Men praying at home Q: Some Muslim men pray at their homes instead of going to the mosque without any excuse. When they are reminded that they should pray at the mosque they say we pray in congregation at home with our family members. Is what they claim right? A: Men should offer the obligatory Salah at the mosque. A blind man asked the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him): “O Messenger of Allah, I have no one to take me to the masjid. Is it possible that permission be granted to me for offering Salah at home?” The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) asked: “Do you hear the call (Adhan)?” He said: “Yes.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Then, respond (to it). The Prophet (pbuh) did not give this person permission to offer Salah at home, even though he was blind and had no one to take him to the masjid. Thus, Muslim men should offer Salah at the masjid with other Muslims and they should not abandon the congregational prayer. Grave worship Q: What is the real meaning of ‘Wali,' as some people go to some graves and seek the blessings and say they are ‘Auliya'? A: A ‘Wali' is the true sincere believer in Allah who keeps his or her duties toward Him as Allah said in the Qur'an: “No doubt! Verily, the Auliyâ' of Allâh, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allâh), and used to fear Allâh much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds)”. Seeking the help from the dead, no matter how much righteous they were, is an act of major Shirk that may cast one out of Islam. All acts of worship should be directed to Allah alone, slaughtering and supplications are considered as types of worship that should not be offered to anyone other than Allah. Expressing grief Q: Some people cry loudly and beat their chests when someone dies. Are these practices lawful and what is the right thing we should do in such situations? A: A Muslim should show patience and acceptance of whatever calamity he or she face to get the great reward promised for those who have patience, as Allah said: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.' Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (Qur'an, 2: 155-157) So, when a Muslim loses his or her loved one, he/she should say (Inna lillahi wainna ilayhi rajeoon) “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” No harm in weeping or grieving but what isn't lawful is to raise voice or tear cloth or beating. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in an authentic Hadith: “He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, tears his garments or says what people used to say during Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance.” It means at the time of grief. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) also said: “I rid myself of the Saliqah, the Haliqah, and the Shaqqah. The Saliqah is the woman who raises her voice at grief, the Haliqah is the woman who shaves her hair or tears it out of grief, and the Shaqqah is the woman who tears her garments out of grief.” It is clear that wailing is an action that belonged to Jahiliyyah. He (peace and blessing be upon him) also said: “If the woman who wails didn't repent, she will be resurrected - from her grave - on the Day of Resurrection with clothes made of tar and a dress of scabies.” Therefore, raising voices, screaming, beating chests or tearing clothes to express grief and sadness is forbidden in Islam. __
