House of Allah Almighty

When Dawood Sahib and little Hasan reached near the Masjid to offer ‘Asr Salah, Dawood Sahib said, ‘O son Hasan! We will enter the Masjid with our right foot first by reciting the Du’a which is recited at the time of entering a Masjid.’ ‘Yes, father why not’, replied Hasan. After entering the Masjid Dawood Sahib became busy offering Sunnahs of ‘Asr Salah and Hasan started looking here and there. Suddenly, he saw his friends Bilal and Daniyal who were sitting at a corner of the Masjid talking. Hasan also went to them and sat. When the voice of the children’s conversation started rising, some Salah-offering people expressing their displeasure and annoyance started looking here and there.

As Dawood Sahib offered his Sunnahs, he gestured for Hasan to keep quiet. Hasan immediately became quiet and also gestured for his friends to do so. The children sat lowering their heads. As Salah-offering people stopped paying their attention to them, Hasan took out a sweet from his pocket, put it into his mouth and quickly hid its wrapper beneath the carpet. After offering Salah Dawood Sahib picked up the wrapper from beneath the carpet and threw it away and then they both moved towards home. Hasan was walking at a little distance behind Dawood Sahib because he was feeling scared by thinking that his father would scold him. Suddenly Dawood Sahib stopped; in the meantime, Hasan also approached him. Dawood Sahib said, ‘Son! Why were you walking at a distance behind me? And why are you scared?’ ‘Father actually…,’ Hasan stopped while saying something. Taking Hasan’s hand in his hand Dawood Sahib said, ‘O son Hasan! Will you like this that someone makes a noise at your home?’ Hasan replied in the negative by nodding his head. With great love, Dawood Sahib said: A Masjid is the House of Allah Almighty. When we do not like any one’s noise at our home, why do we make a noise in a Masjid? My dear son! Let me tell you a few manners of Masjid:

1     In a Masjid, we should not have worldly talks and make a noise at all because such things are against the reverence for Masjid and cause disturbance to those who worship in Masjid.

2     We should not laugh in a Masjid as it brings about darkness in the grave.

3     Do not throw the wrappers of betel nuts and sweets at all because if a tiny particle falls in the Masjid, Masjid feels as much pain as a person feels when there is some particle in his eye. (Jazb-ul-Quloob, pp. 222)

4     Always keep a Masjid neat and clean and keep garbage and the things that cause trouble away from it because Allah Almighty will build a home in Paradise for the person who removes a troublesome thing from a Masjid. (Sunan Ibn Majah, vol. 1, pp. 419, Hadees 757)

Having mentioned the manners of Masjid Dawood Sahib said, ‘Son! These are the few things I have told you. Remember them and also mention them to your friends.’ ‘Yes, dear father! اِنْ شَـآءَ اللّٰە عَزَّوَجَلَّ’ replied Hasan. Now he was not scared, but rather determined.

Question 1: Who was named ‘Yahya’ first?

Answer: It was the name of the beloved Nabi of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ ‘Sayyiduna Yahya عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام’ who was the blessed son of the chosen Nabi of Allah ‘Sayyiduna Zakariyya عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام’. (Part 16, Surah Maryam, Ayah 7)

Question 2: Who was the first person to call out Azan?

Answer: The renowned blessed companion ‘Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ’. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 20, pp. 263, Hadees 37758)

Question 3: Who was named ‘Ahmad’ first?

Answer: Final blessed Nabi of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, ‘Sayyiduna Muhammad صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’. (Muhadira-tul-Awaail-o-Musamira-tul-Awakhir, pp. 77; part 28, Surah As-Saf, Ayah 6)

Question 4: Among fire, wind and water which thing was created first by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ?‎

Answer: Water. (Madarik-ut-Tanzeel, part 18, Surah An-Noor, Taht-al-Ayah: 45)

Question 5: Who were named ‘Hasan’ and ‘Husayn’ first?

Answer: Blessed grandsons of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Muhadira-tul-Awaail-o-Musamira-tul-Awakhir, pp. 79)

Question 6: Which child was born first amongst Muhajireen [emigrant Muslims] in Madinah?

Answer: Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Zubayr رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُمَا. (Siyar A’laam-un-Nubala, vol. 3, pp. 363)

The blessed month of Ramadan was just round the corner. Everybody was busy preparing for Ramadan in his capacity. Somebody was concerned about his business and somebody was worried about new Eid dresses. My cousin, Aamir and I went to our uncle’s house where we met Majid, our elder cousin, who was known for his righteousness in our entire family. He was packing his bag for travelling. After exchanging greetings and formal talks, I asked him, ‘Majid brother! Where are you going?’ He smiled first then said affectionately, ‘Haashir! You know that the blessed month of Ramadan is starting. I have spent 11 months doing work, so, I am preparing to spend the blessed month of Ramadan carrying out virtuous deeds.’

Haashir: Preparation of Ramadan and packing for travelling; I could not understand all this.

Majid: For spending the blessed month of Ramadan while performing blessed acts of worship, some of my friends and I are going to global Madani Markaz of Dawat-e-Islami, ‘Faizan-e-Madinah’, Bab-ul-Madinah, Karachi for observing 30-day I’tikaf.

Haashir: We have seen and heard about 10-day I’tikaf.

Majid: 30-day I’tikaf can also be observed.

Haashir: You can observe I’tikaf in your locality; so, why are you going there?

Majid: You are right but the environment we find there can hardly be found anywhere else.

While taking part in the discussion, Aamir said: ‘Majid brother! What is the special thing in Faizan-e-Madinah which is not found at other places?’

Majid: Aamir! We get privilege to offer 5 times Salah with Jama’at joined by thousands of people there; Madani Muzakarah (i.e., answers given by Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat ‘Allamah Muhammad Ilyas Qaadiri Sahib to the questions asked to him during Madani Muzakarah) is held daily after Taraweeh and we get opportunity to gain knowledge of Deen (Islam) through it, and  not only this but the process of learning ‘Ilm-e-Deen remains continued during the day too as well as the blessed moments of Iftar are worth-seeing;  bowed necks in the merciful court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, hands raised for Du’a, tears flowing down the eyes of devotees of Rasool…

While describing all this, tears welled up in the eyes of Majid brother.

Haashir: سُبْحٰنَ اللّٰە! Indeed such a spiritual environment is a Divine blessing for spending the blessed month of Ramadan.

Aamir: Can Haashir and I join you?

Majid: For spending the blessed month of Ramadan, management of Faizan-e-Madinah has set certain conditions; one of them is that the age of Islamic brothers should be above 20.

Haashir: There will be some solution for the minors like us.

Majid: You both should not become depressed; we also have Madani Markaz of Dawat-e-Islami, ‘Faizan-e-Madinah’ in our city so both of you spend your time of the blessed days, full of mercy, there instead of roaming around and wasting it.

Haashir and Aamir: Majid brother! You are fortunate that you will have the privilege to have such a spiritual environment. We will also surely visit Madani Markaz, Faizan-e-Madinah, situated in our city, اِنْ شَـآءَ اللّٰە.

Majid: Be happy both of you; I have to travel so I am leaving but both of you stay here and do not leave without eating meal from our house.