Personal, - The obligation of giving Zakaah of jewelry - II

If someone says,"What is the answer to the Hadeeth )narration( on which those who do not oblige Zakaah )purifying alms( on jewelry base their argument?"TheHadeethwas narrated by Ibn Al-Jawzi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, on the authority of ‘Aafiyah ibn Ayyoob, from Al-Layth ibn Sa‘d, from Az-Zubayr, from Jaabir, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"There is no Zakaah on jewelry."]Al-Bayhaqi inMa‘rifat As-Sunan wal-Aathaar[
The answer comes in three points:
1- Al-Bayhaqi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, classified theHadeethas inauthentic, and it was narrated as part of Jaabir's words. Also, ‘Aafiyah is an unknown narrator.
2- Supposing that ‘Aafiyah is a trustworthy narrator, as Ibn Abi Haatim quoted from Abu Zur‘ah, this cannot contradict the authenticHadeethswhich obligeZakaahon jewelry, because it is very weak while they are authentic.
3- Supposing that thisHadeethis as authentic as the otherHadeeths, it is safer to adhere to theHadeethswhich makeZakaahon jewelry obligatory. In fact, what is safer is more entitled to be followed.
The Quranic verse and the fourHadeethsmentioned above clearly indicate that it is obligatory to giveZakaahon gold and silver jewelry, even if it is kept for wearing or borrowing.
As for the reported narrations, it was reported that ‘Umar, Ibn Mas‘ood, Ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Aa’ishah and ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allaah be pleased with them, said thatZakaahis given on jewelry.
● Scholars who did not obligeZakaahon jewelry draw as evidence what Al-Athram reported from Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allaah have mercy upon him, saying,"Five Companions did not make Zakaah on jewelry obligatory: Anas ibn Maalik, Jaabir, Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’, may Allaah be pleased with them."
The answer to this argument is that some of those Companions were reported to holdZakaahon jewelry as obligatory. Thus, supposing that all of them adopted one stance or that their final say on the issue was the non-obligation ofZakaahon jewelry, other Companions opined otherwise. In case of dispute, Muslims are commanded to refer to the Quran andSunnah, which sufficiently support the obligation, as stated above.
● If someone said that it was authentically narrated that the Prophet,sallallaahu'alayhi wa sallam, said:"O women, give charity even from your own jewelry."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ and that thisHadeethserves as evidence of non-obligation ofZakaahon jewelry, for ifZakaahhad been obligatory on jewelry, the Prophet,sallallaahu‘alayhi wa sallam, would not have made it )the jewelry( a source for giving voluntary charity.
The answer to this argument is as follows:
The order to give charity from jewelry neither confirmsZakaahon it nor cancels it; rather, it is an order to give charity from the needs of man. For instance, when someone is requested to give charity even from the money with which he supports himself and his children, this request does not cancel the obligation ofZakaahon his money.
● If someone asks,"What is the difference then between lawful jewelry and lawful clothing? If we made Zakaah obligatory on the former, we should make it obligatory on the latter."
The answer is that theSharee‘ah)Islamic legislation( differentiates between them. It madeZakaahobligatory on gold and silver without exception, and there are even specific texts which obligateZakaahon the lawful jewelry which is worn. Clothing, however, resembles man's horse and slave about which the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said:"There is no charity ]Zakaah[ on the Muslim's slave or horse."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ Therefore, if the clothing was kept for wearing, there would be noZakaahon them; if they were kept for trade,Zakaahwould be obligatory on them.
● If someone asks,"Is it correct to draw an analogy between the lawful jewelry which is made for wearing and the lawful clothes which are made for wearing?"as claimed by those who do not obligateZakaahon jewelry.
The answer is that it is not correct for the following reasons:
-It is an analogy which contradicts aSharee‘ahtext, and every analogy contradicting a text is invalid.
-In principle, there is noZakaahon clothing, and analogy would require thatZakaahis obligatory on jewelry whether it is kept for wearing or other purposes, exactly asZakaahis not obligatory on clothing, whether they are kept for wearing or for other purposes. This argument does not contradict the fact thatZakaahis obligatory on clothing which is kept as commercial commodities. That is becauseZakaahin this case is obligatory on the value of the clothing. Since lawful jewelry has rulings different from the clothing which is kept for wearing, how can we give clothing the same ruling of jewelry that the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, made a source for giving voluntary charity?
The answer is thatSharee‘ahtexts differentiated between them.
Therefore,Zakaahis not obligatory on jewelry unless it reaches theNisaab, which is twenty )golden(Dinaarsfor gold and two hundred )silver(Dirhamsfor silver. In the currency of Saudi Arabia, this is equal to 11 3/7 pounds of the gold currency available today, and equal to 56 Riyals of the silver currency. A Muslim who owns this amount of gold or silver, or banknotes, or commercial commodities equal to this amount of gold and silver must giveZakaahwhen oneHijriyear passes over them. There is noZakaahin what is less than that.
Note: The amount ofZakaahwhich is due on gold, silver and banknotes is 2.5 percent of the total amount. The same ruling applies toZakaahon the value of commercial commodities.

Personal, - The obligation of giving Zakaah of jewelry - I

Both the Quran andSunnah)tradition( clearly indicate the obligation ofZakaah)purifying alms( on women's gold and silver jewelry even if it is kept for the purpose of wearing or lending. This includes necklaces, bracelets, rings or any gold or silverware when they reach theNisaab)minimum taxable amount( everyHijriyear, or when the owner has gold, silver or commercial commodities that reach theNisaab. This is the preponderant opinion of scholars on this issue since it is supported by the Quran,Sunnahand reported narrations.
Evidence from the Quran includes: Allaah The Almighty says )what means(:}And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allaah - give them tidings of a painful punishment.The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, ]it will be said[, "This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard."{]Quran 9:34-35[
Hoarding gold and silver means not givingZakaahor the other rights which are obligatory on them. The Quranic verse generally include all forms of gold and silver without differentiating between any of its kinds. Whoever claims that jewelry that is worn is excluded has to present his evidence.
As for theSunnah:
·The Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"No owner of gold or silver who does not offer its due right but on the Day of Resurrection, plates of fire will be beaten out for him, and they will be heated in the Fire of Hell and his flank, forehead, and his back will be branded with them. Whenever they cool, it will be done again to him on a Day whose duration is fifty thousand years."]Muslim[ The one who wears gold and silver is considered an owner of gold and silver, and there is no evidence to exclude her from the general rule. The greatest and most demanded right on gold and silver is giving theirZakaah. These two solemn texts from the Quran andSunnahencompass all kinds of gold and silver, including jewelry.
The detailed evidence on the obligation ofZakaahon jewelry includes:
·It was narrated on the authority of ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb, may Allaah have mercy upon him( from his father, from his grandfather, that a woman came to the Messenger of Allaah,sallallaahu‘alayhi wa sallam, and she had a daughter with her. On her daughter’s hand were two thick bracelets of gold. He said to her:“Do you give Zakaah for these?”She said,“No.”He said:“Would you like Allaah to make you wear instead of them two bracelets of fire on the Day of Judgment?”So she took them off and gave them to the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said,“They are for Allaah and His Messenger.”]At-Tirmithi and Abu Daawood[ InBuloogh Al-Maraam, Ibn Hajar said,"Its chain of narrators is strong."
·‘Abullaah ibn Shaddaad ibn Al-Haad said,"We entered upon ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, and she said,'The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, entered upon me and I was wearing silver rings on my hand. He said:'What is this, O ‘Aa’ishah?'I said,'I made them to adorn myself for you, O Messenger of Allaah.'He said:'Do you give their Zakaah?'I said,'No.'He said:'The punishment for them in Hell is enough for you.'”Sufyaan, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked how to give itsZakaah, he said,"Add it to other items and then calculate their Zakaah if they reach the Nisaab."]Abu Daawood and Al-Haakim: Saheeh[
·Umm Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said that she wore some white gold jewelry, and so she asked,“O Messenger of Allaah! Is this regarded as hoarded wealth?"He,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied:“Whatever has reached the Nisaab, and then Zakaah is paid upon it, it is not regarded as hoarded wealth.”]Abu Daawood )Al-Haakim and Ath-Thahabi:Saheeh([
ThisHadeethteaches us some important lessons:
-There is noZakaahon jewelry so long as it has not reached theNisaab, nor is it regarded as hoarded wealth to which punishment is allocated.
-Any money on whichZakaahbecomes obligatory andZakaahis not given, is considered hoarded wealth that entails punishment.
-TheHadeethis mentioned to show the obligation ofZakaahon jewelry.
If someone says that this ruling is applicable when wearing jewelry was forbidden, as claimed by those who did not obligeZakaahon jewelry, the answer would be: this is not a valid argument because the Prophet,sallallaahu‘alayhi wa sallam, did not forbid wearing jewelry, but he affirmed it and warned against withholding itsZakaah. If wearing jewelry had been forbidden, the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would have ordered to take it off and threatened punishment for wearing it.

Personal, - 10 Facts about the Day of Jumu'ah

One of the blessings with which the Muslim nation has been endowed is the day ofJumu'ah, or Friday.The Messenger of Allaah,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:“The best day the sun rises over is Friday; on it Allaah created Aadam. On it, he was made to enter paradise, on it he was expelled from it, and the Last Hour will take place on no other day than Friday.”]Ahmad and At-At-Tirmithi[.
Imaam Ibn Katheer,may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,"It was named Jumu'ah because it is derived from the word Al-Jam' in Arabic which means to gather, as Muslims gather on this day every week, and Allaah has commanded the believers to gather for His worship, as He says that which means:}"O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for Jumu`ah )Friday prayer(, come fast to the remembrance of Allaah"{]Quran, 62: 9[meaning be keen to go and attend it."
Here are some other virtues and facts about the Day ofJumu'ah:
·It includes the congregationalJumu'ahprayer, which is one of the obligatory acts in Islam and one of the great gatherings of the Muslims. Allah The Almighty will seal the heart of whoever abandons and slights this, according to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in aHadeeth)narration( in the book ofImaam Muslim, may Allaah have mercy upon him.
·The day ofJumu'ahincludes an hour during which all supplications are accepted. Abu Hurayrah,may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"On )the day of( Jumu'ah is an hour during which Allaah gives to a Muslim servant standing in prayer whatever he asks for.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[.
·Giving in charity during this day is more virtuous than any other day. Ka'b,may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Charity given during the day of Jumu'ah is greater )in reward( than any other day."
·The believers will see their Lord from Paradise on that day. Anas ibn Maalik,may Allaah be pleased with him, said regarding the saying of Allaah The Almighty )which means(:}"And We have more )i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty("{]Quran, 50: 35["Allaah will appear to them on the day of Jumu'ah."
·It is an'Eed, i.e., a recurrent holiday and celebration. Ibn 'Abbaas,may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allaahsallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallamsaid:"Jumu'ah is a day of celebration, so whoever attends it should perform Ghusl )bathing( beforehand."]Ibn Maajah[.
·It is a day on which sins are forgiven, as narrated by Salmaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, who narrated that the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,said:“Any man who performs Ghusl on Friday, perfumes himself if he has perfume, wears the best of his clothes, then goes to the mosque and offers as many prayers as he wishes while not harming anybody, then listens quietly while the Imaam speaks until he offers the prayer, will have all his sins between that Friday and the next forgiven.”]Al-Bukhaari[.
·When walking to attend the Friday sermon, a Muslim gets the reward of both prayingQiyaam)i.e., the night prayer( and fasting a full year. Aws ibn Aws, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:“Whoever performs Ghusl on Friday after having sexual intercourse with his wife, then goes early to the mosque and attends from the beginning of the Khutbah and draws near to the Imaam and listens to him attentively, Allaah will give him the full reward of fasting all the days of a year and observing night-vigil on each of its nights for every step that he took towards the mosque.”]Ibn Khuzaymah, Ahmad[.
·Hell is fired-up during every day of the week except Friday, as a mark of honour and respect for the day of Friday.
·Dying on Friday, during the day or night, is a sign of a good end, for the one who dies on that day will be protected from the trial of the grave )i.e., Allaah The Almighty will enable such a person to be steadfast during it(. The Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallamsaid:“Any Muslim who dies during the day or night of Friday will be protected by Allaah from the trial of the grave.”]At-Tirmithi and Ahmad[.

Welcome to Islam, - Islam: basic principles & characteristics -II

Islam is not a religion in the common, distorted meaning of the word, confining its scope to the private life of man. It is a complete way of life, catering to all the fields of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all aspects of life – individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, national and international. The Quran enjoins man to enter the fold of Islam without any reservation and to follow God’s guidance in all fields of life.
In fact, it was an unfortunate day, when the scope of religion was confined to the private life of man and its social and cultural role was reduced to naught, as has happened in this century. Perhaps no other factor has caused the decline of religion in the modern age, than its retreat into the realm of private life. A modern philosopher says: “Religion asks us to separate things of God from those of Caesar. Such a judicial separation between the two means the degrading of both the secular and the sacred… That religion is worth little, if the conscience of its followers is not disturbed when war clouds are hanging over us all and industrial conflicts are threatening social peace. Religion has weakened man’s social conscience and moral sensitivity by separating the things of God from those of Caesar.”
Islam totally denounces this concept of religion and clearly states that its objectives are the purification of the soul, and the reform and reconstruction of society. The Quran says )what means(:“We have sent our Messengers with clear signs, and sent the Book and the Balance of right and wrong down with them, so that mankind may conduct themselves with all fairness. We have sent down iron wherein is great might as well as benefits for mankind, so that Allaah may know who is supporting Him and His Messenger.”]Quran 57:25[
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, )may Allaah exalt his mention( said:“Everyone of you is a keeper or a shepherd and will be questioned about the well-being of his fold. The head of the State will be questioned about the well-being of the people of the State. Every man is a shepherd to his family and will be answerable about every member of it! Every woman is a shepherd to the family of her husband and will be accountable for every member of it. And every servant is a shepherd to his master and will be questioned about the property of his master.”
Thus, even a cursory study of the teachings of Islam shows that it is an all-embracing way of life and does not leave any aspect of human existence to become a playground for satanic forces.
Balance between the Individual and Society
Another unique feature of Islam is that it establishes a balance between individualism and collectivism. It believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally accountable to Allaah. It guarantees the fundamental rights of the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them. It makes personality development one of the prime objectives of its educational policy. It does not subscribe to the view that man must lose his individuality in society or in the State. According to the Quran )what means(:“Man shall have nothing but what he strives for.”]Quran 53:39[
And )what means(:“And whatever suffering you suffer, it is what your hands have wrought.”]Quran 42:30[
And )what means(:“Allaah does not change what any people have until they change what is in themselves.”]Quran 13:11[
And )what means(:“Allaah only assigns to a soul what it can cope with, in its favor stands whatever it has earned, while it is held responsible for anything it has brought upon itself.”]Quran 2:286[
And )what means(:“For us are our deeds and for you are yours.”]Quran 28:55[
On the other hand, it also awakens a sense of social responsibility in man, organizes human beings in a society and a State and enjoins the individual to subscribe to the social good. In Islam, prayer is offered in congregation, which inculcates social discipline among Muslims. Everyone is enjoined to pay Zakaah and it has been laid down in the Quran )what means(:“The beggar and the destitute have due rights in their )i.e. the rich person’s( wealth.”]Quran 51:19[
Jihaad has been made obligatory, which means that the individual should, when the occasion arises offer even his life for the defense and protection of Islam and the Islamic State. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“All mankind is a fold, each member of which shall be a keeper or shepherd to every other, and be accountable for the entire fold.”
He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said:“Live together; do not turn against each other; make things easy for others and do not put obstacles in each other’s ways.”
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, further said:“He is not a believer, who takes his fill while his neighbor starves.”
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“The believer in Allaah is he, who is not a danger to the life and property of any other.”
In short, Islam neglects neither the individual nor society – it establishes a harmony and a balance between the two and assigns to each its proper due.
Universality and Humanism
The message of Islam is for the whole of the human race. Allaah is the God of the entire world ]Quran 1:1[ and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is a Messenger for the whole of mankind. In the words of the Quran )which mean(:“O People I am but a Messenger from Allaah to you all.”]Quran 7:18[
Allaah also Says )what means(:“We have sent you only as a mercy for everybody in the Universe.”]Quran 21:107[
In Islam, all men are equal, whatever be their color, language, race or nationality. It addresses itself to the conscience of humanity and banishes all false barriers of race, status and wealth. There can be no denying the fact that such barriers have always existed, and do exist today in the so-called enlightened age. Islam removes all these impediments and proclaims the ideal of the entire humanity being one family.
Islam is international in its outlook and approach and does not admit barriers and distinctions based on color, clan, blood or territory, as were prevalent before the advent of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and which are rampant in different forms even in this modern age. Islam unites the entire human race under one banner. In a world torn by national rivalries and feuds, it presents a message of life and the hope of a glorious future.
The historian, A.J. Toynbee, has some interesting observations to make in this respect. In Civilization Trial, he writes: “Two conspicuous sources of danger – one psychological and the other material – in the present relations of this cosmopolitan proletariat, i.e., )Westernized humanity( with the dominant element in our modern Western society are race consciousness and alcohol; and in the struggle with each of these evils, the Islamic spirit has a service to render which might prove, it were accepted, to be of high moral and social value.
“The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue… It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement, which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace.”
PerPermanence and Change
The elements of permanence and change co-exist in human society and culture and will continue to do so in the future. Different ideologies and cultural systems have erred in leaning heavily towards one or the other of these ends of the equation. Too much emphasis on permanence makes the system rigid and robs it of flexibility and progress; while lack of permanent values and unchanging elements generate moral relativism, shapelessness and anarchy.
What is needed is a balance between the two – a system that could simultaneously cater to the demand of permanence and change. An American judge, Mr. Justice Cardozo, rightly says: “The greatest need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between conflicting claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth.” Islam presents an ideology, which satisfies the demands of stability as well as of change.
Deeper reflection reveals that life has within it elements of permanence and change – it is neither so rigid and inflexible that it cannot admit any change even in matters of details, nor is it so flexible and fluid that even its distinctive traits have no permanent character of their own.
Only that system of life can cater to all the cravings of human nature and all the needs of human society, which can provide for both these elements.
The Quran and the Sunnah contain the eternal guidance given by the Lord of the Universe. This guidance comes from Allaah, Who is free from the limitations of “space” and “time”; the principles of individual and social behavior revealed by Him are based on reality and are eternal. However, Allaah has revealed only broad principles and has endowed man with the freedom to apply them in every age in the way suited to the spirit and conditions of that age. It is through the Ijtihaad that people of every age try to implement and apply Divine guidance to the problems of their times. Thus, the basic guidance is of a permanent nature, while the method of its application can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age.
Complete Record of Teachings Preserved
Last, but not least, is a remarkable fact that the teachings of Islam have been preserved in their original form and Allaah’s guidance is available in its pure form, without alteration of any kind. The Quran is the Revealed Book of Allaah which has been in existence for the last 1400 years and is still available in its original form. Detailed accounts of the life of the Prophet of Islam, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his teachings are available in their pristine purity. There has not been an iota of change in this unique historic record.
The sayings and the entire record of the life of the Noble Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, have been handed down to us with unprecedented precision and authenticity in works of the Hadeeth and the Seerah.
These are some of the unique features of Islam, which establish its credentials as the religion for the entire humankind, for all time. These aspects have appealed to hundreds of thousands of people in the past and the present and have made them affirm that Islam is the religion of Truth and the right path for mankind; doubtless, they will continue to appeal to people in the future. Men with pure hearts and sincere longing for Truth will always continue to say:
I affirm that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, that He is One, sharing His authority with no one; and I affirm that Muhammad is His servant and His Prophet.