personal prayer to Allah

[sylvie]

:salam2:

I am still new to islam and learning everyday so please excuse any ignorance I have to some issues, but I have a question about prayer in Islam. I have been praying 5 times a day as best as I can while I am still trying to memorize the method and prayers in arabic, and it has definately helped me feel stronger and closer to Allah. But I was wondering how or if there is a certain way to make other prayers to god. I ask this because before converting to Islam, I was a christian and at night when I had had a really bad day or was going through something bad in my life I would say the sign of the cross and start talking to god. Sometimes now when I feel really bad and am lying in bed, instinctively my hand goes up to my head in attempt to make the sign of the cross but then I stop myself. I have tried to read the Quran at night when I feel this way or to listen to it recited in Arabic and it helps me but I still feel I am missing a personal dialogue with Allah. So I guess I have two questions:

1. How do I establish this personal dialogue with Allah, or what have other people done to become closer to Allah especially when going through emotional hardships.

2. Is it haram to listen to the Quran passively at night when I am not consentrating particularily on it or while I am studying. I have been doing this and I find it helps me but then I realize that I am not particularily consentrating on the words (especially since I do not understand arabic) and especially when I am consentrating on studying.

Thankyou very much for any personal opinions or advice

your sister in Islam,
Sylvie

 

[Kayote]

:salam2:

2. Is it haram to listen to the Quran passively at night when I am not consentrating particularily on it or while I am studying. I have been doing this and I find it helps me but then I realize that I am not particularily consentrating on the words (especially since I do not understand arabic) and especially when I am consentrating on studying.

Thankyou very much for any personal opinions or advice

your sister in Islam,
Sylvie

:salam2:

Yes, I use to do this as well. While at work, I would put on headphones & listen to The Quran while working. But this is wrong so I stopped as what Allah has ordered for us is not for us to question but to fulfill. In The Quran, it is said:

" When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace: that ye may receive Mercy." Qur'an 7:204

Talking to Allah - I donot think there is anything wrong with that. When we need help that is what we all do. We call it - making 'dua' (prayer). You simply raise your hands & pray to Allah. Prayer doesnt only mean the '5 prayers' that are obligatory.

May I suggest 'Tasbeh'. A 'tasbeh' is a chain with beads in it. You use it to recite a verse from The Quran or a quality of Allah (SHW). A common 'tasbeh' has around 100 beads & each bead counts as one recitation.

I also highly recommend you listen to 'Azan' (call to prayers) on your PC (or m3 player or whatever). Azan from Makkah & Madina (& other places) is simply beautiful to listen to & its short as well. Let me know if you are interested & I can recommend some of the better softwares out there.

If I have failed to properly explain, please someone else take the initiative.

 

[italianmuslimah]

Salaam,

that was a really good question...i have also wondered the same myself sometimes. Even though i was raised as a Catholic i hadn't been attending church for about 7 years before i became muslim a few months ago, so since i was 16 the only way i could pray was in bed at night after the sign of the cross...i would talk to God. So i actually asked myself if we can still do this in order to feel closer to Allah (without the sign of the cross obviously)
Thanks for the answer...i didn't know there was a kind of rosary in Islam...i used to have one when i was younger for saying prayers...you learn something new everyday!

 

[Mabsoot]

May I suggest 'Tasbeh'. A 'tasbeh' is a chain with beads in it. You use it to recite a verse from The Quran or a quality of Allah (SHW). A common 'tasbeh' has around 100 beads & each bead counts as one recitation.

Assalamu alaykum,

No, please dont suggest this.

Some people unfortunately use them, and there was a time when i had them as a boy. But, I understand now that their use is incorrect. We must use our fingers to do the Tasbeh,

the Prophet would say Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times, he and his companions all used their fingers to do that.

This is evident in authentic hadeeth, therefore we must do it exactly as they did, nothing more nothing less.

wasalam.

 

[Abul Harith]

Asalam alaikom

JazakAllah khair mabsoot. To use the fingertips is closer to the sunnah and insha'allah we'll get more reward for remembering Allah this way. In doing so we will also be reviving a sunnah of the Prophet

Please read my link on this topic here

Waslam

 

[Kayote]

Salam

Thankyou for the correction. Point being that use of fingers (which Allah (SWA) has already provided us) is better.

Wa'Aliekum Assalam

 

[sylvie]

Talking to Allah - I donot think there is anything wrong with that. When we need help that is what we all do. We call it - making 'dua' (prayer). You simply raise your hands & pray to Allah. Prayer doesnt only mean the '5 prayers' that are obligatory.

:salam2:

Thank you for this, 'making dua' I will remember this (hehe) I know it may sound weird to some that I havn't heard all these terms before, but there is alot of new volcabulary to pick up. I think this will be good for me to do right now, because my 5 prayers at the moment seem more like a struggle in memorization, when I learn the arabic well enough inchallah and am able to concentrate on the meaning, I think I will feel alot better with these prayers

:muslim_child: sylvie

 

[Kayote]

:salam2:

I think this will be good for me to do right now, because my 5 prayers at the moment seem more like a struggle in memorization, when I learn the arabic well enough inchallah and am able to concentrate on the meaning, I think I will feel alot better with these prayers

:muslim_child: sylvie

:salam2:

Yes, I agree. Arabic not being my first language also had the same effect on me (with regards to my prayers). After understanding the meaning of the prayers, now I can focus so much more & Insha'Allah (Allah willing) it will be accepted by Allah.

My advice is, take it a step at a time, you may wish you knew everything so it became easier but have faith in Allah (SHW) & understand your struggle makes you even closer to Allah, Insha'Allah (Allah willing).

Remember, Islam is a way of Life so take it a step at a time.



P.S: I recommend you read the post of this brother who has just joined us. He said it so much better than I ever could. JazakAllah Khair.

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3031

 

[Basicofislam]

Assalamalikum sister. There are a lots of dua's that one can do at night time before sleeping.This is a very famous one.
It is called SAYYIDUL ISTIGFAR.

BISMILLAAHIR -RAHMAANIR-RAHEEM
ALLAAHUMMA ANTA RABBII,LAA ILAAHA ILLAA ANTA KHALAQTANI
WA ANA ABDUKA WA ANA ALAA AHDIKA WA WADIKA
MASTATATU AUDHUBIKA MIN SHARRI MAA SANATU ABU U
LAKA BI NI MATIKA ALAYYA WA ABU U BIDHAMBII, FAGHFIRLII
FA INNAHUU LAA YAGHFIRUDH DHUNUUBA ILLAA ANTA.

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL.
Oh! Allah! Thou art my lord: There is no God besides Thee, Thou created me. I am Thy slave and as far as i could. I remain steadfast to Thy Promise and beseech Thy forgiveness from my evil deeds. I humbly affirm what Thou bestowheth on me and I plead guilty to my sins. Forgive me, for except Thee there is none to forgive me.

 

[BintMuhammad]

Assalamu alaikum

Assalamu alaykum,

No, please dont suggest this.

Some people unfortunately use them, and there was a time when i had them as a boy. But, I understand now that their use is incorrect. We must use our fingers to do the Tasbeh,

the Prophet would say Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times, he and his companions all used their fingers to do that.

This is evident in authentic hadeeth, therefore we must do it exactly as they did, nothing more nothing less.

wasalam.

Just something to support the above mentioned...



Ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads)


Question:
What is the ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads)?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Some scholars say that it is permissible to use the masbahah, but they say that it is preferable to do tasbeeh on one’s fingers; others say that it is bid’ah (reprehensible innovation).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Fataawa (22/187): “Some of them might show off by putting their prayer-mats over their shoulders and carrying their masbahahs in their hands, making them symbols of religion and prayer. It is known from the mutawaatir reports that neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) nor his Companions used these as symbols. They used to recite tasbeeh and count on their fingers, as the hadeeth says: “Count on your fingers, for they will asked, and will be made to speak.” Some of them may count their tasbeeh with pebbles or date stones. Some people say that doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is makrooh, and some allow it, but no one says that tasbeeh with the masbahah is better than tasbeeh with the fingers.” Then he (may Allaah have mercy on him) goes on to discuss the issue of showing off with the masbahah, saying that it is showing off with regard to something that is not prescribed by Islam, which is worse than showing off with regard to something that is prescribed.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (al-Liqa’ al-Maftooh, 3/30) was asked whether using the masbahah for tasbeeh is bid’ah, and his reply was: “It is better not to do tasbeeh with the masbahah, but it is not bid’ah, because there is a basis for it, which is the fact that some of the Sahaabah did tasbeeh with pebbles. But the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught that tasbeeh with the fingers is better, as he said, ‘Count with the fingertips, for they will be made to speak.’ Doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is not haraam or bid’ah, but it is better not to do it, because the one who does tasbeeh with the masbahah has shunned something better. Using the masbahah may also be contaminated with some element of showing off, because we see some people carrying masbahahs that contain a thousand beads, as if they are telling people, ‘Look at me, I do a thousand tasbeehs!’ Secondly, those who use the masbahah for tasbeeh are usually absent-minded and not focused, so you see them doing tasbeeh with the beads, but their gaze is wandering all over the place, which indicates that they are not really concentrating. It is better to do tasbeeh with one’s fingers, preferably using the right hand rather than the left, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to count his tasbeeh on his right hand. If a person counts his tasbeeh using both hands, there is nothing wrong with that, but it is better to use the right hand only.”

Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani said in Al-Silsilat al-Da’eefah (1/110), where he quotes the (weak) hadeeth “What a good reminder is the subhah [masbahah],”

“In my view, the meaning of this hadeeth is invalid for a number of reasons:

Firstly, the subhah [masbahah] is bid’ah and was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It happened after that, so how could he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have encouraged his Sahaabah to do something that was unknown to them? The evidence for what I have said is the report narrated by Ibn Waddaah in Al-Bid’ wa’l-Nahy ‘anhaa from al-Salt ibn Bahraam, who said: ‘Ibn Mas’ood passed by a woman who had a [masbahah] with which she was making tasbeeh, and he broke it and threw it aside, then he passed by a man who was making tasbeeh with pebbles, and he kicked him then said, “You think you are better than the Sahaabah, but you are following unjustified bid’ah! You think you have more knowledge than the Companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!”’ Its isnaad is saheeh to al-Salt, who is one of the trustworthy (thiqah) followers of the Taabi’een.

Secondly, it goes against the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) counting the tasbeeh on his right hand.’”

He also said (1/117): “If there is only one bad thing about the masbahah, which it is that it takes the place of the Sunnah of counting on the fingers, even though all are agreed that counting on the fingers is preferable, then that is bad enough. How rarely I see people counting their tasbeeh on their fingers!

Moreover, people have invented so many sophisticated ways of following this bid’ah, so you see the followers of one of the [Sufi] tareeqahs wearing the masbahah around their necks! Or some of them counting with the beads whilst talking or listening to you! Or another one – the like of whom I have not seen for some time – riding his bicycle through a street crowded with people, with the masbahah in one of his hands! They are showing the people that they are not distracted from the remembrance of Allaah for even an instant, but in many cases this bid’ah is a cause of their neglecting what is obligatory (waajib). It has happened many times – to others as well as myself – that when I greet one of these people with salaam, they answer only by waving and not by saying the words of the greeting. The bad results of this bid’ah are innumerable, and no one can say it better than the poet:

‘All goodness is in following that which went before (the salaf)

All badness is in the innovations of those who came later.’”

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid :blackhijab:

 

[Imad]

Assalmoalaikoem warahmatullahi wabaraktuh,

Allah subhanahu watala Hears and Sees us everywere. If we want something we can ask and He Hears. The most perfect place to be near Allah subhanahu watala is in de prostration ( Sujuud). You can make supplication ( Dua) to Him when you stand, sit or lay on your side.

May Allah protect you all.

Wassalmoelaikoem warahmatulllahi wabaraktuh

 

[Abdul Malik]

If this helps???

Asalam alaikum warahmatulahi wabrkatuh,


Just wanted to say sis not sure if you can get hold of it but there is a little book of supplications available and in my opnion and im sure other bro/sis would agree that its a must for all us muslims.

Pocket sized book
Its called 'Fortress of the muslim' the supplications are in arabic with translitiration aswell as the translation.

Click on the link below for more info

http://www.dar-us-salam.com/store/main.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=eng_salatdua

Inshallah ALLAH makes the learning of our dean easy for us all......ameen