Important Lessons for the Ummah Explained by Shaykh Saleh as Saleh Notes taken by Nasrin As-Salafiyah Table of Content Preface  P # Chapter Two: Shahaadah – Testimony and its Nullifiers [Audio # 13]  P # to 10 Chapter Three: Pillars of Faith [Audio # 14]  P # 11 to 17 Chapter Four: Tawheed – Shirk Opposes Tawheed [Audio # 15]  P # 18 to 21 Chapter Five: Pillars of Islam – – Belief in Allah [Audio # 16]  P # 22 to 30 A First Pillar of Islam  P # 22 to 25 B Second Pillar of Islam  P # 25 to 30 Chapter Five: Pillars of Islam – – Fasting [Audio # 20]  P # 31 to 37 Chapter Six: Conditions of Salaah [Audio # 25]  P # 38 to 43 Chapter Seven: Pillars of Salaah [Audio # 26]  P # 44 to 46 Chapter Eight: Waajibaat of Salaah [Audio # 27]  P # 47 to 48 10 Chapter Nine: At-Tashahud – Its meaning [Audio # 28]  P # 49 to 52 11 Chapter Ten: Sunnah Acts of As-Salah [Audio # 29]  P # 53 to 54 12 Chapter Eleven: Invalidators of Salaah [Audio # 30]  P # 55 Appendixes Traveling without Mahram for Women is Haram By Shaykh Saleh as Saleh TV - Yes or No? By Shaykh Saleh as Saleh Wedding – Marriage & Its Rules and Issues By Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymeen Marriage is Half of the Deen – what does it mean? By Shaykh Saleh as Saleh Advices to sisters before Marriage By Shaykh Saleh as Saleh A Successful Marriage By Shaykh Muhammad Al-Malki How to purify yourselves for the prayers? By Abu Muhammad Al-Magribee Text of the book, “Important Lessons for the Ummah” By Shaykh Ibn Bazz  P # 57  P # 58  P # 59 to 68  P # 69 to 70  P # 71 to 72  P # 73 to 76  P # 77 to 80  P # 81 to 97 Preface Bismillah(Walhamdulillah( Assalamualikum(warahma(tullahi(wabaraka(tuhu( ( This(small(effort(consist(of(transcribe(notes([not(word(for(word(transcription],(and(summary(of(a(small(book(that(were( covered(in(the(“Muslim(Sisters(Study(Circle”(at(City(College(of(New(York.(The(main(work(was(done(by(Sister(Nasrin(Akther(and( then(proofreading(was(done(by(her(sisters(in(Islam(and(from(them(are(“AlHMujahidah”,(“Salafisister”,(“Areesa(B.”,(“Umm( Abdillh(Ndao”,(and(“TkMauri”.(May(Allah(reward(every(single(of(the(sisters(for(their(efforts(in(this(blessed(project.(( ( Even(after(proofread,(there(still(could(be(errors(in(the(file.(Thus,(we(request(you(if(you(come(across(any(errors(or(typos(or( mistakes,(please(leave(a(comment(@(http://msscofccny.multiply.com/(stating(what(needs(to(be(amended.(InshaaAllah.(( ( We(ask(Allah(to(make(this(little(effort(of(ours(sincerely(for(His(Face(and(make(it(a(benefit(for(us(and(for(Islam(and(Muslim.(( ( Jazakumul(Allahu(khayran(kathiran(Wa(Baaraka(Allahu(feekum(Jiddan( WasHsalamualikum(warahma(tullahi(wabaraka(tuhu( Nasrin(AsHSalafiyah( Chapter Two: Shahaadah – Testimony and its Nullifiers [Audio # 13] Meaning of first testimony (Shahadah): laa ilaha illa Allah Meaning of “laa ilaha” is negating of the shirk in all its kinds entailing disbelief in shirk and all that is worshipped beside Allah or to the exclusion of Allah, and the meaning of “illa Allah” is affirmation of all worship to Allah alone having no partner nor associate Therefore the meaning of of laa ilaha illa Allah is the firm conviction and attestation that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah and adherence to that and acting upon it This is the meaning of laa ilaha illa Allah Evidences for this is the saying of Allah, “[Soorah Muhammad 047:019] So know (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) that Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh), and ask forgiveness for your sin…” Meaning know that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, this is the meaning in this verse And this meaning, this affirmation and this negation came in the Book of Allah in “[Soorah Al-Baqarah 002.256] Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” Question: What is the meaning of Taghoot? Answer: Taghoot: is derived from the word togyan in Arabic – which means exceeding the limits Categories of taghoot are: Whatever is worshipped instead of or to the exclusion of Allah is a Taghoot a Ex: human being who is pleased to be set as object of worship is a taghoot The one who exceeds the limits concerning following and obedience to other than Allah and in setting others as rivals to Allah then himself is a taghoot Istihlal: those who make istihlal making permissible what Allah has made impermissible and vice versa and are obeyed for that are taghoot because they are being set as Lords beside Allah; obeying istihlal is of three types and they are: a If the person obeys them while pleased and content by their saying, giving precedence to their judgment and discontent with Allah’s ruling then he is a kafir b The person obeys them while accepting Allah’s ruling and knowing that it is the best and most fitting to men but due to lowly desires in himself he chooses otherwise For example: he maybe seeking a job and so forth In this case, it is not kufr rather he is a fasiq – meaning rebellion disobedient c The person obeys them due to ignorance thinking that their rulings are those of Allah’s This is subdivided into two cases i This person is able to know the truth by himself but he is negligent In this case, he is sinful because Allah ordered to ask the people of knowledge when matters are not known ii The person is not knowledgeable and is unable to learn but he follows them by way of blind following believing that it is the truth In this case there is nothing upon him meaning not held blameworthy Taghoot also covers all that which opposes Allah’s judgment and this is of different levels and ranks, some lead to exiting the fold of Islam while others don’t Some examples on taghoot: soothsayers, magician and “evil scholars” are taghoots, those (not clear) for being worshipped beside Allah as well as idols are taghoots And taghoot maybe also shaytan and/or anyone who is worshipped other than Allah and is pleased for that and/or calls for it Here one should remember a very important benefit explaining the issue of taghoot which is often misunderstood by enthusiastic young Muslims and this matter and this benefit was mentioned by Shaykh Sulayman ibn Samhan who said, “It should be known that the one who seeks judgments from the taghoot or the ruler or rather rules by other than Allah’s rule while believing that these judgments are more perfect and better than the judgment of Allah and His Messenger then this is disbelief – kufr of creed that takes a person out of the fold of Islam as it is mentioned in the ten nullifiers of Islam However, as the one who does not believe as such but resorted to the taghoot judgment while believing it to be false then this is of the practical type of disbelief, alkufrul amali – the practical type, which is a lesser type that does not take a person from Islam In addition, anyone – a ruler or ruled who equates the judgment of Allah and His messenger to that of man or believe that the rules of man are more fitting to our time than the Islamic laws commits kufr It is therefore conclude (this is the point of benefit): that the term taghoot in itself does not necessarily translate into major disbelief and apostasy since every kufr is taghoot but not every taghoot is kufr Imam Ibnul Qayyem rahimahu Allah said consider for example that figurative interpretation of Allah’s Names and Attributes through scholastic ways and giving precedence to the intellect over the legal text as taghoot, certainly none considers every level of these distortions as a major kufr Now continuing with the meaning of laa ilaha illa Allah, the explanation of the verse mentioned, “[002.256] Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh” This is the meaning of laa ilaha illa Allah, denial of taghoot and affirmation of tawheed Also, same meaning is in surah Az-Zukruf, “[043:026-027] And (remember) when Ibrâhỵm (Abraham) said to his father and his people: "Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, Except Him (i.e I worship none but Allâh Alone) Who did create me; and verily, He will guide me."” Look at the denial – “I am innocent of what you worship” and affirmation – “except Him who did create me…” Meaning of second testimony (Shahadah): Muhammad Rasul Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah means: Obeying him in that which he enjoins or commands, believing in that which he related, avoiding all that which he forbade and called us to abstain from, and that Allah should not be worshipped except in the way that he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam explained and prescribed, legally prescribed [Mentioned by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab in “Three fundamental principles” Therefore the obedience to the Messenger is the obedience to Allah Pillars of this testimony are two: Believing in his message Believing that he is a slave worshipper of Allah as he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam mentioned, “Verily, I am only a slave, so therefore say, slave of Allah and His Messenger.” So he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is not to be lifted to a rank above his rank such that he maybe looked up to possess qualities of divinity or that he knows of the absolute unknown – in absolute sense knowing everything of the unseen or that he benefits and harms or that he fulfills the needs when asked, and relieves the distress and Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was described by uboodiyyah – by slavery to Allah in the most honorable stations Sending of revelation: Surah Al-Furqan: “[025:001] Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion (of right and wrong, i.e this Qur'ân) to His slave (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) that he may be a warner to the 'Âlamỵn (mankind and jinn).” Great journey of honor: Surah Al-Isra: “[017:001] Glorified (and Exalted) is He (Allâh) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Harâm (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsâ (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him of Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” In the station of salaah and invocation: Surah Al-Jinn: “[072:019] And when the slave of Allâh (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) stood up invoking Him (his Lord – Allâh) in prayer they (the jinn) just made around him a dense crowd as if sticking one over the other (in order to listen to the Prophet's recitation).” Conditions of “laa ilaha illa Allah” are eight and they are: First: Knowledge as oppose to ignorance: It is a must to have knowledge of it as to what it means, entails, indicates, affirms, and negates Allah says, “[Soorah Muhammad 047:019] So know (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) that Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh), and ask forgiveness for your sin…” And “[Soorah az-Zukhruf 043:086] except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly (i.e believed in the Oneness of Allâh, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allâh).” Meaning believing in the tawheed of Allah and they know, they know what it means, they testify by their tongues while they know the facts in their hearts as to what their tongues testify to Hadith of Uthman radi Allahu anhu who said, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “No one dies while knowing that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah will enter Jannah.” Many of the people nowadays utter this by their tongue and they know nothing or almost nothing about what it means and that’s why they fall into shirk while they utter it, while the Mushrikeen (disbelievers) of the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam knew well what means and requires and that’s why they said as “[Soorah Saad 038:005] "Has he made the âlihah (gods) (all) into One Ilâh (God – Allâh) Verily, this is a curious thing!"” Second: Certainty as oppose to doubt: Meaning who utters the testimony of laa ilaha illa Allah, he utters that certain as to what it means having no doubt so if there is only doubt and uncertainty in his heart concerning what it entails then it would be of no benefit to him Allah described the believers saying, “[Soorah al-Hujuraat 049:015] Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not ” So they are certain, perfect certainty, as for those in doubt are the hypocrites, Allah says about them,“[Soorah at-Towbah 009:045] It is only those who believe not in Allâh and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave (to be exempted from Jihâd) So in their doubts they waver.” And in the hadith of Abu Hurayra radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “Whoever says none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I am the messenger of Allah, no one shall meet Allah with this conviction and not doubting that except that he will be admitted to Jannah.” And in another hadith from Abu Hurayra radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “Whoever you meet outside of this garden, who testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah with certainty in his heart, give him the glad tidings of Jannah.” Third: Sincerity as oppose to shirk: This kalimah of tawheed does not benefit the one who utters that without sincerity, Allah says, “[Soorah al-Bayyinah 098:005] And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salât (the prayers) and give Zakât (obligatory charity), and that is the right religion.” Also, Abu Hurayra radi Allahu anhu narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “The most happy ones to receive my intercession are those who said none has the right to be worshipped except Allah with sincerity from their hearts.” Also, in the hadith of Uthman radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “Allah has forbade for the hellfire anyone who says none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and they says this seeking the Face of Allah.” Forth: Truthfulness as oppose to lying (dishonesty and hypocrisy concerning what it means and entails): The person must utter with truthfulness, truly from his heart Proof is the saying of Allah, “[Soorah al-'Ankaboot 029:001003] Alif-Lâm-Mỵm Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested And We indeed tested those who were before them And Allâh will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allâh knows all that before putting them to test).” Imam Bukharee reported from Muadth radi Allahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “No one bears testimony there being no one worthy of worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s slave and Messenger sincerely and truly from heart except that Allah makes hellfire forbidden for him.” Fifth: Love as oppose to hate: Love of this kalimah which oppose hating or disliking what it implies, so he loves this kamilah of tawheed and what it entails and loves those who comply with it and with what it entails, Allah says, “[Soorah al-Baqarah 002.165] But those who believe, love Allâh more (than anything else) ” And Allah says, “[Soorah al-Maaidah 005:054] O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islâm), Allâh will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him…” Sixth: Complete submission (compliance) as oppose to rebellion: So the believer must comply and submit to what it means and what it implies from the outward and inward actions, so he must comply and submit outwardly and inwardly for what it means and what it entails Allah says, “[Soorah an-Nisaa 004:125] And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allâh; and he is a Muhsin (a good-doer).” And Allah says, “[Soorah Luqmaan 031:022] And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allâh, while he is a Muhsin, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold…” And Allah says, “[Soorah an-Nisaa 004:065] But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” Seventh: Acceptance as oppose to rejection: So the person must accept what it entails from the worship to Allah and abandoning any worship to other than Allah, so anyone who says this kamilah and does not accept this and adheres to it, then he will be like those about whom Allah says in “[Soorah as-Saaffaat 037:035 - 036] Truly, when it was said to them: "Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh)," they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e denied it) And (they) said: "Are we going to abandon our âlihah (gods) for the sake of a mad poet?"” So this kamilah (statement) must be accepted in the heart and on the tongue and anyone who does not accept it and rejects it and acts arrogantly regarding it and arrogantly rejects that, then he is a kafir, as the kuffar of Quraish rejected it out of arrogance and disdainfulness Eighth: Disbelief of everything that is worshipped beside Allah or to the exclusion of Allah: There must be a denial all these false worship and affirming the worship to Allah alone And the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said, “Whoever says none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and denies whatever is worship beside Allah, then his wealth and blood are protected and his accounting is with Allah.” These conditions that you have heard, they are deducted by the scholars from the Book and the Sunnah and the scholar Shaykh Abdurrahman bin Hasan Ali-Shaykh mentioned them in his book Fathul Majed Conditions of second testimony: Muhammad Rasul Allah Accepting and believing in his message by the heart and uttering it on the tongue And following that which he commanded, and abstaining from that which he forbade And believe what he informed from the former matters that were unknown to us and from the future matters which Allah told him about and Loving him more than the person loves himself, his wealth, parents, children, and rest of mankind And giving precedence to his saying above saying of anyone And acting according to his sunnah There are certain nullifiers of this testimony of tawheed: Allah has made it very clear that mankind must follow Islam and hold to it and dissociate from whatever contradicts it Declaration – there is none that has the right to be worshipped except Allah – not only negates all false deities and confirms worships to Allah; it also requires complete dissociation from any form of worship to any false deities Furthermore, the declaration – Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and slave of Allah – this requires the belief that Muhamamd sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is trusted by Allah to deliver the message and that Muhammad sallallahu alayhe was sallam is to be followed and obeyed because Allah decreed in the Quraan as in “[Soorah alHashr 059:007] And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) And fear Allâh; verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment.” All the ways and methods that is needed to fulfill this declaration of tawheed are explained in the Quraan and in the Sunnah Allah and His Messenger warned that there are ways that lead to shirk, kufr and rejection of faith, and the Muslims must be very knowledgeable about tawheed so that he does not indulge in practices and concepts that contradicts the essence of Islam, the most dangerous and widely existing ways that nullify the tawheed are: First: Shirk in worship of Allah: Meaning associate something or anyone in the worship of Allah Allah says, “[Soorah an-Nisaa 004:116] Verily, Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allâh, has indeed strayed far away.” Second: To set up intermediate between a person and Allah is disbelief: Calling upon them and seeking their intercession and depending upon them Those who this are taking associates with Allah and this is shirk and Allah says,“[Soorah al-Baqarah 002.022] Then not set up rivals to Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).” The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was asked, which sin is the gravest? He said, that you set up rivals unto Allah despite the fact that He has created you Third: Believing that the Mushriks those who commit shirk are not kafir or doubting their disbelief or depending them or correcting their belief is kufr Allah says, “[Soorah al-Maaidah 005:051] And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyâ', then surely, he is one of them.” This is one of the greatest contradictions to tawheed and here it is important to caution that many Muslims are reluctant and feel ashamed to say the word kafir to describe a disbeliever or to point out their act of shirk, some even look at the kuffar with great deal of admiration, fear and obedience, those have an inferior complex that leads to them to become blind followers and defenders of the kuffar and their ways They are at great danger since this may melt their identity The Muslims’ position about these matters must be dissociation from kufr and shirk and love for Allah and His Prophet and believers Allah says in the Quraan, “[Soorah Aal-'Imraan 003:028] Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliyâ (supporters, helpers) instead of the believers, and whoever does that, will never be helped by Allâh in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them And Allâh warns you against Himself (His punishment), and to Allâh is the final return.” Forth: The belief that guidance by someone other than the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is better or that ruling by other than the rule of Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is better, then this is kufr The rule of Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wa sallam is the rule of Allah, Allah says, “[Soorah an-Nisaa 004:065] But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” Some examples of this: like the belief that system and laws made by men/human beings are better than or equal to the Shari’ah of Islam, or that Islamic system is not suitable for the contemporary time and that the Islam is the cause of backwardness of Muslim or the belief that enforcing the punishments prescribed by Allah such as cutting the hand of a thief or stoning of an adulterer is “not suitable” for this day and age Fifth: Hating any command or anything of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam’s message despite practicing it is kufr Allah says, “[Soorah Muhammad 047:009] That is because they hate that which Allâh has sent down (this Qur'ân and Islâmic laws); so He has made their deeds fruitless.” Sixth: Mocking any part of Islam or any of Allah’s Names and Attributes is kufr Allah says, “[Soorah at-Towbah 009:065 - 066] Say: "Was it at Allâh [Subhânahu wa Ta'âla], and His Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimûn (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals).” Seventh: Involvement in Magic Considering it permissible to practice and spread ways that may sway man from the good things he likes example using magic to saw discord between a man and his wife or to reduce man to what he dislikes or is bad for him These ways of magic are satanic Allah says, “[Soorah al-Baqarah 002.102] And they followed what the Shatỵn (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimân (Solomon) Sulaimân did not disbelieve, but the Shatỵn (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)."” Today we see many people seek help from the so-called fortunetellers, they believe that these tellers know what will happen this is kufr The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam warned in the hadith which is authentic and it is reported in the Sahih Al-Jamee’, ““whoever goes to a priest or soothsayers or a fortunetellers and believes him in what he says, has committed kufr and denied what was revealed to Muhammad sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.” Eighth: Standing by disbelievers, supporting them and helping them against Muslims so they will be the prevalent one, this is kufr Allah says, “[Soorah al-Maaidah 005:051] O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ' (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ' of each other And if any amongst you takes them as Auliyâ', then surely, he is one of them ” Ninth: Believing that some special people not have to follow the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, this is kufr because this negates the second part of the declaration of tawheed – muhammadur rasul Allah Since this constitutes desiring a religion other than Islam and Allah says, “[Soorah Aal-'Imraan 003:085] And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” Tenth: Completely turning away from the deen of Allah, from Allah’s religion, not learning it and practicing is kufr (disbelief) Allah says, “[Soorah as-Sajdah 032:022] And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then turns aside there from? Verily, We shall exact retribution from the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners).” And Allah also says, “[Soorah al-Ahqaaf 046:003] But those who disbelieve, turn away from that whereof they are warned.” And it should be pointed out finally that there is no difference in accountability between the one who seriously commits any of these actions or the one who claims to be just joking, playing or mocking, only exception is when someone commits any of these acts under compulsion even then his heart must be filled with faith and tawheed of Allah And another serious matter is the issue of declaring someone kafir – rulers or ruled, is not left for the unlearned of the common Muslims or heads hizbi groups or partisan groups or the likes, it is to be left to the reliable scholars who follow the Quraan and the authentic sunnah in the context of the salaf’s way of understanding the deen not to innovators and the politically or emotionally driven one We must fear Allah in this matter, which has caused and still causes deviation in the ummah at large And also a very important matter related to this Regarding # general statements of imputation of kufr – this is known as general statement of imputation of kufr (itlaaqut takfeer) – stating in the general sense such as to say, whoever does or says such and such from what is known to be kufr then he is a kafir Now its applicability on a particular person, this is known as takfirul mu3ayyen – applicability of declaring someone in person as a kafir, it is to impute what is generally stated to be kufr on a particular person This can be established only after conditions of takfir of imputing kufr as well as all impediments, which may hinder the imputing of kufr are met And there remains – who are the ones who advice on this enormous matter? The imputation of kufr is very serious and it is not left for common Muslims or the students of knowledge to decide, surely the reliable scholars following the path of the salaf are the ones who can advice concerning this immense issues So people should refrain and hold themselves so as not to hasten to impute kufr on a particular person before the evidences are established and the impediments are removed and Allah is the most High knows best and in Him see seek help ~:~ End ~:~ 10 Shirk Akbar, or major Shirk Shirk Asghar, or minor Shirk Shirk Khafiyy, or hidden Shirk The major Shirk is bound to cause the good works of those who commit it to be vain and fruitless It is also bound to cause those who commit it to remain in Hell-fire for all eternity, as the Qur’an says: “But if they were to join others with Allah in worship, all that they used to would be of no benefit to them.” (6:88) “It is not for those who join others with Allah in worship to maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to disbelief The works of such are in vain, and in Fire shall they dwell.” (9:17) “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases.” (4:48) “Verily, whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, Allah will forbid him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode The polytheists and wrongdoers will have no helpers.” (5:72) This type of Shirk is an unpardonable sin and includes, among other things, such acts as seeking assistance from the dead and the idols, supplicating them, making vows in their names and offering sacrifices to them The minor Shirk includes such things as showing off certain religious acts of worship, swearing by other than Allah, and one’s saying “If Allah and so-and-so wills.” At-Tabarani and Al-Baihaqi reported on the authority of Mahmud bin Labid Al-Ansari, with a good chain of narrators, that the Prophet said: “What I fear for you most is the minor Shirk.” When he was asked about what he meant by the minor Shirk, he replied, “Showing off.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever swears by other than Allah has indeed committed Shirk.” Imam Ahmad authentically narrated this tradition on the authority of ‘Umar, radiyallaho ‘anhu’ Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi also authentically reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar radiyallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever swears by other than Allah has indeed disbelieved or committed Shirk.” Abu Dawud also authentically reported on the authority of Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman, radiyallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: Do not say, ‘What Allah wills and so-and-so wills’; you should rather say, ‘What Allah wills, then what so-and-so wills.” To commit this type of Shirk does not take one out of the fold of Islam, nor does it cause those who commit it to abide in the Fire forever It rather goes against the ideal principles of Tawhid The evidence for the third category of Shirk, namely Shirk Al-Khafiyy, or the Hidden Shirk, comes from the prophetic tradition in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Shall I not inform you about what I fear more for you than Antichrist?” The Companions replied, “Yes, O Allah’s Messenger.” Then he said, “It is the hidden Shirk A person stands up in prayer and tries to make it perfect when he realizes that 83 others are looking at him.” (Imam Ahmad reported this Hadith on the authority of Abu Sa’id AlKhudri, radiyallahu ‘anhu) Shirk can also be divided into two categories only, namely, the major Shirk and the minor Shirk The hidden Shirk can occur in them both It can be found in the major Shirk, like the type of Shirk committed by the hypocrites, who reveal belief while concealing their false beliefs for fear of being killed It can also occur in the case of minor Shirk in the form of showing off, as evidenced by the above-mentioned Hadith reported on the authority of Mahmud bin Labid Lesson: Five The Pillars of Islam Islam is based on the following five pillars: To testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger This declaration in Arabic reads: “Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah.” To offer the five compulsory prayers dutifully and perfectly To pay Zakah, or obligatory alms To observe fast during the month of Ramadan To perform Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah, for those who can afford it physically and financially Lesson: Six The Conditions of Prayers The conditions of prayers in Islam are nine They are: Islam Sanity Discernment Major and minor cleanliness Removal of impurity Covering the private parts Commencement of the actual time of prayer Facing the Qiblah Intention Lesson: Seven Pillars of Salah, or Prayers The pillars of prayers are fourteen They are: Standing with the ability to so 84 The Takbir, which signals the commencement of prayers The recitation of Surat Al-Fatihah The act of bowing Rising from it (bowing) Standing (all the way) upright after bowing Prostrating on the seven parts Rising from it (prostration) Sitting between the two prostrations 10 Deep concentration, peacefulness and tranquility during all acts of prayers 11 The recitation of the final Tashahhud 12 Sitting while reciting the final Tashahhud 13 Invoking Allah’s blessing upon the Prophet, peace be upon him 14 The pronouncement of the two Taslim Lesson: Nine Tashahhud The Tashahhud is as follows: This means: “Greetings to Allah, and blessings and goodness, Peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be on you, O Prophet May peace be upon us and on the righteous slaves of Allah I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger O Allah, send Your Favour (Graces and Honours) on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have sent Your Favor (Graces and Honours) on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim You are the Most 85 Praised, Most Glorious O Allah, bestow Your Blessings on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim You are the Most Praised, Most Glorious.” In the final Tashahhud, one should seek Allah’s refuge from punishment in the Fire, the punishment in the grave, the trials and tribulations of life and death, and the trial of the Antichrist Then one should recite any supplications one desires, but preferably those that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has taught us The following two supplications provide an example: This means: “O Allah, help me to remember You, to give You thanks, and to worship You in the best of manners O Allah.” “O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly and no one forgives sins but You So grant me forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy on me Surely, You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” Lesson: Ten The Sunan of Prayers These include the following: The supplication of Istiftah, or the commencement of prayers Placing the palm of one’s right hand on the left hand over one’s chest in the standing position Raising one’s hands with the fingers joined together parallel to one’s shoulders or ears upon the firs Takbir, upon bowing, rising from bowing, and upon standing to begin the third Rak’ah after the first Tashahhud Pronouncing Tasbih more than once while bowing and prostrating One’s saying Rabbighfir li “Forgive me, my Lord” more than once while sitting between the two prostrations Making one’s upper arms from one’s sides and one’s stomach from one’s thighs while prostrating Lifting one’s arms and elbows from the floor while prostrating Lifting one’s arms and elbows from the floor while prostrating 86 Resting on one’s left leg while raising the right foot erect with the toes bent forward while reciting the first Tashahhud and between the two prostrations 10 Resting on one’s haunch during the final Tashahhud, while raising the right foot erect with the toes bent forward 11 Invoking Allah’s peace and Blessings upon the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his family as well as upon Prophet Ibrahim and his family in the first Tashahhud This reads: This means: “O Allah, send Your Favor (Graces and Honors) on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have sent Your Favor (Graces and Honors) on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim You are the Most Praised, Most Glorious O Allah, bestow Your Blessings on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim You are the Most Praised, Most Glorious.” 12 Supplications in the final Tashahhud 13 To recite the Qur’an loudly in Fajr prayers as well as in the first two Rak’at of Maghrib and ‘Isha’ prayers 14 To recite the Qur’an quietly in Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers, in the third Rak’ah of Maghrib prayer, and in the last two Rak’at of ‘Isha’ prayer 15 To recite any other Surah of the Qur’an besides Surah Al-Fatihah, while observing the rest of the Sunan of the prayers other than what we have briefly mentioned here 87 Lesson: Eleven Invalidators of Prayer The invalidators of prayer are eight They are as follows: To talk intentionally while knowing that this act invalidates prayer To talk out of ignorance or forgetfulness does not, however, invalidate one’s prayer Laughter Eating Drinking Exposure of one’s private parts Extreme divergence from the direction of Qiblah Excessive and continuous movements during prayers The breaking of one’s Wudu’ !!! Lesson: Twelve Conditions of Wudu’ The conditions of Wudu’ are ten They are as follows: Islam Sanity Discernment Intention Accompanying the ruling of the intention This means that one does not intend to interrupt Wudu’ until it is completed Complete cessation of that which requires one to perform Wudu’ (such as urine and stool) Washing one’s private parts with water or a dry substance (i.e., soil, stones, toilet paper, etc.) Purity and permissibility of the water with which one intends to perform Wudu’ To remove anything that may prevent water from reaching the skin 10 Commencement of the actual prayer time for those whose state of breaking Wudu’ is continuous against their will !!! Lesson: Thirteen The Obligatory Acts of Wudu’ The obligatory acts of Wudu’ are six They are as follows: Washing the face including the mouth and the nostrils Washing the hands up to the elbows Passing wet hands over the head including the ears Washing the feet up to the ankles Observing the right order in Wudu’ Observing constancy and continuity between the acts of Wudu’ !!! 88 Lesson: Fourteen Invalidators of Wudu’ The invalidators of Wudu’ are six They are: Discharging anything from the two natural orifices Discharging anything from the body that is deemed filthy and impure Entering into a state of unconsciousness as a result of sleep or anything else Touching one’s private parts (the sexual organ or the rectum) without a ‘partition’ (such as gloves) Eating camel meat Apostasy from Islam (May Allah save the Muslims from falling into it) Important Remarks The act of washing the body of the deceased does not invalidate one’s Wudu’ This is the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars, as there is no textual evidence from the Qur’an or the Sunnah to prove this If the person who undertakes the washing accidentally touches the private parts of the deceased without a covering (on his hand), then he or she should perform Wudu’ The act of touching a woman does not invalidate one’s Wudu’, whether this is done with a lust or not, as long as this does not result in a discharge This is the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars The evidence brought forward in this regard is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, kissed some of his wives, then he prayed without performing Wudu’ again The Qur’anic Verse: “ or if you have been in contact with women.” (4:43) Simply means sexual intercourse This is the most correct opinion of the Muslim scholars, including that of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas, May Allah be pleased with him Lesson: Fifteen Morals Every Muslim Must Observe The morals that the Qur’an and the Sunnah call to are many These include the following: Truthfulness Faithfulness Chastity Modesty Bravery Generosity Fulfillment of trusts (obligations, payments, etc.) Avoidance of all that Allah All Mighty has forbidden Good neighborliness, and 10 Giving assistance to the needy within one’s capacity 89 Lesson: Sixteen !!! Islamic Manners The Islamic manners penetrate all aspects of life and include the following: Greeting others Cheerful demeanor Eating and drinking with the right hand Islamic etiquette upon entering and leaving one’s house or the mosque Islamic etiquette when travelling Displaying kindness to the parents, the relatives, the neighbors, the elderly, and the children Congratulating people on the occasion of having a new baby Giving condolences to the bereaved !!! Lesson: Seventeen Avoidance of all kinds of acts of Disobedience These include the following: Associating others with Allah the All Mighty in worship Sorcery Killing someone except for a just cause (as defined by Islamic law) Eating up the orphan’s property Dealing with usury and living on its income Refusing to join the Muslim army after its advancement with the Muslim leader Slandering chaste, virtuous and believing women Disobedience to the parents Severing the bonds of blood relationship 10 Giving false testimony 11 Perjury 12 Harming the neighbors 13 Wronging people and being unjust to them in matters of blood, property, and honor Lesson: Eighteen Preparing the deceased for Burial If someone is confirmed dead, his eyes have to be closed and his jaws have to be kept together Upon washing the body of the deceased, his private parts are to be covered, and his stomach is to be gently pressed The person who undertakes the washing of the body of the deceased should bind a clean piece of cloth, or something similar to it, around his own hand with which to clean the private parts of the deceased He then gives him a Wudu’ wash [like the one that is performed prior to offering prayer] He then washes his head and beard with water and sidr plant or something similar to it Then he washes the 90 rest of the body, beginning with the right side then the left side He repeats this procedure two or three times, each time gently pressing the deceased’s stomach If anything happens to come out of one of the two orifices, then he has to wash it off and then block off the affected orifice with a piece of cotton wool or something similar to it If this fails to work, he can then use anything that can satisfactorily serve the purpose, such as the use of adhesive plaster that is used in modern medical treatment He repeats the Wudu’ wash If the body is not clean with three major washes, he then can wash it five or seven times He then wipes the body dry, puts perfume in his underarms, in the upper part between the legs as well as those parts of the body that we put on the floor in the prostrating position It is better to put perfume all over the body His shrouds should be incensed with burned incense His moustache and nails should be trimmed if they are too long, and his hair should not be combed or styled If the deceased is a woman, her hair has to be made into three plaits and then let it hangs loosely behind her Shrouding: It is better to wrap the body of the deceased in three white shrouds not including a Qamis (shirt) or a turban if he is a man There is no harm in shrouding him in a Qamis, Izar and a large wrapper If the deceased is a woman, her body has to be wrapped in five shrouds: a Dir’, Khimar, Izar and two long wrappers The young boy should be wrapped in one to three shrouds, and the body of the young girl has to be wrapped in one Qamis and two long wrappers The person who is more entitled to undertake the washing of the body of the deceased is the one appointed by him in the will to so, then the father, the grandfather, then the next of kin The person more entitled to wash the body of the body of the deceased woman is the female person appointed in the will to so, then the mother, then the grandmother, and then the next of kin amongst the female relatives The man can wash the body of his wife and she can also wash the body of her husband Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, was washed by his wife, and ‘Ali bin Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, washed his wife Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her The steps of performing Janazah prayer: a To say Allahu Akbar and to recite Surat Al-Fatihah It is good to recite along with it a short Surah, or a Verse or two, as evidenced by the Hadith narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him b To say Allahu Akbar for the second time and invoke peace and blessings upon the Prophet, peace be upon him: 91 This means: “O Allah, send Your Favor (Graces and Honours) on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have sent Your Favor (Graces and Honours0 on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim You are the Most Praised, Most Glorious O Allah, bestow Your Blessings on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim You are the Most Praised, Most Glorious.” a To say Allahu Akbar for the third time and then say; This means: “O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women O Allah, whomever You keep alive from among us let him be upon Islam, and whomever You take away from among us, take him away in Faith O Allah, forgive him and have 92 mercy on him, pardon him, and make honorable his reception Cause his entrance to be wide and cleanse him with water, snow and ice Cleanse him of sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange his home for a better home, his family for a better family, and his spouse for a better spouse Admit him into Paradise; protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire Enlarge for him his tomb and shed light upon him in it O Allah, not deprive us of his reward and not let us go astray after him.” a To say Allahu Akbar for the fourth time and then to say Assalamu ‘Alaikum on the right side only It is commendable to raise one’s hands with each Takbir If the deceased is a woman, then one should change the ending of certain words thus: This means: “O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women O Allah, whomever You keep alive from among us let him be upon Islam, and whomever You take away from among us, take him away in Faith O Allah, forgive her and have mercy on her, pardon her, and make honorable her reception Cause her entrance to be wide and cleanse her with water, snow and ice Cleanse her of sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange her home for a better home, her family for a better family, and her spouse for a better spouse Admit her into Paradise; protect her from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire Enlarge for her, her tomb and shed light upon her in it O Allah, not deprive us of her reward and not let us go astray after her.” If the deceased are two persons, a few changes to some of the words have to be made: 93 This means: “O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women O Allah, whomever You keep alive from among us let him be upon Islam, and whomever You take away from among us, take him away in Faith O Allah, forgive them both, and have mercy on them both, and keep them both safe, and pardon them both, and make honorable their reception Cause the entrance of both of them to be wide and cleanse them both with water, snow and ice Cleanse both of their sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange home of both of them for a better home, her family for a better family, and her spouse for a better spouse Admit both of them into Paradise; protect both of them from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire Enlarge for her, her tomb and shed light upon both of them in it O Allah, not deprive us of both of them reward and not let us go astray after her.” 94 If the deceased are more than two then we say: This means: “O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women O Allah, whomever You keep alive from among us let him be upon Islam, and whomever You take away from among us, take him away in Faith O Allah, forgive them both, and have mercy on them both, and keep them both safe, and pardon them both, and make honorable their reception Cause the entrance of both of them to be wide and cleanse them both with water, snow and ice Cleanse both of them of sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange the home of both of them for a better home, their families of better families, and their spouses for better spouses Admit both of them into Paradise; protect both of them from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire Enlarge for both of them their graves and shed light upon both of them in their graves O Allah, not deprive us of the reward of both of them and not let us go astray after them.” 95 If the deceased are more than two, then we say; This means: “O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women O Allah, whomever You keep alive from among us let him be upon Islam, and whomever You take away from among us, take him away in Faith O Allah, forgive them and have mercy on them, keep them safe and pardon them, and make honorable their reception Cause their entrance to be wide and cleanse them with water, snow and ice Cleanse them of sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange their home for a better home, their family for a better family, and their spouse for better spouses Admit reception Cause their entrance to be wide and cleanse them with water, snow and ice Cleanse them of sins as a white cloth is cleansed of stains Exchange their home for a better home, their family for a better family, and their spouses for better spouses Admit them into Paradise; protect them from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire Enlarge for them their tombs and shed light upon them in their graves O Allah, not deprive us of their reward and not let us go astray after them.” 96 If the deceased is a baby or a child, we should pray for him thus: This means: “O Allah, make him/her a preceding reward and a stored treasure for his/her parents and an answered intercessor O Allah, through him/her, makes heavy their Scales and magnify their reward Unite him with the righteous believers, place him/her under the care of (Prophet) Ibrahim, and save him/her by Your Mercy from the torment of Hell.” The Sunnah, or the Prophet’s way, to perform Janazah prayer is that the Imam should stand by the head of the deceased if he is a man, or by the middle of the deceased if she is a woman If there are children amongst the dead, the boy is to be placed before the woman and the girl after her The boy’s head should be placed next to the head of the man, and the middle of the woman should be placed next to the head of the man If there is a girl amongst them, her head should be placed next to the head of the woman Those offering the janazah prayer should stand behind the Imam If there is one person with the Imam, then the former should stand on the right of the latter All praise is due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, his good family, and his noble Companions ~:~ End ~:~ 97 ... Hijjah, as to the dhikr which is restricted to the end of the prayer, then this is done by person who is not performing the Hajj from the Fajr of Day of Arafah until the Asr prayer of the last day of. .. before Marriage By Shaykh Saleh as Saleh A Successful Marriage By Shaykh Muhammad Al-Malki How to purify yourselves for the prayers? By Abu Muhammad Al-Magribee Text of the book, Important Lessons. .. Proof is the saying of Allah, “[Soorah al-Ahzaab 033:040] Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam] is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allâh and the last (end) of the