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Session Details
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| Guest Name |
Sheikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah
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| Profession |
ISNA President and Member of the Fiqh Council of North America
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| Subject |
General Fatwa Session
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| Date |
Tuesday,Aug 12 ,2003
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Time |
Makkah
From...
17:00...To...
18:30
GMT
From... 14:00...To...15:30
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| Name |
Host
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| Answer |
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brothers and sisters, the session has already started. You can submit your questions. Make your questions short and clear so as to help us answer them all.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk
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| Name |
z
- United States
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| Profession |
student
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| Question |
As-Salamu `alaykum. Could you please give me information regarding Islamic activities in Michigan?
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Where are you in Michigan? There are many Islamic Centers in most of Michigan big cities. Get a directory and look under Islamic Center, Masjid, or Mosque and then call them and get the information from the Masjid.
Wa Jazaka Allah Khayran.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
zareen
- United States
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| Profession |
medical student
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| Question |
As-Salamu `alaykum. I am feeling depressed most of the time, because life in USA is tough for immigrants? What is the Islamic way to deal with depression?
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
1. First of all you should know that a Muslim goes through difficult times in his or her life. Among these difficult times is when the Muslim is in the state of worry or sorrow. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one day entered the Masjid and found a man sitting in a state of sorrow. When asked about the reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was informed that the man was in debt and he had no means of paying off his debt. So, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught the man a Du`a' that alleviates his suffering and helps him overcome such a state of worry. The Du`a' is:
Allahummah inni a`dhu bika minal hammi wal hazani wa a`dhu bika minal al`ajizi wal kasal wa a`dhu bika minal jubni wal bukhl wa a`dhu bika minal min ghalabiti dayni wa qahri rijaal. (O Allah I seek refuge in You from being in worry or sorry, O Allah I seek refuge in You from being helpless or lazy, O Allah I seek refuge in You being coward or miser, O Allah I seek refuge in You from being overpowered by debt or being persecuted by people.
2. You should know that all of your life is in the hands of Allah and you should surrender to Allah's will and be satisfied with what He decrees for you.
3. Never be sad for missing something in the past, or be worried of something that will come in the future. All things are destined by Allah and He will give you what He has planned for you.
4. Always be involved in good deeds: Dhikr, Du`a' and reading Qur'an.
5. Sometimes depression is a result of chemical imbalance, so you need to consult a doctor and seek medical treatment.
However, you should strike a balance between spiritual treatment through Qur'an, Dhirk and other good deeds and medical treatment. Never depend on medicine or ignore it.
You can also read:
How to Overcome Depression
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Magd
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| Question |
As-Salamu `alaykum!
I know that plastic surgery is haram (unlawful), but I heard that in certain circumstances it might be allowed. My question is: if a person’s feature such as extra-ordinary large and crooked nose causes him some psychological problems, specially that people, including family, friends, and people at work always make fun of him for it - to the extent that the person has become very self-conscious about it and has to cover his face a lot when he is in public? Is plastic surgery allowed in these circumstance?
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In general, if plastic surgery is sought for the purpose of excessive beautification that would change the creation of Allah, then it is not allowed.
However, if the surgery is resorted to with a view to removing some kind of disfigurement that causes the Muslim psychological problems like if the Muslim has extremely big or crooked nose, then it is allowed to resort to plastic surgery in this case.
You can read also:
Islam’s Stance on Plastic Surgery
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Adel
- Netherlands
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| Profession |
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| Question |
Dear scholar, as-Salamu `alaykum. I'm almost going to start my school year at a college in Amsterdam. It's a mixed school. Although I know that contact with girls who are strangers is forbidden I found it difficult then to search and find a woman. My parents want me to marry by tradition, that is getting me a woman who has the same origin as I do. But I oppose to marry a woman from the same origin as I am, because I simply don't feel interested. So, is it permissible to seek contact with a (non)-Muslim girl (and her parents approve of the relation between me and her) and get to know each other without physical contact. However, in case of a non-Muslim girl, I may pursue her to enter Islam.
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Marriage in Islam is founded on the basis of religion and righteousness. The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his famous hadith said: "A woman is married for four reasons: her beauty, her wealth, her honorable lineage, and her religion; so take the one who is religious, otherwise you will not prosper."
Based on this hadith, you should know that marriage is not just a physical relationship between a man and his wife. Marriage is a way to establish a Muslim family, raise Muslim kids according to the teachings of Islam, etc.
So, my advice for you is to look for a Muslim lady that has good consciousness of Allah, not necessarily from your origin. There is no place for tradition if it contradicts with religion.
I personally do not encourage you to marry a non-Muslim lady. The claim that you are trying to convert her to Islam is a mere satanic whisperings. There are many Muslim ladies who deserve to be married rather than looking for a non-Muslim lady who does not know how to raise your kids according to Islam. `Abdullah Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not approve of the marriage with non-Muslim ladies on this ground.
So, go ahead and search for righteous Muslim ladies and insha'Allah you will not be disappointed.
You can read also:
Qualities to Look for in a Spouse
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Hamzah
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| Question |
Last year, I got a scholarship for two years in Norway. After doing Istikharah, I decided to go there hoping it will be the best for me. However, as I went there for the first year there are many things concerning the morals that I didn't like especially drinking, relations between the two sexes and even the same sex, and other stuff that you definitely know about in the West. I am somehow forced to deal with those people since it is a boarding school even though I try as much as possible to stay away from them at times of wrongdoing. Is this allowed in Islam? How should I protect myself from going to the wrong side?
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Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
There are many Islamic centers in Norway. We don't know where you are located so we can tell you which Masjid you should go to. Anyway I would suggest the following:
1. Try to look for the Islamic centre or the Masjid in your location. If you can't find any, try to search for the nearest Islamic centre to you. You can visit them even once a week. That way you will have a chance to be around good Muslims, and this is a good step to protect you from the haram.
2. Try to have good Muslim friends. Get in touch with them; be around them as much as you can, even at the weekend. That will give you spiritual guidance insha'Allah. This will help you resist the temptation and the evils surrounding you.
3. Stay away from sins by avoiding any thing that would lead to it. Never be with friends drinking or hanging out with girls.
4. Keep yourself busy with good deeds. The best thing is to perform your Salah at the appointed time.
5. Never be alone, for that would be the golden opportunity for Satan to devour you. Be with the community.
6. If you think it is too tough to resist temptation and there is a chance to get married to a righteous Muslim lady, then you may do so.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Romana
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| Profession |
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| Question |
Can we eat products containing gelatin, which are available in the market like ice-creams?
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Gelatin is of two kinds: natural and animal. If gelatin is derived from plants, it is absolutely allowed and there is no harm in it. However, if it is animal gelatin, then it may come from pork and it may come from other animals. Anyway, if it is kosher, you may still eat it. However, if it comes from pork, then my opinion is to avoid it.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Asma’
- Norway
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| Question |
I live in a non-Muslim country and I'm searching for a husband in Internet, using special Islamic matrimonial sites. I would like to know, if it is allowed for a man and a woman (who are in touch for the purpose of getting married) to see each other via web camera. Of course, they will provide decent way of talking, and proper way of dressing.
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| Answer |
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
If you are going to see a man on the internet and the intention is serious towards marriage, it will take the same rule of looking at people of the opposite gender. It is allowed on the condition that:
1. you wear Hijab;
2. you are definite in talking, meaning that you never talk seductively or emotionally;
3. and you don't stay for a long period of time, because it may lead to sins;
4. you tell you parents so that they can continue to ask about the man and his reputation as a righteous Muslim or otherwise.
My last advice for you is: never depend on the internet in knowing people. Let your wali (guardian) take care of the issue if you decide to marry someone, ask about him, have someone to ask, etc.
You can also read:
Marriage through the Internet: Is it Permissible?
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
mohammed
- South Africa
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| Question |
Is freezing the embryos allowed in Islam?
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| Answer |
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Freezing the embryos can be done for the purpose of medical study and research or for the purpose treatment. In this case, it is allowed to do so as it does not contradict the general objectives of the Shari`ah.
However, the question today is related to the intention to use frozen embryos for the purpose of cloning. That is absolutely haram from the perspective of Shari`ah.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Amro
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| Profession |
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| Question |
As-Salamu `Alaykum, what is the ruling on having little statues in your store, and using them in business? For example, if you are in the business of coloring clay and people come in to do that, most of the catalogue is made up of statues really. Some things like piggy banks have faces on them. Am I sinning in making it available for them to color and to buy?
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Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
The hadith is very clear in forbidding making or selling statues of human beings. It is, therefore, not allowed for a Muslim to make or sell or buy a statue. However, some scholars say that if the statue does not look like a complete human being, then it is not forbidden, because in the hadith it is mentioned that on the Day of Judgment, the maker of the statue will be asked to "give life to what he had created."
If you make a statue of other than human beings, like plants, rivers, mountains, etc. then it is allowed and there is nothing wrong with this.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Imran Ali
- United Kingdom
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| Profession |
Engineer
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| Question |
What is the definition of Travel/Journey in Islam? Does working in another town considered as travel? When and how long can we shorten our prayers for? I have read various hadiths and opinions of scholars, but please could you tell me the most accurate opinion?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Traveling is defined as taking a journey to another country or city. Some scholars have specified the distance by 48 miles, but I see that the definition that is most likely accurate is when someone gets out of his own city and enters the borders of another one, because sometimes a Muslim drives for long distance inside his own town, and yet it is not considered traveling. In Chicago, for example, if you drive from the North to the south, it may exceed 60 miles; yet we don't count it as traveling.
As for shortening the salah, the period, and the distance that allow someone to shorten the salah, it is a controversial issue. I follow the opinion of the Maliki School that states that if someone stays for more than 3 days he should complete his salah, and less than that he may shorten or/and combine his salah.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Abdullah
- Canada
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| Profession |
student
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| Question |
As-Salamu `Alaykum, Sheikh!
I have recently come across literature in my university bookstore that alleges that our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took the wives of his enemies and put them in his harem. I feel scared even to type this. But, I know sexual relations with female slaves are ok. How many female slaves did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) have? How were they treated? And what status did they have after his passing away? As well, if a female slave refuses to consent to relations, up to what degree can you force them (knowing that you should try kindness first) How come I never see the answers to tough questions I need to know? How do we answer to the non-Muslims on this? Please help, it is not easy to answer these things in this society!
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| Answer |
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Slavery was a universal law in the Arab culture, Persian, Indian, and Roman civilizations. It was not Islam that introduced slavery. Islam came when slavery was practiced widely. It was not suitable to ban slavery at once. Islam, however, tried to drain the source of slavery and close its gate gradually.
After the advent of Islam, slaves were given better treatment. All their human rights were safeguarded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded proper treatment for slaves, that they should be fed from what other Muslims eat, be clothed from what other Muslims wear, and be not asked to do work beyond their ability unless they're helped.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also forbade Muslims to slap their slaves. One time he summoned a man who had beaten his slave and said to him: "Remember, you have power over him, but Allah the Almighty has power over you. Imagine you were in his situation, how would you like to be treated?" The man felt sorry for what he had done, and he released the slave. Upon this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you didn't do that, you would be punished by Allah on the Day of Judgment." This is how Islam honors the rights of slaves after they used to be tortured and persecuted.
Coming to the issue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he never had a slave. The first slave that was given to him by his wife Khadija was Zayd Ibn Haritha whom the Prophet adopted as his son and called him after his name (that was before adoption was declared forbidden in Islam), but later on called him after his father.
As for his wives, there is difference among scholars whether Mariya of Egypt, who was also given as a gift to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), was a slave or not. Even if we agree that she was a slave, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married her, and she embraced Islam and became one of the Mothers of the Faithful (ummahat-il-mu'mineen).
Anyway, this question is not now a living question. Slavery has been banned by all international laws. It is against human rights. We Muslims honor human rights and we cannot enslave people while they were created free by Allah the Almighty. Slavery is neither legal nor Islamic to practice. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "The worst sin is to capture a free person and take him as a slave."
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Editor
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brothers and sisters, we are so sorry for not answering all your questions because the time is over. We apologize for any inconvenience. Do keep in touch. Join us in the coming Live Fatwa sessions.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk
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