By Dana Rosenblatt CNN
HAIFA, Israel (CNN) -- A new Web site launched by an Israeli university professor and his Bedouin students aims to address life's everyday quandaries from the perspective of an ancient sacred text: the Quran.
Organizers of the site, Quranet.net, say they hope it will serve as a "bridge between Islam and the West" by applying the wisdom of Islam's holiest book to modern-day problems.
"We try to transform the Quran into a modern and useful tool, so that every person can find a Quranic answer to modern psychological and educational queries," said Ofer Grosbard, professor at the Academic Arab College for Education, affiliated with Haifa University.
Quranet divides chapters of the Quran into topics such as "Loss, Illness and Tragedy," and provides answers to such questions as, "Is loss an excuse for aggression?" and "What can we say to someone who refuses to accept a gesture of peace?"
The questions are answered with a relevant Quranic verse, followed by an educational-psychological explanation of the issue.
Quranet seeks to illustrate "the beauty of the Quran," said Grosbard, who believes the book's positive messages have been overshadowed by Islamic fundamentalists who've manipulated the text as a justification for terrorism.
The professor came up with the idea for Quranet while teaching a class on developmental psychology to Bedouin graduate students.
He was approached one day after class by Bushra Mazarib, a young Bedouin woman.
"Do you want me to tell you the truth?" she told Grosbard. "Nothing of what you are teaching me will help when a parent may come to me and say, 'The devil has gotten into my son.' "
Western thought and psychological explanations do not speak to a Bedouin Arab's everyday problems, explained Mazarib. The only way to address the issues facing Bedouins -- nomadic Arabs from the deserts of North Africa -- lies in the Quran, she said.
Mazarib plans to work with Bedouin parents as a school counselor. She believes the words of the Quran hold the key to addressing every question those parents may have.
"I want to explain something to parents in a language that they will understand. They don't understand psychology, they only understand the Quran," she tells CNN. "We believe [the Quran] is from God and you cannot question it."
Grosbard was taken with the simplicity of Mazarib's challenge. Soon, he doled out a new assignment: Each of his Bedouin students was to extrapolate the most educational and inspirational verses from the Quran and come up with a short story exemplifying their practicality.
His students were up for the task, returning to class with hundreds of stories from the Quran "that only a Bedouin knows how to tell," Grosbard said.
Storytelling is an intrinsic part of Bedouin culture. Bedouin Arabs, scattered throughout the Negev and Sinai deserts, make up a largely agrarian community.
Some Bedouins, such as Mazarib, live in modern luxury, but the majority live in the same type of rudimentary tents that their ancestors lived in hundreds of years ago.
Before television took over some of homes, extended Bedouin families would sit in the Den, or Diwan, exchanging stories for hours. Grosbard used his students' material to create the Quranet site and its companion book, "Quranet: A Guide for Education."
He hopes Quranet will provide practical advice to help the Muslim community deal with such issues and problems as adolescence, grief, incest, infidelity, violence and tolerance.
Quranet has received praise from prominent sheiks, who wrote a foreword to the book, and the Israeli government, which endorses the project on its Foreign Ministry Web site.
Some Arab media, however, urge Muslims to be wary of an "Israeli Web site" that interprets the Quran to serve the "political agenda" of Israel. Politics aside, the idea of Jewish scholars interpreting or translating Islamic texts is nothing new, said Professor Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic Studies at the American University in Washington, D.C.
"Anything that furthers understanding, furthers bridge- building, furthers interfaith friendship is to be encouraged," said Ahmed, who believes some in the Muslim world are bound to be skeptical given the delicate nature of interpreting holy texts.
"If this project has been handled with sensitivity, then Muslims need to look at it on its merit," he said. "Before judging we need to give it a chance."
So far, Quranet is a fledgling site, with no search function or interactive features. It's also written mostly in English, with some passages in Arabic and Hebrew.
Grosbard is seeking funding to expand the site and envisions future Quranet versions in Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish and Persian.
Grosbard hopes the site also will someday have voice-enhanced capability for live chats with illiterate Web users.
As the Internet becomes more readily available in homes worldwide, Mazarib and Grosbard agree the future of Quranet is infinite. "After all," Grosbard said, "there are over 1.5 billion Muslims in the world."
Showing posts with label quran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quran. Show all posts
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNT FROM QURAN THAT APPLY TO OUR GENERAL LIVING!
1. Respect and honour all human beings irrespective of their religion, colour, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job and so on [17/70]
2. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception [33/70]
3. Choose best words to speak and say them in the best possible way [17/53, 2/83]
4. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19]
5. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious [22/30]
6. Do not confound truth with falsehood [2/42]
7. Say with your mouth what is your heart [3/167]
8. Speak in a civilized manner in a language that is recognized by the society and is commonly used [4/5]
9. when you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative [6/152]
10. Do not be a bragging boaster [31/18]
11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain [23/3, 28/55]
12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play, then pass by with dignity
[25/72]
13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious or overt [6/151]
14. If, unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct yourself expeditiously
[3/134]
15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people [31/18]
16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit [17/37, 31/18]
17. Be moderate in thy pace [31/19]
18. Walk with humility and sedateness [25/63]
19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and salacious stares
[24/30-31,40/ 19]
20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, better keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter. But it might have grave consequences [24/15-16]
21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her
until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are
proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence [24/12-13]
22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in ignorance and afterwards repent
of what you did [49/6]
23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you must verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning [17/36].
24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and nobody knows more than yourself. Remember! Above everyone endowed with knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge [12/76]. Even the Prophet [p.b.u.h] was asked to keep praying, "O My sustainer! Advance me in knowledge." [20:114]
25. The believers are but a single Brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and
sisters unto one another [49/10].
26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others [49/11]
27. Do not defame others [49/11]
28. Do not insult others by nicknames [49/11]
29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might deplete your communal
energy [49/12]
30. Spy not upon one another [49/12]
31. Do not backbite one another [49/12]
32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for safety. One who conveys to
You a message of safety and security and also when a courteous greeting is offered to you,
Meet it with a greeting still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy [4/86]
33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else, compliment the inmates
[24/61]
34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission; and then greet
the inmates and wish them a life of blessing, purity and pleasure [24/27]
35. Treat kindly Your parents
" Relatives
" The orphans
" And those who have been left alone in the society [4/36]
36. Take care of The needy
" The disabled
" Those whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their needs
" And those whose business have stalled
" And those who have lost their jobs. [4/36]
37. Treat kindly Your related neighbors and unrelated neighbors
" Companions by your side in public gathering, or public transportation. [4/36]
38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the street, and the one who reaches
you in a destitute condition [4/36]
39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [4/36]
40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them with reminders of your
generosity [2/262].
41. Do not expect a return for your good behavior, not even thanks [76/9].
42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with others in evil and bad
matters [5/2]
43. Do not try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues [53/32]
44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways first. Actions speak
louder than words. You must first practice good deeds yourself, then preach [2/44]
45. Correct yourself and your families first [before trying to correct others] [66/6]
46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out of ignorance, and then
repents and amends [6/54, 3/134]-
47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, and
become a source of tranquility and comfort to people [3/134]
48. Call people to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful exhortation. Reason with
Them most decently [16/125]
49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the Divine code and have
Adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement [6/70]
50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule Divine Law unless they engage in some other
Conversation [4/140]
51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed [4/54]
52. In your collective life, make rooms for others [58/11]
53. When invited to dine, Go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too early to wait for the
preparation of meal or linger after eating to engage in bootless babble. Such things may
cause inconvenience to the host [33/53]
54. Eat and drink [what is lawful] in moderation [7/31]
55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly [17/26]
56. Fulfill your promises and commitments [17/34]
57. Keep yourself clean, pure [9/108, 4/43, 5/6]
58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite character from inside out
[7/26]
59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavor [29/17, 2/188]
60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor bribe the officials
2. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception [33/70]
3. Choose best words to speak and say them in the best possible way [17/53, 2/83]
4. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19]
5. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious [22/30]
6. Do not confound truth with falsehood [2/42]
7. Say with your mouth what is your heart [3/167]
8. Speak in a civilized manner in a language that is recognized by the society and is commonly used [4/5]
9. when you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative [6/152]
10. Do not be a bragging boaster [31/18]
11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain [23/3, 28/55]
12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play, then pass by with dignity
[25/72]
13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious or overt [6/151]
14. If, unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct yourself expeditiously
[3/134]
15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people [31/18]
16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit [17/37, 31/18]
17. Be moderate in thy pace [31/19]
18. Walk with humility and sedateness [25/63]
19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and salacious stares
[24/30-31,40/ 19]
20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, better keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter. But it might have grave consequences [24/15-16]
21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her
until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are
proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence [24/12-13]
22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in ignorance and afterwards repent
of what you did [49/6]
23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you must verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning [17/36].
24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and nobody knows more than yourself. Remember! Above everyone endowed with knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge [12/76]. Even the Prophet [p.b.u.h] was asked to keep praying, "O My sustainer! Advance me in knowledge." [20:114]
25. The believers are but a single Brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and
sisters unto one another [49/10].
26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others [49/11]
27. Do not defame others [49/11]
28. Do not insult others by nicknames [49/11]
29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might deplete your communal
energy [49/12]
30. Spy not upon one another [49/12]
31. Do not backbite one another [49/12]
32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for safety. One who conveys to
You a message of safety and security and also when a courteous greeting is offered to you,
Meet it with a greeting still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy [4/86]
33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else, compliment the inmates
[24/61]
34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission; and then greet
the inmates and wish them a life of blessing, purity and pleasure [24/27]
35. Treat kindly Your parents
" Relatives
" The orphans
" And those who have been left alone in the society [4/36]
36. Take care of The needy
" The disabled
" Those whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their needs
" And those whose business have stalled
" And those who have lost their jobs. [4/36]
37. Treat kindly Your related neighbors and unrelated neighbors
" Companions by your side in public gathering, or public transportation. [4/36]
38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the street, and the one who reaches
you in a destitute condition [4/36]
39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [4/36]
40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them with reminders of your
generosity [2/262].
41. Do not expect a return for your good behavior, not even thanks [76/9].
42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with others in evil and bad
matters [5/2]
43. Do not try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues [53/32]
44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways first. Actions speak
louder than words. You must first practice good deeds yourself, then preach [2/44]
45. Correct yourself and your families first [before trying to correct others] [66/6]
46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out of ignorance, and then
repents and amends [6/54, 3/134]-
47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, and
become a source of tranquility and comfort to people [3/134]
48. Call people to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful exhortation. Reason with
Them most decently [16/125]
49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the Divine code and have
Adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement [6/70]
50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule Divine Law unless they engage in some other
Conversation [4/140]
51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed [4/54]
52. In your collective life, make rooms for others [58/11]
53. When invited to dine, Go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too early to wait for the
preparation of meal or linger after eating to engage in bootless babble. Such things may
cause inconvenience to the host [33/53]
54. Eat and drink [what is lawful] in moderation [7/31]
55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly [17/26]
56. Fulfill your promises and commitments [17/34]
57. Keep yourself clean, pure [9/108, 4/43, 5/6]
58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite character from inside out
[7/26]
59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavor [29/17, 2/188]
60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor bribe the officials
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Cell Phones and The Quran
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Quran like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go ...hmm...where is my Quran?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike a cell phone, we don't ever have to worry
about our Quran being disconnected!
.
Salaam all
Many thanks to brother *Khalid Zaman* for sharing this.
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go ...hmm...where is my Quran?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike a cell phone, we don't ever have to worry
about our Quran being disconnected!
.
Salaam all
Many thanks to brother *Khalid Zaman* for sharing this.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Nine great benefits of reciting the Quran
Indeed to reflect on Allah’s verses is a form of worship that will draw one close to Allah Most High. This reflection is not a reckless and wandering one, rather it includes a study of the classical tafseer (explanation of the Quran) of the verses being pondered over, as this would fulfil Ibnul-Qayyim’s great advice,
“Such as reflecting over a book which a person has memorised and he expounds it so that he may understand what its author intends by it.”
Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, the study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else’s speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His Words to humanity (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). For if one would try to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allah Most High, and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allah. So every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love by reciting and reflecting over Allah’s Book, then let him hold tight to the meanings explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and those taught by the companions and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islam.
So dear brother and sister Muslim! Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of Allah, devoting your time regularly to its study and implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us now look to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to Allah’s Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur’an.
1 - Reading and reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty.
Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) summarised this Religion with his statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes its regular recitation, learning the rules of tajweed (art of reciting the Quran) and reciting it beautifully, learning about its tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it, teaching it and calling to it. [See Jaami’ul-’Uloom wal-Hikam of Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee] So by reading and reflecting over the Qur’an, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Qur’an then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...
2 - The Qur’an will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgment.
This is due to the statement of the Messenger: “And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] So one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in your favor, a proof for you on the Day when you will need every single good deed, or it will be something standing against you, the very Speech of your Creator, a proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, dear Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the Qur’an! Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgment.?! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the Qur’an a proof for us! O Allah! Don’t make the Qur’an a proof against us on that Day, and save us from the hellfire! For if Allah makes the Qur’an a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also be an intercessor for us, when NO intercession will take place except by His Permission.
3 - The Qur’an will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.
The proof: Aboo Umaamah relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Read the Qur’an, for verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim]
4 - Your status in this life will be raised.
In Saheeh Muslim, we find a lovely story, about how a man from the people of Jannah, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, understood this principle. Some men came to question him during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”
5 - You will be from the best of the people.
‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]
6 - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an.
As an authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.
7 - The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan give you false excuses, such as “I am not an ‘Arab,” or “Its not my language.” This hadith is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allah, whether you are an ‘Arab or not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! And surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur’an once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and contemplating over the Qur’an...
8 - Your position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an you memorize in this life!
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-’Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunyaa! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!” [Aboo Daawood and At-Tirmithee, saheeh]
9 - The Qur’an will lead you to Paradise!
The Prophet said: “The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]
Know, dear brother or sister, that these nine benefits from the many benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allah, not by a person’s mere statement, “I love the Qur’an, it’s beautiful.” Rather the heart must be sincerely attached to Allah’s Book and the limbs and tongue will follow in this attachment. You must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many benefits that await your reading in the Qur’an and books of hadith, like the chapter of the Qur’an that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things. And Allah knows best.
“Such as reflecting over a book which a person has memorised and he expounds it so that he may understand what its author intends by it.”
Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, the study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else’s speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His Words to humanity (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). For if one would try to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allah Most High, and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allah. So every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love by reciting and reflecting over Allah’s Book, then let him hold tight to the meanings explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and those taught by the companions and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islam.
So dear brother and sister Muslim! Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of Allah, devoting your time regularly to its study and implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us now look to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to Allah’s Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur’an.
1 - Reading and reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty.
Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) summarised this Religion with his statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes its regular recitation, learning the rules of tajweed (art of reciting the Quran) and reciting it beautifully, learning about its tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it, teaching it and calling to it. [See Jaami’ul-’Uloom wal-Hikam of Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee] So by reading and reflecting over the Qur’an, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Qur’an then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...
2 - The Qur’an will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgment.
This is due to the statement of the Messenger: “And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] So one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in your favor, a proof for you on the Day when you will need every single good deed, or it will be something standing against you, the very Speech of your Creator, a proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, dear Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the Qur’an! Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgment.?! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the Qur’an a proof for us! O Allah! Don’t make the Qur’an a proof against us on that Day, and save us from the hellfire! For if Allah makes the Qur’an a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also be an intercessor for us, when NO intercession will take place except by His Permission.
3 - The Qur’an will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.
The proof: Aboo Umaamah relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Read the Qur’an, for verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim]
4 - Your status in this life will be raised.
In Saheeh Muslim, we find a lovely story, about how a man from the people of Jannah, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, understood this principle. Some men came to question him during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”
5 - You will be from the best of the people.
‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]
6 - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an.
As an authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.
7 - The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan give you false excuses, such as “I am not an ‘Arab,” or “Its not my language.” This hadith is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allah, whether you are an ‘Arab or not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! And surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur’an once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and contemplating over the Qur’an...
8 - Your position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an you memorize in this life!
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-’Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunyaa! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!” [Aboo Daawood and At-Tirmithee, saheeh]
9 - The Qur’an will lead you to Paradise!
The Prophet said: “The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]
Know, dear brother or sister, that these nine benefits from the many benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allah, not by a person’s mere statement, “I love the Qur’an, it’s beautiful.” Rather the heart must be sincerely attached to Allah’s Book and the limbs and tongue will follow in this attachment. You must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many benefits that await your reading in the Qur’an and books of hadith, like the chapter of the Qur’an that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things. And Allah knows best.
Etiquettes For Eating and Drinking according to Quran and Sunnah
A Muslim eats and drinks in order to keep his body healthy so that he may worship Allah the Almighty. This is the worship that will make him qualified for the honour of the life and happiness of the Hereafter. He does not eat and drink for the sake of eating and drinking and its desires. Therefore, if he is not hungry, he does not eat. If he is not thirsty, he does not drink.
Etiquette Before Eating
1. Make SURE your food and drink is HALAL, by preparing them from the permissible sources and your source of earning is halal, too. Allah said: "0 you who believe! Eat of the lawful pure things that We
have provided you. (2:172)
2. The intention for eating should be to strengthen oneself for the purpose of worshipping Allah and to be rewarded for one's eating and drinking. The permissible act then becomes an act of worship that is rewarded by Allah due to the good intention.
3. Wash your hands before eating .
4. The food may be placed on a spread on the floor. This makes the act more modest. Anas (ra - may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah's Messenger (saw - may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not eat upon a table or from a platter. (Bukhari). However, if one eats at a table, there is no harm.
5. Sit to eat in a modest fashion. Allah's Messenger (saw) said:"I do not eat while reclining. Instead, I am a servant (of God), so I eat like a servant eats and I sit like a servant sits. (Bukhari)
6. Be satisfied by the food that is presented in front of you and don't find fault with it. If you like it, eat it. Otherwise, leave it. This is based on the statement of Abu Hurayrah (ra): "Allah's Messenger (saw)| never found fault with any food. If he desired it, he would eat it. If he disliked it, he would leave it." (Bukhari)
7. Eat along with others. This is based the Hadith: "Eat your food together, for you will thereby be blessed in it." (Abu Dawud, Tirmithi)
Etiquette While Eating
1. Begin eating by saying: Bismillaah (In the Name of Allah). Allah's Messenger (saw) stated: "If any of you is about to eat, he should mention the Name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the Name of Allah at the beginning, he should say, 'In the Name of Allah over the beginning and the ending.' (Abu Dawud)
2. Eat with your right hand ONLY. The Prophet (saw) commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, "The Shaytaan (devil) eats with his left hand and drinks with
his left hand." (Muslim).
3. Eat with three fingers of the right hand. However, you may eat with a fork or spoon. There is no harm.
4. Eat food that is close to you and not take from the middle of the plate. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "The blessings descend from the middle of the food. So eat from the edges and do not eat from the middle. "(At-Tirmithi)
5. If you drop some food, PICK IT UP,clean it and eat it. Allah's Messenger (saw) stated: "If a morsel of food falls from any of you, he should take it and wipe it clean of any dirt and then eat it. He should not leave it for
the Shaytan." (Muslim)
6. Do NOT blow over hot food; instead, wait until it cools down. Remember this, especially when feeding our kids.
7. Avoid overeating. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "A human does not fill any container worse than his stomach. It is enough for a human to have some morsels to strengthen his back (keep his back straight). If he must eat more, then it should be one-third of his stomach for food, one-third for drink and one-third for breathing." (Ahmad)
8. Do NOT criticize food. "The Prophet (saw) never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything. Bukhaari, Muslim. Or he would say, "I do not feel like eating this." Bukhaari, Muslim).
9. You may praise food, as when the Prophet (saw) asked his family for food, and they said, "We have nothing but vinegar." He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, "What a good food is vinegar." Muslim
10. It is OK to talk while eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.
11. Do not begin to take food or drink if there is someone else present who should go before you, such as an older person or a virtuous person. This is considered impolite behavior.
12. Be considerate of your eating companion, especially if there is not much food. In that case, you may be eating the food that someone else has a right to.
13. Do not do anything that the others generally consider gross behavior, like talking with your mouth full, making loud chewing sounds, slurping, etc.
Etiquette After Eating
1.Stop eating before becoming full, thereby following the example of Allah's Messenger (saw).
2. Messenger of Allah (saw) instructed His followers that after taking meal they should lick their fingers before they wash or wipe them with a towel.
3. Pick up whatever has fallen from your food while eating.This is a way of expressing gratitude for Allah's bounties.
4. End your meal with the praises of Allah. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "If a person eats any food and then says, 'Praise is to Allah who fed me this and provided for me without any strength or power on my part,' all of his previous sins will be forgiven." (At-Tirmithi)
5. If you drank milk, say: "O Allah, bless us in what You have provided for us and increase it for us. "(Abu Dawud) 6.If you break your fast at a someone's place, say:
"May the fasting break their fast with you, may the pious eat your food and may the angels invoke blessings for you." (Abu Dawud)
Etiquette Before Eating
1. Make SURE your food and drink is HALAL, by preparing them from the permissible sources and your source of earning is halal, too. Allah said: "0 you who believe! Eat of the lawful pure things that We
have provided you. (2:172)
2. The intention for eating should be to strengthen oneself for the purpose of worshipping Allah and to be rewarded for one's eating and drinking. The permissible act then becomes an act of worship that is rewarded by Allah due to the good intention.
3. Wash your hands before eating .
4. The food may be placed on a spread on the floor. This makes the act more modest. Anas (ra - may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah's Messenger (saw - may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not eat upon a table or from a platter. (Bukhari). However, if one eats at a table, there is no harm.
5. Sit to eat in a modest fashion. Allah's Messenger (saw) said:"I do not eat while reclining. Instead, I am a servant (of God), so I eat like a servant eats and I sit like a servant sits. (Bukhari)
6. Be satisfied by the food that is presented in front of you and don't find fault with it. If you like it, eat it. Otherwise, leave it. This is based on the statement of Abu Hurayrah (ra): "Allah's Messenger (saw)| never found fault with any food. If he desired it, he would eat it. If he disliked it, he would leave it." (Bukhari)
7. Eat along with others. This is based the Hadith: "Eat your food together, for you will thereby be blessed in it." (Abu Dawud, Tirmithi)
Etiquette While Eating
1. Begin eating by saying: Bismillaah (In the Name of Allah). Allah's Messenger (saw) stated: "If any of you is about to eat, he should mention the Name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the Name of Allah at the beginning, he should say, 'In the Name of Allah over the beginning and the ending.' (Abu Dawud)
2. Eat with your right hand ONLY. The Prophet (saw) commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, "The Shaytaan (devil) eats with his left hand and drinks with
his left hand." (Muslim).
3. Eat with three fingers of the right hand. However, you may eat with a fork or spoon. There is no harm.
4. Eat food that is close to you and not take from the middle of the plate. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "The blessings descend from the middle of the food. So eat from the edges and do not eat from the middle. "(At-Tirmithi)
5. If you drop some food, PICK IT UP,clean it and eat it. Allah's Messenger (saw) stated: "If a morsel of food falls from any of you, he should take it and wipe it clean of any dirt and then eat it. He should not leave it for
the Shaytan." (Muslim)
6. Do NOT blow over hot food; instead, wait until it cools down. Remember this, especially when feeding our kids.
7. Avoid overeating. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "A human does not fill any container worse than his stomach. It is enough for a human to have some morsels to strengthen his back (keep his back straight). If he must eat more, then it should be one-third of his stomach for food, one-third for drink and one-third for breathing." (Ahmad)
8. Do NOT criticize food. "The Prophet (saw) never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything. Bukhaari, Muslim. Or he would say, "I do not feel like eating this." Bukhaari, Muslim).
9. You may praise food, as when the Prophet (saw) asked his family for food, and they said, "We have nothing but vinegar." He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, "What a good food is vinegar." Muslim
10. It is OK to talk while eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.
11. Do not begin to take food or drink if there is someone else present who should go before you, such as an older person or a virtuous person. This is considered impolite behavior.
12. Be considerate of your eating companion, especially if there is not much food. In that case, you may be eating the food that someone else has a right to.
13. Do not do anything that the others generally consider gross behavior, like talking with your mouth full, making loud chewing sounds, slurping, etc.
Etiquette After Eating
1.Stop eating before becoming full, thereby following the example of Allah's Messenger (saw).
2. Messenger of Allah (saw) instructed His followers that after taking meal they should lick their fingers before they wash or wipe them with a towel.
3. Pick up whatever has fallen from your food while eating.This is a way of expressing gratitude for Allah's bounties.
4. End your meal with the praises of Allah. Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "If a person eats any food and then says, 'Praise is to Allah who fed me this and provided for me without any strength or power on my part,' all of his previous sins will be forgiven." (At-Tirmithi)
5. If you drank milk, say: "O Allah, bless us in what You have provided for us and increase it for us. "(Abu Dawud) 6.If you break your fast at a someone's place, say:
"May the fasting break their fast with you, may the pious eat your food and may the angels invoke blessings for you." (Abu Dawud)
Monday, October 02, 2006
My question is regarding the order in which the quran should be recited in a prayer
Question:
My question is regarding the order in which the quran should be recited in a prayer, either outloud or quietely.
Should the wroshipper recite the surahs or ayahs in the order that they are presented in the quran. For example, is it permissible to recite surah Al-Nas in the first rakah followed by surah Al-Kawthar in the second rakah, or ayah 50-60 in surah al Baqara (for example), followed by ayah 10-20 in the second rakah.
please clarify this and explain why so.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Reading later parts of the Qur'aan before earlier parts is called Tankees (inversion). There are different types of Tankees:
Tankees al-Huroof (inversion of letters)
Tankees al-Kalimaat (inversion of words)
Tankees al-Aayat (inversion of verses)
Tankees al-Suwar (inversion of Soorahs)
Tankees al-Huroof (inversion of letters) means putting a later letter before a previous letter in one word, for example, instead of "Rabb" one reads "Barr"
Undoubtedly this is haraam, and invalidates a person's prayer, because it changes the Qur'aan from the way in which it was spoken by Allaah, and usually alters the meaning in a drastic manner.
(Al-Sharh al-Mumti' by Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/110)
Tankees al-Kalimaat (inversion of words) means putting a later word before a previous word, for example, instead of "Qul huwa Allaahu ahad", one reads "Ahad Allaah huwa qul"!
This also is undoubtedly haraam, because it changes the Qur'aan from the way in which it was spoken by Allaah.
(Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 3/110)
Tankees al-Aayat (inversion of verses) means reciting a later aayah before a previous aayah, for example, reciting "min sharr il-waswaas il-khannaas" before "ilaah il-naas"!
Concerning this, al-Qaadi `Ayyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
There is no dispute concerning the order of the aayahs in each soorah. This is something which is Tawqeefi, i.e., based on revelation [and is not open to ijtihaad], and the order is that which now appears in the Mus-haf, and this is how the ummah transmitted it from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(Sharh al-Nawawi, 6/62. This was also the view of Ibn al-`Arabi, as stated in al-Fath, 2/257).
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
Tankees al-aayaat (inverting verses) is also haraam according to the most correct view, because the order of the aayahs is tawqeefi (something which is based on revelation [and not open to ijtihaad]). The meaning of "tawqeefi" is that it was dictated by the order of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(al-Sharh al-Mumti', 3/110).
Tankees al-Suwar (inversion of Soorahs) means, reciting later soorahs before earlier ones, for example, reciting Aal `Imraan before al-Baqarah.
The ruling on this:
Those scholars who say that the order of soorahs is not tawqeefi do not see anything wrong with this.
Those who think that it is tawqeefi or that the consensus of the Sahaabah on the order of soorahs is evidence, do not think that it is permissible.
The correct view:
Is that the order of soorahs is not tawqeefi; it is the result of ijtihaad on the part of some of the Sahaabah.
There was no ijmaa' (consensus) among the Sahaabah on the order of soorahs; the order in the Mus-haf of `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood _ for example _ is different from that in the Mushafs of others.
In the Sunnah there is evidence that supports the view that it is permissible:
(A) Hudhayfah said: I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one night, and he started to recite al-Baqarah. I thought, he will do rukoo' when he reaches one hundred aayaat, but he kept going. I thought, he will complete it in one rak'ah, but he kept going. I thought, he will do rukoo' now, but he started to recite al-Nisaa', and he recited all of it, then he started to recite Aal `Imraan and recited all of it… (Narrated by Muslim, 772).
The evidence in this hadeeth is that he recited al-Nisaa' then Aal `Imraan.
Al-Nawawi said:
Al-Qaadi `Ayyaad said: this contains evidence for those who say that the order of soorahs is the result of ijtihaad on the part of the Muslims when they wrote down the Mus-haf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not dictate the order of soorahs; he entrusted this task to his ummah after his death. This is the view of Maalik and the majority of the scholars, and was the view favoured by al-Qaadi Abu Bakr al-Baaqillaani. Ibn al-Baaqillaani said: it is the more correct of the two views, although both are possible.
He said: what we say is that the order of soorahs is not binding when writing, praying, studying, teaching or learning. There is no report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning that which would make it forbidden to differ from it. Hence the order of soorahs in the various Mus-hafs differed, before the Mus-haf of `Uthmaan.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the ummah after him in all ages regarded it as permissible to differ from the order of soorahs in prayer, and when studying and teaching.
He said: with regard to the view of those scholars who say that (the order of soorahs) was set by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and that he put them in the same order as appears in the Mus-haf of `Uthmaan _ and that the different orders came about before they heard of his ruling and his final review of the Qur'aan with Jibreel _ they interpret the fact that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited al-Nisaa' first and then Aal `Imraan as meaning that this happened before the final ruling was dictated, and these two soorahs appear in this order in the Mus-haf of Ubayy.
He said: there is no dispute concerning the fact that a person who is praying may recite in the second rak'ah a soorah which comes before the soorah which he recited in the first rak'ah; but it is makrooh to do this in one rak'ah, or when reciting Qur'aan outside of salaah.
He said: but some of them permitted this.
The prohibition of the Salaf against reading the Qur'aan backwards is interpreted as referring to those who read from the end of a soorah to the beginning.
He said: there is no dispute concerning the fact that the order of aayaat in each soorah is based on revelation from Allaah and is as it now appears in the Mus-haf and as it was transmitted by the ummah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(End of the comments of al-Qaadi `Ayyaad). And Allaah knows best.
(Sharh Muslim, 6/61, 62).
Al-Sindi said:
The phrase [in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah] "then he started to recite Aal `Imraan" means that it is not obligatory to follow the order of soorahs when reciting.
(Sharh al-Nisaa'i, 3/226).
(B) It was reported from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a man from among the Ansaar used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Qubaa'. Every time he led them in prayer, he would start his recitation with "Qul huwa Allaahu ahad", then when he finished it, he would recite another soorah. He did that in every rak'ah. His companions spoke with him and said, "You always start with this soorah, then you do not think it is enough and you recite another. Either you should recite this soorah alone, or you should leave it and recite another." He said, "I am not going to stop reciting it. If you like, I will lead you in prayer as I have been doing, and if you do not like it, I will leave you." They felt that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to them, they told him about this. He said, "O So and so, what is stopping you from doing what your companions tell you? What makes you keep on reciting this soorah in every rak'ah?" He said, "I love it." He said, "Your love for it will grant you admittance to Paradise." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari mu'allaqan, and by al-Tirmidhi with an isnaad similar to that of al-Bukhaari, 2901).
The evidence in this report is the fact that the man recited Soorat al-Ikhlaas in his prayer before any other soorah that comes before it (in the Mus-haf), and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of that.
(C) This is the action of `Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Al-Imaam al-Bukhaari said:
Al-Ahnaf recited al-Kahf in the first rak'ah and Yoosuf or Yoonus in the second, and he said that he had prayed Fajr with `Umar and he had done the same.
(Baab al-Jam' bayna Sooratayn fi'l-Rak'ah, in Kitaab al-Adhaan).
With regard to the latter part of your question, we say:
It is permissible to recite aayahs 50-60 of al-Baqarah in the first rak'ah, then to recite aayahs 1-20 of al-Baqarah in the second rak'ah, because then the meaning of the passage will be complete.
But reciting aayahs 10-20 means that one is cutting off the meaning, so it is better not to do this. Perhaps you mentioned the numbers only by way of example and you did not mean these particular aayaat. And Allaah knows best.
My question is regarding the order in which the quran should be recited in a prayer, either outloud or quietely.
Should the wroshipper recite the surahs or ayahs in the order that they are presented in the quran. For example, is it permissible to recite surah Al-Nas in the first rakah followed by surah Al-Kawthar in the second rakah, or ayah 50-60 in surah al Baqara (for example), followed by ayah 10-20 in the second rakah.
please clarify this and explain why so.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Reading later parts of the Qur'aan before earlier parts is called Tankees (inversion). There are different types of Tankees:
Tankees al-Huroof (inversion of letters)
Tankees al-Kalimaat (inversion of words)
Tankees al-Aayat (inversion of verses)
Tankees al-Suwar (inversion of Soorahs)
Tankees al-Huroof (inversion of letters) means putting a later letter before a previous letter in one word, for example, instead of "Rabb" one reads "Barr"
Undoubtedly this is haraam, and invalidates a person's prayer, because it changes the Qur'aan from the way in which it was spoken by Allaah, and usually alters the meaning in a drastic manner.
(Al-Sharh al-Mumti' by Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/110)
Tankees al-Kalimaat (inversion of words) means putting a later word before a previous word, for example, instead of "Qul huwa Allaahu ahad", one reads "Ahad Allaah huwa qul"!
This also is undoubtedly haraam, because it changes the Qur'aan from the way in which it was spoken by Allaah.
(Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 3/110)
Tankees al-Aayat (inversion of verses) means reciting a later aayah before a previous aayah, for example, reciting "min sharr il-waswaas il-khannaas" before "ilaah il-naas"!
Concerning this, al-Qaadi `Ayyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
There is no dispute concerning the order of the aayahs in each soorah. This is something which is Tawqeefi, i.e., based on revelation [and is not open to ijtihaad], and the order is that which now appears in the Mus-haf, and this is how the ummah transmitted it from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(Sharh al-Nawawi, 6/62. This was also the view of Ibn al-`Arabi, as stated in al-Fath, 2/257).
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen said:
Tankees al-aayaat (inverting verses) is also haraam according to the most correct view, because the order of the aayahs is tawqeefi (something which is based on revelation [and not open to ijtihaad]). The meaning of "tawqeefi" is that it was dictated by the order of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(al-Sharh al-Mumti', 3/110).
Tankees al-Suwar (inversion of Soorahs) means, reciting later soorahs before earlier ones, for example, reciting Aal `Imraan before al-Baqarah.
The ruling on this:
Those scholars who say that the order of soorahs is not tawqeefi do not see anything wrong with this.
Those who think that it is tawqeefi or that the consensus of the Sahaabah on the order of soorahs is evidence, do not think that it is permissible.
The correct view:
Is that the order of soorahs is not tawqeefi; it is the result of ijtihaad on the part of some of the Sahaabah.
There was no ijmaa' (consensus) among the Sahaabah on the order of soorahs; the order in the Mus-haf of `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood _ for example _ is different from that in the Mushafs of others.
In the Sunnah there is evidence that supports the view that it is permissible:
(A) Hudhayfah said: I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one night, and he started to recite al-Baqarah. I thought, he will do rukoo' when he reaches one hundred aayaat, but he kept going. I thought, he will complete it in one rak'ah, but he kept going. I thought, he will do rukoo' now, but he started to recite al-Nisaa', and he recited all of it, then he started to recite Aal `Imraan and recited all of it… (Narrated by Muslim, 772).
The evidence in this hadeeth is that he recited al-Nisaa' then Aal `Imraan.
Al-Nawawi said:
Al-Qaadi `Ayyaad said: this contains evidence for those who say that the order of soorahs is the result of ijtihaad on the part of the Muslims when they wrote down the Mus-haf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not dictate the order of soorahs; he entrusted this task to his ummah after his death. This is the view of Maalik and the majority of the scholars, and was the view favoured by al-Qaadi Abu Bakr al-Baaqillaani. Ibn al-Baaqillaani said: it is the more correct of the two views, although both are possible.
He said: what we say is that the order of soorahs is not binding when writing, praying, studying, teaching or learning. There is no report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning that which would make it forbidden to differ from it. Hence the order of soorahs in the various Mus-hafs differed, before the Mus-haf of `Uthmaan.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the ummah after him in all ages regarded it as permissible to differ from the order of soorahs in prayer, and when studying and teaching.
He said: with regard to the view of those scholars who say that (the order of soorahs) was set by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and that he put them in the same order as appears in the Mus-haf of `Uthmaan _ and that the different orders came about before they heard of his ruling and his final review of the Qur'aan with Jibreel _ they interpret the fact that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited al-Nisaa' first and then Aal `Imraan as meaning that this happened before the final ruling was dictated, and these two soorahs appear in this order in the Mus-haf of Ubayy.
He said: there is no dispute concerning the fact that a person who is praying may recite in the second rak'ah a soorah which comes before the soorah which he recited in the first rak'ah; but it is makrooh to do this in one rak'ah, or when reciting Qur'aan outside of salaah.
He said: but some of them permitted this.
The prohibition of the Salaf against reading the Qur'aan backwards is interpreted as referring to those who read from the end of a soorah to the beginning.
He said: there is no dispute concerning the fact that the order of aayaat in each soorah is based on revelation from Allaah and is as it now appears in the Mus-haf and as it was transmitted by the ummah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
(End of the comments of al-Qaadi `Ayyaad). And Allaah knows best.
(Sharh Muslim, 6/61, 62).
Al-Sindi said:
The phrase [in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah] "then he started to recite Aal `Imraan" means that it is not obligatory to follow the order of soorahs when reciting.
(Sharh al-Nisaa'i, 3/226).
(B) It was reported from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a man from among the Ansaar used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Qubaa'. Every time he led them in prayer, he would start his recitation with "Qul huwa Allaahu ahad", then when he finished it, he would recite another soorah. He did that in every rak'ah. His companions spoke with him and said, "You always start with this soorah, then you do not think it is enough and you recite another. Either you should recite this soorah alone, or you should leave it and recite another." He said, "I am not going to stop reciting it. If you like, I will lead you in prayer as I have been doing, and if you do not like it, I will leave you." They felt that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to them, they told him about this. He said, "O So and so, what is stopping you from doing what your companions tell you? What makes you keep on reciting this soorah in every rak'ah?" He said, "I love it." He said, "Your love for it will grant you admittance to Paradise." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari mu'allaqan, and by al-Tirmidhi with an isnaad similar to that of al-Bukhaari, 2901).
The evidence in this report is the fact that the man recited Soorat al-Ikhlaas in his prayer before any other soorah that comes before it (in the Mus-haf), and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of that.
(C) This is the action of `Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Al-Imaam al-Bukhaari said:
Al-Ahnaf recited al-Kahf in the first rak'ah and Yoosuf or Yoonus in the second, and he said that he had prayed Fajr with `Umar and he had done the same.
(Baab al-Jam' bayna Sooratayn fi'l-Rak'ah, in Kitaab al-Adhaan).
With regard to the latter part of your question, we say:
It is permissible to recite aayahs 50-60 of al-Baqarah in the first rak'ah, then to recite aayahs 1-20 of al-Baqarah in the second rak'ah, because then the meaning of the passage will be complete.
But reciting aayahs 10-20 means that one is cutting off the meaning, so it is better not to do this. Perhaps you mentioned the numbers only by way of example and you did not mean these particular aayaat. And Allaah knows best.
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