| Al before Hamd encompasses all Types of Thanks and Appreciation for Allah |
The letters Alif and Lam before the word Hamd serve to encompass all types of thanks and appreciation for Allah, the Exalted. A Hadith stated,
«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ
الْحَمْدُ كُلُّهُ، وَلَكَ الْمُلْكُ كُلُّهُ، وَبِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ،
وَإِلَيْكَ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ»
(O Allah! All of Al-Hamd is due to You, You own all the ownership, all types
of good are in Your Hand and all affairs belong to You.) |
Muhammad is a Mercy to the Worlds |
﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـكَ
إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ ﴾
(And We have sent you not but as a mercy for the `Alamin.) Here Allah tells
us that He has made Muhammad a mercy to the `Alamin, i.e., He sent him as a
mercy for all of them ﴿peoples﴾, so whoever accepts this mercy and gives thanks
for this blessing, will be happy in this world and in the Hereafter. But whoever
rejects it and denies it, will lose out in this world and in the Hereafter, as
Allah says:
﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى
الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ
الْبَوَارِ - جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ ﴾
(Have you not seen those who have changed the blessings of Allah into
disbelief, and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction Hell, in
which they will burn, -- and what an evil place to settle in!) ﴿14:28-29﴾ And
Allah says, describing the Qur'an:
﴿قُلْ هُوَ
لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى
ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ
بَعِيدٍ﴾
(Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those
who disbelieve, there is heaviness in their ears, and it is blindness for them.
They are those who are called from a place far away.'') ﴿41:44﴾ Muslim reports
in his Sahih: Ibn Abi `Umar told us, Marwan Al-Fazari told us, from Yazid bin
Kisan, from Ibn Abi Hazim that Abu Hurayrah said that it was said, "O Messenger
of Allah, pray against the idolators.'' He said:
«إِنِّي لَمْ
أُبْعَثْ لَعَّانًا، وَإِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ رَحْمَة»
(I was not sent as a curse, rather I was sent as a mercy.) This was recorded
by Muslim. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amr bin Abi Qurrah Al-Kindi said:
"Hudhayfah was in Al-Mada'in and he was mentioning things that the Messenger of
Allah had said. Hudhayfah came to Salman and Salman said: `O Hudhayfah, the
Messenger of Allah ﴿would sometimes be angry and would speak accordingly, and
would sometimes be pleased and would speak accordingly. I know that the
Messenger of Allah ﴾ addressed us and said:
«أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ
مِنْ أُمَّتِي سَبَبْتُهُ (سَبَّةً) فِي غَضَبِي أَوْ لَعَنْتُهُ لَعْنَةً،
فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ وَلَدِ آدَمَ أَغْضَبُ كَمَا تَغْضَبُونَ، إِنَّمَا
بَعَثَنِي اللهُ رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ فَاجْعَلْهَا صَلَاةً عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَة»
(Any man of my Ummah whom I have insulted or cursed when I was angry -- for I
am a man from among the sons of Adam, and I get angry just as you do. But Allah
has sent me as a Mercy to the Worlds, so I will make that ﴿my anger﴾ into
blessings for him on the Day of Resurrection.'') This was also recorded by Abu
Dawud from Ahmad bin Yunus from Za'idah. It may be asked: what kind of mercy do
those who disbelieve in him get The answer is what Abu Ja`far bin Jarir recorded
from Ibn `Abbas concerning the Ayah:(And We have sent you not but as a mercy for the `Alamin. ) He said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, mercy will be decreed for him in this world and in the Hereafter; whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, will be protected from that which happened to the nations of earthquakes and stoning.''
﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَآ
يُوحَى إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـهُكُمْ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ مُّسْلِمُونَ -
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَقُلْ ءَاذَنتُكُمْ عَلَى سَوَآءٍ وَإِنْ أَدْرِى أَقَرِيبٌ أَم
بَعِيدٌ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ - إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ
مَا تَكْتُمُونَ - وَإِنْ أَدْرِى لَعَلَّهُ فِتْنَةٌ لَّكُمْ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى
حِينٍ - قَالَ رَبِّ احْكُم بِالْحَقِّ وَرَبُّنَا الرَّحْمَـنُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ
عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ ﴾
(108. Say: "It is revealed to me that your God is only one God. Will you then
be Muslims'') (109. But if they turn away say: "I give you a notice to be known
to us all alike. And I know not whether that which you are promised is near or
far.'') (110. "Verily, He knows that which is spoken aloud and He knows that
which you conceal.'') (111. "And I know not, perhaps it may be a trial for you,
and an enjoyment for a while.'') (112. He said:"My Lord! Judge You in truth! Our
Lord is the Most Gracious, Whose help is to be sought against that which you
attribute!'')
|
| The Meaning of Ar-Rajim | ||||||||||||
Ar-Rajim means, being expelled from all types of righteousness. Allah said,
﴿وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا
السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَـهَا رُجُوماً
لِّلشَّيَـطِينِ﴾
(And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made
such lamps Rujuman (as missiles) to drive away the Shayatin (devils)) (67:5).
Allah also said,
﴿إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا
السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَكِبِ - وَحِفْظاً مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَـنٍ
مَّارِدٍ - لاَّ يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى الْمَلإِ الاٌّعْلَى وَيُقْذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ
جَانِبٍ - دُحُوراً وَلَهُمْ عَذابٌ وَاصِبٌ - إِلاَّ مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ
فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ ﴾
(Verily, We have adorned the near heaven with the stars (for beauty). And to
guard against every rebellious devil. They cannot listen to the higher group
(angels) for they are pelted from every side. Outcast, and theirs is a constant
(or painful) torment. Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they
are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness) (37:6-10).
Further, Allah said,
﴿وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا
فِى السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَزَيَّنَّـهَا لِلنَّـظِرِينَ - وَحَفِظْنَـهَا مِن كُلِّ
شَيْطَـنٍ رَّجِيمٍ - إِلاَّ مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ
مُّبِينٌ ﴾
(And indeed, We have put the big stars in the heaven and We beautified it for
the beholders. And We have guarded it (near heaven) from every Shaytan Rajim
(outcast Shaytan). Except him (devil) who steals the hearing then he is pursued
by a clear flaming fire.) (15:16-18).
There are several similar Ayat. It was also said that Rajim means, the person
who throws or bombards things, because the devil throws doubts and evil thoughts
in people's hearts. The first meaning is more popular and accurate.
|
| Seeking Refuge with Allah when One is Angry
In his Musnad, Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la Ahmad bin `Ali bin Al-Muthanna Al-Mawsili
reported that Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "Two men disputed with each other in the
presence of the Messenger of Allah and the nose of one of them became swollen
because of extreme anger. The Messenger of Allah said,
إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا لَوْ قَالَهُ لَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ مَا يَجِدُ: أَعُوذُ
بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
(I know of some words that if he said them, what he feels will go away, 'I
seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Satan.')''
An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith in his book, Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Sulayman bin Surad said, "Two men disputed in the
presence of the Prophet while we were sitting with him. One of them was cursing
the other fellow and his face turned red due to anger. The Prophet said,
إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً لَوْ قَالَهَا لَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ مَا يَجِدُ، لَوْ قَالَ:
أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
|
| Is the Isti`adhah (seeking Refuge) required
The majority of the scholars state that reciting the Isti`adhah (in the prayer
and when reciting the Qur'an) is recommended and not required, and therefore,
not reciting it does not constitute a sin. However, Ar-Razi recorded that `Ata'
bin Abi Rabah said that the Isti`adhah is required in the prayer and when one
reads the Qur'an. In support of `Ata's statement, Ar-Razi relied upon the
apparent meaning of the Ayah,
فَاسْتَعِذْ
|
| Virtues of the Isti`adhah
The Isti`adhah cleanses the mouth from the foul speech that it has indulged in.
It also purifies the mouth and prepares it to recite the speech of Allah.
Further, the Isti`adhah entails seeking Allah's help and acknowledging His
ability to do everything. The Isti`adhah also affirms the servant's meekness,
weakness and inability to face the enemy of his inner evil, whom Allah alone,
Who created this enemy, is able to repel and defeat. This enemy does not accept
kindness, unlike the human enemy. There are three Ayat in the Qur'an that affirm
this fact. Also, Allah said,
إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيْسَ لَكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَـنٌ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ وَكِيلاً
|
| Reciting Al-Fatihah is required in Every Rak`ah of the
Prayer
All of these facts testify to the requirement that reciting the Qur'an
(Al-Fatihah) in the prayer is required, and there is a consensus between the
scholars on this ruling. The Hadith that we mentioned also testifies to this
fact, for the Prophet said,
مَنْ صَلَّى صَلَاةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ
(Whoever performs any prayer in which he did not recite Umm Al-Qur'an, his
prayer is incomplete.)
Also, the Two Sahihs recorded that `Ubadah bin As-Samit said that the
Messenger of Allah said,
لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ
(There is no prayer for whoever does not recite the Opening of the Book.)
Also, the Sahihs of Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban recorded that Abu Hurayrah
said that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَا تُجْزِئُ صَلَاةٌ لَا يُقْرَأُ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرآنِ
(The prayer during which Umm Al-Qur'an is not recited is invalid.)
There are many other Hadiths on this subject. Therefore, reciting the Opening
of the Book, during the prayer by the Imam and those praying behind him, is
required in every prayer, and in every Rak`ah.
|
﴿وَقُرْءَانَ
الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾
(And recite the Qur'an in the early dawn.Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.) in reference to the Fajr prayer. The Two Sahihs recorded that the angels of the night and the day attend this prayer.
|
