Letters to the Editor

Q: I am a B. Arch graduate residing in Bangalore. I would like to work with you or any Muslim Halaal enterprises.  Please guide me.

Ghani Bavla,
On Email

YMD

We do not understand your request. Are you looking for a job? Or do you wish to offer your services to an Islamic organization. If so, what do you mean by ‘Halaal Organization’?

Q: Is it possible for you to abridge the Tafsi rIshraq al Ma`ani into five volumes instead of fourteen? It would be more handy.

Assad Ingar,
On Email

YMD

The abridgment work of Ishraq al-Ma`ani is already being attempted in Britain, by Turath Publications. It will take them about three years. But the author is not in favour of abridgment. It is already an abridgment of the Tafasir in Arabic, English and Urdu.

The author has, in fact, enlarged its scope by adding Arabic texts (mutun) to every hadith which was only in English translation. Some 2,000 hadith texts have been added, and the work is now in 4,500 pages. It is yet to be printed.

`Ilm does not come the easy way.

Q: Is piercing a body allowed in Islam?

Muhammad Azhan,
On Email

YMD

If it is minor, and the purpose, as in the case of Muslim women, who get them pierced for hanging jewellery, then it is allowed, such as piercing the nose or ears. But if such piercing is not for such purposes, but for other purposes other than that, such as, to chase away evil spirits, or to wear huge beads, and devilish timber articles, then it would not be allowable.

Q: Brother – I am a senior citizen and have lived major part of my life overseas. I am a silent da’wah worker, and all my spare time is devoted towards this and learning. I was interacting with a Muslim brother (prisoner) in Thailand for many years.

I wish to publish his letters in form of a book – during his prison time how he did da’wah work, what he was feeling of outside world, a thrust of da’wah, acceptance of guilt, and vigor to promote Islam in the worst conditions – these letters reflect. 

Can I see you and know whether it is possible to get this printed in a small book form? I do not wish to have in return anything. We live in free land and world where we can see society live in society see different categories and varied people – whereas this prisoner had nothing over 25 years except four walls – living in this condition and keeping command of Allah (swt) is something extraordinary. I want people to know that there is world beyond this world of four walls.

I was a regular member for many years YMD, discontinued as living in different parts of world.

Mohammed Sadiq Janvekar,
On Email

YMD

We appreciate the efforts of our Thai brother. May Allah (swt) preserve him. But we regretfully cannot publish his reflections or impressions.

However, if you could send it to us, we could look for a sponsor.

Q: Can you please tell me from where, in Karachi, I can get Fatwa of Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi. I am a Sunni woman and want to marry a Shi`a man and need a fatwa regarding this.

Please help me out in this regard.

Bushra Kulsum,
On Email

YMD

We regret we have no information regarding the availability of books in Karachi.

But we suppose Sheikh Qaradawi has a site on the Net.

Q: I shall be glad if you will kindly clarify whether the terms we are now regularly using, Allah Hafiz and Khuda Hafiz, were also used during the time of our Prophet (saws).

Marahiman Momin,
On Email

YMD

The two are Persian/Urdu terms meaning, ‘Allah is the Protector.’ They are equivalent of ‘ma`assalama’ in Arabic meaning, ‘(May) peace accompany (you).’

The two Persian terms did not exist during the time of the Prophet (saws), nor was ‘ma`assalama’ popularly used. Normally, two Companions parted from each other with ‘assalamualaykum’ while those more aware and conscious of their spiritual state, read out Surah al-`Asr to each other before parting.

Some people anathematic to ‘Khuda’ which they say was a pagan term. But that is being fastidious.

Q: Sir, do you agree or share the argument that religion is a dangerous illusion? If not, why publish such book reviews in a magazine intended to inculcate religious values in younger minds (Can Reason and Religion Ever Really Co-Exist?, YMD, April 2019)…?

Prabodhanam Weekly,
On Email

YMD

The said article was meant to inform about modern trends.

This magazine does not believe that religion is an illusion. Whatever is said, or thought, about other religious systems, Islam cannot be described as an illusion, except by a fanatic. Richard Dawkins carefully avoids discussing Islam in his The God Delusion. He knew that an attempt to demonstrate it as an illusion would be a failure.

Q: Once, as I and my father got down from the bike, a dog came from nowhere and started licking me and my dad. My dad told it to go away, but it came back again and again. So I rubbed my skin seven times with mud before entering my house.

On a second occasion, I had gone to the veterinary college to study cats which was my biology project. Since there were a lot of dogs there, I tried to keep myself away from them, but finally ended up being licked by one. I rubbed myself seven times with mud again.

On yet another occasion, I and my father stopped at a bus stop and suddenly a stray dog came from nowhere. It was looking at me in the eyes with a devilish look, walking towards me and it had a smile which was quite recognizable without him opening his mouth, almost human. I totally freaked out and if it had to lick me at that moment, I would have kicked him hard or started running away. I kept saying Ya Allahu and he turned and walked away as if he did not see me. I am really terrified because I see them in my dreams, even though I curse and hate them.

I go to a Girl’s Higher Secondary School, where the nuns allow dogs in. While I was sitting near the trees, I saw a dog come near the bushes near me. I did not try to stop it. I kept saying Ya Allahu loudly, but it was coming near this time. So I took my things and ran behind other girls, but it just looked at me from afar. It does not go to any other girl except me, and while I stood behind them as they were studying, it came running to us. I thought it was coming after me, but then it went from the backside as if someone had called it.

YMD

Our opinion is that much of the story of your encounter with dogs has presumption, imaginations and coincidences behind it.

You say twice one of them licked you. Well, dogs don’t lick strangers. They only smell them. Further, even if a dog licked a Muslim, he or she is required to wash the portion licked seven times, not rub with mud. The rubbing with mud is to be resorted to if water is not available.

You say you encountered a devilish dog who smiled at you without showing its teeth. Well, that could be your experience; but we have never come across a ‘smiling dog’ – teeth or no teeth.

Q: Why do the dogs prey on me ignoring a big crowd who are unbelievers?

YMD

Dogs don’t seem to have singled out you. Most of them are fearful of mankind, so they bark from a distance. Some dogs are more friendly towards humans than others; some dance about for reasons they know best.

Some spend their night barking, again, for reasons they know best. But while their master remains awake because of the barking, they peacefully sleep out by the morning. Some raise their heads toward the moon when it gloriously shines in the sky, and weep loudly until it disappears – for reasons animal psychologists fail to explain.

But the worst part is when they enter into poetical contests with each other, so that one of them recites a stanza, and then breaks up for the contester to answer. The contester can be in another neighbourhood; and so both have to recite their poetry in high pitch. One barks out from here, and then pauses, for the other to reply. They continue with their contest for a good length of the night. Sometimes they ignore discipline and make their statements in chorus, but without any symphony, or chorus rules. And there is no stopping them. If you open your window and ‘shoo-shaa’ them to remind them that you need some sleep, they disappear under parked vehicles to re-emerge when they feel assured of not being disturbed –and resume their contest.

Some people say they are human-friendly. But that doesn’t seem to be wholly true. They serve those who feed them. When not fed, they feed on humans. In the dog-loving, child-hating West, dogs have reportedly eaten away their master’s children. The Arabs, not so dog-loving, have a proverb: ‘Sammin kalbak, ya’kulak’ meaning, “Fatten your dog and it will eat you.” (America is about to learn this, and might alter its foreign policies).

Dogs have been studied for centuries, but the biologists have not been able to understand them.

Q: Is writing poetry the cause and what type of poetry is halaal?

Faaiza Shaik,
On Email

YMD

All kinds of poetry are halaal, except the crudely erotic.

Q: What are the options of wealth investment for Muslims who do not want to engage in Riba’  like Fixed Deposit, Mutual Fund etc.?

Syed Farhan,
On Email

YMD

We are not able to advise you. You may contact financial experts.

Q: Thanks to Young Muslim Digest for having a column for clearing doubts. What is the ruling on the subject of a Muslim woman already married to a non-Muslim man with a child? Since this is an invalid marriage. What needs to be done?

Azher Syed,
On Email

YMD

Islamically, the relationship is illegal. She must immediately stop intercourse with him. If she doesn’t, she will be committing Zina every now and then.

The husband must be convinced to accept Islam. This is a duty of the Ummah. A scholar may be entrusted to explain Islam and remove doubts. If the scholar fails, another might take his place; or perhaps a small group who understand the minds of unbelievers. They may discuss with him in a cool, non-combative environment.

A Canadian new-Muslim professor says, “Give me two hours and I will convince a non-Muslim, of the truth of Islam.”

The man can also invite his religious scholars to defend his and their faith.

So, there is no reason why the husband cannot be convinced, unless he is fanatically attached to false ideas. If that is the case, then after a good effort, the two must separate out. Apart from illegality in Islam, it is dangerous to continue living with a fanatic.

Although faith is a matter between a man and his Lord, after he has embraced Islam he has to pray five-times a day for a period of time, to convince others the truth of his conversion.

The child is, Islamically, hers. She can keep the child and bring him up as a Muslim. She may claim the child’s maintenance rights from her former husband, but not for herself. If he offers to give her something, either regularly or sporadically, she may accept, but it is not her right. Conversely, she may pay him whatever she or her folks can afford, if he sets up a cost for separation. So too, she cannot claim inheritance rights for herself or for her child.

Q: I have a question regarding organ donation. I just know that after death we aren’t supposed to donate our organs or our entire body for any purpose. But what about donating while I am alive? Please help me in both the cases (dead and alive)?

YMD

It is allowed for a Muslim to donate his body parts whether to a Muslim or non-Muslim, on condition that doctors assure him that he will suffer no ill-effects after the donation. If he donates a body part despite warning of damage to himself and dies of complications that he was warned about, it would amount to suicide.

However, parents to children, children to parents and brother, sisters may donate if immediate and devastating effects are not predicted.

Q: Secondly, what about blood donation? Is it legal? I mean to say; in my surroundings many people sell their blood. In the sense they donate and accept money in return. But my intention is to donate it free of cost. Please do clarify me.

Nida Haroon,
On Email

YMD

Blood is not a limb. Blood donation is legal in Islam whether to Muslims or people of other faiths. To charge a fee is also allowable, no matter the amount; with the condition that it does not harm the donor.

Nonetheless, while receiving blood, it must be established that the donor’s blood does not carry harmful elements.