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دعا

Suchi Touba

In the Name of Allah

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
Importance Of Salaat
Fajr Salaat
Zuhr Salaat
Asr Salaat
Maghrib Salaat
Isha’ Salaat
A Person Who Observes Salaat Is Also Likely To
Observe Other Injunctions
The Worst Thief
Mistakes In Qaumah And Jalsah
Three Stages Of Qaumah And Jalsah
The Fardh Stage Of Qaumah And Jalsah
The Result Of Haste In Salaat
The Wajib Stage Of Qaumah And Jalsah
Pausing And Calmness Necessary In Salaat
Ruku’, Sajdah, Qaumah And Jalsah To Be equal
The Masnoon Stage Of Qaumah And Jalsah
The Blessings Of Acting Upon The Sunnats
The Consequence Of Haste In salaat
Emphasis On Ease And Calmness In salaat
Tasbih In Ruku’ And Sajdah
Duaa For Qaumah
Angels Hurrying
Duaa For Jalsah
There Are Many Mistakes In Our Salaat
The Salaat Of Females
Foreword
We glorify Allah and send blessings upon his noble
Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam and
all his companions.
Salaat is a very important act of worship. It is
necessary to perform it with calmness and
composure. Hastily performing ruku’, sajdah,
qaumah, or jalsah can render the salaat devoid of
acceptance. Sometimes there is also the danger that
such a salaat might not even be discharged.
For this reason, to the best of one’s ability, salaat
should be performed slowly and calmly. One way of
ensuring calmness in salaat is, by observing that all
the faraaidh and wajibaat appertaining to salaat are
discharged according to the sunnat. Practice should
also be made that the dhikr and duaas reported for
recital in ruku’, sajdah, qaumah, and jalsah are
satisfactorily observed. In this manner, the salaat
should be performed without haste. Constantly
remembering these points will assist in improving the
quality of salaat offered.
This booklet concisely discusses some of the serious
mistakes that are frequently committed in salat.
Careful study of it should be made and one’s salat
should be fully rectified.
May Almighty Allah grant us all tawfiq (ameen)
10 Safar 1417 Abdur Rauf
Sakkharwee
27 June 1996
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His
assistance and His forgiveness. We believe in Him
and place our trust in Him. We seek refuge in Allah
from the mischief of our souls and our bad actions.
He whom Allah guides no one can mislead him, and
he whom Allah misleads no one can guide him. We
bear testimony that there is no god except Allah. He is
alone and has no partner and we bear testimony that
our leader Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
O Allah, shower your peace and blessings on him and
on his descendants and the companions.
I seek refuge in Allah from the Shaitaan accursed.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful.
“Who has created death and life, that He may test you
which of you is best in deed” (i.e. who amongst you
do the good deeds in the most perfect manner, that
means to do them (deeds) totally for Allah’s sake and
in accordance to the legal ways of Prophet
Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam) (The Qur’an,
Al-Mulk 67:2).
Introduction
The mistakes I wish to highlight here are ones
frequently committed in salaat by men and women,
boys and girls. Because they are serious mistakes, it is
imperative that rectification is made urgently. I will
start by first of all explaining the virtues and
significance of the five obligatory salaats.
Importance of salaat
Salaat is a supreme form of worship. In particular, the
five daily salaats are very special. Initially, Almighty
made the performance of fifty daily salaats obligatory
on this Ummah but due to the intercession of
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam this command
was changed to five.
Further, Almighty Allah said that if a person prays
five times a day he or she shall be conferred the
reward of having prayed fifty times a day. This is the
virtue of the five daily salaats. May Almighty Allah
instil its significance into our hearts (aameen).
I will now turn to some fascinating reports regarding
the origins and wisdom of the five obligatory salaats.
Fajr Salaat:
The first person to offer the two rak’ats of Fajr salaat
was Hadhrat Adam alayhis salaam. He was taken out
of Paradise, which was illuminated, and sent into the
world. When he arrived here it was night-time. This
made him deeply anxious and distressed. Slowly it
began to light up and subha sadiq appeared. Hadhrat
Adam alayhis salaam felt revivified. Before sunrise he
offered two rak’ats of salaat by way of thanksgiving.
The first rak’at was for the dispelling of darkness and
the second in gratefulness of the daylight. Almighty
Allah liked this prayer so much that He made the two
rak’ats of Fajr salaat obligatory on the Ummat of
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam (E’nayah).
Zuhr Salaat:
The first person to offer the four rak’ats of Zuhr salaat
was Hadhrat Ibrahim alayhis salaam. The salaat was
performed after successfully fulfilling the command
of Almighty Allah and offering his son Hadhrat
Ismail alayhis salaam for sacrifice. The first rak’at was
performed to thank Almighty Allah for helping him
overcome this difficult test; the second for
substituting a ram (from Paradise) for Hadhrat Ismail
alayhis salam; the third for the direct address he
received from Almighty Allah, saying:
“And We called out to him: “O Ibrahim! You have
fulfilled the dream (vision)!” Verily! Thus We do
reward the Muhsinun” (i.e. good-doers, who perform
good deeds totally for Allah’s sake only, without any
show off or to gain praise or fame etc. And do them in
accordance to Allah’s Orders) (The Qur’an, As-Saffat
37:104-5).
The fourth rak’at was performed to thank Almighty
Allah for granting him such a patient child. Had
Hadhrat Ismail alayhis salaam flinched, it would have
been difficult for Hadhrat Ibrahim alayhis salaam to
fulfil the command of Almighty Allah. Accordingly,
after seeing the dream Hadhrat Ibrahim alayhis
salaam consulted with his son: “O my son! I have
seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. So what do
you think?” The son replied: “O my father! Do that
which you are commanded, Insha’Allah, you will find
me amongst the patient.” Almighty Allah liked this
prayer of Hadhrat Ibrahim alayhis salaam so much
that He made the four rak’ats of Zuhr salaat
obligatory on the Ummat of Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam (E’nayah).
Asr Salaat:
The first person to perform the four rak’ats of Asr
salaat was Hadhrat Yunus alayhis salaam. Almighty
Allah has reported his plea while inside the belly of
the fish as follows:
“But he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha
illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but
You (O, Allah), Glorified (and Exalted) be You above
all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have
been of the wrongdoers.” So We answered his call,
and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do
deliver the believers” (i.e. who believe in the oneness
of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness)”
(The Qur’an, Al-Ambiyya 21:87-88).
After being taken out of the fish's belly, he
offered thanksgiving prayer of four rak’ats for
being freed from four states of darkness. Firstly,
the darkness of the fish’s stomach; secondly, the
darkness of the water; thirdly, the darkness of the
clouds; and fourthly, the darkness of the night.
Almighty Allah liked this prayer of Hadhrat
Yunus alayhis salaam so much that He made the
four rak’ats of Asr salaat obligatory on the
Ummat of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam
(E’nayah).
Maghrib Salaat:
The first person to perform the three rak’ats of
Maghrib salaat was Hadhrat Dawood alayhis salaam.
Prophets alayhis salaatu wassalam are innocent and
do not commit sins. However, if they make any
mistakes or errors, albeit slightly, they are duly
admonished. Hadhrat Dawood alayhis salaam once
happened to err. Subsequently, Almighty Allah
pardoned him: “So We forgave him” (The Qur’an,
Saad 38:25). By way of thanksgiving, Hadhrat
Dawood alayhis salaam commenced four rak’ats of
salaat. He had performed the first three rak’ats when
contrition so overtook him, he was unable to proceed
with the fourth rak’at. Accordingly, he terminated the
salaat after the first three rak’ats (Bazlul Majhood).
Almighty Allah liked this prayer of Hadhrat Dawood
alayhis salaam so much that He made the three
rak’ats of Maghrib salaat obligatory on the Ummat of
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
Isha’ Salaat:
There are two reports regarding the wisdom of the
four rak’ats of Isha’ salaat. The first says that Hadhrat
Musa alayhis salaam was the first person to perform
this salaat. He had stayed with Hadhrat Shuayb
alayhis salaam for ten years and was returning with
his family to Misr (Egypt). While travelling he was
besieged with four anxieties: first, his honourable
wife was expecting; secondly, the journey was
particularly lengthy; thirdly, he was concerned about
the welfare of his brother Hadhrat Harun alayhis
salaam; and fourthly, he was worried about his
mortal enemy Fir’awn. With these four worries he
was travelling and then they got lost which added to
the distress. He walked in a perplexed state until they
approached Mount Toor, standing on the right side
facing the west. It was a dark and cold night. The
honourable wife’s labour had begun, and the flint
stone did not produce a spark. In this agonising and
distressing situation, he saw a fire from Mount Toor.
He told his family members to remain behind while
he went to Mount Toor to collect some flames. When
he reached Mount Toor he was favoured with the
special privilege of conversing with Almighty Allah,
Who said:
“And when he came to it (the fire), he was called by
name: “O Musa! Verily! I am your Lord! So take off
your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. And I
have chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to
you” (The Qur’an, Ta-Ha 20:11-13).
This honour of talking to Almighty Allah removed
from Hadhrat Musa alayhis salaam all four anxieties
he had faced. Someone has aptly remarked:
If I find you there is no illness,
If I don’t, there is no cure.
It was Isha’ time when Hadhrat Musa alayhis salaam
performed the four rak’ats of thanksgiving for the
removal of all four anxieties. Almighty Allah liked
this prayer so much that He made the four rak’ats of
Isha’ obligatory on the Ummat of Rasoolullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam (E’nayah).
According to the second report, the first perform to
perform the four-rak’ats of Isha’ salaat was
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam (Bazlul
Majhood). This is another reason why this salaat is
particularly important.
Thus in the hereafter, the first question to be asked
after beliefs will be about salaat. This is why salaat is
so important. In one hadith it says that if a person’s
salaat is found satisfactory, then the rest of his deeds
will also come out similarly. But if his salaat is found
unsatisfactory, the remaining deeds are sure to be
found wanting (Tabraani). Therefore, it is necessary to
perform salaat correctly and rectify any mistakes.
A person who observes salaat is also likely to
observe other injunctions
Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafee
rahmatullah alayh would often relate the
proclamation issued by Hadhrat Umar Farooq
radhiyallahu anhu during his caliphate to all officers
under him, saying: “From all your duties and
responsibilities, in my estimation the most important
is salaat. A person who observes salaat is likely to
observe other injunctions of Islaam as well; but if he
discards salaat, he is more likely to discard other
injunctions and be deficient in them.”
In reality, salaat is the touchstone of a true believer. A
person who is punctual with his or her salaat is likely
to observe the fasts of Ramadhan, perform the Hajj,
pay the Zakaat and execute other commands; but if a
person does not pray his or her salaat, how will he or
she observe the fasts? How is he or she likely to pay
attention to the rights of others or do any good deeds?
This is why it is necessary that we are punctual in our
salaat and we rectify any mistakes that are found.
The Worst Thief
There is a well-known saying of Rasoolullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam about salaat. “The worst
thief is one who steals from his salaat.” The
companions inquired, “How can one steal from his
salaat? O Prophet of Allah!” He replied, “When one
does not do his ruku’ and sajdah properly” (At-
Targheeb). Therefore if salaat is not performed in the
manner taught by the sunnat, then this is stealing. I
will now discuss in detail two serious mistakes that
are frequently committed in salaat. You will be able to
evaluate to what extent these mistakes spoil salaat.
Unfortunately, people do not pay attention to them.
Mistakes in qaumah and jalsah
In salaat, we are prone to committing serious
mistakes in four places:
Firstly, while in ruku’ (the posture of bowing lowly);
secondly, while in sajdah (the posture of prostration
or placing the forehead on the ground);
thirdly, while in qaumah (the posture of standing
erect after the ruku’ before going into sajdah); and
fourthly, while in jalsah (the sitting posture which
separates one sajdah from the other).
Ruku’ and sajdah are generally performed very
carelessly and often little attention is paid whether it
might be contrary to the sunnat. Likewise, very
serious mistakes are committed in qaumah and jalsah.
Both ruku’ and sajdah are fardh, and qaumah and
jalsah are wajib.
The requirement of qaumah is that after ruku’, one
should stand up completely erect before going into
sajdah. As for jalsah, the requirement is that after
making the first sajdah, one should fully straighten
up the back and sit calmly in the sitting posture
before going into the second sajdah. As a result of
haste, some people do not allow their backs to
straighten up at both these places. After ruku’, they
raise their head slightly and, when the back is halfstraight,
immediately go into sajdah. Similarly after
the first sajdah, they will not sit properly so that the
back is upright but will immediately go into the
second sajdah. Such hastiness spoils both the qaumah
and jalsah.
Remember! In qaumah, if the back is only partially
straight and the neck only slightly raised and a mere
action of standing is done before proceeding into
sajdah, the salaat will be void. It will have to be
repeated, and this is why a determined effort should
be made to abstain from such practices.
I will now explain the details in relation to qaumah
and jalsah.
Three stages of qaumah and jalsah
There are three stages of qaumah and jalsah. One
stage is fardh; one stage is wajib; and one stage is
sunnat (Ma’arifus Sunnan).
If the fardh is neglected then the salaat will become
void. For example, ruku’ or sajdah is fardh and
leaving this out will render the salaat void. Moreover
sajda-e-sahw does not compensate for this defect.
Therefore, the salaat will have to be performed again.
The requirement of wajib is that if it is omitted by
mistake then sajda-e-sahw will correct the salaat. If,
however, the wajib is left out deliberately then the
salaat will be void and will have to be repeated.
As regards the sunnat, if it is observed then it will be
the basis of good reward. Also, by imitating the way
of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, the action
will become dearer to Almighty Allah. If the sunnat is
not observed, only the fardh and wajib are, then the
salaat will simply be discharged.
Please read carefully the following details about the
three stages of qaumah and jalsah.
The fardh stage of qaumah and jalsah
The fardh stage of qaumah is satisfied when, after
ruku’, the back is raised to its natural upright
position. Similarly in Qaumah, the fardh stage is
satisfied when, after the first sajdah, the back is fully
straightened before going into the second sajdah.
Therefore if a person does not allow the back to be
completely erect and immediately goes into sajdah
after ruku, or does not straighten the back after the
first sajdah and goes immediately into the second
sajdah, in both these instances, since the fardh
requirement of qaumah and jalsah have not been
satisfied, the salaat will become void.
The result of haste in Salaat
On reflection, it becomes evident that we are in the
habit of offering salaat very hurriedly. Generally this
is so because men want to return to their business or
employment and women due to their domestic
commitments. Hence worldly reasons make us hasten
our salaat so that it becomes reduced to nothing more
that acts of standing and sitting. On such occasions,
neither qaumah nor jalsah are correct. On rising from
ruku’, the back is not straightened, and after the first
sajdah, one hardly sits straight that the second sajdah
is performed. Due to this carelessness, the fardh stage
of both qaumah and jalsah are not satisfied. Thus the
salaat becomes void. There is, therefore, a special
need to satisfy the fardh stage of qaumah and jalsah.
The wajib stage of qaumah and jalsah
The wajib stage of qaumah requires that after
rising from ruku’, one should stand for that
length of time in which “Allahu-Akbar” or “Subhaa-
nal-lah” can be recited once. Similarly in
Jalsah, after performing the first sajdah, one
should sit for that length of time in which “Subhaa-
nal-lah” can be recited once. If someone is
negligent about this and fails to stand in qaumah
or sit in jalsah for even the duration of one tasbih,
the wajib stage will not have been satisfied. And
when the wajib is neglected, whether deliberately
or out of ignorance, the salaat is invalid and has
to be repeated. If the duration of one tasbih in
qaumah and jalsah is not observed owing to error,
then sajda-e-sahw will amend the salaat. But if
the latter is not performed, the salaat will remain
invalid and will have to be repeated.
Pausing and calmness necessary in salaat
Worldly tasks of no real significance assume such
importance in our lives that it compels us to hasten in
salaat with the result that the wajib stage of qaumah
and jalsah is ignored. Sometimes, neglect of the fardh
stage does not even cause concern. For this reason, it
is necessary to ensure that when offering salaat
individually, as opposed to offering it in congregation
behind the imam when one is compelled to pray
calmly, there is greater pausing and each requisite is
discharged calmly.
Ruku’, sajdah, qaumah, and jalsah to be equal
In one hadith it says that Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi
wasallam would perform ruku’, sajdah, qaumah, and
jalsah so that he would spend approximately the
same time in each act. But the qiyaam and qai’dah
would be lengthier, since qiyaam consists of recitation
and in qai’dah the Tashah-hud needs to be recited. As
a result the last two acts would take longer, but the
other four acts, that is, ruku’, sajdah, qaumah, and
jalsah, would nearly all be of the same duration.
However, Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam
would occasionally spend such a long time in one act,
causing onlookers to think that he had forgotten or
his soul had departed.
The masnoon stage of qaumah and jalsah
In the light of ahadith, we learn that the sunnat stage
of qaumah and jalsah require that in both acts one
should delay for the period in which “Sub-haa-nallah”
can be recited three times.
In summary, the fardh stage of qaumah and jalsah
require that after rising from ruku’, and after the first
sajdah, the musalli should completely straighten up
his or her back by raising it to its natural upright
position. This is when the fardh stage will be
satisfied. To then remain in that state for the period
of one tasbih is wajib; and to further remain in that
state for the period of three tasbihaat is sunnat.
The blessings of acting upon the sunnats
In acting upon the sunnat there is the knowledge that
the fardh and wajib requisites are also satisfactorily
observed, and there is ease and convenience.
Further, the greatest achievement would be to say:
I came imitating Your beloved,
Consider genuine this show of mine.
Outwardly at least the appearance of our salaat
should conform to the salaat of our beloved Prophet
Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Therefore in
qaumah and jalsah, one should delay for the period in
which “Sub-haa-nal-lah” can be recited three times.
Similarly in ruku’ “Sub-haa-na Rab-biyal-Azeem”,
and in sajdah“Subhana Rab-biyal A’laa”, should be
recited at least three times respectively. Hence the
length of time spent in all four acts of ruku’, sajdah,
qaumah, and jalsah will nearly be the same. This is in
accordance with the hadith mentioned earlier, which
says that Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam
would spend approximately the same duration in all
four acts.
The consequence of haste in Salaat
In reality, we have developed a habit of deliberately
failing to observe the wajibaat. Thus after the
congregational prayers one notices that the sunnats
and nawaafil are prayed in great haste. At such times
we should remember the following hadith of
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam:
“If a person is not punctual with his salaat nor does
he perform wudhu, ruku’ and sajdah properly, then
salaat in an ugly and dark shape curses the person
saying, “May Allah ruin you as you have ruined me!”
Then it is wrapped in a old black rag and flung back
at the face of the person” (At-Targheeb).
Therefore, a person who hastens in salaat and pecks
like a crow, the salaat is wrapped in a black bag and
flung at the face of the person. The salaat is neither a
cause of spiritual illumination nor a means of
salvation. On the other hand, if salaat is performed
with calmness and dignity then it departs from a
person in a bright and beautiful form and becomes a
cause of salvation for him or her.
Emphasis on ease and calmness in salaat
Once a person entered Masjid-e-Nabawi and quickly
performed salaat. After the salaat he went to
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam and made
salaam. He replied to the salaam and said:
“Go back and repeat your salaat, for you have not
prayed.”
The person went back and again repeated the salaat
in haste. After that he went to Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam and greeted him with salaam. He
replied to the salaam and said:
“Go back and repeat your salaat, for you have not
prayed.”
The person went back and yet again repeated the
salaat in haste. He went to Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam and made salaam. He replied to the
salaam and said:
“Go back and repeat your salaat. You have not
prayed.”
This time the person asked, “O Rasoolullah! This is
the only way I know how to perform salaat. You
teach me how to perform it.” Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said, “When you stand up for salaat,
make complete ablution, then face the Ka’ba, recite
takbir and read what is easy for you from the Qur’an.
Afterwards do ruku’ till you are at ease with the
ruku’; then rise up till you stand erect in qaumah;
then do sajdah till you are at ease with the sajdah;
then rise up till you are at ease with the jalsah”
(Mishkat-al-Masabih). In this manner the whole of
salaat should be completed with ease. This is the
teaching Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam gave
to the person.
In the foregoing hadith Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi
wasallam has made special mention of ruku’, sajdah,
qaumah, and jalsah so that these four acts are
performed with complete ease and calmness. Yet
increasingly haste is observed in these four acts.
Tasbih in ruku’ and sajdah
In ruku’ and sajdah the tasbih should be recited at
least three times. It can be recited more times than
this: five, seven, nine, eleven or more, and the more
times it is recited the better. But Rasoolullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam advocated moderation and
said:
“The stage of moderation is best.”
Hence when performing salaat individually, one
should recite the tasbih (at least) five times in ruku’
and sajdah respectively.
Duaa for qaumah
There are certain duaas that Almighty Allah inspired
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam to recite while
in qaumah. These duaas are authentic and are
accepted by Almighty Allah. Similarly, if any ummati
recites them Almighty Allah will also favour him or
her. For qaumah there is one very simple duaa, and
its background is indeed marvellous.
Angels hurrying
Once Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam was
leading the Sahabah radhiallahu anhum in
congregational prayer. While in qaumah he said
“Sami-Allahu Liman Hamidah”, and one Sahabi after
saying “Rab-Banna La-kal Hamd” also added the
words, “Hamdan Katheer-an Tayyiiban Mubarakan
Fih." After the salaat, Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi
wasallam inquired who had recited those words?
One Sahabi said, “It was I.” Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam remarked, “At the time when you
recited those words I saw thirty Angels hurrying to
collect them so that they could be the first one to
record its thawab.”
This incident, which is related by Bukhaari, illustrates
that the words are approved by Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam and are blessed. By reciting them the
pause of reciting “Sub-haa-nal-lah” three times is also
achieved. Further, they are easy to learn and should
be learnt and recited in qaumah:
Transliteration: “Rab-Banna La-kal Hamd - Hamdan
Katheer-an Tayyiiban Mubarakan Fih.”
Translation: O our Creator! All praise belongs unto
you - praises that are abundant, excellent and full of
blessings.
Recitation of the above duaa in qaumah also satisfies
the fardh, wajib and sunnat stages. There are other
duaas that are also reported but the one mentioned is
very simple to learn and recite.
Duaa for jalsah
There are various other duaas that can be recited
while sitting in Jalsah. Again, one very simple duaa
which Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi is reported to
have recited thrice while in Jalsah reads:
Transliteration: “Allahummaghh-Fir-Li-
Allahummaghh-Fir-Li - Allahum-maghh-Fir-Li.”
Translation: O Allah! Forgive me; O Allah! Forgive
me; O Allah! Forgive me. (Ibn Maajah)
Recitation of this duaa satisfies the fardh, wajib and
sunnat stages of jalsah. If possible, also recite the
other duaa of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam
as related by Abu-Dawood:
Transliteration: “Allahummaghh-Fir-Li War-Hamnee
Wa-Aafinee Wah-Dinee War-Zuknee.”
Translation: O Allah! Forgive me; O Allah! Have
mercy on me; O Allah! Grant me welfare, guidance
and sustenance i.e. give me physical sustenance as
well spiritual.
The words of these duaas are so beautiful yet so
simple. They encompass all the goodness of this
world and the hereafter. Therefore everyone should
endeavour to recite these duaas when praying salaat
individually. If both duaas cannot be remembered
then at least the first one is easy to recollect.
Although recital of the duaas in qaumah and Jalsah
are sunnat-e-ghair muak-kadah, we should still
observe them in following the practice of Rasoolullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam. In congregational payer
the imam is bound to lead a moderate salaat, taking
into consideration the varying circumstances of those
praying salaat behind him - the weak, the aged or
others with pressing necessities. Hence if the duaas
were recited by the imam the salaat might be
prolonged and, therefore, he is not obliged to recite
them. However, when performing salaat individually,
whether it be the fardh, wajib, sunnat or nafil salaat,
the duaas should be recited.
There are many mistakes in our salaat
The mistakes discussed here are those that are
frequently committed in salaat by men and women,
boys and girls. Therefore, we should all pay attention
to rectifying these mistakes so that our salaat is
correct and it accords with the sunnat.
Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Taqi Uthmaani
daamat barakaatuhum has written a valuable booklet
entitled, “Perform Your Salaats According to the
Sunnat.” That booklet is worth reading and is a must
for all homes. We should develop a habit of
performing our salaat according to the teachings
prescribed therein. All works require effort. If effort is
made then, Insha’Allah, the mistakes in our salaat
will be rectified.
The salaat of females
The booklet by Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Taqi
Uthmaani madda zillahu largely deals with the
method of prayer for males but towards the end also
includes a section on the method of salaat for females.
I have similarly written a separate booklet dealing
exclusively and comprehensively with the female
method of prayer from Takbir-e-Oola to Salaam. It
discusses for females the correct manner of
discharging all the requisites of salaat. The booklet is
titled, “The Method of Salaat for Females.” You
should try to obtain a copy. After all, it is our
responsibility to ensure that our salaat and the salaat
of those who are our responsibility, namely, mother,
sister, daughter, daughter-in-law, children, is correct
and proper. They should be urged and instructed to
ensure that their salaat corresponds to the teachings
provided in the mentioned booklets.
Finally, be particular not to rush in salaat. Sometimes
owing to haste the fardh and wajib constituents of
salaat are discarded. In such cases, the salaat is void
but some people still remain under the illusion that
they have discharged their salaat. May Almighty
Allah grant us all concern for our full reformation
(aameen).
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe.

HAZRAT UMAR RADIALLAHUANHU

The Reality of 'Women Protection Bill'

The Reality of 'Women Protection Bill'

Justice (R) Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani

In the name of Allah the most merciful the most kind
The legal implications of the 'Protection of Women Bill' which has recently been passed by the National Assembly can only be known to the people who are well versed with the intricacies of the legal system. But the picture being painted is that the bill is going to provide a remedy to those women who are facing severe oppression and hardships due to the Hudood Ordinance and that it is going to provide a great relief to countless women. It is also being claimed that the bill does not violate the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah.Let us take a serious and realistic look at the basic points mentioned in this bill. How much they are in line with the claims being made. If we study the bill we would arrive at the conclusion that the bill contains only two substantive points:Firstly the punishment for rape (zina bil jabar) as ordained by the Quran and Sunnah which is called hadd has been completely abolished in this bill. As such a person who has committed rape cannot be given the punishment according to Shariah law and instead he will receive a ta'azeeri punishment according to the Pakistan Penal Code (anything below hadd).Secondly the crime which was declared liable to a ta'azeeri punishment in the Hudood Ordinance has been downgraded and declared 'lewdness', thereby reducing the severity of its punishment. Moreover, proving it has been made nearly impossible.To abolish the punishment of rape (hadd) is a clear violation of the injunctions given in the Quran and Sunnah. But it is being said that the punishment ordained by the Quran and Sunnah is only applicable when both man and woman commit adultery with free will, and that in the case of rape Quran and Sunnah have not prescribed any punishment. Let us first test the correctness of this claim:1) The Holy Quran prescribes the punishment of adultery in Surah Noor as under
The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. (24:2)
In this injunction the word zina is absolute and includes zina bil-raza (adultery) as well as zina bil jabar (rape). In fact it is common sense that rape is a more serious offense than what is done with free will. Therefore, when this punishment is prescribed for adultery with free will, the punishment for rape should be even more severe.Although in this injunction there is also mention of the woman who commits adultery but in the same surah (Noor) those woman are raped have been exempted from any punishment. Therefore the Holy Quran says:
'And if one force them (i.e. those women), then, (unto them) after their compulsion, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.' (Surah Noor, Ayat 33)
From this becomes clear that if any woman is forced to commit Zina, then she cannot be punished for this, rather the one who transgressed will have to suffer the prescribed punishment (Hadd) which has been mentioned in Surah Noor, Ayat 2.
2. The stated Hadd of 100 stripes is to be inflicted on an unmarried offender. From the Sunnah Mutawatar is further proven that a married person is to suffer Rajm, i.e., lapidating in case he commits Zina. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam did, in this case has not differentiate between Zina bil Jabr (rape) and Zina bir-Radha (adultery with mutual consent).
Sayyidina Wail bin Hajr radiallahu anhu narrated that during the days of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alaihi wa sallam a woman had gone out to offer the prayer. On the way a man overcame and raped her. The woman cried for help and the man ran away. Thereafter the man admitted that he had raped her. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam then inflicted the Hadd on the man only, and not on the woman.
Imam Tirmidhi related this Hadith in his Jami with two different chains of transmission, and he declared the second chain of transmission as reliable. (Jami Tirmidhi, Kitabul Hadd, Bab 22, Hadith nr. 1453, 1454)
3. In the Sahih Bukhari is a tradition according to which a slave had raped a slave-girl. Sayyidina Umar radiallahu anhu then imposed the Hadd on the slave, but not on the slave-girl. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Ikrah, Bab 6)
It is hence proven from the Holy Qur'an, the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, the decisions of the rightly guided caliphs and the noble companions radiallahu anhum that the same punishment which is to be inflicted in case of Zina bir-Radha is also to be inflicted in case of Zina bil Jabr. It is by no means in order to say that the Hadd mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and in the sacred Ahadith is to be inflicted only in case of Zina bir-Radh; and that it is not applicable in case of Zina bil Jabr.
Now arises the question why is there so much insistence on abolishing the shara'i punishment for Zina bil Jabr? The reason for this is an extremely unjust propaganda which certain circles are busily spreading ever since the Hudood ordinance has been implemented. According to this propaganda, if any rape victim intends to sue the offender under the Hudood ordinance, she is asked to produce four witnesses to support her claim. And if she fails to do so, she herself is arrested rather than the offender. This claim has been and is repeated incessantly, so far that even educated people began to consider it as true. And exactly this point has been used as justification by our president during his speech.
Now if as a result of such propaganda a certain matter is publicized so much that even the children on the streets talk about it, and then people tend to view anyone who talks against it as insane. But if anyone wishes to analyze the matter in a just way, then I would like to request him to leave all propaganda aside for a while, and consider the following points: The fact of the matter is that I myself have been directly hearing cases registered under Hudood Ordinance, first as a Judge of Federal Shariah Court and then for 17 years as a member of Shariah Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court. In this long tenure, not once did I come across a case in which a rape victim was awarded punishment because she was unable to present four witnesses. It was actually not possible only because of Hudood Ordinance because according to Hudood Ordinance the condition of four witnesses was necessary only to enforce the Shariah punishment (hadd). But at the same time clause 10(3) was included to award the taa'zeeri punishment which did not have the condition of four witnesses. Instead the crime could be proven through one witness, medical examination and chemical analysis report. Consequently most of the rape criminals were awarded punishment as per this clause. What we need to think is that if a woman was unable to present four witnesses and she was given punishment, which clause of Hudood Ordinance was used to award her the punishment? If anyone says that she was punished because of Qazaf (false accusation of rape) then Qazaf Ordinance, Clause no. 3, Exemption no. 2 clearly states that if someone approaches the legal authorities with a rape complaint, she cannot be punished in case she is unable to present 4 witnesses. No court of law can be in its right mind to award such a punishment. The other possibility could be that the woman is awarded punishment for committing adultery with free will. And if the court of law takes such a decision it may not be because the woman was unable to present four witnesses but because the court arrived at this decision after giving due consideration to all the available evidence. Obviously if a woman accuses a man of raping her but subsequent evidence proves that she committed adultery with her free will and her accusation proves to be false then punishing her will not be against the spirit of justice. But since usually there is lack of sufficient evidence to proof that the woman is lying, even such cases are rare. In 99% of the cases it so happens that the court of law is not convinced that the woman has been raped yet since there is lack of sufficient evidence to prove the willful involvement of the woman, she is given the benefit of doubt and set free.This can be verified very easily by doing an analyses of the cases executed under Hudood Ordinance in the last 27 years. Other judges who have been involved in the proceedings are of the same opinion that even when a woman's character is found doubtful she is not punished; only the man gets punished.Since from the very beginning voices are being raised against Hudood Ordinance that innocent women are being punished because of it, an American Scholar Charles Kennedy got interested and visited Pakistan to conduct a survey of the cases. He analysed all the data related to Hudood Ordinance cases and presented the results in the form of a report which has been published. The results are very much in line with the above mentioned facts. He writes in his report:
Women fearing conviction under Section 10(2) frequently bring charges of rape under 10(3) against their alleged partners. The FSC finding no circumstantial evidence to support the latter charge, convict the male accused under section 10(2)….the women is exonerated of any wrongdoing due to reasonable doubt rule. (Charles Kennedy: The Status of Women in Pakistan in Islamization of Laws page 74)
This is what an unbiased non-Muslim scholar who has got no sympathies toward the Hudood Ordinance observed with regard to such women who had actually consented to committing Zina, and then due to the pressure from side of their families, tried to declare their deed as Zina bil Jabr. They were not asked to produce four witnesses, but to furnish circumstantial evidence. On being unable to furnish circumstantial evidence which would give weight to their claim of having been raped, only the male parties were punished, whereas the female parties went unpunished, as no transgression could be proven on their part. Hence there is no such clause in the Hudood Ordinance according to which, if a woman fails to produce four witnesses to support her claim of having been raped, she is to be punished rather than the offender.
It is however possible that during investigations conducted by the police, and before the matter could be brought to the court, some rape-victims were indeed wrongly and without any justification arrested as committers of Zina bir-Radha. However this is no flaw in the Hudood Ordinance. Unfortunately the police in our country are quite prone to commit such acts of injustice while enforcing the law. But this does not mean that the law has to be changed. In our country, keeping heroin is a crime. And it happens quite often that the police themselves hide some heroin with innocent citizens only to pressurize them afterwards. Should we then—in order to resolve this situation—abolish the law according to which keeping heroin is a crime?Through its decisions, the Federal Shar'iah Court had several times set an end to maltreatment which rape-victims had to suffer at the hands of the police. However, if one was to assume that this risk has not yet been fully eliminated, then one could draft a law according to which no woman claiming to have been a victim of rape could be arrested under any article of the Hudood Ordinance, until the court has delivered its final judgment. Besides, one could make further laws stating the punishment for one who wrongly arrests a rape-victim. But under no circumstances is it permissible to abolish the punishment which the Holy Shari'ah has laid down for Zina bil Jabr.
Hence,
The way in which the bill under discussion abolishes the punishment which the Holy Shari'ah has prescribed for Zina bil Jabr is in utter contradiction with the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah, and it is in no way related to the maltreatment of the concerned women.
Lewdness
The second significant feature of the said bill is related to those articles which were added to this bill under the heading of 'Lewdness'. The injunctions in the Hudood ordinance were such that if—in accordance with the principles stated by the Holy Shari'ah—there are four witnesses to the act of Zina, then the Hadd shall be inflicted on the offender, as per the fifth article of the Hudood ordinance. And if there are no four witnesses, but the crime is proven beyond doubt, then the offenders are to be given a ta'zeeri (i.e., discretionary) punishment. Now the Hadd for Zina bir Radha, prescribed in the fifth article of the Hudood Ordinance, and for which four witnesses are a prerequisite, has been retained in the said bill, but in article 8 has been stated that this kind of offence is no longer under police jurisdiction that anyone should take four witnesses and lodge a complaint in the court, and that one cannot register an FIR with the police. Thus the procedure of proving Zina as an act calling for Hadd has become even more difficult. Besides that, the discretionary punishment prescribed by the Hudood ordinance in case four witnesses could not be procured has been altered as follows:
1. In the Hudood ordinance, Zina has been referred to as a crime calling for taa'zeeri punishment. Now in the bill under review, this act is referred to as 'Fornication'. This change is appropriate, as from the Qur'anic and Sunnah point of view, in the absence of four witnesses; it is rather difficult to prove this offence as Zina. Hence, under such circumstances, this act should indeed be referred to as anything less than Zina. This was indeed a weak point in the Hudood ordinance, and the removal of this weakness had been strongly recommended by the scholars.
2. According to the Hudood ordinance, this offence could be awarded a sentence of maximum ten years. Now the maximum is five years. Anyway, since it is a discretionary punishment only, this reduction is not in contradiction with the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
3. According the Hudood ordinance, Zina was an offence that fell under the jurisdiction of the police, whereas according to the bill under review it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the police. Now one cannot go to the police station and file an FIR in case of such an offence, rather one will have to lodge a complaint in the court. At the time of lodging the complaint, one will have to produce two eye-witnesses, whose statement under oath shall be immediately recorded by the court. Thereafter, if the court deems to have sufficient reason to further pursue the matter, it will issue a subpoena to the accused. Then as far as further proceedings are concerned, the court will contend itself with demanding a personal bond from the accused to present him/herself at the court. And if the court deems not to have sufficient reason to further pursue the matter, the case shall be dismissed then and there.
Thus proving the offence of lewdness has been so very difficult, that there is almost no way someone could get punished for it.
First of all, according to the Islamic injunctions, lewdness and Zina are crimes not just against an individual, but against the whole society and the state. Hence this crime ought to be under the jurisdiction of the police. Well, now doubt, when keeping this offence under the jurisdiction of the police, one must keep in mind the occasionally questionable performance of our police, and one must ensure that innocent couples are not put to trouble. The Federal Shari'ah Court has given several judgements after which this risk has been eliminated to a great extent. Throughout those twenty-seven years during which this offence had remained under the jurisdiction of the police, there were hardly any cases where innocent people had been put to trouble. But in order to further eliminate this risk, there should be a law according to which this kind of investigation should be made by an officer whose rank is not less than that of an SP. Besides, there should be no arrest without prior order from the court. If one would implement these steps, then this risk would be fully eliminated.
Secondly, obliging the plaintiff to immediately produce four witnesses in case of Hadd, and two eye witnesses in case of lewdness, seems to be a quite unique feature of our martial law. Nowhere in the whole legal system pertaining to testimony—apart from Hudood—has been made mention of a certain minimum number of witnesses. At times decisions are made in total absence of eye-witnesses, only on account of circumstantial evidence. Hence in the said offence, the reports of physical examinations and chemical analysis are important pieces of evidence.
From the Shar'iah perspective taa'zeeri punishment can be awarded even with availability of one witness and also in presence of circumstantial evidence. Therefore, in the case of taa'zeer, presence of two witnesses at the time pf complaint registration practically the same as providing unnecessary protection to the criminals of lewdness.
As such, making it a condition that from such a criminal the court of law will not be authorized to demand any bail except a personal bond is like impeding justice. Different cases come with different situations, which is why as per the military Act 496 the court is already authorized to free the criminal on personal bond if the situation so warrants and similarly it can ask for additional guarantees if it deems necessary. This authority lies with the court even in case of minor crimes but to invalidate it for a crime like lewdness is not at all appropriate. It is, but not clear why the clause is added that if the court does not find sufficient substance in favor of the case then it will dismiss the case since it is already covered under Criminal Act clause 203.
4. According to Hudood Ordinance if necessary evidence to enforce had is not found against someone but the crime is in any case proven then he may be awarded taa'zeeri punishment as per clause 10(3). But as per the bill under consideration, clause no. 203 which has been added in the Criminal Act in its para 6 states that if someone is acquitted in a case of hadd cannot be tried in a case of lewdness.
It is now obvious that the extremely strict conditions laid down for enforcement of had are sometimes not fulfilled merely due to the technical reasons. In a situation when strong evidence is available to prove the crime the court dealing with the rape case cannot award any punishment. In fact it cannot even register a case of lewdness against the criminal. What we need to think is that disallowing the courts registering a case against such a person is nothing but providing protection to lewdness.
Similarly in clause 12 A of the proposed bill it is stated that if someone is accused of rape his case cannot be converted into a case of lewdness at any point in time in future. Consequently if a woman registers a case of rape against someone but some doubt remains in proving that the act was committed by force, the criminal will be released and even a case of lewdness will not be made against him.
At a time when zina bil raza (adultery) was not a crime, the rape criminals used to adopt this line that what they did was with the free will of the woman. Therefore if the court suspected woman's connivance it would dismiss the case and would free the accused. Hudood Ordinance did not allow this line of defence to the person accused of rape because adultery was declared a crime even if it was done with the woman's free will. And the court which was hearing the case of rape could also award him the taa'zeeri punishment. But this new amendment has created nearly the same situation that if someone says that he has committed adultery with the woman's free will and he succeeds in creating doubts then none will be able to bring him to justice. The court hearing this case will not be able to take any action because due to the above clause it is no more authorized to convert a case of rape into a case of lewdness. And if suppose a case of lewdness is registered afresh then even if we ignore everything else, it will not be possible to do so for it is mandatory to bring two eye-witnesses along to the court for registering the complaint. While in this case two eye-witnesses are not available. As a result such a person will go scot-free and no court of law will be able to take any new action against him.
Now arises the question, is the kind of lewdness which has been declared a criminal offence indeed a criminal offence? If yes, then why do such laws come into being which not only protect the offence but also save the offender from punishment?
Some further amendments to the Hudood Ordinance
There were made some further amendments to the Hudood Ordinance, e.g.
1. According to one statement of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, if a person has been awarded Hadd as a result of his offence, then no one has got the right to reduce or forgive the sentence. Thus according to article 20, point 5 of the Hudood ordinance, the authority of foregoing, altering or reducing a punishment which the martial law has given the provincial governments, shall not be applicable in case of Hudood. One significant change in the bill under review is that article 20 clause 5 of the Hudood ordinance has been cancelled. This means that if any court awards Hadd, then the government is authorized to alter or reduce this punishment. This amendment is clearly against the injunctions of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. In the Holy Qur'an comes:
'And it becometh not a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His messenger have decided an affair (for them), that they should claim any say in their affair.' (Surah Ahzab, Ayat 36)
There is a well-known incident according to which a high-ranking companion had interceded with the Noble Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam for a woman who had committed theft (as a result of which she deserved Hadd). The Noble Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam reprimanded the companion and said:
'Had Muhammad's (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) daughter committed theft, I would have cut her hand off.' (Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Hudood, Bab 12, Hadith nr. 6788)
2. In article 3 of the Hudood ordinance has been stated that the regulations stated in this ordinance shall be given superiority over the other laws, that means if there be any contradiction between the regulations in this ordinance and the other laws, then the regulations of the Hudood ordinance shall be followed. This article which had actually resolved many legal perplexities, and because of which oppressed women had been considerably less vulnerable, has been cancelled in the said bill. So if, for example, a man has divorced his wife, then, according to the family law, this divorce will not take effect until the notice thereof has been sent to the union council, whereas, if seen from the shar'iah point of view, the woman is free to remarry, once she has passed her iddat. The family law however does not take such a divorce into account unless the union council receives a notice in this regard. That means the woman will still be considered as her husband's legal wife. She cannot contract a new marriage anywhere else. Now there are many incidents where the husband did not send a notice to the union council, and the woman, considering herself as a divorcee, contracts a new marriage, after having passed her iddat.
Now her malicious husband lodges a case of adultery against the women because as per the family law she was still his wife. When such cases were reported, the shariah bench of the Supreme Court used the Hudood Ordinance and its same clause no. 3 to order release of these women. It was stated that Hudood Ordinance has been formulated in accordance with the shariah and shariah allows this woman to perform second marriage, therefore, the family law will not be applicable in case of her marriage because Hudood Ordinance supersedes all other laws.
After repealing this clause and especially after annulling the definition of nikah from the Hudood Ordinance through this bill, one more time there are possibilities that the women will suffer in the new situation.
We raised this issue in the Ulema Committee and had finally agreed that it will be replaced by the following clause:
In the interpretation and application of this Ordinance the injunctions of Islam as laid in the Holy Quran and Sunnah shall have effect, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force.
But this clause is missing from the bill which has now been passed by the National Assembly due to which many problems can be anticipated.3. In the clause 14 of Qazaf Ordinance the procedure of La'an as mentioned in Quran, is mentioned. According to this if a man accuses his wife of adultery and fails to produce 4 witnesses then on the woman's demand he will have to take oath in the process of La'an. After oaths from both sides have taken place the marriage will dissolve. The Qazf Ordinance states that if the man refuses to undergo La'an he will be kept under arrest until he agrees. In the new bill this clause has been removed which means that if the man does not agree undergoing the process of La'an the woman will be left helpless. She will neither be able to prove her innocence through La'an nor will she be able to dissolve her marriage.Moreover, the Qazaf Ordinance states that if during the process of La'an the woman admits committing adultery then she will be awarded the punishment of adultery. The new bill has also removed this part even though it does not make any sense not to punish a person after she has pleaded guilty - and while the process of La'an is initiated at the behest of the woman and no one forces her to confess. Therefore this part of the bill is also against the injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah.4. In clause 20 of Hudood Ordinace it was stated that if through evidence it is proven that the offense committed is a crime punishable by a law other than the Hudood Ordinance then if the crime falls in the jurisdiction of this court it can award punishment to the accused. This clause was to simplify the complex legal procedures. But the bill under discussion has revoked this authority of the court.
The situation is such that all punishable crimes similar to adultery/rape have been taken out of the Hudood Ordinance and incorporated in the Pakistan Penal Code. Hence, the result of this amendment is that if any man has been accused of Zina which calls for Hadd, but after hearing the witnesses it turns out that the man had compelled the woman, or, if Zina could not be proven, but it could be proven that the man had abducted the woman, then the court can neither award a punishment for rape, nor for abduction, rather the court will let the culprit go, knowing perfectly well that he had kidnapped the woman and raped her. Thereafter the culprit will either go free, or the complaint will have to be lodged another time, so that the court takes up its proceedings again.
Legislation is a very delicate process which requires one to sit with a cool, unbiased mind and consider all aspects and possible dilemmas. If one changes laws as a consequence of propaganda, or because of being overawed by catchy slogans, then this results in something similar to the above. Then the courts will get entangled with all sorts of legal intricacies and take considerable time to construe and interpret the new laws. Cases will be shuffled between the courts, and it will become near impossible to redress the grievances of the oppressed.
Summary
Apart from a few deficiencies discussed in detail earlier, the main lacunas of the bill are as follows:
1. The way in which the Hadd of Zina bil Jabr (Rape) has been abolished in the under discussion bill, is completely against the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah. The issue of police excess against women could be addressed through declaring the arrest of the complainant under any clause of the Hudood Ordinance a criminal offence until the case is decided by the court.
2. Once a case regarding Hadd is decided by a court then giving the right to the provincial government to condone or reduce the punishment given by the court is against Quran and Sunnah. Therfore, the right given to the government to reduce the punishment by removing the clause 20 section 5 of the Zina Ordinance is in disregard of Quran and Sunnah.
3. By declaring adultery (Zina bil Raza), which is liable to Hadd, and lewdness above the jurisdiction of police, these crimes have been virtually made offences that cannot be punished at all.
4. By disallowing a single court to give punishments according to evidences proving multiple or different kinds of offences will only encourage the criminals. As a result cases will switch from one court to another and judicial complications will arise.
5. By amending the Qazaf Ordinance to allow a man not to attend the procedure of La'an even on the demand of a woman, leaving her astray, is against the injunctions of Quran.
6. The amendment in the Qazaf Ordinance that even after the voluntary confession of a woman she cannot be punished is in disregard of Quran and Sunnah.
We earnestly appeal to the members of the parliament and to those at the helms of affairs to consider these submissions with an open heart to improve the bill and relieve the nation from the dilemma it is faced with.
-- Asalam-u-Alaikum

Kuffar Celebrations

Kuffar Celebrations

Would a Muslim participate in any Jewish religious occasion? Would he join the Christians or people of any other faith in a religious ceremony? The obvious answer is “no” since this would compromise one’s faith and belief. One cannot compromise faith, otherwise one will eventually have no faith at all. Indeed on a humanitarian level one must treat every human being with dignity, kindness and compassion, but without transgressing the boundaries of Imaan..

RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONSOne of the very common ways in which the boundary of belief is compromised is by means of participating in the religious celebrations of other creeds. For instance, Christmas is a Christian religious celebration. This is clearly ascertained from the following: “The Roman Catholic Church chose December 25 as the day for the Feast of the Nativity in order to give Christian meaning to existing pagan rituals. For example, the Church replaced festivities honouring the birth of Mithra, the god of light, with festivities to commemorate the birth of Jesus, whom the Bible calls the light of the world. The Catholic Church hoped to draw pagans into its religion by allowing them to continue their revelry while simultaneously honouring the birthday of Jesus.” (Encarta) Therefore if one participates in any way in Christmas celebrations, actively or passively, he will in reality be aligning himself with that creed. A Mu’min cannot align himself with any creed other than Islam.

PASSIVE PARTICIPATIONAmong the ways of “passive participation” in Christmas celebrations is by means of adopting the Christmas symbols – decorating one’s home or business with Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, wishing people “merry Christmas,” etc. Christmas is a celebration of the faith and creed of Christianity. Included in this is the worship of the so called “son of God”??? Would a Muslim wish a Christian “happy worship of the son …”? It is simply not possible. The same ruling will apply to wishing one “merry Christmas.”
May Allah Ta’ala keep us steadfast on the Straight Path. Aameen.

THE SIGN OF SHAIKH-E-KAMIL (QUALIFIED SHAIKH)

THE SIGN OF SHAIKH-E-KAMIL (QUALIFIED SHAIKH)

A Shaikh is one who has full knowledge and experience of spiritual ailments (amradh-e-batinah), attributes of vice and virtue (akhlaq-e-razeelah and akhlaq-e-hameedah), their characteristics (khawas) and their effects (ta’theerat). He should further be able to distinguish between their similarities and he must have perfect ability in devising plans and prescriptions for the acquisition of the attributes of virtue and the elimination of the attributes of vice. He has to be aware of the progress and retrogress of these attributes. He must be well versed in the hazards of the nafs and shaitaan, the intuitive senses and feelings pertaining to the angels and the Divine Being. He must be able to distinguish these various intuitive and extra-sensory feelings and perceptions. It is therefore imperative that the Shaikh of tareeqat be one who is qualified in this knowledge, be a mujtahid in this field and possesses natural ability and inherent propensity. if he has acquired the Tareeq by a mere self-study of books on Tasawwuf or by listening from others, he will destroy the mureed whom he is attending, because he will not be in position to correctly diagnose the various states of the mureed.
Shaikh Ibn Arabi (rahmatullah alayh) briefly summarises the signs of a Shaikh-e-Kamil (the perfect and qualified Shaikh) to be three:
1. Deen resembling the Deen of the Ambiya. 2. Prescribing like the physicians. 3. Management and control like that of kings.
The exposition of the above summary is as follows:
1. He should possess the necessary knowledge of the Deen which he must have acquired by either academic pursuit of such knowledge or from companionship with the Ulama-e-Muhaqqiqeen . 2. He must be a deputy (Khalifah) of a Shaikh-e-Kamil attached to an authentic Silsilah. 3. He should be uprighteous and pious. 4. He derived spiritual benefit by remaining for an adequate period of time in the company of the Shaikh. Such “companionship” is either by means of correspondence or by physical presence in the association of the Shaikh. 5. The people of knowledge (i.e. the Ulama) hold him in high esteem, and refer to him. 6. The effect of his companionship (suhbat) is increase in the desire for Akhirat and Divine love as well as detestation for the love of the world. 7. The majority of his mureeds are followers of the Shariat, their conditions conforming with the demands of the Shariat. 8. He is devoid of greed and desire (for worldly gain and benefit). 9. He engages in Thikr and devotional practices. 10. He does not leave his mureeds unfettered, but reprimaands them when the need arises. He treats everyone according to their respective abilities.
The one in whom these attributes exist is worthy of being a Shaikh and he should be considered a wonderful alchemy. His companionship and service to him are in fact priceless treasures. Once these attributes or perfection are found in a Shaikh. one should not be concerned about karamat (miracles) and kushf (inspiration). It is not necessary that these states exist in the Shaikh-e-Kamil nor is it necessary that he be one who does nor himself earn his livelihood.
MUNASABAT (CONGENIALITY) WITH THE SHAIKH Experience has proven that for gaining spiritual benefit (fuyudh-e-batini), mutual munasabat (congeniality) between the Shaikh and Mureed is a natural condition. Normally benefit is dependant on affection which is the reality! of natural congeniality (munasabat-e-fitri). Sometimes a Shaikh will refer a mureed to another Shaikh because of the lack of such munasabat between them. In doing so the Shaikh establishes either by deduction or kashf (inspiration from Allah Ta’ala) that the mureed has munasabat with a certain Shaikh. In this Path it is essential that munasabat exists between the Shaikh and Mureed otherwise the latter will not benefit. Such munasabat is the basis for the acquisition of benefit and passing on faidh (spiritual grace) to the mureed. Munasabat envisages that there exists between the Shaikh and Mureed compatibility and harmony to such a degree that the mureed discerns no rejection in his heart for any word or act of the Shaikh although he (the mureed) may be afflicted by mental disagreement with any word or act of the Shaikh.
Nevertheless such mental disagreement will not countenance any rejection for the Shaikh in the heart of the mureed. In short, harmony and compatibility are conditional for bay’t. It is therefore essential to first inculcate munasabat. This need is imperative. In the absence of this essential condition, mujahadat (strivings), riyadhat (certain forms of exercises designed to subdue the nafs), muraqabat (meditations) and mukashafat (intuitive revelations) are all futile. In the absence of natural munasabat (tab’i munasabat), the mureed should endeavour to inculcate intellectual (aqli) munasabat, because benefit is dependant on it. For this reason, one should refrain from entering into the bay’t contract until total munasabat has been inculcated.
THE BENEFITS OF THE COMPANIONSHIP OF A SHAIKH-E-KAMIL
The benefits of association with a Shaikh-e-Kamil are manifold. Among such benefits are:
1. The noble and lofty qualities of the Shaikh slowly develop in the mureed. 2. Even if one is not totally reformed, one will have gained the ability to discern and recognize one’s faults. 3. The mureed follows the Shaikh in character and habit. 4. Attainment of joy and pleasure in Thikr and ibaadat. 5. Enhancement of courage. 6. The obtainal of clarification and contentment from the Shaikh in the event of a spiritual condition settling over the mureed. 7. The mureed will discern his own spiritual condition which becomes manifest in the talks of the Shaikh, such talks being the essence of the masa-il (rules). 8. Increase in the desire to practice virtue. 9. The mureed’s ability becomes manifest to him. 10. Love for Allah Ta’ala increases. 11. Quick attainment of cure for spiritual ailments. 12. Obtaining the dua of the Shaikh. 13. Elimination of doubt and uncertainty as a result of the Nur emanating from the heart of the Shaikh. This Nur has its effect on the mureed. Spiritual darkness is dispelled by this Nur. The reality of all things thus becomes manifest. There are degrees regarding the efficacy of this Nur depending on the degree of fertility of the disposition of the mureed. One of high and noble disposition can attain the full beneficial effect of this Nur by merely looking at such Shaikhs of perfection. In such cases the mureed attains spiritual progress and ranks without even physical association with the Shaikh.
HUQOOQ (RIGHTS) OF THE SHAIKH 1. The mureed should believe that he will attain his goal through the agency of his Shaikh. If the mureed turns his attention elsewhere (i.e. towards another Shaikh while he remains the mureed of one Shaikh) he will be deprived of the spiritual grace and benefit of his Shaikh. 2. The mureed should in all ways be obedient to his Shaikh and render sincere and total service to him. In the absence of the love of the Shaikh there is no real benefit. The sign of love for the Shaikh is immediate fulfilment of his orders. Never follow- an) act without his permission because sometimes the Shaikh resorts to an act which is appropriate for him in view of his rank and spiritual state, but the same act may be a fatal poison for the mureed. 3. Recite the thikr and the wazifas which the Shaikh instructs and refrain from all other forms of wazifas. 4. In the presence of the Murshid, the mureed should direct all his attention towards him. This attention has to be to such a degree that the mureed should not perform even Salaat (in his presence) without his permission. 5. Do not speak with anyone in his presence, in fact, do not pay attention to anyone. 6. Do not stretch the legs in the direction where the Murshid is seated, even if he is not directly in front. 7. Never lodge any objection against the Murshid. If the mureed is unable to understand any act of the Murshid, he should not entertain any misgiving, but should recall the episode of Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam) and Hadhrat Khidr (alayhis salaam) and consider that some wisdom must be underlying the act. 8. Never desire the Murshid to display karamat (miracles). 9. If in any doubt, immediately discuss it with the Murshid. Should the doubt after having discussed it still remain, consider it to be the result of your defective understanding. If the Murshid does not respond when the mureed puts forward his doubt, he (mureed) should consider that he is yet not capable of comprehending the explanation, hence the Murshid’s silence. He should await another opportunity for clarification. 10. Inform the Murshid of dreams as well as any interpretation of such dreams which come to your mind. 11. The mureed should not without need and without permission remain aloof from the Murshid. 12. The mureed should not raise his voice above that of the Murshid nor should he speak in loud tones to the Murshid. 13. When necessary, the mureed should speak to the Murshid clearly and be brief and wait with much attention for the reply. 14. Narrate to others only that extent of the Murshid’s talks which is understandable to them. Do not narrate to others such words of the Murshid which they will not be able to comprehend. 15. The mureed should not refute the words of the Murshid even if it seems that the mureed is correct. The mureed should hold the belief that the error of the Shaikh (Murshid) is superior to his (mureed’s) rectitude. 16. The mureed should inform the Murshid constantly of his condition, whether good or bad. The Murshid is the Spiritual Practitioner and prescribes remedies after being informed of the mureed’s condition. The mureed should not maintain silence about his condition depending upon the kashf (spiritual inspiration) of the Murshid for realization of the mureed’s condition. The mureed has to systematically notify the Murshid of his condition. 17. The mureed should not engage in any wazeefah (thikr or form of recitation) while sitting in the company of the Murshid. Such recitation should be in the absence of the Murshid. 18. Whatever batini faiz (spiritual blessing) accrues, the mureed should consider it to be the consequence of the agency of the Murshid even if in a dream or state of muraqabhah (meditation) it appears that such blessing is from a different direction (other than the Shaikh). If in a spiritual state it appears that such batini faiz accrued to the mureed via the agency of another Saint, the mureed should consider that it is some manifestation of his Murshid which has assumed the form of another Saint.

Hadhrat Uwais Qarni RH

HADHRAT UWAIS QARNI (rahmatullah alayh)
1. Regarding Uwais Qarni (rahmatullah alayh), Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said: "Uwais Qarni is the noblest of the Tabieen with ihsaan." (The highest stage of ihsaan is to worship Allah Ta'ala as if you are seeing Him.)
Sometimes Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) would turn in the direction of Yemen and say: "I perceive the fragrance of love from Yemen."
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said: "Tomorrow on the Day of Qiyaamah Allah Ta'ala will create 70,000 malaa-ikah in the image of Uwais Qarni who will enter in their midst into Jannat. No one will recognise him except those whom Allah wishes." Since he engrossed himself in ibaadat in concealment, fleeing from people, Allah Ta'ala will preserve his concealment even in the Aakhirah. Allah Ta'ala has said: "My Auliyaa are under My Mantle. None besides Me knows them."
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said: "In my Ummat is a man whose shafaa'at (intercession) will be accepted on behalf of so many people whose number equals the hairs on the sheep/goats of the tribes of Rabeeh and Mudhir."
These two Arab tribes possessed the most sheep and goats, hence the analogy. When the Sahaabah enquired about the identity of this man, Rasulullah (b) said: "A servant among the servants of Allah." The Sahaabah responded: "We all are the servants of Allah. What is his name?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said: "Uwais Qarni."
Sahaabah: "Where is he?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ): "In Qarn."
Sahaabah: "Have he seen you?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ): "Not with his physical eyes, but he has seen me with his spiritual eyes."
Sahaabah: "Such an ardent lover, but why has he not entered into your companionship?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ): "There are two reasons. The first is ghalbah haal (i.e. he is always in a high spiritual state which makes him oblivious of everything besides Allah Ta'ala). The second is his profound observance of my Shariat. His mu'minah mother is extremely old and blind. He tends to camels and with his earnings he supports his mother."
Sahaabah: "Can we see him?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said to Hadhrat Abu Bakr (d): "You will not see him, but Umar and Ali will see him. His entire body is covered with hair. On the palm of his hand and left side is a white spot, the size of a dirham, which is not the mark of leprosy. When you meet him, convey my salaam to him and tell him to make dua for my Ummat. Among the Auliyaa those who are the Atqiyaa (a very loft category of Auliyaa), he is the holiest."
Sahaabah: "Where shall we find him?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ): "In Yemen, he is a camel-herd known as Uwais. You should follow in his footsteps."
As Rasulullah's ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) demise neared, the Sahaabah asked: "To whom shall we give your jubbah (cloak)?"
Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said: "To Uwais Qarni."
After the demise of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (dma) journied to Kufa. After delivering a Khutbah, Hadhrat Umar (d) said: "O people of Najd, all of you stand up." Everyone obeyed. He then enquired: "Is any among you from Qaran?" When they said, 'yes', he asked for information about Uwais Qarni.
They replied: "We do not know him. However, there is a madman who has become estranged from people. He flees from people. When Hadhrat Umar (d) enquired of his whereabouts, he was told that he (Uwais Qarni) tends to camels in Wadi Urnah. At night he eats dry bread. He does not enter the town. He does not speak to anyone. He does not eat what people generally eat. He does not know what is grief and happiness. When people laugh, he cries. When they cry, he laughs."
Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali (ra) travelled to that valley (Wadi Urnah). Ultimately when they discovered him, he was engaged in Salaat. By the command of Allah, angels were tending to the camels. On perceiving the presence of human beings, Uwais terminated his Salaat, and said "Assalaamu Alaikum".
Hadhrat Umar Farooq () replied: "Wa-Alaikum Salaam", and asked: "What is your name?"
Uwais: "Abdullah (i.e. a slave of Allah)."
Hadhrat Umar: "We all are the servants of Allah. What is your specific name?"
Uwais: "Uwais".
Hadhrat Umar: "Show me your right hand."
When Hadhrat Uwais showed his hand, Hadhrat Umar (d) seeing the mark indicated by Rasulullah (b), kissed his hand, and said: "Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) has conveyed salaams to you; sent this cloak for you and commanded that you make dua for his Ummah."
Uwais: "You are more qualified to make dua because there is no one nobler than you."
Hadhrat Umar: "I am always engaged in this duty of dua. However, you have to comply with the order of Rasulullah (b)."
Uwais: "O Umar! Think carefully. Perhaps Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) had in mind someone else besides myself."
Hadhrat Umar: "All the signs indicated by Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) exist in you."
Uwais: "Give me the cloak of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) so that I may make dua."
Taking the cloak, Hadhrat Uwais said: "Wait here."
He went a distance, fell into Sajdah and supplicated: "O Allah! I shall not don this mantle as long as You do not forgive the entire Ummah of Muhammad ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), for he has presented this cloak. Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), Umar Farooq and Ali Murtaza have discharged their duties."
A Voice exclaimed: "We have forgiven a number by virtue of your intercession."
Uwais: "O Allah! As long as You do not forgive all, I shall not don this mantle."
The Voice: "I have forgiven thousands."
Uwais: "I am petitioning for the forgiveness of all."
This performance was enacted several times. Each time, The Voice announced an increase in the number of persons forgiven by virtue of Hadhrat Uwais' intercession. Meanwhile Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali () unable to hold their patience came near to Hadhrat Uwais to see what was happening. When Hadhrat Uwais saw them, he exclaimed: "Why have you come? I would not have donned this mantle as long as Allah Ta'ala had not forgiven the entire Ummah of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم )."
Gazing at Hadhrat Uwais with deep intent and concern, Hadhrat Umar () perceived 18,000 spiritual kingdoms under the simple shawl Hadhrat Uwais was wearing at the time. Hadrat Umar (), now overwhelmed by spiritual enthusiasm, lost complete interest in himself and his Khilaafat. In an ecstatic mood he cried out: "Is there anyone prepared to accept my Khilaafat in exchange for a piece of bread?"
Hadhrat Uwais said: "Only a man lacking in intelligence, will purchase it. What are you talking of buying and selling! Abandon it! Whoever wishes, can pick it up."
Then donning the mantle of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), Hadhrat Uwais said: "As a result of the barkat of this mantle and my intercession, the number of people of the Ummah of Muhammad (b) forgiven, equals the number of hairs on the bodies of the goats of the tribes of Rabeeah and Mudhirr."
Hadhrat Umar: "O Uwais, why did you not meet Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم )?"
Uwais: "Perhaps you saw the blessed forehead of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ). Tell me, were Rasulullah's (b) eye-brows fine or broad?" [Arabic in manuscript margin, bk 1, pg 31]
Surprisingly, neither Hadhrat Umar () nor Hadhrat Ali () was able to describe Rasulullah's ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) eye-brows.
Uwais: "You are he Companions of Muhammad ( صلى الله عايه وسالم )?"
Hadhrat Umar: "Most certainly we are."
Uwais: "On the day when the blessed tooth of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) was martyred, why did you not martyr your own teeth? The requirement of love was that you conformed."
Hadhrat Uwais opened his mouth and they observed that all his teeth were missing. He said: "I broke my teeth without seeing the mubaarak face of Rasulullah (b). After having broken a tooth, I was not satisfied. Perhaps another tooth of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) was martyred, not the one I broke in my mouth. In this way I continued breaking my teeth until all were removed.
Both Hadhrat Umar and Hadhrat Ali () were overcome with emotion. Now they learnt a new concept of love and devotion. They resolved to learn this devotion from Hadhrat Uwais. Hadhrat Umar () then said: "O Uwais, make dua for me."
Uwais: "I have already made dua. You should not desire more. In the Tashahhud of every Salaat I say: "O Allah! Have mercy on all the believing men and women and forgive them."
If you reach the grave with the safety of Imaan, then most certainly, you have obtained my dua. I do not want to destroy my dua.
Hadhrat Umar: "Counsel me."
Uwais: "Umar, have you recognized Allah Ta'ala?"
Hadhrat Umar: "Yes, I recognized Him." Uwais: "It is best that you recognize only Allah Ta'ala and no one besides Him."
Hadhrat Umar: "Say something more."
Uwais: "Allah Ta'ala knows you. It is best that besides Allah Ta'ala, no one else knows you."
Hadhrat Umar () then attempted to present a gift of some money to Hadhrat Uwais. Hadhrat Uwais producing two dirhams from his pocket, said: "This is my earning for tending camels. If you can vouch that these dirhams will be depleted before my death, I shall then accept more."
Obviously, Hadhrat Umar () could not comply, hence Uwais refused the gift.
Hadhrat Uwais: "Both of you had undergone considerable hardship to reach me. Now return. Qiyaamat is near. We shall then meet where there shall no longer be any separation. Presently I am in a dilemma. I am concerned with the preparations for this journey." They bid farewell and took leave with heavy hearts.
2. After the departure of these two eminent Sahaabah, people began to honour Hadhrat Uwais. Since their excessive veneration agitated him, he fled from that place. Thereafter he was not seen again by anyone except once by Hiram Ibn Hibbaan (rahmatullah alayh) who gave the following account of his encounter with Hadhrat Uwais (rahmatullah alayh):
"When I heard of the status of the Shafa'at (Intercession) of Hadhrat Uwais, I was overtaken by an intense yearning to meet him. I went to Kufaa and set out in search of him. It was my great fortune to locate him making wudhu on the banks of the river Euphrates. I found him fitting the description of him I had heard. After exchange of Salute actions, he looked intently at me. I desired to shake his hands, but he refused. I said:
"Uwais, may Allah have mercy on you and forgive you."
His physical weakness and forlornness reduced me to tears in profusion. Uwais (rahmatullah alayh) also wept and said: "Hiram Ibn Hibban, may Allah Ta'ala grant you a good reward. What has brought you here? Who showed you the road to me?"
Hiram Ibn Hibban: "How do you know my name and the name of my father? You have never met me before."
Hadhrat Uwais: "He Whose Knowledge is all-encompassing has informed me. My rooh has recognized your rooh because the arwaah (souls) of the Mu'mineen recognize each other."
Hiram: "Narrate a Hadith of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) to me."
Hadhrat Uwais: "I did not meet Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), but I have heard of his attributes from others. I have no desire to be a Muhaddith or a Mufti or a narrator because I am engrossed in an abundance of activity."
Hiram: "Recite an aayat of the Qur'aan so that I hear it from your blessed tongue."
Uwais: After reciting

he wept uncontrollably and recited: "I did not create jinn and man except that they worship Me."
Then he let out such a frightening screech that I thought he had become insane. He said: "O Ibn Hibban, what has brought you here?" I replied: "To become your friend and to reform myself." Hadhrat Uwais commented: "I cannot even think of a man who has recognized Allah Ta'ala, having any love and desire for others and deriving comfort from others besides Allah." I said: "Give me some naseehat".
He replied: "Keep Maut under your pillow when sleeping. When you wake up, don't cherish hope of life. Never consider sin as being minor. If you consider sin as being minor, know that you are considering Allah Ta'ala as being insignificant."
I asked: "Where should I take up residence?" He said: "In the Land of Shaam." I said: "How shall I earn my living there?"
Hadhrat Uwais said: "Alas! Pity those souls who are beset with doubt and uncertainty and refrain from accepting naseehat."
I said: "Give me more naseehat." He said: "O son of Hibban! Your father has died. Aadam, Hawwaa, Nooh, Ibraaheem, Musaa, Daawood (alayhimus salaam), all have died. Muhammad ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) too have died. Abu Bakr, the first Khalifah has also died and my brother Umar has departed from this earthly abode. Oh Umar! Oh Umar!"
I said: "May Allah have mercy on you. Umar has not yet departed." Hadhrat Uwais said: "Allah Ta'ala has informed me of his demise. You and I are among the dead."
He then recited Durood and made some dua, and added: "It is my advice that you cling to the Kitaab of Allah and adopt the path of Islaah (moral reformation). Never for a moment be forgetful of Maut. Never take even one step beyond the fold of the Jama'ah of the Ummah of Muhammad ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), for then, Allah forbid, you will become without Deen and land in Jahannum." After making dua, he said: "Son of Hibban, go! Neither will you see me again, nor will I see you. Remember me in your dua. I too shall remember you in my dua. Now don't follow me, I am going."
I desired to accompany him a few steps, but he refused. He wept and so did I. I gazed long after him until he disappeared from sight. Thereafter, I never again heard of him.
3. Hadhrat Rabee' (rahmatullah alayh) gives the following narrative of his encounter with Hadhrat Uwais Qarni (rahmatullah alayh): "I set out with a yearning to meet Uwais. I found him engaged in Fajr Salaat. As he completed his Salaat, he immediately commenced thikr. He continued with thikr until Zuhr. After Zuhr he again became involved in thikr until Asr. In this way he continued until Fajr of the next day. He maintained this practice for three days. During this entire period he neither ate nor slept. On the fourth night he took a short nap. He suddenly awoke with a start, jumped up and supplicated:
"O Allah! I seek Your protection from sleeping to the satisfaction of the eyes and from eating to the satiation of the stomach."
On hearing this, I decided that I had seen enough and returned."
4. His practice was to remain awake in ibaadat the entire night. He would say: 'Tonight is the night of Sajdah; tonight is the night of Ruku'; tonight is the night of Qiyaam.' In the way would he spend the nights worshipping Allah Ta'ala.
5. Someone asked: "How should Salaat be performed?" Hadhrat Uwais said: "I desire that before completing in Sajdah (during the night) it is already morning. Ibaadat should be like the worship of the Angels."
6. Someone asked: "What is khushu' (concentration in Salaat)?" He replied: "If you are struck with a spear, you remain oblivious of it."
7. He was asked: "How are you?" He said: "Like one who gets up in the morning, not knowing if Maut will grant him respite until the evening."
8. Hadhrat Uwais said: "A man who loves three things, Jahannum is closer to him than his jugular vein: Delicious food; fine garments and association with the rich."
(This naseehat does not apply to the masses who find it difficult to abstain from even haraam on account of extreme deficiency of Imaan. The advice of Hadhrat Uwais–(rahmatullah alayh)–is directed to Auliyaa of high rank. As far as weaklings engrossed in material pursuits are concerned, the minimum demand is to eat, drink and participate in worldly affairs within the permitted confines of the Shariah–in moderation.)
9. People said to Hadhrat Uwais: "There is a man nearby who has been sitting in a grave with a kafan for the past 30 years, weeping profusely."
On his request, Uwais was taken to view this man in the grave. The man was reduced to a skeleton. He was like a dried out weed and was crying. Hadhrat Uwais said: "The kafan and the qabar have diverted you from Allah. Both these objects constitute a veil for you in the Path (leading to Allah Ta'ala)."
His statement struck a responsive chord in the heart of the man. His spiritual eyes opened and he realised his folly. He let out a terrible scream and expired in that grave in which he had spent 30 years.
If even the grave can become a veil and an obstacle in the path of spiritual progress, what is the effect of the numerous other pursuits and objects of the material world?
10. Once for three days he was without food. On the fourth day he found a dinaar (gold coin) laying on the ground. Thinking it to be the lost property of someone, he left it. As he walked on, a wolf with a loaf of bread in its mouth approached him. The wolf left the bread infront of him. Uwais thought that the wolf had snatched the bread belonging to someone. As he thought, the wolf said: "I am the servant of the Same Being Whose servant you are." The wolf then disappeared. Hadhrat Uwais realising that the bread was sent by Allah Ta'ala, ate it.
11. Hadhrat Uwais said: "Nothing remains hidden from a person who has recognized Allah Ta'ala." "Safety is in solitude. True solitude is that there is no room in the heart for thinking of others. Solitude in which the mind is occupied with the thoughts of others is defective."
"When two people gather to indulge in futility, shaitaan departs because he has achieved his objective. There is no longer a need for his presence since these two are sufficient to deceive each other. Both are forgetful of Allah Ta'ala." "Keep your heart alert so that aliens do not gain entry." (i.e. Always remember Allah Ta'ala, for Thikrullah prevents shaitaan from entering the heart of man.)
"I searched for glory and I found it in humility. I searched for kingdom and I found it in admonishing people (i.e. giving them naseehat). I searched for culture and found it in truth. I searched for holiness and found it in poverty. I searched for Nisbat and found it in piety. (Nisbat refers to a special relationship of proximity with Allah Ta'ala.)
I searched for honour and I found it in contentment (i.e. contentment with whatever Allah Ta'ala has ordained). I searched for comfort and found it in zuhd (abstinence –renunciation of the world). I searched for independence and found it in tawakkul (trust in Allah)."
12. When Hadhrat Uwais walked in the road, mischievous children considering him to be a mad man would pelt him with stones, mocking and jeering. He would say: "Pelt me with small stones. Big stones draw blood which breaks my wudhu."
13. It is narrated that towards the close of his life he joined Hadhrat Ali (d) in the Battle of Siffeen and was martyred. Among the Auliyaa there is a category called Uwaisiyyah. Those in this class do not need a Shaikh (Spiritual Mentor). Just like Hadhrat Uwais, they acquire spiritual elevation without the medium of a Shaikh. Hadhrat Uwais (rahmatullah alayh), despite not having physically associated with Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) gained spiritual elevation by virtue of Nabi-e-Kareem's (b) baatini (spiritual) medium. This pedestal occupied by these Auliyaa is extremely lofty. Only Allah Ta'ala decides who is to be favoured with this rank.
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HADHRAT ABU MUHAMMAD JA'FAR SAADIQ (rahmatullah alayh)
HADHRAT HASAN BASRI (rahmatullah alayh)
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Home » SCATTERED PEARLS » HADHRAT ABU MUHAMMAD JA'FAR SAADIQ (rahmatullah alayh)

HADHRAT ABU MUHAMMAD JA'FAR SAADIQ (rahmatullah alayh)

One night Khalifah Mansur said to his wazir (prime minister): "Bring Saadiq to me. I want to slay him." Wazir: "Do you wish to slay a man who has renounced the world; who has adopted solitude; who is engrossed in the worship of Allah and who has no worldly designs?" Expressing his annoyance, the Khalifah said: "Go! Bring him so that I could slay him." Inspite of the wazir's pleas, the Khalifah remained adamant. Finally the wazir was constrained to summon Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh). Meanwhile Mansur ordered his guards to kill Hadhrat Ja'far on his arrival. When the Khalifah removed his crown from his head it will signal the moment for slaying Hadhrat Ja'far. When Hadhrat Ja'far appeared, the Khalifah stood up in respect. With great honour and humility he welcomed Hadhrat Ja'far. In fact, he ran forward to greet Hadhrat Ja'far. He brought Hadhrat Ja'far to sit on the royal stage. The guards were greatly surprised by the reverence and honour which Mansur showed to Hadhrat Ja'far. The Khalifah said to Hadhrat Ja'far: "Is there any thing you need?" Hadhrat Ja'far: "Do not inconvenience me again by calling me. Leave me to worship Allah." Mansur allowed Hadhrat Ja'far to leave with utmost respect. After the departure of Hadhrat Saadiq, the Khalifah began to shiver uncontrollably and fell down unconscious. He remained unconscious for three days. According to some, he was unconscious for the duration of three Salaat which became qadhaa. When the Khalifah regained conscious, the wazir asked for an explanation. The Khalifah said: "When Saadiq entered, a huge serpent was at his side. The one jaw of the serpent was touching the ground and the other jaw, the ceiling. The serpent was implying to me: 'If you harm him I shall swallow you along with the whole stage." As a result of the fear for the serpent, the Khalifah did not know what he was saying or doing. He said: "I apologized and became unconscious." Once Hadhrat Daud Tai (rahmatullah alayh) said to Hadhrat Ja'far (rahmatullah alayh): "O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم)! My heart has darkened. Give me some naseehat." Hadhrat Ja'far: "O Abu Sulaiman! You are the zaahid of the age. You are not in need of my naseehat." Hadhrat Daud said: "O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم)! Allah Ta'ala has bestowed to you all excellences and virtues. It is incumbent on you to admonish everyone." Hadhrat Ja'far: "O Abu Sulaiman! I fear that on the Day of Qiyaamah my grandfather may apprehend me and demand: 'Why did you not fulfil the demands of my obedience?' This mission is not correctly discharged by genealogy. It is fulfilled by maintaining a beautiful relationship with Allah Ta'ala." Hadhrat Daud wept profusely and commented: "O Allah! When this is the state of him whose grandfather is the Rasool, whose mother is Faatimah (radhiyallahu anha) and who is a beacon of Knowledge, who is this non-entity Daud to become vain and proud?" One day Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) said to his disciples: "Come, let us pledge and promise that whoever among us will be saved on the Day of Qiyaamah, he will intercede on behalf of the others." The disciples said: "O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم)! What need do you have for our intercession when your grandfather will be the intercessor for entire creation?" Hadhrat Saadiq: "I feel ashamed of my deeds. How can I look my grandfather in the face on the Day of Qiyaamah?" When Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) went into solitude, refusing to emerge, Hadhrat Sufyaan Thauri (rahmatullah alayh) visited him and said: "O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم)! The people are deprived of your blessings. Why have you gone into solitude." Hadhrat Ja'far: "Now, I consider this to be appropriate. Trust has departed. People are engrossed in their own thoughts and needs. While they profess love and friendship, their hearts are filled with scorpions." 5. Once when a man saw Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) wearing fine, expensive garments, he commented: "O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم)! It is not befitting for the Ahl-e-Bait to wear such garments." Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq took the man's hand and pushed it inside his (Ja'far Saadiq's) sleeve. The lining under the fine cloth was of such coarse sack-cloth which hurt the man's hand. Hadhrat Ja'far commented: "This (the external cloth) is for creation and that (the coarse lining) is for the creator." (His externally adorned garments were to conceal his piety while the simple coarse sack-cloth was the demand of his high level of piety.) 6. Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) asked Hadhrat Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahmatullah alayh): "Who is an intelligent man?" Imaam Abu Hanifah: "One who can distinguish between good and bad." Hadhrat Ja'far: "An animal is also able to distinguish between good and bad. An animal recognizes a man who is kind and cruel to it." Imaam Abu Hanifah: "Who then is an intelligent person?" Hadhrat Ja'far: "A person who is able to distinguish between two acts of goodness and two acts of badness so that he could choose the greater act of goodness and the lesser evil." (The rule of choosing the lesser evil applies when confronted by two evils and there is no third option. To save oneself from either of the evils has to be chosen. In such an eventuality, the lesser evil is adopted.) 7. A man whose purse containing gold coins was lost. He accused Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh ) of having stolen it. This man was not aware of the identity of Hadhrat Ja'far. On asking the man about the contents of the purse, he said that the purse contained 1,000 dinars. Hadhrat Ja'far took the man home and gave him 1,000 dinars. A short while later when the man discovered his purse with the money intact, he returned to Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq, presented the 1,000 dinars and apologized. Hadhrat Ja'far said: "I do not take back what I had given." When the man learnt who Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq was, he left feeling very ashamed. 8. A man said to Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh): "Show me Allah. I want to see Him with my eyes." Hadhrat Ja'far: "Have you not heard (i.e. in the Qur'aan) it is said to Musaa (alayhis salaam): 'You cannever see Me.' ?" The man said: "I have heard it. But this is the Millat (Deen) of Muhammad ( صلى الله عايه وسالم). Someone calls out: 'My heart has seen Allah'. Another says: 'I do not worship a being I cannot see'." (This man was referring to statements of the Auliyaa of this Ummah. If they could make these claims, then there can be nothing wrong in the demand to see Allah. So thought this man.) Imaam Ja'far Saadiq ordered his mureeds (disciples) to tie the man and toss him into the river Dajla. This was done. The water swallowed him. As he bobbed up, he cried: 'O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم), help! Help!' Hadhrat Ja'far exclaimed: 'O water take him.' The water submerged the man. This occurred several times. Each time when he surfaced, he cried out: 'O son of Rasulullah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم), help! Help!' Finally when he lost all hope, he called out: 'O Allah, help me!' Hadhrat Ja'far ordered his disciples to bring him out of the river. After the man had rested and gained his composure, Hadhrat Ja'far asked: "Did you see Allah?" The man: "As long as I called to others, there remained a veil concealing Allah. When I turned my attention only to Him, seeking His aid, a window opened up in my heart from which I saw Him." Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq said: Aslong as you called: 'Saadiq! Saadiq!', you were a kaathib (liar). Now guard this window." (Saadiq means true. As long as the man was calling 'Saadiq', his belief in Allah was defective, hence Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq described his as being kaathib. When he abandoned calling creation to aid him and turned his gaze to Allah, he became a true believer.) 9. Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) said: "A sin preceded by khauf (fear of Allah) and followed by taubah (repentance) draws the servant closer to Allah. Ibaadat preceded by and followed by ujub (vanity) takes the servant far away from Allah." (This statement should not be misunderstood. Sin never leads to the proximity of Allah Ta'ala. Sin leads to the Wrath and punishment of Allah. The statement here means that the person understands the act to be sinful. He does not justify the sin. He has no intention of committing the sin. He is always fearful of Allah's punishment. However, in a moment of weakness and negligence, his nafs overwhelms him and casts him into sin. He then regrets and repents.) 10. He said: "A man who is proud on account of his ibaadat, is a sinner and a sinner who regrets and repents is an obedient servant." 11. Hadhrat Ja'far Saadiq (rahmatullah alayh) was asked: "Who is superior–a patient durwaish or a wealthy man who is grateful?" Hadhrat Ja'far said: "The patient durwaish. The heart of the wealthy man is attached to his wealth while the heart of the durwaish is with Allah Ta'ala." (Durwaish or dervish–a pious poor person.) 12. He said: 'Ibaadat without taubah is not proper because Allah Ta'ala has placed taubah before ibaadat. The Qur'aanic aayat says: “Those who engage in Taubah, those who are involved in ibadah..” First taubah is mentioned. (This statement does not mean that ibaadat is not valid if not preceded by taubah. However, when a man contaminated by sin worships Allah, he does not derive the full benefit and reward of the ibaadat. The bandah–servant of Allah–should therefore, always repent.) 13. He said: "True Thikr (remembrance of Allah) is to forget everything else. Allah Ta'ala suffices for all the things forgotten by virtue of His Thikr." 14. He said: "A Mu'min is he who always stands in confrontation of his nafs. An Aarif is he who stands in the presence of Allah Ta'ala." 15. He said: "Whoever struggles against his Nafs-e-Ammaarah for the sake of Allah, finds Allah." 16. He said: "Ilhaam (inspiration from Allah) is an attribute of the accepted servants of Allah." 17. He said: "The attempt to rationally disprove ilhaam is a sign of the irreligious people." 18. He said: "Allah Ta'ala is more hidden in His servants than a black ant walking on a black stone in an intensely dark night." 19. He said: "The secret of reality was unlocked for me when I was branded a madman." (True lovers of Allah Ta'ala are generally branded as mad by people of the world.) 20. "Among the good fortunes of a man is that his enemy is an intelligent person." 21. He said: "Beware of the company of five persons:
A liar. You will always be misled by him. A stupid person. Even if he intends to benefit you, he will harm you without realising it. A miser. He will destroy your valuable time. A coward. He will leave you in the lurch at the time of need. A faasiq. On account of greed, he will betray you for a morsel of food. 22. He said: "Allah Ta'ala also has paradise and hell on this earth. Paradise is safety and hell is unsafety. Paradise is to assign all affairs to Allah. Hell is to assign all affairs to the Nafs-e-Ammaarah."