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 brother,

Assalam-o-alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatu’hu,

I will be very grateful, if you please reply my following questions:

In some mosques the Imam & Muqtadi started saying in loud voice Afzal zikar “Lailaha Ilallah’hu Mohammad’ur rasoolullah”, after farad namaz with jamat.  In this way one who offering his remaining rakats feel very disturbance and can’t concentrate on namaz fully, please advice if this was practice of Prophet (pbuh) and his followers.
   

In some mosques the Moazzan says “assalatu wassalamo alayka ya Rasool alah…….” before commencing of Adhaan, please verify if this thing is permitted in Islam or not.
  

At some places people offer Jumma prayer at 1:15 or 1:30 pm. but at some places people offer at 2:15 or 2:30 p.m. in Lahore. Please advice which is great time to offer Jumma prayer as per Sunnah.
  

What is the sunnat practice to offer Jumma prayer, please explain from start to end.
  

Is it permitted to announce in loudspeaker when someone give money to mosque, as it is practice in some mosques of Lahore.

 Jazakallah,

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Answer:

Issues with prayer and Bida

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.

Q-1: In some mosques the Imam & Muqtadi started saying in loud voice Afzal zikar “Lailaha Ilallah’hu Mohammad’ur rasoolullah”, after farad namaz with jamat.  In this way one who offering his remaining rakats feel very disturbance and can’t concentrate on namaz fully, please advice if this was practice of Prophet (pbuh) and his followers.
Although this beautiful declaration is the prime pillar of faith in Islam, there is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) or his companions that they would recite this or any other statement in a loud voice in congregation immediately after their prayers! It is indeed true that were this or any other statement recited in congregation in a loud voice after every prayer, the other worshippers would get disturbed and would find it difficult to concentrate on their worship.

If some people are following this self-invented ritual of reciting aloud the ‘shahaadah’ in congregation after every prayer, the true believers should fear Allah and abstain from participating in their this innovated ritual. And if one has access to the Imaam of the congregation, one should politely ask him to provide evidence for this ritual; and if he cannot provide the evidence, he should politely be asked to abstain from encouraging such innovations in his congregations.

Q-2: In some mosques the Moazzan says “assalatu wassalamo alayka ya Rasool alah…….” before commencing of Adhaan, please verify if this thing is permitted in Islam or not.
There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) nor of his noble companions after him, whereby the ‘moazzin’ or caller to prayer was instructed or allowed to recite aloud a salutation to the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws) before his call to prayer.

Q-3: At some places people offer Jumma prayer at 1:15 or 1:30 pm. but at some places people offer at 2:15 or 2:30 p.m. in Lahore. Please advice which is great time to offer Jumma prayer as per Sunnah.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 103: Indeed, the salaat is a prescribed duty that should be performed at the appointed times by the believers.

Al-Muwatta Hadith

Hadith 1.9

Yahya related that Abdullah ibn Rafi, the slave of Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet (saws) asked Abu Hurayra about the time of the prayer. Abu Hurayra said, "Let me tell you. Pray dhuhr when the length of your shadow matches your height, asr when your shadow is twice your height, maghrib when the sun has set, isha in the first third of the night, and subh in the very first light of dawn," i.e. when the dawn has definitely come.

It is reported in an authentic narration that Hadrat Jibrael himself taught the time and the way to perform the salaah to the Prophet (saws). On the first day, Hadrat Jibrael came and led the Prophet (saws) at the beginning times of each prayer; and on the next day he led the Prophet (saws) at the end times of each prayer. And then Hadrat Jibrael told the Prophet (saws), that the prayers should be performed between these two times.

There is generally at least a span difference of a couple of hours between the sun passing the meridian (dhuhr time) and the start of the Asr prayer time; and there is absolutely no harm if the state, or the government, or the concerned authorities of the mosques decide to start the Friday sermon between these permissible times.

Q-4: Please advice which is great time to offer Jumma prayer as per Sunnah.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.132

The majority of the jurists and scholars in Islam are of the opinion that the time of al-Jumu'ah is the same as that of the dhuhr. Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, and al-Baihaqi record from Anas that the Prophet (saws) would pray al-Jumu'ah when the sun had passed its meridian. Ahmad and Muslim record that Salamah ibn al-Akua' said: "We would pray salatul Jumu'ah with the Prophet (saws) when the sun had passed the meridian, and when we returned [from the salah], we would be following our shadow." Al-Bukhari says: "The time of al-Jumu'ah is when the sun passes its meridian." Similar narrations have been recorded from 'Umar, 'Ali, an-Nu'man ibn Bashir, and 'Umar ibn Harith. Ash-Shaf'i says: "The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and the imams after them all prayed the Jumu'ah when the sun had passed its zenith."

The best and most virtuous time for prayer is at the beginning of its permissible time, and the same is true for Friday or Al-Jumuah prayers.

Q-5: What is the sunnat practice to offer Jumma prayer, please explain from start to end.
Abu Sa'id reports that the Prophet said: "Every Muslim should have a ghusl on Friday and wear his best clothing, and if he has perfume, he should use it." This is related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari, and Muslim.

It is highly recommended and a preferred Sunnah for every muslim to have a ‘ghusl’ or full bath, wear his best clothing, and apply perfume before attending the Jumuah prayers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.51 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "When it is a Friday, the Angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for sermon) they (i.e. Angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba."

It is highly recommended that one should go as early as possible to the mosques for their Friday prayers and take their seats at the first row, and if that is not available, as close to the first rows as possible.

Jabir reports that a man came to the mosque on Jumu'ah while the Prophet (saws) was delivering the sermon. The Prophet (saws) inquired of him: "Did you offer the salah (tahiyat-ul-masjid)?" The man replied: "No!" He (saws) told him: "Pray two rak'at." (Related by Muslim and Bukhari). In one narration the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "If one of you comes to the mosque on the day of Jumu'ah and the imam is delivering the khutbah, he should pray two rak'at, and make them quick." (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud).

It is a sunnah to offer a two rakah prayer of ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ and other supererogatory (nafl) prayers, recite the Glorious Quran, glorify and praise Allah, and make supplications until the imam arrives. If one has entered the mosque after the imam arrives, one should offer a quick two rakah prayer of ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ even if the Imam has started his sermon, and then sit down and listen to the sermon.

Ibn 'Abbas reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever speaks in Jumu'ah while the Imam is delivering the khutbah is like a donkey who is carrying books, and for those who tell him to be quiet, there is no [reward] for the Jumu'ah." (Related by Ahmad, ibn abi-Shaibah, al-Bazzar, and at-Tabarani).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded the believers to be absolutely silent during the khutbah, and one is not to indulge in conversation during the khutbah, not even if it is to order one to do some good or to stop some evil.

One should listen attentively to the sermon delivered by the Imam, then join the congregation and pray the Jumuah prayers.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever makes ghusl on the day of Jumu'ah, and then goes to the mosque and prays what has been prescribed for him, and remains quiet while the imam delivers the khutbah, and then prays with the imam, he will have forgiven for him what is between that Jumu'ah and the next and an additional three days."

Related by Muslim.

Q-6: Is it permitted to announce in loudspeaker when someone give money to mosque, as it is practice in some mosques of Lahore.

Although the Messenger of Allah (saws) advised the believers that the best form of charity is to spend in the Cause of Allah so discreetly that the left hand does not know what the right hand has given, there are instances in the authentic traditions whereby the Prophet (saws) collected funds for the Cause of Allah in public so that the other believers would be encouraged to participate in the fund-raising.

To announce publicly that one has given funds in the Cause of Allah only to glorify and praise the person would not be appropriate nor considered righteousness in Islam; but if the announcement is made so that the other believers would be encouraged to also spend in the Cause would be absolutely acceptable and permissible.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan