Deeds That Are Equal to Reward of Hajj

The religion of Peace, i.e. Islam offers complete code of life . It is based on five most important deeds, i.e. faith, salah, charity, fasting and Hajj (pilgrimage). Muslims are obligated to perform these religious actions which bring productivity in their lives, such as daily prayers benefit in both remembrance of Allah SWT and also teach about time management, unity and humility etc.Hajj is completion of the Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S), and is solely made for the sake of Allah SWT. It results in washing out of all the past sins, earning of great blessings and also emphasizes on the importance of harmony and modesty among Muslims brotherhood.

However, it is not possible for everyone to act upon all the above mentioned sacred duties, like a sick is exempted from fasting, offering salah etc. provided it fulfills them once it gets better in health. But performing Hajj is only for those have to the capacity, in terms of both health and wealth, so whoever lacks one of them, does not necessarily have to visit the Holy Kaaba. Islam is supposed to be a strict belief, which is not true. There are some substitute deeds one can perform which are as substantial as having executed Hajj.

Such acts are described below:

Carrying Out Ablution At Home For Regular Prayers

Wudu (Ablution) is a prerequisite for every Namaz. It is a great basis of purification of one`s soul and attaining the freshness of mind and body. Abu Umaamah (R.A) once reported the Apostle (PBUH) of God having said concerning the tremendous value of this act:

“One who purifies himself (i.e, makes wudhu) and leaves his home to attend the fardh salaah in congregation receives the reward of a Haji in the state of Ihram, and if he leaves for the salaatu-Dhuhaa (Chaast) he gets the reward of ‘Umrah… (Abi Dawud)

Majority of us Muslims go to Masjid straight away, and forget the increased importance of having already performed ablution while at home, as walking towards the mosque itself is a bless worthy deed. In the above stated Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) has described moving towards the House of Allah for regular prayers while being in the condition of wudu like having worn Ihraam (customary dress for Hajj), which is the most essential part of pilgrimage.

Performing Isha Salah In Mosque

Although all of the prayers are compulsory to perform and are equally significant in the life of a Muslim, but the salats of Fajr and Isha have even greater ranks among them. Since they are to be offered at times when it is very difficult to keep awake and stand erect in the memory of the Almighty. So, the Creator of the universe appreciates the effort made in these moments of time for pleasing Him, and rewards its servants exceptionally. Abu Dharr (R.A) narrates that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was once asked by a group of companions about lack of incentives for poor ones and greater returns for the riches in shape of carrying out Zakah (charity). So the Rasulullah (PBUH) answered:

“Has Allah not rendered for you the ‘Ishaa’ prayer in congregation equal to Hajj, and the Fajr prayer in congregation equal to ‘Umrah?” [Muslim]

Hence, the Messenger (PBUH) of Allah brilliantly removed all the doubts in the minds of believers by comparing the night prayer with that of actually having visited the Makkah and completed the act of pilgrimage. It shows that the Gracious God loves the effort made for Him in the hardest timruees and rates them equal to those of the greatest deeds.

Offering Salat-ul-Ishraaq

Performing Morning Prayer is one of the key signs of the true Muslim,as well as carrying out the Nafl (supererogatory prayers). After Fajr salah, when the sun has just risen, it’s the time when an optional prayer called salat-ul-Ishraaq is observed. It is deemed as one of the superlative elective prayers.

Hazrat Anas Ibn Maalik (R.A) reports that Rasulullah (PBUH) said:

“Whoever offers his Fajr salah in congregation, and then remains seated making the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah until (approximately 15 minutes after) sunrise after which he offers two rak’ats of salah (Ishraaq), will receive the reward of one complete Hajj and one complete ‘Umrah”  (Tirmidhi)

So, through Namaz of Ishraaq, one can earn the same amount of returns from the Almighty Lord as by performing Hajj and Umrah.

Fulfilling The Rights Of Parents

There is a huge importance regarding good conduct with one`s parents in the Holy Quran. They raise their children with great love and they deserve the same level of affection from their offspring when they get old.

Hazrat Anas (R.A) reports that a man came to Rasulullah (PBUH) and said: “I wish to participate in Jihad, but I cannot afford it”. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) enquired if any of his parents was alive, to which he said: “Yes! My mother is alive”. Thereupon, the Messenger (PBUH) of Allah said:

“Show Allah how you serve her. If you do so (duly) you will be like a: Haaji, a Mu’tamir (one doing ‘Umrah) and a Mujaahid (One striving in Allah’s way).” (Tabarani)

Such is the remarkable status of serving one`s patents that Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) first asked about their presence when a man wanted to go fighting in the cause of Allah. Jihad is one of the foremost religious obligations of a Muslim, but Rasulullah (PBUH) regarded the rights of one`s parents equal to that and also Hajj. So, one should first look after its own father and mother if it wants to gain the rewards of the most righteous deeds like Jihad and pilgrimage.

Executing Umrah in Ramadan

As, it is impossible to accommodate all the Muslim Ummah in Makkah at once, so, for the relief of those who cannot go to Kaaba in the month of Dhul Hijjah, there is an alternate deed, which results in half the rewards and blessings from Allah SWT as compared to Hajj, and is called Umrah. One can visit the Sacred Place throughout the year for the purpose of this action.

Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A) has reported that Rasulullah (PBUH) passed by Ummu Sinan while on his way to Hajj. “Why didn’t you accompany me for Hajj?” he enquired. She said: “We only have 2 camels, one my husband has used to be with you in Hajj, and the other is needed for transporting water.” The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Umrah in Ramadhan equals the reward of Hajj with me”. (Muslim)

Since, Ramadan is the Holy month of fasting, and it is very difficult to travel while being in the condition of hunger and thirst, so, completing the necessary acts of Hajj in this month through Umrah is as weighty as doing the mandatory pilgrimage.

In short, Islam offers a great room for flexibility for its followers in the form of substitute acts for Hajj. These actions are rewarded very high because of their difficulty and high moral values and prioritization. Although there is no other option for those who can carry out Hajj, but those who cannot, they can take help from these alternate acts and earn incentives equal to that of performing Hajj.

The Great Benefits, Rewards and Virtues of Surah Al-Fatiha

Rights Of The Parents: From Ahadith Viewpoint

Words like kindness, affection, love, care, forgiveness etc. come into our minds when we think about our parents. They are the reason why one exists in this world. A mother`s love for starts even before being born: she keeps one in her womb, goes through stresses and pains, and after a baby is born, she looks after it selflessly. She understands a child`s language even when it cannot speak a single word properly. On the other hand, a father is like a genie figure, who grants all wishes of its kid, even when times are strict and tied economically. Our beloved Prophet (PBUH) has emphasized on treating parents with good manners repeatedly in His life.

“Goodness towards (one’s) parents is the greatest obligatory act.” (Mizanul Hikmah, Volume 10, Page 709)

Sadly, the new generations do not treat their progenitors the way they should. Some of them throw their parents away to old house orphanages because they consider them worthless and hard to go along with. They forget days when they were helpless themselves, and raised to present status only by their father and mother.

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) has stressed on the importance of taking care of one`s parents justly, which can be observed in the following description:

Treating them with Kindness

Parents are the kindest hearted entities towards anyone in this world, who not only show affection and love, but also forgive mistakes of their offspring, so they expect that their kids would also do the same to them when they get older. The Messenger (PBUH) of Allah was narrated as saying:

“A man came to the Prophet asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet asked him, “Are your parents alive?” He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said to him, “Then, exert yourself in their service.” (Bukhari, 4:248).”

Such is the great importance of showing gentleness to one`s parents that this deed is said to be even better than setting out on Jihad (fighting in the cause of Allah).

Praying for Them

As Muslims, we have a compact faith in Allah`s help as the ultimate source of assistance, and when parents get older, they start to carry different kinds of diseases, pains and mental worries, so it is our responsibility to ask The Most Merciful to give them strength and health to cope with such troubles. Narrated by Abu Hurrairah:

“When a man (or a woman) dies, all his/her good deeds come to an end, except three: a) Ongoing charity done by the deceased (Sadaqa-e-Jaariya)…b) Beneficial knowledge of the deceased that will keep on helping the others.…..and third….c) Righteous son/daughter who will pray for him/her (the deceased).” [Muslim, 4223 (1631)]

The above mentioned Hadith signifies the power of praying for parents in a way that one should ask for its parents` clemency from Allah Almighty, so their souls could be comforted with God`s mercy.

Repaying their Debts

No Muslim can enter paradise until or unless it does not leave behind any unfinished responsibility like paying off debts. The Messenger (PBUH) of Allah has called such person as a fraud, and we know that no hypocrite can be a true Muslim, so if one`s parents die without clearing off their liabilities, it’s the duty of that person to fulfill it.

“One who performs Hajj on behalf of his parents and repays their debts shall be raised by Allah on the Day of Judgment amongst the righteous ones.” [Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 16, Page 468]

One can also conduct Hajj to add blessings to the deeds of its moth and father by doing it in their names. Therefore, it is one`s responsibility to keep serving its parents even after their death, for it is related to the one of the signs of honorable Muslims by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Honoring their Loved Ones

While it is the moral responsibility of everyone to treat others with honor and kindness, and avoid using any vulgar language, but its importance increases many folds when it comes to dealing one`s parents` beloved relatives and friends. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is described as saying:

“While we were with the Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon him), a man of Banu Salmah came to Him and said: Apostle of Allah! Is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after their death? He replied: Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, ask forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honor their friends.” (Abu-Dawood 5123)

This saying of Muhammad (PBUH) clearly directs us to remain in good relationships with other family members and acquaintances of our parents, and it is associated with sending blessings on their spirits. But is should not be taken only in context of behaving in good way after their death, instead it is an ongoing process.

Visiting their Graves

It is a common understanding that being a Muslim; one should say “Salam” and recite Surah Fatiha while crossing by a grave yard, which shows that dead ones wait and listen to our prayers. So, if well wishing for all the dead Muslims is ordered in islam, then one should always visit and ask for their parents` absolution from The Most Merciful.

“Whoever visits the graves of his parents or one of them every Friday; Allah shall forgive his sins and shall regard him to be one of those who had been kind to his parents.” (Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 16, Page 468)

So, if someone could not treat its parents fairly while they were alive, that person should visit its parents` graves frequently to not only praying for their mercy but also collect blessings of Allah Almighty for oneself.

In short, there are countless rights of the parents which one has to fulfill, which is evident from the fact that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has given great emphasis to fulfilling their rights not only when they are living, but also we they are gone from this world. May Allah grant us all strength to love our parents and please them while they are alive! Aameen!

Making Quran Learning Interesting For Kids and Its Benefits

Quran undeniably is the ultimate truth and the supreme source of guidance for a Muslim. Islamic doctrines are all embodied in Quran and it is in the light of these doctrines that a Muslim tries to spend his or her life. The more a life is spent under the light of Quran, the chances of having a better life in this world and in the world hereafter increase exponentially.

When it comes to learning of Quran, the pursuit of it is a mandatory part of every Muslim household. Muslim parents make sure that their children start learning Quran at an early age so that they could finish it in time and then throughout their rest of life consult and recite Quran for their respective purposes.

Children are not aware of what Quran is and what importance does it carry for a Muslim, so the duty heavily rests upon Muslim parents to make sure that the child develops an interest in Quran and learns Quran with interest. The forceful learning of Quran would result in learning but when it is done with interest it means greater and better understanding. Therefore, it is imperative that children learn Quran with interest.

The lines below give some tips on how the parents can develop an interest of children in Quran learning and what benefits does Quran learning bring to children.

Developing Interest:

The development of interest in Quran learning in children can be done in almost the same way as is done in reading of other Books. However, the development of interest in Quran comes with a certain level of sanctity and respect that should not be breached. In this regard, the following tips can help Muslim parents in developing interest of their children in Quran.

1. Variety:

The first thing that can help develop the interest of the children in Quran learning is variety. The variety is not in the sense that they should be taught anything other than Quran, rather the Quran learning should be pursued in various ways. For instance, the parents can have the children read Quran, then teach them to recite the same verses on another day and after some days one could ask the children to memorize a particular verse. This type of variety keeps the children interested and keeps the boredom away from the children making sure that every day they pursue learning of Quran with a new spirit and work their best everyday to meet daily objectives.

2. Entertaining:

The other thing that can be done to ensure that children stay interested in learning Quran is making it entertaining. There are a variety of ways in which the learning of Quran could be kept entertaining. For instance, the parents can tell the children about the stories in Quran and then ask the children to read the whole stories. Moreover, after reading Quran, parents can hold a quiz in which they can check the learning of children to ensure that they are gaining anything from what they are learning or not. This type of quizzes and storytelling keeps the children interested in Quran and they continue on learning.

3.  Consistency:

Consistency in learning Quran is another thing that needs to be ensured pertaining to learning of kids. The parents need to make sure that there is a devised schedule of learning and the children are to give specific time in their schedule for learning. No matter whether it is a single verse that children learn on daily basis, however, it is the consistency in learning that needs to be ensured so that children remain in the habit of learning Quran and no gap in learning occurs, which could derail the whole process. Ergo, before initiating the Quran learning process of children, parents should devise a proper plan that they would follow in their future learning.

4.  Make Use of Islamic Applications

Another viable way of making Quran education interesting for your kids is to involve technology and educate your kids through islamic learning applications. You can checkout list of Islamic Learning Applications for Android & iOS gadgets and select the ones that are needed.

Benefits Of Quran For Children:

The benefits of Quran, whether of religious, spiritual or worldly regards cannot be counted. However, for children the few major benefits which learning of Quran brings are as follows:

1. Islamic Education:

The first and perhaps the foremost important benefit of Quran learning for kids would be that they will get Islamic education and would get a better understanding of what Islam is and how it tends to guide humans. Quran is the word of Allah, therefore, by reading Quran, they would be directly getting exposed to the instructions of Allah Almighty which will give them firsthand knowledge of Islam. When children get to know about Islam at such an early age, the later part of their life they spend on implementing what they have learned. Therefore, early education of Quran for children means they becoming better and practicing Muslims.

2. Bonding With Parents:

When parents take interest in Quran learning of children and supervise it themselves, it helps increase the chances of parent children bonding. Firstly by learning Quran children get to realize the importance and respect of parents in Islam, however, when they see parents taking interest in their learning and parents leading from front by putting Quran and Islam into practice the chances of them respecting the parents more and growing closer to them also increase. Therefore, the interest of parents in Quran learning of their children results in strengthening of parent-children bond that lays the foundation for a healthy relationship.

3. Peace Of Mind:

The words of Quran have an effect on the spiritual health of a person. When children start learning and reading Quran at such an early age, the chances of them getting influenced by its spiritual effects increase and the children are able to experience the peace and serenity the recitation of Quran brings to their lives. This might seem a trivial thing to children, however, it is the parents who realize that when the children grow up with the habit of Quran reading and recitation, they will definitely rely on Quran as a means of providing them guidance, solace, peace and serenity which comes quite handy in the world of today.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, it is imperative that parents get the children into the habit of learning Quran from a young age. Moreover, this does not mean that parents should only resort to use of force for making children learn Quran, rather, parents need to improvise and use ways that makes learning easier and interesting for children.

Muhammad (PBUH) – So Simple Yet So Special

The belief that none is above and better than the personality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is not merely a belief, rather the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is an example of the greatest conduct and perfect behavior. Therefore, the respect, which Muslims have for Him, is backed by examples of His experiences spread throughout His life.

Although the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) contains miracles the like of which the world had and has never seen, however, simplicity is still the dominant factor in the life of Prophet (PBUH). Whatever He did had the stamp of simplicity on it and every act of His life was although simple but special to the maximum extent. The lines below discuss some of the simple yet special attributes of the personality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Mercy:

Perhaps the greatest and yet the most simplest of the personality attributes of Prophet (PBUH) is His mercy to the mankind. During His preaching He was abused, injured, threatened and harassed in all the ways, however, despite all this He remained merciful to all of them, forgave them and prayed for them. In one of His hadith, Prophet (PBUH) said:

“I have not been sent to curse people but as a mercy to all mankind.” (Muslim)

If there is one single attribute that can be associated with Prophet (PBUH) and that can be found dominant in His personality throughout His life, it is Mercy.

Forgiveness:

As mentioned above, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) faced all kinds and sorts of troubles and difficulties during the preaching process. However, when Allah gave Him dominance over all those who rebuked Him, instead of taking revenge from them He opted for forgiveness. He forgave all those who caused trouble for Him, who made life difficult for Him, and who planned on Killing Him. This forgiveness although seems a simple thing to do but if a person analyzes the circumstances He had to go through and the kind of power for revenge He had over the people but still He forgave them it makes it special.

Fought For Allah:

Hazrat Aisha (RA) said about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that:

“He never struck anybody with his hand, neither a servant nor a women, but he did fight (jihad) in the cause of Allah. He never avenged any wrong done to him personally, but he did avenge a wrong violating divine commandments.” (Muslim)

From this narration it is clear that if there is any fight that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did or any action of avenge of aggression that is to be found in His personality is all for Allah. He avenged and fought those who went against the commandments of Allah and it had nothing to do with His personal like or dislike no matter if the people offended or disrespected Him. Therefore, this simple action of selflessness is quite special to His personality only.

Concern For Ummah:

Prophet (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“I stand up for Prayer intending to prolong it. In the meantime I hear the wailing of a baby and I have to shorten my prayer, being apprehensive lest my recitation of a long verse may tell upon the baby’s mother.” (Bukhari)

Muhammad (PBUH) is the beloved of Allah and one of the major reasons why He prayed excessively was to pray to Allah for the Ummah, however, that prayer used to get short whenever He heard the crying of a baby. The thing to notice is that the crying of a baby seems a trivial and simple thing, however, Prophet (PBUH) would shorten His prayer for the cry which shows how much He cared even for the babies of His ummah, thus making this simple act special.

Care For Animals:

Humans and the people of Ummah aside, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was caring to the same extent to the animals as well. There are numerous hadiths and narrations telling about how kind He was towards the animals, one of such narrations is when Prophet (PBUH) said:

“One of the rights is that she camels should be milked at places of water.” (Bukhari)

One can assess from this hadith that if a Prophet is so caring about animals then how caring and loving He should be for the people of His Ummah. It is the love for all the living beings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that at an overt level is simple, however, if analyzed in depth and with understanding it becomes covertly special. Therefore, His love for animals is also one of His simple yet special personality attributes.

Bottom Line:

In a nutshell, a Muslim cannot begin to encompass the diverse and immense great character attributes that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In every aspect of His life He was unique. Everything He did apparently seemed simple, however, the effects of it were grave and far-reaching thus making every act of His special and magnificent.

Etiquettes and Special Deeds For The Day Of Jummah (Friday)

Like the contemporary Gregorian calendar system, the Islamic week also comprises of seven days. Although for a Muslim all the days are same as in all the days he or she has to live life according to the instructions of Allah Almighty, however, there is the day of Friday that holds a very special importance in the Islamic days.

The day of Friday is known for the Friday prayer which is in congregation and one of the most performed prayer in addition to the regular prayers. On Friday, the congregational prayer takes the place of Zuhr prayer and a Muslim is to only offer the Jummah prayer.

With regards to the day of Jummah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday. On that day Adam was created, he was admitted to Jannah, and he was expelled therefrom.” (Muslim)

Thus, the day of Jummah that comes every week is a day of Eid and a Muslim is to take this day as a day of celebration and be grateful to Allah for all the blessings He has provided as He provided to Adam and Eve by giving them birth on this day and then sending them to Heavens. At the same time a Muslim must also seek forgiveness on this day as well, so that he or she does not face the anger of Allah the way Adam and Eve did on Friday.

Pertaining to Friday prayer, Allah Almighty says in Quran:

Friday Importance and Etiquettes “O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and trade): That is best for you if you only knew!” (62:9)

From this ayah of Quran the instructions are clear and that is when a Muslim hears the Adhan for Jummah prayer he should close all the trade that he is doing and stop any personal business and turn towards remembrance of Allah that is the Jummah prayer. Allah Almighty says that it is the best for a person if he has understanding of it. Therefore, one must try to understand that Jummah prayer is different than Zuhr prayer and a Muslim should make special preparation for offering Jummah prayer.

Further to the preparation that one needs to make for Jummah prayer, there are certain special considerations in this regard. The following lines discuss the different special preparations that a Muslim has to make for the day of Jummah.

Cleaning The Body:

As the day of Jummah is a special day, therefore, like any other special occasion it requires special preparations in terms of purification of the body. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“Anyone of you attending the Friday (prayers) should take a bath.” (Bukhari)

From the hadith it is obvious that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommended taking a bath for all those who intend to offer Jummah prayer. Although one can go on by offering Jummah prayer without bath, however, Prophet (PBUH) used the word ‘should’ which means commendation. Therefore, compared to ordinary days, on Jummah a Muslim must make sure that he or she takes bath specially for offering Jummah prayer.

In addition to the regular bath, a Muslim must also consider other methods of cleanliness and good hygiene. In another hadith, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“O Muslims! Allah Taala has made this day (Friday) a day of ‘Eid’. So have a bath on this day, whoever has perfume should apply it, and use the miswaak.” (Ibn Maajah)

Therefore, in addition to bathing, a person must also try to do miswak and apply perfume with the intention of special preparations for the day of Friday.

Recitation of Surah Kahf:

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in another hadith of His:

“Whoever reads Surah Kahf on Fridays, there will be a bright light to shine for him between the two Fridays.” (Nasai)

This hadith shows the encouragement of reciting Surah Kahf on the day of Friday. This Surah tells the story of the companions of the Kahf (cave). These righteous companions out of the threat of their lives took protection in a cave where they fell asleep and slept for hundreds of year, till they woke up and saw the place from where they ran, all the people had turned into believers. The recitation of this Surah helps a Muslim seek refuge of Allah and affirms their faith on the support and assistance He provides.

Supplicate Excessively:

Although every Muslim should supplicate whenever he or she finds chance any day of the week, however, special days like Friday call for special or excessive need of supplication. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“There is no day more virtuous than Friday. There is such an hour in this day that no Muslim will make dua in it except that his dua will be accepted. And he does not seek protection from anything except that Allah will grant him protection.” (Tirmidhi)

This hadith shows that on Friday there is an hour in which if a Muslim supplicates for something it will be accepted and if he or she supplicates for seeking protection of Allah, they will be given protection. The point to ponder in this hadith is that there is an ‘hour’ in Friday, and nobody knows which hour it will be. Therefore, a Muslim should supplicate throughout the day of Friday.

Listening To Khutba Attentively:

Khutba is the prime feature of the Jummah prayer. There are two sermons or Khutba on Friday in which the Imaam delivers a speech. With regards to the Khutba of Friday, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“If anyone performs Wudu properly, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens to the Khutba attentively and keeps silent, his (minor) sins between the Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven, with the addition of three more days; but he who touches pebbles has caused an interruption.” (Muslim)

From this hadith it is obvious that on the day of Friday, going to the mosque and listening to the Khutba attentively results in expiation from sins. The sins from one Friday to the other are forgiven in addition to three more days. Thus, a Muslim must make sure that he goes to the Friday prayer with after ablution, listen to the Khutba attentively and not make any mistake or disturbance during the Khutba as well as the prayer to ensure expiation of sins.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, Friday is one of the blessed days in the Islamic calendar and the most blessed day of the week. This day is known for the Khutba and the congregational prayer along with the history it has in the religion. Therefore, in order to observe this day in the rightful manner, a Muslim must make sure that he or she makes special preparations that make this day stand apart from the rest of the days of the week.

Etiquettes To Consider While Preparing For Jummah (Friday) Prayer

Like Christians have the day of Sunday when all go to church to attend the mass, there is the Friday among Muslims – a day on which Muslims go to offer Jummah prayer in congregation and listen to the Khutba. Going for Jummah prayer does not mean that Muslim do not offer any other prayer in congregation, rather every Muslim prayer is encouraged to be offered in congregation, however, the Jummah prayer is special because of the day itself and the Khutba that comes with the prayer.

The Friday Prayer is special, and for this special prayer Allah Almighty has put extraordinary emphasis on its offering. Allah says in Quran:

Prayer on the day of Jumu’ah [Friday] “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the Salat on the day of Friday (Jummah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah (Khutbah) and Salat and leave of business, that is better for you if you did but know!” (62:9)

From the ayah the importance and significance of the Jummah prayer is evident. It is a prayer for which Allah tells Muslims to leave everything they are doing and ensure their presence in the mosque. Moreover, this ayah also makes clear that the prayer of Jummah is not limited to Salat only, rather the remembrance of Allah, which is the Khutbah is also an integral part of the Jummah prayer and should not be overlooked or undermined in anyway.

With regards to Jummah prayers, there are key factors which one should consider as etiquettes. The lines below discuss those etiquettes so that a Muslim can ensure them and offer the Jummah prayer as well as celebrate the day in the best possible manner.

Going To Mosque Early:

In the Jummah prayer, the Khutbah is before the prayer and the more early a person goes for prayer, the greater the chances of him listening more of the remembrance of Allah Almighty. In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“On the day of Jummah, the angels stand at the entrance of the Masjid in which Jummah Salat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the Masjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continuing doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the khutba commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the Khutbah.” (Muslim)

This hadith of Prophet (PBUH) tells of a variety of things about Jummah prayer. The first thing is that those who come to the prayer earlier receive a higher or greater reward compared to those who arrive later. Secondly, if one enters the mosque once the Khutbah has started then one does not receive any special reward, rather at that time the reward left for a person is of a regular Zuhr prayer. Therefore, if you wish to attain greater reward, then you must ensure that you arrive at the mosque as early as possible and listen to Khutbah prior to offering prayer.

Rakats Of Masjid:

It is narrated that once Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was giving the Friday sermon that a man entered the mosque and sat. the Prophet (PBUH) asked him:

“Have you prayed?”

The man replied in a negative, to which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“Get up and pray two Rakats (of tahayyatul masjid).” (Bukhari)

This hadith shows that whoever goes for Jummah prayer, in addition to listening the sermon and then offering the obligatory prayer, he must offer two Rakats of Tahayyatul masjid. These are the prayers which one offers when he enters the mosque. The thing to notice in this regard is that offering these two rakats is only possible when one goes to the mosque before the start of the Khutbah, as when the Khutbah starts one should refrain from doing anything which includes prayers as well. Therefore, a Muslim must try going to the mosque as early as possible and offer Tahayyatul Masjid Rakats there before anything.

Arriving At The Mosque Calmly:

The day of Jummah is special and so are its preperations. However, it has been observed that people on this day and close to the Jumah prayer timings get frantic about the preparations and it is in this frenzy that they pursue everything hastily. When it comes to offering prayers hastily, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:

“If the prayer started do not run for it but just walk for it calmly and pray whatever is missed.” (reported by Abu Huraira)

This hadith shows that one must never become hastily if one unfortunately runs short of time with regards to offering Jummah prayer. This rule is applicable on all the prayers, therefore, Jummah is no exception. The reason why calmness is encouraged in people is commended when going for prayer is because offering of prayer requires a certain level of dignity which should be observed when a person is going to offer the prayer. Therefore, firstly one should go for Jummah prayers before hand, however, if you run short of time, then you should not go to the mosque hastily or in a hurry, rather you should go for it in the same manner as you would go for prayers in ordinary circumstances – with dignity and serenity.

Listening To Khutba With Attention:

Khutba is the integral component of the Jummah prayers. It is Khutbah that differentiates the prayer of Friday from Zuhr prayer offered under normal circumstances and in ordinary days. Khutbah is the remembrance of Allah and one should listen to the Khutbah sermon with undivided attention. Prophet (PBUH) said:

“If you (even) ask your companion to be quiet on Friday while the Imam is delivering the sermon, you have in fact talked irrelevance (i.e. engaged in idle talk).” (Muslim)

From the hadith it is clear that when the Imam starts the Khutbah one must leave everything and listen to the Khutbah attentively. The level of attention should be such that one should also refrain from telling something good to anyone or telling others to listen to the Khutbah, because any act during that time diverts the attention of others.

Conclusion:

In short, Friday is the most blessed day of all and the prayer of Jummah is the jewel in the crown of this day. A Muslim must make special preparations on Friday for the prayer and consider the listening of Khutba an integral part of the whole Jummah prayer package in order to gain maximum blessings in this virtuous day.

The Truth About People Who Associate Lies With Quran

When it comes to religion, there are different categories of people. There are those who are followers of the religion, then there are those who are followers but they are skeptic of it and then there are people who are open haters of the religion and hate it in every possible way. However, there is another category of people that is perhaps the most crude and detrimental to the image of the religion, that category is of the hypocrites.

The hypocrites are the ones who harm the religion most, as they are the ones who apparently accept the religion but inwards they are against it and whenever they find the chance they harm the religion. In Islam also there have been hypocrites since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and since then they have been harming the religion whenever they find the chance available. One of the important tools they utilize in achieving their hideous objectives is the tool of lying.

In addition to spreading false news about the religion and defaming it in seemingly odd ways, the hypocrites spread lies about the verses of Quran. There is no denying the truth of the verses of Quran to a Muslim, however, the hypocrites deliberately associate false information with the verses of Quran and this falsehood is primarily incorporated in the interpretation of the verses of Quran. Thus, the lying added in the interpretation of the verses leads to a Muslim getting the wrong message and hence straying from the right path.

In Quran, Allah Almighty says:

“Among them is a group who distort the Book with their tongues so that you think it is from the Book when it is not from the Book. They say, ‘it is from Allah’, but it is not from Allah. They tell a lie against Allah and they know it.” (3:78)

From this ayah of the Quran it is clear that there is a group of people who lies about Quran. The lying which they undertake pertaining to Quran comprises of the following attempts as explained in the ayah.

1. The first kind of lying the hypocrites do pertinent to Quran is presenting to people things and instructions that are not from Quran. They present it to people as verses of Quran, which the learned scholars know are not from Quran hence they are saved from their lying.
2. The second kind of lying is that they associate things with Allah Almighty. They would say that a particular thing is said by Allah Almighty either in Quran or in revelation to Prophet (PBUH), however, in fact there would be no such thing and will have no factual evidence of it being from Allah.

Above all the other most important thing imperative from the ayah is the fact that these people are not unintentional liars, who associate falsehood with Quran out of some mistake, rather it is something that is done by them deliberately and they properly prepare for their lie so that it couldn’t be detected by a layman.

Pertinent to the reason behind these hypocrites associating lying with Quran, Allah Almighty says in Quran:

“It is only those who believe not in the Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, who fabricate falsehood, and it is they who are liars.” (16:105)

From this ayah of Quran the motives of the people associating falsehood with Quran are clear. All of this is done out of the pretence that they do not believe in Quran or the truth that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon people. Therefore, if they do not regard something as true or they do not believe in Almighty, then it is quite natural that they would try to defame His Word by associating lies with it. Therefore, one name for such people is hypocrites but in actuall, they are the people who never believed at all.

The questions left for Muslims to ask is that how can they differentiate between a believer and a hypocrite? It is only Allah who knows the condition of the heart of a person, therefore, how can one distinguish between the ones who are true at heart and the ones who carry malice for the religion. The answer to this is simple and that is by relying on any source of information that comes to a Muslim after verifying it. In Quran, Allah Almighty says:

“O you who believe! If a Fasiq (liar – evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done.” (49:6)

From this ayah of Quran there are two things that are obvious. The first thing is that there are evil person or those who lie. The people who lie develop a reputation, therefore, sooner or later everyone knows a liar. The second thing that the ayah makes clear is that when a liar comes to someone with a news, what should he or she do. The answer to it is verify the news. If a Muslim adopts the habit of verifying, then the truth will be known to them and the chances of them falling stray will be minimal.

The ayah shows the right method of protecting one’s self from falling prey to the tricks and lies of the hypocrites who associate falsehood with Quran, in addition to the way in which one can protect one’s self from becoming one of them unintentionally. Therefore, whatever a Muslim hears from someone about Quran, especially if that someone is a non-believer, then he or she needs to verify what they quote about Quran and after verification see whether the person referring to it was saying the truth or using the ayah in the way it was supposed to be used.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, no Muslim can dare associate falsehood with Quran or think that the verses of it are untrue in some way. However, in the world of technology where everyone can produce information, it is imperative that before believing in something related to Quran a Muslim must first verify the information and then use it for further desired purposes.

Why Is It Necessary to Learn Quran With Tajweed

Quran is the word of Allah. The construct it has, the meaning it carries are unmatchable and not to be found in any book in the world. In addition to the depth of meaning that the verses of Quran carry, there is also its sublime language that it makes it apart from any of the writings in the world in general and Arabic in particular.

Pertaining to the decorated prose style, which Quran utilizes, the style in itself is unique, however, it is when the recitation of this style is done in the rightful manner that the true effect of Quran can be observed and experience. This is why recitation of Quran needs to be done with Tajweed. The lines below discuss what Tajweed is, the emphasis put on it in Islam, the importance of it, and some ways in which one can learn Tajweed with ease.

Tajweed:

Tajweed refers to the rightful articulation of the words of Arabic. Like English, Arabic is also comprised of sounds that need to be articulated in a proper manner. Muslims in most part of the world are able to know and learn the Arabic sounds however, their articulation is governed by their parent language sound patterns and thus they are seldom able to pronounce the words in a way they are to be pronounced. Ergo, learning of Tajweed helps a Muslim recite the words in the way they are to be recited, which consequently assists in getting the best effect from the recitation.

The Emphasis:

In Quran, Allah says:

“Those to whom We gave the Book recite it as it should be recited, they are the ones that believe therein.” (2:121)

The message of this ayah is obvious. The ones who believe in the truthfulness of Quran and the message it gives to humanity, they are the ones who recite it in the way it is supposed to be recited. This shows that there is a proper way of reciting Quran, hence if someone is not reciting the Quran in the proper way then they are reciting it in the improper way, which definitely needs to be avoided at once.

The matter being clear that there is a proper way of Quran recitation, the question then to ask is that what is the proper way of Quran recitation? We see Muslims all over the world learning Quran, however, very few are aware of the fact that simply learning Arabic does not mean learning Quran or its proper recitation, rather learning the rules of Tajweed is an integral component that makes that the recitation is done in the rightful manner. In Quran it is mentioned:

“And recite the Quran (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style.” (73:4)

Quran needs to be recited in a measured way that is a combination of pronunciation of words in the right way so that they come up in the right tone and when a person knows which words could go to what acoustic limit only then can they recite them in slow manner as well. Therefore, the rightful way of Quran recitation is by doing it in a measured manner where all the rules are considered and incorporated in the recitation with the objective of producing an apt and beautiful recitation.

 Another thing that needs to be realized is that this beautification in recitation of Quran is not something which is done by Muslims or which is done out of will, rather it is something which Allah Almighty has intentionally infused in the stylistics of Quran. It is He who has used the alphabets and words in such a way that when they are recited right, they produce an astonishing effect. Quran attests to it, where Allah Almighty says:

“….And We have spaced It distinctly.” (25:32)

Therefore, considering the recitation of Quran with Tajweed an option which is dependant upon the personal will of a person would be wrong, as Allah Almighty intended it to be recited with Tajweed. Ergo, a Muslim must not just learn Arabic alphabets for reading Quran, rather, the rules of the way in which the alphabets are to be articulated or assimilated also need to be learned to achieve the intended recitation of Quran.

Importance Of Tajweed:

The above lines show the emphasis that Islam puts on the rightful recitation of Quran, which is not possible without knowing the rules of Tajweed. In addition to proper recitation, the knowledge of Tajweed is important because it helps avoid two kinds of mistakes that are crucial to Quran recitation. The two types of mistakes are:

1. The first type of mistake is related with the mispronunciation of the words. For instance, a reader can mix or use different vowel sounds inaptly, which according to scholars is a grave mistakes and if it is done out of intention then it is something that is punishable. Thus, the knowledge of the ways of articulation helps avoid such mistakes.
2. The second type of mistake is related to not following the rules of recitation. The recitation of Quran also has its rules, where at certain instances a person has to stop and at some places the recitation needs to be extended. This is also a mistake, however, it is not as grave as the former mistake as it does not cause any change in the meaning of the words. Nevertheless, this mistake can also be avoided if one knows the rules of Tajweed.

Ways of Learning Tajweed:

Initially and conventionally it was a mosque or Madrisa where there would be an expert Qari who would teach the adults as well as children about the ways of Quran recitation. This is not the case anymore, as Muslims have expanded all over the world where there are such parts where there is neither a mosque or a Madrisa. For such Muslims and the ones who want to make Quran learning easy, the following options are available.

Online Quran Learning Academy – There are numerous online Quran learning academies that teach Muslims the right way of learning and reciting Quran over the internet. Quran Reading Academy is a pioneer in this regard and its expert Qaris help Muslims learn Quran with Tajweed all over the world.

Smartphone Apps – Pertaining to the widespread of Muslims across the globe Smartphone apps have been developed that also help in learning Quran with Tajweed. In this regard, QuranREading.com also facilitates the Muslims by providing them Tajweed apps like Noorani Qaida  and Tajweed al Quran both of which are directed towards teaching Quran to Muslims with Tajweed.

Software – There are also several software available in the market that can help the Muslims learn the rule of Tajweed on their own and see how those rules are put into practice while reciting Quran.

Bottom Line:

In short, recitation of Quran with Tajweed is not an option, rather it is how Allah Almighty expects a Muslim to recite Quran. And it is only by reciting Quran in this proper way that a Muslim can achieve the true effect of recitation of Quran with all its serenity and soulfulness.

7 Habits That Muslims Must Fit In Their Character to Be Successful

The definition of success is relative. For some success means achieving wealth beyond measures, for other it means helping and saving humanity with whatever means are available at disposal. People set their goals of success and then put all their efforts in pursuing those goals and try to go to every extent possible in achieving those goals.

For a Muslim the definition of success revolves around doing anything that results in pleasing Allah Almighty. A Muslim has to stick to the path of righteousness in order to develop a strong relationship with Allah. Once the relation is developed, the ultimate result is a Muslim achieving success both in this world and in the world Hereafter.

The lines below discuss 7 habits that a Muslim should adopt in order to be a successful Muslim.

Truthfulness:

Being true is one of the core habits that every civilized society appreciates in its members. When people adopt truthfulness, it actually means that they have laid the most important foundation stone upon which they are going to construct a building of great character.

In Islam truthfulness is one of the best virtues that a Muslim can have. It is the key component in one’s character that shows the righteousness of the person. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said about being truthfulness in the following way:

“Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to al-fujur (wickedness, evil doing), and al-fujur leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.” (Bukhari)

This hadith speaks of the benefits and rewards of being truthful and the vices of being a liar. Those who consider paradise as their objective of success can get great information about achieving their goal from this hadith. In order to successfully achieve their goal, all they have to be is truthful while following Islamic way of life. When they are truthful, they set the course of events in such a way that ultimately leads to paradise. Therefore, a Muslim must incorporate the habit of being truthful in his or her life in order to grow closer to Allah successfully.

Trustworthiness:

Being trustworthy is also an integral component that is to be appreciated in the personality of a person. Not everyone in this world is trustworthy and people do not trust other with anything, this lack of trust on someone shows that one lacks the characteristic attributes of goodness because of which people do not show trust on anyone. When there is someone on whom people trust, it shows that people believe in his or her character and it is the goodness in the character of that person that has made them trust him or her with either their secret or possession. In Quran, Allah Almighty mentions one of the proclamations of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), where He said:

If you do not know how to read the Holy Quran in Arabic, you can Join Quran reading Academy to improve your recitation skills.

“I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser.” (7:68)

From the ayah it is clear that being trustworthy is one of the Sunnahs of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and every Muslim knows that following His Sunnah always leads to success in both the lives. Therefore, for a Muslim it is imperative to adopt and grow qualities that make him or her trustworthy in life.

Self-Restraint:

We as humans are bound to commit error, however, this fatal flaw in our nature does not mean that we don’t need to control ourselves, rather we need to practice self constraint as much as possible. It is this practicing of self-restraint that keeps us on the right track and prevents us from going stray on a path that leads to total darkness. Those who learn Quran and try to understand it, are aware of the fact that all the instructions in Quran are to help a Muslim in practicing self-constraint. In Quran, Allah says:

“But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good].” (41:35)

From this ayah it can be deduced that the practicing patience and self-restraint results in a person receiving goodness and great fortune as a reward. Therefore, the success in the form of goodness comes to all those who are patient and practice self-restraint. Therefore, a Muslim must also learn from Quran the things that need to be avoided and whenever the temptation rises, he or she must resist it by practicing self-restraint.

Thoroughness:

The reason why we as humans are not able to stick with the right path or do anything good in our life is that we do not pursue it with thoroughness. The term ‘thoroughness’ here means aiming for perfection. When one sets perfection as an ideal, then the least he or she could achieve would be better than setting something ordinary as an ideal. It was one of the Sunnah of Prophet (PBUH) that He was perfect in character. Therefore, every Muslim must try pursuing perfection, as the pursuit of it leads to a person becoming good in character and achieving small milestones in the way successfully.

Focus:

No matter whether it is a worldly objective or something that is in Islamic preaching, the achievement of it all depends upon focus. When a Muslim is focus, he or she sees thing clearly and when the destination is clear in the eyes, the ultimate result is a person arriving at the destination successfully. A simple example of it can be seen with respect to prayers, about which Quran says:

“The Believers must (eventually) win through, those who humble themselves in their prayers.” (23:1-2)

From the ayah it is clear that those who humble themselves in prayer will eventually win. If this ayah is seen from the perspective of focus, then humbleness in prayer is something which one only achieves when one is focused. The more focused one is during prayer, the more he or she realizes what prayer is and the more he or she grows humble. Therefore, if a Muslim is to win, then he or she must undertake every task in life with complete clarity and focus. You can read this article discussing about improving concentration while offering prayers.

Punctuality:

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked:

“Which deed is the dearest to Allah?”

He replied:

“To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times.” (Bukhari)

In addition to pointing the importance of prayers, this hadith also highlights the importance of offering Namaz on the given time, in other words it highlights punctuality. In order to be successful in worldly as well as religious life, a Muslim has to be punctual in every aspect of life and value time. Therefore, a Muslim must be conscious of the commitments with regards to time and adhere to them strictly.

Consistency:

Consistency is another key attribute that results in a person achieving success. When one is consistent, then he or she sticks with things and takes them to completion. This consistency gives birth to steadfastness which then finds its roots in trust in Allah Almighty. Therefore, in every undertaking a Muslim must be as consistent as possible. Hazrat Ayesha (RA) narrates:

“The most beloved action to Allah’s Apostle was that which is done continuously and regularly.” (Bukhari)

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, every Muslim must try making the aforementioned attributes as habits. Once a Muslim makes these attributes as habits, the ultimate result is he or she achieving success with balance in this life and in the life hereafter as well.