Khutbat-ul-Hajah

Q: Are there certain Ayahs (Qur’anic verses) that should be recited for refuge and protection on contracting marriage or newborn naming? Please, give me a full detailed answer. Also, are there certain Ayahs to be recited when taking a Ghusl (ritual bath) following Janabah (major ritual impurity related to sexual discharge)?

(Part No. 5; Page No. 296) A: All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, and his family and Companions. First: It is Mustahab (desirable) that a marriage contract be preceded by the sermon narrated by Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding which he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught us to say Khutabat-ul-Hajah (lit. Sermon for need) when in need of something (in the following form): Ina al-hamda li-Allaahi nasta‘inahu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na‘udhu bihi min shururi anfusinaa wa sayi’ati a‘malinaa. Man yahdih Allaahu falaa mudilla lahu wa man yudlil falaa haadiya lahu. Wa ashhadu an la ilaha illa-Allaah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu [Verily, all praise is to Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leads astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger]. Thereafter, one should recite the following three Ayahs (saying what means): O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allâh)]. Allah (Exalted be He) says: O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwâ (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All-Watcher over you. Allah (Exalted be He) says: O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and will be admitted to Paradise). Related by Al-Tirmidhy. It is also related by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'y, Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqy. Second: It is Sunnah (a commendable act following the example of the Prophet) that you give a newborn baby a good name on the seventh day of birth. It is also Sunnah that you slaughter as ‘Aqiqah (sacrifice for a newborn) two equal ewes for a male newborn and a ewe for a female newborn preferably on the seventh day of birth. This is supported by the Hadith related by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'y, Ibn Majah and Al-Tirmidhy on the authority of Samurah (Part No. 5; Page No. 297) (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Every child is in pledge for his ‘Aqiqah which should be slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day of birth, his head should be shaved and he should be named.” The Hadith is classed by Al-Tirmidhy as Hasan (a Hadith whose Sanad contains a narrator with weak exactitude, but is free from eccentricity or blemish) and Sahih (a Hadith that has been transmitted by people known for their uprightness and exactitude; free from eccentricity and blemish). Third: It is prescribed before taking Ghusl following major ritual impurity to say Tasmiyah ("Bismillah [In the Name of Allah]"), then to perform Istinja’ (cleansing the private parts with water after urination or defecation) and Wudu’ (ablution) like that performed for Salah (prayer). Then one should take Ghusl to purify themselves from Janabah (major ritual impurity related to sexual discharge) and then say after finishing, “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah Alone, without associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger. O Allah! Make me of those who are constantly repentant and of those who often purify themselves.” The latter utterance of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) should be said after each Wudu’ and obligatory Ghusl. However, there are no certain Ayahs to be recited on giving a newborn a name or on taking a Ghusl after being in a state of major ritual impurity.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.