Q. During my stay in Saudi Arabia, I learnt some practices in prayer which are not used in my home country. People say that my prayer is invalid as a result. Please comment. May I also ask if it is permissible to supplicate in witr prayer.
S. Masud, Lahore
A. The details provided by my reader are really amazing. He mentions that people object to him when he says after rukoo’, or bowing and praising God, ‘rabbana wa laka al-hamd hamdan katheeran tayyiban Mubarakan feeh,’ which means, ‘Our Lord, all praise belongs to you: plentiful, pure and blessed praise.’ They say that he should confine himself to the first four words of this phrase and add nothing, because it invalidates his prayer! It is amazing because as the Prophet raised his head from rukoo’ and said sami’ Allah liman hamidah, which means, ‘May God answer the prayer of anyone who praises Him,’ he heard someone say the very words used above. When he finished his prayer, he inquired about the person who said it, and when he identified himself, the Prophet told him that 70 angels received it to put it to God. This was a clear indication of not merely approval but encouragement as well.
Besides, what is happening here? The imam indicates his movement from the bowing position to standing up, saying a phrase in the form of supplication to God to grant the prayer of anyone who praises Him. As the congregation stand up, they praise God by saying the first four words. However, if one adds something of the nature of praising God, one makes no wrong. As the Prophet approved those words, they became a Sunnah to follow. Moreover, if one adds any supplication here, it is appropriate time for doing so, because of what the imam says.
When people object to what he is doing, it is simply because it is not familiar to them. It is only normal that people should criticize what they find unfamiliar, particularly in worship. Hence, my reader may continue with what he has learnt, but he should avoid controversy.
Inheritance and unfair division
Q. My father died 20 years ago, leaving behind 3 sons and 3 daughters. He also left 3 houses. Six years later, my second brother agreed terms of settlement with our eldest brother and received a sum of money. He and I transferred our shares to register them in our eldest brother’s name. My mother has 2 other houses which she had inherited from her father. Of late, she has been insisting on registering them in the names of her two youngest children, i.e. my youngest sister and myself. This was done in the case of my sister, but I have refused, insisting that all division should be carried out according to Islamic law. Now my eldest sister has sent a lawyer’s notice demanding her share. The matter is further complicated by the fact that my eldest brother has paid much money on the renovation of the houses. Should I accept what my mother wants to do?
A. Mirza
A. You have to differentiate two things here: your father’s inheritance, and your mother’s houses. As your mother is still alive, she must not favor two of her children by giving them her two houses. This is a gift, and parents’ gifts should be based on absolute fairness. If your mother wants to give this gift to you and your sister, she should give each one of her sons and daughters a house. If she cannot, then she should not give such gifts. Let the matter run its course and when she dies, her property is inherited according to the Islamic law of inheritance. The Prophet warned very strictly on this issue, calling on all parents to fear God and maintain justice between their children.
As for the inheritance of your father, it is wrong to leave it for such a long time without assigning to all heirs their respective shares. Such delay always results in unnecessary problems. Had such division been done, the 3 houses and the rest of your father’s property would have been valued and divided as follows: one-eighth goes to your mother, and the remainder is divided into 9 shares, one share for each of the three daughters and two shares for each of the three sons. This remains the case.
What should be done is a similar valuation, after the deduction of the expenses borne by your eldest brother in improving the property. Since your second brother received his share, your eldest brother should be compensated for what he paid by giving him the share he had bought from his brother. If such division is done now, the need for your sister seeking a lawyer’s assistance will be unnecessary. In all this, you have to maintain fairness.
I congratulate my reader on his stand, refusing to take anything which cannot be approved under Islamic law. He should maintain this position and impress on his mother that she should bring her action in line with Islamic law which requires absolute fairness among all children.
Past answers, prayer, contraception, etc.
Q.1. Do you have answers to past readers’ questions on CD? If so, how to obtain this? May I also ask whether there is an English commentary on the Qur’an which could be accessed on a website?
Q.2. Why are obligatory prayers of different length, consisting of 2 or 3 or 4 rak’ahs? How are these determined?
Q.3. On my visit to the US I noticed that young Muslim couples are resorting to contraception to delay the birth of children, because they want to save so that they will be able to educate their children properly. Is it permissible for young, healthy couples to resort to contraception?
FC
A.1. I am not aware of any website which provides an English commentary on the Qur’an. As for answers to readers’ questions published in Arab News over several years, these can be accessed on a website dedicated to them. It is www.ourdialogue.com Answers are arranged according to subject and they cover a very wide area of interest. The same answers are also available on CD which may be obtained from the address mentioned at the website.
A.2. Matters of worship are done in the way the Prophet did them, and according to the guidance he provided. He told us in a very clear instruction: "Pray as you have seen me pray." We have learnt from numerous reports by his companions that our prayer is in the fashion and numbers we pray. This has been the practice of Muslims over 14 centuries. There is no disagreement on this. Therefore, we pray Fajr in 2 rak’ahs, while we offer 4 rak’ahs in Dhuhr, Asr and Isha, and 3 rak’ahs in Maghrib. In all this we follow the Prophet’s guidance, as he was instructed by God.
A.3. Use of contraception by married couples to delay the birth of their children or to limit the number of children they get is permissible. The Prophet’s companions resorted to the methods known in their time, and he was aware of it, but did not indicate that it is forbidden. Hence, it remains permissible.
