Islam Guidance

TAKE PART IN THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER AND DO NOT LEAVE THE MOSQUE

TAKE PART IN THE CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER AND DO NOT
LEAVE THE MOSQUE
It is sometimes seen that some Shiite Muslims due to lack of knowledge of their religious orders and without understanding the sublime objective of Islam in holding this international congress of Muslims, leave the Mosque when hearing the call to prayer. Those who are preparing for the congregational prayer in the Mosque ask themselves the following questions: Who are these people? Do they not believe in prayer? If so, what are they doing here? Why have they come to Mecca and what is their relation with the Holy Prophet?

Hence, Shiite pilgrims must be careful not to do something disgraceful.
Ishaq ibn Ammar narrated that Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked him, 'O Ishaq, do you pray with the Sunni Muslims in mosques?' 'Yes, I do,' answered I. The Imam (a.s) then said: صَلِّ مَعَهُم، فَإنَّ المُصَلّي مَعَهم في الصَّفِّ الأوَّلِ كالشَّاهِرِ سَيفَهُ في سبيلِ الله.
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1 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p. 405 hadith 3
2 Ibid

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'Pray with them, for whoever prays with them in the first rank (of the congregational prayer) is like a soldier who fights in the way of Allah.'1
Hammad ibn Uthman quotes Imam Sadiq (a.s) as saying: مَنْ صَلّى مَعَهُم في الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ كانَ كَمَنْ صَلّى خَلفَ رَسولِ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عليهِ وآلهِ في الصَّفِّ الأوَّلِ
?He who performs prayer with them (the other Muslim sects) in the first rank ?of the Congregational Prayer- is as if he participates in a congregational prayer led by the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the first rank.?2
Shahham quotes Imam Sadiq (a.s) as saying: يا زَيدُ، خالِقوا النّاسَ بأخْلاقِهِم؛ صَلُّوا في مَساجِدِهِم وعُودُوا مَرْضَاهُم وَاشْهَدوا جَنائِزَهُم، وإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُم أنْ تَكونوا الأئِمَّةَ والمُؤَذِّنينَ فَافعَلوا، فَإنَّكُم إذا فَعَلتُم ذلكَ قالوا هَؤلاءِ الجَعْفَرِيَّةُ رَحِمَ اللهُ جَعفَراً، ما كانَ أحْسَنَ ما يُؤَدِّبُ أصحابَهُ. وإذا تَرَكْتُم ذلكَ قالوا هَؤلاءِ الجَعْفَرِيَّةُ، فَعَلَ اللهُ بجَعْفَرٍ ما كانَ أسْوَأَ ما يُؤَدِّبُ أصحابَهُ.
O Zeid, show good behavior towards them. Perform prayer in their mosques, visit their patients, take part in their funerals, and assume the position of one who calls to prayer and leads the congregational prayer. If you do so, people will refer to you in good words, and since you are Jafarites ?followers of Jafar-, people will praise Jafar for the good moral standards that he taught his companions. But if you neglect so, people will refer to you in bad manner and will not praise Jafar for his companions' bad manners.3

DO NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY OF PERFORMING CIRCUMAMBULATION AND PRAYER IN THE SACRED MOSQUE AND READING THE HOLY QURAN
You stay a few days and nights in Mecca between umrah and Tamattu' in the vicinity of God's House. It is excellent opportunity to
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1 See Al-Wafi; vol. 2
2 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 p.182
3 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 p.182

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acquire happiness of the Hereafter during this period. Therefore, we should take a provision for the Day of Judgment. كَلاّ إِذَا دُكَّتِ الأَرْضُ دَكّاً دَكّاً. وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً. وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى. يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي.
?Nay! When the earth is made to crumble to pieces and your Lord comes and also the angels in ranks and hell are made to appear on that day. On that day shall man be mindful, and what shall being mindful then avail him? He shall say: O! Would that I had sent before for this my life! (The Holy Quran; 89:21-4)? أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنمَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثاً وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لا تُرْجَعُونَ.
?What! Did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returned to Us? (The Holy Quran; 23:115)?
What is impossible for the pilgrims is to perform in any place of the world and on any day or night and its loss will be regretted is the circumambulation of the Kaaba, caressing the Black Stone, prayer in the standing-place of Ibrahim and the Hijr Ismaeel.
The Holy Prophet of Islam (saw) says: اِستَكثِروا مِن الطّوافِ، فإنّهُ أقَلُّ شَيءٍ يوجَدُ في صَحائِفِكم يومَ القِيامَةِ.
?Circumambulate the Kaaba too much, for it is the least in the book of your deeds on the Day of Judgment.?1 إنَّ اللهَ لَيُباهي بالطّائِفين.
?Allah is proud of those who circumambulate the Kaaba.?2
Imam Reza (a.s) says: يُستَحَبُّ أنْ يَطوفَ الرَّجُلُ مُقامَهُ بمَكَّةَ بِعَدِدِ أيّامِ السَّنَةِ ثَلاَثمِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ عَدَدَ أيّامِ السَّنَةِ، فَإنْ لم تَسْتَطِعْ فَثَلاَثمِائَةِ شَوطاً فَإنْ لم تَستَطِع فَأَكثِر مِن الطّوافِ ما أَقَمتَ بمَكَّةَ.
?As long as one stays in Mecca, it is recommended to circumambulate as many as days of a year. If this is
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1 See al-Mustadrak; vol. 2 p. 147
2 See al-Mustadrak; vol. 2 p. 147

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impossible, make it three hundred times, and if this is also impossible, make it as many as possible.?

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