Revised on June 17th, 2014
بسم الله والحمد لله
والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد
The conditions for the deeds
to be accepted:
1. Sincerity of intention: That it should not be done for anyone other
than Allaah, neither for seeking the praise from the creation nor for some
worldly benefits. Whoever intends with it other than Allaah’s pleasure has committed
shirk.
﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا
لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ
وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ۚ
وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ﴾
{And they were commanded
not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone, and
perform As-Salaah and give Zakaah: and that is the right religion.}
[Surah al-Bayyinah (98): 5]
Narrated `Umar bin Al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and
every person will get the reward according to what he has intended…”
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]
2. Following the Prophet صلى الله
عليه وسلم: Following
the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the manners and
the ways of doing the acts of `Ibaadah. So whoever adds to it or deducts from
it or changes the time or the place or the number (of times) or the manner
(i.e. the wordings) or form – then he has invented a matter different than that
of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and has (by the way
of his actions) claimed that his method is better than the guidance of the
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. So whoever stops
following will fall into Bid`ah.
﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ
يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
{So let those who oppose
from the Messenger’s order beware, lest some Fitnah befall them or a painful
punishment.} [Surah al-Noor (24): 63]
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “He who does
something which we have not commanded, then it will be rejected.”
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]
Another narration:
“If any one introduces
into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it, it will be
rejected.” [Saheeh Muslim]
And how many have fallen into Bid`ah. They say that their
intention was good; but intention alone is not sufficient to justify the
actions.
Following the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the acts of
`Ibaadaat includes following him in respect to:
a. Time: A lot of acts of
`Ibaadah are bounded by time. A person is not allowed to deliberately do a
thing before or after the said times. Example: a person cannot pray Maghrib
before the Sunset; a person is not allowed to continue fasting after the Sun
has set; the slaughter for Eid al-Adhha is to be done only after praying the
Eid prayer; Zakaat al-Fitr is to be given before the Eid prayer etc.
b. Place: Some acts of
`Ibaadah are bounded by place. Example: Tawaaf is to be done only around the
Ka`bah. `itikaaf is to be done in the Masjid only. On the 9th of
Dhul-Hijjah, the pilgrims have to be in `Arafah; anyone who does not reach this
place on this day, have missed their Hajj.
c. Reason: Some acts of
`Ibaadah are done due to a reason involved in it. Example: “Sajdah al-Shukr”
(Sajdah of thankfulness) is done when a person receives some pleasant news etc.
and “Sajdah al-Tilaawah” (Sajdah due to recitation). Both these reasons are
proven from the Sunnah. But doing a Sajdah specifically for making Du`aa, then
this reason is not proven from the Sunnah. Marking out the days for Eid Milaad
al-Nabee, or for the night of al-Israa wal_Mi`raaj, is not proven from the
Sunnah or the actions of the Salaf as-Saaleh.
d. Form: Certain acts of
`Ibaadah have been prescribed on certain occasion. Example: Reciting the
Qur’aan is a good act and from the best of worships; but as per the Sunnah, the
pilgrims on their way to Makkah have to say the Talbiyah. So anyone who recites
the Qur’aan instead of the Talbiyah, then he has gone against the Sunnah.
Another example: in the state of anger, a person should
seek refuge in Allaah from the accursed Shaitaan by saying A`oodhu billaahi min
ash-shaitaan ar-rajeem, and this is the Sunnah. But if instead a person prays
for blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم
or something else, then he has gone against the Sunnah.
One more: Zakaat al-Fitr is to be given in the form of
food grains (rice, raisins, dates etc.) only. Anyone giving away cash instead
has not followed the Sunnah.
e. Characteristic:
Deliberately missing on some of the acts of Sunnah. Example: the Ahaadeeth are
clear and authentic that the person should say “Aameen” after the Imaam has
recited al-Faatihah. So anyone who does not recite it, after the truth has come
to him, has gone against the Sunnah. Another example is that in prayer,
everything has to be performed in order and in sequence. Anyone who changes the
order - example prostrating before bowing or deliberately prays Maghrib as 4
instead of 3 - then his prayer becomes void.
f. Number (of times): Any
additions or deductions are not allowed. There are 7 rounds in Tawaaf around
the Ka`bah; each prayer has certain units in it; certain adhkaar have to be
done specific number of times – so a person is not allowed to exceed this
numbers nor reduce them deliberately.
So, no matter how good the intention is, if it is not in
accordance with the Sunnah, it will be rejected. And Allaah is the Granter of
success.
Who is the author of this?, Barakallaahu feekum.
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