Aug 13, 2010

Ramazan Mubarak : Special Ramazan Wallpapers

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Taraweeh: Special Prayer in Ramazan

Bismillah
Taraweeh PrayerThe following article was published in the community News & Views of January 1996. It has since been circulated almost every year during the month of Holy Ramadhan.
I ask you all to have the following perspective in view when reading this article.
(1) In the US University and college campuses MSA's are very active. Every MSA becomes even more active during the holy month of Holy Ramadhan. All Muslim students come together at Iftar time and break their fast together as a group. It gives a great sense of solidarity among Muslim students in the American and European campuses. However, soon after the Isha prayers, the group separates. The Sunni students regroup for the TRAWEEH prayers while the Shia students go back to their dorms. It is natural for those Sunnis who have never come in contact with the Shia Muslims to ask the Shia as to why don't they participate in the TRAWEEH prayers. This article gives a very brief but comprehensive answer to that basic question.
(2) I ask my Sunni brothers not to take this article trying to demean their FIQH, Not at all. This is just an effort to explain a basic difference between the groups. It is a FIQHI difference not a difference in basic faith. I believe that not all Sunnis will one day become Shia neither will all Shia become Sunnis. The differences are their and they will last. However, let us try to understand each other and work and live with each other by being a little more tolerant towards each other by accepting what we are without labeling any one as KAFIR or FASIQ.
(3) Having said all that, let me add this post-script. Lately some Sunni institutions have tried to show (falsely) that mention has been made about TARAWEEH in the Hadith literature. However noble that effort may be towards legitimizing something which is a bidah (whether you call it bidaht-e-Hasan or not), it is baseless. There is a Hadith in Bukhari (and in other books too) that the Prophet of Islam (SAW) did special NAFL prayers in the middle of the night. The Arabic term used here in the HADITH is FI JAWF-IL-LAYL. The exact translation of this term in the English language is IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. Some Sunni writers have tried to prove that this Hadith is actually about TARAWEEH. Nothing could be further from the truth. This Hadith is about NAMAZ-E-SHAB also known as TAHAJJUD. It is this prayer which is eleven Rakat that is done in the middle of the night. It is not specific to Ramadhan. It is done or can be done all year round. And TARAWEEH is not done in the Middle of the Night; it is done after Isha before the midnight sets in.
Community News & Views Vol.4 No.9 January 1996 ISSN 1067 5523
ALL ABOUT TARAWEEH/TARAWIH PRAYER:
A great majority of our Sunni brothers perform the Taraweeh Salat every evening after Isha prayer during the month of Ramadhan. We, the Shia Muslims don't. Many of the Sunni brothers do not know that (according to their own ulema) Taraweeh is Mustahab, but the great majority of them perform it as if it was as Wajib as the Holy Ramadhan fasting itself.
In 1983 when I was in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi scholar, answering a question in the local English newspaper, gave the following details of how this special prayer was introduced in Islam.
Soon after the death of Hazrat Abu Bakr in the 13th year of Hijra, Hazrat Umar took control of the Islamic State as the second Khaleefa. In the Ramadhan of 14 Hijra, while he was going round the streets of Madinah, he noticed people performing supererogatory prayers (Nafl) here and there, a few of them in various places. A bright idea dawned upon him. He decided to bring all the Muslims together in a congregation and commanded them to recite one thirtieth of the Holy Quran every night. This way, the entire Holy Quran was recited by each and every Muslim man at least once in the month of Ramadhan. A few days later, as he was going round again, he saw the various congregations and was very pleased. He is reported to have said at the sight: O! What a beautiful bidah (innovation) I have established.
The Saudi scholar writing this did not mention his source references. But we have confirmed that the establishment of Taraweeh Salat was done by Hazrat Umar ibn Khattab in the 14th year of Hijra as stated in "Tareekh-ul-Khulafa" by Jalal-uddeen Suyooti (d. 911 Hijra) and Murooj-uz Zahab by Masoodi (d.346 Hijra).
Of course, there are some slight differences between various Sunni sects in how this special prayer is performed. The Hanafi do Twenty Rakat every night, and after the recital of sura Al-Hamd, nearly one-twentieth of each Juz is recited. The others perform eight rakat of prayer every night and in each one nearly one eighth of a Juz is recited. The end result is that one full Juz of the Holy Quran is recited every night.
Although I have not seen this anywhere in writing, but I have a feeling that it was because of Taraweeh that the Holy Quran, which was compiled by our Holy Prophet (SAW) into verses (Ayat) and chapters (Suras), was divided into 30 equal parts and each section named a Juz (Para in Farsi).
As I said earlier, we the Shia do not do this prayer although we are supposed to perform an extra 1000 Rakat of supererogatory salat during the month of Ramadhan (as prescribed in Mafateeh-ul-Jinan and other books) and we also recite Holy Quran at least once over.
Our rejection of Taraweeh is not out of spite. We do not do it for two reasons; one is purely jurisprudential (Fiqhee) and the other logical (Aqlee).
(1) All our religious teaching is either taken from the Holy Quran or from the Ahlul Bayt (peace be unto them all). Hazrat Umar's (or anybody else's for that matter) statements and acts have no value for us in matters of worship or law. Taraweeh is not mentioned in the Holy Quran. It was not done by the Holy Prophet (SAW) in his lifetime and it was never done by any of our Imams neither did they ever speak about it.
(2) When the Prophet of Islam (SAW) compiled the Holy Quran as we see it today, he (SAW) also made statements giving the attributes of each chapter (sura). In this, he gave details about which verses and suras should be recited as part of salat. Some are recited in pairs like al-Feel (ch. 105) and Quraysh (ch. 106). Only those suras are supposed to be recited in salat which express Allah's Power and Majesty etc. It is quite obvious that some verses are not meant to be recited in salat, like those describing the laws of divorce and menstruation. Although we do not understand Arabic, those who do will agree that every verse cannot be recited in salat. So, we do recite the entire Holy Quran in the month of Holy Ramadhan and we do perform supererogatory prayers but not as Taraweeh.
By: Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
Taraweeh: Sunnat or Bid'ah?

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Forty Hadith (Ahadith) Regarding the Month of Ramazan

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Introduction:
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: "Those people from amongst my ummah, who memorize forty hadith (traditions) pertaining to those issues of religion, which they are in need of, Allah shall resurrect them on the Day of Judgment as jurisprudents and scholars." (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, pg. 156; Al-Ikhtasaas, pg.2)
Hadith No. 01
Why the name 'Ramazan'?
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: "Surely, the month of Ramazan has been named so because it scorches away the sins." Kanz al-Ummal, H: 23688
Hadith No. 02
Ramazan: The Name of God
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said: Say not, "This is Ramazan" and "Ramazan has departed" and "Ramazan has arrived" for surely, Ramazan is one of the names of Allah, The Mighty, the Glorious, who neither arrives nor departs. Surely, arrives and departs that, which is ephemeral, Instead say: "The month of Ramazan". Al-Kafi, 4, pg. 70
Hadith No. 03
Ramazan: The Month of Revelation of the Holy Quran
Imam Reza (A.S.) has said: If one asks, "Why is it that the fasts were made obligatory exclusively in the month of Ramazan and not in the other months?" it would be said, "(this is) because the month of Ramazan is the month in which Allah, the Exalted, had revealed the Holy Quran." Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 18, pg. 190
Hadith No. 04
Reward for Recitation of the Holy Quran during Ramazan
Imam Reza (A.S.) has said: "Someone who recites one verse from the Book of Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious, in the month of Ramazan, is like one who has recited the entire Holy Quran in the other months." Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 93, pg. 344
Hadith No. 05
Reward of the Month of Ramazan
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) was asked: O' Prophet of Allah! Which of the two months possesses a greater reward, Rajab or the month of Ramazan? Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) replied: Nothing can be compared to the month of Ramazan in terms of reward. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 97, pg. 49
Hadith No. 06
Ramazan: The Month of God
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: Shaaban is my month and the month of Ramazan is the month of Allah, The Exalted, and it is the springtime for the poor. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 97, pg. 68
Hadith No. 07
Ramazan: The Chosen Month
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: Surely, Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious, has chosen from amongst the months (and granted preference to), the months of Rajab, Shaaban and the month of Ramazan. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 27, pg. 53
Hadith No. 08
Ramazan: The Great Month
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: Surely, the month of Ramazan is a great month. Allah multiplies in it the good deeds, erases in it the sins and elevates in it the ranks. Wasail al-Shia'h, vol. 10, pg. 312
Hadith No. 09
Ramazan: The Chief of the Months
Imam Ali (A.S.) said: The month of Ramazan has approached you. It is the chief of all months and the beginning of the year. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, pg. 193
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny)Hadith No. 10
Ramazan: The Beginning of the Year
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: If the month of Ramazan remains safe and sound (with respect to sins), the (entire) year shall remain so (too); the month of Ramazan is the beginning of the year. Wasail al-Shia'h vol.10, pg. 311
Hadith No. 11
Ramazan: The Month of Mercy
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: It (Ramazan) is the month, whose beginning is mercy, its middle, forgiveness and its end, emancipation from the fire (of hell). Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 93, pg. 342
Hadith No. 12
Excellence of the Month of Ramazan
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: O' People! Surely, the month of God has approached you. The month which, in the eyes of Allah, is the most virtuous of the months. Its days are the best of the days and its nights, the best of the nights and its moments, the best of the moments. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 96, pg. 356
Hadith No. 13
Ramazan: The Best of the Months
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The best of the months is the month of God - the month of Ramazan - and the heart of the month of Ramazan is the Night of Qadr (Lailatul Qadr). Bihar al-Anwar, vol. pg. 386
Hadith No. 14
The Night of Qadr
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: O' People! Surely, a great and blessed month has enveloped you. A month, in which there is a night, deeds in which are better than of a thousand months. Bihar al-Anwar, vol.96, pg. 342
Hadith No. 15
Gift of Allah's Month
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: Your breath in it glorification (of Allah) and your sleep in it worship (of Allah). Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 96, pg. 356
Hadith No. 16
Fasts of the Month of Ramadan
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: The month of Ramazan is the month in which Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious, has made fasting obligatory upon you. So one, who fasts in this month in a state of belief and with the intention of recompense, shall become free of his sins just as he was on the day when his mother gave him birth. Tahdheeb al-Ahkam, vol. 4, pg. 152
Hadith No. 17
Ramazan: The Month of Spiritual Striving
In his testament to his sons, Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: When the month of Ramazan arrives, exert yourselves, for surely it is in this month that livelihood is distributed, the hour of death is ordained and the arriving for Hajj is decreed. In it is a night, deeds in which are better than deeds in a thousand months. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 66
Hadith No. 18
Ramazan: The Month of Good Deeds
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: This month of yours (Ramazan) is unlike the other months. Surely, when it approaches you, it does so with blessings and mercy and when it turns away from you, it does so with forgiveness of sins. This is a month in which good deeds are multiplied and of goodness accepted. Wasail al-Shia'h, vol. 10, pg. 312
Hadith No. 19
Ramazan: The Blessed Month
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: Surely, the month of Ramazan, the blessed month, has come to you. The month, whose fasts Allah has made obligatory upon you. In it, the doors of Paradise are opened up and the Satan's fettered, and in it is the Night of Qadr, which is more virtuous than a thousand months. Tahdheeb al-Ahkam, vol. 4, pg. 152
Hadith No. 20
The Month of Ramazan and Seeking Forgiveness
Imam Ali (A.S.) said: It is incumbent upon you to seek forgiveness and supplicate excessively in the month of Ramazan. As for the supplication, by means of it the calamities are warded off from you, and as for the seeking of forgiveness, it erases away your sins. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 88
Hadith No. 21
Opening of the doors of Paradise
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: In it (the month of Ramazan) the doors of Hell are closed and the doors of Paradise opened. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 96, pg. 363
Hadith No. 22
The Month of Ramazan and Itikaf
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said: Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny), initially observed the Itikaf (spiritual retreat) during the first ten days of the month of Ramazan. Later, he observed it during the middle ten days of the holy month and finally, he observed it during the last 10 days of the month and then continued to do so in the last ten days (for as long as he was alive). Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 16, pg. 274
Hadith No. 23
The Month of Ramazan and Divine Books
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: The Torah was revealed on the sixth day of the month of Ramazan, the Bible, on the twelfth night of the month, the Paslms on the eighteenth night of the month and the Quran on the Night of Qadr. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 157
Hadith No. 24
The Best Deed of the Month of Ramazan
During the course of a sermon of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) about the virtues of the month of Ramazan. Imam Ali (A.S.) says: I stood up and asked: O' Prophet of Allah! What is the best deed for this month? Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) replied: O' Abul-Hasan! The best deed for this month is abstinence from that which is forbidden by Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, pg. 190
Month of Ramazan Hadith (Ahadith)Hadith No. 25
Losers of the Month of Ramazan
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: One who perceives the month of Ramazan and (does not strive in it and hence) is not forgiven, Allah distances him from Himself. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 74, pg. 74
Hadith No. 26
Imam Sajjad (A.S.) and the Month of Ramazan
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: With the advent of the month of Ramazan, Imam Ali Ibn al-Hussain (A.S.) would cease to speak about anything except dua, tasbeeh (glorification of Allah), isteghfar (seeking forgiveness) and takbeer (saying 'Allahu Akbar'). Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 88
Hadith No. 27
Fridays of the Month of Ramazan
Imam Baqir (A.S.) has said: Surely, the Fridays of the month of Ramazan possess an excellence over the Fridays of the other months, just as Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) possesses an excellence over the other prophets. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 69, pg. 376
Hadith No. 28
Seven Excellences of Ramazan Fasting
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has stated: There is no Mu'min, who fasts for a day in the month of Ramazan with the intention of attaining its rewards, except that Allah, The Exalted, grants him seven excellences:
  1. The forbidden food that had entered into his body melts away.
  2. He moves closer to the Mercy of Allah, The Exalted.
  3. Allah expiates his sins.
  4. Allah reduces for him the agony of death.
  5. Allah protects him from the hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgment.
  6. He is granted pardon from the fire (of Hell).
  7. Allah provides him the good and pleasant food of Paradise.
Mustadrak al-Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol. 7, pg. 395 Hadith No. 29
Ramazan: The Month of Patience
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: And it (the month of Ramazan) is the month of patience, and surely, the reward of patience is Paradise. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 66
Hadith No. 30
Giving Charity
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said: Allah shall ward off 70 kinds of calamities from one who gives charity in the month of Ramazan. Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol. 9, pg. 404
Hadith No. 31
Reward of an Obligatory Act
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has stated: (The rewards of) one, who performs in it (the month of Ramazan) a single act from amongst the obligatory (wajib) acts of Allah, would be like (that of) one, who has performed seventy obligatory acts in the other months. Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol. 10, pg. 307
Hadith No. 32
Night of Decree
Imam Baqir (A.S.) said: In the Night of Qadr is decreed every thing - pleasant and unpleasant, obedience and disobedience, birth and death, and livelihood - which would occur during the course of that year, till the next Night of Qadr. Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 157
Hadith No. 33
Increase Prayers in the Month of Ramazan
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said: With the advent of the month of Ramazan, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) would increase his Prayers (Salaat); I also increase mine and so, (you) increase yours (too). Tahdheeb al-Akhaam, vol. 3, pg. 60
Hadith No. 34
Eating of sahur
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: Eat your 'sahur' (the morning meal before the start of a fast) even if it is (mere) mouthfuls of water, for the blessings of Allah are upon those who eat the sahur. Tahdheeb al-Akhaam, vol. 4, pg. 198
Ramazan: Forty Hadith (Ahadith)Hadith No. 35
Hunger and Thirst of the Day of Judgment
Imam Ali (A.S.) said: Bring to mind, by means of your hunger and thirst in it (the month of Ramazan), the hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgment. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 93, pg. 356
Hadith No. 36
The Call of Allah
Abdullah Ibn al-Abbas Ibn Abd al-Muttalib reports that he heard Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) say: Every night, in the month of Ramazan, Allah, The Blessed and The Exalted, calls out three times: Is there one, who seeks from Me, so that I grant him his wish? Is there one, who turns to me in repentance so that I turn to him (in Mercy)? Is there one, who seeks forgiveness from Me so that I forgive him? Mustadrak al-Wasaail, vol. 7, pg. 429
Hadith No. 37
Ghusl (ablution) on Night of Qadr
Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far (A.S.) said: One, who performs the ghusl on the Night of Qadr and remains awake in it (engaged in worship), shall have all his sins forgiven. Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol. 10, pg. 358
Hadith No. 38
Shield of a Believing Servant
Allah, The Mighty and The Glorious has said: The fasts are the shield of the believing servants on the Day of Judgment, just as your weapons shield you in this world. Wasaail al-Shia'h, vol.10, pg. 403
Hadith No. 39
Iftaar for Mu'min
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: One who provides iftaar to a Mu'min in the month of Ramazan, shall be granted the reward of liberating a slave (in the path of Allah) and shall have all his previous sins forgiven. And if he did not possess the means to present anything except milk mixed with water, or a drink of sweet water and a date, Allah would grant him this reward. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 93, pg. 317
Hadith No. 40
Farewell to the Month of Ramazan
Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) prayed: O' God! Ordain not this month of Ramazan to be the last one for my fasts. But should you ordain it to be so, then make me blessed and leave me not deprived (of Your mercy). Badaabi Az Quran, pg. 398

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How to trim Nails : Islamic Way (Sunnah e Rasool S.A.W.W.)

Q: What is the Masnoon (Sunnat) way to trim nails and on which days nails should not be trimmed?
A: The Masnoon (Sunnat) way of trimming nails is to start trimming nails from the index finger (Shahadat) of the right hand and work your way down to pinkie finger. Then proceed to the left hand starting from pinkie finger and finishing up at thumb. Finally the thumb of right hand should be trimmed. There is no sequence has been mentioned for feet nail trimming though it is better to use the same sequence used to do Khalal of feet (Start from the pinkie of right foot and finish it up at the thumb, then start from the thumb of left foot towards pinkie). Same is mentioned in Bahare Shariat (part 16, page 196) and Fatawae Alamgeri (part 5, page 358), *1. There is no prohibition regarding the days to avoid trimming nails. Whichever day the nails are trimmed on is Masnoon because there is no proven Hadis about prescribed days. But in some Zaeef (weak) Ahadees Wednesday is prohibited for trimming nails. Therefore if Wednesday is the day of Wajoob (Wajib to perform nail trimming). For example if a person has not trimmed nails for 39 days and 40th day is on Wednesday and if he/she does not trim nails on Wednesday than 40 days would be completed. Then it will be Wajib on him/her to trim nails on Wednesday because it is prohibited and Makrooh-e-Tehreemi to exceed 40 days without trimming nails.

Trim your Nails in this way and order... Pray 4 me.
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