IQAAMAH

Question
What is Iqaamah?

Answer
Making call for the commencement of prayer in which the words of Adhaan are repeated signalling to
the Muqtadis to stand in rows behind the Imam, is called Iqaamah or Takbeer.

Question
What is the difference between Adhaan and Iqaamah?

Answer
The difference between Adhaan and Iqaamah is that whilst reciting the Adhaan one must stand on a
high or an elevated place outside the precinct of the mosque and put his index fingers into his ears
whereas the Iqaamah must be performed in the mosque in the first row behind (right-side or left-side
of) the Imam without putting the forefingers into the ears. Besides, in Iqaamah ‘Qad Qaamatis
Salaah, Qad Qaamatis Salaah’ (Salaah is ready to be established, Salaah is ready to be established) is
recited after ‘Haie-ya 'Alal Falaah’.

Question
How should one respond to the Iqaamah?

Answer
The response of the Iqaamah should be similar to that of the Adhaan. However in response to ‘Qad
Qaamatis Salaah’ these words should be uttered: ‘Aqaamahal Laahu Ta'ala wa Adaamahaa
Maadaamatis-Samaawaatu wal-Ard’ (O' Allah keep it intact for ever till the sky and earth are in
existence).

Question
Should Iqaamah be listened-to in a sitting posture or a standing position?

Answer
The Imam and Muqtadis should stand hearing ‘Haie-ya 'Alal Falaah’. It is an undesirable act to listen
to the Iqaamah standing.

Question
The one who recites the Iqaamah is known as…

Answer
He who utters the Iqaamah is known as the Mukabbir.

Question
Who should call Iqaamah?

Answer
The first right of uttering Iqaamah is to the Mu'azzin who has made Adhaan. However, any other
person can also make Iqaamah with his permission or in his absence.
 WUDU (ABLUTION)

Sayyiduna Usman Ibn Affan1 once had some water brought for him in order to perform
Wudu, after the completion of Wudu he smiled, and asked his companions if they knew why he had
smiled, then he answered himself,

`Once the Holy Prophet performed Wudu at this very place and then smiled and
asked his companions,

`Do you know why I smiled? `

The companions replied,

`Allah and his Messenger know best`.

The Blessed Prophet said,

`When a person performs Wudu and washes his hands, the sins of his hands and when he washes his
face the sins of his face and when he wipes his head the sins of his head and when he washes his feet
the sins of his feet are washed away.’2

Question
What is Wudu?

Answer
To wash the face from the forelock down to the lower portion of the chin and from the lobe of one ear
to the other, to wash your hands up to the elbows and the feet up to the ankles and passing wet fingers
of both the hands over the head is Wudu. It is forbidden to offer Salaah without ablution.

Question
What is the method of performing Wudu?

To sit on a clean elevated place facing the Qibla. To make intention for Wudu is Sunnah. By intention
is meant focusing with the heart, but to verbally pronounce it is even better. These are the words that
should be used to pronounce the intention,

`I am making Wudu in order to fulfil the command of Allah and to purify myself`.

It is also Sunnah to say , in fact if you say , Angels will write good deeds for
you for as long as you are in that state. Now wash both hands up to the wrists three times each and do
khilaal of the fingers as well (with the tap closed). Then use a miswaak to clean your teeth, both top
and bottom, washing the miswaak each time.

Hujjatul Islam Imam Muhammad Ghazali says,

`Whilst using a miswaak, your intention should be to clean your mouth in order for you to recite the
Holy Qur`an and to do the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah .3’

1
Also known as Usman E Ghani
2
Mulakhkhasan Musnad Imam Ahmad, Vol1, Pg 130, Hadith 415, Dar Ul Fikr, Beirut
3
Imam Muhammad Ghazali’s, Ihya Ul Uloom, Vol1, Pg 182, Dar Us Saadir, Beirut
Now rinse your mouth three times with three handfuls of water (turning the tap off each time) making
sure water reaches all parts of the mouth and gargle as well if you are not fasting.

Now using three half handfuls sniff water in to the nose, it is necessary to sniff the water right up to
the hard bone and if you are not fasting then intake the water right up to the top of the bone, now
keeping the tap turned off use the small finger of the left hand to clean the inside of the nose.

Wash the whole face three times making sure that water flows on every part of the skin from the top
of the forehead (the point where the hair naturally begins to grow) to the bottom of the chin and from
one earlobe to the other. If you have a beard then do khilaal (with the tap turned off) by inserting the
fingers into the beard from the neck towards the front.

Now wash the right arm, making sure you wash every piece of skin from the tips of the fingers up to
(and including) the elbow three times and then wash the left arm in the same manner. To wash up to
halfway up the upper arm is desirable. Many people take a small amount of water in their hand and tip
it over their arm, expecting it to wash the whole arm, whereas the elbows and wrists will probably
remain unwashed if this is done, therefore, they should be washed properly as mentioned. Once they
have been washed there is no need to tip a handful of water over the arms, in fact doing this (without a
proper excuse) despite having washed both arms is a waste of water.

Now (with the tap turned off) wipe the head; this should be done by joining the tips of the three
fingers, other than the index fingers and thumbs, of both hands and placing them on the forehead.
They should then be pulled towards the back of the neck without letting the palms touch the head.
Then each palm should be placed on either side of the head and pulled across the sides back to the
forehead. The index fingers and thumbs should not have touched the head yet. Now use the index
fingers to wipe the insides of the ears, the thumbs for the back, and the small fingers should be
inserted inside the ears. Now wipe the back of the neck using the back of both hands. Some people are
seen to be wiping the front of the neck and the forearms and wrists, this is not a Sunnah. One should
make a habit of turning the tap off before wiping the head. To allow water to be wasted by leaving the
tap open completely or partially is a sin.

Now wash both feet three times, first the right and then left, beginning from the toes up to the top of
the ankles. In fact it is desirable to wash up to half way up the shins. To do khilaal of all the toes of
both feet is Sunnah. The tap should be kept turned off during khilaal. The desirable way to do this is
to use the small finger of the left hand and begin with the small toe of the right foot and work your
way up to the big toe. Then, using the same finger of the left hand, work your way from the big toe of
the left foot to the small toe.

Hujjatul Islam Imam Muhammad Ghazali says,

`When washing each limb you should hope that the sins of each of those limbs are being washed
away.4’

Question
How do you do Masah?

Answer
Having the hands wet with fresh water join your three fingers (excluding the forefingers and thumbs)
of both hands and pass them over the head from the forelock up to the nape of the neck and then bring
them back similarly to the forehead; (the palms should not touch the head); wipe the inner sides of the

4
Mulakhkhasan Ihya Ul Uloom, Vol1, Pg 346
ears with the tips of forefingers and wipe the outsides of the ears with the insides of the thumbs and
the neck should be wiped with the back of the fingers. It is undesirable to do Masah of the throat.

Question
What should be recited after Wudu?

Answer
Having performed Wudu recite (after Durood):

‘Alla-hummaj 'Alnee Minat-tawwaabeena waj'alnee Minal Mutatah-hareen’5

(O' Allah! make me of those who have repented and make me of those who have been purified by
You)

Drink a little of the rest of the Wudu water (standing upright). Recite Kalima-e-Shahadah raising the
index finger, and looking to the sky also recite Surah Al-Qadr that will earn the believer a great
reward.

To summarise:

4 Fard of Wudu6

(1) Washing the face

(2) Washing both arms up to and including both elbows
(3) Wiping a quarter of the head
(4) Washing both feet up to and including the ankles

12 Sunnahs of Wudu7

(1) Making intention.

(2) Reading ‫ﺑﺴﻢﺍﷲ‬. If you read before making Wudu then angels will write good
deeds for you for as long as you are in the state of Wudu.8
(3) Washing both hands up to the wrists three times.
(4) Cleaning teeth with miswaak three times.
(5) Rinsing the mouth three times using three handfuls of water.
(6) Gargling if you are not fasting.
(7) Sniffing water into the nose three times using three half handfuls of water.
(8) Doing khilaal of your beard (when you are not in a state of ihram).
(9) Doing khilaal of the fingers and toes.
(10) Wiping the whole head only once.
(11) Wiping the ears.
(12) Maintaining the order of the Fard (i.e. washing the face first, then the arms, then wiping the head
and then washing the feet) and washing each following limb before the previously washed limb goes
dry.

5
Jami Tirmidhi, Vol1, Pg 9
6
Fatawa Alamgeeri, Vol1, Pg 3
7
Durr Ul Mukhtaar Ma’ Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol1, Pg 235 & Fatawa Alamgeeri, Vol1, Pg 6
8
Imam Ibn Hajar Haytami’s, Majmua Zawaid, Vol1, Pg 513, Hadith 1112, Dar Ul Fikr Beirut