Fathwa - Sending Muslim children to schools where studying Christianity is mandatory

Question
My child goes to secondary school in London(UK) and as part of the
GCSE subjects, it has been mandatory that RE lesson (Christianity) is
taught. This means that the child is reading and learning text books
which contain verses from the bible. I don't want my child to learn
this, but the school said itis mandatory. I don't know what to do. I
now want to take my child outof the school,but worriedother schools
may be doing the same. Have I done something wrong by allowing my
child to have learned this far since September 2012 school start year?
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 Muhammad
isHis slave and Messenger.
Qaadhi Abu Bakr ibn Al-Arabi made a good statement which we find to be
a good introduction to our answer to your question as he said: " The
boy is a trust with his parents, and his pure heart is a precious
jewel which is naive and free from all engravings and images, but he
is susceptible to every engraving, and susceptible to any teaching
that one wants to teach him, so if he is accustomed to do good, and he
is taught it, he will be brought up on it, and so he will be happy in
this life and in the Hereafter; his parents and any instructor or
educator who taught him[that good] will get the same reward like him;
but if he is accustomed todo evil, and he is neglected, then he will
be miserable and he will be doomed. "
Hence, your son is a trust with you, so putting him in such an
environment that may corrupt him, is, without any doubt, a grave
mistake. Therefore,you have to rectify the matter (before it is too
late) and transfer him to another school that is free from such a
religiousprohibition. We think that you can find an Islamic school, or
at least a school that does not oblige him to study Christianity or
other false religions.
If there is no alternative other than leaving schoolor studying in it
with such a bitter reality, then leaving school would be the lesser
evil. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 30220 and 31707 .
On the other hand, pleaseponder with us on this Hadeeth which was
narrated by Ahmad that Jaabir ibn Abdullaah narrated that 'Umar ibn
al-Khattaab , may Allah be pleased with him, came to the Prophet with
a book which he took from some People of the Book, and he said that
the Prophet became angry and said: " Are you confused about it (i.e.
themessage of Islam), O Ibn Al-Khattaab? I swear by the One in whose
hand my soul is, I have broughtit to you white and pure. " [Al-Albaani
graded it Hasan (good)] In some narrations it was reported that it was
a copy of the Torah.
Since the Prophet was angry when 'Umar had showed him that copy of the
Torah, so how can weaccept that our children study a religion other
than their religion of Truth?
On this occasion, we draw your attention to the danger of residing in
a non-Muslim country as this causes much embarrassment for the Muslim
because of the difference between Islamic culture and the culture of
the country in which he resides; this negatively and greatly reflects
on the children. Hence, if it is possible for a Muslim to migrate to a
Muslim country to reside there, then this is better and more
appropriate.

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Recommended actions onthe day of Jumu'ah

Praying the congregational prayer of Jumu'ah is an obligation upon
every male, free, resident Muslim who has reached the age of puberty.
It is not compulsory upon travellers, slaves or women but will still
count (in reward) for anyone of those who attend it; Jumu'ah is also
waved for people with excuses, such as sickness or fear.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: "On the day of Jumu'ah
angels stand at the entrance of the mosque to record people's entrance
in the order in which they arrive. The one who arrives first is
rewarded as though he sacrificed a camel, the next one is as one who
sacrificed a cow, the next as one whosacrificed a goat, the next as
one who sacrificed a chicken, and the next as one who sacrificed an
egg. As soonas the Imaam climbs the Minbar (pulpit) they (i.e., the
angels) fold their records and sit to listen." [Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim].
Thus, it is recommended to go early for congregational Jumu'ah prayers
in accordance withthe Prophetic tradition. Here are a few other
recommended actions on Friday:
The Imaam leads the Fajr (Dawn) prayer reciting the chapters As-Sajdah
and Al-Insaan completely,and not merely portions, as this was the
practice of the Prophet .
It is recommended that one increases his Salaah upon the Prophet
(i.e.,asking Allaah The Almighty to send peace upon him and exalt his
mention).
Perform Ghusl (ritual bath), wear perfume and use the Siwaak (i.e.,
the twig toothbrush). The Messenger of Allaah said: "Ghusl is
mandatory upon every Muslim who has reached puberty; anduse Siwaak
during Jumu'ah and perfume if available." [Muslim].
It is recommended that a Muslim uses his time to pray, mention the
names of Allaah The Almighty (Athkaar) and recite the Quran until the
Imaam arrives.
One must listen closely and pay attention to the Imaam, as Abu
Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: "When the Imaam is delivering
the Khutbah, and you askyour companion to keep quiet and listen, then,
no doubt you have spoken (i.e., you have spoiled your
Jumu'ah)"[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] and in another narration:"Whoever
speaks during the Khutbah while the Imaam is talking will gainno
reward from this Jumu'ah." [Ahmad].
It is recommended to recite the chapter Al-Kahffrom the Quran on that
day.Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet said: "The reciter
of Surat al-Kahf on Jumu`ah will be blessed with a light between that
Jumu`ah (and the next) Jumu`ah." [Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi].
When it is time for the Jumu'ah prayer, it is permitted for someone
who must pray the Jumu'ah prayer, to travel.
It is disliked to single out Friday for fasting or night prayers as
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: "Do not distinguish
Friday night for prayers or its day for fasting unless it falls on a
day where one of you usuallyfasts." [Muslim].
One who wishes to fast on a Friday should fast in addition to it the
day before it, or the day afterit, as Abu Hurayrah narrated that the
Prophet said: "Do not fast on a Friday unless you fast a day before it
or a day after it (in addition)." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim].
It is reported that, "The Prophet used to pray two Rak'ah after the
Jumu'ah prayer" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] also: "He recommended people
to pray four Rak'ah after it." [Muslim].
It is recommended topraytwo Rak'ah whenever one enters the mosque. The
Prophet said: "When one of you enters the mosque while the Imaam is
speaking, let him pray two Rak'ah before he sits down." [Muslim].
It is recommended that the Imaam recite the chapters Al-Jumu'ah and
Al-Munaafiqoon during the Jumu'ah prayer as this was the practice of
the Prophet . [Imaam Muslim.] - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
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The audacity of faith

The Prayer Has Never Been this Hard
Libraries are like studios. No sound goes unheard. No noise passes
without someone looking up or, in this case, a librarian hissing and
excitedly shushing the disturber of the peace, silencing the noise
polluter.
Nervously flitting and creeping about the bookshelves, I was
endeavoring to be as quiet as such can be.
Every footfall, every little brave breath was carefully measured toan
exact decibel level, no more, no less.
The only dynamics that I failed to control were the thumping of
myheart and a much more subtle tone that somehow made it past all my
enacted sound barriers, mymental matrix-built firewall, my muffled
mind. It was similar to a flute in that it was both soft and gentle.
Yet at the same time, it was piercing and bold, a constantanthem
striking out through my internal environment. It was my soul, my
little life-giving charge.
It was calling to me, chanting a sweet Athaan that only I could hear
in this muted world of books. And oh how I loved it, yet dreaded it!
I had to find a place to make prayer, somewhere in this
collegelibrary, in my first term ever of a higher education. But I was
so afraid to do so, so shy to bow myface in the presence of others, so
worried about the impression of expression. What if some malicious
person attacked me? What if I was held in contempt because I was
"fanatical," a loon?Newspaper headings flashed through my mind's eye:
Terrorist Plot in University Campus Exposed! Homicidal Ritual
Offeredin Campus Library! Al Qaeda's Hand Reaches the Countryside! And
Librarian Tasers Student Fanatic.
Passing the atomic clock on the wall no less than 10 times, the minute
hand began to drive into my mind, each tick sounding like a deafening
beat on a kettledrum. The situation was getting desperate. I could not
miss my Prayer. But what about the people? What about all the possible
pain, the potential outcomes, internal and external?
I felt as though I had to breathe. I had to go make Prayer. It was a
bodily function. I silently battled on, pretending to read random
books on politics. If the librarianscould hear my insides now, what
with all the furious debating and intense fracas going on, they would
probably eat me alive. How bad it was, this predicamentof mine.
Dragging myself just in time, I found a relatively secluded,
undisturbed spot and began to perform my Prayer. Every noticeable
motion was a huge movement, a draining operation for me. I felt as
though my waist,that corporal hinge that enables us to bend and bow
down, was rusty. I really needed some spiritual WD-40.
This was a ground-shaking test, at least to me. I've been reflecting
on it all week. It took all my will to simply make Prayer,to express
my piety, my gratitudeto God the Magnificent Being behind my organic
architecture, my magical physique, my creativeexpression, my artistic
passion—my nafs, that invisible soul thatmakes me who I am. And now,
fire-tested and gauged, I realize that my soul, the gift from its
Crafter, has not been thanked for properly, in the right fashion in
the wrong situation.
I look at the creation around me—the horses and the birds, the trees
and the falling snow, the little springs and hills —and know that I
have seen authentic, whole worship. Flapping, loping, growing,
falling, bubbling up, all these creatures worship their Creator in
their own unique, prescribed ways. The bird flies and fulfills its
Prayer, its bodily functions. Our equine companions thunder about the
plains around the world.
They fulfill their purpose, express their worship, and provide
momentum not only to their graceful forms, but also to their tender
souls. The trees reach intothe heavens. The rills gurgle fromthe
earth. Everything worships Allaah Almighty.
One creature among all creations that live in the world, we are in no
way exempt from fulfilling ourfunctions to completion. Being creatures
composed of minds, souls, and bodies, we must satisfy all these
individual aspectsto remain healthy, to possess that spunk, that
bounce that keeps us in full blossom, at full tilt, if you'll pardon
the idiom.
We eat, drink, exercise, make love, and many more things to meet our
bodily needs. In order to quaff our intellect, we go to school, read
instruction manuals,take on mathematical concepts, and memorize.
But what do we do for our spirit, our internal core that inspires all
the other parts of our body? We make Prayer. A simplistic answer?I
think not.
Worship opens our entire being to a refreshing breeze from the
outside, cools our hot interiors, and inspires the mind, the body, and
the soul. Would you live in a house of stifled air? Would you swim in
a stagnate marsh, no spring or current to wash it clear? Would you
have your wings clipped?
The Prayer to us has become an outstanding act, a massive struggle,
five battles a day. Floating about the stratosphere of modern secular
life in our hot air balloons, it is tempting to justthrow those canvas
sacks of Prayer, those weighty responsibilities, overboard.
For in the eyes of my rising generation, the Prayer has been demoted
to spiritual baggage, to an audacious act of faith. But without it,
how can we be healthy?
Now, if we have to fight ourselves on something as basic as the
Prayer, with what might must we strive simply to survive? Worship
should be a thing to be proud of not to boast, but to be full with.
The Prayer that we know—this Prayer of Islam—is the ultimate paradox,
the real irony, for it brings us literally down to earth and makes us
humble. Yet at the same time it elevates us just as unambiguously to
the heavens and, behold, we metamorphose into sublime beings, better
than the angels. And that is somethingworth not fighting for.
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Maintaining Discipline in Worship

'Abdullaah would rise before Fajr (dawn) each morning and rush tothe
Mosque to offer the prayer. He would return to the Mosque for Maghrib
(sunset) and 'Ishaa' (evening) prayers as well. He readthe Quran
daily. He studied other Islamic books in his spare time. He spent much
of his free time with his family and took his role as the spiritual
leader in his home quite seriously .
Five years later, he found that he would go days, sometimes a whole
week without performing a single prayer. He no longer attends
congregational prayer at the Mosque—he didn't have time with his new
job. This new job involved his working closely in nightclub
establishments with people of questionable backgrounds. This resulted
in his becoming very secretive about many of his work activities; he
didn't even talk to his wife about them because he knew she would
disapprove. Work kept him busy all night and throughout the entire
weekend. Many of his new friends also worked with him and he began to
spend a great deal of his free time with them. Because of this, he
spent less time with his family. He had to sleep during theday in
order to be able to work each night.
His wife noticed a great change inhis demeanor. They had several
discussions about his work and how it was affecting him and his
relationship with Allaah Almighty. He agreed, and would begin the
process of searching for new work, but inevitably, chose to stay in
his current job. He soon found himself feeling very distanced from his
wife and children. Even though the money was abundant when he first
began, it was now barely paying the bills.
He felt his marriage crumbling beneath the years of neglect. He found
himself succumbing to depression over his circumstances, unmotivated
to initiate the things he knew he would have to do in order for his
life to change .
It is interesting to note that 'Abdullaah's life seemed much more
peaceful and balanced when he engaged in his regular religious duties,
and began to suffer significantly when he abandoned them .
Could this simply be a coincidence? Imaam Mohammad Baianouni of the
Islamic Center inRaleigh, North Carolina accuratelysums up situations
like this stating: "The regulation of a man's conduct within one
systemof life is one of the most important reasons of success
andstability. The absence of this regulation is one of the greatest
crises a man suffers from in his life. This happens when man is left
without guidance from Allaah, The Most High, or without proper
upbringing based on the Divine Guidance. Under these circumstances,
man's life becomes miserable on this earth and he will be amongst the
losers in the Hereafter".
A religion of discipline
It is only from the infinite wisdom and mercy of Allaah that we have
been given a system of belief that instructs and assists inguiding our
actions and behavior.By participating in the daily obligations of our
faith outlined in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad we
are more likely to enjoy Allaah's bounty in this life, and reap the
rewards in the Hereafter. Allaah Almighty ordered all believers to be
disciplined in their worship, and not to disobey Him. In the Quran,
Allaah Says (what means) " So remain on a right course as you have
been commanded, [you]and those who have turned back with you [to
Allaah], and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do. "
[Quran 11: 112]
The intensity of our faith changesthroughout our lives. There are
times when we are of strong faith, and times when we struggle. Many
brothers and sisters who proudly claim Islam as their religion
unintentionally find themselves "slipping" in their religious duties.
Seemingly overnight their lives go from pleasurable and carefree to
darkness and confusion. You maybegin to acknowledge that you have
landed in such a state because of the choices you made,but you are
lost as to how to go about changing things.
Being steadfast in our duties to Allaah Almighty is what keeps you
from languishing during yourdarker moments. Remember thatyour ultimate
return is to Him Almighty, so you must develop discipline and a
consistency in your daily routine to keep your faith from sinking.
Developing discipline
Recognizing your shortcomings isthe first step towards becoming more
disciplined. Allaah AlmightySays (what means): "…Indeed, Allaah will
not change the condition of a people until they change what is in
themselves..." [Quran 13: 11] When you decide to change for the sake
of Allaah Almighty, Allaah will help you change. Each one is
responsible for oneself and will be questioned accordingly on the Day
of Judgment, with no one to intercede on your behalf. You must make
the choice to live yourlife according to Allaah's Will on your own.
You will not benefit from being told about what you need to do and how
you need to change in order to have a more fulfilling life. You must
take an interest in making those changesfor yourself. Only then can
you reap the rewards. Think about the wives of the Prophets Noah and
Loot, may Allaah exalt their mention. Each Prophet tried
unsuccessfully to offer the best guidance to his wife, but
becausethere was no real interest on their part, it was said to each
of women (what means): "…Enter the Fire with those who enter!" [Quran
66: 10]
I have a good friend who was going through a very rough time.Her faith
was at an all time low. During several of our conversations, she
lamented thatAllaah Almighty was punishing her for not being a "good
Muslim." I asked her: "Why must Allaah be punishing you? Allaah puts
us through many tests and trials in this life to give us the chance to
know Him better." We debated back and forth about this for some time.
She was reallystuck in the debts of despair, andfound my comments
annoyingly optimistic. I reminded her that Allaah Almighty is also
Merciful and that this trial for her could be the wake up call she
needed to have an opportunity to renew and redeem her faith and become
closer to Him Almighty. Perhaps Allaah had to put her through such
difficulty to get her attention and give her a chance to make changes
.
There are many things you can doto establish discipline in your daily
life. Such consistency not only balances our faith, but all other
aspects of our lives as well :
Evaluate yourself regularly to make certain you are doing all that you
can spiritually.
Perform your daily prayers punctually each day.
Read the Quran regularly, with aneffort to truly understand what you
are reading.
Seek knowledge regularly, religious and other, through books,
CDs/tapes, classes and lectures.
Keep company with righteous people.
Have confidence in your faith and,more importantly, in Allaah Almighty.
Regularly spend some time alone in contemplation and worship.
Islam is a complete way of life. Asbelievers, we should desire the
discipline that allows us to regulate our lives and keep chaosaway. In
choosing this way of life,peace and contentment are your right.
Discipline comes as a resultof performing certain duties consistently.
Ask Allaah to help you to establish discipline in yourreligious
commitment and to be able to submit to all that pleases Him Almighty.

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