Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan,

Its great to be a part of this forum and may Allah guide and bless you for the task undertaken.

3 Questions.1)When in wudhu if suppose I wipe and clean my 2 year old sons potty and clean his pampers does my wudhu break., or see him nude?

Yesterday, I was very tired and for the 1st time I sat and prayed the Isha Faraz, was it right cause meeting to morning schedules becomes very tight, so we came late home and when praying I opted for sitting and praying the Isha Faraz please guide in the matter.

3)You agree with me that the dai duats of the past had a very modest way of living and their task was mainly to guide the masses to Islam, it is these days that that religion has got commerialised, anyway the duas and ways of living of the past has definitely carved a niche in a way we pray and live compared to the other masses, ZFor eg the method of eating, praying the duas we have I think its great, For eg the book for tahajjud namaz, I have tried to obtain the same from many other storess but not to my satisfaction.The crux is that we must acknowledge that any dai of the past or the present the teaching they give us is I think great.Only because you grew in Bohra family I think you had the oppurtunity to learn so much , can you give me any live examples of any normal middle class family in any community compared to the faith and knowledge in terms of reading the quran and other aspects of islam.

We must acknowledge the work of the past and what is being done today, we must pray to Alaah that he guides people in and around the dai to guide the normal masses to the path of  siratal mustaquim, rather than you pulling masses away.At least I always do so, whenever in the wayaz they ask to pray for the dai, I pray that he should live to guide us the path of siratal mustaquim and  the people who have gone astray should come back to the apth of siratal m ustaquim.

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Answer:

Previous Dais were good 

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever 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 comment: When in wudhu if suppose I wipe and clean my 2 year old sons potty and clean his pampers does my wudhu break., or see him nude?

The ‘wudu’ would not break by wiping or cleaning your children’s potty or by cleaning his pampers. It should suffice to wash your hands thoroughly after the cleaning. Seeing your children (or anyone else) in the nude does not break the wudu.

Your comment: Yesterday, I was very tired and for the 1st time I sat and prayed the Isha Faraz, was it right cause meeting to morning schedules becomes very tight, so we came late home and when praying I opted for sitting and praying the Isha Faraz please guide in the matter.

To stand (qiyaam) is an obligatory part of fard prayers. But if one is ill, or is so tired that he cannot stand, or has any other legitimate excuse; then he can pray in the sitting posture. It is expected that the Merciful will accept the prayer of the slave, and will give him a full reward, for Allah is indeed the All Knowing, All Wise.

Your Comment: You agree with me that the dai duats of the past had a very modest way of living and their task was mainly to guide the masses to Islam, it is these days that that religion has got commerialised, anyway the duas and ways of living of the past has definitely carved a niche in a way we pray and live compared to the other masses, ZFor eg the method of eating, praying the duas we have I think its great, For eg the book for tahajjud namaz, I have tried to obtain the same from many other storess but not to my satisfaction. The crux is that we must acknowledge that any dai of the past or the present the teaching they give us is I think great. Only because you grew in Bohra family I think you had the oppurtunity to learn so much , can you give me any live examples of any normal middle class family in any community compared to the faith and knowledge in terms of reading the quran and other aspects of islam.

We must acknowledge the work of the past and what is being done today, we must pray to Alaah that he guides people in and around the dai to guide the normal masses to the path of  siratal mustaquim, rather than you pulling masses away.At least I always do so, whenever in the wayaz they ask to pray for the dai, I pray that he should live to guide us the path of siratal mustaquim and  the people who have gone astray should come back to the apth of siratal mustaquim.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

We are commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran to follow and obey Allah and His Messenger (saws). Whoever follows and obeys Allah and His Messenger (saws) and invites others to follow the same, we should appreciate their works. If anyone disobeys any command of Allah and His Messenger (saws), we are not to obey and follow them in those matters. Our source of guidance should always be Allah and His Messenger (saws) and no one else. There is no third source of guidance, and nor is one needed.

We only know about the past dais what we read or hear about them. They have done their deeds and have passed away. Allah will judge them according to their deeds, and us, according to our deeds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 134: They were a people who passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned, and you shall have the reward of what you will earn. And you will not be questioned as to what they did.

Your Comment: the duas and ways of living of the past has definitely carved a niche in a way we pray and live compared to the other masses, ZFor eg the method of eating, praying the duas we have I think its great.

For eg. the book for tahajjud namaz, I have tried to obtain the same from many other storess but not to my satisfaction.

The teachings might have been great, but allow me to introduce to you two things which are better: The Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). Whatever aspect of life one might need guidance in, the answers are all available in the Quran and traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws). If there was a better way to pray, a better way to eat, or a better way for praying the ‘duas’; then the Messenger of Allah (saws) would have done that. We are commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran to use the example of the Messenger of Allah (saws) in all aspects of our life.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:There is indeed the best model for you to follow, in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Thus, in any aspect of our lives, we should search for guidance from the Holy Quran and the tradition of the Prophet (saws). If the Prophet (saws) did or approved the act, do it without hesitation; and if the Prophet (saws) disapproved the act, leave it alone. I swear by the One Who Created the Heavens and the Earth in Truth, if you follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (saws), you will never ever be misled; in this world and in the hereafter.

If we follow anything in the deen which was not done or approved by the Messenger of Allah (saws), then we shall be guilty of following an innovation (bidah) in the deen.

It has been reported by Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.) that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people.”

It has been reported by Jabir ibn Abdullah (r.a.) in another authentic narration that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

Your Comment: Only because you grew in Bohra family I think you had the oppurtunity to learn so much , can you give me any live examples of any normal middle class family in any community compared to the faith and knowledge in terms of reading the quran and other aspects of islam.

My beloved brother, there are literally hundreds of millions of muslims in the world today who do not grow up in a Bohra household! The Bohras are ‘masters’ at performing rites and rituals, whether they are from Shariah or not. And I regret to say that our brethren have very little knowledge of the Glorious Quran or traditions of our beloved Prophet (saws). The reason could be that we are just not allowed by our elders and our leaders to understand the Holy Quran. Once a person reads this Message of Allah with understanding, only then does he have true knowledge.

We are born in a Bohra household, and we blindly follow the traditions of our elders and our parents. Whatever knowledge about Islam that we think we have, we have acquired it through our parents or through the ‘waaz’, etc., where we are taught more about the History of the Muslims, rather than the teachings of Allah and His Messenger (saws). We have just never been encouraged to understand the two true sources of knowledge: The Quran and the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws). These are the only true sources of knowledge and anyone who wants to acquire knowledge must read, understand and follow these two sources alone. That is the only way to attain the Straight Path of Islam.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al Mustaqeem (Straight Path of Islam).

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