The Salaf and Congregational Prayers

Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) wrote:

The pious predecessors used to pay great attention to their prayer and hasten towards it no matter what the situation is, because they knew its importance in the sight of their Lord. Truly, they are excellent models after our prophet and model Muhammad bin Abdullaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). Below are some of their narrations:

Sa’eed bin al-Musayyib used to be present in the masjid before the Adhaan and he persisted in that for a period not less than thirty years. Imaam Ibn Abee Shaybah reported from Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib that he said: ‘For the past thirty years, the Mu’adhdhin has never pronounced the Adhaan except that I was in the masjid.’[1]

He did not miss congregational prayer throughout forty years. Ibn Sa’d reported from him that he said: “For the past forty years, I did not miss congregational prayers nor look at their back.”[2] What this means is that he used to be in the first row and not in the second row whereby he would be looking at the back of the worshippers.

In spite of his old age, al-A’mash used to strive for the first takbeer. Wakee’ said: “I visited him frequently for almost two years and I did not see him making up a rak’ah. And he did not miss the first takbeer [with the Imaam] in spite of the fact that he was close to ninety years.”[3] [4]

The reliable scholar of hadeeth, Bishr al-Hasan used to be called, as-Saffee because, for fifty years, he used to stick to the first row in the masjid of Basrah.[5]

The Qaadee of Shaam Sulaymaan bin Hamzah al-Maqdisee, who was among the offspring of Ibn Qudaamah the author of al-Mughnee, said: “I have never performed the obligatory prayers alone except twice and it was as if I didn’t perform them,” even though he was close to ninety years

Source: Ahkaam Hudoor al-Masaajid, p. 45-46 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)

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[1] Al-Musannaf, 1/351

[2] Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d, 5/131

[3] Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 4/151

[4] Benefit of Catching the First Takbeer with The Imaam:  The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Whoever prays to Allaah for forty days in congregation, catching up with the first takbeer, he will be recorded as being free from two things: free from the Fire and free from hypocrisy.” Recorded by at-Tirmidhee (241) and classified hasan (sound) by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee.

[5] Tahdheem at-Tahdheeb, 1/391

Is it Permissible for a Muslim to Bury his Disbelieving Relative?

 ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I said to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), ‘Your old, misguided uncle has died. Who will bury him?’ He said, ‘Go and bury your father’ (that is, ‘Alee may Allaah be pleased with him). He said, ‘I will not bury him, because he died as a disbeliever.’ He said, ‘Go and bury him, then do not do anything until you come to me.’ So I went and buried him, and came to him with traces of dust and earth on me. Then he instructed me to take bath, and he made supplication for me in words that were more pleasing to me than everything on earth.” 

Saheeh:  as-Saheehah, no. (161) 

Commenting on the above hadeeth, Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

 1 - It is legislated for a Muslim to attend to the burial of his disbelieving relative. And that does not negate his hatred of him due to his shirk. Do you not see that ‘Alee (may Allaah be pleased with him) initially refused to bury his father and the reason he gave for that as contained in his saying was that: ‘He died as a disbeliever;’ he thought that burying him as a disbeliever may include him in the forbidden friendship that was mentioned in the saying of the Most High: “Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allaah…”[1] When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) reiterated the command to bury his father, he hastened to comply to it and he abandoned what he initially thought [to be correct]. This is what obedience means: that an individual abandons his opinion for the command of his Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam).

It seems to me that a son burying his disbelieving father or mother is the last of what a son can do of good companionship for his disbelieving parent in this world. But after the burial, it is not right for him to make supplication for them or pray for forgiveness for them , due to the explicit words of Allaah exalted: It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaah’s Forgiveness for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) even though they be of kin...”[2] If the issue is like this, what would be the case of those who pray for mercy and forgiveness in the pages of newspapers and magazines for some disbelievers, in death announcements for the sake of meagre amount of money? Let the one who has concern for the affair of his hereafter fear Allaah. 

2 – It is not legislated for him to wash or shroud a disbeliever, or to perform the funeral prayer over him, even if he was his relative, because the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not enjoin that on ‘Alee. If that were permissible, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) would have explained it, because it is well known that delaying the explanation of something at the time of need is not permissible. This is the view of the Hanbalee school of though and others. 

3 – It is not legislated for the relatives of a disbeliever to follow his funeral, because the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not do that with his uncle, despite the fact that he was the most kind and compassionate of mankind towards him, and he even supplicated to Allaah for him that He should make his punishment the lightest punishment in Hell as explained previously in hadeeth no. 53. 

In all of that, there is a lesson for those who are beguiled by their lineages and do not work for their Hereafter with their Lord. Allaah the Most Great spoke the truth when He said: “…There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.”[3]

Source: Nudhum al-Faraa’id mimma fee Silsilati al-Albaanee min Fawaa’id, vol. 1, p. 481-482 by Abdul-Lateef bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abee Rabee’

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[1] Soorah al-Mumtahinah: 13

[2] Soorah at-Tawbah: 113

[3] Soorah al-Mu’minoon: 101

The Lawful and Prohibited Times to Raise One’s Hands in Du’aa

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Azeez bin Abdullaah bin Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it legislated to raise the hands in du’aa especially when travelling in a plane, car, train and others?

He replied: Raising the hands in du’aa is one of the means of acceptance of du’aa in any place. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Indeed, your Lord is Shy and Concealing. He is Shy when His servant raises his hands to Him (in du’aa) to return them empty.” The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) also said: “Verily, Allaah is Pure and He only accepts that which is Pure. Allaah has commanded the Believers what He has commanded the Messengers, for He said: ‘O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allaah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.’ Allaah said: ‘O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness.”  Then the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) mentioned a traveller on a long journey, who is dishevelled and dusty; and stretches forth his hand to the sky, saying: O my Lord, O my Lord, while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful and he was nourished unlawfully; how can he be answered?[1]

So he made raising the hands one of the means of acceptance of du’aa. And one of the causes of rejection and non-acceptance of du’aa is consuming unlawful things. Therefore, this indicates that raising one’s hands in du’aa is one of the means of acceptance of du’aa regardless of whether it is in a plane, train, car or space ship or other than that. If a person makes du’aa and raises his hand, this is one of the means of acceptance of du’aa except during the times in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not raise his hands. In such instances, we should not raise our hands such as during Jumu’ah khutbah. He did not raise his hands during it except when praying for rain.

Similarly, he did not raise his hands between the two prostrations, before salaam in the last tashahhud. So we should not raise our hands in these times which he did not raise his hands because if he does something, it is a proof and when he abandons it, it is also a proof. This also applies to after completing the five daily prayers. He used to recite the legislated remembrance without raising his hands. So we should not raise our hands in emulation of him. As regards the time in which he raised his hands, the Sunnah is to raise the hands in following his example because it is one of the means of acceptance of du’aa.

Further, we should raise our hands during the times in which a Muslim should supplicate to his Lord but nothing has been reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) whether he raised his hands or not, based on the ahaadeeth which indicates that raising the hands is one of the means of acceptance of du’aa as preceded.[2]

Raising the Hands After Adhaan

What is legislated after repeating what the Mu’adhdhin is saying and Salaah upon the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is to say: ‘O Allaah, Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favour, and raise him to the honoured station that You have promised him.’ This is because that has been established from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) from the hadeeth of Jaabir bin Abdullaah al-Ansaaree (may Allaah be pleased with them both) in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree without raising the hands because such has not been reported in this time. So doing it would be considered an innovation.[3]

Raising the Hands After Sujood at-Tilaawah

Shaykh Bakr Aboo Zayd (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, ‘Raising the hands in du’aa after rising from sujood at-Tilaawah and making du’aa is a newly invented matter that has no basis. So it is an innovation.’[4]

Raising the Hands upon sighting the New Moon

Shaykh Bakr Aboo Zayd (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said, ‘Facing the new moon and raising the hands in du’aa are both innovations. The Sunnah is to face the Qiblah during du’aa and nothing has been established with regard to raising the hands upon sighting the new moon.[5]

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[1] Recorded by Muslim in his saheeh

[2] Source: Ahkaam al-Musaafir p. 35-36 by Shaykh Abdul-‘Azeez Abdullaah bin Baaz

[3] Al-Lajnah ad-Daai’mah, fatwa no. 16874

[4] Tasheeh ad-Du’aa, p. 128

[5] See previous footnote

Yearning for One's Wife

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim said:

It was authentically reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that he was asked: “Who is the dearest of people to you? He replied: “ ‘Aa’ishah.”[1] Hence, whenever Masrooq (may Allah have mercy on him) wanted to narrate a hadeeth from her, he would say: “As-Siddeeqah bint As-Siddeeq, the beloved of Allah’s Messenger and the one that was exonerated from above the seventh heaven, narrated to me…” It was also authentically conveyed from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)) that he said: “Women and perfume have been made dear to me from your world, and the comfort of my eye is in Prayer.”[2]

Hence, there is no blame on a man for his love of his wife and his yearning for her except if that distracts him from the love of that which is more beneficial to him such as the love of Allah and His Messenger, and competes with the love of Allah and love of His Messenger. This is because any love that competes with the love of Allah and His Messenger, such that it weakens and reduces the love for Allah and His Messenger, is blameworthy. However, if the love helps in achieving the love of Allah and His Messenger and serves as one of the means of strengthening it, such is praiseworthy.

Ighaathah al-Lahfaan min Masaa’id ash-Shaytaan by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)

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[1]  Recorded by al-Bukhaaree (3662) and Muslim (2374)

[2] Recorded by Ahmad and An-Nasaa’ee (3391)