this short article comes from An Noor

Arif Billah, Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakim Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (hafizahullah)

Shaytan misleads many people into indulgence in sins by making them think, “Enjoy yourself while you’re still young! Then make taubah later….You’ve got plenty of time!” Those who have this dreadful misconception should read the following story and take heed.

Hazratwala (daamat barakaatuhum) says: “One horrible consequence of persisting in sins which has been witnessed, may Allah Ta`ala protect us all, is that Allah Ta`ala takes away the tawfeeq to repent.

In Nazimabad, a section of Karachi Pakistan, there used to be a man who would commit evil deeds day and night. When he was on his deathbed a friend advised him, “Brother, you are on the brink of death now, at least make tawbah for the sins you’ve committed.”

So that man uttered a terribly frightening statement which is a lesson for all of us. He said, “I can utter any word you want right now. Tell me to say, doctor… or medicine… or tea…or biscuits…any of these words you ask me, I can say it. But that specific word that you are asking me to say, is just not coming out of my mouth.”

Tell me, how much admonition is in this story?! Why is it that a person can utter any word except for tawbah? What is so difficult about uttering these four letters

Also, this is not a story from a long time ago. This is an incident that I have witnessed with my own eyes. So repent before that day comes wherein the ability to repent gets snatched away from you. Audacity in committing sins, shamelessness, and immodesty must have some limit! Have you completely lost all sense of shame and modesty?

It is for this reason that after the command (Fear Allah…) Allah Ta`ala has commanded us to :
(Be with the truthful ones…) In other words, those who are true and sincere in their piety and fear of Allah. Because it is through the company of these sincere people who are always fearful of Allah Ta`ala, that Allah Ta`ala will grant us the tawfeeq to make sincere repentance.

(Irshadat-e-Dard-e-Dil; Pg. 243 )

Source: MuslimWritings

This might be your story. It starts with missing Fajr (too early) or Isha (too tired). Zhur, Asr, and Magrib (too busy) also get lost. Maybe you make salat once at night and try to make all five prayers at once, but then that becomes too difficult. It’s okay, though, because you make it at least sometimes, when you’re around other Muslims. Then you find that you’re not around Muslims who pray, you’re only around Muslims who don’t pray either. Maybe you don’t really see any other Muslims at all. Your whole world has become that of the non-Muslims, and salat has become pretty much a thing of the past. Forget Ramadan.

Perhaps your life has been like this only a short while. Perhaps it’s been like this for years. Have you begun to feel it yet? That edge of fear that always hovers around you, slicing into you with it’s sharp edges from time to time—suddenly, unexpectedly? You don’t know why it’s there, but it always is, isn’t it?

Then there’s the scream. You can almost hear it. It’s the kind of scream that comes when terror sends the voice running for cover, leaving the mouth open, screaming, soundless. That scream. And it’s in your head, isn’t?

Do you know why they’re there? That fear and that scream? You will find out, if you haven’t already, that no amount of drugs, sex or alcohol—no amount of work or play or money will make that fear and that scream go away.

You know what they are now, don’t you? That fear is your soul. That scream is your soul. That terror is what your soul sees before it—the grave, the unimaginable pain it must experience there and is powerless to stop. The Day of Judgment. The hellfire. That terror is your soul pounding against its cage of your body. And despite all of your efforts to numb it—with the drugs or the sex or the work or the money–your body still feels the fear and still hears the scream.

The instinct for self-preservation is an amazing thing. It is not just your body that experiences the fight-or-flight response when faced with danger, your soul does it too. So here is your soul, incapable of fighting Allah’s wrath—now in flight for its own safety, desperate to get your attention the only way it can.

At this point, maybe, it might be ok to let a little Islam back into your life. But it’s been so long. Where to start? If you’re not ready for big changes, then start with small things. Skim a book on Islam. Try making salat again. Just sometimes. You might want to start with just one salat. One sister started with making Asr sitting on the side of her bed because she was too tired after work to stand. One sister started with a book of the 99 names of Allah. She read a few at a time, in the mornings at the beginning of her day. Maybe some Muslim songs on the iPod or the old CD player? Perhaps going to a lecture or Jumaah prayer?

It may be fear, not repentence that causes those first steps. But one small step may lead to another. There may be steps forward and steps backward. There is the Bukhari hadith about the murderer:

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
The Prophet said, “Amongst the men of Bani Israel there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment quarreled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven.”

The man never made it to where he was going (and let’s not forget he committed one more murder), yet he was forgiven because of the literal steps he had taken in that direction. We do not know, but can always have hope that the steps we take in changing our lives will meet with the same Mercy.

But seek the forgiveness of God, for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Quran 4:106)

REMOVE THOSE OLD-STAINS OF SINS WITH SALAATUT TASBEEH
THE VIRTUES OF SALAATUT TASBEEH
Salaatut Tasbeeh is a very important form of salaah, as is evident from several ahaadith, wherein Rasulullah ( enjoined it as a matter of great kindness and favour and stressed on its importance. As such, the Ulamaa, Jurists, Muhadditheen, and Sufis throughout the centuries have been particular in offering this Salaah. Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbaas ( has narrated that he was once informed by Rasulullah (, ”O Abbaas, Should I not present to you, should I not confer to you, should I not inform you of such an act, which if you practice, Allah ( will forgive all your sins, whether old or new, intentional or unintentional, minor or major, open or secret.(After describing the method of performing this salaah) Nabi ( stated, ”If possible, you should offer this salaah once everyday, and if you cannot perform it daily, then offer it on every Friday (weekly), or once a month, or once a year or at least once in your lifetime.” [Abu Daawud]

THE STATUS AND IMPORTANCE OF SALAATUT TASBEEH
Imaam Al-Haakim (R.A) who is an authority on hadith, has written, ”The authenticity of this hadeeth (of salaatut tasbeeh) is supported by the fact that, since the second generation after the Sahabah ( until our times, all the great teachers of religion have been offering this salaah with constancy and have been advising the people to do so, among them was Imaam Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak (R.A) [He was the teacher of the teachers of Imaam Bukhari (R.A)]” [Al Mustadrak Haakim - vol.1, pg.318] ; Imaam Al-Baihaqi (R.A) has stated that, even before Ibn Mubaarak (R.A), Imaam Abul Jauzaa (R.A), a Taabi’ee (one who had seen the Sahabah () and whose narrations are considered to be reliable, used to be very particular in offering this salaah daily. As soon as he heard the azaan for the Zuhr Salaah, he would go to the musjid and would complete this Salaah before the Zuhr Salaah. Imaam Abdul Aziz Ibn Abi Rawwaad (R.A) who was the teacher of Ibn Mubaarak (R.A) and who was a great devotee, saint and pious man, has stated, ”One who desires to attain Jannah should be constant in offering Salaatut Tasbeeh.” Allamah Taqi Ud-Deen Al-Subki (R.A) stated, “This salaah is very important, and one should not get misled if some people happen to deny its importance. The one, who ignores it even after learning about its reward, is negligent in religious matters, fails to act like virtuous people, and should not be considered as a reliable person.” It is stated in Mirqaat that Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbaas ( used to offer this Salaah every Friday. [Fadhaail A'amaal, Virtues of Zikr - Pg.244] This salaah is preferable to be performed on all those auspicious nights where extra ibaadat (worship) are encouraged e.g. The 15th Night of Shabaan, The nights of Ramadhaan etc.

[NOTE: The Authenticity of Salaatut Tasbeeh has been affirmed by the muhadditheen. Many of them have written detailed articles on this matter. Allaamah al-Suyyuti (RA) has enumerated up to 20 great muhadditheen who have accepted its authenticity]. [Al-Laalil Masnoo'ah-vol.2, pg.40]. According to the principles of hadeeth, this hadith falls at least in the category of Hasan Ahadith.

THE METHOD OF PERFORMING SALAATUT TASBEEH
Imaam Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak (R.A) and many other ulama narrate the following method of offering this salaah. (This method is also reported from Rasulullah ( and is the preferred method of performing this salaah).

“After reciting thanaa and before reciting Surah Faatihah repeat these words (the third Kalimah) ‘Subhaanallaahi Walhamdulillaahi, Wa laa ilaaha illallaahu Wallaahu Akbar’
fifteen times.
Then start with ‘a’oodhu’ and ‘Bismillaah’ and, after completing Surah Faatihah and another surah, these words (above mentioned) should be repeated ten times before the ruku, ten times during the ruku, ten times after standing up from the ruku, ten times in each sajdah and ten times while sitting between the two sajdahs. All four rakaats should be performed in this manner, thus completing seventy five times (tasbeehs) in each rakaat and 300 times (tasbeehs) in four rakaats.” [Sunan Tirmizi - vol.2, pg.348]

FYI: The meaning of:
‘Subhaanallaahi Walhamdulillaahi, Wa laa ilaaha illallaahu Wallaahu Akbar’

Glory Be to Allah & all praise be to Allah. There is none worthy of worship besides Allah. And Allah is the Greatest

TABLE OF PERFORMING SALAATUT TASBEEH ACCORDING TO THE METHOD OF IMAM ABDULLAH IBN MUBARAK (R.A)

- 15 BEFORE SURAH FAATIHA
- 10 TIMES BEFORE RUKU
- 10 TIMES DURING RUKU
- 10 TIMES WHILE STANDING – AFTER RISING FROM THE RUKU
- 10 TMES IN THE FIRST SAJDAH
- 10 TIMES SITTING POSTURE – BETWEEN BOTH SAJDAS
- 10 TIMES IN THE SECOND SAJDAH
Thus counting 75 times in each Rakaah,with 4 Rakaah equalling 300 times.

There are no particular surahs specified for this salaah. Any surah may be recited. However Sayyiduna Ibn Abbaas ( was once asked, ”Are there any particular surahs to be recited in this salaah? He replied, ‘At takaasur (S.102), Al Asr (S.103), Al Kaafiroon (S.109) and Al Ikhlaas (S.112).” Some Ulamaa have also stated, ”The most virtuous surahs (to be recited in this salaah) are Al Hadeed (S.57), Al Hashar (S.59), As Saff (S.61) and At Taghaabun (S.64).” [Raddul Muhtaar - vol.2, pg.461]

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND
1. Counting should not be done verbally as this act nullifies the salaah. The best way is that the fingers should be kept in their position, but should be pressed one by one for counting. [Raddul Muhtaar - vol.2, pg.236; Fadhaail A'amaal, Virtues of Zikr - Pg.244]

2. This Salaah can be offered at any time of the day or night besides the three forbidden times. However, the more appropriate times, in order of preference, are: After midday, any time during the day, and any time during the night. [Fadhaail A'amaal, Virtues of Zikr - Pg.245]

3. According to some ahaadith, the third Kalimah should also be followed by ‘Laa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaahil aliyyil adheem’ It is therefore better to recite it sometimes in addition to the third Kalimah.” [Ihyaa Ulummuddeen - vol.2, pg.267]

4. In the ruku, ‘subhaana rabbiyal adheem’ and in the sajdah, ‘subhaana rabbiyal a’alaa’ should be recited before reciting the third kalimah.” [At Tarsheeh, Libayaani Salaatit Tasbeeh - pg.22]

5. If one missed out all the tasbeehaat or some tasbeehaat in any posture, he should not make up for that deficiency in qaumah (after ruku in the standing posture) or in jalsah (after the first sajdah before the second sajdah).

PRACTICE AND CONVEY THIS GIFT GRANTED TO US BY RASULULLAH

CERTIFIED BY: Mufti Ebrahim Desai, Darul Ifta (Fatwa Department), Camperdown.
COMPILED BY: A student [2nd year aalim class] of Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown,
Special message by Mufti Desai: Please forward this to many people as possible. If you want to print this article and circulate, you may contact the Darul Ifta for an original copy with the Arabic. Every person that praises Allah, you will have a share in the reward, Insha Allah.

Narrated by Uqba bin Aamir (RA), ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger saying:

One of my followers gets up at night pushing himself to perform ablution (for prayer). On him there are several knots of Shaytaan. When he washes his hands, a knot loosens. When he washes his face, another knot loosens. When he passes his wet hands over his head, yet another knot loosens. When he washes his feet, the last knot loosens.

Then Allah (SAW) says to those beyond the eyes i.e the angels “Look at this slave of Mine who cures his inner self and asks Me for forgiveness so what he asks is given to him.”

(This hadith is sound and reported by Ibn Hibban and Ahmed in his Musnad.)
Personally, I try to make wudhu before going to bed, apart from the Islamic benefit, the cleanliness and hygienic benefit is good too. Besides there’s the odd nights when you cant fall asleep, can easily grab the Quraan or other kitaab to read for a while.