684. Where Should One Stand If Only Two Men Are Praying In Jama’ah?

By Asma bint Shameem 

If there’s only two men in a Jama’ah, the Imaam and the other person should stand *RIGHT NEXT to each other*, foot to foot, shoulder to shoulder, with the second person standing to the right of the Imaam, aligned in the *SAME* line; not ahead nor behind him. 

The same applies if two women are praying. 

Proof:

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“I stayed overnight in the house of my maternal aunt Maymoonah, and the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam prayed Ishaa, then he came and prayed four rakahs, then he slept, then he got up and I came and stood on his left, but he put me on his right and prayed five rakahs, then two rakahs, then he fell asleep and I heard his snoring. Then he went out for the prayer.” 

(al-Bukhaari) 

This is further clarified by the following hadeeth:

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“I came to the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam at the end of the night and prayed behind him. 

He pulled me until I was *in line with him*, and when the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

turned back to his prayer, I went back to my original position behind him. 

The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

prayed, and when he had finished his prayer he said to me, 

“What is going on? 

*I made you stand in line with me and you moved back*”.

I said, 

“O Messenger of Allaah, is it right for anyone to pray alongside you when you are the Messenger of Allaah whom Allaah has blessed?”

(Ahmad, 1/330 ;saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 6060)

Nothing could be clearer than this hadeeth. 

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu 

clearly states that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  made him stand *right NEXT to him*, not half a foot behind him or ahead of him. 

And when Ibn Abbaas moved back out of respect for the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam , the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  pulled him back to where he was, yet once AGAIN right NEXT to him. 

And when the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  finished his prayer, he admonished Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu for stepping back and not standing next to him.  

Shaikh al-Albaani said: 

“From this hadeeth we may understand that the Sunnah is when one man is praying alone following the Imaam, he should stand *alongside him on his right, not in front of him or behind him*.

(Manaar al-Sabeel, 1/128)

Abd-Allaah ibn Utbah ibn Masood said: 

“I entered upon Umar ibn al-Khattaab at midday and found him saying Tasbeeh (in the prayer). I stood behind him and he made me come closer until I was standing in line with him on his right.”

(Al-Muwatta)

And Allaah knows best

683. Reasons Why Muslims Do NOT Celebrate Halloween?

By Asma bint Shameem 

1. Halloween, All saints day, All hallows eve or All souls day was a festival held to honor Samhain the so called "*lord of death"*. 

2. It’s a festival with pagan and Christian roots where demons, witches, devils and magic are venerated.

3. The reason for offering candy is the pagan belief that evil dead souls come back to earth this day. 

If someone offers them “*treats*”, they leave them alone. 

Otherwise they “*trick*” them and cause all sorts of havoc in their life and may even possess them. 

4.The word jack-o-Lantern is actually an abbreviation of "Jack of the Lantern." 

Jack is supposed to be some guy who was fond of playing tricks on the devil. 

So Satan got annoyed and tossed a burning coal from hell towards Jack. 

With the coal in his "lantern" Jack was condemned to walk the earth forever searching for rest.

Now people jack-o-lanterns on their doorsteps and windows to ward off the spirits of the dead on Halloween.

Astaghfirullaah!

5. Witches and magic have nothing to do with Islaam. 

In fact practicing witchcraft is *Kufr.*

Allaah says:

“Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the shayateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic…”

(Surah al-Baqarah :102)

And the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  said: 

“Avoid the seven things which will lead to *doom”*

He was asked, 

“What are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” 

He said: 

“Associating anything with Allaah, *witchcraft*…” 

(al-Bukhaari, Muslim) 

6. Halloween is a celebration of the *non Muslims. *

The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said: 

 ‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them.’” 

(Abu Dawood, 3512; hasan Saheeh by Al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood 3401). 

7. It is NOT the way of the Muslims. 

Allaah says describing the Believer:

‎ والذين لا يشهدون الزور

“And those who do not witness falsehood..”  

(Surah al-Furqaan 25:72)

Mujaahid and others said that falsehood (Zoor) refers to the festivals of disbelievers.

Can I at least offer them candy?

No.

It’s not permissible to even give out candy  because doing so means you are condoning and affirming this pagan shirki festival and cooperating in it. 

Allaah says:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ‎الْعِقَابِ

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but *do not help one another in sin and transgression*.

*And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment.”*

 (Surah al-Ma’edah:2)

And Allaah says:

‎مَّن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُ نَصِيبٌ مِّنْهَا وَمَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَاعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُ كِفْلٌ مِّنْهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقِيتًا

“Whosoever intercedes for a good cause will have the reward thereof, and *whosoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in its burden.*

And Allaah is Ever All-Able to do (and also an All-Witness to) everything“

(Surah an-Nisaa:85)

So what to Do?

Do NOT participate in this shirk and satanic celebration. 

Do NOT offer candy. 

Simply TURN OFF your porch light and they won’t bother you. 

Even if they do ring your doorbell, you do NOT have to answer. 

It’s YOUR house. 

NO ONE can “force” you to open the door if you don’t want to. 

EDUCATE your children about the shirk and evil involved in celebrating Halloween.

You DON’T have to find an “alternative” for your kids on Halloween. 

Simply STAY HOME. 

It’s NOT a day for ANY kind of “celebration”. 

It’s just a normal, regular day. 

Allaah HONORED you with Islaam. 

Be PROUD of your Muslim Identity. 

SHOW it with your actions. 

You do NOT have to celebrate such festivals to “fit in”.

As Shaikh Moosaa Richardson said:

“Halloween is an annual celebration of non-Muslims, honoring witches, demons, & magic. 

Educate your children & don't allow them to go out begging for candy from your neighbors in a disgraceful act of imitating the most misguided & bankrupt people. 

Take HONOR in Allaah’s Guidance.”

رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا ، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا ، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولً

And Allaah knows best.

682. Can I Offer My Prayer “Early”, BEFORE The Time Begins, If I’m In A Rush Or Too Tired?

By Asma bint Shameem 

It’s not allowed to pray before the time begins, EVEN if it’s the SUNNAH prayer associated with that particular prayer.*

Praying earlier than it’s time is ONLY VALID under certain specific Shar’ee excuses like traveling, sickness etc and that applies only for specific prayers. 

This concession of praying earlier than its time is NOT applicable if I’m too tired or just because I’m in a “rush”.

Allaah says:

“Verily, As-Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”

(Surah al-Nisaa:103)

Here Allaah is telling us that each prayer has its FIXED time and it must be prayer according to those times. 

So you MUST wait for the time to begin before you can pray. 

If someone does pray before the time deliberately,  that prayer will NOT count. 

They would NOT have discharged the duty of obligatory Salaah. 

And they would have to pray the Fardh again. 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“Prayer offered before its time is NOT VALID, according to the *consensus* of the Muslims. 

When a person offers a prayer before its time: 

-if he does that deliberately, then the prayer is invalid and he is not free of sin.

-If that was not done deliberately, and he did it because he thought that the time for prayer had begun, then it is not a sin, and his prayer is regarded as naafil, but he has to REPEAT it because one of the conditions of the prayer is that it be done at the right time.”

(al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 2/88)

And Allaah knows best

681. Should we Sit Down When Taking A Shower?

By Asma Bint Shameem

There’s nothing in the Sharee’ah to say we “must” sit down when taking a shower or bath. 

Bathing is just as valid sitting down as it is standing up. 

Perhaps sitting when taking a bath was more applicable in the old days when a person would bathe in the open. 

And that had to do with modesty. 

But nowadays Alhamdulillaah we have bathrooms where you can shut the door and no one can see you. 

And Allaah knows best