Q. “How many Rakat are sunnah muakkadah in jumah prayer? Is ther any difference between men and women in this respect? “

A.“It is obligatory for men to perform jumah prayer with jamaah the number of obligatory (Fard) salah of jumah is only two Rakat and six are to be performed after the congregational prayer is over .

As for women, the jumah prayer is not obligatory on them. They should offer their salah in their homes individually and should offer the normal Zuhr prayer instead of jumah The number of Rakat for them is the same as they perform at the time of zuhr, every day that is the four obligatory rakat and the six rakat as sunnah muakkadah four of which are to be performed before the Fard salah and two of them after it  Read more... (184 words, estimated 44 secs reading time)

Q. “Is it necessary for a women to wait for call of Azan before she can offer her prayers (salah) or can she perform her prayers as soon as the time for that particular prayer becomes due?”. (Ibid)

A. The ladies need not wait for the call of Azan. They can offer their prayers soon after they are sure that the time for a particular salah has arrived, no matter whether the Call of Azan has been pronounced in the Masjid or not. The Holy Qur’an says,

“Surely, the Salah for the Muslims is an obligation related with time.”  Read more... (208 words, estimated 50 secs reading time)

Q. Some people seem to recite words used in Salah without moving their lips. What is the correct method?

A. Well, reciting words verbally is necessary in salah, no matter how low the voice is. But, the movement of the tongue, and the movement of lips in the required words, is necessary. Now, if a person stands in salah and recites everything within his heart, his salah will remain simply unperformed.

Q. Some people look here and there while in salah. Is this permissible?  Read more... (788 words, estimated 3:09 mins reading time)

Q. Are women allowed to participate in congregational prayer led by a male? if it is allowed where they should stand? Similarly, is it allowed for women to arrange their own congregational prayer led by a female and participated by women exclusively? If it is allowed, what shall be the arrangement of the rows? Please also mention whether such type of congregational prayer can be held in the mosque or in the home. If it is possible for women to participate in a congregational prayer held in a mosque, how should a women observe the injunctions relating to Hijab?
(Muhammad Hassan Chand, Karachi)  Read more... (825 words, estimated 3:18 mins reading time)

Q. If one joins the congregationnal prayer late (i.e.in 3rd or 4th rakah) what is the proper way to complete the prayer? in Which rakah he has to recite a surah and in which rakah he has to sit after Sajdah?
(Abdul Sattar, Chicago)

A. A person who has not joined a prayer in the first rakah is called a ‘Masbuq’. He has to complete his prayer after the Imam has finished his prayer. A ‘Masbuq’ has to observe the following rules while completing his prayer :-  Read more... (488 words, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى (1)

[80:1] He (the Prophet) frowned and turned his face,

أَنْ جَاءَهُ الأَعْمَى (2)

[80:2] because the blind man came to him!

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى (3)

[80:3] What could tell you (O prophet about the prospects of the blind man?) May be, (if you had attended him properly,) he would have attained purity,

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى (4)

 Read more... (578 words, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)

Q. Family ‘A’ (father, mother and 2 major married sons) had lived permanently in Durban. The members of the family were born in Durban. They had grown up in Durban and had always regarded Durban as their permanent home. About 8 years ago, family ‘A’ moved Ladysmith, a town about 150 miles away from Durban. They settled in Ladysmith primarily for business reasons they had relocated their manufacturing plant from Durban to Ladysmith in order to take advantage of certain Government benefits and concessions arising out of such relocation of their business. The family still owns a home and other property in Durban and still runs an Office in Durban. The third son is residing in Durban with his family and the brothers and sisters of the parents and their respective family units all reside permanently in Durban. Family ‘A’ wants to know :  Read more... (462 words, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

Q. A non-Muslim studying Islamics at a university is writing a project on the Tablighi Jamaat. Since I got to know him because of this, he frequently asks a thing or two concerning his project. One question is this :
“As far as I know “Dhikr” is not used in the Tablighi Jamaat in the same sense as Sufis use it, who use it often for mystical and spiritual exercises to attain a state of ecstasy. What is meant by “Dhikr” in Tablighi Jamaat and what is the difference between “Dhikr” and the Prayer (Salah)?”  Read more... (1328 words, estimated 5:19 mins reading time)

Q. 1. Dear Maulana, your lecture on June 6, 1997 at MCA, increased our knowledge and Iman. May Allah give you great reward Ameen! I would like to thank you for visiting MCA Santa Clara. Dear Maulana, we need your Fatwa on the following three Fiqhi issues :

1) The time of Salah al-Zuhr (what is the beginning, the end of the Zuhr time and what is the definition of Zawal?)

2) The Qiblah’s direction (Should the Qiblah be identified by the strict directions West, East, North and South only? Are otherdirections such as north-east and south-west also considered? should the shortest direction to Makkah be considered as a reference to define Qiblah?)  Read more... (1996 words, estimated 7:59 mins reading time)

Q. (a) “Why is du’a of qunoot prayed during the ‘Isha’ Prayers (specially in the Witr). There must be a reason behind it.”

(b) “Since du’a qunoot is a du’a, can we use it to pay it in other prayers i.e. after finishing Fajr prayer?”  Read more... (412 words, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)