Explanation of the Book of Prayer-12
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The Shaykh : He said "From A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) forbade a man from praying while standing with his hands on his hips". We say, peace and blessings be upon him...
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Here, how?
The student: From Abu Hurayrah.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, from Abu Hurayrah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Some people say "peace and blessings be upon him and his family" without the preposition, but including the preposition is preferable because it matches the hadith:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1292Hasan (Darussalam) And because "peace and blessings be upon him and his family" without the preposition is a slogan of the Rafidah, so we should avoid their slogans. This is why it confused some people when we say "peace and blessings be upon him and his family." They said, "My brother, how can you say this? This is a slogan of the Rafidah." We said, there is a difference between us and them in both wording and meaning. In wording, what is it? We use the preposition, and they do not. In meaning, they intend by "family" the Family of the House (Ahl al-Bayt), while we intend by "family" all the followers.
"Jami` at-Tirmidhi 383Sahih (Darussalam) Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the wording is from Muslim. Its meaning is that he places his hand on his waist.
And in al-Bukhari, it is narrated from A'ishah that this was the practice of the Jews in their prayer"
He says: Prohibition is the demand to refrain from an act with a sense of superiority. Is it an act or an omission? We say that as for the intention of the heart, it is an act, because the heart intends to refrain. But as for the limbs, what is it? It is an omission. Pay attention, for this reason it is not appropriate to state that prohibition is an omission, nor is it appropriate to state that complying with a prohibition is an omission. Rather, we say that as for the intention to refrain that occurs in the heart, it is an act, because it is restraining the self. But as for the limbs, it is an omission, meaning non-performance.
Good. And we said "with a sense of superiority." The demand to refrain with a sense of superiority means that the one prohibiting feels that he is above the one being prohibited, above the one being prohibited without arrogance, but above the one being prohibited without arrogance. This excludes the case where one prohibits something with humility, in which case it becomes a supplication, like our saying[Al-Baqarah 2:286] The negative particle "la" has no issue, but in this context, which is a context of humility, it is not correct to say that it is a prohibition, because a person cannot direct a prohibition to someone above him, especially when it is between the Creator and the created. Good. If it is from a person of equal status, they call it a request. A request. This is why you find that even in people's dealings and speech... "Oh so-and-so, do such and such without an order," or "do not do such and such without an order." They distinguish between superiority and other cases. If it is from an equal, what do the rhetoricians call it?
The student: A request.
The Shaykh : A request. And if it is from a lower to a higher, it is a supplication and a request. And if it is from a higher to a lower?
The student: Then it is a prohibition.
The Shaykh : Then it is a prohibition. Good. Does prohibition imply prohibition (haram) or does it imply dislike (makruh)? We have previously said something beneficial, which is that it implies compliance. It implies compliance whether it is for prohibition or for dislike. It is not our right to say whether it is for dislike or for prohibition, because our predecessors among the Companions did not say, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prohibited something, "Is it for prohibition or for dislike?" Rather, their statement was to say, "We hear and we obey." But if a person is involved in transgression, then there is no harm in asking, because if it is for prohibition, he must repent from it, and if it is for dislike, repentance is not obligatory, because the one who does a disliked act does not commit a sin. So at that time, we say: if you hear Allah the Exalted prohibiting something, or you hear the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prohibiting something, what is your position, and you are a following servant? What is your position?
The student: Avoidance.
The Shaykh : That we avoid it, that we avoid it. And by that, the conscience is safe, and the person is safe from being negligent. This is a very important point in the station of servitude, because even among people, some with others, if the master says to his slave, "Oh so-and-so, do not open the door," is it proper etiquette to say, "My master, did you prohibit me with a prohibition of prevention or a prohibition of discipline?" The answer is absolutely not; it is not proper etiquette. Rather, if the slave said this to his master, it would be considered a bad character trait and he would be punished for it. And rather, does prohibition imply prohibition (haram)? As for acts of worship, we have finished with that and said the position of the servant regarding that is what?
The student: Avoidance.
The Shaykh : That he avoids it and says, "We hear and we obey." But from the perspective of the ruling, some said that the original ruling of prohibition is prohibition (haram). The original ruling of prohibition is prohibition (haram), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1337b And some said the original ruling of prohibition is dislike (makruh). And some detailed the issue and said: as for what relates to etiquette, it is for dislike, and as for what relates to acts of worship, the prohibition is for prohibition (haram). This is closer to being regulated, because we see that many of the prohibited things, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) agree that they are for dislike, or most of them hold that they are for dislike, so the rule is not regulated. The rule is not regulated, but the closest to being regulated is to say: what is for acts of worship, the prohibition in it is for prohibition (haram), because Allah does not prohibit something unless He is not pleased with it. He is not pleased for His servants to worship Him with it. And what is of the etiquettes among people, and nobility and morals, it is for dislike. This is a good detail and it is the closest of the three opinions. The time for questions has come, do we ask now or do we proceed?
The questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : Yes, Salim?
The student: May Allah forgive you.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Here, how?
The student: From Abu Hurayrah.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, from Abu Hurayrah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Some people say "peace and blessings be upon him and his family" without the preposition, but including the preposition is preferable because it matches the hadith:
Alahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad (O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad)
اللهم صلّ على محمّد وعلى آل محمّد"
The Prophet (S) prohibited than a man to pray with his hands on his hip.
نهى أن يصلّي الرّجل مختصراAnd in al-Bukhari, it is narrated from A'ishah that this was the practice of the Jews in their prayer"
He says:
He forbade.
نهىGood. And we said "with a sense of superiority." The demand to refrain with a sense of superiority means that the one prohibiting feels that he is above the one being prohibited, above the one being prohibited without arrogance, but above the one being prohibited without arrogance. This excludes the case where one prohibits something with humility, in which case it becomes a supplication, like our saying
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
ربّنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأناThe student: A request.
The Shaykh : A request. And if it is from a lower to a higher, it is a supplication and a request. And if it is from a higher to a lower?
The student: Then it is a prohibition.
The Shaykh : Then it is a prohibition. Good. Does prohibition imply prohibition (haram) or does it imply dislike (makruh)? We have previously said something beneficial, which is that it implies compliance. It implies compliance whether it is for prohibition or for dislike. It is not our right to say whether it is for dislike or for prohibition, because our predecessors among the Companions did not say, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prohibited something, "Is it for prohibition or for dislike?" Rather, their statement was to say, "We hear and we obey." But if a person is involved in transgression, then there is no harm in asking, because if it is for prohibition, he must repent from it, and if it is for dislike, repentance is not obligatory, because the one who does a disliked act does not commit a sin. So at that time, we say: if you hear Allah the Exalted prohibiting something, or you hear the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prohibiting something, what is your position, and you are a following servant? What is your position?
The student: Avoidance.
The Shaykh : That we avoid it, that we avoid it. And by that, the conscience is safe, and the person is safe from being negligent. This is a very important point in the station of servitude, because even among people, some with others, if the master says to his slave, "Oh so-and-so, do not open the door," is it proper etiquette to say, "My master, did you prohibit me with a prohibition of prevention or a prohibition of discipline?" The answer is absolutely not; it is not proper etiquette. Rather, if the slave said this to his master, it would be considered a bad character trait and he would be punished for it. And rather, does prohibition imply prohibition (haram)? As for acts of worship, we have finished with that and said the position of the servant regarding that is what?
The student: Avoidance.
The Shaykh : That he avoids it and says, "We hear and we obey." But from the perspective of the ruling, some said that the original ruling of prohibition is prohibition (haram). The original ruling of prohibition is prohibition (haram), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Avoid that which I forbid you to do
ما نهيتكم عنه فاجتنبوهThe questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : Yes, Salim?
The student: May Allah forgive you.