Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night) in Islam

The dearest deeds to Allah Ta’ala are to perform the obligatory Salah at the appointed time and to abstain from sinful deeds. Many activities can be done to get nearness to Allah after the obligatory prayers. One of them is to perform the Nafl (additional) prayer at night. And it is also very important to perform Nafl prayers regularly at night and to keep one’s good deeds hidden from people. One of the Nafl prayers at night is the Tahajjud Salah. Surely it (Prayer at Night) is an act towards which Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) has encouraged his ummah very much. There are many rules and regulations of Islam involved in it.

So I will tell you about Tahajjud Salah and various important things related to it. And I will try to mention some rules and regulations of Islam on every subject of the Night Prayer. So let’s first know what Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night) in Islam is?

What is Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night) in Islam?

In this regard, Imam Al Khatib Al Shirbini (Rh) has mentioned in his book that “Tahajjud Salah is a nafl Salah (additional prayer) of the night after waking up.” [Mughni Al-Muhtaj, volume 1, page 463]

Remember, the night prayer is a broad semantic word, which includes all the Nafl prayers which are performed from after the Isha Salah until the time for the Fajr Salah begins. Such as Witr prayer, Taraweeh prayer, Tahajjud prayer, and any Nafl prayer before going to bed at night or the Nafl prayer after waking up from sleep, etc.

I mean, the Witr prayer is one kind of night prayer. Taraweeh prayers are also one kind of night prayer. Tahajjud prayer (Prayer at Night) is one of the night prayers. Even performing any Nafl Salah in the middle of the night is considered a night prayer. And in this regard, in the famous reliable book of Fiqh, Al-Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah has been mentioned that,

“And the night prayer; is performed after the Isha Salah, Sometimes sleep comes before it (i.e., sometimes night prayer is performed after sleep). And sometimes sleep does not come before it (i.e., sometimes night prayer is performed before sleep). But Tahajjud prayer; is not performed but (only) after sleep.” [Al-Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah, volume 14, page 86]

Generally, the purpose of the night prayer is only Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night). In this regard, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “O people! Spread (the greeting of) Salam, feed others, uphold the ties of kinship, and pray during the night when people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise with Salam (safely).” [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3251]

What is the ruling on Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night)?

Tahajjud Salah is an important Sunnah deed for all Muslims. Since Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to perform it regularly, he never gave it up intentionally. And Amr bin Abasah (RA) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:

“The Lord (Allah Ta’ala) becomes closest to the servant in the middle of the night. Hence, if you are able to be of those who remember Allah in that hour, then do so.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3579]

Remember, the Tahajjud prayer is a Nafl (additional) prayer. If a Muslim abandons this prayer, he will not be worthy of punishment. But of course, he will be deprived of high status and great rewards. Verily, Allah Ta’ala said about the Tahajjud prayer (Prayer at Night):

“And from (part of) the night, pray with it (i.e., arise from sleep for prayer and recite the Quran in Salah. And this Salah is) as additional (worship) for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.” [Surah Al-Isra’, verse 79]

When does Tahajjud prayer time begin?

Usually, the time of Tahajjud prayer begins after the Isha prayer and it remains valid till the time of the Fajr prayer begins. In this regard, Shaikh Al-Sayyid Sabiq (Rh) has mentioned in his book that,

“Time of Tahajjud: It is permissible to perform the night prayer at the beginning of the night, in the middle of the night, and at the end of the night, as long as the time for prayer continues after the Isha prayer.

Anas (RA) said about the narration of the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): Every time we wanted to see the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) praying at night, we saw him, and every time we wanted to see him sleeping, we saw him. He (peace be upon him) used to fast in the month till we spoke he would not stop fasting at all in that month, and He (peace be upon him) used to not fast in the month till we spoke that he would not fast in that month. 

Narrated it by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, and Al-Nasa’i.

Hafiz (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) said: There was no fixed time for the Tahajjud prayer of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). Rather, whenever it was easy for him to perform the prayer, he performed the prayer in that accordingly.” [Fiqh-Us-Sunnah, volume 1, page 203]

However,

the best time to perform the Tahajjud prayer is from midnight until the time for the Fajr prayer begins. In this regard, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“When half of the night or two-thirds of it is over. Allah, the Blessed, and the Exalted descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 758 c]

The virtue of Tahajjud prayer in Islam

There are many sayings of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger (peace be upon him) in this regard. Some of the notable sayings are: –

Allah Ta’ala said: “Their sides part separates (i.e., they arise) from (their) beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what I have provided them, they spend. And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes (i.e., satisfaction) as reward for what they used to do.” [Surah As-Sajdah, verses 16 – 17]

“Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing (in prayer), fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (like one who does not)? Say, Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only they will remember (who are) people of understanding.” [Surah Az-Zumar, verse 9]

“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little of the night. And in the hours before dawn, they used to ask forgiveness.” [Surah Adh-Dhariyat, verse 15 – 18]

And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“The most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayers is the Prayer offered in the middle of the night, and the most excellent fast after (fasting) in the month of Ramadan is the fast in Allah’s month Al-Muharram.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1163 b]

“Hold fast to night prayer, for it is the practice of the righteous before you, it is a means of nearness to Allah for you, an expiation for bad deeds, and a means of prevention from sin.” [Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, Hadith No. 1156]

The number of rak’ah of Tahajjud Salah (Prayer at Night)

The minimum rak’ah of Tahajjud prayers is two rak’ahs. In this regard, Abu Huraira (RA) reported Allah’s Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “When any one of you gets up at night, he should begin the prayer with two short rak’ahs.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 768]

Tahajjud prayer is an additional prayer and Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) did not determine the maximum number of rak’ahs for this prayer. Verily, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “The prayer is a good deed that has been formed (by the order of Allah). So whoever wants to increase it, he should increase it.” [Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat, Hadith No. 243]

However, most of the time, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to offer eight rak’ahs of Tahajjud prayers. In this regard, Ayesha (RA) said:

“Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) never exceeded eleven rak’ah in Ramadan or in other months (at night); he used to offer four rak’ah (of Tahajjud)– do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rak’ah (of Tahajjud), do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then he used to offer three rak’ah (of Witr).” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 1147]

And when Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to add two rak’ahs of Nafl prayers with eleven rak’ahs, then it would have been thirteen rak’ahs of Tahajjud with Witr. [Nail Al-awtar Sharh Muntaqa Al-akhbar, volume 3, page 73]

Our supplication to Allah

Allah Ta’ala gives us the grace to perform the regular Tahajjud prayers (Prayer at Night) properly, to keep our good deeds secret, and to do good deeds only for the pleasure of Allah. Ameen.

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Shab E Barat (the night of the middle of Sha’ban)

Allah Ta’ala has sent down the last divine book Al-Quran to guide every human being toward the truth. And Allah Ta’ala has sent the last Messenger to teach Muslims how to implement every ruling of the Qur’an and every matter of Islam. Verily, there are many important things in Islam. One of the important things is Shab E Barat (the night of the middle of Sha’ban). Many Muslims are involved in exaggeration and extreme laxity with the matter of Shab E Barat. There is a class of people who do things that are clearly Bid’ah and illegitimate. On the other hand, another class of people devalues the night of the middle of Sha’ban. Denies its existence and virtue. Indeed, Islam does not support this exaggeration and laxity.

So I will present to you some information about ‘Shab e Barat’ which will help you to know a lot. And at the same time, I will try my best to present clear evidence for each subject. So let’s first know the identity of Shab E Barat.

What is Shab E Barat?

Shab is a Persian word. This means night. And Barat is an Arabic word. And that means impunity. Shaban is the name of a month of Arabic 12 months. And the 15th night of that Shaban month is called Shab e Barat. In this regard, Abul Ala Muhammad Abdur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri (Rh) said,

“Shab e Barat is the 15th night of the month of Shaban. It is called Lailatul Barat.” [Tuhfatul-Ahwazi, volume 3, page: 364]

Originally in Arabic, this night is called ‘Layla Al Nisf Min Shaban’ (ليلة النصف من شعبان). Many years after the age of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and the Tabi’ins, this night became known as Shab e Barat (Lailatul Barat).

Is there any virtue in Shab E Barat (Lailatul Barat)?

Many hadiths have been narrated about Lailatul Barat which point to the virtues of this night. However, many scholars have criticized the authenticity of those hadiths. I am quoting three famous hadiths about Shab e Barat.

It was narrated from Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Allah looks down on the night of the middle of Sha’ban and forgives all His creation, apart from the idolater and the Mushahin (Hostile to one another).” [Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith No. 1390]

Aishah (RA) narrated: She said, I could not find the Messenger of Allah one night. So I left and found him at Al-Baqi. He (peace be upon him) said: “Did you fear that you had been wronged by Allah and His Messenger?” I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I thought that you had gone to one of your wives.’ Then he (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed Allah, Mighty, and Sublime is He, descends to the world Heavens during the night of the middle of Sha’ban, grants forgiveness to more (people) than the number of hairs on the sheep of (Banu) Kalb.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 739]

Narrated by Abu Salabah (RA), The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah Ta’ala looks to His servants. So He forgives the believers and gives respite to the disbelievers and keeps the Hostiles because of their hostility (in their own state. He withholds the forgiveness upon them) until they give up their hostility.” [Musnad Al-Bazzar, volume 1, page: 157]

What is the ruling on fasting on the occasion of Lailatul Barat?

If you say, I will fast on the occasion of Lailatul Barat because I have got a Hadith which describes clearly fasting on the occasion of Lailatul Barat. The hadith is:

It was narrated that Ali bin Abu Talib (RA) said, The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When it is the night of the middle of Sha’ban, spend its night in prayer and observe a fast on that day. For Allah descends at sunset on that night to the world heaven and says: Is there no one who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him? Is there no one who will ask Me for provisions, that I may provide for him? Is there no one who is afflicted by trouble, that I may relieve him? And so on; until dawn comes.” [Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith No. 1388]

Then We will say about this hadith which you have presented as evidence; This hadith’s value is Dhaif Jiddan (very weak) according to the previous and the present many wise scholars of Hadiths. This hadith cannot be acted upon. In this regard, Abul Ala Muhammad Abdur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri (Rh) said,

“Another caveat: I did not find any authentic Marfu’ Hadith about fasting on the day of the night of the middle of Sha’ban.”

“Then there is the hadith of Ali (RA) which has narrated Imam Ibn Majah (Rh) by the word “When it is the night of the middle of Sha’ban, spend its night in prayer and observe a fast on that day.” So you must know that the hadith is Dhaif Jiddan (very weak).” [Tuhfatul-Ahwazi, volume 3, page: 368]

Remember

If you fast on the occasion of Lailatul Barat, then you have done the work which goes against the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. This is because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Companions (RA) did not fast on the occasion of Lailatul Barat.

But if you fast for three days every month, you observe a Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). There are many hadiths narrated in this regard. So I am mentioning two hadiths about it.

Mu’adhah Al-Adawiyyah reported that she asked A’isha (RA), the wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Would the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) fast three days every month? She (RA) said: Yes. I said to her: Which were (the particular) days of the month on which he observed fast? She said: He did not care which days of the month he fasted. [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1160]

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr (RA): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him, “Fast for three days a month, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten times, and so the fasting of three days a month equals the fasting of a year.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3418]

Fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the Arabic month

If you want, you can fast on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Shaban, and other months. Verily, there is no problem with it. In this regard,

Abu Dharr (RA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “O Abu Dharr! When you fast three days out of a month, then fast the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth.” [Jami’ At-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 761]

Worshipping on the occasion of Lailatul Barat

On the occasion of Shab E Barat, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) did not perform and did not teach any special worship, special Salah, or any special Dua or Dhikr. However, there is no obstacle to performing more and more Nafl Salah personally, praying to Allah, reciting Qur’an in proportion to one’s ability, etc.

But of course, gathering in a mosque or any other place to perform Nafl worship in groups is definitely an evil deed. Because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Companions (RA) did not all gather in the mosque on this night to perform Nafl worship. In this regard, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (Rh) said:

And there is the virtue of Shab e Barat. Many of the Salaf used to perform Nafl prayers on this night. But on this night, it is a Bid’ah to gather in the mosque to wake up at night for worship. Similarly, performing As-Salah Al-Alfiyah (i.e., 100 rak’ah salah which requires recitation of Surah Ikhlas 10 times per rak’ah) is also Bid’ah. [Al-fatawa Al-kubra of Shaykh Al-islam Ibn Taymiyyah, volume 5, page: 344]

Similarly, in centering on Shab E Barat going to more graveyards, visiting graves, lighting graveyards with lamps, etc. are also considered Bid’ah. [Al-Madkhal li-ibn Al-Ḥajj, volume 1, page 311]

Our Dua to Allah

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the grace to always abandon all kinds of Bid’ah and may He also grant us Tawfiq to always follow the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). Ameen.

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Ghusl (Bath) in Islam, and some info about it

Certainly, holiness is a part of Iman (faith). Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger (peace be upon him) love holiness. But the Devil (Satan) does not like it. He wants everyone to be unclean physically and mentally. Verily, Major impurity keeps people away from many acts of worship. So Allah has determined for the believers a way to purify themselves from the major impurity. That way is Ghusl (Bath). There is much significance of Ghusl (Bath) in Islam. It is one of the rulings of Islam for Muslims. It becomes obligatory when certain reasons are revealed. And one of those reasons is revealed in one whom, immediately falls into major impurity.

So I will mention some of the most important matters about Ghusl (Bath) that every Muslim must know. At the same time, I will describe to you its need and importance. So let’s first know what Ghusl (Bath) in Islam is.

What is Ghusl (Bath) in Islam?

In this regard, Imam Khatib Al Shirbini (Rh) has mentioned in his book,

“Its literal meaning is To pour water on something generally. And its terminological meaning is To pour water on the whole body with the intention (of purification).” [Mughni Al-Muhtaj, volume 1, page 212]

Explaining this further, Imam Mansur ibn Yunus ibn Idris al-Bahuti (Rh) said,

Ghusl (Bath) is To use purified and sanctifier water in the whole body in a specific way. So the condition of using water excludes Al-Tayammum, the condition of purified and sanctifier water excludes the non-sanctifier water, the condition of the whole body excludes Al-Wudu, and the condition of in a specific way includes the intention, saying Bismillah. [Kashshaf Al-qina an matn Al-iqna, volume 1, page 139]

Basically, Ghusl (Bath) in Islam is to flow the purified water all over the body and to observe properly obligatory matters of it.

Allah Ta’ala says about Ghusl (Bath): “O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying, not (approach prayer) in a state of janabah (one kind of major impurity) except those passing through (the mosque), until you have bathed.” [Surah An-Nisa, verse 43]

Ghusl’s importance and necessity

Ghusl (Bath) is one of the commandments of Allah. However, its importance also changes in terms of different conditions. Sometimes it becomes obligatory, sometimes sunnah, and sometimes Mustahabb, and so on. If Ghusl (Bath) becomes obligatory on someone and he neglects to do Ghusl, then it is considered a disliked deed for him. And if he deliberately delays doing Ghusl, even if he misses any obligatory worship intentionally due to it, then it will be considered a sin for him to delay doing it. And When the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) fall into major impurity, they would take a quick bath to purify themselves.

In this regard,

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA), The Prophet (peace be upon him) came across me in one of the streets of Medina and at that time I was Junub (i.e., in a major impurity state). So I slipped away from him and went to take a bath. On my return, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “O Abu Huraira! Where have you been?” I replied, “I was Junub, so I disliked sitting in your company.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Subhan Allah! A believer never becomes impure (like stool-urine, or A believer stay not always in an impurity state).” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 283]

The believer stays always in a clean state. Those who are the devil or his companions do not want to be pure. They do delay being holy. And they give up many acts of worship of Allah due to impurity. For many, it becomes a bad habit. At one time, they fell into the wrath of Allah because they like to be always in an unclean state. But Allah wants to keep his servants pure. So He has given them the ruling of holiness. And Allah Ta’ala said:

“He (Allah) sent down upon you from the sky, water (rain) by which he purifies you and removes from you the evil (suggestions) of Satan and makes steadfast your hearts and makes (your) steps firm thereby.” [Surah Al-Anfal, verse 11]

Obligatory matters of Ghusl

(1) Intention (Niyyah). Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (R.): I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 1]

However, some scholars have said that Niyyah (intention) is a Sunnah during Bathing (Ghusl).

(2) Rinsing mouth and nose. Aishah (R) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed Ghusl from Janabah, the vessel (of water) would be placed before him, and he would pour water over his hands before putting his two hands into the vessel. When he had washed his hands, he would put his right hand in the vessel, then pour water with his right hand and wash his private parts with his left hand. When he had finished it, he would pour water with his right hand over his left hand and wash them both. Then he would rinse his mouth and nose three times. Thereafter he would pour water filling both of his hands over his head three times. Then he would pour water over his body. [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 245]

(3) Washing the whole body. Aishah said (R), “Whenever Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) took the bath of Janabah, he cleaned his hands and performed ablution like that for Salah and then took a bath and rubbed his hair, till he felt that the whole skin of the head had become wet, then he would pour water thrice and wash the rest of the body.” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No 272]

How to perform Ghusl (Bath) in Islam?

Ghusl (bath) should be done in the manner that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is doing. And should be Ghusl (bath) behind the curtain. Because Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to like to bathe behind the curtain. And there is no danger of the private part being exposed in front of people if you perform ghusl behind the curtain. Regarding how the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to bathe, Maimunah (RA) said:

“I placed water for the bath of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He washed his hands twice or thrice and then poured water on his left hand and washed his private parts. He rubbed his hands over the earth (and cleaned them), rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and blowing it out, washed his face and both forearms, and then poured water over his body. Then he withdrew from that place and washed his feet.” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 257]

And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Cover your Awrah (the private part), except for your wife and those whom your right hand possesses (i.e., Halal slave woman).” I (Mu’awiyah bin Haidah Al-Qushairy) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if the people live close together?’ He (peace be upon him) said: “If you can make sure that no one sees it, then do not let anyone see it.” I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if one of us is alone?’ He (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is more deserving that you should feel shy before Him than People.” [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 1920]

What are the types of Ghusl (Bath) in Islam?

There are two types of Ghusl (Bath) in Islam. Namely: 1, Obligatory bath. 2, Mustahab or Sunnah bath.
The Obligatory bath is a bath that obligates if one of the certain reasons for the obligatory bath is revealed to someone.

And Mustahab or Sunnah bath is a bath that has to be done on certain days or at certain times. For example, bathing on Friday, bathing on Eid day, bathing after giving a bath to a dead person, etc.

If a person misses any obligatory worship due to abandoning the obligatory bath, then he will be a sinner. On the contrary, if a person abandons Mustahab or Sunnah bath, then he will not be a sinner. But he will be deprived of the reward. Therefore, every believer should follow the pattern of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) in bathing and all other matters of religion. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said:

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and (who) remembers Allah often.” [Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21]

The certain reasons that make the bath obligatory

(1) Ejaculating semen with arousal. It was narrated that Ali (R) said: I was one who had a lot of Madhi, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me, “If you see Madhi (prostatic fluid) then wash your penis, and perform Wudu’ like that for Salah, but if you ejaculate semen, then perform Ghusl.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 194]

(2) Joining the two circumcised parts together. Abu Hurairah (R) reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying, “When anyone sits between the four parts of a woman (i.e., who wants to do sexual cohabit with his wife), and one circumcised join other circumcised, then bath becomes obligatory.” [Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No 216]

(3) To be end Menses and Nifas (Blood of Childbirth).

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “When the time of menstruation comes, stop praying (Salah), and when it goes, perform Ghusl.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 202]

And when the Blood of Childbirth stops, it is obligatory to take a bath. All the Fuqaha (those who are Islamic jurists, are experts in fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic Law) have agreed on this. In this regard, in the famous reliable book of Fiqh, Al-Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah has been mentioned that,

The Fuqaha have expressed the opinion that it is obligatory for a woman to take a bath after the blood of Childbirth has stopped. Al-Ijma (i.e., the unanimous agreement of the Islamic jurists of a particular era on a specific issue) is the proof that makes bathing obligatory due to it. Because there is no clear statement in the Qur’an or Sunnah (Hadith) regarding the obligation of bathing it. [Al-Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah Al Kuwaitiyah, volume 41, page 15]

(4) Death. Narrated Umm Atiyya al-Ansariya (R): Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) came to us when his daughter died and said, “Take her to bath thrice or five times or more, if you see it necessary, with water and Sidr and then apply camphor or some camphor at the end.” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No 1253]

(5) When the disbeliever accepts Islam

Narrated Abu Hurairah (R): “When Thumama bin Uthal (RA) had accepted Islam, then Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) commanded him to take a shower.” [Irwa al-Ghalil lil Albani, Page no 164]

(6) To find wetness on the body or clothes after waking up from sleep. Aishah (R) narrated: The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about a man who finds wetness, and he does not remember having a wet dream. So He (peace be upon him) said (about that person): he is to perform Bathing (Ghusl). And (He ﷺ was asked) about a man who had a wet dream, but does not find any wetness. So He (peace be upon him) said (about this person): No Ghusl is required of him. Umm Salamah (R) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is the woman required to perform Bathing (Ghusl) if she sees that?’ He (peace be upon him) replied: ‘Yes. Indeed women are the partners of men. [Jami at-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 113]

If the bath has obligated, then which activities are prohibited?

1. Performing any prayer (Salah) and 2. Entering the Mosque and Staying in there. Allah Ta’ala said in this regard, “O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying, not (approach prayer) in a state of janabah except those passing through (the mosque), until you have bathed.” [Surah An-Nisa, verse 43]  

3. Performing the circumambulation (Tawaf). Ibn Abbas (R) narrated that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Tawaf around the House (of Allah) is similar to Salah, But you can talk during it. So whoever talks in it, then let him not talk except good.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 960]

4. Touching the Quran.

Abu Bakr bin Muhammad narrates from his father, he narrates from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to the people of Yemen. It said, “No one should touch the Qur’an except the holy one.” [Nail al-Awtar, Hadith No 262]

5. Reciting the Quran. It was narrated that Abdullah bin Salimah said, Me and two other men came to Ali (R), and he said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to come out of the toilet and recite Qur’an, and he would eat meat with us. And nothing would prevent him from (reciting) Quran except Janabah.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 267]

Our Dua to Allah Ta’ala

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the grace to always be pure and to stay away from impurity. May Allah forgive us all the mistakes and sins in life, and grant us Tawfiq to follow all time the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). Ameen.

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The Hajj is a holy pilgrimage

The Hajj (Pilgrimage) is one of the acts of worship which Allah Ta’ala has made obligatory on the believing servants. It is an important pillar of Islam. Verily, it is a ruling from Allah which is obligatory only once in a lifetime. Moreover, Allah Ta’ala has not made this ruling obligatory for all believers. Rather, it is obligatory for certain believers. After performing Hajj once in a lifetime properly, the number of Hajj performed every year will be considered as Nafl Hajj. Of course, Hajj is a significant act of worship in Islam.

So I will present to you a few details of the Hajj and various things related to it, from which you can understand its definition and importance. And I will mention some essential things related to Hajj with proofs which will help you to know a lot. So let’s first know what Hajj is.

What is the hajj (Pilgrimage) in Islam?

In this regard, Abdur Rahman Al-Jaziri (Rh) has mentioned in his book that,

The Hajj literally means the intention to a greater part. In the terminology of Shari’ah, Hajj is the particular tasks that be done at an appointed time and in a specific place in a special way.  [Al-Fiqh ‘Ala al-Madhahib al-Arba’ah, volume 1, page 571]

The Hajj is obligatory on whom?

Hajj is obligatory for those who meet five conditions. Those five conditions are:-

1. Becoming a Muslim,
2. Being healthy-brain,
3. Adulthood,
4. Being free from the slaves of the human. (Verily, the slave has a definition in Islam. Please, ask the Wise Muslim scholars if you do not know about it.)
5. Being financially and physically capable to perform the Hajj. And a woman is required to have a Mahram man. Verily, it is considered financially capable for a woman.

Allah Ta’ala said about being able in terms of wealth: “And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty owed to Allah upon the people who are able to make their way to it (i.e., those who can afford the expenses for one’s conveyance, provision, and residence); and whoever disbelieves, then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exist).” [Surah Ali-‘Imran, verse 97]

In the context of being physically able, It was narrated by Abu Razin Al-‘Uqayli (RA) that he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! My father is an old man who cannot perform Hajj or Umrah, nor can he travel.’ He (peace be upon him) said: “Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on behalf of your father.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 2637]

Verily, The Hajj is a long holy travel. And it has been described in the context of having mahram man for women in the travel that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “No woman should travel the distance of three days or more unless she is with her father, brother, son, husband or a Mahram.” [Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 2898] 

Why is the Hajj (Pilgrimage) important in Islam?

Hajj is one of the obligatory rulings of Allah. It is an important pillar of Islam. Undoubtedly, the obligatory and Nafl Hajj are the most honorable and best deeds in the sight of Allah. In this regard, Narrated Aisha, the mother of the faithful believers, (RA), said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)! We consider Jihad as the best deed.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best Jihad (for women) is Hajj Mabrur.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1520]

It is an act through which everyone can attain nearness to Allah. Verily, Allah Ta’ala has inspired His able servants to perform Hajj. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said: “And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep mountain pass (i.e., every distant pathway to perform Hajj).” [Surah Al-Hajj, verse 27] 

Whoever performs the Hajj for the sake of Allah’s pleasure and in the hope of reward, and tries to abstain from all kinds of forbidden acts, then his Hajj will purify him from all previous sins. In this regard, Abu Hurairah (RA) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: “He who came to this House (Ka’bah with the intention of performing Hajj), and neither spoke indecently nor did he act wickedly, he would return (free from sin) as on the (very first day) his mother bore him.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1350a]

The person who intentionally ignores performing Pilgrimage and does not perform it in spite of his ability then is considered among them those who earned Allah’s anger, and he will be a misguided person. Of course, Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) said: “Who is able to perform the Hajj, but does not perform the Hajj, then it is the same for him that he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, volume 2, page 73]

Types of Hajj (Pilgrimage)

In this context, it has been mentioned in the famous and accepted book of fiqh, Al-Mausu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah, that

The Hajj can be performed in three ways. E.g.

Al-Ifrad. And that is Reciting Haji ‘Talbiyah of Hajj’, that is, the intention to perform Hajj only in the time of assuming his Ihram. Then only he performs the Hajj.

Al-Qiran. And that is to recite the Talbiyah of both Hajj and Umrah. Then completing them (i.e., all deeds of Hajj and Umrah) in one Hajj. 

Al-Tamattu. And that is to recite only the Talbiyah of Umrah in the month of Hajj. And to come to Makkah and complete the duties of Umrah, become Halal, and stay in Makkah in a Halal state. After that, assuming the Ihram of Hajj and completing all acts of Hajj. [Al-Mausu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah, volume 17, page 42]

What is Talbiyah?

Talbiyah is a specific sentence that Muhrim recites. In the regard to this specific sentence, Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (RA), The Talbiyah of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was: “Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika la Sharika Laka Labbaik, Inna-l-hamda wan-Ni’mata Laka walmulk, La Sharika Laka’ (I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner, I respond to Your call All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You have no partners with you).” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 1549]

What is Ihram and Muhrim?

Muhrim is who enters the state of Ihram. And the scholars of Hanbali, Shafi’i and Maliki consider that Ihram is the intention to enter into the prohibition matters of Hajj and Umrah. [Al-Mausu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah, volume 2, page 129]

What is to become Halal?

To become halal means to perform certain acts at appointed times in order to get the approval of those acts which are prohibited after entering the state of Ihram.

Prohibited matters of Hajj and Umrah

After entering the state of Ihram of Hajj and Umrah, Some halal things will be forbidden till the appointed times. Now, I am mentioning here some of the Prohibited matters of Hajj and Umrah.

(1) Uprooting or cutting or shaving the hair of the head or any fur or hair of the body. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said: “Don’t shave your heads until the Hady reaches the place of sacrifice.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 196]

This part of the verse of the Quran includes the hair of the head and the fur of any part of the body.

(2) Cutting the nails of the hands or legs. In this connection, Alauddin Abu Bakr bin Mas’ud Al-Qasani (Rh) has mentioned in his book that,

“And cutting the nails. In this context, we say that it is not lawful for a Muhrim to cut his nails. Because Allah Ta’ala said: “Then let them complete their prescribed duties (the deeds of Hajj).” [Surah Al-Hajj, verse 29]

And cutting the nails is part of the prescribed duties. And Allah Ta’ala has arranged to complete prescribed duties on the slaughter (Qurbani). Because He mentioned a word that has been made to express the meaning of continuity with delay. (This means that Allah Ta’ala has used the word (ثُمَّ) in His message which expresses that after the slaughter (Qurbani), the nails should be cut and such work should be done. Nails cannot be cut before the slaughter).” [Al-Bada’i Al-Sana’i, volume 2, page 194]

(3) Using oil on the head or the body.

In this regard, Ibn ‘Umar said: “A man stood before the Prophet and said: ‘Who is the (real) Hajj (Pilgrimage), O Messenger of Allah!’ He (peace be upon him) said: “The one with disheveled hair, who smells bad.” So another man stood and said: ‘Which Hajj is most virtuous, O Messenger of Allah?’ He (peace be upon him) said: “The one with loud voices and blood (of the sacrifice).” Another man stood and said: ‘What is ‘the means’, O Messenger of Allah?’ He (peace be upon him) said: “Provisions and vehicle”. [Mishkat Al-Masabih, Hadith No. 2527]

And a piece of vital information has been mentioned in the famous book of fiqh about using oil that,

“Thus, the majority of scholars {But Imam Ahmad (Rh) disagreed, based on the interpretation among themselves} are of the opinion that the use of oil is prohibited (for Muhrim). Although it is fragrance-free. Because using oil has the luxury, of equipping, and making hair beautiful. And these are contrary to the situation in which the Muhrim person must be. Such as having disheveled hair, being dusty, being dependent on Allah, and being humble for Him.” [Al-Mausu’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah, volume 2, page 159]

(4) To marry, to arrange the marriage, and to make the proposal of marriage. In this regard, Aban (Rh) said: I heard ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan (RA) say that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) had stated, “A Muhrim must neither marry himself, nor arrange the marriage of another one, nor should he make the proposal of marriage.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1409 a]

(5) To have sexual intercourse or to do something that incites to do that or to commit sin intentionally.

In this context, Allah Ta’ala said: “The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) month. So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj (Pilgrimage). And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!” [Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 197]

(6) Hunting land animals. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said: “It is lawful for you to hunt and eat seafood, as a provision for you and for the travelers. But hunting land animals is forbidden to you as long as you are in the state of Ihram. And fear Allah to Whom you will be gathered.” [Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 96]

(7) For men, to wear sewn clothes, covering the head. In this regard, it was narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (RA) that: a man asked the Messenger of Allah ‘What clothes can the Muhrim wear?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “They should not wear shirts nor Turbans, or pants, or Burnoses (the clothes which cover the head), or Khuffs (socks) – unless a person cannot find sandals, in which case he may wear Khuffs. But he should cut them lower than the ankles. And they should not wear anything that has been touched by (dyed with) saffron or Waras (one kind of fragrance color).” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 2669]

(8) For women, to wear Niqab (the veil of their faces) and Gloves.

In this context, Abdullah bin Umar (RA) said that he heard “the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibiting women in their state of ihram to wear gloves, veil (their faces), and to wear clothes with the dye of waras or saffron on them. But afterward, they can wear any kind of clothing they like dyed yellow or silk or jewelry or trousers or shirts or socks.” [Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 1827]

However, if a man who is not mahram comes to a woman or there is a danger of fitnah, then she can keep a garment on her face. And when he will leave, she will keep her face open immediately. In this regard, it was narrated that Aishah (RA) said: “We were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) while we were in Ihram. When a rider crossed by us we would lower the garment on our faces.” [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith No. 2691]

In another hadith has been mentioned that, “and when he has gone, we would lift them (the garment) up again (from our faces).” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith No. 1833, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 2935]

(9) Using perfume or fragrance or it’s similar things on the body or clothes. In this context, it was narrated from Safwan bin Ya’la that his father said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah wearing a Jubbah and having applied yellow color perfume to his beard and head; when He (peace be upon him) was in Al-Jirranah (the name of a place). Then he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have entered Ihram for ‘Umrah and I am as you see.’ He (peace be upon him) said: “Take off the Jubbah and wash off the perfume, and whatever you would do for Hajj, do it for ‘Umrah.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith No. 2710]

What is Umrah, and what is the ruling of it in Islam?

Umrah is the act of worshiping Allah by assuming Ihram, visiting the House of Allah, performing Tawaf, performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, and shaving or shortening hair of the head. After that, to become halal. [Manasik Al-hajj Wal-umrah of Sa’id Al-Qahtani, volume 1, page 11]

Umrah is basically a minor Hajj (Pilgrimage). And there is disagreement among the scholars about the ruling on Umrah. A group of scholars thinks that Umrah is Sunnah Al-Mu’aqqadah. Another group of scholars considers that Umrah is obligatory.

And the fact that Umrah is obligatory has been narrated by Ali (RA), Ibn Abbas (RA), Ibn Umar (RA), Ayesha (RA), Zayn al-Abedin, Taus, Al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Sirin, Saeed bin Zubair, Mujahid, Ata, and others. [Nail Al-Awtar, volume 4, page 332]

In this connection, Wahbah bin Mustafa Al-Zuhaili (Rh) has mentioned in his book that,

“And it has been expressed to me that the second opinion (i.e., Umrah is obligatory) is more correct because this verse of the Qur’an (i.e., Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 196) points to it, and the hadiths presented by the first group (who thought that Umrah is a Sunnah Al-Mu’aqqadah) are weak.” [Fiqh al-Islami wa-Adillatuhu, volume 3, page 207]

What are the obligatory acts of Pilgrimage?

Hajj has many obligatory acts. Some of the obligatory acts are:

(1) Assuming Ihram

(2) Tawaf Al-Ifadah or Tawaf al-Ziyarah

(3) Tawaf e Sadr or Tawaf al-Wida

(4) Sa’i between Safa and Marwa

(5) Wukuf di Arafah

(6) Wukuf di Muzdalifah

(7) Staying the night in Minah

(8) Throwing the stones

(9) Shaving or cutting the hair of the head

(10) Slaughtering (Qurbani)

If you want to know more details and you have good knowledge of the Arabic language, then you can read the book Fiqh al-Islami wa-Adillatuhu.

Our dua

May Allah grant us the grace to perform Hajj and Umrah and give us the opportunity to spend every moment of our lives in obedience to Him. Ameen

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