Question:
Assalamualaikum
Q1-When eating is it Sunnah to have the head covered and what is the reference from Sahih Ahaadith ?
Q2-Is it permissible for males to wear more than one silver ring?
Q3-In Sajdah position is it Sunnah to keep the feet apart as mentioned in Ahsanul fatwa or is it Sunnah to keep the heels of the feet touching each other as mentioned in I’laaus Sunan and Shaami ?
Q4-What is the Sunnah method of raising the finger in Tashahhud on reaching Illallah is it Sunnah to drop the finger, keep it raised until the first salaam and drop it when turning for first salaam, or keep it half raised until the end of salaam what is the Sunnah method with reference from Hadith ?
Answer:
- Covering the head while eating is from amongst the etiquettes of eating. However, there will be no harm in eating without the head being covered. (Fataawaa Aalamgeeriyyah, Vol. 5, Page 337, Al-Bahrur Raaiq, Vol. 8, Page 184)
- Answered in Fatwaa no. 139/04.
- This question was answered in Fatwaa no. 21/04, dated 19 February 2004 and Fatwaa no. 25/04, dated 26 February 2004.
Mufti Rashid Ahmad Saheb in Ahsanul Fataawaa as well as Allamah Zafar Ahmad Uthmani in Imdaadul Ahkaam after analysing the Ahaadith narrated in this regard (including the Hadith of Aisha (R.A.) narrated in Ibne Hibbaan) have given preference to joining the heels in Sajdah not being Sunnah. (Ahsanul Fataawaa, Vol. 3, Page 49, Imdaadul Ahkaam, Vol. 1, Page 477)
- Raising the finger in Tashahhud and dropping it is a controversial issue amongst the Jurists. The Ahnaaf Jurists have stated that it is Sunnah to raise the finger on saying “Laa Ilaaha” and lowering it on saying “Illallah”. (Raf’ut Taraddud fi Aqdil Asaabi’i Indat Tashahhud from Majmu’atu Rasaaili Ibni Abedeen, Part 1, Page 134, Ma’aarifus Sunan, Vol. 3, Page 105, Mirqaat Sharah Mishkaat, Vol. 2, Page 624, Raddul Muhtaar, Vol. 1, Page 376, Ahsanul Fataawaa, Vol. 3, Page 30, Fataawaa Rahimiyyah, Vol. 6, Page 411-412, Imdaadul Fataawaa, Vol. 1, Page 136, Fataawaa Mahmoodiyah, Vol. 13, Page 68)
Allamah Zafar Ahmad Uthmani has deduced the above ruling from a Hadith that states that the Prophet (S.A.W.) while sitting towards the end of his Salaah (Tashahhud) used to make Ishaarah with his index finger (i.e. lift it). The non-Believers would say (on seeing this) that, “The Prophet (S.A.W.) is casting a spell”, but indeed they have lied. It (the lifting of the finger) is in fact Tauheed.
Lifting of the finger has been interpreted to mean Tauheed in the above Hadith and Tauheed consist of Nafi (negation) and Ithbaat (affirmation) and this is found in “Laa Ilaaha” and “Illallah” respectively. (I’laaus Sunan, Vol. 3, Page 113)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Qasim bin Hashim Limbada
Attested to as correct by:
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa
Jameah Mahmoodiyah
Springs
28 May 2004
08 Rabee’ul Aakhir 1425