Q & A
Q: What is the ruling concerning someone who totally denies Sihr?
Answer: The Holy Qur’aan makes ex-plicit mention of the reality of Sihr. “And they used to teach people (the art of) “Sihr” (witchcraft).
A person who denies Sihr, denies an Aayat of the Holy Qur’aan. You can come to your own conclusion if denial of the Holy Qur’aan necessitates re-newal of Imaan. Moulana Thanvi Rah-matullahi alayh said that Ulama don’t make people Kaafirs, they merely in-form them that they have lost their Imaan. No one makes a murderer. A person is labeled as a murderer due to his actions. Similarly a person is labeled as a Kaafir due to his state-ments and actions.
Question: A certain Aalim says that the Muslim Marriage Bill should be viewed in the con-text of Muslims living in a non-Muslim country. He says Fiqh is a process of evolution. Please comment.
Answer: Evolution takes place in Wasaa’il (means and methods), not Masaa-il (rulings). Salaah is Salaah irrespective of how much evolution takes place. The same applies to fasting, Zakaat, Haj, Qurbani, Nikaah, Talaaq, Aqeeqah and Hudood. The Masaa’il will always remain the same. Yes, instead of using pens dipped in ink, we use computers. Instead of us-ing camels, we use vehicles and air-crafts. Instead of using lamps, we use electricity. Evolution of society and technology is not a licence to revolu-tionise the Deen which was perfected fourteen centuries ago.
Question: Some people maintain that we should be broad- minded and wish the Hindus an “auspicious Diwali”. Please comment
Answer: A certain Hindu school teacher wished to colour the brother of Moulana Thanvi Rahmatullahi alayh who was also a school teacher. The brother was very angry at the Hindu. The Hindu laughed and said: “Come on, be a bit broad minded.” Moulana’s brother spontaneously remarked: “No problem, but remember Bakra Eid is around the corner. I will be sending you a parcel of cow meat. I expect you to be broad minded as well”. When the Hindu heard this, he beat a hasty retreat. No, brother, there are limits to broad mindedness. No decent husband will tolerate someone con-gratulating his wife for a ring bought as a gift for her by a stranger. Where will Allah tolerate a Muslim to con-gratulate a Mushrik for his celebra-tion of Shirk?
Q: If I go to the website that gives in-formation about the weather, would I be falling out the fold of Islam?
A: When we get to know of the weather, then we do not place full yaqeen that it will be so. It is done merely for our infor-mation, so we know how to dress, etc. There is no harm in checking the temperature. If you wish to get a thermometer, it would also be acceptable. You do not fall out of the pale of Islam.
Q. When children wear diapers and the diapers fill up with urine and thereaf-ter they perspire, does this make their clothes as well as items they sit on, e.g. pram, chair, etc. napaak? Do we get napaak by holding them?
A. This all depends on the quality of the diaper. If it is of good quality, it will retain the wetness within and nothing which comes into contact with it will become napaak.
If, however, the diaper is of inferior quality and the urine moisture filters through or leaks out through the thigh area, then obviously this napaak moisture will soil whatever comes into contact with it.
Question: Does laughing break the salaah?
Answer: If on laughs so loud that he hears himself without the people around him hearing him, his salaat only, will break. If he laughs so loud that the people around him hear him laugh, then his wudhu and salaat break. If he smiles with no sound, his salaat nor wudhu break. If one laughs in salaat, thinking low of the salaat, his Iemaan leaves him (He becomes murtadd).
Q. I have noticed some Imams exaggerating the madd-e-asli to retain their melody and tune in the Qiraat and this is particularly apparent at the end of certain Aayaat. Is this permissible?
A. If the letters or madd-e-asli are lengthened or shortened to such a degree that the words and meanings are distorted then the Salaat of such “qaaris” is not valid. In this case how can the muqtadis’ salaah be valid?
If the meaning is not distorted by such exaggerated accentuation of the huroof (letters) then the Salaat will be valid, albeit severely reprehensible.
Q: What is the mas-alah pertaining to skipping a Surah and reciting another Surah in the second Rakaat? A person read Surah Itha Jaa’a Nasrullahi … in the first Rakaat and Surah Qul Huwal-laahu Ahad in the second Rakaat. Is this in order?
It is best to recite the next Surah in the second Rakaat, Surah Tabbat Yadaa in the question. Omitting two or more Surahs in between is also per-fectly permissible. In the case of omitting just one Surah, if the Surah omitted is much lengthier than the previous Surah then omitting this longer Surah will also be permissible without any karaahat (reprehensible).
The instance of karaahat is when the Surah omitted is shorter or equal or only slightly longer than the previous Surah. In these cases it will be Mak-rooh-e-Tanzeehi to omit that Surah. This mas-alah applies to Fardh Sa-laats, not to Nafl Salaats.
Q. In the Tafseer of the Aayat: “Verily you (O Muhammad) have a sublime character,” it is reported that Hazrat Aishah Siddeeqah (Radhiyallahu anha) said: “Rasoolullah’s practice on the Qur’aan was natural.” It is a principle in the Shariah however that rendering Ibaadat in opposition to one’s nature is more meritorious than rendering Ibaadat when it has become a natural practice to one. Hence in the Kitaab on Aqaaid, Sharhul Aqaaid An-Nasafi it is stated that man is superior to the Ma-laaikah in view of the Ibaadat of the Malaaikah being their natural disposi-tion. The question that follows is that, Na’oothu Billah, is Rasoolullah’s Ibaadat of an inferior category in view of what Hazrat Aishah (Radhiyallahu anha) said?
A. The words of the Hadeeth read: “His character was the Qur’aan.” Character signifies a trait that has become deep-rooted and which is acquired and is the fruits of diligence. It becomes second-nature, not nature itself. Your question is as a result of understanding second-nature to be a natural disposition. Something be-coming second-nature is the product of undergoing voluntary difficulty. This is the yardstick. Hence Allah Ta’ala tells His Nabi: “Once you have completed (your task for the day, i.e. tableegh of Islam) then exert yourself (in the Ibaadat of your Rabb).” Simi-larly, there are other Aayaat and Ahadeeth which speak of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) undergo-ing difficulty in Ibaadat. Thus, Ibaadat was not a non-volitional propensity in him as it is with the Malaaikah. The Ibaadat rendered by Rasoolullah was therefore of sublime standard and he will receive the greatest reward for his mujaahadah [self-discipline].
Question: What will be deemed as Amal-e-katheer in salaat?
Answer: Whatever the person deems to be excessive in his disretion, will be ‘amal-e-katheer. Amal-e-katheer means to do something not part of salaat, for example scratching. If you feel guilty that you have over done the action of scratching, your salaat will be faasid.
Question: Do I have to inform the person I give Zakaat to, that it is Zakaat?
Answer: No, you do not have to in-form him. In fact, it is better not to inform him. Question: After giving Zakaat, it came to my attention that the person was not qualified. What do I do now? Answer: Your Zakaat has been dis-charged. You have received every cent’s Thawaab. Grieve not! Question: A poor person has a T.V. Can I give him Zakaat?
Answer: The T.V. is a Haraam, evil and excess item. If the value of it is added to other Zakaat assets and the net amount reaches the Nisaab amount, then that person will not qualify for Zakaat. Example: A poor person owns two thousand rands. He has a T.V. worth R5000. The Nisaab is, for instance, R2500. This poor person will not qualify for Zakaat.
Question: If a woman in haidh per-forms Tawaafe ziyaarah, will her Hajj be complete?
Answer: She will come out of Ihraam by making the tawaaf in the state of haidh, but she will have to slaughter a camel or a cow as a penalty which is called, Budnah.
Question: I would like to know if you are allowed to use the wedding ring as mehr?
Answer: Mehr is the amount or item agreed upon at the time of nikaah which the husband has to give the wife. If the nikaah was conducted with the parties agreeing to the mehr being a ring, then giving a ring will be incumbent. If a sum of money or certain item was agreed upon, the husband does not have the right to arbitrarily change the agreed mehr and give something else. It is not permissible for him to say after the mehr was finalized that the wedding ring he is giving or gave is in lieu of the mehr, whereas the mehr agreed upon at the time of ni-kaah was something else.
It should also be observed that the wedding ring ritual is a kuffaar prac-tice which Muslims should not imitate. We have our own sacrosanct and no-ble practices to follow. We are not in need of borrowing and aping the norms of the kuffaar in their marriage practices. Whilst it is permissible for the husband to give his wife a ring at any time, it is not permissible to ob-serve any wedding ring custom.
Question: What is Tasawwuf?
Answer: Tasawwuf is that part of Is-lam which deals with the rectification and reformation of Akhlaaq. (character). Tasawwuf teaches a per-son to control his nafs against evil traits such as anger, pride, greed and jealousy. Tasawwuf also teaches one to adorn his soul with virtues qualities such as humility, Khauf (the fear of Allah Ta’aala). Hilm (tolerance) and Shukr (gratitude).
Question: A certain Sheikh and Khalifa is upset because some Mureeds left him. Please comment
Answer: A sincere Sheikh will never mind a Mureed leaving him. In fact, he will be relieved and wish the Mureed well. Moulana Maseehullah Rahmat-ullahi alayh said that making Mureeds has become a “khel” (sport) and Khilaafat has become “sasta” (cheap).
Source ( TheSharia vol3.no2)
