On a personal note I appreciate it when non-Muslims pray for me.
The question has arisen if we can pray for non-Muslims.I am far from being a scholar so I am going to do some cut and paste here to show what I find from other sources that seem to be much more knowledgable than I am.
Some interesting thoughts come to mind. As a Muslim man I am permitted to marry a non-Muslim Woman as long as she is pious and is of the Book. What prayers if any can I offer for her?
As a Muslim nearly everything I do, think or say is a prayer. What are some of the things I am permitted to do, and still have it be in Praise of Allah(swt)
I offer a prayer when a person sneezes. Can I do so if a non_Muslim sneezes?
When a Non-Muslim sneezes
Yahdee Kumullahu wa Yaslih Ba Lakoom.
Translation: May Allah give you guidance and make your children pious.
How about if I am visiting a sick person. Does it differentiate if a person is Muslim or non-Muslim?
When visiting the sick
La ba'sa tahoorun inshaa-Allah. La ba'sa tahoorun inshaa-Allah.
Translation: No need to worry. It (this sickness) is a means of cleansing from sins. No need to worry. It (this sickness) is a means of cleansing from sins.
You perspective is very right ; It should have been put this way that muslims cannot pray for non muslimes except for their guidance.
May ALLAH TALLAH guide us all.
On a personal note I appreciate it when non-Muslims pray for me.
The question has arisen if we can pray for non-Muslims.I am far from being a scholar so I am going to do some cut and paste here to show what I find from other sources that seem to be much more knowledgable than I am.
Some interesting thoughts come to mind. As a Muslim man I am permitted to marry a non-Muslim Woman as long as she is pious and is of the Book. What prayers if any can I offer for her?
As a Muslim nearly everything I do, think or say is a prayer. What are some of the things I am permitted to do, and still have it be in Praise of Allah(swt)
I offer a prayer when a person sneezes. Can I do so if a non_Muslim sneezes?
How about if I am visiting a sick person. Does it differentiate if a person is Muslim or non-Muslim?
In the Qur'an I can only find one specific reference as to who we are not to pray for.
9:113. It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire. S P C
You perspective is very right ; It should have been put this way that muslims cannot pray for non muslimes except for their guidance.May ALLAH TALLAH guide us all.
format_quote Originally Posted by Qurratul Ayn
Brother Woodrow, good evidence given and even my Mother told me that we are not allowed to pray for Non-Muslims as I asked her if we are allowed
Allaah knows best.
Am I misreading Woodrow's post?
It seems to me that he is making the argument that there is no evidence against Muslims praying for non-Muslims (and not just for guidance, for healing too)
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
In the Qur'an I can only find one specific reference as to who we are not to pray for.
... and that appears to be praying for the forgiveness of pagans ...
Am I to conclude that it is permissible for Muslims to offer prayer for non-Muslims in all other areas?
Peace
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
I have been brought up with the fact that we are not allowed to pray for Non-Muslims full stop. Even though Brother Woodrow's evidence says not to pray for forgiveness of pagans, it may also imply not to pray for Non-Muslims for any other areas as we cannot restrict ourselves to words given in a specific perspective but explore it and think to ourselves it may imply a bigger picture.
Peace to all
فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ "Then which of the favours of Your Lord will ye deny?"
Al-Qur'aan; Surah Ar-Rahman
I have been brought up with the fact that we are not allowed to pray for Non-Muslims full stop. Even though Brother Woodrow's evidence says not to pray for forgiveness of pagans, it may also imply not to pray for Non-Muslims for any other areas as we cannot restrict ourselves to words given in a specific perspective but explore it and think to ourselves it may imply a bigger picture.
Peace to all
Thank you, sister.
I didn't think Islam encouraged any kind of individual interpretation ... would be it left to a scholar to determine the exact meaning of the Qu'ranic verses?
Who brought you up to believe that Muslims cannot pray for non-Muslims, and on what basis, if the Qu'ran itself seems fairly vague on this topic?
Please somebody correct me, if I am wrong. :X
I thought my questions as to who can pray for whom would be easy to answer ... but it seems more complicated than I thought.
There seem to be different schools of thought around.
Peace
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Is it permitted/acceptable for non-Muslims to pray for Muslims? Or would Muslims be offended?
Thanks.
glo,
I personally would not be offended by a Christian praying for me unless the prayer included shirk (ascribing partners to Allah) or the assumption that we Muslims are misguided and that salvation comes only through accepting Jesus as God's Son. I would feel better about a more generic prayer for guidance to and along the Straight Path that leads to Paradise and protection from sin and from misguidance from Satan.
As a Muslim I do pray for non-Muslims. Yes, mostly it is centered around guidance to the Straight Path but for other things as well. I pray for my son that he be guided to Islam, that Allah protect him from sin during his tumultuous teenage years, and that Allah heal the injury that he feels from my relationship with him.
What I am forbidden from doing is praying for the forgiveness of my parents sins and that Allah grant them Paradise because their books are closed as they have already died as non-Muslims.
If in any matters has my statement has created conflicts , I withdraw it. It was of no intention to hurt any beliefs.
As for the argument ALLAH TALLAH knows best
If in any matters has my statement has created conflicts , I withdraw it. It was of no intention to hurt any beliefs.
As for the argument ALLAH TALLAH knows best
Don't worry Sister. There really does not seem to be any conflict. It is more of a simple case of us Humans not being able to understand each other.
I think that if we look at things all prayers directed towards others are for the purpose that each person will be properly guided. the reason we pray is much more important than what our words are. Intention is probably one of the greatest keys for our prayers to be answered.
Would I pray for a non-Muslim to have good health so that he can attack Islam? NO.
Would I pray for a non-Muslim to have good health so that he may be guided to truth? YES
Both are essentialy the same prayer, yet totaly different intent.
So if I look at things I keep finding more and more prayers that appear to be written to show us specific times and events we may or even should pray for non-Muslims. Off Course all of these prayers are said with the intent that they may be guided. Sometimes other issues are part of guidance ie: Good health, prosperity, Happiness, Comfort in time of grief etc.
It is pointless for us to pray for a deceased non-Muslim as the book is already sealed and our words are of no use.
But, if a person is still alive and has not blatantly refused to accept guidance, perhaps prayers are good, if said with the proper intent.
This seems to be circulating and I have yet to find any scholar or Imam to refute it:
Muslim Prayer for Peace
In the name of Allah,
the beneficent, the merciful.
Praise be to the Lord of the
Universe who has created us and
made us into tribes and nations,
That we may know each other, not that
we may despise each other.
If the enemy incline towards peace, do
thou also incline towards peace, and
trust God, for the Lord is the one that
heareth and knoweth all things.
And the servants of God,
Most Gracious are those who walk on
the Earth in humility, and when we
address them, we say "PEACE."
My points are just my views and it would be wise for a person to verify things on their own. Astagfirullah
I think that if we look at things all prayers directed towards others are for the purpose that each person will be properly guided. the reason we pray is much more important than what our words are. Intention is probably one of the greatest keys for our prayers to be answered.
Would I pray for a non-Muslim to have good health so that he can attack Islam? NO.
Would I pray for a non-Muslim to have good health so that he may be guided to truth? YES
That's an interesting concept, and one I will have to think about ...
Do we pray for God's intervention in non-believers' lives, because we have specific intentions for them?
I am not sure ...
Is it not for God to work his will in people's lives, rather than our will?
I believe Jesus' instruction to us (according to the gospels) was to love, pray and care for our neighbours (and that includes our 'enemies'), regardless of their attitudes towards us ...
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(Matthew 5: 43-48)
Both are essentialy the same prayer, yet totaly different intent.
I am trying to think your statement through with an example:
Imagine you have two non-Muslim neighbours. Neighbour A is positive towards Islam, and you hope may convert at some point in his life. Neighbour B is negative towards Islam, involved in anti-Islamic campaigns, and - in your mind - unlikely to ever consider Islam.
Imagine both fall ill with a serious illness ... would you only pray for A, but nor for B??
I cannot imagine that!
Equally, imagine both are drowning in the river, and it is within your ability to save both. Would you only save A, but not B?
I don't think you would.
On that basis, should we not pray for and help people in all circumstance, no matter who they are and what they do and how they act towards you? Who knows what plans God has for any of those people!
I like your peace prayer.
Perhaps I can share one of my favourite prayers here. It is said to have been written by Francis of Assisi. I don't think it will offend anybody, and I hope it can remain in this thread:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Peace
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
People such as myself often get too tangled up in academics and forget that Allah(swt) has really given very easy instructions.
When a very lovely thread with very good intention becomes a subject of debate, something is wrong with the way some of us are expressing our thoughts.
Let us all be guided to Allah's(swt) will. Everything else is simply our own opinions.
I apologize for my part in making a simple thread complex.
The simple overall fact is we all want the best for all of mankind and pray that the will of God(swt) will be done. May all of our prayers always be pleasing to God(swt).
People such as myself often get too tangled up in academics and forget that Allah(swt) has really given very easy instructions.
When a very lovely thread with very good intention becomes a subject of debate, something is wrong with the way some of us are expressing our thoughts.
Let us all be guided to Allah's(swt) will. Everything else is simply our own opinions.
I apologize for my part in making a simple thread complex.
No, no, it wasn't you, Woodrow.
I think it was me confusing this thread with additional questions.
I am still not quite sure about the answers I have received, but I don't think it matters.
The simple overall fact is we all want the best for all of mankind and pray that the will of God(swt) will be done. May all of our prayers always be pleasing to God(swt).
We can certainly agree to that ... and perhaps we can close the thread with that?
Peace to you, Woodrow.
And my apologies if I have gone too far in my debate.
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Several thoughts have occured to me since posting last. (I hope I am not repeating myself, but this thread and this topic has really been on my heart and my mind today):
If we choose to pray for some people, but not for others, do we not make a choice as to who we believe to be worthy of God's love, care and intervention?
By doing so, are we not being prideful and putting ourselves above God's judgement???
In conclusion, should we then not pray for everybody and anybody, and leave it to God to decide what action he will take?
On a more human note I would like to add that by offering to pray for somebody, we are also making a human connection: we are saying 'I care for you', 'I wish you well', 'You are worth my time and my prayer'.
Although those things can be said in other ways, that in itself is a very meaningful gesture, and perhaps should be another reason for us to offer and accept each others prayers ...
peace
Peace glo
Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me.
Amen.
Come, let us worship and bow down •
and kneel before the Lord our Maker
[Psalm 95]
Interesting thread - thought I'd pop in and say Hi.
format_quote Originally Posted by glo
...If we choose to pray for some people, but not for others, do we not make a choice as to who we believe to be worthy of God's love, care and intervention?
I see what you are saying. Difficult to give a straight answer to it though.
By doing so, are we not being prideful and putting ourselves above God's judgement???
Ah interesting perspective - I never thought of it like that.
In conclusion, should we then not pray for everybody and anybody, and leave it to God to decide what action he will take?
I'm sure Muslims are allowed to pray for others' guidance so technically we are allowed to pray for everyone.
On a more human note I would like to add that by offering to pray for somebody, we are also making a human connection: we are saying 'I care for you', 'I wish you well', 'You are worth my time and my prayer'.
Although those things can be said in other ways, that in itself is a very meaningful gesture, and perhaps should be another reason for us to offer and accept each others prayers ...
Now that was genuinely awesome. I wish others shared that way of thinking.
*********
Last edited by aamirsaab; 07-11-2007 at 09:56 PM.
Reason: My question has been answered :p
Someone said to the Prophet, "Pray to God against the idolaters and curse them." The Prophet replied, "I have been sent to show mercy and have not been sent to curse." (Muslim)
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