Question: How accurate is the story of the king of “Malabar” in India (Jaqrani Farmas) when he saw the splitting of the moon in the era of the Prophet (peace be upon him), then he went to the Prophet afterwards, embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet, became a companion, and died on his way back in Dhofar, Oman, and was named Serbank by the Arabs?

Answer: Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions.

Shaikh Abdul Majeed Az-Zindani mentioned in his book “The Evidences and Miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him)” [Bayyinaat Ar-Rasool wa-Mujazaatihi] this incident.

He said: The history of India recorded the name of one of their kings, Jaqrani Farmas, and that he witnessed the incident of the splitting of the moon. One of the historical Indian manuscripts recorded the following: “The king of Malabar in India, Jaqrani Farmas, witnessed the splitting of the moon, which occurred to Muhammad. When he inquired about the splitting of the moon, he learned about the prophecy of the coming of a messenger from the Arabian Peninsula. He then appointed his son as his successor and set out to meet him. He embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet. Upon his return to his homeland, based on the Prophet’s guidance, he died at the port of Dhofar.”

“The Indian manuscript is located in the Library of the India Office in London, reference number: Arabic 2807, 152 to 173, and it was cited by Hamidullah in his book ‘Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.'”

It is mentioned in the books of hadith about the Indian king who reached the Prophet (peace be upon him). In Al-Hakim’s Mustadrak: Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The king of India gifted the Prophet (peace be upon him) a jar containing ginger, and the Prophet distributed pieces of it to his companions, and I ate a piece from it. Al-Hakim said: I did not find any mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) eating ginger other than this. End of quote.

As for the story of his witnessing the splitting of the moon, it is possible that it is proven. We did not come across this manuscript, nor its documentation from a historical perspective, but it is not far-fetched that it is proven.

As for the hadith of his coming to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and gifting ginger, it is considered weak as stated by Ar-Razi and Abu Zur’ah.

Al-Haythami said in Majmua’ Az-Zawa’id: It was narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, and it includes Amr bin Hakam, who was accused of (being unreliable in transmitting) this hadith, and he is weak. End of quote.

Moreover, in the narration of At-Tabarani, it mentioned that it was the king of Rome, not the king of India.

As for the proof of his companionship, it was denied by the scholars.

Ibn Al-Athir said in “Usud Al-Ghabah”: Serbatak the Indian. Makki bin Ahmad Al-Bardai narrated from Ishaq bin Ibrahim At-Tusi, who said: He told me, and he was ninety-seven years old, that he saw Serbatak, the king of India, in a town called Kannauj, and I asked him how many years have passed over him, he said: Nine hundred and twenty-five years, and he was a Muslim. He claimed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent to him ten of his companions, including Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, Amr bin Al-As, Usama bin Zaid, Abu Musa Al-Ashari, Suhayb, Safeenah, and others inviting him to Islam, and he responded and embraced Islam, and accepted the Prophet’s letter. Abu Musa mentioned it.

Indeed, Ibn Mandah and others omitted it, as omitting it is better than affirming it. Were it not for our condition of not omitting any biography mentioned by them or one of them, we would have omitted this and its likes. End of quote.

Ash-Shawkani said in “Al-Fawaid Al-Majmu’ah” in the discussion about those who falsely claimed companionship: Among them is Serbatak the king of India in Kanauj, who claimed to be seven hundred years old, and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Hudhayfah, Usama, and Suhayb to him inviting him to Islam, and he responded and embraced Islam. Adh-Dhahabi said: This is clear falsehood. End of quote.

And Allah knows best.

Source

(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna.)

Question: May Allah be gracious to you. Some people say at the call to prayer: “O Allah, for You I have fasted.” Is there anything wrong with that?

(Allahumma laka sumtu wa bika amantu wa `alayka tawakkaltu wa `ala rizqika aftartu
(‘O Allah, I have fasted for You, believed in You, placed my trust in You, and broken my fast on your provision’))

Shaikh Abdul Azeez bin Abdullah bin Baaz:

There is a weak hadith about it, and if someone says it, there is no problem in that, but it is not authentic. The hadith is weak, but its meaning is correct: one has fasted for Allah and broken the fast for Allah. However, the hadith should not be called a Sunnah. It can be said that the general act of supplication is a Sunnah, the general act of supplication that one does when breaking the fast is a Sunnah, and it is hoped that it will be accepted.

Question: May Allah be gracious to you, I mean before the Fajr Adhaan?

Answer: At the breaking of the fast and during the fast, it is all the same. If someone says it, there is no harm, but it is not a Sunnah. (End)

Source

Benefits from the Fatwa of Shaikh Abdul Azeez bin Abdullah bin Baaz (Rahimahullah):

1- The Dua is indeed proven from a weak Hadith. And not an authentic Hadith.
2- The Shaikh said that there’s no problem in using the Dua. This shows that Duas from weak Ahadith can be used.
3- One of the conditions being that the meaning of the Dua should be good.
4- That Dua should not be claimed to be from the Sunnah, since it’s not proven authentically.
5- The Dua may be accepted because Duas are generally accepted during the time of Suhoor and Iftaar.

(Translated and benefits added by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna)

Authentic Duas Below

Question: What is the number of rak’ahs in Tarawih prayer? Is there a specific number, and what is the best way to perform it?

Answer: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow his guidance. To proceed…

It has been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that there is flexibility in the night prayer and that there is no specific number of rak’ahs prescribed. The Sunnah is for the believer—both men and women—to pray two by two, offering the salutation (tasleem) after every two rak’ahs. This is evidenced by what is recorded in the two Sahih collections (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) from the hadith of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The night prayer is two by two. If any of you fears the approach of dawn, let him pray one rak’ah to make what he has prayed odd (witr).”

His statement (peace and blessings be upon him), “The night prayer is two by two,” is a declarative statement that implies a command, meaning: “Pray the night prayer two by two.” The phrase “two by two” means that one should offer the salutation after every two rak’ahs and then conclude with one rak’ah, which is the witr. This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray at night—he would pray two by two and then conclude with one rak’ah, as narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), Ibn Abbas, and others.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray ten rak’ahs at night, offering the salutation after every two rak’ahs, and then he would conclude with one rak’ah (witr).” [Sunan Abi Dawud 1334, Sahih (Al-Albani), Musnad Ahmad 24155]

She also said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never prayed more than eleven rak’ahs, whether in Ramadan or at any other time. He would pray four rak’ahs—do not ask about their beauty and length—then another four rak’ahs—do not ask about their beauty and length—and then three rak’ahs.” This is agreed upon (in Al-Bukhari and Muslim). [Sahih Al-Bukhari 3569, Musnad Ahmad 23307]

Some people have assumed that these four rak’ahs are performed with a single salutation, but this is not the case. Rather, the intention is that the salutation is offered after every two rak’ahs, as mentioned in her previous narration and in accordance with the Prophet’s statement: “The night prayer is two by two.” This is also supported by what is recorded in the Sahih from the hadith of Ibn Abbas, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would offer the salutation after every two rak’ahs.

In her statement, “He never prayed more than eleven rak’ahs, whether in Ramadan or at any other time,” there is an indication that the preferred number of rak’ahs for the night prayer, whether in Ramadan or otherwise, is eleven, offering the salutation after every two rak’ahs and concluding with one rak’ah (witr). It has also been established from her and others that he (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes prayed thirteen rak’ahs.

This is the best and most authentic practice reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): to perform witr with thirteen or eleven rak’ahs, with eleven being the preferred number. If one performs witr with thirteen, it is also a good and Sunnah practice. This number is easier for people and helps the imam to maintain humility and focus in his bowing, prostration, recitation, and reflection on the Quran, without rushing.

If one performs witr with twenty-three rak’ahs, as Umar and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did on some nights during Ramadan, there is no harm in that. The matter is flexible, and it has been established from Umar and the companions that they performed witr with eleven rak’ahs, as mentioned in the hadith of Aisha. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1164]

It has been established from Umar both practices: he instructed some of the companions to pray eleven rak’ahs, and it has also been reported that they prayed twenty-three rak’ahs under his instruction. This indicates the flexibility in this matter and that the companions considered it a broad issue, as supported by the Prophet’s statement: “The night prayer is two by two.”

However, the best practice, based on the Prophet’s actions, is to perform eleven or thirteen rak’ahs. As previously mentioned, eleven is the preferred number, based on Aisha’s statement: “He never prayed more than eleven rak’ahs, whether in Ramadan or at any other time,” meaning this was his usual practice.

It has also been established from her and others that he sometimes prayed thirteen rak’ahs, indicating that her statement refers to the general practice, as she was aware of what he did in her presence and would inquire from others among the mothers of the believers and the companions. She was the most knowledgeable and understanding of the women regarding the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and she would report what she observed and ask others about what they had witnessed. She was diligent in seeking knowledge, and thus she preserved a great deal of knowledge and many hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) due to her exceptional memory and her inquiries from other companions. May Allah be pleased with them all.

If one varies the practice by praying eleven rak’ahs on some nights and thirteen on others, there is no harm in that, as both are Sunnah. However, it is not permissible to pray four rak’ahs all at once. Rather, the Sunnah and the obligation is to pray two by two, based on the Prophet’s statement: “The night prayer is two by two,” which is a declarative statement implying a command.

If one performs witr with five or three rak’ahs in a single sitting, there is no harm in that, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did so. However, one should not pray four, six, or eight rak’ahs all at once, as this has not been reported from him and contradicts the command in his statement: “The night prayer is two by two.”

If one prays seven or nine rak’ahs continuously, there is no harm in that, but it is better to sit for the first tashahhud after the sixth rak’ah and after the eighth rak’ah, then stand and complete the prayer. All of this has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and it has also been reported that he prayed seven rak’ahs continuously without sitting. The matter is flexible in this regard, but the best practice is to offer the salutation after every two rak’ahs and conclude with one rak’ah, as mentioned in the hadith of Ibn Umar: “The night prayer is two by two. If any of you fears the approach of dawn, let him pray one rak’ah to make what he has prayed odd (witr).” This is the best practice and is also easier for the people, as some may have needs and prefer to leave after two rak’ahs or after two salutations or three salutations. Therefore, it is better and more appropriate for the imam to pray two by two and not to pray five or seven rak’ahs continuously. If he does so occasionally to demonstrate the Sunnah, there is no harm in that.

However, it is not recommended to pray the even and odd rak’ahs continuously, like the Maghrib prayer, and at the very least, it is disliked. This is because it has been reported that it is prohibited to resemble it to the Maghrib prayer by praying three rak’ahs continuously with a single salutation and sitting. And Allah is the source of success.

(Majmua Al-Fataawa of Shaikh Abdul Azeez bin Abdullah bin Baaz (Rahimahullah))

Source

(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna)

Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahmatullahi Alaih), ne farmaya: “Dil ke liye sabse zyada faidemand cheez Qur’an ko tadabbur aur tafakkur ke saath padhna hai.” [Miftah Daar As-Sa’adah (1/553)] 

Unhon ne yeh bhi farmaya: “Agar tum Qur’an se faida uthana chahte ho, to usay tilawat karte waqt aur sunte waqt apne dil ko (Quran ki taraf) mutawajjah karo, apne kaan lagakar suno, aur aise haazir raho jaise ke goya woh Zaat jo isay bayan kar rahi hai, Jalla wa ‘Ala, tumse apne Rasool ke zariye mukhatib hai; kyunki yeh ek paigham hai jo usne tum tak apne Rasool ke zariye pahunchaya hai.” [Al-Fawa’id, safha 3] 

Tadabbur ke Shara’it (Conditions of Tadabbur): 
1. Qubooliyat ka zawiya rakhne wala zarf (ek zinda dil jo haq ko qubool karta ho). 
2. Mukallaf shakhs ka amal (tilawat-e-Quran ya sama’at, dil ki poori haaziri ke saath). 
3. Jo kuch padha ya suna jaye, uski kuch had tak samajh hona. 

Yeh shara’it Allah Ta’ala ki Kitaab ke ek aayat mein moujood hain, jismein farmaya: 

{Is mein har sahib-e-dil ke liye ibrat hai aur uske liye jo dil se mutawajja hokar kaan lagaye aur wo hazir ho.} (Surah Qaaf 50:37) 

Yeh aayat pehle do shara’it ka zikr karti hai, jabke teesri shart laziman mafhoom mein shamil hai. Kyunki kaan lagane ka amal tabhi mukammal hoga jab sunne wale ko samajh bhi aaye jo kaha ja raha hai. Warna aisi guftagu jo mukammal tor par samajh mein na aaye, jaise kisi Ajami ko (jo Arabi nahi jaanta ho agar wo Quran suney), faida nahi deti.

(Source: Translated from an Arabic post into Roman Urdu from the Telegram channel https://t.me/booksandbenefits)

Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “There is nothing more beneficial to the heart than reading the Qur’an with contemplation and reflection.” [Miftah Daar As-Sa’adah (1/553)]

He also said, may Allah have mercy on him, “If you wish to benefit from the Qur’an, then focus your heart while reciting and listening to it, lend your ear, and be present as if the One who spoke it, glorified be He, is addressing you through His Messenger; for it is a message from Him to you conveyed by His Messenger.” [Al-Fawa’id, p. 3]

Conditions for Contemplation:
1. The presence of a receptive vessel (a living heart).
2. The action performed by the obligated individual (reading or listening, with the presence of the heart).
3. A degree of understanding of the words being read or heard.

These conditions are encompassed in a verse from the Book of Allah, the Most High, where He says: {Surely in this is a reminder for whoever has a ˹mindful˺ heart and lends an attentive ear.} (Surah Qaaf 50:37).

This verse explicitly mentions the first two conditions, while the third is necessarily implied. This is because lending one’s ear must be accompanied by an understanding of the speech being heard. Otherwise, listening to speech that is completely incomprehensible, such as that of a non-Arabic speaker, does not achieve the intended purpose.

(Source: Translated from an Arabic post from the Telegram channel https://t.me/booksandbenefits)