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Ideas on the Prophetic Hijrah
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 19-09-2016

Ideas on the Prophetic Hijrah

By Dr. Mufti Hassan Abu Arqoob

 

It isn`t out of the ordinary that Omar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah Be Pleased with him) turned the event of the Hijrah (Prophet`s migration to Medina) into a starting point for the Islamic calendar to distinguish the Muslim nation from other nations as it is not only an earmark in the history of the Muslim nation, but also in that of mankind. This way, Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) teaches us (Muslims) how to have our own identity, how to make our own history and be proud of it and how to preserve our own character among other nations.

Our great Prophet (PBUH) emigrated from Mecca to Medina after having suffered all sorts of torture from Quraish in their attempt to force him to forsake calling people to Islam. They have also offered him wealth and authority in return for leaving the religion of Allah which he has brought to all mankind; however, he didn`t give up to worldly temptations. Despite the tactics of invitation and intimidation employed by Quraish, Prophet Mohammad remained steadfast in propagating the message of Islam until Allah commanded him to immigrate to Medina and leave Mecca, his beloved home.

The propagator of the divine message, Prophet Mohammad, was never deterred from delivering it since he is a man of principle. Worldly temptations couldn`t tempt him because he has firm belief that the Hereafter is better and more lasting. Once he was cornered, and not allowed to worship Allah and to deliver His message as commanded, he was permitted to leave Mecca since the whole universe is  Allah`s and all the creatures are His servants. Whatever the case may be, abandoning one`s beloved homeland isn`t a justifiable act because it contradicts man`s nature, and the love of country is part of man`s identity and character.

We learn from the School of the Prophetic Hijrah that the propagator of the message must strive and leave no stone unturned to deliver that message. Allah, The Almighty, Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque-may Allah free it-, is capable of taking him on the Buraq (a horse-like animal) from Mecca to Medina. Still, how could civilization be established and history made through such a miracle!!? It must be executed through the normal standards of human beings in order for delivering the message of Islam to fit every time and place, and so that none could argue that they (history and civilization) were based on the supernatural.

The Prophet(PBUH) emigrated in secret after having made a water tight plan to leave Mecca. This plan shows that adopting means to reach an end as well as planning for success are key foundations in man`s life. Although supported by Allah, the Prophet adopted the aforementioned means; therefore, it is imperative that all Muslims follow suit. The true meaning of trusting Allah is being satisfied at heart with his divine preordainment; of course after adopting means to reach an end.

I (writer) said "water tight plan" that takes different conditions and circumstances into consideration. As absurdity is rejected, so is foolish and naïve planning because "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Consequently, it is imperative that man employs wisdom, patience and reason when planning in addition to taking the various possibilities, conditions and circumstances into consideration because at time of crisis, vision is blurred and sound thinking becomes unattainable. Sound planning and sound management, expecting crises and coming up with early suitable solutions for them are all lessons that we learn from the blessed Hijrah of the Prophet (PBUH).

We also learn from the Prophetic Hijrah how to enhance women`s role in society since the Prophet (PBUH) entrusted Asma` Bint Abi Bakir (May Allah Be Pleased with them) with providing for him while he was in the cave of mount Hira. It was a delicate mission because she had to exercise caution getting into the cave and out of it without being noticed by the disbelievers so that they would never know the Prophet`s whereabouts. As we can see, woman has played a key role in this blessed event, proving that she is able to achieve, participate in making history and civilization, be an active member of society and prevent any attempts to marginalize her role. And Allah Knows Best.

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on making up missed prayers during prohibited times?

 

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible to make up (qada’) missed prayers at any time, even during the periods when prayer is generally prohibited. The prayers that are forbidden and considered invalid during these times are 'absolute voluntary prayers' (nafl mutlaq)—which have no specific cause—and voluntary prayers whose cause follows the prayer itself, such as the Sunnah of entering Ihram or the Sunnah of the Istikharah prayer. Furthermore, no prayer is considered disliked (makruh) during these prohibited times when performed within the Meccan Sanctuary (Makkah al-Mukarramah).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim (Vol.1/P.181), one of the Shafi’i texts: 'It is not forbidden to perform prayers that have a cause that is not delayed (i.e., the cause is preceding), such as making up a missed prayer (fa’itah)—even if it was a voluntary one—and the funeral prayer (janazah); or a cause that is simultaneous, such as the prayer for rain (istisqa’) or the eclipse prayer (kusuf)... and the Sunnah of wudu, the greeting of the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid), the Sunnah of circumambulation (tawaf), the Sunnah of arrival, and the prostrations of recitation (tilawah) or thankfulness (shukr). These mentioned prayers and their like are not forbidden provided that one does not specifically intend (ta'ammud) to perform them during the disliked time because it is a disliked time. If one does so intentionally, it becomes forbidden, even if it is a mandatory makeup prayer that is due immediately; because in that case, one is acting in defiance of the Sharia. This is in contrast to when one does not specifically seek out that time, even if the prayer happens to fall within it, or if one seeks it for another purpose—such as delaying a funeral prayer to that time so that a larger number of people may pray over the deceased; in such cases, it is permissible and valid... And it is forbidden to perform prayers with no cause at all, like absolute nafl, or those with a delayed cause, such as the Istikharah prayer, the prayer for Ihram, the prayer for a need (hajah), the prayer before leaving the house, or the prayer before execution; because their causes occur after the prayer itself.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

Is it permissible for a pious Muslim woman to stay with her husband who had quit praying out of laziness?

Quitting prayer is one of the major grave sins that come after disbelieving in Allah, but the wife of such a person isn`t considered divorced, rather, she should exert all her efforts in order to bring him back to the way of Islam. However, if his sin is likely to lure her from the way of Islam, then she had better separate from him by lawful means such as Mokhal`aa (When a wife pays a compensation for her husband in return for divorcing her). Moreover, if she exercises patience, and remains steadfast on her faith, then there is no harm in doing that.

If a person enters a mosque and finds the congregation in the final tashahhud, which is more virtuous — joining them or waiting for a second congregation to catch the opening takbīr (takbīrat al-iḥrām)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a worshipper finds a congregation that is about to finish its prayer, and he hopes to catch the entire prayer from the beginning with another congregation, it is more virtuous for him to pray with this first congregation and then repeat the prayer with the second one — provided he does not intend to confine himself to a single prayer. If, however, he intends to perform only one prayer, then it is more virtuous for him to wait for the second congregation rather than joining the first, so that he may attain the reward of congregational prayer for every single rakʿah.
Al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "If members of a congregation enter the mosque while the imam is in the final tashahhud, al-Qāḍī Ḥusayn held that it is recommended for them to join him in prayer, and that they should not delay in order to form a second congregation. Al-Mutawallī, however, affirmed the opposite view, and al-Qāḍī's own statement elsewhere supports this latter position, which is the relied-upon view. In fact, it is more virtuous for a person who has missed part of the prayer with one congregation, and who hopes to catch another congregation with whom he can attain the entire prayer within its proper time, to delay so that he may catch it in full with them. This applies when he intends to confine himself to a single prayer; otherwise, it is more virtuous for him to pray with the first group and then repeat the prayer with the others." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj,Vol. 3/P.186] And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on a person in a state of major impurity (junub) or a menstruating woman (ha'id) reciting the Quran from memory?

It is not permissible for a menstruating woman, a postpartum woman, or a person in a state of major impurity to recite anything from the Quran, whether from memory, from the Quran, from a phone, or a computer. It is also not permissible for them to touch the Quran, based on what was reported from Ali bin Abi Talib that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not prevented from anything regarding the Quran except major impurity (janabah). (Reported by al-Tirmidhi who said it is a hasan sahih hadith). Menstruation and postpartum bleeding are analogous to major impurity (janabah) as they are all major impurities (hadath akbar).
For those mentioned, it is permissible to mention Allah and supplicate even with verses from the Quran, provided they do not intend them as recitation of the Quran, but intend them as remembrance (dhikr) or supplication (du'a). And Allah the Almighty knows best.