Question:

I have asked this question to several shuyukh and ulama around the world and haven’t received an answer properly yet, i am hoping you would be able to provide a tenable answer inshaAllah.

The question is: In Islam as you would be well aware of, there are numerous nawafil actions that promise specific rewards for their performance. Examples include Tahiyatul Wudu and Jannah, reciting surah Mulk every day and being shielded from the punishment of the grave, Tahajjud and Jannah, reciting certain dua daily and receiving specific rewards etc. My question is, what is the MINIMAL amount that these actions need to be performed to qualify for its reward? Is there a minimum threshold that must be achieved in order to be considered amongst those that are performers of this action, eg: Is there a minimum amount of regularity in praying tahajud to be considered amongst that pray tahajjud.

So take for example, if a Muslim prayed tahajjud for 70% of the time in his life, would he, in the akhira, be considered amongst that prayed tahajjud and therefore receive its reward? What is the absolute minimum amount of this action that must be performed to be regarded as one of those that perform this action?

Can i also request the references from the Hanafi madhab (if possible, if not, references from other authorities are fine also) that underpin your answer inshaAllah? I really want to be sure about this for my understanding due to how many differing and unsubstantiated answers i have received in the past.

Also as a disclaimer, im not asking this question to minimally perform the action, i just want to understand how rigid i have to be with its performance. If i have a late night for example and i am exhausted, would me not rising for tahajjud nullify my ability to claim its reward? That is the reason i am asking the question, so i understand what excuses i could make to remit its performance should such circumstances present themselves.

Jazakallahukhair,

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

In his commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Allamah Badrud-Deen Al-Aini has explained that for an one's action to be considered regular and punctual (in the Shariah), he should do it with such regularity and punctuality that it is considered regular and punctual according to the 'Urf (i.e. according to the understanding of people). In other words, if the people consider one's action to be regular and punctual, it will be considered regular and punctual in the Shariah; otherwise not.

 

 قيل: أدومها كيف يكون قليلا ومعنى الدوام شمول الأزمنة مع أنه غير مقدور أيضا. أجيب بأن المراد بالدوام المواظبة العرفية وهي الإتيان بها في كل شهر أو كل يوم بقدر ما يطلق عليه عرفا اسم المداومة (عمدة القارئ ج23 ص64)

 

Hence, one can draw from the above that if one habitually performs an action but sometimes misses it due to a genuine excuse like sickness, etc, he will be considered punctual and regular in that action.

 

يثاب المريض على النوافل التي كان يعملها في صحته وشغل بالمرض (فتح الباري 1ج ص407)

 

And Allah knows best

 

Maulana Shakeel Tariq
Student, Darul Ifta

1/8/2013

 

Checked and approved by:

Mufti Faizal Riza

 

Darul Ifta Australia 

www.fatwa.org.au

 

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