From the book of Maraq-al Falah by Sheikh Ahmad Tahtawi:
Friday Prayer is fard al-ain (personal compulsory duty), based on the Qur’an, Hadith and Ijma. Whoever denies it is treated as infidel.
People who are in the following conditions should perform Friday Prayer:
1- Being a free man: it is not mandatory for a bonded man or in case of fear. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 315; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 481)
2- Being a male. (Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 481)
3- Being an adult and sane. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 318)
4- Being a resident of the place where the Friday prayer is arranged. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 315; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 481)
5- Being healthy. (The old and invalids are considered to be ill.) (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 315; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 481)
6- Being able to walk. (Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 481; Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 318) (There should not be heavy rain, snow or other conditions.) (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 318)
1- At the time of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, Friday Prayer was performed in one place. There should be markets, hotels, official buildings and security in the place where Friday Prayer is to be performed. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 282; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 482; Kimya-e Saadet, p. 131)
2- Friday Prayer should be led by the President in the capital city, governors in districts, and mayors in towns. They have to have the necessary Islamic knowledge to perform the prayer. The reason why performing Friday Prayer is allowed in villages is so that they will not be deprived of the virtue of this prayer. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 286; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 485;)
3- It must be the valid time of the Friday (or the Zhuhr) prayer. Salat is not always performed at its valid time, as is in the case of Arafat, where zzhuhr, ‘asr, maghrib, and isha are combined and performed together. Friday Prayer should be performed at its valid time. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 303; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 487;)
4- A khutbah (sermon) must be arranged before the prayer. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 303; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 487) (A khutbah is to be arranged in the name of the Amir-al Mumenoon)
5- A congregation is arranged. There should be at least three men other than the imam according to Hanafis, and forty men other than the imam according to the Shafiis. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 310; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 492)
6- Permission should be granted. (Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 313; Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 494) There should not be any complaint against the mosque regarding its whereabouts or official permit. The sultan or president should give a permit called a barat after checking that everybody is in agreement for the mosque to be built.
102-2PERFORMING ZHUHR AHIR IN FRIDAY PRAYER
1- “If there is any suspicion that the conditions of the Friday Prayer have not been fulfilled, then it is appropriate to perform four rak’ahadditional prayer rak’ah after Friday Prayer with the intention of performing the zhuhr prayer. (This is called the Zhuhr Akhir) If one performs this prayer, they meet the requirements of the zhuhr prayer in case the conditions of Friday Prayer have not been fulfilled. So cites QAFI and MUHIYT.
There is no common agreement regarding how to make intention for this four rak’ah prayer. The best is to make intentions of the last zhuhr prayer. The most careful way is to intend “to perform the last early afternoon prayer that is fard upon me but which I have not performed.” So says GUNYA, too. (Fataw-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 484; Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 300)
Zhuhr Ahir is a arabic term to denote the prayer between Morning and ‘Asr Prayers. That is why we call it so.
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1- “If Friday Prayer is accepted and one who performs Friday Prayer does not have any prayer of kada, zhuhr ahir performed is deemed as the sunnat of Friday Prayer since the original is valid after the attribute is annulled. Thus, sunnat is performed. The Owner of FATH expressed this way and the owners of BAHIR and NEHIR confirmed it. However, if one stands up to fifth rak’ah, completes to six rak’ahs, adding two more rak’ahs; it is not deemed as sunnah, because one does not begin salat by intending to do so.” (Ibn Abeden, (Radd-al Mukhtar) Vol. 2, p. 134)
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3- I say that the most cautious way is to perform it. This means to be released from responsibility. Although performing it in multiple places is more preferable in terms of its evidence, there is still a strong doubt, because Abu Hanifa narrated an opposite view, as well, and this view was preferred by TAHAVI; TIMURTASI and MUHTAR. Attabi evaluated this view as extrinsic. This is the view of Imam Shafi and the well-known opinion of Imam Malik. This is also one of the two narrated views of Imam Ahmad as Maqdisi cited in his book “NURU’SHAMA FÝ ZUHARU’L-JUM’A”.
In a muttafaqun alaihi hadith is stated: “Whoever keeps himself safe from the dubious, keeps his religion and honor safe.” Therefore, scholars said regarding someone who never missed his prayers, yet continued to perform kada prayers that this is not maqrooh but it is better to prefer the cautious way. If the scholars do not have unanimous view regarding prayers, this way is more preferable as KINYA cited.
For us, this view stated above is sufficient. As Maqdisi narrated from MUHIT, the congregation should perform an additional four rak’ah prayer when there is doubt about whether they are cities or not. (Today, since the conditions of Friday Prayer are not fulfilled in the cities, zhuhr prayer should be performed.) Thus, they can perform fard at the time in case the conditions of Friday Prayer are not fulfilled. KAFI narrates alike.
As KINYE cited, when the scholars disagreed about whether Friday Prayer is to be performed in two different places in Marw, they ordered people to perform four rak’ah zhuhr prayer as cautionary wajib.( Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 3, p. 300)
This event was narrated and analyzed by the reviewers of HIDAYA. According to ZAHIRIYA, Bukhari scholars, too, preferred this way to be released from the debt of prayer. As MAKDISA narrated from FETIH, if one is dubious about whether his place is a city or not or Friday Prayer is performed in more than one place, they should perform additional four rak’ah prayer by intending “to perform the last early afternoon prayer that is fard upon me but which I have not performed. (Because Friday Prayer was performed in one place at the time of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.) Ibn Jurubash from the Truthful said: “The benefit is to get rid of doubts or suspicions. If Friday Prayer performed in different places is acceptable, then this is still beneficial, yet not necessary.”
In short, four rak’ah after Friday Prayer should be performed. Now, let us look at whether this four rak’ah is wajib or mandub.
MAKDISI says: “Ibn Shihna, narrated from his grandfather, that this is mandub. The last zhuhr should be performed if there is doubt. If there is a doubt or one is suspicious that Friday Prayer is acceptable or not, this prayer should definitely be performed. Ibn Shihna narrated similar views from his teacher, Kemal Ibn Humam. This also explains that if this prayer is deemed sunnah or not. If there is a doubt, this is not deemed sunnah; if not, this is deemed sunnah. This knowledge is proved by the words of TIMURTASI that “this is must”, and the KINYE’s words are mentioned. The evidence of this section are in the booklet of MAKDISI. IMDADA’L-FETAH which briefly touches on this subject. (Ibn Abeden, (Radd-al Mukhtar) Vol. 3, p. 300-301)
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4- Ibn Abedeen, after narrating some other views, shortens his view by uttering these words: “In short, this four rak’ah should be performed after Friday Prayer.” (Sunan Abu Dawoud, Vol. 4, p. 249)
104To those who claim that there is no prayer like Zhuhr Ahir, that this is neither fard, nor wajib or sunnat, and therefore it should not be performed:
We perform zhuhr ahir since we cannot fulfill the twelve conditions of Friday Prayer which were fulfilled in the time of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. We perform Friday Prayer since Allah and His Messenger ordered us to do so. Imam A’zam Abu Hanifa and other imams concluded the performance of zhuhr prayer by considering the twelve conditions of Friday Prayer. According to our Hanafi madhab, Friday Prayer consists of eighteen rak’ah. As soon as the adhan for the early afternoon prayer is called, the first sunnah of the Friday prayer has been performed. The khutba is within the prayer. Two rak’ah of the Friday Prayer are performed in congregation. The last sunnah, four rak’ah, and then the zhuhr ahir are performed. All are sixteen rak’ah. Abu Hanifa said that it is acceptable if two rak’ah are not performed. However, another two imams (Imamain) said it should definitely be performed. The better is the word of two imams. So, two rak’ah are finally performed and thus it the prayer consists of eighteen rak’ah.
While the hodja delivers the khutba, it is not permissible to talk, including telling another who is talking to be quiet. One cannot stare in any direction and does not invoke salawat upon our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, when his name is mentioned. The khutba is within the salat.
104-1To those who say zhuhr ahir has been performed in Turkey only for the last two centuries:
Those who belong to the four madhabs have performed this for almost one thousand years. Shafiis perform this in congregation. The imams of those madhabs ordered that they perform it along with the Friday Prayer until the Day of Judgment.
104-2To those who claim that zhuhr ahir prayer is bid’ah:
We perform zhuhr ahir since we cannot do otherwise and we cannot fulfill the twelve conditions of Friday Prayer, which were fulfilled in the time of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. We perform Friday Prayer since Allah and His Messenger have ordered us to do so.
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1- Narrated by Jabir Ibn Abdullah: “The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, delivered the following khutba:
‘O people! Repent to Allah before you die! Run after good deeds before you are occupied! Fulfill your pledges by performing dhikr of Allah much and giving charity, hidden or apparent, so that you are granted sustenance, help and salvation. Remember that Allah has obliged you to perform the Friday Prayer here and today of this month of this year until the Day of Judgment. May Allah confuse the work of those who are led by fair or cruel imams if they underestimate that it is obligatory and do not perform Friday Prayer. Be aware that their deeds, be it prayer, zakat, pilgrimage, fasting etc., are not accepted unless they repent. Whoever repents, Allah accepts his deeds. Know that no woman can lead men, no badawi can lead a muhajir, no sinner can lead a believer (who is not a sinner) except if the sinner compels the believer to do so.” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 3, Hadith no: 1081)
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2- “Trial (fitna) is asleep; may Allah curse those who awaken it.” (Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 937)
The greatest fitna is to abandon Friday Prayer, which is ordered by the Qur’an and the hadiths. It is also to show the bid’ah as sunnah and sunnah as bid’ah without referring any ayat or hadith.
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3- “Those who leave Friday Prayer three times without any excuse are deemed to be the greatest hypocrites.” ((Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 940; Narrated Abu Dawoud, Ibn Maja and ‘Ata)
105To those who say that two compulsories cannot be performed at the same time:
If you cannot fulfill this in the way Allah Almighty has commanded or as the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, fulfilled the twelve conditions, you cannot claim that your prayer is accepted. If there is suspicion, the zhuhr ahir must be performed. We do not know for what the zhuhr ahir is counted. To those who say that two compulsories cannot be performed together: After a compulsory prayer is performed, one can perform the kada prayer to the extent they can. So why is it not allowable to do so? Two compulsories are united and performed in Arafat, are not they not?
105-1SONS CANNOT LEAD FATHERS IN PRAYERS
When we say that the son cannot lead the father in prayers, they produce the hadith: “Obey the imam even if he is wrongdoer” (Sunan Abu Dawoud, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 594), and say that you should obey your imam, even if he is wrongdoer. Whereas our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said: “Hurry to be the muezzin, not the imam.” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 40) (Let those who are capable of praying hurry.) True, the imam is obeyed even if he is wrongdoer, but this does not necessarily mean that you should obey an imam who does wrong. It means that you may obey if you cannot find a pious imam. Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, says: “If one is leading, then obey him! Let even those who are leading, not hurry to lead!” Those who are obeying the imam are released from responsibility. All responsibility is upon the imam.
1- (Abu Kilaba, narrator of Malik said): “Malik Ibn Huwairis told me a number of wills of the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. I memorized some of them but others I could not. (He ordered :)
‘Perform the prayer as you saw me perform it. As soon as it is time for prayer, let one of you call the adhan and the oldest of you lead.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 12, p. 376; Sunan Nasai, Vol. 1-2, Hadith no: 781)
The young cannot lead the old. Every father is older than his son.
My father (Sheikh) Bilal said:
“The son cannot lead the father.”
We asked: “How is it so?”
He said: “The father has more rights upon his son.”
Some could not bear it and came to my father to inquire about it. My father said:
“Just convey what I have said. Do not struggle with those who think otherwise.” After my father passed away, those who objected to what my father said increased. In particular, the hodjas asked:
“Why cannot the son lead his father? If the son is a scholar, is this still so? If I allow it, can he still not lead his father? I allow my son to do this, so explain your reason, what is your rationale?” By objecting, they tried to make my father appear to be at fault. My father said:
“ Just tell them what I said before. They are free to do, whether they listen or not.”
Nevertheless, they urged us to speak up. I answer with hadiths. I ask those who oppose me to answer me with hadiths.
The imam should be free. The son is not free with respect to his father. No matter how great a scholar the son is and how ignorant the father is, the father is superior to his son. If something is offered, which one, the father or the son, has the privilege? If the son makes a mistake, the father has the right to punish him. The father cannot be asked how he treated his son. If the father makes a mistake the son cannot be angry with him. For instance, if the son is a great scholar and gives a sermon to thousands of people, if his father comes, he should stand up and show respect for him by giving him a place to sit down. If he does not behave in this way, his scholarship is null and void. It is permissible that he not interrupt his sermon if any other great scholars come.
A scholar cannot lead a scholar who has greater knowledge than himself. While he has to offer his place to another scholar to lead, he does not interrupt his sermon whoever comes up except if it is his father. If his father comes, he has to interrupt his sermon and offer his place to his father. So, he cannot lead his father as he cannot lead a scholar who is greater than himself. An ignorant one cannot lead a scholar, because the latter has greater knowledge. If one cannot be superior to one’s father because of respect, how can that same person lead his father?
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2- If those who are imams are equal in terms of reciting, the one who is ahead in abstaining from what is forbidden in the religion leads. If they are equal in this regard, too, then the oldest one leads. So cites HIDAYA.
If imams are equal in this regard, too, the most virtuous one leads. If they are still equal, the noblest one leads. If they are equal in this regard as well, the most handsome of them leads. So cites FATH’UL-QADIR. If they are still equal, they select the one who performed more tahajjud than others. So cites QAFI. If they are still equal, the honorable and noblest one leads. So cites FATH’UL-QADIR. (Fatawa-e Hindiyya, Vol. 1, p. 290-291)
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3- “The slave cannot lead his master.” (Sihah Sita, Vol. 9, Hadith no: 2792; Tirmidhi, Salat 174 (235), Adab 24 (2773); Abu Dawoud Salat 61 (583); Nasai, Imamat 3, 6 (2, 76-77); Muslim, Masajid 290 (673).
A son is like a slave to his father. As the slave cannot lead his master, the son cannot lead his father.
They object to this; yet, our religion enforces respect for the father. The son should serve his father even if he is the greatest scholar.
“The father is like a prophet to his son.”
Some say: “I allow my son to lead me.” This is an error because there is a hadith of the Prophet, sallallahu alahi wa sallam. When there is a hadith, the son has no importance at all. How can you allow your son to lead if there is a hadith of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam? Your permission is null and void when there is such a hadith.
Can you allow your slave to lead by saying that I allowed him to? While there is a hadith of the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, your permission or the knowledge of your son is nil. Our objection is with regard to our Prophet’s hadith, not with regard to the knowledge of the son. How can you lead your father, who is like a prophet, while you allow someone who is knowledgeable than you to lead you? The father can beat his son even he is ignorant and his son is a scholar. The son is not advised to retaliate, but to respect his father, no matter what. Since a son is like a slave, he cannot lead his father.
One cannot oppose the hadith of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and obey his father. If our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, were to come, you would not lead him, would you? If a father is like a prophet, how can the son dare to lead his father? He should be humiliated if he leads his father, who is like a prophet with respect to himself in the house of Allah. If he is not, then he gives no importance to the hadith of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
If our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, compared two men and said: “A is better than B”, then B cannot lead A. If it is said that a father is like a prophet with respect to his son, how can the son lead the father? After our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, passed away, Ali, radiallahu anhu, did not lead Abu Bakr, radiallahu anhu, because our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, told Abu Bakr to lead and Ali performed the prayer behind Abu Bakr.
The prayer of the father for his son is like the prayer of the prophet for his people. (Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 336)
How can the son lead his father who is like a prophet with respect to himself? The son is not free in the presence of his father and his father is a prophet for him.
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4- “The elderly in your house are like prophets among their people.” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 2619)
If a son leads his father, he leads out of ignorance or because he disregards the hadiths. While the criteria (age, beard, marriage, and even height) are evaluated in selecting an imam, then why is the following hadith not evaluated: “The father is like a prophet to his son”?
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was asked:“How did Uways Qarani achieve such high ranks?”
“The best of the people after the companions is the one named Uways. He has a mother. He is very obedient to his mother. If he vows to do something, Allah definitely makes his vow fulfilled. He has baras. Ask him to pray to Allah for your forgiveness!” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 1617)
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Hadith-e Sharif:
5- “The heaven is under the feet of the parents.” [Hujjat al-Islam, p. 70; Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 2371; Zinat-al Qulub, p. 316; Sihah Sita, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 161; Nasai, Jihad 6 (6, 11).]
How dare a son lead someone whose feet are above heaven? All of us try to enter heaven. All of our deeds, work and knowledge are for there. How can you undervalue it? The heaven for which you work day and night is under the feet of your parents. It means that you have to serve them to the extent that you rub your face on their feet.
“Whoever is well-behaved to his parents can do whatever he wants. He will not go to Hell. Whoever is rebellious against his parents cannot go to Paradise, whatever deeds they perform.” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 4526)
“Stand up for your elders and respect them.” (Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 429)
Your father is both your elder and he is like a prophet for you. The heaven you wish to enter is under his feet. In addition, you are like his slave. How can you lead him? I do not accept any argument that is based on what others say. I want to be answered with hadiths.
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6- Narrated by Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu anh: The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“No son can repay the kindness shown by his father unless he finds him a slave and buys him and emancipates him.” [Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 9, Hadith no. 3659; Nura Dogru, Vol. 3, p. 1527-1545; Sihah Sita, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 158; Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 3, Hadith no: 1971; Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, Hadith no: 25 (1510); Dawoud, Adab 129 (5137)]
According to this hadith, shame on those who have left their parents in retirement homes!
The Inuit leave their elderly to die on the ice or to be hunted by the polar bear. Leaving elderly people in retirement homes, to a lesser extent, is a kind of Inuit practice. You are implicitly saying that although you are supposed to be the most compassionate among people to your parents, you are tired of caring for them and thus you have left them in retirement homes where you pay for them to be cared for.
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7- Narrated by Abu Darda, radhiallahu anh: He heard our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, say:
“The best door to Paradise is the father; so, if you want you can waste (lose) him (by neglecting the rights of your father) or you want you can protect him (by caring for his rights).” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 9, Hadith no. 3663; Sihah Sita, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 163; Tirmidhi, Birr 3 (1901); Nura Dogru, Vol. 3, p. 1540)
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If the aim is to enter Paradise, the best means to do so is obedience to one’s parents. Paradise is under the feet of the parents. The son who leads his father in prayers is leading, but Paradise has fallen behind.
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, called to a companion who killed his father in a battle and said: “Let none of you commit such a nescience. This is your father. How could you kill him?”
This companion said: “He was infidel and he was fighting against us. If I had not killed him, he would have killed me.”
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said: “Let another kill him; you are not to kill him.”
He did not warn those who killed their brothers or other relatives. In the Battle of Badr, one of the sons of Utba, the chiefs of the infidels, was Muslim and was carrying the flag of the believers. His other son was an infidel and carrying the flag of Abu Jahl. The two brothers met in battle. Our Prophet did not tell the Muslim brother to avolid confronting his infidel brother nor did he tell him not to kill him.
Is not father the greatest and most respected person among our relatives? Never cut relations with your relatives! It is not a good thing. You are supposed to visit them and to make their hearts tender to Islam, even if they are far away from your belief and their earnings are not halal.
Regarding the same subject, one day, my father (Sheikh) Bilal was asked:“I am not going to visit my relative since he is distant from Islam. I hate him for the sake of Allah.”
Upon this, my father (Sheikh) Bilal said: “If a monster were to kill your relative and crush him, would you just watch or would you try to rescue him with your mercy?”
This man replied: “Since I have mercy, I would try to rescue him.”
“It takes five to ten minutes for monster to crush your relative and then he is dead. Why on the earth are you worried?”
He said: “This is a monster. I have no mercy on monster but for my relative.”
My father (Sheikh) Bilal said: “This man will be tormented forever by monster-like guardians in Hell. You want to help him when he meets with the monster, so why do you not help him in Hell?
Rescue him from the monster-like guardians of hell. Go to his house to help him. Enjoin good and forbid evil, explain Islam and guide him. Familiarize him with the performance of good deeds.
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9- Narrated by Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu anh: “Nabi, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
‘Allah Almighty created the universe, and when He had finished, kinship rahm (stood) up and clung to His rida (greatness): Upon this, Allah Almighty asked:‘What do you want?’
Rahm said: ‘O my Lord! This is the standing up of one who seeks Your protection from being severed.’
Allah Almighty said: ‘O rahm! Would it please you if I were to take care of those who take care of you and sever from those who sever you?’
It said: ‘Of course.’
Allah Almighty said: ‘Then your prayer is granted.’” (This is the case of visiting relatives)
In another narration, the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Recite, if you wish: ‘…Then, is it to be expected of you, if you are put in authority, that you will do mischief in the land and break your ties of kith and kin? Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.’”(Muhammad, 22) (Sahih Bukhari, Tajrid as-Sareeh, Vol. 11, Hadith no: 1737)
If the son believes in the hadiths of the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, regarding the father, he should say to his father:
“While I was leading you in prayers, I remembered those hadiths of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. I am not deemed free before you. If you pray behind me and I am aware of it, I am ashamed before Allah and His Messenger.”
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10- Abu Bakr, radhiallahu anh, took the hand of Umar, radhiallahu anh, and tried to pledge his allegiance:
“O Umar! Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, has said: “If there were a prophet after me, verily it would be ‘Umar.” (Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 117; Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 6, Hadith no: 3931; Narrated Ibn Maja and Bukhari, as well) “Therefore, you are to be caliph. Umar, radhiallahu anh said: ‘When our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was ill, you led the prayers. Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, prayed behind you, following you. (Sunan Nasai, Vol. 1-2, Hadith no: 793) As our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, prayed behind you, following you, I would be ashamed to becoming caliph and lead someone behind whom our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, prayed.” Thus, he did not become caliph.
You attempt to lead someone whom our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, resembled to prophet.
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11- While Abu Bakr, radhiallahu anh, was leading the prayer, our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, happened to come there and stand in the row. Abu Bakr did not notice this in his prayer, so the companions began to clap their hands. Abu Bakr looked round and saw the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, there. He praised Allah. He withdrew to the first row. Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, stepped forward and led the prayer. When the prayer was over, he said:
“O Abu Bakr, what prevented you from standing in the place I ordered you to stand in?”
Abu Bakr said: “It does not become the son of Abu Quhafa to lead the prayer before the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.”
The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said to the people around him:
“Behold when anything happens in prayer, say: Subhanallah, for when you utter it, it attracts the attention of others, while clapping of hands is meant for women.” (Sunan Nasai, Vol. 1-2, Hadith no: 793; Sahih Bukhari, Tajrid-e as-Sareeh, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 396)
The son cannot lead his father in prayers; he will be aware of the fact that his father is standing behind him, even if the son is a true scholar. If the son doesn’t notice, the father can pray behind his son. After the prayer, he also leaves without being noticed; this is acceptable.
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12- In the battle of Uhud, our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was badly wounded. Since he could not stand up, he led the prayer while sitting and with blood on his clothing. (Sahih Bukhari, Tajrid-e as-Sareeh, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 398)
[If the Imam is ill and leads the prayers while sitting, the congregation prays sitting, as well. This is the Sunnah of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.]
It is completely wrong to say that our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, had Um Maqtum lead the prayer and that he prayed behind him.
Once, Abu Bakr, radhiallahu anh, led the prayer without noticing that our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was behind himself. After that, Umar, radhiallahu anh, never led the prayer while Abu Bakr was there.
“As our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, prayed behind you, I cannot be caliph. If I were to become caliph, you would have to pray behind me. Instead, you become caliph and I will pray behind you. If our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered Um Maqtum to lead the prayer and prayed behind him, then no companion would ever dared to lead the prayer while Um Maqtum was behind them. If Abu Bakr, radhiallahu anh, were to lead the prayer while being aware of the fact that our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was behind him, no companion would see this as reasonable.
At the end of time, Isa, alaihissalam, shall descend to the earth. He will say to the Mahdi:
“Lead the prayer!”
The Mahdi shall reply: “You are the prophet, so you lead.”
Isa, alaihissalam, shall say: “If I lead the prayer, it means that I do not obey the last prophet. You lead the prayer! If I pray behind you, it means that I obey the last prophet, Muhammad, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and join his ummah.” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 6186; Mirat-e Kainat, Vol. 1, p. 335) Isa alaihissalam does not lead the prayer so that he can join the ummah of our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Some writers slander Um Maqtum saying that he led the prayer while our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was behind him. They even refer to some books, which is very wrong.
Prophets are the crowns of their people. And our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, is the crown (the seal) of the prophets. (Ahzab, 40) Nobody would dare to lead the seal of the prophets if he was aware of who is behind him.
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13- Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. said: “I leave the Qur’an and Sunnah behind me. Do not accept words that are opposed to the Qur’an and Sunnah.” (One such word is that the son can lead his father in prayer; this action is opposed to the Qur’an and Sunnah) (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 6258; Bariqa, Vol. 1, p. 175-176 similar) No opinion or article can challenge this.
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14- In a hadith as-sharif it is stated: “My ummah will end up being divided into 73 parties; all of them will be in Hellfire except one.” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 3992; Marifatnama, p. 497; Hayat-as Sahaba, Vol. 1, p. 19)
According to this, 72 parties have false and wrong books, which cannot be obeyed. All scholars or writers should be in accordance with the ahl-i sunnah. All the books referred to here contain the original and the comment of the writer. What is referred to should be the hadith, not the comment. (Or the comment should not be opposed to the Qur’an and the hadiths.) Abandoning the hadiths, they take the comment as their proof, which is wrong.
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15- Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said: “The prayer of the parents for their children is like the prayer of the prophets for their people.” (Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 336)
If our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, says regarding someone that A is like a prophet to B and B attempts to lead A in the prayer, does this prove that B is ignorant? If a prophet says that someone is, not a prophet, but better than another, then it is not permissible that others lead this man in prayer. If someone leads him, it means that the word of the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, is not worthy of him.
For instance: A son is drunk. Although the father has beaten his son for his drinking, the son still respects his father. Another father’s son is a scholar. Yet, taking advantage of his status, if he insults his father because of some faults his father commits, and if he speaks badly of his father, this scholar is deemed as rebellious to his father. The respect of the drunken son causes his father to pray for him. Allah grants him the true way; he quits drinking and goes to the mercy of Allah. Since the scholar son speaks evil of his father, he makes his father curse him, be it hidden or apparent. So he earns the wrath of Allah, although he is scholar.
When Yavuz Sultan Selim, an Ottoman sultan, was enthroned following his father, his father both prayed and cursed him. He said to Yavuz:
“May you fight in many battles, may you win many victories and may you not die before you see your lung.” Yavuz fought in many battles, all of which he won. He became ill when he was young. He succumbed to sirpence (a skin infection) on his back. Sirpence caused there to be holes in his back. Yavuz placed two mirrors, one in front of him and one behind him, to see the infection. He saw the sirpence in the reflection of the mirrors. It was badly infected and his lung was visible through the skin. Shortly after this he passed away. Although he was a great man, he was cursed by his father.
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16- “Obedience to the father is obedience to Allah and rebellion against the father is rebellion against Allah.” (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 3865)
Pay heed well! Those who rebel against their father, indeed rebel against Allah Almighty. How can such a son lead his father in prayer? It is not true to say that he can lead. I ask for proof, for hadiths, as have given here. Those who object are out of their minds because they are directly objecting to the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. Our people are Muslims. They can distinguish easily what is wrong and what is right. Perhaps, some can object to this statement, but in the end it appears that you are wrong and this statement is correct.
In the Place of Judgment, you will be accused by those who say: “O our Lord! We would believe in the words of your beloved prophet, yet this man, whom we assumed was a scholar, prevented us from doing that.” Those whom it is claimed did this will bear the responsibility. If you respect our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, do not claim otherwise and be quiet, assuming that he is right. If you claim otherwise, it means that you do not accept the hadiths, which is a great burden on the Day of Judgment.
PROVERB: “Those who do not know their elders do not know Allah.” This is indeed true.
A slave cannot lead in prayer because he is not free. If he has a rajm punishment, half of it is carried out. A concubine can pray even if the parts other than that below her naval and above her knee are naked. A slave does not have to pray Friday Prayer because he is not free. Nor is the son free from his father. Since he is not free, he cannot lead his father in prayers. He can lead everybody else. In our religion, Friday Prayer is led by the most free person, the president or sultan, or a vicegerent appointed by the authority on that day. In districts it is led by the most authoritative person (governor). In the front line, it is led by the commander since he is the freest person. In cities it is led by the official. Nobody is capable other than those whom we mentioned, because they are the freest people. A son is not free from his father. How can he lead his father in prayers?
A son who fully respects his father is not free before him. When he intends to pray by khushu, his father crosses his mind. Everybody knows how Uways Qarani respected his mother’s word. He achieved the highest ranks because of his respect. Just because he wanted to fulfill his promise, he turned back without seeing our beloved Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, whom he longed to see and who he had traveled so far to see. (Ramuz-al Ahadith, Hadith no: 1617; Sahih Muslim, Vol. 7, Hadith no: 223 (2542), p. 481) Did Uways Qarani, who was so respectful to his mother, lead his father in prayers? He just obeyed the words of his mother (“Do not spend time there and turn back”) and refrained from seeing our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.