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جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رضى الله عنهما يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « أَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَفْضَلُ الدُّعَاءِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ »

Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say the best invocation to say is there is absolutely no deity worthy of worship but Allah. And the best supplication to say is all praises belong to Allah.”

Collected by At-Tirmithi (3383) Ibn Majah (1249) and others. Graded as being Hasan by Imam At-Tirmithi

Explanation:

“The invocation to say is there is absolutely no deity worthy of worship but Allah” This means: It’s the best invocation because this is the word of Tawheed. And nothing can compare to the word of Tawheed. The word of Tawheed is what separates Iman from Kufr. The word “ La illaha il Allah” connects the heart to Allah and separates it from all other deities. The word of Tawheed is the best purification for the soul. It cleanses man’s heart and soul, and rids it of all the wickedness of Shirk and Kufr. Furthermore saying the words of Tawheed drives away Shaytaan.

The best supplication to say is all praises belong to Allah.” These words mean: It’s the best because it’s a supplication and supplication is equivalent to remembering Allah-Thikr. Supplication is to seek a need from Allah. Praising Allah includes invocation and supplication. Whoever praises Allah praises Him for the blessing Allah has given him. And praising Allah for the blessing is asking for more. This is the pillar of gratitude. Allah says: If you thank Me I will give you more” [ Ibrahim 7]

Taken from Tuhfatul Ahwathee Sharh Jami’ At-Tirmithi for the numbered hadeeth above.

Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle

By Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
Source: Duroos minal-Qur’anil Kareem , Translated by A Majothi

And from its (al-Faatihah’s) importance also, is that Allah subhaanahu wa ta’alaa obligated its recitation in every unit of the prayer. And the majority of the people of knowledge considered its recitation obligatory in the prayer and that whoever does not read it in the prayer, then indeed his prayer is not correct due to his  (the Prophet’s) saying sallallahu alaihi wa salam: “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Fatihatul Kitab (the opening of the Book, [Surah al-Faatihah]).” [Agreed upon] and this is regarding the right of the able one to recite it, as for the unable one who cannot recite it due to his inability to memorise it, then indeed he reads what is easy for him from the Ayaat of the Qur’an other than the al-Faatihah.

And if there was nothing fitting (for his ability) from the Qur’an, then indeed he takes the formula (of remembrance): “subhanallah, al-hamdulillah, laa ilaaha illa Allah, wallahu akbar, wa la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah” due to his sallallahu alaihi wa salam saying “When you stand for the prayer, then make takbeer (i.e. say Allahu Akbar), then, if you have with you something from the Qur’an then recite it, and if not, then praise Allah, and exalt him and supplicate the kalimah (the testimony of Faith); then make rukoo’…” [Recorded by Abu Daawood and at-Tirmidhi]

And the majority of the people of knowledge have considered its obligation (of recitation) upon the Imam (leading others) and the individual, and they differed regarding its recitation in reference to the right upon the one being led (in prayer), over three opinions:

The First Opinion:

It is obligatory upon every praying person, whether it be an Imam, one being led or an individual due to his (the Prophet’s sallallahu alaihi wa salam) saying: “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Fatihatul Kitab;” and this is general in regards to everyone praying.  And he (the Prophet) sallallahu alaihi wa salam said: “Perhaps you all recited behind your Imam?” They (the companions) said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He said: “Do not do that except for Fatihatul-Kitab; for indeed there is no prayer for the one who does not recite it.” [It was reported similarly by Abu Daawood] And this is the madhab of Imam ash-Shaafi‘ee and a group from the Muhaddithoon like Imam al-Bukhaaree and others, they viewed its recitation an obligation upon the Imam, the one being led and the individual.

The Second Opinion:

It is not obligatory on the one being led, because the recitation of the Imam compensates him from it, due to his (the Prophet’s)  sallallahu alaihi wa salam saying: “Whoever has an Imam (to lead him in prayer), then the Imam’s recitation is his recitation;” [Recorded by al-Bayhaqee in his Sunan, and Ahmad recorded it similarly] however, this Hadeeth has been criticised in respect to its Isnaad (chain of narrators).

And they (those who adopted this opinion) sought evidence from the statement of Allah: “So, when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it, and be silent that You may receive Mercy.” [7:204] They said from the aspect of deduction: Indeed Allah commanded listening to the Qur’an and being silent. And the ayah was sent down regarding the matter of listening in the prayer, meaning: when the Imam recites, it is upon the one being led to be silent and listen. So the ayah proves that there is no recitation required by the one being led; because the Imam recites it for himself and for those being led; and this is the opinion of the madhab of Abu Haneefah and Ahmad.

The Third Opinion:

And it is the opinion of Imam Malik and the preference of Shaykhul Islaam Ibnu Taymiyyah and a group from the scholars, that it is obligatory upon the one being led during the discreet prayers in which the Imam does not make (his recitation) audible, like the Thuhr and ‘Asr (prayers), and as for the audible prayers, and the Imam’s recitation is sufficient, and upon the one being led, is (the task) of being silent and listening.They (those who adopted this opinion) said: And by this (opinion), the proofs are reconciled; so the evidences which obligate the recitation of al-Faatihah refer to the discreet prayer and the other evidences and the noble Ayah refer to the audible prayer; and this opinion is fairest of the opinions, inshaa’Allah.

• Salaat in Congregation & Masjid

• The Excellence of Performing Salat (Prayers) in Congregation – Riyadh ul saaliheen
• The Excellence of Standing in the First Row (In Salat) – Riyadh ul saaliheen

The Personal Relationship Between a Scholar and His Student.

Imam Ahmad used to mention the virtues of his sheikh, Imam Ash Shafi’ee to his wife. He would mention to her the extensive and superb knowledge of Imam Ash Shafi’ee as well as his taqwah (i.e. piety). Imam Ahmad invited Imam Ash Shafi’ee to come visit him at his home. When the time for dinner arrived, Imam Ash Shafi’ee ate until he was full and went to the guest room for some sleep.

The wife of Imam Ahmad said to him: “O Ahmad! Is this the same Shafi’ee that you used to tell me so much about?” Imam Ahmad said: “Indeed he is!” So she said: “I noticed three things about him worthy of criticism!  Firstly, when we served him the food, he ate plenty of it! Secondly, when he went into the guest room, he went to sleep without standing up to perform the night prayer (i.e. tahujjud)! Lastly, when he prayed Salat ul Fajr with us, he did not perform ablution (i.e. wudhu)?!

So Imam Ahmad went to Imam Ash Shafi’ee to ask him about these three matters his wife noticed. Imam Ash Shafi’ee said to him, (the way a father would explain to his son): “O Ahmad! I ate plenty because I know for certain that your food is halal (i.e. permissible islamically) and you are a generous man!  And the food that comes from a generous man is a cure, while the food that comes from a stingy man is a disease!

However, I didn’t eat plenty of food in order to achieve my fill; rather I ate plenty of your food in order to derive the cure from it! As for the reason I didn’t  stand up at night  to perform the night prayer, when I laid my head down to get some sleep, I looked and all I could see was the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet  (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) right in front of my face! So I deducted 72 fiqh related benefits from them for the Muslims to benefit from. Thus there was no opportunity for me to stand and perform the night prayer!

As for the reason why I prayed Salat ul Fajr without performing ablution, by Allah! My eyes never tasted the sweetness of sleep in order for me to renew my wudhu!! I was awake the whole night, so I prayed Salat ul Fajr  with the same wudhu I had for Salat ul Isha!!!

Collected by Al Hafidh Ibn Hajr in Fath ul Bari concisely and by Abu Nu’aim in Hilya tul Awliyaa’
Translated by Abu Azzubayr Shadeed Muhammad on 3/30/2010 in the City of Riyadh Saudi Arabia.
Source : http://www.rawdah.org/read-ThingsNotAlways.html

This is a clear example from the Salaf (i.e. pious predecessors) of how to call to the religion of Allah indirectly with your character, as sometimes calling a person directly may not prove the most effective way. Many accepted Islam because of hearing about the divine character of Prophet Muhammad (Sallahu alaihi wa salam), even before they met him…as all of us did!!!

Hassan Al Basree (Rahimahillah) had a neighbor who was a Christian. This neighbor had a toilet on the roof of his apartment and it used to leak through a hole in the roof of Hassan Al Basree’s apartment. Hassan placed a bucket beneath the hole to catch the urine that would leak through it and discard the contents at the end of each day. This continued for 20 years.

Then one day, Hassan fell ill and his Christian neighbor came to visit him. When he entered, the neighbor noticed the bucket of urine that was leaking through the hole in his ceiling and asked Hassan astoundingly: “How long have you been tolerating this harm from me?!” Hassan replied: “For 20 years!”

So the Christian neighbor took off his belt (which was the clothing of the Christians during that time) and accepted Islam…!!!

Mentioned in Hilya tul Awliyaa’a by Abu Nu’aim Al Asbahaani (Rahimahullah),
Translated by Shadeed Muhammad, Abu Azzubayr on Friday March 26, 2010 in the Capitol of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

Taken from : http://www.rawdah.org/read-ToleratedHarm.html

Source : Imam Ibn AI-Qayyim, Kitab al Fawa’id pg. 6-8

This chapter clearly shows that Allah, the Exalted returns the same body that had obeyed or disobeyed Him in life, in  order to reward or punish it just like He rewards the soul itself, which believes in Him and punishes the one, which disbelieves in Him.

That does not mean that Allah, the Exalted creates another soul, which will be rewarded or punished, as some people say.

Such people do not understand the nature of the  Resurrection, which the Messengers informed mankind about.

They claim that Allah, the Exalted will create another body that is different in all aspects and that Allah will reward or punish it.

They also say that the soul is simply a part of the body, so Allah will create another soul other than this one and a body other than this body.

This belief is contrary to what the Messengers taught, and what the Qur’an, Sunnah, and other Books of Allah, the Exalted say. This is in fact denial of the Resurrection and adopting the belief of the disbelievers.

Such people find it difficult to comprehend that Allah, the Exalted will recreate the very same body and soul that had known life.

They cannot imagine how the body will  become bones and dust and Allah will create it again in its original form.

Allah quotes them as saying,

أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ

which means, “When we are dead and have become dust and  bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected? (As-Saffat, 37:16)

And such people also say,

ذَٰلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ

which means, ” That is a far return.” (Qaf, 50:3)

If what they assert is true and another body other than  the one that had known in life is rewarded or punished, this will neither be Resurrection nor returning back, indeed, it would be a new creation altogether.

And the following verse would be rendered meaningless. May Allah forbid!

Allah says,

قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ

which means, “We know that which the earth takes of them (their dead bodies). 11 (Qaf, 50:4)

Allah answered the question that He, the Exalted will separate these pieces which had mixed with the earth and turned it into elements which are difficult to be separated.

So Allah, the Exalted told mankind that He knows what the earth is taking from their flesh, bones, and hair and just as He knows these pieces He is capable of separating, and gathering them after being separated, and creating them again.

He, the Exalted decides the time of Resurrection by His perfect knowledge, power, and wisdom.

Related Links: (Must Read !!)

• The Story of the Dead People – Tafseer Ibn Kathir
• Four Birds & Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) – Tafsee Ibn Katheer