Standing between prayers

It has been reported in the hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah ( Radia Allahu anhu) that he said:

"The Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered us not to join one prayer with another without leaving or speaking (in between)" [Transmitted by Muslim and Abu Dawood]

So the scholars have understood from this , that a gap most be made between the obligatory and the Sunnah- either by speaking or by changing one's place.

SOURCE: Fataawa Islaamiyyah 1/346 of Shaikh Uthaymeen (Rahimahu Allah)

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The benefits of Salah

Allah the Exalted has said:

"And seek help in patience and in prayer. Surely that is something quite difficult on (people) other than people of humility and submissiveness."

And He has said:

" O you who believe! Seek help in patience and in prayer! Verily, Allaah is with those who are patient."

And He, the Exalted one, has said:

" And command your family to pray, and be patient upon that. We are not asking you for any provisions, (rather) We provide for you, and the favorable outcome is for (those with)taqwaa (consciousness of Allaah that produces righteous actions)"

And in the books of Sunnah is reported that the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu alyhi wa sallam) used to hasten to prayer whenever and affair disturbed him. And previously discussed was the concept of healing most ailments through prayer before seeking out other ways of dealing with them.

Prayer is something that causes one to receive sustenance.
It is something that safeguards one's physical health.
It keeps away harmful things.
It casts away illness.
It strengthens the heart.
It brightens one's countenance.
It delights the soul.
It gets rid of laziness.
It makes the limbs active.
It increases one's physical strength.
It expands the chest (making one at ease and giving him insight)
It is nourishment for the soul.
It illuminates the heart.
It safeguards one's blessings.
It repels catastrophes.
It keeps away the Shaytaan- the devil.
It draws one close to Ar-Rahman (Allah , the Most Merciful)

And overall  it has an amazing effect on the health of the body and heart , and in strengthening them and expelling harmful pollutants from them.No two people have been afflicted with any disability, disease , or other calamity , except that the portion of the one who prays is less and his outcome is clearner.

Also, prayer has an amazing effect on the evils of the dunyya (the worldly life) and how it repels them, especiallay when the prayer is performed properly and completely , inwardly and outwardly. Nothing keeps the evils of the dunyaat bay and brings on the benefits of it like prayer.

The reason behind this is that prayer is one's connection to Allah , the Mighty and Majestic. so based on the strength of a person's relationship with his Lord , the Mighty and Majestic , the doors of goodness will accordingly be opened up for him, bad things and the reasons for them befalling him will be cut off , and the elements of sucess granted by his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic , will begin pouring in, along with safety and good health, wealth and worldly riches, relaxation , bliss, enjoyment , and all types of joyful affairs will be brought to him, and in an expedient manner, too.

SOURCE: Zaad al-Ma'aad (4/304-305) of Ibn Qayyim (Rahimahu Allah)

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The women Salah ( Amin, Adhan, Iqamah)

Question 3 : Does the woman raise her voice with saying the Amin , and does she also give the Adhan and the Iqamah (for prayer)?
Shaykh Albani answers: As for is it correct for the woman to raise her voice with amin , then there is a detailed explanation with regard to the question. If she is praying with women , then yes.  As for if she is praying with men who are strangers (i.e. no mahram) , then no. Because I do not say that the voice of a woman is 'awrah, as many say, because the mothers of the believers and the wives of the early Companions used to speak with men and uned to communicate with men ; and often timen the woman used to come to the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and ask him (a question) in front of the men.And he (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would asnwer her question.
But (here) it is not part of the good manners of a woman that she raises her voice with the recitation of the Quran. we are often asked - is it permissible for the woman , when she is learning the recitation from the Shaykh who is a reciter , to repite the recitation to him, in order for him to correct her- the answer is no. Although she learns, her learning is restricted to listen only , as learned the women of  all the Companions from the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) by listening to his recitation during prayer or outside of prayer.

SOURCE: Silsilat ul huda wan nur, tape 697.

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Better be dust

'Abdullah Ben 'Amr (Radia Allahu anhu) said:

"It would be better for a person to be turned to dust than to deliberately walk in front of a person who is praying"

 SOURCE: Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Al-Tamhîd. 
                   Graded sahîh by Shaykh Al-Albânî in Sahîh Al-Targhîbi wa Al-Tarhîb Vol. 1 Pag 135

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Women in the Masjid

QUESTION- There are some Masjids in which the women pray below the actual Masjid , such as in the basement or in a upper level (above the Masjid). We are women who pray in these Masjids , at times followinf the Imaam from a point where we are not able to see him nor the male followers. And sometimes there is a large empty space left over in the area of prayer for the men. Is our prayer valid if we cannot see the Imaam of any of the (male) followers ,and while knowing that sometimes we enter the Masjid and don't know what raka'h he is in. It is allowed in this situation to follow (the Imaam) by (hearing) the raise voice only. Ansd it is correct for us to follow the Imaam while we are on an upper or lower level knowing that at times there is ample room in the Masjid (floor)?

ANSWER- The answer in is two parts. The first is that the prayer and the mentioned scenario is valid so long as the women pray in the Masjid, regardless or whether it is in the upper or lower level. And it is so long as they are able to hear the takbeers from the Imaam indicating the change in position, such as from standing to bowing to prostrating.
The second part is that it is not proper for the women to pray like this unless the area for the men is filled with people and they (the women) cannot find a place behind the rows for them to pray in. In this circumstances, it is permissible for the women to pray in the upper or lower level of the Masjid. But if this Masjid, where the Imaam and the men behind him pray, has ample room left over, then it is not allowed for the women to go up to the upper level or down to the lower level where they won't be able to see the movements of the men praying behind him. The reason for this goes back to two matters:

1. When the Prophet ,Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam ,said: "The best rows for the men are their first ones and their worst (rows) are their last ones. And the best rows for women are their last ones and the worst (rows) are their first ones" he meant by it in the same ground of the Prophet, Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam , and his companions behind him used to pray on. The women were not in upper or lower levels.
2. The underlying reason for this is that the speakiers at times can be low and at others times they are not working. So the prayer of the women, who are following him from a upper or lower level, from which they cannot see the prayer of the Imaam or those behind him, is subject to becoming invalid.

To summarize this answer. The prayer that is performed while on a upper or lower level is valid. However, it is not permissible to designate those places for prayer when there is enough room in the prayer place ( musalla) , such that the women are able to pray in the back of it.

SOURCE: Al-Asaalah, Issue #19,  Shaykh Al Albani

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The Baraqah is in the word

"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect." (33,56)

Question- Is it permissible to write the letter (S) instead of written (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) , and why?

Answer- The sunnah is to write the entire phrase (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), since it is a supplication , and the supplication is a form of worship, such as verbally saying it (the phrase), and the abbreviation for it using the letter (S) or Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam , (or (SAAW) or the like) is not constitute a supplication , and nor a form of worship , whether it be by speech or writing. And because of this, this abbreviation was not used by those of the first three generations about whom the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) bore witness to their excellence.

And with Allah lies all sucess and may Allah sends prayers and salutations upon our Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and his family and his companions.

The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa, comprising -

Head: Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez Ibn Abdullaah Ibn Baaz;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq 'Afeefee;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Ghudayyaan;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Qu'ood
 SOURCE:Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa., - Volume 12, Page 208, Question 3 of Fatwa No.5069

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how you are according to your salah

The five categories of people who pray:

1. The category of the oppressor to himself, the negligent one, one who is deficient in performing ablution for it, negligent with his appointed time periods, its boundaries and its pillars.
2. One who preserves it appointed time periods, its boundaries, its outward pillars and ablution for it, however he forsakes striving against his own self from whisperings and thinking to himself, and so is preocupied with whisperings and thoughts.
3. One who preserves its appointed time periods, its pillars as well as strives against himself in repelling whisperings and distracting thoughts that overcome him, he is busy in striving against his enemy in order to prevent him from stealing his prayer, he is in prayer as he is in Jihaad.
4. One whom when he stands for prayer perfect its rights, its pillars and its boundaries. His heart is occupied with preserving its boundaries and preventing anything of it being lost, rather all his attention is directed to performing it as it should be, in its most complete and perfect form, his heart is occupied with the prayer and worshiping his Lord  the Elevated, with it.
5. One who performs the prayer, like the previous person, but in addition to this, he has taken his heart and presented it to his Lord. He looks at his Lord with his heart, fully concerned with him, it is as if he sees and witnesses his Lord. All distracting thoughts and whisperings fade away and the veil between him and his Lord is removed. The difference between this person in his prayer and others, is greater and better that all what is between the heavens and earth, he is fully occupied and overjoyed with his Lord in his prayer.

The first category is punished, the second is held accountable, the third is perdoned, the fourth is regarded and the fifth is brought close to his Lord, because he gains a portion of what made the prayer a delight to him. For whoever is delighted with his prayer in the life of this world, will be delight  by being close to his Lord in the After life as well as being dclighted with his Lord in this life, and whoever is delighted with Allah, the Elevated, his soul will be torn apart from the life of this world in loss.

It is narrated that when a server stands for prayer, Allah, the Glorified says:

"Remove the veil"

And if the servant turns away , He says:

"Replace it"

 This " turning away" has been explained as the turning of the heart away from Allah the Mighty to other tha Him. So if he turns away, the veil is replaced between him and his Lord and Shaytaan enters and presents worldly affairs to him, he shows them to him in the image of a woman. But if he turns with is heart to Allah and does not turn away, Shaytaan would not be able to come between Allah and the heart, he only enters if the veil is replaced. If he returns to Allah the Elevated with his heart, the Shaytaan would scape, and if he turns away, the Shaytaan would return, such in his state with this enemy in prayer.

SOURCE: Al Waabil as Sayyib : Vol. 1 P. 138R of Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Qayyim (Rahimahu Allah)

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Tears for the Prophet

It is reported that Bilal (Radia Allahu anhu) never used to call the adhan for any one after the death  of the Prophet ( Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). He wanted to go to Jihad but Abu Bakr did not want him to go. Then Bilal said:

"If you freed me (when I was a slave) to please Allah, then let me go."

Then he went to Al-Sham when 'Umar came to Al Jabiyah (during his caliphate) the Muslim requested that he asked Bilal to make Adhan for them, then 'Umar asked him. He called the Adhan one day and never it has been heard the cry of many people as during that day. When they remembered the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

It is said that the Adhan of the people of Al-Sham was taken from this Adhan.

SOURCE: Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ in his biography of Bilâl b. Abî Rabâh.

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Did you know ..... In your prayer you shoot the devil ?

He ( Salla Allahu alaythi wa sallam) would spread his left palm on his left knee, clench all the fingers of his right hand, point with the finger adjacent to the thumb towards the qiblah and fix his sight on it (i.e.the finger).
Also , when he point with his finger, he would put his thumb on his middle finger and sometimes he would make a circle with these two.
When he raised his finger, he would move it supplicating with it and he use to say:

"It is surely more powerful against the devil than iron, meaning the forefinger." (185)

 Footnote 185: Muslim, Abu 'Awanaah and Ibn Khuzaimah. Humaida (13/1) and Abu Ya'laa ( 275/2) added with a Saheeh sanad on the authority of Ibn 'Umar: and this is the shooting of the debil; no-one will forget when he does this. And Humaidi raised his finger. Humaidi also said that Muslim bin Abi Maryam said: " A man related  to me that in a church in Syria, he saw imagens of Prophets depicted like this" and Humaidi raised his finger. This is an extremely strange remark, but is sanad up to " the man" is saheeh.


SOURCE: The Prophets prayer by Shaikh Al Albani (Rahimahu Allah)

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During the night

Q- I read in a pamphelt about a hadith attributed to the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa salam), and says it is sahih  narrated in (authentic book of hadith) Muslim, which states that every night there is a time that in which the doua is answered. However no mention if is at the end of the night or when...It is this hadeeth, sahih?

A- Yes, this hadeeth is saheh, this event was related by Muslim on the authority of  Jabeer that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

"In every night there is a time in which the doua, will be answered" 

Not specified. If a person takes this time, your doua will be answered.Is a hidden hour as of Friday, which is more likely to be after the prayer of Asr (afternoon), or when the Imam (the leader in the collective prayer) sits to say the Khutbah (sermon) of the prayer of Jumu'ah (Friday).
As for this hour, is more likely to be in the middle of the night as the say in some narrations, or in the third part of the night, but usually overnight.

Fatwas of Ibn Baz;Volumen 25; Book of Hadeeths , First lesson ;book of Salah.

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