Kushu in Salaah

 

 

Attaining Khushū’ in Salāh

3 Points to always bear in mind:

 - Change your view of Salāh: Not to only fulfil an obligation but to also attain well-being and spirituality (body and soul)

- Utter every word in Salāh as if you are conversing with Allah directly

- Attempt to engage your heart into whatever you are saying: Love, Fear, Hope, Submission, etc.

 In Wudhū’:

 - Engage your heart in intending purification from 3 things: (1) Shirk (2) Sins (3) Dirt

 Walking to the Mosque:

 - Intend to walk to the mosque as if you are returning to Allah to reconcile with Him in His House

- Try to arrive early in order to be tranquil rather than rush for that Rak’ah!

 Takbīr:

 - Clear your heart from everything except Allah

- Rid your heart from any inkling of pride

- Intend to exalt Allah with your heart and tongue

 Dua al-Istiftāh:

 - Fill your heart will full exaltation of your Lord (one Du’ā)

- Intend to renew your repentance and be truthful to act on it after finishing the Salāh (another Du’ā)

 Al-Isti’ādhah:

 - Seek assistance by taking refuge with Allah from your most deadliest enemy

 Al-Fātihah:

 - Stop at every verse and contemplate on Allah’s response to you

- Actualise the ‘All Perfect Praises’ with your tongue and limbs

- Ponder over the apparent Mercy of Allah to attain His Love

- Visualise your condition on the Day of Judgement

- Recognise your need to worship Him – the purpose of creation itself

- Bring to mind the importance of Hidāyah

- Know that ‘an’amtha’ is from ‘ni’mah ’- the 4 categories of Believers: ‘the Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the rigthteous’ in lieu of ‘ni’mah’ to mean ‘wealth, children and all other worldly gains’

- Examine yourself: make sure to follow the truth when you know it to avoid being angry with (like the Jews) or to go astray without knowledge and be lost (like the Christians)

 Al-Ta’mīn:

 - Be positive in its response and have certainty in it

- Intend for it to concord with the Angels’ Ta’mīn to procure forgiveness

- Raise your voice for it is a symbol of Islam and despised by the Jews

 Rukū’:

 - Intend to exalt Allah Alone

- Extract from your heart any exaltation for anyone else besides Allah

- Remind yourself of how this position is a great sign of submission (was too much for the arrogant polytheists to perform)

 Standing from Rukū’:

 - Renew your thoughts/feelings of ‘Praise’ and intend for it to also concord with the Angels’ to procure forgiveness

 Sujūd:

 - Actualise this position with complete neediness and submission

- Taste the delight of being close to Allah

- Take advantage to make plentiful Du’ās

 Sitting in between the two Prostrations:

 - Imagine a boulder over your head about to drop unless you win Allah’s forgiveness (must plead earnestly like as if you are in a court case)

 Tashahhud:

 - Bring to mind that this is the farewell to your potential last Salāh on earth

- Imagine the Prophet in front of you while sending Salām upon him with his return

- Recognise the importance of the communal Believers: dead and alive

- Renew your conviction of Tawhīd with the Shahādatayn

 Taslīm:

 - Feel the pain in returning to the anxieties and hardships of the Dunyā

- Be cognizant of sending Salām upon the Angels on your sides

 After Taslīm:

 - Stay seated in your place and stay focused on your Adhkār – rather than observing on what’s happening around you

- Give yourself a score out of 10 for the Khushū that was present in that Salāh: try to always improve on that until you can regularly score 10 by Allah’s Permission

- Be sure to feel happy that Allah gave you Tawfīq to complete the Salāh and hope that He does so again for your next Salāh

Things you will never find benefit in

 

There are ten things you will never find benefit in:
 
The First: Knowledge which is void of action.

The Second: Actions which are void of sincerity to Allah, and void of exemplification of the Sunnah. (Note: These two conditions constitute the act being accepted by Allah i.e. Ikhlaas and Ittiba`a)
 
The Third: Wealth which is not spent in the way of Allah, so the one who exhausted all of his energy amassing it will not benefit from it in this life, nor will he see the fruits of it in the hereafter.
 
The Fourth: A heart which is void of the love of Allah and the ardent desire to meet him.
 
The Fifth: A body which is void of obedience to Allah.
 
The Sixth: A love for other than Allah which is void of any boundaries. (i.e. unconditional)
 
The Seventh: Time which is void of benefit and the individual does not take advantage of it to do actions which would bring him closer to Allah.

 The Eighth: A thought which goes through the individuals mind and will bring him no benefit.
 
The Ninth: Doing a favour for someone who, that favour will not bring him closer to Allah nor will it benefit him in the affairs of his livelihood.
 
The Tenth: Fear and hope of someone whose forelock is in the hands of Allah, like a captive in the company of his master, who can bring no benefit or harm to himself or others, nor can he give life to the dead nor does he have any power over resurrection.
 
The worse and most detrimental of these ten is two:
 
1) The Heart
2) The Time
 
Firstly the heart, because it’s corruption stems from giving precedence to this transient life over the hereafter, and time because it makes the individual feel like he will live forever (which enables him to be even more negligent about his obligation to Allah)
 
The most amazing thing is when someone is presented with a situation and he turns all of his attention towards Allah to fulfil his needs, and never takes the time to ask Allah for the remedy he is need of to bring his heart back to life from the death of ignorance and negligence, and the cure he is in dire need of for his disease of Shahawaat (following his lowly desires) and Shubuhaat (doubts and misconceptions). Indeed if the heart dies, he will never be conscious of the sins which he commits and his disobedience to Allah.

By Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziya

Dealing with Criticisms

 

Those who are ignorant have uttered curses at Allah, the Exalted, the Creator of all that exists, so what treatment should we, who are full of faults, expect from people.  You will always have to face criticism, which in its onslaught is like an interminable war: it shows no sign of ending.  As long as you shine, give, produce, and have an effect upon others, then disapproval and condemnation will be your lot in life.  Until you escape from the people by finding a tunnel in the ground or a ladder leading to the sky, they will not desist from censuring you or from finding faults in your character.  For that reason, as long as you are from the denizens of earth, expect to be hurt, to be insulted and to be criticized.

And here is something you should contemplate: a person who is sitting on the ground does not fall, and people do not kick a dead dog.  Therefore their anger towards you can be attributed to you surpassing them in righteousness, knowledge, manners, or wealth.  In their eyes you are a transgressor whose wrongs cannot be atoned for – unless you abandon your talents and strip yourself of all praiseworthy qualities, so that you become stupid, worthless, and to them innocuous.  This result is exactly what they want from you.

So remain firm and patient when facing their insults and criticisms.  If you are wounded by their words and let them have an influence over you, you will have realized their hopes for them.  Instead, forgive them by showing them the most beautiful of manners.  Turn away from them and do not feel distressed by their schemes.  Their disapproval of you only increases you in worth and merit. 

Verily, you will not be able to silence them, but you will be able to bury their criticisms by turning away from them and dismissing what they have to say.  In fact, you will be able to increase them in their rage by increasing your merits and developing your talents.

If you desire to be accepted by all and to be loved by all, then you desire the unattainable…

Categories of Patience

 

Patience can be divided into five categories following the five categories of deeds:

 

Waajib (Obligatory)

 

- Patience in abstaining from haram things and actions

- Patience in carrying out obligatory deeds

- Patience in facing adversity which is beyond one’s control, such as illness, poverty etc.

 

 

Mandub (Encouraged)

 

- Patience in abstaining from makruh things

- Patience in performing acts of worship which are liked and encouraged (mustahabb)

- Patience in refraining from taking revenge.

 

 

Mahdhur (Forbidden)

 

- Patience in abstaining from food and drink until death

 

- Patience in abstaining from eating haraam meat, carrion and blood, when the alternative is death from starvation. Tawoos and Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “Whosoever has no choice but to eat carrion, haram meat and blood, but refuses to eat it and dies as a consequence, will enter Hell.”

 

- Patience in refraining from begging. There is a dispute as to whether begging from people is forbidden or permissible. Imam Ahmad said that this kind of patience and abstention is allowed. He was asked, “What if a person fears that he does not do that, he will die?” Imam Ahmad answered, “No, he will not die. Allah will send him his due provision (rizq).” Imam Ahmad did not allow begging: when Allah knows the need of a person and his sincerity in abstaining from begging, Allah will send him rizq. Other scholars including some of Imam Ahmad’s companions and Imam Shaafi’ said: “It is obligatory on such a person to beg, and if he did not beg, then he would be a wrongdoer, because by begging he protects himself from death.”

 

- Patience in enduring things that may lead to death, such as predators, snakes, water and fire.

 

- Patience at times of Fitnah when Muslims are fighting Muslims. Patience in abstaining from fighting at such a time, when Muslims are killing Muslims, is mubah (permissible), indeed it is mustahabb (liked and preferred). When the Prophet salallahu alayhi wassalam was asked about this, he said: “Be like the better one of the two sons of Adam.” In other, similar, reports he said: “Be like the slave of Allah who was killed, and not like the one who has killed,” and “let him (the killer) carry his own wrong action and your wrong action.” In another report, he said: “If the sword is too bright, put your hand on your face.” Allah has told us the story of the better of the two sons of Adam, and how he surrendered himself and did not fight back, and how Allah commended him for that. This is different to the case when the Muslims are fighting kafirun: in that situation the Muslim has to defend himself, because the meaning of Jihad is to defend himself and Islam.

 

Makruh (Disliked)

 

- Patience in abstaining from physical appetites (food, drink) to the extent of causing damage to one’s health.

- Patience in doing a makruh deed.

 

Mubah(Permissible)

 

- Patience in abstaining from mubah deeds

 

['uddat as-saabireen wa dhakhiraat ash-shaakireen' by Ibn Al-Qayyim rahimahullah]

Islamic Awakening

 

Sheikh Albani was asked the following question;

What are the foundations that will enable the Islaamic world to arise again anew?

And he answered;

That which I believe, is what has been reported in the authentic hadeeth – which is a clear answer to this question, and to those questions similar to it which are asked in our present time – and that is the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam’s saying: “When you deal in ‘eenah (a transaction involving usury), take hold of the tails of cows, become content with agriculture and abandon jihaad in the path of Allaah, then Allaah will permit your humiliation and He will not remove it from you, until you return to your Religion.”[1] Thus the foundation is to return to Islaam.

This very fact has been pointed out by Imaam Maalik (d.179H), rahimahullaah, in a statement transmitted from him, which is worthy of being written in gold ink: and that is his saying: “Whosoever introduces into Islaam an innovation, and holds it to be something good, has indeed alleged that Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has betrayed his message. Read the saying of Allaah – the Most Blessed – the Most High:

“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and I have chosen for you Islaam as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:3].

So that which was not part of the religion at that time, cannot be part of the religion today. And the last part of this Ummah cannot be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part.”[2]

The last sentence is the essential part with regards to the answer to this question, since he said: “And the last part of this Ummah cannot be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part.”  

So, just as the affair of the Arabs in jaahillyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance) was not rectified, except by the advent of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam via Divine Revelation – which brought them happiness in this world and will bring them salvation in the Hereafter – then likewise, re-establishing a happy and successful Islaamic life cannot be based upon anything other than returning to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. 

However, this matter is in need of some clarification, due to the presence of a multitude of Islaamic groups and parties in our midst today, each of them claiming to have set out the correct manhaj (methodology) which will bring about the Islaamic society and the rule of Islaam. 

We know from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam that the path to be taken in order to realise this objective (of bringing about the Islaamic society and the rule of Islaam) is a single path, and that is the one which Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – mentions in His saying:

“Indeed this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths that will separate you from His Path”.[Soorah al-An'aam 6:152].

And Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam explained this to his Companions, since: One day he drew a straight line for them on the ground and then drew many short lines on both sides of it. He then recited the previous aayah (verse) whilst he was moving his noble finger over the straight line, and he said: “This is Allaah’s Path.” He then pointed to the other lines and said: “These are other paths, and at the head of each one their is a devil calling towards it.”[3]

Our Lord – the Mighty and Majestic – emphasised in another aayah this very same point which was mentioned in the previous aayah; along with the explanation of Allaah’s Messenger sallullaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the hadeeth. Allaah – the Most High – said:

“And whosoever opposes the Messenger, even after the guidance has been clearly conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that of the Believers, we shall leave him in the path he has chosen and land him in Hell, what an evil destination.” [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:115]. 

This aayah (verse) contains a great wisdom, since He – the Most Perfect – placed the path of the Believers in conjunction with that which the Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam brought. And the fine point of this wisdom was also indicated by the Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the hadeeth of al-lftiraaq (the

authentic narration concerning the splitting-up of this Ummah into seventy-three sects), when he was asked about the Saved-Sect, so he replied: “It is that which I and my Companions are upon today.” [4]

So what is the wisdom in Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – mentioning the path of the Believers in the previous aayah’ And what is the underlying point of Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mentioning his Companions straight after mentioning himself, in the previous hadeeth?

The answer to this is: that these noble Companions are the very people who received the two Revelations (the Qur’aan and the Sunnah) from Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who explained it to them directly – without an intermediary – and this is contrary to all those who came after them. And there is no doubt that the affair is as Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Indeed, the one present sees that which the absent one does not.”[5] This is why the eemaan (faith) of the Companions was greater than those who came after them, and this is what has been clearly indicated by the Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the authentic hadeeth: “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” [6]

Therefore, it is not possible for any Muslim to independently understand the Book and the Sunnah. Rather one must seek aid in understanding them by returning to the understanding of the noble Companions, who took their understanding from the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; via his statements, his actions and his tacit approvals.

Thus, along with calling to the Book and the Sunnah, it is absolutely essential to attach to this the understanding and the practice of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors: the first three generations of Muslims whose excellence has been testified to in the above hadeeth); acting upon the preceding verses and hadeeth, which order clinging to the path of the Believers, which has been explained to be the path upon which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his Companions and those who followed them in beliefs and actions, were upon. 

And here, a very important question arises, which many of the Islaamic groups and parties neglect; and that is: How does one obtain knowledge of the understanding and the practical application of the Sunnah that the Companions adhered to?

The answer to this is: that there is no way in obtaining this knowledge, except by returning to ‘ilmul-hadeeth (the knowledge of hadeeth); ‘ilm mustalahul-hadeeth (the science of hadeeth) and the science of al-jarh wat-ta’deel (the science of verifying the condition of the narrators) – applying its principles and its terms such that the Scholars are able to distinguish that which is authentic from the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, from that which is not. 

So in ending the answer to the question, we say in the the dearest possible manner, to those who desire to bring back to Islaam its honour, strength, supremacy and rule, that you must actualise two matters:

 Firstly: to bring back to the minds of the Muslims the knowledge of the Sharee’ah (Laws) of Islaam; purified from all the innovations that have entered into it, which was not part of it on the day when Allaah – the Most Blessed, the Most High – revealed His saying:

“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and I have chosen for you Islaam  as your religion.” [Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:3].

Accomplishing this matter requires a huge and tremendous effort on the part of the Muslim Scholars in all parts of the world. 

Secondly: It is a must that this purified knowledge is coupled with constant and steadfast action. 

Thus, the day the Muslims return to understanding their religion as the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam understood it; and then act upon this purified Islaam in the correct manner, in all aspects of life, then that will be the day that the Muslims will rejoice at the help of Allaah and His victory. So this is what I am able to write in this short time. I ask Allaah that He grants us and all the Muslims the correct understanding of Islaam – in light of the Book, the authentic Sunnah (guidance) of His Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and that which the Salafus-Saalih (Pious Predecessors) were upon – and that He grants us the ability to act in accordance with it. Indeed Allaah is the One who hears and responds.

 

1. Saheeh: Related by Abu Daawood (no.3462) and al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunanul-Kubraa (5/316), from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmoo’ul-Fataawaa (29/30).

2. Related by al-Qaadee ‘Iyaadh in ash-Shifaa (2/676).

3. Hasan: Related by Ahmad (1/435) and an-Nasaa’ee (7/49), from Ibn Mas’ood radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Dhilaalul-Jannah fee Takhreejis-Sunnah (no.16).

4. Hasan: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.2796) and al-Haakim (1/128), from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-Haafidh al-’lraaqee in Takhreejul-lhyaa (3/199).

5. Saheeh: Related by lbn Sa’d in at-Tabaqaat (2/176),from ‘Alee radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-ALbaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no.1641).

6. Related by al-Bukhaaee (5/199) and Muslim (7/184), from Ibn Mas’ood radiallaahu ‘anhu.  

 

There are Four Types of Women

 

Ibn Hibban narrated in his work Nazahti Al-Fadlaa the advice of Al-Khattaab bin Mu’laa Al-Makhzoomee to his son. At the end of his words he mentioned the following: “Know that women vary more than the fingers of your hand. So be cautious in dealing with them.”

Every Evil Women will inevitably harm you:

THE FIRST TYPE:

• The woman who is amazed with herself and belittles her husband (27).
• If he honours her she sees it not except as a result of her virtue over him (28).
• She shows no gratitude for his courtesy. In her eyes he always falls short.
• She lashes her tongue out at him like a sharp sword.
• Her imprudence has removed the cover of shyness from her face: she is not shy from exposing her faults even when in front of the neighbours (29).
• She is like a growling dog with rabies, barking and biting.
• Her husband’s face is sad (30), and his honour is violated with the people.
• She over burdens him with her bad etiquettes and does not tend to his worldly or religious affairs.
• Nor does she uphold her duties towards him in spite of his companionship and the many children they may share;
• She doesn’t recognize any good that he does.
• His covering is revealed and made public. All the good that he does is buried (31).
• He reaches the morning dispirited and enters the evening reprimanding her (32).
• His drink is sour. His food is rage. His children are wasted and his house is destroyed (33).
• His clothes are filthy and hair dishevel. If he laughs he is worn down (34), and if he speaks he feels sickened. His day is night; his night is misery (35).
• She bites him like a vicious snake, and stings like a scorpion.

THE SECOND TYPE:

• From amongst them are: The Shafsha’leeq (The relaxed and lazy woman), Sha’sha (The tall woman), Salfa’a (The blatantly ill-mannered woman), possessor of saturated poison (36), a spark of light yet worn out, she moves with the wind and flies with everyone who has wings (37).
• If her husband says “No” she says “Yes,” If he says “Yes” she says “No.”(38).
• She is born to disgrace him. She looks down at the good he has done for her (39), and belittles him by comparing him to other men.
• She moves him from one state to another, to the point that his home has become insignificant to him and his children have become a source of boredom.
• His life festers and he looks down upon himself. His brothers criticize him and his neighbours have mercy on him (40).

THE THIRD TYPE:

• Al-Warhaa (A foolish woman),(41),
• Flirtatious when not appropriate, speaks with a slur, and indulges herself in that which does not concern her (42).
• She’s content with her love, takes pleasure in his wealth (43), and eats like a grazing donkey.
• The sun has risen and he has yet to hear a word from her (44); her food is stale; her pots are stained; her baking dough is sour, her cooking water is lukewarm (45), plants can grow in her belongings (46), she doesn’t engage in the slightest of good deeds (47). She beats her servants and enrages her neighbours (48).

THE FORTH TYPE:

• Is the loving and affectionate woman, blessed child-bearing, can be trusted while she’s alone, loved by her neighbours, praiseworthy when in open or private, generous and kind in her marital dealings.
• Many virtues, she speaks softly (49), she keeps a clean house, her servants is well fed (50); her son is well kept (51),
• She is continuous in doing good deeds; her husband is well pleased.
• She’s a tender and affectionate lover. She is described by having chastity and doing much good.
• May Allah make you, Oh sister, from amongst those who follow the guidance and have taqwa, avoid Allah’s Anger and is pleased with his Pleasure!

This is the completion of his advice in which contains an important message of the praiseworthy and blameworthy descriptions of women.

Taken from the book “20 PIECES OF ADVICE to my sister before MARRIAGE” By the Sheikh Badr bin Ali Al-Utaybee

FOOTNOTES:

(27). Meaning she’s arrogant, and constantly looks down upon her husband, either because of his intelligence, his tribe, his wealth, his credentials etc.

(28). She does not thank him, but because of her intense arrogance, she thinks everything he does for her is because of her lofty status over him.

(29). Meaning she speaks to him with a very inappropriate loud and boisterous voice, to the point that it reaches outside the home. Her manners don’t encourage her to lower her voice; rather, she raises it, and is not shy in front of the neighbours or guests.

(30). I have mentioned in different places: a woman’s behaviour appears on her husband’s face, especially when guest comes over the house. So whoever is happy with the arrival of guests, providing them with the best of hospitality: delicious food and drink, a warm welcome, and the husband’s face is happy as well, then his wife is happier and more excited about her husband’s guests. On the other hand, whoever’s face is sad, the food and drink are not well prepared, the dishes are filthy, and he is lazy at honouring his guests, then know for sure that behind him is a woman who feels even more burdened by the presence of the guests.

(31). She mentions his faults in front of the women, belittle him. Regardless of how much he does for her, she conceals it in front of the people, not recognizing his deeds in front of him or in front of others.

(32). He wakes up sad, because of the previous night that has passed with this condescending woman, and in the evening he goes to sleep in a state of quarrel, from a day of catastrophe with her.

(33). Meaning from her intense arrogance, she doesn’t even concern herself with the children or the belongings of the home. Her son is a wreck and the house as well, all due to her neglectfulness and lack of support and generosity.

(34). Meaning from the intense sadness of his life, when he laughs the signs of regret and remorse appear on his face, with the feeling of failure. It is even difficult for him to speak, due to sever discouragement. We seek refuge in Allah from this state.

(35). Meaning his day is night, due to the problems he deals with, and his night is misery from her as well. There is no might and no power except with Allah.

(36). Ash-Shafsha ‘Ieeq: The relaxed and lazy woman. Ash-Sha’sha: the tall woman. As-Salfa: the blatantly ill-mannered woman. The intent behind all of this is to show the extent of her poor manners and nature.

(37). All of these characteristics indicate that she is not firm on an opinion. She acts based on the opinions of others, going to bed with a view and waking up with another position. Her husband doesn’t know her mood, and she is not firm on a particular way.

(38). This is due to her arrogance and stubborn nature, causing her to be happy with opposing his command and not obeying his order.

(39). She is the cause of this humiliation, and belittles every good deed he does for her.

(40). She is the cause of his sombreness, causing him to begin to hate his house; he is bored with his children, dislikes his marital life, and does not even tend to himself, to the point that his neighbours and family begin to pity him.

(41). Al-Warhaa’: The foolish woman. This word originates from describing the clouds, when they are full of rain. This type of woman is affectionate at the wrong time, until it reaches negligence.

(42). She speaks as if she was chewing her tongue, and to make matters worse, she involves herself in matters that do not concern her.

(43). From her sluggishness: Her only goal is that her husband loves her without putting forth any effort of service that will help her gain his love.

(44). As an indication of her laziness, the sun rises and she is still asleep, no sound from her. Her house has not been vacuumed or organized. How abundant is this type! Also, this point shows us the characteristic of the complete wife, which would be the opposite of this type. The complete wife is active at the beginning of the morning, cleaning and beautifying the home.

(45). From her laziness is that, when she serves food to her husband or guest, it is stale, not freshly cooked. Likewise, the dishes are stained with old food particles and grease. And her cooking is so bad that the dough has become acidic due to fermenting for a long period of time. All of this is from her laziness. Similarly, the cooking water is lukewarm, not well boiled.

(46). This is from the things that make you laugh and cry. Describing this wife’s extreme laziness, her belongings have gone so long without reorganization or cleaning that dirt had build up on them to the point that it is like earth where plants can grow. It is critical that the wife avoids this; rather she should be keen on cleaning, organizing, and rearranging every part of the home.

(47). Meaning she is not socially interactive with her neighbours, cooperating with them, lending a helping hand, and honouring them.

(48). All of this is due to her failure in marital life, her despicable behaviour. She harms her servant and earns the dislike oh her neighbour.

(49). This is the custom of well-mannered woman: Softly speaking to ones husband, out of honour and respect for him. Similarly, while dealing with the children inside the house. It has been mentioned previously those women who expose themselves by speaking loudly in front of the neighbours.

(50). Meaning: from her generosity, great service, and skilful cooking, her servant is very well fed. So what about her children and husband? no doubt they are even more well fed.

(51). The cleanliness of the children indicates the cleanliness of the mother, so she always concerns herself with having a good hygiene, clean clothing, and above that, being clean and pure inwardly, with virtuous matters and beautiful speech.
(May Allah azza wa jal protect us from falling into these shameful characteristics, Ameen)

Articulating the intention verbally

 According to the scholars, verbally articulating the intention for prayer is neither required nor recommended; on the contrary, it is considered to be an innovation that violates Islamic law.  Many scholars, at different times and in different countries, have verified that it is an act of innovation in religion, so anyone who says that it is from the sunnah is totally mistaken.   If someone declares the intention out loud because he thinks it is legal, then he or she is astray and uninformed and deserving of punishment.  If the person insists on articulating the intention after it has been made clear to him or her that it is illegal, then he or she should be punished, especially when causing harm to those beside him or her in prayer by stating the intention loudly and frequently.

Aa’isha said: “The prophet used to start the prayer with takbeer” (1)

Abu Hurayrah said that the messenger of Allah entered the masjid, and a person also entered therein and offered prayer, and then came and greeted the messenger of Allah.  The messenger of Allah returned his greeting and said: “Go back and pray, for you have not offered the prayer.”  He prayed again as he had prayed before, then came to the messenger of Allah and greeted him.  The messenger of Allah returned the greeting and said: “Go back and perform the prayer, for you have not offered the prayer.”  This (act of repeating the prayer) was done three times.  Upon this, the person said: “By Him who has sent you with the truth, i do not know any better than this, please teach me.” He said: “When you get up to pray, recite takbeer, and then recite whatever you conveniently can from the Qur’an.  Then bow until you are at rest while bowing, then rise up until you have stood up completely, then prostrate until you are at rest while prostrating, then rises up until you are at rest sitting. Do that in all of your salaah.”(2)

Abdullah ibn Umar narrated: I saw Allah’s messenger opening the prayer with the takbeer and raising his hands to the level of his shoulders at the time of saying the takbeer. (3)

These hadiths, and many others which describe the acts of our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, shows that the prayer is opened by pronouncing the takbeer only, with nothing before it.  This point is confirmed by unanimous agreement of the scholars that if what is spoken with the tongue contradicts what is in the heart, the accountability is reckoned by what is in the heart.  In that case, what is the use of the spoken intention?

Taken from Common Mistakes regarding Prayer of Shaykh Mashhur Hasan Salman

 

1. Muslim
2. Muslim
3. Bukhari