* Allah (God) breathed his spirit into man

* After trying to resolve the issue of how red is perceived inside the
brain, how the sound of pleasant music is interpreted differently from
chewing a steak and why even the most detailed MRI provides noevidence
regarding the interpretation mechanism involved, Jeffrey M. Schwartz,
a neuroscientist and research professor of psychiatry at the UCLA
School of Medicine, goeson to ask the following important question:
...why would studying brain mechanisms, even down to the molecular
level, ever provide an answer to those questions?
The answer is this: Because the answer to the interpreting mechanism
is not in the brain at all. It is impossible to come by the answers to
questionsregarding this mechanism by studying human cells, examining
neurons or performing research at the molecular level. That is because
what causes a person to perceive the outside world is not inside the
human body. It is something outside the brain, neurons, cells or
electric signals. It is the soul bestowed on us by Almighty Allah.
Reveals Allah in one verse:
… then [He] formed him and breathed His Spirit into him and gave you
hearing, sight and hearts. What little thanksyou show! (Surat
as-Sajda, 9)
People who fail to understand that it is the soul that perceives, and
that it is independent of matter, are making a very important mistake:
They face the possibility that the images they see exist on a screen
in their brains. Yet when we consider that there is a screen in our
brains on which the outside world exists, we also have no choice but
to admit the existence of a little man watching that screen. And there
must be another little man watching the screen in the brain of the
first, and so on. But there is no screen and no other little man
watching the events on it in the brain. The human brain is pitchblack
and silent. There is nothing there but neurons made up of proteins and
electric signals moving very swiftly back and forth. It is impossible
for those electric signals to see a flower, smell it, touch it,
delight in it, see a ship sailing in the distance orenjoy the taste of
a strawberry--all in a pieceof flesh. It is impossible for them to
experience aprolonged period of enjoyment of an orchestral symphony.
It is obviously not electrical signals that produce such a lively,
bustling, brightly colored, vivid, three-dimensional and perfectly
sharp world. And there is also no doubt that it is not electric
signals that cause one to rejoice or grieve, to feel excitement or
concern, to remember and feel happy, or to miss someone and satisfy
thatlonging. Even if the world's most renowned professors were to work
together, as Jeffrey M. Schwartz says, they still would not find this
perception mechanism anywhere in the brain.
The self-conscious entity that says "I see" the images and "I hear"
the sounds in the brain is the soul given to man byAllah. This is the
reality that the materialist mindset is most unwilling of all to see
revealed. The soul sees without the need for eyes, touches without the
need for hands, hears without the need for ears, smells without the
need for a nose and tastes without the need for a mouth. The soul is
the only answer to the question of "who does the perceiving?" which
scientists have been trying to resolve for years. Allah constantly
shows images to the human soul and, day and night, whether in this
world or in dreams, creates a whole world for them. Everything in that
world has a perfect and flawless appearance. So much so that it is
very difficult forus to realize that the sharp image and sensation of
depth in front of us consists merely of an illusion andhas no
connection with the real outside world. This is the flawless,
matchless, glorious workof our Almighty Lord, Who has the power to
create infinite worlds in an area just a few centimeters in size
whenever He chooses.
He is Allah – the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of Form. To Him belong
the Most Beautiful Names. Everything in the heavens and Earth
glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Surat al-Hashr, 24)
A flawless image forms in our brains because Allah so wills. There are
smells there because He so wills and we listen to and enjoy immaculate
music because He so wishes. We also feel and recognize things by
touching them because Allah so wills. The food we eat has flavor
because that is what Allah wills. A whole world emerges in the human
mind from nothing at Allah's command. Our Lord creates a world from
nothing in a person's mind that belongs to that person alone, that
only he can see and recognize. This world is not the outside world. It
is impossible to have direct contact with the world outside. It is
impossible, unless Allah so wills, for anyone to have direct
experience of a world created for someone else. One can only live in
and watch a world created for oneself alone by Allah. It is impossible
to step outside it. In another verse, Allah reveals:
They will ask you about the Spirit. Say: "The Spirit is one of the
commands of my Lord. You have only been given a little knowledge."
(Surat al-Isra', 85)

Uyghur's and Chinese can live together in peace in east Turkestan

The efforts being made today to stir up ethnic conflict in East
Turkestanare extremely dangerous. Our Muslim brothers in East
Turkestan have been subjected to various difficulties for the last
60years or so, but have never turned to violenceand conflict. The
Uyghur Turks are a noble people, known for their good manners,
honesty, fortitude, reconciliatory natures, obedience to the state,
loyalty and devotion. These fine people possess excellent virtues,
such as forgiveness, loving peace, lovableness, respect for different
ideas and beliefs and judging people according to their moral values
rather than their race. There has therefore never been any conflict
based on ethnicity with the other peoples living in the region,
especially the Han Chinese, and neitherwill there be any in the
future. The Uyghur Turkswant a climate in which everyone can live
together in peace and security, respecting the right to life of
everyone in East Turkestan, no matter what their religion or ethnic
origin.Some of the main ways in which this can be brought about are as
follows:
1. It is obvious that the Uyghur Turks favor peace and security. But
peace in the region can only be ensured if the security of our Uyghur
brothers is guaranteed. The international community has important
responsibilities in that respect. The support of international
societies and organizations is essential if it is to be possible for
our Uyghur Turk and Chinese brothers are to be able to live in peace.
Democratic pressure from these organizations, especiallythe UN, on the
Chinese government, will ensure that the administration follows a line
that is more peaceable toward the problems and legitimate demands of
our Uyghur brothers andrespects their human rights. When the
necessary encouragement and direction is provided, when the
international community acts as a guarantor, it will be easier to
establish peace in the region.
2. It is natural for China to be keen to protect its national and
economic interests. But this cannotbe established through oppression
and aggression. The path that will make China prosperous and
strengthen its economic and social regeneration lies in a conception
that respects human rights, isdemocratic and loving, and that defends
freedom of ideas and belief. The only solution that can calm Chinese
fears, such as lack of access to energy resources, economic losses,
loss of territory orfragmentation is the foundation of the
Turkish-Islamic Union. The Turkish-Islamic Union will establish an
environment in which borders are lifted, there is freedom of trade and
investment and in whichall communities have equal access to energy
resources. In this way, China will be able to spread its investments
over a wide area from Tanzania to Indonesia and sell its good across
awide territory, and Muslims will be able to invest in China on a
large scale. China will regenerate rapidly with the establishment of
the Turkish-Islamic Union, will be spared from having to use its
citizens as a cheap labor force and will enjoy abundance and plenty
all over.
3. Islam is a religion of peace. All forms of violence are sinful in
Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah commands Muslims to be forgiving. A
Muslimwho abides by the Qur'an and follows our Prophet (saas) has a
dutyto be peace-loving, affectionate, loving, compassionate, patient
and moderate. The moral values of the Qur'an oblige Muslims to control
their anger, to respond to evil with good, to always speak and behave
in a pleasantmanner, to forgive under even the most difficult
circumstances and to behave justly, even if that conflicts with their
own interests.The spread of and learning about Islamic moral values is
a great benefit for China. If the Chinese government is concerned
about the Han Chinese taking in action in terror attacks and wishes to
avoid anarchy and violence, then it must encourage the teaching and
dissemination of Islamic moral values. In a China inhabited by people
who live by the moral values of the Qur'an there will be no need
formilitary occupation and security measures. The unrest and unease
will come to a complete stop.The result will be a society made up of
individuals who trust and respect one another, treat one another with
understanding, are respectful of and loyal tothe state and who all
livein peace, that spends its money on the wealth of its own citizens
instead of military investment, without investing millions of dollars
in armaments and employing thousands of security personnel. And the
order and equilibrium sought by China will be establishednaturally.
4. Our Uyghur brothers' demands for humane conditions, to live freely
according to their religion, to be able to worship as they wish, to
protect their own culture and maintain their own existence are all
justified and human ones. The most effective way of bringing these
about is for the Uyghur people to make a cultural leap forward, to
improve themselves withan anti-materialist and anti-Darwinist
education, to increase their economic strength,and strengthen
themselves both materially and spiritually. The Turkic Uyghur people
must not forget that they are the most important representatives of
Muslims and Islam in China. They must act as models to the Chinese
people with their good manners, nobility, modesty, balance and
moderation. An Uyghur people who are culturally advanced and
materially stronger will clearly have wide opportunities to defend
their own rights and also to describe and spread the moral values of
Islam. By Allah's leave, the future of an Uyghur society that loves
Allah, protects its own nationalculture, is anti-Darwinist and
anti-materialist, whose members love one another, which perfectly
implements Qur'anic moral values and supports peace, love, tolerance
and compassion, will be a very bright and excellentone.
The time we are living inis a very holy one, in which Hazrat Mahdi
(as) will appear and in whichthe Prophet Jesus (as) will return to
Earth. The time has now come when war and conflict will come to an
end, when armament will come to an end, when people will love and
embrace one another as brothers, when they will trust one another and
when moral virtues will reign. This is the destiny of Allah. That
destiny willalso manifest itself in China, and this will be a time
when Chinese and Uyghurs live together in friendship, when they
allattain wealth, and whenthey build a bright civilization with joy
and enthusiasm.

Compassion in the Qur'an

All Muslims must embrace the moderate, gentle, compassionate, calm and
kind style Allah depicts in the Qur'an.
Radicalism means supporting sudden revolutionary destructive changes
in any sphere and applyinga strict uncompromising policy in order to
achieve them. Radicals are characterised by their desire for
revolutionary change and the stern, sometimesaggressive attitude they
adopt.
In this, as in every sphere of life, the guide for the Muslim is the
Qur'an. When we look atradicalism in the light of the Qur'an, we see
that ithas nothing to do with the way in which Allah commands the
believers to behave. When Allah describes a believer in the Qur'an,
He depicts him as a loving, soft-spoken person, shunning conflicts and
arguments, approachingeven the most hostile people with warmth
andfriendship.
Beautiful Examples from our Prophet (saas)
An example to guide us in this matter is the command given by Allah to
Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and speakgently to him:
Go to Pharaoh; he has overstepped the bounds.But speak to him with
gentle words so that hopefully he will pay heed or show some
fear.(Surah Ta Ha, 43-44)
Pharaoh was one of the most cruel and rebellious unbelievers ofhis
time. He was a despot who denied Allah and worshipped idols; moreover,
he subjected believers (the Israelites of the time) to terrible
cruelties and murder. But Allah commanded His prophets to go to such
a hostile man and speak to him gently.
You will notice that the way shown by Allah wasthe way of friendly
dialogue, not the way ofconflict with sharp words, angry slogans and
agitated protests.
If we examine the Qur'an you will see that a warm, gentle and
compassionate disposition characterized all the prophets. Allah
describes Abraham as "tender-hearted and forbearing." (Surat at-Tawba,
114) and in another verse, the prophet Muhammad's moral principles are
described in this way:
It is a mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them. If you had
been rough or hard of heart, they would have scattered from around
you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them, and consult with
them about the matter. Then when you have reached a firm decision, put
your trust in Allah . Allah loves those who put their trust in Him.
(Sura Al'Imran, 159)
Compassion in Islam
An obvious characteristicof radicalism is its anger.This disposition
can be clearly seen in the speeches, writings and demonstrations of
radicals. However, angeris not an attribute of Muslims. When Allah
describes believers in the Qur'an, he describes," those who give in
times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and
pardon other people - Allah loves the good-doers" (Surah Al'Imran,
134)
Therefore, it is the duty of a Muslim only to explain the facts and to
invite people to accept them. Whether or not people accept the
invitation is completely up to their own conscience. Allah
revealsthis truth in the Qur'an when He says that there is no
compulsion in religion.
There is no compulsion where deen is concerned. Right guidance has
become clearly distinct from error...(Surat al-Baqara, 256)
Therefore, there is no coercion to make peoplebelieve and become
Muslims, or to make Muslims perform prayersand beware of sin. Thereis
only advice. Allah reveals in a few verses addressed to the Messenger
of Allah that Muslims are not oppressors:
We know best what theysay. You are not a dictator over them. So
remind, with the Qur'an, whoever fears My Threat. (Surah Qaf, 45)
Muslims are responsible only for explaining their religion, they apply
no pressure or coercion on anyone and are enjoined to speak gentlyto
even the most tyrannical deniers. Such persons cannot be radicals.
The Behind the Scenes ofRadicalism
There is no radicalism in the religion of Islam. Islam commands to be
moderate, temperate and compassionate and prohibits extremism. In one
verse Allah relates thus:
"Say: 'People of the Book! Do not go to extremes in your religion,
asserting other than the truth, and do not follow the whims and
desires of people who were misguided previously and have misguided
many others, and are far from the right way.' (Surat al-Maida, 77)
When the social phenomena depicted as "radicalism" are examined, it
will be seenthat they are actually a compilation of the methods and
statements formerly employed by communists.
Muslims must refrain from a harsh, angry, andchallenging approach, for
these are contrary to the Qur'an's method andessence. Instead,
Muslimsmust adopt the accepting, moderate, calm, and rational approach
described in the Qur'an. In other words, they must be rolemodels for
humanity and earn people's admiration for the morality of Islam and
themselves. Muslims should also make great progress and produce superb
works of science,culture, art, and aesthetics, as well as live Islam
in the best way, and thus represent it to the world. (Harun Yahya,
Justice and Compassion in the Qur'an )

Islam on dowry

The Real Gift
Islam has legislated the giving of the dower by the husband to the
wife in order to please the woman's heart and to honour her. It is
also meant to bring an end to what was done in the Days of Ignorance
wherein she was wronged, exploited, despised and robbed of her wealth.
The dower is a right exclusively for the wife. It is her possession
and none of her guardians or relatives may share any part of it. No
one has any power over her concerning how she wishes to dispose of it,
as long as she does so in a legally acceptable manner. She may give it
away as a gift, she may lend it to others or she may give it in
charity or do any other permissible acts she wishes with it.
T he dower was instituted because the goal of marriage is not the
actual act of the marriagecontract in itself. In fact, the actual
purpose of marriage cannot be achieved unless the spouses stay in a
state of marriage. However, that may not be achieved unless the dower
is an obligation at the time of the marriage contract itself. In this
case, when there come times that may lead the man to divorce his wife,
such as estrangement orcoarse behaviour, the husband would not be
willing to divorce his wife due to just the slightest act of rudeness
that occurs. If it were not for the dower that was required due to the
contract itself, it would be very easy for him to leave her.
Therefore, the goals of marriage would not be met as the goals and
benefits of marriage are only met when the two are in accord and
agreement with one anotherbut that accord will not come about unless
the woman is something honoured and special to the husband. But such
honour will not come about unless he had to give up something
important to him. This is becausewhat is most difficult to achieve is
most special to the person. Therefore, if the wife is not something
special in the eyes of the husband, then he will disposeof her at the
first sign of unhappiness, the accord will not occur and the purposes
of marriage will not be achieved.
What we see happening in some European countries, and indeed some
Muslim countries, is very strange indeed. This is where the woman is
required to furnish a dowry or provide the furniture for their future
house. This is definitely turning the natural order of things upside
down and goes against the nature of mankind. It leads to a great deal
of social ills and behavioural harm. It is a means by which the woman
is despised and belittled. Indeed, she is ruined because of it. If the
woman is not able to gather enough wealth together for marriage, she
will not be able to get married and, instead, will have boyfriends and
affairs, and other evil results.
Such a practice contains a great deal of evil and harm for the
society; this practice may even bring about society's end soon. There
is a great difference between the case where the woman feels that she
and what she possesses belong to her husband and where she feels that
she is something desired and honoured, as the fiancé spends money on
her and gives her presents and so on to get heras his wife.
One regrettable aspect of dowry-giving in recent times is that it is
becoming more and more a matter of ostentation. Nothing could be more
un-Islamic in motivation than this. Even the practice of performing a
marriage quietly, without any flamboyant display of wealth,
butsubsequently giving a lavish dowry to enable the bride to set up
her home is contrary to Islamic practice. It was certainly not the
Sunnah of the Prophet . Faatimah was his favourite daughter, but he
neither gave her a lavish dowry nor did he send things to her home
after the wedding, and even when she made a request to him for
something of a material nature, he only gave her the benefit of his
counsel.
Mahr (The Dower)
Islam has successfully maintainedan even balance in society between
men and women by giving its unequivocal endorsement to a practical
division of labour, whereby women are placed in charge of the internal
arrangement of the household, while men are responsible for its
financing. The home is thus organised on the pattern of a microcosmic
estate, with the man in a position of authority. The Quran is
specified on this issue; Allaah Says (what means): "Men are in charge
of women by [right of] what [qualities] Allaah has given one over the
other and what they spend [in support] from their wealth. So righteous
women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what
Allaah would have them guard…" [Quran 4:34]
For largely biological reasons, women are well adapted to domestic
pursuits while men, for similar reasons, are better suited to work
outside the home. These physical and mental differences between men
and women are, in practice, what underlay Islam's division of familial
responsibilities into internal and external spheres, with the woman
dealing exclusively with the home and family and the man providing the
funds.
Mahr Mu'ajjal (Promptly given dower)
At the time of the marriage, the groom hands over to the bride a sum
of money called Mahr (dower) which is a token of his willing
acceptance of the responsibility of bearing all necessary expenses of
his wife. This is the original meaning of Mahr, although this custom
has come to have different connotations in modern times.
There are two ways of presentingthe Mahr to the bride. One is to hand
it over at the time of the marriage, in which case it is known as Mahr
Mu'ajjal, or promptly given dower. During the time of the Prophet and
his companions, Mahr Mu'ajjal was the accepted practice and the amount
fixed was generally quite minimal. The giving of Mahrby 'Ali to
Faatimah who was the Prophet's daughter, is anillustration of how this
custom was respected. After the marriage had been arranged, the
Prophet asked 'Ali if he had anything he could give as dower in order
to make Faatimah his lawfully wedded wife. 'Ali replied:"I swear by
Allaah that I have nothing, O Messenger of Allaah." The Prophet then
asked: "Where is the coat of armour I once gave you?" 'Ali replied
that it was still in his possession. The Prophet then instructed him
to send the coat of armour to Faatimah thereby making his union
lawful. This then was the sum total of Faatimah's dower.

Who are the Mahrams of a Woman?

When people distance themselves from the instructions of Islam and the
rulings of religion -- especially those which guard chastity and the
'Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered), prevent mixing of
progeny and other immoral acts -- they fall into the pit of vice and
immorality. This is encouraged bythe enemies of Islam who try to
control women with all the possible means until they lead them astray
and strip them of their modesty, under the pretext of "liberating"
them. In reality, they wanted to liberate women from their religion,
modesty, and chastity.
As a ruling of Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation), a woman has to know
who her Mahrams (non-marriageable men) are, so as to guard herself and
her religion.
The following question was raised to An-Nawawi : "Who is the woman
whom a man is permitted to look at and meet her in seclusion?"
An-Nawawi replied, "It is every woman whom he is permanently forbidden
to marry due to a permissible reason because of her unlawfulness."
"Permanently" is said to exclude the wife's sister and her like,
namely her paternal aunt, maternal aunt, and her daughter if the
marital contract is concluded with the mother yet the marriage has not
been consummated with her.
"Due to a permissible reason" excludes the mother and her daughter
with whom a man had sexual intercourse mistakenly believing that it
was lawful. The mother and her daughter are permanently forbidden, not
because of a permissible reason, but because doubtful intercoursewhich
is neither described as permissible nor unlawful, because the man was
oblivious and thus, incompetent to receive religious commitment at
that time.
"Because of her unlawfulness" excludes the woman who is involved in
Li'aan (oath of condemnation). This woman is permanently forbidden to
remarry (her ex-husband) as an act of punishment, not because she is
unlawful for him. Allaah knows best." [The Fataawaa that is known as
Al-Manthooraat by An-Nawawi, question no. 223.]
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And not expose their adornment
except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion
of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers,
their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers'
sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands
possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or
children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women.}
[Quran 24:31]
As regards "their fathers" up to the end of the verse, &Ibn Katheer&&
said, "These are all Mahrams for the woman who, therefore, is allowed
to appear tothem in her adornment without excessive display of
beauty."
Explanation of Mahrams:
• Their fathers: The woman's father.
• Their husbands' fathers: The husband's father and grandfathers, up
to all levels.
• Their sons: The woman's sons down to all levels, and also the sons
of daughters down to all levels.
• Their husbands' sons: Male sonsof the husband, including grandsons
down to all degrees, whether they are sons of the husband's sons or
daughters.
• Their brothers: The woman's brother
• Their brothers' sons: The brother's sons down to all degrees.
• Their sisters' sons: The sister's sons down to all degrees.
• Their women: Muslim, not polytheistic women, according tothe
preponderant opinion.
• That which their right hands possess: This may mean either:
bondmaids or bondmen.
• Male attendants having no physical desire: They are men who are not
at the same level as the women and have no interest in or desire for
women; or the oblivious person who has no desire; an imbecile; and, an
impotent man. The eunuch who can describe women is excluded.
• Children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women:
Because they are so young they do not understand anything about women
or their 'Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered). If a child
is young and does not understand that, there is nothing wrong with him
entering upon women, but if he is an adolescent or approaching
adolescence, so that he knows and understands these things, and can
make a distinction between a woman who is beautiful and one who is
not, then he should not enter upon women.
First benefit:
Are a woman's paternal and maternal uncles her Mahrams?
Al-Qurtubi said, "The majority of scholars held that thematernal and
paternal uncles of awoman are like other Mahrams inthat they are
allowed to see of the woman what is permissible for them to see."
Second benefit:
Is the daughter's husband a Mahram for her mother?
Ibn Katheer said, "The majority of scholars held that thewife's mother
becomes forbidden to be married to a person once he concludes the
marital contract with her daughter."
Third benefit:
Is the mother's husband a Mahram for her daughter (i.e. his stepdaughter)?
A mother's husband (the stepfather) is not a Mahram for her daughter
except on two conditions, as Ibn Hajar said in Al-Fat'h, "The
prohibition of marrying a stepdaughter is stipulated by two things:
o She must be under the guardianship of the man
o The man should have consummated the marriage with her mother.
Therefore, the stepfather is not a Mahram to his step-daughter if only
one of the two conditions exists."
This view was adopted by Daawood ibn 'Ali and his companions, chosen
by Ibn Hazm, narrated by Abu Al-Qaasim Ar-Raafi'i on the authority of
Maalik . However, Ibn Taymiyyah found it dubious and did not hold a
certain opinion regarding it.
Finally, the majority of scholars held that the stepdaughter is
unlawful to her stepfather in marriage, whether she was under his
guardianship or not. Please check Tafseer ibn Katheer and Fat'h
Al-Baari.

Divorce in Islam

Marriage, as prescribed by Allaah, is the lawful union of a man and
woman based on mutual consent. Ideally, the purpose of marriage is to
foster a state of tranquillity, love and compassion in Islam, but this
is not always the case. Islam discourages divorce but, unlike some
religions, does make provisions for divorce by either party.
Allaah provides general guidelines for the process of divorce with
emphasis on both parties upholding the values of justice and kindness
in formalising the end to their marriage (see [Quran 2: 224-237] for
general guidelines regarding divorce).
Allaah encourages the husband and wife to appoint arbitrators as the
first step to aid in reconciliation in the process of divorce. If the
reconciliation step fails, both the man and woman are guaranteed the
right to divorce as established in the Quran, but the difference lies
in the procedure for each one. When a divorce is initiated by the man,
it is known as Talaaq.
The pronouncement by the husband may be verbal or written, but once
made, there is to be a waiting period of three months ('Iddah) during
which there can be no sexual relations, even though the two are living
under the same roof.
The waiting period helps to prevent hasty terminations due to anger
and allows both parties time to reconsider as well as to see if the
wife is pregnant. If the wife is pregnant, the waiting period is
lengthened until she delivers. At any point during this time, the
husband and wife are free to resume their conjugal relationship,
thereby ending the divorce process. During this waiting period, the
husband remains financially responsible for the support of his wife.
The divorce initiated by the wife is known as Khul' (if the husband is
not at fault) and requires that the wife return her dowry to end the
marriage because she is the 'contract-breaker'. In the instance of
Talaaq, where the husband is the 'contract-breaker',he must pay the
dowry in full in cases where all or part of it was deferred, or allow
the wife to keep all of it if she has already been given it in full.
In the case that the husband is atfault and the woman is interested in
divorce, she can petition a judge for divorce, with cause. She would
be required to offer proof that her husband had not fulfilled his
marital responsibilities. If the woman had specified certain
conditions that are Islamically accepted in her marriage contract,
which were not met by the husband, she could obtain a conditional
divorce.
The controversy regarding the seeming inequity in divorce lies inthe
idea that men seem to have absolute power in obtaining a divorce. The
interpretation of scholars in the past has been thatif the man
initiates the divorce, then the reconciliation step for appointing an
arbiter from both sides is omitted. This understanding diverges from
the Quranic injunction. Any differencein powers between the husband
and his wife with regard to divorce can be extracted from thefollowing
verse (which means): {...And due to them [i.e., the wives] is similar
to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the
men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority].
AndAllaah is Exalted in Might and Wise.} [Quran: 2:228]
In the following verse, according to existing interpretations,
Allaahgives the reason for the small difference in the verse (which
means): {Men are in charge of women by [right of] what [qualities]
Allaah has given one over the other and what they spend [in support]
from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding
in [the husband's] absence what Allaah would have them guard.} [Quran:
4:34]
Thus, it is clear that there is a 'degree' of difference with regards
to the rights of men and women in divorce, and that the greater right
that men were given is due to their being the leaders and financial
supporters of the household. This, however, does not mean that women
are inferior to men or that they are second-class human beings.
Many of the laws regarding divorce in some Muslim countriesare based
upon Quranic references on the subject. As with all human laws, they
must adapt to dynamic circumstances. Issues pertaining to custody
havebecome controversial. For example, Allaah in the Quran advises the
husband and wife to consult each other in a fair manner regarding
their children'sfuture after divorce, as this verse states (which
means): {…If they both desire weaning through mutual consent from both
of them and consultation, there is no blame upon either of them.}
[Quran: 2:233]
Some jurists stipulate that custody of the child is awarded to the
mother if the child is under a certain age and to the father if the
child is older. There is no Quranic evidence of age being a
determinant for custody. Similarly with regard to the issue of
alimony, in the Quran the ex-husband's financial obligation to his
ex-wife is mandated, but a specific formula for the amount of support
is missing; Allaah Says (what means): {And for divorced women is
maintenance accordingto what is acceptable – a duty on the righteous.}
[Quran 2:241] This is open for negotiation between parties and should
be in accordance with the husband's financial ability.
There has been much distortion and propagation of misunderstanding
about a woman's rights related to marriage and divorce. Only with
self-education and awareness of the Quranic text are men and women
able to learn the truth that Allaah has prescribed and understand the
scholarly interpretations in order that the spirit of justice is
realised. Allaah Says (what means): {And when you divorce women and
they fulfil their term [of their 'Iddah], either keep them according
to reasonable terms or release themaccording to reasonable terms, and
do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress [against them]. And
whoever does that has certainly wronged himself. And do not take the
verses of Allaah in jest. And remember the favour of Allaah upon you
and what has been revealed to you of the Book [i.e., the Quran] and
wisdom [i.e., the Prophet's Sunnah] by which He instructs you. And
fear Allaah and know that Allaah is Knowing of all things.} [Quran
2:231]

Dought & clear,- Her Christian family areorganizing a running contest in memory of their deceased loved one; what should she do about that?.

I lost one of my family members this year, who was a Christian, as my
family is Christian and I am a Muslim woman. Hence my mother wants to
organize a marathon in honour of this deceased relative. I do not know
the nature of this thing they want to do, but what I do know is that
the teams will gather, and other people will gather with them; each
team has a different colour and the teams will start running;
whichever team completes three circuits first will be the winner and
will be give a cash prize. I do not know the ruling on this, but they
are going to do it in memory of the deceasedperson. What is the ruling
on this in Islam? What should I do with regard to this matter?.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
If a person dies following a religion of kufr, whether he was a
Christian or a Jew, then he is one of the people of hell and will
abide therein for eternity. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in
worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He
pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has
indeed invented a tremendous sin"
[an-Nisa' 4:48]
"Surely, they have disbelieved who say:"Allah is the Messiah ('Eesa
(Jesus)), son of Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah ('Eesa (Jesus)) said:
"O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Verily,
whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah
hasforbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for
the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.
Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilaah (god) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilaah (God -Allah). And if they cease
not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them.
Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Messiah ('Eesa (Jesus)), son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a
Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away beforehim. His
mother (Maryam(Mary)) was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words
of Allah and His Books (see Verse 66:12)).They both used to eat food
(as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We make
the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the
truth).
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "How do you worship besides Allah
something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it
is Allah Who is the All-Hearer, All-Knower"
[al-Maa'idah 5:72-76].
"This is the Guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He will
of His slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah,
all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them"
[al-An'aam 6:88].
In Saheeh Muslim (153) itis narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) that he said: "By the One in Whose hand is the soul
of Muhammad, no one among this nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me
then dies not believing in that with which I was sent, but he will be
one of the people of the Fire."
As that is the case, if a person dies in a state of kufr, his good
deeds are rendered invalid before his Lord and none of them will
benefit him before Allah in the hereafter; similarly, no action,
intercession or supplication on the part of other people will benefit
him.
Allah, may He be exalted,says concerning the situation of the people
of Hell (interpretation of the meaning):
"And it will be said to them: "Where are those (the false gods whom
you used to set up as rivals with Allah) that you used to worship
Instead of Allah? Can they help you or (even) help themselves?
Then they will be thrown on their faces into the (Fire), They and the
Ghawoon (devils, and those who were in error).
And the whole hosts of Iblees (Satan) together.
They will say while contending therein,
By Allah, we were truly in a manifest error,
When We held you (falsegods) as equals (in worship) with the Lord of
the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists);
And none has brought usinto error except the Mujrimoon (Iblees (Satan)
and those of human beings who commit crimes, murderers, polytheists,
oppressors, etc.).
Now we have no intercessors,
Nor a close friend (to help us).
(Alas!) If we only had a chance to return (to the world), we shall
truly be among the believers!
Verily! In this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers"
[ash-Shu'ara' 26:92-103].
Secondly:
Honouring the memory of the deceased by organising a marathon is not
part of the way prescribed by Allah; rather it is something that has
been introduced by non-Muslims according to their way of honouring the
memory of the dead. It is a false kind of honour for which there is no
basis in the religion of Allah. Even if there was some basis for it,
we have stated above that if a person dies in a state of disbelief, no
deed will benefit him in the hereafter; the deceased will not benefit
because of his disbelief and that of those who do this action. This is
darkness upon darkness.
In Islam there is no kind of honouring the dead or celebrating their
memory; rather what Islam prescribes is to remember the deceased by
praising him, praying for forgiveness for him, offering supplication
forhim, giving charity on his behalf, and other kinds of good deeds
the reward for which will reach him, if he died in Islam.
Thirdly:
According to Islamic rulings, competitions fallinto three categories.
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
1. Those that are haraam, with or withoutprizes, such as competing
in something that is haraam.
2. Those that are halaal if no prize is offered and are haraam if
a prize is offered, such as foot races and the like, in which it is
permissible to compete.
3. Those that are halaal with or without prizes, such as
competitions in archery and horse and camel racing.
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb, 9/311
See also the answer to questions no. 114530 , 131652 , 153574
To sum up:
It is not prescribed to take part in activities to honour the memory
of the dead among the disbelievers, or to keep their memory alive. If
you cannot prevent that,then at least do not take part in that and try
to excuse yourself from your family whilst avoiding confrontation with
them. If they respect your religious feelings, then this is good,
otherwise give them any excuse that they will accept from you.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear,- If penetration occurs during the day in Ramadan, the fast is invalidated according to scholarly consensus, regardless of whether ejaculation occurs.

|
I am a young woman, recently married. I looked on the Islam Q&A
website and I found out that penetration without ejaculation doesnot
invalidate the fast, but it is essential to be careful when engaging
in foreplay in Ramadan. Ialso found out that thereis a difference of
scholarly opinion concerning ejaculation without intercourse in
Ramadan. My husband and I engaged in foreplay during the day in
Ramadan and there was penetration but my husband was careful notto
ejaculate. Afterwards my husband said that he thought a very small
amount had come out ofhim a short time after intercourse, and he
doesnot know whether it was maniy or madhiy. I asked him to check to
see if anything more came out and he did that.
What is the ruling on that? Do we have to make up that day and offer
expiation? Please note that my husband does not know anything about
this kind of expiation and that he controlled himself and nothing came
out when I alarmed him. The amount of discharge was very little and he
says that he could not tell whether it was madhiy or maniy because it
was so little.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The questioner saying that she saw on the Islam Q&A website that
penetration without ejaculation does not invalidate the fast is not
correct. There is no such opinion on our website; rather what we say
is the opposite of that, because penetration is intercourse, and it
invalidates the fast and requires expiation according to scholarly
consensus.
In the answer to question no. 148163 it says: the one who has
intercourse during the day in Ramadan when he is fasting and not
travelling has to offer a heavy expiation, which is to free a slave.
If he cannot do that, then he must fast for two consecutive months. If
he cannot do that, then he must feed sixty poor persons. He must also
repent and make up thatday.
The same applies to the woman if she did that willingly. It makes no
difference whether ejaculation occurred or not. If intercourse – i.e.,
penetration – occurred then the expiation must be offered. End quote.
Its says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 35/55
There is no difference of opinion among the fuqaha' concerning the
view that expiation is required of the one whohas intercourse in the
vagina during the day inRamadan, deliberately with no excuse,
whetherhe ejaculates or not. End quote.
Perhaps the questioner read something that saidthat intimacy or
foreplaywithout ejaculation doesnot invalidate the fast, and she
thought that what was meant by that was intercourse. But thisis a
misunderstanding, as we have mentioned, because what is meant by
intimacy or foreplay is enjoyment of the wife without penetration in
the vagina.
See the answer to question no. 95383
Secondly:
Ejaculation, even without intercourse, invalidates the fast according
to the correct opinion. This is the view of the majority of scholars,
and it was narrated that there was consensus. An-Nawawi (may Allah
have mercy on him) said:
If he kisses or touches any part (of his wife's body) apart from the
vagina with his penis, orhe touches the woman's skin with his hand or
otherwise, if he then ejaculates then his fast isrendered invalid,
otherwise it is not. The author of al-Haawi and others narrated that
there is consensus that the fast is invalidated in the case of one who
kisses or touches anything other than the vagina and ejaculates.
End quote from al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, 6/322
Ibn Rushd (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
All of them say: the one who kisses then ejaculates has broken his fast.
End quote from Bidaayatal-Mujtahid, 2/52
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If he kisses then ejaculates… He has broken his fast and there is no
difference of scholarly opinion that we know of.
End quote from al-Mughni, 3/127
Thirdly:
It is essential to be careful and cautious when engaging in foreplay
during the day in Ramadan. The one who fears that he will not be able
to control himself should refrain from that, so as to protect his
religious commitment and his honour.
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I do not know of any (scholar) who granted a concession allowing the
fasting person to kiss (his wife) except he stipulated that he
shouldbe certain that he is safe from what that leads to; the one who
knows that it will lead to that which will invalidate his fast must
avoid it.
End quote from al-Istidhkaar, 3/296. See also the answer to question no. 107335
Fourthly:
If a person had intercourse during the day in Ramadan when he was
ignorant of the prohibition on doing so, the scholars differed
concerning that. The view of the Hanbalis, which is the view favoured
by the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas, is that heis obliged to
make up that day and offer expiation.
But the more correct view is that the one whowas unaware that this
action is haraam is excused and does not have to do anything.
It says in Haashiyat ar-Rawd, 3/411:
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: Thecorrect view with regardto eating and having
intercourse if does hat without being aware (ofthe prohibition) is
that they do not invalidate the fast. This was stated by more than one
of the scholars: intercourse is like eating with regard to doubt,
compulsion and ignorance. End quote.
But we should highlight here the difference between the one who was
unaware of the ruling – who is the one who is excused, although there
is a difference of difference concerning him, as stated above – and
the one who knew the ruling but was unaware of the consequences. The
one who knew that intercourse during the day in Ramadan is haraam, but
he did not know that expiation is required for it, cannot be excused
for his ignorance and he has to offer expiation.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked:
There is a man who had intercourse with his wifeduring the day in
Ramadan, but he did notejaculate. He was unaware of this ruling and
the consequences, but he knew that intercourse with ejaculation is
haraam. What is the ruling?
He replied:
The most correct view is that the one who does one of the actions that
break the fast, or one of the actions that are forbidden when in
ihram, or one of the actions that render the prayer invalid, when he
is unaware of that, is notto be blamed. If this manwho had intercourse
with his wife during the day in Ramadan was unaware of the ruling and
thought that the intercourse that is forbidden is that in which
ejaculation occurs, then there are noconsequences for that.
But if he was aware that intercourse (during the day in Ramadan) is
haraam, but he did not know that expiation is required for it, then he
has to offer expiation, because there is a difference between
ignorance of the ruling and ignorance of the consequences. Ignorance
of the consequences does not count as an excuse, whereas ignorance of
the ruling does count as an excuse.
End quote from al-Liqa' ash-Shahri, 1/7

And Allah knows best.

Islamic Stories, - The King and the Poor Man

There was a king who decided to take a tour ofhis country. As he
passedby different places, everyone rushed to see him. However, while
passing by a certain place, he noticed a poor old man who did not pay
any attention to the king's arrival and remained engaged in hisown
activities. The king went up to this poor man and asked why he did not
join the people to see him. The poor man replied, "Before you, there
was another king who once passed by this place. Everyone gathered to
see him as well. But, few days later he died and was buried in a place
nearby. A poorman also died during that time and was buried near the
king's grave. After some time, astrong flood passed through that area
causing those graves to overturn. As a result, the bones of the poor
man became mixed up with those of the king's. We could not
differentiate between them any longer. After seeing this, it does not
matter to me anymore as to who is a king and who is a beggar. In the
end, our home is the same."

Islamic Stories, - The Patched Robe

There was a Jew of Damascus who was reading a holy book oneday when he
came across the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
written in it. Not liking this, he removed the name. But the next day
he found it there again. Again he took out the name; but on the third
day it had appeared again. He thought:"Perhaps this is a sign that a
true Emissary has come. I will journey southwards to Madinah."
And he forthwith startedout, not tarrying until hereached the city of
the Prophet. When he arrived there, knowing nobody, he was near
theMosque of the Prophet when the Sahabi Anas (ra) arrived. He said to
Anas: "Friend, take me tothe Prophet."
Anas (ra) led him into the mosque, which was full of people in
anguish.Abu Bakr (ra) the successor was sitting there at the head of
the assembly. The old man went up to him, thinkinghe must be Muhammad,
and said: "O Chosen Envoy of God, a strayed old man has come to offer
you peace." Hearing the title of the Prophet used, everyone present
burst into a flood of tears. The stranger was uncertain as to what to
do. He said:"I am a foreigner and a Jew, and I am unaware of the rites
of the Faith of Submission to the Willof Allah. Have I said something
untoward? Should I have remained silent? Or is this a ritual
observance? Why do youcry? If it is a ceremony, I have never heard of
it."
Omar (ra) said to him:"We do not weep because of anything which you
have done. But you must hear, unfortunate one, that it is a but a week
since the Prophet left the earth. When we heard his name, grief took
possession of our hearts anew."
As soon as he heard this, the ancient tore his clothes in anguish.
Whenhe had recovered a little,he said: "Do me one favour. Let me have
at least a robe of the Prophet. If I cannot see him, at least let me
have this."
Omar (ra) answered:"Only Fatima (ra) could give us one of his robes."
Ali (ra) said: "But she will not allow anyone to go near her." But
they went to her door and knocked, and explained what they wanted.
Fatima (ra) answered:"Verily, the Prophet spoke truly when he said,
shortly before he died: 'A wayfarer, who has love towards me andwho is
a good man, will come to the house. He will not see me. Give him,
therefore, this patchwork robe as if from me, and for me treat him
gently, offering salutations.'"
The Jew put the robe on himself and, professing Islam, asked to be
taken to the Prophet's grave. Itwas at this place that he breathed his
last.