 If you will help (in the cause of) Allaah, He will help you 
(Soorah Muhammad 47:7)
Islaamic
Directives
To Reform the Individual
and the Community
By
Muhammad Ibn Jameel
Zainoo
Teacher in Dar Al-Hadeeth AlKhairiyyah, Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
Translated by
Sameh Strauch
2
Introduction
V erily, all praise is due to Allaah, we praise Him and we seek His
Aid and we ask His Forgiveness; and we seek refuge with Allaah from
the evil of ourselves and wickedness of our deeds. Whomsoever Allaah,
guides, there is none can misguide him and whomsoever Allaah sends
astray there is none can guide him. And I bear witness that none is worthy
of worship but Allaah, Alone, without partners and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. As for what follows:
This book has been printed many times in large numbers, both in
Makkah and in Jiddah and it has been printed also in Algeria, Kuwait and
Jordan. And it will soon be printed in Egypt and Lebanon in shaa`
Allaah. And it has been well received by its readers, which is clear from
the number who have written to me asking for copies of it along with the
rest of the books in the series. This is due to the importance of the topics
therein, which are numerous and (at the same time) concise. They are
important to every Muslim, man and woman, but presented in a manner
easy for all to understand. By Allaah, I ask that it may benefit every
reader and make it purely for His Noble Countenance, for He is Allhearing and He answers (all supplications). And may peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.
The Author.

3
The Main Precepts in Islaam
1. Islaam is the Religion of tawheed; 1 and belief in the existence of one
Creator of the Universe is a truth in which every reasoning mind believes.
This Creator is the only Deity Who deserves to be worshipped, by such
acts as halaal slaughter, swearing oaths and especially du’aa`, 2 as
Allaah’s Messenger () says: “Ad-du’aa` - that is worship.” (Narrated by
At-Tirmizi, who described it as hasan-saheeh 3) As such, it is not
permissible to direct any part of one’s worship to other than Allaah.
2. Islaam unites people and does not cause divisions: That is, the Muslim
believes in all of the Messengers whom Allaah sent to guide mankind and
bring order to their lives. And the Messenger Muhammad () is the Seal
of the Prophets and the Law which he brought abrogates all those prior to
it, by the Command of Allaah, Most High. Allaah sent him to all of
mankind, to save them from the tyranny of distorted religions and to
deliver them to the justice and fairness of Islaam, the protected Religion.
3. Islaam is easy to understand and clear and does not accept
khuraafaat, 4 perverted beliefs or complex philosophies and it is good for
implementation in all times and all places.
4. Islaam does not place an impenetrable barrier between the material and
the spiritual; rather, it views life as consisting of both, and it does not
neglect one in favour of the other. Islaam confirms the equality and
brotherliness of all Muslims and rejects differences based upon race or
tribe, as Allaah says:
1
Tawheed: Professing the Oneness of Allaah.
2
Du’aa`: Supplicating Allaah.
3
Hasan-saheeh: Somewhere between the levels of hasan (good) and saheeh (authentic).
4
Khuraafaat: Those superstitions and incredible stories so beloved of Christians and some misguided
sects, such as the Sufis, Qadyaanis, Braillwis and their like, in which ‘saints’ supposedly performed
miracles such as bringing the dead to life, curing the lepers and so on, or in some cases, performing
miracles even greater than those performed by Allaah’s Messengers by His Will.
4
ِ ‫{ إِ َّن أَ ْكرم ُكم ِع ْن َد‬
)13:49 ‫هللا أَتْ َقا ُك ْم } (سورة احلجرات‬
ْ ََ
 Verily, the most honoured among you in the sight of Allaah is the
Most pious and God-fearing of you  (Soorah Al-Hujuraat 49:13)
5. There is no priesthood controlling the Religion of Islaam. Every person
can read the book of Allaah, Most High and the hadeeth of the Messenger
of Allaah () in agreement with the understanding of the pious Salaf
5
and then lead his life in accordance with them.


Islaam is a Complete System of Life
1. Islaam organizes man’s life in all spheres: economic, political, cultural
and communal, and it maps out for him the correct road to the solution of
all of life’s problems.
2. Islaam strives for an ordered life for mankind, of which the main
element is the reorganization of his time; and Islaam is the most powerful
factor in achieving success in this life and in the Hereafter.
3. Islaam is belief before law; the Messenger () concentrated all his
efforts in Makkah on calling the people to tawheed. Only after the flight
to Madeenah and the founding of the Islaamic State there did he begin to
implement the Sharee’ah. 6
4. Islaam calls people to the acquisition of knowledge and encourages
beneficial scientific development; the Muslims were formerly, in the
5
Salaf: The pious, early generations of Muslims.
6
Sharee’ah: The Law of Islaam, governing all aspects of life, including worship, marriage, divorce,
business, politics etc.
5
middle ages, the leading scholars in contemporary sciences, such as Ibn
Al-Haitham, Al-Bairooni and others.
5. Islaam allows us to profit from permissible trade, in which there is no
exploitation or cheating; and the honest man desires wealth in order that
he may give from it to the poor and finance jihaad. In this way, social
justice is achieved in the Muslim Ummah, 7 which takes its laws from the
Creator. It is reported in a hadeeth: “The best of wealth goes to the best of
people.” (An authentic hadeeth narrated by Imaam Ahmad)
As for the saying of some people: “Whatever is collected of wealth is
allowed,” it is a lie, without any basis.
6. Islaam is the Religion of jihaad 8 and of life. Thus, it is incumbent
upon every Muslim to spend his wealth and his life in the cause of
Islaam; it is the Religion of life which desires the Muslim to live a life of
happiness in the shade of Islaam and to encourage others by his example
to follow his life.
7. (Islaam enjoins) reviving free Islaamic thought within the confines of
Islaamic Law and removing false, inflexible doctrines and ideas, which
have blemished the pure beauty of Islaam and prevented the Muslims
from advancing, such as bid’ah, khuraafaat, false, made up ahaadeeth 9
and other such things.

The Pillars of Islaam
Allaah’s Messenger () said: “Islaam is built upon five (pillars):
7
Ummah: Community.
8
The word jihaad in Islaam is wider in meaning than the usual translation beloved of Western
journalists: Holy War. In fact, the word means struggle in Allaah’s Cause.
9 Ahaadeeth: Plural of hadeeth (sayings and actions of the Prophet () or those of which he approved.
6
1. Testifying that none is worthy of worship except Allaah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.
2. Establishing prayer (including its performance with all its pillars and
conditions, in a state of humility).
3. Giving zakaah (- when a Muslim possesses more than 85gms. Of gold
or its equivalent in money, he must pay 2.5% of it as zakaah after it has
been in his possession for one year. Other forms of wealth have their own
specified rates).
4. Pilgrimage to the House of Allaah (is an obligation upon whomsoever
has the means [finances, health and security] to perform it).
5. Fasting the month of Ramadhaan (- which entails abstinence from
food, drink and intimate relations and all of those things which may break
the fast, from dawn until dusk, with the intention having been made each
day to fast).” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

The Pillars of Eemaan (Faith)
To believe in:
1. Allaah (i.e. His Oneness in matters of worship, Lordship and in His
Names and Attributes).
2. His angels (- beings created from light, who carry out the Commands
of Allaah).
3. His Books (the Tauraah, 10 the Injeel, 11 the Zaboor 12 and the Qur`aan,
which is the greatest of them).
4. His Messengers (- the first of whom was Nooh (Noah ) and the last
10
Tauraah: Given to Moosaa (Moses ).
11
Injeel: Given to ‘Eesaa (Jesus ).
12
Zaboor: Given to Dawood (David ).
7
of whom was Muhammad ().
5. The Last Day (- the Day of Resurrection, when mankind will be called
to account for their deeds).
6. And to believe in Qadar, 13 both the good and the bad of it (at the same
time undertaking the necessary measures to achieve one’s objectives).

Ad-Du’aa` - That is Worship
This authentic hadeeth, narrated by At-Tirmizi, proves that du’aa` is
one of the most important forms of worship; and just as it is forbidden to
pray to one of Allaah’s Messengers or a waliyy, 14 it is forbidden to make
du’aa to them, rather than Allaah.
1. Those Muslims who say: “Oh, Messenger of Allaah!” or: “Oh, you
men of the unseen! (Send us) help and support!” are making du’aa`
which is an act of worship directed to other than Allaah. Even if the
intention was that Allaah is the One Who helps and supports, it would
like the case of one who associates partners with Allaah, the Almighty,
the All-powerful, but claims that his intention was (to say) that there is
only one Deity and in such a case, his action would not be accepted,
because it contradicts his stated intention. The intention and belief and the
deed must be in agreement; if not, it is shirk 15 or kufr, 16 which Allaah
will not forgive, unless he turns to Him in repentance.
2. If the Muslim says that his intention was to use them (i.e. the people
13
Qadar: Allaah’s Divine Predetermination of events. (This does not mean fatalism, rather it means
the knowledge and acceptance that Allaah has written everything since before the beginning of
creation.)
14 Waliyy: A person believed to be a protector, saint, or someone specially chosen by Allaah.
15
Shirk: Associating partners with Allaah.
16
Kufr: Disbelief in Allaah.
8
upon whom he called) as intercessors with Allaah, like a Governor who
cannot be approached except through an intermediary, then he is guilty of
ascribing human attributes to Allaah, in that he is comparing Allaah with
an unjust human being. Such a comparison is a form of kufr. Allaah
declares Himself free from any such comparisons, saying:
ِ ِ ِ ‫{ لَي‬
ِ ‫الس ِميع الب‬
)11:42 ‫صيُ } (سورة الشورى‬
َ ُ َّ ‫س َكمثْله َشيءٌ َو ُه َو‬
َ ْ
 There is nothing whatsoever like Him and He is the All-hearing, the
All-seeing  (Soorah Ash-Shooraa 42:11)
Ascribing to Allaah the attributes of a just man is an act of shirk and
kufr, so what about ascribing to him the attributes of an unjust man?
Allaah is far above that which the unjust ascribe to Him!
3. The polytheists in the time of the Messenger () believed that Allaah is
the Creator and Sustainer, but they called their ‘protectors’ who were
represented by idols, as intercessors whom they believed would bring
them nearer to Allaah. However, Allaah did not accept this from them;
rather, He branded them as disbelievers, saying:
ِ ِِ ِ َّ ‫{ والَّ ِذ‬
ِ ‫وا إِ َى‬
‫هللا ُُلَْ إ إِ َّن هللاَ َْْ ُك ُم بَ ْي نَ ُُ ْم‬
َ ُ‫اء َما نَ ْعبُ ُد ُه ْم إِالَّ لِيُ َق ِرب‬
َ َ
َ َ‫ين اَّتَ ُذوا من ُدونه أ َْولي‬
‫(سووورة الر وور‬
} ٌ ‫ِِف َم ا ُه ْم ِِي ِه َِْوَلِ َُ و َن إِ َّن هللاَ الَ يَ ُْ ِدَ َم ْن ُه َو َك ا ِ ٌ َك ََّ ا‬
)3:39
 Those who take for protectors other than Allaah (say): “We only
serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allaah.” Truly,
Allaah will judge between them in that which they differ. But Allaah
guides not the disbelieving liar  (Soorah Az-Zumar 39:3)
- Allaah, Most High is Near 17 and He hears: He needs no intercessor, for
17
That is, in His Hearing, His Seeing and His Knowledge.
9
He says:
ِ ِ َ َ‫{ وإِ َا سأَل‬
)186:2 ‫ب } (سورة البقرة‬
َ َ
ٌ ‫ك عبَادَ َع ِّن َِِإِّن قَ ِري‬
 And when My slaves ask you about Me (say that) I am indeed close
to them  (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:186)
4. Those polytheists used to call upon Allaah Alone in times of severe
hardship; Allaah says:
ِ
ِ ‫{ وجاءهم الْمو‬
ِ
ٍ
ِ ِ‫ط ِبِِم َد َعوا هللا ُُمْل‬
‫ين‬
َ‫ص‬
َ ُ ْ َ ‫ج من ُك ِل َم َكان َوظَنُّوا أَنَّ ُُ ْم أُحي‬
ُ َْ ُ َُ َ َ
َ ‫ني لَهُ الد‬
ِ َّ ‫لَئِن أَجنَي وَ نَا ِمن َه ِذهِ لَنَ ُكونَ َّن ِمن‬
)22:10 ‫ين } (سورة يونس‬
ْ ْ
ْ
َ ‫الشاك ِر‬
َ
 And the waves come to them from every side and they think that
they will be overwhelmed: They pray to Allaah sincerely, offering
(their) duty to Him, saying: “If You deliver us from this, we shall
surely be grateful.”  (Soorah Yoonus 10:22)
- but in times of ease, they would call upon their protectors, represented
by their idols and because of this, the Qur`aan branded them disbelievers.
So what may be said of those Muslims who call other than Allaah, such
as the Messengers and the pious people, asking for their aid and seeking
relief from them in times of severe hardship and affliction and in times of
ease? Have they not read the words of Him, Most High:
ِ
ِ َ ‫{ ومن أ‬
ِ ِ
ِ
‫يب لَهُ إِ َى يَ ْوِم ال ِْقيَ َام ِة َو ُه ْم َع ن ُد َع اهِ ُِ ْم‬
ْ ََ
ُ ‫َض ُّل ِمَّن يَ ْدعُو من ُدون هللا َمن الَ يَ ْسوَج‬
‫(سوورة احققو‬
ِ ِِ َ ‫غَاِِلُو َن وإِ َا ح ِشر النَّاس َكانُوا ََلُم أَ ْع َداء وَك انُوا بِ ِعب‬
} ‫ين‬
َ
ْ
َ ‫ادم ْم َك اِ ِر‬
ُ
َ ُ َ
َ
)6-5 :46
 And who is more astray than one who invokes, besides Allaah, such
as will not answer him until the Day of Resurrection, and who are
unconscious of their calls? And when mankind are gathered together
10
(on the Last Day), they will be hostile to them and deny their
worship (i.e. their supplication)  (Soorah Al-Ahqaaf 46:5-6)
5. Many people believe that the polytheists mentioned in the Qur`aan
used to worship mere stone idols, but this is not correct; in fact, those
stone images were of righteous men: Al-Bukhaari reports, on the
authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas () concerning the Words of Allaah, Most
High in Soorah Nooh:
ِ ‫{ وقَالُوا الَ تَ َذ َّن‬
} ‫وث َويَعُو َق َونَ ْسرا‬
َ ُ‫آَلَوَ ُك ْم َوالَ تَ َذ ُ َّن َودًّا َوالَ ُس َواعا َوالَ يَغ‬
ُ
َ
)23:71 ‫(سورة نوح‬
 And they said (to each other): “Do not abandon your gods:
Abandon not Wadd, nor Suwaa’, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq nor
Nasr  (Soorah Nooh 71:23)
- that he said: “These were the names of righteous people from among the
people of Nooh. Then after those people had died, Satan came to the
people and inspired them, saying: “Erect images of them in your meetingplaces where they used to sit and name them with their names.” This they
did, but they were not worshipped until those people had died and the
knowledge (of why they were placed there) was forgotten and then they
(the images) were worshipped.”
6. In rejection of those who worship the Prophets and (so-called)
protectors, Allaah says:
ِ َّ
‫ك‬
َ ِ‫ين َُ َع ْم وُ ْم ِم ن ُدونِ ِه َِ كَ َْْلِ ُك و َن َك ْش َ ال ُّ ِر َع ن ُك ْم َوالَ َ ْ ِويك أ ُْولَئ‬
َ ‫{ قُ ِل ا ْدعُ وا ال ذ‬
ِ َّ
‫ين يَ ْدعُو َن يَ ْب وَ غُ و َن إِ َى َِبِِ ُم ال َْو ِس يلَةَ أَيُّ ُُ ْم أَقْ َر ُ َويَ ْر ُج و َن َ ْوَوَ هُ َوََِ اُِو َن َع َذابَ هُ إِ َّن‬
َ ‫ال ذ‬
)57-56 :17 ‫ك َكا َن ََْم ُذو ا } (سورة اإلسراء‬
َ ِ‫َع َذا َ َب‬
 Say: “Call upon those who you claim (as deities) besides Him: They
11
have neither the power to relieve you from harm nor to change it.”
Those whom they call upon do seek (for themselves) means of access
to their Lord – as to who are nearest. They hope for His Mercy and
fear His Wrath: For the Wrath of your Lord is something to take
heed of  (Soorah Al-Israa` 17:56-57)
In his tafseer 18 of these Verses, Ibn Katheer says that they were
revealed concerning a number of men who worshipped the jinn and called
upon them besides Allaah, and that those jinn embraced Islaam. It was
also said that they were revealed concerning some men who used to
worship the Messiah (‘Eesaa []) and the angels. These Verses reject
those who call upon other than Allaah, even if it be a Prophet or waliyy.
7. Some people claim that seeking aid from other than Allaah is allowed
and they say: “Allaah is the One Who actually gives aid, and calling upon
the Messengers and awliyaa` is only figuratively speaking, like when one
says: “The medicine cured me,” or: “The doctor cured me.” This is
rejected by the words of Ibraaheem ():
ِ َِ ‫ِ َِ ُُ َو يَ ْش‬
ِ ‫{ الَّ ِذَ َللَ َق ِّن َِ ُُ َو يَ ُْ ِدي ِن َوالَّ ِذَ ُه َو يَُ ِْع ُم ِّن َويَ ْس ِق‬
} ‫ني‬
ْ ‫ني َوإِ َا َم ِر‬
ُ ‫ض‬
)80-78 :26 ‫(سورة الشعراء‬
 He it is Who created me and it He Who guides me, Who gives me
food and drink and when I am ill, it is He Who cures me  (Soorah
Ash-Shu’araa` 26:78-80)
- Allaah has affirmed, by the use of the expression “It is He Who…” in
each Verse, that guidance, sustenance and cure from disease come from
Him and no other and that the medicine is the means of the cure, not the
healer.
18
Tafseer: Explanation and commentary.
12
8. Many people do not differentiate between seeking aid from the living
and seeking it from the dead, but Allaah, Most High says:
)22:35 ‫ات } (سورة ف طر‬
ُ ‫َحيَاءُ َوالَ األ َْم َو‬
ْ ‫{ َوَما يَ ْسوَ ِوَ األ‬
 Nor are alike those that are living and those that are dead  (Soorah
Faatir 35:22)
- And He says:
)15:28 ‫اسوَ غَاثَهُ الَّ ِذَ ِمن ِش َيعوِ ِه َعلَإ الَّ ِذَ ِم ْن َع ُد ِوهِ } (سورة القصص‬
ْ َِ {
 Then the man of his own people appealed to him against his foe 
(Soorah Al-Qasas 28:15)
This is the story of a man who came to Moosaa () seeking protection
from his enemy and Moosaa () came to his aid:
)15:28 ‫وسإ َِ َق َ إ َعلَْي ِه } (سورة القصص‬
َ ‫{ َِ َوَك َزهُ ُم‬
 And Moosaa struck him with his fist and killed him  (Soorah AlQasas 28:15)
But as for the dead, it is forbidden to seek aid from them, for they
cannot hear any supplication; and even if they could hear, they could not
respond, as they are unable to do so. Allaah, Most High says:
‫اسوَ َجابُوا لَ ُك ْم َويَ ْوَم ال ِْقيَ َام ِة يَ ْك َُ ُرو َن‬
ُ ُ‫{ إِن تَ ْدع‬
ْ ‫اء ُك ْم َولَ ْو ََِسعُوا َما‬
َ ‫وه ْم الَ يَ ْس َمعُوا ُد َع‬
)22:35 ‫بِ ِش ْركِ ُك ْم } (سورة ف طر‬
 If you invoke them, they will not hear your call, and if they were to
hear, they cannot answer (your prayer). On the Day of Resurrection,
they will reject your shirk  (Soorah Faatir 22:35)
- This is a clear evidence that making du’aa` to the dead is shirk.
Allaah, Most High also says:
13
ِ ‫ون‬
ِ ‫{ والَّ ِذين ي ْدعُو َن ِمن ُد‬
‫َحيَ ٍاء َوَما‬
ٌ ‫هللا الَ َِْلُ ُقو َن َش ْي ئا َو ُه ْم ُِْلَ ُقو َن أ َْم َو‬
ْ ‫ات غَْي ُر أ‬
ََ َ
)21-20:16 ‫يَ ْشعُ ُرو َن أَ ََّّي َن يُ ْب َعثُو َن } (سورة النحل‬
 Those whom they invoke besides Allaah create nothing and are
themselves created. (They are) dead, lifeless; nor do they know when
they will be raised up  (Soorah An-Nahl 16:20-21)
9. It has been authentically reported in a number of a ahaadeeth that on
the Day of Resurrection, the people will come to the Prophets and ask
them to intercede with Allaah, until they come to Muhammad () and
they will ask him to intercede with Allaah for relief. He () will say: “I
will do so.” Then he will prostrate before the ‘Arsh 19 and request Allaah
to relieve them and bring forward the Reckoning. This intercession will
be a request from the Messenger () while he is alive (i.e. following the
Resurrection),speaking to the people and they to him. They will ask him
to intercede on their behalf with Allaah and to ask Him to relieve them
and this is what he will do…
10. The greatest proof of the difference between beseeching the living
and beseeching the dead is in the action of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (),
when they were afflicted by drought. He went to Al-‘Abbaas (), the
uncle of the Messenger () and requested him to make du’aa` (to Allaah)
for them; he did not ask the Messenger () after he had passed on to the
next life.
11. Some of the people of knowledge think that tawassul is the same as
istighaathah, whereas the difference between them is very great:
19
‘Arsh: Throne.
14
Tawassul is a request to Allaah by means of something, such as the
saying: “Oh, Allaah! By Your Love and by our love for the Messenger of
Allaah (), relieve us.” – This is permissible. As for istighaathah, that is a
request to other than Allaah, such as the saying: “Oh, Messenger of
Allaah! Relieve us.” – This is forbidden, because it is major shirk. Allaah,
Most High says:
ِ َ َّ‫ِْ َِِإن‬
ِ
ِ ‫ون‬
ِ ‫{ والَ تَ ْدعُ ِمن ُد‬
} ‫ني‬
َ ُ‫هللا َما الَ يَنَع‬
َ ‫ك َوالَ يَ ُ ُّر َك َِِإن َِ َعل‬
َ ‫ك إِ ا م َن الظَّال ِم‬
َ
)106:10‫(سورة يونس‬
 Nor call upon other than Allaah: Such can neither profit you nor
hurt you; if you do so, you will certainly be among the wrongdoers 20  (Soorah Yoonus 10:106)
- And He says:
ِ
)20:72 ‫َحدا } (سورة اجلن‬
َ ‫{ قُ ْل إِ ََّّنَا أَ ْدعُو َِّب َوالَ أُ ْش ِر ُك بِه أ‬
 Say: “I do no more than invoke my Lord and I do not associate any
partners with Him.”  (Soorah Al-Jinn 72:20)
- And the Messenger () said: “When you ask, ask Allaah; and when you
seek help, seek it from Allaah.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who graded it
hasan-saheeh)
- And the poet said:
Allaah! I ask that He relieve our distress,
For distress is not removed except by Allaah.

20
That is, the disbelievers.
15
Where is Allaah?
Allaah, Who created us, has obliged us to know where he is, that we
may turn our hearts to Him, and direct our invocations and prayers to
Him. And whoever does not know where his Lord is, remains lost, not
knowing where is the Object of his worship; and he has not fulfilled the
obligations of worship.
Allaah’s Divine Attribute of being Elevated above His creation is like
the rest of His Attributes mentioned in the Qur`aan and in authentic
ahaadeeth, such as His Hearing, His Seeing, His Speech, His Descending
and other Divine Attributes. The belief of the righteous Salaf and the
group who will be saved (from the Hell-fire), Ahl As-Sunnah WalJamaa’ah, is belief in that about which He has informed us in His Book,
or that about which His Messenger () has informed us in his ahaadeeth,
without changing or negating the meaning and without comparison (with
His creation), as in His Words:
ِ ِ ِ ‫{ لَي‬
ِ ‫الس ِميع الب‬
)11:42 ‫صيُ } (سورة الشورى‬
َ ُ َّ ‫س َكمثْله َش ْيءٌ َو ُه َو‬
َ ْ
 There is nothing whatsoever like Him and He is the All-hearing, the
All-seeing  (Soorah Ash-Shooraa 42:11)
Because these Attributes, such as His being above His creation, are a
part of His Self, it is incumbent upon us to believe in them, just as it is an
obligation for us to believe in His Self. That is why Imaam Maalik, when
questioned concerning the meaning of Allaah’s Words:
ِ ‫الع ْر‬
)5:20 ‫اسوَ َوى } (سورة طه‬
َّ {
ْ ‫ش‬
َ ‫الر ْوَ ُن َعلَإ‬
 The Most Beneficent has ascended over the Throne  (Soorah Taa
Haa 20:5)
- “The Ascension is well know, though the how of it is not understood,
and belief in it is obligatory.” Observe, oh, my Muslim brother, the words
16
of Imaam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him), how he considered it
to be an obligation upon every Muslim, though just how it is, is not
known – No one knows it except Allaah.
Verily, everyone who rejects any of the Attributes of Allaah confirmed
in the Qur`aan and hadeeth, such as His Elevation and His being above
the heavens, is a denier of Qur`aanic Verses and Prophetic hadeeth.
These are Attributes of His Completeness, His Exaltedness and His
Highness and it is not permissible to deny them. As for the attempts of
some of the later generations to alter the meaning of Qur`aanic Verses
and Divine Attributes in accordance with their philosophies, which have
destroyed the beliefs of many Muslims by negating them, they are in
conflict with the way of the Salaf, which is safer, more knowledgeable
and wiser. How fine is the one who said:
And every goodness is in following those who came first 21
And every evil is embodied in the innovation of those who came after

Conclusion
Belief in all of Allaahs’ Divine Attributes mentioned in the Qur`aan and
the authentic ahaadeeth is mandatory and it is not permissible to
differentiate between those Attributes, believing in the clear meaning of
some, while altering the meaning of others. He who believes that Allaah
is All-hearing and All-seeing, in a manner unique to Him, must also
believe that Allaah is in as-samaa`. 22 (i.e. He is above the heavens, in
keeping with His Majesty, in a manner unlike any other). This is because
these are Attributes of Allaah’s Completeness, confirmed by Allaah,
21
That is, the Salaf.
22
This does not mean, as ridiculously claimed by some deviant groups, such as the Sufis, that Ahl As-
Sunnah believe Allaah is ‘in the sky’; the word ‘as-samaa`’ means: the highest place. Thus, we believe
that Allaah is in the highest place, befitting His Majesty.
17
Himself in His Book and the words of His Messenger (); the
unblemished fitrah 23 and sound logic corroborate this. Na’eem Ibn
Hammaad, the Shaikh 24 of Al-Bukhaari, said: “Whoever compares
Allaah with His creation, or rejects an Attribute of Allaah by which He
describes Himself, has committed an act of disbelief; and there is no
similitude in that by which Allaah has described Himself, nor in any
description of Him given by His Messenger (). (Mentioned by the
author of ‘Sharh Al-‘Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah’).

Allaah is Above the Throne
The Noble Qur`aan, the authentic ahaadeeth, sound logic and the
uncorrupted fitrah confirm this.
1. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫الع ْر‬
)5:20 ‫اسوَ َوى } (سورة طه‬
َّ {
ْ ‫ش‬
َ ‫الر ْوَ ُن َعلَإ‬
 The Most Beneficent has ascended over the Throne  (Soorah Taa
Haa 20:5)
- This meaning (i.e. ascended, risen) is confirmed by a narration of AlBukhaari, on the authority of the Taabi’oon. 25
2. And Allaah says:
ِ َّ ‫{ أَأ َِمنوم من ِِف‬
ِ
)16:67 ‫ض } (سورة امللك‬
َ ْ َ‫الس َماء أَ ْن َِْس َ بِ ُك ُم األ‬
َ ُْ
23
Fitrah: The natural state in which every person is born, believing in the Oneness of Allaah, before
the parents indoctrinate him with Christian, Jewish or Magian beliefs, as confirmed in the authentic
hadeeth of the Prophet () reported by Al-Bukhaari.
24 Shaikh: Teacher.
25
Taabi’oon: Those Muslims who met one or more of the Companions ( ).
18
 Do you feel secure that He Who is in the samaa` will not cause you
to be swallowed up by the earth?  (Soorah Al-Mulk 67:16)
- Ibn Al-Jawzi reports that Ibn ‘Abbaas () said (regarding this Verse):
“He is Allaah.”
3. And He, Most High says:
)50:16 ‫{ ََِاُِو َن َبَّ ُُم ِمن َِوقِ ُِ ْم } (سورة النحل‬
 They fear their Lord above them  (Soorah An-Nahl 16:50)
4. And He, Most High says, concerning ‘Eesaa ():
)158:4 ‫{ بَ ْل ََِ َعهُ هللاُ إِلَْي ِه } (سورة النس ء‬
 No, Allaah raised him up unto Himself  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:158)
- That is, Allaah raised him up to the heavens.
5. And He, Most High says:
ِ ‫السماو‬
)3:6 ‫ات } (سورة احنع م‬
َ َ َّ ‫{ َو ُه َو هللاُ ِِف‬
 He is Allaah in as-samaawaat (the heavens)…  (Soorah Al-An’aam
6:3)
- Ibn Katheer explained this Verse thus: “The Mufassiroon 26 are agreed
that we do not say, as do the Jahmiyyah (a misguided sect) that Allaah is
in every place. Far above that is He, the Most High! (The expression ‘in
as-samaawaat’ means above the heavens)
As for His Words:
)4:47 ‫{ ُه َو َم َع ُك ْم أَيْ نَ َما ُكنوُ ْم } (سورة احلديد‬
 He is with you wherever you may be  (Soorah Al-Hadeed 47:4)
- it means that He watches over you and sees everything you do,
26
Mufassiroon: Scholars of tafseer.
19
wherever you may be. And wherever you are, He is equally well
acquainted with all of you and He sees you and hears you all.
6. And the Messenger of Allaah ascended to the seventh heaven where he
his Lord spoke to him and made incumbent upon him the five prayers (as
reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
7. And he () said: “Do they not trust me, when I am the trusted one of
Him Who is in the samaa`?” (‘He’ is Allaah; and in the samaa` means:
‘above the heavens’ or: ‘in the highest place’.)
8. And he () said: “Treat those on earth with mercy and compassion
and He Who is in the samaa` will treat you likewise.” (‘He’ is Allaah.)
(Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who said that it is hasan-saheeh)
9. The Messenger () questioned a slave-girl and he asked her: “Where is
Allaah?” She replied: “In the samaa`.” He then asked her: “Who am I?”
She answered: “You are Allaah’s Messenger.” He said: “Free her, for
she is a believer.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
10. And he () said: “The ‘Arsh is above the water and Allaah is above
the ‘Arsh and He knows what (beliefs and practices) you are upon.” (A
sound hadeeth reported by Abu Dawood)
11. Abu Bakr () said: “Whoever worshipped Allaah, (he should know
that) Allaah is in the samaa`, Living, and He does not die.” (Narrated by
Ad-Daarimi in ‘The Reply to the Jahmiyyah’, with an authentic sanad 27)
12. ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak was asked: “How may we know our
Lord?” He replied: “Verily, He is above the heaven, over the ‘Arsh, apart
from His creation.” (That is, he is literally (not metaphorically) above the
‘Arsh, separate from His creation, and He does not resemble any of His
creatures in His Exaltedness.)
27
Sanad: Chain of narrators.
20
13. The four Imaams 28 all agreed that Allaah is above His ‘Arsh and that
none of His creatures resembles Him.
14. The worshipper says, when he prostrates in prayer: “Subhaana
Rabbial-A’alaa” 29 and when he makes du’aa`, he raises his hands and
directs his supplication to the heavens.
15. Even a child, when you ask him where is Allah, will reply in
accordance with his unsullied fitrah: “He is in the samaa`.”
16. The healthy intellect confirms that Allah is in the samaa`; if He were
in every place, the Messenger () would have informed us of it and his
Companions () would have known it. It is also important to note that
‘every place’ would include dirty, polluted places. Allah is far above that
which they say about Him!
17. The saying that Allaah is with us in His Person in every place
necessitates a belief in a multiplicity or personages, because the number
of places is innumerable. Since Allah’s Personage is One, Indivisible, the
saying that He is in every place in His Person is demonstrably false. It is
confirmed that Allah is above the heaven, over His ‘Arsh and He is with
us in His Knowledge and His Hearing and He sees us wherever we may
be.


Things Which Invalidate a Person’s Islaam
There are a number of actions which invalidate a person’s Islaam; if a
Muslim performs any one of them, he has committed an act of shirk,
which will nullify his deeds and he will dwell in the Hell-fire eternally
28
Abu Haneefah, Maalik, Ash-Shaafi’i and Ahmad.
29
That is, Exalted be He, Most High.
21
and Allaah will not forgive him unless he turns to Him in repentance.
They are:
1. Making du’aa` to other than Allaah, such as the Prophets, awliyaa`, the
dead or the absent living. The proof of this is in Allaah’s Words:
ِ َ َّ‫ِْ َِِإن‬
ِ
ِ ‫ون‬
ِ ‫{ والَ تَ ْدعُ ِمن ُد‬
} ‫ني‬
َ ُ‫هللا َما الَ يَنَع‬
َ ‫ك َوالَ يَ ُ ُّر َك َِِإن َِ َعل‬
َ ‫ك إِ ا م َن الظَّال ِم‬
َ
)106:10 ‫(سورة يونس‬
 And do not call upon other than Allaah; such can neither profit you
nor harm you: If you do so, verily, you will be one of the wrongdoers 30  (Soorah Yoonus 10:106)
- and the Prophet () said: “Whoever dies as one who invokes other than
Allaah as a partner to Him will enter the Fire.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. Aversion of the heart to the belief in the Oneness of Allaah and
abhorrence of invoking Him and seeking aid from Him Alone; and a love
in the heart for invoking the Prophets, awliyaa`, the dead or the absent
living and for seeking help from them. The evidence for this is in
Allaah’s Words:
ِ
ِ ِ
ِ َّ ِ
ِ َّ
ْ ُ‫{ َوإِ َا ُكِ َر هللاُ َو ْح َده‬
‫ين ِمن ُدونِِه‬
ْ َُ‫اْشَأ‬
َ ‫ين الَ يُ ْؤمنُو َن ِِبآلل َرة َوإِ َا ُك َر الذ‬
َ ‫َّت قُلُو ُ الذ‬
)45:39 ‫إِ َا ُه ْم يَ ْسوَ ْب ِش ُرو َن } (سورة الر ر‬
 And when Allaah Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who
believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust; but when (false
deities) other than He are mentioned, behold, the are filled with joy!

(Soorah Az-Zumar 39:45)
30
That is, the disbelievers.
22
- This Verse includes those who fight those who seek help from Allaah,
Alone and brand them Wahhaabis, 31 though they know that they are
calling the people to tawheed.
3. Slaughtering an animal in the name of a Prophet or wali; the evidence
for this is in Allaah’s Words:
)2:108 ‫ك َو ْاْنَ ْر } (سورة الكوثر‬
َ ِ‫ص ِل لَِرب‬
َ َِ {
 So pray to your Lord and slaughter (in His Name)  (Soorah AlKawthar 108:2)
- and the Messenger () said: “Allaah has cursed those who slaughter for
other than Allaah.” (Narrated by Muslim)
4.
Swearing by any of Allaah’s creatures, with the intention of worshipping
him, or of drawing closer to Allaah, when all vows should be for Allaah,
Alone. Allaah, Most High says:
)35:3 ‫ك َما ِِف بََ ِّْن َُمَ َّر ا } (سورة آل عمران‬
َ َ‫ت ل‬
ُ ْ ‫{ َ ِ إِِّن نَ َذ‬
 My Lord! I dedicate to You what is inside me for Your special
service  (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:35)
5. Making tawaaf around a grave with the intention of drawing closer to
Allaah, or with the intention of worshipping the inhabitant, for only the
Ka’bah should be circumambulated. The proof of this is in Allaah’s
Words:
ِ ‫{ ولْيَََّّوُِوا ِِبلْب ْي‬
ِ ِ‫ِ الْ َعو‬
)29:22 ‫يق } (سورة احلج‬
َ
ََ
31
Wahhaabis: An insulting term used by the innovators and misguided sects, intending by it to
suggest that those who reject their shirk and bida’ (innovations) are following something new, invented
by the great Muslim reformer and scholar, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdil Wahhaab. We seek refuge with
Allaah from that! It is interesting to note, incidentally, that this is invariably the way of the innovators
and all those who have gone astray; while those who follow the righteous Salaf bring evidence from the
Qur`aan and the authentic Sunnah, for what they say, the people of bid’a, being unable to refute their
arguments, resort to name-calling, Wahhaabi being the mildest of them.
23
 and circumambulate the Ancient House (i.e. the Ka’bah)  (Soorah
Al-Hajj 22:29)
6. Depending totally on other than Allaah; and the evidence for this is in
Allaah’s Words:
ِ
ِ
)84:10 ‫ني } (سورة يونس‬
َ ‫{ َِ َعلَْيه تَ َوَّكلُوا إِ ْن ُك ْن وُم ُّم ْسل ِم‬
 Then in Him put your trust if you are (truly) Muslims  (Soorah
Yoonus 10:84)
7. Bowing or prostrating to kings or other v.i.p.’s – whether living or
dead – with the intention of performing an act of worship, unless it is
done due to ignorance, for bowing and prostrating are for Allaah, Alone.
8. Rejecting any of the recognized pillars of Islaam, such as prayer,
zakaah, fasting or Hajj, or rejecting any of the pillars of faith, such as
belief in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day
and Qadar, the good and the bad of it, or any other matter which is
known to be an obligatory part of the Religion.
9. Hating Islaam or any other matter which is agreed by all to be an act of
worship, or Islaamic dealings, Islaamic economics or Islaamic manners
and customs, for Allaah says:
)47:9 ‫ط أَ ْع َما ََلُ ْم } (سورة حممد‬
َ َ‫َحب‬
َ ِ‫{ َل‬
ْ ‫َنز َل هللاُ َِأ‬
َ ‫ك ِِبَنَّ ُُ ْم َك ِرُهوا َما أ‬
 That is because they hated that which Allaah has revealed (i.e. the
Qur`aan), so He has made their deeds fruitless  (Soorah Muhammad
47:9)
10. Making fun of anything in the Qur`aan or authentic hadeeth, or any
matter upon which the scholars of Islaam are agreed; the evidence for this
is in Allaah’s Words:
ِ
} ‫آَّيتِِه َوَ ُسولِ ِه ُكنوُ ْم تَ ْس وَ ُْ ِزهُو َن الَ تَ ْع وَ ِذ ُوا قَ ْد َكَ ْرُُْت بَ ْع َد إَِْانِ ُك ْم‬
َ ‫{ قُ ْل أ َِِبهلل َو‬
24
)65:9 ‫(سورة التوبة‬
 Say: “Was it at Allaah and His Signs and His Messenger that you
were mocking?” Make no excuses: You have disbelieved after having
believed  (Soorah At-Tawbah 9:65)
11. Clearly rejecting anything in the Qur`aan or the authentic hadeeth
which would amount to disbelief, if it were done knowingly and
intentionally.
12. Cursing Allaah or His Religion or insulting the Prophet () or making
fun of him, or criticizing the Message he brought.
13. Knowingly rejecting any of Allaah’s Names or His Divine Attributes,
or any of His Actions confirmed in the Qur`aan and the authentic
hadeeth, or changing their meaning in order to conform to one’s
prejudices.
14. Disbelieving in any or all of the Messengers whom Allaah has sent
with Guidance for mankind or demeaning them in any way, for Allaah
says:
)136:2 ‫َح ٍد ِم ْن ُُ ْم } (سورة البقرة‬
َ ْ َ‫{ الَ نَُ ِر ُق ب‬
َ ‫ني أ‬
 We make no difference between one and another of them  (Soorah
Al-Baqarah 2:136)
15. Judging by other than what Allaah has revealed, if it is believed that
the Islaamic ruling is not valid, appropriate or suitable, or if it is believed
that it is permissible to resort to a judgement other than the Islaamic one.
The proof for this is in Allaah’s Words:
)44:5 ‫ك ُه ُم الْ َكاِِ ُرو َن } (سورة امل ئدة‬
َ ِ‫َنز َل هللاُ َِأ ُْولَئ‬
َ ‫{ َوَمن ََّّلْ َْْ ُكم ِِبَا أ‬
 And whoever fails to judge by what Allaah has revealed, they are
the unbelievers  (Soorah Al-Maa`idah 5:44)
25
16. Seeking judgement from other than Islaam, or being displeased with
an Islaamic judgement, or considering oneself oppressed or unjustly
treated by an Islaamic judgement; the proof for this is contained in
Allaah’s Words:
ِ َ ‫ك الَ ي ْؤِمنُو َن ح ََّّت ُْ ِكم‬
‫يما َش َج َر بَ ْي نَ ُُ ْم ُُثَّ الَ ََِي ُدوا ِِف أَن َُ ِس ُِ ْم َح َرجا ِِمَّا‬
ُ َ ِ‫{ َِكَ َوَب‬
َ ِ ‫وك‬
ُ َ َ
)65:4 ‫سلِ ُموا تَ ْسلِيما } (سورة النس ء‬
َ ‫قَ َ ْي‬
َ ُ‫ِ َوي‬
 But no, by your Lord, they do not believe until they make you (oh,
Muhammad,) their judge in all disputes between them and find
within them no resistance against your decisions, but accept them
with the fullest conviction  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:65)
17. Claiming the right for other than Allaah to make laws, as in
dictatorship, democracy or any other manmade system which permits
laws contradicting the Law of Allaah, for Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ أ َْم ََلُم ُشرَكاء َشرعُوا ََلُم ِمن‬
)21:42 ‫الدي ِن َما ََّلْ ََيْ َن بِ ِه هللاُ } (سورة الشورى‬
َ
َ ُ َ ْ
 Or do they have partners who have established for them some
religion without the permission of Allaah?  (Soorah Ash-Shooraa
42:21)
18. Forbidding what Allaah has made permissible or permitting what
Allaah has forbidden, such as permitting adultery, alcoholic beverages or
usury, for Allaah says:
ِ ‫َح َّل هللاُ البَ ْي َع َو َح َّرَم‬
)275:2 ‫الرَِب } (سورة البقرة‬
َ ‫{ َوأ‬
 But Allaah has permitted trade and forbidden usury  (Soorah AlBaqarah 2:275)
19. Belief in destructive ideologies, such as communism, which preaches
that there is no God, or Jewish Freemansonry, or Marxist socialism or
26
secularism, or Arab nationalism, which prefers the Arab non-Muslim
over the non-Arab Muslim. The evidence for this is in Allaah’s Words:
‫(سوورة‬
ِ
ِ
ِ ْ ‫اآللرةِ ِمن‬
ِ
} ‫ين‬
َ ‫اْلَاس ِر‬
َ َ ‫{ َوَمن يَ ْب وَ ِغ غَْي َر ا ِإل ْسكَِم دينا َِ لَن يُ ْقبَ َل م ْنهُ َو ُه َو ِِف‬
)3:85 ‫آل عمران‬
 If anyone desires other than Islaam as a religion, it will never be
accepted from him and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers 
(Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:85)
20. Substituting another religion for Islaam, or embracing another
religion; the proof for this is in His Words:
ُّ ‫ِ أَ ْع َما َُلُ ْم ِِف‬
‫الدنْ يَا‬
ْ ََِ‫ك َحب‬
ْ ‫{ َوَمن يَ ْرتَ ِد ْد ِمن ُك ْم َعن ِدينِ ِه َِ يَ ُم‬
َ ِ‫ِ َو ُه َو َكاِِ ٌر َِأ ُْولَئ‬
ِ ‫و‬
)217:2 ‫اآلل َرةِ } (سورة البقرة‬
َ
 And whosoever turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their
deeds will be futile in this life and in the Hereafter  (Soorah AlBaqarah 2:217)
- And the Prophet () said: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
21. Helping the Jews, the Christians, the Communists or their allies
against the Muslims, for Allaah says:
ِ
ِ ‫ك َِ لَ يس ِم ن‬
ِ
ِ ‫{ الَ ي و‬
ِ ‫َّخ ِذ الْم ْؤِمنُو َن الْ َكاِِ ِرين أَولِي اء ِم ن ُد‬
‫هللا‬
َ ِ‫ون ال ُْم ْؤمن‬
َ
َ َ ْ َ ‫ني َوَم ن يَ َْ َع ْل َل‬
ُ
َ َْ َ
)28:3 ‫ِِف َش ْي ٍء إِالَّ أَن تَ وَّ ُقوا ِم ْن ُُ ْم تُ َقاة } (سورة آل عمران‬
 Let not the Believers take for friends or helpers unbelievers rather
than Believers: If any do that, he shall have no relation left with
27
Allaah – except by way of precaution, 32 that you may guard yourselves from them  (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:28)
22. Not accepting that Communists, who reject the existence of Allaah,
are disbelievers, or the Jews and Christians, who reject the Prophethood
of Muhammad (), because Allaah has described them as disbelievers,
saying:
ِ ِ ‫ْكوَا ِ والْم ْش ِركِني ِِف َا ِ جُن‬
ِ ‫{ إِ َّن الَّ ِذين َكَروا ِمن أ َْه ِل ال‬
‫ك ُه ْم َش ُّر‬
َ ِ‫ين ِِ َيُا أ ُْولَئ‬
َ ُ َ
ْ ُ َ
َ ‫َّم َلالد‬
َ ََ
َِ ‫ال‬
)6:98 ‫َْبيَِّة } (سورة البينة‬
 Verily, those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book
and the polytheists will be in the Hell-fire to dwell therein forever, for
they are the worst of creatures (Soorah Al-Bayyinah 98:6)
23. The belief of some Sufis n the oneness of existence: i.e. that
everything in existence is a part of Allaah; indeed, their leader went so far
as to say: “The dog and the pig are no more or less than our God; and
Allaah is naught but the priest in the church.” And their leader, Al-Hallaaj
said: “I am He and He is I.” Because of this, he was condemned by the
scholars to death and executed.”
24. Endorsing secularism and claiming that there is no place for politics
in Islaam, because this is a denial of the Qur`aan, the hadeeth and the
Seerah 33 of the Prophet ().
25. The saying of some of the Sufis, that Allaah has granted positions of
power and trust to some of their so-called ‘saints’ from among their
leaders, for this is shirk of Lordship and contradicts the Words of Him,
Most High:
32
When fearing harm from an enemy, the Believer may pretend, as long as the belief in his heart and
his intention remain unaffected.
33 Seerah: Biography, life story.
28
ِ
ِ ‫السماو‬
ِ ْ َ‫ات َواأل‬
)63:39 ‫ض } (سورة الر ر‬
َ َ َّ ‫{ لَهُ َم َقالي ُد‬
 To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth  (Soorah AzZumar 39:63)
26. These things which nullify Islaam are like those things which nullify
one’s ablution, in that if a Muslim commits any of them, he must renew
his Islaam (just as he would renew his ablution) and he must abstain
henceforth from committing such acts and turn in repentance to Allaah
before he dies, in which case, his deeds would be fruitless and he would
dwell eternally in the Hell-fire. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ْ ‫ك ولَوَ ُكونَ َّن ِمن‬
)65:39 ‫ين } (سورة الر ر‬
َ ‫{ لَئِ ْن أَ ْش َرْك‬
َ ‫اْلَاس ِر‬
َ
َ َ ُ‫ِ لَيَ ْحبَََ َّن َع َمل‬
 If you were to associate (gods with Allaah), your deeds would be
truly fruitless and you would surely be among the losers  (Soorah AzZumar 39:65)
- And the Messenger of Allaah () taught us to say: “Oh, Allaah! We
seek refuge with You from (the sin of) knowingly associating any
partners with You and from unknowingly doing so.” (Narrated by
Ahmad, who said that it is hasan)


Do Not Believe the Imposters
The Prophet () said: “Whoever went to a fortuneteller or soothsayer
and believed in what he said has disbelieved in what was revealed to
Muhammad.” (Narrated by Ahmad, who said that it is authentic). Belief
in Astrologers, soothsayers, fortunetellers, sorcerers, geomancers,
mediums and any others who claim knowledge of the mind, or the future
29
or the (hidden) past is haraam, because such knowledge belongs to
Allaah, Alone, as He, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ و ُهو َعلِيم بِ َذ‬
)6:57 ‫الص ُدوِ } (سورة احلديد‬
ُّ ‫ات‬
ٌ َ َ
 And He (Alone) has full knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts 
(Soorah Al-Hadeed 57:6)
- And He says:
ِ ‫السماو‬
ِ ْ َ‫ات َواأل‬
)65:27 ‫ب إِالَّ هللاُ } (سورة النمل‬
َ َ َّ ‫{ قُل الَ يَ ْعلَ ُم َمن ِِف‬
َ ‫ض الغَْي‬
 Say: “None in the heavens and the earth knows what is hidden
except Allah  (Soorah An-Naml 27:65)
The prognostications of such people are no more than guesses and
conjecture and most of it is lies from Satan – none but the mentally
impaired believe it. If they really knew the unseen, they would uncover
treasures from the earth; instead, when they are in need, they turn to
people and devour their wealth through falsehood; and if they were
truthful, let them uncover the secrets of the Jews so that we may foil
them.

Do not Swear by Other Than Allah
1. The Prophet () said: “Do not swear by your fathers; whoever swears
by Allaah, he should be believed; and whoever was sworn to in Allaah’s
Name, should be content, for whoever was not content is not from
Allaah.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, who said it is authentic) 34
2. And he () said: “Do not swear by your fathers, nor your mothers, nor
34
See ‘Saheeh Al-Jaami’’ # 7124.
30
other deities. Do not swear except by Allaah and do not swear unless you
are truthful.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, who said that it is authentic) 35
3. And he () said: “Whoever swore by other than Allaah has committed
an act of shirk (associating partners with Allaah).” (An authentic hadeeth
narrated by Ahmad and others)
4. And he () said: “Whoever swore falsely to a judge, intending by it to
misappropriate the wealth of a Muslim man, will meet with Allaah’s
Wrath.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
5. And he () said: “Whoever swore an oath to do something, then saw a
better course of action, should do that which is better and he should make
expiation for that which he swore to.” (Narrated by Muslim)
6. And he () said: “Whoever swore to something, but added the
condition: - in shaa` Allaah (if Allaah wills it) – may pursue it, or he may
leave it without having to make any expiation.” (An authentic hadeeth
narrated by An-Nasaa`i) 36
7. ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood () said: “I would rather swear by Allaah to
a lie than swear by other than Allaah to the truth.” 37
8. The Prophet () said: “If any of you swore by Al-Laat or Al-‘Uzzaa, he
should say: “None is worthy of worship except Allaah,” and whoever said
to his companion: “Come, let us gamble,” should give something in
charity.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
9. Whoever falsely swore by a community other than Islaam, then he will
35
See ‘Saheeh Al-Jaami’’ # 7126.
36
See ‘Saheeh Al-Jami’’ # 6082
37
Some scholars have cast doubt on the authenticity of this narration, however, its meaning is correct,
for certainly, it is a greater sin to swear truthfully by other than Allaah, which is shirk, than to swear to
a lie by Allaah, which is a great sin, but does not constitute shirk.
31
be as he said.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) This means that if
a person were to say that if he did a certain thing, he would be a Jew – if
he intended by it to magnify such a thing, it would be an act of disbelief,
whereas if he intended it literally, it should be looked into ( to ascertain
the truthfulness of the statement); but if he desired that it should be so,
then it would be an act of disbelief, because desiring disbelief is
tantamount to disbelief.. However, if he intended by his words to distance
himself from such a thing, it would not be an act of disbelief. (See ‘Fath
Al-Baari’ 11/539)
Benefits Derived From These Ahadeeth
1. It is forbidden to swear by the Prophet (), The Ka’bah, al-amaanah
(trust, honesty), one’s covenant (az-zimmah), one’s child or one’s parents,
honour, so-called ‘saints’ or ‘protectors’ or any other created thing; to do
so is to commit an act of minor shirk, because it is associating partners
with Allaah by glorifying that by which by which an oath is sworn. It is a
major sin which must be prohibited and must be abandoned by those who
do it and they must turn in repentance to Allaah. Swearing by other than
Allaah might even be an act of major shirk if the one who swears believes
that the ‘saint’ or ‘protector’ by whom he swears has the power to dispose
of his affairs or to take revenge upon him if he swore falsely by him,
because in doing so, he has attributed to this being that which belongs to
Allaah: The power of disposal of affairs, of vengeance and harm.
2. Swearing by other than Allaah is not the same as the legal Islaamic
definition of swearing an oath and as such, it is not an obligation to act
upon it, nor is it necessary to perform an act of expiation.
3. Whoever swore to cut off family ties or commit an act of disobedience
should not do so, but he should make an expiation for it which is
described in His Words:
32
ِ ‫ال ُذ ُكم هللا ِِبللَّ ْغ ِو ِِف أ ََْْانِ ُكم ولَ ِكن ي َؤ‬
ِ
ُّ ‫ال ُذ ُكم ِِبَا َع َّق‬
‫ام‬
ُ ‫دُتُ األ ََْْا َن َِ َك ََّا َتُهُ إِط َْع‬
ُ ُ ‫{ الَ يُ َؤ‬
ُ َْ
ِ ‫شرةِ م‬
‫ني ِم ْن أ َْو َس ِط َما تَُ ِْع ُمو َن أ َْهلِي ُك ْم أ َْو كِ ْس َوتُ ُُ ْم أ َْو َ ْ ِر ُير َقَ بَ ٍة َِ َمن ََّّلْ ََِي ْد‬
َ ‫ساك‬
َ َ َ َ ‫َع‬
ِ
‫ني هللاُ لَ ُك ْم‬
َ ِ‫احَظُوا أ ََْْانَ ُك ْم َك َذل‬
َ ِ‫ام ثَكَثَِة أَ ََّّيٍم َل‬
ُ ِ َ‫ك يُب‬
ْ ‫ك َك ََّا َةُ أ ََْْانِ ُك ْم إِ َا َحلَ َْوُ ْم َو‬
ُ َ‫َِصي‬
)89:5 ‫آَّيتِِه لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم تَ ْش ُك ُرو َن } (سورة امل ئدة‬
َ
 Allaah will not hold you accountable for what is unintentional in
your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths:
For expiation, feed ten indigent persons on a scale of what is average
for the feeding of your families, or clothe them, or give a slave his
freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the
expiation for the oaths you have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus
does Allaah make clear to you His Signs, that you may be grateful 
(Soorah Al-Maa`idah 5:89)
4. As for the saying of the Prophet (): “Whoever swore falsely by a
community other than Islaam, he will be as he said,” Imaam An-Nawawi
said, in his explanation of it: “As for the rulings of the ahadeeth and their
meaning, they contain a strict prohibition against untruthful oaths; and
swearing by a community other than Islaam, is like the saying: “He is a
Jew or Christian if he does such-and-such.” (See An-Nawawi’s
‘Explanation of Saheeh Muslim’)

Do Not Blame Qadar
It is incumbent upon every Muslim to believe that good and evil are
from Allah’s Qadar, His Knowledge and His Will; but the deed itself,
33
whether good or bad, is by the choice of the slave and careful
consideration of matters and prohibiting (that which is not permissible)
are both incumbent upon the slave. It is not permissible for him to say:
“This is how Allaah has ordained that it should be.” Allaah sent the
Messengers and revealed to them His Books in order to make clear to
them the paths of happiness and wretchedness; and He has favoured men
with logic and the ability to ponder, and He has taught him (the difference
between) error and righteousness. Allaah says:
ِ َّ ُ‫{ إِ َّا َه َديْ نَاه‬
)3:76 ‫يل إِ َّما َشاكِرا َوإِ َّما َك َُو ا } (سورة اإلنس ن‬
َ ‫السب‬
 Verily, We showed him the Way: Whether he be grateful or
ungrateful  (Soorah Al-Insaan 76:3)
Thus, if a person abandons prayer or drinks alcohol, he is deserving of
punishment because of his disobedience to the Commands of Allaah and
His Prohibitions; and when he does so, it is necessary that he turn in
repentance to Allaah and he cannot make Allaah’s Qadar an excuse
actions. Rather, he should attribute to the Qadar the calamities which
befall him, in the knowledge that they are from Allaah – and he should be
content with his lot. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ ما أَصا ِمن ُّم‬
ِ ْ َ‫صيبَ ٍة ِِف األ‬
‫ض َوالَ ِِف أَن َُ ِس ُك ْم إِالَّ ِِف كِوَا ٍ ِمن قَ ْب ِل أَ ْن نَ ْب َرأ ََها إِ َّن‬
َ َ َ
ِ ‫ك َعلَإ‬
)22:57 ‫هللا يَ ِسيٌ } (سورة احلديد‬
َ ِ‫َل‬
 No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded
in a Book before We bring it into existence  (Soorah Al-Hadeed
57:22)


34
The Virtue of Prayer and Warning Against Abandoning it
1. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ َّ
)35-34 :70 ‫صكَمِِ ْم َُْاِِظُو َن } (سورة املع رج‬
َ ‫ين ُه ْم َعلَإ‬
َ ‫{ َوالذ‬
 And those who guard their worship – such will be the honoured
ones in the Gardens  (Soorah Al-Ma’aarij 70:34-35)
2. And He, Most High says:
)45:29 ‫ش ِاء َوال ُْم ْن َك ِر } (سورة العنكبوت‬
َّ ‫الصكَ َة إِ َّن‬
َّ ‫{ َوأَقِ ْم‬
َ ‫الصكَ َة تَ ْن َُإ َع ِن الَْ ْح‬
 And establish prayer, for verily, prayer prevents sin and every kind
of evil deed  (Soorah Al-‘Ankaboot 29:45)
3. And He, Most High says:
ِ َّ ِ‫{ َِ ويل لِلْمصل‬
)5-4: 107 ‫اهو َن } (سورة امل عون‬
ُ ‫صكَمِِ ْم َس‬
َ َ ُ ٌ َْ
َ ‫ين ُه ْم َعن‬
َ ‫ني الذ‬
 So woe to the worshippers who are neglectful of their prayers (i.e.
careless in their performance, delaying them until after their
prescribed time without a valid excuse)  (Soorah Al-Maa’oon 107:45)
4. And He, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ قَ ْد أَِْ لَح الْم ْؤِمنُو َن الَّ ِذين ُهم ِِف صكَمِِم َل‬
)2-1: 23 ‫اشعُو َن } (سورة املؤ نون‬
ْ َ ْ َ
ُ َ
 Successful indeed are the Believers, those who humble themselves
in prayer  (Soorah Al-Mu`minoon 23:1-2)
5. And He, Most High says:
ِ َّ ‫الص كَ َة واتَّب ع وا‬
} ‫ا يَ ْل َق و َن غَي ا‬
َ ‫س ْو‬
َ ‫{ َِ َخلَ َ ِم ن بَ ْع ِد ِهم َل ْل ٌ أ‬
ُ َ َ َّ ‫َض اعُوا‬
َ َِ ‫الش َُ َوات‬
)59:19 ‫(سورة رمي‬
35
 But after them there followed a generation who neglected prayer
and followed after lusts; and soon they will meet ghayy 38  (Soorah
Maryam 19:59)
6. And the Prophet () said: “Do you think that if a river were to run
outside the door of one of you and he were to bathe in it five times a day
that any dirt would remain on him?” They said: “No dirt would remain on
him.” He () said: “Just so the five prayers: Allaah removes the sins by
them.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
7. And the Prophet () said: “The covenant between us and them is the
prayer; therefore, whoever abandons it has committed an act of disbelief.”
(An authentic hadeeth narrated by Imaam Ahmad and others)
8. And he () said: “The only thing separating a man from kufr and shirk
is prayer.” (Narrated by Muslim)


Learn the Ablution and the Prayer
Wudhoo` (Ablution): Bare your arms up to the elbow and say:
“Bismillaah” 39
1. Wash your hands three times and rinse your mouth and nose with water
three times.
2. Wash your face three times and then wash your hands up to the elbows
(beginning with the right) three times.
3. Wipe all of your head, including the hears.
4. Wash your feet up to the ankles (beginning with the right) three times.
38
Ghayy: A valley in Hell, or the consequence of error.
39
Bismillaah: In the Name of Allaah.
36
Tayammum (Dry Ablution): If no water is available to you, then wipe
your face and hands with dust.
As-Salaah (Prayer): (The obligatory morning prayer of two rak’ahs
[units]): First make your intention in the heart.
1. Turn to face the Qiblah 40 and raise your hands to your ears and say:
“Allaahu Akbar”.
2. Place your right hand on your left and place both of them on your chest
and recite:
"‫ك َوتَ َع َاى َج ُّد َك َوالَ إِلَهَ غَْي ُر َك‬
َ ُ‫ك اللَّ ُُ َّم َوِِبَ ْم ِد َك َوتَ بَا َ َك اَس‬
َ َ‫"س ْب َحان‬
ُ
“Subhaanak Allaahumma Wa Bihamdika Wa Tabaarak Asmuka Wa
Ta’aalaa Jadduka Wa Laa Ilaaha Ghairuka”
- which means: “You are Glorified, oh, Allaah and Praised; Your Name is
Blessed; Your Majesty is Exalted and none has the right to be worshipped
but You.” (It is also permissible to recite some other supplications which
have been authentically reported from the Prophet []).
The First Rak’ah (Unit)
(Say quietly:)
ِ ‫الرِج ِيم بِس ِم‬
ِ ‫"أَعُو ُ ِِب‬
ِ ََ‫الشي‬
َّ ‫هلل ِم َن‬
"‫الرِح ِيم‬
َّ ‫الر ْوَ ِن‬
َّ ‫هللا‬
َّ ‫ان‬
ْ
“A’oozu Billaahi Minash-Shaitaanir-Rajeem, BismillaahirRahmaanir-Raheem”
- which means: “I seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Satan, in the
Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”
Then recite Soorah Al-Faatihah:
ِ
‫العالَ ِمني‬
َ ِ َ ‫احلَ ْم ُد هلل‬
40
Qiblah: The direction which Muslims must face to pray, which is towards the Sacred House in
Makkah.
37
‫الرِحيم‬
َّ ‫الر ْوَ ِن‬
َّ
ِ ‫ك ي وِم‬
ِِ
‫الدين‬
ْ َ ‫َمال‬
‫إِ ََّّي َك نَ ْعبُ ُد َوإِ ََّّي َك نَ ْسوَ ِعني‬
ِ ‫اِ ْه ِد َا‬
‫ط املُ ْسوَ ِقيم‬
َ ‫الص َرا‬
ِ َّ َ ‫صرا‬
ِ
‫ِ َعلَْي ُِم‬
َ ‫ين أَنْ َع ْم‬
َ ‫ط الذ‬
َ
‫غَ ِْي املَغْ ُو ِ َعلَْي ُِ ْم َوالَ ال آلِني‬
ِ
‫آمني‬
Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil-‘Aalameen
Ar-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Maaliki Yawmid-Deen
Iyyaaka Na’budu Wa Iyyaaka Nasta’een
Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem
Siraatal-Lazeena An-‘Amta ‘Alaihim
Ghairil-Maghdhoobi ‘Alaihim Wa Ladh-Dhaal-leen
Aameen
- which means: “All praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful, Owner of the Day of Judgement, it is You
Whom we worship and it is Your Aid we seek. Guide us to the Straight
Path, the Path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your Mercy, not
those upon whom is Your Wrath, nor those who are astray – Amen.”
Then recite Soorah Al-Ikhlaas (or any other Soorah):
ِ ‫بِس ِم‬
‫الرِحيم‬
َّ ‫الر ْوَ ِن‬
َّ ‫هللا‬
ْ
‫َحد‬
َ ‫قُ ْل ُه َو هللاُ أ‬
38
‫الص َمد‬
َّ ُ‫هللا‬
‫ََّلْ يَلِ ْد َوََّلْ يُولَد‬
‫َحد‬
َ ‫َوََّلْ يَ ُكن لَّهُ ُك َُوا أ‬
Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Qul Huwallaahu Ahad
Allaahus-Samad
Lam Yalid Wa Lam Yoolad
Wa Lam Yakul-lahu Kufuwan Ahad
- which means: “In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful, Say: “He is Allaah, One, Allaah is As-Samad (The Most
Perfect, Self-sufficient), He does not beget, nor is He begotten, and there
is none like unto Him.”
3. Raise both your hands (to your ears) and say: “Allaahu Akbar”, then
bow and place your hands on your knees and say three times:
ِ ‫"سبحا َن ِّب‬
"‫يم‬
َ َ َ َ ُْ
َ ‫العظ‬
“Subhaana Rabbial-‘Azeem”
- which means: “How Perfect is my Lord, the Supreme.”
4. Lift your head (i.e. straighten up) and raise your hands (to the ears) and
say:
ِ
َِ ‫"َسع هللا لِمن‬
‫و َده‬
َْ ُ َ َ
"‫ك احلَ ْمد‬
َ َ‫َبَّنَا َول‬
“Sami’ Allaahu Liman Hamidah, Rabbanaa Wa Lakal-Hamd.”
- which means: “Allaah hears the one who praises Him, our Lord! To
You is due all praise and thanks.”
39
5. Say: “Allaahu Akbar” and make sujood (i.e. prostrate), placing your
hands, knees, forehead and nose and the toes of both feet on the ground
(with the toes facing the Qiblah) and say three times:
"‫"س ْب َحا َن َِ َّب األَ ْعلَإ‬
ُ
“Subhaana Rabbial-A’alaa”
- which means: “How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High.”
4. Raise your head from sujood and (sitting up straight,) say: “Allaahu
Akbar”, placing your hands on your knees, then say:
"‫" َ ِ ا ْغ َِ ْر ِِل َوا ْ َوْ ِّن َو ْاه ِدِّن َو َعاِِ ِّن َوا ْ ُُق ِّْن‬
“Rabbighfir Lee Warhamnee Wahdinee Wa ‘Aafinee War-zuqnee”
- which means: “My Lord! Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me,
pardon me and sustain me.”
6. Prostrate on the ground once again (as before) and say: “Allaahu
Akbar”.
7. Sit on your left foot with your right foot erect (- this is known as the
sitting of rest).
The Second Rak’ah
1. Stand up for the second rak’ah and say: “A’oozu Billaahi MinashShaitaanir-Rajeem, Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem”, then recite
Soorah Al-Faatihah and another short Soorah.
2. Bow and prostrate as you have learnt and then sit and place your hands
on your knees, pointing the forefinger of your right hand and recite:
ِ ُ‫هللا و ْو ة‬
ِ ‫ات‬
ِ ‫"الو‬
‫الس كَ ُم‬
َّ ‫هلل َو‬
َّ ُ‫هللا َوبَ َرَكاتُ ه‬
َّ ‫ات‬
َ ‫الس كَ ُم َعلَْي‬
ُ َ‫ات َوالََّيِب‬
ُ ‫الص لَ َو‬
ُ َّ‫َّحي‬
َ َ َ ُّ ِ َّ‫ك أَيُّ َُ ا الن‬
ِ ‫اد‬
ِ ‫َعلَي نَ ا و َعلَ إ ِعب‬
َّ ‫ني أَ ْش َُ ُد أَن الَّ إِلَ هَ إِالَّ هللاُ َوأَ ْش َُ ُد أ‬
َّ ‫هللا‬
ُ‫َن َُمَ َّم دا َع ْب ُدهُ َوَ ُس ولُه‬
َ ِِ‫الص احل‬
َ
َ ْ
ِ ِ
ِ
ٍ
ِ ‫ص ِل َعلَإ َُمَ َّم ٍد و َعلَإ‬
‫ك‬
َ َّ‫يم إِن‬
َ ‫ص لَّْي‬
َ ‫آل َُمَ َّم د َك َم ا‬
َ ‫اللَّ ُُ َّم‬
َ
َ ‫يم َو َعلَ إ آل إبْ َراه‬
َ ‫ِ َعلَ إ إبْ َراه‬
40
َِ
ِ ‫ِ َعلَ إ إِبْ ر ِاهيم و َعلَ إ‬
ِ ‫وي ٌد َِِّي ٌد اللَّ ُُ َّم ِب ِ ْك َعلَ إ َُمَ َّم ٍد و َعلَ إ‬
‫آل‬
َ ‫آل َُمَ َّم ٍد َك َم ا َِب َْك‬
َ
ََ َ
َ
ِ ِ
َِ ‫ك‬
."‫وي ٌد َِِّيد‬
َ َّ‫يم إِن‬
َ ‫إبْ َراه‬
“At-Tahiyyaatu Lillaahi Was-Salawaatu Wat-Tayyibaatu As-Salaamu
‘Alaikum Ayyuhan-Nabiyyu Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh; AsSalaamu ‘Alaina Wa ‘Alaa ‘Ibaadillaahis-Saaliheen. Ash-hadu Allaa
Ilaaha Illallaah, Wa Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu Wa
Rasooluh. Allaahumma Salli ‘Alaa Muhammadin Wa ‘Alaa Aali
Muhammadin Kamaa Sallaita ‘Alaa Ibraaheema Wa ‘Alaa Aali
Ibraaheema Innaka Hameedum-Majeed. Allaahumma Baarik ‘Alaa
Muhammadin Wa ‘Alaa Aali Muhammadin Kamaa Baarakta ‘Alaa
Ibraaheema Wa ‘Alaa Aali Ibraaheema Innaka Hameedum-Majeed.”
- which means: “All salutations, prayers and pure words are due to
Allaah, Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon you, oh, Prophet and
Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon us and upon the righteous slaves
of Allaah. I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allaah and that
Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. Oh, Allaah! Send prayers on
Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers on
Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; verily, You are Worthy of praise,
Full of Glory. And send blessings on Muhammad and the family of
Muhammad, as You sent blessings on Ibraaheem and the family of
Ibraaheem; verily, You are Worthy of praise, Full of Glory.
3. Then say:
ِ ‫ك ِمن َع َذا ِ ج َُنَّم وِمن َع َذا ِ ال َق َِْب وِمن ِِ ْو نَ ِة املَ ْحيا واملَم‬
‫ات َوِم ْن‬
ْ َ
ْ ََ َ
ْ َ ِ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم إِِّن أَعُو ُ ب‬
َ َ َ
َّ ‫يح‬
."‫الد َّجال‬
ِ ‫ِِ ْو نَ ِة املَ ِس‬
41
“Allaahumma Innee A’oozu Bika Min ‘Azaabi Jahannama Wa Min
‘Azaabil-Qbri Wa Min Fitnatil-Mahya Wal-Mamaati Wa Min FitnatilMaseehid-Dajjaal”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I seek refuge with You from the punishment
of the Hell-fire and from the punishment of the grave and from the trial of
life and death and from the trial of the false Messiah.”
4. Turn to the right and say:
."‫"السكَ ُم َعلَْي ُك ْم َوَ ْوَةُ هللا‬
َّ
“As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaah”
- which means: “Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon you.” Then turn
to the left and say the same thing.
Table of the Number of Rak’aat (Units) in the Prayer
The Prayer
The Sunnah
The Fardh
Before the
The Sunnah
After the Fardh
Fardh
(Obligatory)
Fajr (Dawn)
2
2
0
Zuhr
2+2
4
2+2
‘Asr
2+2
4
0
Maghrib
2
3
2
‘Ishaa`
2
4
2+3 (witr)
Jumu’ah
2 (salutations to
2
2 (in the house)
the mosque)
2+2 (in the
mosque)


Rulings of Prayer
42
1. The pre-obligatory Sunnah is prayed before the obligatory prayer and
the post-obligatory prayer is prayed after it.
2. Proceed slowly and deliberately and keep your eyes on the place where
you will place your forehead in prostration and do not look to either side.
3. Recite when you do not hear the Imaam recite (i.e. in the zuhr and ‘asr
prayers and in the rak’aat in which the Imaam does not recite aloud); and
in the raka’aat in which he recites aloud, recite Soorah Al-Faatihah
during his silent pauses. 41
4. The obligatory prayer of Jumu’ah is two rak’ahs and it is not
permissible except in the mosque after the khutbah. 42
5. The obligatory prayer of maghrib is three raka’aat; after completing
the first two in the manner in which you prayed the fajr prayer, and
having recited the tahiyyaat, 43 stand up, without making the tasleem 44
and pray the third rak’ah, raising your hands to your shoulders and
reciting only Soorah Al-Faatihah, then complete your prayer as you
would the fajr prayer.
6. The obligatory prayers of zuhr, ‘asr and ‘ishaa` are four rak’aat each:
Pray them as you prayed the maghrib prayer, but stand up after the
second rak’ah and pray two more, reciting only Soorah Al-Faatihah (to
yourself), then complete your prayer.
41
In fact, this was the case in the early days of Islaam, but as the following hadeeth makes clear, later
on, the obligation to recite Soorah Al-Faatihah when the Imaam was reciting was abrogated: On the
authority of Abu Hurairah ( ), it is reported: “He () finished a prayer in which he was reciting aloud
(according to one narration, it was the fajr prayer) and said: “Were any of you reciting with me just
now?” A man said: “Yes, I was, oh, Messenger of Allaah!” He ( ) said: “I say: Why must I be
contended with?” So the people stopped reciting with the Messenger of Allaah () when he was
reciting aloud after hearing that from him (but they continued to recite to themselves quietly when the
Imaam was not reciting aloud).” (Narrated by Maalik, Al-Humaidi, Al-Bukhaari in his pamphlet, Abu
Dawood and Al-Mahaamali. At-Tirmizi declared it to be hasan, while Abu Haatim Ar-Raazi, Ibn
Hibbaan and Ibn Al-Qayyim declared it to be saheeh – see ‘The Prophet’s Prayer Described’ by Shaikh
Muhammad Naasir Ad-Deen Al-Albaani)
42 Khutbah: Sermon.
43
Tahiyyaat: Reciting: “At-Tahiyyatu Lillaahi Was-Salawaatu…” etc.
44
Tasleem: Saying: “As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaah”.
43
7. Witr prayer is three raka’aat, pray two, then make the tasleem, then
pray a single rak’ah and make the tasleem; and it is preferable to
supplicate in accordance with the what has been narrated from the
Messenger () before making the final rukoo’: 45
ِ ِ
ِ ِ
‫ َوَِب ِ ْك ِِل‬، ِ‫ َوتَ َولَِّّن ِِ ْي َم ْن تَ َولَّْي‬، ِ‫يم ْن َعاَِ ْي‬
َ ِ ‫ َو َعاِ ِّن‬، ِْ‫يم ْن َه َدي‬
َ ِ ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم ْاهدِّن‬
ِ
‫ َوإِنَّهُ الَ يَ ِذ ُّل َم ْن‬، ‫ك تَ ْق ِ ي َوالَ يُ ْق َ إ َعلَْيك‬
َ َّ‫ َِِإن‬، ِ‫ َوقِ ِّن َش َّر َما قَ َ ْي‬، ِ‫يما أَ ْعََْي‬
َِ
"ِ‫ِ َبَّنَا َوتَ َعالَْي‬
َ ‫ تَبَا َْك‬، ِْ‫ادي‬
َ ‫ َوالَ يَ ِع ُّز َم ْن َع‬، ِ‫َوالَْي‬
“Allaahumm-ahdinee Feeman Hadait, Wa ‘Aafinee Feeman ‘Aafait,
Wa Tawallanee Feeman Tawallait, Wa Baarik Lee Feeman A’atait, Wa
Qinee Sharra Maa Qadhait, Fa-innaka Taqhdee Wa Laa Yuqdhaa
‘Alaik, Innahu Laa Yazillu Man Waalait, Wa Laa Ya’izzu Man ‘Aadait,
Tabaarakta Rabbanaa Wa Ta’aalait.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Guide me along with those whom You
guide, and pardon me along with those whom You pardon, and take my
affairs in hand along with those whose affairs You take in hand, and bless
me in that which You give, and shelter me from the evil of that which
You ordain, for it is You Who ordain and none can ordain upon You, and
none will humbled whom You protect and none will be powerful whom
You oppose. Blessed are You, our Lord and Most Elevated.” (Narrated by
Abu Dawood with an authentic sanad) 46
8. If you come to the mosque after the prayer has begun, stand and say:
“Allaahu Akbar” if you are following the Imaam, then bow, even if he
were already bowing and the rak’ah will be credited to you; but if he has
already straightened up from bowing, it will not be credited to you.
45
Rukoo’: Bowing.
46
Sanad: Chain of narrators.
44
9. If you miss one rak’ah or more, then follow the Imaam until the end of
the prayer and then, instead of making tasleem, with the Imaam, stand up
and pray what you have missed.
10. Beware of rushing through your prayers, because it invalidates the
prayer: The Messenger of Allaah () saw a man rushing his prayers and
he said to him: “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” After the
third time, the man said: “Teach me, oh, Messenger of Allaah!” He ()
said: “…bow until you are relaxed, then straighten up until you are
standing, then prostrate until you are relaxed, then straighten up until you
are relaxed…” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
11. If you miss an obligatory action from the prayer, such as leaving out
the first sitting, for example, or you forget how many raka’aat you have
prayed, consider that you have prayed the minimum and then complete
the prayer, then make the sujood of forgetfulness, which is to prostrate
twice before making the tasleem.
12. Do not make unnecessary movements in the prayer, because they
prevent one from achieving humility, or may even invalidate the prayer,
if they are excessive and without necessity.
13. The time for ‘ishaa` prayer ends at midnight, but witr prayer may be
prayed at any time up to fajr prayer.


Some Ahaadeeth Concerning Prayer
1. “Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. “Whenever one of you enters the mosque, hr should pray two rak’ahs
before sitting.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) (This is known as Tahiyyah
Al-Masjid [Salutation to the Mosque])
45
3. “Do not sit over the graves and do not pray towards them.” (Narrated
by Muslim)
4. “Once the iqaamah (ie. The second call to prayer) has been made, there
is no prayer allowed except the obligatory one.” (Narrated by Muslim)
5. “I was ordered not to fold my garment.” (Narrated by Muslim) (This is
a prohibition of rolling up one’s sleeves or the hem of one’s garment for
prayer, according to An-Nawawi)
6. “Establish your rows and straighten up.” Anas () reported: “Each one
of us used to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and foot-to-foot with his
neighbour.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
7. “If the prayer has started, do not rush, but come walking to it; you must
be calm, and whatever you catch of the prayer, then pray it (with the
congregation) and then whatever you missed, make it up.” (Narrated by
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
8. “Bow until you are relaxed, then rise up until you are standing straight,
then prostrate until you are relaxed.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
9. “When you prostrate, place the palms of your hands on the ground and
raise your elbows.” (Narrated by Muslim)
10. “I am your Imaam, so do not anticipate me in bowing or prostrating.”
(Narrated by Muslim)
11. “The first thing about which the slave will be called to account on the
Day of Resurrection is prayer: If that is right, then the rest of his deeds
will be right, but if it is unsound, then the rest of his deeds will be
unsound.” (Narrated by At-Tabaraani and Adh-Dhiyaa` and authenticated
by Al-Albaani and others, due to its supporting narrations)


46
The Obligation of Jumu’ah (Friday Prayer) and Congregational Prayer
Jumu’ah prayer and the five daily congregational prayers are obligatory
for all Muslim men; the evidence for this is as follows:
1. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫لصكَةِ ِمن ي وِم ا ْْلمع ِة َِاسعوا إِ َى ِ ْك ِر‬
ِ ُ‫{ َّيأَيُُّا الَّ ِذين آمنُوا إِ َا ن‬
‫هللا َو َ ُوا‬
َّ ِ‫ودَ ل‬
َ َ
ْ َ ْ َ ُُ ْ َ
َ َ
)9:62 ‫الْبَ ْي َع َلِ ُك ْم َل ْي ٌر لَّ ُك ْم إِن ُكنوُ ْم تَ ْعلَ ُمو َن } (سورة اجلمعة‬
 Oh, you who believe! When the call to Friday prayer is made,
hasten to the remembrance of Allaah and leave off trade; that is best
for you if you but knew  (Soorah Al-Jumu’ah 62:9)
2. The Prophet () said: “Whoever abandoned Friday prayer for three
weeks due to disdain, Allaah will seal his heart.” (An authentic narration
of Imaam Ahmad)
3. And he () said: “I had intended to order someone to lead the prayer
in my place, then proceed to the houses of those who do not attend the
prayer and burn them over them.” 47
4. And he () said: “Whoever heard the call (to prayer) and did not
answer it, there is no prayer for him (i.e. it is not accepted) except the one
who is excused (due to fear or illness).” (An authentic narration of Ibn
Maajah)
5. A blind man 48 came to the Messenger of Allaah () and said: “Oh,
Messenger of Allaah! There is no one to guide me to the mosque.” So he
47
The fact that he did not do so cannot be cited as proof by those who say that praying at home is
permissible, as according to scholars of hadeeth, the reason he did not do so was due to compassion for
the wives and children of the absentees.
48 The blind man was ‘Abdullaah Ibn Ummi Maktoom, he who was mentioned on Soorah ‘Abasa:
 He (The Prophet []) frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man 
(Soorah ‘Abasa 80:1-2)
47
asked the Messenger of Allaah () to grant him permission to pray at
home, which he did. But as he turned away, the Prophet () called him
back and asked him: “Do you hear the call (to prayer)?” He replied:
“Yes.” The Prophet () said: “Then answer (it).” (Narrated by Muslim)
6. ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood () said: “Whoever would be happy to meet
Allaah on the morrow as a Muslim should take care of the five (daily)
prayers wherever he is called to them, for the Law of Allaah is the path to
guidance and they are from the path of guidance; and if you were to pray
them in your houses – as does this absentee – you would have abandoned
the Sunnah of your Prophet; and if you abandon the Sunnah of your
Prophet, you will be lost. You have seen us, and none absents himself
except a known hypocrite. It used to be that a man would be brought by
two men, one at each side of him, in order that he might stand in the
ranks.” (Narrated by Muslim)


The Virtue of Jumu’ah and the Congregational Prayer
1. The Prophet () said: “Whoever washed, then went to Jumu’ah prayer
and prayed what is written for him and then was silent until the Imaam
has finished giving the khutbah, then prayed with him, would be forgiven
for any sins he had committed between that Friday and the next, plus
three days. And whosoever (as much as) touched a stone has cancelled
(the reward of his prayer).” 49 (Narrated by Muslim)
49
That is, whoever did any action which prevents him giving his full attention to the khutbah, such as
talking, making zikr (mentioning Allah), examining the contents of one’s pockets etc., will have no
reward credited to him.
48
2. And he () said: “Whoever washed on Friday by the purification of
janaabah, 50 then left (for prayer), it will be as though he had slaughtered
a camel (in charity); and whoever went out to prayer in the second hour,
it would be as if he had slaughtered a cow; and whoever went out in the
third hour, it would be as if he had slaughtered a horned sheep; and
whoever went out in the fourth hour, it would be as if he had slaughtered
a chicken; and whoever went out in the fifth hour, it would be as if he had
given an egg. And when the Imaam goes out, the angels gather to hear the
remembrance (of Allah).” (Narrated by Muslim)
3. And he () said: “Whoever prayed the ‘ishaa` prayer in congregation,
it would be as if he had spent the whole night in prayer and whoever
prayed the fajr prayer in congregation, it would be as if he had spent the
whole night in prayer.” (Narrated by Muslim)
4. And he () said: “The prayer of a man in congregation exceeds (the
virtue and reward of) his prayer in the house or the market by between
twenty-three and twenty-nine times. This is because when one of you
makes wudhoo` and makes it well, then goes to the mosque with nothing
urging him except prayer and desiring only the prayer, he will not take a
single step without being raised a degree by it and having a bad deed
erased by it until he reaches the mosque. Then when he enters the mosque
and he prays, nothing confines him except the prayer and the angels
invoke prayers on him so long as he is in the place in which he prayed,
saying: “Oh, Allaah! Show mercy to him. Oh, Allaah! Forgive him. Oh,
Allaah! Turn to him (with forgiveness for his) repentance.” – for as long
as he remains in a state of ritual purification and does nothing harmful.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
50
Janaabah: A state of impurity following sexual intercourse, which requires a complete ablution of
the whole body.
49


The Manner of Jumu’ah Prayer and its Required Decorum
1. Wash the whole body on the day of Jumu’ah, trim the nails, apply
perfume and wear a clean garment following your ablution.
2. Do not eat raw garlic or onion and do not smoke. Clean the mouth with
a miswaak 51 or toothpaste.
3. Pray two rak’ahs upon entering the mosque, even if the Khateeb 52 is
already at the pulpit delivering the khutbah – in obedience to the
command of the Messenger (): “When one of you comes to Jumu’ah
prayer, and the Imaam is delivering the khutbah, he should pray two
rak’ahs and he should keep them short.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
4. Sit and listen to the Imaam’s khutbah and do not speak.
5. Pray the two rak’ahs of Jumu’ah prayer with the Imaam, having made
the intention in your heart to do so.
6. Pray four raka’aat as Sunnah in the mosque (after the prayer), or two
in the house (and the latter is better).
7. Invoke prayers on the Prophet () much on the day of Jumu’ah.
8. Supplicate much, in accordance with the words of the Prophet ():
“Verily, on the day of Jumu’ah there is an hour in which the Muslim does
not invoke Allaah for goodness without Allaah giving him that which he
desires.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
51
Miswaak: Also known as siwaak, it is a stick taken from the roots of the arak tree, used as a
toothbrush by the Prophet () and his Companions ().
52 Khateeb: The Imaam who delivers the khutbah.
50


The Prayer of the Lunar Eclipse and the Solar Eclipse
1. It is reported on the authority of ‘Aa`ishah ( ‫عنه‬
‫ )رضي هللا‬that she said:
“There was a lunar eclipse during the time of the Prophet () and so he
sent a caller to call the people to congregational prayer and he stood in
prayer and performed four bowings and four prostrations in two rak’ahs.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. It is reported on the authority of ‘Aa`ishah ( ‫عنه‬
‫ )رضي هللا‬that she said:
“There was a solar eclipse in the time of the Prophet () and he stood and
led the people in prayer and he made his recitation long, then he bowed
and made the bowing long; then he raises his head and made another long
recitation, then he bowed a second time and made the bowing long; then
he raised his head and prostrated twice, then he stood up and made
another rak’ah like the first one and then he made the tasleem, by which
time the sun was covered. Then he addressed the people, saying: “Verily,
the sun and moon are not eclipsed for the death of anyone, nor for his
birth, but they are two of the Signs of Allaah, which are seen by His
slaves. So when you see them, hasten to prayer…” In another narration,
he said: “When you see that, supplicate Allaah and say: “Allaahu Akbar!”
and pray and give charity.” Then he said: “Oh, people of Muhammad!
There is none more jealous than Allaah that the slave – male or female –
should commit adultery. Oh, people of Muhammad! By Allaah, if you
knew what I know, you would laugh little and cry a lot. Have I not
informed you?” (This is an abbreviated version of the narration of AlBukhaari and Muslim, from ‘Jaami’ Al-Usool’ [vol. 6, pages 156-158])
51


How to Pray for the Dead
The worshipper makes his intention to pray in his heart and he says:
“Allaahu Akbar!” four times.
1. After the first takbeerah, he seeks refuge with Allaah, then says:
“Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem” and recites Soorah Al-Faatihah.
2. After the second takbeerah, he invokes prayers and blessings upon
Muhammad () in the same manner as they are performed in the
tashahhud of a normal prayer:
Allaahumma Salli ‘Alaa Muhammadin Wa ‘Alaa Aali Muhammadin
Kamaa Sallaita ‘Alaa Ibraaheema…”
3. After the third takbeerah, call upon Allaah, using the du’aa`
authentically reported from the Prophet ():
‫ْج‬
ِ ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم ا ْغ َِ ْر لَهُ َوا ْ َوْهُ َو َعاِِ ِه َوا ْع ُ َع ْنهُ َوأَ ْك ِرْم نُ ُزلَهُ َوَو ِس ْع َم ْد َللَهُ َوا ْغ ِسلْهُ ِِبملَ ِاء َوالثَّل‬
ِ ِِ ِ
ِ‫س وأَب ِدلْه َدا ا َل ْيا ِمن َدا ِه‬
َّ ‫ض ِم َن‬
ُ ْ َ ِ َ‫الدن‬
ُ َ‫َوالبَ َرد َونَقه م َن اْلَََ َاَّي َك َما يُنَ َّقإ الثَّو ُ األَبْ ي‬
ْ
ِ ‫وأَ ْهك َليا ِمن أَ ْهلِ ِه وَُوجا َليا ِمن َُو ِج ِه وأَ ْد ِللْه اْلنَّةَ وأ‬
‫َع ْذهُ ِم ْن َع َذا ِ ال َق َِْب ِوِم ْن‬
َْ
ْ ْ
َ َ ُ َ ْ ْ ْ
َ
" ‫َع َذا ِ النَّا‬
“Allaahumm-aghfir Lahu Warhamhu Wa ’Aafihi Wa’afu ‘Anhu Wa
Akrim Nuzulahu Wa Wassi’ Madkhalahu Waghsilhu Bil-Maa`i WathThalji Wal-Baradi Wa Naqqihi Minal-Khataayaa Kamaa YunaqqathThawbul-Abyadhu Minad-Danasi Wa Abdilhu Daaran Khairan Min
Daarihi Wa Ahlan Khairan Min Ahlihi Wa Zawjan Khairan Min
Zawjihi Wa Adkhilhul-Jannata Wa A’izhu Min ‘Azaabil-Qabri Wa Min
‘Azaabin-Naar.”
52
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Forgive him and have mercy on him and
excuse him and pardon him. Bless his repasts (in the Hereafter) and
widen his entrance and wash him with water, ice and snow and purify
him as a white garment is purified from pollution and give him an abode
better than his (earthly) abode and a family better than his family and a
spouse better than his spouse and admit him to Paradise and grant him
refuge from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Hellfire.” (Narrated by Muslim and others)
4. After the fourth takbeerah, he should make any supplication he wishes
then make the tasleem to the right only.
The Warning of Death
Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ِ
ِ
ِ ٍ َْ َ‫{ ُك ُّل ن‬
‫ح َع ْن النَّا ِ َوأُ ْد ِل َل‬
ُ ‫س َاه َقةُ ال َْم ْوت َوإِ ََّّنَا تُ َوَِّ ْو َن أ‬
َ ‫ُجوَُك ْم يَ ْوَم الْقيَ َامة َِ َم ْن ُُ ْح ِز‬
ُّ ُ‫اُ َوَما ا ْحلَيَاة‬
)185:3 ‫الدنْ يَا إَِّال َموَاعُ الْغُ ُروِ } (سورة آل عمران‬
َ َِ ‫ا ْْلَنَّةَ َِ َق ْد‬
 Every soul shall taste death: And only on the Day of Resurrection
shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far
from the Fire and admitted to Paradise will have succeeded: For the
life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception  (Soorah Aali
‘Imraan 3:185)
And the poet says:
Prepare for that which cannot be avoided,
For death is appointed for the slaves,
So turn in repentance for your deeds while you still live,
And take care before the (final) sleep,
You will regret if you start your journey unprepared,
And wretched will you be when the Caller calls you,
Do you wish to be a companion of a people prepared,
53
While you are unprepared?


‘Eed Prayers in the Musallaa
1. Allaah’s Messenger () used to go out on the two ‘Eed days to the
musallaa 53 and the first thing he would begin with was the prayer.
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. Allaah’s Messenger () said: “The takbeer in (‘Eed) Al-Fitr 54 prayers
is made seven times in the first rak’ah and five times in the second and
recitation comes after them in both rak’ahs.” (A hasan hadeeth reported
by Abu Dawood)
3. Allaah’s Messenger () ordered us to go out for (the prayers of) Al-Fitr
and Al-Adhhaa: The old, the women with their monthly periods and all of
the women. As for those with periods, they do not have to pray, but they
attend to share in the goodness and the supplications of the Muslims. I
(i.e. the female Companion narrating the hadeeth) said: “Oh, Messenger
of Allaah! What if one of us has no jilbaab?” 55 He () replied: “Then let
her sister cover her with her jilbaab.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
Benefits Derived From This Hadeeth
1. That the prayer of both ‘Eeds is two rak’ahs, wherein the worshipper
makes takbeer seven times at the start of the first rak’ah and five at the
start of the second rak’ah, along with the Imaam.
53
Musallaa: An open air place of prayer where large numbers may gather and pray.
54
‘Eed Al-Fitr: The day on which Muslims celebrate the completion of the fast of Ramadhan.
55
Jilbaab: The black, outer garment worn by Muslim women to cover their modesty.
54
2. That the ‘Eed prayer is held in a musallaa, which (in the Prophet’s
time) was a place near to the city to which the Messenger of Allaah ()
used to proceed for the two ‘Eed prayers and with him went the children
and the young women, even those normally excused because of the
monthly periods.
Ibn Hajr Al-‘Asqalaani said, in his book, ‘Fath Al-Baari’: “In it (i.e. the
hadeeth), is (mentioned) going out to the musallaa and it should not be
held in the mosque unless it is unavoidable.”
The Lawfulness of Slaughter in ‘Eed
1. The Messenger () said: “Verily, the first thing with which we begin
on this (‘Eed) day of ours is the prayer; then we return and slaughter (an
animal). Whoever did this has performed our Sunnah, but whoever
slaughtered before the prayer, it is only meat which he presents to his
family and he has no part in the sacrifice.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
2. And he () said: “Oh, you people! Verily, the slaughter is an obligation
upon every house.” (Narrated by Ahmad and others and authenticated by
Ibn Hajr in ‘Fath Al-Baari’)
3. And he () said: “Whoever was able, but did not slaughter, let him not
approach our musallaa.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah and Al-Haakim and
authenticated by Shaikh Al-Albaani in his book, ‘Al-Jaami’’)


The Rain Prayer
1. The Prophet () went out to the musallaa to pray for rain and he
supplicated Allaah and prayed for rain, then he faced the Qiblah, turned
55
his robe inside-out, making the right into the left (but it is permissible to
make the prayer before the supplication). (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
2. It is reported n the authority of Anas Ibn Maalik () that whenever they
were affected by drought, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab () would pray for rain
through Al-‘Abbaas (), saying: “Oh, Allaah! We used to ask Your
Prophet’s intercession with You and You would give us rain; now we ask
the intercession of the uncle of the Prophet (), so send rain to us.” – and
they would receive rain. (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) This hadeeth proves
that the Muslims used to seek intercession from the Messenger () when
he was alive by asking him to supplicate Allaah for rain; but after his
death, the did not ask him, but instead sought intercession from his uncle,
Al-‘Abbaas (), who was living and he would call upon Allaah for them.”


Be on Your Guard Against One Who Seeks to Pass in Front of the
Worshipper as He Stands in Prayer
Allaah’s Messenger () said: “If the one who passes in front of the
praying person knew the sin which was upon him, he would wait for
forty, which would be better for him than passing in front of him.” (Abu
An-Nadhr [the narrator] said: “I am unsure whether he said forty, days,
months or years.” 56) (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari in the chapter: ‘The Sin of
56
In the narration of Ibn Khuzaimah, it is reported that he ( ) said: “…for forty autumns.” (i.e. forty
years) and this was authenticated by Ibn Hajr.
56
One Who Passes in Front of the Worshipper’ section 1) – This hadeeth
proves that the one who passes directly in front of the worshipper
bears a great sin and a threat of punishment; and that if he only
knew what a great sin he was committing, he would wait for forty years
before passing. However, if he passes far in front of the worshipper, there
is no sin upon him, as the hadeeth makes clear that the sin is in passing
over the area where the worshipper puts his hands when he prostrates.
It is incumbent upon the worshipper to place a sutrah 57 before him so
that the passer-by may take care not to pass in front of him. The proof of
this is in the words of the Prophet (): “When one of you prays, he should
place a barrier between him and the people; then should anyone wish to
pass n front of him, he should push that person in the chest, but if he
insists, then fight him, for he is a devil.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim) – This is an authentic hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhaari,
containing a warning against passing in front of a worshipper in prayer,
including in the Sacred Mosque in Makah and the Prophet’s Mosque in
Madeenah, because the hadeeth is general and because the Prophet ()
said thse words in Makkh or Madeenah and the evidence for this is as
follows:
1. Al-Bukhaari said, (in vol.1, page 129): ‘Chapter: The Worshipper
Should Repel the One Who Passes in Front of Him’: Ibn ‘Umar ()
repelled a man who passed in front of him when he was sitting in
tashahhud and he was in the Ka’bah and he said: “If he refuses (all) but
fighting, then fight him.” – Ibn Hajr said, in ‘Fath Al-Baari’: “The reason
for mentioning the Ka’bah is so that none can claim that it is permissible
57
Sutrah: An object, such as a wall, a pillar, a saddle, a stick or another praying person, towards
which the worshipper should pray, so as to prevent anyone from crossing directly in front of him.” AlBukhaari reports that the sutrah should not be wider than the passing distance of a sheep.
57
in the Sacred House due to the crush of people there.” This narration was
mentioned by Al-Bukhaari’s Shaikh, from Abu Na’eem in his book, ‘AsSalaah’.
2. As for the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood in his ‘Sunan’, it is not
authentic, containing an unknown person in its sanad. It is worded thus:
“Ahmad Ibn Hanbal informed us that Sufyaan Ibn ‘Uyainah informed
him, that Katheer Ibn Katheer Al-Muttalib Ibn Abi Wadaa’ah informed
him, on the authority of one f his kin, from his grandfather, that he saw
the Prophet () praying in front of the door known as ‘Baab Bani Sahm’
and the people were passing in front of him and there was no sutrah
between him and them.” Sufyaan said: “There was no sutrah between
him and the Ka’bah.” And he added: “Ibn Juraij informed us of this and
he said: “Katheer Ibn Katheer informed us of it from his father and I
asked him about it and he replied: “It was not from my father I heard it; it
was from one of my family, on the authority of my grandfather.” Ibn Hajr
said, in ‘Fath Al-Baari’: “It is ma’lool.” 58
3. Al-Bukhaari has recorded in a chapter entitled: ‘The Sutrah: In
Makkah and Other Places’, on the authority of Abu Juhaifah (), it is
reported that he said: “Allaah’s Messenger () went out at midday and
prayed zuhr and ‘asr prayers – each of them two rak’ahs and he placed an
‘anazah 59 in front of him.
In short: It is haraam to pass directly in front of the praying person,
between him and his sutrah: It is a great sin and there is the promise of
punishment for him who does so, whether it be in the Sacred Mosque or
58
Although I have not checked Ibn Hajr’s words, I feel it is unlikely that he used the word ma’lool,
which is grammatically incorrect. Most likely, what he said was: mu’allal: A classification used by
scholars of hadeeth to describe a narration which contains a weakness, although its outward appearance
is one of authenticity.
59 ‘Anazah: A stick with a metal top.
58
any other place. This is proved by authentic ahaadeeth. It might be
excused for the one who is forced by circumstance, due to great
crowding.


Siyaam (Fasting) and its Benefits
Allaah, Most High says:
ِ َّ
ِ َّ
ِ
ِ
ِ
‫ين ِمن قَ ْبلِ ُك ْم لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم تَوَّ ُقو َن‬
ُ َ‫ب َعلَْي ُك ُم الصي‬
َ ‫ين‬
َ ‫ب َعلَإ الذ‬
َ ‫{ ََّيأَيُّ َُا الذ‬
َ ‫ام َك َما ُكو‬
َ ‫آمنُوا ُكو‬
)183:2 ‫} (سورة البقرة‬
 Oh, you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was
prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious, Godfearing  (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:183)
And Allaah’s Messenger () said: “Fasting is a shield.” (i.e. protection
from the Hell-fire) (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
You should know, oh, my brother, that fasting is a form of worship and
it has many benefits, including:
1. Fasting rests the digestive system from its normal, continual labours;
and it removes waste from the body and strengthens it; and it is effective
against many diseases; it prevents the smokers from smoking and helps
them to give it up.
2. Fasting improves the soul and accustoms it to doing good, to a fixed
routine, to obedience and patience.
3. The fasting person feels a sense of equality between himself and his
brothers, as he fasts with them and breaks fast with them; and he feels a
sense of general Islaamic unity. He feels hunger and thirst and so he
knows how his needy, hungry brothers feel.
59
4. The Prophet () said:
a. “Whoever fasted Ramadhaan in faith and contentment will have all his
previous sins forgiven.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
b. “Whoever fasted Ramadhaan and followed it up with six days (of
fasting) from the month of Shawwaal, it will be as if he had fasted for all
time.” (Narrated by Muslim)
c. “Whoever stood in prayer in Ramadhaan 60 in faith and contentment
will have all his previous sins forgiven.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)


Your Obligations in Ramadhaan
Know, oh, my Muslim brother, that Allaah has prescribed fasting for us
so that we might worship Him through it; and in order for your fasting to
be beneficial and accepted, you should do the following:
1. Guard strictly your prayers, for many fasting people are careless in
their prayer, 61 although it is a pillar of the Religion and abandoning it is
an act of disbelief.
2. Be of good behaviour; stay away from kufr, maligning the Religion, illtreating people and using your fasting as an excuse, for fasting purifies
the soul – it does not worsen one’s behaviour. And disbelief removes a
Muslim from the Islaamic fold.
3. Do not use bad language, even in jest, for your fasting will be lost.
Listen to the words of the Prophet (): “If it was a day of fasting for one
60
That is, in taraaweeh prayers.
61
How very true! The translator has known of a number of people who fast, but do not pray, or who
only pray in Ramadhaan, or who do not pray the five daily prayers, but go to the mosque to pray
taraaweeh prayers!
60
of you, he should abstain from obscenity on that day and he should not
rant and rage. If anyone insults him or fights with him, he should say: “I
am fasting, I am fasting.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
4. You should seize the opportunity when fasting to give up smoking,
which is a known cause of cancer and ulcers. 62 Try to be strong in your
resolve – and abstain from it in the evening as you abstained from it in
the morning and save your health and wealth. 63
5. Do not be extravagant with food when you break your fast, for you will
lose the benefit of fasting and it will be harmful to your health.
6. Do not go to the cinema or watch television, so that you do not watch
those things which corrupt and are contrary to the spirit of fasting.
7. Do not keep late hours, causing you to miss the sahoor 64 and fajr
prayer. You should go out to work early in the morning as the Messenger
of Allaah () said: “Oh, Allaah! Bless my people in their early
mornings.” (An authentic hadeeth narrated by Ahmad and At-Tirmizi)
8. Give much in charity to those close to you and those in need and visit
your relatives and repair broken family ties.
9. Remember Allaah much and recite the Qur`aan and listen to it and
implement its commands and act upon it and attend the mosques in order
to hear beneficial lecures and make i’tikaaf in the mosque in the last ten
days of Ramadhaan. 65
62
And many other diseases, such as heart disease, vascular disease, bronchitis, emphysema etc.
63
It really is the strangest thing to see Muslims coming out of the mosque after maghrib prayer during
Ramadhaan and lighting up a cigarette, as if it has now become halaal! It was haraam before breaking
the fast and it is haraam afterwards.
64 Sahoor: The meal taken just before dawn, which according to the Messenger of Allaah ( ) is a
blessed repast.
65 I’tikaaf: Seclusion in the mosque in accordance with the practice of the Prophet ( ) during the last
ten days of Ramadhaan in order to pray, recite the Qur`aan, mention Allaah, attend lectures etc.
N.B. It is narrated by At-Tabaraani that the Prophet () said: “There is no i’tikaaf except in three
mosques: The Sacred Mosque (in Makkah), this, my mosque or Al-Aqsaa Mosque (in Al-Quds [i.e.
Jerusalem]). He () also said: “One should not undertake a journey except to three mosques: The
61
10. Read studies (on fasting) in order to learn all about its rules and
conditions. And know that eating or drinking due to forgetfulness does
not break the fast. And know that janaabah (sexual impurity) during the
night does not prevent one fasting the next day, even though it is
obligatory to make complete bodily ablution in order to be cleansed from
it and to pray.
11. Guard strictly the fast of Ramadhaan and accustom your children to
fast when they are able to and be careful not to break your fast without a
valid reason, for whoever broke his fast for a single day without an
excuse, he must make up for it and he must turn in repentance to Allaah.
And whoever had sex with his wife during fasting must expiate for it. 66
12. Be careful, oh, my Muslim brother about breaking your fast in front
of people, for breaking the fast is to show insolence before Allaah and
contempt for Islaam and shamelessness among the people. And you
should know that whoever did not fast has no part in the ‘Eed, for ‘Eed is
a great celebration of the completion of the fast and the acceptance of
one’s worship.


The Virtues of Hajj and ‘Umrah
1. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ‫{و‬
ِ ‫َّاس ِح ُّج الْب ْي‬
ِ ‫هلل َعلَإ الن‬
‫ني‬
ٌّ ِ َ‫اع إِلَْي ِه َسبِيك َوَمن َكَ َر َِِإ َّن هللاَ غ‬
َ َََ‫اسو‬
َ ‫ّن َع ِن ال َْعالَ ِم‬
ْ ‫ِ َم ِن‬
َ
َ
)97:3 ‫} (سورة آل عمران‬
Sacred Mosque, Al-Aqsaa Mosque or this, my mosque.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari,Muslim, At-Tirmizi
and others)
66 If he has the ability to do so, he must free a slave; if this were not possible, he must fast for two
consecutive months; if he could not do this, he must feed sixty poor persons. (Al-Bukhaari)
62
 Pilgrimage to the House of Allah is a duty men owe to Allaah –
those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allaah stands
not in need of any of His creatures  (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:97)
2. And the Prophet () said: “From one ‘Umrah to the next is an
expiation for all that is in between them and the accepted Hajj has not
reward except Paradise.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
3. And he () said: “Whoever performed the Hajj without speaking any
obscenity or committing sins will return as he was the day his mother
gave birth to him – without sin.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
4. And he () said: “Take your (Hajj) rituals from me.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
5. Hasten to perform the obligation of Hajj as soon as you have sufficient
money for the trip there and back. As for the other expenses, such as gifts
and sweets etc., no consideration is to be given to them, for such things
are not accepted as an excuse by Allaah. Hurry to Hajj before you
become ill or stricken with poverty or death while you are in a state of
obedience, for Hajj is one of the pillars of Islaam. It has many great
benefits in this world and in the Hereafter.
6. The money for ‘Umrah and Hajj must be halaal in order for them to be
accepted by Allaah. 67
7. It is forbidden for a woman to travel to Hajj or anywhere else without a
mahram, 68 for the Prophet () said: “A woman must not travel unless she
is with a mahram.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
8. Repair your broken relations and pay your debts and advise your
67
That is, it should not be the result of gambling, usury, the sale of haraam goods, such as alcohol,
cigarettes, pork etc.
68 Mahram: A travel escort, such as her husband, her father, her brother, or any man whom she cannot
marry.
63
family not to waste money on decorations, cars, sweets, slaughtering
animals etc., for Allaah says:
)31:7 ‫{ َوُكلُوا َوا ْش َربُوا َوالَ تُ ْس ِرُِوا } (سورة احعرا‬
 Eat, drink and do not be wasteful  (Soorah Al-A’araaf 7:31)
9. Hajj is a great gathering for Muslims and an opportunity for them to
know one another and to develop ties of brotherly love and to cooperate
in solving each others’ problems and to benefit them, both in their
religious and their worldly affairs.
10. And it is most important that you solve your problems by seeking
help from Allaah, Alone and invoking Him and no other, for He says:
ِ
)20:72 ‫َحدا } (سورة اجلن‬
َ ‫{ قُ ْل إِ ََّّنَا أَ ْدعُو َِّب َوالَ أُ ْش ِر ُك بِه أ‬
 Say: “I do no more than invoke my Lord, and I associate no
partners with Him.”  (Soorah Al-Jinn 2:72)
11. It is permissible to make ‘Umrah at any time, but it is best in the
month of Ramadhaan, for the Prophet () said: “’Umrah in Ramadhaan is
equivalent to Hajj.” 69 (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
12. Prayer in the Mosque of the Ka’bah is better than a hundred thousand
prayers in any other place, for the Messenger () said: “Prayer in this, my
mosque is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except the
Mosque of the Ka’bah.” (Narrated by Muslim)
And he () said: “And prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than
prayer in my mosque by a hundred times.” (An authentic narration by
Imaam Ahmad)
1,000 x 100 = 100,000 (one hundred thousand prayers).
69
That is, the reward of it. It does not mean that, having performed ‘Umrah in Ramadhaan, there is no
obligation upon you to make Hajj.
64
13. It is incumbent upon you to make Hajj At-Tamattu’, which is ‘Umrah
followed by leaving the state of ihraam 70 and then resuming it for Hajj,
as the Prophet () said: “Oh, people of Muhammad! Whenever one of
you performs Hajj, let him offer ‘Umrah in his Hajj.” (Narrated by Ibn
Hibbaan and authenticated by Al-Albaani)


The Deeds of ‘Umrah
1. Ihraam: Don the garments of ihraam at the meeqaat 71 and make the
intention to perform ‘Umrah by saying:
"‫ك اللَّ ُُ َّم ِِبلعُ ْم َرة‬
َ ‫"لَبَّ ْي‬
“Labbaik Allaahumma Bil-'Umrah”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I come to You with ‘Umrah.” Then (as you
continue on the journey), raise your voice and make the talbiyyah saying:
،‫ك‬
َ ‫ك لَبَّ ْي‬
َ َ‫يك ل‬
َ ‫ك الَ َش ِر‬
َ ‫ لَبَّ ْي‬، ‫ك‬
َ ‫ك اللَّ ُُ َّم لَبَّ ْي‬
َ ‫"لَبَّ ْي‬
"‫يك لَك‬
َ ‫ الَ َش ِر‬، ‫ك َواملُلْك‬
َ َ‫إِ َّن احلَ ْم َد َوالنِ ْع َمةَ ل‬
“Labbaik Allaahumma Labbaik,
Labbaika Laa Shareeka Laka Labbaik,
Innal-Hamda Wan-Ni’mata Laka Wal-Mulk,
Laa Shareeka Lak”
70
Ihraam: The state of ritual consecration observed by one performing Hajj or ‘Umrah.
71
Meeqaat: The starting point for Hajj and ‘Umrah: For people coming from the direction of Ash-
Shaam (Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon), it is Al-Juhfah, which is a village between Makkah and
Madeenah; if coming from the direction of Najd, in Saudi Arabia, it is Qarn Al-Manaazil, near
Makkah; if from the direction of Yemen, then Yalamlam, which is a place 30 miles distant from
Makkah; if from Madeenah, then Zu Al-Hulaifah, just outside Madeenah; and if from the direction of
Iraq, then Zaatu ‘Irq, which is about 42 miles from Makkah.
65
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I respond to Your call! I respond to Your
call! I respond to Your call! You have no partners, I respond to Your call!
Verily, all praise is due to You and all Grace is Yours, as is the
Dominion! You have no partners!” 72
2. Tawaaf: When you reach Makkah, go to the Sacred Mosque and
circumambulate the Ka’bah seven times, in an anti-clockwise direction,
beginning at the Black Stone and saying:
ِ ‫"بِس ِم‬
"‫هللا َوهللاُ أَ ْكبَ ُر‬
ْ
“Bismillaahi Wallaahu Akbar”
- which means: “In Allaah’s Name and Allaah is Greater.” Kiss the Black
Stone if you can, or gesture towards it with your right hand if you cannot.
Touch the Yemeni Corner with your right hand without kissing it and
without gesturing with the hand. In between these two points, say:
ِ ِ
ُّ ‫" َبَّنَا آتِنَا ِِف‬
"ِ ‫سنَة َوقِنَا َع َذا َ النَّا‬
َ ‫سنَة َوِِف اآلل َرة َح‬
َ ‫الدنْ يَا َح‬
“Rabbanaa Aatinaa Fid-Dunyaa Hasanatan Wa Fil-Aakhirati
Hasanatan Wa Qinaa ‘Azaab An-Naar”
- which means: “Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and in the
Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” Then pray a
two rak’ah prayer behind the place known as Maqaam Ibraaheem,
reciting Soorah Al-Kaafiroon in the first rak’ah and Soorah Al-Ikhlaas in
the second.
3. Sa’ee: Climb the hill of As-Safaa, face the Ka’bah and, raising your
hands towards the heavens, say:
ِ ‫الصَا واملَروةَ ِمن َشعاهِ ِر‬
"‫ أَبْ َدأُ ِِبَا بَ َدأَ هللاُ بِه‬، ‫هللا‬
َ
َ ْ َ َّ ‫"إِ َّن‬
72
You should keep this up until the Sacred Mosque is in sight.
66
“Innas-Safaa Wal-Marwata Min Sha’aa`irillaah, Abda`u Bimaa
Bada`allaahu Bih”
- which means: “Verily, As-Safaa and Al-Marwah are among the Signs of
Allaah. I begin with that with which Allaah began.” Then say: “Allaahu
Akbar” – three times, without pointing with your hand and say:
ٍ
ُ ‫ لَهُ املُل‬، ُ‫يك لَه‬
َ ‫"الَ إِلَهَ إِالَّ هللاُ َو ْح َدهُ الَ َش ِر‬
َ‫ الَ إِلَه‬، ‫ْك َولَهُ احلَ ْم ُد َو ُه َو َعلَإ ُك ِل َشيء قَ ِد ٌير‬
"‫َح َزا َ َو ْح َده‬
ْ ‫ص َد َق َع ْب َدهُ َو َه َزَم األ‬
َ ‫ أ َْجنَ َز َو ْع َدهُ َو‬، ُ‫إِالَّ هللاُ َو ْح َده‬
“Laa Ilaaha Illallaahu Wahdahu Laa Shareeka Lahu, Lahul-Mulku
Wa Lahul-Hamdu Wa Huwa ‘Alaa Kulli Shay`in Qadeer, Laa Ilaaha
Illallaahu Wahdahu, Anjaza Wa’dahu Wa Sadaqa ‘Abdahu Wa
Hazamal-Ahzaaba Wahdah”
- which means: “There is none worthy of worship except Allaah, Alone,
without partners, His is the Dominion and all praise is His and He is Able
to do all things, none is worthy of worship but Allaah, Alone, He has
fulfilled His Promise and proved His slave (i.e. Muhammad []) true and
vanquished the tribes (i.e. Quraish and their supporters) Alone.” Repeat
this at Safaa and Marwah and make supplications to Allaah. Walk
between them and hurry between the two points marked with green lights.
The sa’ee is seven circuits, each direction being one circuit.
4. Shave your head, or shorten your hair. Women should shorten their
hair a little.


The Deeds of Hajj
The deeds of Hajj are: Ihraam, standing on ‘Arafah, staying in
Muzdalifah, the stoning, the sacrifice, shaving, tawaaf and sa’ee.
67
1. Don the garments of ihraam on the eighth day of Zul-Hijjah in Makkah
and say:
‫ك اللَّ ُُ َّم َح َّجة‬
َ ‫"لَبَّ ْي‬
“Labbaik Allaahumma Hajjah”
- which means: “I come to You, oh, Allaah (for) Hajj.”
Then go to Minaa and stay there and pray five prayers, shortening
them, praying zuhr, ‘asr and ‘ishaa` as two rak’ahs each, and at their
appointed times.
2. Go to ‘Arafah on the ninth of Zul-Hijjah after sunrise and pray zuhr
and ‘asr prayers, shortening them and combining them at zuhr time, with
one azaan and two iqaamahs. And without the Sunnah prayers. Make
sure you are within the boundaries of ‘Arafah and that you are not
fasting; spend your time there making talbiyyah and invoking Allaah,
Alone, for standing in ‘Arafah is a fundamental pillar of Hajj.
3. Descend calmly and solemnly from ‘Arafah at sunset and proceed to
Muzdalifah; there you will pray the maghrib and the ‘ishaa` prayers,
combining them and shortening them at ‘ishaa` time and remain there in
order to pray the fajr prayer next morning. During your time there,
mention Allaah at the Sacred Monument (i.e. Muzdalifah). It is allowed
for the weak and the infirm to depart from Muzdalifah after half the night
has passed.
4. Leave Muzdalifah before sunrise and proceed to Minaa on the day of
‘Eed and after sunrise, up until the night, stone the great jamrah 73 with
seven small stones, saying: “Allaahu Akbar” as you do so and make sure
you hit it each time; if you miss, throw another.
5. Slaughter the sacrificial animal and butcher it in Minaa or in Makkah
73
Jamrah: (pl. jamaraat) stone constructions representing the devil.
68
during the days of ‘Eed and eat from it and feed the poor with it. If you
do not have the money for it, then fast for three days in Hajj and seven
more after you return home to your family. The woman, like the man, is
obliged to slaughter or fast, whether performing tamattu’ or qiraan. 74
6. You may shave your head or shorten your hair all over, but shaving is
preferable. 75 Then don your normal clothes, at which point, everything is
permissible for you except sexual relations with your wife.
7. Return to Makkah and make tawaaf seven times around the Ka’bah
and then make sa’ee between As-Safaa and Al-Marwah seven times (each
direction counts as one trip). After this, your wife is permitted to you. It is
permissible to delay this tawaaf until the last days of ‘Eed.
8. Return to Minaa during the days of ‘Eed and stay there; this is
obligatory. Then stone the three jamaraat with seven small stones for
each jamrah, saying: “Allaahu Akbar” for each stone, beginning with the
small jamrah, every day, in the afternoon or up until the night. Those who
wish to leave after three days may do so and those who wish to remain
for a fourth day and continue stoning may do so. It is permissible, after
stoning the small jamrah and the medium jamrah, to stand and invoke
Allaah, raising the hands. It is also allowed for women, the sick, the very
young and the weak to appoint a person to do the stoning for them. In
case of necessity, it is permitted to delay the stoning until the second and
third day.
9. The Farewell Tawaaf (Tawaaf Al-Widaa’) is obligatory; and departure
from Makkah should be immediately after it. If anyone fails to do so, or
fails to stone the jamaraat, or fails to stay in the obligatory places, he
must slaughter an animal in expiation.
74
Qiraan: In which Hajj and ‘Umrah are performed together with the same ihraam.
75
The woman does not have to shave her head or shorten her hair all over, but suffices with removing
a little of her hair.
69


The Required Decorum of Hajj and ‘Umrah
1. Make your Hajj sincerely for Allaah, saying:
"‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم َه ِذهِ ِح َّجةٌ الَ ِ ََّيءَ ِِ َيُا َوالَ َسُْ َعة‬
“Allaahumma, Hazihi Hijjatun, Laa Riyaa`a Feehaa Wa Laa Sum’ah”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! This is a Hajj without riyaa` or sum’ah. 76
2. Accompany righteous people and serve them and bear any hurt
inflicted upon you by your neighbours with patience.
3. Abstain from smoking or buying cigarettes, because it is haraam, being
harmful to one’s health and wealth and to one’s neighbours.
4. Use the siwaak at prayer times and bring gifts of it, along with zamzam
water and dates, for the virtue of this has been reported in a number of
authentic ahaadeeth.
5. Abstan from touching women or looking at them and ensure that your
women are covered from the view of other men.
6. Do not tread upon the necks of the worshippers, causing harm to them.
Sit in the nearest vacant place.
7. Do not pass directly in front of the worshippers in prayer, even in the
two Sacred Mosques, because this is one of the deeds of Satan.
8. Do not be hurried in your prayers and pray towards a sutrah (such as a
wall, the back of another worshipper, a rucksack etc.) and (know that) the
sutrah of the Imaam suffices the worshippers in congregational prayer.
76
Riyaa` means to perform righteous deeds in order to be seen doing so, rather for Allaah’s sake,
while sum’ah means to perform such deeds in order to gain a good reputation. According to the
Prophet (), both are acts of minor shirk.
70
9. Be gentle with those around you when making tawaaf, sa’ee, when
stoning the jamaraat and when kissing the black stone, for such
gentleness is required of you.
10. Refrain from calling upon other than Allaah, such as the dead,
because this is a form of shirk, which will invalidate your Hajj and any
other good deeds. Allaah says:
ِ ْ ‫ك ولَوَ ُكونَ َّن ِمن‬
)65:39 ‫ين } (سورة الر ر‬
َ ‫{ لَئِ ْن أَ ْش َرْك‬
ْ
َ ‫اْلَاس ِر‬
َ َ ُ‫ِ لَيَ ْحبَََ َّن َع َمل‬
 If you were to associate partners (with Allaah), your deeds would
be truly fruitless and you would be among the losers  (Soorah AzZumar 39:65)


The Required Decorum of the Prophet’s Mosque
1. When you enter the mosque, do so with your right foot first and say:
ِ ‫ول‬
ِ ‫"بِس ِم‬
ِ ‫والسكَ ُم َعلَإ ُس‬
"‫ اللَّ ُُ َّم اِْ وَ ْح ِِل أَبْ َوا َ َ ْوَوِك‬، ‫هللا‬
َّ ‫هللا‬
ْ
َ
“Bismillaahi Was-Salaamu ‘Alaa Rasoolillaahi, Allaahummaftah Lee
Abwaaba Rahmatik”
- which means: “In the Name of Allaah and Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon Allaah’s Messenger; oh, Allaah! Open for me the gates of
Your Mercy.”
2. Pray two rak’ahs as salutation to the mosque and send salutations to
the Messenger () saying:
ِ ‫ول‬
"‫ك ََّي عُ َمر‬
َ ‫ك ََّي َ ُس‬
َّ ، ‫ك ََّي أ ََِب بَ ْك ٍر‬
َّ ، ‫هللا‬
َّ
َ ‫السكَ ُم َعلَْي‬
َ ‫السكَ ُم َعلَْي‬
َ ‫"السكَ ُم َعلَْي‬
“As-Salaamu ‘Alaika Yaa Rasoolallaahi, As-Salaamu ‘Alaika Yaa
Abaa Bakrin, As-Salaamu ‘Alaika Yaa ‘Umar”
71
- which means: “Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon you, oh,
Messenger, “Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon you, oh, Abu Bakr,
“Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon you, oh, ‘Umar.”
Then, if you wish to make du’aa`, face the Qiblah and invoke Allaah,
remembering the words of the Prophet (): “When you seek aid, seek it
from Allaah and when you ask, ask Allaah.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi,
who declared it hasan-saheeh)
3. Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and sending salutations to him are
preferred actions; the correctness of one’s Hajj does not depend upon it
and there is no special time for it.
4. Avoid touching the walls or kissing them, for such actions are bida’. 77
5. Leaving the mosque by walking out backwards is a bid’ah, as there is
no proof for it.
6. Send salutations upon the Messenger () much, for he said: “Whoever
sends one salutation upon me, Allaah will send to him ten.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
7. It is a preferred action to visit the cemetery and graves of the martyrs
of Uhud, but not the seven mosques.
Travelling to Madeenah should be done with the intention of visiting
the Prophet’s Mosque and then sending salutations on him upon entering
the mosque, because prayer in that mosque is better than a thousand
prayers in any other mosque. The Prophet () said: “DO not saddle up
your riding beast, except to go to three mosques: The Sacred Mosque (in
Makkah), Al-Aqsaa Mosque (in Al-Quds 78) and this, my mosque.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
77
Bida’: (sing. bid’ah) Innovations in religious natters.
78
Al-Quds: Jerusalem.
72
The Morality of the Noble Messenger ()
His morality was that of the Qur`aan; he used to be angry about those
things which the Qur`aan condemned and he would be happy about those
things of which the Qur`aan approved. He never took revenge for
himself, nor became angry for his own sake. He only used to be angry
when the Laws of Allaah were violated, which incurs Allaah’s Wrath.
He was the most truthful of people in speech, the best of them in
humility, the gentlest of them in disposition, the most noble of them in
company, more modest than a virgin behind her screen, lowering his gaze
much. He was never lewd, nor did he ever use profane language. He did
not repay bad deeds in kind, but would pardon and overlook the sins of
others against him. Whoever asked anything of him would be given that
which he requested, or he would be answered with kind words; never
with incivility or rudeness. He would not interrupt anyone, causing him to
reject the truth and rebel. He used to take care of his neighbour and he
was generous to his guests. He did not spend his time except in working
for Allah, or in that which could not be avoided. He loved optimism and
he disliked pessimism. He never chose between two matters without
choosing the easiest, so long as it was not a sin. He loved to help those in
need and the oppressed. He loved his Companions () and he used to
consult them and confer with them. When any of them was ill, he would
visit him. And if anyone was absent, he would ask about him. He would
always accept an apology. The rights of the strong and the weak were
equal to him. When he spoke, his words could be counted (so succinct
were they, due to his mastery of the Arabic language and his fluency). He
used to joke, but he never spoke other than the truth.

73

Manners of the Messenger () and His Modesty of Bearing
He was the most compassionate of men and the most hospitable
towards his Companions () and he would move up to make room for
them. He would begin his speech with “As-Salaamu ‘alaikum” and when
he shook hands with anyone, he would not remove his hand before the
other did so. He was the humblest of people. If he sat with a people in an
assembly, he would remain sitting until the assembly was over and he
ordered his Companions () to do likewise. He would give every person
sitting his due and he would not allow those present to feel that any was
more honoured by him than another. If anyone sat with him, he would not
stand up until the other did so, unless there was some pressing matter to
which he had to attend, then he would excuse himself. He hated that
anyone should stand up for him: On the authority of Anas (), it is
reported that he said: “No person was more beloved of the Companions
() than the Messenger of Allaah (), but whenever they saw him, they
would not stand up, because they knew how he hated that.” 79 (An
authentic hadeeth narrated by Imaams Ahmad and At-Tirmizi)
He would not greet people with expressions which they disliked and he
would always visit the sick. He loved the poor and used to sit with them
and he would attend their funerals. He did not despise anyone due to
poverty, nor did he revere any king because of his crown. He would extol
Allaah’s Blessings, even when they were few. He never criticized his
food; if it was pleasing to him, he would eat it, and if not, he would leave
79
It is permissible for the host to stand up in order to greet his guests, for the Prophet ( ) used to do
this. It is also permissible to stand up to greet the traveller when he arrives, in order to embrace him, as
the Companions () used to do so.
74
it. He would eat and drink with his right hand, after saying: “Bismillaah”,
then he would say: “Al-hamdu Lillaah” (all praise and thanks be to
Allaah) when he had finished. He loved all good things and he hated bad
things, such as onion and garlic and the like because of their bad smell.
He performed Hajj saying: “Oh, Allaah! This is Hajj without riyaa`
therein and without sum’ah. (An authentic hadeeth narrated by AlMaqdisi)
He did not distinguish himself from his Companions (), neither in his
clothes, nor in his manner of sitting. A Bedouin entered and said: “Which
of you is Muhammad?” His favourite clothing was a qamees ( along shirt
that reached down to the middle of his calves). He was not wasteful in
food or clothing. He used to cover his head with a cap and a turban. He
wore a silver signet ring on the little finger of his right hand and he had a
long beard.
The Preaching of the Messenger () and His Jihaad
Allaah sent Muhammad () as a mercy to the worlds and he called the
Arabs and all mankind to al that is good and brings happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter. The first thing to which he called was the
message of tawheed in worshipping Allaah, which includes invoking
none but Allaah, Alone, for He, Most High says:
ِ
)72:20 ‫َحدا } (سورة اجلن‬
َ ‫{ قٌ ْل إِ ََّّنَا أَ ْدعُو َِّب َوالَ أُ ْش ِر ُك بِه أ‬
 Say (oh, Muhammad): “I do no more than invoke my Lord and I
do not associate any partners with Him  (Soorah Al-Jinn 72:20)
The polytheists rejected this call, for it contradicted their idolatrous
beliefs and their blind imitation of their fathers. So they accused the
75
Messenger () of witchcraft and insanity, having previously called him
“the Truthful and Trustworthy”.
The Messenger bore with patience the harm done to him by his people in
accordance with the Command of his Lord, Who said:
)24:76 ‫ك َوالَ تُ َِ ْع ِم ْن ُُ ْم ِآِثا أ َْو َك َُو ا } (سورة اإلنس ن‬
َ ِ‫اصِ َْب ِحلُ ْك ِم َب‬
ْ َِ {
 So be patient (oh, Muhammad) to the Command of your Lord and
obey not the sinner or the ingrate among them  (Soorah Al-Insaan
76:24)
He () remained for thirteen years in Makkah, calling the people to
tawheed, bearing along with his followers the torments (inflicted on them
by Quraish), then he migrated to Madeenah, where he established the new
Islaamic society, based upon principles of love and equality. And Allaah
supported him with miracles, the most important of them being the noble
Qur`aan, which called people to tawheed, knowledge, struggle and the
most honourable morality. He wrote to the kings of the earth, calling
them to Islaam, saying to Heraclius: “Embrace Islaam and be saved and
Allaah will grant you two rewards.” And he () said: “Oh, People of the
Book (i.e. the Jews and Christians)! Come to common terms as between
us and you: That we worship none but Allaah, that we associate no
partners with Him, that we erect not from among ourselves lords other
than Allaah (i.e. that we do not obey the priests in their innovations,
declaring the haraam to be halaal and vice versa).”
The Messenger of Allaah () made war on the polytheists and the Jews
and he defeated them. He, himself, fought around twenty battles and he
sent many expeditions under the command of his Companions () for
jihaad and for the purpose of calling the people to Islaam and freeing
76
them from oppression and slavery; and he always ordered them to begin
by calling to tawheed.
Love of the Messenger () and Obedience to Him
Allaah, Most High says:
ِ
ِ
ِ
ِ
ِ
} ‫يم‬
ٌ ‫{ قُ ْل إِن ُكن وُ ْم ُ بُّ و َن هللاَ َِ اتَّبعُ ِوّن ُْْب ْب ُك ُم هللاُ َويَ ْغَ ْر لَ ُك ْم ُنُ وبَ ُك ْم َوهللاُ غَ َُ وٌ َّح‬
)31:3 ‫(سورة آل عمران‬
 Say: “If you love Allaah, then obey me: Allaah will love you and
forgive you your sins: For Allaah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful 
(Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:31)
- and Allaah’s Messenger () said: “None of you truly believes until I
am more beloved to him than his father, his sons and all mankind.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Gathered together in the Messenger of Allaah () were the most
honourable morality, courage and generosity: Those who saw him
immediately respected him, and whoever came to know him, loved him.
He conveyed the Message, advised the Ummah and united their voices.
He opened up the hearts with his Companions () by their unity, as they
opened up the lands by their jihaad, in order to deliver the people from
the worship of (Allaah’s) slaves to the worship of the Lord of the slaves.
And they transmitted this Religion to us in its entirety, without
innovations or superstitions, needing no increase and no decrease. Allaah,
Most High says:
ِ ‫ِ َعلَْي ُكم نِ ْعم ِِت و‬
‫يِ لَ ُك ُم ا ِإل ْسكَ َم ِدينا } (سورة‬
ُ ‫ض‬
ُ ‫ِْ لَ ُك ْم ِدينَ ُك ْم َوأ َْْتَ ْم‬
ُ ‫{ الْيَ ْوَم أَ ْك َمل‬
ََ َ ْ
)3:5 ‫امل ئدة‬
77
 This day I have perfected for you your Religion and completed My
favour upon you and chosen for you Islaam as your Religion 
(Soorah Al-Maa`idah 5:3)
And the Prophet () said: “I was sent only to complete right morality.”
(Authenticated by Al-Haakim and confirmed by Az-Zahabi)
This was the morality of your Messenger, so hold fast to it, that you
may be loving and truthful. Allaah says:
ِ ِ ‫{ لََق ْد َكا َن لَ ُكم ِِف س‬
)21:33 ‫سنَةٌ } (سورة احقراب‬
ْ ‫ول هللا أ‬
َُ ْ
َ ‫ُس َوةٌ َح‬
 Verily, in the Messenger of Allaah you have an excellent example 
(Soorah Al-Ahzaab 33:21)
Know that true love of Allaah and His Messenger () demands action in
accordance with the Book of Allaah and the authentic ahaadeeth of His
Messenger () and seeking judgement from them, love of tawheed to
which the Prophet () invited the people and implementation of it; and
the refusal to place the judgement of any other before that of the Qur`aan
and Sunnah. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫هللا و سولِ ِه واتَّ ُقوا هللا إِ َّن هللا ََِس‬
ِ
ِ
ِ َّ
} ‫يم‬
َ ْ َ‫آمنُوا الَ تُ َقد ُموا ب‬
ٌ َ
َ
َ ‫ين‬
ٌ ‫يع َعل‬
َ ُ َ َ َِ ‫ني يَ َد‬
َ ‫{ ََّيأَيُّ َُا الذ‬
 Oh, you who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allaah and
His Messenger; but fear Allaah: For Allaah is All-hearing, Allseeing  (Soorah Al-Hujuraat 49:1)
The signs of true love for him () include love of tawheed and its
implementation, to which he used to call the people, love of those who
call to it and refraining from calling them by objectionable names. Oh,
Allaah! Bless us with love for him and obedience to him and with his
intercession (on the Day of Judgement) and with his high morality ()
78



Ahaadeeth Concerning the Messenger ()
1. “Verily, I have left for you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will
never go astray: The Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet.”
(Narrated by Al-Haakim and authenticated by Al-Albaani)
2. “It is incumbent upon you to follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the
noble, rightly-guided Khulafaa`80: Hold firmly to it.” (An authentic
narration of Imaam Ahmad)
3. “Oh, Faatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Ask of my possessions what
you will; I cannot avail you anything with Allaah.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari)
4. “Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allaah and whoever disobeys me has
disobeyed Allaah.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
5. “Do not extol me excessively as the Christians extolled the son of
Maryam, for I am only a slave, so say: “Allaah’s slave and His
Messenger.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
6. “May Allaah fight the Jews, who took the graves of their Prophets as
places of worship.” (Narated by Al-Bukhaari)
7. Whoever attributed to me something which I did not say, let him
prepare his place in the Fire.” (An authentic hadeeth narrated by Ahmad)
8. “Verily, I do not shake hands with women (i.e. those women whom it
is permissible to marry).” (An authentic narration of At-Tirmizi)
80
Khulafaa`: (sing. khaleefah) Caliph, appointed as the successor to Muhammad (), as a leader – not,
of course, as a Prophet.
79
9. “Whoever rejected my Sunnah is not of from me.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari and Muslim)
10. “Oh, Allaah! I seek refuge with You from useless knowledge (i.e. that
I do not act upon it, that I do not teach it and that it does not change my
morality.” (Narrated by Muslim)


How Should We Educate Our Children?
Allaah, Most High says:
ِ َّ
)6:66 ‫س ُك ْم َوأ َْهلِي ُك ْم َا ا } (سورة التحرمي‬
َ ‫ين‬
َ ‫{ ََّيأَيُّ َُا الذ‬
َ َُ ‫آمنُوا قُوا أَن‬
 Oh, you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a
Fire  (Soorah At-Tahreem 66:6)
The mother, the father, the teacher and the community are responsible
before Allaah, for the education of this generation. If they educate them
well, they will have good fortune in this life and in the Hereafter; but if
they are careless in it, they will be miserable and wretched and the burden
will be on their necks. This is why it has been reported in a hadeeth:
“Each of you is a guardian and each of you is responsible for his ward.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) So rejoice, oh, teacher, at the
words of the Prophet (): “By Allah, that Allaah should guide a singel
person through you is better for you than red camels and every kind of
fine riding beast.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
And rejoice, oh, you parents, in this authentic hadeeth: “When a person
dies, all of his deeds are cut off except three: Continuing charity,
beneficial knowledge and a righteous child who invokes Allaah for him.”
(Narrated by Muslim)
80
Therefore, it is for your betterment, oh teacher, before everything else.
What is good in the eyes of the children is that which you do and what is
bad is in that which you do not do. So if the educator and the parents
behave well before their children, that is the best education for them. And
it is an obligation upon the educator to:
1. Teach the children:
Laa Ilaaha Illallaah, Muhammadur-Rasoolullaah
- and its meaning, which is that none is worthy of worship except Allaah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.
2. Implant love of Allaah and belief in Him in the heart of the child, for
Allaah is our Creator, our Sustainer and our Helper, Alone, without
partners. He is the One and Only Deity Who has the right to be
worshipped.
3. Encourage the children to strive for Paradise and teach them that it is
for those who pray, fast, obey their parents and perform those deeds
which are pleasing to Allaah; and warning them of the Fire which is for
those who abandon prayer, are disrespectful to their parents, who incur
Allaah’s Wrath, seek judgements from other than His Law, devour the
wealth of others through cheating, lying, usury etc.
4. Teach the children to ask Allaah and seek aid from Him Alone, the
evidence for which is the saying of the Prophet () to his cousin: “When
you ask, ask Allaah and when you seek aid, seek it from Allaah.”
(Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who said that it is hasan-saheeh)
Teaching the Prayer
1. It is an obligation upon the parents to teach boys and girls to pray while
they are small, so that they are devoted to it in adulthood, for the Prophet
() said: “Teach your children to pray when they reach seven years of age
and chastise them over it (i.e. of they neglect it) by ten and separate them
81
(i.e. the boys and girls) in their beds.” (An authentic narration of Imaam
Ahmad)
Teachig of wudhoo` and prayer should be by performing it in front of
them, by taking them to the mosque and through encouragement by
giving them books on how to pray, so that the whole family can learn the
rulings on prayer. All of this is the responsibility of the teacher and the
parents and they will be asked about every shortcoming by Allaah.
2. Teaching the children recitation and memorization of the Noble
Qur`aan, beginning with Soorah Al-Faatihah and the short Soorahs and
of “At-Tahiyyaatu Lillaahi…” so that they may learn to pray. A teacher
who can teach them correct recitation and memorization of the Qur`aan
and hadeeth should be found.
3. Encouraging children to pray Jumu’ah and other congregational
prayers in the mosque behind the men. 81 It is also important to be gentle
in advising them when they make a mistake and not to become angry
with them or shout at them, so that they do not abandon prayer and we
will be guilty of sin; if we but remember our own childhood and how we
used to play, we will pardon them.
Warning Against Committing Prohibited Acts
1. Warn the children against kufr, insults, curses and foul language and
teach them with kindness and gentleness that kufr is haraam and lead to
loss and to the Hell-fire. We must control our tongues in front of them, in
order to set a good example for them.
2. Warn them against gambling in all its forms, such as lotteries, roulette
tables and so on, even if it were for amusement, for it will lead to
81
So far as I am aware, there is no evidence for this, apart from the hadeeth which states that the
Prophet () used to place the boys behind the men and the women behind the boys; however, this is a
weak hadeeth.
82
gambling with money and enmity. Teach them that it is a waste of their
wealth and strength and a cause of their prayers being lost.
3. Prevent them from reading indecent magazines and crime and sex
stories and from looking at lewd pictures or from watching obscene films
in the cinema or on television. Such things will destroy their morals and
demolish their future.
4. Warn boys against smoking and tell them that doctors are all agreed
that it is harmful to the body and causes cancer and causes physical
deterioration, bad breath, weakness of the lungs and has no benefits
whatsoever. Therefore, it is haraam to smoke and to sell such things.
Instead, he should be encouraged to eat citrus and other fruits.
5. Accustom them to truthfulness in word and deed by your example. We
must not be untruthful, even in jest. 82 If you promise them something,
you must keep your word, for it is reported in a hadeeth: “The signs of a
hypocrite are three: When he speaks, he lies, when he promises, he breaks
his word and when he is trusted, he betrays that trust.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari and Muslim)
6. Do not feed them with haraam, such as money gained by bribery,
usury, theft and cheating, which leads to wretchedness, rebelliousness and
disobedience.
7. Do not invoke destruction or Allaah’s Wrath upon your children, for
invocations, whether for good or evil may be answered and may cause
your children to go astray. It is better to say to your child: “May Allaah
improve you.”
8. Warn them against associating partners with Allaah, such as by
invoking the dead and seeking aid from them, for they are slaves (of
Allaah), possessing no ability to harm or benefit. Allaah says:
82
The Prophet () said: “Woe to the person who tells lies in order to make the people laugh; woe to
him, woe to him!” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Ahmad and Ad-Darimi.
83
ِ َ َّ‫ِْ َِِإن‬
ِ
ِ ‫ون‬
ِ ‫{ والَ تَ ْدعُ ِمن ُد‬
} ‫ني‬
َ ُ‫هللا َما الَ يَنَع‬
َ ‫ك َوالَ يَ ُ ُّر َك َِِإن َِ َعل‬
َ ‫ك إِ ا م َن الظَّال ِم‬
َ
)106:10 ‫(سورة يونس‬
 Nor call on any other than Allaah; such can neither profit you nor
harm you. If you do so, verily, you will certainly be among the
wrongdoers (i.e. those who commit shirk)  (Soorah Yoonus 10:106)
The Screen and the Veil
1. Encourage your daughters to veil themselves from a young age in order
that they become accustomed to it in adulthood. Don’t dress them in
short, revealing clothes, nor in just a shirt and trousers, for this is an
imitation of the non-Muslims and leads to temptation and incitement of
young men. Order them to cover their heads with a scarf from seven years
of age; and from the beginning of puberty, she should cover her face 83
and wear a long, black, loose outer garment, which protects her honour.
The Noble Qur`aan call upon all believing women to wear the hijaab,
saying:
ِ ِ ِ‫ك ون‬
ِ َ ‫اج‬
ِ ‫َّهللا قُل ألَ ُْو‬
‫ك‬
َ ِ‫ني َعلَْي ُِ َّن ِمن َجكَبِيبِ ُِ َّن َل‬
ُّ ِ‫{ ََّيأَيُّ َُا الن‬
َ ِ‫ني يُ ْدن‬
َ ِ‫ساء ال ُْم ْؤمن‬
َ
َ َ َ ‫ك َوبَنَات‬
)59:33 ‫أَ ْد ََن أَن يُ ْع َرِْ َن َِكَ يُ ْؤ َيْ َن َوَكا َن هللاُ غَ َُو ا َّ ِحيما } (سورة احقراب‬
 Oh, Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the wives of the
Believers that they should cast their outer garments over their
persons (when out of doors): That is most convenient that they
should be known and not molested. And Allaah is Most Forgiving,
Most Merciful  (Soorah Al-Ahzaab 33:59)
83
Regarding the covering of the face, scholars have disagreed as to whether it is preferred or
mandatory. Ibn Katheer, in his Qur`aanic commentary says that the four Imaams, Abu Haneefah,
Maalik, Ash-Shaafi’i and Ahmad were agreed that it is preferable.
84
And Allaah forbids the believing women from revealing themselves,
saying: 
ِ ‫{ والَ تَب َّرجن تَ ب ُّرج ا ْْل‬
)33:33 ‫ُوى } (سورة احقراب‬
َ ‫اهلِيَّ ِة األ‬
َ َ َ َْ َ َ
 And do not display yourselves like the display of the former
Jaahiliyyah 84  (Soorah Al-Ahzaab 33:33)
2. Advise your children – boys and girls – to dress in the clothes of their
sex, in order that the sexes may be clearly differentiated, and to refrain
from wearing the clothes and fashions of the non-Muslims, such as tight
trousers and other harmful customs, for it has been reported in an
authentic hadeeth: “The Prophet () cursed those men who imitate
women and those women who imitate men and he cursed effeminate men
and masculine women.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) And he () said:
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (An authentic narration of
Abu Dawood)
Morals and Manners
1. Accustom the child to using his right hand when giving or receiving
food or drink, for writing and in matters of hospitality, to begin with the
person to the right of the host. And teach him to say: “Bismillaah” before
beginning any action – especially eating and drinking – and that he
should only eat when sitting. After finishing, he should say: “Al-Hamdu
Lillaah”.
2. Teach him habits of cleanliness, such as trimming his nails, washing
his hands before and after eating, cleaning the private parts with toilet
paper or water after urinating or defeacating, so that his prayer is
accepted. And he should not soil his clothes.
84
Jaahiliyyah: The times of ignorance, before Revelation came to the Prophet ( ).
85
3. Advise him quietly and do not expose his faults. If he insists on
disobedience, do not speak to him for three consecutive days and no
more. Teach the children to be silent when the call to prayer is made and
what to say in reply to the words of the mu`azzin (caller to prayer) and
how to send salutations upon the Prophet and ask for his intercession (on
the Day of Judgement):
َّ ِ‫"اللَّ ُُم َ َّ َه ِذه‬
،‫َّامة‬
َّ ‫الد ْع َوةِ الو‬
،‫الصكَةِ ال َقاهِ َمة‬
َّ ‫َو‬
ِ
،‫الو ِسيلَةَ َوالَ ِ يلَة‬
َ ‫آت َُمَ َّمدا‬
"‫َوابْ َعثْهُ َم َق َاما ََْم ُمودا الَّ ِذَ َو َع ْدتَه‬
“Allaahumma Rabba Haazihid-Da’watit-Taammah,
Was-Salaatil-Qaa`imah,
Aati Muhammadanil-Waseelata Wal-Fadheelah,
Wab’ath-hu Maqaaman Mahmoodanil-Lazee Wa’adtah”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Lord of this perfect supplication and of the
Prayer which is established for all time, grant Muhammad the right of
intercession and excellency (in the Hereafter) and raise him to the
praiseworthy rank which You have promised him.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari)
5. Provide a separate bed or mattress for each child if it is possible; if not,
at least give each of them a separate cover. It is best to provide separate
rooms for boys and girls, in order to preserve their modesty and their
health.
6. Teach them not to throw rubbish in the road and to remove what is
harmful to others from it.
86
7. Warn them against keeping bad company and from loitering around in
the streets.
8. Teach them to give salutations, whether in the house, the street or in
prayer, saying:
ِ ُ‫"السكَم َعلَي ُكم و ْوة‬
"‫هللا َوبَ َرَكاتُه‬
َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َّ
‘As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh”
- which means: “May the Peace of Allaah, His Mercy and His Blessings
be upon you.”
9. Advise them to be kind to their neighbours and not to harm them.
10. Teach the child kindness, respect and hospitality for the guest.
Jihaad and Courage
1. It is preferred to organize family gatherings and student gatherings,
where the Seerah of the Prophet () and his Companions () is read out,
so that they may know that he was the most courageous of leaders and
that his Companions, such as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, ‘Ali and
Mu’aawiyah opened up our lands and that Allaah guided us through them
and that they were victorious because of their strong eemaan, their
fighting and their adherence to the Qur`aan and Sunnah and their high
morality.
2. Teach the children to be brave, to order the good and forbid the evil
and to fear only Allaah. It is not permissible to frighten them with lies,
fancies 85 or the darkness.
3. Implant in them a desire for retribution against the Jews and all
oppressors; and inform them that our sons shall liberate Palestine and AlQuds when they return to the teachings of Islaam and jihaad in Allaah’s
Cause – then they will be victorious, by Allaah’s Permission.
85
That is, ghosts, monsters and the like, which have no existence outside the realms of fiction.
87
4. Purchase for them beneficial, educational Islaamic story books, such as
series on stories of the Noble Qur`aan and the Seerah of the Prophet ()
and the heroes among the Companions () and the courageous Muslims.

Filial Piety
If you desire success in this life and in the Hereafter, then act in
accordance with the following advice:
1. Address your parents with respect and do not speak words of anger or
disrespect to them and do not scold or reproach them, but speak to them
with kindness.
2. Always be obedient to your parents, so long as they do not order you to
act in disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (), for there is no
obedience to any created being, if it involves disobedience to the Creator.
3. Be kind to them and do not frown at them or look at them in anger.
4. Protect the reputation, honour and property of your parents and take
nothing from them without their permission.
5. Do what pleases them, even without their requesting it, such as serving
them, purchasing their everyday needs and trying to anticipate them.
6. Consult them in all matters pertaining to your work and ask their
pardon if you are forced to ignore their advice.
7. Answer quickly when they call you, with a smiling face, saying: “Yes,
Mother,” or: “Yes, Father.”
8. Be respectful to their friends and their near relatives, both living and
deceased.
9. Do not argue with them or tell them they are wrong, but try to politely
explain to them what is correct.
88
10. Do not oppose them or raise your voice to them: Listen to their words
and be polite with them, and do not annoy any of your brothers, as a mark
of respect to your parents.
11. Stand up when greeting your parents and kiss them on the head.
12. Help your mother in the house and do not delay in proffering help to
your father in his work.
13. Do not travel unless they permit it, even for an important matter. If
you have no choice, then apologize to them and keep in contact with
them.
14. Do not enter their presence without permission, especially when it is
their time to sleep or take rest.
15. If you are addicted to smoking, then do not smoke in their presence.
16. Do not eat or drink in front of them, but invite them to join you.
17. Do not lie to them and do not scold them if do anything which
surprises or shocks you.
18. Do not prefer your wife or your children over them. Seek their
approval in everything, for Allaah’s Pleasure is attained by pleasing one’s
parents and His Anger by making them angry.
19. Do not sit in a higher place than them and do not arrogantly extend
your legs in their direction.
20. Do not show pride in comparing your situation with that of your
father, even if you have a very important job. Do not reject what is in
their interest and do not hurt them, even by a single word.
21. Do not be miserly in providing for them, causing them to complain to
you, for this is very shameful for you; and you will see it reflected in the
behaviour of your children: You will reap what you sow.
22. Visit your parents frequently and bring them gifts. Thank them for
caring for you and bringing you up and for their struggles in so doing.
Consider your children and do not be harsh with them.
89
23. The person most deserving of your love and your respect is your
mother, then your father. You should know that Paradise is attained
through kindness and obedience to one’s mother.
24. Refrain from disobeying them, and do not make them angry, for you
will be wretched in this life and in the Hereafter and your children will
treat you in a similar manner.
25. If you wish to ask something of your parents, then do so with
politeness and thank them if they accede to your request and forgive them
if they deny you. And do not ask them excessively, in case you annoy
them.
26. If you are able to earn money, then do so and help your parents.
27. Your parents have rights over you, as does your wife: Give all of
them their rights and try to bring about an agreement between them
whenever they differ; and present both sides with gifts secretly.
28. If your parents dispute with your wife, then try to arbitrate between
them; inform your wife that you are with her, if right is on her side, but
that you are obliged to please them.
29. If you dispute with your parents concerning marriage or divorce, seek
judgement from the Law of Islaam, for that is the best source of help for
you.
30. The supplication of parents is answered, whether good or bad, so take
care that they do not invoke ill upon you.
31. Be polite with people, for whoever insults people will be insulted in
return by them. The Prophet () said: “It is a major sin for a man to
slander his parents: He insults a man’s father and that man insults his
father and mother in return, then the first insults the mother of the
latter…” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
90
32. Visit your parent while they are alive and visit their graves after their
death; give charity for them and supplicate Allaah frequnetly for them,
saying:
"‫ص ِغيا‬
َّ ‫" ِ ا ْغ َِ ْر ِِل َولَِوالِ َد‬
َ ‫َ َ ِ ا ْ َوْ ُُ َما َك َما َبَّيَ ِاّن‬
“Rabbighfir Lee Wa Liwaalidayya,
Rabbir-hamhumaa Kamaa Rabbayaani Sagheeraa”
- which means: “Oh, my Lord! Forgive me and my parents. Oh, my Lord!
Show mercy to them as they brought me up when I was a child.”


Avoid the Major Sins
1. Allaah, Most High says:
‫{ إِن ََتْوَنِبُوا َكبَاهَِر َما تُ ْن َُ ْو َن َع ْنهُ نُ َك َِ ْر َع ن ُك ْم َس يِئَاتِ ُك ْم َونُ ْد ِل ْل ُك ْم ُم ْد َلك َك ِرْ ا } (سوورة‬
)31:4 ‫النس ء‬
 If you avoid the most heinous of things which you are forbidden to
do, We shall remit your evil deeds and admit you to a Gate of great
honour  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:31)
2. And the Prophet () said: “The worst of the major sins are: Associating
partners with Allah (shirk), murder, disobedience to parents and giving
false testimony.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
3. Major sins are: All acts of disobedience for which a punishment is
provided in the Law, or for which there is a promise of punishment or
Allaah’s Wrath in the Hereafter, or which have been cursed by Allaah
and His Messenger ().
91
4. The number of major sins: Ibn ‘Abbaas () said: “The number is nearer
to seven hundred than seven. But there is no major sin when one seeks
forgiveness and there is no minor sin when one continuously and
intentionally commits it. And the major sins are not all of the same
degree.” 86


Types of Major Sins
1. Major sins in ‘aqeedah: 87
(i) Major shirk, which is to direct an act of worship to other than Allaah,
such as invoking the dead, or acting in accordance with laws other than
those of Islaam.
(ii) Minor shirk, which is riyaa`, such as a person performing an act of
worship well, in order to be seen doing so by other people, Islaamic
teaching in order to gain some worldly benefit, hiding obligatory
knowledge or concealing treachery, believing in fortune-tellers, sorcerers
and astrologers, slaughtering and making vows to other than Allaah,
learning magic and practising it, swearing by other than Allaah (such as
nobility, one’s son, the Prophet [] and the Ka’bah etc.), cursing a
Muslim or accusing him of kufr without proof, rejecting the kufr of
disbelievers, lying about Allaah and His Messenger () (as in the
fabrication of ahaadeeth, or recitation of ahaadeeth known to be
fabricated, believing oneself safe from the punishment of Allaah,
86
That is, if one commits a major sin and then turns to Allaah in sincere repentance, he will not be
punished for that sin, but when a person repeatedly and intentionally commits a minor sin, it becomes a
major sin, but some major sins are worse than others (the very worst of them being shirk).
87 ‘Aqeedah: Tenets of faith, beliefs.
92
slapping one’s face in excessive lamentation of the dead, disbelief in
Qadar, the wearing of amulets (such as pearls, horseshoes, animals’ feet
[such as a rabbit’s foot and the like] around a child’s neck or in the car as
a protection against the evil eye).
2. Major sins of the soul and the mind: Taking a life without authority
from the Law, burning a person or an animal alive, arrogance or
oppression towards the weak, one’s wife, student, servant or riding beast,
backbiting, tale bearing, all alcoholic beverages (such as khamr, nabeez,
88
whisky, beer and so on., taking poison, eating pork or carrion without
necessity, smoking harmful things such as marijuana and tobacco,
committing suicide, even if it be slowly, such as through smoking,
arguing pointlessly, oppressing people and behaving with enmity towards
them, rejecting the truth and becoming angry at it, ridiculing people,
insulting another Muslim, or one of the Companions (), pride, vanity,
spying, perjury before a judge in order to harm a person and giving false
testimony, sculpting, drawing or painting images of any creature which
possesses a soul without necessity (such as for identity cards, licenses and
passports).
3. Major sins in financial matters: Devouring the property of orphans,
gambling, lotteries, theft, highway robbery, confiscation of property,
bribery, giving short measure, swearing falsely to obtain financial gain,
deception in buying and selling, violating contracts, giving false
testimony, cheating, squandering money, pretending to have debts in
order to avoid giving one’s heirs their fair share of the inheritance,
concealing testimony, displeasure with what Allaah has assigned as one’s
88
Khamr and nabeez: Two alcoholic drinks made by the Arabs in previous times, the former by
fermenting dates and the latter by fermenting raisins.
93
share, the wearing of gold by men, wearing a robe or trousers which
hangs below the ankles out of pride. 89
4. Major sins in acts of worship: Abandoning prayer or delaying it
without a valid excuse, abandoning Hajj when one is able to perform it,
fleeing from jihaad in Allaah’s Cause, abandoning jihaad – whether
physical, material or spoken – by those upon whom it is incumbent,
abandoning jumu’ah prayers or the other congregational prayers without
an excuse, the abndonment of ordering the good and forbidding the evil,
when one is able to do so, not cleaning oneself after urinating (by paper,
stones or water) and not acting upon knowledge.
5. Major sins in matters of family and kinship: Adultery and
fornication, homosexuality, slandering righteous, believing women,
women displaying their beauty and uncovering their hair, women
imitating men and men imitating women (such as by shaving one’s
beard), disobedience to one’s parents (in matters which do not entail
disobedience to Allaah), cutting off family ties without a valid legal
cause, women’s refusing conjugal rights to their husbands without a valid
reason, such as menstruation or following childbirth, marrying a woman
and divorcing her in order to make it halaah for the former husband to
wed her again, a woman’s refusal to honour her husband and knowingly
denying the paternity of her child, acceptance of a spouse’s adultery,
harming one’s neighbour and plucking facial hair or eyebrows by men or
women.
6. Repentance of major sins: Oh, my Muslim brother! If you are
committing a major sin, then stop doing it immediately, turn to Allaah in
89
While there is a hadeeth concerning the sin of wearing garments which hang below the ankles due
to pride, it does not follow that if it is done without pride, there is no sin, for the Prophet () also said:
“Whatever hangs down from one’s izaar (lower garment) below the ankles is in the Fire.” (Narrated by
Al-Bukhaari) Here there is no mention of pride, thus it is established that wearing garments which hang
below the ankles is a sin – whether it is done out of pride or not. Some scholars have said that the one
who does it out of pride incurs two sins - and Allaah knows best.
94
repentance and seeking forgiveness and do not return to it, for Allaah
says:
ِِِ
ٍ ‫وء ِِبَ َُالَ ٍة ُُثَّ يَوُوبُو َن ِمن قَ ِر‬
ُّ ‫ين يَ ْع َملُو َن‬
َ ِ‫يب َِأ ُْولَئ‬
ُ‫ك يَوُ و ُ هللا‬
َ ‫{ إِ ََّّنَا الوَّوبَةُ َعلَإ هللا للَّذ‬
َ ‫الس‬
ِ ِ
ِ َ‫الس يِئ‬
ِ ‫َعلَ ْي ُِم وَك ا َن هللا َعلِيم ا ح ِكيم ا ولَْي‬
‫ات َح ََّّت إِ َا َح َ َر‬
َّ ‫ين يَ ْع َملُ و َن‬
ُ
َ
َ ‫س ِ الو َّْوبَ ةُ للَّ ذ‬
َ َ
َْ
ِ َّ
‫ك أَ ْعوَ ْد َا ََلُ ْم َع َذاِب‬
َ َ‫ت ق‬
َ ِ‫ين َُْوتُو َن َو ُه ْم ُك ََّ ا ٌ أ ُْولَئ‬
ُ ‫َح َد ُه ُم ال َْم ْو‬
ُ ‫ال إِِّن تُ ْب‬
َ‫أ‬
َ ‫ِ اآل َن َوالَ ال ذ‬
)18-17: 4 ‫أَلِيما } (سورة النس ء‬
 Allaah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and
then repent soon afterwards; to them Allaah will return in mercy, for
Allaah is All-knowing, Most Wise. No repentance is there for those
who do evil until death faces one of them, then he says: “Now I have
truly repented,” nor those who die as disbelievers: For them We have
prepared a painful punishment  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:17-18 )
Q. What are the conditions of acceptance of repentance?
A. The conditions of acceptance of repentance are:
1. Sincerity: That the repentance of the sinner is purely for Allaah and no
other.
2. Regret: That the sinner regrets what he has done.
3. Renunciation: That the sinner renounces his sin.
4. No recurrence: That the sinner undertakes not to repeat his sin.
5. Seeking forgiveness: That the sinner asks forgiveness fro Allaah for th
sin which he committed against Allaah.
6. Discharging rights: That the sinner gives those whom he may have
wronged their rights or is pardoned by them.
7. The time of acceptance: That the repentance of the sinner takes place
while he is alive and prior to the approach of death, for the Prophet ()
95
said: “Verily, Allaah accepts the repentance of His slave so long as it is
before the rattle of death is in his throat.” (A hasan narration of AtTirmizi)


Follow and Do Not Innovate
1. If you wish to avoid innovation in religious matters (bida’), some will
say to you: “Your spectacles are an innovation.” The reply to such people
is that these are not innovations in religion, rather, they are a worldly
invention, concerning which the Messenger () said: “You know better
concerning your worldly matters.” (Narrated by Muslim)
There are two possible judgements for such inventions: (i) The radio,
for example, is halaal if it is used for listening to the Qur`aan and
ahaadeeth, but haraam if used for listening to music and singing, for such
things corrupt morality and harm the community.
2. Innovation in religion: This is something for which there is no
evidence in the Qur`aan and Sunnah; such innovations are in matters of
worship and religion. It is this kind of innovation which is rejected by
Islaam and branded a misguidance. Allaah, Most High says, in rejection
of the polytheists and their innovations:
ِ ‫{ أ َْم ََلُم ُشرَكاء َشرعُواْ ََلُم ِمن‬
)21:42 ‫الدي ِن َما ََّلْ ََيْ َن بِ ِه هللاُ } (سورة الشورى‬
َ
َ ُ َ ْ
 Or do they have partners who have established for them some
religion without the permission of Allaah?  (Soorah Ash-Shooraa
42:21)
96
3. And the Prophet () said: “Whoever performed a deed which is not
from this matter (i.e. religion) of ours, will have it rejected.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
4. And he () said: “Beware of novelty in (religious) matters, for every
novelty is an innovation and every innovation is a misguidance.”
(Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who declared it to be hasan-saheeh). And he ()
said: “Verily, Allah has blocked every innovator from repentance until he
abandons it (i.e. the innovation).” (An authentic narration by At-Tirmizi
and others)
5. And Ibn ‘Umar () said: “Every innovation is a misguidance even
though the people consider it to be good.”
6. And Maalik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Whoever innovates
in Islaam, considering his innovation to be good, has, in effect, claimed
that Muhammad () failed to complete the Message, for Allaah says:
ِ ‫ِ َعلَْي ُكم نِ ْعم ِِت و‬
‫يِ لَ ُك ُم ا ِإل ْس كَ َم ِدين ا } (سوورة‬
ُ ‫ض‬
ُ ‫ِْ لَ ُك ْم ِدينَ ُك ْم َوأ َْْتَ ْم‬
ُ ‫{ الْيَ ْوَم أَ ْك َمل‬
ََ َ ْ
)3:5 ‫امل ئدة‬
 This day I have perfected for you your Religion and completed My
Favour upon you and chosen for you Islaam as your Religion 
(Soorah Al-Maa`idah 5:3) Therefore, that which was not a part of the
Religion on that day is not a part of it now.
7. Ash-Shaafi’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Whoever acts in
accordance with his own discretion (in religious matters) has, in effect,
legislated; and if it were permissible to use one’s discretion in the
Religion, it would be allowed for intelligent people from among the
97
disbelievers; and it would be allowed for every person to legislate a new
law for himself in every matter.”
8. And Ghadheef said: “No innovation appears without a like Sunnah
being abandoned.”
9. And Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “Do not sit with an innovator, for he will
cause a disease in your heart.”
10. And Huzaifah said: “Do not perform any act of worship not practised
by the Companions of Muhammad ().”


Innovations Are of Many Types, Including:
1. Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (), the night of Al-Israa` Wal
Al-Mi’raaj and other so-called ‘Eeds.
2. Dancing, whistling and beating a drum while mentioning Allaah,
raising the voice, altering the Names of Allaah, such as Ah, Ih, Aah, Hu
and Hi. 90
3. Holding funerals and inviting Shaikhs to recite (the Qur`aan) over the
dead and other such innovations.
The Saying: “Sadaqallaahul-‘Azeem” 91
1. Reciters of the Qur`aan have become accustomed to saying this on
completion of their recitation, although it is not reported from the Prophet
(), nor from His Companions () nor from their successors.
2. Reciting the Qur`aan is an act of worship and it is not permissible for
anyone to add something to it, for the Prophet () said: “Whoever
90
A despicable innovation of some Sufis, who claim due to their supposedly elevated status over the
rest of the Muslims, they are allowed to mention Allaah using the special abbreviations.
91 Sadaqallaahul-‘Azeem: Allaah, Most Powerful has spoken the truth.
98
innovated in this matter (i.e. Religion) of ours will have it rejected.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
3. This action of the reciters is unsupported by any proof from Allaah’s
Boo, the Sunnah of His Prophet () or the actions of the Companions
(). It is no more than an innovation of the later generations.
4. The Messenger () listened to the recitation of Ibn Mas’ood () and
when he reached the Words of Allaah, Most High:
)41:4 ‫ك َعلَإ َه ُؤالَِء َش ُِيدا } (سورة النس ء‬
َ ِ‫{ َو ِج ْئ نَا ب‬
 (How would it be if) We brought you as a witness against these
people!  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:41) – he said: “That is sufficient for you.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) (He did not say: “Allaah, Most Powerful has
spoken the truth,” nor did he order it)
5. The ignorant and the young think that this is a Verse in the Qur`aan
and they recite it in the prayer and at other times and this is not
permissible because it is not a part of the Qur`aan. It is sometimes even
written at the end of the Soorah, in the script of the Qur`aan!
6. Shaikh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) 92
declared that it is an innovation, when asked about it.
7. As for Allaah’s Words:
ِ ِ َّ ِ ِ
)95:3 ‫يم َحنِيَا } (سورة آل عمران‬
َ ‫{ قُ ْل‬
َ ‫ص َد َق هللاُ َِاتَّبعُوا ملةَ إبْ َراه‬
 Say: “Allaah speaks the truth, so follow the Religion of Ibraaheem,
the true Religion.”  (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:95)
- they are a reply to the lying Jews, as is proved by the preceding Verse:
92
The late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia.
99
ِ ‫{ َِم ِن اِْ و رى َعلَإ‬
} ‫ك ُه ُم الظَّالِ ُمو َن‬
َ ِ‫ك َِأ ُْولَئ‬
َ ِ‫هللا الْ َك ِذ َ ِمن بَ ْع ِد َل‬
ََ َ
‫(سورة‬
)94:3 ‫آل عمران‬
 Then after that, whoever shall invent a lie against Allah, such will
indeed be the wrongdoers (i.e. disbelievers)  (Soorah Aali ‘Imraan
3:94)
- The Messenger () knew this Verse, yet he did not say it after reciting
the Qur`aan, nor did the Companions () or the pious Salaf.
8. This innovation has caused the death of a Sunnah, which is to call upon
Allaah, for the Prophet () said: “Whoever recites the Qur`aan should ask
Allaah by it.” (A hasan narration of At-Tirmizi)
9. It is incumbent upon the reciter to call upon Allaah, asking Him for
whatever he wishes after his recitation and to ask that it be an intercessor
with Allaah for him, for it is a righteous act which leads to the acceptance
of his invocation. It is fitting if he invokes Allaah with these words:
Allaah’s Messenger () said: “None recites this invocation except that
Allaah removes his burden and his sadness and replaces it with
happiness:
ِ ‫ك َا‬
ٍ ‫صيَِِت بِيَ ِد َك َم‬
‫ِف‬
َّ ِ ‫ك َع ْد ٌل‬
َّ ِ ‫اض‬
َ ‫ِف ُح ْك ُم‬
َ ِ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم إِِّن َع ْب ُد َك َوابْ ُن َع ْب ِد َك َوابْ ُن أ ََمو‬
ِ ِ َ ‫ك ََسَّي‬
‫َح دا‬
َ ِ‫ك أ َْو أَنْ َزلْوَهُ ِِف كِوَاب‬
َ‫س‬
َ ُ‫َسأَل‬
ْ َ َ‫اس ٍم ُه َو ل‬
ْ ‫ك بِ ُك ِل‬
ْ ‫ أ‬، ‫قَ َ ا ُؤ َك‬
َ ‫ك أ َْو َعلَّ ْموَ هُ أ‬
َ َْ َ‫ِ به ن‬
ِ ِ ِ ‫ِمن لل ِْقك أَ ِو اسوأْثَرت بِ ِه ِِف ِعل ِْم الغي‬
َ‫ص ِر‬
َ ْ َْ
َ َ ْ
ْ َ‫ب ع ْن َد َك أ ْن ََتْ َع َل ال ُق ْرآ َن َبِي َع قَ ْل ِهللا َونُوَ ب‬
َْ
"‫َو َجكَ َء ُح ْزِّن َو َ َها َ َِهي‬
Allaahumma Innee ‘Abduka Wabnu ‘Abdika Wabnu Amatika
Naasiyati Biyadika, Maadhin Feeya Hukmuka ‘Adlun Feeya
100
Qadhaa`uk. As`Aluka Bikullismin Huwa Laka Sammaitahu Bihi
Nafsaka Aw Anzaltahu Fee Kitaabika Aw ‘Allamtahu Ahadan Min
Khalqika Awista`tharta Bihi Fee ‘Ilmil-Ghaibi ‘Indaka An Taj’al AlQur`aana Rabee’a Qalbee Wa Noora Basree Wa Jalaa`a Huznee Wa
Zahaaba Hammee”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I am Your slave and the son of your male
slave and the son of your female slave. My destiny is in Your Hand, Your
Judgement concerning me will be carried out and Your Decision
regarding me is Just. I ask You by all of Your Names: Those by which
You have named Yourself, or which You have revealed to any of Your
creatures, or which You Alone possess from the Knowledge of the unseen
which is with You, that You make the Qur`aan enliven my heart,
illuminate my vision, remove my sadness and lift my burden.” (Narrated
by Ahmad)


Ordering the Good and Forbidding the Evil
These are the two main pillars upon which a healthy society is built and
they are especially features of an Islaamic community; Allaah, Most High
says:
ِ ‫وا وتَ ْن ُو َن َع ِن الْمن َك ِر وتُ ْؤِمنُ و َن ِِب‬
ِ
ِ ‫ِ لِلن‬
‫هلل‬
ْ ‫{ ُكنوُ ْم َل ْي َر أ َُّم ٍة أُ ْل ِر َج‬
ْ َ َ ‫َّاس ََت ُْم ُرو َن ِِبل َْم ْع ُر‬
َ ُ
)110:3 ‫} (سورة آل عمران‬
 You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind. Enjoining
what is good and forbidding what is evil and believing in Allaah 
(Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:110)
101
When we stopped ordering the good and forbidding the evil, the society
became corrupted, morals declined, relations became bad and so on…
Ordering the good and prohibiting the evil is an obligation upon every
Muslim, male and female, scholar and common man, each according to
his ability and his knowledge. The Messenger () said: “If any of you
witnesses something evil, he should change it with his hand; if he is
unable to do that, then by his words; and if he is unable to do that, then he
should hate it in his heart – and this is the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
Ways of Ordering the Good and Forbidding the Evil
1. The Friday khutbah and that of the two ‘Eeds: The Khateeb should
describe the different types of evil.
2. Articles and columns in magazines and newspapers: In order to
describe the ills which are afflicting the society and their cure.
3. Books: In which the writer explains his thoughts on how to improve
the society.
4. Exhortations: Take place in gatherings, where one of those present
speaks, for example about the harmful effects of smoking on one’s health
and wealth.
5. Advice: Between a Muslim and his brother, in secret, advising him
against wearing gold rings, or abandoning prayer, or warning him against
invoking other than Allaah.
6. Booklets and pamphlets: Perhaps the most effective means of
ordering the good and forbidding the evil, for any person may read a few
pages on prayer, jihaad, zakaah, or major sins, such as invoking the dead,
seeking help from them and the like.
Conditions For Acceptance of One Who Orders the Good and Forbids
the Evil
102
1. That his ordering and prohibition be carried out with gentleness and
kindness, so that they be accepted by the people; Allaah, Most High,
addressing Moosaa and Haaroon 93 says:
} ‫شإ‬
َ َِْ ‫{ ا ْ َهبَا إِ َى ِِ ْر َع ْو َن إِنَّهُ طَغَإ َِ ُقوالَ لَ هُ قَ ْوال لَيِن ا لَّ َعلَّ هُ يَوَ َذ َّك ُر أ َْو‬
‫(سوورة‬
)44-43 :20 ‫طه‬
 Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all
bounds; but speak to him mildly, that he may take warning or fear
(Allaah)  (Soorah Taa-Haa 20:43-44)
If you see a person reviling someone and branding him a disbeliever,
then advise him to behave with gentleness and ask him to see refuge with
Allaah from the accursed Satan, who caused him to villify that person;
and advise him to say that Allaah created us and showers us with
innumerable blessings and thus he deserves our gratitude and thanks and
that such disbelief does not benefit society, rather, it causes wretchedness
in this world and punishment in the Hereafter. Then order him to turn to
Allaah in repentance and seek forgiveness from Him.
2. He should know the halaal and the haraam concerning that which he is
ordering, so that he may benefit the people and not harm them by his
ignorance.
3. He should do that which he orders and he should abstain from that
which he forbids, so that the utmost benefit may be obtained from his
preaching. Concerning those who order others, but do not act themselves,
Allaah, Most High says:
‫(سوورة‬
ِ ‫َْب وتَنسو َن أَن َُس ُكم وأَنْ وُم تَ ْو لُو َن ال‬
} ‫ْكوَا َ أََِ كَ تَ ْع ِقلُ و َن‬
ْ َ َ ِ ِ‫َّاس ِِبل‬
ْ َْ َ
َ ‫{ أ َََت ُْم ُرو َن الن‬
)44:2 ‫البقرة‬
93
Haaroon: Aaron.
103
 Do you enjoin right conduct on the people and forget (to practise it)
yourselves and yet you study the Scripture? Will you not then
understand?  (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:44)
As for the one who is put to trial, he should warn the people against
landing in the same situation in which he finds himself due to his mistake.
4. We should be sincere in our deeds, calling the disobedient with
wisdom and guidance and we shall find forgiveness with Allaah, for He
says:
‫ِ أ َُّمةٌ ِم ْن ُُ ْم َِّلَ تَ ِعظُو َن قَ ْوما هللاُ ُم ُْلِ ُك ُُ ْم أ َْو ُم َع ِذبُ ُُ ْم َع َذاِب َش ِديدا قَ الُوا َم ْع ِذ َة‬
ْ َ‫{ َوإِ ْ قَال‬
)164:7 ‫إِ َى َبِ ُك ْم َولَ َعلَّ ُُ ْم يَوَّ ُقو َن } (سورة احعرا‬
 When a group of them said: “Why do you preach to a people whom
Allaah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?” They said:
“To seek forgiveness from your Lord and that perchance they may
fear (Him).”  (Soorah Al-A’raaf 7:164)
5. The one who orders the good and forbids the evil should be courageous
and he should not fear rebuke from anyone and he should patiently
persevere in the face of whatever befalls him.
Types of Detested Actions
1. In the mosque: Adorning it with intricate designs and colours and
several minarets; placing writing on the walls in front of the worshipper
which distracts him and prevents him from praying in humility,
especcially poetic verses which contain invocations to other than Allah;
passing directly in front of the worshipper in prayer; passing between
those already sitting; raising one’s voice when making du’aa`, reciting
the Qur`aan or speaking, or when invoking blessings on the Prophet (),
for this disturbs the other worshippers and it has been reported that it
104
should be done secretly; the Messenger () said: “Do not let some of you
raise their voices over those of others when reciting the Qur`aan.” (An
authentic narration of Abu Dawood); spitting or coughing in a loud voice;
the narration by some warners and Imaams of waek and fabricated
ahaadeeth, without mentioning their status, and in spite of the existence
of many authentic ahaadeeth, which makes it unnecessary to resort to
such unacceptable narrations; seeking aid or help from other than Allaah
before making the call to prayer, or when reciting poetry on the occasion
of celebrations; the smell of cigarette smoke on the breath of some of the
worshippers; praying in a dirty, bad-smelling garment; shouting in a loud
voice; dancing and whistling while mentioning Allaah; buying and
selling; announcing lost property; and not praying shoulder-to-shoulder
and foot-to-foot during congregational prayers.
2. In the street: Women going out unveiled and uncovered, or talking and
laughing in loud voices; a man holding a woman’s hand and speaking
shamelessly to her; selling lottery tickets; selling liquor in bars; pictures
of scantily-clad men and women which corrupt morality; throwing
rubbish in the street; the loitering of young men, with the intention of
ogling passing women; making sport of women in the streets, the markets
or in cars.
3. In the market: Swearing by other than Allah, such as nobility, a
covenant and so on; lying in order to profit when selling; placing one’s
wares in people’s path; kufr and slandering; giving short weight or short
measure; and calling out to people in a loud voice.
4. In general: Listening to music or immoral singing; free mixing of men
and women without the presence of a mahram, even though they may be
relatives, such as cousins or brothers and sister-in-law etc; hanging
pictures of living creatures – even of oneself or of one’s father – on the
105
walls or on shelves, tables, etc.; extravagance and waste in food, drink,
clothes and furnishings, for it is a duty to distribute what is surplus to
one’s requirements among the poor and needy, that they may benefit from
it; offering cigarettes to people, because they harm to one’s health and
wealth and to one’s neighbour; gambling with cards or dice; disobedience
to one’s parents; reading immoral magazines; hanging amulets and
charms, such as turquoise, animal’s feet and horseshoes and the like on
the doors of houses and in cars and around the necks of children and
believing that they protect one from the evil eye or ward off calamity;
criticizing any of the Companions (); acts of kufr, including mocking
acts of obedience to Allaah, such as prayer, a woman’s veil, a man’s
beard and other things brought by Islaam.


Du’a` of the Market
The Prophet () said: “Whoever entered the house and said:
، ُ‫يك لَه‬
َ ‫"الَ إِلَهَ إِالَّ هللاُ َو ْح َدهُ الَ َش ِر‬
، ‫وت‬
ُ َُْ َ‫يِ َو ُه َو َح ٌّي ال‬
ُ ‫لَهُ املُل‬
ُ ُِْ‫ْك َولَهُ احلَ ْم ُد ُْْ ِي َو‬
ٍ ‫بِي ِدهِ اْلَي ر وهو علَإ ُك ِل َش‬
"‫يء قَ ِد ٌير‬
َ َُ َ ُ ْ
َ
“Laa Ilaaha Illallaahu Wahdau Laa Shareeka Lah,
Lahul-Mulku Wa Lahul-Hamdu Yuhyi Wa Yumeetu Wa Huwa Hayyun
Laa Yamoot,
Biyadihil-Khair Wa Huwa ‘Alaa Kulli Shay`in Qadeer”
- which means: “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah,
Alone, without partners. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him is due
106
all praise; He gives life and death and He is Living and does not die. All
goodness is in His Hand and He is Able to do all things.”
- Allah will write for him a thousand thousand (i.e. a million) rewards
and wipe out for him a thousand thousand sins, raise him a thousand
thousand degress and build for him a house in Paradise.” (Narrated by
Ahmad and others and graded as hasan by Al-Albani in ‘Saheeh AlJaami’,’ no. 6107)


Jihaad in Allaah’s Cause
Jihaad is an obligation upon every Muslim; it may be through one’s
wealth, which involves purchasing provision for those embarking on
jihaad; it may be with one’s person, which requires one to fight; and it
may be through one’s words or by the pen, which involves calling others
to it and speaking in its defence. Jihaad is of different types:
1. Fardh ‘Ain 94 : This is to oppose the enemy who occupies the Muslim
lands, such as the Jews, who have invaded Palestine. Those Muslims who
are able to participate are sinners unless they fight with their wealth and
their persons until the Jews are expelled.
2. Fardh Kifaayah 95 : If enough of the Muslims undertake the
obligation, it is no longer required of the rest. This is jihaad in order to
spread the call to Islaam to other lands, until they are ruled by Islaam.
Whoever submits to Islaam is under its protection, but whoever opposes it
must be fought until the Word of Allaah is supreme; this jihaad is an
obligation until the Day of Resurrection, in addition to the first. When the
Muslims abandon jihaad and are beguiled by the affairs of this world,
94
Fardh ‘Ain: A specific obligation upon every Muslim.
95
Fardh Kifaayah: An obligation upon the General Muslim Ummah.
107
such as farming and business, they are humiliated and the truth of the
words of the Prophet () concerning them becomes evident: “If you
should sell by al-‘eenah, 96 take the tails of cows, become satisified with
farming (to the exclusion of all else) and abandon jihaad in Allaah’s
Cause, Allaah will inflict humiliation upon you and He will not lift it
from you until you return to your Religion.” (An authentic narration by
Imaam Ahmad)
3. Jihaad of the Muslim Rulers: This is done by proffering advice to
them and their aides, for Allaah’s Messenger () said: “The Religion is
giving advice.” We (i.e. the Companions []) said: “For whom, oh,
Messenger of Allaah?” He () said: “For Allaah, His Book, His
Messenger, the Muslims’ leaders and the Muslims in general.” (Narrated
by Muslim)
And he () said: “The best jihaad is speaking a word of truth to an
unjust ruler.” (A hasan narration by Abu Dawood and At-Tirmizi)
The correct way of freeing ourselves from unjust rulers who are from
among us and speak on our behalf is for the Muslims to turn in
repentance to their Lord, to correc their beliefs and to educate themselves
and their families in the precepts of the true Islaam, in accordance with
the Words of Allaah, Most High:
)11:13 ‫{ إِ َّن هللاَ الَ يُغَِيُ َما بَِق ْوٍم َح ََّّت يُغَِيُوا َما ِِبَن َُ ِس ُِ ْم } (سورة الرعد‬
 Verily, Allaah does not change the condition of a people unless they
change what is in themselves  (Soorah Ar-Ra’d 13:11)
96
Al-‘Eenah: A sale in which a man sells something to another for a sum to be paid later and gives the
buyer the item(s), then he purchases it back from him for a reduced sum before receiving its price from
the buyer in money.
108
One contemporary caller to Islaam alluded to this, saying: “Establish
the Islaamic State in your hearts and it will (naturally) be established in
your land.” Also the foundations must be repaired before one can build an
edifice upon it – and they (the foundations) are none other than the
society; Allaah, Most High says:
ِ
ِ َّ ‫{ و َع َد هللا الَّ ِذين آمنُ وا ِم ن ُكم و َع ِملُ وا‬
ِ ‫احل‬
ِ ْ َ‫َُّم ِِف األ‬
َ َ‫اس وَ ْخل‬
ْ ‫ض َك َم ا‬
ُ ‫ات لَيَ ْس وَ ْخلَن‬
َ ‫الص‬
َ َ ُ
َْ
َ
ِ ِ ‫الَّ ِذ‬
ِ
ِ
ِ
ِ
‫َُّم ِم ن بَ ْع ِد َل ْوِِ ُِ ْم أ َْمن ا‬
ُ ‫ين من قَ ْبل ُِ ْم َولَيُ َمك نَ َّن ََلُ ْم دي نَ ُُ ُم الَّذَ ا ْتَ َ إ ََلُ ْم َولَيُ بَ دلَن‬
َ
ِ َْ‫ك ُه م ال‬
ِ َ ِ‫ي ْعب ُدونَِّن الَ ي ْش ِرُكو َن ِّب َش ْي ئا وم ن َكَ ر ب ْع َد َل‬
‫اس ُقو َن } (سوورة النووور‬
َُ
ََ
ََ
ُ
ُ َ ‫ك َِأ ُْولَئ‬
)55:24
 Allaah has promised to those among you who believe and do
righteous deeds that He will certainly grant them succession (to the
present rulers) in the land as He granted it to those before them and
He will grant them the authority to practise their Religion which He
has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in
exchange (a state of) security after their fear (provided) they (the
Believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship)
with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this, they are rebellious
sinners  (SoorahAn-Noor 24:55)
4. Jihaad against the disbelievers, the communists and those who make
war on Islaam from the People of the Book: This is by means of one’s
wealth, one’s person and through speech, according to one’s ability, for
the Prophet () said: “Fight the polytheists with your wealth, your
persons and your tongues.” (An authentic narration of Imaam Ahmad)
5. Jihaad against the sinners and the disobedient: This is by one’s hand,
by speech and by the heart, for the Prophet () said: “If any of you
109
witnesses something evil, he should change it with his hand; if he is
unable to do that, then by his words; and if he is unable to do that, then he
should hate it in his heart – and this is the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
6. Jihaad against the devil: This is by opposing him and not heeding his
whispering; Allaah says:
ِ
ِ ِ
َِّ َِ ‫الش ْيََا َن لَ ُكم َع ُد ٌّو‬
ِ ‫َص َحا‬
َّ ‫{ إِ َّن‬
} ‫الس ِع ِي‬
َّ
ْ ‫اَّت ُذوهُ َع ُد ًّوا إِ ََّّنَا يَ ْدعُو ح ْزبَهُ ليَ ُكونُوا م ْن أ‬
ْ
)6:35 ‫(سورة ف طر‬
 Verily, Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy; he only
invites his followers, that they may become companions of As-Sa’eer
(the blazing Fire)  (Soorah Faatir 35:6)
7. Jihaad of the self: This is done by opposing it (in its desire to sin),
encouraging obedience to Allaah and refraining from disobedience to
Him. Allaah said, conveying the words of the wife of Al’Azeez, who
attempted to seduce Prophet Yoosuf () 97:
ِ ُّ ‫{ وما أُب ِرئ نَ َْ ِسي إِ َّن النَّ َْس أل ََّما ةٌ ِِب‬
ِ
ِ
} ‫يم‬
ُ َ ََ
ٌ ‫لسوء إِالَّ َما َح َم َِّب إِ َّن َِّب غَ َُوٌ َّح‬
َ َ
)53:12 ‫(سورة يوسف‬
 “Yet I do not absolve myself (from blame): The soul certainly
incites evil; unless my Lord bestows His Mercy; but surely, my Lord
is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”  (Soorah Yoosuf 12:53)
- And the poet said:
Reject the self and the devil and fight them,
For they are insincere advisers, so beware,
Oh, Allaah! Make us successful,
97
Yoosuf: Joseph ().
110
So that we may be active, sincere mujaahideen.


Factors in Achieving Victory
The Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab () sent an
army to liberate Persia, under the leadership of Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas ()
and he wrote to him the following contract:
1. Fear of Allaah:
As to what follows: I command you and the forces with you to fear
Allaah in all circumstances, for fear of Allaah is the best preparation to
face the enemy and the most powerful strategy in war.
2. Abandoning Acts of Disobedience:
And I command you and those with you to guard against acts of
disobedience with the utmost strictness – more than against the enemy;
for the sins of an army are more fearful to them than their enemy. The
Muslims will only attain victory by opposing the disobedience of the
enemy to Allaah. If they do not do so, they will possess no strength,
because our numbers are not as theirs and our material strength is not as
theirs, so if we are on a par in terms of disobedience, then they will have
the advantage over us in strength; and if we are not victorious over them
by virtue of our (moral) superiority over them, we shall not defeat them
by our material strength.
And know that you are under supervision from Allaah’s angels on your
march: They know all that you do, so behave with modesty and propriety
before them and do not commit acts of disobedience to Allaah while you
are on a mission in His Cause and do not say: “Verily, our enemies are
worse than we, so they will not overcome us, even if we should sin,” for
111
it may be that a people are overcome by those worse than they, as the
pagan Magians overcame Bani Israa`eel 98 when they committed acts of
disobedience (and as the Jews have overcome the Arabs now).
3. Seeking Aid From Allaah:
Ask Allaah for victory over yourselves as you ask Him for victory over
the enemy – and this I ask Allaah, for us and for you.” (Reported by Ibn
Katheer in his book: ‘Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah’)


A Legal Will and Testament for Every Muslim
The Prophet () said: “A Muslim man who has any property should not
pass two nights (or more) unless he has a written will at his head.” Ibn
‘Umar added: “I have not passed a single night without a will since I
heard that from the Messenger of Allaah ().” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim)
1. I bequeath to my relatives, to my needy neighbours and for the printing
of Islaamic books the sum of (…) (this sum should not exceed one third
of one’s wealth, nor should it be bequeathed to one’s inheritors)
2. That some righteous people should stay with me at the time when my
death is thought to be near, that they may mention good things about me.
3. That I should be made to pronounce the shahaadah before death and
not after, in accordance with the saying of the Prophet (): “Instruct your
dying to say: “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah”.” (Narrated by Muslim) – and he ()
98
Bani Israa`eel: The people of Israel.
112
said: “Whoever on his deathbed pronounced the words: “Laa Ilaaha
Illallaah” will enter Paradise.” 99 (A hasan narration by Al-Haakim)
4. That those present should invoke Allaaah after my death, saying such
things as:
"ُ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم ا ْغ َِ ْر لَهُ َوا َِْ ْع َد َ َجوَهُ َوا ْ َوْه‬
“Allaahummaahgfir Lahu Warfa’ Darajatahu Warhamhu”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Forgive him, raise him in degree and show
mercy to him.”
5. That people should be sent to inform the kin and others of the death,
even by telephone, and that the Imam of the mosque should inform the
worshippers, in order that they may seek forgiveness from Allaah for the
deceased.
6. That any outstanding debts be paid promptly, for the Prophet () said:
“The soul of the Believer is tied to his debt until it is paid for him.” (An
authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)
It is incumbent upon the rational Muslim to pay his debts while he is
still alive, for fear of loss or carelessness.
7. The people should be silent during the funeral procession and the
worshippers should be many in order to make sincere supplications for
the deceased.
8. Invocations for forgiveness for the deceased should be made after the
burial is completed, for it is reported that: “After the burial, he () used to
stand and say: “Ask forgiveness for your brother and ask that he may be
strengthened, for he is now being questioned.” (An authentic narration by
Al-Hakim)
9. Console the bereaved by words reported from the Prophet ():
99
That is, sincerely believing it to be true and understanding its meaning.
113
ِ ٍ
ِ ‫"إِ َّن‬
ِ
"‫ب‬
َ ‫هلل َما أ‬
ْ َ‫سمإ َِ لْو‬
ْ ‫صِ َْب َولْوَ ْحوَس‬
َ ‫َل َذ َولَهُ َما أَ ْعََإ َوُك ُّل َشيء عن َدهُ ِِب‬
َ ‫َج ٍل ُم‬
“Inna Lillaahi Maa Akhaza Wa Lahu Maa A’ataa Wa Kullu Shay`in
‘Indahu Bi-ajalin Musamman Faltasbir Waltahtasib”
- which means: “Verily that which Allaah has taken belongs to Him, as
does that which He gives; and everything with Him has an appointed
time, so be patient and be content.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) 100 - There
is no special time or place for such words of condolence. And the
bereaved should say:
ِ َّ
ِ ‫اجعو َن اللَّ ُُ َّم اجرِّن ِِف م‬
ِ ِ
"‫صيبَِِت َوا ْللُ ْ ِِل َل ْيا ِم ْن َُا‬
ُ َ ‫"إا هلل َوإِ َّا إلَْيه‬
ُ
ُْ
“Innaa Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilaihi Raaji’oona, Allaahummajurnee Fee
Museebatee Wakhluf Lee Khairan Minhaa”
- which means: “Verily, we are for Allaah and to Him shall we return; oh,
Allaah! Recompense me in my loss and replace it with that which is
better.”
It is incumbent upon the relatives of the deceased to be patient and
content with what Allaah has ordained for them.
10. It is an obligation upon the relatives of the deceased and his friends
and neighbours to present food to the family of the deceased, for the
Prophet () said: “Prepare food for the family of Ja’far, for they are
preoccupied with what has come to them.” (A hasan narration by Abu
Dawood and At-Tirmizi)

Things Forbidden by Islaamic Law (Relating to Deaths, Funerals, etc.)
100
Also narrated by An-Nasaa`i, whose wording this is.
114
1. Bequeathing money or property to an inheritor, for the Prophet ()
said: “There is no bequest for a legal heir.” (Narrated by Ad-Daaraqutni
and authenticated by Al-Albaani in ‘Saheeh Al-Jaami’’
2. Crying in a loud voice, wailing, striking one’s cheeks, tearing one’s
clothes and wearing black, the proof of which is the saying of the Prophet
(): “The deceased is punished in the grave for any wailing lamentations
(if he requested that).” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
3. Announcing from the minarets or in the media, or presenting wreaths,
for such things are innovations and are a waste of money and an imitation
of the non-Muslims; and it is reported in an authentic hadeeth that the
Prophet () said: “Whoever imitated a people, he is one of them.” (An
authentic narration by Abu Dawood)
4. The attendance of Shaikhs for the purpose of reciting the Qur`aan in
the house of the deceased, for the Prophet () said: “Recite the Qur`aan,
act in accordance with it, do not eat its price (i.e. take money for selling
it, reciting it, etc.) and do not be excessive therein.” (An authentic
hadeeth narrated by Imaam Ahmad) – and it is haraam for the giver and
the receiver, whereas if the money was donated to the poor instead, the
deceased would receive the reward of it and benefit from it.
5. It is disliked to serve food and to gather for the holding of a wake in
the house of the deceased, in the mosque or anywhere else, according to
the words of Jareer (): “We considered wakes for the bereaved families
and preparing food after the burial for other than them to be niyaahah 101
(i.e. forbidden).” (An authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)
It is reported from Imaam Ash-Shaafi’i and Imaam An-Nawawi in the
latter’s book: ‘Al-Azkar’, in the chapter on condolence that any kind of
101
Niyaahah: Bewailing and lamenting the death of someone in an excessive manner.
115
gathering is disliked. And Ibn ‘Aabideen Al-Hanafi also said that it is
hateful for the family to provide hospitality because this is prescribed in
Islaam at times of celebration, not of sadness. And in ‘Al-Bazaaziyyah’ (a
Hanafi book), it is stated that it is hated to prepare food on the day of
death, on the third day or after a week has passed. Likewise, taking food
to the grave on the anniversary of the death and inviting reciters of the
Qur`an and righteous people in order that the Qur`an be recited over the
deceased.
6. It is forbidden to recite the Qur`aan, celebrate borthdays or make zikr
102
at the graveside, for the Messenger () and his Companions () did
not do this.
7. It is haraam to erect gravestones over the graves or place stone
coverings and such like over them; likewise painting them or writing on
them. The evidence for this is in the report which states: “The Prophet
() forbade plastering of the graves and he forbade building over them.”
(Narrated by Muslim) – and in another narration: “He forbade any writing
on the grave.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi and authenticated by Al-Haakim –
and Az-Zahabi concurred with this). It is however preferred to place a
stone on the grave in order to mark it, in accordance with the practice of
the Messenger (), who placed a stone at the head of the grave of
‘Uthmaan Ibn Maz’oon () and he said: “That I may know where the
grave of my brother is and bury the dead from his family next to him.”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, with a hasan chain of narrators)
Witness (1):
Witness (2):
Name of the Executor of the Will:
102
Zikr: Mentioning Allaah’s Name.
116
Name of the Testator (i.e. the deceased):


Growing the Beard is Obligatory
1. Allaah, Most High says, regarding Satan:
ِ ‫ْق‬
)4:119 ‫هللا } (سورة النس ء‬
َ ‫آلم َرنَّ ُُ ْم َِ لَيُ غَِيُ َّن َلل‬
ُ ‫{ َو‬
 Indeed, I will order them to alter Allaah’s creation  (Soorah AnNisa` 4:119) (Shaving the beard is altering Allaah’s creation and
obedience to Satan)
2. And He, Most High says:
)7:59 ‫ول َِ ُخ ُذوهُ َوَما نَ َُا ُك ْم َع ْنهُ َِانوَ ُُوا } (سورة احلشر‬
ُ ‫الر ُس‬
َّ ‫آَت ُك ُم‬
َ ‫{ َوَما‬
 Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids
you, abstain from it  (Soorah Al-Hashr 59:7) (And the Messenger []
ordered us to grow our beards and and prohibited us from shaving them)
3. And he () said: “Trim your moustaches and grow your beards and (by
doing so) oppose the Magians.” (Narrated by Muslim) (That is, shorten
whan hangs over the lip from the moustache and let your beard grow in
order to be different from the disbelievers)
4. And he () said: “There are ten things which are part of the fitrah
(natural state): (i) Trimming the moustache; (ii) growing the beard; (iii)
the siwak; (iv) sniffing up water into the nostrils (for the purpose of
ablution); (v) trimming the nails…” etc. (Narrated by Muslim)
(Growing the beard is a part of Allaah’s creation and shaving it is
haraam)
117
5. Allaah’s Messenger () cursed those men who imitate women and
those women who imitate men.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) (Shaving the
beard is a form of imitating women and a rejection of Allaah’s Mercy)
6. And he () said: “…but as for me, my Lord, the Almighty, the Allpowerful has commanded me to grow my beard and trim my moustache.”
(A hasan narration by Ibn Jareer) (So growing the beard is a Command
from Allaah and His Messenger [], and his Companions [] all
complied with it and the prohibition of shaving is reported in a number of
authentic ahadeeth)
7. It is forbidden to shave the hair of the cheeks or to pluck it, because the
hair on the cheeks is considered to be a part of the beard, according to the
dictionary definition.
8. Medical science has confirmed that the beard protects the tonsils from
the rays of the sun, while shaving it is harmful to the skin.
9. The beard is a part of a man’s natural beauty which Allaah created for
him and for some birds, such as the cockrel in order to distinguish it from
the female. This is why, when a man came to his wife on their wedidng
night, having shaved the beard which she had always seen upon him until
then, she rejected him, for his appearance was not pleasing to her. And
when some women asked a lady which she had chosen a bearded man for
her husband, she replied: “I married a man, not a woman.”
10. Shaving the beard is detested and it is an obligation to forbid it, for
the Prophet () said: “If any of you wtinesses something evil, he should
change it with his hand; if he is unable to do that, then by his words; and
if he is unable to do that, then he should hate it in his heart – and this is
the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by Muslim)
118
I asked a shaven man: “Do you love the Messenger ()?” He replied:
“Yes, very much.” So I said to him: “The Messenger () said: “Grow
your beards.” So a person who loves the Messenger (), does he obey
him or disobey him?” He replied: “He obeys him.” Then he promised to
grow his beard.
If your wife opposes you growing your beard, say to her: “I am a
Muslim mand and I fear to disobey my Lord.” Then give her a gift and
mention to her the words of the Prophet (): “There is no obedience to
any created being which entails disobedience to the Creator.” (An
authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)


The Ruling on Singing and Music
1. Allaah, Most High says:
‫ُه ُزوا‬
ِ
ِ ‫يل‬
ِ ‫هللا بِغَ ِْي ِع ْل ٍم وي و‬
ِ ‫َّاس من ي ْش ََِتَ ََلْو ا ْحل ِد‬
ِ ِ‫يِ لِيُ ِ َّل َع ن َس ب‬
‫َّخ َذ َها‬
ََ
َ َ
َ َ ِ ‫{ َوم َن الن‬
)6:31 ‫} (سورة لقم ن‬
 And among mankind is he who purchases idle talk to mislead (men)
from the Path of Allaah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of
Allaah, or the Verses of Qur`aan) by way of mockery  (Soorah
Luqmaan 31:6) (Most of the scholars of tafseer hold that idle talk here
refers to singing; (Ibn Mas’ood said: “It is singing.” Al-Hasan Al-Basri
said: “It was revealed concerning singing and music.”
2. And Allaah, Most High says, addressing Satan:
ِ ‫{ واستَو ْف ِرْز ِن استَطَع‬
)64:17 ‫ص ْوتِك } (سورة اإلسراء‬
َ ْ ْ َ َْ
َ ِ‫ت ْنو ُه ْم ب‬
119
 And beguile gradually those whom you can among them with your
voice  (Soorah Al-Israa` 17:64)
(That is, by singing and music)
3. And the Prophet () said: “Assuredly, there will be among my
community (i.e. the Muslims) people who will legitimize adultery and
fornication, the wearing of silk (by men), alcoholic drinks and musical
instruments.” (An authentic narration by Al-Bukhaari who reported it in a
mu’allaq form 103 and by Abu Dawood)
- And the meaning of this hadeeth is that there will come a people from
among the Muslims who will believe that pre-marital and extr-marital
sexual relations, the wearing of pure silk by men, drinking intoxicants
and music are halaal, when in fact, they are haraam. The term musical
instruments refers to everything which has a musical tone and a
melodious sound, such as the ‘ood, the naay, the tabl, the koobah, the
duff 104 and the like – even the bell, for according to the Prophet (): “The
bell is the caller of Satan.” (Narrated by Muslim) This proves that its
sound is abhorrent. People used to hang them around the necks of cattle,
but they resemble the bells used by Christians. Instead ofa chiming
doorbell, one may use the kind that makes the sound of a bird (or a
buzzer).
4. It is reported from Ash-Shaafi’i in ‘Kitaab Al-Qadhaa`’ that singing is
idle talk and is hated. It resembles that which is false and whoever
engages in it frequently is legally incompetent and his testimony is
unacceptable.
103
Mu’allaq: A hadeeth whose sanad is incomplete, lacking one or more consecutive narrators at the
start.
104 The ‘ood is a lute-like stringed instrument, the naay is a flute without a mouthpiece, made from
bamboo or wood and the tabl, the koobah and the duff are all percussion instruments.
120


The Harmful Effects of Singing and Music
Islaam has not forbidden anything except that which is harmful; and
singing and music contain many harmful effects, which have been
mentioned by Shaikh Al-Islaam, Ibn Taimiyyah:
1. Musical instruments are the alcohol of the soul, they do more harm
than cups of wine, for when people are intoxicated by sounds, they allow
themselves to commit acts of shirk, they turn to indecency and injustice,
they kill those forbidden by Allah and commit adultery and fornication.
And these latter three are frequently found among those who listen to
music, whistling and clapping.
2. As for their shirk, it is because they become infatuated to the degree of
adoration of their ‘shaikhs’ or their singers 105 as they should love Allaah.
3. As for indecency, singing is a path to fornication and it is one of the
major cause of indecency: Men, youths and women may be of the highest
decency and modesty until they hear singing and music, then they
become lewd and immodest and an easy prey to indecency, like liquor
drinkers, or even more so.
4. As for murder, it often occurs when people are listening to music and
some of them kill others, then it is said: “He killed him by himself,” and
they consider this a proof of their strength, but in actual fact, they are
helped by the devils who accompany them; and the one who is
accompanied by the strongest devils triumphs.
105
One has only to observe the slavish adoration of the ‘fans’ of Western pop and rock stars – some of
whom consider themselves ‘honoured’ if they are chosen from amongst a multitude of willing slaves to
have sex with their heroes – to see that the truth of this now more than ever apparent. The empty
pseudo-philosphical meanderings of these idols in their public statements and their lyrics are elevated
by media and fans to the realms almost of Revelation. Such meaningless phrases as: “Do your own
thing,” “love yourself,” “whatever gets you through the night (i.e. homosexuality, lesbianism and other
perversions)…” etc. are revered as the words of wise men and imbued with deep, philosophical
meaning, as if they are the keys to success in life.
121
5. Listening to music and singing does not bring benefit to the heart – it
consists of nothing but misguidance and is a cause of evil; there is none
greater. To the soul, it is as liquor to the body. And so it causes a greater
drunkenness to those who listen to it than does alcohol. They find in it a
good taste, as does the wine drinker, indeed, much more so.
6. The devils impersonate them and walk into fires, or one of them may
take red hot piece of iron and place it on his body, or on his tongue or
perform other such actions. But they are unable to perform such deeds
when the prayer is in progress or when someone is reciting the Qur`aan,
because these are lawful acts of worship and faith from the Religion of
Muhammad () which cause the devils to flee, while the former are
innovative, evil, polytheistic acts of worship which attract the devils.
The Truth About Wounding With the Skewer
This was not done by the Messenger () or his Companions () after
him; and if there was any good in it, they would have done it before us. It
is merely one of the actions of the Sufis and the people of innovation. I
have seen them congregating in mosques with their drums which they
beat while singing:
“Bring us fine spirit and give us goblets to drink from”
- They have no shame about mentioning alcoholic drinks and wine
goblets – which are haraam – in the house of Allaah. Then they began to
beat their drums with great force and they asked for help from other than
Allaah, calling out:
“Oh, my ancestor!”
- until they became possessed by the devils, then one of them removed his
shirt and taking hold of the flesh of his loins, pierced it with a skewer.
Then another of them stood up and, breaking a bottle, he crunched up the
glass with his teeth; and I said to myself: “If what they are doing were
122
real, they would fight the Jews who have occupied our lands and killed
our sons.” 106
In such actions as these they are assisted by devils, who gather around
them due to their rejection of zikr and because they associate partners
with Him when they call upon their ancestors, as proven by Allaah’s
Words:
‫ص ُّدونَ ُُ ْم َع ِن‬
ْ ِ‫َ َع ن ِ ْك ِر ال َّر ْوَ ِن نُ َق ي‬
ُ َ‫ين َوإِنَّ ُُ ْم لَي‬
ُ ‫{ َوَم ن يَ ْع‬
ٌ ‫ض لَ هُ َش ْيََاا َِ ُُ َو لَ هُ قَ ِر‬
ِ ِ‫السب‬
)37-36:43 ‫سبُو َن أَنَّ ُُم ُّم ُْوَ ُدو َن } (سورة الرخر‬
َّ
َ َْْ‫يل َو‬
 And whosoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most
Beneficent, We appoint for him a devil to be an intimate companion
to him; and verily, they (the devils) hinder them from the Path (of
Allaah), but they think that they are rightly guided!  (Soorah AzZukhruf 43:36-37)
And Allaah, Most High allows them to utilize devils in order to send
them further astray, for He says:
)75:19 ‫الر ْوَ ُن َمدا }(سورة رمي‬
َّ ُ‫{ قُ ْل َمن َكا َن ِِف ال َّكلَ ِة َِ لْيَ ْم ُد ْد لَه‬
 Say: “Whoever goes astray, the Most Beneficent will extend (the
rope) for him.”  (Soorah Maryam 19:75)
And there is nothing strange in the jinn being able to help them in this
manner, for Sulaimaan 107 requested the jinn to bring him the throne of
Queen Bilqees, 108 as we are informed by the Qur`aan:
106
The translator has seen a documentary film in which Hindus in Malaysia performed exactly the
same rituals.
107 Sulaimaan: Solomon ().
108
The Queen of Sheba.
123
ِ ٌّ ‫ك وإِِّن علَي ِه لََق ِو‬
ِ
ِ ‫ك بِ ِه قَ ب ل أَن تَ ُق‬
)‫ني‬
َ َ‫{ ق‬
ٌ ‫ال ِع َْ ِري‬
َ ‫ِ ِم َن ا ْْلِ ِن أ ََا آتِي‬
ٌ ‫َ أَم‬
ْ َ َ َ ‫وم م ن َّم َقام‬
َ
َْ
)39:27‫(سورة النمل‬
 An ‘ifreet 109 from among the jinn said: “I will bring it to you before
you rise from your place. And verily, I am indeed strong and
trustworthy for such work.”  (Soorah An-Naml 27:39)
And those who have been to India, such as the traveller Ibn Battootah and
others have seen the magians do more than this, even though they are
disbelievers! It has nothing to do with miracles or sainthood – rather, it is
the work of devils who gather around singers and musicians, because
those who undertake such deeds with skewers are guilty of disobedience;
indeed, it is clear shirk to call upon their dead ancestors for help. So how
can they claim to be saints and performers of miracles?! Allaah, Most
High says: 
ِ ‫{ أَال إِ َّن أَولِياء‬
ِ َّ
‫آمنُوا َوَكانُوا يَوَّ ُقو َن } (سورة‬
ٌ ‫هللا ال َل ْو‬
َ ‫ين‬
َ ‫ا َعلَْي ُِ ْم َوال ُه ْم َْْ َزنُو َن الذ‬
ََْ
)63-62 :10 ‫يونس‬

 Without doubt, those close to Allaah, no fear shall come upon them,
nor shall they grieve: Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah)
and used to fear Allaah  (Soorah Yoonus 10:62-63)
So the one close to Allaah is the Believer who seeks help from Allaah,
Alone, a God-fearing person, who abstains from acts of disobedience and
does not associate partners with Allaah – such a person may be granted a
miracle as a favour from Allaah, without him requesting it and without it
being seen by the people.
109
‘Ifreet: According to At-Tabari, an‘ifreet is a leader from among the jinn.
124


Singing in the Present Day
Most singing nowadays takes palce during weddings and parties and on
the radio and television; they sing about love and desire, kissing and
romatic trysts, descriptions of female facial features and body shapes and
other such amorous affairs, which excite feelings of lust and desire in our
youth and encourage them to commit acts of lewdness and fornication
and corrupt their morals. When male and female singers and musicians
get together – those who steal the wealth of the people through what they
term ‘art’ and ‘culture’ and travel to Europe with their wealth and buy
property and cars – they corrupt our youth with their immoral singing, so
much so that, during the war against the Jews in 1967, the radio
announcer said to the troops: “Advance, for before you are the male and
female singers, so-and-so and so-and-so,” and they were put to rout
before the criminal Jews. The announcer should have said to them:
“Advance, for Allaah and His Help are with you.” And one of the female
singers announced, before the war of 1967, that she would hold her
monthly party – which normally took place in Cairo – in Tall Abeeb, 110
while the Jews stood before the Wailing Wall and gave thanks to Allaah
for their victory!!!
Even (so-called) religious singing is not free from sin; listen to what is
sung:
“And it is said that every Prophet is given his rank:
Oh, Muhammad! This is your throne, so take it.”
110
Tall Abeeb: Known by Jews and consequently, by the West as Tel Aviv.
125
- These latter words are a lie against Allaah and His Messenger and the
contradict the truth.
The Sedductiveness of a Charming Female Voice
Al-Baraa` Ibn Maalik () was a man with a fine voice and he used to
recite poetry to the Messenger of Allaah () sometimes when on a
journey. On one occasion, he was reciting when some women
approached, at which Allaah’s Messenger () said: “Beware of women.”
So he stopped reciting. (Narrated by Al-Haakim and authenticated by AzZahabi) Al-Haakim explained: “The Messenger of Allaah () disliked
that the women should hear his voice.”
If the Messenger of Allaah () feared the effect upon women of poetry
and the like recited in a melodious voice, what he say if he were to hear
what is broadcast nowadays from wanton, licentious women and their
like among the singers skilled in the arts of shamelessness and lewdness,
whose verse contain description of female beauty, of bodily shapes and
facial beauty, of lips, of breasts and so on and so forth, which fuel passion
and desire and emotional disturbance in diseased hearts, causing them to
seek intimate relationships and to remove the veil of modesty, especially
if these voices are accompaied by music, which agitates the mind and
calls to the soul like alcohol calls to the body…
Beware of Whistling and Clapping
Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ وما َكا َن صكتُ ُُم ِع ْن َد الْب ْي‬
)35:8 ‫ص ِديَة } (سورة حنف ل‬
ْ َ‫ِ إَِّال ُم َكاء َوت‬
َ
ََ
ْ َ
126
 Their prayer (i.e. the prayer of the pagans during the Jaahiliyyah)
in the House (of Allaah in Makkah) was naught but whistling and
clapping  (Soorah Al-Anfal 8:38)
Beware of whistling and clapping, for they are an imitation of women,
sinners and polytheists; if anything pleases or surprises you, say:
"‫شاء هللا‬
َ ‫"ما‬
“Maa Shaa' Allaah”
- which means: “As Allaah wills.” Or say:
"‫"س ْبحا َن هللا‬
ُ
“Subhaan Allaah”
- which means: “Most Glorified is Allaah.”


Singing Breeds Hypocrisy
1. Ibn Mas’ood () said: “Singing causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart, just
as water causes a plant to grow, while remembrance of Allaah causes faith to
grow in the heart, just as water causes crops to grow.”
2. Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “A person does not habitually sing except that his
heart commits hypocrisy, while he is unaware of it. If he but knew the true
nature of hypocrisy, he would perceive it in his heart; and love of singing
and love of the Qur`aan cannot coexist in the heart without one overcoming
the other.” And we have witnessed the burden of the Qur`aan upon those
people who sing or listen to singing, how they find it irritating and do not
profit from its recitation: Their hearts are not moved nor inspired by it. But
when they hear singing, they lower their voices, their emotions are stirred
and they become extremely attentive. Thus, one finds that they prefer
127
listening to music and singing over listening to the Noble Qur`aan. And it is
rare to find one who has been corrupted by music and singing who is not
among the laziest of people when it comes to prayer, especially the
congregational prayer in the mosque!
3. Ibn ‘Aqeel, one of the greatest Hanbali111 scholars said: “If the singer is a
woman whom one might marry (i.e. not a mother, sister or other close
relative to whom marriage is forbidden) then it is haraam to listen to her,
without any disagreement among Hanbali scholars.
4. Ibn Hazm makes it clear that it is forbidden for a Muslim man to enjoy the
singing of a woman whom he might marry.
The Cure for Singing & Music
1. Avoid listening to it on the radio, television or anywhere else, especially
immoral singing and that which is accompanied by music.
2. The greatest weapon in resisting the lure of singing is the remembrance of
Allaah and mentioning His Name, and recitation of the Qur`aan, especially
Soorah Al-Baqarah, for Allaah’s Messenger () said: “Verily, Satan flees
from the house in which Soorah Al-Baqarah is recited.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
Allaah says:
ِ ‫الص ُدوِ وهدى و ْوةٌ لِل‬
ِ ِ
ِ ِ ِ
‫ني‬
َ ِ‫ْم ْؤمن‬
ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ُّ ‫اءتْ ُك ْم َم ْوعظَةٌ من َّب ُك ْم َوشَاءٌ ل َما ِِف‬
َ ‫َّاس قَ ْد َج‬
ُ ‫{ ََّي أَيُّ َُا الن‬
)57:10 ‫} (سورة يونس‬
Oh, Mankind! There has come to you good advice from your Lord and
a cure for that which is in your hearts - a guidance and mercy for the
Believers (Soorah Yoonus 10:57)
111
Hanbali: A follower of Imaam Abu Haneefah’s school of Islamic jurisprudence.
128
3. Reading the Seerah of the Prophet () and learning about his outstanding
qualities and reading about the Companions ().


Types of Singing Excepted From This Ruling
1. Singing on the day of ‘Eed; and the proof of this is in the words of
‘Aa`ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who said that the Messenger of
Allaah () came to her while she had two servant girls with her who were
beating on drums.” In another narration, she said: “…and I had with me two
servant girls who were singing.” Abu Bakr () scolded them, but he () said:
“Leave them, for every community has its festival and this is ours.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. Singing and beating drums during a wedding in order to announce it to the
people and to encourage it. The proof for this is in the words of Allaah’s
Messenger (): “The difference between the halaal and the haram is shown
by the beating of the drum and the voice (i.e. female singing) during
weddings.”112 (An authentic narration of Imaam Ahmad)
3. Islaamic nasheed 113 while working, which encourages activity, especially
if it includes invocations, as exemplified by the action of the Messenger of
Allaah (), when he encouraged the digging of the trench; 114 in the words of
Ibn Rawwaahah:
112
That is, beating the drum and singing are the signs of lawful marriage as opposed to adultery and
fornication, which are done in secret.
113 Nasheed: Chanting or singing on Islaamic topics, such as in praise of Allaah and His Messenger
() and the Companions () etc.
114
This took place prior to the Battle of the Trench, fought between the Muslims and the pagans of
Makkah, when, at the suggestion of Salmaan Al-Faarisi (), the Prophet () ordered a trench to be dug
129
“Oh, Allaah! There is no life except the life of the Hereafter,
So forgive the Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon.”
- then the Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon 115 answered:
“We are those who took the oath of allegiance to Muhammad,
To strive (in Allaah’s cause) – and we were never left behind.”
And he () dug the trench along with the Companions () and he sang, in
the words of Ibn Rawwaahah:
“By Allaah, were it not for Allaah,
We would not have been guided,
Nor given in charity, nor performed the prayer,
So, (oh, Allaah!) send down serenity upon us
And make our feet firm when we encounter (the enemy),
For the pagans have oppressed us –
When they wished to tempt us (to commit shirk), we refused.”
- and here he would raise his voice, shouting: “We refused, we refused.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
1. Nasheed which contains an affirmation of Allaah’s Oneness (tawheed),
love of the Messenger of Allaah (), mention of his excellent qualities, a call
to jihaad, steadfastness and strengthening of moral character, a call to
mutual love and cooperation between the Muslims, mention of the charms of
Islaam and its fundamental beliefs and practices and the like which benefit
the community in its religious affairs and improve its morality.
2. It is permitted for women to use only the duff (drum) among musical
instruments, and that only for ‘Eed and wedding celebrations. It is not
allowed to be used when making zikr at all because Allaah’s Messenger ()
before the city of Madinah in order to prevent the pagan army rushing down upon them with their
cavalry.
115 The Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon: The Ansaar were the Muslims of Madinah, who welcomed the
Muhaajiroon (migrants) from Makkah in their homes and shared their property with them and even
married their daughters and their second wives to them.
130
never did so, nor did his Companions () after him. The Sufis have
permitted it for themselves, making it into a “sunnah”, when in fact, it is a
bid’ah. The Messenger of Allaah () said: “Beware of innovative matters, for
ever novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance.”
(Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who said that it is hasan-saheeh)

The Islaamic Ruling Regarding Pictures and Images
Islaam came to call all of the people to the worship of Allaah, Alone, and
abandonment of the worship of all others, including “saints” and righteous
men represented by idols, graven images and pictures. This call is very old –
from the time when Allaah sent Messengers with guidance for mankind.
Allaah Most High says:
ِ ‫{ ولََق ْد ب عثْ نَ ا ِِف ُك ِل أَُّم ٍة س وال أ‬
َّ ‫وت َِ ِم ْن ُُ ْم َم ْن َه َدى‬
َّ ‫َن ا ْعبُ ُدوا‬
َ ُ‫اجوَنِبُ وا الََّ اغ‬
ْ ‫اتَ َو‬
ََ َ
ُ‫ات‬
َُ
ِ
ِ
ِ ْ َ‫ِ َعلَْي ِه ال َّ كلَةُ َِ ِس يُوا ِِف ْاأل‬
} ‫ني‬
ْ ‫َوِم ْن ُُ ْم َم ْن َح َّق‬
َ ِ‫ض َِ انْظُُروا َك ْي َ َك ا َن َعاقبَ ةُ ال ُْم َك ذب‬
)36:‫(سورة النحل‬
 And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger
(proclaiming): “Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid the taaghoot.” 
(Soorah An-Nahl 16:36)
(The taaghoot includes everything which is worshipped beside Allaah and
is pleased with that worship).
Such images have been mentioned in Soorah Nooh, and the greatest
evidence that they represented righteous men is in the narration of AlBukhaari, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (), concerning Allaah’s Words: 
And they said; “Do not leave your gods: Do not leave Wadd, nor
131
Suwaa’, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya’ooq, nor Nasr!” And indeed, they have
led many astray  (Soorah Nooh 71:23-24)
- he (Ibn ‘Abbaas []) said: “These are the names of righteous men from
the people of Nooh (); and when those men died, Satan inspired their
people to erect images of them at the place where they used to sit, and they
named these images after them. This they did, but they were not worshiped
until after those who had erected them had passed away, and the knowledge
(of why they were erected) was forgotten, then they were worshipped.” This
story tells us that the cause of those other than Allaah being worshipped was
the images made in the likeness of the leaders. Many people believe that
such images, especially pictures are now halaal since such things are no
longer worshipped by anyone in our time, but this view is erroneous, for a
number of reasons:
1. That worship of pictures and images still continues until this day, such as
the pictures of ‘Eesaa () and his mother Maryam, which are worshipped
beside Allaah in churches, and they even bow to the cross!! There are even
icons of ‘Eesaa () and Maryam, which are sold for outrageous prices and
then hung on the walls of houses in order that they may be worshipped and
glorified.
2. Images of national leaders in those countries which are technologically
advanced, but spiritually backward, before which hats are removed and
heads lowered include those of George Washington, in the U.S.A., Napoleon
in France, Lenin and Stalin in Russia and many others which are placed in
the streets and the people bow to them as they pass by. Such practices have
now spread to some Arab countries, in imitation of the disbelievers. They too
have placed statues on their streets and they continue to be erected in the
Arab and Muslim countries, where the money spent on such things should be
132
spent on the building of mosques, schools, hospital and charitable
foundations, so that they bring benefits to the people. There is no objection
to such buildings being named after them (i.e. the leaders).
3. After a long time has passed, these leaders will be forgotten and the
statues will be glorified and worshiped, as has occurred in Europe, Turkey
and other places; and the people of Nooh () preceded them in this; when
they erected images of their leaders, then glorified them, then worshipped
them.
4. The Messenger () ordered ‘Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (), saying: “Do not leave
any statue without destroying it, and do not leave any grave which has been
built upon it without leveling it.” (Narrate by Muslim) In another narration,
he said: “…nor any picture without defacing it.” (An authentic hadeeth
narrated by Imaam Ahmad)

The Harm in Pictures & Statues
Islaam has not forbidden anything unless it its harmful to one’s religion,
morals, property or the like; and the true Muslim is one who submits to
Allaah’s Guidance in any matter, even though he may not know the
reason (for its obligation or prohibition). However, the harmful effects of
pictures and statues are numerous, the most important of them being:
1. In religion and belief: We have observed how pictures and statues have
corrupted the beliefs of many people: The Christians worship pictures of
‘Eesaa () and Maryam and the cross, while in Europe and Russia, they
worship statues of their leaders, bowing their heads in respect and
glorification of them. And some of the Arab and Muslim countries have
followed them, erecting statues of their leaders, while some of the misguided
133
among the Sufis have placed pictures of their Shaikhs before them when they
pray, so that they may draw from them humility. And they think of their
Shaikhs when they mention Allaah, instead of fearing Allaah and
remembering the He sees them; or they hang pictures of their Shaikhs in
order to glorify them and seek blessings from them. And there are the
pictures of singers and musicians which are adored by their followers and
hung in their houses, where they express their love for them and glorify
them. This was done by an Arab broadcaster, who called upon the Arab
troops, during the war with the Jews in 1967, saying: “Oh, you soldiers!
Advance for so-and-so, the male vocalist and so-and-so the female vocalist
are with you,116 instead of saying: “Go forward, for Allaah is with you with
His help, His Succour and His support.” The result was that they were routed
in war, because Allaah abandoned them; the singers, male and female did not
profit them – rather, they were the cause of their disgrace. If only the Arabs
would learn from this defeat and return to Allaah, that He might help them.
2. As for the corrupting effect of pictures and statues on the morals of our
youth, let us feel free to speak about it without fear: The streets and houses
are filled with pictures of male and female vocalists, (the latter being) lewd
and scantily dressed, causing young men to lust after them and commit sins,
both openly and in secret. They destroy their decency and corrupt their
morals. They have then, no thoughts to spare for their Religion, the occupied
lands, the Holy Land, honour or jihaad!! Pictures have proliferated,
especially those of seductive women, even on shoe-boxes, and in magazines,
newspapers, books, television – in particular in soap operas and crime
stories. Then there are the cartoons and caricatures, in which distortion of
Allaah’s creation is displayed: Allaah has not created people with the
excessively long noses, huge ears and bulging eyes beloved of the
116
That is, their pictures.
134
cartoonists. No, Allaah created man in the best form.
3. As for the material harm caused by pictures and statues, it is obvious and
needs no explanation: Thousands, or even millions are spent on statues –
money wasted in the path of Satan. And many people purchase ornaments in
the shape of horses, camels or elephants, which they place in their houses; or
they hang pictures of the family or a deceased father on the walls,
squandering money which, if given to the poor in charity, for the benefit of
the dead, would have brought benefit. Even more offensive than this is the
practice of hanging wedding pictures of the bride and groom in the house for
all to see, as if his wife is not only for him, but for all the people to share!!

Are Pictures the Same as Graven Images?
Some people claim that the forbiddance of erecting graven images – which
was common during the Jahiliyyah – does not include pictures; and this is
very strange indeed! It is as if they have not read the authentic narrations
which clearly prohibit making pictures; they include:
1. On the authority of ‘Aa`ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), it is
reported that she purchased a cushion which had picture son it; when the
Messenger of Allaah () saw it, he stood at the door and would not enter.
She saw the dislike in his face, and said: “Oh, Messenger of Allaah! I turn in
repentance to Allaah and His Messenger. What have I done wrong?”
Allaah’s Messenger () replied: “What is this cushion?” She said: “I bought
it so that you might sit on it and rest your head on it.” The Messenger of
Allah () answered: “Verily, those who made these pictures will be punished
on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them: “Give life to that
which you have created!” Then he () said: “Verily, the house in which there
135
are pictures will not be entered by the angels.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
2. The Prophet () said: “Verily, the people most severely punished on the
Day of Resurrection will be those who make likenesses of Allaah’s
creation.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) (They are: the artist, the
painter, the photographer and all those who make likenesses of Allaah’s
creatures)
3. “The Prophet () would not enter a house in which he saw pictures until
they were removed.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
4. The Messenger of Allaah () forbade pictures in the house and he
prohibited any man from making them.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who
declared it to be hasan-saheeh)

Permitted Pictures & Images
1. It is permissible to make pictures and images of trees, stars, the sun, the
moon, mountains, rocks, seas and rivers, beautiful landscapes, sacred places
such as the Ka’bah, the city of Madinah, Al-Aqsaa mosque and all other
mosques, on condition that they contain no pictures of people or animals.
The proof for this is in the words of Ibn ‘Abbaas (): “If you must do it, then
make pictures of trees and (other) things which do not possess a soul.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
2. Pictures placed in identity cards, passports, driving licenses and such like,
which are deemed essential, such as the photographing of criminals – like
murderers, thieves and others, in order that they may be arrested and
punished. Likewise it is permissible to make pictures for the sake of
disseminating knowledge, such as in medicine.
136
3. It is permissible for girls to have rag-dolls in the shape of a small child in
the house, which they can dress, clean and put to bed, so that they may learn
how to take care of children when they become mothers. The proof for this is
in the words of ‘Aa`iahah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: “I used
to play with dolls when I was with the Prophet ().” (Narrated by AlBukhari) It is not permissible to purchase Western dolls for children,
especially lewd, naked (adult) dolls, for they will learn from them, copy
them and corrupt the society, not to mention sending the wealth of the
Muslims to non-Muslim and (in particular) Jewish lands.
4. It is allowed to make pictures of living creatures, so long as the head is cut
off, because the (prohibited part of the) picture is the head, and when it is
cut, the soul no longer remains and it becomes like an inanimate object;
Jibreel () said to the Messenger (): “Pass by each statue and cut off its
head, then it will become like a tree; then pass by every curtain (on which
there is a picture) and cut it, then make it into cushions which may be
reclined upon.” (An authentic narration by Abu Dawood).


Is Smoking Permissible?
Smoking was unknown in the time of the Messenger (), but Islaam has
given us certain basic rules, which forbid anything harmful to the body, or to
one’s neighbour, or which entail waste of ones wealth. The proofs for the
ruling on smoking are as follows:
1. Allaah, Most High says:
ِ ‫{ و ُِْ ُّل ََلُم الََّيِب‬
ْ ‫ات َو َُْ ِرُم َعلَْي ُِ ُم‬
)157:7 ‫ِ } (سورة حعرا‬
َ ِ‫اْلَبَاه‬
َ ُ
َ
137
 He permits for them all good things and forbids them from all evil
things  (Soorah Al-A’araaf 7:157) (And without a doubt, smoking is
included among those evil things, being harmful and foul smelling)
2. And Allaah, Most High says:
)195:2 ‫َُّلُ َك ِة } (سورة البقرة‬
ْ ‫{ َوال تُ ْل ُقوا ِِبَيْ ِدي ُك ْم إِ َى الو‬
 And do not throw yourselves into destruction  (Soorah Al-Baqarah
2:195)
(And smoking is a form of destruction, causing as it does, numerous harmful
diseases, such as cancer, bronchitis and so on…)
3. And Allaah, Most High says:
)29:4 ‫س ُكم } (سورة النس ء‬
َ َُ ْ‫{ َوال تَ ْقوُ لُوا أَن‬
 And do not kill yourselves  (Soorah An-Nisaa` 4:29)
(And smoking is a slow form of killing)
4. And Allaah, Most High says, concerning the harmful effects of alcohol:
 )219:2 ‫{ َوإِ ِْثُُُ َما أَ ْكبَ ُر ِم ْن نَ َْ ِع ُِ َما } (سورة البقرة‬
 But the harm of them (gambling and alcohol) is greater than the
benefit  (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:219)
(And the harmful effects of smoking are (also) greater than the benefits –
indeed it is all harmful)
5. And Allaah, Most High says:
‫(سوورة‬
ِ َّ ‫{ وال تُب ِذ تَ ب ِذيرا إِ َّن الْمب ِذ ِين َكانُوا إِ ْل وا َن‬
} ‫ني‬
ْ ْ َ َ
َ ‫الش ياط‬
َ َُ
َ
)27-26 :17 ‫االسراء‬
 And be not a spendthrift, for verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the
devils  (Soorah Al-Israa` 17:26-27)
(And smoking is wastefulness and it is the work of the devil)
138
6. And the Prophet () said: “Let there be no harming and no violence.” (An
authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad) (And there is no doubt that smoking is
harmful to the smoker and to those around him, and it is a waste of his
money)
7. And he () said: “Allaah hates for you that you waste your wealth.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) (And smoking is a waste of money,
so Allaah hates it)
8. And he () said: “The example of a good companion and a bad
companion is like that of the perfume seller and the blacksmith.” (Narrated
by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) (and the smoker is a bad companion, blowing
fire)
9. And he () said: “All of my Ummah will be pardoned except those who
openly commit sins.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) (And the
smoker openly commits his sin, and as such, will not be pardoned for it)
10. And he () said: “Whoever ate garlic or onions should stay away from us
and he should stay away from the mosque; and he should remain in his
house.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim) (And smoking has a worse
smell that garlic and onions)
11. Many of the scholars of fiqh have declared smoking to be haraam; those
who have not prohibited it are unaware of its (relatively) recently discovered
harmful effect, which include cancer.
12. If a person wished to burn a currency note, we would say to him: “Are
you mad? It is haraam for you to do that!” So what of a person who buys
cigarettes (or cigars, or pipe tobacco) using hundreds of currency notes, then
burns them, harming himself and those around him?! Is it part of religion, or
even good sense that you should harass the people with your cigarette smoke
or your sheeshah and that you pollute their clean air?! You should know that
139
polluting the air is as harmful as polluting water, If one were to ask the
smoker: “Do you think cigarettes will be placed in the scale of your good
deeds, or your evil deeds?” He would reply: “It will be placed in the scale of
evil deeds.” Seek help for Allaah in giving up smoking, for whoever abstains
from something for Allaah’s sake, Allaah will help him to do so be patient
and persevere, for Allaah is with those who patiently persevere; and invoke
Allah at night and after the call to prayer, saying:
“Allaahumma, arinad-dukhaana baatilan, warzuqna-jtinaabahu, wa
karrihnaa feehi”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Show us the futility of smoking, and bless
us with the ability to abstain from it, make us averse to it.”


The Obligation of the Mujtahidoon 117 to Hold Fast to the Ahaadeeth
The four Imaams 118 (May Allah be pleased with them all and may He
reward them with all goodness) exercised their ijtihaad,119 each of them
according to the ahaadeeth which had reached him. They disagreed on
many matters, and the reason for this was due to the ahaadeeth which
they had seen which might not have reached the others. This was because
the ahaadeeth had not been written down, and those who had memorized
them were scattered throughout Al-Hijaaz (inWestern Arabia), AshShaam, Iraaq, Egypt and other Islaamic countries, at a time when
communications were difficult. This is why we see Imaam Ash-Shaafi’i
(may Allaah have mercy on him) abandoning his former judgements
made when he was in Iraaq, after travelling to Egypt, where he found
117
Mujtahidoon: Scholars of legal juristic reasoning, able to make judgements based upon their broad
knowledge of fiqh, usool al-fiqh (Fundamentals of fiqh), hadeeth, tafseer and other related topics.
118 Abu Haneefah, Maalik, Ahmad and Ash-Shaafi’i
119
Ijtihaad: Juristic reasoning.
140
ahaadeeth which were new to him. And when we find (for example) that
Ash-Shaafi’i considers that touching a woman nullifies one’s ablution,
but that Abu Haneefah does not, we must refer to the Qur`aan and the
authentic Sunnah, for Allaah says:
ِ ‫َطيعوا هللا وأ‬
ِ
ِ َّ
ِ ‫ول َوأ‬
‫اُ ْعوُ ْم ِِف َش ْي ٍء‬
َ ‫الر ُس‬
َّ ‫َطيعُوا‬
َ َ‫ُوِل األ َْم ِر ِمن ُك ْم َِِإن تَ ن‬
َ ‫ين‬
َ َ ُ ‫آمنُوا أ‬
َ ‫{ ََّيأَيُّ َُا الذ‬
ِ ‫هلل والْي وِم‬
ِ
ِ
ِ ‫َِ ردُّوهُ إِ َى‬
ِ ‫الر ُس‬
)‫س ُن ََتْ ِوي ك‬
َّ ‫هللا َو‬
َ ِ‫اآلل ِر َل‬
ْ ‫ك َل ْي ٌر َوأ‬
ْ َ َ ‫ول إِن ُكن وُ ْم تُ ْؤمنُ و َن ِِب‬
َ ‫َح‬
ُ
)59:4 ‫(سورة النس ء‬
 And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah
and the Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and the Last Day. That is
better and more suitable for final determination  (Soorah An-Nisaa`
4:59)
- This is because truth cannot be more than one: Touching a woman cannot
invalidate ablution and at the same time not invalidate it! And we have not
been commanded to obey anything or anyone except the Qur`aan revealed to
us from Allaah and its explination as given by His Messenger (), in his
authentic ahaadeeth, as in Allaah’s Words:
‫(سوورة‬
ِ ِِ
ِ ِ
ِ ِ
ِ
} ‫اء قَلِ يك َم ا تَ َذ َّك ُرو َن‬
َ َ‫{ اتَّبعُوا َما أُنْ ِز َل إِلَْي ُك ْم م ْن َب ُك ْم َوال تَ وَّبعُوا م ْن ُدون ه أ َْولي‬
)3:7 ‫حعرا‬
 Say, (oh Muhammad,) to the disbelievers: “Obey what has been
revealed to you from your Lord, and do not obey any protectors or
helpers other than Him; little do you remember!” (Soorah Al-A’araaf
7:3)
- Thus it is not permissible for any Muslim who hears an authentic hadeeth
to reject it, because it conflicts with his mazhab; the Imaams are unanimous
141
in their agreement on the obligation to act upon the authentic hadeeth and
abandon every saying which contradicts it.

 

Sayings of the Imaams Regarding Hadeeth
These are some of the saying of the (four) Imaams (may Allaah have
mercy on them) which absolve them from blame (concerning those who
blindly follow them) and make clear the correct manner of obeying them:
Imman Abu Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on him): He entrusted
those who follow his fiqh, saying:
1. It is not permissible for anyone to act upon our sayings, when they do
not know from where we obtained them.”
2. It is haraam for anyone who does not know my evidence to judge by
my words, for we are only human: We may say something today and
reject it tomorrow.”
3. “If I say something which contradicts the Book of Allaah or the words
of the Messenger (), you must abandon my saying.”
4. Ibn ‘Aabideen (a Hanafi scholar) says, in his book: “If the hadeeth is
authentic and it contradicts the mazhab, the hadeeth must be acted upon
and that should be his mazhab; and he will not by doing so be abandoning
his mazhab, for it is authentically reported from Abu Haneefah that he
said: “If the hadeeth is authentic, then it is my mazhab.”
Imaam Malik (may Allaah have mercy on him), the Imaam of the
people of Madinah, who said:
1. “I am a mere mortal: I get things right and I get things wrong, so look
at my opinion, and everything that agrees with the Book (of Allaah) and
the Sunnah, accept it. And everything that contradicts the Book and the
142
Sunnah, reject it.”
2. “The sayings of everyone after the Prophet () may be accepted or
rejected.”
Immam Ash-Shaafi’i (may Allaah have mercy on him), who was
descended from the family of the Prophet ()), said:
1. “There is no one from whom at least some of the Sunan do not escape,
so whenever I give my opinion or formulate a principle, where something
from the Messenger of Allaah () exists contradictory to my view, then
the correct saying is that of Allaah’s Messenger (), and it is my saying.”
“The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger
of Allah () is made plain to someone, it is not allowed for him to leave it
in favour of the saying of another.”
2. “If you find in my writings any saying that contradicts the Sunnah of
Allah’s Messenger (), then adopt the saying of Allah’s Messenger (),
and leave my saying.
3. “If the hadeeth is authentic, then it is my mazhab.”
4. In a letter to Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, he said: “You are more
knowledgable than I concerning hadeeth and rijaal,120 so if you find a
hadeeth to be authentic, then inform me of it, so that I may act upon it.”
5. “In every issue in which a report from Allaah’s Messenger () contrary
to my saying is found to be authentic by the scholars of narration, I take
back my saying, whether during my lifetime or after my death.”
Imman Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (may Allaah have mercy on him), who
was the Imaam of Ahl As-Sunnah 121 said:
120
Rijaal: The study of asaaneed and the narrators from which they are composed.
121Ahl
As-Sunnah: The people of the Sunnah
143
1. “Do not blindly follow me, nor Maalik, nor Ash-Shaafi’i, nor AlAwzaa’i, nor Ath-Thawri, but take from where they took…” (i.e. the
Qur`aan and the authentic ahadeeth)
2. Whoever rejects a hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah () is on the
brink of destruction.”


Act Upon the Ahaadeeth of the Messenger ()
1. “The hour (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) will not come until the
Muslims fight the Jews, and the Muslims kill them.” (Narrated
byMuslim)
2. “Whoever fights in order to raise the Word of Allaah is in the Way of
Allaah.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
3. “Whoever pleases people by incurring Allaah’s anger, Allaah will
leave him to the people.” (Narrated by Ahmad who declared it to be
authentic)
4. “Whoever died invoking a rival to Allaah will enter the Fire.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
5. “Whoever hid (beneficial) knowledge, Allaah will make him wear a
bridle of fire.” (Narrated by Ahmad, who declared it to be authentic)
6. “Whoever played backgammon, it is as if he had plunged his hand into
the flesh and blood of swine.” (Narrated by Muslim)
7. “Islaam began with only a few followers and it shall again be as it was,
and the blessed will be the strangers (i.e. the few followers).’ (Narrated
by Muslim) In another narration: “…blessed will be the strangers: Those
who reform the people when they go astray.” (Narrated by Abu ‘Amr AdDaani, with an authentic sanad)
8. “Blessed will be the strangers: Righteous folk living among very
144
wicked people, most of whom disobey them (the righteous ones).” (An
authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)
9. “There is no obedience in matters which entail disobedience to Allaah:
Obedience is only in the performance of good.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari)

Whatever the Messenger () Brings You, Accept it
1. “Allaah’s curse is on those women who pluck the facial hair of others
and those who have it done for them – who alter the creation of Allaah.”
(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
2. “…and women who wear revealing clothes, who walk in a seductive
manner, inclining their heads, like camels’ humps: Such will not enter
Paradise, nor will they even find its scent.” (Narrated by Muslim)
3. Fear Allaah and take the halaal and reject the haraam.” (Narrated by
Al-Haakim, who declared it to be authentic)
4. “Lower your voices (when supplicating Allaah), for the One you are
invoking is neither deaf nor absent.” (Narrated by Muslim)
5. “Those people most severely put to trial are the Prophets, then the
righteous.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, who declared it to be authentic)
6. “Repair relations with those who cut you off, be good to those who do
bad to you and speak the truth, even if it be against yourself.” (An
authentic narration by Ibn An-Najaar)
7. “Wretched will be the slave of the deenaar and the dirham and of the
fine clothes: When he is given (something), he is happy, but when he is
not given, he is unhappy.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
8. “Shall I not guide you to a thing which, if you did it, you would love
each other? Spread As-Salaam (i.e. the Muslims salutation: As-Salaamu
145
‘alaikum – May Allaah’s Peace be upon you - ) amongst you.” (Narrated
by Muslim)
9. “Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer.” (Narrated by AlBukhaari)
10. “A Man should not make another man get up from his place and then
sit in it; instead, move up and make room.” (Narrated by Muslim)













Be Brothers, oh, Slaves of Allaah!
Allaah’s Messenger () said: “Do not envy one another, do no hate one
another, do not listen to secret talks, do no monopolize things which you
desire so that others may not share them, do not look for each others
faults, do not bargain over goods which you have no intention of buying,
do not dissociate from one another, do not oppose each other and do not
agree to sell a thing to someone at a certain price and then sell it to
another for a better price. Be brothers, oh slaves of Allaah, as He has
commanded you: A Muslim is the brother of every Muslim; he does not
ill-treat or oppress him, nor does he treat him with contempt. Taqwaa
(piety, fear of Allaah) is here, taqwaa is here.” – And he pointed to his
heart. Is it enough for the evil man that he despised his Muslim brother?
All that a Muslim possesses is forbidden to his Muslim brother, his blood
(i.e. his life), his honour and his property. Beware of suspicion, for
suspicion is the most untruthful speech. Verily Allaah does not look at
your shapes not at your wealth; rather, he looks at your hearts and your
actions.” (Narrated by Muslim, and most of it was also narrated by AlBukhaari)


Ahaadeeth Concerning the Muslim

1. “The Muslim is one from whose words and whose hand the Muslims
are safe.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
2. “Reviling a Muslim is an outrage, and fighting him is an an act of
disbelief.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
146
3. “Cover your thigh, for verily, the thigh is part of a man’s ‘awrah.” 122
(An authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)
4. “A believer does not defame others, nor does he curse, nor is he lewd,
nor obscene.” (Narrated by Muslim)
5. “Whoever took up arms against us is not one of us.” (Narrated by
Muslim)
6. “Whoever cheats is not one of us.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who
declared it to be authentic)
7. “Whoever forbids gentleness forbids goodness.” (Narrated by Muslim)
8. “Whoever sought Allaah’s Pleasure, and in doing so incurred the anger
of the people, Allaah will be sufficient for him against the people; but
whoever sought the pleasure of the people, and in doing so incurred
Allaah’s Wrath, Allaah will abandon him to the people.” (Narrated by AtTirmizi, who declared it to be authentic)
9. “Allaah’s Messenger () cursed the briber and the one who accepts
bribery.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who declared it be hasan)
10. “Whatever hangs down below the ankles from a man’s garment is in
the Fire.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
11. “If a man says to his brother: “You kaafir (disbeliever)!” – the epithet
will return to one of them.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)
12. Do not say to the hypocrite: “Our Leader,” for if he is your leader,
you will incur the Wrath of your Lord, Almighty, All-powerful.” (An
authentic hadeeth narrated by Ahmad)
13. “A child is pledged (to Allaah) by his ‘aqeeqah: 123 The slaughter for
him is on the seventh day as is the naming and the shaving of his head.”
(An authentic narration by Abu Dawood)
122
‘Awrah: Those parts of the body which must be covered from public view.
147
 
The Honour Bestowed on a Woman in Islaam
Islaam has honoured a woman in that it has bestowed upon her the
responsibility of the children’s training, education and upbringing, and thus
the righteousness of the community is contingent upon her uprightness and
piety. Likewise, Islaam has obliged her to wear the veil, in order to protect
her from evil and to protect society from the corrupting effects of her being
uncovered. The veil ensures that love and compassion remain between a
man and his wife, because when a man sees a woman more beautiful than
his wife, it causes deterioration in their relationship, and might even lead to
separation; and the veil had been mentioned in the Qur`aan – Allaah Most
High says:
ِ ِ ِ‫ك ون‬
ِ َ ‫اج‬
ِ ‫هللا قُ ل ِألَ ُْو‬
‫ك‬
َ ِ‫ني َعلَ ْي ُِ َّن ِم ْن َجكبِي بِ ُِ َّن َل‬
َ ِ‫ني يُ ْدن‬
َ ِ‫س اء ال ُْم ْؤمن‬
َ ْ ُّ ِ َّ‫{ ََّي أَيُّ َُ ا الن‬
َ َ َ ‫ك َوبَنَات‬
)59:33 ‫أَ ْد ََن أَ ْن يُ ْع َرِْ َن َِك يُ ْؤ َيْ َن } (سورة احقراب‬
Oh, you Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the women of the
believers to draw their cloaks around them. That will be better for
them, that they may be known (as free, respectable women) so as not to
be annoyed (Soorah Al-Ahzaab 33:59)
1. Annie Besant, (a well known British writer of the 19th century) said: “I
often think that woman is more free in Islaam than in Christianity.
Woman is more protected by Islaam than by the faith which preaches
monogamy. In Al-Qur`aan, the law about women is more just and liberal:
It is only in the last twenty years that Christian England has recognized
the right of woman to property, while Islaam has allowed this right from
123‘Aqeeqah: The
slaughtering of one sheep (for a girl) or two (for a boy) on the occasion of the birth
of a child, as a token of gratitude to Allaah.
148
all times. It is a great slander to say that Islaam preaches that women have
no souls.” 124
2. She also says: “ Dealing with property, dealing with rights of
succession and so on, dealing with cases of divorce, it (Islaam) was far
beyond the law of the West, in the respect which was paid to the rights of
women. Those things are forgotten while people are hypnotized by the
words of monogamy and polygamy, and do not look at what lies behind it
in the West – the frightful degradation of women who are thrown into the
streets when their first protectors, weary of them, no longer give them any
assistance.”
3. The orientalist, Francois Sagan says: “Oh, woman of the East! Those
who speak in your name and call for your equality with men, are making
a mockery of you, just as they made a mockery of us before you!”
4. Professor Von Harmer says: “The veil protects a woman’s honour and
status and preserves her modesty.”125
The Words of an Eminent Western Writer Concerning Islaam
The writer, Bernard Shaw said: “I have always held the religion of
Muhammad in the highest estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It
is the only religion which appears to process that assimilating capability
to the changing phases of existence which can make itself appeal to every
age…I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad, that it would be
acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of
today.”126

124
“The Life and Teachings of Muhammad” by Annie Besant
125
I have translated the above two quotations as faithfully as possible, since I do not have access to
them in their original language. However, having been translated into Arabic and then once more into
English, it is certain that the wording will have changed. In spite of this, the meaning remains the same
In Sha Allah.
126 “A Collection of Writings of Some of the Eminent Scholars”
149
An American Muslim Speaks About His Embracing Islaam
There are a many people in the United States of America who are
looking for a new way of life, whether it be via Islaam, Christianity,
Bhuddism, Hinduism etc.; many Americans know that they are in need of
a God, but relatively few American Muslims are making it known that
Islaam is the way to Allaah…the way which Allaah has chosen for us.
1. At first, I was interested in Bhuddism, and for a number of years, I
wanted to become a Bhuddist monk, but after studying comparative
religion in university, I turned towards Islaam and after graduating from
university, I travelled to Europe and studied in Holland along with two
friend; one of them was a student from Jordan and the second was an
elderly man who was held in high esteem. He had previously been in
Albania and had spent the last thirty or forty years of his life dedicated to
Allaah. It was through the efforts of these two men that I entered the
Religion of Islaam; not because I was impressed by its beauty, or its
purity, or its effectiveness, but because I was convinced that Muhammad
() was in truth, the Messenger of Allaah, and that were I reject Allaah’s
Message and His Messenger, Allaah would reject me.”
2. I have spent part of the last five years in America and part of it in the
Arab world and I have reached the point where I love and cherish Islaam,
and realise how this Religion molds and shapes the life of man and makes
it sanctified and blessed. It distresses me to see the Muslim peoples who
have lost their faith in Islaam; instead, they attempt to imitate America
and the Western world, in an age when the Americans and the West need
to emulate their traditions, beliefs and systems. There are millions of
people in the Arab world who look towards America in search of right
conduct and guidance, at a time when millions of Americans are of the
150
opinion that their country is becoming more evil every day, and many of
them expect its destruction in the near future.
3. As for the Muslims of America, some of them retain a strong belief in
Islaam, especially the converts among them; but we are in need of
knowledge. Due to lack of knowledge, often we undertake fruitless
actions or commit mistakes in the name of Islaam. There are a small
number of (Muslim) Americans who know how to guide their brothers,
and a very small number among the (Muslim) communities who actually
implement Islaam who go to America in order to spread the Islaamic
Religion and to correct the mistakes in the Religion and establish it upon
proper foundations there. In truth, the Islaamic communities of the world
do not fulfill their obligations; and many of those guiding the Muslims do
not go to America to strengthen belief in the Oneness of Allaah and His
Religion.
4. Finally, it is my hope and my expectation that in the next ten years or
so, people will become more aware of the cultural centres promoting
Islaamic traditions, and I hope that they may find there strong devotion,
obedience to Allaah, in order that they may live in accordance with them.
All praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds.

An American Girl Embraces Islaam
Islaam is the only path of deliverance and salvation for mankind
Pamela (her new name is Hajar) is a young American girl, aged 28
years and she is a student in the department of social sciences at the
University of Missouri, Columbia. Two years ago she began to study
about Islaam; it was a sincere search for the truth, about which she was
deeply concerned, and which she had not found in the American culture
151
of materialism. After two years of study, investigation and contemplation,
she announced her conversion to Islaam and changed her name to Hajar,
explaining that this name was very dear to her, as it is linked with Islaam.
Hajar speaks about her experience, saying: “For a long time, there were
many questions in my mind regarding the Universe, existence and life. I
became consumed with the search for answers to these philosophical
questions, but in vain: I found no convincing explanation from my studies
in American culture of materialism. I had heard about Islaam, but its
precise form was not clear in my mind; in fact, it was a distorted picture,
of a religion which discriminated against women and was based upon
harshness and cruelty. I continued to be ignorant as to the true nature of
Islaam, until I became aware of its purity and its challenge to the
materialistic powers. It was from this view-point that I began to study and
research about Islaam. At the beginning, the research was extremely hard,
for there were no reliable books about Islaam in English. However, from
the start, I felt a sense of love for Islaam, for it is a religion of justice and
fairness, which sets a person free, and makes him bear the responsibility
for his deeds and actions. Thus, with the passage of time, my knowledge
and understanding of Islaam increased; this was how Allaah guided me to
Islaam.
Hajar Calls to Islaam
Since embracing Islaam, Hajar has been working diligently to spread
Islaam. She feels that her mission now is to struggle in the cause of
Islaam and to convey its message to the American people, who are
ignorant of the true nature of Islaam, due to the distorted picture painted
by its enemies, who are filled with hate for it.
Islaam has completely changed Hajar. Having previously lived like any
other American girl, a life devoted to vain pleasures and desires, she now
firmly adheres to the laws and fundamentals of Islaam; and she says: “My
152
highest goal is to struggle in Islaam’s cause, to oppose capitalism,
tyranny and evil. After my experience, I have found that Islaam is the one
true path for mankind’s salvation from the dangers of wars, hunger and
suffering.
When she was asked why Islaam is the only way to mankind’s
salvation, Hajar replied, saying: “Islaam is the only religion which
provides solutions in all social affairs and modern-day political matters. It
is a complete system of life, which balances the needs of the soul and the
needs of the body, without detriment of one to the other. I have found in
it satisfactory answers to all the philosophical questions which used to
cause me so much anxiety and loss of sleep.”
When Hajar speaks about Islaam, one senses the truth of what she is
saying: “She knows what she is talking about. Sometimes she uses
Islaamic expressions in Arabic; but she always understands clearly that
Islaam is a complete system of life and not just a religion comprised of
acts of worship. In her view, jihaad is the most important thing in Islaam
– or at least, the most important thing of which the Muslims are in need at
this time…
Since embracing Islaam, Hajar has completely changed her way of life.
She wears Islaamic clothing and has begun to offer the five daily prayers
at their prescribed times, and she is working very hard to memorize
Qur`aanic verses so that she can perform the prayers properly. Naturally,
she faces some problems from her colleagues and family, but Hajar, the
Muslim finds, as she says: “…that difficulties strengthen my faith; and
this is fitting for the new Muslims, both men and women: Many of them
suffer persecution or injustice, but they remain firm in their conviction. I
do not care about anything except Islaam.”
Hajar’s activity is not limited to religious matters – she is also involved
in political activities and fighting for justice and rights for the Palestinian
153
Muslims. To this end she constantly gives lectures and speaks about the
injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people. She is an individual who is
very much in the public eye. She is a white American girl, who has been
transformed into a propagator of Islaam, working to defend the rights of
those Muslim peoples whose voices are not heard, but she does not get
bored or tired! Her message is to the Muslims in general and the Arabs in
particular: “It is you who must light the way for mankind, so do not be
weak in the face of Israel and her allies in the battle for the Holy Land.”


An International Singer Declares After Embracing Islaam:
On the 5th of Ramadhaan 1400 A. H., the newspaper ‘Al-Madinah AlMunawwarah’ reported the story of how Cat Stevens, now known as
Yusuf Islam came to Islaam: The report contained a number of important
declarations and beneficial advices, the most significatn of which we may
mention here:
1. “The people of the West were stunned when I stopped singing after
embracing Islaam and they began to ask me why I had changed; and the
media became absolutely silent and ignored me completely, ceasing their
pursuit of me wherever I went, as they had done previously. This is
because the media organizations in the West are Jewish and they hold all
the keys.
2. The cause of my embracing Islaam was the visit of my brother to AlAqsaa Mosque and his presenting me with a gift: Two copies of the
Qur`aan – one in Arabic and the other in English, because he knew of my
interest in Divinely revealed Religions. So I began to read the Qur`aan by
myself, until I had studied the whole book, then I began to read the life of
the Prophet () and this had a great personal effect on me. After a year
154
and a half’s study, I was convinced of the greatness of Islaam and that it
is the true Religion. I thanked Allaah that I had embraced Islaam before
meeting any Muslim and before knowing of their differences.
3. I went to Al-Quds and found the people in Al-Aqsaa Mosque were
very happy for me; I cried and I prayed there. Al-Quds is the heart of the
Muslim world and if the heart is sick, then the whole Muslim world is
sick and in its cure is the cure for the whole body. Thus, it is incumbent
upon us to free this heart in the name of Islaam.
4. The Palestinian people must stick firmly to Islaam and be regular in
their prayers; then I am confident that Allaah will help them.
5. They told me after I embraced Islaam that smoking is forbidden and so
I gave it up and I stopped drinking and consorting with women and I quit
singing and playing music.
6. I chose a veiled Muslim woman as my wife, because beauty is not the
most important thing; Islaam, faith and virtue are the only important
things.
7. I am now learning the Arabic language, so that I may read the Qur`aan
and taste the sweetness of its meanings; and I will write books about the
greatness of Islaam, making use of my fame in order to call people to
Islaam.
8. I believe that prayer at the correct time is the most important pillar of
Islaam (after the shahaadataan 127) and the strict observance of it at its
stated times strengthens a man and his Islaam. After praying, I feel
unusually calm and relaxed.”
9. I have heard that Yusuf Islam lives in England and that he is involved
in Islaamic propagation and that he has his own mosque there, where the
Muslims gather and help and support him. He has outstripped the (born)
127
Shahaadataan: The two testimonies: ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallaah, Muhammadur-Rasoolullaah’ – None
has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.
155
Muslims in his strict adherence to Islaam and his love for it. I ask Allaah
that He grant him steadfastness and success. May Allaah bless him and
his like among the active Muslims.

The Supplication of Istikhaarah (Seeking Divine Guidance)
It is narrated on the authority of Jaabir () that he said: “The Messenger
of Allaah () used to teach us to perform istikhaarah in all matters, just as
he would teach us a Soorah from the Qur`aan; he said: “If any of you is
concerned about some matter, he should pray two rak’ahs of voluntary
prayer, then he should say:
ِ َ ِ‫ك وأَسو ْق ِد َك بِ ُق ْد ت‬
ِ
ِ
ِ َ َّ‫ك الْع ِظ ِيم َِِإن‬
ِ ِِ ِ
َ َ ‫ك من َِ ْ ل‬
ُ ‫ك تَ ْقد ُ َوالَ أَقْد‬
َ
ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم إِِّن أسوَخيُ َك بعلْم‬
َّ ‫ِ تَ ْعلَ ُم أ‬
‫َن َهذا األ َْم َر َل ْي ٌر ِِل ِِف ِد ِيّن‬
َ ْ‫ اللَّ ُُ َّم إِن ُكن‬، ِ ‫ِ َعكَّ ُم الغُيُو‬
َ ْ‫َوتَ ْعلَ ُم َوالَ أَ ْعلَ ُم َوأَن‬
ِ ‫وم‬
ِ ‫عاج ِل أ َْم ِرَ و‬
ِ ‫ ِِف‬:‫قال‬
‫آجلِ ِه) ِاقْ ُد ْهُ ِِل َويَ ِس ْرهُ ِِل ُُثَّ ِب ِ ْك ِِل‬
َ ‫عاشي َوعاقِبَ ِة أ َْم ِرَ (أَو‬
ََ
َ
ِ ‫َن َهذا األَمر َش ٌّر ِِل ِِف ِد ِيّن وم‬
ِ :‫قال‬
َّ ‫ِ تَ ْعلَ ُم أ‬
‫عاج ِل‬
َ ‫عاشي َوعاقِبَ ِة أ َْم ِرَ (أو‬
َ ‫ِِ ِيه َوإِ ْن ُك ْن‬
ََ
َْ
ِ ِ ‫أَم ِرَ و‬
ِ َّ‫ِ كا َن ُُث‬
:‫(قال‬
َ ‫ض ِّن بِ ِه‬
ُ ‫اص ِرِْ ِّن َع ْنهُ َواقْ ُد ْ ِِل اْلَْي َر َح ْي‬
ْ ‫ِاص ِرِْهُ َع ِّن َو‬
ْ )‫آجل ِه‬
َ
َ ْ
ِ ‫وي‬
")ُ‫اجوَه‬
َ ‫سمي َح‬
َ َُ
“Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi’ilmika wa astaqdiruka
biqudratika wa as`aluka min fadhlik al-‘azeem, fa`innaka taqdiru wa
laa aqdiru wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lamu wa Anta ‘Allaamul-ghuyoobi,
Allaahumma, in kunta ta’lamu anna haazal-amra khairun lee fee
deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati amree, (or he said: ‘aajili amree wa
aajilihi), faqdurhu le wa yassirhu lee, thumma baarik lee feehi, wa in
156
kunta ta’lamu anna haazal-amra sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashi
wa ‘aaqibati amree (or he said: fee ‘aajili amree wa aajilihi), fasrifhu
‘annee wasrifnee ‘anhu waqdur lil-khaira haithu kaana, thumma
radhdhinee bih.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I seek guidance from You through Your
Knowledge, and I seek strength and ability through Your Omnipotence,
and I ask You from You Great Bounty, for You are Able (to do all things)
and am not able, and You know (all things) while I know not, and You
have Knowledge of the unseen. Oh, Allaah! If You know that this matter
of mine (then he should name it, whether it be marriage, partnership,
business travel or anything else) is good for my religion, my life and the
end result of my affair (or he said: in my worldly affair and those in the
Hereafter), then make it easy for me, and then bless it for me. But if You
know that this matter is bad for my religion, my life and the end result of
my affair (or he said: in my worldly affair and those in the Hereafter),
then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain goodness
from me wherever it me be, and then make me accept it.’ (Narrated by
Al-Bukhaari)
This prayer and supplication should be performed by a person for
himself, just as a sick person must drink the medicine himself128, firm in
the belief that his Lord, from Whom he has sought guidance will direct
him to that which is good. And the sign of what is good is that it is made
easy for him. But abstain from the innovative istikhaarah, which is to the
128
Not as is often done in some parts of the Muslim world, where a person in need of guidance
requests another to make istikhaarah on his behalf; how could it be, when Allaah’s Messenger ( )
taught us to say: “this matter of mine…”?
157
depend on dreams or what is deemed a favourable comparison between
names of a man and woman who are considering marriage 129 or other
such actions which have no basis in the Religion.


The Supplication of Ash-Shifaa` (Cure)
Place your hand on the part of your body which is causing you pain and
say “Bismillaah” three times, the repeat the following seven times:
ِ
ِ ‫هلل وقُ ْد ِته ِمن َش ِر ما أ‬
" ِ ‫َج ُد َوأُحا‬
َ َ ‫"أَعُو ُ ِِب‬
“A’oozu Billaahi Wa Qudratihi Min Sharri Maa Ajidu Wa Uhaazir.”
(-and in another narration, [he () said]: “Raise your hands and then
repeat this three times.”)
- which means: “I seek refuge with Allaah and His Omnipotence from
whatever evil I find and to make me on my guard (against it).” (The first
version was narrated by Muslim and the latter by At-Tirmizi, who
correctly declared it to be hasan)
2. Say:
129
Such as adding up the number of letters in each name and reaching the conclusion that if each
name has the same number of letters, then that is a favourable sign, or other comparisons, whether real
or imaginary.
158
ِ ‫ب البأ‬
ِ ِ ‫"اللَُّ َّم َّ الن‬
ِ
َّ ِ
‫َاء إِالَّ ِشَا ُؤ َك‬
َ ْ‫ ا ْش ِ أَن‬، ‫ْس‬
َ ُ
َ ‫الش ِاِف الَ ش‬
َ َ ِ ‫َّاس أَ ْه‬
ِ ‫ِشَاء الَ ي‬
"‫غاد ُ ُس ْقما‬
ُ
“Allaahumma, Rabban-Naasi, Azhibil-Ba`sa, Ishfi, Antash-Shaafi, Laa
Shifaa`a Illaa Shifaa`uka, Shifaa`an Laa Yughaadiru Suqman.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Lord of mankind! Remove the harm, cure
(me), for You are the Healer; there is no cure except Yours – a Cure
which leaves behind no infirmity.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim)
3. Say:
ِ ِ ِ
ٍ ‫َّامة ِمن ُك ِل َش ْي‬
ٍ ْ ‫هام ٍة َوِمن ُك ِل َع‬
"‫ني الََّم ٍة‬
َّ ‫َان َو‬
ْ َّ ‫"أَعُو ُ بِ َكلمات هللا الو‬
“A’oozu Bikalimaatillaahit-Taammati Min Kulli Shaitanin Wa
Hammatin Wa Min Kulli ‘Ainin Laammah.”
- which means: “I seek refuge with the perfect Words of Allaah from
every devil and every affliction and from every evil eye.” (Narrated by
Al-Bukhaari)
4. “Whoever visited a sick person whose appointed time has not come
and said next to him seven times:
ِ ‫َل هللا‬
ِ ‫الع ْر‬
"‫ك‬
َ َ‫الع ِظ ِيم أَ ْن يَ ْش َِي‬
ْ ‫"أ‬
َ ‫ش‬
َ َّ َ ‫يم‬
َ َ ُ ‫َسأ‬
َ ‫العظ‬
“As`alullaahal-‘Azeema, Rabbal-‘Arshil ‘Azeemi An Yashfiyak.”
- which means: “I ask Allaah, the Almighty, Lord of the Mighty Throne
to cure you,” Allaah will restore him to health.” (Al-Haakim declared it to
be authentic and Az-Zahabi confirmed this)
5. “Whoever witnessed any tribulation and said:
ِ ‫"احلم ُد‬
ِ ‫هلل الَّ ِذَ َع‬
"‫اِاّن ِِمَّا ابْ وَكَ َك بِ ِه َوَِ َّلَِّن َع ْن َكثِ ٍي ِِمَّ ْن َللَ َق تَ َْ ِ يك‬
َْ
159
“Al-Hamdu Lillaahil-Lazee ‘Aafaanee Mim-Mabtalaaka Bihi, Wa
Fadhdhalanee ‘An Katheerin Mimman Khuliqa Tafdheelaa.”
- which means: “All praise and thanks be to Allaah, Who spared me from
that which has afflicted you and favoured me greatly over many of His
creatures,” that tribulation will not afflict him.” (A hasan narration by AtTirmizi)
6. “Jibreel () came to the Prophet () and said: “Oh, Muhammad! Are
you complaining of something (i.e. some affliction)?” Allaah’s
Messenger () replied: “Yes.” Jibreel () said:
ٍ ‫يك ِمن ُك ِل‬
ِ ِ
ٍ ْ ‫س َو َع‬
ٍ َْ َ‫يك َوِم ْن َش ِر ُك ِل ن‬
، ‫ني‬
َ ِ‫داء يُ ْؤ‬
ْ َ ‫"بِ ْس ِم هللا أَ ْق‬
ِ ‫بِس ِم‬
"‫يك‬
َ َِ ‫يك َوهللاُ يَ ْش‬
َ ِ‫هللا أَ ْق‬
ْ
“Bismillaahi Arqeeka Min Kulli Daa`in Yu`zeeka Wa Min Sharri Kulli
Nafsin Wa ‘Ainin, Bismillaahi Arqeeka Wallaahu Yashfeeka.”
- which means: “In Allaah’s Name I make invocation for you from every
disease which may afflict you and from the evil of every person and from
every evil eye; in Allaah’s Name I make invocation for you and may
Allaah cure you.” (Narrated by Muslim)
7. Recite Soorah Al-Faatihah and the last two Soorahs in the Qur`aan
(Al-Falaq and An-Naas) and ask Allaah Alone to cure you. Use both
supplication and medicine and give charity to the poor, so that you may
be cured by Allaah’s Permission.


The Supplication of Travel
160
1. The Prophet () said: “Whoever wished to undertake a journey should
say to those remaining behind:
"ُ‫َسوَ ْوِدعُ ُك ُم هللاَ الَّ ِذَ الَ تَ ِ ْي ُع َوداهِعُه‬
ْ ‫"أ‬
“Astawdi’ukumallaahal-Lazee Laa Tadhee’u Wadaa`i’uhu.”
- which means: “I commend you to Allaah’s Protection, Whose charges
are never lost.” (An authentic narration by Imaam Ahmad)
2. It should be said to the traveller:
"ِ
َّ َ‫ك َوي‬
َ َ‫س َر ل‬
َ َ‫"َُّو َد َك هللاُ الوَّ ْق َوى َوغََ َر َنْ ب‬
َ ‫ك اْلَْي َر َح ْي ثُما ُك ْن‬
َ
“Zawwadakallaahut-Taqwaa Wa Ghafara Zanbaka
Wa Yassara Lakal-Khaira Haithumaa Kunta.”
- which means: “May Allaah provide you with righteousness and forgive
your sins and may He facilitate goodness for you wherever you may be.”
(Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who declared it to be hasan)
3. If you get in a car, aeroplane or any other vehicle, you should say:
ِ
ِ
ِ َّ
ِ
‫ني َوإِ َّا إِى َبِنا‬
َ ِ‫َّر لَنا َهذا َوما ُكنَّا لَهُ ُم ْق ِرن‬
َ ‫ ُس ْبحا َن الذَ َسخ‬، ‫"ب ْس ِم هللا َواحلَ ْم ُد هلل‬
ِ ‫ احلم ُد‬، ‫هلل‬
ِ ‫ احلم ُد‬، ‫هلل‬
ِ ‫ احلم ُد‬. ‫لَم ْن َقلِبون‬
، ‫ هللا أَ ْكبَ ُر‬، ‫ هللا أَ ْكبَ ُر‬، ‫ هللا أَ ْكبَ ُر‬، ‫هلل‬
َْ
َْ
َْ
ُ ُ
ُّ ‫ َِِإنَّه الَ يَ ْغ َِ ُر‬، ‫ِ نَ َْ ِسي َِا ْغ َِ ْر ِِل‬
"ِ
َ َ‫ُس ْبحان‬
َ ْ‫الذنُو َ إِالَّ أَن‬
ُ ‫ك إِِّن ظَلَ ْم‬
“Bismillaahi Wal-Hamdu Lillaahi,
Subhaanal-Lazee Sakhkhara Lanaa Haaza
Wa Maa Kunnaa Lahu Muqrineena,
Wa Innaa Ilaa Rabbinaa Lamunqaliboona,
Al-Hamdu Lillaahi, Al-Hamdu Lillaahi, Al-Hamdu Lillaahi,
Allaahu Akbaru, Allaahu Akbaru, Allaahu Akbaru,
Subhaanaka, Innee Zalamtu Nafsee Faghfir Lee,
Fa`innahu Laa Yaghfiruz-Zunooba Illaa Anta.”
161
- which means: “In the Name of Allaah and all praise and thanks be to
Allaah. Most Glorified be He Who granted us this, though we were not
steadfast; but we turn to Him in (repentance). All praise and thanks be to
Allaah (three times), Allaah is Greater (three times). Most Glorified are
You; I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for none can forgive sins but
You.” (Narrated by At-Tirmizi, who declared it to be hasan-saheeh)
4. Say:
ِ
، ‫ضإ‬
َّ ِ ‫ك ِِف َسَ ِرَا َهذا‬
َ ‫الع َم ِل ما تَ ْر‬
َ ُ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم إِ َّا نَ ْسأَل‬
َ ‫الَب َوالوَّ ْق َوى َوم َن‬
، ُ‫اللَّ ُُ َّم َه ِو ْن َعلَْينا َسَ َرا َهذا َواطْ ِو َعنَّا بُ ْع َده‬
ِ َّ ِ
، ‫السَ ِر َواْلَلِ ْي َةُ ِِف األ َْه ِل‬
َّ ‫ب ِِف‬
َ ْ‫اللَّ ُُ َّم أَن‬
ُ ‫الصاح‬
ِ ‫السَ ِر وَكآب ِة املَْنظَ ِر وس‬
ِ
ِ َ ِ‫"اللَُّ َّم إِِّن أَعو ُ ب‬
ِ ‫ب ِِف‬
ِ ِ‫وء املُْن َقل‬
"‫املال َواأل َْه ِل‬
ُ
ُ
َُ
َ َ َّ ‫ك م ْن َو ْعثاء‬
“Allaahumma Innaa Nas`aluka Fee Safarinaa Haazal-Birra WatTaqwaa Wa Minal-‘Amali Maa Tardhaa,
Allaahumma Hawwin ‘Alainaa Safaranaa Haazaa Watwi ‘Annaa
Bu’dahu,
Allaahumma Antas-Sahibu Fis-Safari Wal-Khaleefatu Fil-Ahli,
Allaahumma Innee A’oozu Bika Min Wa’thaa`is-Safari Wa Ka`aabatilManzari Wa Soo`il-Munqalibi Fil-Maali Wal-Ahl.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! We ask You on this journey of ours
righteousness, fear (of Allaah) and deeds which are pleasing to You. Oh,
Allaah! Make this journey easy for us and hasten us across its distance.
Oh, Allaah! I see refuge with You from the hardships of travel, from
dejection and from an evil result in financial and family matters.”
(Narrated by Muslim)
5. On the return journey, the traveller should say:
162
ِ ‫"آيِبو َن َتهِبو َن عابِ ُدو َن لِربِنا‬
"‫حام ُدو َن‬
ُ
ُ
َ
“Aayiboona Taa`iboona ‘Aabidoona Lirabbinaa Haamidoon.”
- which means: “Returning in repentance, worshipping our Lord, Whom
we praise.” (Narrated by Muslim)


The Supplication Which is Answered
If you desire success in your examinations or any deed, then recite the
following supplications:
1. Allaah’s Messenger () heard a man reciting:
ِ
َ َّ‫ك ِِبَِّن أَ ْش َُ ُد أَن‬
َ ُ‫َسأَل‬
َ ْ‫ِ هللاُ الَ إِلَهَ إِالَّ أَن‬
َ ْ‫ك أَن‬
ْ ‫"اللَّ ُُ َّم إِِّن أ‬
ِ
ِ
"‫َح ٌد‬
َّ ‫َح ُد‬
َ ‫الص َم ُد الَّذَ ََّلْ يَل ْد َوََّلْ يُولَ ْد َوََّلْ يَ ُكن لَّهُ ُك َُوا أ‬
َ ‫األ‬
“Allaahumma Innee As`aluka Bi`annee Ashhadu Annaka Antallaahu
Laa Ilaaha Illaa Antal-Ahadus-Samadul-Lazee Lam Yalid Wa Lam
Yoolad Wa Lam Yakul-Lahu Kufuwan Ahad.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! I ask You because I testify that You are
Allaah – there is none worhty to be worshipped but You, the One, the
Self-sufficient, Who does not beget nor was He begotten and like unto
Whom there is none.” He () said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul,
he has asked Allaah by His Mightiest Name, which if He were called
upon by it, He answers and if He is asked, He gives.” (An authentic
narration by Imaam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and others)
163
2. The supplication of Zun-Noon 130 which he made when he was in the
stomach of the whale:
ِ ُ ‫ك إِِّن ُك ْن‬
ِ
"‫ني‬
َ َ‫ِ ُس ْب َحان‬
َ ْ‫"الَ إِلَهَ إِالَّ أَن‬
َ ‫ِ م َن الظَّال ِم‬
“Laa Ilaaha Illaa Anta Subhaanaka Innee Kuntu Minaz-Zaalimeena.”
- which means: “None has the right to be worshipped but You, Most
Glorified are You, verily, I have been one of the wrongdoers.” (Narrated
by Imaam Ahmad)
No Muslim has ever made this supplication without Allaah answering
it. 131
3. You must undertake the necessary measures to achieve your objective,
which means to act and to struggle. 132


Supplication of One Who Has Lost Something
Ibn ‘Umar () was asked about things which had been lost and he
replied: “He (the owner) should make ablution, then pray two rak’ahs,
them pronounce the tashahhud, then say:
ِ َِّ َّ ‫"اللَُّ َّم‬
، ‫َ ال َّكَلَ ِة تَ ُْ ِدَ ِم َن ال َّكَ ِل‬
ُ
َ ‫اد ال َّالة هاد‬
ِ
،‫ك‬
َ ِ‫ك َو ُسلَْان‬
َ ‫ُ َّد َعلَ َّي ضالَِِّت بِ ُق ْد َت‬
"‫ك‬
َ ِ‫ك َو َعَاه‬
َ ِ‫َِِإ ََّّنا ِم ْن َِ ْ ل‬
130
Zun-Noon: Yoonus (Jonah []).
131
…on condition that he believes in it.
132
This is a point often misunderstood by some non-Muslims, who claim that Islaam is a fatalistic
Religion, based on their faulty understanding of the Muslim belief in Qadar.
164
“Allaahumma Raaddadh-Dhaallati Hadiadh-Dhalaalati Tahdee
Minadh-Dhalaali, Rudda ‘Alayya Dhalaalatee Biqudratika Wa
Sultaanika, Fa`innahaa Min Fadhlika Wa ‘Ataa`ik.”
- which means: “Oh, Allaah! Returner of what is lost! Guide to what is
lost! You guide( people away) from error; return my lost property by
Your Omnipotence and Sovereignty, for that is from Your Bounty and
Your Gift.” (Al-Baihaqi said: “This is mawqoof 133 and it is hasan.”)

Supplications From the Noble Qur`aan
)10:18 :‫نك َ ْوَة َو َهيِ ْئ لَنَا ِم ْن أ َْم ِرَا َ َشدا } (سورة الكهف‬
َ ‫{ َبَّنَا آتِنَا ِمن لَّ ُد‬
 Oh, our Lord! Bestow on us Mercy from Yourself and facilitate for
us our affair in the right way  (Soorah Al-Kahf 18:10)
‫(سوورة‬
ِ ِ
ُّ ‫{ َبَّنَا آتِنَا ِِف‬
} ِ ‫س نَة َوقِنَ ا َع َذا َ النَّ ا‬
َ ‫س نَة َوِِف اآلل َرة َح‬
َ ‫الدنْ يَا َح‬
)201:2 ‫البقرة‬
 Our Lord! Bestow on us in this world goodness and in the
Hereafter goodness and protect us from the punishment of the Fire 
(Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:201)
} ُ ‫َنِ ال َْوهَّا‬
ْ ‫{ َبَّنَا ال تُ ِز‬
َ َّ‫نك َ ْوَة إِن‬
َ ‫ب لَنَا ِمن لَّ ُد‬
َ ‫كأ‬
ْ ‫غ قُلُوبَنَا بَ ْع َد إِ ْ َه َديْ وَ نَا َو َه‬
)8:3 ‫(سورة آل عمران‬
133
Mawqoof: A narration which emanated from a Companion (). This does not in any way indicate
weakness or unreliability, since all of the Companions () are reliable, however, it means that the
statement is not traceable to the Prophet ().
165
 Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us;
and grant us Mercy from Yourself. Truly, You are the Bestower 
(Soorah Aali ‘Imraan 3:8)
ِِ ِ ِ
ِ َّ ِ
ِ
ِ
‫آمنُ وا َبَّنَ ا‬
َ ‫ين َسبَ ُق‬
َ ‫ين‬
َ ‫وا ِِب ِإلَْان َوال ََتْ َع ْل ِِف قُلُوبنَا غكًّ للَّذ‬
َ ‫{ َبَّنَا ا ْغَ ْر لَنَا َو ِإل ْل َواننَا الذ‬
ِ ٌ ‫ك ُؤ‬
)10:59 ‫يم } (احلشر‬
ٌ ‫وا َّح‬
َ َ َّ‫إِن‬
 Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who came before us in faith
and place not in our hearts hatred against those who believe. Our
Lord! You are indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful  (Soorah Al-Hashr
59:10)
ِ ‫ك الْم‬
)4:60 ‫صيُ } (سورة املمتحنة‬
َ ‫ك تَ َوَّكلْنَا َوإِلَْي‬
َ ‫{ َبَّنَا َعلَْي‬
َ َ ‫ك أَنَ ْبنا َوإِلَْي‬
 Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust and to You (Alone) we
turn in repentance and to You (Alone) is our final return  (Soorah
Al-Mumtahanah 60:4)
ِ
ِ َّ
‫ين‬
ْ ِ‫{ َبَّنَا الَ تُ َؤال ْذ َا إِن نَّ ِسينَا أ َْو أَ ْلََأْا َبَّنَ ا َوالَ َ ْ ِم ْل َعلَْي نَ ا إ‬
َ ‫ص را َك َم ا َوَلْوَ هُ َعلَ إ ال ذ‬
‫ِ َم ْوال َا‬
َ ‫ِم ن قَ ْبلِنَ ا َبَّنَ ا َوالَ َُ ِملْنَ ا َم ا الَ طَاقَ ةَ لَنَ ا بِ ِه َوا ْع ُ َعنَّ ا َوا ْغ َِ ْر لَنَ ا َوا ْ َوْنَ ا أَن‬
ِ
ِ
)286:2 ‫ين } (سورة البقرة‬
ُ َِ
َ ‫انص ْرَا َعلَإ الْ َق ْوم الْ َكاِ ِر‬
 Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord!
Lay not on us a burden like that which You laid on those before us.
Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to
bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are
our Protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.” 
(Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:286)
ِ
)89:7 ‫ني } (سورة حعرا‬
َ ‫ني قَ ْوِمنَا ِِب ْحلَِق َوأ‬
َ ِ ‫َنِ َل ْي ُر الَْا‬
َ ْ َ‫{ َبَّنَا اِْ وَ ْح بَ ْي نَ نَا َوب‬
166
 Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are
the Best of those who give judgement  (Soorah Al-A’raaf 7:89)
ِ ِ ِ
ِ
} ‫ك ِم َن الْ َق ْوِم الْ َك اِِ ِرين‬
َ ِ‫ني َوَِجننَ ا بَِر ْوَو‬
َ ‫{ َبَّنَ ا الَ ََتْ َعلْنَ ا ِ ْو نَ ة ل ْل َق ْوم الظَّ ال ِم‬
‫(سووورة‬
)86-85: 10 ‫يونس‬
 Our Lord! Do not make us a trial for the unjust (i.e. disbelieving
and wrongdoing) people (i.e. do not let them overpower us) and save
us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving people  (Soorah Yoonus
10:85-86)
)12:44 ‫{ َبَّنَا ا ْك ِش ْ َعنَّا ال َْع َذا َ إِ َّا ُم ْؤِمنُو َن } (سورة الدخ ن‬
 Our Lord! Remove from us the punishment, verily, we shall
become Believers  (Soorah Ad-Dukhaan 44:12)
ِ
)126:7 ‫ني } (سورة احعرا‬
ْ ‫{ َبَّنَا أَِْ ِر‬
َ ‫ص َْبا َوتَ َوَِّ نَا ُم ْسل ِم‬
َ ‫غ َعلَْي نَا‬
 Our Lord! Pour upon us patience and cause us to die as Muslims 
(Soorah Al-A’raaf 7:126)


My Ilaah! You Alone Are the One Who Gives Help
Oh, You Who sees what is in the heart and hears,
You it is Who arranges all that is hoped for,
Oh, You to Whom all pleas to lift calamities are made,
Oh, You to Whom all complaints and fears are addressed,
Oh, You with Whom the stores of His Bounty are in the Word: “Be!”,
Bestow (upon us), for all goodness is with You,
I have naught but my need for You as a means of invocation,
167
And so by my need for You I present my case,
I have naught save my knocking upon Your door as a means to an end,
And if I am refused, upon which door shall I knock,
And whom shall I invoke and in whose name shall I call,
Should Your Bounty be refused to Your supplicant?
Your Generosity is never given to the disobedient,
The Bounty and Gifts (of Allaah) are more abundant and wider,
So send prayers and blessings on the Prophet,
(Who brought the Qur`aan as a shining light)
( )

168
Contents of the Book
2
Introduction
The Main Precepts in Islaam
Page

3
Islaam is a Complete System of Life
4
The Pillars of Islaam
5
The Pillars of Eemaan
6
Ad-Du’aa` - That is Worship
7
Where is Allaah?
15
Allaah is Above the Throne
17
Things Which Invalidate a Person’s Islaam
21
Do Not Believe the Imposters
29
Do Not Swear by Other Than Allaah
30
Do Not Blame Qadar
33
The Virtue of Prayer and Warning Against Abandoning it
34
Learn the Ablution and the Prayer
35
Rulings of Prayer
42
Some Ahaadeeth Concerning Prayer
45
The Obligation of Jumu’ah and the Congregational Prayers
46
The Virtue of Jumu’ah and the Congregational Prayers
48
The Manner of Jumu’ah Prayer and its Required Decorum
49
The Prayer of the Lunar Eclipse and the Solar Eclipse
50
How to Pray for the Dead
51
‘Eed Prayers in the Musallaa
53
The Rain Prayer
55
….One Who Seeks to Pass in Front of the Worshipper in Prayer
56
Siyaam (Fasting) and its Benefits
58
Your Obligations in Ramadhaan
60
The Virtues of Hajj and ‘Umrah
62
169
Page
The Deeds of ‘Umrah
65
The Deeds of Hajj
67
The Required Decorum of the Prophet’s Mosque
69

The Morality of the Noble Messenger ()

Manners of the Messenger () and His Modesty of Bearing
71
Love of the Messenger () and Obedience to Him
76
Ahaadeeth Concerning the Messenger ()
78
75
79
How Should We Educate Our Children?
87
Filial Piety
90
Avoid the Major Sins
91
Types of Major Sins
95
Follow and Do Not Innovate
100
Ordering the Good and Forbidding the Evil
106
Jihaad in Allaah’s Cause
110
Factors in Achieving Victory
111
A Legal Will and Testament for Every Muslim
Things Forbidden by Islaamic Law
114
116
Growing the Beard is Obligatory
118
The Islaamic Ruling on Singing and Music
120
The Harmful Effects of Singing and Music
124
Singing in the Present Day
125
The Seductive Nature of a Charming Female Voice
Singing Breeds Hypocrisy
72

The Cure for Singing and Music
Types of Singing Excepted From This Ruling
The Islaamic Ruling Regarding Pictures and Images
126
127
128
130
170
Page
The Harm in Pictures and Statues
132
Are Pictures the Same as Graven Images?
134
Permitted Pictures and Images
135
Is Smoking Permissible?
136
The Obligation of the Mujtahidoon to Hold Fast to the Ahaadeeth
139
Act Upon the Ahaadeeth of the Messenger ()
143
Be Brothers, Oh, Slaves of Allaah!
145
The Honour Bestowed on a Woman in Islaam
147
The Words of an Eminent Western Writer Concerning Islaam
148
An American Muslim Speaks Abou His Embracing Islaam
149
An American Girl Embraces Islaam
150
Hajar Calls to Islaam
151
An International Singer Declares, After Embracing Islaam
153
The Supplication of Istikhaarah
155
The Supplication of Ash-Shifaa` (Cure)
157
The Supplication of Travel
159
The Supplication Which is Answered
161
Supplication of the One Who Has Lost Something
163
Supplications From the Noble Qur`aan
163
My Ilaah! You Alone Are the One Who Gives Help
166
Contents of the Book
167