Most Read in the Category of Worshipping Obligations and Conditions

It is something that there is no objection to doing it in terms of religion; that is, a person is free to do it or not to do it.; for instance, sitting, eating, drinking, sleeping, etc...

There is no sin for doing them or in abandoning them. 

What is essential in things is that they are mubah and permissible. It is necessary to have religious evidence in order to say that something is not mubah. As long as there is no evidence abolishing something being mubah, that thing remains to be mubah.

Halal is something that is permissible to do and that is not objectionable in terms of religion. The parts of halal that are free from all kinds of suspicion, that are pure and clean are called “tayyib”.

Every tayyib thing is halal but not every halal thing is tayyib.

Lexically, it means “something that is liked”. As a term, it means something that our Prophet occasionally did; for instance, the prayer of duha (late morning).

Our Prophet liked the things that are mustahab and did them from time to time. Salaf Salihin (the early generations of Muslims) did them gladly and encouraged other believers to do them.

Mustahab is called sunnah ghayr muakkada by some scholars; it is also called mandub, nafila, tatawwu’, adab.

Especially in fiqh book, the word adab is often used instead of mustahab.

Fard (obligation) is a religious task or duty that is ordered to be fulfilled through definite and clear evidence.

Like making wudu, performing daily prayers, performing fasting, paying zakah (alms)...

Fard is divided into two:

Fard al-Ayn: A fard which is obligatory for every individual Muslim.

When a Muslim performs it, other Muslims do not become exempt from them; every Muslim has to perform it individually. Like performing daily prayers and fasting...

Fard al-Kifaya: A fard which is not obligatory for every individual Muslim; when some Muslims fulfill it, others become exempt from it. If nobody fulfills it, then the whole community becomes responsible for it and everybody is regarded to have committed a sin; like performing the janazah prayer when a Muslim dies.

The reward of the fard al-kifayah belongs to the person who fulfills it. The sin of it, when nobody fulfills it, belongs to all Muslims.

Taklif means to order someone to do something that necessitates sacrificing, to enjoin someone to do it. 

As a term, taklif means: The religion of Islam ordering people to obey Allah’s orders and to avoid His prohibitions.

A person who is obliged to act in accordance with Allah’s orders and to perform worshipping is called a mukallaf (religiously responsible or accountable).

The world we live in is called the place of taklif because it is the place where people are made responsible for the orders and prohibitions of Allah and for worshipping. 

Wajib is a religious task or duty that has become definite through sound evidence but that is not ordered as strongly as fard; like sacrificing an animal, performing witr and eid prayers.

Believers are encouraged to act in accordance with the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah in the Quran as follows:

“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct).” (al-Ahzab, 21).

In another verse, the following is stated:

“If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins...” (Aal-i-Imran, 31).

It means the sign of loving Allah; and the way of making oneself loved by Allah is adopting the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah and acting in accordance with it. A person who loves Allah really will definitely try to resemble the person whom Allah loves and is pleased with, and try to imitate his deeds. 

There are many virtues and rewards of acting in accordance with the Sunnah. The issues of the Sunnah, and even the smallest manners of the Sunnah inform Muslims how to act in the complicated roads of life and show them the safest and most reliable roads like a compass. The Sunnah makes believers obtain the unfailing and unchanging criteria of value.  

In short, “The Sunnah of the Prophet is the cornerstone of the happiness in the world and in the hereafter and it is the source of making a person mature.”

It is very difficult to act in accordance with the whole sunnah. It is very difficult even for the great saints and scholars. However, although not everyone can act in accordance with the whole sunnah, everybody can have the intention of acting in accordance with the Sunnah and be in favor of the Sunnah. Thus, a person will not be deprived of the intercession of the Messenger of Allah and will not be away from the abundance of the Sunnah since he has the intention of acting in accordance with the Sunnah and is in favor of the Sunnah.

We should always have the desire and intention of fulfilling sunnahs although we cannot fulfill them due to the inconvenience of the conditions. We should not ignore the sunnahs that we can fulfill without any excuses and due to laziness.  

It is something that has not been forbidden religiously. This word is sometimes used instead of sahih or mubah.

There are some deeds that are sahih in terms of worldly judgments but that are not jaiz (permissible) in terms of otherworldly judgments. For instance, buying and selling things when the adhan for the Friday prayer is recited... Such an act is sound in terms of worldly judgments but it is sin in terms of religion since it entails spiritual responsibility. 

Sunnah is the name given to the deeds of the Prophet apart from fard and wajib that he himself did, that he told others “to do” and that he consented to. Sunnahs are classified under the heading of “supererogatory” (nafilah).

Sunnahs are divided into two:

1 – Sunnah al-muakkada,

2 – Sunnah ghayr muakkada.

• Sunnah al-Muakkada:

They are the sunnahs that our Prophet generally did but rarely abandoned. It means strong sunnah; like the sunnah prayers of the morning, noon and evening prayers. Sunnahs like adhan, iqamah, praying in congregation, which are regarded as fundamentals of Islam, are sunnah al-muakkada. They are also called sunnah al-Huda. 

• Sunnah Ghayr Muakkada:

They are the sunnahs that the Messenger of Allah sometimes did with the intention of worshipping and sometimes abandoned; like the first sunnah prayers of the afternoon and night prayers. 

The normal daily activities of the Messenger of Allah like eating, drinking, dressing, sitting, standing and his deeds relating to the good manners are included in Sunnah ghayr muakkada. They are also called Sunnah az-zawaid.

The sunnah also has parts like ayn and kifaya just like fard. For instance, performing itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, performing the tarawih prayer in congregation, performing tarawih with khatm are sunnah al-kifaya. Performing fard prayers in congregation are sunnah al-ayn.

Lexically makruh is something that is not liked, that is regarded as unsympathetic and objectionable. As a term, it means something that is regarded as ugly and evil religiously.

Makruh is divided into two:

1 – Makruh Tahrimi: Makruh which is close to haram is called makruh tahrimi. For instance, to spend water extravagantly while making wudu...

2 – Makruh Tanzihi: Makruh which is close to halal is called makruh tanzihi. For instance, cleaning one’s nose with his right hand...

It is something that breaks and invalidates worshipping that has started. If mufsid is committed deliberately, it is a sin. If it takes place unintentionally or by mistake, there is no sin or torture because of it; for instance, when one cannot help laughing while performing a prayer.

In order to be a mukallaf and be responsible for religious orders, a person has to

a. be a Muslim,

b. sane,

c. reach the age of puberty.

Accordingly, the first condition for being a mukallaf is to be a Muslim.

The second condition of being a mukallaf is to be sane. To be sane means to know what one does and to have the ability to differentiate between the good and the bad.

The last condition for being a mukallaf is to reach the age of puberty.

The age of puberty is between the ages of 9 and 15 in girls and 12 and 15 in boys according to most of the Islamic scholars. However, Imam A’zam regards the maximum age as 17 in girls and 18 in boys. 

It is worshipping or application that is not carried out in accordance with its essentials or conditions wholly or partly; for instance, performing a prayer without wudu...

Batil is the opposite of sahih.

Puberty means to end the period of childhood and to start the period of adolescence; sexual feelings start when a person becomes pubescent.

If someone does a mustahab act, he receives rewards; if he does not do it, he cannot obtain those rewards.

It is worshipping or application that is carried out completely in accordance with its conditions and rules. For instance, a prayer that is performed in accordance with its fards and wajibs is sahih (sound).

There are some religious duties that each Muslim has to do; they are called “Af’al al-Mukallafin” (commands and prohibitions) in fiqh books and catechisms. They are divided into 8.

1. Fard,

2. Wajib,

3. Sunnah,

4. Mustahab,

5. Mubah,

6. Haram,

7. Makruh,

8. Mufsid.

Haram is something that has definitely been forbidden to do, use, eat or drink by our religion; for instance, drinking alcohol, gambling, committing fornication, killing somebody, backbiting and slandering, etc...

If something that is haram has been made haram due to a harm, evil, dirt that is a part of it, it is called haram li aynih; for instance, pork, wine, etc.

If something that has been made haram not because of its own properties but due to some external reasons like the way of obtaining it, it is called haram li ghayrih; for instance, stolen bread, seized money, etc...

It earns a person reward to abandon makruh tahrimi. If it is committed, punishment in the hereafter is possible. That is, it is feared that a person who commits a makruh tahrimi will be accounted and tortured in the hereafter. This view belongs to Imam A’zam and Abu Yusuf. As for Imam Muhammad, he regards makruh tahrimi as haram. He says torture in the hereafter is definite.

Committing a makruh tanzihi does not entail torture. However, abandoning it has more rewards.

To regard makruh as halal is a mistake but it does not make a person exit Islam.

If the word makruh is used without tanzihi or tahrimi in fiqh books, makruh tahrimi is meant.

If it is fulfilled, many rewards are obtained. If a person abandons it, he cannot be peaceful in the world and he is punished severely in the hereafter.

If a Muslim denies a fard, he is regarded to have exited Islam.

Reaching the age of puberty through menstruation or ejaculation is called natural puberty. When a person reaches puberty naturally, he/she becomes mukallaf, that is, his/her religious obligations start. It is possible that a boy or a girl reaches the age of puberty but the boy does not ejaculate and the girl does not menstruate. (Such a boy is called a “murahiq” and such a girl is called a “murahiqa”.)

In this case, the age of fifteen, which is the end of age limit for religious obligation, is regarded as the starting time of the religious obligations. That is, when a girl or boy becomes fifteen years old, they are regarded to have reached the age of puberty even if they have not reached puberty naturally; and they become mukallaf. Reaching the age of puberty like that is called nominal puberty.

The judgment for a wajib is like a fard. That is, when a wajib is fulfilled, rewards are obtained; when it is abandoned, the person who abandons it is punished. However, a person who denies a wajib is not regarded to have exited Islam. However, he is regarded to have committed a bid’ah and a sin because he has denied an order of the religion.  

One gets great rewards if he abandons haram. It elevates man to the degree of taqwa. If a person commits haram, some harms and losses are in question; for instance, his heart blackens, his conscience becomes rusty, his belief weakens, his peace and joy disappear, his feeling of obtaining pleasure from worshipping disappears. Besides, a severe torture in the hereafter is in question.  

To regard something that is definitely haram as halal makes a person, Allah forbid, exit Islam.

There are many rewards for fulfilling sunnah al-muakkada acts. There is no punishment for abandoning them deliberately but a great loss like being deprived from the intercession of the Prophet is in question. Such people deserve being blamed by the Messenger of Allah. It is bid’ah and deviation to change or deny those sunnahs. 

It is nice and earns a person reward to do sunnah ghayr muakkada. Daily natural acts and deeds like eating, drinking, dressing, etc become worshipping through obeying the Sunnah. The deeds that are done customarily become animated and means for intercession. They grant good feelings to the human spirit. Following even a smallest manner of the Sunnah reminds one the Messenger of Allah and gives light and peace to the heart. 

There is no sin, blaming or reprimand for abandoning sunnah ghayr muakkada. However, one may lose the great rewards we mentioned above.   

A person who abandons the Sunnah is regarded to have abandoned real good manners, which leads to deprivation from the blessings of the Lord.

Hadiths regarding the issue:

“A person who revives my sunnah loves me. A person who loves me will be together with me in Paradise.” (Kanzul Ummal, 1/184)

“The most beautiful statement is the Book of Allah (the Quran). The best way is the way of Muhammad (pbuh).” (Muslim Juma: 13, Nasai Juma: 24)

“I left you two things. If you stick to them, you will never be misled or deviated:

1 – The Book of Allah,  

2 – The Sunnah of the Prophet...” (see Tirmidhzi, Manaqib, 31; Ibn Hanbal, 3/14, 17)

During the sovereignty of Shahrukh of Timurid Empire, there lived a saint called Nimatullah Efendi, who was very careful about avoiding haram. The following incident that we will narrate proves the justification of his fame regarding the issue.  

Once, Sharukh says to Nimatullah Efendi, who comes to visit him, teasing.

“I hear that you eat from the things that are sent to you as gifts. However, it is possible that some of the gifts that are sent to you are things that are obtained unlawfully (haram). How do you eat those haram things?”

Nimatullah Efendi answers:

“We eat the halal parts; the haram parts will not come to us. Allah protects a person who avoids haram; He will not let him eat haram as long as that person is careful about avoiding haram.”

In order to disprove what Nimatullah Efendi says, Sharukh gives an order to his men secretly. They rush immediately and see a woman who is pasturing her only lamb outside the city. They frighten the woman by threatening to beat her and grab her lamb. They take the lamb to the palace.   

They slaughter the lamb and make kebab. They invite Nimatullah Efendi, who does not eat haram, to the feast.

Nimatullah Efendi accepts the invitation. The people in the palace wait impatiently for the result thinking that he will be embarrassed.

Shahrukh invites Nimatullah Efendi to the table. All of the people at the table eat the mutton heartily. Nimatullah Efendi eats it heartily, too; and he thanks Allah for His bounties.

Those who have eaten the lamb leave the table, wash their hands, sit on the sofas and wait to see what will happen; meanwhile, Sharukh speaks smilingly:

“Efendi, you said, ‘Allah protects a person who avoids haram from eating haram’. You have just eaten haram. Allah has not protected you. What will you say now?” He said,

“I have not eaten haram. What I ate was halal. You ate haram.” Sahrukh said,

“How come is it possible? My men grabbed the lamb that you have just eaten from a woman in the country. You ate the mutton from the lamb that was grabbed together with us. There is no way to explain it away.” Nimatullah Efendi said,

“I am not explaining it away. I am telling the truth. The lamb was halal for me and it was haram for you. If you do not believe me, find the woman from whom you grabbed the lamb and ask her.”

Shahrukh’s men rushed and found the woman from whom they grabbed the lamb and asked her why she was pasturing the lamb.

The woman, who was unaware of anything, said,

“They mentioned a great saint called Nimatullah Efendi, who was living somewhere near here. I was taking my lamb to him. However, you grabbed it from me. You grabbed his right. You ate haram.”

Nimatullah Efendi, who proved that Allah protected a person who avoided haram with this incident, died in Kirman during the sovereignty of Shahrukh. His tomb is in Mahan. May Allah have mercy on him.

(Ahmed Şahin, Bir Oku Bin Düşün)

A boy reaches puberty when he has a wet dream, when semen comes out through penis with lust; a girl reaches puberty when she menstruates, when there is a flow of blood from her womb usually once a month.