skills/sistani-guidance/references/books/jme/pages-109-120.md

# Jurisprudence Made Easy

PDF pages 109 to 120. Physical PDF numbering, not inferred printed labels.

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Previous block: [pages 97 to 108](pages-097-108.md).

Next block: [pages 121 to 132](pages-121-132.md).

## PDF PAGE 109

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119
Holy Qur’an. After that, he should sit for a moment and
stand for the second sermon to glorify the Lord, and pray
for God’s blessings to be with Mohammad (s.a.w.) and his
Pure Progeny (a.s.). It is advisable that he should ask God’s
forgiveness for the believers.
* Are there any conditions to be observed when Juma
becomes mandatory?
-. Yes, it should be held when the time for dhuhr prayer
becomes due. There must be five people present,
including the imam, provided that the imam meets the
requirements for an imam of congregational prayer
(salatul jamaa’a) discussed earlier.
If Juma Prayer was held in a place, that satisfies the
conditions of holding it, by the Infallible Imam or his
deputy, it is incumbent on all men, living within a radius of
approximately eleven kilometres, of that town to attend it.
Those who are exempt from attending are men who
cannot do so because of severe weather conditions,
sickness, old age, blindness, or because they are travelling.
If it was held by any other person, attending it does not
become compulsory; and it is permissible to perform
dhuhr prayer instead.
If the worshipper performed Juma prayer, that satisfied
the conditions, there shall be no need for him to say
dhuhr prayer, because Juma prayer makes up for it.
There remain two important issues to which I must draw
your attention:
1. Juma prayer is wajib as a matter of choice, i.e. the
mukallaf is free to perform it or say dhuhr prayer. Here I
must hasten to add that performing Juma prayer is more
preferable.
2. The distance between any two places where Juma
prayer is held should not be less than approximately 5.5
```

## PDF PAGE 110

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111
km.
* I have a question I wanted to ask for some time, but I feel
embarrassed to ask.
- Go ahead and ask, as there is no shame in asking about
matters of religion.
* Sometimes I miss out on saying some compulsory daily
prayer for a variety of reasons that could be due to
forgetfulness, apathy, or ignorance; at other times it has
dawned on me that I did not say some prayers properly.
What should I do?
- You have to say them again with the niyya of qadha’. You
should, though, pay attention to the manner in which
each prayer is said, i.e. if you were supposed to carry out
the recitation in an audible voice, such as in the case of
Subh, Maghrib, and Isha prayers, you should do so; if the
prayer you were saying was to make up for another one
that was qasr, you should execute it in kind.
* Do I have to wait for the corresponding times of every
prayer I missed out in order to say them on time?
- No, you can say any qadha’ prayer any time you want.
* Suppose I do not know how many prayers I missed. How
many prayers should I say?
- You have to compensate for those prayers you were sure
you missed. As for those prayers you were in doubt
whether or not you missed, you should ignore.
* Could you give me an example?
- If, for example, you were sure that you did not say Subh
prayer for a month, it becomes compulsory on you to
perform it qadha’ for a month. If, however, you were in
doubt as to whether or not this was the case, you need
not worry, i.e. there will be no need to say compensatory
prayers.
If, however, you were sure that you did not say Subh
prayer for some time, yet you were undecided as to
whether the period you missed out on this prayer was one
```

## PDF PAGE 111

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111
month or forty days, you should assume that it is one
month not forty days you should cater for.
* Is it incumbent on us to immediately make up for prayers
we missed out?
- No, delaying compensatory prayer can be tolerated,
provided it is not done out of indifference. However, I
should advise that it is much better if you say any prayer
you missed on the same day, so that such prayers do not
accumulate and become a burden on you.
* Can I take you back to the first Dialogue on Prayer? You
mentioned to me a type of compulsory prayer. It is the one
that should be said by the son on behalf of his father, if
the father did not perform it in his lifetime.
- Yes, [it becomes incumbent on the eldest son to make
amends for any mandatory prayers] his father did not fulfil
in his lifetime, provided that the eldest son was not minor
at the time of his father’s death, and that he was not
denied the inheritance of the father. The son, however,
could hire someone else to make up for the outstanding
prayers.
* You also mentioned salatul ayaat. (prayer for signs or
natural phenomena)
- Yes, this prayer is mandatory on every mukallaf, except
women who are in haydh or nifas. Salatul ayaat must be
held when there is an eclipse of the sun or the moon,
[earthquakes], any other natural occurrence that happens
in the sky, such as thunderbolt, or on earth, such as
landslide, provided that these phenomena cause most
people to be fearful and scared. This prayer could be said
individually. During the eclipse, however, it could be said
collectively.
* What is the best time for holding salatul ayaat?
- At the start of the eclipse until the disc of either the sun
or the moon is fully seen again.
* And the rest?
```

## PDF PAGE 112

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112
- The prayers for other natural phenomena have no
assigned time. Prayers could be said at the times of the
occurrence of the phenomena, and throughout the
duration thereof.
* What form does it take?
- It comprises two ruku’, each of which has five ruku’. After
sounding takbiratul ihram, you should recite al-Fatiha and
another full chapter and go for ruku (bowing), then back
to the standing upright posture. For the second time, you
should recite al-Fatiha and another chapter, then go for
bowing and so on until you complete five ruku. After the
fifth ruku, you should go for the two sujoods, precisely as
you do in your daily prayer. Standing up for the second
ruku, you should do the same number of bowings as you
did in the first ruku. Having completed the tenth bowing,
you have to perform the two sujoods, then say tashahhud
and tasleem.
* Suppose an eclipse of either the sun or the moon
happened, yet I did not know of it until it was over, do I
still have to say salatul ayaat?
- If the eclipse was complete, you have to say salatul ayaat
qadha’. If, however, it was partial, you need not say it.
* And if it was another natural phenomenon, such as
earthquake?
- If the time of happening had passed and you did not say
the prayer for any reason, you need not say it qadha’.
* Do I have to say salatul ayaat for the eclipse wherever it
takes place?
- No, you have to say the prayer when the eclipse is visible
in your own country.
* You said to me that prayer is of two kinds, wajib and
mustahab. However, you have not given me any insight
into mustahab prayer.
- O! there are many types of mustahab prayers. However, I
will only mention a few of them:
```

## PDF PAGE 113

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113
1. Salatul Lail (night prayer)
It is preferable to say it during the last third of night, closer
to the time of dawn. It consists of eight ruku’. It should be
said in two-ruku segments, in exactly the same way you
say subh prayer. After you have completed the eighth
ruku’, you say shafi’ prayer of two ruku, followed by watr
which consists of one ruku. Thus, the total will be eleven
ruku’.
* Could you show me how watr prayer is performed?
- After takbiratul ihram, you should recite al-Fatiha
followed by al-Ikhlas, three times, an-Naas, and al-Falaq.
You should, then, raise your hands in supplication, which
may include the following:
While supplication is being performed, it is mustahab to
weep for fear of God. You may ask forgiveness for forty of
your fellow devout Muslims, by their names. You may say,
seventy times, “Astaghfirul Laha Rabbi, wa Atoubu Ilaih: I
seek God’s forgiveness and repent to Him”, seven times,
“Hatha Maqaamul ‘A’ithi Bika Minan Nar: This is the place
of your bondsman who seeks refuge with You from
Hellfire”, three hundred times, “Al Afu: Pardon me”.
Having completed the supplication, you should do ruku,
sujood, tashahhud, and tasleem in the same way you go
about these acts in your daily prayer.
You may confine the prayer to shafi’ and watr, even the
latter alone, especially when there is not enough time.
* What is the merit of salatul lail?
- It has a great merit, for it was related from Imam Ja’far as-
Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, “In his will to Ali (a.s.), the Prophet
(s.a.w.) said to him, take to salatul lail, take to salatul lail,
take to salatul lail”. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was also quoted
as saying, “Performance of a two-ruku prayer at the middle
of night is closer to my heart than this world and all that is
in it”.
```

## PDF PAGE 114

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2. Salatul Wahsha (The prayer of the first night of the
burial of a beloved one):
It consists of two ruku’. In the first ruku’, after suratul
Fatiha, Ayatul (verse of) Kursi could be recited [up to the
words of The Sublime, “Wahum Fiha Khalidoon: and they
are in it (Fire) for eternity”]. In the second ruku’, you may
recite, after al-Fatiha, suratul Qadr, ten times. On
completion of tashahhud and tasleem, you may say,
(Allahuma Salli Ala Mohamdadiw Wa’ali Mohammad: May
peace be with Mohammad and his Pure Progeny; O Lord
make the reward (of this prayer) go to (the name of the
deceased). There is, however, another format of this
prayer. You may consult jurisprudence books if you so
wish.
3. Salatul Ghufaila: An interlude between Maghrib and
Isha prayers, consisting of two ruku’. After al-Fatiha of the
first ruku, you may recite this verse, “Wathannouni Ith
Thahaba Mughadhiban etc.: And Yunus, when he went
away in wrath, so he thought that We would not
straighten him, so he called out among afflictions: There is
no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I am of those
who make themselves to suffer loss. So We responded to
him and delivered him from the grief, and thus do We
deliver the believers “. (21/87,88).
In the second ruku’, after al-Fatiha, you may recite, (Wa
indahu mafatihul ghaib etc.: And with Him are the keys of
the unseen treasure - none know them but He; and He
knows what is in the land and the sea; and there falls not
a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the
earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear
book”. (6/59).
You, then, raise your hands in supplication and say,
(Allahumma Inni As’aluka Bimafatihil Ghaybil Lati La
```

## PDF PAGE 115

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Ya’lamuha, Illa Ant, An Tussaliya Ala Mohammadinw
Wa’ali Mohammad: O God! I ask You with the keys of the
unseen, that no one save You know, to bestow peace on
Mohammad and his Pure Progeny; then make your
request. You carry on saying, “Allahumma Anta Waliyyu
Ni’mati, Wal Qadiru Ala Talibati, Ta’lamu Hajati, Fa’asaluka
Bihaqi Mohammadiw Wa’alihi Alaihi Wa Alaihimus Salam
Lamma Qadhaytaha Lee: O God! You are the Bestower of
my boon; You alone are capable of granting my wish; You
know my need. So, I pray to You by the right of
Mohammad and his Pure Progeny, may peace be with
them, to answer my prayer and facilitate my need. You
should then state precisely what you want.
4. The Prayer at the Beginning of Each Month:
It consists of two ruku’. In the first ruku, after al-Fatiha,
you could recite surutut Tawhid thirty times. In the
second, after al-Fatiha, you may recite Al-Qadr thirty times.
On completion of the prayer, you may give something in
alms.
5. Special Prayer to Facilitate Difficult Matters:
It comprises two ruku. Should you think that you are in
dire straits, say this prayer. In the first ruku’, you should
read, after al-Fatiha and al-Ikhlas, the first three verses of
al-Fath, (Chapter No. 48), thirty times. In the second ruku’,
you should recite al-Fatiha, al-Ikhlas, and al-Inshirah
(Chapter No. 94)
```

## PDF PAGE 116

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Dialogue on Sawm (fasting)
My father commenced his words on the subject of the
month of Ramadhan in a husky trembling voice; the glow
in his eyes told of an inner awe for this month. It is no
wonder because it brings to mind all that which is good,
exquisite, beautiful, blissful, merciful, and forgiving.
To reinforce these concepts, he transported me to the time
of the Prophet (s.a.w.), precisely to his famous sermon
welcoming the approach of the fasting season, “O people!
This is the month of God coming to you with mercy,
blessing, and forgiveness; in the sight of Allah, it is the
most superior month; its days, nights, and hours are the
best. In this month you are the guests of God, enjoying His
hospitality. You have been rendered among those who
have won His grace. Your every breath shall be deemed
utterances of glory to His Name, your sleep a form of
worship. Your deeds shall be accepted, your prayers
answered. So, with sincerity and pure hearts, pray to your
Creator to grant you success in fasting this month and
reciting His Book. The wretched is he who is denied the
Almighty’s forgiveness during this august month.
O men and women! During this month, the gates of
everlasting bliss are ajar; so beseech your Lord not to close
them off to you. The gates of the Fire are closed; so
entreat Him not to open them for you. The devils are in
fetters; so implore Him not set them free lest they should
lead you astray”.
After he related this part of the sermon, he drew my
attention to what I should be doing during this month
stressing certain parts of the sermon. He went on quoting
the Prophet (s.a.w.), “O people! He who provides a meal to
a devout Muslim, at the end of his long day fast, during
this month, his reward from God shall be as great as that
for emancipating a slave, and he can be rest assured of the
```

## PDF PAGE 117

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forgiveness of his past sins”.
Someone interjected, “O Prophet of God! Not all of us can
afford to provide food for fasting people”. He retorted,
“Fear God, even with half a date. Feed them, for the sake
of God, albeit with a sip of water, because the Almighty
grants those a full reward who have done a small deed, if
he could not afford to do more.
O people! he who strives, during this month, to deal
gently and politely with people, shall be guaranteed
passage to paradise, on the Day when many a foot slips
(leading to hell). Those who minimize the burden of those
in their employ (mulkul yameen), The Lord shall make
their reckoning easy. He who checks his transgression,
Allah shall withhold His wrath from him on the Day of
Judgement. Whoever shuns his kinsmen, Allah shall deny
him His mercy on the Day of Reckoning. He who recites
just one verse of the Holy Qur’an, during this month, Allah
shall grant him the reward of having recited the whole
Book in other months”.
No sooner had my father finished relating those segments
of the Prophet’s sermon, he criticised the behaviour of
some fasting Muslims who mistakenly believe that fasting
is abstaining from food and drink per se. To refute such
belief, he quoted Imam Ali (a.s.) as saying, “There is many
a fasting man who yields nothing from his fast other than
thirst. And how many a worshipper whose night prayer
gains him nothing but stress”.
He related another hadith from Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.), “
When you fast, make sure that your hearing, seeing, hair,
skin, and all your faculties refrain (from that which is
incompatible with fasting). The Imam was also reported as
saying, “Fasting should not be confined to abstaining from
food and drink. You should restrain your tongues from
telling lies, cast your eyes away from that which Allah has
ordained not to be looked at. Do not engage in conflict.
```

## PDF PAGE 118

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Do not envy each other. Do not backbite, swear at or
curse one another. Avoid giving false testimony. Be like
one who is anticipating to move to the next world,
counting in the process your days, waiting for that which
God Almighty has promised you, and always taking stock
of your deeds in anticipation of having audience with
Him. Take to God-inspired peace of mind and dignified
bearing; take to submissiveness and humility - the
submissiveness of a slave, fearing his master”.
My father told me a story that took place at the time of the
Prophet (s.a.w.). The Prophet (s.a.w.) heard a woman
calling her maid names. He called for food to be served to
her. She said that she was fasting. He said to her, “Why are
you fasting when you have just called your maid names?
Fasting is not simply abstaining from food and drink. It is a
means of refraining from committing sins by word and
deed. How scarce genuine fasting is and how abundant
hunger”.
* I felt so humble and said to my father, “It is time I should
fast the month of Ramadhan, and I shall start this year.
However, what is the way to knowing that the month has
started”?
- You should be able to know that by sighting the new
moon in your country or nearby countries that share the
same horizon; in other words, if the crescent is sighted in
one country, it should be seen in the other, were it not for
natural barriers, such as clouds, mountainous terrain, and
the like.
* What is the proof of sighting the moon?
- The evidence could be one or more of the following:
1. You have sighted it yourself.
2. The testimony of two men of impeccable character,
provided that you do not have any knowledge of
```

## PDF PAGE 119

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instances that they may be wrong, and that you do not
dispute their testimony.
3. The lapse of thirty days on the month of Sha’ban, thus
reaching certitude that Sha’ban has come to an end and
that Ramadhan shall commence.
4. When the news of the birth of the moon of Ramadhan
becomes commonplace that you are sure of the sighting.
* Suppose I did not know whether it will be the start of
Ramadhan, and I intend to fast tomorrow. How would this
day be treated?
- You make your niyyah as though this day was of Sha’ban.
If, however, during the day it was announced that it was
the first day of Ramadhan, you rectify the niyyah and your
fast shall be in order; i.e. there shall be no need for you to
fast instead.
* How would I know that Ramadhan has drawn to a close
and that the month of Shawwal has started?
- In the same way/s you have come to know of the
sighting, and/or the start, of Ramadhan.
* All right. If I have concluded that I sighted the moon of
Ramadhan?
- You should fast. So too should every Muslim who is adult,
sane, and sure that fasting would not endanger their
health, nor on a journey, or in a comma.
As for women, they should be fasting, provided that they
are not in a state of haydh or nifas, for they are not
required to fast. They must, though, make up for the days
of fasting they missed out at a later date.
* Should someone fear that fasting may harm them, what
should they do?
- He who fears for himself of falling ill as a result of fasting
is not required to fast. Nor is he who believes that fasting
would worsen his poor state of health in any way, be it
```

## PDF PAGE 120

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hampering his recovery or increasing his pain. This should,
however, be commensurate with what is generally
accepted in these circumstances.
* What about the person who is on a journey?
- If he sets out for a journey after zawaal, [he should
continue with his fast]. Should he set out before dawn, he
should not fast.
* What if he travels after dawn?
- In this case, [fasting is not in order, irrespective of
whether or not it was clear in his mind that he intended to
travel the evening before]. He should, therefore, do
qadha.
* If I want to fast, how should I go about it?
- You should make niyyah, of seeking proximity to and
pleasure of Allah, the Most High, for fasting from the
onset of dawn to sunset.
* Doesn’t fast mean abstention?
- Yes.
* What should I abstain from?
- You should abstain from nine things believed to cause a
fasting person to break fast.
1 and 2. Deliberate eating and drinking, be it little or
much.
* What if I did not do it on purpose?
- As long as you did it inadvertently, your fast should be in
order.
* Can I rinse my mouth with water without swallowing it?
- Yes, you can do that. If, however, the intention of rinsing
was to seek cooling off and the water found its way to
your stomach, you should make up for that day (qadha).
Yet, if you swallowed the water unknowingly, you don’t
have to do qadha.
* Can I dip my head in water, taking precautions, in the
process, not to let water find its way to my stomach?
```