You mentioned that mosques in the past were lit with lamps; is this prescribed to bring about humility?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. You mentioned that in the past, the Muslims used to pray in the mosque while it was dark.
The Shaykh : It was not very dark.
The questioner : I mean, there was a lamp.
The Shaykh : A dim lamp.
The questioner : Among some of the people today, some of the imams, I mean, they extinguish the lamp during prayer.
The Shaykh : Once.
The questioner : Once, but not every time. I mean, some light comes in from outside the mosque, so... And actually, Shaykh, I prayed with them and I really found that a person focuses in the prayer. So what is your opinion?
The Shaykh : By Allah, my opinion is that it is not far-fetched. But here is a question: if Allah has made things easy for the Ummah and facilitated the matter, do we say, "Follow the stricter path"?
The questioner : What is stricter, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I am not saying "follow the stricter path." I do not say, "Extinguish the lights and pray without lights," or "Remove the carpets once." But it is not befitting for us to indulge in luxury. Therefore, if someone were to say today, "I prefer to perform wudu and ghusl with cold water," we would say that is incorrect. As long as Allah has made hot water easy for you, use the hot water. But do not let your luxury increase.
The questioner : This, Shaykh, is harmful; cold water can be harmful.
The Shaykh : We are done. We are done. This was a digression; do not attach importance to it. Yes.
The Shaykh : It was not very dark.
The questioner : I mean, there was a lamp.
The Shaykh : A dim lamp.
The questioner : Among some of the people today, some of the imams, I mean, they extinguish the lamp during prayer.
The Shaykh : Once.
The questioner : Once, but not every time. I mean, some light comes in from outside the mosque, so... And actually, Shaykh, I prayed with them and I really found that a person focuses in the prayer. So what is your opinion?
The Shaykh : By Allah, my opinion is that it is not far-fetched. But here is a question: if Allah has made things easy for the Ummah and facilitated the matter, do we say, "Follow the stricter path"?
The questioner : What is stricter, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I am not saying "follow the stricter path." I do not say, "Extinguish the lights and pray without lights," or "Remove the carpets once." But it is not befitting for us to indulge in luxury. Therefore, if someone were to say today, "I prefer to perform wudu and ghusl with cold water," we would say that is incorrect. As long as Allah has made hot water easy for you, use the hot water. But do not let your luxury increase.
The questioner : This, Shaykh, is harmful; cold water can be harmful.
The Shaykh : We are done. We are done. This was a digression; do not attach importance to it. Yes.