Times of the Prayers (Shafi'i Madh-hab)

Bismillâh, wa l-hamdulillâh, wa s-salâtu wa s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillah

Times of the Fard (Obligatory) Prayers

1. Dhuhr (Early afternoon prayer): The time of Dhuhr begins after the sun descends from its zenith, known as zawwâl, and ends when an object's shadow equals the object's height plus the length of its shadow at the time of the sun's zenith.

2. `Asr (Midafternoon prayer): The time of `Asr begins at the end of Dhuhr prayer's time. The preferred time for its performance ends when an object's shadow equals double the object's height plus the length of its shadow at time of the sun's zenith, though the permissible time for it extends until the sun sets. It is offensive however to wait until the sun's light wanes to yellow.

3. Maghrib (Evening prayer)The time of Maghrib begins when the sun has completely set and ends with the disappearance of the red horizon.

4. `Ishâ' (Nightfall prayer): The time of `Ishâ' begins at the end of the Maghrib prayer's time. It is sunnah to delay the salâh of `Ishâ' till the yellow and white horizons disappear. But after a third of the night has passed, the preferred time for nightfall prayer has ended, though the permissible time extends until true dawn.

5. Subh/Fajr (Dawn prayer): The time of Subh begins at true dawn (Subh as-Sâdiq/Fajr as-Sâdiq), true dawn being when the sky around the horizon begins to grow light. Before this, a dim light sometimes appears overhead for some minutes followed by darkness, and is termed the deceptive dawn (Subh al-Kâdhib/Fajr al-Kâdhib). The preferred time for its performance ends when the day grows light outside, though its permissible time extends until sunrise.

It is best to pray every prayer at the beginning of its time, taking the necessary steps at its outset, such as purification, clothing one's `awrah, giving the adhân and iqâmah, and then praying. If less than one rak`ah of one's salâh occurs within the proper time (meaning that one does not raise one's head from the second sajdah of the rak`ah before the time ends) and the remainder takes place after it, then the entire salâh is considered as qadâ'. It is not permissible to intentionally delay the salâh until part of it is prayed after the time has terminated.

Times when it is Harâm to Offer Those Prayers Which Do Not Have an Immediate or Preceding Cause:

1. At the time of sunrise until the sun rises to the extent of the height of a spear (meaning when a distance equal to the sun's diameter appears between the sun and the horizon)

2. At the time when the sun is at its zenith until it declines, except on Fridays.

3. At the time the sun becomes yellow/pale until sunset.

4. After Subh salâh until sunrise.

5. After `Asr salâh until sunset.

The salâh offered at these times is unlawful and invalid and it will not discharge a person from a vow. It is permissible at the above times to offer salâh that are performed for a particular reason, such as salât al-Janâzah (funeral prayer), tahiyyat al-Masjid (greeting the mosque prayer), sunnah after wudû', and is also permissible to make qadâ' salâh, though one may not perform the two rak`ahs that are sunnah before entering the state of ihrâm.

It is neither harâm nor makrûh to offer salâh within the Sanctuary of Makkah at any time.

And Allâh Knows Best

The Effects of Sins and Disobedience

Bismillâh, wa l-hamdulillâh, wa s-salâtu wa s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillah

1. The prevention of knowledge. Knowledge is a light which Allâh throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light. Imâm ash-Shâfi`î (رحمه الله) said:

“I complained to Wakî' about the weakness of my memory,
so he ordered me to abandon disobedience.
And informed me that the knowledge is light.
And that the light of Allah is not given to the disobedient.“

2. The prevention of sustenance. Just as taqwâ brings about sustenance, the abandonment of taqwâ causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience.

3. The prevention of obedience (to Allâh). If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allâh then this would be sufficient.

4. Disobedience weakens the heart and the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely.

5. Disobedience reduces the lifespan and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

6. Disobedience sows its own seeds and gives birth to itself until separating from it and coming out of it becomes difficult for the servant.

7. Sins weaken the heart's will and resolve so that the desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely.

8. Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allâh (عزّ و جلّ) destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lût; taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu`ayb; seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Fir`awn; and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hûd. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allâh.

9. Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Sustainer. al-Hasan al-Basrî (رحمه الله) said: "They became contemptible [in His sight] so they disobeyed Him. If they were honourable [in His sight] He would have protected them. Allâh the Exalted said: ”And he whom Allâh humiliates, none can give him honour.” (TMQ al-Hajj [22]:18)

10. The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those besides him and also the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm.

11. The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allâh. Ibn Mas`ûd (رضي الله عنه) said: "Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around." (Collected by al-Bukhârî)

12. Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honour, all of it, lies in the obedience of Allâh. Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak said:

”I have seen sins kill the hearts.
And humiliation is inherited by their continuity.
The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts.
And the prevention of your soul is better for it.”

13. Disobedience corrupts the intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient.

14. When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said: ”But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions).” (TMQ al-Mutaffifîn [83]:14)

15. Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted said: ”Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (TMQ ar-Rûm 30:41)

16. The disappearance of modesty which is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. It is authentic from the Messenger ﷺ that he said: "Modesty is goodness, all of it." (Collected by al-Bukhârî and Muslim). A poet said: ”And by Allâh, there is no good in life or in the world when modesty goes.”

17. Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allâh, the Mighty, in the heart of the servant.

18. Sins are the cause of Allâh forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and his shaytan and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.

19. Sins remove the servant from the realm of ihsân (doing good) and he is prevented from [obtaining] the reward of those who do good. When ihsân fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience.

20. Disobedience causes the favours [of Allâh] to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. Alî (رضي الله عنه) said: "No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance." Allâh the Exalted said: ”And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.” (TMQ ash-Shûrâ [42]:30) And the Exalted also said: “That is because Allâh would not change a favour which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves.” (TMQ al-Anfâl [8]:53)

Taken from "al-Jawâb al-Kâfî liman sa'ala `an al-dawâ' ash-shâfî al-musammâ: ad-dâ' wa l-dawâ'" by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzî (رضي الله عنه)

And Allâh Knows Best

Knots of Islam

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "The knots of Islam will be untied one by one. Each time one knot is undone, people will cling to the one next to it. The first of them to be undone is ruling and the last is Salah (Prayer)".

When to Stand Up Upon Hearing the Iqâmah?

Bismi-llâh, wa -l-hamdulillâh, wa -s-salâtu wa -s-salâmu `alâ rasûli-llâh

The Fuqahâ' (رحمهم الله) differed on the issue of when to stand up to pray. Imâm an-Nawawî (رحمه الله) mentioned several of these opinions in al-Majmû` Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (3/233), and they are as follows:

1. That he should stand up when the mu'adhdhin starts to recite the iqâmah. This is the view of Imâms `Atâ' and az-Zuhrî (رحمهما الله).

2. That he should stand up when the mu'adhdhin says "hayya `ala -s-salâh (come to prayer)". This is the view of Imâm Abû Hanîfah (رحمه الله).

3. That he should stand up when the mu'adhdhin has completed the iqâmah. This is the view of Imâm ash-Shâfi`î (رحمه الله).

4. That there is no specific point at which one should stand up; rather it is permissible for the worshipper to stand up at the beginning of the iqâmah, during it or at the end of it. This is the view of the Mâlikis.

5. That it is sunnah to stand up when the mu'adhdhin says "Qad qâmati -s-salâh (prayer is about to begin)" if the worshipper can see the imâm; if he cannot see him, then he should stand up when he does see the imam. This is the view of Imâm Ahmad (رحمه الله).

And Allâh Knows Best

Evidences of the Prohibition of Music in the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah

Bismillâh, wa -l-hamdulillâh, wa -s-salâtu wa -s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh

Quranic Verses

1) Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) says: "And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks to mislead [men] from the Path of Allâh without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment." (TMQ Luqmân [31]:6)

The companion `Abdullâh ibn Mas`ûd (رضي الله عنه) states in the explanation of the word 'idle tales': “By Allâh its meaning is music.” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/223 & authenticated by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, 2/411)

Imâm Ibn Abî Shaybah (رحمه الله) related with his own transmission that he (Ibn Mas`ûd) said: “I swear by Him besides Whom there is no God that it refers to singing.” (132/5)

The Companion and mufassir of the Qur'ân, Abdullâh ibn `Abbâs (رضي الله عنه), states: “The meaning of the word is music, singing and the like.” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/221& Musannaf Ibn Abî Shaybah, 132/5)

He also stated: “Music and the purchase of female singers.” (Musannaf Ibn Abî Shaybah, 132/5)

Hasan al-Basri (رحمه الله) said: “This verse was revealed in relation to singing and musical instruments.” (Tafsîr ibn Kathîr, 3/442)

The same explanation has also been narrated from Mujâhid, Ikrimah, Ibrahim Nakha’i, Mak’hul and others (رضي الله عنهم).

As for those that say, the verse refers to things that prevent one from the remembrance of Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) and not music, they do not contradict the aforementioned explanation. The interpretation of the verse with 'things that prevent one from the remembrance of Allâh' is a more general interpretation which includes music and song, as one of the foremost things that stop you from the remembrance of Allâh is music. This is the reason why the majority of the exegetes of the Qur'ân have interpreted the verse with music only, or with all those acts that prevent one from the truth with music being at the forefront.

2) Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) says in description of the attributes of the servants of the Most Merciful: “And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity.” (TMQ al-Furqân [25]:72)

Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas relates from Imâm Abû Hanîfah (رحمه الله) that the meaning of “falsehood (zûr)” is music & song. (Ahkâm al-Qur'ân, 3/428)

3) Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) said to Shaytân: “And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice” (TMQ al-Isrâ' [17]:64)

One of the great mufassirîn, Mujâhid (رحمه الله) interpreted the word 'voice (sawt)' by music, singing, dancing and idle things. (Rûh al-Ma`ani, 15/111)

Imam Suyûti (رحمه الله) quoted Mujâhid as saying: “Voice (in this verse) is singing and flute.” (al-Iklil fi istinbât at-tanzîl, 1444)

Another mufassir, Dahhak (رحمه الله), also interpreted the word 'Sawt' with flutes. (al-Qurtubi, al-Jami` li Ahkâm al-Qur’an, 10/288)

Here also, a general interpretation can be given, as indeed some commentators of the Qur'ân have done, but this, as mentioned earlier, does not contradict the meaning given by Mujâhid and Dahhak, as it is included in the more broad and general meaning.

Ahâdîth (Prophetic Traditions)

1) Sayyiduna Abû Mâlik al-Ash`âri (رضي الله عنه) reports that he heard the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) say: “There will appear people in my Ummah, who will hold adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments to be lawful.” (Sahîh al-Bukhâri, 7/494v)

2) Abû Mâlik al-Ash`ari (رضي الله عنه) narrates a similar type of Hadîth, but a different wording. He reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “Soon there will be people from my Ummah who will consume alcohol, they will change its name [by regarding it permissible], on their heads will be instruments of music and singing. Allâh will make the ground swallow them up, and turn them into monkeys and swine.” (Sahîh Ibn Hibbân & Sunan Ibn Mâjah, with a sound chain of narration)

In the above two narrations, the word ma`âzif is used. The scholars of the Arabic language are unanimous on the fact that it refers to musical instruments. (Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab, V.9, P.189)

The prohibition of musical instruments is clear in these two narrations. The first Hadith (recorded in Sahîh al-Bukhâri) mentions that certain people from the Ummah of the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) will try to justify the permissibility of using musical instruments, along with adultery, silk and alcohol, despite these things being unlawful in Sharî`ah.

Moreover, by mentioning music with the likes of adultery and alcohol just shows how severe the sin is. The one who attempts to permit music is similar to the one who permits alcohol or adultery.

The second Hadîth describes the fate of such people in that the ground will be ordered to swallow them and they will be turned into monkeys and swine (May Allâh save us all). The warning is specific to those that will hold music, alcohol, silk and adultery to be permissible. It is something that should be of concern for those who try and justify any of these things.

Also, to say that music will only be unlawful if it is in combination with alcohol, adultery and silk is incorrect. If this was the case, then why is it that the exception is only for music from the four things? The same could also be said for adultery, alcohol and silk. One may then even justify that alcohol and adultery is also permissible unless if they are consumed in combination with the other things!

Thus, the above two narrations of the beloved of Allâh (ﷺ) are clear proof on the impermissibility of music and songs.

3) Imrân ibn Husayn (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “This Ummah will experience the swallowing up of some people by the earth, metamorphosis of some into animals, and being rained upon with stones”. A man from amongst the Muslims asked: “O Messenger of Allâh! When will this be?” He said: “When female singers and musical instruments appear and alcohol will (commonly) be consumed.” (Recorded by Imam at-Tirmidhî, Imam Ibn Mâjah in their respective Sunan collections, and the wording here is of Sunan at-Tirmidhî)

4) Sayyiduna `Ali ibn Abî Tâlib (رضي الله عنه) reports that the blessed Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “When my Ummah begin doing fifteen things, they will be inflicted with tribulations, and [from those 15 things he said]: “When female singers and musical instruments become common.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhî)

5) Nâfi` reports that once Abdullâh ibn `Umar (رضي الله عنهما) heard the sound of a sheppard’s flute. He put his fingers in his ears, turned his mule away from the road and said: “O Nâfi`! Can you hear? I (Nafi`) replied with the affirmative. He carried on walking [with his fingers in his ears] until I said: “the sound has ceased” He removed his fingers from his ears, came back on to the road and said: “I saw the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) doing the same when he heard the flute of the sheppard.” (Recorded by Imâm Ahmad in his Musnad and Abû Dâwûd & Ibn Mâjah in their Sunans)

6) Sayyiduna Abdullâh ibn `Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “Verily Allâh has forbidden alcohol, gambling, drum and guitar, and every intoxicant is harâm.” (Musnad Ahmad & Sunan Abî Dâwûd)

7) Abu Umâmah (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “Allâh Mighty and Majestic sent me as a guidance and mercy to believers and commanded me to do away with musical instruments, flutes, strings, crucifixes, and the affairs of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance.”(Musnad Ahmad & Abû Dâwûd Tayalisi)

8) Sayyiduna Abdullâh ibn Mas`ûd (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “Song makes hypocrisy grow in the heart as water does herbage.” (Sunan al-Bayhaqî)

9) Sayyiduna Anas (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “On the day of Resurrection, Allâh will pour molten lead into the ears of whoever sits listening to a songstress.” (Recorded by Ibn Asakir & Ibn al-Misrî)

10) Sayyiduna Abû Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) said: “Bell is the flute of Shaytân.” (Sahîh Muslim & Sunan Abî Dâwûd)

There are many more narrations of the Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) in prohibition of musical instruments and unlawful singing, though only a few have been mentioned here.

The great Imâm of the Shafi`i school, Imâm Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (رحمه الله) gathered all these Ahâdîth which approximately total to forty in his excellent work ‘Kaff al-Ra’a an Muharramat al-Lahw wa -s-Sama’, and then said: “All of this is explicit and compelling textual evidence that musical instruments of all types are unlawful.” (2/270)

Statements of the Scholars (رحمهم الله)

The great Hanafi jurist, Imam al-Kasani (رحمه الله), states: “If a singer gathers people around him only to entertain them with his voice, then he will not be considered an upright person (adil), even though if he does not consume alcohol, as he will be considered the leader of sinners. If however, he only sings to himself in order to eradicate loneliness, then there is nothing wrong in doing so.

"As far as the one who uses musical instruments is concerned, if the instruments themselves are not unlawful, such as the bamboo and tambourine, then there is nothing wrong with that and he will still be considered upright. However, if the instrument is unlawful, such as the lute and the like, then he will not be considered an upright person (to be a witness in the court. m), as these instruments can never be considered lawful.” (Bada’I al-Sana’i, 6/269)

It is stated in Khulasat al-Fatâwâ: “Listening to the sound of musical instruments is unlawful, as the Messenger of Allâh (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Listening to songs is a sin.” (4/345)

Imâm Ibn al-Humam (رحمه الله), the great Hanafi Mujtahid, makes a decisive statement in his famous Fath al-Qadir: “Unlawful singing is when the theme of the song consists of unlawful things, such as the description of a particular living person’s beauty and features, the virtues of wine that provoke wine-drinking, the details and particulars of family affairs or those songs that mock and ridicule others.

"However, songs that are free from such unlawful things and they consist of descriptions of the natural things, such as flowers and streams, etc… will be permissible. Yes, if they are accompanied by musical instruments, then it will be unlawful even if the song is full of advice and wisdom, not because of what the songs consist of, rather due to the musical instruments that are played with it. And it is stated in the al-Mughni of Ibn Qudamah (Hanbali Madh-hab) that musical instruments are of two types:

1) Unlawful, Such as those that are specially designed for entertainment and singing, like the flute and mandolin, etc;

2) Lawful, like the playing of the tambourine (daff) at weddings and other happy occasions.” (See: Ibn Humam, Fath al-Qadir, 6/36)

The same has more or less been mentioned in the other Hanafi works also, such as al-Ikhtiyar, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq, al-Fatâwâ al-Hindiyyah and others.

Imâm an-Nawawî (رحمه الله), the great Hadîth and Shâfi’î scholar states: “It is unlawful to use or listen to musical instruments, such as, those which the drinkers are known for, like the mandolin, lute, cymbals, and flute. It is permissible to play the tambourine (daff) at weddings, circumcisions and other times, even if it has bells on its sides. Beating the Kûba, a long drum with a narrow middle, is also unlawful.” (Mughni al-Muhtaj, 4/429, & Reliance of the Traveller, 775)

In the book, Âdâbul Qadâ, Ash-Shâfi`î is reported as saying, "Verily, song is loathsome (makrûh); it resembles the false and vain thing [al-bâtil]. The one who partakes of it frequently is an incompetent fool whose testimony is to be rejected." (See: Tafsîr al-Qurtubî vol. 14, p. 55)

It is related by Ibn ul-Jawzi that Ishâq bin `Îsâ at-Tabba'a asked Imâm Mâlik bin Anas about the view of the people of Madînah regarding singing (ghinâ). He replied, "In fact, that is done by the sinful ones."

Conclusion

In the light of the above evidences from the Qur'ân, sayings of our beloved Messenger of Allâh (ﷺ) and texts of the various Fuqahâ', the following is the decisive ruling with regards to music:

Musical instruments that are solely designed for entertainment are unlawful, with or without singing. However, to play the tambourine (daff) at weddings (and other occasions according to some fuqaha) will be permissible.

As far as the songs are concerned, if they consist of anything that is unlawful or they prevent one from the obligatory duties, then they will be unlawful. However, if they are free from the abovementioned things (and they are not accompanied by instruments), then it will be permissible to sing them.

And Allâh Knows Best

The Fiqh of Fasting: Shafi`i Madh-hab

What is Fasting?

Fasting is to abstain from any of the invalidators of fasting with a specific intention from the appearance of dawn until the setting of the sun.

Conditions for the Validity of the Fast

1. Islâm.
2. Sane.
3. Purity from haid (menstruation) and nifâs (post-natal bleeding). [A woman whose period ends during a day of Ramadân is mustahabb to fast the rest of the day and is wâjib to make-up the fast and the fast-days prior to it when missed during her period or postnatal bleeding.]
4. Knowledge of its appropriate time.

Conditions Which Make Fasting Ramadân Obligatory

1. Islām
2. Mukallaf (reaching the age of puberty and sanity). [A child of seven is ordered to fast, and at ten is beaten for not fasting (not severely, but so to discipline the child, and not more than three blows).]
3. Ability. [i.e. One is capable of bearing the fast. Someone whom fasting exhausts because of old age or having an illness from which he is unlikely to recover are not required to fast.]
4. Health. [The illnesses that permit not fasting are those which fasting would worsen, delay recovery from, or cause one considerable harm with; the same dispensation applies to someone who needs to take medicine during the day that breaks the fast and that he can not delay taking until night.]
5. Muqîm (non-traveller). [It is permissible not to fast when traveling, even when the intention to fast has been made the night before, provided that the journey is at least 80.64 km one way, and that one leaves town before dawn. If one leaves after dawn, one is not entitled to omit the fast. It is preferable for travellers not to fast if fasting would harm them, though if not, then fasting is better.]
6. If female, purity from haid (menstruation) and nifâs (post-natal bleeding)

A pregnant or nursing woman who fears for herself or her child is excused from fasting. Note that mere pregnancy without any legitimate fear of harm for herself or for her child does not excuse her from fasting.

Integrals of Fasting

1. To make an intention at night for each day of the fard (fast).
2. To refraining from intentionally doing things which break the fast from the appearance of dawn until sunset, for the one who is conscious of his fast and is not ignorant.

The Intention

The intention is to intend to fast.  Its location is in the heart, but it is sunnah to say it with the tongue.  One optimally says, "I intend to fast tomorrow as a current performance of the obligation of this year’s Ramadan for Allah Most High."

For the obligatory fast, the intention:

• Must be specified (whether it is for Ramadân, a vow, expiation, etc.)
• Must be made between Maghrib of the previous day and Fajr
• Cannot be combined with other intentions

For the supererogatory fast, the intention:

• Does not have to be specific (i.e. one can merely intend just to fast)
• Must be made between Maghrib of the previous day and Zawwâl
• May be combined with other non-obligatory intentions (One may combine the intention of fasting a Monday, one of the six days of Shawwâl and Ayyâmu l-Bîd in one fast)

The Invalidators of Fasting

1. A substance (excludes mere traces such as mere taste or smell without any actual substance) reaching the body cavity (e.g. stomach, throat, head and inside of the ear) through an open orifice (like the mouth, nose, ear, and anus)
2. Vomiting deliberately
3. Sexual intercourse, even without ejaculation
4. Ejaculation caused by masturbation
5. Menstruation or post-natal bleeding
6. Insanity, even if for a slight moment
7. Unconsciousness (e.g. fainting, intoxication) for the whole day (Sleeping is not counted here)

Related Issues

a) Someone whose gums bleed must obligatorily wash his mouth thoroughly with water. Spitting is not sufficient.

b) Swallowing one's saliva does not invalidate the fast, provided it is not mixed with something else such as blood from the gums or food that remains in one’s mouth, in which case one invalidates one’s fast by swallowing it deliberately. However, if one swallows saliva that has already exited the mouth, the fast is invalidated.

c) The ruling of mucus and phlegm is that if one is able to spit it and take it out, it is obligatory to do so, but if it inadvertently reaches one’s body cavity and one is unable to take it out, the fast is not thereby nullified.

d) If one rinses the mouth during ablution [wudu] without exaggeration (e.g. gargling) and some water reaches the body cavity, one’s fast is not nullified, provided an abundance of water has not been used.  But if one rinses the mouth for other than the ablution (such as to cool off or for cleanliness) and water reaches the body cavity, one’s fast is nullified even if one did not exaggerate. Similarly, if one rinses the mouth during ablution and exaggerates in doing so (by gargling, for example), or if one uses an abundance of water, one’s fast will be nullified if any water reaches the body cavity.

e) If one performs an obligatory purificatory bath [ghusl] (such as for major ritual impurity or menstruation) or a recommended one (such as for the Friday prayer) and water reaches the inside of the ears, one’s fast is not nullified.  But if one's bath is neither obligatory nor recommended (such as to merely cool off or to remove sweat) and water reaches the inside of the ears, one’s fast is nullified.

f) There is no harm in swallowing saliva after rinsing the mouth even if moisture from the water remains in one's mouth and one’s fast is not nullified because it is difficult to avoid.

g) It is permissible (although disliked) to taste food with the edge of one's tongue, provided nothing reaches the body cavity.

h) There is no harm in smelling food, incense, or flowers.

i) Smoking nullifies the fast.

j) If street dust, flour chaff, or car smoke reaches the body cavity, or if one is standing beside someone else who is smoking, one’s fast is not nullified.

k) Nose-drops nullify the fast.  Scholars have disagreed regarding eye-drops and ear-drops and it is superior to be precautious by delaying them until after sunset for whoever is able.

l) An anal suppository will nullify the fast so if one is able to delay it until after sunset, it is obligatory to do so.  If one needs it during the day, however, and is unable to delay it, one may take it and it is obligatory to perform a make up fast instead of that day.

m) Scholars have disagreed whether or not the syringe nullifies the fast.  Some have said that it does not nullify it and others have said that it does, and there is mercy and ease for Muslims in their disagreement, although it is superior to delay it until after sunset if one is able to.  Whoever is unable to delay it may take it and his fast will not be nullified, in-sha’Allah.

n) Entering a stick in order to clean the inside of the ear nullifies the fast according to the Shafi‘i school if one is aware of this ruling.  If one was unaware of it or did it forgetfully, one is excused.

o) It is permissible to put Vicks in one’s nose or to enter into one’s nose a tube [unbubah] that has a scent that one inhales in order to open one’s air ducts.  As for opening them by inhaling a powder (such as snuff, for example), one’s fast is nullified if it reaches the body cavity.

p) The inhaler used by asthma patients nullifies the fast because particles like drops of water come out of it and mix with his saliva, after which the patient swallows it, causing him to break his fast.

q) If one is having intercourse with one’s wife and dawn enters and one immediately disengages, one’s fast is valid even if one ejaculates afterwards (since its cause was permissible).  If one continues having intercourse, one’s fast is nullified even if one is unaware of the entrance of dawn.

r) As for kissing and fondling, if one fears that it will result in ejaculation, it is unlawful to do so and if one subsequently ejaculates, it nullifies the fast. If one knows that one will not ejaculate, it is better not to engage in kissing and fondling, although they are not unlawful.

s) The fast of a woman who begins the morning in a state of purity and then begins menstruation or post-natal bleeding is nullified.  It then becomes unlawful for her to abstain from the nullifiers with the intention of fasting.  It is not, however, unlawful if she abstains from them without intending to fast.  A woman who begins the morning in menstruation or post-natal bleeding and then becomes pure during the day is not obliged to abstain from the nullifiers for the rest of the day, although it is sunna for her to do so.

Whoever does one of these nullifiers forgetfully, under coercion, or in ignorance of its unlawfulness, his fast is not nullified, although ignorance of the rulings of the sacred law is not an excuse for someone who has access to scholars and muftis.

These invalidators of fasting must be abstained from from the beginning of the time of Fajr. One does not finish his pre-dawn meal when the Adhân has ended, in which case his fast is invalid. Thus, it is better for one to finish his pre-dawn meal a few minuted before Fajr is expected to enter.

Whoever, out of stubbornness, nullifies his fast without excuse is sinful, and it is obligatory for him to keep fasting for the rest of the day. He must make up a day in place of the one he nullified, provided it did not happen through intercourse.  If he nullified it through intercourse, it is obligatory for him to make up the day he nullified and to also perform an expiation, as explained later on.

Whoever eats, drinks, or has intercourse thinking it merely probable that the sun has set without attaining confidence that it actually has set, must obligatorily make up that day.  Whoever eats, drinks, or has intercourse thinking it probable that it is still nighttime and it subsequently learns that dawn had entered, his fast is nullified and he must abstain from the nullifiers of the fast for the rest of the day and make up the missed fast.  If he does not come to learn that dawn had actually entered, his fast remains valid.

Recommended Acts While Fasting

1. To hasten to break the fast once it has been established that the sun has set.  If one doubts whether or not it has set, one should not hasten to break the fast.
2. To break the fast with three or more moist dates [rutab].  If one is unable to do so, then with dry dates [tamr] and if one is unable to do even that, then with water.  If one cannot break it with water, then it is recommended to do so with something sweet like raisins.
3. To eat the pre-dawn meal (suhûr).  It has a great blessing in it.  It is sunnah to delay it until just before dawn as long as delaying it does not result in doubt regarding the entrance of dawn.
4. To abandon vulgar speech such as lying, backbiting, and tale-bearing.  These things are unlawful even if not fasting but they become even more so when fasting.  If someone abuses one, one should say three times, “I am fasting” (either with the tongue or in the heart).
5. To give much charity.
6. To break others’ fasts at iftar time, even if only with a sip of water.
7. To perform much worship such as praying, learning sacred knowledge, reciting the Qur’an, making remembrance of Allah, and performing the spiritual retreat [i‘tikaf].
8. To keep good relations with kinfolk and visit others for the sake of Allah Almighty.
9. To take a bath [ghusl] every night of Ramadan, especially if one attends the group prayer.
10. To avoid the pleasure of the senses, including perfume. This is because of the Hadîth in which the Prophet said that Allâh said: "He [the fasting person] has left his food, drink and desires for My sake."
11. To avoid medicinal bloodletting, blood donating or cupping as these, like the fast, weaken
a person and could have a synergistic debiliating effect.

Making Up Missed Fasts



All missed fasts must obligatorily be made up later on, regardless of whether they were missed with a valid excuse (such as sickness or travel) or without an excuse, except a child when he reaches puberty, an insane person when he regains sanity, an original non-Muslim when he accepts Islam, an old person who is unable to fast, and someone who is continuously sick. These people are not obliged to make up their missed fasts.

If, while fasting, a child reaches puberty, a traveller ceases his travel, or a sick person recovers, it is obligatory for them to complete their fast.  If they were not fasting, it is recommended for them to abstain from the nullifiers for the remainder of the day.

Fidyah (Payment)



Payment [fidya] is due from four:

1. An old person who is unable to fast.
2. Someone continuously ill.
3. Whoever delays making up missed fasts until the following Ramadan without being excused in this delay. The fidyah must be paid in addition to making the fast up. Payment [fidya] is due for every year. So if one missed three days of Ramadân and did not make them up for three years, he must pay nine mudds in fidyah.
4. The pregnant or nursing woman who doesn’t fast purely out of fear for her child.  If she fears purely for her own self or for both herself and her child, payment [fidya] is not due from her.

According to the Shafi‘is, payment is a handful (mudd) (about 509 grams) of food from the main staple of the area, such as wheat, barley, or rice.  It can be paid to any deserving recipient of zakat.

Wudû' According to the Hanafi Madh-hab

Bismi-llâh, wa l-hamdulillah, wa s-salâtu wa s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh

General Conditions of Purification

1. To be Muslim;
2. to remove anything which prevents water from reaching the part to be washed;
3. to let the water flow on the part to be washed; and
4. to use purifying water.

Obligatory Parts of Wudû'

1. To wash the whole face, from the normal hairline to the chin and from one ear to the other including the hair and skin, but not the inner part of the man's beard when the hair therein is thick;
2. to wash the hands and the forearms up to and including the elbows and what is on them;
3. to wet wipe one-quarter of the head; and
4, to wash the feet with the ankles included, or else to wet wipe the footgear (khuff) when the conditions of the footgear are fulfilled.

Recommended Acts of Wudû'

1. Washing the two hands before inserting them into the container [of water], [especially] after the mutawaddi' (person doing wudû') awakens from his sleep.
2. Taking the name of Allah, the Exalted at the start of the wudu'.
3. Siwak
4. Rinsing the mouth
5. Inhaling water
6. Wiping the ears
7. Combing the beard and
8. [Combing] the fingers
9. Repeating the washing upto thrice.
10. To intend purification
11. Covering the entire head with wiping
12. Performing the wudu' in order, such that he starts with that with whose mention Allah, the Exalted has begun with.
It is recommended for the mutawaddi' to [start] with the right parts.
In addition, wiping the back of the neck (i.e. anything under the ears) with the back of ones hands is a recommended matter, though not an emphasised sunnah.

Invalidators of Wudû'

1. Anything that exits from the private parts, even if it not customary such as a worm or stones.
2. The flowing of any ritually impure substance [such as blood or pus] from a wound [or other opening] to any place that requires cleaning (i.e. it flowed beyond its point of exit), or if it came out with enough force to flow [but was prevent from flowing because it was wiped or absorbed by a bandage].
3. Vomit that is a mouthful, such that one would not have been able to keep it in without difficulty, except if it is just phlegm. Vomit that is from the same motion (ghathayan) is considered together when determining whether it is a mouthful or not.
4. Blood [from the mouth or throat] that overcomes one’s saliva or equals it (if closer to red, wudu is invalidated; if closer to yellow, it is not).
5. The sleep of one whose rear is not firmly seated. As for the one whose rear is firmly seated, his ablution is not nullified by sleep, even if leaning against something in a way that if it were removed he would fall.
6. Loss of consciousness.
7. Madness.
8. Drunkedness.
9. The laughter of an aware adult person a prayer that contains bowing and prostration, even for the one praying by head motions alone. If the laughter occurs after the tashahhud, the ablution is nullified, though not the prayer. If you laugh such that only you could hear it, then it does not invalidate your wudu but does invalidate your prayer.
10. (Direct contact between an erect penis and the vagina of a desirable woman.)

And Allâh Knows Best

Wudû' According to the Shafi`i Madh-hab

Bismi-llâh, wa-l-hamdu lillâh, wa-s-salâtu wa-s-salâmu `alâ rasûli-llâh

Conditions for the Validity of Wudû'

1. Islām.
2. The age of understanding. (A child reaches the stage of mumayyiz (discerning) when he can eat, drink and clean himself after using the toilet unassisted.)
3. Cleanliness from menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
4. Being free from that which prevents the water from reaching the skin.
5. Nothing should be upon the limb that will change the [qualities of the] water.
6. Knowledge of it (wudûʾ) being obligatory.
7. Not to assume the fard (obligatory) acts as sunnah (recommended). (For the general public, it is suffice to know some of its acts are fard and some are sunnah.)
8. Pure water.
9. Entering of the time [of salâh], for a person who constantly remains in the state of impurity. (Wudûʾ should be performed after the entering of the salâh's time for fard salâh or at a particular time for sunnah salâh (e.g. duhâ))
10. Continuity, for a person who constantly remains in the state of impurity.
(NOTE: Both 9 & 10 apply to the one who constantly remains in the state of impurity, for example, the one who suffers from urinary incontinence)

Obligatory Acts of Wudû'

1. Intention. (The person performing ablution either intends removing a state of hadath (ritual impurity) or purification for the salâh.)
2. Washing the face. (The face is from the point where the hairline usually begins to the chin in length, and from ear to ear in width.)
3. Washing both hands and arms including the elbows. (Washing both arms completely, up-to and including the elbows once.)
4. Wiping any part of the head. (The minimum is to wipe part of a single hair, provided this part does not hang below the limit of the head (i.e. below the hairline).)
5. Washing the feet including the ankles.
6. Tartîb (to observe the above-mentioned sequence).

NOTE: Intention is to intend something simultaneously with the action; its place is in the heart. To make a verbal intention is a sunnah; its time is at the beginning of washing the first portion of the face. Tartîb (sequence) is to observe the sequence of the wudûʾ, such that no latter limb of wudûʾ should precede a former limb.

Invalidators of Wudû'

1. Anything that exits from either the front or the rear private parts, whether wind or anything else [whether common or uncommon, such as a worm or stone], except semen.
2. Loss of intellect (i.e. the loss of the ability to distinguish) through sleep or other causes (e.g. drunkenness, insanity), except sleep while firmly seated on the ground. (Drowsing and daydreaming do not break wudû'. Among the signs of drowsing is that one can hear the words of those present, even though without comprehension.)
3. Skin-to-skin contact between an adult (Adult means the age that usually stirs up sexual desire in a person. Wudû' will not break if this is only found in one of the two.), non-mahram (marriageable), male and female without any barrier. (The wudû' will break even if they touch without sexual desire, or unintentionally, and even if be with the tongue or a malfunctional surplus limb. Touching does not include contact with teeth, nails, hair or a severed limb. Wuḍūʾ is also broken by touching an aged person or a corpse of the opposite sex.)
4. Touching the private parts of a human with the palm or inner surface of the fingers (i.e., Those parts of the palm which touch each-other when the hands are put together palm to palm).

Forbidden Actions Whilst in Minor Impurity (i.e., In Need of Wudû')

1. Salâh (Prayer)
2. Tawâf (Circumambulation around the Ka`bah)
3. Touching the Mushaf (Written script of the Qur'ân)
4. Carrying the Mushaf (It is not permissible to touch the Mushaf, whether its writing, the spaces between its lines, its margins, binding, the carrying strap attached to it, or the bag or box it is in. However, it is permissible to carry a Mushaf in baggage and to carry money, rings, or clothes on which Qurʾān is written.)

The Sunnah Way to Perform Wudû'

1. Recite ta`awwudh: I take refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytân (to recite A`ûdhu billâh completely), and basmalah: In the name of Allâh, Most Merciful, Ever Merciful (to recite Bismillâh completely).
2. Wash the hands up-to and including the wrists three times.
3. Use the miswâk (toothstick), and then rinse the mouth and nose out three times, with three handfuls of water. One takes in a mouthful from a handful of water and snifts up some of the rest of the handful into the nostrils thrice.
4. Wash the entire face, from the point where the hairline usually begins to the chin in length, and from ear to ear in width, three times. It is obligatory to wash all facial hair – inner, outer, as well as the skin beneath the hair, whether the hair is thick or thin – such as the eyebrows, moustache and so forth except for a thick beard.
5. Wash both arms completely, up-to and including the elbows, three times. It is sunnah to pass the fingers through each other.
6. Wipe the head by passing the wet hands from the front of the head, sliding the paired hands to the back up to the nape of the neck, and then return them to point of commencement, three times.
7. Wipe the inside of the ears with the fingertips and their outside with the thumbs, with fresh water, three times.
8. Wash the feet up-to and including the ankles, three times. Allow the water to pass between the toes by using the little finger of the left hand, beginning with the little toe of the right foot, and ending with the little toe on the left.
9. During wudû', it is sunnah:
   - to wash the limbs successively,
   - to begin with the right when washing the arms and legs, but both hands, cheeks, or ears, are washed simultaneously,
   - to begin with the top of the face and not to splash the water onto it,
   - to avoid splashing water onto oneself,
   - to face the qiblah, not to talk except for a necessity, and
   - not to waste water

And Allâh Knows Best

The Marriages of the Prophet

It is no secret that the war on Islam has resulted in our beloved Messenger ﷺ, his conduct and personality being attacked and scrutinised by the Kuffâr from all fronts. One of their areas of focus is the marriages of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ.

The following piece seeks to discuss this issue and answer the question of whether the Prophet's marriages were a result of him being a self-indulgent, woman-gathering libertine, or were his marriages motivated by other reasons & causes.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Permission to marry more than four wives

Allâh revealed in the Holy Qur’ân:

"Marry women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or your concubines. That is more fitting so that you do not deviate from the right course" [An-Nisâ'(4):3]


At the end of the eighth year of the Hijrah, after he had consummated all of his marriages with his wives, the Messenger ﷺ was, at the time of the revelation of this verse, married to more than four wives. However, he did not leave a single one of them but continued to be married to all his wives. This is because marriage to more than four wives is specific to him ﷺ. It is clear that being married to more than four wives is unique to the Messenger ﷺ and so he kept them after the revelation of this verse which limited marriage to four wives.

This is because the Prophet’s ﷺ action does not contradict a statement that he makes. If there is a contradiction, then the action is specific to him while the saying is general to the Ummah. It has been established in the foundations of jurisprudence (usûl ul-fiqh) that the action of the Prophet ﷺ does not contradict his speech that is relevant to the Ummah, but actions of the Prophet ﷺ can be specific to him alone.

This is because his ﷺ order to the Ummah is more specific than the evidences calling for us to emulate him by following his actions and sayings. Thus, the general order is built on the specific order, and therefore it is not allowed to emulate the Prophet ﷺ in an action in which there is a different order to the Ummah.

The Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to more than four wives, and the allowance for them to offer themselves to him in marriage etc, is confirmed by verses from the Holy Qur'ân.

Allâh says:

“O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their Mahr (bridal money) and those [captives or slaves] your right hand possesses from what Allâh has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] a dispensation only for you, excluding the [other] believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those [captives or slaves] their right hands possess, [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 50]

This verse says: “[this is] a dispensation only for you, excluding the [other] believers.” The word خَالِصَةً۬ Khâlisah (dispensation) in the verse is a verbal noun which confirms whatever preceded it, i.e. a dispensation has been made for you by permitting what Allâh has made lawful for you specifically.

The evidence to say that it includes all that precedes it and that it is specific to the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ is that it came after the four permissible matters of marrying wives, captives directly from the Fey’, daughters of his relations who have been mentioned amongst those that migrated with him, and a woman that directly offers herself for marriage. This is in addition to being stated in an emphatic manner as mentioned previously.

This is supported by the fact that at the completion of Allâh’s saying: “excluding the [other] believers.” His saying came: “We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those [captives or slaves] their right hands possess,” So this means this is not what Allâh has enjoined on them. That is why after all of this, Allâh said: “in order that there will be upon you no discomfort.” i.e. so that there is no hardship for you.

Therefore, the marriages of the Prophet ﷺ should not be taken as an example to emulate, nor as a subject of legislative discussion because they are unique to him ﷺ alone. Not to mention that the reality of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriages indicates that they were marriages of a Prophet and not the marriages of a man marrying for sex and satisfaction of the procreation instinct, in terms of the male-female aspect.

Marriage to Khadîjah

By returning to the historical reality we find that he ﷺ married Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) while he was twenty-three years of age. Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) remained as his ﷺ wife for twenty-eight years. She died in the eleventh year of the Prophethood, two years before the Hijrah, a few months after the rescission of the boycott document and shortly before his visit to Tâ'if in the year 620CE. The Prophet ﷺ was aged fifty when she died.

He ﷺ did not contemplate since the time he married Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) until her death, the prospect of marrying more than one wife, and this was at a time when polygyny was a widespread practise amongst the Arabs.

Before the Prophet ﷺ was sent with the Message, he spent seventeen years with Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) sharing a quiet and tranquil life. He ﷺ lived with her for approximately eleven years after the Prophethood (Bi`thah), in a life of da’wah and struggle against the kufr thoughts. In spite of this he did not consider marrying again.

It was not known of the Prophet ﷺ during his life with Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) or before his marriage to her that he was one of those tempted by the alluring charms of women in an age of ignorance (Jâhiliyyah) where these charms were used to tempt people.

It is not natural for us to take the view that after passing the age of fifty a sudden change took place in the Prophe ﷺ where he wasn’t content with only one wife but rather continued marrying until he had taken ten wives. Within five years in the sixth decade of the Prophet’s ﷺ life he gathered more than seven wives, and in the remaining seven years of the sixth decade and beginning of the seventh the Prophet ﷺ gathered nine wives.

At such an age can these marriages be attributed to a desire for women and sexual intercourse? Or were there other motives, which were required by the reality of life that the Prophet ﷺ was engaged in? i.e. the life of the Message, which he had been ordered to convey to the people. In order to understand this issue, let us examine the incidents surrounding the Prophet’s ﷺ marriages in further detail.

Contracting the marriage to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها)

In the eleventh year of the Prophethood, the year in which Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) died, the Prophet ﷺ considered getting married. He was fifty, and proposed to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها), the daughter of Abî Bakr (رضي الله عنه), his friend and the first one who believed in his Prophethood from the men. When she was just a child of six he contracted a marriage with her but did not consummate it for a period of three years until she was nine and fully mature having reached puberty, which happened after the Hijrah.

Marriage to Sawdah bint Zam’ah (رضي الله عنها)

However, at the time in which the Prophet ﷺ contracted the marriage with Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) he married Sawdah bint Zam’ah (رضي الله عنها). Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) was a widow of as-Sukran bin ‘Amr bin ‘Abdu-sh-Shams (رضي الله عنها), who was one of the Muslims who had migrated to Abyssinia but died on his return to Makkah. Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) had embraced Islam with her husband and she had migrated with him. She had suffered the same difficulties and hardships he suffered and faced the same harm he had faced.

After the death of Sawdah’s husband the Prophet ﷺ married her. It has not been reported that Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) was beautiful, or that she possessed wealth or standing, that would make any of the worldly aspects influence the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to her. Since the Prophet ﷺ had married her after the death of her husband, the only thing we can deduce from this is that he married her to support her and raise her to the position of the mother of the believers. When he migrated he made the house of Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) close to the Masjid. This was the first house the Prophet ﷺ built for any of his wives.

Consummation of the marriage to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها)

Then, in the first year of the Hijrah after the brotherhood between the Ansâr and the Muhâjirîn had been instituted, the Messenger ﷺ consummated his marriage with Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) and he housed her next to the house of Sawdah (رضي الله عنها), close to the Masjid. He allowed his first Wazir (assistant) and friend Abû Bakr as-Siddîq (رضي الله عنه) to come and see him in his house at his daughter's home.

Marriage to Hafsah (رضي الله عنها)

In the second year of the Hijrah, after the battle of Badr and before Uhud, he married Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) the daughter of Umar ibn al-Khattâb (رضي الله عنه). Hafsah (رضي الله عنها), before being married to the Prophet ﷺ, was the wife of Hanish (رضي الله عنه) who was one of the early converts to Islam. Seven months after Hanish (رضي الله عنه) died the Messenger ﷺ married her. By marrying Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) he ﷺ enabled his second Wazir, his companion Umar ibn al-Khattâb (رضي الله عنه) to come to see him in his house at Hafsah’s home.

So the marriages to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) and Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) were marriages to the daughters of his two Wazirs (assistants), the daughters of two companions who persevered with him in Da`wah, ruling and fighting. Therefore such marriages were not only for the purpose of marriage. Although Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) was beautiful and the Prophet ﷺ found her attractive, this was not the case with Hafsah (رضي الله عنها), which indicates that his marriage to both of them was for a purpose other than sexual gratification.

Marriage to Juwayriyyah bint al-Hârith ibn Abî Dirar (رضي الله عنها)

During the battle of Banû Mustaliq, in the fifth year of the Hijra, he ﷺ married Juwayriyyah bint al-Hârith ibn Abî Dirar (رضي الله عنها). The reason behind his marriage to her was for the purpose of drawing her father closer to the Prophet ﷺ and raising her position. Juwayriyyah (رضي الله عنها) was from the captives of Banû Mustaliq, and had fallen into the hands of one of the Ansâr. She was the daughter of the leader of Banû Mustaliq, so she wanted to free herself from her master to whom she had become a slave-girl. Her master increased the ransom money knowing that she was the daughter of the leader of Banû Mustaliq. So her father approached the Prophet ﷺ with the ransom required to free her, which he did. Then after believing in the Message of the Prophet ﷺ he became a Muslim, and he took his daughter Juwayriyyah (رضي الله عنها) to the Prophet ﷺ and she too embraced Islam, so the Prophet ﷺ asked her father for her hand in marriage. He married her to the Prophet ﷺ himself so the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to her was in fact a marriage to the daughter of a leader of a tribe which he had subjugated. His ﷺ objective was to win the friendship of its leader through marrying his daughter.

Marriage to Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها)

In the seventh year of the Hijra after the victory of Khaybar he ﷺ married Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) daughter of Huyai ibn al-Akhtab who was one of the leaders of the Jews. The story of his marriage to her began when she was taken along with other captives which the Muslims seized from the fortress of Khaybar. Some of the Muslims advised the Prophet ﷺ: “Safiyyah is a noble lady of Banû Qurayzah and Banû Nadhir. She is not suitable for anyone other than you”, so the Prophet ﷺ freed her and married her. This was therefore done for her protection and to free her from the bondage of slavery, as well to raise her status. It has been narrated that Abû Ayyûb Khâlid al-Ansâriyy feared that Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) harboured hatred against the Messenger  ﷺ who had killed her father, husband and people. For this reason he spent the night, girded with his sword, around the tent in which the Messenger ﷺ consummated the marriage with Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) on the way back from Khaybar. When the Messenger ﷺ woke up in the morning he noticed him outside the tent and asked him: “What is the matter?” He replied: “I feared for you from this woman. You have killed her father, husband and her people and she has just recently come out of kufr.” So the Messenger ﷺ set Abû Ayyûb’s mind at rest, and Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) remained loyal to the Messenger ﷺ until Allah تعالى took his soul.

Marriage to Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها)

Later, in the eighth year of Hijrah he ﷺ married Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) the sister of Umm al-Fadhl, the wife of al-‘Abbâs ibn Abd ul-Muttalib. He married her in Makkah at the end of the postponed pilgrimage (`Umrah al-qadâ) that the Muslims agreed to delay in the treaty of Hudaybiyah. The account of his marriage to her began when Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) was twenty six years of age and that she had delegated her sister Umm al-Fadhl to find a suitor for her, but when she saw the predicament of the Muslims at the `umrah she herself yearned for Islam.

Therefore, al-‘Abbâs proposed to his nephew our Master Muhammad ﷺ at her behest and the Messenger ﷺ agreed to marry her. The three day time limit on staying Makkah, stipulated by the treaty of Hudaybiyah had expired. But the Messenger ﷺ wished to use his marriage to Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) as a means to increase the understanding between himself and the Quraysh.

When Suhayl bin ‘Amr and Huwayteb bin ‘Abd ul-‘Uzzâ came to him representing Quraysh they said to Muhammad ﷺ: “Your time in Makkah has expired, so leave us.” He ﷺ said to them: “What is the matter with you? Why do you not leave me? I will hold a wedding feast amongst you. We will prepare food for you so why not attend it?” Their response to him was “we have no need of your food so depart from us.” The Messenge ﷺ did not hesitate and left Makkah along with the rest of the Muslims.

Marriages to Zaynab bint Khuzaymah and Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنهما)

As for his ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Khuzaymah (رضي الله عنها) and Umm Salamah (ra), they were marriages to the two wives of his companions who had been martyred on the battlefield.

Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was the wife of `Ubaydah ibn al-Hârith ibn al-Muttalib (رضي الله عنه) who was martyred on the day of Badr, she was not of marked beauty, but she was known for her good nature and kindness to the extent that she became nicknamed as the ‘mother of the needy.’ She had passed her youth, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her in the second year of the Hijrah, after the battle of Badr and after the martyrdom of her husband. She stayed with him for only two years until Allâh تعالى took her soul. After Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها), Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was the only one who died before the Prophet ﷺ.

As for Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها), she was the wife of Abû Salamah (رضي الله عنه), who had a number of sons with her. Abu Salamah (رضي الله عنها) was injured in Uhud then recovered from it, so the Prophet ﷺ agreed to let him fight Banû Asad. He defeated them and returned to Madinah victorious with the booty that had been captured, but the injury he sustained at Uhud worsened and he remained ill until his death shortly afterwards. The Prophet ﷺ was present while he was on his deathbed, and he remained by his side, praying for his wellbeing until he died. The Prophet ﷺ then closed Abû Salamah’s eyes.

Four months after Abû Salamah’s death, the Messenger ﷺ proposed to Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) herself, but she made excuses that she had a big family and that she had passed her youth. The Prophet ﷺ however persisted until he married her and he himself saw to her children’s upbringing.

Therefore it is clear that the Messenger married those two wives to care for the family of two of his companions after their death.

Marriage to Umm Habîbah bint Abî Sufyân (رضي الله عنها)

As for his marriage to Umm Habîbah bint Abî Sufyân (رضي الله عنها), this was a marriage to a believing woman who had migrated to Abyssinia fleeing with her deen intact. She had remained patient in the path of Islam after her husband had apostatised.

Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) was Ramlah the daughter of Abû Sufyân, the leader of Makkah and head of the Mushrikîn. She was the wife of a cousin (son of a paternal aunt) of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ, `Ubayd-ullâh bin Jahsh al-Asadi. `Ubayd-ullâh embraced Islam with his wife Ramlah whilst her father Abû Sufyan was still upon kufr. She was afraid of hurting her father so she migrated, encumbered by her pregnancy, with her husband to Abbysinia. There in the place of refuge, Ramlah gave birth to her daughter Habîbah bint `Ubayd-ullâh by whom she was named. So she came to be called Umm Habîbah although her husband `Ubayd-ullâh bin Jahsh did not take long before he left the fold of Islam and professed his belief in Christianity, the religion of the Abyssinians. He tried to take his wife Ramlah away from Islam, but she patiently persevered in her deen.

Then the messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for the Negus delegating him to perform the marriage of Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The Negus informed Umm Habîba (رضي الله عنها) of this, so she delegated Khâlid bin Sa`îd bin al-`Âs (رضي الله عنه) to give her in marriage, and her marriage contract with the Messenger ﷺ took place. Khâlid undertook the marriage contract on her behalf and the Negus for the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ. When the Muhajirûn of Abbysinia returned to Madinah after the battle of Khaybar, Umm Habîbah returned with them and entered the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Madinah celebrated the wedding of the Messenger to Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) and she remained in his house.

Marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها)

As for his ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) this marriage explained the legislation for a number of customs and traditions of Jâhiliyyah that contradicted Islam.

Firstly, it was legislation to demolish what was called equivalence or matching between the man and the woman. In marrying a cousin (daughter of his paternal aunt) who was from the leaders of the Quraysh, to a former slave that had been freed Zayd (رضي الله عنه).

Secondly, it showed the legislation for the destruction of what had become established amongst them in Jahiliyah, in that adopting a son is like one’s own son, so one cannot marry his wife. Muhammad ﷺ married the wife of his freedman Zayd (رضي الله عنه), after he divorced Zaynab in order to destroy those non-Islamic customs.

The account of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) was that Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) was the daughter of Umaymah bint `Abd al-Muttalib the paternal aunt of the Messenger ﷺ. She was raised under the Messenger’s ﷺ care and attention and because of this, she was to him like a daughter or younger sister. He ﷺ used to know her and knew whether she was attractive or not before she had married Zayd, and he had seen her from the time she was an infant crawling, until her childhood and through to her adolescent years. She was not a stranger to the Messenger ﷺ, but rather she was similar in position to his daughter.

He ﷺ proposed to her on behalf of his freed slave Zayd (رضي الله عنه). However, her brother `Abd-ullâh bin Jahsh refused the proposal, because Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was from Quraysh and a Hashimite in addition to being a daughter of the aunt of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ. Whereas Zayd (رضي الله عنه) was a slave bought by Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) and later freed by Muhammad ﷺ. Zaynab’s brother felt that this was a great shame for Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) as it used to be a great dishonour for the Arabs, as daughters of the nobility did not marry slaves even if they were given their freedom. But Muhammad ﷺ wanted these considerations which existed within people solely on the basis of tribalism to be erased and for them to comprehend that there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab except in Taqwâ and to understand Allâh’s saying:

“In Allâh’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him (taqwâ).” [TMQ Al-Hujurât: 13]

The Messenge ﷺ did not consider it right that a woman from other than his own family should be pushed to do this. So Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها), daughter of his aunt, became the one to depart from the traditions of the Arabs and to destroy their customs, paying no attention to what people may say about her

He ﷺ let Zayd (رضي الله عنه), his slave whom he had adopted and who due to the customs and traditions of the Arabs gained the right of inheritance from him, to be the one who would marry Zaynab (رضي الله عنها). The Messenger ﷺ insisted that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) and her brother `Abdu-llâh accept Zayd (رضي الله عنه), his freed slave, as her husband. However, Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) persisted in her refusal as did her brother 'Abdullah. As a result Allâh revealed the verse:

“When Allâh and His messenger have decided on a matter that concerns them, it is not fitting for any believing man or women to claim freedom of choice in that matter: whoever disobeys Allah and His messenger is far astray.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 36]

Therefore `Abdu-llâh and Zaynab had no choice but to submit to Allâh’s will, so they said: “We consent O Messenger of Allâh ﷺ.”

Zayd (رضي الله عنه) consummated his marriage with Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) after the Prophet ﷺ had sent her the bride gift (mahr).

However, married life between Zayd (رضي الله عنه) and Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was not good. On the contrary, from the start it was unsettled and embittered and continued to be unsettled and embittered. Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was not happy with this marriage after it had taken place even though it was a command from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. She did not obey her husband, and she did not soften in her approach towards him. Rather, she boasted to Zayd (رضي الله عنه) that the bondage of slavery had not befallen her and she made life difficult for him.

Zayd (رضي الله عنه) complained to the Prophet ﷺ on numerous occasions and explained to him about Zaynab’s (رضي الله عنها) bad treatment of him. He sought permission from the Prophet ﷺ a number of times to divorce her. The Prophet ﷺ used to reply: “Hold on to your wife.”

Then Allâh revealed to the Messenger ﷺ that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) will be one of his wives. This was distressing for the Prophet ﷺ who feared that people will say that Muhammad ﷺ has married his son’s wife and will censure him for that since he ﷺ had adopted Zayd (رضي الله عنه) as a son. Therefore, the Messenger ﷺ did not want Zayd (رضي الله عنه) to divorce Zaynab (رضي الله عنها), but Zayd (رضي الله عنه) urged the Prophet ﷺ to allow him to divorce her.

Despite the fact that the Prophet ﷺ knew that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) would be one of his wives as Allâh had informed him of this through revelation, he ﷺ still said to Zayd (رضي الله عنه): “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allâh.” As a result of this Allâh mildly reproached the Prophet ﷺ since Allâh told him that he ﷺ would marry Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) and that he ﷺ was concealing within himself that which Allâh wanted made known. This is the meaning of Allâh’s saying:

“You hid in your heart what Allâh would later reveal.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 37]

The matter that the Prophet ﷺ concealed was the knowledge that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) will be his wife even though she was the wife of someone he had adopted. This is what Allâh would make manifest afterwards, which was his marriage to a divorcee of someone he had adopted as his son.

The reason for the Messenger’s ﷺ concealment of this marriage, which Allâh later made manifest, is that it was the custom of the Arabs to keep their adopted sons and daughters in their houses and ensure links with their relations. They used to give the ‘da’iyy’ (the person who is adopted, all the rights of a son.) All the rules of a son were applied to them even in inheritance and the esteem of lineage. So when Allah informed the Messenge ﷺ that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها), the wife of his freed slave whom he had adopted will be his wife he hid this knowledge and strictly insisted that Zayd (رضي الله عنه) hold on to his wife and not divorce her. This is despite Zayd’s (رضي الله عنه) insistence, his complaints about her, and the lack of harmony between them in their marital life ever since he married her. Zayd (رضي الله عنه) insisted on divorcing her so the Messenger ﷺ gave him permission, and he eventually divorced her without any knowledge that the Messenger ﷺ would marry her and without Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) herself knowing that the Messenger ﷺ would take her as his wife.

This is illustrated by what Ahmad, Muslim and an-Nasâ’iyy have reported from Sulaymân ibn al-Mughîrah on the authority of Thâbit that Anas who said: When the `Iddah (divorce period) of Zaynab was over, Allâh’s Messenger ﷺ said to Zayd to mention him to her. So I (Zayd) went to her and said: ‘O Zaynab rejoice! Allâh’s Messenger sent me to propose to you on his behalf.’ She said: ‘I do not do anything until I see my Lord order me.’ So she stood at her place of worship and Allâh’s Messenger came to her without permission when the verses of the Qur’ân (pertaining to her marriage) were revealed:

“When Zayd no longer wanted her, We gave her to you in marriage so that there might be no fault in believers marrying the wives of their adopted sons after they no longer wanted them.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 37]

If either Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) or Zayd (رضي الله عنه) had known that Allâh had ordered the Messenger ﷺ to marry Zaynab then Zayd would not have said to her ‘rejoice,’ nor she said ‘until I see my Lord order me.’ i.e. she left the matter to Allâh to guide her in this marriage. The 'Illa (legal reason) of this marriage is so that there is no sin on the believer in marrying the wife of someone they had adopted.

Conclusion

This is the account of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriages to his wives. It is clear that each one was for an objective other than the mere aim of marrying. The intent of the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to more than four wives and why this number is unique to him compared to the rest of his Ummah is now clear.

The fact that the objective was not the agitation of the procreation instinct of a man who had passed the age of fifty is quite evident, since he was a man who was busy with the Da`wah, engaged in conveying the Message of his Lord to the world so that he may revive a people and mould them into an Ummah whose only aim in life was to carry the Message of Allâh to the world.

His ﷺ aim was to build the society anew after he had demolished the previous structures, and establish a state pushing ahead the world before it, in order to carry the Call of Islam to the people. Anyone whose mind is occupied with the revival of an Ummah, the establishment of a state, the building of a society, and the carrying of the Message to the world cannot be preoccupied by women devoting himself to them and marrying one every year. Rather, he carried his Da`wah and he enjoyed a normal married life like any other human.

Taken from the book 'The Social System in Islam' by Taqiuddin an-Nabhani