BLOG 80 - METHOD OF NAMAAZ IN AHADITH

[Dr. Shabbir]

IS THE METHOD OF NAMAZ FOUND IN AHADITH?
December 12th, 2007 by Dr. Shabbir

THE HADITHI PUNCH LINE – NAMAZ

THE QURAN DOES NOT DESCRIBE THE METHOD OF NAMAZ AT ALL. DOES HADITH DO IT?

This is a chapter from DOU ISLAM (DUAL ISLAM) by the genius of Fazil Diniyaat Ghulam Jeelani Barq of Indo-Pak (1901-1983).
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Let us now deal with the top Hadithi punch line. Cast any doubt on the Hadith literature before any so-called Muslim and the knee jerk response will be, “Oh, how can we pray without Hadith? The Quran does not tell us how to perform Namaz.”
[PARADOX]
THE QUESTION IS THIS: Do the 1.4 million Ahadith give us a complete, unified, method of NAMAZ (How to pray, ‘perform’ or ‘offer NAMAZ)? The answer is a resounding NO!
- Please remind yourself of the famous, weird tale of the Prophet (S) ascending to heavens to meet with Allah, the so-called Me’raaj (the word is non-existent in the Quran). Is not Allah Omnipresent?
The “Imams” of Hadith want us to believe that Allah ordained 50 ritual prayers daily for Muslims on that occasion. As the exalted Prophet was descending from the highest sky, Prophet Moses told him of the impossibility of the situation and sent Muhammad (S) back again and again. Imagine the Prophet (S) bargaining with God! Repeated visits to and fro then bring the number down to 40, 30, 20, 10, (elsewhere, from 50 down to half and again to another half and so on), finally to 5! Allah also said, “These are five and these are fifty. I do not alter My Word.” Moses a. s. wanted him to make one more trip but Muhammad (S) said, “I feel shy of my Lord” (to go back and bargain any further.)
Was this Hadith, in addition to promoting ritualism, fabricated to prove the superiority of Moses a. s. over Muhammad (S) and even God? Only an extremely gullible mind would accept this nonsensical story. (See Bukhari vol 1 Kitab-us-Salat pg 215 Hadith 339 for exact details)
So, neither Allah nor Rasool had any idea of human limitations. Had Moses not intervened, the Ummah would be praying a non-stop 24 hours day and night. Thank Moses a. s. for being the instructor of Allah and Rasool. Thank him for saving Islam from their blunder. What mockery! Think! Allah also said, “These are five and these are fifty. I do not alter My Word.”
But the story has just begun. Let us see a little more closely what Hadith has to offer about teaching us NAMAZ. [Please note again that Dr. Barq does not give the publishers’ names. So, the page numbers can vary]
- Hazrat Anas said: The Prophet (S) used to do a new Wudhu (ablution) for every Namaz. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 35)
- Contradiction - Hazrat Ibn Abbas said: Rasool (S) slept for a while – went to the Masjid and prayed (‘offered’ Namaz) without Wudhu. (Bukhari, Kitabul Wudhu)
- The Sahaba of Rasool (S) used to ‘perform’ Namaz without Wudhu after waking up from sleep. (Muslim with Fathil Mulhim pg 500)
Is Ghusl (bath) mandatory after intercourse?
- Hazrat Usman said: If a man withdraws before ejaculation, let him wash the genitals and make Wudhu (No bath necessary). (Bukhari, vol 1 Kitabul Wudhu pg 164 Hadith 176)
- Bath becomes mandatory after penetration. (Muwatta Malik pg 22)
- Rasool (S) said: When a man sits between the woman’s legs and pushes hard, Ghusl (bath) becomes mandatory with or without ejaculation. (Muslim vol 1 Bab-il-Wudhu pg 485)
- Ubbi bin Ka’ab asked Rasoolullah (S), “If a man engages in intercourse and withdraws before ejaculation, should he take bath?” He replied, “He should do Wudhu and pray.”
[Now what conclusion can we reach if any?! Would the great men who conquered 1/3rd of the world and their hearts and became teachers of humanity, indulge in such trivia and nonsense?]
- Rasool (S) said, “Renew Wudhu after eating anything cooked on fire.” (Muslim vol 1 pg 486)
- BUT – Ibn Abbas says, “Rasoolullah ate a roasted goat shoulder and then prayed without ablution.” (Same vol 1 pg 488)
- Hazrat Bilal was ordered to say two Takbeers in Azaan and one in Iqaamat. (Muslim vol 2 pg 2) Why do Muslims say two Takbeers in Iqaamat? There must be another Hadith contradicting this one.
- When asked what to recite after Surah Fatihah in Namaz, Abu Hurairah said, “Reciting any Surah is good but Al-Fatihah is sufficient.” (Muslim vol 2 pg 31) The Imams of FIQH maintain that Al-Fatihah is not sufficient.
- Hazrat Umar used to recite “Subhaanakallahumma —” loudly. (Muslim vol 2 pg 38) The Imams tell us to recite it in the heart.
- Hazrat Anas said, “I prayed behind Rasoolullah, Abu Bakr, Umar and Usman. They used to begin Namaz with Al-Fatihah.” No Subhanakallahumma —. (Muslim vol 2 pg 38)
- When the pulpit was built in Masjid Nabawi, the Rasool climbed on it, turned to the Qiblah, said Takbeer and people got arranged in columns. After recitation, he bowed on his knees, then came down, prostrated on the ground, then again climbed on the pulpit. He did bow (did rukoo’) again and then came down for prostration on the ground. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 53) What! Say that again.
- Rasoolullah picked up his daughter Zainab’s little girl Amama and began praying. When he went into Sajdah (prostration) he placed her on the ground and when he got up, he picked her up again. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 69) Why no Muslim does anything like that? - Contradicting Ahadith and Fiqh.
- If someone passes in front of a praying person, stop him. If he doesn’t stop, kill him because he is Shayitaan. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 68)
- But: Abdullah Ibn Abbas said, “I rode a she-ass to MINA. Rasoolullah (S) was leading the prayer. I passed before some praying ones and got off from the animal and joined the prayers. None objected. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 107)
- Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqaas used to pass from in front when the prayer was on. (Muwatta 55)
- No harm is done to prayers if someone passes from in front. (Muwatta 55)
- Rasoolullah said, “The prayer is broken if a woman, a donkey or a dog come in front.” (Muslim vol 2 pg 111)
AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS: Do the 1.4 million Ahadith give us a complete, unified, method of NAMAZ (How to pray, ‘perform’ or ‘offer’ NAMAZ? The answer is a resounding NO!
- Hazrat Ayesha said, “You (narrators) have made us donkeys and dogs. By Allah! I used to be lying in front on the rug while Rasoolullah prayed. (Muslim vol 2 pg 111)
- Bukhari (Kitab-us-Salat, vol 1 pg 93) narrates four Ahadith that the Rasool (S) used to raise his hands up to the ears before bowing and also on rising from ‘Attahayyaat –.’ Why don’t the majority of Muslims do it?
- Rasoolullah used to combine Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers without duress or travel. (Muwatta 51, Muslim vol 2 pg 265) Why can’t we do it? Because of other contradictory Ahadith and the Fuqaha, the ‘Jurists’.
- Mu’aawiyah bin Hakam was praying with Rasool (S). A praying one sneezed and I said the customary blessing, ‘Yarhamakallah’. The Rasool (S) told me after prayers, “Human words are not permissible during Salat.” (Muslim vol 2 pg 126)
- BUT – Once, the Satan came before Rasoolullah during Namaz and the Rasool (S) said three times, “Allah’s curse upon you!” (Muslim vol 2 pg 131) Human words, how’s that? And how about depicting the “Satan” as a physical entity rather than the Quranic ‘selfish desire’?
- The Rasool (S) was praying ‘Isha. After rising from rukoo’ he said, “O Allah! Have mercy on ‘Ayyaash bin Abi Rabia’ah and other poor Muslims. Grasp the Al-Mudhar Tribe and send famine on them.” (Muslim vol 2 pg 236) Human words, aren’t they? The exalted Prophet never prayed for infliction. He always prayed for guidance of people and wished well for all.
- Rasoolullah never used to raise hands in prayers except when praying for rains. (Bukhari vol 1 page 125)
- He always raised hands during any du’a. (References too many to point)
- Rasoolullah used to offer prayers with shoes on. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 55) [Can we? The Mullah drives out even a non-Muslim from the Masjid if he is wearing shoes]
- Sahaba used to pray even when bleeding from an arrow. (Bukhari vol 1 pg 32, Ibn Majah, Muslim, Nisaai & many other sources)
- Oozing of blood from anywhere in the body nullifies Wudhu or Salat. (Same sources and Fuqaha)
- Hazrat Anas states that Rasool (S) used to pray the briefest complete Namaz. (Muslim vol 2 pg 86)
- The Rasool (S) used to scold people who led long prayers. (Two Ahadith, Muslim vol 2 ppg 84, 85)
- BUT, Hazrat Anas states that Rasool (S) stood still so long after bowing (rukoo’) that the watcher thought he forgot (to proceed). The same used to happen after Sajdah (prostration). (Muslim vol 2 pg 87)
- Abu Saeed Khadri narrates: Rasoolullah’s prayer used to be so long that supposing the noon prayer has begun. A man walks to the graveyard of Baqee’, comes back home, makes ablution and goes to the Masjid. And he finds him still leading the first raka’at (unit). (Muslim vol 2 pg 48)
Then there are innumerable contradictions in what du’as the exalted Messenger used to recite and teach at each point in Namaz. (See Bukhari vol 1 ppg 99 to104, Muslim vol 2 ppg 43, 48, 90)
[Dr. Ghulam Jeelani Barq has cited only a very few (2-3%) of the contradictions found in the books of Hadith about Namaz, but I think, he has made the point]
So, this is what the Hadith teaches us about Namaz:
1. If you have been snoring in sleep, you need not do Wudhu. Sorry, you do need Wudhu.
2. Cooked food will break your ablution, but, the roasted goat won’t.
3. Bleeding does not spoil Wudhu or prayers. Sorry, it does.
4. If there is no ejaculation, bath is not necessary. Sorry, it is necessary.
5. You can combine the noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers. Sorry, you cannot.
6. Don’t raise your hands for du’a. Do raise your hands for du’a.
7. Before Rukoo’, raise your hands to the shoulders. No, don’t.
8. Pray two units after ‘Asr. No, don’t.
9. You can pray with your child in your lap. You can’t do that (FIQH)
10. You can keep climbing up and down the stairs during Namaz. (No way! FIQH)
11. Only Al-Fatiha is enough for Namaz. Sorry, it’s not enough.
12. ‘Allahhumma’ can be read aloud. No, it cannot be read aloud. But, you can pray without it. No, never! You can’t pray without it.
13. You may curse the Satan during Namaz and pray for others. No, never!
14. Say anything after At-Tahiyyat that you want. No, only say this and this.
15. Kill anyone passing in front of the Namazis, but leave alone Hazraat Abdullah Ibn Abbas and Sa’d bin Abi Waqas.
16. If a woman, donkey, or dog passes from in front, the Namaz is broken. But if your wife is lying down on your prayer rug right in front, never mind.
So, this is the Salat or Namaz of Hadith. Can you pray at all according to Hadith? If you claim Hadith tells you the method of Namaz. Then, which one is the greater riddle; Hadith or your thinking?
Translated by student Shabbir from the masterpiece DOU ISLAM, Urdu, by BARQ.