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Live Fatwa (Udhiyah, `Eid and Other Issues)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
27 August, 2017

Dear Brothers/Sisters,

 

Thank you very much for joining us in this Live Fatwa session. We would like also to thank our guest, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, for answering the questions directed to him. You will find the answers of your questions below.

Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 | 15:00 - 17:00 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.  

Assalamu alaikum shaikh, is it true that, women have a natural lackness ,they are imperfect and they have defects, that is why they have been given adornments? are all scholars agreed about that? I need clarification. what does contemporary scholars say about that according to authentic evidence?



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

One of the fundamental teachings of the Qur’an – reiterated in numerous verses – is that men and women are created from a single soul, and there is no inherent superiority of one gender over another; rather they are meant to be partners and protecting friends of one another.

 

Here are a few verses to prove the above point:

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“And [as for] the believers, both men and women they are partners and protecting friends of one another: they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!” (Qur’an:  9:71)

 

“And thus does their Lord answer their prayer: “I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours [in My way], be it man or woman: each of you is an issue of the other.” (Qur’an: 3:195)

“O mankind! Be conscious of your Lord, who has created you out of one single soul, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” (Qur’an: 4:1)

 

And finally, here is a verse that stresses the equality of both sexes in the Islamic world view:

 

“Verily, for all men and women who have sur¬rendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves [before God], and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity,  and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for [all of] them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.” (Qur’an:  33:35)

 

Therefore, I see no basis for considering women as inferior to men in any sense. However, there are certainly differences between the sexes because of the divine endowments bestowed on each because they have different functions to perform in society. Women are the mothers and nurturers, and as such, they have been endowed with certain strengths which we do not find in men. Likewise, men have certain advantages different from those of women because of their duties as providers and maintainers of the family.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamualaikum! Afaik, there is no ruling and why would it be a sin by not sharing Islamic posts etc. But somehow it bothers me. My question might sound a bit (a lot more maybe) silly but whenever i pass an Islamic post without "sharing" it on facebook i feel kind of guilty. This has been bothering me for a while... I am not sinning by "not" sharing them right? Shukraan.



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

I don’t know where this ruling or opinion comes. We cannot make judgments in religious matters based on speculation or whimsical reasoning.

 

As for our duty to spread the message of Islam, we ought to do so through our character and interaction with people exposing them to the beauty of religion rather than preaching.

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It was mainly through their openness and peaceful interaction with people. That was the way Islam spread in most of those countries where Muslims are now in the majority without any soldier going there.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalamu alaikum. Why did the early generation Muslims attack non-Muslim lands? And as they did, is it incumbent upon us to attack all the lands with non-Muslim leaders? Jazakallahu khairan.



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

To answer this question, we ought to undertake a detailed research which goes beyond the limited scope of this forum. Therefore, all that I do here is to mention a few points worth remembering:

 

Islam is opposed to wars of aggression. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took up arms only in self-defense. He never initiated aggression: how can he do otherwise when Allah states in the Qur’an:

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“AND FIGHT in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression – for, verily, God does not love aggressors.” (Qur’an: 2: 190)

 

“PERMISSION [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged – and, verily, God has indeed the power to succour them.” (Qur’an: 22: 39)

1- Allah also forbids Muslims from attacking anyone who allows others to live in peace:

 

“Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them.” (Qur’an:4: 90)

“Hence, if they do not let you be, and do not offer you peace, and do not stay their hands, seize them and slay them whenever you come upon them: for it is against these that We have clearly empowered you [to make war].” (Qur’an: 4: 91)

 

2- We know for a fact that both the Sassanid and the Byzantine emperors not only acted aggressively – even sending assassins to murder the Prophet (peace be upon him); therefore, it is not right to conclude that Muslims went out to attack them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) never broke his pacts nor allowed attacking anyone who allowed him and his followers to live in peace.

 

3- Islam even as the objective historians testify did not force Islam on anyone; so the wars were not intended to spread Islam by force.

 

4- The speed with which Muslims were able to conquer the territories has always baffled historians, in spite of the fact their enemies outnumbered them. One of the credible explanations is the peoples welcomed them not as oppressors but as liberators.

 

5- Majority of people in the countries Muslims conquered remained non-Muslims for centuries, and the conversion to Islam took place gradually – the fact that strongly supports our thesis that Muslims did not invade the lands to spread Islam by the sword.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Hello brother, may his showers of glory and mercy be upon you. I want to know if a wife wishes not to accept talaq, will the talaq still be counted as per shariah? Will be much obliged if you can share the hadith verses as well



I would urge both of you to follow the proper procedure of divorce as ordained by the Shari’ah.

 

On this, let me cite here the answer by Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui:

 

“Divorce is the most hateful thing to Allah, but it is allowed (halal) only in the case of absolute necessity. If a couple tried their best to reconcile their differences, but they still could not agree and they found impossible to live with each other, then only in that case they should separate in a proper and decent manner. Divorce can be initiated by the husband or by the wife. The husband has the right to pronounce the words of divorce (talaq) to his wife. He can also give her a statement of divorce in writing. The wife can seek divorce from her husband throughkhul`, but if he refuses to grant her request then she can seek the dissolution of marriage through the court of law. The Shari`ah has not given the right to a woman to divorce her husband, because only the husband has all the financial obligations of the family. After divorce he will be responsible to provide her maintenance during her`iddahand if there are any children in the family then he will be responsible for their expenses. Thus to grant her that right equally with the husband while she has no financial obligation is unfair and unjust. The wife can, however, divorce her husband if her husband gave her that right either at the time of marriage or afterwards.

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A husband who wants to divorce his wife should use the words of divorce with full awareness after much thinking and consideration. Using the words of divorce in haste or anger is not right. The proper procedure is to give divorce when a woman is not pregnant and is not going through her monthly menstrual cycle. Divorce can take place by saying one time “I have divorced you” (talluqtuki) or “You are divorced” (anti taliq). After this the women should spend the time of her`iddah. During the period of`iddahthe husband can cancel his divorce and can resume the matrimonial relationship, but if it does not happen then the divorce takes effect and at the end of the`iddahperiod their marriage ends. There is no need to repeat the words of divorce more than once. Even one divorce is sufficient to terminate the relationship.

 

The provision of the second and third divorce is given for a husband who divorces his wife one time and then cancels his divorce, but then after sometime changes his mind and divorces her again second time. Then he changes his mind and resumes the relationship and then again after that he divorces her. The Shari`ah says that now this relationship should end. Marriage is a serious matter. One cannot keep divorcing one’s wife and returning her back. After the third divorce he cannot take her back. The third divorce is called the “irrevocable divorce” (talaq mughallaz). The wife now becomes forbidden to her husband completely. She cannot go back to this husband who has divorced her three times, unless she marries another person who out of his own free will divorces her and then after the`iddahshe and her previous husband want to remarry. This is calledhalalahin the language of the Shari`ah. This rule is given by the Shari’ah to reduce the occurrence of three divorces and to protect the honor of the woman.

 

Some people misuse this procedure out of ignorance or willingly. There are some people who think that the divorce (talaq) would not happen unless one makes the statement three times. There are others who repeat the words of divorce for emphasis and have no idea that this could be very serious. The jurists (fuqaha’) have discussed this issue for the last fourteen hundred years. There were some jurists who took the strict position that three divorces whether uttered at once or separately would be considered as three divorces. According to them, whether a person misused this right knowingly or unknowingly the affect would be the same. If some one uttered the words of divorce three times, then this would betalaq mughallazand his wife would become totally forbidden for him and they could not reconcile without ahalalah. There are, however, some other jurists who emphasize the role of will in marriage and divorce. They say that if the husband used three divorces intentionally as three, then they will be counted as three, but if he repeated the words in anger or to emphasize his point then this is one divorce and he will have the right to resume the relationship with his wife. I feel that the second position is closer to the spirit of the Shari`ah. I am pleased to see that there are now some Hanafi jurists also who are inclined to this position. There were fatwas issued to this effect by the `Ulama’ of Deoband and Nadwa in India as well the `Ulama in Saudi Arabia.

 

The issue of a divorce given in anger is also important. The basic rule is that divorce must be uttered with full consciousness and without any coercion. If a person pronounced the words of divorce to his wife, in a fit of anger, while he lost all control over himself or due to the influence of intoxicants which he sinfully consumed, or he was forced by someone else to do so, then in all these cases his words of divorce are null and void and have no effect. In conclusion, let me say that Muslims must protect their family life and must avoid divorce as much as possible. If it becomes necessary to have divorce then use the Islamic methods and procedures. Obviously we cannot give all the details here. Those who need more information they should consult special books on this subject or speak to those who are knowledgeable.”

 

If your husband has followed proper procedure then your divorce is valid. If not, then it is not valid.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

A alaikum. I got married in the year 2015 before my marriage my parents and in laws had a discussion regarding will my parents buy a new house for daughter I'n law my parents told them that she should reside us in our house after a period of 2 years we will buy a new house my wife came to my house every thing was going smooth after 8 months my wife got pregnant and my mother in law really became abusive that your father has promise for a new house he should now buy a house my father agreed and later told that we will buy a new house but my mother in law demanding that her daughter name as a nominee in house but my father told them as its my money and I am buying it I will be the owner and my son will be nominee but my in laws told that we will not send our daughter unless her name in nominee my father told them it's up-to you to decide and send your daughter. Previously my in laws have been very disrespectful to my parents they have really abused my father and mother and my mother in law sister have beaten once my mother also so my father told them it's up-to them to send there 10 months back I was blessed with us a son my father told them u should send daughter to my house they rejected and became abusive so my father told me they are not willing to show some politness later my father was really disappointed after all this. Actually we are middle class family and my father has a shop and two flat but due to financial instability we sold our one flat but gave my mother in law assurance that later we will buy a flat in a year but they are too much Demanding and and hurting us mentally



I would urge you to speak to settle your dispute through arbitration. If what you allege about your wife’s family is true, they are certainly aggressive and unreasonable in their demands. However, only a third party can settle the dispute amicably.

 

I would urge you to get everyone involved to agree to a panel and seek fair arbitration based on sound Islamic principles. Perhaps you may enlist the support of the wise and knowledgeable people in your community.

 

In the meantime continue to pray to Allah. Never give up offering this supplication:

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Rabbanaa hab lanaa min azwaajinaa wa dhurriyyaatinaa qurrata a’yunin wa ij’alnaa li al-muttaqeena imaman

 

(Our Lord, grant us true joy and comfort in our spouses and children and make us role models for those who are conscious (of You.)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Peace be upon you, I hate my sisters and one I really hate and she treats me bad and doesn't care about me so I don't as well. I tried in the past to try being nice and keep ties even though we live in same home I don't talk with them, I only send them weekly email saying Salam Alakium with a Hadith of the prophet just to keep ties and keep in mind we live in same home. My other sister I only talk if I need something like are you done with the computer but no real conversation, I got cancer at age 14 - 11 years ago and I still have symptoms and one sister did things which showed me she doesn't care and I hate her, I just do. So is sending email although we live in same home enough for keeping family ties prophet ordered- one never ever replies to email and other does once in a while. One of them is better the other and the one I hate less is because my tooth broke which was her fault 15 years ago and I fixed it and it recently fell out and instead of caring and being willing to pay for it or at least show she cares she started to avoid me and didn't want to take responsibility and she said something recently which made me sad and offended me. I make lots of dua and most important ones I ask are not coming true, is weekly email enough to keep requirement of family ties - I tried a lot to fix relation in the past and I bought gift and small cards etc for one sister who relation is really bad and it's hopeless, is it enough weekly email to do the requirement of family ties. I am tempted to stop even that I am doing that for Allah only.



Fostering ties of kinship is an important duty enjoined upon us in the Qur’an. Allah says, “O mankind! Be conscious of your Lord, who has created you out of a single soul, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!”  (An-Nisaa’: 4: 1)

 

Allah also warns us against severing ties of kinship.  It is reckoned as one of the pet projects of Satan.  Therefore, to sever ties of kinship is a cardinal sin in Islam.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who severs the ties of kinship cannot enter paradise.”

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The Prophet (peace be upon him) further orders us to foster ties of kinship, even if the other party is not interest in doing so.  He said: “Fostering the ties of kinship does not mean simply reciprocating kindness with kindness; rather it involves fostering relations even with those who are severing them.”

 

It is, therefore, imperative that as Muslims, we must do our best to forge ties with members of our family-regardless of whether they are friendly to us or not. One of the Prophet’s companions asked him, “I have kinsmen who continue to mistreat me even though I continue to treat them good. This being the case, am I allowed to cut relations with them? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “Certainly not. Rather you ought to continue being good to them in spite of what they do to you. You will continue to be under the protection of God as long as you do so. As for them, they are exposing themselves to God’s fire because of their actions.”

 

In conclusion: I urge you to make up with your siblings irrespective of what they have done to you.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Some people say that it is similar to pig. Pl. give me suggestions.



The issue you raised should be of primary concern for all Muslims who care about the ethics of animal slaughter in Islam.

 

Unfortunately, most Muslims have reduced it to a ritual having no regard for the values or principles. They think as long we are slaughtering the animals with Bismillah everything else is fine.

 

The way we raise chickens commercially today violates some of the fundamental teachings of Islam. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that all of God’s creatures, little or big, living in the land or sea are communities like us.

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In other words, God has created them to live a dignified life living in communities and sharing the planet earth with us. They have rights to enjoy God’s blessings even as we have rights.  The fact that we are allowed to kill them for food in no way means that we can abuse them by depriving them of their freedom and right to life:  breathing fresh air, the sunshine, and regular cycle of life.

 

Furthermore, the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah are emphatic on condemning all types of torture and abuse of animals.

 

Therefore, Muslims who speak of ‘halal’ end up exaggerating the ritual slaughter to the detriment of the Islamic ethics governing the treatment of animals.

 

I, therefore, can very well relate to the concerns expressed by your friend.

 

So, those who refuse to eat such chickens are standing on firm grounds.

 

Having said this, however, I would not go as far as considering eating these chickens as wholly haram; for such a judgment we ought to refer the issue to the World Council of Muslim Jurists.

 

In the meantime, we may do well to stay away from such chickens as best as we can.

 

Let us remember the words of Imam Malik when he asked: Are we allowed to eat the meat slaughtered by the Christians in the name of Jesus or their church. He said, “I would not like to eat it; but I do not say: it is haram!”

 

I pray to Allah to guide us to discern the soul and spirit of Islam rather than stagnating on the letter.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I would say I feel surprised seeing other girls talking about relationship with the opposite sex and marriage as a thing of joy, the truth is, I never found any male worthy of my likeness or so call love. I always have this feeling of marriage been a burden. At 25, I still have not seen any man I will like to spend the rest of my life with. I feel unhappy anytime I'm being asked about marriage issue. The fact is that I know I must get married because of my religious , celibacy is not allowed in Islam after all. I have tried so many times to be like other young girls, trying out relationships but as soon as I accept the offer/proposal, I instantly detest the guy and always feel irritated. What I will like to be is prohibited in my religion. I have to get married but the truth is I don't want to because I never see any guy/ man as worthy and important. My write up is as complicated as I am right now... Still many things left unsaid.



Perhaps you are having unrealistic expectations about your marriage partner. Since there is no ideal man or ideal woman, one has to consider the most important criteria for choosing a marriage partner and overlook the rest.

 

Be honest and recognize the fact that you are not perfect; likewise, you cannot expect the man you choose to marry to be perfect.

 

That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him): “If a person with sound faith and character proposes to marry him; otherwise you are paving the way for corruption in the land.”

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If you find yourself always rejecting men without much thought or consideration and cannot explain reasons why you do so, then you may do well to speak to a specialist. Perhaps your physician can refer you to one. You may have some phobia or emotional scars related to your early childhood.

 

As for the Islamic view whether marriage is obligatory for everyone, I cannot do any better than citing here one of my previous answers:

 

“Although marriage is generally considered a highly recommended act, yet from the point of view of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence)—because of diverse circumstances—it can readily fall into one of the four categories listed below: Fard (obligatory) or mustahabb (recommended) or haram (forbidden) or simply halal (permitted).

 

Marriage is considered fard (obligatory) if a person is so tormented by sexual desire that he/she fears falling into the sin of fornication. Since staying away from fornication is obligatory, and since marriage is the only avenue for legitimate sexual satisfaction, it becomes obligatory on such a person to get married. This is based on the principle in jurisprudence that says: “If an obligatory thing cannot be fulfilled except by fulfilling another, then fulfilling the latter becomes equally obligatory.”

 

If, however, he or she is not so tormented by sexual desire, and, hence, there is no fear of falling into sin, then it is highly recommended to get married if one has the means to do so. By doing so, one is fulfilling one of the great Sunnahs of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), our perfect role model.

 

If a person knows for certain that he or she cannot fulfill the duties required in marriage, and there is no fear of his/her falling into sin, then it becomes haram for such a person to get married. Islam forbids us from doing injustice to another person; this would definitely be the case if one were to neglect his/her spousal duties.

 

If a person has no means to marry and is, therefore, incapable of fulfilling his spousal duties, but has strong desire, it is permitted for him to get married—provided he tries earnestly to seek an honest source of living. Allah has promised to help such a person. We must also add here a further note that the Muslim community has a duty to assist such people until such time that they become self-reliant.

 

If, however, no such measures are available, and a person finds himself unable to fulfill his spousal duties, he is advised to curb his desires through the discipline of fasting and other acts of sublimation.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalam o alaikum ,hope you are fine ,sir i am facing health problems for some time,i did medical but reports are always clear ,by using medicine i feel better ,but after some time my condition becomes more worse , someone told me it is evil eye superstition r something ,i do not feel confortable while sleeping ,i feel severe pain in body especialy headache, i can not focus my attentions , lose temper ,mood swings,i am losing weight nd many other problems ,can you please help me in sorting out all this ,is there any way to know why is all this happening to me,any vird or dua . thanks. May Allah bless you .



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

You should continue to seek professional treatment; how often do we find that what one or two physicians failed to diagnose is successfully diagnosed by another and then the patient gets the correct treatment and is cured!

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) orders us to seek treatments for our medical challenges for “Allah who sends down diseases also sends down cures.”

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You should not think that you are suffering because of black magic or evil eye. Rather you should turn to Allah – while seeking medical treatments – begging for His mercy.

 

Let me cite below some of the ways you can achieve immunity and protection from black magic and evil eye:

 

“Your best protection and immunity against black magic is by empowering yourself through practicing Islam, reading the Qur`an and making constant dhikr and du`a`.

 

Allah has promised the faithful that devils cannot exercise permanent control over those servants of Allah who have submitted to Him; Satan can exercise permanent control only over those who acquiesce and surrender themselves to his authority. Almighty Allah says: “Most certainly, My servants–you cannot exercise control over them except those who are deviant who follow you.”(Al-Hijr: 42)“Most certainly he (Satan) has no power over those who truly cherish faith and are trusting upon their Lord; rather his power is limited only to those who take him as a protector (besides God) and thus associate partners with Him.”(An-Nahl: 99-100)

 

The first and foremost requirement is to believe firmly that no one, however great his powers may be, can benefit or harm you except if Allah wills it. The Qur`an reminds us repeatedly that a true believer must believe firmly that Allah alone is the One Who can give us benefit or harm in an absolute sense; everything that befalls us from humans or other creatures is only secondary and is achieved only through the power derived from Allah; so the best remedy and cure is to continuously seek protection and refuge in Allah. Satan and all of his tricks and weapons could be defeated and rendered utterly ineffective if Allah wills.

 

I give below a number of selections of verses of the Qur`an anddu`a`which you can recite on a regular basis:

 

1) Al-Fatihah

2) Last three chapters of the Qur`an (i.e., Surahs 112, 113, 114)

3) Ayat al-Kursi (i.e., Al-Baqarah: 255)

Besides the above, repeat the following du`as on a regular basis both in the morning and evening three times or more:

1) Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma`a ismihi shay`un fi al-ardi wa la fi as-sama`i wa huwa as-sami`u al-`alim

(In the name of Allah; with His name, nothing whatsoever on earth or heaven can inflict any harm; He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing).

2) Hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illa huwa `alayhi tawakkaltu wahuwa rabbu al-`arshi al-`azhim

(Allah suffices me; there is no god but He; in Him I place my sole trust; He is the Lord of the mighty Throne).

3) Allaahumma ini a`duhu bika min hamazati ash-shayatin wa a`udhu bika rabbi an yahdurun

(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of Satan; my Lord, I seek refuge in You from their presence around me).

4) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhiru

(I seek refuge in Allah`s glory and power from the affliction and pain I experience and suffer from).

It is important to remember that du`a `and dhikr will only benefit when it comes from a heart that firmly believes in Allah, and thus cherishes firm conviction in Allah`s power and sovereignty.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamualaikum Brother !!! I`m helping my wife emotionally & financially to pursue her higher studies (Doctor profession) in Singapore and we together made this decision. I didn`t reliaze the later impact. Unfortunately, she is studying in a different country and i`m living in a different country to support my wife`s education & parents financially. For the past one year, it was very difficult for me to live alone and kept myselves busy praying, studying Quran, Sports etc and have to face the same situation for another 2 or 3 years. I`m thinking of to marry a second wife preferably a divorcee or aged women. Am i allowed to marry a second women for two or three years and get separated in a Mutual consent ?. i.e.. if i highlight in advance to the women before marriage that my intention is to marry only for divorce after 2 or 3 years. And, if she agrees. Is this marriage considered as halal? Kindly, advise. And, I`m aware that the marriage contract doesn`t specify any time period. May Allah swt forgive me and guide us to the straight path. Aameen



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

Marriage in Islam is a contract intended to form a life-long partnership; therefore it can never be with the intention of divorcing in a future date.

 

If you cannot live without a wife, then you should ask her to join you, or you should go and live with her.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

Alsalmualaykum I Just wanted to ask about something regarding Friday sermon (jumu`a). There is a mosque which near to where we live but the Imam has turned the Mimber into a political podium, and his sermons are very long with the duration of 35 to 50 ,so is it permissible for people to go to another mosque. Since that Imam says if you attend another mosque your Khotba won`t be accepted. Can i have some clarification about this. Your sincerely.



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

Jumu`ah khutbah is not intended to be a political sermon; rather it is primarily meant to inspire people spiritually and remind them of Allah, remembrance of death and standing before Allah for judgment.

 

So by devoting the khutbah to deal with the political issues, he is distracting people from the remembrance of Allah. He may do well to read the khutbas of the Prophet and the pious caliphs; however, the problem Muslims often face is that we have no shortage of people who perform such duties without proper training.

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So, in these circumstances, you are justified in going to another mosque where you will not be distracted by such sermons.

 

Allah says: O you who believe when the call to Prayer is sounded on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah, leaving behind you all other business; and remember Allah much so that you may succeed.”

 

According to eminent scholars, khutbah is meant to be a means of establishing remembrance of Allah. How can it be so when the preacher is giving a political lecture or speech.

 

Furthermore, khutbas should not exceed more than 20 minutes. The Prophet (peace be upon him) as his beloved wife Aishah tells us never gave lengthy sermons: rather his speeches were always and to the point so that at the end of the address people could retain the essential message and uplift themselves spiritually.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalam o Alaikum respected Ulama I need to ask if my husband offers his Qurbani and has currently bad financial status and i have no money of my own but i m Sahib e Nisaab , what i am supposed to do ? My jewelry is far away in my Home country , i cant sell it as its in locker and i have to be physically there while i m not there actually. Can husband offer Sacrifice on wife behalf? In normal circumstances if women has some amount of money just for her basic needs , should she do the Sacrifice on Eid ul Adha ? JazakAllah



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

If your husband is in a tight financial situation and cannot afford to offer sacrifice, then he is excused. You are not obligated to sell your jewelry to offer sacrifice.

 

Sacrifice –  as ruled by the majority of scholars –  is not an obligatory duty; rather it is only recommended. So, if anyone cannot afford to do it, he or she incurs no blame or sin. Allah does not impose duties that are beyond our ability or means to fulfill.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

As Salamu AlaikumAnd I have a friend who believes in hisaab He wants to get married but he went to imaam to ask him whether he is compatible with the girl. So the imam asked for her name and date of birth to determine compatibility and whether she would be a good wife. How she will be with him and his family. He also predicted that my friend would most likely remain unmarried because he won`t find anyone compatible to him. And my friend doesn`t know how he used names and date of birth to determine compatibility because imam went into different roomI told my friend that this is haraam in our religion because only Allah knows our future and this is no different than going to a fortune teller or believing in astrology and horoscopes and it`s clearly menationed in Islam that this is haraam because it`s associating with Allah but he doesn`t believe meAnd I`m very worried for himAnd I would like to know from knowledgeable person if this is allowed in Islam and please explain as well with what our Lord and Prophet (pbuh) said.Thank you



Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

        

This practice is nothing but pure superstition; the person who is practicing this is diluting Islam with pagan customs and practices.

 

Islam teaches us that no one knows the future or matters of unseen realities except Allah. Allah tells His Prophet to declare:

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“Say [O Prophet]: “It is not within my power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from, myself, except as God may please. And if I knew that which is beyond the reach of human perception, abundant good fortune-would surely have fallen to my lot, and no evil would ever have touched me. I am nothing but a warner, and a herald of glad tidings unto people who will believe.” (Qur`an: 7: 188)

 

“Say [O Prophet]: “I do not say unto you, `God`s treasures are with me,`; nor [do I say], `I know the things that are beyond the reach of human perception`; nor do I say unto you, `Behold, I am an angel`: I but follow what is revealed to me.”  Say: “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal?  Will you not, then, take thought?”  (Qur`an: 6: 50).

 

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) never allowed anyone to claim that he knew what would happen in the future. He was once attending a wedding where girls were singing. When they saw the Prophet (peace be upon him), they added these lines: “among us is a prophet who knows what happens tomorrow!” Upon hearing the words, he told them to cut them out and continue saying what they were saying before!

 

Therefore, those who claim to know the future or claim whose marriage will succeed and whose marriage will fail, are arrogating to themselves the power and knowledge of Allah: Therefore they are guilty of shirk.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalaamu a`laikum. I`m preparing now for my board exam next week and I`m thinking on fasting for this dhull hijjah blessed days especially on it`s 9th day. But on that day also is my exam day. I am now confused if I will fast during the exam day because I`m afraid I will not be able to focus during my exam. I want some advise what to do best? Fast or not to fast on that day of arafah which is the exact day of my board exam.? Thank you I hope you get my point. Sorry for wrong grammar.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

If you have an exam and you find it hard to fast you may skip the fast; if you wish you may make it up later.

Fasting on the Day of `Arafah is not obligatory – albeit strongly recommended. Therefore, if you find it hard for you to prepare for your exam while fasting, you incur no sin.

 

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Almighty Allah knows best.

I have recently found out I have a half-brother (related through my father). He lives in a poor country and is poor. I met him gave him gifts and money. I was born in the U.K. And so have a better life than him. I feel guilty but isn`t that destiny.My husband seems to think that if that was his brother he would bring him over how ever I feel that would distress my other siblings as they are unaware of the situation. What is my Islamic responsibility towards him? I would help anyone however at times I feel he just wants money rather than kinship?



Fostering the ties of kinship is a most excellent deed in Islam. So, you should try to connect with your half-brother and help him as much as you can. However, you should never spoil him.  It is what we learn from the Prophet`s examples:  While helping people who came to him for help, he always taught them to be self-reliant. He once told a man to go and collect dry wood from the forest and sell them and earn a living by the sweat of his labor.

 

They say: it is better to teach a man how to fish rather than giving him a fish.

 

So, never allow your brother to be lazy solely depending on your handouts; rather he should learn to find an independent source of livelihood.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalamualaikum. Are there any specific duas or Surahs that should be recited by the mother during pregnancy.Your help is much appreciated Jzk.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

There are no prescribed prayers to be offered; therefore, you may use any of the standard Du`as to invoke the mercy of Allah for a smooth delivery.

 

Let me mention some of the Du`as and readings you may use freely:

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1 Read Fathiah and the last three surahs of the Qur`an

Then read the following du`as

 

Yaa hayyu yaa qayyoom bi rahmatika asthagheeth

 

(O the Ever Living One, the Source of all beings, I invoke Your mercy and help)

 

Laa ilaaha illaa antha subhaanaka innee kunthu mina al-zzalimeen

 

(There is no god but You; glory be to You; I am one of those who have wronged their souls; so help me!)

 

Allaahumma laa sahla illaa maa ja`althahu sahlan wa antha taj`alu al-hazana idhaa shi`tha sahlan

 

(O Allah, nothing is easy unless You make it easy; You can make a difficult task easy if You wish; so make this task easy for me)

 

Allaahumma innee as`aluka bi asmaa`ika al-husnaa an tuyassira lee wa thudhhiba anee al-adha wa taj`ala lee min amree Yusra

 

(O Allah, I call upon You by invoking Your most beautiful names to make this matter easy for me and remove all hardship and bring me ease and comfort)

 

Rabbi yassir walaa tu`assir wa tammim bil-khayri

 

(My Lord, make it easy for me and don`t make it hard for me)

 

You may continue to read the following

 

Subhaana Allaah al-hamdu lilaah laa ilaaha illa Allah Allahu akbar wa laa hawla walaa quwwatha illaa billaahi

 

(Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is Great; there is no power or strength except by the will of Allah).

 

I pray to Allah to make it easy for you and bless you with a healthy offspring who would be an asset and joy for you and your family.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Is it compulsory slaughtering animals during Ramadan.



There is no ritual slaughter of animals in Ramadan. I don`t know where this question arises.

 

If, however, you mean to ask whether Muslims ought to perform ritual sacrifice in `Eid al-Adha then the answer is: it is not obligatory but only highly recommended for those who can afford to do so.

 

The purpose of which is to commemorate the sacrifice of the great Prophet Ibrahim, offering thanks to Allah, feeding the poor and destitute and celebrating the Feast of sacrifice.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamu alaikum.Now-a-days, every TV show & movie contain women characters. In those, women are not dressed up according to Islamic rulings.My question is, is it prohibited to enjoy such TV shows & movies when one doesn`t feel any type of sexual desire towards them? For example, nobody feels sexual desire to a female news reader or reporter while listening TV news.Jazakallahu khairan.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

Watching TV shows or movies containing nudity (and propagating vices) is haram; for we are accountable for all of our actions including what we see, hear, speak or do:

 

“On that Day when their tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them by [recalling] all that they did!” (An-Nur 24:24).

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“And never concern thyself with anything of which thou hast no knowledge: [45] verily, [thy] hearing and sight and heart – all of them – will be called to account for it [on Judgment Day]!” (Al-Israa 17: 36)

 

Therefore, we ought to refrain from such frivolities.

 

While saying this, I am not offering a blanket ruling against watching TV or movies altogether; for these are powerful media for promoting virtue and education; therefore, it is like any medium, the goodly use of it is good, whereas the wrong use is sinful.

 

A Muslim before venturing on any task may do well to ask: Is this something I will have to give the account before my Lord on the Day Judgment?

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

AssalamualaikumI am in a society were almost 90% are Muslims. The builder has used full FSI. My neighbor has a garden space which can be used as garden. No construction is possible there legally, but my neighbour constructed only ground floor with tin roof 3 years ago. Last year, he made his mind to build double storey (Ground+1) masjid although we have five masjids in the Radiohead of one kilometre. The masjid never gets filled except on jumma or in Ramzan. So the construction of double storey masjid (Ground+1) was not necessary.My flat is at 3rd floor, and the Ground + 1 masjid will not pose me any difficulty, so I didn`t objected. As the construction was going on they changed their plan and constructed Ground+2 floors. I objected and put an application in the society office to stop the construction due to which my personal privacy is affected and the outside view as well as the chances of robbery will affect us badly as the masjid is( which is not still waqf(not dedicated to the Muslim Ummah)) an inch away from my window. We tried to settle the matter amicably but they didn`t act as per settled matter. But they were trying to buy the time. I was compelled by the circumstances to register my complaint with the Pune Municipal Corporation authorities. They came to the site visit and issued stop construction notice, but the owner refused to accept it . They pasted it on the wall and took photographs of the illegal structure. They have replied me that they have no available police protection to demolish the above mentioned masjid. Since last year I`m not pursuing the matter with the authorities in a hope to prevail the good sense to the defaulter to settle the case and to protect our concern.I request you that the defaulter who was society chairman entrusted to stop any illegal construction activity or anything adverse as per society laws but he compromised with his position and he himself broke the law and as our neighbour he posed us in a very awkward position and played with our privacy.I request you to suggest us is it legal to break the rule of the land and construct masjid when it`s need is not necessary? Can masjid be built which pose lot of hindrance to its neighbour just like me and expose my flat to thief`s for robbery without any hardship? Is the defaulter right or are we on the fault to fight for our rights against oppressor?Your valuable decision is awaited. I request you to please give the references and fatwa if any pertaining to whatever decisions you take.Jazakallahu Khair.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

The man has violated the law of the land as well as the sacred law of Islam by building a mosque in this way. As such, Muslims should not go and pray in it; rather they should continue praying in the city mosque in the proximity.

 

If what you allege is true then this `masjid` is not built on a foundation of piety; rather it resembles the Masjid al-dirar (fake or evil mosque built by the hypocrites in Madinah without the sanction of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

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“And [there are hypocrites] who have established a [separate] house of worship in order to create mischief, and to promote apostasy and disunity among the believers, and to provide an outpost for all who from the outset have been warring against God and His Apostle. [142] And they will surely swear [to you, O believers], “We had but the best of intentions!” – the while God [Himself] bears witness that they are lying.” (At-tawbah 9: 107)

 

In light of these, the brother is advised to pull down this `masjid` since it violates both the secular and religious laws.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I was married while I was seven months pregnant! My first question is my marriage valid? Secondly, I separated with my husband soon after the baby was born. He doesn`t provide for the child or me. It has been 8 years of separation and now I want a divorce but he doesn`t want to give me. What should I do?



If you repented and married, then your marriage is valid.

 

If your husband is neglectful of his duties, you are allowed to seek a divorce from him. If he refuses to grant you a divorce, you are allowed to go to the court to get a legal divorce.

 

Allah prohibits husbands from keeping their wives as if they were prisoners: neither treating them in a dignified manner as spouses nor releasing them honorably from marriage bond.

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As I can figure out from your question, your husband is keeping you as a prisoner. Therefore, you are justified in divorcing him.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalam Aleikum Dear Scholar.I have been volunteering in a Christian Organisation for quite some time and just last year i was offerd employement and now i am doing my 2nd Year Contract. Being a Muslim and working for a Christian organisation has been not bring any confict With my faith as a muslim as i have not been asked or forced to do anything against my faith. Does my faith allow this. I have asked several Imams in my community but i end up getting vague answers. Asalam aleikum



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

I assume that your job as an employee involves rendering social services such as helping the poor and distressed. And it has nothing to do dispensing religious rituals or propagating Christianity; if so, then there is no need for you to worry. You should continue the work and expect rewards from Allah.

 

Allah enjoins us to work with everyone for promoting virtue and acts of compassion.  Allah says: “And cooperate on virtue and piety and do not cooperate on vice and aggression.”

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The Qur`an conjoins rendering acts of compassion and helping the poor and needy with Prayer while considering those who neglect such duties as rejecters of faith.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I participated in a pact of virtue in Jahillah for restoring justice ….and aiding the oppressed; if  called to join a similar mission in Islam, I would gladly rush to it — regardless of who initiates it.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

I reverted to Islam and learned Salat from the local masjid, later I thought it would be a good idea to follow a school of thought so I would have a good reference point, instead of just relying only on random opinions from various individuals ( although I do appreciate their help). My question is: do I have to re learn and do Salat according to that figh or is it possible to follow a school of thought but not necessarily follow their slight differences in prayer styles?



The basic format of Salah is more or less the same in all of the authentic schools of jurisprudence; the differences are mostly on issues that are not the integrals of Salah.

 

Therefore, you are allowed to pray following any of them. However, it is best that you study the school under a scholar who is qualified to teach it.

 

As for the question whether a Muslim is bound to follow a single school in all matters, it is a contentious issue.

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The best I can do here is to cite one of my earlier answers:

“The answer to your question is not so black and white as some people may think. Let me attempt to explain my view as follows:

 

1-  In regard to the principles of Islam that are self-evident in the sources, no one is required to follow anyone but the Law-giver Himself; for example, this is the case on issues such as the obligation to pray, give zakah, fast, make the pilgrimage. Likewise, we do not need an expert to tell us about the heinous nature of the cardinal sins clearly forbidden in the sources.

 

2- The question of following a madhhab (school of jurisprudence) comes only in regard to issues of fiqh where things are not self-evident in the sources. Therefore, one needs to rely on the experts. In this case, again, the issue is not black and white –it all depends about whom one is referring to.

 

3- It is said,` a common man has no madhhab`, for his madhab is that of his teacher or mufti. For what is required of him to do is to rely on those who are more knowledgeable than him. Since he possesses no knowledge to base such a decision on, it would be wrong for him to say I am a hanafi or shafi`i or hanbali or maliki. To do so is not different from someone saying I am a writer, I am a doctor, etc., without any knowledge in such areas.

 

4- But, I must qualify what I said above by stating what some scholars like Imam Shah Waliullah said: Since Islam reached the people in various parts of the world through scholars, following various schools, people conveniently identify themselves as hanafites, shafi`ites, malikites, etc. For instance, people in South India (especially Kerala) generally consider themselves as shafi`ites, even as those from North India often prefer to call themselves as hanafites, albeit there are still exceptions to this rule.

 

5- Madhab, however, effectively comes into the picture when a person is embarking on the study of fiqh. Since no one starts with comparative jurisprudence, they start the study with a text from a specific school. It is, therefore, inconceivable at this stage for anyone to choose another school, of which he has hardly any knowledge.

 

6- A person who is thus exposed only to a single school cannot be considered an expert in fiqh. The adage goes,` whoever is not aware of divergences of views in regard to fiqh, they did not even smell fiqh`. In other words, to know fiqh is to know the differences of jurists, along with the evidence.

 

7- Once a person has advanced to this level of knowledge, where he is exposed to comparative jurisprudence and thus is aware of differences of opinion, he is not bound to follow a single madhhab in every single issue he is faced with. He may choose the views of authorities or jurists whose rulings are the strongest, or more relevant to a specific situation, or more understandable to him, as he is not expected to recommend an opinion, if he is not quite sure of its rationale. Scholars have said, `No one is allowed to give fatwa by our ruling, unless he is sure of our evidence`.

 

8- Having said this, I must still remove a misconception. A person who does so must still follow the authorities, for knowledge must always be based on sound methodology.  Thus a person who is aware of the divergences of views would still be following the authorities as he cannot follow his own whims; he can only offer advice or rulings following the acceptable methodology and rules of fatwa.

 

9- Lastly, if a scholar were to simply parrot out the rulings as compiled in the books, on the pretext that he must follow a single madhhab in all cases, without regard to the milieu, and the specific circumstances of people, he ends up distorting rather than serving the shari`a. I must end this by citing an illuminative quote from Imam Ibn al-Qayyim:

 

“Whoever issues rulings to the people merely on the basis of what is transmitted in the compendia despite differences in their customs, usages, times, conditions and the special circumstances of their situations has gone astray and leads others astray. His crime against the religion is greater than the crime of a physician who gives people medical prescriptions without regard to the differences of their climes, norms, the times they live in, and their physical conditions but merely in accordance with what he finds written down in some medical book about people with similar anatomies. Such is an ignorant physician; the other is an ignorant jurisconsult but more detrimental.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalam alikum I was just wondering will a mother be allowed to see her daughter and female friends in jannah and will they be able to eat together around the table like the men and like a father seeing his son or will they be not allowed to see anyone else apart from their husbands because it says they only love their husbands so does that mean they will only see their husbands and not their female friends or daughters etc and not be allowed to leave there house like 55:72 or is this verse only for the houris and not the women of jannah and will the women be able to see and talk to the non murham men like now and will they be allowed to see the prophets and will men be allowed to see the female companions of the prophet and will men and women be allowed to eat together around the tables like now like husband and wife eating with their friends another husband and wife.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

Matters of heaven and hell belong to the realm of ghayb; as such they are wholly beyond rational cognition and understanding. Therefore, we are not allowed to speculate on such matters. All that we can say for sure in the light of revelation on this issue can be summed up in two points:

 

Heaven is where we find the fulfillment of all our dreams and wishes.

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We can infer from the authentic sources that we will unite with our dear ones in paradise. We will also enjoy the company of prophets and righteous people: our mentors and role models.

 

I do not wish to speculate beyond these two points.

 

We may do well to direct our energy and time to practical issues that are crucial for us and ensuring that we never sacrifice our salvation in the next world.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

My wife and I have AS genotype. The possibilities of having an Sickle cell child is worrisome. We don't wish to bring into life a child that will suffer from this obvious possibility. Can't we divorce based on this?



If both of you suffer from medical challenges and therefore you are afraid of passing on the disease to your offspring ,you may part ways honorably.

 

However,  since the divorce is the most hated of all permitted things, you should try to get the treatments that are available. If there is no hope, then you may divorce based on this valid reason.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

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How to convince a Christian that Bible is actually altered when they are not ready to accept a word from Quran or when they think Quran is made up by a man? And yes they are ready to believe in every word of Bible? I just want proofs that are out of Quran.



The Qur`anic statement that the Bible has been tampered with is proven by historical facts as we learn from Biblical scholars themselves.

 

As for the Jewish scriptures, they were burnt down at least three times in their entirety; each time they were put together from memory.

 

Internal examination of scriptures also reveals so many contradictions in the Old Testament:  To cite one example:

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Moses is considered the author of the first five books of the Bible; the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:24). Scholars ask:

 

How could Moses be the author of Deuteronomy when his obituary is also listed as the last chapter:

 

Deuteronomy 34:1–12

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan . . . . So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished…

 

As for the Christian scriptures, it is also a fact that they come from many different authors who wrote biographies of Jesus in different periods of history, and every author gave the title of Gospel: thus, gospel according to Mathew, Mark, Luke and John; these four were selected out of a greater number of such gospels; they were widely different from each other. It does not take a lot of imaginations to know that gospel revealed to Jesus cannot be but one; so, where is it in its original form.

 

I also wish to cite here an interesting observation made the late Professor Muhammad Hameedullah about the attempts of the Christian clergy of Germany to collate the ancient manuscripts of the Bible; since the original in Aramaic (the language of Jesus) is extinct, the oldest available Bible is in Greek, from which it has been translated into all the other language. Thus, they collected all the available manuscripts in the world and the report published after this global exercise stated, “Some two hundred thousand contradictory narrations have been found” and “of these one-eight are of an important nature.

 

As for the views of the modern academic scholars in regard to the forgeries, contradictions, and tampering  with the scriptures, you may refer to the works of  Professor Bart Ehrman; here are three of them:

Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart Ehrman

Jesus Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don`t Know About Them) by Bart Ehrman

Forged: Writing in the Name of God–Why the Bible`s Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are by Bart Ehrman

Professor Ehrman was a conservative evangelical Christian, who was driven by his religious zeal to study the history of the Bible; however, in the process of his life-long search after the truth, he has lost his faith!

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

This year, the `Eid will be next Friday. I am wondering if we can skip the Friday prayer.



Those who are coming to the city from the suburbs are excused from attending; all others should attend.

 

For details on this, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

 

“Jumu`ah is an essential symbol of Islam, which Muslims are obligated to establish, regardless of whether we have prayed `Eid Salah or not; `Eid is a sunnah, and, therefore, its performance does not or cannot absolve us from establishing Jumu`ah.

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However, while all schools of jurisprudence agree on the fact that we must establish Jumu`ah in spite of holding `Eid prayers, there is a difference of opinion among them on the issue, namely, whether everyone who has attended `Eid prayer needs to be present at the Jumu`as as well. While both Hanafi and Maliki schools unanimously assert that praying `Eid Salah does not lift the obligation from anyone of praying Jum`ah. They ask: How could a fard which has been mandated by the Qur`an be lifted by a sunnah? Both the Shafi and Hanbali schools, however, hold a different view: according to them, an exception is made to those who have performed `Eid Salah from skipping Jumu`ah. They base their position on certain reports transmitted from the Prophet, peace be upon him, which indicate that he did allow people to skip Jumu`ah if they wish to do so after having attended `Eid Salah. However, as explained by some scholars of the Shafi school, the above concession is especially granted for those who are coming to the city for `Eid Prayer from far away suburbs or villages, in which case, it may prove to be a real inconvenience for them to make another trip for Jumu`ah.

 

When seen in this light, it is best to look at this concession as it really is: Simply a concession granted to those who are otherwise burdened or inconvenienced from undertaking two separate journeys: It is, therefore, most reasonable to assert that one must not consider the above permission to skip Jumu`ah as a blanket permission for everyone. As one scholar has rightly put it, “it is best to attend it”, and even if, certain individuals were to make use of this concession, as a community we are held accountable in establishing the Jumu`ah.

 

The traditions that have been cited by scholars for granting the above concession are not at all of a status that can be considered as unquestionable: This fact has always remained a major point of contention in dividing the scholarly opinion on this issue. One of the most popular one, cited in this respect, is that reported by Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, which states that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “In this day two `Eids have fallen concurrently, so if anyone wishes to skip the Jumu`ah he may do so, but we are holding the Jumu`ah anyway.” The hadith belongs to the category of mursal traditions, and, therefore, does not belong to the category of a well attested tradition of the first degree. However, after having examined the various isnads and similar reports on the issue, Imam Ibn Hajar has concluded that the above report can be considered as being worthy of citation.

 

In conclusion, the special permission to skip the Jumu`ah granted to those who have prayed `Eid Salah on Friday, is simply an exception given to individuals, and not a general directive issued to the community to cancel the Jumu`ah Salah. Jumu`ah must be held and the Imam is held accountable for it. In such contentious issues, as has been rightly pointed out by one scholar, the safest route to follow is to make use of this allowance only when someone is facing a genuine inconvenience or hardship.

 

We must never lose sight of the fact that Jumu`ah is an important symbol of Islam, and, hence we are obliged to treat it with due reverence.

 

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can women offer `Eid al-Adha prayer?



`Eid is a celebration for all Muslims; since women are an integral part of the community they are not only allowed to participate rather they are encouraged to do so.

 

This is what we learn from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Umm `Atiyyah tells us that the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us to bring women – including those who are not allowed to pray – to the place of Prayer. He said, “Let them witness the virtue and the great assembly while staying away from offering ritual prayer.”

 

For details, I would like to cite one of my earlier answers:

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`Eid Prayer must be performed in congregation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered women of all ages, including those who were menstruating, to come out for `Eid gathering, even though it is well known that those who are menstruating are not supposed to pray.

 

Therefore, his intention was to stress that no one should be prevented from participating in the joyous experience and celebration of `Eid.

 

Therefore, there is no doubt that women should come out for `Eid Prayer to the masjid if it is held in a mosque. That is the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

 

To bar women from praying in the mosque goes directly against the explicit and categorical statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for he said, “Do not bar the maids of Allah from attending mosques of Allah.”

 

As for `Eid, the Prophet’s ideal practice was to hold the Prayer not inside mosque, but in an open space. He did so in order to facilitate for the largest number of people to attend the `Eid Prayer and listen to the sermon.

 

Thus, we read in the authentic report from Umm `Atiyyah (may Allah have mercy on her) that “the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to bring out every woman, including those who were menstruating, in order to witness things that are beneficial for them and the mammoth congregation of Muslims.”

 

In conclusion: You are supposed to pray `Eid Prayer only with the jama`ah (in congregation). You should do so even if it is held in a mosque; however, you should pray only if you are eligible to pray. May Allah bless us all to reap the benefits of `Eid, and may He grant us success and felicity in both worlds, amen.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Is it possible to send the udhiyah outside my home country?



Indeed you are allowed to send it outside your home country if there is a greater need for it outside.  I would say this would be the case in North America and the West and even some of other developed countries where people regularly consume meat, while the people like refugees or war torn countries or even the so called third world countries crave for meat and they often look forward to the sacrifice.

 

Having said this, we must rush to add: we should never forget the needy and destitute in our home country for not everyone can afford to buy meat. Many are on welfare, or unemployed or students who crave meat, and hence would benefit from the sacrifice.

 

Therefore, we ought to balance the two: so while some people offer sacrifice at home others can make arrangements for sacrifice overseas where there is a greater need.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

Can we give udhiyah to war victims?



We are certainly allowed to do so.

 

I would even go a step further and say it would be better for us to allocate a major portion of sacrifices where they are in greater need.

 

People in North America and the West are overfed; they suffer from various complications due to excessive meat consumption. Whereas the refugees and most individuals in the war torn countries and the developing world often suffer from malnutrition and protein deficiency as they cannot afford meat.

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So, our priority should be to ensure that they are taken care.  You may entrust the money for sacrifice to the reputable relief agencies such as Islamic Relief or Human Concern International who specialize in this area – unless you can do it yourself or you have relatives or friends who can do it on your behalf.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can I offer udhiyah for my unable parents?



Do you mean to ask whether you can offer sacrifice on behalf of your parents who cannot afford to do so, the answer is definitely yes.

 

However, if they are living with you as dependents, then you can simply offer one sacrifice on behalf of the entire family.

 

We have precedents for this in the practice of the Prophet’s companions. We learn from the sources that they used to sacrifice a single goat or lamb on behalf of the entire household.

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If however, your question is whether you can offer the meat of the sacrifice to your poor parents the answer is again yes.

You can set aside a part of the meat to feed your family and relatives, and neighbors and give the rest to the poor.

 

Some recommend giving half of the meat to the poor while using the rest for the family, neighbors, and friends.

Imam Ahmad, however, suggests dividing it into three parts: One part for his family; another for his relatives and neighbors, and the other third to the poor.

 

Having said this if someone wants to give the entire meat to the poor that would also be fine.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I am wondering if we can give non-Muslims from the meat of the udhiyah?



If non-Muslims are poor, we can give them the meat of the Udhiyah. Feeding the poor is one of the most virtuous deeds in Islam. Allah links prayer with caring for the orphans and feeding the poor.

 

Furthermore, we are told that those who neglect such duties are akin to those who reject faith. In other words, there is no room in Islam for rituals for the sake of rituals; rituals to be acceptable must lead to compassionate behavior and living.

 

Having said this, I must also point since `Eid al-Adha consists of four days of feasting and celebration, and therefore, we must always pay due attention to ensuring that the poor Muslims are helped to celebrate their `Eid fittingly.

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Almighty Allah knows best.