Fathwa, - Her co-wife wants her husband to di..

Question
I have quite a long-explanation question to ask you, but in brief: I
am a European woman married to a Palestinian man as a second wife. We
married more than one year ago but we knew each other for two years
already and my husband used to be in a situation of adultery before we
sealed our destinies before Allah. I precise that I converted to Islam
)I was a Catholic( the day I married. My husband didn't tell his first
wife about our wedding because he told me he asked imams and got the
information he could marry a second wife without his first one
knowing. But after one year of wedding, he decided to tell her. And
yet, after having been trying to accept the idea for her husband's
sake and Allah's sake, she definitely refused this union, asking her
husband to divorce me, what we don't want to deep inside us. They
already have four children together and my husband is 18 years older
than me. We are not living in the same country yet and we never lived
together until now, excepted for the summer period which came after
our wedding. I don't want to divorce and I am ready to accept my
husband's first wife's conditions but it seems she is not enough
spiritual to understand Islam as a comprehensive religion. And my
husband and his first wife's families wouldn't be keen accepting
polygamy. I feel disappointed by Arabs who should be at the vanguard
of Islamic doctrina and way of life. What do you suggest me to do?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammadis His Slave and Messenger.
What those Imaams told your husband is correct: a man can marry a
second wife without informing his first wife, but it is her right over
him that he be just between her and his other wife. This is the
condition that Allaah has stipulated upon anyone who wants to take a
second wife; Allaah says )what means(: }...then marry those that please
you of ]other[ women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you
will not be just, then ]marry only[ one ...{ ]Quran 4:3[
Hence, we cannot set a condition that Allaah has not set.
It is impermissible for a woman to ask her husband to divorce his
other wife, as we have already clarified in Fataawa86514and86783.
The husband should not accept her demands and divorce his wife just
because his first wife requested this and is putting pressure on him
to do so. We advise him to be wise and solve the problem in a calm and
correct manner. At the same time, he should seek the help of Allaah
and ask for success and guidance.
Using indirectness is one of means of doing so. For example, he may
speak with expressions by which his wife understands that his other
wife is no longer his wife while he intends another meaning. Speaking
with indirectness is better than openly lying. For more benefit about
indirect speech )Tawriyah(, please refer to Fatwa96115. The fact that
he is not living with you now may help him handle this situation in
light of what we have mentioned.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa91150and86783.
Finally, we warn Muslims to beware of blaming Islam for the bad
behavior of some Arabs or Muslims, as some Arabs do not believe in
Allaah and they are in fact hostile to Islam and the Muslims. An
example of this isAbu Lahabwho was the uncle of the Prophet. He
disbelieved in Allaah and was hostile and caused harm to the Prophet.
Indeed, a Soorah of the Quran was revealed about him and his wife as
they both used to harm the Prophet. Moreover, some Muslims may be
hypocrites, and this type of people existed at the time of the
Prophetand the Quran exposed them, and a Soorah was named after them
]Al-Munaafiqoon )the Hypocrites([.
To sum up, Islam remains with its glory, beauty, principles and
rulings which achieve happiness in the world and the Hereafter.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - Implanted intrauterine device by non-Muslim

Question
Is it Halal to put intrauterine contraceptive device in a woman to
avoid pregnancy by a non-Muslim physician? She has just delivered and
needs to rest for medical reason.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
It is Haram to put/use a loop unless there is a dire need, that
necessitates it, since such an action causes exposing Awrah )private
parts( and preventing offspring, which is urged by the Law Maker
)Allah and His Messenger(.
Thus, if there is need and one's goal of using the loop can not be
fulfilled through 'Azl )setting apart one's sperm to go through wife's
womb or with condom( or contraceptive tablets or unharmful chemical
injection and so on, then there is no objection to use or put the
loop. But, it should be put by a Muslim female doctor; if this is not
available then by a non-Muslim female doctor; if it is not available
then by a male Muslim doctor; if not available then by a non-Muslim
doctor.
Allah knows best.

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Fathwa, - Operation to prevent pregnancy

Question
My friend has eight children and she is pregnant. She is suffering
from Dawali in her legs and she found it hard to serve more kids. She
was asking me if she can have an operation to stop becoming pregnant
and because I cannot have children yet. So I told her that kids are
wonderful and Allah )SWT( will reward her for having educated Muslim
kids. Later I felt guilty because she may take my word for it and I
will be responsible about any harm that happens to her. So would you
tell me by evidence from Qur'an or Sunnah can she have this operation?
You should know that she tried every thing not to get pregnant and she
could not. The doctors said this is the only way.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and
peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and
Companions.
You are not a sinner rather you are a well-doer, al-Hamdu Lillah. In
fact, you will get good reward on your advice and guidance, Insha
Allah.
As for family planning we have issued Fatwa concerning this matter..
Allah knows best.

Personal, - Are We True Muslims? - I

Brothers in Islam! Who are true Muslims? Let Us see what Allaah
Almighty and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, have to say
about their lives and hearts:
Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:}Say: My prayers and my sacrifices,
and my living and my dying are for Allaah Alone, the Lord of all the
worlds. No partner has He. Thus I have been commanded, and I am
foremost among those who surrender ]themselves unto Him[{]Quran 6:
163-4[.
The same theme is elucidated by the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa
sallam: "One who loves for the sake of Allaah Alone and hates for the
sake of Allaah Alone; and whatever he gives, gives for the sake of
Allaah Alone, and whatever he withholds, withholds for the sake of
Allaah Alone -indeed, he perfects his Imaan )faith(." ]Abu Daawood[
The Quran makes clear what Allaah Almighty demands of you. You should
devote yourselves wholly to the service of Allaah Almighty, you should
live for Him Alone, you should die for Him Alone. You, and the world
around you, entirely belong to Allaah Almighty; let nobody have a
share in what belongs to Allaah The Most High. That is to say, you
should not serve anyone but Him, nor live or die for anyone but Him,
Almighty.
The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, explains what the Quran has
said. To be a true believer, your love and enmity for everything, all
your affections, all relations and transactions in your lives, should
have only one purpose: to seek Allaah's Pleasure. Without this your
faith itself will not be complete; the possibility of rising higher in
the sight of Allaah Almighty does not arise. The greater the
deficiency in this respect, the more defective the faith.
Some people think that these qualities are required only to reach
higher spiritual stations and are not essential to Imaan )faith( and
Islam. In other words, even without these qualities a person can be a
good believer and a Muslim. This mistaken notion has arisen because
people in general do not differentiate between legal Islam and true
Islam which alone is truly authentic in the sight of Allaah Almighty.
Two Types of Islam
Legal Islam
Under legal Islam, on which jurists and states must base their
dealings, what lies in your hearts and minds is not taken into
account, nor can it be. Your verbal affirmation and those essential
signs which must flow out of that affirmation are accepted as
sufficient evidence of your Islam. Anyone who affirms by word of mouth
belief in Allaah, the Messenger, the Quran, the Hereafter and other
articles of faith, and who also fulfils those necessary conditions
which provide proof of his affirmation, is considered part of Muslim
society and all dealings with him are to be conducted as with a
Muslim.
This definition provides the legal and cultural basis on which Muslim
society is organized. Its purpose is no more than that all those who
enter into the Muslim Ummah )nation( al recognized as Muslims: nobody
from among them can b called a disbeliever; every one of them must
have the same mutual legal, moral and social rights; they should be
entitled to marry among Muslims; they should be eligible to receive
the share in inheritance; all other civil relations should be
established with them.
True Islam
However, in the world-to-come, you cannot be judged as Muslim and a
believer on the basis of this legal affirmation, nor on this basis
will Allaah Almighty accept you as one of His chosen servants. What
will count then is having faith in hearts, and willingly and wholly
submitting lives to Allaah Almighty. Whatever verbally affirmed is
meant for courts and for the common man and the Muslim society. For
they can only see the exterior, but Allaah Almighty sees deep into
your hearts and knows precisely the degree of your faith.
How will He judge a man? Allaah Almighty will see whether he lived and
died for Him Alone, whether his loyalties to Him superseded all other
loyalties, whether his obedience and his service, indeed his entire
life, were devoted only to Him Almighty. If they were solely for
Allaah Almighty then he will be adjudged a believer and a Muslim, but
if they were for someone else, then he will not be adjudged a Muslim
nor a believer. Whoever falls short of this criterion will, to the
extent he falls short, be lacking in faith and Islam, irrespective of
how important a Muslim the world may judge him and of any high
positions he may hold. With Allaah only one thing matters: whether or
not you have given away in His way all that He Almighty has given you.
If you have, you will be granted the reward which is reserved for
those who are loyal and render the service that is due. Bu if your
submission has been less than total, if you spare any part of your
life from His service, your claim to be Muslims which implies that you
have wholly given up yourselves to Allaah Almighty, will be a
deceptive claim. Although you may be able to mislead the world and
persuade the Muslim society to grant you its membership and all the
rights of Muslims, Allaah The All-Knowing cannot be deceived into
assigning a place for you among His faithful.
Reflect on the differences between legal Islam and true Islam and you
can see that their consequences will vary greatly, not only in the
Hereafter but also in this world; the life pursuits, character and
disposition of a true Muslim will be totally different from one who
merely parades the outward trappings of faith. You will always
encounter these two types of Muslims.

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Personal, - Are We True Muslims? - II

Two Kinds of Muslims
Partial Muslims
Some Muslims profess faith in Allaah Almighty and the Messenger
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam and declare Islam as their religion; but
then they confine this Islam to only a part of their lives. To the
extent of this part, they express great attachment to Islam,
extensively perform worship rituals like Prayers, use of the rosary,
remembrance of Allaah Almighty. They are very particular in conforming
to outward piety in matters like food, dress and other external
social, cultural customs. Thus they are fully 'religious'.
But beyond these conventions their lives are not according to what
Allaah Almighty commands. If they love, they love for the sake of
their own selves, their country, their nation, or for anything else,
but not for Allaah Almighty. If they become displeased, are angry,
hate someone, make enemies, or wage war, it too is for the sake of
some worldly or selfish interest. Their relations with their
businesses, their wives and children, families, societies -- will all
be to a great extent unaffected by Islam and based on secular
considerations. As landlords, traders, rulers, soldiers, professional
people -- in all spheres they will behave as if they are autonomous,
having no connection with their position as Muslims. When such people
establish cultural, educational and political norms and institutions,
these have nothing to do with Islam, even though they may seem
Islamic.
True Muslims
The second kind of Muslims are those who completely merge their
personalities and existences into Islam. All the roles they have
become subordinate to the one role of being Muslims. They live as
Muslims when they live as fathers, sons, husbands or wives,
businessmen, landlords, laborers, employers. Their feelings, their
desires, their ideologies, their thoughts and opinions, their likes
and dislikes, all are shaped by Islam. Allaah's guidance holds
complete sway over their hearts and minds, their eyes and ears, their
bellies, their sexual desires, their hands and feet, their bodies and
souls. Neither their loves nor their hatreds are formed independently
of Islamic criteria. Whether they fight or make friends, it is purely
for the sake of Islam. If they give anything to anybody, it is because
Islam requires it to be given. If they withhold anything from anybody,
it is because Islam wants it to be withheld.
And this attitude of theirs is not limited to personal lives; their
public lives, their societies are also based entirely on Islam. Their
collectivity exists for Islam alone; their collective behavior is
governed by the precepts of Islam alone.
What Kind of Muslims Allaah Almighty Desires
The above two kinds of Muslims are significantly different from each
other, even if, legally, both are included in the Ummah and the word
`Muslim' is applied to both equally. Historically the first kind of
Muslims have made no achievement which may be worthy of mention or
which merits our being proud of it. Nothing these 'Muslims' have done
has left an Islamic imprint on the pages of world history. The world
has received no benefit from their existence; indeed, Islam has
suffered decay because of them. Because of the preponderance of such
`Muslims' in Muslim society, power and world leadership largely passed
into the hands of rebels against Allaah Almighty. For these `Muslims'
have been content merely with ensuring that they enjoy the freedom to
live religiously within the narrow confines of their private lives.
Allaah Almighty never desired to have such `Muslims'. Nor did He
Almighty send His Prophets or reveal His Books to make them. Indeed it
is the second kind of Muslims who are desired by Allaah Almighty. Only
they can ever accomplish anything worthwhile from the Islamic point of
view.
Supreme Loyalty to Allaah Almighty
This is not a phenomenon peculiar to Islam. In fact, no way of life
can ever prevail in the world if its followers accord their faith and
commitment a subordinate position in their lives. Or, if they live and
die for causes other than their faith. We see even today that only
those are considered real and true followers of a creed or ideology
who are loyal to it with their hearts and souls. Every creed in the
world desires such adherents and no creed can prevail in the world
except through such followers.
However, there is an important difference between Islam and other
creeds and ideologies. Although others demand from men total loyalty
and dedication, they in fact have no such right upon him, their claims
are entirely unjustified. The objects they place before men are not
the kind of objects for which a human being should sacrifice anything.
But Allaah almighty for whom Islam demands the sacrifice of life has a
right upon us. Everything must be given in His way, for whatever
exists in heaven and on earth belongs to Allaah Almighty. Man himself,
whatever he possesses, and whatever lies within him, all belong to
Allaah Almighty. It is therefore in perfect harmony with justice as
well as reason that whatever belongs to Allaah Almighty must be
reserved only for Him Alone. Whatever sacrifice man makes for others
or for his own benefit or to gratify his desire is indeed a breach of
trust unless it be with the permission of Allaah Almighty. And
whatever sacrifice is made for Allaah Almighty is in reality a payment
of what is due.
But, one lesson Muslims must learn from those who are sacrificing
everything for the sake of their false ideologies and false gods: how
strange it is that, while such unimaginable dedication, sacrifice and
fidelity is being shown for false gods, not even a thousandth part of
it is shown for the True God by those who profess faith in them.
Where Do We Stand?
Let us examine our lives by the crucial criteria of Imaan and Islam as
laid down by the Quran and the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.
If you claim that you have accepted Islam, have you oriented your
living and your dying towards Allaah only? Are you living for His
cause alone? Are your hearts and minds, your bodies and souls, your
time and efforts, being devoted to the fulfillment of Allaah's
commands? Is that mission being accomplished through you which He
wants to be fulfilled by the Muslim Ummah? And, again, do you obey and
serve only Allaah? Have you eliminated from your lives subservience to
selfish desires and obedience to family, brotherhood, friends, society
and state?
Have you made your likes and dislikes totally subordinate to what
Allaah Desires? If you love somebody, is it really for the sake of
Allaah? If you dislike somebody, is that too for the sake of Allaah?
Is no element of selfishness involved in this? Do you give and
withhold only for the sake of Allaah? Are you spending on your own
selves and giving wealth to other people, or withholding the same,
because that is what Allaah Almighty wants? Is your motive nothing but
to gain His pleasure?
If you find such a state of faith and submission within yourself, you
should thank Allaah that He has bestowed upon you the blessing of
Imaan in its fullness. And if you feel any deficiency, you must give
up every other concern and worry and concentrate wholly on remedying
this deficiency. For on its removal depends your wellbeing in this
world as well as your success in the Hereafter. Whatever success you
may enjoy in the present life will not compensate you for the loss you
will suffer in the Hereafter due to this deficiency. But if you make
up for this deficiency, even if you gain nothing in this world, you
will benefit immensely in the life to come.
Do not use this criterion to test or judge others and determine
whether they are Believers or hypocrites and Muslims or disbelievers;
use it only to judge your own selves and, if you detect any
deficiency, try to remove it before you meet Allaah Almighty. How a
mufti )religious jurist( or a court judges you should be of least
concern to you; it is only the judgment of the Supreme Ruler and
Knower of the seen and unseen which matters. Do not become happy
merely on seeing your names registered as Muslims, but remain anxious
about how and where your names are entered in the Register of Allaah
Almighty.
Real success consists in your being judged as believers and not
hypocrites, obedient and not disobedient, faithful and not unfaithful,
by that God who is the final Judge.

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Youth, - Sex and the single Muslimah

Okay folks, here it is. Let's talk about what no one else wants to
discuss. Single women and sex...yes, it's the "S" word. And, I am sure
we'll get a little more graphic as we move right along in this
article. I am about to be outright straightforward on this subject, so
those with a weak stomach may want to drink a glass of milk, have a
seat to get through this with me.
First off, I'd like to state upfront and get it right there on the
table: we all need love--each and every one of us. We all need to feel
loved and have that special closeness. It is a natural part of being a
human being, it is how we were created and there is nothing wrong with
it-- nothing to be ashamed of if you have these feelings. What is
unnatural is to be someone celibate for life )for no good
reason(....that is just wrong.
But perhaps temporarily going through celibacy is not a bad thing,
that is, when you are single woman . . . there is no other option. I
will get into the why's of that later--because there are a lot more
than some might think. So, when you are a Muslimah and single, how do
you handle it? It can be SO lonely, so tiresome. What do you do? What
can one do? How to cope?
It's not easy...and there is not a simple solution, save one, and that
is marriage.
Love is sexy, but is sex love?
The whole idea of falling in love with someone is so sexy really... it
is so unbelievably appealing. God help us all, we are so bombarded
with the notion at every turn. It's on TV even in children's animated
films. I mean, if those ridiculous cars can fall in love, why can't I
find the love of my life? At least, I am a human being, I can really
talk!!
Love is idealized, especially in the West. It is sold and promoted in
every way imaginable...and I don't have to lecture you on that. You
know it's true. But, what is so sad is that advertising )among other
things( has confused sex with love--and they are in no way the same
thing. Anyone can have sex, but not everyone can have love. In Islam,
there have been so many rewards attached with marriage itself, and
fulfilling a person's sexual needs through the sanctity and bond of
marriage that literally sex in the bounds of a marriage is rewarding
two-fold, both physically and spiritually.
Real love doesn't happen, at least far the most part, at first sight.
First sightings are merely far the eve. What does happen at first
sight is lust, and only lust. It is the physical attraction that draws
one's interest in the beginning--not love.
Real love vs. lust
Once someone emailed me a poem at work, and this is what it said:
"All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion
built upon the sand." -quote by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
I sat there staring at my computer screen, thinking, "That is so true.
Nothing else could be so clear."
Love is built over time, through mutual care and understanding . . .
it does not happen in a few interactions. Lust, on the other hand, can
begin and end in an instant. Love is lasting, while lust is temporary.
Love is patient, while lust is impatient and impulsive. Love makes you
feel joyful and inspired, while lust only offers you shame and regret.
There is one thing to be certain, love and lust should never be confused.
I hope you don't blame or judge me for the quote I am about to use. I
am using it simply because it gives so much clarity on this issue of
love and lust. And, just as I would use a quote, if relevant, from
anyone else I use the following with the same intention:
"You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.
Disharmony prevails when
You confuse lust with love, while
The distance between the two
Is endless. ]Rumi[
It is the last line that caught my eye in particular: "the distance
between the two is endless." How true.
A single Muslimah must constantly be on her guard to prevent confusing
these two emotions, and sometimes it can be difficult if one is
lonely.
A solution for solitude
Marriage is an amazing alternative to being single. Muslim women
should avoid living single for an extended time. In Islam, being
married is a major part of the deen )religion(.The Prophet Muhammad,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Marriage is my way, )i.e.,
Sunnah( and a person who disdains to follow my way does not belong to
me."
So, living single for any extended period of time is--although not
haram--is essentially going against the Sunnah of the Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.
But, you know, I am all for women's rights. I know women can do it
all. We can make our own money; we can raise the kids and take care of
the home. There is nothing we can't do ourselves.... Well, almost.
We can't be fathers. No woman can replace a dad. We can fill in if we
have to, but it is not the same thing.
Like everyone else, we need that family unit. Our children need a
Family unit-- and a family unit includes a mom and a dad. A husband and
a wife --a partnership.
For men or women, living alone and unmarried only invites sin into our
life. We maybe strong for a while, but eventually Satan starts
whispering and the longer we stay alone the louder he gets.
One quote on this subject; I hope you will appreciate as I do:
"The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being.
His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind
shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds
no other inspiration." - by Pearl S. Buck
I don't know much about Pearl Buck, but she is right.
True love awaits
So, what to do about marriage? How to find a mate? How can we attain
true love through a marriage contract?
If you are a single Muslimah and want to marry, for God sake )and I
know that can be hard to do( don't start looking online. Visit your
community, talk to those closest to you. Make a list of the things
that matter most to you so you will know what to discuss. Be your own
investigator--check him out through friends of friends of friends. I
know that you realize that, but this is, after all, someone you are
considering spending the rest of your life with.
And once you decide to meet with someone, talk about things on your
list and make sure you have some things in common---now and in the
future. Common goals always make for a better relationship.
The Islamic marriage contract and ceremony itself can seem dry
compared to the lavish ceremonies we see on television. But, what
matters is intention and sincerity.
Here's another quote I love from Thomas Carlyle: "The merit of
originality is not novelty; it is sincerity."
This aspect matters more than the world when searching for your life-mate.
Does love come right away in a contractual marriage? To be quite frank
with you, the answer is no, not always. But, on average, studies show
these types of marriages are lasting. I know you have heard it a
million times over, but developing a bond of friendship with your
spouse is what will last. Attraction comes and goes over time, but a
strong friendship and love only strengthens.
My hope is that this article help those who are still single think a
little more beyond what we already know about the difference between
lust and love.
True love and sexual happiness awaits you through the sincere bond of
marriage, and that is something that is truly worth waiting for and
worth saving yourself for upholding your dignity and self-respect is
paramount to your mental well-being and that of your children should
you have any.
Always keep this in the forefront of your mind as you go about your
life as a single woman:
You are a Muslimah. And to accept anything less than the sincerity of
an Islamic marriage is simply beneath you.
And then, start seriously looking for a good Muslim man to marry my
friend because Satan never sleeps.

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Dought&clear, - If he apostatized then repented,and he owed prayers, fasts or zakaah before he apostatized, then he must make them up

There is someone who apostatized, and before he apostatized, he had
some prayers and fasts that he had to make up but did not. If he comes
back to Islam, does he still have to make them up, or is everything
erased and does he become like someone who is new in Islam?
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
If the apostate repents, he does not have to make up prayers or fasts
that he did not do during the time of apostasy, because repentance
erases what came before it.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
Does the apostate have to make up prayers and fasts if he comes back
to Islam and repents?
He replied:
He does not have to make them up; whoever repents, Allah accepts his
repentance. If a person does not pray, or he does something that
nullifies Islam, then Allah guides him and he repents, then he does
not have to make them up.
This is the correct scholarly view, because Islam erases that which
came before it, and repentance erases that which came before it.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said:"Say to those who have
disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be
forgiven" [al-Anfaal 8:38]. Here Allah, may He be glorified and
exalted, states that if the disbeliever becomes Muslim, Allah will
forgive him everything that he did in the past.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Repentance erases that which came before it, and Islam erases that
which came before it."
End quote fromMajmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 29/196
See also the answer to question no. 197247
Secondly:
But if before he apostatized, the apostate had missed some prayers or
fasts or zakaah, then he must make them up, according to the majority
of scholars.
It says inal-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah(22/201-202):
If the apostate who has repented owed some prayers or fasts or zakaah
that he missed before he apostatized, does he have to make them up?
The majority of Hanafi, Shaafa'i and Hanbali fuqaha' are of the view
that it is obligatory to make them up, because omitting an act of
worship is a sin, and sins remain after apostatizing. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In
the case of the apostate, he is not obliged to make up prayers, zakaah
and fasts that he missed during his apostasy, according to the
well-known scholarly view, but he has to make up anything that he
missed before he apostatized, according to the well-known view.
End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa, 22/10
And Allah knows best.

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Dought&clear, - He thought of becoming a Christian; did he commit apostasy?

I have been living in Britain for four years, and a few months ago I
decided to become a Christian! But I did not do it. When I made that
decision, I was saying to myself: If any of them asks me, what is your
religion, I will say that I am a Christian and that Jesus is the "son
of God" (I ask Allah to forgive me for that). But I also used to say
to myself: No; Islam is the only true religion.
Then one day I heard an exhortation of yours on YouTube, and it moved
me deeply. I cancelled that intention that I had made to become
Christian; in other words, I did not go to the church and did not do
anything of that nature.
My question is: are the words that I said to myself sufficient to have
made me become a Christian? And therefore do I have to go to a mosque
and utter the twin declaration of faith (shahaadatayn)?
Praise be to Allah
We praise Allah, may He be exalted, for having opened your eyes to the
seriousness of what you did and your decision to turn to a religion
other than Islam, and for His blessing you so that you changed your
mind before it was too late. We would like to point out two things to
you here:
Firstly:
What you did of deciding to become a disbeliever, and making your mind
up to become a Christian constitutes apostasy from the religion of
Islam, even if you did not actually enter the church or do any of the
other actions that Christians do. Merely deciding to disbelieve
constitutes disbelief in Allah, may He be exalted. The same applies to
a person's indecision as to whether he should turn to another religion
or remain in Islam.
Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Deciding to become
a disbeliever in the future constitutes disbelief in the present. The
same applies to indecision as to whether to disbelieve or not; it
constitutes disbelief in the present. That also applies to making
disbelief conditional upon some future matter.
End quote fromRawdat at-Taalibeen, 10/65. Something similar was said
inNihaayat al-Muhtaajand elsewhere. See also:Majma' al-Anhaar(a Hanafi
book), 1/688
InHaashiyat al-Bujayrimi 'ala al-Khateebit says:
Intending to disbelieve now or to disbelieve in the future constitutes
disbelief in the present, because intending to be a Muslim forever is
essential, so if he decides to disbelieve (in the future), he has
already disbelieved.
InHaashiyat al-Jamal(5/122) it says something similar.
Secondly:
It is not one of the conditions of your repentance that you should
announce that in the mosque or Islamic centre, especially since you
made that decision in your own mind and it did not result in spreading
disbelief or mischief among the Muslims. As that is the case, it is
sufficient for you to repent sincerely to your Lord, may He be
glorified and exalted, to utter the Shahaadatayn, and adhere to the
religion of Allah, may He be exalted, in all your affairs, and to
disbelieve in all other religions.
If you do ghusl before that, that would be good, in sha Allah.
We advise you to seek knowledge and devote yourself to acts of worship
and obedience, because the one who does that will increase and
strengthen his faith. You should also be keen to offer supplication
(du'aa'), for it is the weapon of the believer, by means of which
Allah will ward off evil from you and will protect you, by virtue of
your remembrance of Him, from the tricks of your enemy and His enemy.
And Allah knows best.

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Dought&clear, - If a slanderer repents, can his testimony be accepted?

If a slanderer repents from his slander and mends his ways, can his
testimony be accepted or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has stipulated three punishments for slander. They are: the
hadd punishment; rejection of testimony; and describing the slanderer
as an evildoer (Faasiq).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses,
flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever.
They indeed are the Faasiqoon (liars, rebellious, disobedient to
Allaah).
5. Except those who repent thereafter and do righteous deeds; (for
such) verily, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
[al-Noor 24:4-5].
With regard to the hadd punishment, the fuqaha' are unanimously agreed
that the hadd punishment for slander is eighty lashes if the slanderer
is a free person [i.e., not a slave], man or woman, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"flog them with eighty stripes"
[al-Noor 24:4].
As for his testimony not being accepted, the scholars are unanimously
agreed that the testimony of the slanderer should not be accepted so
long as he has not repented, because he has committed a major sin,
namely slander, and has not repented from it, so he cannot be
described as being of good character, and good character is a
condition of testimony being accepted; and because he is a liar and an
evildoer according to the text of the verse: "They indeed are the
Faasiqoon (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)."
"Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they (the slanderers)
have not produced witnesses! Then with Allaah they are the liars"
[al-Noor 24:13].
The testimony of the evildoer and liar cannot be accepted, because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"And take as witness two
just persons from among you (Muslims)" [al-Talaaq 65:2]. So it is
stipulated that the witness should be of good character, and the
evildoer and liar are not of good character.
If he repents from slander and admits that he was lying, then the
majority of scholars (Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad) are of the view
that his testimony may be accepted. They said:
1. Because repentance erases the sins that came before it, so if
he repents his sin and its effects are erased completely, and
non-acceptance of testimony is one of the effects of that sin.
Imam al-Shaafa'i said inal-Umm(7/94):
If he admits that he lied, his testimony may then be accepted, but if
he does not do that then his testimony cannot be accepted, until he
does that, because the sin for which his testimony is rejected is
slander, but if he admits that he was lying then he has repented. End
quote.
2. Because the expression "forever" in the verse applies so long
as he persists in evildoing. Hence after that the verse mentions after
the ruling that he is an evildoer: "and reject their testimony
forever. They indeed are the Faasiqoon (liars, rebellious, disobedient
to Allaah)." If the description of evildoer ceases to apply to him,
then the reason for rejecting his testimony also ceases to exist.
3. It was narrated from 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that he said to those who had slandered al-Mugheerah ibn Shu'bah,
after he had carried out the hadd punishment of flogging on them:
"Whoever repents, his testimony will be accepted." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari in a mu'allaq majzoom report.
His repentance means that he admits that he was lying about the
slandered person whom he accused of zina. Hence the words of 'Umar
according to Ibn Jareer were, "Whoever admits that he was lying, his
testimony will be accepted."
If the slanderer repents and mends his ways, his testimony will be
accepted, like any other Muslim of good character.
Al-Mughni(12/386);al-Majmoo'(22/98-101).
And Allaah knows best.

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For children, - Contentment in Islam: Secret of true Happiness,

As we all pass through life looking at people and materialistic things
around us, we often tend to look at people above us and desire to be
like them. But Islam advises us to look at those below us and feel
contempt at what Allah (SWT) has provided us. Listed below would be
some practical suggestions on achieving this contentment and repelling
the greed of want of more.
Note: Contentmentis the neuro-physiological experience of satisfaction
and being at ease in one's situation. It is said that a man complained
about his old shoes until he saw a man who had no feet.
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the
realization of how much you already have."
Greedfor More: A Fact of Human Nature
Contentment is one of the most important prerequisites for happinessin
life, and, unfortunately, many of us don't have it. We have a good car
that meets our needs, but we always want a nicer, more expensive one -
a Mercedes or a Jaguar perhaps. We have a nice house, but we always
want a bigger, fancier, more expensive one. More jewelry, fancier
clothes, a boat. The list goes on. We always think about more rather
than saying, "Alhamdulillah," for what we already have.
Prophet Muhammed (saws) said: "Remember death repeatedly. This will
save you from longing for the worldly pleasures. Show gratitude
frequently and this will increase the graces upon you. Pray to Allah
(SWT) so recurrently, because you do not know in which time Allah
(SWT) will respond for your prayer. Beware of tyranny, for Allah (SWT)
has ordained that HE will support those whom are oppressed."
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said: "If a son of Adam (as) possessed two vast
valleys wherein gold and silver flowed, he would still wish to search
for the third one."
Imam Musa Kazem (as) said: "The world is like water of the sea, the
man who is thirsty, the more he drinks water of it the more he becomes
thirsty, until the water kills him in the end!"
Things that Lure us Out of Contentment
A good rule for developing contentment is to always look at the people
who have less than us, not the ones who have more. In America, this is
difficult because almost all advertising is geared toward showing us
people who have more than us and enticing us to want it. They show us
beautiful cars, beautiful houses, handsome men, and beautiful women.
And we can get it all with a credit card. If our lives don't match the
ad, we should make a change - buy a new car, get a new wife, give her
a bigger diamond!
"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember
that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
Muslims Falling Prey to Materialism
Even Muslims have fallen into this trap. Many drive expensive cars far
beyond their needs, not just for dependability, but for prestige or to
make people say, "Wow!" These Muslims have been deceived, duped by the
multi billion dollar advertising industry - the chief enemy of
contentment, the chief advocate of a lifestyle of constant wanting.
Many children are the same. They have grown up surrounded by
advertisements on TV, on the radio, and on billboards. They want
everything they see, and they expect to get it now! But how can we
teach them to be content, if we are not content ourselves? Instead of
wanting everything we see, we need to learn to resist. Instead of
letting our children have everything they want, we need to teach them
to be thankful for what they have.

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