Questions: Du'a/Hanging ayas from Quran


Added on: March 10, 1997
1) After the fard prayers, the imam at the mosque says a du'a out loud. Everybody raises their hands and keeps saying 'ameen'. When the imam is finished, they all wipe their faces with their hands. Is this way in agreement with the sunnah ? I always thought that when you make a du'a that it is a private affair between you and Allah, and, therefore, should be made alone. Also, is it the sunnah to wipe the face with the hands when finished?

You are right, both of these actions are innovations (bid'ahs) since they are not reported as having been practiced by the Prophet (pbuh) or his companions. Wiping the face is only reported after reading the last 3 surahs before going to bed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miscellaneous I would like to know why christains and jews are considered KHUFRS and not more or less call Ahl-Kitab or People of the Book. Are these terms similiar or different because most muslims i know consider them khufrs while some consider them people of the book or some say even both.

They are disbelievers, but are a special subset of kuffaar: those to whom divine revelations were previously sent. Allah described them with both descriptions, as in Surat al-Bayyinah (98).


Added on: March 10, 1997
2) This is in regards to the question related to hanging plaques and other such things with ayahs from the quran. Does the fact that this is a bid'a also mean that the covering of the Ka'ba with the ayahs from the quran also a bid'a? How did the weaving of the ayahs on the cover (sitara) of the ka'ba begin?

Yes it is -- unfortunately. Shaykh al-Uthaymeen stated this in one of his old fatwas. When it started? Allaah knows best, but not at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) or his companions.


Main Office: 606-578-8371         P.O. Box 19900
Fax: 606-578-8372           Cincinnati, OH 45219
Bookstore: 513-681-7244                      USA
Philadelphia Office: 215-227-0914               

Return to Arshad's Web Page on Islam