Q AND A
Muslim Business And December Sale / Special?
QUESTION: I have read in the writings and heard in the Bayaans of the Ulama-e-Haq that one should not decorate one’s shop windows, walls, etc. with slogans and placards, etc. of ‘Christmas’, ‘New Year’ and anything to do with the festive season.
Since December is a time we businessmen take advantage of in sales, I was wondering if it was permitted for me to plan a sale or run a special on certain items in my shop?
ANSWER: Alhamdulillah, we praise Allah Ta’ala that there are still Muslims who are careful of the Shariat regarding their dealings in their business.
Furthermore, we fully agree and subscribe to the same rulings as the Ulama-e-Haq whose literature you read and whose Bayaans you heard that a Muslim is NOT allowed to decorate his shop with anything related to the Kufr festive season.
Regarding your question, note the following:
It is permissible to issue a sale or run a special in your shop.
Keep it and name it as a general sale or special like ’14 days special’, or ‘December specials’, or in any other general term.
Don’t flavour it with any of the festive activities like inserting bells, trees, carts, snow, trees or other related symbols and signs of Christmas in any of your special boards, pamphlets / brochures, etc.
May Allah Ta’ala keep you and all Muslim businessmen sincere and safe during this time of the year.
May Allah Ta’ala bless you with Barakah in your Rizq.
Aameen
Removing unwanted hair before it reaches the size of a rice grain
Question: Is there any authentic narration stating that ‘ibadah will not be accepted from a one whose pubic hair is longer than a grain of rice?
Answer:
I have not come a Hadith which mentions this.
The ‘Ulama mention that one should remove the hair from the pubic region before it reaches the length of a rice grain. This is probably a recommendation.
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ordered that unwanted hair should not be left for more than forty nights.
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 258
The Head Covering that resembles a Camel’s Hump
Question
My question is regarding the prohibition for women wearing their hair shaped like the hump of a camel.
Is there any Hadith in this regard? Also is there any punishment mentioned in the Hadith for it?
Answer
Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded the following narration in his sahih:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“There are two categories of people of Jahannam which I have not seen (they were non-existent at that time). The first is a group who has whips like the tails of cattle with which they torture people. The second category are those women who are clothed yet they are naked, attracting (to males) and are attracted to (by males). Their heads are like that of a camel’s hump which are tilted. They will not enter Jannah nor will they smell its fragrance although its fragrance can be smelt from such and such a distance [far away].”
‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) explains that ‘their heads are like the hump of a camel’ refers to women making their heads look bigger by tying cloths or scarfs on them which look like the hump of a camel.This is the well-known interpretation
(Sahih Muslim, with commentary of ‘Allamah Nawawi, Hadith: 5547 and 7123)
Mufti Taqi Uthmani (may Allah protect him) further explains, “Women nowadays are tying their hair on their napes or on the middle of their heads which look exactly like the camel’s hump. This is indeed a miracle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as he has informed us fourteen hundred years ago of what will happen”
(Takmilah Fathul Mulhim, under Hadith: 5538)
May Allah Ta’ala protect us and our womenfolk.
Prohibition of shaving only part of the head
Question
What is the meaning of the hadith below?
نهى رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم عن القزع
Translation: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prohibited from qaza’ (a way of cutting the hair).
In the above hadith, the word qaza’ is used. What is the meaning of this word? To shave some parts and leave some parts or to merely have some parts of the hair shorter than other parts?
Answer
The Muhaddithun explain qaza’ to mean shaving some part of the head and not shaving other parts of the head.
(Al Fa-iq of Zamakhshari -rahimahullah-, vol. 3 pg. 189 and An Nihayah of Ibnul Athir -rahimahullah-, vol. 2 pg. 451)
For the reasons for impermissibility of the wedge/mushroom cut, kindly refer to a Mufti or Darul Ifta.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
When to embrace?
Question
We find that many a time Muslims greet by hugging each other, thereafter shaking hands. Is this hugging each other when greeting mentioned anywhere in the Hadith, or should one simply shake hands when greeting (generally).
Answer
1. Sayyiduna Abu Zar (radiyallahu’anhu) was asked: “Would Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) shake your hands when he met you?”
He replied:
“Whenever I met him (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam), he shook my hands. One day Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) sent for me to my house, but I wasn’t there. When I eventually went to him, he was on his bed. He (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) woke up and embraced me. That was so much better.” i.e, compared to shaking my hands.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5172. Also see Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6266)
The habit of the Sahabah was to shake hands when they met, and if it was a meeting after a long time, they would hug each other.
2. Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) says:
“When they (the Sahabah) would meet they would shake hands, and when they arrived from a journey, they would embrace”
(Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, see Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6266)
3. In the famous incident wherein Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu) undertook a months journey to Syria just to hear one Hadith from the Sahabi; ‘Abdullah Ibn Unais (radiyallahu’anhu) there is mention of them hugging when they met.
(Al-Adabul Mufrad of Imam Bukhari, Hadith: 999)
Embracing out of love
4. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has also mentioned a narration in which Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) embraced his beloved grandson, Sayyiduna Husayn (radiyallahu’anhu) when he saw him on the roadside.
(Al-Adabul Mufrad, Hadith: 369)
The first nation to shake hands
5. Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
The Yemenis have come to you’ll. They are the first (nation) to practice handshake
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5171)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
REF – HADITHANSWERS, CUSTODIANS OF THE HAQ
