⚙️ Ruling On A Roster Marking Performance Of Acts Of Worship

Question: “Some people follow a method to hold themselves accountable for performing the obligatory prayers and the Sunnah prayers, which involves creating a roster. This roster serves as a record of their performance for one week. There are two boxes placed in front of each prayer time: one for the obligatory prayer and the other for the Sunnah prayer. If they pray the obligatory prayer with the congregation, they mark a point for that prayer; if they pray the Sunnah prayer, they mark a point for it as well. If they do not pray, they do not mark a point, and so on. At the end of the week, they tally all the points. This paper includes four rosters for one month (one for each week). Those who use this method say that it helps them maintain their performance of the obligatory and recommended acts. What is your opinion on this method? Is it permissible or not? What do you think about publishing it (a blank table for people to use)? May Allah reward you.”

Answer: “This method is unlawful; it is an innovation (bidʿah), and it may rob the heart of the meaning of worshiping for the sake of Allah the Almighty. Acts of worship become like a "routine," as they say. In the two Ṣaḥīḥs, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), it is reported that once the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zainab who, when she feels tired, holds it (to keep standing for the prayer.)" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Don't use it. Remove the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down."

Additionally, a person may be faced with actions that are initially preferable, but they may become less preferable for a reason. Therefore, if he is occupied with honoring a guest who has come to see him instead of performing the Sunnah of the Ẓuhr prayer, then attending to that (i.e., honoring guests) would be better than the Sunnah prayer.

I advise our youth against using these methods to motivate themselves to worship because the Prophet (ﷺ) warned against such practices when he urged people to follow his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He cautioned against innovations and explained that "every" innovation is misguidance, which means that it remains misguidance even if the innovators present it as something good, and that it is not from his guidance nor the guidance of his successors and companions, may Allah be pleased with them — even if the innovators present it as something good.” End quote.


— ibn ʿUthaymīn “Majmūʿ Fatāwā” (16/111) .

~ Galandān 🖋

Shaykh ʿAbdul Raḥmān Al-Barrāk, حفظه الله , was asked:

“We are six friends, and we meet every 15 days in one of our homes for a program that includes the Qurʾān, the Forty Ḥadīth of An-Nawāwī, the Minhāj Al-Muslim, a sermon from the owner of the house, and the book "Men Around the Messenger ﷺ." The program starts with the Qurʾān and concludes with supplication. Among our activities is a table that we fill out every month, which we call the “Competition Roster.” The roster includes a portion of the Qurʾān, the five daily prayers in the mosque, fasting, and maintaining family ties. When we are diligent in filling it out, the results are good; however, if we are not able to achieve our goals, the results are negative, for example, due to neglecting to recite the assigned portion of the Qurʾān. So, what is the ruling of Sharīʿah on this roster?”

He replied:

“Praise be to Allah: What appears to me is that adopting this roster and competing over its paragraphs is an innovation (bidʿah) because it involves boasting and admiring one’s actions. It also involves showing off work that is better left hidden, as concealing actions such as charity, reciting the Qurʾān, or remembering Allah is closer to avoiding ostentation.


Allah Almighty says:

▶️ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخُفۡيَةًۚ◀️

{Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly.} [Al-Aʿrāf: 55],

and He says:

▶️ذِكۡرُ رَحۡمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبۡدَهُۥ زَكَرِيَّآ * إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيّٗا◀️

{˹This is˺ a reminder of your Lord’s mercy to His servant Zachariah, when he cried out to his Lord privately,} [Maryam: 2-3],

and one of the seven whom Allah will shade in His shade is:

«وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لَا تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ»

{“and a man who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.” (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity)}.

What is necessary: is to advise one another to engage in voluntary acts of worship and to do them frequently. Each person should do what is easy for him in between himself and his Lord. In this way, cooperation in righteousness and piety is achieved, and safety is attained from what spoils the deed or reduces its reward. And Allah is the Grantor of success and the Guide to the path of righteousness. And Allah knows best.” —End quote.


— ʿAbdul Raḥmān Al-Barrāk, (source)

~ Galandān 🖋

🕝 What Is The Ruling On Skipping The Suḥūr¹ ?

Answer: ❝ Abandoning suḥūr is an imitation of the Ahl Al-kitāb (Jews and Christians). Some people are careless on the issue of suḥūr, claiming that they do not have a desire for it. But what is better for a Muslim is to not abandon the suḥūr, even if it is with a sip of milk, and thereby being at odds with Ahl Al-Kitāb and also following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

It was reported in the narration, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs, that the Prophet ﷺ said:

«فَصْلُ مَا بَيْنَ صِيَامِنَا وَصِيَامِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَكْلَةُ السَّحَرِ»
“The difference between our fasting and that of the people of the Book is eating at saḥar (shortly before the dawn)”. This was narrated by Imām Muslim.

This indicates that suḥūr is an opposition to Ahl Al-Kitāb and that being at odds with them, is an intended aim by the Law-Giver.❞


— Shaykh Al-Muḥaddith Sulaymān bin Nāṣir Al-ʿAlwān (text)

~ Galandān


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[1] Suḥūr: The meal eaten shortly before the dawn (fajr), for fasting.