Fatwa ID: 05490

 

Answered by: Alimah Habiba Akhtar

 

Question:

 

Is it permissible to make dua in English during sujood in addition to the compulsory dhikr in Salah?

 

For example, during a nafl salah when I prostrate can I say words such as “oh Allah forgive me and guide me” in English. Or must one only use Arabic/ words used within the sunnah?

 

I feel talking in English during duas sometimes helps me connect.

 

And if this isn’t preferred am I better to make sujood after the end of Salah to make dua in comparison to this?

 

And how about in other parts of Salah? Can one make English duas when sitting after the compulsory ones?

 

Jazak Allah Khair

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

 

When learning to pray Salah, as it is a pillar of Islam and fardh upon a Muslim, it is key to follow the correct method of prayer.

 

Allah SWT says:

“This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who have Taqwa: who believe in the unseen, and who establish Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for them.” (1)

 

Therefore, we must strive to imitate and follow the correct procedure of prayer.

 

Consider the following Hadith:

Abu Sulayman Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said, “We came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being young men of a similar age. We spent twenty nights with him. He thought that we desired our own people and he asked us about those of our family we had left behind, and we told him. He was merciful and kind, and said, ‘Go back to your family. Instruct and command them. Pray as you have seen me praying. When it is time for the prayer, then let one of you give the adhan and let the oldest of you lead the payer. (2)

 

Take heed of the following sentence “pray as you have seen me pray”.

 

Thus, we must emulate the prayer and recitation of the Prophet SAW. He would recite in the Arabic language and for that reason, Muslims all over the world recite universally in the same language.

 

Furthermore, Imam Abu Hanifa is of the opinion that it’s not permissible to recite in a language other than Arabic if he is familiar with Arabic and otherwise if he isn’t familiar with Arabic, he may recite in another language. (3)

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

(1)

(ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبُ لَارَیۡبَۛ فِیهِۛ هُدࣰىلِّلۡمُتَّقِینَ)

[Surah Al-Baqarah 2]

(ٱلَّذِینَ یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَیۡبِ وَیُقِیمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّارَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ یُنفِقُونَ)

[Surah Al-Baqarah 3]

 

(2)

حَدَّثَنَامُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَاإِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَاأَيُّوبُ، عَنْ أَبِيقِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيسُلَيْمَانَ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ قَالَ‏:‏ أَتَيْنَاالنَّبِيَّ صلىاللهعليهوسلموَنَحْنُ شَبَبَةٌ مُتَقَارِبُونَ، فَأَقَمْنَاعِنْدَهُ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً، فَظَنَّ أَنَّااشْتَهَيْنَاأَهْلِينَا، فَسَأَلْنَاعَنْ مَنْ تَرَكْنَافِيأَهْلِينَا‏؟‏ فَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ، وَكَانَ رَفِيقًارَحِيمًا، فَقَالَ‏:‏ ارْجِعُواإِلَىأَهْلِيكُمْ فَعَلِّمُوهُمْ وَمُرُوهُمْ، وَصَلُّواكَمَارَأَيْتُمُونِيأُصَلِّي، فَإِذَاحَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ، فَلْيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ، وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَكْبَرُكُمْ‏.‏

Adab Al mufrad Hadith 213

 

 

(3)

وبالفارسيةإنعجزعنالعربية ، وإنقدرلايصحشروعهبالفارسيةولاقراءتهبهافيالأصح

ثموضعيمينهعلىيسارهتحتسرتهعقبالتحريمةبلامهلةمستفتحاوهوأنيقول : سبحانكاللهموبحمدك

وتباركاسمكوتعالىجدكولاإلهغيرك

(Nurul Idah, page 160, Wasim Charkawi)