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Session Details
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| Guest Name |
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti
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| Profession |
Director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas
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| Subject |
General Fatwa Session
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| Date |
Sunday,Jan 30 ,2005
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Time |
Makkah
From...
17:20...To...
19:00
GMT
From... 14:20...To...16:00
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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. Please, make your questions short and clear so as to help us answer all your questions.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk.
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| Name |
nurul izzati
- Malaysia
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student
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| Question |
saya hendak bertanya apakah kepentingan akhlak rasullah kepada semua makhluk di dunia ini.
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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.
As you see, this session is dedicated to answering questions in English. Thus, kindly send us your question in English and we will surely answer you.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Saida
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I am a young woman. I met my husband when we were 17 years old. We got married at the age of 26. At that time I did not wear Hijab. Two years ago, we gave birth to a baby. Just after I decided to wear Hijab, my husband did not like my new look, and my Hijab is causing us enormous problems and I even asked for divorce. Could you please help me whether I can give up Hijab in order to preserve my marriage and family.
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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.
Both husband and wife are supposed to be conscious of Allah and help each other follow the rules of Islam. In one of the sayings of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "May Allah have mercy upon a husband who wakes up at nights, offers night prayer, and then wakes his wife up and if she refuses he gently sprinkled water on her face. And may Allah have mercy upon a wife who wakes up at nights, offers night prayer, and then wakes her husband up and if he refuses she gently sprinkled water on his face.”
So your husband is supposed to help you follow all the rules of Islam, including Hijab. He should never be a stumbling-block against your commitment to you faith. However, if he is not satisfied somehow with your Hijab, then you should continue educating him about the religious obligation and your freedom to practice it. If the problem is related to how the Hijab look or the colors you choose, then I would see no problem in choosing the colors your husband likes.
However, if after all possible means are taken, your husband is still insisting that you take off your Hijab, then nobody can be obeyed at the expense of disobeying Allah. You have to keep your Hijab and never ask for divorce. But if he divorces you, then Allah would grant you a better husband who respects your faith and personal freedom.
You can also read:
A Wife Not Convinced of Wearing Hijab
Requirements of Hijab
Hijab, Why?
Allah Almighty knows best.
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N
- Pakistan
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As-salamu `alaykum. I have a question related to my brother. He wants to marry a Christian girl who is willing to be a Muslim soon out of interest for Islam. She is a girl totally not related to our culture, lifestyle and country. For this reason, our parents are not accepting her as they want a daughter-in-law who is of their country, culture and a Muslim family.
Our parents also doubt her past life and motives behind marrying my brother. They think that she intends to marry their son out of desire for his money. They also worry that the girl will demand a separate house for herself once they get married which is a situation they are not willing to accept.
My brother is not adhering to our parents’ request and wishes; he is insisting on marrying her but only on the approval of our parents. He has also expressed his desire clearly that he will not marry anyone else besides her. This has made our parents deeply sad. What should be the ideal solution to this problem? Neither party is willing to submit to the other's wishes. Thank you.
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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.
Your parents are mistaken for a number of reasons:
1. Marrying a Christian woman is something that Allah has permitted in the Qur'an (An-Nisaa': 5), and they are not allowed to forbid what Allah has permitted.
2. Culture, style, and country are irrelevant to marriage in Islam. If this Christian woman expresses her desire to accept Islam after marriage, then it is a great opportunity to get the reward from Allah that is expressed in the hadith: “If you were to guide a single person to Islam, that would be better than the entire world and its pleasure.”
3. Any wife has the right to demand a separate house for herself if her husband can afford. The husband is not allowed to make his wife live in a small place with other people, thus depriving her of privacy, while he is able to provide a separate house for her.
His parents should know that their son is capable enough of choosing his wife. They have the right to be treated kindly, but they have no right to interfere in their son's private life in this way.
You can also read:
Parents' Refusal of Their Son's Choice of Wife
Qualities to Look for in a Spouse
Allah Almighty knows best.
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| Name |
Bahia
- United Kingdom
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| Profession |
Admin
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| Question |
I have heard that visiting the pyramids in Egypt is haram. Any truth in this? I can't imagine anyone visiting such places in order to venerate the statues.
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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.
As far I know, people usually visiting the pyramids for the purpose of tourism, education, and research. I myself visited the pyramids for the same purpose. I never know of any person that worshipped the Egyptian pyramids or offer sacrifices for them.
The Qur'an frequently tells us to tour the earth for the sake of deriving lessons from ancient nations. I encourage Muslims to visit historical places for the sake of contemplation and reflection. For example, when visiting the pyramids, try to think of the story of Musa and Pharaoh and what happened to the tyrannical rule and those who rejected the message of Allah.
You can also read:
Meditating (Tafakkur) on Allah’s Creation
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Muslimah
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Are we allowed to call a Christian person kafir? Who is, exactly, a kafir? Can we assume that a person, only because of being a non Muslim, is a kafir without even knowing religious ideas?
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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.
Kafir in Arabic has two meanings: 1) a non-Muslim, a person who denies Allah or Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him); 2) ungrateful, a person who is not thankful to the favors of Allah. The second meaning can be also used for Muslims who do not show gratitude to Allah. Kafir in this meaning is the opposite of "shakir" (thankful).
Christians and Jews are kuffar because they rejected the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), but the Qur'an did not describe them as mushrikeen or polytheists.
However, kafir is now a derogatory term, and that is why I would encourage Muslims to use the term "non-Muslims when referring to people of different faiths. This is based on the verse: (…Speak nicely to the people.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 83)
You can also read:
The True Concept of Kufr
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Abdul Aziz Abu Talib
- Singapore
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Businessman
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I have two sons age 16 and 18 respectively. Both are still schooling. Their late grandfather have given each of them 10,00 dollars before he died ten years ago. That is when they were 6 and 8 years old.
Is it necessary to pay zakah every year from their age 12 to 18 years old when they are not working and have not earned a regular income from the money given by their late grand father?
If so, in no time they will finish all their money by paying zakah every year and when they start to work another 10 years more all the money is going to finished.
Is it not possible to pay once only and keep the rest as Islam encouraged savings. Otherwise we cant save our money by paying zakah every year.
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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.
The responsibility of the guardian is to invest the money of the children under his guardianship and gives the zakah. If he does not invest the money and continues to give zakah, then the money will be exhausted. That is why `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab said: "Invest the money of the orphans so that zakah does not consume it."
Zakah is the right of the poor and it is not cancelled because of being forgotten for a number of years. Therefore, you are to give the zakah out of their money. The consequences of giving zakah shows the negligence on your part in terms of not investing the money.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Muslim
- Malaysia
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Student
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Is it true that humans receive a little portion of Allah's nature for instance the ability to know what is right and what is wrong so that we can carry our role as khalifah or vicegerent of Allah? Can you please clarify on this matter?
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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.
The Human being is a very special creature. Allah has given him special qualities and attributes. But to say this is "little portion of Allah's nature" is not appropriate. We better say, this is a little portion of Allah's bounty and generosity.
The concept of tawhid is the foundation in Islam. And among the meaning of tawhid is that there is similarity whatsoever between the Creator and the servant, between man and God. Allah says, (Nothing is comparable to Him.) (Ash-Shura 42: 11)
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Anon
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| Question |
Do you think ecumenical movements should be needed in Islam as seen in Christianity? Thank you in advance.
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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.
The Muslim Ummah is One Nation, as expressed in the Qur'an (Al-Anbiya’': 62). Race and nationality are irrelevant in Islam.
Moreover, differences among the Muslim schools of thought are very minor when compared with theological differences between Christian sects. Therefore, Muslims are unified by a single book, while the Catholic and the Protestants differ with regard to the same scripture. Muslims do not differ with regard to the Oneness of Allah and His attributes; on the contrary, Christians have a lot of differences with regard to the nature of Jesus. Muslims do not have differences concerning the rituals of Islam: fasting, Salah, etc. while every Christian denomination has its own "Book of Worship".
Therefore, there is no need for Ecumenical movements in Islam, because Muslims are not divided in the same way Christian are. Most of differences among Muslims are political and not theological.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Souraya
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1. Are women allowed to pray in front of other people? Like when they are on a journey and there is no place to pray except in the public?
2. Is a Muslim responsible for being single and not looking for a husband, though marriage is half of deen? She is too shy to ask for help and her parents don't look either. What is the ruling on that?
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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.
1. A Woman is allowed to lead other woman in Salah. Some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) such as `Aishah and Umm Salamah did that. But when women lead other women in prayer, she should stand in the middle and not ahead of them. That is what `Aishah and Umm Salamah did. A woman is not allowed to lead men in prayer.
2. There is nothing wrong for a single Muslim woman to look for a husband and to ask help from others like the imam of the mosque, friends and relatives, etc. There is nothing wrong either if her parents look for a husband for her. This was common in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions. Nobody should shy away from doing what is Islamically right. If culture calls for shyness in this regard, Islam preaches honesty and straightforwardness.
You can also read:
A Woman Leading Congregational Prayer
Allah Almighty knows best.
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- Sweden
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student
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I have read many articles and fatwas about the often misinterpreted verse: 34 of Surat An-Nisa’. I have read that if the husband is going to "beat" his wife then he should leave no marks, and other such statements that all prove a symbolic "beating" more than the kind of beating that people think of while reading this verse.
My question is: where does this information come from, and is there any hadith that tells us that no mark should be left at the body?
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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.
An authentic hadith narrates: "The wife of Al-Walid ibn `Uqbah came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) complaining about her husband who had beaten her. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told her to tell him that he had given her protection. She came back shortly after that, to tell the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "He did nothing but to beat me more." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cut a piece of cloth from his turban and gave it to her (as a proof that she is coming from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and told her, "tell him that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has given me protection."
Shortly she again came back complaining that he had beaten her more. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands invoked, "O Allah, punish Al-Walid as he committed sin by disobeying me twice."
This hadith is explicit in forbidding beating wives. The verse of the Qur'an has to be interpreted in combination with the hadith. The hadith clearly shows that what Al-Walid did was a sin, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He committed a sin."
You can also read:
Wife Beating in Islamic Perspective
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Um Aysha
- United States
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I reverted to Islam recently. I love my family so much and I am so worried about them. I want them to feel and see the beauty of Islam. I want them to learn what I learned, I want them to know the truth, I tried too much to show them some verses from the bible to prove to them that Muhammad(peace and blessings be upon him) is the last Prophet. I think they started to be scared of knowing the truth, should I keep trying with them or should I give them some time. I know that they will not search for themselves because they need the church to survive. I pray always to Allah to guide them to the truth just like he guided me and thousands of the brothers and the sisters, do you suggest that I talk to them about Islam everytime we meet or just once in awhile?
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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.
First of all, I would to congratulate you on accepting Islam and I ask Allah to give you guidance and open the hearts of your parents to Islam.
As for your question, as you might know, Americans do not like someone to push them to accept something. Therefore, you should treat your parents gently and show them the beauty of Islam through your character and good behavior.
If your parents see a radical, positive change in your life and that you are happy with your new faith, then they will be more interested to know about Islam. Through dialogue from time to time (without insisting or pushing) and kindness towards them, you can win their hearts over to Islam. In all cases, even if they don't accept Islam, you should know that being kind to your parents is a religious obligation your parents are entitled to regardless of their faith. Allah says: ( And We have enjoined upon man concerning his parents. His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying. But if they strive with thee to make thee ascribe unto Me as partner that of which thou hast no knowledge, then obey them not. Consort with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who repenteth unto Me. Then unto Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what ye used to do.) (Luqman 31: 14, 15)
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 coming sessions.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk.
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| All Fatwas published on this website (Islamonline.net) represent the juristic views and opinions of eminent scholars and Muftis. They do not necessarily form a juristic approach upheld by this website. Click here to read Full Disclaimer. |
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