Return to the issue of naming some of the Sunnahs as "forms" (hay'at). ?

The Shaykh : ... After this, I say, in order to complete the answer to that question and as an apology, for I see that the gathering has come together, grown large, and been blessed, that I return to what I had intended to discuss, which is the distinction between the practical Sunnah (sunnah fi'liyyah) and the Sunnah of omission (sunnah tarkiyyah). But this is after I conclude the answer to that question. So I will return to conclude it, and then, if Allah wills, I will return to speak about the practical Sunnah and the Sunnah of omission of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as we will explain in a section to come shortly, if Allah wills, dividing it into a practical Sunnah and a Sunnah of omission. As for now, the question was about the terminology of some of the later jurists in naming some of the actions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), particularly those in prayer, as "forms" (hay'at). We answered in a way that does not require repeating the discussion now, and we concluded by saying that this is a terminology, and every group may use whatever terminology they wish, provided that they do not contradict a text of the Shari'ah in doing so. However, I add a clarification: naming some of the established Sunnahs of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as "forms" (hay'at), if the intention is that they are forms related only to prayer, but one should not belittle them, there is no harm in such a terminology. I clearly remember that among the great scholars of the Shafi'i school who adopted this terminology—namely, naming some of the established Sunnahs of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from authentic hadiths, indeed even mass-transmitted (mutawatir) ones, such as raising the hands in prayer at the bowing and when rising from it, and the resting sitting (jalsat al-istirahah) when rising from the second prostration to the second rak'ah—this Sunnah is also established in Sahih al-Bukhari—and they include these under the term "forms" (hay'at). Nevertheless, we find that Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him, Blessed and Exalted is He) emphasizes and insists on the necessity of preserving this Sunnah and that one, particularly the form of rising from the second prostration in the first rak'ah to the second rak'ah. It is not permissible to rise immediately; rather, one should sit in this sitting. Although he calls it a "form" (hay'ah), he insists on the necessity of paying attention to it, because it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do it without being lax about it. So, if it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he performed a Sunnah and did not leave it, then it is from the Sunnah that we perform it and do not leave it. It is not our concern after that whether we call it a Sunnah or a "form" (hay'ah), for there is no dispute over terminology. But the truth is that the important matter is knowing where this "form" (hay'ah) came from and by which hadith it is established? If it is from an authentic hadith that indicates the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) continuity and persistence in doing it, then we continue to do it, and it does not harm us after that if some jurists call it a Sunnah and others call it a "form" (hay'ah). In conclusion, I say, as I said at the beginning of the speech, there is no necessity to refute this terminology. Rather, the important thing is exactly to direct this terminology to what it requires in terms of acting upon what they call a "form" (hay'ah), so that I may have answered this question.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh: And in you, if Allah wills.

Another questioner : The Sunnah of omission and the practical Sunnah?

The Shaykh : I say, regarding his question, has it ended or not? As for this, we will return to it. And I said earlier, and I am mentioning it, and it is not yet time for me to forget, so has this ended?

The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : So, keep in mind what you have of a second question, and perhaps a third, so that I may fulfill my previous promise!

The questioner: All right.

The Shaykh : And that is the discussion regarding the practical Sunnah and the Sunnah of omission. This is also a terminology that perhaps many of the attendees have not heard in their entire lives that there is a Sunnah of omission; rather, the known Sunnah is the practical Sunnah. But the truth is that this terminology is very important, because it means that It means that there are acts of worship that many people imagine are acts of worship, but they are not acts of worship, and yet they draw near to Allah the Mighty and Majestic with them. Why? Because the Salaf, and we claim and hope that we are in accordance with our claim that we follow the Salaf, that is because the scholars of knowledge say:
"And all good is in following those who came before *** And all evil is in the innovation of those who came after"
I say this because some of the early Salaf, the honored and glorified Companions, and at their head Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, the keeper of the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), used to say, in support of what we mentioned earlier, that the Sunnah can be one of omission, meaning that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left it and did not do it, so we do not do it, even if its appearance is that of one of the acts of worship. In fact, it may be worship in its essence, but it ceased to be worship when it was placed in a context other than the one in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) placed it by revelation from Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said: "Any act of worship that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform, do not perform it. Any act of worship that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform, do not perform it." That is, do not draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with it, because it is not worship, even though you think it is worship. The evidence that it is not worship is that if it were worship, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have brought it. Here is a reality that all Muslims live in their hearts, but many of them kill it and revive it with their actions. That is because, had the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not been sent to us by our Lord, we would not have known anything of this Islam by which Allah has honored us. And if Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) addresses His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and says to him: Do you think we would have known the Book and faith had not Allah (Mighty and Majestic) sent us our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) after our Lord had taught him, informed him, clarified it to him, and guided him, as the Exalted said: If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), by the testimony of the Noble Qur'an, is addressed by the Lord of the Worlds in a clear Arabic tongue: Do you think how we would have been had not the call of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reached us? Had it not been that we were guided by him through the sending of our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) to us? The matter is as some of the Salaf also said. I am not sure now which of the 'Abdullahs it was; it was either 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar or 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, or perhaps it was one of the other 'Abdullahs. He said, in answer to a questioner: "Why do we raise our voices in some prayers and lower them in others?" He said: "My brother, we did not know anything, so we do as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did. We raise our voices where he raised them and lower them where he lowered them." This is a simple, good, and understandable example for every Muslim, no matter what his culture or how little his jurisprudence may be. He knows that when we raise our voices, we do so because the Messenger did, and when we lower them and do not raise them, it is because the Messenger left it. So the Sunnah is of two types, but this is a rule that must be generalized in all matters by which we seek to draw near to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). The examples of this are many, and very many, and they are known in jurisprudence, but they are actually abandoned. For example, the five daily prayers are called to with the adhan, and praise be to Allah, this Sunnah is still standing, widespread, and known in all the lands of Islam. The adhan for the five daily prayers, though, with great regret, and I find myself religiously compelled to say and mention, and the reminder benefits the believers, that this adhan which is still practiced in all the lands of Islam, but with great regret, in the capital of this land, which is Jordan, has been restricted in the scope of the adhan, where they have, with regret, and I do not know who bears the burden of this religious innovation that they innovated in this land and not in all the lands of Islam, where you do not hear in the mosques of the land, and this land, praise be to Allah, is one of the most famous Islamic lands in the number of its mosques, and yet you do not hear but one adhan, and a broadcast adhan, which may be from a mu'adhdhin in fact, but it is broadcast by radio, or it may be broadcast from a tape, and this is further from the Sunnah. The Shari'ah has prescribed for us to call to prayer in every mosque, because the adhan is one of the symbols of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). I do not want to prolong the speech on this issue, because the purpose is to remind of the importance of this rule, which is that what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did of the acts of worship is a means of drawing near for us and obedience to our Lord, and what he left of the acts of worship, we have no right to do it under the claim that it is worship. Take now the example: the adhan is called for the five daily prayers. Is the adhan called for the two 'Id prayers? The answer is no. Why? And the mind of some people may say, "By Allah, the people on the day of 'Id need to hear the adhan at the time of 'Id more than they need to hear the adhan at the time of Dhuhr or 'Asr." And yet there is no adhan for the two 'Id prayers. Why? - And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah - That is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left the adhan for the two 'Ids, so the Muslims left it likewise. The sun eclipses during the day, and the people are immersed in their works, in their jobs, in their offices, in their shops. So what mind? The non-Shari'ah mind, that is, the mind that does not align its mind with the Shari'ah by which it professed faith in Allah. This mind, devoid of following the Shari'ah, says, "My brother, why is the adhan not prescribed when the sun eclipses and the people are busy with their works?" The answer is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not establish for us this adhan for the eclipse prayer of the sun. More than that, the moon eclipses at night, and the moon may eclipse in the middle of the night, and the people are immersed in their sleep, and yet it is not prescribed, and it is not established for the Muslims, and to this day, praise be to Allah, it has not occurred to the mind of any of the Muslims to innovate an adhan for the 'Id prayer, or the eclipse prayer of the sun, or the eclipse of the moon. Why? Because the meaning of this legislation of this adhan in such acts of worship is a correction of the Wise Lawgiver, a correction as if Allah was unaware of legislating such an adhan in such acts of worship, or as if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) prescribed for His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the adhan in these three prayers that I mentioned earlier, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not convey that to his Ummah. Both of these are impossible. As for what concerns Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the matter is as He said in His Noble Book: As for the Prophet (peace be upon him), if it were assumed that Allah commanded him to convey to the people the adhan in these three prayers, would he not convey it? So all Muslims know with certainty, just as they speak, that the adhan for these prayers was not established by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for the Muslims, and therefore the Muslims did not innovate it. They left it as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left it. The examples are many and very many. It is sufficient for you now that we remind you of the validity of this rule with the examples I mentioned earlier. But what is the fruit of reminding of this rule? The fruit of the reminder is that the Muslim does not draw near to Allah by what he finds the people doing, but by what the Master of people, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), was upon. And when that is the case, it is necessary for all Muslims to be aware of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whether it is a Sunnah of action or a Sunnah of omission. I want now to give an example from the reality of the Muslims of how they leave Sunnahs of action and do Sunnahs of omission, turning the truth upside down, as it is said, turning the back to the front. For example, we prayed in this mosque, and in many mosques of this town or the other Islamic lands, and we find the people in their heedlessness, distracted, praying as it happens for one of them. There is a Sunnah with us, and I say it is an obligation, not a conventional Sunnah, an obligation or a mandatory command that the majority of worshippers, and I mean what I say, that most of the worshippers, neglect. I mean what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded and what his noble Companions did. I will limit myself now to two examples so that we can later, if Allah wills, answer some of the questions that are with some of our brothers, and other questions may be in the minds of some of the attendees. I will give you now two examples of Sunnahs of action that the majority of worshippers have turned away from. As for the Sunnahs of omission that the Muslims do, speak of them and there is no harm, for they are in the hundreds, or even thousands, if not millions. The worshipper enters the mosque and prays, whether it is the greeting of the mosque or he stands to pray the Sunnah of the time, the pre-prayer Sunnah. He prays where he is. Where should he pray? He should pray facing a sutrah. He should pray facing a wall, or anything upright in front of him. That is what is called in the language of the Shari'ah a sutrah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is his command. And there is a second command that determines the proximity to this sutrah. Earlier, I saw one of our brothers present in this session, whom I think is one of the supporters of the Sunnah and the followers of the righteous Salaf, approach us to the sutrah, because he knows that he must approach the sutrah. But it did not pass through his ear or his eye like the second hadith, which is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): So he did approach the sutrah, but he missed the actual hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahih that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he stood to pray, would have three cubits between him and the wall. Three cubits between his standing and the sutrah. Another hadith: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when he prostrated, would have the space of a goat's passage between him and the sutrah. So it is not permissible to stick your head to the sutrah, and this is what the brother mentioned earlier did. Rather, he must leave a gap, a space, between him and the sutrah. So today, people are at two opposite extremes. One prays in the middle of the mosque, and between him and the sutrah is the distance of the two easts. Why? Because he is ignorant of the Sunnah. He prays as he found the fathers and grandfathers praying, as it happens. So listen to the saying of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his action, which is a Sunnah of action: Do not pray as it happens. If you pray in the open, it is not permissible to pray in the open, in the desert, as it happens for you. Rather, you must find for yourself a target, a tree, a rock, or a stone protruding from the ground, and pray facing it. All of this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So this is a Sunnah of action that has become, because of the ignorance of the Muslims, a Sunnah of omission. They left it and turned away from it. It was also from the Sunnah of action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and this Sunnah that we will remind you of was, in this town until recently, a Sunnah of omission, and that is the prayer of the two 'Ids in the musalla outside the mosques. They used to, until ten years ago, pray the two 'Ids in the mosques like the Friday prayer and the five daily prayers. Finally, because of the callers to the Sunnah, the majority of worshippers and the Islamic callers knew what they were upon from old. They had killed a Sunnah of action, meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was never known to have prayed the two 'Ids in the mosque, but he used to pray them in the musalla. In the musalla, there is no wall and no sutrah of any kind, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) would order Bilal to stick a staff for him, he would stick it in the ground, and he would pray facing it. This is all established in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and the people are all ignorant of all of this. So you must pay attention to this. When you enter the mosque and you want to pray the greeting or the pre-prayer Sunnah, do not pray like this here in the middle. No, you approach the qibla wall, or a pillar in the mosque, that is fine, or a person praying in front of you, so you take him as a sutrah. So it does not bother some of you, as we have heard that repeatedly and over and over, that all of them turned to the qibla wall, and the others face what? They face those in front of them. The important thing is to pray facing a sutrah. This is the second matter, which is from the Sunnahs of action, that has become, because of the ignorance of the people, a Sunnah of omission. So I admonish you to not be among the heedless, turning away from this Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did and commanded you to do. The other Sunnah, and it is from the oddities of this time, you all know that it is from the Sunnah, if the prayer is one of the loud prayers, when the imam finishes reciting al-Fatihah, it is from the Sunnah that he raises his voice with "Ameen," and likewise that the one behind him says "Ameen." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ranked a very great reward for the "Ameen" of the followers with the imam. He said (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith that was narrated byThe Shaykh : In the two Sahihs, from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you had reflected upon this hadith, you would have found that you are in a very strange and serious error. He (peace be upon him) says: And this matter is on the same scale as his saying: Glory be to Allah, there is no difference between that command and this command. This command says: No one, and praise be to Allah, among the followers should say the takbir before the imam’s takbir, whether it is the takbir of entering prayer, the takbir of moving from bowing to prostration, or anything else. And this, praise be to Allah, is an application of this command: when the imam says takbir, you say takbir. But what is the difference between this command and the first command? Now you find the believers rushing ahead of the imam with "Ameen." Why? Because in their heedlessness, they are negligent; they do not pay attention to the imam’s recitation. They do not wait for him to say: Then they do not let him take a breath to say, after he has finished reciting , to say "Ameen." Rather, they have already rushed ahead of him with "Ameen." What has befallen the Muslims with this rushing? First, they have lost the forgiveness that, if a Muslim had lived the life of Noah (peace be upon him) in obedience to Allah and in the worship of David (peace be upon him), whom our Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) testified was the most worshipful of people, if any human had lived like David, the most worshipful of people, and lived the life of Noah (peace be upon him) to attain the forgiveness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), the price would have been small. So how great is the favor of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) upon the Muslims when He said to them: O worshippers, this is an explanation of the hadith, of course. When He said to the worshippers: Pay attention to your imam’s recitation, and keep your minds and attention on your imam’s recitation. When he finishes reciting , hold yourselves back until you hear your imam begin to say "Ameen," then say "Ameen" with him. For if you say "Ameen" with him, the angels who are in the mosque with you and in the sky, who are also praying behind your imam, will also say "Ameen" with you. So when these "Ameen"s meet, if I may express it so: the imam’s "Ameen," the followers’ "Ameen," and the "Ameen" of the angels brought near to the Lord of the Worlds. So those who rush ahead of the imam with "Ameen" have first lost this forgiveness. If they had stopped at this loss, the calamity would have been less. But they sinned; they fell into sin and committed a transgression. That is because they rushed ahead of the imam, contradicting the command of the Messenger (peace be upon him) who says: Likewise, So whoever rushes ahead of the imam in any of these commands is sinful, by his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Or as he (peace be upon him) said: He is like a dull donkey with no mind or intellect. This is the one who rushes ahead of the imam in his prostration. It is feared that Allah will turn the face of this one who rushes ahead of the imam in prostration into the face of a donkey. So these masses of worshippers who rush ahead of the imam with "Ameen" have lost twice. The first time, they did not obtain the forgiveness of Allah. The second time, they fell into the disobedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Why? Because people in their heedlessness are negligent. Therefore, I say to you, as a reminder and advice: You must know that the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is complete, and there is no room for anyone to add a single act of worship to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust, and to whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) revealed His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): If the Muslims had known the value of this verse, it would have always been firmly fixed in their hearts. And if it had been so, none of them would have dared to say to the scholar, when he warns the Muslim against worshipping and drawing near to Allah by a Turkish sunnah, out of scrupulousness, if the verse were fixed in his heart, to say to the scholar: "My brother, what is the problem? What is the problem!" The problem is that you claim, by your state, even if you do not say it with your words, that the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not advise you, did not convey the trust and the message completely. Otherwise, how can you imagine a worship that you perform and draw near to Allah with, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ... .