Al-Huda
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Newsletter for August 2012
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Fast of the Month of Ramadan:
Philosophy and Ahkam
Yasin T. al-Jibouri
Eid Al-Fitr and its prayers
Once the holy month of Ramadan is over, the pious get ready to
celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Feast of Fast-Breaking, to thank the
Almighty who enabled them to fast and to remember the needy and
the indigent. It is also customary on such an occasion to give
gifts to the members of the family, especially children. Once it
becomes known that the next day is going to be the Eid, it is
very highly recommended to spend the night preceding the Eid in
prayers and adoration. On p. 104 of al-Saduq’s Thawab al-A
‘mat, Muhammed ibn Ibrahim is quoted saying that he heard
Isma’eel ibn Muhammed quoting Muhammed ibn Sulayrnan quoting
Abmed ibn Bakr-aIFarisi quoting Muhammedibn Mis’ab quoting
Hammad quoting Thabit quoting the great sahabi Anas ibn
Malik saying that the Messenger of Allah (P) has said, "The
heart of anyone who spends the Eid night [the night preceding
the Eid] will not die oh the Day when the hearts die."
How to perform the Eid prayers, what is recommended and what is
not in its regard, and all fiqhi-related to it in the
following paragraphs are excerpted from Vol. 1 of Man Ia
Yahduruhu al-Faqh by Shaykh (mentor) Abu Ja`far ibn
al-Hussain ibn Babawayh al-Qummi (306 - 381 A.H./918 – 991
A.D.).
Is the Eid prayer compulsory (Sunnah wajibah) or is it
highly recommended (Sunnah mustahabbah)? Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq,
the followers of whose fiqh are referred to as Shi`as
Ja`faris Ithna-`Asheris, followers of the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (P) as outlined by Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (as)
and according to the fiqh of Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (as)
and who follow all the Infallible Twelve Imams (as), is quoted
on p. 339, Vol. 1, of al-Saduq’s book Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih
saying, "Prayers on both Eids (al-Fitr and al-Adha) are
compulsory, and so is the prayer on the eclipse." The author
comments on this weighty statement by saying that the Imam (as)
means they are among "minor obligations," that is, due to one
narration by Hareez which states the following:
Zurarab quotes Imam Abu Ja`far (as) saying: "To pray both Eid
prayers with an Imam is a Sunnah; no prayers should be performed
before or after them on that occasion till the time of zawal.
He (as) is also quoted on the same page as saying, "No Eid
prayers on both Eids should be offered without an Imam (a just
one), but if you pray it by yourself, there is no harm in doing
so." Hareez, on p. 340 of the same reference, quotes Zurarah
citing Imam Abu Ja"fer al-Baqir (as) saying, "The Commander of
the Faithful (Imam Ali ع),
peace with him, used not to eat anything on Eid al-Adha till he
eats of what he offers by way of sacrifice. And he used not to
go out.
How should the Eid (be it Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha) prayers be
performed? They are two rek’ats without iqamah or
athan. The imam starts by calling "Allahu Akbar!" once, then
he recites Surat al-Fatiha and "Sabbih ismi Rabbikal-A`la" (Surat
al-A’la, The Most High, Chapter 87, which is comprised of 19
verses), then he makes takbeer (by saying: "Allahu
Akbar!") five times, then he makes qunoot followed by
rukoo`, then he is to prostrate twice (as is the case with
fajr prayers). When he stands to perform the second
rek`a, be should recite Surat al-Fatiha followed by "Wal
shamsi wa Duhaha, etc." (Surat al-Shams [The Sun], Chapter 91,
which is comprised of 15 verses), followed by four takbeers,
including takbeerat al-qiyam. Having made takbeer
for the fifth time, he makes rukoo and goes on to the
prostrations as described above. What is recommended to be said
during the qunoot (in the first rek`at) of a great
occasion such as the Eid? We think the most beautiful
supplication is one narrated by Muhammed bin al-Fudayl who
quotes Abu al-Sabah al-Kinani quoting Abu Abdullah Imam Ja`far
al-Sadiq (as), our sixth Imam, as follows:
In order to benefit the readers who are not versed in Arabic, we
would like to offer this modest translation of the sophisticated
text, imploring the Almighty to forgive us for falling short of
matching the Arabic text (English never rises to the level of
classic Arabic especially when it comes to prayers, the Holy
Qur’an, and supplications:
I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One and Only God,
without any partner, and that Muhammed is His Servant and
Messenger. Lord! You are the Lord of greatness and magnanimity,
generosity and might, potence, authority and dignity! I plead to
You on this Day which You have made as an Eid for the Muslims
and as a treasure for Muhammed (P) and an increase (in his
prestige), to bless Muhammed and the progeny of Muhammed, to
also bless Your angels who are near to You--as well as all Your
deputed messengers, and to forgive us and all believing men and
women, and all Muslim men and women, the living and the dead. O
Lord! I plead to You to grant me of the best of that for which
your righteous servants plead to You, and I seek refuge with You
against all (evil) from which Your righteous servants seek
refuge with You. Allah is the First and the Last of everything,
the One Who knows everything and Who brings them back to life.
The destiny of everything is to Him and so is its return. He is
the One Who manages the affairs and brings life back to those in
the graves. He accepts good deeds and unveils what is hidden; He
reveals the secrets of the hearts. Allaho Akbar! His Kingdom is
great; He is the ever-Living Who never dies; when He decrees a
thing, He only says to it "Be!" and it is! To You are the voices
humbled and the faces succumb, and no vision can ever reach him,
nor can any tongue glorify You enough. All forelocks are in Your
grip and all affairs are referred to You: none can judge in
their regard besides You, nor can anything be accomplished
without Your aid. is Allaho Akbar. Your protection encompasses
everything; Your Dignity subdues everything; Your command
overwhelms everything, and everything stands through You.
Everything is humbled to Your greatness; everything is subjected
to Your Exaltation; everything surrenders to Your will, and
everything is a subject in Your Kingdom! Allaho Akbar.
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