In the name of Allah Most Merciful Most Gracious All praise is due to Allah; we praise Allah and seek Allah’s help and forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah, Most High, from the evils of our own selves. Whomsoever has been guided by Allah, none can misguide him, and whomsoever is misguided, no one can guide him except Allah. And I bear witness that there is no god worthy of being worshipped except Allah Al Mighty, alone, without partner or associate. I further bear witness that Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is his true worshipper and messenger, may Allah the exalted bestow His peace and blessings upon him.
Allah says in the Quran “O you who believe! Fear Allah as Allah should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam “ (Quran 3:102).
“O mankind ! Be grateful to your lord, Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate, and from them both Allah created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut relations of Kinship. Surely Allah is ever a watcher over you “(Quran 4:1).
“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah, and speak always the truth. Allah will direct you to do good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His messenger, he verily has got a great success “ (Quran 33:70-71).
Know then that the most truthful book is that of Allah (The Quran) and that the best guidance is that of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). As Muslims, we all must submit to the will and commandments of Allah. Those commandments are in the Quran, the word of Allah, and in the Sunnah, the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), and whatever his companions said or did of which he did not disapprove.
Allah in the Quran says : ” We have explained in detail in this Quran, for the benefit of Mankind, every kind of similitude “(Quran 18:54), “And we have sent down to you the Book explaining all things: a guide, a mercy, and glad tidings “ (Quran 16:89).
The Sunnah is the secondary source of Islamic law, it is the Prophet’s sayings, actions, and what his companions did to which he showed no objection. Allah in the Quran says that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) does not speak from himself, but is inspired by Allah : “Nor does he say ought of his own desire and wishes; it is just inspiration sent down to him “ (Quran 53: 3-5).
Muslims are ordered in the Quran to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (P.B.U.H), this means to obey and practice the commands of the Prophet. Allah in the Quran says :
” Whatever the Prophet ordered you to do, you should do, and whatever he forbids you, you should reject “(Quran 59: 7),
” The sayings of the faithful believers when they are called to Allah ( His Words { the Quran } and His Messenger ) to judge between them is only that they say: ” We hear and we obey,” And such are the successful. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, fears Allah and keeps his duty (To Him), such ! They are the successful “ (Quran 24: 51-52).
” But no, by your lord, they can have no (Real) faith, until they make you (Muhammad) a judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction “ (Quran 4:65).
After the death of the Prophet, his companions gave sharp attention to preserving the Sunnah of the Prophet. Each one tried to find out what the Prophet did or said in certain situations, and then recorded it. Later many scholars spent their lives investigating those who transmitted the Sunnah; they compiled the authentic Hadiths. Among these scholars are Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim; both wrote books that contain only authentic Hadiths. The Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in many authentic Hadiths showed us in great detail how and what to say and do in our everyday lives.
Allah’s last revelation states that Islam is the perfect religion: “Today I have perfected your religion for you, bestowed my favor upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion “ (Quran 5:3). Thus it is fitting for us as Muslims to follow the perfect guidance of Allah and His messenger through the Quran and the Sunnah. But unfortunately, people listen to this and that, see the non-Muslim’s ways of doing things and then copy it and it becomes the norm .
The Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) predicted this by saying :” You would copy the same path as was done by those before you inch by inch and step by step so that if they had entered into the hole of a Dhab (a desert lizard) you will enter too.” They ( The Prophet companions ) asked him: ” You mean Jews and Christians by your words’ Those before you’ ?.” He said: ” Who else (than those two religious groups) “ (Bukhari and Muslim). Some Muslims say : ” In our country we do things this way and that way, so it must be the right way “, others say : ” We think this way is much better than the other way “. So as long as the tendency remains among the Muslims in taking blind bride in following their ancestry or tribal heritage or culture or nationality, and as long as Muslims are hardly bothered to learn and take their practices from the pure knowledge, the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, more confusion, and more divisions will continue to hammer the body of the Muslim Ummah.
The message of Islam covers all aspects of life, commanding all things that will benefit a person in this life and the hereafter.
includes caring for this person when he dies by making dua’ for him, washing and shrouding his body, performing Salatul Janazah for him ( Where people pray and ask Allah to forgive him and have mercy on him ), then putting him in the grave.
The caring extends to his family too, by comforting his relatives, sharing with them their sorrow, and offering them condolences, sympathy and support.
Hoping to fill the need for a simplified Janazah guide to all Muslims, I have followed the method described in the authentic Hadiths, explanatory step by step notes and several illustrated drawings.
I have also included an introduction on importance of following the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), and an explanation of scholars’ ruling on issues which should be known by every Muslim.
continue reading: http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/janazahstepbystep.htm
Compiled By Mohamed Ebrahim Siala
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