Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Correct Quranic Pronunciation, Rulings of Ruku & Sujud, and Purifying Carpets

Correct Pronunciation of Alphabets is Essential

Most of the people are unable to distinguish between the sounds of ت ط ، س ص ث ، ا ء ع ، ه ح ، د ض ذ ظ. Remember, if the meaning of a word becomes Fāsid (wrong) as a result of changing the sound of letter, Ṣalāh will not be valid.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 125, part. 3)

For example, if someone says عَزِيْم instead of عَظِيْم (with a ز instead of a ظ) in سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيْم, his Ṣalāh will become invalid. Therefore, if someone cannot utter عَظِيْم properly, he should utter سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّيَ الْكَرِيْم instead.

(Qānūn-e-Sharī'at, pp. 105, part. 1) (Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 242, vol. 2)

Warning!

Just a little practice is not enough for the one unable to pronounce letters correctly; he must practice hard day and night. If such a person can offer Ṣalāĥ led by the Imām reciting correctly, it is Farḍ for him to do so, or he must recite only such Ayaĥs that he can recite correctly. If both the aforementioned cases are impossible, his own Ṣalāĥ will be valid during his learning period. Regretfully, these days a lot of people have this shortcoming. They do not know how to recite the Qurān correctly and do not try to learn either. Remember, this ruins Ṣalāĥ.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 570, vol. 1)

If someone could not correct his pronunciation in spite of making every possible effort day and night (as some people are unable to pronounce the letters properly) he must keep practicing day and night, in this case, he will be considered excused during his learning-period. His own Ṣalāĥ will be valid but he cannot lead the Ṣalāĥ of those who can recite correctly, however, during his learning period, he can lead the Ṣalāĥ of those who cannot correctly pronounce such letters that he is also unable to pronounce correctly. But if he does not make any effort at all, so even his own Ṣalāĥ will not be valid, how can others' Ṣalāĥ be valid under his Imāmat. (Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah

(Jad īd), pp. 254, vol. 6)

Madrasa-tul-Madīnaĥ

Dear Islamic brothers! You may have realised the importance of Qirā-at. Indeed, extremely unfortunate is the Muslim who does not learn correct recitation of the Holy Qurān. اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰہِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Numerous Madāris by the name of 'Madrasa-tul-Madīnaĥ' have been established by Dawat-e-Islami, the global, non-political, religious movement of the Qurān and Sunnaĥ. In these Madāris, girls and boys are taught Ḥifẓ and Nāẓiraĥ Qurān free of cost.

Moreover, the correct pronunciations of letters as well as Sunnaĥs are taught to the adults usually after Ṣalā-tul-'Ishā in Masājid. Would that everyone starts teaching and learning the Holy Qurān in their homes! Would that every such Islamic brother able enough to recite the Qurān correctly starts teaching other Islamic brothers! Likewise, the Islamic sisters who can recite correctly should teach others and those who cannot recite properly should learn from them. اِنْشَآءَاللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Qurānic teachings will prevail everywhere and those learning and teaching will earn great Šawāb, اِنْشَآءَاللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَ.

4. Rukū'

The least level of Rukū' is to bend forward to such an extent that if hands are stretched, they should reach the knees while complete Rukū' is to keep the back horizontally straight.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 165, vol. 2) (Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 513, vol. 1)

(Musnad Imām Aḥmad, pp. 617, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 10803)

5. Sujūd

1.     The beloved Rasūl of Allāĥ صَلَّى اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم said, "I have been commanded to perform Sajdaĥ on seven bones: (i) the face, (ii & iii) both hands, (iv & v) both knees and (vi & vii) toes of both feet; I have (also) been commanded not to fold my clothes and hair."

(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 253, Ḥadīš 490)

2.     Two Sujūd are Farḍ in each Rak'at.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 513, vol. 1)

3.     It is necessary that the forehead properly rests on the ground. Resting of forehead means hardness of the ground should be felt.

4.     If someone performed Sajdaĥ in such a way that his forehead did not properly rest on the ground, Sajdaĥ would not be valid.

(ibid, pp. 513, 514)

5.     In case of performing Sajdaĥ on something soft such as grass, wool or a carpet, if the forehead firmly rests on it, i.e. it is pressed so hard that it cannot be pressed any more, Sajdaĥ will be valid, otherwise, not.

(Fatāwa-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 70, vol. 1)

6.     These days, the trend of using carpets in Masājid has developed (in some Masājid foam is also spread underneath the carpets). While performing Sajdaĥ on a carpet, make it sure that the forehead firmly rests, otherwise Ṣalāĥ will not be valid. If the nasal bone did not rest on the ground properly, the Ṣalāĥ will be Makrūĥ-e-Taḥrīmī and it would be Wājib to repeat such a Ṣalāĥ.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 514, vol. 1, etc.)

7.     As the forehead does not properly rest on a spring mattress, Ṣalāĥ will not be valid on it.

(ibid)

Disadvantages of Carpets

It is difficult to perform Sajdaĥ properly on the carpet; carpets cannot easily be cleaned either. Therefore, dust and germs accumulate inside them. In Sajdaĥ, dust and germs enter the body by means of breathing. Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ forbid, the fluff of carpet, in case of sticking to the lungs as result of inhaling, could give rise to the danger of cancer. Sometimes, children vomit or urinate on the carpet; similarly, cats, rats and lizards also excrete on them. In case of carpet's being impure, it is not even bothered to purify it. Would that the trend of using carpets in Masājid die out!

How to Purify an Impure Carpet

Wash the impure area of the carpet and hang it; let it remain hanging till the drops of water stop dripping from it. Then, wash and hang it for the second time and let it remain hanging until it stops dripping. Then, wash and hang it for the third time in the same way, it will become pure when it stops dripping. Purify mats, shoes and such clay pots that absorb water according to the same method.

Another way of purifying impure carpet, cloth etc. is to keep it dipped into flowing water (for example, a river, stream, or under a tap) for the amount of time till one gets the strong probability that the impurity has been carried away by the water. If a small child urinates on a carpet, just splashing a few drops of water onto it will not purify it. Remember, the urine of even one day's old infant is impure. (For detailed information, go through Baĥār-e-Sharī'at volume one, page. 396-405)

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