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Poses on Enjoining Obligatory Prayer
Author : Dr. Mohammad bani Taha
Date Added : 25-04-2017

 

 

 

Poses on Enjoining Obligatory Prayer, A Flashback to Isra` and Mi`raj

 

 

 

By Dr. Mufti Mohammad Bani Taha

 

All praise be to Allah Who privileged His Slave and Messenger with the miracle of Isra` and Mi`raj. This great event was meant to comfort, support, and honor Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) where he was shown one of Allah`s countless signs and graces, and may peace and blessings be upon him and his followers. 

Just as the Prophet was honored with Isra` and Mi`raj, so was his nation since the five daily prayers were prescribed in that great journey, and what an honor that is!! The following points shed more light on this subject:

• The Prophet (PBUH) was taken on this nocturnal journey during "the year of sorrow" in which his beloved wife Khadijah and his uncle and protector Abu Talib died. Moreover, Allah has prescribed prayer as a refuge for every distressed Muslim. Therefore, when distress befalls a Muslim, he should seek refuge in prayer. Hudhaifah said: "When anything distressed the Prophet (PBUH), he prayed." [Abu Dawood].

 

• Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "While I was at Mecca, the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it." [Al-Bukhari]. Similarly, when a Muslim is about to pray, he should clear his heart and soul from worldly concerns, just as he should wash his body and clothes from impurities.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

• Chapter "Al-Isra`" has mentioned Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa although, at that time, its landmarks were wiped out, and Christians attempted to erase them in order to exasperate the Jews, and no prayer was held there for hundreds of years. Despite all of this, it was called a Masjid since a place dedicated for prayer remains called as such forever due to the greatness of this ritual.

 

 

• The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led the other Prophets in prayer during the Isra’ (Night Journey). This indicates that Islamic Law abrogated former Laws. As a result, prayer, due to its significance, became at the forefront of Islamic Law (Sharia). Just as he (PBUH) led them in prayer, his Law dominated and governed other Laws.

 

 

• The Prophet (PBUH) passed by the Oft-frequented House, which embodies to the people of Heaven what al-Masjid al-Haram embodies to the people of earth. Every day, seventy thousand angels enter that House to pray, but they will return to it only on the Day of Resurrection. Moreover, just as the people of earth observe prayer as an act of worship, so do the people of Heaven.

 

 

• Prayer was prescribed directly from Allah, in the seventh heaven, indicating its greatness and honorable status as the link between the slave and His Lord.

In conclusion, keeping the above points in mind helps the Muslim offer prayers with submissive humbleness that The Lord of The Worlds accepts from him and elevates his status for. We beseech Him to accept our acts of obedience, and the last of our prayers is that All Perfect Praise be to The Lord of The Worlds.

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on preparing food for someone who is not fasting in Ramadan?

It is forbidden to prepare food for someone who is breaking their fast without a valid excuse in Ramadan.
Doing so would be assisting in sin, and assisting in sin is itself a sin.
Allah says {what means}: "but help ye not one another in sin and rancour" [Al-Mai`dah/2]

Is it permissible for household members to pool money for the Udhiyah and gift it to one of them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible for members of a household to pool their money together and gift the total amount to one individual among them so that he may offer the sacrifice (Udhiyah). In this case, the family members receive the reward for giving charity (Sadaqah), and the one performing the sacrifice includes them in the spiritual reward (Thawab).
 
Furthermore, slaughtering a single sheep (on one's own) is considered religously better than participating as one of seven people in the sacrifice of a cow or a camel. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

I bought an apartment, and I am saving money to pay the remaining balance of its price — is zakāh obligatory on this money?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh is obligatory on all saved/hoarded wealth. Once the total wealth reaches the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah— equivalent to the value of 85 grams of pure 24-karat gold) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has elapsed over it, zakāh becomes obligatory at a rate of (2.5%) — even if the wealth is earmarked for basic future needs, and even if the wealth's owner is in debt. Debt does not prevent the obligation of zakāh, nor is it deducted when calculating the zakāh due, based on the general and unrestricted wording of all the Qur'anic verses commanding zakāh, which draw no distinction between someone in debt and anyone else.
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik, from the books of the Shāfi‘ī school: "If someone possesses exactly the niṣāb, and owes an equivalent amount in debt, zakāh remains obligatory on what is in his possession, and the debt does not prevent this obligation" — meaning, the obligation of zakāh on what is presently in his possession.
The ḥawl (annual cycle) recognized for zakāh, as well as for the other sharī‘ah obligations that Allah, the Exalted, has imposed upon Muslims, is the Hijrī (lunar) year. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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