Intention We will try to gain proximity to Allah SWT

What is Salah?
What does Allah mean by making this Salah an obligatory act on us?
For Emphasis
The first characteristic of believer mentioned is Prayer
Believers are those who pray humbly and those who submit to Allah SWT in a
humble way.
Khaashi-oon We are acting upon this world.







In this verse Allah SWT is telling us the effect of standing in prayer.
Allah SWT gives us a hint the remembrance of Allah SWT is greater.

Is our heart present? Is our heart yearning for Allah? Is our heart calling Allah? The
remembrance is the part that is missing.

And Allah (SWT) knows our inward thoughts.


Something that needs work Rememberance of Allah
Need to have feelings of Allah outside of Salah, need to do zikr of Allah outside of
Salah.
One way to make Salah easy is to remember Allah all the time and then you will
be able to remember him IN Salah.

How to make Salah easy:

Hes not taking his name here, he is saying ME. Lot of power to this verse.
1. Worship me
2. Establish Prayer for my remembrance





Characteristic of people who were hypocrite:
Kusala Lazily
Hypocrites stand in Salah, because they want to show to other people that they are
standing in Salah.
Allah isnt saying that THEY DONT REMEMBER HIM AT ALL, What Allah is saying
that they used to remember a little.

We should be careful to not have any resemblance to hypocrites.
Remembrance is just a little for hypocrites
Realisation: Take salah where it belongs.









Salah is best of action and has highest potential to make us close to Allah SWT.

Closest meaning:
Nabi asked Sahabi If you had a running river outside your house and you wash
your body in that river five times a day, would any dirt remain on your body?
Sahabah: I would be very clean. Nabi: This is exactly how a believer and his salah is.

Salah wiping sins, by wudhu and wipe out minor sins, and make person leave
immoral acts, becoming completely pure.









`


Nabi reached masjid awsa saw a lot of people gathered there and Nabi asked
Jiraeel about tall man who was standed, and Hadrat Jibraeel said this is Adam, and
again Nabi asked about another beautiful man, and Hadrat Jibraeel said this is
Ibrahim AS and Nabi asked about another man, Hadrat Jibraeel said that this is
Musa AS

Nabi was waitng for someone to take the lead, Jibraeel AS told him you are
supposed to lead all these messengers and prphets, and many angels descended and
they all prayed behind Nabi SAW after which he was taken to Arsh of Allah SWT,
Nabi greeted Allah, and Allah gave him a gift Salah for his Ummah, originally
50 salah.

Hadrat Jibraeel said : Your Ummah will never be able to pray 50 salah a day

`Why this verse here?
Ecasue Allah has already decided to give this amount of proximity and reward to
the ummah of Nabi, the reward of 50 salah was already decided. One act of salah
is equal to 10 salah.
So 5 prayers is equal to 50 salah.

Nabi: A sign of end time is that the mosque will be filled with people who come to
prayer BUT their hearts will be absent of remeberance of Allah SWT

Bring rememberance of Allah in salah and then we will be able to appreciate the
importance of Allah.







1. Purity
Purity form what? From major and minor impurity.
Major Haid
Minor Lack fo wudhu
Purity of body no impurity on it. The body part is properly washed.
Purity of clothes
Purity of place of prayer
Clothing of nakedness:
Men right below the navel to right below the knee the minmum for men in
Salah, if not then salah will not be valid
Women Body except hand, face and feet
Facing the Qiblah What does it mean? For person who can see Kabah, for
them they have to face the Kabah itself. For us its far away, what does it
mean that we should Qiblah? It can be 45 degrees to left or right of Kabah
then prayer will be valid. Whenever person can see Kabah no deviation is
allowed.
Time very sure of time. Not sure if Isha time has entered and she prays
Schoalrs say it is as though your salah hasnt started, why? Because you dont
know if salah time has come.
Intention Intenion of heart is required however schoalrs say because of state
of people nowadays they should utter the intention because there is a chance
of it bringing about a state of rememberance.








If no purity then they will not be able to bring about rememberance of Allah SWT
Make sure everything is pure. Allah is pure and he loves purity.

What Is spiritual purity?
Purity of body from sin. If nothing is pure they will not be able to connect to Allah.
Should not hurt other people.
Purity of heart from envy, anger, jealousy.
Puity fo food? Eat from the lawful. Unlwaful will lead to decrease in remembrance
of Allah SWT.


Session Two

Do not take Makruh Tanzihi lightly. Should not make it into a habit,
if you do this it will then cause sin Delay Isha right until the time of
Fajr time.

Makruh Tehreemi is closer to Haram. (Hanafi scholars are
conscious of making acts haram) Praying to Allah SWT when
the sun is atits peak.

Haram (Forbidden)

There are three things that are conditional for it to be obligatory i.e.
for a person to have legal responsibility of it:
1. Islam Be a Muslim
2. Maturity Hitting puberty
3. Sanity Be in right state of mind.

Educating Children:

Children should be ordered to pray when they are seven years
old. They should be disciplined if they neglect the prayer after
they reach the age of ten [Abu Dawood]

(Need to show children the spiritual side of Salah, develop the interest
of Salah in them)

The times of Salah

The five daily salah must be performed at their specific times.

In the Quran (Source 1):



Salah is mentioned in Quran but the timings of Salah are found in
Hadith.

Hadith Imam-e-Jibraeel is very important hadith for finding out
timings of Salah

(Sun is the main evidence for finding out timings of Salah)
Fajr:
False Dawn: Some brightness in sky, stays there for some time, and
then dissapears, whiteness is vertical Not the start time of Fajr.
When this light dissapears, then another light appears, this light is
horizontal, along the horizon, caled the true dawn, will mark the time
of Fajr.
The moment sun hits horizon, this is when Fajr ends.

Zuhr:
When the sun reaches its zenith, this is when praying any obligatory
prayer is Makrooh Tehreemi. When sun goes passed zenith, this is
your Zuhr time.

Asr:
Shadow of object becomes twice its length, Zuhr is ending and Asr is
starting

Maghrib:
When disk of horizon goes below horizon it become maghrib time.
Remaing until brightness is apparent in sky.

Isha:
Starts when sky becomes dark.


















































































Fuqaha can pray salah until sun has become reddish (this is Makruh tehreemi time,
if someone hasnt prayed before this time they should pray during this time)

Saying delay, because after you pray your four Farz rakah salah, no nafl salah is to
be offered.





























Should be prayed as soon as possible.


























This is an example of Makrooh Tehreemi

Session Three

Spiritual Aspect of Prayer:

The reality of Prayer Zikr of Allah (SWT)/Miraaj

Lack of zikr/feeling in prayer makes someone resemble a
hypocrite/not becoming a hypocrite.

Timings of Salah:

Fajr:
Starts: True Dawn
When the sun will rise and it will hit the horizon, appearing at the
horizon till that point onwards till the sun is approximately 3 metres
high/above the horizon Makruh to pray at that time
Cannot say ANY Farz salah in that period BUT can read Nafl pray.
Have to wait until the sun reaches its zenith/highest point (this is
called zawwal, in contemperory charts the time of zawwal given is
when the sun is right above a persons head when the sun is
perpendicular to the surface of the earth, however if one were to use
the terminology accurately/correctly this is supposed to be called the
time of istiwwa (literal meaning right above) People call it Zawwal,
technically zawwal means when the sun begins to decline.)
End: When the sun rises.

Zuhr:
Start:
When the sun is going to come out of this point and go passed this
line (shown in red by apa in following diagram) will be the beginning
time of Zuhr














End time:
The sun is going to decline gradually till the shadow of an object is
twice its size
















Asr:
Start time:
When shadow of object is twice its size

End time: Remain Asr until Maghrib Makruh Tehreemi (Stricter
Makruh however there is an exception that only Asr of that day
(A person is not supposed ot pray asr deliberately at this time,
howveer if it got delayed Fuqaha say it is naqis (deficient) it is better to
pray than to make Qaza (20 mins before Maghrib) not okay to pray
Qaza during Mkaruh Tehreemi time.
Only ASR farz is recommended to
read but not Sunnah as Fuqaha have
said







Maghrib
Start time:
When the tip of the sun hits below the horizon.

End Time:


Isha
Start time: When the sky is absoloutely dark (Hanafi), has a tendency
to become Makruh tanzihi when half the night has passed Half the
night? Divide the time from Maghrib to Fajr, divde that into two equal
parts you will know the latter is Makruh tanzeehi try to pray Isha
before this time.





Situation #1:
Person praying Quran,
happens to be reciting
Quran and its Zawwal
and within the 20
prohobited minutes/15
prohibited minutes
comes across a ayah of
Sajda, Sajda becomes
Wajib on person, Oh
its time of Zawaal,
what should she do? If
a person happens to be
in such situation then
perosn may offer wajib act also but that is disliked, ideally should wait
for such a time which is permissable and then offer Sajda Tilawat (as
it is like a prayer, same conditions as Salah)

Situation #2:
Zaid, an Imam, asked to recite Janazah, the body of person comes in
front of Zaid for the Janazah to be prayed, during the time of Zawaal,
person is abosloutely ready, what should he do?
He still has the two options:
1. OK to pray Janazah prayer IF it is ready during the time that is
Makruh
2. However if Imam Zaid happens to be in a situation that for
instance Janazah was ready WAY before the time of Zawaal, now
Imam Zaid cannot pray the Janazah Salah at the time of Salah,
because it became Wajib outside the Makruh time.

Another set of timings which are disliked (However, it is OK for a
person to pray QAZA during THESE TIMES but NOT Nafl):
1. Fajr Only for the Fajr prayer, no other prayer should be read
Fuqaha time generally disliked.
(Side note: Dont have time to pray Farz of Fajr then read Sunnah but
it is very disliked Hanafi Fiqh say :The sunnah of Fajr cannot be
offered after the Farz of Sunnah)

No other NAFL should be read, even if you have prayed Fajr and also
BEFORE you have prayed Fajr. However Qaza can be read
2. After Asr Makruh to pray any optional prayer. Should wait do
so after Maghrb prayer.
Hadith: There is no prayer after Asr prayer until the sun has set and
there is no prayer after Fajr prayer until the sun has risen (Bukhari
Muslim)
(Side note: It is OK for a person to pray Nafl before Salah of Asr One
Opinion
In Hanafi Fiqh: Should delay the Asr a bit, reason given for that is so
that the Optional prayers can be read Take this position then it is
OK to pray Nafl before the FOUR Farz
Another opinion Disliked to pray Optional before Asr and after)

(Sid note: All schools Maghrib should be offered as soon as possible,
praying any Nawafil before Maghrib Salah, delaying Magrib too much
is Makhruh)

Joining Salah

In the Hanafi fiqh it is not OK to combine Obligatory prayers, all other
schools allow this joining.

(If you miss witr you have to do Qaza of witr (it is Wajib)
















Book he wrote towards end of his life. There is
a lot of wisdom in it. Good book to have in
your life
Inner dimension of Salah.
We are leaving out the essence of Salah. One
needs to understand that the spiritual side
should be our focus. What should I feel when
I recite the Takbeer-e-Tehreemi?

Awareness of what you are doing:
Imagine if you are in a interview with a multi
millionaire company, you are talking to them,
after some time you say I dont remember
what I said, Im lost, not aware of what Im doing here obviously the potential boss
will not hire you. So our meeting with Allah SWT we are not even aware of what
were doing.

First thing that needs to do is be aware, aware of what youre doing Imam
Ghazali RA.
You fix this problem through mental exercise, by working on yourself. Make effort,
try to understand of what youre doing, aware
You should remember your hereafter more Why is he saying this? Because your
salah will have consequences in hereafter, barakah and reward will be held in
hereafter. Remembering will not take you a long time, just take 10-15 seconds!
What are you supposed to be doing?
This act which has been prescribed so many times in the Holy Quran.

Second, be aware of Allah SWT, the Lord of the worlds Imam Ghazali RA

Third, Understanding the words and understanding the meaning of the words of
Salah.
In reply to this above quote by Imam Ghazali, scholar have said: Even if you dont
know the meaning of the words in your salah, you will be able to catch words, that
will make you connect back to Allah SWT Read Surah Ar Rahman When you
read the word rahman or jannah or jahannam, you will be able to understanding a
few words, so much barakah one word of Quran, barakah in the the Quran.









Fourth thing which is required is reverance
(Haybah) Feel the supremacy of Allah SWT
in heart such that it leads a perosn to have
reverance in heart, will make you connect to
your Salah more
Will get it through reflection Imam
Ghazali
Fifth, is awe (azmath) Feel his lordship
and feel that he is so amazing and supreme,
and you should feel humble, your won
humiliy make you connect more in Salah.
Terror is diff from Awe. Awe a person will feel that Allah SWT has given me so
much, I dont want to lose my connection with him. Reflect on greatness of Allah
SWT (should not lead to depression)

`
Sixth,
Gift from Allah (SWT) which will help me to
gain his pleasure. I am your sinning slave,
butI have hope in your mercy, you are so
kind, so raheem, through this the next feeling
should be inspire; Shame

Seventh feeling, Shame. I am so sinning, I
am not doing enough, however this shouldnt
lead a person into depression.

Should give you a renewed vigour.


25/04/2014

Discussion on: Tilawah

Nabi (SAW) Truly you should pray as if you can see Allah (SWT)
surely if you cant see him, He can see

Allah SWT is our beloved, obviously we cant see Him, but we want
him to see us. Stand in Qiyaam, we want it to be pleasing to him,
when we do sajda, we want it to be in such a humble way.

If we want to make our Salah close to perfection, we need to perfect it
with the most flawless Qalam of Allah (SWT); Tilawah
Quran kareem attracts Allahs Mercy inside and outside of Salah.
And when the Quran is recited, surely you should listen to it,
so indeed Allah SWT will send blessings upon you Surah Araaf
(204)
Should listen with the ears of your heart.

When Quran is recited:
Listen
Be Quiet

(*Apa says she feels like sometimes it seems the Quran was written for
women, as women are cratures of love, and there is so much love
expressed by Allah SWT in Quran)

When we were supposed to listen to Quran, because our hearts
become so dark; because of sins, but the sound wont pass through
and touch our hearts.

(Even though Im physically pure, Im so tainted with sins)
Only the pure can read and touch the Quran :
1. Physically purified Zaahir
2. Spritually purified - Baathin
When Sahaba ra read Quran a person listening could tell how much
love they had for the Quran

Story:
At Tahajjud in Madinah, in the stillness of the night, a soft breeze and
there used to be such a nice sound emenating from everywhere
Quran tilawat. Every single house there used to be this sound, rich,
poor, women, children.

Story:
Winter nights are longer, Hadrat Fatima, woke up to pray, did 2 rakat
nawafil, did tilawat for a long time, when she finished it was the end of
Tahajjud time. She said Oh Allah what has happened that your
nights have become so short that theyre not enough for Fatimas two
rakats



Story:
Sayiddina Ubay Bin Kab ra Qari of Quran Nabi SAW said Oh
Ubay recite Quran Hadrat Ubay RA, suddenly he remembered Allah
SWT Oh Nabi did Allah take my name and order me to do tilawat
Nabi Yes, Allah took your name, and said go to Ubay and asked him
to do tilawat and Oh my beloved I will listen and you listen with
me/you listen and I will listen with you
*Allah SWT is requesting to listen to Sahabah, He SWT is the
audience.
*Even if person doesnt have faith, the Quran is so immense it can
affect people without Imaan.

At-Taaha Surah which was the reason for Umar RA converting. Was
the reason for Farooq. Strong, severe ayah of Quran.

Angels are not allowed to do Tilawah of Quran Kareem, Jibraeel AS
was the exception. They are messengers of mercy, when they comethey
bring barakah and imagine the helplessness they would feel.
Comes in rawayath that Angels come so close to reciter of Quran that
theyre only a breath away This is how much they are attracted to,
and how much they love Quran.

Adab of recitation of Quran:
Cut off from world, all there is to my existence is Me and My
Allah
Have passion/interest/love towards tilawat.
Have a gham (grief/heartbroken) when doing tilwat
Have pleasure for what is being recited; just do tilwat of this
one verse just because you love it.
Pleasure overpowering our senses, making us drift in the
words of Allah SWT
When you have it in heart, it will manifest itself somehow,
may hum, may have it in your hear
In a beautiful voice Haq of Quran that we recite in most
beautiful way.
When reciting verse of Quran which is happy, should feel
happy
When reciting verse of Quran which is scary, should fear
scared.
We should feel feelings of Quran

In Salah:
Have to do Fatiha and Ghayr Fatiha
Minimum verses 3 in Salah For it to be counted as Surah

Surah Ikhlaas:

3
rd
to last Surah of Quran
If someone recites Surah Ikhlaas it is as if they have recited
1/3
rd
of Quran
Sahabah came to Nabi SAW: I love Surah Ikhlaas. Nabi: Insh
Allah you will enter Jnnah Firdaus because of that love you
have for it
If someone recites Surah ikhlaas and Muawwadhathayn it is
enough to protect from Shaytaan Nabi SAW
Should do ihtemaam of it.
Shan e nuzool: Context of surah revelation:
In Makkah, where Nabi was preaching. He was reading Quran in
front them, Quraysh were a difficult crowd to get a hold of,
Mushrik were so ignorant. Mushrik: Tell us what your lord is
made of? Tell us what is the lineage of your lord? (Only two
things which mattered to them) Allah SWT revealed Surah
Ikhlaas at that time. Allah SWT was giving introduction to
himself.
Kul Say
Just as Allah SWT is revealing this, we see:
Nabi is being divinely inspired to the heart of Nabi SAW, IS the
kalaam of Allah SWT
Huwallahu ahadh this lord is one
First words Allah chooses to use for himself.
Allah is his Zaathi name and 99 names are sifaathi names
Ahadh means ONE, Pure from all similarities, this being who is
ahad, nothing can replicate or come close to Allah SWT
Everyone will need his Mercy, He will never need our Ibadah. 58



Surah Asr: