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Rewards of ‘Umrah

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Rewards of Umrah

Rewards of ‘Umrah

Is it permissible for me to perform ‘Umrah on my own behalf and on behalf of my deceased father and a number of my deceased relatives? What is the allowed number and what are the conditions & reward of this? Is the intention of doing so stipulated before travelling to the Sacred Places?

Fatwa

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His Slave and Messenger.
If you mean assuming Ihraam for one ritual on behalf of yourself and on behalf of others, then this is not permissible because Ihraam is valid for only one person. If you mean sharing the reward of your ‘Umrah with them, then this is allowed by many scholars and there is no limit for the number.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen may Allaah have mercy upon him said:
There is no limit to how many people may share in the reward. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire Ummah (i.e. Islamic nation), and a man may offer a single sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his household, even if they are one hundred.
However, it is more appropriate and better to keep the reward for yourself and to strive hard in supplicating Allaah Almighty for those deceased individuals. If you would like to perform ‘Umrah on their behalf, you can go out to the nearest place from which you can assume Ihraam again – which is At-Tan‘eem – after doing the ‘Umrah that you offer on behalf of yourself, then assume Ihraam for performing ‘Umrah on behalf of whomever you want. You can repeat that in the same journey for as many times as you want.
No intention is stipulated for that before traveling. If it occurs to you to share the reward of your ‘Umrah with a deceased person, according to the opinion that allows that, or if it occurs to you to do Umrah on behalf of whomever you want after traveling, then there is nothing wrong with that at all. We have repeatedly pointed out such rulings in many fatwas.

Article by: www.islamweb.net

Recommendations to Pilgrims and Visitors of the Holy Mosque

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Recommendations to Pilgrims and Visitors of the Holy Mosque

We would like to offer certain recommendations to the pilgrims and visitors of the Holy Mosque in implementation of the Quranic verse in which Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety} [Quran 5:2]
These recommendations are also in line with the Prophetic Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “Religion is Naseehah (sincere advice), to Allaah, His Book, and to the Muslim leaders and the Muslim public.”[Muslim]

Recommendations:

1-Fearing Allaah The Exalted in all conditions and cases. Piety is the source of all good morals and it is one of the Divine recommendations to His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Allaah The Exalted Says (what means):
·{O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul…} [Quran 4:1]
· {And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allaah…} [Quran 4:131]
In many of his Khutbahs (sermons) the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), used to command people to fear Allaah The Almighty.
Piety means doing what Allaah The Almighty has imposed on His slaves and keeping away from His prohibitions out of sincerity and love for Him. This should also be with the aim of winning the reward of Allaah. The Almighty and being saved from His punishment, in accordance with the way that Allaah The Almighty and His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), legislated for us.
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood may Allaah be pleased with him.Who was one of the senior scholars of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said, “True piety and fear of Allaah The Almighty mean obeying Him without any form of disobedience, remembering Him without any form of forgetfulness, and thanking Him without any sign of ingratitude to Him.”
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azeez may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Piety cannot be obtained only through fasting all day and praying all night, and then committing sins in between, but piety can be obtained through keeping away from what Allaah The Almighty has prohibited and doing what He has made obligatory. Anything good after that is an additional good.”
The revered Tabi‘ee, Talq ibn Habeeb may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Piety is to act in obedience to Allaah, on a light (guidance) from Allaah seeking the reward of Allaah, and to refrain from disobeying Allaah, on a light from Allaah, fearing His punishment.”
These are precious words and they mean that the Muslim has to learn his religious affairs and know what will make him sinful if he does not know it. In this way, the Muslim will worship Allaah The Almighty with insight. This is the practical application of the Two Testimonies of Faith (I bear witness that there is none truly worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ).)
The first testimony of faith entails believing in Allaah The Almighty alone, and dedicating worship to Him alone, as well as doing everything for His sake alone, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment.
The other testimony of faith entails believing that Muhammad, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), is the Messenger of Allaah The Almighty to humankind and the Jinn, in addition to believing in his sayings, adhering to his Sharee‘ah and keeping away from whatever contradicts it. Those two testimonies form the foundation of the religion of Islam. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
·{Allaah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge – [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, The Exalted in Might, The Wise.} [Quran 3:18]
·{And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful.} [Quran 2:163]
·{Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allaah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.}[Quran 7:158]
2-All pilgrims and visitors to the Holy Mosque, as well as all Muslims, are advised to observe the five daily prayers on time. Every Muslim must revere these prayers and perform them tranquilly, because they constitute the greatest pillar of Islam after the Two Testimonies of Faith. They represent the post of Islam and the first thing about which the Muslim will be reckoned. Whoever leaves the daily five prayers is a disbeliever. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
·{And establish prayer and give Zakaah and obey the Messenger – that you may receive mercy.} [Quran 24:56]
·{Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allaah, devoutly obedient.} [Quran 2:238]
·{Certainly will the believers have succeeded: * They who are during their prayer humbly submissive}[Quran 23:1-2]
·{And they who carefully maintain their prayers – * Those are the inheritors * Who will inherit al-Firdaws. They will abide therein eternally.}[Quran 23:9-11]
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said:
– “Between a man and disbelief and Shirk is the abandonment of prayer.”[Narrated by Muslim in the chapter of “Calling the One who leaves the prayer a disbeliever”]
– “That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of prayer. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever”[Ahmad, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, At-Tirmithi, and Ibn Maajah]
– “Whoever observes prayer (punctually fulfilling its conditions), it will be light, evidence, and salvation for him on the Day of Resurrection; but whoever does not, it will not be for him light, evidence, or salvation; and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be associated with Qaaroon, Pharaoh, Haamaan, and Ubayy ibn Khalaf (a great enemy of Islam from among the Quraysh).” [Ahmad]
Some scholars interpreted this Hadeeth saying,
“The person who abandons prayer will be raised with such a foursome because his neglect of prayer may be due to his preoccupation with his property, his presidency, his work, or his trade. Hence, if he was preoccupied with his property, he will be resurrected with Qaaroon; if with his position as a leader, then he will be resurrected with Pharaoh; if with his work, then with Haamaan; and if with his trade, then with Ubayy ibn Khalaf, the trader among the disbelievers of Makkah.”

Article by: www.islamweb.net

An ‎Admonishment to the Ummah of Islam‎

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During this great season, as Muslims around the world prepare to perform the Hajj. An act of worship that entails multiple obligations, we would like to address and admonish the pilgrims.

Will they return as they were before Hajj, without reforming their relationship with Allaah The Almighty in all their affairs, without adhering to the rulings of His Sharee’ah (Islamic law) in full? Will they return without worshipping Allaah The Almighty as He should be worshipped and supporting Him so that Allaah The Almighty would support them and restore their pride, glory, and unity, and grant them victory over their enemies and protection against their evils and scheming?
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): ‎ ‎

• {if you support Allaah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.} [Quran 47: ‎ ‎7]‎ ‎
• {Indeed, Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.} [Quran 13:‎ ‎11] ‎

Today, the Ummah is witnessing and experiencing one of the hardest and most critical periods in its history. These are days when the Ummah is humiliated and its members are being slain and tortured all over the world. The only real and comprehensive solution to stop these tragedies is for the Ummah to return to the essence of its religion and to adhere to it completely.

Our Ummah is a righteous one, but it has been subjected to deceitful schemes, misguidance , nd somnolence by the enemies of the religion and their helpers. This has made many of the members of the Ummah lax and led to them committing different sins persistently, such that they do not even regard such sins as bringing the wrath of Allaah The Almighty.
The Ummah has been distracted from endeavoring to achieve reform and progress and to spread its sound ‘Aqeedah (creed) and its divine call all over the world.
Undoubtedly, if our Ummah made use of this great pillar and pilgrims applied the wisdom and lessons learned from Hajj – the most important of which is sincere repentance – after their return, the Islamic Ummah would achieve reform and regain its pride. It is not difficult for Allaah The Almighty to grant it victory and restore its leadership of the world in a few years.
The lessons and wisdom of Hajj start from the point of assuming the state of Ihraam (the sacral state):
• When assuming the state of Ihraam, we are reminded of abandoning the blight of the worldly life; and performing Ghusl (ritual bath) is to shed the past in which we have committed sins and fallen short of performing our obligations.
• We say “Labbayk Allaahuma Labbayk. (O Allaah, I answer Your call).” The broad meaning of this Talbiyah is that we go to Allaah The Almighty and obey Him in all aspects of life; we abide by the teachings of the religion that Allaah Chose for us and we love Allaah, are sincere to Him and worship Him alone without associating any partners with Him.
• Many meanings are inferred from saying the Takbeer, that is the words “Allaahu Akbar (Allaah is The Greatest).” Allaah The Almighty is the Greatest and we must keep His Good Pleasure as the greatest of all goals. We perform Tawaaf around the Ka’bah, stay at Mina, go to ‘Arafaat then Muzdalifah and return to Mina. We perform all the rites of Hajj just as we were ordered, in obedience to Allaah The Almighty and to establish our servitude in all aspects of our life: in our ‘Aqeedah, thoughts, values, concepts, deeds and conduct.
• When throwing the pebbles for three days, we remember our continuous war with the devil and that we must not succumb to his seduction and temptation. This also trains us to be wary of the devil and his helpers among humankind who spearhead his schemes to make people deviate. Such helpers have become corrupted and are still corrupting the Islamic Ummah and are keeping it away from its true religion and the orders of Sharee’ah through their different means.
• When slaughtering our sacrifices, we remember the example of the Prophets Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), may Allaah exalt their mention, when they did not hesitate to fulfill the orders of the Creator, glory be to Him.
• We shave our heads in ultimate submission to Allaah The Almighty and His orders and this is a statement of the obedience that we need to achieve all the days of our life.
• All the rites of Hajj, which clearly require us to exert efforts and endure various hardships, remind us of the act of worship that is the pinnacle of Islam, Jihaad, which has been weakened in the Ummah ever since it deviated from the essence of Islam in many matters. Should we not then train ourselves to aspire to reach this peak and strive against ourselves to achieve the most perfect type of Jihaad by obliging our souls to obey Allaah The Almighty, adhere to His orders and apply His legislation?
• All the rites of Hajj also remind us of a major duty, of which we are in dire need in this age of ours, which is calling to Allaah The Almighty and exerting efforts for the sake of that call.
Unfortunately, many people have forgotten this duty as if it never was an obligation upon them. During Hajj, we remember and reflect upon the story of the first one who called people to perform Hajj, the father of the prophets, Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mention and we learn a lesson from the efforts and sacrifices that he offered for the sake of calling to Allaah The Almighty and establishing and spreading His religion.
All the wisdom and innumerable lessons learned from this great pillar are a call for change and for exerting efforts to do what satisfies Allaah The Almighty in all aspects of life. Hajj is a school, or rather a university, which educates the Ummah to do all that is beneficial for it and which elevates its status.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Their meat will not reach Allaah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.} [Quran 22: 37]
People said to Al-Hasan Al-Basry may Allaah have mercy upon him “The reward of an accepted Hajj is forgiveness!” He may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “The sign of this is that one would avoid the bad deeds that he used to do.”
Dear pilgrims,
Hajj is one of the greatest aspects of our religion, and Allaah The Almighty has favored you by performing this obligatory act of worship and you, Allaah willing, will be one of those who will return free of sins as on the day their mothers gave birth to them; just like a pure white page. Hence, dear brother and sister, do not tarnish this clean page with sins that you commit again and persist in doing them after you return from Hajj.
‎Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong} [Quran 16: 92]‎
Remember that one of the signs of having an accepted Hajj, which is what you hope for, is to become a better person who endeavors to perform all that is good and avoid all that is evil, to invite people to Allaah The Almighty according to your ability and to endeavor to develop the Ummah.
Be careful, review all your deeds in view of the Sharee’ah and scrutinize them closely so that you will not be among those who commit sins without feeling that they are doing so or without caring about it!
Be keen on keeping the pages white and pure; indeed, strive to increase their purity, so that you would be happy when you meet Allaah The Almighty and help our Ummah on the road to success, pride and victory.
‎Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):‎ ‎‎
• {And they will be called, “This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do.”} [Quran 7‎‎ ‎:43]‎
• ‎{Allaah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient.} [Quran 24: 55]‎

Article by: www.islamweb.net

Haj – The journey of love

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Haj - The journey of love

By Him whose House the loving Haj visit,
Responding with ihram at the appointed limit,
Uncovering their heads in total humility
Before One to Whom faces bow in servility.
They exclaim in the valleys,
“We have responded to You –
All Praise is Yours, and Kingdom too!”
He invited and they answered, with love and pleasure;
When they called upon Him, nearer came the Divine treasure.
You see them on their mounts, hair dusty and disheveled,
Yet never more content, never happier have they felt;
Leaving homelands and families due to holy yearning,
Unmoved are they by temptations of returning.
Through plains and valleys, from near and far,
Walking and riding, in submission to Allâh.
[At the Ka’bah]
When they see His House – that magnificent sight
For which the hearts of all creatures are set alight –
It seems they’ve never felt tired before,
For their discomfort and hardship is no more.
Now the eye of the Lover drowns in its streams,
It sees through its tears the goal of its dreams;
Now for Allâh, how many tears are issued?
Each one being followed by a multitude,
When the eye perceives the House, its darkness clears,
And from the sorrowful heart, pain disappears;
Vision cannot encompass this beautiful sight:
Each glance returns with greater delight!
No wonder at this, for when the Merciful preferred
The House for Himself, it became most honoured.
He clothed it in Majesty, a magnificent garment;
Embroidered it with Beauty, a wonderful ornament!
The hearts all love the House therefore,
Awed and humbled, in respect and honour.
Arafat
Now to ‘Arafat, hoping for Mercy and Forgiveness
From the One overflowing with Generosity and Kindness;
Now for Allâh is that Magnificent Standing
Like, though lesser than, the Day of Reckoning.
The Irresistible draws near, His Majesty manifest,
Boasting to His angels, for He is the Mightiest,
“My slaves have come to Me so lovingly,
I’ll be Generous and Merciful, willingly.
I have forgiven their sins, – to this you are witness –
Fulfilled their hopes, and showered them with goodness.”
So joyous news! O people of that standing,
When sins are forgiven and Mercy is spreading;
How many slaves are set completely free?
Whilst others seek a cure, and heal will He.
Now Satan is never known to lose such face:
He’s blameworthy, rejected, in utter disgrace.
For he sees a matter that enrage him must:
He flees, slaps his face and covers it in dust!
Such Forgiveness he never did see
As granted by the Lord, and such Mercy!
He built his edifice from every temptation available
Till he thought it was complete, unassailable;
Then Allâh struck his building at its very foundation,
So it fell upon him, tumbling in devastation;
What worth has his structure, this evil ploy,
That he does build, and the Lord does destroy?
[Muzdalifah and Mina]
Now to Muzdalifah, to spend the night
In the Sacred Area, then Prayer at first light;
Now on to the Great Pillar, which they need
To stone at the time of the Prayer of ‘Id;
Now to their tents for the sacrifice prepared,
Reviving the tradition of a Father revered.
If sacrificing themselves were Allâh’s demand,
They would respond, submitting to the command;
Just as they’d expose their necks in Jihad
To Allâh’s enemies, till these stream with blood;
They discipline themselves, presenting the head for a shave:
Bringing humility and happiness to the obedient slave.
[The Tawaf of Ifadah/Ziyarah]
So when they’ve removed those natural growths,
Completed their rites, and fulfilled their oaths,
He invites them again to visit His House:
What honour and welcome this visit allows!
By Allâh, they visit it in so much splendor,
Receiving their rewards and plenty of honour;
There Allâh bestows Grace, Favour and Kindness,
Showing Generosity, Mercy and Forgiveness.
[Mina]
Then they return to Mina, each to his tent,
Every minute wish is granted, and they are content;
They stay there a day, then another, then a third,
They’re allowed to depart early, but to stay is preferred;
They stone the pillars daily after the sun’s decline,
With a slogan of Takbir in the presence of the Divine!
If only you could see their standing there:
Palms outstretched, hoping for Mercy’s share!
“O Lord! O Lord! Knowing as You do
That we hope for no-one, only You!
Then grant our wish, O You All-Knowing,
We pray for Your Mercy overflowing.”
[The Farewell Tawaf]
When they’ve achieved at Mina all their gains,
Once more they fill the valleys and plains:
To the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, by the end of the day,
To circle it seven times, and then to Pray.
When departure nears and they are certain
That the bond of proximity is about to loosen,
There’s only a last stand for a final farewell:
Now for Allâh are the eyes that swell,
And for Allâh are the heavy hearts that turn
Into cauldrons of desire where fire does burn;
And the passionate sighs whose heat so vigorous
Nearly melts the Lover, ecstatic, rapturous!
Now you see those bewildered, perplexed in the throng,
Whilst others chant their sorrowful song:
“I depart, but there remains for You my yearning,
My fire of grief is raging and burning;
I bid farewell, but longing pulls my reins –
My heart is encamped in Your eternal plains!”
No blame today for saying what you feel:
No blame for expressing what you used to conceal!

Article by: en.islamway.net

Purpose of life in islam

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Purpose of life

Purpose of life in islam

Islam is the response to humanity’s search for meaning. The purpose of life & creation for all men and women for all times has been one: To know and worship God.
The Qur’an teaches us that every human being is born conscious of God: “(Remember) when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify (saying): ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’ (This was) in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’ Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did’?” (Qur’an, 7:172-173)
In Christianity, the Purpose of life is rooted in faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the proposition is not without serious problems.
First, if this is the purpose of creation and the precondition for eternal life, why was it not taught by the prophets to all the nations of the world? Second, had God turned into man close to the time of Adam all mankind would have had an equal chance to eternal life, unless those before the time of Jesus had another purpose for their existence! Third, how can people today who have not heard of Jesus fulfill the Christian purpose of creation? Naturally, such a purpose is too narrow and goes against divine justice.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) teaches us that God created this primordial need in human nature at the time Adam was made. God took a covenant from Adam when He created him.
God extracted all of Adam’s descendants who were yet to be born, generation after generation, spread them out, and took a covenant from them. He addressed their souls directly, making them bear witness that He was their Lord. Since God made all human beings swear to His Lordship when He created Adam, this oath is imprinted on the human soul even before it enters the fetus, and so a child is born with a natural belief in the Oneness of God. This natural belief is called fitra in Arabic.
Consequently, every person carries the seed of belief in the Oneness of God that lies deeply buried under layers of negligence and dampened by social conditioning. If the child were left alone, it would grow up conscious of God — a single Creator — but all children are affected by their environment. The Prophet of God said, “Each child is born in a state of ‘fitra,’ but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any young born mutilated before you mutilate them?” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
The Arabs would cut the ears of camels and the likes as a service to their gods in pre-Islamic times.
So, just as the child’s body submits to physical laws, set by God in nature, its soul submits naturally to the fact that God is its Lord and Creator. However, its parents condition it to follow their own way, and the child is not mentally capable of resisting it.
The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold it to account for this religion. When a child matures into an adult, he or she must now follow the religion of knowledge and reason.
As adults, people must now struggle between their natural disposition toward God and their desires in order to find the correct path. The call of Islam is directed to this primordial nature, the natural disposition, the imprint of God on the soul, the fitra, which caused the souls of every living being to agree that He Who made them was their Lord, even before the heavens and earth were created, “I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship.” (Qur’an, 51:56)
According to Islam, there has been a basic message which God has revealed through all prophets, from the time of Adam to the last of the prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon them). All the prophets sent by God came with the same essential message: “Indeed, We have sent a messenger to every nation (saying), ‘Worship God and avoid false gods…’.” (Qur’an, 16:36)
The prophets (peace be upon them) brought the same answer to mankind’s most troubling question, an answer that addresses the yearning of the soul for God.
What is worship?
Islam means ‘submission’ and worship, in Islam, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’ Every created being ‘submits’ to the Creator by following the physical laws created by God, “To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; all obey His will.” (Qur’an, 30:26)
They, however, are neither rewarded nor punished for their ‘submission’, for it involves no will. Reward and punishment are for those who worship God, who submit to the moral and religious Law of God of their own free will. This worship is the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to mankind. For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Jesus ((peace be upon him), “None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
‘Will’ means ‘what God wants human beings to do.’ This ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers. Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship.
Only when human beings worship their God by submitting to His religious law can they have peace and harmony in their lives and the hope for heaven, just like the universe runs in harmony by submitting to the physical laws set by its Lord. When you remove the hope of heaven, you remove the ultimate value and purpose of life. Otherwise, what difference would it really make whether we live a life of virtue or vice? Everyone’s fate would be the same anyway.

Article by: arabnews.com

Method of Umrah step by step

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Method of umrah

Method of Umrah

All the praises and thanks be to Allah alone, and peace and blessings of Allah be upon the last and seal of the Prophets, and upon all his family and companions.Now we are starting Method of umrah step by step.
1-Method of umrah If the one who wants to perform umrah  reaches the miqat (the assigned point where ihram (consecration) takes place), it is recommendable for him to have a bath and wash himself .Women also do the same even if she is in menses or childbed. But she does not perform circumambulation until she becomes purified and has a bath. A man perfumes his body, but not the consecration clothes. If taking a bath in the miqat is not possible, so there is nothing wrong for him. It is recommendable to take a bath upon arriving to Mecca, before circumambulation, if possible.
2-A man takes off all his sewn clothes and wears a below-waist cloth and an above-waist cloth, they are better to be white and clean, and he is to uncover his face. As for women, they are to concentrate in their ordinary clothes, which are not of fame or adorned.
3- He then intends starting the ceremonies in his heart, and says by tongue: “labbayka umrah (Here I come for umrah)”, or “labbayka allahuma umrah (O Allah here I come for umrah)”. If a muhrim (a man in a state of ihram) is afraid that he may not be able to complete his ceremonies, that he is ill, or that he is afraid from an enemy or the like, it is lawful for him to stipulate upon starting the ceremonies and says “If a stopper confines me, so I will finish my ceremonies where You stop me”, for the Hadith of Dubâ’ah bint Az-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with her, in which she said, “O Messenger of Allah! “I want to perform pilgrimage and I feel sick”. He, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: “Intend to perform pilgrimage and stipulate that “I will finish my ceremonies at any place where You stop me”, [Agreed upon its authentication]

«يا رسول الله ! إني أريد الحج، وأنا شاكية. فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: حجي، واشترطي أن محلي حيث حبستني» متفق عليه

 He then recites the talbiya loudly such as the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, that is: “((Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika la sharika Laka labbaik, Inna-l-hamda wan-ni’mata Laka walmulk, La sharika Lak) which means: here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partner.))” [Agreed upon]

 «لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك، إن الحمد والنعمة لك والملك ، لا شريك لك» متفق عليه

 He increases saying the talbiya as well as the remembrances and supplicates to Allah Almighty much. When he arrives to the Sacred Mosque, it is a Sunnah to enter first by his right leg and says: “In the name of Allah, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the Messenger of Allah. I seek refuge with Allah the Great, with His noble Face and His old sovereignty from the expelled Satan. O Allah! Open to me the gates of Your Mercy”, such as all other mosques. He is then to be occupied with talbiya until he reaches the Ka’abah.
4- Upon reaching the Ka’abah he stops talbiya. He then goes to and turns his face to the Black Stone. He receives it by his right hand and kisses it if possible; he should not harm people by crowding. He says upon receiving it: “bism-allah wa allahu-akbar (In the name of Allah and Allah is the Greatest)”, or: “allahu-akbar (Allah is the Greatest)”. If it is difficult to kiss it so he can receive it with his hand, a stick or the alike and kiss what he receives it with. If it is difficult to receive it, he points to it and says: “Allah is the greatest” and he does not kiss what he points with. The terms of right circumambulation: A circumambulator must be purified from both kinds of impurities (the greater and the minor), as circumambulation is like praying, however, speaking is permitted.
5- He is to make the House to his left side, and to circumambulate seven times around it. If he is parallel to the Yemenite Corner, he is to receive it by his right hand, if possible, and says: “In the name of Allah and Allah is the Greatest” and does not kiss it. If it is difficult to receive it, he is to leave it and to continue his circumambulation, without pointing to it or saying Allah is the Greatest, because this has not been mentioned about the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him. As for the Black Stone, whenever he is parallel to it he is to receive and kiss it and to say “Allah is the Greatest” – as we mentioned before- or he is to point to it and say “Allah is the Greatest”. Pacing is preferable- that is: to walk quickly with close steps – in all the first three rounds of the arrival circumambulation, especially for men.
It is preferable for a man to put the middle of his above-waist cloth under his right shoulder and its ends over his left shoulder in the arrival circumambulation, in all rounds. It is preferable to increase remembrances and supplications with whatever easily comes to mind in all rounds. There is no special invoking or remembrance in circumambulation. He is rather to invoke and remember Allah by whatever easy of remembrances and supplications. He is to say between the two corners, {Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:201]

{رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ} البقرة: 201

Transliteration: rabbana atinafee alddunya hasanatan wafee alakhiratihasanatan waqina AAathaba alnnari
In each round, because this is proven from the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him. He is to end the seventh round by receiving and kissing the Black Stone, if possible, or pointing to it and saying Allah is the Greatest, according to the aforementioned details. After finishing circumambulation he is to wear his above-waist cloth by putting it over his shoulders and the two ends over his chest.
6- He is then to pray two prayer units behind the Maqâm (place of Ibrâhîm) [or the stone on which Ibrâhîm stood while he was building the Ka’bah], if possible. If he is not able, he can pray at anywhere in the Mosque. He is to recite in them after Al-Fâtiha: {Say: (O Muhammad to these Mushrikûn and Kâfirûn): “O Al-Kafirûn (disbelievers in Allâh, in His Oneness, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Qadar)!} [Surat Al-Kâfirun], in the first prayer unit,

 {قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ} الكافرون: 1

 Transliteration: Qul ya ayyuha alkafiroona
and, {Say (O Muhammad): “He is Allâh, (the) One} [Surat Al-Ikhlâs] in the second prayer unit.

 {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} الإخلاص: 1

 Transliteration: Qul huwa Allahu ahadun
This is the best, but if he recites others, so there is nothing wrong in that. After finishing the two prayer units, he is to go to the Black Stone to receive it with his right hand, if possible.
7- He is then to get out to as-Safâ to ascend or stand at it, but ascending is better, if possible. He is to recite in the beginning of the first round the words of Allah Almighty, {Verily! As-Safâ and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allâh.} [Surat Al-Baqarah 2:158]

 {إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ} البقرة: 158

 Transliteration: Inna alssafa waalmarwata min shaAAairi Allahi
It is preferable to turn his face to the qiblah above as-Safa. He is to praise Allah and says Allah is the Greatest and says, “There is no god but Allah”, and “Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him belongs dominion, and to Him belongs all praise, and He is Over all things Competent. There is no god but Allah alone, He has fulfilled His Promise, and has granted victory to His servant, and has defeated the parties Alone.” He is then to invoke Allah with what is possible while raising his hands. He is to repeat such remembrance and invoking (three times).
He is then to descend and move to al-Marwah, until he reaches the first flag, so he is to walk quickly, until he reaches the second flag. As for women, it is not lawful for them to walk quickly, as they are not to be exposed. He is then to walk and ascend or stand at al-Marwa. Ascending is better, if possible. He is to say and do over al-Marwa, as what he said and did over as-Safa, except reciting the mentioned verse, as this is lawful upon ascending as-Safa in the first round only, as a following to the Sunnah of the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him. He is then to descend and walk in the place of walking, and hurries in the place of hurrying, until he reaches as-Safa. He is to do that seven times, as his going is a round and his returning is a round. If he performs these round riding, so there is nothing wrong in that, especially when necessary. It is preferable to increase remembrance and invoking during his walking with whatever easily comes to his mind, and to be purified from both kinds of ritual impurities. If he walks while he is ritually impure so it is satisfactory.
8- When he finishes walking, he is to have his hair cut or shaved, but shaving is better. If his coming to Mecca is near the time of pilgrimage, then cutting is better for him, to have the rest of his hair shaved in pilgrimage. A woman collects her hair and cut a hairbreadth or less. If a muhrim fulfils that, so his umrah is complete. All praises and thanks be to Allah. Everything which was forbidden for him due to consecration is now lawful.
May Allah help us and all our Muslim brothers to understand and adhere to His religion, and may He accept from all of us, He –the Almighty- is Generous.
Prayers and peace of Allah be upon His Slave and Messenger, Muhammad and upon all his family and companions and all his followers to the Day of Resurrection.

Article by: en.islamway.ne

 

The Kaba the Sacred House of God

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The Kaba is the sacred House of God situated in the middle of the Holy mosque in the city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. The black cube shaped box is familiar to people of all faiths due to the images that come out of Saudi Arabia every year at pilgrimage time. Usually when people see these images, their attention is focused on the black box being circled by hundreds if not thousands of worshippers. This box is the Kaba.
{God has made the Kaaba, the Sacred House, an asylum of security, Hajj, and ‘Umrah (pilgrimage) for mankind…} [Quran 5:97]
{جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْكَعْبَةَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ قِيَامًا لِّلنَّاسِ…} [المائدة:٩٧].
Transliteration: Jaala Allāhu Al-Kabata Al-Bayta Al-Ĥarāma Qiyāmāan Lilnnāsi …
The Kaba is the holiest site in Islam, and it is the qibla, the direction Muslims face when praying. It is called the Kaba because of its shape; cube in the Arabic language is [I]ka’b[/I]. Sometimes the Kaba is called Al Bait Al Atiq, or the emancipated house, Prophet Muhammad said that this name was used due to the fact that God has protected the Kaba from coming under the control of tyrants.
The Kaba is made from granite taken from the hills near Mecca, and stands 15 meters (49 feet) high, the sides measure 10.5 m (34′) by 12 m (39′). Today the Kaba is covered by a black silk cloth decorated with gold-embroidered calligraphy known as the kiswah.
On the southwest side of the Kaba is a semi-circular wall, this represents the border, or al hatim. Entrance to the Kaba is gained through a door, 2.13 metres of the ground, on the north-eastern wall. Inside, the floor is made from marble and the walls are clad with marble up to the halfway point between the floor and the ceiling.
Amongst the traditions of Prophet Muhammad we learn that his beloved wife Aisha asked about the wall and the door. She says, «I asked the Messenger of God about the wall and whether it was part of the House [the Kaba]. He said, ‘Yes.’ I asked, ‘So why is it not incorporated into the House?’ He said, ‘Your people ran out of money.’ I asked, ‘What about the door? Why is it high up?’ He said, ‘Your people did that so they could let in whomever they wanted and keep out whomever they wanted. If it were not for the fact that your people are still new [in Islam] and too close to their time of ignorance , and I am afraid that they would resent it, I would think of incorporating the wall into the House and bringing the door down to ground level.’»
Verses from the Quran are written on tablets inset in the marble and the upper part of the interior wall is clad with green cloth decorated with gold embroided verses. Lamps hang from a cross beam; there is also a small table for incense burners. Caretakers perfume the marble cladding with scented oil, the same oil used to anoint the Black Stone outside.
The Black Stone, an ancient sacred stone, is embedded in the eastern corner of the Kaba, one and a half meters above the ground. Prophet Muhammad said , «The black stone came down from paradise and it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam turned it black»
The scholars of Islam have differed on who built the Kaba. Some say that it was built by the angels. Others say the father of humankind, Adam built the Kaba but over many centuries it fell into disrepair and was lost in the mists of time, to be rebuilt by Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. All agree that the Kaba was either built or rebuilt by Prophet Abraham.
{And (remember) when Abraham and (his son) Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House (the Kaba at Mecca), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower’} [Quran 2:127]
{وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ} [البقرة:١٢٧].
Transliteration: Wa ‘Idh Yarfau ‘Ibrāhīmu Al-Qawāida Mina Al-Bayti Wa ‘Ismāīlu Rabbanā Taqabbal Minnā ‘Innaka ‘Anta As-Samīu Al-Alīmu
Since then the kaba has been rebuilt several times. By the Amalekites, the tribe of Jurham, Qusayy ibn Kilaab, the tribe of Quraish and several times after the advent of Islam. Shortly before prophet Muhammad’s mission began the Kaba was built from stones, without mortar and it was not much higher than the height of a man, people had stolen treasure from the Kaba so the Quraish decided to rebuild it and add a roof.
Each tribe collected building materials and worked cooperatively until it came time to replace the black stone. Because of the prestige involved with placing the stone arguments broke out. Abu Umaiyah ibn al Mughirah one of the most senior men said, “O Quraish come to an agreement over that which you are disputing. Let the first man who enters through the gate decide the matter for you”.
The first man, was Muhammad, at that time known as al amin (the trustworthy one). He suggested that they carry the black stone to its place in a cloak, each tribe holding an edge so that the prestige was distributed equally. The black stone reached the Kaba in this manner and Muhammad then placed the stone in its place The Kaba consists of four corners. Finally, it is important to understand that Muslims do not worship the kaba or the surroundings. It is simply the qibla, the direction in which Muslims face to pray, therefore it serves as a focal point.

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Article by: en.islamway.net

Umrah Plus to be launched soon

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DAMMAM: The Umrah Plus program would be launched soon to allow foreign pilgrims .To visit some of the Kingdom’s most attractive cultural and religious landmarks.The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) announced recently.
Abdul Aziz Al-Hussain, the SCTNH’s director general in Riyadh, said preparations are almost complete. Umrah companies are currently tying up partnerships with tour companies in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Travel and Tourism Pioneers Forum was launched recently in Riyadh with 35 companies from around the world participating.
Nasser Al-Hamdi, Egypt’s ambassador to the Kingdom, said the country is prepared to receive Saudi tourists. About 430,000 tourists visited Egypt in 2013 and 2014, he said.
Prince Saif Al-Islam bin Abdul Aziz said the travel and tourism sector in the Kingdom has grown significantly.Now made up 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. The plan is to ensure annual growth of 10 percent over the next five years, compared to 6 percent last year and 4 percent in 2014.

Article by: arabnews.com

Hajis saved from baggage check-in formalities

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JEDDAH — Companies in charge of accommodation of pilgrims will also be made responsible for shipping their luggage to their destinations. Haj Minister Bandar Al-Hajjar has said:
“This is a new mechanism which has been initiated to facilitate swift and smooth departure of pilgrims,”. He said.
Under this mechanism pilgrims will go to the airport without any luggage. They will no longer have to wait at the counters to check-in their baggage.
The minister said the licensed accommodation companies in Makkah and Madinah will transport the luggage to the airport and complete the shipping procedures.
Concerning Zamzam water, which pilgrims are keen to take back home, the minister said it will be shipped onboard the aircraft flying back home after dropping pilgrims.
“Pilgrims will receive their quotas of the blessed water on their arrival in their home countries. They will no longer have to take Zamzam water with them as accompanying luggage when leaving the Kingdom after Haj,” he said.

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa

Purpose of life: Reason and revelation

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What is the meaning and purpose of life?’ Throughout the ages, philosophers have considered it to be the most fundamental question. Scientists, historians, philosophers, writers, psychologists and the common man all wrestle with the question at some point in their lives.
Is the reason a sufficient guide?
Why do we eat? Why do we sleep? Why do we work? The answers we would get to these questions would be similar. I eat to live. I sleep to rest. I work to support myself and my family. But when it comes to what the purpose of life is, people are confused. We see their confusion by the type of answers we receive. Youths may say, “I live for fun and frolics.”
The middle-aged professional might say, “I live to save enough for a comfortable retirement.” The old man would probably say, “I’ve been asking why I’m here most of my life. If there’s a purpose, I don’t care anymore.” And perhaps the most common answer will be, “I really don’t know!”
How, then, do you discover the purpose of life? We basically have two options.
The first is to let ‘human reason’ — the celebrated achievement of the Enlightenment — guide us. After all, the Enlightenment gave us modern science based on careful observation of the natural world. But have post-Enlightenment philosophers figured it out? Camus described life as “absurd”; Sartre spoke of “anguish, abandonment, and despair.”
To these Existentialists, life has no meaning. Darwinians thought the meaning of life was to reproduce. Will Durant, capturing the predicament of postmodern man, wrote, “Faith and hope disappear; doubt and despair are the order of the day… it is not our homes and our treasuries that are empty, it is our ‘hearts’.”
When it comes to the meaning of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing. Will Durant, the most noted philosopher of the last century, and Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northeastern Illinois University, both wrote separate books titled ‘The Meaning of Life.’ They wrote to the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, politicians, and intellectuals of their time in the world, asking them, “What is the meaning of life?”
Then they published their responses. Some offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless. In fact, a number of famous intellectuals asked the authors to write back and tell them if the purpose of life was discovered!
If the philosopher has no definitive answer, perhaps the answer can be found within the heart and mind that we ourselves possess. Have you ever looked at the open sky on a clear night?
You will see an incalculable number of stars. Look through a telescope and you will see gigantic spiral galaxies, beautiful nebula where new stars are being formed, the remnants of ancient supernova explosion created in a star’s final death throes, the magnificent rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter. Is it possible not to be moved by the sight of these countless stars in the night sky shining like diamond dust on a bed of black velvet? Multitudes of stars beyond stars, stretching back; becoming so dense that they appear to merge into delicate wisps of sparkling mist.
The grandeur humbles us, thrills us, inspires a craving for investigation, and calls for our contemplation. How did it come into being? How are we related to it, and what is our place in it? Can we hear the heavens “speak” to us?
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, there are sure signs for all who are endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: ‘O our Lord, You have not created this without meaning and purpose. Limitless art You in Your glory’.” (Qur’an, 3:190-191)
When we read a book, we accept that an author exists. When we see a house, we accept that a builder exists. Both of these things were made with a purpose by those who made them. The design, order, and complexity of the universe, as well as the world around us, are evidence of the existence of supreme intelligence, a perfect designer. All the heavenly bodies are controlled by precise laws of physics.
Can there be laws without a lawmaker? Rocket scientist Dr. von Braun said: “The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second. These laws must have been set by somebody.” Paul Davies, a professor of physics, concludes that man’s existence is not a mere quirk of fate. He states: “We are truly meant to be here.” And he says regarding the universe: “Through my scientific work, I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as a brute fact. There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation.” The universe, the earth, and living things on the earth all give silent testimony to an intelligent, powerful Creator.
If we were made by a Creator, then surely that Creator must have had a reason, a purpose, in creating us. Thus, it is important that we seek to know God’s purpose for our existence.
After coming to the realization of this purpose, we can choose whether we want to live in harmony with it. But is it possible to know what is expected from our left to our own devices without any communication from the Creator? It is natural that God Himself would inform us of this purpose, especially if we are expected to fulfill it.
This brings us to the second option: The alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life is a revelation. The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the inventor. To discover the purpose of your life, ask God.

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Pilgrim quota cut temporary, says minister

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JEDDAH: Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar said Tuesday that the reduction in the number of pilgrims is a temporary measure for the safety of Hajis until the completion of the expansion projects at the two holy mosques.
He said the number of domestic pilgrims will be reduced by 50 percent, while the number of foreign pilgrims will be reduced by 20 percent.
He used this announcement to stress the importance of obtaining prior approval from the Ministry of Culture and Information before any country announces media activities for Haj events.
He also noted that the ministry recently changed the name of the “Haj Mission” to “The Office of Pilgrims Affairs”, while the Haj Medical Mission’s name has been changed to the “Medical Office” to avoid any confusion on the part of Haj Missions concerning the job description and the tasks it assumes.
“Some missions think that they acquire a diplomatic or consulate status in this regard and demand the granting of special privileges or immunities similar to those enjoyed by embassies and the general consulate”, said the minister. He added: “The fact is that the tasks of these missions are only administrative, and are aimed at helping their pilgrims and supervise their organizations.”
Hajjar noted that the ministry received the heads of the 53 Pilgrims’ Affairs Offices in the Kingdom recently. They were all hosted by the ministry at its own expense. The meetings are to remain ongoing at various times for three months to discuss the Haj arrangements for each Muslim country.

Article by: arabnews.com

Why send greetings to our Prophet

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What a joyous month it is on the Islamic calendar, the month of Rabi’ul Awwal. It is the month that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born. The Prophet (peace be upon him) brought light and guidance to the people of Arabia, and to the world .Leading them to the worship of one God, after they had been worshipping idols.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) put an end to the ignorant practices that existed in the Arabian Peninsula at the time. Such as:

rampant prostitution, treating women as a commodity, tribal pride, revenge, infanticide (burying newborn baby girls alive), and alcoholism.
This indeed is a happy month. All Muslims worldwide should commemorate the Prophet’s birth and his life by reviving the tradition that many Muslims have neglected, and that is sending peace and blessings upon our Prophet every day ten times, a hundred times, two hundred times. We have become too preoccupied with our day-to-day affairs that we have forgotten this important act of worship.
Muslims should incorporate this practice in their daily habits and routines.
The well known scholar, Al-Albani, wrote in his prologue to the book Merits of Sending Blessings Upon the Prophet by Ismail bin Ishaq Al-Qadi:
“Multiply the number of times that you say, ‘May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad.’ Say this at all times of the day. Each time you say it, in return Allah will send blessings upon you, raise your status, increase your good deeds, erase some of your bad deeds, and lighten the burden of the worries that you carry, regarding this world and the Hereafter.”
Imagine this; your greetings of peace and blessings reach the Prophet. Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) cannot hear us in the physical sense, the angels inform him of our greetings and prayers.
Make a special effort on Fridays to increase the number of times that you say, “May the peace and blessings of Allah descend upon Muhammad.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to his companions, “On Fridays recite the salawat (peace and blessings) for me repeatedly! The salawat will be conveyed to me.” When it was asked whether it would be conveyed to him after his death, the Prophet answered,
“Soil does not rot Prophets’ bodies. Whenever a Muslim says the salawat for me, an angel informs me of it and says, “So-and-so’s son, so-and-so of your ummah sent his salaam and prayed for you.’” (Abu Dawood)
After performing each of the five daily prayers, remain seated on your prayer rug just for a couple of minutes, before rushing off to the never-ending tasks of your day, and repeat it ten times: peace and blessings be upon Muhammad.
If you are with a group of friends, talking together, when you part remind one another to say this prayer. When you enter the mosque and when you leave it, mention the peace and blessings upon Muhammad. Over the dinner table with your family and children, mention this prayer upon the Prophet.
Whoever hears the mention of the Prophet and does not say ‘peace be upon him’ is miserly.
As for the benefits that you will gain by mentioning peace and blessings upon the Prophet, there are plenty.
So, what are the merits that we gain and why is it so important to say, “May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you, O Muhammad,”?
One of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Abu Talha, noticed that the Prophet’s face was lit, and he appeared very happy. Abu Talha said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah! I see joy and delight in your countenance!”
The Prophet  (peace be upon him) said, “Yes, for Gabriel has just come to me saying: O Muhammad, whoever among your ummah invokes blessings upon you once, Allah records for him ten good deeds, erases from his account ten evil deeds, and raises him ten degrees because of it.” (Al-Sakhawi)
Simply by mentioning the Prophet’s name and wishing him peace and blessings, we can earn so many good deeds.
A close companion of the Prophet, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf said that he had once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah! You made a prostration so long that I was afraid that Allah has taken your soul during it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Gabriel came to me and gave me the glad tiding that Allah, the Praised and Exalted, says: “He who sends salat on you, I will send salat on him, and he who greets you I will greet him”, so I made a long prostration out of gratitude to Allah. (Ahmad)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said, “The closest people to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who invoked the most blessings upon me.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Muslims wish that they could have seen the Prophet’s face, heard him speak, and stood behind him in prayer. We wish that we will see the Prophet (peace be upon him) and be close to him in the Hereafter. By invoking peace and blessings upon the Prophet, we can earn his companionship.

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa