Path of the Steadfast

Resemblance is in one of two ways. Either one thing can resemble another in an identical way, like humans. Humans are similar to each other in many many many ways. Then there is another way of being similar, like a human and a table. A human has a height and the table has a height, they would be different heights but they both have height. They can both be grabbed, one can grab a table and one can grab a human.  So a human would have similarities with a table in some ways, and with other humans in many many ways. This āyah negates similarities in some ways or most ways. The verse negates both, so that it means Allāh is not similar to anything in any way. So this verse is the one the scholars said is the most explicit and clear in clearing Allāh from resembling the creation. We use this verse as a base for our belief in Allāh and for us to say that Allāh has no similar, He is not like anything, and He Exists without a place, for example. Everything else exists in a place. So if someone said Allāh Exists in a place, then they would be giving Allah a similar, and they would be negating the verse. So we use this verse as a proof for our belief in Allāh.

Faatih Institute: This week we talk about the merits of the great companion, ^Abdullāh ibn al-Abbās.

Learn the Religious knowledge so that you can apply.

The Messenger of Allāh, ﷺ, said: من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستّا من شوال كان كصام الدهر (( Whoever fasts Ramadān and follows it with six days of Shawwāl, it is as if he fasted the whole year.)) It is sufficient to fast any six days of Shawwāl, whether separated or continuously. What is best is to fast the six days continuously. The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ emphasized the greatness of such a deed and encouraged it through his words, so be keen to perform it.

^Eidul-Fiťr Mubārak! May Allaah accept our deeds that we completed in the blessed month of Ramaďān and grant us the energy and motivation to be consistent in those deeds for the next year and for our entire lives. May Allaah grant us a happy and blessed ^Eid. آمين ^Eid is a joyous occasion so celebrate it with Muslim friends and family in all the ways that are good and beneficial, and do not forget your fellow converts as well, who may not have family to celebrate with. Be kind, generous and gracious, and do your best to emulate the Prophet ﷺ every day starting from now. Make sure to include in your du^aa' the Muslims around the world.

It is recommended to say the takbīr during ^Eidul-Fiťr, and more heavily emphasized to say than for ^Eidul-AďHā. Its time starts from the maghrib preceeding the day of ^Eid, and lasts until the Imām comes to perform the ^Eid prayer. It is sufficient to say "Allāhu 'akbar," however there are particular forms of it commonly known among the Muslims worldwide. Among them is this.

The ^Eid prayer, according to the Shāfi^iyy school, is a heavily emphasized recommendation (sunnah mu'akkadah). It is generally the best recommended prayer. Neglecting to perform the prayer is disliked, but not sinful. It is recommended for men, women, children, travellers, and residents. It is comprised of two cycles, and this is by consensus. The time of the ^Eid prayer starts at sunrise (i.e the end of the Fajr Prayer) and lasts until the sun is in the middle of the sky. The best time is to commence the Prayer 20 minutes after sunrise. It is recommended for the person who misses the ^Eid prayer to make it up. What is recommended for the general public is to come early and take their places. As for the Imām, for ^Eidul-Fiťr it is better for him to delay coming to the prayer to give people more time to pay az-Zakāh. The prayer of ^Eid can be prayed in congregation, and the reward is much greater. If someone misses it, then he can pray it by hisself. It is sunnah for one to make Ghusl prior to the ^Eid Prayer, then to wear the new & nice clothes. Especially the white clothes, because the Prophet (ﷺ) said which means: (("Wear the white clothes, because this is the best of our clothes.")) It is also recommended to walk to the Mosque for the ^Eid Prayer, because the Angels of Allāh will make du^ā' for this person.  For ^Eidul-Fiťr, it is recommended for a person to eat before you leave for the prayer. After the ^Eid prayer it is recommended to give two speeches. The Imām says the takbīr 9 times in the first speech, & 7 times in the second speech. How the ^Eid prayer is performed: It is sufficient to pray two regular cycles, but what is best is to pray in a specific format as mentioned in the Religion. It has the same integrals, conditions and invalidators as the regular prayers, and recommendations. Some additional recommendations are in the complete format. Its general format is the following: 1. One has the intention: “I intend to pray 2 rak^ahs (cycles) of the sunnah of ^Eidul-Fiťr or ^Eidul-AďHā prayer for the sake of Allāh." "As an Imām" for the Imām or “in congregation” for the follower. 2. At the same time as the intention, one says the opening takbīr: Allāhu 'akbar. One can then recite du^ā'ul-iftitāH. 3. Then one says: Allāhu 'akbar 7 times. Between each, one says: subHānallāh, wal-Hamdulillāh, wa lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar. 4. Then one recites Al-FātiHah. 5. Then one recites Sūrat Qāf or Al-A^lā. 6. Then one makes rukū^ (Bowing). 7. Then one makes I^tidāl (Straightening up). 8. Then one makes 2 sujūds (Prostration). 9. Then one stands up for the second rak^ah saying Allāhu 'akbar. 10. Then one says: Allāhu 'akbar 5 times. Between each, one says: subHānallāh, wal-Hamdulillāh, wa lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar. 11. Then one recites Al-FātiHah. 12. Then one recites Surat Al-Qamar or Al-Ghāshiyah. 13. Then one makes Ruku^ (Bowing). 14. Then one makes I^tidāl  (Straightening up). 15. Then one makes 2 Sujuds (Prostration). 16. Then one recites the Tashahhud. 17. The one says the šalāh ^alā Ibrāhīmiyyah, the minimum of which is: Allahumma salli ^ala Muhammad. 18. Then one says the closing salām: As-salamu ^alaykum.

Know, also, that there are five days in which it is sinful and invalid to fast: the two ^Eids, the three days of tashrīq. This is in all cases, whether the fast is an obligation, expiation, or recommendation.