Articles

Jerusalem in the Muslims Eyes
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 06-12-2017

Jerusalem in the Muslims Eyes

 

 

An Article by His Grace Mufti Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh

 

The relationship between Muslims and Al-Aqsa Mosque is religious since it is the place from where our Prophet (PBUH) embarked on his nocturnal journey (Israa wal Me’raaj), the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, the third holiest site in Islam, a blessed place where good deeds are multiplied, the reward of one Raka in Al-Aqsa Mosque equals the reward of five hundred Rakas and its environs are blessed since it is where Prophets (PBUT) settled and the angels descended. Allah, The Exalted, Said (What means): "whose precincts We did bless," [Al-Isra`/ 1]. Moreover, in Jerusalem and its environs, a group of the Muslim Ummah (Nation) will continue to prevail and they will never be harmed by those who forsake them, until the Hour begins.

 

This significant status of Al-Aqsa Mosque has settled in the hearts of  all Muslims, so it became an integral part of their creed since every morning and evening they recite the verse (What means): "Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque" [Al-Isra`/1].

 

In these difficult times, which the Muslim Ummah is experiencing, Allah, The Almighty, admonishes His salves to obey Him and His Prophet (PBUH) in all that they say and do, and forbids disobeying Him or His Prophet (PBUH). Almighty Allah has also warned the Ummah against disputing among themselves because that weakens their position and makes them vulnerable. Therefore, He, The Almighty, Said (What means): "And obey God and His Apostle; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: For God is with those who patiently persevere:" [Al-Anfal/46].

 

When the Prophet (PBUH) immigrated from Makkah to Medina, leaving a land so dear to his heart, he aimed, first, to unite Muslims by building his mosque. Next, he established brotherly ties between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, so he managed to put affection in  their hearts instead of animosity and hatred. Allah, The Almighty, Said (What means): "And (moreover) He hath put affection between their hearts" [Al-Anfal/63]. Commenting on this verse, Al-Qortobi said: "Managing to put affection between the hearts of the Arabs is among the miracles and signs of the Prophet (PBUH)."

 

The Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians, and banning them from praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque are indicative of a greater good to come since Allah, The Almighty, Said (What means): "And who does greater evil than he who bars God's places of worship, so that His Name be not invoked in them, and strives to ruin them?; such men might never enter them, save in fear; for them in this world is degradation; and in the Hereafter a mighty chastisement." [Al-Baqarah/114]. This verse condemns such a heinous crime and shows that none does greater evil than he who bars God's places of worship, so that His Name be not invoked in them, and strives to ruin them.

 

When Israel exercises its atrocities in Jerusalem, it targets Muslims as well as Christians. Nonetheless, both will protect their sanctities by tooth and nail.

 

Al-Aqsa Mosque will remain a symbol of Islam regardless of the trials and the killings. It will remain alive in the hearts of all Muslims and liberating it will remain on top of their priorities no matter what the case may be. Actually, this is embodied in the moral and financial support provided by the Hashemite leadership, emanating from their custodianship to Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock, and the other sanctities of Jerusalem. This wise leadership has made available all means of support to the Palestinians in order to remain steadfast in Jerusalem in addition to providing guards for the Mosque.

 

Clearly, His Majesty King Abdullah the 2nd has played a key role in bringing the Palestinian question to the forefront of the international arena. His prime concern is to unite the international views in favor of the Palestinian question in order to reach a comprehensive and just solution to this thorny issue.

 

We pray that Allah safeguards Al-Aqsa Mosque against all plots, and liberates it from the Jews. Amen to that.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on performing the Istikhara prayer after the Witr paryer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Istikhara prayer (Prayer for seeking guidance) is a Sunnah. It consists of two units (rak’ahs) performed outside of the obligatory prayers, after which the person supplicates with the traditionally narrated du’a. It is permissible to perform it before or after the Witr prayer, as the Istikhara prayer is recommended at all times except during the disliked times—the periods in which prayer is prohibited. This is because its specific reason (the Istikhara and supplication) occurs after the prayer itself, and any prayer with a subsequent reason is not permitted during the prohibited times. It should be noted that the two rak’ahs of Istikhara are not fulfilled by performing only one rak’ah, nor by a prostration of recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawah), nor by a funeral prayer (Janazah). And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on making up the regular *rawātib* (sunnah) prayers together with a missed obligatory prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is obligatory to make up (qaḍāʾ) a missed obligatory prayer (farḍ). As for the timed supererogatory prayers (al-sunan al-muʾaqqatah) or the regular rawātib prayers, it is recommended (mandūb) to make them up, even if a long time has passed. Ibn Ḥajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Fatāwā: "It is established in our school that it is sunnah to make up the timed voluntary prayers, by night or by day, even if congregation is not prescribed for them, whether much time has passed or little."
Accordingly, it is recommended to make up the sunan together with the obligatory prayer. And Allah Almighty knows best.
________________________________________
Note on terminology: Al-nawāfil al-muʾaqqatah (timed voluntary prayers) refers to supererogatory prayers tied to a specific time or cause, such as the rawātib (regular prayers before and after the obligatory ones), Duha, and the like. The ruling given here reflects the Shāfiʿī position.

A man led the people in prayer as imam, and at the end of the prayer he performed a prostration of forgetfulness (*sujūd al-sahw*) because he had omitted a short *sūrah* after al-Fātiḥah. What is the ruling on his prayer and that of those praying behind him?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
According to the Shāfiʿī school, it is sunnah to recite a sūrah after al-Fātiḥah in the prayer. One who omits it has a valid prayer, and no prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) is prescribed for omitting it. If someone performs sujūd al-sahw for its omission while knowing the ruling and remembering it, his prayer is invalidated. But one who is ignorant of the ruling, or who did so out of forgetfulness, his prayer is not invalidated, because this is among the matters that are obscure to people, and ignorance of it is not restricted to those who recently entered Islam.
Shaykh al-Islām al-Shams al-Ramlī said in Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj ilā Sharḥ al-Minhāj (Vol.2/p.70): “The remaining sunnahs are not compensated for by prostration, such as the remembrances (adhkār) of bowing and prostration, that is, the opening supplication (duʿāʾ al-iftitāḥ) and the sūrah, in accordance with the base rule, because they are not of the same nature as what has been reported [as compensable]. If one prostrates for any of them deliberately, his prayer is invalidated, unless he is excused due to ignorance. As for the objection raised that the ignorant person does not know that sujūd al-sahw is prescribed, and whoever knows it knows its place, this is refuted by denying such a necessary connection, for the ignorant person may hear only that sujūd al-sahw is prescribed before the salām, and so assume that it applies to every sunnah and is not restricted to its prescribed place.”
This is among the matters that are obscure, in which the mukallaf is excused for ignorance, as stated by al-Shabrāmallisī in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.70).
However, if the imam prostrates, and the follower (maʾmūm) presumes that his imam’s prostration is for a reason for which one does not prostrate, it is not permissible to follow him in it, so long as the follower knows the ruling.
Accordingly, the prayer of one who did not recite a sūrah after al-Fātiḥah is valid, and sujūd al-sahw is not prescribed for it. Whoever prostrates out of ignorance or forgetfulness, his prayer is valid, because this is among the issues hidden from the general public. But whoever prostrates while knowing the ruling and remembering it, his prayer is invalidated. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on working in hotels?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is permissible to work in hotels, restaurants, and shops in jobs that involve no direct handling of forbidden things and do not assist in them, such as administrative work.
As for jobs in which one directly handles forbidden things or assists in them, such as serving, transporting, or purchasing alcohol, receiving payment for it, or agreeing to buy it, working in them is forbidden, based on the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.” [al-Māʾidah/2]
The basic nature of the work of hotels and restaurants is permissible, and the sin of any forbidden element that arises incidentally in some of what takes place in a hotel or restaurant is borne by those who run it.
The scholars have also permitted dealing with one whose lawful wealth is mixed with unlawful wealth, as previously explained in Fatwa no. (2697). And Allah Almighty knows best.