What Happened While the Prophet (saas) Was Receiving Revelation

Allah tells us that He told our Prophet (saas) to get up in the night
and prepare to receive a revelation, a"weighty Word":
The hadiths inform us about how extraordinary it is to receive a
revelation and of the marvellous spiritual things the Prophet (saas)
experienced in his room. We learn that when the revelations came,
those who were with him heard a sound like a bee buzzing around his
face. Sahih al-Bukhari states:
Aisha narrated: "Al-Harith ibn Hisham asked the Prophet (saas): 'How
does the revelation come to you?' He replied: 'In all of that the
angel comes to me, sometimes with a voice that resembles the sound of
a ringing bell. When this state abandons me, I remember what the angel
has said. This type of revelation is the hardest on me. Sometimes the
angel comes to me in the shape of a man and talks to me, and I
understand and remember what he says.'" 3
Aisha narrated: "I saw the Prophet (saas) receive revelation on a very
cold day and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead." 4
Zayd ibn Thabit narrated: "I wrote down Allah's revelations to the
Prophet (saas). When the revelation came to him, he felt a great
weariness and had beads of sweat like pearls. When the state of
revelation ended, he recited and I would write." 5
Abu Hurayrah narrated: "When the revelation came from Allah to the
Prophet (saas), it was as if he had fainted." 6
-
Footnotes
1. Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 9, book 87, hadith no. 111
2. Sahih Al-Bukhari
3. Al-Bukhari
4. Al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi
5. At-Tabarani
6. Abu Nu'aym

The Miracles Granted to the Messengers

Allah enabled His messengers to perform miracles to protect them from
the unbelievers' and the hypocrites' traps, to bring people to faith,
and for other reasons. In the Qur'an He gives a detailed account of
the messengers' lives, the miracles He sent to support their message,
and the miracles He allowed them to perform. Our beloved Prophet
Muhammad (saas) and the Prophet Moses (as), the Prophet Abraham (as)
and the Prophet Jesus (as) were all blessed messengers to whom Allah
granted miracles.
For example, the trap set for the Prophet Abraham (as) was foiled by a miracle:
We said: "Fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham!" (Surat al-Anbiya': 69)
As a result, the unbelievers' trap was destroyed. We will now relate
some other miracles.
The miracles that 'the Prophet Jesus (as) showed his people:
Remember when Allah said: " O Jesus, son of Maryam, remember My
blessing to you and to your mother when I reinforced you with the
Purest Spirit so that you could speak to people in the cradle and when
you were fully grown; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and
the Torah and the Gospel; and when you created a bird-shape out of
clay by My permission, and then breathed into it and it became a bird
by My permission; and [when you] healed the blind and the leper by My
permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and
when I held back the tribe of Israel from you, when you brought them
the Clear Signs and the unbelievers among them said: 'This is nothing
but downright magic.'" (Surat al-Ma'idah: 110)
... as a messenger to the tribe of Israel, the Prophet Jesus (as)
saying: "I have brought you a sign from your Lord. I will create the
shape of a bird out of clay for you, breathe into it, and it will be a
bird, by Allah's permission. I will heal the blind and the leper, and
bring the dead to life, by Allah's permission. I will tell you what
you eat and what you store up in your homes. There is a sign for you
in that if you are believers." (Surah Al 'Imran: 49)
The Prophet Moses's (as) staff turned into a snake and swallowed those
produced by Pharaoh's magicians:
He [Pharaoh] said: "If you have come with a clear sign produce it, if
you are telling the truth." So he [Moses] threw down his staff and
there it was, unmistakably a snake. (Surat al-A'raf: 106-107)
Throw down what is in your right hand [O Moses]. It will swallow up
their handiwork, which is just a magician's trick. Magicians do not
prosper wherever they go. (Surah Ta Ha: 69)
The Prophet Moses (as) struck the sea with his staff and its waters parted:
And when the two hosts came into sight of one another, Moses's
companions exclaimed: "We will surely be overtaken!" Moses said:
"Never! My Lord is with me and will guide me." So We revealed to
Moses: "Strike the sea with your staff." And it split in two, each
part like a towering cliff. And We brought the others right up to it.
We rescued Moses and all those who were with him, and then drowned the
rest. (Surat al-Shu'ara': 61-66)
The birds that the Prophet Abraham (as) cut into pieces came back to him alive:
When Abraham said: "My Lord, show me how You bring the dead to life."
He asked: "Do you not then have belief?" Abraham replied: "Indeed I
do! But so that my heart may be at peace." He said: "Take four birds
and train them to yourself. Then put a part of them on each mountain
and call to them; they will come rushing to you. Know that Allah is
Almighty, All-Wise." (Surat al-Baqara: 260)
The Prophet Jonah's (as) was miraculously saved after being swallowed
by a whale:
Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran away to the fully laden
ship and cast lots and lost, then the fish devoured him and he was to
blame. Had he not been a person who glorified Allah, he would have
remained inside its belly until the Day of Resurrection. So We cast
him up onto the beach and he was sick. (Surat al-Saffat: 139-145)
The Prophet Zechariah. (as) was told he would have a child in his old age
"Still Life with Cheeses." Floris Van Dijck (1575-1651). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Then and there Zechariah called on his Lord: "O Lord, grant me by Your
favor an upright child. You are the Hearer of Prayer." The angel
called out to him while he was standing in prayer in the upper room:
"Allah gives you the good news of John, who will come to confirm a
Word from Allah, and will be a leader and a celibate, a prophet and
one of the just." He asked: "My Lord, how can I possibly have a son
when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" He replied: "It
will be so. Allah does whatever He wills." (Surah Al 'Imran: 38-40)
Many other miracles are informed in the Qur'an, all of which happen by
the will of Allah Who rules the universe and has infinite power. Every
miracle happens at Allah's command and in the way He wills:
We sent messengers before you and gave them wives and children. Nor
was any messenger able to bring a sign except by Allah's permission.
There is a prescribed limit to every term. (Surat ar-Ra'd: 38)
In Surat al-Ma'idah, it is reveaed that the Prophet Jesus (as)
performed miracles by Allah's permission:
Remember when Allah said: "O 'Jesus, son of Maryam, remember My
blessing to you and to your mother when I reinforced you with the
Purest Spirit so that you could speak to people in the cradle and when
you were fully grown; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and
the Torah and the Gospel; and when you created a bird-shape out of
clay by My permission, and then breathed into it and it became a bird
by My permission; and healed the blind and the leper by My permission;
and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I held
back the tribe of Israel from you, when you brought them the clear
signs and the unbelievers among them said: 'This is nothing but
downright magic.'" (Surat al-Ma'ida: 110)
All of the messengers were blessed individuals who submitted
themselves to Allah. They had good moral characters and were examples
to the world. Like everyone else, they were helpless and needy in
Allah's sight. Allah, Who created the universe from nothing, has
absolute power and governance over all things, both living and
inanimate. The universe and all creatures in the heavens and on Earth
belong to Him, for He, the Lord of the universe, created them all.
Everything moves at His command and exists at His pleasure.
Allah feeds all living creatures, provides them with many blessings,
brings forth plants and creates their seasons, and brings darkness in
the evening and makes the sun a brilliant light. He created all human
beings who have ever lived and who are yet to live; all animate and
inanimate things owe their existence to Him, and every creature needs
Him. He has honored some individuals by choosing them to be His
messengers. They also stand in need of Him, act at His command, and
perform their miracles only by His will.
We are told in Surat al-Anbiya' of Allah's infinite power:
Everyone in the heavens and on Earth belongs to Him. Those in His
presence do not consider themselves too great to worship Him and do
not grow tired of it. They glorify Him night and day, never flagging.
Or have they taken deities out of the soil who can bring the dead to
life? If there had been any deities besides Allah in heaven or Earth,
they would both be ruined. Glory be to Allah, Lord of the Throne,
beyond what they describe! He will not be questioned about what He
does, but they will be questioned. Or have they taken other deities
besides Him? Say: "Produce your proof. This is the message of those
with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not
know the truth, so they turn away. (Surat al-Anbiya': 19-24)
This book informs the reader about some of the Prophet Muhammad's
(saas) miracles. Allah made this blessed individual an example to all
people due to his goodness and deep faith, and his every word and
action. With Allah's permission, he performed miracles throughout his
life, some of which were witnessed only by the Companions and others
of which were seen by great numbers of unbelievers.
An account of some of these miracles has come down to us in the
Qur'an; we know of others through the hadiths and the various writings
of Islamic scholars. We intend to show the miraculous aspects of this
blessed person who was sent as a mercy to the world and to invite our
readers to take the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas) as
their guide.
As Allah says, He sent our Prophet (saas) as the last prophet to
humanity: "… the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the
Prophets" (Surat al-Ahzab: 40). This blessed man delivered the final
revelation and serves as humanity's role model because of his
goodness, piety, and closeness to Allah. He is a friend of Allah, and
the friend and advocate of believers. Allah tells us that He entrusted
our Prophet (saas) with a great responsibility:
We will impose a weighty Word upon you. (Surat al-Muzzammil: 5)
With his powerful faith in Allah, the Prophet (saas) carried out his
responsibility perfectly by inviting humanity to follow the Way of
Allah and serving as their guide. The Revelation of the Qur'an
According to Islamic and historical texts, Allah bestowed prophethood
upon the Prophet Muhammad (saas) when he was forty years old. But even
before that time, certain miraculous events took place. For example,
his dreams came true. The hadiths say that these dreams lasted for
about six months. The eminent Islamic scholar Imam al-Bukhari relates:
The commencement of the Divine inspiration to the Messenger of Allah
was in the form of good righteous (true) dreams in his sleep. He never
had a dream but that it came true like bright daylight. 1
A copy of the Qur'an from 1790 CE (1205 AH) written in the Naskhi
style. Classic style layout, every page containing seventeen lines.
Ruled in gold, leather binding from the time. (Suleyman Tevfik)
The hadiths tell us that when he turned forty, he would often go by
himself to the Cave of Hira' (Ghar Hira) in Jabal al-Nur (the Mountain
of Light), which was located about twelve kilometers from Mecca.
During the Ramadan of his third annual retreat, Allah granted the
Prophet Muhammad (saas) the rank of prophet by sending Gabriel to
reveal some Qur'anic verses to him. The first revelation was given on
August 10, 610 CE (Monday night, 21 Ramadan).
This was certainly a wonderful grace from Allah. Our Prophet (saas)
was blessed; he was an able, good, and a man of deep faith; had a
degree of fear and respect toward Allah; and was worthy of this honor:
… but for a mercy from your Lord. His favor to you is indeed immense.
(Surat al-Isra': 87)
You did not expect to be given the Book. It is nothing but a mercy
from your Lord ... (Surat al-Qasas: 86)
The fact that his dreams came true is one proof that our dear Prophet
(saas) was chosen by Allah. Islamic scholars interpret this as meaning
that Allah prepared him for this great responsibility while he slept.
After these dreams, the Prophet (saas) received the first revelation
and was entrusted with guiding humanity to the true path. He continued
to do so, with great determination, until he died.
The hadiths relate the miraculous events that occurred before he
received the first revelation:
Aisha narrated: The first thing with which the revelation began for
the Messenger of Allah was correct dreams in sleep. He never saw a
dream but that it came like the breaking of the dawn. He used to go in
seclusion to (the cave of) Hira', where he used to worship (Allah
alone) continuously for many nights. He used to take provision with
him for that (stay) and then like-wise come back to Khadijah to take
his food again for another period. Then suddenly the Truth descended
upon him while he was in the cave of Hira'. The angel came to him and
asked him to read.
The Prophet replied: "I do not know how to read" (and added:) "The
angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not
bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I
replied: 'I do not know how to read,' whereupon he caught me again and
pressed me a second time until I could not bear it anymore. He then
released me and asked me again to read, but again I replied: 'I do not
know how to read (or, what shall I read?).' Thereupon he caught me for
the third time and pressed me and then released me and said: 'Read: In
the Name of your Lord, Who has created, has created humanity from a
[blood] clot. Read, and Your Lord is Most Generous, He Who taught
by the pen, taught man what he did not know.' (Surat al-'Alaq:
1-5)" Then Allah's Messenger returned with it… 2
We are told in the Qur'an about his conversation with Gabriel and the
revelation of the Qur'an to him. It is revealed in Surat al-Najm that
Gabriel taught the Qur'an to the Prophet (saas):
Your companion is not misguided or misled; nor does he speak from
whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed, taught to him by one
immensely strong. (Surat al-Najm: 2-5)
We also learn of the wondrous events that occurred as Gabriel
transmitted the Qur'an to the Prophet (saas):
… possessing power and splendor. He [Gabriel] stood there stationary,
there on the highest horizon. Then he drew near and hung suspended. He
was two bow-lengths away or even closer. Then He [Allah] revealed to
His servant what He revealed. His [Muhammad's] heart did not lie about
what he saw. What! Do you dispute with him about what he saw? (Surat
al-Najm: 6-12)
It is also stated in several other verses that Gabriel, also called
the "Purest Spirit" or the "Faithful Spirit," delivered the
revelation:
It does not befit Allah to address any human being except by
inspiration, or from behind a veil, or He sends a messenger who then
reveals by His permission whatever He wills. He is indeed Most High,
All-Wise. (Surat al-Shura: 51)
Say: "Anyone who is Jibril's enemy should know that it was he who
brought it [the Qur'an] down upon your heart, by Allah's authority,
confirming what came before, and as guidance and good news for the
believers." (Surat al-Baqarah: 97)
Say: "The Purest Spirit has brought it down from your Lord with truth,
to make those who have faith firm, and as guidance and good news for
the Muslims." (Surat al-Nahl: 102)
Truly it is revelation sent down by the Lord of all the worlds. The
Faithful Spirit brought it down to your heart so you would be one of
the Warners. (Surat al-Shu'ara': 192-194)
There is a tradition that the revelations ceased for a while after the
first verses had been revealed. The hadiths tell us that when the
revelations resumed, the first verses he received were the opening
verses of Surat al-Muddaththir. After that, the Prophet (saas) assumed
his responsibility of proclaiming the revelation. Later, by a command
from Allah, he told people to have faith only in Allah and not to make
any creature His equal:
O you who are enveloped in your cloak, arise and warn. Magnify your
Lord. (Surat al-Muddaththir: 1-3)
It is also said in Surat al-Shura 194 that revelations were placed in
the Prophet's (saas) heart. In addition, Allah caused him to memorize
the Qur'an: "We will cause you to recite so that you do not forget"
(Surat al-A'la: 6). His ability to memorize the Qur'an in this way was
another one of his miracles.
The verses of the Qur'an were rooted in the Prophet's (saas) heart,
and he spent his whole life proclaiming them. In Surat al-A'la 8, "We
will ease you to the Easy Way,"Allah announced that He is the
Prophet's (saas) helper and will give him success. Allah tells us that
He is the blessed mesenger's constant Helper: "It is Our duty to help
the belivers" (Surat al-Rum: 47). He refreshed the Prophet's (saas)
heart and created marvellous things in his mind and memory. He tells
us that it is He Who enabled the Prophet (saas) to recite and remember
all of its verses:
Do not move your tongue trying to hasten it. Its collection and
recitation are Our affair. So when We recite it, follow its
recitation. Then its explanation is Our concern. (Surat al-Qiyamah:
16-19)
Clearly, Allah placed the Qur'an's verses in his memory in a special way:
High exalted be Allah, the King, the Real! Do not rush ahead with the
Qur'an before its revelation to you is complete, and say: "My Lord,
increase me in knowledge." (Surah Ta Ha: 114)
With his love and lively faith in Allah, our Prophet (saas) willingly
and wholeheartedly obeyed all of His commands. Allah made him powerful
and gave him success, granted him many blessings, and made him special
in both worlds.

The Miracles Of Our Prophet (saas)

Introduction
Throughout history, Allah sent messengers to all peoples, showing them
how to live a good life in this world and the next. We are told in the
Qur'an that this is a wonderful grace and mercy for all believers:
Allah showed great kindness to the believers when He sent a messenger
to them from among themselves to recite His signs to them, purify
them, and teach them the Book and Wisdom, even though before that they
were clearly misguided. (Surah Al 'Imran: 164)
We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds. (Surat al-Anbiya': 107)
These messengers were a grace to their communities, for they showed
their people the right path, helped them leave the darkness of
unbelief and enter into the light of belief, and proclaimed the
commands of our Lord, Who created the universe from nothing. They told
people that they could have contentment, peace, and security only by
living a good religious life. However, Allah also reveals that
"...most people have no faith" (Surat al-Ra'd: 1). Thus, few people
embraced faith and appreciated what a great mercy these messengers
were for them.
As revealed in the Qur'an, they sincerely desired that people should
come to faith: "But most people, for all your eagerness, are not
believers" (Surah Yusuf: 103). They called their people to truth so
that they could receive blessings in both worlds and live good and
happy lives. They asked no reward for this. Due to their sincere fear
of and respect for Allah and their superior moral character, the
messengers dedicated their honorable lives to this goal. All of the
ensuing difficulties and trials only increased their faith and
dedication. With Allah's help and support, they became examples of
courage; with His permission, they always prevailed. Our Lord says:
Allah has written: "I will be victorious, I and My messengers." Allah
is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadalah: 21)
In return for their devotion, faithfulness, patience, sincerity, and
trust in Him, Allah imparted a sense of security and contentment to
their hearts, gave them material and spiritual strength, and destroyed
the unbelivers' traps:
We will certainly help Our messengers and those who believe both in
the life of this world and on the Day the witnesses appear. (Surah
Ghafir: 51)
O Messenger, transmit what has been sent down to you from your Lord.
If you do not, you will not have transmitted His message. Allah will
protect you from people. Allah does not guide the unbelievers. (Surat
al-Ma'idah: 67)
Allah tells us that He defended our Prophet (saas) against all of the
unbelievers' traps:
… when the unbelievers were plotting against you to imprison, kill, or
expel you: They were plotting and Allah was planning, but Allah is the
Best of Planners. (Surat al-Anfal: 30)
We learn from several verses that Allah protected His messengers in
every adversity and anxiety and from every trap. He increased His
blessings upon them, provided an escape from every difficulty,
increased their courage and strength, lightened their burdens, and
strengthened their resolve by reminding them of His mercy.
Our Lord supported some of His messengers by allowing them to perform
miracles. These great blessings from Allah had a strong effect on
people, strengthened the believers' resolve and faith, and caused many
unbelievers to embrace Islam.

Fathwa, - Can my aunty's husband (mothers brother in law) be my mehram?

Question:
I have been wanting to perform umrah for 2 years now, but due to
having no living father i don''t have a mehram. i have 2 brothers,
however one is not ready to go, nor can he get time off from
university and the other only did hajj in January, and can not afford
to go again.
So apart from them my last option is going along with my uncle and
aunty. However before getting my hopes up i would like to know is my
mother''s sister''s husband is a permissable mehram for umrah.
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
Unlike the Hajj, which is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female,
who is able to perform it; the ''Umra is not obligatory. Rather it is
an emphasised sunna to perform it once in one''s lifetime. (Radd
al-Muhtar, 2:151, Bulaq ed.)
The scholars of the Hanafi school, as well as most other scholars from
all of the sunni schools of fiqh, deemed it impermissable for a woman
to go on a journey of more than fifty miles outside of one''s city
except with a mahram male, meaning either one''s husband or a male of
one''s unmarriageable kin. The Hanafis did not consider the Hajj to be
an exception to this. Since the husband of one's aunt is not a mahram
one may not travel with him to perform the Hajj, let alone an 'Umra.
The scholars of some other schools take a more leniant stance. In the
Shafi''i school a woman may travel without a mahram if the journey is
to fulfill an obligation such as the Hajj. The ''Umra is also
obligatory for the Shafi''is.

Fathwa, - Confusion on Limits to talking to the opposite sex

Question:
I have read up on talking to the opposite sex but have experienced
very different views on this matter. I wanted to know the exact rules
to conversing with a member of the oppposite sex, preferably supported
with quotes from the hadith/quran.
As it stands the situation is; i have met a brother and speak to him
on the intention of inshallah marriage, we regularly chat on msn in
order to get to know one another better. Could you please confirm if
this is allowed as we have heard that it is not allowed unless i have
asked permission from my Wali.
I also wanted to clarify whether it is permissable to talk on the
phone with one another (once again without permission from Wali) and
whether meeting up publicly is allowed (where ther would be many other
muslims present but not a mahram).
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you well.
The Islamic paradigm for gender relations comes from the Qur''anic
verse, "The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another:
they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe
regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey God and His
Apostle. On them will God pour His mercy: for God is Exalted in power,
Wise." (Al-Tauba, 9:71).
Here, the word used for protectors is awliya''. This word connotes
friendship and cooperation on the basis of faith in Allah and His
Messenger, piety, and righteousness.
The Qur''an also gives us details on how to interact with each other.
For example,
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah
is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing
women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that
they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must
ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over
their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands,
their fathers..." [Al-Nour, 24: 30-31]
Finally, here is an example of a pious young woman:
"Afterwards one of the (damsels) came (back) to him, walking
bashfully. She said: "My father invites thee that he may reward thee
for having watered (our flocks) for us..." [Al-Qasas, 28: 25]
Qur''an commentaries note that the young woman approaches Prophet
Musa, peace be upon him, to make her request. However, she does so
shyly. She speaks directly and courteously.
There are also hadiths on gender interaction, one of the most serious
of which is:
"When a man and woman are alone together, Satan is the third." [Tirmidhi]
Ibn ''Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard Allah''s
Messenger (may peace be upon him) delivering a sermon and making this
observation: "No person should be alone with a woman except when there
is a Mahram with her, and the woman should not undertake journey
except with a Mahram..." [Sahih Muslim, Book 7, Number 3110]
"Tirmidhi reports from al-Mughira that when he got engaged to a woman,
the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ''Look at her,
for it is likelier to last between you.''" [Reliance of the Traveller,
m2.2]
Please keep in mind that these are individual verses and hadiths.
There are many more texts that relate to gender interaction.
The best way to understand how to implement these texts is to look to
the example of the Prophet, peace be upon him, who was very respectful
and cautious in his interactions with the opposite sex. Consult
reliable scholars about the limits of gender interaction. There are a
lot of relevant articles available here at SunniPath. Additionally, I
recommend reading Reliance of the Traveller, a classical manual of
Sacred Law, particularly the chapter on marriage.
Here are some general guidelines to be aware of:
1.It is unlawful for you and the brother to be alone with each other.
You should always meet in the presence of your mahram, unmarriageable
male relative, such as your father, brother, grandfather, or uncle. If
you do not have a mahram, then he should meet you in the presence of
your mother. If none of these people are available, then you should
appoint a wali: an upright male member of the community.
2.Instant messaging is highly problematic and I would advise you to
leave it alone. Essentially, it is cyber khalwa, or seclusion. What
may start out as an innocent enough chat can turn into something else
if you are not extremely cautious. If you have a romantic interest in
one another, online chats should definitely be left alone. The
temptation for prospective couples to engage in romantic conversations
is heightened by the mere fact that there is no supervision.
3.It is crucial to get to know one another. However, this must be done
within certain limits. For example, it is fine for you to get to know
each other in the presence of family members. However, be cautious
about online chatting, as mentioned before. Also, be cautious about
unsupervised telephone conversations. In principle, there is nothing
wrong with talking on occasion, particularly if you have something
important to discuss. However, the limits of propriety must be
observed. If you talk on the phone, it should be with the permission
of your wali. Furthermore, you should avoid talking to him when you
are alone.
4.As far as meeting up in public places is concerned, once again be
cautious. It''s fine to give salaams and inquire about each other''s
health. What you do want to avoid is hanging out or anything that
gives the appearance of dating. On the other hand, if you are
accompanied by a mahram, then seeing the brother outside of the house
should not be an issue.
To sum up, just remember that getting to know the brother is
permissible. What is not permissible is being alone together,
flirting, or any type of physical contact.

Fathwa, - Is it ok to take food for a non-mahram?

Question:
Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullah. I got to know a brother and we became
good friends. When I realized that I didn't want to marry him, a
sister advised me that if we continued being friends then that would
be inappropriate. So I told him and we agreed that we shouldn't really
talk anymore. While we were still talking I used to take extra food
from my home for him because he goes to Medical school near my home
and he doesn't have any halal food options. I thought this was a good
alternative to throwing the extra food out and my brother usually went
with me. My question is : Is it ok to continue taking him food as long
as my brother comes along or should I stop since I'm not considering
him for marriage anymore? JazakAllah khair. May Allah reward you for
your good work Ameen.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Absolutely Most Gracious, the Absolutely
Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah.
May Allah bless and give peace to our Beloved Messenger.
Dear Sister,
I apologize for the delay in getting to your question.
I hope this message finds you in good health and spirits.
Generally speaking, it is a praiseworthy trait to share our food with others.
In particular, both the Qur'an and the Sunna emphasize our obligation
to share our food with those less fortunate in the form of charity and
expiation.
In the collection of Imam Bukhari, we find many reports of the
Prophet's generosity, Allah bless him and give him peace. For example:
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari:
The Prophet said, "Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sick
and release (set free) the one in captivity (by paying his ransom)."
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 65, Number 286]
On the other hand, you may want to consider the wisdom of continually
giving food to the brother. Firstly, he's a medical student, so I
assume he is capable of providing for himself. It might be better to
give the food to someone less fortunate. Secondly, if he is still
interested in marrying you, or was interested, then it may stir up
feelings if you keep taking him food.
If you truly feel that the brother is in need of this food, then it is
advisable that you send your brother with the food and avoid going
personally. The adab of interaction between unrelated males and
females dictates that interaction should only be to the extent of the
need.
I pray this answers your question. May Allah Most High reward you for
your generosity.
And Allah knows best.

Days of Hajj, - Virtues of Hajj

Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reports that Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said "Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of pleasing
Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed,
shall return from it as free from sin as the day on which his mother
gave birth to him."
When a child is ushered into this world, it enters this life without
any blemish and is free from any form of sin. Now, when the Hajj has
been performed with utmost sincerity for Allah's sake, the pilgrim
returns to that sinless state.
When we speak of forgiveness of sins as in the Hadeeth mentioned
above, we actually refer to minor sins. However, the contents of this
Hadeeth have been noted in such numerous Ahaadeeth that some learned
Ulaamaa are of the opinion that minor as well as major sins are
included in this pardon from Allah.
In this Hadeeth under discussion, three things are mentioned. In the
first place we read that Hajj should be for Allah's sake, and that
there should be no worldly object and no ulterior motive prompting
this holy deed, neither should it be for the show of things, nor for
personal fame. Many people proceed to Makkahfor the sake of personal
honour and show. Such people have indeed wasted whatever they have
spent by way of wealth, health and energy. For them there shall be no
reward. We admit that when a person has performed his Hajj even for
the sake of showing others, his obligation has been carried out. But
how foolish it is indeed that a person should deny himself such great
virtue and reward (in the form of Allah's great pardon) merely because
of his desire to be noted among some people.
Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam once said, "Near the time of
Qiyaamah the rich ones from amongst my Ummah will perform Hajj for the
sake of travel and holiday; (like having a holiday in Hijaaz instead
of one in London or Paris). The middle class will perform Hajj for
commercial purposes, thereby transporting goods from here to there
while bringing commercial goods from there to here. The Ulamaa will
perform Hajj for the sake of show and fame; (to outdo and surpass
Maulana so and so, or any rival shaykh who had performed Hajj a
certain number of times). The poor will perform Hajj for the purpose
of begging." (Kanzul Ummaal)
The Ulamaa have stated that should a person perform a "Hajje Badal" on
behalf of someone else for a specific price, so that he derives
worldly benefit from such a Hajj, he too is included among those who
perform Hajj for commercial purposes.
In another Hadeeth we read "that the kings and rulers will perform
Hajj for the sake of having pleasurable holidays; the wealthy ones for
the sake of business; the poor ones for the sake of begging; while the
learned ones will come for Hajj for the sake of show." (It'haaf)
In the first of these two Traditions, we read that the wealthy ones
will perform Hajj for the sake of having a tour and a holiday. In the
second Hadeeth we read again that they will do so for the sake of
business. In actual fact there is no contradiction here even though it
apparently seems so. In the former case, those mentioned as wealthy
ones are actually those very rich ones who in the second Hadeeth are
called sultaans or rulers. In actual fact they are slightly lower that
the rulers. For this reason they are also called the middle class.
Once Umar radhiyallahu anhu was standing between Mount Safaa and
Marwah. A group of people came along, alighted from their camels and
proceeded to perform tawaaf around Ka'bah. They then came for the
sa'ee between Safaa and Marwah. Umar radhiyallahu anhu inquired from
them as to who they were. They replied that they were from Iraq. When
Umar radhiyallahu anhu inquired as to whether they perhaps had any
other intention, e.g. to claim an inheritance, to reclaim a debt to
them, or for any other business purpose. They replied: "No". Then Umar
radhiyallahu anhu said: "In that case restart your deeds (like people
who have done no evil deeds)".
What Umar radhiyallahu anhu implied was that having come to the Holy
House solely for Allah's sake, their previous evil deeds were
forgiven. They can now start anew. The second point that becomes clear
from the Hadeeth under discussion is that no evil word shall be
spoken. The Ulamaa have explained that the word "rafath" (evil speech)
includes every single form of words which are unseemly, nonsensical
and unnecessary to such an extent that even the mention of sexual
relations with one's wife is also included. To indicate or insinuate
such actions with hand signs or the eyes, should be refrained from.
All such actions and others which stir passions and lust are
condemned.
The third point towards which attention is drawn is "fusooq", which
here signifies every single form of disobedience to Allah's will. One
should especially avoid any form of argument and dispute. In one
Hadeeth our Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said: "The
beauty of Hajj is attained by speaking amicably with others and to
feed them." To argue with fellow Hujjaaj and to fight with them is the
opposite of amicable speech. Hence it is the duty of a Haajji not to
criticise his fellow Hujjaaj, to meet everyone with love, humility and
humbleness, and to deal with them in a most friendly manner. Some
Ulamaa have explained that to meet others in a friendly manner does
not only mean that one should not hurt or trouble one's fellow men. It
means that one should (without retaliation) bear and pardon the hurt
that comes from their side to you.
The word safar (a journey) means in actual fact "to expose", "to make
clear". The Ulamaa informs us that a journey is called safar in Arabic
because on a journey one's character is exposed and becomes clear.
Once Umar radhiyallahu anhu asked a man whether he knew a certain
person to which the man said that he knew him. Then Umar radhiyallahu
anhu inquired, whether the man had been on a journey with that person,
to which the man said that he had not. Then Umar radhiyallahu anhu
said: "You do not know him." In one Hadeeth it is stated that a person
praised another in the presence of Umar radhiyallahu anhu. Umar
radhiyallahu anhu asked: "Did you travel with him?" He replied: "I did
not travel with him." Umar radhiyallahu anhu asked: "Did you have any
dealings with him ?" He answered: "No, I had no dealings with him."
Umar radhiyallahu anhu then said: "You do not know that person."
(It'haaf).
There can be no doubt about it that only after having been with a
person in similar cases can one truly know a person's character and
his reactions to situations. On a journey there is always a certain
amount of inconvenience which inevitably leads to arguments and it is
for this reason that the Qur'aan especially mentions: "And let there
be no arguments in Hajj."

Days of Hajj, - Ihram

Ihrâm literally means to make something harâm upon oneself. By
adopting ihrâm (donning the two sheets, making niyat and reciting the
talbiya, certain things which were halâl (allowed) now become harâm
(not allowed) upon that person. Thus, we can say that ihrâm is a state
(condition) which a person has subjected himself to and he can reverse
this state only if particular rites are performed.
Furthermore, the two sheets a Haji or Mu'tamir wears is also called
ihrâm because it reflects ones intention and status.
Once a person adopts an ihrâm, it must not be ended abrubtly without
completing the intended haj or umra. This applies even if a person has
committed an act which will render his ihrâm fâsid.
However;
*.if a muhrim was unable to make wuqûf of Arafah, he should then
perform the acts of umra and terminate such an ihrâm.
*.if a muhrim is prevented from performing haj or umra, than such a
muhrim can end the state of ihrâm by offering a sacrifice within the
boundaries of the haram.
*.It is wâjib to perform the Qadha of any ihrâm terminated without
performing the rites of the intended hajjor Umra.
CONDITIONS OF IHRÂM:
*.To be a Muslim.
*.To form an intention and to recite the talbiya or any other zikr
that is an acceptable substitute for the talbiya.
WÂJIBÂT OF IHRÂM:
*.To adopt ihrâm from the miqât.
*.To stay away from that which is prohibited in ihrâm.
SUNAN OF IHRÂM:
*.To perform ghusl or wudhu.
*.To apply itr before making an intention for the Ihrâm of Haj or Umrah.
*.To use two sheets as the dress for ihrâm.
*.To perform two rakâts salâh as sunnat of ihrâm.
*.To recite the talbiya as reported in the hadith .
*.To recite it loudly.
*.To recite it thrice.

Days of Hajj, - After Hajj

How fortunate are these souls who are blessed with the following words
from Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam:
"Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allahand therein utters no
word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it (free
from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)
"Verily there shall be no reward for a Mabroor Hajj except Jannah."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)
It is hoped that all the pilgrims were sincere in their intentions and
had traveled thousands of miles only to secure the Pleasure of Allah
by fulfilling the obligation laid down upon them. May Allah the
Almighty grant all the pilgrims acceptance and grant them opportunity
again and again to visit the Sacred bud. Aameen.
Nevertheless, we wish to draw the attention of the pilgrims towards
certain points which are necessary and of utmost importance to observe
and for which many pilgrims are seen neglectful of their significance.
1, the sincerity of intention should remain even after the performance
of Hajj. There should be no pomp or show. One should not wish to be
called or recognized as a Haajee.
Many people adopt the habit of talking frequently about their journey
in order that people may come to know of their Hajj. They talk about
the expenses incurred in the way of Allah, their charityamongst the
poor and needy, their devotion and worship, their assisting the weak
and old, etc.; and all is mentioned only with the intention of gaining
fame. This is a deceit from Shaytaan who ruins the ibaadat without the
person even knowing. It is therefore of great importance that the
pilgrim does not talk about his Hajj without necessity as it may lead
to 'Riyaa' (show, insincerity). However, if necessity arises and one
must talk about his Hajj then he is at liberty to do so. But, he must
not indulge in this type of conversation unnecessarily.
2, it is noted through experience, that many pilgrims return with only
the bad side of the journey and make it a habit of talking about
nothing except the hardships they have encountered during Hajj. The
pilgrims should strictly refrain from this. On the contrary they
should talk about the greatness of the sacred places, the spiritual
gains, the enjoyment in devotions of Haramayn – Umrah, Tawaaf, Salaam
on the Sacred Grave, Salaat in Masjid-ul-Haraam and Masjid-un-Nabawi
etc. If one looks at his journey of Hajj carefully he will find that
the good things far outweighs the bad. Every second spent in these
sacred places is incomparable with anything in the world.
The journey of Hajj is a long journey; one has to travel by air, pass
the immigrations, go through the customs, encounter people who speak
foreign languages, etc. In these circumstances, difficulties are
certain to arise. when we travel in our country do we always travel
with comfort and ease? Do we never encounter difficulty? Do we not
find ourselves held up in traffic for hours on a Motorway? Considering
the fact that 2 – 3 million pilgrims perform the rituals of Hajj at
one time, in one place and that they all come from different countries
and backgrounds and that many of them have never before used or seen
the facilities available to them. We think the difficulties
encountered are insignificant. Moreover, the pilgrims are rewarded
abundantly by Allah Ta'aala upon every difficulty encountered in their
journey whereas tile same is not tile case whilst we are on another
journey.
Those people who engage in these types of conversation become the
cause of discouragement to others who have not yet had the opportunity
to perform Hajj. These unfortunate pilgrims fall into the category …
and who stop (men) from the way of Allah, and from the Sacred Masjid,
… mentioned in Surah Hajj in the Qur'aan. They should take heed that
if people are discouraged by their conversation and postpone their
Hajj then those who have discouraged them will be equally responsible.
3, the sign of a 'Mabroor Hajj' or an 'accepted Hajj' is that upon
one's return, his life changes from worst to good. He becomes totally
punctual in fulfilling the commands of Allah Ta'aala. His love and
inclination towards the Hereafter increases and love for the worldly
pleasures decline. Therefore, it is essential that the pilgrim is
watchful over his actions and should try his utmost to instill in
himself good characters and refrain from all types of evil. He should
try his best to fulfill the obligations laid down by Allah and avoid
all the things forbidden by Him.

Fiqh of Inheritance, - Allegations Against Distribution

The enemies of Islam have been trying to find fault with the Quran
through the verses of inheritance for several centuries. They allege
that the Noble Quran gives the female in general, and the wife in
particular, half of what it gives to the male in general and the
husband in particular, thereby usurping the right of the woman and
dealing with her wrongfully. In reply to this malicious allegation we
say:
First:The claim that in Islam, the share given from the inheritance to
a woman is less than the man, is invalid. Indeed, there are four cases
in connection with inheritance where the female's share is equal to or
even greater than the male's:
1.The first case: When the woman's share is equal to the man's, as it
is in the )half( brothers and sisters from the side of the mother,
each of whom takes one-sixth, whether they are male or a female, and a
group )of more than two( share the third equally, in which the
female's share is like the male's.
2.The second case: When only the female is the heir, and a cause of
preventing the male from inheritance. A typical example is a man/woman
who dies and leaves a daughter, a full sister, and a half-brother from
the side of the father. The daughter takes half the inheritance, and
the full sister the other half, and nothing is given to the
half-brother from the side of the father, since he is prevented by the
existence of a full sister, although he is a male and she is a female.
3.The third case: When a female takes more than what the male takes,
such as, when a person dies and leaves a full sister or a half-sister
from the side of the father; a mother, a paternal uncle or a
half-brother from the side of the mother. In this case, the full
sister takes half of the inheritance, the mother the third and the
remaining sixth is taken by the paternal uncle or the half-brother
from the side of the mother. Although in this case both the sister and
the mother are females, the share of each is greater than the male's,
i.e., that of the paternal uncle or the half-brother from the side of
the mother.
4.The fourth case: When a female takes half of what the male takes;
this happens in many instances, such as when the inheritors include a
daughter along with a son; a son's daughter along with a son's son; a
full sister along with a full brother; a half-sister from the side of
the father along with a half-brother from the side of the father; the
wife's share compared with the husband's: each female in those cases
takes half of what the male takes.
What is the wisdom that lies behind thisí Does this preference go back
to gender or is there another reason lying behind the preferenceí In
reply to these questions, let us say: This preference does not go back
to gender, since there are some cases in which the female's share of
inheritance is equal to the male's, and other cases in which her share
is greater than the male's, and many cases in which she prevents him
from inheritance, as we have previously seen. Whoever thinks that the
shares of the male and female heirs in the Quran are established only
on the basis of the difference of gender, i.e., masculinity and
femininity, has indeed fallen short of understanding the Quran. That
is because the Noble Quran has distributed the shares of heirs on the
basis of three criteria:
The degree of kinship between the heirs -- be they males or females --
and the deceased person: The closer the relation between them, the
greater the share of inheritance is, regardless of the gender of the
heirs.
The position of the generation of heirs in the sequence of
generations: The young generation, who are at the beginning of their
life and getting ready to receive its burdens, have shares of
inheritance that are greater than the older generations that are at
the end of their life and getting
The financial obligation enjoined by the IslamicSharee'ah)legislation(
upon the heir: That is the only criterion which raises the difference
of gender between the male and the female. However, this difference
inflicts neither oppression nor injustice upon the female. On the
contrary, it may be that the opposite is
This is why this disparity between the male and the female has not
been made general to all the heirs )in all cases( in the Noble Quran,
but just in some cases. The demands required of the son in life and
under the system of Islam are more than those required of )the
daughter who is( his sister. He is the one obliged, once he becomes
mature, to spend on and maintain himself, pay the dowry to his wife,
bear the marital expenditure, maintenance of children as regards
education, medication, clothing, etc. but the female usually gets
married and is not required to pay dowry or bear expenses, since her
maintenance is obligatory for her husband.

Fiqh of Inheritance, - The Importance of Inheritance

Allaah The Almighty has determined the obligatory shares of
inheritance Himself – a task which He entrusted neither to a close
angel nor to a sent Prophet. He determined the share of each heir in
the inheritance, which He showed in detail )in His Book(, unlike many
rulings which were mentioned in a general and brief way in the Book.
In addition, theSunnah)tradition( of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam,came to give a detailed explanation about these rulings,
just like the rulings regarding prayers,Zakaah)purifying alms(
andHajj)pilgrimage(.
In relation to the obligatory shares of inheritance, the verses of
inheritance were revealed in detail as shown in the beginning and end
ofSurat An-Nisaa'. Allaah The Almighty calls them His limits, and
promises to give a great reward to the one who abides by them and does
not transgress them, and threatens to punish the one who transgresses
them. He Says )what means(:}These are the limits ]set by[ Allaah, and
whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to
gardens ]in Paradise[ under which rivers flow, abiding eternally
therein; and that is the great attainment. And whoever disobeys Allaah
and His Messenger and transgresses His limits -- He will put him into
the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating
punishment.{]Quran 4:13-14[
Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,"There are
narrations that encourage learning the obligatory shares of
inheritance, the most important of which are these )mentioned in
verses 11-12(. In relation to this, it was narrated by Abu Daawood and
Ibn Maajah, may Allaah have mercy upon them, on the authority of
'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Three things are essential to
learn, and what is beyond them is just favorably optional: a precise
)Quranic( Verse, a standing Sunnah )tradition( or a just prescribed
obligatory share )of inheritance(."]Weak narration[
The Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, ordered that the obligatory
shares of inheritance should be distributed among those entitled to
them. He said:"Distribute the property )of the deceased( among those
who are entitled to the obligatory shares )of inheritance( according
to the )laws of( the Book of Allaah, and what is left )from the
property( after distributing the obligatory shares should be given to
the closest male heir."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Scholars called the science of the obligatory shares )of inheritance(
half the knowledge. Ibn 'Uyaynah, may Allaah have mercy upon him,
said,"The science of the obligatory shares )of inheritance( is called
half the knowledge for all the people are in need of it."

Fiqh of Inheritance, - The Wisdom Behind Prescribing Inheritance

Allaah The Almighty has honored man in this worldly life and preferred
him over many creatures, as confirmed by His Statement )which
means(:}And We have certainly honored the children of Aadam )Adam( and
carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good
things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with
]definite[ preference.{]Quran 17:70[
Man has been made a successor to authority, which makes him in need of
the means that guarantee his survival, maintain his succession to
authority and sustain his worldly affairs.
Allaah The Almighty has made property a means of sustenance, as shown
in His statement )which means(:}And do not give the weak-minded your
property, which Allaah has made a means of sustenance for you.{]Quran
4:5[
Money sustains the worldly interests of people, and it is the means by
which they fulfill their requirements. Man needs it as long as he is
living, and once he dies, he no longer needs it. Thus, it is necessary
to have a successor and a new owner of his property. If the new owner
is someone who is capable of taking the property by force and
overpowering others, then, it would lead to mutual hatred and disputes
among people, and inheritance would be subject to power struggles and
strife. If, on the other hand, the property is assigned )after one's
death( to cats, dogs, and domestic animals -- which is sometimes the
case in some laws -- surely, the people's benefits and interests will
be lost and their needs will not be met.
For this reason, theSharee'ah)Islamic legislation( has assigned
inheritance to the deceased person's relatives so that people would
rest assured of the destiny of their property, as they are naturally
eager to benefit those with whom they have a strong relationship of
blood, marital relation or allegiance. If a person dies and leaves
property, according to the IslamicSharee'ahthat takes into
consideration all the benefits of people, it should be distributed
among his relatives with justice. This means distributing the
inheritance beginning with the closest and then the next of kin to him
and so on, like the children, the father and those next to them in the
degree of kinship. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}This day I
have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you
and have approved for you Islam as religion.{]Quran 5:3[

Dought & clear, - Ruling on doing the marriage contract over the phone or Internet

Is it valid to do the marriage contract over a WebCam? Because I heard
that it is not permissible as one of the conditions of marriage is
that it should be done in one place?
Praise be to Allah.
The proposal (eejaab) and acceptance (qubool) form one of the pillars
or essential parts of the marriage contract, without which it is not
valid. The proposal is said by the wali (guardian) or his proxy and
the acceptance is said by the husband or his proxy.
It is stipulated that the proposal and acceptance should come in one
sitting. It says inKashshaaf al-Qinaa'(5/41): If there is a lapse of
time between the proposal and acceptance, it is valid so long as both
are done in the same gathering and there is no distraction that would
count as an interruption according to local custom, even if the
interval between the two is lengthy. But if they part before the
acceptance is spoken after the proposal has been issued, then the
proposal becomes invalid. The same applies if there is a distraction
that interrupts the proceedings according to local custom, because
that is turning away from it and it is as if the proposal had been
rejected. End quote.
Similarly, it is also stipulated that witnesses be present in order
for the marriage contract to be valid.
Based on that, the scholars differed with regard to doing the marriage
contract by using modern needs such as the telephone and the Internet.
Some of them say that that is not permissible, because of the absence
of witnesses, even though the presence of two witnesses on the phone
at the same time comes under the same ruling as if they were in the
same place. This is the view of the Islamic Fiqh Council (Majma'
al-Fiqh al-Islami).
Some of the scholars are of the view that this should be disallowed,
as a precaution to protect the marriage, because it is possible to
imitate a person's voice and thus deceive others. This is what is
stated in fatwas issued by the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas.
Some of the scholars regard it as permissible so long as there is no
risk of tampering. This is what was stated in fatwas issued by Shaykh
Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).
Thus it is known that the problem is not the issue of being the same
place, because contact between both parties at the same time via the
phone or Internet comes under the same ruling as if they were in the
same place.
It is also possible for this marriage contract to be witnessed, by
hearing the voice of the speaker over the phone or Internet; in fact
with technological advances nowadays it is possible to see the wali
and hear his voice when he makes the proposal, and it is also possible
to see the husband.
Hence the most correct view with regard to this matter is that it is
permissible to do the marriage contract over the phone or Internet, if
there is no danger of tampering, the identity of the husband and wali
is proven, and the two witnesses can hear the proposal and acceptance.
This is what was stated in fatwas issued by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah
have mercy on him), as stated above. It is also what is implied by the
fatwa of the Standing Committee, which disallowed marriage in such
cases as a precaution and for fear of deceit.
The one who wants to be on the safe side may do the marriage contract
by appointing proxies; so the husband or guardian may appoint someone
to do the marriage contract on his behalf in front of witnesses.
There follow the comments of scholars that confirm what we have referred to:
1.Statement of the Islamic Fiqh Council:
Statement no. 52 (6/2) concerning the ruling on contracts via modern
needs of communication.
After stating that it is permissible to do contracts via modern means
of communication, the Council said:
The guidelines mentioned above do not apply to the marriage contract,
because of the stipulation that witnesses be present in that case. End
quote.
2.Fatwa of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas:
Question: if the pillars or essential parts and conditions of the
marriage contract are fulfilled, except that the wali and the husband
are in different countries, is it permissible to do the marriage
contract by phone or not?
Answer: because nowadays deceit and trickery are widespread, and some
people are skilled at imitating others, and some are able to make
their voice sound like a number of people, male and female, young and
old, and even speak different dialects and languages, so that the
listener thinks that several people are speaking when in fact it is
only one person, and because Islamic sharee'ah is concerned with
protecting people's chastity and honour, and takes more precautions
than other religions with regard to contracts and dealings, the
Committee thinks that it is not appropriate, with regard to marriage
contracts, the proposal and acceptance, and appointing proxies, to
handle such matters over the phone. This is in order to achieve the
aims of sharee'ah and protect people's chastity and honour, so that
those who follow whims and desires and those that seek to deceive and
cheat people will not be able to toy with matters of marriage. And
Allah is the source of strength.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 18/90
3.Fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)
Question:
I want to get married to a girl and her father is in another country;
at present I cannot travel to meet him and do the marriage contract,
for financial or other reasons. I am currently in a foreign country.
Is it permissible for me to call her father so that he can say to me,
"I give you my daughter So and so in marriage," and I can say, "I
accept." The girl agrees to the marriage and there are two Muslim
witnesses who can listen to what I say and what he says, via the
speakers on the phone. Is this regarded as a legitimate marriage
contract?
Answer:
The website put this question to Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abdullah
ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) and he replied that if what is
described is true (and there is no tampering involved), then it
fulfils the conditions of shar'i marriage and the marriage contract is
valid. And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - How old should the sacrificial animal be?

Is there a specific age for the sacrificial animal? Is it permissible
to slaughter a cow as a sacrifice when it is one and a half years
old?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) are agreed that Islam has
prescribed the age for sacrificial animals and it is not permissible
to slaughter animals that are younger than that. Whoever slaughters an
animal that is younger than that, it does not count as a sacrifice.
Seeal-Majmoo'by al-Nawawi, 1/176.
For example, al-Bukhaari (5556) and Muslim (1961) narrated that
al-Bara' ibn 'Aazib (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: A maternal
uncle of mine whose name was Abu Burdah slaughtered his sacrifice
before the prayer, and the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to him: "Your sheep is a sheep for meat
(i.e., not a sacrifice)." He said: "O Messenger of Allaah, I have a
young goat (according to another report: I have a young she-goat)
(according to a report by al-Bukhaari (5563): I have a jadha'ah which
is better than two musinnahs – shall I sacrifice it?)" The
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Sacrifice
it, but that will not be valid for anyone but you." According to
another report: "It will not count for anyone after you." Then he
said: "Whoever slaughters (the animal) before the prayer has
slaughtered it for himself, and whoever slaughters it after the prayer
has offered the sacrifice and followed the way of the Muslims."
This hadeeth indicates that a jadha'ah of goats (young goat) is not
sufficient as a sacrifice. We will explain below what jadha'ah means.
Ibn al-Qayyim said inTahdheeb al-Sunan:
The phrase "It will not count for anyone after you" is a definitive
statement that it would not count for anyone after him. End quote.
Muslim (1963) narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Do not slaughter anything but a musinnah, unless it is too
hard for you, in which case you should slaughter a young sheep
(jadha'ah min al-da'n).
This hadeeth also clearly states that only a musinnah can be
slaughtered, except in the case of sheep, where a jadha'ah may be
offered.
Al-Nawawi said inSharh Muslim:
The scholars said:
A musinnah is a thaniyyah of anything, camel, cow or sheep, or
anything over that age. This clearly indicates that it is not
permissible to slaughter a jadha'ah of any animal in any
circumstances, except sheep. End quote.
Al-Haafiz said inal-Talkhees, 4/285:
The apparent meaning of the hadeeth suggests that a jadha'ah of sheep
is not permissible except if one cannot find a musinnah. Scholarly
consensus says something different, so this hadeeth should be
understood as referring to what is better. So it is mustahabb not to
slaughter anything but a musinnah. End quote.
Al-Nawawi said inSharh Muslim:
It says in 'Awn al-Ma'bood:
This interpretation is the one which is correct. End quote.
Then he quoted some of the ahaadeeth which indicate that it is
permissible to offer a jadha'ah of sheep as a sacrifice, such as the
hadeeth of 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) who
said: "We slaughtered a jadha'ah of sheep with the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)." Narrated by
al-Nasaa'i, 4382. al-Haafiz said: Its isnaad is qawiy (strong). It was
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa'i.
It says inal-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah(5/83) concerning the conditions of udhiyah:
The second condition is that it should have reached the age of
sacrifice, by being a thaniyyah or older in the case of camels, cows
and goats, and jadha'ah or older in the case of sheep. A sacrifice
does not count if the animal is younger than a thaniyyah except in the
case of sheep, or if it is sheep that is younger than a jadha'ah…. The
fuqaha' are agreed upon this condition, but they differed as to what
is meant by thaniyyah and jadha'ah. End quote.
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
I do not know of any dissent with the view that a jadha'ah of goats or
anything else that is offered as a sacrifice apart from sheep is not
permissible. Rather it is permissible to sacrifice a thaniyyah or
anything older than of all of these. It is permissible to sacrifice a
jadha'ah of sheep according to the Sunnah. End quote fromTarteeb
al-Tamheed, 10/267.
Al-Nawawi said inal-Majmoo'(8/366):
The ummah is agreed that with regard to camels, cows and goats,
nothing will do except a thaniyyah, and with regard to sheep, nothing
will do but a jadha'ah, and that these are all acceptable. But some of
our companions narrated that Ibn 'Umar and al-Zuhri said: A jadha'ah
of sheep does not count. It was narrated from 'Ata' and al-'Awzaa'i
that a jadha'ah of camels, cows, goats and sheep does count. End
quote.
Secondly:
With regard to the stipulated age of sacrificial animals, the scholars
differed concerning that.
A jadha'ah of sheep is a sheep that has reached the age of six months,
according to the Hanafis and Hanbalis. According to the Maalikis and
Shaafa'is it is a sheep that has reached the age of one year.
The musinnah (or thaniyyah) of goats is one that has reached the age
of one year according to the Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis. According
to the Shaafa'is, it is one that has reached the age of two years.
The musinnah of cows is one of the has reached the age of two years
according to the Hanafis, Shaafa'is and Hanbalis; according to the
Maalikis it is one that has reached the age of three years.
The musinnah of camels is one that has reached the age of five years
according to the Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa'is and Hanbalis.
SeeBadaa'i' al-Sanaa'i', 5/70;al-Bahr al-Raa'iq, 8/202;al-Taaj
wa'l-Ikleel, 4/363;Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel, 3/34;al-Majmoo',
8/365;al-Mughni, 13/368.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inAhkaam al-Udhiyah:
The thaniyyah of camels is one that has reached the age of five years.
The thaniyyah of cows is one that has reached the age of two years.
The thaniyyah of sheep is one that has reached the age of one year.
The jadha'ah is one that has reached the age of half a year. It is not
acceptable to offer anything younger than a thaniyyah in the case of
camels, cows and goats, or anything younger than a jadha'ah in the
case of sheep.
It says inFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah(11/377):
The shar'i evidence indicates that a sheep that has reached the age of
six months may count as a sacrifice, as may a goat that has reached
the age of one year, a cow that has reached the age of two years, and
a camel that has reached the age of five years. Anything younger than
that does not count as a hadiy or udhiyah. This is what the Qur'aan
refers to when it says (interpretation of the meaning):"sacrifice a
Hady (animal, i.e. a sheep, a cow, or a camel) such as you can afford"
[al-Baqarah 2:196], because the texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah
explain one another. End quote.
Al-Kaasaani said inBadaa'i' al-Sanaa'i'(5/70):
These ages, as defined in sharee'ah, are minimum ages, not maximum
ages. Sacrificing an animal that is younger than that is not
permitted, but if an animal that is older than that is sacrificed, it
is permitted and is better. It is not permitted to sacrifice a lamb,
kid (young goat), calf or young camel, because the ages of animals
that we have mentioned were narrated in sharee'ah and these were not
mentioned among them. End quote.
So it is clear that slaughtering a cow that is younger than two years
old will not count as a sacrifice according to any of the imams.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Shortening the prayers when travelling is a confirmed Sunnah

Is it permissible for a traveller to offer the prayers in full and
pray them with four rak'ahs?
Praise be to Allah.
Shortening the prayers when travelling is a confirmed sunnah that one
should not forsake, according to the consensus of the imams (leading
scholars), apart from what is narrated from ash-Shaafa'i in one of his
two opinions, that offering the prayers in full is preferable. However
the correct view in his madhhab is that shortening the prayers is
preferable.
See:al-Majmoo'by an-Nawawi, 4/218-223
The view that shortening the prayers is preferable is supported by the
fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
shortened the prayers in all of his journeys, and there is no saheeh
report to indicate that he ever offered the prayer in full when he was
travelling.
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We went out with
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) from Madinah to
Makkah, and he offered his prayers with two rak'ahs every time until
we returned to Madinah.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1081; Muslim, 724.
Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I accompanied the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and
during the journey he did not pray more than two rak'ahs (in any
prayer), and Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with
them) did likewise.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1102; Muslim, 689
This refers to the beginning of 'Uthmaan's caliphate; at the end of
his caliphate, 'Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer
the prayers in full (when travelling).
When 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that
'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan (may Allah be pleased with him) was offering the
prayers with four rak'ahs in Mina, he said:Inna Lillaahi wa inna
ilayhi raaji 'oon(Verily to Allah we belong and verily to Him is our
return). I prayed two rak 'ahs with the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) in Mina, and I prayed two rak 'ahs
with Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq in Mina, and I prayed two rak 'ahs with 'Umar
ibn al-Khattaab in Mina.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1084; Muslim, 695
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is makrooh to offer the prayers in full when travelling. Ahmad
said: I do not like it. It was narrated from Ahmad that he would not
comment on whether offering four rak'ahs would be valid. There is no
sound report to indicate that any of the Sahaabah (may Allah be
pleased with them) used to pray with four rak'ahs when travelling at
the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
The hadeeth narrated from 'Aa'ishah that suggests something to the
contrary cannot be taken as evidence.
End quote fromal-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 32
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) said inZaad al-Ma'aad, 1/464:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten
the four-rak'ah prayers, praying them with two rak'ahs, from the time
he set out travelling until he returned to Madinah. There is no sound
report from him to suggest that he ever offered the four-rak'ah
prayers in full whilst travelling.
With regard to the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah, according to which the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten the
prayers and offer them in full when travelling, and that he used to
not fast and fast, it is not saheeh. I heard Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah say: This is a lie against the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him). End quote.
It was narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) used to shorten the prayers but 'Aa'ishah would offer them in
full, and he might not fast one day but she would fast.
Our Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah said: This is false. The Mother of the
Believers would not go against the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) and all his companions, and pray
differently from them. End quote.
Rather some of the imams, such as Imam Abu Haneefah and Ibn Hazm (may
Allah have mercy on them) were of the view that shortening the prayers
when travelling is obligatory, and it is not permissible to offer them
in full.
However, the correct opinion is that of the majority of scholars, that
shortening the prayers is Sunnah and is preferable, and is not
obligatory. That is supported by the fact that 'Uthmaan and 'Aa'ishah
(may Allah be pleased with them) offered prayers in full when
travelling. If shortening the prayers when travelling was obligatory,
they would not have offered them in full. The Sahaabah followed
'Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with all of them) in offering the
prayers in full in Mina; if offering the prayers in full was haraam,
they would not have followed him in that.
Imam ash-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If it had been
obligatory for the traveller to pray with two rak'ahs, 'Uthmaan,
'Aa'ishah and Ibn Mas'ood would not have offered the prayers in full,
and it would not have been permissible for a traveller to offer the
prayers in full when praying with a resident who is not travelling.
End quote fromal-Umm, 1/159
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said inash-Sharh
al-Mumti', 4/358-362:
Some of the scholars said that offering the prayers in full (when
travelling) is makrooh (disliked), because this is contrary to the
regular, ongoing practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), as the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) never offered the prayer in full when travelling, and he said:
"Pray as you have seen me praying." This is the view favoured by
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah(may Allah have mercy on him) and it is a
strong view; in fact it may be the strongest of the opinions.
Some of the scholars said that shortening the prayers is obligatory
and that the one who offers the prayer in full is sinning.
What seems to me to be most correct is that offering the prayers in
full (when travelling) is makrooh, not haraam, and that the one who
offers the prayer in full is not sinning. This is from a theoretical
point of view.
But from a practical point of view, is it befitting for a person to do
something when he fears that he may be sinning thereby?
It is not appropriate conduct; rather you should do what is Sunnah,
because that is better for your spiritual wellbeing, even if it is
permissible for you to do something contrary to that. End quote.
Based on that, it is preferable for the traveller to shorten his
prayers, but he does not have the right to refrain from offering the
prayer in congregation for the sake of shortening the prayer; rather
he must offer prayers in congregation. If the imam is a resident (not
travelling), he must offer the prayer in full with him, and if he is
travelling, he must shorten the prayer with him.

A World of Smile

About ten years ago when I was an undergraduate in college, I was
working as an intern at my University's Museum of Natural History. One
day while working at the cash register in the gift shop, I saw an
elderly couple come in with a little girl in a wheelchair.
As I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was kind of perched on
her chair. I then realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck
and torso. She was wearing a little white dress with red polka dots.
As the couple wheeled her up to me I was looking down at the register.
I turned my head toward the girl and gave her a wink. As I took the
money from her grandparents, I looked back at the girl, who was giving
me the cutest, largest smile I have ever seen. All of a sudden her
handicap was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose smile
just melted me and almost instantly gave me a completely new sense of
what life is all about. She took me from a poor, unhappy college
student and brought me into her world; a world of smiles, love and
warmth.
That was ten years ago. I'm a successful business person now and
whenever I get down and think about the troubles of the world, I think
about that little girl and the remarkable lesson about life that she
taught me.

Reward for Helping Others

Ibn Abbas narrated, Once I was in a state of itikaaf in the Prophet's
Mosque (Medina). A certain person came to me and sat down. I said to
him, 'O so and so, you look sad'. He said, 'Yes of course, o fraternal
brother of the Prophet. So-and-so has his due on me, and by the one
who lies in eternal peace in the grave (i.e. Prophet Muhammad), I am
not able to pay the debt' I said, 'Should I not talk to him about your
debt?' He said, 'You can do so if you like' There upon I put my shoes
on and went out of the mosque. The person asked him, 'Have you
forgotten the state you were in (i.e. itikaaf)?' I replied, 'Not at
all, but I have heard rom the one who lies in eternal peace in the
grave [saying this his eyes became filled with tears], said:
"One who moves to fulfill any need of his brother, and makes effort
for it, will find it better than itikaaf of ten years; and one who
performs itikaaf for one day for the pleasure of Allah, he will create
a distance of three ditches between him and the hell - and each ditch
has a width which lies between East and West, or between the heaven
and earth."
Source: Al Targhib Vol II p 272.
By the blessings of Allah, we are approaching another Ramadan. For
most of us, we feel a little taste of hunger during this month only.
But there are billions for whom it is a matter of daily life. Let us
get immense rewards by helping our needy brothers and sisters around
the world during this month of generosity.