Offering a Two Rak'ah Prayer After Tawaf

It is sunnah to offer a two rak'ah prayer after completing the tawaf at the Station of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), or at any other place in the Sacred Mosque, regardless of whether it is a supererogatory tawaf or obligatory one (as in Hajj or 'Umrah).

Jabir reported that "When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Makkah, he went around the Ka'bah seven times, then went to the Station of Ibrahim and recited the verse (Qur'an 2.125): "And take of the Station of Abraham a place of prayer." He prayed behind it, and then went to the Black Stone and kissed it." (Reported by Tirmizhi who considers it a sound hadith)

In this two rak'ah prayer, it is sunnah to recite Surah Al-Kafirun, in the first rak 'ah, and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the second rak 'ah, after reciting Al-Fatihah. (Reported by Muslim and others) These two rak'ahs may be offered at any time of the day and night including the prohibited times.

Jubair bin Mut'im reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "O Bani Abd Manaf! Do not prevent anyone from performing tawaf around the Ka'bah. One may pray (in the Sacred Mosque) any time during the day or night." (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Tirmizhi who regards it a sound hadith) Ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad hold this view.

Though it is sunnah to offer this two rak'ah prayer after the tawaf in the Sacred Mosque, it may also be offered outside the Mosque. Umm Salamah reported that she performed a tawaf around the House riding, but she did not offer the two rak'ah prayer until she had left the Mosque. (Bukhari) Malik reported from 'Umar that he offered these two rak'ahs at Zhi Tuwa valley. Bukhari also has reported that 'Umar prayed (these two rak'ahs) outside the Sacred Mosque.

If one offered a prescribed prayer after the tawaf then he need not offer this two rak'ah prayer. The Shafi'i school holds this view, which is also in accordance with the well known position of Ahmad. The Maliki and the Hanafi schools are of the opinion that these two rak'ahs must be offered and no other prayer can replace them.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah (here)

Du’aa of Istikhaarah

(youtube by ummsuhayb : here )

Beautifully recited by Mishary Raashid al-'Afasy.

Here is the Arabic of the du'aa:

اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك ، واستقدرك بقدرتك ، وأسألك من فضلك العظيم ، فإنك تقدر ولا أقدر ، وتعلم ولا أعلم ، وأنت علام الغيوب . اللهم إن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر- ويسمي حاجته - خير لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري فاقدره لي ، ويسره لي ، ثم بارك لي فيه . وإن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر شر لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري فاصرفه عني واصرفني عنه واقدر لي الخير حيث كان ثم أرضني به

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Here is the English Transliteration of the du'aa:

[Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi'ilmik, wa astaqdiruka biqudratik, wa as aluka min fadlikal 'atheem, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa laa a'lam, wa anta 'allaamul ghuyoob. Allaahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna haathal amr. -here you mention your need-. Khayrun lee fee deeni wa ma'aashi wa 'aaqibati amree faqdirhu lee wa yassirhu lee, thumma baarik lee fee. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna haathal amr sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma'aashi wa 'aaqibati amree fasrifhu annee wasrifni an waqdir li al-khayra haythu kaan thumma ardineebi.]

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And here is the English meaning:

O Allaah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allaah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it , and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.

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Jabir bin Abdullaah –RadhiAllaahu anhu- said 

"the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- used to teach us al-Istikharah (a prayer said for seeking blessings in carrying out a decision) for all matters, just like he used to teach us a chapter from the Qur’aan, he would say: If any of you intends to undertake a matter then he should pray two Rakah other than an obligatory prayer then he should say the Du'aa of Istikhaarah.

Ibn al-Qayyim -Rahimullaah- said:

‘So the purpose of al-Istikharah is to rely upon Allaah and entrustment to Him and the capability to fulfill the action with Allaah’s Capability, His knowledge. And that Allaah chooses good for His slave, and this is from those things which necessitate being pleased with Allaah as the Lord. As a person will not taste the flavour of Eemaan if he does not have these things (reliance, entrustment etc), and if he is pleased with destiny after al-Istikharah then that is a sign of happiness.’

[Taken from ‘Za’ad al-Ma’aad’ by Ibn al-Qayyim 2/443-445]

Shaykh Muhammad bin Umar Bazmool said:

‘That al-Istikharah is not done when a person is uncertain about the matter at hand; because the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘If any of you intends to undertake a matter’ and that the whole of the Dua’ indicates to this point.

So if a Muslim is uncertain about a matter, and he intends to pray al-Istikharah , then he should make a choice between the two matters and then pray al-Istikharah , and then after al-Istikharah he executes that matter, and if it was good then Allaah will make it easy for him and bless him in that, and if it was not good for him, then Allaah turns it away from him and makes easy for him that in which there is good by the permission of Allaah -Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.

[Taken from: ‘Buggeeyat al-Mutattawa’ fee salat at-tattawa’ p.105]

Benefits of Prayers by Ibn Qayyim Jawzyah

In his excellent book, Zaad al-Ma'aad, in the section which includes the book, At-Tibb an-Nabawee, Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have Mercy on him) stated in his alphabetized discussion of medicines and nutrition:

Allaah the Exalted has said:

( And seek help in patience and in prayer. Surely that is something quite difficult on (people) other than people of humility and submissiveness )

And HE has said:

( O you who believe! Seek help in patience and in prayer! Verily, Allaah is with those who are patient. )

And HE, the Exalted One, has said:

(And command your family to pray, and be patient upon that. We are not asking you for any provisions,(rather) We provide for you, and the favorable outcome is for (those with) taqwaa (consciousness of Allaah that produces righteous actions). )

And in the Books of Sunnah it is reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) used to hasten to prayer whenever an affair disturbed him.

And previously discussed was the concept of healing most ailments through prayer before seeking out other ways of dealing with them.

- 1 - Prayer is something that causes one to receive sustenance.

- 2 - It draws one close to Ar-Rahmaan (Allaah, the Most Merciful).

- 3 - It keeps away the Shaytaan (the Devil).

- 4 - It is something that safeguards one's physical health.

- 5 - It keeps away harmful things.

- 6 - It casts away illnesses.

- 7 - It strengthens the heart.

- 8 - It brightens one's countenance.

- 9 - It delights the soul.

- 10 - It gets rid of laziness.

- 11 - It makes the limbs active.

- 12 - It increases one's physical strength.

- 13 - It expands the chest (making one at ease and giving him insight).

- 14 - It is nourishment for the soul.

- 15 - It illuminates the heart.

- 16 - It safeguards one's blessings.

- 17 - It repels catastrophes.

- 18 - It brings on blessings.

And overall, it has an amazing effect on the health of the body and heart, and in strengthening them and expelling harmful pollutants from them. No two people have been afflicted with any disability, disease, or other calamity, except that the portion of the one who prays is less and his outcome is cleaner.

Also, prayer has an amazing effect on the evils of the dunyaa (the worldly life) and how it repels them, especially when the prayer is performed properly and completely, inwardly and outwardly. Nothing keeps the evils of the dunyaa at bay and brings on the benefits of it like prayer.

The reason behind this is that prayer is one's connection to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. So based on the strength of a person's relationship with his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, the doors of goodness will accordingly be opened up for him, bad things and the reasons for them befalling him will be cut off, and the elements of success granted by His Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, will begin pouring in, along with safety and good health, wealth and worldly riches, relaxation, bliss, enjoyment, and all types of joyful affairs will be brought to him, and in an expedient manner, too.

( Here )

Sajdah Tilawah

(From Saudi Gazette - Fatwa)

Q – If I come across a verse in which there is a prostration when I am reciting the Qur’an at my desk, or when I am teaching the students, or at any other place, should I perform Sajdah Tilawah, or not? And is the prostration for the reciter and the listener both?

A – Sajdah Tilawah is a Sunnah for the reciter and for the listener and it is not an obligation, nor is it prescribed for the listener except while following the reciter. So if you recite a verse in which there is a prostration in your office or at the place of instruction, it is lawful for you to make prostration and it is prescribed for the students to prostrate with you, because they are the listeners. And if you do not observe the prostration, there is no objection.

– Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol. 2, pg. 282

Sajdah at-Tilawah (Arabic: سجدة التلاوة) is a prostration (sujud) that is performed when certain verses of the Qur`an are recited or read. According to Ibn Hazm, performing this protstration is not obligatory (wajib), but is surplus.

For example Zaid bin Thabit related in a hadith that the Prophet did not prostrate when the former read surat an-Najm to him.

Generally, there are fourteen sajdahs in the Qur'an. According to Imam ash-Shafi' the fifteenth verse is in surat al-Hajj 22:77. The ayat of sajdah are marked with the following symbol in the Qur'an: ۩. The fifteen verses of prostration are:

1. al-'Araf 7:206

2. ar-Ra’d 13:15

3. an-Nahl 16:49

4. al-Isra' 17:107

5. Maryam 19:58

6. al-Hajj 22:18

7. al-Hajj 22:77

8. al-Furqan 25:60

9. an-Naml 27:25

10. as-Sajdah 32:15

11. Saad 38:24

12. Fussilat 41:37

13. an-Najm 53:62

14. al-Inshiqaq 84:21

15. al-‘Alaq 96:19

Punctuality of Prayer

Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda gives an important reminder about the importance of the five daily prayers. Miraculously, the prayers have the ability to enhance all aspects of our lives (school, work, family, etc.). We should strive to make the prayers an event in our daily schedules, instead of just praying when we get time throughout the day.

(From youtube : Quran Weekly - here)

Here are some tips from Syeikh Abdul Nasir on how to safeguard your prayers:

1. Punctuality.

Treat Solat as a priority. Sometimes we think that we do not get the focus of solat but it is actually because we do not treat solat as number one.

2. Make every Solat an Event.

Abdullah bin Mas’ud had asked the Prophet (PBUH), “Which deed is the dearest to Allah?”

The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “To offer As-Salat (the prayers) at their early stated fixed times.”

3. Treat prayer as a valuable commodity.

Solat is the most valuable asset that we have. It is the basis and foundation of our relationship with Allah. Like a diamond or a hidden pearl in the depths of the ocean, solat is such a valuable asset that we have to protect and safeguard it.

“Guard strictly As-Salat (prayers) especially the middle solat. And stand before Allah with obedience.” – Al-Baqarah, 238