Compulsory Actions For Ablution
Q. How is it to say the prayer, without ablution?
A. It is a big sin. Some religious scholars hold the person Kafir, who intentionally offers the prayer, without ablution.
Q. What is the proof of ablution being a necessity for saying the prayer?
A. The following verse of the Holy Qur’an stipulates that ablution is an essential pre-requisite for prayer.
(O Believers when you rise up for prayer, wash your face, and your hands up to the elbows. And lightly rub your heads. And wash your feet up to the ankles).
And Hadrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has said: MIFTAHUS SALATIT TUHUR (Cleanliness is the key to prayer)
Q. What is the minimum that may be called washing?
A. To pour water on a limb, sufficient enough to wet it, permitting one or two drops to fall down. This is washing in its lowest term Wetting to a lesser degree, is not ‘washing’. For example, if one moves wet hands over the face, using so little water that all of it is absorbed and no drops fall down, it will not be considered that one has ‘washed’ the face. Ablution (Wudu) therefore, will not be complete.
Q. How many times, parts be washed, and whose washing is obligatory for ablution?
A. Washing them once, is obligatory (Fard) Washing them up to three times, is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). And to wash more than three times is undesirable (Makruh) and not permissible.
Q. What portion of the face must be washed?
A. The face must be washed from the hair of the forehead to down under the chin, and from the tip of one ear to the tip of the second ear.
Q. Is ablution valid if a small area of the limb, washing of which is obligatory, is left dry?
A. Even if a tiny spot, as small as one hair, is left dry, the ablution will not be valid.
Q. If one has six fingers, is it obligatory to wash also the sixth finger?
A. Yes. It is obligatory to wash the sixth finger also. Similarly, any additional growth within a part of a limb, whose washing is obligatory, must also be washed.
Q. What is the meaning of performing Massah?
A. To move wet hands over a part of the body is known as Massah
Q. Must a person wet the hands afresh, for performing Massah of the head, or would the moisture still left on them (while washing other parts of the body), suffice for the purpose?
A. It is better to take fresh water, but if hands are wet after washing,
Massah is allowed with them. But Massah is not allowed with hands with which Massah has been performed once before. Similarly, Massah is not allowed with hands: a) soaked from some other wet part, b) or hands moistened by another such part on which Massah has already been done.
Q. If there are drops of rain on the bare head, and such water drops are spread by a dry hand all over the head, would that serve the purpose of Massah?
A. Yes, the Massah is performed.
Q. Is it necessary, in ablution, to wash the inside of the eyes?
A. No, it is not necessary to wash the inside of the eyes, the nose, or the mouth.
Q. If after ablution one shaves the head, or cuts fingernails, will it be necessary to do fresh Massah of the head, or wash the fingernails again?
A. No, it is not required to be done.
Q. If one’s hand is amputated (cut) below the elbow, is it necessary to wash that limb (hand)?
A. Yes, as long as the elbow or some other portion below it is intact, it must be washed.
Momin Aur Kafir Ki Zindagi Aik Jesi Nahi
Masah On Jabirah (Splint): Wiping A Splint, Bandage, Plaster, etc.
What is Jabirah?
Jabirah is a piece of wood (Splint) used to keep in place a broken (fractured) part of the body. But here it also means plaster; a bandage that covers a wound, or ointment, etc., on any part of the body.
Q. What are the instructions for the Masah on: a splint (wood), bandage, or a wound’s covering?
A. Masa’h is allowed over wood (splint), bandage, or the wound’s covering, if their removal is harmful, or causes much pain.
Q. On how much of the covering should Masa’h be performed?
A. On the entire covering, whether or not the wound is beneath all of it.
Q. What are the injunctions if the removal of the bandage does no harm, and causes no pain?
A. If washing the wound is not harmful, nor painful, then it must be washed. If water is harmful, then performing the Masa’h is obligatory (Wajib). But if Masa’h is also harmful then it is permissible to do Masa’h on the bandage, covering, etc.
Tajdar e Risalat (PBUH) Aur Sahaba Karam (RA) Ki Dunya Say Kinara Kashi
O People! Verily Allah has Prescribed Upon You Hajj So Perform Hajj
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed in the Qur’an:- “And proclaim the Hajj among mankind. They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways”(Source – Quran ~Surah Al-Hajj~ Ayah #28).
When Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) completed the structure of the Kabah, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) commanded him to call the people to Hajj. Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) pleaded…”O, Allah! How shall my voice reach all of those people?” Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told him that his duty was only to give the call….. and it was up to Allah to make it reach the people. Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) then climbed Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice… “O, People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Hajj, so perform Hajj.”
‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas narrates:- “When Islam entered my heart, I went to the Messenger of Allah and said:- ‘Give me your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.’ The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) spread his hand, but I withdrew mine. He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:- ‘What is wrong ‘Amr?’ I said, ‘I want to make a condition.’ ‘And what is that?’ he (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said. I said, ‘That Allah will forgive me.’ Then the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, ‘Did you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it, and that Hijrah wipes out what came before it and that Hajj wipes out what came before it!”
(Source:-Sahih Muslim).
Hajj is the fifth pillar upon which Islam stands. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) made it compulsory …. for every able Muslim male and female to perform it, at least once in a lifetime.
Allah (Subhanuhu Wa-Ta’ala) revealed: Hajj thereto is a duty mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey, but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures”.
(Source:- ‘Quran’ ~Surah Ali Imran, Ayah # 97).
Performance of the Hajj washes away all sins. Abu Hurairah narrates:- I heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) say… “Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any Rafath (obscenity) or Fusooq (transgression),
he returns (free from sin) as the day his mother bore him”.
( Source ~Sahih Bukhari).
Hajj is one of the greatest deeds one can accomplish in his or her lifetime.
Abu Hurairah narrates:- The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked… “What deed is the best?” He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said… “Iman in Allah and His Messenger.” “Then what?” “Jihad for the sake of Allah.” “Then what?” “Hajj Mabroor”!!!
{a Hajj accepted by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) }
Abu Sha’thaa’ said:- “I contemplated the good deeds that a person does. I found that salaah, as well as fasting, are a jihad of the body. And that sadaqah is a jihad of someone’s wealth. But Hajj is a jihad of both body and wealth.”
Hajj is the greatest Jihad. Aishah (Radiallahu anha) asked the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)… “We find that jihad is the best deed, shouldn’t we (women) do jihad?” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied… “Rather the best jihad is a Hajj Mabroor!” Aishah (R.A.) later said… “I’ll never cease performing Hajj after I heard that from Rasul Allah”
(Agreed Upon).
The dua of the one in Hajj shall be accepted. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The soldier in the path of Allah and the one who performs Hajj and the one who performs ‘Umra, all are the delegation of Allah!
He (Subhanuhu wa-ta’ala) called them and they answered. And they asked Him, and He shall grant them (what they ask for)!”
(Source:-Authentic hadith, narrated by Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban).
In the Islamic history books, it was narrated that on the day of Arafat, a man from Turkmenistan stood on the plains of Arafat in Hajj. To his left, all he could see were Muslims crying and praying to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). To his right, all he could see were Muslims crying and praying to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Because of his native tongue, he could not imitate the lengthy prayers of the others. At this realization, everything blurred in front of him. His face reddened, and his eyes poured tears as he raised his hands, “O Allah! Grant me everything that they are asking for! Grant me everything that they are asking for!” And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) accepted his dua!!!
There is not a single day that the sun has come up on more beloved to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) than the Day of Arafat. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:- “There is no day on which Allah frees more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of Arafat, and He verily draws near, then boasts of them before the angels, saying:- ‘What do they seek?’
(Source:-Sahih Muslim).
And in another hadith:- “Verily Allah boasts of the people of Arafat before the people of Heaven (angels) saying: ‘Look to my servants who have come to Me disheveled and dusty.'”
Abdullah ibn Al-Mubaarak narrates:- I went to Sufyaan ibn al-Uyaynah as the day of Arafat was setting. He sat on his knees, his hands raised to the Heavens, and tears moistened his cheeks and beard. He turned and looked at me, so I asked him, “Amongst the people who have gathered here for Hajj, who is in the worst state?” Sufyaan ibn al-Uyaynah said… “He who thinks that Allah will not forgive him.”
A Mabroor Hajj is one in which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) is not disobeyed during or after. Others have said that a Hajj Mabroor is one that is accepted, and the sign of its acceptance is that a person will go back in a better state than when he came, and that he will discontinue the sins that were between him and Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).
when Ibn Umar was on his deathbed and his son reminded him of all the good deeds that he did with the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the companions. He told him,:- “Quiet! Don’t you know whom Allah accepts from… Verily Allah only accepts from the God-Fearing
(Al-Muttaqoon).”
Indeed, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:- “And there is no reward for an accepted Hajj- except …*Jannah*
Tears in my Eyes!
‘Insha Allah’!
‘ Son of Adam! You are nothing but a number of days, whenever each day passes then part of you has Gone.
{Al-Hasan Al-Basree}
Takbeer Tashreeq Kya Ha?
Mahram For the Purposes Of Hajj
A Mahram of a woman is her husband or that pious male with whom Niqah can ‘never’ be permissible from direct family relation or sharing (suckling) foster mothers.
For example: (all the following relations are from the paternal side)
1. True brothers from one mother, true nephews (brothers sons), father/mothers elder/younger brother, sons son and daughters son, grandfathers…
2. Sharing (suckling) foster mothers, drinking milk in infancy from the same woman However for the milk relations (foster brother/sisters) extra caution should be taken and Hajj not be performed with such persons due to fitnah(threatening) conditions manifest today. (Fatawa Shami vol 2 p199)
Relations formed ‘in-law’
3. Father-in-law, son-in-law. (In this day and age of fitnah, it is recommended not to take up any journey ) : Fatawa Shami vol2 p199:
A Mahram must be of mature age (passed puberty) have mental understanding and be a practicing Muslim.
All women whether old or young have to be accompanied by a Mahram, without a suitable Mahram the requirement of Hajj will be fulfilled yet she will be sinning greatly.
Abu Said Al Kudri (RA) narrates RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘It is not Halal for a woman who believes in Allah (SWT) and the Last Day that she travel for 3 days or more without a Mahram.’(Muslim)
It should be understood, that in today’s terms, this translates to a journey of 48 miles one way. As in the time of Nabi (saw) journeys were undertaken by foot. For a woman to travel 48 miles or more alone is Haram.
If a woman does not have a Mahram or If there is a Mahram yet they are not able to travel with them during their lifetime, in this instance a woman must bequest(wasiyat) her Hajj to another to perform it on her behalf.
Note: Today people use the excuse of family relations that do not qualify as Mahram to travel, including to Hajj, this is not permissible. For example brothers-in-law, husbands nephews, cousins brothers, and servants.
May Allah (SWT) grant our woman a Hajj according to Shariah and accept our efforts and Duas. Aameen.
Mufti Yusuf Danka Al-Kauthar
Qurbani Ahkamat, Masail, Mukhtasar Tareekh
Glossary Of Hajj Related Terms
Adhan: The call to prayer (salat); is usually issued from the minaret of a mosque.
Arafat: A desert location approximately nine miles east of Makkah where the pilgrim spends the 9th of Zul Hijjah as a rite of Hajj. The waqfa is performed at Arafat.
Ayyam ut Tashreeq: The 11th, 12th, and 13th days of the month of Zul Hijjah. On these days, the pilgrim performs Rummy in Mina.
Dum: Also known as khaffarah. This is the atonement required of a pilgrim for a willful violation of a prohibition or obligation whilst in the state of Ihram.
Eid ul-Adha: The festival of sacrifice performed on the 10th day of Zul-Hijjah. An animal such as a sheep or goat has been sacrificed as a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s (PBUH) willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael for God.
Ezaar: Lower cloth of Ihram.
Hajj: Hajj is one of the five pillars or central duties of Islam. It is a set of acts of worship to be performed in and around Makkah at least once in a lifetime by every Muslim satisfying certain conditions. There are three types of Hajj (see below).
Hajj ul Ifrad: The type of Hajj where the pilgrim pronounces his niyyah (i.e.intention) to perform only Hajj at Miqat while changing into Ihram.
Hajj ul Qiran: The type of Hajj where the pilgrim pronounces his intention to perform both Umra and Hajj together with the same Ihram at Miqat.
Hajj ut Tamattu: The type of Hajj where the pilgrim pronounces his intention to perform only Umra at Miqat when changing into Ihram. A second niyyah, and a second change into Ihram follow on the 8th of Zul Hijjah for the performance of the remaining rites of Hajj.
Hajar ul Aswad: The sacred Black Stone built into the southeast corner of the Kaaba at a height of approximately four feet. The stone does not belong to the geology of the region and is a part of the original construction of the Kaaba by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). The Black Stone was personally installed in the wall of the Kaaba by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself during its reconstruction following its destruction by a flash flood. The Prophet (PBUH) also kissed it during his Last (Farewell) Hajj. Thus, touching and kissing (Istilam) of Hajar ul Aswad during Umra and Hajj is considered sunnah.
Halq: The complete shaving of the head by the male pilgrim on the 10th of Zul Hijjah. This is the last thing he does before getting out of the state of Ihram. See Taqseer also. For female pilgrims, the requirements of Halq and Taqseer are satisfied if they trim their hair by approximately half an inch.
Haram ash Shareef: The mosque around the Kabah in Makkah, as well as the mosque in Medina. The latter, also known as Al-Masjid un Nabawi, contains within its premises the grave of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
Hateem: The area adjacent to the Kabah on its west side, is enclosed by a low semi-circular wall. Tradition has it that Hajar (wife of Prophet Ibrahim [pbuh]) is buried in this enclosure. It is highly recommended that the pilgrim should offer salat us sunnah and supplications to Allah in this area. However, this is not a part of the official rites of Hajj.
Idtiba: The mode of Ihram used during Tawaf ul Qudoom. The male pilgrim drapes one end of the top part of his Ihram over his left shoulder back-to-front. The other end goes across his back, under his right arm, across his front, and is finally draped over his left shoulder. Idtiba is not observed in any other type of Tawaf. Also, when the pilgrim offers salat us sunnah after Tawaf ul Qudoom or an obligatory salat during this Tawaf, he must cover both his shoulders. In other words, Idtiba is practiced only while actually performing Tawaf ul Qudoom. Female pilgrims wear no Ihram so that the question of Idtiba for them does not arise.
Ihram: The distinctive garb of the male pilgrim worn during Umra or Hajj. It consists of two pieces of white, plain, and unsewn cloth. One of the pieces (ezaar) is wrapped around the midriff to cover his body from just above his navel to his ankles, and the other (reda) is draped around his shoulders to cover the upper body. For ladies, their ordinary, and unpretentious clothes of daily wear constitute their Ihram.
Istilam: The act of kissing Hajar ul Aswad at the beginning and the end of every circumambulation (circuit) of the Kaaba during Tawaf. If it is not possible physically to kiss Hajar ul Aswad for any reason, the pilgrim may extend his hand to touch the Sacred Stone and then kiss his own hand. If even that is not possible, he may raise his hand towards Hajar ul Aswad and, thereafter, kiss his own hand.
Jamraat: The three stone pillars in Mina symbolically represent the locations where the devil (shaitan) attempted to tempt Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) away from the path of Allah. The pilgrim symbolically stones these pillars on the 10th through to the 13th of Zul Hijjah in commemoration of the rejection of the devil by Prophet Ibrahim, and of his steadfastness to the cause of Allah. The Jamraat are located within a few hundred feet of one another in a line and are named as follows:
Jamrat ul Kubra: The last stone pillar in the line. This is also called Jamrat ul Uqabah.
Jamrat ul Oola: The first stone pillar in the line.
Jamrat ul Wusta: The second (middle) stone pillar in the line.
Kaaba: A cubic structure originally built by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and his eldest son Ishmael. It is now housed within the Haram ash Shareef in Makkah. During Hajj, the essential rite of Tawaf is performed around the Ka’bah. Every day, millions of Muslims perform prayers (salat) facing the direction of the Ka’bah.
Kaffarah: Another name for Dum
Marwah: A rocky hillock located approximately one hundred yards from the Ka’bah inside Al Masjid ul Haram. The pilgrim performs the devotional rite of Sai between the hillocks of Safa and Marwah.
Mahram: The husband, or a male companion of a female pilgrim to whom her marriage is expressly prohibited by the shariah (e.g., father, brother, uncle, nephew, etc.) A woman must be accompanied by a Mahram for Umra and Hajj.
Makam-o-Ibrahim: The stepping stone used by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) during the original construction of the Ka’bah. The stone carries the imprints of his feet and is housed in a glass enclosure on the north side of the Kabah.
Masjid ul Haram: The mosque around the Kabah is also known as Haram ash Shareef.
Mes’aa: The stretch between Safa and Marwah. See also Sai.
Miqat: An imaginary boundary around Makkah. A prospective pilgrim cannot cross this boundary without first changing into Ihram. This boundary is anchored by different townships and localities in different directions (Zul Hulaifa in the north, Yalamlam in the south-east, Dhat Irq in the north-east, Juhfah in the north-west, Qarn ul Manazil in the east.) The pilgrim changes into Ihram at Miqat and pronounces his intention to perform Umra or Hajj. For people living inside the Miqat permanently, their place of residence is their Miqat.
Mina: A desert location approximately three miles east of Makkah where several rites of Hajj are performed.
Muallim: A knowledgeable professional who can guide the pilgrim during Hajj. Also called a Mutawwif.
Muhrim: A pilgrim in the state of Ihram
Multazam: The part of the Ka’bah between its door and Hajar ul Aswad. This is a specially sacred part of the Ka’bah. It is recommended that, if possible, the pilgrim should touch the Ka’bah at Multazam and offer supplications to Allah. However, this is not a part of the official rites of Hajj.
Mutamatti: One who has performed Hajj ut Tamattu.
Mutawwif: A knowledgeable professional who can guide the pilgrim during Hajj. Also called a Muallim.
Muzdalifah: A desert location approximately midway between Mina and Arafat. The pilgrim spends the night of the 10th of Zul Hijjah here.
Namira: A mosque in Arafat
Niyyah: Intention. All acts of worship are preceded by an appropriate niyyah.
Qarin: One who has performed Hajj ul Qiran
Qasr: The mode of shortened prayers is usually offered when on a journey.
Qibla: The direction (towards the Ka’bah) that Muslims face praying.
Ramal: The ritual where male pilgrims are required to walk briskly with their chests thrust forward and with their shoulders rolling slightly during the first three circuits of Tawaf ul Qudoom. Ladies are not required to practice Ramal
Reda’: The upper cloth of Ihram.
Rummy: The act of symbolically stoning the devil (shaitan) in Mina on the 10th through to the 13th of Zul Hijjah. This commemorates the tradition that Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was tempted three times by the devil but rejected all three of the devil’s attempts by stoning him and driving him away. These three locations are symbolized by three stone pillars (jamaraat) in Mina.
Safa: A small hillock approximately half a mile from the Kabah, inside Al-Masjid ul Haram. The pilgrim performs the act of Sai (or ‘running’) between Safa and Marwah.
Sai: The act of walking seven times back and forth between the rocky hillocks of Safa and Marwah. This act retraces the footsteps of Hajar (wife of Prophet Ibrahim), during her desperate search for water to quench the thirst of her infant son Ishmael after they were left in the desert by Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) in response to a divine vision.
Salat: Obligatory or supererogatory prayers.
Shawt: One complete circumambulation, or circuit, of the Kabah. Each shawt (pl. ashwaat) starts and ends at Hajar ul Aswad. Seven ashwaat constitute one Tawaf.
Talbiyah ra: A recital of the following words by the pilgrim during Umra and Hajj:
Labbaik Allah humma labbaik Labbaik la sharika laka labbaik Innal hamda Wan-ni’mata Laka walmulk Laa sharika lak. Meaning: O my Lord, here I am at Your service, here I am. There is no partner with You, here I am. Truly the praise and the provisions are Yours, and so is the dominion and sovereignty. There is no partner with You.