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Ghusl and Make Up Prayers

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Alhamdulillah after many years I finished my make ups. I didn’t know that scholars mention to put your finger in your bellybutton when making ghusl. It seems even without this though in modern showers plenty of water gets into my bellybutton. Is it pretty safe (ghalabat dhann) to assume that water got in and I can consider all my prayers done?

Answer:

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

Given the amount of water used in prevalent, powerful showers, it would seem to be safe to assume that water reached the area, even if you didn’t specifically wash the navel.

The basis is that you have to ensure that water reaches your entire outer body, yet including mouth and nose as they are legally both from the inner and outer body. Allah Most High says, “If you are in a state of full impurity, then take a full bath.” (Sura al-Ma’ida 5:6) And it is reported that the Blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to rinse his mouth and nose in his ritual bath (ghusl) without fail. (Bukhari)

Keep in mind that there is a difference between bathing or showering to lift major ritual impurity (janaba), and merely doing so for cleanliness or to attain a sunna. In the latter case, rinsing your mouth and nose, and getting water to your navel would be from completion, and a sunna, but not an obligatory duty.

Now that you’ve finished making up your missed prayers, you should strive to ensure you have no other religious debts due, such as missed fasts, zakat or end of Ramadan charity (sadaqat al-fitr) and the like. Thereafter, work on lifting your monetary debts, if any, and learning about the unlawful (haram) and removing it from your life. Continue to ask Allah Most High to grant your facilitation and sincerity in seeking His pleasure.

(Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah, with Tahtawi’s Gloss (1.152/156); al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya)

And Allah Most High knows best.

Wassalam,

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.

Rain and Prayer

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Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question: Assalamu alaykum

When it has been raining and the ground is wet, sometimes the back of my trousers get wet whilst walking from the rain water on the ground, sometimes there may be dirt on my trousers, and other times there is no dirt but just wet from the water. The dirt is never faeces, but sometimes it may be slight mud or bits of material from the road. I wanted to know whether the rain water or the dirt particles make my clothes unclean?

Answer: Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

Yes, it’s perfectly fine to pray in those clothes. You can assume that they are pure because the default ruling on most things is that they are pure. Rain water and mud do not affect the purity of garments. (Ibn ‘Abidin; Radd al Muhtar).

May Allah bless you with the best of both worlds.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 to study and sit at the feet of some of the most erudite scholars of our time.

Over the following eighteen months he studied a traditional curriculum, studying with scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish.

In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years, in Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Shama’il, and Logic with teachers such as Dr Ashraf Muneeb, Dr Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr Mansur Abu Zina amongst others. He was also given two licences of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabr and Shaykh Yahya Qandil.

His true passion, however, arose in the presence of Shaykh Ali Hani, considered by many to be one of the foremost tafsir scholars of our time who provided him with the keys to the vast knowledge of the Quran. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic Sciences, Tafsir, Arabic Grammar, and Rhetoric.

When he finally left Jordan for the UK in 2014, Shaykh Ali gave him his distinct blessing and still recommends students in the UK to seek out Shaykh Abdul-Rahim for Quranic studies. Since his return he has trained as a therapist and has helped a number of people overcome emotional and psychosomatic issues. He is a keen promoter of emotional and mental health.

Ramadan Guide For Menstruating Women

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Although we all know that it’s really the inward that matters, sometimes the outward helps us get there. But when we lose certain acts of worship in Ramadan, it doesn’t mean we have to lose out. Here is a handy resource list for menstruating women to get the best out of Ramadan.

Menstruation Is Not A Punishment

The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said about menstruation, “Verily this is a matter Allah has written upon the girls of Prophet Adam [peace be upon him].” (Bukhari)
Those who claim that menstruation is like a punishment because one cannot perform acts of worship are severely mistaken. On the contrary, there are many forms of worship that a woman can do while menstruating aside from what is legally prohibited.
Allah says in the Quran, “He who obeys Allah and His messenger, and fears Allah, and keeps duty [unto Him]: such indeed are the victorious.” (Sura al Nur 52)
Allah Most High has commanded menstruating women and women in a state of lochia (post-natal bleeding) to refrain from the ritual prayer and ritual fasting.

Thus, if a menstruating woman fulfills this command with the intention to submit to Allah’s order, she is actually worshiping Allah the entire time that she refrains from the ritual prayer and ritual fasting.

It has been said, “Her praying while pure is worship (ibada) and her refraining from prayer while menstruating is worship. All of it is worship.”
Therefore, there’s nothing dreadful or awful about menstruation or lochia (post-natal bleeding), rather it is a person’s attitude towards it that matters.

Suggested Acts of Worship

  1. Listen to the Quran
  2. Make remembrance (Dhikr) of Allah (see: Selected Supplications)
  3. Send blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) (see: Selected Prophetic Prayers for Spiritual, Physical and Emotional Wellbeing by Chaplain Ibrahim Long)
  4. Give generously in charity (see: How Much Should I Give In Charity?)
  5. Be kind to others, including spouses & family members (see: Prophetic Guidance: On Forbearance, Patience and Kindness)
  6. Make Dua for the Ummah (see: Remembering the Ummah in Prayers)
  7. Make much repentance (see: Chapter on Repentance-Imam Nawawi)
  8. Feed fasting people (see: Feed the People – Shaykh Faid Mohammed Said)
  9.  Carry out any righteous deed (see: Easy Good Deeds by Mufti Taqi Usmani)
  10. Gain Islamic knowledge (see: 10 On-Demand Courses for Ramadan)
  11. Babysit to help mothers worship (see: Making the Prophet Real for Children)

 

 

 

Draw Near to Allah in Ramadan Through Service – Ustadha Umm Umar

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Ustadha Umm Umar reminds us of incorporating the aspect of service in Ramadan as a means of drawing near to Allah Most High. She advises to not make Ramadan just revolve around one’s self, rather to also be concerned with others and their needs. Ustadha Umm Umar gives key advice and practical methods on how to engage in service through Ramadan.

I wanted to talk about another aspect of Ramadan that sometimes we forget. Often people think of Ramdana as my month. It‘s between me and Allah. Then they sort of annihilate the idea of doing goodness to others. It’s about me and my time with Allah. About how much time I can put in with the Qur’an. And then when we talk about service some people get a little bit bitter.

Especially the sisters. They’re like, well, why do I have to be the one to do this? why do I have to be the one to cook the iftar? I’d like to spend all day reading Qur’an. It’s sort of losing sight of what Ramadan is really about. And what the the scholars today talked and emphasized a lot is the love of Allah Most High. And rectifying the self. Turning to Allah and asking for His forgiveness.

But these two concepts do not contradict each other. Rather they run in parallel. Because it’s when we turn help each other, help fellow believers, and it’s all done out of love for Allah, that we manifest that love. That we love to have His creation turned to Him. And if there is anything we can do to help other people turn towards Allah we should run to that opportunity. Whether that be to people in our own family, whether it be our children, whether it be members of our community. We should be avid to do what we can to help other people.

Balance Service and Self

That being said, it needs to be balanced of course, because you can’t just spend all of your Ramadan running around serving other people with neglect to oneself. One needs that personal time where you’re turning to Allah. Reading the Qur’an with reflection and understanding. Spending time reading other beneficial material or listening to beneficial lectures. Benefiting the self.

But there are a lot of things, there is a lot of extra time in the day, in which one can do things for other people. And as our teachers say, it’s almost as if there’s a sale during Ramadan, because now actions that you do are multiplied. Good actions that you do, even reading the Qur’an – all the good things that you can think of doing are multiplied. So it is best to take advantage of this time .

And doing what you can to help other people is also part of making the most of one’s time. It is not that one spends a little time in intensive worship and then closes the book and goes to relax, and just sort of vegetate for part of the day. Or one decides to go to sleep for another part of the day. One strives to make the most of every moment. As we should on every other day of the year.

We should make the most of all parts of our day on a daily basis. Even when we get up from this gathering we should be striving to make the most of our lives as believers. To make all of our moments count for us and not against us.

Primary Benefits of Service

There are three primary benefits of service. One is that it erases your past sins. When you do things for other people these things get erased. So there is nothing better you can ask for. We’ve all made mistakes in the past and would do anything to not face Allah with those on our record. And by His mercy He can forgive a lot of those things when you’re serving other people with that intention.

Another benefit of doing service at this time is that you get the dua of fasting people. When you’re doing things to benefit them you’re earning their dua. And Allah knows whose dua is accepted. When you’re doing it for a number of people, that includes even small children, know that when we do things for other people they make a dua for you.

The Hidden Secret of Service

And perhaps that single dua from one single person, child or adult, known or stranger, is the reason for your success. It might not be all of these customs that you’ve done in the past or all of these other things. It might be the dua of one elder in the community that you helped in a real time of need. Allah has this knowledge. It is with Allah Most High.

It’s a hidden secret in our service to other people that we don’t know where where our ultimate success will lie. And with what action and with what person. That leaves us continuously striving to do our best at every moment.

And finally the third aspect of service is that the deeds are multiplied during Ramadan. So one might be doing things for other people at other times of the year but in Ramadan these deeds are actually multiplied. They weigh heavier on your record. So strive in this regard and in sha Allah the reward for your service will be multiplied.

 

 

Prayer of Gabriel – Shaykh Abdurragmaan Khan

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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Specifically Merciful.

I delivered an online presentation on the evening of Isra and Mi’raj which coincides with the 27th Rajab. I dedicated most of the presentation to events that took place during the Prophet’s nocturnal journey from the Haram of Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa.

After the presentation, I received many requests for the prayer that Gabriel taught the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace ) when an Ifrit (high-ranking jinn) tried to cast a blaze of fire upon him. In response to these requests, and seeking Allah’s pleasure and protection, I have translated the hadith, which includes the prayer of Gabriel, as it appears in the Muwatta of Imam Malik. However, different versions of the hadith have been transmitted. The version translated below has been transmitted by a successor directly from the Messenger, peace be upon him, (without mentioning the name of a companion), so, on its own, it may be regarded as weak. However, it is important to know that all the different versions of the hadith corroborate this version, and this corroboration raises the status of the hadith to ‘sound’ or ‘hasan’.

The translation is as follows: Yahya bin Said said, “during the nocturnal journey of the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) he saw an Ifrit following him with a blaze of fire. Whenever he looked back, he saw him. Angel Gabriel then said, “Should I not teach you a supplication – if you were to recite it, his flame will go out and he will fall on his mouth?” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied in the affirmative. Gabriel then said:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, I seek refuge in Allah, the Most Generous, and by His Perfect Words, the boundaries of which cannot be exceeded by anyone, whether he be devout or a criminal, from the evil that descends from the heavens, or that which ascends to it, and from the evils that are sown within the earth, and that which comes out of it, and from the trials of the night and the day, and from the visitors of the night except those that come in goodness, O Most Gracious.”“

Another version of the hadith reads, “the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited it and the ifrit’s flame died out and he fell on his face.”

The Arabic version of the prayer is:

أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِ اللهِ الْكَرِيْمِ وَبِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ، وَلَا فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وشر ما يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وَمِنْ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ والنَّهَارِ، وَمِنْ طَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمَانُ

Recitation of Ghayn

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Must I stress the letter ‘ghayn’ when reciting if I have difficulty distinguishing it from the sound of ‘kha’?

Is it acceptable if the Iqama is recited softly?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The Volume of Recitation in a Quiet Prayer

If reciting very quietly makes it difficult to recite the letter ‘ghayn’ properly you are allowed to raise your voice slightly. In a quiet prayer, however, you should not recite so loud that the first row can hear you. That would be considered reciting loudly.

[Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar citing the Khulasa]

If you happen to make the ‘kha’ sound when reciting the ‘ghayn’ the prayer remains valid.

[Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Learning Proper Recitation

With that being said, you need not stress over this but I would advise finding a reliable Qur’an teacher to teach you the proper exit point for the letters. This will facilitate for you improving your recitation.

Hope this helps
And Allah knows best
Yusuf Weltch

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

Friday Prayer [Shafi’i]

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Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Is the Friday Prayer (Jumua) a communal obligation or a personal obligation?

Answer: Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

Jumua is obligatory for every male Muslim who has reached puberty and is not excused from the Friday Prayer, such as someone who is sick. (Minhaj al-Talibin, Nawawi)

This means that it is personal obligation, and not merely a communal obligation. If it was merely a communal obligation, it would not be obligatory for every male to go as long as some went.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘To pray the Friday Prayer in a group is an obligation and is incumbent upon every Muslim except for four: a bondsman who is owned, a woman, a child, and a sick person.’ (Abu Dawud)

ّI pray this helps.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Farid Dingle

Shaykh Farid Dingle grew up in a convert family in Herefordshire, UK. In 2007, he moved to Jordan to pursue traditional studies. Shaykh Farid continues to live in Amman, Jordan with his wife and kids. In addition to continuing his studies he teaches Arabic and several of the Islamic sciences.

Shaykh Farid began his journey in sacred knowledge with intensives in the UK and Jordan (2004) in Shafi’i fiqh and Arabic. After years of studying Arabic grammar, Shafi’i fiqh, hadith, legal methodology (usul al-fiqh) and tafsir, Sh. Farid began specializing in Arabic language and literature. Sh. Farid studied Pre-Islamic poetry, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and Andalusian literature. He holds a BA in Arabic Language and Literature and continues exploring the language of the Islamic tradition.

In addition to his interest in the Arabic language Shaykh Farid actively researches matters related to jurisprudence (fiqh) which he studied with Shaykh Hamza Karamali, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, and continues with Shaykh Amjad Rasheed. 

Prayer and Pictures

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Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question: Assalamu alaykum

What is the ruling of praying with pictures of living creatures on one’s person?

Answer: Assalamu alaykum,

It is disliked to wear anything that has a depiction of a statue, a living creature, or a crucifix. This is unless the depiction of the living creature is very small, covered, missing a head, had a head but was effaced, or missing any vital body part without which, it could not live, if it were living. [Hashiyah Ibn Abidin]

It is even worse if the depiction is in front of one while praying, on the prayer mat, or anywhere which may seem that one is revering or worshipping such a depiction. [Hashiyah Ibn Abidin]

May Allah bless you
Allahu A’alam

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of Qur’an and the Islamic sciences.

Praying at Work

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I am looking for an internship or a job in a accounting firm. I was told it was very difficult to pray in such firms. A relative even told me that she had to make up all her prayers at home after work. I would like some advice to pray on time in such an environment. Should I ask at the job interview that I want to pray? Or is it better to looking for a job in an another company and leaving accounting firm?

Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-Salam wa rahmatu Llah,

No, if this is a job which you need or would like, work on getting the job in the interview. Once you have the job, you can raise the issue of prayer. Everybody takes breaks during the work day, and breaking for the prayer is no different. Ask Allah Most High to facilitate your affairs, and to strengthen you.

Please see the following answers which answer your question in detail: (1), (2) ,(3).

And Allah Most High knows best.

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.

Wrong Number of Cycles During Prayer

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I prayed maghrib prayer in 4 cycles instead of 3, would this
invalidate the prayer ?

Also dose going back to repeat a missed step during the prayer when
remembering soon after invalidate the prayer?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

If you sat for the final sitting (tashahhud) in the third cycle (rak‘a), then stood to complete a fourth, your prayer was valid. On the other hand, if you accidentally prayed four cycles (rak‘as), your sunset prayer (maghrib) was invalid, and you would need to repeat it.

Normally, if you stand up for an extra cycle, you should simply return back to the final sitting of the prayer, recite the tashahhud, perform the prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw), and then end the prayer as normal. But if you prostrate in your extra cycle, your obligatory prayer would be invalidated. You may complete the remainder of the actions to make it a full voluntary prayer (nafila) instead.

(Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah)

And Allah Most High knows best.
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.