The greatest chapter in the Qur’an

The greatest chapter in the Qur’an

The greatest chapter in the Holy Qur’an is the one that we recite every day in our five daily prayers; it is Al-Fatiha or The Opening. Studying its meanings will help us appreciate the value of this chapter and will be the key that opens the door to a heightened level of mental awareness and nearness to our Lord in prayer as we recite it.

Al-Fatiha is the opening to the Holy Book and it is the chapter with which we begin our prayers. Other titles that refer to Al-Fatiha include Umm ul-Kitab and Umm ul-Qur’an, which mean the mother of the Book or the mother of the Qur’an. It is also called Saba’ Al-Mathani, or the seven repeated verses, and Al-Shifaa (The Healing), Al-Hamd (The Praise), As-Salat (The Prayer), and Al-Kanz (The Treasure).      

In the following narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us that Al-Fatiha is indeed the greatest chapter of the Holy Qur’an.

Ahmad records on the authority of Abu Sa’ad ibn Al-Mu’alla who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,“…I will teach you a Surah which is the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before you leave the masjid.’”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told his companion, “It is [the Surah commencing with], {All praise and thanks are due to Allah.} It is the Seven Oft-Repeated verses and the Great Qur’an that has been given to me.”

{In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.}
The Surah starts with mentioning the name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem, which are two names of Allah derived from the word mercy. In Arabic grammar, both are intensive forms of merciful. Rahman is an attribute of Allah alone, above the human level, it means intensely merciful.

{All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds} 

You start your prayer by offering praise, deep gratitude, and boundless thanks to Allah for the blessings that He has bestowed upon us that we cannot even enumerate. We rarely pause to think about how grateful we should be to Allah. Each breath, each heartbeat, each muscle movement, and each blink of an eye is a blessing that we should be thankful for. 
 
When referring to Allah, the Arabic term “Rabb” translated as “Lord” includes all of the following meanings: owner, master, ruler, controller, sustainer, provider, guardian, and caretaker.

{The Most Beneficent,
the Most Merciful}

The believer must keep in mind that Allah is the Lord and the Master and Sustainer, which is awe inspiring, but we must also keep in mind that Allah is also merciful and forgiving. A sound heart resonates with both fear of Allah, and also love and hope for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.

{Sovereign of the Day of Recompense}

Allah will bring us to account on that day for whatever we earned of good or evil during life on this earth. Each person will be given rewards for the good, and punishment for the bad, except for that which Allah forgives.

{It is You we worship and You we ask for help}

It is Allah alone that we worship, associating no partners with Him, and Allah alone that we turn to for help. We must purify our acts of worship from any desire to impress people; the intention behind our prayers, supplication, fasting, and reading the Qur’an should be to please Allah alone.

After establishing our obedience and submission to Allah, we ask Allah to give us what we desire, and the greatest gift we can receive from Allah is guidance.

{Guide us to the straight path}  

These verses teach us the proper decorum with our Creator, first we mention the names of Allah, we praise our Lord and establish that we worship only Allah and depend on Him. Then we ask for what we need; to be guided to the correct path, which is Islam. The final destination and goal for staying on this straight path is Paradise.

{The path of those upon You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray} 

Making supplication to Allah is actually a form of worship. When we repeat this verse in our prayers every day, we urge Allah to keep us on the path of those whom Allah has bestowed upon them the blessing of firm faith. We aspire to be on the same path as the prophets, the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the righteous, and the truthful and faithful people. 

The most beautiful aspect about this chapter is that when we read it in our prayers, we are engaging in a private conversation between ourselves and our Lord. If we keep this in mind, we will be able to focus more during our prayers and it will be a soothing, calming, and spiritually healing experience.

Allah responds to the believers when they recite this chapter.

Sahih Muslim records on the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Allah, the Glorious and Exalted said, “I have divided the prayer between Myself and my servant equally and My servant shall be granted what he asked for.” Therefore, when the servant says, ‘All praises and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds’, Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘The All-Merciful, the Most Merciful,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

When he says, ‘You Alone we worship and Your aid alone do we seek,’ Allah says, ‘This is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he requested.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favored, not [the path] of those who have earned [Your] anger, nor of those who have gone astray,’ Allah says, ‘This is for My servant and My servant shall have what he asked for.’”

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Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Hajj is obligatory for women as it is for men

Hajj is obligatory for women as it is for men

Al-Nawawi said: They are unanimously agreed that Hajj is obligatory upon a woman if she is able to do it. Sharh Saheeh Muslim.

Hajj is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation) which every Muslim who is accountable and is able to do it must do once in a lifetime. It is one of the pillars of Islam, an obligation which is proven to be so in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and by scholarly consensus.

In the Qur’aan, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]

This aayah clearly states that it is obligatory. When the Qur’aan says “a duty that mankind owes to Allaah” this implies that it is obligatory and compulsory. This is the evidence that it is fard. Indeed, we find that the Qur’aan emphatically states that it is obligatory, in the phrase “and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” Allah describes going against this obligation as kufr or disbelief. This context shows that failing to do Hajj is not the action of a Muslim, rather it is the action of a non-Muslim.

In the Sunnah, there is the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; establishing regular prayer; paying zakaah; fasting Ramadaan; and Hajj.” 

The phrase “Islam is built…” indicates that Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. Muslim narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave a sermon and said to us: ‘O people, Allah has enjoined Hajj upon you so perform Hajj.’ A man said, ‘Every year, O Messenger of Allah?’ He did not answer until the man had asked it three times, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘If I had said yes, it would have become obligatory and you are not able to do that.’” And there are so many ahaadeeth concerning that that it reaches the level of tawaatur which means that this obligation is something certain and definite.

With regard to ijmaa’ or scholarly consensus, the ummah is unanimously agreed that Hajj once in a lifetime is obligatory for the one who is able to do it. This is something which is well known and no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing it, and the one who denies it is a kaafir.

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The Intention for Ihram (Integral)

The Intention for Ihram (Integral)

The first integral step for the person intending to travel to Makkah to perform the Pilgrimage (Hajj) is to establish the intention in his heart to enter into the actions of Pilgrimage (Hajj or Umrah).

 It is this intention and not just donning the clothes of ihram which causes one to become in that state. Going into the state of ihram means intending to enter into the actions of Hajj or Umrah during which certain things are obligatory on one to do and certain other things are prohibited for one to do.

Establishing this intention and going into the state of ihram must be done before the person crosses the miqat (The miqat is the place that a person must cross while having the intention of performing Hajj or Umrah), and may be done from one’s hometown. However, once the person establishes the intention and goes into the state of ihram, he must avoid all those things which are prohibited for him to do while in this state. Crossing beyond these miqats or what aligns with them before first entering into the state of ihram is unlawful (sinful) and requires an expiation.

These miqats were established by the Prophet and depend on the person’s route of travel to Makkah. The miqat for the people coming by route of al-Madinah is Dhul-Hulayfah (Abar ^Aliyy), a location less then ten (10) miles outside the city of al-Madinah, where the pilgrim may wash, change his clothes, pray, and make the intention.

It is sunnah to perform a purificatory bath (ghusl) before making the intention to enter into the state of ihram and to put perfume on the body, but not on the clothes intended for wearing for the ihram. It is sunnah to wear white clothes, and either new ones or clean used ones. One must take care to refrain from wearing the clothes forbidden for him to wear once he becomes in the state of ihram. The man wears an izar (what covers the lower part of the body) and a rida’ (what covers the upper part of the body)—without either being sewn or felted to fit the body—like a huge towel or shawl. The man must take care also not to wear shoes sewn to fit the foot, rather hewears shoes that uncover the toes and the back of the feet. The man may put on a belt to hold up his clothing. The woman may wear sewn clothes, and must cover all her ^awrah. She may not wear gloves to cover her hands though her sleeves may be long enough to do so. She may not cover her face with anything which touches the skin of her face.

Before one makes the intention of ihram it is sunnah to pray two (2) rak'ahs, with the intention of performing this sunnah for ihram, and to recite Surat al-Kafirun in the first rak'ah after the Fatihah, and Surat al-Ikhlas in the second rak'ah after reciting the Fatihah. Then, one faces the Qiblah and says to oneself: I now start the actions of Hajj, (I now engage in the actions of Hajj.)
Then to say out loud:

دخلت فى عمل الحج

O Allah, I now perform Hajj to obey You in answering Your order.

لبيك اللهم بحج

Then the man says the following statement out loud (the woman with a low voice). It is called the talbiyah: O Allah, I obey Your Order. I obey You one time after the other. O Allah, I obey Your Order. You are the One Who does not have any partner. I obey You one time after the other.

لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك،

You are the One Who deserves to be praised and thanked. Every endowment is from You. You are the One attributed with Dominion. 

إنّ الحمد والنعمة لك والملك   

There is no partner with You.

 لا شريك لك

Then, one makes du^a’, asking Allah to raise the rank of Prophet Muhammad, and to accept one’s deeds, grant one Paradise, and protect one from Hellfire. Then, one makes other du^a’ for oneself and for whomever one wishes. It is good to repeat the talbiyah often. Should one see something which one likes or something which one dislikes, one says:

I obey You (O Allah). Surely, the valued living (meaning the living which does not have any hardships) is the living in the Hereafter (in Paradise).

لبيك إن العيشَ عيشُ الآخرة 

If one sees something which one likes, these words are reminders that the pleasures in Paradise are much, much more than the pleasures on Earth. Should one see something one dislikes, these words help one to be patient by occupying one’s mind in how to escape Hellfire and get to Paradise, where one would not be disturbed by such matters.

Source: darulfatwa.org.au

The Values of Hajj

The Values of Hajj

Hajj is a collection of actions and recitations. These collections inspire the Muslim's soul with spiritual sublime feelings.

Generally speaking, Hajj includes a number of prayers performed by the pilgrim during a definite period. Every action, word, and prayer is a symbol that inspires the soul with a vivid feeling and encompasses a secret and an objective.
 
Ihram, Talbiyah (Tawaf) (circumambulation), Saa’y, Wuquf (staying at Arafat) to name but a few, are a mixture of actions and feelings which are spiritually experienced by the pilgrim. Every action has got a deep meaning and each rite aims at the accommodation of the values of Islam and the demonstration of its purposes in a symbolic and accurate way.

Rites are performed within the hugest gatherings of people. Crowds assemble to worship Allah, the almighty.  Their target is Allah’s satisfaction and forgiveness, submission and surrender to his will.

Once a Muslim decides to perform Hajj, his heart will long to reach his purpose, Allah’s satisfaction and the purification of the self.

Performing Hajj is the sacrifice of money and many physical desires and pleasures for the sake of Allah. It leaves an everlasting mark in the Muslim’s heart to constantly remember the Almighty.

It equally renewed the society. Performing Hajj cannot be undertaken singly. Its rites have to be performed communally. Herein, lies the basic principles of Islam: Brotherhood, Unity, peace and equality.

Pilgrims coming from different nationalities will get to know each other, pray and supplicate together so that the Almighty ease their hardships and forgive them.

Source:go-makkah.com