Solat Sunat Rawatib

A friend asked about solat sunat (the 'optional' solat) being practised by some Muslims before or after the solat fardhu (compulsory). Here is the full article about it including the hadith validing the practice.

This is another way to earn extra "credit", so let's do it!

Solat Rawatib ialah solat yang mengiringi solat-solat fardhu sama ada sebelum atau selepas solat fardhu.

Solat sunat Rawatib ini terbahagi kepada dua bahagian :
Sunat Rawatib yang "Muakkad"
Sunat Rawatib yang "Ghaira Muakkad".

Disamping itu Sunat Rawatib juga terbahagi kepada 2 kategori :
Qabliah (sebelum Solat Fardhu)
Ba'diah (selepas Solat Fardhu)

Sunat Rawatib yang "Muakkad" adalah 10 rakaat seperti berikut :

2 Rakaat sebelum Solat Subuh
2 Rakaat sebelum Solat Zohor.
2 Rakaat selepas Solat Zohor.
2 Rakaat selepas Solat Maghrib.
2 Rakaat selepas Isyak.

Sunat Rawatib yang "Ghaira Muakkad" pula adalah 12 rakaat seperti berikut :

2 Rakaat sebelum Solat Zohor
2 Rakaat selepas Solat Zohor.
4 Rakaat sebelum Solat Asar.
2 Rakaat sebelum Solat Maghrib.
2 Rakaat sebelum Isyak.

DALIL TENTANG SUNAT MELAKUKAN SOLAT INI.

Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w :
عن عبد الله بن عمر قال حفظت عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ركعتين قبل الظهر وركعتين بعد المغرب وركعتين بعد العشاء وركعتين قبل الغداة
(متفق عليه)

Maksudnya : Dari Abdullah bin Umar, katanya, "Saya mengingati (lafaz) dari Rasulullah s.a.w dua rakaat sebelum Zohor, dua rakaat sesudah Maghrib, dua rakaat sesudah Isyak, dan dua rakaat sebelum Subuh."
(Muttafaq alaih)

NIAT SOLAT RAWATIB
Sekiranya sebelum solat Fardhu di sebut : قَبْلِيَّةً
Sekiranya selepas solat Fardhu di sebut : بَعْدِيَّةً
Oleh yang demikian niatnya adalah seperti berikut :

أُصَلِّي سُنَّةَ ( الظُّهْرِ / العَصْرِ / المَغْرِبِ / العِشَاءِ / الصبح ) رَكْعَتَيْنِ (قَبْلِيَّةً / بَعْدِيَّةً ) لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

Maksudnya : Sahaja aku menunaikan solat sunat (Zohor / Asar / Isyak / Subuh) dua rakaat (Sebelum / Selepas) kerana Allah Taala.

Makna doa selepas solat Tarawikh

I have been meaning to look up for the meaning of the doa after solat tarawikh and here it is. It is a really good doa hence we should really 'ameen' with great enthusiasm with the hope that it's to be granted! Oh, how I wish!

الحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّالْعَالَمِينَ/ حَمْدًا يُوَافِي نِعَمَهُ وَيُكَافِئُ مَزِيْدَهْ / يَارَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا يَنْبَغِى لِجَلاَلِ وَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ وَعَظِيْمِ سُلْطَانِكْ / اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينْ / اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا بِاْلإِيماَنِ كَامِلِينْ / وَلِفَرَائِضِكَ مُؤَدّيِنْ / وَعَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضِينْ / وَعَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ مُحَافِظِينْ / وَلِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلِينْ / وَبِالنَّعْمَاءِ شَاكِرِينْ / وَعَلَى الْبَلاَءِ صَابِرِينْ / وَفِى الدُّنْياَ زَاهِدِينْ / وَفىِ اْلآخِرَةِ رَاغِبِينْ / وَتَحْتَ لِوَاءِ سَيِّدِناَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ سَائِرِينْ / وَفِي الْجَنَّةِ دَاخِلِينْ / وَمِنَ النّاَرِ ناَجِينْ / وَعَلَى سُرُرِ الْكَرَامَةِ قاَعِدِينْ / وَمِنْ سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَلَبِّسِينْ / وَمِنْ طَعَامِ الْجَنَّةِ آكِلِينْ / وَمِنْ لَبَنٍ وَعَسَلٍ مُصَفًّى شَارِبِينْ/ بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَباَرِيقَ وَكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينْ / مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِييِّنَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينْ / وَصَلّ ِاللَّهُمَّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينْ / وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّالْعَالَمِينْ

Ya Allah, jadikanlah kami orang yang imannya sempurna. Bisa mengerjakan yang wajib. Bisa menjaga sholat dan bisa menunaikan zakat. Bisa menuntut/ mencari kebaikan di sisi-Mu, mengharap ampunan-Mu, memegang teguh petunjuk-Mu, berpaling dari penyelewengan, zuhut (sederhana) terhadap dunia, mencintai amal untuk bekal akhirat, ridho terhadap kepastian (Allah), syukur terhadap nikmat yang telah diberikan, dan sabar terhadap segala cobaan.


Dan mudah2an di hari kiamat nanti, kami dalam satu barisan dibawah panji junjungan Nabi Muhammad SAW melewati telaga yang sejuk, bisa masuk surga, duduk diatas tahta kehormatan, didampingi bidadari, mengenakan pakaian kebesaran dari sutra warna warni, menikmati makanan surga, minum susu dan madu murni. Dalam gelas2 dan kendi2 yang tak pernah kering, bersama mereka yang tlah Engkau beri nikmat kepadanya dari golongan para Nabi para Shiddiqin, para syahid (yang gugur dalam membela agama Allah), para shoolihin, dan baik sekali mereka menjadi kawan kami.

Demikianlah kemurahan dari Allah dan mudah2an Dzat yang Maha Mengetahui memberi kecukupan. Dan segala puji bagi Allah Tuhan Semesta alam.

P.S. Semuga amalan kita diterima dan di redhai Allah. Amin.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

by Erma Bombeck, written after she found out she was dying from cancer


I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle..
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later... Now go get washed up for dinner.' But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute; look at it and really see it; live it and never give it back.

STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what
Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us..

Desription of Ramadhan

I found this in Islamic-Dictionary.com site and I thought it is very well written and simple to understand. Thought I would share with you as well as keeping it as my own reminder:

The holy month of Ramadhan is a great gift from God for the believer and its blessings are not to be missed. In this month Allah grants the believer more thawab (reward) for their good deeds and blessings are increased manifold and God has said He will forgive even more sins, so how can we let this opportunity go by?
The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said:
One who receives the month of Ramadhan (and does not strive in it) is not forgiven. Allah distances Himself from that person.

Keep Away From Sin
This is a month in which abstaining from doing any sins, merely breathing, obtains you copious thawab. And a believers' sleep is like staying up late in worship in other months. Such are the blessings from God. What you really do not want to do is turn away those blessings by committing sins. While God has written great forgiveness for Himself in this month, He has also warned against the committing of sins in this month as the sins count for more in this month as well.

Imam Ali (AS) says:
The Prophet Muhammed was delivering a sermon about the virtues of the month of Ramadhan so I asked him: O' Prophet of Allah! What is the best deed for this month?
The Prophet (SAW) replied:
O' Aba al-Hasen! The best of deeds in this month is the abstinence from that which is forbidden by Allah, The Mighty, The Glorious.

Read The Holy Qur'an
The month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed in full. In this month the thawab for reading a single verse is like readings the whole of the Qur'an in other months. Such are the blessings are rewards of God subhanallahu wa ta'ala. Many Muslims strive to read the whole Qur'an in this month and they achieve this by splitting up what they intend to read across the whole day. They succeed in reading the whole Qur'an by the end of the month due to the effort put into organizing themselves and making the most of their time, and the blessings for this are gigantic.

Observe the Obligatory and Recommended Prayers and other acts of worship
Muslims are required to pray five times a day but in this month this same act of worship has a greater reward than in other months:
The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) has stated:
(The rewards of) one who has performed in it (the month of Ramadhan) a single act from amongst the wajib (obligatory) acts of Allah, would be like (that of) one who has performed seventy obligatory acts in other months.
There is also much reward for doing the mustahab (recommended) optional acts of worship. This is a month in which mustahab prayers are highly recommended, especially the night prayers, Salat al-Layl (also called Salat al-Tahajjud). Other recommended acts of worship include ghusuls (ritual baths), recitation of supplications and observing the suhur (the predawn meal).

Make Repentance and Recite Supplications
The month of Ramadhan is a month in which Allah has informed us that He increases His mercy but He calls us to make repentance in order for Him to remove our sins. So actively raise your hands in supplication and ask Him sincerely: O' Lord! I ask you Almighty to forgive me my sins and I turn to you in repentance! Ya Rabb! Istaghfurullah Al-'adheem wa attoubu illayk.
The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said:
Surely, the month of Ramadhan has been named so because it scorches away the sins.

The month of Ramadhan is the best month to ask Allah to remove your sins in and also to ask for what you covet - it is recommended to pray for good things such as the opportunity to make Hajj (pilgrimage) to the Holy Kaabah, to find and marry a good woman/man and to become prosperous and devout.
I'tikaf on the Night of Qadr

The night in which the Qur'an was revealed in full to the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is known as Laylatul-Qadr, a night in which the thawab for good deeds are better than a thousand months-worth of good deeds. Allah says:
In The Name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
[97.1] Surely We revealed it (the Qur'an) on the grand night.
[97.2] And what will make you comprehend what the grand night is?
[97.3] The grand night is better than a thousand months.
[97.4] The angels and Gibraeel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair,
[97.5] Peace it is till the break of the morning.

The exact day that Laylatul Qadr falls on was not confirmed to the believers but they were given a number of days to pick from to do their worship in (the odd days in the last ten days of the month), granting them multiple opportunities to take up this great blessing. A lot of Muslims go to the mosque on Laylatul Qadr and undertake a secluded spiritual retreat (I'tikaf) - they stay up during the night in worship, reading Qur'an, praying obligatory and mustahab prayers, making up for a weeks-worth of obligatory prayers and reading supplications until the night ends. I'tikaf can also be done at home and at other times.

Give To Charity
In Islam the concept of sadaqah (charity) spans beyond just giving money to the poor. The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) taught that even a smile is a form of charity. Having the ability to give charity to the poor is a gift from God, because He has blessed you with sufficient wealth that you can spend as you wish, but He rewards you when you give it to someone poorer than you and blesses them through you. By giving charity you help your neighbor, benefit society and increase your own spiritual level.
The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said: Charity extinguishes sins as water extinguishes fire.

The month of Ramadhan, being the month of fasting, gives us a small idea of how the poor feel when they do not have enough to eat. This insight should increase the willingness of a person to alleviate the hunger, thirst and other hardships of the poor through giving to charity.

In Summary...
The month of Ramadhan is a month that only a fool would let pass without trying to obtain as much blessings and benefits from it. Who knows if this opportunity will come around again this time next year? Allah has blessed us so much and given us so many opportunities for seeking his forgiveness and reward and we should be thankful and take his gifts.

MasyaAllah fatabarakallah

The word "masyaAllah" is frequently used by almost all of us among the Muslims. Unfortunately, most of the time, it is used at the wrong time or the wrong occasion. In Malaysia at least. My guess is also in countries that do not speak Arabic as their first or second language.

Now, masyaAllah means Allah the Almighty (Allah yang maha Agung). And the use of this exclaimation is best to be used when there is joy or beauty. Like when you see a beautiful baby/person or a stunning sunset or a melodious voice.

Unfortunately, most of us (me included) use it when there is a calamity or unexpected turn of event or when we are upset and so on and so forth. Since I learnt about this, I have to keep reminding myself to use it in a different context. Habit dies hard.

And today I learnt something else. One way for us to seek the pleasure of the Almighty (mendapat keredhaan Allah) is to always say InsyaAllah before we want to do something and when we achieved it we must say MasyaAllah fatabarakallah. Yes, I know. Usually we just say Alhamdulillah. Which is ok too. It shows that we are thankful to Allah.

The guest Ustaz said in his tazkirah today that by saying MasyaAllah fatabarakallah when we achieved success or received a compliment or anything in the same line, will rid the feeling of proud of one self and forgetting that it is by the will of Allah and his blessing (sifat riak). And "riak" is one form of syirik khofi. And this is indeed something we want to avoid.

I find this knowledge rather useful thus the need to share it here.

Alrightie folks. Don't forget that tomorrow night will begin the all-important phase of Ramadhan where one of the night will be the nite of Lailatul Qadr. The search for the everlasting redemption begins.....

Salam and good night!

Lailatul Qadr

Ask any Muslims and they would know about lailatulqadr. It's one nite of 'mother of all' blessings that happens on one of the night of the last 10 days of Ramadhan. But what may be some do not know is how to fully benefit from the not-to-be-missed night of lailatulqadr.

The best practices for the night of lailatulqadr is to do the qiamulai, lots and lots of zikirullah and of course the Quran reading (plus the tafsir would be better). I guess this is common knowledge.

Let me share what I learnt recently:
1) list of zikrulallah (10 times prior to qiamulai)
- takbir (Allahuakbar)
- tahmid (Alhamdulillah)
- tasbih (Subhanallah)
- istigfar (astaghfirullah)
- tahlil (lailahailallah)

Followed by Doa Nabi S.A.W. :
Ya Allah, berilah aku petunjuk (hidayah), dan kurniakanlah aku rezeki, dan anugerahkanlah untukku kesehatan. Aku berlindung kepada Mu daripada kesusahan ketika menghadap Mu pada hari Kiamat.

(Source: hadith dari Aisyah r.a dan di riwayatkan oleh Abu Daud, Al-Nasaai dan Ibn Majah)

P.S. The note above was given by Dr Abdulah Yasin. Dr Fatma recommended two more in addition to the above; selawat atas nabi and lahaulawala kuwata illa billa hil aliyil azeem. And her recommendation is 100 times instead of 10.

2) one thing that strikes me from Dr Fatma class is that if you hit on the jack pot, ie you do all that you need to do on the lailattulqadr night, you may just be given the ticket to heaven. But of course you are not aware of it and so you will keep on trying every year.

So she highly recommends that we take leave from work on the last 10 days of ramadhan and take this golden opportunity. She is sad that in Malaysia it's the total opposite where there is less people going to the mosque and musolah during those precious time. (Not like in the middle East).

And one more important thing to know is that on that very night your 'doa' (prayers) will be granted. Even to the extend of life changing matters or fate!

There you go. I have promised a friend that I would share and I have. I hope that it would touch at least one heart.

InsyaAllah.

Happy week end!

So. What's happening this week end? Shopping for Raya? Baking cookies? Buying new sofa? Oooohhh.... So much to do and so little time! For some. Ngee....

Just a little reminder. While doing all that don't forget to hold on to your patience. Two things that has been reminded to us during one of the post tarawikh tazkirah was about little things that we must watch out for during the fasting month: 1) bersabar 2) jaga mata, mulut, telinga, anggota dan perut.

I think everyone knows pretty much what all that is all about hence no need for me to elaborate further.

Enjoy the week end folks!

P.S. A friend just told me that Jln TAR is jammed. That's a real test of patience! And mind your language too! Ngee.....!