Fruits for the Week

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Allah (swt) said:” O children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean cloths), while praying at every masjid.” (Qur’an: 31). The Prophet (saw) said:” Whoever performs ablution (wudhu) for prayer, performs it well, then walks to the prescribed prayer, and then prays it with the people, or with the congregation, or in the masjid Allah forgives for him his sins.” (Muslim)

1. The prohibition of going to the masjid after eating raw garlic, onion, or anything else that emits a foul smell.

When a person eats raw onion or garlic, he should abstain from going to the masjid, so as to avoid inflicting harm upon other worshippers with his foul smell; and whoever harms worshippers harms the angels as well. Jabir (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said:” Whoever eats garlic or onion then let him withdraw from us.” Or he said:” Then let him stay away from our masjid, and let him sit in his hone.” (Bukhari) 

In another hadith, Jabir (ra) said:” The Messenger of Allah (saw) forbade us from eating onion and leek, but we became overcome by need, and so we ate from them. Then he (saw) said:’ Whoever eats from this foul-smelling tree, then let him not come near our masjid, for whatever man is harmed by, angels are harmed by as well.’” (Bukhari)

The ruling for garlic, onion, and leek applies to anything that has a foul odour and that will inflict harm upon worshippers – such as cigarette smoke or foul odour that emanate from a person’s body or clothes. A worshipper should consider his situation before he goes to the masjid, so that he does not end up sinning as a result of inflicting harm on Muslims.

If you eat garlic and onion and then use something to suppress their foul odour, you may go to the masjid, but you must first be sure that the smell is completely suppressed and that the smell coming from your mouth will not bother other worshippers.

Some people make the mistake of using toothpaste to get rid of the smell of garlic and onion, but they are wrong, for the smell of garlic and onion originates from the stomach and not from the mouth.

2. It is recommended to go to the masjid early

The Prophet (saw) exhorted Muslims to go to the Masjid early. Abu Hurairah (ra) related that the Messenger of Allah (swt) said:” Had people known what is in the nida (adhan) and the first row, and had they found no way (to be in the first row and to perform the call to prayer) except by casting lots, they would have cast lots (so determined would they be). And had people known what is in being early to the masjid for prayer, they would have raced to it. And had they known what is in the congregational ‘Eesha and Fajr prayers, they would have come to them, even if they have to crawl in order to get there.” (Bukhari).

This narration clearly shows the virtue and superiority and great reward of going early to the masjid. The Prophet (saw) did not specify the reward for going to the masjid early, but instead informed us what lengths we would go to had we known the exact reward, proves that it is indeed a great reward.

3. Walking to the masjid with calmness and serenity

When you walk to the masjid for prayer, you should not walk as if you are rushed or agitated; instead, you should walk with a sense of calmness and peace. As a result, you are more likely to feel peaceful and concentrated in your prayer. But if you come to prayer in a hurry, by the time you enter into its state, your mind is likely to be distracted and unfocused.

The Prophet (saw) forbade the people of his nation from running and rushing to the prayer, even if the prayer is in progress. Abu Qatadah (ra) said:” While we are praying with the Prophet (saw), he (saw) heard the clamour of men. When he finished praying, he (saw) said:’ what is the matter with you?’ They said: We hurried to join the prayer.’ He (saw) said:’ do not do so. When you come to prayer, adhere to calmness. Whatever you get, then pray it, and whatever you miss, complete it.”’ (Bukhari)

According to Abu Qatadah, when a worshipper goes to the masjid, he must go with a sense of calm and quite about him, regardless of whether the prayer has commenced or not. 

(To be continued)

 (Prepared by Abdul Muhaemin Karim)

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