Converting the plural form to the singular in supplication, and vice versa
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Regarding the booklets where the supplication is written in the plural, do we convert it to the singular?The Shaykh: Which plural?The questioner: O Allah, guide us among those You have guided, and grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being.
The Shaykh: It is the hadith of the qunut that is mentioned?The questioner: Yes, the qunut.
The Shaykh: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, for the singular form, but if he is an imam, he is supplicating for himself and for others.And therefore the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: If the imam supplicates with a general supplication, the ma'mum says "Ameen" to it, and he singles himself out with it, then he is a traitor.
A traitor to those behind him.For example: Suppose you are an imam and you say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.And they say: Ameen. Did they supplicate for themselves?The questioner: No.
The Shaykh: He has become one who supplicates for himself, and this involves treachery.Say: O Allah, guide us among those You have guided, and you intend that it is for you and for those behind you.But if you are alone, say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.As you say between the two prostrations: My Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me.
It may be brought to my attention that Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an in al-Fatihah: [al-Fatihah: 6] And this is said by the one praying alone, the imam, and the ma'mum, is that not so?It is said: The Noble Qur'an was revealed for everyone, and Allah Mighty and Majestic knew that there would be from this ummah those who would be imams for the people with this surah. If it had been revealed in the surah as "Guide me to the straight path," and the people would be praying in congregation, how would the imam say it? Either he would supplicate specifically for himself,And an imam to distort the Qur'an and say: Guide us to the straight path.
So al-Fatihah is in the plural form; because Allah knew that those who would stand with this surah would be an imam with a congregation behind him, so it was revealed with this wording: [al-Fatihah: 5-6] .
And if he is alone, a person can intend in his heart: Guide us, O people of the Islamic ummah, to the straight path.
And there is no objection if you supplicate with the qunut and you are alone, you say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.
The questioner: If a verse from the verses passes by me, how do I convert it?The Shaykh: Do not convert it, but read it as it was revealed.
The questioner: [al-Baqarah: 201] The Shaykh: You say: [al-Baqarah: 201] Do not change the Qur'an, for the Qur'an is not changed.
Likewise, in the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, the supplication for distress and hardship: (O Allah, I am Your slave, the son of Your slave, the son of Your slave) A woman does not say: Your slave.She says: O Allah, I am Your female slave, the daughter of Your slave.
Because she is a woman.She says: O Allah, I am Your female slave.
This is what the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said.
And another said: The woman says: O Allah, I am Your slave.
Because she is a person, so she describes herself as a slave in the sense that she is a person.
And on the occasion of the supplication of qunut: In these days, Muslims are performing qunut for their brothers in Chechnya and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it has reached me that some imams are performing qunut with the qunut of witr (O Allah, guide us among those You have guided) And this is incorrect and is ignorance; because the qunut of events is specific to events, and on this basis, you supplicate to Allah Mighty and Majestic for victory for Chechnya and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for the defeat of their enemies who have transgressed against them, and you do not supplicate with the qunut of witr.
The Shaykh: It is the hadith of the qunut that is mentioned?The questioner: Yes, the qunut.
The Shaykh: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, for the singular form, but if he is an imam, he is supplicating for himself and for others.And therefore the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: If the imam supplicates with a general supplication, the ma'mum says "Ameen" to it, and he singles himself out with it, then he is a traitor.
A traitor to those behind him.For example: Suppose you are an imam and you say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.And they say: Ameen. Did they supplicate for themselves?The questioner: No.
The Shaykh: He has become one who supplicates for himself, and this involves treachery.Say: O Allah, guide us among those You have guided, and you intend that it is for you and for those behind you.But if you are alone, say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.As you say between the two prostrations: My Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me.
It may be brought to my attention that Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an in al-Fatihah:
Guide us to the straight path -
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَSo al-Fatihah is in the plural form; because Allah knew that those who would stand with this surah would be an imam with a congregation behind him, so it was revealed with this wording:
(5) It is You we worship and You we ask for help. (6) Guide us to the straight path -
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ * اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَAnd if he is alone, a person can intend in his heart: Guide us, O people of the Islamic ummah, to the straight path.
And there is no objection if you supplicate with the qunut and you are alone, you say: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided.
The questioner: If a verse from the verses passes by me, how do I convert it?The Shaykh: Do not convert it, but read it as it was revealed.
The questioner:
Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِOur Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِLikewise, in the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, the supplication for distress and hardship: (O Allah, I am Your slave, the son of Your slave, the son of Your slave) A woman does not say: Your slave.She says: O Allah, I am Your female slave, the daughter of Your slave.
Because she is a woman.She says: O Allah, I am Your female slave.
This is what the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said.
And another said: The woman says: O Allah, I am Your slave.
Because she is a person, so she describes herself as a slave in the sense that she is a person.
And on the occasion of the supplication of qunut: In these days, Muslims are performing qunut for their brothers in Chechnya and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it has reached me that some imams are performing qunut with the qunut of witr (O Allah, guide us among those You have guided) And this is incorrect and is ignorance; because the qunut of events is specific to events, and on this basis, you supplicate to Allah Mighty and Majestic for victory for Chechnya and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for the defeat of their enemies who have transgressed against them, and you do not supplicate with the qunut of witr.