Question
65: Can
a Muslim consider his failure in life as a kind of test by almighty
God?
Answer
65: Failure in one’s
life may have different reasons:
1. Failure to understand the
rules of life and failure to recognize the law of causality and its
effects on the results. Islam demands action and taking one’s way
in life to search for rules, earning one’s living, and desiring
God’s graces. Anyone who does not act and does not acquire
anything but surrender to despair and gloom, and wait for the
goodness and Godspeed to come to him effortlessly must be violating
the command of almighty God and the teachings of Islam. God says: “…
so walk in the path thereof and eat of His provision. And to Him will
be the Resurrection” (Holy Qur’an: 67:15)
2.
The reason for one’s failure in life might be due to a punishment
by God for his evil acts and intentions. Success in life is a
blessing from God that might be denied to certain people. For
instance, one who does not cooperate with people, help those in
adversity, give a hand to the weak, relieve those having
difficulties, and does not meet the needs of the paupers, such a
person, if he/she has a problem or suffers from some difficult
circumstances and God does not save him from his/her agony and gloom,
he has to know that reward is the same as the act, and prophet
Muhammad says: “Anyone who helps one in difficulty, God will help
him in this life and in the hereafter, and almighty God said: “As
for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to God and fears
Him, And believes in al-Husna,
We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). But who is
greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And belies Al-Husna,
We will make smooth for him the path for evil.” (Holy Qur’an:
92:5-10) and said also: “But the evil plot encompasses only him who
makes it.” (Holy Qur’an: 35:43)
3.
The visitation could be from God to his slaves in order to test their
patience and faith. Surely, there might not be any lack of
understanding of the divine rules which run life, and man might not
be remiss in his/her action, and he/she might not have an evil
intention towards others, yet he/she finds obstacles in the path of
his life. In this way, the visitation is from God to probe the extent
of the faith of the one inflicted, the extent of his strong belief
and his adherence to principles. Almighty God said: “…and we
shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to us you
will be returned” (Holy Qur’an: 21:35). When a true believer
inflicted he/she is patient, satisfied, contented, not feeling sorry
for what he misses from the joys of life because his hopes will be
much concentrated on the God’s reward in the hereafter. Prophet
Muhammad says: “The case of the believer is fascinating, all of his
situations are good for him; if he is granted provision he thanks
God, which is good for him; and if he is inflicted with adversity, he
is patient, and that is good for him too. That is not meant for
anyone but the believer.”1
Question
66: If
there is no celibacy in Islam, why do the Sufi groups exist?
Answer
66: Truly, in Islam,
there is no celibacy, that is, to abstain from marriage and prevent
oneself from legal desires and pleasures. Islam has replaced this
term with what goes along with its rules, as Prophet Muhammad said:
“Jihad (holy war) is the celibacy of Islam.”2
Some people understood the meaning of celibacy to be abstaining from
life and having a passive stance towards it. Islam considers jihad
in the path of God to spread the religion of God and defend the truth
that God has revealed as celibacy of Muslims. It is the Islamic
positivety versus negativity of others.
It
is a fact that many Sufi groups exist in the Islamic world. These
groups originally emerged as a reaction against the kind of luxurious
life certain Islamic societies were enjoying. This motivated them to
adopt the call for asceticism and reduce the interest in life at the
expense of the hereafter and the necessity to keep away from all that
drives the attention from almighty God. None of these groups did
really call for celibacy; if they had done, their action would
undoubtedly be sinful. Islam renders enjoying good things legal; it
prohibits abominations and calls for marriage. It even made marriage
and reproduction desirable so that the nation would increase in
number, and goodness increases alongside it. Those are
taken-for-granted matters, which all people know and do not need a
proof or evidence for. This is how the story of Sufism began, and in
the course of time and as a result of ignorance in religion and
having little or no contacts with scholars, deviation and extremism
spread among many of these groups. By the time they became, however,
at complete distance from the guidance of Islam, its orthodox
teachings and rules. In order to achieve all goodness Muslims should
commit themselves to the guidance of the Noble Qur’an, the path of
the prophetic traditions, as they contain all that makes one do
without the thought and understanding of people.
Question
67: How
can you interpret the contradiction between a Muslim’s acts (like
prayer, fasting, pilgrimage) and his/her daily behavior and manner,
especially when dealing with people?
Answer
67: It goes without
saying that Islam should guide the Muslim in both his/her private and
public life. The
purpose of prayer is to proscribe adultery and evil, as almighty God
said: “Verily, the prayer prevents from great sins of every kind,
and every kind of evil wicked deed” (Holy Qur’an: 29:45). This
should be the norm, but, often, we do not find the proper effect of
prayer and the other forms of worship on a good number of people. It
seems that a great deal of them are not sincere and in their worship
and do not take their prayers seriously. They lack the education and
enlightenment that help them perform their rituals perfectly. It is
only when these people take their religious affairs more carefully,
honestly, and faithfully that their worshipping rituals will have its
true effect on their lives; consequently, end any likely
contradiction between their worships and daily interactions with the
society.
Chapter 2:
Matterss of Physical and Moral Cleanness
Question
68: When
is a person considered to be pure from the Islamic point of view?
Answer
68: Purity in Islam
has two meanings: moral and physical. Moral purity is embodied in
the belief in almighty God only and not believing in another deity
besides Him. It also involves belief in God’s messengers/prophets,
in His books, in the hereafter and the prerequisites of faith. What
is also involved here is the cleanliness of the heart from grudge,
from vanity, from hypocrisy, from pride and jealousy; and the
acquisition of all virtues so that one may aspire above any immoral
act or sinful custom.
As
to the physical purity (hygiene and cleanliness), this can be of two
kinds for man:
1.
Purity or purification from major hadath
(for men and women after a sexual intercourse; for women, after the
menstruation period) by bathing. And purity from a minor hadath
(after sleep and in case something comes out from the human body,
whether material or immaterial) by ablution. All of that has a great
deal of details, but they have no place here to discuss.
2. Cleanliness from impurities:
one should keep away from all forms of impurities in terms of body,
and clothes, and should remove any likely traces of such things as
blood, urine, excrescence, wine, etc. If man’s heart is clear from
polytheism, and endowed with moral virtues; and if man abstains from
bad manners and cleans his body from impurities and dirt, he/she will
be completely pure in the view of Islam.
Question
69: What
is the relationship between the purity of the soul and that of the
body?
Answer
69: Islam insists on
purity (which of course include cleanliness and hygiene), as it
accounts for half of the religion. Almighty God said: “Truly, God
loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who
purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing
thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers)” (Holy
Qur’an 1: 222). Prophet Muhammad: “Cleanliness constitutes half
man’s faith.”3
He also said: “God is gracious and loves graciousness, He is Pure
and loves purity and.”4
Purity,
as such is values and beauty. But cleanliness of the soul and the
heart from moral abominations is more important than the cleanliness
of the body from material dirt and impurities. Islam insists on
purity in general and the purity of the soul and the heart in
particular. Anyone whose heart is pure and clean, his/her appearance
is bound to be so, and vice-versa. This is the basis and the
principle upon which the Islamic values are based. If this principle
is missing in people’s lives, they will never know cleanliness,
neither spiritually nor physically. The manifestations of physical
cleanliness, which non-Muslims seem to enjoy, are not more than a
deceptive appearance from afar. If one approaches any of them,
he/she would mostly likely sense a disgusting smell coming out of
them. This is not to mention purity of their soul and heart, which
has no place in those who do not really believe in God. The least
contemplation of the situation of the non-Islamic societies would
give us so much evidence and proof.
Question
70: When
a person embraces Islam, is it obligatory upon him/her to have a bath
or shower?
Answer
70: Bathing or
taking a shower for those who embrace Islam is a divine requirement.
It is required and strongly recommended both physically and morally.
What a beautiful beginning for one who embraces this religion, after
saying the testimony, with the intention of starting a new period in
his life based on physical and moral cleanliness. Also, it could be
possible that the one who has embraced Islam has had a sexual
intercourse with his wife. This, as such, confirms bathing and it
becomes obligatory, as it is seen by the majority of scholars. The
purpose of this bathing is the emphasis of the cleanliness.
Question
71: When
a person embraces Islam, will ablution suffice for a bath, or is a
bath obligatory?
Answer
71: Ablution does
not exempt one who has embraced Islam from having a bath.
Question
72: If
a person wants to embrace Islam and does not find water, what can he
do?
Answer
72: Absence of water
does not prevent one from embracing Islam. He embraces Islam and says
the testimony: “There is no deity by God, and Muhammad is His
Messenger”, then he/she can bathe when water becomes available.
Question
73: Is
removing hair for one wanting to embrace Islam obligatory? And is
that a part of purity and/or cleanliness?
Answer
73: The question
about hair here is a vague one, for it does not specify which hair
should be removed. However, if it refers to the hair of the head, it
is not required to be removed, as it is not considered part of
cleanliness to remove it. However, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) related:
“Any man who has long hair, should honor it”, i.e. keep it clean
and tidy. As to the moustaches and the beard, Islam shows their rule
in the saying of the prophet: “Trim the moustaches and leave the
beards.” So Muslims are required by this hadith
to cut the hair of the moustache so that the edge of the upper lip
could be seen; and to leave without shaving it, because it is an
emblem of Islam and a sign of manhood.
As
to the hair of the armpit and pubic hair (round the private parts) it
is recommended to be removed whenever it gets long, but it should not
be left for more than forty days. This as well as other things, like
trimming the fingernails, is the natural signs according to which God
created people.
Question
74: Can
a convert wear garments he/she used to put on before his/her
conversion while these clothes still have some of his/her sweat on
the same clothes?
Answer
74: Sweat is not
considered to be an impurity. If these clothes were known to have
some impurity on them, like urine, it would suffice to wash them
before wearing them again.
Question
75: Is
not it self-contradictory in Islam when it urges its followers to be
clean and to use water before prayer for cleanliness, and then
requires them to use earth when water is not available?
Answer
75: There is no
contradiction whatsoever between Islam’s legislative system and any
of its rules. As mentioned above, Purity and/or cleanliness is a
fundamental requirement in Islam. Using clean earth (or sand) in
Islam does not contradict hygiene. The whole process can be
summarized as follows: a Muslim can tap the earth with one’s hands
without carrying anything, then rubbing the face with his hands. It
is a symbolic meaning of the moral cleanliness, which should precede
prayer when water is not available to be used in ablution, or when
one is unable to use water for some reason, like illness. Observing
almighty God’s commands and obeying Him in every matter is the
deeper aim of washing one’s face with earth, though it is not
regarded as a real cleaning material as much as a symbol of worship
and compliance with God’s commands in the establishment of prayer
and getting ready for it.
Question
76: In
matters related to bathing, why do Muslims waste large amounts of
water for bathing, while it might be possible to wash the private
parts only, like an apple falling from a bag, it is enough to wash it
in isolation of the other apples in the bag.
Answer
76: This sound to be
a naïve question and far removed from truth. It is not rational to
compare the refined human being (with all his/her qualities,
feelings, emotions, texture, cells, nerves, etc.) to a bag of apples!
I do not think that it is feasible to compare the sexual
intercourse, in which the whole human being interacts and from which
the extraction of man’s blood and genes comes, to an apple falling
from a bag. This operation may cause a psychological change and form
a new creature that has both its development and intricate living
world. Islam requires bathing, because it is a rule of the
all-knowing God, blessed by the Lord, the Best of Creators.
Question
77: What
is Islam’s position regarding women’s circumcision? Isn’t it a
savage act and a loss of dignity and abuse of their sexual rights?
Answer
77: Circumcision of
women is legal if not desirable in Islam, depending on the state of
the woman and her environment. In some countries with hot climate,
woman circumcision might become a necessity for a perfect conjugal
life with her husband. What harm or bestiality happens to the woman
if she is circumcised? There is no difference between the
circumcision of a male and that of a female. It is an extra piece of
flesh in the body of a little child, which can carefully be removed
and for the sake f purity, beauty; which verify the aspects of
manhood in the circumcised little boy and the qualities of womanhood
in the little girl. We see no wrong with it, and there is no loss
whatsoever in dignity.
Question
78: Are
Muslims allowed to eat from the food and/or slaughtered animals of
the People of the Scripture (Christians and Jews)?
Answer
78: Muslims can at
any time eat from the food and/or the slaughtered animals of the
people of the book. Almighty God says: “The food (slaughtered
cattle, eatable animals) of the People of the Scripture is lawful to
you and yours is lawful to them” (Holy Qur’an: 5:5). This
testifies the ease of Islam and its tolerance in dealing with
non-Muslims, so that they come closer to Muslim and cohabit with them
peacefully. This is the beginning of the way to understand Islam
closely through action and behavior, not through speech and
pretension only.
Chapter 3:
Matters Relating to Prayer
Question
79: Is
it all right for a Muslim to say his/hers prayer in a languages other
than Arabic? Can he/she read surah al-fatiha (the opening chapter of
the Qur’an) and any other (short) surah in a different language
than Arabic? Also, is it obligatory to supplicate and revere God in
Arabic only?
Answer
79: Saying one’s
prayer cannot not be considered acceptable unless it is read in
Arabic. Every non-Arab Muslim should learn some Arabic so that
he/she could at least perform his obligatory religious rituals.
Arabic is the language of the Qur’an and Islam. However, it is
possible only temporarily to read the meaning of the surat
al-fatiha in another
language (other than Arabic) until the person has learnt to read it
in Arabic. It should be emphasized at the same time that learning to
read Arabic is easy, especially the Noble Qur’an. Almighty God
says: “And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and
remember; then is there an one who will remember (or receive
admonition)?” (Holy Qur’an: 54: 17).
As
to supplication and glorification in languages other than Arabic it
is lawful, though it is preferable to be performed in the language of
the Qur’an itself.
Question
80: What
is the divine rule regarding a non-committed Muslim who does not
perform his/her prayer, not out of denial, but negligence? Is he/she
considered to be an infidel?
Answer
80: Prayer is one of
the basic pillars of Islam, if not the most important one. It comes
second to the declaration of faith (the two testimonies). It is the
pillar, which distinguishes the Muslim from the infidel. It is
usually the last thing that Muslims maintain from Islam. Any Muslim
who abandons it becomes so close to infidelity, if not considered an
infidel indeed. Some scholars believe that when a Muslim neglects
prayer because of laziness, he/she becomes an infidel. Others regard
it as sinful and very close to infidelity, so long as this lazy
Muslim recognizes it and believes it is obligation.
Question
81: Is
the prayer performed when one is absent-minded or busy about worldly
affairs considered to be invalid?
Answer
81: Prayer is not
considered invalid when one is absent-minded or busy, but the
worshipper will not obtain the reward of this prayer. Full reward
cannot be achieved except through humble and content prayer.
Question
82: Does
it suffice a Muslim to perform his/her prayer only verbally? Are the
physical movements (of bowing, prostrating, etc.) integrated in the
prayer itself?
Answer
82: Prayer is
worshipping God, and it is made in a particular manner which Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) taught us. Almighty God instructed the prophet to
perform it this manner through the revelation of angel Gabriel. The
prophet (pbuh) said: “Pray in the manner you saw me doing.”
Following the prophet’s tradition is an Islamic obligation, whether
we realize the purpose of some of his deeds or not. However, when we
do not fully comprehend the purpose and surrender to God’s
commands, that is a kind of belief in the unseen and a testimony to
the belief in God—although we can never see Him.
Question
83: Is
it permissible for a Muslim to pray in a church if he/she does not
have time or could not find a more appropriate place?
Answer
83: Praying in a
church is undesirable because it is a place for non-Muslims. A
Muslim can perform his/her prayer in any other place on earth, so
long as it is clean pure. The prophet says that whole of the globe
has been made a place for worshipping. A Muslims who does not have
enough time to pray while he is in a church for some reason could go
out and pray nearby the church, in the street, or in any other clean
place. However, prayer in a clean church for a Muslim can still be
valid though it may not be favourable.
Question
84: What
is the divine rule concerning the convert’s past obligatory
prayers, which he had missed before conversion? She he/she perform
them all?
Answer
84: Islam is a
religion of tolerance. “It nullifies everything before it,” as
related by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).5
Accordingly, a person who has embraced Islam is not required to
compensate for any Islamic obligations before embracing Islam.
Question
85: Is
the prayer of someone who has converted but not yet circumcised,
acceptable?
Answer
85: The prayer of
one who has embraced Islam and has not been circumcised is acceptable
if he insures that he cleans the circumcision location properly, i.e.
if he is sure that he has cleaned the inner part of the piece to be
cut in circumcision, and he has to do circumcision as soon as
possible, for it is one of the requirement of Islam.
Chapter 4:
Matters Relating to Zakat
Question
86: If
a Muslim struggles hard in order to achieve his own wealth, why
should he/she give a certain amount of this wealth in the form of
zakat? Is not all the money his/hers? Cannot God give the poor
money?
Answer
86: Islam has its
own comprehensive educational system which takes care of both the
individual and the society at the same time. It maintains balance in
rights and duties, chastens and purifies the soul from greed and
miserliness, and makes man feel that he/she is an integral part of
the society. Islam preaches that there is no complete happiness
unless all are happy; a well known Muslim poet says: “No clouds
should ever rain on me or on my land/ Unless it rains all over the
place.” Islam has established a society based on cooperation,
solidarity, reciprocal connection, mercy, love, benevolence and
altruism. A true Muslim’s conscience suffers and gets tormented if
people around him are under distress or hardship. A Muslim, who has
been endowed, by God, with health and strength to collect money, is
supposed to give thanks to his Lord for His gifts. The best way for
a Muslim to give thanks is to help brethrens in Islam who need help,
to give the deprived and poor from what God has given him. Love and
intimacy as such would be established and maintained between the poor
and the rich. In this way, society would feel better; and the spirit
of cooperation and harmony would prevail among the members of the
same community. Besides, the one who is poor and frugal might become
rich one day, and vice versa; he who gives today might be in need in
the future. Every right has one duty against it, and vice versa.
If
we look at the modern advanced societies, we find them imposing
different systems of social security, collecting taxes, and trying
all the time to protect these systems by the force of law. Islam
legislated the system of zakat,
which is fundamentally is a test, in order to achieve solidarity for
the sake of brotherhood, love, and goodwill. However, the rebellion
of some people against this system obliges the Islamic state to take
zakat
from them by force so that the right of the society continues to be
maintained before the right of individuals, so that happiness can
prevail. Almighty God relates: “Help you one another in al-Birr
and al-Taqwa
(virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin
and transgression” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 2) and prophet Muhammad
related: “He is not a believer in me that who sleeps full at home
while his neighbor beside him is hungry and he knows about him.”
It
is in this way that Islam brought people up so that society could be
a civilized one. History has not witnessed a similar example. Islam
still has the aptitude to form such society based on these values and
high ideals if it has the enlightened and conscious leadership and if
people are enjoying an atmosphere of freedom and dignity.
Question
87: Is
it permissible for a convert to give zakat to non-Muslim relatives
for reconciliation so that they may embrace Islam?
Answer
87: Yes, it is
possible to give zakat
to relatives for reconciliation so that they may embrace Islam. In
fact they are entitled to get such zakat.
Almighty God says: “As-sadaqat
(here it means zakat)
are only for the poor, and to the needy (but do no beg) and those
employed to collect (the funds), and to attract the hearts of those
who have been inclined (towards Islam)” (Holy Qur’an: 9: 60).
Though non-Muslims, these people must be given from the money of
zakat
so that they may, hopefully, embrace Islam. Many people have
embraced Islam out of their desire to get money, but later they
became interested in the religion and became good Muslims.
Question
88: Out
of the eight ways of spending zakat comes “and those who are in the
path of God.” Does this include sponsoring Islamic promulgators
and buying books for free distribution?
Answer
88: Zakat
should go to those specified by almighty God in the Qur’an.
According to the majority of scholars, the type mentioned above, in
the path God, means jihad (holy war) against the enemies of God. As
to those who have devoted their time for Islamic call and have
nothing to earn their living from, they are entitled to the zakat
money. As to buying books and distributing them free, if the books
are useful to those who are going to receive them, especially in the
field of religion, and they were among those entitled to zakat
money, there is no objection to this. Generally speaking,
distributing books to the poor and to the needy, it is one of the
most useful deeds which bring the Muslim closer to God and it is the
most important kind of the ways to spread the Islamic call, but this
should not come from the zakat
money. The charitable people should assign an amount of money as
alms for this kind of activity.
Chapter 5:
Matters Relating to Fasting
Question
89: Can
not the fasting of Ramadhan be regarded as a kind of starving,
self-torment and physical infliction when Muslims deprive themselves
from food and drink for many hours every day and for a duration of a
month? Why do not they fast as others (Jews and Christians) do?
Answer
89: Fasting in
Islam–like every other ritual–invokes admiration of this religion
and of its educational method in life. Islam is not a religion based
on the satisfaction of emotions or benumbing of feelings. Also, it is
not a religion which follows the inclinations of people or pleads
them to meet around it like foam. It is a heavenly religion which
came to build up the good man who qualifies for becoming of God’s
vicegerent on earth, multiply in number, and establish both truth and
justice. Great tasks like these require strong will and patience on
the burden of life and its oddities. Nothing like fasting could
sharpen the will. When a man feels hungry, out of his/her own will,
at a time when nothing could prevent him/her from food; when man
chooses to abstain from food and drink until a specific time, his/her
will becomes subordinate to the mind and thought. As such a Muslim
becomes able to abstain from things on the occasion of abstaining and
moves forward in the location of action, and does and leave what
he/she thinks right after thinking and contemplation, away from
emotions and quick excitement, and respond to ideas and various
obsessions. Fasting is also a kind of education of the rich and the
well-to-do to taste the meaning of need and the sting of hunger which
the poor always suffer from. When those feel as the others do,
cooperation, solidarity and mercy prevail among the individuals of
all society, but when fasting is merely superficial, as the followers
of some other religions do, this does not go with the
comprehensiveness of Islam and its distinction. This religion is
characterized by its own rules and distinction of thoughts from other
creeds so that what is good is known to be different from the bad.
Scum always goes in vain, and what avails the people stays in the
land.
Question
90: Islam
is a religion of ease. What did God in his Almighty enjoins such a
difficult task as fasting on the Muslim, especially those who live in
hot areas?
Answer
90: There is no
hardship in Islam and God does not charge man to do more than he/she
could. Any obligation in Islam that is too difficult for man and may
cause him too much difficulty will not continue to be an obligation.
On the one hand, anyone who cannot fast may not do so provided that
he/she compensate for not fasting by feeding a needy person for each
day he/she did not fast. On the other hand, Islam is a heavenly
religion with a great heavenly message which intends to build a
nation, establish a civilization, and take care of society by
defending its rights, and achieving a great role on the international
level. Such a religion should in the first place prepare its
followers to endure difficulties and hardships so that they could be
qualified to build nations and develop civilizations. May God bless
the soul of that who said: “If the souls are great the bodies will
be tired because of their will.”
Desiring
comfort and living in slackness, dullness and laziness are the
qualities of one who is impatient, the kind of people who are not
expected to be good to themselves or to others. Has ever a nation
risen in history and was important while it was sitting dull, neither
struggling nor getting tired or exhausted? Could such people know
the taste of real comfort, unless they were exhausted because of
work? Could people feel the pleasure of recovery without knowing the
meaning of disease? Could people know the taste of freedom without
suffering the agony of suppression?
By
contemplating these great meanings, we realize that the obligation of
fasting is a heavenly educational one and the difficulty in it may be
intentional and deliberate, otherwise it would not achieve the
desired aim in the formation of the nation and its preparation for
grand tasks.
Question
91: How
could a Muslim fast while living in a country where the sun does not
set most of the hours of the day, as in the Scandinavian countries
for instance?
Answer
91: Fasting is a
kind of worship. It is a way of getting accustomed to patience and
developing a serious will; and a Muslim has to be as strong as
possible in terms of religion, will and body. The Muslims of such
cold countries as the Scandinavian, where the sun does not set most
of the hours of the day, should fast and be patient until the sun
sets even though the day is much longer than the night. If someone,
due to a certain defect or illness, feels unable to endure fasting
for such a long time, he/she can choose not to fast but must make up
for that when he/she becomes able to do so. Otherwise, if there is
no possibility that the Muslim would be able to fast, then he has to
compensate in terms of feeding a needy Muslim by providing him/her
with average food, which he often offers to his family, for lunch or
dinner for everyday he did not fast.
Chapter 6:
Matters Relating to Pilgrimage
Question
92: How
does Islam command its followers to kiss a stone in Makka with the
aim of getting closer to God? Why should Muslims circumambulate a
stone building, or stand on a mount of stones and rocks while, in the
meantime, it ordains its followers to keep from statues and idols
which are made of stone. Is not that self-contradictory?
Answer
92: The acts of
pilgrimage, such as circumambulate the Holy Kabah, kissing the stone,
and standing on a mount of Arafaat are not considered in any way to
be a statue worship, which is strongly prohibited in Islam. The case
of worshipping idols implies intention and a heart attached to these
solid stones with the belief that these statues have power and can
affect man’s life. Such beliefs are regarded by Islam as a matter
of mental setback, for how could an inanimate object a living
creature?
The
whole rituals of pilgrimage represent complete obedience to God,
which God Himself requested from man. Whether one can realize the
secrets behind these rituals or not, a Muslim should follow the
commands of God so long as He commands us to do so. God is
All-Knowing and All-Wise, and He commands His slaves to do only what
is beneficial and good to them.
The
pilgrimage rituals imply great educational intentions, which have
their effect on the life of the Islamic nation. They are the
landmarks around which Muslims from all over the world meet, stand
and move in the same direction. Circumambulating the Kaabah together
in the same direction while all are clad in white, and repeating the
same call is a real submission to God Will. All this reminds Muslims
of their emotional, intellectual and dogmatic unity and the unity of
their orientation towards great matters in life and the unity of
their path and destiny.
It
also reminds them of equality in rights and duties; people are equal,
no one is unimportant or important, there is neither ruler nor ruled,
neither a prince nor a commoner, and no one is distinguished from
others in dress, circumambulating, standing or in any related ritual.
Great must be the effect of pilgrimage on the rich and the famous
when they are considered to be equal to the poor and the needy.
Their pride is bound to be lessened—something which makes them feel
the life of simplicity, deprivation and exhaustion; consequently they
would reconsider the nature of their social relationship with the
public.
Pilgrimage
also has educational effects, when languages, colors and localities
of the Islamic world meet and live together for a few days every year
with the unity of feelings, language, behavior and intentions.
Now,
could any rational person think that the pilgrimage rituals and acts
are like the rituals of humbleness before an idol made of stone which
cannot cause any harm or good to itself or to others?.
Question
93: What
is the idea behind circumambulating the Kaabah? Do Muslim worship
the this building?
Answer
93: Muslims worship
God only and do not worship anything else besides Him.
Circumambulating the Holy Kaabah is not a ritual of worshipping the
stone building in itself. Rather, it is a symbol of total submission
to God’s commands; around which the Muslims’ words and intentions
unite, and on which their opinions unit. Despite all the differences
in their colours, languages, countries, all Muslims meet around the
Kaabah, which makes them feel their greatness, strength and unity, as
mentioned before. On the other hand, there is a variety of worship
thorough which the Muslims get closer to almighty God, the physical
reason behind which is not known for sure; rather they are the emblem
of yielding to That Great God Whom Muslims knew as enjoying strength,
greatness, mercy and perfection. Muslims love God and believed in
Him. One of the effects of that love is the haste a Muslim shows to
carry out His command without knowing its effects. The obvious aim
is their trust in God, and the desire to obtain the reward both here
and hereafter
The
matter of worship whose desired effect in particular is not known to
Muslims is a kind of spiritual food them, so that their soul can be
balanced and their nature be settled, as man is made from body, mind
and spirit. The body is physical and has its material and concrete
food, and the mind is the container of science and knowledge and has
its food in Islam, as God opened before him the horizons of the
universe and life and urged him to research and probe the depths of
the universe and benefit from it. Also, God praised the mind and
appreciated it so much in order to give it a confidence, testimony,
and a value which helps him to achieve his tasks in life. As for the
spirit, it is that transparent unknown being whose nature and essence
has not been recognized yet. As to the spirit, God made its food
from worships, and particular supplications, which provide for this
basic element in man its growth, balance and coordination with the
body and mind so that man could become complete, good and straight.
Chapter 7:
Family and Women Affairs
Question
94: Why
did Islam limit the number of wives to four? And why does it confine
man’s sexual pleasure to marriage commitments, home and tasks?
Answer
94: Islam limited
the number of wives to four as the maximum number for a variety of
reasons. On the one hand nature and reality have proved the
righteousness of this rule, especially when we take into account the
rising percentage of women compared to that of men. On the other
hand men are more exposed than women to dangers and mortality like
wars and perilous jobs. If man’s marriage is limited to one woman
only, a number of women will be deprived from the bliss of marriage
which is an instinctive demand in all human beings; which provides
shelter, intimacy and marital life for every member of the family.
When allowing man to marry more than one wife Islam does not make the
case obligatory, but rather something lawful. As a matter of fact,
Islam encourages marrying only one wife for those men who do not have
the ability to be fair amongst their wives. It proscribes its male
followers to marry more than one if they cannot fulfill marital
duties equally well among the wives. Almighty God says: “…then
marry (other women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you
fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only
one...” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 3). However, the percentage of those
who marry more than one wife is limited, as most men limit themselves
to one wife. The percentage is lesser among those who marry three or
four women.
Islam
prohibits intercourse between man and woman outside wedlock as this
cause harm on to both the individual and on society. It causes many
diseases, it leads to loss of lineage and it brings about the
destruction of the family, which is the nucleus of any society.
It
remains to say in this context that it is difficult to find a man or
a woman in the western societies not having one or concubines. This
is something that often happens at the expense of the family and its
structure. It is strange how developed people would justify having
concubines but not wives!
Question
95: Why
does Islam allow polygamy for men but not polyandry for women? Where
is justice here?
Answer
95: Only those who
regard marriage as purely sexual relationship propagate this point of
view. They ask: “Why cannot a woman have the same right as men, of
marrying more than one man? The answer can be as follows: if a woman
marries more than one man, the lineage will be lost, as the woman is
responsible for pregnancy. If land is not good for planting more
than one kind of plant at the same time, how could a woman be good
for planting more than one kind of semen at the same time? Science
has proved that out of millions of sperms, only one is able to
fertilize the egg. If the relationship of the woman is with one man
within marriage, we know for sure that this fertilization has come
from her single husband, not anybody else, even though the sperms are
millions, but if the woman is married to more than one man, how could
we know whose sperm it was that fertilized the egg of the woman;
eventually, to whom should the child belong? And which of these
husbands will be responsible for this family? Is it then justifiable
that for the sake of equality with man in polygamy the lineage of
children will be lost?
Naturally
speaking, the majority of women reach the age of menopause early. The
age of menopause ranges between 40 and 50. As to men, their potency
continues until very late, on the one hand, and some women do not
desire their husbands, which causes them sexual frigidity, which is
much more common in women than in men. Women have their menstruation
and confinement periods, and some of them have long menstruation
periods. This prevents men from having sexual intercourse with them.
Question
96: Why
is it not lawful for man to have sex with his wife when she is having
her menstrual period?
Answer
96: What is
forbidden during the menstrual period is the vaginal sexual
intercourse only. All other forms of sexual pleasure are lawful, as
almighty God said:
“They
ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an adha
(a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his
wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women
during menses and go not unto them till they are purified (from
menses and have taken a bath). And when they have purified
themselves, then go in unto them as God has ordained for you (go in
unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina). Truly God
loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who
purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning, and washing
thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers) (Holy
Qur’an: 1:222).
Almighty
God commands men to keep away from women during their menstrual
period, that is, not to have vaginal sexual intercourse in the
vagina. intercourse in the vagina during menstruation has been
proved medically harmful. In fact it comprises every kind of harm,
as straight natures hate mixing with impurities. Judaism prohibited
cohabiting with the woman during her menstruation, eating with her,
and having sexual intercourse with her. Islam is a medial religion,
it allows men and women to enjoy each others in any way except sexual
intercourse.
Question
97: Does
Islam encourage marriages arranged by the parents without prior
consent from the son or the daughter?
Answer
97: Islam does not
encourage arranged marriages without the consent of the son or the
daughter, even though the guardian is the father, which is clear in
what Prophet Muhammad said:
“A
widow is not married until she gives her consent, and a virgin is not
married until she gives her permission.’ They asked, “O,
Messenger of God, how can she give her permission?” He said, “By
keeping silent.” And in other words “A widow has more right than
her guardian to give her consent, and a virgin is asked and her
permission is her silence.”6
Khansa’
Bint Huzam related that her father married her off when she was a
widow. She, therefore, came to the prophet (pbuh) to complain about
it. The prophet annulled her marriage.7
It was also related that the a virgin maid came to the messenger of
God and told him that her father had married her off by force, and
the prophet gave her the choice to stay with her husband or to leave
him.”8
It
was related too that a girl came to the messenger of God and told
him: “My father married me off to his nephew for reputation;”
whereupon the prophet gave her the choice to stay with her husband or
to leave him. She said: “I have accepted what my father had done,
but I wanted to tell the women that a father does not have the right
to do so.”9
These traditions and many others confirm that Islam does not allow a
father or a guardian to marry his daughter or sister off except when
she gives her full consent. And in the likely case she is forced to
marry out of her consent, she can file a case to the court or to the
authorities, which have the right to nullify the marriage.
Question
98: Why
does not Islam allow a Muslim woman to marry a Jew or a Christian at
the time it allows the Muslim man to marry a Jewess or a Christian
woman? Also why does not Islam allow Muslim men to marry other women
than Jews or Christians (People of the Scripture)?
Answer
98: Islam allows
Muslim men to marry Jewish or Christian women. This is a clear
indication of the extent to which it tolerates and honours the
followers of these two heavenly religions. It deals with them in a
special way which does not apply to the followers of other religions,
in terms of eating from their food and marrying women from them. In
all religions, the guardianship is in the hand of the man. In this
case if a Jew or a Christian man marries a Muslim woman, he might
deal arbitrarily with her and use his right to force her (and their
children if any) to abandon Islam. But for this, Islam might have
allowed equal treatment in marriage, like equal treatment in food.
Almighty God says:
“Made
lawful to you this day are at-tayyibat
[all kinds of halal
(lawful) food, which God had made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable
animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits). The food
(slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture
(Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.
(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and
chaste women from those who were given the Scriptures (Jews and
Christians) before your time when you have given their due mahr
(bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of
marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not
committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as
girl-friends. And whosoever disbelieves in Faith [i.e. in the
Oneness of God and in all the other Articles of Faith, i.e. His
(God’s) Angles, His Holy Books, His Messengers, the Day of
Resurrection and al-Qadar
(Divine Preordainments)], then fruitless is his work; and in the
hereafter he will be among the losers” (Holy Qur’an: 3:5)
Islam
gives equal treatment to the chaste Christian or Jewish woman as one
as the Muslim women in terms of wage (dowry), prohibition of unlawful
sexual intercourse, or making them concubines: it allows them to keep
their religion while they are wives to Muslim men. As to marriage of
non-Muslim men to Muslim women, it is prohibited for particular
reasons:
1. Man has the authority and
guardianship on his wife, in which likely case he might affect her
behavior, conduct, thought and beliefs.
2. In terms of equal treatment,
Christianity and Judaism do not allow the marriage of Christian or
Jewish woman to marry a Muslim man.
3. In order to prevent the
authority of non-Muslims over Muslims, almighty God said: “And
never will God grant to the disbeliveers a way (to triumph) over the
believers” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 141).
Question
99: Why can a Muslim
divorce his wife any time likes, while a woman is not allowed to do
so except after long and inconvenient procedures?
Answer
99: Islam does not
allow man to divorce his wife arbitrarily and unjustly. If he does
so that means he has not maintained his responsibility efficiently.
Islam legislated several measures which a man should adhere to before
he can take the decision to divorce his wife. These include:
1.
advising her,
2.
desertion her in bed,
3.
beating her harmlessly,
4.
arbitration, i.e. asking (any of her and/or his relations) for
intervention,
5.
first divorce (revocable),
6.
second divorce (revocable),
7.
third (or final) divorce (irrevocable).
Almighty
God said: “As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct,
admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last)
beat them (lightly, if it is useful)” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 34).
After all of these stages, the irrevocable divorce can take place,
and there are several stages that the husband has to follow,
otherwise his divorce will be arbitrary and unfair to his wife. On
the other hand, there are several things to do, like:
1. man is usually less hasty or
excited and has more self-control of nerves and emotions than woman;
2. man has authority and
guardianship at home which commands him to spend on the wife and
family.
3. man is the one who pays the
marriage portion, whereas the woman takes it.
Question
100: Why
should a woman wait if her husband has been away from her for a very
long time until a judge can give a verdict of her divorce?
Answer
100: It is not a
matter of waiting as much as there should be confirmation and proof
of the complete absence of news about the husband. Marriage is a
real bondage and contract which implies intimacy, mercy, stability
and tranquility. Almighty God says:
“And
among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among
yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between
you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a
people who reflect” (Holy Qur’an: 30: 21).
It
is known that whenever the contract has grand effects, it is more
difficult for the legislator to dissolve it and that depends on the
contractors themselves. If the absence of the husband allowed the
dissolution of the contract accordingly, there must be patience and
confirmation, as mentioned before, in dissolving this contract, so
that neither of the contractors would be done any harm because of
haste. This happens depending on the cause of absence and its
justifications. The judge should estimate such matters and try to
avoid harm to anyone as much as possible.
Question
101: Why
should there be a guardian and two righteous witnesses at the time of
the marriage contract in Islam? Is it not possible for a woman to
have her complete freedom in this respect, and not wait for someone
to humiliate her in choosing and allow her to marry? Since men have
the right to marry whenever they like, why, women are not granted the
same status? And why her guardian’s consent is a prerequisite in
this instance?
Answer
101: Part of the
answer has already been given in (Answer
97). Here is the
rest of the answer. At the time of marriage, there should a guardian
(usually the father) and two righteous witnesses. Marriage is
different from unlawful adultery, and a woman is not allowed to marry
without the consent of her guardian; the guardian in turn is not
allowed to marry her off without taking her consent. The
responsibility here is mutual; it cannot be achieved except through
the consent of the two sides, both the guardian and the girl. This
signifies a respect for the woman and maintenance of her right. It
takes care of her and does not cause her any harm or humiliation. If
she happens to choose a suitable man and her guardian prevents her
from marrying him, or in the likely case she has no guardian, the
judge can be in charge of marrying her off in spite of the objection
of her guardian. In Islamic jurisprudence the judge is the guardian
of anyone who does not have a guardian, i.e. he can marry a woman off
if she has no guardians.
If
a woman wants to marry a man and there is another one who is better
than him, the consent of the guardian and the witnesses will be
superfluous, and her freedom will not be limited. But if the husband
she has chosen is not an appropriate one (to the best of the
guardian’s knowledge), her guardian can interfere. Preventing her
from such a marriage is deemed to her interest. Not all kinds of
freedom necessarily bring benefit to man, and every kind of
limitation is harmful to hime/her. Almighty God says: “…and it
may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you
like a thing which is bad for you. God knows but you do not know”
(Holy Qur’an: 2: 216).
Question
102: Is
it lawful for a woman to divorce her husband if he is infertile, ill
or having a chronic disease? And is it lawful for a man to divorce
his wife if she is barren or has a chronic disease?
Answer
102: As mentioned
above, divorce is in the hand of man not woman because of reasons,
most important of which is his right of guardianship. However, Islam
has made it lawful for woman to dissolve the marriage contract (In
Islamic jurisprudence–mukhaala’a),
which happens when a woman asks the judicial authorities to dissolve
the marriage contract, either because of the infertility of her
husband or because of some harm caused by the husband to her, as is
the case when the husband is chronically ill. This matter will be
different if the woman knows about her husband’s situation before
her marriage to him.
Question
103: Why
is not lawful for girls in some Muslim countries to choose any man
she wants to marry?
Answer
103: Islam should
not be judged through the practices of some of its followers; people
should be judged according to their implementation of Islam. Islam
does respect the will of the girl, as mentioned above. However, the
consent of the girl’s guardian should be achieved when she would
like to marry and the marriage contract will not be valid without it.
A
woman is free to choose any man she wants to marry; she is also free
to reject any man she does not want to marry. This is alright as long
as her choice is right. As to the choice based on socialization
between man and woman or unlawful courtship, it is undoubtedly a
failing one. In this case, the guiding guardian, who takes in his
consideration the benefit of his daughter or ward, should interfere.
Prophet Muhammad said: “Any woman married off by an angry guardian,
her marriage is invalid.”
If
the guardian is fair, he should interfere, as his consent is
beneficial not only for the girl in this case, but also it goes
beyond that to include his family and clan. Islam stresses familial
and social relations. The fact that Islam is the religion of
equality is true and right, because it holds similar things as equal,
it draws distinctions between contradictions, antitheses and
differences. If it regards different things as equal it would be
unfair and unjust. Man and woman are the same in terms of humanity,
in reward and in punishment, in rights and in responsibility, and in
many duties. The same applies to the marital home, as almighty God
said: “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards
living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as
regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable…” (Holy
Qur’an: 2: 228). As man is responsible for work and expenditure
for his family, and is exposed to more struggling in life, he was
given an extra degree: “but men have a degree (of responsibility)
over them” (Holy Qur’an: 2: 228). Almighty God also said: “Men
are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has made one
of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them)
from their means” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 34).
Suspicion
comes from adopting corrupt criteria; difference in jobs leads to
differences in concepts. When a European woman wants to work, earn
her living, and spending money, as man does, undoubtedly she will
demand equality. Troubles emerge from asking a woman to do what is
not her duty. For this, and besides other reasons, Islam does not
regard man and woman as equal in a variety of respects, including
testimonies, inheritance, guardianship, custody, confinement after
divorce, and the areas of the private parts of the body which should
be covered, and the duty of expenditure, divorce, etc. It is a well
know fact that organic and functional build of woman is different
from that of the man. The French scientist Alex Carrel stated:
The
difference between man and woman does not come from the particular
shape of their genitalia, or from the presence of womb in woman, or
from the method of education, as the difference is of a more
important nature than this. The differences come from formation of
texture itself, and from the fertilization of the body with specific
chemical materials which the ovary exudes. Ignoring those essential
facts by feminists led them to believe that both sexes should receive
the same kind of education, and that both sexes should be given the
same authorities and similar responsibilities. In fact, woman differs
considerably from man, as every cell of her body carries the nature
of her sex.10
Question
104: Since
Islam is the religion of equality, why it gives man double what it
gives to woman in matters of inheritance?
Answer
104: Islam gave man
double what it gave to woman in inheritance for several reasons:
1. Man’s need for money is
more than that of woman, because he is charged of the financial
burdens of life which are double the burdens of woman. When he
becomes adult, he is required to spend on himself (marriage expenses
for example), at the time girl continues to be spent on by her
guardian until she gets married. When she accepts to marry a man,
her future husband gives her the marriage portion. When she gets
married, her husband becomes in charge of spending on her.
2. Money is the nerve of life
and proper management of finance is both an individualistic and
collective duty. Man is often better at handling inherited money and
better at managing and investing it.
3. Islam observed the
possibility that the inheritors may share the inherited money: men
mostly participate in running the business of their fathers, whom
they inherited while women do not.
4. Giving man double the amount
of the inheritance to woman man is not always the case, as both man
and woman may get the same amount in some cases, as in the case of
the brother of a mother, and the sister of a mother, and the father
and mother from their son, if the son has inheriting descendents, and
so on.
5. Inheritance is one of the
forms of support, and men are much more supportive to their
dependants more than women.
Question
105: Why
does not an infidel brother inherit his Muslim brother, and vice
versa?
Answer
105: Inheritance is
an expression of loyalty, connection and relation. If the inheritor
is different from the testator in terms of religion, there will not
be guardianship or relation between them, since the most important
relation is that of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Neither
an infidel inherits a Muslim nor a Muslim inherits an infidel.”11
Prevention of inheritance is a prevention of the forms of sympathy
and relation, both of which might corrupt the Muslim’s faith. When
Islam prevents inheritance between a Muslim and an infidel, it
affirms the rule “profit against loss” and vice versa, which does
not negate justice, but a kind of equal treatment.
Question
106: Why
does Islam prohibit an heir from inheriting his testator in case this
latter was killed by his inheritor? In this case what is the fault
of the killer’s children if they did not take part in the murder?
Answer
106: Depriving the
killer from inheriting his testator is a kind of prevention of a
greater evil, as there could be more murders of testators. It is
also a treatment of man according to the opposite intention of the
killer and punishing him in a similar kind. The jurisprudential rule
for this is: “Anyone who makes haste to get something before it is
the right time is punished by depriving him from it.” Depriving
the killer from inheriting does not prevent his children from
inheritance, as long as they are not prevented by other heirs because
of other reasons of prevention, than killing.
Question
107: Why
cannot a woman travel on her own, while man can? Why should she
always be escorted by a mahram (unmarriageable relative man) if she
wants to travel? Also, why she can not travel without her guardian’s
consent?
Answer
107: A woman may
travel without a mahram
but only for short distancees–less than a day and a night. In case
she wanted to take more than this, she is required to be accompanied
by a mahram
or by a trusty group. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “A woman may
not travel for more than one day and night on her own without a
mahram.”12
Islam disallows a woman from traveling on her own for a long
distance for the sake of her safety, protection, reputation and to
preventing any evil which might befall her. Of course she can always
travel for any distance with a good company or a group of people
provided that her safety is maintained and confirmed. Unless
accompanied and/ or escorted by amahram
a woman may not even travel to perform her pilgrimage, which is one
of the greatest Islamic forms of worship.
Question
108: Why
would a woman wait for the consent of her husband or the
companionship of one of her unmarriageable relatives if she wants to
perform pilgrimage, although pilgrimage is an obligatory duty for
women as well as for men who are allowed to travel without the
consent of their wives?
Answer
108: This question
has already been answered (answer 107). However, we can also say
that God Himself out of mercy and compassion with His people wanted
to make life easier for them people. Some scholars mentioned that
one of the conditions for women to perform pilgrimage is to be
accompanied by a mahram.
This is not a condition of duty as much as a condition of
performance. It is not a condition for acceptance: if she performs
pilgrimage without mahram
the pilgrimage is deemed to right and she would have fulfilled this
ritual. But God did not oblige her to do what she could not do and
she is rendered sinful if she dies without performing pilgrimage if
she does not find an accompanying mahram
or a trustworthy company.
The
consent of the husband for the wife to go with one of her
unmarriageable relatives to perform pilgrimage remains a
controversial matter among religious scholars.
Question
109: Could
you comment on the prophetic tradition which says: “The people who
give the leadership to a woman would never be successful.”13
Answer
109: This tradition
has its own historical context. It was stated by the prophet as a
response to the political change in the crumbling Persian Empire in
the 6th
century. In a failing attempt to save their empire, the Persian
crowned Khosrau’s daughter, Buran, as their leader. When the
prophet learned about this incident, he (pbuh) said: “The people
who give the leadership to a woman would never be successful.”
Some
scholars interpret this saying according to its historical context
only, that is when the prophet foretold the downfall and the
breaking-up of the Persian Empire—which is an historical fact.
However, there are scholars who take the words in a more general
sense. They say that the authority of the woman will always be
lacking because she might be exposed to difficult situations over
which she might have no control because of her nature and weaknesses.
Question
110: Why
does not Islam allow women to take judicial positions, i.e. become
judges?
Answer
110: Depending on
the prophetic hadith
in question 109, most scholars believe that women cannot become
judges, because of the discrepancy of their nature as dealing with
legal problems requires more reason than passion. However, Abu
Hanifah, the well known leader of an Islamic school, stated that
women may become judges but only in affairs where her testimony is
indispensable and/or crucial. Ibn Jareer at-Tabari and the Malikis
have no objection to women’s judicial positions.
Question
111: What
is meant by the prophetic statement regarding women that they have
“Women have their own deficiencies in both minds and religion”?
Answer
111: It has been
reported that the prophet (pbuh) once addressed women by saying: “O
womenfolk, give alms. I have seen that the majority of the people in
hell are women.” The women asked: “O, Messenger of God, why?”
He said: “You keep swearing, and deny your husbands, I have not
seen people with incomplete minds and religions who could affect the
mind of the strict men like you. Then they asked: “What is our
lack of mind and religion, O, Messenger of God?” He said: “Is
not the testimony of woman half that of a man?” They said: “Yes.”
He said: “That is the lack in her mind.” He added: “Does not
she abstain from praying and fasting when she has her period?” They
said: “yes.” He concluded: “That is their lack of religion.”
It is obvious from the answer of the prophet that the lack of
woman’s mind is in the matter of testimony, which needs control and
affirmation. Man is more affirmative and controlling in this respect
than woman. Also, he could afford to witness a crime more than a
woman could do, that is because of the nature of woman who could not
endure to do as a man can. A woman needs another woman’s testimony
to confirm hers, as women are often busy with their children, and
home, which usually distracts her mind and thinking. The first part
of the tradition alludes to the cunning of women in some respect,
that they affect the strict man’s mind. This is the most
rhetorical description of women, as the self-controlled man is
sometimes led by their intrigues. As such, one who is not
self-controlled is more likely to be led by others.
As
to the lack in woman’s religion, the prophet referred to that in
the sense that when she menstruates, she neither prays nor fasts,
which makes her more exposed to the devil’s insinuations. If she
strengthens herself with supplication and giving alms, she will be
more protected from the devil, God willing.
It
has medically been proved that when a woman is menstruating, or in
confinement she usually goes through an uncomfortable psychological
and physical situation. This is a part of the prophetic miracle, as
it shows us that woman is exposed to such emergent lack, which is not
a permanent lack in the nature of woman.
Question
112: Prophet
Muhammad said: “Woman was created from a bending rib.” What does
this mean and is it also applicable on men?
Answer
112: This tradition
has been mentioned to take care of women and not to prejudice them,
as some might think. The original saying stated by the prophet in
this respect was: “I command you to take care of women, as they
were created from a rib, and if a rib bends, it does at the top part
of it. If you try to straighten it, it breaks, and if you leave it,
it will continue to be bending. Therefore, take care of women.”14
This can be taken to mean: accept my command of women and behave
accordingly. Take care of women and be kind when dealing with them,
because of their delicate nature.
Traditions
say that Eve was created from one of Adam’s ribs, i.e. she came out
of it as a palm tree comes out from a nucleus—something that has
been affirmed by other heavenly religions.
The
meaning of “the most bending part of the rib is its top” could be
a reference to the most bending part of woman, which is her tongue.
The tradition connotes that the woman has a definite nature according
to which she was created; it is difficult to change natures and men
should cope with this fact. Anyone who tries to straighten a bending
rib will break it, and breaking means divorce and/or separation.
It
is a fact that almighty God created Adam from earth and water (clay)
and created woman from his (Adam’s) rib, and created the jinn from
fire.
Question
113: Is it lawful
for woman to enter the domain of political and parliamentary life?
Is she allowed to vote to choose a certain ruler?
Answer
113: Within
the framework of the Islamic law, it is quite possible for women to
involve in political and/or parliamentary lives. She is also free to
vote for the political ruler of her choice. Abdurrahman ibn `Awf
consulted with women in their rooms when he was charged of choosing
`Uthman or Ali as the third caliphate the death of Omar.
Question
114: Why
does Islam consider the testimony of a woman half that of a man? Are
not men and women treated equally well in Islam?
Answer
114: The number of
witnesses has nothing to do with respecting the witness or
humiliating him. This is due to the kind of testimony and its
requirements. In many legal cases, especially those exclusively
related to women, men’s testimonies are invalid; only the
testimonies of women are to be accepted. This of course does not
degrade men. Also there are cases where the testimonies of both men
and women are accepted, because they have the same thing witnessed,
like the proof of seeing the moon of the month of Ramadhan. There
are also cases where the testimonies of men and women are accepted,
but because of the lack of interest of women in them, and the
probability of women’s forgetfulness, the testimonies of two women
are equaled to one testimony of man. The aim here is to maintain
right. The Holy Qur’an says: “…so that if one of them (two
women) errs, the other can remind her.” (Holy Qur’an: 1: 282).
This applies to financial matters; as it is the concern of men to
work in markets, attend the contracts of financial negotiations,
contrary to women who are not usually concerned with financial
contracts.
Question
115: Isn’t
it a savagery of Islam to order for the stoning of the married
adulterer and whip the unmarried one?
Answer
115: There is no
savagery in stoning a married adulterer and whipping an unmarried
one, as their acts themselves are ones of bestiality and savagery.
Adultery is a transgression of God’s right and natural law. All
heavenly religions and conventions have agreed that adultery is
heinous crime. Therefore, secular laws are not fair, and Islam’s
incurring of such punishments, of the adulterer and adulteress, is to
curb man from committing such crime.
The
stoning of an adulterer had existed in the creed of the Jews before
that of Islam in the books of the Old Testament (the creed of the
Jews and the Christians), but the followers of those two religions
changed that creed and the scriptures remained until the time of
prophet Muhammad (pbuh). When two Jewish adulterers were brought
him, he told them that their rule existed in their Torah, but they
concealed it from him. To this denial God revealed to His prophet
the following Qur’anic verse: “But how do they come to you for
decision while they have he Torah, in which is the (plain) Decision
of God; yet even after that, they turn away. For they are not
(really) believers” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 43). The punishment of the
unmarried adulterer according to the Jewish faith was to soil his/her
face with black color and to make him/her ride backwardly on an
animal while it is led through streets of the village, town or city.
Inflicting
a painful punishment on the adulterer and adulteress is not a savage
matter, especially after discovering its destructive effects, which
threaten societies with perdition. AIDS,
syphilis, leukorrhea, to mention only few, are well know fatal
diseases which are caused by illegal practices of sex.
Question
116: Why
does Islam restrict woman with niqab (hijab)l? Is not that a form of
humiliating woman in every way in life? Is not faith in the heart? Is
not it lawful for woman to enjoy the bliss of eyesight?
Answer
116: Islam commanded
woman to use the veil in order to protect and maintain her from harm
and aggression. She is like a jewel that is to be wrapped up with
the finest pieces of cloth, and placed in the most protected
location, far away from the hands of the corrupted people. This
explanation is testified by almighty God’s words:
“O,
Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, and the women of the
believers to draw their cloaks. That will be better, that they
should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed.
And God is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Holy Qur’an: 33:
59).
This
means the following:
1. Islam in its creed surrounds
the woman with a halo of decency, which goes with her nature of
instinctive shyness—something that exists in every heavenly
religion. In Christianity, for example, a nun is made to be dressed
decently, a way which is different from other women in her religion,
whereas Islam made this rule apply to every woman, as religion is
meant to be for all and not specific to a particular section, and
this is the way in all of its rules.
2. It is true that faith lies
in the heart, but man’s action and behaviour are supposed to
testify to faith or belie. Commitment to God’s commands is a proof
of the existence of faith, and violating almighty God’s commands is
a proof of the absence of faith and its weakness.
1
Cited in Muslim.
2
Cited in Ahmad.
3
Cited in Muslim,
hadith No.
328.
4
Cited in Al-Tirmidhi,
hadith No.
2723.
5
Cited in sahih
al-Jame’ by
Al-Allabani, hadith
No. 3777.
6
Cited in Al-Bukhalri
and Muslim.
7
Cited in all canonical books of hadith.
8
Cited in Ahmad,
Ibn Majah,
and others.
9
Cited in Ibn Majah
10
Alex Carrel, The
Unknown World of Man,
p. 114
11
Cited in all canonical books of hadith.
12
Cited in Muslim,
Haj book, hadith
No. 2388.
13
Cited in Bukhari,
in al-Maghazi (The Forays).
14
Cited in Bukhari.