Azan, Dua, the Six Kalimat & a Story of Repentance Through Itikaf

Azan

اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَر اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَر

Allāĥ is the Greatest Allāĥ is the Greatest
Allāĥ is the Greatest Allāĥ is the Greatest

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّااللّٰه اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّااللّٰه

I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāĥ
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāĥ

اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًارَّسُوْلُ اللّٰه اَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًارَّسُوْلُ اللّٰه

I testify that Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the Prophet of Allāĥ
I testify that Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the Prophet of Allāĥ

حَىَّ عَلَی الصَّلٰوة حَىَّ عَلَی الصَّلٰوة

Come towards Ṣalāĥ Come towards Ṣalāĥ

حَىَّ عَلَی الْفَلَاح حَىَّ عَلَی الْفَلَاح

Come towards success Come towards success

اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَکْبَر

Allāĥ is the Greatest Allāĥ is the Greatest

لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّااللّٰه

There is none worthy of worship but Allāĥ.

Du'ā after Ażān

After the Ażān, the Mūażżin and the listeners should recite Durūd Sharīf and then this Du'ā:

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ هٰذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّآمَّةِ وَالصَّلٰوةِ الْقَآئِمَة

O Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Sovereign of Dawat-e-Tammaĥ and of this established Ṣalāĥ!

اٰتِ سَيِّدَنَا مُحَمَّدَاِ الْوَسِيْلَةَ وَالْفَضِيْلَةَ وَالدَّرَجَةَ الرَّفِيْعَة

Grant to our Lord, Sayyidunā Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Wasīlaĥ and Faḍīlaĥ (excellence) and the highest rank,

وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًامَّحْمُوْدَاِالَّذِيْ وَعَدْتَّهُ وَارْزُقْنَاشَفَاعَتَه

and make him stand at the Maqām-e-Maḥmūd which you have promised him and make him our intercessor

يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ ۚ اِنَّکَ لَاتُخْلِفُ الْمِيْعَادَ

on the Day of Judgement. Of course, You do not do anything against Your promise.

بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَآاَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْن

Have mercy on us, as You are the Most Merciful!

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْم

Commencing with the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

Imān-e-Mufaşşal

Comprehensive Faith

اٰمَنْتُ بِاللّٰہِ وَمَلٰٓئِکَتِہٖ وَکُتُبِہٖ وَرُسُلِہٖ وَالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَالْقَدَرِخَيْرِهٖ

I believe in Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ, His Angels, His (revealed) Books, His Prophets عَلَيْہِمُ السَّلَام, the Day of Judgment and and (I believe that) good or bad destiny

وَشَرِّهٖ مِنَ اللّٰہِ تَعَالٰی وَالْبَعْثِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْت

is from Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ and (I believe that) there will be resurrection after death.

Imān-e-Mujmal

Concise Faith

اٰمَنْتُ بِاللّٰہِ كَمَاهُوَبِاَسْمَآئِهٖ وَصِفَاتِهٖ وَقَبِلْتُ جَمِيْعَ اَحْكَامِه

I solemnly declare my belief in Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ as He is with all His names and attributes, and I have accepted (to obey) all His commands

اِقْرَارًا بِّاللِّسَانِ وَتَصْدِيْقًۢا بِالْقَلْب

by pledging with my tongue and testifying them with my heart.

Six Kalimāt (Articles of Faith)

First Kalimaĥ: Sanctity

لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌرَّسُوْلُ اللّٰه

There is none worthy of worship except Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ,
Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the Prophet of Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Second Kalimaĥ: Evidence

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآاِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَاشَرِيْكَ لَهٗ وَاَشْهَدُ

I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He is alone and He has no partner and I testify

اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًاعَبْدُهٗ وَرَسُوْلُه

that Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is His (Distinguished) Servant and His Prophet.

Third Kalimaĥ: Glory of Allāĥ

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُلِلّٰهِ وَلَآاِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ اَکْبَر

Glory be to Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ and all praise be to Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ and there is none worthy of worship except Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ, and Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ is Great

وَلَاحَوْلَ وَلَاقُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰہِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْم

and there is no power to keep away from sins and no ability to do good but from Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ who is the greatest.

Fourth Kalimaĥ: Oneness of Allāĥ

لَآاِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗلَاشَرِيْكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْد

There is none worthy of worship but Allāĥ. He is alone. He has no partners. All Kingdom is for Him and all praise is for Him. He gives life

يُحْيٖ وَيُمِيْتُ وَهُوَحَیٌّ لَایَمُوْتُ اَبَدًا اَبَدًا ذُوالْجَلَالِ وَالْاِکْرَام

and He gives death. He is alive; death will never come to him. The great and the glorified One

بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَعَلٰی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْر

In His hand is goodness and He has power over everything.

Fifth Kalimaĥ: Repentance

اَسْتَغْفِرُاللّٰہَ رَبِّیْ مِنْ کُلِّ ذَنْبٍ اَذْنَبْتُهٗ عَمَدًا اَوْخَطَاًا اَوْعَلَانِيَة

O my Rab I seek forgiveness from you for all the sins I have committed knowingly or unknowingly, openly or secretly

وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَیْهِ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِیْ اَعْلَمُ وَمِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِیْ

and I repent of the sins that I am aware of and the sins that I am unaware of,

لَآاَعْلَمُ اِنَّکَ اَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ وَسَتَّارُ الْعُيُوْبِ وَغَفَّارُالذُّنُوْبِ وَلَاحَوْل

for you are the knower of all the Ghuyūb (unseen) and Sattār of all the faults and forgiver of all sins, and there is no

وَلَاقُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰہِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْم

strength and power except that of Allāĥ, the Almighty and the Greatest.

Sixth Kalimaĥ: Refutation of Disbelief

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنْ اَنْ اُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًاوَّاَنَاۤ اَعْلَمُ بِه

O Allāĥ I seek Your refuge from associating anything with you knowingly,

وَاَسْتَغْفِرُکَ لِمَالَآاَعْلَمُ بِهٖ تُبْتُ عَنْهُ وَتَبَرَّاْتُ مِنَ الْكُفْرِوَالشِّرْك

and I seek forgiveness from You for (shirk) that I do not know. I have repented from it and I have detested disbelief, idolatry,

وَالْكِذْبِ وَالْغِيْبَةِ وَالْبِدْعَةِ وَالنَّمِيْمَةِ وَالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالْبُهْتَان

telling lie, backbiting, bad innovations, tale-telling, indecency, accusations

وَالْمَعَاصِیْ کُلِّهَا وَاَسْلَمْتُ وَاَقُوْلُ لَآاِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰه مُحَمَّدٌرَّسُوْلُ الله

and all the sins. I embrace Islam and say there is none worthy of worship but Allāĥ, Muḥammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the Prophet of Allāĥ.

I was Relieved from My Back Pain

Dear Islamic brothers! What can one say about the greatness of I'tikāf; and if you are blessed with the company of devotees of Prophet during I'tikāf then the blessings and benefits multiply. An Islamic brother of 'Aṭṭarābād (Bāb-ul-Islām, Sindh) gave the following statement:

I was a loafer and had got a dirty mind, talking about filthy things with my friends and then laughing was my favourite pastime. The nuisance of an indecent sin had caused constant back pain that was not cured despite every medical treatment.

Fortunately, some Islamic brothers, who were acquainted with me insisted me that I join them in the collective I'tikāf in the Ramadan of 1426 A.H. (2005). At first, I refused but they insisted and so I had to say 'yes'. I became a Mu'takif for the last ten days of Ramaḍān (1426) with devotees of Prophet in Memon Masjid ('Aṭṭarābād). It seemed to me as if I had entered a new world; the blessings of all five Ṣalāĥ, Sunnaĥ-inspiring speeches, emotive supplications, Sunnaĥ-filled study circles, and the compassion and blessings of Islamic brothers.

اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰہِعَزَّوَجَلَّ during the I'tikāf my back pain vanished without any medicines and a Madanī transformation took place in my heart, I repented of sins, adorned my face with the symbol of our beloved Rasūl's صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم love; the beard; and began to wear a green turban.

اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰہِعَزَّوَجَلَّ I had the privilege of taking part in a 41 day Madanī Qāfilaĥ Course and now I am trying to spread the work of Dawat-e-Islami in my area.

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The Reward of Reviving Sunnaĥ: Reciting Durūd Before Ażān and Refuting the Bid'at Doubt

Earn the Reward of 100 Martyrs

A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ says, 'Although the revival of Sunnaĥ is one of the specific duties of the scholars, there is a general commandment for such Muslims for whom it is possible. The Muslims of every city should revive the Sunnaĥ of uttering Ażān including the second Ażān of Jumu'aĥ outside the Masjid in their cities or at least in their Masjid and earn the reward of 100 martyrs. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, 'Whoever holds onto my Sunnaĥ firmly at the time of Fasād (deviation from religion) of my Ummaĥ, he will attain the reward of 100 martyrs.'

(Az-Zuhd-ul-Kabir lil Baihaqi, pp. 118, Hadīš 207)

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad īd), pp. 402, 403, vol. 2)

This Ḥadīš has been narrated in the book 'Żuĥud' by Baiĥakī. For further details about this, go though the fifth volume of Fatāwā-e-Razavīyyaĥ called "Al-Ażān wal Iqāmaĥ." (Published by Rażā Foundation).

Recite this Durūd before Ażān

Prior to Ażān and Iqāmat, recite بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْم and the following four verses of Durūd Sharīf:

اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَارَسُوْلَ الله وَعَلِيْكَ وَاَصْحَابِكَ يَاحَبِيْبَ الله

اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَانَبِیَّ الله وَعَلِيْكَ وَاَصْحَابِكَ يَانَبِیَّ الله

For a pause between Durūd Sharīf and Ażān, make the following announcement:

"In the honour of Ażān, stop talking and other activities and earn hoard of good deeds by replying to Ażān."

Then, utter Ażān. Likewise, make the following announcement between Durūd and Iqāmat: 'Make the intention of I'tikāf, if you have a mobile phone, please switch it off.' I have made the Madanī request of reciting Tasmiyaĥ and Durūd Sharīf before Ażān and Iqāmat in the desire of earning perpetual reward. As for the suggestion of a pause (between Durūd Sharīf and Ażān/Iqāmat), it is taken from Fatāwā-e-Razavīyyaĥ. Therefore, replying to a question, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ said, "There is no harm in reciting Durūd Sharīf before Iqāmat but there should be a pause between them or the tone of Durūd Sharīf should be so different from that of Iqāmat (for example, the sound of Durūd Sharīf should be quieter than that of Iqāmat) that there should be a clear-cut distinction between them and people should not regard Durūd as a part of Iqāmat."

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah (Jad īd), pp. 386, vol. 5)

Satanic Whisper

As Durūd Sharīf did not use to be recited prior to Ażān during the apparent life of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as well as in the reign of the first four blessed caliphs, doing that is a misleading innovation and a sin. مَعَاذَاللّٰہ

Rebuttal of this Satanic Whisper

If the principle is accepted that doing any such act not done in that blessed era is a misleading innovation and a sin, the whole existing system will be distorted. Just 12 examples out of innumerable ones are being presented making it clear that these acts were not performed in that era, but have been adopted by every one in the present era.

1.     Ḥajjāj Bin Yūsuf introduced diacritical marks in the Holy Qurān in the year 95A.H.

2.     He also introduced the use of full stops at the end of each Āyaĥ.

3.     Publication of the Holy Qurān in printed form

4.     In past, there used to be no arch in the centre of the Masjid for the Imām to stand. During the reign of Walīd Marwānī, Sayyidunā 'Umar bin 'Abdul 'Azīz رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ introduced it which is now found in every Masjid.

5.     Six Kalimāt (Articles of Faith).

6.     Şarf and Naḥw.

7.     Knowledge of Ḥadīš and its different kinds.

8.     Dars-e-Nizāmī.

9.     Four orders of Sharī'at and Ṭarīqat.

10. Verbal intention of Ṣalāĥ.

11. The pilgrimage of Ḥaj by air.

12. Jiĥād with the latest scientific weapons.

In the present era, no body regards any of the aforementioned acts as a sin despite the fact that they did not exist in that blessed era, so why only reciting Durūd Sharīf on the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم before Ażān and Iqāmat is considered a sin! Remember! The absence of the proof of impermissibility in any matter is itself a proof of its permissibility. Without doubt, every such new act which Sharī'aĥ did not prohibit is Mubah and permissible; and it is an undeniable fact that the recitation of Durūd Sharīf before Ażān was not forbidden in any Ḥadīš. Therefore, absence of prohibition automatically led to permission. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself expressed the persuasion of innovating good things in Islam. Therefore, a Ḥadīš mentioned in the chapter 'Kitāb-ul-'Ilm' of Şaḥīḥ Muslim says:

مَنْ سَنَّ فِى الْاِسْلَامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَعُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كُتِبَ لَه

مِثْلُ اَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا وَلَا يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْ اُجُوْرِهِمْ شَیْء

"Whoever promoted any good method among the Muslims and after him it was acted upon, the reward of the followers will also be written in the book of deeds of the person who started it and the reward of the followers will not be reduced."

(Şaḥīḥ Muslim, pp. 1437, Hadīš 1017)

In other words, whoever promotes any good act in Islam deserves great reward. Similarly, without any doubt, the fortunate person who developed the trend of reciting Durūd before Ażān and Iqāmat also deserves perpetual reward. He as well as the Muslims acting on that act till the Day of Judgement will attain reward without any reduction in any one's reward.

Here, a question may arise in someone's mind as to what the following blessed Ḥadīš means: کُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَکُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِی النَّار [Every innovation is a heterodoxy and every heterodoxy leads to hell].

(Şaḥīḥ ibn Khuzaymaĥ, pp. 143, vol. 3, Hadīš 1785)

What does this Ḥadīš imply?

Beyond doubt, the foregoing Ḥadīš is true. In fact, the word 'Bid'at' mentioned in the Ḥadīš refers to Bid'at-e-Sayyi'aĥ, (misleading innovation) and indeed every Bid'at that contradicts or removes a Sunnaĥ is a misleading innovation.

Therefore, Sayyidunā Sheikh 'Abdul Haq Muḥaddiš Diĥlvī رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ writes, "Any Bid'at that complies with the principles of Sunnaĥ and does not contradict the Sharī'aĥ or Sunnaĥ is a Bid'at-e-Ḥasanaĥ. The Bid'aĥ that contradicts Sharī'aĥ and Sunnaĥ is a Bid'at-e-Dalālat, i.e. a misleading innovation."

(Ash'at-ul-Lam'aāt, pp. 135, vol. 1)