Fiqh

If a person is unable to stand up for the prayer due to excessive weakness, he is allowed to offer his prayer sitting.


• Regardless of the severity and seriousness of the disease, the daily prayers have to be observed at the prescribed times. If a sick person is unable to perform all the articles of the prayer, he may perform only those which he can, and perform others by symbolic signs.


(The jurists have stressed that even if a woman has started having the labour pains, and a prayer time approaches, and she is in perfect control of herself, she should offer the prayer somehow, standing or sitting, for as soon as the Nifas bleeding starts, the prayer would be rendered Qada (missed).


• The patient should, as far as possible, perform the prayer in the standing position, even if a sick or disabled person can stand while the Takbir Tahrimah is pronounced, he should do so, and then perform and complete the rest of the prayer in the-sitting position, for it is not proper to offer the prayer while sitting when one has the necessary strength to stand up for it.


• If a person is utterly unable to stand up for the prayer, either due to excessive weakness, or feeling of giddiness, or instability, or inability to perform Ruku and Sajdah properly, he is allowed to offer his prayer sitting.


• If a person has to offer the prayer sitting, he should sit in the prescribed way, as in the Qa’dah; if this is not possible, he may sit in any way he likes; and if he cannot perform Ruku and Sajdah properly, he may perform these by making-symbolic signs.


• While performing Ruku and Sajdah by making symbolic signs, it is not enough to use the eyes and the eye-brows only for the purpose, but one should bend the head, a little in Ruku, and a little more in Sajdah.


• If a person is unable to place the head on the ground in Sajdah, he may perform Sajdah by making a symbolic sign, it is undesirable to lift the pillow, or something else and prostrate on it.


• If a person cannot pray even sitting, or experiences undue hardship, or is afraid that the disease might worsen if he does so, he should offer the prayer lying down, in the following way: He should lie down flat on his back with his legs folded, knees upright, feet resting on the ground or bed, and toes pointing to the Qiblah, and then keeping his head raised with the help of a pillow, perform Ruku and Sajdah by making symbolic signs. If this is not possible, he should lie down with his head towards north, and resting the body on the right, should perform the prayer. If this is also not possible, he may offer the prayer in any way he likes, but, as far as possible, should not miss it.


• If a patient is too weak to perform a prayer even by symbolic signs, he may abandon it and offer it later on recovery as a missed prayer. If this state of weakness persists and he misses five consecutive prayers, he stands exempted and need not offer them at all later. Likewise if the patient has fainted and misses six prayers in this state, he stands exempted and is not under any obligation to offer them later. Similarly if a healthy person has a fainting fit and misses six prayers in this state, he is exempted and need not offer the prayers later.


• If a person has a fit of illness during the prayer, and he cannot stand for the prayer, he may offer it sitting; if he cannot sit, he may offer it lying down, if he cannot perform Ruku and Sajdah, he may perform them by symbolic signs, in short, he should complete the prayer somehow.


• If a person fears that while standing up for the prayer in a moving boat, ship or train, he may lose balance, or feel giddy etc. he may offer the prayer sitting, if, however, he can stand without any such fear, he should offer the prayer standing.


• If a person has missed some prayers when he was perfectly healthy, and then falls ill, he should not wait till recovery to offer the missed prayers, but should offer them somehow, standing or sitting, and pay off the debt as soon as possible.

Source: (Everyday Fiqh by Mohammad Yusuf Islahi-Hanafi Viewpoint)

If UAE is home to 59,000 millionaires, imagine how many more there would be throughout the Muslim world.


The recent disclosure by the UAE Zakat Fund chief that nearly 59,000 Emirati millionaires are required to pay $5.5 billion in Zakat came as a pleasant surprise to me.


I am very happy to note the growing economic strength of the UAE and its people. These statistics are a tribute to our country’s amazing progress over the past few years and decades.


However, it is regrettable that some of us, who are infinitely blessed by God by way of wealth and other luxuries of life, should fail to perform their religious, social and moral duty.


Zakat is the mandatory wealth tax or charity that is enforced on all Muslims every year. In fact, it is one of the five pillars of the faith and is next only to salah (prayers) in importance. The two- and-half per cent Zakat may appear insignificant and may not make a substantial difference to those giving it, but it does make a huge, positive difference to those receiving it. Across the Muslim world, billions of dollars are paid in Zakat every year that go to help the poor and the needy.


But, dear readers, Zakat is not a mere deduction of money from the rich to give it to the poor or a dutiful act of charity by the more privileged to the less privileged. It is a noble act of giving with a noble purpose.


This is why it is most important that Zakat reaches the truly deserving and benefits the needy. While the act of giving itself is noble, we also need to examine whether money is being utilised properly and if it is going into the areas that really and urgently need attention.


If we pay Zakat as we should really do and distribute it in the right way in constructive initiatives like poverty alleviation and employment generation progra-mmes or offering healthcare to those who cannot afford it, it will not only make a great positive difference to our society, but also bring real peace and happiness to us. By reaching out to our fellow beings and those who genuinely need our help and care, we not only help others but also help ourselves. Because there is no greater happiness and reward than making others happy. No wonder Islamic teachings emphasise that Zakat leads to social solidarity and creates a sense of togetherness in our society.


This is why, everyone of us, who is blessed by God, would do well to realise this responsibility towards our society. The greater our material wealth and Allah’s blessings on us, the more indebted we are to our society. If UAE is home to 59,000 millionaires, imagine how many more there would be throughout the Muslim world! And what an amazing difference their contribution could make to their society and the world at large!


(Khaleej Times)

If you hear the beating of resentful words in your ears, do not worry - jealousy is not something new. As a poet said:


“Devote yourself to the gathering of virtues, and work,
And turn your back on someone who cools his jealousy by giving you censure,
Know that your life’s-span is the season of good deeds,
In it, they may be accepted, and after is death, when all jealousy ceases.”

To love someone for the sake of Allah is a grand act for which much merit and many rewards have been promised.


“To love for the sake of Allah” means loving someone, not for worldly gain, but because he/she is more religious and pious or busy in serving Muslims and Islam, or because loving him or her is commanded by Allah; like loving parents.