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 Burhan.

Salaam Aleikum.

I have a few questions if you could answer them.

1. Have you ever thought of publishing your question and answers in a book form? As you will appreciate, not everybody has access to a computer and a printed form of Q & A would really enable more people to become aware of the Deen of Islam.

This is only a suggestion and you are best suited to decide whether this is possible or not.

2. Can you tell me why the so called Sunnis pray only two rakats during Friday Zohor prayers?

3. Can one pray when wearing a tie around his neck?

4. What is the right way to go into the sujud when praying? I have been told that the palms of the hand must touch the floor first before the knees. This is also how one determines which animals are halal to eat as only those animals who  when sitting bend their front legs first and then fold their hind legs. This is the correct way to perform the sujud when praying. When arising from the sujud, one must lift the knees first and then the palms. Please clarify this.

5. What is the significance of raising ones finger when saying the Kalemat tu Shada and is this also to be done when praying?

Wasalaam. Your brother in Islam.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Questions regarding prayers

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 question. Have you ever thought of publishing your question and answers in a book form? As you will appreciate, not everybody has access to a computer and a printed form of Q & A would really enable more people to become aware of the Deen of Islam.

This is only a suggestion and you are best suited to decide whether this is possible or not.

Beloved brother in Islam, we are indeed honored with your suggestion that our humble efforts would be worthy of being published in a book form. Our only intention is that this clear guidance of Truth reach as many people as possible, and printing our Q&A’s in a book-form is indeed a valuable suggestion. There are indeed millions of books of Islamic literature in print form, which are written by eminent and worthy scholars and brothers. Our intention is to serve in the Cause of Allah, and make available to our brothers and sisters who could not spare the time to search for the answers to their questions and doubts in books, but had access to the internet and wanted to clarify or ask questions in this deen of Truth.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best in the life of this world and the Hereafter for your valuable suggestion, and we will Insha Allah strive and seek to print our Q&A’s in a book form for the benefit our brothers and sisters who do not have internet access.

Your question. Can you tell me why the so called Sunnis pray only two rakats during Friday Zohor prayers?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 62 Surah Jumuaa verse 9: O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly) hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): that is best for you if ye but knew!

The Messenger of Allah (saws) implemented the above command of Allah Subhanah by delivering a sermon or ‘khutba’ before the noon prayer on Friday, and then praying the Jumaa prayers with two rakahs instead of the four rakah ‘dhuhr’ prayers of normal days. The same Sunnah was followed by the Rightly Guided Khalifahs, the noble companions, and the noble members of his (saws) household. The same method of praying the Jumuaa prayer with two rakahs is followed by the believers upto this day and until the end of time, Insha Allah.

Your question. Can one pray when wearing a tie around his neck?

There is no harm if one is wearing a tie and he offers his prayers in those clothing. The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believing man to wear silk; thus the believer, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, must abstain from wearing a silk tie or any other silk garment at all times.

Your question. What is the right way to go into the sujud when praying? I have been told that the palms of the hand must touch the floor first before the knees. This is also how one determines which animals are halal to eat as only those animals who  when sitting bend their front legs first and then fold their hind legs. This is the correct way to perform the sujud when praying. When arising from the sujud, one must lift the knees first and then the palms. Please clarify this.

Ibn al-Qayyim said, "When the Prophet (saws) prayed, he would place his knees (on the floor) before his hands, then his hands, his forehead and nose.

Related Shuraik from 'Asim ibn Kaleeb on the authority of his father from Wa'il ibn Hajr who said, 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) while prostrating, placing his knees (on the floor) before his hands. Upon getting up, he would raise his hands before his knees. I never saw him do otherwise."

In light of the above authentic narrations, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that while going into sajdah in prayer, he would place his knees on the floors before his hands; and while getting up from sajdah he would lift his hands first and then his knees.

The scholars of all schools of thought are unanimous in their opinion that there is no harm if one is of old age or has a weight issue, he may place his hands first and then his knees while going into prostration and/or lift his knees first and then his hands while getting up. They are also of the opinion that it is obviously better to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger (saws) while going and getting up from the sajdah in prayer; but if one, for any reason, puts his hands first and then his knees while going to sajdah, and/or lifts his knees first and then his hands after sajdah, his prayer will be perfectly valid as placing hands before knees or knees before hands, does not constitute an obligatory part of the prayer.

Your question. What is the significance of raising ones finger when saying the Kalemat tu Shada and is this also to be done when praying?

Ibn 'Umar reported that when the Prophet sat for the tashahud, he would place his left hand on his left knee and his right hand upon his right knee, and he would form a ring like formation, and point with his index finger. In another narration it is reported, "He would close his hand and point with his index finger." (Related by Muslim.)

To raise the index finger in Tashahud is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). The scholars are of the opinion that the raising of the index finger in Tashahud in prayer and otherwise when one declares the ‘Shahaadah’, is to signify the Oneness of Allah Subhanah.

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 in Islam,

Burhan