In the Name of Allaah, the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. . . 

Question: What are the means that will help a Muslim to wake up for the morning prayer? Bearing in mind that he goes to bed early, but does not wake up until after the sun has risen.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz: It is an obligation upon every Muslim to fear Allaah, and to pray the five prescribed prayers at their appointed times in the Masjid along with the Muslim congregation. He must be vigilant in carrying out all of the means that will aid him upon this. And from the ways that will help him stand for the Fajr prayer with the congregation are:

1) He (should) sleep early;

2) Set an alarm clock to the appropriate hour so that he gets up for the prayer on time and attends it in congregation; and

3) He must strive in imploring Allaah for success and assistance.

He should also repeat the legislated words of remembrance before he goes to sleep. By doing so, Allaah will grant him success – in shaa` Allaah – in rising up for the prayer on time, and performing it with the rest of the Jamaa’ah.(1)

Translated by:
Umm Sufyaan Fatimah

___________

(1) Majmoo` Fataawaa  wa Maqaalaat Mutanawi`ah, vol. 8.

In the Name of Allaah, the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. . .

[Q]: A brother from an M.S.A (Muslim Student’s Association) in Ma`an, Jordan asks: What is the ruling on one who died and did not pray (during his lifetime) though his parents are Muslim? How should he be treated with respect to the washing (of his body), shrouding, and prayer over him, burial, supplication, and asking for mercy upon him?(1)

[A]: Any responsible adult, who dies (while knowing the Islaamic ruling concerning prayer) and did not pray, is a disbeliever. He is neither washed nor prayed over, nor is he buried in the Muslim cemetery. His Muslim relatives do not inherit from him. Rather, his wealth is for the Muslim’s state treasury, according to the strongest opinion amongst the scholars. This is based on the authentic hadeeth in which the Prophet ﷺ stated:

Between a man and shirk [associating partners with Allaah] and kufr [disbelief] there stands his abandonment of the prayer.

This was reported by Imaam Muslim in his Saheeh. The Prophet ﷺ also stated:

The vow [religious commitment] that is between us and them [the hypocrites] is the prayer. He that abandons it has committed disbelief.

This was reported by Ahmad and the compilers of the sunan with an authentic chain from the hadeeth of Buraydaah (radiyallaahu `anh).

`Abdullaah ibn Shaqeeq al-`Uqaylee, the noble follower, may Allaah’s mercy be upon him, stated:

The companions of the Prophet ﷺ did not consider abandonment on anything as disbelief, except [the abandonment of] the prayer.

The ahadeeth and reports with this connotation are many.

This is regarding the one who abandoned (prayer) due to laziness, but did not deny it as being obligatory. As for the one who does not accept it as being compulsory, then he is a disbeliever (as well) who has apostated from Islaam – according to all of the people of knowledge.

We beseech Allaah to set aright the affairs of the Muslims and to lead them to pursue the straight path, for He is the All-Hearing Responder.(2)

Translated by:
Umm Sufyaan Fatimah

(1) Shaykh ibn Baaz, Majmoo` al-Fataawa Shaykh ibn Baaz. [Published in the Arabic Magazine, issue #187 in the month of Sha`baan, 1413 Hijri].

(2) Selected from: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/book/m010.pdf - p250

In the Name of Allaah, the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. . .

Question: Is it correct to read the Qur`aan from the Mus.haf during Taraweeh?

Shaykh al-Fawzaan: With regards to the one who is incapable of reciting from memory, then there is nothing wrong if he reads from the Mus.haf during Taraweeh prayer. This is since he will read the entire Qur`aan from its beginning to its end. So if he is not a memorizer of the Qur`aan, he may read from the Mus.haf. Some of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) used to do this.(1)

Question: What about (the ruling regarding one) reciting the Qur`aan from the Mus.haf (during prayer) Noble Shaykh?

Shaykh ibn Baaz: There is no objection in that – that which is correct is there is no objection in that. So if he needed to recite from the Mus.haf because he has not memorized the Qur`aan, then there is nothing wrong if he reads from the Mus.haf. It has been established that `Aa`ishah’s (radiyallaahu `anhaa) slave, Dhakhwaan, used to lead her in prayer (during Ramadaan), reading from the Mus.haf as mentioned by al-Bukhaaree (rahimahullaah) in a mu`allaq report.

Also, the original principle is that there is nothing wrong with this, and whoever forbids this, then he should bring forth evidence. The original principle has permitted recitation from memory and recitation from the Mus.haf. This is the original principle, and whoever says, “It is forbidden (to read) from the Mus.haf,” then he should bring forth evidence, and the original principle is that there is no evidence. So he has forbidden the original principle, and it is the permissibility of reciting the Qur`aan from the Mus.haf. The mother of the believers has implemented this, and she is from amongst the most knowledgeable of people (radiyallaahu `anhaa).(2)

The Noble Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) was asked:(3) There is a mosque whose congregation is few (in number) and there is not anyone from (the congregation) who is capable of reciting from memory. So can the one who wants to lead the congregation, read with the Mus.haf by looking at it during the prayer – the night prayer in Ramadhān, for example?

The Noble Shaykh responded by saying: Na`am (Yes). If the Imaam has not memorized anything from the Qur`aan, then this action is considered permissible for him – that he reads with the Mus.haf and there is no prohibition upon him regarding that. This is because this action is (done) for the sake of finishing the prayer, and the action (implemented) to finish the prayer does not harm. And Allaah is the granter of success.(4)

Translated by:
Umm Sufyaan Fatimah

____________________

(1) Al-`Allaamah Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah)

(2) Al-`Allaamah Shaykh bin Baaz: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/20173

(3) Hasheeyat Majmoo` Fataawaa ash-Shaykh (rahimahullaah)

(4) Source for all fataawaa: http://www.sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=380892.

In the Name of Allaah, the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy…

[Q]: What is the ruling on Tawassul (seeking means) through the leader of the Prophets, and is there any proof for its prohibition?

Shaykh ibn Baaz: “Tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ has a detailed explanation; if the (tawassul) is by means of following him, loving him, obeying his orders, abandoning his prohibitions, and having (utter) sincerity for Allaah in acts of worship, then this is Islaam, and it is the religion of Allaah, which He sent with His Prophets, and (in fact) it is an obligation upon every sane being (of age).

It is the Waseelah (nearness and a means) to happiness in the worldly life and the Hereafter. As for tawassul by means of invoking him (directly), asking for his help, and requesting him to grant victory over enemies, and healing the ill – then this is major shirk, and it is the religion of Abu Jahl and his likes from the idol worshipers. Similarly, doing that with other than the Prophet ﷺ from the anbiyaa` (Prophets) and awliyaa, or jinn, angels, trees, stones or idols (is considered major shirk as well).

There is also a third kind that is identified as tawassul, and it is the tawassul by means of his rank, his right, or his actual self, for example, a person says: “O Allaah! I ask You by the means of Your Prophet, or by the means of Your Prophet’s rank, or by the means of Your Prophet’s right, or by the means of Your Prophets ranks.” Implementing this is not permissible whether through the Prophet ﷺ or other than him. This is because Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aala) did not legislate this, and (all) acts of worship are tawqeefiyyah – these acts of worship are not allowed except which the purified Islaamic legislation indicates (as being allowed).

As for the tawassul of the blind man through the Prophet ﷺ during his lifetime, (then it is tawassul through him) so that he (`alayhis-salaam) may supplicate for him [on behalf of the blind man] and intercede for him with Allaah, so his sight is restored to him. It is not tawassul through the Prophet’s actual self, his status, nor his right as (this is) known from the context of the hadeeth(1), and as the scholars of the Sunnah have clarified in explanation of the hadeeth.

The discussion concerning tawassul has been expounded on by Shaykhul-Islaam Abul-`Abbaas Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) in many of his beneficial books. From (those books), is a book named: al-Qaa`idatul-Jaaliyah fi Tawassul wal-Wasseeah. It is a beneficial book, deserving to be looked at and benefited from.

This (aforementioned) ruling is also permitted with other than him ﷺ from the living – as when you say to your brother, or whomever you deem has khayr (good): “Invoke Allaah for me, that He may cure me from my illness, restore my sight, or grant me righteous children, etc” – with the consensus of the people of knowledge. And it is Allaah who bestows success.”(2)

***

Translated by Umm Sufyaan Faatimah

(1) That which is intended is the hadeeth of `Uthmaan ibn Hunayf: A blind man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “Invoke Allaah that He should cure me.” He said: «If you wish, I will invoke for you, and if you wish, I will delay that for which is better.» “So he said: Supplicate to Him.” So he ﷺ ordered him (the blind man) to make wudoo well, pray two Rak`aat and to supplicate with this du`aa: “O Allaah! I ask You and turn to You by means of Your Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Prophet of Mercy, ‘O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, I have turned by means of you (i.e. your du`aa) to my Lord in this need of mine, so that it may be fulfilled for me, ‘O Allaah, accept his Shaf`aah on my behalf, and accept my Shafa`aah for him (to be accepted for me).’

It has been related by Ahmad 8/138, and by at-Tirmithee in “Supplications” no. 3578, and by an-Nasaa.ee in Amaal al-Yawm wal-Layla p204, and Ibn Maajah in Iqaamat-us-Salaah no. 1385.

(2) Shaykh ibn Baaz, Majmoo` Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawee`a, 5/322-323