Also, please go try to complete the Alim or Mufti course before saying that these titles are being “given so easily.”

I completly agree with u,

I respectfully disagree with your following statement:
“Makruh Karaaha Tahreemiyyah (very similar to saying it’s haram). In other words, it’s sinful yet valid”

Any thing that is not Haram is not sinful. “very similar to saying it’s haram” does not mean it is sinful.
It means that it is strongly encouraged not to do it.

Best Regards

Asalam Aliekom

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

The issue of four rakaats salaah before the jummah salaat is well substantiated and proven from the books of Hadith. Many Muhaditheen such as Ibn Abi Shayba, Abdur Razzaaq (rahimahumaallah) etc have set aside chapters in their Hadith books to discuss this issue.

It is sunnat to perform four rakaats of salaah before the jummah salaat. Consider the following Ahadith:

1.كان يصلي قبل الجمعة أربعا وبعدها أربعا

“Ali (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform four rakaats salaah before the jummah salaah and after the jummah salaah” (I’laaus Al-Sunan, vol 7, pg 13, Idaratul Al-Quran)

The chain of narrators in the above narration is good. (Tarhut Al-Tathreeb, vol 3, pg 36, Ilmiyya)

2.كان رسول الله يركع قبل الجمعة أربعا وبعدها أربعا

“Ibn Abbas (radiyallaahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform four rakaats of salaah before and after the jummah salaah” (I’laaus Al-Sunan, vol 7, pg 13, Idaratul Al-Quran)

The above hadith with the chain of narrators that appear in Tabrani is good. (I’laaus Al-Sunan, vol 7, pg 13, Idaratul Al-Quran)

3.عن أبي عبد الرحمن السلمي قال : كان عبد الله يأمرنا أن نصلي قبل الجمعة أربعا ، وبعدها أربعا

Abu Abdir Rahman Al-Sulami reports: “Abdullah (bin Mas’ood) used to command us to perform four rakaats salaah before jummah and after the jummah salaah” (Musannaf Abdir Al-Razaaq, vol 3, pg 247, Idaratul Quran)

The chain of narrators in the above Hadith is authentic. (Athaar Al-Sunan, pg 303, Imdaadiyya)

4.عن عبد الله قال كان يصلي قبل الجمعة أربعا

“Abdullah (bin Mas’ood) reports that Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform four rakaats before the jummah salaah” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, vol 4, pg 114, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi)

5.عن صافية ، قالت : رأيت صفية بنت حيي رضي الله عنها ، صلت أربع ركعات قبل خروج الإمام للجمعة ، ثم صلت الجمعة مع الإمام ركعتين .

Saafiyah (radiyallaahu anha) reports: “I saw Safiyyah Binti Huyay (radiyallaahu anha) performing four rakaats of salaah before the Imaam came out for jummah, then she performed two rakaats of jummah salaat with the Imaam” (Nasbur Al-Raayah, vol 2, pg 207, Makkiyya)

6.عن إبراهيم قال كانوا يصلون قبلها أربعا.

“Ibrahim (Al-Nakh’ee) reports that the Sahaba used to perform four rakaats of salaah before the jummah salaah” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol 4, pg 114, Al-Majlis al-Ilmi)

7. Abdullah Bin Mas’ood used to command the people to perform four rakaats of salaah before the jummah salaah as understood from the above Ahadith. This is an indication that Abdullah Bin Mas’ood used to consider these four rakaats as Sunnat Muakkadah. In fact the Muhaditheen classify the Athar of Ibn Mas’ood as “Marfoo’ Hukman”. (I’laaus Al-Sunan, vol 7, pg 12, Idaratul Quran)

And Allah knows best

Yes, indeed the hadith proves the point that the Prophet (sallahu-alayhi-wasallam) did discourage going to extreme lengths in ibaadah.

However, when I say he kept wudhu etc..- it refers to the the zeal and thirst of knowledge the respected Imaam had for KNOWLEDGE (not for Ibaadah). It suggests the dedication, commitment and utter interest Imaam Abu Haneefah had for studying Qur’aan and Sunnah. The point I am trying to get across is that the respected Imaam use to stay up to study and learn about Islaam. So, yes when it comes to Ibaadah, one should not go to extreme lengths as the hadith rightly points out- but one must keep in mind the hadeeth does not touch on the aspect of knowledge and aquiring it.

Secondly, coming onto the point about the miracle of being able to see other people’s sins. The link does not give any justification to why it may be fabricated. Rather, this point is in classical authentic books of history whereby the chances of fabrication is extremely unlikely. Nevertheless, I shall double check with my local Ulamaa insha’allah.

Jazakallah for your concerns- I hope I have clarified them insha’allah.

Was-salamualaykum w w,

Hafiz Hashim

http://hadithcheck.blogspot.com/2010/11/fabricated-abu-haneefa-prayed-fajer.html

The four classical Imaams (in my opinion) are people that we cannot compare people from these recent eras to. They were 101% dedicated to Islaam to such an accent that Imaam Abu Hanifah prayed Fajr salaah with the same wudhu of Isha. He didn’t sleep at all- this is the immense passion these Imaams had for Islam. It is also reported that Imaam Abu Hanifah refrained to do Wudhu in the Masjid because Allah had blessed him with a miracle. He was able to see the sins coming off a person doing wudhu- so to prevent him having bad thoughts of people- he always did wudhu elsewhere.

Now, if ALL four great respected Imaams are unanimous in saying Arabic is the preferred language or in some cases the only language the khutbah can be given in- should that not ring bells. Do you not think they were aware of the argument of people not understanding and the various other points- of course they were. But the expert knowledge of Islaam led to the opinions they have.

Prophet Muhammed sallahu-alayhi-wasallah is our guide, role-model and practical example. I personally would find it sooo distressing and frightening to differ from the way of this amazing man. The proofs of history is just not debatable. Take the example of Hadrat Salmaan al Farsi- a persian, Hadhrat Zaid bin Thaabit- knew multiple languages and Hadhrat Bilaal- African (may Allah be pleased with them all)– they all recited in Arabic. We cannot compare ourselves to the lights of such people- the level of the Imaan in these individuals is another level.

Overall dear sisters and brothers, ALL 4 great Imaam are unanimous, the Sahaabah and Nabi sallahu-alayhi wasallam did so- so is this not suficcient? On the day of qiyaamah- I can’t imagine answering why I rejected ANY tradition of the greatest man on Earth. How can we reject these Imaam’s (ra)- they spent all thier life for us. May Allah forgive me for any inconsistencies and mistakes, grant us all the understanding, forgive us all for our sins, grant us entry into Jannah without reckoning- AMEEN.

Wa-alaikum-as-salaam,

Hafiz Hashim

One of the conditions of the khutbah is that it should be shorter than the salah. Rasool Allah Sal Allahu Alaihi Wassalaam said “…prolonging salah and shortening one’s khutbah is a sign of one’s understanding of the religion.”

Ulema’s in previous centuries used to ask their teachers that will it ever be possible for a person to give a Khutbah that is longer than the salah because he will be proving that he is stupid and does not understand the Deen. Their teachers used to say in later times this will happen.

Now almost all the masajid where Khutbah’s are in English you see this happening. The Khutbah is long and salah is short.

When people use their intellect to change the religion there is somewhere where their theory clashes with the Sunnah.

The Sahabah Radhi Allah Anhum came as far east as Afghanistan. The language of the people was not Arabic but they never had the Khutbah given in any language but Arabic. The Taba Tabieen came as far east as Malaysia but they never had the Khutbah in any language but Arabic.

Now since the 70′s we came to UK and America and since we understand the Deen better then all those before us we must give the Khutbah in English.