Queries

 

Marriage of Adulterers and Adulteresses

 

Question: Would you be able to explain this Qur’anic verse to me?

 

Let no man guilty of adultery marry but a woman similarly guilty, or a polytheist; nor let any such a woman marry but a man similarly guilty or a polytheist; to the believers such a thing is forbidden. (24:3)

 

Does the above verse mean that a man or woman who has committed adultery in his or her life cannot marry at all? What happens to the single woman who is equally guilty?

Answer: Before I answer your question, let me point out that since Islam wants to build a society on the institution of family, it greatly protects this institution from everything that has the potential to disrupt it. Therefore, it prohibits fornication and adultery and regards them as punishable offences. It subscribes certain punishments for a man or a woman guilty of fornication oradultery. Part of this punishment is that such people cannot but marry either among themselves or among those who subscribe to idolatry. The wording of the verse clearly forbids marriage with chaste Muslims.

However, what needs to be clearly understood is that this punishment pertains only to fornicators andadulterers(both male and female) who have become liable to punishment once their crime has been proven by court evidence. This punishment is not to be given to people who have committed this crime but whose matter has not been bought before the court. As a matter of principle also, it needs to be appreciated that only the State is authorized to punish a person if it finds that he or she is guilty of a crime.

So if a married man who is proven guilty of adultery wants to marry again, he can then only marry an adulteress or a fornicatoror a polytheist; similarly, the single lady who is proven to have committed adultery or fornicationcannot marry a chastebeliever. She can only marry an adulterer or a polytheist.

It also needs to be appreciated that the temperament of Islam is that in sins that do not relate to the violation of a party’s rights, the Almighty does not like that a criminal confess to his crime himself or that those who are aware of his crime report this matter to the authorities. If a person is of lewd and loose character, his misdoings may need to be reported, but if he has a morally sound reputation, Islam wants that even if he has faltered, his crime should be concealed and he should not be disgraced in the society.

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said:

 

He among you who gets involved in such filth should hide behind the veil stretched out for him by Allah; but if he unfolds the veil, we shall implement the law of Allah upon him. (Mu’atta, Kitabu’l-Hudud)

 

Similarly, he once told a person:

 

If you had hidden the crime of this [person], it would have been better for you. (Mu’atta, Kitabu’l-Hudud)

 

 

Cannot the Indebted Perform H~ajj?

 

Question: I have heard that we cannot perform H~ajj if we have outstanding bills and loans. I live in Karachi these days and formerly was in Sialkot. I learnt tennis there and thereafter was posted to Karachi. I forgot to pay my tennis coach his fees and now its really difficult for me to go there and pay him his money. The other thing is that I did lots of childish things with friends and we also used to pinch things from our school canteen. I feel very guilty and depressed when I remember all these things. And what’s more, I still keep on sinning and sometimes, as a result, do not feel like praying. Also, I have some student loan in my name. However, my parents want to take me to H~ajj. Now I want to know what I should do. Should I refuse or should I clear my dues first?

Answer: That persons in debt cannot perform H~ajj is not a correct opinion. If you have to pay outstanding dues such as the ones you have referred to, and you are getting the chance to go to H~ajj, do not loose it. At the most, write the exact amount and other details in a will document saying that if you (God forbid) do not return then such and such an amount should be paid to these people.

We must also remember that none of us can live without blemishes; the sins done after maturity and the pranks done in childhood are a common feature of every person’s life. Muslims are not expected to lead sinless lives; they are required to repent sincerely and ask forgiveness from the Almighty whenever they sin. Also, one must never loose a chance of earning reward and asking for the Almighty’s mercy. Sins should not stop us from praying or fasting – and certainly not from H~ajj, for the opportunity might not come again. I think that Satan’s last and most effective weapon to lead a person astray is to make him feel frustrated and to make him loose hope from Allah’s mercy. This is what one should not succumb to, and the moment this element of frustration creeps in, one should realize that the Almighty is Ever-forgiving. Even to the subscribers of polytheism, He gives the following glad tidings:

 

Tell them [O Prophet]: O my slaves who have wronged their souls [by polytheism], despair not of the mercy of Allah who forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (39:53)

 

One must remember that polytheism is the gravest sin a person can commit; if the Almighty can forgive it as a result of true repentance, he can forgive all others; the only thing is that we should keep repenting sincerelyeven if we commit the same sin over and over again.

 

 

The Honey Bee and Divine Revelation

 

Question: Is Wahi (Divine revelation) sent only to the Prophets by God Almighty? If so, then what does the following verse signify?

 

And your Lord has sent Wahi towards the honey bee... (16:68)

 

Answer: The word Wahi has a literal meaning and is also used as a term. It is used in the literal meaning (to put something in the mind) in the verse you have referred to. As a term, it is used in the Qur’an at many instances as you very well know. When used as a term, it means religious guidance provided by the Almighty to His messengers.

So one must try to determine when a word is used literally and when it is used as a term. Such variation in usage is very customary for many other Arabic words as well. Take the case of the word Zakah for example. As a term, it means a prescribed amount given in the way of Allah to obtain purity of heart and to obtain the blessings of Allah. Literally speaking, however, the word Zakah, in Arabic, has two meanings: ‘purity’ and ‘growth’. The words ‘purify them’ in the first and ‘people who will increase their wealth’ in the second verse of the Qur’an quoted below indicate these two meanings of the word:

 

Take alms from their wealth [O Prophet!] in order to cleanse them and purify them with it. (9:103)

 

And that which you give as loan on interest in order that it may increase on other people’s wealth has no increase with Allah; but that which you give as Zakah, seeking Allah’s countenance, it is these people who will increase their wealth [in the Hereafter]. (30:39)

 

In other words, in these two verses, the word Zakah is used in its two literal meanings and not used as a term.

So one must appreciate that all words that become terms are never stripped of their original literal meaning. The real thing is that one must be able to distinguish the difference in such usage. Consulting a good commentary or some scholar could always be of help on such occasions.

 

 

Gabriel and the Jews

 

Question: Gabriel is an angel. In the following verse, he is mentioned separately from the Angels. What is the reason for this?

 

Whoever becomes an enemy of Allah, and for His angels, and His Messengers, and Gabriel, and Mikail, thus truly Allah is enemy for disbelievers.  (2:98)

 

Answer: The word Gabriel is mentioned separately because the Jews showed great disregard to him and respected Michael. They are told that both are Allah’s angels and showing disrespect to one is like showing disrespect to all.

In the words of Abdu’l-Majid Daryabadi:

 

The Jewish conception is that Gabriel stands nearest to Michael but does not equal him in rank. (JE. V. p. 541)* , and is the ‘angel of heavenly vengeance and of fire’. (JE. I. p. 593)**. The Jews considered Michael to be their national guardian, and made a grievance of the agency of Gabriel who according to them was the messenger of wrath and punishment. It was Michael, they said, who was the messenger of peace and plenty. Hence, they proceeded thatthey must treat as spurious the revelation ascribed to the instrumentality of Gabriel. (Daryabadi, 1^st ed., vol. 1 [Karachi: Daru’l-Isha‘at, 1991] p. 64)

 

 

Avoiding Sexual Attractions

 

Question: It seems from your columns that the real object of Islam is to have a purified soul. However, the question is: From where should I start? I can break any idol, but so far as sex and women are concerned, I can never get out of this stuff. I am a doctor who prays regularly; I know when we dissect a breast, there is nothing down there but merely fat tissue; sometimes we are supposed to remove this fat to bring relief to the patient if it becomes cancerous. The vaginal vault contains many such bacteria as can’t exist anywhere else. Sexually transmitted diseases are horrible to look at. But despite all this knowledge, for the last 15 years, I have been trying to ignore sexual attractions and suppress my sexual urge and have used every possible measure to curb it, but, truly speaking, I have failed. Although I have never made physical contact with women, yet I have really spoilt my mind, eyes and ears like anything. Marriage seems a long way off since I have three older sisters yet to be married. Please give me some advice on how to tackle my problem.

Answer: A sincere desire to overcome a problemis the first step towards solving it. Your sinceritywill, Insha Allah, one day open the doors of success to you if you keep on trying to solve the issue. So do not be over awed or feel dejected. Also, bear in mind the fact that Islam does not require that a person suppress the sexual urge for it is in the instincts; a person is only required to keep it within bounds and satisfy it in the right way.

Today almost every person is exposed to intense carnal attractions. The opportunities for evil to waylay a person have increased manifold and it seems to be extending its tentaclesfrom all sides. So long as marriage is not possible for you, the best thing is to divert your attention as much as possible through healthy entertainment and constructive activities. Here are some tips that might help you:

1. Fasting is a very affective to curb the sexual urge. So if you can keep fasts at intervals suited to your life and routine, this will hopefully help you a lot. Try keeping at least three consecutive fasts each month. During fasting, remind yourself that you are abstaining from food and sex for Allah’s sake, and keep deliberating upon the words of this prayer: ‘Lord for you I have abstained from this desire (for food). I could not have abstained without the strength you gave me. My Lord I am your humble and frail servant. Give me the strength to abstain from that desire as well, for I fear your wrath and seek your mercy’.

2. Another measure to control the sexual urge is to look for constructive activities; in particular, those that involve physical effort. One such activity, which usually works wonders, is getting involved in social and public welfare activities. Providing community service through one’s well-placed contacts is one way to start with for example. Being a doctor, you can start voluntary medical service, together with some of your colleagues, for the poor and needy around you. And you can even go to the nearby villages for this. Similarly, many other things can be thought of.

3. Try to develop a strong relationship with the mosque. Besides going there for prayer, just spend some time there in between prayers when there are few people around. You fill find a very special type of serenity and calmness during these times which will positively affect your spiritual being.

4. Develop the habit of visiting a nearby graveyard once a month. Just roam around there for a sometime and you will find yourself attached to the next world -- which is a strong way to divert your attention from carnal pleasures.

5. Although this may not be advisable for health reasons, at times you can relieve yourself through masturbation, which will at least give you temporary relief and save you from indulging in something grave.

 

 

Success and the Qur’an

 

Question: I am a born Muslim but am not able to answer convincingly the following query: Why are many Muslims, who pray regularly, not very successful in this world. Also, if one pursues one’s career, one often gets involved in worldly matters and looses much reward. So what should one do? After all we cannot just sit at home.

Answer: You see we must turn to the Qur’an for the definition of the word success. One’s own conception of success is of course no yardstick in religion.

The Qur’an is firm that real success is the success in the Hereafter:

 

He who is saved from Hell and admitted into Heaven indeed attained success. (3:185)

 

This world is just a transient prelude to the real life to come. The Qur’an says that this world in reality has not been made for rewarding a person for every good deed or punishing him in this world for a bad deed in his span of life. It is only in the Hereafter that results will trulybe in conformity with the deeds done. A person who is a sincere seeker of the truth, whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim, will attain success in the world to come.

The other thing that needs to be understood is that Islam wants its adherents to live a profound life in this world by doing whatever they can for its betterment. However, they must always give priority to the requisites of the Hereafter. If they have to choose between good and evil, they must always strive to choose good. Other than this, they must strive to contribute to make this world a better place by producing good scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers and the like to become leaders of the world in technology. All this is inherent in the urge found in human nature. Islam does not curtail it; it only directs man to live with the priority of the Hereafter while contributing to this world through his skills and abilities. In short, one must strike a balance between one’s struggles and efforts to achieve material success, which must not override the requisites of the life to come.

 

 

Does a Muslim Ruler have the Right to Veto?

 

Question:The following verse shows that the ruler of an Islamic state has the power to veto his confidants if he deems so.

 

So ignore their faults and ask for God’s forgiveness for them and consult them in the affairs [of state]. Then, when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah. (3:159)

 

Please comment.

Answer: I am afraid this is an incorrect inference. Needless to say that the Qur’an is a coherent Book. Each verse has a specific context, disregarding which may lead to gross misinterpretation.

If we take a look at the context of 3:159, it becomes evident that the verse occurs in the group of verses in which the behaviour of the hypocrites and the events of the battle of Uhud and their aftermath are under discussion. The hypocrites, we know from the Qur’an, were given a time of respite so that they might reform themselves. However, once the time was over, they were severely dealt with as is evident from many verses of the Qur’an. For example:

 

O Prophet! Strive hard against the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell, -- an evil refuge indeed. (66:9)

 

The battle of Uhud was the time when they were still in the period of respite. So, it was not appropriate to disregard them at that time. Consequently, the Prophet (sws) is told to keep consulting them in various affairs; however, he is not bound by what their majority says. If he decides contrarily, he should repose his trust in Allah and do what he has decided. This is a brief summary of the stress of the verse.

A more detailed look at the context of 3:159 and at the various historical facts shows that the Prophet (sws) had consulted the Muslims on whether they should fight the enemy from within the city or from the outside. The hypocrites opined that they should fight from within the city while the true believers were of the opposite opinion. The Prophet (sws) it seems also held the latter opinion. So when he and the believers decided to go out and fight, the hypocrites became angry and expressed their anger in various ways. Abdullah Ibn Ubayi for example departed right before the battle with his three hundred men saying that his opinion was ignored. Another group of the hypocrites that stayed with the Muslims started spreading the propaganda once the battle was over that the defeat was due to the wrong strategy adopted. Consequently, 3:156-8, while addressing the hypocrites*, mention these details in the following manner:

 

O you who believe, be not like the unbelievers who say of their brethren when they are travelling through the land or fighting: ‘If they had stayed with us they would not have died or been slain’ so that Allah may make a cause of regret in their hearts. It is Allah Who gives life and death. And Allah knows what you do. And if you are killed or diein the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they amass [of worldly wealth]. And whether you die are or killed, verily, unto Allah you shall be gathered. Had you been severe or harsh, they would have broken away from you. (3:156-8)

 

Consequently, it is clear from these verses that the Prophet in (sws) his capacity of a Prophet (sws) was advised to deal with the hypocrites of his times in a particular manner, as spelled out in the subsequent verse; in other words, this subsequent verse also like the previous ones refers to the hypocrites:

 

So ignore their faults and ask for God’s forgiveness for them and consult them in affairs. Then, when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah. (3:159)

 

These verses cannot be related to us in any way today. Technically speaking, the antecedent of the plural accusative pronoun in the imperative verb shawirhum are the hypocrites of the Prophets times. Owing to his position as Prophet, Muhammad (sws) was divinely guided in their affairs and was told to deal with them with latitude until the Almighty signalled to him that the period of respite was over.

Consequently, the verse cannot be extended to anyone beyond the Prophet (sws).

 

 

Erroneous basis for ‘Abrogation’

 

Question: A scholar has cited the underlined portion of the following verse to convey that no verse of the Qur’an has been abrogated.

 

And recite what has been revealed to you [O Muhammad] of the Book [the Qur’an] of your Lord. None can change His Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him. (18:27) 

 

Answer: Whether any verse in the Qur’an is abrogated or not is something that can be debated; however, this much is certain that the above quoted verse does not support the view of abrogation.

You seethe Qur’an is a coherent book and each verse should be understood with reference to its context. 18:27 is actually connected to 18:6-8. The in-between verses are parenthetical in nature and are just an answer to a question regarding the Ashabu’l Kahaf (people of the cave) raised by the People of the Book to tease the Prophet (sws). The word ‘Kalimah’ refers to the established practice of the Almighty regarding His law of guidance. 18:6-8 reads:

 

Perhaps [O Muhammad!] you would fret yourself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message. That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth in order that We may test them – as to which of them are best in conduct. Verily what is on earth We shall make but as dust and dry soil. (18:6-8)

 

These verses ask the Prophet (sws) not to fret over the disbelievers if they are not accepting faith. Now 18:27-8, while referring to the law of the Almighty regarding guidance, say that this law is unchangeable and the Prophet (sws) need not fret over these rich and arrogant people. It is not that he is lacking in effort that they are not accepting faith. In fact, it is their love for this life that stopping them. The law of the Almighty is that people who do not want guidance are not given guidance. So he must not fret over them. This law of the Almighty is unalterable.

In other words, the underlined portion of 18:27 given above refers to this unchangeable law of guidance and does not mean that the verses of the Qur’an cannot change.

 

 

Handicapped Children

 

Question: Why does the Almighty create defective human beings? The Qur’an says at so many places that Allah is merciful and kind. So how can a Merciful God do such seemingly cruel things?

Answer: To a similar question Jesus (sws) replied: ‘The Almighty creates the blind so that those blessed with eyes can [really] see’.

One must remember that this life is a trial and a test for us. According to the Qur’an, Paradise is actually a reward of one’s patience and perseverance in times of trial and test:

 

And because they were patient and constant, He (-- Allah--) will reward them with a paradise great and garments of silk. (76:12)

 

Those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without even being called to account. (39:10)

 

In other words, it is to be appreciated that people who are born with some handicap are brought in this world according to the general scheme of the Almighty and not because they are being punished for some sin. So just as the Almighty gives wealth and affluence to some and deprives some of even the basic necessities, and just as He makes some human beings very beautiful and others very ugly, on a similar pattern He creates some people defective and others totally normal.

Another thing that needs to be appreciated is that the more a person is deprived of some faculty the more he will become liable to relief. He will be held accountable after being given due allowance of this deprivation.