I would like to know what the significance of a washeq is.
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:
I would
like to know what the significance of a washeq is. Is there an equivalent in
main stream Islam. I know one similar prayer is the tarawih but are ther other
such long prayers that can be prayed on other significant nights. For example
on the first of rajab and certain days in shabaan abd ramzan bohras pray washeq.
Should this be avoided if one wants to avoid comitting Biddah. Also can we make
the intention to pray a long prayer(say 24 rakaats) just for extra
sawaab.
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Answer:
Washeq Bida
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.
Before we address the concept of ‘washeq’ prayers as
prayed by a particular sect in Islam, it is important to understand the concept
of what exactly is considered and termed as ‘bida’ or innovation in Islam, and
why this concept of ‘bida’ is so hated by Allah Subhanah that it brings upon
His curse upon those who practice it.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib
That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If
anyone introduces a ‘bida’ (innovation in religion), he will be responsible for
it. If anyone introduces an innovation
or gives shelter to a man who introduces a ‘bida’ (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
‘bida’ (innovations), and every ‘bida’
is an error.”
It is our solemn belief as believers in Allah and the Last
Day that there is none who walked on this earth who worshipped Allah Subhanah
better than the Noble Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws). There is not an act of worship which pleased
Allah Subhanah which the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not perform and endorse
and teach the believers.
Thus if one were to introduce a new act or type or system
of worship which was not performed, nor endorsed, nor taught to the believers
by the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws), then it would imply that the people who
introduce and practice this ‘new’ type or system of worship love and fear Allah
more than the Messenger of Allah (saws), or that they know more than the
Messenger of Allah (saws)!
Thus, in layman terms, any act of worship which is not
specifically endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws) would have to be a
‘bida’ or a new innovation; and thus every innovation in the deen of Islam
would be a grave error and a heinous sin.
Your Question: I
would like to know what the significance of a washeq is.
If one studies the Quran and the authentic Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (saws), there is absolutely no prayer termed as ‘washeq’ in
these two sources of Truth. Thus, it
becomes obvious that this act of worship was not introduced by Allah and His
Messenger (saws), but rather some self-proclaimed ‘priests’ or ‘holy-men’ have
introduced this new concept in the religion of Islam!
Since the Messenger of Allah (saws) neither introduced the
‘washeq’, nor practiced it, nor endorsed it, nor did he (saws) teach this
system of prayer to the believers; it has to be, without an iota of a doubt,
the work of someone other than the Messenger of Allah (saws): and thus, it
would constitute a ‘bida’ (innovation), and as declared by the Messenger of
Allah (saws)… ‘The most evil affairs are the ‘bida’
(innovations), and every ‘bida’ is an
error.’
Your
Question: Is there an equivalent in main stream Islam.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no equivalent of
this type of ‘washeq’ prayer in mainstream Islam! For argument’s sake, even if there was, our criteria of
determining the Truth should never be what the others are doing…but rather what
is the guidance declared in the Quran and the Sunnah.
If the act is endorsed by the Quran and the Sunnah, then
it would indeed be a form of worship; but if the act, regardless of what it is
and how extensively it is practiced, is not endorsed by Allah and His Messenger
(saws)…it would indeed constitute a form of ‘bida’, and every ‘bida’ should be
avoided and rejected by those who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day.
Your
Question: I know one similar prayer is the tarawih but are ther other such long
prayers that can be prayed on other significant nights.
The ‘Tarawih’ prayers of Ramadan were performed by the
Messenger of Allah (saws) himself, and there is ample evidence of its
authenticity in the established Sunnah.
It is reported by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (saws) would encourage
people to perform the special prayers during Ramadan without commanding them as
obligatory and he (saws) said: "Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan
[tarawih] with a firm belief and hoping for reward, all of his previous sins
would be forgiven."
Related by Muslim and Bukhari.
Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) reported that The Prophet
offered salah (tarawih) in the mosque and many people prayed with him. The next
day he (saws) did the same and more people prayed with him. Then the people
gathered on the third night but, the Prophet (saws) did not come out to
them. In the morning, he (saws) said to
them: 'Surely I saw what you did, and nothing prevented me from coming out to
you, save that I feared that it [tarawih prayer] would be made obligatory upon
you.' And that was during Ramadan."
Related by Muslim and Bukhari.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.393 Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit
The Prophet (saws) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. The Prophet (saws) prayed in it for a few nights till the
people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not
hear his voice and they thought he had slept,
so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (saws) then said, "You
continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih
prayer) might be enjoined on you, and
if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers at
your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home
except the compulsory (congregational) prayer.”
It is also true that during the reign of Hadrat Umar,
Hadrat Uthman, and Hadrat Ali and all the people prayed the Taraweeh of twenty
rak'at, and this is the opinion of the majority of the jurists of the Hanafi
and Hanbali schools. At-Tirmidhi says: "Most of the people of knowledge
follow what has been related from 'Umar and 'Ali and other companions of the
Prophet, [i.e., that they prayed Taraweeh of] twenty rak'at. And this is the opinion of al-Thauri, Ibn
al-Mubarak, and ash-Shaf'i. And so I
found the people of Makkah praying twenty rak'at."
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.28
It is allowed to pray tarawih of the month of
Ramadan in a congregation just as it is allowed to pray them on an individual
basis. The majority of the scholars, however, prefer to pray them in
congregation. The Prophet (saws) himself led the tarawih prayers in
congregation with the Muslims for three days, but he (saws) discontinued since
he (saws) feared that it would be made obligatory.
Your
Question: but are ther other such long prayers that can be prayed on other
significant nights.
Other than the superogatory ‘tarawih’ or night prayers of
Ramadan, there are no other prayers of ‘significant nights’ which have been
endorsed by the Messenger of Allah (saws).
It is important to note here that it is absolutely
permissible for a believer, in his individual capacity to offer as many prayers
as and when he wishes to do so and earn his reward from Allah Subhanah.
But to invent a system of praying a particular number of
rakahs, in a particular formation, in a particular way, or on a particular or
specific day or night, etc. is what would make this effort a ‘bida’ or an
innovation! Thus instead of earning a
reward for his efforts, the person introducing the innovation and those who
follow the innovation will both earn the severe Wrath and Anger of Allah
Subhanah!
Your
Statement: For example on the first of rajab and certain days in shabaan abd
ramzan bohras pray washeq.
If one applies the simple criteria for determining whether
an act is a part of worship earning rewards from Allah or an ‘innovation’
earning His displeasure, one would easily be able to differentiate between
worship and ‘bida’.
Taking the cue from your examples, ask yourself these
questions to determine whether these prayers would be accrued as worship or
‘bida’ in the Court of Allah Subhanah:
Q:. Is there any evidence in the authentic Sunnah wherein
the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever prayed or encouraged a ‘special’ formation
of prayer on the first of the month of Rajab?
A: NO!
Q:. Is there any evidence in the authentic Sunnah wherein
the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever prayed or encouraged a ‘special’ formation
of prayer on certain days of the month of Shaabaan?
A: NO!
Q:. Is there any evidence in the authentic Sunnah wherein
the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever prayed or encouraged a ‘special’ formation
of prayer (other than the late night ‘tarawih’ prayers) on the 19th,
or 21st, or 23rd, or 29th or any other
specific night in the month of Ramadan?
A: NO!
Q: Is there even an iota of evidence in the authentic
Sunnah if the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever prayed or encouraged the ‘special’
prayers taking of the Prophet’s names (nabi na naam) on the last Friday of
Ramadan; or the fasting of the whole month of Rajab? Or the ‘thum washeq’? Or the washeq of ‘moti sawa laat’? Or the
gathering and wailing of Moharram? Or the gathering and feasting of every urs,
and every milad of the selected pious slaves of Allah? etc. etc.!!!
A: NO!!!
When the Messenger of Allah (saws) did not introduce, nor
endorse, nor perform, nor teach these ‘special’ acts of worship, who is it that
has assumed this right of Allah and His Messenger (saws) and has illegally and
without right taken upon himself to
introduce these ‘burdens of bida’ upon the believers???
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 ‘bida’
(innovations), and every
‘bida’ is an error.”
Your
Question: Should this be avoided if one wants to avoid comitting Biddah.
Beloved Sister in Islam, Allah and His Messenger (saws)
have made the deen of Islam extremely simple and easy to follow….it is the
introduction of these ‘evil’ burdens of ‘bida’ by unscrupulous and self-proclaimed
priests and holy men which complicate the beautiful deen of Islam to such an
extent that people stop practicing the deen because they are unable to fulfill
all its ‘innovated’ obligations!
There is no end to the introduction of ‘bidas’ by those
who have illegally and without any authority from Allah taken the right to
introduce them! These unscrupulous and
self-proclaimed ‘holy men’ and ‘priests’ will introduce one every day to
subjugate the people to their whims and fancies; until one day the burden of
following the ‘bida’ becomes so heavy that the person stops practicing even the
true and simple religion as introduced by Allah and His Messenger (saws)!
It is this very evil of the multitude of ‘bida’ burdens
and introductions by the Priests and the Rabbis that took the Jews and the
Christians away from the true religion; until in His Sublime Mercy and Grace
the Merciful Lord appointed Mohammad ar-Rasool Allah (saws) to guide mankind
back to the deen or way of life approved by Allah.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah
Aaraaf verse 157:
(So, now
mercy has been assigned to those) who follow this Messenger (Mohammad
(saws)), the Gentile Prophet, whose mention they shall find in the Torah
and the Gospel with them. He enjoins
them to do good and forbids them from evil;
he makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful; he relieves them of their burdens and
frees them from the shackles (of the innovated rites and rituals) that bound
them. For this reason, those alone who believe in him, support him, succour him, and follow the
Light that has been sent down with him shall attain true success.
It indeed would be a pity if after being guided aright,
the Muslims fell in the same trap of the unscrupulous and self-proclaimed
‘priests’ and ‘holy men’ who introduce ‘bida’ upon ‘bida’ until the following
of the religion becomes an unbearable burden; and instead of being guided by
Allah and His Messenger (saws), they follow the whims and fancies of
unscrupulous and self-proclaimed ‘holy men’, whose only mission is to further
their own importance and take men away from the True Path of Allah Subhanah!
That is when the day will come when one will see more
people gathered to follow the ‘bida’ of praying ‘washeq’ rather than the
obligatory ‘fajr’ prayer! That is when
more will people will attend the ‘washeqs’ than the obligatory ‘Jumua’
prayer! That is when people believe
that there is more reward in visiting Karbala and Najaf than Makkah and
Madinah! That is when the shrines and
tombs of the ancestors of the self-proclaimed ‘holy men’ will be grander and
more attended than the Masjids or Houses of Allah! That is when the books written by man (Nahjul Balagha,
Daim-ul-Islam, Munajaat, Marseeyahs, Saheefahs, etc.) will be more recited,
understood, obeyed, and followed than the very Book of Allah Subhanah! That is the day when men will consider an
honor to be recognized as ‘abde-syedna’ (slaves of syedna) rather than
‘Abd-Allah’ (Slaves of Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds!)!!!!!
Your
Question: Also can we make the intention to pray a long prayer(say 24 rakaats)
just for extra sawaab.
One may remember, praise, and worship the Lord as much as
one wills or is easy for them and Allah is our witness, they shall have their
full reward with their Lord Most Gracious.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah
Ale-Imran verses 190-198:
190 Behold! In the creation of
the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day there are indeed
Signs for men of understanding.
191 Men who celebrate the praises of Allah: standing, sitting, and lying
down on their sides; and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens
and the earth (with the thought): "O Our Lord! Mot for naught hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the
fire.
192 "O Our Lord! Any whom
Thou dost admit to the fire truly Thou coverest with shame, and never will
wrong-doers find any helpers!.
193 "O Our Lord! We have
heard the call of one calling (us) to faith `Believe ye in the Lord' and we
have believed. O Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, blot out from us our
iniquities, and take to Thyself our souls in the company of the righteous.
194 "O Our Lord! Grant us
what Thou didst promise unto us through thine Messengers, and save us from
shame on the Day of Judgment: for Thou never breakest Thy promise."
195 And their Lord hath accepted of them and answered them: "Never
will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you be he male or female: ye are
members one of another; those who have left their homes or been driven out
therefrom or suffered harm in My cause or fought or been slain; verily, I will
blot out from them their iniquities and admit them into gardens with rivers
flowing beneath; a reward from the presence of Allah and from His presence is
the best of rewards."
196 Let not the strutting about of the
unbelievers through the land deceive thee:
197 Little is it for enjoyment; their ultimate abode is Hell: what an
evil bed (to lie on)!
198 On the other hand for those who fear their Lord are gardens with
rivers flowing beneath therein are they to dwell (for ever); a gift from the
presence of Allah and that which is in the presence of Allah is the best
(bliss) for the righteous.
There is absolutely no harm in praying any number of
rakahs one wishes to offer as worship to their Majestic Lord; but to limit them
to a specific number or to pray them only on a specific or ‘special’
nights when not endorsed by the
Messenger of Allah (saws) is when it will become a ‘bida’ in the sight of Allah
Subhanah.
Praying a few or even only two rakahs in the night will
earn the person a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; but obeying the ‘holy men’
and praying their innovated formation of ‘washeq’ will earn the severe
displeasure and wrath of the All-Mighty Lord!
The voluntary fasting of even only one day at any time of the year
(other than the obligatory fasts of Ramadan) will earn the person a huge reward
from Allah Subhanah; but obeying the ‘holy men’ and their innovated formation of
fasting the whole month of Rajab will earn the severe displeasure and wrath of
the Lord of the Worlds! Visiting a sick
or elderly relative and saying a kind word to them will earn the person a huge
reward from the Lord Most Gracious; but traveling hundreds of miles to visit
the tomb or shrine of the ancestors of the ‘holy men’ on their urs or milad,
will definitely earn the person the displeasure and wrath of the Majestic
Lord!
Thus in conclusion every act of worship endorsed by Allah
and His Messenger (saws), however small and insignificant it may seem, will
earn the person a huge reward in the Presence of their Gracious Lord; and Allah
is our witness, every act of worship that originates from ‘bida’ and thus not
endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws) will bring nothing but ruin and
misery to the person in the Just and Supreme Court of Allah Subhanah on that
Inevitable Day!
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
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