Your Questions Answered (volume 6)

Q70: Reciting Surah Without Bismillah in Sunnah Prayers

In sunnah prayers, can we recite the sura without Bismillah? For example, whenwe recite Surah Qul Huwallah seven times in the prayer of the Night of Destiny? A: No. Bismillah is a part of every Sura (except Surah 9). If you drop it, you have not recited Qul Huwallah completely.

Q71: DROPPING BISMILLAH IN QUR'AN KHWANI:

Can we drop Bismillah in Qur'an Khwani, especially when time is short? A: It is a must in the beginning of the Surahs (except the 9th Surah) as mentioned above. For other parts it is not necessary, although highly emphasized. If time is short, you may recite it, even in whisper, just before your turn to recite Qur'an comes.

Q. 72: FOLDING ARMS IN PRAYERS?

By whom and in which period of Islamic history was the folding of arms in prayers introduced?

A: It appears from some reports that when Iranian prisoners were brought before 'Umar, they stood before him with folded hands. On being asked the reason, they said that it was their custom to stand before the elders with folded hands. 'Umar said: Then we too should do the same when we stand before Allah in prayers. That was the beginning.

But as I will explain later, the idea was not accepted in Medina there are some pointers which show that it had caught up in the early days of Mu'awiyah's governorship in Damascus. When Anas ibn Malik, a companion of the Prophet (S. A. W), went to Syria, he wept and said: "I do not see here anything which I used to see in the days of the Prophet (S.A.W), except this prayer, and that too is disfigured." (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Then there are these four Imams of the Sunnis. Look at their fatwas concerning this matter; and you will see the truth yourself.

1. Imam Malik ibn Anas (died 179) lived in Medina.He orders his followers (the Malikiyah) to keep their hands open, saying that it is the way the people of Medina pray, and they must have learnt it from the Prophet (S.A.W).

2. Imam Abu Hanifah (died 150 A.H) and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (died 241 A.H.) lived in Iraq and they ordered their followers to keep the hands folded.

3. Imam Shafi'i (died 204 A.H.) was born in Mecca, studied in Medina and then shifted to Iraq and finally to Egypt. He gives his followers choice of folding the hands or keeping them open.

Have you noted the connection between their places of residence and their fatwas? The man who lived in Medina kept the hands open; those who lived far from Medina folded their hands and the one who lived in both places allows both customs. It make us believe that the custom of folding the hands in prayer was invented far from the city of the Prophet (S. A. W).

Q.73: SAYING 'AMEN' IN PRAYER:

I notice that we the Shi'a do not say "AMEN" after al-Fatiha. As you know, I was previously a Sunni. Now what I want to know is: Did one of the first 3 Caliphs introduce this system? Or did this bid'ah come in Islam from the Ummayads or Abbasids?

A: It is not definitely known when this custom was started and by whom. But there are traditions from the Imams of Ahlul Bayt (A.S) which say that saying "Amen" after Surah al- Fatihah in prayer is bid'ah. One such tradition from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A.S) says:

"When you are (praying) behind an Imam and he finishes Surah al-Fatihah and completes it, you should say, "Alhamdu-Lillahi Rabbil 'Alameen", and do not say "Amen". (Al-Kafi and Tahdhibu 'l-ahkam). It indicates that saying "Amen" had become established by that time, i.e. in Umayyad period.

By the way, the Sunni book, "Naylu 'l-awtar " quotes Imam Malik (the leader of the Malikis) as saying that the Imam should not say "Ameen" in those prayers which are recited loudly.

Q. 74: KADHALIKAALLAHU RABBI

We say, Kadhalikallahu Rabbi, (Even so is Allah, our Lord), after Surah Qul Huwallah, in prayer. Is it correct? This sentence is not in the Qur 'an.

A: According to ahadith, it is mustahabb to say it after surah Qul Huwallah, whether in prayer and at other Occasions. Likewise, it is mustahabb to say, "La bi shayin min 'alayika Rabbi ukadhdhib" (None of your bounties do I reject, O my Lord!) after every Fa bi ayyi'alayi Rabbikuma tukadhdhiban (Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) in Surah ar-Rahman. These are not parts of the Qur'an; they are included in the etiquette of the recital of Qur'an.

Q. 75: SAJDAH ON WOOLEN CARPETS

The Iranian clergymen urge the Shi'as to offer their prayers on the woollen carpets of the Masjid un Nabi and to prostrate on the same without using muhr, for the sake of Islamic unity. Is it valid?

A: It is OK if done because of Taqiyah. However, I have seen a lot of Shi'as from Qateef and Bahrain using small mats (made of palm leaves or other such reeds) for prayer even inside the masjid of the Prophet (S.A.W), and obviously nobody can object to it.

Q. 76: TURNING HEAD RIGHT AND LEFT IN PRAYER:

We the Shi 'as don't turn our heads at the end of Salah, like the Sunnis do, when they supposedly salute the angels by saying "As-Salamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullahi wa Barakatuh" turning their heads to the right, then to the left. How did that system come into the Salah?

A: In fact it is a Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W) to turn fractionally one's glance (not the head) first to the right and then to the left at the time of salaam. But the Sunnis have exaggerated it to such an extent that they turn their faces completely to the sides. It appears from some unconfirmed reports that it was started during the first Khalifa's time.

One fails to understand how this custom conforms with the 'niyyat' (intention) of praying "with my face towards holy Ka'bah". They do this niyyat and then twice turn their faces away from the Ka'bah. Does that niyyat remain valid? Likewise, they do niyyat to fast from before dawn to after sunset; and then break their fast without making sure that the sun has really set. Does that fast remain valid?

Q. 77: ON SALAAM AND TASHAHUD

Some times I get into a discussion about how we the Shi'as say 'alayhi 's-salaam after mentioning 'Ali and the Imams. I know its in Sahih Bukhari from what I have read, but where is it in Shi'a books? Fakhruddin ar-Razis Commentary on how to salute the Prophet says: "The companions came to al-Nabi (S.A. W) and said: "How do we salute you?

O, Messenger of Allah (S.A. W)? "; and he said: "Say: O Allah, venerate Muhammad and the aal of Muhammad like Thou didst venerate Ibrahim and the aal of Ibrahim: O Allah, bless Muhammad and the aal of Muhammad like Thou didst bless Ibrahim and the aal of Ibrahim in the world; surely Thou Art praised and magnified " And when you give salam on me don't just stop there implying that Ahlul Bayt (A.S) should be included. Then a Sunni scholar said: "Why don't the Shi'a say this Tashahhud when they include Ahlul' l-Bayt (A.S) in Salawat on Muhammad Can you explain, please!

A: We surely include Ahlu'l-Bayt (A.S) in the Salawat. Our prayer is based on the prayer as shown and taught to us by the Prophet and his Ahlu'l-Bayt (Peace of Allah be on him and them all). If a statement or sentence is correct it does not mean that it should be made a part of prayer.

For example, it is a fact that Muhammad (S.A.W) is the Wali of God, and His chosen and beloved friend. But what do we say in the Tashahhud? "I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger." That's all. No other attribute or adjective is used. After that comes the "Salawat" and only that sentence is used which is prescribed for this purpose here, and which is taught to us by the Ahlu'1-Bayt (A.S).

Q. 78: CORRECT PRONOUCIATION OF SALAWAAT

Some people say in Salawat: Allahumma Salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ah Muhammad. Is it correct?

A: The correct way according to Arabic grammar is, Allahumma Salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ali Muhammad.

Q. 79: HOW ADHAN WAS INSTITUED?

According to Sunni Tarikh the adhan was instituted by one of the companions hearing it in a dream... so it is said that the Prophet told Bilal ibn Raba (R.A) to go on the top of the Masjid-un-Nabi and say Adhan. It sounds as if Adhan was something the Muslims made up at the spur of the moment.

A: There are so many traditions in the Sunni books, all contradicting each other: there are so many companions mentioned in various stories that one is bound to think that each narrator had his own axe to grind - wanted to promote his own favourite companion.

Adhan is an 'ibadah (act of worship); how can an 'ibadah be instituted through people's consultation? Our traditions say that when the Holy Prophet (S. A.W) ascended to heaven in Mi'raj, Jibra'il said adhan and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) led the angels in prayer. But it will be wrong to infer from this tradition that adhan was started in Mecca.

It was not. It was started after hijrah in Medina, but its basis was that adhan of Jibra'il during the Mi 'raj. Among Sunni Muhaddithin, at-Tabarani has narrated from Ibn 'Umar a hadith similar to what I have just narrated from our books; also Ibn Marduwayh has narrated from 'A'ishah from the Prophet a similar hadith.

Masjid-un-Nabi in those days was thatched with date-fronds. (Minarets were not invented for mosques in the early days of Islam. It is a later innovation.) So, Bilal ibn Rabah (not Raba) (R.A) could not get on the top of the Mosque of the Prophet (S.A.W).