Ramadan File, Dought & clear, - * What should the Muslims who are prevented from fasting by the Chinese government do?.

Share ::-

My brother and his community in Xinjiang, China are prohibited to fast Ramadhan by the authorities. Is their fasting still valid if they eat or drink under compulsion? Please be informed that they are being monitered and compelled to eat and drink and will lose their livelihood or face imprisonment especially students and government officials like teachers and others.
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
We ask Allah to grant relief to our Muslim brothers in that region, and to judge between them and their enemies on the basis of truth, for He is the All-Knowing Judge.
Our advice to them is to be patient and cling steadfastly to the faith, for tests and trials are the way of Allah in dealing with His slaves. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested?
And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test)”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3].
Secondly:
By the grace of Allah towards His Muslim slaves, He has decreed that the one who is compelled will not be brought to account for whatever he does when he is compelled, and that whatever he does under compulsion it is all the same whether he does it or not. This includes the fasting person who is forced to eat or drink, in the sense of real compulsion in which he fears that he or his family may be harmed if he does not spoil his fast.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If he is compelled (to break his fast), his fast is still valid and he does not have to make it up, because Allah, may He be glorified, has waived accountability in the case of one who disbelieves under compulsion, when his heart is at ease with faith. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their hearts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment”
[an-Nahl 16:106].
If Allah has waived accountability for disbelieving in the case of one who is compelled to do that, then it is more likely that this is also the case with regard to lesser sins. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily Allah has pardoned my ummah for mistakes, forgetfulness and what they are compelled to do.”
End quote fromMajaalis Shahr Ramadan(p. 82)
I put the question having to do with the situation of this Chinese region to our Shaykh, ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him) and he said:
They should refrain from eating and drinking whenever their watchers are not present, and they may eat when they are being watched, enough to ward off harm from themselves. And their fast is valid and they do not have to make it up, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their hearts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment”
[an-Nahl 16:106]
“So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can”
[al-Taghaabun 64:16].

- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M

Ramadan File, Dought & clear, - * Is it permissible to transfer zakaah from one country to another?.

Share ::-

Is it permissible to give zakaah to another country, such as Palestine, when there are poor people in my country?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It says inFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/9:
Zakaah should be given to those whom Allaah has said it is for, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al-Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”
[al-Tawbah 9:60]
It should only be given to those who are obviously Muslims, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen: “Tell them that Allaah has enjoined upon them charity [i.e. zakaah], to be taken from their rich and given to their poor.” The more pious and righteous the poor and needy to whom it is given are, the more deserving they are than others.
The basic principle with regard to zakaah is that it should be given to the poor in the land where the wealth is, because of the hadeeth mentioned above. But if there is a need to transfer it elsewhere, such as the poor in the land to which it is transferred being in greater need, or because the giver has relatives who are poor, etc, then it is permissible to transfer it.
And Allaah knows best.

- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M

Ramadan File, Dought & clear, - * Eating out of forgetfulness in Ramadan does not matter.

Share ::-

What is the ruling on one who eats or drinks out of forgetfulness during Ramadan?
Praise be to Allaah.
That does not matter and his fast is valid, because Allaah says at the end of Soorat al-Baqarah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error”
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
It was narrated in a saheeh report from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that Allaah said, “I have done that.” And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets that he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast, for the One Who fed him and gave him to drink was Allaah.” (Agreed upon).
The same applies if he has intercourse because of forgetfulness; his fast is still valid according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, because of this aayah and this hadeeth, and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever breaks his fast in Ramadaan out of forgetfulness, he does not have to make that day up and he does not have to offer any expiation (kafaarah).” (Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim). This wording includes intercourse and other things that break the fast, if the fasting person does them because of forgetfulness. This is from the mercy, bounty and kindness of Allaah, for which we praise and thank Him.

- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M