Islamic halaqah etiquette
Pillars of Islam
Asked on 22nd May 2020
Question
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
We conduct quran tafseer, hadith, tajweed and dua classes for ladies. We have around 100 students in a class. The dua & tajweed teacher always starts the class with recitation of sura Fatiha & then knowledge seeking duas and then recites the daily quran study portion.
1) Will it be a biddah to start the quran class daily with recitation of fatiha? The teacher clarified that fatiha is the best dua to start our class with as we ask for guidance from Allah.
2) Also is it ok to end the tafseer class with each individuals making duas silently by raising their hands ? Not in unison.
3) Is it permitted as per sunnah to raise hands & make dua in a class gathering at the end of any islamic lecture or quran tafseer class by saying ameen to all the duas made by the teacher ?
4) The teacher was saying there is presence of angels as it is quran study circle, so all our duas will be answered in such circles. Increase ur duas in such classes.
5) Is using tasbeeh a biddah or haram ?
جزاك الله خيرا
Answer
Wa'alaykumsalaam Wa Rahmatullah wabarakaatouh.
Reading Surah Al Faatihah before each and every task has not been reported by any authentic narrations. We have no reports as such. The Qur'an is a blessing in its whole.
It is the practice to start any knowledge's circle by praising Allah and send peace and blessings upon the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this is the right practice.
It is reported to that the prophet Muhammad asked us to read the du'a of kafaarat-ul-majlis before we leave a gathering. This is a du'a as well but it is said without raising the hand. The hadeeth is as follows.
The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu ályhi wasallam) used to say, when he wanted to leave a gathering
سُبْحـانَكَ اللّهُـمَّ وَبِحَمدِك، أَشْهَـدُ أَنْ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتوبُ إِلَـيْك
“Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bi hamdika, ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk”
Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.
The Tasbeeh becomes an innovation when it is used as something sacred. If it is used in order to keep the counts, then it won't be a Bid'ah but it is still better to use the fingers.
Making Du'a after every Islamic Circle, this was asked by Sheikh Ibn Baz, (May Allah have mercy upon his soul)
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with offering du‘aa’ after a lecture, exhortation or reminder; there is nothing wrong with offering du‘aa’, calling upon Allah to help and guide those present, and to grant them good intentions and good deeds. But I do not know of any evidence for raising their hands in such cases, and I do not know of any report to that effect from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except some texts that speak in general terms of raising the hands when offering du‘aa’, and say that it is one of the means of having the supplication answered. But I do not remember any report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to suggest that after he had exhorted or reminded the people, he would raise his hands and offer du‘aa’. If he used to do that, the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would have reported it, because they did not omit anything but they reported it (may Allah be pleased with them). So it is preferable and more on the safe side not to raise the hands in such cases, unless there is evidence to that effect. With regard to the speaker offering du‘aa’ for them after he has finished speaking, and saying. “May Allah forgive us and you” or “May Allah guide us and you,” or “May Allah cause us and you to benefit from what we have heard,” and so on, there is nothing wrong with that, and if they say Ameen, there is nothing wrong with that either.
I hope i have answered the questions.
Reading Surah Al Faatihah before each and every task has not been reported by any authentic narrations. We have no reports as such. The Qur'an is a blessing in its whole.
It is the practice to start any knowledge's circle by praising Allah and send peace and blessings upon the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this is the right practice.
It is reported to that the prophet Muhammad asked us to read the du'a of kafaarat-ul-majlis before we leave a gathering. This is a du'a as well but it is said without raising the hand. The hadeeth is as follows.
The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu ályhi wasallam) used to say, when he wanted to leave a gathering
سُبْحـانَكَ اللّهُـمَّ وَبِحَمدِك، أَشْهَـدُ أَنْ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتوبُ إِلَـيْك
“Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bi hamdika, ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk”
Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.
The Tasbeeh becomes an innovation when it is used as something sacred. If it is used in order to keep the counts, then it won't be a Bid'ah but it is still better to use the fingers.
Making Du'a after every Islamic Circle, this was asked by Sheikh Ibn Baz, (May Allah have mercy upon his soul)
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with offering du‘aa’ after a lecture, exhortation or reminder; there is nothing wrong with offering du‘aa’, calling upon Allah to help and guide those present, and to grant them good intentions and good deeds. But I do not know of any evidence for raising their hands in such cases, and I do not know of any report to that effect from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except some texts that speak in general terms of raising the hands when offering du‘aa’, and say that it is one of the means of having the supplication answered. But I do not remember any report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to suggest that after he had exhorted or reminded the people, he would raise his hands and offer du‘aa’. If he used to do that, the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would have reported it, because they did not omit anything but they reported it (may Allah be pleased with them). So it is preferable and more on the safe side not to raise the hands in such cases, unless there is evidence to that effect. With regard to the speaker offering du‘aa’ for them after he has finished speaking, and saying. “May Allah forgive us and you” or “May Allah guide us and you,” or “May Allah cause us and you to benefit from what we have heard,” and so on, there is nothing wrong with that, and if they say Ameen, there is nothing wrong with that either.
I hope i have answered the questions.