How to Make Prayer (Salah) Effective | Khaled Abou El Fadl

 

The Fiqh of Salah - The Qiblah (Direction of Prayer) | Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi

Detailed Discussion on the Fiqh of Salah by Dr. Yasir Qadhi

Join Dr. Sh. Yasir Qadhi as he discuesses the Fiqh of Salah(Prayer), its conditions, pillars, actions, rulings, and everything regarding the Salah.

 

 

DUA FOR STAYING FOCUSED IN SALAH (Getting Khushu)

Spiritual Benefits of Salah (Ruku and Sajdah Explained) | Nouman Ali Khan|

Kissed by an angel :)

 


"When a worshipper of Allah uses the siwaak (to clean his teeth), and then stands in prayer, an angel comes and stands behind him, listening to the recitation of Qur’an. The angel continues to listen and draw nearer until he places his mouth over the worshipper’s, so that he does not recite one aayah but that it enters into the angel’s mouth. Therefore, purify your mouth for the recitation of Qur’an."

(Al-Bayhaqi, al-Diyaa', and others; authenticated by al-Albani)

Tips for Fajr | Nouman Ali Khan

The Evolution of a Muslim

"On that Day, the people of paradise will ask those who have entered Hell-fire, why they have entered it. And the Qur’an tells us exactly what their first response will be: ”What led you into Hell Fire? They will say: ‘We were not of those who prayed.’” (Qur’an, 74:42-43)

Multiply Your Earnings X 30,000! One Night Only!

Mind the crack! (During prayer)

One of the most common topics of discussion among Muslim men and women (and ofcourse many non-Muslims too) is the dress code of Muslim women. We have videos on Youtube bemoaning sistes that observe hijab badly, or railing against those that do not far enough and dare to uncover their hair/faces. The Niqab ban in France will come into force presently and Non-Muslims like Yasmin Alibi-Brain give reasons why veils should be banned not understanding this is matter of faith and no Muslim gives two hoots what she thinks!

In my experience many brothers have very strong opinions on how sisters should dress and have no qualms about saying so publicly regardless of whether that may or may not be a good idea. They seem to think they are somehow responsible for every sister. But they really aren't, they should remember, that sister will have to answer for herself on Judgement day. As a man I would rather not tell a woman how to dress, its really none of my business. In fact I would rather not comment on anyones mode of dress, however recent observations at my mosque have forced me to comment on how my fellow brothers dress.


During friday prayers, I see the teenagers wearing nice trendy t-shirts and trousers. Since its getting hotter, there is no need for the jackerts or cardigans.

As we know that during the prayer, we need to go through this complete routine of postures, with 'sujood' being the main one. These young brothers when they go into 'sujood', they often expose their lower back and even shown butt-cleavage. If this was an odd incident then I can understand, but this is becoming more and more common. In fact sometimes I wonder if there is a competition on who can get away by exposing the most.

Its very easy to tell them off but this can discourage them from atttending prayers in the mosque. It is also difficult to tell them politely in the mosque as there are always some older brothers looking for an opportunity to publicly belittle and embarrass others.

Islamically, men have a similar strict code of dressing as a women. The mandatory covering is from the navel to the knee. So brothers, rather than focusing on the existant/non-existant, good/bad, hijab/abaya/niqab of sisters, please observe yourselves and ensure you are dressed suitably and modestly, especially for the mosque. I would rather not get an eyeful every Friday!

My awkward moments in Muslim prayer

A Muslim who prays in public is like James Bond, but without the bling, sophisticated gadgets and entourage of gorgeous women eager to bed him. Both brilliantly fail at every attempt at stealth. Like the fictional secret agent, a Muslim, despite his best intentions and clandestine efforts, sticks out like a pink elephant when forced to offer his ritualistic prayer, salat, outside the comforting cocoon of his home or mosque.

Contrary to the fear-mongering asserted by professional Islamophobes, Muslim Americans do not wish to impose their religious practices and beliefs upon their non-Muslim neighbors. The reality is that most of us are simply trying to navigate the sometimes tricky -- but often entertaining -- balancing act of adhering to our religious values and rituals while avoiding societal awkwardness and being seen as modern-day Boo Radleys.

Each time I have to pray and am unable to find a secluded spot, I would love for a magic Muslim portal to open and take me away to a fantastic Greyskull castle. Here, I could pray in solitude, shielded from the curious eyes of fascinated and horrified observers and ride on an armored tiger named Battle Cat while drinking mango lassi from a diamond-encrusted goblet.

Unfortunately, I live in reality.

Instead, I discover I have 15 minutes left to pray the afternoon Asr prayer and I'm stuck in a crowded, Valley Fair mall in San Jose, Calif. Realizing that I'd probably be tazed and shot by Homeland Security if I decided to bust out my Arabic tai chi at the Orange Julius, I seek temporary refuge for my prayer woes in the most obvious location: the fitting room at the Gap.

I enter the clothing metropolis in a frantic state and pretend to peruse the fine clothing merchandise. I randomly pick up some accessories and head toward the fitting room stalls only to realize that I am holding skinny female jeans and a Size 2, purple dress. I hastily dump the incorrect clothing on a wooden bench -- making sure no one saw me -- and run to the men's section. I decide to play "pretend" and pick up hip, expensive clothing I'd probably never wear in real life and lug the stylish suit, jacket and jeans to the fitting room.

After waiting five minutes due to the long line, the ridiculously good-looking female employee directs me to a fitting stall. I cannot bring myself to make eye contact with her lest I confess my ruse. I rush into the stall and hang the clothes on the wall and devise a complex and sophisticated strategy to secretly pray while "pretending" to try on hip, urban garments. I make sure to create as much noise as possible when changing my pants from the brown, Docker, uncle khakis to the hipster jeans so they don't suspect my celestial intentions.

I leave the rumbled pants on the floor, along with my shoes and my outer shirt, as visible signs of evidence that I am indeed using this fitting room for normal fitting room purposes.

Now, all I have to figure out is which way is Northeast, because Muslims pray toward Mecca, and this event occurred BIP -- before iPhone. I basically do an "eeny-meeny-miney-mo" with the four corners and go with my "gut," and decided "Mecca" was probably somewhere in the corner nearest to the stall door.

All is well until the prostration, where Muslims have to touch their forehead and nose to the ground. As I'm about to go to the floor, I was overwhelmed with a sense of comfort -- I honestly thought I had created a successful camouflage using limited means with limited time. I felt proud and complimented myself on being a pretty dope, on-the-fly, Pakistani, Muslim American James Bond.

My head and knees are now on the floor next to the gap in the door, and everything is going smoothly. I glance to my left and the Gap employee, having bent down, is now staring at me and asking, "Sir, is everything all right?"

F my life.

I quickly finish my prayer, mumble, "Everything is fine! Just fine!" I change my clothes and exit the door to find two Gap employees and a several customers staring at me with concern and confusion in their eyes.

"Just, uh, was praying, yeah, uh, Muslim. We, uh, five times ... a day ... needed space. Used the stall. Not having a heart attack. Don't worry. Just thought -- yeah, OK! Thanks!"

And I peace out like Flash, running for the exit door and deliberately trying to get lost in the crowd and become a brown blurry dot so as to outwit the imagined Gap security chasing after me.

Other classic awkward moments include the following memorable gems:

• The San Francisco Abercrombie and Fitch fitting room where the ridiculously good-looking female employee again asked me, "Are you OK?"

• The Century 21 Winchester movie theater parking lot, where hundreds of movie patrons exited the packed screening of "Mission Impossible 2" only to find three brown men praying outside the exit door, next to the garbage cans. (Thank you, Adil, for that brilliant idea.)

• The allegedly dark, closed-off corner in AMC Metreon in San Francisco while waiting in a crowded line to see "The Lord of the Rings" -- the corner was neither dark nor closed-off, and you can imagine the rest.

• Praying as a group along with several brown friends during the seventh inning of an Oakland A's baseball game in between a closed-off escalator and a hot dog stand, and protected by an African-American park employee who said, "You all go ahead and pray. I was married to a Muslim man ... once."

• And, finally, my favorite was our extremely well planned and brilliantly executed two-minute prayer drill while visiting Alcatraz prison. We found a hidden room with antiques and I was the initial watchman, standing outside the door, vigilantly keeping an eye out for the tour group that was hovering around the corner about to bust in on our private prayer session.

In the years since these colorful incidents, some confused and ignorant Americans have begun protesting the construction of mosques in America, citing their presence as fundamentally alien to American values and proof of a Muslim takeover. Along the way, these misguided individuals seem to have forgotten the First Amendment and cultural values celebrating diversity and freedom of religion. Preventing the construction of mosques (like the recent controversy in California) will have no effect on stealth jihadists. However, it will unleash a far greater problem for America: a horde of Muslim Americans awkwardly praying in public.

• Wajahat Ali continues to awkwardly pray in Gap stalls. He is a playwright, attorney and journalist. His first play, "The Domestic Crusaders," was recently published by McSweeney's. He is currently writing an HBO pilot with Dave Eggers
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Funny Pic: Muslim Super-Heroes

“Iron Mike,” a Generous Heart

By Umm Zakiyyah

“Is it time for prayer?” This simple, sincere inquiry of Mike Tyson, the former boxing heavyweight champion, are the words that came to mind last week when I saw a photo of “Iron Mike” dressed in Ihram. Others may think of the strong-built former boxer as intimidating, cruel, or any other unpalatable adjective they’ve borrowed from the media or formed in their minds based on the small glimpses of him the television has given over the years.
But I have a different perspective…

Growing up, I was never a boxing fan. As a matter of fact, the sport scared me, and still does. But like so many other American Muslims, I was thoroughly proud of Muhammad Ali, who stormed the world with his “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” slogan. Of course, Muhammad Ali was before my time, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t on the edge of my seat when my father told stories of his triumphs, particularly his insistence on being called Muhammad Ali instead of Cassius Clay, and his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, his famous words being that the Vietnamese “never called me nigger.”

The stories were made all the more notable knowing that my father knew Muhammad Ali personally. Having the opportunity to learn about the off-camera personalities of the likes of Muhammad Ali ingrained in my mind the human side of celebrities. From young, I understood the difference between the media-manufactured image of a person and the “real” person. This wasn’t due only to my father having worked with certain celebrities: My family itself lived that reality.

I imagine that my father, who was born “Clark Moore,” always knew the human side of fame. I remember him telling me and my siblings the sad story of how his first cousin Davey Moore lost his life in 1963 shortly after a fight against Sugar Ramos. The loss was so tragic and shocking that it even got the attention of the famous singer Bob Dylan who wrote the song “Who Killed Davey Moore?”

But for me, the story was deeper than Bob Dylan and the controversy of who was at fault. In fact, at that time my father shared the story, I had no idea who Bob Dylan was, or in fact, who Davey Moore had been to boxing fans. All I could think was, How sad, how terribly sad… My heart ached for my father, whose own father had helped train Davey Moore, and I wondered how their family had handled the loss, and if the tragedy could have been prevented somehow…

When Mike Tyson hit the news in 1991 due to an incident at an Indianapolis hotel that occurred between him and the beauty contestant Desiree Washington, I had no idea his conviction of sexual assault the following year would make him cross paths with my family. At the time, my father, who was a prominent community activist and a middle school biology teacher in Indianapolis, was doing da’wah work at the prison where Tyson would be held.

I remember my father expressing that perhaps Allah had a plan for Tyson through placing him where my father could teach him about Islam. I heard these words as I was serving my parents a tray of food, the television screen flickering images of a hand-cuffed, convicted Mike Tyson on his way to prison. At the time, I thought little of my father’s words. But they did make me think.
When my father began seeing Mike Tyson at the prison, he shared with our family some advice he had given Tyson after he accepted Islam: Know that although you’re in prison, it is the world outside these iron bars that is the real prison. It is sometimes easier to practice Islam in the confinement of a jail than in a world filled with so many distractions and temptations that threaten to shackle us in the very world that we are seeking refuge from through Islam.

These words stuck with me because they were so profoundly true. I thought of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) and how he became who he was only because his soul was given freedom in the confines of a prison. I reflected too on how the world, in reality, is a prison for all believers. As the Prophet, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam, said, “This world is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the disbeliever” (Muslim).

Although the world around me rushed to condemn Mike Tyson for his alleged crime, my heart held back because I really didn’t know what happened that day in 1991, and I still don’t. Honestly, the details of what really happened have never troubled me; the whole scenario just reinforced for me the importance of society following the guidelines that the Creator has prescribed for us.
But Mike Tyson’s tarnished image did not end with the controversy surrounding what happened between him and the beauty contestant. His image suffered severely thereafter due to events wholly disconnected from his 1992 conviction. Still, my heart held back from judging him harshly.

Whenever people would make derogatory jokes about him and his sins, I thought of the advice my father gave us once…
“Never think you’re above any sin, no matter how heinous that sin may be. Because the only thing that separates you from that sin is the mercy of Allah. In fact, it is when you feel the safest from a sin that you are most likely to fall into it, because you haven’t given yourself any protection against it.”

So when there’d be bursts of laughter around me about something or the other Mike Tyson had said or done, I’d grow quiet and reflective. I thought of Malcolm X and Davey Moore and Muhammad Ali. Who really knew these men? Who really knew their struggles? I certainly didn’t.
I wondered how people would view me had a television camera or microphone been in front of me whenever I made some of my most regretful mistakes…

During my late teen years, I was often home when Mike Tyson called my father from prison. Whenever my father wasn’t home, my siblings and I would take a message. I remember answering the phone once when I was home on break from college, and Mike Tyson was on the other end. I’d had a particularly trying year and was spending the time home engaged in self-reflection. I’m not sure if my heavy heart showed in my voice while I was taking the routine message, but for whatever reason, this time, Tyson asked if I was doing okay. I told him I was, and he proceeded to give me some advice about be patient through the struggles of life. I don’t remember his exact words, but I remember that they lifted my spirits. It also touched me that he had taken the time to share his own experiences with me in hopes of making me feel better. When I hung up, I reflected on my struggles as compared to his, and I realized that things weren’t so bad. If he could see the bright side of things from the confines of a prison, what about me in the comfort of my home surrounded by my family?

That chance phone call was only the first of my many glimpses into the generous side of Tyson…

I last saw Mike Tyson when my family was invited to visit his home several years ago. I remember seeing him deeply engaged in a conversation with my father and his friends, and I saw that, in addition to generosity, Allah had blessed him with a sharp analytical mind, maashaaAllaah.

I remember, too, that in the middle of one of these deep discussions about world issues and Islam, he turned to my father and said, “Is it time for prayer?”
My father, immediately reminded that it indeed was, stopped talking and stood to prepare for Salaah, saying, “Yes, it is.”

I, along with my mother and sisters, lined up behind my father, Mike Tyson, and a few other brothers; and we stood shoulder-to-shoulder asking Allah to guide us on the Straight Path…
This is the last image I have of Mike Tyson—bowing in prayer.
When I saw Mike Tyson in the news last week and learned that he was performing ‘Umrah and visiting the Prophet’s masjid, I was moved and felt extremely happy for him. I recalled his uplifting words to me when I was feeling down so many years ago. I recalled his generosity thereafter. And I recalled the question he’d asked last time I saw him.

Is it time for prayer?
As I saw the media images of him in Ihram, my eyes filled with tears, as I remembered the kindness and struggles of my brother in Islam. And I raised my hands in supplication, asking Allah to forgive him, have mercy on him, and keep him firm.
And I thought, Yes, it is time for prayer.
For us all.
May Allah put love and mercy in our hearts toward one another, and may we find contentment and joy in Prayer. And may He take our souls in a state that is pleasing to Him.

source

Why you must not rush for salaat!

Perseverance and Prayer

“O you who believe, seek help with patient perseverance and prayer. For God is with those who patiently persevere.” - Noble Quran, 2:153


Image Source: Jobarracuda

Read Salah/Namaz with Consciousness and Humility

Humran said that he saw `Uthman performing Wudu'; he washed his hands thrice, rinsed his mouth and then washed his nose, by putting water in it and then blowing it out, and washed his face thrice, and then washed his right forearm up to the elbow thrice, and then the left forearm up to the elbow thrice, then wiped his head with water, washed his right foot thrice, and then his left foot thrice and said, "I saw Allah's Messenger performing ablution similar to the one I’ve just performed, and then he said, 'Whoever performs Wudu' (as I’ve just done) and then offers two Rak`at in which he does not think of worldly things, all his previous sins will be forgiven.'" (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

You should know that Salah consists of pillars, duties, and Sunnan. The spirit of Salah is intention, devotion, and contemplation of heart. Without contemplation, invocation is of no avail since this will be futile utterance. By the same token, all other acts of Salah will not bring forth its avowed fruits, i.e., the act of Qiyam (standing) connotes service and Sujud (prostration) implies humility and glorification, which will never be attained without attention. Allah, Most High, says, "It is not their meat or their blood that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him." (Al-Hajj: 37)










The following three are the yardstick of any acceptable Salah:

1- Consciousness: It means to show indifference to all worldly interests and have absolute consciousness of Allah, Most High. The cause of such consciousness is decisive intention since the man who has decisive intention to do something, necessarily puts his heart to it. Consciousness, in fact, differs according to the strength of belief in the Hereafter and scorn of this world. Therefore, if you miss consciousness in Salah, you should know that the root-cause of this is weakness of faith, and so you should exert yourself to strengthen and bolster it.

2- Reflection on the words; this is the second step after consciousness: Consciousness may be present without grasping the meaning, and so attention should be directed to grasping the meaning by refraining from thinking of other matters.

3- Glorification and fear of Allah, Most High, which emanate from two facts: realizing the Majesty and Magnificence of Allah, and looking down upon one's self, which would result in humility and consciousness. Hope is also an important factor in Salah. The one who offers Salah should hope for the reward of Allah, and fear the punishment due to his imperfection.

The worshiper should contemplate on every act of Salah. When he hears the Adhan (Call to Salah), he should remember the call on the Day of Judgment, and prepare himself to the answer, thinking how to reply. When the worshiper covers his private parts, he should remember his concealed vices which no one knows except Allah, Most High, and which require repentance.

When the worshiper faces the Qiblah (Direction of Salah), he turns his face towards the House of Allah and turns his back to all other directions. No doubt, directing his heart towards Allah is worthwhile.

When you say: "Allah is Greatest", your heart should not belie your tongue. If you believe that there is something greater than Allah, you will be a liar. Be cautious.

When you say: "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan", you should take into account that you resort to Allah, Most High. In this case, if your heart is not in tune with your tongue, what you say will be nonsense and irrational. Try to grasp the meaning of what you say.

When you say: "Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds," you should ponder over the meaning of these words. Also, you reflect on Allah's mercy when you read: "Most Gracious, Most Merciful". Think about Allah's power when you read: "Master of the Day of Judgment". In this way, one should reflect on what he reads or say in Salah.

It is reported that Zararah ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) fell dead when he recited the Qur'anic verse, "Finally, when the trumpet is sounded." (Al-Muddathir: 8) This is, no doubt, is due to his imagination of this horrible scene.

When bowing, try to show humility to your Lord. Likewise, you should be more humble when prostrating since you place yourself in its proper and original position, namely, the earth from which you have been created. In this case, try to reflect on what you say.

Finally, you should know that performing Salah in such a manner purifies and enlightens the heart, which, in turn, could behold the Glory of Allah. In fact, no one but the devout scholars can grasp these meanings.

Ask your Children to read Salah/Namaz

It is unanimously agreed upon among scholars that Salah is obligatory upon Muslims and that Muslim parents are to order their children when they are seven years old to perform it, but if the children have reached ten years old without observing Salah, their parents are to beat them for that. Beating in that case is to be with the hand, not a harmful instrument. There is a Hadith to that effect: "Order your children to perform Salah when they are seven years old, and beat them (if they have neglected it) when reaching ten years old. And separate between your male and female children in bed."







Allah said: “Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rendering asunder by the fear of Allah.” (Quran 59:21)

When its time for Salah/Namaz then read it

It goes without saying that Prayer is the pillar of Islam, the pinnacle of good deeds, and the peak of obedience. `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If the time for a prescribed Salah comes, and a Muslim performs wudu' (ablution) properly (and then offers his Salah) with humility and bowing (to Allah), it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this is applicable to all times." (Reported by Muslim.)