Al Farouq Vol 5 No 4

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO.of 4 Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful In The Name

RABIUL AKHIR 1431 / APRIL 2010

PAGE 1

Volume 5, Issue 4

Understanding their Place and Status in Society The ulema are arguably the most influential group in any Muslim community, and have always been the focus of attention in Islamic matters.

The term ‘ulema is an Arabic word that is plural for ‘aalim, meaning one who possesses knowledge. This is a term generally used for one who has undertaken an in-depth study of Quran and Hadith, and has explored the sources of knowledge in Shariah. The ‘ulema are arguably the most influential group in any Muslim community, and have always been the focus of attention in Islamic matters. Regardless of the diverse relationship the Ummah has with these ‘heirs of the Prophet , ‘ulema continuously hold centre stage in Muslim communities when it comes to religious affairs.

There is no denying the fact that a Muslim society comprises of two dis-

tinct segments: the ‘ulema and the laymen. It is imperative that we understand the role of ‘ulema. Those who criticize and condemn the ‘ulema, generally do so out of ignorance regarding the function of ‘ulema. Once we place the function of ‘ulema in true perspective, the laymen will find it easy to understand ‘ulema, identify with them, and most importantly, benefit from them.

QUALIFICATIONS In order to fully comprehend the function and purpose of ‘ulema in this world, one needs to look at the qualifications that they spent several years acquiring. The skill an aalim possesses is the ilm or knowledge of

Shariah. Shariah is a name for the combination of Quran and Sunnah. An aalim is one qualified in the various sciences of Islam such as tafseer, hadith, fiqh, aqaa-id and so forth.

Knowledge of Deen is, therefore, the forte of the ‘ulema and the basis for their position in society. There is nothing beyond this. Our Rasool and Master informed us of this reality, when he said: “Verily the Ulema are the Heirs of the Prophets; and the Prophets did not leave a legacy of gold and silver; instead they left behind ilm (knowledge). Therefore, whoever acquires that legacy has indeed achieved a great share (of Deen).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, Tirmizhi, Ahmed, and Ibn Hibbaan.

This hadith is saheeh) From the above it is evident that the ‘ulema have been designated to fulfil and perpetuate the duty of the Prophets. Being heirs to the Prophets, they (Continued on page 11)

OUR COMMENT It is not permissible for Muslims to view this particular video series for the following reasons: 1.

Videos of animate objects 2.

Pictures of animate objects.

3.

Semi nude pictures of women 4.

Weird pictures that are purported to be shaytaan or the devil.

5.

Background Music.

The above factors are prohibitions in Islam and based on this alone the Arrivals dvd may not be viewed. Furthermore, there is no urgent or pressing need to watch such a dvd; hence it cannot be argued that due to necessity sometimes a haraam can become halaal, as in the case of a dying person being allowed to eat pork or drink wine.

(Continued on page 7)

TOPIC

PAGE

Hanafi QA

2-3

Shaafi QA

5

Hadith Rejection

6,8

Talha Ibnul Baraa

6

Sodomy

8

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

is the minimum peQ :riodWhat of suckling?

A. There is no minimum period stipulated for suckling. The maximum stipulated period for suckling is up to two years. (Raddul Muhtaar )

Q

: There are some misconceptions that it's not good to start a business in Muharram and Safar. Is it true in the light of Islam or do people just say it out of respect of this month? . This is not respect for Muharram and Safar but pure superstition. Do not believe or follow this superstition. A Hadeeth of SaheehulBukhari states: ‘There should be no superstition about Safar’ (Laa Safara). The Arabs also had these false and superstitious beliefs about the month of Safar, that is why The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) mentioned this in particular. The superstitions about Muharram were fabricated by the Shias.

A

love with a girl. We Q :gotI wasourinnikah done not in a mosque but privately: I asked her if she would marry me and she said yes. Two of my friends were witnesses at the time when this happened. Some time later I gave her one talaq (divorce) but did rujoo (took her back in nikah) the next day. A few months later I gave her 2 talaqs. Is my nikah completely over? Was my nikah valid in the first place? . It was morally and ethically wrong to have done this Nikah privately, without the permission of the parents. Although wrong, the Nikah in your case was valid. Three Talaaqs have taken place and you cannot remarry her without her marrying someone else.

A

Q

: My husband gave me three talaaq but refuses to acknowledge it and says he said it

under anger. Does the talaq still stand? . Talaaq given in anger is valid and binding. (Raddul Muhtaar). In your case, three Talaaq have taken place and reconciliation is not possible without the process of Halaalah, which means you marrying another man after your Iddat, getting divorced from him, completing that Iddat of the second husband's divorce and then coming back to the first husband.

But this cannot be planned and orchestrated. It should happen naturally.

A

Q

: Is online Forex trading aloud in Islam? : According to our research, Forex Trading is not allowed.

Forex is basically trading over the internet without physical possession and delivery of currency.

Shari'ah has placed certain restrictions on currency trading so that Muslims can be safeguarded from Ribaa or interest. One condition is that at least one of the two currencies being traded in has to be taken possession of in a physical sense.

This does not happen in Forex trade. In fact, from one angle it appears that this type of trading is more ‘virtual’, ‘imaginary’, and ‘figurative’ for one sells dollars in exchange for yen, for example, but the trader neither owns the dollars nor the yen. Any profit earned in such a deal will be equivalent to interest or riba. This is obviously not allowed in Shari'ah. And Allah Ta’aala knows best

A

I read that one should be Q :able to hear his recitation of surah fatiha in salah, otherwise the salah is invalid. Is it true? : One should be able to hear oneself in whatever is recited in Salaah, not only Surah Faatihah.

Lip movement without sound or reciting in the mind does not suffice. One must recite in an audible

A

PAGE 2

manner for the Salaah to be valid. If someone else is performing Salaah close to you or you are in a Masjid, do not recite so loud that the person close by becomes disturbed by your recital. (Raddul Muhtaar V3 P476) Is it correct to make an inQ :tention for qadha salah in this way: "Fajr fard 12th qadha"? : If you have a lot of Qadhaa to fulfil, the easier method of intention is: 'I am performing the first Fardh of Fajr Qadhaa on me.' Every time you perform another Qadhaa of that particular Salaah, it will be the first upon you.

A

advice is required as Q :toYour the rights of a father after talaaq in terms of access to his minor children. The ex-wife requested talaaq and was granted to her. Since then she has refused access of the two minor children A: Though the wife has the right to custody of boys up to 7 years of age and girls up to 9 years of age, but she has no right to deprive the father of visitation and access.

The father, if he is supporting the children on a regular and fair basis, enjoys the right to see his kids at any time with prior arrangement (barring very late hours at night or very early (Continued on page 3)

ISLAMIC INDICATORS 26 March 2010 9 Rabiul Akhir 1431 Zakaat Nisaab

R2,946.73

Mehr-e-Fatimi

R7,366.84

Minimum Mehr

R147.34

AlAl-Farouq Q & A PO Box 4280, Korsten 6014, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Fax: (041) 4571326 Email: darululoom@telkomsa.net

SMS: 084 574 98 91 www.pedarululoom.blogspot.com

www.askmufti.co.za

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

(Continued from page 2)

in the morning).

My brother married a nonQ :Muslim who had a daughter from a previous marriage. They reverted to Islam and he adopted her daughter. Does the daughter have any rights to inherit from his estate? : This step daughter will not automatically inherit from him. If he wishes that she receive something after his demise, he can make a Wasiyyat (bequest) which must not be more than a third of his estate.

A

If one does not know the Q :duas that you read in jannazah salat is there any other duas you can read? : The four Takbeers in the Janaazah Salaah are Fardh and the Du'aas are Sunnah. Thanaa is recited after the first Takbeer which every Muslim who performs daily Salaah knows. The only difference is that the words WA JALLA THANAA'UKA is added after WA TA'AALA JADDUKA. The Thanaa will still be valid without adding the extra words. Durood is recited after the second Takbeer which is recited in the daily Salaah, otherwise any other Durood will suffice. The Du'aa is after the third Takbeer. If you do not know this Du'aa then you can recite a Du'aa wherein Maghfirat (forgiveness) is being asked for oneself and for Muslims in general. Salaam is made immediately after the fourth Takbeer.

A

Until you learn the Du'aas, for a male just say: Allaahummaghfir lahu and for a female Allaahummaghfir lahaa.

After doing Ghusl (bath) Q :from intercourse, the husband's sperm still emerges from the wife's vagina and continues

to come out for days. Can the wife say her prayers? What should the wife do, should she wait and perform Ghusl after 5 days? Is she still impure during those 3 to 5 days? : If semen leaks out from the wife’s vagina after she had sexual relations with the husband and had made Ghusl, and she is certain that it is the husband’s semen then she does not need to make Ghusl again. If after sexual intercourse the wife had slept or passed urine or walked for about 40 paces, and upon finishing her bath she noticed her own semen leaking out, then too, she does not need to make Ghusl over again. In both cases she must simply wash the private part and make a fresh Wudhu.

A

mum is 82 years old Q :andMyneeds constant supervision day and night. My father passed away and amongst the children we decided to take turns to care of her. She was unable to reside at one place.

How will this effect her iddah period? : She should complete her Iddat at one place. You did not furnish a reason as to why she was unable to reside at one place.

If it is because the children are taking turns to care for her at their respective homes, she should complete the Iddat at one venue and after the Iddat go to the different homes to be taken care of.

A

The children should make arrangements to come to the house where she is spending the Iddat and provide the care for her there.

Only in a life and death situation is a woman in Iddat allowed to move to another house.

For a year I have read Q :salah zuhr late i.e. in the

PAGE 3

time of asr. I didn't know that the time of zuhr had finished.

Then when I came across the local salah timetable I was shocked. I had read the namaaz of zuhr late. Do I still have to do qadaa? . All the Thuhr Salaahs that you performed in the time of Asr thinking that it was still Thuhr time are valid and do not have to be repeated as Qadhaa. You should now ensure that you perform Thuhr in its correct time and not after the time of Asr has entered. (Raddul Muhtaar V3 P313)

A

How many rakaats are Q :there in esha salaah. Please give details about the number of rakaats as well as their status (farz, sunnah muakiddah or not, nafils, witr etc.) : Esha consists of the following rakaats: Four Sunnah Ghayr Mu'akkadah, Four Fardh, Two Sunnah Mu'akkadah, Two Nafl, Three Witr (Waajib), Two Nafl. (This is according to Hanafi Math-hab)

A

For last 3 years I had sex Q :with prostitutes on a regular basis. I have made tawbah (repentance) previously but again relapsed to this great sin.

Now I really feel shattered and even feel too bad to ask for Allah's mercy. What should I do?

Should I ever get married? If I never get married and never have sex in my life again will Allah forgive me? . The fact that you have regret is a good sign. It is mentioned in a Hadeeth that regret is also Taubah. Even though you have previously made Taubah and relapsed, do not become despondent.

A person with Imaan never becomes despondent of the mercy of Allah Ta'aala. It is the deception of Shaytaan when a person 'feels bad' to ask for the mercy of Allah.

Shaytaan desires that you become despondent and cease making

A

(Continued on page 4)

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

PAGE 4

A Taubah. Do not fall prey to this trap of the Devil. Why should a person stop making Taubah when he is still sinning? Tauba must be on-going. If you fail and fall a hundred times, then get up a hundred times. Do not remain where you have fallen. Whenever a sin is committed, it is the incumbent duty of the bondsman to resort to Taubah, irrespective of the sin being repeated. One day that Taubah will have its desired effect and that person will give up that sin completely Inshaa Allah.

Divine forgiveness is attained by repenting and thereafter staying away from that sin. You do not have to forsake marriage in order to acquire Allah’s forgiveness.

This is not the teaching of Islam.

By marrying, you will now create a Halaal outlet for your carnal desires. This is one the purposes of marriage; to abstain from Haraam and enjoy that which is Halaal (your wife). May Allah accept your Taubah and grant you piety, Aameen.

Fiqhi Mazhab (of Q :theWhich Four Imams) do the Imams of Masjidul Haram (Makkah) follow in Namaz (Salaat)? . To the best of our knowledge the Imams of the Harmayn are inclined to the Hambali Madhab but tend to deviate from this math-hab in certain aspects.

A Q

: My husband has a facebook account and on there he has female friends, something which I am not totally comfortable with. He says it's nothing personal, just time to time messages or something of that sort.

Is this permissible and how can I convince him that it is wrong Islamically? . It is not permissible for a man to have ANY contact with a non-Mahram female, be it

A

telephonic, via sms, or mixit or facebook messaging, unless the communication is strictly business. So your husband is wrong if he thinks he can just chat over the net to other females. This is totally Haraam and is Zina of the fingers (typing out messages to a non-Mahram woman) just as it is Zina of the tongue to speak to her and Zina of the hands to touch and so forth. It is a grave misconception and talbees of Iblees (Devilish deception) for husbands to call this chatting “innocent fun”. Haraam fun is far from innocent.

Islam teaches that any act that leads to sin or becomes the stepping stone towards sin is also sinful and must be avoided. Clearly this act of your husband will lead to sin. For example, he might be fantasizing over these women after reading their messages. In fact, from my experience in dealing with these cases, most men share crude and rude messages with women over facebook and mixit, but because it is easy to cover their dirty tracks, they lie and say ‘we are just communicating for fun’. This is their idea of fun, but Shari'ah condemns it.

Allah make it easy for you and grant him the ability to change his life, Aameen. can one say when Q :theWhat Imam sits in the small interval of Friday khutbah? : You can make Du'aa in your mind during the interval between the two Khutbahs.

(Raddul Muhtaar) but should not read anything with lip movement.

A

A person missed a few raQ :kaats behind the Imam.

When the Imam sits at the end of the salaah, should that person read At-tahiyyat only or durood and dua as well?

: The Jurists have mentioned both options. The masbooq can suffice with only the tashahhud or he may add durood and dua as well. However, if he reads only the tashahhud he should read it so slow that it takes up the entire duration of the Imam’s sitting. (RaddulMuhtaar) : In the above case, if the masbooq mistakenly makes salaam with the Imam and then after realizing his mistake stands up and fills in his missed rakaats, does he have to make sajda sahu? : There are two scenarios that can develop in such a situation. Either he makes the salaam simultaneously with the Imam, or he makes the salaam after the Imam had completely the first salaam. In the first case the masbooq does not need to make sajda sahu because he is still behind the Imam.

In the second case, once the Imam has completed his salaah the masbooq is now on his own and is responsible for his own mistakes; hence he has to make sajda sahu.

(Raddul-Mihtaar)

Q

A

a divorcee who is in idQ :datIf (of three haidh) loses her husband, does she continue with the iddat of talaaq or does her iddat change to 4 months and 10 days? : The iddat of such a woman will immediately change to the iddat of wafaat upon her husband’s demise. That means her iddat of talaaq will lapse and she will have to commence the iddat of four months and 10 days from the day of her husbands demise.

A

man died and left behind Q :aAwife, a mother, and two brothers; how is the estate divided? : After settling funeral costs, debts and wasiyyat, the wife will receive a quarter of the estate, one sixth will go to the mother, and the balance will be divided equally among the two brothers.

A

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

I rented a house from anMy husband gave me one Q :talaaq Q :other Muslim. After moving and I am now in Iddah. Recently we kissed and fondled but did not have sex. Is my iddah broken? I believe that only sex breaks iddah. Please confirm. : For Shaafi followers raj’ah or revocation of one or two talaaq can only take place through a verbal statement in front of two witnesses . Sexual intercourse does not automatically revoke the talaaq.

A

the Shaafi math-hab Q :mustIn Asr salaah be read at one mithl or can it be delayed beyond this time. : The masnoon or sunnat time for Asr in the Shaafi mathhab is one mithl, that is when the shadow of an object is equal its size. However if the Asr salaah is delayed beyond this, it will still be valid. The time of Asr lasts till the setting of the sun.

A

Who should give ghusl to a Q :person who has died? Can the wife give ghusl to her dead husband? : The best people to execute the last rites of ghusl and kafan to the deceased are the close family members, in this order: father, grandfather, son, grandson, brother, uncle, etc. If these people are not available or incapable of giving ghusl then the wife is allowed to bathe her dead husband.

However, the abovementioned relatives may ask outsiders to give the ghusl. This is also allowed. (Al -Majmoo’)

A

has the right to lead Q :theWhoJanaza salaah?

A

: The same relatives who have the right to give ghusl (as mentioned above) enjoy the right to janaaza salaah as well.

in I discovered the roof was leaking. Whose duty is it to fix the roof? Also tell me whether I can cancel the rental agreement on this basis? : Any repairs to rented property must be done by the landlord. If after moving in you brought the fault to the attention of the landlord and he made immediate arrangements to fix it, then you have no right to cancel the agreement. However, if he did not move to get the roof fixed then you have the right to cancel or to continue staying and seek a discount in the rental amount. (Al-Majmoo’)

A

I wish to give some of my Q :assets away to my children in my lifetime. Do I have to give each one equally or can I give one more than the other? : It is preferable and advisable to give all your children, males and females equally in your lifetime. This will avoid enmity and mutual disagreement. However, if you do give one more than the other it will be permissible and the son or daughter will become the owner of that property without any Shar’ee violation.

A

Is it permissible to offer Q :greetings such as Eid Mubarak, Juma Mubarak, or greetings at the start of the Islamic year? : According to the fatwa of Allaama Suyooti (RA) a renowned Shaafi Aalmi of the ninth century, it appears that such greetings are neither bid’ah nor sunnah, but are permissible. Please consult with other Shaafi’ ‘Ulema for confirmation. And Allah knows best.

A

Are Shaafi followers alQ :lowed to make jam’a between salaah due to heavy rain?

PAGE 5

A

: Yes, this is permissible on one condition: that the rain continues to fall when the Imam starts the second salaah. If after completing the first salaah, the rain stops then combining the next salaah will not be permissible. (AlHaawi of Imam Maawardi RA) Also note that this combing of two salaah will take place between Thuhr and Asr, or between Maghrib and Eshaa.

HADITH Hazrat Abdullah bin Amar radhiallahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

One who boasts of his favours upon others, and one who is disobedient to his parents, and the habitual drinker of wine, will not enter Jannat.

(Nasaa-ie and Daarimi)

Help us to Assist Islam Maktabs ‫ ׀‬Darul Uloom (Aalim and Hifz Courses) ‫ ׀‬Eastern Cape Muslim Prison Board ‫ ׀‬Al Farouq Newsletter ‫ ׀‬Islamic Publications Printing of Maktab Textbooks Fataawa Service ‫ ׀‬Juma Khateebs Da’wah to non-Muslims ‫ ׀‬Social Welfare | Feeding Schemes

Our Banking Details

Acc Name: Malabar Educational Trust ‫ ׀‬Bank: First National Bank Acc Number: 534 200 84 386 Branch Code: 210 517 Branch: Kempston Road We accept Lillah, Sadaqah and Zakaat. If making an electronic or internet transfer, then state Lillah, Sadaqah or Zakaat in reference field, or state this on your deposit slip and fax to 041 457 1326.

For more information, or to confirm donation, please call Mufti Siraj Desai on 084 574 9891

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

S

tyling themselves ahl-equran or ‘people of the Quran’ the rejecters of Hadith are anything but friends of the Quran.

By rejecting the hadith of Our Master and Mentor, Hazrat Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the claimants to ahl-e-quran are in fact a’daa-ul Quran or enemies of the Holy Quran.

The fitnah of hadith rejection is once again struggling to resurface after the proponents of this apostasy were time and again beaten into submission by the efforts of the Ulema globally. This fitnah has gained prominence in some western countries such as the United States, Europe, and Australasia. Today this appears to rank among the major fitnahs threatening the iemaan of the Ummah.

Theses enemies of hadith reject all hadith compilations such as Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmizhi, Ibni Majah, etc. In so doing they have rejected the life of Our Master in its entirety. There can be no greater disservice to the Quran than this. After such heretic beliefs, these enemies of Quran can never remain Muslims if they ever had ieman prior to this.

The authenticity of Hadith and its position in Islam is self-evident and axiomatic. This is almost natural. No Muslim needs proof for this. Belief in Hadith is automatic and indisputable. Hadith comes along with Quran, and the two cannot be divorced from each other. Hadith is as central to Islam as is the Holy Quran. These two Mighty Scriptures are corollaries.

Imam Tabarani (RA) reports in his Al-Mu’jamul Kabeer that one day young Talha met Rasoolullah and held him tightly.

He then started kissing the feet of Allah’s Messenger and said: O Messenger of Allah! Command me with whatever you wish; I shall fulfil your command! The Messenger of Allah was amazed at this young lad and his commitment. He then said to him: “O Talha! Go and kill your father!” Talha immediately turned on his heels and set off to fulfil this command. But the Messenger of Allah quickly called him back. “Come back O Talha! I did not mean what I said, for I have not been sent to destroy family ties.” (In other words, Talha was being tested by the Messenger of Allah to see whether he would really do whatever the Messenger of Allah commanded him.)

Some time later Talha fell very ill.

It was a cold and cloudy day when Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) went to visit this young Sahaabi. The Messenger of Allah recognised the symptoms of death in this young man, and mentioned this to his family as he left. He said: “I see nothing but the signs of death in Talha. If he dies, please inform me so that I can witness his funeral and read his janaaza salaah. And be quick in his burial.”

The Messenger of Allah had just reached the suburb of Salim bin Auf ( on the outskirts of Madinah) when Talha entered the last moments of his life. It was already nightfall, and these were his parting words: “ Bury me quickly and send me to

PAGE 6

In spite of this, we advance hereunder a few very obvious and clear proofs from The Holy Quran itself for those who may be still in doubt.

1) In 25 places in the Holy Quran A l mi gh t y A l l a h enj o i n s “obedience to Allah and His Rasool”. Even without the help of any commentary it is clear that the ‘Rasool’ or Messenger referred to here is Our August and Sacred Master (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The command to obey His Rasool is a clear and convincing endorsement from Allah for The Hadith of Hazrat Mustafa (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), because it is the Hadith that we are instructed to obey.

(Continued on page 8)

My Lord. But do not inform Rasoolullah of my death because I fear the Jews might harm him should he come all the way from Madinah for my janaaza.”

The family only informed the Messenger of Allah after the Fajr prayers that Talha had passed away the might before and had been buried. They also mentioned his dying words. Moved by this amazing gesture, the Messenger of Allah immediately proceeded to the spot where Talha was buried.

Sahaaba stood in a straight line behind him. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) raised his hands and made the following dua: “O Allah! Meet Talha whilst you are smiling at him and he is smiling at you”

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

(Continued from page 1)

Besides the aforementioned factors, the creators of this dvd have inclined towards sensationalism as well as dramatizing events that are no more than what they appear to be on surface. There is nothing in Islam that supports such an approach. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) spoke at length about the signs of Qiyaamat, and he forbid people from delving too deep into matters of Deen, especially the signs of Qiyaamat. Had Allah so intended, events of this modern century could have been clearly predicted

by His Messenger, but Allah sufficed with mentioning a few signs of Qiyaamat in very clear terms.

The policy of Shariah is as Sayyiduna Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) mentioned: “Leave as a mystery that which Allah has made a mystery” In other words, if Allah has left something vague and obscure then He has very good reason to do so. We should not try and delve into the depths of the matter in order to unravel the mystery. In so doing we endanger our iemaan. It is also a test of self-control for the nafs and intellect of man that Allah kept certain things hidden and unexplained.

Almighty Allah wished to see what extent we can curb our curiosity by accepting matters of the future without trying to unearth that which is beyond the realm of our understanding.

While the sequence of events strung together in the Arrivals dvd and integrated with the signs of Qiyaamat mentioned in Quran and Sunnah might appear very appealing and logical, the reality may be something entirely different, simply because all those episodes are man-made and the product of the human mind, and that too, humans

who have no Islamic knowledge or standing. We, therefore, should not blindly believe what is shown on that video.

Watching such videos also creates a type of a paranoia among people and instils fear for imaginary enemies. This is not ideal for a Muslim, who needs to be imbibed with only fear for Allah. Experience has shown that people who studied and wrote about the Freemasons, created such hype among Muslims that some believed these people were invincible and controlled every nook and cranny of the universe. Others again became so intimidated by the so-called World Bankers who controlled the global economy that they almost believed these behind-the-scenes figures could do whatever they wished to the finances of the world. That is almost giving them power that is possessed only by Allah Ta’ala.

Such a concept is highly detrimental to our iemaan and Trust in Allah The Almighty.

In that video mention is also made of the twelve Shite Imams. This, too, is a totally un-Islamic concept which innocent Muslims may accept and believe. The cornerstone of the Shia religion is belief in twelve Imams, but such belief has no roots in Islam.

The authors of the video state at the beginning that they are neither Sunni nor Shia, and that they don’t subscribe to any math-hab. This says a great deal about the religious background and standing of such people. One wonders whether they are Muslims in the first place.

One who boasts of not following a math-hab in today’s times is off the straight path and will lead others into falsehood and misguidance. One who avers that he is nei-

PAGE 7

ther sunni nor shia, has not understood the system of Islamic belief.

Another important factor to take cognisance of is that reading conspiracy theories or watching videos of this nature that were composed by unknown people, or people whose identity is ambiguous and obscure, carries a high iemaani risk. When a film is attractive and appealing to the mind, and captivates the attention of the viewer, one might just be influenced by an incorrect belief and un-Islamic statement that will pass by unknowingly. This is particularly so because most of the viewers are ordinary Muslims who have no strong grounding in Islamic knowledge. In fact, such an audience is the target of this video.

In short, there are several factors that make it un-Islamic and impermissible to watch videos of this nature and we urge Muslims to refrain with immediate effect. Already thousands have seen this video and have become so fascinated by it that they have passed it on to friends and acquaintances.

We confine ourselves to the Divine Teachings of our Shariah and believe in whatever signs of Qiyaamat the Quran and Sunnah have mentioned. The rest we leave to Allah. Most importantly, we need to equip ourselves with good a’maal and strong iemaan to prepare for the events that will unfold before qiyaamat. Watching such videos and getting carried away in the hype they create is of no benefit or consequence.

May Allah Ta’ala guide us and grant us strong iemaan, and save us from the deception of Shaytaan and his followers, aameen

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

* Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said that the curse of Allah descends on that male who perpetrates the action of the people of Loot (Alayhis Salaam), i.e. sodomy. (Dhammul Lawaat Lil Aajiree). * Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said that there are seven types of people whom Allah will not look at (with the gaze of mercy) on the day of Qiyaamah, nor will He purify them, and they will be entered into Jahannam with the first group of Jahnnamis, unless they repent (before death).

If they repent (in this world) then Allah will turn towards them (with forgiveness and mercy). Among the seven is the one who commits sodomy and the one to whom it is done . * Another Hadeeth mentions that there are four types of people who spend their mornings in the Anger of Allah and their evenings in the Displeasure of Allah. Among them is the male who approaches another male for the purpose of sodomy. (Al Kabaa'ir of Dhahabi). * Sayyi di na i bni Abbaas (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) says that if such a person is overtaken with death before he has repented; his face will be turned into the face of a swine in the grave.

It appears among the signs of Qiyaamat that people will gather in rooms overnight to commit adultery or sodomy, and consume alcohol. Come the morning, these sinners will run out of these rooms as swines and monkeys. In other words, Allah Ta’ala will punish them with transmutation overnight.

PAGE 8

(Continued from page 6)

2) In verse 165 of Surah Aala Imraan Allah Ta’ala mentions as a blessing and boon on the Believers four distinct functions of His Messenger. These are: Reading the verses of the Quran to the Ummat, making tazkiyah (spiritual purification) of the Ummat, teaching them The Book and Wisdom. Among these four, teaching Wisdom and affording spiritual purification are functions that developed through Hadith and Sunnah. Even a kid in kindergarten will understand this. Are these ignoramuses so blind that they cannot even understand a simple concept as this? Deaf, dumb, and blind, they shall not return (to the right path) - Surah Baqarah.

3) In Surah Ahzaab, verse 21 Allah’s Messenger is portrayed as Uswatun Hasanah or a Beautiful Example. Could this beautiful example ever be realized without Hadith and Sunnah?

Those who claim to believe in the Quran have to admit that there is just no where we can observe, study, scrutinize, and follow such an example except through the Divine Portal of

Sunnah.

4) One of the lame and stupid reasons that the rejecters of Hadith advance for their kufr belief is that there is no reliable source of hadith existing in the world today. Without even attempting to test the validity of such an absurd and ludicrous averment, simple logic will refute it. If there is no reliable collection of hadith today, then how reliable is the Quran that you believe in? Because the narrators and transmitters of the Quran are the same Sahaaba from whom Bukhari, Muslim, Nasaee, Abu Dawood, Maalik, Shaafi’ etc complied their vast anthologies.

If these compilations are suspect in their entirety, then you, o enemies of Quran, have shaken the very basis of your belief in Quran!. Allah Forbid that we should incline to such kufr.

A FIQHI MAS’ALA These Ahl-e-Quran are not Muslims; hence it will not be permissible for Muslims to marry them or to have any dealings with them whatsoever. They must be treated as murtadds.

ADMISSION TO JANNAT Hazrat Huzaifa says that I heard Rasoolullah say:

One who carries tales shall not enter Jannat.

(Saheehain) It is reported from Hazrat Jubair bin Mut’im that Rasoolullah said:

One who breaks family ties shall not enter Jannat.

(Muslim)

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

PAGE 9 structed to go to Hazrat Umar and inform him that relief from Allah was on its way.’ (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shaybah) Note: Readers should not

This topic is a cause of much confusion among people, for on the one side we have people condemning waseelah outright, while on the other there are those that take this act way beyond limits acceptable to Islam The hadith clearly states: “When you ask, then ask from Allah. When you seek help, seek it from Allah.” (Ahmed and Tirmizhi) Likewise, numerous verses of the Holy Quran make it clear that one is allowed to supplicate only to Almighty Allah, and not to his creation. We are commanded to ask from Him and Him alone. The verse in Surah Fatiha goes as follows: “You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help” In the light of these verses, it is haraam to make dua directly to the Messenger of Allah after his demise and to seek his assistance or ask him for favours. Such dua should be directed to Allah alone, for it is only He who can fulfil requests and accept duas. When standing in front of the Blessed Grave, we will only recite salaat and salaam, and will not ask from him anything.

WASEELAH However, it will be permissible to use the Messenger of Allah as a medium of intercession. This can be done in two ways. We can ask the Messenger of Allah to make dua for us, and we can ask our needs from Allah through his medium. This is called waseelah in Islamic terminology.

The reality of waseelah is to make dua to Allah through the medium of a good act, whether that good act belongs to a living person or to one who has expired. It is actually seeking the medium of Allah’s Mercy in making dua. One asks from Allah through the medium of another who has earned Allah’s Mercy.

PROOF FOR WASEELAH FROM THE HOLY QURAN 1.In Surah Aala-Imraan it is mentioned that when Hazrat Zakariyya (RA) saw how miraculously Hazrat Maryam (alayhis-salaam) received out-of-season fruit and the amazing way in which Allah Ta’ala granted

her sustenance, he was driven to instant dua, asking Allah for a baby during his old age. The Commentators say he made this dua using Hazrat Maryam as a waseelah or medium. (Quran: 3:38) 2.In Surah Baqarah it is mentioned how the Jews used Hazrat Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), who was not yet born, as a waseelah in dua when seeking Allah’s help against their enemies. (Quran: 2:89) They would place their hands on the name ‘Muhammad’ that appeared in the Taurat and made dua using the Prophet to come as a medium.

(Tafseer Roohul-Ma’ani and Durre-e -Manthoor). Since this practice was not condemned anywhere in the Quran – in fact Allah Ta’ala cited it as a favour upon the Jews – it forms part of our Shariah and may be used as tenable proof.

PROOF FOR WASEELAH FROM HADITH 1.The story of three people who were trapped in a cave is mentioned in Bukhari Shareef. Each one made dua through the medium of a good act that they had done in the past.

2.In a hadith narrated by Ibni Majah and declared saheeh of authentic by Abu Ishaaq and other Scholars, it is stated that a blind man was ordered

by Allah’s Messenger to make dua asking Allah to restore his sight through the medium of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

3.Tabarani narrates from Uthman bin Haneef (radhiyallahu anhu), who is the narrator of the above hadith, too, that he (Uthman) instructed a man to make dua through the medium of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), and this was after the demise of Allah’s Messenger. (Tabarani in Kabeer) 4.During the time of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) there was a drought, so a man came to the grave of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Make dua for rain for your ummat, for indeed they have almost perished.’ That same night the man saw a dream in which he was in-

think that we are using a dream as a means of evidence; instead it is the act of asking Rasoolullah for intercession, that was allowed by Hazrat Umar and Sahaaba in his time.

5.A hadith of Rasoolullah states: “You do not receive help and sustenance except through the poor and weak among you.” (Nasaa’ee) 6.Rasoolullah used to seek victory against his enemies through the medium of senior Muhaajir sahaaba.

(Mishkatul-Maseebih) 7.The Sahaaba used to make dua for rain through the medium of Abbas (radhiyallahu anhu), the uncle of Rasoolullah .

At this point some might argue that the Sahaaba used the medium of Abbas (radhiyallahu anhu) during his lifetime, so this proves that one cannot use the waseelah of the dead, only the living. The answer to this is that if one may use the waseelah of the living then to a greater extent will it be permissible to use the intercession of the dead, because the basis of waseelah is the blessing and proximity of the medium in relation to Allah. A living person is not always sure that he will maintain the same blessings and the same closeness to Allah, whereas the pious one how has passed on and gone to Allah is sure to maintain the same level of proximity to Allah and the same degree of blessing, if not more.

No change is possible in a dead person, but change is possible in the living, hence it is more logical to trust the dead for realization of blessing than the living. Ibni Mas’ud used to say: “If you intend following someone, then follow one has passed on, because the living is not safe from corruption.” (Mishkatul-Masaabih) Note: This answer will apply to those who hold the view that The Messenger of Allah is dead in his Grave. For us who believe he is alive, this dilemma does not surface.

Furthermore, it was the demand of respect that in the presence of a family member of Allah’s Rasool, dua should be made through him, whilst at the same time the Sahaaba intended to get the dua of Hazrat Abbas (radhiyallahu (Continued on page 10)

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

(Continued from page 9)

anhu) himself.

8.Ibni Mas’ud (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “My death is good for you (because) your deeds are presented to me. So when I see good deeds I praise Allah and if I see evil I ask Allah for forgiveness on your behalf. ” (Narrated by Imam Bazzar and declared saheeh by Hathami) If The Holy Messenger of Allah makes dua for his ummat whilst in his grave, then this is a clear sign of his intercession for the ummat and that the ummat can actually ask him to make dua on their behalf.

protect him) on Waseelah: 1.Imam Nawawi states that our (Shaafi’) Scholars narrate from AlUtbi, who says that one day he was sitting at the Holy Grave of Rasoolullah when a Bedouin came in front of the grave and said: “Peace be upon you O Messenger of Allah!

I heard that Allah says in The Quran: “And if they, after having wronged their souls, came to you and sought Allah’s forgiveness and the Rasool (also) sought forgiveness on their behalf, then they would find Allah Most Forgiving, Most Merciful”; [Note: According to some commentators, this verse applies even after the demise of Rasoolullah ] So I have

PAGE 10 good news that Allah has forgiven him. (Ibni Katheer RA says this is a well known incident).

2.Imam Shaafi’ (rahmatullahi alayhi) composed a poem in Arabic, the translation of which is: The Family of The Prophet is my medium (by Allah); and they are my means to reach The Prophet; I have hope that tomorrow, through them, I shall be given my Book of Deeds in my right hand. (Ibni Hajar Haitami in AsSawaa’iq) 3.It is written in the books of the Hambali math-hab that Imam Ahmad (rahmatullahi alayhi), who is known as the Imam of the Ahlussunnah, said that it is meritorious to seek intercession through Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) at the time of a drought. (This statement can be found under the Chapter of Istisqaa in Hambali Fiqh)

come seeking forgiveness for my sins and seeking your intercession

by Allah on the Day of Judgment.’

Al-Utbi says that the Bedouin then turn and walked away. A while later I fell asleep and saw the Messenger of Allah (alayhis-salaam) in a dream; he said to me: O Utbi! Go after that Bedouin and give him the

Statements similar to the above, as well as poems conveying the same sentiments and meaning are reported from Allama Ibni Hajar Asqalaani, Ibni Hajar Haitami, Allama Manaawi, Ibnu Daqeeql-Eid, and others. For details see the book Bahjatun-Naazhir

by Hasan Al-Saqqaaf.

I have not left behind a fitnah more harmful to men than women... (Saheeh Bukhari)

sms, or an attractive mms, or even a Juma Mubarak message to snare this pitiful man into her net of fitnah. These women who flirt with other men’s wives, and foster illicit affairs with married men, are themselves the biggest shaytaans, for they contrive to break up marriages with their evil designs.

However, the first person to blame is the man who has displayed weakness and has given in to temptation.

PROOF OF WASEELAH AMONG SAHAABA AND PAST IMAMS The following incidents have been extracted from the book of Shaikh Hasan bin Ali Saqqaf (May Allah

There are innumerable predictions made by The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) during his lifetime that are materializing on a daily basis. We witness daily how his prophesies are unravelling with unerring accuracy. This is the hallmark of a true Messenger of God, and of man of Divine Wisdom and Intellect. The above statement that has been narrated by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim is one of the uncountable accurate forecasts made by Our Noble Messenger. Today women present the greatest and severest

fitnah for men. In this article we zoom in on one particular type of fitnah, and that is extramarital affairs. Illicit relations with women by married men have led to the breakdown of many a nikah, and the evil still continues unabated.

Scores of men have succumbed to the charm of women ranging from the dumb and unattractive, to the smart and appealing. It is an inherent weakness in man that the moment a woman sweet-talks him, he falls for her charm hook, line, and sinker. It takes just one enticing

It has become almost acceptable among men to flirt with females via the internet, cell-phone, or through mixit and other modern means of communication. The old are doing it as well as the young.

They call it “innocent fun”. Allah Forbid! How can sin be innocent, and how can a Muslim brush it off in such a dismissive and complacent manner? On top of all this (Continued on page 11)

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

(Continued from page 10)

mess, when the husband is challenged by his wife regarding such haraam communication then the man erupts in anger. These men wish to commit sin and no one dare question them. They want to be seen as pious and God-fearing by others, but secretly still pursue their nafsaani and devilish designs of zinaa. A Wali of Allah says: “Some of our men have such strong taqwa (in their opinion) that even sin cannot break it!” We continue to pursue Shaytaani flirtation on the one hand, while on the other we wish to remain immune from reproof and condemnation. This is classical hypocrisy. In front of friends and associates we want to appear as prim and pious, but our private life stinks with zinaa. Who are we fooling?

Husbands can fool their wives by covering their trail of zinaa by deleting messages, changing sim-

cards, encrypting communications with passwords, and whatever other means at their disposal. But Allah is watching and He has the power to bring out all this filth within seconds. One husband did whatever he could to avoid detection, but was rudely caught out by his wife when she discovered a cell phone account in the dirt bin that he thought he had destroyed.

Stories like this are numerous. It’s time we realized that in these acts of zinaa we fool none but our selves.

As regards the wife, husbands must understand that Allah Ta’ala created a special barkat and blessing in a nikah, through which each spouse is able to detect the actions and intentions of the other. It is inevitable that the wife will detect any illicit communication by the husband with another woman. The husband in turn, should realize that when Allah has exposed him to the

Understanding their Place and Status in Society (Continued from page 1)

are mandated with the same task that Allah Ta’ala had entrusted to His Messengers. It therefore, follows that the ‘ulema of this Ummat have inherited the heritage of Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), and are thus divinely appointed to continue the work he had fulfilled in his lifetime. To understand what the function of Our Noble Messenger was we turn to verse 165 of Surah Aala-Imraan. It states: “Allah has indeed favoured the believers by sending a Rasool from among themselves; he recites to them Allah’s verses; he purifies them; and teaches them the Book

and Wisdom. And surely, before that they were in manifest falsehood.”

This verse outlines three important tasks of Allah’s Messenger, viz: tilaawat (recitation of the Quran), tazkiyah (spiritual purification), and ta’leem (teaching Quran and Sunnah).

The term hikmah in this verse has been interpreted as Sunnah by all Scholars of Tafseer. The above three functions that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) executed par excellence devolved upon the ‘Ulema of the Ummat after his demise, and they too, fulfilled these tasks in a most admirable and excel-

PAGE 11

wife, it is time for taubah. Instead of getting angry with the wife, he should berate himself. He must actually thank the wife for being instrumental in breaking him out of the spell cast over him by the shaytana with whom he has been illicitly corresponding.

THE CURE Having realized our folly and sin, we now need to look for a cure.

The sin of zinaa and related activities stem from the inability of the man to fight his nafs. He has succumbed very meekly to the temptation of the nafs. There is only one avenue for salvation here and that is to get linked to a spiritual guide. Experience has shown that without the helping hand of a guide, man is totally lost. The dangerous result of such deviation is that man continues living a life of servitude and slavery to his nafs until death overtakes him while still grovelling at feet of the base desires— Allah forbid. Submit yourself to a Wali of Allah, and follow his guidance. Thus comes the Help of Allah.

lent manner, as history testifies. It were the efforts of the ‘Ulema in this field that saw the Religion of Islam being consolidated, its teachings and knowledge refined, and above all, its spread to the length and breadth of the known world.

SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE The period immediately after the demise of Allah’s Messenger was the most crucial in Islamic history. Allah Ta’ala created the Sahaaba, and then the ‘Ulema after them to hold the Deen on course. The legacy of the Messenger of Allah (alayhis-salaam) thus inherited by the ‘Ulema of the Ummat was therefore, nothing beyond the refined and specialist knowledge of Deen.

(Continued on page 12)

AL-FAROUQ NEWSLETTER VOL. 5 NO. 4

Understanding their Place and Status in Society (Continued from page 11)

Rasoolullah also said: I have not received revelation instructing me to be among the traders…. (KanzulUmmal) In another hadith he said: “You know more about your worldly matters (than me). I have been sent only as a teacher (of Religion).”

The Messenger of Allah, therefore, was not sent to further worldly pursuits or scientific goals, nor was his purpose to acquire political sovereignty and territorial gains. His sole and single objective was the spiritual reformation of mankind through the spread of Islam. In the course of this mission he had to fulfil multiple, secondary roles, such as the role of a statesman, a leader, a warrior, a negotiator, etc. But all these positions were secondary and consequential of the primary objective, which was propagating Islam and rehabilitating the failing character of mankind.

MUTUAL COOPERATION This is precisely the role of the ‘ulema today. Scholars of Deen are there for the spiritual and Deeni benefit of the Ummah. Theirs is not to function as leaders in politics, social welfare, scientific reforms etc. There is no denying the fact that several worldly functions are essential for the survival of the Umnmah today, and Muslims will need to interact with modern-day society, but these functions shall not be

fulfilled by ‘Ulema. Instead, there should be mutual co-operation between ‘Uema and rest of the community. The two groups should compliment each other. The ‘Ulema will serve as guides for all these worldly activities on the basis of Quran and Sunnah, while the rest of the community will act on this guidance to execute the various tasks as required. In this manner the Ummat will prosper and the ‘Ulema will be filling the role designated for them.

The above system has also been proven successful throughout history.

Since the time of the Sahaaba the Muslim Ummah enjoyed the benefit of a dedicated group of ’Ulema whose function was solely to guide and teach the Ummah in Shariah Law relatted to politics, warfare, and other social matters. Throughout the corridor of Islamic history we had the ‘Ulema functioning separately and independently in the sphere of religious education, whilst other worldly projects were pursued and cultivated by the political leadership of the Ummah. During the post-Sahaaba era, political positions were held by non-Ulema while the great Imams were left to research and expound the teachings of Shariah. The Kings and Rulers of the day would seek counsel from the ‘Ulema of their times in the administrative and religious affairs of the country.

PAGE 12 Today, too, it must be realised that the ‘Ulema cannot be expected to hold down worldly positions along with religious and spiritual responsibilities.

The Muslim community at large must be prepared to get involved in social and welfare work, and if need be, in the field of politics and government.

However all these activities must be fulfilled within the parameters of Shariah, and this is only possible with guidance from ‘Ulema. Unfortunately today, laymen are loathe to take this guidance from the Ulema, and even if they do, are not prepared to submit to religious advice. We seriously need to rethink our strategy and develop realization of the role of ‘Ulema within our society.

ASSUMING THE ROLE OF ULEMA It is patently clear from the above that laymen, no matter how learned in worldly sciences, are just not qualified to assume the role of ‘Ulema. Unfortunately, the are some today who do not subscribe to this philosophy. Some Muslims believe their secular degrees and scientific accomplishments qualify them to pass comments on religious matters, whereas plain and common reasoning militates against such a concept.

In short, the Ummah will regain its dynamism and become a force to be reckoned with if they realize the role and function of the ‘Ulema and cooperate to achieve the important goals in life.

May Allah Ta’ala give us the understanding of this reality, aameen

Published by: Darul Uloom Abu Bakr: 240 Haworthia Drive, Malabar, Port Elizabeth ‫׀‬ PO Box 4280, Korsten, 6014, PE Tel: 041 457 1501 ‫ ׀‬Fax: 041 457 1326 ‫ ׀‬Email: alfataawa@gmail.com ‫ ׀‬SMS Line: 084 574 9891 Web: www.pedarululoom.blogspot.com | www.askmufti.co.za

174 page book detailing the true accounts of Christian clergy and missionaries who accepted Islam

On sale at the Darul Uloom Get your copy. Phone: 084 574 9891 | 041 457 1501