Part 17

ud bb “What is this, O Mu’aadh?”

He % said, “I went to Ash-Sham, and I came across its people prostrating to their priests and leaders, and I wanted in my self to do the same with you.” The Messenger of Allah #% said,

“Do not do so, but were I to order anyone to perform prostration to other than Allah, I would have ordered a woman to perform prostration to her husband. And by the One Who has the soul of Muhammad in His Hand, a woman does not fulfill the right of her Lord until she fulfills the right of her husband. If a man asks a woman for her self (i.e., asks her to engage in intercourse with him) while she is on a Qatab (what is placed on the hump of a camel underneath the rider; i.e., even if a women is in such a situation and her husband asks her to come to him for the said purpose, she should not refuse. Therefore, she should definitely not refuse him in less busy circumstances), she should not refuse him.”

A Reminder About Prostration: When you perform prostration, you place the noblest part of your body, your face, on the ground, a place that is trampled by feet, in order to glorify,

' Related by Ahmad (18913) and Ibn Maajah (1853), and the wording used here is from his narration. And Al-Albaanee said, “Hasan sahih.” (1515)

Chapter - 4 The Etiquettes Of Meeting Another Muslim 109

magnify, and worship Allah 3. While in that position, the believer enjoys the spiritual bliss of supplication more so than in any other position. How perfect, then, is Allah, to Whom worshippers perform prostration, recognizing His perfection and His exaltedness above any possible fault, with their saying, “Subhaana Rabbiyal-‘Aalaa (How perfect my Lord is, the Most High).”

The Etiquettes Of Visiting Your Brother

“O you who believe! Let your legal slaves and slave-girls, and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they come to your presence) on three occasions: before Fajr (morning) prayer, and while you put off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the ‘Isha (latenight) prayer’ (Quran 24:58)

Abu Hurairah # reported that the Prophet #¢ said,

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“A man once visited a brother of his in another village, and Allah 36 appointed an Angel to lie in wait for him on the road he was taking. When the man came upon the Angel, the latter said, ‘Where do you wish to go?’ The man said, ‘I want [to visit] a brother of mine in this valley.’ The Angel asked, ‘Do you have some blessing or favor upon him [for which you are going to him (ie., is it some worldly benefit or calling that prompted you to visit him)]?’ He said, ‘No, except that I do indeed love him for Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (i.e., that is the only reason that prompted me to visit him).’ The Angel said, ‘I am indeed a messenger of

Chapter - 5 The Etiquettes Of Visiting Your Brother ww

Allah, sent to you, to inform you that Allah indeed loves you as you have loved your brother for Him.’

The Manners Of Visiting Your Brother

) You Should Visit Your Brother Outside Of The Three Timings Specified In The Above-Mentioned Verse

Servants and children that have not reached the age of puberty — Allah 3 guided believers to forbid these categories of people m entering into their presence during three periods of the day:

1) before Fajr prayer,

2) the time for the noonday rest, and

3) after ‘Isha prayer.

“ Privacy is required because, during these times, a person is likely fo be sleeping, relaxing, or spending intimate moments with his wife. Therefore, only after they receive your permission, may Hyour servants or children enter into your presence, i.e., your ‘private space, such as your bedroom. Building on this principle, e can also conclude that by visiting people during those times, e are likely to be ruining their rest and causing annoyance for ‘them. People are for the most part not prepared to welcome ple during those three periods of the day. However, we cept from this principle occasions wherein you are invited, for tance, to a lunch or dinner gathering; you are obviously fwelcome when the host invites you and specifies the time that should arrive.

‘Concerning this issue, we can draw upon two examples, one a

4;hadith and one a narration from a Companion 4s, to illustrate

that it was customary for people to avoid visiting others during noonday rest period.

‘irst, we mention the hadith: ‘Aaisha % said, “Rarely would a

“aday go by wherein the Prophet 3 would not visit Abu Bakr . at

“8 Related by Muslim (5267); Ahmad (9036); and Al-Bukhaaree, in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (350)

one of the two ends of the day. But when permission was given to him to go to Madeenah (i.e., to migrate)...he came to us at noontime. Abu Bakr 4 was informed about his arrival, and he said, ‘The Prophet #% came to us at this time only because something [important] has happened.’...”"1)

The Prophet # came at a time that was not a normal time for visitation - during the period of the day wherein people would take a noonday nap - which is why Abu Bakr & was so surprised when he learned that the Prophet #% had come.

And speaking of how he would take knowledge from older Companions 4, Ibn ‘Abbaas % said, “When a hadith reached me from a man, I would go to him, and if he was taking his noonnap, I would rest my head on my robe at his door, and the wind would blow dust on my face.’””!

Despite the fact that Ibn ‘Abbaas % assiduously sought out knowledge and despite the fact that he was careful not to waste his time, he preferred to wait for the person he was looking for to come out rather than knock on his door and disturb him. This occurred when he would arrive at someone’s home during the period wherein people customarily took their noonday nap.

2) Unless He Has Permission From His Host, A Visitor Should Not Lead The prayer; Nor Should He Sit On The Bed Or Mattress Of His Host Without His Permission

In his own home, a man has more rights than anyone else; therefore, it is only after his permission is conferred may someone lead the prayer or sit on the mattress or couch that is specifically prepared for him. Abu Mas’ood Al-Ansaaree # ascribed this hadith to the Prophet #%:

(|) Bukhaaree (2138), Ahmad (20098), and Abu Daawood (4083) 1 Ad-Daarimee (570)

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“The one who should lead the people [in prayer] is he who knows more of Allah’s Book; if they (i.e., more than one person present) are equal in recitation, then the one who is most knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah; if they are equal [in their knowledge] of the Sunnah, then the one who migrated earlier; and if they are equal in regards to their migration, then the one who is older. And a man should not lead another man in his (i.e., in the latter's) [place of] authority, nor should he sit in his house on his particular mattress (one that is specifically prepared and designated for the leader of the household) - unless he obtains his permission.” And in another narration, ‘Unless he (the person of authority or the master of the house) gives permission to you...)

In commenting on this hadith, An-Nawawee said, “It means...that the head of the house, the leader of the gathering, and the Imam of the Masjid are all more deserving [of leading the prayer] than anyone else, even if someone else is more knowledgeable, knows more Quran, is more pious, or is generally better. The leader of a place - such as the master of the house - is most deserving in this regard; if he wishes, he may step forward (to lead the prayer), and if he wishes, he may advance a person of his choice to lead, even if the person he advances is less worthy than others who are present. Since he has authority [in his home or otherwise], he may do in this matter as he pleases.”

3) Frequency Of Visits

Regarding frequency of visits, there are two Ahadeeth that scholars cite; one that is agreed upon, and another that scholars

"I Related by Muslim (673), and the wording mentioned here is from his narration. The following compilers related it as well: Ahmad (4/118), Abu Daawood (582), At-Tirmidhee (235), An-Nassaaee (780), and Ibn Maajah

disagree about. As for the former, it is the hadith of ‘Aaisha that we mentioned earlier; she # said, “Rarely would a day go by wherein the Prophet #% would not come to Abu Bakr’s house at one of the two ends of the day. And in another narration, ‘No day would pass by for the two of them, except that the Messenger of Allah # would come to us during it at both ends of the day - in the morning and in the evening.” These narrations show that the Prophet # would frequently visit Abu Bakr #.

"1 Related by Ibn Hibbaan in his sahih (620). The commentator of AlAadaab Ash-Shari’yah said about it, “Its chain is authentic, fulfilling even the conditions of Muslim.”