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Alhamdulilah: A sister recently requested that I compile some statements of the Shafi’i jurists regarding the ‘awrah of a woman amongst other women. Some of the quotes within this article have previously been translated by me in other articles on this website. So do not be surprised if you see repetitive quotes. However, I have added new material. The strongest view of the madh-hab, without doubt, is that it is permitted for a woman to look at another woman save for what is between her navel and knees. There is disagreement amongst the Shafi’i jurists regarding what can be exposed in front of a disbelieving woman however.

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Sister Umm Muhammad wrote in a comment in one of the posts:

Bismillaah.Peace be upon Prophet Muhammad.
As-Salaamu ‘alaykum all.
A request/suggestion:
I’d appreciate if you could research the technicalities behind the whole “not supporting filth with your person” issue during salah. Alot of sisters pick up their children when they pray, but I refrain from doing so because of the almost constant najasah (my kid’s under 2 yrs).

Bismillah, Alhamdulillah:

Dear Sister Umm Muhammad & all others who face this predicament,

I have searched for this issue in the works of jurisprudence and I feel that I am able to quote for you the statements of the Shafi’i scholars, as well as their argument for the permissibility of holding a child during Salah.

The following hadith is what brings forth this discussion:

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Written by Abul Layth

Lesson 2: Continuing the Pre-Conditions of Salāh

Download Lesson in Pdf: Lesson 2: Continuing the Pre-Conditions of Salāh; Facing the Qiblah, Timing, & Taharah (105) - 615.94 KB

This lesson will cover the rest of the issues of Shurūt As-Salāh (the pre-conditions of prayer). The first condition that we will elaborate upon is the necessity of facing the Qiblah. “Facing the Qiblah” includes two sub-issues: not facing the Qiblah due to Extreme peril (al-Khawf , fear) and not facing it in supererogatory Prayers (Tattawwu’ / Nāfil) performed while travelling. The second condition that we will cover is Al-Waqt, that the time for Salāh must be in for the validity of the prayer. This has three sub issues: rain, Hajj, traveling. Then we will briefly go over the necessity of one being pure of Hadath and Najāsah.

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“Shafi’i Salah Fiqh Series; Lesson 1: The First Pre-Condition of Salah, Covering the ‘Awrah”

Compiled by Abul Layth

Updated May 19th 2008

Download Lesson in Pdf: Seekingilm Shafi’i Salah Series; Lesson 1 Covering the Awrah in Salah (132) - 730.5 KB

Introduction

This is lesson one of the SeekingIlm Shafi’ī Salah Fiqh Series. The first lessons will cover the pre-conditions of prayer. Imām An-Nawawī states in his Minhāj that there are five shurūt (pl. of Shart) for Salāh

• 1. Knowing the time for the prayer.
• 2. Facing the Qiblah
• 3. Covering the ‘awrah.
• 4. Being pure from Hadath - طهارة الحدث (ritualistic impurities, i.e. such as passing wind, being in the state of Janābah (sexual defilement), or menstruating, or generally being out of the state of wudhu’).
• 5. Being pure of Najasah - طهارة النجس (impurities, such as feces, dog etc). (See Al-Minhāj)

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Written by Abul Layth

Imam An-Nawawī states in his primer on Shafi’i fiqh Al-Minhāj,

“And the Qunut is a Sunnah when rising from the bowing position (ruku’) in the second raka’ah of the morning prayer (As-Subh). And what is said is [the supplication],اللهم اهديني فيمن هديت

“Allahumma Ahdini fiman hadayt…”

Until the end of the supplication. The Imam recites [the du'aa] in plural form, and what is correct (sahīh) is that it is Sunnah to send blessings upon Rasūlullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at the end of the supplication, and that the hands be raised, and that one does not wipe their face, and that the Imām says it aloud while the the one following says Amīn…”¹

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Footnotes (Click ↩ at the end of the note to Go Back to Original Place in the article) :

1. Sirraj Al-Wahhaj ‘Ala Matn Al-Minhāj page 148: Dar-Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah [↩]

Monthly Reflection for May 2008: Thoughts by Abul Layth

As I was looking through Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalani’s Talkhis Al-Habir I came acrossed a hadith that struck my soul. The author writes as the section heading,

“. It is recommended (mustahabb) for the one placing the deceased into the grave to say,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ

“Bismillahi, wa ‘Alaa Millati Rasulullah”

“With Allah’s name, and upon the Religion of the Messenger of Allah.”

As that is reported by Ibn ‘Umar from the Messenger of Allah. When one places the deceased in the grave, place them in the lahd¹upon their right side, facing the qiblah, as that was done with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).”²

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Footnotes (Click ↩ at the end of the note to Go Back to Original Place in the article) :

1. A niche that is dug on the side of the grave where the body is placed, so that the dirt does not actually fall on the body [↩]
2. Talkhis Al-Habir, page 1231 Adwa’us-Salaf Edition [↩]

Research Compiled by Abul Layth

It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad said,

أَبْغَضُ الْحَلَال إِلَى اللَّهِ الطَّلَاق

“The most hated Halal by Allah is divorce.”

Several questions may enter the mind of the one who reads these words. One who has at least some knowledge of Islam may ask what is the authenticity of the report? If it is authentic, what does it mean? In this article we will explore the different chains and statements of the scholars concerning this narration, insha’Allah.

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Robert Spencer is at it again. Yes, as you all know, manipulating texts to promote his islamophobic dogma or misinformation (if you would like to say “lies” as that may be more accurate). I have read several of his worthlessly inaccurate (as well as a waste of money) books and each time have been made to chuckle at his ignorance regarding Islamic scripture. As I was looking through sites that link Seekingilm.com, I happen to cross one of his articles that he so poorly wrote as of recent. Apparently he used a reference on Al-Khadir that Ibn Sa’ad prepared for Seekingilm.com. So I went to the ridiculously researched article that can be found here and decided to respond to two things that made me chuckle.

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In the previous discussion we made the claim that Ibn Uthaymeen, and in reality the Wahhabi movement of today, have revived the madh-hab of Muqaatil, a madh-hab of creed laced with tajseem and tashbeeh (anthropomorphism). There is yet another issue that manifests the fact that Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) was a neo-Muqaatili. In his work “Aqidat Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah” he states after mentioning Yunus:3,

واستواؤه على العرش: علوه عليه بذاته علوَّاً خاصاً يليق بجلاله وعظمته لا يعلم كيفيته إلا هو.

[We believe that He "created the Heavens and the Earth in six days, then He settled Himself on the throne; He manages everything" (10:3).] His “settling on the throne” means that He is sitting in person (bi-dhaatih) on His throne in a way that is becoming to His majesty and greatness. No one save He knows the kayfiyyah (howness, modality etc) [of the sitting].

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I recall hearing a christian once tell me that my religion, “Izlam”, was not a religion of forgiveness & mercy. In fact, in his view, it is impossible for God to forgive sins without “sacrifice”, as he saw it. No matter what verses I quoted him, ahadith (narratives of the Prophet Muhammad), or scholarly quotes, he was adamant that the Qur’an does not preach forgiveness of man’s sins. One can guide the donkey to the water, but can not make him drink. I believe that a single verse from the Qur’an can respond to the christian view, or anyone else’s view, that Islam is a religion that teaches God will forgive as long as one is sincerely repentant.

Allah says,

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Say, [God says], My servants who have harmed yourselves by your own excess, do not despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins: He is truly the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

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 As I was reading the Al-Adhkaar of Imam An-Nawawi (rahimahullah) I came across the following hadith:

‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏حَامِدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏أَبُو عَاصِمٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏الْمَقْبُرِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏مَنْ اضْطَجَعَ مَضْجَعًا لَمْ يَذْكُرْ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فِيهِ إِلَّا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ ‏ ‏تِرَةً ‏ ‏يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ قَعَدَ مَقْعَدًا لَمْ يَذْكُرْ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ إِلَّا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ ‏ ‏تِرَةً ‏ ‏يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏

Abu Hurayrah (radhiya Allahu ‘Anhu) said that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “If anyone lies on his side while not remembering Allah the exalted, deprivation (tirah) will descend upon him on the day of Judgement ; and whoever sits in a place without remembering Allah, the glorious and magnificent, , deprivation with descend upon him on the day of judgment.”

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