#Side_Benefits@madrasatunaa

A Beneficial Principle for Conflicting Acts of Worship Question: Questions keep coming up about the same topic, such as: Which is better: attending a class or following a funeral? Also: Is jihad better or seeking knowledge? And similar questions. When a person has two acts of worship that conflict, which one should he start with or give priority to? Sheikh Rashad Adh-Dhali'ee hafidhahullah: If it is possible to do both, then combining them is best. If it is not possible to combine them, Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned a beautiful and useful principle in his book "Madaarij As-Salikeen" (1/135). By knowing this principle, a person can decide which act of worship to prioritise when he cannot do both. Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The best act of worship is to do what pleases Allah at each time, based on what that time requires. So at the time of jihad, jihad is best even if it means leaving regular night prayers and day fasting, or even leaving part of the obligatory prayer as during safe times. At the time of hosting a guest, fulfilling his rights and attending to him is best, even over a recommended worship. The same applies to fulfilling the rights of one's wife and family. At the time when a student asks for guidance or teaching an ignorant person, focusing on teaching him is best. At dawn (suhoor time), focusing on prayer, reciting Qur'an, supplication, and remembrance is best. At the time of Adhan, leaving whatever worship you are doing and responding to the caller is best. At the times of the five prayers, striving to perform them in the best way, at the beginning of their time, and going to the masjid even if far away is best. At times when someone is in need of help with status, physical effort, or money, helping them and relieving their distress is best, even over your personal devotions and solitude. At the time of reciting the Qur'an, focusing your heart and mind on understanding and reflecting upon it, as if Allah is speaking to you, is best. At the time of standing at Arafat, striving in humility, supplication, and remembrance is best, not fasting which would weaken you for that. During the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, increasing worship, especially saying Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, and Alhamdulillah, is best, even over non-obligatory jihad. During the last ten nights of Ramadhan, staying in the masjid, secluding yourself, and performing i'tikaf is best, even over teaching people knowledge or the Qur'an according to many scholars. At the time of your Muslim brother's illness or death, visiting him, attending his funeral, and following his bier is best, over your solitude and gatherings. At times of calamities or when people harm you, patiently enduring while still mixing with them is best, not fleeing from them. The believer who mixes with people and endures their harm is better than the one who does not mix with them. Mixing with them for good is better than staying away from them for good. Staying away from them for evil is better than mixing with them for evil. If you know that mixing with them will remove or reduce evil, then mixing is better. So the best at every time and situation is to do what pleases Allah at that time and situation, focusing on what that time requires." [Paraphrased] Source: https://t.me/rshad11/4519