What is The Ruling About The Salaah of a Person who Prays Without a Sutrah?
Questioner: The person who prays without a Sutrah, what is the ruling on his prayer?
Al-Albaani: The prayer is valid but he is sinful.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 184.
The Albaani Site
Translation from the Works of the Reviver of this Century
Category: Fiqh
August 12, 2014
If Someone Finishes the Tashhahud and Then Remembers that He Only Prostrated Once, What Should He Do?
Questioner: If someone finishes the tashhahud and then remembers that he only prostrated once, what should he do?
Al-Albaani: He carries out the second prostration and then reads the tashahhud again and after that does the prostrations of forgetfulness [sujood as-sahw].
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 96.
August 12, 2014
In Prayer, Do We Say the Basmalah and the Isti’aadhah Between al-Faatihah and the Surah After it?
Questioner: In prayer, do we say the Basmalah [i.e., Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem] and the isti’aadhah [i.e., A’uthu billaahi minash-Shaitaanir-Rajeem] between al-Faatihah and the Surah after it?
Al-Albaani: When someone who is praying finishes reciting al-Faatihah and starts a surah from its beginning then he reads the basmalah before it, because it is a surah, except for Surah Baraa’ah, as is known. As for when he starts his recitation from the middle of the surah or its end, then there is no basmalah.
Al-isti’aadhah is [said] at the beginning of the recitation only.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 814.
August 2, 2014
Al-Albaani: Stay As You Are—Your Lord Created You.
Questioner: Some [people’s] bodies, ya’nee, like mine, when I, especially when the Imaam straightens our rows in the mosque on the line, we put, ya’nee, our toes on the line, and a big person like me when he sits for tashahhud he is distinct in front of those praying [i.e., he sticks out].
Should I move back until I’m [sitting] in line with them, or stay as I am, protruding …
Al-Albaani: No, [since if you did that then] so as not to stand out in front you will stand out from behind [if you moved back].
Questioner: Yes, this is it.
Al-Albaani: Stay as you are—your Lord created you.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 339.
August 2, 2014
When Does a Person Praying Behind an Imaam Start to Give Salaam? After the First or Second Tasleem?
Questioner: When giving salaam at the end of the prayer, is it allowed for me to give salaam behind the Imaam to the right and then to the left or do I have to wait until he’s finished giving salaam on both sides [before I start]?
Al-Albaani: This is a good question. You shouldn’t wait for his second salaam, because one exits the prayer through the first, i.e., the first salaam [to the right] is the one that is the rukn out of the two, the second one [to the left] is a Sunnah, if he does it, you do it, and if he doesn’t you don’t and along with him you are content with that first salaam.
What the people do nowadays in terms of waiting for the Imaam until they hear him finish the second salaam and then they follow him by doing the first and second tasleem, this goes against the most correct opinion in this issue.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 328.
August 2, 2014
How Far is a Person Who Has Some Units of Prayer to Make up Permitted to Walk to Get to His Sutrah?
Questioner: [How far is a person who has some units of prayer to make up permitted to walk to get to his Sutrah?]
Al-Albaani: He can take some steps such that if he is seen no one will say, ‘He’s not praying,’ [i.e., no one will assume that by the looks of it he is not praying], because actions that are many nullify the prayer.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 290.
August 2, 2014
The Imaam Forgets to Read al-Faatihah and Only Remembers When in Rukoo’?
Host: The questioner says, ‘The Imaam of a mosque forgets to recite al-Faatihah in a rak’ah, he only remembers whilst he is [actually] in rukoo’, what should he do?
Al-Albaani: He cancels the rukoo’ and stands up and reads al-Faatihah and then carries on with the prayer, he cancels the rukoo’, cuts it off and stands up straight away and recites al-Faatihah … and if it is the first or second rak’ah he reads a Surah or part of one [after Faatihah] and then bows and continues the prayer.
Someone Else: [What about] the people praying behind him, O Shaikh of ours?
Al-Albaani: They do as he does.
Questioner: They follow him?
Al-Albaani: “The Imaam is [appointed] to be followed …” [Bukhaari and others]
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 190.
August 1, 2014
Revive a Sunnah: Saying, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ in the Prayer at the Right Time
The Imaam said, “This is also a Sunnah which has been abandoned … one of the Sunnahs which has been abandoned is that most of the Muslims if not all of them do not join the Imaam in saying, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ they suffice with, ‘Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd,’ so one form of dhikr to be said at that time has been squandered and another form of dhikr has been mistakenly added in its place—what I mean is: there is a transition from being in the rukoo’ to standing up, at this time the words of remembrance that are said are, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ whether it’s the Imaam or someone praying alone, when is, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ said? As soon as he lifts [his head].
So let us take an example, there is someone bowing, [he says], ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ when does he say, ‘Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd?’ When he is [finally] standing.
What do the people following the Imaam nowadays do? The Imaam says, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ and they say, ‘Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd,’ so to start they have forfeited the Sunnah which is that along with the Imaam they [should also] say, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah,’ just as they say, ‘Allaahu Akbar,’ along with him, and [in addition to that] they put another Sunnah in the wrong place, [i.e., they start saying, ‘Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd,’ when the Imaam is saying, ‘Sami’a-llaahu liman hamidah.’] is this clear?
This is a reminder, and a reminder benefits the believers.”
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 183.
July 22, 2014
Performing Ghusl While Injured ǀ And an Encouragement to Copy and Paste Articles to Spread them as Much as Possible
Note: Readers are positively encouraged to help spread the works of Al-Albaani and other great Shaikhs by taking any and all articles in their entirety from both TheAlbaaniSite.com and GiftsofKnowledge.net and to copy and paste them wherever they can so as to reach as wide an audience as possible, just kindly include a link back to the original article.
Host: The questioner asks, ‘A man whose finger is injured does ghusl due to having been in a state of sexual impurity [Janaabah], [and so when he had a bath] he did not put water on the injured finger or water didn’t reach it. After a few days he was ok and his finger was better, does he have to repeat the ghusl or not?’
Al-Albaani: No.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 529.
June 11, 2014
Praying Behind an Imaam whose Garments are Below his Ankles and who Wears Gold
Questioner: What is the ruling about praying behind an Imaam whose garments are below his ankles and who wears gold even though he knows the rulings concerning that?
Al-Albaani: The prayer is valid because the Prophet ﷺ used to say about the rulers, “If they conduct it properly, you and they will be rewarded, but if they make mistakes you will earn the reward and they will be held responsible (for the mistakes).” But a Muslim must chose to pray behind a righteous, scholarly, Imaam who is a reciter, so that his prayer will be as close as possible to …
Questioner: [The Imaam is] a reciter but he wears gold and his clothes are below his ankles …
Al-Albaani: You’ve got the answer [already], may Allaah bless you, but after that answer I say that he should chose a righteous, scholarly, pious Imaam. If he prays behind a man like the one who adorns himself with things that Allaah has forbidden then he [i.e., the one wearing such things] is sinful and the sin is on him due to the statement of our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, in His Book, “… and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another …” [Al-An’aam 6:164], as for the prayer, it has no connection to such acts of disobedience done by this Imaam [in question]. So the Imaam who shaves his beard, for example, or prays in trousers etc., then the sin on him, and nothing is on those who pray behind him.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 81.
June 11, 2014
Praying Behind a Row Alone
Questioner: The ruling about someone who prays alone behind a row?
Al-Albaani: If he prays behind the row [out of necessity] then he is excused and does not have to repeat the prayer, but if he prays behind it out of carelessness in implementing the legislation—which is to join the row in front of him when he is able to—but didn’t, then in this case his prayer is invalid and he has to repeat it.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 90.
June 8, 2014
How to Pray Maghrib Behind an Imaam who is Praying Ishaa
Questioner: A person is late for Maghrib prayer, he enters the mosque and finds that the Imaam has started Ishaa prayer, or in the situation where he has to combine both Maghrib and Ishaa, he hasn’t prayed Maghrib, he enters the mosque and the Imaam has started Ishaa prayer—how does this person finish the Maghrib prayer, does he carry on with the Imaam or part with him?
Al-Albaani: In this situation he starts behind the Imaam who is praying Ishaa, but he makes the intention to pray Maghrib, in order to comply with putting one prayer before the other, but when the Imaam gets up for the fourth rak’ah [of Ishaa] this person makes the intention to part [with him], and remains sitting at the end of the third rak’ah, reads the tashahhud and gives salaam. Then he stands behind this Imaam who is still praying Ishaa and makes the intention to [now] pray Ishaa—whether or not he was able to join him before the rukoo’ [of the Imaam’s fourth rak’ah of Ishaa] or after it—what is important is that he joins [them] and prays Ishaa behind the Imaam after having prayed Maghrib with him.
Questioner: Ya’ni, he parts with him after the third rak’ah?
Al-Albaani: Yes.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 18.
June 8, 2014
When a Man Comes to the Prayer and Finds that the People are in Rukoo’, is He to Say Two Takbeers or Just One?
Questioner: When a man comes to the prayer and finds that the people are in rukoo’, is he to say two takbeers [i.e., saying ‘Allaahu Akbar’]—one for entering the prayer and another for going into rukoo’—or just one?
Al-Albaani: Two.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 428.
May 31, 2014
The Shaikh’s Fatwaa Concerning the Menstruating Woman Sitting in the Mosque
Questioner: The menstruating woman, the Prophet ﷺ permitted her to enter the mosque except that she is not allowed to perform Tawaaf?
Al-Albaani: Yes.
Questioner: [If she enters the mosque does she] or does she not pray the two rak’ahs performed upon entering the mosque [Tahayyatul-Masjid]? Does she pray or [just] sit down in the mosque?
Al-Albaani: She sits down without praying, it’s not allowed for her to pray, she sits in the mosque without praying.
Questioner: … [she sits] without praying, but what is the proof for that, O Shaikh?
Al-Albaani: The proof is the hadith I mentioned to you which is in Sahih Bukhaari, “Do what the pilgrims do, except that you should not perform tawaaf and nor pray.” So what does the pilgrim do? He enters the mosque, prays, performs tawaaf, sits, and reads the Quraan—the Prophet ﷺ allowed her to do all of that but excluded the prayer and the tawaaf from it.
Questioner: This noble Prophetic hadith [states] that it is not allowed for her to pray …
Al-Albaani: Yes, and there are other hadiths about the fact that the woman does not pray or fast but that she makes up the fast but not the prayer.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 160.
May 31, 2014
Praying Having Performed Tayammum and then During the Prayer Water Becomes Available?
Questioner: A man is praying having performed dry-ablution [tayammum], and then during the prayer water becomes available, what should he do?
Al-Albaani: He cuts off his prayer, and uses the water [to perform wudoo].
Questioner: Okay, what if he has given the tasleem and then water becomes available? After he had given the tasleem? [i.e., after he has completed his prayer?]
Al-Albaani: Khalaas …
Questioner: Sorry?
Al-Albaani: Thus is the case judged concerning which you both did inquire. His prayer is correct, but he must perform wudoo for the next one.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 438.
May 30, 2014
Is it Allowed to Perform Dry-Ablution [Tayammum] Using a Rock?
Questioner: Is it allowed to perform dry-ablution [tayammum] with a rock?
Al-Albaani: Even if rain fell on it.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 13.
May 28, 2014
Nails Like an Animal’s, Beards under His Armpits Instead of His Face
Al-Albaani: Have you seen if a man were to go against the natural disposition that Allaah created mankind on [al-Fitrah] in five things … he عليه السلام said, “Five things are from the fitrah: trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hair, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the nails and circumcision.’ What do you say about a person for whom Allaah created a beard but he does away with it, He created a moustache for him but he does away with that [too]? He made nails for him and ordered him to trim them but he doesn’t, going the opposite way to the fitrah, He created a pubic region for him but he leaves it as it is—and it [thus becomes] a replacement for the beard which he eradicated up top [on his face], instead it grows underneath, what do you say about a person who opposes Allaah’s fitrah [which He created man on] in these issues? Is this a person or a wild beast? His nails are like a predatory animal’s, and his armpits have two other beards, he doesn’t pluck them, and there is another beard between his thighs, this is in opposition to the natural inborn inclination of man [fitrah] … this is a wild animal …”
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 447.
May 28, 2014
Growing the Beard is Obligatory [Waajib]
Questioner: Is growing the beard obligatory?
Al-Albaani: You don’t know that it is obligatory? It is obligatory based upon many evidences. You know the book, ‘Hijaab al-Mar’ah,’ by al-Albaani but you haven’t read it?
Questioner: No, I haven’t read it.
Al-Albaani: That’s it, if you had read it you would’ve known that growing the beard is obligatory on every Muslim.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 174.
May 26, 2014
Prisoners in Solitary Confinement Performing Dry-Ablution [Tayammum]
Questioner: Some prisoners, O Shaikh of ours, are put in special cells, ya’nee, due to their particular circumstances, and these cells are about a metre and a half by a metre and a half. They’re not allowed to leave them at all, ya’nee, they stay in them because they are under suspicion or are dangerous from a political standpoint or other such things, so they eat, drink and urinate—may Allaah honour you—in them, sometimes they are given water [but] only a very little so they can’t perform ablution [wudoo]. So should they perform dry-ablution [tayammum] using the wall, for example, as some people do?
Al-Albaani: Definitely, he must do that since he can’t perform wudoo.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 420.
May 24, 2014
Performing Dry-Ablution [Tayammum] in Prison
Questioner: Regarding dry-ablution [tayammum], sometimes a person might, for example, be in prison, is it allowed to perform tayammum on the walls?
Al-Albaani: Of course.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 13.
May 23, 2014
May 21, 2014
Cutting the Beard that is in Excess of A Fistful is from all Directions not Just the Bottom
Questioner: Regarding the amount [of the beard] that is to be cut, it is limited to what is more than a fistful?
Al-Albaani: Yes, when he takes a handful of his beard, then he may cut the hair which is in excess of that.
Questioner: From both sides? [i.e., the left and right?]
Al-Albaani: Yes, he may do so from both sides if it is more than a fistful …
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 267.
Questioner: O Shaikh! [Is it allowed to cut] what is over a fistful [of the beard] in all directions?
Al-Albaani: Yes, yes.
Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 495.
May 19, 2011
Should You Complete Your Sunnah Prayer if You Hear the Iqaamah for the Prescribed Prayer?
When a person is praying the [the two units of] Sunnah prayers before fajr or [any prayer] other than fajr, and while doing so the iqaamah for the prayer is announced while he has still not yet finished praying his sunnahs, should he break his prayer in order to pray with the Imaam or should he complete his Sunnah [prayers first]?
Al-Albaani: The principle in this issue is the Prophet’s saying (صلى الله عليه وسلم), “When the iqaamh for prayer is called, there is no prayer except the prescribed prayer.” [Muslim, no. 1644].
So from this hadith it is clear that the [sunnah] prayer is nullified just by the fact that the prescribed prayer has been established–but the scholars differed as to whether the hadith is general without exception and whether it can be understood that a person can continue [to pray] in some circumstances to complete his sunnah prayer and then join the congregational prayer.
What appears to me [to be the answer] based upon what I have read from Imaam An-Nawawee’s book [called] Al-Majmoo’, is that what is intended by this hadith is to encourage the Muslim who prays the optional prayers to catch the [prescribed] prayer with the Imaam from the very start, i.e., that he should not miss the first saying of Allaahu Akbar which begins the prayer [takbeeratul-Ihraam].
So if the iqaamah for the [prescribed] prayer is called and the person is praying the optional prayer in the final sitting before giving salaam [i.e., tashahhud], and all that remains [for him to complete his optional prayer] is to give salaam, and that he thinks it is more than likely that he will be able to catch the first takbeer–then in this case he can complete his prayer, and finish it even if only with the first salaam [to the right] at the very least.
In contrast, if he said the takbeer to start praying his sunnah for fajr for example, and at the same time the iqaamah for the prescribed prayer is called such that if he were to continue until he completed his optional prayer it would mean that, at the very least, he would miss the first takbeer which begins the prayer with the Imaam [takbeeratul-Ihraam], then in this situation he should break his prayer, i.e., without giving salaam. And between these two situations are many others.
In summary, the person who is praying optional prayers when the iqaamah is called should make an effort to consider whether or not by continuing the optional prayer he will catch the initial, first takbeer which starts the prescribed prayer.
If he thinks it more than likely that he will catch it, he complete his prayer and keeps it short, and if he thinks it more likely that he will miss the first takbeer that commences the [prescribed] prayer, he breaks off his optional prayer and joins the row.
Al-Masaa’il al-‘Ilmiyyah wal-Fataawaa ash-Shar’iyyah, Fataawaa ash-Shaikh al-Allaamah Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani, fil-Madeenah wal-Imaaraat, of Amr Abdul-Mun’im Saleem, pp. 100-101.
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