Understanding The True Meaning, Application and Implication of FARDHU KIFAYAH

Some acquaintances have sincerely approached me on the stance which I have orated before in my classes:

- the fact that it is wajib for all mature male Muslims to strive and perform their five time daily solat at a place where the Adhaan is called e.g. the masjid, surau / musolla; and excuse is only given when fourteen conditions come into existence (not mentioned here for brevity).

So many say that this is only applicable for Friday Prayers.

This post aims to clarify the meaning and status of Fardhu Kifayah for the practicality and faith of the Muslim Ummah. InshaAllah. When you have read and understood this, practice it, and teach it to your wife, children, family, friends and the whole Ummah of Rasulullah SAW.


FARDHU 'AIN & FARDHU KIFAYAH

Fardhu 'Ain means - Personally Obligatory.
Fardhu Kifayah means - Communally Obligatory.

A Fardhu 'Ain act is what Allah SWT requires from each and every morally responsible person. It is thus insufficient for someone to perform such an act on another's behalf - such as the solat, zakat, Hajj (except for special conditions), keeping agreements, and avoiding wine or gambling etc.

A Fardhu Kifayah act is what Allah SWT requires from the collectivity of those morally responsible, not from each one of them, such that if someone undertakes it, then the obligation has been fulfilled and the sin and responsibility of non-performance is lifted from the rest; on the other hand - if no one undertakes it, then all are guilty of serious sin for neglecting the obligation. Examples include - praying over the dead, building hospitals, lifesaving, fire fighting, medicine, industries people require, the existence of Islamic courts and judges, issuing formal legal opinions, responding to someone who says "Assalaamu'alaikum" and testifying in court.

Allah requires that these obligatory acts exist in the Islamic Community regardless of who does them. But Allah does not require they be done by each person, or some particular one, since the interests of the Community are realised by the existence of these things through the efforts of some of those morally responsible, and do not entail every particular person's performance of them.

In the fulfilment of Fardhu Kifayah - Someone able through himself or his property to perform the Fardhu Kifayah act is obliged to perform it, and someone unable to do it himself is obliged to urge and have the person do it who can. If the obligatory act is done, all are cleared of the sin, and if neglected all the guilty of serious sin.

The person capable of it is guilty because he neglected a communally obligatory act he could have done, and the rest are guilty because they neglected to urge him and have him perform the obligatory act he was capable of.

When an individual is the only one available who can perform a communally obligatory act, it becomes personally obligatory for him.

Relating to the previous issue discussed with acquaintances - the establishment of five-times daily congregational solat in the mosque does not just get fulfilled with just one Imam and one Muadhin. Instead - true establishment of five-times daily prayer occurs only when the majority of Muslim men perform their solats in the mosque. Establishment means the atmosphere and environment of Friday prayers.

If referring to the Shafi'i school, not even the minimum number of people qualifiable for Friday prayers are seen praying five times a day in the mosque.

Thus - relating to the paragraph above marked in red - those who understand must perform it and exhort others, thus Fardhu Kifayah becomes Fardhu 'Ain for them.

Have We Lost Our Masjid?

My intelligent friends,

Do we know the last public place that the Messenger of Allah SAW was seen?

He was seen in the Masjid. About three days before he passed away, Abu Bakr RA was leading the prayer and the Masjid was full with an Ummah to illuminate the world with their Jihad and Da'wah. The house of Rasulullah SAW opened up to the Masjid and there was a curtain separating his room and the prayer hall. Rasulullah SAW opened the curtain and saw the congregation and saw his Khalifah - Saiyidina Abu Bakr RA leading the prayer. The Prophet SAW smiled like a moon. The companions saw him (SAW) while they were in prayer, and from their happiness, almost lost control of the prayer. The Prophet SAW then drew his curtain and three days later returned to his Lord SWT.

During the life of the Prophet SAW there was a woman who used to sweep the Masjid with her hands, picking up the dirt and disposing of it. In the sight of the community her status was not that high, but in the sight of Allah and his Messenger SAW she held a very high rank. She passed away one night and the Companions, not wanting to disturb the Prophet SAW washed and buried her without informing him. The next day, the Prophet SAW recognised her absence and inquired about her. They told him about her demise and how they did not want to disturb him. The Prophet SAW was not happy at the action they took. He went to her grave and prayed for her there.

What is a Masjid?

Many have misunderstood the role the Masjid plays in the development of the Community. In some countries, it is a place where the tribal imam is buried and worshipped. In other places, it is a place that only prayers may be performed therein, absolutely nothing else will be tolerated. And in yet other places, not even prayers are performed in it, so-much-so the country may finally decide to convert it into a museum or a church.

Dear brother and sister.

I would like to introduce you to our friend - The Masjid.

Literally, Masjid means a place of prostration.

Technically, Masjid is any clean place on earth, as the Messenger of Allah SAW said:

"The earth was made for me a Masjid (i.e. a place to pray), pure." (Riwayat Bukhari)

However, custom allocated to the word Masjid a specific place, the place where the five daily prayers are held. This was done in order to distinguish the Masjid from the Musallah, or the place where Eid prayers are held, and so forth, so that the rules of the Masjid do not apply to it.

Masjid is a word derived from sujud, or prostration. The Masjid, or place of prostration, was such named due to the honourable position the sujud holds in Solat. Thus it was not called Marka' derived from Ruku' and so on. The first house of Allah ever built on earth was the Ka'bah.

Allah SWT says:

"Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-Aalameen." (Surah 3: Ayat 96)

And Allah SWT commanded us to honour and enliven the Masjid with His rememberance; as the how the ayat in the Qur'an goes:

"In houses (masajid), which Allah has ordered to be raised, in them His name is glorified in the mornings, and in the evenings." (Surah 24: Ayat 36)

Abdullah ibn Abbas RA, Mujahid RA, and Al-Hasan RA commented:

The "houses" are those Masajid that were dedicated to the worship of Allah. And verily, the Masajid light up the earth for the inhabitants of the heavens, just as stars light up the heavens for the inhabitants of the earth. Everyone wants to build a retirement home to be proud of. Let them listen to this offer:

The Messenger of Allah SAW said:

"Whoever builds a Masjid, seeking the pleasure of Allah, Allah shall build a house for him in Paradise." (Riwayat Bukhari)

Rasulullah SAW also said:

"The most beloved places to Allah on earth are the Masajid, and the most hated places to Allah on earth are the Markets." (Riwayat Muslim)

The Masjid played a variety of roles in our history. Following is a short tour of some of the roles that the Masjid played and should still play today:

1. Children
The Masjid was a place where the children would accompany their parents and grow up under the shade of it's walls.

Abu Qatadah RA narrated:

"The Messenger of Allah SAW used to pray and carry Umamah, the daughter of Zainab RA. When he would fall into prostration, he would rest her aside. And when he stood up again, he would again pick her up." (Riwayat Bukhari)

2. Education
The Masjid was the nucleus of education. Throughout history, the Masjid was the university that graduated scholars and imams. To name only a few, there was the Masjid of Al-Azhar, Masjid Al-Umawee in Syria, and Masjid Az-Zaytunah in Tunis.

The Prophet SAW said:

"No gathering gathers in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and teaching it to one another, except that serenity befalls them, Mercy envelops them, the angels surround them and Allah mentions them to (the inhabitants of the heavens)." (Riwayat Muslim)

3. Organisation
The Masjid is where hundreds of Muslims come, all in straight rows, all following the lead of AllahuAkbar, all beginning when the Imam begins, all ending when the Imam ends.

4. Shelter for the Weak and Traveling
In Masjid An-Nabawi, we know that there was a platform, known as the Suffah. There the poor and the strangers would find shelter and the Messenger of Allah SAW would grant them shares of the collected charity.

5. Solicialising
The Masjid is where the Muslims would meet one another. When someone missed a prayer, he was followed up. Relationships were reared, brotherhood was built.

6. Think Tank
When important issues came up, the Prophet SAW would gather the Companions in the Masjid and consult them in the matter. This tertib was the continuing nucleus of how the Muslims resolved issues and how the world was conquered, all by the help of Allah, because Allah SWT promises success with mashuarah (consultation).

7. Charity
The charity would be collected and distributed from the Masjid.

It was in the Masjid that the Prophet SAW said:

"Give, if only with a half a date."

8. Jihad
It was from the Masjid that battalions were organised and set off for Jihad. During the crusades, many Masajid became the podium for inciting the feelings of the Muslims to fight off the transgression.

9. Serenity
Whenever the Prophet SAW felt sad he would go and pray. And he SAW would say to Bilal RA, "Relax us with (the prayer) O Bilal."


A QUICK REMINDER ON THE RIGHTS OF THE MASJID

The Masjid is the house of Allah SWT and it has rights like anything else. Amongst these rights are the following:

1. When someone enters the Masjid, they should pray two rakaats before sitting down.

The Prophet SAW said:

"If any of you enters the Masjid, let him not sit down until he prays two rakaats."

2. No business should take place in the Masjid.

The Messenger of Allah SAW said:

"Whoever sells in the Masjid, say to them: May Allah not grant success in your sale."

3. The Masjid must be kept clean and fresh smelling.

The Prophet SAW said:

"Whoever who eats from this tree (i.e. garlic) should not attend our place of prayer." (Note: this refers to those who have just eaten garlic before prayer time, and the smell of the person's mouth or burp may disturb other people there.)

4. Advice should be given to fellow Muslims.

When the Prophet SAW would see someone not praying correctly he would advise them to repeat their prayer and teach them how to pray.

5. Allah SWT should be remembered much during one's stay in the Masjid.

Allah SWT says:

"O ye who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance." (Surah 33: Ayat 42)

And Allah SWT also tells us of the kind of people that are recognised as the people of the Masjid:

"In it are men that love to purify themselves, And Allah loves those who make themselves pure." (Surah 9: Ayat 108)


(The above are based on the advice of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Shareef)

Love For The Masjid

It should be the desire of every Muslim to be in the House of Allah at all times.

A Muslim should feel that if he had no commitments, he would have spent his entire time in the Masjid.

The heart should always yearn to be in the most beloved place. Any place beloved to Allah will certainly become beloved to that person who has love for Allah. Love for Allah is an essential requisite of Imaan.

In one Hadith, the Holy Prophet SAW said - the most beloved places to Allah are the Masajid. Even when he is occupied with the matters of the word, such as family, work etc, the heart of a Muslim should always be attached to the Masjid.

The Holy Prophet stated in another Hadith that the condition of a believer outside the Masjid is that of a fish out of water. A fish obviously has no desire to be out water, and if it is taken out will long to return, and will remain restless for as long as it is out of water. In the same Hadith, the sign of a Munafiq (hypocrite) has been described as a bird in a cage longing to be released from there as soon as possible. A Munafiq anxiously waits for the Solat or speech to end so he can leave.

The point to reflect upon is that do we feel restless outside the Masjid or longing to return to it? And if not then are we not displaying the sign of a Munafiq? This Hadith encourages us to inculcate love for the Masjid, thereby visiting them frequently and remaining within them as long as possible.

It is indeed regrettable to witness that even when we are not preoccupied with necessary commitments, many Muslims, at Solat times remain seated in their comfortable chairs with their eyes glued to the television, or wandering the streets waiting for the Solat to be completed. If they do attend, they will try their utmost best to come late and then leave immediately after Solat has been completed, only then to hang around outside the Masjid chatting away with friends. Many have become so neglectful that in their haste to leave, they discard the performance of Sunnat Muakkadah as well.

If however, an inclination to remain in the Masjid does not exist within the heart then it should be created by compelling oneself to come to the Masjid at least ten minutes before the prayer starts and the person should then engage in some form of Ibaadah until the prayer starts. If one finds it difficult to come any earlier then one should try their utmost to spend time after Solat, moreover it would also be beneficial to participate in the regular lessons of the Holy Qur'an or Hadith or similar Islamic lectures that take place in the Masjid. The benefits of visiting the Masjid are numerous.

The Holy Prophet SAW has said the he who purifies himself in his house and then walks to one of the houses of Allah for performing an obligatory act, one step of his will wipe out his sins and another step will exalt his status in Paradise.

Must Call Adhaan & Iqaamat ?

In certain situations, males may find that they miss or cannot attend the congregational fardhu prayers at the Masjid. (Note: Praying at a place where Adhaan is called is compulsary for all mature male Muslims).

In such situations e.g. when a person is praying at home/office, if there is a Masjid in the locality, then only Iqaamat will suffice i.e. there is no need to call the Adhaan.

If there is no Masjid in the locality i.e. where Adhaan is not called e.g. in a rural place in USA, then the Adhaan should be called from the place of prayer i.e. the home/office in this case.