Praying on rugs

Question:
What is the ruling on praying on rugs? What is the ruling on putting a rug in the mosque for the imam to pray on? Is this bid’ah? May Allaah reward you with good.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

Praying on rugs is permissible in principle. Al-Bukhaari (379) and Muslim (513) narrated that Maymoonah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray on a khumrah.

A khumrah is a small mat made of palm leaves that is big enough for the face, on which a worshipper may prostrate to protect himself from the heat or coldness of the ground.

Al-Khattaabi favoured the view that the khumrah may be bigger than that, and he quoted as evidence the report narrated by Abu Dawood (5247) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: A mouse came and started dragging the wick of the lamp and threw it in front of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), on the khumrah on which he was sitting, and it burned an area the size of a dirham… This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4369.

It says in ‘Awn al-Ma’bood: This clearly shows that the word khumrah may apply to a large mat. This was also stated in al-Nihaayah.

See Fath al-Baari, 333.

Al-Shawkaani said:

This hadeeth indicates that there is nothing wrong with praying on a mat, regardless of whether it is made of rags, palm leaves or anything else, whether it is small or big, like a mat or carpet, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed on mats, carpets and animal pelts.

But there may be some reasons why it is not permissible to pray on carpets and similar things.

For example:

1- If the carpet contains images of animate beings; in which case it is haraam to keep them and the images must be blotted out. See question no. 12422.

2- If the carpet has decorations and patterns that attract the attention of the worshipper and distract him from his prayer; praying on such carpets is makrooh.

The Standing Committee said:

With regard to pictures of inanimate objects such as mountains, rivers, lakes, plants, trees, houses and so on, so long as there are no images of living beings in or around them, these are permissible, but praying on them is makrooh because they distract the worshipper and detract from his proper focus and humility (khushoo’) in prayer, but his prayer is still valid.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 6/180

They also said:

The mosques are the houses of Allaah, built for the establishment of prayer and the glorification of Allaah and the fear of Allaah.

Patterns and decorations in the furnishings and on the walls of the mosques are things that distract the heart from the remembrance of Allaah and take away much of the worshippers’ proper focus and humility. Hence they were regarded as makrooh by many of the salaf. So the Muslims should avoid that in their mosques and strive to make their worship perfect by keeping distractions away from the places in which they seek to draw close to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds, hoping to increase their reward. But with regard to praying (on carpets decorated with such patterns), it is valid.

3- If praying on the rug is done in order to avoid praying on the ground.

Al-Bukhaari (2036) narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We observed i’tikaaf with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) during the middle ten days of Ramadaan, and we came out on the morning of the twentieth. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressed us on the morning of the twentieth and said: “I was shown Laylat al-Qadr but then I was made to forget it, so seek it in the last ten nights, on the odd-numbered nights. I saw that I was prostrating in water and mud. Whoever was observing i’tikaaf with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), let him go back.” So the people went back to the mosque, and we did not see any trace of a cloud in the sky. Then a cloud came and it rained, and the iqaamah for prayer was given, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prostrated in mud and water until we saw the marks of mud on the tip of his nose and his face.

According to a report narrated by Muslim (1167): “And his forehead was covered with mud and water.”

This hadeeth points to the humility of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as he prostrated on water and mud, and he did not order that something be brought for him to prostrate on.

4- If praying on the rug is done to avoid praying on the carpets that are spread for all the people in the mosque, or if a person does that to be on the safe side because there may be some impurity (najaasah) in the ground.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

With regard to those who suffer from extreme waswasah (whispers from the Shaytaan), they do not pray on the ground or on the carpets spread out for everyone on the ground, rather they pray on a rug or something similar…

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/177

5- If a man seeks to pray on the rug because he thinks that it is essential to have a rug just for prayer and that he has to pray on something whether he is at home or in the mosque. Many people only ever pray on the rug even if the house is carpeted.

Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Praying on rugs, in the sense that the worshipper insists on that – this was not the way of the salaf, the Muhaajireen and Ansaar and those who followed them in truth at the time of the Messenger of Allaah. Rather they used to pray on the ground in his mosque, and none of them had a rug that was used just for prayer. It was narrated that when ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Mahdi came to Madeenah he spread out a rug, and Maalik ordered that it be taken away. It was said to him, “He is ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Mahdi.” Maalik said, “Do you not know that spreading a rug in our mosque is bid’ah (an innovation)?”

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/163

6- The same applies to the practice in many mosques of having a rug that is just for the imam, which is set out for him to pray on, even though the mosque is carpeted. Why is he distinguished from the other worshippers??

This is not appropriate because there is no need for it, and because that may make him feel somewhat superior to the people.

The point is that putting down rugs in a carpeted mosque is a bid’ah unless there is a reason for that, such as it being very cold, or the floor being rough or the first carpet being naajis (impure) or filthy, and so on.

And Allaah knows best.

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=27000&ln=eng

"Smoking Is Not Haram!"

Is it acceptable to use tissue only when cleaning oneself after defecating?

Question:
Is it sufficient to use tissue only when cleaning oneself after defecating, or is it essential to use water?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

After relieving oneself, it is obligatory to remove whatever najaasah (impurity) there is in that place, whether it is removed with water or something else, such as stones or paper or tissues, but using water is best.

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: In Britain we use tissues and paper to clean ourselves in the bathroom; is it obligatory to use water after using tissues, or not?

They replied:

Praise be to Allaah alone, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger and his family and companions.

It is permissible to use tissues and papers and the like to clean oneself, and that is sufficient if it is done properly and the place is cleaned, from front or back. But it is better if what is used for cleaning is odd-numbered, and it should not be less than three wipes. It is not essential to use water after that, but it is Sunnah. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (5/125).

Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: It is acceptable to use tissues to clean oneself after defecating?

He replied:

Yes, it is sufficient to use tissues to clean oneself after defecating, and there is nothing wrong with it, because the purpose of cleaning oneself is to remove the impurity, whether it is done with tissues, cloth, dust or stones. But it is not permissible for a person to clean himself with things that are forbidden in sharee’ah, such as bones and dung, because bones are the food of the jinn, if they are from animals that were slaughtered properly; if they are from animals that were not slaughtered properly, then they are naajis (impure), and that which is impure cannot purify. As for dung, if it is naajis then it cannot purify, and if it is taahir (pure), then it is food for the animals of the jinn, because when the jinn came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and believed in him, he gave them some food which will not stop until the Day of Resurrection. He said to them: “For you is every bone on which the name of Allaah is mentioned, and you will find it with plenty of meat on it.” This is one of the matters of the unseen that we cannot see, but we are obliged to believe in it. Similarly, dung is food for their animals. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (4/112).

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=111813&ln=eng

Selling posters and frames of Qur’aanic verses

Question:
what is the view on people who take parts/quotes from the Qu'ran and sell them in frames/posters/books for profit? Where the profit obtained goes towards aiding an Islamic event/organisation/school/society?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

We thank you for your keenness to learn and for asking about matters of calling people to Allaah (da’wah), for calling people without knowledge of sharee’ah may do more harm than good.

With regard to selling these frames and posters, we will explain the ruling on selling them after we discuss the ruling on hanging up such items.

Hanging up plaques and cloths containing aayaat of the Qur’aan in homes, schools, social clubs and places of business, involves a number of actions which are reprehensible and forbidden according to Islam, such as the following:

1 – In most cases, hanging such things on the wall is done for purposes of decoration and adornment, as the aayaat etc. are written in calligraphy and colourful brocade. This is a deviation from the purpose for which the Qur’aan was revealed, as it was revealed to guide people, teach them in a good manner and to be read regularly, etc. The Qur’aan was not revealed to decorate walls, but to guide mankind and jinn.

2 – Many people hang up such things to seek “blessing” from them, which is a form of bid‘ah (innovation). The blessing as described in Islam comes from reading or reciting the Qur’aan, not from hanging it up or placing it on shelves or turning it into artwork and three-dimensional images.

3 – This is contrary to the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Rightly-Guided Khaleefahs (al-Khulafaa’ al-Raashidoon), may Allaah be pleased with them, who never did such a thing. The best way is to follow them, not to introduce innovations. History tells us that in places such as Andalusia, Turkey, etc., the adornment of houses and mosques with ornate carvings of aayaat only happened at times when the Muslims were weak and humiliated.

4 – Hanging up such pictures or plaques is a means that may lead to shirk, because some people think that these plaques and hangings are amulets that will protect the house and its people from evil and disease. This belief is shirk and is haraam, because the One Who really offers protection is Allaah, may He be glorified, and one of the means of gaining His protection is to recite the Qur’an and du‘aa’s taught in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, with humility and certain faith.

5 – By writing such things, it means that the Qur’aan may be taken as a means of promoting one’s business or increasing one’s earnings. The Qur’aan should be protected from being used for such purposes. It is well-known that the production and sale of these pictures and plaques involves a great deal of extravagance and wasting money.

6 – Many of these plaques are painted with real gold, which makes using them and hanging them up even more haraam.

7 – Many of these plaques clearly involve a kind of frivolity, because the letters are twisted into complex designs that are of no benefit to anyone because they are barely legible. Sometimes words are fashioned into the shape of a bird or a man prostrating, and similarly forbidden pictures of animate beings.

8 – Ayaat and soorahs of the Qur’aan are exposed to misuse and abuse by this practice. For example, when moving house, they are piled up with the rest of the furniture and belongings, and other objects may be placed on top of them. This also happens when they are taken down so that the wall may be painted or cleaned. This is in addition to the fact that they may be hung up in places where Allaah is disobeyed and the sanctity of the Qur’aan is not respected.

9 – Some Muslims whose observance of Islam is lacking put these plaques up so that they can feel that they are doing something religious, in order to reduce their feelings of guilt – in spite of the fact that this practice does not help them in any way.

All in all, we must close the doors of evil and follow the leaders of guidance of the early centuries of Islam, whose people the Prophet (peace be upon him) testified were the best of the Muslims in belief and in all rulings of their religion.

Moreover, if someone were to say, “We are not going to abuse it or make it a decoration or exaggerate about it, we just want to remind people (about their religion) in our gatherings”, our response would be: if we look at real life, will we find that this is what actually happens? Do people really remember Allah? Do they even read these aayaat when they raise their heads?

What really happens is the opposite: people go against the words hanging over their heads, they still tell lies, engage in gossip, make fun of others and do and say evil things. Even if we assume that there are some who do benefit from these plaques etc., the fact is that they are very few, and this does not change the hukm (Islamic ruling) on the matter.

The Muslims must turn to the Book of Allaah, read it and recite it, and act in accordance with it. We ask Allaah to make the Qur’aan a light of guidance for us, and a means of removing our grief and anxiety.

What we have said to you here is a summary of the fatwas issued by the senior scholars of our times, such as Shaykh Ibn Baaz and the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas in the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia), and Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthyameen, as in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah bi Ri’aasat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, fatwas # 2078 and 17659.

Based on the above, you should not sell these frames because by doing so you may be committing some of the haraam actions mentioned by the scholars, and you may be the cause of others committing those actions.

We ask Allaah to guide us and you to the straight path.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=13648&ln=eng

How To Move Your Finger In The Prayer During ''Tashahudd''

For the benefit of those who read my blog in blogger, here is the video in which Abi Ishaq al-Howainy (a student of Shaykh al-Albaanee) explained and demonstrated how to move the finger in Tashhahud in accordance to the Sunnah.