Q AND A
Question: Should I reply with the Sunnah Salaam of walaikumussalaam Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh to a message which begins with Slmz?
Answer: Slmz, Aslm, Aslamz, Salaam, Slm, Salaamz and any other funny writing is NOT a Sunnah Salaam which deserves a Waajib reply of ‘Walaikumussalaam Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh’.
Writing the Sunnah Salaam in abbreviated forms show lack of sincerity in the Salaam.
Yes, when Assalaamualaikum is written in a message, then a reply is Waajib. And this reply can either be verbally or in as a reply to the message in writing.
The Abdaal And Syria
Question: In the Hadith it is mentioned about the virtues of Syria and the Abdaal. Please explain this Hadith.
Answer: The relevant Hadith pertaining to the virtues of the Land of Shaam (Syria), which also mentions the Abdaal, is:
“Shuraih said: ‘The people of Shaam were mentioned to Ali Bin Abi Taalib (Radhiyallahu anhu) while he was in Iraq. They said to him: ‘Curse them, O Ameerul Mu’mineen.’ He (Hadhrat Ali) said: ‘No! Verily, I heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying: ‘The Abdaal are in Shaam. They are forty men. Whenever one of them dies, Allah Ta’ala replaces him with another man. Through them Allah causes rainfall, and with them He grants victory over the enemies, and with them He diverts punishment from the people of Shaam.”
The Abdaal are a group of 40 Auliya whose identities are unknown. There number remains constant, and this order will continue for all time as long as Allah Ta’ala wishes their perpetuation.
They wander around the world executing a variety of duties and tasks imposed on them by Allah Ta’ala. Some are in charge of rains, some oversee the development and course of wars, some are appointed over the courts of the world, influencing judgments, etc., etc.
While Syria is their headquarters, the whole group is not permanently stationed there.
And Allah knows best.
Blotted Animate Pictures?
Question: Asalamolaikum Respected Ulama. From what I know, animated photographs are Haraam. I see some times the publications of Ulama who I trust and see to be on Haq showing pictures of people but blotting out the faces. Is this fine?
Answer: Walaikumsalaam. Yes, we will find at times the publications of Ulama-e-Haq having pictures of people, however, they have blotted out the faces. The reason why they do this is to show the Ummah the evidence of what their writing is all about.
Sometimes, we will read an article written by Ulama-e-Haq on the impressibility of certain doings by modern Ulama. At some place or the other of the same article, we will also see a picture of the event with the faces of the modern Ulama blotted out. Take the recent Haraam event of Darul-Ihsaan and its Mufti in which a Muslim female politician addressed the crowd! If then the Ulama-e-Haq condemn such evil and misguidance perpetrated by a Mufti and write an article against it, and post a picture of the event with blotted faces, then this will be for the reason of showing the Ummah the reality.
Yes, if the faces are not blotted, then it will not be permissible. For the Ulama-e-Haq to publish pictures with the faces blotted at times, is a need. However, the general Muslims should abstain even from such pictures.
Also remember, the Ulama-e-Haq are not the ones taking the pictures, or asking for the pictures. There are many Haq-seeking Muslims who understand the limits of the Shari’ah and perhaps have access to certain social platforms on which such pictures are posted. They in turn, send the pictures to the Ulama-e-Haq they trust, who then write on these issues and at times insert the photos while blotting out the faces.
And Allah knows best
Shaving The Beard?
Question: Is it permissible for a man to shave his beard?
Answer: It is incumbent upon every man to grow a beard. When a beard has grown to a fist-length, then according to the Hanafi Mathab, will it be permitted for him to trim not lesser than a fist.
Regarding the method of trimming the beard while maintaining a fist length, the following quoted text explains:
Cutting in it (the beard) is Sunnat, and this is that a man should hold his beard with his hand, and cut off that portion which is longer than a fist. So has (Imaam) Muhammad (Rahmatullahi alaih) narrated in Kitaabul Aathaar from Imaam Abu Hanifah. And this is what we adhere to….Muheetus Sarakhsi, Tahtaawi.” (Vol.6)
