he will go into ruku', in which case you follow him and do not sit after that with him, not in the second or the fourth. When he says the salam, add another rak'at in place of the one which you nullified and then prostrate before the salam. If you are in a group, then it is best to put one of you ahead to lead you. 188

189 When the Imam adds a third prostration, say, "Subhanallah"and do not prostrate with him. If the Imam rises for a fifth follow him if you are certain that it is necessary or unsure, and sit if you are sure it is extra. If the first sits and the second stands, then his prayer is invalid. When the Imam says the salam before the end of the prayer, say "Subhanallah" behind him. If he agrees with it, he completes his prayer and prostrates after the salam. If he is unsure about his position, he askes two witneses and they are allowed to speak in that. If he is certain he has completed it, he acts according to his certainty and leaves the two witbesses unless ther are a lot of people behind him, in which case he leaves his certainty and refers to them. From Sufism Reflection Tafakkur Reflect upon the wondrous skill with which both land and sea are made and contemplate the Attributes of Allah outwardly and inwardly. 189

190 The greatest testimony to the limitless perfections of Allah can be found deep within the self and on the distant horizon as well. If you were to reflect on physical bodies and their marvellous forms and how they are arranged with great precision, like a string of pearls; And if you were to think about the mysteries of the tongue and speech with it, and how it articulates and conveys what you conceal in your breast; And if you were to think about the secrets of all the limbs and how easily they are subject and in thrall to the heart's command; And if you were to reflect on how the hearts are moved to obey Allah and how at other times they creep in darkness towards disobedience; And if you were to think about the earth and the diversity of its plants and the great variety of all the smooth and rugged land in it; And if you were to think about the secrets of the seas and all their fish and their endless waves held back by an unconquerable barrier, And if you were to think about the mysteries of the manifold winds and how they convey the mist and fog and clouds which release the rain; And if you were to reflect about all the mysteries of the heavens the Throne, the Footstool and the Spirit sent by Divine command. Then you would accept the reality of tawhid with all your being, and you would turn away from illusions, uncertainty and other than Allah; And you would say, "My God, You are my desire and the goal of my quest and my impregnable fortress against evil, injustice, and deceit. You are the One I hope will provide for me and take care of all my needs, and You are the One who rescues us from all evil and wickedness. You are the Compassionate, the One who answers all who call upon You. And You are the One who relieves the poverty of the poor faqir. It is to You, O High Exalted, that I have raised all my requests, so hasten to me the Opening, relief and the Secret, O my God. By the rank of the one in whom we hope on the day of distress and grief that terrible day when people come to the Place of Gathering." May Allah's blessings be upon him as long as there is a gnostic who reflects on the lights of His Essence in every manifest thing, 190

191 And upon his family and Companions and everyone who follows his resplendant Sunna and all its prohibitions and commands. From the Editor Islam doesn t view spirituality separately from everyday activities. In Islam everything is spiritual because all actions must be in accordance with God s pleasure. This view comes from the Islamic creed and the Muslim s understanding of tawhid (the oneness of God). 191