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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Illness – A Blessing in Disguise

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Innumerable Favours of Allāh ta‘ālā

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

If you were to enumerate the Favours of Allāh, you would not be able to count them. Surely, Allāh is Ever-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (16:18)

Allāh ta‘ālā has bestowed us with so many bounties that our minds are unable to encompass them and we would never be able to enumerate them. Rather, often we fail to realise a bounty to be a blessing being showered upon us. Furthermore, many times we regard a certain bounty to be an adversity!

Illness – a Bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā

Illnesses have always been around and will continue to be. Various forms of illnesses are prevalent throughout the world. At times people become ill in large numbers; the current Coronavirus pandemic being a prime example of this. It would be unintelligent to believe that we can completely eradicate every illness and have an ‘illness free’ world. However, as Muslims we need to understand what our thinking should be with regards to illnesses; we need to contemplate and realise whether illnesses are in reality adversities or actually blessings in disguise.

Generally, health is perceived to be a bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā and rightly so. However, illness is also a bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā. Fundamentally, health and illness are no different for a believer; both are a bounty and blessing from Allāh ta‘ālā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

How wonderful is the situation of a believer! Every situation of his is ‘khayr’ (goodness) for him, and this is for no one except the believer; if he finds himself in a favourable situation, he expresses gratitude and this is good for him; and if he is afflicted with adversity, he exercises patience and this is good for him. (Muslim)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has explained in this Hadīth that both situations of adversity and ease are ‘khayr’. Accordingly, a believer’s attitude should be that he does not act according to circumstances, but rather according to his objective, i.e. the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Therefore, in reality, no situation should be adverse for him because his focus will be to acquire Divine Pleasure by remaining within the parameters set by Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam for those circumstances. In a favourable situation, he will ensure he is grateful to Allāh ta‘ālā by not violating any of His Commands, whilst in adversity, he will exercise patience and act accordingly. As a result, he will acquire the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā in both situations, hence the adversity will also prove to be a blessing for him.

Positive Aspects of Illness

If we analyse the situation of a person afflicted with illness, we do not find him at any disadvantage in the pursuit of his objective, the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Rather, we will conclude that he has a greater advantage than those in privileged circumstances. Let us look at some of the benefits that a sick person acquires when he becomes ill.

1. Special Blessings, Mercies and Guidance from Allāh ta‘ālā

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

…And give glad tidings to those who exercise patience, those who, when any difficulty befalls them, say, “Indeed, we belong to Allāh, and to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom there are (special) blessings from their Rabb, and mercy; and those are the ones who are rightly guided. (2:155-57)

As is apparent from the above verse, one who exercises patience during illness or adversity and says ‘innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn’, he will receive special blessings from Allāh ta‘ālā as well as general mercies and Allāh ta‘ālā will increase him in hidāyah (guidance) too.

2. Expiation of Sins

In one Hadīth, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Do not speak ill of fever, for it gets rid of the sins of the children of Ādam just as the furnace gets rid of the impurities from iron. (Muslim)

In another Hadīth, a Sahābī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu commented regarding a person who had passed away, ‘Glad tidings for him that he died without becoming ill.’ Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam replied,

Woe to you! What do you know? It is possible that had Allāh afflicted him with an illness, He would have forgiven his sins through its medium. (Al-Muwattā, Imām Mālik rahimahullāh)

3. A High Status in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā

Many virtues have been mentioned with regards to those people who visit the sick. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

No Muslim visits another sick Muslim in the morning except that seventy thousand angels pray for his forgiveness until the evening, and he does not visit him in the evening except that seventy thousand angels ask for his forgiveness until the morning. And for him will be an orchard in Jannah. (At-Tirmidhī)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has also said,

Whoever visits a sick person, a caller (angel) calls out from the heavens, “You are pure and pure is your walking, and you have made for yourself an abode in Jannah.” (Ibn Mājah)

If such are the virtues for those who visit the sick, then what status must the sick person hold in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā?

4. A Sign of Goodness

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

The person for whom Allāh desires goodness, he is afflicted. (Al-Bukhārī)

5. Award of Jannah

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Allāh ta‘ālā states, “When I test my servant by (taking away) his eyesight and he remains patient, I give him Jannah in return.” (At-Tirmidhī)

6. Martyrdom

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

The one who dies due to an illness in the stomach is a martyr, and the one who dies due to a plague is a martyr. (Al-Bukhārī)

7. Proximity to Allāh ta‘ālā

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Indeed, Allāh ta‘ālā will say on the Day of Judgement, “O son of Ādam! I was ill and you did not visit me?” He will say, “How could I have visited you when you are the Rabb of the all the worlds?” (meaning how could You have become ill?) He will say, “Did you not know that a certain servant of Mine was ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him, you would have found Me by his side?”… (Muslim)

8. Reward Beyond Measure

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

Indeed, those who observe patience will be given their reward in full without measure. (39:10)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

When those who endured difficulties (in the world) will be given (their) reward (for exercising patience), those who were given safety will wish that their skin was cut up with scissors in the world (so that they too would have become deserving of that reward). (At-Tirmidhī)

If one is ill himself or if someone in his family is ill, then he should make du‘ā for the removal of the illness, spend in charity and also resort to medicine, but one should not fear illness or have a disliking for it. When there are so many Dīnī benefits for those who are afflicted with adversity or illness, then surely, it should be recognised as a blessing in disguise.

Making Du‘ā for the Removal of Illness

A question may arise in a person’s mind that if illness is such a great blessing, then why should we want to make du‘ā or resort to medicine for its cure? In this regard, I would like to mention an incident:

Hadrat Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī rahimahullāh narrates that the great spiritual mentor, Hadrat Hājī Imdādullāh rahimahullāh was once discussing the positive aspects of illnesses. Coincidentally, a person came to request Hadrat to make du‘ā for his wife who was ill. Hadrat Thānwī rahimahullāh mentions that I thought to myself, ‘How will Hadrat make du‘ā for the lady as this will entail asking Allāh ta‘ālā to take away a blessing granted by Him?’

Hadrat Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī rahimahullāh says that Hadrat Hājī Imdādullāh rahimahullāh supplicated: O Allāh! Health is a blessing and illness is also a blessing; however, we are incapable of enduring the blessing of illness, so change it with the blessing of health which we are able to endure (happily).

In conclusion, a believer should always keep acquiring the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā in mind and regard every situation and circumstance a blessing from Allāh ta‘ālā. Surely, no situation will be an adversity for him if he learns to face it in the correct manner. Hence, the current pandemic of Coronavirus should also not over-concern a believer. A person should take all preventive measures and thereafter if he remains safe, alhamdulillāh, and if he is afflicted then too, alhamdulillāh, as he will be blessed with numerous Dīnī benefits that he will reap in this world and the Hereafter.

Extracted from Riyāḍul Jannah, Vol. 29 No. 4/5, 2020

© At-Tazkiyah

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Categories
Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Guidelines and Advices Relating to Janāzah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


14th Jumādal-Ākhirah 1441 AH ~ Saturday 8th February 2020

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh 

Recently two close members of my family departed to meet the Creator (this article was written in April 2018): my aunt being my father’s first cousin; and my nephew, who unexpectedly departed at the age of 44. May Allāh ta‘ālā forgive them and grant them entry into Jannatul-Firdaws, Āmīn.

During moments of both joy and grief, we have been provided with guidelines by our beloved Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam which we need to follow, in order to be rewarded by Allāh ta‘ālā. On the occasion of a bereavement, we need to pay attention to certain points related to bathing, shrouding and burying the deceased:

•  The injunction of hijāb should be observed by every Muslim male and female. It should be observed in one’s lifetime and also when someone passes away, from the moment of death, during the bathing and shrouding and until after the burial. Non-mahrams of the deceased should not view the deceased.

•  It is more virtuous and better to give ghusl to the deceased as soon as possible.  It is common practice to first fix the time of the burial and thereafter give ghusl as per our convenience. The practice which needs to be adopted is that the custodians of the deceased should focus on bathing and shrouding the deceased as soon as the person passes away, whilst simultaneously making arrangements for the burial.

•  Before giving ghusl, those giving ghusl should go through the procedure of giving ghusl to the deceased and not rely on their own knowledge. It is not every day that we give ghusl to the deceased, so many a time even those who regularly give ghusl also become habituated to adopting an incorrect method which afterwards becomes their norm, assuming that it is correct. Similarly, the ‘Ulamā only get the opportunity to give ghusl once in a while as well and so can also be prone to mistakes. Therefore, everybody should refer to simple books of fiqh and go through the method of giving ghusl; thereafter, give ghusl according to the correct method trying utmost to carry out as many sunnah and mustahabb as possible. (Inshā’allāh the IDA will soon publish a leaflet, detailing the method of how to bathe the deceased.)

•  When giving ghusl to the deceased, the cloth used to cover the body of the deceased should be dark in colour like black, brown or blue, so the body of the deceased does not become visible even after the cloth becomes wet.

•  It is sunnah to apply perfume to the deceased. The method for this is to apply camphor upon those limbs and parts of the body which touch the ground during Salāh in prostration. ‘Itr (perfume) will be applied to the beard and the hair of the head for males and only to the hair of the head for females.

•  When lifting the deceased people normally recite Shahādah loudly and some people encourage others to do so as well. This is makrūh. One should remain engaged in silent dhikr of their preference and ponder over the situation which the deceased is to face soon and make du‘ā accordingly. 

•  In the presence of the deceased, the Glorious Qur’ān can be recited silently or audibly if the ghusl has taken place. However, if the ghusl is yet to take place, it will be permissible to recite the Qur’ān audibly near the deceased if the body is totally covered from head to toe, or if one recites at a distance from the deceased. If the body is not fully covered, the Qur’ān may be recited silently near the deceased. However, the Qur’ān should not be recited if any impurities are upon or around the deceased. Similarly, Qur’ān should not be recited whilst in the bathing area whilst the ghusl is taking place.

•  The viewing of the face of the deceased before the Janāzah Salāh is contrary to Islamic teachings if it leads to a delay in the performance of Janāzah Salāh, resulting in a delay in the burial. From this it is concluded that it is also contrary to Islamic teachings to view the face of the deceased after the Janāzah Salāh, as this will definitely lead to a delay in the burial. Some ‘Ulamā are of the opinion that this practice should be discarded completely as it can lead to other wrongs, such as people taking photos of the deceased.

•  Sometimes close relatives, such as a son, hold on to the Janāzah throughout. This is against the Sunnah method. Similarly, it is preferred to walk behind the Janāzah; it is ok for a few people to be slightly ahead of the Janāzah. Moreover, for the majority to proceed ahead of the Janāzah is makrūh.

•  Those who are going to participate in the Janāzah Salāh, should go through the method of performing Janāzah Salāh and in particular understand the necessary requisites of Janāzah Salāh. (Inshā’allāh a leaflet will soon be available from the IDA.)

•  The followers should say the takbīrāt during the Janāzah Salāh softly.

•  Those who participate in Janāzah Salāh should go with sincerity, only for the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā and with the aim to acquire the reward that He has promised. Participating in Janāzah Salāh and burial only to show one’s presence is contrary to the teachings of Islām.

•  Dignity should be maintained before and after the Janāzah Salāh, whilst the burial is taking place and after the burial. People should not make noise and talk about worldly matters; they should avoid meeting and greeting each other; complete focus should be on the success of the deceased in the grave. Everyone should continue to busy themselves in dhikrullāh and recitation of the Glorious Qur’ān, passing its reward to the deceased and continually asking Allāh ta‘ālā to forgive the deceased.

•  It is preferable to bury the deceased without a coffin; not to benefit from this facility where it is available and to bury the deceased in a coffin is lamentable. However, in conditions where there is excessive moisture in the soil, a coffin may be used.

•  The whole body of the deceased should be turned towards the Qiblah, not only the face. The body should be turned to its right, and if possible, supported against the wall of the grave towards the Qiblah side. If required, soil can be placed to support the back of the deceased.

•  Many a time, the filling of the grave is done by using a digger. Those present should wholeheartedly participate and fill the grave with their hands or by using spades.

•  After the burial it is mustahabb to recite the beginning verses of Sūrah Al-Baqarah at the head and the final verses of Sūrah Al-Baqarah at the feet of the grave, as was the practice of Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu. However, this practice should be left out now and then, so that people do not deem it to be necessary. The Glorious Qur’ān is recited to attract the Mercy of Allāh ta‘ālā through which it is hoped that the deceased will be saved from punishment of the grave. Similarly, the recitation of the Qur’ān is a means of solace and comfort for the deceased, along with its reward being a blessing for him. For these reasons, the gathering can recite any portion of the Qur’ān. Furthermore, after the burial all forms of adhkār and du‘ā are permissible; to deem a certain form of dhikr or portion of the Qur’ān to be necessary is incorrect.

•  As mentioned above, the recitation of Sūrah Al-Baqarah, or any other portion of the Glorious Qur’ān, is for the benefit of the deceased and not for the gathering. Therefore, it is not necessary for the recitation to be so loud that it reaches the whole gathering.  Some ‘Ulamā are of the opinion that these verses should be recited silently.  From this it can be understood that microphones are not required for this purpose; rather it is better to discard the use of microphones.

•  Congregational du‘ā after the burial is permissible, but not necessary. This practice should also be left out at times. Similarly, there is no need for du‘ā after the burial of a child, as it is sinless.

•  After the burial, people pay a lot of attention to bettering the grave and others busy themselves comforting the near and dear ones; as a result they become negligent of the deceased. It is desirable after the burial, for the near and dear ones to stand around the grave for a while and recite the Qur’ān or engage in adhkār and du‘ā for the deceased. Mullā ‘Alī Al-Qārī rahimahullāh has stated that each person should try to recite Sūrah Yāsīn after the burial.

•  Sprinkling water over the grave after the burial to settle the soil is mustahabb. To deem it necessary is incorrect.

•  The cost of the burial is the responsibility of the deceased, and so will be taken from his estate, except in case of a wife, for whom the burial costs are borne by the husband. However, the relatives and well-wishers who come for the funeral are not the guests of the deceased and are not his responsibility. The cost of the food for the guests can only be paid from the estate of the deceased, if all the inheritors are bāligh (mature) and they wholeheartedly give permission.

•  Those attending the burial should try to make their own arrangements for food, as on such occasions we should not become a burden on those who are grieving.

•  It is mustahabb for the relatives and the near and dear ones to feed the family of the deceased for one day, and according to some ‘Ulamā, a maximum of three days. However, it is a matter of concern that this beautiful sunnah of assisting and helping those in grief sometimes takes the form of a feast, where 50 to 100 people are invited and many times it goes beyond Shar‘ī limits too.

•  The leaflet, “Ta‘ziyah: The Sunnah Method of Consoling the Bereaved”, and the booklet, “Inheritance in Islām”, both published by the Islāmic Da‘wah Academy (www.idauk.org), should be read by every individual.

May Allah ta‘ālā grant us all the ability to practice. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 27 No. 3)

We are witnessing an era where Islām, in spite of its vastness and applicability in every sphere of the human life, has been confined to mere beliefs and a handful of rituals. As with some other important obligations of Islām, the obligation of ensuring the correct procedures in the field of inheritance has also been subjected to gross disregard and outright neglect. In fact, this section of Dīn can be said to be the most neglected one among all. Seeing such state of affairs, the respected Shaykh hafizahullāh embarked on the task of acquainting the Muslims on the importance of this vital duty. The lectures delivered proved to be highly informative and beneficial, but only to a limited audience. In order to extend the benefits to a larger part of the Ummah, it was decided that two of these lectures be selected and published in booklet form. (34 pages p/b + Islamic will template) £1.00A few topics mentioned in the booklet are as follows:• Equality in inheritance
• What can be drawn from the estate
• The importance of drawing up a will
• Causes of incorrect wills
• Criteria for wasiyyah (bequest)
• What to do following a death
• Common errors and customs
To order the above book or for details of our other publications, please email  info@idauk.org or call 0116 262 5440.

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Muslim women

Why are women not allowed to pray during their period?

04 May, 2020

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Q Why are women not allowed to pray during their period?

ANSWER

Sheikh Ahmad Saad 04 May, 2020

Short Answer:

  • Almighty Allah lifted the load of prayer and the burden of fasting from woman’s shoulders during this period. Menses is neither a funny nor a nice experience. There is an important maxim in Islam: “difficulty brings ease,” meaning that when a person is experiencing anything difficult, Islam will give some concessions that make life easier.
  • So, the point is not that women are “not allowed to” pray and fast but are rather exempted from observing prayer and fasting at such times, because these two duties are difficult and demand much effort.

_____________________________________

Salam Dear Nagwa,

Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask About Islam.

I also thank you a lot for such an intriguing question that displays how our sisters are keen on knowing the wisdom behind religious ordinances.

Surely this is good, but still, we cannot always grasp the wisdom behind everything.

Allah’s Wisdom Exceeds Ours

As Muslims and as sensible human beings who trust that this universe functions according to a fixed, well-designed system, we should believe that nothing happens haphazardly or aimlessly.

Rather, everything is well-planned and sorted out.

We read in the Quran what means:

Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. (Quran 3:191)

“This” here refers to Allah’s creation in general.

Because we have limited minds and limited spiritual abilities, we are not able to understand the wisdom behind everything in this universe.

This inability to understand sometimes proves to be very important because such things will constitute a test of our faith and submission to Allah, and our trust in His infinite knowledge.

Physical Suffering

Now, we come to your question: why are women not allowed to pray or fast while they are having their menses?

Basically, any mature woman who has experienced menses knows what type of physical suffering a woman goes through while she is experiencing her monthly period.

Due to such physical suffering, any woman will simply tell you that menses is neither a funny nor a nice experience.

Besides, being under such pains, women are usually not in a good mood.

Her changing hormones cause her to feel moody and irritable, as well.

Yet, it is important for the removal of any harmful material from the body of the woman since such harmful material comes out with this blood.

So, it is a healthy thing for women to have this, but not every healthy thing is nice or easy.

When you are ill, you have to take your medication, even if it’s bitter.

It is not a nice experience to take the medicine but still it is very important for you to recover and heal speedily.

Why Aren’t Women Allowed to Pray or Fast During Their Period?

When Allah decreed menstruation on the daughters of Adam, He — Glory be to Him — wanted it to be a sign of mercy to them, since this natural process relieves the body from the harmful materials that could be disastrous if they remain inside the body.

Taking all such physical and mental pain into consideration, Almighty Allah, Who takes care of His servants even more than their own parents, has lifted the load of prayer and the burden of fasting from woman’s shoulders during this period.

So, the point is not that women are “not allowed to” pray and fast but are rather exempted from observing prayer and fasting at such times, because these two duties are difficult and demand much effort.

Islam Aims To Remove Hardship

In this regard, we should bear in mind that one of the basic goals of Islamic Shari`ah is to remove harm and difficulty from people’s lives.

The many texts of the Quran and Sunnah serve as a support for this, giving one clear message that Almighty Allah does not intend to place any difficulty on the shoulders of His servants.

This has led many Muslim scholars to reach a very great maxim that summarizes a lot of things in this regard: “difficulty brings ease,” meaning that when a person is experiencing anything difficult, Islam will give him some concessions that make life easy for him.

Under this maxim, we can understand why a traveler is exempted from fasting, why a sick person is allowed not to fast, why a handicapped person is allowed to observe prayer while sitting down, and why a pregnant woman or a woman who is breast-feeding is entitled to break her fasting.

All this is meant to remove hardship and difficulty away from people, because this is one of the highest objectives of Islam.

“Impure” Does NOT Mean “Unclean”

Needless to mention here that there is a big difference between being in a state of “impurity” and being “unclean”.

While the former refers to an immaterial state that has nothing to do with the gender of the person and is by no means offensive, the latter is more linked with filth and dirty stuff.

Impurity is a temporary state, whereas uncleanliness is a choice to be unhygienic.

A person who washes his or her private parts but has not performed ghusl (ritual ablution) is clean but is still impure, Islamically.

This means that he or she does not qualify, while in this state, to pray or fast, simply because he or she needs to meet some basic standards.

Now, we see a balance in the religion of Islam that came to remove all difficulties and hardships from the lives of the servants of Allah and allow them to celebrate His praise cheerfully and willfully.

Dr. Mohsen Haredy, a member of the Ask About Islam consultant team, would like to add the following:

It is worth mentioning that not praying and not observing fasting during the menses are considered in themselves an act of worship.

As in some acts of worship, there is a divine command that requires showing submission and surrender without questioning the reason behind it.

The significance of this command lies in our obedience to it: Showing obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

What women CAN do in menses:

  • Listen to the Qur’an on YouTube
  • Istighfaar
  • Read durood
  • Dhikr and Tasbeeh
  • Listen to lectures and programmes online

Categories
Poems

The Empty Chair…

Another day, news of yet another death,

Once again, we hear of someone who has just drawn their final breath.

For those of us left behind, it seems so surreal,

Struggling to cope with the immense loss we feel.

And although it may seem like at times the darkness is too much,

As we long to see our loved ones again, just a glimpse or a touch.

A hug from a parent, a smile from the Mrs, the voice of a husband offering to do the dishes, 

The words of wisdom of a grandma that you’d wish you’d wrote down,

Or the sound of laughter of a child who is no longer around.

None of these people can ever be brought back,

And yet for each of them to live on you don’t need a memorial plaque.

Live each day to the fullest, do good and make them proud,

Show people around you, you love them, don’t wait till they’re in a shroud!

And send them gifts each day for that’s all that the departed now from us need,

Intend to share the reward every time you do a good deed.

They say time is a healer but I don’t know if that’s true,

All I can promise you is that Allah will get you through! 

Written by @thetalentedteacher_

1 Jumada al-Awwal 1442

Categories
Current Affairs articles

Twenty Lessons from 2020

Ali (Allah be pleased with him) once was asked: “How have you recognised your God?”

He (Allah be pleased with him) answered: “I recognised God through revoking the determinations and breaking the intentions. When I determined and I was prevented from achieving my determination, and when I intended and fate contradicted my intention, I realised that the Administrator was other than me.”

And so this uneventful year draws to a close and I find myself thinking how much history 2020 made. Be it the pandemic, racial tensions or presidential campaigns across the pond, 2020 has been one long rollercoaster.

Life is full of surprises and if anything, this year has shone a light on how amazingly resilient Allah has created us all. Just when we are about to put our feet up and become a little complacent with our routine in life, the setting suddenly changes and we’re forced to recompose, reshuffle the pieces and refocus the lens a little. And in the midst of this restructure, our unsteady walk exposes us, we trip, we fall and we fail…but we brush ourselves off and stand back up. A quote of JK Rowling comes to mind that ‘It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.’ This year has been a year of ‘falling’ for many of us but with the tradition of reflection (Muhasabah – account ourselves to ourselves) maybe we can transform the ‘falls’ into life-changing goals.

The biggest lesson that was manifested this year is that ‘Allah never tests a soul more than it can bear’ (Quran, 2:286). There are so many beautiful lessons to learn from this verse alone that could put this whole year into perspective for many of us. This world is a test and each and every one of us will be tested in various ways. A utopian society does not exist and 2020 has very clearly shown us that. Once we truly understand this, we can start to formulate that as Muslims, it is crucial we believe that Allah tests us to make us, not break us. When total fear ensued in March, Allah’s powerful promise in the Quran should have been our zen and reassurance amidst the chaos. Our goal for 2021 is to place our complete trust in Him SWT and His plan. He SWT doesn’t leave us, but we leave Him. He doesn’t move an inch away from us and is closer to us than our jugular vein.

As Ramadhan drew closer and it dawned on us that the Masajid would remain closed and Taraweeh Salah will have to be performed in the homes, a heart-breaking sadness cloaked us. Who will be leading? What will be prayed? How much Qur’an do we know? Will it even feel like Ramadhan? As these questions were being discussed in every household up and down the country, a new lesson was emanating. Alhamdulillah, many homes echoed with the confident recitations of their Huffadh but the hard truth is that there still remained a huge number of us who hadn’t prioritised reading and learning the Quran enough to be able to stand up and confidently take on the musalla. We were always so reliant on the Ulama and the Huffadh that we had become complacent with our own learning journey.  This reminded me of how I will be alone in my grave, just me and my deeds – no Hafidh to fall back on, no Alim to rely on, no one. The closure of the Masajid and the emptiness that came with it threw us into frantic jeopardy but ‘A believer is never stung from the same hole twice’ (Hadith) and so Ramadhan 2020 taught us to never stop learning. Know 10 Surahs from Juz Amma? Make it your goal to learn another 10 this year. Learn Surah Yaseen. Learn Surah Mulk. Learn Surah Rahman. Never stop learning. Create an insatiable hunger for learning. When you get to the end of your life, you want to be able to tell yourself that I spent every year of my life learning something new from the Qur’an and didn’t stay stuck on ‘Madrasah Mode’ from my teenage years.

2020 brought out some of the ugliest faces yet the most soul-soothing actions. Whilst on the one hand racism hit another high, unity in the face of tragedy outshone. The pandemic may have thrust us into isolation but it brought a sense of togetherness that was not seen before. Communities came together, putting aside creed, caste and religion, to help the elderly, vulnerable, isolated with food packages, medicines, shopping and that’s just the tangible needs. Neighbours checked in on one another, more phone calls were made to friends and family, messages dropped in asking how we’re doing. Let’s make it our mission to continue this fulfilling deed. Send that text message, make that two-minute phone call, and don’t just call someone when you need them. Mother Teresa once said, ‘Loneliness is a terrible poverty’ and there are millions of people suffering from that lack of friendship. In these difficult times, make someone feel heard. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, ‘You won’t be able to take care of everyone financially; instead, let your cheerful face and good manners take care of all of them’ (Musnad Bazzar).

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Now we are at the suggestive, somewhat enticing, light at the end of the tunnel stage of the pandemic, we are tested once again. The vaccine is available and whatever side of the fence you sit on, remember that Allah is the Controller. Everything truly belongs to Him alone and he holds authority over everything and everyone. One Quran verse frequently came to mind at different times this year.  Allah says, ‘لمن الملك اليوم، لله الواحد القهار ‘For whom is the dominion today? For Allah, the One, the Supreme’ (Quran, 40:16).  Allah gives and Allah takes. Let’s not talk as if this year has been a year of just the revolutionising scientists against the evil virus, forgetting all along that Allah is the Master, the Withholder, and the Bestower of all things.

It has been a challenging year but for the intelligent believer, no challenge comes without changes.  We may want to be quick to forget all that 2020 put on our plate but let’s remember the lessons it taught us and the goals it guided us to make. 

Constantly ask Allah for ease

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

15 Jamada al-Awwal 1442

Categories
Muslim men

Calling One an Apostate

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Respected brother,

We take note of your concern and despondency. The issue is not as you have understood it to be.

Whilst Sharῑ’ah has specified guidelines to declare one as an apostate (kāfir), Sharῑ’ah has also advised us to exercise extreme precaution in declaring a Muslim an apostate (kāfir).

Consider the following:

1-    Allah the Almighty says:

وَلَا تَقُوْلُوْا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا

Translation:

“And do not say to the one who extends greetings to you, ‘you are not a Believer’”

[Surah Nisā, verse 94]

2-    In the narration of Ṣaḥῑḥ Muslim, Ḥaḍrat ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar Radiyallahu Anhu narrates that the Prophet Ṣallallāhu ‘Alayhi Wasallam said:

إِذَا كَفَّرَ الرَّجُلُ أَخَاهُ فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِهَا أَحَدُهُمَا

Translation:

 

“When a man labels his [Muslim] brother an apostate, then it (apostasy) returns to one of them”

 

[Ṣaḥῑḥ Muslim, v.2, pg.18, Dār Al Qalam]

 

3-    In another narration of Ṣaḥῑḥ Muslim, the narration is found with the words:

 

أَيُّمَا امْرِئٍ قَالَ لِأَخِيهِ يَا كَافِرُ فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِهَا أَحَدُهُمَا إِنْ كَانَ كَمَا قَالَ وَإِلَّا رَجَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ

Translation:

 

“Whichever man says to his [Muslim] brother, ‘Oh disbeliever’, then it returns to one of them if he (the Muslim brother) is like how he (the speaker) has said, otherwise, it (his statement) reverts to him (the speaker)”

 

[Ṣaḥῑḥ Muslim, v.2, pg.18, Dār Al Qalam]

This attitude of maintaining extreme precaution when labelling a Muslim an apostate (kāfir) was the attitude of all of our pious predecessors – this includes the scholars of the four schools of Fiqh as well as those who did not ascribe themselves to a school of Fiqh. This was also the attitude of our elders from the ‘Ulamā of Deoband.

Consider the following:

1-    Allāmah Ibn Daqῑq Al ‘Id Al Shafi’ῑ’ Raḥimahullah (d.702 AH) writes in the commentary of the aforementioned Ḥadῑth:

وَهَذَا وَعِيْدٌ عَظِيْمٌ لِمَنْ أَكْفَرَ أَحَدًا مِّنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ

Translation:

“This is a great warning to anyone who labels anyone from amongst the Muslim an apostate while he is [not an apostate]”

[Iḥkām Al Aḥkām Sharḥ ‘Umdah Al Aḥkām, v.2, pg. 226, Maṭba’ah Al Sunnah Al Muḥammadiyyah]

2-    Ḥāfiz Ibn ‘Abdil Barr Al Mālikῑ Raḥimahullah (d.463 AH) said:

فَالْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ يَنْهَيَانِ عَنْ تَفْسِيْقِ الْمُسْلِمِ وَتَكْفِيْرِهِ بِبَيَانٍ لَا إِشْكَالَ فِيْهِ

Translation:

“The Qur’ān and the Sunnah discourage – in an elaboration that does not leave any doubts – a Muslim from labelling a [fellow] Muslim a ‘transgressor’ or ‘apostate’”

[Al Tamhῑd Li Mā Fil Muwattā Minal Ma’ānῑ Wal Asānῑd, v.17, pg.315, Al Fārūq Al Ḥadῑthiyyah]

3-    Qāḍῑ ‘Iyāḍ Al Mālikῑ Raḥimahullah (d.544 AH) has recorded the statement of the great Shāfi’ῑ’ jurist, Imām Al Ḥaramayn Al Juwaynῑ Al Shāfi’ῑ’ Raḥimahullah (d.478 AH) who said:

إِدْخَالُ كَافِرٍ فِي الْمِلَّةِ أَوْ إِخْرَاجُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْهَا عَظِيْمٌ فِي الدِّيْنِ

Translation:

“To consider a disbeliever within the fold of Islām or to take a Muslim out of it (the fold of Islām) is a severe act in religion”

[Al Shifā, pg. 473, Dār Al Ḥadῑth]

4-    Imām Al Ghazālῑ Al Shāfi’ῑ’ Raḥimahullah (d.505 AH) said:

وَالَّذِيْ يَنْبَغِيْ أَنْ يَمِيْلَ الْمَحْصَلُ إِلَيْهِ الْإِحْتِرَازَ مِنَ التَّكْفِيْرِ مَا وُجِدَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلًا فَإِنَّ اسْتَبَاحَةَ الدِّمَاءِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّيْنَ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ الْمُصَرِّحِيْنَ بِقَوْلِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ خَطَأٌ

Translation:

“What the summary should lead to is that one should refrain as much as possible from labelling a Muslim an apostate, for indeed, to consider it permissible to spill the blood and take the wealth of those who are performing Ṣalāh towards the Qiblah and are explicitly declaring that there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah is a mistake.

[Al Iqtiṣād Fil I’tiqād, v.1, pg.135, Dār Al Kutub Al ‘Ilmiyyah]

5-    Qāḍῑ ‘Iyāḍ Al Mālikῑ Raḥimahullah (d.544 AH) has related the view of many great scholars of the past who said:

فَإِنَّ اسْتَبَاحَةَ الْمُوَحِّدِيْنَ خَطَأٌ

Translation:

“Indeed, to consider it permissible to spill the blood of the believers is a mistake”

[Al Shifā, pg. 473, Dār Al Ḥadῑth]

6-    ‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Abidῑn Al Shāmῑ Al Ḥanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d.1252 AH) has quoted the statement of the master Ḥanafῑ jurist Al Ṣadr Al Shahiῑd AlḤanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d.556 AH) who said:

الْكُفْرُ شَيْءٌ عَظِيْمٌ فَلَا أَجْعَلُ الْمُؤْمِنَ كَافِرًا مَتَى وَجَدْتُ رِوَايَةً أَنَّهُ لَا يَكْفُرُ

Translation:

“Disbelief (apostasy) is a severe act, so I will never consider a Believer to be an apostate if I have found a view [in Sharῑ’ah] to state that he has not become an apostate”

[Sharḥ ‘Uqūd Rasm Al Muftῑ, pg.440, Dārul Bashāir Al Islāmiyyah]

7-    The erudite Ḥanafῑ jurist, ‘Allāmah Ṭāhir Al Bukhārῑ Al Ḥanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d. post 600 AH) writes:

إِذَا كَانَ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ وُجُوْهٌ يُوْجِبُ التَّكْفِيْرَ وَوَجْهٌ وَاحِدٌ يَمْنَعُ فَعَلَى الْمُفْتِيْ أَن يَّمِيْلَ إِلَى هَذَا الْوَجْهِ

Translation:

“If in a Mas’alah, there are plenty of reasons for labelling a Muslim an apostate, and only one reason to prevent such a label, then it is upon a Muftῑ to turn towards the one reason [that prevents such a label]”

[Khulāṣah Al Fatāwā, v.4, pg.382, Maktabah Rashῑdiyyah]

This advice has been reiterated by ‘Allāmah Burhān Al Dῑn Al Bukhārῑ Raḥimahullah (d.616 AH) [Al Muḥῑṭ Al Burhānῑ, v.7, pg.397, Idāratul Qur’ān].

8-    The great Ḥanafῑ jurist, ‘Allāmah Zayn Al Dῑn Ibn Nujaym Al Ḥanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d.970 AH) states that he had made it a habit to never issue a Fatwā in which he labels a Muslim an apostate.

He writes:

وَلَقَدْ أَلْزَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ أَنْ لَا أُفْتِيَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْهَا

Translation:

“Indeed, I have made it incumbent upon myself never to issue a Fatwā [of apostasy] in regards to those statements.”

[Al Baḥr Al Rā’iq, v.5, pg.125, HM Said]

9-    Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Taymiyyah Al Ḥanbalῑ Raḥimahullah (d.728 AH) writes:

فَلِهَذَا كَانَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالسُّنَّةِ لَا يُكَفِّرُوْنَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْمُخَالِفُ يُكَفِّرُهُمْ

Translation:

“It is due to this reason that the people of knowledge and Sunnah do not label their opposition as apostates, even if their opposition labels them as apostates.”

[Al Istigāthah Fῑ Al Rad ‘Alal Bakrῑ, pg.252, Dār Al Minhāj]

10-  Ibn Shattā Al Dimyāṭῑ Al Shāfi’ῑ’ Raḥimahullah (d.1310 AH) writes:

يَسْلُكُ طَرِيْقَ الْإِحْتِيَاطِ فِي الْإِفْتَاءِ بِتَكْفِيْرِ أَحَدٍ فَلَا يُفْتَى بِذَلِكَ إِلَّا بَعْدَ الْفَحْصِ الشَّدِيْدِ وَالْيَقِيْنِ السَّدِيْدِ

Translation:

“He (a Muftῑ) should tread the path of caution when issuing a Fatwā declaring someone to be an apostate, thus such a Fatwā should not be issued except after extreme examination and outright conviction”

[I’ānah ‘Alā Ṭālibῑn, v.4, pg. 138, Dār Ihyā Al Kutub Al ‘Arabiyyah]

11-  Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar Al Haytamῑ Al Shafi’ῑ’ Raḥimahullah (d.974 AH) has quoted the statement of ‘Allāmah Badr Al Dῑn Al Zarkashῑ Al Shafi’ῑ’Raḥimahullah (d.794 AH) who said:

أَنَّ مَعَنَا أَصْلًا مُحَقَّقًا هُوَ الْإِيْمَانُ فَلَا نَرْفَعُهُ إِلَّا بِيَقِيْنٍ فَلْيَتَنَبَّهْ لِهَذَا وَلِيَحْذَرْ مِمَّنْ يُبِادِرُ إِلَى التَّكْفِيْرِ فِيْ هَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلِ مِنْهَا وَمِنْهُمْ فَيُخَافُ عَلَيْهِ الْكُفْرُ لِأَنَّهُ كَفَّرَ مُسْلِمًا

Translation:

“We have an established foundation which is Īmān (faith), thus we shall not eradicate it (Īmān (faith)) [from a Muslim] except with conviction [that he has eradicated his Īmān (faith)]. So the individual from amongst us (the Shāfi’ῑ’s) and them (the Ḥanafῑs) who rushes in declaring a Muslim an apostate should be alert and cautious in this regard, for apostasy is [equally] feared for him too as he has declared a Muslim to be an apostate”

[Tuḥfah Al Muḥtāj Bi Sharḥ Al Minhāj, v.4, pg.110, Dār Al Kutub Al ‘Ilmiyyah]

12-  Mullā ‘Alῑ Al Qārῑ Al Ḥanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d.1014 AH) writes:

وَقَدْ قَالَ عُلَمَاؤُنَا إِذَا وُجِدَ تِسْعَةٌ وَّتِسْعُوْنَ وَجْهًا تُشِيْرُ إِلَى تَكْفِيْرِ مُسْلِمٍ وَوَجْهٌ وَاحِدٌ إِلَى بَقَائِهِ عَلَى إِسْلَامِهِ فَيَنْبَغِيْ لِلْمُفْتِيْ وَالْقَاضِيْ أَنْ يَعْمَلَا بِذَلِكَ الْوَجْهِ

Translation:

“Indeed, our scholars have said, ‘If there are 99 reasons that indicate towards the apostasy of a Muslim and 1 reason to indicate that he is still a Muslim, then it is appropriate for a Muftῑ and a judge to act upon that 1 reason’.”

[Sharḥ Al Shifā, v.2, pg. 499, Dār Al Kutub Al ‘Ilmiyyah]

13-  Imām Muḥammad Al Shawkānῑ Raḥimahullah (d.1250 AH) writes:

اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْحُكْمَ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ بِخُرُوْجِهِ مِنْ دِيْنِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَدُخُوْلِهِ فِي الْكُفْرِ لَا يَنْبَغِيْ لِمُسْلِمٍ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ أَن يَقْدِمَ عَلَيْهِ إَلَّا بَبُرْهَانٍ أَوْضَحَ مِنْ شَمْسِ النَّارِ

Translation:

“Know that to remove a Muslim person from the religion of Islām and into apostasy is not an appropriate thing for anyone who believes in Allah and the final day to step forward and do without a reason as clear as the light of fire

      [Al Sayl Al Jarār Al Mutadaffiq ‘Alā Ḥadāiq Al Uzhār, pg. 978, Dār Ibn Ḥazm]

14-  Muftῑ Maḥmūd Ḥasan Gangohῑ Raḥimahullah (d.1417 AH) writes:

کسی مسلم کو بغیر دلیل کے کافر کہنا بھی نہایت خطرناک ہے اس کو بھی کھیل نہ بنا لیا جائے اس سے اپنا ایمان بھی مجروح ہوتا ہے 

Translation:

“To call a Muslim an apostate without any [accepted] Shar’ῑ’ evidence [that is accepted to prove apostasy] is extremely dangerous. This should not be made into an amusement. One hurts his [own] Īmān (faith) by doing such a thing”

[Fatāwā Maḥmūdiyyah, v.2, pg.470, Dārul Iftā Jāmi’ah Fāruqiyyah]

Finally, consider two statements made by Imām Abū Ja’far Al Ṭaḥāwῑ Al Ḥanafῑ Raḥimahullah (d.321 AH) in Al ‘Aqῑdah Al Ṭaḥāwiyyah – the undisputed manual of the beliefs of the Ahl Al-Sunnah Wal Jamā’ah.

1.     He says:

 

وَنُسَمِّيْ أَهْلَ قِبْلَتِنَا “مُؤْمِنِيْنَ مُسْلِمِيْنَ” مَا دَامُوْا بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُعْتَرِفِيْنَ

 

Translation:

 

“We shall label those who pray towards our Qiblah as Mu’minῑn Muslimῑn (Muslims and Believers) as long as they maintain their belief in all that the Prophet Ṣallallāhu ‘Alayhi Wasallam bought”

 

[Al ‘Aqῑdah Al Ṭaḥāwiyyah, pg.109, Dār Al Karz]

 

2.     He says:

وَلَا يَخْرُجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ الْإِيْمَانِ إِلَّا بِجُحُوْدِ مَا أَدْخَلَهُ فِيْهِ

Translation:

“A Believer shall not leave the fold of Islām until he denies [one of] those [beliefs] which made him a Believer”

[Al ‘Aqῑdah Al Ṭaḥāwiyyah, pg.118, Dār Al Karz]

It is clear from the above that one cannot adopt a reckless attitude of declaring fellow Muslims let aside ‘Ulamā and Muftῑs as apostates (kuffār).

There is no reason for you to be negative and doubt your Īmān (belief) and A’māl (actions) based on such rulings. Be positive and steadfast on your Īmān (belief) and A’māl (actions). Indeed, Allah is more forgiving than He is punishing.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mu’ādh Chati

Student Darul Iftaa
Blackburn, England, UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

Categories
Du'aas

Eesa (PBUH)

All Praise for Allah SWT and Peace and Blessing be on His Final Prophet. The following Aqaid must be known by all Muslims and mentioned by parents and guardians to the children.


The following are the Aqaaid taken from the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. 

1. Prophet Eesa (A.S.) was born miraculously without a father. His mother Maryam (R.A.) never married. *Joseph the carpenter is not the father of Prophet Eesa (A.S ).
2. Prophet Eesa AS was not the son of God.  He was a Prophet just like other Prophets (A S.)
3. He was not killed nor put on the cross. He has not yet died a physical death.
4. Allah SWT raised him physically in the heavens. 5. He will return to this world, just before Qiyamah during the reign of Imam Mahdi (R.A.). to kill Dajjaal (Antichrist). On his return, Prophet Eesa (A.S.) will be a follower of our Prophet (S.A.W.) 


Note: To go against even one of the 4 mentioned Aqaid (practically, verbally etc.)  or doubt any single Aqidah will be an act of Kufr. 


May Allah SWT protect the Iman of all Muslims.  Ameen. 


Allah SWT knows best.
Mufti Muhammad Faruq Saheb (hafidhahullah)
(Date: 06/12/2020)

Categories
Current Affairs articles

Ulama: United or Disunited?

Below is an extract from Hazrat’s talk on 10/09/18 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. It is an explanation of an article by Ml. Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA), translated by Madrasah Uloomish Shariyyah – mushariyyah@gmail.com. The article text is in blue, Hazrat’s talk is in black. To listen to the talk, click here.

Nowadays, we often hear the complaint that Ulama are disunited. We are accused by the laymen of splitting up the Ummah and being intolerant towards different opinions. Opinions and views that are rooted in falsehood, have no place in Deen. Our nafs inclines towards these views, thus, the one who holds them is viewed in a positive light by the masses. The Ulama who speak out, respectfully yet firmly, against these views are considered “intolerant”.

Due to lack of scholarship and expertise in religious matters, laymen are unqualified to pass a judgement on the religious rulings of our qualified scholars. The views of laymen are personal opinions, the preaching of our scholars are the words of the Qur’an and Sunnah. At times, scholars differing is required. This article sheds light on these times, which we are faced with often in our current era. It is written by one of the greatest religious authorities of our modern era, Hazrat Ml. Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA).

Not every form of Unity is Praiseworthy and not every form of Disunity is Disparaged/Condemned

Understand properly that unity is only needed and deemed praiseworthy when it is beneficial for Deen, and disunity is only frowned upon when it is detrimental to Deen. When unity is harmful for Deen and disunity is beneficial for Deen, then at that point, disunity shall be sought. The people of this world have clearly understood this reality in their daily activities. Thus, in a court case, when a plaintiff and defendent raise their matter to a court for arbitration, then neither of the two is told, “Abjure your claim, because it has created disunity between the two of you and disunity is discouraged”. Rather, the rule is that the person who is in contradiction of the Truth (Haqq) is told, ‘Return towards the Haqq and abandon your insistence upon the view that is in conflict with the Haqq’. In fact, in some matters, if the plaintiff forgoes his claim, then the government becomes the plaintiff and defends the Haqq.

Friends! If disunity is to be condemned in general, then in a court case, the judge ought to punish both the plaintiff and the defendant, as both are perpetrators of disunity. However, neither does this ever happen nor is it logical for such an opinion to be given. Rather, everyone agrees that although both parties are perpetrators of disunity, one party is doing so to uphold the truth (Ḥaqq) and the other party is doing so to uphold falsehood (Bātil). Hence, after investigation and research, the decree should be given in favour of the one who is upon the truth (Ḥaqq) and the court is required to support him. In this scenario, all agree that disunity is not always denigrated; however, regrettably, this rule is not applied to matters of Deen. In fact, [in matters of Deen], it is said to both parties, ‘Stop disuniting and create unity’.

This is because we do not hold our Deen as sacred as we hold our money, property and worldly affairs. We desire to fight even petty worldly cases in the courts, yet in Deen, we simply do not care the way we ought to. Hence, anyone can say anything and, “be tolerant!” is incorrectly hailed as the correct way forward. Know, that this is incorrect! Deen is not a toy to play with as we please, nor is it plasticine for us to shape as we please.

Support should be given to the Truth (Ḥaqq)

Friends! Why is it not investigated as to whose disunity is based upon an effort to defend the truth (Ḥaqq) and whose is to support falsehood (Bātil)? Then the one who is upon the truth (Ḥaqq) may be supported and pressure should only be out one the one who is upon falsehood (Bātil). As for your commanding both of them to create unity, tell me, why should a person upon the truth (Ḥaqq) unite with someone who is upon falsehood (Bātil)? If unity was to be attained between them, then logically this could only occur in one of three situations:

1) The individual upon the truth (Ḥaqq) abandons the truth (Ḥaqq) and both unite upon falsehood (Bātil), i.e. the pious individual leaves his piety and becomes irreligious.

2) The pious individual stays firm on his piety and the irreligious individual becomes pious.

3) The pious individual abandons some of his piety and the irreligious individual abandons some of his irreligiousness.

Now, those with intellect can decide themselves which of these three situations correlates with sound intellect. Indeed, it is only the second situation that can be labelled as being in agreement with sound intellect; the summary of which is that the pious individual has a right of disuniting himself from the irreligious individual, but the irreligious individual does not have the right of disuniting from the pious individual, rather, he is required to unite with the pious person upon the truth (Ḥaqq).”

Understand from this that unity is not our goal as a Muslim Ummah. Our goal is to uphold the Deen of Allah in order to please Him. If that comes at the expense of disunity, then so be it, for the truth needs to be spoken regardless. The following point explains this further.

An Example of Division

Friends! This [example] of disunity was started by Rasūlullāh Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam in this world. This is because, before his prophethood, everyone was united upon disbelief. He arrived and broke this unity [upon disbelief], such that he became the cause of separation between father and son. This disunity is described by Allah Ta’ālā with the following glad-tidings:

“Oh you who believe, if you develop Allah-consciousness (Taqwā), he will grant you the Separator and he will remove your sins”

In this verse, Allah Ta’ālā the Almighty has expressed this “Separation” as glad-tidings and he has made [this glad-tiding] dependent upon Allah-consciousness (Taqwa). It is for this reason that the Qur’an is labelled Al-Furqān (the Divider). We realize from this that the Qur’an does not only unite. In some cases, it unites and in other cases, it divides. It commands one to join those who are upon the truth (Ḥaqq) and to disunite from those who are upon the falsehood (Bātil).

Thus, it is a grave mistake that people make in this day and age, that whenever they see disunity between two groups, they consider both of them to be worthy of blame and [they say], “What kind of Muslims are you? That you differ with one another?” Both are then forced to unite which means nothing except that the pious individual should abandon his piety and adopt irreligiousness and that the individual upon the truth (Ḥaqq) abandons the truth (Ḥaqq) and adopts falsehood (Bātil). This is blatantly wrong. Rather, the demand of sound intellect is that when there is disunity between two groups then it should first be established as to who is upon the truth (Ḥaqq) and who is upon falsehood (Bātil)? Once it is known as to who is upon the truth (Ḥaqq), then nothing should be said to the individual who is upon the truth (Ḥaqq), rather, he should be supported (in his disunity with the individual upon falsehood) and the individual who is upon falsehood (Bātil) should be prevented from disuniting with him. The Qur’an explicitly mentions this in one place:

“And so fight those who transgress until they return to the command of Allah”

And if you do not get the opportunity to investigate [who is upon] the Truth, then who has asked you to intervene? Sit at home! Without prior investigation, don’t rebuke others!”

[Ashraful Jawab, pg.476-478, Idarah Ta’lifat Ashrafiyyah: Multan]

Thus, when a person or group oversteps the boundary of Shari’ah and declares their transgression as Islam, it is imperative upon us to speak out and reclaim our religion. Scholars differing is due to their desire to protect Islam from being misunderstood, which we should respect rather than condemn. Allah has blessed us with scholars to remind us when we slip if they do not, who will? It is their duty.

Once in his talk, Hazrat Mawlana. Yunus Patel (RA) was condemning the Ansaar Souk organisers for branding their Souk as “Islamic” when in reality, it is far from it. The organisers called him and blamed him for disuniting the Ummah. The next day during Jum’ah, Hazrat reminded us again from the pulpit that this Souk is not as Islamic as they would like us to believe! He did not hold back in the name of tolerance and unity.

If there were five siblings in one home and their mother designated one day for each child, to decide what she would cook for the day. Let’s say the first child wants chicken curry, the next day the next child wants mutton curry. The mother would see no issue in cooking those meals and sharing it with the rest of the children. However, on the third day, if the third child wants her to cook poison, she would vehemently disagree. Furthermore, out of love, she would rebuke the child, for suggesting something that would harm him and the rest of the family.

In our Deen, irreligious opinions being passed off as Islam, things that were considered haram being regarded as permissible and unreasonable leniency, causes great spiritual harm. It is poison for us which will manifest itself on the Day of Judgement. Our scholars vehemently disagreeing is done out of love, to save us and the Ummah from harm. Therefore, next time you encounter a situation where scholars disagree, rather than making a big issue out of a scholarly disagreement, reflect on the situation first. Support the one on Haqq and encourage those on falsehood to repent. If we are unqualified and we do not know what the scholars are talking about, then leave it and do not get involved. That is better for the Ummah than us adding our uneducated, invalid, opinionated views to scholarly disagreements. May Allah grant us the ability to stay in our lanes, Aameen.

— Hazrat Mawlana. Dawood Seedat حفظه الله

Categories
Spirituality

The Death of ‘Inna Lillah wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioon’ With the Birth and Rise of Smartphones.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


We are living in very sad times, on a daily basis, we are hearing about the death of loved ones. Sometimes you may know the person and sometimes you may not. 


In Islam, we are always told to have empathy and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. With the rise of Social Media, many Muslims have lost empathy and dignity.  Happiness is shared with emojis which are half-hearted and meaningless. Sadness and grief are shared with a quick emoji but the person could be smiling on the other side. 


In short, Social Media has made us fake, plastic, and artificial. Nothing is heartfelt. And what breaks my heart is someone’s grandmother passes away and someone’s father passes away, the message is forwarded to groups, but the reply is:
I L W I R
WHAT.IS.THAT?
You think the opposite person received sympathy with your ILWIR. No dua, no words of comfort, and half-hearted replies. Nowadays, people have gone one step ahead with GIFs.


Learn to be compassionate and merciful, it’s NEVER about the time and minutes, you need a drop of mercy in your heart (and there’s always predictive text which makes it easier). 


Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s mercy, forgiveness and pleasure)

Categories
Marriage

Divorce and Assets

Assalāmu `alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabarakatuh.

Muhtaram Brother,

We make Dua you are well.     

Kindly find attached Fatwa/answer to your query:

Question:

Salams Mawlana,

My question is in the UK when a husband and wife get divorced and the divorce goes through courts, the wife is entitled to 50% or more of the husband’s assets, his house etc.

a) Islamically, would this be permissible for the wife to claim?

b) Morally, should Muslim women be encouraged to claim only what is theirs?

JzkAllah

Ismail, Blackburn

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

According to Shariah, whatever belongs to the husband is his right of ownership. Likewise, what belongs to the wife is her right of ownership.

The spouses do not become partners in each other’s wealth by virtue of the marriage. It is, therefore, incorrect for one spouse to claim the wealth of the other in a breakdown of a marriage, by virtue of the marriage. If one makes such a claim and is successful, then that will be Ghasab (usurpation of one’s wealth), which is Haram.[1] It is incorrect to make use of the law of the country if the law is against the Shariah. See the following Hadith:

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

أَلَا إِنَّ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ حَرَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَى أَنْ تَلْقَوْا رَبَّكُمْ كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا (شرح معاني الآثار 6157)

Translation: Verily, your blood and wealth are sanctified upon you till you meet your lord. Just like the sanctity of this day, in this month, in this city.

Likewise, Allah Taala says:

وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا فَرِيقًا مِنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالْإِثْمِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُون (سورة البقرة:188)

Translation: Do not eat up each other’s property by false means, nor approach with it the authorities to eat up a portion of the property of the people sinfully, while you know (that you are unjust in doing so).

In a hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

إِنَّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ إِلَيَّ وَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَلْحَنُ بِحُجَّتِهِ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ بِحَقِّ أَخِيهِ شَيْئًا بِقَوْلِهِ فَإِنَّمَا أَقْطَعُ لَهُ قِطْعَةً مِنَ النَّارِ فَلاَ يَأْخُذْهَا (بخاري 2680)

Translation: Verily, you bring your disputes to me. Perhaps, some of you are more eloquent than others. So, he whom I, by my judgment, give out of the right of a Muslim (the undue share). In reality, I have given him a portion of the Fire. So, do not take it.

It is clear from the above that it is prohibited for one to wrongfully take the wealth of another.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best 

Student – Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

04-11-1442|11-27-2020

[1] بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (ج7 ص148) دار الكتب العلمية

 وأما حكم الغصب فله في الأصل حكمان: أحدهما: يرجع إلى الآخرة، والثاني: يرجع إلى الدنيا. أما الذي يرجع إلى الآخرة فهو الإثم واستحقاق المؤاخذة إذا فعله عن علم؛ لأنه معصية، وارتكاب المعصية على سبيل التعمد سبب لاستحقاق المؤاخذة، وقد روي عنه – عليه الصلاة والسلام – أنه قال: «من غصب شبرا من أرض طوقه الله تعالى من سبع أرضين يوم القيامة» وإن فعله لا عن علم، بأن ظن أنه ملكه فلا مؤاخذة عليه؛ لأن الخطأ مرفوع المؤاخذة شرعا ببركة دعاء النبي – عليه الصلاة والسلام – بقوله – عليه الصلاة والسلام -: «ربنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأنا» وقوله – عليه الصلاة والسلام -: «رفع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه. (وأما) الذي يرجع إلى الدنيا، فأنواع: بعضها يرجع إلى حال قيام المغصوب، وبعضها يرجع إلى حال هلاكه، وبعضها يرجع إلى حال نقصانه، وبعضها يرجع إلى حال زيادته…

الهداية (ج4 ص296) دار احياء التراث

الغصب في اللغة: أخذ الشيء من الغير على سبيل التغلب للاستعمال فيه. وفي الشريعة: أخذ مال متقوم محترم بغير إذن المالك على وجه يزيل يده. حتى كان استخدام العبد وحمل الدابة غصبا دون الجلوس على البساط، ثم إن كان مع العلم فحكمه المأثم والمغرم، وإن كان بدونه فالضمان؛ لأنه حق العبد فلا يتوقف على قصده ولا إثم؛ لأن الخطأ موضوع.

البناية شرح الهداية (ج11 ص181) دار الكتب العلمية

(الغصب في اللغة عبارة عن أخذ الشيء من الغير على سبيل التغلب) ش: أي أخذ الشيء ظلما وقهرا، تقول غصبه منه وغصبه عليه بمعنى، قيل وغصبه إياه أيضا، والشيء أغصب ومغصوب، قلت قولهم شيء غصب تسمية بالمصدر فهذا الذي ذكره يتناول متقوما وغير متقوم، يقال غصب زوجة وحمر فلان م: (للاستعمال فيه بين أهل اللغة) ش: أي استعمال لفظ الغصب في أخذ الشيء من الغير على سبيل التغلب.

م: (وفي الشريعة: أخذ مال) ش: أي الغصب في اصطلاح الشريعة أخذ مال، وهذا بمنزلة الجنس للحد وباقي قيوده كالفصل؛ لأنه يتناول المحدود وغيره. وقوله م: (متقوم) ش: احتراز عن الخمر. وقوله م: (محترم) ش: احتراز عن مال الحربي فإنه غير محترم. وقوله م: (بغير إذن المالك) ش: احتراز عما إذا أخذه بإذن مالكه، فإنه لا يسمى غصبا.

Jazakallahu ~ Khayra,

Wassalamu alaykum.

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