Your Questions Answered

 

Queries

 

The Philosophy of Mahr (Dower)

 

Question: Why is a man required to pay a pre-determined amount of money to his would-be-wife? Being a lady, it gives me the abominable feeling of a woman being sold to ‘her’ man. Is the wife the owner of this money? Or are her parents the owner?

Answer: The payment of Mahr has a deep symbolic significance. This must be clearly understood to dispel the doubt that seems to have gripped you: Islam has entrusted the husband with the responsibility of supporting his wife and children. It is he who must earn to fulfil the requirements of the family. The Mahr money is only a token of this responsibility. In other words, when a man pays this sum, he makes a symbolic expression of the fact that he has taken the financial responsibility of the woman he intends taking as his wife. Consequently, it is in the spirit of this commitment that he pay the agreed sum before he takes home the bride. It is evident from this that the wife is the owner of the Mahr money. She can spend it anywhere she likes. Her parents are in no way the owners of this money.

It would not be out of place to mention that the amount of the Mahr money, as the Qur’an asserts, should be fixed keeping in view the social customs and traditions of a society :

 

... pay them their dowers according to the custom. (4:25)

 

Also, as mentioned above, it is in the fitness of things that the amount be paid to the wife as soon as possible since it symbolizes one of the primary responsibilities of the husband.

 

 

The Delayed Departure of a Bride

 

Question: I have had my Nikah, but the Rukhsati is yet to take place. First of all I want to know whether Rukhsati is in our religion or from the Pakistani culture. Because I have read that after a person has had his Nikah, then he or she is considered to be married. But a lot of my family members have some misconceptions. They have stopped me and my husband from going out for a walk or for dinner, and do not allow him to stay at my house (in a separate room). I would really appreciate if you could clear the concepts of my family and give appropriate references from Islamic books which I can show them.

Answer: Once the Nikah ceremony takes place, a man and a woman are husband and wife in the legal sense. Consequently, as far as their legal rights and obligations are concerned, they cannot be tampered with in any way. In such circumstances, if the wife insists that he come and stay at her house or if they go out together for some entertainment, then perhaps no one can put a blame on them in the legal sense, but then there is another aspect to this which needs deep consideration. You see the formation of a family is not merely an issue of law and legal rights. Such things only safeguard the marriage contract and protect the interests of the spouses. As such, they have deep significance. However, the formation of a family has a social side as well. By this is meant the healthy traditions and conventions of a society which have evolved over centuries and which have taken the shape of certain accepted norms. On these traditions is built the fabric of a society and they themselves are based on precepts and standards which human nature in general relishes. The Shari‘ah itself directs us to follow these traditions and customs of a society.

If a husband meets or converses with his wife who he is yet to take home in the presence of elders then this is something which is in accordance with the traditions of an Islamic society. However, it is against the conventions and traditions of an Islamic society for a husband to stay at the house of such a wife, or take her out alone though legally, as I said, this cannot be objected to.

 

 

Reciting the Qur’an

 

Questions: My question pertains to the reading of the Qur’an. On campus here at our university, the MSA (Muslim Student Association) organises a Qur’an Group in which we get together every Friday and read the Qur’an with its meanings in English. Now there are certain things which are confusing me. There are some non-Muslims who come to the group meetings with a desire to learn more about Islam (and from my best judgement they come in the sincerest and purest of manners, often frustrated by the weaknesses in their own religions.) There are also several Muslims who come, but these brothers and sisters have not been in an Islamic environment really and so are just  growing into the religion. So here are the issues: first, I would like to know whether Wudu is a prerequisite for reading the Qur’an. If it is, how can the non-Muslims fulfil this condition? Also, there are some sisters who are a little hesitant to wear the H~ijabwhen reading the Qur’an (for their own personal reasons). Last year a brother condemned a sister for not wearing the H~ijabwhen coming to the Qur’an Group. Unfortunately, that sister has never returned to the Qur’an Group or any other Islam related activity that involves Muslims. I know her feelings were very hurt. What does one do in this situation? Does one send someone off from hearing the message of Allah because she was not covering their head? Can we keep the message from someone who wishes to hear it? Also, what about non-Muslim women who wish to hear the message or read the Qur’an but don’t wear the H~ijab? I have also heard that we can only give non-Muslims the translations of the Qur’an with no Arabic text. This seems ridiculous to me since the purest form of the Qur’an is in Arabic. Also, it seems ridiculous to me considering there are non-Muslims who only speak Arabic. Should they not receive the message?

Answers: Wud~uis not a prerequisite for reading the Qur’an*, though it is desirable that one read it in such a state. For non-Muslims, consequently, it is needless to insist upon ablution for touching the Qur’an. On the contrary, if they are willing to read the Qur’an, the opportunity to present before them the Word of Allah should be seized upon, and the Qur’an should readily be made available for their perusal. They should be encouraged in every respect. Similarly, not giving the Arabic text of the Qur’an to non-Muslim brothers and sisters is absolutely baseless. One can only express wonder at such an incomprehensible inference.

Insisting on a Muslim sister wearing H~ijabwhile reading the Qur’an is not only against wisdom, it in fact is not mentioned as a condition for reciting it anywhere in the sources of Islam. One must be very tactful and sagacious in discussing Islam with non-practising Muslims. Nothing should be forced on them in any way. It needs prudence and patience, poise and discretion wisdom and tolerance, compassion and concern to win hearts. Above all, the divine message has its own force. It has the power to stir people and change their outlook on life. It radically influences people who are true seekers of truth. They should first be allowed to absorb the basic message, which certainly is not H~ijab.Let a Muslim lady first illuminate her heart with the radiance of faith and the fragrance of the Almighty’s love. Once this is achieved, how can she be expected to show indifference to His directives, of whom she herself is the sole beneficiary?

Similarly, it is not required for non-Muslim women to be Islamically dressed before they recite the Qur’an. How can they be asked to be so dressed when they are yet to enter the folds of Islam? One should be anxious like the Prophet (sws) for people to come close to the Qur’an. Imposing conditions which have no mention in the sources of Islam on non-Muslims, I am afraid, is something which will only drive them away.

 

 

Wearing Silk

 

Question: Silk is said to be a prohibited cloth. In our office it is compulsory to wear ties. Ties today are mostly made of silk. If I don’t wear them I’ll lose my job. Please advise.

Answer: It must be appreciated at the outset that the prohibition of silk, and other expensive items is not directly a part of the Shari‘ah. In this regard, the real directives are that a believer refrain from excessive spending and squandering of wealth as outlined by the following verses:

 

Eat the fruits of these orchards when they ripen and give away the share of Allah on the harvest day and waste not: for Allah does not like those who spend wastefully. (6:141)

 

Give to the near of the kin their due and also to the destitute and the wayfarer, and squander not in extravagance. Verily, such squanderers are brothers of Satan and Satan is very ungrateful to His Lord. (17:26-27)

 

In other words, it is very undesirable that a person instead of spending in the way of Allah and adopting a balanced attitude towards his needs and desires, spends lavishly and wastefully. Islam wants that a person remain sensitive to the needs of his  religion and to the needs of the deprived. If he has been blessed with wealth, he should always be looking for opportunities to spend in the way of Allah. For he must remember that the wealth he has is a sacred trust of the Almighty. He has become its beneficiary not because it was his right, but because he has been put through a trial and test by the Almighty. Islam also wants that a Muslim’s real interest be the life of the Hereafter. He should benefit from the pleasures and delights of this world to certain extent only. One motive of spending lavishly and squandering wealth is pomp and show, and one must remember that pomp and show tarnish the mirror of one’s soul. Over indulgence makes a person unmindful of the Hereafter, and a person who becomes unmindful of this great reality is a person who is bound to doom.

Consequently, while explaining these divine directives, the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said:

 

Eat, drink and spend in the way of Allah and clothe yourself, guarding against wastefulness and vanity. (Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Libas)

 

He who wore a dress for show and fame in this world, the Almighty shall make him wear the dress of ignominy in the Hereafter and then ignite fire in it. (Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Libas)

 

While applying these divine directives, the Prophet (sws) forbade certain things which came under them. About wearing silk he said:

 

He who wore silk in this world shall never wear it in the Hereafter. (Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas)

 

One must appreciate that as a principle, all directives of the Prophet (sws) which are based on the application of a divine directive are valid as long as the underlying reason which became the basis of this application holds good in changed circumstances. In other words, if today silk is still considered to be an expensive cloth and a symbol of pomp and show, then a person should refrain from wearing it for the reasons stated, and, if it does not bear this label, a person can wear it. It is for him to decide. If he is of the opinion that wearing silk whether as a cloth or in the form of a tie is not right, then it is only befitting for him to follow what he believes.

If you are convinced about not wearing silk, and also think that the adverse consequences of not wearing it create more imbalances than you can handle then you can continue with a heavy heart but with a firm resolve to come out of this situation as soon as possible. The Almighty never demands of a person what is beyond him. If he has a legitimate plea, the Almighty will certainly entertain it. However, no external agency should give a verdict in this regard. The decision is yours, since it is you who will have to justify it before Allah on the Day of Judgement.

 

 

Termination of Wudu

 

Question: What factors end Wudu? Is eating camel’s meet and sleeping also among them? Does Wudu terminate if you see someone naked?

Answer: Following things terminate a person’s Wudu:

1. A seminal/ovular discharge.

2. Sexual intercourse, whether the discharge or the ejaculation occurs or not.

3. Pre-seminal discharge (spermatorrhea).

4. Passing of bowels.

5. Passing of wind.

6. Passing of urine.

Of this the first two require Ghusl (bath), and the last five mereWuduto make a person pure.

This is all as far as the Shari‘ah is concerned in this regard. It spells out that only these six factors terminate a person’s Wudu.

However, there may be other instances apart from these six which may make a person feel impure and unclean, and which depend on how sensitive a person is in matters of cleanliness. The Prophet’s own sensitivity in this regard made him do Wudu at such instances. But, he never made them compulsory for his followers. For example, after eating a camel’s meat, he is reported to have done Wudu. Similarly, he once said that if a person touches his private parts he should do Wudu.Therefore, one must not mix up the desirable/permissible with the compulsory.

Sleep itself does not terminate a person’s Wudu. However, since during sleep a person loses consciousness, there is a possibility that he might have encountered some of the factors that terminate Wudu without his knowing them. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is desirable that a person do Wudu. Furthermore, if a person just doses off or wakes up from a sleep and is certain that he is still in his state of Wudu, he does not need to do it again. It is reported:

 

The Companions of the Prophet (sws) would go to sleep. Then would wake up and offer Salah without doing Wudu.  (Tirmadhi, Kitab al-T~aharah)

 

Merely seeing someone naked does not terminate one's Wudu unless of course there is some sort of a seminal discharge.

 

 

Wearing an ‘Allah Pendant’

 

Question: Is it alright to wear the name of Allah as a pendant in a chain around the neck? Some people believe that since a person also goes to the bathroom wearing it, therefore it is disrespectful to the name of Allah.

Answer: There is nothing in the Shari‘ah against wearing a pendant bearing Allah's name. However, common sense demands that a meaningful sentence like Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah) or Alhamdulillah (Thanks be to Allah) etc. be made part of the pendant. Merely writing Allah seems to have no meaning or purpose.

Whether one should take off such a pendant when one is to go to a bathroom or not, depends on the circumstances as well as on the disposition of the person who is wearing it since this is more a matter of etiquette and one’s own perception of them.

 

 

Wearing Charms

 

Question: Can the various verses of the Qur’an be used to write a Ta‘widh (charm)? Do they really have any good or bad effects?

Answer: We find no mention in the original sources of Islam about some effects of certain verses on a person who wears them in the form of a Ta‘widh. If some verses have these effects, the Qur’an would have clearly stated so. On the contrary, it is explicit that the sole purpose of its verses is to guide mankind (See for example 2:185). Therefore, one should avoid using the Qur’an for purposes which it does not mention.

Using it as a charm will only open the door to superstition, and superstition is something which really makes a person suffer spiritually since it drives him away from the Almighty while he himself remains in the deception of moving closer to Him.

 

 

The Return of Jesus (sws)

 

Question: It is said that the Prophet Jesus (sws) is to return near the end of this world to establish the dominance of truth over falsehood. Is this really so? Was it because of this return that he was lifted alive from the earth and not given death?

Answer: There are certain questions which arise on the descension of Jesus (sws) which are hitherto unanswered. Unless a sound answer is given to them, his reappearance cannot be regarded as an established fact. Here are these questions:

1. The Qur’an is totally silent on this issue. Nowhere has the reappearance of Jesus (sws) been mentioned in it. Since on his reappearance, every Muslim is expected to profess faith, the gravity of the matter demands that it be mentioned in the Qur’an which is supposed to have every article of faith mentioned in it.

2. Not only is the Qur’an silent on the issue, it mentions at one place the dominance of the followers of Jesus (sws) over the Jews till the day of judgement:

 

Remember when Allah said: O Jesus I will give death to you and raise you to Myself and cleanse you from those who have denied. I shall make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith till the Day of Judgement. (3:55)

 

In other words, everything which is to occur till the Day of Judgement with reference to the supremacy of the followers of Jesus (sws) is mentioned in these verses. This was perhaps the most appropriate place to mention that Jesus (sws) will reappear near the Day of Judgement and be responsible for the supremacy of his followers. But we find nothing of the sort. The question is: Why?

3. At another place in the Qur’an, the dialogue which will take place between the Almighty and Jesus (sws) on the Day of Judgement is stated. In this dialogue, Jesus (sws) negates the innovations of his followers and proclaims his acquittal from them in the following words:

 

And remember when Allah will say: O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men: ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah’. He will say: Glory to you! Never could I say which I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing you would have indeed known it. You know what is in my heart though I know not what is in Yours. For You know full well what is hidden. Never did I say to them except what You commanded me to do: Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord and I was a witness over them while I dwelt with them. When You gave death to me, You were the Watcher over them and You are a witness over all things. If You punish them they are Your servants and if You forgive them You are exalted in power, the wise. (5:119-121) 

 

This is another very appropriate place where sense and reason demand that the Qur’an mention the return of Jesus (sws). It should have reported that a little time back he had appeared again on the earth and refuted the self-invented concepts of his followers. So the question is: Why did this great event not find a mention at this place as well?

4. The first Book of H~adith, the Mu`atta of Imam Malik contains nothing on this topic. This again is very strange. A person who is writing his book in Madinah about a hundred years after the death of the Prophet (sws) has nothing to report on this issue, while some of the books of H~adithcompiled much later mention this event. 

5. Not only is the Mu‘atta devoid of any such report, on the contrary, it does mention a dream or vision of the Prophet (sws) in which he saw Jesus (sws) and the Dajjal circumambulating the Ka‘bah:

 

`Abdullah Ibn `Umarreports that the Prophet said: In a dream, I found myself near the Ka‘bah one night. I saw a man near the Ka‘bah of brownish colour, the best of brownish people you could have seen. He had hair till his shoulders, the best you could have seen of such appearance. He combed his hair while they dripped with water and he was leaning on two people ... and circumambulating the Ka‘bah. So I asked: Who is this person? Someone told me that this is Jesus son of Mary. Then suddenly I saw another man who had curly hair and had a blind right eye ... So I asked: Who is this person. Someone replied that this is Dajjal-Masih. (Kitab al-Jami`)

 

The question arises: Is it not this H~adithwhich has gradually taken the form of Jesus's reappearance in various Ahadith reported in other books later on? 

In the light of these questions the reappearance of Jesus (sws) is an issue which needs further attention and deliberation of our scholars. Nothing can be established from the Ahadith which do mention his arrival unless these questions are answered.

The fact that Jesus (sws) was lifted to the heavens alive, is not supported by the Arabic language as quoted in the verses of Surahs 3 and 5 above. The words inni mutawaffika (I will give you death) explicitly say that Jesus (sws) died on the face of the earth. They cannot be regarded to denote any other meaning unless of course the Arabic language is done away with. The words rafi‘uka ilayya also are very clear: They mean that his body was lifted to the heavens. In other words, after he died, his dead body was raised to the heavens. This was perhaps to safeguard it from the hands of his opponents who could have mutilated it.

 

 

Some Questions about Salah

 

Question: To my knowledge offering Salah is forbidden at sunset and sunrise. Is it also forbidden to pray at zawal (mid noon)? Are other forms of worship like reading the Qur’an, remembering Allah, saying Du‘a also forbidden at these times?

Answer: According to the Sunnah established by the Prophet (sws), offering any kind of Salah or Sajdah (prostration) is prohibited at the times of sunrise and sunset only since it is at these times that certain polytheists worship the sun. Other forms of worship are not prohibited at these times.

 

Question: I have seen some people saying their Z~uhr and ‘Asr prayers and Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers together at one time either when they are travelling or when they are very busy. They say that it is aSunnah. Could you please tell me if this is permissible, and in what circumstances is it permissible?.

Answer: In religious parlance, combining the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers and Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers, is called ‘Jam‘a bayn al-salatayn’. It is only allowed during travel. In no other circumstances is it allowed.

 

Question: Can the various supplications (Ad‘iya) generally said at the end of the Salah be uttered in one’s native language?

Answer: Yes they can be uttered so since the Prophet (sws) has positively bound us at five specific places to say certain Adhkar (utterances to remember Allah) in Arabic, and the Ad‘iya are not one of them. They are: (i) Saying Allahu Akbar at the beginning of the Salah and at every point of ascent or descent during the course of the Salah, (ii) Reciting Surah Fatihah at the beginning of each Rak‘at, (iii) Reciting some portion of the Qur’an after Surah Fatihah and (iv) saying Sam‘i Allahu Liman H~amidahand Rabbana Laka al-H~and when one rises to stand up after doing Ruk‘u,(v) saying Al-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah to signal the end of the Salah.

 

Question: Is it permissible to say Al-hamdulillah if one sneezes during S~alahand say Yarhamukallah during Salah if another person sneezes?

Answer: Though there is no ruling in the Shari‘ah about the situation you have stated, common sense dictates that when standing before the Almighty in S~alah,this should be avoided. Though both S~alah and saying certain words at the time of sneezing are forms of remembering Allah, one feels that since in doing the former one is already involved in remembering Allah in a formal way, other forms of remembering Allah should be left to circumstances when one is not praying.