ummtaalib

The Taraweeh of the Salaf-us-Saliheen Reliablefatwa.com Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) stated: “The Most Superior of my Ummah is my generation (i.e. the Sahabah), then those who follow them (the Tabi’een), then those who follow them (the Tab-e-Tabi’een).” (Bukhari, Muslim) “Indeed, those who will still be alive after me will see many differences; so hold fast to my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the Khulafa Rashideen (i.e. Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat Umar, Hadhrat Ali, and Hadhrat Uthman radhiyallahu anhum) after me. Adhere to and cling tightly to it and beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is deviation.” (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud) PART ONE A SUMMARY OF THE VIEW OF THE SALAF-US-SALIHEEN The issue of Taraweeh exposes thoroughly the falsity and hollowness of the claims of the Salafi sect of being faithful representatives of the Salaf-us-Saliheen – the first three generations of this Ummah regarding whom Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) testified to their superiority. Any ‘Deen’, such as that expounded by the Salafis, modernists and other deviant sects, which is at variance with the Deen of the Salaf-us-Saliheen is a deviated imposter of a ‘Deen’ which has no relation to the blessed Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Even a perfunctory perusal of the rulings of the Salaf-us-Saliheen as transmitted by all the early Fuqaha reveals the fact that there was complete Ijma’ (consensus) of the Salaf-us-Saliheen, including the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum), that Taraweeh consists of 20 raka’ts of congregational prayers. This was the position of ALL the Aimmah Mujtahideen, the authoritative scholars of the Salaf-us-Saliheen, who based their ruling on the Ijma’ (consensus) of the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum). While the Salafi and modernist sects of today continue to conjure up various different opinions, ranging from 20 rakat’s being branded a Bid’ah (al-Albani, Ahlul Hadeeth, & co.) to the overwhelmingly liberal trend today of 8 raka’ts, 2 rakat’s, half a raka’t, and anything and everything being ‘valid ikhtilaaf’, the ONLY ikhtilaaf transmitted from the Salaf-us-Saliheen is in regards to the extra four raka’ts of Nafl prayed individually in the period of rest that would occur after every four raka’ts during the 20 raka’ts of congregational prayer. As shall be demonstrated, while the Salaf-us-Saliheen of Makkah Mukarramah would perform Tawaaf during these 4 periods of rest, the Salaf-us-Saliheen of Madinah Munawarrah would pray 4 raka’ts individually, thus bringing the total to 20 + 4 x 4 = 36 raka’ts. Another 3 raka’ts or 5 raka’ts or Witr would bring the total number in Madinah to 39 or 41 respectively. However, in terms of the 20 raka’ts of congregational prayers, there was absolutely no difference amongst the Salaf-us-Saliheen. Allamah Ibn Qudamah’s Summary of Position of the Salaf-us-Saliheen Before providing a brief background on the basis of the ruling of the Salaf-us-Saliheen, and casting a cursory look into the blessed environment in which the four Imams and other Imams of the most superior of generations of this Ummah had begun the codification, systemization, and compilation of the Deen of the Salaf-us-Saliheen, we shall first quote Allamah Ibn Qudamah, whom even the Salafis accept to be amongst the most authoritative transmitters of the rulings of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, to serve as a useful summary of view of the Salaf-us-Saliheen with regards to the Taraweeh prayers. Allamah Ibn Qudamah (rahmatullahi alayh) states in his famous, authoritative work known as “al-Mughni”: “The Mukhtaar (i.e. the adopted and chosen) position according to Abu Abdullah (i.e. Imam Ahmad) is 20 Raka’ts and this is the position of ath-Thawri, Abu Hanifa and Shafi’i. Malik said that it is 36 Rakahs while asserting that it is the age-old practice connected with the Amal (practice) of the people of Madinah, for Saalih, the Mawla of Taw-amah, said, “I have found the people standing up for 41 raka’ts, 5 of which was the Witr salaat.” [The proof] for us is that when Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) gathered the people behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b (radhiyallahu anhu), he lead them for 20 raka’ts. And it has been narrated by al-Hasan that Umar gathered the people behind Ubayy bin Ka’b who lead them for 20 raka’ts…this was also narrated by Abu Dawud, and narrated by Saa-ib bin Yazeed (radhiyallahu anhu) through a number of routes. Malik narrated on the authority of Yazeed bin Roomaan, that he said, “The people would stand up for prayer for 23 raka’ts in Ramadhan, during the era of Umar (radhiyallahu anhu)”, and also on the authority of Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) that he ordered a man to lead them (the people) for 20 raka’ts in Ramadhan. And this is like Ijma’ (consensus).” Elsewhere, Allamah Ibn Qudamah mentions that the 20 raka’ts is based on the Ijma’ of the Sahabah – the highest form of Ijma’ possible: “There has been the Ijma’ of the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum) on 20 raka’ts of taraweeh.” Allamah Ibn Qudamah mentions that Taraweeh is a Sunnah Mu’akkadah – an emphasized Sunnah omission of which is blameworthy without a valid excuse: “The prayer of the month of Ramadān is twenty raka’ts i.e. Salaat-ut-Taraweeh, and it is Sunnah Mu’akkadah. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was the first to make it a Sunnah…Taraweeh was only ascribed to Umar ibn al-Khattab because he gathered the people behind Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, so he would lead them in Salaat-ut-Taraweeh.” Allamah Ibn Qudamah states regarding the only Ikhtilaaf reported from the Salaf-us-Saliheen, that of 39 raka’ts or 41 raka’ts, which was the practice of the people of Madinah: “Some of the Ahlul Ilm (i.e. the Ulama of the Salaf-us-Saliheen) said: ‘This practice of the people of Madinah was due to the fact that they desired to equal the people of Makkah who would perform 7 Tawaafs between each Tarweehah (i.e. in the rest period after every 4 raka’ts), hence the people of Madinah would pray 4 raka’ts as a substitute for the 7 (Tawaafs). And that which the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum) were upon is the most favoured and most deserving of being followed.” Here ends the excerpts from Allamah Ibn Qudamah which is merely a re-iteration of what innumerable early Fuqaha have transmitted from the best of generations. A glimpse into this mass-transmission of the ruling of the Salaf-us-Saliheen will be given in this article insha-Allah. Before proceeding, it must be noted that the early Fuqaha did not pull the rulings they had written down out of their back pocket. They were not reliant on a few copies of Bukhari Sharif, Muslim Sharif, Al-bani ‘Sharif’ etc. they happened to stumble across in their living room, nor were they reliant on Hazrat Google Sharif, or a smattering on Arabic they happened to learn on the side during a life-time of indulgence in Haraam and Mushtabah (doubtful) matters. These Ulama were Paragons of piety, immersed in Zikrullah, who understood that the Noor of Ilm (Knowledge of the Deen), and its correct understanding, was purely ‘wahbi’ i.e. divinely bestowed by Allah (azza wa jal) and thus completely dependent on Taqwa, Wara’ (abstinence from even permissible matters), and firm adherence to every minute Sunnah of Habeebullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Such Ulama-e-Haqq acquired all their knowledge directly from numerous other Ulama-e-Haqq, often numbering in the hundreds, who themselves acquired their Deen from their numerous teachers, and so on, through continuous, unbroken chains that would stretch just a few generations back to the Imams of the Salaf-us-Saliheen. Thus, when Hafiz Ibn Qudamah or Imam Nawawi affirms that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal or Imam Shafi’i, who were the leading scholars of the third and final tier of the Salaf-us-Saliheen, held the position that Taraweeh is 20 raka’ts, then such attributions are based on a firm conviction stemming from a direct acquisition of knowledge from a multitude of Ulama-e-Haqq who in term had acquired their knowledge from another multitude of Ulama-e-Haqq, and so on, through multiple Sanads (chains) consisting of only a few names between them and the Imams of the Salaf-us-Saliheen. In any case, statements from the Imams of the Salaf-us-Saliheen themselves, and their direct students, will be produced to confirm the unanimous ruling of 20 raka’ts based on the Ijma’ of the Sahabah (radhiyallahu anhum), and recorded by all the early Fuqaha of this Ummah. To be continued….

Xe-NO-phobia A man once visited the Masjid of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in Madinah. There he saw a group of people sitting and discussing their faith. Among them were Sayyiduna Salman (r.a) from Persia, Sayyiduna Suhayb (r.a) who grew up in the Eastern Roman Empire and was regarded as a Greek, and Sayyiduna Bilal (r.a) who was an African . The man then said: “If the (Madinan) tribes of Aws and Khazraj support Muhammad, (it is understood because they are Arabs like him) they are his people. But what are these (foreign) people doing here?” (Implying an obvious dislike for foreigners) Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) became very angry when this was reported to him. He went to the Masjid and summoned the people to prayer. He then addressed them saying: “Oh people, know that the Lord and Sustainer is One. Your ancestor is one; your faith is one. The Arabism of anyone of you is not (by virtue of the nobility of) your mother or father. It is no more than a tongue (language).” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) further said: “Let people stop boasting about their ancestors. One is only a pious believer or a miserable sinner. All men are sons of Adam, and Adam came from dust.” (Abu Dawud) Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “He is not of us who advocates the cause of racial discrimination, he is not of us who fights in the cause of racial discrimination and he is not of us who dies in the cause of racial discrimination.” (Abu Dawud)

Using Zakaat Funds to Purchase Hampers and Feed Poor People Q: Is it permissible to use zakaat funds to purchase hampers and feed the poor ? Similarly, is it permissible to provide iftaar for the poor in the month of Ramadhaan using zakaat funds? A: It will be permissible to use zakaat funds to feed the poor provided the requirement of tamleek is found. Tamleek means to transfer ownership of the wealth to someone who is eligible for zakaat. Therefore if the poor were given the zakaat hampers, the zakaat will be discharged. If the poor were not given the zakaat hampers but were merely invited for a meal and were allowed to partake of it, then zakaat will not be discharged since the requirement of tamleek was not found. Similar is the case regarding the iftaar food in the month of Ramadhaan. If the poor were given an iftaar hamper, the zakaat will be discharged. If the poor were not given the zakaat hampers but were merely invited to partake of the food provided, then the zakaat will not be discharged since the requirement of tamleek was not found. قوله ( تمليكا ) فلا يكفي فيها الإطعام إلا بطريق التمليك ولو أطعمه عنده ناويا الزكاة لا تكفي (شامي 2/344) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Discharging sadaqatul fitr for the passed years Q: If I didn't know I had to pay fitra for the past 10 years, how do I make up for it and will it count if I didn't know about fitra but my father used to pay it for me without telling me? A: 1. You should pay the equivalent of the current years fitra for the previous years missed fitra. 2. If your father discharged fitra on your behalf for the previous years without your knowledge, the fitra will not be discharged in the case where you were not being supported by your father. However in the case where you were being supported by your father, then the fitra will be discharged. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. ( تجب ) … ( موسعا في العمر ) عند أصحابناوهو الصحيح بحر عن البدائع معللا بأن الأمر بأدائها مطلق الزكاة على قول كما مر قال الشامي : قوله ( وهو الصحيح ) هو ما عليه المتون بقولهم وصح لو قدم أو أخر قوله ( مطلق ) أي عن الوقت فتجب في مطلق الوقت وإنما يتعين بتعيينه فعلا أو آخر العمر ففي أي وقت أدى كان مؤديا لا قاضيا كما في سائر الواجبات الموسعة غير أن المستحب قبل الخروج إلى المصلى لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام أغنوهم عنه المسألة في هذا اليوم بدائع (رد المحتار 2/ 358-359) ولا يجوز أن يعطي عن غير عياله إلا بأمره كذا في المحيط (الفتاوى الهندية 1/ 193) ( تجب ) … ( لا عن زوجته ) وولده الكبير العاقل ولو أدى عنهما بلا إذن أجزأ استحسانا للإذن عادة أي لو في عياله وإلا فلا (الدر المختار 2/ 363) ولا يؤدي عن زوجته ولا عن أولاده الكبار وإن كانوا في عياله ولو أدى عنهم أو عن زوجته بغير أمرهم أجزأهم استحسانا كذا في الهداية وعليه الفتوى كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان (الفتاوى الهندية 1/ 193 ، فتاوى رحيمية 7 /197) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Q: Upon whom is sadaqatul fitr waajib? A: Sadaqatul fitr is waajib upon the one (who after deducting his debts and liabilities and after excluding his needs and necessities of life e.g. car, house, furniture etc.) possesses wealth which equals the nisaab amount on the morning of Eid (at the time of subah saadiq). تجب على حر مسلم مكلف مالك لنصاب أو قيمته وإن لم يحل عليه الحول عند طلوع فجر يوم الفطر ولم يكن للتجارة فارغ عن الدين وحاجته الأصلية وحوائج عياله والمعتبر فيها الكفاية لا التقدير وهي مسكنه وأثاثه وثيابه وفرسه وسلاحه وعبيده للخدمة (مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوى ص723, الدر المختار مع رد المحتار 2/358) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Delaying Iftaar till the completion of Azaan Q. Does the time of Iftaar only commence after the completion of Azaan? I have been to some Masaajid in which Iftaar only commences after the completion of Azaan? (Question published as received) A. The end of a fast (Iftaar) is at sunset time. (Kifaayatul Mufti 4/249) Accordingly, a fasting person should end his fast at sunset which is generally the time that Azaan commences and should not delay it until the completion of the Azaan. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said: “The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten in breaking the fast.” (Bukhari) And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Thinking before Carrying Out any Action Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: One should think and ponder before uttering any word or carrying out any action. Through thinking and pondering before doing any deed one will save oneself from errors and mistakes. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 8/270)

Preparation for Ramadhan before Ramadhan Shaykh (Mufti) Taqi Usmani (HA) Mufti, Darul-uloom Karachi (Tweet, 11th of June 2015) No Muslim is unaware of the sanctity of this (blessed) month. Allah (SWT) has made this month a means and opportunity to have the sins forgiven and to have their ranks elevated for the entire Ummah. Nabi (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) used to observe the moon for Rajab and pray: Oh Allah! Grant us Barakah (Blessing) during (the months of) Rajab and Sha’ban, and allow us to reach Ramadhan. This prayer is to beseech an increase in our age so that we may reach Ramadhan. The blessed month is about to be approached and the blessings of Allah (SWT) are about to rain down upon us. In order for us to partake from these blessings we need to make preparations. We need to be conscious and aware of each and every month, to value it and to realise its importance. Heedlessness, carelessness and procrastination does nothing but defer today to tomorrow and tomorrow to day after. It is of critical importance that we prepare for Ramadhan before it arrives. This is a month of fasting and its nights have Taraweeh designated as Sunnah Moa’kiddah by Shariah. In reality, this entire month is designated to give all Muslims a new lease of life. For 11 months we remain preoccupied with our affairs of these months and Ghaflah (heedlessness) may creep into our spiritual state weakening our connection with Allah (SWT). This (blessed) month was granted for those who have gone a little distant from Allah (SWT) to come closer and to have an increase in their connection with Allah (SWT). Ramadhan: A Training Course This month is also of vital importance because it is like a training course which is mandated upon every Muslim. It is a month to train and spiritually rejuvenate. It is a month to attract the Blessings of Allah (SWT) towards us. It is a month to strengthen our bond with Allah (SWT). It is a month to form habits to stay away from sins. Primary purpose of Fasting Fasting is a major act of worship but its purpose is to inculcate habits to subdue base desires of the Nafs. [2:183] O you who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing. The primary purpose for the obligation of fasting is to inculcate and develop Taqwa. What is Taqwa? It is to crush and oppose the (emerging) desire to do wrong, the urge to commit wrong and the inclination towards sin while being conscious of the Grandeur, Majesty & Splendour of Allah (SWT). (For example, the heart is developing the desire to cast one’s gaze towards something which is impermissible but the person while being (conscious) of the fact that he is a Servant of Allah (SWT), he will now become aware that each and every action of his is being watched by Allah (SWT), that he will have to answer for each and every action (tomorrow) so this awareness makes him turn away from casting his gaze in a sinful manner). Similarly, the heart may be developing a desire to commit backbiting or to lie but the person strongly resists, desists and turns away from these sins while being fully conscious of the Grandeur, Majesty & Splendour of Allah (SWT). Fasting is meant to develop Taqwa (through self-restraint). A believer when he makes intention for fasting refrains from eating or drinking until sunset no matter how enticing the smell of delicious food is to him. He refrains from lawful conjugational relationship with his wife. No Muslim will give in to these desires because he is fasting. In hot weather while going through thirst a Muslim will refrain from drinking cold water even though there is nobody to catch or see him only due to the Fear of Allah (SWT). This powerful force which is preventing him from indulging in these actions is indeed Fear and recognition of the Grandeur of Allah (SWT). It has been explained that fasting has been made compulsory for you to inculcate and develop Taqwa in you so that in your (normal routine) you develop the ability to resist sins and (base) desires. But in order to take advantage of this training course we must be prepare for it before it arrives.

Posting articles below.... Correct way to Welcome Ramadhan Shaykh (Mufti) Taqi Usmani (HA) Mufti, Darul-uloom Karachi (Tweet, 10th of June 2015) It is unfortunate that we have mixed and traditions with acts of worship. Certain acts have become vogue (fashion) which weaken the soul of the acts of the worship. In the Islamic world certain formalities and programs are conducted to mark the coming of Ramadhan. Speeches, Nasheeds, meals etc are arranged in these gatherings in many parts of the Islamic world. I first witnessed these “Ramadhan Welcome” gatherings in Egypt and a massive program was held in Egypt under this pretext. It is praiseworthy in its spirit to prepare to welcome this month. Shaykh (Maulana) Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) has stated in his Book of Khutbahs that this month should be welcomed with desire, yearning and passion. It is commendable but it should be watched that this welcoming in itself doesn’t become a custom. My (esteemed) father used to say that Laylatul Qad’r was ordained for the servant to devote himself to the worship of his Master but when it became ritualised fireworks etc were added to it (as customs). Gatherings are held in it, elaborate meals are prepared, Qawwali (singing) is arranged and Shaytaan makes the entire night go by in these rituals instead of (acts of) worship. When Shaytaan wants to destroy worship, he engages the masses in these rituals. These ritualistic customs are now creeping into “Welcome Ramadhan” gatherings. It is my apprehension that this will take the form of Bid’aa (innovation) in the future. The real welcoming of Ramadhan is for a believer to mentally prepare himself to submit to Allah (SWT). For a believer to ponder upon the (blessed) opportunities which this month provides. To think about our purpose and to realign our goals and objectives to it. Mentally, we should be preparing to make changes during this month to submit to Allah (SWT). Nabi (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) used to observe the moon for Rajab and pray: Oh Allah! Grant us Barakah (Blessing) during (the months of) Rajab and Sha’ban, and allow us to reach Ramadhan. He (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was eager before the start of the month. He (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was desirous to avail this blessed month. He (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassallam) yearned to reach this month. Similarly, it is important and critical for Muslims to cast an eye on the importance of this month and start preparing.

Will Zakaat be Fulfilled if it is used to Purchase an Item for a School? Q: Will zakaat be fulfilled if it is used to purchase an item for a school? A: The zakaat will not be fulfilled unless a poor student is made the owner of the item. ويشترط أن يكون الصرف ( تمليكا ) لا إباحة كما مر ( لا ) يصرف ( إلى بناء ) نحو ( مسجد) (شامي 2/344) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

How Can A Convert Follow A School Of Thought Correctly? Answered by Abdullah Anik Misra Question: How likely is it that a convert to Islam could possibly follow a madhab correctly? When I first became Muslim, I tried to follow the Hanafi school through on-line courses, but I found that I would do things incorrectly for along time without realizing that certain things were important. So, I abandoned the Hanafi mathab because it seemed impossible, and I met a local man with ijaza to teach Maliki fiqh. However, he is my only access to information about following the Maliki madhab which concerns me because I can’t verify anything that he tells me and I don’t really know him very well. What is your recommendation for someone in such a situation? Answer: As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh sister, I pray this finds you in the best of imaan and health. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that the life of a convert isn’t always easy in the beginning, with all of the confusion of hearing various opinions and simply trying to figure out how to establish one’s normal practice. When the frustrations hit a peak, you should step back from it all and look at the bigger picture. Faith is the Most Important Thing Alhumdulillah, Allah Most High has guided you, out of billions of people, to Himself. He lovingly showed you His Deen and gave you the blessing and honor of faith. Despite real challenges and struggles that we face in our lives, He has given the assurance that they are all temporary, and that the next life with Him is eternal and one of never-ending bliss. This is a clear sign that He cares for you and He would not simply let you slip between the cracks due to a few details of fiqh. So don’t feel down if it doesn’t come all at once, or if the things of secondary importance are unclear. Your priority must be on preserving your mental and physical health, and then on your practice of the Sacred Law. Islam as a Way of Mercy, Moderation and Ease When I had just become a Muslim, I too missed many witr prayers, simply because I never knew it was necessary to pray them according to the Hanafi school of thought. Years later when I realized I had to, two reliable scholars I spoke with said that because my missing them was out of an initial ignorance, I could take the position of another school which did not view them as obligatory and so I didn’t have to make them up. However, once I had the knowledge, that I would be obligated to pray witr along with my other 5 daily prayers. This is an example of how our scholars show us the mercy and vastness of Islam. Sometimes, we simply need to give our best intention and effort, and when we reach the limits of our ability and understanding, entrust the rest to Allah, the Most-Merciful. Madhabs are Meant to Simplify, Not Complicate The four schools of thought are tried, tested and true interpretations that the Ummah has been following for centuries. The average person is meant to follow a madhab because its rulings have already been laid out and saves them from having to derive the rulings, without proper qualifications, from the source texts for each and every question. As such, exactly what you did initially is correct: pick a school of thought within Sunni Islam and ask your questions to its scholars. Understanding the rulings of one’s madhab does not come overnight; rather it takes time and learning, as well as practice, to get them down. Sometimes we do things incorrectly because we didn’t understand, but that’s ok. Our honest mistakes or accidently acting on rulings from other schools are not sins, and as long as the validity of obligatory acts are not in question, once we get a clarification, we can resolve from then on to do things correctly and leave the past in the past. Considering that there are differences of opinion within the world of Islamic law, if we hear another viewpoint, we should not be frustrated because if there was only one straight answer for everything, there would be no flexibility. The true scholars know when this flexibility can be applied. Following this Deen is not meant to be difficult or impossible; following a madhab then, is not meant only for Muslims with certain backgrounds to the exclusion of others. In this vein, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Surely, the Deen is ease, and none will be excessive in the Deen except that it will overcome him. So do the right thing, do the best you can [if you can’t do something completely], and rejoice!…” (al-Bukhari, al-Saheeh) Rejoice, because as Muslims, we know that at the end of the day, we still get rewarded, and moreso, we have Allah, the Most Gently Kind. He looks at our hearts and our intentions, and our works are never meant to earn Paradise. Rejoicing in Allah and what He has blessed you with is also a means of driving away the waswasa of the Shayton, who if he can’t remove us from Deen entirely, tries to get us to over-worry and become depressed so we leave the path of moderation and optimism and become harmful to ourselves. Once you feel he is goading you to that stage of harm, simply back off of trying and worrying about being correct and go with whatever is doable at the time. Seek answers to your specific situations, such as menstruation questions, gradually. Insha Allah, you will be rewarded for your intentions and in the end, Paradise is promised to all believers. As a beloved shaykh of ours says, “no one is going to Hell on a technicality”. How Do I Get Reliable Knowledge? If you have found a teacher who has traditional authorizations (ijazah) to teach, then there is no need to double-check his teachings if they stem from a school of thought, as Allah Ta’ala tells us to “ask the people of remembrance if you know not” (Quran 16:43), and that ijazah is the way this Ummah has preserved the knowledge of the Deen for centuries from generation to generations. However, switching madhabs can sometimes cause more confusion, and Alhumdulillah opportunities to ask and learn the Hanafi madhab online are available more than ever before. Finally, anyone who says there is no more knowledge in these days, has no knowledge themselves. Find good Muslim company if you can, continue learning at a comfortable pace with reliable institutions such as Seekers Guidance, and after putting your best foot forward without harming your health or peace of mind, trust in the encompassing mercy of your Lord and rejoice! “Allah intends ease for you; He does not intend hardship on you.” [Quran, 2:185] Wasalam Abdullah Anik Misra Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani seekershub

The Truth about the Number of Rak‘ahs in Tarawih By Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomer Edited by Hamood Abdul-Aleem In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. In recent times there has been a growth in the number of lay people who, influenced by a certain ideology, claim that the tarawih consists of only eight rak’ahs rather than the established twenty rak’ahs. There is, therefore, a need to discuss the tarawih prayer, which is a special type of salah (ritual prayer) only offered in Ramadan. The practice of performing tarawih in eight rak’ahs is in total contrast to the practice of the Ummah throughout the ages. Given the fact that tarawih is an emphasized sunnah (sunnah muakkadah), this issue should not be treated lightly. A staunch approach in opposition to this baseless view needs to be adopted, including highlighting the abhorrence of opposing the view of the majority (jamhur) and the sin of habitually abandoning an emphasized sunnah. Ijma’ of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) The issue of the tarawih consisting of twenty rak’ahs is one that the Companions (Sahabah) agreed upon by ijma’ (consensus). Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr stated, “The Companions had no dispute regarding this.”[1] ‘Allamah Ibn Qudamah said, “The Companions made ijma’ upon this in the era of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)” (Al-Mughni). Hafiz Abu Zur’ah Al-‘Iraqi stated, “They (the ‘ulama) have considered the approval of the Companions [when Sayyiduna ‘Umar did so] as ijma’“.[2] Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari stated that that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) have made ijma’ on the practice of twenty rak’ahs.[3] Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and many others have also claimed ijma’ of the Companions on this issue.[4] Furthermore, there exists no view in the four madhhabs (i.e. the Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools of Islamic jurisprudence) that support the view that tarawih consists of eight rak’ahs. The Hanafis, Shafi’is and Hanbalis state tarawih consists of twenty rak’ahs while Imam Malik is of the view that it consists of thirty-six rak’ahs, and according to one report he considers it to consist of fourty-one rak’ahs. According to another report he had also approved twenty rak’ahs. Some claim that Imam Malik also has a view supporting eleven rak’ahs but Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Al-A’zami has adequately refuted this claim in his book Rak’ate Tarawih.[5] From the above, we can deduce that almost all of the scholars of this Ummah held the opinion that tarawih does not consist of eight rak’ahs because throughout history all have adhered to one of the four madhabs, although there may have been certain individuals who renegaded in this regard. Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Al-A’zimi said in this regard, “From after the era of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) up to the end of the 13th century, you will not find any mention of people performing only eight rak’ahs [in tarawih]”.[6] Mawlana has also proven that offering twenty rak’ahs has remained the practice of the Ummah up to the modern day.[7] The practice of the Companions and the Followers Sayyiduna Sa’ib ibn Yazid reports that “the people would perform twenty rak’ahs in Ramadan during the era of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)”.[8] Others beside Sayyiduna Sa’ib ibn Yazid have also reported that the twenty rak’ahs were introduced by Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) such as Sayyiduna Yazid ibn Ruman, Sayyiduna Yahya ibn Sa’id Al-Ansari, Sayyiduna Ubay ibn Ka’b and Sayyiduna Muhammad ibn Ka’b Al-Qurazhi.[9] The following muhaddithin (hadith scholars) have accepted these reports, i.e. the reports of twenty rak’ahs from Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), to be authentic: Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Imam Al-Nawawi, Hafiz Al-‘Iraqi, Imam Al-Subki, Imam Al-Suyuti and Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari. Imam al-Bayhaqi has narrated from several chains that Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) also maintained the practice of twenty rak’ahs in tarawih.[10] This has also been reported as the practice of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him),[11] Sayyiduna ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him),[12] Sayyiduna Ubay ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him),[13] Shutayr ibn Shakl,[14] Ibn Abi Mulaykah,[15] Harith Al-Hamdani,[16] ‘Ali ibn Rabi’ah,[17] Abu ‘l-Bukhtari,[18] Sayyid al-Tabi’in Sa’id ibn Jubayr,[19] ‘Ata (he said: “I found the people performing twenty-three rak’ahs including witr.”),[20] Sa’id ibn Abi ‘l-Hasan,[21] ‘Imran Al-‘Abdi[22] and Suwayd ibn Ghaflah.[23] The practice of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) In a narration it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) performed twenty rak’ahs in tarawih.[24] The chain of this narration is weak. However, it is a well established principle in the sciences of Hadith and Fiqh that if a hadith possesses a weak chain but is supported by the general practice of the Ummah in the era of the Companions and the Followers (Tabi’in) then that hadith will be considered authentic.[25] Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Al-A’zimi has mentioned that this albeit weak narration is supported by the following points: (1) The fact that the general practice of the Muslims in the era of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) conformed to it, (2) this remained the practice even in the era of Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), (3) all of the four madhhabs concur with it and (4) the fact that the entire Ummah has been practicing upon it till this day. These are sufficient reasons to strengthen this narration and raise it to the level of authenticity. (Rak’ate Tarawih, pg. 60) Interestingly, Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah, under the chapter of “The number of rak’ahs to be performed in Ramadan”, first quotes the practice of twenty rak’ahs from ten different Companions and Followers (Tabi’i) and thereafter cites the narration of twenty rak’ahs from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).[26] This probably means he was alluding to the strength of this narration. Twenty rak’ahs were established by Sayyiduna ‘Umar Those who prefer eight rak’ahs generally contest the fact that Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was the one who introduced the twenty rak’ahs and that it was in fact only eight rak’ahs that he had established. This claim is easily refutable in light of the quotations mentioned earlier. Furthermore, Imam Tirmidhi has stated the following in his Sunan: “And most of the ‘ulama have chosen twenty rak’ahs as has been reported from Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and other Companions besides these two.”[27] The fact that Imam Tirmidhi did not even mention eight rak’ahs from Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) or anyone else is a clear indication as to which is the proper view. Moreover, some ‘ulama have reconciled this by stating that Sayyiduna ‘Umar had probably first introduced eight rak’ahs which thereafter became twenty. This then became the constant practice in his era as well as in the era of those who came after him.[28] On the other hand, Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Al-A’zimi and others have challenged the narration of eight rak’ahs from Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Mawlana has classified it as weak due to idtirab (i.e., diverse conflict between the narrators). (Rak’ate Tarawih, pgs. 7-8) The fact that the narration of eight rak’ahs was narrated by Imam Malik from Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and he (Imam Malik) still chose twenty, thirty-six or fourty-one rak’ahs further weakens this narration.[29] Another weakening factor for this narration is that there are no other references from the Companions and Followers which support this version of eight rak’ahs.[30] Sunnah of the rightly-guided caliphs The fact that Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) approved of twenty rak’ahs and the other caliphs maintained this practice after him is sufficient to prove its importance. All of this is in light of the hadith in which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “You must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs” (Abu Dawud). The ‘ulama have ruled that the sunnah of the caliphs are also part of the emphasized sunnah in light of this particular hadith.[31] Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali said: “The directive in this hadith to follow the caliphs is as incumbent as following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself.[32] This becomes even more clear knowing that this was one of the last advices of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). The significance of the practices of Sayyiduna ‘Umar The sunnah (practice) of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) enjoy an added significance and this is due to several narrations which support this: (1) The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Allah has placed truth upon ‘Umar’s tongue and heart.” (Abu Dawud) (2) Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would meticulously follow the practices of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and would say: “Indeed he (‘Umar) was always correct in his affairs.” (3) Sayyiduna ‘Abullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said while on oath: “The straight path is that which ‘Umar chose.” (4) The caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz said in one of his addresses to the people: “Behold! Whatever the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his two Companions (Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) have implemented is a duty that we have to follow and adhere to in our religion.”[33] Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with him) said the following when asked concerning the tarawih and its introduction by Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): “Tarawih is an emphasized sunnah. Sayyiduna ‘Umar did not introduce it from his own intellect, neither was it an innovation from his side. He surely did so because of having some knowledge about it from Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).”[34] ‘Allamah Al-Mawsili, after quoting the above from Imam Abu Hanifah, stated: “He (Sayyiduna ‘Umar) did so in the presence of a large group of Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), among them were the likes of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman , Sayyiduna ‘Ali, Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud, Sayyiduna ‘Abbas, Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas, Sayyiduna Talhah, Sayyiduna Zubayr , Sayyiduna Mu’adh, Sayyiduna Ubayy and others among the muhajirun (emigrants) and ansar (helpers). None of them objected to him, rather they assisted him and concurred with him.”[35] Tarawih of the Two Noble Sanctuaries In the Two Noble Sanctuaries of the noble city of Makkah and the illuminated city of Madinah up to this day since the time of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) twenty rak’ahs of tarawih has been performed in congregation. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Followers (i.e. those who came after the Companions), the Imams of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and the rest of the Ummah — with the exception of the so-called Ahl al-Hadith (or Salafis) of recent times — have been unanimous on performing twenty rak’ahs.[36] The Shi’ah resemblance Those who hold the view that the tarawih consists of eight rak’ahs hold the same belief as the Shi’ah in this regard. It is an accepted fact among the true scholars of Islam that for centuries the tarawih prayer was and is an additional prayer in the month of Ramadan. The Shi’ahs reject the practice of praying tarawih altogether. Similarly, the Ahl al-Hadith sect (or the Salafis) also reject there is an additional prayer in Ramadan. They believe that the tahajjud prayer which is performed during the latter portion of the night throughout the year was merely brought forward (i.e. to the earlier portion of the night) in Ramadan. Thus, in essence, there is no additional prayer in Ramadan according to their understanding. Furthermore, to believe that the twenty rak’ahs is an innovation of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is to undermine the integrity of this great Companion and in fact all the Companions who were present in his time. Generally speaking, this is precisely what the aims of the Shi’ahs are since it is an act of virtue for them to undermine the integrity of the Companions. Difference between tarawih and tahajjud The claim is made that since the tahajjud prayer only consists of eight rak’ahs — which is also an incorrect claim as other hadiths suggest more rak’ahs — the same applies to tarawih. There are several differences between tarawih and tahajjud, some of which are as follows: (1) Tarawih consists of twenty rak’ahs while tahajjud consists of only eight or maximum twelve. (2) Tarawih is an emphasized sunnah while tahajjud is preferable (mustahab). (3) Tarawih should be performed in congregation while tahajjud is performed individually only. (4) Tarawih is only performed in the month of Ramadan while tahajjud is performed throughout the year. (5) Tarawih is performed in the earlier part of the night while tahajjud is performed in the latter part of the night. In addition to the above, there are several hadiths wherein the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has specifically encouraged qiyam (standing for prayers) in Ramadan: (1) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah reported Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) as saying: “He who observed prayer at night during Ramadan, because of faith and seeking his reward [from Allah], his previous sins would be forgiven.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim) (2) The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Allah has enjoined (fard) the fast of Ramadan, and standing for night prayers (i.e. tarawih) was made sunnah for you; so whoever fasts and stands for night prayers because of faith and seeking his reward [from Allah], he will be freed from his sins like on the day when his mother gave birth to him”. (Sunan al-Nasai; Al-Targhib, 2:105.) (3) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to exhort [his Companions] to pray [at night] during Ramadan without commanding them to observe it as an obligatory act, and say: “He who observed the night prayer in Ramadan because of faith and seeking his reward (from Allah), all his previous sins would be forgiven”. (Sahih Muslim) The above-mentioned hadiths prove the fact that there is an additional prayer to be performed during the nights in the month of Ramadan. Furthermore, Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Salah is a good action, so the one who can perform it excessively should do so.”[37] Therefore, the more salah in this month the better. Concluding remarks It should also be borne in mind that the month of Ramadan is a month in which Muslims generally exert themselves in worship. Hence, this concept of performing twenty rak’ahs surely displays more exertion than eight. In fact, those who choose to perform only eight rak’ahs should examine their souls, it should not be that laziness in worship leads them to opt for lesser rak’ahs. Lastly, the general advice of the ‘ulama is that whatever a person inculcates during Ramadan will remain with him throughout the year that follows. Ramadan serves as an opportunity to recharge one’s self if one is lacking spiritually and it also serves as a training platform for the believer. We abstain from the lawful (halal) during fasting in the day so that we can acquire the ability to shun the unlawful (haram) as well for the rest of the year. On this note it is worth mentioning that the amount of obligatory salahs (including the Witr) that are performed daily are twenty. Therefore, one who sacrifices during the blessed month by offering these twenty rak’ahs of voluntary salah will — by the will of Allah — be punctual the rest of the year in that which is obligatory. The masses should be cautioned against accepting such innovative views from people who claim to have knowledge but refuse to follow the way of the Companions and the Ummah in general. The issue of tarawih is one of many such erroneous views held by these deviant entities. In fact, the masses are advised against arguing with such people. They should rather refer them to the ‘ulama. And Allah knows best. _____________________________ See Al-Istidhkar, vol. 5, pg. 157. [] See Tarh al-Tathrib, part 3, pg. 97. [] See Mirqat al-Mafatih, vol. 3, pg. 194. [] See Tuhfat al-Akhyar. [] See Rak’ate Tarawih, pg. 86-87. [] Ibid., pg. 6. [] Ibid., pgs. 1-6. [] See Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 2, pg. 496; Nasb al-Rayah, vol. 2, pg. 154. [] See Rak’ate Tarawih, pgs. 63-68. [] See Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 2, pgs. 494-495. [] See Rak’ate Tarawih, pg. 66. [] See Fada’il Shahr Ramadan Ibn Abi Dunya, pg. 54. [] See Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 2, pg. 285. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Ibid. [] Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl li ‘l-Marwazi, pg. 202. [] Ibid. [] Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 2, pg. 495. [] Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 2, pg. 286; Bayhaqi, vol. 2, pg. 496. [] There are several examples of this, for further reading on this topic see Shaykh Isma’il ibn Muhammad Al-Ansari’s refutation of the view of eight rak’ahs. [] Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 2, pg. 285-286. [] Sunan al-Tirmidhi, vol. 1, pg. 99. [] Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 2, pg. 496; a similar statement was made by ‘Allamah Baji in Sharh al-Muwatta. ] See Ikhtilafe Ummat, pg. 498. [] Ibid. [] See ‘Allamah ‘Abd al-Hayy Al-Lakhnawi’s discussion on this in Tuhfat al-Akhyar. [] See Jami’ al-‘Ulum, vol. 1, pg. 774. [] Above quotes (1-4) were extracted from Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali’s Jami’ al-‘Ulum wa ‘l-Hikam, vol. 1, pgs. 776-777. [] Radd al-Muhtar, vol. 2, pg. 493, Dar al-Kutb al-Ilmiyyah ed. [] See Al-Ikhtiyar, vol. 1, pg. 95. [] Shaykh ‘Atiyyah Salim, a renowned scholar from the Arab lands, has written a book proving that the practice of performing twenty rak’ahs in tarawih in the masjid of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has been taking place for over 1000 years! [] Al-Tabarani from the narration of Abu Hurayrah; also see Majma al-Zawa’id, 2:249. [] Deoband.org

Chapter on Salat al-Tarawih [by ‘Allāmah Zafar Ahmad al-‘Uthmānī] [Translated by Maulana Muntasir Zaman] Reliablefatwas.com

The 1400 Year History Of Taraweeh Salaah

Tarawih; 20 rak’ats. No less!

Ameen. Good to see you back on this thread sister Acacia. Ramadhaan is the perfect time for du'a! Abu Hurairah (Radhiyallaho anho) reports Prophet Mohammad Sallallaahu 'alayhe Wasallam said, "There are three people whose dua's are not rejected, the fasting person until he breaks the fast, the just ruler and the dua's of the oppressed whose dua Allah lifts above the clouds and opens unto it the doors of the heavens, and Allah says, I swear by My honor, verily I shall assist you even though it may be after some time." (Ahmed & Tirmidhi). The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said; Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah (SWT)), the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler. [al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi - Sahih] Another hadith; "Not a single prayer made by a fasting person at the time of breaking fast is rejected." (Ibne Mãjah)

Hadhrat Talha (Radhiyallahu Anhu) in the Battle of Uhud Hadhrat Zubayr bin Awwaam (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) wore two suits of armour on his mubaarak body in the battle of Uhud. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) intended climbing a rock during the battle, but was unable to do so. He therefore requested Hadhrat Talha (Radhiallahu Anhu) to sit, and with his assistance he climbed the rock. Hadhrat Zubayr (Radhiallahu Anhu) says that I heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) say: “It has become waajib for Talha. (i.e. Jannah or the intercession of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).” In the battle of Uhud, Hadhrat Talha (Radhiallahu Anhu) very bravely accompanied and protected Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Whenever the Sahaabah discussed the battle of Uhud, they would say that this day belonged to Hadhrat Talha (Radhiallahu Anhu). Hadhrat Talha (Radhiallahu Anhu) shielded Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) with his body. He received more than eighty wounds on his body, yet he did not leave the side of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), even though his hand had become paralyzed. (Shamaail Tirmizi with Khasaail Nabawi) أَحسن منكَ لَم تَرَ قَطُّ عَينِي وَأجْمَل مِنْكَ لَمْ تَلِدِ النّسَاءُ خُلِقْتَ مُبَرَّأً مِنْ كُلّ عَيبٍ كَأَنّكَ قَدْ خُلِقْتَ كَمَا تَشَاءُ Better than you no eye has ever seen, More beautiful than you no woman has given birth to You have been created free from any defect, As if you were created like how you desired. يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيرِ الخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ

How Do I Choose A School Of Thought (madhhab) & Why? Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question: How Do I Choose a Madhhab and Why? Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his folk, companions, and followers A madhhab is a school of Islamic law, and each madhhab is based on a systematic methodology of interpreting the Qur’an and Prophetic sunna. Following a madhhab is not an end in itself; rather, it is a means to follow the Qur’an and Sunna in a sound, systematic, and sustainable manner. It is a sound way of following the Qur’an and Sunna, because each madhhab has a sound and tested methodology of understanding, interpreting, and applying the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to the issues of our life. It is a systematic way, because the scholars have dealt with the issues Muslims face in their worship, dealings, and conduct, and given guidance-based answers that are relevant and reliable. It is a sustainable way, because the scholars have distinguished between the degrees of emphasis of rulings—between what is obligatory and recommended; between the prohibited and the disliked; between the preferable and less preferable. By following a madhhab, you will not be overwhelmed by the sense of having to “do everything all at once.” Rather, you can bring in religious guidance into your life a step at a time—giving priority to what is most important first. This helps one attain consistency in one’s actions and religious practice, which is a key to being personal transformation. Which Madhhab Do I Follow? Any of the four Sunni schools of law are valid to follow, and which one chooses to follow is a matter of personal preference and circumstances. One should consider: (1) Which madhhab you can learn properly, given your life circumstances (2) Which mahhab you can get your questions answered for (3) Your personal inclination, and general life considerations (such as family background, community, and so on). And Allah alone gives success. Wassalam, Faraz Rabbani MMVIII © Faraz Rabbani and SunniPath. All rights reserved

Will Zakaat be Discharged by Paying a Poor Person’s Light or Water Account? Q: Will zakaat be discharged by paying a poor person’s light or water account? A: The fundamental requirement in the discharging of zakaat is the aspect of Tamleek i.e. to transfer ownership of the wealth to the recipient of zakaat. Since this requirement is not fulfilled in the case where the person paid the water or light account, the zakaat will not be discharged. However, if one fears that if he gives the money to the poor man then instead of him paying his water or light account he will misuse the wealth then in this situation he may ask the poor man for permission to pay the account on his behalf. In this way the zakaat will be discharged. ويشترط أن يكون الصرف ( تمليكا ) لا إباحة كما مر ( لا ) يصرف ( إلى بناء ) نحو ( مسجد و ) لا إلى ( كفن ميت وقضاء دينه ) أما دين الحي الفقير فيجوز لو بأمره ( شامى 2/344 ) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Eating during days of Menstruation in Ramadhaan Q- If a female starts menstruating whilst fasting in Ramadhan, can she eat (discreetly) when she is in seclusion? Similarly can she do so when she stops menstruating during the day? What if in both cases she kept the entire fast for that day. Will her fast be valid as she has completed some part of the fast as a pure/paak person? A. If her menses has commenced whilst fasting then she may eat discreetly (out of people’s sight). However, if her menses had terminated during the day, then she should abstain from eating and drinking etc. both in private and public and act as a fasting person. In both cases her fast will be invalid as menstruating women cannot fast. She will have to make Qadha of these days after Ramadhan. darulihsan

Qadha of fasts missed during Menstruation Q. I know that a woman cannot keep fasts whilst in Haidh-menstruation. Then, if she experiences menstruation whilst fasting, does she have to keep Qadha for the missed fasts in Haidh or not? (Question published as received) A. A woman who experiences menstruation during her fast will have to make Qadha for that fast as well as all the fasts she missed during her menstruation. (Hidaayah) N.B. The Qadha of the missed fasts of Ramadaan will be made after the month of Ramadaan. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

The Truth of Islam, the Qur’an, & the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) Answered by Shaykh Faraz Khan Question: I was born in a Muslim but currently I’m a ethical monotheist. I believe in the the necessity of revelation and see Muhammad (PBUH) as an exemplary man but I want to know if there is any rational or logical reason to believe he is a prophet and the Qur’an is God’s word. I heard from a lot of Muslims that the Qur’an contains a lot of scientific truths and prophecies that have been fulfilled but other religions say the same thing about there holy books what makes the Qur’an any different Answer: Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah, I pray this finds you in the best of health and states. May God guide us all to the truth and grant us pristine clarity. There is much rationale behind accepting the Qur’an as God’s word and the Prophet Muhammad as a true prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This has been discussed in great detail by Muslim theologians, and it would take an entire course or more to provide an adequate response. Nevertheless, please read the following excerpt from a text on Maturidi theology by Imam Nur al-Din Sabuni (d. 580AH), in which he addresses your question as follows: The Significance of Miracles The prophetic miracle (muʿjiza) is that which manifests the incapacity (ʿajz) of creation to bring its like… Its formal definition according to theologians is “the appearance of a matter that breaks the customary norm, at the hand of one claiming prophecy, upon being challenged by those in denial, in a manner that incapacitates them to bring its like.” The way a miracle indicates the truthfulness of a prophet is that we realize it is purely an act of God Most High, the servant having no share in it at all, such as turning a staff into a snake or bringing the dead to life. When God Most High produces it immediately after the prophet’s statement, “If I am truthful in my claim to being Your messenger, then do such and such,” it serves as a confirmation for him by action. It is akin to God’s saying, “You are truthful.”… Proofs That Muhammad was a True Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Having understood the above, we will now establish proofs of the truthfulness of our Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace and greetings), as that is the basis of this whole discussion. According to us, then, that of the rest of the prophets (upon whom be peace) is affirmed by his informing us. This evidence has two main components: I. The Qur’an The first is the Qur’an, which challenged all the eloquent speakers of the Arabs and non-Arabs to bring the like of it. They proved incapable of doing so, as God Most High states: –“And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then bring the like of one of its chapters,” (2:23) and He Most High also says, –“Say: verily if all humans and jinn gathered to bring the like of this Qur’an, they would not bring the like of it, even if some of them supported others,” (17:88) and other Qur’anic verses. So all proved incapable of bringing the like of it, since if they were able to do so they certainly would have, due to their zeal for disproving his claim and overcoming his proof. Had they done so, it would surely have been well-known and transmitted to us, just as the false claims and senseless jabber of Musaylima the Liar were transmitted. Challenges and Responses (a) If it is said: Perhaps being preoccupied with combat and careers prevented them from that. We respond: The Qur’anic challenge was before any warfare, and supporting the religion and defending its sanctuary was more important to them than careers. The premise, therefore, is clearly incorrect. (b) If it is said: Perhaps they did oppose it and bring the like of it, yet the believers ignored it and spread fame of the Qur’an alone. We respond: The challengers in that time were of greater number than the believers. So had they found any successful opposition of the Qur’an, their obstinacy, denial, and animosity toward the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have incited them to relate it and make it famous, just as the believers’ affirmation and love of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) inspired them to relate the Qur’an and spread its message. Despite that, however, no such opposition has been transmitted to us. Hence, it is clear that they proved incapable of doing so. And if the most eloquent Arabs and their rhetoricians proved incapable of opposing the Qur’an, then those who came after them, who were non-Arab, would be even more incapable. II. His Numerous Miracles The second component of this evidence is what has been related from him (peace and blessings be upon him) of prophetic miracles, both of the physical realm and of the unseen realm, some with himself and others not pertaining to his own self. II-a) What Pertains to Himself (peace and blessings be upon him) As for what pertains to himself (peace and blessings be upon him), they include: the light that appeared upon the forehead of his forefathers and foremothers, whose loins and wombs he was in; that which is mentioned in ancient books of his characteristics and traits, the time of his coming, and the description of his followers and supporters; and what has been narrated after him of his personal description, the beauty of his form, the nobility of his virtues, and his kind acts, like the hadiths of ʿAli ibn Abu Talib, Hind ibn Abi Hala and Umm Maʿbad (may God be pleased with them). All of this serves as evidence, for those who possess keen discernment (firasa), that the likes of such qualities have never been collectively present in any one person before him or after him, thereby indicating the nobility of his essence and the loftiness of his person, such that no one matches him therein. It is related that every time Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) looked at him (peace and blessings be upon him) in his youth and reflected on his traits, he would say, “This one has surely been created for a great affair.” So when he (peace and blessings be upon him) called Abu Bakr to Islam, the latter said, “This is what I used to hope for regarding you.” And when ʿAbdullah ibn Salam (may God be pleased with him) met him (peace and blessings be upon him) for the first time, he said, “This is not the face of a liar.” And ʿAbdullah ibn Rawaha (may God be pleased with him) said: Had there not been clear signs with him, His very nature would have proven his message. He (peace and blessings be upon him) then remained with these traits for his entire life, not changing whatsoever in private or public, neither when angry nor when content, to the extent that his enemies, despite their extreme animosity and zeal to slander his character, found no fault in him at all. This, then, is the strongest proof of the truthfulness of his message, for it is inconceivable that God, the All-Wise (may His remembrance be exalted), gather all of these virtues for one whom He knows will invent lies against Him, give him respite for 23 years, give victory to his religion over all other faiths and aid him in conquering his enemies, and finally give life to his teachings after his demise until the Day of Resurrection. II-b) What Pertains to Other than Himself (peace and blessings be upon him) As for miracles not dealing with his own self, they include splitting the moon; drawing the tree near; the speaking of stones; the yearning of the palm-trunk; the complaining of the she-camel; the testimony of the roasted sheep of its being poisoned; and the shading of the clouds over him (peace and blessings be upon him). They also include his informing of past and future events. Past events include the stories of prophets (upon whom be peace), and the conditions of bygone nations in various lands, in different statements, related in the presence of scholars of the People of the Book, none of whom proved capable of denying or slandering him. This occurred despite his having never read ancient books nor interacted with People of the Book, indicating that he (peace and blessings be upon him) related news by revelation from God Most High, as a messenger. Future events include his informing on the Day of Badr of what person would be killed, and in what place, which occurred as he said. He also told of fighting Banu Hanifa and Persia; the downfall of Chosroes’ kingdom; the victory of his religion [islam] over all other faiths and its reaching the farthest limits of the East and West; and other events as mentioned in narrations, which occurred as he foretold. Moreover, his demeanor (peace and blessings be upon him) did not resemble that of fortunetellers, magicians or astrologers, all of whom, according to what is related, engaged in poetry and rhyming; concealing vile traits; seeking the aid of devils; looking into astrolabes; or numerology. Rather, his personality (peace and blessings be upon him) was one of uprightness, tranquility, honor, shunning worldly aims, and constant immersion in the remembrance of God Most High. These miracles, even if most of them are related through single-chain reports (ahad), together indicate one common phenomenon, namely, manifestation of the extraordinary by his hands. This phenomenon, then, is effectively related through multiple-chain transmission (tawatur), resulting in unequivocal, definitive knowledge (ʿilm qatʿi). This is similar to narratives that individually are related through single-chain reports regarding [for example] the generosity of Hatim, the justice of Abu Shirwan, the courage of ʿAli (may God ennoble his face), and the knowledge of Abu Hanifa (may God have mercy on him). Since each category in its totality indicates one particular theme— namely, generosity, justice, courage, and knowledge—then the result is unequivocal, definitive knowledge of these themes. Indeed, the same applies here. [sabuni, Al-Bidaya fi Usul al-Din, trans. Faraz A. Khan] And Allah knows best. wassalam Faraz Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani seekershub

Will Zakaat be Discharged by giving it to such a person who one Incorrectly Regarded as Eligible Q: A person gave zakaat to a muslim whom he regarded to be eligible for zakaat. However, after giving him the zakaat he discovered that he was unworthy of zakaat. Is the zakaat discharged? A: If a person discharged the zakaat to a muslim whom he regarded to be eligible for zakaat then the zakaat will be discharged. ( دفع بتحر ) لمن يظنه مصرفا ( فبان أنه عبده أو مكاتبه أو حربي ولو مستأمنا أعادها ) لما مر ( وإن بان غناه أو كونه ذميا أو أنه أبوه أو ابنه أو امرأته أو هاشمي لا ) يعيد لأنه أتى بما في وسعه حتى لو دفع بلا تحر لم يجز إن أخطأ (شامى 2/352) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Breastfeeding during Ramadaan & Fasting during Pregnancy

Which group are you from? Spiritually, in this world and well as the next, there will always only be three kinds of people; The very good ones, the very bad ones and those in between. In Surah Waqiáh Allah Taála categorizes the population of the hereafter as follows: (1) The forerunners (As-Sabiqoon)- the elite. (2) The people of the right (As-habul Yameen)- the moderate ones. (3) And the people of the left (As-habush shimaal)- the evil people. And in Surah Fatir (ayah:32), Allah Taála groups the inhabitants of the world in three as well: (1) The sinners (2) The Moderate group (3) And those who are foremost in doing good. The three groups in Ramadhan The famous hadith in which Rasulullah (sallallahu álaihi wasallam) is reported to have introduced Ramadhan to the Sahabah (radiyallahu ánhum) states that he also said: “…it (Ramadhan) is a month whose first part (first 10 days) are a mercy, the second part (second 10 days) brings forgiveness and the last part (last 10 days) guarantees emancipation from the fire” Shaykhul Hadith, Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahimahullah) has explained this to be referring to three categories of people. 1. From all the people who witness Ramadhan there are some who are extremely pious, for them the mercy of Allah starts showering down from the first night of Ramadhan. 2. The second type are those who are not as pious as the previous ones. They have a mixture of deeds, good and bad too, although their burden of sins are not too heavy. These people engage in worship the first 10 days of Ramadhan and by the 11th of Ramadhan they become eligible for complete forgiveness. 3. The last group are the very sinful ones. Those who have far less good than bad in their account. Almighty Allah through his grace frees them too from Jahannam (Hell) by the time they reach the final stretch of the blessed month. Another three Some Scholars have drawn attention to another type of grouping in Ramadhan; 1. Those who are already spiritually charged and await this month in earnest. They use this as an opportunity to progress further in spirituality during Ramadhan. These ones maximize their benefit from this month. 2. Those who are aware of the auspiciousness of the month and prepare themselves to honour its sanctity as much as possible. They shun the sins that they usually engage in during the other eleven months of the year and even try to increase their ‘ibadat in Ramadhan. However, once the month departs, they revert to those wrongs! It’s as if they braced themselves for this month only & then release the “hand-break” once the crescent of Shawwal is sighted. This is the middle group and unfortunately the majority. 3. Those to whom Ramadhan makes no difference! They show no regard to it whatsoever and persist in the wrongs that they are so accustomed to. These are the deprived ones! They are the real losers! Which team were belong to is really up to us! May Allah Ta’ala protect us all and inspire us to accept this auspicious month with open arms, and to maximize our benefit therefrom. Ameen. Source