THE IDEAL MUSLIMAH

Ibn Al-’Arabi Al-Maaliki said: ‘I once invited Shaikh Abu Bakr Al-Fihri in Muharras Ibn Ash-Shawwa’ at Ath-Thagr. Abu Bakr was of those eminent Shaikhs who earnestly followed the Prophet’s example in raising his hands in Salaat. He arrived at the Thagr where I teach.

The Shaikh entered the mosque and stood in the first row. And I was standing at its end near a window looking over the sea to enjoy the breeze. In the same row, there were the chief of the sea crew Abu Thamnah, his deputy and some members of the crew waiting for the Imaam to lead them in the Salaat.

During his [Naafilah] Salaat, the Shaikh raised his hands when doing Ruku‘ and when raising from it. Abu Thamnah addressed his companions: ‘Do you see what has this eastern done?! Go and Kill him and throw his body in the sea and let no one see you’. Hearing this, I felt that my heart jumped into my throat and said to them: ‘Subhaana Allaah, this is the great Faqih of our time, At-Turtushi’.

They asked: ‘Why does he raise his hands then?’

I said: ‘This is the Prophet’s (saw) Sunnah and Imaam Maalik’s Mathhab as is narrated by the scholars of Madinah(*)’. Then I tried to keep them calm and quiet till the Shaikh finished his Salaat. We, then, returned back to the residence at the Muharris. The Shaikh noticed my anger and inquired about the reason. I told him the whole thing. He, then, laughed and said:

‘Indeed, I wish to be killed following the Sunnah’.

I said: ‘You should not do this; you are in a town where if you follow this Sunnah you will be killed’. He then said:

‘Leave aside this idle talk and lets discuss something more useful’.(1)

FOOTNOTES:

(*) Ibn Abdil Hakam said: ‘Ibn Al-Qaasim was the only one to relate from Maalik that he used not to raise his hands in Salaat. We believe in the opposite’. See: “Al-Qawaanin Al-Fiqhiyyah” (p. 64).
(1) “Ahkaamul Qur’aan” (vol. 4 / p. 1900). It was also mentioned by Al-Qurtubi in “At- Tafsir” (vol. 19 / p. 279) and Ash-Shaatibi in “Al-I‘tisaam” (vol. 1 / p. 295).


[Taken from "The Clarified Ruling Of Mistakes Done In Salaah" By Sh. Mashhur Hasan Aal Salmaan, p. 95]