VIRTUE OF DHUHA

The time of Dhuha begins when the sun is about a spear’s length above the horizon and
it continues until the sun reaches its meridian. It is preferred to delay it until the sun has risen high and the day has become hot.

The minimum number of rak’ahs to be prayed is two. The most that the Prophet
(SAW) performed was eight rak’ahs. Umm Hani narrated that the Prophet (SAW)
prayed eight rak’ahs of Dhuha and made the taslim after every two rak’ahs.
(Abu Dawud)

After the completion of the prayer, one is recommended to recite the following du’a:

DHUHA (Chaasht) SALAAH:


According to authentic Ahaadeeth of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]:

When anyone of you awakens in the morning, you must give sadaqah (charity) for every joint (of your body).

So, every tasbih is sadaqah and every tahmeed is sadaqah and and every tahleel is sadaqah and every takbeer is sadaqah and to enjoin a good action is sadaqah and forbidding an evil action is sadaqah.

And equal to all of this collectively is (the reward) a person gains from performing two raka’aat at the time of Dhuhaa (Chaasht).

(Sahih Muslim)

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(http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=518)


From Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said:

'Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, then prays two units of prayer has the reward like that of Hajj and `Umrah.'" He said, "Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: 'Complete, complete, complete (i.e. reward).'"

(Related by at-Tirmidhi (2/586), Takhreej Ahmad Shakir. `Abu `Isa (at-Tirmidhi) said: This hadeeth is hasan ghareeb. Shakir said in his verification: At-Tirmidhi declared it hasan, and in its chain of narrators is Abu Dhilaal, and he has been spoken about, but the hadeeth has other supporting narrations. Al-Albani declared it hasan in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi (591) and At-Ta`leeq ar-Ragheeb (164 and 165) and Saheeh at-Targheeb (1/461) and declared it saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami` (6346).)

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From Abi Umaamah who said: "Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said:

'Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation then sits remembering Allah until he sun rises, then stands up ad prays two units of prayer returns with the reward of Hajj and `Umrah.'"

[Majma` uz-Zawaid of al-Haythami 10/104-105] Related by at-Tabarani and its isnad is good. Al-Albani declared it hasan in Saheeh at-Targheeb (1/464)]

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From `Usrah who said, "I heard the Mother of believers, meaning `Aa'isha, say:

'I heard Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, say: 'Whoever prays fajr (or he said al-ghadaah, [transl. both referring to the morning prayer]), then sits in his place and does not speak idly with something from matters of this world and remembers Allah until he prays four units of Dhuha, he will leave his sins like the day his mother bore him, without any sin.''"

[al-Mataalib al-`Aaliyah bi Zawaa'id al-Masaaneed ath-Thamaaniyah of Ibn Hajr (3/3394), takhreej: Habeeb ur-Rahman al-A`dhami. The authenticator said: "Al-Buwaysari said: 'Abu Ya`laa related it about Salat adh-Dhuha with a hasan chain.'"] Related by Abu Ya`laa and at-Tabarani related something similar to it in al-Awsat.

Salaat-ul-Istikhara

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
Assalaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu
Salaat-ul-Istikhara and its Rulings

(Summary from the Book, "The Three Abandoned Prayers" by Shaykh Adnaan Ali Uroor)

(http://www.geocities.com/albayaan/shaban1421/istikhara.html)

When the servant is concerned about an affair or decides upon a matter, or a problem arises in his mind and he wishes to act upon it, then he should seek guidance from his Lord before embarking upon it (as established in Sahih Bukhari vol.2, no.263; Ahmad 3/344; Abu Dawood vol.1. no.1533, an-Nasa'i no.3253, Tirmidhi no.480, Ibn Majah no.1383) by the following:

FIRSTLY: that he fulfills all the conditions of superogatory prayer - which are the same conditions for the obligatory prayer except the condition of enterning of the time for that particular prayer.

SECONDLY: that he prays two rakaahs of superogatory prayer, with the intention of al-Istikharaah (seeking guidance).

THIRDLY: after the prayer, he should make the supplication of al-Istikharaah:

Translation:
"O Allah, I seek your counsel by Your knowledge and I seek your assistance by Your power and I ask You from Your immense favor, 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 Allah, if You know this affair (and here he mentions his need) to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life and aftermath, then decree it and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me concerning my religion, my life and end, then remove me from it, and decree for me what is good, wherever it maybe, and make me satisfied with it"

"The du'aa of one of you in answered so long as he does not become impatient and say "I made a du'aa to my Lord but He did not answer me"" (Bukhari, vol.8 352; Muslim, vol.4 6595).


FOURTHLY: He should have a strong assurance in his Lord and truthful reliance upon his Lord , being sure of guidance, waiting for the answer.



SOME FURTHER POINTS

* Salaat ul Istikharaah is not allowed in the times when salah is prohibited

*There is no specific surah to be recited in al-Istikharaah.

*The du'aa is to be performed after the two rakahs, without interruption. If one forgets to say it immediately but he still has wudhu and is still sitting then he should make it. If one has walked away then he must repeat the two rakahs.

* It is necessary to adhere to the exact text - "Verily the wordings of the duas are maintained exactly to the form established from the Prophet" (an-Nawawi, al-Majmoo 3/495). The scholars differ whether one is permitted to say something before the dua (praising Allah swt) and after it (saying salaam on the Prophet saw), as the general evidences for du'aa suggest this; or if it should be disallowed given al-istikharaah is a specific du'aa, therefore it is not befitting to add to it.

*The general rule is one hands should be raised unless proved that the Prophet (saw) did not do this in a particular dua. "Verily your Lord is generous, shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty" (Ahmad, Abu Dawood vol.1 1483, Tirmidhi)

* Whether ones heart inclines towards something before al-Istikharah or not, the individual should still make al-Istikharaah for this affair.

*The individual should also seek guidance from those whom he knows to be righteous, whether before or after performing al-Istikharaah.



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"There is not a Muslim on the face of the earth that invokes Allah with a supplication except that he will be granted it or will be protected from an evil equal to his supplication, so long as the supplication is not for a sinful matter or for severing the family ties"
(Tirmidhi no.3568; see also Ahmad 3/18; and al-Haakim 1/493)