Biographies - Daughter of Namrud

Namrud was the oppressive king who threw Ibrahim (A.S.) into the fire.
His daughter, Ru'dah, was watching the scene from above. She noticed
that the fire was having no effect on Ibrahim (A.S.). She shouted and
asked him the reason for this.
Ibrahim (A.S.) replied: " Allahhas saved me from this calamity through
the blessing of iman."
She replied: "If you permit me, I will also come into the fire."
He replied: "Recite Lâ ilâha illallâhu Ibrahim khalîlullâh
(translation: There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Ibrahim
is the close friend of Allah).
She recited this kalimah and immediately dived into the fire. The fire
had no effect on her as well. She then came out of the fire and went
and rebuked and censured her father. He subjected her to great
difficulties but she remained steadfast on her iman.
Lesson: Glory be to Allah! How courageous she wasthat she did not
abandonher iman even when in difficulty! O women! You should also be
strong-willed at the time of difficulties and do not actcontrary to
the Deen even if it equals a hair's breadth.

Biographies - Shaykh Ebrahim Bham

Shaykh Ebrahim I. Bham is born and raised in South Africa. He has
attained his masters in the Islamic sciences and theology under great
traditional scholars. Shaykh Ebrahim I. Bham is known to be one of
themost active scholars in South Africa for education, development,
advocacy and interfaith. He has served in various capacities in South
Africa at Newtown Islamic Institute, Al-aqsa Institute, Mayfair Jame
Masjid, and Hamidia Masjid.
He frequently travels the world for da'wah and lectures, including
countries such as Australia, United Kingdom, USA, Somalia, Palestine,
Eygpt, Turkey, Sri Lanka & Malawi.
Shaykh Ebrahim I. Bham is also the founder member and vice chairman of
Johannesburg MuslimSchool, executive committee member of National
Religious Leaders Forum (Initiated By South Africans for Greater
Liaison between Religious Groups and Government), executive member of
Muslim AIDS Programme (MAP), national trustee of Moral Regeneration
Movement (Working towards the improvement of morality amongst South
Africans) and also an executive member of the United UlamaCouncil of
South Africa (UUCSA).
Shaykh Ebrahim I. Bham is presently the chief theologian and
general-secretary of the Council of Muslim Theologians in
Johannesburg, South Africa ( http://www.islamsa.org.z a/). Shaykh
Ebrahim I. Bham lives in Johannesburg, South Africa with his wife and
three children. Some of Shaykh ebrahim's lectures can be heard from
the Every Muslimsite.
May Allahgive a long a life and good health in order for us to benefit
from the Shaykh, ameen.

Biographies - Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen

Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen is the resident Mufti of Channel Islam
Internationalwhich is an extremely well known and successful radio
station. The current radiocoverage spans across 65 countries across
three continents. (Africa, Europe, Arab Peninsula – also available
over the internet).
Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen:
"I was born in Heidelberg, Gauteng, South Africa on the 20th April
1957. After studying at the primary school in Heidelberg, my parents
Ismail and Halima Hoosen(Rahmatullahi Alayhim) motivated me to start
memorizing the Quraan Shareef. Thus I started myHifz in 1968 and
completed in 1970 under the tutorship of Hafiz Ebrahim Limalia.
In 1974, I pursued my Islamic studies in Karachi,Pakistan, as I wanted
to know what is the meaning of the Noble Quraan. Alhamdulillah, I
graduated in 1980 at Jamia Farooqia Karachi,Pakistan. In 1990 I
completed my MA with distinction at the Rand Afrikaans University in
Islamic studies.
I always yearned to teachat a Darul Uloom and in January 1981, I
started teaching at Darul Uloom Newcastle. The portfolios I held there
was vice principle, Mufti and Senior Lecturer on Tafseer, Quraan and
Hadith etc. After staying for 20 years in Newcastle,I joined Cii in
January 2001 as a resident Mufti. My wife, Fathima is a great
inspiration for me."
Some talks delivered by Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen's can be heard and
downloaded from the Edarswebsite, whilst his radio programmes are
frequently aired on Cii. May Allahswt give good health and long lifeto
Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen in order that the ummah continue to benefit
from his talks and knowledge. Ameen.

The gates of virtue during Ramadan

The month of Ramadan isthe month of virtue and righteousness. Due to
thevirtue of its period, the deeds performed during it are also
treated differently. People are more eager to be virtuous during this
month than any other month of the year. There are many righteous deeds
a Muslim can perform during this blessed month, and the following are
some suggested deeds:
Sincerity:Allaah Says)what means(:"And they were not commanded except
to worship Allaah,]being[ sincere to Him in religion, inclining to
truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakaah. And that is the
correct religion."]Quran 98: 5[
Hastening in breaking the fast:Sahl Ibn Sa'dreported that the
Prophetsaid:"The people will continue to be on the right path as long
as they hasten the breaking of the fast"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Breaking the fast by eating dates:Sulaymaan Ibn 'Amrreported thatthe
Prophetsaid:"If one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with
dates. If dates are not available, then with water, for water is
purifying. "]At-Tirmithi[
Exerting extra effort in supplications:The Prophetsaid:"Three
supplications are answered without doubt.The supplication of the
fasting person, the supplication of the oppressed and the supplication
of the traveler."]Al-Bayhaqi[.
Eating Suhoor )i.e. the pre-dawn meal(:Anasreported that the
Prophetsaid:"Eat Suhoor, as there is blessings in it"]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
Thanking Allaah after eating or drinking:Anasreported that the
Prophetsaid:"Allaah ispleased with the slave who thanks Him )i.e.,
saysAl-hamdu lillah( when he eats and thanks Him when he
drinks"]Muslim[
Guarding ones tongue and remaining silent:AbuHurayrahreported that the
Prophetsaid:"Let he who believes in Allaah and the Last Day say
something good or remain silent"]Muslim[. The Prophetalso
said:"Fasting is not to refrain from eating and drinking, rather one
should neither indulge inobscene language nor should he raise his
voice; and if anyone reviles himor tries to quarrel with him, he
should say: `I am fasting. I am fasting `"]Ibn Hibbaan[
Going early to the mosque and waiting for the next prayer:Abu
Hurayrahreported that the Prophetsaid:"Should I not direct you to
something by which Allaah obliterates the sinsand elevates )your(
ranks."They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allaah". Hesaid:"Performing
ablution properly, even in difficulty, frequently going to the mosque,
and waiting eagerly for the next prayer after a prayer is over;
indeed, that is Ar-Ribaat )i.e. equivalent to its reward(,indeed, that
is Ar-Ribaat)guarding the front lines of the Muslim army("]Muslim[.
Abu Hurayrahreported that the Prophetsaid:"Everyone among you will be
deemed to be occupied in prayer constantly so long as the prayer
detains him )from worldly concerns(, and nothing prevents him from
returning to his family but prayer."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Spending charity:Abu Hurayrahreported that the Prophetsaid:"He who
gives in charity the value of a date whichhe legally earned, and
Allaah accepts only that which is pure, Allaah accepts it with His
Right Hand and fosters it for him, as one of you fostershis pony,
until it )i.e. the spent charity( becomes like a mountain"]Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim[
Encouraging others to spend:Allaah Says )what means(:"And cooperate in
righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and
aggression"]Quran 5: 2[
Arranging for lectures:Abu Hurayrahreported that the Prophetsaid:"If
anyone calls others to follow right guidance, his reward will be
equivalent to those who follow him )in righteousness( without their
reward being diminished in any respect, and if anyone invites others
to follow error, the sin, will be equivalent to that of the people who
follow him)in sinfulness( without their sins being diminished in any
respect"]Muslim[
Performing the 'Eed prayer:Abu Sa'eedreported:"The Prophetused to come
out on the 'Eed day after Ramadan, and the first thing he would do was
to perform the 'Eed prayer"]Al-Bukhaari[
These were some of the gates towards virtue thatone can perform during
this blessed month, so be keen to accumulate as much reward as you
possibly can, because thiscould be the last year youwitness this
month. Take advantage of this chance and put forth what you would like
to see on the Day of Account. Allaah Says )what means(:"The Day every
soul will find what it has done of goodpresent ]before it[ and what it
has done of evil, it will wish between itself and that ]evil[ was a
great distance. And Allaah warns you of Himself, and Allaah is Kind to
]His[ slaves."]Quran 3: 30[

Ramadan Articles - Blessings of Qiyaam in the Nights of Ramadan - III

Quran recited in the threeRak'ahs)units of prayer( ofWitr:
14- It is aSunnah)Prophetic tradition( to read in the firstRak'ahof
the three:}Exalt the Name of your Lord, The Most High{]Quran 87[, the
second:}Say, "O disbelievers{]Quran 109[,the third:}Say, "He is
Allaah, ]who is[ One{]Quran 112[ and sometimes add:}Say, "I seek
refuge in the Lord of daybreak{]Quran 113[ and}Say, "I seek refuge in
the Lord of mankind{]Quran 114[
It was also proved that the Prophet,, once recited a hundred verses of
the ChapterAn-Nisaa'in oneRak'ahofWitr.
Supplication ofQunoot:
15- One should recite the supplication that the Prophet,, taught his
grandson Al-Hasan ibn Ali, may Allaah be pleasedwith both of them,
whichis:
"O Allaah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me security
among those You have granted security, take me into Your charge among
those You have taken into Your charge, bless me in what You have
given, guard me from theevil of what You have decreed, for You decree,
and nothing is decreed for You. He whom You befriend is not humbled
and he whom You take as enemy is never honored. Blessed and Exalted
You are, our Lord.There is no refuge from You except to You."
One may ask Allaah The Almighty to confer blessings and peace upon the
Prophet,.)There is no harm in adding other permissible, good and valid
supplications(.
16- There is no harm in reciting the supplication ofQunootafter bowing
and adding other supplications such as invoking against the
disbelievers, and asking Allaah The Almighty to confer peace and
blessings upon the Prophet,. It is permissible to pray for Muslims in
the second half ofRamadanas this was proved to be done by theImaamsin
the caliphate of 'Umar. It was mentioned in the above narration by
'Abdullaah ibn 'Ubayd Al Qaari"They used to invoke against the
disbelievers in the middle saying: 'O Allaah, destroy the disbelievers
who are trying to prevent people from following Your path, whodeny
Your messengers and who do not believe in Your promise. Make them
disunited, fill their hearts with terror and send Your wrath and
punishment against them, O Lord of Truth(."'Then, he would ask Allaah
The Almighty to confer peace and blessings upon the Prophet,, pray for
Muslims with as much good as he can, then seek forgiveness for the
believers.
After that, he would say,"O Allaah, it is You whom we worship, to You
we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive and toil. We place our
hope in Your mercy, O our Lord, and we fear Your mighty punishment,
for Your punishment will certainly overtake the one whom You have
taken as an enemy."Then, he would sayTakbeerand fall in prostration.
What to say at the end ofWitr:
17- It is from theSunnah)Prophetic tradition( to say at the end
ofWitr)before or afterTasleem(,"O Allaah, I seek refuge in Your good
pleasure from Your Anger, and in Your forgiveness from Your
punishment, and I seek refuge in Your mercy from Your wrath. I cannot
count the praise due to You. You are as You have praised Yourself."
18- When he makesTasleem, he would say,"Glory be to The Sovereign, The
Most Holy")thrice(, elongating the syllables and raising his voice the
third time.
The twoRak'ahsafterWitr:
19- One may perform twoRak'ahs)afterWitrif he wishes(, for they are
proved to have been performed by the Prophet,. Rather, he said:"This
travelling is exhausting and difficult, so after anyone of you prays
Witr, let him pray two Rak'ahs. If he wakes up, this is fine;
otherwise, these two Rak'ahs will be counted for him."
20- TheSunnahis to recite in them:}When theearth is shaken with
its]final[ earthquake{]Quran 99[ and}Say, "O disbelievers{]Quran 109[.

Ramadan Articles - Blessings of Qiyaam in the Nights of Ramadan - II

Number ofRak'ahs)units of prayer( ofQiyaam)voluntary night prayer(:
7- It is performed with elevenRak'ahs. We would prefer not to exceed
this number for the sake of following theSunnah)tradition( of the
Prophet,, who did notexceed it till he died. 'Aa'ishahwas asked about
the )night( prayer of the Messenger of Allaah,, during the month
ofRamadan. She said,"The Messenger of Allaahdid not observe either in
Ramadan or in other months more than eleven Rak'ahs )in the night
prayer(. He )in the first instance( observed four Rak'ahs. Ask not
about their excellence and their length )i.e. these were matchless in
perfection and length(. After that he observed four more Rak'ahs. Ask
not about their excellence and their length. He would then observe
three Rak'ahs )ofthe Witr Prayer(."]Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others[
8- One may pray less thanthis number even if he prays
oneRak'ahofWitronly, as this was done and enjoined by the Prophet,.
9- 'Aa'ishahwas askedhow manyRak'ahswas the Prophet,, used to offering
asWitr. She said,"He used to pray four and three, or six andthree, or
ten and three. He never used to pray less than seven, or more than
thirteen."]Abu Daawood, Ahmad and others[
The Prophet,, said:"The Witr is a duty for every Muslim so if anyone
wishes to observe it with five Rak'ahs, he may do so; if anyone wishes
to observe it with three, he may do so, and if anyone wishes to
observe it with one, he may do so."
Reciting Quran inQiyaam:
9- The Prophet,, did not specify a certain limitregarding the
recitation of the Quran in theQiyaamofRamadanor any other time, which
was to be observed without increase or decrease. Rather, his
recitation used to range between short and lengthy. Sometimes, he
would read in everyRak'ahan amount similarto that of}O you who wraps
himself ]in clothing[{which is twenty verses, another time he would
read fifty verses. He used to say:"Whoever prays at night with a
hundred verses would not be written among the heedless"andanother
narration:"… with two hundred verses would be written among the
devoutly obedient and sincere."
One night, when the Prophet,, was ill, he recited the seven long
Chapters )Surahs(:Al-Baqarah, Aal 'Imraan, An-Nisaa', Al-Maa'idah,
Al-An'aam, Al-A'raafandAt-Tawbah.
In the narration of Huthayfah ibn Al-Yamaanwhen he prayed behind the
Prophet,, he recited in oneRak'ah Al-Baqarah, An-Nisaa'andAal 'Imraan.
He recited them slowly and calmly.
It was proved with the soundest chain of narrators that when Umar ibn
Al-Khattaab ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'bboth, to lead the people in an
eleven-Rak'ah)unit( prayer, Ubayywould read hundreds of verses, until
those behind him had to support themselves with canes due to the
length of time they had to stand. They would only finish praying just
beforeFajr.
It was also proved that 'Umarcalled readers to recite the Quran
inRamadan. He told the fastest of them to read thirty verses, the
moderate twenty-five verses and the slow twenty verses.
Therefore, if someone is praying alone, he may prolong his prayer for
as long as he wishes, as wellas if he is accompanied by people who
share the same wish. The more he prolongs his prayer, the better; yet,
he should notgo to extremes followingthe example of the Prophet,, who
said:"The best guidance is theguidance of Muhammad."However, if he is
praying as anImaam)leader(, he should prolong prayers to the extent
that does not exhaust those behindhim, for the Messenger ofAllaah,,
said:"If anyone of you leads the people in prayer, he should shorten
it for amongst them are the young and the old, the weak, the sick and
those who have pressing needs; and if anyone among you prays alone
then he may prolong )theprayer( as much as he wishes."
Time ofQiyaam:
10- The time of night prayer starts from after the'Ishaa'prayer till
dawn. The Prophet,said:"Allaah has given you an extra prayer. This is
the Witr which Allaah has appointed for you between the 'Ishaa' prayer
and the Fajr prayer."
11- Praying at the end of the night is better for who can, for the
Prophet,, said:"Whoever fears not ]being able[ to wake up at the end
of the night should perform Witr at the beginning of the night.
Whoever hopes to wake up at the end of the night should perform Witr
therein for prayers at the end of the night are witnessed and that is
better."
12- If one is to choose between praying in congregation at the
beginning of the night and praying alone at the end thereof, then,
congregational prayer is better as its reward is like that ofQiyaamof
a whole night.
This is what the Companions did in the caliphate of 'Umar.
'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn 'Abdul-Qaarisaid,
"I went out in the company of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab one night in
Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different
groups; a man praying alone or a man praying with a little group
behind him. So, 'Umar said, 'In my opinion it would be better if I
collect these )people( under the leadership of one reciter )i.e. let
them pray in congregation!('. So, he made up his mind to gather them
behind Ubayy ibn Ka'b. Then on another night I went again in his
company and the people were praying behind their reciter. On that,
'Umar remarked, 'What an excellent Bid'ah)innovation( this is!
However, the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time,
is better than the one they are offering.' Hemeant the prayer in the
last part of the night. In those days people used to pray in the early
part of the night."
Zayd ibn Wahbsaid,"'Abdullaah used to lead us in prayer in Ramadan and
leave late at night."
13- Since the Prophet,, prohibited performingWitrin threeRak'ahsand
gave the reason for that as he said:"Do not make it resemble the
Maghrib Prayer."That is why whoever prays threeRak'ahsforWitrshould
avoid this issue by one ofthe following:
First: MakingTasleembetween theShaf')even number ofRak'ahs(
andWitr)odd number(, and this option is the strongest and the best.
Second: Not sitting forTashahhudbetween theShaf'andWitr-- Allaah knows best.

Qur'anic Studies - An Outline of Law from a Qur’anic Perspective

This paper is an attempt to partially delineate the salient features
of Islamiclaw from a Qur'anic perspective. It seeks to clarify that
every human society necessitates that there exist a system of rules
without which there can be no public order but chaos. It also shows
that in Islam, thereis no separation of religion from morals, worldly
affairs and from politics. Islam is an all-embracing religion
consisting of a set of lawsand injunctions which are requisite for the
establishment of an ideal society. Therefore, all the laws and
injunctions which are of a practical character and which should be
applied to human society can be subsumed under the general rubric
'law.' The paper continues by discussing the sources of Islamic law
and its goals.
Introduction
The Qur'an is the verbatim revelation or the Word of God, revealed in
Arabic through the archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad during
the twenty-three-year periodof his prophetic mission.
The practices of Muslims as ordained by theShari'ah(Islamic Law) have
their origin in the Qur'an. Although the foundations of
theShari'ahmust also be sought in the Sunnah and the elaboration of
the law depends furthermore, with respect to Shi'ism, upon reason
('aql) and consensus (ijma'), all principles of theShari'ahare already
contained in the Qur'an.
The scheme of life which Islam envisages consists of a set of rights
and obligations, which, as already mentioned, have their origin in the
Qur'an,and every human being who accepts this religion is enjoined to
live up to them. Broadly speaking, the law of Islam imposes four kinds
of rights and obligations on every man: (1) the rights of God, which
every man is obliged to fulfill; (2) his own rights upon his own self;
(3) the rights of other people over him; and (4) the rights of those
powers and resources which God has placed in his service and has
empowered him to use for his benefit.
These rights and obligations constitute thecorner-stone of Islam andit
is the bounden duty of every true Muslim to understand and obey them
carefully. TheShari'ahdiscusses clearly each and every kind of right
and deals with it in detail. It also throws lighton the ways and means
through which the obligations can be discharged.
Social Phenomenon
Issues pertaining to human social life can be divided into two
categories: those which deal with social phenomena irrespective of
their goodness or badness, and those which are concerned with the
value judgements on the various aspects of social life and through
which the goodness and badness of each social phenomenon are judged.In
other words, there are certain issues which deals with 'is' and 'is
not',whereas certain others deal with 'ought to' and 'ought not'. Most
issues of the first category relate to sociology and the philosophy of
history,while those pertaining tothe second fall mainly into the
category of morals and rights. The rulings pertaining to the former
are called real and descriptive rulings, while those pertaining tothe
latter are called normative and prescriptive ones.
Religion and worldly affairs
The prescriptive rulings as mentioned above are divided into three categories:
A. The Divine and Religious Laws: These consist of the commands and
prohibitions which are attributed to God Almighty and as in every
religion, people are required to abide by them, such as keeping the
daily prayer and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca, etc.
B. Moral Laws: That is, thelaws which are comprehended by human
reason, primordial nature (fitra) or consciousness to varying degrees
and which are considered to be of value or validity irrespective of
the Divine or human criteria, such as the goodness of truthfulness and
the ugliness of oppressing others.
C. Legal Laws: That is, the laws which are made for safeguarding the
best interests of human beings in their worldly life by a qualified
authority in view of the relations of individuals with each other
within a society. These laws have an executive backing, which is
usually the government.
Over the years, there has been a tendency to separate these three
groups of law from one another and to specify a distinct area for each
group.. According to this view, the area of Divine laws is restricted
to the rituals and rites which concern the followers of each religion
in specific times and places, such as the religious ceremonies of the
Hindus or the rites of idol-worship which are seen in various parts of
the world. These rites and rituals are not connected at all with other
social aspects of life but rather they consist of performing theduties
which, according to the followers of each religion, are required by
the natural or supernatural powers. Religious laws are neither
connected to the moral laws nor are they connected to the legal ones.
In the Western world, after Christianity had become the official
religion of the Byzantine empire, in spite of accepting Christianity,
apparently on account of the exigencies of the time, some rulers
planned to separate religion from all its worldly aspects
includingpolitics in order to gain the secular power totally,and to
rule over the countries under their control as they wished and to
exclude the divinecommands and prohibitions from the domain of
politics and law in their general sense. For this purpose, they used
every possible means, even the distortion of the scriptures.
After the Renaissance, this attitude gained moremomentum, to the
extentthat a large number of writers and intellectuals demanded the
total separation of religion and law. Furthermore, they supported the
total separation of religion from morals. The separation of religion
from worldly affairs in general and from politics in particular as
seen today in the Muslim countries is nothing but the acceptance of
the current mainstream attitude in the Western world.
Such a separation cannotbe deemed acceptable in any revealed religion.
From the Islamic point of view, religion is a system of theoretical
knowledgeand practical laws, and its practical laws embraceall three
areas of the relation of man to God, the relation of man to himself,
and of man to others. [1]In the Holy Qur'an and the traditions
narrated from the holy Shi'ite Imams, there is a huge collection of
moral and legal laws, therefore the moral and legal systems of Islam
are completely based on the fundamental religious principles
consisting of the belief in Divine Unity, the Resurrection, etc. In
other words, both moralsand law are two main sections of the whole of
the religion and are deeply rooted in the most fundamental theoretical
religious sciences.
Law
In spite of the fact that there are a lot of uses of the word 'law' in
legal terms, it does not have a definite and specific meaning and is
used in different ways. Sometimes, it is used in a wide sense and
includes any prescriptive ruling which should be practised in society
whether it be legislated or non-legislated laws, such as social
customs and conventions.
Thus, some of the law experts use the term "natural law", which refers
to a type of moral theory, as well as to a type of legal theory, but
the core claims of the two kinds of theory are logically independent.
According to natural law ethical theory, the moral standards that
govern human behaviour are, in some sense, objectively derived from
the nature of human beings. However, according to natural law legal
theory, the authority of at least some legal standards necessarily
derives, at least in part, from considerations having to do with the
moral merit of those standards. The phrase "natural law" is sometimes
opposed to the positive law of a given political community, society,
or nation-state, and thus can function as a standard by which to
criticize that law. Positivelaw in the strictest sense is law made by
human beings.
The Main Differences between Morals and Law
The other point to discussin this regard is that though there are
cases where morals and law overlap with each other, there are some
differences between them, the most importantof which are as follows:
1. Legal precepts are just concerned with social behaviour, while
moral rules cover all voluntary human behaviour.
2. Legal rules are based on an external guaranteeof enforcement, while
moral rules are not basedon such a guarantee of enforcement but based
on an internal guarantee of enforcement.
3. Ethical 'dos' and 'don'ts' are permanent, universal and eternal,
while legal 'dos' and 'don'ts' are, more or less, changeable.
4. Legal rules are obligatory, while within the moral domain, there
are both obligatory and recommended obligations.
5. The goals of legal dos and don'ts are to providethe happiness of
people in their worldly life and to establish social justice, order,
security and publicwelfare and the like, while the goals of ethical
commands and prohibitions are to achieve spiritual perfection, which
is nothing other than proximity to God.
6. Legal rules are just concerned with the external aspect of the
act,but are not so concerned with the motivation for and intent of the
doer of the action, while the moral rules are mostly concerned with
the motivation for and the goal of the doer of the action.
Ethical and Legal Concepts are of Conventional Nature
Apart from the above-mentioned differences between legal and ethical
rules, ethical and legal concepts are, however,i'tibari(conventional).
For example, considering theconcept of property, we see that even if
it is applied to such metals as copper and silver, it is not because
of their being metals of a specifickind, but because they are desired
by people and can be used as a means for meeting their needs. In other
words, the acquisition of property by a person signifies another
conceptcalled 'possession' without an external instance.
These concepts are only based on the desires of groups or individuals
without having a relationto objective truth independent of
inclinations of social groups and individuals. These concepts, in
spite of being conventional, are not without relation to external
reality. Their validity is based on the specific needs of man to
attain felicity and his own perfection. Consequently, the worth of
these concepts, albeit dependent on convention, lies in their being a
symbol of the objectively true relationship between man's actions and
their results.
Consider the term "good": one of its meanings is to achieve a purpose
desired by a doer performing an action. The word ''good'' is
contrasted with the result that an agent expects. Without a comparison
and the relationship between theaction and the goal of the action, it
may not be possible to say if the action is good or not.
As is the case with the term 'right': one of its meanings in legal
terms is an advantage which can be claimed and which must be observed
by others. The word ''right'' in this meaning can be understood by
considering a person having an advantage as well as others who have to
observe this right. Therefore, the term ''right'' is predicated on the
external benefit aftera comparison and intellectual analysis. The word
"right" is associated with duty, andthey are two reciprocal concepts
which will be further explained.
The Reciprocity of Right and Duty
Right and duty are two reciprocal concepts and the two faces of the
samecoin. When a person has the right to dispose of hisproperty as he
wishes, others consequently are bound not to dispose of it at all.
Therefore, right and duty are reciprocally determined. That is,
wherever a right is determined, a duty is alsodetermined, and vice
versa. Of course, only oneof the two is explicitly stated; however,
the specification of one necessitates that of the other. It should be
noted that right is of a voluntary nature, whereas duty is of an
obligatory nature. One has a right against something and can use it or
not, but with respect to duty, one is obliged to respect it and should
not evade his or her obligation.
It is worth noting that the fundamental principle of Islamic Law
isthat man has the right and in some cases the bounden duty, to
fulfill all his genuine needs anddesires and make every conceivable
effort to promote his interests andachieve success and happiness.
However, he should do all this in such a way that not only are the
interests of other people not jeopardized and no harm is caused to
their strivings towards the fulfilment of their rights and duties, but
there should be all possible social cohesion, mutual assistance and
cooperation among human beings in the achievement of their objectives.
In respect of those things in which good and evil, gain and loss are
inextricably connected, the tenet of the law is to choose, for
instance, the least harm for the sake of greater benefit and sacrifice
a little benefit, in order to avoid a greater harm. This is the basis
of IslamicLaw. To what degree oneshould choose harm for the sake of a
greater degree of benefit depends on the circumstances in which one is
involved.
Islam attaches great importance to social life, and moreover Islam
considers it incumbent upon all to attend to social problems and to
struggle for the benefit of all human beings and for the establishing
a justsociety on Earth. Being indifferent to such problems is
considered inIslam to be a major sin. Paying attention to such
problems is so crucial that sometimes one feels obliged to spend all
of one's property and even to endanger one's own life in order to save
others from worldly and other-worldly afflictions and harms. It is
unlikely to find any other school of thought other than Islam which
has advanced this idea so far.Of course, all of the revealed religions
are unanimous on basic principles and rules; naturally they are in
common with Islam in this regard.
The word al-haqq (truth or the True) in the Qur'an
In Islam, there appear to be three golden threads that run through all
its aspects and these three golden threads are clearly intertwined.
They are: truth, justice and equity. The words used inthe Qur'an
areal-haqq,al-'adl, andal-qist. It is significant that each of these
words is significantly used in the Qur'an several times; the
wordal-haqqis used about 247 times,al-qist15 times andal-'adl13 times.
The wordal-haqqincorporates the other two terms and has several
meanings depending upon the context: truth, obligation,right and
justice.
Al-haqq can be used as a name for God. For example, the Qur'an says:
That is because Allah, He is the True, and that whereon they call
instead of Him, it is the false, and because Allah, He is the High,
the Great. (22:62). [2]
At this point, it is worth noting that in many Qur'anic verses, the
word`haqq' is used in a sense similar to the technical meaning of law
but not identical with it. Similarlyin theTreatise on Rights(Risalat
al-huquq) by the Fourth Shi`ite Imam, there are topics such as the
rights of your womb relatives, the right of your self (nafs) and the
rights of the tongue, hearing and sight. Many of these rights are
moral in their nature. It should be noted that the wordhaqqis not used
in a legal sense in the above verses but rather it falls into the
category of morals. However, in this paper, while dealing with law
from a Qur'anic perspective, we are not concerned with law (huquq) in
its moral sensebut in its legal sense.
The Source of Right and the Legal Goal of Society from the Islamic Point of View
At the same time, it should be noted that the social laws and
injunctions which make up the legal system of Islam should be based on
a goal which directly results from that system and which secures man's
felicity in social life. The question is: Is there another goal beyond
thisgoal which can be used as a means for the attainment of that goal
or not? In other words, the question is: Is providing for man's
felicity the ultimate goal or the intermediate one?
In answer to these questions, it should be said that the legal system
of Islam is distinct from other ones. The other legal systems based on
a secular world view know no goal beyond that of providing for man's
felicity in social life, and consequently, this very goal is
considered to be the ultimate goal and thedesired object per se. In
other words, in such systems, only those interests and benefits which
can be actualized and attained in this world are taken into
consideration. In this regard, God says in the Qur'an:
They know only some appearance of the life of the world, and are
heedless of the Hereafter (30:7).
Then withdraw (O Muhammad) from him who fleeth from Our remembrance
and desireth but the life of the world (53:29).
Islam does not restrict man's felicity to this world only but rather
thegoal of man's creation transcends this world. The ultimate goal is
to get spiritually closer to God. Man's felicity in this world can be
desirable only when it is consistentwith attaining the ultimate goal.
Islam is a religion which encourages the qualities of purity, beauty,
goodness, virtue, success and prosperity whichAllahwants to flourish
in the life of His people and to suppress all kinds of exploitation
and injustice. As well as placing before us this high ideal, Islam
clearly states the desired virtues and the undesirable
evils.Therefore, the members of society should have the right to use
all the God-given potentialities and abilities for the attainment of
their ultimate goal.
The legal goal of Islam is to prepare the ground and context for the
spiritual growth and eternal felicity of the people. At the very least
they should not be inconsistent with spiritual development, for, in
the view of Islam, the life of this world is but a fleeting phase of
the entire human life which despite its short duration, has a
fundamental role in human destiny. It is in this phase that with his
conscious behaviour the human being prepares for himself his
everlasting felicity or wretchedness. Even if a law could maintain the
social order in this world but would cause eternal misfortune for
humans, itwould not be, from an Islamic perspective, a desirable law,
even if it were to be accepted by the majority.
The Necessity of Law and Legal Rules in Society
Islamic law is based on a realistic view of things which are on one
hand related to God Who created the universe and man based on a
definite goal, and on the other hand to Resurrection, because it is
the last phase of human existence and the ultimate station of his
journey towards God. Finally, it is connected to Divine Wisdom,
because the best created order is built upon the most Sublime Divine
Wisdom. Since the members of a society are not equal in terms of
understanding, and since all the members equally do not seek right and
justice, thus, for the establishment of order and for the prevention
ofchaos, it is necessary that there be some highly qualified
institutionalized powers representing the whole society for taking
responsibility for the crucial functions. These powers consist of the
legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
The functions of the legislature are to be exercised through the
Islamic Consultative Assembly, consisting of the elected
representatives of the people. Legislation approved by this body,
after going through certain stages, is communicated to the executive
and the judiciary for implementation.
The judiciary is of vital importance in the context of safeguarding
the rights of the people in accordance with the line followed by the
Islamic movement, and the prevention of deviations within the Islamic
nation. Provision has therefore been madefor the creation of a
judicial system based on Islamic justice and operated by just judges
with meticulous knowledge of the Islamic laws. This system, because of
its essentially sensitive nature and the need for full ideological
conformity, must be free from every kind of unhealthy relation and
connection (this is in accordance with the Qur'anic verse:"When you
judge among the people, judge with justice"[4:58]).
Considering the particular importance of the executive power in
implementing the laws and ordinances of Islam for the sake of
establishing the rule of just relations over society, and considering,
too, its vital role in paving the way for the attainment of the
ultimate goal of life, the executive power must work toward the
creation of a just Islamic society. Consequently, theconfinement of
the executive power within any kind of complex and inhibiting system
that delays or impedes the attainment of this goal is rejected by
Islam. Therefore, the system of bureaucracy, the result and product of
old forms of government, will be firmly cast away, so that an
executive system that functions efficiently and swiftly in the
fulfilment of its administrative commitments comes into existence.goal
of life, the executive power must work toward the creation of a just
Islamic society. Consequently, theconfinement of the executive power
within any kind of complex and inhibiting system that delays or
impedes the attainment of this goal is rejected by Islam. Therefore,
the system of bureaucracy, the result and product of old forms of
government, will be firmly cast away, so that an executive system that
functions efficiently and swiftly in the fulfilment of its
administrative commitments comes into existence.
The Separation of Powers
During the past three centuries, there have been a lot of disputes
between the philosophers of law and other social scholars. Today the
issue of separation of powers hasbeen stressed so much that it has
been accepted as an indisputable principle of the philosophy of law
and of the basic law.
In the newly-established Islamic society in Medina,the holy Prophet of
Islam had responsibility for thethree powers, and there occurred no
problem in this regard. During the occultation of the twelfthShi'ite
Imam, according to the Shi'ite jurisprudential principles, the leader
has responsibility for all the three powers. [3]Therefore, the powers
of government in the Islamic Republic of Iran, for example, are vested
in the legislature, the judiciary, and the executive functioning under
the supervision of the supreme Leader.
The Basic Law
Most of the social regulations are legislatedand approved by a
legislature, but there is another law called basic law which should be
specified and validated before the formation of alegislature and which
deals with such questionsas why it is necessary that there should be a
legal system in every society, and why law needs three basic
institutions of legislature,judgement and execution, and so on.
The basic law consists of a set of rules which should be validated
before the legislation and codification of the social regulations.
In the democratic systems, in order to give credence to the basic law,
first the people should elect the membersof the constituent assembly
by voting for them. Then, the elected members of the constituent
assembly will legislate and approve thecode of the basic law which is
called constitution, and which is offered to be voted for by the
people.
The term basic law is used in some places as analternative to
"constitution." A Basic Law is either a codified constitution, or in
countries with constitutions which are not codified, a law given to
have constitutional powers and effect. The term basic law is used in
some places as an alternative to "constitution." A Basic Law is either
a codified constitution, or in countries with constitutions which are
not codified, a law given to have constitutional powers and effect.
The Sources of Law in Islam
Each and every legal system consists of a set oflegal rules which are
usually derived from one or more sources. In other words, in order to
build alegal system, some of these sources, and the elements or
constituents which are extracted fromthem, should be used.
To date the Muslim juristic rationalists (usuliyyun) have never used
the term 'the sources of law', and instead they have used the
expression 'the jurisprudential proof', though the meaning of the
latter expression is not the same as the former. The Shi'ite juristic
rationalists (usuliyyun) rely on four proofs called the juristic
proofs, which consist of: the Book (the Qur'an), the Sunnah (the
Tradition), consensus, and reason. Some of the other juristic
rationalists also add some other proofs or sources which consist of:
analogical reasoning (qiyas), juristic preference (istihsan), public
interest (masalih mursalah), opening and blocking the means (fath wa
sadd al-dharaai'), convention, and so on.
Having said this, it has to be noted that the only source of law in
Islam is the Divine Legislative Will. That is, a rule is validin Islam
only when it can be attributed to the legislative Will of God
Almighty. Attributing to any other source can never give validity to
the legal ruling. Firstly, the unique importance of theQur'an and
secondly of the Sunnah (the Tradition, that is, the sayings, actions
and silent assertions of the Prophet and the Imams) is due to the fact
that these two proofs derive from the Divine Legislative Will. That
is, if we wish to know about the rulings of God, we will have no
choice but to refer to these two proofs. These two are notsources
themselves but guide us to the original source. A consensus is binding
if it can be a means for discovering the Sunnah (the Tradition) of the
holy Prophet or of the Imam
As previously stated, the religion of Islam accepts reason as one of
the fundamental proofs of the religious rulings and attaches great
importance to it, if it can be a means for discovering the rulings
ofGod. The Book, the Sunnah, consensus and reason are binding simply
because they are means of discovering the Will of God, and never are
they considered to beindependent sources vis-à-vis the Divine
Legislative Will.
Notes:
[1]Based on the religiousteachings and the consensus of all the
religious scholars, the goal of religion is to provide man with a
comprehensive felicity in this world and the next. Islam as a revealed
religion is both the path and the guide which will lead to man's
eternal happiness. It is composedof three elements which are
intertwined: i. doctrine ii. ethics iii. law. The threefold elements
play an effective role in providing man with happiness when all three
are combined together just as a single organism is composed of its
inseparable organs. These three elements in combination facilitate
man's eternal felicity. Thetexture or combination of these three
elements issuch that they should never be separated from one another,
and if they are considered separately, they will lose their own
essential qualities. Therefore, if anyone believes only in God, the
Creator, the all-Wise, the all-Knowing,the all-Powerful, the
all-Compassionate, the all-Rich, and the Lord of the Universe, who
created man and Who wills both his good and perfection, and who knows
his needs, interests and harms or if he observes an ethical discipline
only for the purification of the soul and the acquisition of good
traits of character or if he only abides by the religious commands and
prohibitions, he will never attain to that comprehensive this-worldly
and other-worldly felicity, which will be actualized thoughthe three
elements mentioned above.. The Islamic intellectual and transmitted
sciences (al-'ulum al-'aqliyyah wa'l-naqliyyah) are comprised of an
extensive scope dealing with different major issues. However, based on
the same threefold elements mentioned above, the religious sciences
are comprised ofIslamic theology, that is the discipline relating to
the beliefs, and ethics, i.e. the discipline relatingto the
purification of the soul, and moral conduct, and jurisprudence, the
discipline concerned with the laws and injunctions relating to man's
individual and social needs. Of course, acquaintance with these
sciences entails being familiar with certain disciplines which are
considered to be their preliminaries and which can be called religious
sciences in one sense.
[2]For further study, refer to the following verses: (30:8), (2:61),
(38:21), (38:22), (38:26), (21:112), (40:20), (40:78), (39:69),
(39:75), (10:47), (10:54), (2:282), (24:48), (24:49) (51:19), (70:24),
(70:25), (6:141), (17:26), (30:38), (2:180), (2:236) and (2:241).
[3]According to twelve-Imam Shi'ism, Abu'l QasimMuhammad ibn al-Hasan
al-Askari, the Proof (al-hujjah), the righteous descendent (al-khalaf
al-salih), the promised Mahdi and the twelfth Imam, peace be upon him,
was born in Surra man ra'a (Samarrah) in the midnight of Sha'ban in
the year 255. When hisfather died, he was five years old and he became
Imam through Divine Command as was the casewith Yahya (John) as He,
the Exalted, says: "O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with strength, and
We granted him judgement while yet a child" (19: 12). God made Yahya a
prophet while hewas a child as He made Christ a prophet while still a
little child. God, the Exalted, says through Jesus when he addressed
his people: "He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; he has given me
the Book and made me a prophet" (19: 30). The Muslims are agreed on
the appearance of the Mahdi at the end of the time for the
obliteration of ignorance, oppression and tyranny and for
dissemination of the signs of justice and the exaltation of the word
of truth and the manifestation of Religionin its entirety even if the
polytheists may be averse. By the permissionof God, he will deliver
theworld from the disgrace of servitude to other than God and abolish
evilmorals and customs and abrogate the irreligious laws as
established by whims and break the bonds of national and racial
prejudices and eliminate the causes of hostility and hatred which have
given rise to the division and disunity of the community, and God, the
Exalted, will keep through his appearance His promise which He made to
the believers as He says: "Allah has promised to those of you who
believeand do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the
earth as he made rulers those before them, and that He will most
certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for
them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them
security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with
Me, and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who arte the
transgressors" (24:55). "And We desired to bestow a favour upon those
who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, tomake
them the heirs" (28:5). "And certainly We wrote in the Book after the
reminder that (as for)the land, My righteous servants shall inherit
it" (21:105). The Occultation of the twelfth Imam has two distinct
stages: the Lesser Occultation and the Greater Occultation. In the
Lesser Occultation, which began in 260/872 and ended in 329/939,
lasting about seventy years, the Hidden Imam continued to communicate
with humanity through his special deputies. The second, the greater
occultation which commenced in 329/939 and which is continuing as long
as God wills it. According to the Shi'ah, the Mahdi is alive but
hidden. He is the axis mundi, the hidden ruler of the Universe.

Fathwa - What is the Ruling Upon ar-Riyaa (Showing off)?

Question:
What is the ruling onar-Riyaa(Showing off)?
Answer:
ar-Riyaais from the lesser Shirk, because the person associates within
his worship other than Allaah. And it can lead to the greater major
Shirk. Ibnul Qayyim (may Allaahhave mercy upon him) gave the example
of the lessor Shirk being 'a slight showing off' this isan indication
that a great amount of showing off leads to the greater major Shirk.
Allaah (The Most High) said:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا
إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ
فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ
أَحَدًا
{Say (O Muhammad): "I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to
me that your God is One God (i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the
Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none
as a partner in the worship of his Lord."}[Kahf 18:110]
So the righteous action is that which is correct and sincere, and
sincere [worship] is that by way of which Allaah's Face is intended.
And correct [worship] is that which is [in accordance] to the
legislation (Sharee'ah) of Allaah.
So that which is intended for other than Allaah then it is not
righteous, and that which is not in accordance to the legislation of
Allaah is not righteous. And it is rejected for the one whoperforms it
due to the saying of the Prophet,
مَن عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
"Whosoever performs anaction that has not been legislated by us, then
it is be rejected"1 And he said,
...إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
"Indeed actions are based upon intentions; every person will have that
which they intended..."2
These two Prophetic narrations are the scales of actions. The Hadith
regarding the 'intention'is the scale of the inner actions. And the
other Hadith is the scale of the outer apparent actions.

Fathwa - What are the actions a women who is on her menses perform while looking for Lailatul Qadr?

Question:
What are the actions a women who is on her menses perform while
looking for Lailatul Qadr?
Answer:
Answer:
Oh my daughter, have glad tidings and give glad tidings to the others;
your sisters in Islaam the daughters of the sunnah, those that follow
the sunnah.
That the woman who is in her menses she is allowed to do all things
that are legislated for the men and the womenthat are out of their
menses except for fasting and praying. Besides that, he said, you know
and you should teach the other sisters in Islaam, that thewoman, the
Muslim woman, is allowed to stand in lailatul qadr or establish in
lailatul qadr: the recitation of the quraan, and making
duasupplication to Allaah forall that is good, as well as istighfaar
seeking Allaah's forgiveness, and takbeer saying Allaahu Akbar and
tasbeeh saying SubhaanAllaah, and tahmeed saying Alhumdulillaah and
saying also laa illaaha illAllaah and the other forms of remembrance
and dhikr. The shaikh while he was handing me the mic reminded us of
the statement that theProphet (sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to
say while looking for lailatul qadr
(Dua'a read aloud in Arabic)
"Oh Allaah you are the Pardoner and the giver of asylum, so Pardon me
because you love to Pardon."
And he said that you should know that any person that is kept back,
and prevented from doing what is better for them from performing
righteous actions, any person who is prohibited or a matter comes
between them and these righteous actions due to a legislated excuse
then this person should knowthat if they have the right intention and
they have a strong will to come closer to Allaah and to better
themselveswith prayers or fasting or with whatever action it might be,
whoever hasan excuse a legislated excuse and has that strong will and
that strong intention then they should know that Allaah Writes the
aj'ar orbenefits or reward for them. This is as we find in the hadeeth
of the Prophet (sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam) when he was travelling
with some of the sahaba on a path to the battlefield where he said
that,
" There are a people in Madeenah from your brothers, that you don't
pass any mountain, and you don't go through any valley except that
they, your brothers in Madeenah are with you in the aj'ar, in the
reward and benefits, that you are gathering the good deeds that you
are gathering by going out in the path of Allaah,the only thing that
stopped them meaning your brothers in Madeenah the only thingthat
stopped them and came between them in being with you is a legislated
Islaamic excuse."
So the person should understand that very well (the shaikh said).

Fathwa - [Can you] Explain some ofthe signs of Lailatul Qadr [the night of Decree]?

Question:
[Can you] Explain some of the signs of Lailatul Qadr [the night of Decree]?
Answer:
Answer:
The signs which indicate Lailatul Qadr which have been mentioned by
the Prophet (SallAllaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), I can recall at this
moment thefollowing;
1. The first of them or number one is that Lailatul Qadr is a
peaceful, tranquil quiet night. Within that night or the night of
Lailatul Qadr you do not hear the barking of dogs, or the sound of the
cockerel.
2. The second sign is thatin Lailatul Qadr the people experience a
pleasant breeze or a pleasant wind which they enjoy which they like.
3. Thirdly, in Lailatul Qadr there is rain. This is one of the signs
of Lailatul Qadr that during the night of Lailatul Qadrthe rain falls.
4. Fourthly, is that when the sun rises on the following morning the
disc of the sun is seen without strong rays or is without any rays.
The disc is a clear disc when it rises in the morning.
The shaikh said many of these signs the people notice them or they see
them and if we notice these signs, then we should have glad tidings in
the hope that we have coincided with Lailatul Qadr.

Ramadan Articles - Ramadaan - A Reminderof Unity

Abu Hurayrah (raa) related that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"Fast when they fast, end the fast when they end theirs, and sacrifice
the day that they sacrifice."[2]
Al-Bayhaqee relates by way of Abu Haneefah, who said: 'Alee ibn
al-Aqmar related to me, from Masrooq, who said: I entered upon
'Aaishah on the day of 'Arafah, so she said: "Serve Masrooq with some
gruel, and make it more sweet." Masrooq said: Nothing prevented me
from fasting this day except that I feared that it may be the day of
Sacrifice. So'Aa'ishah said to me: "Theday of Sacrifice is when the
people sacrifice, and the day of ending the fast is when the people
end their fast." This chainof narration is jayyid (good) due to what
has preceded.
Understanding This Hadeeth:
Imaam at-Tirmidhee says after quoting the hadeeth: "One of the people
of knowledge hasexplained this hadeeth by saying: Its meaning is to
fast and end the fast along with the Jamaa'ah and the majority of
people."
As-San'aanee said in Sublus-Salaam (2/72): "In this (hadeeth) is a
proof that being in agreement with the people is accepted in
establishing 'Eed, and that the individual person who believes that it
is the day of 'Eed - because of the sighting of the moon - then it is
obligatory uponhim to be in agreement with the people, and thatthe
ruling of the people - concerning the Prayer, breaking the fast, and
sacrificing - is binding upon the individual."
Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) mentioned this meaning in
Tahdheebus-Sunan (3/214), and said: "It is said: In it a refutation of
those who say that whosoever knows the positions of the moon due to
astronomical calculations, then it is permissible for him to fast and
end the fast, even if others do not know. It is also said: That the
individual witness who sees the moon, but the qaadee (judge) has not
accepted his testimony, then there is no fasting for him, just asthere
is no fasting for thepeople."
Abul-Hasan as-Sindee said in Haashiyah 'alaa Ibn Maajah, after
mentioning the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah which was related by
at-Tirmidhee: "And its apparent meaning is: That there is no room for
individual (opinions) to enter into these affairs, nor to act
individually in this. Rather, this affair goes back to the Imaam (the
Leader of the Muslims) and the Jamaa'ah (united body ofMuslims under
the Imaam). It is obligatory upon the individuals to follow the Imaam
and the Jamaa'ah. From this isthat is an individual sights the moon,
but the qaadee rejects his witness, then the individual has no right
inthese matters, but rather he must follow the Jamaa'ah in this."
And this is the meaning which is evident from thehadeeth, and which is
emphasized by the fact that 'Aa'ishah (raa) used it with Masrooq when
he prevented himself from fasting on the day of 'Arafah, fearing that
it could be the day of Sacrifice. So she explained to him that there
is no weight given to his individual opinion in this, and that he
should follow the Jamaa'ah. So she said to him: "The day of
Sacrificeis when the people sacrifice, and the day of ending the fast
is when the people end their fast."
Unity is One of the Goals of the Sharee'ah
And this is what is befitting for the easy-natured and tolerant
Sharee'ah (Prescribed Islaamic Law), one of the goals of which is
uniting the people together, unifying their ranks and keeping away
from themall that would split their comprehensive unity - from the
individual opinions. So the Sharee'ah does not give any weight to the
individual opinion in matters concerning 'ibaadah jamaa'iyyah
(collective acts of worship), such as Fasting,'Eed and Prayer in
congregation - even if the opinion is correct, from one angle. Do you
not see that the Sahaabah (the Companions) - radiallaahu 'anhum - used
to pray behind eachother. So from them were those who held the view
that touching a woman, or the flowing ofblood from the body
invalidates the wudhoo' (ablution), along with those who did not hold
this view. From them were those who would complete the Prayer whilst
traveling, whilst others shortened. Yet these, and other such
differences, did not prevent them from collectively praying behind a
single Imaam and deeming it to be acceptable. And this is because they
knew that tafarruq (splitting-up) in the Religion is more evil than
having ikhtilaaf (differences) in some opinions. Indeed, the matter
with one of them reached the extent that he would not even deem
acceptable any opinion which differed with the great Imaam in the
majorgatherings; such as the gathering at Minaa (during Hajj), to the
extent that he would totally abandon acting upon his opinion in that
gathering - fleeing from that which could result from this evil,
because of acting according to his own opinion.
Thus, Abu Daawood relates (1/307) that 'Uthmaan (raa) prayed four
rak'ahs at Minaa, so 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood criticized him saying: "I
prayed two rak'ahs with the Prophet (saws) and two rak'ahs with Abu
Bakr, and two rak'ahs with 'Umar, and two rak'ahs with 'Uthmaan in the
beginning of his rule,then he completed it (i.e. by praying four
rak'ahs). After that the ways became divided with youall. So I hope
from these four rak'ahs, that two of them would be accepted." Then Ibn
Mas'ood prayed four rak'ahs. So it was said to him: You criticized
'Uthmaan, yet you prayedfour? So he said:"Differing is evil."
Its chain of narration is Saheeh (authentic), and something similar to
this is related in the Musnad (5/155) of Imaam Ahmad,from Abu Dharr
(raa).
So those who continue splitting-up with regards to the Prayer, and who
refuse to follow the local Imaams in some mosques- especially in the
witr Prayer during Ramadaan - using as proof that this is against
their madhhab (school of thought), then they should reflect upon the
above mentioned hadeeth and athar (narration). Likewise, those who
claim knowledge of astronomy and who, due to their opinion, fast and
end their fast alone - preceding or lagging behind the majority of
Muslims, not seeing any problem in doing so - should also reflect upon
the previously quoted proofs. So all of them should consider, and
reflect upon the knowledge that has beenmentioned. Perhaps they will
find for themselves a cure for their ignorance and self-delusion, so
that they may then become a unified rank along with their Muslim
brothers - for indeed the Hand of Allaah Subhanahu wa Taa'ala is over
the Jamaa'ah.
Footnotes:
[1] Silsilatul-Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (1/442-445), the hadeeth
authentications have been abridged and edited.
[2] Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (2/37). Shaykh al-Albaanee
authenticated it in As-Saheehah (no.224)

Ramadan Articles - Fiqh of Ramadan: the How-Tos of Fasting

The Obligation
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is an actof obedience
and submission to Allah's commands through the highest degree of
commitment, sincerity and faithfulness to seek Allah's mercy, to atone
for sins, errors, and mistakes and to avoid condemnation to Hell.
It is done out of deep love for God, with a genuine virtue of
devotion, honest dedication and closeness to Allah, for Fasting is for
Allah and Him alone.
The fasting during Ramadan is obligatory onevery adult, sane, and able Muslim.
Denial of the obligatory nature of fasting in the month of Ramadan
amounts to disbelief.
One who avoids fasting without genuine reasons is a sinner and
transgressor according toIslamic Shariah (Law).
Time: When to fast
Fasting in Islam involves abstinence from three primal physical needs
of human beings- food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn
(approximately one and a half hours before sunrise) to sunset during
the entire month of Ramadan.
Who is exempted from fasting
1.Children under the age of puberty and discretion;
2.The insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds. People of
these two categories are exempted from the duty of fasting and no
compensation or any other substitute is enjoined on them;
3.Men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the obligation
of fasting and bear its hardships. Such people are exempted from this
duty, but they must offer at least one needypoor Muslim an average
full meal or its value per person day.
4.Sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by
fasting. They may postpone the fast, as long as they are sick, to a
later date and makeup for it, a day fora day;
5.People expecting hardship. Such people may break the fast
temporarily during their travel only and make up for it in later days,
a day for a day. But it is better for them,the Quran says, to keep the
fast if they can without causing extraordinary hardships;
6.Expectant women and women nursing their children may also breakthe
fast, if its observance is likely to endanger their own health or that
of their infants. But they must make up for the fast at a delayed
time, a day for a day;
7.Women in periods of menstruation (of a maximum of ten days). They
must postpone thefast till recovery and then make up for it, a day for
day.
The How To's of Fasting
Niyyahor Intention of Fast
To observe the fast, the intention of fasting is essential (waajib).
The intention should be made daily, preferably before dawn of each day
of fasting (in Ramadan).
Provision is made if someone has forgotten to express his intention
before dawn. In such a case one is allowed to express intention of
fasting before noon to avoid the invalidation of the fast.
The wording of Niyyah may be as follows:
"I intend to observe fast for today."
Suhoor
Suhoor is a light, predawn meal, recommended before actually fasting.
It is a blessing and hence recommended but not essential.
Any consumption of food or drink should cease at least five to ten
minutes before the onset of dawn.
Iftar
Iftar is an Arabic term meaning breaking the fast immediately after
the sunset. Iftar is a light snack consisting of dates or desserts,
along with liquids, such as water, juice or milk.
This is eaten after making the following Duaa (supplication) for
breaking the fast:
"Oh Allah! I fasted for your sake and I am breaking my fast from the
sustenance You blessed me with, accept itfrom me."
What breaks the fast
1.Intentional consumption of food, drink, medicine, or smoking during
the fasting.
2.Any injection which hassome nutritional value.
3.Beginning of menstruation or post natal birth bleeding (even in the
last moment of sunset).
The conditions mentioned above invalidate fasting and require "Qada"
(making up only the missed day ordays). However, intentional
intercourse during the hours of fasting invalidates fasting and not
only requires "Qada" but also additional penalty (Kaffara-see the
explanation of this below).
What does not break the fast
1.Eating or drinking by mistake, unmindful of the fast.
2.Unintentional vomiting.
3.Swallowing things which are not possible to avoid, such as one's own
saliva, street dust, smoke, etc.
4.Brushing the teeth.
5.Bathing: if water is swallowed unintentionally, it does not
invalidate the fast. However, while fasting gargling should be
avoided.
6.Injection or I/V (Intravenous) which is solely medicinal and not nutritional.
7.In some special circumstances if the food or drink is just tasted
and immediatelyremoved out of the mouth without allowing it to enter
intothe throat.
Kaffara
During the fasting period, if one deliberately breaks his orher fast,
s/he must free one slave, or fast for sixtycontinuous days, or feed
sixty needy persons, or spend in charity an amount equal to feeding
sixty persons.
If one chooses to fast sixty days and the continuity is interrupted
for any reason, except menstruation, one has to start the sixty day
cycle all over again.
Breaking of the fast under exceptional conditions
Muslims are permitted to break their fast of Ramadan when there is
adanger to their health.
In this situation a Muslim should make up his/her fast later. The
missed fast(s) can be made up at any other time of the year, either
continuously or intermittently, except on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr and
the day of Eid-ul-Adha
Tarawih
These are special Sunnah prayers in the month of Ramadan. They follow
the Isha prayers. A minimum of eight and a maximum of twenty Rakat are
offered in pairsof two.
Lailat al-Qadr
Amongst the nights of Ramadan, there is one special night of Power
(Qadr) which is highlighted in Surah al-Qadr (Surah 97 in the Quran).
It has the significance of being better than a thousand months. (Quran97:3).
This was the night when Quran was revealed to mankind. Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) recommended Muslims search
for this night of Power (Qadr) in the odd nights of the last ten
nights in Ramadan.
Muslims spend the night in Ibadah (worship), asking forgiveness of
their sins and reciting theQuran.

Entering the marital bond –II: The marriage contract

The necessary components of themarital process:
This article, discusses some of the important issues to consider when
entering the bond of marriage. This includes the marriage contract and
witnesses to the marriage. It is imperative to remember that whatever
endeavor a person engages in, his or her intention should be purely
for the sake of Allaah, Almighty. For something as serious as
marriage, this should be obvious. The correct intention will ensure
that the union is blessed by Allaah and protected from difficulty and
tribulation. Our sole purpose in life should beto seek the pleasure of
Allaah in all that we do. If this goal were the focus, we would see
many happy, smiling married couples.
1. The marriage contract
The marriage contract is a necessary component in the marital process.
Marriage itself is actually considered to be a contract agreed upon by
the two parties. It is a binding, permanent agreement that can only be
broken through the process of divorce.
It should be entered with seriousness, and as with any contract, the
best attempt should be made to fulfill the obligations and
responsibilities due to the other party.
All scholars agree that the offer by one party and acceptance by the
other is an essential part of the marriage contract. Most of these
scholars also say that the offer must be from the woman's side )the
Wali - the guardian or one who represents him( and theacceptance from
the man during the process of the contract. The majority of the
scholars also say that it is necessary to have the presence of both
the prospective husband and the Wali during the process. The actual
presence of the woman to be wed is external to the whole process.
It is essential to mention here that the consent of the Wali is a
condition without which the contract is void.
The marriage contract itself may simply be in spoken form, although it
may also be completed through writing. Any wording that clarifies the
intention and goals of the contract would be acceptable. It is
important to mention that when the contract is entered into, the
aspects pertaining to marriage in the Sharee'ah)Islamic Law( become
binding upon each person, regardless of whether or not they are stated
inthe contract. These aspects would include the rights and
responsibilities of each party, such as the husband providing
sustenance for his wife and the wife being obedient toward her husband
and so forth.
Certain customs that are known and accepted by everyone can also take
the status of law and beconsidered binding on the parties. These, of
course, would only be acceptable if they do not contradict the
Sharee'ah. Some examples may be the custom of the husband providing
furniture for the house or the bride being taken to the home of the
groom.
Other stipulations may be added to the marriage contract if both
parties agree. These conditions cannot contradict the Sharee'ah nor
can they bring harm to anyone. The primary purpose of these additions
should be to avoid any conflict or hardship in the future.
Those who accept the stipulations must complete the condition or the
husband or wife has right to nullify the marriage. Allaah Says )what
means(:"O believers, fulfill the contracts."]Quran; 5:1[
The Prophetsaid:"The Muslims must act upon their stipulations."]Abu
Daawood and Al-Haakim[. It is necessary to mention that some scholars
are of the opinion that additional conditions cannot be added to the
marriage contract.
2. Presence of witnesses
The majority of scholars agree that the presence of two witnesses is
an obligatory aspect of the marital contract. The Prophetsaid:"There
is no marriage save with a guardian and two )just(
witnesses."]Al-Bayhaqi[
The witnesses must be just and righteous, and also adult, matureand
sane. Most scholars state that the witnesses must be male,although Abu
Haneefahis of the opinion that it is allowed to have one male and two
females. The witnesses must also be Muslim between two Muslims.)Abu
Haneefahallows for non-Muslims witnesses if the marriage is to a
non-Muslim woman(.
The reason for having Muslim witnesses is that the contract is
aserious one and is considered to be a religious contract.
Conclusion
As a woman eagerly prepares for her wedding day, buying clothes and
accessories, beautifying herself, informing family and friends, she
should reflect on the serious nature of the contract that she is about
to enter. It is a lifelong, binding contract that entails many duties
and responsibilities. She should become aware of the elements that are
necessary for completionof this bond )as outlined above and in the
previous article( as detailed in Sharee'ah, and learn about her role
as a wife and companion. She should also be informed about the rights
that are due to her from her husband.It is a beautiful reciprocal
relationship in which the rights of one party become the
responsibility of the other. There are many books available on this
topic and it would be wise to read some of these as part of the
preparation. In Islam, it is not enough to just get married. One must
have the knowledge to enter the union with wisdom andunderstanding and
a deep commitment to making it successful.
Equipped with the right intentionand knowledge, there should be little
room left for Satan to nudgebetween the man and woman who have
promised to love and honor each other all the days of their lives… and
in the Sight of Allaah.

Entering the marital bond - I: Finding a suitable spouse

Marriage is one of the most serious and important commitments an
individual will make in his lifetime. It is a bond that once
established, cannot be easily broken. It is one of the most important
relationships in asociety, as it is the building stoneof the overall
structure. Marriage is so important in Islam that the
Prophetsaid:"Whoever marries has completed half of hisfaith. So let
him have fear of Allaah in the remaining half."]At-Tabaraani[
As an act of worship, Muslims should make the intention to please
Allaah, Almighty, during this process and act in accordance with His
laws.
Unfortunately, in this time, more and more Muslim marriages are
crumbling, primarily due to the fact that they were not in conformity
with the laws established by Allaah. The intention to please Allaah
was not there from the beginning.
As this is a rather immense topic,it will be spread out over several
issues. Some of the initial components in the process are considered
in the following, with the focus on women who are entering the marital
bond.
The presence and guidance of a Wali )guardian - father or whoever
takes his place( is one ofthe conditions required for soundness of a
marriage contract. The Prophetsaid:"There is no marriage except with a
Wali."]Ahmad, Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi[ Healso said:"If any woman
marries herself without the permission ofher Wali, then her marriage
is void, then her marriage is void, then her marriage is void."]Ahmad,
Abu Daawood and others[
The Wali is the one who will be responsible for finding a suitable
spouse for his ward, one who is religious and an appropriate match.
The Wali must be male, mature, of good moral character,and of the same
religion as the woman.
In the ideal situation, the Wali should be the closest male relative
of the woman, so first it has to be the father, if not then itpasses
to the closest male relative on the father side, her grandfather, then
her son, then her full brother, then her half brother, then his sons,
then paternal uncles, then their sons, then the father paternal
uncles, then the Muslim Judge. For women who have entered Islam from
another religion, however, it is not acceptable for her non-Muslim
father or other non-Muslim relative to act as her Wali. In this case,
the responsibility falls upon the leader of the community. A woman
cannot choose any person for her Wali. The Prophetsaid:"There is no
marriage but with a Wali. And the ruler is the Wali for one who does
not have a wali."]Ahmad and others[
A woman should never be forced to accept a marriage proposal. This is
very clear in Islam. If a woman is forced to accept a marriage
proposed against her will, she would have the right either to annul
the marriage or accept and remain in it.
Ibn 'Abbaasnarrated that a young virgin woman came to the Prophetand
stated that her father had married her and she disliked it. So the
Prophetgave her the option )to annul the marriage or remain in it(.
]Abu Daawood and Ahmad[
The relationship between the woman and her Wali is ideally one of
cooperation involving mutual respect and consideration.
Finding a Spouse with Faith and Piety:
The Prophetsaid: "If someone whose religion and character you are
pleased with comes to you )to marry your daughter or ward( then
marry)her off to( him. If you do not do so, there will be commotion on
the earth, and a great deal of evil." ]At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[
The Wali should assist the woman in finding a spouse who has strong
faith and piety, which is reflected in behavior.
The happiness of the marriage often rests upon this important element.
One of the goals of marriage is to find comfort, repose, and security
in the relationship. This goal is more likely to be achieved if each
spouse has fear of Allaah and adheres to Islam.
Unfortunately, women often lookfor a man who has wealth and letters
behind his name )M.D., Ph.D., etc.( assuming that this will bring them
happiness. Although there is no harm in considering these things, yet
it should not be given first priority. How helpful will that wealth
and those letters be when the personis being disrespectful and
uncaring towards his wife? How beneficial will he be in helping her to
fulfill her obligations to Allaah?
Women should carefully arrange their priorities when it comes to
selecting a spouse, for the success and happiness of the marriage may
depend on this.
Payment of Mahr )dowry(:
Payment of the Mahr is also a necessary condition for soundness of a
marriage contract. It is given to the wife asa way of honoring and
respectingher and as a symbol of the husband's commitment to provide
for and take care of his wife.
Allaah Says )what means(:"And give the women )upon marriage( their
bridal gifts graciously."]Quran; 4:4[
This verse and others establish the obligatory nature of the Mahr.
There is no minimum or maximum amount of Mahr statedexplicitly in
either the Quran or Hadeeth.
Anything of value is acceptable asMahr, regardless of whether it is
something material or something non-material )if the person lacks
wealth(. The prophetsaid:"Search for something, even if it just be a
ring made from iron."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ In fact, the Mahr could
be knowledge of the Quran as related in a popular narration. The
Prophetaccepted the dower of a person'sknowledge of Quran. He said:"Go
for I have put her under your charge )in marriage( due to what you
have of the Quran."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
There is no maximum amount of dower as Allaah Says )what means(:"But
if you want to replace one wife with another and you have given one of
them aQintaar )great amount of gold( in gift, do not take )back( form
it anything."]Quran; 4:20[
A Qintaar is a very large amount of gold, which implies that it is
allowed to give such large amounts. The Caliph Umarhowever, did advise
the people atone time not to be excessive withregard to a woman's
dower. The Prophetalso encouraged people to be easy in this area.
Hesaid:"The best Mahr is the one which is easiest )to be
paid(."]Al-Haakim and Ibn Maajah[
Some women request enormous amounts of money, jewelry, and goods from
their prospective husbands, oftentimes making it impossible for the
men to fulfill these requests. Men are actually foregoing or
postponing marriage because they are unableto pay the "going rate" or
to find a woman who is willing to accepta lesser amount.
This creates a great deal of corruption, trial and temptation not only
for individuals, but also for society as a whole. Women should look
beyond their own personal desires and interests and consider loftier
values and benefits.

The danger of changing the meaning of Allaah's Names and Attributes

When dealing with the issue of belief in Allaah's Names and
Attributes, wehave to bear in mind the following important points:
1( Placing Allaah, The Most Exalted, above any likeness to human
beingsand beyond any imperfections.
2( Belief in the Names and Attributes established in the Quran and
Sunnah )the sayings, actions and approvals of Prophet Muhammad(,
without ignoring them, expanding upon them, changing or overriding
them.
3( Abandoning any desireto discover the form of those attributes by
realizing the following:
A: The attributes of AllaahAlmighty bear no resemblance whatsoever to
any human attribute. Allaah Says in the Quran)what means(:"There is
nothing like Him…"]Quran 42:11[
B: The only names and attributes to be ascribed to Allaah Almighty are
those mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
C: We are required to believe in these names and attributes without
inquiring after their nature and manner or investigating their
essence.
This is so because attributes vary according to the self they
characterize; finding out how they manifest themselves depends upon
knowing the self and how it acts.
If someone were to ask: "How does Allaah Almighty descend to the lower
heavens?" We would reply by asking: "What is His nature?" If the
questioner says, "I donot know Allaah's nature", we say: "And we know
not how He descends!"
Tawheed of Names and Attributes is violated by the following:
1. Ta'teel )Negation(: Thisis done by negating Allaah's Names or
Attributes, and denying their existence in Allaah. For instance,
negating the perfection of Allaah by denying His Names and Attributes,
or negating the proper conduct towards Allaah by abandoning worship,
or barring the created from its Creator, such as those who deny the
fact that Allaah Almighty created the universe and claim that it
developed and evolved by itself.
The deviant Islamic sect who adopted this crooked creed is called
'Al-Jahmiyyah', the followers of Jahm Ibn Safwaan. They deny the
Attributes of Allaah, the AlMighty and Exalted; in fact, their
extremists deny the Names and say:"It is not permissible to affirm a
Name or an Attribute of Allaah; for if you were to affirm a Name for
Him, you have likened Him with things with )similar( names, or an
Attribute, then you have likened Him with things of )similar(
attributes!! And whateverAllaah assigns to Himself from the Names;
then it isjust in a metaphorical sense; and not the case ofactually
naming with these Names )literally(!!"
2.Tashbeeh )Resemblance(:Thismeans to resemble the attributes of the
Creator to the attributes of the created as the Christians, Jews and
some deviant sects in Islam compare the face of Allaah with the human
face, Allaah's Hand to the human hand and so on. ]Al-As'ilah
Wal-Ajwibah Al-Usooliyyah, p. 35[
The people who adopted this deviant creed affirm the attributes of
Allaah, and say: "It is a must to affirm the attributes of Allaah, as
He affirmed them for Himself", but they say: "Indeed they are like the
attributes of the creation."
So, these people went into extreme in affirmation, and the people of
At-Ta'teel went into extreme in elimination of seemingly
anthropomorphic Attributes.
So these people claimed:"It is a must for you to affirm the Face of
Allaah, and this Face is like the Face of the most beautiful one from
the children of Aadam." They also claimed:"Because Allaah addressed us
with what we understand andcomprehend; )so Allaah( said )what
means(:"...And remains the Face of your Lord fullof Majesty and
Honour."]Quran55:27[, so we do not understand or comprehend from the
Face except what we witness, and the best of what we see is the
human."
According to their claim - we seek refuge in Allaah from such heresy -
)the Face of Allaah( is like the best one of the human youth!! And
they claim that this is rationally logical!!
3.Tahreef )Distortion(:This is done through false interpretation or
change.For example, the change of the wordings of namesand attributes,
by addingto them, subtracting fromthem or changing the grammatical
constructions, such as theverse )which means(:"And Allaah spoke
directly to Moosa)Moses(."]Quran 4:163( where the word Allaah they
claimed to be in the objective case, thus indicating that it was
Moosawho spoke to Allaah and not vice versa.Thus, they denied
Allaah'sattribute of talking.
Al- Jahmiyyah also adopted this innovation through such claims as that
the Istiwaa' )Allaah's Ascending above the Throne( means 'conquering
and having dominion over'; and like the saying of some of
theinnovators that 'Anger' when referring to Allaah means 'intending
to sendblessings', all of which goes under Tahreef. The true saying,
however is that Istiwaa' means ascending and being above- as is clear
in the Arabic language. The Quran came to show that its meaning is
ascending and being above the Throne in a manner which befits Allaah's
Majesty and Greatness.
4.Takyeef)to try to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How
Allaah's Hand is? It islike this and that, or: HowHis Descending is?
It is like this and that(: This is done by attempting to determine the
manner in which Allaah's Attributes take form and also determining
their essence. The method of taking Names and Attributes mentioned in
the Quran and Sunnah at face value, without any comparison, change,
negation, nor give the"how of" is the method ofthe Companionstheir
followers and those who followed their followers, may Allaah have
mercy them.
Takyeef differs from Tamtheel and Tashbeeh in two ways:
1- Takyeef is to Relate How Something is, with restriction or not by
way of resembling. While Tamtheel and Tashbeeh indicate how something
is, in a restricted sense, by way of a likeness or resemblance
respectively.Takyeef is more general. All who do Tamtheel are doing
Takyeef. But vice versa is NOT the case.
2- Takyeef is Particular toAllaah's Attributes, while Tamtheel is
concerned with His Decree, Description and Self.
Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah )the mainstream moderate Muslims( affirm for
Allaah-The Most Exalted -what He has affirmed for Himself in His Noble
Book, or what has been affirmed for Him by His Messenger Muhammadin
the authentic Sunnah, without Tamtheel. They free Allaah - the Most
Exalted -from any resemblance to His creation, whilst also rejecting
and being free from Ta'teel.