It means: Greetings are due to
Allah, prayers, and good words.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet,
and the mercy of Allah and His
blessings. Peace be upon us and
on the pious slaves of Allah. I testify
that there is no true god except
Allah, and I testify that Muhammad
is His slave and Messenger.
19. Then say: Allahumma sallī
‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘alā ‘āli
Muhammadin kamā sallayta
‘alā Ibrāhima wa āli Ibrāhīm
innaka Hamīdun Majīd Wa bārik
‘alā Muhammadin wa ‘alā āli
Muhammadin kamā bārakta ‘alā
Ibrāhima wa āli Ibrāhema innaka
Hamīdun Majīd. This is called the
Salah upon the Prophet
This means: O Allah, send praises
upon Muhammad and the followers
of Muhammad as you have sent
praises upon Ibrahim and the
followers of Ibrahim. You are
Praised and Glorious. O Allah, bless
Muhammad and the followers of
Muhammad as you have blessed
Ibrahim and the followers of Ibrahim.
You are Praised and Glorious.
It is recommended that you seek
refuge from the Hellfire, from the
punishment of the grave, from the
tribulations of life and death, and
from the trial of the false Messiah, by
saying Allahumma Innī A’ūdhu bika
min ‘adhābin-nār, wa ‘adhābil Qabr,
wa fitnatil masīhid-dajjāl, wa min
fitnatil mahyā wal-mamāt.
20. Then turn your head to the right
side and say: As-Salāmu ‘alaikum wa
rahmatullah. (Peace be upon you and
the mercy of Allah)
21. Then turn your head toward the left side
and say the same.
This is the description of a prayer that
has two rak’ahs, such as the dawn
prayer.
22. If the prayer is more than two rak‘ahs,
then after the tashahhud, you will stand
up again, saying Allahu Akbar, in the
same way you did when you stood after
prostration.
23. Then you will pray one more rak’ah in
case of Al-Maghrib (or sunset) prayer,
and two more rak’ahs if you are
praying Dhuhr, the noon prayer, Asr,
the afternoon prayer, or Ishā, the night
prayer.
You pray those two rak’ahs the same way
you prayed the first two rak’ahs, except
that you do not recite anything after Surat
al-Fātihah.
Once you sit for the final tashah-hud, you
should sit in the position of ‘tawarruk’,
by keeping your right foot upright, and
flattening your left foot, and bringing it
out from your right side.
You only sit in a position of tawarruk in a
prayer that has two tashah-huds, during
the last tashahhud only.
24. After you finish praying, it is
recommended to say the remembrances
of the prayer, which the Prophet, praise
and peace be upon him, taught us.
Please note: some of these actions and
statements of the prayer are pillars,
some are obligations, and some are
recommended acts.
Any prayer which is not obligatory is considered a voluntary prayer. If one performs a
voluntary prayer they will be rewarded, and if they do not they will not be sinful.
Muslims pray voluntary prayers for several benefits:
1. To gain Allah’s love and special support.
2. To draw closer to Allah and purify their hearts.
3. To gain more reward.
4. To expiate their sins.
5. To cover any shortcomings that may have occurred in their obligatory prayers.
Voluntary prayers are of 4 different types:
1. As-Sunan Ar-Rawātib. The first type are what are called As-Sunan Ar-Rawātib.
They are the ones that are done right before or after the obligatory prayers. It is
recommended for a Muslim to pray
2 rak’ahs before the Fajr or dawn prayer
2 or 4 rak’ahs before the Dhuhr or noon prayer
2 or 4 rak’ahs after the Dhuhr prayer,
2 rak’ahs after the Maghrib or sunset prayer
2 rak’ahs after the ‘Isha or night prayer.
2. Witr. The second type is the witr prayer, which is simply an odd number of rak’ahs.
Its time starts after Isha prayer, and ends with the break of dawn. It should be the
last prayer someone prays after any other voluntary night prayers. The minimum witr
is one rak’ah. The maximum is eleven. One common way is to pray 2 rak’ahs, make
taslīm, and then pray one rak’ah by itself. Another way is to pray three consecutive
rak’ahs, without sitting after the second rak’ah. It is permissible to pray it in any way
the Prophet prayed it.
3. General. The third type is the general voluntary prayer. A person can pray as many
general voluntary prayers as he wishes, in the morning or at night, as long as it is not
a time of prohibition. The general voluntary prayer is prayed in units of two, meaning
two rak’ahs. The night prayer is more virtuous than the day prayer, and the last third
of the night is even better, when Allah, the Most Exalted, descends to the lowest
heaven, in a way befitting of His Majesty, and says,
“Who will ask my forgiveness and I will forgive him? Who will ask me and I
will give him. Who will supplicate to me and I will answer him?” [Bukhari]
Sometimes a Muslim may pray a general voluntary prayer but for a specific
reason. If a person enters a masjid, he should not sit down until he prays two
rak’ahs.
Likewise, if a person wants to make an important decision, and has decided on
it, but wants Allah to decree it for him if it is good and to remove it from him if it
VOLUNTARY PRAYERS
21
is bad, he should prays two rak’ahs,
a voluntary prayer, and then say a
specific supplication called the dua
of ‘Istikharah’. In this supplication he
asks Allah to guide him to the best
decision, and to decree for him what is
best. The wording of this duā can be
found in books that gather authentic
supplications and remembrances, such
as the book the Fortress of the Muslim.
It is recommended to pray two voluntary
rak’ahs after a person performs wudu’.
4. Voluntary Congregation In The Masjid.
The fourth type of voluntary prayer is the
prayer in which a congregation in the
masjid is legislated. Under this category,
there are three types of prayers:
The first is the Tarawīh prayer, which is
performed after the Ishā prayer in the
month of Ramadan. The Imam of the
masjid can either pray eight rak’ahs plus
three rak’ahs of witr, making a total of
eleven rak’ahs. Or, he can pray twenty
rak’ahs plus three rak’ahs of witr, making
a total of twenty three rak’ahs. Both are
allowed, and there is no specific number
that has to be prayed. The Prophet said
regarding this prayer,
“Whoever prays the night prayer
in Ramadan out of faith and
expecting the reward of Allah, will
have his previous sins forgiven.”
[Bukhari]
The second prayer is the prayer for
rain, called ‘Istisqā’.
The third prayer is the solar or
lunar eclipse prayer, called Salāt
Al-Kusūf, in which Muslims pray to
Allah to forgive their sins and not
punish them, when they see this
great universal sign that Allah has
brought.
Muslims are allowed to pray voluntary
prayers throughout the day unless it is a
time of prohibition.
Prohibited Prayer Times:
There are three times in which a Muslim is
prohibited from praying voluntary prayers.
1. The first is after the Fajr prayer and
until the sun rises above the horizon.
This is usually fifteen minutes after
sunrise.
2. The second is when the sun is in the
middle of the sky, at its zenith, before
it starts setting to the west. If you were
to take the time of midday, exactly
between sunrise and sunset, then the
prohibited time would be three minutes
before that and three minutes after
that.
3. The third time period is after the Asr
prayer until the sun completely sets.
During these times, a Muslim is prohibited
from praying voluntary prayer, except for
the funeral prayer after Asr prayer and
after Fajr prayer, if needed.
22
How is a Muslim honored and taken care of
after death? It is a communal obligation to
wash the deceased Muslims, shroud them,
pray upon them, and bury them. If enough
people do it, then there is no sin upon the rest
of the community.
It is recommended for a Muslim to remember
death which will make him focus on the
hereafter, rush to repentance, and avoid bad
deeds. It is recommended to visit the sick
Muslim, remind him to repent and to write his
will.
If a person is near death, it is recommended
to gently remind him to say the testimony
of faith: There is no one worthy of worship
except Allah. Lā ilāha illAllah.
Once it is certain that the Muslim has died,
his eyes should be closed, his jaws should be
tied shut, and the joints of his arms and legs
should be moved back and forth so that they
do not become stiff.
Ghusl For The Deceased:
If he begins washing him, the ‘awrah of the
deceased should be covered.
Then he should press his stomach gently.
The washer should place a cloth over his
hand and wash away any dirt from the back
and front passage, pouring water over it.
Then he should perform wudu’ for him.
Then he should wash his head and his
beard with water and ground lote tree
leaves. Then he should wash the right
side of his body, then the left side. Then
he should wash him again as previously
mentioned, a second time and a third time,
each type passing his hand (to wipe him).
If he does not get cleansed after three
times, he should increase (the washes) to
five, or seven times.
THE FUNERAL PRAYER
Then he should dry him with a towel.
Then, he should put perfume on the
areas of his body in which sweat and
dirt gathers, such as behind his knees,
the top of his thighs, and his armpits,
as well as the places which touch
the ground during prostration. If he
perfumes his entire body, then this
would be good.
He should burn incense and let its
smoke cover his shroud so that it will
smell nice.
If his moustache or nails are long, he
should shorten them. He should not
comb his hair.
The woman should have her hair
braided into three braids, and it
should be left to hang from behind.
He should then be wrapped in three
large pieces of white cloth, and he
should be enveloped into them.
The woman should be wrapped in
five garments: in a long gown, a head
scarf, a lower wrap, and two large
outer sheets.
Praying the Janazah (Funeral)
Prayer:
The way to pray on the deceased is as
follows:
The Imam places the deceased in
front of him. If it’s a man the Imam
stands at his chest, and if it’s a woman
he stands near her waist.
First, he says the first takbīr (Allāhu
Akbar), to start the prayer.
Then he recites Surat Al-Fātihah in a
low voice.
Then he makes the second takbīr.
Then he sends Salāh upon the
Prophet, the way it is done when
sitting in the obligatory prayer.
Then he makes the third takbīr.
23
Then he performs the fourth takbīr, and
turns his head to the right side, saying As-
Salāmu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullāh – May
the peace and the mercy of Allāh be upon
you. Only one taslīm is made and not two.
It is recommended to raise one’s hands to
the shoulders along with every takbīr.
The obligatory (matters) from this are:
The (four) takbīrs
The recitation of Surat Al-Fātihah
Sending Salāh upon the Prophet, praise
and peace be upon him.
A minimum supplication of the living one
for the deceased
Performing the taslīm.
Recommendations
It is recommended to bury the deceased in an
L-shaped grave. He should be placed inside
the horizontal part of the “L” on his right side,
and he must face the Qiblah.
Then, bricks made up of unbaked clay should
be stacked up to seal that area.
Then the rest of the grave should be filled
with dirt, and should be mounded up to a fist
length. It is disliked to write on the grave, to
walk on it or sit on it. It is prohibited to build
something above it.
It is recommended to give condolences to the
family of the deceased.
Crying out of sadness is permissible as long as it is
not accompanied by eulogizing or wailing. Anything
said or done which shows disapproval of Allah’s
divine decree is prohibited.
It is recommended for men to visit the graves to be
reminded of death and to pray for the deceased
Muslims.
If a person passes by the graves or visits them, he
should say:
“Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the
dwellings, the community of believers. We will
join you by Allāh’s will. O Allāh, do not deprive
us of their reward and do not put us to trial after
them. Forgive us and them. We ask Allāh security
for us and for you.
It is recommended to give condolences to those
who have lost a loved one, and to make du’ā for their
deceased Muslim family member or friend.
A person can benefit a deceased Muslim by praying
for him, asking Allah to forgive him and have mercy
on him, giving charity on his behalf, and doing Hajj or
Umrah on his behalf.
May Allah forgive all of the deceased Muslims and
give us a good end, amīn.
Then he prays for all Muslims by saying:
“ O Allāh! Forgive those of us who are alive, and those who are dead, those present and those
absent, those who are young and those who are old, those who are male and those who are
female. You know our place of return, and our refuge, and You are upon all things able. O Allāh,
to whomsoever of us You give life, grant him life upon Islam and the Sunnah, and whomsoever
of us you give death, give him in death upon them.
Then he pray for the deceased by saying:
O Allāh! Forgive him and have mercy on him. Grant him ease and relief. Make his resting place
a noble one, and facilitate his entry. Wash him with the most pure and clean water, ice and hail.
Purify him from sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better
than his home on earth, neighbors better than his neighbors, and a family better than his family.
Grant him entrance to Paradise and protect him from the torture of the grave and the torture of
Hell Fire. Widen his grave for him, and fill it with light for him.”
24
Zakāh - in Arabic means purity and growth. When a person gives from their wealth
this obligatory charity it is called zakāh because it increases one’s wealth, purifies it,
and protects it from harm.
As an Islamic term, zakāh is an act of worshiping Allah by giving an obligatory portion
of a specific type of one’s wealth to a specific type of people. Sometimes zakāh refers
to the due right on one’s wealth, and sometimes it refers to the actual wealth being
given, depending on the context.
Zakāh has many virtues in Islam. It is the third pillar of Islam, and Allah mentions it in
the Quran 28 times, and it is usually mentioned along with the prayer.
The Muslim who does not give zakāh, disbelieving in its obligation, has stepped out
of the fold of Islam. However, if a Muslim does not pay the zakāh out of stinginess and
greed, even though he believes in its obligation, is committing a major sin. His wealth
will not be blessed, and there is a severe punishment awaiting him in the Hereafter, as
mentioned in an authentic Prophetic narration, if such a person does not repent and
pay his zakāh.
ZAKAAH
There are many wisdoms and benefits
in the legislation of zakah:
1. It completes a person’s faith.
2. It testifies to the honesty of a
Muslim’s faith.
3. It purifies the Muslim from the
disease of greed and stinginess.
4. It brings comfort to the Muslim’s heart
that he is willingly helping those in
need.
5. It expiates a person’s sins.
6. It extinguishes Allah’s anger.
7. It shades a person during the
extremely hot Day of Judgment.
8. It is a cause of entering Paradise.
9. It makes the Muslim community like
one family, the rich loving and taking
care of the poor.
10. It decreases or eliminates poverty.
11. It prevents crimes that are caused by
poverty.
12. It purifies the Muslims’ wealth,
blesses it, and causes it to increase.
13. It protects the individual and the
community from calamities.
25
Zakāh is obligatory in four categories of wealth:
1. Gold, silver, and modern day currency.
2. Business inventory
3. Grazing livestock from camels, cows, goats, and sheep.
4. What comes out of the earth. This is of two types.
a. The first type is grains and dry fruits that are harvested from a person’s plants.
b. The second type is natural resources such as gold, silver, and valuable metals
and stones.
The detailed rules on all of these types, such as their minimum threshold, how much
is to be paid, and so forth, are mentioned in the books of Islamic law.
Zakah is not obligatory upon a person unless he is a Muslim who owns for an entire
lunar year the minimum threshold of any wealth upon which zakāh is due. The zakāh
would be due one lunar year after the minimum threshold is maintained, except for
what comes out of the earth, for it is due upon harvest or extraction.
The threshold for gold is 85 grams and for silver 595 grams. If a person owns 85
grams of gold or 595 grams of silver, or the value of one of those two in modern
currency, for an entire lunar year, then he must pay 2.5% of what he owns after the
completion of the lunar year.
Allah mentions in the Quran eight categories of people who can receive zakāh. The
most common of them are the poor and the needy, and those who are in debt due to
a permissible loan for a permissible matter.
26
RAMADAN
Sawm - Siyām - or fasting, means to abstain from something. As an Islamic term, it
means to worship Allah the Most High, by abstaining from anything that breaks one’s
fast, from the break of dawn until the sun sets, with the intention of fasting.
The only obligatory fast in Islam is fasting the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth
month of the Islamic calendar. This is the fourth pillar of Islam.
There are many benefits and wisdoms in fasting:
1. It is a way to thank Allah, since all acts of worship are a way to thank Allah.
2. It teaches the Muslim to fear Allah in secret, as he abstains from his desires when no
one else is watching except Allah.
3. It refines the soul, heart, and character as a person is trained to leave his desires out
of obedience to Allah.
4. It increases one’s focus and concentration on worship, being good to others, and on
the Hereafter.
5. It is very healthy for the body, and is a cure for many diseases.
6. It makes the person feel for the poor and needy who do not have food, and makes
him more inclined to help them.
The Prophet said,
“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and expecting (the reward from Allah)
will have his previous sins forgiven.” [Bukhari]
He said,
“Allah – the Most Exalted – said, ‘Every act of the son of Adam is for him,
except for fasting, which is exclusively for Me, and I will reward him for it.’”
[Bukhari]
He also said,
“Fasting is a shield. When any one of you is fasting, he should refrain from
obscene language and from raising his voice; and if anyone insults him or
tries to fight with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hand the
soul of Muhammad is, the breath of the one fasting is sweeter to Allah than
the fragrance of musk. The one who fasts experiences two joys: the joy he
feels when he breaks his fast, and the joy he feels when he meets his Lord.”
[Bukhari]
Fasting Ramadan is obligatory upon every sane, adult, Muslim who has the physical
ability to fast, and is residing and not traveling. It is obligatory upon parents to begin
training their children to fast gradually, once they can handle it, so that they can get
used to it.
27
Ramadan begins once the new moon is sighted after the twenty ninth day of
Sha’bān, which is the month preceding Ramadan. If it cannot be seen, then
the Muslims must consider Sha’ban to be a full thirty days.
The pillars of fasting are two:
1. The intention of fasting. This must be done before the break of dawn. It is
enough for the Muslim to know that he plans on fasting the following day.
2. Abstaining from anything that breaks one’s fast.
Intentionally breaking one’s fast during the day of Ramadan is prohibited and
a major sin, in the case of a person who is obliged to fast.
There are four types of people who are excused from fasting Ramadan:
1. The sick person who is harmed by fasting, and the one who traveled away
from his hometown an approximate distance of eighty-eight kilometers or
more. It is better for them to break their fast. They must make it up. If they
choose to fast, it will count for them.
2. The woman who has her menses or postpartum bleeding. She must break
her fast, and she must make up the missed days after Ramadan. If she
chooses to fast, she would be sinful, and it would not count.
3. The woman who is pregnant or nursing her child, if she fears for her
health or the health of her child. In this case, she should break her fast,
and make up the missed days.
4. The one who is unable to fast due to very old age or a terminal illness.
Such a person must feed one poor Muslim for everyday that he breaks his
fast in Ramadan.
Things that break one’s fast are:
Eating
Drinking
Taking into the body anything nutritional.
Sexual Intercourse
Any touching with desire, whether through masturbation or touching one’s
wife for example, which leads to ejaculation. Masturbation is prohibited at
all times, and even more so when one is fasting.
Forcing one’s self to vomit, as opposed to vomiting unintentionally.
All of these things break one’s fast if done intentionally, while remembering
that one is fasting. A person who does so is committing a major sin, and
would have to repent and make up that day.
If someone does any of the above forgetting that he is fasting,
unintentionally, or out of coercion then his fast is not invalidated.
If a person has intercourse while fasting in Ramadan, there is an expiation
that must be done other than making up that day. They must free a slave.
If they cannot, they must fast two consecutive months. If they cannot, they
must feed sixty poor people.
It is encouraged to:
Have the pre-dawn meal (suhūr) as close to dawn as possible
To break fast as soon as the sun completely sets
To increase in good deeds and acts of worship
To break fast on moist dates. If there are no moist dates, then dry dates.
If there are no dry dates, then water.
It is disliked to taste food without swallowing it if there is no need. It is
also disliked to touch one’s wife with desire if they fear falling into what is
prohibited.
At the end of Ramadan, it is obligatory to give staple foods in charity to the
poor Muslims, for each person in the household if one can afford it. It is to
be paid for and given by the head of the household. This is called Zakat
Al-Fitr. The amount given is one Sā’, which is about three liters, of any
staple food, like rice, barley, and dates, for each person in the household,
whether young or old. It can be given during the last two days of Ramadan,
or on the Day of Eid before the Eid prayer is conducted.
30
Fasting Ramadan is obligatory, but what’s
the rule on fasting throughout the rest of the
year?
Voluntary fasts are days that are
recommended to fast in general or due to
a special virtue mentioned in the authentic
Prophetic narrations.
Voluntary fasts are a way to increase good
deeds, expiate sins, come closer to Allah,
refine and discipline the heart, soul, and
character and to reap the benefits of fasting
throughout the year.
Different types of voluntary fasts:
Fasting one day and not fasting the
next.
The Prophet said, “The best fast is the
fasting of Prophet Dawud, he used to
fast one day, and break fast the following
day.”
Fasting during the month of Muharram
The Prophet said, “The best fast after the
month of Ramadan, is the month of Allah
which you call Al-Muharram.” This is the
first month in the Islamic calendar.”
The first 9 days of Dhul-Hijjah
The Prophet said, “There are no days on
which deeds are more beloved to Allah
than the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.”
The day of Arafah (the 9th day of Dhull
Hijjah)
The Prophet was asked about fasting
on the day of ‘Arafah and he said: “It
expiates for the past and coming year.”
However, it is not recommended for the
one performing the pilgrimage to fast on
this day.
Six days of Shawwal
The Prophet said, “Whoever fasts
Ramadan then follows it with six days of
Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime.”
VOLUNTARY FASTING
Shawwal is the month that follows
Ramadan. After the day of Eid, which is
prohibited to fast, a Muslim can fast the
six days of Shawwal any time during that
month.
Fasting the tenth day of Muharram,
which is called ‘Ashura’
The Prophet said, “For fasting the day of
‘Ashura’, I hope that Allah will expiate (the
sins) of the previous year.” The Prophet
(praise and peace be upon him) fasted
it, because it was the day on which Allah
(the Most Exalted) saved Prophet Musa
and his followers from Pharaoh.”
Mondays and Thursdays
The Prophet said, “Deeds are shown (to
Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays, and
I like my deeds to be shown when I am
fasting.”
Fasting three days of each lunar month,
and it is better if they are the thirteenth,
fourteenth, and fifteenth
The Prophet said to a Companion, “Fast
three days of each month, for the good
deeds is multiplied tenfold, and that is
like fasting for a lifetime.”
He also said, “O Abu Dharr! When you
fast three days of a month, then fast the
thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth.
Any day of the year
A Muslim can fast any day of the year
which is not prohibited or disliked.
The person who is doing a voluntary
fast can choose to break it if he wishes
to, and he does not have to make it up.
The only voluntary deed which must be
completed, is a voluntary Hajj or Umrah.
As for days a person is making up from
Ramadan, a person cannot choose to end
that fast, unless he has a valid excuse,
such as a sickness or if he travels.
31
There are five days of the year
which are prohibited to fast.
EID - It is prohibited to fast the two
Days of Eid, which are the first of
Shawwāl, and the tenth of Dhul Hijjah.
The 11th, 12th and 13th OF DHUL HIJJAH -
It is prohibited to fast these three days,
except for a pilgrim performing the Hajj
of Tamattu’ or Qiran who cannot afford to
slaughter a sacrificial animal.
Days that are disliked to fast:
The following days are disliked to fast:
• Friday by itself.
• Saturday by itself.
• The thirtieth day of Sha’bān.
• And a day or two before Ramadan.
However, if these days coincide with a day that a
Muslim normally fasts, like fasting on Mondays and
Thursdays, 3 days of the lunar month, or the Day of
Arafah, then it is not disliked to fast on them.
32
The pillars of Hajj are four:
1. Performing the Ihram, which is the intention
to start the Hajj.
2. Standing on ‘Arafah on the 9th day of Dhul
Hijjah. It is valid until the dawn of the next
day.
3. Performing the Tawaf around the Ka’bah
seven times, on the tenth of Dhul Hijjah or
after it.
4. Walking between the mountains of Safa
and Marwa seven times. This is called the
Sa’i of Hajj.
The obligations of Hajj are seven:
1. Performing Ihram from the ‘Miqat’. The
mīqat is a specific place one cannot pass
on the way to Makkah until they perform
the Ihram.
2. Staying in Arafa until the sun sets on the
ninth.
3. Spending the night in Muzdalifa up to the
middle of the night.
4. Stoning the Jamarat in Mina. The third
Jamrah alone is stoned on the tenth. All
three Jamarat are stoned on the eleventh,
twelfth, and thirteenth.
HAJJ AND UMRAH
5. Spending the majority of the night
in Mina on the tenth, eleventh, and
twelfth.
6. Shortening the hair or shaving it after
completing Tawaf and Sa’i.
7. Performing the farewell Tawaf before
leaving Makkah.
Some of the recommended acts of
Hajj are:
1. Spending the eighth day and night in
Mina.
2. The welcoming Tawaf upon entering
Makkah.
3. Briskly walking in Tawaf for the first
three rounds.
4. Men uncovering the right shoulder in
Tawaf.
5. Making the Talbiya from the beginning
of Ihram until stoning the Jamarat.
6. The remembrance and supplications
that are said throughout the Hajj
rituals. This can be found in books of
remembrances such as The Fortress
of the Muslim.
In this section we will cover the meaning, ruling, virtues, and rules of Hajj, which is the major
pilgrimage, as well as Umrah, which is the minor pilgrimage.
Hajj - The major pilgrimage to Makkah is called Hajj. Hajj in Arabic means seeking
something that is great. As an Islamic term, it means to seek Makkah to worship Allah there
through specific acts, at a specific time, and in a specific manner.
The Prophet said,
“An accepted Hajj does not have a reward except for Paradise.” [Bukhari]
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is obligatory once in a lifetime upon the sane, adult Muslim,
who has the financial and physical ability to reach Makkah. A woman must have a male
guardian accompany her, and Hajj is not obligatory upon her unless a male guardian is
available to accompany her during her journey.
We will mention the pillars, obligations, and recommended acts for both Hajj and Umrah.
If someone does not complete any of the pillars, his act of worship is not complete. If
someone misses out on an obligatory act, they must slaughter a sacrificial animal and feed
it to the poor people in Makkah. If someone does not do a recommended act, there is no
penalty upon them.
33
Umrah - Umrah is the minor pilgrimage. In Arabic it means to visit. As an Islamic term, it
means to visit the Ka’bah in Makkah to worship Allah in a specific manner.
It is obligatory once in a lifetime according to the stronger opinion. Anything after a person’s
first Umrah is considered a voluntary act.
The Prophet said,
“Between one Umrah and the next is an expiation of the sins between them.”
[Bukhari]
The pillars of Umrah are three:
1. Performing the Ihram, which is the intention to start the Umrah.
2. Performing Tawaf around the Ka’bah seven times.
3. Walking between the mountains of Safa and Marwa seven times.
The obligations of Umrah are:
1. Performing Ihram from the Miqat.
2. Shortening the hair or shaving it after completing Tawaf and Sa’i.
Some of its recommended acts are:
1. Praying two voluntary units of prayer after performing Tawaf.
2. Drinking Zamzam water after tawaf.
3. All the supplications and remembrances said during Tawaf and Sa’i. This can be found in
books of remembrances such as The Fortress of the Muslim.
When a person is in a state of Ihram they are not allowed to do nine things:
1. Cut their hair
2. Cut their nails
3. Put on perfume
4. A man cannot cover his head or ears.
5. A man cannot wear fitted clothing, such as a t-shirt, underwear, pants, socks, a hat, and
shoes. Rather, a man wraps his lower body with a lower wrap, and places an upper wrap
on his shoulders. He wears open toe sandals or flip-flops. Women wear their normal
clothes.
6. Hunting land animals
7. Getting married
8. Sexual intercourse
9. Touching with desire
Here are some important notes to be aware of:
1. When a person is performing Tawaf around the Ka’bah, he must be in a state of Wudu.
Tawaf starts and ends with the black stone. The Ka’bah must be on the left side of the
person making Tawaf.
2. A person performing Sa’i is not required to be in a state of purity. One must start with the
mountain of As-Safa, and end with Al-Marwa. Each way is counted as one round, making a
total of seven rounds.
3. People who are not physically fit may use wheelchairs.
34
The animal must reach the minimum
age of slaughter:
1. A sheep must reach the age of six
months.
2. A goat must reach the age of one year.
3. A cow must reach the age of two years.
4. A camel must reach the age of five years.
The best animal to sacrifice is a camel, then
a cow, then a sheep or goat. The sheep or
goat is valid for an entire family. The cow
or camel is valid for seven families. So the
guardians of seven different families can
come together to purchase a camel or cow
and slaughter it on their behalf during the
specified time.
There are certain defects that must be
avoided in the animal a Muslim wishes
to sacrifice:
1. A lame animal which cannot walk with
the other animals.
2. A one-eyed animal.
3. An animal which is clearly ill.
4. And an emaciated animal with no fat on
it.
It is recommended to slaughter the camel
while it is standing, with its left hand tied,
and it is recommended to place the cow,
sheep, and goat on its left side facing the
Qiblah before slaughtering it. One must
mention the name of Allah as the knife is
UDHIYAH
In this section we will discuss rules pertaining to slaughtering the sacrificial animal on the Day
of Eid and the sacrificial animal slaughtered after one is blessed with a new born baby.
Udhiya is the sacrificial animal that is slaughtered for the sake of Allah on Eid Al-Adha, the Day
of Sacrifice, and three days following it.
It’s time starts after praying the Eid prayer on the tenth of Dhul Hijjah, and it continues until the
sun sets on the thirteenth day of Dhul Hijjah.
It is a highly recommended Sunnah for anyone who can afford it.
The animals that can be sacrificed are camels, cows, goats, and sheep. No other animal can be
sacrificed as an Udhiya.
moved, saying “Bismillah, WAllahu Akbar.”
One is allowed to hire a professional butcher
to slaughter on his behalf, but it is better to
watch him as he slaughters.
After slaughtering the animal, it is
recommended to divide the animal’s
meat into three portions:
1. One portion for the one who slaughtered
and his family, so they may eat from it.
2. One portion which will be gifted to friends
and family.
3. And one portion which will be given as a
charity to the poor and needy Muslims.
• The minimum obligation is to give a little
bit of meat to charity.
• It is prohibited to sell any part of the
Udhiya, even its hair and its skin. The
person must pay the butcher in cash
or any agreed upon property, and
cannot pay him by giving him part of the
animal..
• If the new moon of the month of Dhul
Hijjah is established, and a person
wishes to sacrifice on the Day of Eid,
he is not allowed to cut his hair or nails
until he slaughters the Udhiya. So for
example, it the new moon has appeared
to signify the 1st of Dhul Hijjah then the
person who plans to sacrifice on the day
of Eid, cannot cut his hair or nails until
after the sacrifice is done (on the 10th
day or the three days after it).
36
AQEEQAH
Another type of sacrifice is called the Aqiqah, which is a sacrificial animal that is slaughtered
for the sake of Allah when one is blessed with a baby boy or girl.
It is a recommended Sunnah for the father to do this sacrifice on behalf of his newborn
child.
• He should slaughter two sheep on behalf of the baby boy, and one sheep on behalf of
the baby girl.
• He should slaughter the animal on the seventh day after birth. On the seventh day, he
should also shave the head of the baby boy or girl, and give in charity its weight in silver.
If the seventh day passes, then the Aqiqah should be slaughtered on the fourteenth day.
If that passes, then on the twenty-first day. If that passes, he can make it up on any day
after that.
• After the animal is slaughtered, it should be cut up limb-by-limb, and it is disliked for its
bones to be broken.
• Its rulings are the same rulings of Udhiyah in everything else.
We hope you enjoyed and benefited from this booklet.
Udhiya is the sacrificial animal that is slaughtered for the sake of Allah
on Eid Al-Adha, the Day of Sacrifice, and three days following it.
It is a highly recommended Sunnah for anyone who can afford it.
The animals that can be sacrificed are camels, cows, goats, and sheep.
No other animal can be sacrificed as an Udhiya.
