Thursday 25 August 2011

Ruling on interpreting the Qur’aan according to modern theories

 

Is it permissible to interpret the Qur’aan according to modern scientific theories?

Praise be to
Allaah.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn ‘Uthaymeen
(may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked this question, and he replied
as follows: 

There are some risks involved in interpreting
the Qur’aan according to modern theories. That is because, if we interpret
the Qur’aan according to those theories, then other theories are produced
which contradict them, this implies that the Qur’aan will be incorrect
in the view of the enemies of Islam. The Muslims would say that the
error is in the understanding of the one who interpreted the Qur’aan
in that manner, but the enemies of Islam are always watching for an
opportunity to attack Islam. Hence we must exercise the utmost caution
against rushing into interpreting the Qur’aan according to these scientific
matters. We must leave these alone and let matters take their course.
If it is proven that some of these theories are correct, we do not need
to say that the Qur’aan has already proven it, the Qur’aan was revealed
for the purpose of worship and moral, and for people to ponder its meanings.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“(This is) a Book (the Qur’aan) which
We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over
its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember”

[Saad 38:29] 

It was not revealed concerning these
matters which are subject to experimentation and which people study
as part of their scientific quest. It may also be very dangerous to
apply the aayahs of the Qur’aan to these theories. For example, Allaah
said (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O assembly of jinn and men! If you have
power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass
beyond (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with
authority (from Allaah)!”

[al-Rahmaan 55:33] 

When man reached the moon, some people
started to interpret this aayah and apply it to this event of reaching
the moon, and they said that what was meant by authority was science
and that by their science they had passed beyond the zones of the earth
and escaped the gravitational pull (of the earth). This is wrong; it
is not permissible to interpret the Qur’aan in this way. What this implies
is that you are testifying that thius is what Allaah meant. This is
a serious testimony and you will be questioned concerning that.  

Whoever ponders the meaning of this aayah
will find that this interpretation is incorrect, because this aayah
comes after the aayahs (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will
perish.

 And the Face of your Lord full
of Majesty and Honour will remain forever.

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord
will you both (jinn and men) deny?”

[al-Rahmaan 55:26, 28] 

So we ask: did these people manage to
pass beyond the zones of the heavens? 

The answer is no, for Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning): 

“If you have power to pass beyond
the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)!”

[al-Rahmaan 55:33] 

Secondly: has there been sent against
them flames of fire and copper? 

The answer is no. So the aayah cannot
be interpreted in this manner. We say that they reached what they reached
through science and experimentation. But for us to distort the meaning
of the Qur’aan and to try to make it fit this event, this is not correct
and is not permitted. 

Who is the “Holy Spirit”?

 

In the Quran in 2:87, an excerpt: ...We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (signs) and stengthened him with the holy spirit. What is the holy spirit?

Praise be to
Allaah.

The
“Holy Spirit” (Rooh al-Qudus) is Jibreel (peace be upon him). Shaykh
al-Shanqeeti said: “The words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning),
‘and [We] supported him with Rooh al-Qudus’ [al-Baqarah 2:87] refer
to Jibreel according to the most sound view. This is indicated by the
words (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Which the trustworthy Rooh
has brought down’ [al-Shu’ara’ 26:193] and ‘then We sent to her
our Rooh’ [Maryam 19:17].” 

Ibn
Abi Haatim narrated from Ahmad ibn Sinaan… Abu’l-Za’raa’ told us: ‘Abd-Allaah
said: Rooh al-Qudus (“the Holy Spirit”) is Jibreel, then he said: something
similar was narrated from Muhammad ibn Ka’b al-Qurazi, Qutaadah, ‘Atiyah
al-‘Awfi, al-Saddi and al-Rabee’ ibn Anas. 

This
view is supported by the above and by the report narrated by the two
Shaykhs [al-Bukhaari and Muslim] with their isnaads from Abu Salamah
ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, that he heard Hassaan ibn Thaabit al-Ansaari
asking Abu Hurayrah to bear witness, “I ask you by Allaah, did you hear
the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘O Hassaan, respond
on behalf of the Messenger of Allaah. O Allaah, support him with Rooh
al-Qudus’?” Abu Hurayrah said, “Yes.”

 (al-Tafseer
al-Masboor by Dr. Hikmat Basheer, 1/192-193)

 Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: the majority of scholars said that this
refers to Jibreel (peace be upon him), and that Allaah called him al-Rooh
al-Ameen, Rooh al-Qudus and Jibreel.”

(Daqaa’iq al-Tafseer,
part 1, p. 310)

 He
wrote an entire chapter on that and said:

 Chapter
on the meaning of Rooh al-Qudus:

 Allaah
said (interpretation of the meaning):

 “O
‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to
your mother when I supported you with Rooh ul Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)]…”

[al-Maa’idah 5:110]

Allaah supported the
Messiah (peace be upon him) with Rooh al-Qudus as He mentions in this
aayah. In al-Baqarah Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We gave ‘Eesa
(Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs and supported him with
Rooh-ul-Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)]

[al-Baqarah 2:87]

“Those Messengers! We preferred some  of them
to others; to some of them Allâh spoke (directly); others He raised
to degrees (of honour); and to ‘Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary),
We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Rooh ul Qudus
[Jibreel (Gabriel)]”

[al-Baqarah 2:253]

 This
is not limited only to the Messiah; others were also supported in this
way. (The scholars) mentioned that Dawood said, “Do not stop supporting
me with Rooh al-Qudus.” And our Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Hassaan ibn Thaabit,
“O Allaah, support him with Rooh al-Qudus.” According to another report:
“Rooh al-Qudus will be with you so long as you are defending His Prophet.”
Both versions are narrated in al-Saheeh.

 According
to the Christians, the “Holy Spirit” dwelt in the Disciples, and according
to them the “Holy Spirit” is something experienced by all of the Prophets.
But Allaah says in al-Nahl (interpretation of the meaning):

 “Say
(O Muhammad) Rooh ul Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought it (the Qur’aan)
down from your Lord with truth, that it may make firm and strengthen
(the Faith of) those who believe, and as a guidance and glad tidings
to those who have submitted (to Allaah as Muslims)”

[al-Nahl 16:102] 

“Which
the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down

Upon your heart
(O Muhammad)”

[al-Shu’ara’ 26:193]

 “Whoever
is an enemy to Jibreel (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed
he has brought it (this Qur’aan) down to your heart”

[al-Baqarah 2:97] 

So it is clear that
Rooh al-Qudus here refers to Jibreel… No one suggests that Rooh al-Qudus
means the life of Allaah; nor is this indicated by the wording and this
phrase is never used in that sense. 

Daqaa’iq al-Tafseer, part 2, p. 92

 

What is the meaning of the phrase “they (think to) deceive Allaah” in the aayah from Soorat al-Baqarah?

 

What is the tafsir of the verse in the beginning of Sura-t-ul Baqarah that is translated to mean "they think to fool Allah and those who Believe".  How can a person try to fool Allah, The Glorious and Exalted?


also, do you have any advice for an american who would like to study islam overseas?

Praise be to Allaah. 

 Ibn
Katheer said in his tafseer of this aayah:

“ ‘they
(think to) deceive Allaah and those who believe’ [al-Baqarah 2:9 – interpretation
of the meaning] means, by
their making an outward show of faith whilst inwardly they conceal kufr.
They think in their ignorance that they can deceive Allaah in this way,
and that this will benefit them with Him. They think that they can fool
Him as they fooled some of the believers, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):

“On the Day when Allaah will resurrect them all together (for their
account); then they will swear to Him as they swear to you (O Muslims).
And they think that they have something (to stand upon). Verily, they
are liars!” [al-Mujaadilah 58:18]

Hence Allaah responds
to their belief by saying (interpretation of the meaning):

“while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!”

[al-Baqarah 2:9]

i.e., they are not
deceiving anyone by their actions but themselves, but they do not perceive
that in themselves. This is like the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceives
them” [al-Nisaa’ 4:142] 

We advise the American who wants to learn about Islam to be fair-minded and
free from whims and desires. He should beware of the ways in which the
enemies of Islam try to distort Islam. He should strive to learn about
Islam from its pure sources and not from the sects who give a bad image
of Islam by their bid’ah and innovations, like the Qadiaanis (Ahmadis),
Shi’ah and Sufis, etc. These groups have distorted the message of Islam
with their innovations, so he should not regard their actions and words
as being Islam. We ask Allaah to guide him. 

Friday 12 August 2011

Black Magic and Satanic Possession

 

My brother after returning from a trip starting acting very strange. He would
say weird things and now doesn't talk to anyone at all. He has been sitting
outside for 2 months now. He has even spit on our mother. At first we
thought there was something psychologically wrong with him. However
when we took him to a mental doctor he talks as if he is fine. We think he is
either possessed by a Jinn or some magic was done to him.

How can you tell if someone is possessed or if magic was done to them?

How do you remove it? My mother is getting very sick over this.

Praise be to Allaah

People who have had experience with such situations have related that the following are
among the signs of a person who is possessed by jinn (or Satan):

Strong repulsion when hearing Qur’aan or Aathaan (call for prayers).

Episodes of losing consciousness and/or epileptic attacks, especially when Qur’aan
is recited for the possessed person.

Frequent nightmares during sleep.

Tendency to avoid people accompanied by out-of-the-norm behavior.

The jinn who possesses him might speak when Qur’aan is recited for the possessed
person.

Madness, as stated in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): "Those who
devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom Satan by his touch hath
driven to [epileptic] madness…"2:275

As for a person struck by magic he might experience the following:

Dislike of one’s spouse, as indicated in the Qur’aan by the following verse
(interpretation of the meaning): "And from these (angels) people learn that by
which they cause separation between a man and his wife..." (Al-Baqarah, 2:102).

Different attitude in the house from that which is outside the house. For example, a
person will feel that he is missing his family when is outside the house but when he
goes home, love changes quickly to extreme hatred.

Inability to have sexual intercourse with one’s spouse.

Frequent miscarriage for pregnant women.

Sudden change in behavior without obvious reason.

Complete loss of appetite for food.

Thinking or imagining one has done something when in reality one has not.

Sudden obedience and/or love for a particular person.

It should be noted that if a person experiences some of the above symptoms this does
not necessarily mean that he is either possessed by a jinn or struck by black magic. It
might be due to physiological or psychological reasons.

As for curing this condition the following steps are recommended:

Putting one’s trust in Allah with sincere belief that He is the only cure for
everything.

Reading Qur’aan and known supplications expressing seeking refuge, the most
important and effective of which is sura 113 and 114, Al-Falaq and Al-Naas, which
were used to cure the Prophet himself. Surah 112, Al-Ikhlaas, is recommended
along with them, as well as the opening chapter of the Qur’aan, Al-Fatihah. To cure
black magic some have successfully used seven lotus-tree leaves. The leaves should
be crushed, then mixed them with water enough for taking a bath. The following
verses from the Qur’aan are then recited: verse Al-Kursi (2:255), surah Al-Kafiroon
(109), surah 112, 113, 114; the verses which mention magic, which are: in surah
Al-Baqarah (2:102), Al-A’raaf (3:117-119), Yunus (10:79-82), and Taha (20:65-69).
The possessed person drinks some of the water, and the rest is used to give him a
bath.

Removing the elements of magic as was done by the Prophet when he was struck
by black magic by a Jewish man called Lubaid Ben Al-‘Aasim.

Eating seven Aa’liya Al-Barniy dates (among the dates of Al-Madinah) first thing in
the morning; if not possible, any dates will suffice, by the will of Allaah.

Cupping--removing excess blood.

Supplications.

And we ask Allaah to cure your brother and ease your hardship and his, as He is the
One who cures and there is no one else who can cure.

 

 

Possession and the illusions and facts that are connected to it

 

I have been suffering from jinn possession for nearly two years, and am not cured. What is strange is that I can feel them in my body and can control them to some degree, such as when I hear Qur’aan, I feel pain from them starting in my stomach but I am able, by Allaah’s leave, to make them stop moving. 


I believe that they will never leave unless Allaah wills it. So I pray to Allaah and I do not go and look for someone to perform ruqyah by reciting Qur’aan. 


Praise be to Allaah, I am righteous by the grace of Allaah, but sometimes I commit some sins. What is the reason for that? What advice can you give?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

There are some facts and some illusions connected to the issue of jinn possession,
and among most people nowadays the illusions outweigh the facts. The Sunnis are unanimously agreed that the jinn can dwell in the bodies of
humans, but that does not mean that everyone who has epilepsy is possessed by the jinn, because epilepsy may have physical causes. The pains etc.
that many people feel in their bodies cannot be ascribed for certain to the actions of the jinn, rather they may be illusions or something
imaginary. 

So you should not pay any attention to the whispers of the Shaytaan that make you
think that he has done this and that you can control it. This is one of the ways in which the Shaytaan deceives the Muslim and makes him think
that he can control him, and that he has powers that in fact he does not possess. This may lead to bad consequences as has happened to many
people. 

You have to keep on treating yourself with ruqyah, for the Book of your Lord is
available to you. Recite from it and treat yourself with ruqyah. Whether you are possessed or not, you will undoubtedly benefit from this reading
and ruqyah. 

For more information please see question no.
3476. 

If you go to someone who is known for using ruqyah as prescribed in sharee’ah and
is also righteous and keeps away from deviance and myths, there is nothing wrong with that and it may be a means of your being healed from this
problem. 

You have to seek the help of Allaah and pray to Him and beseech Him to prevent the
plots of the devils among mankind and the jinn from harming you. Man is always in need of his Lord, and Allaah is Able to rid you of these
thoughts, illusions and facts that are harming you. 

And Allaah knows best.

She betrayed her husband and put a spell on him, and he turned against his family

 

My son married a bad woman who put a spell on him, as a result of which he turned against his whole family, and he would not refuse any demand she made, no matter what it was. 


The Society for Enjoining the Good caught her with her lover, and it was proven that she had committed this crime. Yet despite that my son refused to divorce her and he always defends her. 


We entered her house and found some weird things. We found a shoe placed on top of the Book of Allaah on top of the wardrobe (we seek refuge with Allaah), and we found other things. She has female servants from a land where they are known for witchcraft. 


This made us certain that she had bewitched my son, so we went to one of the shaykhs to recite Qur’aan over him, and the signs of having been bewitched were found on him. 


Now he is refusing any treatment and he does not believe us when we tell him that he has been bewitched. What should we do? Should we go to a practitioner of witchcraft to undo the spell? 


His father has died and he is now demanding that we give him his share of his father’s estate. Should we give him the money when he is bewitched and will waste the money? This woman took all his money and spent it on witchcraft and trickery. And he has children who are in need of this money.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Firstly: 

No doubt what has happened to your son is a trial for you,
and we ask Allaah to grant you patience and make you steadfast in adhering
to His religion; and we ask Him to heal your son. It is obvious that he has
fallen prey to the effects of witchcraft so you should not blame him for the
way in which he treats you. No rational person would be content to learn of
any of the things that his wife has done and remain silent about them. But
it seems that the witchcraft has affected him greatly, to such as extent
that he agrees with her and has turned against you. 

In the answer to question no.
11290 we have already explained
that it is haraam to treat witchcraft by means of witchcraft. In that answer
and in the answer to question no. 12918
we have explained the shar’i method of treating witchcraft. 

You can treat your son by reciting Qur’aan over water and
giving it to him to drink without his knowledge. And you have to constantly
make du’aa’ whilst using this remedy, that Allaah may relieve him of this
distress and harm. 

Secondly: 

Whether your son should be given his share of the inheritance
depends on whether he will dispose of the money properly. If the money will
fall into his hands or his wife’s hands and they will never dispose of it
properly, then it is not permissible for you to let him have the money; you
should keep it with you and spend on him and his children from it. This is a
trust which has been given to you, and you should not be careless about it. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And give not unto
the foolish your property which Allaah has made a means of support for you,
but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and
justice.

6. And try orphans (as regards their intelligence) until
they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgement in them,
release their property to them, but consume it not wastefully and hastily
fearing that they should grow up, and whoever (amongst guardians) is rich,
he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is
just and reasonable (according to his labour). And when you release their
property to them, take witness in their presence; and Allaah is
All‑Sufficient in taking account”

[al-Nisa’ 4:5, 6] 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di said:

Sufaha’ [translated here as “the
foolish”] is the plural of safeeh, which refers to one who is unable
to dispose of money properly, either because he has no powers of reasoning,
such as one who is insane or feeble-minded, etc, or because he is lacking in
wisdom, such as a child and one who is immature. Allaah has forbidden
guardians to give such people their wealth, for fear that they will destroy
it and waste it, and because Allaah has made wealth means of support for His
slaves, in their religious and worldly interests. These people will not look
after it properly and guard it, so Allaah has commanded their guardians not
to give it to them, rather they should provide for them from it, clothing
them and spending on them from it, and taking care of their religious and
worldly needs. And they should speak to them words of kindness and justice,
by promising them, when they ask for it, that they will give it to them
after they become mature and so on. They should speak to them kindly to
soften their hearts. The fact that Allaah gives control of the wealth to the
guardians indicates that they are obliged to take care of the wealth of the
foolish just as well as they would take care of their own wealth, guarding
it, disposing of it properly and not exposing it to danger. 

This verse indicates that the cost of spending on the insane,
the young and the foolish should come from their own wealth, if they have
wealth, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “but feed
and clothe them therewith” (v. 5).

Tafseer al-Sa’di. 

This matter should be referred to the shar’i court and proof
should be established that this son cannot handle his money properly, so
that the court will prevent him from accessing it and will appoint a
guardian to look after his money. 

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

 

What is meant by the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?

 

What do you say about the devils being chained up in Ramadaan?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Al-Bukhaari (1899) and
Muslim (1079) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “When Ramadaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates
of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” 

The scholars differed as to the meaning of the devils being
chained up in Ramadaan. 

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said, quoting al-Haleemi: It may be
interpreted at meaning that the devils are not able to tempt the Muslims as
they are at other times because they are busy with the fast which controls
their desires, and with reading Qur’aan and dhikr (remembrance of Allaah).
Another scholar – someone other than al-Haleemi – said that what is meant by
the devils is some of them, namely the maarids (strong devils), who are
chained up. 

‘Iyaad said: it may be interpreted in a literal sense, and
that is as a sign to the angels that the month has begun, and in veneration
of its sanctity, and so as to prevent the devils from harming the Muslims.
And it may be interpreted as referring to the great amount of reward and
forgiveness, and that the devils tempt people less, so it is as if they are
chained up. This second interpretation is supported by the fact that
according to a report narrated by Yoonus from Ibn Shihaab which is recorded
by Muslim it says “the gates of mercy are opened”. The chaining up of the
devils may also be understood as a metaphor for them being unable to tempt
people and make their whims and desires attractive to them. Al-Zayn ibn
al-Muneer said: The first view is most likely to be correct, and there is no
need to try to understand it in anything other than the literal sense. 

Fath al-Baari, 4/114. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
(may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “and the devils are chained up,”
– yet we still see people suffering from epilepsy during the day in
Ramadaan, so how can the devils be chained up when some people are suffering
epileptic fits? 

He replied: In some versions of the hadeeth it says “and the
strong devils (maarids) are chained up” – this is narrated by al-Nasaa’i.
This hadeeth is speaking of matters of the unseen, so we have to accept it
and not discuss it any further. This is safer for a person’s religious
commitment. Hence when ‘Abd-Allaah, the son of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to
his father, “Some people suffer epileptics fits during the day in Ramadaan,”
the Imam said: “This is what the hadeeth says and we do not discuss this.” 

Moreover it seems that
what is meant by their being chained up is that they are prevented from
tempting people, based on the fact that there is a great deal of goodness
and many people turn to Allaah during Ramadaan. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 20. 

Based on this, the chaining up of the devils is something
that happens in a real sense, about which Allaah knows best. This does not
mean that evil things do not happen or that people do not commit sin. And
Allaah knows best. 

See also question no.
12653.

 

Can we see the jinn? Do they have a real form?

 

Can the jinn appear in human form? Do the jinn have a real form?.


Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

The question is composed of two parts. 

1 – Do the jinn appear in human form?

2 – Do the jinn have a real form? 

With regard to the first question, it may be said: 

Firstly: it should be noted that the basic principle
concerning the jinn is that they are concealed from mankind, hence they are
called jinn, because the Arabic root janna refers to a single
original meaning which is to cover and conceal, as Ibn Faaris said in
Maqaayees al-Lughah. The jinn are so called because they are concealed from
mankind, and the foetus is called janeen in Arabic because he is
concealed in his mother’s womb, and a garden is called jannah because
it is concealed by trees, and an insane person is called majnoon
because his mind is covered, and so on in all derivations from this root. 

Allaah has told us of this when He said (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytaan (Satan) deceive you,
as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwaa’ (Eve)] out of Paradise, stripping
them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and
Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe) see you from where you
cannot see them”

[al-A’raaf 7:27] 

Secondly: can they appear in human form? 

The answer to that is that it is proven in the Sunnah and
from real life that the jinn appear in different forms, such as the forms of
people and animals, etc. Among the clearest evidence of that from the Sunnah
is the story narrated by al-Bukhaari (3275) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) put me in charge of guarding the zakaah of
Ramadaan. Someone came to me and started scooping up some of the food, and I
said, “By Allaah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).” He complained of being in need and having
dependents, so Abu Hurayrah took pity on him and let him go. This happened
three times, and on the third occasion, Abu Hurayrah said: “I will take you
to the Messenger of Allaah. This is the third time and each time you say
that you will not come back, then you come back.” He said, “Let me go and I
will teach you something by means of which Allaah will benefit you.” I said:
“What is it?” he said: “When you go to bed, recite Aayat al-Kursi,
‘Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He),
Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all
that exists)…’ [al-Baqarah 2:255] until you complete the verse, then you
will always have a protector from Allaah, and no devil will come near you
until morning comes. So I let him go, and the next morning I told the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what
had happened. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “He told you the truth, although he is a liar. Do you know
who you have been speaking to for three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?” He said:
“No.” He said: “That was a devil (a shaytaan).” 

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in al-Fath: This hadeeth
teaches us a number of things… that one of the characteristics of the
Shaytaan is lying, and that he may appear in various forms that may be seen,
and that the words of Allaah, “Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers
from the jinn or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them”
[al-A’raaf 7:27], apply to when he is in the form with which he was
created. 

It was narrated that the
Shaytaan appeared to Quraysh in the form of Suraaqah ibn Maalik ibn Ju’sham
and encouraged them to fight the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him). That happened during the battle of Badr. Ibn Jareer al-Tabari
narrated in his Tafseer (12564) that ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr said: 

When Quraysh decided to march, mention was made of what was
between them and Bani Bakr – i.e., war – and that almost made them change
their minds. Then Iblees appeared to them in the form of Suraaqah ibn
Ju’sham al-Madlaji, who was one of the nobles of Banu Kinaanah, and said: “I
will protect you against Kinaanah so that Kinaanah will not be able to do
you any harm.” So they went ahead with their plan. This was also quoted by
Ibn Katheer in al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 5/62. 

In Saheeh Muslim (2236) it is narrated that Abu Sa’eed
al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “In Madeenah
there is a group of the jinn who have become Muslim, so whoever sees any of
these creatures let him give it a warning three times, then if it appears
after that he may kill it, for it is a devil.” 

The word translated as “creatures” here refers to kinds of
snakes that appear in houses; they are not to be killed until they have been
given a warning three times, because they may be jinn. See Ghareeb
al-Hadeeth by Ibn al-Atheer. 

Al-Nawawi said: What this means is that if they do not
disappear after being warned, then they are not the kind of creatures that
inhabit houses and they are not among the jinn who have become Muslim,
rather that is a devil so there is no sin on you if you kill it and Allaah
will never give the Shaytaan a way to prevail over you by taking revenge,
unlike the creatures (snakes) and jinn who have become Muslim. And Allaah
knows best. Sharh Muslim, 14/236. 

There have been many such incidents. Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn
Taymiyah) said: The jinn may appear in human and animal form, so they may
appear as snakes and scorpions etc, or in the form of camels, cattle, sheep,
horses, mules and donkeys, or in the form of birds, or in the form of
humans, as the Shaytaan came to Quraysh in the form of Suraaqah ibn Maalik
ibn Ju’sham when they wanted to set out for Badr. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,
19/44. 

Thirdly: The jinn have led many people astray by appearing in
the forms of awliya’ (“saints”) and righteous people etc. Shaykh al-Islam
said: The Shaytaan often appears in the form of the person who is being
called upon and asked for help, if he is dead or sometimes if he is alive,
without the person who called upon him realizing it. Indeed the Shaytaan may
appear in his form and the misguided mushrik who is seeking that person’s
help may think that the person himself has responded to him when in fact it
is the Shaytaan. This also happens to the kuffaar who seek the help of those
of whom they think well, whether they are dead or alive, such as the
Christians who seek the help of George or others of their saints, and it
happens to those so-called Muslims who commit shirk and follow misguidance
by seeking the help of those who are dead or absent. The Shaytaan appears to
them in the form of the one upon whom they call, without him realizing that…
More than one person has told me that they sought my help, and each of them
told me a different story. I told each one of them that I did not answer any
one of them and I did not know that they were seeking my help. It was said
that this was an angel, but I said: Angels do not help mushriks, rather that
was a devil who wanted to misguide him. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/47-48. 

One of the greatest ways in which a Muslim may seek help
against the devils is to “fortify” himself with adhkaar and reciting Aayat
al-Kursiy, as stated in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah quoted above. 

See also questions no. 22816.
12715 and
42073. 

With regard to the second
part of the question, which is whether the jinn have a true form: 

With regard to this matter of photographs of the jinn, which
have fascinated many people and become widespread on some websites, it is
not possible to verify the authenticity of what is in these websites,
especially nowadays when people are highly skilled in producing in all kinds
of deceptive pictures. Moreover researching such matters brings no spiritual
or worldly benefit and serves no purpose. It is better to occupy oneself
with things that will bring spiritual or worldly benefit such as reading and
understanding what is in the Qur’aan and the saheeh Sunnah, and what a
person needs to know and do of correct belief and worship, and the proper
attitude and etiquette which the Muslim should develop, and so on. It should
also be noted that publishing pictures of animate beings is haraam according
to sharee’ah as is stated in the texts. See questions no.
13633,
10668 and
7918. 

We ask Allaah to protect you and raise you in status and
forgive your sins and bless you with knowledge and good deeds, for He is the
Best One to be asked.  

May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad
and his family and companions.

Islam Q&A

 

Thursday 11 August 2011

Is there life on other planets?

 

Is there life on other planets or in other galaxies?.

Praise be to Allaah.

As for the seven heavens, they are populated by the angels,
as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them
(by His Majesty), and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask
for forgiveness for those on the earth. Verily, Allaah is the Oft‑Forgiving,
the Most Merciful”

[al-Shoora 42:5] 

“But if they are too proud (to do so), then there are
those who are with your Lord (angels) glorify Him night and day, and never
are they tired”

[Fussilat 41:38] 

Al-Tirmidhi (2312) narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Verily I see what you do not see and I hear what
you do not hear. The heaven is creaking and it should creak, for there is no
space in it the width of four fingers but there is an angel there,
prostrating to Allaah. By Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh
little and weep much, and you would never enjoy women in your beds, and you
would go out in the streets, beseeching Allaah.” Classed as hasan by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Maalik ibn
Sa’sa’ah, in the story of al-Isra’ wa’l-Mi’raaj (the Prophet’s Night Journey
and Ascent into heaven): “ … Then the Much-Frequented House (al-bayt
al-ma’moor) was raised up for me, and I said: ‘O Jibreel, what is this?’ He
said: ‘This is the Much-Frequented House. Every day seventy thousand angels
enter it and when they depart from it, they never return to it.” Al-Bukhaari
(3207) and Muslim (164). 

This has to do
with the heavens. As for the planets and other galaxies, our answer is to
say: Allaah knows best.

Why is the week seven days?

 

If Allah swt made everything in 6 days why do we have 7 days in a week?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

We cannot be certain about
anything with regard of the division of the week into seven days, or the
time when this division began – was it before the creation of the heavens
and the earth, or was the creation of the heavens and the earth what led to
this division? The reason for that is that we have no clear evidence which
states anything certain to that effect. But what is indicated by a study of
calendars and the customs and reports of different nations is that the
division of the week into seven days is connected to religion and taken from
it, and that it has to do with reports and rulings of religion. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa
(7/95): 

Every nation that does not
have a Book has no names for days of the week in their languages, rather
they have names for the day, the month and the year, because that may be
known on tangible and rational ways, so the nations gave them names, because
expression follows visualization. But the week was only known by hearing
(reports). It was not known that Allaah created the heavens and the earth
and everything in between in six days then rose over the Throne except by
the words of the Prophets who were enjoined to gather together on one day of
the week to worship Allaah and remember the first week in which Allaah began
to create the universe. In Arabic and Hebrew and the languages of those who
learned from them, there are words for the days of the week, unlike the
language of the Turks and others like them; there are no words for the days
of the week in their language because they did not know of that so they have
no words for it. 

Dr. Jawaad ‘Ali says: 

The month is divided into
four sections, and each section is a week composed of seven days. 

The idea of this division
is attributed to the Babylonians, but the days of the week and their order
in the manner that is known until now is a system that appeared long after
them. The week (shavu’ah in Hebrew) is mentioned in the Torah, in the Book
of Genesis. Based on both the Jewish Sabbath and the story of creation, the
week was organized along the lines that are still prevalent today. End
quote. 

Al-Mufassal fi Tareekh
al-‘Arab qabl al-Islam (16/96). 

And Allaah knows best.

Is it proven in the hadeeth that the sun is in constant motion and never stops or disappears?

 

I want to know if the following Hadeeth is authentic or not. The hadith below is used by some authors these days to prove the modern science.


Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet was asked:


"Where does the sun set, and where does it rise from? The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) answered, "It is going in a (nonstop) regular motion; it does not cease or disappear. It sets in one place and rises in another, and sets in another place and rises elsewhere and so on. So, some people would say the sun has set and others would say it has just risen (at the same moment)."


[Reported by Imam Abi Is-haq al Hamadhani in “Musnad Imam Abi Is-haq al-Hamadhani”].

Praise be to Allaah.

These words are not narrated from the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) with any isnaad, be it saheeh (sound) or
da‘eef (weak), and they do not resemble the words of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or of the earliest generation. 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The fabricated (mawdoo‘) hadeeths sound grim and are clumsily
worded, with far-fetched ideas which clearly indicate that they have been
fabricated and falsely attributed to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him).

End quote from al-Manaar al-Muneef, p. 50 

And he (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned a number of
general guidelines by which it may be known that a hadeeth is fabricated,
one of which is that the hadeeth contradicts what is mentioned in the saheeh
Sunnah. Another is that the words do not resemble the words of the Prophets,
let alone the words of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), which are words of Revelation. Thus a fabricated hadeeth does
not resemble the words of Revelation and does not even resemble the words of
the Sahaabah.

See: al-Manaar al-Muneef, p. 56-62 

Upon consideration, this hadeeth is of that type. It is more
akin to the words of astronomers and geographers. 

Moreover the words innaha li’l-taw ashraqat [translated above
as “it has just (li’l-taw) risen”] indicate that it is a later fabrication.
In classical, correct Arabic, this phrase “li’l-taw” would not be used in
this context. This is more like the speech of the common folk (slang). 

Moreover there is no scholar among those who compiled books
on the Sunnah who was called Abu Ishaaq al-Hamadaani. 

And Allah knows best.

Marriage of Adam’s sons to his daughters at the beginning of creation

 

I read question 255, about Intermarrying among Adam and Eves children and I did not see any proofs from the Quran nor in the hadith.Can you show us some clear proofs(some evidences) from the Quran and from the hadith.Because Islam is not base on opinions but with proofs and evidences.May Allah reward you with your hard work and may Allah forgive your sins and all our sins and guide us and you and make us among those who enter His Jannah Fardus.Ameen peace be upon those follow the guidance.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allah, may He be exalted, created Adam the father of
mankind (peace be upon him) and he created from him his wife Hawwa’, then
mankind spread from them as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female,
and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily,
the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has At‑Taqwa
[i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]”

[al-Hujuraat 49:13] 

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from
a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa
(Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women”

[al-Nisa’ 4:1]. 

More than one of the scholars have stated that Allah, may He
be exalted, ordained that Adam (peace be upon him) should marry his
daughters to his sons, so he would marry the female from one pregnancy to
the male from another pregnancy. Allah, may He be exalted, says concerning
the two sons of Adam (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (O Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of
Adam (Haabeel and Qaabeel - Abel and Cain) in truth; when each offered a
sacrifice (to Allaah), it was accepted from the one but not from the other.
The latter said to the former: ‘I will surely, kill you.’ The former said:
‘Verily, Allaah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)’”

[al-Maa’idah 5:27]. 

Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

It was narrated concerning them, as quoted by more than one
of the earlier and later scholars, that Allah prescribed that Adam (peace be
upon him) should marry his daughters to his sons as a matter of necessity.
But they said: A male and female were born from each pregnancy, so he would
marry the female from one pregnancy to the male from another. The sister of
Habeel was ugly and the sister of Qabeel was beautiful. Qabeel wanted to
keep her for himself and not give her to his brother, but Adam insisted that
they should offer sacrifices and whichever brother’s sacrifice was accepted
by Allah would win her hand. So they offered sacrifices and it was accepted
from Habeel but it was not accepted from Qabeel. And their story was told by
Allah in His Book. End quote. 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/82 

Ibn Abi Haatim narrated: It was forbidden for a woman to
marry her twin brother, and he was commanded to give her in marriage to a
brother from another pregnancy. And from each pregnancy one boy and one girl
were born. Whilst they were like that, a beautiful girl was born to him, and
another was born who was ugly. The twin brother of the ugly one said to his
brother: Give me your twin sister in marriage and I will give you my twon
sister in marriage. He said: I have more right to my twin sister. So they
offered sacrifices, and the sacrifice of the one who offered a ram was
accepted but the sacrifice of the one who offered crops was not accepted, so
he killed him. Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Its isnaad is
jayyid. 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/83 

See also: Tafseer Ibn Jeeri, 10/206; Tafseer
al-Baghawi, 3/41; Tafseer al-Tha‘labi, p. 732; al-Jaami‘ li
Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, 6/134; Zaad al-Maseer, 2/332; al-Bidaayah
wa’l-Nihaayah, 1/103 

As this is proven from the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased
with them) or some of them, especially from Ibn ‘Abbaas who was the most
knowledgeable of people in the interpretation of the Qur’aan, and the
scholars narrated what he mentioned, this is not regarded as speculation
that it is not permissible to accept. 

Rather, in the words quoted above, Ibn Katheer indicated that
this is a definitive matter, as he said: Allah prescribed that Adam (peace
be upon him) should marry his daughters to his sons as a matter of
necessity. End quote. 

The words “as a matter of necessity” indicate that it is not
possible that things could have happened differently, otherwise how could
all of mankind have come about? How could they have reproduced? There is no
way that could have happened except by the sons of Adam marrying his
daughters. 

And Allah knows best.

Why does the worshipper prostrate twice in each rak‘ah?

 

When I was a kid I was told that when God sent Iblis out of the Heavens and looking at the rage of Allah, the Angels bowed a second time thus the reason for us to Bow twice in our prayers. Is there any truth in it ? as I can't find any references. Could you please clarify ?.

Praise be to Allaah.

What you say is not correct and it is not permissible to
mention it or speak of it for a number of reasons: 

Firstly:

It is a claim for which there is no evidence. The books of
tafseer are readily available and none of their authors said such a thing. 

Secondly:

In His Book Allah, may He be exalted, only mentioned one
command to prostrate to Adam, then He said that the angels all prostrated
except Iblees, who was one of the jinn; he rebelled against the command of
his Lord and refused and was arrogant, and thus the test was completed. 

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate
yourselves before Adam.". Snd they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan), he
refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to
Allâh)”

[al-Baqarah 2:34]

“And (remember) when We said to the angels;"Prostrate
yourselves unto Adam." So they prostrated themselves except Iblîs (Satan).
He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord”

[al-Kahf 18:50]. 

Thirdly: 

The prostration of the angels was to Adam (peace be upon
him): “‘Prostrate before Adam’”. As for our prostration in prayer, it
is to Allah, may He be exalted. There is no connection between the
prostration of the worshipper in his prayer and the prostration of the
angels before Adam (peace be upon him). 

Fourthly: 

There is nothing in the Qur’aan or in the Sunnah to suggest
that when Iblees refused to prostrate to Adam, Allah got very angry in a way
that alarmed the angels. So it is not permissible to attribute such anger to
Him in this situation. It is not permissible to claim such a thing except
with sound evidence. 

It should be noted that Allah, may He be exalted, has
forbidden us to speak of Him and His religion without knowledge. He says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“He [Shaitân (Satan)] commands you only what is evil and
Fahshâ (sinful), and that you should say against Allâh what you know not”

[al-Baqarah 2:169]

“Say (O Muhammad ): "(But) the things that my Lord has
indeed forbidden are Al-Fawâhish (great evil sins, every kind of unlawful
sexual intercourse,) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all
kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allâh for
which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allâh of which you
have no knowledge”

[al-A‘raaf 7:33]. 

Al-Daarimi (174) narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allah be
pleased with him) that he said in his khutbah: Whoever has some knowledge
let him teach it to the people, but let him beware of saying that of which
he has no knowledge, lest he transgress the limits and go beyond the pale of
Islam. 

And Allah knows best.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

She advised him and he came to thank her, and they committed zina

 

I am a young woman from a very well-known family. All my life I have been religiously committed and of good character, as all will attest, but I do not know what is the reason that caused me to get to know a young man. I wanted to help him because he had suffered the calamity of his father’s death, and he is responsible for his siblings and his mother, but he went down the path of keeping company with bad people. I advised him and I felt it was my duty to stand beside him and advise him sincerely. Eventually he returned to his studies and gave up those bad friends, and he changed completely. His mother asked him the reason, and he told her. She spoke to me and thanked me for being patient with her son. One day he came for a visit to see me, and I did not know why I did not hesitate. I went to see him, and I felt as if he was my brother. We spent some time together and what happened happened, unfortunately. Now he wants to come and propose marriage to me, but it is impossible. He is three years younger than me, and he is not of the same nationality as me. Now I am pregnant and I want Allaah to conceal my sin and I want to repent. I know that I have done wrong, and you will criticize me severely, but I want to repent and I want a solution.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

Perhaps your letter will be a lesson to those who claim that
a relationship between a man and a non-mahram woman can be “innocent”, and
to those who claim that such relationships are Islamically acceptable if
they are for the purpose of giving advice, and to those who want to “water
down” the religion to allow relationships between men and women in the name
of modernity, and claim that there is no reason why this should not be done,
and that woman are able to control themselves… and other such foolish
justifications. 

It is a lesson for all those who are heedless of the laws of
Allaah and pay no attention to the warning of our Lord, may He blessed and
exalted, against following in the footsteps of the shaytaan, and they
continue to take these matters lightly until they find themselves in deep
trouble. You were heedless with regard to this young man and you went ahead
and spoke with him and advised him, then you agreed to receive him in your
house, then you agreed to be alone with him, then the Shaytaan made
attractive to you the idea that he was like your brother, then what? Then
you committed zina in the same meeting and in your house, with one whom the
shaytaan made you think was like your brother! Which was the first step of
the shaytaan? It was speaking to this non-mahram man, then the other steps
of the shaytaan came one after another until you committed this most
abhorrent of sins. Hence we can see the wisdom in the words of Allaah, may
He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a
Faahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an
evil way (that leads one to hell unless Allaah Forgives him)”

[al-Isra’ 17:32] 

Allaah did not only
forbid zina itself, rather He forbade coming near to it. The aim here is to
forbid the things that lead to it. We ask Allaah to conceal your sin and to
forgive you, and to help you to repent sincerely. 

Secondly: 

There is no doubt that zina is a grave sin, and it is one of
the major sins. Hence the punishment for it is one that points to the
seriousness of this sin and the abhorrence with which it is regarded in
sharee’ah and by wisdom and common sense. 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah ordained punishment for zina that differs from the
punishment for other crimes in three ways: 

1 – Execution in the most unpleasant form; when the
punishment is reduced, it still combines the physical punishment of flogging
with the emotional punishment of banishment. 

2 – He forbade people when carrying out the punishment on the
adulterers, to feel pity for them that would prevent them from carrying out
the punishment. By His mercy towards them He prescribed this punishment, and
He is more merciful to them than you, but His mercy did not prevent Him from
ordaining this punishment, so your pity should not prevent you from carrying
out His command… 

3 – He enjoined that
their punishment be carried out in the presence of some of the believers; it
should not be done in isolation where no one can see them. That is more
effective in serving the purpose of the punishment, and serves as a
deterrent. End quote. 

Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, p. 144, 115 

Thirdly: 

Although this sin is so serious and abhorrent, Allaah has
opened the door of repentance to those who commit it, and He has promised
that if they are sincere in their repentance, He will turn their bad deeds
into good deeds.  

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked: 

What should the person who has committed zina do in order to
rid himself of the effects of that action of his? 

He replied: 

Zina is one of the most serious of haraam actions and the
worst of major sins. Allaah warns the mushrikeen, murderers and adulterers
of multiple punishments on the Day of Resurrection, and of eternal
humiliation and torment, because of the seriousness and abhorrence of their
crimes, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with
Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause,
nor commit illegal sexual intercourse —
and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.

69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of
Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;

70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic
Monotheism), and do righteous deeds”

[al-Furqaan 25:68-70] 

The one who has fallen
into such sin has to repent to Allaah sincerely, and follow that with
sincere belief and righteous deeds. Repentance is sincere if the penitent
gives up the sin, regrets what has happened in the past and resolves never
to go back to it, out of fear of Allaah and awe of Him, hoping for His
reward and fearing His punishment. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents,
believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does
righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his
death)”

[Ta-Ha 20:82] 

Every Muslim man and
Muslim woman must beware of this great evil and the things that lead to it,
and hasten to repent from whatever is already past. Allaah will accept the
repentance of those who are sincere and forgive them. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz,
9/442 

Fourthly: 

It is not permissible for two people who have committed zina
to get married except after having repented sincerely, because Allaah has
forbidden that to the believers: 

“The adulterer —
fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and
the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer —
fornicater or a Mushrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry
(have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or
idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely, he is either an adulterer —
fornicator, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater). And the woman who
agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan
or idolater) or an adulterer — fornicator, then she is either a prostitute
or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress)]. Such a thing is
forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism)”

[al-Noor 24:3] 

We have already explained the ruling on this issue in the
answer to questions no. 14381,
22448,
11195. 

Fifthly: 

If the soul has been breathed into the foetus, then aborting
it would be another crime in addition to zina. We have explained the ruling
on this issue in the answer to questions no.
13317,
11195 and
40269. 

Sixthly: 

The solution to your problem is to inform wise people among
your family about your situation. The one who transgresses the laws of
Allaah must inevitably face the consequences of his sin, in many cases. The
family has to stand with their daughter sooner rather than later. Even if
she aborts the foetus before the soul has been breathed into it, she is no
longer regarded as a virgin, and this will also cause some problems at the
time of marriage. Whatever the case, they have to solve their daughter’s
problem, for she has repented and regretted her sin, and “the one who
repents from sin is like one who has not sinned at all” – narrated by Ibn
Maajah, 4250; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb,
3145. Even if she does not commit any sin after she repents, her sin has
serious repercussions which must be dealt with before news of it becomes
widespread and affects the family as a whole. The solution is not to marry
her to that zaani before he repents, because marriage to a zaani is haraam,
as stated above. But if they both repent, there is nothing wrong with them
getting married in sha Allaah. 

It is not permissible for her to marry anyone else until her
womb is emptied, which is when she gives birth. The evidence for that is the
report narrated by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him)
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said:
“Do not have intercourse with a pregnant woman until she gives birth, or
with one who is not pregnant until she has menstruated once.” Narrated by
Abu Dawood, 2157. al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in al-Talkhees al-Habeer
(1/171,172): Its isnaad is hasan. 

In order to understand the greatness of Allaah’s bounty in
accepting His slaves’ repentance and to know that He accepts the repentance
of the penitent no matter how great and how many their sins, please see the
answers to the questions no. 624,
13990,
47834,
23485 and
20983 

And Allaah knows best.

I Is it permissible for him to live with his paternal uncle who has adolescent daughters?

 

I am a young man, living with my paternal uncle who has 7 daughters. We live in one house, where we are separated by the walls. Is it permissible for me to live with them, as they have now reached the age of adolescence?.

Praise be to Allaah.

What we advise you to do is not to live with your uncle and
his family, because you are not a mahram for your uncle’s wife or for his
daughters, and this will cause you and them a great deal of restrictions if
you live with them. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbade entering upon women, and when the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) was asked about the husband’s relatives, he spoke
more sternly about them than about anyone else. So listen to the hadeeth and
read what the scholars have said about it. 

It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Beware of
entering upon women.” A man from among the Ansaar said: O Messenger of
Allaah, what about the in-law? He said: “The in-law is death.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4934; Muslim, 2172. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The scholars of Arabic language are agreed that the word
ahma’ (in-laws) refers to the relatives of a woman’s husband, such as
his father, brother, nephew, cousin and so on. 

With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), “the in-law is death”, what this means is
that the fear with regard to him is greater than the fear with regard to
others, and evil is expected from him and the fitnah is greater because he
is able to reach the woman and be alone with her without being denounced for
that, unlike one who is a stranger. 

What is meant by the in-law here is the relatives of the
husband, apart from his father (and grandfather) or his sons. Fathers and
sons are mahrams for his wife and it is permissible for them to be alone
with her, and they are not described as being death. Rather what is meant
here is the brother, nephew, uncle, cousin and so on, who are not mahrams.
The custom among people is to take this matter lightly, so a man may be
alone with his brother’s wife. This is what is meant by death, and he should
be prevented more than a stranger for the reasons we have mentioned. What I
have mentioned is the correct meaning of the hadeeth. 

Ibn al-A’raabi said: This is a phrase that is used by the
Arabs, as it is said: The lion is death, i.e., meeting a lion is like death.
Al-Qaadi said: what is meant is being alone with the in-laws (the husband’s
relatives) which may lead to fitnah and disaster for one's religious
commitment, so it is likened to the disaster of death in order to
demonstrate the seriousness of the matter. End quote. 

Sharh Muslim, 14/154 

You can see that this hadeeth applies to your situation, if
you enter upon your uncle’s wife or daughters who are non-mahrams for you,
so what about the ruling if you live with them? 

Secondly: 

If you have no alternative but to live with them, or you are
going to stay there temporarily until you find another house, then you must
pay attention to the following matters: 

1 – Avoid being alone with your uncle’s wife or one of his
daughters. 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“No man should be alone with a woman and she should not travel unless she is
accompanied by a mahram.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2844; Muslim, 1341. 

2 – Both you and the women should lower the gaze and avoid
looking at one another. 

Allaah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking
at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual
acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allaah is All‑Aware of what they do.

31. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from
looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal
sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is
apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of
hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw
their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and
bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their
fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s
sons…”

[al-Noor 24:30-31] 

3 – When you speak to them or they speak to you, there should
be no softening of the voice or speaking in an alluring tone. 

Allaah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women.
If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in
whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should
be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner”

[al-Ahzaab 33:32] 

4 – Your uncle’s wife and daughters should observe proper
hijab in front of you, covering the entire body. 

It is better for you not to live with them, and to look for a
house of your own, so as to relieve them and you of any shar’i restrictions,
and so that you will not be a cause of hardship and restrictions for them.
If their house is big and you can have a separate room with all amenities,
then it is permissible for you to live there, but as for living in a room in
their house, and sharing the facilities of the house, we do not think that
that is permissible, and we think that the conditions that we have mentioned
for it to be permissible will be difficult for many people to meet. 

See also the answer to question no.
13261 for important
information. 

And Allaah knows best.

He is uncertain of his wife’s virginity because there was no bleeding

 

I got married about five months ago and intercourse with my wife was difficult at first, but she did not bleed until now. I do not know if she was a virgin or if something happened that I do not know about – Allaah forbid – especially since she was engaged before I got to know her, to a young man who is known for his immoral ways such as drinking, taking drugs and committing zina.


 Please advise us, may Allaah reward you. I do not want to wrong or be wronged, but the Shaytaan is not leaving me alone.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

You should note that the shaytaan is extremely keen to cause
division between a man and his wife. It is narrated in a saheeh report that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Iblees
places his throne on the water, then he sends out his troops, and those who
are the closest in status to him are those who cause the most tribulation
(fitnah). One of them comes and says, ‘I did such and such,’ and he says,
‘You have not done anything.’ Then one of them comes and says, ‘I did not
leave him alone until I caused division between him and his wife.’ Then he
brings him close to him and says, ‘How good you are.’” Narrated by Muslim,
5023. 

In order for the shaytaan to reach this objective of his,
there are many methods he uses to reach a man, one of which is creating
doubt about his wife’s chastity. 

Secondly: 

You should also note that the fact that a woman does not
bleed the first time she has intercourse does not necessarily mean that the
woman has been unchaste, because the hymen may be elastic and there is no
bleeding when intercourse takes place, as has been stated by doctors.  

It may also be broken for many reasons other than
intercourse, such as sports, jumping and so on. 

Moreover, the blood that is usually expected may be only one
or two drops, and this blood may come out mixed with other secretions, so
the man does not see it because it is not visible. 

For all of these reasons and others, it is not permissible
for a man to doubt his wife’s chastity because she does not bleed when he
first has intercourse with her. The fact that there is no bleeding does not
mean that she is not chaste, just as the presence of bleeding does not mean
that she is chaste, because some women have surgery to repair the hymen. 

If your wife is a chaste woman and is religiously committed
and of good character, then you should not let the shaytaan have any way of
getting to you and spoiling your life. Seek refuge with Allaah from the
accursed shaytaan, and do not doubt your wife without any clear proof. 

May Allaah bless you both, and join you together in goodness,
and divert the plot of the shaytaan away from you. 

See also the answer to question no.
40278 for more
information. 

And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on one who puts something in his back passage, and how can he be treated?

 

What is the ruling on one who puts something in his back passage?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

 We ask Allaah to cleanse his heart and body, and to guide
him to the best of attitudes, words and deeds.

 Secondly: 

It should be noted that this action of his comes under the
heading of perversion. It is not by doing such actions that the Muslim
expresses gratitude to his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and it is
not in this manner that the Muslim will preserve the great blessings that
Allaah has bestowed upon him. He should give up these perverse actions which
go against the sound nature that Allaah has instilled in man, and go against
all revealed laws, and for which everyone of sound mind will hate him. 

Thirdly:

It should be noted that such perverse actions are a sign of
an idle mind, and he has to give up the things that led him to behave in the
manner of perverts. Perhaps among these reasons – and the greatest of them –
is having a heart that is devoid of faith, and a soul that is devoid of
shyness before Allaah and His angels, as well as watching haraam TV series,
movies and perverse actions, and having a life that is devoid of useful
work, not wanting to get married and liking to stay alone, and many other
such reasons which may cause a man to fall into bad ways. 

Fourthly: 

He should hasten to give up this perverse action and repent
to his Lord. He must strive to furnish his heart with faith and fill his
life with righteous deeds and actions that will benefit his spiritual and
worldly interests. He must be keen to hasten to protect himself by means of
marriage to a righteous woman who will help him to remain chaste and obey
his Lord, and he must stop watching haraam things or staying alone which
makes it easy for him to fall into immoral ways. 

Fifthly: 

He should also note that he is causing physical and
psychological harm to himself. He will see the negative consequences of what
he is doing on his body after a while, and he will see how much
psychological pain he will suffer, which will deprive him of sleep and
prevent him from enjoying his food and drink. He will see how much he will
suffer of physical pain which will prevent him from relieving himself with
ease, and how much he will suffer of infections and ulcers if he persists in
this perverse action of his. 

Sixthly:

 He needs someone to explain to him that what he is doing is
haraam, and to remind him and exhort him (to follow the right path). 

The one who is afflicted with any of these haraam actions has
to remember two things: 

1-    
To feel shy before Allaah and
his angels and before himself too.

2-    
To fear death and to fear lest
Allaah causes him to die when he is doing that to himself. 

With regard to shyness: 

We know that he believes that Allaah can see him in all
situations, but perhaps he forgets about that at the time when he is
committing this sin. If this belief becomes established in his heart, with
time he will begin to feel shy of Allaah seeing him falling short in
obedience or committing a sin. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Knows he not that Allaah does see (what he does)?”

[al-‘Alaq 96:14] 

“And indeed We have created man, and We know what his
ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by
Our Knowledge)”

[Qaaf 50:16] 

‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood
(may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Feel shy before Allaah is the true
sense of the word. They said: We feel shy before Allaah. He said: That is
not the way; the one who feels shy before Allaah in the true sense of the
word should be watchful of his mind and whatever enters it, and he should be
watchful of his stomach and whatever enters it, and he should remember death
and decay. Whoever hopes for the reward in the Hereafter would shun the
temptation of this world. Whoever does that is shy before Allaah in the true
sense of the word.

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb,
1724. 

He believes that Allaah has appointed noble angels over him
who can see him and hear him, and they record what he does of good deeds and
bad deeds, and they never leave him in any situation. If he feels shy of
them, he will give up the perverse actions that he is doing.

 Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of
mankind) to watch you,

11. Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen —writing down (your
deeds),

12. They know all that you do”

[al-Infitaar 82:10-12] 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

i.e., feel shy before
these honourable watchers and respect them; spare them from seeing you do
anything which you would not want those who are like you to see you doing,
for the angels are offended by that which offends the sons of Adam. If the
son of Adam would be offended by one who commits immoral actions and sins in
front of him, even if he might also do something similar, then how do you
think the honourable recording angels will be offended?

Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, p. 75 

One of the salaf said: With you are those who never leave
you, so feel shy of them and respect them. 

He would feel shy of doing that in front of people, so how
can he not feel shy before Allaah and His angels? 

With regard to death: 

He should remember that he does not know when the Angel of
Death will come to him to take his soul, and he does not know the situation
that he will be in at that time. Would he like his death to come now, before
he repents? Would he like his soul to be taken when he is doing this
perverse action? Does he not know that deeds are judged according to a
person’s final deeds? Does he not know that Allaah will raise the people in
the same condition that they died? What will his situation be when he
emerges from his grave on the Day of Resurrection? What will he say to his
Lord when he stands before Him? 

One of the salaf said: There are two things that put an end
of enjoyment of this world for me: remembering death, and remembering the
standing before Allaah, may He be exalted. 

‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allaah have mercy on him) used
to gather the scholars and they would talk about death, the Resurrection and
the Hereafter, and they would weep so much that it was as if there was a
funeral taking place before them. 

One of the salaf said: The one who remembers death is
honoured with three things: hastening to repent, contentment of heart and
energy for worship. Whoever forgets death is punished with three things:
delaying repentance, not being content with enough, and laziness in worship.

It should be noted that a good end is only granted to the one
who was righteous both inwardly and outwardly, and a bad end is given to one
who was inwardly corrupt, or who persisted in major sins. It should be noted
that a man will die as he lived, and his life will end in the manner that he
persisted in and did not give up. 

It was said to a man who was in the throes of death: “Say
Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.” And he started singing, because he used to be
infatuated by singing. It was said to a drinker when he was dying: “Say
Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah,” and he started saying: “Drink and pour me
some.” 

Perhaps what we have mentioned is sufficient to make him give
up his evil deeds and come back to his Lord, and to ask Him to help him and
guide him. We have given more advice and suggestions in the answer to
question no. 20068, which we
hope he will read too. 

We ask Allaah to guide him and set his affairs straight. 

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

She is a new Muslim and is complaining about her husband

 

I am a woman, who al-Hamdulillah, Allah guided to the straight path of Islam.


I do my best to follow Allahs deen, but I need some advise on some problems in relation to my husband.


I must tell you that the situation in our marriage is somewhat strained. Only a few months ago I came to the point when I asked my husband for a divorce because he neglected his Salaat even though he had been told about his duties, and he also had developed a bad habit of threatening with divorce and actually throwing me out of the house when he lost his temper. But when he realised that I was actually going to leave him, he repented and changed his ways, so I withdrew my question and returned. But there is still some tension between us. This is mostly due to the fact that as it is today, my husbands eeman is weaker than mine. I do not think I am perfect, and I know I also make mistakes. But I constantly see my husband doing things that are wrong (both things haram and makruh), and I cannot restrain myself and not speak to him about it. This is for example like using bad language in front of our daughter, or biting and kissing her in places where she should rather learn shyness, etc. When I tell him that it is not good to do these things, and sometimes I am able to give evidence from Qur'an and Sunna, he will either say that he knows this, and then continue with what he is doing, or become angry and tell me to mind my own business. This is a source of irritation for both me and my husband, and we are losing patience with each other. My question is: What is my test from Allah here? Is it not my duty to inform or remind him of what is right when I know it? Or should I be patient with him and wait till he finds out for himself, because he has started to read Islamic books. The reason I need some advise on this issue, is that my husband is getting quite annoyed with these reminders, and I am losing patience and becoming angry when he doesen't listen. Please try to give some advise, and please show the evidence from Qur'an or Sunnah that you lay to ground for your advise.


Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

We praise Allaah for having blessed you and
guided you to obey Him and please Him, and that your husband has been guided to change the way he treats you. We hope that this will give you hope
that your husband will improve and mend his ways, in sha Allah. 

You should note that a righteous woman can
change many of her husband’s attitude and habits, if she goes about doing so in a wise and kindly manner, without being hasty. 

Some husbands are put off by repeated advice
from their wives, especially if that is in the presence of their children, because they may see that as an affront to their dignity or a
belittling of their character. 

Hence you should pay proper attention to
that, and choose the right moment to advise him from time to time. You should also be kind and loving towards him when offering advice, in the
hope that he will respond. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the
Divine Revelation and the Qur’aan) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better”

[al-Nahl 16:125] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Kindness is not present in a thing but it makes it beautiful, and it is not missing from a thing but it makes it ugly.”
(Narrated by Muslim, 2594, from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her). 

The husband is the most deserving of people
to be treated kindly, because of his status and position. 

We advise you to use various means to
accomplish your mission, such as giving him some tapes and books, or bringing them home and leaving them near him, turning to Allaah and asking
Him to put things right between you and to open your husband’s heart so that he will know the truth and act in accordance with it. 

And Allaah knows best.