PURPOSE OF LIFE
What Does Islam Say About Life's Purpose?
_________________________________
Have you ever asked yourself these questions?
"What is the purpose of L I F E?"
"My life?"
"Your Life?"
People everywhere are asking the questions; "What is the purpose of life?" and "Why are we here?" You might be amazed to learn, that Islam is providing clear and concise answers for these questions.
Most of those who reflect or think about life in any detail will consider and ponder these questions. There are as many different answers to these questions as there are people asking the questions. Some would hold that the purpose of life was to acquire wealth. Yet suppose they were to acquire millions of dollars, what then would they claim is their purpose after doing so?
If the purpose of life is to become wealthy, there would be no purpose after becoming wealthy.
The fact is that when people approach their purpose here in this life from the aspect of only gaining wealth, after collecting the money they have dreamed of their lives loose purpose and then they live in restless tension suffering from a feeling of worthlessness.
How could wealth then be considered as the aim of life?
Could the acquisition of wealth guarantee happiness? Of course not.
When we hear of millionaires or members of their families committing suicide, how could we consider the purpose of life would be to gain great wealth?
A child of 5 years would obviously prefer a new toy to a deposit slip for a million dollars.
A teenager does not consider millions of dollars in the bank a substitute for movies, videos, pizza and hanging out with his friends.
A person in their 80s or 90s would never consider holding on to their wealth in place of spending it to hold on to or regain their health.
This proves that money is not the main purpose at all the stages of one's life.
Wealth can do little or nothing to bring happiness to one who is a disbeliever in Almighty God, because regardless of what he or she would gain in this life they would always live in fear of what will happen to them in the end. They would wonder what would become of them and how they would end up.
Wealth and its accumulation as a purpose would be doomed to a temporary success at best and in the end it would only spell out self destruction.
So, what is the use of wealth to a person without belief? He would always fear his end and would always be skeptical of everything. He may gain a great material wealth but he would only lose himself in the end.
Worship of the One True Almighty God of the Universe [Allah in Arabic] as a primary goal or aim in life provides a believer with everything he needs to succeed in both this life and the Next Life.
The word for total surrender, submission, obedience, purity of heart and peace in the Arabic language is "Islam". Those who try to perform these actions are called "MU-slims" [Islam-ERs].
To a Muslim the whole purpose of life is "ibadah" or worship to the One True Almighty God on Terms and under His Conditions.
The term "worship" to a Muslim includes any and all acts of obedience to Almighty Allah.
So his purpose of life is a standing purpose; Worshipping Allah by accepting Allah's Will over his own.
This act of ibadah [worshipping, thanking and extolling the Greatness Almighty Allah on His Terms and Conditions] is for the Muslim, throughout his whole life regardless of the stage. Whether he is a child, adolescent, adult or aged person, he is seeking after the Will of the Almighty in all these stages.
His life here on earth although short, is full of purpose and is totally meaningful within the complete framework of total submission [Islam].
Similarly, in the Next Life as well, his faith, intentions, attitudes and good deeds will all be weighed into his account as favorable putting him in high esteem with his Creator and Sustainer.
Because Islam teaches that this life is only a test or trial for the individual to show him his true nature it is only natural that he would accept death as not so much an ending to everything but more as a beginning of the final and lasting life in the Hereafter.
Before entering into either of the final lodging places i.e.; Heaven or Hell, there must needs be a Day of Judgment or showing of one's true self to make them aware of their own nature and thereby understand what they have sent on ahead during the life here on the earth.
Every person will be rewarded [or punished] according to their attitude, appreciation and efforts during this stay on earth. None will be asked about the actions and beliefs of others, nor will anyone be asked regarding that which he was unaware of or incapable of doing.
As the life here is considered as an examination for the individual, the death stage is considered as a resting period after the test. It could be easy for those who were faithful and dedicated or it could be grueling and horrible for the wicked.
Reward and punishment will be in direct proportion to each person and it is only Allah, alone who will be the Final Judge over us all.
So in the teachings of the True Surrender, Submission, Obedience, In Sincerity and Peace to the Almighty One God [Islam], the line of life and its purpose is logical, clear and simple:
The first life is a test
The life in the grave is a resting or waiting place before the Day of Judgment
The Day of Judgment brings about the clear understanding of what will now happen to the individual based on his own desires and actions
The Permanent or Afterlife will either be spend in luxurious splendor or miserable punishment .
Following this clear understanding of life, the Muslim's purpose is clear.
First of all, he has no doubt in his mind that:
he is only created by Allah
he is going to spend a period of time in this material world [called "Ad Dunyah" in Arabic]
he knows he will die
he knows he will spend time in the grave, either pleasant or difficult depending on his own choice of attitude and actions
he knows he will be resurrected for the Day of Judgment
he knows he will be judged according to the most fair of standards by Allah the Almighty, the All
Knowing he realizes his attitude and actions are going to come under very close scrutiny
he knows that this short life compared to the Eternal Life was in fact, only for a test
This life is very meaningful and purposeful to the Believing Muslim, as he realizes that it will determine is outcome and permanent position in the Next Life.
The Muslim's permanent purpose is to Surrender, Submit, Obey, in Purity and Peace to Allah the Almighty, carrying out His Orders and staying in some form of worship to Him as much as possible everyday.
This includes the orders of Allah in His Book, the Holy Quran and His final Messenger and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him as follows:
Believing and declaring that "There is no god throughout all the Creation of Allah that is worthy of worship, all worship is due only to Allah, alone and He has no partners or helpers nor does He share His Lordship with any of His creations. And Muhammad, the son of Abdullah ibn Abdul Mutallib (1450 years ago) is the last and final messenger and servant of Almighty Allah, and is the culmination in a long line of prophets sent to mankind throughout man's history, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus Christ, may Almighty Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon them all."
Establishing the regular five times ritualistic prayer [salat] in the stated times (in the mosques for the men when possible)
Paying the charity tax [Zakat = about 2.5% of one's holdings - not his income, annually]
Fasting the month of Ramadhan [lunar calendar]
Pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Mecca at least once in the life of the person, provided he has the ability and the way is safe
For a disbeliever the purpose of this life is to collect and amass great wealth, money, power and position. Over indulging in eating, drinking, drugs, sex and gambling are a high priority to them. But all of this will not avail them anything good in the grave, on the Day of Judgment or in the Next Life. Eventually he will be faced with the question:
Now what?
What's Next?
Where am I going?
What will happen to me?
He will come to know. For sure he will come to know. But then what will the knowledge avail him?
Look how Islam solves the mystery of the puzzle of life. It provides the answers to the questions and concerns of the human beings on all levels and in every aspect. It is really quite simple.
The purpose of life as understood by the Believing Muslim can be simply stated in only two (2) words:
Obey God.
Our only purpose and salvation lie in these two words.
We must come to know our Creator, Sustainer and Ultimate Judge. We must learn to believe in Him, thank Him, praise Him, honor Him and worship Him, alone without any partners from His Creation. We must learn about His Messengers and Prophets, peace be upon them, and the message with which they were all sent. We must learn the Word of God as was directly revealed, preserved and memorized and passed down by memory throughout all the generations of Muslims to the present day.
Those who are in search of truth, having open minds and hearts will recognize this as a message in truth and sincerity. Open your heart and your mind now and ask the Almighty God of the Universe [Allah] to guide you now to His True Way. And then be ready to accept your true purpose in life.
http://islamtomorrow.com
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Is Jihad Terrorism? - Hamza Andreas Tzortzis
Draft version 0.2
The word Jihad has been frequently used by politicians, publications [1] and media outlets. Its uses have mostly, if not always, been associated with terrorism and wanton destruction.[2] Even during the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11, 7/7 and the recent Mumbai Attacks, many western commentators labeled them as acts of Jihad. However, is Jihad terrorism? Does it involve wanton destruction and the killing of innocents en masse? Significantly, answers are required to the oft repeated question: what is Jihad?
This article aims to show that terrorist attacks and indiscriminate killing are antithetical to the Islamic concept of Jihad.
Fighting: A Human Reality
There have been many anthropological studies on war and fighting, and the conclusions are very similar. Not only have humans been fighting and killing for millennia, the act of fighting and killing is a human reality. The reasons for fighting and war differ. Some of these reasons include land, fame, fortune, religion, independence and resources. Humans have also fought to defend themselves and others, or to attack their enemies. In summary, war and fighting are human phenomena that are not specific to any particular race, ideology or religion.
In the modern world there are many wars, and they are mostly over resources. An example is the US and UK fighting for oil and strategic dominance in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Fighting & Islam
Islam, being a practical way of life, realises that humans fight and engage in war. Islam sets down rules for war, which are to be followed if Muslims go to war, examples include fighting for just reasons, no killing of innocent people, no killing of women and children, no burning of crops or trees, only fight those that fight you, and no wanton destruction. Abu Bakr who was the Prophet Muhammad's first successor and is considered to have been his closest companion said:
“Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield. Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man. Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy's flock, save for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic (or humanitarian) services; leave them alone.”
Many would argue that this is in contrast to certain Western nations when they invade countries; they tend to destroy the infrastructure of the countries causing more deaths than bullets and bombs (even the BBC reports that so called ‘smart bombs’ are not so smart, with only 40% hitting targets.[3] Civilian deaths in the US/UK invasions are evidence of this). Then contractual awards are given to western companies to rebuild the infrastructure, making the invaded country pay for it - Iraq is a striking example.
Whilst certain western powers wage war and invade for what everyone knows to be for resources and places of strategic value, in Islam war is not waged for these reasons; it does not invade to rob, steal and make lands poor - quite the opposite.
The word Jihad has been frequently used by politicians, publications [1] and media outlets. Its uses have mostly, if not always, been associated with terrorism and wanton destruction.[2] Even during the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11, 7/7 and the recent Mumbai Attacks, many western commentators labeled them as acts of Jihad. However, is Jihad terrorism? Does it involve wanton destruction and the killing of innocents en masse? Significantly, answers are required to the oft repeated question: what is Jihad?
This article aims to show that terrorist attacks and indiscriminate killing are antithetical to the Islamic concept of Jihad.
Fighting: A Human Reality
There have been many anthropological studies on war and fighting, and the conclusions are very similar. Not only have humans been fighting and killing for millennia, the act of fighting and killing is a human reality. The reasons for fighting and war differ. Some of these reasons include land, fame, fortune, religion, independence and resources. Humans have also fought to defend themselves and others, or to attack their enemies. In summary, war and fighting are human phenomena that are not specific to any particular race, ideology or religion.
In the modern world there are many wars, and they are mostly over resources. An example is the US and UK fighting for oil and strategic dominance in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Fighting & Islam
Islam, being a practical way of life, realises that humans fight and engage in war. Islam sets down rules for war, which are to be followed if Muslims go to war, examples include fighting for just reasons, no killing of innocent people, no killing of women and children, no burning of crops or trees, only fight those that fight you, and no wanton destruction. Abu Bakr who was the Prophet Muhammad's first successor and is considered to have been his closest companion said:
“Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield. Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man. Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy's flock, save for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic (or humanitarian) services; leave them alone.”
Many would argue that this is in contrast to certain Western nations when they invade countries; they tend to destroy the infrastructure of the countries causing more deaths than bullets and bombs (even the BBC reports that so called ‘smart bombs’ are not so smart, with only 40% hitting targets.[3] Civilian deaths in the US/UK invasions are evidence of this). Then contractual awards are given to western companies to rebuild the infrastructure, making the invaded country pay for it - Iraq is a striking example.
Whilst certain western powers wage war and invade for what everyone knows to be for resources and places of strategic value, in Islam war is not waged for these reasons; it does not invade to rob, steal and make lands poor - quite the opposite.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Complete vs. Acceptable Ghusl
I do ghusl following menses as follows:
1- I form the intention to purify myself in my heart, without uttering it out loud.
2- I start by standing beneath the shower and letting the water flow all over my body.
3- I wash my entire body using a loofah and soap, including the private parts.
4- I wash my head using shampoo
5- After that I rinse all traces of soap and shampoo from my body and I let the water flow three times over the right side of my body and three times over the left side
6- Then I do wudoo’.
Recently I found out that I am not following the correct steps of ghusl. I hope that you can advise me whether the ghusl I have been doing all these years as described above is wrong or correct… If it is wrong then I hope you can tell me what I should do to correct this mistake which I have done repeatedly for years. Are my prayers and fasts during this time invalid and not accepted? If that is the case, what can I do to set things straight? I also hope that you can tell me the correct way of doing ghusl in the case of menses and janaabah.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Your ghusl in the manner described is valid and acceptable, praise be to Allaah. But you have missed out some of the sunnahs, which does not affect the validity of your ghusl.
The reason for that is that ghusl is of two types: acceptable and complete. In the case of acceptable ghusl, it is sufficient to do the obligatory parts of ghusl only, without doing any of the mustahabb or Sunnah actions. He should intend to purify himself, then make water reach every part of his body, using any means whether that is standing beneath a shower or immersing oneself in the sea or in a swimming pool and the like, as well as rinsing the mouth and nose.
Complete ghusl means doing what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it, with all the sunnahs of ghusl.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about how ghusl is done.
He replied: Ghusl may be done in two ways:
1 – By doing the obligatory parts of ghusl only, which is making water reach all parts of the body, and includes rinsing the mouth and nose. If a person makes the water reach all parts of his body, by whatever means, then he has removed the major impurity and purified himself properly, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you are in a state of Janaaba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)”
[al-Maa'idah 5:6]
2 – The complete way, which is doing ghusl as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it. When he wanted to do ghusl in the case of janaabah, he would wash his hands, then wash his private part and anywhere else that the impurity had reached, then he would do complete wudoo’, then he would wash his head three times with water, then he would wash the rest of his body. This is how complete ghusl is done.
End quote from Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, p. 248.
Secondly:
There is no difference between ghusl in the case of janaabah and ghusl following menses except that it is more mustahabb to rub the hair in the case of ghusl following menses than in the case of ghusl following janaabah. It is also mustahabb for the woman to apply perfume to the site of bleeding, to remove any unpleasant smell.
Muslim (332) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that Asma’ asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about ghusl following menses. He said: “Let one of you take her water and lotus leaves and clean herself well, then let her pour water over her head and rub it vigorously so that it will reach the roots of her hair. Then let her pour the water over herself, then take a piece of cloth scented with musk and purify herself.” Asma’ said: How should she purify herself? He said: “Subhaan-Allaah! Purify yourself with it.” ‘Aa’ishah said – as if she whispered it to her – Follow the traces of blood. And she asked him about ghusl in the case of janaabah. He said: “Let her take water and clean herself well – or clean herself thoroughly – then let her pour water over her head and rub it so that it reaches the roots of the hair, then let her pour water over herself.” ‘Aa’ishah said: How good the woman of the Ansaar were! They did not let shyness prevent them from understanding their religion properly.
So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) differentiated between ghusl following menses and ghusl following janaabah, with regard to rubbing the hair and applying perfume.
Thirdly:
Saying Bismillah when doing ghusl and wudoo’ is mustahabb according to the majority of fuqaha’, and the Hanbalis said that it is obligatory.
Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Saying Bismillaah is obligatory according to our madhhab, as in the case of wudoo’. There is no text concerning that but they said: It is obligatory in the case of wudoo’ so it is more so in the case of ghusl, because that is a greater purification.
But the correct view is that it is not obligatory in the case of either wudoo’ or ghusl. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’.
Fourthly:
Rinsing the mouth and nose is essential in ghusl, as is the view of the Hanafis and Hanbalis.
Al-Nawawi said, discussing the difference of opinion on this point: the views of the scholars on rinsing the mouth and nose are four:
1- That these actions are two of the sunnahs of wudoo’ and ghusl. This is our view (Shaafa’i).
2- That they are obligatory in both wudoo’ and ghusl and are conditions of them being valid. This is the well known view of Ahmad.
3- That they are obligatory in ghusl but not in wudoo’. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and his companions.
4- That rinsing the nose, but not the mouth, is obligatory in wudoo’ and ghusl. This was narrated from Ahmad, and Ibn al-Mundhir said: This is my view.
End quote from al-Majmoo’ (1/400).
The correct view is the second one, which is that rinsing the mouth and nose is obligatory in ghusl, and that is a condition of it being valid.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Among the scholars are some who say that ghusl is not valid without them (i.e., rinsing the mouth and nose), as is the case with wudoo’.
And it was said that it is valid without them.
The correct view is the former, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)” [al-Maa'idah 5:6],and this includes the entire body. The inside of the nose and mouth are part of the body which must be purified. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that in wudoo’ because they are included in the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “wash your faces” [al-Maa’idah 5:6]. As they are included in washing the face and are included in that which must be purified in wudoo’, they are also included in ghusl, because purification in that case is even more important. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’.
Fifthly:
If in the past you did not rinse your mouth and nose when doing ghusl because you did not know the ruling on that or because you were following the opinion of someone who does not regard that as obligatory, then your ghusl is valid and your prayers offered following that ghusl are also valid, and you do not have to repeat them, because of the strong difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the ruling on rinsing the mouth and nose, as stated above.
May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases him.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
1- I form the intention to purify myself in my heart, without uttering it out loud.
2- I start by standing beneath the shower and letting the water flow all over my body.
3- I wash my entire body using a loofah and soap, including the private parts.
4- I wash my head using shampoo
5- After that I rinse all traces of soap and shampoo from my body and I let the water flow three times over the right side of my body and three times over the left side
6- Then I do wudoo’.
Recently I found out that I am not following the correct steps of ghusl. I hope that you can advise me whether the ghusl I have been doing all these years as described above is wrong or correct… If it is wrong then I hope you can tell me what I should do to correct this mistake which I have done repeatedly for years. Are my prayers and fasts during this time invalid and not accepted? If that is the case, what can I do to set things straight? I also hope that you can tell me the correct way of doing ghusl in the case of menses and janaabah.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Your ghusl in the manner described is valid and acceptable, praise be to Allaah. But you have missed out some of the sunnahs, which does not affect the validity of your ghusl.
The reason for that is that ghusl is of two types: acceptable and complete. In the case of acceptable ghusl, it is sufficient to do the obligatory parts of ghusl only, without doing any of the mustahabb or Sunnah actions. He should intend to purify himself, then make water reach every part of his body, using any means whether that is standing beneath a shower or immersing oneself in the sea or in a swimming pool and the like, as well as rinsing the mouth and nose.
Complete ghusl means doing what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it, with all the sunnahs of ghusl.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about how ghusl is done.
He replied: Ghusl may be done in two ways:
1 – By doing the obligatory parts of ghusl only, which is making water reach all parts of the body, and includes rinsing the mouth and nose. If a person makes the water reach all parts of his body, by whatever means, then he has removed the major impurity and purified himself properly, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you are in a state of Janaaba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)”
[al-Maa'idah 5:6]
2 – The complete way, which is doing ghusl as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it. When he wanted to do ghusl in the case of janaabah, he would wash his hands, then wash his private part and anywhere else that the impurity had reached, then he would do complete wudoo’, then he would wash his head three times with water, then he would wash the rest of his body. This is how complete ghusl is done.
End quote from Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, p. 248.
Secondly:
There is no difference between ghusl in the case of janaabah and ghusl following menses except that it is more mustahabb to rub the hair in the case of ghusl following menses than in the case of ghusl following janaabah. It is also mustahabb for the woman to apply perfume to the site of bleeding, to remove any unpleasant smell.
Muslim (332) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that Asma’ asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about ghusl following menses. He said: “Let one of you take her water and lotus leaves and clean herself well, then let her pour water over her head and rub it vigorously so that it will reach the roots of her hair. Then let her pour the water over herself, then take a piece of cloth scented with musk and purify herself.” Asma’ said: How should she purify herself? He said: “Subhaan-Allaah! Purify yourself with it.” ‘Aa’ishah said – as if she whispered it to her – Follow the traces of blood. And she asked him about ghusl in the case of janaabah. He said: “Let her take water and clean herself well – or clean herself thoroughly – then let her pour water over her head and rub it so that it reaches the roots of the hair, then let her pour water over herself.” ‘Aa’ishah said: How good the woman of the Ansaar were! They did not let shyness prevent them from understanding their religion properly.
So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) differentiated between ghusl following menses and ghusl following janaabah, with regard to rubbing the hair and applying perfume.
Thirdly:
Saying Bismillah when doing ghusl and wudoo’ is mustahabb according to the majority of fuqaha’, and the Hanbalis said that it is obligatory.
Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Saying Bismillaah is obligatory according to our madhhab, as in the case of wudoo’. There is no text concerning that but they said: It is obligatory in the case of wudoo’ so it is more so in the case of ghusl, because that is a greater purification.
But the correct view is that it is not obligatory in the case of either wudoo’ or ghusl. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’.
Fourthly:
Rinsing the mouth and nose is essential in ghusl, as is the view of the Hanafis and Hanbalis.
Al-Nawawi said, discussing the difference of opinion on this point: the views of the scholars on rinsing the mouth and nose are four:
1- That these actions are two of the sunnahs of wudoo’ and ghusl. This is our view (Shaafa’i).
2- That they are obligatory in both wudoo’ and ghusl and are conditions of them being valid. This is the well known view of Ahmad.
3- That they are obligatory in ghusl but not in wudoo’. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and his companions.
4- That rinsing the nose, but not the mouth, is obligatory in wudoo’ and ghusl. This was narrated from Ahmad, and Ibn al-Mundhir said: This is my view.
End quote from al-Majmoo’ (1/400).
The correct view is the second one, which is that rinsing the mouth and nose is obligatory in ghusl, and that is a condition of it being valid.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Among the scholars are some who say that ghusl is not valid without them (i.e., rinsing the mouth and nose), as is the case with wudoo’.
And it was said that it is valid without them.
The correct view is the former, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “purify yourselves (bathe your whole body)” [al-Maa'idah 5:6],and this includes the entire body. The inside of the nose and mouth are part of the body which must be purified. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that in wudoo’ because they are included in the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “wash your faces” [al-Maa’idah 5:6]. As they are included in washing the face and are included in that which must be purified in wudoo’, they are also included in ghusl, because purification in that case is even more important. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’.
Fifthly:
If in the past you did not rinse your mouth and nose when doing ghusl because you did not know the ruling on that or because you were following the opinion of someone who does not regard that as obligatory, then your ghusl is valid and your prayers offered following that ghusl are also valid, and you do not have to repeat them, because of the strong difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the ruling on rinsing the mouth and nose, as stated above.
May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases him.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Rulings on menstruation
What are the rulings on menses in women?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are many rulings to do with menstruation, more than twenty, of which we will mention those which we think are most essential. They are:
1 – Prayer
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to pay both obligatory and naafil prayers, and they are not valid if she does them. She does not have to do a particular prayer unless she was pure or became pure with enough time to perform a complete rak’ah, in which case she has to do the prayer, whether it is at the beginning of the time for it or at the end. An example of that happening at the beginning of the time for prayer is a woman who got her menses after the sun set but she had enough time to perform a complete rak’ah (but she did not do it), so when she becomes pure she has to make up that Maghrib prayer, because she had enough time to perform a complete rak’ah before she got her menses.
An example of that happening at the end of the time for prayer is a woman whose menses ended before the sun rose and there was enough time left to perform a complete rak’ah. When she becomes pure she has to make up that Fajr prayer, because she had enough time to perform one rak’ah.
But if there is not enough time to perform a rak’ah, such as in the first scenario, if a woman gets her menses a moment after the sun sets or, in the second scenario, she becomes pure a moment before the sun rises, then she does not have to do that prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever catches up with a rak’ah of prayer has caught up with the prayer.” Agreed upon.
With regard to dhikr, takbeer, saying Subhaan-Allaah, praising Allaah, saying Bismillaah when eating and so on, and reading hadeeth, fiqh and du’aa’s, or saying Ameen to du’aa’s, and listening to Qur’aan, none of these things are forbidden to her. It is proven in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recline in ‘Aa’ishah’s lap (may Allaah be pleased with her) when she was menstruating, and he would recite Qur'aan.
In al-Saheehayn it is also narrated from Umm ‘Atiyyah that she heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Let the girls who have attained puberty, women in seclusion and menstruating women go out – i.e., to the Eid prayer – and witness good and the gathering of the believers. But let the menstruating women avoid the prayer place.”
With regard to the menstruating woman reading Qur’aan, if she is looking at it or thinking of it in her heart, without speaking the words out loud, there is nothing wrong with that, such as if the Mus-haf is placed there, and she looks at the verses and reads them in her heart. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: it is permissible and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point.
But if she is reciting it out loud, the majority of scholars are of the view that this is not allowed.
Al-Bukhaari, Ibn Jareer, al-Tabari and Ibn al-Mundhir said it is permissible, and this was also narrated from Maalik and from al-Shaafa’i in his former view. That was narrated from them in Fath al-Baari. And al-Bukhaari narrated in a mu’allaq report from Ibraheem al-Nakha’i that there is nothing wrong with her reciting a verse.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Fataawa: There is no report saying that she should not read Qur’aan. The hadeeth “No menstruating woman or person who is junub should recite anything from the Qur’aan” is a weak hadeeth, according to the consensus of the scholars who are well-versed in hadeeth. Women used to menstruate at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and if reading was haraam for them as prayer is, this would have been something that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained to his ummah and the Mothers of the Believers would have known that, and it would have been something that they told to the people. But since no one narrated any prohibition concerning that from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is not permissible to regard it as haraam, since it is known that he did not forbid that, and as he did not forbid that despite the fact that menstruation was widespread at his time, it is known that it is not haraam. End quote.
Since we know that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning this, what should be said is: it is better for a menstruating woman not to recite Qur'aan out loud except when there is need for that, such as if she is a teacher and she needs to teach her students, or in the case of an exam when the student needs to recite in order to be tested, and so on.
2 – Fasting
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to fast, whether it is an obligatory or a naafil fast, and it is not valid if she does it. But she has to make up any obligatory fasts that she misses, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “That – meaning menses – used to happen to us and we were commanded to make up fasts but we were not commanded to make up prayers.” Agreed upon.
If a woman gets her menses when she is fasting, her fast becomes invalid even if that happens just before Maghrib, and she has to make up that day if it was an obligatory fast.
But if she feels that the period was coming before Maghrib, but no blood came out until after the sun set, then her fast is complete and is not invalidated, according to the correct view, because there is no ruling connected to blood that is still inside the body, and when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about a woman who sees in a dream what a man sees (i.e., an erotic dream), does she have to do ghusl? He said: “Yes, if she sees water.” So the ruling is connected to seeing water, not feeling body sensations. The same applies to menses: the rulings do not apply until it is seen outside the body, not just the body sensations.
If dawn comes when the woman is menstruating, it is not valid for her to fast that day even if she becomes pure even a moment after dawn.
If she becomes pure just before dawn and fasts, her fast is valid even if she does not do ghusl until after dawn. This is like the one who is junub – if he intends to fast when he is junub and dos not do ghusl until after dawn breaks, his fast is valid, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wake up junub as the result of intercourse, not a wet dream, and he would fast in Ramadaan. Agreed upon.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are many rulings to do with menstruation, more than twenty, of which we will mention those which we think are most essential. They are:
1 – Prayer
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to pay both obligatory and naafil prayers, and they are not valid if she does them. She does not have to do a particular prayer unless she was pure or became pure with enough time to perform a complete rak’ah, in which case she has to do the prayer, whether it is at the beginning of the time for it or at the end. An example of that happening at the beginning of the time for prayer is a woman who got her menses after the sun set but she had enough time to perform a complete rak’ah (but she did not do it), so when she becomes pure she has to make up that Maghrib prayer, because she had enough time to perform a complete rak’ah before she got her menses.
An example of that happening at the end of the time for prayer is a woman whose menses ended before the sun rose and there was enough time left to perform a complete rak’ah. When she becomes pure she has to make up that Fajr prayer, because she had enough time to perform one rak’ah.
But if there is not enough time to perform a rak’ah, such as in the first scenario, if a woman gets her menses a moment after the sun sets or, in the second scenario, she becomes pure a moment before the sun rises, then she does not have to do that prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever catches up with a rak’ah of prayer has caught up with the prayer.” Agreed upon.
With regard to dhikr, takbeer, saying Subhaan-Allaah, praising Allaah, saying Bismillaah when eating and so on, and reading hadeeth, fiqh and du’aa’s, or saying Ameen to du’aa’s, and listening to Qur’aan, none of these things are forbidden to her. It is proven in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recline in ‘Aa’ishah’s lap (may Allaah be pleased with her) when she was menstruating, and he would recite Qur'aan.
In al-Saheehayn it is also narrated from Umm ‘Atiyyah that she heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Let the girls who have attained puberty, women in seclusion and menstruating women go out – i.e., to the Eid prayer – and witness good and the gathering of the believers. But let the menstruating women avoid the prayer place.”
With regard to the menstruating woman reading Qur’aan, if she is looking at it or thinking of it in her heart, without speaking the words out loud, there is nothing wrong with that, such as if the Mus-haf is placed there, and she looks at the verses and reads them in her heart. Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: it is permissible and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point.
But if she is reciting it out loud, the majority of scholars are of the view that this is not allowed.
Al-Bukhaari, Ibn Jareer, al-Tabari and Ibn al-Mundhir said it is permissible, and this was also narrated from Maalik and from al-Shaafa’i in his former view. That was narrated from them in Fath al-Baari. And al-Bukhaari narrated in a mu’allaq report from Ibraheem al-Nakha’i that there is nothing wrong with her reciting a verse.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Fataawa: There is no report saying that she should not read Qur’aan. The hadeeth “No menstruating woman or person who is junub should recite anything from the Qur’aan” is a weak hadeeth, according to the consensus of the scholars who are well-versed in hadeeth. Women used to menstruate at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and if reading was haraam for them as prayer is, this would have been something that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained to his ummah and the Mothers of the Believers would have known that, and it would have been something that they told to the people. But since no one narrated any prohibition concerning that from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is not permissible to regard it as haraam, since it is known that he did not forbid that, and as he did not forbid that despite the fact that menstruation was widespread at his time, it is known that it is not haraam. End quote.
Since we know that there is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning this, what should be said is: it is better for a menstruating woman not to recite Qur'aan out loud except when there is need for that, such as if she is a teacher and she needs to teach her students, or in the case of an exam when the student needs to recite in order to be tested, and so on.
2 – Fasting
It is haraam for a menstruating woman to fast, whether it is an obligatory or a naafil fast, and it is not valid if she does it. But she has to make up any obligatory fasts that she misses, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “That – meaning menses – used to happen to us and we were commanded to make up fasts but we were not commanded to make up prayers.” Agreed upon.
If a woman gets her menses when she is fasting, her fast becomes invalid even if that happens just before Maghrib, and she has to make up that day if it was an obligatory fast.
But if she feels that the period was coming before Maghrib, but no blood came out until after the sun set, then her fast is complete and is not invalidated, according to the correct view, because there is no ruling connected to blood that is still inside the body, and when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about a woman who sees in a dream what a man sees (i.e., an erotic dream), does she have to do ghusl? He said: “Yes, if she sees water.” So the ruling is connected to seeing water, not feeling body sensations. The same applies to menses: the rulings do not apply until it is seen outside the body, not just the body sensations.
If dawn comes when the woman is menstruating, it is not valid for her to fast that day even if she becomes pure even a moment after dawn.
If she becomes pure just before dawn and fasts, her fast is valid even if she does not do ghusl until after dawn. This is like the one who is junub – if he intends to fast when he is junub and dos not do ghusl until after dawn breaks, his fast is valid, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wake up junub as the result of intercourse, not a wet dream, and he would fast in Ramadaan. Agreed upon.
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