Can The Different Ways Of Offering Islamic Prayer Too Become A Cause Of Strife And Even Bloodshed In Mosques?
By Md Irfan Ahmad, New Age Islam
June 29, 2013
Recently, a Somali youth had arguments with the Namazis in a mosque in Birmingham over what he believed was not the correct way of offering Namaz. In the heated exchanges that ensued, he got so infuriated at the invalid way of the Muslims of the mosque, that he took out a dagger and stabbed three Muslims. Later when the police rushed to help the injured, the youth also stabbed him.
The incident could have taken a serious turn but thanks to the prudence of the mosque authorities and the general Muslims, the matter was put to rest. But that did not put to rest the apprehensions of the Muslims of Britain and of the world at large. The question in the minds of general Muslims is: can the ways of offering Namaz too become a cause of strife and even bloodshed in mosques?
According to a representative of the Birmingham mosque, Maulana Tasawwar ul Haque, the mosque belongs to the Hanfi sect but the management of the mosque have not restricted the entry to the Muslims of other sects into the mosque. So people who do not have any qualms about offering prayers in the mosque come and offer prayers. Muslims offered prayers whichever way they believed was the right way of offering Namaz.
But the Somali youth who did not agree to the ways of offering Namaz in the Hanfi mosque entered into an argument with the Muslims in the mosque saying that they were not offering prayers in the correct way.
The Somali youth opposed the following practices of the Hanafi sec Muslims while offering Namaz:
1) He said that they while standing for Namaz they kept their legs together, which was wrong according to him. He said that they should stand with legs parted.
2) He said that while reciting al Tahiyat in Tashahhud, they moved the index finger only once whereas they should move the index finger continuously all the while.
3) He said that at the end of Surah Fatiha, they did not say ‘amen’ loudly whereas they should say ‘amen’ loudly.
4) He also said that they covered their heads with a cap whereas the correct way was keeping the head uncovered.
5) He said that while getting up from Ruku (bending forward), they did not raise their hands to the ear lobes saying Allahu Akbar whereas the correct way was to raise the hands to the earlobes every time before going to Sajda (prostration).
These were the five practices that were an innovation according to the Somali youth and as per the duty to enjoin good and forbid evil, as interpreted by Taliban and other extremist Salafi Wahhabi section of Muslims, one should stop a Bid’ah (innovation) with force if possible. So the Somali youth first tried to forbid the evil with arguments, and when they did not listen, he tried to forbid the evil by use of force – by stabbing the Muslims.
This incident has sparked a worldwide debate as to whether anyone can cause bloodshed in the mosque only on the basis of his own belief and knowledge. Certainly, there are a lot of sects and sub-sects in Islam who offer their prayers in the way they believe to be correct which may seem wrong to other sects. That’s why separate mosques are built by different sects and sub sects to avoid conflict of views. Since the mosque allowed Muslims of all the sects as a gesture of moderateness and liberal attitude, the Somali youth who certainly believed in his own ways took the advantage of the liberty and tried to impose his own views and beliefs on other Muslims.
Islam is a universal religion and its followers exist in every part of the world. People in different parts practice different practices with regard to Namaz, which is one of the pillars of Islam. In many parts of the world, say, in Indonesia, in Egypt and in the European countries many Muslims do not cover their head while offering Namaz. In fact, it depends on individual choice and no one objects to that if someone chooses not to cover his head.
In Syria, the rebels who are mostly Wahhabi, Salafi fighters from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq are seen offering Namaz during fights without covering their heads. They are also seen standing with their legs parted. The Jordanian Muslims also keep their legs parted while standing in Namaz. But the Hanafis in South Asia prefer standing with joined legs.
The Shafi’is raise their hands to the ear lobe every time they get up from Ruku and go for prostration. But the Hanafis do not raise their hands before going to Sajda. So these practices differ because of their association with different schools of jurisprudence.
Saying amen loudly is one of the points of difference among the four sects. While the followers of some imams insist that amen should be said softly, others believe that amen should be said loudly. But it never became a cause for strife in mosques. Hanafi’s say amen softly. However, among Hanafis too, some people say amen loudly while others prefer saying it softly. But no one attaches any importance to it, leave aside making it a cause of bloodshed.
The issue of saying amen loudly or softly has always been a contentious issue among the Islamic jurists. Md Muzaffar Al Shirazi, a graduate of Madina University even wrote a whole book on the topic, quoting the weak and authentic Hadiths. Due to its importance, the book was translated in Urdu. Hafiz Abdur Razzaque Azhar was worried about the fact that the Muslims of Pakistan did not say amen loudly and so felt the need to translate it in Urdu.
The book quotes both Hadiths that say that the prophet (pbuh) said amen loudly after Surah Fatiha and that which says that he (pbuh) kept his voice low while saying amen. However, the author tries to prove quoting various statements of jurists that the narrator of the Hadiths that say the prophet (pbuh) said amen in a low of soft voice actually took some liberty and changed or added some words while narrating the Hadith and therefore, were not reliable. His final conclusion is that the Prophet (pbuh) was indeed in favour of saying amen loudly.
The Hadiths quoted by the author in favour of saying amen loudly:
1) Imam Tirmidhi says giving a chain of references, “I heard the Prophet say, He recited ‘ghairil maghdhube alaihim wa ladhdhaallin’ (the last verse of Surah Fatiha) and then said ‘Ameen’ and while saying amen raised his voice.”
2) Ibn Maja narrates the Hadith with a chain or references reaching to Hadhrat Aisha (r.a.). The Hadith is as follows:
“The Jews do not envy you for anything as much they do for your saying Salam and amen”.
Hadiths in favour of saying amen in a low voice:
1) Imam Tabarani narrates a Hadiths giving a chain of references reaching Wael Al Hazarmi that he (Wael Al Hazarmi) offered a prayer behind the holy Prophet (pbuh). When the prophet (pbuh) said ‘wa lazzalleen’ (the last world of Surah Fatiha), he (pbuh) said ‘amen’ keeping his voice low and kept his right hand on his left hand and he would say Salam while turning his head to the right and the left.”
2) Imam Tirmidhi narrates the Hadith the Hadith in Jamey Tirmidhi giving a chain of references:
“Of course, the prophet (pbuh) recited ‘ghairil maghdube alaihim wa lazzalleen’, then said ‘amen’ and while saying ‘amen’ he (pbuh) kept his voice low.”
The author also quotes the beliefs of the four imams:
The belief of the Shafi’ites is that the in the jahri prayers (prayers in which imam recites the verses a loudly) the imam will say amen loudly and the Muqtadis (followers of imam in Namaz) will also say amen loudly.
The Hanbalis believe that the imam will say amen loudly in jahri prayers. The followers will say amen loudly in jahri prayers.
The Hanafi stance is that Muqtadis (the followers of imam in Namaz) will say amen secretly.
The Maliki stance is that the Muqtadis will say amen secretly.
However, these practices never caused any serous strife among Muslims before. Tasawwur ul Haque said that the practices that the Somali youth opposed violently were the practices followed by the holy companions and the rightly guided caliphs. And the opposition of the Somali to the age old practices raises serious questions on the background and affiliations of the youth.
The behaviour of the Somali youth gives rise to the question: Is there an anti-Muslim organisation that is now preparing youth to impose a specific way of offering Namaz among Muslims. The Somali youth who insisted on saying amen loudly must be some Salafist Wahhabi adherent who demonstrated his rigid attitude but he seems to be ignorant of the fact that the Shias of Syria also say ‘amen’ loudly at the end of Surah Fatiha.
It is obvious that in the Muslim world, there are many clerics and religious organisations that are spreading Wahhabi-Salafi ideology which is known for its rigidity, intolerance and extremism. They are also teaching the youth that only a specific way of standing in Namaz, or saying amen or raising the hand or finger is the only Islamic way and all the others are practicing innovation which is corrupting Islam. Hence, there is a need to forcefully prevent the ‘Ajamis’(non-Arab Muslims) from spreading Bid’ah (innovation) and save Islam even if they have to shed the blood of the Muslims in mosques. This incident of religious extremism in a mosque hints at the days to come when Muslims will take out swords and daggers or even guns in mosques for, say, not saying amen loudly or not parting the legs while standing for Namaz because according to the Salafi-Wahhabis, it will be tantamount to a threat to Islam.
URL: https://newageislam.com/ijtihad-rethinking-islam/different-ways-offering-islamic-prayer/d/12358