Showing posts with label Islamic Studies - Sholat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamic Studies - Sholat. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Learn How To Pray

Yesterday, I had students who want to learn how to perform salah or pray as Muslim. I was so happy that the kids understand how important the salah is in their life. Salah is the second pillar of Islam after saying Shahadah.
One kids ask me, "why are we so lazy to do salah five time a day?"
I said that shaytan always wants us to go to the hell fire.
When you feel lazy to do salah then remember about shaytan who wants us to go to the hell fire. You can read The Benefits of Prayer


In Hadith:


  • Salah is one of the Five Pillar of Islam

    "Islam has been built upon five things - on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan."
    [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]



  • Questioning Salah in the Day of Judgement

    On the authority of Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that Allah's Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said:
    The first of his actions for which a servant of Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded; and if they are wanting, then he will have failed and lost. If there is something defective in his obligatory prayers, the Lord (The Glorified and the Exalted) will say: See if My servant has any optional prayers with which may be completed that which was defective in his obligatory prayers. Then the rest of his actions will be judged in like fashion. (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, an-Nasai, Ibn Majah and Ahmad). (Hadith Qudsi)

  • Salah of Prophet Muhammat (PBUH)

    Hadrat Mughira (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) prayed for so long in the night in standing posture that his feet got swollen up. His companions said to him, "O Prophet of Allah! Why do you exert so much when Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) has forgiven you all sins." The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) replied, "Should I not be a grateful servant of Allah?" (Bukhari, Muslim)

  • Salah in Congregation

    • Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Salat in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually.''[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].



    • Hadrat Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They Holy Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said, "If they are three persons in a habitation or in a jungle and they do not say their prescribed prayers jointly, it would mean that the devil has gained ascendency over them. Therefore, make a rule for yourselves to say congregational prayers, for a goat which leaves the flock is devoured by the wolf." (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasai)

    • Special reward for salah in congregation in special Masjid

      Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: Prayer of a man in his house is one prayer, and his prayer in the mosque of the tribes is prayer by 25 times, and his prayer in the congregational mosque is prayer by 500 times, and his prayer in the farthest mosque Masjid Aqsa (of Jerusalem) is prayer by 50,000 times and his prayer in my mosque is prayer by 50,000 times and his prayer in the sacred mosque (of Ka'ba) is prayer by 100,000 times. (Ibn Majah)




  • When you hear Adhan

    Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A blind man came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have no one to guide me to the mosque.'' He, therefore, sought his permission to perform Salat (prayer) in his house. He (PBUH) granted him permission. When the man turned away, he called him back, and said, "Do you hear the Adhan (call to prayer)?'' He replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then directed him to respond to it.[Muslim].



  • Salah can erase minor sins.

    Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said, "Let anyone tell me; if a stream flows by the house of any person and he baths in it five times a day, whether any dirt will remain on his body." The companions replied that no dirt would remain in such a case. He said, "So is the case with prescribed prayers. Allah forgives men's sins (minor) on their account." (Bukhari, Muslim)

  • Salah in any position

    Narrated 'Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him): I had piles, so I asked the Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) about the prayer. He said, "Pray while standing and if you can't, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side." (Bukhari)


  • How to Perform Salah

    Hadrat Abu Hamid as Sayidi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated amongst ten of the companions of the Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him): I know better than you about the prayer of Allah's Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him). They asked: Narrate. He said: When the Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) stood for prayer, he raised his hands till he took them opposite his shoulders, then he recited takbir, then he read (the Qur'an), then he recited takbir and raised up his hands till he took them opposite his shoulders, then bowed placing his palms upon his knees, then making himself straight, neither lowering his head nor raising it up. Then he raised up his head saying, "Allah hears one who praises Him": then he raised up his hands till he took them opposite his shoulders by being straight: and he said: "Allah is the greatest." Then he lowered himself to the ground in prostration keeping his hands away from his two sides and bending the toes of his feet, he raised up his head and bent his left foot and sat on it, then he sat straight till every bone returned to its proper place. Next he prostrated and said: "Allah is Most Great", raising himself, and bent on his left foot and sat on it. Then he sat straight till every bone returned to its proper place. Then he stood up and did the same thing in the second Rak'at. At the end of the two Rak'ats he stood and said takbir raising up his hands till he took them opposite his shoulders, just as he recited takbir when he opened the prayer, then he did the same in the remaining portion of his prayer till when the prostration in which there was Taslim, he put out his left foot and sat on his hip bone upon his left side. Then he uttered Taslim. They said: You have spoken the truth. He used to pray thus. (Abu Dawud)

  • Timing of Five Prayers

    Hadrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: The time of Zuhr prayer remains till the sun declines and the shadow of a man becomes double his length and so long as the Asr prayer does not come, and the time of Asr prayer remains so long as the sun does not become yellow: and the time of Maghrib prayer remains so long as the red hue does not disappear; and the time for Isha prayers remains up to the midnight, and the time for Fajr prayer runs from the appearance of dawn till the sun does not rise, but when the sun rises, keep away from prayer because it rises between two horns of the devil. (Muslim)



Please do not miss to do salah in the right time.

Some of useful links are:






  • Before you pray, you need to learn how to take wudu/ablution.


  • The Benefits of Prayer

  • Calmness-Khushu in Salah

    • May Allah make us easy to do our salah everyday in our life and accept our salah. Ameen.

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    Tuesday, May 13, 2008

    Surah Al-A'la (87) / The Most High

    Surah Al-A'la = The Most High
    Number of Surah (chapter) = 87
    Number of Ayah (verses)= 19
    Place of revelation = Makkah

    The Surah taken its name from the word Al-A'la in its first verse.

    This Surah was revealed in Makkah before the migration to Al-Madinah. The proof of this is what Al-Bukhari recorded from Al-Bara' bin `Azib, that he said, "The first people to come to us (in Al-Madinah) from the Companions of the Prophet were Mus`ab bin `Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum, who taught us the Qur'an; then `Ammar, Bilal and Sa`d came. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab came with a group of twenty people, after which the Prophet came. I have not seen the people of Al-Madinah happier with anything more than their happiness with his coming (to Al-Madinah). This was reached to such an extent that I saw the children and little ones saying, `This is the Messenger of Allah who has come.' Thus, he came, but he did not come until after I had already recited (i.e., learned how to recite)(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.) (87:1) as well as other Surahs similar to it.'' It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said to Mu`adh, (Why didn't you recite "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,''; "By the sun and its brightness,'' and "By the night when it envelopes.'')

    Imam Ahmad recorded from An-Nu`man bin Bashir that the Messenger of Allah recited Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) in the two `Id prayers. If the `Id prayer fell on Friday, he would recite them in both prayers (`Id and Salat Al-Jumu`ah).

    Muslim also recorded this in his Sahih, as well as Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah. The wording of Muslim and the Sunan compilers says, "He used to recite Surat Al-A`la (chapter 87) and Surat Al-Ghashiyh (chapter 88) for the two `Ids and Jumu`ah. If they occurred on the same day, he would recite them in both of them.''

    The meaning of the Surah are:


    • verse 1: The Command to pronounce Tasbih and its Response

      سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى


      • 1. Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,


      Allah Almighty should be remembered only by the beautiful names which suit and befit Him.


    • Verses 2-5: The Creation, the Decree, and the bringing forth of Vegetation



      • الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى
        2. Who created and proportioned;

      • وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى
        3. And who destined and then guided;

      • وَالَّذِى أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَى
        4. And who brings out the (green and luscious) pasture,

      • فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَآء أَحْوَى
        5. And then make it black stubble.

    "Your Lord, glorification of Whose name is being enjoined, is He Who created everything in the Universe, proportioned it, set it a destiny, taught it to perform the function for which it is created, and you witness this manifestation of His power day and night that He creates vegetation on the earth as well as reduces it to mere rubbish. No other being has the power to bring about spring nor the power to prevent autumn."

    • Verses 6-8: The Prophet does not forget the Revelation


      • سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلاَ تَنسَى

        6. We will make you recite, O Muhammad, and you will not forget,


      • إِلاَّ مَا شَآء اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَى

        7. Except what Allah should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.

      • وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَى

        8. And We will make it easy for thee (to follow) the simple (Path).


      This is Allah informing and promising him (the Prophet ) that He will teach him a recitation that he will not forget.(Except what Allah may will.)

    • Verses 9-13: The Command to remind


      • فَذَكّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذّكْرَى

        9. So remind, if the reminder should benefit;

      • سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَى

        10. He who fears Allah will be reminded.

      • وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الاْشْقَى

        11. But it will be avoided by those most unfortunate ones,

      • الَّذِى يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَى

        12. He who will enter and burn in the greatest Fire,

      • ثُمَّ لاَ يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلاَ يَحْيَا

        13. In which they will then neither die nor live.


      Allah then says,(Therefore remind in case the reminder profits.) meaning, remind where reminding is beneficial. From here we get the etiquette of spreading knowledge, that it should not be wasted upon those who are not suitable or worthy of it. The Commander of the believers, `Ali said, "You do not tell people any statement that their intellects do not grasp except that it will be a Fitnah (trial) for some of them.'' He also said, "Tell people that which they know. Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be rejected''

      Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be rejected'' Allah said:
      (The reminder will be received by him who fears,) meaning, `he whose heart fears Allah and who knows that he is going to meet Him, will receive admonition from what you convey to him, O Muhammad.'

      Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah said,
      Concerning the people of the Fire who are deserving of it, they will not die nor will they live. Regarding the people that Allah wants mercy for, He will cause them to die in the Fire. Then He will allow the intercessors to come to them, and a man will take his groups of supporters and plant them (or he said (they will be planted) in the River of Al-Haya (or he said (Al-Hayah, or Al-Hayawan, or Nahr Al-Jannah). Then they will sprout up like the sprouting of the seed on the moist bank of a flowing stream.)

      Then the Prophet said,(Haven't you all seen the tree that is green, then it turns yellow, then it turns green (again)) Abu Sa`id then said that some of those present said, "It is as if the Prophet used to live in the desert wilderness (i.e., due to his parables of nature).''

      Ahmad also recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah said,(Concerning the people of the Fire who will be dwellers of it, they will not die in it nor will they live. However, there will be a group of people - or as he said -( whom the Fire will burn due to their sins - or he said - (their wrongdoings. So, He will cause them to die until they become burnt coal. Then the intercession will be allowed and they will be brought group after group, and they will be scattered over the rivers of Paradise. Then it will be said: "O people of Paradise! Pour down upon them.'' Then they will sprout like the growing of the seed that is upon the moist bank of the flowing stream.'' Then, a man from among the people present said, "It is as if the Messenger of Allah used to live in the desert wilderness.'' Muslim also recorded this Hadith.

    • Verses 14-15: A Statement concerning the People of Success


      • قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى
        14. But those will succeeded who purify themselves,

      • وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى

        15. And glorify the name of Allah, and (lift their hearts) in prayer.


      Allah says,(Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success.) meaning, he purifies himself from despised characteristics and he follows what Allah has revealed to the Messenger .

      (And remembers the Name of his Lord, and performs Salah.) meaning, he establishes the prayer in its appointed time, seeking the pleasure of Allah, obedience to His command, and implementation of His Law.

    • Verses 16-17: This World is Worthless in Comparison to the Hereafter


      • بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا

        16. But you prefer the worldly life,

      • وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى

        17. But the Hereafter is better and more enduring.


      The reward of the final abode is better than the worldly life, and it is more lasting. For indeed, this worldly life is lowly and temporal, whereas the Hereafter is noble and eternal. Thus, how can an intelligent person prefer that which is short-lived over that which is eternal. How can he give importance to that which will soon pass away from him, while ignoring the importance of the abode of eternity and infinity.

    • Verses 18-19: The Scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa


      • إِنَّ هَـذَا لَفِى الصُّحُفِ الاٍّولَى

        18. Indeed, this is in the former Books (Revelation),-


      • صُحُفِ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَمُوسَى

        19. The Books of Abraham and Moses.



      Verily, this is in the former Scriptures -- the Scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa.) This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement in Surat An-Najm,(Or is he not informed with what is in the Scriptures of Musa. And of Ibrahim who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (Allah ordered him to do or convey): that no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins) of another. And that man can have nothing but what he does. And that his deeds will be seen. Then he will be recompensed with a full and the best recompense. And that to your Lord is the End (Return of everything).) (53:36-42) And so forth, until the end of these Ayat.


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      Activities and worksheets for kids:


      =====================

      Let's hear surah Al-A'la and memorize it:


      Listen to tafsir Surah Al-A'la:



      Here are other links:



      Sources:

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    Sunday, March 23, 2008

    Calmness (Khushu') in Salah

    "Doesn't the one who raises his head before the Imaam fear

    that Allah turns his head into a donkey's head?"

    (Muslim)
    ==================


    Last week, my kids and I read together the above hadith after salah Maghrib.
    I knew that some kids always want to play while we are doing salah. We have to try to explain the kids to calmness (khushu') in salah. By reading some of hadiths, the kids will learn why we have to calm or khushu' in salah.

    Performing Salah is the second pillar of Islam, after saying Shahadah.

    To performing salah, we need to learn:

    • Doing the wudu in the proper way
    • To do the salah in its time
    • To do it in congregation (jama'ah) - where the reward is 27 times than praying alone
    • To fulfill the six conditions of salah
    • To observe the proper manners (adab) of doing it such as submission and humility
    • To follow preferable actions (sunnah) in our salah

    There are some of statements in Al Qur'an and Hadiths about Khushu' or calmness in salah.

    In Al Qur'an


    • "And stand before Allah in a devout frame of mind." [2:238]

    • "Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their sholats with all solemnity and full submission." [23:1-2]

    • "And man is ever hasty" [17:11]

    We should not in hurry when we are doing sholat.
    If we are doing sholat in hurry, we are not going to have time to talk to Allah or to focus on what we are saying to Allah.
    Sholat means being close to Allah. We should be calmness, peaceful, solemnity, and full submission when we offer the sholat. This is what it is called Khushu'.



    In Hadith


    • The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "The worst of stealers are those who steal from their salahs." People asked: "O Messenger of Allah, how could one steal from his payer?" He said: "He would not bow down and prostrate completely" (Ahmad).

      How can a person stand before Allah in sholat and at the same time check the time in his/her cellphone or watch, straighten her cloth/scarft, look right and left?
      This is the way of the Saythan steals from his/her salah.


    • The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said: "A man's salah is not correct until he straightens [makes level] his back during kneeling and prostration." (Abu Dawud).


    • The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam then said: "Do you see this man? Whoever dies while in this state [i.e. performing salah in this way], has died outside the creed of Muhammad. He performs his salah like a crow who pecks blood. Those who bow and prostrate as if they were pecking are like the hungry who eats but one or two dates, how can they satisfy his hunger?" (Ibn Khuzaymah) Huthayfah radhiallahu anhu saw a man hastening his bowing and prostration, he said: "You did not pray, and if you died, you would have died not on the innate nature that Allah has created Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wasallam with." (al-Bukhari)



    • When the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, was asked about leveling the earth during prostration, he said: "Do not smoothen while you are praying, but if you really have to, do it only once to level the pebbles." (Abu Dawud)


    • The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "Patience is from Allah and hastiness is from Shaytan." (al-Bayhaqi).


    • The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam has strongly warned against it, saying: "Doesn't the one who raises his head before the imam fear that Allah turns his head into a donkey's head?" (Muslim).


    • Al-Baraa Ibnu 'Azib radhiallahu anhu narrated that they were praying behind the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wasallam, so when he raised his head from kneeling he [al-Baraa] would not see anybody bending his back [to prostrate] until the Messenger sallallahu alayhe wasallam put his forehead on the floor, then people would fall in prostration behind him." (Muslim)


    • When the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam advanced in age, and his movements became slower, he notified the Muslims praying behind him, saying: "O people, I became heavier, so do not precede me in kneeling and prostrating." (al-Bayhiqi).


    • Abu Hurayrah radhiallahu anhu narrated: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wasallam used to say takbir in salah when he stood up for salah, then he says takbir when he bows down., then he says takbir when he falls [in prostration], then he says takbir when he raises his head, then he says takbir when he prostrates, then he says it when he raises his head, then he would do the same during the whole salah, until the end, and he says takbir when he gets up from the sitting position after the second rak'a."(al-Bukhari).



    We should remember that Allah initially commanded us to pray fifty times a day and it was eventually reduced to five times (with the reward of fifty).
    Some of the reasons are:

    • the prayer times are very reasonably spread out throughout the day
    • it can even help us to manage our time
    • it can help us to manage our affairs, allowing the Muslim community to meet during congregation and care for and help each other which will lead in turn to solidarity.


    Thus, the sholat five times a day should not be seen as a burden as some Muslims might regard them today.

    =========================================

    Activities and Worksheets for kids to learn salah / praying:



    • Making the chart of salah.
    • Learn and practice salah five times a day.
    • Always try to do salah in time and in jama'ah/congregation at home or in masjid if it is possible.
    • Write about "What does Salah mean to me?"
    • Write about "The History of Isra' Mi'raj"
    • Write about "How to do Khushu' in Salah"


    To watch videos:


    Sources:

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