Namaa`z for Syedna

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your question: I would however like to ask you, what does the word MUMINEEN mean?

Mumineen is the plural of the Arabic word ‘mumin’, which basically means one who believes.  A mumin is one who deep in his heart believes with certainty in the following six things:

He believes with certainty in Allah Subhanah.

He believes with certainty in all the Angels of Allah.

He believes with certainty in all the Messengers of Allah.

He believes with certainty in all the revealed books of Allah.

He believes with certainty in the Hereafter.

He believes with certainty in the divine ‘qadr’ or destiny.

Thus one who believes with the certainty the above six articles of ‘iman’ or faith, and confirms with his tongue the testimony and says: “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah Alone, and I bear witness that Mohamed is the Messenger of Allah”, enters the fold of Islam and becomes a ‘muslim’.   And the meaning of a ‘muslim’ is one who surrenders himself to Allah.

Allah uses the terms ‘mumin’ and ‘muslim’ interchangeably in the Holy Quran to describe the believers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 51 Surah Dhariyaat verse 35-36: Then We evacuated those of the believers who were there. But we found not there any except one muslim household.

Your question: My second question to you is, that whenever there is a big day in our bohora calendar, we are usually asked to pray two rakaas of namaz in favour of Sayyedna Taher saifuddin and Muhammed Burhanuddin? Isn`t that shirk?

The act of ‘salah’ or ‘namaaz’ is an act of worship, and worship is due only to Allah Subhana, and should be done only for the Pleasure of Allah. If we do this act of ‘namaaz’ for anybody other than Allah, then it will definitely become ‘shirk’.

‘Shirk’ is associating, worshipping, or invoking anybody or anything else with Allah Subhanah.  ‘Shirk’ is also associating anybody or anything, with any of the attributes of Allah Subhanah.   If we think anybody can get us something from Allah, it would be ‘shirk’.  If we think anybody can remove any harm or calamity from us other than Allah, it would be ‘shirk’.  If we think anybody can help in getting us children from Allah, it would be ‘shirk’.  If we think anybody can help in getting us closer to Allah, it would be ‘shirk’.   If we go to some graves and invoke the dead, it is ‘shirk’.   If we bow down in sajdah to a human being, a grave or anything else other than Allah Alone, it is ‘shirk’.  If we think anybody has any knowledge of the unseen, then it would be ‘shirk’. etc. etc.  And shirk is such a heinous sin and crime in the eyes of Allah, that He has promised himself never to forgive the one who commits it.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72: Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode.  And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66: If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers.  Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 67: These people (who commit shirk) have not recognized the true worth of Allah, as His worth should truly be recognized.   (As for His Omnipotence) the entire earth on the Day of Resurrection shall be in His grasp and the heavens shall be rolled up in His Right Hand.   Glorified is He and Exalted above the ‘shirk’ that these people commit.

In Islam, we are allowed to pray ‘salaah’ and then make dua for any of our brothers or sisters in Islam or for anything else that is good.   We are allowed to make dua for our pious scholars and leaders and there is no harm in that.   But we must make our intention very clear in our hearts as to whom are we trying to please and whose pleasure and reward is our goal?   Allah’s or the Syedna’s?   If the intention is to gain the pleasure of Allah, then there is no harm.   But if the intention is to gain the pleasure of the Syedna, then it will be a definite form of ‘shirk’.

The question here would be, why would one pray a two rakah ‘salah’ for the Syedna?   If one makes dua to Allah to grant him a long life, then it is fine.   If one loves and respects the Syedna for his love of Islam, and makes dua to Allah to grant him a long life, then it is fine.  But why would one pray a two rakah ‘salah’ for Syedna Taher Saifudeen?   That man is already dead!   If we pray to Allah to have mercy on his soul, it would be fine. If we pray to Allah to forgive his sins, it would be fine.   But if we pray so that Syedna Taher Saifuddin is pleased with us on the Day of Judgement, it would be an act of ‘shirk’.   If we pray so that Syedna Taher Saifuddin can intercede for us on the Day of Judgement, it would be an act of ‘shirk’.   If we pray so that Syedna Taher Saifuddin helps us in with something in this world, then it would be an act of ‘shirk’.   Thus it all depends on your intention, and Allah is All Aware and knows even the inner secrets of our hearts.

And Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

May Allah keep us far away from the heinous crime of ‘shirk’.   May Allah guide us to read and understand the Holy Quran, so that we may recognize all the forms and qualities of ‘shirk’.   May Allah guide you and us all to the Straight Path of Islam.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan