Part 5

you will be guilty of neglecting the way of your Prophet (pbuh) then you go astray. I have seen the people

in condition when only known hypocrites used to be out of the lines of congregation. Some of us used to be

brought to the mosque with the help of two men on account of their weakness or illness, until they could

Ar-Rabie Ibn Khutham had a disease in his leg. He used to go out for Prayer leaning on two men. They

advised him, "O father of Muhammed, Allah has permitted you to pray at home as you have a legal

excuse." He said, "Ok, but I hear the call to Prayer. Whoever could answer even if he creeps or crawl, it is

Hatim AI-Asam said, "One day, I missed a Prayer in congregation but no one lead me except Abu

Ishaq AI-Al-Bukhari. However, if one of my children died, there would be ten thousand people who offer me

condolence. This is because a trial in religion is easier than a one at the sight of people.

Someone of early Muslims said, a congregational Prayer is missed because of sins. Ibn 'Umar narrated,

"Once Umar was in his garden, when coming back, he found that the people had performed the Asr Prayer.

Thereby, he said, "We will surely return to Allah! I missed the Asr Prayer in congregation. May you

witness that I gave my garden in charity to the needy so as to expiate what 'Umar had done."

It is recommended to pay more attention to 'Isha' and Fajr. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

"The hypocrites find dawn (Fajr) and night (Isha') Prayers in congregation as very oppressive. If they

could know the virtues of these two Prayers, they would certainly join them, even if they had to go

Ibn 'Umar said, "When missing a man in the congregational Prayer of Isha and Fajr, we might think

that he was a hypocrite."

'Ubaydallah Ibn Amr Al-Qawarir said, "I have never missed Isha Prayer in congregation. One night I

had a grief which occupied me from performing the' Isha' Prayer in congregation. Thereby, I sought for

another mosque allover AI-Basra to realize the Prayer but of no avail all the mosques were closed. Then I

went home and decided to apply what is stated in the hadith,

"Recompense for Prayer offered along with the congregation is twenty seven times more than the

Prayer offered in home or."3

Therefore, I performed' Isha' Prayer twenty seven times. Afterwards, I slept. I dreamt that I was riding

my horse racing some other people who were also riding their horses but I could not catch them. Then one

turned to me and said, "Do not get your horse toiled, you would never catch us. I asked him why? He said,

we performed the 'Isha' Prayer in congregation but you did alone. Then I got up so sad.

We seek Allah's help and guidance for He is the Most Generous, the Most Bounteous.

Allah, the Most High, says,

{And let not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which Allah hath given them of His Grace, think that

it is good for them: Nay, it will be the worse for them: Soon it will be tied to their necks like a twisted

caller, on the Day of Judgment. To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is

Well-Acquainted with all that ye do.}

{And woe to those who pay not zakah and who even deny the Hereafter. For those who believe and work

deeds of righteousness is a reward that will never fail.} (Fussilat: 6-7)

{And there are those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a

most grievous chastisement. On the Day when it will be heated in the Fire of Hell, and with it will be

branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs. This is the (treasure) which ye hoarded for

yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye hoarded.} (AtTawbah: 34-35)

"A wealthy person who has got gold and silver, but does not pay the zakah due on the same, (should know

that) his gold and silver will be melted on the Day of Judgment and Converted into slabs which will then be

heated in the fire of Hell, and then has sides, his forehead, and his back will be branded therewith. When

these slabs will get cold, they will be heated up once more in the furnace of the Hell, the branding will be

continued throughout the day, the duration of which will be equal to fifty thousand years, and the cases of

all the people will have been decided by this time and they will be shown their way either to the Hell or to

It was related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"There are three people who will enter the Fire: An oppressive leader, a wealthy person who does not pay

Allah's right from his wealth and a proud poor."2

Ibn ' Abbas, (may Allah be pleased with him), said, "Whoever has enough property to make pilgrimage or

to pay zakah but he does not will ask Allah to return (to this world) when dying." Someone said, "Ibn

'Abbas, fear Allah, No one asks for return but the unbelievers." Then Ibn ' Abbas read Allah's saying,

{And spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before death

should come to any of you and he should say, ' O my Lord! Why didst thou not give me respite for a little

while I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good.}

Reported by Muslim, Ahmad and An-Nisa'i

Part of a hadith reported by AI-Hakim, Ibn Hibban and Ahmad.

There is no zakah on (gold or silver) jewelry that is for permissible use, but if it is prepared for uses of

renting or as an article which is pennanent acquisition then zakah is obligatory. zakah is also obligatory for

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet (pbuh) said,

"Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the zakah of his wealth will be made like a bald-

headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over its eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite

his cheeks and say, "I am your treasure " Then he recited the following verse, {And definitely let not the

ones who are miserly with what Allah has given them,' no indeed, it is an evil (thing) for them. They shall

have annulated (about their necks) whatever they were miserly with, on the Day of

Resurrection and to Allah is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth,' and Allah is Ever Cognizant of

whatsoever you do} (AI-Imran: 180)1

In his commentary on Allah's saying

{On the Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their

flanks, and their backs, -This is the (treasures) which ye hoarded for yourselves: taste ye, then the

Ibn Mas'ud said, "Dirham and Dinar will not be put in his skin collectively but separately and will

It was related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Five (actions) entail five (punishments)" They asked, "What does it mean?" He said, "Whenever some

people break a covenant, Allah will entice their enemy to attack them. If they rule in other than Allah's law,

they will be plagued with poverty. If indecency (adultery) prevails them, there will be more deaths. If they

give short scales or weights they will be deprived of tillage and will suffer the barren years, if they do not

pay zakah, there will be no rain." 2

Muhammad Ibn Yusuf Al-Feriabi said, II Once I went out accompanied with a group of my friends to visit

Abu Sann'an, may Allah have mercy on him. When we entered his house and sat down for a while, he said,

"Let us visit a neighbor whose brother has recently died to console him." Then, we all went to the man but

we found him wailing and impatient for the death of his brother. Accordingly, we tried to console him but

of no avail. We admonished him that death is an inevitable end. Then, he said, I know. I just weep for my

brother's death abode and the torture he is in. We asked, "Did Allah enable you to know the Unseen?" He

said," Of course not, but when I buried him and people went away I sat down by his grave. Meanwhile, I

heard a sound of distress. I heard someone crying." Oh, they left me alone to suffer the torture. I was

praying, and fasting. Then, I wept and out of pity I began to snatch the grave to see him. The grave was full

Reported by Abu Dawud and Ahmad.

of fire and I noticed a circle of fire around his neck. Out of pity I extended my arm to extricate him from

such circle of fire. No sooner did I extend my hand than my fingers were burnt. Then, the man showed us

his burnt hand. He went on saying, I hoarded the earth over him again and went away. Thus, how can I

keep patient after I have seen how he is. We, then, asked, "What did your brother do in this world?" He re-

plied. "He did not pay zakah." We said, "This is in accordance with Allah's saying,

{And not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which Allah hath given them of His Grace, think that it

is good for them: Nay, it will be the worse for them: Soon it will be tied to their neck like a twisted collar on

the day of Judgment.} (Al-Imran: 180)

Your brother, therefore, is being tortured in advance in his grave until the Day of Judgment.

Afterwards, we went ahead to Abu Dharr., the Prophet's companion, and told him this man's story. We also

said, "When a Jew or a Christian dies, we do not notice them suffering like that," He said; "They are

undoubtedly in the Hell-fire. Allah just shows you the abode of the Muslims to learn the lesson. Allah, the

{Now have come to you, from your Lord proofs (to open your eyes): If any will see, it will be for (the good

of) his own soul: If any will be blind it will be to his own (harm) I am not (here to watch over your doing.)}

6) Breaking One's Fast During Ramadan Without An Excuse