Bismillah [IslamCity] It Is Allah Who Guides
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *Assalaamu alaykum,* *This is to inform you that alhamdulillah I have republished Qur'aanic Studies - Volume V http://www.islam-n-interest.com/QSV-V.php on the regenerated site INVITATION TO SALVATION http://www.islam-n-interest.com/. I have also posted an extract therefromhttp://mjaga.muslimblogz.com/2008/12/08/it-is-allah-who-guidesin my blog, Allah Is My Guide. You may offer your comments on the blog. * *Mohammad Shafi* -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] The Qur'aan and the Ahaadeeth
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *Assalaamu alaykum, Brothers/Sisters,* ** *Transcribed below is one of the comments received on my blog post 'Trousers Extending Below Ankleshttp://mjaga.muslimblogz.com/2008/05/22/trousers-extending-below-ankles' My response to the comments are given, in bold, at relevant places within the comments. As the questions raised and answered, deal with the root cause for the ignominious position of the Muslims in general, in today's world, I am giving a larger publicity thereto, herewith, for general information and honest discussion.* ** *Wassalaam,* *Mohammad Shafi* *islam-n-interest.com http://www.islam-n-interest.com* *** ** *Usman* Says: May 26th, 2008 at 7:22 amhttp://mjaga.muslimblogz.com/2008/05/22/trousers-extending-below-ankles/#comment-122 *Mohammad Shafi's response is given in bold, wherever called for, within Brother Usman's comments below:* You, brother, wrote: The Qur'aan, on the other hand, reiterates, … We have neglected nothing in the Book … (Verse 6.38) and that … We have certainly explained, in this Qur'aan, every kind of example … (Verse 17.89). How could the Qur'aan then neglect to mention a thing that would lead a man to Hell!? It cannot, and it does not, because, Allah Almighty, the Author of the Book, cannot be wrong when He says that the Qur'aan neglects nothing! We are then left with the only conclusion that there is something wrong with the above-quoted hadeeth, which is man-influenced and therefore error-prone. Assalaam Alaykum, *Wa alaykum-as-salaam,* A! How on earth can you say that the ahadith - particularly those of the likes reported through Bukhari and Muslim - are MAN INFLUENCED! NO! These ahadith are reported through the SAME PEOPLE as those who narrated the QUR'AN ITSELF. *How could you say that, Brother, when the Qur'aanic Verses were recorded in writing immediately after those were revealed during the lifetime of the Messenger (peace be upon him) itself, whereas the ahaadeeth got recorded in writing hundreds of years after the Messenger's death!?* And Allah says in the Qur'an that Allah will guard this deen, *What Allah guards is the Qur'aan (Verse 15.9). The deen (religion) as depicted in the Qur'aan is therefore protected, but not the deen practised by Muslims who do not scrupulously abide by all the Qur'aanic instructions.* and PART OF THE DEEN IS THE SUNNAH and how do we know the sunnah? Through REPORTS of what he (pbuh) SAID, DID, ALLOWED, FORBADE, etc. The Qur'an says Obey the Prophet - so how do we know what the Prophet said if not through the Qur'an? *The Qur'aan is the only authentic and Allah-protected source for us now to know what the Prophet said. All other sources/reports of what he did and said are man-influenced and therefore error-prone. Those other reports may lead us astray and away from Allah's Straight Path. To obey what the Qur'aan says is to obey both Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet's Sunnah is nothing but that he showed, by his own example, that the Qur'aanic instructions can be successfully practised. Do not make the mistake of assuming that the Prophet's Sunnah is something other than the Qur'aan!* How would we know about the 5 daily prayers? *The Qur'aan gives us sufficient details about how and when to perform our prayers.* How would we know about the complexities of the system of Zakah? *The complexities are man-made, Brother! The Qur'aanic Law is very simple. Spend on others what is surplus to your own legitimate needs. (Verse 2.219)* How would we know how to behave? A'isha (ra) said the Prophet (pbuh) was a walking Qur'an, and Allah tells us that In the Prophet is a GREAT EXAMPLE. Isn't this a clue that we should follow the reports about everything he did?!? *NO!!! It's a clue that the Qur'aanic instructions are practicable and should be practised by every Muslim. The Qur'aan is replete with instructions on how to behave with parents, neighbours, and with every other category of people.* So take the ahadith seriously! *How seriously, Brother? As seriously and as sacrosanct as the Qur'aanic Verses!? Please take care! If you treat the Qur'aan and the ahaadeeth as equal in sanctity, you are treading on the very dangerous territory of shirk, a sin that Allah may not forgive!* However, they are NOT for open interpretation and - with regards to the hadith about trousers below ankles - there is a hadith to explain this one. Abu Bakr (ra) was told by the Prophet (pbuh) that he could wear his clothes below the ankle because he was NOT DOING IT OUT OF ARROGANCE. *The problem with ahaadeeth is not only that they were subject to the personal opinions and prejudices of the numerous oral narrators, generation to generation, but also that those were time and instance specific. It might be that the Prophet had feared that the arrogance of a particular man, whose clothes happened to extend below his ankles, could take him to Hell. It was the
Bismillah [IslamCity] Qur'aanic Studies - Volume XVI
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* Study the Qur'aan in Qur'aanic light, to understand Islam in its pristine simplicity, clarity, beauty purity Click: Qur'aanic Studies - Volume XVIhttp://www.islam-n-interest.com/QSV-XVI.html to access online eBook covering the Studies on Verses 7.1 to 7.87, and bookmark website Invitation To Salvation http://www.islam-n-interest.com/ for additions of further Volumes, inshaAllah, to these Studies. Mohammad Shafi -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] Learning Arabic
* In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful Assalaamu alaykum, Among non-Arabs, those who are Muslims do learn Arabic, but, mostly, only to the extent of being able to read the Qur'aan. They do not bother at all about learning Arabic as a language. That is because, as children, they were never told it was necessary to understand what they read of the Qur'aan! The impression that they got from their elders was that the mere act of reading the Qur'aan would fetch rewards for them from Allah. They saw the elders organizing Qur'aan-reading sessions on auspicious occasions like entering a new house, starting a new business etc. And they also saw such reading sessions organized on 3rd, 10th and 40th days after the death of a relative and then on, at least, the first death anniversary. The reason, they gathered, for doing this was that the rewards, the readings fetched, could be transferred to the dead person's account for his/her better life in the Hereafter! 2. The Qur'aan was thus reduced, in course of time, just for ritual readings. Its prime, Allah-given role of being a guide book for mankind was long forgotten by common people at large. The common people then got into the habit of asking the Mullahs as to what Islam expects them to do in various situations encountered by them in their worldly lives. And they took as the Gospel Truth what the Mullahs told them. So the Mullahs, the Peers, the dead saints became their gods besides Allah. Slowly, but surely, the Qur'aan lost its importance in their eyes as a Book of Guidance. And this sorry state of affairs is predicted in the Qur'aan when it quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him) crying in anguish to Allah, on the Day of Resurrection, that his Ummah had neglected the Book as a thing of no importance! [Q: 25.30] 3. But, of late, there is a palpable sign of reversal in this general trend. More and more educated persons are now waking up to the call of the Qur'aan. We can feel the Divine Hand generate this reversal through modern facilities like the internet. It is now possible to convey the Message of the Qur'aan to the remotest corner of the world in a matter of seconds. 4. But the original divine Message is in Arabic. No translation, however diligently made, can serve as a substitute for the original. The translator's own personal opinion is bound to get intertwined somewhere unnoticed with the divine original. That's what needs to be avoided to keep the Message pristinely pure. 5. And the only way to do this is for every believer to be able to understand the divine Message in its original Arabic form. In other words, every believer has compulsorily to learn Arabic as a language. This is a duty, which automatically gets divinely imposed by virtue of the fact that the Message is in Arabic. 6. I do not understand why this crystal clear divine requirement had not dawned on the Muslims so far. Here in India, there may be a few religious institutions teaching Arabic as a language, but, by and large, there are very few general schools, managed and run by Muslims, doing so. Ditto may be the case with all other non-Arab countries. 7. The moneyed among Muslims leave no stone unturned just to see that their children receive the best of education so that the children's lives in this world become rosy and prosperous. It's a shame that the same parents are not worried about their children's well-being in the permanent life of the Hereafter. Had they been worried on this account, they would have taken care to see that their children are best equipped to understand the Arabic Qur'aan and lead their worldly lives in accordance with the guidelines therein. 8. It's not yet too late to make a beginning. I appeal to those who are in a position to exert some influence on the powers that be to make Arabic a compulsory subject for all Muslim students studying in Muslim-run institutions throughout the world. Wassalaam, Mohammad Shafi, Author of WHY DO I BELIEVE IN ISLAM http://www.lulu.com/content/973580 * -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] Interpretation of Qur'aanic Verse 15.87
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* ** *Assalaamu alaykum, Brothers/Sisters,* ** *A few days back, I had heard a Shia Moulvi on the TV, telling his audience that the Arabic phrase sab'anm minal mathaani (seven of the oft-repeated things) occurring in Verse 15.87 does not allude to Surah Al-Fatiha as generally believed. According to him it alludes to the Imams in whom the Shias believe.* ** *The Moulvi's argument is that since Surah Al-Fatiha is a part of the Qur'aan, it makes no sense that Allah should bestow the Surah separately when He says in the same Verse that He has bestowed the Qur'aan. The Moulvi therefore rules out sab'anm minal mathaani to mean Surah Al-Fatiha.* *The Arabic phrase, the Moulvi says, alludes to seven oft-repeated things that are not included in the Qur'aan. And since the Shia Imams are not mentioned in the Qur'aan, and since some of the Imams have the same names like Muhammad and Ali, the Moulvi ingeniously reduced the 12 Shia Imams to seven, to make them synchronise with the subject Verse.* * The Verse 15.87 in original is: http://www.islamicity.com/MOSQUE/ARABICSCRIPT/AYAT/15/ra101_15-87.ram Transliteration: Walaqad ataynaka sabAAan mina almathanee waalqurana alAAath eema Translation: And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'an.(Yusuf Ali) The Shia Moulvi's argument, I repeat, was that since Surah Al-Fatiha is part of the Qur'aan, 'the seven oft-repeated' mentioned in the Verse quoted above, could not mean the said Surah. In this context, I would like to invite readers' attention to another Verse, 2.98. The Arabic text of this Verse is: http://www.islamicity.com/MOSQUE/ARABICSCRIPT/AYAT/2/ra101_2-98.ram Transliteration: Man kana AAaduwwan lillahi wamalaikatihi warusulihi wajibreela wameekala fainna Allaha AAaduwwun lilkafireena Translation: Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and apostles, to Gabriel and Michael,- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith. (Yusuf Ali) In this latter Verse, as one may see, besides the word angels, the names, Gabriel and Michael, are also mentioned. But Gabriel and Michael are angels! So, the Shia Moulvi's argument won't stand. The Qur'aanic practice is to mention both the 'whole' and its 'parts' in the same sentence, when the 'parts' need to be highlighted. In Verse 2.98, although Gabriel and Michael are both included in 'angels', they were separately mentioned to highlight their importance in the history of the Jews, to whom the Verse related. Similarly, it could be said that in Verse 15.87, sab'anm minal mathaani was separately mentioned to highlight its importance, although it is part of the Qur'aan. The Opening Chapter (Surah Al-Fatiha) of the Qur'aan has seven Verses and these are most often repeated by Muslims in their prayers or even otherwise. Therefore the description of 'seven oft-repeated' most aptly applies to the said Opening Chapter. This Opening Chapter of the Qur'aan is in the form of a Prayer by Mankind to their Creator; and the rest of the Qur'aan is the Creator's response to that Prayer. The importance of the Opening Chapter is thus self-evident, and the mention of it in addition to the mention of 'the Qur'aan', in the aforesaid Verse 15.87, is to highlight this importance. The Shia Moulvi's inference that the phrase in question refers to the Shia Imams, on the other hand, is obviously contrived and far-fetched. It was not clear to me as to how he manipulated the number of 12 Shia Imams to 7. Perhaps he took into his account only those Imams whose names were either Muhammad or Ali. There are 4 of those with Ali as their names, and 3 with Muhammad. Are the other 5 Imams just left out becuse they do not suit the Moulvi's calculations? The Moulvi's calculations are beyond my understanding. That apart, Verse 15.87, as one may see, is primarily addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The 'seven oft-repeated' were bestowed upon the Prophet, along with the Qur'aan. But at the time of the Prophet, only one Imam (Ali) was existing. The bestowal of the other (then non-existing) Imams to the Prophet, does not stand to reason. Maybe, the Moulvi has some other ingenuity to explain that. Wassalaam, Mohammad Shafi islam-n-interest.com http://www.islam-n-interest.com * -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] Qur'aanic Studies - Volume XIII
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* Study the Qur'aan in Qur'aanic light, to understand Islam in its pristine simplicity, clarity, beauty purity Click: Qur'aanic Studies - Volume XIIIhttp://www.islam-n-interest.com/QSV-XIII.html to access online eBook covering the Studies on Verses 5.83 to 5.120 6.1to 6.35, and bookmark website Invitation To Salvationhttp://www.islam-n-interest.com/ for additions of further Volumes, inshaAllah, to these Studies. Mohammad Shafi -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] Sania Mirza
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *Assalaamu alaykum,* * * *In a news item, sometime back, Dr Zakir Naik, the renowned Islamic scholar, is reported to have said, **Everyone has different levels of modesty. There were tennis players who wore long skirts and performed just as well. But personally, I support Sania Mirza as she prays five times a day, so the skirts she wears can be ignored. * *I admire the Doctor and often listen to his speeches. But that should not mean that everything he says is sacrosanct. He is human after all, and prone to errors. Let us therefore examine his reported quote in Qur'aanic light and see whether it is in conformity with the divine guidance. For, the Qur'aan calls those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed as suppressors of Truth, oppressors and transgressors [refer Verses 5.44, 5.45and 5.47].* *Allah has indeed given mankind the freedom, in this life, not to go by the way laid down in the Qur'aan. By giving the freedom, Allah is only testing mankind. So is Sania Mirza being tested. If she fails the test, the responsibility for the consequences is entirely hers. But the matter of punishing her, for any breach of the divinely laid down dress code, lies with Allah. Since she comes from a country, and goes to such countries to play tennis, which have nothing against her dress in their penal codes, Muslims can do nothing legal to prevent her from wearing her short dress. * * * *Nevertheless, since Sania Mirza has gained fame and wealth, she has become an icon, and her actions are liable to be copied by others. Other Muslim girls may think, if Sania Mirza can do it, why not they? Muslim scholars are therefore duty-bound to examine her actions, and publicly condemn them if they are against divine stipulations. * * * *Verse 24.31 clearly lays down that a woman should so cover her body as not to display its charm in public. She is moreover asked, in that Verse, not to stamp her feet so as to reveal her hidden charm. As anyone can see, Sania Mirza, playing in full public glare with her short body-clinging dress, is clearly contravening those divine stipulations. Muslim scholars are duty-bound to bring this fact to the notice of all Muslims the world over, although they are in no position to prevent her from continuing to play thus. *** * * *In the circumstances, it is surprising that an eminent Islamic scholar like Dr Zakir Naik should say the skirts, Sania wears, can be ignored. She may be praying five times a day, but Allah condemns those who obey some divine stipulations, and disobey others [refer Verse 2.85].* *Mohammad Shafi* *Author of* *Why Do I Believe In Islam http://www.lulu.com/content/973580* -- Keep us on the Right Path, Allah!
Bismillah [IslamCity] Destiny - in Islamic Perspective
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful *
**
*Destiny – in Islamic Perspective *
**
*Is every event in a human being's life – from the time he is born, till he
dies – pre-determined? Has that person no ability to influence any of those
events? Is that person just like any animal – or like a robot – programmed
to perform certain fixed actions? Are human beings just puppets, with unseen
strings controlled by unseen hands? Is the entire human world just a
puppet-show then? *
**
*These are not the questions that arise in an atheist's mind. Atheists are a
class apart. This write-up does not deal with their thought processes. These
questions are those that arise in a human mind that believes in Creation,
and not in the theory of evolution as propounded by Darwin. *
**
*I am not sure whether these questions are likely to arise in the mind of
any believer in Creation, other than those who believe in Islam. But the
Qur'aan categorically informs us that Allah, the One and Only Creator of the
entire universe, knows the past, the present and the future of every
creature, He has created (see Verses 2.255 20.110).***
**
*Many a Muslim mind therefore is bothered by those questions, mentioned
above. Those Muslims, who are not well-versed in the Qur'aan and have not
come to believe totally in what is stated therein, are likely to be those
who are so bothered. Such Muslims think, when Allah knows that a certain
person is going to be a thief, is He not responsible then for making him a
thief? Why does He not prevent that person from thus going astray?*
**
*Yes, Allah could prevent that person from going astray, if He would. But He
wouldn't, because, in that case, He would Himself be acting against His
purpose of creating mankind as His representative ( khalifah) on earth (see
Verse 2.30). The representative had of course to be given some of the
creative and decision-making powers of the absolute Sovereign, to make him
worthy of his title. And so was mankind - the representative - given those
powers, to a limited extent. And to enable him to exercise those powers, he
had to be given the freedom of choice. And so was that freedom also given
him. *
**
*And in exercise of that freedom, our thief (in the example taken above)
chose to be a thief. But before that, Allah had so conditioned his mind as
to make him fully aware of Allah's existence as his Creator and Sustainer
(see Verse 7.172). So our thief took a conscious decision against the
dictate of his conscience, that what he was doing was wrong. In the thief's
case, and in all cases of real life, Allah tries His utmost to bring the
recalcitrant human to the right path. The Qur'aan says that Allah is the
Gracious, the Merciful (Verse **1.3). It repeatedly asserts that Allah's
creatures would not be wronged ( 2.272, 4.49, 4.77, 45.22, **46.10). In
Verses 9.70, 29.40 and 30.9, the Qur'aan further explains that it is not
Allah Who wrongs people, but they wrong themselves. In Verse 9.115 we
are informed that Allah will never lead a people astray until they are told
what to do and what not to do.*
**
*So, although Allah knew in advance what the thief would do, He had not
scripted his (the thief's) wayward future. Today's educated Muslim youth
find it difficult to understand this apparent dichotomy. But it's not a
dichotomy at all. They think it is a dichotomy, because they look at it from
a human angle. But Allah is not human. He is Superhuman. He can do and undo
anything. We cannot measure His immense Capacity by our limited means of
measurement. The sooner our youth realises this Truth, the better it is for
them. Would any of them like to be a Salman Rushdie? *
**
*Allah has another purpose in giving mankind the freedom of choice. He wants
to test every human being whether he ('he' includes 'she' in this write-up,
unless the context suggests otherwise) **recognises His existence without He
being physically seen, and abides by His instructions. If he passes the
test, he is rewarded with Paradise in the Hereafter, and if he fails, the
Hell shall be his abode. *
**
*In such Islamic perspective then, 'destiny' has the following connotations.
*
·*It is Allah who determines all aspects of the birth of a human
being. *
·*Allah knows every thing about his future. *
· *Some of the human beings are caused by Allah to die young, before
reaching adulthood. They are not subjected to the divine test; for, it would
be unjust to do so before their minds are fully developed. And Allah is not
unjust. But they (those who die young) themselves serve as tests for their
parents and other concerned human beings. *
·*The others are subject to the test. Every such human being is
guided to tread the right path. But he is also given the freedom not to
choose that right path. And the responsibility for the consequences of his
conscious choice rests with him himself. To this extent, he is the maker of
his destiny. Allah does not make him choose the
Bismillah [IslamCity] Qur'aanic Studies - Volume X
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* Study the Qur'aan in Qur'aanic light, to understand Islam in its pristine simplicity, clarity, beauty purity Click: Qur'aanic Studies - Volume Xhttp://www.islam-n-interest.com/QSV-X.html to access online eBook covering the Studies on Verses 4.87 to 4.147, and bookmark website Invitation To Salvation http://www.islam-n-interest.com/ for additions of further Volumes, inshaAllah, to these Studies. Mohammad Shafi
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Qur'aanic Studies
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *Dear Subscriber,* ** *Assalaamu alaykum!* ** *I have accidentally lost a part of Qur'aanic Studies, pertaining to Verses 3.65 to 3.91. If you have it saved in your computer, please send a copy thereof to me. And if you have had a printout taken, send a scanned copy to enable me to put the part in its place in Volume VI of the Studies. * ** *Wassalaam,* *Mohammad Shafi*
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Our Prayers
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *Assalaamu alaykum,* ** *The extract below is from Qur'aanic Studies - Volume IX, which is under preparation. The study in this extract is on Verse 4.43. The translation of the Verse is followed by comments thereon.* ** ** *43. O you who believe! Go not to prayer while you are under the influence of intoxication30, until you know what you say, nor while you are in an unclean state - unless on the move from one place to another - until you take a bath. And if you are ill, or on a journey, or any of you has come from the toilet or you have been in sexual contact with the women, and you cannot get water, then simulate the cleaning act with pure earth, wiping your faces and your hands therewith. Indeed, Allah is Lenient, Forgiving.* -- *30. The human mind can be intoxicated in a number of ways. And the very next phrase in this Verse viz., 'until you know what you say', makes the divine meaning of the Arabic term sukara, used here, clear. The Arabic term obviously therefore means a state of the mind in which the person concerned does not fully understand the implications of what his/her mouth utters. Such a state of mind could be brought about by all sorts of intoxicants, or even by drowsiness. And any person could also be in such a state when his/her mind wavers to thoughts other than that of Allah. And the person's thoughts are bound to waver particularly when he/she does not understand the meaning of the Arabic words uttered in prayers. Understanding the meanings of what we say is therefore an absolute must for our prayers to be heard, accepted and answered. * ** *Wassalaam,* *Mohammad Shafi* *islam-n-interest.com http://www.islam-n-interest.com* **
Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Is the Qur'aan self-sufficient as the source for Islam?
*In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful* *The Qur'aan says, ... We have neglected nothing in the Book ... [Verse 6.38]* ** *And yet, there are a number of things that are not mentioned in the Qur'aan, as, for example, **the number of rakaat in the ritual Prayers ( Salaat) offered at different times of the day **.* ** *In the circumstances, how does one interpret the Verse quoted above, and similar other Verses telling mankind that the divine Book contains explanations on everything? * ** *There are many Verses in the Qur'aan, like Verse 6.38, that are strongly indicative of the divine Book being self-sufficient on all matters concerning Islam, the Allah-approved and perfect Religion for the entire mankind. Some such Verses are as follows: * - *12.111 - ... It is not a concocted hadeeth, but a confirmation of what preceded it and details of every thing and a guidance and a mercy for people who believe.* - *17.89 - And We have certainly explained, in this Qur'aan, every kind of example ...* - *18.54 - And We have certainly explained, in this Qur'aan, every kind of example for mankind ...* - *39.27 - And We have certainly given for mankind, in this Qur'aan, every kind of example for them to remember.* *When the Almighty Creator of everything, Himself categorically declares that He has explained everything in His Book, and neglected nothing, we cannot but accept the divine declaration. If we do not, we betray our lack of faith in the Qur'an being the divine Book. * *So, the believers have no option but to accept that the Qur'aan explains everything that needs to be explained to mankind for the right conduct of their lives on this planet. Here one thing needs to be clearly understood, and that is that, besides the Qur'aan, the All-knowing Allah has granted the boon of a high grade Intellect to mankind. And when the Qur'aan tells us that it has not neglected anything, it obviously means anything that is not grasped through the Intellect. To illustrate this point through a simple example, it would be ridiculous to ask, If the Qur'aan has neglected nothing, where is the guidance therein for driving a car properly? This question would be ridiculous because Allah has given us the Intellect to acquire the necessary knowledge and expertise to be able to drive a car. Allah guides us, through the Qur'aan, in matters that cannot be dealt with merely through the use of the Intellect. And it is in such matters that Allah's guidance, through the Qur'aan, is thorough and perfect. That is what the divine Verses, quoted above, tell us. * ** *Now let us consider the case, specified above, wherein the Qur'aan appears to have missed mentioning some important and necessary detail:* ** *Number of Rakaat in Salaat * ** *The number is of course not mentioned in the Qur'aan. Nor is it unanimously specified, to the best of my knowledge and belief, in the ahaadeeth. Authors of books of Salaat appear to have mentioned the number on the basis of the established practice prevalent at the time of writing those books. In any case, let us consider whether the number is absolutely necessary and important in the eyes of Allah Ta'ala in whose worship the prayers are performed. Since He has not mentioned it in His Book, it goes without saying that it is not absolutely necessary and important in the eyes of Allah. What is absolutely important is what is specifically mentioned in the Qur'aan. And what is mentioned in the Qur'aan is, inter alia, that the prayers be performed devotedly for Allah and for none else. Allah may not question us on the number of rakaat we performed, but He may question us regarding the wanderings of our minds during the performance of those rakaat.* *But that apart, the Qur'aan does not prevent us from following the practice prevalent as regards the number of rakaat. Herein comes the role for our Allah-given boon of Intellect. Since Allah has directed us to perform our salaat in congregation preferably, we have to perform the same number of rakaat as the Imam does. And for the sake of uniformity, it would be preferable to follow the prevalent practice in this regard. But Allah has purposely not prescribed the number to enable His devotees to make adjustments suitable to any abnormal situation that may arise at the time of the prayer. Far from being a neglect, this is really a Mercy from Him .* *To conclude,* - *the number of rakaat is not an absolutely necessary and importanct aspect of a salaat,* - *the Qur'aan does not, nevertheless, prevent us from following the prevalent practice in this regard, for the sake of uniformity,* - *the Qur'aan has not prescribed any number for the rakaat, to enable an adjustment to suit any abnormal situation, * - *far from being a neglect, this is really a Mercy from Allah, and,* - *the Qur'aan is the self-sufficient source for Islam.* *Mohammad Shafi* *islam-n-interest.com http://www.islam-n-interest.com/* **
