Some Blessings of the First Ten Days of Thul-Hijjah

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What is the ruling of Islamic Law on sitting between the two prostrations, and what is the ruling on the dhikr recited during it?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

Sitting between the two prostrations (al-jalsah bayna al-sajdatayn) is one of the pillars (arkān) of the prayer, while the dhikr recited during it is Sunnah according to the Shāfi'ī scholars. It is recommended (mustahabb) to say what was narrated from Ibn 'Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations in the night prayer: 'Rabbi ighfir lī, warhamnī, wajburnī, warzuqnī, warfa'nī' (My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, make good my deficiencies, provide for me, and raise me)." If one were to say a different supplication instead, such as "Rabbi ighfir lī" (My Lord, forgive me), the prayer would still be valid.

If the worshipper omits this dhikr between the two prostrations, whether intentionally or out of forgetfulness, their prayer remains valid and nothing is required of them, though they miss the reward of following the Sunnah. Leaving it out does not necessitate the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw).

It is stated in Hāshiyat al-Bājūrī 'alā Sharḥ Ibn Qāsim 'alā Matn Abī Shujā' (Vol.1/P.298): "The eleventh — i.e., of the eighteen pillars — his statement: 'sitting between the two prostrations,' meaning even in a supererogatory (nafl) prayer... his statement: 'with the supplication that has been narrated concerning it,' meaning: 'Rabbi ighfir lī, warhamnī, wajburnī, warfa'nī, warzuqnī, wahdinī, wa 'āfinī' (My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, make good my deficiencies, raise me, provide for me, guide me, and grant me well-being). Al-Ghazālī added: 'wa'fu 'annī' (and pardon me). Al-Mutawallī also added: 'Rabbi hab lī qalban taqiyyan, naqiyyan min al-shirk, bariyyan lā kāfiran wa lā shaqiyyan' (My Lord, grant me a heart that is God-fearing, pure from associating partners with You, innocent, neither disbelieving nor wretched)."And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it permissible to offer an absentee funeral prayer?

Yes, it is permissible to offer an absentee funeral prayer.

When is Istikharah (guidance prayer) Du`a offered, before Tasleem (saying asalamu alikum warahmatu allah wa barakatuh to end the prayer), or after it?

It is offered after Tasleem.

What is the ruling on performing istinja' after passing wind from the anus?

Ablution is invalidated by passing wind from the anus, even without a smell. Only ablution becomes obligatory from it. Istinja' is not obligatory nor recommended. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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Some Blessings of the First Ten Days of Thul-Hijjah

Author : The General Iftaa` Department

Date Added : 25-09-2014

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

1- Doing good deeds on those days is better than doing them on other days: ‎‎‎‎‎it was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet said:‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days (meaning the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah).”Then some companions of the Prophet said, ”Not even Jihaad ?” He replied: “Not even Jihaad, except that of a man who puts himself and his property in danger (for the Sake of Allaah) and does not return with any of those things.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]‎‎‎‎.

2- It was reported that the Prophet(PBUH) used to observe fasting in those days: One of the Prophet`s wives said: “ The Messenger of Allah used to fast nine days of Thul-Hijja, the Day of Ashora`, and three days of every month-Mondays and Thursdays.”{Abu Dawood}.

3- ‎‎‎‎Allah, The Almighty, Says (what means):‎‎‎‎‎ {‎By the dawn And [by] ten nights} [Quran 89:1, 2] . The ten nights are the ten days of Thul-Hijjah‎‎‎‎. Allah, The Almighty, swore by these days and He only swears by whatever is exalted and lofty in stature.

4- Allah, The Almighty, says: “ and celebrate the name of God, through the Days appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice).”{Al-Hajj/28}.The Days appointed are the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah as stated by scholars of Tafseer (exegesis).

5- The Prophet(PBUH) said that these days are the best days in life: Jabir(May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet(PBUH) said: “ The best days of this life are the ten days- the ten days of Thul-Hijja. The companions said: aren`t there days spent for Allah`s sake better than them ?he said: there aren`t, except for a man who goes out for Jihaad . “ {Albazzar& Al-Monziri}

6-‎These days have the Day of ‘Arafah, (the Day of major Hajj )which is the ninth day of Thul-Hijjah.‎ The virtues of this Day are great and innumerable. It was reported that the Prophet(PBUH) urged Muslims-non-pilgrims- to observe fasting on this great Day. He said: "Fasting the Day of Arafah atones the sins committed a year before it and those which will be committed a year after it."{Muslim}.

7-‎These days have the Day of Nahr (sacrifice) which is the tenth day of Thul-Hijjah, the Day of Eid. This is the best day as stated in the following Hadeeth:‎ ‎‎‎‎"The best of days in the sight of Allah, The Almighty, is the Day of Nahr, then the Day of Qurr( the first day of Tashreeq)." [Ahmad, Abu Daawood: Saheeh chain of narrators]‎‎‎‎.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Are school exams a valid excuse for breaking the fast in Ramadan?

School and university exams are not considered a valid excuse for breaking the fast, as most students take their exams while fasting without experiencing extreme hardship. Fasting does not conflict with exam preparation, and a Muslim seeks strength in obedience to Allah for both worldly and spiritual matters.

What is the Islamic ruling on the Udhiyah (sacrificial offfering)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

The Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is a Confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu’akkadah) for every adult Muslim of sound mind who possesses the financial means, whether they are a resident, a traveler, or a pilgrim (Haj). This is based on the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: 'When the ten days [of Dhu al-Hijjah] begin and one of you desires to offer a sacrifice, let him not touch [cut] anything of his hair or skin' [Narrated by Muslim].

The point of evidence (Wajh al-Dalalah) here is that the Prophet ﷺ linked the sacrifice to the individual's will and desire by saying, 'and one of you desires.' This indicates that it is not obligatory (Wajib); had it been mandatory, he would have simply said, 'let him not touch his hair until he sacrifices' [without making it conditional upon desire].

Furthermore, it is narrated that Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) would sometimes refrain from offering the sacrifice out of fear that people might mistakenly view it as an obligatory duty [Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and others with a good (Hasan) chain of transmission]. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on praying alone (munfaridan) in a row, and what should I do if I enter the mosque together with another person, and there is only a single gap in the first row with no second row present — should I fill that gap in the first row, or should I stand together with him in a new second row?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

If a person enters [the congregation] and finds no space available in the row, it is recommended for him — after making his opening takbīr for the prayer — to gently pull someone from the row in front of him to pray alongside him, provided he senses that this person would be agreeable to it. If that person does not agree, then he prays alone, and there is no dislike attached to his doing so in that case.

If he ends up praying alone [behind the row], it is sunnah for him to stand directly behind the imam. Then, if someone else arrives, that person stands to his right; and whoever comes after them stands to his left — and so on — such that the imam remains centered in the middle of the row. This is done so that everyone attains the reward of congregational prayer.

As for the case where two people enter the prayer together, and there is a gap in the row wide enough for only one person, then the two of them should pray together in a new row [of their own], and whoever arrives after them should fill that original gap. This is because if only one of the two fills the gap, the other would end up praying alone [which is to be avoided when it can easily be prevented].

Al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/P.494): "If he does not find space, then it is recommended for him, while still standing, to gently pull a single person from the row toward himself after making his opening takbīr — out of caution, so as to avoid the position held by some scholars that a person's prayer standing alone behind the row is not valid.

Az-Zarkashī and others said: this should only be done if it seems he would agree to it; otherwise, he should not pull anyone — indeed, doing so becomes impermissible, out of fear of causing discord (fitnah). It is recommended for the person being pulled to cooperate and agree, so that he may attain the reward of assisting in righteousness and piety (al-birr wat-taqwā). However, he should not pull one of two people [praying together] from the row, since this would cause one of them to end up praying alone. This is why the 'pulling' described here takes place only after the opening takbīr [i.e., once the person doing the pulling has already validly begun his own prayer]."

Accordingly: it is sunnah for you to pray alongside the person praying alone, and then, if someone else arrives afterward, you may go and fill the gap in the original row. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on the follower`s prayer if the Imam stands for a fifth rak`ah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

If the Imam stands up for an extra unit (rak‘ah) of prayer out of forgetfulness, he must return to the sitting position as soon as he remembers, and he should perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw). It is the duty of the congregants (Ma’mumin) behind him to remind him. However, if the Imam is in a state of doubt regarding the extra unit (and not certainty), it is not permissible for him to return.

As for the congregants: anyone who is certain that the Imam has stood for an extra unit is forbidden from following him. In this case, the follower has two choices: either intend to separate from the Imam (Mufaraqah) and finish the prayer alone, or wait for the Imam in the sitting position and perform the final salams with him—the latter being the preferred option. If a follower knowingly follows the Imam into an extra unit, their prayer becomes invalid. However, if a follower is in doubt and not certain of the mistake, they must continue following the Imam, as the Imam was appointed to be followed.

It is stated in Al-Majmu’ (Vol.4/P.145): 'If [the Imam] stands for a fifth rak‘ah, the follower should not follow him, even if it is assumed that the Imam might have omitted a pillar from a previous unit; because if the reality is known, following him is impermissible since the follower has certainly completed their own prayer. Even if the follower had missed a previous unit (Masbuq) or was in doubt about performing a pillar like the Fatihah, and the Imam stood for the fifth, it is not permissible for the latecomer to follow him in it. This is because we know that this unit is not counted for the Imam and that he is mistaken in performing it.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.