Part 6 of Preparation for the month of The Glorious Quran article series - Voluntary Prayers8/2/2022 Dear brothers and sisters,
Hope you are well. I wanted to share with my family and the community an article I read by Islam Q and A on voluntary prayers that serves as a gentle reminder if done already or an opportunity to start doing as a good act in preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan. Many of us as a community, alhamdulillah (all praise to Allah), pray our five obligatory (Fardh) prayers and the sunnah prayers for each respective Fardh prayer. Umm Habibah, Ramilah bint Abu Sufyan (may Allah have mercy upon her) narrated that she heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: “A house will be built in paradise for every Muslim who offers twelve Rak’ah of optional salah other than the obligatory salah in day and night, to seek the pleasure of Allah.” [Hadith, Al-Muslim] The twelve optional prayers are the following:
Alhamdulilah (All praise to Allah), for many of you who this, and if you have not done already, you may want to try and attempt in doing so. The difference between knowing and doing is trying to attempt to do it. There are more ways of performing additional voluntary prayers that are rewarding Alhamdulilah (All praise to Allah). In Islam, we believe in Allah (The Almighty) and that He has blessed us with everything around us in the whole universe, everything in us and has taught man knowledge. “And whatever you have of favour - it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.” [Quran, Surah Al-Nahl (The Bee) 16:53] This is our belief and this is what strengthens our relationship with the Almighty. “…If anyone desires a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if anyone desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude.” [Surat 'Āli `Imrān (Family of Imran) 3:145] According to scholars, there are many voluntary prayers besides the sunnah prayers. Some voluntary prayers can be done daily, for instance, ablution prayer, Forenoon prayer, Prayer of Glorification (Tasabih) and Night prayer. Some voluntary prayers are for specific occasions when outdoors, for example, Tahiyyat Al-Masjid (Salutation of the Mosque prayer), the travel prayer and the execution prayer (Salat al maut). There are also voluntary prayers for specific reasons for guidance, for example, the guidance prayer (istikhara) and the prayer of need (salatul Hajah). In addition, there are voluntary prayers that occur specifically at different times in the lunar calendar. They do not have a specific number of units of prayers. Amongst the examples are during the night of Eid, the night of the 15th of Shabaan, the last ten nights of Ramadan and the first ten days of Dhul hijjah. During voluntary prayers, other actions of goodness include reciting Quran, remembrance of Allah, glorifying Allah, and sending prayers and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) [Imdad al-Fattah (417)] Below are gentle reminders: The Ablution prayer The Ablution prayer is performed after doing ablution. We are encouraged as a community to do so based on the following hadith: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Oh Bilal, tell me about a work that you are most hopeful about (being rewarded for) from the works you have done in Islam, for I heard the thumping of your sandals in front of me in Jannah.” He said, “I did not do a work more hopeful to me, except that I never performed ablution in an hour of night or day without praying with that ablution what was written for me to pray.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari, Al-Muslim] What is your goal in life? For me, it is seeking a place in Paradise that is everlasting and balancing my commitments in this life in doing good actions. If you have not found your quest, try to find it and work towards it. May Allah (The Almighty) allow us to be from the people of Paradise if Allah wills (in sha Allah). The Forenoon (Duha) prayer. It consists of two units of prayers that can occur and has a maximum of twelve units of prayers from sunrise until before Zawal, the starting point of Dhur prayer, according to the source [Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar, 1:459; Radd al-Mukhtar, 459]. The two Surahs advised to read during the prayer are Surah AL-Shams (The sun) and Surah Al-Dhuha (The Morning Hours). There are many hadith that encourages us to pray Duha prayer, amongst the hadith are the following: Abu Hurairah (may Allah have mercy upon him) related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever adheres to the Duha prayer shall have his sins forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi, 438] Mu`adha (may Allah have mercy upon her) said that she asked `A’isha (Allah be pleased with her): “How many rakats did the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) pray for the Duha prayer?” She replied, “Four rakats, and he would add what he wanted.” [Hadith, Muslim 1175, Ahmad 23317, Ibn Maja 1371] Abu Hurairah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “My Khalil (friend) (the Prophet peace be upon him) advised me to observe three things and I shall not leave them till I die: 1. “To observe Saum (fasting) three days every (lunar) month. 2.” To offer the Duha prayer 3. To offer Witr prayer before sleeping.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari, Al-Muslim] The night prayer This is the prayer I love doing. The silence. The closeness. The focal point. Many tend to stay up for a special occasion, travel, watch a film, revise for an exam, prepare for a meeting/conference or other purposes. However, have you ever thought about spending time with the Almighty Allah (The Most High) giving thanks and gratitude? Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Adhere to night prayer, for it is the habit of the righteous before you, and a means of drawing nearer to your Lord; it is an expiation for sins and a deterrent from wrongdoing.” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim] It is also a form of training in preparation for the 15th night of Shabaan and the last ten nights of Ramadan, the night of Eid ul Fitr (Celebration for end of Ramadan) and the ten nights of Dhul Hijjah of the lunar calendar. Ali ibn Abi Talib (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (peace be upon him said) said, “On the night of the middle of Shaban, stand its night in worship, and fast its day, for verily in it Allah (Mighty and Majestic) descends with the setting of the sun unto the sky, saying: ‘Is there not a seeker of My forgiveness that I may forgive him, is there not a seeker of My providence that I may provide for him,’ until day breaks.” [Hadith, Abd al-Razzaq and ibn Majah, 1388] On the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said, “If the last ten (nights) of Ramadan came in, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would stand the night in worship, wake up his wives, and tighten his waist wrapper [i.e. strive strenuously and vigorously (in worship)].” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari and Al-Muslim] Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “He (Allah bless and give him peace) would exert himself in the last ten days (of Ramadan) that which he would not exert in other than it.” [Hadith, Al-Muslim] Ibn Majah (1782) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever stood in worship on the two nights of the two Eids (Adha and Fitr) expecting great reward from Allah, his heart will not die the day the hearts die.” Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported: “There are no days more beloved to Allah to be worshipped in than the ten of Dhul Hijja, the fasting of every day in it is equal to fasting a year, and the worship of every night in it (equal) to the worship of the Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr).” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi] So how can one prepare for the night prayer? The night prayer occurs after the Isha prayer and before the Fajr prayer. It consists of two units of prayers as a minimum and a maximum of eight units of prayers with three additional units of prayer for water according to a source [Imdad Al-Fattah, 412; Hashiyat Al-Tahtawi, 217]. However, some sources suggest that it is advisable to perform a maximum of 11 units of prayer as per the following hadith: Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) that, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to perform eleven rakats of prayer (at night), prostrating in it a prostration the length it takes any of you to read fifty verses (ayats) before raising his head.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari] It is more advisable by the scholars to do so in the last third of the night before the Fajr prayer. Allah (The Most High) descends to the lowest heaven; the sky of Earth. Abu Hurairah (may Allah have mercy upon him) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to Bilal (may Allah have mercy upon him): “Tell me about the most hopeful act (i.e one which you deem the most rewarding with Our Lord, the blessed and exalted, descends every night to the sky of this world when the last third of the night remains.” He asks, “Who is calling on me so I can answer him? Who is asking me (for anything) so I can give (it to) him? Who is asking for my forgiveness so I can forgive him?” [Hadith, Al Bukhari (1145) and Muslim (758)] “He arranges each matter from the heaven to the earth then it will ascend to him.” [Quran, Surah al-Sajdah (The Prostation), 32:5] So, my dear brothers and sisters, may this serve as a gentle reminder in preparing for the month of Ramadan. Start small if not already done so, once done, it will become a regular practice inshaAllah (if Allah wills) but, the starting step is the motivation and will of doing so inshaAllah (if Allah wills).
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