Third: File Name: GVOL2BK1-2 Fourth: File Name: Gvol2Bk3-4 The Ihsan Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion by Imam Muhammad Abu Hamid Al Ghazali Translators Young Lady NorKhadejah (Egypt/USA) Her Mother Lady Khadiejah (UK) Her Father Shaykh Ahmad Darwish (EGYPT/USA) Their Sammania Qadiria Grand Shaykh Hassan Al Fateh Qaribullah (Sudan) Presented by www.Allah.com www.Muhammad.com www.Qadiria.com www.Sammania.com Al Ghazali said, We sought knowledge for other than Allah, but knowledge refused to be for other than Him. Because of the responsibility to speak out and warn that I can no longer remain silent and therefore proceed to enlighten you. Many have strayed from the clear truth and fostered evil and flattered ignorance. If a person wants to remove his/her evil practices and habits, or wishes to practice his learning so that Allah, the Almighty may purify his heart and soul, then let him engage himself in the pursuit of serving his Lord thereby seeking the atonement of his sins, especially those which are greater and for which one despaired. Indeed, I am convinced that there is no reason for a person to remain arrogant except for the disease, which is now epidemic among the masses and also affected you. The disease of which I speak is the abandonment of the path to the Everlasting life which is the rules and regulations for its acquisitions. The seriousness of this matter has reached the state of crisis and is seriously overlooked. Covering Four Categories: 1 Worshipping Activities Knowledge, Principles of Faith, the Secret of Purity, the Secret of Prayers, the Secret of Charity, the Secret of Fasting, the Secret of Pilgrimage, Recitation of Koran, Daily Remembrance, (Awrad) Personal Continuous Religious Reading 2 Habits Activities Manner of Eating, Manner of Livelihood, Manner of Marriage, the Lawful and the Forbidden, Manner of Companionship, Hermitage, Manner of Traveling, Listening, (re)Enforcing the Good, Manner of Lifestyle, the Ethics of Prophethood. 3 Self Destructive Activities Explaining the Wonders of the Heart, Training the Self, Shortcoming of the Two Desires, Shortcoming of the Tongue, Shortcoming of Anger, Condemning this Life, Condemning Money and Wealth, Condemning Influence and Showing Off, Condemning Pride, Arrogance, and Deception. 4 Salvation Activities Repentance, Patience and Giving Thanks, Fear and Hope, Poverty and Going Without, The Oneness of God, Love, Intention and Sincerity, Watchfulness, Contemplation, Remembering Death. Translators Preface The Ihsanic Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion is the most elite book of admonition and its greatest. It was said, If all the books of Islam were gone and this remained, it would be sufficient. It is categorized into four quarters: the quarter of Worshipping Activities, the quarter of Daily Habits, the quarter of Self Destructive Behaviors, and finally the quarter about Salvation Activities. Each quarter has ten books. Ghazali started by saying: Praise be to Allah the High, in the beginning, with lots of praise When this book first arrived in Morocco, a Moroccan scholar rejected a few things, and wrote a book called, Dictation in Response to RSR (Al-hya.) Then he saw a vision which was a miracle for Ghazali and his pure intention. That scholar repented as reported by Ibn Supqi in his Tabaqat (Layers of Scholars). Ghazali surprised people by the unique layout and style of his book. As far as Hadith and Prophetic sayings, some people objected that he did not stick to special ranks of authenticity, though he did not mention a single false Hadith. Al Hafiz Al Iraqi, who passed in 806 ah has written two books to defend the Hadith reported in Ghazali, one large book in 751 ah and a shorter book. This one is printed in many margin in editions of Ghazali. He wrote the smaller one in 760 ah as an abridgement and follow up for some hadith he searched out for 9 years. Ibn Hajar found even more supportive narrations to defend al-Ghazali Here is a calendar if work defending al-Ghazali the critique is not honored due to their joviality compared to Al Ghazali and his academia of followers 751Al Iraqis large volume supporting Ahya with a hold on several Hadith for research 760Al Iraqis Abridgement of above, including those previously on hold 806Death of Al Hafiz Al Iraqi ???Ibn Hajar wrote a volume following up on his teacher Al Iraqis support of Ghazali 852Death of Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani 897Zain Adeen Kazim Qatalubagha wrote a book and added further support of Ghazali 812Death of Sheikh Muhammad Al Ajluni Sheikh Muhammad Al Ajluni wrote Best Ghazali abridgement 1/10th in size I seek the help of the Creator as I work on two books simultaneously. One being Al Ghazalis spiritual autobiography called Spiritual Safety from Error, which is the smaller of the two, and this, The Ihsanic Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion. Al Ghazali analyzed civilization in its entirety addressing both its spiritual and cultural aspects in which its knowledge extends beyond the five senses that control material civilization recording all into fifty core subjects, of which he covered forty of them in this book, The Ihsanic Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion. The remaining ten subjects are found in his other books. AAAAA I authored an an illustration map of them, so I InshaAllah, I will list these fifty subjects in an appendix once I find it The Ihsanic Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion RSR has been written in four parts. The first part covers worshiping and opens with its first book dedicated to knowledge. The Holy Koran is the current and final testament of the Creator brought down by the Arch Angel Gabriel to the descendent of Prophet Abraham, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon all the prophets. For Muslim scholars it is the source of all spiritual wisdom, so let us explore Al Ghazalis, the uncontested prime scholar of Islam, knowledge and explanation of not only the prophetic quotations, often referred to as traditions or hadith, but also the reasoning, and maintain this methodology of examination of reason after presenting the Revelation of the Koran and the prophetic quotations and the experience of all civilization. The attention of the reader must also be pointed to the fact that when Al Ghazali mentions the knowledgeable people he refers to the knowledgeable who combine both material and spiritual knowledge. Translators Internet Small Spiritual Dictionary Hijrah Calendar (starting of Prophetic migration) AAAAA Introducing Al Ghazali Born in the Lunar year 404 and passed in the year 505 (1111) Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, or Algazel as he was known to medieval Europe (died 505/1111). Imam Al Ghazali was born in Iraq in the village of Taberan in the district of Tus in the year 404 and was named Muhammad Abu Hamid Al Ghazali. He was, and still is known as The Proof of Islam on account of his wealth of Islamic knowledge and global authority. His knowledge was not limited to Islamic knowledge as his search prompted him to study and examine in depth the major religions of the world as well as those of whole universe and thereby earned the reputation of being the great collector of knowledge. Al Ghazali was born of pious, poor, illiterate parents. His father, in his endeavor to come closer to Allah and His Prophet, may Allah praise and venerate him and grant him peace, would attend Islamic gatherings to worship and gain knowledge. Despite his poverty Al Ghazalis father would support his teachers and gave generously to them according to his means. Such was his piety that he would often be found crying, imploring Allah to give him a righteous son who would be guided and become a jurist. Al Hamdulillah, Allah accepted his supplication and through this great blessing Muslims have been protected from deviation and erroneous ways and are able to come closer to the Creator. Al Ghazalis father was blessed with two sons and when death approached, he entrusted their education to a pious Sufi friend telling him that because he had not had the opportunity to learn to read and write, it was his wish to rectify matters by ensuring that his two sons were educated. The Sufi taught the brothers to the best of his ability, but as time progressed it was clear they needed further education so he recommended that they be sent to a boarding school where there was a trust available so that they might complete their education. Al Ghazalis education began with the study of jurisprudence under the direction of Imam Ahmad, the son of Muhammad. Later, he traveled to the city of Jurgan to learn from Imam Abi Naser, and had by then accumulated many notes. Upon the completion of his studies he decided to return of his hometown in Tus. However, during his journey Al Ghazali and his companions were set upon by thieves who robbed them of everything including his valuable notes. Al Ghazali followed after the thieves and when he reached their camp he went straight to their chieftain and requested the return of his notes saying that his notes would not be beneficial to him. The chieftain looked at him with surprise and asked, What are your notes? Al Ghazali replied, The books which I wrote in this sack. I left my home to hear, know its knowledge and to write it. The chieftain was amused and laughed saying, How can you claim to know its knowledge? When we took away your notes you have no knowledge! and gave him back his sack of books and notes. From this experience Al Ghazali realized that Allah had caused the chieftain to guide him in his affairs, so upon reaching Tus he decided to shut himself away and memorize his notes, saying, If thieves should rob me again, I will no longer fear the loss of my knowledge. Later, Al Ghazali accompanied Imam Al Juwayni, the Imam of the two great mosques in Mecca and Medina, to the city of Naysabur, where he surpassed all of his contemporaries, mastering the sciences of Koran, Prophetic quotations, jurisprudence, debate, logic, wisdom and philosophy. It became his practice to write upon each science and debate other religions to prove the soundness of the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. His books were, and still are considered to be the best in their subjects, and are extremely well organized due to his gifted, remarkable high degree of intelligence accompanied by his great depth of understanding, and based on deep reverence of pure intention. His teacher, Imam Al Juwayni described Al Ghazali as being an overwhelming ocean. After the death of Imam Al Juwayni, Al Ghazali met with the Minister Nizamul Al Mulk, the chief vizier of the Turkish ruler Malek Shah, and invited him to attend the court in which imams and sages of renown would gather to discuss and debate issues. Imam Al Ghazali was introduced to them and joined in their company and politely, yet despite his age, authoritatively, successfully debated with them. All applauded his knowledge and wisdom and bore witness to his immense value whereupon the Minister welcomed him into his court with great respect and in the year 484 hijrah, appointed him to be the principal dean and president of his school in Baghdad An Nizamiya. Al Ghazali remained at An Nizamiya for several years, and his fame and reputation spread far and wide. Learned people, princes, statesmen as well as ordinary people flocked just to listen to his profound, eloquent lectures and observe his delicate manner and finer points. Then, Ghazalis self started to hate this world and the fame and influence he had once enjoyed, so he left everything behind and went on pilgrimage to Mecca. In the year 488, he traveled to Syria, but before leaving Iraq he entrusted his teaching position to his brother Ahmad. It was in the mosque in Damascus that Al Ghazali shut himself away from the world for two years in worship, meditation and making zikr the remembrance of Allah - under the guidance of Pir Abu Ali Farnedi, the spiritual guide of the vizier Nizamul Mulk. He restricted his diet to the minimum and wore garments made from coarse fabric and it was there in the Amawi Grand Mosque that he commenced his great work The Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion. On occasions he would leave the grand mosque to visit other mosques and the tombs of pious people. He would also live in uninhabited areas and strove with great piety, exposing himself to the difficulties of worshiping and tried it with that kind of obedience, until, he became spiritually the center of the universe of his time and a path for those seeking the pleasure of the Creator. At the end of this period he left Syria and traveled to the Mosque of Jerusalem and at the holy shrine of Prophet Abraham he made three promises. The Three Promises The first promise was from that time onward he would neither seek a position in the court of any ruler, nor accept their purses, and lastly that he would not join religious debates. One of the foremost reasons for writing this book was that the society in which he was raised had become bemused by Greek philosophy and outside influences so much so that many Muslims, including himself had at one time, had doubts about religion. Seeking the path of truth with its authentication, he had, in earlier times, exposed himself too and mixed freely with peoples of different sects of Islam and religions exploring, examining and debating each one in turn from the Zindiqs, Magians, Christians, Jews, Atheists, Zoroastrians, idolaters, philosophers, materialists to naturalists and others. It had become evident to him from the variety of questions he was asked in his days of lecturing together with the over two thousand letters he received that many seekers of truth were in a state of religious confusion, and oblivious of the fact that their concepts and resultant actions were leading them astray. After the completion of this great work Al Ghazali returned to Tus and established a school for jurists, and a khanka (spiritual house) for Sufis (Ihsanic traveling). He divided his time between: Reading the Koran in its entirety Being in the company of the people of the heart Ihsanic masters, Teaching his students knowledge, Offering voluntary prayers, Fasting Worshipping. On the morning of Jamadis Thani 14th, 505 hijrah he arose and performed the Fajr prayer after which he asked for his shroud to be brought to him whereupon he lifted it up to his eyes and said, The command of Allah is to be obeyed and passed peacefully away. May Allah have mercy on him and widen and illuminate his tomb. The influence of Al Ghazalis work did not wane after his death; in fact many scholars that succeeded him reflected his thought and teaching. Amongst the Sufis Rumi, ibn Rushd, and Shah Waliullah to name but a few echoed his path in many of their writings. His numerous works are well known, respected and quoted not only the middle east but in the higher universities of west. His contribution to theology and philosophy have proved to be major cornerstones of resource throughout the centuries. During the revival of Greek philosophy in the middle ages, many Christians were attracted and swayed by the persuasion of Greek logic. In an effort to protect Christianity, Christian theologians relied upon the profound arguments of Al Ghazali to defeat the adherents of Greek philosophy and thereby protected their religion. Al Ghazali's works have been translated and printed in many languages. Comparative studies have shown that Jean Jacques Rousseau, known in the west as the pioneer of children's education, based his ideas and methods upon the work of Al Ghazali. The Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam says of Al Ghazali: "He was the most original thinker that Islam produced and its greatest theologian." A.J. Arberry, professor and director of the Middle East Centre at the University of Cambridge, England referred to him as being: "He was one of the greatest mystical theologians of Islam and indeed of all mankind." I pray that the readers will benefit from the sound reasoning which they are about to embark upon and that it will open guiding channels of thought that will give pleasure in this life and in the Hereafter. Others have written various books on these subjects, however this reference has five special characteristics not found in these books. First, Ghazali clarifies what was previously obscure and elucidates matters that have been treated casually. Secondly, he consolidated what was scattered in previous works and thereby made knowledge easily accessible. Thirdly, this work concentrates on the essentials necessary for both this life and the ultimate goal the Everlasting Life. Fourthly, elimination of repetitions. Fifthly, this work is easy to understand and subtle matters are made apparent. Al Ghazali divided this invaluable reference into four quarters and paves the way for success in this fleeting life and much greater success in the Everlasting Life. He draws ones attention to the many pitfalls on the way of which, perhaps, we are oblivious that can snare, delude, hinder or prevent us from such achievement. To ensure that, you dear reader, can rely upon his reasoning, Ghazali verifies his conclusions by quoting verses from the Koran and many sayings of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, together with those of other prophets and pious people. The approach to the Everlasting Life is divided into two sciences, one of which is the science of practical religion, which is the acquisition of knowledge and how to actively put it to use, and the other the science of unfolding. This reference deals only with the science of practical religion and not with the science of unfolding of which one is not permitted to write its details, even though it is ultimate aim of the pious and the sincere. The science of practical religion is the path that leads to the unfolding of knowledge and it is the path used by all the prophets to communicate to their followers. The prophets spoke only of this science through brief signs and indications, however they did not speak in detail because of the inability of mankind to comprehend its higher meaning. The value of knowledgeable and learned people was expressed by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, when he told his Companions, The knowledgeable and learned people are the heirs of the prophets. From this statement it is apparent that we should follow in their footsteps and mirror their way. The science of practical religion is of two kinds, the science of physical actions, which is that of the outward science, and the concealed science, which is that of the inward science, namely the condition of the heart. Physical actions are those of the limbs that do one of two things, they either perform acts of worship or habit. The heart, on the other hand, is influenced by either praiseworthy virtues or blameworthy vices. Another reason for writing this reference was that Ghazali observed that their were many enthusiastic students of jurisprudence, who rather than seeking the pleasure and reward of Allah, sought its knowledge for the sake of pride, fame and social status of this worldly life. Ghazali was wise, he understood that matters that complemented things that are held dear to oneself are also held dear. Therefore he wrote this reference in a style that would attract their attention, so that they, and travelers on the path to Allah, would be drawn to the true nature of the science with its purpose that seeks the pleasure of the Creator and thereby serves the community, rather than inclining just to the baser appetite of fame and fortune. In the same way that minds of people are attracted to the science of medicine to protect the health of the body, it is also necessary that the minds of people are attracted to the treatment of the diseases of both the soul and mind. By doing this they tread the path that leads to a happy and prosperous life in the Everlasting Life, which unlike this life has no end. When compared to the spiritual happiness in the Everlasting Life it is clear that the physical happiness of this life is brief and soon passes away. The body is mortal, whereas the soul is immortal and because of this Al Ghazali supplicated to the Almighty Creator, Allah, asking Him to help him in the writing and completion of this reference. Imam Ghazali Preface All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and praise and venerations be upon His worshiper, Prophet and Messenger Muhammad. Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain. And fear Allah, surely, Allah is Stern in retribution. Koran 59:7 In this book I have quoted many authentic sayings of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, however, I have also quoted some whose transmission has been termed as weak, and therefore their highest rank of authenticity is not confirmed - but never, ever false - The reason for their quotation is that I prefer to use the words of pious, wise people that are supportive of the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, rather than using my own words. First, I praise Allah continuously although even the praise of the most fervent does not, and cannot do justice to His Glory. Secondly, I invoke the blessings of Allah upon His Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of all the prophets, may Allah praise and venerate him and grant him perfect peace, and ask for peace and blessings upon all the prophets and messengers of Allah. Thirdly, I seek the help of Allah in my resolve to write this book The Ihsanic Revitalization of the Sciences of Religion. Fourthly, it is because of the responsibility to speak out and warn that I can no longer remain silent and therefore proceed to enlighten you. Many have strayed from the clear truth and fostered evil and flattered ignorance. If a person wants to remove his/her evil practices and habits, or wishes to practice his learning so that Allah, the Almighty may purify his heart and soul, then let him engage himself in the pursuit of serving his Lord thereby seeking the atonement of his sins, especially those which are greater and for which he despaired. Separate yourself from those of whom the Holy Prophet, may Allah praise and venerate him and grant him perfect peace, said, The most severely punished of all men on the Day of Judgement will be a learned man whom Allah has not benefited from his knowledge. Indeed, I am convinced that there is no reason for a person to remain arrogant except for the disease, which is now epidemic among the masses and also affected you. The disease of which I speak is the abandonment of the path to the Everlasting life which is the rules and regulations for its acquisitions. The seriousness of this matter has reached the state of crisis and is seriously overlooked. The Everlasting life approaches rapidly, whilst this life recedes; death is near but the journey remains long, provisions are scanty, dangers are great, and the road blocked. The wise and those who seek the attainment of wisdom, know that knowledge and deeds that have no connection with Allah are rejected. Without a guide or companion on the path to the Everlasting Life is not only dangerous, but also arduous, and one encounters injurious and destructive elements; the path is hard to tread. The learned are such guides to these paths for they are the heirs of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and time has taken its toll. Nowadays there is a void of such people, so that satan has actively overcome the majority of people and what remains are evil habits and misguidance. One finds the masses consumed with the attainment of the luxury and comfort of this world whilst religious learning with their sciences are virtually redundant. Consequently, to the majority, evil now appears to be good and good appears as evil and the lights of guidance have almost disappeared from this world. People have been led to believe that there is no other science than that of jurisprudence, which is the administrative law that helps the judge to carryout justice and rulers to govern their country. The situation has now arisen that the current learned man will debate another hoping to be victorious over the other and silence him. On the other hand such people tell their congregation that there is no learning except the science of scholastic theology and with this the speaker seeks to influence and attract his audience thereby gaining worldly fame and fortune. The sciences of the Everlasting Life together with the learned teachings of the pious sages of the early days of Islam described in the Koran by Allah as law, knowledge, enlightenment, wisdom, light, guidance and righteousness has all but disappeared and been forgotten. It is because of this crisis in religion that I hold the writing of this book of utmost importance. In it I draw to the readers attention the branches of knowledge taught by the prophets who were sent to guide us from error and then expound upon the exemplary lives of the knowledgeable, pious imams. This book, The Revitalization of Religious Sciences is divided into four quarters. The Book of the Acts of Worship The Book of the Customs of Life Usages The Book of Destructive Evils The Book of Constructive Saving Virtues. Because of its importance, I start this work with a chapter on knowledge. It is necessary to discuss this matter at the very beginning on account of its tremendous assistance in determining the knowledge, which Allah has, through Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, ordered us to seek. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The search for knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. Secondly, I selected this subject in order to draw the attention of the reader to the way in which one can distinguish useful knowledge from that which is harmful. Thirdly, to draw the attention of the reader to their deviation from what is right and lawful, unveil the way in which the mirage of delusion and contentment with the minimum of fragmented knowledge has affected them. The Acts of Worship comprises ten books: The Book of Knowledge Articles of Belief Mysteries of Purity Mysteries of Prayer Mysteries of Charity Mysteries of Fasting Mysteries of Fasting Mysteries of Pilgrimage Rules of the Recitation of the Koran Invocations and Supplications Potions The Customs of Life comprises: Ethics of Eating Ethics of Marriage Ethics of Earning a Livelihood The Lawful and the Prohibited Ethics of Companionship and Fellowship Seclusion Ethics of Travel Music and Emotion Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Ethics of Living as Exemplified by the Conduct of the Prophet Destructive Matters comprises: Wonders of the Heart Discipline of the Soul Harms of the Stomach and Lust Evil of the Tongue Harmfulness of Anger, Hatred and Envy Miserliness and Love of Wealth Evils of Ostentation Evils of Conceit and Pride Evils of Vanity Constructive Saving Matters comprises: Repentance Patience and Gratitude Fear and Hope Poverty and Asceticism Oneness of Allah and Dependence Love and Contentment Intentions, Truthfulness and Sincerity Self-Examination and Self-Accounting Meditation Death VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER 1 The Ghazalis Whole-Life Authorship Roadmap Your best roadmaps to get ready to meet Allah and all His Prophets by Ahmad Darwish Al-Shaykh Allah.com Muhammad.com JesusMuhammad.com Sammania.com Qadiria.com Ghumari.com Imam Ghazali has two roadmaps a. Spiritual safety from error roadmap b. And this 50 principles of Islamic Knowledge and Practice c. One should add to the above the 70 and odd of branches of Faith (shuab al Iman) by Bayhaqi d. and the 40 descriptions that Grantee its practitioner to enter paradise as collected for the first time by my late Shaykh Imam Muhaddith Abdullah Ibn Siddique Al Ghumari thereby outperforming all Huffaz before him. Imam Ghazali mentioned his authorship road map using the hierarchy of jewelry and chemistry classification in his book al Jawahir wa al Yawaqit as it was the fashion of his day and age. I extracted them all and translated them into the following regular chart as below in December 1980. It was also translated into German by Fatema Heren in few months after my work. Ghazali listed 50 Principles of Islamic knowledge that he wrote books covering them all. 40 of 50 the principals are covered in Ghazalis Ihya, the Revitalization of Religious Sciences: The Foundation of Islamic Knowledge and Practice ISLAM, IMAN, IHSAN Religion is based on numerous principles, for example, the five Principles of ISLAM and the six Principles of IMAN which are more than seventy sections (branches) like those described in the Prophetic quotation and the principals IHSAN Classification of the 50 Principals of Islamic Knowledge and Practice (Forty principals covered in Ghazali;s Ihya. The remaining 10 were covered in the rest of His books) First:Knowing the Important Principles Know the One God: Allah (Him, His Divine Descriptions, and His Divine Actions) Him Divine Exaltation Divine Ability Divine knowledge Divine Will Divine Hearing Divine Speech Divine Actions The Day of Judgment The Prophethood Know the Right Path to meet Him (On the Day of Judgment) Allegiance to the Caliph The Visible Actions: The Prayer Obligatory Charity Fasting Pilgrimage Reciting Al Koran (The Holy Reading) Extra daily prayer Gaining Sustenance from lawful Islamic Sources Good manners Order to do right actions and avoid wrong actions Following the footsteps of the Prophet (praise, peace be upon him) The Invisible Actions The roots of wrong actions: Excessive eating Unnecessary speech Anger Envy Love of US Dollars, foreign and local currency Love of fame Love of this material world Conceit Pride Deceit (Insincerity by attracting attention, see Allah.com for Deception by Ghazali The roots of right actions: Asking forgiveness and turning away with regret Fear and hope Self denial Patience Thanking Sincerity and Truth Trust Love Satisfaction Death and its realization Second:Know the Principles which complete the above Know the Conditions of the Followers of the Right Path History of the Prophets History of the Friends of Allah and His Prophets History of the Families of the Prophets Know the Conditions of the unbelievers-in-the-Right-Path (the enemy of the followers) The cursed and stoned satan The Leaders of the unbelievers (like Pharaoh) Idolaters and the rejecters if truth (see Ghazalis spiritual Roadmap) Third:Know the Principles of the sciences (Jurisprudence, Tafseer, Hadith, Seerah of the Prophet) see the download area of Allah.com Muhammad.com for free download THE VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE ITS LEARNING AND TEACHING, ITS PROOF FROM THE KORAN AND REASONING THE EVIDENCE OF ALLAH Value of knowledge The witnessing of the Koran Indeed, Allah, His angels, the knowledgeable people bear witness that there is no god except He. Koran 3:8 Let us contemplate upon this verse. First of all our attention is drawn to the fact that Allah, Himself bears witness to His own unique Oneness. Secondly He bears witness that His angels bear witness to His Oneness, and thirdly He bears witness that the knowledgeable people who combine both spiritual and material knowledge bear witness to His Oneness. It is indeed a great honor that we, through the blessing of attainment of such knowledge for His sake, can attain inclusion in such company! The son of Abbas a Companion of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, Knowledgeable people are 700 ranks above ordinary believers and the distance between each rank and the next is equal to traveling for 500 years on a camel. Abu Darda heard the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, say, For whosoever takes a path seeking knowledge, Allah eases a path to Paradise for him. The angels spread their wings for a seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he is doing and all that is in the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water ask for forgiveness for the knowledgeable person. A learned person is as superior to a worshiper as the moon is superior to all the planets. The knowledgeable are the inheritors of the prophets and indeed the prophets do not leave an inheritance of dirhams and dinars, but only knowledge. Whosoever takes it takes a vast share. Status of people Allah, the Almighty said: Say, Are they equal those who know and those who do not know? Only those with minds remember. 39:9. Worshipers and knowledge But it is only those amongst His worshippers that fear Allah who have knowledge. 35.28. Knowledge of the Koran Say, Allah is a Sufficient witness between me and you, and whosoever possess knowledge of the Book. 13.43. Perception of the learned But those to whom knowledge had been given said, Alas for you! Better is the reward of Allah for him who believes and does good works. 28:80. Parables of Allah And We strike these parables for the people, but none understands except the knowledgeable. 29:43 Allah bears witness to the position of the Prophet and the knowledgeable If they returned it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those of them whose task is to research it would have known it. 4:83 In these verses the importance of the knowledgeable and learning their knowledge is stressed. THE EVIDENCE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD praise and peace be upon him ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTAINING KNOWLEDGE The Gift of Allah: The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, spoke many times about the value and importance of knowledge. He told his companions that when Allah wills to give good to a person He gives knowledge of the Religion and guidance to the truth, and as previously mentioned, he informed his companions that the knowledgeable are the heirs of the prophets. From these statements it is understood that there is no rank higher than that of the prophethood and there is no honor higher than its inheritance - knowledge. Wisdom increases ones honor and status: Regarding the position of the knowledgeable, Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said that wisdom increases the honor of the noble and raises a servant to the status of kings. From this saying it is understood that one can enjoy the bounties of this life but the bounties of the Everlasting Life are greater. Characteristics of a hypocrite: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned his companions that there are two characteristic traits that are not found in a hypocrite and they are sound guidance and knowledge of the religion. The least form of knowledge: The least amount of knowledge a jurist should have is that the Everlasting Life is better than this life. Once this is perceived he is able to free himself from hypocrisy and ostentation. Knowledge and the worshiper: The best of persons is the learned believer, who, if he is needed is useful, and if he is not needed he is self-sufficient. Before enlightenment: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that people are like mines of gold and silver. Those who were best in the days of ignorance (Jahiliyah, the days before Islam) are also the best in the time of Islam, provided they became knowledgeable of the Religion. The intercession of the Prophet: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, informed his companions that on the Day of Resurrection he would intercede and be a witness for whosoever committed to his memory forty of his sayings (hadith) and transmitted them. On the same subject he also said that for those who memorize forty of his sayings they would meet Allah in the rank of a learned theologian. The value of the learned and martyrs: He also told his companions that on the Day of Judgement, the ink of the learned will be weighed against the blood of martyrs. Allah loves the wise: Allah revealed to Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, I am the All Wise and I love every wise man. The trust of Allah: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also said that a learned person is the trust of Allah on earth. Status of mankind: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned that there are amongst his nation two groups of people theologians and rulers when both groups are good, the people are good, but when they are corrupt, the people become corrupt. The Prophet stresses the importance of his knowledge: Stressing the importance of knowledge, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, If the day ever arises in which my knowledge of how to come closer to Allah does not increase, then I am not blessed on that day in which the sun has risen. The worshiper and the knowledgeable: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, The superiority of a knowledgeable person over a worshiper is like my superiority over the least of my companions. Pause for a moment and reflect upon how the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, compared knowledge to the degree of prophethood, and how he lowered the degree of the act of worship without knowledge. However, we must understand that a worshiper has a certain amount of knowledge in order to be able to worship, if he did not then there would be no worshipping. Value of acquiring religious knowledge: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The best part of your religion is its easiest, and the best worship is (the acquisition) of religious knowledge. Superiority of a learned person: Again he said, The superiority of a learned person over a worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the stars. The position of the learned on the Day of Judgement: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, On the Day of Judgement the prophets will intercede, followed by the learned and then the martyrs. The knowledgeable are formidable to the devil: The excellence of the rank of the learned was made apparent when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions, Allah has not given anyone more excellence than knowledge of the religion; one theologian is more formidable to the devil than a thousand worshipers. Everything has its foundation and the foundation of this religion (Islam) is knowledge of theology. The greatness of the rank of the knowledgeable: On another occasion he told his companions that the superiority of a believing learned man over a believing worshiper is one hundred degrees and the distance between each degree is that of the racing of a horse for seventy years. Knowledge in the past and in the future: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, spoke of the future saying, You are living in an age in which there are many theologians, reciters of the Koran. Preachers and beggars are few and givers are plentiful and deeds are better than knowledge. However, soon there will be a time when theologians will be few, and Koran reciters and preachers will be many, and beggars will be many, at that time knowledge will be better than deeds. The best knowledge: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked which action is best. He replied, The acquisition of knowledge. Whereupon the inquirer asked, What kind of knowledge do you mean? To this he replied, With your knowledge of Allah, a few good deeds will suffice you. But, your ignorance of Allah will not suffice you even though your good deeds are many. The forgiveness of Allah: He also informed his companions that on the Day of Judgement Allah will raise the worshipers and the knowledge saying O congregation of knowledgeable people I only gave you knowledge because I have knowledge about you, and I have not given you knowledge to punish you. Go, you are forgiven. ATTAINMENT OF KNOWLEDGE - THE EVIDENCE OF PIOUS SAGES: Knowledge is more valuable than wealth because without it one does not have the ability to make the right decision. It acts as a protective guard from the pitfalls of error and the more time one spends in its acquisition the benefit increases. Wealth on the other hand needs to be guarded, and whereas knowledge dispenses justice, wealth seeks justice and decreases with expense. (Imam Ali). Rulers are elected to govern people however, it is their knowledgeable advisors who rule over the rulers. There is nothing more honorable than knowledge and it this that distinguishes mankind from animals and not his prowess. One is mistaken if it is assumed that a man is honorable on account of his physical strength because by comparison, a camel has greater strength, neither can his bravery be compared to the bravery of a ferocious beast. There again, his honor is not on account of the strength of his sexual ability because a sparrow has more strength. The honor of a person is in the degree of his knowledge and intellect. (Aswad). In the same way that a sick person suffers or even dies if he neither receives food nor medical attention, the heart a person who goes for three days without acquiring an element of knowledge begins to die. This is because the food and medication of the heart is knowledge and wisdom, and it is this that keeps it alive. The danger here is that the heart of whosoever does not seek knowledge eventually dies although the diseased person is unable to recognize its death. (Fathul Musolli) No one is born learned, it has to be acquired. The rank of a martyr is one of the highest but on the Day of Judgement the writings of the learned will be honored in such a way that when they are weighed against the blood of martyrs they will be found to be the heavier, and the martyrs will wish that they had been resurrected as a knowledgeable person. (Hasan Basri) The companions of the Prophet, were often found discussing and exchanging knowledge with one another in away that it was dearer to them than spending the entire night in prayer. (Abbass son, Abu Hurairah and Imam Ahmad) Allah tells us in the Koran, But there are others who say, Lord, give us a merit in the world and good in the Everlasting Life, and save us from the punishment of the Fire. 2:201. It was explained that merit in this world means knowledge and the gift of Paradise in the Everlasting Life. (Hasan Basri) The value of seeking and attaining knowledge is now clear and if one were to loose all ones possessions, knowledge would be the only thing that remained. THE EXCELLENCE OF LEARNING Allah instructs us in the Holy Koran: A party from each section should go forth to become well versed in the religion. 9:122 Ask the people of the Remembrance, if you do not know. 16:43 When Allah took a covenant with those to whom the Book was given, (saying) You shall make it clear to the people, and not conceal it. 3:187. This verse demonstrates that teaching knowledge was and is obligatory. Who is more unjust than he who hides a testimony received from Allah? 2:140 And you shall not conceal the testimony. He who conceals it, his heart is sinful. 2:283 These two verses make it very clear it is unlawful to conceal the truth. A covenant to teach knowledge: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his followers that Allah does not give a learned person knowledge until He takes from him a covenant just as He took a covenant from the prophets, and that covenant is that they should teach the people and not conceal it. Allah says: And, who is better in saying than he who invites to Allah 41:33 Call to the Path of your Lord with wisdom and fine admonition. 16:125 A Messenger from them who shall recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom. 2:129 THE EVIDENCE OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions: Blessings of seeking knowledge: Whosoever treads a path in search of knowledge, his path to Paradise is made easy for him by Allah. The angels and the seeker of knowledge: The angels spread their wings for the one who seeks knowledge out of pleasure of that which he seeks. The value of knowledge: If you rise at dawn to study knowledge it is better than praying one hundred units of prayer. If a person learns a chapter of knowledge, it is better for him than the entire world and whatever it contains. Seek knowledge wherever it may be: Seek knowledge even if it is in China. The obligation and value of acquiring knowledge: Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon men and women alike, and that knowledge is a treasure house and its key is inquiry, and therefore one should inquire. And for such act there is a reward for the inquirer, the one who imparts knowledge, the audience and the lover (of knowledge). Regarding the ignorant and the knowledgeable, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said that they should neither remain silent in their ignorance nor in their knowledge. He said that ones presence in the company of a learned person is greater than visiting one thousand sick people or attending one thousand funerals. Whereupon, one of his companions asked if the acquisition of knowledge is better than reading the Koran. To this he replied, What else can the Koran do except benefit through knowledge? For those who seek knowledge in order to revive Islam the difference between them and the prophets will be just one step if they die in this way. THE OBSERVATION OF PIOUS SAGES: Sympathy is felt for those who seek knowledge but are unable to understand it and those who have the ability to understand but do not seek it. In seeking knowledge one becomes humble, and when ones knowledge is sought one becomes honored. Seeking knowledge is striving in the way of Allah (jihad) and if no effort is made to achieve it then ones intellect is deficient. The value of knowledge was expressed when Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. He told his disciples that when a person who is well versed in matters Allah has made lawful and those which He has forbidden dies it is a greater loss for mankind than the death of a thousand worshipers who pray throughout the night and fast each day. THE EXCELLENCE OF TEACHING The proof of the excellence and value of teaching: Allah says: And when they return to their people warn them in order that they be may beware. 9:122. This verse refers to teaching and guidance. The covenant: And when Allah took a covenant with those to who the Book was given, (saying) You shall make it clear to the people, and not conceal it. 3:187. This verse is an illustration that teaching is binding upon the knowledgeable. Hiding the truth sent by Allah: In another verse Allah warns, Who is more unjust that he who hides a testimony received from Allah? 2:140, from this it is made known that concealing the truth is unlawful. Allah forbids the concealment of knowledge: Again, Allah warns that it is forbidden to conceal knowledge, And you shall not conceal the testimony. He who conceals it, his heart is sinful. 2:283 The invitation to Allah: And, who is better in saying than he who invites to Allah, does what is right and says, Surely, I am of those who surrender. 41:33 The supplication of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael: Our Lord, send among them a Messenger from them who shall recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom. 2:129 The covenant of knowledge: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that before Allah gives a person knowledge he takes a covenant from him, in the same way that He did from all the prophets, and that is that they would not conceal His knowledge. THE EVIDENCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING TRANSMITTED BY PROPHETS MUHAMMAD AND JESUS peace be upon him Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be him, told his companion Muaz before his departure to Yemen, If Allah guides someone through your help, then it is better for you than all the world with its content. He also told his companions that, if a person learns a piece of knowledge and then teaches it to others he will be given a reward equal to that of seventy righteous people. Prophet Jesus and the value of knowledge: Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, told his disciples that whosoever acquires knowledge, acts upon it and teaches it will be called great in the kingdom of the Creator. The intercession of the learned: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that on the day of Judgement Allah will say to His worshiper and martyrs, Enter Paradise. Whereupon the knowledgeable will say, By the virtue of our learning you worshiped and fought. Allah will say to them, You are like some of my angels, intercede and your intercession will be accepted. Thereupon they will make their intercession and enter Paradise. They will be given this rank on account of their knowledge that was transmitted to others but not for the knowledge they did not convey. What happens when knowledge declines: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that Allah will not take away knowledge from men after He has given it to them, rather He will withdraw knowledge from the world when they are returned to Him. Whenever a learned person passes away the knowledge he has passes with him and the time will come when only ignorant leaders are left. These leaders will be asked and give decisions but because they are not knowledgeable, the decisions they will give will misguide people. A warning to the concealers of knowledge: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned that if a person concealed the knowledge he had been given on the Day of Judgement he would be dragged with a bridle of fire. The excellent gift of knowledge: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, How excellent a gift is a word of wisdom and how excellent is the gift to your fellow Muslim when you hear it, remember it, transmit and teach it. It is equal to a year in worship. The value of this world: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions, The world and all that is therein is cursed except for the remembrance of Allah, and similar, or a teacher or a student. He also said, Allah, His angels and in the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its anthill and the fish in the sea pray upon those who teach people goodness. Transmission of knowledge: There is no greater benefit one Muslim can give to another than a saying of mine that he has learned and transmits it to him. Knowledge and acting upon it: If a believer hears a piece of good advice and then acts upon it, it is better than one year of his worshiping. Supplications and teaching: There were two circles of Muslims; one circle was supplicating to Allah, and the other imparting knowledge. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, saw them he said, referring to the circle who were supplicating, If Allah wishes, He will grant them their supplication, but if He wishes He may reject them. Referring to the circle who were instructing he said, I have been sent as a teacher whereupon he sat down with them. Knowledge and people: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, related to his companions a parable. Concerning the guidance and knowledge with which I have been endowed, it can be compared to rain that falls upon the land. Part of the land is good and fertile, the dry grass turns green and a considerable amount of new, fresh grass is produced. Another part is dry but stores water, and with it Allah benefits people, they drink from and use it for cultivation. Another part is a barren plain, which neither retains water nor produces fresh grass. Such are the cases of those who understand the religion sent down by Allah and benefit from that with which Allah has sent to me, studying and teaching it. (The last example refers to) those who make no effort to gain religious knowledge nor do they accept the guidance with which I have been sent. The value of guiding: He also commented that the one who guides towards something good is like one who does it. The end of your life: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, informed his companions, When a person dies his actions come to an end except in three matters that he leaves behind. One is ongoing charity, knowledge from which benefit can be derived, and a virtuous son who prays for him. Two types of people that one should envy: He said, that there is no one else that should be envied other than two types of people. The first type is the person whom Allah has given knowledge and acts upon it and teaches people. The second type is the one whom Allah has given wealth and power with which he spends doing good deeds. Successors: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, May the Mercy of Allah be upon my successors. A companion inquired, Who are your successors? He replied, Those who love my ways and teach them. TEACHING - THE EVIDENCE OF PIOUS SAGES: It is through teaching that people gain knowledge and are able to lead a better life. Had it not been because knowledgeable people spent their time teaching mankind would not have risen much above the lowness of bestiality. (Hasan Basri) The Caliph Omar, said that whosoever learns a prophetic saying and causes another to act according to it will receive the reward of the doer of the act. Muaz, Jabals son was told by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to become knowledgeable because its acquisition is fear of Allah and therefore to search for it because it is worshiping, its study is praise and its seeking is striving in the way of Allah (jihad). He also told him that teaching it to those who do not know is charity and imparting it to those who are worthy is meritorious. He continued to tell him that knowledge is a friend when one is on a journey, a companion in solitude, a guide to religion and a light in happiness and misfortune, and a close friend to a stranger and a beacon to the path of Paradise. It is through knowledge that Allah exalts a nation and makes both its people and their leaders good and it is by observing them people become guides to goodness and in turn people emulate them. The angels also encourage them to work and everything, no matter whether it is withered or at the peak of fresh seeks forgiveness for them, even the fish in the sea, insects and worms in forests, cattle and sheep, as well as the stars in the sky. Knowledge gives life to a dead heart, light to the eyes in darkness, and gives strength to the body after removing its weakness. Through knowledge a person is helped to reach the rank of the pious. Just to think of it is like fasting, and its study is like prayer. By its help, Allah is obeyed and worshiped, by its help warning is given, and through its help the Oneness of Allah is understood, and the ties of blood are maintained and lawful things are known. VALUE OF TEACHING - PROOF OF REASON The reason for this section is to expound upon the understanding of the excellence of knowledge and its value. If excellence itself is not understood, then it is not possible to know the excellence of other things. For example, if one wishes to know if such and such a person is wise, one should first know the meaning of the word wisdom and then the person, or else one will go astray. Excellence is an additional quality of something without defect. Take for example the difference between a horse and an ass. Although both are able to bear heavy loads, the horse has the additional qualities of being able to run at a greater speed and its physique is more pleasing. Since one is knowledgeable that a horse is better than an ass, one realizes that having knowledge is superior to other acquisitions. Knowledge is good in is own right and not for its connection with other qualities. Precious things fall into one of three groups: The first group is what is sought for its own intrinsic value. The second group is what is sought as a means to an end. The third group is what is sought for both. That which is sought for its own intrinsic value for example knowledge, is noble That which is sought as a means to and end is gold and silver, and just pieces of stone that have no value of their own. If Allah had not made them instrumental in purchasing items, their value would have been equal to other stones. Knowledge is precious for its own sake and it is through the help of knowledge that happiness of the Everlasting Life and Divine Light can be attained. This is not so with gold and silver. Whatever is bought with them is for its own sake and as a means to an end. This leads one to the realization that knowledge is the root and cause of good fortune in not only this life but in the Everlasting Life. The result of attaining knowledge is to enjoy the nearness of Allah, and to be in the company of angels and the pious in the Everlasting Life. The result of its acquisition in this life is honor, influence upon rulers and people. Therefore, in order to seek the good of this life and the Everlasting Life one discerns that the object of attaining knowledge and its teaching are both excellent and praiseworthy actions. Worldly affairs do not become orderly except through certain activities, whereas human activities are divided into three categories: The first includes four fundamental activities without which the world is unorganized. They are agriculture for the growth of food necessary to life, the manufacture of cloth for clothing, architecture for building and a government that regulates society so that peace and harmony prevail. The second category includes activities that are helpful such as metal workers produce tools for agriculture and transportation etc., The third category includes supplementary activities to the principal industries, such as consumption of food and drink, and the tailoring of clothes. In the same way that the organs of the body are necessary for the maintenance of ones body so are these activities necessary for living. The organs of the body are divided into three categories: The principal, fundamental organs, i.e. the heart, liver and brain. That which supports the fundamental organs, the stomach, veins and backbone and without which the fundamental organs cannot function. That which is supplementary to the preceding categories for perfection, such as fingers, nails, eye brows etc. Amongst these three categories the most noble are those that are fundamental, therefore the most noble is government because it is through government that peaceful co-existence is possible and for this reason, experts are necessary to run a government. Administration of government is divided into four classifications: The first class is the highest as it is the government established by the prophets and through which their laws are administered to the public and govern private matters. Following this is the administration of rulers over public affairs but not their private matters. Next is the administration of religious affairs by the learned and wise to people, because it is they who are the heirs of the Prophet, and involves the thoughts of the privileged few. Following this, is the administration of preachers that address the thoughts of the ordinary man. Because after the administration of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, the most noble is the spreading of knowledge through which people can be saved from both evil and destructive habits, and consequently led towards merit and constructive virtues. This is the benefit and goal of knowledge and education. Intellectual activity is the most excellent of activities. This is because three things can determine the excellence of an activity. Examination of the natural qualities of a man. For example, if he acquires knowledge then it is better than acquiring another language because knowledge is acquired through intellect whereas a language can be learned through the sense of hearing. This is because intellect surpasses ones sense of hearing therefore knowledge is superior to that of the ability of speaking a foreign language. Examination of the usefulness of a person. For example, a farmer is superior and more useful than a goldsmith. Realization of the excellence of a business. For example, the business of a goldsmith is better than that of a tanner. Likewise, knowledge has the same three qualities: First, knowledge is known to be the path to the Everlasting Life, and with it one can achieve perfect knowledge and the brightness of intellect. This is the most noble acquisition to which one can aspire, because it is through the ownership of this attribute, one has trusted Allah and thereby enjoys the nearness to Allah. Second, because the extent of knowledge is so vast in its usefulness, it is beneficial to people and therefore contributes to ones happiness in this life and in the Everlasting Life. Third, it is through knowledge that hearts and souls are healed. Mankind is the lord of creation, but the lord of the human is the heart and it is a spiritual teacher who purifies the heart and guides to Allah. From these examples it is clear that teaching is the finest type of worship. The heart of the learned is that of a good agent of Allah. What then, is superior to knowledge when it draws oneself and others closer to Allah and His Paradise? VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE 1.2 DEFINING COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE (both secular and spiritual) Praiseworthy and blameworthy branches of knowledge: Compulsory Knowledge As we mentioned previously, Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that the search of knowledge is compulsory upon every Muslim, and to seek knowledge even if it happened to be as far away as China. Islamic scholars differ in their opinion about which branch of knowledge is obligatory. Scholastic theologians are of the opinion that it is scholastic theology because it contributes to the understanding of the Oneness of Allah and His attributes. Jurists are of the opinion that it refers to jurisprudence because it is through its help that not only worship, but worldly affairs and lawful and unlawful things become understood and known. On the other hand, those scholars who are knowledgeable of the Koran and Prophetic sayings maintain that it is this knowledge. Whereas the Sufis say it is Sufism, and Abu Taleb Makki is of the opinion that it is knowledge of the five pillars of Islam. There are two categories of knowledge, which are those of practical religion and spiritual matters. Compulsory knowledge relating to practical religion deals with three matters belief, action and prohibition. For example, when a sane person reaches the age of puberty, there is an obligation upon that person to learn the statement of witnessing, which is that there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet. Knowledge of its deeper meaning is not obligatory. The person must believe this statement without any doubt or proof as the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, only required those who embraced Islam to accept Islam in such a manner, and thereafter explained to them their obligatory duties. The duties the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, explained to the converts dealt with actions and prohibitions. For example, if a person embraced Islam during the time of the mid-day prayer the convert was taught how it should be performed and thereafter perform the prayer and so on. As Ramadan approached the convert would be told that its fast is obligatory and taught its rules. The same applies to the payment of the obligatory charity at the end of Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca together with other duties ordained by Allah which are binding upon all Muslims. When a person converts to Islam there is the obligation to believe in Paradise, Hell, the Day of Resurrection and the Day of Judgement. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, did not tell converts to learn Alif, Lam or Meem, but he did say learn the science of actions and so gradually, actions become obligations and so the acquisition of knowledge about these duties gradually becomes an obligation. Knowledge obligatory upon each individual: Prohibitions depend upon circumstances and events. For example, the obligations upon a blind person are not necessarily those of a sighted person. For example, if a male convert should wear silk clothing, take someones property by force or look lustfully at a woman he should be told that these things are prohibited and taught how to restrain himself. In respect of belief and thoughts, their knowledge is obligatory. For example, if a person has any doubts about the meaning of the witnessing of belief, it becomes obligatory upon that person to remove that doubt by asking a knowledgeable, wise person. Mankind is not free from hatred, envy and inclination towards evil; therefore it is obligatory for a person to know these evils which are described later on in this book, in the Book of Destructive Evils. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned that there are three destructive elements miserliness, following ones passion, and pride, and generated from these three elements are other destructive evils. The removal of evil from ones mind is obligatory. Knowledge obligatory upon the community at large: Dear reader, the obligation of learning falls into two categories, those connected with religion and those that are not directly connected with it. The first category, is that connected with religion, and that which came directly from Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, in which there is no question of intellect. The second category is that not directly connected with religion such as mathematics and medicine etc. This category is divided in to three, the praiseworthy, blameworthy and permissible. Praiseworthy categories: Sciences that are for the betterment of mankind are praiseworthy. Praiseworthy sciences such as medicine and mathematics are an obligation upon the community rather than the individual. Even if just one person in the community acquires such knowledge, it suffices the obligation of that community and there is no sin, however, if no one takes it upon themselves to acquire this knowledge the sin rests upon the community. To be an expert in such a science is not obligatory. Amongst the sciences that should be learned are those of agriculture, horticulture, administration, tailoring and business. All sciences connected with religion are praiseworthy however, when other learning is mixed with them there is the possibility that they become blameworthy. Blameworthy categories: Blameworthy sciences are those such as sorcery, talismanic science, gambling. Permissible categories: Poetry, history, geography, biology and similar subjects are permissible. Praiseworthy categories: Praiseworthy learning is of four types: sources, branches, auxiliary and supplementary learning. Sources: The sources of religious learning are themselves divided into four. The Koran, which is the unaltered Book of Allah in Arabic, the sayings and usages of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, the unanimous opinions of Muslim jurists and the sayings of the Companions. The first source is the Koran and the second source is the Hadith, Hadith being the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him. The unanimous opinions of Muslim jurists (Ijma) is the third source of Islam, this is because it demonstrates the path towards what the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, used to say or do. The fourth source is the reported sayings of the companions, because they saw the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and witnessed the sending down of the Revelation. They were also able to see what others were unable to see on account of their association with the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. Branches: The branches of religious learning are drawn from the sources, but not according to their literal meaning. They are arrived at through deduction, an example of which is the saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, A judge shall not sit in judgment when he is angry. The scholars therefore deduce from this statement that a judge should not pass judgment if he is constipated, hungry, or ill. The second is that one kind relates to the activities of the world, for example the books of law and which are entrusted to attorneys and judges, whereas the other relates to the activities of the Everlasting Life. Auxiliary sciences: Auxiliary sciences are such sciences as those of language and grammar. In themselves linguistic and syntax sciences are not jurisprudence sciences, but they are an instrumental necessity to know the Koran and Prophetic sayings (hadith) that were delivered in the Arabic language and through which the law of Allah is learned. However, they were not necessary for Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, because he was illiterate. 5. Supplementary sciences: In relation to the Koran these sciences are divided into two. They are its pronunciation and the various ways in which to read letters, the meaning and explanation of words, of which all have been derived from the authoritative, trusted transmission of the companions of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. This is because language alone cannot treat exposition or its technicalities, for example it does not have knowledge of the abrogating (nasikh), the abrogated (mansukh), the general (amm) and the particular (khass), the laws of the Koran together with its clear meaning and also their application. For example, the principles of jurisprudence (fiqh), which also include the way and sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. These sciences are praiseworthy obligations upon the community. One may ask, What was the purpose of including jurisprudence (fiqh) in this section of worldly science or the judges (faqihs) as worldly scholars? The answer is that jurisprudence contains the indirect laws of religion and the direct laws of secular administration. It is through worldly affairs that jurisprudence is, although not directly, connected with religion because Allah created this world in preparation for the Everlasting Life and placed in it suitable provisions. However, because these provisions have not been justly gathered by mankind, disputes have increased, if the opposite had been the case then judges would have very little work to do. But mankind is greedy and because of their greed judges are always necessary to ensure justice. The judge has knowledge of the rules needed to govern, and knowledge of how to arbitrate between people, therefore his role has become that of teacher and a guide for government, and it is through their knowledge of the Law that the affairs of a nation may be orderly. Rules cannot do without a ruler and the instrument of rule is jurisprudence because it defines the rules for administration. To illustrate this point it is known that ones pilgrimage is not perfect if one does not take a companion to protect against thieves and their like that one may encounter on the journey. The pilgrimage is one matter, the rules of pilgrimage another, a guard is yet another matter, and the pilgrimage laws are the fourth. The purpose of jurisprudence is to give knowledge of how to and who should administrate. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that no one other than three make a decision relating to law. They are a ruler, his authorized agent, and one who arrives at a verdict through his personal opinion, however the third is considered to be an intruder because he has usurped the responsibility. In some narrations of this Prophetic saying, the word hypocrite is used instead of the word intruder on account of the fact that any unauthorized person who undertakes to pass a legal opinion does so to satisfy his ego thereby acquiring social status and wealth. One finds that the opposite was the case with the Companions. They were never eager, in fact they were reluctant to give an opinion on a legal matter, however, one finds that when it came to matters of the Koran and the Everlasting Life they were always ready to impart their knowledge. It could be said that this argument is not applicable to acts of worship about which a judge gives a decision. However, it could be said that a judge does give decisions on religious matters, i.e. Islam, prayer, the obligatory charity, the permitted and the forbidden. Islam: Concerning Islam, the judge is attentive only to the outward witnessing of belief, but neither the heart nor mind are within his jurisdiction. There was an occasion when a man praised another by referring to him as a martyr. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked the man if he had opened the heart of the deceased. The man commented that the deceased bore witness because he feared death but was killed. In such circumstances a judge will give a decision that the deceaseds conversion was good even though he uttered it because he feared death. This, therefore is a matter of the world. Just the utterance of words will be of no help will be of no use in the Everlasting Life, what will help is the light of the heart, its secret thoughts and sincerity, all of which are outside the field of jurisprudence. Prayer: To arrive at a decision as to whether or not a prayer has been performed in the correct manner a judge will observe the performance of its formalities. He will not take into account that from the beginning of the prayer to its end the possibility that ones mind was thinking of worldly affairs. If one was not concentrating when praying the prayer is not acceptable and is of no benefit in the Everlasting Life, therefore all the observed formalities of the prayer are invalid. The actions of the mind and fear of Allah are those that help a person and these are outside the field the judge. Obligatory Charity: A judge will take into account whether the obligatory charity has been paid according to the prescribed rules. The judge Abu Yusuf ruled that if a husband gives his wife part of his wealth at the end of the year then his wife returns it to him as a gift, it is permissible even though it has been done to avoid paying the obligatory charity. Imam Abu Hanifa commented that the man had acted according to his knowledge of jurisprudence, but said it will be of no use to him in the Everlasting Life, and its harm in the Everlasting Life will be greater than its worldly benefit. The Permissible and the Forbidden: Refraining for unlawful things is piety and there are four types of piety. The first is the piety required for the bearing witness to the truth. If a judge abandons it he automatically becomes unfit to act either as a judge, administrator or a witness. This type of piety is that of fearing Allah, and saves oneself from all unlawful matters. The second is that of a pious person. He protects himself even when he is doubtful whether or not a matter is lawful or unlawful by refraining from it. The third is piety in which a person fears Allah so that he abstains even from that which is lawful for fear of doing something unlawful. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that no one can reach the stage of fearing Allah until he gives up what is not harmful to himself for fear of what causes harm. For example, a person who fears that he may be drawn into backbiting someone would refrain from stating all he knows about that person. Or, he fears eating choice food or drink in case it stimulates passion or lust which after a while leads people commit something that is unlawful. The fourth is the piety of the extremely religious person (Siddiq) who abandons everything except Allah fearing that he/she may spend a single hour of his life for nothing. Only the first type of person is within the field of the judge. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, repeated his advise to Wabisa three times saying, Consult your conscience even though they give you a decision. A judge does not deal with the affairs of the heart; rather he confines his opinion to matters that are subject to the decision of the court, he is limited to the matters of the world. The Science to the Road of the Everlasting Life: The science to the road of the Everlasting Life is divided into two the concealed science and the science of practical religion. The concealed science is the primary object of the science of practical religion. A pious Sufi said that he was fearful that a person who does not have a portion of the knowledge of the concealed science would have a bad ending. The least amount is to believe that there is a concealed science and to leave it with whosoever is worthy of it. Another pious sage commented that whosoever has the two characteristics of hypocrisy and pride will never be blessed with reaching the concealed science. Another sage said that whosoever becomes addicted to this world or persists in his/her lower appetite will never attain the concealed science. The concealed science: The meaning of the concealed science is the science of the very pious people and those who are close to Allah and is of the highest rank. It is the light that illuminates the heart and cleanses it from all impurities and sins. In this rank he/she understands what he previously heard but was unable to understand. He is able now to learn the eternal and perfect attributes of Allah, His works and wisdom in the creation of this world. He learns the meaning of prophethood, satan, the angels, the cause of the concealed science which was sent to the prophets as well as the meaning of Paradise and many other things. There are those who are of the opinion that such things are just examples, but Allah has given to the pious what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no heart has conceived. Whereas others are of the opinion that no one knows anything about Paradise except its names and some of its descriptions. On the other hand there are those of the opinion that they are just patterns, some of which are identical to the realities that these names signify. There are also those who say that ones ability to reach knowledge of Allah is not possible. The aim of gaining concealed knowledge is to remove the veils of doubt from ones mind and to attain the clarifying light, just as sunlight illuminates the day, and this is possible through the light of ones heart. It is like a mirror, which has been freed from all impurities so that one can now see clearly. The impurities of the heart are impediments and obstruct one from knowing the attributes of Allah, and it is through the science of the heart that they can be removed. The way of riding oneself of such impurities is abstinence from lower desires and their passions and to follow the way of the prophets, peace be upon them. The reality of the heart cannot be attained except through self-discipline and effort, and it is through such measures that the state of the cleanliness of ones heart together with facing the truth reflects its reality. This concealed science cannot be found in books, however, it can, as a gift from Allah, be gained through experiences. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that this knowledge can be compared to something which is hidden. No one can grasp it except those who know Allah. Be careful not to look down upon a learned person to whom Allah has gifted a portion of it, because Allah does not look down upon a person to whom He has given a gift. The second kind of practical religion is the praiseworthy and blameworthy sciences of the state of the heart. The praiseworthy states of the heart: Such qualities as patience, gratitude, fear, hope, contentment, fear of Allah, generosity and the recognition of the gift of Allah in each and every circumstance, good belief, good conduct, truthfulness and sincerity are praiseworthy states of the heart. To ascertain the limits of these attributes, their true meaning and the way in which they are reached, their results and signs are included in the science of the Everlasting Life. Praiseworthy qualities are the root of all good deeds, and to understand their real nature one must know the science of the Everlasting Life, and to be aware that it is obligatory upon the learned in this science. In the same way that those who break the rules laid down by the rulers of this world are punished, the King of kings will punish those who reject praiseworthy qualities. When arriving at a verdict judges limit their view to good qualities to matters of this life, whereas the aim of the praiseworthy is drawn to their value as also being good for the Everlasting Life. It is not unknown that if a judge is asked about sincerity or relying on Allah and so forth, he would delay his reply, however, if it was a matter of divorce or other worldly matters his reply would be immediate and detailed. The blameworthy states of the heart: Such evils as fear of poverty, displeasure with what Allah has ordain for oneself, envy, hatred, hypocrisy, flattery, desiring a long life, pride, ostentation, anger, enmity, greed, miserliness, conceit, honoring the rich, contempt for the poor, self-esteem, vanity, boastfulness, lack of fearing Allah, giving the impression of piety, half-hearted support for the truth, hidden enmity while giving the impression of friendship, revenge, deceit, divulging a trust, harsh treatment, gratification with the world, oppression, lack of shame and lack of kindness are blameworthy states of the heart. Each is a root of the evil deeds that lead to unhappiness. There are among the learned of the practical sciences those who fear Allah and associate with the learned of the concealed sciences. It was the habit of Imam Shafii, the founder of the Shafii school of jurisprudence, to sit down, just as a school boy would, before Shaiban Ray and ask questions. The people asked him, Are you asking a Bedouin to answer your questions? He replied, This man has learned that which we have not learned. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the founder of the Hanbali school of jurisprudence, and Ihya, Mayens son were unable to agree upon a certain matter so they sought the opinion of Maruf Karkhi, who was not their equal in the science of practical religion. They quoted the saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to him, What will you do when you do not find a matter in the Koran or my sayings? Maruf replied with the second half the quotation, Ask the pious among you and consult with them in this matter. Whereupon they told him that this was the reason for their visit. For that reason it has been said that the learned of outer knowledge are the ornaments of this world and its countries, whereas the learned of inner knowledge are the ornaments of the Kingdoms and the angels. A pious man by the name of Junaid was asked by his spiritual teacher and guide Whose company do you seek after you leave me? Junaid replied, Mohasai, whereupon his teacher commented, that he should follow his knowledge and manners but avoid the subtleness of his scholastic theology. As he was leaving Junaid heard him say, May Allah first make you a transmitter of the sayings of the Prophet (Muhadith) and then an ascetic (Sufi) but not the other way around. The meaning of this is that one should become learned in the science of Prophetic sayings first, and then become a Sufi, because if one becomes a Sufi before acquiring knowledge, one exposes his/herself to danger. Philosophy: Philosophy is not in itself a single branch of science but four. The first branch includes geometry and arithmetic and both subjects are permissible to those whose belief is strong, however, there is the temptation through their study to slide into sciences that are blameworthy, and many have slid into innovations. In the same way that a child is prevented from playing on the bank of a river for fear that he might fall in, the study of geometry and arithmetic is barred to those who belief is weak. The second branch is the science of logic. Logic is the science of reason complete with its evidence, conditions, and the nature of a definition and its conditions. This is included under theology. The third branch is the science of Sufism, which is the science of the attributes of Allah and His Being, this is also included in theology. The fourth branch is physics, parts of which contradict the law and the true religion, and are not correct. Physics is not a science classifiable under sciences. Others parts are studies of the qualities of different substances, their properties, transmutation and change. This part is similar to the research of physicians, however a physician study is that of the body, the cause of its diseases and its cure. Physicists study all substances from the view of change and motion. Defining the Limit of Jurisprudence The Four Schools of Jurisprudence Character of early judges: The judges in the early days of Islam had no other object except to gain the pleasure of Allah and the signs of the learned of the Everlasting Life were evident in them. Their lives did not just pivot upon jurisprudence but also on the sciences of the heart. The following is a brief description of the lives of the founders of the four schools of jurisprudence. It is not our aim to attack them but rather to attack those who claim to follow them yet whose conduct, and actions are contrary to these fine scholars of Islam. Each of these profound, pious scholars were ascetics and devoted to the science of the Everlasting Life and sought the pleasure of Allah through the help of the Divine Law. However this is not the case with judges, jurists of this era who direct, for the most part, themselves only to the research of the minutest details of the Law rather than following the balanced example of the founding fathers of the four schools. Imam Shafii: Imam Shafii was the founder of the Shafii school of Jurisprudence, like Imam Abu Hanifa he too was a very devout worshiper. He divided his night into three parts, one for study, one for prayer and the other for sleep. During the month of Ramadan it was his practice to recite the Koran sixty times after which he would offer a prayer. Hasan Karabasi was blessed to spend many nights in the company of the imam and said that when he recited the Koran, he would at the end of each verse ask Allah for His mercy not only for himself but for all Muslims. For the last sixteen years of his life he took no pleasure in food saying that a full stomach makes the body heavy, hardens the heart, and makes one sleep deeply and thereby makes a worshiper lazy in his worshiping. It was his practice never to swear by Allah on any matter, and said that if a person claims that the love of this world and the love of Allah are united in him/her, then that person has lied. The imam was known for his generosity and the root of asceticism is generosity. There was a time when the imam and his companions went to Yemen and returned to Mecca with ten thousand dirhams. A tent was erected outside Mecca for him and people came to visit thereupon he gave away all of the money to his visitors. Imam Shafii was well acquainted with the secrets of the heart and was well versed in the sciences of the Everlasting Life. He was well known for his wisdom and when he was asked about hypocrisy he responded, Hypocrisy is a golden apple set before the eyes of the learned. Through their poor judgment they cast covetous eyes upon it and it is through this that their deeds become frustrated. One day when Imam Shafii was on a journey and his companion, who had a melodious voice started to recite verses from the Koran, upon reciting the verse, This is the Day they shall not speak, nor shall they be given permission, so that they can apologize. 77:35-36, the imams face changed color and he began to tremble violently then fainted. When he regained consciousness he began to supplicate saying, O Allah, I seek refuge in You from liars and the scoffing of the inattentive. O Allah, the hearts have submitted and the necks of those who yearn for You are bowed. O Worshipped, bestow your bounty upon me and cover me with Your Mercy. Forgive me my sins through Your Grace, then he arose and set out again on the journey. His companion parted company and they each went their separate way in different directions. Later on when the time for prayer came the imams former companion started to make his ablution by a river. While he was making ablution a man passed by and advised him saying, Young man, make your ablution well, and Allah will give to you good in this life and in the Everlasting Life. The former companion started to follow after the man and when he caught up with him the unknown man asked if there was anything he needed whereupon the former companion replied, Teach me something Allah has taught you. The man replied, Know that whosoever knows Allah is saved, and he who fears his religion remains safe from destruction. Whosoever remains indifferent to the world will be refreshed at seeing the rewards Allah has given him tomorrow. Then the man asked, Would you like some more advice? The former companion replied in the affirmative and was told, The belief of a person who has these three characteristics is perfect, they are to enjoin good and act according to it, forbid evil and refrain from it, and to guard the limits of Allah. Would you like to hear more, asked the man? The former companion said that he would, and was told, Adopt asceticism in the world, fill your hopes with the hope of the Everlasting Life and believe Allah in your affairs. If you do this then you will be among those who will be satisfied. After this the man left and the former companion asked, Who was that man? They replied, It was Imam Shafii. Imam Shafiis fear of Allah and asceticism were the result of his knowledge of Allah. Imam Shafii said regarding the science of jurisprudence, It is my hope that people would benefit by this science and that none of the benefits would be attributed to me. From this statement it is clear that he realized the very great dangers of seeking knowledge in order to attain prestige and wealth, and sought nothing but the nearness to Allah. Amongst the wisdom he received through knowledge of Allah are his sayings, The knowledge of whosoever does not perfect himself will be of no use to him. He also said, The heart of whosoever is obedient to Allah through the help of his knowledge becomes illuminated. Imam Shafii was asked, Which of these virtues are best, patience, trial or steadfastness (Tamkeen)? The imam replied, Steadfastness is the rank of the prophets and is not attainable except through trials, and patience follows a trial. Reflect upon the trial of Abraham, after his trial Allah gave him obtainment and a kingdom. Likewise Solomon, Moses, Job and Joseph, He gave them obtainment and a kingdom. This is an illustrated glance at the depth of the imams profound knowledge of the Koran. Hanafi School of Jurisprudence: Imam Abu Hanifa is the founder of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. He was a great ascetic and both feared and loved Allah greatly. Mubaraks son commented that Abu Hanifa had an excellent character and manner, and fasted a lot. Hammad, Solomans son observed that he would pray most of the night. One day as Abu Hanifa was walking in the street he overheard people refer to him as The man who spends the whole night in prayer. Abu Hanifa replied, I am ashamed before Allah that I have been described with something I do not possess. The Caliph Yezid sent Rabiy, Asems son to Abu Hanifa with the honored appointment of being the bursar of the state treasury. Abu Hanifa decline the position and was flogged twenty times for declining observe how he turned away from a most prestigious position, yet accepted to be beaten twenty times instead. When Hakim, Hashims son heard what had happened, he commented, Abu Hanifa preferred the punishment of the Caliph rather than the punishment of Allah. On another occasion the Caliph Abul Mansur ordered ten thousand dirhams to be given to the imam, but Abu Hanifa politely declined the offer. The Caliph was determined that he should have this considerable wealth and on the day on which it was to be delivered Abu Hanifa prayed and then covered himself completely with a blanket and did not speak to anyone. The agent of the Caliph arrived and went to the imam and presented the dirhams but still the imam did not speak, whereupon one of Abu Hanifas companions told the agent that this was his habit and to leave the sack in the corner of the room. Later on, Abu Hanifa instructed his son that upon his death and after the funeral service he was to take the money to the Caliph and say, This is your trust that you left with Abu Hanifa. When death arrived he carried out his fathers instructions and the Caliph supplicated to Allah saying, May Allah have mercy on your father. Abu Hanifa was also offered the most sought after position of the Justice of State, however he declined the offer with humility saying, I am not fit for this position. It was an established fact the Abu Hanifa was the most knowledgeable jurist of his age and when he was asked why he had declined the position, his reply was simple I told the truth, it is a good position, and if I have told a lie then I am unfit for such a position as I am a liar. Abu Hanifa was blessed with knowledge of the matters of the Everlasting Life and concerned himself only with important issues of religion, he spent many hours in meditation and in the remembrance of Allah, in solitude and in silence speaking but a little to people. His way of life is proof of his inner knowledge because whosoever is given silence and asceticism has been given great knowledge. Imam Malik: Imam Malik was the founder of the Maliki school of Jurisprudence. Like all the great scholars and founders of the schools of jurisprudence, he too possessed the same five characteristics. He was once asked, What do you say regarding the search of knowledge? He replied, It is both fair and beautiful. From the time you arise until the evening find your need and confine yourself to it. Such was his reverence for the science of religion that whenever he prepared himself to narrate and explain his knowledge and understanding of a prophetic saying that he would first make ablution, comb his hair, and perfume himself before speaking, and was forever mindful of what he said. He was asked why he prepared himself in such a way, to which he replied, I like to honor the sayings of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Imam Malik said, Knowledge is light, and Allah places it wherever He wills. Regarding seeking the pleasure of Allah through the attainment of knowledge, he said, There is no benefit in arguments about religion. His conviction to this statement was endorsed by Imam Shafii who told his companions that one day he was in the presence of Imam Malik who was asked forty-eight legal questions, however to thirty-two questions he replied, I dont know. During the caliphate of Mansur, Mansur forbade Imam Malik to narrate a certain prophetic saying relating to the illegality of divorce made under compulsion. Imam Malik refused so the caliph had him flogged. He preferred the punishment of the caliph rather than the concealment of the truth. Imam Malik lived in Medina and had neither love of money or possessions, nor did he want them, and he, like the other great scholars of jurisprudence renounced this world and sought only the knowledge and nearness of Allah. Once the Caliph Harun Rasheed went to visit him and asked if he owned a house, he replied that he did not whereupon the caliph gave him a large sum of money with which to buy one. The imam accepted the money but did not spend it. When it was time for the Caliph to return to Baghdad he asked imam Malik to accompany him saying, Just as Othman made the Muslims follow the Koran I have decided that your book of jurisprudence, Muatta should be followed by all Muslims. Imam Malik, replied, This cannot be, because when the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, passed away, many of his Companions were dispersed in different countries and had taken with them different sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, upon which they instructed and acted. He also quoted a saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, endorsing his opinion, Non-conformity among my nation is a gift of mercy. He also reminded the Caliph that because the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had said, If they did but know, Medina is best for them! And, Medina does away with corruption just as a furnace spits out impurities from iron. Imam Malik continued with respect saying, Does this mean you require me to leave Medina in return for what you have given me; there is nothing I prefer in place of the City of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, in the whole world. You may take the dinars if you wish or leave them. One day Imam Malik was invited to the court of Caliph Harun Rasheed, and the Caliph said, O Abou Abdullah, you should come here more often so that our sons may learn from your book. Imam Malik replied, May Allah exalt my lord, the prince! You are yourself, my lord the source of this knowledge. If you honor it, it will be exalted, but if you dishonor it, it will be despised. Indeed, knowledge is something you achieve and not something you receive. The Caliph replied, You are right, then turned to his son and said, Go to the mosque, join the congregation and listen. Imam Hanbal and Sufyan Al Thawri: Imam Ahmad, Hanbals son, was the founder of the Hanbali school of jurisprudence. Imam Ahmad, Hanbals son and Sufyan Al Thawri are not as widely followed as the other three, nevertheless, they were of all the others the better known for their piety and asceticism, and since this book contains full accounts of their work and words, it is felt that there is no need to delve into their lives at this time. At this point Al Ghazali challenges us, dear reader, to examine the approach of these great judges. It is abundantly clear that they neither sought fame, prestige nor fortune even though their knowledge would have easily permitted them to receive such worldly honor, but instead we see them devoting themselves to serving Allah and abstaining from worldly attractions. Now, examine those who claim to follow their example and discover for yourself which approach judges of today incline, is it for the rewards of this life, or is it for the reward of the Everlasting Life? RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE Blameworthy Sciences: There are three reasons why some branches of knowledge are termed blameworthy. The first is if it harms someone or leads to them being harmed. For example magic, talismans and sorcery are blameworthy. In several chapters of the Koran our attention is drawn and warns of the harms and deception of such practices. The entire life of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is as it were a reference book as to how one should cope with various circumstances. He either experienced or demonstrated, not on account for weakness or error in himself, what should be done when one is confronted with certain circumstances. It was because of his exemplary life that Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, was subjected to the effects of sorcery and became very sick. During his illness the Arch Angel Gabriel was sent to tell him of his circumstances and told him to recite the two short chapters 113 and 114. The articles used in the sorcery were found deep in a well and subsequently destroyed whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, regained his health and the well was filled in. The second is that if a science causes harm to its acquirer. Take for example the science of astronomy. Astronomy, is not in itself blameworthy, and its science is mentioned several times in the Koran. Allah mentions the mathematical phases of the moon saying, The sun and the moon to a reckoning 55:4, and again, And the moon, We have determined it in phases till it returns like an old palm-branch. 36:39. However, astrology which also has a connection to the movement of the heavens is blameworthy, because it attempts to predict the future, astrology, is therefore an attempt to know what Allah has ordained for creation. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whenever predestination is mentioned remain silent, whenever the stars are mentioned remain silent, and whenever my Companions are mentioned refrain from gossip. He also said, After I am gone there are three things that I fear for my followers, oppressive leaders, belief in astrology and disbelief in the predestination of Allah. There are three reasons why Islam prohibits astrology. The first is that it harms most people because thoughts are triggered that it is the stars that influence the course of events and this in turn leads to worshiping the stars as gods and they forget that all the heavenly bodies are subject to the command of Allah. The second is that astrology is merely guesswork and is blameworthy and its predictions are the result of ignorance. The third reason is that the pursuit of this type of knowledge is neither beneficial nor has any true scientific advantage. In relation to this type of knowledge, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, I seek refuge with Allah from useless knowledge. Such blameworthy knowledge is the study of something that is trivial instead of the study of something of value, or the study of the obscure rather than the fundamentals. However, there are occasions when ignorance can be beneficial as demonstrated in the following story. A man went with his wife went to the doctor and told the doctor that his wife was barren and could not give him any children. The doctor examined her and told her that she only had forty days to live. The woman became very frighten and gave away all her possessions and neither ate nor drank during these forty days. The forty days passed and the wife did not die whereupon the husband returned to tell the doctor what had happened. The doctor told him that he should go and sleep with his wife and she would conceive. The husband was surprised and asked how this could be, to which the doctor replied, Your wife was very much over weight and there was a lot of fat blocking her uterus. The only thing that could remove it was her fear of death, and now that she had become slim she will most likely conceive! So, ignorance of some branches of knowledge is good. Words that no longer retain their original meaning: Unfortunately, people have changed the true meanings of the words jurisprudence (fiqh), the science of religion (ilm), the Oneness of Allah (tawhid), admonition (tadhkir) and philosophy (hikmah). During the first century of Islam these were praiseworthy sciences and those who aspired to such knowledge held major positions within religious establishments. However, their meanings have been altered and consequently become blameworthy, yet people are reluctant to criticize those with such knowledge because their practice is, to them, acceptable and common. Jurisprudence (fiqh): Jurisprudence has become the mastery of minute details or their origin, and this has led to excessive unnecessary debates. In the early days of Islam judge had a different meaning. It meant a person knowledgeable of the science to the path of the Everlasting Life and what would either harm or benefit the soul. It also meant knowledge and understanding of the Koran coupled to the fear of Allah. This is witnessed to by the words of Allah, A party from each section should go forth to become well versed in the religion, and when they return to their people warn them. 9:123. Jurisprudence is the science that warns and makes one fearful of disobedience to Allah and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, rather than just the details of divorce, rental and so on. Allah says, They have hearts with which they cannot understand. 7:179. The early generations of Muslims neither knew nor delved into the details of laws. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, defined the role of the judge saying, Shall I inform you about the perfect judge? His companions replied in the affirmative and he continued, A perfect judge is one who does not deprive people of the Mercy of Allah. He does not make them feel safe during the period of respite which Allah, out of His patience, gives to mankind, nor yet makes people lose hope of the Mercy of Allah, nor does he discard the Koran in favor of something else. He is also reported as saying, A man cannot become a perfect judge unless he makes people understand the existence of Allah and that there are several aspects of the Koran. A real judge is one who renounces the world, and remains every mindful of the Everlasting Life. He is profound in his religion, is constant in his worship of the Creator, refrains from attacking the reputation of his fellow Muslims, is indifferent to their wealth and wishes for goodness for each and every Muslim. An authentic judge is not one who memorizes the intricacies of law. The science of religion (ilm): Originally, the science of religion was defined as being the science of the knowledge of Allah, His Book, His miracles, and His action among His worshipers and His creation. However, the learned of the science of religion have become a term used for those who are successfully able to debate the cases of jurisprudence whereas those who are unable to do this successfully are termed weak and considered not to be among the learned. If one is not well versed in the original meaning then one cannot be termed as knowledgeable of the science of religion. The Oneness of Allah (Tawhid): The meaning of this too has been changed to that of scholastic theology, (Ilm Kalam) which is knowledge of various arguments and the manner of confronting ones adversary. In the time of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and the early generations of Muslims, this science was defined as the belief that each and every thing comes from Allah. It cast aside all intermediary causes, and their belief was that both good and evil come from Allah, and that the result in believing in the Oneness of Allah is absolute reliance upon Him. The early generations of Muslims avoided the complaints of others and were not angered, they were constantly satisfied with whatever Allah had decreed for them and would strongly condemned anyone who took to disputation. An example of the reliance upon Allah is found in Abu Bakr, the very close companion of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who was destined to become the first Caliph after the passing of the Prophet. When he was taken ill his friends asked his permission to call a doctor to attend to him. Abu Bakrs declined saying, It is the doctor Himself who has given me this disease. The science of the Oneness of Allah is very precious indeed. It is like a precious fruit encased by two of husks. Those who currently claim to be knowledgeable in this science have concentrated upon the outer husk and neglected the inner husk, which is closer to the kernel of the fruit. The outer husk represents the witnessing that there is no god except Allah and is opposite to the Christian belief in the trinity. The inner husk of this science is the confirmation of the utterance of the tongue by the heart that neither opposes, nor denies this statement. It is the outward expression of the heart that represents belief together with its acceptance. The kernel represents the absolute belief that all things come from Allah and rules out the concept of instrumentality, and that worship is for Him alone and none other. This example is indeed the accurate meaning of the science and it is evident in those who entrust their affairs to Allah and are not diverted by the passions of worldly affairs and remember Allah at all times. Allah says, Have you seen him who has made gods of his own desires? 25:43. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, The worst idol in the sight of Allah that has become worshiped by the world is that of passion. It is this that leads mankind to follow the religion of his fathers and forefathers. The science of the remembrance of Allah (Zikr) and admonition (Tadhkir): Yet again the meaning of this science has been altered. Allah says, But remind, the Reminder will benefit the believers. 51:55. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, spoke frequently upon the merits of the remembrance of Allah (zikr). He once said, When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, enjoy yourself. His companions ask which gardens he referred too, whereupon he answered, They are the gatherings in which the Name of Allah is remembered (zikr). He also told his companions, Allah has angels that roam about on the horizon and others that are the angels of creation. Whenever they see a gathering of people remembering Allah they say to each other, Come to what you are looking for. They come to that place and surround the gathering and listen to them remembering Allah and listen to the lessons. It is indeed unfortunate that nowadays a gathering for the remembrance of Allah has taken on a different meaning, it is now assumed that a gathering for the remembrance of Allah means a gathering to hear lengthy lectures in which lecturers tell stories, recite poems, and sing. This was not the practice of the four rightly guided Caliphs of the early days of Islam. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that ones presence in a gathering of those who remember Allah (zikr) is better than making one thousand units of prayer, visiting one thousand sick people, and attending one thousand funerals. Story telling is an innovation. Our fathers warned against the harms of attending such gatherings and observed that it wasnt until the advent of heresy that they appeared. The son of Omar once left the mosque saying, Nothing has made me leave the mosque except the story-teller. When the Caliph, Imam Ali went in Basra he found story-tellers in the mosque and turned them out. However, he did not turn Hasan Basri away because his stories dealt with the important subjects such as the Everlasting Life, contemplation upon death, the defects of the soul and the ways of satan. Story tellers have the habit of embellishing their stories with lies and have taken the sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, as a means to justify their position and have appropriated the name warning (tadhkir) for their fables. They forget and thereby neglect the right path, which is the praiseworthy remembrance of Allah through the repetition of His Divine attributes. Instead they spend time narrating tales which vary and deviate from those in the Koran. The result is that whosoever follows this course is no longer able to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and that which is good from that which harms. With regard to poetry, it too is blameworthy in sermons. Allah said, Poets are followed by the perverse. Have you not seen how they wander in ever valley, and the say what they do not do? 26:224-226. He also said of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, We have not taught him poetry, nor does it become him. 36:69. It is observed that the poetry recited in sermons pertains, for the most part, either to love encounters, beauty of the beloved, or the joys of union and the pain of separation. Such emotions prompt feelings of lust and sexual arousal, and one finds the congregation shouting out to demonstrate their love rather than enthusiasm for the religion. Therefore, poetry should not be used unless it contains morals or wisdom and should only be used as an example. Of this type of poetry the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, There is wisdom in poetry. Exuberant utterances are of two types of speech uttered by some Sufis. The first is that of long overwhelming proclamations of love for Allah, then the singing of the visible deeds until they arrive at the stage when the veil is removed from them and they have sight of Him with the eye and also conversation, after which they say that they have been told such and such, and said such and such, and follow in the footsteps of Hussein, Mansurs son who was crucified for letting words such as these slip from his tongue. The second type of exuberant utterances are words which are pleasant yet unintelligible because the person who utters them has insufficient practice in this science and lacks instruction in rhetoric, therefore he is unable to convey the words to others through language which express his thoughts. The science of philosophy, wisdom (Hikmah): The meaning of the word Hikmah is wisdom, likewise it too has also assumed a different meaning for the original defined by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and practiced in the early years of Islam. Now, the word hakim meaning wise is equally applied to a doctor, poet or astrologer, and it has even been applied to the reader of palms. Allah said, He gives wisdom to whom He will, and he who is given wisdom has been given a lot of good. 2:269. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that a word of wisdom learned by a man is better for him than the world and all it contains. Stop for a moment and reflect upon the original meaning of Hikmah with todays meaning. One day a man asked the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who was the worst creature in creation. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, O Allah, forgive me and remained silent. The man kept pressing the Prophet until he replied, They are wicked learned men. You are now aware of both the praiseworthy and blameworthy sciences, and have observed how they have been mixed together. If you want good, then follow the path of the early generations of Islam, the sages and saints, the choice is yours either to follow such honorable people or to follow those of nowadays. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, prophesied the advent of this state of affairs saying, Islam started with a few and it will soon return to the same status. When he was asked who the few were, he replied, They are those who purify my way after it has been polluted, and also those who revive my way after my death. He also said, The few are a few righteous people among unrighteous men. How to determine how much of the praiseworthy sciences should one acquire: Knowledge of the sciences is divided into three parts. One part is blameworthy either in whole or in part, and is that which is neither useful in religion nor ones life on account of its harmfulness outweighing any good. Such sciences include magic, talismans and astrology. Another part is praiseworthy either in whole or in part; and therefore it is commendable to attain as much as one is able. This science is the science of knowing Allah, His attributes as well as His Laws that govern His creation, and His Wisdom in creating the Everlasting Life superior to this worldly life. Knowledge of this science is obligatory upon all not just for itself, but for the blessed life of the Everlasting Life. This part is praiseworthy up to a certain point, which is its sufficiency, and thereafter becomes blameworthy because delving deeply into it is not desirable. These sciences each have three stages: Limitation, which is the primary stage Moderation, which is the intermediary Thoroughness, which is the sequence after moderation Therefore strive to be self-educated or, after acquiring knowledge, a teacher, but be careful and never try to reform others before you have reformed yourself. It is very arrogant to spend ones time trying to reform others while you yourself are in need of reforming. Think, if a snake or scorpion crept into ones clothes you would be foolish if you neglected them and instead tried to shoo away flies from other people you would neither help people nor save yourself from the snake or scorpion hiding in your clothes! VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER 4 THE EVIL HARMS PRESENT IN DEBATES AND DISPUTATIONS Dear reader, upon the passing away of Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, each of the four succeeding, rightly guided caliphs were the leaders of the learned. They were the center of knowledge and experienced in both legal opinion and decision. Their lives revolved around the science of the Everlasting Life and when legal questions arose relating to everyday life they were not too proud to consult with one another, in fact it was their practice. After the death of the fourth rightly guided caliphs people were not as adept in either legal matters or administrative affairs and so they began to rely on judges. However, there was a group of Tabeyins, who were the generation that came after the companions, who were knowledgeable and did not deviate from the teachings handed down to them by their noble predecessors. And like their predecessors their lives revolved around the science of the Everlasting Life rather than worldly affairs. The Caliphs insisted that the Tabeyins accept important positions within their administration, however, the Tabeyins were, through humility and fear of Allah, reluctant to accept such orders but many were compelled to take up appointments as judges or governors. There were people other than the Tabeyins who yearned for such honorable positions seeking power, wealth and status together with other worldly advantages and on this account sought the advantages of becoming knowledgeable in order to achieve their aim. Such people directed their studies to that of legal opinion and as time passed, were offered positions and with it came the sought after reward of fame and fortune. Differences of opinion arose between the Tabeyins and their contemporaries, soon arguments and disputations over intricate questions of religion arose. The tables were soon turned, and most of the Tabeyin, who had been compelled by the Caliph to accept positions, were now looked down upon and replaced by such avaricious people of the world who had the audacity to think that their way was better than that of the knowledge of the learned inheritors of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. This new breed of jurists discarded theology and other disciplines of knowledge and sought to concentrate their effort on the differences of opinions between Shafii and About Hanifa, choosing to ignore the other schools of jurisprudence of Malik, Sufyan and Hanbal. They claimed that their purpose was to elicit the abstruse points of law, determine the principles of the system, and prepare a base for legal opinion and debate. They wrote many books pertaining to these subjects, and the writing of such material continues to this day; and we do not know what Allah has written for the future. This was the start of the decline that induced men to debate and delve into controversies. The evils of debate and the character of resultant destructive influences: The major evils of debate are envy, rancor, anger, backbiting, self-righteousness, spying, gratification upon seeing others hurt, deception, resistance together with a detest of the truth, and hypocrisy. Envy: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Just as fire consumes wood, envy consumes good deeds. Debaters bear the characteristic of envy. This is because there are times when he overcomes his opponent and vice versa, and there are times when his words are praised and his opponents are more highly praised. As long as there are others known for the greatness of their knowledge and looked up to as being more learned than the debater, the debater will, without doubt, envy the other, wishing that he was the subject of admiration and fame. Envy is a fire that consumes a person. Envy is subject to punishment in this life as well as in the Everlasting Life, however the punishment in the Everlasting Life will be far greater and more painful. Abbas son warned, Attain knowledge wherever it can be found, but never accept the opinion of one jurist over another, because each are jealous of the other, just as bulls are amongst a herd of cows. Pride: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever exalts himself is humiliated by Allah. A debater is always of the opinion that he is higher than those who are his equal, and claims that his opinion is more sought after and of more value than theirs. The result is that they fight amongst themselves to who should have the more prestigious seat assemblies, and boast about achievements. Rancor: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, A believer is free from rancor. It is uncommon to find a debater without the characteristic trait of rancor. In the presence of another debater it is rare indeed to find either the debater or his opponent nod his head in agreement with the opinion of the other. It is also rare to find an opponent remaining silent, waiting for the other to finish when he pauses for a moment. These negative traits are because of the rancor he feels. Occasionally, he may restrain himself in the hope of disguising his true feelings, but more often than not it is impossible. It has also been observed that if his opponent showed any form of resistance to his opinion, then enmity would invade his heart and from that time onward his heart would be full of hatred towards him. This is simply because his aim was that the audience should incline to his argument and accept his conclusion and deductions rather than those of his opponent. Backbiting: Allah says, nor backbite one another would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? 49:12 This verse likens the backbiter to that of a cannibal. The debater, through his effort to prove that he is right will cite only the weakness of his opponents argument and the flaws in his excellence and thereby backbites his opponent and inclines to lies. The debater is unable to control his tongue from attacking anyone whose opinion differs from his own and turns away to preferring to listen to another. He would go as far as referring to him as being ignorant, stupid or devoid of the ability to understand. Self-righteousness: The Koran says, Do not exult; Allah does not love the boastful. 28:76 A wise person was asked, What truth is reprehensible? His reply was, It is that of a man who praises himself (even when justifiable). A debater is found praising himself most of the time, he boasts of his conquests, his power and his superiority over others. In a debate, phrases such as, I am fully aware of such things or I am knowledgeable and well versed in the science of judgement as well as the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him together with similar statements will be heard. Such phrases relating to self-praise and are commonly heard in a debate. The debater delights in singing his own praise, sometimes out of arrogance and at other times because of the need to convince. Both arrogance and self-praising are by law and reason forbidden. Spying: Allah said, Believers, abstain from most suspicion, some suspicion is a sin. Neither spy nor backbite one another. 49:12 A debater attempts to uncover the errors of his opponent and is found prying into matters relating to his private life. Whenever a possible challenger comes to town he will attempt to discover any negative aspect that his prospective opponent may have so that he may expose him when the need arises. Gratification upon seeing another hurt: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, A person is not a believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. It is evident that on account of his pride a debater does not desire the same for his opponent as he does for himself. Deception: In a gathering, debaters are often found flattering their opponents while harboring opposite feelings deep down. Resistance and detest of the truth: Debaters are obsessive. It is hateful to them when they see the truth revealed by their opponent, and will do all that it takes to refute and deny the matter. He is unable to listen to any point of view without raising some form of objection. Habits such as this are dangerous because it would ultimately drive him to disputing the truths of the Koran and the sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. Hypocrisy: Flattery is an element of hypocrisy, which misleads. Hypocrisy is a dangerous and is the road to major sins. In conclusion, all of these evil characteristics are amongst the greatest of hidden sins and are present in the debater. It is through them that fear of Allah and mercy vanishes from the heart. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER 5 Teacher, Student Relationship Condition of the student: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Religion is founded on cleanliness. A students first duty is that he/she should refrain from bad habits and evil matters so that he may purify himself. A students effort to acquire knowledge is a form of worship; it is the worship of the mind and leads to the Creator. Prayer, which is a duty of the physical senses, cannot be fulfilled unless ones body has been cleansed from all filth and impurities, the same is the case with the mind and the reformation of the heart neither is fulfilled unless they are cleansed from impurity and uncleanliness. Allah says, Idolaters are unclean 9:28. From the statement of Allah and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, it is understood that purity and impurity are not just external, because idolaters also keep their outer-self and garments clean, whereas their minds remain impure. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog. This is because dogs are unclean animals and their saliva has been proven to be full of bacteria. The mind of humans is a house, it is a place for angels and their movement. Blameworthy evils such as those of anger, lust, rancor, envy, pride and conceit, and so forth are like dogs when dogs reside in a heart, there is no place for angels. The secrets of the heart are given by Allah through His angels, and they do not convey it to a soul that is not pure. The son of Masud said, Knowledge is not through the acquisition of considerable learning, it is a light cast in the heart. On the same subject a pious sage said, Knowledge is fear of Allah, because Allah said, Indeed it is a Reminder to those who fear Allah. 69:28 The second duty is that the student should distance himself from worldly affairs as much as possible because they not only consume ones time that ultimately diverts but steal ones attention from the remembrance of Allah. Allah has never given a person two hearts, and the more the mind spreads itself over worldly matters it is less able to comprehend the truth. A proverb says, Knowledge will not surrender to a person until he surrenders everything to it. The third duty is that the position of a student should be to his teacher like that of a sick person visiting a doctor. He/she should be submissive and take his advice, not be proud thinking to himself that he is the superior. Knowledge cannot be acquired except through modesty and humility. Allah says, Surely, in this there is a Reminder for he who has a heart or listens attentively while witnessing. 50:37 The meaning of has a heart is that it should be fit to receive knowledge, and that the person is prepared and capable of understanding knowledge. Therefore, whatever a teacher recommends the student should surrender his opinion to the knowledge of the teacher. Students should raise questions only when the teacher permits. An example of this is found in the story of Al Kidr and Prophet Moses, peace be upon them, He (Al Kidr) said, If you follow me, you must not question me about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it. However, Moses did question him several times and as a result they parted company. The fourth duty is that the student should pay no attention to differences in opinion regardless if the subject is secular or the science of the Everlasting Life. If he were to do so then he would become confused and his enthusiasm wane with the result that he despairs of comprehending or learning anything. His aim should be the mastery of one praiseworthy subject at a time after which he may explore other schools of thought. The student must be alert and able to recognize the value of his/her teacher. If he notices that the teacher is incapable of reaching independent opinions and only repeats the opinions of different schools and comments, then the student should be aware that the influence of his teacher can be more misleading than helpful. The situation would be comparable to the blind is leading the blind. The fifth is that a student should not omit any branch of praiseworthy knowledge. He/she should seek perfection in them as one branch supports or connects with the other. It has been found that if a person cannot understand something, it is most likely to become his enemy. Praiseworthy knowledge leads a person to Allah, or helps him on his way. Each branch of praiseworthy knowledge has it own place and whosoever guards it can be compared to a guard who patrols the frontier in a Holy War. Each has its own rank and for each rank awaits a reward in the Everlasting Life. The only requisite condition is that the goal of ones acquisition of praiseworthy knowledge is sought in order to please Allah. The sixth is that the student should adhere to a planned study schedule and start with the most important praiseworthy science, because life is short and there may not be enough time to learn all its knowledge. However, a little amount of sincere learning assists in perfecting the knowledge of the Everlasting Life, or the sciences of worldly usages, or the hidden sciences. The goal of learning the science of worldly usages is to acquire spiritual knowledge, and the goal of acquiring spiritual knowledge is to know Allah, the Creator of all. Our goal, through the attainment of this knowledge, is to acquire light that arises from the certainty of belief, which Allah casts into ones soul. A fine example of such a light is that of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, and constant companion of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. Of him, the Prophet said, If the belief of all the world was gathered and weighed as one, the belief of Abu Bakr would be heavier. In brief, the highest and most noblest of all sciences is to know Allah. It was reported that the resemblance of two pious wise men appeared on the wall of a mosque. In the hand of one of the wise men was a piece of paper upon which it was written, If you purify everything, dont be of the opinion that you have even purified one single thing until you know Allah and have understood that He is the causes of all matters and the Creator of all things. The second wise man also held a paper that read, I satisfied my thirst by drinking water, then came to know Allah. After I came to know Allah my thirst was quenched without the need of water. The seventh is that of a prerequisite, which is that the student should master one branch of knowledge before proceeding to study the next. This is because sciences are arranged in such a way that one branch prepares the student for the next, and if this procedure is not followed the student will not succeed. Allah says, Those to whom We have given the Book and recite it as it ought to be read, 2:121. This verse is proof that the student should not take up another science until he/she has mastered the first. The Caliph, Imam Ali said, Do not conceal the truth from men, rather know the truth, then you will be the master of truths. The eighth is to comprehend the causes for which the noble nature of the science is known. This means its fruit together with the authenticity of its principles. Let us take for example the sciences of religion and medicine. The science of religion is that of the Everlasting Life, while the science of medicine is the science of this worldly life. The science of religion is a nobler science than medicine because its foundation and principles are both authentic and proven, while the science of medicine is variable and parts have yet to be proven. The ninth is the students goal, which is the beautification of his/her innerself with virtue so that he ascends to the neighborhood of the angels and nearness to the Creator, Allah. This being the goal, the student would study the science of the Everlasting Life in preference to other sciences. However, he must not, even for the blink of an eye, look down on other sciences, such as jurisprudence and other such sciences connected with the Koran and Prophetic Sayings because they are supportive of one another. Dear reader, do not think that one should disregard other praiseworthy sciences, because each have their place. Other sciences can be compared to guards guarding the frontier, some of whom are soldiers whereas others are the reserve, looking after supplies or rides, because all will receive their reward if their intention was that their study is for the glory of Allah and not for the sake of fame and fortune. Allah said, and Allah will raise up in ranks those who believed among you and those who have been given knowledge 58:11. The ranks of the learned vary and some reach a much higher rank than others. The highest rank is that of the Prophets, followed by the friends of Allah and then the learned who are steeped in knowledge, who are in turn followed by the pious. The tenth is his/her undivided attention in the study of the science. It is not within the power of anyone to enjoy both the worldly and the Everlasting Life at the same time. We must understand that this world is our temporary home, and that our body is a conveyance and our actions race towards the goal, and that goal is Allah and nothing else. Contentment and happiness are found with Him, therefore place greater importance on sciences which will help you achieve the ultimate goal. The science of the knowledge: Those who reach a rank close to Allah are blessed with the unveiled knowledge of His attributes and the knowledge of the actions of the angels, which remain hidden to those who have not reached these higher ranks. But do not despair, those who are unable to attain such a high rank are also saved and rewarded, because Allah tells us, If he is among the near there shall be calmness and ease, a Garden of Delight. If he is a Companion of the Right (he will be greeted with) Peace be upon you, Companion of the Right. 56:89-91. Those close to Allah know this to be a certain truth, which they perceived through contemplation. It is clearer than the seeing of the eye, and they become even more deeply rooted in their belief after seeing for themselves. Those, who have not reached the higher rank are like those who believe but without contemplation and without seeing with their own eyes. By the word soul, I do not refer to ones physical heart; rather it is one of the secrets of Allah, which is not perceived by the senses of the body. AAAAThe soul is a spiritual substance from Allah whereas the physical heart is the vehicle for the spiritual essence to remove its veil as it belongs to the concealed science, a withheld science, and for which permission has not been granted to discuss. However, it is permissible to say that it belongs to the world of the spirit and not that of the world. Concerning this Allah says, They ask you (Prophet Muhammad) about the spirit say, The spirit is from the command of my Lord. 17:85. Allah also says, His is the creation, His is the command. 7:54. The command is the most precious vehicle that carries the trust of Allah. It is nobler than all the heavens and earth, and all it contains, this is because the heavens and the earth refused to bear this precious trust through fear of the spiritual world. Allah says, We offered the trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountain, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it, and the human carried it. 33:72. It is a spiritual substance, which takes us towards Allah, it has come from Him and ultimately returns to Him. Duties of the teacher: There is a similarity in the condition of a man and his wealth and a teacher and his knowledge. To become wealthy a man must first produce a saleable item, secondly he stores his production and is not in need of anyone, thirdly he is satisfied spending his wealth on himself and fourthly he spends it on someone in order to receive honor. Regarding a teacher, first he acquires knowledge, secondly is his condition after the acquisition of knowledge, thirdly his condition in which he contemplates and enjoys his achievement, and lastly his teaching of his knowledge to benefit others. Needless to say, the last condition is the better. A person who acquires knowledge, puts it into practice and teaches it is noble in the sight of the angels. He has become like the sun, which in itself is light giving and sheds its beams everywhere. However, a person who teaches his knowledge but does not practice can be likened to a candle giving light to others but dies in its burning. In short, a teacher must practice what he teaches. When a person decides to become a teacher he/she should observe these duties: His/her first duty is to be kind and understanding towards his students and treat them just as if they were his children. His example should be like that of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, who said, I am to you like a father is to his son. Just as a parent tries to save his child from the dangers of a fire, the purpose of a teacher is to protect his students from the fire of Hell. However, the duty of a teacher bears more responsibility because whereas parents are the cause of a childs existence in this earthly life, the teacher is the cause of their Everlasting Life. The second duty of a teacher is to follow the examples established by Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him. The teachers aim should not be financial gain in return for his teaching but to impart the knowledge of how to come closer to Allah. Allah cites the example of Prophet Noah, who said, My nation, for this I do not ask you for your wealth for my wage is only with Allah. 11:29. The teacher should not be under the impression that his students are obligated to him. He should encourage and give credit to them for disciplining their hearts through the acquisition of knowledge that enables them to come closer to Allah. We must not forget that both wealth and property are the servants of the body, whereas the body is the vehicle of the soul, and the soul is the essence of knowledge and it is through this that the soul is honored. The third duty of a teacher is that he/she should never withhold advice, nor yet should he proceed from an outward science to an inward science before he has mastered the first. The teacher must impress upon the student that learning should be for Allah and not for fortune or fame, and that Allah created ambition as a means of furthering and the preservation of knowledge, all of which are an essential component for the sciences. The teacher should also make the student aware of the fact that characteristics such as boastfulness, competition and prestige are not found in those who seek Allah. The fourth duty is that if the teacher observes a harmful trait in his/her student then he should not mention it directly in front of his fellow students but speak in terms of indication. If a student were to be confronted directly then he would become defiant and obstinate. Of such a situation the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, "If mankind had been forbidden to make a meal out of camels dung, they would have do so, saying that it would not have been forbidden to them unless there was some good in it. The fifth duty of a teacher is never to decry the value of another science to his/her students. Such traits are blameworthy and a teacher who does this is reprehensible and should be avoided. The sixth duty of a teacher is that when he/she notices a student experiencing difficult in understanding a matter he should not push the student with something his mind is unable to grasp, otherwise the student will ultimately dislike the subject and become confused. The teacher should adopt the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who said, The prophets have been commanded to give every man his rightful position, and to communicate with people according to their ability of understanding. The teacher must also be aware that when a matter is not understood there is the possibility that through the misunderstanding of that matter it can harm the student. The Caliph, Imam Ali said as he pointed to his chest, There is much knowledge in it, but it will only be understood by some people. The hearts of pious men are tombs of secret matters. In other words, the teacher should not communicate his knowledge to all his students. Allah warned, Do not give fools your wealth with which Allah has entrusted you. 4:5 The seventh duty of a teacher refers to the way in which he/she should handle a student with a learning disability. A student with a learning disability should only be taught matters that can be made clear to him and are suitable to his degree of understanding. Every person thinks that his wisdom is perfect but it is only the greatest fool who satisfies himself with thinking in this way. In other words he is in a state of complex ignorance, that is, he is ignorant that he is ignorant. For this reason the door of debate should not be opened for the common person. The eighth duty of a teacher is that he/she must be seen to practice his teachings. If a teachers actions are in contradiction to his teaching, it has no guidance in fact it can be likened to a poison. A teacher is like a stamp on a clay pot and the student is like its clay. If the stamp is distorted then it cannot make an impression on the clay. Allah says, Would you order righteousness on others and forget it yourselves? 2:44. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER 6 The Evils of Knowledge and How to distinguish between the learned people of the Everlasting Life and those who teach falsehood The signs of the learned who seek the world and their demise: Dear reader, knowing how to distinguish between learned persons of the world and the Everlasting Life is of utmost importance. The character of the learned of this world is apparent as they seek the easy life with all its comfort and revel in their social reputation. But Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, made it clear that, On the Day of Judgement the most severely punished among mankind will be a learned man whom Allah has not blessed with His knowledge. He also warned of the importance of intention saying, Do not acquire knowledge to either compete with the learned, dispute, silence the insolent, or seek either favor or fame among people. Whosoever does this will be cast into the fires of Hell. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned of the condition of Muslims as time draws to an end saying, Near the end of time there will be ignorant worshipers and sinning learned men." Prophet Jesus, the son of Mary, peace be upon them, said, How can you guide a traveler in the night to the right road when you are yourself confused? A rightly guided caliph made it very clear that when a person seeks knowledge, he/she should be careful and examine the integrity of the prospective teacher saying, The matter I fear most for this nation are the hypocrites among the learned. Upon hearing this he was asked how a hypocrite could be learned whereupon he replied, When his learning does not go beyond his tongue and his heart is not affected by his deeds. Hasan Basri said that a person is one of four kinds: The person who has the real knowledge and knows that he has it such a person is truly learned. The person who has knowledge but is unaware that he knows be warned of such a person. The person who is devoid of knowledge and knows that he lacks it - such a person is worthy to be guided, so guide him. The person who is devoid of knowledge and is oblivious of the fact that he does not know leave him alone. Mubaraks son observed that a man is learned until he searches for knowledge, when he thinks he has acquired it, he becomes ignorant. Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet, peace be upon them, warned of the influence of the world saying, The death of the heart is the punishment of a learned man and means he exchanged the actions of the Everlasting Life for his quest of the world. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, There are among the learned men those who will be severely punished. Their punishment will be so sever that upon seeing their punishment the inhabitants of Hell will seek refuge these people are the wicked, learned men. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, also warned of the learned person so teaches one thing, but in his/her personal life does the opposite, saying, On the Day of Judgement a man will be brought and thrown into the Fire. His intestines will burst forth from his belly and he will clutch them going round in circles like a donkey treads a mill. The companions of the Fire will gather round and say, What is this? Didnt you encourage good and forbid evil? He will say, That is so, I encouraged good but did not do it, and I forbade evil but did it. Allah says, The hypocrites will be in the lowest place of the Fire, you will not find a helper for them. 4:145 The explanation of this verse is that after acquiring knowledge such people refused to accept the truth. Muaz, Jabals son transmitted the saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him that, One of the dangers a learned person faces is that he prefers to talk rather than listen. His voice is affected and his speech exaggerated. Speakers are never free from these faults, whereas there is safety and wisdom in silence. Among the learned are those who guard their knowledge and do not communicate it to others, a person such as this will be in the first level of Hell. Then there are learned people who act like kings, if an objection is raised against his learning he becomes irate - he will be in the second level of Hell. In the third level of Hell will be the learned that transmit their knowledge and my sayings only to the rich yet when it comes to those who are in need, they turn away. As for the fourth level in Hell, the learned that busied themselves with legal discussions and made mistakes but remained satisfied will be found. It is in the fifth level of Hell the learned that lectured, for the sake of prestige, quoting the sayings of the Jews and the Christians will be found. Then there are those who viewed themselves as being virtuous and honorable on account of the knowledge they acquired, they will be found in the sixth level of Hell. In the seventh level of Hell will be the conceited learned people who resented being admonished. The signs of the learned people of the Everlasting Life: Of these there are many, and one must first examine the noble nature of intellect, then ask, how could that which brings happiness in this life and the Everlasting Life not be noble, or how could doubt arise? Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, peace be upon them, asked the Prophet how people out paced one another in this world. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, replied, Through intellect. Then she asked the same question about the Everlasting Life, and yet again he replied, Through intellect. Then Lady Ayesha said, But arent they rewarded according to their deeds? The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, replied, O Ayesha, have they ever achieved anything except in proportion to the intellect that Allah has given them? Their deeds will always be in proportion to the intellect Allah has given them, and so their reward will be in proportion to their deeds. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, stressed the value of keeping oneself in check, saying, Allah loves the believer who works in His service and counsels people, whose understanding is not flawed and keeps himself in check, consequently he sees the truth and acts in accordance to it each day of his life. The result is that he prospers and leads others to success. Prophet Jesus, the son of Mary, peace be upon them, said, How can a man be counted among the learned if he persists in following the ways of the world whilst his journey should be towards the Everlasting Life. He also said, Whosoever teaches good but does not do it is like a woman who fornicates in secret and becomes pregnant. When her condition becomes apparent she is exposed and becomes repentant. Muaz warned, The most honored among people are the learned, however, one must beware of their errors because people will follow him in his errors. Masuds son warned, The time will soon come when the sweetness of peoples heart vanishes. At that time neither the teacher nor the taught will benefit from learning. The hearts of the learned will be as hard as rocks, rain will fall from the clouds upon it but the rain will not penetrate but just run off. The reason for this is that the hearts of the learned will have become so enamored with the world that it would replace their love of the Everlasting Life. At such time Allah will take away their wisdom and extinguish the light of guidance from their hearts, they will say Fear Allah but their own sins will be exposed by their actions. Their tongue will be dry and their heart hard. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, I fear most for my followers, the errors of the learned and the arguments of the hypocrites about the Koran. The signs of the learned who seek the Everlasting Life: Sign: Five matters Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, advised, Sit with a learned man who calls to five matters: Belief rather than doubt Sincerity rather than ostentation Modesty rather than pride Love rather than enmity Austerity rather than worldliness Sign: Words and actions equate with one another Amongst the signs of the learned that seek the Everlasting Life are those who words and actions equate with one another. One will never find such a person telling people to do righteous deeds but neglecting to do them himself because he remembers the words of Allah, and those of the prophets. Allah says, Would you order righteousness on others and forget it yourselves? 2:44 Prophet Shuaib said to his nation, I do not desire to go behind you, taking for myself that which I forbid you. 11:88 And the learned reflect upon this verse, The guidance of Allah is the guidance. And if after all the knowledge you have been given you yield to their desires, you shall not have, other than Allah a guide or a helper. 2:120 The learned must also be on guard of the trickery of satan who comes to them saying, Search for knowledge, but do not practice it until you have acquired it. If he follows this advice he will busy himself with its acquisition but neglect to practice it throughout his life so that when death finally arrives he will not have put his knowledge into practice and die without having good deeds to his credit. Sign: Concentration upon matters that guide to the Everlasting Life Amongst the other signs of the learned one will find that his mind concentrates upon useful learning that guides to the path of the Everlasting Life, and it will be observed that such a person encourages others to do good deeds. He will be found avoiding learning that which is of lesser benefit and from which argument and debate arise. Those who busy themselves in arguments can be compared to a sick person suffering from many diseases. When he fears his death is approaching it is only then that he goes to an experienced doctor to ask many questions about the value of medication but forgets to ask about his diseases. Hatem Asem was a follower of Shaqiq Balakhi. One day Shaqiq asked his follower how long he had studied with him whereupon Hatem told him thirty-three years. Shaqiq then asked him what he had learned from him during that time. Hatem replied, I have learned eight things, first, I learned and observed that every person has something that he loves and lives with that thing until death, then when he is placed in his tomb he is separated from it. I reflected upon the words of Allah, We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return. 2:156, therefore I have made good deeds the object of my love so that when I am placed in my tomb my good deeds will accompany me. Secondly, I reflected upon the words of Allah, But whosoever feared the standing before his Lord and prevented the self from desires, indeed, their refuge shall be Paradise. 79:40-41. I have been blessed with the understanding of the truth of these words therefore I try my utmost to suppress my lust and remain satisfied obeying the command of Allah. Thirdly, I observed that people value their possessions and reflected upon the words of Allah, That which you have is transitory, but that which is with Allah endures. 16:98. Thereafter, I gave away, for the sake of Allah, any thing of value that I was given. Fourthly, I observed that people put their trust in wealth and property, in reputation and name, honor and glory, only to find that they are empty, there is nothing in them. Then I reflected upon the words of Allah, The noblest of you before Allah is the most righteous of you. 49:13. From that time onward I made the intention to fear Allah throughout my life until I am honored by Him. Fifthly, I observed people slandering and cursing one another on account of either envy or hatred and I reflected on the words of Allah, It is We who provide for you. 20:132. So, I abandoned envy and hatred and understood that provision comes from Allah alone, and I disliked people even more. Sixthly, I when observed people I found them to be ungrateful to one another and some that even killed others. I remembered the warning of Allah, satan is indeed your enemy; therefore take him as your enemy. 35:6. So, I took satan as my enemy and thereafter ceased to have enmity with people. Seventhly, I observed that people sought their livelihood and debased themselves therein doing things that are forbidden. Then I reflected upon the words of Allah, There is not a crawling (creature) on the earth whose provision is not from Allah. 11.6. I realized that I was also one of those creatures whose provision rests upon Allah, so I turned myself towards the obligatory duties of Allah and entrusted my destiny to Him. Eighthly, I observed and found people placing their trust in something created. Some put their trust in wealth, others in their profession or industry, whereas other trusted their health. Thereupon I reflected upon the words of Allah, Allah is Sufficient for whosoever puts his trust in Him. 65:3. So I rely upon Allah and He suffices. Shaqiqs heart was touched by Hatems reply and supplicated, May Allah make you prosper. I researched the Torah, the teachings of Prophet Jesus, the Psalms and the noble Koran and found that all pivot upon these eight things and whosoever practices these follows those four books. Sign: Disinterest in food, drink and possessions Another indication of a person learned in the science of the Everlasting Life is his disinterest in the variety of food, drink, dress, furniture or home. Rather he takes the middle course in all things and chooses to follow the example of earlier pious sages, and is satisfied with the least of everything. The less a person is attracted to luxury he will seek the company of the learned and their rank thereby enabling him to become closer to Allah. Story: Hatem Asem went with Abdullah Khawas son together with three hundred and twenty companions to the city of Rayy. Abdullah narrated that they went to a merchant well known for his love of the poor and were invited to stay the night. The following morning the merchant went to Hatem and told him that it was his intention to visit Muhammad, Maqatils son, the judge of Rayy who had been taken ill. Hatem said, Visiting the sick is full of merit, whereas looking after the poor is a branch of worship. Hatem expressed his desire to accompany the merchant to visit the ailing judge. When they reached his residence Hatem found it to be a large, beautiful palace with a gate. Hatem pondered for a moment then asked, Is this the condition of the house of a learned man? They were given permission to enter and found the palace to be richly adorned with beautiful carpets and ornate screens. They were shown in to the room in which judge lay upon a soft mattress with a servant fanning him. The merchant inquired about his health and Hatem remained standing in silence. He was asked to sit but declined and politely asked the judge, From whom did you receive your knowledge? The judge replied, From the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. Hatem asked, From whom did Companions receive their knowledge? The judge replied, The Messenger of Allah. Hatem asked again, From whom did the Messenger of Allah receive his knowledge? The judge replied, From Gabriel and he learned from Allah. Then Hatem asked, Did you find in their learning that the rank of those whose palace is high and spacious is greater in the Sight of Allah? The judge replied, No. Hatem inquired, What did you find? The judge replied, I found that whosoever renounces this world, and directs his attention to the Everlasting Life, loves the poor and proceeds has a great rank close to Allah. Hatem then remarked, Was it the Prophet, or his Companions, or the pious, who built huge, lavish buildings or was it Pharaoh or Nimrod? Dishonest learned men such as yourself are foolish. Having said this Hatem left. Observe the fear of Allah, the love and sincere intention and characteristics of the following letter and its reply sent to Malik, Anas son by Yahya, Yazid Al Nawfalis son. Yahya wrote, In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. May His blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad. I have been told that you wear fine clothes, eat choice foot and recline comfortably on couches and that at your door you place doormen. Yet, at the same time you have taken the seat of learning and men flock to you from all places and have chosen you to be their imam, as well as accepting your judgment as the final say in matters. Fear Allah, and humble yourself. This letter is written in the spirit of advice and none except Allah has seen its contents. Peace be upon you. Malik replied, In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. May His blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his family and Companions. Peace be upon you. I am in receipt of your letter, which I accept as your sincere advice and concern, and as evidence of your noble charter. May Allah bless your piety, reward and let you prosper for your advice. I seek the help of Allah, and there is neither strength nor power except with Him. You mention that we eat choice food, wear find clothes and have doormen and recline comfortably on couches. This I admit that we do on occasions and thereafter beg Allah for forgiveness. With respect, we would remind you of the words of Allah in the Koran, Allah said, Say, Who has forbidden the adornment that Allah has brought for His worshipers and a good provision? 7:32. We are mindful that abstinence from such things is better than their indulgence. Please do not neglect to write to us again, we shall not forget you. Peace be upon you. You, dear reader, will observe the sense of justice Malik displayed. He admitted that abstinence from such a life style was better than its indulgence, yet he gently and politely pointed out that such things were not forbidden but permissible, and graciously drew Yahyas attention to the conclusion that his actions were permissible on both counts. In conclusion, the use of worldly luxury is permissible however, to the average person it creates a fondness for them so that in the end it becomes difficult to do without them. Sign: Distances himself from and avoids rulers Another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that he distances himself from and avoids rulers. The reason for this is because the world is a temptation and its reins are in their hands. If one comes near them then he can be neither free from receiving either their pleasure, or harm, and many of them do not respect or follow the advice of the learned. There is also the danger that if a learned person is constantly in their presence he may sooner or later be attracted by their grandeur and eventually regard the gift Allah has given him as insignificant. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, There will be those who are appointed in authority over you. Some of their actions you will find conform to Islamic Law whereas others do not. The person who makes known his extreme dislike of this will not be held accountable (to Allah), as will be the one who resents it. However, the one who is pleased and follows them will be held accountable. He was then asked, O Messenger of Allah (praise and peace be upon him) shouldnt we fight them? He replied, Not as long as they continue to maintain the prayer among you. Sign: Is not hasty to give a legal opinion There is yet another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life to observe. This sign is that he is not hasty in giving a legal decision. However, when he is asked a question, the answer of which is known to him and pertains to the Koran, the sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, his response is immediate. If he does not know the answer then he will reply, I do not know. In the event that he is asked about a matter upon which he has formed an opinion through independent interpretation (Ijtihad) he will be found to be evasive and is not hesitant to refer the matter to someone more knowledgeable. The reply of I dont know is the shield of the learned, they would rather admit their ignorance than give a misleading answer, and to know that one does not know is half of learning. Abraham, Adhams son said, There is nothing more formidable to satan than a learned person who manifests his knowledge both openly and in silence. Whereupon satan says, Observe this man, his silence is more severe to me than his speech! There are in the world Abdals need meaning of description of Abdals, amongst their characteristics is that they do not satisfy their appetite. They only sleep when it overtakes them, their words are spent only on speech that is necessary and they speak only when they are compelled, and remain silent when the response of others is sufficient. A learned person is one who is fearful that upon the Day of Resurrection he will be asked about his response to questions he was asked. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was not hesitant to say that he did not know whether or not Uzair or Thul Karnain were prophets nor yet whether Tubba was cursed. When he was asked about the best and worst places on earth he replied, "Allah, the Almighty told me the best place is the mosque and the worst is the market, other than that I do not know. The condition of the learned during the time of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and the caliphate of the four righteous caliphs is not the same as one finds today in which people seeking fame are hasty to give a reply. The activities of the Companions and their followers were devoted to the recitation of the Koran, the Remembrance of Allah (zikr), building mosques, encouraging good deeds and forbidding evil. Imam Hussein, the great-grandson of the Prophet, peace be upon them said, Whenever a legal decision was sought during the time of the Caliph Omar, Omar would call upon the Companions who took part in the Battle of Badr and consult with them. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, advised, If you see a man adopting silence and austerity, seek his advice because he is wise. The learned are of two kinds. One is a man (Mufti) who is gives legal decisions to the public and is in the company of a ruler. The other is one who is learned for the sake of the Oneness of Allah and does good deeds. Such a person lives a life of solitude, an example of such a person was Imam Ahmad, Hanbalis son, whose knowledge was great and compared to that of the river Tigris and from whom all benefited. Sign: Anxious to learn the concealed knowledge The next sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that he is forever anxious to learn the concealed knowledge, observe the heart and seek knowledge of the path that leads to success in the Everlasting Life. He travels on this path steadfastly and goes without. Going without in turns leads to contemplation and through it flows the fountain of wisdom through the intricacies of the science of the heart. This wisdom is the result of great effort and is neither attainable through books nor learning sciences, it blossoms when one sits in solitude and with a humble spirit thinking of Allah, through going without, and through observation. This is the key of illumination (ilam), and the unfolding of concealed knowledge (Kashf). The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a man acts upon his learning, Allah gives him such knowledge that was hitherto unknown to him. My dear reader, you must understand that knowledge is in your heart. Therefore learn from those who have knowledge of the soul or the heart and let your character mirror that of the truthful, it is then that knowledge will spring forth in the heart to such an extent that you will become immersed in it. It has been reported that the pious sage Sahal Tastari said, The learned, the worshippers and the recluse leave this world with their hearts locked. Their hearts can only be opened by the truthful and the martyrs. Then he recited, With Him are the keys of the unseen, none knows them but He. 6:59. Had it not been for the person whose heart is lit with an inner light the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would not have placed emphasis upon the following by saying it thrice, If they seek justice from you ask your heart. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said that Allah had told him, AAA check Divine hadith A man continues to come close to Me with extra service until I love him. When I love him, I become his ears with which he hears . The Koran has many mysteries and subtleties that are made known to the heart of those who devote themselves to the remembrance of Allah (zikr) and meditate. It cannot be found in commentaries nor does it appear in the hearts of even the most reputable commentators. It only appears as the result of the meditation of such a devotee. However, when its meaning is made known to commentators they discern that it is good and recognize the fact that it is the news of a pure soul and a gift from Allah that has been given to him on account of sincere devotion. The condition of concealed knowledge, the science of practical religion and the subtleties of the flow of thoughts of the heart are similar. Each of these beneficial learnings can be compared to an ocean so deep that it is beyond ones ability to reach its floor therefore each devotee is only capable of receiving a sample proportionate to his ability and good deeds. The Caliph, Imam Ali drew the attention of the congregation to the condition of the heart saying that hearts can be compared to different containers, the best of which being the one that contains good things. He continued his sermon byrepeating and expounding upon his previous conversation with Kamil and told them that mankind is one of three. People who are pious and learned, Travelers on the path to safety, The ignorant who invite evil and are swayed by every passing wind and whose hearts are not lit by the light of knowledge and neither have a firm foundation. Imam Ali went on to tell the congregation that knowledge is better than wealth because it is ones guard, but whereas knowledge increases with expense, ones wealth decreases. Learning is knowledge and through it religion is learned, and it is through this that allegiance is obtained during ones life, and then after death is a good remembered thing. He drew their attention to the fact that with knowledge one is able to judge whereas wealth is the opposite and seeks justice, and when death overtakes a person wealth disappears but the benefit of knowledge remains. He continued to tell the congregation that people who are not knowledgeable are as if they are dead, whereas the knowledgeable are alive. Then he paused and pointed to his heart and told them that in it was an abundance of wealth but he could not find a trusted seeker with whom to impart such wealth. He went on to say that all he could find are the seekers of this life with the weapon of religion attributing to the friends of Allah the gifts which He gave them and showing off with his reasoning thereby subduing the seekers of truth, yet when opposition arose, doubt invades their minds and they loose their insight on account of their skepticism and remain immersed with indulgences, amassing wealth and hoarding it and so it will be, that when its people die knowledge will be taken with them. However, the world will never be free from men who seek to establish both secretly and publicly their religion so that the proofs of Allah are not lost. He told the congregation that although such people will be but a few, their honor will be great and their memory will be enshrined in the hearts of people, and that it is through them that Allah will preserve His religion. Thereafter when they die their inheritors receive the religion and will in turn plant it in the hearts of the young and it is through them that the nature of knowledge will be disclosed. It is because of their strong belief that they will receive good news from life, and will make things that the rich think difficult easy, and clarify what the heedless think obscure. Their physical presence will be with the world, but their souls will be suspended in the highest of places. Such people are the worshipers of Allah among His creation and they are His trustees and agents on the earth. Upon the conclusion of his sermon, Imam Ali wept saying, I am so eager to met them. These then are the characteristics of the learned of the Everlasting Life, which can be attained by consistency of action and sincere effort. Signs: Sincerity and uprightness The next sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is his sincerity and uprightness in strengthening his belief because its certainty is the root of religion. It is therefore necessary to become educated in the science of belief, and after this the path of the heart will open. It is for this reason that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, advised, Learn the certainty of belief. This means dear reader, associate with those whose belief is firm, and receive from them the learning of the certainty of belief. Follow them so that your belief becomes as firmly established as theirs, and know that even a small amount of certainty is better than many good actions. One day the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked about two types of people. The first type of person was one whose belief was certain but who committed many sins. The other type had more good deeds but his belief was weak. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, responded, No man is without sin. Someone whose intellect is minimal but whose belief is certain cannot be injured by sin. This is because whenever he sins he repents and seeks forgiveness, and his sins are forgiven whilst his virtues remain undiminished, and he enters Paradise. Defining the certainty of belief: Both philosophers and knowledgeable theologians define certainty of belief as belief devoid of all doubt. There are four states that pertain to a person eager to know the truth of a matter. State of doubt The first state is when truth and falsehood are equal in the mind of a person. If this is the condition then it is the state of doubt. Inclination to one state more than another The second state is if the mind inclines to one state more than the other. For example, if someone were to ask your opinion about whether a person will be punished and in your mind you see that person as being pious and fearing Allah, then your mind is inclined to think that he will not be punished on account of the outward signs of his piety. Nevertheless, you admit that there is a possibility that there might be something that is concealed in his life that might be subject to punishment. This admission is therefore mixed with your first inclination and therefore prompted conjecture. Strong inclination of the mind The third state is when the mind inclines strongly to a thing and the improbability of anything against it does not enter ones mind. This state is called belief that approaches certainty (Itiqad). Certainty of belief The fourth state is certainty of belief, which means that there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever (Yeqin) in ones mind. For example, if a wise man were to be asked if there is anything in existence that is eternal, he cannot give an immediate reply as an eternal thing cannot be the subject to conjecture, nor yet sensed. It is not like the sun or the moon for which the eye can bear witness to the truth of their existence without thinking. The truth of a thing that is eternal is not the same as the truth that two is greater than one or as the truth that nothing can occur without a cause. Knowledge of these things is immediate and without the necessity of thought, therefore true belief in the truth of an eternal thing does not spring immediately in the mind. Those having knowledge of an eternal thing tell people about it, whereupon people believe and adhere to it. AAA page 87 yellow book. Check as far as the next AAA. The following text is VERBATIM I do not know how to simplify and it is difficult Arabic. Arabic page 124 126 Sign: Establishing the truth of an eternal matter Amongst the learned are such who establish the truth of an eternal matter by the following proofs. If there is no existence of an eternal thing, then it follows that all things are either originated or created. If all things are created, then they come without cause or some of them come into existence without a cause, and this is impossible. That which leads to impossibility is in itself impossible. Therefore, the mind is compelled to believe in the existence of something eternal. All things fall under one of three categories: All existing things are eternal Or, all existing things are either originated or created Or, some things are eternal and some things are originated. If all things are eternal, the object is reached as the truth of external things has been established by proof. On the other hand if all things are created then it becomes impossible as the existence of a thing becomes without a cause. This being the case either the first or the third position is established. The knowledge obtained through reasoning such as the preceding or instinctively through the mind as the impossibility of any created thing coming into existence without a cause or through such things like ones knowledge that Mecca exists, or through experimentation such as a certain food is a laxative, or through evidences we have already stated is called certain belief (Yeqin) which in laymans terms in belief without doubt. There is a second meaning to certain belief (Yeqin) and is that of the jurists, sufis and most learned men. This is that one should not look at a thing with either doubt or speculation. For example, a person whose belief prompted him to be doubtful of whether or not death occurs, when there is no doubt that death is a fact. An example of speculation is, so and so is certain to become wealthy, but a time comes when he cannot even earn a living. Whenever anything prevails over the mind and orders a person to either do or prohibits him from doing something this is called certain belief (Yeqin). There is no one who doubts that death will overtake them one day; their belief in death is strong and confirmed. However, there are people who do not pay attention to this fact, and then there are those who direct all their thoughts to the preparation for the time when their death occurs, the latter are those whose belief is strong and consequently known as people of strong belief. The object of the learned of the Everlasting Life is to ensure that their belief is strong, certain and steadfast, because these qualities are the medicine that rids one from doubt, and with these tools the mind can be ones ruler. It is clear that certain belief (Yeqin) can be described by three meanings each of which have their opposite, strength and weakness, increase and decrease, and clearness and vagueness. All the teachings of the prophets from the beginning to the end are the subject of certain belief (Yeqin). Certain belief is a work of special knowledge (Mahrifat) These matters pertain to the laws (Shariah) and I am going to mention some which are the roots of certain belief. AAAA end The Oneness of Allah (Tawhid) This is to firmly believe that all things come from Allah, the Cause of all causes, paying no attention to any secondary cause. It means to look at the original and primary cause and not the means or that which goes between. It is the knowledge that all causes come from Allah alone and that there is nothing, whatsoever, beyond His power or control. Every single thing is subject to His will, and dear reader, know that nothing has a will of its own. When a person has certain belief in this Oneness his/her anger, hatred and jealousy towards others vanishes and Allah is constantly upon ones mind. Everything falls into place and the means or go-betweens become like a hand and a pen. One does not express gratitude to the hand and the pen as it is understood that they are a means to an end. This certainty of belief is the highest of ranks. One is able to recognize the fact that the sun, moon, stars, animals, plants and all creatures are subject to His command, and so one is able to realize that the pen only moves under the control of the hand of the writer who moves them. Secondly, from this his belief comes, the certain knowledge that it is Allah who provides each individual with his own measured provision. Allah says, There is not a crawling (creature) on the earth whose provision is not by Allah. 11:6. He believes that what has been preordained must ultimately come into existence, and with such belief he will not regret anything he looses. Thirdly, he firmly believes in the saying of Allah, Whosoever has done an atoms weight of good shall see it, and whosoever has done an atoms weight of evil shall see it. 99:7. This, dear reader, is the certain belief of reward and punishment that connects good deeds with reward and evil deeds with punishment. Just as one avoids poison, no matter the strength of its lethality, one avoids both major and minor sins. Belief in its first meaning is found in all believers, whereas certain belief in the second meaning is found only in those who are closer to Allah. The stronger ones belief is, one becomes more careful and religious deeds increase. Fourthly, he believes that Allah watches him every moment of his life and knows his thoughts and the work of satan upon it. This degree of belief relates to the first example and as its object is noble, it relates to the second and this is the belief of the extremely pious person (Siddiq). Such a person, even when alone, observes the same degree of etiquette that he would if he were in the presence of an emperor. His heart therefore is purer and cleaner than his body, and he reaches the condition in which all the praiseworthy qualities including fear, shame, humility, peacefulness, modesty etc., are present in him. Sign: Humility and silence Another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that of humility and silence. Fear of Allah is apparent in his dress, body, character, movement, speech and silence. When someone looks at him he remembers that Allah is looking at him and one finds that his nature and character are the proof of his actions, and his eyes have become the mirror of his mind. His face reflects inner peace and modesty, free from pride and vanity. Sign: Avoidance of destructive elements Another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that he avoids destructive elements. One of the roots of religion is to be wary of evil. Sign: Reliance upon an enlightened heart Another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that rather than relying upon books and what he has learned from others, he relies upon his insight and the knowledge gained from his enlightened heart by following what Allah said and His commands. Sign: Protection from innovations Another sign of the learned of the Everlasting Life is that he protects himself from innovations despite the fact that many are agreeable to the innovations. He will always be found studying and mirroring the deeds of the Companions. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned, Beware of innovation, because it is the worst thing. Every innovation is heresy and heresy is a sin. The decline of the understanding of the meaning of what was good and evil after the death of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was apparent to Huzaifa, who had been a close companion of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. Huzaifa said, The deeds you consider to be good in this age were considered evil in the time of the Prophet, and the evil deeds of this age will be considered as good in the next. Your deeds will be good when you know the truth. Imam Ahmad, Hanbals son observed that the people of his time discarded knowledge in pursuit of strange things. Allah warned, Avoid those who take their religion as playing and an amusement and are seduced by the life of this world. 6:70, and again, Have you seen him who has made gods of his own desires? 25:43. These are the signs to search for in the learned of the Everlasting Life because such qualities were found in the Companions, therefore be one of two; attain these traits, or be repentant, but do not be like the third because doubt will arise in your mind. If you follow the third you will replace religion with the world and follow the ways of those who transgress, and if you choose ignorance and refuse belief then you will become among those destroyed and who despaired. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 1 - KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER 7 INTELLECT, ITS NOBILITY, DEFINITION AND DIVISION Through intellect one discerns the noble nature of knowledge and is able to recognize that knowledge is not only the source, but its foundation. Knowledge can be compared to a fruit that a tree yields, or like the light of the sun, or the vision of the eye. Therefore, there is no doubt that intellect is to be honored because through it one is able to attain happiness in this life and in the Everlasting Life. The object in this chapter is to demonstrate to you, dear reader, how intellect is honored in the Koran and Prophetic sayings where one often finds it referred to as light and darkness as being ignorance. The first thing Allah created was intellect and He said to it, Draw near and it drew near, then He said to it, Go back and it returned. Then He said, By My Honor and Glory, there is nothing in My sight that I have created that is more honorable than you. Allah says, Allah is the Lighter of the heavens and the earth. The example of His Light is like a tube in which there is a wick. The wick is in a lamp and the lamp is as a glittering planet kindled from a blessed tree. 24:35. The knowledge derived from it was called spirit, or revelation. Allah says, As such we revealed to you (Prophet Muhammad) a spirit (the revelation of the Koran) from Our Ordinance. 42:52. Again He says, Is he who was dead whom We have revived and given a light with which he walks among people 6:122 We also recall the answer Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, gave to Lady Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, when she asked him how a person could out pace another in this world and remember his reply that it was through intellect. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his followers to acquire knowledge from Allah then to advise one another intelligently and know what is permissible and what is prohibited. He continued to tell them that an intelligent person is one who obeys Allah even though he may be ugly or has a deformity, or his status in society is low and his clothes threadbare. He explained an ignorant person is one who disobeys Allah even though he is handsome, has a good physique, his conduct is good and his speech eloquent. He continued to tell them that whosoever disobeys Allah has no more intelligence than an ape or a pig and warned not to associate with those who love the world and revel in worldly honors because they are the losers in the Everlasting Life. One day the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, came across a group of people who were praising a certain person to the point of excess. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked about his intellect, and was asked why he made such an inquiry. His reply was that the ignorance of an ignorant person is more harmful than the wrong actions of a sinner and that on the Day of Resurrection people will be raised to high ranks near to Allah in proportion to their intellect. Intellect and its definitions: Intellect has four definitions. First meaning: Is an attribute that distinguishes mankind from animals and with which a person is able to comprehend theoretical sciences and then master abstract disciplines. Second meaning: Even in early childhood intellect is wisdom, because the child knows by instinct that two is greater than one. His instinct prompts him to know whether or not something is possible or impossible and that either his father or mother cannot be in two places at the same time. His intellect enables him to discern what is permitted and what is not. Third meaning: Intellect can also mean that knowledge comes with experience. Therefore, one is taught by experience over a period of time. Anyone who lacks such qualifications is unintelligent and ignorant. Fourth meaning: Is when the power of instinct has developed to such a degree that one can determine the result of actions and is either able to control their outcome or subdue them. Take for example a young mans sexual appetite, he may fail to overcome his passion but as he grows older he is able to subdue his lust. A person who has reached this stage is intelligent because he does not act by the dictates of appetite but instinctively refrains, as knows the consequences of such an action. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, A wise man is he who believes in Allah, believes in His Prophet, is true and obeys His commandments. Therefore, what is termed natural instinct is in fact intellect. Knowledge lies under intellect and is a natural progression. It can be compared to water that lies hidden under the soil; when a well is dug the water rises to the surface. Take for example the questioning of Allah, When your Lord brought forth descendants from the loins of Adams children and made them testify concerning themselves (He said), Am I not our Lord? They replied, We bear witness (that You are) 7:17. This witnessing is a confession of the soul, not just a verbal promise by the tongue. The soul again bears witness when the human is asked, Who created you? they will say, Allah. 43:87, therefore, dear reader, it is a natural instinct for mankind to believe in Allah. The belief in Allah is in everyones heart, however it lies hidden in those who forget to remember Him. Therefore mankind are of two kinds, those who have forgotten and become unbelievers, or those who nurtured their souls and remembered it. Degrees of intellect In the same way that there is a difference between soils, there is a difference in the instinctive intellect of individuals. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, concluded a sermon with a description of the Throne of Allah and told the congregation that the angels asked Allah, O Allah have You created anything greater than the Throne? Allah replied, Yes, intellect. They asked, How great is it? Whereupon Allah replied, Indeed, your intellect is unable to grasp it. Can you count the sand? The angels replied, No. Thereafter Allah said, I have created intellect in different minds as numerous as the sand. Some men have been given one grain, some two, some three, some four, some more than one AAA??Farq, some one AAA? Wasq, and some more. The degree of intellect varies according to the knowledge of a subject. For example a doctor may refrain from foods that are harmful where, on account of the ordinary persons lack of knowledge of medicine, he consumes such foods. In the same way a person who is learned is better able to abstain from sin than a person who is ignorant. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 2 - THE ARITICLES OF FAITH CHAPTER 1 Praise be to Allah, the Originator, the First and the Last. The Doer of whatsoever He wills. The One and Only, there is no god except He, the Eternal Cause of all being. Who has not begotten, and has not be born, there is none comparable to Him. Exaltations be to Allah above all that they associate! He is Allah, the Knower of the Unseen, and the Seen. He is the Merciful, the Most Merciful, He is the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Giver of Belief, the Controller, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Majestic. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper, to Him belongs the Most Sublime Attributes. All that is in the heavens and the earth exalt Him, He is the Mighty, the Wise. All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He is the First and the Last, the Clear and the Hidden. He has knowledge of all things. 57:3. Who guides whoever He chooses from His worshipers o the Straight Path, who has bestowed His favors on His worshipers and filled heir hearts with the light of religion and its obligations. Who has sent down from the Throne of Glory to the heaven of this world by the steps of mercy. He in His Mercy encourages people to ask and supplicate to Him saying, Will anyone call so that I may answer him? Will anyone seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? He is not like the rulers of this earthly life, the door is always open to Him and He does not make himself to be aloof. He permits His worshipers to converse with Him intimately in their prayers at all times no matter whether they are said in solitude or in a congregation. He does not just allow, but gently encourages and invites how different is He from the weak rulers of the world! Exaltations be to Him, so Great in His Sublimity, so Strong in His authority, so Perfect in His Graciousness and so Embracing in His Goodness! Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted bears witness saying, There is nothing like Him. 42:11. Allah, there is no god except He, the Living, the Everlasting. Neither dozing, nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is he that shall intercede with Him except by His permission! He knows what will be before their hands and what was behind them, and they do not comprehend anything of His Knowledge except what He willed. His Seat embraces the heavens and the earth, and the preserving of them does not weary Him, He is the High, the Great. 2:255 The Originator of the heavens and the earth, He has given you from yourselves, and also pairs of cattle, thereby multiplying you. There is nothing like Him. He is the Hearer, the Seer. 42:11 The necessities of belief: His Transcendence A believer is whosoever believes that Allah does not have a body, He is free from all restrictions, limitation and resemblance and is indivisible. There is nothing like Him and He is unlike anything. He is not limited by measure, space or time and is free from rest or change. Nothing is outside His grasp. He is above the Throne, above the heavens and above everything, and He is not restricted by depth, yet He is as near to His worshipers as their jugular vein. He is not in anything and nothing is in Him and is beyond space or time. He is now as He was before. He makes Himself known through His creation and not by existence. He is free from change, increase or decrease. Belief in His Power and Existence He is Living, All-powerful, Almighty and the Destroyer, He is free from fault and failure, dozing, sleep, disease or death. Allah is the Lord of the universe, the angels and of all things. The heavens are rolled in His hands. He is unique in creation and unrivalled in His new creations. He determined the provision of all creation and their death. Nothing can escape from His Power. His Power and Might are above counting. Belief in His Knowledge The knowledge of Allah is without limitation, He has knowledge of all things. He knows that which is between the deepest part of the earth and the highest heaven. He knows the smallest atom in the earth or in the heavens, He knows the creeping of an ant on a stone in the intense darkness of night and the movement of a particle in the air. Whether or not a matter is clear or hidden He has knowledge of it. He knows every good and bad thought of the mind, and the work of satan. His knowledge is eternal and limitless, without increase or decreased, pure without defect. Belief in His Will Without His Order, Power or Will there is nothing that comes into being that is great, small, good or evil, beneficial or not of benefit, belief or disbelief, known or unknown, profit or loss, sin or merit. Whatever He has not decreed will not come into existence. Not even a glance of the eyes, nor an impulsive stray thought is outside His command. He does what He wills. No one can rescind His command. Those disobedient to His command have no refuge. None follow His command except He has willed it. If mankind, jinn, angels and satan combined to remove an atom from its determined place they will not be able to do so without His will. His will lies naturally in His limitless attributes. There is no precedence or subsequence of any event from its appointed time. Belief in His Hearing and Sight Allah hears and sees all things and nothing, no matter how subtle or insignificant can escape His Hearing or Sight. Distance does not prevent Him from either Hearing or Seeing, the near and the far are equal to Him. Darkness does not veil His Sight. He sees without eye, grasps without hands and creates without tool. His attributes are not like those of His created beings. His being is not like that of His creation. Belief in His Words Allah speaks without sound. It is eternal, ancient and self-existing and is unlike the talk of the created. His speech has no connection with the circulation of the air, and is not assisted by words and language through the movement of lips. The Koran, Torah, the Gospel of Jesus and Psalms are His created books sent to His Prophets. The Koran is recited by the tongue, written on paper and preserved in the heart, nevertheless, it is eternal existing with the eternity of Allah. Prophet Moses heard His Words without sound and language, and the righteous will see Him in the Everlasting Life without body and space. Belief in His Actions Allah alone is the Creator of all actions and none are outside His Judgement. He created everything in its best manner and form, and there is no better form than it. His actions are Wise and He is just in His judgement and is neither oppressive nor unjust therefore His justice cannot be compared to that of mankind. Whatever exists, mankind, jinn, angels, devils, heavens and earth, creatures, plants, inanimate things have not come into being except through His power. He existed in eternity by Himself and there was never anything whatsoever with Him. He originated creation not because He was in need of it and He does not tire of creating nor yet their preservation. Obedience to Allah is binding upon all His creatures and He demonstrated it through His Prophets. It was through them that His miracles occurred and they conveyed to mankind His commands and prohibitions. Belief in the Everlasting Life Part of this belief is to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him. Allah sent the illiterate Korayshi Prophet, Muhammad as His Messenger to not only the Arabs but to all peoples of the world as well as to the jinn and by his law all previous laws were superceded. Allah raised Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, to a rank superior than all other prophets. Allah made him the leader of humanity and He made no ones belief in Him complete without the additional words Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah there is no god except Allah and, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Allah made the belief in all matters Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said pertaining to this life and the Everlasting Life obligatory. Allah does not accept the belief of a person unless he/she believes this as well as the following. Belief in the Angels of Death, Munkar and Nakir Munkar and Nakir are two fearsome angels who attend the deceased after his/her burial. They make the deceased, with his soul and body, sit up and question him about his belief and ask him who is his prophet. The first examination is to believe in the truth of the punishment of the tomb. The second is to believe in the scales with its two pans, and a tongue the magnitude of which is like the stages of heaven and earth. It is upon these scales that the actions of mankind will be weighed. The weights of the scales will be like that of a mustard seed for the establishment of precise justice. The third is to believe in the Bridge, which is a bridge stretched over Hell. It is sharper than the edge of a sword and thinner than a hair. The feet of unbelievers will slip and they will fall into Hell, whereas the feet of believers will be, by the Mercy of Allah, be made firm and they will cross the bridge to Paradise. The fourth is to believe in the Fountain. It is a fountain given to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, from which believers will drink after having crossed the Bridge. Whosoever is blessed to drink from it will never thirst again. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Around it there will be so many jugs as numerous as stars. The fifth is to believe in the Judgement. Some believers will have small accounts whereas others greater, and some will enter Paradise without accounting such will be the rank of those permitted to be near to Allah. It is also to believed that those believers who are subject for punishment in Hell will be released after they have served their term. The sixth is to believe in the intercession of the prophets, then the learned, then the martyrs, then the rest of believers. They will be given the right to intercede in proportion to their rank with Allah. The seventh is to believe in the goodness of the companions, the first being Abu Bakr, then Omar, then Othman, and then Ali. You will praise them as Allah and His Messenger praised them. Guidance and the degrees of belief Guidance starts in early childhood. The stages are that the child should first memorize the articles of belief, then when he/she is able to understand educate him still further so that he believes and ultimately knows them to be matters that are certain and sure. Allah, has in His Mercy, has made the heart instinctively capable of receiving belief without either the need of signs or proof. Debate and the pros and cons are unnecessary, and the child should be taught the recitation of the Koran with its explanation together with the knowledge of the Prophetic sayings and their meanings. The child should be encouraged to increase his acts of worship so that his belief grows. These are the seeds of belief, which once firmly established sprout and become strong and he submits to Allah under the light of guidance. He is now capable of seeking the Path to the Everlasting Life and to piously devote his time and energy to this science, whilst protecting himself from the distractions of this life and his lusts by self-discipline and struggle. When he takes such a course the gates of guidance open for him revealing the certainty of belief through the blessing of the Light of Allah which encompasses his heart as a reward for his struggle in the cause of Allah. Allah said, Those who struggle in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our ways; and Allah is with those who do good. 29:69. This is a very precious matter and the ultimate goal of the pious and those close to Allah, in fact it is the secret matter held dear in the chest of the Caliph Abu Bakr and with which he surpassed all the other companions. This degree of secrecy has many stages and will become apparent in proportion to effort and struggle, and the more one seeks to purify and cleanse his soul. And, dear reader, be aware that there is no limit to these stages, and neither is there a limit to the degrees of secrets. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 2 - THE ARITICLES OF FAITH CHAPTER TWO Proof of Belief Praise be to Allah, the One who raises the people of the Prophetic way by the means of the light of certainty, and has preferred those who follow the truth by guiding them to Islam and has distanced them from deviation and atheism. Who has blessed them so that they might be successful because they follow the example of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and walk in the footsteps of his noble Companions and whose hearts believe their utterance of, There is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger. Who recognize the two phrases of witnessing that certify the Divinity of Allah, the proof of His Oneness, the proof of His commands, and the proof the Muhammad is His Messenger. Belief (Iman) is founded upon four pillars. Each of these pillars has ten basic principles. First pillar The first pillar is knowledge of the Divinity of Allah, the roots of which are: The knowledge of His existence, That He is Eternal, That He is without age, That He is without form or body, That He is without length or breadth, That He is without dimension, That He occupies no space, That He is the object of vision in the Everlasting Life, That He is One, alone without a partner. Second pillar The second pillar is the knowledge and belief of His Attributes the roots of which are: Knowledge that He is the Owner of all things Knowledge that He is All-powerful, Knowledge that He is All-knowing, Knowledge that He is Living, Knowledge that He Wills, Knowledge that He is Hearing, Knowledge that He is Seeing, Knowledge that His is the Best of Speech, Knowledge that His Words are eternal, That His Knowledge and Will are free from change. Third pillar The third pillar is the knowledge and belief in His Actions, the roots of which are: 1. The actions of mankind are created for Him, predetermined and established by Allah. That He is Kind to His creation and does not burden them with more than is bearable. That nothing is obligatory upon Him, not even upon the righteous. That there is no duty except what He commands. That He sent the prophets as a mercy from Him and that our Prophet, Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, was given the firmly established miracle of the Koran. Fourth Pillar The fourth pillar is the belief in the transmission of authoritative matters. It is to believe in: The truth of the Resurrection, The questioning of the angels Munkar and Nakir, The punishment of the tomb, The Balance of the Scales, The Bridge over Hell, Paradise and Hell, Belief without doubt, The excellence of the companions according to their degrees and the conditions of religious leadership. For a more depth understanding of these pillars, please refer to Chapter 3 in the Appendix. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 2 - THE ARITICLES OF FAITH CHAPTER 4 The Regulations of the Articles of Belief This chapter addresses three questions, What is the significance between the word belief (iman) and the word Islam. Whether or not belief is subject to increase or decrease. The understanding of the word belief according to the early generation of Muslim sages. Opinions differ regarding the meaning of Islam and Iman (belief), and three questions arise. It has been said that they are one with the same meaning. Secondly, it has been said that they are two unconnected entities. Thirdly, that they are two things but they are connected. Addressing the first question: The first pertains to the linguistic meaning of words, the second, the explanation of their meaning demonstrated in the Koran and prophetic quotations, and thirdly, jurisprudence. Linguistic meanings: The truth of it is that belief (iman) is belief. Allah says referring to those who reject belief, yet they would not believe 7:101. Islam means submission, surrender, and to follow, it also means that one avoids rebelliousness and disobedience to the commands of Allah and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. Belief has a special place in the heart and is expressed by the tongue. Islam is more comprehensive whereas belief is a special term. Belief is Islam, but not every belief is Islam. In other words Islam, according to language, is more general whereas belief is specific. Examples of the meanings of Islam and Iman: The Divine Law defined these words in three different ways, in a singular meaning, in multiple meaning, and the combination of meanings. Regarding the singular meaning Allah says, But We found in it only one household of those who had surrendered themselves. 51:36. Regarding the multiple meaning the Koran says, O my nation, if you believe in Allah, put your trust in Him, if you have surrendered. 10:84. The third example is found in this verse, The (Bedouin) Arabs say, We believe. Say, You do not, rather, say, we submit, because believe has not yet found its way into your hearts. 49:14. From this verse we understand that although they have submitted externally to Islam through their declaration by tongue and senses, their belief (iman) had yet to reach their hearts. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, was once asked, What is the best deed? He replied, It is to believe in Allah, and His Messenger. Whereupon the questioner asked, What is the best in Islam? He replied, Belief. Jurisprudence: The jurist maintains that Islam and belief (iman) are two rulings. One relates to the Everlasting Life and the other pertains to this worldly life. In regard to the Everlasting Life, it is protection from being cast into the Fires of Hell for all eternity. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Allah will command those who are in Hell that have even just the weight of a mustard seed of belief to be removed therefrom. It might be asked, What kind of belief is that? It has been explained by some that is the inward belief, whereas others say it is the verbal witnessing. Others say it is the actions done in accordance to Islam. There again, it is said that whosoever combines all these three elements will be removed from Hell. It is also said that even if a person committed major sins he too will be removed from Hell. However, if the verbal witnessing by the tongue is made and not followed by certainty there is no doubt that such a person will remain in Hell forever. Addressing the second question: The mind relates to the unseen spiritual world whereas the actions of limbs and organs relate to this world and there is a subtle connection between these two worlds. Belief can either increase or decrease. It increases through good deeds and decreases by evil deeds. Allah says, .. but it increased them in belief. 3:173 and the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Belief increases and decreases. He also said, There are 70 branches of belief. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, gave his Companions an example of the decrease in belief, saying, When a fornicator fornicates, he, at that time ceases to be a believer. From this it is understood that action is connected with belief, which in turn, proves that belief can either increase or decrease. The highest state of belief is that it increases to the point where the mind is not satisfied until it has reached the stage where it is as certain in belief as it is certain that fire burns; that two is greater to one and that the world is created. Addressing the third question It is with regard to the answer, If Allah wills, I am a believer in reply to the question Are you a believer? The reply should not be I am certainly a believer, or I am a believer in Allah. These assertions are correct for four reasons. Two of which pertain to doubt, and two do not. Regarding the first reason that does not imply doubt it is the care taken on account of the fear that one may convey the impression that one was pure. A pious person was asked, What speech is detestable? He replied, Praise of oneself. On this subject Allah says, Have you not seen those who exalt themselves? Rather, Allah purifies whom He will. 4:49. The second reason that does not imply doubt is that one should entrust all actions to the Will of Allah. Allah says, Do not say of anything, I will do it tomorrow, unless (you add) if Allah wills. 18:23-24. The third reason is that of doubt when it is said, I am a believer, if Allah wills. Allah defines the characteristics of a believer saying, The believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and have not doubted, and who struggle in His Way with their possessions and themselves. Such are the truthful. 94:15. The fourth reason also arises from doubt and this is the fear that ones life should have a bad ending, because no one can be sure whether or not his/her ending will be good or bad. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 3 - PURITY CHAPTER 1 On the subject of purity, Allah says, In it (the mosque) are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves those who purify themselves. 9:108, and He seeks only to purify you and to complete His Favor to you. 5.7 Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Religion is founded upon purity, he also said, Cleanliness is the key to prayer. He also told his Companions that Cleanliness is equal to half of belief. The enlightened people understand from these sayings that the most important thing is the make ones heart pure. In respect of the saying Cleanliness is equal to half of belief do not be mislead into thinking that it is limited only to the external cleanliness of the limbs by water, and neglect the purification of the heart, which houses evil prompts and desires, if one is mislead by this, then one distances oneself from the true meaning of cleanliness or purification. Stages of Purity There are four stages of purification: Purification of limbs from excrement and filth. Purification from sin and fault. Purification of the heart from immorality, evil characteristics and vices. Purification of the inner self from all except Allah, this stage is the purification attained by the Prophets and the truthful. Physical cleanliness is only half of purification, because the object of purification is to exalt Allah, and one must know that the knowledge of Allah is not attainable unless the heart is purified from all things except Him Allah has not given any of His creation two minds, and so ones mind cannot entertain two things at the same time. Allah says, Say, Allah. Then leave them, playing in their plunging. 6:91. The object of the action is to beautify the mind with praiseworthy qualities and firmness of belief so therefore it is understood that the mind will not be beautified until blameworthy qualities and disbelief are removed. It is therefore a prerequisite to purify the mind from evil, so in this way, purity becomes half of belief. The purification of the body from filth is the first half and strengthening it with religious deeds is the second, and each stage has its specific rank, the highest of which is not attainable until one has attain the lower stage. One must also realize that the more honorable an object is, one needs to strive harder and overcome the obstacles on the way, it can neither be attained easily nor without effort. The early generations of Muslims were diligent in their effort to purify their hearts and placed greater value on such. They did not concern themselves deeply with very minor impurities. Today, cleanliness is taken to be clothes washed with soap, ironed clothes and praying on a prayer mat etc., whereas in the time of the Companions they walked without shoes along dusty roads, and prayed on the bare ground of the mosque. Although the clothes may be clean and ironed, the minds of most people nowadays are full of evil thoughts, pride, and ignorance. Purification from Impurities Filth is of three types inanimate, animal, and parts of animals. All inanimate matter is pure with the exception of intoxicants or that which has fermented, brewed or distilled. With the exception of dogs and pigs and any of their by-products, all animals are pure, however, if an animal dies it becomes impure. Dead fish, locusts, grubs found in food-stuffs, flies and beetles that do not contaminate water if they should fall into it and their like are not impure. In respect of animals, their parts are of two kinds; first that which is cut from them is classified as dead. The hair of an animal, regardless whether it has been cut off or fallen out does not pollute, however bones do. Secondly, whatever substance enters the stomach and changes is impure, whereas such things as tears and sweat that flow from the body are pure. Sperm and ova of all animals are impure, together with pus, feces and urine are impure. Nevertheless, there are exemptions to these impurities regardless whether or not their quality is a lot or a little. When one cannot find water and has passed a stool, a stone may be used to remove the filth. Street mud and the dust of refuse found on roads are exempted. However, one should avoid it as much as one can because if such accidentally comes on your garments the degree of its impurity is equal to the degree of your attempt to avoid it. When the soles of ones shoes become soiled it is sufficient to rub it off. Blood deposited by fleas on a garment is exempt. The blood and pus that come from the bursting of pimples, and scratches is exempt. Removal of impurities The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Water is created pure and nothing makes it impure except that which changes it color, taste or smell. Only pure water can remove an impurity. If water is mixed with an impure thing but has not changed its color then it is pure, however, if the color, taste or smell of the water has changed then it is impure. If an impurity is not visible then it is sufficient to pour water over it, however if it is visible then it must be removed. If a smell remains then it is a sign that the impurity still remains and must be removed, unless it is a powerful smell that cannot be removed. Relieving oneself When the necessity arrives to urinate or defecate, then one should, if outdoors, find a place away from the sight of people and not face or turn ones back to the direction of Kaba. If one is in a room this is not applicable. Clean stones, but not bones, can be used to remove traces of urine and feces when water is unavailable. One should never enter a toilet with an article bearing the Name of Allah or His Messenger, and upon entering the toilet one should say, I seek refuge with Allah from the stoned, and cursed satan, the filthy, the impure, the abominable, the harmful. Upon leaving, one should say, All praise is due to Allah who has removed that which was harmful from me and left for me that which is useful. Feces and urine are removable by water, if no water is available then a clean stone may be used. Major and minor ablutions Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, advised his Companions to begin their ablutions by brushing their teeth with the splayed end of a stick called a siwak. He said, If had not been difficult for my followers, I would have ordered them to use a tooth-stick before each prayer. It was his habit to frequently use a tooth-stick throughout the day and night. The use of a siwak purifies the mouth from odor and is pleasing to Allah, and the Caliph, Imam Ali said that the use of such a tooth-stick increases the memory and removes phlegm. The minor ablution before prayer In preparation for the obligatory prayer one should make the intention to make ablution for the appropriate prayer. It is recommended to use the siwak, then one should say In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned his Companions that if the Name of Allah is not pronounced before ablution is made, then the ablution is negated. (The Name of Allah and verses from the Koran should not be recited aloud in the toilet, this should be said in silence). Following this, one should supplicate saying, O my Lord, I seek refuge in You from evil suggestions of the satans. O my Lord, I seek refuge in You lest they attend me, 23:97-98. (If one does not loose his/her ablution between the times of one prayer to the next, then it is not necessary to make ablution). Stages of minor ablution (wudu): Start with the right hand, the hands are to be washed up to the wrist thrice whilst saying silently, My Lord, I seek Your Blessings and I seek refuge with You against misfortune and destruction. Then the mouth is rinsed thrice and the supplication O Allah help me to read Your Book and exalt Your Name. The nose is then washed three times, expelling the water from nostrils and the supplication before commencing is, O Allah, grant me the enjoyment of the fragrance of Paradise. After finishing the expulsion of the water from the nostrils, one should supplicate, I seek refuge in You from the stench of Hell and from the evil of the world. Next, one should wash the face thrice, supplicating, O Allah, make my face white and bright with Your Light on the Day when You make the faces of Your friends bright. Then the arms are washed starting with the right arm up to the elbows. Next, the head is wiped with damped hands three times whilst supplicating, O Allah, cover me with Your Mercy and shower it upon me. This is followed by the simultaneous washing of the ears without having re-wetted one hands. Following this is the washing of the feet up to, and including the ankles, starting with the right foot. Upon completion of the ablution one should raise ones face and say, I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and Muhammad is His worshiper and Messenger, all praise be to Allah, there is no god except You. I have sinned and been unjust to myself and beseech You to forgive me. To you I turn, so please forgive me and relent toward me. You are the Relenter, the Merciful. My Lord, make me to be among those who turn toward You and make me to be among those who are purified and those who are righteous. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, For whosoever does and says this eight gates of Paradise are opened for him and he will enter through whichever gate he chooses. It is essential to begin the ablution in the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful, however the supplications that follow the obligatory washings are highly recommended but not obligatory. On the Day of Resurrection believers will come with brightness on their foreheads, wrist and ankles with the blessed effect of ablution. Prophet Muhammad said, When a Muslim rinses his mouth in ablution, his sins come out from his mouth. When he expels the water from his nose, his sins are expelled from his nose. When he washes his face, the sins drip from his face, even from the eye brows. When he washes his hands, the sins fall from them, even from under the fingernails. When he wipes his head, the sins fall from his head, even his ears. When he washes his feet, sins fall from his feet, even between his toes. Then he goes to the mosque to pray. There are several matters that are undesirable when making ablution one of which is the washing of each limb more than thrice. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever exceeds three times (these washings) has transgressed. He also said, Soon, amongst my nation there will appear those who exaggerate their ablution and supplication. He also warned that the obligatory prayer of those who do not have ablution is not accepted by Allah. The major ablution (Ghusl) Major ablution, which is the taking of an Islamic shower is obligatory. It is to be performed after sexual intercourse, seminal emission, masturbation, after the finish of menstruation, and at the cessation of the flow of blood after childbirth. The first act is to make the intention to purify oneself from the major impurity. Then one mentions the Name of Allah as described in the minor ablution. This is followed by the washing of the hands three times, then the removal of impurities from the body. Next one proceeds to make ablution in the same way as the minor ablution, followed by the washing of the entire body with water (not soap or shampoo) and head thrice remembering to start the washing on the right and thereafter the left side. Having finished the major shower, if one has not lost ones ablution when the prayer time arrives, one can pray without having to make the minor ablution. The taking of a major ablution shower is highly recommended before the prayer of the two Eids, on Fridays before the congregational prayer. It is also highly recommended at the time of Ihram when on pilgrimage, the standing at Arafat, at the entrance of Mecca and on the last three days of pilgrimage before the farewell circumambulation around Kaba, and at the time of conversion to Islam, also after fainting and washing the body of a deceased person. Dry Ablution (Tayammum) Dry ablution is made when: There is no water When it is too far away to fetch If one is prevented from using water If there is only sufficient water to quench ones thirst and those of ones traveling companions If the price of water is excessive If one is wounded. If during an illness water would cause harm to the sick AAAA check this. The dry ablution is made for each individual obligatory prayer and cannot be made before its time has arrived. To perform the dry ablution one must find pure soil, sand, or stone. Having found the means, if one is wearing a ring it should be removed and then one should make the intention to perform the dry ablution and strike the means with both palms and rub the hands together once. This is followed by wiping the face once. The hands must strike the means again and wipe the right arm up to the elbow, then proceed to wipe the left arm. If one needs to pray two obligatory prayers successively, then the dry ablution must be made before each individual prayer. Cleansing of bodily hair, dirt and discharge There are two kinds, the first is dirt and fluid. The first type Infestation of the scalp. It is recommended to cleanse the head thoroughly by washing and combing, with the application of ointments and the removal of eggs. Removal of anything that has built up in the folds of the ears. Wiping is insufficient as it does not remove. Visible wax should be removed with the greatest of care so as not to impair ones hearing. 3. Nose dirt and mucus are to be removed by sniffing water up into the nostrils then expelling it. 4. Particles around teeth and tongue should be removed. 5. Dirt that has accumulated in the beard should be washed away and combed. Any accumulation of dirt in the folds of finger joints should be removed. Fingernail and toenail dirt should be removed. The accumulation of dirt on the body due to sweat and dust should be removed. The second type Bodily hair, nails, and skin folds. There is no harm if a man shaves his hair, however, if he decides to keep it, it should be kept clean. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Trim the moustache and leave the beard. It is preferable to pluck ones under arm hair every forty days, however, it can be shaved. Pubic hair should either be plucked or shaved every forty days. Nails should be trimmed because dirt accumulates underneath. 6 and 7. The umbilical cord and foreskin of the penis. The umbilical cord should be removed at birth. As for circumcision of a male it is following the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, whereas for a female it is meritorious. If a female is circumcised, it should not be excessive, and only a small portion of the clitoris should be removed. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to the mother of Atiay as she prepared to circumcise a girl, O mother of Atiay, take a little and not too much, this is more pleasant and preferable to her husband. This is the excessive growth of the beard. There is a difference of opinion in what is considered excessive and what is not. It has been said that if a man can clasp his hand around his beard that which appears beneath his hand is the excess and should be removed, and this was the practice of Omars son and many others in the early generations of Muslims. Others are of the opinion that it is better to leave it because the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, . leave the beard. It is, however, considered better to trim it rather than having it unkempt, which if kept in this manner prompts people to backbite. It is an undesirable practice to dye ones beard black thereby appearing youthful, or to bleach it in order to gain the respect due to elders. Likewise it is undesirable to pluck gray hairs from it because the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that it will be a light for believers. He warned against dying ones hair black saying that it was prohibited and that black dye is a sign of the inhabitants of Hell, and informed his companions that Pharaoh was the first person to die his hair black VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 1 The Merit of the Call to Prayer Allah says, And who is better in saying than he who invites to Allah, does what is right, and says: Surely, I am of those who surrender. 41:33. The authoritative commentators on the Koran say that this verse pertains to the Callers to Prayer. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, On the Day of Resurrection, three people will find themselves on a mound of black musk. They will neither fear the reckoning, nor any cause for alarm when the reckoning of others is being settled. The first is the reciter of the Koran who sought the pleasure of Allah in its recitation and satisfactorily led people in the prayer. The second is the man who calls people to prayer in a mosque, thereby inviting them for the sake of the pleasure of Allah. The third is a man who finds it difficult to make a living, yet despite his search does not forgo the deeds of the Everlasting Life. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also told his Companions, On the Day of Resurrection, all who heard the call of the Caller to Prayer (Muezzin), no matter whether they are jinn, human or else, will testify for him. He also told them that, The hand of the Merciful remains on the head of the Caller to Prayer throughout his call to the prayer. He told his Companions that when they hear the call to prayer (adhan) repeat what the caller says, and when he says come to the prayer (Haiaalas salat), to say there is no might or strength except through Allah. When the caller reaches the phrase "the prayer has begun to say May Allah establish the prayer and keep its tongue as long as the heaven and earth remain. He also told them that when, at the Dawn prayer (Fajr), the caller says prayer is better than sleep they should say, you have said the truth, and you have given warning. When the call to prayer has finished the desired supplication is, O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant Prophet Muhammad, the Closest Access, the Pre-eminence, the Lofty Rank and the Praised Position which You have promised him. He also informed his Companions of the good news that for whosoever makes this supplication it becomes incumbent upon him to intercede for him on the Day of Judgement. The Merit of the Obligatory Prayer Allah has obligated prayer upon all believers. He says, Establish the prayer, surely, prayer is timely written upon the believer. 4:103. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, informed his Companions that there are five obligatory prayers to be performed each twenty-four hours. For believers who perform their prayers in the correct manner Allah has guaranteed admittance to Paradise, however, for those who do not there is no guarantee, and He may either punish them or let them enter. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, The five daily prayers can be compared to a river running outside your door in which one bathes five times a day to remove dirt. The one who prays the five daily prayers is clean like this. He also said, For every Muslim who makes his ablution diligently when the obligatory prayer arrives and perfects its due in humility and bowing, this will be the ransom for his previous sins as long as he has not committed a major sin; and this is for ever. Referring to the distinction between hypocrites and believers, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, The distinction between us and the hypocrites is our presence at the dawn and night prayers, and their absence in these two. He also said, If a man who is negligent of his prayer meets Allah, Allah does not care for his other deeds. Prayer is the pillar of religion, to neglect it is the destruction of the pillar. If a man protects his five daily prayers, having made his ablution and performs the prayers during their prescribed times, then, on the Day of Resurrection they will be a light and a proof for him. But whosoever destroys them will be resurrected in the company of Pharaoh and Hamam. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked which action was best, he replied, To pray at their designated time. Prayer is the key to Paradise. After the witnessing of the Oneness of Allah, Allah has not made any act of His worshipers more dear to Him than that of the obligatory prayer and if there had been anything dearer to Him than the obligatory prayer you would find the angels worshiping with it. Some angels bow, whereas others prostrate, some stand upright and others sit on their heels in prayer. Whosoever intentionally neglects his prayer comes close to disbelief, because the tie with which he was firmly tied becomes loose and he falls, just like a man who has very nearly reached a town is said to have reached and entered it. Whosoever intentionally does not perform a prayer is outside the promise of Muhammad. On the Day of Resurrection, of all the deeds of mankind, the first to be examined will be the prayer. If it is found to be complete it will be accepted from him together with the rest of all his deeds, however, if it is found wanting it will be rejected together with the rest of his deeds. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to Abu Hurairah, O Abu Hurairah, tell you family to perform the prayer, because Allah will provide you with an abundance of blessings. A pious man once said, Whosoever performs a voluntary prayer can be compared to a merchant who does not start to make a profit until he has recovered his capital. If he does not perform the obligatory prayer then those performed voluntarily are not credited to his account until the obligation has been fulfilled. The Caliph, Abu Bakr told his companions, When it is time to pray, get up and extinguish the fire of Hell that you have kindled for yourself. The Merit of Performing the Prayer Correctly The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The obligatory prayer is like the pans of a scale. Whosoever gives full measure will also receive it in full. If two of my followers stand in prayer, it would appear that their prostration is the same, but the spirit of the prayer of one of them is like the distance between heaven and earth. The meaning of this is that one feared Allah more than the other. Allah will not look at a person who does not make his backbone straight between his bow and prostration. If a man turns his face in another direction during the prayer, Allah will turn his face into that of a donkey. If a man performs his prayer during the appointed time, makes his ablution in the correct manner, bows and prostrates in the correct manner and is humble in prayer, that prayer will rise upwards bright and shining and will say, May Allah take care of you as you have taken care of me. However, if he performs the prayer during the wrong time, without the correctness of ablution, does not bow and prostrate in the correct manner and is not humble in his prayer, then his prayer rises upwards dark and gloomy saying, May Allah neglect you as you have neglected me. Then, when it reaches wherever Allah wills, it will be fold up like an old rag and he will be slapped in the face with it. The word thief applies to one who is negligent in a prayer The Merit of Praying in Congregational (Jamaa) Concerning the value of the performance of the pray in a congregation, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The reward of praying in a prayer in congregation is twenty-seven more times greater than the individual prayer. One day the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, noticed a certain people were not among the congregational prayer and said, I wish I could order someone else to lead the prayer and confront those who have not joined us, and burn down their homes. The value of praying the night prayer (Isha) in congregation was stressed when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, To perform the night prayer (Isha) in a congregation is equal to spending half the night in prayer, and performing the dawn prayer (Fajr) in a congregation is as if one had prayed through the night. He also said, To perform the prayer in a congregation is to fill ones throat with worship. Said, the son of Musayyab said, that he was, for twenty years, always in the mosque before the call to prayer was made. The son of Abbas said, If a man hears the call to prayer and does not respond, then he does not hope for good and no good can be expected from him. Abu Hurairah said, It is better for a man to have his ear filled with molten lead than to hear a call to prayer and not respond to it. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a man prays in a congregation for forty days and does not miss one pronouncement of Allah is the Greatest, Allah writes two kinds of safety for him; one is the safety from hypocrisy and the other from Hell. The early generation of Muslims became very upset for three days if they missed the first pronouncement of Allah is the Greatest. If they missed the a prayer said in congregation they were extremely upset from one Friday to the following. The Blessings of Prostration Allah says, Prostrate and come near (to Allah) 96:19 The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The meaning of this verse is that a worshiper is closer to Allah in his prostration. He also said, Whenever a Muslim prostrates for the sake of Allah, Allah raises him one degree and removes a sin from him. A companion by the name of Rabiah would spend his nights in the proximity of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and prepare the water for his ablution. One day the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked him, Would you like to ask for something? Rabiah replied, I ask for your companionship in Paradise. He asked again, Is there anything else? Whereupon Rabiah replied, That is all. So the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, Then help me by increasing the number of your prostrations. Referring to the verse that says, You see them bow and prostrate themselves seeking the bounty and pleasure of Allah. Their mark is on heir faces from the trace of prostration. 48:29. Some scholars say this refers to the dust that attaches itself to the eye-brows during prostration, whereas other say it is the light of humility shining forth. The latter view is deemed to be more correct. There is also the opinion that on the Day of Resurrection radiance will appear upon the faces of those who made their ablution in the correct manner. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When a person prostrates himself at the appropriate point in the recitation of the Koran, satan withdraws, weeping saying, Alas, this person was told to prostrate and he obeyed, so Paradise is his. I was commanded to prostrate but I disobeyed and so my place is in Hell. Omar, the son of Abdul Aziz never prostrated upon anything except the bare ground. Joseph Asbats son advised, Young men, take advantage of your good health, before the time comes when you are too sick, because the only person I now envy is the one who completes his bowing and prostration in the prayer, and my time has grown short for its doing. Said Jubairs son said, There is nothing I look for in this world except the consolation I feel when prostrating in prayer. Uqba, Muslims son said, Nothing in a person is dearer to Allah than he longs to meet Him, and there is no moment when he is closer to Allah than when he prostrates. Abu Hurairah said, The worshiper is nearest to Allah when he prostrates himself in prayer, therefore that is the time to make many supplications. The Merit of Fearing Allah Allah says, So remember Me, I will remember you. 2:152. He also says, who are heedless in their prayers 107.5. And Believers, do not come close to prayer when you are drunk, until you know what you are saying. 4:43 The word drunk in the latter verse has been explained in various ways. Some say it means anxiety, while other say it means the attachment of the mind and heart to the world which is preoccupied by worldly thoughts and temptations so that what is being said passes just as an active utterance of the tongue whereas the mind and heart remained inactive. The latter part of the verse until you know what you are saying explains the reason why those who are intoxicated are barred from the prayer until they are sober; however, the term can be applied to those who do not pay attention to what they are saying. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: If a man performs two units of prayer and does not let his thoughts stray on worldly matters, his past sins are forgiven. Prayer is the embodiment of modesty, humility, supplication, repentance, raising ones hands and the utterance of the words, O Allah, O Allah! Whosoever does not do this is a cheat. Allah tells us in a Divine Hadith: I do not accept the prayer of everyone. I accept the prayer of whosoever humbles himself before My Greatness, is proud before my worshipers, and gives food for My sake to the hungry and the poor. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said: Prayer and the pilgrimage is obligatory, and the circumambulation (around Kaba) for the remembrance of Allah. Therefore, if you have no fear of Allah, then what is the value of your remembrance. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, When you pray, pray as if it is your last prayer. He also said, Fear Allah, and He will teach you. Allah says, Me, you must fear. 2:40. He also says, and fear Allah. And know that you shall meet Him. 2:223. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever does not restrain himself from indecency and evil deeds in prayer distances himself from Allah. Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, said, The Prophet used to talk with us and we used to talk with him. However, when the time for prayer arrived he did not talk, it was as if he did not recognize us, and we too did not recognize him because all of us remained busy exalting Allah. He also told his family that when he wished to pray not to speak to him because he would not hear them. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, warned, Allah does not respond to the prayer of whosoever does not observe it with both his mind and body. When Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, stood in prayer, the voice of his mind could be heard from a distance of two miles. When the time for prayer came, the Caliph, Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, would start to tremble and the color of his face changed. When he was asked about it, he replied, It is a time of the trust of Allah which was entrusted to the heavens, earth and mountains and they became fearful of it and refused to bear it, but I am bearing it when it comes to me. When Imam Alis grandson, Zainal Abedin who was the son of Hussein, may Allah be pleased with them, made ablution he turned noticeable pale, and when his family asked him about it he replied, Dont you know who I am going to stand before? Hatem Asem was asked about prayer and said, When the time arrives, I make ablution and go to the place of prayer and wait until my neighbors arrive. Then I stand for prayer facing the Kaba with the Bridge under my feet, Paradise at my right side and Hell at my left, with the angel of death behind me, and think that this is my last prayer. Then I stand between fear and hope and recite Allah is the Greatest, then bow with humility and prostrate with fear and sit with the sole of my feet spread and keep my right side on my toes. I do not know whether my prayer has been accepted or not. The merit of praying in the mosque Allah says, None should inhabit the mosques of Allah except those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish their prayers. 9:18 The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a man builds a mosque for Allah, Allah builds for him a palace in Paradise. If a man loves the mosque, Allah loves him. The angels love you when you remain seated in your place of prayer and supplicate saying, O Allah, send blessings upon him. O Allah have mercy on him and forgive him. And they continue to supplicate for him for as long as he remains in a state of ablution or until he leaves the mosque. He warned, There will be some of my followers who will come to the mosque and sit in group and talk about worldly affairs do not sit with them. Allah has no necessity for such people. Random talk in a mosque consumes good deeds in the same way that animals eat grass. When you find a man continuously visiting a mosque, bear witness that he is a believer. The Companion of the Prophet, Anas said, If a man gives a light in a mosque the angels bearing the Throne seek his forgiveness until the light extinguishes. MANNER OF PRAYER We mentioned earlier that before prayer is permissible, all bodily impurities must be removed. Ablution must be made before any prayer can be performed. One should say all statements of prayer in Arabic, but performing it in your native language until you learn the Arabic does not make it void. Allah hears all who speak to him. One must not speak sounds other than those for prayer. It is recommended that you use a prayer mat to pray upon, but again, it is not necessary. A clean towel is sufficient. Below is a definition of one unit. (For each prayer there is an obligation to do a certain number of units.) Face southeast in USA, as this is the direction of the Kabah, a building used as the Islamic compass created by Allah rebuilt by Abraham, located in the city of Mecca on the Arabian peninsula. If during any part of a prayer, the worshippers chest turns to face any other direction, the prayer is cancelled and must be performed over again. While standing, swing hands up above the shoulders. This symbolizes leaving the whole universe behind you and preparing yourself to hear only Allah (directing the ears toward Kabah.) During this movement one should say: Allah is the Greatest. Allahu Ekbar. Upon allowing the hands to come down, place the right hand over the left wrist, and place your hands over your abdomen. Recite the first chapter of the Holy Koran, and recite three or more consecutive verses of choice from the Holy Koran. Begin with: I seek refuge with Allah, from satan, the stoned. Aothu bilahee min ash highton arajeem. In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. Bismillah arahman araheem. Chapter 1: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, the Merciful, the Most Merciful, Owner of the Day of Recompense. You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we rely on for help. Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have favored, not those upon whom is the anger, nor those who have gone astray. Alhamdu lil lahi rabil alameen arahmani araheem maliki yaw mideen. Iyaka nabudu wa iyaka nestaeen. Ehdena aserata almostakeem. Seratal lathenna anamta alayhim ghayril magh dubi alayhim wa la dauleen (Ameen) Example of Additional Reading of Koran after Al Fatihah: Chapter: 112 Oneness - Al-'Ikhlas In the Name of Allah the Merciful, the Most Merciful 1 Say: 'He is Allah, the One, 2 the called upon. 3 Who has not given birth, and has not been born, 4 and there is none equal to Him.' Chapter 112: Say, Allah is One. Allah is the One to be called upon. He has not given birth, and He was not borne. There is none equal to Him. Kul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahu asamad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufu wan ahad. When the reading is complete, swing arms up to shoulders, then allow the entire torso to fall down into a bent-over position, ending with the hands resting on the knees. Fill the movement with the words, Allahu Ekbar. In this bent over position, repeat three times or more (keeping to odd numbers): Exalted my Lord, the Great. Subahana Rabia el Azeem In coming up to standing position, say: Allah hears whosoever praises him. Samia Allahu leman hamidah. While saying Allahu Ekbar, prostrate onto your knees with face touching the ground so that seven points are touching the floor. Face (forehead and nose) Two hands (closed fingers) Two knees Two feet In this position repeat three times or more (keeping to odd numbers): Exalted is my Lord, the High. Subhana Rabia el alla. Come up into a sitting position in which your legs are resting underneath you, while saying Allahu Ekbar. In this position, your hands should be resting on your knees. While saying Allahu Ekbar, prostrate again. Once the seven points are resting on the ground say, Subhanna rabia el alla, three times or more (keeping to odd numbers.) This completes one unit. After the second unit of any prayer, all or part of the Greeting Prayer must be recited. All greetings, prayers and goodness are for Allah. O Prophet, may the Mercy, Blessings, and the Peace of Allah be upon you. Peace be upon us, and upon the good worshipper of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Worshipper and Messenger. (1st half ended.) O Allah, grant praise upon Muhammad and the kin of Muhammad as You granted praise upon Abraham and the kin of Abraham. Truly, You are the Most Praised and Noble. Bless Muhammad and the kin of Muhammad as You blessed Abraham and the kin of Abraham in the world. Truly, You are the Most Praised and Noble. At tayhi yatu lil layhe wa salawatu watyebat. Asalamu alayka ayuha anabey wa rahmatu lahi wa barakatu. Asalamu alayna wa alla ibady ilayhe asaliheen. Ash hadu anla ilaaha ella Allahu wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasooluh. (1st half ended.) Allah homma, solly alla Muhammadin wa alla eli Muhammadin kama saulighta alla Ebraheem wa alla eli Ebraheem. Ineka hameedon majeed. Allah homma, barik alla Muhammadin wa alla eli Muhammadin kama barokta alla Ebraheem wa alla eli Ebraheem fil alameen. Ineka hameedon majeed. Upon completing all required units for a particular prayer, stay seated and turn head to the right and then to the left, saying both times: Peace be upon you. Ah salamu alaycum. This is referred to as the Peace Statement and it ends all prayers. If one has missed a prayer for a valid reason (i.e. being asleep or forgetting it), or if one has missed a prayer for a non-valid reason (i.e. choosing not to pray at the appropriate time) the prayer should be made up as soon as possible. Dawn prayer (Fajr) Is performed as the sky is beginning to be light. It consists of two audible units of prayer in which Chapter 1 Al Fatihah (The Opener) is recited and closed with Ameen together with at least three verses from another chapter are recited in both units of prayer. When sitting in the last unit of prayer the full greeting is said and thereafter the prayer is concluded with the peace statement. Noon prayer (Zuhr) This prayer is performed just after the sun has reached it zenith and its four units of prayer are said silently. Chapter 1 Al Fatihah (The Opener) is recited and closed with Ameen together with at least three verses from another chapter in both of the first two units of prayer. Al Fatihah is recited in the remaining two units of prayer. After the second prostration in the second unit, half the greeting is said. Upon reaching the final sitting in the fourth unit of prayer the full greeting is said and thereafter the prayer is concluded with the peace statement. Afternoon prayer (Asr) This prayer is performed when an objects shadow equals it height, and its four units of prayer are said silently. Chapter 1 Al Fatihah (The Opener) is recited and closed with Ameen together with at least three verses from another chapter in both of the first two units of prayer. Al Fatihah is recited in the remaining two units of prayer. After the second prostration in the second unit, half the greeting is said. Upon reaching the final sitting in the fourth unit of prayer the full greeting is said and thereafter the prayer is concluded with the peace statement. Sunset prayer (Maghrib) This prayer is performed after the sun has set, and it has three units of prayer in which the first two units are said audibly. Chapter 1 Al Fatihah (The Opener) is recited and closed with Ameen together with at least three verses from another chapter in both of the first two units of prayer. Al Fatihah is recited silently in the remaining unit of prayer. After the second prostration in the second unit, half the greeting is said. Upon reaching the final sitting in the third unit of prayer the full greeting is said and thereafter the prayer is concluded with the peace statement. Late Evening prayer (Isha) This prayer is performed when there is no more light, and it has four units of prayer in which the first two units are said audibly. Chapter 1 Al Fatihah (The Opener) is recited and closed with Ameen together with at least three verses from another chapter in both of the first two units of prayer. Al Fatihah is recited in the remaining two units of prayer. After the second prostration in the second unit, half the greeting is said. Upon reaching the final sitting in the fourth unit of prayer the full greeting is said and thereafter the prayer is concluded with the peace statement. Specific Information for Men During prayer, men should take care to cover their bodies from the shoulders to the knees. Clothing should be loose and not reveal the shape ones figure. Attending Friday prayer (juma) in a local mosque is obligatory for all able, Muslim males. In preparation, he must take a purifying bath/shower and clean his mouth. He should also wear perfume and wear white loose clothing. He should arrive at the mosque before the sun reaches its highest, for juma replaces his noon prayer. Specific Information for Women In Islamic faith it is understood that men are attracted to women by way of sight, whereas women are attracted to men by way of thought. Therefore in order to avoid any sexual thoughts on the part of the male during a time of prayer, it is necessary for a woman to cover her entire body except the face and hands. Contrary to Western opinion, the choice to cover the body is done out of respect for the woman, and some Muslim women cover up partly as a favor to their Muslim brothers. For the same reason, when men and women are praying together, the woman prays behind the man so that he cannot be sexually distracted by her presence, thus allowing him to focus on his prayer. All this being said, if you are female, it is obligatory to cover ones self up during prayer (even if you are alone.) In Islamic thought, a woman should rest during her menstrual period. Therefore, during her cycle, a woman must not participate in any of the five obligatory prayers. If however a woman begins to bleed and the bleeding ceases within 24 hours, it is not considered a menstrual cycle and therefore, she must make up all missed prayers. If the bleeding begins and stops repeatedly, usually referred to as spotting, this is considered menstruation and therefore no prayers should be performed. If a woman is in her menstrual cycle during a time of fast, she should not partake in the fast, but needs to perform the fast once her menstrual cycle has ended. If a woman for any reason chronically emits an unusually large amount of vaginal discharge, she should cleanse the area immediately before making any prayers. Nail polish is to be removed before making ablution, because it prevents water from touching the nails and voids the ablution. The Remembrance of Allah (Zikr) Remembrance - Although it is essential to state the Declaration of Faith during ones initiation into Islam, stating it frequently is highly recommended. It means that one accepts the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him peace.) One can also continuously repeat the first statement as a means of contemplation. I declare that there is no god except Allah. Ash hadu enla ellahah ella Allah. Worship - Aside from believing in your heart, the next best form of worship is the prescribed pattern of prayer (salat.) Glorification - The best way to give glory to Allah is to say: Exalted are You. We are unable to glorify You as You glorify Yourself. Subahanaka. Lan ohsee thana an ahlayeka anta kama athnighta alla nafsik. Praise The best way to give praise to Allah is to say: Praise be to Allah, a kind of praise that equals His favors and the favors yet to come. Alhamdu lelahe hamdan yuafio neamahu wa yukafe u mazeeda. Blessing on the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) The best way to ask Allah to bless Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him peace) is to say: O Allah, grant praise upon Muhammad and the kin of Muhammad as You granted praise upon Abraham and the kin of Abraham. Bless Muhammad and the kin of Muhammad as You blessed Abraham and the kin of Abraham in this world. Truly, You are the Most Praised and Noble. Allah homma, solly alla Muhammadin wa alla eli Muhammadin kama saulighta alla Ebrah heem wa alla eli Ebrah heem. Wabarik alla Muhammadin wa alla eli Muhammadin kama barokta alla Ebrah heem wa alla eli Ebrah heem fil ala meen. Ineka hameedon majeed. Blessing on the Prophet when saying his name Although obligatory during the Declaration of Faith, it is strongly recommended that one give Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him peace) this blessing at every mention of his name. Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and give him peace.) Prophet Muhammad (Saula Allahu aleah was salaam) Internal matters of ones prayer Allah says, So remember Me, I will remember you. 2:152. He says, Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayers. 107:4-5. And, Is it not time that the hearts of the believers be humbled to the Remembrance of Allah and the truth He has sent down? 57:16 The prayer is to be observed in humility. If one allows the mind to wonder throughout the prayer how is it possible to consider one has prayed? The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, There are many that pray who do not gain anything in their prayer except fatigue and effort. He also said, Nothing is written for those who pray but do not understand its meaning. The object of prayer with its recitation of the Koran, bowing, prostrating, standing and sitting is the worship and remembrance of Allah. Without such remembrance it is just a voice and a tongue because they have just moved automatically. When the object is not attained there is no use in the prayer. There are several points that represent the life of prayer, we have already mentioned humility and understanding what is being said, but there is also honor, hope and shame to be taken into account. Presence of mind: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Although a person performs an entire prayer, he may only be credited with no more than one sixth or even a tenth of it. A person is credited only for his conscious part of his prayer. When ones mind is not present during the prayer it has strayed to matters of this world, so one must be conscious of the fact that prayer is a stepping stone to the matters of the Everlasting Life. For example, if when one reached the phrase in the Opener chapter, Guide us to the Straight Path and said it a state of absentmindedness and are heedless that it is an important humble supplication, ones words are empty. It is even worse if it has become a heedless habit, because without His guiding help, we are lost and will be easily tempted into error. Allah is our only Protector. One must not never fail to remember that this life is only temporary and insignificant, and therefore to be successful one must concentrate on the matters of the Everlasting Life. An assisting cure for absentmindedness is that ones place of prayer is free from distracting objects, noise, and that ones garments are plain. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was given a multi-colored robe by one of his companions. He put it on to pray and at the end of his prayer he changed into another garment and asked that the multi-colored garment be returned as it had distracted him for an instant during his prayer. Before the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, received the prohibition for men to wear gold he wore such a ring. One day after prayer he ascended the pulpit and removed the ring and cast it away saying, that his sight had fallen on it and the ring had distracted him from his prayer. Understanding what is being said: Understanding the meaning of the words uttered during the prayer is essential. The cure of removing thoughts that invade the mind during prayers is to sever the root or remove the cause of stray thoughts. Revering Allah: Reverence of Allah is a condition of the mind. Reverence is something that goes beyond both awareness and understanding, for example a man may speak to his servant in full awareness and understanding, but without reverence, because reverence is an additional quality. Reverence arises from two matters, the first of which is the knowledge of the Glory of Allah, which is the essence of belief. This is because the mind of whosoever does not firmly believe in His Glory receives no encouragement to revere Him. The second matter is that one should view oneself a being insignificant and helpless. It is from these two matters that modesty and fear of Allah appear and as a result, the Honor of Allah is present. Awe of Allah: Awe of Allah grows from a kind of fear that arises from revering Allah. Without encountering fear, one is unable to stand in awe. The every day kind of fear one experiences and is apprehensive about, such as the fear of scorpions, is not the same as being in awe. Fear of Allah arises from the knowledge of the Power of Allah, and the knowledge that He is Able to reward or punish. It is also the realization that if Allah destroyed, both the past and the present, not one single thing, would have caused His sovereignty to be reduced in the slightest amount. The more knowledgeable a person becomes, the more he is in awe of Allah. Awe is the kind of fear that is induced by sense of majesty. Hope in the Mercy of Allah: Hope arises from certainty of belief and is arrived at through the knowledge that the Mercy of Allah encompasses all things, it is both the recognition and acknowledgement of the gifts of Allah, knowledge of His creation and the remembrance of Paradise through prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that with Allah are a hundred parts of mercy. One part is used by all His creatures and with which His creation is kind to one another. He retained ninety-nine for Himself and on the Day of Judgement He will distribute it. From this it is learned to a believer must never get up his/her hope for the Mercy of Allah. Shame: Shame arises from the knowledge that one has been neglectful of His worship and His commands and the reluctance to strive in His way. Humility: In proportion to ones degree of belief the mind becomes proportionately humble. It has been reported that Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, was told by Allah, O Moses, when you remember Me, remember Me in such a way that your limbs tremble, and that you hold Me dear at the time of remembrance and are satisfied. When you remember Me, let your tongue be behind your mind. When you stand before Me, stand with a fearful mind like a humble slave and speak with Me with the tongue of the truthful. Allah told him, Tell your disobedient followers to remember Me. I took an oath upon Myself that I shall remember whosoever remembers Me. Steps to inner serenity: Allah created us to worship Him, and as a Muslim one must exalt Allah, the Most High in not only fear but in hope and humble awareness of ones own deficiency. Distractions, both internal and external, are a barrier preventing us from coming closer to Allah. To remove the symptoms one must first identify and treat the cause. Stray thoughts can be the result of an external matter, or they may come from within ones self. Let us treat external causes first. Distractions are likely to attend us at any given time, by sight or sound. If one sees something it is likely to remind us of something and if one hears something it is likely to hold ones attention. The remedy for eliminating such distractions is to pray near to a wall in a small, empty dark room without ornamentation of any kind. Such remedies were used by pious people, the room in which they prayed was only large enough to prostrate and their gaze focused upon the place of prostration. With the exception of the Congregational Prayer on Friday, it is there that they would pray. Those who were not disturbed by external or internal influences would pray in the mosque. An example of such a devoted person is found in the following story. There was a pious man whose habit it was to pray in a mosque. One day as he was praying part of the wall collapsed and fell on him and crushed many of his bones. The man was so engrossed in his prayer that he neither heard the falling of the wall nor yet knew he had been injured. A physician was called and when he saw the condition of the man told his companions that one of his limbs needed to be amputated. His companions told the physician to do the amputation while the man prayed saying that he was so engrossed in his prayer he would neither feel nor know what was happening. The physician removed the limb and only after the man finished his prayer did he know what had happened, he neither felt nor heard anything. Internal causes are often more distracting because there maybe many worldly matter going on it ones life and therefore the mind is likely to hop from one to another. The remedy for such distractions is that before one starts to pray to remind oneself of the Everlasting Life and with whom one is about to stand before, and know that although you do not see Allah, He is looking at you and the angels are waiting to take your prayer to Him. One should make every effort to empty the heart from all its cares, then proceed and concentrate on the meaning of each and every word you say. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 2 THE STAGES OF THE OBLIGATORY PRAYER The Call to Prayer Upon hearing the call to prayer, remember the Day of Resurrection and prepare both your external and internal self in response, and make haste to pray. Whosoever responds immediately to this call will receive mercy on that Day. Therefore examine your heart immediately, if you find joy, comfort and happiness, eagerness to respond to the call, then mercy awaits you on the Day of Judgement. At the time of prayer, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would say to Bilal, the Caller to Prayer (Muezzin), Bilal, comfort us because the prayer was both a joy and a comfort to him. Cleanliness We have already discussed the necessity and merit of bodily cleanliness before prayer, but there is another dimension that should not be overlooked and that is the state of your inner being which lies at the heart of all these. Make every effort to purify it by turning to Allah in contrition and repentance, and resolve not to slip back into them again. The condition: purity of the heart is observed by Allah. Concealment of Private Parts Whereas one is able to conceal ones private parts from the sight of others, you cannot conceal the shameful aspects of your heart from Allah who looks at your heart. Know, dear reader, that no secrets that are hidden from Him. Therefore, be aware of your circumstances and errors and try to expiate them by repenting, feeling ashamed, and fearful as one stands before Allah, in the same way that a fugitive slave returns to his owner, repentant, humbled and with bent head. Facing Kaba Turning ones face towards Kaba, the House of Allah, is to turn your mind towards Him, abandoning all distractions and removing evil thoughts from your heart. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When a person stands in prayer and directs his hope, face and mind toward Allah, he comes out from his prayer as (pure as) on the day his mother gave birth to him. Standing Erect A Muslim should stand erect before his Lord and not slouch. Know dear reader, that your heart is between the Hand of Allah, your head which is the top part of your body should be in the position of humility as a reminder for the heart to be humble, and in remembrance of the Day of Judgement and how one will stand before Allah. If it is hard for you to imagine how one will stand in front of Him, then try to remember how you would stand before a very religious person who is important to you and he is watching you pray. One would certainly do ones best to ensure that he would not accuse you of not concentrating sufficiently in your prayer. Intention When making the intention to pray or make ablution, resolve to obediently respond to the command of Allah with its correct performance. Avoid all that would invalidate it by speech, action or thought, and reflect upon how, the son of Hussein, Zainal Abedin would tremble and how his face changed color as he prepared himself before Allah. Takbir Allah is the Greatest! Be careful that when you pronounce the words Allahu Akbar that your mind does not speak falsely. Both your heart and tongue should be in accord that there is no thing, no one greater than Allah. If you should think otherwise then Allah will bear witness that you are indeed a liar! Opening Supplication The opening supplication which is not obligatory, but highly recommended is: I turn my face to who created the heavens and the earth. A Muslim of pure faith. And I am not among the unbelievers. My life and death are for Allah. I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan. The first sentence means one does not turn your face literally to the heavens and the earth, but you face the Qibla, and Allah the Exalted, the Glorified is Greater than being limited to a direction. Rather it is that your heart is directed to Him who created the heavens and the earth. Make sure you are not facing Him with your hopes and concerns of your worldly affairs, but rather facing Him alone. Therefore, one should try ones best to be consistent in focusing because in that way you are most likely to be sincere. The second sentence reminds us that a Muslim is one from whom people are prevented from the harm of his tongue and hands, so one must be true to this meaning so that when one prays one is true to Allah and yourself, so try no to be a liar. If you are like this externally, make sure that you have the will to change and regret all that has passed. The third sentence: It must come to ones mine that the hidden disbelief in the verse, Let him who hopes for the encounter with his Lord do good work, and not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord. 18:110 The fourth sentence: When one says, My life and my death are for Allah one should be aware that this is the condition of the worshiper who safeguards the existence of his master in preference to his own. When one says, I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan, one should always remember that satan is your avowed enemy and he is waiting for any opportunity to distance you from Allah. The stoned and cursed satan envies your worship of Allah and the blessed gift of the prostration to Allah, as it was through satans proud refusal to prostrate at the command of Allah that he fell and became an outcast. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, that Allah said, There is no god except Allah, and I am your fortress. Whosoever enters My fortress is safe from My punishment. Allah protects whosoever worships no other god except Him. But whosoever takes his low desire as his god is not in the fortress of Allah but in the house of satan. Recitation of the Koran There are three types of people who recite the Koran. Those who just move their tongues automatically. Those who are conscious of the movement of their tongue, understand its meaning while listening to it as if it were a person other than themselves reciting it. Those who reach this degree are the fortunate. Those who are aware of the meaning, then use the tongue to express this inner consciousness. The tongue may be either the teacher or the interpreter for the inner feeling. Those, whose tongue is an interpreter are nearest to Allah. Bowing Allah says, Put your trust in the Almighty, the Most Merciful, who sees you when you stand and when you turn among those who prostrate themselves. 26:217-219. Ikrimah, a Companion of the Prophet, said that this verse refers to the postures of prayer; its standing, bowing, prostration and sitting and when you pray with others. As one bows before the Creator one does so in obedience and thereby renews ones submissiveness and humility, and is mindful of ones own insignificance and impotence before the Greatness of Allah. To affirm this, ones tongue and heart utters the exaltation of Allah and bears witness to His Supreme Majesty. Thereafter one stands erect, hoping for the Mercy of Allah, and expresses this hope with the words, Allah hears those who are thankful to Him. Then to express ones gratitude one says, Grateful praise to You our Lord! to which may be added the phrase, As much as the heavens and earth contain. Prostration The prostration is the highest level of submission because ones face, which is the most valued part your ones body, is lowered to the dust of the ground. One should be aware that it is in the prostration that one connects with the realization that it is from such dust you have been created, and therefore be humbled towards ones Lord. During the prostration ones inner awareness should be renewed while uttering the exaltations thrice, Glory be to my Lord, the Most High! and remember that the Mercy of Allah flows quickly to the humble, the weak and those without pride. Sitting and Bearing Witness It is whilst in the sitting erect that one should commit ones good deeds and prayers for the sake of Allah and know that all things belong to Him. When saying, Peace be upon you O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you one should remember his noble qualities, and also know that your greeting reaches him and that he returns a more perfect greeting to you. Thereafter one bears witness to the Oneness of Allah in saying the Shahadah I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger. The close of prayer When one closes the prayer with the greetings of peace, you should have the intention of including the peace to all who are present and the angels. You should also be humbly grateful to Allah for enabling you to complete the obligation of the prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, advised his companions saying, Pray as if the prayer is the last prayer you will ever pray. Bear in mind the shame and fear of the defects in ones prayer, and that it may not be accepted and thrown in your face together with your clear and hidden sins. Dear reader, know that fear of Allah arises from the certainty of belief. Whosoever fears Allah and is cautious both during prayer and thereafter is certain in his/her belief and acts accordingly. Allah knows the condition of ones mind, sins and weakness; and whosoever knows this is fearful and cautious. When you enter prayer, leave the worldly affairs behind. It has been said that heedless in prayer means the errors made in its duration and when a person does not remember how many units of prayer he has prayed. Others have said that it is that he forgets the time of prayer. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 3 THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DUTIES OF THE IMAM (The leader of the prayer) An imam must have certain qualities and cannot assume the position if the congregation do not give their consent. If the congregation is split, the wish of the majority rules. However, when the minority are the religious and good people their opinion should be taken. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The prayer of three groups of people will not raise higher than their heads, they are the prayer of a runaway slave, a woman whose husband is displeased with her and an imam with whom the congregation is dissatisfied. He also said, Your imams are representatives to Allah on your behalf. If you wish to purify your prayer, then place in front of you the best man among you. When a man is given the choice between being the Caller to Prayer or the Imam, he should accept the position of imam because it is better than that of the Caller to Prayer. However, there are those who say the position of the Caller to Prayer is better than that of the Imam because the call to prayer has multiple merits. On this subject the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, An Imam is a surety for his congregation and the Caller to Prayer is an object of trust. He also said, When the imam bows, the congregation bows, and when he prostrates, they too prostrate. And, When the imam fulfills the prayer it is for him and for them. If there is a defect in it, it is against him and against them. It was on this account that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, O Allah, show the Imams to the Straight Path, and forgive the Callers to Prayer. The reward for being an Imam or a Caller to Prayer is great. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Paradise becomes certain without accounting for a person who is an imam for seven years, and the Caller to Prayer for forty years. It is the duty of an imam to uphold the specified beginning times of prayer and pray seeking the pleasure of Allah. The prayer performed at the beginning of its time is better than the world with all its treasures, therefore if the imam delays the prayer, although he has not missed it, he misses a very great blessing. The Prophets life and actions were always exemplary and a means of teaching his followers, and there is a story that one day the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was delayed and the prayer had been called. They Companions waited a short time but when he did not arrive to lead the prayer they started to pray. After the prayer the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told them, You did the right thing, always do it. An imam must undertake the responsibility of leadership for the sake of Allah, fulfilling it with good manners because it is a trust of Allah, his intention must be sincere and he should not expect to be paid for it, as all the prophets, peace be upon them, said, I do not ask you for your wealth, for my wage is only with Allah. 11:29. The same applies to the Caller to Prayer. Regarding the period between the initial call to prayer and the call that it is about to commence, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, A Caller to Prayer should wait between the Adhan and the Aqamat for as long as it takes a person to finish his food or a man to answer a call of nature. From this it is learned that if one needs to relieve oneself or is satisfying his hunger, one must first do so, because they will be matters for distraction during the prayer. The imam should ensure the rows the worshipers are straight before the commencement of the prayer when he says Allahu Akbar (Takbir El Ehrom). The voice of the imam should be raised when making the first pronouncement of Allahu Akbar and lowers it for the remainder, however the congregation must only utter it in a low voice. At the end of his recitation of the Opener chapter he must recite Ameen and the congregation repeat it in a lowered voice. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 4 THE FRIDAY CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER (Jumah prayer) Dear reader, Friday is the day honored by Allah, of it He says, Believers, when you are called to prayer on the Day of the Congregation (Friday), hasten to the Remembrance of Allah and put your trading to one-side. That is best for you, if you but knew. Then when the prayer has ended, disperse in the land and seek the favor of Allah, and remember Allah often, so that you prosper. 62:9-10 The importance to attending the Friday prayer is stressed by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who said, If a man misses three Friday prayers without an excuse Allah seals his mind. He also said, Gabriel came to me with a shinning mirror in his hand and said, This is the Friday prayer. Allah has made it obligatory upon you so that it may be a celebration for you and your followers who come after you. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked, Tell us of its benefits whereupon he replied, In it there is an auspicious moment, if a person seeks anything from Allah during that time, Allah has promised to give it to him. If he is deprived of that, then many additional things are given to him in replacement. If a man wants to save himself from any evil on that day, Allah will save him from an even greater disaster, or a disaster that has been written for him. Friday is the best day given to us and it shall be called on the Day of Resurrection, the Day of AAAGrace? (El Mahzeed). The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, then asked, For what reason will it be called the Day of Grace (El Mahzeed)? Gabriel replied, Allah has created a valley in Paradise made from musk, when Friday comes, Allah descends on His Throne in the Marked Book (Illiyoon) and sheds His Light and they look towards His Noble Face. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also said, It was on a Friday that the sun first rose, and it was also the day on which Prophet Adam was created. Prophet Adam entered Paradise first on that day and was cast into the world on that day, and his repentance was accepted on that day. He died on that day and the Resurrection will take place on this day. This day is a day blessed by Allah, the heavens and angels have been given their names on this day. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a person dies on the day (Friday) or night (Thursday) of Jumah, the rewards given to those of martyrs are written for him and the punishment of the tomb is forgiven. Preparation for the Friday prayer There are ten things that are highly recommended in preparation for the day of Jumah. Start to prepare for it after the afternoon prayer on Thursday by supplicating and seeking forgiveness and making tasbih (zikr, the remembrance of Allah with ones beads.) This is because this time is equal to that of the unknown blessed time of Friday. Wash your clothes and perfume yourself (men) and free your mind from anxiety so that on Friday you get up free from worry. Try to fast on a Thursday as there is great merit in it. Spend the night of Thursday occupied in the recitation of the Koran and in prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Allah is merciful to a person who rises in the morning and wakes others, takes a major shower (Ghusl) and causes others to likewise bathe. Take a major shower (Ghusl) on the morning of Friday. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, It is highly recommended for every mature man to take a shower on a Friday. He also said, Let a man or woman who attends the Friday prayer take a shower (Ghusl). The scholars are of the opinion that the major shower on a Friday is obligatory. It is commendable for a man to beautify himself on that day using fragrances, dress in his best clothes, and purify himself. Purification of oneself means brushing ones teeth, cutting your hair, clipping the moustache and any other bodily purification. The son of Masood said, If a man trims his nails on a Friday, Allah will remove disease from it and cures him. Regarding ones clothes, white is the best color because it is dearer to Allah. Wearing a turban is also recommended because the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Allah and His angels bless those who wear a turban on a Friday. It is highly recommended to reach the mosque well before the beginning of the Congregational Prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, Whosoever goes to the Friday prayer in the first part of the morning receives the reward equal to the sacrifice of a camel. He who goes at the second part receives a reward equal to the sacrifice of a cow, and he who goes to the mosque at the third part receives the reward of the sacrifice of a goat. As for he who goes at the fourth part, he receives the reward equal to the sacrifice of a rooster. He who goes at the fifth part receives the reward equal to the charity of an egg. When the Imam gets up to give the sermon, the record is folded up and the pen stops writing. The angels gather near to the pulpit and listen to the Remembrance of Allah (zikr). The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, There are three things that if people knew what good there lies therein the would have searched for it just as they would search for a camel. They are the Call to Prayer, the first row in the congregation, and going to the mosque in which the congregational prayer is going to be performed at dawn. It was the habit of the early generations of Muslims to go to the mosque at dawn, so much so that the road leading to the mosque became full, but it has now become a forgotten thing, a thing of the past. It is pitiful that nowadays, people set out for the market at the break of dawn seeking the riches of the world but neglect to do the same for much greater riches in the Everlasting Life. No one should step over another in the mosque trying to reach the first row of the congregation. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, On the Day of Resurrection a person who steps over the necks of another will be made into a bridge and people will tread over him. One day, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to a man after the prayer, What prevented you from praying the Congregational Prayer with me today? He replied, O Prophet of Allah, I prayed with you. Whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Did you not step over the necks of others? From this it was understood that his prayer was void. When praying place a stick before your place of prostration in front of you, or pray close to a pillar or a wall so that people do not walk directly across your place of prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The wait of a person for 40 years is better from passing in front of a person who is praying. Stressing its importance still further, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, It is better for a person to be ground into the earth and blown away by air than to cross in front of a praying man. The best place for a man in the congregation is in the first row. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a man takes a shower and tells another to do the same, and if a man rises early and wakes another then goes near to the imam and listens, the sins he committed between two Congregational Prayers together with those of three other days will be expiated. After the conclusion of the Congregational Prayer, it is highly recommended not to talk before reciting, The Opener (Chapter 1), seven times, The Oneness (Chapter 112) seven times, Daybreak (Chapter 113) seven times and People (Chapter 114) seven times. A pious person said that whosoever does this remains safe from satan until the next Congregational Prayer. Good Deeds on a Friday Amongst the good, meritorious deeds of a Friday are: Being present in the gathering after the dawn prayer has been performed to listen and gain knowledge. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, To remain in an assembly of learning is better than a voluntary prayer consisting of one thousand units of prayer. To meditate upon the special moment. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that there is a very special time on a Friday, in which if a Muslim supplicates, his supplication is granted. He also told them that those who do not pray loose it. There is a difference of opinion regarding when that moment occurs. Some scholars say it is at the time of sun-rise, others say it is in the afternoon. Some say it is at the time of the Call to Prayer, others say it is when the Imam gets up on the pulpit to give the sermon. Some say it occurs at the end of the Asr prayer time. However, others say that it is spread over the day, the latter being the most accepted opinion which is arrived at through this saying of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, There is a day among your days when your Lord gives out breath, be prepared for that day. The day is Friday amongst all other days. It is highly recommended to say the prayer on the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, because he told his Companions, that whosoever supplicates for him eighty times on the day of Jumah for him, Allah forgives eighty years of his minor sins. When he was asked which supplication they should make, he replied, O Allah, bless Muhammad, Your worshiper, Your Prophet and Messenger, the illiterate prophet. It is also highly recommended to engage oneself in the recitation of the Koran more on a Friday. If a person recites the chapter Al Kahf (Chapter 18) on a Thursday night or the day of Friday, he/she will be given such a brilliant light that will be visible from Mecca and his sins are forgiven up until the next Jumah plus the merits of three additional days while seventy thousand angels supplicate for you until dawn. Such a fortunate person is saved from diseases and stomach pains, pleurisy, tuberculosis and the trials of the false messiah who will come near the end of time. The supplications made for the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, are highly recommended when one enters the mosque before one sits and has performed four units of prayer with the recitation of the short chapter, The Oneness (Chapter 112) fifty times in each unit of prayer. Of this the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, Whosoever does this will not die until he has been shown his place in Paradise. It is commendable to be charitable on a Friday because such deeds are increased in merit on that day. Busy oneself with worship on a Friday after one has accomplished the necessities of life. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 5 VOLUNTARY PRAYERS There are three types of voluntary prayers. The Sunnat prayer is that which the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, continuously observed such as the prayer after the obligatory prayers. The Mustahab prayers, which are those whose excellence is highly recommended by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and mentioned in his sayings, but which the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, did not always observe. The Nafl prayer is the prayer one performs of ones own accord seeking the pleasure of Allah and are not in either of the two preceding categories. THE SUNNAT PRAYER There are eight sunnat prayers. Two units of prayer before the Fajr (Dawn) prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said of this prayer, Two units of prayer before Fajr is better than the world and all that is in it. Four units of prayer before the Zuhr (Mid-morning) prayer and two units upon its completion. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, For whosoever prays four units of prayer after the sun starts to decline at noon and makes the bowing, prostration and the recitation of the Koran well, seventy thousand angels pray for that person and seek forgiveness for him until night. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also said, If a person prays twelve units of voluntary prayer every day besides the obligatory, a building will be built for him in Paradise. These voluntary prayers are the two units before Fajr, four units before the Zuhr (mid-morning) and two units before the Asr (afternoon prayer) and two units after the Maghrib (early evening prayer). Four units of prayer before Asr (afternoon) prayer of these the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, O Allah have mercy on whosoever prays four units of prayer before Asr. Two units of prayer after Maghrib. Four units of prayer after Isha (the late evening prayer). Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, said, After performing four voluntary prayers after the Isha prayer it was the practice of the Prophet to go to bed. Many scholars have said that after having studied the Prophetic quotations their conclusion is that there are in fact seventeen units of prayer that constitute the Sunnat prayers. They are: Two units of prayer before Fajr (Dawn) prayer Four units of prayer before Zuhr (mid-morning) prayer Two units of prayer after Zuhr prayer Four units of prayer before Asr (afternoon) prayer Two units of prayer after Maghrib (early evening) prayer Three units of prayer (Witr) after Isha (late evening) prayer. Witr prayer. The Companion, Anas, said, It was the practice of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to perform three units of prayer for the Witr prayer after Isha and would recite the chapter The Highest (Al Ala) (Chapter 87) in the first unit, the chapter The Unbelievers (Al-Kafiroon) (Chapter 109) in the second and the chapter The Oneness (Al-Iklas) Chapter 112 in the third unit of prayer. Doha (mid-morning) prayer. The number of units of voluntary prayer can be up to eight. Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, said, The Prophet used to pray four units of prayer before Zuhr, but sometimes he would increase its number. The voluntary prayer between Maghrib (early evening) and Isha (late evening). Of this prayer the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, There are six units of prayer between Maghrib and Isha that have great merit. He also said, This prayer is included within the prayer of Awwabin AAA need to explain what Awwabin is OPTIONAL ANNUAL PRAYERS There are four optional annual prayers, the Eid prayers which are those of the end of Ramadan and Pilgrimage, the Tarawih prayers said during Ramadan, the prayers said in the month of Rajab and the prayer said in the month of Shaban. The prayer of the two Eids These two prayers are termed Sunnat Muaqqadah. Before attending these prayers on should take a major shower (Ghusl) in the morning, and dress in ones best clothes and the men should perfume themselves. When going to and from the mosque one should take a different route as this was the way of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. On these special days the he would tell his wives and members of his household to attend the prayer. It is preferable that the prayer is observed in the open air except in Mecca and Baitul Muqdis in Palestine. The prayer is observed from just after sunrise to the start of its decline at noon. The Eid that follows the pilgrimage Eid Al Adha. The time to sacrifice an animal is from after the prayer to the end of the 13th day of the month Zul Haj. The obligatory charity payable at the end of Ramadan is paid before the Eid prayer. These prayers are performed differently from the five daily obligatory prayers, the format is that the Imam leads the congregation in two units of prayer with six additional Takbirs (Allah is the Greatest). There are three Takbirs in the first unit of prayer and three in the second after which the Imam delivers the first sermon, then he sits after which he delivers another sermon. Tarawih Prayer The Tarawih prayer is said on the nights of Ramadan and consists of twenty units of prayer. It can be said either alone or in a congregation. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, used to do both. He, out of mercy for his followers, was fearful that if they saw him praying every night in the mosque then it would be taken to have become an obligation. He said, There is greater merit observing the obligatory prayer in a mosque rather than in ones home, however, there is greater merit observing a voluntary prayer at home than in the mosque. Referring to the Prophets mosque in Medina he said, The merit of one unit of prayer prayed in this mosque is one thousand times greater than observing it in other mosques, and the merits of observing one unit of prayer in the Sacred Mosque in Mecca is better than one thousand times in my mosque. The prayer of a person performed in the corner of his house, and knows no one other than Allah is better than all these prayers. The Caliph Omar encouraged the congregation to pray the Tarawih Prayer in the mosque and it is good to pray it in this way. Prayer in the month of Shaban It is highly recommended to fast on the day of the middle of Shaban and to observe voluntary prayers on its night. OTHER OPTIONAL PRAYERS There are nine prayers and are connected with a cause. Solar eclipse Lunar eclipse Cessation of drought Funeral prayer Entering a mosque Ablution Two units of prayer between the call to prayer and its commencement Two units of prayer before setting out on a journey Istakharah, which is a prayer to help determine whether a matter is good or not. The Solar and Lunar eclipse The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The solar and lunar eclipses are two signs from the signs of Allah. They do not occur to signify a birth or death of anyone. When you see it turn towards the remembrance of Allah and prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions this when his son Ibrahim died and some people thought there was a connection between it and the eclipse. Cessation of drought When there is a drought, it is better that the imam orders the people to fast for three days, and give charity according to their means, repent and correct any injustice. Thereafter the imam and his congregation should go out in all humility, preferably with their animals, pray two units of prayer without saying Allah is the Greatest. Two sermons are to be made and they should be separated by a short sitting down by the imam. All should ask Allah abundantly for His forgiveness. They should face the Qibla in the middle of the second sermon and put whatever is on their right is to be place on their left, whatever is on top on the bottom hoping for a change in their circumstance, whilst doing this they should inwardly supplicate. After the sermon the following supplication should be made: O Allah, You have commanded us to supplicated to You and You have promised us to accept it. We have indeed supplicated to You as You commanded us, so accept our supplication as You have promised us. O Allah, shower blessings on us with Your forgiveness and accept our supplication by sending us rain and giving us ample provision. Funeral prayer This prayer is binding on the community as a whole. It is optional only for the person who is exempted on account of there being others in the community present at the prayer. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If forty Muslims who do not associated partners with Allah attend the funeral prayer of a Muslim, Allah accepts their intercession for him. After the prayer, walk in procession after the bier and stand by the side of the grave and say the following as you enter the graveyard. Peace be you, O inhabitants of the houses of believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy on those who have gone before and those who have come thereafter, we shall reach you, if Allah wills. As one stands by the grave of the newly buried the following should be recited, O Allah, Your worshiper has return to You, be kind to him and be merciful to him. O Allah, remove the earth from his two sides and open the doors of the heavens for his soul and accept it with a good acceptance. O Allah, if he was a virtuous man, increase his virtues in abundance and if he was a sinner, forgive him. Istakharah Prayer This prayer is made before a decision to do something is made to know whether or not it is good or bad for you. Its formula is two units of prayer in which The Opener (Al-Fatihah) is read followed by the chapter 109, The Unbelievers (Al-Kafiroon) in the first unit of prayer, and in the second unit The Opener chapter is read followed by chapter 112 Oneness (Al-Ikhlas). At the end of the prayer the following supplication is made: O Allah, with the help of Your Knowledge, I wish to know if it is such and such a thing is good or bad, and I pray for strength from You and pray for Your abundant Mercy, because You know I do not know the unseen. O Allah, You know whether this matter will be for the good of my worldly life and my life in the Everlasting Life, whether it will be sooner or later, so give me strength and blessings therein and make it easy for me. If this matter of mine is bad for me in this life and in the Everlasting Life and whether it will come sooner or later, turn me away from it and it from me, and please destine for me something that is better. You are the All Powerful of all things. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If any of you proposes to do anything, let him pray two units of prayer, name the project and supplicate to Him with this supplication. Prayer of necessity If there is a pressing matter for either religion or in ones life, let the one in need pray twelve units of prayer for the fulfillment of the necessity. After the recitation of The Opener the verse of the Throne is to be recited followed by the chapter Oneness in each unit of prayer. After the last two units of prayer have been concluded prostrate and say the supplication as in the Istakharah prayer. Prayer of Tasbih This is also called the Dua Masurah. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told Abbas, Shall I give you a gift? Shall I not show kindness to you? Shall I not leave you with such a thing, which, if you do it will be a cause for Allah to forgive both your past and future sins, and your known and hidden evils? It is to pray four units of prayer and in each unit recite The Opener (Al Fatihah), and any chapter. After the conclusion of the selected chapter in all the four units of prayer say Exalted is Allah (SubhanAllah), Praise be to Allah (Al Hamdulillah), There is no god except Allah, followed by Allah is the Greatest (Allahu Akbar) fifteen times, then bow and repeat the formula ten times. Now stand erect and repeat the formula ten times, this is followed by the prostration in which the formula is repeated ten times. This is followed by the sitting position in which the formula is repeat, now make the second prostration and say the formula ten times, then get up from the prostration and repeat the formula. If you are able to pray this prayer daily it is best, but if you are unable perform the prayer on a Friday, failing this once a month. If you are not able to do this, then do it once a year. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 4 - PRAYER CHAPTER 5 THE OBLIGATORY CHARITY (Zakat) Allah says, Establish your prayer, and pay the obligatory charity. 2:43 There are five pillars of Islam of which the payment of the obligatory charity at the end of Ramadan is the second. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Islam is founded on five pillars: there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His worshiper and messenger. To establish the prayer Pay the obligatory charity Fast the month of Ramadan Make the pilgrimage to Mecca. The amount of the obligatory charity is 2.5% of ones entire lunar annual savings and is calculated from the end of Ramadan and runs through to the end of the following Ramadan. It is also payable on livestock, crops, gold and silver, merchandize and mines. The obligatory charity is paid to the poor, the needy, the destitute traveler, orphans, collector of the charity, the ransoming of captives, debtors in the Way of Allah, and to influence hearts to belief. During the first four caliphates, no one avoided its payment and the time came when even after the distribution there was a surplus of money in the treasury. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that Allah is the owner of ones wealth and we are only its trustees and today the obligatory charity is not paid by many as it should be paid the result being a shameful state of affairs in which one finds so many impoverished people having to beg. For those who do not pay the obligatory charity awaits a severe punishment on the Day of Judgement. Allah warns, Give glad tidings of a painful punishment to those who treasure gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah. 9:34. Of the reward Allah says, Establish your prayers, pay the obligatory charity, and lend Allah a generous loan. Whatever good you shall forward to your souls account, you will find it better with Allah, and a mightier wage. 73:20 Significance: The obligatory charity (zakat) is the purification of ones property. Wealth and property are objects loved by the majority of people because they are instrumental in the enjoyment of worldly pleasures and attract social status. When a Muslim bears witness There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah his/her witnessing is to the Oneness of the Creator, and it is the remembrance of the soul of the time when all souls bore witness that Allah alone is their Creator and that it is He alone who is to be worshiped. Muslims who bear witness to the Oneness of Allah should direct their love to none another than Him, because true love of Him is indivisible, and that degree of love is tested by separating the lover from his worldly possessions. In paying the obligatory charity one is therefore tested and gives in payment from ones most loved worldly possessions. Allah tells us, Allah has purchased from the believers their selves and possession, and for them is Paradise. 9:111. Now that you, dear reader, have understood the test of ones love one finds the public falling to into three groups: The first group, which is the highest, is that in which those who bear witness to the Oneness of Allah, readily spend their worldly possessions, and have no savings set aside for the future, and do not deny that there is an obligation upon them to pay obligatory charity. Fine examples of such people are found in Abu Bakr, and Omar. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, called upon his followers to give in the Cause of Allah, Abu Bakr brought all his possessions and Omar brought half of his. When Omar was asked what he had left for his family, he replied, Half of my wealth. When Abu Bakr was asked the same question he replied, Allah and His Prophet whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, The difference between you is in your reply. The second group, are those who spend their wealth in times of necessity. This group is found saving money not for the sake of pleasure but for their own necessities. Such people do not restrict their giving to the payment of the obligatory charity, but give away their excess as charitable gifts. This was the practice of the second generation, who, when asked about such giving quoted the Koranic verse, Righteousness is not whether you face towards the east or the west. But righteousness is to believe in Allah and the Last Day, in the angels and the Book, and the Prophets, and to give wealth however cherished to kinsmen, to the orphans, to the needy, to the destitute traveler, and to the beggars and to ransom the slave 2:177. Of the believers Allah also said, who spend of what We have provided them 2:3. From these verses it is apparent that whenever a person with an excess of his own needs comes across a person in need it is his duty to be charitable towards him. And Allah draws our attention to charitable giving saying, So spend of that with which We have provided you before death comes upon any of you and he then says, O my Lord, if only You would defer me to a near term, so that I could give charity and be among the good-doers. 63:10. The legalities of such giving is that when a person is in need the duty to provide for him rests on the community because a Muslim cannot be left to die on account of the lack of food. It could be argued that there is no further obligation on those who have been blessed with an excess of wealth to give anymore than the obligated charity to those in need, except as a loan, as he has already fulfilled his obligation. There again, it could also be argued that a loan is impermissible as it becomes a burden upon the impoverished person. The third group is that which most people confine themselves too and is that of those who just content themselves with paying the obligatory charity, and neither pay more nor less. This is the lowest rank because they are miserly and their love of money and possession encompasses them, and they are negligent of the Everlasting Life. Allah says of such people, If He asked you for them, and presses you, you would be mean and He would expose your anger. 47:37 It is clear that there is a wide gap between a worshiper whose possessions and self have been bought by Allah, and the misers who refrain from giving. Overcoming Miserliness: Allah speaks many times in the Koran about the blessings of charitable giving, and it is through attentiveness to these verses that one is able to purge oneself from miserliness, which leads to a path of destruction. Amongst such verses is, Whosoever is saved from the greed of his own soul, they are the ones who win. 59:9. On this subject the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned, There are three destructive elements, to obey miserliness, to give into ones lower appetite and self-conceit. The payment of the obligatory charity is the stepping stone of riding oneself of miserliness and is a matter of purification. The purity one receives is in proportion to the joy one has in knowing that one is spending for the sake of Allah and seeking His pleasure. Gratitude: We are all indebted to Allah for the gifts He has given us no matter whether they are physical or material. The gratitude of the body is expressed by doing things for Him, whereas the gratitude for ones wealth is its expenditure on those who are needy. Pause for a minute and think about ones condition if a needy person approached you and you were unwilling to help him as a token of gratitude to Allah, when Allah had been merciful to you. It is by the less fortunate that we are tried, and we must always remember that Allah is the Owner of our wealth and that we are only its trustees. Payment of the Obligatory Charity: The payment of the Zakat should not be delayed until the Eid al Fitr. If one were to delay payment of the obligatory charity from its prescribed time, which is when the sun sets on the night before the day of Eid al-Fitr at the conclusion of the month of Ramadan, then one should know that this is an act of disobedience to the command of Allah. It is the habit of the pious to joyfully pay the obligation before its time, as they know that such willingness to do a good deed is prompted by the angels, whereas satan prompts us to evil by making one fear poverty. Voluntary Charity: Allah says, If you reveal your charity it is good, but to give charity to the poor in private is better and will acquit you from some of your evil deeds. 2:271 Giving charity in secret is highly commendable because it is the furthest removed from hypocrisy on account of it being given without pride, seeking to enhance social standing or the expectation of gratitude. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The best charity is that given by a poor man to one who is in need. He also said, On the Day that will have no shade, Allah will given the shade of His Throne to seven people, one of whom is he who gives charity in such a way that his left hand did not know what his right hand gave. It has been known for those seeking the Pleasure of Allah to secretly slip a donation into the hand of a blind person or to tuck it in the clothes of a poor person as he slept so that their identity was not known and they were not thanked. If fame had been the object of the donor his deed would amount to nothing, because the purpose of giving charity is to eliminate miserliness. Revealed Charity : It is good to be charitable in public to encourage others to participate, but care should be taken that one is not tempted to do it for prestige. Reproaching those to whom one has given charity: One must also be careful not to rebuke someone to whom you have given charity because Allah warned, Believers, do not annul our charitable giving with reproach and hurt, like he who spends his wealth to show off to the people and believes neither in Allah nor the Last Day. His likeness is as a smooth rock covered with dust, if a heavy rain strikes it, it leaves it bare. They have no power over what they earned.But those who give away their wealth with a desire to please Allah and to reassure themselves are like a garden on a hillside, if heavy rain strikes it, it yields up twice its normal crop, and if heavy rain does not strike it, then light rain 2:264-265. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Allah does not accept the charity of a person who regards himself as being Mann. The word Mann has several meanings, but as Ghazali explained, its root is thinking of oneself as being the benefactor of the person to whom charity is given. In fact it is the other way around, the receiver should consider that he has shown kindness to the giver by accepting his charity because through its acceptance the giver has been purified and releases him from the fires of Hell. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also told his Companions that, Charity falls on the hand of Allah before it falls into the hand of a beggar. Therefore with such knowledge the giving is seen in a different, much higher light. It has been reported that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked a man to take some charity and give it to a certain poor man and to remember what he said when he received it. The poor man accepted the charity and praised Allah saying, Praise be to Allah who does not forget one who remembers Him and does not destroy one who is grateful to Him. The man continued, O Allah You have not forgotten the man (himself) so do not allow him to forget You. The man returned to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and told him of the supplication whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, I knew this is what he would say. Whereupon he told the man to repent to Allah, and the man said, I repent to Allah who has no partner. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, He has recognized the right of the One to whom it is due. Humility in ones lawful charitable giving: When giving charity, one must be mindful that the amount given is indeed little and that it is shameful and nothing to boast about. This is because if one takes the time to reflect 2.5%, 10% or even more is only a fraction of the wealth with which one has been entrusted therefore one should feel an element of shame for not having given more. To view ones charity highly leads to pride, and this is a serious sin. One must remember that it was through pride that satan disobeyed the order of Allah to prostrate and as a result became an unforgiven outcast. Charity should only be given from ones lawful earnings, if ones wealth is not come by lawful earning it is not pure and Allah does not accept anything that its tainted. Allah says, Believers, spend of the good you have earned and of that which We have brought out of the earth for you. And do not intend the bad of it for your spending; while you yourself would never take it yourselves, except you closed an eye on it. 2:267. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Give good news to the man who earns his wealth without committing sin and spends from it. If one spends from money that is tainted how can one expect to be blessed or receive a reward in its giving? One should also be careful not to tell anyone the name of the person to whom they gave charity because no one likes to be thought or known to be impoverished. Those who conceal their need: Allah says, The ignorant take them to be rich because of their abstinence. But you can recognize them by their signs. They do not persistently beg people. 2:273. One should seek such people because they are honorable and neither complain nor yet reveal their needs, rather they have devoted themselves to the acquisition of the knowledge of the Everlasting Life. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Only partake of the food of pious men and do not let anyone except the pious take food from you. The underlying reason for this statement is that by supporting a pious person in his road of piety one is assisting him and you are blessed with a share of his worshipping. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also said, Offer your food to the pious, and favor believers with your kindness. In addition to this quotation it has been reported, Invite those who love Allah to take from your food. Those who are prevented by circumstances: Charity is due to those with a large family that has little or no income, also to those who are prevented from earning a living on account of sickness, old age or disease such people should be sought especially those who cannot leave their homes due to illness or a handicap. Allah says, (Charity is) for the poor who are restrained in the way of Allah, and are unable to journey in the land. 2:273. It was the practice of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to give charity according to the number of people in a family. Relatives: Charity should also be given to ones relatives on either side of the family. Such charity strengthens the ties of kinship and through its giving there is a very great reward. The Caliph, Imam Ali, said, To give one dirham to my brother in charity is dearer to me than giving a stranger twenty dirhams in charity. To give my brother twenty dirhams is dearer to me than giving a stranger two hundred dirhams in charity, and to give him one hundred dirhams in charity is dearer to me than the freeing of a slave. Dear reader, all of the preceding are good recipients for your charity, and know that when you give to such people, seeking the reward of Allah, your reward will increase dramatically. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 5 - FASTING AND ITS BLESSINGS CHAPTER 1 Concerning the fast of the month of Ramadan, Allah says, Believers, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will be cautious. (Fast) a certain number of days, but if any one of you is ill or on a journey let him (fast) a similar number of days later on; and for those who are unable (to fast), there is a ransom the feeding of a needy person. Whosoever volunteers good, it is good for him; but to fast is better for you, if you but knew. The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Koran was sent down, a guidance for people, and clear verses of guidance and the criterion. Therefore, whoever of you witnesses the month, let him fast. But he who is ill, or on a journey shall (fast) a similar number (of days) later on. Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you. And that you fulfill the number of days and exalt Allah who has guided you in order that you be thankful." 2:183-185 Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, spoke on many occasions of the merits and blessings of fasting and the fast of Ramadan. He said, Fasting is half of patience and patience is half of faith. He informed us of the way in which we should prepare ourselves as well as urging us to do good, be charitable and to avoid ways, which if taken, the fast would become invalid. Everything has its specialty and the specialty of fasting is forbearance and sacrifice, because it is the action of the mind and hidden from the eyes of the onlooker, whereas all other actions are within view of the onlooker. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told us that: Fasting is for Allah: Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified says, All the deeds of the son of Adam are for himself, but his fasting is for Me and I shall reward him for it. The fast is a shield. When any of you fast he should forsake swearing and noise. Supplication when breaking the fast: The thirst has gone, the veins have become wet and the reward is established, if Allah wills. Quarrelling during the fast: If anyone is abusive or seeks to pick a quarrel with you, you should respond with I am fasting. Breath of those who fast: By Him in whose Hands is the life of Muhammad, the breath of one who is fasting is better with Allah than the fragrance of musk. Two joys: Whosoever fasts experiences to joys. He is joyful when he breaks his fast, and is joyful because of his fasting when he meets his Lord. Handsome reward of Allah: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to his Companions that Allah said, He who abstains from food, drink and passions for My Sake, fasting is for Me and I shall give the reward of it. A good deed is recompensed ten times. Reward: All the (good) deeds of the son of Adam are multiplied. The reward is ten times up to seven hundred times. Fasting is for Allah: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that Allah says, except fasting because it is for Me and I recompense it. For he leaves his passions and food for My Sake. The Gates of Paradise and Hell during Ramadan: When Ramadan arrives the Gates of Paradise are opened and the Gates of Hell are locked up and the satans are shackled. The Sighting of the Crescent of the Moon: Fast upon seeing it (the new crescent) and break it upon seeing it. If you are unable to see it (when Ramadan is anticipated), complete the month of Shaban with 30 days. He also said, If you are unable to see the new crescent (at the end of Ramadan), then let the fast be 30 days. Do not fast on the two days preceding Ramadan, however, this does not apply to those whose custom it is (to fast on those days each month). Whosoever fasts on a doubtful day disobeys the Messenger of Allah. Before and after the Fast: Eat some food before the fast begins, there is blessing in its partaking. Zayd, the son of Thabit related: We partook of the food before the commencement of the fast during Ramadan with the Messenger of Allah and then stood up for prayer. He was asked what was the interval of time between the two, whereupon he replied, The time it takes to recite fifty verses of the Koran. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, My nation will remain in goodness as long as they break the fast as soon as it is due. The Companions Masruk and Abu Atiyyah visited Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with them, and told her, There are two companions of the Messenger of Allah, neither of whom is hesitant to do any kind of good. One hastens to break his fast and offer the evening prayer and the other delays both. She asked, Who is it that hastens to break his fast and offer the evening prayer? He answered, Abdullah, Masuds son. Lady Ayesha replied, The Messenger of Allah did the same. When even approaches from this side (east) and the day retreats from this side (west) and the sun has set, the one who is fasting breaks his fast. Break you fast with a date, or with water because it is pure. The Difference between Fasts: The difference between our observance of the fast and that of the People of the Book (Jews, Nazarenes and Christians) is the meal before starting to fast. Warnings: If a man does not refrain from false accusation and its practice. Allah does not care about his refraining from his food and drink. Lakit, the son of Sabarah asked the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to tell him about ablution. Make your ablution perfect in all respects, and remember to clean between your fingers and to wash you nostrils well, but be careful in the last if you are fasting." Intimacy: When the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, consorted with a wife he would take a shower before starting to fast. Breaking the fast by mistake: If any of you eat or drink forgetting he is fasting, he should continue his fast until the end, because Allah has fed him and given him to drink. Those not fasting: The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, visited Umm Ammarah and she placed before him some food. He asked her to eat as well, but she replied, I am fasting. Upon this he said, When someone eats in front of a fasting person, an angel supplicates for that person until he has finished. Seclusion: The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, would go into seclusion for (the last) ten days of Ramadan, but the year in which he passed away he went into seclusion for twenty days. The month of Shawwal: Whosoever observes the fast throughout Ramadan and then follows it by fasting six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the entire year. The Night of Honor: Allah sent down the following short chapter that relates to the Night of Honor. In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. We sent this (the Holy Koran) down on the Night of Honor. What could let you know what the Night of Honor is! The Night of Honor is better than a thousand months, In it the angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) descend by the permission of their Lord upon every command. Peace it is, till the break of dawn. Chapter 97:1-4 The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever offers voluntary prayers during the Night of Honor out of belief and charging Allah with its recompense will have his past sins forgiven. Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had a vision that the Night of Honor was among the last seven nights of Ramadan, whereupon the Messenger of Allah said, I see that you visions all agree upon the last seven night. Whoever, then, seeks the Night of Honor should look for it among the last seven nights of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, would go into seclusion in the Mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan and said: Look for the Night of Honor among the last ten nights of Ramadan. When the last ten days of Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah praise and peace be upon him, stayed awake the entire night and would awaken the members of his family and was most diligent in worship. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, strove harder in worship during Ramadan than at any other time and he strove even harder in the last ten days of Ramadan than he did during its earlier days. I, Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, O Messenger of Allah tell me, if I should realize which night the Night of Honor is, how should I supplicate? He answered, Supplicate, O Allah, You are the All Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me. Some of the events that will occur during Ramadan before the end of the world: For Al Mahdi (the guided leader) there are two signs which will not have existed since Allah crated the heavens and the earth. The moon will eclipse on the first night of Ramadan, and the sun will eclipse during the middle this has never happened since the creation of the heavens and the earth. During Ramadan there will be a sound and in Shawwal there will be a hum and the tribes will fight at Dhi Al Kidah. In that year pilgrims will be robbed, and there will be a fierce battle in Minan; murder will be rampant. Blood will flow there until blood flows over Al Jamrah and until their companion (Al Mahdi) escapes and is found between Al Rukn and Al Makam (near Kaba in Mecca). It is there that the allegiance will be given to him whilst he dislikes accepting it (out of humility). And it will be said to him, If you refuse, we will cut your throat. And the inhabitants of heaven and earth will be pleased with him. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 5 - FASTING AND ITS BLESSINGS CHAPTER 2 THE OUTWARD DUTIES OF FASTING There are six outward duties pertaining to the fast of Ramadan: The watch for the sighting of the crescent and its announcement. If the sky is overcast and its sighting is prevented then the length of the month of Shaban is to be extended to thirty days. The sighting of the new moon of Ramadan is established and witnessed by a Muslim known to be truthful and trustworthy. However, the sighting of the new moon of Shawaal is, as a precaution, to be witnessed by two truthful and trustworthy people Once a trustworthy witness announces that he has seen the new moon and is believed, the fast becomes obligatory upon those whose ears it reaches, even though an Islamic judge may not have announced the arrival of the new month. Whenever the new moon is sighted, be it in another city or country that share the same beginning of the day, the fast becomes incumbent upon the two. It is imperative during Ramadan to make the intention to fast every night before the dawn of the following day otherwise the fast is void. However, it is not the case with voluntary fasts. When it is unclear whether or not the following day is the first day of Ramadan one should make the intention to fast in case it is. The possibility of a trustworthy witness being mistaken should not affect the intention of the person who plans to fast the following day. It a woman anticipates the end of her menstruation before dawn, she should also make the intention to fast the coming day. Eating and drinking during the hours of fasting invalidates the fast as does smoking, injections, enemas etc. Rinsing the mouth with water does not invalidate the fast, however, one must take care not to swallow or inhale water as ones fast would then become void. Care must be exercised concerning eating just before the fast is due to begin. One must also be careful not to anticipate the arrival of the evening and thereby break the fast early. Muslims are forbidden to have sexual intercourse whilst fasting. However, it is permissible after the fast has been broken in the evening. In the event that one experiences a wet dream whilst sleeping and then wakes up the following morning in this condition of impurity the fast is not broken. Deliberate seminal emission either through sexual contact or through no sexual contact invalidates the fast. The fast will not be broken by a kiss unless seminal fluid is discharged, however, it is discouraged unless both are able to control their feelings. Induced vomiting invalidates the fast. However, if one cannot help it, the fast remains valid. Phlegm or mucus does not void the fast unless it is collected in the mouth and then swallowed. In the event that ones fast becomes void, one should continue the practice of those fasting i.e. abstinence of food and drink etc. It is obligatory upon every Muslim after reaching the age of puberty to make up the days lost during Ramadan by fasting at a later date whether or not they had a valid excuse, i.e. menstruation, illness, travel and so on. However, if sexual intercourse occurs during the fast of Ramadan, its expiation will be to fast for two consecutive months. If those who indulged in intercourse are unable to fast the two consecutive months then each should feed sixty poor people as an expiation. In the case of a woman whose menstruation finishes during the day, there is no obligation upon her to fast for the rest of that day. If a woman is pregnant or breast feeding and cannot fast on account of her child, it is obligatory for them to fast the days that are missed later on, or feed the poor with the equivalent of a bushel of wheat for each day lost. There is no obligation upon a non-fasting traveler to resume the fast upon reaching their destination before the end of the fasting day, however it is preferable for the traveler to fast the entire day unless it incurs more than the usual hardship of fasting. In the event that a person has already started fasting, he should not break the fast when setting out upon a journey, nor yet when he returns from a journey. DAILY FASTING PRACTICES: There are six highly recommendable practices to be performed during the days of Ramadan. Consumption of food prior to the commencement of the fast. Breaking the fast by eating dates or with a drink of water. Putting away the toothbrush before sunrise. Charity and good deeds Study of the Koran. Retreat to a mosque during the last ten days and nights of Ramadan. Regarding the retreat, it was the practice of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to retreat tot he Mosque during the last ten days and nights of Ramadan, fasten his cloak around his waist and encourage his family to do the same. His time in the Mosque was spent in worship, not in idle talk. It is during these last ten nights that the Night of Honor occurs. By the consensus of many scholars it is most probable that the Night of Honor falls on an odd night such as those of 21st, 23rd, 25th or the 27th. The Retreat at the end of Ramadan If it is ones intention to offer the retreat then there are specific rules to be observed. Once the intention or vow has been taken to observe these days of continuous retreat, the continuity of its observance is broken if one leaves the mosque without a justifiable necessity, such as a funeral. However, the observance is not broken when one leaves to go to the toilet. Those in retreat are permitted to renew their ablutions in their own home, but the restatement of the intent must be renewed unless the intention to spend the ten days in advance has been made. Any form of business to and from the mosque is not permissible. It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, not to leave the mosque except to go to the bathroom. Neither would he inquire about a sick person except as he passed by without stopping. Sleeping, eating, washing hands in the mosque do not invalidate the retreat, nor yet the emergence of a limb or part of the body from the mosque. Sexual intercourse invalidates the observance of the retreat, but not a non-arousal kiss. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 5 - FASTING AND ITS BLESSINGS CHAPTER 3 THE INWARD CONDITIONS OF FASTING: There are three degrees of fasting. The fast of the ordinary person The fast of the select few The fast of the very pious The fast of the ordinary person has already been described, i.e. the abstinence of appetite, sexual intercourse, noise, arguing etc., The fast of the select few is that of keeping the ears, eyes, tongue, hands, feet together with all other senses free from sin. These virtuous people free themselves from sin in six ways. Refraining from looking at anything that is blameworthy or disapproved. Jabir, on the authority of Anas related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, There are five things that break the fast; telling lies, backbiting, telling tales, perjury, covetousness and lust. Keeping the tongue free from ranting and raving, lying, backbiting, tale telling, obscenity, abusive speech, wrangling and hypocrisy. Rather, one should busy oneself with the remembrance and exaltation of Allah, as well as the recitation of the Holy Koran this is the fasting of the tongue. Closing the ears to all that is reprehensible. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, The backbiter and the listeners are partners in sin. Constraint of the rest of the senses from sin. Restraining the hand from evil, curbing the foot for the pursuit of wickedness, avoidance of questionable foods at the break of the fast. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, Many receive nothing from the fast except hunger and thirst. This hadith has been explained as referring to the person who breaks the fast on unlawful (non-halal) food and drink. It has also been explained as referring to people who abstain from halal food and break the fast on the flesh of men through illicit backbiting, also that it refers to the person who does not keep his senses free from sin. The over indulgence when breaking the fast, even when the food is halal. The spirit as well as the secret of fasting is to weaken the flesh which is satans tool for turning mankind back to evil. After breaking the fast, the heart should remain in a state of suspense between fear and hope as one does not know whether the fast has been accepted. Al Ahnaf, Kays son was once told, You are an old man, and fasting will make you weak. He replied, This fast is my preparation for a long journey. Indeed, to endure the yoke in the service of Allah is easier than to endure the yoke of His punishment. The fasting person who is not truly fasting is the one, who while in a state of hunger and thirst allows himself every freedom in sin. But, the one who truly understands fasting and its secret knows that whosoever abstains from food, drink, sexual intercourse but commits all manners of sins is like the person, who in performing the ablution runs his hand over one of his limbs thrice, thereby outwardly fulfilling the law as far as the limb is concerned, but neglects the truly important thing, which is the actual washing. Consequently, because of his ignorance, his prayer is rejected. Whereas, the one who breaks the fast through eating but observes it by keeping himself free from sin is like the person, who, in performing his ablution washes each of his limbs of his body once only. His prayers are, by the will of Allah accepted because he has fulfilled the principal thing in the ablution although he failed to fulfill its details. But, whosoever does both is like the person who in performing the ablution washes each limb and his body thrice, thereby fulfilling both the principal purpose of ablution as well as its elaborate details which constitutes perfection. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, Indeed, fasting is a trust, let each, therefore, take good care of his trust. When he recited the verse, Allah orders you all to hand back the trusts to their owners 4:58 he raised his hands so that they touched his ears and eyes and said, The gift of hearing and sight are each a trust from Allah. Similarly, the gift of speech is a trust, for if it were not so the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would not have said, If anyone disputes with another and swears at him, let the latter say, I am fasting. It is clear then, that every act of worship possesses an outward form and an internal form and external husk and an internal husk. The husks are of different grades and each grade has different layers. It is for you to choose whether to be content with the husk or to join the company of the wise and learned. The fast of the very pious is the fast of the heart from bad thoughts, worldly worries and anything else that may divert from anything but thoughts of Allah. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 5 - FASTING AND ITS BLESSINGS CHAPTER 4 VOLUNTARY FASTS Should one wish to fast in excess of the obligatory fast of Ramadan then it is excellent. There are some days that have more merit than others, some occur once a year, others every month, and some weekly. Those that occur once a year are: The days of Arafat, The days of Ashura, The first ten days of the month of Zul Hijj The first ten days of the month of Muharram The month of Shabaan, which was the practice of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. We are told that of all the fasts after the fast of Ramadan, the best fast is in the month of Muharram as it is the beginning of the year and founded on good and is greatly blessed. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, One days fast in the holy month is better than the fast of thirty other days. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 6 - BLESSINGS OF PILGRIMAGE Chapter 1 The pilgrimage to Mecca constitutes one of the Pillars of Islam, and has many great blessings amongst, which is the forgiveness of all previous sins. It is obligatory upon all able bodied Muslims with the financial means to go on pilgrimage. The Kaba is the first Sacred House on earth ever to be built. Allah commanded Prophets Abraham and Ishmael to establish the pilgrimage to His Holy House in Mecca and the practice was revived at the command of Allah to Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him. It was during the Farewell Pilgrimage that Allah sent down the Koranic verse that reads, This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor to you. I have approved Islam to be your religion. 5:3 Allah also says, Proclaim the pilgrimage to the people. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they shall come from every deep ravine; that they might witness profitable things for them. 22:27-28. The words that they might witness profitable things for them means trade and the rewards in the Everlasting Life. satan, the stoned and cursed, does all in his power to prevent a person from making the pilgrimage to Mecca by, amongst other things, whisperings and trickery, and this is the interpretation of the verse I will waylay them as they walk on Your Straight Path. 7:16 Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions: Whosoever pilgrimages to the House without being indecent, quarrelsome, or whose behavior is immoral, emerges from his sins just like a newly born baby. satan is never more humiliated, dishonored and disgraced than on the Day of Arafat. It has been explained that this is because he sees the Mercy of Allah descending upon His worshipers and that it is on that Day that Allah forgives major sins. It has also been said that the only expiation for certain sins occurs on the standing at Arafat. If a person leaves his home having the intention to go on pilgrimage (Hajj) or the lesser pilgrimage (Umra), the reward of either one pilgrimage or one lesser pilgrimage is written for him up until the Day of Resurrection. Whosoever dies in Mecca or Medina will not be presented for the accounting, and no account will be taken from him and it will be said to him, Enter Paradise. There is no other reward for an accepted pilgrimage than the reward of Paradise. Those who go on pilgrimage or the lesser pilgrimage are the guests and neighbors of Allah. If they pray it is accepted, if they ask Allah to forgive them, they are forgiven, if they supplicate their supplication is accepted. Whosoever thinks that on the Day of Arafat his sins are not forgiven by Allah is the greatest in sin. One hundred and twenty blessings descend each day of Kaba. Sixty upon those who make the circumambulation, forty for those who pray and twenty for those who visit Kaba. O Allah, forgive the pilgrim and those for whom the pilgrim supplicates. Make as many circumambulations around Kaba as you can because it is a very great matter and on the Day of Resurrection, it will be found written in your Book of Good Deeds and will be the envy of people. It is therefore highly recommended to make circumambulate the Kaba before the pilgrimage starts or the lesser pilgrimage. If the Day of Arafat and Jummah (Friday) occur together the blessings are enormous. It has been transmitted that such a day is the best day in the world because it was when the two coincided during the Farewell Pilgrimage that the verse, This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor to you. I have approved Islam to be your religion. 5:3 was sent down, and forgiveness abounds from every quarter. Ali, the son of Muwaffaq had made several pilgrimages on behalf of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, and said that one night the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, came to him in a vision and said, Son of Muwaffaq did you go on pilgrimage for my sake? Ali replied that he had, whereupon the Prophet asked, Did you cry out on my behalf, obedient to You (labbayk)? And he replied that he had. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, then told him, I shall reward you for doing so, and on the Day of Resurrection I shall take you by the had at the waiting place and lead you into Paradise when all others are in fear of their Reckoning. Upon reaching Mecca a pilgrim riding a camel is met by angels who greet them, those who arrive on donkeys are shaken by the hands of angels, and those who arrived on foot are embraced by them. Kaba, the Sacred House of Allah: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions that Allah has promised that every year six hundred thousand people will go on pilgrimage and if their number should decrease then the number will be made up by angels. On the Day of Resurrection, the Kaba will be adorned with ornaments like that of newly wedded bride, and those who made the pilgrimage to it will be busy covering it with cloth. The Kaba will then proceed towards Paradise and enter together with the pilgrims. We are also told in one of the prophetic quotations that the Black Stone which is placed in the wall of Kaba is a jewel from the jewels of Paradise and will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, and that on that Day it will have two eyes and a tongue and bear witness for everyone who kissed it and bore witness to its truth. The phrase that is said upon touching the Black Stone is, O Allah, I believe in You, and I know that Your Book is the Truth, and the fulfill of my promise to You. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was seen kissing it many times. There was a time when the Caliphs Omar and Ali were mounted on a ride whilst circumambulating the Kaba. When Omar reached the Black Stone he bent forward and touched the Stone with his riding stick and kissed it. He said, that he knew that it was just a stone and could neither harm nor benefit and had it not been that he had seen the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, kiss it then he would never have kissed it. Then he wept and raised his voice as he said to Ali, O father of Hasan, take my advice and supplicate because your supplication will be accepted. Ali said, O Commander of the Faithful, it has both benefit and harm. Omar inquired what they were and Ali replied, When Allah took the promise from the descendants of Adam, He wrote their name on a scroll and made its impression on this Stone. If will bear witness for those who fulfilled their promise and be a witness against the unbelievers. It has also been reported that every night Allah looks at the world. The first He observes are those in Mecca, and of these He looks first at those visiting the Sacred Mosque; He forgives those He sees circumambulating it, those He sees praying He also forgives and those He sees standing facing the Kaba He forgives as well. Living in Mecca: Those who fear Allah prefer not to live in Mecca for three reasons and are fearful for those who do so because: There is the danger that those who live in Mecca might become immune and take the Sacred House for granted, and that this would cause the heart to become indifferent and suppress the reverence of the heart. This is why Omar used to send pilgrims on their way saying, Yemenies, return to Yemen! Syrians, return to Syria, and Iraqis, return to Iraq. It was for the same reason that he was known to prevent the excessive circumambulation of the Kaba and was heard to say, I am afraid that people will become immune to this House. When one returns from Mecca, the remembrance of ones visit to the Sacred House is held dear and creates a yearning to return. However, if one lives there year round then there is the possibility of ones ardor being weakened, and perhaps one thoughts lead one to yearn to live somewhere else. The fear of committing sins. This is very serious because sins committed in Mecca are punished more severely on account of its Holiness, and they are likely to prompt the Anger of Allah. Wuhayb, Al Wards son told his companions that one night as he prayed near the Black Stone, he heard a conversation between the Kaba and its covering in which it was said, I complain to Allah, then to you Gabriel, for that which those who circumambulate around me do, the thoughts they think, their vanity and their chattering. Unless they stop I will give myself a mighty shake and sending each of my stones back to the hills from which they were hewn. The son of Masud told his companions that There is no city other than Mecca in which a person is punished for his intention before he acted upon it. Then he recited the verse, and whosoever seeks to violate it wrongfully, We shall let him taste a painful punishment. 22:25 The Benefit of Living in Medina: Medina, the City of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is an excellent place in which to live. Each good deed one does in Medina receives a multiple increase in reward. Concerning praying in the Prophets Mosque, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, One prayer in my mosque brings rewards one thousand times greater than a prayer said in other mosques, except for those said in Mecca. The same is applies to good deeds. Abbass son, told his companions that, One prayer said in the Prophets Mosque is equal in reward to ten thousand prayers. One prayer said in Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is worth five thousand prayers said elsewhere. One prayer said in the Sacred Mosque is worth a hundred thousand prayers said elsewhere. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When someone endures the rigors and austerity of Medina, I shall intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection. He also said, If someone is able to die in Medina then let him die there because no one will die there without me interceding for him on the Day of Resurrection. Other than these three places the only other place that is extremely meritorious is that of the frontier, of this the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Guarding the frontier, a day and night is better than fasting a month and its standing prayer. If he is slain during it, his reward will continue for what he used to do together with his provision and he will be secure from the Tempter (the inquisition of the tomb.) VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 6 - BLESSINGS OF PILGRIMAGE CHAPTER 2 THE REQUISITES OF THE PILGRIMAGE There are several obligatory conditions pertaining to the pilgrimage (Hajj). The pilgrim must be a Muslim A person in servitude is not permitted to go on pilgrimage. To be able and aware. To have reached the age of puberty. To make the pilgrimage during its specified time. To be in good health and financially able, this includes the fare, provisions for the journey, and sufficient funds to care for those left at home. That it is safe to travel Financial Ability: The expenses incurred by going on pilgrimage must be totally free from all unlawful (haram) sources, they must not be tainted. The pilgrim should also be free from the distracting affairs of his/her business so that he is able to devote his heart and attention exclusively to the remembrance of Allah. There is a quotation transmitted by the household of the Prophet that informs us that towards the end of time there will be four groups of people who make the pilgrimage. One group will consist of those who just go on the pilgrimage as an excursion, another group will go to secure trade, another group will be beggars hoping to receive donations, and the last group will be the reciters of the Koran seeking the enhancement of their reputation. As for those who receive payment for making the pilgrimage on behalf of a fellow Muslim it is disliked by many scholars unless the intention of that person is to settle in Mecca and does not have the finance to get there as the aim is to use worldly means for a religious purpose, but not the other way around. When such circumstances prevail then the object of the person making the pilgrimage on behalf of another must be to visit the Sacred House of Allah whilst assisting another through relieving him from his obligation. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Allah, Exalted is He, admits three kinds into Paradise for a single pilgrimage, the testator who bequeaths it, the one who carries out the bequest, and the one who performs it on behalf of his brother. The person who proposes to shoulder the obligation of another must himself previously performed his own obligatory pilgrimage before such an undertaking. However, if such a person undertakes the responsibility as a way of earning a living the scholars are of the opinion that it is better not to do so, this is because Allah gives the world for religion, but not religion for the world. It is not forbidden to be hired as we find from the following quotation, Whosoever goes out to take part in a campaign for the Sake of Allah, and he who takes a wage, is like the mother of Moses who suckled her son and took her wage. From this it is understood that a person who is hired is in a similar position to that of the mother of Moses, because he takes his hiring with the intention of making the Pilgrimage and visiting sacred places. He does not go on Pilgrimage for the sake of being hired, it is the opposite way around, just as Moses mother accepted payment to suckle her son by concealing her relationship. Unlawful taxation: If a pilgrim who has already fulfilled the obligatory pilgrimage wishes to go on pilgrimage again but is faced with paying taxes imposed by Meccan chieftains who, through non-payment, would otherwise bar one from reaching the Sacred Mosque, or others such as Bedouins who try to extort money from would-be pilgrims then it is better to try to escape from such because if one pays them, then one is in reality assisting and encouraging them in their unlawful practice. Learned scholars are of the opinion that when a person is confronted with such a situation it is better for him to return home and forsake the voluntary pilgrimage, because such payments are heretical and become established practices through their adherence. It is better to dress as a poor person who would be less likely to attract the attention of such collectors, rather than display any kind of affluence. But if one gave into their demands and were to argue, I was compelled to pay it does not hold up, because if one returned home one would not have been partner to their unlawful innovation. Provision: The pilgrim should take with him/her sufficient funds to cover his basic needs rather than an excess of funds to provide oneself with unnecessary luxuries. However, when it comes to charitable giving it is highly commendable to give as much as one is able. Therefore one should provide for the self in moderation but liberal with ones charitable giving. Spending upon ones pilgrimage is considered as spending in the Way of Allah, and each coin spent bears the value of seven hundred like it. Omars son was heard to comment, The most virtuous pilgrim is the one whose intention is the most sincere, expenditure is proper, and who is sure in his/her belief. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, For a blessed pilgrimage there is no other reward than Paradise. When he was asked what made a pilgrimage blessed he replied, Speaking well and feeding the poor. Behavior: Allah says, (For) whosoever undertakes the pilgrimage there us no approaching (women), neither transgression nor disputing in the pilgrimage. 2:197. From this warning a pilgrim knows that he/she should abandon all forms of transgression most notably, indecency, immorality, evil and arguments. Indecency and immorality include not only actions, but useless speech that stimulates sexual arousal, and all things that lead or can lead to prohibited things. It also includes the use of obscene or foul language. Arguing, or being quarrelsome causes ill-will and affects both parties and those who overhear. It disturbs and distracts the heart from the nobility of the pilgrimage occasion. Sufyan said, Indecent behavior contaminates ones pilgrimage. Whereas the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that whereas decent speech during the pilgrimage is blessed and equal to providing food, being quarrelsome is not compatible with decent speech, so do not inflict someone with trouble, but rather adopt good conduct. Travel entails hardship, and tests ones character and circumstances provoke ones patience that can lead to arguments. Travel can either reveal the best characteristics or the worst characteristics of a pilgrim. It is a time when travelers discover the true personality of their companions. It is highly commendable to deal gently with ones companions as one journeys to the House of Allah. Mode of transportation: Those who are blessed to live in or near the Holy Land are encouraged to make the pilgrimage on foot because for each footstep taken there are seven hundred rewards that are connected to the Holy Sanctuary. When Abdullah, Abbass son was asked about the rewards he told his inquirer, One good deed in the Sanctuary is rewarded a hundred thousand times. Walking between the waymarks established by Allah for the pilgrimage is rich in reward especially between Mecca, Arafat and Mina. Allah says, Fulfill the pilgrimage (Hajj) and make the visitation (Umrah), the lesser Pilgrimage) for Allah. 2:196. The Caliphs Omar and Ali and the Companion ibn Masud explained this verse as meaning that a perfect pilgrimage is one in which the intention is made as one leaves ones home walking on foot to the place where the pilgrim puts on the robes of the pilgrimage (Ihram). There is also a scholarly opinion that using transportation is better because it involves taking less provision, it is less disturbing and therefore contributes to a safe completion of the pilgrimage. In reality this opinion does not contradict the first and each individual case should be considered; if one is weak or unable to walk then transportation is the answer. Modest transportation: If the pilgrim decides to go on pilgrimage riding a beast, then he/she should avoid the luxury of a canopied litter unless one fears the inability to ride an animal. This is to reduce the burden of the animal and also the avoidance of pride. The more modest the saddle and its reins the better. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, once rode a camel on pilgrimage, its saddle was worn and its padding in tatters. When he arrived at the Kaba, he circumambulated it riding on the camel, and from this his Companions observed his demeanor and conduct. He told them, Take your rituals from me. Kindness to ones mount: The pilgrim should show kindness to his/her mount and not burden it with a heavy load beyond its capacity. The mount should be given periods of rest and not made to walk continuously. Whosoever harms a dumb animal and overloads it will be held accountable on the Day of Judgement. When the Companion Abul Darda was on his death bed he said to his camel, Camel, do not complain to me to your Lord, because I never overloaded you. Appearance and dress: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, described pilgrims, A pilgrims dress is disheveled and his body is laden with dust. Allah says, Look at the visitors to My House, they have come to Me with disheveled hair and hair laden with dust from every distant hill. Sacrificial Animals: It is preferable to sacrifice an animal that is strong and has a lot of meat. If the intended animal is not one to fill the obligation then one may eat from its meat, however if it is to fill the obligation one must not eat it. Allah says, Their flesh and blood does no reach Allah, rather it is piety from you that reaches Him. 22:37. Omars son intended to sacrifice a camel but in the meantime he was offered three hundred dirhams for the animal. He went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to inquire whether he should sell the animal and buy several other animals with the money instead. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told him not to sell the camel but to sacrifice it as first intended. The reason for this is that a little of what is excellent is better than something inferior. The animals Omars son would have bought with the money from the sale of the camel would have bought a lot of meat, but the meat was not the object, the object was to purify the soul from miserliness by giving what is best loved. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, was asked about what makes a pilgrimage blessed, he replied, AAA need translation for Nahr il bahdan page 93/483The commotion and torrent. It has been explained that the commotion refers to the crying out of Labbaykh which means Obedient to You and the torrent refers to the blood of slaughtered animals at the time of sacrifice. Lady Ayesha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, said, On the day of slaughtering there is no human action that is dearer to Allah than the sacrifice of blood, because on the Day of Resurrection it will come with its horns and hooves. On that Day there is a time when its blood will fall but Allah, the Exalted with prevent it from reaching the ground, so rejoice with it. It has also been reported that In every hair of its hide there lies for you a reward, and every drop of blood counts as a good deed to be weighed in the balance, so rejoice! The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, also said, Seek the help of your sacrificial offering because on the Day of Resurrection they will be your mounts. Readiness to Spend: The pilgrim should not be reluctant to spend upon the purchase of a sacrificial animal, rather it should be purchased with great pleasure and not be looked upon as a financial or physical loss because it is one of the signs that the pilgrims pilgrimage has been accepted. Any mishap that might occur on the journey that incurs additional expenditure is spent in the Way of Allah, and it should be borne in mind that every single coin of its spending is rewarded seven hundred times more. The journey is likened to that of the journey on the way to fight in a Holy War because of its hardship and therefore every loss that is encountered is recompensed nothing is overlooked in the Sight of Allah. Another way in which one should be ready to spend is not financial it is the abandonment of sinful ways and exchanging companions that are not productive in the Way of Allah for those who are righteous. It is also relinquishing the unnecessary excesses of life by replacing them with the Remembrance of Allah in gatherings. This is yet another sign that ones pilgrimage has been accepted. INTERNAL CONDITIONS DURING THE PILGRIMAGE The significance of the pilgrimage begins with understanding its importance in Islam. The pilgrim must be mindful of each and every facet of the pilgrimage; ones yearning, intention, severing the ties of prevention, leaving ones home, the purchase of white seamless robes (ihram) in preparation for ones consecration of the pilgrimage, the purchase of provisions, transportation, the actual consecration, the cry Labbayk (obedient to You), the entry into Mecca, and the completion of all the rites due to the pilgrimage. Each of these is a reminder to the pilgrim, encouragement to the hopeful, and to the wise they are instructions and indications. Now that these are known, we will explore the significance of their salient points which will enable you, dear reader, to know their reasons and some of their mysteries that may be made known to pilgrims, and through which his/her heart becomes peaceful, inner purity and greater understanding is attained. The first internal condition is the sincerity of ones intention to make the pilgrimage and to learn all that is to be known about the pilgrimage together with its rituals, and the significance of the blessed and honored religious sites. Dear reader, you should understand that you will be unable to come nearer to Allah if you do not restrain yourself from your desires and baser appetite. The way in which one can come closer to Allah is to shed ones desire for worldly attractions. Of the world Allah says, The life of this world is nothing except the joy of delusion, 57:21. One day a man came to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him and asked how he might win the love of Allah. He replied, Do not desire the world and Allah will love you.. Before the advent of Islam there were pious people who lived in hermitages or places of isolation, far away from people preferring solitude to company where they were better able to seek the nearness of Allah and the Path to the Everlasting Life. But as time passed the number of such pious people dwindled and people chased after the attractions of this worldly life in preference to the Everlasting Life, and it was then that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, to reawaken the path to the Everlasting Life. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked about the life of a monk he, alluding to the pilgrimage, told his inquirers, that he had been given something similar which is Jihad, (striving in the Way of Allah) and the Takbir (which is the exaltation of Allah) in every high place. He told them that the pilgrimage had become a Muslims monasticism, and fasting was comparable to living the life of a hermit. From this it is learned that Allah has favored the nation of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, by making the pilgrimage a form of monasticism and honored the Kaba by making it as His Sacred House and consecrated it surrounding precincts. He raised Arafat to be the opening to the way to His Holy House, although He is not contained or confined by any structure, and honored Arafat by prohibiting hunting and the felling of trees therein. It can be likened to that of a royal courtyard with the goal of visitors from all over the world arriving disheveled, laden with dust from the journey and in a state of humility before the Allah, Owner of the Sacred House to obediently and willingly fulfill His command. It is there that the pilgrim is commanded to perform certain rites although the mind cannot easily grasp their significance such as the stoning of the pillars at Mina, the running between the Hills of Safwa and Marwa, but such performances are performed as acts of obedient worship to the Creator. Yearning: Yearning to make the pilgrimage is arrived at through understanding and the realization that one is indeed going to visit the House of Allah. There is a connection with Allah through His Holy House and this in itself makes one yearn to be closer to Him and receive the tremendously great reward He has promised. Intention and the severing of ties: The pilgrims intention must only be for the Sake of Allah, and not for an ulterior motive. Without a sincere intention there will be no acceptance of the pilgrimage, and ones visit will constitute a serious offence. Separation from ones family means giving up the comfort of ones home and this is overcome by the pilgrims firm determination to sincerely turn his/her face towards the visit to the House of Allah. One must be mindful of the very great honor of the Kaba and that you are visiting the House of the Exalted Creator without whom nothing exists or can exist, He is the Owner of all things known and unknown. The pilgrim should close the door on his home, just as if he were going into exile and never going to return. Before leaving he should make a will for his family because both the traveler and his money are at risk. The pilgrim should view his/her journey as the road to the Everlasting Life and be mindful that isnt so far away, it is nearer than it was yesterday. Provisions: As we mentioned before, the provisions for ones pilgrimage must, without except by earned from a lawful source and not tainted by unlawful gain. In preparation for ones journey it is natural to consider ones daily rations, however, it is also very important to prepare ones provision for the Everlasting Life, and that provision is piety. Food will eventually turn bad, but the provision for the Everlasting Life remains, therefore one must beware in case the deeds that make up your provision for the Everlasting Life do not accompany you when you die because they became spoiled by such evils as hypocrisy and the clouds of neglectfulness. Transportation: Allah says, so that you can sit upon their backs and then remember the Favors of your Lord and say, Exaltations to Him who has subjected these to us otherwise, we ourselves, were not capable of it. 43:13 As the pilgrim purchases his/her ride he should be grateful to Allah for enabling him to be in the position to purchase it and relieving him from the hardship. He should also remember the conveyance, which is the coffin, that will be his final ride on his journey to the Everlasting Life, and once again remember that the Everlasting Life is not far off. Robes of Pilgrimage: When purchasing the white cloth to wear on pilgrimage one should think of it as the shroud in which one will be wrapped for the journey to the Everlasting Life. Departure for the Pilgrimage: Upon leaving ones home the pilgrim must remember that he/she has started out to obey the command of Allah to visit His House, and that it is not like the journey of a vacation. His heart should be awake knowing the reality of his destination and the One whom he intends to visit. As the pilgrim sets out he must hope that his pilgrimage will be accepted and not depend upon ones good deeds, but hope for the Mercy of Allah. Dear reader, know that if death overtakes you on your journey it will help you to meet Allah because Allah says, Whosoever leaves his house an immigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his wage shall have fallen upon Allah. 4:100. If you are blessed to reach the designated place in which one puts on the robes of the pilgrimage one should reflect upon the dangers and hardships encountered on the way and ponder much upon the trials one faces after death. Obedient to You, Allah! Allah says, Proclaim the pilgrimage to the people. 22:27 and the pilgrim should recall that he/she is actually responding to this summons as he calls out Labbayk. Having reached the place where one puts on the robes of pilgrimage, the pilgrim cries out there onwards, Labbayk (Obedient to You, Allah) in hope of the Mercy of Allah and in fear that He does not accept you saying, No favor or fortune for you. The point at which one utters Labbayk is critical, so humble yourself before Allah and do not think of yourself as powerful or strong, rather, rely upon the Generosity and Mercy of Allah, the Exalted. When Ali, the son of Hussein, went on pilgrimage and had put on his white robes he suddenly turned very pale and began to tremble, such was his condition that he was unable to utter the words Labbayk. When he was asked what the matter was he replied, I dread being told, No favor or fortune for you! Later on when he was able to cry Labbayk he fainted and fell from his camel, and this happened continuously to Ali until he completed his Pilgrimage. Entering Mecca: Upon entering Mecca the pilgrim must be aware that he/she has had a safe arrival to the Sacred House of Allah. As he enters the pilgrim should be fearful that he is unworthy of approaching Allah and hope to be safe from His punishment. The pilgrim should not despair but be forever hopeful of the Mercy of Allah because He is the Most Merciful. Upon seeing the Kaba and its circumambulation: When gazing upon the Kaba the pilgrim must remember and be overwhelmingly thankful in the depth of his/her heart for the very great blessings he has been given at being able to reach the most honored House of Allah on earth, and for being in the company of other blessed pilgrims who have reached the most Sacred House on earth. Remember also the Day of Resurrection when all mankind are assembled before Him, some will be admitted in to Paradise whereas others will be rejected, just as pilgrims are either accepted or rejected. In everything you see, never forget the matters of the Everlasting Life, because each portion of the pilgrimage has a connection to the Everlasting Life. When starting the circumambulation around the Kaba, the pilgrim should remember the circumambulation of the angels near to Allah who circle His Mighty and Glorious Throne in continuous exaltation. Be careful not to think that the object of your circumambulation is just a bodily function, the object is the circumambulation of your heart in constant remembrance of Allah, the Lord of the House, the One and only Creator. Therefore, realize that the circumambulation is the circling of the heart in His Divine presence, and that His House is the external symbol in the visible world for the unseen Divine court that is in the unseen world. The body belongs to this world whereas the soul belongs to the spiritual world and it is Allah who opens its door. AAA Think of the Kaba as the precursor of the AAAPopulous House (Al Bayt Al Mamur). The angels circumambulate the AAA Populous House in the unseen world whereas mankind circumambulates the Kaba in this world, however, only a few people are able to reach a high degree like the circumambulation of the angels. Those very pious people who have been blessed with such an elevated status have been seen in visions to be circled by Kaba. The Black Stone and the covering of the Kaba: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The Black Stone is the Right Hand of Allah in this world. Therefore the pilgrim should be mindful that when he/she kisses the Black Stone he is kissing His hand and it is a sign of his allegiance. As a pilgrim clings to the coverings of Kaba and presses his chest against its wall at the place called Al Multazam, his intention should be to draw closer to Allah and yearn even more for the Owner of this Sacred House, whilst begging Him for forgiveness, yet at the same time and ever hopeful of His protection from the punishment of the Fire. His status should be greater than one who was sinned against another and clings ardently to his clothes begging him to forgive him, hoping for his generosity and mercy, and ultimate forgiveness. Going to and fro between the hillocks of Safa and Marwa: The hillocks of Safa and Marwa are in the precincts of the Holy Sanctuary. Its running between the two hillocks is similar to that of a servant fulfilling his duties in the court of an emperor. The running demonstrates the devotion of ones duty and is filled with the hope of it being viewed with compassion by the emperor but leaves not knowing know whether or not he has been accepted or rejected. Think of Safa as being the scale of good deeds and Marwa as the scale of bad deeds and contemplate upon which of ones scales will be heaviest on the Day of Resurrection. Standing on the Plain of Arafat: Upon seeing the vast multitude of pilgrims congregated upon the plain of Arafat from different countries and races from all over the world under their imam, the pilgrim should contemplate on the magnitude of the final gathering on the Day of Resurrection. The Day in which each nation will come under its prophet waiting in fear but hopeful anticipation to see if the intercession of its prophet has been accepted for their person. Being mindful of these forthcoming events in the Everlasting Life, the pilgrim should, with all his heart, supplicate Allah to let him be resurrected in the company of those to whom He has shows mercy. Arafat is indeed a noble place, it is there that the Mercy of Allah descends upon His worshipers and the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, tell us, There is no other day on which Allah frees a larger number of His worshipers from the Fire of Hell than on the Day of Arafat. In each pilgrimage there are special pious people who stand upon Arafat whose devotion to Allah exceeds all others. Their hearts are devoted entirely to Allah and they supplicate and entreat Him for His Mercy. Do not think that Allah will disappoint their hopes or begrudge them for it is a great sin to be present at Arafat and think that Allah does not forgive you. Stoning: The object of casting stones at the pillars that represent satan is that of obedience to the Command of Allah. It demonstrates ones submissiveness, willingness and blind servitude to obey without question, because it is through such obedience that a servant gains the love of his master. In this state of mind make the intention to follow the example of Prophet Abraham who, by the Command of Allah, threw stones at satan when he tried to tempt him to disobey the order of Allah to sacrifice his dearly beloved son, Ishmael. The pilgrimage is to submissively obey the Command of Allah unquestionably, without any argument. Sacrificial Animals: Sacrificing an animal is another way in which the pilgrim is blessed to draw closer to his/her Creator, Allah. It is made in complete obedience to the Command of Allah, therefore sacrifice to the best of ones ability an animal that is sturdy with a lot of meat and hope that for every part of it Allah will deliver you from the Fire. Visiting Medina: Remember as your eyes fall upon the walls of the City of Medina, that this noble city was the one chosen by Allah for His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to be the one to which he was to migrate from Mecca. For many years it was the home of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and it was there that he, by the Mercy of Allah, established the exemplary model of the ultimate Islamic society. Through his excellent example its citizens saw for themselves his preaching and way of life in action. He did not say one thing and do the opposite. It was also from this City that he fought by tongue and body the enemies of Islam. He did not fight the unbelievers out of revenge, he fought them to destroy the roots of their disbelief until the religion of Islam became of them and reunited to the ancient promise of their soul when it bore witness to the question of Allah, (Allah said), Am I not our Lord? They replied, We bear witness (that You are) 7:17 so they might be saved from the Fires of Hell, and that his nation was protected, free to practice their religion in peace what greater love and care is there than this! So, dear reader, when you reach Medina, the City of the Prophet, emulate his example and remember the days when he walked through its streets inviting people to Allah. Remember as you walk that this is where his blessed feet walked in humility, dispensing justice, fairness, tolerance and all witnessed his great love for the old and young, the able and disabled whether through financial circumstances or health, his deliverance of justice, fairness and certain knowledge of the Everlasting Life. Remember too how Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified, exalted him, through linking him to Him, by making it a condition of belief when bearing witness to His Oneness that, Muhammad is His Messenger. On the Day of Resurrection, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions that many people will be presented before him who will say, O Muhammad, O Muhammad and he will say to Allah, O Lord, they are my companions. Allah will then ask, You do not know the evil they did after you and I will say to them, Let them be far from me. From this it is learned that if one does not follow the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, one will have distanced oneself from him, but you will still hope for the Mercy of Allah. When you reach the Prophets Mosque, remember that it is the second most holy place in Islam, and it was the place chosen by Allah for its building. Enter it in both fear and hope. As Owais Qarni waited at the door of the Prophet's Mosque, he said, This is the tomb of the Holy Prophet and fainted. When he regained consciousness he said, Take me away from here, I am not worthy to be in the place where the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is buried. If you neglect to follow the Sacred Law establish by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, at the command of Allah, the Almighty, there is no guarantee that you will not be prevented from being with him on account of your deviation. However, one must never loose hope that Allah will not prevent you from being amongst those in his company after He has blessed you with belief and you set out from your homes in obedience to His Command, and in love of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, with a longing to be near his blessed tomb. The Tomb of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him: When the blessed time comes for the pilgrim to visit the tomb of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, the pilgrim should stand before him as if you were standing before him during his life. Remember the nobility of his personage, and in the same way you would have restrained yourself from touching or kissing him during his mission here on earth, do not touch or kiss his tomb, but rather greet him as Allah has commanded you to greet him, and stand before him with deep respect and love, in the knowledge that Allah knows your innermost thoughts and condition. Be aware that Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, knows you are there and that he receives your greeting because Allah appointed an angel to his tomb who conveys each greeting of his followers to him. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, Gabriel, came to me and said, O Muhammad, whenever someone from your nation asks for blessings upon you, seventy thousand angels bless him, and whosoever is blessed by the angels is one of the People of the Garden. Then he said, The more you ask for blessings upon me, the more you will have in the Garden. He also told them, Whosoever asks Allah to bless me, Allah will bless him ten times, and whosoever asks Allah ten times to bless me, Allah will bless him one hundred times, and whosoever asks Allah one hundred times to bless me, Allah will bless him one thousand times, and whoever asks Allah one thousand times to bless me, Allah will prohibit the Fire from touching his body. O Allah, I seek refuge with You that You should deprive one who is hopeful of his favors, or that his follower returned from him dishonored. Comments: These then, dear reader, are the desired conditions of ones heart throughout the pilgrimage and the time now approaches to return to ones homeland. Upon leaving the heart feel sad, fearful and anxious as one does not know if ones pilgrimage has been accepted. An indication to whether ones pilgrimage has been accepted is that ones heart is strongly moved against the delusions of this worldly life, delusions that invade and distract one from the worship of Allah in the many aspects of ones life. Now that one is aware of these snares ones heart finds rest in seeking the nearness of Allah. THE NEXT PART OF THIS BOOK IS FOUND IN BOOK1PART8G NOTE: THE CHAPTER#BEGINS AT 7 AND NOT 8 AS THE FILE NAME WOULD INDICATE Egypt Part 01 X Desktop File sequence First: File Name: Ghazalirewrite Second: File Name:Book1Part8G note typo. the file begins with Book 7 and continues to the completion of the volume, i.e Book 10 Third: File Name: GVOL2BK1-2 Fourth: File Name: Gvol2Bk3-4 SPELL CHECK DONE K HAS READ THROUGH AAA = questions for Ahmad VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 7 - THE RECITATION OF THE KORAN Chapter 1 The Virtue of the Arabic Koran Allah bears witness that the Koran is His Book and that He Himself protects it saying, It is We who sent down the Koran, and We watch over it. 15:9. This verse refers to the Arabic Koran. There are many translations in a multitude of different languages, and you dear reader, should be aware that such translations only attempt to convey the meaning and in no way can be thought of as being parallel to the Arabic Koran. The translations of the meaning are the work of humans and not the Almighty and errors and misinterpretation are often the case. You should also be aware that some translations have been undertaken by the enemies of Allah and deliberate, subtle tampering is detectable by the knowledgeable, but mislead those who are not so well versed in the Words of Allah. Therefore, the Arabic Koran is the only true irreplaceable Word of Allah and is the only Word to be relied upon one hundred percent. The English translated meaning closest to the Arabic Koran can be downloaded free of charge from www.Allah.com. Allah tells us, The Merciful has taught the Koran. He created the human and taught him its pronunciation. 55:1-4. It is by the Mercy of Allah that we have been blessed to be guided and thereby follow the Straight Path that ultimately leads to Him. In it He eases our path by clarifying what is permitted and what is prohibited, tells us stories and exemplifies the lives of Prophet Muhammad and earlier prophets, peace be upon all of them. The Koran contains many miracles, some of which are signs that were left for us to discover in this era many centuries after its Revelation, as a proof, mercy and guiding light from Allah that this truly is His Book. Even though bygone generations were unable to comprehend the meaning or relevance of such verses that we in this era are now able to understand they did not reject them but believed them to be the Word of the Almighty. Amongst such signs for this era is that of the developmental stages of the fetus in the womb that were neither understood nor yet known during the time of the sending down of the Koran. Each time a reciter reads the Koran he/she discovers something new, and one is never satiated by its constant repetition. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The people of the Koran are the people of Allah, His chosen ones. One day he was heard to say, The heart becomes rusty in the same way that iron rusts. When he was asked what removes the rust and polishes it, he replied The recitation of the Koran and the remembrance of death. He also told his Companions that, Allah, the Highly Exalted listens is admiration to whosoever recites the Koran. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, also said: Intercession of the Koran on the Day of Judgement: Keep reciting the Koran, because it intercedes for its reciters on the Day of Judgement. The Koran will be summoned on the Day of Judgement along with its people who practiced it in the worldly life. It will be heralded by the second and third chapters and these will argue on behalf of those who kept company with them. The best amongst us: The best of you are those who learn the Koran and teach it. Encouragement for those of us who find the recitation difficult: Whosoever recites the Koran fluently will be in the company of the obedient, the righteous and the righteous angels, and whosoever recites the Koran stumbling and with difficulty will have a double reward. Exaltation and abasement: Allah will exalt many people through this Book, and will abase many because of it. Two types of people to be envied: There are only two kinds of people you should envy. The person to whom Allah has given the (knowledge of the) Koran and stands reciting it in prayer during the day and night, and he to whom Allah has given wealth and spends it in the Cause of Allah during the hours of the night and day. Letters in the Koran: When a person recites one letter from the Book of Allah that is one good deed equal to the like of ten good deeds. I do not say that AlifLaamMeem is a single letter. Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meen is a letter. The rank of the reciter of the Koran: The reciter of the Holy Koran will be told on the Day of Judgement, Read and ascend and recite. Recite as you did in the world because your rank will be with the last verse you recite. A warning: Continue reciting the Koran, because by Him in whose Hands is the life of Muhammad, it escapes quicker than a camel from its rope. Memorization of the Koran: The example of one who has memorized the Koran by heart is like that of one who has a camel tethered by a rope. If he watches it, he retains it; but if he neglects it, it wanders away. The value of the recitation and memorization of the Koran was expressed by the Companions of the Prophet. Masuds son said, If you seek knowledge read the Koran because it contains knowledge of both the beginning and the end. Al Fadil, Ayads son said, Whosoever memorizes the Koran by heart needs no one, he is not in need of a rightly guided Caliph nor those who come after them, rather, it is the people who should turn to him because it is they who are in need. Al Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet, peace be upon them, said, By Allah, if you do not have the Koran you will not be sufficed, but if you have it you will be sufficed. A Companion of the Prophet, the son of Masud said, The Koran was sent down for you to do good deeds, therefore put your recitation into action. There are men among you who recite the Koran from the beginning to the end and do not omit a single word but they do not put it into action, be sure you act upon it. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 7 - THE RECITATION OF THE KORAN CHAPTER 2 The External Condition of the Reciter A reciter must adhere to the external rules before reciting the Koran: He/she should have his ablution and may stand or sit facing the Kibla during his recitation, but not with his legs crossed, with his head lowered slightly. His demeanor should be humble and not proud. The best way to recite the Koran is when one stands in a mosque. Allah says, Those who remember Allah when standing, sitting, and on their sides, and contemplate upon the creation of the heavens and the earth. 3:191. From this verse the order of excellence in which one should recite the Koran is established, the best being in a standing position, then sitting, followed by reclining. Before each recital one should supplicate saying, I seek refuge in Allah, the All Hearing, the All Knowing, from the cursed satan. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the prompting of the satans and I seek refuge in You my Lord from their presence. This should be followed with the recitation of Chapter 114, The People followed by Chapter 1 The Opener. At the end of the recital one should say, Allah, the Highly Exalted has spoken the truth and His Messenger has conveyed the truth. Lord, let us benefit from it and bless us in it. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and I beg the forgiveness of Allah, the Ever Living, the Everlasting. It is the custom of some reciters to recite the Koran once in twenty-four hours, whereas some recite it twice and others once a month. However, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told Abdullah, Amrs son when he expressed his wish to recite the Koran daily and fast each day, Prophet David worshipped more than any other man and completed the recitation of the Holy Reading (given to him) in a month. Abdullah replied, O Prophet of Allah, I am strong enough to do more than this. Whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Then complete it every twenty days. Abdullah persisted and told him he could do more than that, whereupon he was told to recite the Koran once every ten days. Finally, due to the entreaty of Abdullah, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Well then, recite it every seven days and do not add to this recitation. It is commendable to recite the Koran slowly because it is then that one can contemplate on the Words of Allah, and it was the custom of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to explain its verses. The weekly recitation of the Koran is divided in to seven parts. It begins on the night of Friday and its recited up to the end of Chapter 5, The Table, The recitation for Saturday night starts at Chapter 6, The Cattle and continues through to the end of Chapter 11, Prophet Hood. Sundays recitation starts with Chapter 12, Prophet Joseph and continues through to the end of Chapter 19, Maryam. Mondays recitation starts with Chapter 22 Taha and continues through to the end of Chapter 28, The Story. Tuesdays recitation starts with Chapter 29 The Spider and continues through to the end of Chapter 38 Saad. Wednesday s recitation starts with Chapter 39 and continues through to the end of Chapter 55, The Merciful. Thursdays recitation starts with Chapter 56 and continues through to the end. It is preferable to include the vowels when copying the Koran because they prevent the incorrect pronunciation of words and words are not confused with one another. One should contemplate upon the words of the Koran during its recitation and weep. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If you do not weep, then try to. Fulfill your duty in each verse, when you reach a verse of prostration, prostrate but do not do so without ablution. There are fourteen places in the Koran where it is necessary to prostrate, and the prostration is made perfect when Allah is exalted therein. If one is listening to the recitation and the reciter prostrates one should follow his example. The prostration is followed by the salaams. The Koran should be recited audibly, but not loudly, slowly and in a melodious voice. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked the son of Masud to recite the Koran to him. The son of Masud was overcome by humility and said, O Messenger of Allah, should I be the one to read it when it has been sent down to you? The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, I wish to hear it recited by you and as the son of Masud recited the Koran, the eyes of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, filled with tears. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If a person hears a verse from the Book of Allah, there will be light for him on the Day of Resurrection. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 7 - THE RECITATION OF THE KORAN CHAPTER 3 THE INTERNAL CONDITION FOR THE RECITATION OF THE KORAN There are ten internal conditions for the recitation of the Koran: The understanding of its Words. It should be understood, dear reader, that the speech of Allah is far greater and superior than that of His creation. If He had sent the Koran down in His own high degree of speech none of His creation would have understood it. It was in His infinite kindness and subtlety He sent down His Book in a simplified, yet superior and noble speech so that our understanding would be eased, but in a way that none can compose a chapter or verse like it. So now, dear reader, contemplate upon His kindness and subtlety to allow us to comprehend His Divine Words, we could never understand His Speech through our own lowly degree of understanding. If He had sent His Exalted Speech down without simplification then the heavens and earth would not have been able to bear the utterance of His Speech, they would have been obliterated just as the mountain was obliterated when Moses asked Allah, Lord, let me see, that I can look at You. He replied, You shall not see Me. But look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then shall you see Me. And when his Lord was revealed to the mountain and caused it to be crushed and leveled, Moses fell down senseless, and when he recovered, he said, Exaltations to You! I repent to You. I am the first of believers. 7:143. A wise man said, When a person needs to make his domesticated animal understand what he wants, he uses some of his words mixed with the unexpressed words of the animal thereby creating some form of language to guide it, and through it the animal instinctively understands and acts accordingly. The case of mankind is similar, because although he is unable to completely grasp the understanding of the Words of Allah with its perfection, dignity, beauty and solemnity, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was able to make mankind understand them. The root meaning of wisdom lies concealed in these Words and voices but it is still honored because of its meaning. Words are the bodies of wisdom, and their meaning is the soul of wisdom and voice is their life. The body is honored on account of its internal soul, so the word of wisdom is honored for its voice. The revealed Word of Allah is of the highest, it defines the permissible and the forbidden, it is just, it is the judge and the witness. In the same way that a person is unable to stand directly before the blazing rays of the sun, he is unable to stand before the Koranic Words of wisdom. And, just as the eyesight is unable to bare the glare of the rays of the sun, mankind has no power to enter the deepest recess of wisdom. Mankind takes only as much of the rays of the sun as he is able to see and thereby knows the necessity of things. The Word of Allah, is in a way, like that of an unseen monarch who, although one does not see him, his orders reign. The Word of Allah is as visible as the sun but its nature is secret, like a guiding star, and with its help the paths of the journey are seen. The Koran is a priceless treasure, and can be thought of as the everlasting drink of life that prevents death, or a cure for disease, which when taken leaves no trace of illness. The Honor of the Koran and its Divine Words. When either listening too or reciting the Koran one must remember that these Words are not the words of a human but that of the Creator. Allah tells us, It is indeed a Glorious Koran, in a Book protected (from tampering) which none shall touch except the purified. 56:77-79. Just as Allah has commanded that its external text is not to be touched by impure hands, the secret meanings and wisdom are shuttered from the internal mind when it is impure and not lit by the light of honor and solemnity. In the same way that the pages of the Koran are not to be touched by everybody, not every tongue can recite the Words of the Koran, neither can every heart grasp its meaning. Before one is able to honor His Word, one must contemplate upon the knowledge that Allah, alone is the Creator of all things in the heavens and earth what whatsoever is between them, and that it is He alone who gives their inhabitants their provision. This is because to honor His Word is to honor Him and He is not honored until such time that His attributes and the miracles of creation are contemplated upon. Attentive Recitation: Allah says, O John, hold fast to the Book. 19:13. The meaning of this verse is that the reciter must pay his/her undivided attention to the recitation of the Koran and not let the mind wander. Reflecting upon the Koran: Reflecting upon the meaning is arrived at after the state of attentive recitation. The reciter should recite slowly so that its meaning might be reflected upon. One night the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, repeatedly recited the verse, If You punish them (for their disbelief), they surely are Your subjects; and if You forgive them, surely You are the Almighty, the Wise. 5:118. The Meaning: The meaning is the realization of the true and rightful meaning of each verse in which is found the Most Beautiful Names of Allah, the miracles of His creation, stories of the prophets, promise of Paradise for those who believe and do good deeds, the promise of the Fire for those who disbelieve, together with descriptions of Paradise and Hell. The Attributes of Allah: Allah tells us, There is nothing like Him, He is the Hearer, the Seer. 42:11. He also tells us, He is Allah, there is no god except He. He is the King, the Pure, the Peace, the Confirmer, the Watchful, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Sublime. Exalted is Allah above all these associate! 59:23. Pause for a moment and reflect upon the significance of these Names. Now, dear reader, know that there is an inner meaning to each of these Names and none but Allah and those He has gifted can understand them. The Caliph, Imam Ali, alluded to these hidden meanings saying, The Prophet did not inform me of any secret thing that was not disclosed to men. The reality of this statement is that Allah in His Mercy has given certain people the gift to understand elements of these Names and other matters and that they are always anxious to gain more understanding. The Actions of Allah: Allah tells us, It was He who created the heavens and the earth in truth. On the Day when He says, Be, it shall be. His Word is the truth. 6.73. The reciter of the Koran should learn from it His Attributes and His Exaltedness. Whosoever has been blessed to recognize its real truth is able to comprehend the Words, For Allah is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. All shall return to Him. 5:18, so dear reader, understand that everything is founded on His truth. When one is able to see oneself as being the result of His Existence, one is able to see that ones self has been brought about by Allah through His Power. If you walk humbly seeking the Way of Allah, you will exist, but if you do not then you will not exist this is the root of spiritual insight. Bearing this in mind now think, and honestly question yourself as to who is the real doer of such things, Ponder upon the soil you till, is it you that sow it? 56.63-64. who created pairs, the male and the female, from an ejaculated drop (of sperm). 53:46. and has sent down water from the sky to bring forth fruits for your provision. 2:22 and who has made fire for you from the green tree with which you kindle. 36:80. Now, think about the elements with which a human is created it is only a tiny drop of semen, yet look at its transformation, to bones, flesh, veins, head, limbs, heart and so on. Now think about the honorable attributes that have been placed within it, the power to hear, see, smell, reason and so forth. It has also the attributes of anger, love, sexual passion and pride. Allah reminds us of the humble beginnings and the ungratefulness of most of humanity saying, He created mankind from a sperm drop, yet he is a clear adversary. 16:4 The States of the Prophets, peace be upon them: Now dear reader, consider the qualities of the prophets. There were humans like us, but their superiority far outweighs the best of us. As we learn from the Holy Koran, the prophets with their fine qualities were often oppressed and ridiculed for their belief in the Oneness of Allah, and for their exemplary, yet despised life they lived. Some, like John the Baptist were killed without right, whilst others, such as Prophet Jesus were attributed with falsehood. The obstacles that hinder the understanding of the Koran: Most people do not understand the meaning of the Koran because satan, the stoned and cursed, has deprived them from the hidden meaning by causing their hearts to be unreceptive. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, If the devils did not surround the hearts of mankind, they would be able to see the unseen world. And the deep meaning of the Koran is that of the unseen world, and the unseen world is not within the realm of our five senses because the senses lack the light of clear insight, and so it is that the meaning of the Koran is beyond the grasp of the majority. Four matters that can be obstacles in ones understanding the Koran: The devil, the stoned and cursed, works in deceiving the seeker of the greater understanding of the Koran by making him/her busy extracting words from the root words. His object is to divert the reader of the Koran far from understanding its meaning by making his thoughts center around the pronunciation of words rather than its meaning. The next obstacle is that the reader of the Koran rigidly follows the opinions he has heard from his school of jurisprudence rather than entertaining other scholastic theological opinions so that his mind is closed to other than what he has heard. A person whose faith is certain views such rigidity as being a share of satan and distances himself from it. Sufiyan Saori said, There are times when learning becomes like a barrier because a student understands only the opinion of his particular school of jurisprudence. Other obstacles that prevent one from understanding the Koran are the constant committing of a sin, pride or remaining attached to worldly desires. Such obstacles are like the build-up of grime on a mirror that acts as a screen and thereby prevents one from seeing. Similarly, the guiding star of truth remains unseen behind the screen. The build-up of grim becomes denser in relationship to ones attachment to worldly desires, pride or sin, whereas the abandonment and avoidance of such obstacles removes the grime and the light of understanding emerges. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When my followers consider their wealth great, the fear of Islam will disappear from their hearts. When they abandon doing good and forbidding evil they will be deprived from the blessings of the Revelation. This statement has been explained as meaning that they will be deprived from understanding the meaning of the Koran. Allah made the acceptance of ones repentance based on understanding by saying, as a lesson and a reminder to every penitent worshiper. 50:8 and, Yet no one remembers except he who is penitent. 40:13 Another obstacle is the acceptance of the literal meaning and to believe that there is no inner meaning other than that of the external meaning of the Koran other than by transmission from the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. 5. When you read or hear a command, a warning or something that is prohibited think, this is directed at me. When you hear the stories of the prophets take from them a lesson because there is benefit in them. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, found consolation in such stories that increased his patience in times of hardship and strengthened his belief so that the victory Allah was seen by him. And we too find consolation and our hearts find peace when our patience is tested through the blessings of its understanding. Allah says, Remember the favor of Allah upon you, and what He sent down to you from the Book and Wisdom to exhort you. 2:231. He also says, Surely, in this there is a Reminder for he who has a heart or listens attentively while witnessing. 50:37. The Koran was sent as a guide for all people, not just one person, not just one nation, it explains, warns and promises either a tremendous reward or punishment. Therefore the object of whosoever reads or recites the Koran will be as Allah instructs the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him to say, This Koran has been revealed to me in order that I can warn you and all whom it reaches. 6:19. Muhammad, Kaabs son said, Whosoever reads the Koran it is as if he were in conversation with Allah. A pious person said, The Koran is an embodiment of some letters which have come to us with the promise of Allah so that we may understand them in prayer and ponder upon them in solitude. Allah says, We sent down of the Koran that which is a healing and a mercy to believers, but to the harmdoers it does not increase them except in loss. 17:82 The affect of the Koran on the mind: Just as there are different verses in the Koran different thoughts should invade ones mind thereby relating ones thoughts and conditions according to the meaning of each verse. You should experience feelings such as those of sorrow, fear, mercy, hope, blessings and forgiveness. In many verses there is mention of forgiveness and blessings, Allah says, Your Lord knows very well what is in your hearts. If you are good, He is forgiving to those who are penitent. 17:25. Forgiveness carries several conditions, which are that one sincerely repents, believes, does good deeds and follows the guidance of Allah. Allah says, Surely, the human is in a (state of) loss, except those who believe and do good works and charge one another with the truth, and charge one another with patience. 103:2-3. One day, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked Masuds son to recite the Koran to him so he began to recite the chapter Women. When he reached the verse How then shall it be when We bring forward from every nation a witness, and bring you (Prophet Muhammad) to witness against those! 4:41 the eyes of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, filled with tears, and he said, This is sufficient now. When Masuds son realized his condition his mind became full of fear, such was the condition of people who really feared Allah. A pious, wise man once said, It will be asked of whosoever recites the Koran yet does not learn from it, What connection did you have with My Word, you turned your face away from Me. Whosoever acts contrary to the commands of the Koran is found to be guilty as Allah says, But they threw it behind their backs and they bought with it a little price. Evil was what they bought. 3:187. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The man whose voice is the sweetest when reciting the Koran is the most fearful of Allah. Allah warns, But whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his life shall be narrow and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind. 20:124 and He (Allah) will say, It is so, Our verses came to you and you forgot them. So this Day you are forgotten. 20:126. Uplifting of the mind: Uplift your mind in a way that through the recitation of the Koran you hear the Words of Allah. There are three degrees of excellence in reciting the Koran. The lowest degree is that one remembers that he/she is present, standing before Allah and reciting His Words and knows that Allah sees and hears his recitation and should supplicate. The next degree is that when you recite your mind bears witness that Allah sees you and that He is speaking secretly with you, so you should concentrate and be careful to understand. The third degree is the highest in excellence and that is that you will see Allah in the recitation of the Koran and His Attributes. As for those who do not reach any of these three degrees his rank is that of the heedless. The Caliph, Othman and the Companion of the Prophet, Huzafah both said, When ones mind is pure it remains only satisfied with the recitation of the Koran. A pious man named Sabet Bonani said, I bore hardship for twenty years and have received His gifts for twenty years. Abandonment of the self: This means one must disregard ones attributes and never be pleased with thoughts of being pure nor yet even consider oneself as being pure. When you read the accounts of pious wise men do not think yourself to be like them, and when you read the verses that speak of the punishment of sinners think that those verses are directed at you. The son of Omar would say, O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for my sins and infidelity. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 7 - THE RECITATION OF THE KORAN CHAPTER 4 INTERPRETATION OF THE KORAN BY OPINION Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, warned, Whosoever interprets the Koran according to his opinion let him seek his place in Hell. There are some knowledgeable people who explain the literal meaning of this statement to discredit the interpretations of Sufis saying that the verses are not explained in a similar fashion to the interpretation of Abbass son and other interpreters. The true spirit of this prophetic saying is that the Koran should be interpreted in accordance with the sayings of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and his actions. Differences of opinion arise when belief is limited to the claim that there is no room for interpretation and only the literal meaning of the Koran is acceptable. Whereas the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Indeed, there are manifest meanings, and secret meanings, limits and various stages. The meaning of the Koran is both wise and extensive. Of this the Caliph, Ali, said, Allah has given His worshiper the understanding of the Koran so, what understanding did he mean, if he was not referring to the fact that there were those who had been blessed with a deeper insight and capable of explaining, by the blessing of Allah, the verses of the Koran? He also said in relationship to the explanation of its verses, If I wish, I can load seventy camels with the explanation of the Opener chapter, which is a very short chapter. So, dear reader, it is very clear that there is in fact room for interpretation. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, advised, Read the Koran and search for its unknown matters. He also said to Ali, By the One who sent me with the truth, my followers will be divided into seventy-three sects over the matters of the fundamental principles of religion and AAAgroups (jammat). Each sect will be misguided and beckon towards Hell. When this occurs, hold tightly to the Book of Allah because in it are stories about your predecessors and successors and matters about which you are at difference. Whosoever opposes the Koran is amongst those who transgress and Allah will punish him. Whosoever searches for learning other than the Koran Allah will lead him astray because the Koran is the firmest tie, a clear light and a beneficial medicine. When someone holds tightly to it, it will protect him and if he follows it, it will save him. There is no severance of the miracles of the Koran, and it does not become stale on account of repetitive readings. Upon hearing the Prophets warning my followers will be divided into seventy-three sects, Hudaifah asked, O Prophet of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, if I am alive at such time, what are your instructions? He replied, Learn the Book of Allah, and act according to it, because your safety lies within it. The Caliph, Ali indicated that the Koran is the source for all learning in his saying, Whosoever understands the Koran acquires the combination of all learning. Allah says, He gives wisdom to whom He will, and he who is given wisdom has been given a lot of good. Yet none will remember except the owners of minds. 2:269. Referring to this verse, Abbas son explained, wisdom means knowledge of the Koran. Allah also says, We gave knowledge to David and Solomon. They said, Praise be to Allah who has preferred us above many of His believing worshipers. 27:14 This is yet another example of how these prophets, peace be upon them, were given knowledge before wisdom. There are numerous sayings of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, that relate to the surface meaning of the Koran and we quote again his saying, Whosoever interprets the Koran according to his opinion let him seek his place in Hell. From this saying it is understood that what is forbidden and is punishable with a place in Hell is the interpretation of the Koran according to ones own personal opinion. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr said, If I were to interpret the Koran according to my own opinion, what earth would protect me and which sky will give me shade! However, if what has been said is correct this would mean that all one had to do to understand the Koran would be to just memorize it. On the other hand if this is not correct then what did the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, mean when he said, Whosoever interprets the Koran according to his own opinion secures for himself a place in Fires of Hell. What one should know is that whosoever claims that there is no other meaning for the Koran than that which has been understood from the surface meaning of its interpretation, that person speaks only for himself, and he is correct in what he claims for himself, however he is wrong to judge others on account of the limit of his understanding. When one researches the quotations of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and the sayings of his Companions one discovers that there is in the meaning of the Koran room for those who possess understanding to interpret. Other prophetic sayings and sayings of the Companions relating to the prohibition of interpreting the Koran according to ones own opinion make it clear that one should restrict oneself to that which has been transmitted and what is only handed down in authentic transmissions, and leave both presumption and personal theory otherwise the commands could be taken to mean something else. If the meaning is that no one should interpret the Koran other than the way in which he reads it, it is not correct because of the following reasons. 1. Because the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, interpreted some but not all of verses or chapters of the Koran which were duly transmitted. Now we come to the authenticated interpretations of Abbass son and Masud son, should they be rejected and classified as interpretation according to opinion because they did not hear it from the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him? 2.There are differences in the opinion of the Companions and interpreters regarding some verses because they interpreted them differently. We must also bear in mind that it is impossible for each of them to have heard the interpretation from the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, because others would surely have heard it as well. Therefore it is understood that each interpreter has interpreted the meaning according to what he has been able to grasp from his own conclusion. 3. We must remember, dear reader, that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, supplicated Allah for Abbass son, saying, My Lord, make him a scholar in religion and teach him interpretation. Now, if interpretation was already in the preserved Revelation, what then would be the point of the Prophets supplication for Abbass son? 4. Allah says, whereas if they returned it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those of them whose task is to research it would have known it. 4:83. This verse is proof that knowledgeable people are capable of understanding and interpretation. A conclusion is known to be beyond what is read. Therefore the assumption that interpretation is dependant upon what is read is negated, and it is possible for everyone to discover the Koran according to his ability to understand and reason. What is meant by the prohibition pertains to two matters. One should not form an opinion in the matter in order to defend ones purpose. In another word, if one were to explain the Koran without ones own internal opinion, one would never interpret it in the same way. When a person is swayed by his personal desire he interprets the Koran to suit his opinion and distorts its meaning to support his desire or claim. Some teachers, in order to attract their students, use verses to link between what a verse says to what they are saying. For example, a teacher who is attracting the attention of his students not to be hard-hearted may link his discourse to the verse Go to Pharaoh, he has become insolent. 20:24 by comparing the hardened heart to Pharaoh. An other example, is that of a teacher who is encouraging the asking of forgiveness before beginning the days fast and quotes the Prophetic saying, Eat before the beginning of the fast, because in it there is blessing. These kind of usages are wrong, but they were meant to be used to attract the student, so the intention is good, but it is still wrong. Another way of using it is when the intention is bad, AAA and used by the inner people to make their preaching appear correct, when they are well aware that the verse was not meant to be interpreted in that manner. Therefore, the reason for prohibiting the explanation with opinion is more for the kind that is related to the inner opinion for inner desires, so the opinion can be either good or bad, but the prohibition is more weighty upon the kind that is bad. The second way is that without researching the authentic Koranic transmissions he interprets verses of the Koran according to its superficial linguistic meaning simply because he has understood the Arabic language, and when this route is taken its interpretation is prone to many mistakes because he becomes amongst those who interpret according to his opinion. It is only after it is understood that transmission and hearing/reading are necessities for interpretation that mistakes are avoided and ones understanding is broadened. The subtlety of hearing is illustrated in the following verse, To Thamood, We brought the she-camel as a visible sign, yet they wronged her. 17:59. The meaning of this verse is that the people of Thamood wronged themselves by killing the visible sign of Allah. Whosoever looks only at the superficial language of the text thinks that what is meant is that the she-camel was able to see and not blind, and he would not realize that it was Thamood who wronged themselves. Let us look at a verse that expresses advance and delay. Allah says, Except for a Word that preceded from your Lord, and a stated term, it had been fastened. 20:129. There are words with different meanings. For example, thing, companion, nation, and spirit. In the following verse Allah says, Allah strikes a parable. A servant owned by his master, having no power over anything. 16:75 what is meant is the illustration of the bounty Allah gave the servants master. Lets look at the word companion. Allah said, And his companion will say, This is that which I have present. (It will be said), Indeed, cast into Gehenna every deviating unbeliever. 50:23-24. Companion means the angel entrusted to be his guard. Allah has also said, And his companion shall say, Our Lord, I did not make him insolent, he was far astray. 50:27. Companion in this verse means satan. As for the word nation it has several meanings. Nations, meaning a group. Allah said, When he came to the water wells of Midian he found there a nation drawing water. 28:23. Regarding the followers of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, we say, From the nation of Muhammad. And as a righteous man is an exemplary person to follow, Allah says, Abraham was a nation, obedient to Allah. 16:120. Nation, meaning the creed. Allah says, We found our fathers following a creed, and by following in their footsteps we are guided. 43:23. Nation, meaning a period of time. Allah says, Till an appointed time. 11:8. Allah also says, After all that time, the one of the two who had been saved remembered. 12:45. The Koranic reference to spirit also has several meanings. So dear reader, you can now understand how anyone who thinks it is sufficient to understand the superficial meaning of the Arabic language is able to interpret the Koran does not recognize either the hearing, reading or transmission is, without doubt, among those who interpret the Koran according to their own opinion. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 8 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 1 The Excellence of Making Zikr the Remembrance of Allah Dear reader, there are many verses in the Koran that speak of the multiple blessings one receives through the remembrance of Allah together with the very great blessing of being able to supplicate directly to Him. Allah says, So remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful towards Me. 2:152. Supplicate to Him and make the religion sincerely His. 40:65, I answer the supplication of the supplicant when he calls to Me, therefore let them respond to Me and let them believe in Me. 2:186. Therefore exalt Allah when you enter the evening and in the morning. His is the praise in the heavens and the earth, at the setting of the sun and at noon. 30:17-18 Remembrance of Allah and supplications Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, expressed the tremendous value of making zikr (the remembrance of Allah), upon his Companions as he told them that: Allah, the Exalted said, I am to a worshiper of Mine as he imagines Me to be. I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers in his mind, I remember him in My mind, and if he remembers Me in company I remember him in better company. Whosoever approaches Me by the span of a hand, I approach him by an arms length. Whosoever approaches Me by an arms length, I approach him by two arms length. If a worshiper of Mine comes to Me walking, I go to him running. The deed that will save the son of Adam most from the punishment of Allah is his remembrance of Allah, the Exalted whereupon his Companions inquired, O Messenger Allah, is it greater than fighting in the Way of Allah? He replied, Indeed, it is greater than fighting in the cause of Allah, unless you smite with your sword until it nears breaking point, and strike again, then strike it until it breaks. If anyone wishes to enter the Garden of Paradise let him remember Allah abundantly. Such is the value of making zikr that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said when asked which action was best, It is your meeting death in the condition that your tongue is saturated in the remembrance of Allah. He also said, Saturate your tongue with the remembrance of Allah morning and evening, then you will have no sin from morning to evening. There are groups of the angels of Allah who roam about in the streets in search of people remembering Allah. When they find people remembering Allah, the Most Exalted, they call to one another, Come to what you want! and they cover the people with their wings up to the sky. Then, they return to their Lord who asks them and He is the most Knowledgeable (meaning that He already knows what has been said) What were My worshipers saying? and they report, They pronounce Your Exaltations, exalting You and praise You. He Allah, the Most High inquires, Have they seen Me? They answer, By Allah, no they have not seen You. Allah, the Exalted inquires, What if they saw Me? They answer, If they saw You they would be more diligent in Your worship and Your exaltation and in proclaiming Your Holiness. Then He, the Mighty, the Glorified inquires, What do they ask of Me. They answer, They ask of You Paradise. Allah inquires, Have they seen it? They answer, By Allah, no they have not seen it. Allah inquires, What if they saw it? They answer, If they saw it they would desire more and seek it more and yearn more for it. Then Allah inquires, From what do they seek protection? They answer, They seek protection from the Fire. And He inquires, Have they seen it? They answer, No, by Allah they have not seen it. Allah inquires, What if they saw it? The angels answer, If they saw it they would run from it more and would fear it more. Then Allah says, I call upon you to witness that I forgive them. One of the angels then says, Among them was so and so, he is not one of them, he came to You for some purpose of his own. Allah says, They were sitting together therefore even their companion will not go unrewarded. On another occasion the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, gave his Companions more information by adding to his saying, Then the angels say, And they ask for Your forgiveness, Then Allah, the Exalted says, I have forgiven them and given them what they ask for and granted them My protection from that which they seek protection. The angels then say, O Lord, there was among them a worshiper who has committed a lot of sins who happened to pass by and sit down with them. Allah the Exalted says, I have forgiven him also. They are a gathering of people, their attendant shall not be unfortunate. On another occasion the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, came upon a gathering of his Companions and inquired, What has brought you together? They answered, We are seated together remembering Allah and praising Him for having guided us to Islam and for having conferred this favor upon us. He inquired, Do you call Allah to witness that this is your only purpose? They answered, Allah is our witness that this is our only purpose. Whereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said I do not put you on oath out of doubt, rather Gabriel came to me and told me that Allah is proud of you amongst the angels. The remembrance of Allah (zikr) is of the highest degree because it draws us closer to our Creator and we are rewarded with forgiveness and multiple blessings not only in this life but more so in the Everlasting Life and there is nothing better than remembering Him. Muaz, Jabals son said, The inhabitants of Paradise will not grieve for anything except for the time that passed when they did not remember Allah. Abbass son advised, Remember Allah during the day and night, on land or water, when upon a journey or at home, when you are not in need and when you need, in sickness and in health, in public and in secrecy. He also quoted the verse, The remembrance (zikr) of Allah is greater, and Allah knows what you do. 29:45 and explained that the remembrance of Allah for you, is better than your remembrance of Him, and that His remembrance (zikr) is better than all other worship. Sufiyan, Aynas son said to his companions, When men gather together and remember Allah, satan and the world become separated from them. The stoned and cursed satan says to the world, Dont you see what they are doing? Whereupon the world replies, Leave them because when they disperse I will bring them to you by the back of their necks. Abu Hurayrah, the close Companion of the Prophet, who transmitted many of his sayings narrated that one day he went into the market and said to the people, I see you are here whilst the property left by the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is being distributed in the Mosque. The people went to the Mosque and returned to him saying, Abu Hurayah, there was nothing being distributed in the Mosque. Whereupon he asked, What did you find in the Mosque? they replied, Just a gathering of men remembering Allah (zikr) and reciting the Koran! Abu Hurayrah replied, That is the legacy of the Prophet. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 8 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 2 THE EXCELLENCE OF SAYING, THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ALLAH The excellence of exalting Allah: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, that each and every prophet and messenger before him all delivered the same message which is There is no god except Allah. He is the One who has no partner. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: Whosoever says one hundred times, There is no god except Allah, the One, who has no partner, His is the Kingdom and His is the praise, and He has Power over all things, will be given the reward equal to the freeing of ten slaves, and not only will one hundred rewards be credited to him, but one hundred sins will be wiped away, and he will be safeguarded against satan until nightfall. No one will come with better than that which he has come with except a person who says more than him. Whosoever says ten times, There is no god except Allah, the One, who has no partner, His is the Kingdom and His is the praise, and He has Power over all things, will be given the reward equal to the freeing of four slaves from the descendants of Prophet Ishmael. For whosoever makes ablution, then looks upwards and recites, I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, the One, He has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His worshiper and Messenger. The Doors of Paradise are opened and he enters through the door of his choice. There will be no loneliness in the tomb nor yet after their resurrection from the tomb for whosoever says, There is no god except Allah. I am seeing them, uttering it loudly with their heads emerging from the earth saying, All praise is due to Allah who removed sorrows from us, Our Lord is Forgiving, the Acceptor of gratefulness. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his close Companion, Abu Hurayrah, On the Day of Resurrection, the deeds that you did will be weighed, but the witnessing that there is no god except Allah will not be weighed because if it were to be weighed in one Scale, and the seven heavens together with the seven earths and all that is in them were to be placed in another Scale in which there is there is no god except Allah will be heavier. If anyone sins on the surface of the earth after having said, there is no god except Allah Allah will forgive him. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, advised, O Abu Hurayrah, tell a person who is at the point of death to say, there is no god except Allah because it destroys sins. Abu Hurayrah asked, O Prophet of Allah, this is for a dying person, what then are the rewards for the living? He replied, It destroys, it destroys. Whosoever says in all sincerity, there is no god except Allah will enter Paradise. And, Everyone amongst you will enter Paradise except whosoever denies it and turns his face away from Allah, like the turning of the face of a she-camel. Whereupon he was asked, O Prophet of Allah, who denies and turns his face from Allah? He replied, The person who does not say, there is no god except Allah. Say there is no god except Allah abundantly before hindrance comes between you and it, because it is a word of Oneness, a word of sincerity, a word fearing Allah, a word of purity, calling towards the truth and the foundation of Paradise. If a person goes to the market and says, There is no god except Allah, the One, who has no partners, His is the Kingdom and His is the praise, He gives life and takes life, and is powerful over all things. Allah writes for him a thousand, thousand of merits, and forgives a thousand, thousand of sins and builds for him a house in Paradise. The sins of whosoever wakes during the night makes ablution and says the following are forgiven, There is no god except Allah, the One, who has no partner, His is the Kingdom and His is the praise, and He has Power over all things. Exalted is Allah, all praise is due to Allah, there is no god except Allah, Allah is the Greatest, there is no might nor power except in Allah, the Great, the Mighty, O Allah forgive me! Allah says, Shall the recompense of goodness (Ihsan) be anything other than goodness? 55.60. It is said that the Ihsan of this world is there is no god except Allah, and the Ihsan of the Everlasting Life is Paradise. Allah also says, For those who do good is a fine reward and a surplus. 10:26 VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 8 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 3 THE MERIT OF OTHER FORMS OF ZIKR (Exaltation of Allah, Praising Allah and other Remembrances) Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said: If a person says at the end of each prayer Exalted is Allah (Subhan Allah) thirty-three times, Praise be to Allah (Al Hamdulillah) thirty-three times, and Allahu Akbar thirty-three times followed once by there is no god except Allah, the One, who has no partner, His is the Kingdom and His is the Praise, and He has Power over all things, all his sins are forgiven even though they are as numerous as the bubbles of foam upon the sea. If a person says each day Exalted is Allah and all praise is His, one hundred times all his sins are forgiven even though they are as numerous as the bubbles of foam upon the sea. A man came to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, saying, The world has forsaken me and I have become poor without a livelihood. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked, Where do you stay? Do you not know the supplication through which men are given a livelihood through the blessings of the angels? The man replied, O Prophet of Allah, what is the supplication. He said, If you make this supplication one hundred times after the break of dawn but before the Fajr prayer the world will turn to you and Allah will create an angel from each of its words who will continue its reading up until the Day of Resurrection and you will receive its reward, it is Exaltations be to Allah, all praise be to Allah, Exaltations be to Allah, the Great. I seek the forgiveness of Allah. (AAA check transliteration SubhanAllah, wa bihamdeehe, subhanAllah el azeem, Astagfar Allah.) When a worshiper says, All praise is due to Allah (Al Hamdulillah), it fills the gap between the heaven and earth. When he says it a second time, it fills the gap between the seven heavens and earth. When he says it the third time, Allah says, Supplicate and it will be responded. There was a time when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was in prayer and as he raised his head from the bowing position said, Allah hears whosoever praises Him whereupon a man praying behind him said, O our Lord, Yours is the praise, numerous and pure in which there are multiple blessings. After the conclusion of the prayer the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked, Who said this just now? Whereupon the man made himself known. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told him that he had seen more than thirty angels compete to be the one to write his rewards. The following phrases are known as everlasting good deeds, there is no god except Allah, Exalted is Allah, all praise is for Allah, Allah is the Greatest and there is no might or strength except in Allah. There is no worshiper whose sins are not forgiven, even if they are as numerous as the bubbles of foam upon the sea, who says, There is no god except Allah, Exalted is Allah, all praise is for Allah, Allah is the Greatest and there is no might or strength except in Allah. When the remembrance (zikr) is made glorifying Allah, Subhan Allah (Exalted is He), Al Hamdulillah, (praise be to Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) there is a humming of voices around the Throne similar to that of bees, that accompany the person making zikr, and there is none among you that ceases to make the remembrance (zikr) of Allah. I make the following prayer and love it more than all the things upon which the sun sheds its light, Exalted is Allah, Praise be to Allah, there is no god except Allah, Allah is the Greatest. There are four phrases that are dear to Allah, they are, Subhan Allah (Exalted is Allah, Al Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La illaha Illallah, (there is no god except Allah, Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest). Whichever order you say these phrases will not affect you. Subhan Allah is half of faith, Al Hamdulillah fills the scales, Subhan Allah Allahu Akbar fills the gap between heaven and earth. Prayer is light, charity is proof, patience is radiance and the Koran is proof either for or against you. Everyone who rises at dawn either barters away his soul and destroys it or purifies it and frees it. One day a poor man came to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and said, The rich receive more rewards because they pray and fast like us but they receive additional rewards on account of (the charitable giving of) their property. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Hasnt Allah made charity incumbent upon you? Every exaltation of Allah you make is an act of charity, every praising of Allah, every utterance of there is no god except Allah, and every utterance of Allah is the Greatest is an act of charity. Every encouragement to do good and forbidding of evil is an act of charity, every bite of food you put into the mouth of your wife is charity, your sexual intercourse with your wife is an act of charity. Whereupon the man asked, Does one who comes to his wife out of passion receive rewards? The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said Do you not know that if he ejaculates his sperm unlawfully he commits a sin? The man replied, Yes, whereupon he said, Then, when he ejaculates his sperm lawfully he receives rewards. Abu Dhar mentioned to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, The rich have already taken their rewards. They do the same as we do but the are able to spend whereas we are unable. He replied, Shall I not tell you of an action which if you do it you will receive the rewards of the deeds of those who went before you and you will receive the rewards of those who come after you? It is the saying of Exalted is Allah (Subhan Allah) thirty-three times, all praise is for Allah (Al Hamdulillah) thirty-three times, Allah is the Greatest (Allahu Akbar) thirty-four times and there is no might or strength except in Allah. You should say Exalted is Allah, there is no god except Allah and AAA Taqdis. Do not be heedless of them and count them upon your fingers because on the Day of Resurrection your fingers will speak for you. Whosoever says at the time of his death, There is no might nor strength except in Allah, the Fire will not touch him. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked his Companions, Is there any one of you who has enough strength to do a thousand good deeds in a day? A Companion asked, How can a thousand good deeds be done? He answered, If you exalt Allah a hundred times you will be recompensed with a thousand good deeds, or a thousand sins of yours will be wiped out. Shall I not inform you of a jewel of Paradise that lies under the Throne? His Companions anxiously replied, Yes. Whereupon he said, Say, There is no might nor strength except in Allah. On the Day of Resurrection it becomes incumbent upon Allah to be pleased with whosoever says the following at dawn, I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, the Koran as a guide and with Muhammad as His Prophet and Messenger. My dear reader, you may ask how it is that making zikr (the remembrance) which is easy upon the tongue, is better than other kinds of voluntary worshipping. The answer is that its secrets are not understood except through spiritual knowledge. Of all the things one does, the constant remembrance (zikr) offered in humility is the most beneficial and fruitful. If ones mind strays while making zikr with the tongue lesser rewards are granted, but if one does not pay attention there is little benefit, whereas when one is attentive and is constant in the remembrance it is above all other forms of voluntary worship. The obligatory worship is another matter but also requires the attention of the heart . There is love at the beginning and at end of the Remembrance (zikr). In the early stages one feels difficulty in turning his/her mind toward Allah, but by making zikr one, by the Mercy and Favor of Allah, receives His Love. So, dear reader, it is not surprising to find a person who seeks the love of his Beloved sitting in solitude away from people far from the hustle and bustle of crowds because the more he/she seeks the love of his Creator the more he wants and does not want to become separated. A pious wise man once said, I have been reciting the Koran for twenty years and received its blessings, and the blessings were not possible without love. It has now become a habit and a man is a slave to his habits, and in the end his habits become his nature. When eagerness exists for the Remembrance (zikr) he forgets all other things except Allah and this remains with him until he dies and accompanies him in his tomb when he is separated from his family and property. It has been asked, how this could be possible when there is an end to a person when he dies. The answer is that there is no end to a man when he dies, so there is no end to the Remembrance. He leaves this world for the spiritual world just as a baby leaves the womb of its mother to enter into this world. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The tomb is either a hole in Hell or garden in Paradise. He also said, The souls of martyrs are carried in the stomachs of green birds. The excellence of asking Allah and how it should be done: Allah says: When My worshipers ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the supplication of the suppliant when he calls to Me; therefore, let them respond to Me and let them believe in Me, in order that they will be righteous. 2:186. Supplicate to Your Lord with humility and in secret. He does not love the transgressors 7:55. To Allah belongs the Finest Names, so call Him by them, and keep away from those who pervert them. They shall be recompensed for the things they did. 7:180. Your Lord has said, 'Call on Me and I will answer you. Those who are too proud to worship Me shall enter Gehenna utterly abject.' 40:60 The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: Supplicating is worshipping, the he recited Call on Me and I will answer you. Supplicating is the AAA brain (mokh) of worship. Let no one forget to supplicate for either of these three things, forgiveness, hastening of good, and the preservation of good for him. Seek the Favor of Allah, because He loves supplication. The best times to supplicate: The Day of Arafat is one of the very best days to supplicate to Allah, as is the month of Ramadan, Friday which is the day of the Congregational prayer and the last portion of the night. Allah says, Therefore have patience; the promise of Allah is true, and ask forgiveness of your sins, and exalt with the praise of your Lord in the evening and at dawn. 40:55 Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, During the last third of each night, Allah descends to the heavens of the earth and says, Who will call upon me so that I may accept his calling? Who will seek from Me that I may accept his prayer? Who will seek forgiveness from Me that I may forgive him? It was the habit of Prophet Jacob, peace be upon him, to stand in prayer with his children in the latter part of the night and ask Allah for the forgiveness of Allah. Allah answered him saying, I will forgive them and make the Prophets. Take advantage of honorable conditions: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said: Supplications made between the Call to Prayer and the announcement that the prayer is about to begin are not rejected. The supplication of whosoever is fasting is not rejected. When a person prostrates he comes close to Allah, therefore supplicate a lot at that time. He warned, I have been prohibited to recite the Koran during the bowing or prostration. Exalt Allah in each bow and be mindful to supplicate during the prostration, because these times are times of acceptance. The close Companion of the Prophet, Abu Hurayrah said, The doors of striving in the way of Allah (Jihad) are opened in Paradise when the congregation stand in rows to pray, when rain starts to fall, as well as when the announcement (Akamat) is made that the obligatory prayer is about to begin. Supplications made facing the Kibla: It has been reported that on the Day of Arafat the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, faced the Kibla and supplicated until the sun set. The way to supplicate is to raise your hands up high so that the whiteness of the palms is visible and at the end of the supplication pass the hands over ones face. It has also been reported that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was observed supplicating as previously described and again with the palms of his hands cupped together. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: Your Lord is shy and honorable. Whenever someone raises his hand (in supplication) He feels shy to let him return empty handed. Neither look towards the sky when you supplicate nor close your eyes. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, saw a man supplicating and hinted that he should make the supplication short, as he said, One, one Tone of voice during supplication: One day as the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, drew close to Medina he made the Takbir (Allah is the Greatest) whereupon his Companions did the same but in a loud voice. Upon hearing their exaltation the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, O people, He to whom you call is neither deaf nor absent. He is between you and your necks. Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, said, Allah says, Pray neither loudly nor to quietly, rather, seek a middle course between them. 17.110. When Prophet Zachariah called upon his Lord he would supplicate in secret. Simplicity: When supplicating to Allah use words of humility rather than the elaborate. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, warned, Soon, people will appear who exaggerate their supplication. Allah says, Supplicate to your Lord with humility and in secret. He does not love the transgressors. 7:55. Not loving the transgressors is a reference to such people who use elaborate words in their supplication. AAA need explanation of Abdal. It is the habit of the learned and Abdals not to use more than seven words in their supplication. Ones state when supplicating: Both humility and modesty are dear to Allah and He, the Exalted says, So, when you have finished (your prayer), labor (in supplication) and let your longing be for your Lord (in humility). 94:7-8 The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When Allah loves a person He tries him until He sees in him humility and modesty. Believe in the acceptance of your supplication: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When someone supplicates do not let him say, O Allah, give me if You wish. Be confident in Allah. When one of you supplicates let your hope be great because there is nothing that is too great for Allah. Supplicate to Allah with the firm belief that your supplication will be accepted and know that Allah does not accept the supplication of someone who is halfhearted. Sufiyan Saori commented, Do not let anyone prevent you from supplicating. Remember, Allah accepted the supplication of satan, the worst of all creation when he, the stoned and cursed, supplicated, Respite me till the Day of Resurrection. And He (Allah) said, You are among the respited. 7:15. Supplicate thrice: Masuds son said, Whenever the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, supplicated he would supplicate thrice, so do not be hasty because Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, Your supplication is accepted if not made in haste. Do not say, I supplicated but it has not been accepted when you supplicated a lot because you are supplicating to the Merciful. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, When you supplicate to your Lord and receive a sign of its acceptance say, Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. A pious wise man once said, I have been supplicating to Allah for the last twenty years but He has not as yet accepted my supplication, but I hope my supplication will be accepted. How to start supplicating: Begin with the Exaltation of Allah (Zikr), and do not supplicate before having done so. Salama said, I never observed the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, make a supplication without first saying AAAchecktransliterationSubhana Rabbi al ali al ala al wa wahab. Abu Sulayman Daraai said, Whosoever wishes to supplicate to Allah for any necessity let him first ask for blessings upon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and then supplicate and conclude with the prayer on the Prophet, because Allah accepts the supplication of those who send blessings upon the Prophet. May Allah praise and venerate him and grant him perfect peace. Repentance; the root of acceptance: Pay attention to your inner condition and know that the root of acceptance is repentance. Kaba, Ashabs son narrated that during the time of Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, there was a great famine and Moses together his people went out and supplicate for rain on three days, but no rain fell. Then Allah revealed to Moses, I will not accept your supplication and the supplications of your companions because amongst them is a back-biter. Moses asked who that person was saying, I will expel him from our gathering. Allah said, O Moses, I have forbidden back-biting. Whereupon Moses turned to the Children of Israel and exclaimed, Repent for all your back-biting and return to your Lord! The Children of Israel responded and repented and thereafter Allah sent them rain. There is another incident of famine that afflicted the Children of Israel reported by Sufiyan Saori who said, The Children of Israel were badly stricken by a famine for seven years, and began to eat dead animals and young children. Allah revealed to their Prophet, If you come to Me walking on foot and engage your tongues in supplication to Me, I will not accept your supplications neither will I show kindness to your calling until you pay compensation to those you oppressed. After they had compensated those they had oppressed Allah sent down rain. Malik, Dinars son related another story about the Children of Israel who were afflicted by famine. The Children of Israel supplicated to Allah for rain, but no rain fell whereupon Allah revealed to their Prophet, Tell them that they come to Me with impure bodies and with unlawful food in their bellies, and that they have raised their hands which shed blood unlawfully My Wrath upon them is therefore great. It has been reported that Prophet Solomon, peace be upon him, supplicated to Allah for rain. Whilst he was supplicating an ant raised its leg towards the sky and said, O Allah, we are Your creation and we need provision, do not destroy us for the sins of others." When Solomon heard this he turned to his people and said, You will receive rain on account of the supplication of other than yourselves. Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, supplicated for rain. He turned to his people, the Nazarenes, and said, Let the sinners leave this gathering whereupon only one remained with him. Prophet Jesus asked, Have you no sins at all, the man replied, By Allah I do not know of one except that one day when I was praying a woman passed by me and I glanced at her. As soon as she had passed I plucked out my eyes. Upon hearing this Jesus said, Supplicate to Allah for acceptance and the man supplicated and abundant rain began to fall. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 8 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 4 THE MERIT OF ASKING ALLAH TO BLESS PROPHET MUHAMMAD PRAISE AND PEACE BE UPON HIM Allah, the Almighty, raised Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, to such an excellent rank that He made a persons declaration of faith invalid if he/she just believed in His Oneness but rejected His Prophet Muhammad. This is verified in the witnessing of faith, I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, AND Muhammad is His Messenger. Allah says, Whosoever obeys the Messenger, indeed he has obeyed Allah. As for those who turn away, We have not sent you to be their protector. 4:80. Allah, Himself proclaims the exalted rank of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, by saying: Allah and His angels praise and venerate the Prophet. Believers, praise and venerate and pronounce peace upon him in abundance. 33:56. Dear reader, think for a moment about this verse. When Allah, Himself declares to all His creation that He, Himself praises Prophet Muhammad, so who other than satan and those he misguides, prompts us to be so very miserly and not praise him! May Allah praise and venerate him and grant him peace. One day, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, greeted his Companions with the news, Gabriel came to me and said, Indeed, it will please you O Muhammad, that when anyone from your nation supplicates for even just one blessing upon you, I supplicate for him ten times, and when anyone from your nation supplicates for peace upon you I supplicate for him ten times. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said: A miser is one who does not supplicate for blessings upon me when I am mentioned in his presence. Multiply your supplications upon me on the day of the Congregational Prayer (Friday). Whosoever asks Allah to bless me one hundred times on a Friday will be forgiven the sins of eighty years. For whosoever asks Allah on a Friday to bless me one hundred times a light will come for him on the Day or Resurrection, a light which, if it were divided among them, would be sufficient for the whole of creation. Whosoever asks Allah to bless me, Allah will bless him ten times, and whosoever asks Allah to bless me ten times, Allah will bless him one hundred times, and whosoever asks Allah one hundred times to bless me, Allah will bless him one thousand times, and whosoever asks Allah one thousand times to bless me, Allah will prohibit the Fire from touching his body. His word will be made enduring in this world and in the Everlasting Life. Whosoever hears the Call to Prayer and the announcement that the prayer is about to begin and supplicates, O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and established prayer, grant Prophet Muhammad the closest access, AAA the eminence, the lofty rank and the praised position which you have promised him, on the Day of Resurrection my intercession for him is incumbent. Whosoever blesses me in writings, the angel unceasingly ask for forgiveness for him for as long as my name remains in that book. AAA Ahmad, in your translation in the first 24hours you have praise Muhammad, we checked the Arabic and it says pray so please alter yours if our understanding is correct or alter the following and let me know so I dont continue to make mistakes in my prayer by saying the wrong word. When Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, was asked by his Companions, O Messenger of Allah, we know how to greet you, but how should we praise you? He replied, O Allah, pray upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham in all the world, for You are the All Praised, the Noble. Ahmad said: Our beloved shaykh sawi explained when it comes to the Prophet: Salli = madh and thanaa = praise and venerate, therefore for years we translated it as such and now for short I use for sometimes = venerate Salam = peace Most people in the west say: peace be upon him with is not complete We say venerate and give peace for present venerated and given peace for past tense A very great love and devotion to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was deeply rooted in the hearts of all his Companions and when Allah called him home all were affect by grief and a great sense of loss. As Omar wept he reflect upon his life and miracles and was heard saying, O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah that when your community was but small, you would deliver a sermon standing upon the stump of a tree, but when your community grew larger a pulpit was made, and the tree stump cried because of its separation from you, until you laid your hand upon it and it was comforted. Today, your community has a greater right to pine now that they have been parted from you. O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, at Hunain your numerous followers were greatly attached to you. O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, now, your excellence has reached Allah. So great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah that he made obedience to you equal to His obedience to Him, because He said, Whosoever obeys the Messenger, indeed he has obeyed Allah. As for those who turn away, We have not sent you to be their protector. 4:80. O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great in the Sight of Allah is your excellence that He gave you consoling news of pardon before mentioning the permission you gave when He said, Allah has forgiven you, why did you give them leave (to stay behind) until it was clear to you which of them was truthful and knew those who lied? 9:43 O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah. He sent you to be the last of all His Prophets, yet such is your merit that He mentioned you first among them saying, We took from the prophets their covenant and from you (Prophet Muhammad), from Noah and Abraham, from Moses and Jesus the son of Mary. 33:7. O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah that the inhabitants of Hell will wish they obeyed you because Allah says, On that Day when their faces are turned about in the Fire, they shall say, Would that we had obeyed Allah and His Messenger! 33:66 O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah. By the permission of Allah, Moses, the son of Imran caused water to gush forth from a rock, yet it is not even greater that Allah made water to flow from your finger tips! O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah. Allah says, To Solomon the morning course of the wind was a months journey, and its evening course was also a months journey. 34:12. Yet He gave to you a far greater miracle whereby you traveled on Burak (a white winged steed) to Jerusalem by night then ascended the seven heavens, and thereafter returned before dawn to pray the Dawn prayer at the Kaba. O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah. By the permission of Allah, Jesus the son of Mary restored the dead man to life. Yet this is no greater miracle than when a cooked shoulder of lamb spoke to you warning, Do not eat me, I am poisoned! O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah, Noah supplicated against the unbelievers of his people saying, My Lord, do not leave a single unbeliever upon the earth! 71:26 and if you had made such a supplication all of us have been destroyed. Yet despite the fact that you were injured, your face bloodied and your tooth broken, you declined to say anything else but good, rather, you supplicated for their guidance saying, I was not sent to curse, rather I was sent to invite and as a mercy, O Allah, guide my tribesmen because they do not know. O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah, Noah lived amongst his nation for numerous years yet his followers were few, but you lived amongst us for a much shorter time yet your followers are numerous. O Prophet of Allah, you are dearer to me than my parents, so great is your excellence in the Sight of Allah. If you had not permitted people of far lesser status to come to you we could not have sat with you, and if you married ladies more compatible to yourself than us, then we would not have been connected with you. If you had eaten only with those equal to yourself, we would not have had the honor of eating with you. By Allah, you kept company with us, married from our families, dressed in coarse woolen cloth, rode a donkey and I rode behind you, ate from earthenware dishes placed on the ground and licked your fingers after eating may Allah bless you and give you peace. One of the Companions said that it was his custom to write down all the transmitted supplications praising the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, that heard but had not included the supplication for peace upon him. Then one night he had a vision in which the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, came to him and said, Dont you complete the supplications for me in your writing? From that time onward the Companions near ceased to write his praise without adding the supplication for peace upon him. Allah says, Allah and His angels praise and venerate the Prophet. Believers, praise and venerate and pronounce peace upon him in abundance. 33:56 In later generations, Abul Hasan is quoted as saying, One night I had a vision of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and asked O Messenger of Allah, Imam Shafii wrote in his book Risala May Allah bless Muhammad as often as those who remember him remember to do so, and as often as those who are heedless neglect to do so what was his reward? The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, answered, His reward for this is that he will not have to face the Reckoning. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 8 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 5 THE EXCELLENCE OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS Allah says: and those who, if they commit indecency or wrong themselves remember Allah and ask forgiveness of their sins for who but Allah forgives sins and those who do not persist in what they do while they know. 3:135 He who does evil or wrongs himself and then asks forgiveness of Allah will find that Allah is the Forgiver, the Most Merciful. 4:110 Of the preceding two verses, Abdullah, Masuds son said, If a person recites them after committing a sin and seeks forgiveness from Allah, Allah will forgive him. Allah says: Exalt with the praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness from Him. For indeed, He is the Turner (for the penitent). 110:3 And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. 11:3 Believers, turn to Allah in sincere repentance. Your Lord may acquit you of your sins and admit you to Gardens underneath which rivers flow on a Day when Allah will not degrade the Prophet and those who believe with him. 66:8 who are penitent, truthful, obedient, and charitable, and who ask forgiveness at dawn. 3:17 I am the Receiver of repentance, the Most Merciful. 2:160 SUPPLICATIONS OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD, praise and peace be upon him: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, would often say: You (Allah) are the Exalted with Your Praise, O Allah forgive me, You are the Acceptor of Repentance, You are the Most Merciful. Provision through asking to be forgiven: He also said, For whosoever often seeks the forgiveness of Allah, Allah, the Almighty gives comfort in times of trouble, and makes a way out of each distress, and provides for him beyond his expectation. Good and evil deeds: O Allah, make me to be among those who rejoice when they do a good deed, and of those who seek forgiveness when then have done something evil. Strive to please Allah: When a worshiper commits a sin and says, O Allah forgive me! Allah says, My worshiper has committed a sin and he knows that his Lord will punish him and therefore he seeks its forgiveness and strives to please Me. Ultimate forgiveness: If a person who has never done a good deed in his life looks up towards heaven and says, Indeed, I have a Lord, O Lord, forgive me! Allah, the Exalted says, I have forgiven you. Allah sees both good and evil: If a person commits a sin, but knows that Allah has seen him, he will be forgiven without even asking for forgiveness. Harming oneself: If a person says, Exaltations be to You! I have harmed myself and done something evil, so forgive, Allah says, I have forgiven you. Supplication before going to sleep: Whosoever says the following three time before going to bed, Allah will forgive his sins even that they are as numerous as the bubbles of the foam upon the sea, or as numerous as the sands of the desert, or the leaves of the trees, or as numerous as the days of the world: I seek the forgiveness of Allah, the Greatest, there is no god except He, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting and I turn to him in repentance. Forgiveness during the day and night: He also said: Allah will continue to hold out His Hand at night so that whosoever sinned during the day might repent, and to hold out His hand during the day so that whosoever has sinned at night might repent until the sun rises from the west. Power of prayer: When a believer commits a sin and then makes ablution, prays two units of prayer and follows it by asking Allah for His forgiveness, He forgives his sin. Sins through the harshness of the tongue: Hudhayfah said, I went to the Messenger of Allah, and said, I used to speak harshly to my family, O Messenger of Allah, I fear that my tongue may lead me to Hell. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told him, Then seek the forgiveness of Allah a hundred times a day. Sins committed through ignorance, jest, excess, mistake or deliberately: The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, also supplicated saying: O Allah, forgive me my sins, my ignorance and my excesses in my affairs and that which You know better than I. O Allah, forgive me for that which I said in seriousness or in fun, by mistake or deliberation. I am guilty of all these. O Allah, forgive me for that which I have forwarded and that which is to come, that which I did in secrecy and that which I did openly; that which You know better than I. You advance and You delay, and have power over all things. Black spots of the heart: Whenever a believer commits as sin, a black spot falls upon his heart, but if he repents and asks for forgiveness it is wiped off. But if the sin increases then black spots also increase until his heart is completely covered. The time when it is too late to repent: Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified will accept the repentance of His worshiper up until he is in the throes of death. Following the example of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him: Even though Allah had told Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, that He had forgiven him both his past and future errors, he told his Companions, I seek the forgiveness of Allah, and turn to Him in repentance one hundred times a day. He also said, AAAMy heart becomes overcast unless I seek the forgiveness of Allah, the Exalted one hundred times a day./OR I do not find comfort unless I seek the forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance one hundred times a day. When Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, O Messenger of Allah, why do you stand so long in prayer when Allah has forgiven you in the past and in the future? He answered, Is it not so that I would love to be a thankful worshiper. This was the way of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, the most perfect of the creation of Allah, so, dear reader shouldnt we also ask Him for forgiveness at least one hundred times a day and turn to him in repentance? May Allah forgive us all. SELECTION OF SUPPLICATIONS OF PROPHETS, THE HOLY FAMILY, AND THE COMPANIONS: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, would supplicate saying, O Allah, I seek mercy from You in such a way that You will guide my mind, unite in me my virtues, remove any danger or hardship, adorn my religion, protect my property during my absence, purify my actions, make my face bright and my path radiant, and protect me from all evils. O Allah, make my belief absolute after which there is no disbelief, mercy through which I achieve the honor of Your Glory both in this world up to its end and in the Everlasting Life. Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, would supplicate, O Allah, I seek good from you both now and in the future, known or unknown. I seek refuge with You from every evil and I seek from You Paradise and the actions that lead to it, now and in the future, known or unknown. I seek the same good from You that Your worshiper and Messenger Muhammad seeks good from you. The Companion and first Caliph, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had told him to make the following supplication. O Allah, I supplicate to You by the help of Your Messenger Muhammad, Your friend Abraham, Moses with whom You spoke, Your Word and Spirit from You Jesus, son of Mary, the Torah given to Moses, the Gospel given to Jesus, the Psalms given to David and the Koran given to Muhammad up until the end. Peace be upon all the prophets. (My dear reader, did you realize that Allah gave Prophet Jesus, the Nazarene, peace be upon him, his own Holy Book? Unfortunately, it was lost after Allah took him to the safety of the heavens at the time of his betrayal. All that remains today in the New Testament is a smattering of his teachings and the false, corrupt teachings of Paul, the inventor of the trinity. As we know, the trinitarian doctrine is totally opposite to the doctrine of the Oneness of the Creator taught by Jesus. Biblical scholars have proved that even the early books in the New Testament that bear the names of some of the disciples of Prophet Jesus, were written by people who simply bore the same name and never met him.) The Companion, Koobaysah, said that when he was elderly, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told him that if he supplicated thrice after the Dawn prayer (Fajr) he would be safe from anxiety, trouble, disease and tuberculosis in this life. Exaltations be to Allah and all praise is His. Exaltations be to Allah, the Great, there is no might and power except in Allah, the Great, the Mighty. As for the Everlasting Life, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told him, to supplicate saying: O Allah, guide me with Your guidance, show favor from Your Favors, show mercy from Your Mercy and shower your blessings upon me. Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, would supplicate saying, O Allah, this (day) is a new creation, open it on account of my fealty to You and close it with Your forgiveness and pleasure. Reward me for my good deeds and accept them from me. Purify it and double it for me and forgive me for the sins I commit in it. You are the Forgiving, Merciful, Magnificent and Beloved. Khidr would supplicate, In the Name of Allah, with the Will of Allah, there is no might and strength except in Allah and what He wills. Every gift is from Allah and is what He willed. All good is in His Hand and what He wills. Nobody but Allah removes evils. Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, would supplicate, O Allah, You know my secret and distinct matters. You know my necessities, so please accept my supplication. You know what is in my mind, so forgive my sins. O Allah, I seek belief from You that gladdens my mind and a strengthening of belief until I know that nothing may afflict me except what You have written for me, and the acceptance of what You have written for me. O Possessor of Glory and Honor. Sayings of the pious: Katada said, The Koran reveals to you both your sickness and your cure. Your sickness is sin and your cure is the prayer of forgiveness. The Caliph, Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, It is amazing how a person could allow himself to perish when he possesses the means to save himself. When he was asked to explain what he meant, he replied, The prayer for forgiveness. He also said, Allah, the Exalted, does not prompt a person to ask for forgiveness if He intends to punish him. A pious person said, Mankind is between the states of sin and grace. Nothing can improve his situation except by praising Allah and seeking His forgiveness. Al Rabi, Khaythams son said, Beware of saying, I seek the forgiveness of Allah and I repent to Him, because if it is not acted upon it is both a sin and a lie. It is better to say, O Allah, forgive me and turn toward me. Al Fudayl warned, To seek the forgiveness of Allah without feeling regret is to mock Allah, the Exalted, without being aware. As a Bedouin clung to the covering of the Kaba he was heard to supplicate, O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness even though I shamefully persist in sin. How could I stop begging You for forgiveness when I know how generously You pardon? You bestow on me Your loving kindness although You are not in need of me. How often have I offended and angered You despite the fact that I am in great need of You. What a Lord! He fulfils all His promises, yet pardons when He threatens! O Most Merciful of the merciful, take my great sin into Your Mighty Pardon! Abou Abdullah Al Warraq said, Even though your sins may be as numerous as raindrops and the bubbles of foam upon the sea, all will be erased, Allah willing, if you sincerely make this supplication to your Lord: O Allah, I beg Your forgiveness for every sin. I keep lapsing again into sin even after I have turned to You in repentance. I seek Your forgiveness for all the promises I have made to You but failed to keep. I ask You to forgive me for everything I intended to do for Your Sake alone, but mixed with it something other than You. I seek Your forgiveness for every blessing You bestowed upon me but I used in disobedience to You. O Knower of the Unseen and the seen, I beg Your forgiveness for every sin I have committed in the light of the day and every sin I have committed in the darkness of the night, in company and in isolation, secretly or openly, O Generous One! The preceding supplication has been attributed to Prophet Adam, however, some scholars say it is the supplication of Prophet Al Khidr. Peace be upon all the prophets. AAA Ahmad I inserted this from Nawawi, if you do not want it in just remove it. CONDITIONS OF REPENTANCE: Imam Nawawi, and the collective opinion of other scholars regarding repentance, is that if the sin is between the worshiper and Allah, the Exalted, with no relation to another human its repentance consists of three conditions: That he/she abandons the sin immediately. If he/she regrets having done it. That he/she determines never to practice it again. If any of these three conditions is missing the repentance is not valid. If the sin involves the rights of another human, then a fourth condition will be added which is that he/she satisfies the rights of the owner by, for example, returning his/her property, or presents him/herself for the Islamic punishment or obtains a pardon from the injured party. Therefore it is obligatory to repent from all sins, although if he/she repents from some of it will be accepted, however, the remainder of ones unrepented sins remain a burden for oneself. VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 9 - DIVISION OF ONES 24 HOURS CHAPTER 1 My dear reader, we should all be aware that there is no salvation without meeting Allah and the only way in which we can meet Him is that by the time of our death we have become totally immersed in our love of Him. Love is the fruit of constant remembrance of the Beloved and ones striving (jihad) to secure that desire. The first step is reached by constantly thinking of Him, His attributes, the wonders of His creation and the certain knowledge that nothing, whatsoever, can exist without Him. Therefore, except for the necessities of life, if one does not put the world aside it is not easy, and nothing can be achieved unless ones time is proportioned and if ones prayers are not observed during their specified time. Therefore, dear reader, to achieve such status, one should divide time into several portions just as the days of the week and the months of the year are proportioned. It is observed that when someone spends more than half his time pursuing worldly affairs, the possibility is that he will incline more to the life of the world rather than to the Everlasting Life. This is because the mind experiences difficulty or resistance to set aside half of his time for worshipping, and so only a minimal amount of time is spared for it. But one should remember that if anyone wishes to enter Paradise without being subject to the accounting, he/she should spend his twenty-four hours in religious pursuits so that on the Day of Judgement the pan of his scales is heavily laden with good deeds. Allah says: Work and His Remembrance You have by day prolonged occupations. Remember the Name of your Lord and dedicate yourself devoutly to Him. 73:7-8. Exaltation and Prostration And remember the Name of your Lord at the dawn and in the evening, and prostrate to Him; and exalt Him for a long night. 76:25-26 And exalt with the praise of your Lord when you arise, and exalt Him in the night and at the declining of the stars. 52:48-49 who pass the night prostrating and standing to their Lord. 25:64 They sleep but a little at night and at dawn would ask forgiveness. 51:17-18 Who forsake their couches as they supplicate to their Lord in fear and hope 32:16 Merits and Rewards of the Night Vigil Indeed, the first part of the night is heavier in tread, and more upright in speech. 73:6 As for the night there is a voluntary deed for you to keep vigil in part of it. Perhaps your Lord will raise you to a praiseworthy station. 17:79-80 Hope for the Mercy of Allah Or, is he who is obedient that prostrates himself and stands during parts of the night, being afraid of the Everlasting Life but hoping for the Mercy of the Lord (to be compared to the unbeliever)? Say, Are they equal, those who know and those who do not know? Only those with minds remember. 39:9 Do not drive away those who call on their Lord, morning and evening, seeking only His Face. 6:52 So, dear reader, in our preparation to meet Allah, one now understands that He must be foremost in our thoughts and actions during each phase of the twenty-four hours. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, drew our attention to the orderly phases and measurement of time of the sun and moon which is an indication that we too should organize our lives to maximize forgiveness and reward, and quoted verses of Allah: He has subjected the sun and the noon each running for a named term. 35:13 Do you not see how your Lord stretches the shadow? 25:45 and the sun and the moon for reckoning. 6:97 The stars are subjected by His Command. Surely, in that there is a sign for a nation who understands. 16:12 A sign for them is the night. From it We withdraw the day and they are in darkness 36:37 And the moon, We have determined it in phases till it returns like an old palm-branch. 36:39 It was He that made the sun a brightness and the moon a light, and determined it in phases so that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. 10:5 He has subjected to you the night, the day, the sun and the moon. The stars are subjected by His Command. Surely, in that there is a sign for a nation who understands. 16:12 Our attention has been drawn in the preceding verses to the signs of Allah in both the proportion and organization of time in our universe, and we observe how it obeys Him and thereby we are served. Now, dear reader, let us consider the purpose of our own creation. Allah tells us, I have not created mankind and jinn EXCEPT to worship Me. 51:56. Therefore we should reflect deeply upon this purpose and examine the way in which we spend our time and organize our short life span to be able to maximize our time for His worship and be blessed with the great reward of Paradise. The ideal division of 24 hours: Each day can be divided into sections from: dawn to sunrise sunrise to noon noon, when the sun starts to decline until afternoon afternoon until sunset sunset and the night The Worship and Remembrance at the break of dawn to sunrise: The first division of time is that between the thin thread of dawn up until the time of sunrise. We appointed the night and the day as two signs. Then, blotted out the sign of the night and made the sign of the day to see.. 17:12 by the day when it unveils. 92:2 Say, I take refuge with the Lord of Daybreak 113:1 Regarding His Remembrance, Allah says, and exalt with the praise of your Lord before sunrise 20:130. Surely, the Koran recital at dawn is witnessed. 17:78. In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His Name to be remembered therein. In the morning and evening are men who exalt Him there, whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah. 24:36-37 There are three ways in which one may make the remembrance of Allah: Supplicating and repeating His Exalted Names (zikr) Recitation of the Koran For those wishing know what is recommended to be said during these times please refer to the appendix. Reflecting upon the creation of Allah. Reflecting upon ones deeds and the creation of Allah: Reflection upon ones sins and think how to distance the self from them. Remove hindrances that prevent the doing of good deeds. Think of ways in which you can do good not only for yourself but for others. Think of the Favors of Allah to you - the obvious and the subtle. Mindfulness of both the rewards and punishment of Allah. These kinds of thoughts are among the best ways in which one can worship Allah because encompassed within it is the remembrance of Allah and two sincere things. First: This is the acquisition of knowledge about Allah, and, dear reader, one should know that contemplation is the key to earning spiritual light. Second: This is because it increases the love of Allah, and love cannot flourish unless constant honoring of Him is established in the heart. The mind remains locked from the Glory of Allah unless one acquaints oneself with His Attributes and the wonders of His creation, and the fruit of meditation is that of acquaintance, and it is through honoring Him through acquaintance that love grows and forms a deep attachment. There are two stages: that of the person who hears (Abid) a thing and that of the person (Arif) who sees that thing in reality. The difference between them is that of the inner- light of the mind that sees the Glory of Allah, whereas the other sees it with the outer light of his eyes. There is no limit to the inner-light of the mind, however there is a limit to the outer. On this subject, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, Allah has seventy screens, if He were to disclose them, then the brilliance of His Face would obliterate all that one could have seen. The screens are layered and the brilliance of their lights intensified in a way similar to the difference between the lights of the stars, moon and sun. THE IDEAL DIVISIONS OF THE DAY: After praying the obligatory prayer of Fajr, which is said before sunrise, there is a voluntary prayer after the sun has risen called Ishraq and it consists of two units of prayer. Approximately three hours after Fajr the voluntary prayer called Al Duha may be said and consists of either four, six or eight units of prayer. An indication to the excellence of this prayer is found in the saying of Allah, By the mid-morning, and by the night when it covers. 93:1-2. During this period it is also highly recommended to visit the sick, attend funeral prayers, avail oneself of theological studies, and to do good deeds. Before praying the obligatory Zuhr (noon) prayer it is highly recommended to make four units of prayer. It is better that the prayer is long because during this time supplications are accepted. After the Zuhr prayer, two voluntary units of prayer are recommended, followed by either two or four units of prayer of prayer called Nuwafal. For those who are able there is a very great reward to wait in ones place of worship up until the next obligatory prayer. Before the obligatory Asr (afternoon prayer) Call to Prayer is made it is highly recommended to make four units of voluntary prayer. After the obligatory prayer has been made no further voluntary units of prayer are to be made until Maghrib (early evening prayer) has been called. THE IDEAL FIVE DIVISIONS OF NIGHT: The first division of the night As soon as the sun has set the obligatory prayer of Maghrib, the early evening prayer, is to be said. It is highly recommended that after its offering one remains busy in the remembrance of Allah (zikr) until the Isha, the late evening prayer, is called. Allah gives us an indication to the excellence of this time by swearing, By the night when it envelops. 92:1 and this time is considered as the first stage of the night and of it Allah says, Exalt Allah when you enter the evening 30:17. He also says, Indeed, the first part of the night is heavier in tread, and more upright in speech. 73:6. This prayer is the prayer of the AAA Awwabin, explain Awwabin and relates to the verse, whose sides forsake their couches as they supplicate to their Lord in fear and hope, 32:16. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked about the preceding verse and told his Companions, This refers to the prayer between Maghrib and Isha and you should pray between Maghrib and Isha because it removes the sins of the useless talk of the day thereby making its end good. The second division of the night: This starts when the Call to pray for the obligatory Isha (late night) prayer is made and is in effect until the time people normally go to sleep. Allah says, by the night and all that it envelops; 84:17, notice how He says all that it envelops. Before praying the obligatory four units of the Isha prayer it is highly recommended to make four voluntary units of prayer, then after the obligatory prayer to pray two voluntary units followed by a further four. This then can be followed by thirteen units of prayer and concluded by a separate unit called the Witr prayer. Regarding the posture in which the prayers are said, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, Saying the prayer lying down is equal to half the reward of sitting. The third division of the night: Sleep is considered worship ibadat when certain rules are observed. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever has his ablution and lies down to sleep as he makes zikr is rewarded as he would be when he is in a state of prayer until he awakes. If he moves whilst he sleeps and makes zikr (the remembrance of Allah), the angels supplicate for him and ask Allah to forgive him. He also said, When a person goes to sleep in the state of ablution, his soul is taken up to the Throne. Dear reader, think about this, this state is just of the ordinary person, so what then is the case of special people the answer is that secrets are disclosed to them as they sleep. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, The worshiping of the learned and their breath is the remembrance of Allah (Tasbih). Preparation for sleep: There are several recommended steps to take before sleeping: Brush your teeth and make ablution. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever sleeps having his ablution, his soul is suspended upon the Throne and his vision is real. If he sleeps without ablution, his soul cannot reach the Throne and his visions are not real. Keep your tooth-brush, or preferably tooth stick (siwak), in an identifiable place so that you have easy access to it when you wake during the night to make ablution for the voluntary prayer. It was the custom of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to cleanse his teeth many times during the night and would clean his teeth again upon waking. He said, For whosoever goes to bed with the intention to pray during the night and sleep overcame him until dawn, the reward is written for him as a gift. Before you go to sleep make sure you have written and placed near your head your will because death often occurs during sleep. If a person dies without making a will he is not permitted to talk in the tomb until the Day of Resurrection. His relatives will question him but he will be unable to speak. Always ask Allah for forgiveness before you sleep and be penitent, and also ask for the forgiveness of all Muslims. Do not hold an ill will against someone and resolve to return to it upon waking. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Whosoever goes to bed with the intention not to oppress, hate or envy will have his sins forgiven. It is preferable to have a mattress that is firm and not too soft. The Companions who lived in the adjoining building to the Prophets Mosque, the Ahle Suffa (the Sufis), would sleep upon the ground and say, Our bodies were created from the earth and will return to it. Go to sleep before you become too tired. Although the Ahle Suffa (Sufi) slept very little, their sleep was sufficed, they lived on the minimum, ate very little food and spoke only when necessary or on matters of religion. It was brought to the attention of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, that when a certain person became overtired he would strap himself with a rope to hold him so that he could pray. When he learned of this habit, he prohibited it saying, When sleep overpowers, sleep. He also advised, Strive hard (jihad) in your deeds, Allah does not impose hardship upon you until you yourself impose hardship upon yourself. He also said, Whosoever does a religious act with ease is the best among you. He also told his Companions, I pray and sleep, fast and break it, this is my way, and whosoever does not follow my way is not with me. He warned, Do not impose the excessive hardship of religion upon yourself because it will overpower you. Do not let your worshipping become a load upon yourself that you dislike. Go to sleep facing the direction of the Kaba, just as one is placed in the tomb facing the Kaba. Just before sleeping say, O Lord, I keep my side in Your Name and shall raise it up in Your Name, if You take my soul tonight forgive it, and if You let it remain protect it. Follow this by saying verses such as those of the Throne, the last part of Chapter 2, the Cow, Chapter 7, The Ramparts, and Chapter 114, People, then follow this by saying twenty-five times with Subhan Allah (Exalted is Allah), WalHamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah) la illaha IllaAllah (there is no god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest). Sleep is known as the little death and waking from it is the little resurrection. Allah tells us, Allah takes away souls at the time of their death (the temporary death of sleep) and those who do not die during their sleep He withholds that upon which He has decreed death, but turns lose the other till a stated term. 39:42. He also says, It is He who makes you to die by night, knowing what you have gained by day, and then resurrects you so that an ordained term is realized. 6:60. In a similar way that a person who is awake sees things that he does not see when he sleeps, a sleeping person sees things that his mind cannot conceive in a wakeful state. Sleep is a period between life and death just as AAABarzakh is a link between this world and the Everlasting world. Lokman, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a very pious person to whom Allah gave wisdom, one day advised his son saying, My dear son, if you are doubtful about death, dont sleep because just as you sleep you will die. If you are doubtful about the resurrection, dont stay awake because just as you wake after having slept you will awaken after your death. Lady Ayesha, wife of the Prophet, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, said, When the Prophet went to bed he would place his head upon his right hand, think of himself as being dead and say, O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Great Throne. O our Lord and the Lord of all things and their Owner. Upon waking up, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would say, There is no god except Allah, the One, the Almighty, Lord of the heavens and earth and all that is therein, the Mighty, the Forgiving. After you awake remember Allah because that is a sign of your love for Him. When you get up say, All praise is due to Allah who has given us life after He caused us to die and to Him is the Resurrection. The fourth division of the night: The fourth division commences from midnight and ends upon the termination of the remaining sixth part of it. At this time it is highly recommend to rise and pray AAATahajjud, need explanation of Tahajjud, because Allah says, by the night and all that it envelopes. 84:17. The Companions of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked him, Which part of the night is the best time for the acceptance of ones supplication? He replied, The middle of the night. Prophet David, peace be upon him, said, O Lord, I love to worship, what time is the most opportune moment? Whereupon Allah revealed to him, O David, do not be awake in either the early or latter part of the night because he who does not sleep in its early part sleeps during the latter. If you are awake during the latter part of the night, you are unable to stay awake during its early part. Be awake during its middle portion and reserve it alone for Me and I will remain alone with you and give your necessities. When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked, What part of the night is best? He replied, The middle of the latter half of the night. During this time make two units of prayer. It was the custom of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to pray at least thirteen units of prayer during the night and conclude them with the Witr (one unit) prayer. The fifth division of the night: The time that remains is that of the pre-dawn (Sehri) breakfast time, which if one is fasting would be the last meal until Maghrib. AAAAcannot find chapter and verse for the following, please find and insert our translation Allah says, Seek forgiveness at the Sehri time. This is the time of the change of shifts when the angels of the night ascend and the angels of the day descend. Upon the arrival of dawn the fifth division of night ends and the divisions of the day begin. For more information about what is to be recited during the night please refer to the Appendix Chapter 9. General charitable acts of worship: The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, always promoted charitable acts, and his Companions, although many of them were extremely poor, never missed a day without giving even the most meager of charity. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said, Save yourself from Hell by being charitable, even if it is as little as a portion of a date. He also said, It is incumbent upon a man who rises at dawn to give charity for every AAA joint (mifshal) of his body, and there are AAA360 joints. Encouraging good is charity, forbidding evil is charity helping a weak man to bear his load is charity, removing an obstacle from the pathway is a charitable act. He also told them that the remembrance of Allah (Tasbih) and saying, there is no god except Allah (Tahlil) are acts of charity and added that two units of the voluntary midmorning prayer of Duha can receive the same rewards as if one were to do all of the preceding. DIVISION OF TIME IN RELATIONSHIP TO ONES CIRCUMSTANCES: The worshiper (Abid): A person is blessed that has no other business than that of worship. Amongst the Companions there were those who would recite the remembrance of Allah (Tasbih) one thousand two hundred times a day, whereas others would recite it thirty thousand times. It was not unusual to observe the Companions making at least one hundred units of prayer during the day and repeat the deed during the night. Karrah, Bashrahs son would circumambulate the Kaba seventy times during the day and seventy times during the night and the recitation of the Holy Koran was on the lips of many day and night. Abraham, Adams son was visited by an angel who told him that whosoever recites the following will not die until he has been shown his place in Paradise: Exaltations be to the Highest Judge. Exaltations be to the Strict Law Giver. Exaltations be to the One who withdraws the night and brings the day. Exaltations be to the One whom no affair keeps busy. Exalted is Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. The learned (Alim): A learned person whose learning is beneficial to others: for example those who give legal decisions, teach, author religious books. Such a persons division of time is not like that of a worshiper because his research and authoring of books are necessary and require a considerable amount of time, and the excellence of learning together with its teaching is its proof. The classification of learning referred to is that of worship which creates anxiousness for the Everlasting Life, and disinterest in the affairs of this world. Or, that assist one on the journey towards the Everlasting Life as opposed to learning that increases one status, wealth and property. Such a person is found busy in his/her remembrance of Allah (zikr) up to sun-rise. From sunrise to noon (Zuhr) he is found teaching and learning. From noon (Zuhr) to the time of the afternoon prayer (Asr) such a person is found reading and authoring books and from the afternoon prayer (Asr) to the evening prayer (Maghrib) is devoted to the study of the Prophetic sayings (Hadith), the explanation of the Koran (Tafseer) and beneficial subjects. Students: Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, To be present in a gathering of those making Zikr (Remembrance of Allah) is better than the prayer that consists of one thousand units, better than attending one thousand funerals and visiting one thousand sick people. He also said, When you see a Garden of Paradise, roam about in it. When he was asked what he meant by a Garden of Paradise, he replied, A gathering of people making zikr. A man went to Hasan Basri and complained that his heart was hard whereupon he was told, Attend gatherings of the Remembrance of Allah (Zikr). Businessmen: Those of us who are obliged to work in order to support ourselves and family are unable to devote themselves like the others, so they should remember Allah in all their dealings and not neglect the obligatory prayers. Officials: Officials and leaders are similar in their duties, such people include judges, police, and others entrusted with the affairs and welfare of Muslims. The exemplary conduct of the rightly guided Caliphs should never be distant from their minds and actions and they should emulate the noble way in which they administrated. They too should remember Allah in all their dealings and not neglect the obligatory prayers. Devotees: Devotees are those whose life is dedicated to mediation and praising Allah. Their rank is that of the truthful Siddiq. They do not love anyone except Allah and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and they do not fear anyone except Allah. There is no division of such a persons time because he/she devotes himself in all humility both before and after the obligatory prayers to the remembrance of Allah. He learns from every thought that enters his mind or whatever sound penetrates his hearing or his eyes observe. A devotee such as this flees to Allah, and Allah says, Therefore, flee to Allah. 51:50. He seeks a place of solitude just as the people in the Cave Chapter. Allah says, When you depart from them and from what they worship, other than Allah, see refuge in the Cave. Allah will extend His Mercy to you and will furnish you with a gentle issue of your affair. 18:16. And, I will go to my Lord; He will guide me. 37:99 VOLUME 1 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP BOOK 9 - THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH AND SUPPLICATIONS CHAPTER 2 THE EXCELLENCE OF NIGHT WORSHIP Of all the obligatory prayers Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said, The sunset (Maghrib) prayer is the best before Allah, and it has not been reduced for the traveler. It is the opener of the night prayers and the prayers of the day-time have reached their end. Two palaces either or gold or silver in Paradise are built for whosoever prays two units of prayer after the Maghrib prayer, and whosoever prays four units of prayer will be forgiven the sins of either twenty or forty years. Umm Salamah and Abu Hurayrah said, that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him said, If you pray six units of prayer it is as if you are worshiping for an entire year or praying on the Night of Honor. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him also said, Whosoever stays in the mosque in which there is a congregation between Maghrib and Isha prayers and did not talk but only prayed or recited the Koran, Allah will build for him two palaces in Paradise and the distance between the two palaces is a path of one hundred years. Between the palaces there are so many trees that all the inhabitants of the earth would be able to wander between them. He also said, Whosoever prays ten units of prayers between Maghrib (early evening) and Isha (late evening) prayer, a building will be built for him in Paradise. It was the practice of the Companions of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to pray a lot and the Caliph Omar said upon hearing this news, O Prophet of Allah, our buildings would then be numerous. He replied, With Allah there is so much more and better. It has also been reported that, For whosoever prays the Maghrib prayer in congregation and thereafter does not speak to anyone about worldly affairs before he makes two units of prayer in which he recites Chapter 1, the Opener, the first ten verses of Chapter 2, The Cow, and two verses from its middle followed by Chapter 112, Oneness fifteen times and then bows and prostrates and then stands to prayer the second unit of prayer and recites Chapter 1, the Opener,