Sunnah

Sunnah (Arabic: سُنَّة‎, sunnah, plural Arabic: سُنَن‎ sunan [sunan]), also sunna or sunnat, is the body of literature which discusses and prescribes the traditional customs and practices of the Islamic community, both social and legal, often but not necessarily based on the verbally transmitted record of the teachings, deeds and sayings, silent permissions (or disapprovals) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as various reports about Muhammad's companions.

192292

Beard . Sunnah

Can a person shave their beard to encourage better growth? Many individuals have sparse facial hair, so is it permissible for them to shave in hopes of achieving a fuller beard that aligns with the Sunnah?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

It is not allowed for Muslim man according to obligatory precaution to shave his beard. Encouraging better growth can not be an excuse.

Leave your beard as Allah (SWT) Has Crreated it.
'Wassalam.

181557

Islam . Sunnah . Qur'an . Atheism

How can I provide evidence of the validity of Islam and the Quran to non-Muslims, particularly atheists who don't accept the Quran and Sunnah?

Every human being must accept the reason and the intellect. Atheists must accept rational evidence. Quran and Ahlul Bayt are the greatest everlasting evidence that Islam is The True word of Allah. Quranic facts are been confirmed by the non Muslim scientists and oublished in the books and on the scientific websites. Simply search for Quranic scientific miracles on google, and you will see amazing facts mentioned in Quran before more than 1400byears and confirmed today by leading scientists in different fields of science. Same is with statements of the Pro0het (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS). Those who respect their intellect and use it properly, accept that Islam is the Real message from God, Almighty to guide all of us.

You can invite them to read some of these amazing facts in Quran and Nahjul Balaghah and guide them to some websites like Al-Islam.org.

Wassalam.

169239

Sunnah . Combining Prayers . Salah (Prayers)

How can I maintain the practice of praying each prayer separately at its designated time, even though the majority Shia mosques combine Zuhr-Asr and Maghrib-Isha prayers?

The Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) did combine Zohr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha Prayers. It is mentioned even in Sunni books of Hadeeth like Bukhari and Muslim.

'It is also allowed to separate the Prayers. Missing reward of the Jama;AH is not a small loss.

'Wassalam.

157008

Life . Islam . Sunnah . Scholars . Qur'an . Hadith

How do I live my life as a Muslim, adhering to the teachings of Islam found in the Quran, Hadith, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, as well as the teachings of authentic scholars?

After your firm decision to be an obedient servant of Allah in every matter in your life, you need to know what to do and what to avoid. You need to read books on Islamic practical laws which are available online like www.Sistani.org

If you have any question, you can ask trusted scholars who can guide you.

May Allah Bless and Help you.

‘Wassalam.

156731

Sunni-Shi'a . Sunnah

As a Shia, do you also follow the Sunna of the Prophet (pbuh)?

We, Shia Muslims believe that with out following the real Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWA) no one can be a real Muslim. Rejecting the Prophetic Sunnah means rejecting Quran because of the orders of Allah in Quran to obey the Prophet (Sura An-Nisaa' 59 and Sura Al-Maa'idah 92 and Sura An-Noor 54 and 56, and Sura Muhammad 33, and Sura Al-Taghaabun 12.

'Allah (SWT) Stated in Quran (He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah) Sura An-Nisa 80.

The main point here is the authenticity of the narrations of the Sunnah. We don't take the narrations from liars or wrongdoers as part of the real Sunnah. We follow the most authentic narrations from the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) which came through Ahlul Bayt (AS) and the authentic narrators.
Many narrations were fabricated by wrong governments and their servants for justifying their wrong deeds, still claimed to be from the Sunnah. Muslims really need to be careful in calling narrations as part of Sunnah before assessing the narration and all the narrators.

'A well known Sunni Aalim (Scholar) Dr Tijani Smawi wrote a book after studying and comparing Sunni and Shia books of Hadeeth, stating that the Shia are the real followers of the Sunnah. الشيعة هم أهل السنة. This book is available in many websites. This Sunni scholars has become A Shia and written many books which guided thousands of Muslims to the real Islam of Ahlul Bayt (AS). The I was Guided is one of his famous books.

Wassalam.

157617

Man . Sunnah . Earring

Will it be rewarding for me to have my ears pierced and wear earrings as a man, if I believe it to be a sunnah of Prophet (s) as I have heard that he had the ears of Imam Hassan and Hussain pierced?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 2 years ago

Bismihi ta'ala

No, it will not be rewarding. It could be haram as well, as in most, if not all Muslim societies this is unacceptable and socially inappropriate. In our Islamic law, it is called "libas al-shuhrah", which means dressing or wearing something that will invite criticism, negative comments, accusations, or ruining of reputation.

In general, a male wearing earrings does definitely fall under the category of libas al-shuhrah, which means it would be haram.

If it is confirmed that the Imam (a.s.) did have his ear pierced as a child, it does not mean he wore earrings, or kept on wearing it as an adult. We do not have any evidence for that.

And, even if it was done then, for argument sake, it might have been something common then, like men having kohl on their eyes as well, but now, it is uncommon and unpracticed, especially among religious people.

And Allah knows best.

145397

Sunnah . Tashahhud . Salah (Prayers)

I heard it is Sunnah to keep your finger up during Tashahhud until the end of prayer. Is this true? If so, do you only put it down after saying Salam or right before the Salam?

This act of lifting the finger during Tashahhud is not a Sunnah.
Wassalam.

143500

Sunnah . Wudu (Ablution)

If we decide to do Sunnah acts of Wudu do we have to do every single one for our Wudu to be valid or can we do some Sunnah acts and not others?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 2 years ago

Alaykum salaam

Thank you for your question. You can so some recommended acts and not others but you must perform all of the necessary acts for wudu to be valid (intention, washing the face once, washing the right hand from the elbow to fingertips once, washing the left arm in the same way one, wiping the front part of the head, wiping both feet) according to Jaffari jurisprudence.

May you always be successful

127018

Sunnah . Shaving

Is it Sunnah to shave the moustache?

It is mentioned in many narrations that it is recommended for Muslim man to shorten his moustache. Shortening the moustache does not mean necessarily shaving it completely. It can be one of the forms of shortening it for those who wish to shave it but it is not necessary for all Muslim men to shave the moustache. The Makrouh is to leave the moustache with out shortening till it becomes long and cover the lips. It is recommended for man to shorten or cut from his moustache on every Friday.

Wassalam.

110748

Circumcision . Islam . Sunnah

Is there any authentic evidence to support the view that circumcision is not obligatory in Islam and is just a Sunnah?

No. On the contrary, the authentic evidence from Ahlul Bayt (AS) who don't say but what the Prophet (SAWA) said, is very clear that circumcision is obligatory.

Circumcision is obligatory as an act by itself on every Muslim males and is a condition for validity of Tawaf around the Ka’ba in Hajj or Umra.
Circumcision is obligatory on every Muslim male or convert male to Islam. Being a convert to Islam, it is compulsory for you to get circumcised as the Hadeeth narrated from Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (AS) that Imam Ali (AS) said: When a man becomes a Muslim, he must get circumcised even if he reached the age of eighty.
( Was'il al-Shia by al-Hurr al-Aamili, vol. 21, page 440.)
It is not allowed for man to perform Tawaf ( around the Ka'bah) if he is not circumcised as it narrated from Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq ( AS): uncircumcised man is not allowed to do Tawaf around Ka'bah. ( Wasa'il al-Shia by al-Hurr al-Aamili, vol. 13, page 270).

Wassalam.

101079

Hair . Sunnah

I want to keep my hair long as I understand that was the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (S). But as a 15 year old my elders and teachers are discouraging me from doing so. What should I do?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 4 years ago

Maybe when you get older, inshallah. Allah is with the patient!

Hair . Sunnah

I want to keep my hair long as I understand that was the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (S). But as a 15 year old my elders and teachers are discouraging me from doing so. What should I do?

Bismihi ta'ala

This view of the Prophet (s.a.w.) having "long" hair is not absolutely unanimously agreed upon. There are views that the hair should not be longer than the level of the earlobe.

For argument sake, if we were to confirm the view that the Prophet (s.a.w.) or members of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) had long hair, then do we have any narrations where the Ma'sumeen have said it is recommended for other?

Did the Prophet (s.a.w.) call it a sunnah, and encourage others to grow their hair? Has it become a common practice among religious men, throughout history, to grow their hair long?

The answer to these questions is all NO.

The view of our esteemed jurists, like Ayatullah al-Udhma Seyid Sistani says that if growing your hair equates to having resemblance of women, then it is haram.

Once case is you yourself want to look like a female, by growing your hair, which is haram. Another case is the society and community you are a part of sees long hair only being for women, in which case you must not go against the 'urf.

If you are also being censured and discouraged by your elders and your teachers, then by no means should you be disobeying them. We must always remember to respect our elders and our teachers who are encouraging us to do good things and right things, even though we might have a different perspective.

A mu'min must present himself in public in the best way possible, with signs of Iman and Taqwa resonating from his appearance and how he conducts himself. This is more important than fashion or hair or anything else.

On the other side, if, in the case that there is no resemblance of a female, and the 'urf around you see it to be absolutely fine, and your parents/elders/teachers also see it to be fine, then yes, you can grow your hair.

We also know that taking care of your hair is a sunnah, by combing it, oiling it, cleaning it, etc.

And Allah knows best.