Fathwa, - Is one allowed to write Qur'anic calligraphy writing whileon menstruation? &nbs

Question:
Is one allowed to writeQur'anic calligraphy writing while on menstruation?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Yes, it is allowed to write Qur'anic verses when on one's period.
However, one cannot touch the Qur'anic verses themselves without a
barrier (such as a cloth). [Ibn Abidin,Radd al-Muhtar]
The rulings of menstruation are a test of our slavehood to Allah,as
many of the other rulings of the Shariah, and are an honoring from
Allah for those who say, O Lord, "We hear andwe obey!" [Qur'an, 2.285]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,

Fathwa, - How do we deal with depression during awomans menstrual cycle?

Question:
As salamaulaykum,
I am going through a difficult time in my life. Allah is testing me,
and I am patiently waiting for my du'as to be answered. At times of
purity, I am at peace because I can come to Allah. But during my
menstrual cycle, I am reduced to a state of drepression, self-pity,
tears... I don't know how to soothe myself. I can't pray, I can't read
the Qur'an, I can't enter a masjid.
It's a week of hell. What can I do to end my grief? It comes back
every month, and I can't deal with these feelings.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you in good health and spirits.
First off, if you are suffering from serious depression during your
menstrual cycle, it may be advisable to see an OB-GYN. Some women
experience mood swingsright before and during their menstrual cycles.
However, serious depression is not typical and should not be
overlooked.
The beauty of our way oflife is that the believer is never cut off
from her Lord, no matter what herstate. Even if a woman is
menstruating or experiencing postnatal bleeding, there are still ways
for her to strengthen her iman anddraw nearer to Allah Most High.
While you are menstruating, there are specific acts of worship, which
are prohibited. The reason for the prohibition is the lack of ritual
purity, and not a deficiency in you. There is no reason to be
depressed. It is not a punishment that you can't pray. Rather, it is a
mercy from Allah Most High that He has lifted these obligations from
women experiencing menstrual or postnatal bleeding, while at the same
time not taking anything away from them in terms of reward or good
deeds.
According to the Hanafi School, the acts of worship which you cannnot
do during your period (or postnatal bleeding) are as follows:
1. Prayer, whether obligatory or voluntary
2. Fasting, whether obligatory or voluntary
3. Sexual intercourse, although it is permitted for the husband and
wife to kiss, cuddle, and lay together, as long as the husband avoids
direct contact with the area between her navel and knee
4. Making tawaf (circumambulation of the Kaaba)
5. Entering a masjid
6. Touching the Qur'an
7. Reciting the Qur'an with the intention of recitation
These are the things you can't do. However, there are things you can
do to keep your connection to Allah Most High:
1. Listen to the Qur'an. Either have someone recite it to you, or
listen to a tape or cd.
2. The Hanafi School recommends that menstruating women make ablution
at the time of prayer, sit in a quiet place, and supplicate Allah.
Although the ablution does not lift the state of ritual impurity, it
still puts one in a good frameof mind.
3. Constant remembranceof Allah. Remember that the Prophet, Allah
bless him and give him peace, remembered Allah in all his states.
There is nothing preventing you from supplicating Allah and making
remembrance of Him (dhikr). Furthermore, even if the supplications
contain verses from the Qur'an, as many do, it is permitted to say
these supplications, provided that you do so with the intention of
remembrance, and not recitation.
4. Study Sacred Knowledge. It is permissible to handle books of tafsir
(Qur'an commentary), fiqh (Sacred Law), and hadith, provided that they
do not contain more Qur'anic text than commentary.
5. Listen to uplifting tapes and cds. There are many nice productions
to listen to, for example, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's Purification of the
Heart. Since you're not praying,why not take the extra time to listen
to some of these?
6. Get a sisters' gatheringtogether. Even if you're not praying,
chances are someone else is. Have this sister recite Qur'an for you.
Being in good company lifts one's spirits.

Muslims' position towards the Danish insulting cartoons

Question:
What is the solution to the Danish cartoon that was done in Europe?
How should a Sunni Muslim from the USA think about these heathens!
Fatwa:
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.
Every Muslim should know that the defamation about the religion and
mocking the Prophetwhich happened along the centuries and which is
happeningnow is an affliction through which a Muslim should be
patient. The Prophetsaid:"How strange is the matter of a believer,
there is good in all his affairs, and this is only for the believer.
If something good happens to him and he is grateful, then this is good
for him, and if a calamity befalls him and he is patient, then this is
alsogood for him." ]Muslim[ The fact that people ridicule the
Prophetis not a new matter. Rather itis a very ancient matter that is
being renewed. The non-Muslims from the tribe of Quraysh insulted the
Prophetand theysaid that he was a poet, a magician and a mad man, and
they defamed him with other insults, but this did not harm the
Prophetand did not decrease his status. This ]what happened[ only
increases our firm belief in the Prophetand that he was truly a
Prophet, and it increases our love for him, and makes us abide by his
orders.
Our advice to our Muslim brothers during these grave events and
similar incidents in addition to what we already mentioned is the
following:
1- To control oneself and take it easy, and not
hasten and do any act which maybe of a negative effect for the
Muslims. Rather, one should exploit these events in a way to serve
this religion, as these bitterincidents could yield sweet fruits.Ibn
Al-Qayyimsaid: 'Calamities and problems are afflictions and )in
reality are( blessings.' Indeed these incidentsdraw the attention of
the neglectful Muslims and result in their return to Allaah, and it is
a way of renovating the religion in the hearts of the Muslims, in
addition to other benefits that could be achieved.
2- It is an obligation to repent to Allaah and avoid sins and acts
of disobedience. Allaah Says)what means(: }And whatever strikes you of
disaster, it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons
much.{]Quran 42:30[. Moreover, the Prophetsaid: "If you trade with
Ribaa)usury and interest(, and stick to the tails of cows and are
pleased with the plantations ]are busy with this worldly life[, and
abandoned Jihaad )fighting in theCause of Allaah(, Allaah will put you
through a humiliation which He will not remove from you untilyou
return to your religion." ]AbuDaawood[
3- To ask the scholars about what to do and act according to their
advice, as a sign of acting according to the Saying of Allaah)which
means(: }And when there comes to them something ]i.e. information[
about ]public[ security or fear, they spread it around. But if they
had referred itback to the Messenger or to those of authority among
them, then the ones who ]can[ draw correct conclusions from it
wouldhave known about it.{ ]Quran 4:83[. Therefore, one should not act
]say or do anything[ except according to the advice of these scholars.
We would like to stress on the importance of boycotting the products
of the countries which published these cartoons, and undertaking other
means which could achieve religious benefits. In doing so, we have to
focus on the country which caused the spread of this evil, and we
should completely and totally boycott its
products, services and medicines until they taste the outcome of their
evil acts.
4- To unite: By uniting, the nation will become powerful, andwe
should be careful of divisions, as this weakens the nation. Allaah
Says )what means(: }And hold firmly to the rope of Allaah all together
and do not become divided.{]Quran 3:103[. Allaah Says)what means(:
}And obey Allaah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and ]thus[ lose
courage and ]then[ your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed,
Allaah is with the patient.{]Quran 8:46[.
Finally, it should be noted that the above advice and directives are
required from the Muslims at all times, and that they]directives[ are
more confirmed when such events and incidents happen.
Allaah Knows best.

Evidence that Muhammadwas a Prophet

Question:
Prove that Muhammad is a true Prophet. What powers did God give him?
Please e-mail it as soonas possible.
Fatwa:
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.
The signs that prove the prophecy of Muhammadare numerous. Many books
have beenwritten to enumerate them and thoroughly discuss them. We
would like to mention some of these signs as reported by Muslim
scholars and which prove that Muhammadwas a real Prophet including:
- First, his good biography and high morals as well as the noble
qualities that distinguished him. He was known before becoming a
Prophet as a truthful and honest person, although the community where
he lived was a society of ignorance. This was, perhaps, the most
important sign of his prophecy. He was not known to have ever lied on
people. So, why should he lie on be half of the Lord by claiming that
he was a Prophet, if he was not a real Prophet?
- Second, the powers and triumphs Allaah gave him and thespread of the
religion he preached, as well as the triumph of this religion over all
existing religions in a short period of time. Had he been a liar,
Allaah would have humiliated and destroyed him as He did with those
before him who falsely claimed Prophethood.
- Third, the miracles Allaah gave him as supporting evidence were
beyond the ability of human beings andwere beyond range ofnatural
phenomena. The moon split for him, water gushed from his fingers, food
became more abundant in his hands, and similar phenomena were
authentically reported and happened in a way that could notbe denied.
- Fourth, the Prophetwas backed by the greatest miracle which is
theQuran. In fact,Quranwas a challenge and remains a challenge for
Arabs who were known to be good poets and eloquent speakers. Allaah
challenged them to write a singleSurah )chapter( that would be similar
to that ofQuran, but the Arabs were unable to do so. Indeed, the
challenge still endures, none of the Arabs throughout history - since
the revelation of theQuran- was ableto make anything that was even
similar to it. No doubt that theQuranhas been preserved intact until
it came to us. Groups of people memorized it including children,
adults, males and females. So generations brought theQuranto
generations until it reached us as it was revealed 14 centuries ago.
Hence, theQuranremains intact protected from distortion or alteration.
Nothing has been added to it, nor taken from it.Quranis full of
scientific facts that were verified only in these times of scientific
investigation. No doubt that Muhammad who was illiterate would not
have possessed this knowledge 14 centuries ago. Doesn't this prove the
authenticity of theQuranand thatit is the Word of the Creator of the
Universe who knows all its secrets?
- Fifth, the things from the unseen that he )the Prophet( informed us
about. Some of themoccurred during his life time. Others happened
later. Some of these things happened to the Prophets, may Allaah exalt
their mention, who preceded him and some are still to occur. He also
informed about the signs of The Day of Judgment, some of which had
already been seen such as widespread killings and genocide, adultery
and fornication and the consumption of the alcohol, outnumbering of
males by females and the increased number of earthquakes, and
afflictions,… etc.
- Sixth, the testimony of some of the people of the Book that he was a
true Prophet. Some of them believed in him like 'Abdullaah Ibn
Salaamwho was a Jew as well as Negus )king ofAbyssinia( who was a
Christian. Some of the people of the Book certified that he was a
Prophet from Allaah but refused to follow him like Huyayy Ibn Akhtab.
The above are some of the signs that prove his Prophethood and the
authenticity of his revelations. We would like the questioner to visit
some of the Islamic centers in her area, and hopefully, they will
guide her to some useful references in the matter.
Allaah Knows best.