Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother

assalamo aleikum

i will appreciate if you can clear my doubt. pls. give your opinion and guidance.

Thanks

a sister

1. what is the significance of 12th rabbiul awal? what should one do? if birthday is not to be celebrated in islam than in islamic countries why do they give holiday and celebrate our beloved prophet`s (PBUH) birthday?

2. my friend is shia, when she says her salah she keeps a stone. when i asked her she said our prophet (PBUH) used to pray on the floor since we pray on rugs/carpets we must keep stone. is it right?

3. and she said they too do 5 times salah but zohr and asr together maqrib and isha together. when i asked her why she said when you people go for hajj you do the same .

i am really confused. pls. help me to solve it. brother i send 2 to 3 questions together. you forward me the answers but sometimes one of the questions remained unanswerd. pls. try to send all the answers. i will be greatful to you.

Jazakallah

may Allah help you.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Pm birthday stone turba

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: what is the significance of 12th rabbiul awal? what should one do? if birthday is not to be celebrated in islam than in islamic countries why do they give holiday and celebrate our beloved prophet`s (PBUH) birthday?

Although every day one lives is a day to be grateful to the Lord and a day of celebration and commemoration, Allah and His Messenger (saws) have nominated every Friday of the week, and the two days of Eid (Fitr and Adha) as days of special celebration and commemoration. The birth-day or death-day of any individual has absolutely no significance in the deen of Islam, and never ever did the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever celebrated his own birthday, nor did he ever celebrate the birthdays of his loved ones, nor did even his noble companions, who loved him more than anyone else, ever celebrate the birthday of their Noble Leader and Prophet (saws).

Therefore if someone starts the ritual of celebrating the Prophet’s (saws) or any others birthdays, thinking of it as a rite which will bring about the Pleasure or Good Will of Allah Subhanah, he will be inventing a thing in the deen of Islam which is not from the deen! And that is exactly what the Messenger of Allah (saws) termed as bidah or innovation; and every single innovation in the pure and perfect deen of Islam is an error, a sin, and absolutely detestable to the Lord Most Majestic.

Aisha narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If somebody innovates something which is not present in our religion, then that thing will be rejected.’

Related by Bukhari.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people.”

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

The celebrating or commemorating of the birthday of the Noble Prophet (saws) is a clear and manifest bida, and the believers should fear Allah and absolutely abstain from this and all other innovations which have unfortunately crept into the pure and perfect deen of Islam…if indeed they fear Allah and the Last Day.

Q-1A: what is the significance of 12th rabbiul awal?

The records of history state that the Noble Prophet of Allah (saws) was born and died on the 12^th day of the month of Rabi-al-Awwal; but this calendar date by itself has absolutely no significance or importance in the deen of Islam. Had our noble Prophet (saws) been born on any other day, he (saws) would still be our beloved Prophet (saws)….thus it is not the day on which he (saws) was born which holds any significance or importance in Islam, but it is his example and his guidance which should hold paramount importance in the life of every true believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Q-1B: what should one do?

One may do what one normally does on any other day of the year; but what one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day should not do is commemorate or celebrate this day as the Prophet’s birthday…for that then would be a manifest ‘bida’ or innovation in the pure and perfect deen of Islam.

Q-1C: if birthday is not to be celebrated in islam than in islamic countries why do they give holiday and celebrate our beloved prophet`s (PBUH) birthday?

Amongst a portion of what are called ‘muslim nations’ today, the concept of ‘riba’ is lawful, alcohol is sold and consumed in abundance, the flesh of swine is available in supermarkets, gambling, prostitution, and indecency is tolerated…..but that should not mean that simply because some so-called ‘muslim nations’ tolerate these things, such things are lawful in Shariah or in the Sight of Allah Subhanah!!!

Beloved Sister in Islam, a thing, product, act, or rite does not become lawful or unlawful in Islam simply because the ruler of a ‘muslim nation’ allows or disallows it in his lands….but a thing, product, act, or rite becomes lawful only if it is endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), and unlawful if it is declared unlawful by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

If an Islamic country declares a public holiday or people commemorate or celebrate a day of religious significance without that day being endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), then one should know with absolute conviction that it is the ignorant people who have given this day a religious significance and flavor without any authority from Allah and His Messenger (saws)….and those who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day must abstain from participating in such self-invented and innovated religious rituals which have absolutely no basis, or evidence, or verification from the Quran and the Sunnah.

Q-2: my friend is shia, when she says her salah she keeps a stone. when i asked her she said our prophet (PBUH) used to pray on the floor since we pray on rugs/carpets we must keep stone. is it right?

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1393 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

AbuSa'id went to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and found him observing prayer on a mat and prostrating on that.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 659 Narrated by Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to pray on a mat and on a tanned skin.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.275A Narrated by Anas bin Sirin

I heard Anas bin Malik al-Ansari saying, "An Ansari man, who was very fat, said to the Prophet (saws), 'I am unable to present myself for the prayer with you.' He prepared a meal for the Prophet (saws) and invited him to his house. He washed one side of a mat with water and the Prophet offered two Rakat on it."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1388 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

The Messenger of Allah (saws) was the best among people in character. On occasions, the time of prayer would come while he (saws) was in our house. He (saws) would then order to spread the mat lying under him. That was dusted and then water sprinkled over it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then led the prayer and we stood behind him, and that mat was made of the leaves of date-palm.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.819 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

My grandmother Mulaika invited Allah's Messenger (saws) for a meal which she had prepared specially for him. He (saws) ate some of it and said, "Get up. I shall lead you in the prayer." I brought a mat that had become black owing to excessive use and I sprinkled water on it. Allah's Messenger (saws) stood on it and prayed two Rakat; and the orphan was with me (in the first row), and the old lady stood behind us.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.329Narrated by Maimuna (the wife of the Prophet (saws)) During my menses, I never prayed, but used to sit on the mat beside the mosque of Allah's Messenger (saws). He (saws) used to offer the prayer on his sheet and in prostration some of his clothes used to touch me."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.103 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) visited a household among the Ansars, and he (saws) took a meal with them. When he (saws) intended to leave, he (saws) asked for a place in that house for him to pray, so a mat sprinkled with water was put and he (saws) offered prayer over it, and invoked for Allah's Blessing upon them (his hosts).

Although it is absolutely permissible to pray on the earth in Islam, the general and normal practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that he (saws) would offer his prayers on a mat or a sheet, if one was available.

The saying of the sister that the reason our Shia brethren pray with a ‘turba’ or a stone because the Prophet (saws) used to always pray on the naked floor or earth is absolutely without any merit whatsoever.

Q-3: and she said they too do 5 times salah but zohr and asr together maqrib and isha together. when i asked her why she said when you people go for hajj you do the same .

Hadrat Mu'adh (r.a.) reports that while the Prophet (saws) was at Tabuk and the sun had passed the meridian, the Prophet (saws) combined the shortened zuhr and 'asr prayers before he started his journey. If he (saws) started his journey before the sun passed its meridian, he would delay the zuhr prayer until the time when he stopped for the 'asr prayer. He (saws) would do likewise for the maghrib prayer.

If the sun set before his journey, he (saws) would combine the maghrib and shortened the 'isha prayers. If he (saws) began a journey before the sun had set, he (saws) would delay the magrib and then combine it with the shortened 'isha prayers.

Related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.

Kuraib reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: "Shall I not inform you of the salah of the Prophet (saws) during a journey?" We said: "Certainly." He said: "If the sun passed its meridian while he stopped, he (saws) would combine the (shortened) zuhr and 'asr prayers before remounting [i.e., moving on]. If the sun had not passed its meridian while he (saws) had stopped [i.e., before breaking camp], he (saws) would travel until the time of the 'asr prayer and then he would combine the (shortened) zuhr and 'asr prayers. If the sun set while he had stopped, he would combine the magrib and shortened 'isha prayers. If the sun had not set while he (saws) had stopped, he (saws) would ride until the 'isha time and then combine them."

Related by Ahmad.

Beloved sister in Islam, it was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that while in the state of travel, he (saws) would shorten and combine his prayers as related in the authentic narrations quoted above.

Indeed, when the Messenger of Allah (saws) did the Hajj, he (saws) was traveling and thus he (saws) combined his shortened prayers. Thus all the believers who perform the Hajj pilgrimage follow the example of the Prophet (saws), and when at the plains of Arafah, they shorten and combine their dhuhr/asr prayers; and at their halt in Muzdalifah they pray their Magrib and shortened Isha prayers combined.

If the reasoning of the sister of our Shia brethren combining their five prayers into three is only because it is combined during the Hajj pilgrimage…then ask the sister whether the prayers which are combined during Hajj are prayed in full or shortened???

Beloved sister, the truth is that the rite of offering the five obligatory prayers at its separate and distinct appointed times is something the Messenger of Allah (saws) did and led in congregation in front of tens of thousands of believers when he (saws) was in Madinah; and no sect or school of thought in Islam disagrees with this fact.

Why one sect chose to combine the five obligatory prayers into three at all times, when it is absolutely evident and proven that the Messenger of Allah (saws) offered them at their five distinct appointed times remains an unsolved mystery!

Beloved sister, if truth be told…the reason one finds so many little changes here and there amongst the Shia sect like the turba or stone, or the timings of their prayers, or the difference in their adhaan, or their standing in prayer with their hands on their sides, or their washing of the neck in wudu, or their patting their thighs instead of declaring the tasleems which signal the end of prayer, or their commemorating of Ramadan, or Hajj, or Eids on different days, etc. etc…..the reason these and many other changes were brought about by them was to differentiate themselves from the main Ummah. The people who initiated and insisted upon the separation of this particular sect from the main Ummah kept on changing and altering and inventing and innovating things in the pure and perfect deen of Islam as endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws), until it took on its own distinct flavor.

There are now so many subtle and not-so-subtle changes in their way of life now from the mainstream Ummah, that it becomes almost impossible for one of them to justify their beliefs, their rites, and their acts from the Quran and the Sunnah….thus when one amongst them asks their scholars to justify their deeds or rites, their scholars simple reply to them regarding the ‘turba’ or stone used by them is because the Prophet (saws) prayed on the naked floor…or the prayers are combined during Arafah in Hajj…without explaining the full details of the matter; thus giving their unsuspecting followers the false hope that their way of life was endorsed and practiced by the Messenger of Allah (saws), when Allah is our witness, nothing could be further from the Truth!!!

It is our ardent hope and prayer that the Lord Most Merciful have mercy upon them and guide the truthful amongst them to the Truth of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan