asalamualikum...
* Ramadaan 1427 = 2006 *
by *Shaykh Muhammad al-Maaliki حفظه الله *
on Saturday, October 14th, 2006
http://albaseerah.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4377
7. *Question:* Could we still pray our tahajjud prayers in the last third of
the night after we pray Taraaweeh and the Witr prayers in the masjid, or
should we postpone our witr until after the last third?
*Answer:* It depends, if you are praying in the masjid and the Imaam is
doing the witr, it is better for you to do the witr with him and when you
return home you don’t pray the witr but you pray two raka’aat, two raka’aat
etc. However, if you are praying behind an Imaam who doesn’t do the witr at
Taraaweeh but he does the witr at Tahajjud it is better for you to do the
Taraaweeh with him, and if you want to do more raka’aat when you go home,
you do more and then return to Tahajjud with them (in the masjid) and do the
Tahajjud and the witr there. If you cannot return for any reason you do
whatever raka’aat you can do and then you do the witr on your own.
My advice is to *always try and be in the masjid*, as *Imaam Ahmad* in the
book *Masaail Abu Daawūd* mentioned that *Abu Daawūd as-Sajistani* the imaam
of the *Sunan* said *“I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, is it more beloved to you
that the man stands in his house in the last third of the night in Ramadaan
or that he stands with the people in the masjid?” He (Ahmad ibn Hanbal)
said, “No, the Sunnah of the Muslims is more beloved to me”*, meaning that
he prays in the masjid with the Believers. And ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab رضي
الله عنه after he gathered the people with Ubayy ibn Ka’ab to lead them in
Taraaweeh he came and said:
نعم البدعة هذه والتي ينامون عنها خير من التي يقومون
*“What a great bid’ah”* – meaning here the linguistic meaning it does not
mean bid’ah in the religion because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had
previously done the Taraaweeh – and then he said *“and the one that sleeps
at this time is better than the one who is doing it now”*[29] which means
that the *prayer in last third of the night is better than praying at the
beginning of the night*, but if the people are sleeping this is good
although some people say there is no sleeping as it is not from the sunnah.
I do not know from where they get these statements as the Prophet صلى الله
عليه وسلم did not specify certain times nor did he say “don’t sleep”.
However, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that *“whoever prays at night
and falls asleep let him go to sleep” *[30] meaning he gets rest and when he
awakes he continues, so how can they say that one cannot sleep?
It is better that it is in the last third (of the night). If all the people
of the mosque agree to pray ‘Eeshaa then go home and return in the last
third of the night this would be better, but if they cannot because some
people are busy or some cannot stay awake then why don’t they pray at the
beginning of the night, especially there in the West. We here in the East
and especially in Saudi Arabia, the king Jazaahullaahu Khairan (may Allaah
reward him) has given holidays to everyone Jazaahullaahu Khairan to allow
them to be free for worshipping in the last ten nights of Ramadaan. May
Allaah reward him for all whom he gave holidays to, whether they worship or
they don’t – May Allaah reward him (on behalf of) all of them based on his
intention. But in the West there isn’t this (free) time – the people are
working and tomorrow morning they have to work and they go early in the
morning. We cannot say “No, you have to stay awake all night.” Let them pray
if they can stand for an hour before Fajr – that is best and if they cannot
then they can do Taraaweeh after ‘Eeshaa together in the masjid and witr and
then go to sleep. After that whoever awakes he may pray two raka’aat, two
raka’aat as much as he likes. Wallaahu A’lam.
8. *Question:* What ‘ebaadaat are encouraged during this month besides
praying Taraaweeh? Also, for the sisters is it okay if they don’t go as much
to the masjid or are they encouraged to go to the masaajid? And furthermore
*i’tikaaf* for the sisters – are they required to do this in the masjid and
for how long and what are their requirements?
*Answer:* The first masalah (issue) that she’s asking about is what
‘ebaadaat is encouraged in this month besides Taraaweeh. All ‘ebaadaat are
encouraged. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has gathered about six ‘ebaadaat
that are done especially in Ramadaan. They are:
i) Qiyaamul-Layl i.e. Taraaweeh.
ii) Supplication as in the hadith of ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها when she asked
him صلى الله عليه وسلم *“what should I say (if I see Laylaatul-Qadr)?”* and
he صلى الله عليه وسلم told her to say:
[31]اللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ العَفْوَ فاعْفُ عَنِّي
Also Allaah تعالى encouraged us to make a lot of du’aa.
iii) Recitation of Qur’aan.
iv) Feeding the needy and poor and even feeding or giving breakfast to those
who are fasting. All of these are ‘ebaadaat.
v) Also, having good relations with your family, your parents and your
neighbours, and forgiving the Muslims for whatever harm they may have
inflicted upon you. All these are ‘ebaadaat.
And all ‘ebaadah is rewarded more in Ramadaan than outside of Ramadaan. But
Qiyaamul-Layl has a special case in Ramadaan. We have to give more in
Ramadaan and that’s why although the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم encouraged
us to do Qiyaamul-Layl all throughout the year, in Ramadaan he صلى الله عليه
وسلم said:
[32] من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
[33] من قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
[15] من قام خلف إمامه حتى ينصرف كتب له قيام ليلة
All this shows us that it is very important to do the night prayer in
Ramadaan – Why? It is because the Qur’aan was descended in (one of those)
nights to the first level of the Heavens.
إِنَّا أَنْـزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
*{Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’ân) down in the night of Al-Qadr
(Decree).}* [al-Qadr 97:1]
حم {1} وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ {2} إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ
مُّبَارَكَةٍ
*{Hâ.-Mîm. By the manifest Book (this Qur’ân) that makes things clear. We
sent it (this Qur’ân) down on a blessed night [(i.e. night of Al-Qadr, Sûrah
No. 97) in the month of Ramadân - the 9th month of the Islâmic
calendar].}*[ad-Dukhaan 44:1-3]
It was descended at night and so it’s better to do as much night prayer as
you can, and much Qur’aan recitation and du’aa. That’s the first part of the
question.
The second part is whether it is better for the sister to pray in the masjid
in Taraaweeh or to pray at home. It depends, if you are at your home or
house and masha’Allaah you are someone who can concentrate on the Qur’aan
without any disturbances, then its better (to pray) in the house. If you
say, “Oh, in the house I cannot concentrate, my children make noise and
there are lots of things going on and I *cannot concentrate*” then go to the
masjid but with the permission of your husband and if you have no husband
then with the permission of the *wali*, whether it is your father, brother
or whoever your *wali* is. The third thing is when you go to the masjid it
must be safe for you to go. You should not go at night if it is unsafe for
you to go – you must be safe and you must be in complete hijaab, you must
avoid perfume and you should go in tranquillity to the masjid if that is
possible. If it is not possible then it is better to stay at home, in all
cases the *house is better for the woman* as in the hadith of Prophet.[34]
The last issue mentioned in the question pertains to *i’tikaaf*.
*I’tikaaf*is only to be done
*in the masjid*. There is no *i’tikaaf* in the house, neither for the man
nor the woman. However, if someone wants to do *i’tikaaf* but he is unable
to, Allaah will reward him as per his intention because Allaah تعالى deals
with (matters of) the heart whilst we deal only with (matters of) the
exposed body parts as we cannot know what is in the heart, but Allaah تعالى
knows best. If you are willing to go (to the masjid) but you are afraid or
scared that something may happen to you, then stay at home and Allaah will
reward you, as the *Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he saw ‘Aishah, Hafsah
and Zainab start building their tents in the masjid he asked “what is
that?”. They said “these are tents of the mothers of the believers.” He
said:*
آلبر أردن
*Do they want complete submission and the Pleasure of Allaah then let them
go home. And he stopped the i’tikaaf and they all went back home.*[35] So *
i’tikaaf* is in the masjid only but if that is not possible then there is no
*i’tikaaf*, you just stay at home and do your best. Also, as I said before *
i’tikaaf* can even be for part of the time i.e. you can do *i’tikaaf* for
one hour as many scholars say, you just intend to do *i’tikaaf* meaning you
stay in the masjid. You have the intention to stay there, not to meet anyone
or to have a rest, but to worship Allaah تعالى. If you do this with that
intention then Allaah تعالى will reward you. Wallaahu A’alam.
--
Masjid Ahlul-Quraan wa As-Sunnah of New york
http://www.seekknowledge.org
http://www.albaseerah.org
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