The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No.859- It is not sufficient to hear the adhān from the radio, etc. Rather, those who offer prayer should themselves recite adhān as was explained before.

Issue No.827- If a mosque is usurped and changed in such a way that it can no longer be called a mosque, even then, as an obligatory precaution, it is haram to make it najis and it is necessary to make it ṭāhir if it becomes najis.

Issue No.829- It is also haram to make the carpet of a mosque najis, and if it becomes najis, it should be made ṭāhir. However, if it involves any expenses, the person who has made it najis is liable, as an obligatory precaution.

Issue No.831- Holding mourning ceremonies, religious celebrations, etc., and related affairs such as pitching tents, hanging black curtains, and taking tea or food into the mosque is permissible provided that it does not harm the building or does not impede performing prayer in the mosque.

Issue No.832- It is not permissible, as an obligatory precaution, to decorate a mosque with gold and it should not be also decorated with the pictures of living creatures like human beings and animals as an obligatory precaution. However, there is no harm in decorating other places like the library of the mosque.

Issue No.833- If a mosque is demolished, it is not permissible to sell it, or to make it a part of a property, or a road. It is even haram to sell the doors, windows and other parts of the building of the mosque and in case the mosque becomes dilapidated, all materials should be used for the repairs of the same mosque. In case, however, they are no longer useful for that mosque, they should be used in other mosques, and if also they cannot be used in other mosques, they must be sold and the sale proceeds should be used for that very mosque, if possible. If however, it is not possible it should be spent on the repair of another mosque.

Issue No.926- It is befitting that in all prayers, one should recite sūrah al-Qadr in the first rak‘at, and sūrah al-Ikhlas in the second rak‘at, and not recite the same sūrah in the second rak‘at which one has recited in the first rak‘at, except for sūrah al-Ikhlas. It is not befitting to abandon reciting sūrah al-Ikhlas in all the daily prayers. It is better to choose the sūrahs for prayer which will draw the attention of people to matters based on their [spiritual] needs and which will help them stay away from the sins which they are prone to commit.

Issue No.803- There is no harm in offering prayer in hotels or in public bathhouses or other similar places which are meant for travellers and clients but performing prayer in private properties without the consent of the owner is not permissible except for when he gives a broad consent which includes performance of the prayer. For example, if he invites someone for lunch or dinner or to stay and sleep in his property from which it can be understood that he has given him permission for offering prayer as well.

Issue No.804- There is no problem in offering prayer, staying, sleeping in, and minor uses of vast expanse of agricultural and non-agricultural lands which have no walls around them and are not under cultivation, whether they are located near cities and villages or far from them, or whether the owner is minor or adult. However, if the owner explicitly expresses his discontent or we come to know that he does not deeply agree [from his heart], then it is haram to benefit from and prayer will be void there, as an obligatory precaution.

Issue No.723- If there is no way to determine the direction of the qiblah, and one is doubtful about the four directions, it will be sufficient for him to offer his prayer facing towards one of the directions. However, the recommended precaution is that, he should offer the same prayer four times, each time towards one of the four directions. If he sees the possibilities limited to two or three directions, it is sufficient to perform prayer only towards them.

Issue No.715- The holy Ka‘bah, which is situated in Makkah, is the qiblah of all Muslims of the world and wherever one might be, he should offer his prayers facing it. However, if a person is away from it and stands in such a manner that people say that he is offering his prayer facing the qiblah, it is sufficient. Therefore, in the lines of congregational prayer whose length is more than the length of the Ka‘bah, all can be towards the qiblah.

Issue No.725- Animals should also be slaughtered towards the direction of the qiblah. And if a person wishes to slaughter an animal but is not certain about the direction of the qiblah, he should act according to what he presumes, and if it is not possible to acquire a presumption and he needs to slaughter the animal, he can slaughter it facing any direction. Also, the same procedure should be followed with respect to the burial of the dead body of a Muslim who should be laid facing the qiblah.