Fiqh Boys 2010

FIQH SYLLABUS FOR CLASS 11B (14 YEARS OLD)
LESSON: TOPIC
LESSON 1: TRANSLATION OF ADHAN AND IKAMAH

LESSON 2 - 3: TRANSLATION OF SALAAT
LESSON 4: SALAAT-UL-JAMAAT
LESSON 5: NAFILA
LESSON 6: PHILOSOPHY OF SALAAT
LESSON 7: REVISION OF WAJIBAAT OF SALAAT
LESSON 8: REVISION OF RUKN AND GHAYR RUKN
LESSON 9: VOLUNTARY AND OBLIGATORY TAXES IN ISLAM
LESSON 10: KHUMS
LESSON 11: ZAKAAT
LESSON 12: TIJARAH (TRADE)
LESSON 13: NADHR, ‘AHD & QASAM
LESSON 14: HALAAL AND HARAAM FOOD AND DRINKS
LESSON 16a: KEEPING A BEARD
LESSON 16b: IMPORTANCE OF HIJAB
LESSON 17: AMRBIL MA'ROOF AND NAHI ANIL MUNKAR
LESSON 18: TAWALLA AND TABARRA
LESSON 19-23: AQAID LESSON
LESSON 24-25: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.1 www.madressa.net

LESSON 1: TRANSLATION OF ADHAN AND IKAMAH
ADHAN - The Call to Salaat
Allah is the Greatest 4 times åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA

I bear witness there is no god
but Allah.
2 times Éé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA úÜ æÆòA åfäÈqòA
I bear witness Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah
2 times åÉé}¼»A ó¾æÌåmìi AçfìÀäZå¿ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA
I bear witness Ali is the beloved
of Allah.
2 times åÉé}¼»A íÓê»ìË îÏê¼ä§ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA
Hasten to prayer 2 times êÑòÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to success 2 times `òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to the best deed 2 times ½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Allah is the Greatest 2 times jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA
There is no god but Allah 2 times åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ
IKAMAH – The Recitation Just Before Salaat

I bear witness there is no god
but Allah
2 times Éé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA úÜ æÆòA åfäÈqòA
I bear witness Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah
2 times Éé}¼»A ó¾æÌåmìi AçfìÀäZå¿ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA
I bear witness Ali is the beloved
of Allah
2 times Éé}¼»A íÓê»ìË îÏê¼ä§ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA
Hasten to prayer 2 times êÑòÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to success 2 times `òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to the best deed 2 times ½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Indeed the prayer has begun 2 times ÑòÝìv»A êOä¿Bä³ æfä³
There is no god but Allah Once Éé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ

ADHAN AND IKAMAH COMPARED
ADHAN - call for Salaat IKAMAH-call to start Salaat
X4 jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA X2 jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA
Allah is the greatest
X2 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA úÜ æÆòA åfäÈqòA X2 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA úÜ æÆòA åfäÈqòA
I bear witness there is no God but Allah
X2 Éå é}¼»A ó¾æÌåmìi AçfìÀäZå¿ ÆòA åfäÈæqòA X2 åÉé}¼»A ó¾æÌåmìi AçfìÀäZå¿ ÆòA åfäÈæqòA
I bear witness Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
X2 åÉé}¼»A íÓê»ìË îÏê¼ä§ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA X2 åÉé}¼»A íÓê»ìË îÏê¼ä§ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA
I bear witness Ali is the beloved of Allah
X2 Ñê òÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 êÑòÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to prayer
X2 ø`òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 ø`òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to success
X2 ø½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 ø½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY
Hasten to the best deed
Not to be recited in Adhan X2 ÑòÝìv»A êOä¿Bä³ æfä³
Indeed the Salaat has begun
X2 jå äJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA X2 åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA
Allah is the greatest
X2 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ X1 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ
There is no god but Allah

STEP BY STEP ON HOW TO PRAY
1. NIYYAT: I AM OFFERING ________PRAYERS,
________ RAKAATS,
Éé}¼»A Óò»êA çÒäIæjå³
QURBATAN ILAL LAH
ONLY FOR THE PLEASURE OF ALLAH
2. TAKBIRATUL IHRAM
ALLAHU AKBAR
ALLAH IS THE GREATEST
3. QIYAM – SURATUL FATIHA
In the name of Allah the most Kind,

ÁæÎêYìj»A øÅ{ÀæYìj»A êÉé}¼»A øÁænøI
the Most Merciful; äÅæÎêÀò¼{¨ô»A ÷êLäi êÉé}¼ê» åfæÀäZô»òA
All praise is to Allah; The Kind, The
Merciful; øÁæÎêYìj»A øÅ{ÀæYìj»A
Master of the Day of Judgement;
You alone we Worship & You alone ÅæÍø÷f»A øÂæÌäÍ ê¹ê¼{¿
we ask for Help;
Keep us on the Right Path; ÅæÎê¨äNænäÃ òºBìÍêA äË åfåJæ¨äÃ òºBìÍêA
The Path of those whom You have
Favoured; ÁæÎê´äNænåÀô»A ò¢Aäj÷øv»A BäÃêfæÇêA
Not the Path of those with whom
You are angry and also not of those ÁøÈæÎò¼ä§ äOæÀä¨æÃòA äÅæÍêhú»A ò¢Aäjêu
who have gone astray ÁøÈæÎò¼ä§ øLæÌåzæ¬äÀô»AøjæÎä«
ÅæÎø÷»Fìz»AòÜ äË
4. QIYAM – SURATUL IKHLAS
In the name of Allah the Most Kind, the ÁæÎêYìj»A øÅ{ÀæYìj»A êÉé}¼»A øÁænøI
Most Merciful;
Say Allah is One; fäYòA åÉé}¼»A äÌåÇ ô½å³
He needs nothing, but everything else
needs Him; fäÀìv»A åÉé}¼»òA
He has no children and He has no
parents; fò»æÌåÍ æÁò» äË åfê¼äÍ æÁò»
And there is none other equal to Him
fäYòA AçÌå°ó· åÉú» æÅó¸äÍ æÁò» äË

5. RUKU’ Glory be to Allah, the Supreme,

and I praise Him.
O Allah, send your blessings to êÊêfæÀäZøI äË øÁæÎê¤ä¨ô»A äÏøéIäi äÆBäZæJåm
Prophet Muhammad (S) and his
family.
ë fìÀäZå¿ ø¾}A ìË ëfìÀäZå¿ Ó}¼ä§ ÷ø½äu ìÁåÈé}¼»òA
6. QIYAM AFTER RUKU’
Allah hears and accepts

anyone who praises Him.
ÊäfêÀäY ÅäÀê» åÉé}¼»A ä©êÀäm
Allah is the Greatest. åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A
7. SAJDAH Glory be to Allah the Most

High and I praise Him
ÊêfæÀäZøI äË Ó}¼æ§æòÜA äÏøéIäi äÆBäZæJåm
O Allah, send your blessings
to Prophet Muhammad (S)
and his family. ëfìÀäZå¿ ø¾}A ìË ëfìÀäZå¿ Ó}¼ä§ ÷ø½äu ìÁåÈé}¼»òA
8. JULOOS
Allah is greater than
anything or anyone; jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A
I seek forgiveness from
Allah, my Lord, and turn to
Him in repentance; Allah is ÉæÎò»êA åLæÌåMòA äË æÏøéIäi äÉé}¼»A åjê°æ¬äNæmòA
greater than anything or
anyone.
jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A
9. DHIKR FOR WHEN RISING FOR THE NEXT RAKAAT:

I stand and sit with the help and
strength of Allah åfå¨æ³òA äË åÂæÌå³òA êÉêMìÌå³ äË êÉé}¼»A ø¾æÌäZøI

IN THE 2ND RAKAAT AFTER THE RECITATION IN QIYAM (QIRAAT) - SURA AL-FATIHA AND
SURA AL-IKHLAS, AFTER THAT DO QUNOOT:
10. QUNOOT:
O our Lord! Bestow
upon us good in çÒäÄänäY BäÎæÃíf»A Óê¯ BäÄêM}A BäÄìIäi
this world and good
in the Hereafter, øiBìÄ»A äLAähä§ BäÄê³ ìË çÒäÄänäY êÑäjêaæ}ÜA Óê¯ ìË
and protect us from
the punishment of
the fire
RUKU, QIYAM, SAJDAH, JULOOS, SAJDAH, JULOOS - ALL JUST LIKE THE 1ST RAKAAT
WHILE STILL IN JULOOS:

- AT THE END OF THE 2ND RAKAAT RECITE TASHAHUD AND SALAAM IF IT IS A 2 RAKAAT
SALAAT
- AT THE END OF THE 2ND RAKAAT RECITE ONLY TASHAHUD IF IT IS A 3 OR 4 RAKAAT
SALAAT AND RISE FOR THE NEXT RAKAAT.
-
11. TASBIHAT-E-ARBA’ 3 TIMES IN THE 3RD AND 4TH RAKAAT IN QIYAM:
Glory be to Allah. êÉé}¼»A äÆBäZæJåm
And all praise is for Him. êÉé}¼ê» åfæÀäZô»A äË
And there is no God but Allah. åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ äË
And He is the Greatest. jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A äË

12. TASHAHUD
I testify that there is none
worth worshipping except åÉò» ò¹æÍøjäqòÜ åÊäfæYäË åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA ÷à æÆòA åfäÈæqòA
the Almighty Allah, Who is
One and has no partner, and
I testify that Muhammad (S) åÉó»æÌåmäi äË åÊåfæJä§ AçfìÀäZå¿ ìÆòA åfäÈæqòA äË
is His servant and
messenger. O Allah! Send
Your blessings on ëfìÀäZå¿ ø¾}A ìË ëfìÀäZå¿ Ó}¼ä§ ÷ø½äu ìÁåÈé}¼»òA
Muhammad (S) and his
progeny.
13. SALAAM
O Prophet! Allah's peace,
blessings and grace be åÉåMBò·äjäI äË êÉé}¼»A åÒäÀæYäi äË íÏøJìÄ»A BäÈíÍòA ò¹æÎò¼ä§ åÂòÝìn»òA
upon you!
Allah's peace be on us,
those offering prayers - äÅæÎêZê»Bìv»A êÉé}¼»A êeBäJê§ Ó}¼ä§äË BäÄæÎò¼ä§ åÂòÝìn»òA
and upon all pious
servants of Allah!
åÉåMBò·äjäI äË êÉé}¼»A åÒäÀæYäi äË æÁó¸æÎê¼ê§ åÂòÝìn»òA
Allah's peace, blessings
and grace be on you
believers!

LESSON 4: SALAAT-UL-JAMAAT
Definition: Salaat-ul-Jamaat means prayers that are offered in

gathering (i.e. at least two people).
Benefits
Praying in congregation provides us with rewards both in this world and the
hereafter; some of which are listed and illustrated below:
Love & Co-operation Unity & Prestige of Islam
Discipline / Islamic Equality
Unlimited Reward
Allah has put a very big reward for Salaat-ul-Jamaat. Our Holy Prophet (S) and
our Imams (A) have placed great emphasis on Salaat-ul-Jamaat. Therefore,
whenever we get an opportunity we should offer congregational prayers.
Rewards Reward doubles after the 4th person joins the salaat
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2 3 4 5
No of Persons Present for Salaat-ul-Jamaat
After the 11th person joins, only Allah knows the reward we get

Importance of Salaat-ul-Jamaat
The following are a few examples of the importance of offering the
congregational prayers. For a full listing please refer to ‘Islamic Laws’ (page
262)
1. 25 times better than the prayers offered alone.  1409
2. It is not permissible to absent oneself from nor abandon congregational
prayers intentionally.  1410
3. When Salaat-ul-Jamaat id being offered, it is Mustahab for a person who
has already offered his prayers alone, to repeat the prayers in
congregation.  1412
Conditions of Salaat-ul-Jamaat
The following are a few examples of the conditions of offering the
congregational prayers. For a full listing of please refer to ‘Islamic Laws’ (page
263 - 275).
  1416 – As a precaution, Mustahab prayers cannot be offered in
congregation in any situation except:
o Istisqa prayers (invoked for rain); or
o Prayers which were obligatory during the presence of Ma’soom Imam
(A.S) but became Mustahab during his occultation like Eid ul Fitr and
Eid ul Azha
  1462 – The Imam of the congregation prayers should be: Baligh, adil, of
legitimate birth, Sane and be able to recite the Salaat correctly
 1479
Follower
performs all
Imam stands acts a little
in the front line after the Imam
Mustahab Acts
1. Learned and pious persons occupy the first row.  1491
2. Rows of the congregation are properly arranged and that there is no gap
between the persons standing in one row; all standing shoulder to
shoulder.  1492

HOW TO JOIN SALAAT-UL-JAMAAT
Scenario’s Where to join in Congregational Prayers

Qiyam Ruku’ Sajdah Tashahud Salaam
st
Imam in 1
Rakaat, better  
to join in:
Imam in 2nd
Rakaat better to 

join in:
Imam in 3rd \ 4th
Rakaat, better 
to join in:
Imam in 3rd \ 4th Join and recite Surah Al Hamd and if you cannot finish
Rakaat the recitation by the time the Imam rises from Ruku’ you
(Qiyam): have to change your Niyyat to furada.
If you do not
know which

Rakaat it is
always join in:
You enter the During Tashahud and
Mosque it is the Salam, raise your
last Sajdah, you knees and place your
perform your palms on the floor –

Niyyat and rise up to your 1st
Takbiratul Rakaat when Imam
Ehram and then completes Salam.
go into:
Extra note: Raising of the knees
from the ground is
also followed in
Tashahud and
Salaam when you
join in 2nd, 3rd and 4th
Rakaat.

Exercise
1. You arrive at the mosque when the Imam is reciting the last Tashahud and
you wish to earn the Thawaab of Salaat-e-Jamaat. What can you do?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2. Which of the following will the Imam recite quietly (Q) and which will he
recite loudly (L) in the Jamaats of Dhohr and Maghrib. Put 'Q' or 'L' for your
answer:
DHOHR MAGHRIB
a) Suratul Hamd
b) Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
c) Qunoot
d) Tasbihat-e-Arba’
e) Dhikr of Ruku'
f) Dhikr of Sajdah
g) Tashahud & Salaam

LESSON 5: NAFILA
These are Mustahab prayers, which have been recommended for Muslims and
have much merit. There are 34 Raka'ats in total. How they are divided is
explained below:
BEFORE AFTER
FAJR SALAAT MAGHRIB SALAAT
4 RAKA'ATS STANDING
STANDING 2 RAKA'ATS
AFTER
BEFORE ISHA SALAAT
ZUHR SALAAT 34
1 RAKA'AT 2 SITTING
STANDING 8 RAKA'ATS
MIDNIGHT
BEFORE SALAAT-E-SHAB
ASR SALAAT
11 RAKA'ATS STANDING
STANDING 8 RAKA'ATS
More than 2 Raka'ats have to be offered in sets of 2 Raka'ats. The method of praying is the
same as Salaat-e-Fajr.
SALAAT-E-SHAB
The most important and highly recommended prayer amongst the Mustahab
prayers is Salaat-e-Shab. Another name for Salaat e Shab is Salaat-e-Tahajjud.
BENEFITS OF SALAAT-E-SHAB
Cause For Forgiveness From Allah On The Day Of Judgement
Root of Faith Help With Questions in the Grave Devils Keep Away
Physically Fit Duas and Good Deeds Accepted Light of Knowledge
Key to Heaven Intercedes With Angle of Death Comfort in the Grave
Angels’ Friends Barrier Against the Fire of Hell Enemies Cannot Harm
Allah Is Pleased Crossing of Sirat Easier Increment in Livelihood

TIME FOR PRAYING SALAAT-E-SHAB - Anytime after midnight and before
Subhe Sadiq.
Best time - last hours of the night and just before dawn, so that one can pray
Salaat e Fajr once it is Subhe Sadiq.
Method Of Praying Salaat-e-Shab
It consists of 11 Raka'ats. Five prayers of 2 Raka'ats each and one prayer of 1
Raka'at.
11 raka’ats split into 5 prayers of 2 Raka’ats each + 1 prayer of 1 Raka’at
1st set of 2 2nd set of 3rd set of 2 4th set of 2 5th set of 2 1 set of 1
raka’ats 2 raka’ats raka’ats raka’ats raka’ats raka’at
Recited like Recited like Recited like

Salaat-e- Salaat-e- Salaat-e-
Fajr Fajr Fajr
Recite with Niyyat of

st Salaat-e-Shafaa
1 raka’at 1st raka’at
Recite Surae Al-Hamd & then Recite Surae Al-Hamd & then
Surae Tawheed;
Sura-e-Falaq;
2nd raka’at 2nd raka’at
Recite Surae Al-Hamd & after it Recite Surae Al-Hamd & then
is better to recite Surae Kafiroon.
Sura-e-Naas
1. Recite with the Niyyat of Salaat-e-Witr

2. After Surae Al-Hamd; recite Surae Tawheed 3 times, Surae Falaq 3 times and Surae Naas
once
3. Then raise you hands for Qunoot & recite
”ASTAGH FIRULLAHA RABBI WATUBU ILAYH” 70 times.
4. After that recite the names of 40 Mu'mineen (believers) living or dead, taking their names in
the following manner:
”ALLAHUMMAGHFIRLI (the name)”
5. If you cannot remember the names of 40 Mo'mineen then just recite
”ALLAHUMMAGH FIRLI MO'MINEENA WAL MO'MINAAT”
6. Then recite
“AL-AFV” 300 times
7. Finally recite
8. “HADHA MAQAMUL AU'ZUBIKA MINAN NAAR” 7 times.
9. Then complete the Salaat with Rukuu, Sajdah, Tashahud and Salaam.
After finishing the above, pray 2 Raka'ats with the Niyyat of Nawafil-e-Subh by
which time it will probably be time for Fajr Salaat, if not, then recite some Dua's
until the time of Salaat-e-Fajr.

LESSON 6: PHILOSOPHY OF SALAAT
The most important act of Ibadat (Worship) in Islam is Salaat (Prayer). It is an

expression of total submission to Allah (S) and a means of communication
between the Creator and His servants.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Taalib (A) has said about your prayer:
"Know that every action you do will depend on you Salaat."
From this we know for a fact that is our Salaat is accepted then all other actions
are also accepted and if our Salaat is rejected then so are our other deeds.
Salaat greatly affects the lives of those who perform it. It keeps the soul of a
person free from idolatry and when carried out sincerely, it also helps to cure
moral diseases such as infidelity, hypocrisy, pride, dishonesty etc.
- By praying at the specified times, a person learns to be both disciplined
and punctual.
- It gives a purpose to the lives of people
and has a stabilizing effect. In times of
stress, Salaat provides a place of peace
where a person can forget all worries and
cares and rest his weary head on the
doorstep of Allah .
- The Holy Prophet (S) used to say to Bilal, who was
the Mu'adhin of the Muslims, "Comfort me, O Bilal!"
meaning that he should recite the Adhan and call
out for prayer.
Salaat is a source of piety and perfection. Through its performance a person

can discover the hidden secrets of his soul and its amazing relationship with
Allah .
All those acts that surround it or are related to it also fall under its special
influence. For this reason we shall look at the things connected to and
performed within Salaat and study the philosophy behind each. This will help us
better appreciate why we perform it in the manner we do.
The Spirit of Salaat:

Salaat, through its words, movements, prostrations,
bows and supplications, provides a person with a
means of rebuilding his personality afresh.
Properly performed with understanding of the

recitations and the philosophies involved, it is a spiritual
journey of sorts - a Me'raj (Heavenly Ascension) for the
Believer. On the other hand, prayer performed as a
ritual and with no concentration is like a dead body
without a spirit.

As we attempt to understand and focus on our Salaat, it may help to choose a
place that is simple, quiet and private when praying to avoid any distractions.
Salaat is not a sport or a play that we can perform it as we wish in a hurried
manner.
Discipline is of the utmost importance. Remember, if we wish to fully exploit this
treasure, then we must be prepared to put some effort into our actions.
NOTE:
It is highly recommended that one should recite Tasbih of
Hadhrat Fatema al-Zahra (A) after the completion of every
Salaat.
Carelessness in Prayer:
Salaat as we have mentioned time and again is the central pivot of all worship
in Islam. It must be prayed and there is no excuse for not performing it.
In fact, even if a person is too sick to pray standing up, it is recommended he sit
and pray and if this is not possible, he should sleep with his right side facing
Qiblah and perform his Salaat with his head and eyes. All this shows us how
important Salaat to Allah .
According to the Holy Prophet (S)

"Allah takes away all the blessings from a person who does not pray or is
careless of his/her Salaat. S/he will die in a very bad state, be tortured in
Barzakh and face extreme hardship during the Day of Judgement."
In another hadith he says:

"Whosoever takes his/her Salaat lightly, s/he will not be from my Ummah."
A Muslim must constantly try to improve the quality of his/ her Salaat.
We should avoid praying Salaat when sleepy or tired and instead wait a little
until our minds are fresh enough to concentrate full on what we are saying and
doing.
In conclusion let us ponder on the Salaat of our Ma'soomeen (A) and how they
used to prepare themselves for meeting their Lord.
Imam Ali (A) would turn pale whilst performing Wudhu and used to say,
"It is time for me to give back the Divine trust to the Almighty "

LESSON 7: REVISION OF WAJIBAAT OF SALAAT
Out of the many different parts of Salaat, there are 11 Wajib actions, which
must be performed for it to be correct.  951
These are:
1. NIYYAT:
Intention to perform a particular Salaat, "Qurbatan ilallah".
2. TAKBIRATUL EHRAM:
The first "Allahu Akbar" in Salaat.
3. QIYAM:
Standing position for recitation.
4. QIRA'AT:
Recitations of Suratul Hamd and another Surah
5. RUKU':
Bowing
6. TWO SAJDAHS:
Prostration with forehead, knees, palms and big toes touching the ground.
7. DHIKR:
Recitations during Ruku and Sajdah
8. TASHAHUD:
Recitation while sitting down after the two Sajdah in the 2nd and last
Rakaat of Salaat.
9. SALAAM:
Recitation of salutation in Salaat before finishing Namaaz
10. TARTIB:
Praying in the set Sequence (order)
11. MUWALAT:
Praying without any interruption or gap.
SALAAT IS LIKE A BUILDING THAT IS MADE UP OF MANY PARTS.

SOME OF THESE PARTS FORM THE FOUNDATION OF THE
BUILDING, WHILE OTHERS ARE JUST BUILT UPON THE
FOUNDATION. IF THE FOUNDATION GIVES WAY, THEN THE WHOLE
BUILDING WILL COLLAPSE.

LESSON 8: REVISION OF RUKN AND GHAYR RUKN
Rukn
Wajib Acts of Salaat = 2
categories
Ghayr Rukn
 Rukn = those parts of the Salaat, which are its foundation. If any of
these Wajib parts are left out or added, on purpose or by mistake, the
Salaat becomes Batil. 951
 Ghayr Rukn = those parts of the Salaat which are not considered as its
foundation BUT ARE STILL WAJIB. If any of these actions are left out or
added on purpose the Salaat becomes Batil. But they do not make the
Salaat Batil if they are left out or added by mistake.
 951
The table below shows which actions of Salaat are Rukn and which are Ghayr
Rukn:
RUKN GHAYR RUKN

Niyyat Qira’at
Takbiratul ehram Dhikr
Qiyam ** Tashahud
Ruku’ Salam
Two sajdahs Tartib
Muwalat
**QIYAM – This includes QIYAM MUTASIL BEFORE RUKU which is a short

pause while you stand silently before you go into Ruku (you can
say Allahu Akbar). WITHOUT THIS PAUSE SALAAT BECOMES
BATIL.  967
THE WAJIB ACTS OF SALAAT ARE 11
5 ARE RUKN & 6 ARE GHAYR RUKN

EXERCISE – REVISION OF RUKN & GHAYR RUKN
1. Write down in your own words, the meanings of Wajib-e-Rukn and Wajib-
e-Ghayr Rukn.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. How many Wajib actions are there in Salaat? List them.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. When Muntazir came home from school, he was in such a hurry to leave
for football practice that when he prayed his Dhohr Salaat, he missed
one Sajdah in the last Rakaat. However when he went into Sajdah – e –
Shukr after completing his Salaat, he told Allah he was sorry for the
mistake and hoped this Sajdah would cover the one missed. Is his Salaat
Sahih? Why?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. In the list below, write which one is Rukni, Ghayr Rukn and which is
Mustahab.
Ruku’
Salawat
Muwalat
Dhikr of Sajdah
Tartib
Qiyam
Qiraat
Qunoot
Dhikr of Ruku’
Salaam
Tashahud
Niyyat

LESSON 9: VOLUNTARY AND OBLIGATORY TAXES IN ISLAM
Islam wants to prevent the excessive accumulation of wealth in the hands of a

few people so the society may not fall into two classes: one over wealthy, while
the other is starving.
The Holy Qur'an gives the reason for taxing wealth by saying,
"...so that it (the wealth) may not circulate among those who are rich among
you." (al-Hashr, 59:7)
To bring about this equality in the economic condition of the people, Islam has
introduced an important method in the transferring of the excess wealth from
the fortunate sector of the society to its less fortunate members. This is done on
two different levels: on an individual level and on a collective level.
1. Individual Level
Islam encourages Muslims to be mindful of the plight of others by prescribing
charity. In Arabic, this is known as Sadaqah and Infaq.
2. On a Collective Level
The economic equality is guaranteed through the obligatory (Wajib) taxes on
the excess wealth of every Muslim. These are taxes like Khums and Zakaat.
In short, Islam aims at eliminating the "need" (Hajat), and elevating the need.

LESSON 10: KHUMS
Khums is the Fifth branch of Furoo-e-Deen and it is Wajib on every Muslim.
Khums, in Islamic terminology means one fifth of certain things which a person
acquires as wealth and which must be paid as an Islamic Tax.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
"Know that whatever of a thing you acquire (Ghanimat), a fifth of it is for Allah,
for the Messenger, for the near relatives, the orphans, the needy and wayfarer."
(al Anfal 8:41)
Khums Has To Be Paid On The Following 7 Things
Net Savings Lawful Wealth Mixed Buried Treasure Minerals

 1761 –1806 With Unlawful Wealth  1815 – 1821 1807
 1822 – 1827
Precious Stones Obtained Land

War Booty Purchased
From Sea By Diving  1837 – 1841
 1828 - 1836 1842
Khums is Wajib on seven items but we will discuss Khums on only one item
which is net savings
The other six are not generally relevant to most Muslims, and when needed one
can refer to the necessary Masail for them.

Khums on Net Savings
INCOME + NEW ITEMS - ALLOWABLE EXPENSES = NET SAVINGS
NET SAVINGS x 20% = KHUMS

Food Transportation
Drink Furniture
Marriage expenses
Accommodation
Medical expenses Haj
Payment of Sadaqah Ziyarat
Gifts Donations
Paying debts Legal penalties
Wages of servants Insurance premiums
The amount deducted from your salary for mandatory provident fund or for mandatory pension
plan, income tax, etc
Items On Which Khums Is Exempted  1763

1. There is no Khums on the amount of one's Dowry (Mahr).
2. Khums is not liable on Inheritance. It is Ehtiyate Wajib that when one
inherits from the least anticipated person, e.g. a very remote relative from
whom one does not expect to inherit, Khums should be paid if any amount
remains at the end of the year.
Distribution Of Khums  1843

The money of Khums has to be divided into two equal parts.
KHUMS
SEHME IMAM SEHME SADAAT
This part is given to This part is given

the Imam of the time needy persons from
the family of the Holy
Prophet (S)
IN THE GHAIBAT OF THE IMAM (A) THIS PART OF THE KHUMS IS GIVEN TO A MUJTAHID.
WITH HIS PERMISSION WE USE THIS MONEY FOR OTHER PURPOSES, LIKE BUILDING
MOSQUES, MADRESSAS, ETC.

An Example on How to Calculate Khums
Example 1:
Mohsin earns £ 2 500 every month. His khums is due mid April. He has
the following monthly expenses:
Travelling costs to and from work £ 100
Household Expenses £ 300
Mortgage £ 800
Insurance [Car &Home] £ 200
He has a saving account which has £ 5 000
Question:
How much khums will he pay if he has never paid khums before?
Salary he gets in hand after ALL Government deductions: £2 500

Total expenses for the month: £1 400
Savings: £5 000
Savings after deducting all expenses: £1 100
Total Khums due on: £6 100
Khums to be paid £6 100 @ 20% £1 220
Sehme Sadaat £610
Sehme Imam £610
Example 2:
Question:
Suppose he has been paying khums every month and khums has already been
paid on £4 000 of his savings. Will he have to pay on that again this year? If
not, how much will he pay instead?
Solution:
He will not pay on the £4000 he has already paid khums on. His khums for this
year will be:
Salary he gets in hand after ALL Government deductions: £2 500
Total expenses for the month: £1 400

Savings: £1 000
Savings after deducting all expenses: £1 100
Total Khums due on: £2 100
Khums to be paid £2 100 @ 20% £420
Sehme Sadaat £210
Sehme Imam £210

EXERCISE: KHUMS
Answer the following and also write the relevant Masail Number
After taking out Khums, Fatima inquired in town if there was a deserving Sayyid
and was told that there wasn't one and there would not be one in the near future
either. How will she dispose of or give away the Sehme Sadaat portion?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Sadiq and his family had a house of their own in which they lived. Having made
quite a lot of profit from his business, he decided to buy another house. Will he
pay Khums on it at the end of the year?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Jaffer received rent from a property he owned and also had a catering business
as well. At the end of 2004, he had incurred a loss in his catering business. How
will he calculate his Khums?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Asif had set up his business and now at the end of the year, he has to calculate
his Khums. Help him calculate it.
He started his business with £10 000
Business expenses totalled £ 1 000
Personal & Family expenses totalled £ 4 000
Cash he has in hand now £10 000
Merchandise in hand now £20 000 worth
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

LESSON 11: ZAKAAT
In Arabic, the word Zakaat literally means "growth". It also means "purification"
as used in the Ayah below:
"Take alms (Sadaqah) from their wealth in order to purify them and cleanse
them by it." (at-Tawbah, 9:103)
And in many places Allah mentions Zakaat, immediately after prayer, showing
its importance:
"And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity;..." (al Baqarah : 2:43)
Zakaat is the Fourth Pillar of Islam. It is a Wealth Tax of 2.5%. There are 2
types of Zakaat. They are:
1. Zakaat-e-Maal - Zakaat on possessions.
2. Zakaat-e-Fitra - Zakaat payable on Eid-ul-Fitr.
Zakaat-e-Maal  1861
Wheat Barley Dates Grapes Cows Goats Sheep Gold & Silver Camels
Coins
Distribution Of Zakat
The Holy Qur'an is very clear in its guidance on this. It says:

"Verily, alms (Sadaqaat) are for the poor and the needy, and the people
employed to administer (the funds), and those whose hearts are to be won over,
and for freeing of slaves, and those who are in debt, and in the way of Allah and
for the wayfarer; a duty ordained by Allah. Allah is all-Knowing, all-Wise." (at-
Tawbah, 9:60)
Zakaat-e-Maal can be given to:  1933
Fukara Cannot pay their expenses for the whole year
Masakeen State worse than Fukara
Hamil Collector appointed by Imam (A) or Mujtahid-e-A'alam
Rikaab Helping in freeing a slave
Debtors Who are unable to pay their debts
Ibnus Sabeel Poor stranded travellers
Fi Sabeelillah In the way of Allah
Non-Muslims Who come to Islam by taking Zakaat / have been helpful to Muslims in
war
Zakaat-e-Fitra  1999 – 2021
On the night of Eid-ul-Fitr, Fitra becomes compulsory on the head of the family
who is responsible for the maintenance of the family.

Before Sunset After Sunset
Muslim Guest Host has to pay Fitra Host does NOT pay Fitra
Arrival
Kafir Guest Arrival Host has to pay Fitra Host does NOT pay Fitra
New born baby Head of Family to pay Fitra Mustahab to pay Fitra
Guest Departs Fitra NOT to be paid Fitra needs to be paid
Person Dies Fitra NOT to be paid Fitra needs to be paid
The head of the family who is responsible for paying Fitra should keep the
money separate at night with the intention of paying it later. It is better that the
money is given away before Eid prayers, but it can be given after the prayers.
Fitra Can Be Given On The Following
Other Relevant Conditions for Fitra

1. The Fitra per person has to be 3 Kgs in weight or its value in money.
2. The money for Fitra can be given to any Organisation who undertake the
responsibility of buying the grain and passing it on to the people who are
liable for receiving Zakaat.
3. If you are giving Fitra in the form of grain then you have to ensure that the
grain is of good quality and not mixed with dirt.
4. One person cannot give 3 different kinds of grain as Fitra; however,
different forms of Fitra can be given by members of the same family.
Fitra Can Be Given To  2022 – 2031

Qualifier of Zakaat-e-Maal
Poor Shia Ithna Asheri Preference given to: Needy blood relations,
neighbours and scholars
It is wajib to give fitra to the needy in your hometown first.

It is not necessary to tell that the money given to the needy is of fitra.
Note:
1. Fitra given by a Sayyid can only be given to a Sayyid.
2. Fitra given by a non-Sayyid can only be given to a non-Sayyid.
How Much Should Be Given
1. It should be enough to pay for one year's expenses.
2. It could be given to buy something for the poor from which they can earn a
sure income; like setting up a business or buying a sewing machine.
EXERCISE - ZAKAT
SECTION 1
1. Sajjad’s decided to spend the whole month of Ramadhan at her father's
house and return back home after Idd-ul-Fitr. However, late in the afternoon
on the 30th Ramadhan, she had to return home as her mother-in-law had
fallen sick. Who will pay her Fitra? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Amin's dad passed away and when his property was looked at, it was found
that he had not paid Zakat, had a large debt and also had not performed
Hajj. How will all the above be sorted before giving his heirs their dues?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Hasnain was travelling by car back to London from Leeds. On the way, he
lost everything due to a highway robbery. He was stranded without money.
A passer-by offered him Zakat in the form dates. Hasnain decided to sell
them to another passer-by. Goods and money were exchanged. Using the
money from the sale, Hasnain was able to reach Leeds safely.
a. Was Hasnain right in accepting the Zakat? _________________
b. Can Hasnain sell the dates to the passer-by? _______________
c. Some of the money was left over when he arrived in Leeds. What should
Hasnain do?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

LESSON 12: TIJARAH (TRADE)
Islam encourages Business
The Holy Prophet (S) has said:
"There are 70 parts of Ibadat. The best part of it is that of earning in a Halaal
way, the best action is to work and earn livelihood by Halaal means. If a person
earns by Halaal means then he will get the Thawab equal to the Prophets (A)
on the day of Qiyamat."
The Shariah of Islam encourages Trade. There are 10 parts of earning, out of
which 9 parts are in business.
However, the Imams (A) always said that a person engaging in trade must know
its Masails to avoid falling into sinning.
Etiquette Of Doing Business
The Holy Prophet (S) has said that when doing trade to note the following
points:
1. No interest should be transacted (details to follow).

2. No swearing should be done even if one is speaking the truth.
3. Seller should not conceal defect of his own goods.
4. Seller should not falsely praise the quality of ones goods.
5. A buyer should not find fault falsely in goods when buying.
There are 4 mustahabats to follow while in business transaction:
1. Price should be equal to all Muslims.

2. In question of price, one should not be harsh while dealing.
3. Give more and take less in quantitative measurements.
4. To take goods if returned if buyer does not want goods.
It is Wajib for a person to earn enough so that he may be able to feed his wife
and children.

Six Types Of Trades Are Haraam:
1. To buy or sell intoxicating drinks, non-hunting dogs, pigs, dead animals

e.g. meat, skins, hides of non-zabiha animals, etc. Other dealings
involving Najis items is allowed if a good and logic use of it is being made
e.g. fertilisers, etc.
2. To buy or sell wild animals.
3. To buy or sell Ghasbi (usurped) things.
4. To buy or sell goods used for Haraam purposea, e.g. instruments of
gambling, etc.
5. To receive or give interest during transactions.
6. To sell adulterated (mixed) goods with full prior knowledge - for example,
seeling a bag of flour that contains chalk as well, etc.
Types Of Trade Which Are Makruh Are
1. To sell ones estate or buildings, unless if one is going to buy a new

estate (It is recommended in Shariah of Islam that one should live in
ones own house).
2. Just slaughtering animals (It is said that in doing so ones mind becomes
very hard).
3. Just to sell Kafan (shroud). As a side business it is allowed.
4. To do transaction with people of low morals e.g. thieves, smugglers, etc.
5. To do any business during the time from Dawn to Sunrise. It is the time
reserved for the Ibadat of Allah.
6. To sell grains of foods, because if hoarding is committed then the
consequences to be faced from Allah are grave so it has been made
Makruh.
7. To swear during a transaction even when it is true.

LESSON 13: NADHR, ‘AHD & QASAM
VOW COVENANT OATH
Make wajib upon oneself Similar to a vow but it

to do a Mustahab thing Make a promise to Allah
(s.w.t.) that you will perform a must be sworn by one of
or staying away from a the mighty names of
Makrooh thing, for the good act when your lawful
need is fulfilled. Allah (s.w.t.) e.g. Allah,
sake of or for the Khaliq, Raaziq, etc.
pleasure of Allah (s.w.t.).
Feed 10 poor Feed 60 poor; Feed 10 poor

Clothe 10 poor Fast consecutively Clothe 10 poor
Free a slave for 2 months, OR Free a slave
OR Fast for 3 Free a slave OR Fast for 3
consecutive days consecutive days

"O People, eat from the land what is permitted and good and do not follow in the
footsteps of Shaitan, for he is an open enemy to you." (al Baqarah, 2:168).
Since food and drink are essential for the survival of humanity, Allah has given
clear guidelines on what can and cannot be consumed. In addition we have also
been instructed in manners and behaviour of eating. Thus eating and drinking
becomes a way by which a Muslim remembers the bounties of Allah and by
observing the rules of Shariah, he also shows his commitment to his religion.
Furthermore, Allah has made the habit of eating an important factor in
establishing social unity. He has encouraged the sharing of food with each other
and stressed the merits of giving food to the poor and needy. This becomes
obligatory when certain sins are committed, for which the Kaffara or penalty is
to feed poor Muslims. Thus we can see that this subject covers a wide and
important area of Islamic Shariah.
Food Groups
FOOD
PLANTS ANIMALS
FRUITS LAND CREATURES
VEGETABLES SEA CREATURES
GRAINS BIRDS
List of Foods
Halaal Haraam
Plants, Fruits, Vegetables, Grains Whales; Shark; Lobsters & Crabs
Prawns & Shrimps All reptiles
All fish that have scales and are Dog, rabbit, elephants, monkey
removed alive from the water
Domestic animals that have hoof / Donkey, mule, horse
cloven hoof e.g. goat, cow, camel,
sheep
Locusts Fleas, lice
Birds such as chicken, turkey, ostrich, Birds such as eagle, hawk, vulture,
peacock, pigeons raven, crow
Slaughtering according to Shariah.

All animals and birds that are permissible to eat are nevertheless forbidden to a
Muslim unless they have been correctly slaughtered. The laws for hunting differ
slightly and can be obtained from books of Islamic Laws of various jurists.
The correct method of slaughtering involves the simultaneous cutting of the

gullet, windpipe, carotid artery and jugular vein of the animal with a sharp knife.
The conditions for the slaughtering are as below:

1. The one who carries out the slaughtering must be a Muslim.
2. If possible, the instrument used to slaughter should be made of iron.
3. The creature to be slaughtered must be made to face the Holy Ka'aba.
Face Qiblah
4. The person performing the slaughter must mention the name of Allah as he
slaughters the animal.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
5. There must be a normal emission of blood from the animal after the
slaughter.
6. The animal must show some sign of movement after being slaughtered,
especially if there was some doubt whether the animal was alive before
being slaughtered.
Guidelines To Eating At Restaurants
Restaurant Owner
1. If it is owned by a Muslim who apparently is mindful of the religion then no
further investigation is necessary and all food served is Halaal.
2. If it is owned by a Muslim who appears to be unmindful of the religious
laws, for instance he serves or allows alcohol on the premises, then he
must be questioned about the source of his meat, the handlers of the food
and its contents. You can eat there only if you are certain that it is Halaal.
3. According to Agha Seestani, Christians and Jews can be considered to be
Pak, and food prepared by them can be eaten by his Muqalideen.
4. If a restaurant is owned by a non Muslim or ownership is unknown, then the
meat cannot be eaten, unless one becomes convinced that it is Halaal and
has been cooked by a Muslim, Christian or Jew.

With regards to vegetable products, the method of preparation has to be
checked. For instance, when buying chips, one has to ask the owner whether
the oil used for frying is vegetable oil and whether meat products are fried in the
same oil.
Products that are advertised as suitable for vegetarians or fish based products
like cod burgers are Halaal, unless one is sure that the contents include animal
products or that they have been handled by people other than Ahle Kitaab i.e.
Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Eating Manners
There are certain acts that are encouraged when taking a meal
1. Washing of the hands before eating.
2. Washing hands and drying with a dry cloth after eating.
3. To recite the name of Allah (Bismillah) before eating.
4. The host should begin eating first and end last.
5. To eat with the right hand.
6. To take small bits of food and chew thoroughly.
7. To collect and eat the bits of food scattered on the dining cloth.
8. To take salt before and after the meal.
There are certain acts that are discouraged when taking a meal:
1. To eat when not hungry.
2. To over-eat.
3. To gaze at others while eating.
4. To eat food while it is very hot.
5. To blow on food or drink to cool it.
6. To throw a fruit before one has fully eaten it.
7. To scrape off meat from a bone in such a manner that nothing remains on
it.
8. To peel those fruits which are normally eaten with their skins.

EXERCISE - HALAL AND HARAM FOOD AND DRINKS
1. When Javad went fishing, he was very excited when he caught his first
fish. Sadly, when he pulled it out of the water, it was dead. Are his hands
Najis as he held the fish in his hand as he threw it back into the lake?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Pui Li Toi had just converted and was finding certain laws difficult to follow.
However, he understood that an animal slaughtered according to the
Islamic Shariah is permissible to eat so he slaughtered a snake and ate it.
Did he understand it correctly?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. When Khurshid and Khalil went to Honk Kong as transfer students, they
were given live fish for dinner. Could they have eaten it or should they
have insisted that it be cooked first?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

LESSON 16a: KEEPING A BEARD
WHAT IS THE BEARD?
It literally refers to the hair which grows on the face naturally (i.e. the sides of
the face and the chin).
Allamah Majlisi quotes in a narration, in Vol. 16 of his book Bihar Al-Anwar in

which our Holy Prophet (S) states:
“When Allah, accepted the repentance of Prophet Adam (A), Angel Jibrail came
to Prophet Adam (A) and said, “May Allah grant you a (long) life and bestow
beauty upon you”
Prophet Adam (A) then said, “I understand what you mean by long life,
however, I do not understand what you mean by beauty”
He went into prostration and when he raised his head from it, he made a
supplication and said, “O, Allah, Increase in me the beauty [that you have
promised me]”,
Soon after he had made this supplication a beautiful beard appeared on his
radiant face. When Gabriel saw what had happened, he touched the beard of
Prophet Adam (A) and said, “This is in response to the supplication you
made to your Lord, and it has been granted to you and your male
offspring till the day of reckoning”.
It is evident from this narration that the beauty which Allah, bestowed upon
Prophet Adam (A) in the form of a beard would remain for him and his male
offspring till the day of reckoning.
The shaving of the beard in general is considered to be from amongst those

actions which the Allah has indeed considered unlawful.
When Allah, first created the human being, He granted him and his male
offspring the beard as a result of his supplication to Him.
The reason for this was that through the appearance of a beard on the face,
there would be a clear distinction between the male and the female offspring of
Prophet Adam (A) till the day of reckoning.
“From amongst the laws of the Lord of the Universe was that He
granted the male gender from amongst the humans a beard so that
there may be a difference (in appearance) between them”.
Imam Ja’far As Sadiq (A)

Among the questions answered by Ayatullah Seestani regarding the beard
in his CODE OF PRACTICE FOR MUSLIMS IN THE WEST IS AS FOLLOWS:
Question 520: At times the big companies in Europe discriminate —
among those who come to them seeking jobs— between
those who shave their beards and those who don’t shave
them. If this is true, then is it permissible to be clean
shaven in order to get the job?
Answer 520: Shaving the beard —whose prohibition is based on
obligatory precaution— would not become permissible just
by the desire to get a job with these companies.
[The rest of the lesson to be utilised for discussion with the youth as to
the pressures that cause them to disobey the command of keeping the
beard]
The students can also discuss further from the questions on Ayatullah
Sistani’s website - from the Q&A section at www.sistani.org

LESSON 16b: IMPORTANCE OF HIJAB
The importance of Hijab will be briefly discussed in the light of the verses of the
Holy Qur'an on the subject. Allah says:
"Say unto the believer men to cast down their gaze and guard their private
parts; that is purer for them. Verily Allah is Well-Aware of what you do.
And say unto the believing women that they cast down their gaze and guard
their private parts; and not to display their adornment (Zeenat) except what
becomes apparent of it; and to draw their headcovers (Khumur) over their neck
slits (Juyoob); and not to display their "Zeenat" except to their husbands… “
(An Noor, 24:31,32 part)
The verse first informs men of their duty in Hijab and then the women. Some
important words in the second verse are:
Zeenat: This is something we use to beautify ourselves like clothes,

ornaments, jewellery, etc.
Khumur: These are head covers or scarves.
Juyoob: The neck slit was usually low in Arab dress and the women did not
cover their necks. So in this verse they were ordered to cover their
exposed necks with the head covers.
In another verse Allah says:

“O Prophet! Say unto your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers that they let down upon themselves a robe (Jilbab); so that they may
be distinguished, so that they will not be troubled; Allah is Oft-Forgiving, the
Most Merciful.” (al Ahzab, 33:59)
Here the word Jilbab refers to a covering that is bigger than a head cover and
shorter than a shawl and is designed to cover the head and shoulders.
According to the command of Allah, the coverings for women that form their
Hijab is Wajib, and disobedience of this command earns Allah's anger.
The entire body of the woman except hands and face should be covered. The
overall appearance of the dress is that it must be loose so it does not reveal the
form of the woman, and it should not be attractive in a way that it draws the
eyes of the people to the wearer.
[Discuss with your teacher the difficulties in wearing the Hijab in our
society in England and see if others have had similar problems and share
ideas on how to overcome them]

LESSON 17: AMRBIL MA’ROOF AND NAHI ANIL MUNKAR:
The 7th and 8th branches of the Furu-e-din are based on Islamic Principles that
lead to a better society and improving the conditions of a society.
The literal translation of Amr bil Ma`roof is to “enjoin others to do good” and
Nahi Anil Munkar is to “ask others to refrain from doing bad”.
Perfection in Islam is first achieved by uplifting and protecting oneself from evil.
Once that is achieved, a believer moves onto the next stage of faith in which he
becomes a useful member of his society and community. Hence, any corrupt
elements should be struck off from the roots and not be allowed to grow and
form cancer in the society.
The method adopted in Islam to keep a society on its track is by enjoining
others to do right and forbidding them to do evil.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

(The believers are) those, if We establish them (let them rule)in the earth, will
establish prayers and pay the poor rate (Zakaat),and enjoin good and forbid
evil; and unto Allah alone is the return of all affairs. (Haj, 22:41)
The importance of these two branches of religion is also emphasised in many
Ahadith.
The Holy Prophet (S) has said that there will come a time when people will
forsake enjoining good and forbidding evil in order to keep people
pleased.
Calamities will then befall the society and then, when the same people pray to
Allah, their prayers will not be heard.
When Allah decided to punish the people of Prophet Shuàyb (A), He said he
would punish all 100,000 of them out of which 40,000 were bad and the rest
good.
Prophet Shuàyb (A) asked Him as to what the fault of the good ones was. Allah
replied, “They were happy when I was being disobeyed and they did not
express their anger when I was angry.”
Thus, it is very important to keep the practice of Amr bil Ma`ruf and Nahy ànil
Munkar alive within the society. The procedure is as follows:
When you see a wrong being done or a right not being done, then either:
- Express your objections using all the skills at hand.

- Use force where applicable (as in the case of father-son relationship)

LESSON 17: AMRBIL MA’ROOF:
If a person does not fulfil the obligations laid down by Allah, it is obligatory on us
to guide him to the right path provided we have some hope that he will follow
the guidance we give him.
It is the 7th Pillar of Islam and it means enjoining the good.
This is a very important branch of Islam.

Everything that has been ordered by Allah has been called Ma'roof, i.e. Good.
For example; Salaat, Fasting, Khums, Zakat and establishing Fundamentals of
Islam.
Examples of these also include those things that have been recommended by
Islam; like:
- feeding
- welcoming guests,
- teaching about Islam,
- good Akhlaq and
- having pleasant characters.
It is Wajib to enjoin a person to do good the first time and Sunnat the second time,
then you have fulfilled your duty
Amr bil Ma'roof becomes Wajib under 4 conditions:
1. You know what is good and what is bad.

2. You have some hope that the advice will be followed.
3. The person whom you want to advise insists on doing wrong.
4. You know that by giving your advice you will not suffer yourself.
However, when the basic faith of the Muslims is in danger or a belief of Islam is
being undermined (e.g. when a country tries to change its peoples belief or
encourages drinking and gambling) then it is Wajib upon everyone to enjoin
good and advise against what is forbidden; even though by so doing one may
come to harm.
LESSON 17: NAHI ANIL MUNKAR
It is the 8th Pillar of Islam and it means enjoining the good.
It means to forbid those things which are Haraam. We should ask any person
doing those things which have been prohibited by Allah, to refrain from doing
them, provided of course that we have some hope that they will use that advice.
Munkar means everything that has been forbidden in Islam; like:

- drinking,
- gambling,
- listening to music,
- eating pork, etc.
Like Amr bil Ma'roof, it is Wajib to practice Nahi Anil Munkar the first time
and Sunnat the second time, then you have fulfilled your duty
The are 4 stages for discouraging those things which are forbidden in Islam:
1. First look at the mental attitude of the person you are advising.
2. Then by facial expression show your disgust at the deeds of one who does
what is forbidden.
3. Then by words of advise and warning or by angry words.
4. Finally when all ways fail, then by use of physical force to stop the evil
deed provided no harm comes to him physically - i.e. he should not get
hurt.
Those people who practise Amr bil Ma'roof and Nahi Anil Munkar are amongst
those who occupy an esteemed position in the Sight of Allah Who groups them
amongst His triumphant servants.

EXERCISE: AMR BIL MA’ROOF & NAHI ANIL MUNKAR
What is the difference between Amr-bil-Ma’roof and Nahi-anil-Munkar?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
The following are various situations. For each one state whether it is Amr-
bil-Ma’ruf or Nahi-anil-Munkar.
Sabiha goes to school and sees her Muslim friend listening to music. She tells
her friend it is Haraam. ______________________________
Ali’s grandmother’s long dress goes above her ankles when she goes into
Ruku’ so he tells her that she needs to wear something longer.
____________________________
Akila’s sister does not wear Hijab, so Akila tells her that it is Wajib upon her.
__________________________
Husain does not pray. His friend tells him that he must pray, as it is Wajib on
every Muslim. _________________________________

LESSON 18: TAWALLA
Tawalla is the 9th branch of the Furu-e-din.
Tawalla means that we should befriend and accept the authorities of those
appointed by Allah and the Holy Prophet (S). Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
His command is represented on this earth by the Holy Prophet (S). Thus, during
An incident has been recorded in history where a beggar came asking from
people in the mosque. Nobody
gave him anything until the
Imam (A), who was busy
reciting prayers, pointed to his
finger whilst he was in Ruku`,
beckoning to the beggar to
remove his ring and take it.
This act pleased Allah so much
that He revealed it to the Holy
Prophet (S) immediately.
Hence, in the absence of the Holy Prophet (S), we, the believers in the
message of the Holy Prophet (S) were to accept the authority of Imam Àli (A)
as this verse referred to him. That is why we, the Shiìtes, believe in him as the
first and immediate successor to the Holy Prophet (S).
After, Imam Àli (A), we believe in 11 other Aimmah (A) who are all descendants
of Imam Àli (A) and appointed by the Holy Prophet (S) in his life time as
reported in various Ahadith both by the Sunnis and the Shiìtes.
The incident of Ghadir in which the Holy

Prophet (S) declared to all Muslims
present with him, that Imam Àli (A) was
his successor after him, has been reported
by ALL Muslims. The Holy Prophet (S) is
reported to have said that:
“Whosoever accepts me as the Mawla,
shall take Ali as the Mawla after me.”
When the people replied, “truly, you do
have more authority on us than we have
over ourselves!”, then the Holy Prophet (S)
declared:
åÊòÜæÌä¿ ïÏê¼ä¨ò¯ åÊòÜæÌä¿ åOæÄó· æÅä¿

Of whomever I am the Master, (this) ÀIí is his Master.

TAWALLA THEREFORE MEANS ACCEPTING THE AUTHORITY OF :
1) ALLAH
Allah is our Master and ultimate benefactor. It is only He who let things harm us
or protect us from evil. It is He who either grants us or takes away from us the
various favours we may or may have been enjoying in our lives. The believers,
accept Allah as their Wali while the Kafirs do not. The Holy Qur’an says:
Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of
darkness into light. And those who disbelieve, the false gods are their
guardians, who take them out of light into darkness; they are the inmates
of the fire, they shall abide therein. (Al Baqarah, 2:257)
2) THE HOLY PROPHET (S) AND THE HOLY AIMMAH (AS)
Once again, they have been appointed as having authority over us like Allah
has over because they represent Allah on this earth.
SO, if our Imam (A) reappeared today and ask us to do something that we do
not understand, we would still have to do it without asking questions.
They have the right to use us even to death just as Allah has the right to do that.
The Imam (A) would never do anything that would harm us (not physically) just
as Allah would never ask us to do something that would harm us.
It is this belief in submitting to their total authority that is called Tawalla.

A man came to see the 6th Holy Imam (A) and claimed to be from amongst the
Shiàs of Egypt.
To test his true understanding of the word Wali (the love for Ahlul Bayt (A) - as
he claimed), the Imam (A) asked him to go and sit in a lit furnace that was in the
vicinity.
The man started trembling and gave the excuse of his family waiting for him.
When the Imam (A) noticed his hesitation, he called the man towards him and
made him sit next to him.
After a little while, Harun al Makki, a very close companion of the 6th Holy Imam
(A) arrived and after the formal greetings, the Imam (A) beckoned to him and
said, “Harun, could you please sit in that furnace?” Without asking a question,
Harun headed for the furnace and disappeared inside.
The Imam (A) turned to this man from Egypt and said, “These are the type of
people who love me.” Needless to say Harun remained quite unharmed.

3) Believers (Mo’mineen)
Tawalla also means to befriend those who are of the same faith and are loved
by Allah, His Prophet (S) and the Aimmah (A). Thus we highly respect and love
the loyal companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Aimmah (A).
We also make it a general rule to befriend and love those who love the Ahlul
Bayt (A). It is in keeping with this part of Tawalla that we remember all the
martyrs of Karbala for their sacrifices for Imam Husain (A).
Tawalla is the 9th Pillar of Islam.

It means to love and follow the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (A).
Similarly, Tawalla expects us not only to love Ahlul Bayt (A) but to be loyal to
them and to accept to follow their examples.

LESSON 18: TABARRA
Tabarra means to disassociate oneself from, to wash one’s hands of.
In Islam, Tabarra is the 10th branch of Furu-e-din.
Firstly, Allah wants us to disassociate ourselves from Shaitan and anything or
anybody that represents Shaitan.
In the Holy Qur’an, one finds many references of this kind of Tabarra by
Prophets of all times.
For example, on his way to Baytul Muqaddas,
Prophet Ibrahim (A) came across a group of
people who worshipped the stars. These people
were called the Magi. He decided to guide them
towards Allah. To teach them the error of their
ways, he used a very polite way of approach. He
introduced himself as a star-worshipper also and
then sat down at night to worship with them.
The Holy Qur'an says: Then when he (Ibrahim) saw the sun rise all brilliant,
he said, “(Is) this my Lord? (After all) this is the greatest.” Then, when it
set, he said, “O my people! I dissociate myself of what you worship
besides Allah. (Al Anàm, 6:79)
The second application of Tabarra is in disassociating ourselves from the
enemies of Allah, the Holy Prophet (S) and the Holy Aimmah (A) from his
progeny.
Disassociating is not a feeling that takes place in the heart. Islam wants of us to
declare that disassociation and let the world know what our stand is. That is
why we do send curses on all the Zaalim (perpetrators of injustice) who hurt the
Holy Prophet (S) and particularly his family after his death. The sending of
curses (La`nat) is our expression that we are not part of what they did.

Verily, those who annoy Allah and His messenger (Muhammad),
Allah has cursed them in this world and the hereafter, and has prepared
for them a painful punishment. (Al Ahzab, 33:57)
Allah, in the Holy Qur'an has clearly forbidden making friends with those
who are enemies of Allah and of the Muslims.
It is the 10th Pillar of Islam.
It means keeping ourselves clear of those who are cruel and evil against all righteous servants of Allah.
By staying away from them we are keeping ourselves from their wrongful actions.

LESSON 19: AN INTRODUCTION TO AQAID – TAWHEED
Aqaid means our basic beliefs as Muslims. It is sometimes called Usool-e-deen
(Roots of religion).
Before believing in any of the roots of religion, it is necessary for a believer to have
strong faith in the existence of a God. It is not enough to believe in God because it
is what most people do, or it is what has always been taught and believed by
those around us. Each human being has to know for himself/herself the reasons
behind the belief in God.
We have to ponder over and understand our Aqaid at

individual levels. Although you will hear and read about
what the beliefs should be, until you accept them
yourself, you will not have faith ('Iman), although you may
be a Muslim. That is why there is no Taqlid in matters of
Aqaid. Once you accept the Usool-e-deen, you may then Dead Tree
do Taqlid of a Mujtahid in matters of Furoo-e-deen. At
that point the rules of Shariah will be easier to understand
and obey. Just like a tree, if the roots are strong, the
branches will be strong also. Weak Roots
Our Aqaid as Shia Ithna'Asheris are five;
1. Tawheed,
2. Adalat,
3. Nabuwwah,
4. Imamah and
5. Qiyamah.
In the next few lessons, we will attempt very briefly to discuss these beliefs.
TAWHEED - BELIEF IN THE UNITY OF ALLAH
BELIEF IN A ONE GOD:
Tawheed refers to the belief in One Unique God. ãÈ×ãcáäoÂB ãÌÇåcáäoÂB ãÐÃÂB ãÈåtãQ
Suratul Ikhlaas teaches us that:
ý1þ çkácáF âÐáäÃÂB áÒâÎ åÄâº
- there is One God,
- Who is Self-reliant, ý2þ âkáÇáä|ÂB âÐáäÃÂB
- He was not born and did not have
offspring, and ý3þ åkáÂÒâÖ åÈáÂáÑ åkãÃáÖ åÈáÂ
- there is no being like Him.
ý4þ çkácáF BæÒâ∙â¾ âÐáäÂ Ìâ¿áÖ åÈáÂáÑ
The first step to understanding Tawheed is to accept that God exists. There are
many proofs to ponder over - we will discuss only a few.

Evidence in Creation
The perfect harmony of creation around us points to the existence of a Creator.
Can such beautiful, original and perfect creations, from single-celled amoeba to
the complex brain of man, have evolved by chance?
Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) was

once walking with his companions
when he saw an old lady working at a
spinning wheel.
Whilst she was working she was

praising Allah for all that He had given
her.
Our Prophet (S) greeted her and asked

her, “Your faith is admirable; will you
tell me what made you believe in
Allah?”
The woman answered, “O Messenger of Allah! If I do not move my spinning
wheel,
it does not spin.
If a simple thing like my spinning wheel cannot turn without help how can it be
possible that the whole universe can operate so efficiently without a driving
force.
There must be a Great one running it. A

Great Being who controls every atom. The
Great One can only be Allah, Who is the
Creator and Master of everything.”
The Prophet (S) was very pleased with the

old woman’s reply.
Turning to his companions he said, “See

how this old lady came to know about Allah
through such a fine and simple way. Your
faith in Allah should also be as firm as
hers.”
Imam Ali (A) has said,
"The footprints of a camel and the dung of a

donkey give a clue that the camel and donkey
have passed, despite the fact that you cannot
see them - then what of all creation?"

Imam's (A) example shows that the existence of the Creator cannot be denied
just because we do not see Him - His creations point to His existence.
Evidence in Man's own Instinct

Belief in God is a natural instinct. An atheist asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) to
convince him about the existence of God.
The man was a sailor, so Imam (A) asked him,

"Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of the sea with your
sails torn away while you try desperately to keep afloat?"
The answer was "Yes".
Then Imam (A) asked, "and perhaps even that the boat went down leaving you
exhausted and helpless in the mercy of the raging
waves?"
The answer was again "Yes".
Then the Imam (A) asked. "Was not there in all that black
despair a glimmer of hope in your heart that some power
could still help you?"
When he agreed, Imam (A) said, "That power is God."
The atheist was intelligent and recognised the truth.
Question:
If the belief in God is inborn, why are there many human beings who do not
believe in God? Is the instinct not present in them?
Answer:
Even though Allah places the instinct in the human being, people can sometimes
choose to suppress the instinct, or ignore it and until it fades away.
Take the example of the mother's love for her child. We are all aware of the
existence of such an instinct, and have seen it around us many times. Yet we
have also heard of the cases, although rare, when mothers have killed their own
children. A recent happening in America illustrates this point very clearly, when a
young woman drowned her two baby boys in a lake. Did she not have a mother's
instinct to love and protect her children? She did, but other factors affected her so
much that she went against her instincts and destroyed her babies. That the case
attracted so much outrage is an indication that it was a most unnatural thing to do.
Although the instinct in belief in God is there in human beings, they suppress it to
reject the belief in a Creator. Reasons for doing this include; running away from
responsibility which faith would bring.

Instinct in God strongest at certain times
Although the instinctive belief in God is always there, it is strongest at two times:
1. In difficulties &
2. At the moment of death
IN DIFFICULTIES:
When a human being faces a problem, and is going through a hard time, the
instinctive belief in God becomes very strong. Even those who have not bothered
much about the belief in God, will turn to Him in times of grief or fear.
At such times, just as in the story on the previous page, they know that the only
being who can help them is the God.
In this way difficulties are sometimes actually blessings, because they turn a
person towards God. If human beings were always happy, and experienced no
hardships, they would turn away from God.
AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH:

When a person knows that s/he is dying, the instinct in God is extremely strong.
Even if s/he had rejected faith in God throughout life, at such a time s/he would
affirm faith in God.
The Qur'an tells us in Sura Yunus about Firawn that "when drowning
overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He, in
whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims".
(10:90)
Of course it was too late for him. At the time of death no

affirmations or repentances are accepted.
Even pondering over the death of someone else can make the instinct in belief in
God strong. In Suratul Waqia Allah tells the people who are surrounding a dying
person:
Why then do you not (do something) when the soul

reaches the throat
And you are at that time looking on.
And we are nearer to him, but you see not.
Why then, if you are not going to be returned to Us,
Send it (the soul) back, if you are truthful?

(56:83-7)

EVIDENCE FROM LOGIC:
Everything occurs due to a cause - there is cause and effect. Bertrand Russell
once said that he would believe in God, if only he understood who had caused
God to come into existence.
Although the discussion about this is a bit complicated, part of it is simplified

here. We believe that the existence of an ultimate CAUSE is necessary
otherwise if we imagine a being that created God, we can ask who created that
being?
We can see that this argument is endless. However, what we cannot deny is the
effect of that ultimate Cause, which is the abundant glory of creation we see
around us. It therefore follows that there has to be a Cause that has not been
an effect of anything else and that Ultimate Cause is Allah.
Once we accept that God exists, we have to try to understand the nature
of His existence.
a. He is One:
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) once argued about this saying that there could
only be one because: If there were two, one would be stronger, the other
weaker - therefore the weaker one could not be God, who is the Most
Powerful. If both were equal, what was the need for the second one?
A man once said to Imam Ali ar-Ridha (A) that he believed there were two
gods. Imam (A) said that as to the existence of the first one, he agreed with
the man, but the burden was on the man to prove the existence of the
second god!
b. His Attributes:
All perfect attributes belong to Him alone. He is the Most Powerful, the
Most Knowledgeable, the Most Wise, the Most Merciful, and the Most
Honourable.

"And Allah's are the best names, so call on Him by them….
(Al Araf, 7:180)
The actual attributes of Allah are three:

 Hayy (Ever living)
 Ãlim (All knowledgeable)
 Qadir (Power over everything)
All other attributes are branches of these of these three. The meaning of sifaat
is to negate the opposite as Imam Ali (A) says in his sermon – We are asserting
the subutiya to negate the opposite. E.g. When I say He is Aalim, I am saying
He is not Jaahil (ignorant)

The attributes of Allah cannot be separated from Him. e.g. ‘Ãlim – The one
who is knowledgeable. Whilst a human being acquires knowledge and is still a
human being even without knowledge, Allah is knowledge itself.
We try to understand Him through His Names but He is far superior to the
names. Imam Ja’far As Sadiq (A) said to companion Hisham – “Whoever
worships the name without meaning is a Kafir, whoever worships the
name and meaning is a Mushrik, whoever worships meaning alone is a
Muslim.”
Whatever one thinks of Allah, He is not that. We must therefore think of Allah in
terms of His attributes which are termed as Asmaa ul husnaa (the most
beautiful names).
c. The Wonders of Creation:
The outer way of knowing God is throughout the world around us.
We first question who has created life. Then we ponder over the wonderful way in
which everything has been created. If we see there is beauty, order, wisdom,
knowledge etc. in the creation of things, we know that the being that created them
also has these qualities.
IMAM JA’FAR AS-SADIQ (A) TALKS TO AN ATHEIST:
Once an atheist came to the 6th Imam (A) and asked him to help him believe in
God. Imam (A) asked him to take a seat.
There arrived a child with an egg in his hand. Imam took the egg from him and
said to the atheist: " Here is a mysterious fortress enclosed within a hard
shell, underneath which is a fine wrapping which covers molten silver (the
albumen) and some molten gold (the yolk). The molten gold does not mix
with the molten silver (although both are semi-fluid and should mix when
shaken). They retain their separate states. No artist comes out of it to say
that he has made any changes. . . nor is it known whether it is designed to
produce a male or female. Birds of various colours issue there from.
Do you think it has a designer?

Who has painted all this inside it? And
How did the chick come about?
Who designed all these various shades, the feathers, the
limbs, the feet, the beak, the wings, the eyes, the ears,
the nose, the bowels, the crop, the joints etc seeing that
no-one entered it?"
The atheist was amazed and had no answer!

WISDOM IN THE ANIMAL LIFE:
Animal wisdom is a wonderful sign which shows the existence of a wise Creator.
The workings of many animals who work instinctively, is a brilliant testimony to the
wisdom of God.
THE BEE:
Scientists have discovered that the bee hive is a large
amazing centre where a great and vital effort occurs. In one
"honey town", there are about 120,000 firm hexagonal houses
built by the architect bees. At the centre of these houses is the
royal palace that is the seat of the queen bee who produces
two million infants a year. Around the palace stand splendid
buildings, the residences of the princesses. There are special
houses for the care of infant bees. Wide streets have been built in every direction,
and air-conditioning can also be seen in the hives. All the bees work together, in
various capacities such as guards, workers, engineers, cleaners etc. to produce
honey, to train the next generation, and to continue life. They do not stop until they
die.
THE SALMON:
The salmon is another good example of animal wisdom.
The young salmon spends years at sea, then comes
back to his own river, and travels up the very side of the
river from which flows the tributary where he was born. If
he is removed from that tributary, he will at once change
his direction and go back to the main stream to return to
his own tributary.
THE EELS:
Even more amazing are the eels. The eels migrate at maturity from
all ponds and rivers, to the deep waters of the Bermuda. There they
breed and die.
The little ones, with no-one to guide them, find their way back to the
same rivers and ponds from where their parents came. Eels from
Europe return to Europe, while those from America go back to
America, although the babies of both types of eels were born in the
Bermuda. Added to all that, the European eel who has travel more than the
American eel, is slower to mature so that it is not too old by the time it reaches its
home.
THE WASP:
A wasp will overpower a grasshopper, dig a hole in the earth and
sting the grasshopper in exactly the right place so it does not die but
is unconscious. The wasp will lay her eggs so that her children can
feed on the insect without eating dead meat. The mother then flies
away and dies. She never sees her young. This procedure is then
repeated again, and again, for every new wasp to come on the face
of this earth.
Such mysterious ways, in which animals and insects function, just on their instinct,
cannot be explained by accident or adaptation.
These qualities have been bestowed by a great Creator who knew exactly what
each living thing would need to survive on the earth.
It is no wonder that the Holy Qur'an says:

Everything in the Heavens and the Earth glorifies Allah. (62:1)
Extracts from Nahjul Balagha

The following are parts of the sermons given by Imam Ali (A) in which he
describes some of the wonders of creation.
THE PEACOCK (FROM SERMON 163):

Allah has established such clear proofs for His skilled creative power and great
might that minds bend down to Him in acknowledgement thereof. . .
He has created birds of various shapes which live in the burrows of the earth, in
the openings of high passes, and on the peaks of mountains. . .
Among them are those shaded with one shade, and there is no other colour
except the one in which they have been dyed. There are others which are shaded
in with one colour and they have a neck ring of different colour.
The most amazing among them by way of creation is the peacock which Allah has
created in the most symmetrical
moderateness, and arranged its colours in
the best arrangement . . . It feels proud of
its colours and swaggers with its
movements. . . You could imagine its
feathers to be sticks made of silver, and
the wonderful circle and sun-shaped
feathers growing thereon as pieces of pure
gold and green emerald. If you compare
them to anything growing on land, you
would say that it is a bouquet of flowers
collected during spring. If you compare them to clothes, they are like printed
apparel or amazing variegated sheets of Yemen. If you compare them to
ornaments they are like gems of different colours girded together by means of
studded silver. . .
There is hardly a colour from which it has not taken and improved it further by
regular polish, lustre, silken brightness, and brilliance. . . If you carefully see one
hair from the hair of its feathers sticks, it would look like red rose, then emerald
green and then golden yellow. . . How can sharpness of intellect describe such
creation?

EXTRACTS FROM HADITHE MUFAZZAL:
Hadith-e-Mufazzal is the narration by the 6th Imam (A) to one of his companions,
Mufazzal bin Umar.
Mufazzal asked the Imam (A) to give him some answers to
counter the arguments of the atheists who denied the
existence of God. Consequently, Imam (A) narrated to him
some of the wonders of creation.
This narration took place over a period of some days, and

was written by Mufazzal. The following are some excerpts
from the book.
O Mufazzal! The structure of the Universe is the foremost
proof and argument for the existence of Almighty Allah -
how the parts thereof have been set together and are
possessed of elegant workmanship and design. . .
This Universe is comparable to a house furnished with all

articles necessary for human beings. The sky is like a
canopy. The earth is spread like a carpet, while the stars. . .
appear as lamps alight in their places.
The gems are treasured as if the house has a lot of collection.

O Mufazzal! Don't you see that everything big or small has
been created on a flawless plan without fault or error?
Just see the advantage that occurs to a child from
weeping. There is a fluid in the child's brain which if not
drained off may cause trouble or illness, even the loss of
an eye. The discharge of the fluid from its brain leaves it
healthy and the eyes brighter. . . Just consider the various
organs of the body, the functions each one is required to
perform, and the perfection of design that underlies each.
Both hands are meant to handle business, both feet are
meant for movement, the eyes are to see with, the mouth
is to take in food, the stomach to digest it, the liver to extract its nutrition for
distribution to the various parts of the body after manufacturing it into blood . . .
you shall find that every organ is exactly fitted to perform its specific functions, and
is perfectly designed.......

......O Mufazzal! Just consider the mercifulness of Allah
towards animals in giving their bodies a covering with different
kinds of hair to protect them against winter hardships. And they
have been gifted with hoofs, cleft and uncleft, or padded feet.
They have neither hands nor palms nor fingers to spin and
weave, so their clothing is made part of their bodily build
without renovation and changing.
O Mufazzal! Just consider the physical build of the bird as it was ordained that it
would fly high in the air. It has been gifted with a light body and a compact
constitution. It has only two feet instead of four. . . it is gifted with a sharp chest to
cut through the air just as a boat is built to cut through the water. . .the whole body
is covered with feathers to get filled with air for high flights.
An ignorant being, devoid of good qualities, could not have given these qualities to
the things it creates.
Human beings often walk through life blindly. They see with their eyes, but do not
think about what they see. That is why in the holy Qur'an, Allah often invites us to
think about His signs present in the world. One example is the following ayat:
Most surely in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and the alteration
of the night and the day, there are signs for men who understand. (3:189)

LESSON 20: AN INTRODUCTION TO AQAID – ADALAT
Adl is the 2nd Root of the Shi'a faith. It is the belief that Allah is just, and will deal
with all human being in a fair and just manner. Although there are many qualities
of Allah, Adl alone has been chosen to be part of the roots of religions.
The reasons for this selection were:
- Justice is a very important quality and all other qualities depend on it. It
means that everything is put in its place by Allah. So, for example, Allah is
Rahim or Merciful, in a fair and proper manner. The Adl of Allah means that
each quality is exercised in an appropriate way, not just at random.
- The judgement in the Hereafter is directly related to the justice of Allah.

Because we believe that Allah will reward and punish fairly, there is an
incentive to follow the laws of Allah. Without belief in Adl we would not
know whether we would receive the treatment we deserve, and would thus
lose the aim to follow religion.
- Muslims differ in regard to the belief in Adl. Some Muslims believe that it is
not necessary for Allah to be just, and whatever He does would be
considered good. To separate themselves from such a belief, the Shia's,
have included the belief in Adl as part of their fundamental beliefs.
The OPPOSITE of ADALAT is DHULM (to put a thing in a wrong place).
Frequently people think that Justice of Allah is the same meaning as the justice
we expect in courts of law etc. And if a problem befalls a man, he says Allah
has been unjust to him. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
"Allah bears witness that there is no God but Him, and so do the angels
and possessors of knowledge - (He) is firm, upholding justice…"
(Ali Imran, 3:18)
"And Allah does not wish injustice to mankind"

(Ali Imran, 3:170)
It is our belief that because a certain work is good that Allah commands us to do
it and because the other action is evil, He orders us not to do it. On the other
hand our Sunni brothers believe that there is nothing like good and evil but
whatever Allah commands becomes good and whatever Allah forbids becomes
evil.
It is a fundamental attribute of Allah that he can do no wrong or evil. All His

actions are in accordance with Adalat and injustice can never be found in his
actions as it is below His dignity.

The following story will make you understand better how Allah is ‘Adil
(Just)
In a town lived a doctor, a jeweller and a thief.
Doctor Jeweller Thief
In the morning, they all prayed to Allah to increase His blessings to them.
That day, the thief wanted to go and rob the jeweller. Instead he fell ill and had
to go to the doctor.
The jeweller did not make much money at all that day, because it rained and all
his customers stayed at home.
NOW LET US STUDY THIS STORY.
The thief fell ill - so it seems that he was treated unfairly by Allah.
The doctor got an extra patient (the thief!) so it seems he was treated fairly by
Allah.
The jeweller lost business because it rained, so it seems Allah treated him
unfairly.
So was Allah Just to all of them? We see that fairness and unfairness does not
describe Adalat fully. To understand it we must realise that Allah keeps a
balance between the needs of all His creatures.
Any person who commits injustice does so because of one of the

following reasons:
1. He does not know that it is wrong. (but Allah has All-Knowledge).

2. He needs something which cannot be obtained without wrong actions. (but
Allah has no need).
3. He is forced by someone else to commit that wrong. (But Allah is All-
Powerful and nobody can compel Him to do anything).
THUS LOGICALLY ALLAH CANNOT BE UNJUST!

LUTF:
It is a common belief that if a person can do some good to another person

without any harm coming to himself or any other person, and he does not do it,
it would be against virtue. Therefore, if Allah can do anything beneficial to His
creatures and supposing He does not do it, it will be against the virtue of Allah.
'Lutf' is that action on the part of Allah which would help His creatures in His
obedience and assist their moral correction.
The Shia ithna-asheri faith believes 'Lutf' (Grace) is morally incumbent on Allah
(necessary quality). On the other hand Sunnis believe that just like 'Adalat' is
not necessary for Allah, 'Lutf' is not incumbent on Allah. A common example
given by them is, if Allah sends good and pious persons to hell and Shaitan to
heaven, it is quite right. We know that Allah created us to acquire virtue but how
are we to know what is virtue and what is evil? Can we rely on our intellect and
instinct to tell us what is right and what is wrong?
The sending of Shariah (rules and Islamic laws) and sending the Prophets and
Imams to guide us as well as appointing a Day of Judgement are the examples
of 'Lutf' by Allah.
WHY EVIL AND SUFFERING EXIST IN THE WORLD?
The most common argument against the justice of Allah is that there are a lot of
tragedies and sufferings occurring in the world. If Allah was just, and good and
kind, He would not let such things happen.
Human beings would not be made to suffer natural disasters such as earthquakes
and hurricanes, etc. Nor will men go through personal tragedies and difficulties
such as death, sickness, misery etc.
However there are many reasons behind the existence of suffering in this
world.
EXISTENCE OF A PARTICULAR SYSTEM:

The universe runs on a particular system, and many things affect one another. It is
a big world we live in, with all the natural laws which help it run smoothly. Because
of these laws, certain results take place which cannot be changed.
For example, the temperature and pressure inside the earth is necessary for the
formation of certain materials such as oil, coal etc. This temperature however,
sometimes results in an earthquake.
Our limited knowledge makes us consider the destructive effect of the earthquake,
without understanding that it is the natural result of certain necessary laws. Events
in the world are linked together, and the consequences cannot be avoided.
Death is necessary for human beings, yet it is a personal tragedy for family
members. Many sufferings are judged relatively by people.
SUFFERINGS CAUSED BY ONE'S SELF:
Sometimes suffering is brought onto people by themselves. Knowingly, or
sometimes unknowingly, they commit acts which later create problems for
themselves.
Allah has given them an Aql and knowledge. They have the ability to inform
themselves, be aware of harmful acts and stay away from them. If they don't, it is
their own doing which brings the suffering.
Allah does not interfere to correct things as the
human being has been given the freedom to live his
life the way he chooses to.
Sometimes a man does not
dress warmly despite
knowing the effects of the
cold weather. Then he falls
sick and goes through a
difficult time. He himself is responsible for the difficulty,
and cannot blame Allah for being unjust to him.
SUFFERING CAUSED BY OTHER PEOPLE:
Human beings are often

responsible for the problems they
bring upon others. There is a lot
of unfairness in society, with the
rich getting richer while the
condition of the poor gets worse.
There is misuse of power and
tyranny and oppression remains
unchecked.
This is because of the imbalance

and wrong system in place in
society. All this however, is the
fault of human beings and is not
because of the injustice of Allah.
Allah has left the human free to
choose his actions. Often the evil
actions, which we choose brings
sufferings on others in society.
As Allah says in the Qur'an:

Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the
hands of men have done.
(30:41).
"If a person starves it is due to the fact that his share has been taken by
another."
Imam Ali (A)

SUFFERING NURTURES THE CHARACTER:
Although nobody likes suffering, it often changes and improves the character of
the sufferer. Will-power is improved, and new abilities appear.
The character hardens, and a strong personality is formed. People who never go
through any difficulty, and are always used to an easy and comfortable life, often
become weak and shallow characters.
A difficulty is a challenge which makes people struggle, and there are many
positive results of that struggle. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
“Perhaps you dislike a thing, and Allah will bring through it a great deal of
good”. (4:19)
SUFFERING CAUSES ONE TO TURN TO GOD:

When a human being experiences a lot of ease and comfort, he goes into a state
of sleep and forgetfulness.
He forgets Allah and thinks he is independent and needless. Such a state

sometimes brings pride and arrogance. A difficulty in life is like a major jolt which
awakens man from his slumber, and turns him back to the right path.
It reminds him of Allah and of how helpless and small he himself is. When a
person goes through difficulties, he begins to pray more often, and more sincerely,
and gets closer to Allah. This is a blessing for him as it improves his spiritual and
religious life.
Imam Husain (A) said: If 3 things were not there human would not worship:
1. Helplessness
2. Sickness, and
3. Death.
TESTS AND DIFFICULTIES:

Allah has established a system of tests so that we may see how we stand up to
these and understand the judgement of Allah on us. Tests will be held for all
persons, believers and non-believers.
There are 2 main categories of tests.

First is the everyday test of rules of Shariah and articles of faith. To pass this
test man has to sincerely believe in the true religion and obey its rules faithfully.
The second type of test is the harder one, and that is by suffering. This includes
test by fear, hunger, loss of wealth and lives. Also accidents, floods,
earthquakes, fire, robbery, famine and disease are all the things that have
considerable effect on our lives. We are tested to see how we react to them.
Does our faith remain unshaken? Were we patient and faced these with
fortitude and courage? Our eternal happiness depends upon these tests.
DO WE HAVE FREE WILL?
Our belief is that man acts of his own accord and Allah has not pre-arranged all
man's actions, although what everyone will do is in His knowledge. If we were
not free, there would be no purpose to the creation of hell and heaven.
There are some actions or aspects of life which are not in our control and on the
other hand we are given control and power over other actions by Allah.
A question arises in our minds. 'At what point are we free?'.
Replying to this Imam Musa al-Kazim (A) said, "A man acquires that ability
when 4 conditions are fulfilled:
1. When there is nothing to hinder his plans.
2. When there is nothing to hinder his health.
3. Faculties (needed for that work) are up to the required standard.
4. Allah provides him the occasion for that work.
We believe that there are some actions within the power and will of man, and
there are other actions which are beyond him.
For example, a sick person has the will and power to get treatment. But cure and
recovery are beyond his power.
If Allah has willed that he recovers, he will. He may be destined to die from that
illness, or suffer it for long. So human beings have certain actions they are
responsible for. They will be rewarded and punished for those actions only.
Obedience and disobedience to Allah come under the group of actions for which
man is responsible, and for which he will be judged.
It is wrong to believe that everything is destined by Allah, and He plans whether a

man will be obedient or disobedient.
If this was the case then reward and punishment would have no meaning. Why
reward or punish when it is Allah Himself who is responsible for the action?
As Shi'as we believe that Allah has foreknowledge of the actions of man, but in no
way forces him to do them. He will be judged for those actions he committed with
his own free will, and will not be judged for those which were destined for him.
EXERCISES:
1. Think of a part of the world which is going through great difficulties. Analyze
the problems of the people there. What do you think are some of the
reasons for the suffering there?
2. Most people experience very negative emotions when going through a

difficulty. Write an account of a problem you have had (could be an
imagined one), how you felt about, and how you would counsel yourself to
bear it better.
LESSON 21: AN INTRODUCTION TO AQAID – NABUWWAT
Nabuwwah is the belief in the Prophets (A) sent down by Allah to guide
mankind to the right path. There were 124,000 Prophets (A) and the last of
them was our Holy Prophet (S). The message and mission of every Prophet (A)
was the same.
The Holy Qur'an says:

"And indeed We raised in every nation an apostle preaching, 'Worship
Allah and avoid every kind of idol'.."
(An Nahl, 16:36)
If Allah had just created man but not made provision to guide him, then they
would not have been able to worship Him in the correct manner, nor would they
know what was expected from them.
Allah chose men at various times to convey His message to the people. These
were Prophets (A), and they received revelation from Allah through His angels
and through dreams. Since they were also human, they could then go and
guide their communities and be role models for them.
NEED OF PROPHETHOOD?
Why were Prophets sent to the world? To understand the need for Prophets, think
about the following points:
EXPERT TEACHERS OF RELIGION:
Society needed teachers to explain the right path to them. If left to themselves,
each individual would interpret religion according to his own thinking, and follow
his own path. Or some people would follow others who on account of their
charisma, limited knowledge in a particular field, wealth, power or influence would
dominate over these people.
It was therefore necessary that Divinely appointed Prophets be sent to teach the
correct way, and to guide society with Divine authority. This is why we see that
God instructs us to take the Prophet as the best model to follow:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent model”

(33:21).
NEED FOR REMINDER:
Even if human beings knew what they were supposed to do in this world, and how
they should live their lives, they needed a reminder while they were in the world,
before the day of accounting came upon them. Thus a Prophet was sent to warn
people not to stray from the right path, and give them good news of a great reward
from God if they followed His laws. Allah tells the Holy Prophet (S) in the Qur'an:
“We have sent you with all truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner”
(35:24)
SPIRITUAL PURIFICATION:
A Prophet was entrusted with the duty of training and cleansing the hearts and
minds of human beings. They showed humans how they could purify themselves
from moral filth, and raise themselves spiritually. They taught people about God,
and about ways of attaining moral and spiritual perfection. In the Qur'an, Allah
says:
“He it is who raised among the unlettered, a Messenger from among
themselves, who recites to them His communications, and purifies them,
and teaches them the Book and wisdom whereas they were before in clear
error”.
(62:2)
A PERFECT EXAMPLE:
For human beings to follow the right path, they needed a good example, a model
whom they could imitate. If they were just given the rules, it would be only
theoretical, and some people may have objected that it was impossible for
humans to follow the laws of God in this world. But Allah sent human beings who
followed His laws perfectly, and thus were models for others. Allah says about the
Holy Prophet in the Qur'an:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for him
who hopes in Allah and the last day, and remembers Allah much”.
(33:21)
That is why Allah did not send angels to guide human beings. The enemies of the
Holy Prophet (S) asked him why Allah had sent an ordinary human being like
themselves, who "ate" and "walked in the markets" to guide them.
Why had He not sent an angel who would command awe and respect from
human beings? What they did not understand was that an angel could not be a
practical model for human beings. It would have been said that the angel could
follow the laws of God because he was not a human being and was free from
human faults. It was to prevent such arguments, and to show that it is possible for
human beings to lead exemplary lives, that Allah sent human Prophets as perfect
examples.
A RECEIVER OF DIVINE REVELATION:
We sometimes come across incidents that show that some people are not
prepared to accept certain kinds of knowledge. It is either too advanced for them
or they are not emotionally and mentally able to grasp the message. Divine
message is not something that everyone can easily take, understand, follow it,
and then transmit to others. There was a need of a chosen servant of God (al-
Mustafa, one of the titles of the Prophet) to receive the final and perfect revelation
of God. God says about the power of Qur'an in these words:
“Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would certainly have
seen it falling down, splitting into pieces because of the fear of Allah”.
(59:21).
Our belief is that all the Prophets (A) were Ma'sum (free from sin and error) and
that this was a Divine protection for them. We believe in all the Prophets (A) of
Allah and respect all of them.
The Holy Qur'an says:

"Say: We believe in Allah and in that which has been sent down to us, and
in that which was sent down to Ibrahim and Isma'il and Ishaq and Ya'qub
and the tribes, and in that which was given to Musa and Isa and in that
which was given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction
between any of them, and to Him do we submit."
(Al Baqarah, 2:136)
The other essential quality of the Prophets (A) apart from being Ma'sum was
that they could display miracles to support their claim to Prophet hood. By
Allah's permission, they did things which the people were unable to do. The
miracles that Allah gave them were designed to have the greatest impact on the
people.
What is Mu’jizah?
Mu’jizah means that which disables or that which people are not able to do. In
Islamic terminology, Mu’jizah means such an act which people are unable to do
and Allah shows it in the hands of Prophets and Imams, to prove Prophethood
of the particular Prophets and Imamat of the Imams.
Such Mu’jizah may appear:

 before or after the birth of the Prophet or Imam concerned.
 during his childhood.
 after his attaining maturity.
 before declaration of his Nabuwat or Imamat.
 after declaration or just at the time of it.
 in his life time or after his death.
 either on his body or on something which is connected to him like his
clothing.
It does not matter whether that Mu’jizah appears to be his own or by the Action
of Allah .
In all the above conditions, the action which proves the truth of the claim of
Nabuwat or Imamat is called Mu’jizah.
The Prophets were given miracles as their credentials. Miracles are
performances which are not impossible but are actions which cannot be done
without apparatus, medicine or practice, BUT the Prophets and Imams
performed them without any practice or machinery.
AMONGST THE PROPHETS WHO PERFORMED MIRACLES ARE:
PROPHET MUSA (A): his staff changed into a serpent, when he
put his hand under his armpit it gave out a light and he spoke
directly to Allah. Tawrat was revealed to him.
“…… We sent Musa with our miracles to Firaun and his
people, but they too rejected our miracles….. I have brought my miracles
from your Lord….” (7:103-105)
“So he cast down his staff and lo! It suddenly became an obvious serpent
and he drew forth his hand, and lo! It appeared white to the onlookers.”
(26:32-33)
PROPHET IBRAHIM (A): When Namrud had him thrown into the
fire, he did not get burnt.
“They said: ‘Burn him to ashes if you want to help your god’. We said to
the fire: ‘Be cool and peaceful with Ibrahim.”
(21:68-69)
PROPHET ISMAIL (A): When he was left with his mother in
Mecca and she was desperately looking for water for him, a
stream of water, known to us today as Zam Zam, appeared at
his feet. Also when in a dream Allah asked Prophet Ibrahim (A)
to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail (A) agreed and an animal was slaughtered
instead.
PROPHET DAWOOD (A): he could bend iron with his bare hands
and he could shape it in any way he liked. Zabur was revealed to
him.
“…….. and softened iron for him…” (34:10)
PROPHET SULAIMAN (A): he could speak the language of the birds
and ants.
“….. people, we have been taught the language of the birds..” (27:16)
PROPHET ISA (A): he was born without a father to Bibi Maryam (A). Injil was
revealed to him. He could raise the dead to life again under the command and
will of Allah, he could restore the eyesight of the blind and cure lepers.
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S): he rose to the Heavens on
Me’raj, how he left the house when it had been
surrounded by the disbelievers of the tribe of Quraish and
the spider’s web outside the cave of Thaur with the bird’s
nest inside whilst the Holy Prophet (S) was inside, he has
very many miracles but his greatest LIVING MIRACLE is
the HOLY QUR’AN.
EXERCISES FOR PART ONE
1. What were the miracles given to the following Prophets?

a) Prophet Saleh (A)
b) Prophet Sulaiman (A)
c) Prophet Yusuf (A)
How did these miracles help the Prophets in their task of guiding the people to the
right path?
2. Compare a classroom which uses only texts to learn, and has no teacher, to a
classroom which uses both text and teachers to learn. List the advantages and/or
disadvantages of both ways of learning. Which way is most beneficial?

LESSON 22: AN INTRODUCTION TO AQAID – IMAMAT
Imamat is the belief in the 12 Holy Imams (A) who were the inheritors of the
Holy Prophet (S) and who were his Caliphs (successors).
The word Imamat comes from Imam which literally means leader. The one who
leads the Muslim community (umma), after the death of the Holy Prophet (S), is
thus known as their Imam.
Like the Prophet himself, such an Imam is a guide for Muslims in all their affairs,
religious and otherwise.
A leader of congregational prayers (Jama'at) is also called an Imam as he is a

leader of the prayer. The word is also used for a widely recognized leader of
Muslims such as Imam Khomeini.
The belief in Imamat as a root of religion however, refers only to the first type
of Imam who is a successor of the Holy Prophet (S).
An Imam does not bring a new mission, nor does any new revealation come to
him, but he carries on the religion founded by the Prophet (S).
NECESSITY OF IMAMAT?
Many people question the need of an Imam. If a Prophet has already brought all
the laws required by human beings to obey their creator, what then is the need
for more leaders?
Cannot the holy Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet (S) be enough? To
answer these and similar questions think of the following points;
THE NEED FOR A RELIGIOUS GUIDE:

Although human beings have been given their conscience to understand right
from wrong, and then given heavenly books and Prophets to guide them, it is
still possible that many people may stray from the right path.
To prevent this from happening, Allah sends leaders who continue to guide to
the truth. This is a mercy of Allah and in Islamic terminology is known as Lutf.
Lutf is the grace of Allah through which mankind get more than just what is
required, more perhaps than what they deserve. In His kindness Allah gives
more so that human may benefit and get a better chance of remaining on the
right path. An Imam is a Lutf of Allah to give human beings the advantage of
continuous Divine guidance.

GUARDIAN OF THE RELIGION:
After the founder of a religion dies and leaves no authority to safeguard the
religion, it is very easy for its purity to be lost. Over time as the religion passes
through different times and environments and is followed by different people, it
changes its original form.
Traditions and superstitions are added to it, and many of its teachings become
forgotten or lost.
An Imam is the guardian of the religion and prevents any deviation, extremism,
or addition of wrong beliefs. Thus the religion is always maintained in its original
and authentic form. Any confusion or doubt can be settled by referring to the
Imam. It is for this reason that Imam Ali (A) says in Nahjul Balagha, sermon
147:
The earth will never be empty of a person who has arisen with the proof of
God, whether through appearing of being known or being hidden, so that
the Divine proof and signs not be falsified.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL LEADER:

For human beings to reach perfection they need to live in a just and progressive
society. Such a society of Muslims is known as an Ummah or an Islamic nation.
The Islamic nation needs a leader who not only guides them in religious matters
but also leads them socially and politically. It is necessary that a correct system
rule over society so that the rights of everyone are maintained.
An Imam is a leader sent by Allah to prevent injustice and to supervise the
organization of the society. He is the leader of the Ummah in all its affairs.
THE PROOF OF ALLAH AT ALL TIMES:
An Imam is a Hujjah from Allah over his creatures. Those who have gone astray
cannot complain that there was no-one to guide them to the right path.
Human beings will use many excuses to avoid bearing the consequences of
their actions, but Allah will produce His proofs to show them they have no
reason to complain.
The guides were there but they did not follow them. At no time will the earth be
empty of a guide from Allah. Even when in Ghaybat as in the present time, the
Imam has his representatives who guide the people.
A CONNECTOR TO DIVINE GRACE:
An Imam connects the society to Allah through the Prophet (S) and through
their high position with Allah. The existence of the Prophet (S) and Imams is
compared to the existence of the heart in a body.
Just as the heart pumps blood and nurtures the rest of the body, the Divine
guides are the cause of grace and mercy from Allah on society to nurture the
progress of its poeple. By themselves they have no power, but because of their
closeness to Allah the Imams are a source of blessings and mercy for the
Ummah.
QUALITIES OF AN IMAM:
Just like the Prophets, the A-immah have to be:
- chosen by Allah,
- Ma'sum - not commit any sin, not even by mistake.
- able to perform miracles
- the person at that time with the best Akhlaq and the most
Knowledge
We believe that the Imams (A) are divinely appointed starting from the
appointment of Imam Ali (A) at Ghadire Khum on the command of Allah. The
order that Imam Ali (A) was appointed the guardian of the nation is in the verse
of Wilayat.
Abu Dhar recounts,
"Once, I was saying my prayers in
the company of the Holy Prophet (S)
when a beggar came to the mosque
asking for some alms. Nobody gave
him anything. Ali (A) was in the state
of Ruku' and he pointed out his ring
to the beggar, who approached him
and removed the ring from his finger."
At this time the following verse was revealed:
“Verily your guardian (Wali) is Allah and His messenger (Muhammad) and
those who believe and establish the prayer, and give charity (alms) while
they are (in Ruku') bowing down.”
(Al Maidah, 5:55)
When we say Aliyyun Waliyullah (Ali is the Wali of Allah) in our Adhan, it is
based on this verse.
Although the Holy Prophet (S) had left the Holy Qur'an, there was a need for
someone to continue to explain it and guide the people in their daily affairs. This
is the role and the office to which the Imams (A) were appointed.
Just as the Prophets (A) were Ma'sum, so the Imams (A) of his Ahlul Bayt were
also Ma'sum, and protected from any error by Allah Himself. The famous verse
of Tathir is:
“Verily, Allah wishes to drive away all evils from you, O Ahlul Bayt, and
cleanse you thoroughly.”
(Al Ahzab, 33:33)
It is necessary that as intelligent, rational beings, Muslims should ask questions
to seek the validity of their beliefs. It is not permitted to follow the beliefs of the
forefathers without thinking. Imamat is a root of religion and needs to be
understood before it is accepted. May the Almighty guide all those who seek the
truth.
LESSON 23: AN INTRODUCTION TO AQAID – QIYAMAH
Qiyamah is the belief in a Day of Judgement when every person will account for
his actions in this world. On that Day he will be judged fairly and be rewarded
for his good deeds and punished for his sins.
On that day people who were oppressed in this world will receive justice and the
oppressors who seemed strong in this world will be humbled and punished.
There was a Muslim man who began to drink alcohol. He used to do

it secretly in his house. One day a small boy walked into his room
and saw him. Now the man was terrified. Would the boy tell
someone what he had seen? How would the man face his
family and friends in the mosque? He could not sleep at nights as
he worried about everybody finding out about his
drinking.
What a strange man! He was more scared of a little boy

than of Allah. Allah sees all we do and there will be a day
when we will have to account for all we have done. That
will be the Day of Judgement.
With death, man's soul separates from his body. The body decomposes, but the
soul lives on, starting a new phase in its existence. On the day of Judgement,
Allah will raise the dead from their graves, and their bodies will be reformed and
they will gather for a reckoning of their actions. Man will be his own witness and
his limbs will bear witness to his deeds. Everything he ever did will be replayed
in front of him, with not even a little detail missing. People will be terrified
awaiting their fate.
The Holy Qur'an describes the scene as follows:

“And when the books (of the deeds of mankind) are spread. And when the
heavens are stripped. And when Hell (Jahannam) is set ablaze. And when
the garden (Jannat) is brought forward. (Then) every soul will know what it
had sent forward.”(At Takweer, 81:10-14)
Our whole life in this world is a preparation for the eternal life that will begin on
that frightening day. Allah has shown to us clearly the path that leads to
salvation - none of us can say that we were confused about what He wanted us
to do. If we choose to obey His commands then eternal bliss awaits us. If we
disobey, then eternal torment awaits us. The choice is ours.
WHY IS BELIEF IN QIYAMAT NECESSARY?
For the human being who believes in God, a belief in the Day of Judgement is
necessary because of the following reasons:

JUSTICE OF ALLAH:
Those who believe in Allah know that He is Just and fair to His creatures. He has
sent down laws and has promised reward and punishment according to degrees
of obedience or disobedience.
In this world we see that many people do not get the deserving consequences of
their deeds. Many good people see difficulties and suffer misfortunes. Many evil
tyrants like receive no punishment despite their horrendous crimes against
humanity.
For all these people there must be a trial of justice, a time when every deed of
theirs is judged and then rewarded or punished.
Thus belief in the Day of Judgement goes together with the belief in God and His
justice. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
“Shall we treat the people of faith like the people of sin? What is the matter
with you? How do you judge”?
(68:35-6)
GIVES MEANING TO LIFE:
If a man believes that there is nothing after death, and that once his body has
decayed he exists no more, life becomes quite meaningless.
What is the purpose of life in this world, when everyone is going to become non-
existent?
For what are the daily struggles of life, the work and effort, the problems and
challenges to be faced, if there is nothing after this life? A belief in the day of
Judgement, and life after that, gives a purpose to life. It is something to look
forward to, something to work for.
TRAINS AND MOULDS CHARACTER:
A belief in the day of Judgement is very effective in shaping the daily lives of
people. Those who have faith that they will be judged one day, and rewarded or
punished according to their deeds, will definitely have a better incentive to do
good.
For those who do not believe in a Judgement by God, there is no motive to do

well, or stay away from evil, except perhaps their own goodness. This alone is not
strong enough to be a constant factor affecting their lives. It is like the fear of the
police that keeps drivers from speeding when they see a police car.
Even though they know speeding is wrong, and can be dangerous, many drivers
would speed unless they know they will be caught and fined.

Such is the knowledge of the Day of Judgement. Most people know it is evil to
commit sins such as lying and stealing. The knowledge alone, however, is not
enough to deter them. It is the awareness that they are being watched and will be
judged for it which will prevent them from committing the sins.
The Judgement that will be carried out on a huge scale on the day of Judgement,
with billions of human beings being judged on their entire lives, is also seen on a
smaller scale inside the human being.
A part of the human soul known as the conscience or the nafs lawwamah (self-
reproaching soul) is responsible for judging the human being immediately after he
carries out an action.
When a good deed is done, feelings of satisfaction and joy are produced. This is a
reward from the conscience.
After performing evil deeds, there is guilt and fear, regret and mental torture, as
punishment for the self. All this is done very fast, and is not apparent to the others.
A human being who listens to his conscience will achieve happiness and will try to
more and more good deeds. But it is possible for the human being to ignore the
conscience, and deaden it completely.
The greatness of this court of Judgement within the human being is understood
when it is seen that the Holy Qur'an mentions it just after it mentions the Day of
Judgement:
“I swear by the day of Judgement. And I swear by the self-reproaching soul.
Does man think that We cannot gather his bones? Nay, We are able to put
together in perfect order, the tips of his fingers”.
(75:1-4)
ARGUMENT AGAINST RESURRECTION:
Throughout the ages many people have opposed the belief in the resurrection of
the human being after death. They have argued that it is not possible for God to
give life to the human body after it has decayed and become part of earth in which
it is buried.
The unbelievers mocked the Prophet (S) about resurrection:
“The disbelievers say (in ridicule), "Shall we point out to you a man who will
tell you that when you are scattered to pieces in disintegration, you shall
then be raised as a new creation?"
(34:7)
This argument against resurrection has been dealt with at length in the Qur'an.
Three main answers have been given to prove that it is possible for Allah to
resurrect the dead bodies.

THE FIRST CREATION:
Those people who cannot believe that Allah will give new life to the dead are
reminded that it is Allah who created them in the beginning.
He initiated life, so why cannot He give new life? Is it not easier to re-create
something which existed before, than to create something anew, which did not
even exist before?
If Allah could do the seemingly difficult task of creating human being from nothing,
why cannot He re-create them after death?
The following verses of Sura Yasin refer to the Arab who brought a rotten bone to
the Holy Prophet (S), scattered its pieces in the air and then asked how Allah
would give these scattered particles life again.
“Does man not see that We created him from the small life-germ? Then lo!
He is an open disputant. And he strikes out a likeness for us, and forgets his
own creation. Says he: Who will give life to the bones when they are rotten?
Say: He will give life to them who brought them into existence at first, and
He is aware of all creation”.
(36:77-9)
LIFE AND DEATH OF THE EARTH:
Every year we see that the earth dies in the

winter. The trees lose their leaves, fruits and
blossoms. The grass dies, and most flowers
wither away. It is as though the land is dead.
When spring comes the earth comes back to life.

The rain which falls upon the earth causes plant
life to grow again. Buds begin to sprout, trees get
leaves, flowers begin to appear and greenery
covers the earth once more. Nature, which had
been dead during the winter, begins to move and
grow again.
This scene is repeated every year for us, to see and understand that the God who
gives life, death and then life again to the earth can also do the same for the
human being. Says Allah:
“It is God who sends forth the winds so that they rise up the clouds and we
drive them to a land that is dead, and revive the earth after its death; such
will be the resurrection”.
(35:9)

AN EXAMPLE OF STORED ENERGY
Another answer for those who argue against resurrection is the example of fire.
Allah says:
“He (will give you life again) who has made for you the fire from the green
tree so that with it you may kindle (fire)”.
(36:80)
We now know that green trees store the energy of light from the sun for many
years. That stored energy comes out as fire when the wood is burned. The heat
and light which is assumed as gone from the sun is actually stored and then given
new life as fire. In just a moment of kindling the wood, life springs forth from it.
This is an example of how easy it is for God to bring back things to life.
Many answers have been given in the Qur'an to remove doubts about
resurrection. It is a certain fact that human beings will be brought back to life, to be
judged and then rewarded or punished.
Without that life in this world has no meaning. That is why the Qur'an emphasizes
the belief in resurrection. As Allah says:
“Is not He who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like of it
(again). Yes indeed! For He is the creator supreme”.
(36:81)
STAGES OF THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT:
No-one knows exactly when the day of Judgement will occur. It is a secret with
Allah and is hidden from everyone else. There are many signs which will occur in
the world to show that the Day of Judgement is close.
When the day occurs, many physical changes will occur in the world. Then the
day will begin with the blowing of the trumpet. After that will be the different stages
of the day of Judgement ending in either reward or punishment for the human
being.
The day of Judgement will be a very long day. According to the Qur'an it will be:
fifty thousand years of what you count.
BLOWING OF THE TRUMPET BY ISRAFIL:
The sound of the trumpet will be the first stage of the

day of Judgement. The angel Israfil will descend to the
earth with a trumpet. He will blow on it once and all
living beings on earth will die.

Israfil himself will then be ordered to die by Allah. At that time there will not be a
single living creature in the universe. Allah will create a loud voice which will ask;
“Whose is the kingdom today? There will be none to answer. Then Allah will
say; (it is) of Allah, the One, the Subduer”
(40:16).
After that Allah will cause the second blowing of the

trumpet which will cause everyone to come back to life.
The Holy Qur'an describes the blowing of the trumpet in Sura Az-Zumar:
“And the trumpet shall be blown, so all those that are in the heavens and all
those that are on the earth shall swoon, except such as Allah pleases; then
it shall be blown again, then lo! They shall stand up waiting”.
(39:68)
And in Sura Yasin:

And they say; "When is this promise going to happen if you are truthful?"
They wait not but for a single (terrible) cry which will seize them while they
will be wrangling with each other . . .and the trumpet will be blown; then lo!
They shall hasten from the graves to their Lord.
(36:48-50)
PHYSICAL OCCURRENCES IN THE WORLD.

Many verses of the Holy Qur'an describe graphically the changes that will take
place on the earth at the time of the day of Judgement.
When the sun is covered

And when the stars darken
And when the mountains are made to pass away
And when the camels are left
And when the wild animals are made to go forth
And when the seas are set on fire
(81:1-6)
When the heaven bursts asunder . . .

And when the earth is stretched
And casts forth what is in it and becomes empty
(84:1&3-4)
MAHSHAR; THE GATHERING PLACE:
One of the physical occurrences on the Day of Judgement is a great earthquake.

That earthquake will flatten the earth. All the mountains, valleys, hills and
depressions etc. will disappear.

The earth will become one flat piece of earth on which all the human beings will
gather. This is known as the Mahshar, or the gathering place.
All human beings, from the time of Adam, will have been brought out from their
resting places to gather here, awaiting their fates. Imam Ali (A) describes this
gathering in Nahjul balagha, sermon no.82:
. . . until when the affairs come to a close, and the world is disintegrated,
and the resurrection draws near, Allah will take them out from the corners of
their graves, and the nests of birds, and the dens of beasts, and the dumps
of death. (They will be) hastening towards His command, running towards
the place fixed for their final return - - groups, quiet, standing, arrayed in
rows.
They will be within sight of Allah; and all of them will hear the voice of the
caller. On them will be the dress of helplessness and cover of submission
and humiliation. (At that time) tricks and excuses will disappear, desires will
be cut short, the hearts will be sinking silently, voices will be curbed down,
and sweat will be like a rein (it will reach up to the mouth), and fear will
increase. The ears will resound with the thundering voice of the announcer
calling them towards the final Judgement.
RECEIVING THE BOOK OF DEEDS:
Every human being has been assigned two

angels who write down all the actions he
performs. It is proof of the Kindness of Allah
that when a person makes an intention of Good Deeds Bad Deeds
doing a good deed, it is written down from the from the
immediately. When he actually does it, it is life of … life of …
written down as ten good deeds. An evil
deed however, is not written down until it is
actually carried out. Then it is written down
as only one evil deed. If he repents of that
evil deed, it is erased from the book of deeds.
On the day of Judgement, this record of deeds will be given to the human being.
He will see for himself every action that he carried out in this world. He will have
no chance to lie, or make excuses, as everything will have been recorded. It will
be said to him:
“Read your book. Your own self is enough as a reckoner against you”.
(17:14)

On the day of Judgement a man will be given his scroll to read . . . then
Allah will make him remember. There will not be a single look, or a single
word, or a single step, or anything which he had done but that he will
remember as though he had done it that very moment. It is for this reason
that they will say: O woe unto us! What is it about this book; it has not left
any small or big thing without recording it thoroughly.
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (A)
The people who will have done well in the world will receive their record of deeds
in their right hands. These people will be very happy and proud of their records.
They will turn to others in the group and ask them to see their records.
Those who have done evil deeds will receive it in their left hands, or from behind
their backs. Such people will know that they are going to be sent to hell, and will
have intense regret for their actions in the world.
BEARING WITNESS OF THE LIMBS OF THE HUMAN BEING:
Human beings will be desperate on the day of Judgement to escape the

punishment of Allah. They will argue and even swear that the deeds recorded in
their books were not performed by them.
To prove that they really carried out the actions recorded, Allah will cause their
limbs to speak. Thus the hands, feet, etc. of the human being will bear witness as
to their actions in the world. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:
“On the day when their tongues, and their hands, and
their feet will testify against them about their actions”.
(24:24) and
This day We shall set a seal on their mouths, and their

hands will speak to us, and their feet will bear witness to
all that they did.
(36:65)
Many things of this world will also bear witness as to the deeds of the human
beings. It is said in Hadith that places where human beings lived, or visited, and
the night and day etc. will all bear witness. Some of these witnesses will testify to
the good deeds done in them, while some will testify for the evil which was done.

MIZAN OR WEIGHING SCALE:
All Muslims believe that there will be some type of weighing scale on the Day of
Judgement to weigh the deeds of man. Many verses of the Qur'an speak of the
Mizan.
“We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgement, so that not a
soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least; and if there be (no more than) the
weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account)”.
(21:47) and
“The balance that Day is true. So he, whose scales (of good deeds) will be
heavy, will prosper. And he whose scales will be light will find them in loss”.
(7:8-9)
What type of weighing scale will there be on the Day of Judgement? There
are three possibilities given by religious scholars:
1. Justice of Allah. That means that there will not be an actual physical scale,
but that the justice of Allah will weigh the actions.
2. The Prophets and Imams. The people will be judged according to whether
they followed the instructions of the Prophets and Imams or not. They will
be judged in accordance to their belief or disbelief in them, and their level
of obedience to their teachings.
3. Actual weighing scale. The third possibility is that the deeds be given some
material form, and a scale set up to weigh them.
Whatever the actual form of the Mizan, it is enough for us to know that our deeds
will be judged and balanced fairly.
SIRAAT OR THE PATH:
On the day of Judgement everyone will have to pass over a bridge across hell
known as Siraat. Allah says in the Qur'an:
“And there is not one of you but shall come to it; this is an unavoidable
decree. Then We shall save those who guarded themselves against evil, and
We shall leave the wrong doers therein on their knees”.
(19:71-2)
It has been narrated that on that Siraat there will be stations. Each station is
named after a command of Allah.
When someone reaches the station called "Salaat" for example, he will be
questioned about whether he had carried out the order of Salaat in the correct
manner.
If he has failed to do so, he will be stopped there and will be punished, unless a
good deed or the Mercy of Allah saves him. In this way he will pass from station to
station. If he passes safely through all of them, he will reach Paradise.

THE FINAL DESTINATION:
After passing the Siraat the believers will reach Paradise. It has been described as
a place which has blessings that no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no
minds have imagined. Allah says in the Qur'an:
“No person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden for them - as a
reward for their good deeds”.
(32:17)
Some Islamic scholars compare the difference between this world and the
Hereafter, with the difference between the world of the fetus and this world. A
fetus in the womb of its mother knows only the darkness and smallness of the
womb. It cannot imagine the world outside, with its vast lands and seas, its
beautiful flowers and fruits, movement of the sun and moon etc. All these things,
so normal for us, are too large to be comprehended by the fetus. Limitations in
language and imagery exist between different worlds.
Such is the case for human beings regarding the next world. It is impossible to
imagine it because of the limitations of this world.
Hell is a place of punishment and disgrace. It is our belief that sinful believers will
remain in hell only for the time required to pay for their sins. Eventually they will
come out of it and go to Paradise.
Some people will enjoy all the physical pleasures of Paradise. Others however,
will enjoy the bliss of having earned the pleasure of Allah, and being with His
chosen servants.
In the same some people will suffer the physical discomforts of Hell, while others
will be tormented by knowing that Allah is displeased with them, and being away
from Him.
So if you take me to the punishment with your enemies

Gather me with the people of your tribulations
And separate me from Your friends and saints
Then suppose, my God, my Master, my Protector and my Lord
That I am able to endure Your punishment
How can I endure separation from You?
And suppose that I am able to endure the heat of Your fire
How can I endure not gazing upon Your generosity?
Imam Ali (A) – Nahjul Balagha
Pleasures and tortures of people will vary according to their spiritual rank.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS:
SHAFA'AT:
On the day of Judgement the Prophets (A) and Imams (A) will be given the right to
intercede on behalf of the sinful believers.
They will ask Allah to forgive the person they are interceding for, and lead the
person to Paradise. Shafa'at or the power of intercession is a special privilege
given by Allah, and He says in the Qur'an:
“Who is there that can intercede in His presence except by His
permission”?
(2:255)
Believers with whom Allah is pleased will also be given the power to intercede for
other sinful believers. This will save many people from hell.
HONORING OF THE HOLY PROPHET (S) AND THE AHLUL BAYT;

The Holy Prophet (S) will receive special honor in front of billions of human beings
on the day of Judgement. This will be to show the people his elevated position
with Allah as the most beloved of His creatures.
It has been narrated that a special pulpit of precious jewels and stones will be
made for the Prophet (S). This is known as Wasilah. He will proceed towards the
pulpit wearing a robe of light and a crown of jewels.
Imam Ali (A) will be behind him carrying the Liwa-ul-Hamd, a standard in which
the Kalima will be written. Once the Prophet will be seated, it will be announced
that this is the beloved of Allah.
The Prophet will also be given the Hawdh of Kauthar. This literally means a well,
and is referred to in Sura al-Kauthar when Allah says;
“Surely We have given you the Kauthar”.
(108:1).
It is our belief that on the Day of Judgement it will be very hot and Imam Ali (A) will
be kept in charge of Kauthar, and that he will only let the believers drink from it.

LESSONS 19 – 23: AQAID:
SECTION 1: Write ONE word for the kind of people the statements below
describe
Tahira makes sure that she always remembers Allah and does only the things
that please Him. He is a __________________.
Imran says that of all the Usool-e-din, he only believes in Allah, His Prophets
and the Day of Judgement. He is a ____________________.
Sabrina does not believe in the existence of God and says that she will live her
life the way she pleases, as there will not be a Day of Judgement if there is no
God. She is a ______________________.
Natasha says that she believes that God has a partner. She is a
_______________.
Sakina told everybody she met, that she was a Muslim, but she never prayed,
fasted or followed any laws of Islam. She is a _____________________.
Muhammad believes in all 5 Usool-e-din. He is a ____________________.
Zahid did not care if people saw him drinking beer with his friends at the Pub.
He is a ________________________.
SECTION 2:
Aqaid means our Basic Beliefs. These are the foundation of our Religion and
we have to bring faith in them. List these Beliefs.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Which Sura in the Holy Qur’an, do you think best describes the Oneness of
God. Write down this Sura in Arabic and its translation.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Explain in your own words the 2 categories of tests we go through in our lives.
1. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Why don’t the Sunnis believe in Adalat?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
List any 5 Prophets and the miracles they could perform. Support your
information with Ayats from the Holy Qur’an.
1. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Ayat-e-Tathir is recited in Hadith-e-Kisa, write down:

Which Sura this Ayat appears in. ______________________________
The Ayat number. _____________________
The Ayat in Arabic
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Its translation.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Explain in your own words what you think is the purpose of the Day of
Judgement and what you think will happen on that Day.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

LESSON 24 – 25: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES:
Question: What is your opinion on Muslims eating in non-Muslim or even

Muslim owned and operated restaurants which serve Halal food however also
serve alcoholic drinks? If the alcohol is not being consumed at our table, does
this change the ruling?
Answer: If alcohol is not consumed at your table, there would be no objection
and you can eat Halal food in that restaurant. Yes, if going to such a restaurant
is considered bad for the reputation of a Muslim, it is not permissible to eat in
there
Question: What is your opinion about the beer (Maa al-Sha'eir) which is sold on
the market normally with a label that reads "alcohol free".
Answer: The drink that is made from barley and called "Fuqa' in Arabic is
definitely forbidden and ritually impure as an obligatory precaution. This drink is
not intoxicant normally but it makes one feel tipsy; that is a state of slight
drunkenness caused apparently by low percentage of alcohol in the liquid.
Therefore, if a drink is produced alcohol free in the first place and it is not called
"Fuqa" (beer), there is no problem, or else, it is forbidden even if alcohol is
separated from it. God knows best!
Question: The people residing in Europe are of different faiths, nationalities and
religions; and when we buy moist or wet food items, the shopkeeper may touch
it with his hands. Since we do not know his religion, can we consider that food
as pure?
Answer: As long as it is not known that the hands of the shopkeeper were
Najis, the food is to be considered Tahir
Question: What about the leather products made in a European country, if we

are unaware of the source of that leather? It is said that some European
countries import cheap leather from Muslim countries and then use it for
manufacturing various products. Can we consider such leather pure? Are we
allowed to say Salaat in them? Can such a weak probability [about it originating
from a Muslim country] be given any credence?
Answer: If the probability of the leather originating from a zabiha (an animal
slaughtered Islamically) source is so weak that people would not normally give
any credence (for example, the probability of 2%), it is to be considered impure
and this cannot be used in Salaat. But if the probability is not so weak, it can be
considered pure and using it in Salaat would be permissible
Question: Is it permissible to shave the two sides of the face and leave the hair
on the chin?
Answer: Shaving the beard is Haraam based on obligatory precaution, and this
includes the hair that grows on the sides of the face. However, there is no
problem in shaving the hair that grows on the cheeks. 11 Boys only

Question: What is the ruling on playing chess by using the customary pieces?
Is the ruling any different in the case where the game is played by computer
which employs symbols and shapes instead of the customary pieces?
Answer: Playing it (chess) is absolutely forbidden even without placing a bet.
And there is no difference in this, whether it is (played) with customary pieces or
by computer
Question: What is the limit separating lawful from unlawful music? If the
criterion is its being labelled entertainment or amusement then this is not clear
according to convention because there are differences of opinion on that.
Answer: The separating limit is its being of suitable quality for the gatherings of
amusement and of immorality
Question: What is the ruling on so-called music in present customary usage?

Answer: It is of two kinds. One of them suits the places of amusement and
entertainment and thus listening to it is prohibited. The other one is other than
this and therefore is not prohibited
Question: Some types of music are broadcast before the recitation of the noble
Quran or the Adhan, before the religious program begins or during. Is it
permissible to listen to it? Also Musical interludes and music that precedes
announcement of the news?
Answer: The great majority of them are of the second type and thus are lawful
Question: Is it permissible to listen to religious songs?

Follow up: You mean religious phrases that are composed with musical tunes
that are common amongst the people of amusement and entertainment?
Response: Yes.
Answer: It is prohibited to listen to them. The same ruling applies to all
phrases that are not for pleasure and amusement such as supplication or dhikr
but composed with these musical tunes
Question: Classical music is believed to soothe excited nerves, and is also

prescribed at times for treatment of some psychological ailments. Is it
permissible for me to listen to it?
Answer: Yes, it is permissible to listen to music which is not suited for the
gatherings of amusement and entertainment
Question: Music with pictures that is associated with television films, popular
serial programs, the aim of which is to raise the degree of excitement of the
viewers in accordance with the atmosphere of the film. For example, if the
exhibited scene is frightening, then this music helps in prompting fear and its
effect on the viewers.
Answer: The great majority of them are of the lawful type

Question: The buying and selling of flutes, musical recordings and the like,
from among the instruments of pleasure and amusement, is prohibited.
However, there are instruments made for children's amusement. Is it
permissible to buy and sell them?
Answer: It is permissible as long as they are not classified among the
instruments of forbidden pleasure and amusement
Question: Are shaking of hands with girls allowed?

Answer: A Muslim man is not allowed to shake hands with a woman without a
barrier, such as gloves, unless refraining from shaking hands will put him in a
considerable harm or unbearable difficulty. In the latter case, he is allowed to
shake hands to the extent of necessity only
Question: Is it Haraam for me to go to a gym (a training centre for body

builders) where women and men both can sign up for training there? It is nearly
impossible to find a gym that is only restricted for men. How should I act?
Answer: It is not allowed
Question: What is the Islamic opinion to swimming in unisex environments

such as the beach, swimming pools, and other areas?
Answer: It is not permissible
Question: Is a Muslim permitted to go to mixed swimming pools [men and

women] without a suspicious motive, especially when they (women) remove the
dress of modesty from themselves and would not desist if asked to do so?
Answer: Although looking without a suspicious motive and lust at those who
are scantily dressed and would not desist if asked to do so is permissible,
presence in these places of moral depravity is absolutely not permissible based
on precaution
Question: If wine is served at a table, it is harãm for a Muslim to sit at that

table. What is meant by “table”? Does this apply to the entire group [that has
gone to the restaurant and some are being served alcohol] even if the tables
are more than one? Or does it only apply to one table [and not the group], in the
sense that if there are two separate tables, it would be permissible to sit [at the
table on which alcohol is not being served, even if they are part of the same
company]?
Answer: The criterion is one table. However, one should know that the
prohibition of sitting at a table on which wine or intoxicant drinks are being
served is based on precaution; of course, eating and drinking at that table is
harãm based on obligatory precaution
Question: Is it permissible to eat from non Ahlul Kitãb people?

Answer: A Muslim is allowed to eat the food prepared by a non-Muslim who is
not from Ahlul Kitãb [for example, a Hindu or a Buddhist], provided that he does
not know or is not sure that the non-Muslim touched the food with wetness; and
provided that he does not know or is not sure that the food consists of what is
forbidden to him like intoxicating drinks. As for meat, fat and their extracts, there
are specific rules that will come later on
Question: We are unaware of the ingredients of food sold in shops in Western
countries: it might be free from those ingredients that are forbidden to us or it
might contain them. Are we allowed to eat such items without looking into their
ingredients, or inquiring about them? Or is that not allowed to us?
Answer: It is permissible [to eat such food] as long as it is not known that it
contains meat, fat, and their derivatives that are forbidden to us
Question: What is the general rule about foods made by Ahl-e Kitab (People of
the Books)?
Answer: Since the followers of the past revealed religions (that is, the Jews, the
Christians and the Zoroastrians) are ritually pure, many of the problems
concerning the status and permissibility of the food are resolved when we live in
their midst. It becomes permissible for us as Muslims to eat from their food no
matter whether they touched it with their wet hands or not as long as we do not
know or are not sure that it consists of what is forbidden to us, like intoxicating
drinks. As for meat, fat and their extracts, they are Haraam and cannot be used
unless one is sure that they are Halal
Question: Can we eat food cooked by a non Muslim when we do not know
whether or not it is clean?
Answer: A Muslim is allowed to eat any food made by a person whose faith
and religion is not known to him, no matter whether that person touched it with
wetness or did not touch it, provided that he does not know or is not sure that
the food consists of what is forbidden to him
Question: On the package of meat that is produced in Muslim countries by non-

Muslim companies, it says, “slaughtered according to Islamic laws”. Are we
allowed to eat that meat? Can we eat that meat, if it comes from Muslim
companies in non-Muslim countries? And what is the ruling, if the source is non-
Muslim company from a non-Muslim country?
Answer: The writing [on the package] has no value at all. If the producer is a
Muslim or it was produced in a place where Muslims are in the majority and it is
not known that the producer is a non-Muslim, then it is permissible to eat it.
But if the producer is a non-Muslim or it was produced in a place where Muslims
are not in the majority and it is not known that the producer is Muslim, then it is
not permissible to eat it
Question: Some of the cheese manufactured in non-Muslim countries contain

rennet extracted from the calf or other animals. We do not know whether the
rennet was taken from the animal that was slaughtered according to Islamic
laws; neither do we know that it has transformed into something else. So is it
permissible to eat such cheese?
Answer: There is no problem in eating such cheese

Question: Gelatin is used in a number of drinks and food items in the West. We
do not know that gelatin has been extracted from a vegetable or an animal
source; and that if it is from an animal, is it from its bones or from the tissues
around the bones; neither do we know if the animal was one that is halãl for us
or harãm. Are we allowed to eat such gelatin?
Answer: It is permissible to eat if the doubt is whether it has been extracted
from an animal or vegetable. But, if it is known that it was derived from an
animal, then it is not permissible to eat without ascertaining that the animal was
slaughtered according to sharí‘a. This prohibition applies, as a matter of
obligatory precaution, even if it was extracted from animal bones.
Of course, if a chemical change occurs in the original ingredients during the
process of manufacturing the gelatin, there is no problem at all in eating it.
Similarly, even if one has doubt whether the animal was slaughtered Islamically
or not, still there is no problem in adding the gelatin [made from that animal] to
the food in such a minute amount that it is completely absorbed in it...see
further http://www.islam-laws.com/gelatinandIstehlak.htm
Question: We are unaware of the ingredients of food sold in shops in Western

countries: it might be free from those ingredients that are forbidden to us or it
might contain them. Are we allowed to eat such items without looking into their
ingredients, or inquiring about them? Or is that not allowed to us?
Answer: It is permissible [to eat such food] as long as it is not known that it
contains meat, fat, and their derivatives that are forbidden to us
Question: At times we find the name or picture of fish on the cans and come to
know that the fish is a scale fish. So, is it permissible for us to rely on the name
or the picture in determining the category of fish, knowing well that a wrong
statement of this kind would put the manufacturers in great loss or even more
serious [situation] than just a loss?
Answer: If one is satisfied it is the truth, it is permissible to act upon it.
Question: Is it permissible to eat lobster, in all its varieties, by following the

pattern of shrimp?
Answer: It is not permissible to eat lobster.
Question: Alcohol is used in the production of many drugs and medications: Is

it permissible to take them? Are they considered pure (Tahir)?
Answer: They are pure; and since the alcohol used in them is so minute that it
dissolves in them, it is therefore permissible to take them also.
Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to work in a grocery store that sells

alcoholic beverages in one of its corners if his job is only that of a cashier?
Answer: It is permissible to accept the value of (commodities) other than
alcoholic beverages, and likewise the value of alcoholic beverages, if both the
buyer and seller are non-Muslims.

Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to be present in gatherings where
alcoholic beverages are served?
Answer: Eating and drinking in these gatherings is prohibited. As for mere
presence, its prohibition is based on obligatory precaution. There is no
objection to it if the aim is to prevent others from reprehensible actions, if one is
able to do so
Question: In European schools, there are teachers who do not believe in any
religion and reject the idea of God in front of their pupils. Is it permissible for
Muslim pupils to remain in such schools, knowing that they can be greatly
influenced by their teachers?
Answer: It is not permissible; and the guardian of the child is fully responsible
for that.
Question: A person buys a garment for an occasion. After wearing it, he puts
it away and a year passes without it being worn a second time. Is Khums
obligatory on it? Likewise, (is Khums obligatory) with respect to jewellery
temporarily used and then set aside for more than a year without being used?
Answer: If the garment is of the type customarily prepared for similar
occasions in the years that follow, then Khums is not obligatory. Otherwise,
based on obligatory precaution, Khums applies to it. The same situation
applies to jewellery. God knows best.
Question: If one year elapses on bank shares, is it obligatory to pay Khums on

them? If it is obligatory, then is it based on the actual value or purchase price?
Answer: It is obligatory to pay Khums on the actual value.
Question: Is it permissible to use the sihm-e Imãm (A) without seeking the
permission of the marja‘ if a person can ascertain the need of any kind for its
use with which the Imam (A) would be pleased?
Answer: It is not permissible; and one cannot attain the approval of the Imam
(A) by using his portion of the Khums without seeking the permission of the
most learned marja‘ —in that it is possible that the marja‘’s permission is part of
the approval of the Imam (A).
Question: Is it permissible to use the sihm-e Imam (A) in charitable projects

while there are tens of thousands of believers who are in need of bread, cloths,
etc.?
Answer: In using the sihm-e Imam (A), it is important to consider the principle
of priorities. It is a matter of obligatory precaution, the determination of “most
important vis-à-vis the more important” should be left to the discretion of the
most learned jurist who is well informed about the general situation.
Question: Is it permissible to cheat [in the exams] at public schools in Europe?

Is it permissible to cheat [in the exams] at the private Islamic and non-Islamic
schools?
Answer: Cheating is not allowed in any of these [schools].

Question: A person knows for sure that one day he will see a harãm scene on
television or video. Is it then permissible to buy it?
Answer: The reason compels him not to buy.
Question: Is it permissible to give charity to the poor among non-Muslims?

Would a person get reward [thawãb from Allãh] for this charity?
Answer: There is no problem in extending charity to [a non-Muslim] who does
not show hatred against Islam and Muslims; and one who gives such a charity
will be rewarded for this deed.
Question: Is it permissible for male and female pupils /students in elementary

and secondary schools to mix when one knows that this mixing will surely lead
one day to a forbidden act by the male or the female student, even if that is just
[as minor an act as] a forbidden glance?
Answer: It is not permissible under the circumstances described [in the
question].
Question: Is it permissible for those who reside in the West to send their
muhajjaba daughters to co-ed schools (irrespective of whether or not education
is compulsory) while there exist non co-ed schools which obviously are
expensive, located faraway or of a low academic standard?
Answer: It is not permissible, [even] if it [just] corrupts their character, let alone
if it harms their beliefs and commitment to the faith which is what normally
happens!
Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim youth to accompany the girls who study
with him in foreign universities for walking together, in vacation tours, etc.?
Answer: It is not permissible, except with surety that he will not commit a
forbidden act.
Question: A father asks the friend of his son to monitor his behaviour in order
to know his son’s character. Is the friend allowed to disclose any information
regarding the character of the son to the father that might include things that the
son does not want to be known to anyone?
Answer: It is not allowed, except when he is involved in an evil act from which
he must be stopped and that stopping him is not possible through anything
other than disclosure of his behaviour (which would embarrass and hurt him).
Question: In British government schools and also in other Western countries

the students, male as well as females, are taught sex education which includes
detailed description of sexual organs with or without model. Is it permissible for
a young student to attend classes like this? Is it necessary for the parents to
prevent the young child from attending such classes when the child expresses
interest in by claiming that it will be useful for him in the future?
Answer: If attending such classes does not entail other Haraam deeds like
looking lustfully and, as a result of studying that unit, would result him from
deviant behaviour, then there is no problem in it.

Question: Giving a film, to a non-mahram man for developing and printing, that
contains pictures of women who observe hijab but are unveiled (in the photos).
Answer: This is permissible if the one who will develop and print the pictures
does not know the women pictured in the film, and such pictures are not
suggestive or will not cause any attraction.
Question: Is she allowed to have a picture of herself taken without the hijab to
place on a passport, for example?
Answer: If she is forced to place the uncovered picture on her passport or
other official documents, then it is permissible. But, the one who takes her
picture must be her husband or her mahram. However, should the need arise,
it is permissible for her to have the picture taken by a non-mahram
photographer.
Question: A vast majority of Muslim women who observe hijãb are used to
keeping their chins and a small part of the under chin exposed but they cover
the neck. Is this permissible for them? And how big an area of the face women
can expose? And are the ears included in that?
Answer: The ears are not part of the face, therefore it is obligatory to cover
them. As for the part of the chin and the under chin that are seen when putting
on the common head scarf, it is to be considered as part of the face.
Question: In the West it is possible to wear coloured contact lenses. Is it

permissible for a Muslim woman to wear them for the sake of beautification and
then appear in front of non-mahram men?
Answer: If that is considered as an item of cosmetics, it is not allowed.

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FIQH SYLLABUS FOR CLASS 11B (14 YEARS OLD)

LESSON 1: TRANSLATION OF ADHAN AND IKAMAH

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.1 www.madressa.net

Allah is the Greatest 4 times åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA

IKAMAH – The Recitation Just Before Salaat

Allah is the Greatest 2 times jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.2 www.madressa.net

X4 jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA X2 jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA

Allah is the greatest

I bear witness there is no God but Allah

I bear witness Muhammad is the messenger of Allah

I bear witness Ali is the beloved of Allah

X2 Ñê òÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 êÑòÝìv»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY

X2 ø`òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 ø`òÝä°ô»A Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY

X2 ø½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY X2 ø½äÀä¨ô»A øjæÎäa Óò¼ä§ ìÏäY

Hasten to the best deed

Not to be recited in Adhan X2 ÑòÝìv»A êOä¿Bä³ æfä³

Indeed the Salaat has begun

X2 jå äJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA X2 åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»òA

Allah is the greatest

X2 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ X1 åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ

There is no god but Allah

ALLAH IS THE GREATEST

3. QIYAM – SURATUL FATIHA

In the name of Allah the most Kind,

4. QIYAM – SURATUL IKHLAS

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.4 www.madressa.net

5. RUKU’ Glory be to Allah, the Supreme,

6. QIYAM AFTER RUKU’

Allah hears and accepts

Allah is the Greatest. åjäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A

7. SAJDAH Glory be to Allah the Most

9. DHIKR FOR WHEN RISING FOR THE NEXT RAKAAT:

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.5 www.madressa.net

WHILE STILL IN JULOOS:

11. TASBIHAT-E-ARBA’ 3 TIMES IN THE 3RD AND 4TH RAKAAT IN QIYAM:

Glory be to Allah. êÉé}¼»A äÆBäZæJåm

And all praise is for Him. êÉé}¼ê» åfæÀäZô»A äË

And there is no God but Allah. åÉé}¼»A úÜêA äÉ}»êA òÜ äË

And He is the Greatest. jäJô·òA åÉé}¼»A äË

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.6 www.madressa.net

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.7 www.madressa.net

Definition: Salaat-ul-Jamaat means prayers that are offered in

Love & Co-operation Unity & Prestige of Islam

Discipline / Islamic Equality

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.8 www.madressa.net

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.9 www.madressa.net

Scenario’s Where to join in Congregational Prayers

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.10 www.madressa.net

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.11 www.madressa.net

Cause For Forgiveness From Allah On The Day Of Judgement

Physically Fit Duas and Good Deeds Accepted Light of Knowledge

Key to Heaven Intercedes With Angle of Death Comfort in the Grave

Allah Is Pleased Crossing of Sirat Easier Increment in Livelihood

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.12 www.madressa.net

Recited like Recited like Recited like

Recite with Niyyat of

1. Recite with the Niyyat of Salaat-e-Witr

Fiqh Boys 2010 Page 11.13 www.madressa.net