Part 11

Allah also refers to exposing ‘awrah as an act of ‘immorality’ as the unbelievers used to circumambulate the House (i.e. the Ka‘ bah) while being naked, claiming that it was an act of religion; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And when they commit an immorality, they say, ‘We found our fathers doing it and Allah has ordered us to do it? Say, ‘Indeed, Allah does not order immorality..”” | (Qur'an: Al-A*‘raf: 28)

In the light of the above, exposing one’s ‘awrah and looking at it leads to grave evil and such an act is a means of immorality and debauchery. We see in those dissolute societies nowadays that their honor is lost and their morals are gone due to exposing their ‘awrah, which led to the spread of vice and the disappearance of virtue among them. On the other hand, concealing ‘awrah is a means of maintaining virtue, and this is why Satan is keen to tempt people to expose their ‘awrah. Therefore, Allah warns us against Satan, saying:

“O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts...” (Qur'an: Al-A'‘ raf: 27)

So, exposing ‘awrah is a satanic scheme in which many communities are entrapped nowadays, calling it fashion and modernity. As a result, there have become strip clubs, and women have become so dissolute that they expose their bodies before men so shamelessly.

So, you should know, gentle Muslim reader, that ‘awrah (private parts) has to be concealed in a way that makes such parts unnoticeable; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts...” (Qur’in: Al-A ‘raf: 26)

Thus, concealing one's ‘awrah (private parts) with clothing is a necessary, obligatory act.

Aman’s ‘awrah is from his navel to his knees, for * Ali Ibn Aba Talib narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Do not unveil your thigh, and do not look at the thigh of the living or the dead?”

(Related by Aba Dawad and Ibn Majah) In another hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Cover your thigh for a man’s thigh is a part of his ‘awrah (private parts).

(Related by Malik, Ahmad, and Al-Tirmidhi who deemed it a hasan (good) hadith)

In spite of all the above, regrettably, we find that a lot of men nowadays when practicing certain sports expose their bodies and cover only their sexual organs, which is an explicit contradiction to the aforementioned religious texts. Such men have to beware of that, and to abide by the teachings of their religion, refraining from whatever contradicts them.

As for a woman, all her body is considered ‘awrah, as the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“A woman is (regarded as) ‘awrah (i.e. she has to be concealed just like ‘awrah).””

This hadith is deemed sahih (aurthentic) by Al-Tirmidhi. Also, it is narrated on the authority of Umm Salamah that she asked the Prophet (PBUH) saying:

“Can a woman perform prayer while wearing a dir’ (a long upper garment) and a veil but not wearing a loincloth? He (PBUH) replied, “(Yes,) only if the dir’ is long enough to cover her instep.”"®

Moreover, Abii Dawdd, Al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

‘Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.”

“The opinion of scholars is that if a woman who has reached puberty performs prayer while a certain part of her ‘awrah is exposed, her prayer is deemed invalid”

In addition to the aforesaid hadiths concerning a woman's ‘awrah, Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“... And not display their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their head-covers over their chests and not display their adornment [i.e. beauty] except to their husbands...” (Quran: An-Nir: 31)

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments...” (Qur'an: Al-Ahzab: 59)

Moreover, Allah, Exalted be He, says: “And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition...” (Qur'an: Al-Ahzab: 53)

For more illustration, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“Men would pass by us when we accompanied the Messenger (PBUH) while we were in the state of ihram (a state of ritual consecration during Hajj or ‘Umrah). When they came by us, every one of us would let down her veil over her face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our faces.”

The aforesaid texts as well as their likes in the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition), which are so numerous, stress that everything in a woman is considered ‘awrah that has to be concealed in the presence of men who are ajnabis (foreign, marriageable males); nothing of a woman's body is permissible to be exposed in the presence of an ajnabi (a foreign, marriageable male), whether in prayer or elsewhere. However, if a woman performs prayer in a place void of ajnabis, it is permissible for her to uncover her face, as it is not regarded as ‘awrah during prayer provided there is no ajnabi to see her face, as it is impermissible in this case.

It is really shameful, upsetting and disappointing that many of the Muslim females of this modern age have reached a dangerous extent of dissoluteness and debauchery; they compete in exposing their bodies and wear see-through clothing and the like, imitating the unbelieving and apostate females. There is neither might nor power except in Allah, the Most High, and the Most Great!

Allah, Exalted be He, does not only command concealing ‘awrah during prayer, but He also enjoins Muslims to appear well when going to perform prayer; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“O children of Adam, take your adornment [i.e. wear your clothing] at every masjid...” (Qur’an: AI-A‘ raf: 31)

This means that Allah commands His servants to wear their best, cleanest, and most beautiful clothing when heading for mosques to perform prayer, as they will stand in prayer between the Hands of Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He. Therefore, one has to appear perfectly well, physically and spiritually, to stand before Almighty Allah in prayer.

The third condition (of prayer): To avoid impurity. One of the conditions of the validity of prayer is the avoidance of impurity, and being in a perfect state of purity, whether related to one’s body, clothing, or the place in which one stands to perform prayer. Impurity here means a special kind of filthy materials that makes it impermissible for one to perform prayer, such as the flesh of dead animals, blood, wine, urine, and stool. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And your clothing purify.” (Qur'an: Al-Muddaththir: 4) Moreover, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Purify yourselves from urine, for most of the torture in the grave is because of it.”

He (PBUH) also commanded a woman to wash her garment and purify it from menstruation blood before performing prayer in it," and enjoined scrubbing the soles of one’s shoes to clean them before performing prayer wearing them’'. The Prophet (PBUH) ordered his Companions to pour a bucket of water over the place in the mosque where a Bedouin had urinated. Such incidents, as well as many others, are proofs of the necessity of avoiding impurity while performing prayer, as prayer is invalid if there is something impure afflicting one's body, one’s clothing, or the place in which one performs prayer; the same ruling is applicable in case one is carrying something impure.

If one notices something impure on one's body or clothing after performing prayer, one’s prayer is deemed valid so long as one has not been aware of it. Likewise, if one has been aware of impurity and has forgotten to remove it before performing prayer, one’s prayer is deemed valid according to the sound juristic opinion in this regard. However, if impurity is noticed during prayer and one is able to remove it without making much movement during prayer (such as taking off one’s impure shoes or turban), one is to remove it and continue performing prayer. But if unable to remove it, one’s prayer is deemed invalid.

Prayer is invalid if performed at a graveyard, except for the Funeral Prayer, for the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“The whole earth is a masjid (a place for prayer) except bathrooms and graveyards.”

This hadith is related by the Five Compilers of Hadith except An-Naséa’i, and was deemed sahih (authentic) by Al-Tirmidhi~. The Prophet (PBUH) also said:

“Do not face graves in prayer and do not sit on them.”

(Related by the Group of Compilers of Hadith except Al-Bukhari)” The Prophet (PBUH) said:

The reason for such prohibition is not just to avoid impurity, but for fear that graves might be taken as sacred places or idols to be worshipped by people. That is, the prohibition of performing prayer at graveyards is intended to avoid worshipping their dwellers (the dead) afterwards. Still, the Funeral Prayer is an exception of that ruling, | as itis permissible to be performed at graves, as done by the Prophet (PBUH), which makes the Prophetic prohibition restricted to certain cases. So, whatever is related to graves is prohibited to perform prayer therein, such as graves themselves, graveyards, etc.

“The Imdams agree that it is impermissible to build a mosque over a grave, or to bury a dead person in a mosque. If the mosque has been built before the grave, the grave inside has to be leveled to the mosque floor, or to be disentombed if it has been recently built. However, if the mosque has been built after the grave, we should either pull down the mosque or pull down whatever indicates that the place is a grave rather than a mosque, for it is prohibited to offer prayer at a mosque built on a grave, be it obligatory or supererogatory prayer.”

On the other hand, prayer is invalid if performed at a mosque whose qiblah” faces a grave, for the Prophet (PBUH) said:

It is also prohibited to perform prayer in a toilet, as they are places specified for urination and defecation and connected with impurity; since the Lawgiver™ prohibits mentioning the Name of Allah in a toilet, then, with greater reason, it is prohibited to perform prayer in such places, which are inhabited by devils. Moreover, it is prohibited to perform prayer in bathrooms, where one gets washed, because they are places where people's ‘awrahs (private parts) are exposed and where devils live; this prohibition includes all the places inside the bathroom.

In addition, it is impermissible to perform prayer at camel stalls; ShaykhulIslam Taqiyyud-Din Ibn Taymiyah said:

“It is prohibited to perform prayer at their stalls (i.e. the camels’) as their stalls are shelters for devils, and it is also prohibited to perform prayer in a bathroom, as it is a shelter for devils. So, such places of evil spirits reasonably necessitate avoiding performing prayer therein.”

It is detestable to perform prayer in a place containing pictures or the like; Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said:

“Such places are more deserving of avoiding performing prayer therein than bathrooms. The detestability of performing prayer in a bathroom is out of fear that the place is impure, or because it is the devils’ dwelling place which is the sound opinion. Yet, the detestability of performing prayer in a place containing pictures or the like is intended to avoid polytheism, for the polytheism of most of the previous nations was related to paintings and graves.”

Dear gentle Muslim reader, you should take care of your prayer and be keen on its validity, verifying your purity before being engaged in it, and avoiding the places where performing prayer is invalid, so as to ensure that your prayer is legally performed in the way decreed by Allah. In addition, you should never neglect any of the rulings on prayer or disregard it, for prayer is the basic pillar of your religion, if perfected, your faith will be perfected as well; if not, your faith will be imperfect. May Allah guide us all to that which leads to goodness and righteousness!

The fourth condition (of prayer): Facing the qiblah (direction of prayer). Among the conditions of the validity of prayer is facing the giblah, the honorable Ka’ bah. It is called qiblah because all Muslims turn their face towards it during prayer. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“...So turn your face [i.e. yourself] toward Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque). And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e. yourselves] toward it [in prayer]...”

So, whoever is so near to the Ka’ bah that he can see it, it is obligatory for him to turn his whole body toward it during prayer, as such a person can face it well, as he sees it with his eyes. Thus, it is impermissible for such a person to deviate from its direction. On the other hand, if one is near to the Ka*bah but there is something that hinders one from seeing it, one in this case has to try facing it as much as possible. However, if one is anywhere in the world so that one is away from the Ka’ bah, one then can face the direction believed to be that of the Ka‘ bah, and moving a bit leftward or rightward does not matter, as the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“There is qiblah (direction of prayer) between the east and the west.””

This hadith was deemed sahih (authentic) by Al-Tirmidhi, and was narrated by many of the Prophet’s Companions. Surely, this hadith specifies the giblah for Medina and all the places of the same direction and location. However, the qiblah for the east, for example, is between the south and the north, and so is the giblah for the west.

Generally, prayer is invalid without facing the qiblah, for Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e. yourselves] toward it [in prayer]...” (Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 144)

“Wherever” here indicates that the qiblah is to be faced during prayer no matter where one is; traveling by land, sea, air, eastward, westward, etc. Yet, one is not obliged to face the giblah if unable to, such as being tied up or crucified in a way that one cannot face it. In such a case, one is to perform prayer facing the available direction even if it is not the giblah, as this condition is inapplicable in such a case according to juristic consensus. Similarly, if one is engaged in a fierce war, or one flees from a flood, fire, a wild animal, or an enemy, or one is

so ill that one is unable to face the giblah, one in such cases can perform prayer in the same state one is in, even if one is not facing the qiblah, and one’s prayer will be deemed valid as well. This is because the condition is nullified in case of inability; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“So fear Allah as much as you are able...” (Qur'an: At-Taghabun: 16)

“If 1 command you to do something, then do (of) it as much as you can.”

Also, it is stated in a hadith related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Muslims in case of extreme fear used to perform prayer with and without

There are many ways through which one can know the qiblah, among which are:

Informing: One can be informed by a legally responsible, trustworthy person of the direction of giblah, provided that the informer is certain about it.

Following the giblah observed by mosques and mihrdbs: One can identify the giblah by following the giblah observed by a mosque or a mihrab (prayer niche), which would show one the right direction of the qiblah.

Astronomy: The qiblah can also be identified by means of stars; Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And by the stars they are [also] guided.” (Qur'an: An-Nahl: 16)

The fifth condition (of prayer): Intention; to intend performing an act of worship to draw near to Allah, Exalted be He. The heart is the real place of intention, so one does not have to declare it overtly, for this is regarded as an act of innovation in religion that had never been observed either by the Prophet (PBUH) or by his Companions. So, one is to intend performing a certain prayer only with one's heart, not tongue, in accordance with the hadith that states:

One intends performing a certain prayer upon the opening takbir™ of that prayer, so that the intention becomes associated with the act of worship; there is no harm if one intends a bit earlier. It is a condition that intention must last until the end of prayer. However, prayer becomes invalid if intention is cancelled during it. If one has said the opening takbir in an obligatory prayer, whether one is led in prayer or performs it alone, it is permissible for one to change one’s intention and perform it as a supererogatory prayer provided there is a valid excuse, such as joining a congregational prayer instead of praying alone.