The Recommended Way to Fast Six Days of Shawwaal

Questioner: Which of them is better in compliance with the Sunnah as regards the six days fast in the month of Shawwaal: consecutively or nonconsecutively?

Shaykh al-Albaanee: Consecutively.

Source: Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor, cassette no. 325 of Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allah have mercy on him)

Questioner: It is permissible to fast six days of Shawwal non-consecutively? Which of them is better: consecutively or nonconsecutively?

Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen: It is better to observe the six fast of Shawwal consecutively; and it should be immediately after Fitr due to what it contains of hastening towards good. There is no harm in delaying the commencement of the fast away from the second day of Shawwaal.  And there is [also] no harm in observing it nonconsecutively till the end of the month due to the generality of the Prophet’s saying: “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadaan and then follows it with six days of Shawwaal will be [rewarded] as if he had fasted the entire year.”  The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not stipulate that it should be consecutive nor that it should be immediately after Ramadaan.

Source: Fataawaa Noor ‘alaa ad-Darb, cassette no. 239 of Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)

How to join Salaah when the Imaam is in Rukoo’ (Updated)

Shaykh al-Albaanee wrote:

Ataa’ (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that he heard Abdullaah bin az-Zubayr say while on the pulpit: “When anyone of you enters the masjid while the people are in rukoo’, he should bow wherever he enters then he should move slowly while bowing till he enters the row, for this is the Sunnah.’ Ataa' said: 'I saw him doing that.'Ibn Jurayj said: 'I saw Ataa' doing that.'

Among that which attests to the authenticity of this hadeeth is that the companions acted on it after the Prophet; among them were Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, Zayd bin Thaabit, Abdullah bin Mas’ood and Abdullah bin az-Zubayr.

1.      Al-Bayhaqee (2/90) reported from Abu Bakr bin Abdur-Rahmaan bin al-Haarith bin Hishaam that Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq and Zayd bin Thaabit entered the masjid while the Imaam was in rukoo’, so they bowed. Then they moved slowly while in rukoo’ till they joined the row.

I (al-Albaanee) say: Its men are trustworthy. Were it not that Makhool reported it in ‘an’an form from Abu Bakr bin al-Haarith, I would have graded it hasan. However, it is authentically reported from Zayd bin Thaabit as it will follow.

2.      Abu Umaamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf reported that he saw Zayd bin Thaabit enter the masjid while the Imaam was in rukoo’, so he walked until it was possible for him to join the row while bowing; he said takbeer and bowed. Then he moved slowly bowing till he joined the row.’ Recorded by al-Bayhaqee (2/90 and 3/106) and its isnad is saheeh.

3.      Zayd bin Wahb said: ‘I proceeded with Abdullah – that is, Ibn Mas’ood – from his house to the masjid. When we were in the middle of the masjid, the Imaam bowed. Abdullah said takbeer and bowed and I bowed along with him. Then we walked bowing till we reached the row at the time when the people raised their heads. When the Imaam finished the prayer, I stood up thinking that I did not catch the rak’ah. Then Abdullah held my hand and asked me to sit down. Then he said: ‘You caught the rak’ah.’ Recorded by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf and others with a saheeh isnad.

4.      ‘Uthmaan bin al-Aswad said: ‘I and ‘Amr bin Tameem entered the masjid. Then the Imaam bowed, so he and I bowed. We walked bowing until we entered the row. When we finished the prayer, ‘Amr said to me: ‘From who did you hear what you did now? I said: ‘From Mujaahid.’ He said: ‘I saw Ibn Az-Zubayr doing it.” Recorded by Ibn Abee Shaybah also; its isnad is saheeh.

Explaining the hadeeth of Abu Bakrah who reported that he came [to the masjid] while the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was in rukoo’, then he bowed before joining the row. Then he walked [bowing] to the row. When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) finished his prayer, he asked: “Who among you bowed before joining the row then walked to the row? Abu Bakrah said: ‘I.’ Then the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “May Allah increase you in zeal, but do not do it again,”

Shaykh al-Albaanee said: ‘[The hadeeth] is only specific to rushing [in order catch the prayer] due to the fact that it negates [going to the masjid] in calm and dignified manner. This is the explanation given to it by Imaam Shaafi’ee. The Prophet’s saying: ‘Do not do it again’ is similar to his saying: ‘Do not come to the prayer rushing.’ Al-Bayhaqee mentioned it in his Sunan (2/90)

With regard to the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah in a marfoo’ form which states: “When one of you comes to prayer, he should not bow before joining the row; [he should not do so] until he takes his place in the row;” it is not authentic. Refer to ad-Da’eefah, no. 981.

Shaykh al-Albaanee further stated: “al-Qaasim bin Rabee’ah narrated from Abu Bakrah that whenever he comes out of his house and finds the people bowing, he would bow along with them. Then he would walk bowing until he entered the row. And he would consider it a rak’ah.

I say: This isnad is saheeh. All its men are trustworthy. It contains a strong proof that what is meant by the prohibition [in the other hadeeth of Abu Bakrah] is rushing  [to join the prayer.] because a narrator of a hadeeth understands what he narrates more than others, especially if he is the one the prohibition is being addressed to. So hold onto it, for it is strong. You may not find it in detailed books of hadeeth or takhreej.

Source: Refer to Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, (1/2/926-927), ad-Da’eefah (2/408-409), Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel (2/264-265), Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (401)

Source:  As-Saheehah, 1/418.

Make Allah the Qiblah of Your Heart

                                                                             

Imaam Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The secret of the Prayer, its soul and essence is for the servant to give his attention to Allah completely while observing it. Just as it is not permissible for him to turn his face away from the Qiblah to any other direction while performing the Prayer; it is not allowed for him to turn his heart away from his Lord towards any other than Him while observing it. He should rather make the Ka’bah – which is Allah’s House - the Qiblah of his face and body; and make the Lord of the Ka’bah – blessed and exalted be He - the Qiblah of his heart and soul. 

Allah will turn towards His servant in proportion to the attention the servant gives to Him in his Prayer. If he turns his attention away from Allah, Allah will turn His attention away from him. You will be treated the way you treat others. Paying attention during the Prayer has three levels:

First: A servant should pay attention to his heart by guarding and rectifying it from the disease of lusts, whisperings and the dangers that will nullify the reward of his Prayer or reduce it.

Second: He should direct his attention to Allah by being conscious of Him while observing the Prayer so that he could worship Him as if he is seeing Him.

Third: He should give his attention to the meanings and minute exposition of Allah’s words, and the fact of the Prayer being an act of servitude so that he could give it its right such as humility, calmness and the like.

It is by perfecting these three levels that he would have discharged the rights of the Prayer, and the attention Allah will give to the worshipper will be in proportion to that.

Source: Asraar as-Salaah, p. 75 by Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Causes of Deprivation of Knowledge

Imaam Ibn Qayyim stated:  Deprivation of knowledge from these perspectives is six:

First: Abandonment of asking question

Second: Poor listening and lack of paying attention

Third: Poor understanding

Fourth: Lack of memorization

Fifth: Lack of spreading it and teaching it. This is because Allah will afflict whoever hoards his knowledge, not spreading it or teaching it, by making him forget it and lose it as an analogous recompense for his sort of action. This issue is supported by perception and reality.

Sixth: Lack of acting on it. This is because acting upon it necessitates remembering it, pondering over it, paying attention to it and carefully considering it. However, if a person neglects acting upon it, he will forget it. One of the pious predecessors said: “We used to seek aid in memorizing knowledge by acting upon it.” One of the pious predecessors also said: “Knowledge calls out to action; if one responds to it, it settles down, otherwise it goes away.” Therefore, acting upon it is one of the greatest means of its preservation and means of firmness whereas lack of it is a waste to him; knowledge is not evoked or attracted with anything as much  as action.

Source: Miftaah Daar as-Sa‘aadah wa Manshoor Wilaayah Ahl al-‘Ilm wal-Iraadah by Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Characteristics of the People of Desires in this Ummah

The people of desires are those who follow their desires and inclinations. They do not follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, they only follow their heart desires. If the Qur’aan and Sunnah contradict their desires, they abandon the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, and accept whatever agrees with their desires, not out of Iman in it but because it agrees with their desires.

This is the way of the Jews because they would only obey the messengers in what agrees with their desires and whatever disagrees with their desires, they disagree with the messenger concerning it. They either killed or rejected them as stated by Allah, the Most High:

“Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them Messengers. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed.”[Soorah al-Maa’idah:70]

He stated regarding the hypocrite in this Ummah:

And when they are called to Allâh (i.e. His Words, the Qur'ân) and His Messenger, to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away. But if the right is with them, they come to him willingly with submission.” [Soorah an-Noor: 48 - 49]

This is the way of the people of desires in the past and present. According to them, the yardstick of the truth is what agrees with their desires and whatever disagrees with their desires is falsehood even if it was Jibreel who brought it to Muhammad: for them, its falsehood!

This is their way and this is what the misguided sects in this Ummah are upon; they do not accept what has been reported from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). In fact, they do not accept what has been reported in the Qur’aan and Sunnah that disagrees with their ways and desires. They either misinterpret, distort or reject it. This is their way.

Source: A Gift to the Reader in Annotation of Sharh as-Sunnah, vol. 2, p. 222-223 by Dr, Saalih bin Fawzaan bin Abdullah al-Fawzaan; translated by Abdus-Sami Abdus-Salam, published by Dar Makkah International.