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Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Chapter: Nullifiers of Wudhoo - Praying Salaat (Part 12)

-Salaat is invalid without Wudhoo. ‘Uthaymeen explains that it is Haraam to pray without Wudhoo, based on the Quraan, the Sunnah and al-Ijmaa’.

As for proof from the Quraan:

Allaah, the Most High, Says:

O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. had a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body)” [al-Maaidah 5:6]

The reason for washing here is made clear – for Salaat.
Based on this Aayaah, as Salaat is mentioned first, it has been made a condition for Salaat. So if a person is impure, major or minor forms, then, he must purify himself before he prays.
If he intends to pray purposely without Wudhoo in mockery of the religion, then he becomes a Kaafir.

If a person prays whilst he is impure on purpose but doesn’t intend to mock the religion then the scholars differed:

-The Hanafees are of the view that this person becomes a Kaafir thereby, because he is mocking the religion through his actions.
-The majority are of the view that he has committed a sin but he is not a Kaafir and mocking the religion is defined by his intentions and not his deeds.

Uthaymeen states the correct view is that it depends on his intention, if he intends to mock the religion then he apostates but if he doesn’t then he remains a Muslim as there is no evidence to take him out of Islaam.

As for proof from the Sunnah:

The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Allaah does not Accept Salaat of the impure one until he purifies himself.” [Reported by Muslim (224)]

And, “There is no Salaat except with purification.” [Reported by Ahmad (2/57); Aboo Dawood (59) and classed as Saheeh by Ibn Hajar in Fath (1410)]

And, “Allah does not Accept Salaat from any one of you who is impure until he performs Wudhoo.” [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (135) and Muslim (225)]

As for proof from al-Ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus which can’t be contradicted):

The Muslims are all in agreement that one cannot pray without Wudhoo.

Uthaymeen adds that as-Salaat is defined by actions of worship which start with Takbeer and end with Tasleem and has Rukoo’ and Sujood within them.

Others said it must be units of prayer. This definition was given by Ibn Taymiyyah (Majmoo’, 21/277) and Khateeb (Tahtheeb as-Sunnan, 1/52).

Uthaymeen says the first definition is more profound and precise.

Based on this definition of Salaat, is one allowed to do Sijdah for Quraan (at-Tilaawah) or Shukr without Wudhoo?

The Hanbalee Madhab are of the view that Sujood of Shukr and Tilaawah are types of prayer, so one must have Wudhoo, face the Qiblah and end it with Tasleem. It is also legislated that he says Takbeer when going down.

Uthaymeen states that the correct opinion is that these Sujood are not within the definition of Salaat, so the conditions of Salaat do not apply to them for the following reasons:

-The Prophet did these Sujoods and it is not narrated that he made the same prerequisites as Salaat for them. It is reported in Muslim that he did Sujood as-Shukr without Takbeer and Tasleem.

-The Prophet did Sujood for Tilaawah when Surah an-Najm was revealed and the Muslims and the Mushriks of Quraysh all did Sujood together. The Prophet didn’t specify Wudhoo here either.

Those who have the opposing view argue:

-Sijdah is a part of Salaat so if you are going to do it, you must have Wudhoo.

-The second proof used here was before Wudhoo was made obligatory for Salaat, thus cannot be used as proof.

In response we say:

There is explicit proof that the Prophet did Sujood without the conditions of Salaat being applied, thus the permissibility of doing Sujood for Shukr and Tilaawah without Wudhoo being established. This is also the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah.
Further proof to suggest this is the fact that Ibn ‘Umar used to prostrate for Tilaawah without Wudhoo.

Undoubtedly, it is better to prostate with Wudhoo for Tilaawah, because it is always recommended to have Wudhoo when reciting the Quraan.

As for making it a condition for Sujood ash-Shukr then this is very weak, because this type of Sujood has been legislated when someone is blessed with a favour or averted from him harm. This is highly likely to happen to person when he is not pure. So if we were to say it is binding to have Wudhoo, we would be saying inadvertently, “Either go and make Wudhoo or don’t do Sujood at all.”


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