Assalam o Aleikum,

Recently, I’ve observed a very weird issue with our office environments. When it comes to Jammat during Namaz times in offices; People gather in the mosque and offer their (Sunat) prayers and then wait for a person to hold the Jammat (Imamat). Everything’s fine here but what creeps me is, if no person gets up to hold the Jammat (Fard) voluntarily. People would proceed to offer their prayers without holding or volunteering for Jammat. What alleviates this absurd behavior is when people sight a person with a beard (long enough that it appears Islamic) and wait for him to hold the Jammat. If he somehow moves onto offer his Fard (farz) prayers, they won’t move to hold the Jammat. How sad! This means that people do not know their religion and do not have the confidence to say the name of their Lord (Allah) in a louder voice. Why? Is this because people don’t know how to offer prayers? No. it can’t be. It may be because of the following reasons:

- People are afraid to stand up front as an Imam
- People can’t speak out loud
- People have little knowledge about Quran (remember less suras from Quran)

I don’t think anyone of those can’t be overcome. This is simply making a strange system out of a simple and yet perfect religion, whose basis is human community and building a firm pillar among muslims. When muslims stand together in a Salah, it is their strength and when they offer their prayers alone, they will divide. Saddening indeed. I have gone through some Islamic pages about rules of Imamat and not many of the rules stop you from standing up as an Imam.

SALAAT WITH JAMAAT AND IMAMAT

JAMAAT is the PERFORMING of SALAAT by MANY persons COLLECTIVELY, in which the IMAAM (leader) conducts the SALAAT and those following him are called MUQTADIS.

To perform the FIVE DAILY SALAAT with JAMAAT is WAAJIB and to NEGLECT the JAMAAT is very SINFUL.
Performing SALAAT with JAMAAT has MANY BENEFITS e.g.:

1. The THAWAAB (reward) of performing Salaat with JAMAAT in the MASJID is TWENTY SEVEN times GREATER than performing SALAAT ALONE.
2. Muslims MEET FIVE times a day and this creates LOVE and UNITY.
3. The Salaat of the sinful become more acceptable by joining and performing Salaat with other pious persons, etc.

NB. It is NOT WAJIB upon WOMEN CHILDREN, SICK PERSONS, those NURSING the SICK, VERY OLD persons and the BLIND to ATTEND the JAMAAT.

WHO DESERVES TO BE AN IMAM

1. That person who knows the MASAA’IL (rules) of Salaat WELL provided he is NOT a FAASIQ (an open sinner.)
2. Then a person who can RECITE the HOLY QURAAN WELL.
3. Thereafter a person who is PIOUS.
4. Then the OLDEST person.
5. Then the GOOD-MANNERED and KIND. However, if there is a FIXED Imam in Masjid, then he will still DESERVE the HONOUR to be the Imam.

It is MAKRUH to make a FAASIQ, an IGNORANT person or one who indulges in BID’AT or one who is NOT very CAREFUL in OBSERVING the RULES of SHARI’AT, an IMAAM.

PERSON WHOSE IMAAMAT IS NOT ACCEPTED

SALAAT of any person will not be ACCEPTED if the IMAAM is:

1. Insane (mad)
2. Drunk.
3. Kaafir (disbeliever).
4. Mushrik.
5. lf the IMAAM is not BAALIGH (mature) then the Salaat of the BAALIGH will NOT be accepted.
6. lf the IMAAM is a WOMAN, Salaat of MALES will NOT be accepted.

 Text taken from http://www.inter-islam.org/Actions/Part8.html. I am no Islamic Scholar myself and would take on any critcism there is to this subject. If you feel that you observe the same behvaior in your offices or surroundings, then you should stand up to it. The first steps you should take as a Muslim are:

- Be a good muslim and hold a Jammat yourself
- If you feel the behvaior to be continuing, speak up loud when there are people. There is nothing wrong in saying the right word.
- If you do not have the courage, ask a senior citizen or a regular Imam to speak it out.

May Allah subhan o Talah bless us with his mercy and enable us to understand the religion better. Amin.

M.H.A.Q.S.

Khuda kay liye is indeed a well portrayed subject with a badly portrayed ending. A recent viewing of the movie has saved me form a lot of confusions surrounding it. The movie had actors saying much “Buzz” about it, which I would disagree with. However, the movie had more to impress than to disappoint. So here’s a little review:

Before watching the movie, I stumbled upon the Wiki entry for “Khuda kay liye” and the fatwa in its very purpose is correct. Although, the cultural mixture in Pakistan and mutilated Islam appears quite evident from the Wiki entry. Music is not allowed in Islam, whatsoever. The reasons given by Shoaib Mansoor in the end of movie will not satisfy a Muslim, one who knows that David (Hazrat Daud) (PBUH) did not sing, and recited the Holy scripture with such clarity and Holiness that nature sang along with him. The hadith quoted may also turn people false, since I myself am not educated enough in Hadith. A recent interview with Junaid Jamshed would give you a good idea about the possibilities of Music in Islam and his life. In the ending, where Shoaib Mansoor argues that Music is not wrong and why would the creator want something as ‘Soul fulfulling’ as Music to be not used; There are two things mainly confused here, solo singing (plain human voice without musical instruments and musical bends) and singing with musical instruments. All of the examples given in history would suggest that human voice is the only means allowed in Islam to either recite or read a scripture. In one example, a simple ‘Duff’ (a Hollow drum) is allowed and may be used to accompany the voice. Singing with musical instruments is bad because music can control the human mind to a certain extent and may render him in pitiful stances, which may at times be shameful. Any Muslim who wants to understand the possibilities of Music in Islam should either consult a religeous scholar like Dr. Zakir Naik or should very well be versed in Hadith and consult books like Sahi Hadith.

Apart from the Islam & musical point of View, Khuda kay liye is a spectacular movie. It has every element that you may see in a Hollywood movie. Gorgeous scenes from Pakistan, America and Afghanistan will leave you wondering how good the footage actually was. For tech geeks that was a High Definition Cinema release and not made with broken/outdated Pakistani Film instruments. Shoaib Mansoor has gone quite a mile to make sure that the movie has rich details and everything shows which part of the world is portrayed in a certain scene. For Example, if the scene is Afghanistan, you will see wide areas with rich colors and mountains and believable sets. And it totally changes when you are in America or Lahore.

 The Dialog and script is great but poorly delivered by some actors. Some scenes look worse than a stage show, simply because the actors have done a bad job at deleivering the script. Sarcasm is one factor that you will see as a common object in the movie. This stays true for all parts of the movie, from social injustice to conflicting ideas and one could not desist the fact that everything portrayed in the movie is nothing but the truth.

M.H.A.Q.S.