A DANGEROUS MISTAKE FOR WHICH WE WILL PAY DEARLY

 

The Women of Islam in The House of Allah 

http://imranhosein.org/n/the-women-of-islam-in-the-house-of-allah-2/

A Dangerous Mistake For Which We Will Pay Dearly

Prophet Muhammad pbuh warned his followers:“Do not prevent women from coming to the Masjid (for prayer)”. If Allah Most High, or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him), were to give an order, then Muslims have a religious obligation to submit to that order and to obey it. No one has the authority to cancel an order which has come from Allah or His Messenger. An order can be suspended in consequence of an abnormal situation having arisen (such as a suspension of the divine law of cutting of the hand of the thief in consequence of an abnormal situation created by drought and famine). But neither can an order be cancelled, nor can it be permanently suspended.

And yet, despite the clear orders of the Prophet pbuh concerning the rights of Muslim women in the house of Allah it is a quite common sight around the world of Islam today to witness Masajid (plural of Masjid) from which women have been permanently excluded. Such a flagrant violation of women’s rights is sure to provoke a bitter response from the feminist revolution. Indeed we are eventually likely to witness that revolution so exploiting this matter as to eventually succeed in having women give the Juma Khutbah (sermon) from the Mimbar (pulpit) of the Masjid. Already one such profoundly misguided woman has blindly led the way in a New York City church that was used as a Masjid, to open the gates for that evil destructive storm.

But the deprivation of Muslim women’s rights is not limited to their exclusion from the House of Allah. Even when they are allowed to come to the Masjid they are often not allowed to pray in the same space with the men. Rather, a separate space is allocated to them. This can even be in a separate building, an annex, an upstairs gallery, a basement, etc. And finally, when they are allowed to pray on the same floor with the men, two separate spaces are created through the imposition of a barrier (of bricks, wood, cloth etc.) which has the effect of creating two separate spaces for prayer – one for men and the other for women. Sometimes the separate space created for women is at the back of the men; but sometimes, and alarmingly so, it is at the side of the men. In addition to creating a separate space for women, the barrier also has the effect of reducing women to praying congregational prayers with their ears alone, and not their eyes. Women cannot see the congregation (Jama’ah) at prayer. They can only hear!

But Prophet Muhammad pbuh very clearly placed men and women in the Masjid to pray ‘in the same space’ with women behind the men, and gave men and women the right to pray with both their ears and their eyes. Consider the following:

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: “The best row for the men (in the Masjid) is the first (row) and the worst or most dangerous is the last; and the best row for woman (in the Masjid) is the last, and the worst (or most dangerous) is the first.”(Sahih Muslim)

It is quite clear from the above Hadith that men are supposed to first fill the front row in the Masjid, and then proceed after that to fill row after row in the direction away from the Mimbar (pulpit). If and when women choose to attend Salat in the Masjid, they are supposed to first fill the last row, and then proceed after that to fill row after row in the direction towards the Mimbar (pulpit). As the Masjid fills up the back row of men would draw closer and yet closer to the front row of women. And it is that close physical proximity of men and women, with no barriers in between them, which creates the situation that is pregnant with danger. Among the dangers described by the Prophet pbuh himself was that a man may not have enough cloth to cover his private parts when he prostrates. And so the Prophet pbuh ordered women to keep their heads down on the ground in prostration (Sijdah) until the men (in front of them) had a chance to sit up:

“Narrated Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: One of you who believes in Allah and in the Last Day should not raise her head until the men raise their heads (after prostration) lest they should see the private parts of men.”(Sunan Abu Daud)

The inescapable implication of both the above Ahadith is that women prayed in the Prophet’s Masjid in the same space with the men, but behind them, and that they prayed with both their ears and eyes since a woman who raised her head too soon could see the private parts of the man in front of her (if he was not adequately clothed). This possibility also indicated that there was no barrier in the Prophet’s Masjid between men and women as would obstruct women’s vision. If women choose to perform their Salat at home, on the grounds that such is preferable, it still would not solve the problem faced by those women who choose to visit the Masjid for Salat, and are denied rights mentioned above. Indeed they are forced into such situations of prayer (such as praying at the side, rather than behind the men) in which their Salat would be in manifest conflict with the Sunnah and hence of dubious validity.

The remedy for the present situation in which women are deprived of their rights, even in the house of Allah, is quite evident. It is that Muslims must now insist that women be allowed to come to the Masjid; that they be allowed to pray in the same space with the men but behind them; and that they be allowed to pray with both eyes and ears, and hence with no barrier between men and woman as would obstruct women’s vision of the men in front of them. Nothing less than that can save Muslims from the grave charge of having changed the religion left by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) even in the Masjid itself! And nothing less than that can save Muslims from the evil feminist storm that is sure to sweep the world of Islam in the not-too-distant future, and sure to exploit this mistake of the Ummah to reap evil capital from it.

to be continued . . . .

 

JUMAH - FRIDAY PRAYER

FRIDAY PRAYER

Q.   Is the Jum'ah prayer Fard, Wajib or Masnun?

  Jum'ah prayer is a Fard Salat. There is greater emphasis on it than on the Dhuhr prayer. Dhuhr prayer is not to be offered on Friday. The Jum'ah prayer supercedes the Dhuhr prayer.

Q.   Is the Jum'ah prayer commanded for every Muslim?

  The Jum'ah prayer is commanded for any male person who is free, major, sensible, physically fit and on-station. Thus, it is not obligatory on slaves, minor children, lunatics, the sick, the blind, the disabled and the like nor on women and persons on journey.

Q.   Will Salat of the blind, the disabled, the women and persons on-journey be valid if they join the Jum'ah prayer?

  Yes, their Salat is valid and it will absolve them of the obligation to say the Dhuhr prayer.

Q.   What is the conditions precedent for the Jum'ah prayer to be valid?

  The prerequisites of Jum'ah prayer are as follows:

             i.     One’s being in a town/city. The suburbs of a city used for purposes of graveyard or cantonment also hold the order of the city. Jum'ah prayer in a small village would not be in order;

           ii.     It being the permissible time for Dhuhr;

         iii.     Khutbah (Jum'ah oration) being given before Salat;

          iv.     There being a congregation for prayer;

            v.     There being free and general permission to all (to join the prayers).

Jum'ah prayer will be in order if all this above preconditions are met.

Q.   What is the Masnun way for giving khutbah (Jum'ah oration)?

  The procedure is like this: the Imam sits on the steps of the rostrum and the Mu’azzin calls the Azan. After Azan, the Imam faces the congregation, stands on his feet and gives his oration. On completion of the first part, he sits down for a while. Then again he is up on his legs and gives the second part of the oration. This over, the Imam alights from the steps of the rostrum and stands before the arch. The Mu’azzin then calls the Takbir (formula for Azan with slight modifications) and all the assembly stands up and joins the head in prayer.

Q.   At what place should the Azan for Jum'ah oration be called?

  It should be called in front of the Imam whether it is just at the foot of the Imam whether it is just at the foot of the rostrum or one or two rows behind. It could also be called from a point at the back of the rows in the Masjid or even outside. All these things are permissible.

Q.   How is it to give the Jum'ah oration or recite lines of poetry in it in languages other than Arabic?

  It is undesirable to give the Jum'ah oration in any language other than Arabic, but the obligation to give such an oration is in any case satisfied. It (the act of giving oration in other languages), however, lessens the reward from Al-lah.

Q.   What acts are forbidden to be done during the progress of the Jum'ah oration?

  All acts that divert the attention from the Jum'ah oration are undesirable. These are:

             i.     Talking;

           ii.     Busying oneself in the Nafl or Masnun Salat;

         iii.     Eating;

          iv.     Drinking;

            v.     Answering comments or queries;

          vi.     Reciting the Qur-an.

These acts become undesirable from the moment the Imam sets out to give his oration.

Q.   What do we mean by congregation as a precondition for Jum'ah?

  Presence of three persons besides the Imam is essential for the institution of Jum'ah prayer. The Jum'ah prayer will not be good if fewer than three persons join the congregation.

Q.   What do we mean by there being general permission to one and all as a precondition for the Jum'ah prayer?

  It means that there must be general permission to everyone and anyone to join the Salat. No Jum'ah prayer can be instituted at a place where permission to join the prayer is open to some and denied to some.

Q.   How many Rak'ahs are there in the commanded Jum'ah prayer?

  It contains two Rak'ahs. One has to complete two Rak'ahs no matter whether one joins the prayer from the outset or after the completion of one Rak'ah or even as late as the last sitting.

SAYING MISSED PRAYERS

SAYING MISSED PRAYERS

Q.   What do we mean by Ada and Qada prayers?

  An Ada (on time) prayer is prayer said on its proper time. Qada (deffered) prayer is a Fard or Wajib prayer said after the lapse of its due time.

For example, the Dhuhr Salat will be Ada if said on time. But it will be Qada if said after the expiry of the time limit fixed for Dhuhr.

Q.   Which Salats must be said as Qada prayers if missed on proper time?

  Qada for all commanded Salats is Fard that for Wajib Salats is Wajib and it is the Prophet’s precept to say Qada for certain Masnun Salats.

Q.   How is it not to perform a Fard or Wajib prayer on time?

  It is a sin not to say a commanded (Fard), ordained (Wajib) or an emphasized Masnun prayer on its proper time. The sin is greater for failing to say the commanded and ordained prayers on time and less for missing the Masnun prayers.

Nonetheless, if a prayer is missed without intention (through forgetfulness or failure to awaken from sleep) it is excusable.

Q.   At what time should one say the missed prayer?

  A person should say the missed prayer as soon as he remembers it. Delay in it is a sin. Nevertheless, if the time when one awakens or remembers it is already an undesirable hour for the purpose, it must be said after the undesirable time is over.

Q.   How should one affirm his intention to say the missed or deferred prayer?

  The right manner for a person wishing to say a missed prayer is to affirm that he intends to say the prayer say, for Fajr or Dhuhr for such and such day. Mere affirmation of intention to say a particular prayer without reference to the day to which it belongs is not enough.

Q.   How should a person affirm his intention if he has missed a large number of Salats but does not know the number of days involved? For instance, what should be the precise terms of intention for a man who has missed prayers for a month or two at a stretch and knows that about thirty Fajr or Dhuhr prayers are due against him, does not remember the month in respect of which the prayers are due?

  In such a situation where we say the deferred prayer the intention should be affirmed that we are offering the first or last of the Fajr prayer due from us. In this way the intention affirmed should expressly be mentioned in respect of the missed Salat which is now proposed to be offered as a deferred prayer.

Q.   Where is it better to say the deferred prayer, at home or in the masjid?

  If an individual has missed a prayer, it is better that he offer it at home. Saying it in the masjid is also permissible. But the fact that one is now making up for the missed prayers should not be made known to others; it is an undesirable act.

Q.   What Masnun Salat is there performing which as a deferred prayer is the Prophet’s precept?

  Masnun Rak'ahs of Fajr, if missed along with the commanded prayer, must be said along with the commanded prayers before the period of Zawal (the time when the sun after attaining to its maximum height, starts declining). But if it is said after Zawal, only the commanded prayer (and no Masnun prayer is to be said).

If, however, only the Masnun prayer is missed, it alone cannot be said as a deferred prayer. To offer it before sunrise is undesirable. And although it is not undesirable, to say the prayer after sunrise, it will no longer enjoy the status of a Masnun prayer, it will only be a Nafl prayer.

Q.   How is it if the Masnun Rak'ahs of Dhuhr meant to be said before the Fard prayer are left unsaid?

  Masnun prayers of Dhuhr and Jum’ah, if not said before the Fard prayer, can be said after it. These may be said before or after the usual two Masnun Rak'ahs that follow the Fard prayers. It is however, better to offer them after the above said two Rak'ahs.

MASNUN AND NAFL PRAYERS

MASNUN AND NAFL PRAYERS

Q.   What prayers are the Prophet’s emphasized precept?

  The following are the emphasized precepts of the holy Prophet (peace be on him):

             i.     Two Rak'ahs before the commanded prayer of Fajr;

           ii.     Four Rak'ahs (in one continuation) before the commanded prayers of Dhuhr and Jum’ah;

         iii.     Four Rak'ahs after the commanded prayer of Dhuhr;

          iv.     Four Rak'ahs (in one continuation) after the commanded prayer of Jum’ah;

            v.     Two Rak'ahs after the commanded Maghrib prayer;

          vi.     Two Rak'ahs after the commanded prayer of ‘Isha;

        vii.     Twenty Rak'ahs of Taravih prayer during Ramadhan.

Q.   What prayers are the unemphasized precept of the holy Prophet (peace be on him)?

  The unemphasized precepts are the following:

             i.     Four Rak'ahs before the ‘Asr prayer;

           ii.     Two Rak'ahs after the emphasized prayers in ‘Isha;

         iii.     Six Rak'ahs in Maghrib after the emphasized Masnun prayer of Maghrib;

          iv.     Two Rak'ahs in Jum’ah after the emphasized Masnun prayer:

            v.     Two Rak'ahs by way of Tahiy-yat-ul-Wudu (thanks giving for ablution);

          vi.     Two Rak'ahs by way of Tahiy-yat-ul-Masjid (thanks giving to the Masjid);

        vii.     Four or eight pre-noon Rak'ahs;

      viii.     Two Rak'ahs after the Witr prayer:

          ix.     Four, six or eight Rak'ahs of Tahaj-jud (prayer in the small hours of the morning);

            x.     Salat-ut-Tasbih (Salat with additional formula in praise of Al-lah);

          xi.     Salat-ut-Istikhara (Salat seeking Al-lah’s will or command in a certain matter);

        xii.     Salat-ut-Taubah (prayer of repentance);

      xiii.     Salat-ut-Hajah (prayer to seek fulfillment of some need or desire from       Al-lah);

All the above Salats are unemphasized prayers.

Q.   Where is it better to say the Masnun prayer in the masjid or at home?

  All the Masnun and Nafl prayers excepting a few (such as Taravih, Tahiy-yat-ul-Masjid, Salat on the occasion of solar eclipse) are preferable to be said at home.

Q.   At what hours is it undesirable to say the Nafl Salat?

  Any Nafl Salat in addition to the Masnun Rak'ahs before commanded prayer on Fajr (after the true dawn) is undesirable.

Nafl prayer is also undesirable from after the Salat of Fajr till sunrise.

Similarly, Nafl prayer after the commanded Salat of ‘Asr (and before the change of the sun’s colour) is undesirable.

But in all of these hours a missed prayer if it is commanded can be said as also the Sijdah of Tilawah (Sijdah due for reciting certain portions of the Qur-an) and the funeral prayers without any scruples.

All prayers are however, undesirable from sunrise till the time the sun attains to the height of a soldier’s lance and at exact noon, as also from the time the sun changes colour till sunset.

Nevertheless, if the ‘Asr prayer for the day is still pending, it can be said even while the sun has changed colour or is setting.

Likewise, Masnun and Nafl prayers at the time of the khutbah for Jum’ah (oration before the Jum’ah prayer) are undesirable.

Q.   What do we mean by change in the colour of the sun?

  The sun may be considered to have changed colour when it is transformed into a red circle and human gaze can be fixed on it.