DREAMS, THEIR TRUTH AND MEANING

I am neither of the night nor a worshipper of the night;
Rather I am a child of the day and therefore give tidings of the day.
Those fancies that are the traps of saints;
Are the reflections of the moon-faced ones of Divine gardens.
While you sleep with youreyes closed, your ears deaf, your tongue
mute, and your arms and legs motionless, how do you travel, meet
people, and do many things in a few minutes or even seconds? When you
get up in the morning, you feel deeply influenced by that few seconds'
adventure. Although Freud and his followers attribute dreams to the
subconscious self, to thoughts and desires, impulses and past
experiences, how can youexplain dreams that inform you of a future
event with which you have no contact or have never thought about? How
do we dream? With what part of our body or being do we dream? Why do
dreams last only a few seconds? How (and why) do we remember what we
dreamed while asleep? All of these and many similar questions are like
puzzles awaiting to be solved by science.
Sometimes while we are asleep, our thoughts and desires, impulses and
pastexperiences, which constitute our subconscious, are revealed
unconsciously. We may be sick or hungry,or have a problem that we
cannot solve. The imagination gives form tothe deviations of a bad
temper, or the mind remembers an exciting event that happened some
time ago and gives it a new, different form. All dreams coming from
such moods are jumbled; they have some meaning, but they are not worth
interpreting. For example,if we eat salty things before sleep, we may
dream that we are lying by a pool; if we go to bed angry, we may dream
thatwe are fighting with others.
There are some importanthidden truths in sleep anddreams.
Like the dream of the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), which is the kernel of
the Qur'anic chapter of Yusuf, several verses (such as, We have
appointed the night for you as a rest. (78:9)) show that there are
some important hidden truths in sleep anddreams.
The people of truth do not approve of using the Qur'an as an 'oracle'
to consult, nor of relying on dreams.
The people of truth do not approve of using the Quran as an 'oracle'
to consult, nor of relying on dreams. Since the Quran gives to
unbelievers severe and frequent blows, it may cause despair when the
verses that threaten unbelievers appear before one who opens the Book
to receivecounsel. Likewise, since dreams are often opposite to the
reality, they may also cause despair or demoralizationeven if they are
essentially good and promising. There are many dreams which, though
bad and dreadful in appearance, prove to be good and pleasing in
actual life. Since not everyone is able to find the true relationship
between a dream and its actual meaning, people become uneasy and
anxious. It is for this reason that in the beginning I said as the
people of truth say and quoted Imam Rabbani: "I am neither of the
night nor a worshipper of night."
True dreams are one out of the forty-six aspects of Prophethood.
God's Messenger says in an authentic narration that true dreams are
one out of the forty-six aspects of Prophethood. [That is, since God's
Messenger had true dreams in the initial six months of his
twenty-three years' Prophethood,true dreams are some kind of Divine
inspirations.] This means that true dreams contain some truths and
have some connection with theProphetic mission. This is, however, a
lengthy matter, profound and significant and related to Prophethood,
so I will cut it short here, leaving its elaboration to some later
occasion.
There are three kinds of dreams
Dreams are of three kinds.Two are included in the category of (in the
Quranic expression) jumbled dreams. Either the imagination gives form
to the deviations of a bad temper or the mind remembers an exciting
event which happened some time ago, and gives it a new different form,
and the dreams a man hasin such moods are 'jumbled ones', (as
mentioned in the sura Yusuf in the Quran1) not deserving of
interpretation.
1. The king said: 'I saw (in a dream) seven fat cows which seven lean
ones devoured; and also seven green ears of corn and (seven) others
dry. O my courtiers! Tell me the interpretation of my dream, if you
understand the meanings of dreams.' They said: 'A jumble of dreams;
and we are not skilled in the interpretation of jumbled dreams.'
(Joseph) said: 'You shall sow, as usual, for seven years. Leave in the
ear the corn you reap,except a little which you may eat. Then will
come after that seven years of severity, which will consume all but a
little of that which you have stored for them. Then will.....come
after that a year inwhich the people will have abundant water andin
which they will press (juice, oil, etc.)' (Yusuf, 12.43-4, 47-9.)
True dreams
One type of dream has nothing to do with the subconscious self. Such
dreams carry important messages: either they are good tidings from
God, which encourage us to dogood things and guide us,or warnings
concerning the evils we have done. Those dreams, which we call true
dreams, are very clear and unforgettable.
Some true dreams containnews of the future. To understand the nature
and mechanism of such dreams, consider the following:
As the essence of a piece of writing, its meaning, exists before it
assumes a written, visible form, everything has an essential form of
existence in God's Knowledge before it appears in the world. Islamic
philosophers call these essential forms archetypes. When God wills to
send them to this world, through the manifestation of His Wisdom and
Power and the appropriate Divine Names, He clothes them inmaterial
bodies. Between the world of archetypes (where God's Knowledge has
primary manifestation) and this world is another world-the world of
immaterial forms or symbols. In this world, things exist in ideal
forms or as symbols, and the concept and measure of time are
completely different from their counterparts in our world. One who
dreams finds or receives these symbols differently, basedon such
factors as time and place, culture and even national and individual
characteristics.
When we sleep, our spirit ascends to this world of ideal forms without
completely breaking its connection to the body. It continues this
connection through a cord. It enters adifferent dimension of existence
in the world of ideal forms or symbols, where past, present, and
future are combined. As a result, it may experience apast event or
witness a future one. However, since things in that world exist in
ideal forms or symbols, the spirit usually receives symbols that
require interpretation.
For example, clear water in that world may correspond to knowledgein
this world. If you see your own waste matter, itmay be interpreted to
mean that you will earn money in lawful ways; if the waste matter
belongs to others, its may mean that money will come to you in
unlawful ways. As mentioned in Sura Yusuf, a fat cow may mean a year
of abundant crops, while a lean one means a year of severity. The
metaphors, similes, and parables found in the Qur'an and the Prophetic
sayings, and sometimes among people, may provide significant keys to
interpret dreams. Sometrue dreams are so clear that no interpretation
is needed.
As the measurement of time is completely different in these two
worlds, and as the spirit isfar more active when not confined by the
limits of the body while the personis dreaming, great saints who free
their spirits, to acertain some degree, can travel long distances in a
much shorter time than normal people.
Examples of true dreams
Abraham Lincoln's dream the night before his assassination is famous.
Inhis dream, he saw the White House servants running to and fro,
tellingeach other that Mr. Lincoln had been killed. He woke from his
sleep in great excitement and spent an uneasy day. Despite warnings,
he went to a theater that evening and was killed.
Eisenhower's dream just before he landed on Normandy in June 1944
changed the course of theSecond World War. A few days before the date
on which he had decided to land, Eisenhower dreamed that a big storm
broke out and overturnedthe landing crafts. This caused him to move up
the date. History records that his dream was accurate. The mother of
Anne Ostrovosky, a Russian writer, saw many scenes of the
German-Russian battles 5 years before the Second World War broke out.
Her dreamwas published in several newspapers.
Several scientific or technological discoveries were first seen in
dreams. Elias Howe, while trying to figure out how to thread a sewing
machine,dreamed that he was a prisoner of a tribe who wanted him to
thread a sewing machine. In mortal fear and puzzled, he suddenly saw
holes at the ends of his captors' spears. He woke up and made a little
"spear" with a hole at one end. Niels Bohr, who was studying atomic
structures, dreamed of planets connected to the sun withthreads and
turning around it. When he woke up, he conceived of a resemblance
between what he had dreamed and atomic structures.
Many other true dreams have predicted future events or resulted in
scientific or technological discoveries. But these fewexamples must
suffice to understand the true nature of dreams-that is, they are the
result .....of the sprit's journey in inner dimensions of existence
(the world of immaterial forms or symbols) and receiving signals
therein.
Finally, dreams provide a strong proof for the existence of immaterial
worlds as well as for Divine Knowledge and Destiny. If God Almighty
had not predetermined and recorded all events in"the Supreme Guarded
Tablet," how could we be informed of future events? Also, dreams
showthat the measure of time differs greatly according to each world's
features.
A true dream is the result of the elaboration of a presentiment
A true dream is the result of the elaboration of a presentiment.
Presentiment is found in everybody to some extent; it is possessed
even by animals. I have even discovered that man and animals have, in
addition to their inner and outer ones, two othersenses that may be
called 'motivating and enticing senses or impulses'. Although the
people of misguidance and corrupt thinking foolishly call those
unperceived senses 'instincts', they should rather be regarded as
'inborn inspiration' through which Divine Destiny directs man and
animals. It is through suchdirection of Destiny that, for example,
when its eye is blind, a cat goes and finds the herb with whichto heal
its eye, and, by rubbing it against that herb, its eye is healed.
Likewise, such flesh-eating birds as vultures, which may be regarded
as the sanitary officials of the surface of the earth because of being
creationally charged with removing the corpses of wild animals, are
informed of the existence of a carcass tens of miles away through that
direction of Destiny or theinspiration of presentiment or through
Divine orientation and are able to locate that carcass.
It is in the same way that some days-old bee can fly miles away and,
without losing its way, return to its hive. It even happens frequently
that a man unexpectedly appears before you at the momentyou have
mentioned him. This is because your spiritual faculty has felt,
through presentiment, the coming of that man. Such occurrences are so
common and often that it is said in Turkey as a proverb: 'When you
mentioned a wolf, get hold of a staff to hit it with.' You are, in
fact, unaware of the coming ofthe man or a wolf, nor could you have
been informed of it by reason. Rather, it is because you felt it
through presentiment that you mention it unintentionally. This
presentiment develops so far in men of piety, especially in saintly
people, that it becomes the source of wonders.
Since the common people are also endowed with some kind of sainthood,
they grasp in true dreams some things of the future or the Unseen
World. Just as sleep is like a rank of sainthood in respect of true
dreams, so also it is a time or space of recreation in which
magnificent Divine moving pictures are shown.
Now, a man of good conduct thinks of that which is better, and he who
thinks of that which is better sights beautiful tablets. By contrast,
a manof evil conduct thinks of that which is worse and thereby sights
ugly tablets.
Sleep is, again on accountof true dreams, also a window opening on the
World of the Unseen in the corporeal world. Further, it is a field of
release and freedom for mortal man confined in a restricted area, and
also a theatre which has a kind of permanence and where time consists
in thepresent only in which pastand future are united. In addition,
sleep is a periodof repose for living beingscrushed under the burdens
of life. It is because of such aspects ofsleep that the Wise
Qur'anteaches us the truth of sleep in such verses as, Wehave
appointed sleep for you as a rest.
True dreams demonstrate God's Compassion and point to Divine Destiny
True dreams have long convinced me through direct experience and
provided a decisive proof for me that Divine Destiny encompasses
everything. Those dreams have, in fact, come to mean for methat what
will happen to me tomorrow, down to the most insignificant event or
business or conversation, has already been predetermined. I learn of
them at night in dreams as if I read them with my eyes. It has
happened not once or a hundred times, but perhaps a thousand
times,that the people I have seen or the matters I havetalked about in
dreams, turn out the following day to be true with only a slight
interpretation. This means that nothing is accidental or coincidental
in the universe, nor it is random; rather, everything down to the most
insignificant events, has already been destinedand predetermined.

Rape, Zina and Incest

Rape, Zina and Incest
Sisters in Islam shares theconcern expressed by theDeputy Prime
Minister that the absence of a definition on rape in syariah law has
led to victims of rape being charged for zina (illicit sex).
Throughout the history of Islam, differing humaninterpretations and
understanding of the word of God had always existed. We as a society
must debate and discuss in a rational and informed manner which
interpretation will serve the best interest of our multi-ethnic,
multi-religious, industrialising and modernising society.
In Pakistan, it is reported that three out of four women in prison
under its Hudud laws, are rape victims. Because rape is equated with
zina under Hudud law, rape victims are required to produce four pious
male witnesses. It is of course nearly impossible for the rape victims
to produce the four male witnesses required to prove their allegation.
Therefore their police report of rape was taken as a confession of
illicit sex ontheir part and they were duly found guilty.
In the real world, rape is unlikely to occur in the open, such that
four pious males can observe the act of penetration. If they actually
did witness such an act, and have notsought to prevent it,
thentechnically they are abettors to the crime. In reality, unless the
rapist confesses to the crime, women can never prove rape at all if
rape is placed under syariah jurisdiction.
It is because of such grossinjustice and abuse of the law that Sisters
in Islam objected to several provisions which discriminated against
women in the Hudud Enactment of Kelantan in 1993. The enforcement
ofsuch laws leaves rape victims who are unable to provide four male
eye witnesses liable to prosecution for illicit sex.
In Malaysia, rape is a crime under the Penal Code. There is therefore
no necessity for a new crime of rape under the Syariah criminal
offences legislation as this would lead to a further conflict of
jurisdiction between civil and syariah law. All citizens, whether
Muslimsor non-Muslims, who commit the crime of rape, which includes
incest, should be prosecuted under the Penal Code. According to the
Federal Constitution crime is a federal matter and effort must be made
to minimise areas of overlapping of jurisdiction between civiland
syariah law which have already led to numerous cases of conflict that
must be addressed by the authorities in consultation with NGOs.
We feel there are adequate provisions in the Penal Code to deal with
the Deputy Prime Minister's concern of sexual abuse at home. Even
though the crime of incest is not defined in the Penal Code, the
perpetrator could be charged for rape and the judge should take into
consideration the aggravating circumstances of a family relationship
and impose a higher sentence on the rapist.
Incest, however, is a specific crime under the Syariah Criminal Code.
In an unprecedented case in Kelantan recently, a 17-year-old daughter
was charged for incest with her father under theKelantan Syariah
CriminalCode. Sisters in Islam views this development with deep
concern.
That the Syariah prosecutors regarded thegirl as a willing partner in
the commission of the crime and therefore an offender, rather than a
victim, is totally against the grain of justice. The girl is a
juvenile under the authority and controlof her father. The failure of
the Syariah judicial officers to understand the dynamics of power
relationship led to the prosecution of a daughter, a victim of sexual
abuse by the father, as if she was an equal perpetrator and willing
partner in the crime.
In this case, the cause of justice would have betterbeen served if the
father was charged with rape under the Penal Code where he is liable
to imprisonment for not lessthan five years and not more than 20
years. This sentencing properly reflects the gravity of the crime
committed and society's abhorrence of such a crime. However, under the
Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code, the person who commits incest is
liable only to a fine not exceeding$3,000 or to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding two years, or both.
In the Kelantan case, society would regard the daughter as the victim,
not the offender. She is regarded as a minor under civil law and
should have been given the professional care andsupport she so
necessarily needed to help her overcome the trauma of an incestuous
relationship. She should not have been treated as a criminal.
Sisters in Islam urges the Government to form a committee which
includes women's groupsand other NGOs to reviewthe Syariah Criminal
Law and its many provisions which conflict or overlap with civil law,
which conflict with constitutional provisions on fundamental liberties
and which discriminate against women and marginalised communities.

Rape & Incest: Islamic Perspective

Rape & Incest: Islamic Perspective
Uzma Mazhar © 2002
Incest and rape are not new in this day and age; these problems have
always existed and will continue to exist if not confronted face on.
If you have ever worked with an incest, sexual abuse or rape survivor
you will never be able to forget the devastating impact it has on all
aspects of their life, nor will you be able to sit back and do nothing
about this issue. These are serious crimes that corrode the fabric of
family and society and cannot go un-addressed, since these problems do
exist in Muslim families it is about time that we address it openly
and take action to put an endto it.
To fully understand this issue we need to examine what Islâm teaches
us about the value of human life.
Islâm views human life asa sacred gift from God. The Qur'ân repeatedly
stresses the sanctity of life (hurmat al hayat). The life of every
single individual regardless of gender, age, nationality or religion
is worthy of respect. In verses referring to the sanctity of life, the
term used is 'nafs' (soul, life); and there is no distinction made in
that soul being young or old, male or female, Muslim or non-muslim.
Sûrah al An'am 6.151:
"Do not take any human being's life, (the life) which God has declared
to be sacred - otherwise than in (the pursuit of) justice: this has He
enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason."
(Also check: Sûrah al Isra 17.33 & Sûrah al Ma'idah 5.32)
Qur'ânic teachings encompass every aspect of life; hence it does not
limit the definition of lifeto the physical body only,but includes the
mental, emotional and spiritual aspects as well. There areabout 150
verses that define the term 'nafs' in various ways making it clear
that the concept of 'life' is not limited to mere physical existence.
Historically, Islam has addressed serious issues openly and sought to
correct actions that constitute harm or 'zulm' (ie: cruelty and abuse)
to the dignity of humankind. Human life and respect for it has been
stressed unstintingly, regardless of age or gender. As a general rule,
Islâm forbids all 'zulm', be it physical, mental, emotional or
spiritual:
Sûrah al An'am 6.120
"Abandon all harm (ithm), whether committed openly or in secret."
(Check Sûrah al A`raf 7:33)
Sûrah al 49:11-12 points out categorically that emotionally abusive
language and behavior isnot acceptable.
"You who believe do not let one (set of) people make fun of another
set. Do not defame one another. Do not insult by using nicknames. And
do not backbite or speak ill of one another."
In the last address to his community, the Prophet (saw) said: "Your
lives and properties are forbidden to one anothertill you meet your
Lord on the Day of Resurrection… Regard the life and property of every
Muslim as a sacred trust… Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you...
You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity." The Prophet (saw)
did not prohibit only the unlawful encroachment of one another's life
and property, but also honor and respect.
Considering that human life is to be valued and cruelty is forbidden,
what is the Islamic perspective on incest andrape?
According to Islâm, a woman has to be respected and protected under
all circumstances, whether she belongs to your own nation or to the
nation of an enemy, whether she follows yourreligion or belongs to
some other religion or has no religion at all. A Muslim cannot outrage
her under any circumstances. All promiscuous relationships have been
forbidden to him, irrespective of the status or position of the woman,
whether the woman is a willing or an unwilling partner to the act. The
words of the Holy Qur'ân in this respect are: "Do not approach (the
bounds of)adultery" (17:32). Heavy punishment has been prescribed for
this crime, and the order has not been qualified by any conditions.
Since the violation of chastity of a woman is forbidden in Islam, a
Muslim who perpetrates this crime cannot escape punishment. (Maudoodi)
The Quran has, in various ways and in different contexts; impressed on
men that they must observe the limits set by God (Hudûd Allah) in
respect to women and must not encroach upon their rights in either
marriage or divorce. In all situations it is the menwho are reminded,
corrected and reprimanded, over and over again, to be generous to
women and to be kind, compassionate, fair and just in their dealings
withwomen. Even in divorce, when the chances of anger and
vindictiveness are high, it is stressed that men are to separate with
grace, equity and generosity.
Forbidding cruelty against children and women is apparent from rulings
against female infanticide and rights of inheritance given even toan
unborn child; and the kindness mandated even when divorcing your wife.
There are numerous ahâdîth about the rights of children to respect and
dignity. The same holds true for respect and the unprecedented rights
given to women.
Relevant verses from the Quran:
Sûrah an Nâs 4.119
'O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will...'
Sûrah an Nûr 24.33
'... And do not, in order togain some of the fleeting pleasures of
this worldly life, coerce your slave women into whoredom if they are
desirous of marriage, and if anyone should coerce them, then, verily,
after they have been compelled (to submit in their helplessness), God
will bemuch forgiving, a dispenser of grace (to them).
During the time of the Prophet (saw) punishment was inflictedon the
rapist on the solitary evidence of the woman who was raped by him.
Wa'il ibn Hujr reports of an incident when a woman was raped. Later,
when some people came by, she identified and accused the man of raping
her. They seized him and brought him to Allah's messenger, who said to
the woman, "Go away, for Allâh has forgiven you," but of the man
whohad raped her, he said,"Stone him to death." (Tirmidhi and Abu
Dawud)
During the time when Umar (raa) was the Khalifah, a woman accused his
son Abu Shahmah of raping her; she brought the infant borne of this
incident with her to the mosque and publicly spoke about what had
happened. Umar (raa) asked his son who acknowledged committing the
crime and was duly punished right there and then. There was no
punishment given to the woman. (Rauf)
Islamic legal scholars interpret rape as a crime in the category of
Hiraba.In 'Fiqh-us-Sunnah', hiraba is described as: 'a single person
or group ofpeople causing public disruption, killing, forcibly taking
property or money, attacking or raping women (hatk al 'arad), killing
cattle, or disrupting agriculture.'
The famous jurist, Ibn Hazm, had the widest definition of hiraba,
defining a hiraba offender as: 'One who puts people in fear on the
road, whether or not with a weapon, at night or day, in urban areas or
in open spaces, in the palace of a caliph or a mosque, with or without
accomplices, in the desertor in the village, in a large or small city,
with one or more people… making people fear that they'll be killed, or
have money taken, or be raped (hatk al 'arad)… whether the attackers
are one or many."
Al-Dasuqi held that if a person forced a woman to have sex, his
actions would be deemed as committing hiraba. In addition, the Maliki
judge Ibn 'Arabi, relates astory in which a group was attacked and a
woman in their party was raped. Responding to the argument that the
crime did not constitute hiraba because no money was taken and no
weapons used, Ibn 'Arabi replied indignantly that"hiraba with the
private parts" is much worse than hiraba involving thetaking of money,
and that anyone would rather be subjected to the latter than the
former.
The crime of rape is classified not as a subcategory of 'zina'
(consensual adultery), but rather as a separate crime of violence
under hiraba. This classification is logical, as the "taking" is of
the victim's property(the rape victim's sexual autonomy) by force. In
Islam, sexual autonomy and pleasure is a fundamental right for both
women and men (Ghazâlî); taking by force someone's right to control
the sexual activityof one's body is thus a form of hiraba.
Rape as hiraba is a violent crime that uses sexual intercourse as a
weapon. The focus in a hiraba prosecution is the accused rapist and
his intent and physical actions, and not second-guessing the consent
of the rape victim. Hiraba does not require four witnesses to prove
the offense, circumstantial evidence, medical data and expert
testimony form the evidence used to prosecute such crimes.
Islamic legal responses torape are not limited to a criminal
prosecution for hiraba. Islamic jurisprudence also provides an avenue
for civil redress for a rape survivor in its law of"jirah" (wounds).
Islamic law designates ownership rights to each part of one's body,
and a right to corresponding compensation for any harm done unlawfully
to any of those parts. Islamic law calls this the 'law of jirah'
(wounds). Harm to a sexual organ, therefore, entitles the person
harmed to appropriate financial compensation under classical Islamic
jirah jurisprudence. Each school of Islamic law has held that where a
woman is harmed through sexual intercourse (some include marital
intercourse), she is entitled to financial compensation for the harm.
Further, where thisintercourse was without the consent of the woman,
the perpetrator must pay the woman both the basic compensation for the
harm, as well as an additional amount based on the 'diyya' (financial
compensation for murder, akin to a wrongful death payment).
Islamic law, with its radical introduction of a woman's right to own
property as a fundamental right, employs a gender-egalitarian attitude
in this area of jurisprudence. In fact, there is a hadith specifically
directed to transforming the early Muslim population out of this
patriarchal attitude of male financial compensation for female sexual
activity. During the time of Prophet Muhammad, a young man committed
zina withhis employer's wife. The father of the young man gave one
hundred goats and a maid as compensation to the employer, who accepted
it. When the case was reported to the Prophet, he ordered the return
of the goats and the maid to the young man's father and prosecuted the
adulterer for zina (Abu Daud 1990, 3: Bk. 33,No. 4430; Bukhâri 1985,
8:Bk. 81, Nos. 815, 821, 826).
Early Islam thus established that there should be no tolerance ofthe
attitude that a woman's sexual activity issomething to be bartered,
pawned, gossiped about, or owned by the men in herlife. Personal
responsibility of every human being for their own actions is a
fundamental principle in Islamic thought.
Marital Rape
The Quran is very clear that the basis of a maritalrelationship is
love and affection between the spouses, not power or control. Rape is
unacceptable in such a relationship.
Sûrah al Baqarah 2.223
'Your wives are your tilth;go then unto your tilth asyou may desire,
but first provide something for your souls*, and remain conscious of
God, and know that your are destined to meet Him...'
* Note in Muhammad Asad's translation: 'a spiritual relationship
between man and woman is postulated as the indispensable basis of
sexual relations.'
Sûrah ar Rum 30.21
"And among His wonders is this: He creates for you mates out of your
own kind, so that your might incline towards then, andHe engenders
love and tenderness between you:in this, behold, there are messages
indeed for people who think!
Sûrah al Baqarah 2.187
"... They are as a garmentfor you, and you are as a garment for them."
Sûrah al Nisa 4.19
"... And consort with yourwives in a goodly manner, for if you dislike
them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet
make a source of abundant good."
"Is there recognition of marital rape in Islam?
In the context of jirah, it would appear so: where there is any
physical harm or disease caused to a spouse, there may bea claim for
jirah compensation. The law ofjirah provides for compensation for
physical harm between spouses, and supports Islamic legislation
againstdomestic abuse. Even in these discussions of appropriate jirah
compensation, the question of the injured party's consent plays a
central role. Some Islamicjurists considered consent to be presumed by
virtue of the marital relationship, while othersmaintain that where
harm occurs, it is an assault, regardless of the consent, and
therefore compensation is due. In our modern era, one might take these
precedents and their premium focus on consent and apply the Islamic
principle of sexualautonomy to conclude that any sex without consent
is harmful, as a dishonoring of the unwilling party's sexual autonomy.
Thus, modern Islamic jurists and legislators, taking a
gender-egalitarian perspective, might conclude that Islamic law does
recognize marital rape, and assign the appropriate injunctions and
compensation for this personally devastating harm." (Qureshi)
An often misquoted and abused hadith that is used to tyrannize womenis
that women cannot and should not say no to their husband when he
approaches them Womenare advised not to turn away from their husbands
except if they have their period or any other reasonable excuse. So
much so that she is to break her voluntary fast if her husband
approaches her. And if they do angels will curse them. However, this
hadith is not quoted withthe complementary one that advises men of the
same consideration.
In the same manner men are advised that meeting the needs of their
wives takes precedence over voluntary worship. Narrated Abdullah bin
Amr bin Al-As: "Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "O Abdullah! I have been
informed that you fast allthe day and stand in prayer all night?" I
said, 'Yes, O Allah's Apostle!' He said, "Do not do that! Observe the
fast sometimes and also leavethem at other times, stand up for the
prayer atnight and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you
and your wife has a right over you." (Bukhâri)
To a certain degree theseahâdîth are used to confuse and distract
fromthe issue, since rape doesnot have anything to do with permission
or lack of permission. In a marriage abusive or forced sexual activity
cannot be justified by abusing this hadith. Rapeis defined as
unwanted, violent and forced sex, whether this occurs in a marital
context or outside it. The definition of rape does not change because
of the relationship.
It is important to not confuse the issue of mutual rights that a
couple has on each other with the misguided, distorted and misogynist
assumption that women become a husband's property. Islam does not
allow for or tolerate ownership of human beings. Human dignity does
not allow that any one person has the right to own, mind/body/soul,
another human being... and Islam demands that all human beings respect
the humanity of everyone.
Incest & Child Abuse
The Quran clearly outlines those with whom marriage is not permitted,
we can extrapolate from it that any sexual relation with these would
be unacceptable.
Sûrah an Nisa 4:23:
Prohibited for you (in marriage) are your mothers, your daughters,your
sisters, the sisters of your fathers, the sisters of your mothers, the
daughters of your brother, the daughters ofyour sister, your nursing
mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, the mothers
of your wives, the daughters of your wives with whom you have
consummated the marriage - if the marriage has not been consummated,
you may marry the daughter. Also prohibited for you are the women who
were married to your genetic sons. Also, you shall not be married to
two sisters at the same time - but do not break up existing marriages.
GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
This includes your foster parents, siblings and children.
Al Hasan reports: 'If somebody commits illegal intercourse with his
sister, his punishment is the same as for any other person who commits
such a crime'. (Bukhâri Vol. 8 pp 526)
Thus, these same laws mentioned above in cases of rape would be
equally applicable, and incest can be prosecuted as a crime within the
bounds of Islamic law.
According to Islam, all aspects of life, ie: the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual, are sacred and must be respected. No gender
or relationship has been given the power or right to hurt or harm the
other. Domestic violence, rape and incest are all violent and criminal
abuses that are outside the bounds of what is permitted in Islam and
there is absolutely no justification for it whatsoever.
References:
-Ghazâlî; "Ihya Ulum ud Din"
-Hasan, Riffat; "Religious Human Rights in Global Perspective:
Religious Perspectives" John Witte, Jr. and Johan D. van der Vyver
Eds. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1996
-Maudoodi, Abu al Ala; "Human Rights in Islam" The Islamic Foundation
UK 1976, 1993
-Qureshi, Asifa LLM; "Her Honor: An Islamic Critiqueof the Rape Laws
of Pakistan from a Woman-Sensitive Perspective"
-Rahman, Afzal ur; "Role of Muslim Women in Society" Seerah
Foundation, London, 1986
-Rauf, Muhammad Abdul; "Umar al Faruq" Al Saadawi Publications, 1998
Abridged version of article published in the September issue of
'Islâmic Reflections 2002'

Conferring Blessings upon the Prophet

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, Allaah confers
blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you
who have believed, ask [Allaah to confer] blessing upon him and ask
[Allaah to grant him]peace.} [Quran 33:56].
Ibn Katheer commented that, in this verse, Allaah The Almighty informs
His servants of the elevated status of the Prophet which is such that
Hepraises him in the exalted assembly of the angels who are near Him,
and they, in turn, ask Him to send His blessings on him . Then, Allaah
The Almighty orders the people of the earth to ask Him to confer
blessings upon the Prophet so that he would be praised by the dwellers
of both worlds – heavenly and terrestrial.
In his book Jalaa' Al-Afhaam, Ibn Ul-Qayyim said that the implication
here, is that if Allaah The Almighty sends blessings on the Prophet
and His angels request the same from Him, then so should people. They
are more duty-bound to do this, because they are the ones who have
been blessed by the message of the Prophet through which they shall
receive honor in this worldlylife and the Hereafter.
The meaning of "[conferring] blessings upon the Prophet ",was expanded
on, by a number of scholars; according to Abu Al-'Aaaliyah Allaah The
Almighty conferring blessings, refers to Him praising the Prophet in
the presence of angels, whereas angels conferring blessings means that
they supplicate Allaah The Almighty to do so.
Ibn Ul-Qayyim said that the injunction to send blessings, which is
cited in the verse above, signifies imploring Allaah The Almighty to
praise the Prophet show him His grace and drawhim closer to Him,
which, in itself, indicates the honor he has with Him.
As for the virtues of this act, 'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf narrates:
"Once, I came to the Prophet while he was in prostration for a long
time. [When he got up], he said: 'Jibreel (Gabriel) came to me and
said, 'I will confer blessing upon the one who confers blessings upon
you and I will ask Allaah to grant peace to the one who asks Him to
grant you peace'; so, I prostrated to thank Allaah The Almighty.'"
[Ahmad]
It was also reported by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said: "If a
person asks Allaah to send blessings on me once, Allaah will send
blessings on him ten times over." [Al-Haakim and Ahmad]
Likewise, Ya'qoob ibn Zayd ibn Talhah At-Taymi narrates thatthe
Prophet said that "a messenger from Allaah came to me and said [the
same thing cited above]." So, a man came to the Prophet and asked: "O
Messenger of Allaah, may I devotehalf of my supplications to you?" The
Prophet said: "As you like!" Then, the man asked: "Shall I devote two
thirds of my supplications to you?" The Prophet replied: "If you so
desire." The man then asked: "Shall I devote all of my supplications
to you?" The Prophet said: "Then Allaah The Almighty will protect you
against the distress of the worldly life and the Hereafter." [Muslim]
'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr also narrates that the Prophet gave good tidings,
saying: "The one who invokes blessing on me or asks that I be given
Al-Waseelah (a rank in Paradise which is fitting for only one of the
Servants of Allaah, and the Prophet wishes to be this servant) will be
assured of my intercession." [Muslim]
On the other hand, he said, asnarrated by Abu Hurayrah : "May he be a
loser; he who does not ask Allaah to confer blessingson me when I am
mentioned in front of him! May he be disgraced, whose parents attain
old age in his lifetime and they are not a cause for him to enter
Paradise [because of his dutifulness to them]! May his nose be rubbed
in dust [i.e., may he be humiliated]; he who witnesses Ramadhaan, but
it ends before he is forgiven!" [At-Tirmithi]
Muhammad ibn 'Ali also reports that the Prophet oncemade a similar
remark, when he said: "A person in whose presence my name is
mentioned, but he [or she] does not ask for the blessings of Allaah to
be sent on me, loses the way to Paradise." [Al-Jahdhami, Mursal –
Albaani]
In fact, as Al-Hasan relates, the Prophet described a man as "miserly;
in whose presence my name is mentioned while he does not pray for
blessings to be sent on me!" [Al-Haakim and At-Tirmithi. At-Tirmithi:
(Hasan Ghareeb Saheeh), Al-Albaani: (Mursal yet Saheeh)]
He cautions, as Abu Hurayrah narrates: "If people sit in a gathering
in which they do not remember Allaah or ask for blessings to be
conferred upon me, [that sitting of theirs] will be a cause of grief
and regret for them o¬n the Day of Judgment. Allaah may then forgive
or punishthem, as He sees fit." [At-Tirmithi,Saheeh – Albaani]
Why not, when this act itself is soeasy? 'Ali ibn Al-Husayn relates:
"My father told me that my grandfather said, 'The Prophet said: 'Do
not [come to and] make my grave a place of festivity; but ask Allaah
to confer blessings and peace upon me, foryour prayers and salutations
reach me wherever you may be.''" [Abu Daawood and Ahmad]
Similarly, 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood narrated that the Prophet said:
"Allaah The Almighty hasroaming angels who convey to me the blessings
which my Ummah ask Allaah The Almighty to confer upon me." [An-Nasaa'i
and Al-Haakim, Saheeh – Albaani]
The best supplication with which to ask Allaah The Almighty to confer
blessings upon the Prophet
Abu Mas'ood Al-Ansaari tells us: "We were sitting in the company of
Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah when the Messenger of Allaah came to us. Bishr ibn
Sa'd asked: 'Allaah has commanded us to ask for blessings to be sent
upon you, O Messenger of Allaah. But, how exactly should we do that?'
The Prophet did not respond, and we became so perturbed over
hissilence that we wished we had not asked him. Then, he said: 'Say: O
Allaah, confer Your blessings upon Muhammad and the members of his
household asyou have conferred blessings upon the members of
Ibraaheem's (Abraham) household. Grant favors to Muhammad and his
family, as youhave granted favors to the family of Ibraaheem,
[wherever they are] in the worlds. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and
Glorious'. As for the invocation for the salutation of peace, it is as
you know [from what I have previously told you]." [Muslim]
Benefits of invoking Allaah The Almighty to send blessings on the Prophet
1. It demonstrates obedience to the Command of Allaah The Almighty and
it is an angelic trait,as they, too, ask Him to confer blessings upon
the Prophet .
2. A person gains blessings tenfold, for every time he or she invokes
blessings upon the Prophet .
3. If a person does this, perhaps adding a prayer for the Prophet to
reach the station of Al-Waseelah, he or she gains his intercession.
4. It removes the distress of a person in this life and the next, as
the aforementioned Hadeeth narrated by Ya'qoob ibn Zayd ibn Talhah
proves.
5. A person who observes the practice of sending peace and blessings
on the Prophet is guided by it to Paradise, and one who does not, is
led away from it.
6. Allaah The Almighty praises and mentions a person in good terms, if
he or she asks Him to confer blessings upon the Prophet which is
tantamount to invoking Him to praise the Prophet and honor and bless
him and his household. Since such an invocation is certain to be
answered by Allaah The Almighty, the one who supplicated will be also
rewardedin kind for his act, as the reward is of the same kind as the
deed.
7. It encourages a person to love the Prophet perpetually and
increasingly; and, as it is a basic tenet of faith, there can be no
faith without it. Furthermore, theProphet loves a person whosename is
cited to him, as asking for blessings to be sent on him . Truly, what
a great honor it is for a person's name to be mentioned before the
Prophet .
When to invoke blessings upon the Prophet
1. It is vital that this be done after the Tashahhud (final sitting)in
prayer. It is sanctioned, according to the consensus of Muslims, but
there is a disagreement over its obligation.
2. It is to be uttered after the second Takbeer (utterance of Allaahu
Akbar, i.e., Allaah is Great)of the funeral prayer. Az-Zuhari, relates
that he heard Abu 'Umaamah ibn Sahl ibn Haneef saying to Sa'eed ibn
Al-Musayyib : "The Sunnah in the funeralprayer is to recite the [first
Quranic] chapter of Al-Faatihah (The Opening); then to confer
blessings upon the Prophet and then, to supplicate sincerely for the
deceased until [the one offering prayer] concludes. He should recite
this only once and then perform Tasleem (salutation) quietly."
[An-Nasaa'i and Al-Haakim, Saheeh – Albaani]
3. When the name of the Prophet is mentioned, scholars differ on
whether it is mandatory to invoke the peace and blessings ofAllaah The
Almighty on him. At-Tahaawi and Al-Haleemi concur on its obligation,
while other scholars state that it is a favorable act, not a required
one, in which case, not doing it, would not result in a sin.
4. It should be done upon entering and leaving the mosque.Faatimah
narrated that the Prophet told her: "When you enter the mosque, say:
'Bismillaah, wassalaamu 'ala Rasoolillaah. Allaahumma salli 'ala
Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad, waghfir lana wassahhil lanaa abwaaba
rahmatik (In the name of Allaah; and may peace be upon His Messenger .
O Allaah, confer Your blessings upon Muhammad and his household; and,
forgive us and facilitate for us the doors of Your Mercy)'. When you
have finished [your prayers] and are exiting, repeat this again, and
add: 'Wa sahhil lanaa abwaaba fadhlik (and ease for us the doorsof
Your grace)'.'' [Ibn Maajah and At-Tirmithi, Saheeh-Albaani]
5. It is also urged to be said after hearing the Athaan (call for
prayer), as the Prophet instructed: "When you hear the Athaan, say the
same as the callersays, then invoke blessings upon me; the one who
[does that] once will be rewarded by Allaah blessing him ten times.
Then, askAllaah to grant me Al-Waseelah, which is a rank in Paradise,
designated for only one of the servants of Allaah, and I hope to be
him. So, who prays for Al-Waseelah for me will be assured of my
intercession." [Muslim]
6. One should utter it while supplicating to Allaah The Almighty, as
Fudhaalah ibn 'Ubayd recounts "that the Prophet heard a man
supplicating to Allaah in prayer without praising Him or invoking His
blessings upon the Prophet . So, he said: 'This man has hastened.'
Then, the Prophet called the man and, addressing all the attendants,
said: "When any one of you prays,he should start by glorifying Allaah
The Almighty and praising Him; he should then invoke blessings upon
the Prophet ; after that, he may supplicate for whatever he wants."
[At-Tirmithi and Ahmad]
7. Friday is also a special day for it, as Aws ibn Aws narrates that
the Prophet said: "The best of your days is Friday. On that day, Aadam
(Adam) wascreated and his life was taken away; on that day, the
trumpet will be blown and on it, all of the creation will lose
consciousness [as signs of the Hour]. So, ask Allaah The Almighty,
frequently, to confer a great deal of blessings upon me, for [your
invocations] will be shown to me." The Companions asked: "O Messenger
of Allaah, how will our prayers be presented to you when you will have
turned to dust?" He replied: "Allaah has forbidden the earth to
consume the bodies of the Prophets."
8. It should also be said during allsermons, including the one with
the Friday prayer, on the days of Eid and when offering the prayer for
rain.
9. It is recommended to be uttered when getting up after gathering.
10. It is also Sunnah to ask Allaah to confer blessings on the Prophet
when concluding a marriage contract.