Part 12

1. That it is unrestrictedly recommended.

2. That it is not unrestrictedly recommended.

3. Distinguishing between one for whom it is difficult to stand up immediately, so he sits and one for whom it is not difficult, so he does not sit.

Ibn Qudamah said in Al-Mughni, on page 529, volume 1, in the edition published by Dar Al-Manar: In this there is a reconciliation between the different narrations and it is a middle way between the two opinions.

In the page following this, he mentioned on the authority of

‘Ali bin Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: ‘Verily, it is a part of the Sunnah in the obligatory prayers that

"" Al-Fath Ar-Rabbani 3:147 (21 Zadul-Ma‘ad: 1:231

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when a man stands up in the first two Rak‘ahs, he should not support himself by putting his hands on the ground, unless he is an old man who cannot (stand up unaided).’ (Narrated by AlAthram)!"!

In the Hadith of Malik (i.e. Ibn Huwairith), it is mentioned that: ‘when the Prophet #% raised his head from the second Sajdah, he would sit straight, then he would support himself on the ground.’!?!

It is possible that the Prophet #% did this due to the difficulty he found in standing caused by weakness and old age, for he # said:

“Verily, I have become overweight, so do not anticipate me in bowing and prostrating. (end of quote).””

This is the opinion which I am inclined to accept, having said all that, because Malik bin Huwairith, may Allah be pleased with him, visited the Prophet # when he was preparing for the Tabuk campaign,'?! and the Prophet ## had become old at that time, and he had begun to get weak.

It is reported in Sahih Muslim on page 506 of the edition checked by Fu’ad ‘Abdul-Bagi, on the authority of ‘Aishah, may AlJah be pleased with her, that she said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah #2 gained weight and became heavy, most of his prayers were performed sitting down.”'*! ‘Abdullah bin Shaqiq asked her:

' Reported by Al-Baihaqi 2:136, and see Al-Mughni 2:214.

"21 Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of the adhan, in Chapter 143: How He Used to Support Himself on the Ground When He Stood Up After Completing the Rak‘ah (824).

PI] See Fathul-Bari 2:131.

‘41 Reported by Muslim in the Book of the Prayer of the Travellers, in Chapter 16: The License to Perform Supererogatory Prayers Standing and Sitting, Hadith 117 (732).

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‘Did the Prophet #% used to pray sitting down?’ She said: ‘Yes, after the people had broken him.’!?!

Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: ‘I did not see the Prophet #% offering his supererogatory prayers in a sitting position until the year before his death, when he used to offer his supererogatory prayers in a sitting position.’7! - and in another version: a year or two.

All of these narrations are in Sahih Muslim. This is also supported by the fact that in the Hadith of Malik bin Huwairith, may Allah be pleased with him, supporting oneself on the ground was mentioned; and supporting oneself against something is only done when there is a need for it. It might also be indicated by what was said in the Hadith of ‘Abdullah bin Buhainah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported by AlBukhari and others that the Prophet # led them in the Zuhr prayer and he stood up from the two Rak‘ahs and he did not sit.?! So he said: he did not sit which is general, without making an exception for Jalsatul-Istirahah. It might be said that the sitting which is negated here was the sitting for the Tashahhud, not sitting in general - and Allah knows better.

Q. 254. What is the ruling on moving the forefinger during the Tashahhud from the beginning to the end of it?

A. Moving the forefinger should only be done when supplicating and not throughout the Tashahhud, because he #2 used to move it when he supplicated, as reported in a Hadith

' The previous location, Hadith 115 (732).

'2] The previous location, Hadith 118 (733).

'5] Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of the Afhan, in the Chapter: Whoever Did not Consider That the Tashahhud is Obligatory (829); and by Muslim in the Book of Masjids, in the Chapter: Forgetfulness in Prayer Hadith 85 (570).

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that he would move it, supplicating with it."

The meaning of this, is that the supplicator only invokes Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High is above the heavens, according to the Words of Allah, the Most High:

“Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allah), will not cause the earth to sink with you, and then it should quake? Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven (Allah), will

not send against you a violent whirlwind? Then you shall know how (terrible) has been My Warning”?!

The Prophet #% said:

“Do you not trust me when I am the trusted one of Him Who is above the heavens?! So Allah, the Most High is above the heavens, i.e. exalted above everything, so if you supplicate to Allah, you should point to the highest, which is why it has been confirmed from the Prophet #¢ that he addressed the people during the Farewell Pilgrimage and he said:

“Have I not conveyed (the Message)?” They said: “Yes.” Then he raised his forefinger to the heaven

- |'l Al-Fath Ar-Rabbani 147:3 and he said: Its chain of narrators is good. '5] Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Military Campaigns, in the Chapter: The Sending of ‘Ali bin Abi Talib and Khalid bin Al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with them, to Yemen.

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and then pointed it at the people and said:

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“Oh, Allah! Bear witness! Oh, Allah! Bear witness! Oh, Allah!

Bear witness!” He said it three times, which proves that Allah is above everything. This is a matter that is clear and well known by the Fitrah, reason, revelation and consensus. So, based upon this, whenever you supplicate Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, you should move your forefinger and point to the heaven with it, and other than this, you should not move it.

Now we shall go through the places of supplication in the

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(As-Salamu ‘Alayka Ayyuhan-Nabiyyu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu, As-Salamu ‘Alayna Wa ‘Ala ‘Ibadillahis-Saliheen; Allahumma Salli ‘Ala Muhammadin Wa ‘Ala Ali Muhammadin, Allahumma Barik ‘Ala Muhammadin Wa ‘Ala Ali Muhammadin. A’oothu Billahi Min ‘Athabi Jahannama Wa Min ‘Athabil-Qabr Wa Min Fitnatil-Mahya Wal-Mamat Wa Min Fitnatil-Maseehid-Dajjal.)

“May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon you, oh, Prophet and upon the righteous slaves of Allah; Oh, Allah! Send prayers on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, oh, Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of

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Muhammad. 1 seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the Hell-fire, from the punishment of the grave and from the trial of life and death and from the trial of the false messiah.”

In these eight locations, a person should move his finger towards the heaven and if he supplicates using other words than these, he should raise it also, because the rule is that he should raise it at every supplication.

Q. 255. Should a person restrict himself to reciting only the Tashahhud in the first Tashahhud, or should he add the sending of prayers?

A. The first Tashahhud in the three Rak‘ah and the four Rak‘ah prayers should be restricted to the words: 0.54055 te ise Sf ht an Sy dj

(At-Tahiyyatu Lillahi Was-Salawatu Wat-Tayyibatu, As-Salamu ‘Alayka Ayyuhan-Nabiyyu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu; As-Salamu ‘Alayna Wa ‘Ala ‘Ibadillahis-Saliheen. Ashhadu Alla Tlaha Illallahu Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu Wa Rasooluh.) ‘All compliments, prayers and good words are due to Allah, may the Peace, blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon you, oh, Prophet. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger."

This is the best, but there is no objection if one added:

' Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of the adhan, in the Chapter: The Tashahhud in the Hereafter (831).

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(Allahumma Salli ‘Ala Muhammadin Wa ‘Ala Aali Muhammadin Kama Sallayta ‘Ala Ibraheem Wa ‘ala Aali Ibraheema Innaka Hameedun Majeed; Allahumma Barik ‘Ala Muhammadin Wa ‘Ala Aali Muhammadin Kama Barakta ‘Ala Ibraheem Wa ‘ala Aali Ibraheema Innaka Hameedun Majeed.)

“Oh, Allah! Send prayers on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers on Abraham and the family of Abraham. Truly You are Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. Oh, Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings on Abraham and the family of Abraham. Truly, You are Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory.""!

There are those among the scholars who said that it is recommended to make this addition, but the most correct opinion, in my view, is restrict oneself to the first. If one added to it, there is no objection, especially if the Jmam prolonged the Tashahhud, in that case, one should add the prayers which we have indicated.

Q. 256. What is the ruling on Tawarruk'?! in prayer? Is it general for men and women? Advise us, and may Allah reward you with goodness.

A. The sitting of Tawarruk in prayer is a Sunnah during the last Tashahhud in every prayer in which there are two Tashahhuds,

"] Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of the Stories of the Prophets, in Chapter (3369) (3370); and by Muslim in the Book of Prayer, in the Chapter: Sending Prayers on the Prophet # After the Tashahhud 1:305,

"21 Tawarruk: To sit in such a manner that the left shin is not under the left thigh, shifting it towards the right, with the buttocks on the ground

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such as the Maghrib prayer, the ‘Isha’ prayer, the Zuhr prayer and the ‘Asr prayer. As for a prayer in which there is only one Tashahhud, there is no Tawarruk in it. Instead, one should sit, laying the left foot along the ground and sit on it, having the right foot upright (Jftirash).