​We have earlier seen the rule of the Umayyads and how it became unpopular among the people. Regardless of this unpopularity, the Umayyads made several achievements and contribution to Muslim empire. Among these contributions and achievements are:

1. Wide expansion of the Muslim empire to parts of North Africa, Asia and Europe.
2. They consolidated the Muslim empire and maintained peace after a series of social unrest.
3. They established a strong, well trained and efficient army to protect the Dynasty.
4. The department of registry was introduced to keep records of all people and population census started by Umar bin Abdul aziz.
5. Muawiyya built the first Muslim navy.
6. They constructed a ship building factory at Akka along the Syrian Coast.
7. Abdul Malik bin Marwan made Arabic the official language of the state.
8. The civil administration was well structured with improved postal services and regularized taxation.
9. Social amenities like schools, hospitals, roads, canals, and bridges were constructed to improve infrastructure.
10. Arabic culture was developed. Architecture and gold decoration taking center stage. The caliphs encouraged poetry, horse racing and hunting.
11. Urban centers developed with the formation of new towns and cities e.g. Merv, Sistan.

​Even though the Umayyad became a very successful empire for a period of ninety years, it was unable to outwit the many opposing groups and internal challenges they faced. Finally, the Umayyads had to bow and leave the leadership of the empire. We shall now look at the reasons that led t the decline of the Umayyad Dynasty:

• Some Umayyad caliphs and Governors imposed very tough and inhumane policies to their subjects and the opposition. This caused rebellion from the people. For example, Al hajjaj bin Yussuf at one time laid a siege on the Kaaba after being prevented to perform Hajj he bombarded Makkah andattacked the pilgrims.
• Internal conflicts. In addition to the almost continuous challenge presented by various groups, the Umayyads faced difficulties from fellow Arabs, due to class differences. Groups like the Alid’s and the Abassids felt that they had the right to the leadership of Islam.
• The ruling class had acquired great wealth from its territorial gains, and its luxurious lifestyle contrasted with the poverty faced by many of the empire's subjects. Most people therefore agitated for a change in the management of the state affairs.
• Succession disputes among the ruling family led to division of power and struggle to attain leadership.There were disagreements and fights among family members over who had the right to inherit especially when some Caliphs appointed two successors. This happened during the time of al- Walid and Suleiman. This led to a series of Palace coups which disrupted the leadership in the last years of the dynasty.
• Harshness of the rulers to members of other religions resulted in social unrest and demonstrations for freedom in the empire.
• Natural catastrophe such as prolonged drought, outbreak of epidemic diseases like cholera.
• Misuse of state fund especially by the caliphs who loved pomp and luxury. This led to bankruptcy of the state.
• Conflict arose between the Arab and non Arab army men since the Umayyad caliphs were not giving pension to the non Arab army men.
• Negligence of state duties by some of the caliphs gave the opposition a chance to re-establish and fight the Umayyads.
• Vastness of the empire. The Umayyads had conqured a very large area that was challenging for one caliph to manage. This led to revolts and calls for cessation by some of the states.
• aeviation of some caliphs from the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah made the religious leaders to oppose the Dynasty.
• Dishonesty and lack of sincerity from some of the governors who were advancing their own selfish interests. They concentrated on gaining political popularity and wealth at the expense of state responsibilities.
• Union of all opposition to fight the dynasty. The Alids, Shia and Fatimids agreed to work towards the goal of removing the Ummayyyads from the leadership. This group, led by descendants of the hrophet’s uncle, Abbas, called for the Abbasids to succeed in overthrowing the Umayyads.
• External attacks from the Byzentines and the Romans weakened the army of the Umayyads thus giving the opposition an upper hand over them. These attacks weakened the defence of the Umayyads.
• The army become idle thus engaging in indiscipline activities and could not defend the stae from external attacks.
• Domination of the Arabs over the non Arabs in the running of the affairs of the state brought inequality. This caused tension and social unrest as the non Arab Muslims became rebellious to the ruling class.

​Supposing you were travelling and the time of prayer finds you at a place where there is no water, How would you purify yourself for Swalat? Taking into consideration that swalat is a must for a muslim and is performed at prescribed times; Allah (S.W.T) has given a solution to such an eventuality in the Quran. Almighty Allah (S.W.T) says: “…But if you are ill,or on a journey,or one of you comes from offices of nature,or you have been in contact with women and you find no water,then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.Allah does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean…”[Q:5:6]

In reference to this verse, the use of clean sand for purification in preparation for swalat is refeerd to as tayammum.

Even though the word tayammum literally means an aim or a purpose, in this context it refers to dry ablution where clean sand is used to wipe the face and the limbs as an alternative of wudhu’.

Hudhaifa (R.A) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: “And the soil of the earth has
 
been made for us as a means with which to purify ourselves (for prayer) when we cannot find water.” (Muslim)

​Even though the sharia allows the use of pure sand for purification,it is only permissible on specific occasions.This occasions may be necessitated by the following reasons:

1. In case there is scarcity of water. This is when there is acute shortage of water or the available water is insufficient for performing ablution.
2. For health reasons.If one is injured or ill and fears that use of water will worsen the condition.
3. If the water is too cold and it is likely to cause physical harm to the user.
4. If the process of getting water is dangerous or life threatening.
5. When the available water is reserved for domestic use.
6. Fear of missing a prayer by the time one gets to the source of water.
7. If the the available water is impure.

​When performing Tayammum,you should consider the following three conditions:

• One must use clean sand.
• It should be performed at the time of that particular prayer.
• The tayammum of one prayer ends at the termination of that particular prayer e.g one cannot use tayammum of Dhuhr for another prayer.

Besides the three conditions of perfoming Tayammum,the following steps should be followed while in the actual process:

• You must make the intention of performing tayammum.
• Strike the first heap of pure soil lightly with the palms of both hands and passing the palms over the face one time.
• Strike the second heap of pure soil with one’s palms and rubbing the right and left arms alternately from the fingertips to the elbows.
• Follow the order above.

As you learnt earlier, wudhu can be nullified by certain acts. Do you remember some of these acts? Similarly,thre are acts that if done will nullify tayammum.These acts include the following:

• All that nullifies wudhu will also nullify tayammum.
• As soon as the cause for performing it is removed (i.e., the sick person recovers or pure water is found).
• Performance of fardh prayer. A Muslim is not supposed to perform two fardh prayers with the same tayammum.
• When one denounces Islam.

• Hamalatu-Arsh- Responsible for carrying the throne of Allah
• Israfil –he is in charge of blowing the trumpet on resurrection day

• Munkar and Nakir –responsible for questioning of the dead in the grave 
• Hafadha – in charge of protection of individuals from danger
• Katibun – they are responsible for recording deeds. 

• It inculcates the fear of Allah
• It makes one to strive and lead a perfect life
• It instills the sense of responsibility in a Muslim

• The Muslims appreciate that he / she is worth being taken care of
• The Muslims should always be aware o n the happenings around him / her
• It makes a Muslim to know that his / her actions are recorded.

• Helps a believer to steer away from Shirk
• It helps a believer to put his full trust and reliance on Allah
• It helps a believer to stay away from arrogance and boastfulness

• It helps in bringing about tranquility and peace of mind
• It helps person to gain strength and courage.

• Qadar promotes contentment and patience among believers
• That Allah is Supreme, powerful and no event takes place without His wishes
• That our life is a trust from Allah

• It ensures our faith in the divine will and seeking of His guidance
• That Allah is just and Mighty
• That peoples’ action through a function of our faculty follow the divined course or Allah’s plan

• Angels are sinless
• Angels are neither male nor female
• Angels glorify Allah’s name all the time and never disobey him
• Angels are invisible

• Angels can change and assume human form
• They don’t possess human qualities and hence don’t require necessities of human life.
• They are all created from Nur
• They don’t have feelings e.g. love.

• She must be sane
• She must accept that she has done the crime
• There must be four witnesses to the act

• The two parties must be Muslims
• It should not have been done under compulsion
• Was she forced to do it.

• He must be sane
• He must be an adult
• He must accept that he has stolen

• The stolen goods must be from a halal source
• The owner must legally own the goods 
• There must be proof that he stole the goods
• He must have the it with criminal intention.

• Murder – one is killed and sometimes consideration is taken
• Adultery – to those who are married is stoning to death
• Fornication – for those who are not married and therefore, 100 lashes
• Highway robbery – the person should be killed (crucified).

• The work of the companions who transmitted the Hadith
• Learning centers were established.
• The love the companions had for the prophet (saw)
• Promises of paradise for those who spread the Hadith
• Minimal worldly pursuits by the companions
• Threats to punishment in the hereafter

• The prophet used to repeat his Sunnah
• The prophet initiated the spread of Hadith
• The expansion of the empire made it possible to spread Hadith
• The development of Islamic shariah necessitated the spread of Hadith
• The development of the study of Hadith and its science
• The fact that Hadith complimented the Quran made the spread of Hadith possible.

• During that time the prophet was still living and incase of a problem he could be referred to.
• It was memorized by the swahabas
• The prophet warned against fabricating of Hadith with hell fire
• He instructed people to transmit even if it was a word

• He sent delegations to teach Hadith
• Some companions with weak memory were allowed to take notes
• The prophet repeated some Hadith thrice to show its importance
• The prophet did certain rites practically and asked them to perform they way he did.

• Reliability of the narrator.
• Character of the narrator should be upright.
• Geographical position of the narrator at the time of narration should be accertaind
• The chain must not be broken i.e. must be traced to the prophet
• The Matn should be logical not contrary to the dictates of reason.

• The Matn should not contradict the Quran.
• The Matn should not promise big rewards for small deeds and vice versa
• The Matn should not make future predictions with dates
• Should not contradict an already accepted Hadith
• The narrator must be a Muslim
• The Hadith must be in Arabic the language of the prophet.

• The prophet (saw) was alive and could be referred to
• The revelation of the Quran was still going on and there was fear of mixing them up
• Only a few people knew how to read and write were engaged in writing the Quran
• The prophet (saw) did not order the companions to do so.
• Fear of confusing Quran and hadith
• Hadith was meant to be implemented.