I AM 'THE TABLIGH'

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"DAILY RECITE KALIMAH SHAHADAH 9x, SOLAWAH 3x, TAKBEER 3x, KALIMAH TAUHEED 3X AND ZIKR 100X"

Sunday, December 21, 2008

THE LAST SERMON OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD S.A.W.



Extracted from brother Abjad Malaysia's Blog with permission


AMONG THE IMPORTANT CONTENTS FROM - THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH S.A.W.'s LAST SERMON
(Among the contents extracted from the last Sermon delivered by Rasulullah SAW on the Ninth Day of Zulhijjah 10 AH at the Uranah Valley of Mount Arafah)


In the Name of Allah Most Beneficient and Most Merciful

O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I don't know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you carefully and take this words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (Interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be repealed.

Beware of Satan, for your safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, as much as you have your rights over your women, they too have their rights over you. If they have fulfilled your rights then they too deserve the rights to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and comitted helpers. And your rights over them are to disallow anyone you dislike into your houses and you are forbidden to commit adultery.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, perform the five daily prayers (Solah), fast during the month of Ramadhan, perform Zakat from your wealth, perform Hajj if you can afford to. Know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. (All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white) You are all equal. Nobody is more superior than the other except in piety and good action.

Remember, that one day you will appear before Allah and be accountable for every deed you have committed. So beware, do not ever be lead astrayed from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, No Prophet or Apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Therefore, O People, reason well, understand my words which I have conveyed to you. I leave behind two things; which if you hold to both strongly, forever, you will never be lead astrayed. That is - the QUR'AN and my SUNNAH (examples)

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.

I bear witness O Allah that I have conveyed Your Message to Your people.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

TABLIGH JAMAAT

SOURCE

Tabligh Jamaat

The Tabligh work revived by late MAULANA Mohammed Ilyas is increasingly spreading throughout the world, six points of Tabligh, General advice for workers, Amir and his responsibilities, An excerpt and English translation of urdu book called (Chay bat'ai) by Maulana Mohammed Ilyas (Late) and some additional comments from What Islam is? by Muhammad Manzoor Naomani

FOREWORD

By the mercy of Allah, the Tabligh work revived by late MAULANA Mohammed Ilyas is increasingly spreading throughout the world. The workers closely connected with and who are actively engaged in this great work know well and appreciate its importance. Others who are intellectually prepared and temperamentally inclined to learn about this tremendously appealing program find in English no authentic and relevant book on this program.

INTRODUCTION

We glorify Allah an ask Blessings and Peace on His noble Prophet his companions mad those who follow him in upholding the cause of the Right Religion.

We all know that this world is mortal. Everyone who is born here is destined to die one day, and everything that flourishes here is to meet its decay, sooner or later. We are therefore bound to believe that this is not our permanent and perpetual abode, we can never succeed in living here for ever. No one so far could do so and no one shall ever do so. Should we take this world as an eternal and everlasting home we should not be more than a fool. Without any doubt there is an end to our present existence. We are here on a journey and our original and real destination is yet to come. We are born here only to decorate our eternal home. We cannot be called wise if we prefer this mortal existence to the eternal one. It is a fact and we most bear it in mind permanently that our sole duty is to strive for the betterment of our real home.
Although the fact is so obvious and clear that none can deny it, yet man has ever since this creation in this world been neglecting it. He has been so fool as to prefer the mortal to the immortal. And it is only out of our Lord's utmost kindness towards His servants that man is reminded every now and then of this fact. Allah, the Almighty sent down thousands of Prophets into the world to guide man to the right path. These pious servants of Allah bore tremendous hardships and went ; through severe trials only to guide human beings to the Right path. The sole purpose of their Prophet hood was to remind he is not here fore ever and that he is to be transferred to another world. They explained to him in every possible way that his real success in this world and in the After-life lies only in his becoming a true vicegerent of his Lord and in placing more importance on his next life than on this present one. The Celestial Mission they were charged with to carry on was nothing but the righteous deeds gain success in the both worlds. while the wrong deeds lead to man's utter failure in both. They spent their lives enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. The glorious chain has ended with the last Holy prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) May peace be upon him Through him Allah proclaimed to the world that no more prophets would now be raised up for the guidance of humanity. Allah told us that henceforth the responsibility for preaching and propagation this Divine Mission has fallen wholly upon the shoulders of the followers of this revered last Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam). It is really a great significant and unique virtue of this Ummat. The Holy Qur'an says that very object of this Ummat (nation) was only to strive for the guidance of mankind

Allah says in Holy Quran:

"You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind. enjoyning what is right and forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah ( 3:110)

It is a pity that the conditions prevailing now in the entire Muslim world are so extremely deplorable that what to speak of preaching of the faith and guiding the other, not more than two or three per cent of us are true to Islam. We have today become contented only with becoming superficially and traditionally connected with Islam and are far from being true faithful model of Islamic idealism.

This negligence of Muslim community towards the revival of the Islamic zeal has especially been more pitiable during the last few decade. Our enthusiasm towards "Amr B'l M'aaruf and Nahi Anil Munkar" ( enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong) has not been so energetic as it should have been. No general effort on this field was made. Of course there were many pious servants of Allah performing various religious duties in various parts of the world but most of these were individual efforts rather than a general movement.

Maualna Muhammad Ilyas (Late) (may Grace be upon his soul) can rightly be treated a pioneer in this field. He stood up in this state of chaos and took great pains to inculcate the spirit of Islamic ideology among the Muslim community, in both thought and practice. Maualna chalked out a six- point program for performing this divine mission. The significance of this program is that it aims in particular at the revitalization of Imaan (Faith) He was of the view that almost every Muslim has in the depth of his heart a bit of Imaan. But it is usually overpowered by other circumstances. If we succeed to rekindle this latent faith in his heart by providing treasure and help him to realize its importance. Imaan is the base on which the whole structure of the Divine Religion stands. So far as we do not revitalize it we can not erect the whole structure.

If a Muslim is provided with an opportunity to strengthen his Imaan the tree of Islam will start blossoming, very rapidly and without much exertion. Maualna emphasized that every Muslim irrespective of his social status must try to bring home his Muslim brothers also with affection, toleration and to preach them the right action that would win them the favors of Allah and to warn them of the consequences of evil deed. In short, what he wanted was that a Muslim should strengthen his belief and reflect the true spirit of Islam by being constantly conscious of the value of his treasure i.e. Imaan.


Experience so far achieved in this field showed that Maualna was right in his approach and quite successful in his attempt. A Muslim who works in accordance with this program gains such valuable virtues as he molding his life in the pure Islamic shape.

The program is based on the six points.

1. Imaan
2. Salaat
3. 'Ilm and Dhikr (knowledge and remembrance of Allah)
4. Ikram-i Muslim to respect every Muslim
5. Ikhlas-i- Niyyat (sincerity) (of intention)
6. Tafrigh-i-Waqt (to spare time)

As you see the first two of these 6 points are the fundamental pillars of Islam while the remaining four are not so they can be called the auxiliary means.

It should therefore be noted that the Tablighi movement does not tell that all these six points are the basic tenets of Islam. It simply means that the first basic tenets exercised with the support of the other four points bring more rapidly an overall change in a Muslim's life and help him in the faithful discharge of all his religious duties.

The Kalimah, for instance, is to remind you the Oneness of Allah and His Lordship and that Holy Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is His Messenger.

Salaat is a projection of the pledge we make by Kalimah into the realm of practice.

Ilm (knowledge) is an inducement to acquire the knowledge of Allah' s Commandments and how to carry them out.

Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah ) is to enlighten our hearts and strengthen our relations with the Almighty.

Ikram-i-Muslim (to respect every Muslim) is to train ourselves for the real Islamic code of social conduct Ikhlas i-Niyyal (sincerity) is to prefer the Hereafter and the Divine Approbation to the luxuries of this mortal world.

Tafrigh-i-Waqt (to spare time) is to provide an opportunity for training to adhere to the Divine Commandments. The seventh one i.e. abstinence from the useless pursuits is to keep one's mind as free from the worldly useless affairs as possible so that one can strive to achieve the goal safely and quickly.

Execution of the Program

As for the execution of the program, it is done by making Muslim move about far and wide for seeking and imparting knowledge and spreading the lofty injunctions of Islam and adhering to them strictly.

For this purpose a few Muslims belonging to various categories of the community come together, select some one from among them as their Amir (party leader) and set out to work in his guidance.

This group (termed as Jamaat) leaves their home, children and all otherworldly occupations for a certain period of time only to strive for the revitalization of their Faith in pursuance of the program. In this tour (Jammat) the participants do their best efforts to learn, teach and practice the not only the pillars of of Islam such as (Kalimah; Salaat, Zakaat, Soum and Hajj), but also practice and learn mutual rights and obligations, respect and affection for elders and youngsters, hospitality and courtesy, discipline and real obedience to Allah. With all sincerity and observing due regards and respects of every Muslim they go from door to door persuading Muslim brothers to realize their status as being men of Faith (Mu'min) and to revitalize the same with the help of the program. In the following chapters the six points of the program are being dealt with very briefly along with necessary instructions and advice. It may however be borne in mind that the program is a practical one and it can only be realized and appreciated by headlong active participation in the work. Hence, we sincerely invite you to join a Jama'at, and move along with n and have a practical experience by coming into a direct contact with some experienced, fellows staying at Basti Nizamuddin Auliya, New Delhi-13 (India).

I’d like to also mention the elders of nizaamudeen who also played a great role in the work of Dawah:

Mohammed Iliyaas
Mohammed Yusuf
Hazratjee (Enaamul Hassan)
Shuraa
Umar Palan Puri
Sulayman Janchi
Moulana Ebrahim
Mohammed Elias
Mufti Idha
Moulana Nadwi
Hajee Mehraab

The elders recommend that every Muslim should go for jamaat as follows:

3 days a month

2 gash

40 days a year

4 months in a lifetime .

There are also four rules, which one must try to do when going out in the path of Allah :

Dawah- SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM
Ibadah- WORSHIPING ALLAH (ZIKR)
Taalim- RECITING OF AND QURAN AHADITH
Khimat- TAKING CARE OF YOU FELLOW MUSLIM BROTHER

Then there are the four things that you should do less:

Eat less
Sleep less
Spend less time out of the mosque
Speak less un-important things

Then there are the four things that you shouldn’t do:

Don’t take anything without permission
Don’t desire with the heart
Don’t desire with the tongue
Don’t speak of worldly affairs

My view of the Tabligh jamaat:

I can say that if it wasn’t for Allah who guided the Tabligh jamaat to give Da’wah and to do gash, a lot of people would not have been who they are today including myself.

6 PILLARS

1) KALIMAH

The Kalimah
(Arabic: الكلمة)
(Turkish: Kelime), literally translates as 'the phrase'. It is referred to as such due to its centrality to Muslims in their faith. Affirmation of the Kalimah is the first of the 5 pillars of Islam and belief in the meaning of the Kalimah is the primary distinction of what defines a Muslim.

Arabic text
- لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله
English translation - There is no god but Allāh, Muhammad is Allah's Messenger

Pronunciation - lā ‘ilāha ‘illallāh muhammadur-rasūlullāh

Source - Wikipedia

Basically, the Shahādah is in English - “I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muħammad is Allāh’s Messenger” whereas the kalimah is “There is no god but Allāh, Muħammad is Allāh’s Messenger“. The shahādah then is when one expresses their belief in the kalimah. The word shahādah itself means ‘testimony’ and the word kalimah means either ‘phrase’ or ‘that which is spoken’, granting to this specific phrase the honour of being the most beloved and central phrase to a Muslim so much so that it only needs to be called ‘the phrase’ almost as if it were saying it were ‘the phrase of phrases’.



2) SOLAH/SALAT - Source : Wikipedia

Ṣalāt (pl. ṣalawāt;
صلوة,
ṣalawah; Persian, Bengali, Urdu and Turkish: نماز‎, namāz; Pashto: munz), the Islamic prayer, is one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and one of the ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Shi'a Islam, observed by Muslims in supplication to God.

Prayer is performed five times a day: at dawn (fajr), noon (dhuhr), in the afternoon (asr), at sunset (maghrib) and nightfall (isha'a). It is obligatory for all Muslims once they have reached puberty.

Namāz or نماز, the word for prayer used by Muslims speaking Indo-Iranian, South Slavic and Turkic languages, comes from an Indo-European root meaning 'to bow, or prostrate'.
A Muslim worshipper is a muṣallī or مصلى, and the prayer mat, a muṣalla.

The chief purpose of prayer in Islam is to act as a person's communication with God. By reciting "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an, as required in all prayer, the worshipper can stand before God, thank and praise Him, and to ask for guidance along the Straight Path.
In addition, the daily prayers remind Muslims to give thanks for God's blessings and that Islam takes precedence over all other concerns, thereby revolving their life around God and submitting to His will. Prayer also serves as a formal method of remembering God, or dhikr.

In the Qur'an, it is written that: "The true believers are those who feel fear in their hearts (of the consequences of violating the commands of God) when God is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord." [Qur'an 8:2]

"To those whose hearts, when God is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them." [Qur'an 22:35]

Prayer is also cited as a means of restraining a believer from social wrongs and moral deviancy. [Qur'an 29:45]

Cleanliness and dress

Islam advises that the salat be performed in a ritually clean environment (Qur'an 5:6). When praying, the clothes that are worn and the place of prayer must be clean. Men and women each are directed to cover their bodies (awrah) in reasonably loose-fitting garments. A well-known tradition saying that "purity is half the faith" has direct correlation to Islam as the religion has incorporated and modified existing rules of purity in its religious system.

Ritual ablution
Main articles: Wudu, Tayammum, and Ghusl

Before conducting prayers, a Muslim has to perform a ritual ablution.

The minor ablution is performed using water (wudu) or clean sand or dust (tayammum) when water is not available or not advisable to use such as due to sickness.

Wudu consists of washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, forehead and hair, ears and feet three times each in that order. Tayammum consists of wiping only the hands and face with sand or dust. Wudu is considered to cleanse a Muslim in a permanent fashion such that it is only necessary to perform it again if an act breaking it has occurred. Tayammum, however, has to be performed before each salat.

The major ablution (ghusl) is required when a person has had sexual intercourse, ejected semen, has had menstrual bleeding or is a new convert to the faith. Ghusl may also be performed voluntarily especially before Friday prayers.

The compulsory prayer is obligated for those who meet these 3 conditions: [1]


- are Muslim
- have reached puberty
- are of sound mind
There are 5 elements that make a prayer valid: [2]

- Confident of the time of prayer. Being unsure invalidates even if the time turns out correct.
- Facing the qibla, with the chest facing the direction of the Kaaba. The ill are allowed leniency with posture.
- Covering the awrah
- Clean clothes, body, place of prostration
- Pure from hadath (wudu, tayammum, ghusl)

There are 13 articles:[3]

[1] Reciting intention for prayer in the heart

E.g.: I intend to offer 2 raka'ah obligatory prayer of Fajr for Allah Almighty.It is done simultaneously with [2] Takbeeratul-Ihram (below).

[2] Takbeeratul-Ihram

Saying
الله أَكْبَر
(God is The Greatest).

[3] Standing right

For the abled, leaning until it is deemed not standing right invalidates prayer. If one is incapable of standing, he may sit, lay on his right, lay on his left, lay on his back or as he is able to do.

[4] Reciting Al-Fatiha

Recitation of Al-Fatiha is obligated for every raka'ah.Reading another surah after Al-Fatiha is also obligatory for the first 2 raka'ah for all obligatory prayers, however it is required in all raka'ah of supererogatory

[5] Ruku'

Ruku' is bowing the body until the palms is on the knees. Stopping means all major body parts including arms, wrists, head, legs stop - as long as saying "sub'han-Allah". If the body still moves, stopping is not done. An additional option is to read 3 times
سبحان ربى العظيم و بحمده
(Glory to my Lord, the Most Magnificent Most Praiseworthy).

[6] I'tidal and stopping

I'tidal is standing again after ruku'. While the body is raising up, an additional option is to read
سمع الله لمن حمده
(Allah Listens to him who praises Him). During standing, an additional option is to read
ربنا لك الحمد ملء السموات وملء الأرض وملء ما شئت من شئ بعد
(Our Lord, to You is due all praise...). The body must stop as long as saying "subhanallah".

[7] Prostration [Sajdah]

Prostration involves putting these body parts - the bare forehead, both palms, both knees, the base of both feet's toes - on the place of prostration. The forehead must be bare; a covered forehead invalidates prayer. An additional option is to read 3 times
سبحان ربى الأعلى و بحمده
(Glory to my Lord, the Most High Most Praiseworthy). There are 2 prostrations, the second is done after sitting between 2 prostrations (as [8] below).

[8] Sitting between 2 prostrations

During the sitting between the two prostrations, an additional option is to recite:
" Allahummaghfirli, warhamnii, wajburnii, wahdinii, warzuqnii, warfa'nii, wa'afinii, wa'fu'annii" Oh Allah Forgive Me, grate me, ...

[9] Final Tashahhud

Reciting the final Tashahhud


التحيات المبركات الصلوات الطيبات للهالسلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاتهالسلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحينأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله


All greetings, blessings and good acts are from You, my Lord.Greetings to you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.Peace be unto us, and unto the righteous servants of Allah.I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

[10] Sitting for Final Tashahhud

The final Tashahhud must be done while sitting.

[11] Greetings for Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and for Prophet Abraham (RA)

At least by saying
اللهم صلى على محمد.
At best
اللهم صلى على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيموبارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيمفى العالمين إنك حميد مجيد O Allah, bless our Muhammad and the people of Muhammad; As you have blessed Abraham and the people of Abraham.O Allah, be gracious unto Muhammad and the people of Muhammad; As you were gracious unto Abraham and the people of Abraham.Surely you are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.

[12] First greeting

Greeting "peace be upon you" to the right side. At least with
السلام عليكم,
at best

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

[13] Following the Prayer Sequence

Prayer not in its rightful sequence is invalidated.

From [3] standing right to the [8] second prostration makes one raka'ah. These are repeated for every raka'ah. At the last raka'ah, the rest [9] to [12] is completed. (Note: For more than 2 raka'ah prayers, an additional option is to sit for Tashahhud on the second raka'ah.)

Salat is performed in "units" of prayer called raka'ah. One raka'ah consists of a series of positions (and movements from one position to the next), along with specific supplications and verses from the Qur'an which are read in each position. A raka'ah begins in a standing position called qiyaam and ends with the musallee in a prostrate position (sujud). Different salat have different numbers of prescribed raka'at.

The salat must be performed with sincere devotion (khushoo), otherwise it is considered invalid. Salat is performed facing the direction of qibla (i.e. towards the Kaaba in Mecca), to the best estimation of the musallee if there is no certain way to determine the correct direction.
The musallee begins the prayer by standing in qiyaam, facing qibla and silently reciting the niyyah (intention to pray) for the specific salat he is about to make. He then raises his hands and speaks aloud the takbir.

For fard as-salat, the first raka'ah commences with the optional recitation of one of the opening supplications followed by the first chapter of the Qur'an, al-Fatihah. For subsequent raka'at and other types of salat, each raka'ah commences with al-Fatihah. During the first two raka'ah, following the recitation of al-Fatihah any other chapter or several verses of the Qur'an are additionally recited (qira'at) while in the standing position before the musallee moves into the bowing position (ruku').

After one raka'ah is complete (and on every subsequent odd raka'ah), the musallee returns from the prostrate position (sujj-ud ) back to the standing position to begin another raka'ah. On every second raka'ah, he first moves from sujj-ud to an upright sitting position (jalsa) and recites the first portion of a supplication known as the tashahhud, before returning to the standing position to begin the next raka'ah.

On the final raka'ah the musallee moves to the jalsa from the sujud position and recites the complete tashahhud. Sunni Muslims then conclude the prayer by turning their face toward the right shoulder and then toward the left shoulder, each time saying a salutation (taslim) to the angels that take note of your good (right shoulder) and evil (left shoulder) deeds.

After the salat is completed it is common (but not compulsory) for Muslims to offer a supplication (du'a) to God. This supplication, which essentially gives Muslims an opportunity to ask God for forgiveness and blessings, can be offered in any language.

Sal'ah may be classified into four categories of obligation: fard, wajib, sunnah and nafl.

Fard sal'ah are compulsory, non-performance of which renders one a non-Muslim according to the Hanbali Sunni School, for the other Sunni schools it renders one a sinner. The denial of its compulsory status however is agreed upon by all Sunni schools to render the denier outside the fold of Islam.

Wajeeb As-salat are compulsory, non-performance of which renders one a sinner and the denial of its obligatory nature renders one a 'fasiq' a transgressor whose witness would not be accepted in an Islamic court. There are some who believe that as the 5 prayers are obligatory, it automatically renders all other prayers optional. The wajib salat are considered compulsory and not performing them is considered a sin.

Sun'nah sal'ah are optional and were additional voluntary prayers performed by Muhammad—they are of two types—the 'Sun'nah Mukkaddah', those practiced on a regular basis which if abandoned cause the abandoner to be regarded as sinful by the Hanafi School and the 'Sun'nah Ghair Mukkaddah' those practiced on a semi-regular practice by Muhammad which all are agreed upon that its abandonment doesn't render one sinful.
Sunnah salat are those prayers that are performed to emulate the practices of Muhammad.Certain sunnah prayers have prescribed waqts associated with them. Those ordained for before each of the fard prayers must be performed between the first call to prayer (adhan) and the second call (iqama) which signifies the start of the fard prayer. Those sunnah ordained for after the fard prayers can be performed any time between the end of the fard prayers and the end of the current prayer's waqt. Any amount of extra raka'ah may be offered, but most madha'ib prescribe a certain number of raka'ah for each sunnah salah.

Nafl sal'ah are optional and regarded as extra prayers which bring more reward. Nafl salat (supererogatory prayers) are voluntary, and one may offer as many as he or she likes almost any time. There are many specific conditions or situations when one may wish to offer nafl prayers. They cannot be offered at sunrise, true noon, or sunset. The prohibition against salat at these times is to prevent the practice of sun worship.

The fard As-salat are the five compulsory daily prayers, the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) and the funeral prayer (Janazah). Fard prayers (as with all fard actions) are further classed as fard al-ayn (obligation of the self) and fard al-kifayah (obligation of sufficiency). Fard al-ayn are those actions which are obligatory on each individual; he or she will be held to account if the actions are not performed. Fard al-kifayah are actions obligatory on the Muslim community at large, so that if some people within the community carry it out no Muslim is considered blameworthy, but if no one carries it out all incur a collective punishment.

Men are required to perform the fard salah in congregation (jama'ah), behind an imam when they are able. According to most Islamic scholars, performing salat in congregation is obligatory for men, when they are able, but is neither required nor forbidden for women.

The five daily prayers

Muslims are commanded to perform salah five times a day. These prayers are obligatory on every Muslim above the age of puberty, with the exception being those who are mentally ill, too physically ill for it to be possible, menstruating, or experiencing post-partum bleeding. Those who are ill or otherwise physically unable to offer their prayers in the traditional form are permitted to offer their prayers while sitting or laying, as they are able. The five prayers are all given certain prescribed times (al waqt) in which they must be performed, unless there is a compelling reason for not being able to perform them on time.

Salat al-Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer performed on Friday which replaces the dhuhr prayer. It is compulsory upon men to perform it in congregation, while women may perform it so or may perform dhuhr salat instead. Salat al-Jumu'ah consists of a sermon (khutba) given by the speaker (khatib) after which two raka'ah are performed. There is no Salat al-Jumu'ah without a khutba.

Salat al-Istikhaarah is a prayer performed when a Muslim needs guidance on a particular matter, such as whether they should marry a certain person. In order to perform this salah one should perform a normal two raka'at salah to completion. After completion one should say the du'a which is called Istikhaarah. The intention for the salah should be in ones heart to perform two raka'at of salah followed by Istikhaarah. The salah can be performed at any times where salah is not forbidden.

Exceptional circumstances

Even though salah is compulsory, flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances: For example, in the case of sickness or a lack of space, a worshipper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when travelling. The salah must be performed in the Arabic language.

Qada

In certain circumstances one may be unable to perform one's prayer within the prescribed time period (waqt). In this case, the prayer must be performed as soon as one is able to do so. These prayers performed after the prescribed waqt are called qada. It is not permissible to deliberately miss performing the salat within its waqt with the intention of performing it afterwards.

Qasr and Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn

When travelling over long distances, one may shorten some prayers, a practice known as qasr. Furthermore, several prayer times may be joined, which is referred to as Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn. Qasr involves shortening the obligatory components of the Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha'a prayers to two raka'ah. Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn combines the Dhuhr and Asr prayers into one prayer offered between noon and sunset, and the Maghrib and Isha'a prayers into one between sunset and Fajr. Neither Qasr nor Jam' bayn as-Salaatayn can be applied to the Fajr prayer.
There is no reference to Qasr during travel within the Qur'an itself; the Qur'an allows for Qasr only when there is fear of attack.

Witr

Main article: Witr

Witr is performed after the salah of isha'a (dusk). Some Muslims consider witr wajib while others consider it optional. It may contain any odd number of raka'ah from one to eleven according to the different schools of jurisprudence. However, Witr is most commonly offered with three raka'ah.

To end prayers for the night after isha'a, the odd numbered raka'ah must have the niyyah of "wajib-ul-Lail", which is mandatory to "close" one's salat for that day.

Eid
Main article: Salat al Eid

Eid salat is performed on the morning of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. The Eid prayer is most likely an individual obligation (fard al-ayn), though some Islamic scholars argue it is only a collective obligation (fard al-kifayah).[4] It consists of two raka'at, with seven takbirs offered before the start of the first raka'ah and five before the second. After the salat is completed, a sermon (khutbah) is offered. However, the khutbah is not an integral part of the Eid salat.[5] The Eid salat must be offered between sunrise and true noon i.e. between the time periods for Fajr and Dhuhr.

Mosque prayer is when you enter the mosque and pray 2 rakats. This prayer is called "Tahiyyatul masjid"; this is one of the rites of the mosque. Every Muslim entering the mosque is obligated to perform these two rakats.
Prayer in congregation (jama'ah) is considered to have more social and spiritual benefit than praying by oneself. When praying in congregation, the musallees stand in straight parallel rows behind the chosen imam, facing qibla. The imam, who leads the congregation in salat, is usually chosen to be a scholar or the one who has the best knowledge of the Qur'an, preferably someone who has memorised it (a hafiz) . In the first row behind the imam, if available, would be another hafiz to correct the imam in case a mistake is made during the performance of the salat. The prayer is performed as normal, with the congregation following the actions and movements of the imam as he performs the salat.

When the worshippers consist of men and women combined, a man is chosen as the imam. In this situation, women are typically forbidden from performing this role. This point, though unanimously agreed on by the major schools of Islam, is disputed by some groups, based partly on a hadith whose interpretation is controversial. When the congregation consists entirely of women and pre-pubescent children, one woman is chosen as imam.

When men, women, and children are praying, the children's rows are usually between the men's and women's rows, with the men at the front and women at the back. Another configuration is where the men's and women's rows are side by side, separated by a curtain or other barrier, with the primary intention being for there to be no direct line of sight between male and female worshippers, following a Qur'anic injunction toward men and women each lowering their gazes (Qur'an 24:30-31).
3.1) ILM (KNOWLEDGE) - Source : -
HADITH 1 Seeking ‘Ilm (Knowledge)

The Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Seeking ‘Ilm (knowledge) is incumbant on every Muslim.”(Ibn Hahar Al-‘Asqalani, Al-Matalib al ‘Aliyah)Ibn Majah reported this Hadith as follows: Anas Ibn Maalik reported, theMessenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Seeking knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim; he who offers knowledge tothose who do not appreciate it, is like the one who decorates pigs withprecious stones, pearls and gold”

HADITH 2 The Best People

Jabir Ibn ‘Abd Allah narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“People are of different substances, the best of them in the Jahiliyah (Astate of ignorance), are the best in Islam, if they gain ‘ilm (knowledge).”(Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)Ibn Hibban reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah:“People are of different substances in good and in evil, the best of them inthe Jahiliyah are the best in Islam, if they gain knowledge.”Muslim reported it on the authority of Abu Hurairah, as follows:“People are of substances like the substance of gold and silver: the bestamong them in the Jahiliyah , are the the best in Islam, if they gainknowledge, and the souls are hosts which are sent around, the similar onesget acquainted, and from the different ones depart from each other.”(Muslim; An-Nawawi, Riyah As-Salihin)Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Ayesha (RA) a part of this hadeethwhich begins with: “The souls…” only.

HADITH 3 The Virtue of ‘Ilm

Hudhaifah Ibn al-Yaman (RA) narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“The excess of ‘Ilm is better than the excess of ‘Ibadah (worship), and thebest of your religion is the wara’ (piety, self restrain).”(At-Tabarani, Al-Awsat; Al-Bazzar)

HADITH 4 The Meadows of Paradise

Ibn ‘Abbas reported, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said [to a group ofcompanions]:“When you pass by the meadows of Paradise indulge freely in it! They said: O Messenger of Allah! What are the meadows of Paradise? He said: The circlesof ‘Ilm.”(At-Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir)

HADITH 5 Seeking ‘Ilm

Abu Bakrah reported, I heard the Prophet (SAAW) saying:“You should be a scholar, or a student, or a listener, or a lover of ‘Ilmand scholars, and you should not be the fifth which makes you perish.‘Ata’ said, Mis’ar said to me: You added a fifth point which we do not have.The fifth point is: To hate ‘Ilm and its people.”(At-Tabarani; Al-Bazzar)

HADITH 6 The Defenders of Hadith

Abu Hurairah narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“The most honest men of future generations will carry this ‘Ilm (i.e.Hadith), they will purify it from the falsification of the extremists, andthe assumptions of the liars, and the misinterpretation of the fools.”(Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi, Sharaf As/hab Al-Hadith; At-Tabrizi, MishkatAl-Masabih)

HADITH 7 Education

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Teach! Make things easy! And do not make things complicated!He (SAAW) repeated this three times and then he added:And if you get angry, keep quiet!”(Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani, Al-Matalib Al-‘Aliyah; At-Tayalisi; Ibn Hanbal; IbnAbi Shaibah)Al-Bukhari narrated it on the authority of Anas, as follows:“Make things easy! And do not make them complicated! Be cheerful! And do notbe repulsive.”Ahmad Ibn Hanbal narrated it as follows:“Teach and give good tidings! Make things easy, and do not make them hard!”

HADITH 8 Reporting Hadith

‘Abd Allah Ibn Mas’ud narrated, the Messanger of Allah (SAAW) said:“May Allah brighten [the face of] a person who hears a hadith from us, andreports it as he heard it, because many people which the hadith is reportedto, perceive it better than the one who reported it to them.”(Ibn Hibban, Sahih)

HADITH 9 Envy

‘Abd Allah Ibn Mas’ud (SAAW) said, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Let there be no envy, except in two things:1- A man whom Allah gave a wealth and guided him to spend it in righteous way.2- Or a man to whom Allah gave wisdom and he acts wisely and teaches it to others.”(Al-Bukhari and Muslim; See An-Nawawi, Riyad As-Salihin)

HADITH 10 The Purpose of Acquiring Knowledge

Jabir Ibn ‘Abd Allah narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Do not acquire knowledge in order to vie with scholars, and to wrangle with the foolish, and to sit in the best seats: whoever does that his abode will be the Fire, the Fire.”(Ibn Hibban, Sahih)

HADITH 11 Beneficial Knowledge

Jabir Ibn ‘Abd Allah narrated, I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) saying:“My Lord! I ask You for beneficial knowledge, and I seek refuge with Youfrom non-beneficial knowledge.”(Ibn Hibban, Sahih)

HADITH 12 Learning Quran and Religion

Abu Dharr narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said to me:“O Abu Dharr! If you learn one verse from The Book of Allah (The Quran), itis better for you than to voluntarily pray one hundred rak’as (units ofprayer), and if you learn a category of knowledge (religion), regardless ifit is applied or not, it is better for you than to voluntarily pray onethousand rak’as.”(Ibn Majah, Sunan; Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani, Mukhtasar At-Targhib wa-t-Tarhib;Al-Ghazali, Ihya’ ‘Ulum Ad-Deen)

HADITH 13 Allah’s Path

Anas (RA) said: the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“He who leaves his home in order to seek knowledge, he is in Allah’s pathuntil he returns [to his home].”(At-Tirmidhi, Sunan, An-Nawawi, Riyad As-Salahin)

Hadith 14 A Path to Paradise

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated, the Messanger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Any person who goes along a course seeking knowledge, Allah will make for him the path to Paradise easy because of it. And he who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not give him priority [intoParadise].”(Muslim, Sahih; Ad-Darimi, Sunan; An-Nawawi, Riyad As-Salihin)

Hadith 15 Mujahid

Abu Hurairah said: I heard the Messanger of Allah (SAAW) saying:“Anyone who comes to this mosque of ours in order to learn a good thing, or to teach it, is equal to the Mujahid in the path of Allah, and whoever comes for anything else, he is like a man who looks at other people’s belongings.”(Ibn Majah, Sunan; Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami, Mawarid Az-Zam’an)

Hadith 16 The Angels Love For Knowledge Seekers

Safwan Ibn ‘Assal said: I came to the Prophet (SAAW) while he was recliningon a red coat [in the mosque] and I said to him:“O’ Messenger of Allah! I came to seek knowledge.He said: Welcome knowledge seeker!Indeed, the angles surround the knowledge seeker with their wings, then they pile on top of each other until they reach the lower heaven out of their love of what he is seeking.”(Ahmad Ibn Hanbal; At-Tabarani; Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani, MukhtasarAt-Targhib; Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani, Al-Isabah fi Tamyziz As-Sahabah, article“Safwan Ibn ‘Assal”)

Hadith 17 The Prophet’s Care for Students

Whenever Abu d-Darda’ saw the students, he used to say:“Greetings to the seekers of knowledge.”And he said: “The Messenger of Alalh (SAAW) urged people to take good careof you” (Ad-Darimi, Sunan) It has been narrated, that Abu Harun Al-‘Abdi andShahr Ibn Hawshab said: Whenever we visited Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri, he used tosay to us:“Greetings to the recommedation of the Messenger of Allah!”The Messanger of Allah (SAAW) said:“You will conquer land, and some people”Or he said:“Young men will come to you seeking knowledge, and comprehending religion, and learning from you: if they come to you teach them, and be kind to them, and make space for them in your circles, an explain Hadith to them.”Therefore, Abu Sa’id used to say to us: “Greetings to the Messenger ofAllah’s recommendation, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) ordered us to make a space for you in our circles, and explain Hadith to you.”(Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Jami’)

Hadith 18 Honoring Scholars

‘Abadah Ibn As-Samit narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“He who does not respect our elders, and does not have mercy on our children, and does not honor our scholars, is not of my Ummah.”(Ahmad Ibn Hanbal; At-Tabarani; Al-Hakim; Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, MukhtasarAt-Targhib; Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jami’ Bayan Al-‘Ilm)

Hadith 19 The Reward for Calling for Guidance

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Anyone who calls [people] to a right guidance, he will be rewarded like thereward of all those who followed him, without depriving them anything from their reward.* And anyone who calls [people] to an error, he will get of the sin, like the sins of those who followed him without decreasing anything of their sins.”(Ibn Hibban, Sahih)* Up to this point is the version which Muslim reported in his Sahih.

Hadith 20 Learning

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated, the Messenger of Allah (SAAW) said:“Indeed! Acquiring knowledge is done through learning.Indeed! Acquiring knowledge is done through learning.And anyone who cares about good, it will be to him, and anyone who protects himself from evil, he will be saved from it.”(Ad-Daraqutni, in Al-Ifrad; Al-Khatib)
3.2) DHIKR
Dhikr - Source : Wikipedia
ذکر
Plural
اذكار
Adhkaar (Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr in Persian ) (Arabic "pronouncement", "invocation" or "remembrance") is an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God. Dhikr as a devotional act often includes the repetition of the names of Allah, supplications and aphorisms from hadith literature, and sections of the Qur'an.
Dhikr ( remembrance of Allah) is the greatest thing in our life and a well tried excellent method for purification of our heart. It eradicates all diseases from heart, produces in it the love of Allah and creates the consciousness of His Greatness; it brings us divine peace and satisfaction. Allah the Almighty Himself asked us to remember Him as much as possible. Says the Holy Quran:

" O ye who believes remember Allah very often and glorify Him morning and evening." (33:41-2)Another verse says Quran says

" And when Salaat is finished then ye may disperse through the land and seek of the Bounty of Allah and celebrate the Praises of Allah much and often; they ye may prosper ( here as well as in the next world.) (62-10)In another verse the Holy Quran says the Dhikr imparts tranquility and peace to the mind and the soul.

" Behold in the Remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction." (13-28)In a verse, men of Faith have specifically been warned not to forget Dhikr by getting absorbed in the wealth and the family

" O ye who believe let not your riches or your children divert you from the Remembrance of Allah if any act thus, the loss is their own." (63:9)Allah the Almighty shows His kindness to those who remember Him. He said:

" Then do ye remember Me I will remember you." (2-152)The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) says:

"Allah says when anyone remembers Me and his lips move in Dhikr I am by his side."In a verse of the Holy Quran mentioning the qualities of pious servants and their reward, Allah says:

" Men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from Remembrance of Allah nor from regular Salaat, nor from regular practice of Zakaat. (24-37)To quote a few Hadith about Dhikr, the Holy Prophet ( Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

" There is a polish for everything, for the hearts it is Dhikr of Allah."He has also said:

" Those who remember Allah and those who do not are like those who are alive and those who are dead." (i.e. who remember Allah and celebrate, His praises are alive and those who do not are dead.) The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) was once asked who would be the most exalted among the servants of Allah on the Last Day, He (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) replied

" Those who remember Allah, be they men or women."The Holy Prophet ( Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) once advised one of his companions.

" Keep your tongue always employed in repeating the name of Allah."Negligence towards Dhikr causes more and more retrogression. Those who close their hearts and tongues to Allah are deprived of all divine virtues, their hearts get hardened and they - become close associates of the devils. Look what the Holy Quran says:

" He who turns away from the remembrance of His Lord He will cause him to undergo a severe Penalty." (72-17)In another verse it has been sad:

" If anyone withdraws himself from the Remembrance of Allah Who is Most Gracious, He will appoint for him an evil one to be intimate companion to him" ( 43-36)In another verse it has been said:

" Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembering of Allah, they are manifestly wandering" (39-22)May Allah save us all form wandering

The highest and the required degree of Dhikr is to acquire such a solemn state of mind and heart in which we remain continuously full of remembrance of Allah and be never without His thought. The state of permanent and all pervading God's consciousness is achieved only through continuously engaging the tongue and heart in Dhikr and devout servant of Allah no doubt, achieve this state. The daily five Salaats are no doubt the remembrance of Allah but Dhikr has got a wider sense. It includes all sorts of the praises, be they with tongue of heart i.e. Salaats, the recitation of Holy Quran, the other prayers, the repetition His sacred names and devoted contemplation on the signs of Allah and the like come under Dhikr.

We are surrounded by evil forces that are trying to deviate us from the right path. To save ourselves from their grips we must remember Allah in every possible way. The more we remember Him the more benefited we are. The real Dhiker is that in whatever profession, state or cirumstances a Muslim may be, he should do his best to observe the commands of Allah that are intended for such a situation

" O ye who believe ! Let not your wealth and your children distract you from rembracne of Allah. (63:9)

Thus whoever observes the commandments of Allah applicable to any given time under all circumstances and observe his responsibilities toward his family and in other worldly affairs like buying and selling, carries out the Dhikr of Allah even while engages in them.
4) IKRAM MUSLIM
Prophet Muhammad said in his last sermon :
Know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. (All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white) You are all equal. Nobody is more superior than the other except in piety and good action.
5) IKHLAS I NIYYAT - (Source for this article)
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, and seekHis help and ask Him for forgiveness. We seek refuge from the evil of ourselves and from the adverse consequences ofour actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, there is no one to misguide him and whomsoever He misguides, there is none to guide him. I testify that there is no deity except Allah andI testify that Muhammed (S) is His servant and messenger.
The Prophet of Allah Muhammed (S) said: Actions are only by intention, and every man shall only have what he intended. Thus he whose hijra was for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, his hijra was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose hijra was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his hijra was for that for which he made hijra.(bukhari)
This hadith clearly indicates that ones actions are accepted by Allah (swt) only if they are done with the right intention, i.e. truly for the sake of Allah (swt).
This brings us to a very important aspect of the religion of islaam - the concept of Sincerity. The arabic word used for this is 'Ikhlass'. What is meant by sincerity in islaam, is to ensure that all of our deeds of worship and other matters are solely for Allah (swt) and to gain His pleasure. Hence, sincerity is a condition for the acceptance of our deeds that are performed in accordance to the sunnah of Prophet (S). Allah (swt) says in the quran in sura Bayinah 5:
And they have been commanded to worship only Allah, being sincere towards Him in their deen and true.
Thus we are commanded to perform our religious acts, what compose our religion for us, based on sincerity. This is what Allah has commanded us. This is the foundation of our faith. In one of the statement of prophet (S), He (S) said, Whoever says 'La ilaha ill aalah' will enter paradise. He made a general statement, but he further clarified his statement by saying whoever says 'La ilaha illaalah' sincerely from his heart will enter paradise. Hence, once the true faith has entered your heart, it will never go. You may do wrong, may go astray sometimes but once you have tasted the reality of faith, it causes you to be sincere in all your deeds; and this sincerity will inshAllah, ultimately make you attain paradise.
A heart that lacks sincerity is, from an Islamic point of view, the worst of hearts. It is the heart of a hypocrite, or the heart of the enemy of Allah.
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, this sincerity is not an easy thing to achieve.
As someone said: It is much harder for thepeople to purify their intentions than to execute any of their actions In order to be truly sincere, one has to give up the worldly desires, and devote himself to the love of Allah (swt). He has to contemplate on the next world, that is to come and this would leave no place in his heart for the love of this world. Such a person should be devout in his actions, even in eating, drinking and answering the calls of nature. Without that it is very difficult for a person to be really sincere to Allah (swt).
Many a times, it so happens that we think that our actions are for Allah (swt), but it reality, they are lacking sincerity. Here is a story of a man who used to stand in the first row for every salat. As the prophet (S) mentioned on one of the hadith that if people knew the reward of standing in the first row and calling theAdhan, they would fight one another to perform these acts. But once it so happened, that this man was late for prayers and had to stand in the second row. He felt embarrassed that people would see him in the second row, and it was then that he realized that the satisfaction he used to get from standing in the first row was from people seeing him in the first row and his sincerity in doing this act was impure.
This is just a small example of how our sincerity towards our Lord is unsafe from being impure.
It is very important that we realize the gravity of this situation in this world. Because if we don’'t, then on the day of Resurrection, these very deeds of ours ,that we thought to be good will appear as bad deeds. As Allah says in the quran:
‘And something will come to them from Allah which they had never anticipated, for the evil of their deeds will become apparent to them. (39: 47-48)
And also: ‘ Shall We tell you who will lose most in resectof their deeds? Those whose efforts were astray in the life of this world, while they thought that they were doing good works.’ (18: 103-104)
Although these ayats are talking about the kuffars, we too must evaluate our actions to make sure they are sincerely for the sake of Allah (swt). Brothers and sisters in Islaam, The Prophet mentioned that,the Sahabah, the best generation of this ummah, were afraid of being insincere and hypocrites. Imam Bukhari mentioned on the authority of Abu Maleeka that he said: ‘ I met thirty of the companions of Muhammed (S), every one of them fears for himself from hypocrisy.’
This was the state of the Sahabah then how about us? Hence, we should check ourselves and be certain that we are doing our best to be sincere to our Lord in whatever we are doing whether it includes the religious acts or the acts which we do not consider as religious per say. In Islam, principles cover everything and concept of sincerity is required in all aspects of our lives. For example, there is no way we can be sincere to Allah and not be sincere to out fellow Muslims. Worshipping Allah sincerely necessitates dealing properly and justly with other Muslims.
Now let us look at some examples from the seerah of Prophet(S)and the Sahabah, as to how sincere they were. For example, during the battle of Tabuk when the call for Jihad was made, some people came to the Prophet (S) and wanted to join in the Jihad; however due to lack of sufficient resources, there was no opportunity for them to join in the Jihad. Hence, these people turned away by the Prophet (S). It is described in the quran that they left with tears in their eyes. This was the sincerity of these people, for their deen. They knew that they are dealing with their Lord who was the owner of their lives and wealth, for the ever lasting life in the hereafter. This is why they had no problem in giving their lives for the sake of Allah (swt). Who amongst us would cry because he could not go to Jihad, where his life is in danger twenty four hours a day? When we look at the lives of these people, it tells us where we really stand in terms of our imaan, and informs us of the states of our hearts.
Another example is of a desert Arab, who when he became Muslimwent to Jihad. When, after the jihad he was offered some booty gained from the war, he replied that he didn't make the oath ofallegiance for the booty, but to find an arrow in his heart and to die to achieve Paradise.
Brothers and sisters in Islaam, it is due to this very sincerity whatever a believer does, it becomes an act of righteousness. How can we achieve this sincerity? By looking at the life of the Prophet (S) and the Sahabah, and by reflecting on those ayaats and ahadith that remind us of sincerity. For example, those ayaats in which Allah’s attributes of being the All-Seeing, All-Knowing and All-Hearing are mentioned. Whatever we do and whatever intention we perform those deeds with, Allah knows it all. There is nothing that we can hide.
One important thing that will make us sincere to Allah is keeping away from pride and arrogance. It is this sin of pride and arrogance that was committed by Iblees, the shaitan. Although he knew Allah better than all of us, he still disobeyed Him due to his arrogance and pride. Pride is the thing that makes us perform deeds, to show off to others rather than for the sake of Allah (swt). We should not only try to avoid this pride in ourselves, but also, if we see it in others we should advise them and inform them about its consequences.
To develop sincerity of intention in all our actions to please no one but Allah only . the Ikhlas-i-Niyyat means sincerity, i.e. to do all good deeds only for the sake of Allah and solely for winning His Pleasure. Sincerity is a very important factor in the life of a Muslim, for all his activities are judged only on the basis of his intention. If it is good, the action is good. and if the intention is something other than the attainment of the Divine Approbation, then the deed is not reward able at all. Sincerity can rightly be called the life and soul of the entire moral edifice of Islam. If the action lacks sincerity however dignified or pious it may be it will not fetch any reward from Allah. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) says:

"O people! The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended..... (Bukhari)

"If anyone's intention is to seek the hereafter Allah will place his sufficiency in his heart and order his affairs, and the world will come to him submissively; but if anyone's intention is to seekworldly good Allah will place poverty before him and disorder his affairs, and only so much of it as has been ordained for him will come to him." (Mishkat) The only incentive for a Muslim in the discharge of his duties should therefore invariably be only the attainment of the Pleasure of Allah, or in other words to obey His Commandments only for the adoration of the Here after.
Allah is Omnipresent, All-knowing, All-hearing. Nothing is concealed from Him. He knows even the hidden secrets of our hearts. He is well aware of our intention, He knows the real motives d all our actions. We can deceive a man but can never deceive Him. If we perform a deed only to carry out His order, seeking solely His Pleasure, He will accept it, and grant the promised reward, but if the real incentive of the deed is some worldly gain, He will reject it, be it even a prayer.

A Muslim is, hence, required to be on a constant watch of his intention and keep it always pure. A slight negligence may lead him astray. The learned pious people said that if a man observed fast to obtain some hygienic benefits or performed Haj only to enjoy an excursion, or distributed all his wealth among the needy only to gain good reputation, he would not be honored by Allah, and would deserve no reward. Nay such a fellow would be put to trials, We all know that the learning and teaching of the Holy Quran, assisting the needy and being Wlled?? t in a battle waged in the Way of Allah, are most dignified actions in the sight of Allah, and He has promised great rewards on, But even these virtuous deeds are not accepted by our Lord if the motive prompt Hl gon??? the mare found other than the winning of His Pleasure, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam ) once said:

"Certain categories of people will be called first of all for reckoning on the Day of Judgment. A martyr will be asked by Allah, "Did I not bestow such and such favors on you?" Hoe will admit those boons and favors. Then Allah will ask him; " How did you make use of My favors? He will answer: " I went to the Holy War to please You, and was killed therein." Allah will say " You lie; you participated in the Holy War to be called a Hero by people, and this has been done." Then he will be thrown headlong into the fire of Hell.

Next a Scholar will be called and the same questions will be put to him. In reply he will admit the favors of Allah. Then he will be asked; "How did you make us of My favors?" He will answer, " I acquired knowledge of Islam and taught it to others, simply to please You" Allah will say: You lie; you attained knowledge in order to be called a scholar and recited the Holy Qur'an to be called a "Qaari." the he too will be thrown headlong into the fir of Hell.

Thereafter a rich man will be called, and the same questions will be put to him. He will say: " I always spent money to please You. Allah will say: you lie; you spend money in order to be called a "generous" man, and this has been said." Then he will also be thrown headlong into the fire of Hell."Therefore we should always avoid show and vanity, and should render our actions to only please Allah.

6 ) DAWAT-O-TABLIGH
Qur'an says:

"O Messenger! Make known (balagh) all that has been sent down to thee by thy Lord and Sustainer." (5:67)

"Invite (da'wah) to the way of thy Lord and Sustainer with wisdom and goodly exhortation..." (16:125)

"He it is who has sent to the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves to convey unto them His messages, and to lead them to purity and spiritual growth (tazkiyah) and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom (ta'lim)..." (62:2)
"Convey from me (balagh) even if it be only a single ayah (that you know)." (Bukhari)

"Let there among you be a group that invites to all that is good (da'wah)." (3:104)

"Say! This is my way. I call to God (da'wah) - on the basis of sure knowledge -I and those who (truly) follow me. Glory to God and I am not among those who commit shirk." (12:108)

"Acquire knowledge and teach it to mankind (ta'lim), learn your religious duties and teach them to mankind, learn the Qur'an and teach it to mankind, for I am a man who will be taken away..." (Darimi)

MANZIL

Manzil (Arabic: منزل; plural manazil, منازل) is the Arabic word for one of seven parts of roughly equal length into which the Qur'an is divided for the purpose of reciting the entire text in one week. Reciting the whole Qur'an in any shorter time than one week is discouraged in Islam.

Another meaning is verses from different parts of the Qur'an which help in curing or preventing jadoo. The collection of these verses is available in booklet form from various publishers e.g. Manzil by Islamic Book Service.

The concept of sorcery or witchcraft exists in Islam. In the Qur'an verse 102 of Chapter Al-Baqara states:

And they followed what the Shaitans chanted of sorcery in the reign of Sulaiman, and Sulaiman was not an unbeliever, but the Shaitans disbelieved, they taught men sorcery and that was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut, yet these two taught no man until they had said, "Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever." Even then men learned from these two, magic by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah's permission, and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them, and certainly they know that he who bought it should have no share of good in the hereafter and evil was the price for which they sold their souls, had they but known this.

In the tradition of Muhammad, he was himself once targeted by sorcerers, but he annulled their effect through the recitation of the verses of the Qur'an. According to various traditions, different parts of the Qur'an are described to have a positive effect on an individual in terms of negating and preventing the effects of witchcraft, or for general well being and becoming a better practicing Muslim. Eminent Muslim scholar of the India-Pakistan sub-continent Maulana Mohammad Zakariya collected these verses in book form, which were already in use in his family as an antidote to witchcraft. This collection is popularly referred to as Manzil.

The Manzil comprises the following verses of the Quran:

  • Surah Al-Fatihah (chapter 1): verses 1 to 7
  • Surah Al-Bakarah (chapter 2): verses 1 to 5, 163, 255 to 257, and 284 to 286
  • Surah Al-Imran (chapter 3): verses 18, 26 and 27
  • Surah Al-A'araf (chapter 7): verses 54 to 56
  • Surah Al-Israa (chapter 17): verses 110 and 111
  • Surah Al-Muminoon (chapter 23): verses 115 to 118
  • Surah Al-Saaffaat (chapter 37): verses 1 to 11
  • Surah Al-Rehman (chapter 55): verses 33 to 40
  • Surah Al-Hashr (chapter 59): verses 21 to 24
  • Surah Al-Jinn (chapter 72): verses 1 to 4
  • Surah Al-Kaafiroon (chapter 109): verses 1 to 6
  • Surah Al-Ikhlas (chapter 112): verses 1 to 4
  • Surah Al-Falaq (chapter 113): verses 1 to 5
  • Surah Al-Naas (chapter 114): verses 1 to 6

The entire manzil is prescribed to be read one or three times in one sitting. This may be performed once or twice a day, in the latter case once in the morning and once in the evening.

- Wikipedia

TABLIGHI JAMAAT

Tablighi Jamaat ("Conveying[1] Group") (Arabic: جماعة التبليغ ‎, also Tabligh) is a Muslim missionary and revival movement. Their activities are not limited to the Muslim community.[2]

Leaders of Tablighi Jamaat claim that the movement is strictly non-political in nature, with the main aim of the participants being to work at the grass roots level and reaching out to all Muslims of the world for spiritual development.

Tabligh Jamat seeks to revitalize the Muslim community, especially those it believes are in danger of losing their Muslim identity. It emphasizes Muslim practice and participation in the Muslim community. It gathers its members and aids in community activities such as mosque building and education.

Tabligh maintains an international headquarters, the Markaz, in Nizamuddin, and has several national headquarters to coordinate its activities in over 80 countries. Throughout its history it has sent its members to travel the world, preaching a message of peace and tolerance. It organizes preachers in groups (called Jamaats). Each group, on average, consists of 10 to 12 Muslims who fund themselves in this preaching mission.

The Tablighi Jamaat was founded in the late 1920s by the well known scholar Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalawi in the Mewat province of India. The inspiration for devoting his life to Islam came to Ilyas during his second pilgrimage to the Hijaz in 1926.[4] Maulana Ilyas put forward the slogan, ‘Aye Musalmano! Musalman bano’ (Urdu) which translates 'O Muslims! Become Muslims' (in English). This expressed the central focus of Tablighi Jamat, which has been renewing Muslim society by renewing Muslim practice in those it feels have lost their Muslim-ness.

Ilyas was a prominent member of the Deobandi movement and throughout Tabligh's history there has been a degree of association between the two groups, although Tablighi Jamat does not see itself as Deobandi. Tabligh was formed at a time in India when some Muslim leaders feared that Indian Muslims were losing their Muslim identity to the majority Hindu culture.[5]

In 1978, construction of the Tablighi mosque in Dewsbury, England commenced. Subsequently, the mosque became the European headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat.

Ameer or Zimmadar are titles of leadership in the movement. The first Ameer, also the founder, was Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalawi (Maulana Ilyas) (1885-1944). The second was his son Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Kandhalawi. The third one was Maulana Inaam ul Hasan. Now there is a shura which includes two leaders: Maulana Zubair ul Hasan and Maulana Saad Kandhalawi. In Pakistan the duties of the Ameer are being served by Haji Abdulwahab. Maulana Muhammad Zakariya al-Kandahlawi is also among the prestigious personalities of the jamaat, as he compiled the famous book Fazail-e-Amal. [6]

With the ascent of Maulana Yusuf, Ilyas’ son, as its second emir (leader), the group began to expand activities in 1946, and within two decades the group reached Southwest and Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. Initially it expanded its reach to South Asian diaspora communities, first in Arab countries then in Southeast Asia. Once established, the Tablighi Jamaat began enraging local populations as well.

In the 1990s, the official apolitical stance of Tabligh was challenged by a break-away sect which added a seventh tenant to Tabligh's 6-point ideology, "jihad in Pakistan and abroad."

Although the Movement first established itself in the United States, it established a large presence in Europe during the 1970s and 1980's. It was especially prominent in France during the 1980s, although its influence has fallen since then, with many of its members becoming associated with UOIF, although one of its members is still represented in the French Council of the Muslim Creed.[7] Tabligh's influence has grown, though, in the increasing Pakistani community in France, which has doubled in the decade before 2008 to 50,000-60,000.[8]

However, Britain is the current focus of the Movement in the West, primarily due to the large South Asian population that began to arrive there in the 1960s and 1970s.[2] By 2007, Tabligh members were situated at 600 of Britain's 1350 mosques.[9]

By 2008 it had a presence in nearly 80 countries and had become a leading revitalist movement. However, it maintains a presence in India, where at least 100 of its Jamaats go out from Markaz, the international headquarters, to different parts of India and overseas.[10]

The second largest gathering of Muslims after the Hajj, (the pilgrimage to Mecca which is obligatory to each able Muslim at least once in a life time) is known as "Bishwa Ijtema", a non political gathering of Muslims from all over the world hosted by the leaders of "International Tabligh Jama'at". It takes place in "Tongi" which is on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

There are many renowned personalities associated with the movement.

Former President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain was associated with the Jamaat.Dr.Nadir Ali Khan Rafiq Tarar (former president of Pakistan), Lieutenant General (retd) Javed Nasir (former head of Inter-Services Intelligence), and General Zia-ul-Haq have also been linked with the movement. Major General Ziaur Rahman, former President and COAS of Bangladesh, was a strong supporter and member of Tablighi Jamaat, and popularized it in Bangladesh.

Former singer Junaid Jamshed has close links with the Jamaat. His departure from professional singing career is attributed as the result of his inclination towards this organization. Among Pakistani cricket professionals, Shahid Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamam-ul-haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saeed Anwar are active members. It is also widely believed the Pakistani middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf embraced Islam with the help of the Tablighi Jamaat.

Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim the former chief mininster of Sindh, and Ijaz-ul-Haq have strong ties with the Tablighi activities.

There is a misconception about tableeghi jamaat in many people of the world, that tableeg means persuading others only to embrace islam. tableeg is actually for the correction of individuality. Whenever he say the greatness of ALLAH from his own tongue to any other Muslim or non Muslim brother, his own faith automatically enhances. It is a common phenomenon that when individual talks about something for e.g."Diamond" continuously, The greatness of diamond starts coming in his/her heart automatically.Similarly, when an individual sits in any stock exchange for example Karachi Stock Exchange. He/She listens the value of shares in the market and their income per share. Desire of buying those companies` shares starts coming in his/her heart. because of environment in which he is sitting is totally related to shares . Similarly, when person sits in an religious environment and listens the words about oneness and greatness of Allah. As well as about the facts of life after death, A sort of fear comes in his/her heart. and he/she determines to change the pattern of his life for example to stop committing sins. Thus, tableeg is not only to persuade others to accept Islam but also to make one`s own correction. Holy Prophet ( p.b.u.h ) went to each and every person of Makkah to convey the massage of Allah. As a result, thousands of people accepted Islam who are known as SAHABA( for example hazrat Omar R.S , Hazrat Abu Bakar R.s etc. There is a famous saying of Holy Prophet P.b.u.h "May he be blessed with happiness,should he listen and obey me and pass my message to others". Thus, tablig is a responsibility of each and every Muslim of the world . That whatever he knows about islam, he should pass that massage to others for example his parents, relatives, friends and all muslim ummah. tablig is not only the responsibility of scholars but it is a responsibility of the entire muslim ummah.

- Wikipedia