Archive for May, 2008

 Written by Abul Layth & Edited by Abu Usamah

The following is a response I wrote regarding several issues raised within a post by Umm Yasmin on her blog. I have posted it here for several reasons: a) I am not certain that all of the response would go through on her blog b) there are many points of creed and law that I have made within it that may benefit others that may be interested in these issues c) It is going to take up to much space on her comments, May Allah bless her with good Amin!

  Continued

Imam Ibn Kathir records in his “Tabaqat Al-Fuqaha’ Ash-Shafi’iyyin” the following report with a chain starting with him connected to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Muhammad ibn Idris Ash-Shafi’i from Malik ibn Anas from Az-Zuhri from Abdur-Rahman ibn Ka’ab ibn Malik from his father from Rasulullah (alayhis salaam) who said:

  نسمة المؤمن طائر يعلق في شجر الجنة حتى يرجعه الله عز وجل إلى جسده يوم يبعثه

“The soul of the Mu’min, assuming the form of the a bird, suspends from a tree in Jannah until it is returned to its body by Allah the mighty and majestic on the day he will be resurrected.”

Continued

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:

Continued

Alhamdulilah for the vastness and beauty of Islam! For those who enjoy comparitive fiqh, you will enjoy the discussion that will continue. For those who do not or who feel that “ikhtilaaf” is not a mercy, then do not read further. Before I begin this discussion I want to get a few things out of the way:

1) This is an issue of what is recommended vs what is not. Not an issue of obligation, thus no one should be cutting throats over this issue. 2) I fully respect the ijtihad of the scholars who deem sadl (hands on the side) to be the verdict of the Maliki school. I simply disagree that this was the established view of the Medinites. 3) This is a discussion regarding this issue, and I expect all those involved to be loving, gentle, and caring.

Now for the crux of the matter. I forward, oh beloved Sidi Abdur-Rahman, that qabd (the act of placing the right hand on the left in Salah) was in fact the view of Ahlul Medinah. It was also considered Mustahabb by Imam Malik and the school. I shall present the reasons below:

Continued

I was reading Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali’s The Compendium of Knowledge and Wisdom (translated by Abdassamad Clarke) and I came across some points on seeking knowledge, that would be a good reminder for everybody, starting with me.

We read on pg. 15, under the section of Intention:

At-Tirmidhi related a hadith of Kab ibn Malik that the Prophet(SAW) said ‘Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with foolish people, or to compete with people of knowledge, or to turn people’s faces towards him, then Allah will put him in the Fire’(At-Tirmidhi 265). Ibn Majah related the same meaning from a hadith of Ibn Umar, Hudahfah, and Jabir is, “Do not learn knowledge in order to compete with people of knowledge or to argue with foolish people or to do well in assemblies. For whoever does that, then [beware of] the Fire! The Fire!” (Ibn Majah 253) Ibn Masud said, ‘Do not learn knowledge for three reasons: to argue with foolish people, or to dispute with fuqaha, or to turn people’s faces towards you. Seek from your words and your actions that which is with Allah because it endures and what is other than it will go away

And to add this idea, Imam Zaid Shakir also reminds about the ‘The Proper Approach to Debating”, by quoting the statement of Imam Shafi`i:

Never do I debate a man with a desire to hear him err in his speech, or to expose the flaws in his argument, and thus vanquish him. Whenever I face an opponent in debate I silently supplicate, ‘O Lord, help him so that truth may manifest itself in his heart and on his tongue. If it be that the truth is on my side, may he follow me; and if the truth be on his side, may I follow him.’

May Allah (SWT) purify our intentions to seek knowledge for His Sake!

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.

Continued

“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)

Continued

 

You are constantly at war of Muslim! You may just not realize the reality of “who” is after you. Imam Muslim narrates in his Sahih the following tradition:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْأَعْلَى عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ أَبِي الْعَاصِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ حَالَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ صَلَاتِي وَقِرَاءَتِي يَلْبِسُهَا عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ خَنْزَبٌ فَإِذَا أَحْسَسْتَهُ فَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْهُ وَاتْفِلْ عَلَى يَسَارِكَ ثَلَاثًا قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ فَأَذْهَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَنِّي حَدَّثَنَاه مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا سَالِمُ بْنُ نُوحٍ ح و حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ كِلَاهُمَا عَنْ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ أَنَّهُ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِي حَدِيثِ سَالِمِ بْنِ نُوحٍ ثَلَاثًا و حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ الثَّقَفِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِهِمْ

Translated as:

“Oh Rasūlullah! The Shaytān comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein.” Rasūlullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “That is a shaytān that is called khanzab¹. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and spit drily to your left three times.” The companion said, I did that and Allāh took him away from me.
(Narrated by Muslim, 4083)

Continued

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

1. Qadī ‘Iyād stated that it is spelled Khunzab with a Damma and this was forwarded by Ibn Al-Athīr in his An-Nihāyah although An-Nawawī stated that such spelling is “gharīb/strange” See Sharh Sahīh Muslim [↩]

 

As-Salamu ‘Alaykum Readers,

I do not usually, and I do not believe I have ever, used Seekingilm.com to push or advertise another site save for Marifah.net. It has been brought to my attention that Sidi Abu Adam has started a site dedicated to responding to the heterodox creed of the pseudo-salafiyyah sect called “Sunni Answers“. I read Sidi Abu Adam’s responses to Yasir Qadhi the other day and was enthushed at his ability to respond to the subtle points of creed. He understands the Asha’ri school well. So, I recommend that all seekers and students have a visit at his site and even forward questions to him pertaining to creed. He is an incredibly valuable resource for the English speaking Muslims. May Allah bless him and allow his site to benefit the Ummah. Amin!

 

 

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

Continued

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 [↩]

Compiled by Abul Layth

 

For some time now it has been my intent to do a research paper on the beard. Then I came across the fatwa of Shaykh Muhammad Al-Akiti that surpassed anything that my lowly uneducated soul could produce. With the encouragement of Brother Hussain, I have decided to do my own minimal research and to summarize the research of Shaykh Muhammad while adding a few more quotes prior to it. Ibn Hajr Al-Haytami mentions the following in his Tuhfat Al-Muhtāj:

قال الشيخان يكره حلق اللحية واعترضه ابن الرفعة في حاشية الكافية بأن الشافعي رضي الله تعالى عنه نص في الأم على التحريم قال الزركشي وكذا الحليمي في شعب الإيمان وأستاذه القفال الشاشي في محاسن الشريعة وقال الأذرعي الصواب تحريم حلقها جملة لغير علة بها كما يفعله القلندرية

 ”The two Shaykhs (i.e. Nawawī and Rāfi’ī) considered it makruh to shave the beard. Ibn Ar-Rifa’ah opposed [their opinion] in Hāshiyat Al-Kāfiyah due to the fact that there is a decisive proof (nass) from Imam Ash-Shāfi’ī in his Al-Umm for it being harām to shave the beard. Az-Zarkashī stated that the same was stated by Al-Halīmī in his Shu’ab Al-Imān, as well as his teacher Al-Qaffāl Ash-Shāshī in Mahāsin Ash-Shari’ah and Al-Adhru’ī stated, ‘And what is correct is that it is harām to shave it as the Qalandaris do.’”

Without going into incredible detail the following scholars according to the above quote, as well as the articles that will follow conclude the following:

Continued