Your Fingers – Instruments Of Ibaadat Or Sin
RINGS ON YOUR FINGERS
“A man approached Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) wearing a ring (made of) iron. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) commented: “Why am I seeing on you the jewels of the people of the Fire?” Then he (the Sahaabi) threw away the ring. Later he (the Sahaabi) came wearing a ring of copper / brass. Then Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Why am I smelling the odour of idols from you?” Then he (the Sahaabi) said: “O Rasulullah! From what material should I make it (the ring)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “From silver which should be less than one mith- qaal (about 4 grams).” According to the Shariah, it is not permissible for both males and females to wear any kind of imitation rings. For females only rings of gold and silver are permissible. For males only rings made of silver weighing about four grams are permissible. Rings of copper, brass, iron, plastic, aluminium and of any material whatsoever are haraam. Thus, fingers on which such rings are worn are instruments of sin and the Fire of Jahannam will be the punishment.
LICKING THE FINGERS
“Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “When any of you have eaten, do not wipe (or wash) your hands until he has licked his fingers.” A Sahaabi narrated: “I saw the Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) eating with three fingers, and licking his fingers before wiping (or washing) them.” Jaabir (Radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “After meals, lick the fingers, for verily, he (the one who eats) does not know in which portion of the food the barkat is.” Anas (Radhiyallahu anhu) said that after Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had eaten, he would lick his fingers thrice.” It is Waajib to lick the fingers after meals, before washing. It is also necessary to thoroughly cleanse the plate with the fingers before washing it. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that even the cleansed plate supplicates to Allah Ta’ala.
INTERLACING THE FINGERS IN THE MUSJID (This interlacing of the fingers is called Tashbeek)
“Once while Hadhrat Saeed Al- Khudri was sitting in the Masjid, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) entered. He saw a man sitting in the centre of the Masjid with the fingers of both hands interlaced. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) indicated to the man, but he did not understand (what was being conveyed to him). Then Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) turned to Abu Saeed Al-Khudri and said: “When any one of you performs Salaat, never should he interlace his fingers, for verily, interlacing fingers (Tashbeek) is an act of Shaitaan, and verily, as long as you are in the Masjid you are in Salaat until you leave from the Masjid.”
TAKHLEEL OF THE FINGERS DURING WUDHU (Takhleel means to pass the fingers of one hand through the fingers of the other hand to ensure that water has reached the spaces in between the fingers.)
“Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) commanded: “When you make wudhu then make Takhleel between your fingers and your toes.” (Takhleel of the toes is made with the little finger of the left hand.) Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Make takhleel of your fingers so that Allah does not make takhleel of (your) fingers with fire on the Day of Qiyaamah.”
COUNTING ON THE FINGERS
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said to (the lady) Busrah: “Make incumbent on you (to recite) Tasbeeh, Tahleel and Takbeer, and count (the thikr) with the anaamil, for verily, they (the anaamil) will be questioned and interrogated on the Day of Qiyaamah. Do not become oblivious (of Allah’s Remembrance), for then you shall be deprived of Rahmat (Mercy).” (Anaamil refers to the finger -joints. On each finger there are three joints. Tasbeeh means to recite any form of thikr in which appears ‘Subhaanallah’, even if only Subhaanallah. Tahleel is to recite: Laa ilaha il lallaah. Takbeer is to recite: ‘Allaahu Akbar’.) The fingers will testify on the Day of Qiyaamah in favour of the one who had used them to count the number of times Thikr was made.
CRACKING THE FINGERS DURING SALAAT
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said to Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu): “Verily, I love for you what I love for myself. Do not crack your fingers whilst you are in Salaat.” The Wrath of Allah descends when fingers are cracked during Salaat.
EATING WITH THE FINGERS
“Hadhrat Ka’b Bin Maalik (Radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would eat with his three fingers. He would lick the food from his three fingers.” Eating food with the fingers is Sunnah. Generally three fingers are used when eating. However, food such as rice is eaten with all five fingers. Every act of the Mu’min, if done consciously in emulation of the Sunnah, is an act of ibaadat of high merit. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The Mu’min is rewarded for every (lawful) act he does, even for the morsel of food which he (affectionately) lifts (with his fingers) to the mouth of his wife.
