Be Careful of what we forward from the Internet

A lecture regarding everything we read on the internet regarding Islam.

A very important lecture by Brother Abu Mussab Wajdi Akkari. For more lectures please visit:http://www.onewaytoparadise.net

Ruling on Eid and the Sunnahs of Eid

I would like to know some of the Sunnahs of Eid and the rulings thereon.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah has set out several rulings concerning Eid, including the following: 

1 – It is mustahabb to recite takbeer during the night of Eid from sunset on the last day of Ramadaan until the imam comes to lead the prayer. The format of the takbeer is as follows: 

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah). 

Or you can say Allaahu akbar three times, so you say: 

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great , Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah). 

Both are permissible. 

Men should raise their voices reciting this dhikr in the marketplaces, mosques and homes, but women should not raise their voices. 

2 – You should eat an odd number of dates before leaving for the Eid prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not set out on the day of Eid until he had eaten an odd number of dates. He should stick to an odd number as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did. 

3 – You should wear your best clothes – this is for men. With regard to women, they should not wear beautiful clothes when they go out to the Eid prayer-place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Let them go out looking decent” i.e., in regular clothes that are not fancy. It is haraam for them to go out wearing perfume and makeup. 

4 – Some of the scholars regarded it as mustahabb to do ghusl for the Eid prayer, because it is narrated that some of the salaf did this. Doing ghusl for Eid prayer is mustahabb, just as it is prescribed for Jumu’ah because one is going to meet people. So if one does ghusl, that is good. 

5 – The Eid prayer. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Eid prayer is prescribed in Islam. Some of them say that it is Sunnah, some say that it is fard kafaayah (a communal obligation) and some say that it is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation), and that not doing it is a sin. They quoted as evidence the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded even the virgins and women in seclusion, i.e., those who did not ordinarily come out, to attend the Eid prayer place, except that those who were menstruating should keep away from the prayer-place itself, because it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to stay in the mosque; it is permissible for her to pass through but not to stay there. 

It seems to me, based on the evidence, that it is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation) and that every male is obliged to attend the Eid prayer except for those who have an excuse. This was the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

In the first rak’ah the imam should recite Sabbih isma rabbika al-A‘ala (Soorat al-A’la 87) and in the second rak’ah he should recite Hal ataaka hadeeth ul-ghaashiyah (al-Ghaashiyah 88). Or he may recite Soorat Qaaf (50) in the first and Soorat al-Qamar (54) in the second. Both options are narrated in saheeh reports from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

6 – If Jumu’ah and Eid fall on the same day, the Eid prayer should be held, as should Jumu’ah prayer, as is indicated by the apparent meaning of the hadeeth of al-Nu’maan ibn Basheer which was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. But those who attend the Eid prayer with the imam may attend Jumu’ah if they wish, or they may pray Zuhr. 

7 – One of the rulings on Eid prayer is that according to many scholars, if a person comes to the Eid prayer-place before the imam comes, he should sit down and not pray two rak’ahs, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Eid with two rak’ahs, and he did not offer any prayer before or after it. 

Some of the scholars are of the view that when a person comes he should not sit down until he has prayed two rak’ahs, because the Eid prayer-place is a mosque, based on the fact that menstruating women are not allowed there, so it comes under the same rulings as a mosque, which indicates that it is a mosque. Based on this, it comes under the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “When any one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit down until he has prayed two rak’ahs.” With regard to the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer any prayer before or after the Eid prayer, that is because when he arrived the prayer started. 

Thus it is proven that we should pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid (two rak’ahs to “greet the mosque”) when arriving at the Eid prayer-place, as in the case of all mosques, because if we assume from the hadeeth that there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Eid mosque, then we should say that there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Jumu’ah mosque either, because when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) arrived at the Jumu’ah mosque he would deliver the khutbah, then pray two rak’ahs then leave and pray the regular Sunnahs of Jumu’ah in his house, so he did not offer any prayer before it or after it (in the mosque). 

What seems more likely to be correct in my view is that we should pray two rak’ahs in the Eid prayer-place to greet the mosque, but we should not denounce one another with regard to this issue, because it is a matter concerning which the scholars differ. We should not denounce others with regard to matters where the scholars differ, unless there is a clear text. So we should not denounce the one who prays (Tahiyyat al-Masjid) or the one who sits down without praying. 

8 – One of the rulings on the day of Eid – Eid al-Fitr – is that Zakaat al-Fitr is due on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that it should be paid before the Eid prayer. It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) which was narrated by al-Bukhaari: “They used to give it one or two days before (Eid) al-Fitr.” If it is paid after the Eid prayer, it does not count as Sadaqat al-Fitr, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas: “Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is Zakaat al-Fitr, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is ordinary charity.” It is haraam to delay Zakaat al-Fitr until after the Eid prayer. If one delays it with no excuse then it is not acceptable zakaah, but if there is an excuse – such as if a person is traveling and does not have anything to give or anyone to give it to, or he is expecting his family to pay it and they are expecting him to pay it, then in this case he should pay it when it is easy for him to do so, even if that is after the prayer, and there is no sin on him because he has an excuse. 

9 – People should greet one another, but that results in haraam actions on the part of many people, such as men entering houses and shaking hands with unveiled women without any mahram being present. Some of these evils are worse than others. 

We see some people denouncing those who refuse to shake hands with those who are not their mahrams, but it is they who are the wrongdoers, not he. But he should explain to them and tell them to ask trustworthy scholars to verify his actions and he should tell them not to get angry and insist on following the customs of his forefathers, because they do not make a permissible thing forbidden or a forbidden thing permissible. He should explain to them that if they do that, they will be like those of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And similarly, We sent not a warner before you (O Muhammad) to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: “We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps”
[al-Zukhruf 43:23] 

Some people have the custom of going out to the graveyard on the day of Eid to greet the occupants of the graves, but the occupants of the graves have no need of any greeting or congratulations, because they do not fast or pray qiyaam. 

Visiting the graves is not something to be done especially on the day of Eid or Friday or any particular day. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the graves at night, as mentioned in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah narrated by Muslim. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Visit the graves for they will remind you of the Hereafter.” 

Visiting graves is an act of worship, and acts of worship are not acceptable unless they are in accordance with sharee’ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not single out the day of Eid for visiting the graves, so we should not do so either. 

10 – There is nothing wrong with what men do on the day of Eid of embracing one another. 

11 – It is prescribed for the one who goes out to the Eid prayer to go by one route and return by another, following the example of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This Sunnah does not apply to other prayers, Jumu’ah or anything else, it only applies to Eid. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 16/216-223.

Greeting during Eid

It is permissible for Muslims to greet each other on the day of Eid with specific greetings that have been reported from the sahabah (ra). Responding to a question in this regard, Ibn Taymiyyah (r) said:

"As for people greeting each other after the eid prayer by, 

'Taqaballahu minna wa mimkum' (may Allah accept from us and you) -

 it is reported that some of the shahabah practiced it, and the scholars permitted it. However, Ahmad said, 'I do not initiate saying it to anyone; but if one says it to me, I answer him. This is because responding to a greeting is obligatory, but to initiate the greeting is not a required sunnah, neither is it prohibited: whoever does it it would have an example (from the salaf) and whoever does not would have a predecessor as well." (Al Fatawi 24:253)

Jabyr ibn Nufayr said: 'When the companions of Allah's Messenger (saaws) met on the day of eid, they would say to each other, 'Taqaballahu minna wa mink (may Allah accept from us and you)." [Al Mahamiliyyat; hasan isnad; see Fath ul Bari 2:446]

And Muhammad ibn Ziyad said: I was with Abu Umamah al Bahili (ra) and some other companions of the Prophet (saws). When they returned from the eid, they said to each other, 'Taqabbalallahu minna wa mink."

    *taken from "Celebrations in Islam", compiled by Muhammad al Jibali.

MUSLIM PILGRIMS BEGIN ANNUAL HAJJ PILGRIMAGE

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of Muslims began the main rituals of the annual pilgrimage on Sunday, heading from Mecca to the camp of Mina with no major incidents reported since they descended on the holy city.

There are no official figures yet for the total number of pilgrims but some estimates put the number as high as 2.5 million this year.

Authorities say permits have been granted to 1.7 million foreign pilgrims, with a further 200,000 or so issued to pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia and from neighbouring Gulf states.

This year has seen a crackdown on pilgrims who do not have the requisite papers as authorities attempt to prevent numbers getting out of hand.

A driver caught transporting unauthorised pilgrims faces a fine of 10,000 riyals (2,667 dollars) for each individual.

The passage to Mina marks the official launch of the hajj on the eighth day of the Muslim calendar month of Dhul Hijja.

The day is known as Tarwiah (Watering) as pilgrims in the past stopped at Mina to water their animals and stock up for the following day's trip to Mount Arafat.

The vast plain of Mina was a canvas of huge white tents. It comes to life for just five days a year.

On Monday, the pilgrims move on to Mount Arafat and its surrounding plain, some 10 kilometres (six miles) to the southeast, where they spend the day in prayer and reflection.

After sunset, they move to Muzdalifah, halfway between Mount Arafat and Mina, where they spend the night.

© AFP Mustafa Ozer - This year has seen a crackdown on pilgrims who do not have the requisite papers

On Tuesday, the first day of Eid Al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, the pilgrims head back to Mina after dawn prayers.

They then perform the first stage of the symbolic "stoning of the devil" and make the ritual sacrifice of an animal, usually a lamb.

During the remaining three days of the hajj, the pilgrims continue the ritual stoning before performing the circumambulation of the Kaaba shrine in Mecca and heading home.

No major incidents have been reported this year since the pilgrims began gathering in Mecca. The city's Grand Mosque has been flooded with the faithful, with an estimated 1.7 million taking part in the main weekly Muslim prayers on Friday.

The movement of pilgrims between the holy sites is a major headache for Saudi authorities who have had to deal with deadly stampedes in the past.

In recent years, the kingdom has used its huge oil revenues for massive spending on new infrastructure to ease the flow of people.

This year, the first phase of the new Mashair Railway -- or Mecca metro -- will transport pilgrims between Mina and Mount Arafat through Muzdalifah.

The Jamarat Bridge, where pilgrims perform the ritual stoning, has also been expanded to three levels with movement channelled in one direction.

Security remains a concern. Last Wednesday, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said he could not rule out the possibility of a sabotage attempt by Al-Qaeda.

The Importance of Salatul Asr

Every Muslim knows that Salaah is the most important pillar of Islam after Imaan. Salaah has in fact been ordained as the corner stone of success of the People of Imaan. This is why the Shari'ah has emphasized that it should be performed correctly and punctually. Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan: Safeguard your Salaah and (especially) the middle Salaah (i.e. Asr Salaah) and stand before Allah with humility. (Surah al-Baqarah) To 'safeguard' our Salaah means 'to perform it at its prescribed time and to be steadfast in it so as not to miss a single Salaah '. When this aayah (verse) was revealed, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) warned the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu anhum} against staying away from the Masjid, and even threatened to burn the homes of the men that performed their Salaah at home. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer) In the above aayah, the Asr Salaah has been emphasized since it occurs when people are generally preoccupied in worldly activities. A Sign of True Imaan Invariably the hours of Salaah will be encountered during the times of business and work - and this is the real test of Imaan. It is really a sign of true Imaan when a Muslim businessman suspends his business dealings and leaves his workplace to answer the call of Allah even during peak hours when customers surround him on all sides. Once Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was in the shopping centre. It was time for Salaah and people stood up, closed their shops and proceeded to the Masjid. Hadrat Ibn Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was delighted at seeing this and remarked, 'These are the people regarding whom this a ayah (in Surah an-Noor) was revealed: (Real) men whom neither trade nor merchandise distracts from the remembrance of Allah.’ Virtues of Asr Salaah Regarding the virtue and excellence of Asr Salaah, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said, 'Whoever performs the two 'cold' salaahs (i.e. Fajr and Asr) shall enter Jannah. ' (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) He has also said, 'The person who performs Salaah before the sun rises and before it sets (i.e. Fajr and Asr) shall never enter the Fire (of Jahannam).’ (SahihMuslim) In fact, very special virtues have been attached even to the four raka 'aat Sunnah Salaah before Asr. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said: 'May Allah grant mercy and blessings to the person who performs four raka 'aat (Sunnah) before Asr. ' (Abu Daawood) Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has also said: 'The person who regularly performs four raka'aat (Sunnah) before Asr, Allah will forbid his body from the Fire (of Jahannam). ' (at- Tabarani) Delaying Asr till before Sunset Unfortunately very few people are able to resist the love of wealth and go to the Masjid only because of their love for Salaah. As a result, they either delay their Zuhr and Asr Salaah or discard them altogether. Let alone missing the Asr Salaah completely, serious warnings have been given against delaying it till just before sunset. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said, “This is the Salaah of the hypocrite: He sits waiting for the sun until it is between the two horns of the shaytaan (i.e. just before sunset). Then ( very hastily) he goes and strikes his head four times on the ground (and) he does not remember Allah therein, but a little.” (Sahih Muslim) Missing Asr completely However, regarding to those people who miss their Asr Salaah completely Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said: 'He who misses his Asr Salaah (i.e. reads it after its specified time) is as if he has lost his wife, children and all his wealth.’ (Sahih Muslim) In other words, Salaah is so precious that missing one Salaah should make us grieve and mourn its loss like the pain suffered by a man who has lost his wife, his children and all his belongings. May Allah protect us from missing our Salaah because of the very grave consequences in the Hereafter. Another Hadith warns that for a person who totally neglects or misses his Asr Salaah, all his actions are rendered worthless. (Mishkaat p.60) This is why the Qur'aan specifically emphasizes the importance of the Asr Salaah. Yet, it is sad and shocking that so many businessmen and workers remain busy in their shops and offices, and read their Asr Salaah during sunset or make it qadha afterwards. Those who are guilty of this should reflect upon the above Ahaadith. Allah Ta'ala also says: Verily Salaah is compulsory on the Muslims at its prescribed time. (Surah an-Nisaa: 103) Therefore, to read a Salaah other than at its prescribed time without a valid Shari' excuse, makes a person deserving of severe punishment. In Surah al-Maa-oon, referring specifically to the hypocrites, Allah warns them with destruction for neglecting their Salaah and not performing it on time. Yet, these examples are found in abundance amongst Muslims today. The Successful Believers Describing the successful Believers, Allah Ta'ala declares: They are those who are punctual in the performance of their Salaah. (Surah al-Mu'minoon: 9) We engage in business as a means of gaining sustenance. Allah Ta'ala, our Sustainer, has promised sustenance with ease and barakah (blessings) if we perform our Salaah on time and with jama'ah (for males) by observing all its etiquette. But, if our business becomes an obstacle to establishing Salaah, it is actually an obstacle to gaining rizq from Allah Ta' ala. This will deprive our earnings of any barakah and instead of bringing us happiness and enjoyment it will becomes a means of torment and grief. May Allah guide us to adopt the ways of our Pious Predecessors and those who have earned His pleasure, and may He help us to realise that our success lies truly in submitting to His orders in the manner demonstrated by our Master, Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam). Aameen Prepared by: IDARAH IHYAA-UDDEEN

Islam and Ego by Nouman Ali Khan

Speaker:  Br. Nouman Ali Khan

1) Remember Allah (swt)

• Don’t do thoughtless Dhikr, contemplate, don’t just say without thinking. For example, say Alhamdullilah, MashaAllah and ShukarAlhamdulilah during your day when it has meaning and basis that you can appreciate.
• Learn to be Uncomfortable with Praise: If someone praises you, just bring it back to Allah (swt). Say to the other person, I don’t need your praise – I just need your dua. Don’t praise me. Put yourself down and bring light to the truth, the Creator of All things – Allah (swt) and His Will. When someone praises you, it hurts you because it boosts your EGO. So tell others to stop praising you.
• When someone is condensing towards you and is real nasty to you it’s a good way to put down your EGO – so they may have been doing you a favour. Think about it. This may inshallah be a gift from Allah (swt) the gift of Humility.
• Learn to Serve people – for the Sake of Allah (swt)
• Keep things gradual – don’t burn yourself out.
• If you do things for Allah (swt) and you seem frustrated when you don’t see results (from your work, MSA, Masjid, etc.) then change your attitude and change your intention – You won’t be frustrated because you put your expectations with Allah (swt). You’re not in charge of results – that’s all up to Allah (swt). So even if you put in a lot of work passing out flyers and no one shows up you may be frustrated…but don’t be, don’t internalize this frustration – Allah (swt) takes care of all things. Be happy that you’re not the one in charge of results. Just do your part with the right attitude and intention and seriousness. And you become satisfied with yourself.

2) Find better company - find company of people better than yourself so you be surrounded with those best in character and so you may learn something.

  

3) Keep your mouth shut – If you see something really bad, find a humble way of giving advice to a muslim. Find a loving soft way to pull people into Islam. Don’t change their behaviour first, change their heart.  Most time we go after people’s behaviours. Their hearts must change first and then their behaviour. It’s your job to just remind and make dua to Allah (swt), not to go after another persons’ behaviour. The first person to benefit from a sincere reminder is the one who gives a sincere reminder.

• Be patient. Prophet Muhammad (saws) reminded people for over 10 years.
• You may never see benefit but it benefits.
• The words are coming from you and the effect is coming from Allah (swt). If your words are not affecting others then there’s probably something wrong with you. Look to yourself first. Don’t worry about results – just do what you’re supposed to do.

On Knowledge

People turn knowledge into a means to inflate their ego – because they wanted to dominate others. This deen is for those who are humble.

On Sincerity

• If you are in a position of Leadership how do you give counsel to someone – especially if they are muslim?
• Learn to be tolerant. Do not justify wrong behaviour – but remember to be nice about your speech, be SINCERE.  Sincerity shows. There is a difference – are you someone who is not nice in your speech and you put others down, or do you show sincerity – where you are humble in your actions and you bring yourself to humble level.
• How do you know if you are sincere? After an incident when someone hurt’s you by their words or actions you 1) Forgive them 2) Ask Allah (swt) to forgive them (all in private). The private dua is sincere.
• How to also be sincere: Treat everyone decently by respecting and listening to their views – take their opinion if beneficial, just talk to them. Consult them so they feel dignified. Prophet Muhammad (saws) didn’t need to consult for decisions because he got revelation and then could make decisions, but he still consulted others to make them feel included. To make them feel dignified.

Allah (swt) is the key to success. Place your decisions in trust with Allah (swt).
 

When it comes to putting in effort:
 

Bad:I’m going to make the best effort possible and the results are in my hands.I’m going to make no effort and the results are in Allah (swt) hands.
 

Best:I’m going to make the best effort and the results are in Allah(swt) hands.
 

Source: http://faithworksforever.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/how-to-clean-your-heart-and-arrogance/

MAKING YOUR SALAH BETTER

Have you ever noticed when you are performing your Salah, all sorts of worldly things occupy your mind and you are unable to concentrate on your salah???

It may be that you have too much on your mind or that Satan is attacking you from within.

How can you get rid of these distractions and improve your salah??? Here are some suggestions:

1. Make a serious effort to perform Salah to the best of your ability.

2. Make Wudu/Ghusl properly.

3. Develop humility and attentiveness before Allaah.

"Successful are the believers who offer their prayers with humility and attentiveness." [Al-Quran:23:1-2]

4. Remember Death:

5. The awesome presence of Allaah must b e felt. Again,

6. Try to learn the meaning of the words you say in Arabic and you will find yourself concentrating better in your Salah. You will begin to relate better in your conversation with Allaah since you will connect your speech with Him.

7. Try to develop the ability to be cut off, from this world and the normal cares of other seekers of the world.

8. Pray at the Fixed times.

9. When you are praying in Jamaa'ah, keep the lines straight and do not leave spaces, for satan occupies the spaces.

10. Let your prayer be a happy occasion and not a duty to be frowned upon, but rather to be awaited in eager anticipation.

11. Let your prayer be an outpouring of love and appreciation for all that Allaah has done for you and your family and all of mankind.

12. Shun all negative qualities like jealousy and pride and develop positive qualities like piety and fear of Allaah's wrath, for it will help you in your relation with Allaah.

13. Good prayer depends on the condition of the mind and total dependence on Allaah as well as internalized certainty that Allaah is always knowledgeable of everything that you do.

14. Do not be contented until you learn to pray properly - at every moment speak to Allaah sincerely until you are satisfied that you have tried your best.

15. Strive for excellence in everything that you do and more so, when it is for Allaah.

16. Always remember that "TIME" is your only asset to do things for the Hereafter, so do not put things off because there is no guarantee that the Prayer you missed or spoilt will ever be rectified.

InshaAllaah hope this benefits all of us.

Fasting on the Day of 'Arafah

By Tajuddin B. Shu'aib Da`awah Enterprises International Los Angeles, California. USA

The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah (the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar) is the day of 'Arafah. It is the day when pilgrims stand on the plain of 'Arafah to pray. On this day, Muslims all over the world who do not witness the annual hajj should spend the day in fasting, in preparation for the three days festivity following 'Eid ul-Adha (the celebration marking the end of the hajj commemorating the Prophet Ibrâhîm's willingness of sacrifice).

Abû Hafsah, may Allâh be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:

"Fasting on the day of 'Arafah absolves the sins for two years: the previous year and the coming year, and fasting on 'ashûra, (the tenth day of Muharram) atones for the sins of previous years."[Reported by all except al-Bukhârî and Tirmidhî]

In another saying the Prophet's wife Hafsah, may Allâh be pleased with her, said:

"Four things the Messenger of Allâh never neglected: Observing fast on the day of 'ashûra, 'Arafat, three days every month, and offering fajr sunnah prayers early in the morning." [Muslim]

These statements are proof that fasting on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the day before 'Eid ul-Adha was a lifelong practice of the Prophet, peace be upon him, as his wife reported.

There are some reports that fasting is prohibited on the day of 'Arafah. However, it must be understood that this refers to a person performing the hajj. If a person is on the hajj, there is no fast for him or her on the day of 'Arafah. That is undoubtedly a blessing for him because of the hardships of the pilgrimage. In a saying reported by Umm al-Fadl,may Allâh be pleased with her, she said:

"The companions doubted whether the Prophet was fasting on 'Arafah or not. She decided to prove to them that he was not, so she said, 'I sent to him milk, which he drank while he was delivering the khutbah (sermon) on 'Arafah.' " [Recorded by al-Bukhârî]

Prohibiting the pilgrims from fasting on these days is a great mercy for them, for fasting will exert undue hardship on the person performing the hajj, while they are primarily concerned with their pilgrimage. Above all, the pilgrim would not be fasting anyway because he is travelling.

Rulings of Udhiyah(Sacrifice)

Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.

Udhiyah is one of the great rituals of Islam, in which we remember the Unity of Allaah, His blessings upon us and the obedience of our father Ibraaheem to his Lord, and in this act of udhiyah there is much goodness and blessing. So the Muslim must pay attention to its great importance. The following is a brief look at this important ritual.

Udhiyah refers to the  animal (camel, cattle or sheep) that is sacrificed as an act of worship to Allaah, in the country in which the person offering the sacrifice lives, during the period from after the Eid prayer on the Day of Nahr (Eid al-Adhaa) until the last of the Days of Tashreeq (the 13th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah), with the intention of offering sacrifice. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord anf sacrifice (to Him only).” [al-Kawthar 108:2]“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” [al-An’aam 6:162]“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your God is One God, so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam)…” [al-Hajj 22:34]Udhiyyah is a confirmed Sunnah according to the majority of scholars (some scholars say that it is waajib or obligatory; this will be discussed in more detail below). The basic principle is that it is required at the appointed time from one who is alive on behalf of himself and the members of his household, and he may include in the reward for it whoever he wishes, living or dead. With regard to udhiyah on behalf of one who is dead, if the deceased bequeathed up to one third of his wealth for that purpose, or included it in his waqf (endowment), then these wishes must be carried out, otherwise, if a person wishes to offer a sacrifice on behalf of someone who has died, this is a good deed and is considered to be giving charity on behalf of the dead. But the Sunnah is for a man to include the members of his household, living and deed, in his udhiyah, and when he slaughters it, he should say, “Allaahumma haadha ‘anni wa ‘an aali bayti (O Allaah, this is on behalf of myself and the members of my household” – he does not have to make a separate sacrifice on behalf of every deceased person.

The scholars agreed that sacrificing the animal and giving its meat in charity is better than giving its value in charity, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to make the sacrifice, and he did not do anything but that which is best and most befitting. This is the opinion of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad.

The virtues of udhiyah and the best of udhiyah


A sheep is good enough as a sacrifice for one man and the members of his household and his children, because of the hadeeth of Abu Ayyoob:  “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man would sacrifice a sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his household, and they would eat from it and give some to others.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah and al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh)

The kinds of animals prescribed for sacrifice are camels, cattle and sheep. Some of the scholars said that the best sacrifice is camels, then cattle, then sheep, then a share in a she-camel or cow, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning Friday prayers:  “Whoever goes to [Friday prayers] early, it is equivalent to him sacrificing a camel.” This is the opinion of the three imaams Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad. On this basis, a sheep is better than one-seventh of a camel or cow. Maalik said that the best is a young sheep, then a cow then a camel, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two rams, and he never did anything but that which was the best. The response to that is that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always chose what was more appropriate out of kindness towards his ummah, because they would follow his example, and he did not want to make things difficult for them. (Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz).

A camel or cow is enough for seven people, because of the report narrated by Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:  “We sacrificed at al-Hudaybiyah with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a camel for seven and a cow for seven.” According to one version: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to share camels and cattle, each seven men sharing one animal.” According to another version: “So a cow would be sacrificed on behalf of seven men and we would share it.” (Reported by Muslim)

Ruling of udhiyah:


Udhiyah is one of the rituals of Islam. It is mentioned in Jawaahir al-Ikleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel that if the people of a city or country neglect udhiyah, they should be fought, because it is one of the rituals of Islam. (Rasaa’il Fiqhiyyah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 46). There are two scholarly opinions on udhiyah:

that it is waajib (obligatory). This is the opinion of al-Oozaa’i, al-Layth and Abu Haneefah, and it is one of the two opinions narrated from Imaam Ahmad. It was also the opinion of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and is one of the two opinions in the madhhab of Maalik, or is what seems to be the madhhab of Maalik. Those who favour this opinion take the following as evidence:

The aayah:  “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord anf sacrifice (to Him only).” [al-Kawthar 108:2]. This is a command, and a command implies that something is obligatory.

The hadeeth of Jundub (may Allaah be pleased with him), reported in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere, who said:  “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before he prays, let him slaughter another one in its place, and whoever did not slaughter a sacrifice, let him do so in the name of Allaah.’” (Reported by Muslim, 3621)

The hadeeth:  “Whoever can afford to offer a sacrifice but does not do so, let him not approach our place or prayer.” (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah; classed as saheeh by al-Haakim from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). It says in Fath al-Baari that its men are thiqaat).

(B) that it is a confirmed  Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah). This is the opinion of the majority, and it is the madhhab of al-Shaafa'i and the better-known opinion of Maalik and Ahmad. But most of those who favour this opinion stated that it is makrooh (disliked) for the one who is able to offer a sacrifice to neglect to do so. They base their opinion on the following:

The hadeeth of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) in Sunan Abi Dawood, where he said:  “I prayed on Eid al-Adhaa with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and when he finished (the prayer), he was brought two rams, and he sacrificed them. He said, ‘In the Name of Allaah, Allaah is Most Great. This is on behalf of myself and any member of my ummah who did not offer a sacrifice.” (Sunan Abi Dawood bi Sharh Muhammad Shams al-Haq Abaadi, 7/486)

The hadeeth reported by all the famous muhadditheen apart from al-Bukhaari: “Whoever among you want to offer a sacrifice, let him not take anything from his hair or nails.” Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, said, following his discussion of those who say it is obligatory and those who say it is Sunnah, “Each point of view has its evidence, but to be on the safe side, the one who is able to offer a sacrifice should not neglect to do so, because of what is involved in this act of reverence towards Allaah, remembering Him, and making sure that one has nothing to be blamed for.

Conditions of udhiyah

The animal should have reached the required age, which is six months for a lamb, one year for a goat, two years for a cow and five years for a camel.

It should be free of any faults, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are four that will not do for sacrifice: a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, a lame animal whose limp is obvious and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones .” (Saheeh, Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 886). There are milder defects that do not disqualify an animal, but it is makrooh to sacrifice such animals, such as an animal with a horn or ear missing, or an animal with slits in its ears, etc. Udhiyah is an act of worship to Allaah, and Allaah is Good and accepts only that which is good. Whoever honours the rites of Allaah, this has to do with the piety (taqwa) of the heart.

It is forbidden to sell it. If an animal has been selected for sacrifice, it is not permissible to sell it or give it away, except in exchange for one that is better. If an animal gives birth, its offspring should be sacrificed along with it. It is also permissible to ride it if necessary. The evidence for this is the report narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw a man leading his camel and told him, “Ride it.” He said, “It is for sacrifice.” He said,“Ride it” a second or third time.

It should be sacrificed at the specified time, which is from after the prayer and khutbah of Eid – not from when the time for the prayer and khutbah starts – until before sunset on the last of the days of Tashreeq, which is the 13th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  “Whoever sacrifices before the prayer, let him repeat it.”(Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The days of Nahr (Sacrifice) are the day of al-Adhaa and the three days following it.” This is also the opinion of al-Hasan al-Basri, ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabaah, al-Oozaa’i, al-Shaafa'i and Ibn al-Mundhir, may Allaah have mercy on them all.

What should be done with the sacrifice?


It is mustahabb (liked, preferable) for the one who has made a sacrifice to not eat anything on that day before he eats from it, if this is possible, because of the hadeeth, “Let every man eat from his sacrifice.” (Classed as saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5349). This eating should be after the Eid prayer and khutbah. This is the opinion of the scholars, including ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and others. The evidence for this is the hadeeth of Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him):  “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would not go out on the day of Fitr until he had eaten, and he would not eat on the day of Adhaa until he had slaughtered (his sacrifice).” (Al-Albaani said: its isnaad is saheeh. Al-Mishkaat, 1/452).

It is better for a person to slaughter the sacrifice himself, but if he does not, it is mustahabb for him to be present when it is slaughtered.

It is mustahaab to divide the meat into three: one third to be eaten, one third to be given as gifts and one third to be given in charity. This was the opinion of Ibn Mas’ood and Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them). The scholars agreed that it is not permissible to sell anything from its meat, fat or skin. In a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  “Whoever sells the skin of his udhiyah, there is no udhiyah for him (i.e., it is not counted as udhiyah).” (Classed as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6118). The butcher should not be given anything of it by way of reward or payment, because ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded me to take care of the sacrifice and to give its meat, skin and raiment ( covering used for protection ) in charity, and not to give anything of it to the butcher as a compensation . He said, ‘We will give him something from what we have.’” (Agreed upon). It was said that it is permissible to give the butcher something as a gift, and that it is permissible to give some of it to a kaafir if he is poor or a relative or a neighbour, or in order to open his heart to Islam. (Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz).

Question: what should the Muslim avoid in the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah if he wants to offer a sacrifice?


The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must refrain from taking anything from his hair, nails or skin from the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah until he offers his sacrifice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered his sacrifice.” According to another report: “Let him not touch any part of his hair or nails.” (Reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146). This command implies obligation and the prohibition implies that it is forbidden, according to the most correct opinion, because these are absolutes with no exceptions. If a person deliberately takes something (from his hair or nails), he must seek the forgiveness of Allaah, but he does not have to pay any fidyah (penalty), and his udhiyah is still valid. Whoever needs to remove some of his hair or nails because leaving it will cause him harm, such as a torn nail or a wound in a site covered by hair, should remove it, and there is no sin on him if he does so. This is not more serious than the muhrim (person in ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah) who is allowed to shave if not doing so will cause him harm. There is nothing wrong with men and women washing their hair during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only forbade removing hair, and because the muhrim is allowed to wash his head.

The wisdom behind the prohibition on removing hair and nails is because the one who is going to offer a sacrifice is like the one who is in ihraam for Hajj and ‘Umrah with regard to some rituals, which is the offering of a sacrifice in order to draw closer to Allaah. Thus some of the rulings of ihraam apply to the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, so he should not touch his hair and nails until he has slaughtered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will release him from the fire of Hell. And Allaah knows best.

If a person removes some of his hair and nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he is not planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to sacrifice, he should refrain from cutting his hair or nails from the moment he takes the decision.

There are some women who delegate their brothers or sons to do the sacrifice on their behalf so that they can cut their hair during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. This is not correct, because the ruling applies to the one who is making the sacrifice, whether he or she delegates someone else to do the actual slaughter or not. The prohibition does not apply to the person appointed, it applies to the person who wants to offer a sacrifice on behalf of himself, as is indicated by the hadeeth. As for the person who is doing the sacrifice on behalf of another, whether because of a will or because he has been delegated to do so, the prohibition does not apply to him.

It is apparent that this prohibition applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, and does not extend to his wife or children, unless one of them is offering a sacrifice on his or her own behalf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice on behalf of the family of Muhammad, and it was not reported that he forbade them to remove anything of their hair or nails.

Whoever is planning to offer a sacrifice, then decides to go for Hajj, should not remove anything of his hair or nails when he wants to enter ihraam, because this is Sunnah only when there is a need for it. But if he is doing Hajj “tamattu’” [where one performs ‘Umrah, then ends ihraam and enters a new state of ihraam for Hajj], he should shorten his hair when he finishes ‘Umrah because that is part of the ritual.

The things that are forbidden for the person who wants to offer a sacrifice are reported in the hadeeth quoted above. It is not forbidden for him to wear perfume or to have intercourse with his wife or to wear sewn garments and so on.

And Allah knows best.

http://blog.iloveallaah.com/2009/12/rulings-of-udhiyah-sacrifice/