Who Leads The Salaat? -Abu 'Abbaas Moosa Richardson

Misleading Statements (Shaikh Muhammad Bazmoul)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Misleading Statements

The statement: The Shaikh is affected by the people around him (those who speak to him).

Shaikh Muhammad Bazmoul commented on this statement:

Beware of such a statement oh my brothers, for indeed it is the statement of the people of innovation and desires! I have heard this statement being mentioned concerning the likes of Shaikh Bin Baaz and Shaikh al Albani (may Allah have mercy on them), and I have heard it mentioned about other scholars.

This statement is incorrect in several ways:

1. It is belittlement of the scholar because it indicates that he is not accurate and he accepts anything mentioned to him by his students. The origin of the affair of a scholar is that he is trustworthy and accurate, and therefore this statement is in opposition to this origin. With this being the case, the person who makes such an allegation must present proofs for his claim or it is befitting that his claims is rejected and not accepted.

2. The likes of this statement was forbidden by Allah concerning what was being said about His Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the scholars; those who inherit from the prophets. Allah said in the Qur'an:

وَمِنْهُمُ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ النَّبِيَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

{Among them are those who annoy the Prophet and say: He is lending his ear to all news. Say: He listens to what is best for you; he believes in Allah, has faith in the believers, and is a mercy to those of you who believe. But those who annoy Allah's Messenger will have a painful torment.} Surah at Taubah: 61

Imam at Tabari mentioned in his book of Tafseer in explanation to this verse, he said:

Allah is informing that from amongst the hypocrites are groups who seek to annoy the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and reprimand him by saying: He freely lends his ear. He listens to everyone who speaks to him and he accepts and believes their speech….

Shaikh Muhammad Bazmoul further explained:

Consequently, this statement was mentioned by the hypocrites concerning the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and now it is being used by the people of innovation and ignorance to belittle the scholars and abandon their statements and knowledge. By performing this action, they have imitated the action of the hypocrites. Indeed there is no might or change except by the permission of Allah!

3. This statement is used by individuals to refute the statements of the scholars concerning individuals and issues. Indeed this is from the most despicable of affairs. The statement of a scholar is only rejected based on valid, legislated proofs and evidences. Is this statement (the scholar is affected by those around him) considered a valid, legislated proof and evidence?!

4. This statement contains several dangers. From its dangers is that it creates a lack of trust for the scholar concerning his speech and rulings. Certainly the more the people trust the scholar, the more they trust his knowledge.

5. This statement removes and decreases the awe and reverence the students of knowledge have for the scholar.

Summarized translation from: 'Misleading Statements' Shaikh Muhammad Bazmoul (may Allah preserve him)

Mustafa George DeBerry

Riyadh, KSA

Shaykh Muqbil: The Harms of NOT Praying In Your Shoe...

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shaykh Muqbil: The Harms of NOT Praying In Your Shoes…

Ash-Shaykh, Al-Allaamah, Al-Imaam, Muqbi bin Haadi Al-Waadi’ee (Rahimahullah) has a very good chapter in his beneficial book ‘Shar’iyatus-Salaah Fiin-Ni’aal’ (The Legality of Performing The Prayer in shoes) page 24-26, where he (rahimahullah) speaks about the harms of a person not acting upon this Sunnah and abadoning it, so he then speaks about what he has witnessed and heard about what happened to those who wanted to act upon this Sunnah:

“The Harms of Abandoning Praying in the Shoes

Firstly, from the greatest of harms of leaving off performing the prayer in shoes is that the majority of Muslims have become ignorant of this Sunnah and they see that the one who prays in his shoes has committed a great crime…

And I have heard whilst I am in Yemen of a keeper of Masjid saying: “A man who was once in Saudi and then returned to his country, when he wanted to enter the Masjid I said to him: ‘By Allah, if you enter the Masjid with your shoes I will break your leg!’”

And I have seen in the Haram of Makkah underneath the microphone, a group of people who all came together against one man refuting him because of his prayer in shoes, so one of them then said intending the one praying in his shoes: “He’s a devi!l”…

And I have seen whilst being in ‘Beeshah’ a man who apparently has the signs of good and righteousness upon him refuting somebody who is praying in their shoes, so it was said to him: ‘It is Sunnah’, so he then said: ‘ I seek refuge with Allah from this Sunnah!’…

And that which is greater than all of that mentioned, is that some of our brothers for the sake of Allah wanted to act upon this Sunnah in the Haram of Madinah, so the people severely refuted him. (Footnote from the book Pg: 25: He was taken to the office of the Haram and a pledge was taken from him that he will not pray in his shoes.)

And all of this is because of the lack of action done by the people of knowledge, if the people of knowledge were to act upon this Sunnah, then we wouldn’t have to gather all of these hadiths and spread it between in the people.

And another reason for all of this, is the negligence of the people with regards to the books of the Sunnah, if they only returned back to the books of Sunnah then they would have no doubts regarding the legality of performing the prayer in the shoes and that it is a Sunnah which has been ordered to be acted upon.

Secondly, from the harms of leaving off praying in the shoes, is that those who are praying all leave their shoes in a place, so that can possibly cause the rows which have been ordered to be straightened to then be crooked and we have certainly witnessed the crookedness of the rows in the Haram of Makkah because of the piling of shoes…

Thirdly, from the harms also is that a lot of Muslims leave off looking at their shoes at the doors of the Masjid, because they do not intend to pray in them anyway, so probably there could be some dirt which is on his shoes, so then if he places his shoes in the Masjid, the dirt drops insideMasjid and all of that is because of abandoning the sunnah which is looking at the shoes by the door of the Masjid and wiping off the dirt with sand if there is any dirt on it.

Fourthly, that the one who is praying can be afraid of his shoes being stolen, so he becomes disturbed whilst he is in prayer, a disturbance which eliminates his khushoo’ and al-khushoo’ is the essence of the prayer as Allah, the Most High said:

“Indeed the believers are successful, those that in their prayer submit humbly” – 23 Al-Mu’minoon:1-2”

Summarized and translated by meaning: Younus bin Muhammad As-Somaalee

Allah, azza wa jal, knows best

May Allah forgive him, his family and the rest of the Muslims.

Ref: http://aloloomenglish.net/vb/showthread.php?483-Shaykh-Muqbil-The-Harms-of-NOT-Praying-in-Your-Shoes&p=846#post846

Explanation of “There is no “Itikaf except in three...”‏

Explanation of “There is no “Itikaf except in three...”

Ramadan Questions and Answers

Question:

What do you say about the hadeeth: ” There is no “Itikaf except in three masjids (Haram Mecca, Prophet’s Masjid, Masjid Aqsa)?

Answer: Some of them (scholars) inform that this narration is from (the speech of) Huthafah. Others say that in the narration Huthafah said to Abdullah bin Mas’ood: “Verily people are praying (making ‘itikaf) between your house and such and such”, and what is apparent is they were in Kufaa. (trans. note: meaning, Huthafah was admonishing Abdullah bin Mas’ood for allowing people to make ‘itikaf in other then the previously mentioned three masjids) Ibn Mas’ood replied: “Maybe they are correct and you have made a mistake” The scholars mention: If this hadeeth (that was mentioned by Huthafah) was reported from the Messenger -salalahu alayhi wa salem-, Ibn Mas’ood would never have the audacity to reply: “Maybe they are correct and you are wrong” But if the hadeeth (of Huthafah) is in-fact correct, then the meaning of it is; There is no ‘itikaf better then in these three masjids. Therefore, it would be considered a proof to show the merits and preference of ‘itikaf in these three masjids, just as a proof has come to show the merits and preference of prayer in these masjids. But (if this is not the case) then the verse pertaining to ‘itikaf is general; {And do not have (sexual) relations with them while you are in ‘itikaf} surah al Baqarah:187, and there has not come a proof to make it specific for three masjids. (Another thing that places doubt in the authenticity of the hadeeth) is the Idterab (confusion) in it. One narration is reported by way of Huthafah ascribing it to the Messenger -salalahu alayhi wa salem- , but yet another time it is mentioned to be from the speech of Huthafah himself. Another thing is the action of the Muslims (salaf). I do know that some brothers (scholars) have written books in this matter (supporting that ‘itikaf is only in the three masjids), but we do not make specific and narrow what Allah has made wide and vast.

by Sheikh Muqbil bin Hadee (rahimahullahu Ta’la)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah was asked about the ruling on i’tikaaf in the three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haraam (in Makkah), al-Masjid al-Nabawi (in Madeenah) and al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).

He replied:

I’tikaaf in mosques other than the three mosques – al-Masjid al-Haraam (in Makkah), al-Masjid al-Nabawi (in Madeenah) and al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem) – is prescribed at the appropriate time, and is not limited to the three mosques. It may be observed in those mosques or in others. This is the view of the imams of the Muslims and the imams of the madhhabs that are followed, such as Imam Ahmad, Maalik, al-Shaafa’i, Abu Haneefah and others – may Allaah have mercy on them – because of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques. These are the limits (set) by Allaah, so approach them not. Thus does Allaah make clear His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and illegal things, Allaah’s set limits, orders, etc.) to mankind that they may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

And because the word masaajid (mosques) is general in meaning and includes all mosques throughout the world. This sentence appears at the end of the verses on fasting, the ruling of which applies to the whole ummah in all regions. So it is addressed to all those to whom the ruling on fasting is addressed. Hence these rulings end with the words (interpretation of the meaning):

“These are the limits (set) by Allaah, so approach them not. Thus does Allaah make clear His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and illegal things, Allaah’s set limits, orders, etc.) to mankind that they may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

It is extremely unlikely that Allaah would address the ummah with words that only include a very few of them.

With regard to the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan (may Allaah be pleased with him): “There is no i’tikaaf except in the three mosques,” even if we assume that this hadeeth is free from faults, it is referring to the most perfect of i’tikaaf, i.e., that which is observed in the three mosques, because of their honoured status and superiority over others. This usage occurs frequently, where the negative is a statement that something is incomplete, not a denial of its validity. For example the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no prayer in the presence of food,” etc. Undoubtedly the basic principle with regard to negative statements is to negate or deny, but if there is evidence to the contrary then that evidence should be followed, as in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah. This is if we assume that it is free of faults. And Allaah knows best.

Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 493).

Shaykh Ibn Baaz rahimahAllaah was asked: How sound is the hadeeth “There is no i’tikaaf except in the three mosques”? If the hadeeth is saheeh, does that in fact mean that i’tikaaf can only be observed in the three mosques?

He replied:
I’tikaaf is valid in mosques other than the three mosques, but it is essential that the mosque in which i’tikaaf is observed is a mosque in which prayers are held in congregation. If no prayers are held in congregation there, then it is not valid to observe i’tikaaf there. But if a person has vowed to observe i’tikaaf in one of the three mosques then he is obliged to do so in fulfillment of his vow.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 15/444.

Question: Is 'itikaaf specific for the three Masjid's, or is it general for all of the Masjids? And how is the condition of the hadeeth of Hudhaifah that has witin it specification (of these three Masjids)?

Answer by An-Naaseh Al-Ameen, Shaykh Abu Abdur-Rahmaan Yahya Bin 'Alee Al-Hajooree - may Allah preserve him- :

As for it being affirmed, then yes, the Hadeeth of Hudhaifah is affirmed, however they (the people of knowledge) understood it to mean 'more complete': "there is no 'Itikaaf except within the three Masjids" , they said (the people of knowledge): there is no 'Itikaaf more perfect and complete, for the majority of the people of knowledge are on the opinion that 'Itikaaf if for all of the Masjids. Al-Imaam Al-Bukhaari said - may Allah have mercy upon him: Chapter: 'Itikaaf is in all of the Masjids, and the statement of Allah glorified and exalted be He:

وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ
while you are in I'tikâf in the mosques
Al-Baqarah 187

Exerting Oneself During the Last Ten Days of Ramadaan‏

Exerting Oneself During the Last Ten Days of Ramadaan

Author: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Saalih Al-Fawzaan 
Source:Ahaadeeth As-Siyaam: Ahkaam wa Adaab (pg. 133-135)
Translator:isma'eel alarcon (for al-manhaj.com)

‘Aa’ishah (Radiya'Allaah Anha) said: "When the last ten days (of Ramadaan) would come, the Prophet (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would spend his night in worship, wake his family (at night), exert himself and tighten his Izaar (waistcloth)." [1]

This hadeeth is proof that the last ten days of Ramadaan have a special virtue over any other (set of days), in which one should increase in obedience and acts of worship, such as prayer, making dhikr (remembrance) and reciting the Qur’aan.

‘Aa’ishah (radiya'Allaah Anha) has described our Prophet and role model, Muhammad (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam), with four attributes:

1. He (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would "spend his night in worship", meaning he would not sleep during it. Thus, he (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would remain awake throughout it in worship and he would liven his soul by spending the night in sleeplessness. This is since sleep is the brother of death. The meaning of "spend his night" is that he (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would spend all of it in the state of qiyaam (night prayer) and performing acts of worship that are done for the sake of Allaah, Lord of the worlds. We must remember that the last ten days of Ramadaan are fixed and numbered.

As for what has been reported concerning the forbiddance of spending the entire night in prayer, which has been mentioned in the hadeeth of 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr (radiya 'Allaahu anhu ), then it is in regards to someone who does that consistently throughout every night of the year.

2. He (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would "wake up his family" meaning his (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) pure wives, the Mothers of the Believers, so that they may take part in the profiting of good, the dhikr (remembrance) and the acts of worship during these blessed times.

3. He (salallaahu alayhi  wa salaam) would "exert himself", meaning he (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would persevere and struggle in worship, adding more to his deeds than what he had done in the first twenty days (of Ramadaan). He only did this because the night of Al-Qadr occurs during one of these (last ten) days.

4. He (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would "tighten his Izaar (waistcloth)" meaning he would exert himself and struggle intensely in worship. It is also said that it means he (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would withdraw from women. This seems to be more correct since it inclines with what was mentioned previously and with the hadeeth of Anas (radiya'Allaahu anhu): "He (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would rollup his bed and withdraw from women (i.e. his wives)." [2]

Also, he (salallaahu alayhi wa salaam) would observe 'Itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadaan and the person who is in the state of 'Itikaaf is restricted from interacting (sexually) with women.

So, O Muslim brother, strive to characterize yourself with these attributes. And guard the prayer you make in the depths of the night (tahajjud) with the Imaam in addition to the Taraaweeh prayer (which is prayed in the early parts of the night), so that your exertion in these last ten days may go beyond that of the first twenty. And so that you may achieve the attribute of"spending the night in worship" by praying.

And you must be patient in your obedience to Allaah, for indeed, the tahajjud (night) prayer is difficult, but its reward is great. By Allaah, it is a great opportunity in ones life and a profitable thing to take advantage of, for the one whom Allaah grants it to. And a person does not know if perhaps he will encounter one of Allaah's many rewards during the night prayer, thus serving as assistance for him in this world and in the Hereafter.

The righteous predecessors of this ummah would lengthen the prayer at night, exerting themselves. As-Saa'ib Ibn Yazeed said:"'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab ordered Ubay Bin Ka'ab and Tameem Ad-Daaree to lead the people in prayer with eleven raka'aat. The reciter would recite one hundred verses, to the point that we had to lean upon wooden staffs due to the long standing. And we would not stop until the early parts of Fajr." [3]

'Abdullaah Ibn Abee Bakr reported: "I heard my father (i.e. Abu Bakr) say: 'During Ramadaan, we would finish (the night prayer) late and we would hurry the servants to present the food (of suhoor) for fear that Fajr (morning) would come upon us."[4]

There are two struggles of the soul that the believer faces during Ramadaan: the struggle by day with fasting and the struggle by night with qiyaam (night prayer). So whosoever combines these two and fulfills their rights, then he is amongst the patient -- those who will "be given their reward in full without any reckoning." [5]

These ten days are the last part of the month and a person's actions are based on his last ones. So perhaps, he will encounter the night of Al-Qadr, while standing in prayer for Allaah and thus have all his past sins forgiven.

And one must incite, animate and persuade his family to perform acts of worship, especially in these great times in which no one neglects it except that he has been deprived. What is more incredible than this is that while the people are performing prayer and making tahajjud, some individuals spend their time in forbidden gatherings and sinful events. This is indeed the greatest loss. We ask Allaah for his protection.

Therefore, embarking on these last days means entering into the profiting from righteous deeds in what remains of the month. From the unfortunate matters is to see that some people excel in righteous actions, such as prayer and recitation of the Qur'aan, in the first part of the month, but then signs of fatigue and weariness begin to show on them afterwards, especially when the last ten days of Ramadaan come in. And this is in spite of these last ten days possessing a greater standing than the first ones. Thus, one must persevere in striving and struggling and increase his worship when the end of the month draws near. And we must keep in mind that a person's actions are based on his last ones.

---

Footnotes:

[1] Al-Bukhaaree (4/269) and Muslim (1174)

[2] See Lataa'if-ul-Ma'aarif: pg. 219

[3] See Al-Muwatta (Eng. Dar El-Fiker): vol. 1, pg 154

[4] Also in the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik: vol. 1, pg. 156

[5] Surat-uz-Zumar: 15