The Disbelievers Mock the Prayer and the Adhan

"And when you proclaim the call for As-Salat [call for the prayer (Adhan)], they take it (but) as a mockery and fun; that is because they are a people who understand not." ( Qur'an 5 : 58)

When they hear the call to Prayer the unbelievers make fun of it by mimicry, pervert its words to ridicule it, and utter disparaging and taunting remarks about it.

These are merely acts of stupidity on the part of unbelievers. Had they not been ignorant and foolish they would not have stooped to such base tactics, despite their significant differences with the Muslims on religious questions. After all, can any reasonable person be happy to see the people who call to the worship of God be ridiculed and mocked?

that is because they are a people who understand not; the acts of worship and Allah's Law. These are the characteristics of the followers of Shaytan who,
(When the call for prayer is made, Shaytan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhan. When the call is finished he comes back, and when the Iqamah is pronounced, Shaytan again takes to his heels. When the Iqamah is finished he comes back again and tries to interfere with the person and his thoughts and to say, `Remember this and that,' which he has not thought of before the prayer, until the praying person forgets how much he has prayed. If anyone of you does not remember, then he should perform two prostrations before pronouncing the Salam.) This Hadith is agreed upon. Az-Zuhri said, "Allah mentioned the Adhan in His Book, (And when you proclaim the call for the Salah, they take it (but) as a mockery and fun; that is because they are a people who understand not.)'' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement.

Saying As-Salaatu Khayrum Mi Nan-Nawm In The Adhan.

Saying As-Salaatu Khayrum Mi Nan-Nawm
 In The Adhan.

 When should the words as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (prayer is better than sleep) be said? In the first adhaan or in the second? It is a consensus by some scholars that ` As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm `in FAJR Adhan is a Bi`da cause Hazarat Bilal use to use these words in TAHAJJUD Adhan and IBN MAKTOUM use to call the FAJR Adhan whereby he did not use these words. The other consensus is that, by the use of these words you are trying to compare SLEEP with FAJR Salat which should not be the case. It is also said that Shaikh Albaani had made a Du`aa for the youngsters of today asking ALLAH to give them Hidaya to stop this Bi`da. If this is correct, why is it being followed in Mecca and Madina as well?

Praise be to Allaah.

It is narrated in a number of saheeh ahaadeeth that the as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (prayer is better than sleep) are to be said in the adhaan for Fajr. It is mentioned in some of them that this phrase is to be said in the first adhaan without stating what is meant by the phrase “the first adhaan” – is it the adhaan that is given before Fajr or is it the adhaan of Fajr itself?

These ahaadeeth include the following:

1 – It was narrated that Abu Mahdhoorah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I used to give the adhaan for the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and in the first adhaan of Fajr I used to say: “Hayya ‘ala al-falaah, As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm, As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm, Allaahu Akbar Allaahu Akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (come to prosperity, prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah).”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 500; al-Nasaa’i, 647; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

2 – It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: In the first adhaan after the word al-falaah it said: As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep).

Shaykh al-Albaani said:

It was narrated by al-Tahhaawi (1/82) with a hasan isnaad as al-Haafiz said in al-Talkhees (3/169).

Al-Thamr al-Mustataab, p. 131

These ahaadeeth provide evidence for those who said that this should be said in the first adhaan which comes at the end of the night. But the correct view is that it should be said the adhaan which comes after the time for prayer has begun. That is for a number of reasons:

(a)  The word awwal (first) is in relation to the iqaamah, and the iqaamah is the second call to prayer. In the saheeh Sunnah there are reports in which the iqaamah is called an “adhaan”, as in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Between each two calls (adhaanayn)…” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 598; Muslim, 838.

In Saheeh Muslim (739) the adhaan which comes after the time for prayer begins is called the first adhaan. This appears in the hadeeth narrated by ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). She said: He used to sleep during the first part of the night and wake up during the latter part, then if he had any need for intimacy with his wife he would satisfy that need, then he would sleep. Then when it was the time of the first call, he would wake up and pour water over himself, and if he was not junub he would do wudoo’ as a man does for prayer, then he would pray two rak’ahs.

What is meant by two rak’ahs here is the regular Sunnah of Fajr, as stated by al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim.

(b)  In some saheeh ahaadeeth it is clearly stated that the adhaan in which this phrase appears is called adhaan salaat al-subh, adhaan al-fajr, etc. These phrases indicate that this adhaan should come after the time for the prayer begins and the adhaan that is given at the end of the night comes before the time for prayer begins. These ahaadeeth include the following:

1 – It was narrated that Abu Mahdhoorah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I said: “O Messenger of Allaah, teach me the Sunnah of adhaan.” He wiped the front of my head and said: “Say Allaah Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaah Akbar, Allaahu Akbar (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great)… And if it is Fajr prayer, then say: As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm, As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep).

According to another, similar report, it says: “As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm, As-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep) in the first adhaan of dawn.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 501; al-Nasaa’i, 633; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

According to another report narrated by Abu Dawood (504) from Abu Mahdhoorah (may Allaah be pleased with him): He used to say in Fajr: “as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (Prayer is better than sleep). Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

2 – It was narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: It is Sunnah for the muezzin, after saying Hayya ‘ala al-falaah (come to prosperity), to say: “as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (prayer is better than sleep)” twice.

Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

This was narrated by al-Daaraqutni (90), Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh and al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan (1/423), and he said: its isnaad is saheeh.

It was also narrated by al-Daraaqutni and al-Tahhaawi (1/82) via Hushaym from Ibn ‘Awn with the wording: In the adhaan for Fajr prayer, when the muezzin said: Hayya ‘ala al-falaah (come to prosperity), he said: “as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm (prayer is better than sleep),” twice. This version was narrated by Ibn al-Sakan who classed it as saheeh, as it says in al-Talkhees, 3/148

Al-Thamr al-Mustataab, p. 132

These ahaadeeth show that this phrase appears in the adhaan for Fajr prayer.

The adhaan which is the call to prayer is that which comes after the time for the prayer has begun, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the time for prayer begins, then let one of you give the adhaan for you.” Agreed upon.

As for the adhaan which comes at the end of the night, this is not an adhaan for Fajr prayer as such, rather it is done “so that the one who is praying qiyaam may go back and the one who is asleep may wake up”, as is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in al-Saheehayn. Thus it is clear that the phrase which appears in the adhaan which comes after the time for the prayer begins is not a bid’ah (innovation), rather it is Sunnah.

A Standing Committee of scholars were asked:

What is the reason why the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to say as-salaatu khayrum mi nan nawm, is not done in the first adhaan for Fajr, as is mentioned in Sunan al-Nasaa’i, Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Bayhaqi?

They replied:

Yes, this phrase should be mentioned in the first adhaan of Fajr, in accordance with the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is clear from the hadeeth that it is the adhaan that is done when the true dawn comes, and it is called ‘first’ in relation to the iqaamah, which is an adhaan according to sharee’ah, as it says in the hadeeth, “Between every two calls (adhaanayn) there should be a prayer.” The word adhaan here does not refer to the call that is given before the appearance of the true dawn. That call is prescribed in order to wake those who are asleep and so that those who are praying qiyaam may go back. It is not a call to announce the Fajr prayer. Whoever studies the ahaadeeth about this phrase will see clearly that they refer to the adhaan given to announce the time of Fajr, not the adhaan which is given at night just before dawn. End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 6/63

For more information on the refutation of those who say that this phrase should be said in the adhaan which comes before the time for the prayer begins, please see al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/61-64

And Allaah knows best.

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Playing cards is not permitted!

IN THE NAME OF ALLAAH MOST GRACIOUS MOST MERCIFUL

Playing cards is not permitted, even if there is no money involved, because the problem with that is that it distracts people from remembering Allaah (dhikr) and from prayer. Even if they claim that this is not the case, then it is still a means that may lead to gambling which is expressly forbidden in the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansâb, and Al-Azlâm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are abominations of Shaitân's (Satan's) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abominations) in order that you may be successful. Shaitân (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allâh and from As-Salât (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain? And obey Allâh and the Messenger (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]), and beware (of even coming near to drinking or gambling or Al-Ansâb, or Al-Azlâm) and fear Allâh. Then if you turn away, you should know that it is Our Messenger's duty to convey (the Message) in the clearest way.”

[Surah al-Maa.idah - 005:090 – 092]

These cards have an effect on society, for the bonds of a strong society are achieved by means of two things: following the commands of Allaah and heeding His prohibitions. A society disintegrates when it neglects any of those duties or does any of those things that are forbidden. These cards form one of the factors which have an effect on society. They cause people to neglect prayer in congregation, and they generate alienation, breaking of ties, hatred and negligence through the committing of haraam actions and they make people too lazy to earn a living. 

With regard to the history of these playing cards: No one really knows who invented playing cards or when or where they were invented. It has been said that they are of Chinese or Indian origin, or otherwise. But historians are agreed that they came to Europe from the Middle East in the latter part of the Middle Ages. Experts also say that there is agreement that playing cards have clearly evolved from that time until now. 

Playing cards made their first appearance in Europe in Andalusia, and were brought to northern Spain in the eleventh century CE. 

The traditional deck of cards in Spain consisted of 40 cards, including the numbers 1 to 7, plus three characters, the highest of which was the “ruler”, followed by the “deputy”, then the “scribe” or “knight.” 

In the sixteenth century, the French changed the cards, replacing the “ruler” with the king, the “deputy” with the queen, and the “knight” with the jack. They also added three new numbers, so that the deck now consisted of 52 cards. In the seventeenth century, the Germans added a fourth character, the joker.

It may also be added that playing cards is devoid of any of the goals of recreational activities as required in Islam; it does not teach any skill that is needed for jihad or any useful knowledge or bring any social benefit or relaxation that will calm the nerves. Rather it is a game that has nothing good in it; it causes arguments and simply kills time. It is based on speculation and chance, and it is like playing with dice, in that it leads to disputes and fighting, and it is like alcohol and gambling. 

Based on the above, it would not be far fetched to suggest that it is haraam rather than makruh, by analogy with dice, because both are based on chance and both lead to arguments.

This is based on the fact that it leads to enmity and hatred, and because it is a great waste of time and it distracts people from remembering Allaah (dhikr) and keeps them from worshipping and obeying Him.

Published by Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front)

Tel: 1 (868) 365-6253

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