#questionsonislam

The institutions that function based on the system of profit and loss are permissible because our religion regards them as commercial institutions. Money can be invested in those institutions and the profit share given by them is halal (legitimate).

Interest-free finance houses

Interest-free Finance Houses usually carry out the transaction of murabaha (selling on profit) due to the special conditions of Turkey. The term murabaha means buying goods at cash price and selling them at deferred payment price. When the private finance house determines the deferred payment price, it takes some criteria into consideration; among those criteria are inflation, the probable yield of the money in the market when it is invested in other instruments, and some other things… The finance house has to meet the expectations of its shareholders that invest money (the holders of profit and loss accounts). A shareholder (account holder) that invests money with the expectation of profit will withdraw his money if he cannot even receive the inflation difference, that is, the value loss caused by inflation, and the finance house will be unable to operate. It is not enough to compensate the inflation difference; it is also necessary to give some real profit. Since the deferred payment price is arranged based on those necessities, it sometimes becomes a bit lower than the bank interest rates and sometimes more than the bank interest rates. However, it is not possible to say that the transaction is illegitimate only by taking that state (that is, the fact that the profit and the interest rates are close to or different from each other) into consideration. In general, the profit in legitimate trade and the sector of industry is like that; sometimes it becomes equal to interest rate, and sometimes it can be different.

Trade is carried out by buying and selling goods in return for a price. Private Finance houses do the same things in the transaction of murabaha. The buying and selling take place in two forms:

a) The finance house appoints its employee to get the goods and to deliver them to the customer; the invoices are issued in compliance with that transaction (two invoices are issued: one by the seller and one by the finance house).

b) The finance house gives the customer who wants to buy goods (according to some questions the person who wants to use funds) written authority to buy goods; the customer buys the goods on behalf of the finance house and the invoice is issued to the finance house; the customer receives the goods on behalf of the finance house and transports it to the place where the finance house wants (it may be his own store or shop); then he buys the goods from the finance house as the customer; this time the finance house issues the invoice to him.

Both transactions are in compliance with fiqh (Islam). It is necessary to know the intention of the parties in order to call it cheating; if the aim is to give/take credit with interest, it is called cheating; if the aim is to really sell goods through deferred payment sale (if the goods are really bought and sold), it cannot be called cheating.

Private finance houses have two more transactions that are nearer to interest-free system – in terms of their economic and social effects - : mudaraba and musharaka.

In mudaraba, a partnership based on the capital from the finance house and the project and administration (labor, enterprise) from the other party is established. Profit is shared in accordance with the contract. The share of the finance house is shared between the bank and the participation account holders that invested in the finance house. If the enterprise suffers a loss, the finance house and the account holders undertake the loss.

In musharaka, partnership of capital is present; an entrepreneur that has some capital but needs some more asks the finance house to add some capital and become partners; a contract is made; the profit is shared in accordance with the contract and the loss is shared depending on the rate of capital. Interest-free banking has many other transactions and services like financial leasing, lending without interest, money transfer, collection of revenues, etc.

In the private finance houses, mudaraba and musharaka are carried out less in comparison to murabaha. Among the reasons why they are carried out less are the impatience of account holders, the expectation of profit without taking risks, the fact that accounts of the companies are partly off the book, lack of reliance and trust caused by the weakening of the consciousness and feelings of trust, keeping promises, loyalty and haram-halal. The better we, Muslims, get in terms of quantity and quality, the better our institutions will be.

Note: We recommend youto read the following views about the issue too.

Private Finance Houses (Participation Banks) and Prohibition of Interest

Private Finance Houses are institutions that are not regarded as banks and that accept funds in accordance with Islamic principles and allows using funds, that functions based on profit-loss partnership instead of interest for the methods of making use of savings and providing loans. The institutions that are named as “Islamic bank”s in the world are called Finance Houses in Turkey.

The fact that the population of Muslims who regard interest as haram have reached a great number in the West have increased the number Islamic finance institutions and caused the other banks to serve those people with the units that they have established.

“Islamic banking” is the fastest-growing finance sector in the world. Now, more than 200 Islamic finance institutions that are active in the world, direct a fund with an investment size of 200 billion dollars.

Furthermore, some of the banks that have established interest-free banking units within their organization are as follows:

Citibank-USA, Goldman Sachs-USA, HSBC- England, Deutshce Bank-Germany, Union Bank of Switzerland- Switzerland, Amro Bank-Holland, Kleinwort Benson, ANZ Grindlays Australia, United Bank of Kuwait and Arab Banking Corporation.

All of those institutions, which are among the greatest banks in the world, have interest-free banking in their organization. The list of banks that are starting interest-free banking is getting longer day by day.

Key Characteristics of Private Finance Houses:

1- They are interest-free:

The most distinguishing characteristic of those banks is that they do not carry out transactions with interest. That is, they do not pay interest for the funds that they obtain; they do not collect interest from their customers for the funds that they provide their customers with.

After all, the reason why they have been established is to serve the people who do not carry out transactions with interest due to their religious beliefs and to serve the companies of those people. Islam accepts that capital is one of the production factors and that it has a cost. However, it rejects the idea that the capital should demand a pre-determined yield, that is, interest. In other words, it is forbidden to earn money for money.

2- They are trade-related:

The fact that interest is forbidden, trade and profit are legitimate in Islam urges those institutions carry out trade related transactions with their customers. Since money trade is forbidden in Islam, it is necessary to carry out trade of goods in order to earn money.

3- They are equity related:

It is a generally accepted truth that pure Islamic banking includes loss-profit partnership (mudaraba) or capital participation (musharaka).

The capital owner can share the profit with the entrepreneur obtained thanks to his expertise and effort. The rate of the profit, which is the yield of the capital, that is, in what percentages it will be shared is determined beforehand but the amount is not certain.

4- The investments should be ethical:

The investments should be made within the framework of legitimate fields in terms of Islam. In this context, Islamic investments should be environment-friendly, alms-giving, enabling the participation of the community, respectful to humanitarian values, excluding pornography, armament, alcohol and gambling.

Primary products and services of private Finance Houses

1- Mudaraba and Musharaka:

They are the basic methods that form the essence of the Islamic banking in terms of fund using. However, since the yield comes in the long term, those transactions are not used sufficiently. It is indisputable that mudaraba and musharaka are in accordance with Shariah.

2- Leasing Transactions:

In the transaction of leasing, the finance house buys the machinery and equipment, rents it to the customer and collects the price of them in the form of installments. In our opinion, it is outside the prohibition of interest.

3- Murabaha:

In this method, the finance house buys the machinery, etc that the customer needs on behalf of the customer and sells it to the customer by adding some profit to them. The price of the goods is repaid to the finance house by the customer in the form of installments.

It is claimed that murabaha contains covered interest and that it resembles interest rather than commercial profit because it does not contain the risk factor that should be present in normal trade and the yield is predetermined. We do not think that those criticisms are right due to the following reasons:

• Murahaba is a kind of trade that is carried out upon ordering and that kind of trade is widespread in every market.

• The cost plus method used in pricing is a frequently used method in trade. It is completely normal that the seller adds a certain percentage of profit to the cost. That is, the profit margin is predetermined.

• The claim that murabaha does not contain the risk of the normal trade is not true. There exists the risk that the customer may not pay the price just as in the normal trade. It is called market risk or counter-party risk in terminology.

One of the most criticized issues is that the rate in the deferred payment price in murabaha is about the same as the rate of interest of the other banks and therefore it is covered interest.

In our opinion, that criticism is groundless because every merchant in the market has to consider the rate of inflation when he prices the goods for deferred payment. A deferred payment rate under the rate of inflation will inflict a loss on the seller. Similarly, private finance houses have to add a difference to the cost at least equal to the rate of inflation. The rate of inflation is the primary element that determines the rate of interest and it is generally in parallel with the rate of interest. Therefore, it is natural even necessary in terms of economy that the rate of deferred payment and the rate of interest is close to each other.

Therefore, the fact that the deferred payment rate is close to the rate of interest does not make murabaha an interest transaction. As it is explained above, private finance house function in an economy based on interest; it is not possible for the pricing of the funds to be unaffected by the current rates of interest.

Those explanations are also valid for leasing.

4- Buying and Selling Documents in Return for Goods

It is a method of providing funds by Private Finance Houses that form a “grey field”. Documents belonging to an export party realized thorough deferred payment sale are bought from the exporter in return for cash; then, they are sold to the same exporter by adding a difference of deferred payment and the money is collected in the form of installments. For instance, documents having a value of 50 thousand dollars are bought by the finance house from the customer in return for 45 thousand dollars and that amount is paid to the customer at once; simultaneously, the customer sells the documents to the finance house for 50 thousand dollars with deferred payment sale. 5 thousand dollars is the profit of the finance house and the cost of the customer.

It is very difficult to ignore that it is a transaction of discount no matter how good-intentioned you are. As a matter of fact, it can be claimed that those documents represent the goods and that they are tradable goods as in murabaha. However, it is very disputable to regard that defense as valid because the export subject to that transaction is a finished export. The goods have left the Turkish customs and probably have reached the country where the buyer is; at least, they are on the way somewhere outside Turkey. At any rate, the ownership of those goods is not in the exporter. However, the exporter is the debtee and a policy or bond among those documents proves that he has the right to receive the money. The document that the finance house buys and sells back is not the goods but the proof that the customer has the right to receive the money. The deferred debt that the exporter will receive in the future is paid to him now and an amount of money is collected from him. In other words, the customer is sold the time. It is called the time value of the money in finance and it is interest.

A policy or bond that bears the signature of the foreign importer and sometimes also the signature of the guarantor bank is a finance instrument. That document is arranged by the importer as an alternative for cash payment. That is, the importer has arranged a debt document in return for the transfer of the ownership of the goods to him. That bond has two uses:

a- It proves the debt relationship that originates from the foreign trade transaction in question.

b- It enables the exporter to transform the price of the export into cash by discounting it in a bank or finance institution without waiting for the redemption date.

The conclusion to be drawn from it is that the Private Finance House has a structure that is suitable to support exports before shipment not finished exports. The raw materials and intermediate goods to be used in the goods to be exported can be provided for the exporter through murabaha. When the export of ready-made goods is in question, those goods can be sold to the exporter through murabaha.

Pricing Services and Products

We sometimes observe that the services and products presented by Private Finance Houses are expensive and that they discontent and disappoint customers due to the prices higher than those of the commercial banks. Some people put forward that high pricing harms the Islamic characteristic of those institutions and puts them in the same level as banks with interest religiously.

First of all, we should state that high pricing does not transform a sound transaction into a transaction with interest religiously. For instance, a letter of guarantee given by a Private Finance Institution does not have any drawbacks religiously. The commission taken in return for that service is naturally legitimate. The fact that the rate of the commission is high does not turn the transaction of the letter of guarantee into a haram transaction.

However, criticisms stating that the customer is misused in terms of high commission and price that the trust is abused and that the amount taken for the service is high.

On the other hand, excessiveness in pricing can be regarded as an indication that the private finance house works with a high cost or that it carries out a wrong marketing policy.

What determines in which level the commissions and prices are regarded as reasonable is the market conditions and competition. In theory, a private finance house that charges more money than its competitors will fall behind and its market share will decrease. It is the punishment given to that institution by the market. Although what we have stated is true in theory, it is difficult to say that there exists real competition between the private finance houses and commercial banks in terms of customers because what determines the preference of the customer is the religion. The customers of those institutions do not actually go to private finance houses in order to receive cheaper service; the peace and comfort of acting in accordance with Islam plays an important role in preferring the bank that they need for banking services.

Adam Smith is described as the father of economics; he is regarded to have founded the free market economy. His book called “the Wealth of Nations” was published in 1789. The essence of the book is based on this idea: The best thing to do about the economy is not to intervene in the market at all because the market always does the best. That famous idea is expressed with the maxim ‘Let do’ (Laissez fairez). The reason on which Smith bases his ideas is very interesting. He says there is an invisible hand that rules the market; what he means by the invisible hand is God. Were those ideas that are still regarded as the basic doctrine in economy put forward by him for the first time? Let us have a look at the history of Islam to find the answer. In the Age of Bliss (the Era of the Prophet), when people demanded an official fixed price, Hazrat Muhammad brought the principle of not intervening in the prices by any means and said the following as a reason; “Only Allah knows where prices will go.” Those words that describe the system of liberal economy concisely match up with the definition of Smith. It is certain that one of them quoted from the other.

Since our Prophet lived about 11 centuries before Smith, it is clear who quoted from whom. On the other hand, our Prophet objected to liberal economy’s acting like wild capitalism by saying, “Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries.” In addition, practices like zakat (obligatory alms), qard hasan (loan without interest) and sadaqa (voluntary alms) are the new practices of Islam aiming at eliminating injustice in the income distribution. On the other hand, 12-13 centuries had to pass and the community had to undergo unbelievable pains for the West to regard workers as humans.

Trade is the lifeblood of the economic life. In a broad sense, it can even be said that economy=trade. The following hadith of the Prophet of Islam regarding the issue is a clear message: “Be courageous and be involved in trade. Nine out of ten of the sustenance is from trade.” Our Prophet stated that trade had risks but he advised us not to avoid risks. In addition, he expressed a macroeconomic phenomenon that is generally accepted today informing us that almost all of the gross national income originated directly or indirectly from trade both in the country and in the world. However, the Christian clergymen regarded trade and fraud equal until recently and named selling something at a price higher than its cost as theft.

In the holy book of Islam, the Quran, it is ordered that the information about the trade be written and recorded. Thus, Islam showed the way of recording the information and transactions about trade correctly in the books of the companies, which forms one of the essentials of the companies today, and preventing shadow economy, which is the source of many evils. As a matter of fact the contemporary accounting system was started by Arabs for the first time thanks to the decree of the Quran. It took the West several centuries to reach that level in accounting and incorporation.

Islam gives great importance to learning and teaching science and knowledge. It can be said that the issue of education is a duty and responsibility rather than a right. The Messenger of Allah always encouraged his companions to learn science and knowledge. As a matter of fact, many companions did not lose the enthusiasm for science and knowledge; they always showed the determination of learning and practicing what they learned. Among the women of the Age of Bliss, Hazrat Aisha has a different place because Hazrat Aisha was a very intelligent, enlightened and shrewd woman. She corrected the mistakes of many scholars of fiqh since she knew the lifestyle of our Prophet very much. She also explained many hadiths perfectly. She could be called the first woman mujtahid.

We are living in an era in which To look at a woman whom to get marry with is permissible (prohibited to look at) decreases the sensibility of person towards prohibited actions. Especially those who cannot control themselves regard the situation as normal and permissible.

As a result, there occur some shortcomings in the physical and psychological system of a person.

In relation with this issue, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (may God be pleased with him) states as follows.The prohibited glance (looking at what one should not) becomes common among the believers, sexual urge is provoked which results in prodigality because of abasement of the body. Ghusl (full ablution) becomes compulsory for him several times a week and therefore, according to scientists, his memory power weakens.

«Yes, indeed in this day and age, prodigality because of prohibited glance incited by bawdiness, a very common forgetfulness occurs especially in hot climates. More or less everybody is in this complaint. » 1

Prodigality sparking by not lowering the gaze is mostly done through nocturnal emission for the people who are overcome by their sexual desires. And some people fall to this prodigality in various forms. And among them, the masturbation is the most frequent way of seeking fulfillment of their lusts. Before anything else, this abnormal practice is observed among those whose determination is rather weak.

Our Almighty God orders to be virtuous to those who are not able to afford marriage though they are old enough: « Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah gives them means out of His grace. » (Light- En Nur,33). 2

The method that our prophet advises the young people compressed by their evil commanding soul and sensual desires is the best. In this way, he both worships and can make self-control.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, ‘O youth, whoever of you can afford to marry, let him marry, for it spares one looking at what one should not, or lapsing in adultery. And if he cannot afford, let him fast, for it is a shield against evil.’ (Reported by Ibn-i Mesut)

Especially fasting, keeping yourself busy with Islamic and belief issues, keeping contact with the people that keep you away from sins are the best remedies in order to preserve the chastity of a person and not to commit bad deeds. It is because Devil sparks off you to illegitimate ways and your evil commanding soul and desires pressures on you. The most effective solutions so as to abate them are to keep your soul and heart busy with sacred things, and to choose pious friends.

According to majority of the scholars it is not permissible to fulfill your sexual desires with your hand. It is considered Haram. “Those who guard their sexual organs except with their spouses or those whom their right hands possess, for (with regard to them) they are without blame. But those who crave something beyond that are transgressors.” (Al-Mu'mun: 5-7). Commenting on these verses, some scholars of Shafi, Maliki and imam-i Nesefi hold the view that masturbation is unlawful (Haram). 5

They assert that if it was allowed, it would have been given a sample from the life of our prophet. Imam Ahmet bin Hanbel and Ibn-I Hazm regarded semen as an excretion of the body like other excrete, and permitted its expulsion the same way like blood letting is permitted. However Hanbeli jurists gave permission to masturbation under two conditions: first, the fear of lapsing in adultry, and the second is not to be able to afford marriage.

ibn-i Abidin reporting the opinions of Hanef-i School gives some assessments of some scholars concerning this subject. Fakih Ebulleys affirms that I hope it is no sin to relieve sexual desire for a person whose carnality becomes so dominant that it occupies him more than anything else, who is single or can’t be together with his wife for some reasons. However, he will be sinful when he does so just to tempt his sexual appetites. 6

Moreover Shurunbilali being one of the scholars of Hanefi Jurists is of the opinion that masturbation is excusable for an unmarried man to release his tension during the risk of adultery. He gains neither sin nor good deed because of it. But he shall be sinful if it is done merely for the sake of pleasure. (7)

According to common view taken by some scholars, a person facing the danger of lapsing in adultery and therefore resorting to masturbation which is the lesser of two evils can be seen excusable intending not to commit fornication, to avoid haram and save his chastity. On the other hand, making masturbation a habit would be rather bad deed for a reasonable person. Anyway, overdoing it causes the loss of memory and intelligence.

In order not to experience these abnormal circumstances, it is essential to study Islamic works so often, occupy the heart and mind with Islamic services, meditate about sublime things, recall death breaking and souring the worldly pleasures, lower the gaze and not to show inclination towards obscene publications.

1. Kastamonu Lahikasi (Kastamonu Addendum), p. 92.2. Nur Surah, 33.3. Ibni Mâce, Nikâh : 1.4. Mü'minûn Sûrah, 5-6-7.5. Tefsirü'n-Nesefî, 3:114.6. Ibni Âbidin, 2:100, 3 :156.7. Meraku'l-Felâh, p. 57.

Note: we recommend you to read the following writings.

Some Harms of Masturbation:

1) Pshycological Aspects:

1- There occurs some repentance, absent-mindedness and sense of inferiority among the people excessively fond of masturbation. Most of the time a sense of remorse and depression happen after each self indulgence. Recollecting the fact that it is an act being afar from maturity, the people resorting it will develop a sense of inferiority and feel demoralized.

2- Masturbation habit leads to some neurological disorders. Too much irritation trembles on hand and arm, dizziness, sleeplessness, debilitation on backs and feet and tiredness are produced due to masturbation.

3- The habit of masturbation deprives a person of love and affection. Love is basic need for human being therefore the success of sexual intercourse between spouses depends on the mutual affection and passion. Foundation of happiness in marriage is based on love affairs. The sole sexual intercourse of the couples does not bring happiness; by joining in each other through love and passion besides physical contact, they need to become good friends. And yet those who are addicted to masturbation can’t get their shares of love coming out soul’s deepness. It blunts the love of gem.

4- Excessive masturbation brings about weakness of memory, inattention and forgetfulness. Memorization becomes more difficult for person too much addictive of it. They forget easily what they have memorized. They lack full concentration while studying a subject. They can’t work out easily what they read. For this reason the students excessively devoted to it have difficulty with their lessons. Considering sperm is not ejected through masturbation, the children who are yet to reach puberty are not so much adversely affected as the adults do; nevertheless overdoing it prevents mental development and causes concussion of the brain and neurological trauma.

5- Lust dreams and sensual fancies of those occupying themselves with onanism escalate. Once lying on the bed, the young person who is used to making masturbation keeps his conscious busy with groundless sexual dreams. Hence he both gets more accustomed to it and can’t think of good deeds anymore.

2- Phsical, Sexual and Social Harms of Over Masturbation:

Usually men do it with their hands. They rarely do it in the form of rubbing on pillow or bed. Different types of devices are put on sale just following the pornography was released free in the western. Designed to exploit people materially, these devices triggers depression on the people using them. Sexology recommends abstaining from those types of habits.

Onanism drives man to extreme. As a matter of fact masturbation never fulfills his sexual urge, nor gives satisfaction or contentment. Leaving his lusts unsatisfied, it drives him wild and sparks more. Hence, sensual desires of those who continue it become gradually intensified and thereby they go beyond the bounds. And this boosts its harms. Excessive sexual intercourse is harmful and yet over masturbation is more hazardous.

Too much onanism can lead to various ailments and sufferings. Even though it is not giving rise to disease directly, it indirectly brings on them. It is because that frequent masturbation causing a great deal loss of blood which in return decreases the natural resistance of the body brings about some sorts of complaints and disorders.

The onanism addictives can not luxuriate from sexual intercourse. Those who are exteremely used to doing it don’t place the necessary emphasize on sexual intercourse with his spouse. They can’t take much pleasure out of it. This condition might be observed in men and women both of whom are fond of masturbation. Because both are hooked on this practice, they can’t be satisfied with the intercourse that they have with their spouses. Masturbation attracts them more. They don’t hesitate practicing it following the sexual intercourse.

Masturbation can’t give, even one out of ten, the delight of sexual intercourse; despite this, it may still be an affliction for the youth. Compared masturbation with intercourse, the former is dunghill and the latter is rose garden. The All-Knowing God creating both women and men has kneaded them with an art and so skillfully that the pleasure taken during the sexual intercourse can’t be satisfied with any other artificial form.

As a result of self-indulgence, the body gets exhausted and stress occurs. Nevertheless, a successful sexual act enables the body to rest and refresh the soul. Since intercourse contain some mutual affection, passion, excitement and certain forms of chemical electricity interchanges. Lacking all of these, masturbation also ousts precious chemicals from the body. Consequently, there appear depression and tiredness in lieu of freshness.

Including urinogenital disorders and other disturbances, the act of masturbation causes incontinence being one of the most frequently encountered complaints of men throughout marriage life. Premature ejaculation means coming too quickly of the sperm during penetration. Rapid climax of man leaves woman unsatisfied. If this condition goes on, it brings forth uneasiness between the married couples. There are several factors for premature climax and onanism is among the leading causes. One cure of getting rid of it is to quit masturbation.

Over masturbation practice may result in sexual frigidity for the women. Frigidity is that woman does not get pleasure from intercourse and her unwillingness for it. One of the various causes of this frigidity is masturbation habit.

The strange point concerning this matter is that these people maintain this addiction even after marriage. They don’t pay attention to their spouses during the sexual acts being one of the most crucial marriage responsibilities. In the end, married couples lose their love to each other. The people enjoying to release their sexual lust by themselves prefer solitary places, always wish to be alone and play this bad game whenever they find opportunity.

The girls who masturbate by inserting some sorts of devices into their vagina might deflower their virginity. In medicine history, many cases were frequently observed for some substances remain inside and in turn necessitate surgical operation. Some masturbation addictive young people cause other people to practice it as well. On top of their practicing this vile act, they bring on this malady to spread among many children and young people of the society.

A further detriment of masturbation is that married couples don’t nourish prurience and abhor each other inasmuch as the masturbation-addictive person fulfills his sexual lusts with other means. That means, they can’t find their expectations from each other and as a result they are disappointed. They fall out with each other and search for other satisfaction means. They might pursue illegitimate ways.

The truth concerning masturbation revealed by the scientists after a long research is that those continuing excessive masturbation are liable to develop hazardous mental illnesses. These are as follows: forgetfulness, weak determination, dysmnesia, preference for solitude, anxiety, being sorrowful, envisaging committing some sorts of crimes, suicide.

Likewise a certain number of attributes and bad habits that assault some perceptions impoverish the willpower, damage personality.

As regards to the decrees on masturbation ruled by Islamic law considering evil outcomes of masturbation, the following verses confirm this.

a) The Almighty God decrees that:

“Those who guard their sexual organs except with their spouses or those whom their right hands posses, for they are without blame. But those who crave something beyond that are transgressors.’’ (Mü'minun: 6-7)

The overall message of this verse is that “those who crave something beyond that are transgressors.”

In that case fulfillment of sexual desires outside the framework of marriage and such extremes and repulsivenesses as committing adultery, homosexuality and masturbating with hand mean transgressing the boundaries.

The Cures to Abandon Masturbation

A) Getting married when reaching adolescence

This is the sharpest treatment to curb this vile habit. At the same time, it is the most natural remedy.

B) Voluntary Fasting

If there are some hurdles for not being able to marry at an early age, Islam advises the people who can’t afford marriage to fast. Because fasting curbs the density of sexual appetite, lessens lust, lowers sensual feelings; at the same time it both consolidates and inspires the thought that God Almighty is always watching him. It reminds the fear of God with respect. With regard to this issue, our Prophet is reported to have said that “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guards his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual desire.“ Bukhari: 5066

C) Shunning the Places and Publications Tempting Sexual Thoughts In the present time our society is bombarded with a plenty of spoiled, dirty and non-ethical presses and publications that degenerate morals of the youngsters. It is certain that this young human will get lost in quagmire, deviate from the true path, become deeply perplexed should he is inclined to those disgraceful mischief. His morality erodes, goes astray, becomes like a wild or tiro animal unaware of where it is heading to or what it is doing.

In that case, the responsibility of the educators is to give them advices, to work hard in order to provide them with the essential means that will warn and discourage them from doing so. This liability should be undertaken not only by the educators but also by everyone taking on the obligation to educate them. They must often indoctrinate them with the fact that looking at half naked woman, girls walking flirtatiously, females displaying their fleshes; reading magazines and novels arousing sexual sensations; listening to musical instruments and songs drawing our feelings into temptation and sensuality all keep us busy with superfluous fancies in the place of serious matters.

It is because that these publications ruin morals, impoverish the memory power, tempt sexual urges and spoil the personality.

D) Using One’s Available Leisure Time in Beneficial Activities

According to educators, once a young is sitting idle and not engaged in something, they will be lost in devastating thoughts and dream of fantasies; ponder over sexual issues. As a result, if he has reached adulthood then his concupiscence will inevitably arise. At this point, failing to find other means so as to gratify his lust, he will be apt to masturbation and maintain it. Since he can only tranquilize the fierceness of his sexual appetite through masturbation.

Then what should we do in order to prevent them from these dreams and fantasies and what might be the reasonable treatments for them? The possible cures can be as follows:

First of all, we should instruct the teenagers about how to utilize from time, and how to make good use of the free time to a great extend.

In order to take advantage of free time, there are lots of worthwhile books, periodicals, and magazines and so forth. Besides, it should be instilled them on condition that they are accompanied with reliable and pious friends, they should make some healthy and useful sports strengthening body, making stronger the muscles and so on. Moreover, getting used to reading very beneficial books enhances their knowledge and broadens their horizons. In addition to it, we should not neglect of encouraging them to learn some handworks, handicrafts, letting them attend religious lessons and conversations improving morals.

Apart from these, we should pay significant care to urge them spending their time on activities that will clear and foster their minds, purify their souls, exalt the moral of them. In order to realize these objectives, it is beneficial to occupy the mind always with sublime matters, intensify the mind, heart and sensations with positive and efficient studies, always bearing in mind the goal of creation, reasoning the meaning of death and life, directing all time and energy into activities that leave no room for evil thoughts, getting them accustomed to helpful hobbies and habits.

E) Selecting Decent, Well-Mannered and Amicable Companions

One of the points that educators should concentrate on is that they are to seek and select well-behaved, pious friends for the young children who have just reached to adulthood. These friends remind them when they deviate away from the right path, guard them from erring; they abet his friends when they try to remain good; they solace them and consolidate their determinations when they face with a calamity.

It might be complained about that friends with these qualities are very rare, especially in our present time they are so few that one can count them on the fingers of his hand. Unfortunately that is the case, and yet it is possible to find these few fellows in almost everywhere, they are recognized through their faces, they have prostration signs over their foreheads; they are distinguished from the rest of the persons thanks to their virtuous manners.

Then it would be very nice for a youngster to find these companions and establish friendships with them. By this means, they assist him against dissipation and corruption of the life, constitute a community worthy of telling secret.

Without any doubt a man is upon the religion of his friend. A friend imitates his close companion in many respects. The birds only join in the bird groups similar to each other in shape. Our prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "The man is upon the religion of his friend. So each one of you should look carefully at the one he has taken as a friend. “(Tirmizi)

It is a well known fact that the person adopting the company of immoral, sinful, rebellious and mischievous people will be eventually perverted by them, be dragged into swamps and deep holes, they constitute friendships with him only for the sake of self interests, they come close with him by reason of worldly benefits.

Therefore our youth should stay away from such wicked friends, abstain from forming friendships with evil humans. What a happiness it is to find a pious companion, a righteous community! A friendship is like as a means for happiness in this world and hereafter, a cause to be saved in the next world. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said in the Noble Book:

"Friends on that day will be foes, one to another,- except the Righteous. ” (Zuhruf: 67.)

F-Scholarly and Religious Deeds for Treatment

1-Profitable and serious books should be read instead of the unnecessary works stimulating lust. The feelings and thoughts of a person are affected more or less with books he reads. To illustrate, should a person keep on reading about epic works for a while, he will develop some heroic sensations. There arouses an inclination within a man reading ethical works towards obeying morality principles. Reading romances, a man feels like falling in love.

2- Tightfitting pants or shorts should be avoided. The dresses so tight that put pressure on their sexual parts stir sexual wishes. This urges the young to masturbation. After all, narrow garments disturb and cause some troublesome to him. Those who are careful with their healthiness should not wear very tightfitting dresses.

3- Hairs of private parts should be shaved within two or three weeks or at least once a month. Otherwise there occurs some itches as a result of their growing.

4- Keep your legs apart as much as possible. Since if sexual organ not squeezed, lust can be taken under control more easily.

5-If any need for micturate arises while sleeping, it should be discharged as quick as possible. When urine waits to be discharged, the sensual desires arouse together with it. In this case, any masturbation wish might be provoked for the youngster. Then, becoming quick to wake up and discharging urine is a judicious precaution.

6- When lust is incited and any masturbation inclination arises, a good cure to tranquilize it is to wash the sexual organ with cold water thoroughly.

Going into the bathroom for taking a bath, the adults are facing with masturbation danger many times as the conditions are much convenient there. The best solution, here, to overcome this peril is firstly to wash the parts below the waist immediately, even to have a shower with cold water if possible. Thereafter, you should follow the necessary steps for taking bath. Reproduction parts should not be touched before these precautions. Though not being a problem for those who are able to predominate their carnalities, the people defeated by their sexual desires must be careful with these matters.

Now and then an ache happens-most probably due to over concentration of the blood- on the groin parts of the young people when they run across with a condition which highly sparks their lusts. This pain sometimes becomes so intense that it renders walking difficult. In this situation if ejaculation is done, the suffering disappears; but that is not necessary. If groin parts exposed to cold water or a bath taken, this trouble will fade out automatically within a few hours.

7- Occupy yourself with a work, do not become aimless and idle. In general, the fondest of masturbation are the people having nothing or little to do.

8- Engaging in sport activities. Every young person should absolutely do at least one sport appropriate to him. Watching football match is not a sport.

9- It would be better not to eat much the lust-enhancing foods such as hazelnut, pistachio nut, chocolate, banana and so on during bachelorhood years.

10- Stay away from sexually inciting talking. Unfortunately! Majority of the teenagers and adults are curious about sexual conversations. Therefore their private parts always attract them. Despite everything, the topics tempting sexuality should be ousted.

11- The unmarried people unable to abandon masturbation at all should get married when they grow up and can afford it. Nevertheless, they should give up this vile habit without fail after getting married. Marriage is basic, however carrying out the requirements is difficult.

G) From the Family Aspect

1- Having continued to act of masturbation during bachelorhood years, the people should give the required importance to sexual life in their marriages and should absolutely quit it. It is a well known fact that some don’t attach importance to the sexual needs of their mates on the grounds that they go on practicing masturbation even in their marriage lives. No matter if it may be woman or man, continuation the act of onanism after marriage is completely abnormal and imposes a great danger to the happiness of family happiness.

2- It should be conceived by the people who masturbated excessively before marriage that it is doltishness to waste their times in midden while there is flower garden waiting for them.

3- Preventive guides should be provided with the children who are yet in puberty. As the stage to be fallen into masturbation trap mostly begins at puberty, it is essential to offer them aidful recommendations and not to let them remain ignorant of such points. But these matters are so delicate. These instructions should not be in the quality that will incite sexual passions but should be intended merely for informing purposes that will secure them against all evil and harmful sexual factors. And its basement should rely on Islamic bringing up the child.

4-Don’t give free rein to children, and be cautious with their friends with whom they are keeping company. Since the wicked habits like masturbation are largely infected by the mischievous children around them.

5- Those compulsorily spending their time in hospitals or prisons should comprehend that it is no use of masturbation but to distress them more. It is acknowledged that masturbation causes grief and boredom on the human psychology. Then, the already sad people should flee from intensifying their troubles and worries more.

6- The adults should be inculcated about the harms and ways for protection against masturbation by obeying the realities. On condition you don’t frighten and dismay them much, you should teach them the important truths regarding masturbation in scholarly and moral qualities. Mostly this is incumbent on doctors and educators.

H) Religious and Spiritual Curatives

1-That masturbating is a sin and subject to divine penalty unless complusory cases should be realized.

2-It is a virtue for a man to make his spiritual side sounder by being a bit more patient and as a result overcoming the passion for masturbation instead of declining his spirituality by practicing masturbation which leads astray.

3- Considering that fasting plays a great role in cooling down the sensual sensations, sometimes it is possible to avoid the practice of masturbation by the virtue of fasting. Thus, it can be acquired both the merit fasting and repulsing onanism.

4-While misbehaving by masturbating, it should not be forgotten that our behaviors are being watched by God Almighty and Angels; unless we are compelled, it should be felt the shame of being seen by them in this state.

There exists no certain treatment for masturbation except for marriage. However, concerning this matter having a good grasp of facts and abiding by the protective cures, one can restrain himself from it. Hence domination over your willpower and sexual senses is the first stipulation.

In conclusion masturbation is such a bad habit that the more you keep it doing, the more it hooks you, and once relinquished its evilness declines. Not practicing it at all is the sole and the most ideal recommendation. The masturbations practiced at a push involuntarily should not reach such extend to prevent wet dreams occurring in between some weeks. As the natural and healthy way of releasing sexual tension is indigenous wet dreams happening at regular intervals during bachelorhood years.

I) Learning Scientific Advises, Using Preventive Medicine

One of the points that the doctors persistently emphasize in order to lessen the affect of stimulation and to stop lust is to abide by the following suggestions:

1-Increase having cold baths in summer and pour cold water on the reproductive organs frequently in other seasons2-Engage in sports and persistently pay special attention to physical exercises3-Abstain from spices and all types of food that incite the sexual drive 4-Give up or cut down on the invigorating beverages such as tea, coffee and so forth5- Reduce intake of meat and eggs to a minimum6-Do not lie down on your stomach or flat on the back. Instead lie on your right side turning to qiplah (direction of Mecca) in compliance with Sunnah.

J) Fear of Allah Almighty

It is beyond doubt that a man will take account of his every act, will fear omission of a duty or a service, of being transgressor or going astray, if he thinks of that Allah is always watching him and is aware of everything that he does, no matter if they are apparent or hidden. If the idea is rooted in a person that The Almighty God is constantly watching him, Allah will call him to account because of his sins, going beyond the boundaries, He will punish him due to his disobedience then he will, without any doubt, shun all kinds of destroying acts, misbehaviors and perversities.

As known, it will increase the fear of Allah, amplify the respect and love of Allah that attending the gatherings in which Allah is eulogized, enduring compulsory and voluntary prayers, rising in the latter portion of the night for the night prayer (tahajjud Salah) while the rest are asleep, performing optional fasts, listening to the chronicles, services, manners and virtues of the companions of our prophet, making friendship with the eximious people, keeping contact with the righteous, remembering the death and the next world. Also, these considerations let him know that He is absolute Watcher and by these meanings, man will be more conscious and cautious before Him.

Then what is worthy of a faithful young is: To follow the right path by strengthening the conviction that Allah is always supervising him, to root in his heart fear, love and respect of Allah. In order that, lots of trivial things do not divert him from the destination to which he is heading. He is not assaulted by the deceptive, seductive amusements of the world. Hence he should take as guidance the following two orders of Allah:

The most important reason of uneasiness, depression and stress is explained to us with the following beautiful expression: “if something is not employed in its ‘ma wudia lah’, it becomes subject to lethargy and does not show any activeness.” (Sünuhat)

“Ma wudia lah” means the reason of something’s creation. The reason of eye’s creation is seeing. If you used it to check tastes of things, you would harm it and become sick.

People who use their all senses and feelings within the permitted limits and on the straight way lead a kind of heavenly life on earth too.

The souls of people, who prepare themselves for the endless bliss of the eternal life and consider this worldly life a play and entertainment as they drew lessons from the Quran, are firm and safe against all kinds of troubles. If they are supposed to play the role of a poor person on the stage of the world, they do their best. They can writhe very well when they are sick. They shed tears in tragedy. However, since they do not forget that they are in a play, both their sadness and happiness are quite limited, as much as the play requires.

Attention of those who consider the world a play and an entertainment is towards the afterlife. Their efforts are for that place. Both punishment and happiness in that place are endless… One who is aware of it and says “We are His slaves, our life, death, body, soul, position, place, and in short our everything are for deserving His content” does not drown in the worldly life’s temporary hardships.

He knows that he is limited, like everything of his is and he does not take on limitless sorrows; he does not make them his burden. He entrusts his friends to Allah, who is the owner of endless mercy and kindness, and he submits his enemies again to the Owner of Infinite Just.

He regards both his soul and body as things entrusted to him; he neither oppresses them nor lets them be oppressed by others. Yet, he takes refuge in his Lord in situations which exceed his power and capability so that he can pass the test easily. Eventually, he becomes peaceful by consenting to His decision. Instead of fearing world, people in world and troubles of this world, he fears the Creator of them and seeks refuge in him. “Whoever fears Allah becomes freed from gloomy and troublesome fearing of others.” The Words

Just like all goodness, the peace of heart is also in His power. If we believe in it absolutely, we will be freed from knocking at others’ doors and find all goodness at our Lord’s door of mercy.

And a Quranic prescription by the Scholar Badiuzzaman:

Prayer is a kind of worship that Muslims do, including some special moves. The Arabic word for it is Salah and its plural is Salawat. Salah is a kind of worship including certain moves and words, and starting with a Takbir and ending with a Salam. It is an expression of gratitude, praise, and glorification to Allah. In the Qur'an, Salah is mentioned in more than ninety verses. In the previous sharia, there were not five daily prescribed prayers. However, there was general Salah whose time was unclear. Salah became fard (obligatory) on the day of Mir’aj a half and year ago before Hegira. Anas bin Malik reported that event as follows briefly:

“Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers on the night of Isra. Then, it was reduced to five prayers. Then, the Prophet was addressed as follows: O Muhammad! These are five prayers for you and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.” (Bukhari, Sala, 76. Anbiya, 5; Muslim, Faith, 263; Ahmad bin Hanbal, V, 122, 143). That Verse tells us that it will be given tenfold reward for a good deed we do: “He who brings a good deed shall have tenfold of its like,” al-Anam 6/160; see. an-Naml, 27/89; al-Qasas, 28/84). Before the five daily prayers became fard, the worship of the Prophet was to think on Allah’s Glory and what He created. It is also said that the Prophet performed two daily Salahs, one in the morning and one in the evening, each of which contained two rakats. The previous ummahs also performed Salah. We can give examples of it; for instance Luqman ordered his son to perform Salah (Luqman, 31/17); Abraham mentioned Salah while praying for the security of Hejaz (Abraham, 14/37), that Allah wanted Moses to perform Salah (Taha, 20/14) during the first revelation in the mount of Tur.

That Salah must be performed is based on the Qur'an, Sunnah, and Ijma (consensus).

The following is stated in many places in the Qur'an “Perform Salah and give zakah”. “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers Especially the middle prayer” al-Baqarah, 2/238). “Then, when you are secure, establish the prayer; surely, prayer is timely written upon the believer.” (an-Nisa, 4/103).

“Yet they were ordered to worship Allah alone, making the Religion His sincerely, upright, and to establish their prayers and to pay the obligatory charity. That is indeed the Religion of Straightness.” (Al-Bayyina, 98/5). “Establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity and hold fast to Allah. He is your Guardian, the Excellent Guardian, and the Excellent Helper” (al-Hajj, 22/78).

Evidence from the Sunnah: there are many Hadiths reported about that issue. These are some of those Hadiths: Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Messenger said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger, to offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly, to pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity), to perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Makkah), to observe fast during the month of Ramadan. (Bukhari, Faith,1; Muslim, Faith, 19-22).

When Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h) sent Muadh to Yemen, he said (to him), “YOU are going to the people of a (Divine) Book. First of all, invite them to worship Allah (alone) and when they come to know Allah, inform them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers every day and night; and if they start offering these prayers, inform them that Allah has enjoined on them, the Zakat. And it is to be taken from the rich amongst them and given to the poor amongst them; and if they obey you in that, take Zakat from them and avoid (don’t take) the best property of the people as Zakat. Avoid the curse of the oppressed, because it reaches Allah directly.” (Bukhari, Zakat, 41, 63, Maghazi, 60, Tawhid, 1; Nasai, Zakat, 1; Darimi, Zakat, 1).

On the other hand, the people of Islam have consensus that the five daily prayers became fard on a night and day.

Salah is fard for every Muslim who reaches the age of puberty and who is sane. However, children who are seven years old are also ordered to perform Salah. When they reach the age of ten, if they do not perform Salah, they can be beaten softly by hand. The Prophet said : “Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.” (Abu Dawud, Salah, 26; Ahmad bin Hanbal, II, 180, 187).

The number of prayers which are fard on a day and night is five. Only Witr and the festival (Eid) prayers are Wajib. This Hadith reported about a Bedouin is the evidence of the five daily and fard prayers : “the number of prayers which are fard on a day and night is five.” The Bedouin asked; “Do I have more debt than that?”; the Messenger of Allah said : “No, but you can perform Nafilah (supererogatory) prayers”. Upon that, the Bedouin said : “By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I would neither make any addition to them nor would I diminish anything out of them”. And the Prophet said : “If he does what he says, he will enter Paradise” (Bukhari, Belief, 34, Shahadah, 26; Muslim, Belief, 8, 10, 15, 17, 18; Abu Dawud, Salah, 1).

Judgment of abandoning Salah:

There is consensus about the issue that Salah is fard for every Muslim who reaches the age of puberty and is clean from menstruation and puerperum. In bodily worships such as Salah and Sawm (fasting), regency and deputation are not valid. Those who claim that Salah is not fard are regarded to have rejected the Religion, because Salah is definite with the evidence from the Qur'an, Hadith, and Consensus (Ijma). Those who quit performing Salah because of laziness or indifference are regarded to rebels and sinners.

Those who do not perform Salah will be punished both in the world and in the Hereafter. Allah says about the punishment in the Hereafter: In Gardens they will question concerning the sinners, 'what caused you to be thrust into the Scorching (Fire)?’ They will reply: 'We were not among those who prayed.“ (al- Muddaththir, 74/40-43). “But the generation that succeeded them wasted their prayers and followed their desires, so they shall encounter error except he who repents and believes and does good works; those shall be admitted to Paradise and shall not be wronged in any way.” (Maryam, 19/59, 60). “ Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayers (delaying them from their prescribed times)” al-Maun, 107/4-5). The Prophet (pbuh) said : “ Those who quit praying intentionally will not be under the protection of Allah and His Prophet” (Ahmad bin Hanbal, IV, 238, VI, 461). “ The good deeds of a person who abandons the Afternoon Prayer will be wasted.” (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 13, 34; Nasai, Salah, 15). Whoever left three Friday prayers (Jumuah), Allah will seal the heart of a person who quits three Friday prayers heedlessly" (Nasai, Jumuah, 2; Tirmizi, Jumuah7; Ibn Majah, Iqama, 93).

According to the sect Hanafi, those who left praying because of laziness are not supposed to have rejected the Religion unless they deny Salah, but they will be sinners. They are warned to repent; they are isolated from the society so that they will not serve as bad examples, and they can be beaten to discipline. Those who abandon fasting in Ramadan is the same (Ibn Abidin, Raddul Mukhtar, Egypt, n.d., I, 326; ash-Shurunbulali, Maraqil-Falah, Egypt 1315, p. 60; az-Zuhayli, al-Fıqhul Islami wa Adillatuh, Damascus 1985, I, 503).

According to the Imams except Hanafi imams, those who abandon Salah without an excuse are regarded to have denied the Religion and have disobeyed Islam; if they do not repent, they are severely punished (Ibn Rushd, Bidayatul Mujtahid, Egypt, t.y., I 87; ash-Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab, al-Nalabi tab'i, I, 51; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 3. edition, Cairo n.d., II,442-447; az-Zuhayli, ibid., I. 503, 504; cf at-Tawba, 9/5; Bukhari, Diyat, 6; Muslim, Qasama, 25, 26).

One who misses Salah by forgetting to perform it in or by not waking up or because of laziness must perform it when he is able to do it (Qada). In a Hadith, the following is said ; Anyone who oversleeps or forgets (prayer) should perform it when he remembers.“ (Abu Dawud, Salah, 11; Ibn Majah, Salah, 10; Nasai, Mawaqit, 53). According to the most of Faqihs (law experts) since it is mandatory for one who misses Salah due to an excuse such as forgetting or sleeping must perform it later, one who does not perform Salah without an excuse just because of laziness must perform it first. Moreover he or she must repent for not performing Salah in time. Allah can forgive sins except Polytheism (Shirk). There are certain narrations about the scope of that forgiveness that can include Salah:

In the Qur'an, the following is stated : "Allah does not forgive (the sin of inventing an) association with Him, but He forgives other (sins) to whomsoever He will.” (an-Nisa, 4/48).

Ubadah bin as-Samit reported that the Messenger of Allah said : “Allah, the Exalted, has made five prayers obligatory. If anyone performs ablution for them well, offers them at their (right) time, and observes perfectly their bowing and submissiveness in them, it is the guarantee of Allah that He will pardon him; if anyone does not do so, there is no guarantee for him on the part of Allah; He may pardon him if He wills, and punish him if He wills.” (Abu Dawud, Witr, 2; Nasai, Salah, 6; Darimi, Salah, 208; Malik Muwatta, Salat-ul Layl, 14). In a Hadith reported by Abu Hurayra, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The first thing about which the people will be called to account for their actions on the Day of Judgment is prayer. Our Lord, the Exalted, will say to the angels - though He knows better: Look into the prayer of My servant and see whether he has offered it perfectly or imperfectly. If it is perfect, that will be recorded perfect. If it is defective, He will say: See if there are some optional prayers offered by my servant. If there are optional prayers to his credit, He will say: Compensate the obligatory prayer by the optional prayer for My servant. Then all the actions will be considered similarly.” (Tirmidhi, Salah, 188; Abu Dawud, Salah, 145; Nasai, Salah, 9, Tahrim, 2; Ibn Majah, Iqama, 202).

Accordingly,, fard prayers will be completed by Sunnah and Nafilah prayers. A Muslim must have an aim to perform all kinds of prayers regardless of whether they are Fard, Sunnah, or Wajib, because it is both the source of worldly peace and spiritual happiness and the biggest preparation for the Hereafter.

The time for the prayers: performing some prayers in time is mandatory. They are fard prayers, their Sunnah, Witr, Tarawih and Eid prayers. Fard prayers : they include Dawn, Midday, Afternoon, Sunset, and Night prayers. Jumuah prayer replaces Midday Salah. Every Muslim must know the time of Salaths. He or she is responsible for it. Those times have been determined according to the Qur'an and Sunnah:

1) The time for Dawn Salah :

Time from the second fajr (dawn) appearance to sunrise is the time for Dawn (morning) Salah. The second fajr is the brightness starting to spread in the east horizon toward morning; with that, the time for the morning prayer starts, the time for the night prayer ends; and for those who will fast, the time will have begun. For that reason, it is called “Fajr sadiq” (True dawn). The opposite of it is the first fajr (dawn). It is brightness spreading from the middle of the east horizon upwards and sideways, in the form of two lengthwise lines dark in both sides. That brightness disappears after a while and is followed by darkness. After that, the second fajr will appear. That first fajr is called “fajr kadhib” (fake dawn) because it causes fake brightness and does not show whether it is really morning or not. That dawn is the same as night. It is still the time for the night prayer and it is not the time for the Morning Prayer. It is lawful to eat awhile more for those who will perform fasting.

The Prophet said: There are two dawns: the first is the one which makes eating Haram for those who fast and allows performing the morning prayer. The second is the fajr kadhib (fake dawn) which makes it unlawful to perform the Morning Prayer and allows eating for those who fast.“ (as-Sanani Subulus Salam, 2. edition, n.d., I, 115). "the time for the morning prayer is from the second dawn appearance to sunrise” (Bukhari, Mawaqit (times of the prayers), 27; Abu Dawud Salah, 2; Nasai, Mawaqit, 15; Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, II, 210, 213, 223).

2) The time for the noon prayer: the time for the noon prayer begins with the sun’s going toward the west from the highest point that it arises from and continues until the shadow of everything becomes equal to that thing. The shadow of the things when the sun is at the highest point (fay az-zawal) is excluded. That time of the noon is called “asr al-awwal”. That opinion belongs to Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad, Imam Shafi, Malik, and Ahmad bin Hanbal. According to Abu Hanifa, the time of the noon prayer continues until the shadow of the things will be will be twofold excluding “fay az zawal” (the shadow of the zenith). With that, the time for the noon prayer ends and the time for the afternoon prayer begins. It is called “asr ath-thaani”.

Muslims who go to Makkah for pilgrimage from all around the world pay attention to performing their prayers in Haram ash-Sharif.

In calculating the folds of the shadow of the things the shadows of those things are added to the shadows that lengthen. The evidence of Imams (Mujtahids) is this Hadith: “When Hazrat Jibril (Gabriel) taught the Prophet the times for prayers, on the following day, he (Gabriel) prayed the noon prayer when the shadow of everything was as long as those things ” ( Abu Dawud, Salah, 2; Tirmidhi, Mawaqit (Times for the prayers), 1; Nasai, Mawaqit, 6, 10, 15; Ibn Hanbal, I, 383, III, 330; Malik, Muwatta, Salah, 9).

Abu Hanifa’s evidence is this Hadith: “If it is very hot, then pray the Zuhr (noon) prayer when it becomes (a bit) cooler, as the severity of the heat is from the raging of Hell-fire.” (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 9, 10, Adhan, 18). The time when the heat is severe in Arabia is the time in which the shadow of everything is as long as itself. So, it is regarded Mustahab (recommended) to postpone the noon prayer to a cool time in summer. al-Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar, I, 38, 39; Zuhayli, ibid, I, 508).The time for the Jumuah (Friday) prayer is like the noon prayer.

3) The time for the Afternoon Prayer: The time for the afternoon prayer begins when the time of the noon prayer ends and it ends with the sunset. The afternoon prayer time begins, according to most of Mujtahids, when the shadow of the things are as long as themselves and according to Abu Hanifa, when they are twice as long and continues till the sunset on consensus because the Prophet said : “one who performs just a rakat of the afternoon prayer before the sunset, he is regarded to have performed it in time.” (Malik, Muwatta, Wuqut (times), 5; Abu Dawud Salah, 5; Ibn Majah, Salah, 2; Ibn Hanbal, II 236, 254).

According to the most of Mujtahids, it is Makrooh to postpone the afternoon prayer as late as the time when sun becomes yellow because the Messenger of Allah said: “The prayer performed in that time is the prayer of the munafiqs (hypocrites). They wait for the sunset. When the sun inclines to set, they perform the afternoon prayer quickly and they praise Allah very little.” (Malik, Muwatta, the Qur'an, 46).

According to the most of Islam scholars, the middle prayer mentioned in the Qur'an is the afternoon prayer. The evidence is this Hadith reported by Aisha: “The Messenger of Allah read the verse "And preserve the prayers and the middle prayer” (al-Baqarah 2/238) and said “the middle prayer is the afternoon prayer.” (Abu Dawud, Salah, 5; Ibn Hanbal, V, 8; Ibn Kathir, Mukhtasaru Tafsir Ibn Kathir. thq. M. Ali as-Sabuni, Beirut 1981, I, 218). The reason why it is called the middle prayer is because it is between two night and two daytime prayers.

4) The time for the sunset prayer: the time for the sunset prayer begins with setting of the roundness of the sun completely and ends with the disappearance of the dawn. According to Abu Hanifa, the dawn is the brightness appearing in the evening after the redness in the west horizon. According to the other three sects and another narration from Abu Hanifa except Abu Yusuf, Imam Muhammad, and the sect Hanafi, the dawn consist of redness on the horizon. When that redness has disappeared, the time of the sunset prayer will have passed. The evidence is the word “the dawn is redness on the horizon” of Ibn Umar. (as-Sanani, Subulus Salam, I , 106). In the sect Hanafi, the accepted view is that of Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad.

5) The time for the night prayer: the time for the night prayer begins with the time when red sunset glow disappears and continues till the second dawn appears. When the second dawn appears, the time of the night prayer will have passed. The evidence is this Hadith reported by Ibn Umar: “the dawn is redness. When the dawn disappears, performing the prayer is fard.” (as-Sanani, ibid, I, 114). Another Hadith reported by Abu Qatadah: “You will not be responsible for the prayers you missed when you are in sleep. But you are responsible for performing the prayers in time.” (Muslim, Masajid, 311).

It is mustahab to postpone the night prayer until the one third of the night. It is Mubah to postpone it until the half of the night; but, without an excuse, it is makrooh to postpone it till the second fajr (dawn) because there is the possibility of missing the prayer at that point. The time for Witr is after the time for the night prayer. The last time for Witr is a little time before the second fajr appears.

It is better to postpone Witr prayer till the end of the night. However, for a person who is not sure whether he will be able to wake up, it is better to perform it before sleeping.

The time for Tarawih prayer is after the night prayer by the accepted opinion and it continues till the time of the Morning Prayer. Tarawih can be performed after or before Witr prayer. However, it is not valid to perform tarawih prayer before performing the night prayer. The time for Eid Salah begins after the time of Karahah passes and the sun arises, and it continues till the sun will be at the highest point in the sky. Ramadan festival prayer can be performed on the second day of Ramadan festival till the sun is at the highest point in the sky, if it has been missed on the first day of Ramadan festival. However, it cannot be performed on the third day. Eid al adha (the feast of sacrifice) prayer can be performed on the second day, if it has not been performed on the first day because of an excuse. If you have an excuse of not performing it on the second day of Eid al adha, then you can do it on the third day of the Eid al adha before the sun is at the highest point in the sky. It is a bad deed to postpone those prayers to the second and third days of Eid al adha without an excuse. Those Eid prayers cannot be performed after the sun is at the highest point in the sky or after the time of zawal. Their Qada are not lawful. (for times of the prayers, see. Ibnul Humam, Fathul Qadir, I, 151-160; Ibn Abidin, Raddul Mukhtar, I, 321- 342; al-Maydani, al-Lubab, I, 59-62; ash-Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab, I, 51-54; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, I, 370-395; az-Zuhayli, ibid, I, 506 ff.).

6) Times for the prayers in the Poles:

There are two different opinions regarding the issue. a. The time is both the reason and condition of Salah.So, if times for the prayers do not occur in a place, the prayers which must be done at those times are not fard for people living in that place.

For example, in some places in a season of the year, before the time of the sunset prayer passes, the time for the Morning Prayer starts with the second fajr (dawn) arising. The night prayer is regarded to have been annulled in those places. Someone who lost one or two of his organs that are mandatory to be washed in the ablution does not have to wash those organs any more, by making analogy, it has been decreed that that prayer or those prayers are not performed there in those places.

b. According to some Islamic researcher-scholars, Muslims in such places are responsible for performing the five daily prayers. If any of the times of those prayers do not occur, they must perform that prayer as Qada or they must try to perform the prayers in accordance with the nearest place in which times of the prayers occur fully. Although the time is a condition and reason of the prayer, the main reason of the prayer is that it is Allah’s command. So, all Muslims must perform the five daily prayers.

The view of Imam Shafi is the same and it seems much more appropriate and cautious.

In the polar regions and nearby places where the sun does not rise and set for a long time, it is necessary to act in compliance with the rules in the above-mentioned places It is better for Muslims to act similarly in terms of Zakat and sawm (fasting) in those kinds of regions. (for performing two prayers within the same time period, see “Jam at-taqdim and Jam at-Takhir”).

The kinds of the prayers: Salahs are classified into four categories.

1. Fard Salahs: the five daily prayers and Jumuah prayer. Every Muslim must perform them without exception.

2. Fard kifayah Salahs: such as the funeral prayer (Salat al Janazah). It is a command which must be carried out by a congregation. When some people do that duty, the others will not be responsible for it. If nobody does it, all are regarded sinners. Jihad for Allah, commanding the good, forbidding the evil, and selecting a caliph among Muslims are those kinds of fard. (Shafi ar-Risala, Cairo 1960, p. 54, 55, 363; Abu Zahra, Usul al–Fiqh, Translation. Abdulkadir Şener, Ankara 1986i p. 37-39).

3. Wajib prayers: such as Witr and Eid prayers. The command that is definite but whose evidence is based on speculative evidence is regarded as wajib. It is a principle accepted by the sect Hanafi. In the other sects, fard and wajib are used as synonyms. According to them, if something is not fard, it is Sunnah. You will have thawab if you commit a Wajib deed, if you do not, then you will be punished. However, one who rejects wajib is not regarded to have abandoned Islam.

4. Nafilah prayers: the prayers other than fard and wajib are called nafilah. They are also called “tatawwu” since they are performed without an obligation and for the purpose of gaining Allah’s consent. Sunnah prayers are among the nafilah prayers. Every Sunnah Salah is nafilah, but not every nafilah is Sunnah. The nafilah prayers performed by our Prophet are Sunnah.

Rakats of the prayers:

We can list the rakats of the prayers as follows: The Morning Prayer has two rakats of Sunnah and two rakats of fard. The noon prayer has four rakats of the first Sunnah, four rakats of fard, and two rakats of the last Sunnah. The afternoon prayer has four rakats of Sunnah and four rakats of fard. The sunset prayer has three rakats of fard and two rakats of Sunnah.

The night prayer has four rakats of the first Sunnah, four rakats of fard, and two rakats of the last Sunnah. Witr prayer is three rakats. Eid prayer consists of two rakats. Tarawih prayer is twenty rakats. The other nafilah prayers are at least two rakats.

The conditions of Salath:

Some rules (Rukuns) and conditions (Sharts) are mandatory for a valid prayer. Shart means symptom in the dictionary. Shart as a term is something whose existence is depended on itself, but a different thing from its real existence and content. Rukun (rule) means the strongest side in the dictionary. As a term, Rukun is something whose existence is dependent on itself and the rules which include the main elements and parts of that thing. In Sharia, Shart and Rukun are considered as fard. Both are fard, too. So, some scholars entitled it as “fards of Salah”. In addition, there are conditions for the Salah to be fard. They are: to be Muslim, to reach puberty, and to be of a sound mind. (Shurunbulali, Maraqul Falah, p. 28; ash-Shirazi, al-Muhadhdhab, 1, 53; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, I, 396-401; az-Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul Islam and Adillatuh, Damascus 1405/1985, I, 563 ff)

Requirements of Salah are twelve. Six of those are conditions which must be done before Salah:

1) Spiritual cleanliness 2) physical cleanliness, 3) Covering the parts that are necessary to cover 4) facing Qibla 5) time and 6) niyyah (intention). They are called the conditions of Salah.

The other six are fards (obligatory acts) which must be done after starting to perform the prayer: 1) Takbir al-Iftitah (starting takbir) 2) Qiyam (Standing) 3) Qiraah (Reciting the Quran) 4) Ruku (bowing) 5)Sajdah (prostration) 6 ) sitting for some time during the last sitting, as much as reciting at-tahiyyat. Theyare called rukuns of Salah. Apart from those, there are also other rukuns such as Tadili Arkan and quitting prayer of one’s own accord.

Here, first, we will pay attention to the conditions of Salah:

1) Spiritual Cleanliness (Hadath): Hadath means that someone needs ablution (wudu) or full ablution (ghusl), and is in menstruation period or puerperum. Not having ablution is the small hadath and the others are the big ones. In order to remove big and small hadath it is necessary to make ablution or full ablution, and tayammum. Allah stated the following in the Quran: “Believers, when you rise to pray wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbow, and wipe your heads and (wash) your feet to the ankle. If you are in a state of impurity, cleanse yourselves.“ (al-Maida -the table- 5/6)

Our Prophet stated the following: "The prayer of a person who needs ablution is not accepted till he makes ablution.” (Bukhari, Wudu 2; Muslim, Tahara, 2; Ahmed b. Hanbal, II, 308). “Allah will not accept any prayer performed without having been cleaned” (Bukhari, Wudu 2; Muslim, Tahara, 1; Tirmidhi, Tahara, 1; Darimi, Wudu, 21; Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, II, 39).

It is mandatory to remove Hadath for fard, Wajib, sunnah or nafilah prayers and tilavah or thank-giving sajdah. It is not valid to perform a prayer without ablution.

When you perform the prayer, if your ablution becomes invalid, Salah becomes invalid, too. The Prophet said : “If one of you lets out gas while performing Salah, he must make ablution and perform that Salah again.” ( Abu Dawud, Tahara, 81, Salah, 187; Tirmidhi, Rada, 12).

Removing hadath is one of conditions necessary, like the other conditions of Salah, for Salath to be valid. (See. al-Kasani, Badayius Sanayi, I, 114 ff. ; Ibn ul Humam, Fathul Qadir, I 179 ff.).

2) Removing najasah : it is mandatory to remove najasah (impurity) on the body, clothes, or the place in which Salah will be performed. That is the precondition for the Salah to be accepted or valid. If it is on the person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 4 grams (1 mithqal), and any liquid filth more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm invalidates the prayer. The urine of horses and domestic or wild animals whose meat are allowed to eat is regarded as weak impurity; if their filth that spreads on the body or the clothes is less than one fourth of it, the prayer is not invalidated. When more than one-fourth of a limb or one-fourth of one’s clothes is smeared with it, the prayer is invalidated.

Allah said: “Keep your clothes clean” (al-Muddaththir, 74/4). Ibn Shirin said that that cleaning was about removing the impurity on the clothes with water. The Prophet said when Fatima bint Abi Hubaish asked what the condition of bleeding different from menstruation was: “O Allah’s Messenger I do not become clean (from bleeding). Shall I give up my prayers?” Allah’s Messenger replied, “No, because it is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So when your real menses begins give up your prayers and when it has finished wash off the blood (take a bath) and offer your prayers.” (Bukhari, Wudu, 63; Hayz, 24; Muslim, Hayz, 62, 63; Abu Dawud, Tahara, 107). The Prophet saw a Bedouin making water in the mosque and he said: “Pour a bucket of water over the place that that Bedouin urinated.” (Bukhari, Wudu, 58, Adab, 35, 80; Muslim, Tahara, 98-100). The verse above-mentioned shows that cleaning clothes is fard, the first Hadith indicates the body, and the second Hadith the place in which the Salah will be performed.

3) Covering private parts (Awrah):

Awrah means deficiency, mistake, the weak position feared of being captured by the enemies, a place which must be covered, and woman lexically. As a Sharia term, it means organs (Private parts) which are forbidden to look at and which are fard to be covered. According to the sect Hanafi, covering one’s private parts before people is fard by consensus (Ijma). According to the accepted opinion, it is also fard to cover those parts even if one is alone. Even if one is in a dark house and if he performs the prayer naked although he has clean clothes, that Salah will not be valid. (Ibn Abidin, ibid, I, 375).

It is fard to cover one’s private parts regardless of whether one performs Salah or not except such needs like bathing, going out for toilet, and cleaning. Its evidence is the Qur'an and Sunnah. Allah said: “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every place of prayer.” (al-Araf, 7/31). According to Ibn Abbas, what is meant by it here is clean clothes worn in the Salah.

Hazrat Prophet said:

“Allah does not accept the Salah of a woman who reaches puberty without covering her head.” (Ibn Majah, Tahara, 132; Tirmidhi, Salah, 160; Ahmad bin Hanbal, VI, 151, 218, 259). “O Asma! when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not legitimate and permissible for her to display her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands. ” (Abu Dawud, Libas, 31).A man’s private parts are the parts between his navel and knees.

According to the accepted opinion, the kneecap is regarded to be included among the private parts. The evidence is this Hadith: “A man’s private parts is the part between his navel and kneecaps”, “It is the part from below his abdomen to below his kneecaps.” (Ahmad bin Hanbal, II, 187). Another evidence is a Hadith, which is weak, reported by Daraqutni, “the kneecap is among the private parts”. (Zaylai, Nasbur-Raya, I, 297).

All of the body of free women including their hair hanging down is Awrah except their hands and faces. Their hands and faces are not awrah (private parts) in Salah or out of Salah as long as there is no anxiety of mischief. As for her feet, there are different opinions. By the accepted or sound opinion, her feet are not awrah because she has to use them when she walks. To cover them is difficult especially for the poor. According to another opinion, a woman’s Salah will be invalid if one fourth of her foot is uncovered;, another opinion says that it is not awrah while praying but awrah outside Salah. It is regarded more suitable for her to cover her feet to eliminate the risk. According to the sound opinion, free women’ arms, ears, and hairs hanging down are also awrah.

Allah said: “women do not reveal their adornment except that which is outward (face and hands).” (an-Nur, 24/31). What is meant here is the parts over which the adornment is worn. A woman’s organs which are seen willy-nilly are her hands and face. Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) said: “woman is awrah. When she goes outside, the devil tries to seduce her.” (Tirmizi, Rada, 18). On the other hand, Allah’s Messenger said to Asma that she must cover the parts of her body except hands, face, and palms. (Abu Dawud, Libas, 31). The Hadith reported from Hazrat Aisha “Allah does not accept the Salah of a woman who reaches the age of puberty , without covering her head ” shows that the hair must also be covered.If all or one part of an organ except the front and back private part is uncovered during prayer and if it remains uncovered for two rukuns unintentionally, the Salah is invalid because a quarter of something is regarded as the whole of it.

Transparent clothes that show the color of the skin are not regarded to cover those parts of the body. Therefore, one cannot perform Salah with such clothes because it does not provide covering. If the cloth exposes the body but if it is thick, the Salah will be valid because it is not possible to avoid it although that kind of covering is not considered good. (See. Ibn Abidin, ibd I, 375 ff. ; Zaylai, Tabyinul-Haqaiq, I , 95 ff.; Ibn Kudama, Al-Mughni, I, 599; Ibn Rushd Bidayatul Mujtahid I, 111; Bilmen, B. İslam İlmihali, 109).

4) Facing the Qibla: it is mandatory to perform the Salah by facing the Qibla. The Qibla of Muslims was Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem during the Makkan Period and in the first days of Madinah Period. With this Verse (Ayah) that was revealed in Madinah Period, the Qibla was changed to the Kaaba: “turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque (built by Abraham); wherever you are, turn your faces to it.” (al-Baqarah 2/144). The Kaaba is not just the building known in Makkah but it shows the place of that building. Whereas the above part of this Holy Place which go higher to the sky and the lower part of it which goes to the deepness of the ground is also the direction of the Qibla. So, those who are in the Kaaba can perform their prayers by turning to whatever side they want to turn. In congregation, Muslims perform their prayers along with the Imam by making a circle round Kaaba on the condition that they do not stand in front of the Imam.

The Prophet is narrated to have performed prayer in the Kaaba for once on the day when Makkah was conquered. “Ibn 'Umar said, "I went there but the Prophet had come out of the Kaaba and I found Bilal standing between its two doors. I asked Bilal, 'Did the Prophet pray in the Kaaba?’ Bilal replied, 'Yes, he prayed two Rakats between the two pillars which are to your left on entering the Kaaba. Then Allah’s Messenger came out and offered a two-Rakat prayer facing the Kaaba.’ ” (Bukhari, Salah, 30; Nasai, Manasik, 127; Darimi, Manasik, 43; Ahmad bin Hanbal, II, 75, 410, VI, 12, 13, 14).