The integration of contemporary society has brought in its wake an increase in inter-racial and inter-religious marriages. It is now quite common to find mixed marriages across the racial barrier involving men and women from different religions. The Islamic and Shar’ee implications that stem from this phenomenon are far-reaching and extremely important. We propose to discuss all this and more on mixed marriages later on in a separate publication, insha Allah. Right now, though, this article is intended to focus on one of the consequences arising out of a mixed union, and that is the gross contravention of the wife’s rights by husbands who pose as up-keepers of Shariah.
This scenario eventuates when a Muslim man marries a female who reverted to Islam. The newly converted Muslim has yet to acquire the elementary and very basic teachings of Islam, let alone understand the technicalities of an Islamic marriage and its consequences. Exploiting this ignorance of the new Muslim, some husbands commit clear-cut violation of her rights while all the while creating the impression that they are acting within the ambit of Shariah. They break all the rules in the book, and make it appear to the reverted Muslim wife that their actions are sanctioned by Islam. Who, one wonders, do they think they are fooling? It is the height of villainy to pass off one’s zhulm or oppression as a teaching of Islam. What message does this send out to new Muslims, or to non Muslims? A Muslims is supposed to be one who invites people to Islam through his actions. This is the hallmark of a real daa’ee. Instead, the actions of these hypocritical husbands only serve to create further confusion about our Deen, and make people more disillusioned. The noble institution of nikah has been reduced to a mockery by husbands out to simply satisfy their base desires.
OUT ON A LIMB
Some of them will convert young Christian girls to Islam in order to marry them, and then, after having used and abused these naïve females, they abandon them, sometimes without even issuing talaaq. So the poor woman is then totally out on a limb: she has no husband, nor is she able to remarry. Eventually some of these females go back to their former religions and abandon the Deen of Islam. The husband who instigated this whole sorry mess must share the blame for this irtidaad or apostasy. Is this how Muslim men view the sacred union of nikah? What a shame that nikah has become a vehicle for men to satiate their lowly desires, by using innocent and gullible non-Muslim females who come into the Deen and into marriage with high hopes and aspirations. In some cases, reverted females were lured into marriage by incentives of money and good living, only to discover that the man does not even provide basic necessities. These new-Muslims have to actually go out and work to support themselves, thus bringing in its wake another type of corruption. Since they are new to Islam, these women are not grounded in the Islamic concepts of morality and modesty. Just as they had met their Muslim husbands on the streets and in workplaces, what prevents them from striking up another illicit relation in these places? This is the ideal recipe for marital disaster. Cases of this nature have occurred in the past, with devastating results.
ABUSE AND TORTURE
When this happens, the husband then punishes her by withholding expenses, abusing her verbally or physically, or both, or by sheer blackmail because of her dubious past. The verbal abuse and insult goes to an extent where even the poor woman’s affiliation to Deen is questioned. She is made out to be the worst of creatures, and such is the incessant swearing and ridicule that the poor creature eventually starts believing that she is as bad or even worse than the husband says. Such mental abuse ranks among the worst forms of zhulm in Islam. If people like this die before taubah, they will have to pay dearly for such wholesale zhulm. Allah Ta’ala may forgive sins that remain between Him and man but will not grant forgiveness for sins involving the rights of His servants unless pardon is sought from the victims.
FOREIGNERS
Foreign nationals are among the biggest culprits of such marital felony. Some of them marry and then disappear overseas leaving the revert wife totally deserted and lost. There is no contact for months, until suddenly one day the husband appears from nowhere. And that too, if the woman is lucky. Some of these callous and cruel husbands will not re-appear ever again, leaving the poor wife in limbo. She then has to solicit the help of ‘Ulema to annul the marriage so that she may marry again. In some cases these absconding husbands were contacted telephonically and asked about their intentions. They then arrogantly tell the wife: “do what you must do”, or. “you can go and get your fasakh”. These impertinent husbands have failed to fully grasp the sanctity of Islamic nikah, hence they pass such stupid and ill-conceived remarks. Again, what example are they setting to new Muslims? Convenience marriages are also casualties in this sordid affair.
STAUNCH IEMAAN
Alhamdu-lillah, some of these female reverts become so staunch in Islam that they proudly claim, in spite of their husband’s recalcitrance, that they shall never leave Islam, and that the oppression of the husband will never cause them to sway from Deen. However, there are those who are not as firmly committed to Islam, and these poor women eventually drift back to kufr. The sin of them becoming murtadd lies squarely on the shoulders of the husband who had left them in a lurch.
The Holy Quran declares: “And treat wives with kindness and justice” (Surah Nisaa).
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Marital Oppression Under the Guise of Islam
A New Crisis Confronts the Ummah
A recent phenomenon that has confronted the Muslim Ummah is cause for great alarm. It has been witnessed in several parts of South Africa that there is a rise in the number of Muslims become murtadd.
Though the ratio of non-Muslims reverting to Islam is far greater than that of people becoming Murtadd, and though such a phenomenon does not threaten Islam in the least, such is its power and might, yet it is cause for serious concern when people degenerate to the level of irtidaad (becoming murtadd). Just as it is a tribute to Islam’s dominance and independence that irtidaad does not constitute the least threat to its existence, in like manner it is a tribute to Islam’s ideological stability and intellectual might that people who abandon it never do so out of disillusion or lack of conviction in its teaching. When studying the causes of people becoming murtadd, it emerges that the chief reasons are financial, ignorance with regard to Islamic belief, succumbing to lust, marriage to a kaafier, disillusionment with family members, drugs, music, or a combination of all or some of these.
KUFR ASSOCIATION
One major factor that corrupts belief and action, and leads to apostasy, is evil company. There are known cases of teenagers losing their iemaan because they were influenced in this direction by corrupt people. Muslims get involved with atheistic groups who obviously do not believe in Allah. Others were discovered sharing sessions of meditation and forums of discussion with Hindu groups. These Muslims went on to adopt the kufr belief of re-incarnation.
KUFR OCCULT AND
RITUAL
Muslims should be wary of new forms of healing and exercise that actual stem from Hinduism or Paganism. They should avoid attending sessions of yoga, reiki, crystal healing, etc., for the ordinary Muslim will find it difficult to detect the kufr aspects of some of these rituals, as the example of re-incarnation illustrates. Muslims adopted this without even realizing that it is clear-cut kufr. Even if some of these practices appear harmless, it is best to exercise caution.
SECULAR INSTITUTES
The universities of today are ideal breeding grounds for atheism, agnosticism and similar heretical beliefs. Parents should be constantly and unrelentingly vigilant over their sons and daughters who attend varsities. It is already an established reality that our youth lose their Islamic identity and spiritual well-being in these secular institutes. The crisis we now face is loss of iemaan in its entirety.
THE HADITH ON EVIL
COMPANY
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) made the following dua: “O Allah I seek your protection from an evil day, an evil night, an evil moment, and an evil friend.”
‘Ulema state that in this dua the consequences are mentioned before the actual cause, so as to impress the urgency of these matters on the mind of the listener. In other words, an evil day, an evil night and an evil moment are all consequences of an evil companion.
Evil company unconsciously induces evil thoughts and actions. Sometimes, these thoughts are so severe that they threaten the very roots of our iemaan. Many youth do not even know this, in spite of them being highly educated and intellectuals. Elders need to constantly advise the youth as to whose company they should keep. We have stated before and reiterate that even our adults become unwitting victims of bad company.
People who renegade on Islam have bartered away their Deen for the disillusionment of this Dunya. Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran: “So let the world not deceive you, and let not the big deceiver (shaytaan) beguile you with regards to Allah!”
Notwithstanding all of this, our ieman demands that when one Muslim deviates from the straight path, we feel deeply hurt. The hadith describes the brotherhood and bond of this Ummat as the parts of one body. When a limb hurts, the rest of the body feels the effects and suffers accordingly. When even one member of the Ummat suffers spiritual damage (and there is no greater spiritual harm than irtidaad), the rest of the Ummah should feel it. Just as we cannot tolerate insensitivity towards the physical harm and hardship of a fellow Muslim, we, too, cannot tolerate complacency towards the spiritual disaster that befalls Muslims. When a Muslim becomes murtadd, we shall do everything in our power to bring that person back onto the Path of Deen. After having tried our best and failed, we resign ourselves to the Taqdeer of Allah The Almighty. It is then acknowledged that iemaan was not in the taqdeer of that Muslim. (May Allah grant all Muslims death on iemaan, aameen).
The major dilemma that confronts us when a person becomes murtadd is how to deal with such a person. Should he or she be ostracized from the community, or should effort be made to try and bring the person back into the fold? In an Islamic state a murtadd will be given time to consider re-entry into the fold of Islam. If the apostate does not revert within a particular time frame, which depends on circumstances, then such a person shall be executed. In other words, irtidaad or recanting Islam is akin to treachery in an Islamic State, and the same punishment that will be meted out to a (political) traitor or rebel will be ministered to a murtadd.
However, in a non Muslim state, we should firstly try our utmost to bring the murtadd back into Islam. We have to use wisdom, tact, and logical arguments in an attempt to win back this lost soul. If all this fails, then such a person must be totally ostracized. We shall have no more contact with the murtadd, be it our own kith and kin. It will not be permissible to take the life of a murtadd in a non-Muslim country.
COMBATTING THE MENACE OF IRTIDAAD
In order to fight this fitnah and safeguard the iemaan of our Muslim brothers and sisters, we need to look into the causes mentioned earlier. Once we familiarize ourselves with the causes, we can effectively combat this danger.
One cause mentioned was lack of proper Islamic Aqaa-id or Beliefs. This is of extreme importance. Some Muslims exit the fold of Islam because they hold corrupt or concocted beliefs about Islam. We, therefore, need to ensure our children acquire proper Islamic Aqaaid. For this the madresa and maktab system of education is vital. It is deeply disappointing to witness the indifference of parents towards their children’s Deeni education during the early years of a child’s life. We hate to think that failure to equip our children with proper Islamic knowledge when they were small, will one day result in the misery and heartache of irtidaad. We ourselves need to become versed in proper Islamic Aqaaid. Al-Farouq will, insha Allah, carry articles on Aqaaid in a future publication.
Another cause for irtidaad is financial difficulty. How true were the words of our Rasool (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) when he remarked: “Poverty is close to becoming kufr.” It is common in parts of our country as well as the rest of the African continent for Christian Missionaries to exploit the financial woes of Muslims by luring them towards Christianity with monetary incentives. Sometimes this is done overtly, and sometimes covertly. Well-to-do Muslims should form a think-tank and establish ways of assisting these poor Muslims and thus save them from the Missionary onslaught. This will indeed be a major financial sacrifice but, in the end, well worth it.
Marrying across religious barriers is another factor that sometimes leads to kufr. Sadly, Muslim women exit the fold of Islam just to marry a non-Muslim man whom they claim they love. Falling in love with a member of the opposite sex who happens to belong to an opposing religion has been identified as a common cause for irtidaad. Several Muslim women end up marrying their Christian or Hindi boyfriends in the Church or Temple. Some of them openly denounce Islam. (Allah Forbid!) Here the parents have to share some of the blame, for it was their negligence in the first place that allowed their daughters to end up in the arms of a Hindu or Christian. For the future, we need to wake up from our slumber and begin exercising more responsible control over our children. Regardless of how old our son or daughter is, strict supervision and close monitoring should continue. don’t take your child for granted, and never become complacent.
SHUKR FOR IEMAAN
It is a famous teaching of Quran that making shukr for the Bounties of Allah is a cause of protection and enhancement for those bounties. In like manner, making daily shukr for our iemaan will undoubtedly ensure its protection and become a means of strengthening our Islamic Faith. !
May Allah Azza Wa Jall grant us all death with Iemaan — aameen
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Elections in the Light of Islam
The major factor that influences the decisions of an electorate as to which political party they should vote for is the benefits of life that the party could or would create. People look at the party which can provide extra jobs and housing, better living standards, increased subsidies for the needy, free education, more health care, reduction in crime rate, and so forth.. All this can be pinned down to basic material benefits. The party that can deliver on its promises in this regard will get the most votes, thus securing enough seats in Parliament to become the legal rulers of the country.
It is thus absolutely clear that the main purpose for voting in today’s democratic systems is to secure a comfortable worldly life. There is nothing spiritual or religious about this. It is simply a matter of supporting the side which butters the bread. Such voting is not governed by any moral conscience. There is no religious or spiritual benefit to serve as a motivating factor behind these votes.
For a Muslim, who is bound to look at the situation from an Islamic perspective, electing a leader takes on an entirely different hue. In Islam, if Muslims are able to elect or appoint their own leader of state, it is Waajib (incumbent) upon them to do so. In the ensuing paragraphs some interesting facts of true Islamic leadership are highlighted.
INSTITUTION OF KHILAAFAT
Government is referred to in Shariah as Khilafat (Caliphate) meaning vicegerency. The individual who is appointed as a leader of state is termed a Khaleefa. Since the leader of a country is entrusted with the noble task of implementing the Law of Almighty Allah, he is considered the vicegerent of Allah Ta’~la on earth. It can thus be gauged how sacred and supreme the office of State-leadership is in Islam.
THE FUNCTIONS OF ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT
Where this issue is discussed at length in the Books of Aqaa-id, the Ulema of Islam have enlisted the following major tasks that a Khaleefa is required to fulfill:
Execution of the Islamic Justice System and Penal Code;
Meting out justice on behalf of the oppressed;
Establishment of Eid, Jum’uah, and the five daily salah;
Waging of Jihad against those who impede the spread of Islam;
Erection of Masaajid and Madaaris;
Regulating waqf institutions;
Overseeing the wealth of orphans and widows;
Providing relief to the poor and destitute;
Setting up Islamic courts;
Promulgating legislation which is in the interests of the Deen of Muslims.
These are but a few of the main duties to be executed by a Muslim ruler. Readers can thus gauge the exalted and superior status of leadership, and precisely for this reason has Islam laid down stringent conditions for Khilafat.
THE KHILAFAT-E-RASHIDA
The institution of Khilafat began from the blessed time of Hazrat Abubakr (radhiyallahu anhu), and continued through the golden era of the four Khulafaa. Hazrat Abubakr was, therefore, the first Khaleefa in Islam. The era spanning the leadership of the first four khaleefas, viz, Abubakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with them) is termed Khilafat-e-Raashida, or the Caliphate of Righteousness. The Khilafat of Islam dominated the world for over 12 centuries. A decline in Islamic belief and practice, as well as pressure of Kuffar influence, resulted in the Muslims losing their fervour for Jihad, and with it the Khilafat. Most laws pertaining to the election of a leader and government are derived from this golden era of Islam known as the Khilafat-e-Raashid, as we shall outline later.
The Fuqaha have described leadership of state as Imaamat-e-Kubraa (the major imaamat), in contrast to Imaamat-e-Sughra or minor Imaamat which is the imamat of jamaat salah. The Major Imaamat has been ordained by Allah as a representation of the office of Nubuwwat for the safeguarding and management of all Deeni affairs. The establishment of such an office in the Ummat is wajib according to Ijmaa' or the consensus of all Ulema. However, the wujoob here is alal kifayah, so if a few assume and subsequently fulfill this responsibility, the rest will be absolved.
THE OFFICE OF IMAAMAT
In the institution of Khilafat or Imaamat two groups play an important role:
Ahlul Ikhtiyaar or People of Choice
Ahlul Imaamat or the candidates for this high office
The Ahlul-Ikhtiyaar are those equipped with the necessary qualifications, who will elect a leader through mutual consent. The conditions to be found in this group are as follows:
1) Moral uprightness and integrity. They should not be people who openly flout the Laws of Allah Ta’ala.
2) Knowledge of Islam whereby one is able to recognize the qualifications and requisites for Imaamat in a candidate.
3) Wisdom and experience in political matters.
The above three conditions are unique in that they ensure all-round protection for the Ummah. In moral rectitude it is ensured that the individual will be qualified to elect a leader and will do so with utmost sincerity, with the interests of the Ummah at heart. Knowledge of Islam enables one to establish the credentials and qualifications of a candidate and thereby ensure that a suitably qualified man is placed at the helm of the Ummat's affairs. Experience and wisdom in politics ensure worldly benefit.
Readers can thus understand that the system of allowing the masses, most of whom lack good morals and knowledge, to elect a leader is absolutely foreign to Islam. This procedure was created and developed by the West and has no relationship with Shariah.
CONDITIONS FOR KHILAFAT
According to the unanimous view of the Ulema, the person elected as a ruler of State must be:
A Muslim male adult of sane mind, knowledgeable in Islamic matters, upright in morals and character, experienced and prudent in political affairs, courageous and brave, in possession of all faculties of physical perception, sound and healthy in body and limb.
THE ELECTION PROCESS
In Shariah there are two ways a leader may be elected to power:
Through appointment or nomination of the former Khalifa. This was the way Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahi anhu) was elected. Before passing away Hazrat Abubakr (radhiyallahu anhu) nominated Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) as his successor.
Through an election process of a select group. Prior to his demise Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) nominated a panel of six senior Sahaaba from whom the new Khalifa was to be elected. One of the six was Hazrat Uthman (radhiyallahu anhu). When this panel met after the death of Ameerul-Mumineen, they unanimously chose Uthman (radhiyallahu anhu) as the third Khalifa of Islam.
To summarize the afore-going:
A leader of an Islamic State shall be elected by a group of such individuals who possess knowledge of Deen, taqwa, experience in political matters, and have the interests of Islam at heart. The number of this group can vary. It can consist of 6 people or 600. The condition is that the person they elect must have the qualifications of Khilafat, as mentioned above. If an outgoing leader nominates a successor, such a nominee automatically becomes the new ruler upon the demise or resignation of the former.
It is thus evident that in Islam it is not necessary for the whole country to vote in order to elect a leader. Essentially Muslim countries are obliged to adopt one of the previously mentioned procedures when electing a ruler into power. This has been standard Islamic procedure since the golden age of the Khilafat-e-Raashida, and continued through twelve centuries of Muslim world domination. At no stage was the concept of democracy or majority vote ever implemented by past Islamic governments. It was only after the curtain had come down on true Shariah based khilafat, that Muslim (not Islamic) governments began adopting Western style democracy. This was predictable, given the heavy Western Kuffar influence that saturated the modernized Muslim at the time.
VOTING IN A MUSLIM STATE
Notwithstanding the above, should a Muslim country allow voting en masse and elect a president or prime minister through majority vote, such an individual will become a recognized ruler of the Muslim state. That election process will be upheld. It will be obligatory on all citizens of that country to offer allegiance and obedience to such a ruler, unless he degenerates to the level of kufr, for then he loses his status as a leader.
However, it is wajib or incumbent upon Muslim governments to revert to the age-old Islamic system of electing their rulers, as outlined in the afore-going paragraphs. This was the sunnah of Nabi Muhammed (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). This is indeed one of the major reasons why our Muslim governments lack the muscle and courage to assert their authority on the world scene today. They have discarded not one, but countless sunnats of Nabi Muhammed (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Our success lies only and only in following the path etched out for us in sweat and blood by the Blessed Rasool of Allah Ta’ala. May Almighty Allah shower his choicest blessings and salutations upon that Noble Rasool.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Islamic Concept of Modesty
Question: I am a western non-muslim woman. Help me understand the purpose of modesty.
Thank you for your interesting query. I trust the following explanation will provide the understanding you seek. At the outset I have to state that as a Muslim I shall be writing on this issue from a purely Islamic perspective, but will include real-life experience and human resources to support the Islamic theory.
It appears that in today's times it is only Islam that still extolls the virtue of, and advocates modesty in females. Other creeds and ideologies seem to have all discarded the importance of modesty in females, the ill effects of which I shall highlight later.
God created man and woman, and established a natural bond of love and attraction between the two. The purpose of this bond and affinity was to provide for the reproduction of human life over the period that this world would exist. Without this natural attraction and gravitation, there would be no cohabitation and no resultant off-spring. It was, therefore, imperative for the promotion of human life on earth that the one species be attracted to the other. Whilst experience of human nature will prove that both species experience different levels of attraction to the opposite sex, it is ultimately the male who is prone to greater desire and temptation. In Islam we believe the main reason for this is to put man to trial and test, an underlying concept that is attached to many of the laws of our Faith. Be that as it may, the fact is that according to this divinely ordained
system, man has always been attracted to woman.
In order to pass this test and prove himself to be truly a man of God, the male species has to avoid all forms of temptation, has to be always vigilant, control lust and desire, and wage a constant war against his lowly, base desires. When he achieves this, he rises to great spiritual heights and contributes to a morally clean society. On the other hand, should man fail to temper his lust and control desire, the disastrous consequences of such failure will reverberate throughout the strata of human life, as is evident today.
However, Almighty God has, in all fairness, levelled the playing fields by imposing certain restrictions on female dress and appearance, thus aiding man in his struggle against carnal desire. Such a rule for the female represents her test and trial. Women naturally pride themselves on attraction and adornment, so it is a challenge for her to rope in her instinct and aspirations, and adopt the path of modesty. So man is saddled with the challenge of lowering his gaze and safeguarding his desire, whilst the woman is challenged with the restriction of modesty in dress and appearance. The one compliments the other.
There is overwhelming evidence today, both in practice and scientific research that immodest dress, seductive behaviour and body language, as well as general exposure by women contribute to a number of societal ills. Dressing invitingly, speaking in a seductive tone, exposure of body parts and flesh, are factors that incite men towards rape, among others causes. Modern research on rape is clear on this. Females who exhibit their attractiveness and finery attract at first level, the stares of men, and at second level greater male attention. As a result married men who succumb to extra-marital affairs and carnal satisfaction end up destroying their marriages, whilst the unmarried are driven towards illicit sex, which in itself brings a host of complications that destroy moral fibre and impede spiritual advancement. Domestic problems create instability in the family environment, which in turn affects children, who then cannot perform at the desired educational levels to become role-players in their society. Through fornication the morality of a society is severely impaired. Greater female exposure brings about a ripple effect across the male spectrum of society, to the extent that it becomes acceptable for the female body to be subject to exposure and exhibit. The social evil of prostitution is another horrific spin-off from promiscuity.
It is therefore, in the best interest of humankind to impose modesty upon females. Islam has, through The Divine Plan of God Almighty, acknowledged these evils and created a mechanism to deal with it. This mechanism is the hijaab or system of segregation of sexes and the modest dress code for females which is mentioned in many places in the Holy Quran. In Chapter 33, verse 59 of the Holy Quran Almighty Allah provides the rationale for the law of hijaab or female concealment: "so that they may be recognized as noble or decent women, and thus not be molested"
Female molestation and sexual harassment are social ills endemic to our communities. The root cause of this on-going social malady is female immodesty and exposure. Even some female celebrities today have acknowledged such a reality. It is, therefore, a tribute to Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that structures were placed to deal with these social ills and safeguard the morality of both men and female.
In Islam a female is required to cover her entire body from the gaze of men who are not closely related to her, such as father, brother, son, nephew, etc. The face may be left open, but some Scholars opine that even the face should be concealed whenever possible.
This is, in a nutshell, the Islamic concept of modesty.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Better Business Dealings
Aayat number 282 of Surah Baqarah, is the longest verse in the Holy Quran, and consists of 21 sentences. “Aayat’ does not necessarily mean sentence; instead, one verse may consist of several sentences, as is the case with verse 282. Some verses of the Holy Quran contain only one sentence, whilst others have more than one.
Our focus here is the meanings conveyed to us by Allah Azza Wa Jall in verse 282 of Al-Baqarah. This aayat was revealed to teach Muslims how to conduct their business dealings and thus provide for greater harmony. There is no gainsaying that poor dealings lead to poor communication, and that in turn leads to break up of unity. Whilst it is clear that the causes of our failure to unite are not only found in bad business dealings, poor dealings can certainly be identified as at least one of the main causes for mutual discord.
To make it easy for readers, we will list hereunder the guidelines mentioned by Allah Ta’ala in verse 282, without going into the full translation of this aayat,
1. When doing a deal on credit, write it down. The word used in the aayat is dayn which means buying goods and paying for them later or paying for them in instalments.
2. If need be, solicit the help of a scribe or accountant to assist in recording the transaction.
3. The scribe or accountant should not refrain from fulfilling this responsibility when asked to do so. It has, thus, been made imperative upon him to record the deal between two parties if they request his assistance.
4. The scribe should write what is dictated and conveyed to him by the debtor (the one owing the money). But he (the debtor) should fear Allah and not cheat by dictating an amount less than what he actually owes.
5. If the debtor is ill or frail and cannot dictate, then he should appoint his representative to dictate the terms of the deal. The representative should be just in this matter.
6. Two witnesses should be present at this deal. Ideally the witnesses should be two adult (baaligh) males.. However, if two men are not available then one adult male and two adult females will suffice.
7. The witnesses must be people of integrity and reliability.
8. The witnesses should not refuse to witness a deal when asked to do so.
9. People should not be lethargic or complacent to write down even the smallest transaction.
10. If the deal is cash then there is no need to put it into writing.
11. However, we are encouraged to have witnesses for all transactions.
12. Witnesses and scribes are not to be intimidated or threatened in any way. This is an act of transgression.
13. Taqwa or God-fearing should be dominant when doing any deal. This will ensure honesty and fairness.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Women and Work
In a recent Radio program broadcast from Cape Town and aired on our local community Radio, a female interviewee mentioned that the idea of women not being allowed to work was that of ‘Indian’ Ulema and not standard teaching of Islam. She further averred that the Muslim woman should take her rightful place in society, and that is to get into the work place alongside male counterparts. This article is designed to refute these obnoxious and spurious claims that make a mockery of Islamic teaching.
Firstly, it is great lie to claim that ‘Indian’ Ulema, or Ulema from the Indo-Pak subcontinent rule that women are not allowed to work, for two reasons: One: there is no blanket law in Islam that prohibits a female from working, for that depends on circumstances, as we shall explain further.
Two: when a fatwa was issued prohibiting females from working under specific circumstances, it was based on Quran, Hadith, and rulings of Arab ‘Ulema of the past. This has nothing to do with Indian or Pakistani ‘Ulema. Let us now proceed to understand this issue in proper Islamic terms.
The Shariah of Islam has allocated distinct roles to man and woman. Each of these species of Allah’s creation have unique and singularly peculiar characteristics vested in them by The Permission and Will of Almighty Allah, and based on this Allah Ta’ala has identified certain responsibilities. In Surah Baqarah, verse 233 Allah Ta’ala declares: “And upon the fathers is their (the mothers) sustenance and clothing.” Then in Surah Talaaq, verse 6 Allah Ta’ala commands: “House them (your wives) in the places you live, according to your affordability..” In the very next verse of the same Surah, Allah Taa’la repeats the command to spend on wives from one’s ability. These verses allocate the duty of expenses to the husband, and this then becomes his Shar’ee role. The nature of a man is such that he possesses the ability and strength to go out and work. The emergence of man is in perfect concord with the Law of Nature, which is the Law ordained by Allah.
On the other hand, Shariah has devised a different role for females. In Surah Baqarah, verse 233 Allah Ta’ala states: “And mothers shall breastfeed their babies for two full years… In this verse the mother has been allocated a maximum period of two years for breastfeeding, one of the crucial stages of a baby’s development. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said in a hadith narrated in Saheeh Bukhari: Each one of you is a shepherd and each one will be questioned about his flock. A woman is a shepherd over the household of her husband, and she will be questioned about her charges. Here the Muslim woman is saddled with the task of rearing her children and controlling the household affairs. From these few quotations, which are few of many, it is evident that the role of the female is domestic in essence. This is the natural law for females established by Allah Ta’ala. Note that we have quoted Quranic verses and sayings of Allah’a Noble Messenger (alayhis-salaam). These are not views expressed by ‘Indian’ Ulema.
When humankind go against this natural Law of Allah and they attempt to subvert the Divine System created by Allah The Almighty, the consequences are serious and far-reaching. By sending women out to work alongside men, in breach of Allah’s Law of Nature. the result will be nothing but societal chaos. It is no small wonder that our society today is in such turmoil. Every alteration to nature brings in its wake unbearable consequences. The Holy Quran refers to this as wide-spread corruption on land and in sea because of man’s doings. (Sura 30, verse 41)
The Devil, Iblees swore an oath when he was expelled from Jannat. He said: “I shall certainly command them, and they shall alter the creation of Allah..” (Sura Nisaa, verse 119) ‘Ulema of Tafseer say that this alteration of Allah’s creation refers to any form of change in the Natural Law of Allah, from the shaving of beard to the abandonment of hijaab. The concept of the working woman is exclusively western in origin and essence. Sadly, our Muslim females, having succumbed to this un-Islamic influence, are following suit. Shaytaan has made good his promise in this regard, for undoubtedly the role envisaged by Shariah for women has been drastically altered.
Many ahadeeth of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) prohibit females from emerging. Once The Messenger of Allah (alayhis salaam) said: “A woman is an object of concealment. When she emerges, shaytaan fixes his gaze upon her. And the closest she is to Allah is when she is in the innermost recess of her home.” (Tabarani) Here is another emphatic command from Shariah for a female to exercise caution as regards emerging. How can a Muslim then echo statements of the West that ‘females should take their rightful places, alongside menfolk in the work environment’? A female’s rightful place in society is the role allotted to her by Allah Ta’ala.
At the same time, let it be made clear that during times of need, a woman is allowed to leave home. It appears in Saheeh Bukhari that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) permitted women to leave the home for the fulfilment of their needs. Hence, if a woman has no form of income and no means of survival, she is allowed to leave home and earn a living, on condition that she retains her hijaab and avoids intermingling with men. It is precisely for this reason that a widow who is in iddat may leave the house between sunrise and sunset to earn a living, whereas the divorcee may not do so since there is a husband to support the latter but not the former.
A woman is also allowed to work from home and acquire income. The Holy Quran has afforded women their share of income. In Surah Nisaa, verse 32, Allah Ta’ala states: “For men is a share of what they earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned.” In this sacred verse, Allah Ta’ala has clearly granted women her individual right to any property that she has earned. So clearly Islam does not deprive women of the right to earn and the right to own property. Islam came to restore and not restrict the rights of females. However, when an individual is granted permission by Allah Ta’ala to acquire certain rights and privileges, he or she may only do so whilst simultaneously observing the other rules and regulations of Shariah.
It is erroneous to assume that one may go about enjoying a privilege granted by Shariah, but at the same time discard other laws that apply to the same individual. For example, when Islam allows man to acquire property, man is still bound to observe the other laws of Islam such as salaah, fasting, Hajj, etc. He may not argue that since Islam granted freedom to work and earn an honest living he had to abandon salaah because work prevented him from offering salaah, or from performing Hajj. In like manner, a female may not contend that since Islam has accorded her the right to earn and acquire wealth, she may discard Hijaab and intermingle with men. In short, all the laws of Islam must apply in harmonious conjunction, and this is quite simple for those who sincerely wish to fulfil the commandments of Allah. Rather than contradict each other, the Laws of Shariah are perfectly complementary to one another, and only people ignorant of Deen will fail to observe this.
From the afore-going paragraphs we can conclude that during times of need, such as when a female has no income and desperately needs money to support herself and her kids, Islam will allow her to work under conditions of hijaab and purdah, whilst avoiding any interaction with men. But for a Muslim female to get into the work environment just to pursue a career and perpetuate a Western trend, is a serious breach of Shariah and conflicts with the Law of Allah. As explained earlier, this is also against the Law of Nature.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Need for Halaal Awareness
Every Believer who has some degree of iemaan knows the importance of consuming halaal. For those with stronger iemaan and intensified taqwa, the consumption of halaal is of primary importance, and for very good reason.
In a narrative delivered by Hazrat Abu Hureira (radhiyallahu anhu) Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said: “O People! Verily Allah is Pure and only accepts that which is pure. And verily Allah has commanded the Believers with that which He commanded the Messengers; He says (to the Messengers): “O Messengers! Eat from pure, wholesome foods and perform righteous deeds.” (Surah Muminoon, verse 51) And He says (to the Believers): “O Believers! Eat from the pure, wholesome foods that We have provided for you, and offer thanks to Allah if indeed it is He Whom you (truly) worship”. (Surah Baqara, verse 172 ).
Then Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) mentioned a man who travelled a far distance, was dishevelled, weary and tired. This weary traveller stretches out his hand to Allah in dua, and exclaims: “O My Lord! O My Lord!” Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) says: “But his food is from haraam, his drink is from haraam, and his clothes are from haraam, so how can his dua be accepted?
THE HALAAL CONNECTION
Aayat 51 of Surah Muminoon underscores the importance of eating halaal and pure foods and by following up the command to eat halaal with the command to do righteous deeds, there is a distinct connection between the two. Ulema of tafseer say that this verse (23:51) is clear proof that eating halaal is the catalyst for good deeds in the life of a Believer. This natural habit remarkably propels man towards piety. These Ulema then infer that since halaal food can produce good deeds in man, it logically follows that haraam food prevents good and induces the perpetration of haraam acts. The verse cited from Surah Baqarah makes reference to this very fact; that the command to eat halaal foods is followed by the instruction to make shukr and to offer true worship. There is, therefore, no room for doubt, that halaal food plays a huge role in the fulfilment of good and the shunning of evil. By the same token, haraam food stifles the predilection of man towards good, whilst creating an insatiable appetite for sin.
DUA AND HARAAM
The narrative of Abu Huraira mentioned previously highlights another calamitous consequence of consuming haraam, and that is the rejection of dua. Here, too, countless Auliyaa and Ulema have concluded beyond all shadow of doubt that the chief cause of our duas not being accepted is the consumption of haraam.
One the one hand, the Ummat-a-Muslima (Muslim Nation) has undergone an outward resurgence of iemaan, but on the other hand, inwardly they have either retrogressed or temporary stalled in spiritual achievement. We sometimes wonder why Muslims are so lethargic when it comes to performance of good deeds, just as we look on aghast at the numerous vices committed by Muslims. There appears to be an increase in the appetite of Muslims for evil and vice, and decline in their desire for good. One reason this retrogressive pattern of Muslim behaviour can be attributed to is the consumption of haraam. Haraam food has the capability of blackening the heart and eroding its (the hearts) iemaani lustre and glitter. With a heart filled with darkness, one loses the inclination for good and hankers after evil. Consuming haraam creates laziness in the rooh and disinclination towards good a’maal. This lethargy towards a’maal-e-saaliha (righteous deeds) then makes one predisposed towards evil and sin. The nafs of man, though ingestion of haraam food, develops an insatiable desire for sin and vice. When this spiritual cancer sets in, it becomes extremely difficult if nigh impossible, to reverse the process and make man more inclined to good than evil. The only way, really, to achieve this, is to wean off the nafs from haraam. It is with this motive and objective in mind that we perceived the need to highlight the importance of halaal consumption.
DECEPTION
At this juncture, let it be known that we are focussing on one aspect of haraam consumption, and that is haraam foods, particularly meat and poultry. Many Muslim families and individuals will consume meat and chicken served at non-Muslim restaurants or roadhouses without the least concern for haraam and halaal, just on the basis of a certificate.
It is important for the Muslim public to understand the nature of halaal certificates that non-Muslim outlets possess. A non-Muslim’s main concern is to rake in as much money as possible through his business. He has absolutely no concern for halaal and haraam. In reality a disbeliever could not care less whether a Muslims eats halaal or haraam; instead some of them are bitter opponents to the halaal and haraam industry. We thus discovered in the past that some non-Muslim food establishments produced faked certificates just to hoodwink Muslims and capture their business.
Recently, in Port Elizabeth a certain fast food outlet issued leaflets advertising their products. In one corner of the leaflet there appeared, in small print, the halaal logo of a famous national halaal certifying body. This obviously created the perception to Muslims that the products of this outlet were certified by a Muslim Body and were thus halaal. However, upon investigation it was revealed that this outlet was never ever certified by the Halaal Certifying Body. Somehow, this Port Elizabeth outlet managed to obtain leaflets that were distributed by its Johannesburg branch, which is managed by Muslims and certified halaal, and issued these to local consumers. Obviously, this created the impression that the PE branch was also halaal certified.
On another occasion, tenders were given out for halaal food to be supplied to a certain prison. One of the tenders came in from a non-Muslim food supplier who produced photo-copies of an original halaal certificate that they had managed to procure from a Johannesburg branch, yet the certificate clearly states: PHOTO-COPIES NOT VALID. These are just a few examples of how non-Muslim establishments will hoodwink Muslims just to win their patronage. Theses atrocities in the halaal industry will continue to plague our Muslims for they have become so accustomed to eating out and dining at non-Muslim restaurants and food establishments. Muslims will purchase meat and chicken from non-Muslim chain stores on the flimsy (and totally absurd) grounds that “the till slip says ‘halaal’!´ This is indeed atrocious, and laughable had it not been so serious.
Many Muslims are victims of consuming haraam unknowingly. But being unaware of the permissibility of a product is no excuse when strong grounds of doubt exist. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Halaal is clear and Haraam is clear. Between the two, there are doubtful items. He who avoids these doubtful items has purified his honour and his Deen. And he who indulges in items of doubt, will soon fall into haraam.” (Bukhari Shareef) This hadith shareef refers to those items or acts that have become doubtful on the basis of strong reasons. Can there be a stronger reason for doubt than the fact that kuffar are procuring, preparing, cooking and serving these meat and chicken products that we Muslims consume?
CERTIFICATES
Some may argue that these kuffar are in possession of halaal certificates. Well, we have answered this conclusively above, where it was established that reliance cannot be placed anymore on mere certificates when there is neither Muslim supervision nor thorough inspection by the halaal certifying body.
Muslim consumers must understand the halaal certifying process. The Jurists of Islam have laid down a strict principle for meat and poultry sold by kuffar to be considered halaal for Muslim consumption, viz., that there must be strict and continuous Muslim supervision of such products. Should this be lacking in any department, the hillat or lawfulness of such products become severely compromised and doubtful. It then becomes compulsory on Muslims to abstain from the consumption of such foods. We are aware that not all halaal certifying bodies maintain strict standards of inspection and monitoring. It is for this reason that we warn Muslim consumers to exercise extreme caution, for the sake of their iemaan and righteousness.
Today Muslims freely visit Nandos, Kentucky, Macdonalds, and a host of other non-Muslim owned franchises and consume the food manufactured by these establishments, with little or no concern for the halaal status of such food. It is ironical and deeply saddening to see Muslims piously offering their salah in a musjid, and soon thereafter end up at a non-Muslim restaurant to enjoy with relish the meat or chicken served there. Do they not realize that such injudicious behaviour puts their a’maal or good deeds at serious risk? The deeds of one who consumes non-halaal food are not accepted by Almighty Allah as long as the effect of that haraam remains in the body. In a hadith of Bukhari it appears that as long as one wears clothes earned through haraam, one’s salaah will not be accepted. It is high time we Muslims learnt self-discipline and control. Another hadith of Saheeh Al-Bukhari teaches that for a person to reach piety it is incumbent that he or she shuns that which is doubtful and opt for that which is doubt-free.
We once again, emphasize, that part of our spiritual retrogression must be attributed to the ingestion of foods that are either doubtful or clear-cut haraam. Once Muslims have cultivated the taste of fast-food outlets, and consume this without much conscience about halaal and haraam, it becomes an almost Herculean task to break the habit and abstain. Even now, we believe, there is still time for us wake up to this reality and begin developing a resistance to the fast-food eating style. “The fire is more deserving to flesh that was nurtured through haraam” was the stark warning issued by Our Beloved Master (Bukhari shareef). Let this hadith, as well as our God given iemaani conscience guide us to the right choice – Allahumma aameen.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Bay'ah
Bay’ah (also pronounced bay’at) is a mutual pledge relating to the striving, arranging, executing and adhering to the laws of A’maale Zaahiri and A’maale Baatini. This pledge is called Bay'at-e-Tareeqat which has been in vogue by authoritative trans-mission from generation to generation since the earliest time of Islam.
Rasãlullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam had enacted Bay’at of the Sahabah not only on Jihad, but on Islam and the adherence of the Ahkam (Laws in general) as well on practical deeds (A’maal). This is established by numerous Ahadith. The following is one such Hadith:
"Auf bin Malik Ashja’ee (radhiyallahu anhu) said: We were with Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, seven, eight or nine (of us), when he said: 'Will you not make a bay'ah (pledge) to the Rasool of Allah?' We stretched out our hands and enquired: On what shall we make bay'at to you, O Rasool of Allah? He said: 'That you make the Ibadat of Allah; that you associate nothing with Him; that you perform the five Salah; that you hear and obey." (Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nisai)
On this occasion the Bay’at which Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam took from the Sahabah was neither Bay'at Imani (Pledge of Ieman) nor Bay'at Jihadi (Pledge of Jihad). This Hadith is categorical proof for the system of Bay’at practiced by the Masha-ikh of Tasowwuf.
THE NATURE OF BAY'AT
The meaning of bay'at (ba ya ‘a - to sell) is inherent in Bay’at . Bay’at thus implies that the mureed ‘sells’ himself to the Shaikh. In other words he has sold himself to the Shaikh in preparation of ahkam-e-zaahirah and ahkam-e-baatinah (i.e. to learn to give practical expression to the Law of Allah Ta'ala). The nature of this ‘sale’ envisages that the searcher after the truth (taalib) should repose implicit trust and faith in his Shaikh. He should understand and accept that the advices and prescriptions, admonitions and prohibitions of the Shaikh are all designed and motivated for his (the mureed's) spiritual well-being. The taalib shall not interfere with or impede the diagnosis and prescriptions of the Shaikh. He should have implicit faith to such an extent that he should believe that in all the world there is none in his knowledge who can benefit him more than his Shaikh. In the terminology of Tasawwuf this conception of implicit faith in the Shaikh is known as wahdat-e-matlab (unity of purpose). Minus this conception, the ceremony of Bay’at is meaningless and of no benefit because congeniality (munasabat) with the Shaikh is an essential condition for islah (reformation) of the nafs.
The sign of the existence of congeniality (munasabat) between the Mureed and his Shaikh is that the heart of the Mureed does not object to the respect, statements and acts of the Shaikh. Should any objection arise in the heart regarding the Shaikh, the mureed should grieve and feel depressed.
The external form of Bay’at is beneficial to the general public since it induces reverence and respect in them for the Shaikh. As a result, they readily accept the Shaikh's statements and are constrained to act accordingly. However, for the elite (khawas), i.e. the Ulama, Bay’at proves beneficial after a period has been spent in association with the Shaikh. By virtue of Bay’at a bond of sincerity (khulus) is generated between the mureed and the Shaikh. The Shaikh considers the mureed to belong to him and the mureed considers the Shaikh to belong to him. There does not remain any suspense between them.
THE FOUR SALAASIL (SPIRITUAL ORDERS)
Like there are four Math-habs (Schools of Thought) in Fiqh, viz. Hanafi, Shaafi, Maliki and Hambali, so too, are there four schools (Orders) in Tasowwuf, viz., Chishtiyya, Qaderiyyah, Naqshabandiyyah and Suharwardiyyah. Our akaabir (authorities in Tasowwuf)initiate the bay'at in all the four Spiritual Orders, so that respect for the four Salaasil is maintained although the Chishtiyyah Order is dominant (among our pious predecessors).
FOUNDERS OF THE FOUR ORDERS
The founder of the Chishtiyyah Silsilah or Order is Hazrat Khwajah Mueenuddin Chishti Ajmeri (rahmatullahi alaihi) of Ajmer, India.
The founder of the Qadiriyyah Order is Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (rahmatullahi alaihi) of Baghdad, Iraq.
The founder of the Naqshbandiyyah Order is Hazrat Shaikh Bahauddin Naqshbandi (rahmatullahi alaihi) of Bukhara, Russia.
The founder of the Suharwardiyyah Order is Hazrat Shaikh Shihabuddin Suharwardi of Northern Iran (rahmatullahi alaihi).
THE MODE OF BAY'AT
The Bay’at is enacted by the Shaikh taking into his right hand the right hand of the mureed (disciple). If the group contracting the Bay’at is large, the Shaikh uses a length of cloth onto which each member of the group holds with his right hand. Ladies who contract the Bay’at do so from behind a screen. A mahram of the lady should also be present at the Bay’at ceremony.
Hazrat Ayesha radhiyallahu anha said: “Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam never touched the palm of a woman, but he would take the (pledge-bay'at) from her (verbally). Upon having made the bay'at he would say: 'Go! Verily, I have already made bay'at with you.'" (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood)
It is for this reason that in entering ladies into the bay'at, the Masha-ikh do so verbally or by means of a cloth which is spread from the Shaikh to the lady behind the screen.
This is the method of bay'at when in the presence of the Shaikh. Those who are not able to present themselves personally to the Shaikh could contract the Bay’at by means of a letter or through the agency of a responsible and trustworthy person. This form of Bay’at is called bay'at-e-Uthmani. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam on the occasion of bay'at-e-Ridhwan made the Bay’at of Hazrat Uthman in his (Uthman's) absence. On this occasion, Rasoolullah r placed his right hand on his left hand and announced that he has made Bay’at of Uthman. (The bay't in absence of the mureed is therefore termed bay'at-e-Uthmani.)
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Question of the Female Voice
In Surah Ahzaab, verse 32, Almighty Allah instructs the noble wives of Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam with the following: "...if you do fear (Allah) be not too complaisant of speech lest one in whose heart is a disease, should be moved with desire: but make a statement that is just.” This command makes it quite clear that the voice of a woman, by nature, can be alluring to the degree that passions of men folk are aroused. Hence she is ordered to alter that alluring and seductive tone in her voice when the need arises to converse with men. She should speak, not rudely or offensively, but in a matter-of-fact manner without overtures.
The question of whether the female voice is an object of concealment (satar or purdah) has been debated by the Scholars of Islam. We provide some food for thought on this issue, especially during times when Muslims have sadly discarded the Islamic injunctions on hijaab, and are facing the detrimental effects of such abandonment.
Shaikh Ali Saabooni supports the Hanafi view that the voice of a woman is satar. He quotes the following hadeeth shareef in his book, Raw’iul-Bayan (vol. 2 p.157): “Takbeer is for men, and clapping hands is for women.” That is, when she has to drew attention, she will clap the hands, while a man will recite takbeer. This proves that her voice will always remain concealed.
There is debate among Ulema over whether a woman should cover her face or not. The majority of Ulema rule that it is waajib for her to cover the face because the ultimate beauty and attraction lies in the face of a woman. She may uncover the face in cases of necessity. Needless to say, these Ulema have advanced strong proof for their claim, which we will not mention here. In like manner, debate has surfaced over the pardah of a woman’s voice. There is a large group of Ulema who say that her voice is also an object of concealment, only to be exposed when necessary. The use of the voice is a major necessity in our lives, so this she is not denied. In fact, the necessity of using the voice is far greater than exposing the face. According to the Maliki math-hab, the voice of woman is aurah. In the Shaf’ee and Hambali Math-habs, there are two views, one that it is aurah, the other that it is not. Both views have been narrated from Imam Ahmed bin Hambal (R.A.) Likewise in the Hanafi Math-hab there are two views of equal strength. All the Schools of Fiqah are unanimous on one issue, though, that it is haraam for a man to listen to a woman speaking or singing in a melodious or alluring tone.
Among the Hanafi Fuqahaa, Imam Abul-Abbas Qurtubi states: When we say the voice of a woman is aurah (object of concealment) we do not mean her (necessary) speech, for she is allowed to speak to strangers when necessary. However, we do not allow her to raise her voice (unnecessarily) or to speak in an alluring, melodious, and attractive way For this leads to arousing the attentions and passions of menfolk. That is why a female is not allowed to give azhaan. (Raddul-Muhtaar)
Here is more food for thought to convey the Shar’ee concept on this issue: A woman may not call out the azhaan; she may not lead men in salaah; she may not make loud zhikr; she may not recite Quran aloud; she may not conduct the Jumu’ah sermon; she may not read the talbiya aloud; she may not read qiraat aloud in salaah. Several Hanafi Scholars such as Allama Ibnul Hummam, Burhan Halabi, etc. say her salah breaks if she reads aloud.
Those Scholars who say that her voice is not an object of concealment are not issuing a license for her to showcase her vocal talents, or to engage in unrestricted conversation with men. She may speak when necessary. Due to the natural danger that exists, the ill-effects of which we are suffering today, Jurists and Scholars rule that both the face and voice must be concealed, and only exposed at the time of necessity.
It is evident from the above that there is a strong case to support the view that the voice of a woman should not be heard unless due to a necessity. The Fuqaha have ruled, on the basis of Qur’aan and Sunnah, that the woman’s voice is intrinsically an object of concealment only to be exposed during times of necessity. In a hadith of Abu Dawood it is stated that some women did not even speak to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, but wrote notes to him instead. Hazrat Ayesha (radhiyallahu anhaa) says that once a woman came to the Prophet of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam with a letter which she handed to him from behind a screen. (Abu Dawood). The Messenger of Allah in turn did not force them to speak up, nor did he disapprove of the practice (of sending in a hand-written note).
When the need arises for a female to ask a question on some religious matter, or to communicate some important information to a male that will be allowed on the basis of necessity. A necessary and unavoidable situation is not something that happens daily and cannot form the basis for a general ruling.
Your Dua: His Moments of Acceptance
The Princess of Muhadditheen and the mother of the Believers, Ayesah Siddeeqa (Radihiyallahu anha) narrates that when the month of Ramadaan would enter Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would increase his salaah, his complexion would change, and he became more fervent in dua. (Bayhaqi)
This condition of his would undergo even further transformation upon the entry of the last ten days of the great month, a period which we are currently enjoying. It therefore, behoves us as followers of this Illustrious Rasool sallallahu alaihi wa sallam to assimilate within ourselves at least a semblance of this fervour, devotion, and commitment to Allah during this holy period.
COMPLEX PROBLEMS
Dua is an act that one cannot do enough of. No ibadat is complete without dua, and no Muslim can do without it, yet the Ummat has shown surprising indifference to this forte of ieman. A cursory survey of the Ummat’s condition at this stage of our history will reveal the true extent of our spiritual and mundane woes. The problems we face are complex, complicated, and seemingly insurmountable. Our marriages are under severe strain, domestic lives are cast into disarray, financial circumstances have become straitened, physical well-being is always threatened by debilitating illnesses, and worse still, the enemies of Islam have joined ranks in a physical and spiritual onslaught against the Ummat world-wide. Any nation would normally capitulate under such austere conditions, but Almighty Allah has given Muslims special spiritual resilience to withstand all the elements of adversity.
While we have experimented with many formulas in an attempt to resolve these and numerous other problems, the cause of failure can partially be attributed to lack of sufficient dua. No doubt, we are making dua, but it appears that our dua has no spark, fervour, or zeal. It must be acknowledged that dua alone cannot solve certain issues and people affected will have to resort to Shar’ee solutions, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that dua has that catalytic effect to convert our efforts into successful solutions. Furthermore, when one has exhausted all avenues in arriving at a solution or in resolving an issue without success, the last recourse is dua. It is this aspect of Islam which we wish to address in this article.
MONTH OF DUA
There are sure to be many complex and unsolvable issues that we have almost given up hope on. Well. Ramadaan is the month of Dua; the month when the acceptance of duas is guaranteed by Allah Azza Wa Jall. When all else has failed, let us utilize this opportunity to turn to Our Rabb in earnest. When all our efforts have reached a dead end, it is time we allowed the element of dua to prevail. Stretch out that begging bowl before your Creator with a passion that has never been witnessed before. Submit to Allah The Majestic in total humility, admit to Him our failure and weakness, and acknowledge that having reached the end of our tether, we now revert to Him for the alleviation of our difficulties.
This is the actual and factual position of our lives at this juncture. It is our conviction beyond all shadow of doubt that none can alleviate hardship but Allah The Supreme. Confess to Allah: Oh Our Rabb! We have given up all hope of successfully resolving the huge problems that plague us! We are at our wits end! We now petition you, O Almighty Rabb to provide succour, help, and Divine Aid in resolving the complexities of our troubled lives!
Before proceeding with a dissertation on the reality of dua, we need to take cognizance of a most important requisite for the acceptance of dua, and that is the earning of halaal sustenance in whichever form. One who indulges in eating and dressing that were acquired from unlawful or haraam sources can forget about his or her dua accepted. This is proven from the following hadith of Saheeh Muslim:
Hazrat Abu Hureira (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: O People! Verily Allah is Pure and only accepts that which is pure. And verily Allah has commanded the Believers with that which He commanded the Messengers; He says (to the Messengers): “O Messengers! Eat from pure, wholesome foods and perform righteous deeds.” (Surah Muminoon, verse ) And He says (to the Believers): O Believers! Eat from the pure, wholesome foods that We have provided for you. (Surah Baqara, verse ). Then Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam mentioned a man who travelled a far distance, was dishevelled, weary and tired. He then stretches out his hand to Allah in dua, and exclaims: “O My Lord! O My Lord!” Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam says: “But his food is from haraam sources, his drink is from haraam, and his clothes are from haraam, so how can his dua be accepted?
Many great Auliyaa of the past have identified this as one of the major reasons why peoples duas are not accepted. For the record let it be said that there are two types of haraam: one is haraam in the item itself, the other is a haraam that is due to some external factor. Examples of the first are wine, pork, and animals that have not been slaughtered according to Shariah, or any food items that contains one of the above. Example of the second is wealth earned through haraam source such as stealing, fraud, gambling, usury, etc.
From the Ahadeeth of our Beloved Master sallallahu alaihi wa sallam we learn a number of important guidelines when making dua. It is imperative that we adhere to these principles to ensure acceptance of our duas.
When asking from Allah, we need to be convinced of His Ability to grant our request.
One should not ask for anything that is sinful or haraam, such as breaking of family ties, or asking Allah to destroy a Muslim who happens to be one’s enemy.
One should not become impatient if there is a delay in the answering of one’s dua.
To be convinced that a dua is answered in one of four ways: a) Allah Ta’ala either grants exactly what we ask for; b) Or He grants us something else in place of our request; c) Or He wards of some calamity because of that Dua; d) Or He stores that Dua for us in the Hereafter.
One should be firm and demanding from Allah, but with humility and in a begging way.
If one has committed a sin, then first repent from that sin, then place your request before Allah Azza Wa Jall. Hence it should be a standard practice to make istighfaar before a dua.
Begin the dua with praising Allah Ta’ala and Durood (Reciting Salwaat upon Our Beloved Master sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). End the Dua also with Durood.
MOMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE
This brings us to the most important aspect of this article: the precious moments when duas are accepted. There is no greater time for dua than the blessed days and nights of Ramadaan. In a hadith narrated by Imam Bayhaqi, Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is reported to have said:
The sleep of a fasting person is ibadah, his silence is tasbeeh, his deeds are multiplied in reward, his sins are forgiven, and his dua is accepted.
This proves that at any given time of the day or night, when a fasting person raises his hands to Allah, that dua does not fall on deaf ears. Then there is the time of iftaar, another moment of guaranteed acceptance from Allah Azza Wa Jall. The time of tahajjud, just before sehri has always been the choice of saintly people for their duas. When the brothers of Nabi Yusuf (alayhis salaam) confessed to their wrong-doing and requested their father Nabi Ya’qoob (alayhis salaam) to seek forgiveness on their behalf, he (Ya’qoob AS) responded: “I shall soon ask My Rabb for your forgiveness; Undoubtedly He is Oft Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah Yusuf, verse 98) In the tafseer of this verse it is written that the time Hazrat Ya’qoob (alayhis-salaam) referred to in his promise was the latter part of the night, i.e. Tahajjud time.
Numerous ahadeeth mention the efficacy of dua after the faradh salaah. This is another time when duas are readily accepted. Some Auliyaa mentioned that when a Muslim is going through a difficult period in life, such as sadness, depression, stress, loss of life or property or any situation of grief or hardship, then his duas are also quickly accepted by Allah. They deduce this from a hadith-e-qudsee, where Allah Ta’ala speaks to the Ummat. It says: I am by those whose hearts are broken. (Mishkatul-Masabih).
Let us get into the habit of dua with fervour, zeal, enthusiasm, conviction, imploring and begging from Allah The Most High.