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Ideas on the Prophetic Hijrah
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 19-09-2016

Ideas on the Prophetic Hijrah

By Dr. Mufti Hassan Abu Arqoob

 

It isn`t out of the ordinary that Omar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah Be Pleased with him) turned the event of the Hijrah (Prophet`s migration to Medina) into a starting point for the Islamic calendar to distinguish the Muslim nation from other nations as it is not only an earmark in the history of the Muslim nation, but also in that of mankind. This way, Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) teaches us (Muslims) how to have our own identity, how to make our own history and be proud of it and how to preserve our own character among other nations.

Our great Prophet (PBUH) emigrated from Mecca to Medina after having suffered all sorts of torture from Quraish in their attempt to force him to forsake calling people to Islam. They have also offered him wealth and authority in return for leaving the religion of Allah which he has brought to all mankind; however, he didn`t give up to worldly temptations. Despite the tactics of invitation and intimidation employed by Quraish, Prophet Mohammad remained steadfast in propagating the message of Islam until Allah commanded him to immigrate to Medina and leave Mecca, his beloved home.

The propagator of the divine message, Prophet Mohammad, was never deterred from delivering it since he is a man of principle. Worldly temptations couldn`t tempt him because he has firm belief that the Hereafter is better and more lasting. Once he was cornered, and not allowed to worship Allah and to deliver His message as commanded, he was permitted to leave Mecca since the whole universe is  Allah`s and all the creatures are His servants. Whatever the case may be, abandoning one`s beloved homeland isn`t a justifiable act because it contradicts man`s nature, and the love of country is part of man`s identity and character.

We learn from the School of the Prophetic Hijrah that the propagator of the message must strive and leave no stone unturned to deliver that message. Allah, The Almighty, Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque-may Allah free it-, is capable of taking him on the Buraq (a horse-like animal) from Mecca to Medina. Still, how could civilization be established and history made through such a miracle!!? It must be executed through the normal standards of human beings in order for delivering the message of Islam to fit every time and place, and so that none could argue that they (history and civilization) were based on the supernatural.

The Prophet(PBUH) emigrated in secret after having made a water tight plan to leave Mecca. This plan shows that adopting means to reach an end as well as planning for success are key foundations in man`s life. Although supported by Allah, the Prophet adopted the aforementioned means; therefore, it is imperative that all Muslims follow suit. The true meaning of trusting Allah is being satisfied at heart with his divine preordainment; of course after adopting means to reach an end.

I (writer) said "water tight plan" that takes different conditions and circumstances into consideration. As absurdity is rejected, so is foolish and naïve planning because "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Consequently, it is imperative that man employs wisdom, patience and reason when planning in addition to taking the various possibilities, conditions and circumstances into consideration because at time of crisis, vision is blurred and sound thinking becomes unattainable. Sound planning and sound management, expecting crises and coming up with early suitable solutions for them are all lessons that we learn from the blessed Hijrah of the Prophet (PBUH).

We also learn from the Prophetic Hijrah how to enhance women`s role in society since the Prophet (PBUH) entrusted Asma` Bint Abi Bakir (May Allah Be Pleased with them) with providing for him while he was in the cave of mount Hira. It was a delicate mission because she had to exercise caution getting into the cave and out of it without being noticed by the disbelievers so that they would never know the Prophet`s whereabouts. As we can see, woman has played a key role in this blessed event, proving that she is able to achieve, participate in making history and civilization, be an active member of society and prevent any attempts to marginalize her role. And Allah Knows Best.

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is required of one who doubts the number of rakʿāt during prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a person doubts the number of rakʿāt he has prayed, he should build upon the lesser number, as that is what he is certain of. He should then perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) before the final salām at the end of the prayer. ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When any one of you is in doubt during his prayer and does not know whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, let him pray one more rakʿah and then perform two prostrations while seated before the salām. If the rakʿah he prayed was a fifth, these two prostrations will make it even; and if it was the fourth, then the two prostrations serve as a humiliation for the devil." (Reported by Abū Dāwūd.)
It is stated in al-Muqaddimah al-Ḥaḍramiyyah — one of the foundational texts of the Shāfiʿī school: "If one doubts whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, he is obliged to build upon the lesser number."
However, if such doubt recurs repeatedly and reaches the level of obsessive whispering (waswasah), he should not build upon the lesser number in that case — rather, he should build upon the greater number. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is a person who forgot to make up missed fasts until the next Ramadan began required to pay expiatory compensation (Fidyah) alongside the makeup fast (Qada')?

 
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Whoever forgets to make up missed fasts of Ramadan (Qada') until the following Ramadan begins incurs no sin, pursuant to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "Indeed, Allah has pardoned for my nation their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they are coerced into doing." [Narrated by Ibn Majah, and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Sunan Al-Kubra]
 
Furthermore, such an individual is not obligated to pay a expiatory compensation (Fidyah). It is stated in Bushra Al-Karim (p. 580)—one of the authoritative Shafi'i jurisprudential texts: "As for delaying it [the makeup fasts] due to a valid excuse—such as travel, breastfeeding, forgetfulness, or ignorance of the prohibition of delay (even for one living among scholars)—no Fidyah is required. This is because delaying performance during the actual month is permissible due to these excuses; hence, delaying makeup fasts is even more permissible, even if it continues for years."
And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on praying seated due to severe obesity, given that I experience hardship in performing the prayer — especially when rising from the ground after sujūd to perform the next rak‘ah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Standing, when one is able to do so, is a pillar of the prayer. However, whoever would experience severe, intolerable hardship, or fears harm to himself or to a limb due to obesity, or finds that standing causes him to lose his khushū‘ (humble focus and concentration) in prayer, then there is no objection to his praying seated on a chair or on the ground, performing rukū‘ (bowing) and sujūd (prostration) through gesture — provided that the gesture for sujūd is made lower than that for rukū‘. Whoever is able, at any point, to properly perform any one of these pillars, is obligated to perform it in full; for omitting it is a concession that applies only in cases of genuine inability. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When I command you to do something, do of it whatever you are able." (Related by al-Bukhārī). As the scholars of fiqh have established: what remains possible is not waived on account of what is difficult.
The criterion for determining genuine inability, as chosen by Imam al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī (raḥimahullāh), is that the worshipper experiences hardship that causes him to lose his khushū‘.
As for voluntary (nafl) prayer, there is no objection to performing it while seated, even if one is able to stand. However, rukū‘ and sujūd must still be performed [in their proper physical form] by anyone who is able to do so. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on eating or drinking during the circumambulation?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is disliked (makrūh) to eat or drink during the circumambulation (ṭawāf).
Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī states in al-Majmūʿ: "It is disliked to eat or drink during ṭawāf, and the dislikedness of drinking is lighter. Neither of them, nor both together, invalidates the ṭawāf. Al-Shāfiʿī said: 'There is no objection to drinking water during ṭawāf, and I do not consider it sinful; however, I prefer that it be avoided, as refraining from it is more befitting in terms of proper conduct.' Among those who explicitly stated the dislikedness of eating and drinking, and that drinking is the lesser of the two, is the author of al-Ḥāwī."
If, however, a person is in genuine need of drinking, then there is no dislikedness in doing so. In any case, the ṭawāf itself remains valid. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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