Which is the best prayer to get closer to Allah; Is removing genital hair halal?
1) Which is the best prayer to close with Allah the almighty?
2) Is removing the hair at genital area is haram or halal
Editor's Note: Sister Ridha, Assalamu'alaikum; I have combined both your posts into one.
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Assalamu'alaikum,
1. Sister, the prayer to get closest to Allah are the 5 obligatory prayers. Allah's Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
Umm Farwah -- and she was one of those who gave pledge of allegiance to the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ -- narrated: ``The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ was asked: `Which deed is the best?' So he said: ` Salât in the beginning of its time.''' ( Sahih - Tirmidhee)
Apart from these, the best prayers are those that Allah's Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam did regularly (the Sunnah).
Allah's Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
Umm Habibah narrated that the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: ``Whoever prays twelve voluntary prayers in a day will have a house built for him because of it in Paradise.'' ( Sahih - Abu Dawood)
The twelve are something like this: 2 Rakaa'aat before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr, 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after 'Isha.
I have heard that another says 10, which makes the sunan before Dhuhr 2. But I am not sure abou this. Other than these there are other Nawaafil such as 2 after Dhuhr (other than the 2 above - making it 4), 4 before Asr and 2 before Maghrib.
Witr is another highly recommended Sunnah prayer, which can be prayed in 1,3,5,7,9 or even 11 units. 3 is recommended, but some Sahaabah (specifically Mu'awiyah Radiyallahu Anhu) prayed only 1.
The prayer (nawaafil) offered in the last third part of the night is one of the best. Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
“The best prayer after those prescribed is (the prayer performed) in the depth of night.” [Saheeh Muslim and Musnad Ahmad]
He Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam also said:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven, when only one third of the night has remained. He says: “Who will invoke Me, so that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] In another report, he adds: “Then Allah extends His Hand and says: “Who wants to invest (good deeds) with the One who is not wasteful or unjust?” He continues to say this until the dawn arrives.” [Saheeh Muslim]
There is also the Ishraq prayer which is highly rewarding. Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
Anas bin Mâlik narrated that the Messenger of Allâh ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: ``Who-ever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allâh until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak`ah , then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and `Umrah .’’ He said: ``The Messenger of Allâh ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: `Complete, complete, complete.''' (Hasan Gareeb - Tirmidhee)
2. Removing genital hair is from the fitrah (natural disposition). It is a part of cleanliness and should be done once within every 40 days.
It was narrated that Anas bin Mâlik said: ``Anas said: ‘A time limit was set for us for trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs and shaving the pubes: that was not to be left for more than forty days.''' (Sahih Muslim)
Should you have any question, please ask.
Abu Abdul Bari
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Assalam'alaykum sister Ridha,
1. Allah said in Hadith Qudsi:
"….and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary prayers and deeds) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My Protection, I will protect him..." (Sahih Bukhari)
Allah said:
“Establish prayer at the going down of the sun until the dark of the night, and (recite) the Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed. And some part of the night awake for its recital, as voluntary worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised estate.” (Qur’an 17: 78-79)
Prophet said:
“The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the prayer in the last part of the night(Tahajjud)” (Sahih Muslim)
Prophet said:
“Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin.” [Tirmidhi]
Allah said:
"….Go down in prostration and bring yourself the closer (to Allah)." (Quran 96:19)
Prophet said:
'The closest one of you comes to his Lord is while he is prostrating, (therefore) make many supplications therein.' (Sahih Muslim)
Allah said:
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (Quran 2:186)
2. Halal
“The fitrah consists of five things, one of which is removing the pubic hairs” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).
“He set us a time limit of no more than forty days for shaving the pubic hair.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).