Islamic Culture

FITRAH PART 1: The Sunnah acts related to the Fitrah

These Sunan in the Ahaadeeth number eleven, we have already discussed Istinjaa, we will by the will of Allah discuss the Istinshaaq (sniffing of water) and Madmadah (rinsing of mouth) in the section about the Wudoo’ and as such eight remain to be discussed here. They are: As-Siwaak, trimming of the moustache, letting the beard grow, removing the hair from the underarm, cutting nails, washing the finger joints, shaving the pubic hair and circumcision. And we will begin with As-Siwaak (SEE FITRAH PART2)

The ‘Ulamaa have differed in respect to the meaning of the word: ‘Fitrah’. Al-Khittaabi said:

“The majority of the ‘Ulamaa have said that it is the Sunnah, meaning the Sunan of the Anbiyaa’ (Prophets).”

Abu Hurairah, Az-Zahri and Ahmad said that it was: “Islaam.”

Ibn Abdul-Birr said: “It is the Ma’roof according to the majority of the Salaf.”

Ibn Hajar said: “It is the Deen” and attributed this view to a group from the ‘Ulamaa and Abu Na’eem bound himself to it.

Two groups used as evidence the Qawl of Allah سبحانه وتعالى:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ للدِّيْنِ حَنِيْفاً فِطْرَةَ اللهِ التي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْها لا تَبْدِيْلَ لِخَلْقِ اللهِ ذَلِكَ الدِّيْنُ القَيِّمُ ولكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُوْنَ

“So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion (of pure Islamic Monotheism) Haneef. Allah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allah’s Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind. Let there be no change in Khalq-illah (i.e. the religion of Allah – Islamic Monotheism): that is the straight religion, but most of men know not.” (Ar-Rum, 30)

In addition to what Muslim recorded from ‘Iyaad Bin Himaar Al-Mujaashi’i that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said one day in his Khutbah:

“Behold, my Lord commanded me that I should teach you which you do not know and which He has taught me today. (He has instructed thus): The property which I have conferred upon them is lawful for them. I have created My servants as one having a natural inclination to the worship of Allah but it is the Shayaateen who turn them away from the right religion.”

and Ibn ‘Atiyyah mentioned in his Tafseer that a group from the ‘Ulamaa said: That the Fitrah is the Millah (i.e. Deen), without mentioning them (the ‘Ulamaa) and it seems that they based their opinion on what Muslim related from Abu Hurairah (ra) who said that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“There is not a child that is born except that he is upon the Millah”and in another version: “…Except that he is born upon this Millah until his tongue can make clear (his belief).”

Abu Shaamah said: “The origin of the Fitrah is the initial creation” and from this is the speech of Allah سبحانه وتعالى:

فاطِرَ السمواتِ والأرضِ

“the (only) Originator [or the (Only) Creator] of the heavens and the earth.” (Al-Faatir 1)

The one who looks at these statements finds that they are not contradictory or in opposition to one another. This is because the initial creation is the origin of the Fitrah, the Sunnah, Deen, Islaam and Millah are what has been meant by the use of this term in the Ahaadeeth like his صلى الله عليه وسلم statement: “Every child is born upon the Fitrah…” and: “There are ten from the Fitrah…” and that is because the Sunnah, the Deen, Islaam and the Millah have all come in accordance and agreement to the Fitrah (nature) of the human being and his creation and it could be said that its meaning in the Prophetic Ahaadeeth is Al-Eemaan Al-Fitry (the natural/inherent belief).

As for the Sunan then what is meant by this is the collection of actions that the Sharaa’i (legislations) have all agreed upon. These number many and the Ahaadeeth have mentioned eleven of them.

‘Aa’ishah (ra) said that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Ten are the acts of the Fitrah: clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the Siwaak, snuffing water in the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving pubic hair and cleaning one’s private parts with water.” Az-Zakariyah said: Mus’ab said: “I have forgotten the tenth unless it was rinsing the mouth” as recorded by Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Daawood, Ibn Maajah and An-Nasaa’i.

Abu Hurairah (ra) related that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “There are five from the Fitrah: Five are the acts of Fitrah: circumcision, shaving pubic hair, clipping the moustache, cutting the nails and plucking the hair under the armpits” as recorded by Muslim, Al-Bukhaari and Ahmad.

These Sunan in the Ahaadeeth number eleven, we have already discussed Istinjaa, we will by the will of Allah discuss the Istinshaaq (sniffing of water) and Madmadah (rinsing of mouth) in the section about the Wudoo’ and as such eight remain to be discussed here. They are: As-Siwaak, trimming of the moustache, letting the beard grow, removing the hair from the underarm, cutting nails, washing the finger joints, shaving the pubic hair and circumcision. And we will begin with As-Siwaak (SEE FITRAH PART2)

The above is an extract from volume 1, chapter 5 of Al-Jami li Ahkam as-Salah “A complete guide of the rules of prayer” by Sheikh Abu Iyas Mahmoud bin Abdul Latif al-Uweida from Jordan.