ummtaalib

Relaxing Before Ramadān Some people relax for a few days before Ramadān, intending to busy themselves in ‘ibādah once Ramadān begins. Sometimes this relaxed attitude leads them to sin, with a reassuring feeling that they will make tawbah in Ramadān. Firstly, how do they know they will live to see Ramadān? Secondly, the sin committed may have a negative spiritual impact which may last for the duration of Ramadān, preventing the perpetrator from repenting and doing good deeds, even in the blessed month. Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Assalaamu 'alaykum warahmatullaah Welcome to the forum. Insha-allah it is of benefit and Jazaakillaah for the link...we look forward to beneficial contribution

Further reading Death penalty fast facts https://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/19/us/death-penalty-fast-facts/index.html Various methods of execution https://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/student/c/about/methods/hanging.htm

Sources and Acknowledgments 1. http://www.daruliftaa.com/node/5657?txt_QuestionID 2. http://islamqa.org/hanafi/darulfiqh/21987 3. http://islamqa.org/hanafi/darululoomtt/52188 4. http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/16717 5. http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/39412 6. http://www.muftisays.com/forums/63-the-light-side/11946-bible-vs-christians.html 7. http://islamqa.org/shafii/qibla-shafii/34007 8. http://islamqa.org/hanafi/daruliftaa-birmingham/20391

Physical Punishments (as in Islam) Vs Imprisonment Muslims have often come across many people who associate Islam with stoning, Hand-Chopping and terming them as "Harsh", "Barbaric'. While it is true that these punishments do feature in Shariah (Islamic Law), their applications has to met with the strict restrictions and meticulous conditions that should be carefully considered. Are Physical punishments really "Harsh" and "Barbaric"? This can be better answered by the distinguished scholars who have dealt the Topic of Punishment in detail. One example of such a scholar and Philosher is Michel Foucault. He writes in his book "Discipline and Punish" on how the corporal punishments have diminished from the society and its negative consequence : Punishment had gradually ceased to be a spectacle. And whatever theatrical elements it still retained were now downgraded, as if the functions of the penal ceremony were gradually ceasing to be understood, as if this rite that ‘concluded the crime’ was suspected of being in some undesirable way linked with it. It was as if the punishment was thought to equal, if not to exceed, in savagery the crime itself, to accustom the spectators to a ferocity from which one wished to divert them, to show them the frequency of crime, to make the executioner resemble a criminal, judges murderers, to reverse roles at the last moment, to make the tortured criminal an object of pity or admiration. As early as 1764, Beccaria remarked: ‘The murder that is depicted as a horrible crime is repeated in cold blood, remorselessly’ (Beccaria, 101). The public execution is now seen as a hearth in which violence bursts again into flame. He further states: The disappearance of public executions marks therefore the decline of the spectacle; but it also marks a slackening of the hold on the body. In 1787, in an address to the Society for Promoting Political Enquiries, Benjamin Rush remarked: "i can only hope that the time is not far away when gallows, pillory, scaffold, flogging and wheel will, in the history of punishment, be regarded as the marks of the barbarity and as proofs of the feeble influence of reason and religion over the human mind" (Teeters, 1935,30) The above statements clearly shows that these corporal punishments were once a norm and were not seen as "harsh" and "barbaric". Foucault's views have been summarised by Susan Hascall, a Law Professor, in her opening words to the paper "Restorative Justice in Islam: Should Qisas Be Considered a Form of Restorative Justice?"[1], She states: For Foucault, the constant monitoring of the prisoners’ every movement by prison officials abolishes their very humanity. Foucault’s ideas are compatible with both restorative justice ideals and the ideals of Islamic criminal jurisprudence in general, and in particular, the law of qisas (a category of crime that includes intentional homicide and wounding)[2]. Similar views have also been shared by others, like US law professor Peter Moskos who recently pointed out in his book "In Defense of Flogging", the notion that imprisoning someone in a cell is somehow more humane than subjecting them to brief but intense bodily pain is a collective cultural fiction. And it is totally belied by the reality of prison-life in America. Even societies in which vicious corporal punishment was common, notes Moskos, “rarely if ever placed a human being in a cell for punishment.” “Consequently,” he concludes, “that we accept prisons as normal is a historical oddity.”[3] On Islamic Corporal punishments The different punishments/penalties prescribed by Shariah are not in order to inflict harm on people and make them suffer; rather the Shariah concept for imposing penalties for the various crimes is that they prevent harm, destruction and anarchy in the society. They are not prescribed in order to harm people, but the contrary. They act as a deterrent. Allah Most High says: “In the law of retaliation there is (saving of) life to you, O you men of understanding.” (Surah al-Baqarah, 179) The idea behind these various penalties being imposed is not to make an individual suffer, rather to create a better society as a whole, for this the Shariah laid down certain strict rules and conditions in order for the punishment to be established or enforced. These strict conditions can be seen in all the various penalties that have been imposed. If the various conditions are met then and ONLY then the punishment is carried out, otherwise they are not enforced. The objective of laying down strict and stringent conditions is not to get the individual punished rather to save him/her from the punishment. This will become more evident with the following incident that took place in the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace): Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “A man from amongst the people came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) while he (the Messenger of Allah) was sitting in the Masjid, and addressed him, saying: “O Messenger of Allah! I have committed illegal sexual intercourse.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) turned his face away from him. The man came to that side to which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) had turned his face, and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I have committed illegal intercourse.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) turned his face to the other side, and the man came to that side. When he confessed four times, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) called him and said: “Are you insane?” He said: “No, O Messenger of Allah!” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Are you married?” He said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said (to the people): “Take him away and stone him to death.”[4] The above incident shows the importance of trying to avert a legal punishment as much as possible. The man came and confessed to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he had committed unlawful sexual intercourse, yet the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) ignored him, in order that he may change his mind. This (trying to avert a legal punishment) has been explicitly mentioned in one Hadith. Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Keep the Muslims away from punishments as much as possible. If there is any way out for an offender to escape punishment, acquit him. It is better for a judge to make an error in acquittal than in conviction.”[5] With the restrictions that have been laid down by the jurists (Fuqaha), it is “nearly impossible for a thief or fornicator to be sentenced, unless he wishes to do so and confesses.” as described by scholar Rudolph Peters.[6] Finally, one should remember that it is not necessary in order for one’s sin to be forgiven that he/she receives the legal punishment (hadd) for the sin committed. The reason being is that one is not obliged to confess that he/she committed adultery; hence one may keep the sin hidden and not inform the Islamic judge about it. Also the various Islamic legal punishments (hudud) are only carried out in an Islamic state (dar al-Islam) by the Imam, thus repenting to Allah Almighty will be sufficient. So are corporal punishments better than imprisonment? The objective of a punishment has to be understood here, and must be looked as to which provides an easy way of achieving this objective. Dr. Jonathan expalins: [P]re-modern states did not have the means to engage in the type of law enforcement that we consider normal today, particularly preventative policing and the investigation of mundane crimes. This important fact lies behind the severity of punishments found in Islamic law and in many pre-modern legal systems for that matter. Though scholars of criminal law continue to disagree on the best means of deterring crime, a common approach has been the utilitarian one formalized by Bentham. Its basic premise is the following equation: (E)xpected Punishment/Deterrent power = (S)everity of Punishment x (P)robability of getting caught…. E = S x P [7] In a system where there are few or no police or where the police do not busy themselves investigating crimes, moderately intelligent criminals faced little chance of being caught. According to the E = S x P equation, if the probability (P) of being caught is minuscule, then in order for any meaningful deterrent effect to be created the severity of punishment (S) must be mammoth. Frightening punishments were seen as the only way to deter potential criminals whom police (what few there were) would never be able to reach. And we can see how the mindboggling advances in technology and administrative capacity in the mid 1800’s changed Britain’s legal landscape. More effective policing, better prisons and, more importantly, better municipal services and a much-advanced economy meant that more offenders were caught and convicted. (P) went up dramatically, so (S) dropped accordingly. By 1900 Britain had only four death-penalty offenses. As Muslims, we believe that the Sharia is the ideal law in acheiving this objective and that the corporal punishments in Sharia are valid in theory and it's actual implemention is under the control of ruler/state and is not necessary for people to be Muslim[8] If there are other alternatives. End remarks The charge that the corporal punishments enforced in Islam as "Barbaric and "Harsh" is unjust as we see the imprisonment(the punishment as in today's time) is also not free from this charge. As Dr. Jonathan Brown puts: It’s worth considering that the crimes human societies have judged the most acutely harmful – murder and rape – are not included among the agreed upon Hudud crimes. Perhaps the Hudud are not necessarily the most grievous crimes in terms of the toll they take on their victims or society. Fornication and Hudud-level theft are offenses almost by definition done in private, as intoxication could be as well. They are done out of the sight of all but God. Perhaps these stringent laws, which God’s mercy has made almost impossible to apply, exist primarily to remind people of the enormity of the sins that they usually get away with. Recommended read - Stoning and Hand Cutting—Understanding the Hudud and the Shariah in Islam by Dr. Jonathan Brown availbe from : http://drjonathanbrown.com/2017/stoning-and-hand-cutting-understanding-the-hudud-and-the-shariah-in-islam/ Footnotes [1] - Susan C. Hascall, "Restorative Justice in Islam: Should Qisas Be Considered a Form of Restorative Justice?" available from: http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/jmeil/vol4/iss1/2/ [2] - A word about the taxonomy of crimes in Islamic law is necessary for the reader who is not familiar with Islamic criminal law. There are three main types of crimes in Islamic law, the hudud, qisas and tazeer. The hudud crimes are those with a “fixed” penalty. They are considered crimes against God, and their punishments are proscribed in the Qur’an, and sometimes in the Hadith. Although there is some disagreement as to the crimes that are considered hudud, they generally include theft, zina (fornication and adultery), false accusation of zina, apostasy, drinking alcohol and highway robbery. Each of these crimes is punishable by some form or corporal punishment. The qisas crimes include intentional wounding and intentional homicide. The tazeer (or tazir) crimes are other wrongs against persons or the state but for which the punishment is not proscribed in the Qur’an, and the punishment is left to the state or the discretion of the judge. [3] - Peter Moskos, In Defense of Flogging (New York: Basic, 2011), 50. [4] - Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 6439 [5] - Sunan Tirmidhi, no: 1424 [6] - Rudolph Peters, Crime and Punishment in Islamic Law (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), 54. [7] - http://drjonathanbrown.com/2017/stoning-and-hand-cutting-understanding-the-hudud-and-the-shariah-in-islam/ [8] - Shaltut, Fatswa, 45; Jumʿa, al-Bayan, 71; Bin Bayyah, Tanbih, 83-4. Source

Part Fourteen One of the Asharah Mubasharah: Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was one of the ten Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) who were given the glad tidings of Jannah by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in one gathering. Hazrat ‘Abdur Rahmaan bin ‘Auf (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat Talhah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat ‘Abdur Rahmaan bin ‘Auf (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah, Hazrat Sa‘eed (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah and Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarraah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is among the people of Jannah. (Sunan Tirmizi #3747)

Auspicious nights coming up to take advantage of.......

Virtues of reciting Surah Dukhaan Q: Is reciting Surah Dukhaan every night Sunnah or only on Thursday nights? A: Virtue has been mentioned in the Hadith for the one who recites it on any night, however specific mention has been made for the one who recites it on a Thursday night. The Ahaadith are mentioned below. عن أبي هريرة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من قرأ حم الدخان في ليلة أصبح يستغفر له سبعون ألف ملك (ترمذي #2888) Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Whoever recites Surah Dukhaan in the night, he wakes up in the morning in the condition that seventy thousand angels beg forgiveness on his behalf." عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من قرأ سورة الدخان في ليلة جمعة أصبح مغفورا له (بيهقي في شعب الإيمان #2247) Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Whoever recites Surah Dukhaan on Thursday night, all his (minor) sins will be forgiven by the morning." عن أبي أمامة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من قرأ حم الدخان في ليلة جمعة أو يوم جمعة بنى الله له بيتا في الجنة (المعجم الكبير #8026) Hazrat Abu Umaamah (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Anyone who recites Surah Dukhaan on Friday, during the day or on the night of Friday (Thursday night), Allah will build for him a house in Paradise." And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Conceal your sin A general principle in Islamic law is that it is sinful to reveal one’s past sins. One must keep them concealed, as sincere repentance wipes them out and so it is as if the person never committed them.  It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Avoid these sins that Allaah has forbidden, but whoever does any of them, let him conceal himself with the concealment of Allaah and repent to Allaah, for whoever tells us of what he has done, we will carry out (the punishment prescribed in) the Book of Allaah on him.”  As Allah has concealed you, you must also conceal yourself and do not breach the concealment of Allah. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) say: “All of my ummah will be fine except those who commit sin openly, and it is part of committing sin openly for a man to do something at night, then in the morning when his Lord has concealed him he says: O So and so, I did such and such last night, when his Lord had concealed him all night, but in the morning he discloses that which Allah had concealed for him.”  One should remember that it is not necessary in order for one’s sin to be forgiven that he/she receives the legal punishment (hadd) for the sin committed. The reason being is that one is not obliged to confess that he/she committed adultery; hence one may keep the sin hidden and not inform the Islamic judge about it. Imam ash-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "We prefer for the one who has committed a sin that is deserving of a hadd punishment toconceal the matter and to fear Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and not go back to disobeying Allah, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, accepts the repentance of His slaves." Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Allah does not conceal a person in this world but Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection.” Also the various Islamic legal punishments (hudud) are only carried out in an Islamic state (dar al-Islam) by the Imam, thus repenting to Allah Almighty will be sufficient.

NEW FREE E-BOOK: A Student’s Guide in the Pursuit of Knowledge Mufti Faraz Adam Source Darul Fiqh is pleased to announce its first E-Book publication titled ‘A Student’s Guide in the Pursuit of Knowledge’. With the help of Allah, I have written a guide for students of the traditional sciences which includes: Motivation for students Advises and practical guidelines on how to study A look at each year of the `Alimiyyah course Information about the content of books studied Commentaries and supplementary books An extra-curricular reading list for each year A section on post graduate courses It is my desire that this guide be circulated among all students across the world and read whilst studying. You may download the E-Book from here: Alternative link:

Imaam Shafee’ wrote: قد مات قوم وما ماتت مكارمهم وعاش قوم وهم في الناس أموات “There are some who have passed away but whose rich legacy remains alive. While others are alive but their (poor) character has rendered them dead in the eyes of mankind.” (taken from Jamiat.org)

Building Stamina Right from the onset of the month of Rajab, we should begin to prepare for Ramadān. By building up slowly over Rajab and Sha‘bān, we will be in peak spiritual condition when Ramadān arrives. To do this we need to make a programme of ibādah and set daily targets. We then need to fix a timetable so that we are able to achieve those targets. Thereafter targets should be reviewed every week or every fortnight, and gradually increased until Ramadān arrives. Then throughout Ramadān this process should continue. If we do not set targets and do not fix a timetable early on, we will not be able to progress. Consequently, we will not develop the necessary spiritual stamina required to maintain the level of performance in order to reap the maximum benefit from Ramadān. Guidance and advice for the Blessed Month from Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

A du'a to recite when in pain Question What is the reference for this narration? Sayyiduna 'Uthman ibn Abil 'As (radiyallahu 'anhu) once complained of some pain to Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) advised him: "Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say 'Bismillah' three times and seven times 'A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru' (I seek refuge with Allah and His Might against the evil of what I feel and fear) Answer Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded this Hadith on the authority of Sayyiduna 'Uthman ibn Abil 'As (radiyallahu 'anhu). (Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2202) The Arabic text of the du'a باسم الله (Three times) أعوذ بالله وقدرته من شر ما أجد وأحاذر (Seven times) And Allah Ta'ala Knows best. Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers.com

The Establishment of Salaah Once, while addressing the students of Deen, Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) mentioned the following advice: The establishment of salaah is the means of reforming one’s entire life. However, the establishment of salaah will only take place once the various qualities of Imaan mentioned in various aayaat of the Qur’aan Majeed are perfected. Some of these qualities are mentioned in the following verses: قَد أَفلَحَ المُؤمِنونَ ﴿١﴾ الَّذينَ هُم فى صَلاتِهِم خـٰشِعونَ ﴿المؤمنون:٢﴾ Successful indeed are the believers, those who have khushoo’ (devotion and concentration) in their salaah. In another verse of the Qur’aan, Allah Ta‘ala mentions: الَّذينَ يُؤمِنونَ بِالغَيبِ وَيُقيمونَ الصَّلوٰةَ وَمِمّا رَزَقنـٰهُم يُنفِقونَ ﴿البقرة:٣﴾ Those who believe in the unseen, establish salaah, spend out of what We have provided for them. At the end of this verse Allah Ta‘ala says: أُولـٰئِكَ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ ﴿البقرة:٥﴾ They are the ones who are truly successful. In the light of the abovementioned aayaat, one reaches the conclusion that one’s success is subject to the establishment of salaah, and the establishment of salaah is dependent on khushoo’. Without acquiring the desired level of khushoo’, one will not be able to succeed in bringing about the establishment of salaah. In some other verses of the Qur’aan Majeed Allah Ta‘ala shows us how to create the desired level of khushoo’ in our salaah. The way to obtain this khushoo’ is for one to increase the awareness that Allah Ta‘ala is watching him and create the conviction in one’s heart that he is standing before Allah Ta‘ala. An indication of this is found in the following verse: وَإِنَّها لَكَبيرَةٌ إِلّا عَلَى الخـٰشِعينَ ﴿٤٥﴾ الَّذينَ يَظُنّونَ أَنَّهُم مُلـٰقوا رَبِّهِم وَأَنَّهُم إِلَيهِ رٰجِعونَ ﴿البقرة:٤٦﴾ Indeed it (salaah) is difficult except for those who possess khushoo’ (devotion and concentration in their salaah). They are those who have conviction and certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him. The mention of aakhirat in this verse is not confined to bringing the conviction of the aakhirat but can also be applied to bringing the conviction of standing before Allah Ta‘ala during salaah and at all times. (Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 104) ihyauddeen.co.za

Part Thirteen Marriage to Hazrat Ummu Kulthoom (radhiyallahu ‘anha): After Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) passed away, Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) married Hazrat Ummu Kulthoom (radhiyallahu ‘anha), another blessed daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). After the demise of Hazrat Ummu Kulthoom (radhiyallahu ‘anha), Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioned to Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “If I had a third daughter (who was unmarried), I would have married her to you (as well).” Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mention, “If I had forty daughters, I would have given them in marriage to Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), one after the other, until no daughter remained (i.e. after the demise of each one, I would have married him to the next daughter, until no daughters remained alive).” (Usdul Ghaabah 3/216)

Placing the hand under the cheek when sleeping Question Is this correct? "Place your hand under your cheek when sleeping as done by Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam)" Answer Yes, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has recorded this narration. Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (radiyallahu 'anhu) reports, "When Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would retire to bed, he would place his hand under his cheek..." (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 6314. Refer: Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6314) And Allah Ta'ala Knows best. Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

Five items Nabi (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would always carry Question Is the following narration correct? عن عائشة، قالت: خمس لم يكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يدعهن في حضر ولا سفر: المرآة، والمكحلة، والمشط، والمدرى، والسواك Answer Imam Tabarani and Hafiz Khatib Al Baghdadi (rahimahumallah) have recorded this narration of Sayyidah 'Aaishah (radiyallahu 'anha). (Al Mu'jamul Awsat, Hadith: 5238. Refer: Fathul Bari, Hadith: 5924) Despite one narrator of this chain being declared weak, the narration is corroborated. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has cited several supporting narrations. (Fathul Bari, Hadith: 5924) The narration is therefore acceptable and may be quoted. Translation Sayyidah 'Aaishah (radiyallahu 'anha) says, 'Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) never left five things, whether he was on travel or at home; a mirror, antimony [kuhl], a comb, a stick/metal comb [used for scratching] and a miswak. And Allah Ta'ala Knows best. Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

Jazakillaahu khayran sister AishaZaynap! This is wonderful collection. Allah ta'ala accept it from you and make it a means of inspiration for many, aameen Great to have you back sis : )

Q. I made Masah on a plaster on my hand. After I performed Salaah, I changed the plaster. Does my Wudhu remain valid? (Question summarized and published) A. Masah over a plaster/cast will remain valid until the wound etc. completely heals. If the plaster/cast is changed, it will not be necessary to repeat the Masah over the plaster/cast and the Wudhu will remain valid. Upon the wound completely healing, Masah over the plaster/cast will now not suffice and it will be necessary to wash the healed area. (Jadeed Fiqhi Masaail 1/62) Note: Masah over a plaster/cast will only be valid in the case of a valid Shari’ reason e.g. if the wound will not heal completely if the plaster/cast is removed. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Nur al-Idah: The Light of Clarification – by Imam Shurunbulali (d.1069AH) 18 Apr, 2018 This is a translation of Nur al-Idah, A Classical Manual of Islamic jurisprudence. It was translated from the Arabic with Commentary and Notes by Shaykh Wesam Charkawi. Nur al-Idah is principally a Hanafi text which includes vast areas of jurisprudence, namely, the rulings pertaining to worship. It leaves the student or general reader well prepared to deal with the majority of matters ranging from purification, prayer, funerals, zakah to hajj. It reveals in a small way as to why the Hanafi Madhhab is held in such high esteem from scholars all over the world. It is practical, sensible and can be used as a reference book. This book is based on the teachings of Imam Abu Hanifa (d. 150 AH) and his students, namely Imam Muhammad, Abu Yusuf and Zufar; and it will provide the reader with a brief look as to why the Hanafi Madhhab is the most widely embraced in the world today and in Islamic history. About the book: The translation of Nur al-Idah is displayed in bold while the commentary and explanation, the majority of which is from Maraky al-Falah is written in plain text. It has been the translators attempt to prepare the text of Nur al-Idah in a manner that can be read independently without reading the commentary. However, commentary is essential for further explanations of the actual text and for this reason it entails views from other Hanafi sources such as al-Ikhtiyar and al-Hidayah, as well as the position of other schools, such as the Shafi’i Madhhab. This is intended to give the reader a broader perspective on matters and demonstrate the similarity between the various schools of thought. Referencing the text with evidence, namely, with Qur’an or hadith has been given on most issues and that areas where it is not, is either due to qiyas (analogical reasoning) or because of its unanimous agreement on that particular issue. A translation may simplify many things, though this will still require the complete and concentrated attention of the reader. Source Read online

Capital Punishment for Adultery Fornication (zina) and that which leads to fornication is completely unlawful and considered a major sin. The Qur’an and Sunnah are quite clear about this. Allah Most High says: “Do not come (even) near to adultery, for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road to other evils.” (Surah al-Isra, 32) Thus, fornication and whatever that leads to it, such as touching, kissing, embracing, informal interaction are all considered to be major sins, hence must be avoided at all times. As far as the Islamic legal punishment for fornication is concerned, the Hanafi jurist (faqih), Imam al-Mawsili (Allah have mercy on him) states: “It (legal punishment) is established by evidence and confession. Evidence is that four people give testimony against a man and woman that they committed fornication. When they testify (in the courts), the judge (qadhi) will inquire from the witnesses the particulars and details of what took place, the place of incident, the time of incident, and the identity of the woman involved. When they give details of all of this and they state that the woman was unlawful upon the man in every way, and that they testify the observing of sexual intercourse taking place like they see a Kohl needle entering the Kohl bottle, and the four witnesses are considered upright both privately and publicly, then the judge will give the order for the legal punishment to be enforced upon the perpetrators.” (See: al-Ikhtiyar li ta’lil al-Mukhtar, 2/312-313) One should always keep in mind the objective and spirit of Shariah concerning the various legal punishments. Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that When Ma’iz ibn Malik came to the Messenger of Allah (and confessed that he had committed adultery), the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said to him: “Probably you have only kissed (the woman), or touched, or looked at her?” He said: “No, O Messenger of Allah!” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), using no euphemism, said: “Did you have sexual intercourse with her?” The narrator said: At that moment, (i.e. after he confessed that he had sexual intercourse), the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) ordered that he be stoned.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 6438) This famous incident of Ma’iz ibn Malik also gives the same message, in that the Imam should try his best to avoid the legal punishment. This is the reason why it is recommended to say to the one who confesses committing fornication that “You may only have touched, you may only have kissed, are you sure you had sex, think again properly of what you are saying and think of the consequences of your confession, and other such things. Due to the forgoing, the Fuqaha have laid down (based on the guidelines of the Qur’an and Sunnah) certain strict rules and conditions in order for a punishment to be established or enforced. These strict conditions can be seen in all of the various penalties that have been imposed. The following are certain rules and conditions for the punishment of committing adultery to be enforced, as mentioned in the books of Hanafi jurisprudence: 1) It is actual vaginal sexual intercourse (and not anal or oral intercourse) that takes place between a man and a woman. 2) The man and woman involved in this unlawful sexual intercourse are not married; neither is the woman a slave-girl of the man. 3) It is proven by four people testifying that they clearly observed the couple engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse without any doubt or ambiguity. They are able to say that they saw their private parts meet like the Kohl needle entering the Kohl bottle. The judge would ask them all the various details concerning the time and location of the incident, and who were the people involved and other such matters, in order to remove any doubt. 4) If the four witnesses take back their testimony before the actual punishment is enforced, then the punishment will be abandoned, and they (witnesses) will be punished for the crime of false accusation. 5) The witnesses are not allowed to delay their testimony from the time of the incident to the time of testifying. If they delayed testifying in the courts, the punishment will not be enforced, unless they were very distant from the Imam hence the delay was due to them travelling to the Imam. 6) The punishment of adultery is also proven if the perpetrator him/herself confesses to be guilty of the crime. He/she must be sane, mature (baligh) and must confess four separate times in four separate sessions that the crime was committed. The Imam will try to wave away the punishment as much as possible by saying to the confessor that “you may have only touched or kissed” and other such statements. The Imam will also inquire about the various details of the incident, and when the confessor explains everything without leaving any doubt or ambiguity, the punishment will be enforced. 7) If the confessor takes back his words before the punishment his enforced or during the punishment, he/she will be released and set free. (See: al-Ikhtiyar li ta’lil al-Mukhtar, 2/311-316 & other major Hanafi Fiqh references) The legal punishment: If the crime of fornication is carried out by an individual who is sane, mature, Muslim and is married to a spouse who is also sane, mature, Muslim, and that their marriage is consummated, then the legal punishment is that he/she will be stoned to death (rajm). The Imam, witnesses and other Muslims would take part in the stoning. If the witnesses refuse to take part in stoning the perpetrator, the punishment will be dropped, as this would be considered a sign of them taking back their testimony. If the crime of fornication is carried out by an individual who does not qualify to be in the above category, then the punishment is that he/she will be given 100 lashes. These whips and lashes will be spread over the body, avoiding the head, face and the private parts. A pregnant woman will not be whipped until she gives birth to her child and after her post natal bleeding (nifas). However, if she is to be stoned, then this may be carried out straight after giving birth.

Who should/could attend the Bukhari graduation gatherings? It’s a common practice in many parts of the world wherein reliable ‘Ulama that complete their lessons of Sahih Bukhari invite the public to share in the blessings of the final lesson. Some individuals incorrectly object to this practice. The following is an explanation of the validity and merit if such a practice. May Allah Ta’ala increase such gatherings throughout the globe. Amin Attending gatherings wherein the Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is recited draws the mercy of Allah Ta’ala and immense barakah in one’s life, irrespective of one’s academic credentials. (Muqaddimah ibnus Salah, pg.245-246) The lessons of the Muhaddithun in the past would be extremely crowded, a lot of the attendees – in some cases- were ‘non scholars’. Large crowds in the past 1) There would be up to five thousand attendees at the Hadith lesson of Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) – demise: 241 A.H.-. Only five hundred where students and the rest were there to learn from him etiquette and manners of Islam. (i.e, practical aspects instead of the academics) (Siyar A’lamin Nubala, vol.11 pg.316; as in Adabul ikhtilaf, pg. 73) 2) The teacher of Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah; Imam Abu Ja’far Al-Yami (rahimahumullah) – demise: 258 A.H.- said: “There was a time when we would attend Hadith lessons and you would only hear the sounds of those who were writing (i.e, students) or those who were crying (out of the effect of the Hadith, many of whom would have been those who were not writing, i.e, not students) (Ma’alim Irshadiyyah of Shaykh ‘Awwamah, pg. 239) 3) On one occasion, there were 120 000 attendees at the lesson of the Muhaddith; ‘Asim ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Asim (rahimahullah) -demise: 221 A.H.- (Nukatuz Zarkashi, vol.2 pg.28-29) Bukhari completions 1) With specific reference to the gatherings of the completion of Sahih Bukhari, it is widely accepted among the Muhaddithun, that when Sahih Bukhari is completed, Allah Ta’ala accepts the du’a more speedily. (see a similar point in: Hadyus Sari, pg.16, Al-Wajhus Sabih, fi khatmil Jami’is Sahih, pg. 25 and Al-Fawaidud Darari, pg.156-157) 2) The Muhaddith and Mufassir; Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) said: “Sahih Bukhari is a book that is recited for cure from illnesses.” (Al-Fawaidud Darari, pg.150) 3) When the Grand commentator of Sahih Bukhari; Hafiz ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalani (rahimahullah) completed writing his commentary on Bukhari, he had a ‘Majlisul khatm‘ (a gathering of completion) which was attended by many ‘Ulama and non ‘Ulama. The last portion of the book was recited and the people were fed and given gifts too. (Ad-Daw-ul Lami’, vol.2 pg. 38 & Al-Badrut Tali’ pg.105) 4) The famous commentator of Riyadus Sawlihin and Al-Adhkar; Shaykh ibn ‘Allan (rahimahullah) writes: “The book (Sahih Bukhari) is filled with abundant good, with its completion one attains barakah (blessing) in all affairs and all harm and adversity is alleviated. (Al-Wajhus Sabih, fi khatmil Jami’is Sahih, pg. 25) 5) Ibn ‘Allan and Shaykh Al-‘Ajluni (rahimahumallah) -demise: 1162 A.H. have mentioned an incident wherein a Muhaddith completed the last portion Sahih Bukhari in the presence of the masses. (Al-Wajhus Sabih, fi khatmil Jami’is Sahih, pg. 24 and Al-Fawaidud Darari, pg.157) 6) Such gatherings are usually crowded, and the bigger the crowd the closer the du’a is to acceptance. (Mustadrak Hakim, vol.3 pg.347 and Al-Mu’jamul Kabir of Tabarani, Hadith: 3536 with a sound (hasan) chain, see Majma’uz Zawaid, vol.10 pg.170) 7) These gatherings generally have many pious saints in attendance. One is easily affected with their presence. In current day society, we need more of such opportunities… 8) By attending these completions, the layman is also encouraged to aspire for the same for himself or his children, or at least to support this noble cause of the preservation of our Din. 9) Several latter day Muhaddithun (Hadith masters) have authored dedicated books for the ‘Khatm (completion) of Sahih Bukhari’ Among them are: ‘Allamah Sakhawi (rahimahullah) -demise: 902 A.H. Hafiz Ibn ‘Allan (rahimahullah) -demise: 1057 A.H. and Shaykh ‘Abdullah Salim Al-Basri (rahimahullah) -demise: 1134 A.H. This, in addition to all of the above points show the importance given to such gatherings. Nobody should remain deprived of this! These are great bounties of Allah. May Allah Ta’ala increase the number of such gatherings in the world. 10) Shaykhul Hadith, Mufti Sayyid ‘Abdul Jalil Qasimi (may Allah protect him) – who is one of my Bukhari teachers- has authored a 7 volume commentary on Sahih Bukhari. At the end of this commentary, he has elaborated on this issue too. Unfortunately, the last few volumes of this book are still under print and I don’t have access to it as yet. Cautionary note Having said all of the above, the general masses are not to be exposed to the very academic discussions that take place in a Hadith class. This will become a cause for confusion. (Muqaddimah ibnus Salah, pg.244) Those who conduct Bukhari completions are generally aware of this. They usually provide more practical lessons in these gatherings, and do not engage in deep academic discussion except where necessary. One would observe that they also do not grant the ijazah (permission to transmit) to one and all. When these Hadith scholars (Shuyukhul Hadith) confer their ijazah, they stipulate that they are granting it to the graduating students, the other ‘Ulama etc. A new trend The recent trend of arranging public ‘maqra-ahs‘ (swift Hadith recitals) of certain books, like Sahih Bukhari etc. are indeed beneficial for the scholars, but harmful for the layman who doesn’t have a sound grounding in the basic subjects of the Islamic sciences. Such recitals should be held in controlled environments, for the scholarly only. An ‘under qualified’ layman cannot suffice on mere Hadith recitals like these after which ‘ijazah’ (permission) for transmitting Hadith is given to all. This could inflate one’s ego more than his knowledge! (see similar warnings in Muqaddimah ibnus Salah, pg.250) Attending a few gatherings of completion of Hadith books (like the khatm of Sahih Bukhari) for the purposes mentioned earlier is a different issue altogether and should not be viewed as a justification for the layman attending a maqra-ah. My Esteemed teacher, Al-Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him) has discussed this (new trend of maqra-ahs) in his recent book; ‘Ma’alim Irshadiyyah’, pgs.188-194. See an explanatory translation of that section of the book here And Allah Ta’ala Knows best. al-miftah

ANY DUA TO AVOID DISPUTES WITH MY HUSBAND? Question: Assalamualaikum Is there good easy Duaa/wazeefa to prevent fights? And ease of mind of my husband as well as to move forward from repeated thoughts? In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. You have referred to three issues, a. Dua to prevent fights b. Ease of mind c. Move forward from repeated thoughts Fights are the consequence of one not expressing restraint and controlling one’s anger. In order, to prevent fights one should learn how to exercise restraint and control one’s anger. Dua alone is not sufficient to control one’s anger. If there is a raging fire, one needs to put off the fire. One cannot sit back and simply make dua without the aid of water or fire extinguisher. In fact, when there is fear of fire, arrangement is made for a water hose or fire extinguisher within one’s reach. Likewise, one needs to equip oneself with the necessary skills to overcome and combat anger. This requires spiritual and internal training by oneself or through a spiritual guide. A Sahabi requested Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam for advice. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, لَا تَغْضَبْ . He repeated this advice three times. If one does not exercise restraint and control ones anger, he will be forced to tolerate more than the discomfort of anger later. We advise you to inculcate skills of containing your anger. This would be achieved by a spiritual guide. Also make dua to Allah for tolerance. رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [2:250] The following marriage recipe of 10 points will be useful. 1. Fear Allah: It was the noble practice of Nabi (SAW) to conscientise the spouses about the fear for Allah before performing a Nikah by reciting the verses (Nisa v14, Ahzab v69, Aali-Imraan v101) from the Qur’aan. All the verses are common in the message of Taqwa (fear of Allah). The spouses will be first committed to Allah before being committed to their partner. There can be no doubt in the success of a marriage governed by the fear of Allah. 2. Never be angry at the same time: Anger is the root cause for all marital disputes. One Sahabi came to Rasulullah (SAW) and sought some advice. Rasulullah (SAW) replied, control your anger. The same advice was rendered three times. (Mishkaat pg.433; HM Saeed) 3. If one has to win an argument, let it be the other: Nabi (SAW) said: “Whoever discards an argument despite being correct shall earn a palace in the centre of Jannah. (Ibid pg.412) 4. Never shout at each other unless the house is on fire: Luqman (AS) while offering advice to his son said:” and lower your voice for verily the most disliked voice is that of a donkey”. (Surah Luqman v19) 5. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly: Rasulullah (SAW) said, ‘A Mu’ min is a mirror for a Mu’min.’ (Abu Dawood vol.2 pg.325; Imdadiyah) Advise with dignity and silently. 6. Never bring up mistakes of the past: Nabi (SAW) said: “Whoever conceals the faults of others, Allah shall conceal his faults on the day of Qiyaamah.” (Mishkaat pg.429; HM Saeed) 7. Neglect the whole world rather than your marriage partner: Nabi (SAW) confirmed the advice of Salman to Abu-Darda [RA] for neglecting his wife. “Verily there is a right of your wife over you.” (Nasai Hadith2391) 8. Never sleep with an argument unsettled: Abu Bakr [RA] resolved his dispute with his wife over-feeding the guests before going to bed. (Bukhari Hadith 602) 9. At least, once everyday, express your gratitude to your partner: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘Whoever does not show gratitude to the people has not shown gratitude to Allah.’ (Abu Dawud pg.662; Karachi) 10. When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it and ask for forgiveness: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘All the sons of Aadam commit error, and the best of those who err are those who seek forgiveness.’ (Tirmidhi Hadith 2499) And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Huzaifah Deedat Student Darul Iftaa Lusaka, Zambia Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Introduction: Unfortunately there is no shortage of criticism of Islamic laws and even more unfortunate is that many Muslims get carried away by the tide of doubts raised by media propaganda. We who (Alhamdulillah) believe in Allah ta'ala and in His qualities of being the Most Merciful and the Most Wise, know that His decrees are filled with mercy, wisdom and reason whether people can perceive them or not. We are not bound to understand and comprehend every order and decree of Allah ta'ala; we are merely bound to submit our will to the will of Allah ta'ala. Regarding the wisdom behind the commands of Allah ta'ala see the explanation by Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahimahullah) HERE We will insha-allah compile information and articles regarding the concept of capital punishment in Islam: the wisdom and objective behind it the stringent conditions which need to be met before it can be implemented, the concept of averting it if at all possible and finally capital punishment in the Bible and in non-Muslim countries Table of Contents 1. When is Capital Punishment Permissible in Islam? 2. Wisdom behind Capital Punishment 3. Imam should try to avert the legal punishment 4. Capital Punishment for Adultery 5. Capital Punishment for Apostasy 6. Capital Punishment for Murder 7. Capital Punishment in the Old Testament 8. Conceal your Sin 9. Allah loves to forgive 10. Sources and Acknowledgments 11. Further reading

Qur’anic Methodology Levels of understanding Qur’ān To recite Qur’ān without knowing its meaning. Since Qur’ān is kalāmUllah, they will get the nūr through recitation even if they don’t understand it. To know the translation. They understand the vocabulary and know what the Arabic words mean. To have a deep understanding. They know the context in which the surahs were revealed, their connection, relevance, and interpretations over time etc. To have the feelings of Qur’ān. On top of their deep understanding, they also have an emotional connection with it. There are some people who do not understand Qur’ān but they keep crying while reciting it. While there are also some people who know the meanings but they cannot feel it. For example, we all know the meaning of Surah al-Fātiḥah, but how many of us truly feel it during salah? Allah (swt) says that it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you [Q. 2,216]. We can use our mind to come up with different interpretation for this. But Imām Ghazālī (rah) writes that sometimes a person commits a sin and he dislikes the sin so much that he repents and becomes even closer to Allah (swt). How can the average man get guidance through Qur’ān? There are many people in ummah who are illiterate. Then some people can understand it only on the surface-level. The question here is that there are so many people who do not academically study Qur’ān so how then can guidance be provided to the average man? Our scholars have divided Qur’ān in different topics such as taqwā, haya, sila reḥmī, etc. Different relevant verses are collected on a topic and they are explained in simple terms so people can get the gist of it. In Christian communities they sometimes have a bible-reading group. People form a circle – then the average man is asked to read and give meanings to words of bible. So these people explain whatever they can understand from their own minds. None of these people are scholars, they do not even know the original language of the bible. When Muslims use this approach, the problem is that they have no knowledge or amal. And they have a very high chance of failing in doing the right tafsīr. For Islamic scholarship a person should have mastered several different subjects before getting into tafsīr or translation of Qur’ān. Ḥadrat Shāh WalīUllah Dehelvī (rah) was a big scholar of subcontinent. Ḥadīth sciences have reached us through him. He states that there are three levels for understanding Qur’ān . Level of the general public – to know the core teachings for example the basics of beliefs Level of the scholars – they have an academic approach towards Qur’ān and they will understand it on a scholarly level Level of the Awliyā – their understanding is such that they feel the feeling of every word in Qur’ān Difference between Makkī and Madnī Surahs The ones before hijrah are Makkī and after hijrah are Madnī. There are certain differences in Makkī and Madnī: The style of explaining words is different. Makkī Surahs are smaller and have more rhyme and they appear clipped – in parts. The audience is different. Makkī is by and large mukhātib (addressing) to kuffār. In Madnī the audience are Muslims. Subject matter is different. Makkī has more ayahs about Day of Judgement, Jannah and Jahannum. They also talk about the historical incidents of previous nations at length. Madnī ayahs are more about aḥkām (laws) like ṭalāq, and ikhlāqiyat e.g. do not raise your voice in front of Rusūl Allah (sws) [Q. 49,2]. Sources of understanding Qur’ān To understand Qur’ān through Qur’ān. For example Surah al-Fātiḥah says guide us on the path whom You have blessed [Q. 1,7], while another ayah explains that these blessed people are siddiqeen, shuhuda, saliheen… [Q. 4,69] To understand Qur’ān through Sunnah. Rusūl Allah (sws) was asked to recite the ayahs and then to explain them as well. This is waḥī-ghayr matlū (from tilāwah; waḥī that is not recited, that did not become a part of Qur’ān). It means they were not the exact words of Allah (swt) but the meanings were from Allah (swt) and Rusūl Allah (sws) would state it in his own words. This is ḥadīth. In addition to ḥadīth (verbal) the actions, forbidding of actions or permissibility of actions by Rusūl Allah (sws) all fall in sunnah category. This is also used to understand Qur’ān. To understand Qur’ān through Aqwāl (quotes) of Ṣahāba (ra). All Ṣahāba (ra) received the knowledge of Islam on a kāmil (perfect/complete) level through Rusūl Allah (sws). Some of them were more involved in administrative tasks (like Ḥadrat Umar (ra)) while some were more involved in learning and transmission of knowledge (like Ḥadrat Abū Huraira (ra)), but they all had the complete guidance. To understand Qur’ān through history. Scholars will verify the sources of history. Not every history will be considered valid. Scholars do not derive rulings from this method but they can use history to explain certain stories or incidents. Also, these historical facts are not necessary for guidance of people, but just to develop their understanding of a particular time period. Q. If an ayah was revealed regarding some kafir or munafiq, will that apply to us today in this day and age? Every ayah of the Qur’ān has a general meaning, even though it might be specifically related to a certain person or a historical event. It will not just be for that specific time – Qur’ān is not time-bound. It will have a generic meaning and it will be applicable even in this day and age. Knowledge based approach: To have an in-depth knowledge of Qur’ān, ḥadīth and related sciences and coming to a conclusion on the basis of that deep knowledge. Pull quote journalism: To have a pre-conceived notion and then to look for ayahs or ḥadīth to support that point of view. Muḥkamāt: Certain ayahs of Qur’ān are clear to understand. There is no room for any other meaning. Muḥkamāt means something that has a clear meaning. Qur’ān says that in it are muḥkamāt (verses with precise meanings) — they are the foundation of the book — and others mutashābihāt (unspecific) [Q. 3,7] Mutashābihāt: It does not mean doubt. It means that it can hold different meanings and each meaning will be closely associated to one another and you would not know which meaning is the intended one on the surface-level. For example: Allah (swt) is istawa (over) the Throne [Q. 32,4]. We do not know what this means because we cannot fully grasp the greatness of Allah (swt). Some say it means Allah’s qudrat is over the Throne, etc. But at the end they do say that only Allah (swt) knows best the real meaning behind this verse. But the person who has a khot (fault) in their hearts will go after such ayahs. They might say that Allah (swt) has a physicality like the creation. While what they should have said was: Amanna bih (we believe in this). Why has Allah (swt) told us of these mutashābihāt? Qur’ān is Umm al-Kitāb. It has mostly muḥkamāt that holds guidance for us. Sifat (attribute) of īmān requires it to be bil ghayb (on blind faith). In Qur’ān at times Allah (swt) will point towards this sifat and what we have to say is that whatever it is, we believe in it. Deviant people will try to interpret it from their intellect. Because they think our intellect has the ability to understand everything. One of the reasons people leave Islam is because such interpretations confuses them. This problem is becoming more common now. A woman once went to a cafe in Lahore and saw a group of children discussing how to tell their parents that they had become atheists. One philosophical assumption is that intellectually we are progressing and the human mind has reached the epitome of rationality in the evolutionary timeline and now there is nothing that we cannot understand intellectually. While Islamic understanding is that we have a rūh and our rūh also has a heart and that heart also has an intellect. Recent research also shows that our heart communicates with our brain that significantly effects how we perceive and react to the world. Tafsīr has different types: Some ayahs are very obvious to understand. People who know Arabic language can understand them just by reading. Some ayahs cannot be understood just by reading, but to know their meaning is necessary for everyone. Some ayahs hold meanings that are not necessary for everyone to know and only scholars would need to know them. Some ayahs hold meanings only known to Allah (swt). Such as ayat–i–mutashābihāt. The beginning of tafsīr sciences When Qur’ān was revealed, Rusūl Allah (sws) would tell Ṣahāba (ra) its meaning, then Ṣahāba (ra) would memorize those ayahs and apply them in their lives. Some ayahs would be revealed in response to particular situations. Qur’ān was explained in detail to Ṣahāba (ra). If a person has a good command on Arabic language, they can understand Qur’ān to a certain extent, but there is also a part that cannot be understood just with language. This is something said by Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) who was himself a great scholar. For example, to set limit for fasting, Allah (swt) said that you should eat and drink at night until you can differentiate between the white and black threads [Q. 2:187]. A Ṣahābī (ra) literally took two threads, one black and the other white, and waited till he could tell the difference between the two. When he told Rusūl Allah (sws) about this, he (sws) replied that by black and white thread the night sky and the light on the sky was meant. Reasons of Prophethood To recite Qur’ān To purify people (Ṣahāba (ra)) and the teachings of this purification would be taught generation after generation To explain the Qur’ān To teach wisdom through ḥadīth Rusūl Allah (sws) told us the meanings and explanations of Qur’ān. Scope of Tafsīr Q. Why do we need contemporary tafsīr if the meanings and explanation was given by Rusūl Allah (sws)? All the Ṣahāba (ra) had the knowledge of Qur’ān but some of them had more knowledge, because some spent more time with Rusūl Allah (sws) or dedicated their lives to ʾilm. Ḥadrat Ibn Masood (ra) said that there is no ayah of Qur’ān that anyone knows more than I do. If I would know of anyone who knew something that I did not, I would go and get that knowledge from them. Why did he say that, isn’t that ujub? Because when Rusūl Allah (sws) left, a lot of people entered Islam. Now people could have doubted that since Rusūl Allah (sws) has left, perhaps the knowledge has also left. Ṣahāba (ra) made this claim to let people know that we have preserved the knowledge so do not have doubt that the guidance has left us. Scholars are the inheritors of Rusūl Allah (sws). It means that guidance and knowledge is still here. And scholars did not just get the knowledge, but also the feelings/kaifiyāt. Personal Interpretation Rusūl Allah (sws) made duʾā for Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) that O Allah give him understanding of deen and teach him interpretation of Qur’ān. This opens the door to interpretation. The meaning of this duʾā is that interpretation is there. But it also does not mean everyone can now interpret. There are two extremes. No Interpretation Some say there should be no tafsīr, because even if you do it you are still wrong. Mere Personal Opinion (IMO) The other extreme is the Qur’ān reading-group where lay people interpret knowledge. Even people with surfacy knowledge should not be doing this, let alone people who do not even understand Arabic. Ye jo “apka khyal” hai na this is swimming in dangerous waters. Some people do convert after just reading the translation. But to interpret Qur’ān one needs to have a lot of knowledge. In personal opinion then we have things like I’m always connected to Allah (swt) so I do not need salah, etc. Interpretation strictly on basis of opinion is forbidden. [ref?] They will end up ruining their own beliefs and that of others. Well Founded Knowledge (WFK) This is the in-depth knowledge of Qur’ānic sciences on the basis of which interpretation is done. History and Development of Tafsīr Khulfā-i-Rāshidūn At the time of Ṣahāba (ra) there were some writings, but most of the preservation was done through memorization (Arabs had a very sharp memory). The Qur’ān that had been written was compiled after the passing away of Rusūl Allah (sws). Tabiʾīn Tabiʾīn were teaching Taba-Tabiʾīn. They were also compiling tafsīr work. Some great scholars from the time of Ṣahāba (ra) had some great students. These Taba-Tabiʾīn started writing down the teachings of their teachers. There’s a sequence of sources that takes precedence in Qur’ānic sciences: For WFK, first and foremost Qur’ān Then its explanation through Rusūl Allah (sws) himself The explanation of Ṣahāba (ra) Sayings of Tabiʾīn Sayings of Taba-Tabiʾīn The tafsīr and aqwāl of pious predecessors Then on that scholars can build up their interpretation. They cannot say out of the blue that all these people have said this, but in my opinion this is what it means (as opposed to the accepted interpretation). This is what happens in scientific community as well. The greatest of scientists admit that they are standing on the shoulders of giants. Historical groups Ṣahāba (ra) had traveled to spread out the knowledge and therefore different groups were formed in different regions. Makkan Group: Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) and his students — ʾAtā Ibn Abi Razā and Ikramah (rah), etc. Madian Group: Ḥadrat Ubay Ibn ka’ab (ra) and his students Abū Āliya and Zaid Ibn Aslam (rah), etc. Kufī Group: Ḥadrat Ḥasan Basrī (rah), etc. We are never taught these things in our Islamic studies which is why students have a lot of doubts in their minds later on. Naqlī ulūm: To quote the aqwāl of Ṣahāba (ra), Tabiʾīn (rah) etc. Aqlī ulūm: To interpret on the basis of WFK. Not everyone can do it. According to one source you need to know 300 different ulūm before even qualifying for getting into this; in depth knowledge Arabic language, qirat, Qur’ān related knowledge — like knowledge of nasikh and mansūkh, in depth knowledge of fiqh, and those ayahs which ʿulamā have an ijmāʿ on, seerah, etc., etc. Tafsīr is an amānah and demands a high level of responsibility from the scholar. Source