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Ask About Islam – After Eid

Maen Khalifa
08 September, 2016

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

 

We are glad to conclude this Live Session on Saturday, September 17, 2016.

 

This session was dedicated to “Ask About Islam”; Br. Maan Khalife replied to general questions about Islam.

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Please don’t hesitate to send us additional questions through the following email address:

 

[email protected]

Saturday, Sep. 17, 2016 | 20:00 - 22:00 GMT

Session is over.
DISCLAIMER
Views expressed by hosts/guests on this program (live dialogue, Facebook sessions, etc.) are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.  

Salam, I live in America and I have noticed that a lot of non-Muslim men walk around in public without a shirt. While some consider this bad manner, Islamic scholars seem to agree there is nothing sinful if the navel-to-knees is covered. Please clarify, as I find it hard to believe that Islam would allow such improper behavior. Would most Ulema condone such an action?



Wa Alaikum Assalam and thank you for your question.

 

Muslim scholars will tell us what is lawful and what is unlawful. So if a man at the beach is wearing a swimming suit that covers him from his navel to his knees then Muslim scholars will say that it is lawful (halal).

 

Their answer is not location based, beach or not, it is based on the definition of men’s awrah (what shouldn’t be exposed from the body).

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It is possible for some Muslim scholars to issue a fatwa saying that it is unlawful for men to remove their shirts when not on a beach. However, some others might see it too restrictive because some men might need to remove their shirts to do their work, for example.

 

In general, this is not a problem that arises among the Muslims so you might never see such a fatwa.

 

Obviously no sane Muslim would go out in public not a beach without his shirt on because it is not appropriate; we don’t have to be told it is halal or haram.

 

Culturally speaking, men who do so are not respectful people. You sometimes sense arrogance or ill-manners from the way they behave.

 

Non-Muslims do not have any laws to follow except man-made laws. Since it is not forbidden by state law that a man may walk without a shirt then they are not breaking any law.

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch.

Are there any Islamic books about the history of the earth before man e.g jinns and angels? Also are there any good books about a collection of prophets i.e more than one (peace be upon them)?



Salam and thank you for your question.

 

I am not aware of any Islamic book that talks about history before man was created.

 

However,there is a book by Ibn Khathir called Al-Bidayah wa’an-Nihayah (The Beginning and the End) which is the story of mankind from Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) until the time of Ibn Khathir (768 Hijri).

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So this is a valuable Islamic history book which is quite detailed and includes stories of all the Prophets (peace be upon them). Ibn Khathir also has a specific book about Stories of the Prophets.

 

Please find other books written by Ibn Khathir at this link.

 

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch.

Why does Allah inflict us if he already knows? Allah sends human beings trials, they suffer and consequently feel victimized in some way. We know that Allah is Merciful and Great and knows what is best for us. But, my question is how can we know we are not victims? How can we say we are not being unfair to Allah's decree?



Salam dear sister and thank you for your question.

 

If we are not patient then we will complain about what Allah has decreed for us in this world, forgetting that the Hereafter is everlasting and much better for us, as Allah says in His book what is translated as:

 

{No, but you prefer the present life, whereas the Hereafter is better and more enduring.} (Al-Aala, 87:16-17)

 

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The nature of this life is tribulations and tests:

 

{We shall certainly test you by afflicting you with fear, hunger, and loss of properties and lives and fruits. Give glad tidings, then, to those who remain patient} (Al-Baqara, 2:155)

 

This hadith also explains how a believer should behave when confronted with calamities:

 

Narrated ‘Aisha: I asked Allah’s Apostle about the plague. He said, “That was a means of torture which Allah used to send upon whom-so-ever He wished, but He made it a source of mercy for the believers, for anyone who is residing in a town in which this disease is present, and remains there and does not leave that town, but has patience and hopes for Allah’s reward, and knows that nothing will befall him except what Allah has written for him, then he will get such reward as that of a martyr.” (Al-Bukhari)

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch.

Salam. My suitor wants me to use the Niqab (face cover) after the nikkah (wedding), but my mother is against it. What do I do?



Wa Alaikum Assalam Dear Sister,

 

Thank you for your question and for joining our live session.

 

Initially, niqab is optional and not compulsory based on the following arguments. I am providing that in order to convince your suitor if you have to:

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Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin:

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a headcover (khimar). Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Said ibn Abi ‘Arubah from Qatadah on the authority of al-Hasan from the Prophet (peace be upon him). (Abu Dawud, Sahih)

 

Khimar is mentioned in Surat-An-Noor, Allah says in His book what means:

 

{And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers (khimars) over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} (Saheeh International Translation – An-Noor, 24:31)

 

A headcover extends to the bosom (chest area), which is known in Arabic as khimar, often translated as veil. Hijab is also translated as veil, which is its true meaning. A Muslim woman must veil her beauty from non-mahram men when in public.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“A woman who is in the state of Ihram (during Hajj or Umra) may not wear a niqab nor gloves” (Al-Bukhari)

 

Aisha, the mother of the believers said:

 

“Whenever rides pass by us while in Ihram with the Prophet (peace be upon him), as they get closer we covered our faces and when they pass us we removed it” (Abu Dawud)

 

Therefore, when a woman is in public, she may only expose her face and hands based on the Quranic verse:

 

{And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof…} (An-Nur 24: 31)

 

“Except what appears thereof” means the face and the hands as confirmed by the Prophet’s hadiths (peace be upon him):

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Asma’, daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them):

 

“O Asma’! Once a girl reaches puberty, nothing of her body may be seen (by non-mahrams) except this and these, (he pointed to his face and hands while saying so).” (Abu Dawud – Hasan)

 

You may try to convince your suitor but if he is not convinced then you will need to obey him because he is going to be your husband. Please ponder upon the following hadith:

 

Abdullah bin Abu Awfa said” When Muadh bin Jabal came from Sham, he prostrated to the Prophet who said: ‘What is this, O Muadh?’ He said: ‘I went to Sham and saw them prostrating their bishops and patricians and I wanted to do that for you.’ The messenger of Allah said: ‘Do not do that. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands. By the one in who hand is the soul of Muhammad! No woman can fulfill her duty towards Allah until she fulfills her duty towards her husband. If he asks her (for intimacy) even if she is on her camel saddle, she should not refuse.’ “ (Ibn Majah who said that it is Hasan)

 

I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Salam and please keep in touch