My Hajj story :)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

One of the secrets to khushu' in Salah...

Bismillah

The key to Paradise is Prayer

and the key to Prayer is Purification.

(Tirmidhi)

Wudu is an obligation imposed upon the believers in Surat al Maidah Verse 6: Allah Most High says:

O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.

Wudu comes from the root word: Daw' ضَوْء

Linguistically wudu means: illumination, light and brilliance.

Technically wudu means: (Muslims) Washing certain limbs as a pre-condition to certain acts of worship.

It is fard for: Salah, Tawaf and holding the Mushaf.

There are many virtues of wudu (briefly):

  1. It washes the sins off even if they be under the nails (small/unknown/overlooked sins)
  2. Qualifies one to stand before Allah without being weighed down by sins
  3. Increases the illumination of Quran, Haddith, gatherings of knowledge
  4. Physically illumiates the Muslim
  5. Cause of illumination for that Muslim on the Day of Resurrection, a Day that is darkness upon darkness upon darkness
  6. Repels shaytan
  7. Mark of a true believer (who is upon wudu all the time)
  8. Protection from harm (evil eyes, injustice, fear and the like)

The Question now is... How is wudu linked to khushu'?

Many people complain of not being able to ascertain khushu' in Salah, so it is interesting to know what scholars have to say about the various actions of wudu and how they relate to the Akhira and how when thinking about these during wudu one can prepare themselves for Salah in a state of khushu'..

I just want to draw a note here, that this is not sunnah or fard to make these internal thoughts.. But you will see how the connection scholars make between wudu and the Akhira can, in turn, aid us in being able to enter Salah in the right state of mind conjusive to khushu'..

Amidst a day that is constantly filled with dunya and thoughts and worries of dunya this is most definitely a practical way of tearing oneself away from this dunya, cleansing our thoughts of it prior to Salah and concentrating on the Inevitable that is to come and indeed what Salah prepares us for..

I'll go through it all step by step..

To begin:

While washing our hands:

Recite:

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

نَوْتُ اَلْوضُوء

A’uthubillahi minash shaytanir Rajim

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Nawatulwudu

“I seek reguge in Allah from the accursed satan

I begin in the name of Allah, who is Most Merciful Most Gracious.

I intend to make wudu”

We begin by reciting the isti'atha and basmallah and then by making an intention to perform wudu during our hand washing.

For the Ahnaf the intention is sunnah not fard- as they consider it a pre-requisite to Salah and pre-requisites don't need an intention formulated. They say for instance covering your awrah is a pre-requisite to salah, but we don't say out loud "I intend to cover my awrah for salah" so they say the same applies for wudud. According to the Hanafi Madhhab this can just be an internal realisation and this suffices in this madhhab, if they want they can recite it out loud, but it stands that for the ahnaaf this is a sunnah.

For the Shafi'es though they consider it fard to make an intention. So in any case begin with the isti'atha and basmallah, and whether it's, fard or sunnah depending on your madhhab, it's good to recite the intention for the Shafi'es or for the ahnaaf either recite it or have an internal realisation that you are about to make wudu.

(NB: It is sunnah to say the basmallah before washing every limb, so I have included it below with each action..)

One should then make an internal dua

"O Allah free my hands of debt (before my death)"


Washing the mouth:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah allow me to say the shahada upon my death"


Washing the nose:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah allow me to smell the fragrance of Jannah (tul firdaws al a'la,

always aim high, your dealing with the Most-Generous)


Washing the face:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah illuminate my face on the Day of Rising"


Washing the right arm to the elbow:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah allow me to receive my book of deeds in my right hand"


Washing the left arm to the elbow:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"Not in my left hand"


Wiping over the head:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah shade me under Your Throne

on the day there is no shade but Your shade"


Wiping the ears:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah allow me to hear the call to Jannah (tul Firdaws al a'la)"


Wiping the neck:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah free my neck from Hellfire"


Washing the right foot:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah make my feet firm on the siraat

the day the feet are made firm or made to fall"


Washing the left foot:

بِسْمِ اللَّه

"O Allah make my feet firm on the siraat

the day the feet are made firm or made to fall"


To be honest with you I like to make these du'a out loud...

I tried the internal du'a thing a few years ago when I first studied this subject but I slowly forgot because thoughts occupy my mind all the time and slowly other thoughts crept in while I was making wudu which made me forget these dua's, now I just make it out loud so it's facilitates me remembering in the long run and making the thoughts more real.

Dua's then upon ending wudu

Look towards the sky and recite:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ

مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدَهُ وَرَسُولَهُ

Ash-hadu al la ilaha illa Allah

wahdahu la sharika lah

wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.

"I testify that there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah.

He is all by Himself and has no partner

and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Rasul (Messenger)".

Eight doors of Jannah will be open for the reciter of this dua.

He will be able to enter from whichever door he pleases. (Mishkat)

It is recorded in the same narration that the dua should be recited three times. (Hisnul Hasin)

Thereafter this dua should be recited:

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

Allahuma ij'alni minnat tawwabeena waj'alni minal mutattahireen.

"O Allah, count me (make me) among those who seek forgiveness

and amongst those who stay clean". (Hisnul Hasin)



Also recite this dua:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبَ إِلَيْكَ

Subhanaka Allahuma wabihamdika,

ash hadu al laa ilaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.

"O Allah, You are pure,

I praise You and testify that only You are worthy of worship

and I seek forgiveness from You. (Hisnul Hasin)

InshaAllah this is of benefit to those who read it.

And Allah knows Best.


Saturday, September 10, 2011

No title... Don’t want to give it away :)

Many of us wait for specific and beloved seasons. We wait in anticipation for the blessed annual seasons that Allah grants us out of His Mercy. We wait ( for example) for one Ramadan to the next Ramadan; and one Eid to the next Eid. We all wait for Laylatul Qadr and the nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan and so on and so forth. All of these are blessed and in them is good. But there is one season that Allah has put within it everything that we want and everything we seek from all the other seasons. It is all within this one season.
This season is: The entire day of Jumu'ah. As the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said: "The best day in which the sun rises is the day of Jumu'ah." Allah has specifically reserved Jumu'ah for us and has given it this amazing virtue. The scholars have said that there is no single day in the entire year better than Jumu'ah; except the day of 'Arafa and the two Eids; Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha. It is even better than the days of Ramadan. The season we wait and anticipate and look forward to months in advance. And within Ramadan each one of us waits for it's last 10 blessed days and nights. Indeed , the day of Jumu'ah is better than the days of Ramadan! And this is day is literally at our fingertips, once a week, week in week out.. Allahu Akbar!


Prophetic traditions regarding Friday

The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said:
“Whoever takes a bath sets out early walks and does not ride then comes close to the imam and listens he will have for every step he takes, the reward of One year’s worth of Fasting and Prayer” Allahu Akbar!

We could possibly sum up the etiquettes that we need to attain this virtue into 10 practices. There are 5 etiquettes in preparation for the day of Jumu’ah; and five others during the day of Jumu’ah

Etiquettes in preparation for the day of Jumu’ah:

1. Bathing.
Some scholars have said it is an obligation to bathe because the messenger said: “The Friday bath is an obligation on every adult”.
2. Wearing ones best attire.
One should reserve their best clothes for the day of Jumu’ah and it would be most preferable if one wears white because this was the Prophetic practice and the Messenger peace and blessings be upon him loved white.
3. To wear incense (for the brothers).
One should perfume himself in preparation for Jumu’ah and this is indeed a general sunnah for all other days too.
4. Personal Hygeine.
Trimming ones nails, getting a haircut if necessary; and trimming hair which pertains to one’s personal hygiene.
5. Anointment.
To anoint oneself on the night before or the day of Jumu’ah (using cream and the like).
If one does these five then he has done the prophetic practices for preparing for the day of Jumu’ah.

Then he heads out to the Masjid for which there are also
five prophetic practices:
1. Walking.
If one is able to walk to the Masjid and it is close he should do so, and if it is not, one may take a ride and then walk from his car to the Masjid and God-Willing this too will be counted for him and he will earn the reward for it.
2. Come early to the mosque.
One should aim to enter the mosque prior to the imam climbing his pulpit for it is narrated that the Messenger peace be upon him said: “That at every door of the Masjid there are angels that register the names of everyone that enters, in order. Then once the imam climbs on his pulpit (to begin his sermon) they wrap up their scrolls and (enter and) sit to listen to the imam.”
3. Greeting the Masjid.
The Prophet peace be upon him advised us to not sit until we greet the Masjid by praying two rak’aat called “Tahiyet il Masjid”. Even if the imam has climbed the pulpit and has begun his sermon it is still recommended to pray the greeting prayer.
4. Pick a close spot to the Imam.
I (sheikh Mohammad As Saggaf) find it strange that someone would come early to the Masjid and then go pick a spot right at the back of the Masjid and lean against the wall at the back of the Masjid, when indeed it is the Prophetic practise to look for the closest spot to the imam.
5. Attentiveness to the sermon.
Some people, for example, fall asleep throughout the entire sermon; MashaAllah! The tranquillity of sleep falls upon them only during the time of the sermon. Sometimes you find many people asleep during the sermon. Unfortunately they lose an immense reward. So listening is important, as well as avoiding nullifying acts. Indeed, there are some common mistakes that people make that nullify their Jumu’ah.
Some people for example check their emails, play with their phones etc. The Messenger has indicated to us that even moving a pebble during the sermon invalidates ones Jumu’ah and whoever invalidates it there is no Jumu’ah for him. Likewise if someone tells a friend next to him to listen he has invalidated his Jumu’ah and whoever invalidates it there is no Jumu’ah for him.

Etiquettes for the day and night of Jumu’ah
(other than those dealing with the prayer)

1. Reading Surat Al-Kahf (the Cave).
The Messenger peace be upon him said: Whoever reads the chapter of the Cave on the day of Jumu’ah light will shine from him until the following Jumu’ah. It will also serve as a defence for us from the trials of the Dajjal, may Allah protect us from his trials and from the precursors of his trials.
2. Salawaat.
This is a personally requested etiquette by the beloved Prophet peace be upon him to us. He said: Send plenty of prayers upon me on the night and the day of Jumu’ah”. Indeed if we send one prayer upon the Prophet peace be upon him, Allah sends 10 prayers upon us, and prayer from Allah is Mercy.
3. Supplication and anticipation for the “Hour of Acceptance”!
The Prophet peace be upon him said to us: “There is an hour on the day of Jumu’ah, if a Muslim asks Allah in it, Allah will Most Surely! Give him!” And this hour is called the “Hour of Granting/Acceptance”. Most of the scholars and indeed some of the greatest Companions like: Imam Ali and Our Lady Fatima Al-Zahra may Allah be pleased with them said that this “Hour of Granting” is the final hour before sunset!
One of the most important things that one should be aware of while following the prophetic traditions is to realise on this day, the Day of Jumu’ah, the meaning of the love of Allah for us and our love to Allah which is the foundation for our following the Messenger peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
“Say: If you love Allah then follow me and Allah will love you”
(Surat Aal Imraan verse 31)
:)