salahdin
Junior Member
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Errors in Prayers that must be Avoided
22) Sitting in tawarruk position in the last rak’ah of Fajr and Jum’ah prayers.
It is praiseworthy to take tawarruk position only in the last rak’ah of Dhtuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha’ prayers. Tawarruk is described in Sahih al-Bukhari as resting the body, during sitting position, on the left thigh and putting the left foot under the right leg, while setting the right foot upright; and supporting the body by the left hand with which the left knee is grasped. See the accompanying diagram, which was hand-drawn (not copied) after looking at “The Reliance of the Traveler.”
23) Moving the two palms upon saying, ‘assalamu aleikum warahmatul-lah’ to end prayer.
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw some of his companions doing so. He objected: Why do I see you moving your hands like the tails of wild horses. They never did that again32.
24) Counting tasbeeh with the left hand.
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used to count tasbeeh on the fingers of his right hand after salah. Abdullah bin Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, (There are) two good deeds, any Muslim who does them shall enter Jannah but few are those who do them: to say, “subhanAllah” ten times, and “alHamdulillah” ten times, and “AllahuAkbar” ten times. And I have seen the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) counting them on his hand. lbn Qudamah said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his right hand for tasbeeh33.
The above hadeeth indicates clearly that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used only one hand for counting tasbeeh. No Muslim with sound mind would imagine that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his left hand for counting tasbeeh. Aa’ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his left hand only for Istinjaa’, or cleaning himself after responding to the call of nature. He never used it for tasbeeh. Yasirah reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) commanded women to count tasbeeh on their fingers.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: They (the fingers) will be made to speak, and will be questioned (on the Day of Resurrection.)34
The above hadeeth indicates that it is preferable to count tasbeeh on the fingers of the right hand than to do so on masbahah (rosary).
25) Shaking hands with other praying people right after fardh prayer is over, saying, ‘taqabbala-llah’, or ‘haraman’
This is a bid’ah which was never practiced by the Prophet’s companions or their followers, may Allah be pleased with them.
26) Raising hands for dua’ soon as prayer is over.
This was not the practice of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). The Sunnah is to start with dthikr soon after salah is over. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: When you recite, ‘At-tahiyyat…’, (just before tasleem), choose whichever du’a you like35.
The best forms of du’a are those authentically related to the Prophet, (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam).. Insha’ Allah, we will publish the authentic du’a masnoon, soon.
27) Walking away right after tasleem, at the end of prayer, and neglecting dthikr.
Dthikr is reciting subhanal-Lah 33 times, alhamdu Lilah 33 times Allahu Akbar 33 times, reciting La ilaha illal-Laah 10 times reciting ayat al-Kursi [i.e. verse 255 of surah 2 al Baqarah], or other authentic dthikr.
28) Crossing in front of a praying person.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) warned: Were the one who crosses in front of a praying person to know the consequences of doing so, he would have waited for forty better than to cross in front of him36. The forty in the tradition may be days months or even years. Allah knows best.
29) Neglecting prayer when one is sick or ill.
Salah is one of the most important pillars of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) never neglected it during his sickness, nor while combating enemies. Prayer must be performed regardless. If one cannot perform ablution for one legal reason or another, then he must perform dry ablution tayammum by patting with his palms a dusty surface, then wiping the face and hands. If he cannot stand up in prayer, he may pray while sitting or lying down on his side. Otherwise, it is enough for him to pray by moving his eyes up for rukoo’ and down for sujood, and complete the rest of the prayer postures in the same manner.
30) Praying in a graveyard.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: Pray not in graveyards, nor sit on graves37.
The format of prayer is enjoined by the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). No imam or a scholar has the right to alter it by adding to or deleting from it. There is no book of authentic hadeeth or Prophetic tradition reporting that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) commanded men to pray in one way, and women in another. He commanded: Pray as you saw me praying38. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) did not differentiate between men and women in prayer.
Some scholars opine that it is better for women to gather themselves in sujood. As every body knows, prayer is an act of worship, and like every other act of worship, there must be a textual proof for it in the Qur’an or the authentic Sunnah. A future issue of Naseehah will, insha’Allah, include the format of prayer as reported in the authentic traditions. Let us pray to Allah, extolled be His glory, seeking His forgiveness, and asking him to guide us to the straight path. Aameen.
~ by fatimahdaragharbi on December 15, 2009.
Posted in Mistakes in Salah, Repentance, Salaah, Sins, Worship
Errors in Prayers that must be Avoided
22) Sitting in tawarruk position in the last rak’ah of Fajr and Jum’ah prayers.
It is praiseworthy to take tawarruk position only in the last rak’ah of Dhtuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha’ prayers. Tawarruk is described in Sahih al-Bukhari as resting the body, during sitting position, on the left thigh and putting the left foot under the right leg, while setting the right foot upright; and supporting the body by the left hand with which the left knee is grasped. See the accompanying diagram, which was hand-drawn (not copied) after looking at “The Reliance of the Traveler.”
23) Moving the two palms upon saying, ‘assalamu aleikum warahmatul-lah’ to end prayer.
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw some of his companions doing so. He objected: Why do I see you moving your hands like the tails of wild horses. They never did that again32.
24) Counting tasbeeh with the left hand.
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used to count tasbeeh on the fingers of his right hand after salah. Abdullah bin Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, (There are) two good deeds, any Muslim who does them shall enter Jannah but few are those who do them: to say, “subhanAllah” ten times, and “alHamdulillah” ten times, and “AllahuAkbar” ten times. And I have seen the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) counting them on his hand. lbn Qudamah said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his right hand for tasbeeh33.
The above hadeeth indicates clearly that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used only one hand for counting tasbeeh. No Muslim with sound mind would imagine that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his left hand for counting tasbeeh. Aa’ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used his left hand only for Istinjaa’, or cleaning himself after responding to the call of nature. He never used it for tasbeeh. Yasirah reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) commanded women to count tasbeeh on their fingers.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: They (the fingers) will be made to speak, and will be questioned (on the Day of Resurrection.)34
The above hadeeth indicates that it is preferable to count tasbeeh on the fingers of the right hand than to do so on masbahah (rosary).
25) Shaking hands with other praying people right after fardh prayer is over, saying, ‘taqabbala-llah’, or ‘haraman’
This is a bid’ah which was never practiced by the Prophet’s companions or their followers, may Allah be pleased with them.
26) Raising hands for dua’ soon as prayer is over.
This was not the practice of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). The Sunnah is to start with dthikr soon after salah is over. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: When you recite, ‘At-tahiyyat…’, (just before tasleem), choose whichever du’a you like35.
The best forms of du’a are those authentically related to the Prophet, (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam).. Insha’ Allah, we will publish the authentic du’a masnoon, soon.
27) Walking away right after tasleem, at the end of prayer, and neglecting dthikr.
Dthikr is reciting subhanal-Lah 33 times, alhamdu Lilah 33 times Allahu Akbar 33 times, reciting La ilaha illal-Laah 10 times reciting ayat al-Kursi [i.e. verse 255 of surah 2 al Baqarah], or other authentic dthikr.
28) Crossing in front of a praying person.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) warned: Were the one who crosses in front of a praying person to know the consequences of doing so, he would have waited for forty better than to cross in front of him36. The forty in the tradition may be days months or even years. Allah knows best.
29) Neglecting prayer when one is sick or ill.
Salah is one of the most important pillars of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) never neglected it during his sickness, nor while combating enemies. Prayer must be performed regardless. If one cannot perform ablution for one legal reason or another, then he must perform dry ablution tayammum by patting with his palms a dusty surface, then wiping the face and hands. If he cannot stand up in prayer, he may pray while sitting or lying down on his side. Otherwise, it is enough for him to pray by moving his eyes up for rukoo’ and down for sujood, and complete the rest of the prayer postures in the same manner.
30) Praying in a graveyard.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: Pray not in graveyards, nor sit on graves37.
The format of prayer is enjoined by the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). No imam or a scholar has the right to alter it by adding to or deleting from it. There is no book of authentic hadeeth or Prophetic tradition reporting that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) commanded men to pray in one way, and women in another. He commanded: Pray as you saw me praying38. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) did not differentiate between men and women in prayer.
Some scholars opine that it is better for women to gather themselves in sujood. As every body knows, prayer is an act of worship, and like every other act of worship, there must be a textual proof for it in the Qur’an or the authentic Sunnah. A future issue of Naseehah will, insha’Allah, include the format of prayer as reported in the authentic traditions. Let us pray to Allah, extolled be His glory, seeking His forgiveness, and asking him to guide us to the straight path. Aameen.
~ by fatimahdaragharbi on December 15, 2009.
Posted in Mistakes in Salah, Repentance, Salaah, Sins, Worship