Letters to the Editor

Q: Blindly following one of the Madhabs is a falsehood. Neither Holy Qur’an supports it nor the Hadeeth.

YMD

Your sentences need to be remodeled in view of the following:

• It is not true that any blind following is discouraged in the Qur’an and Hadith.
• Blind following of Madhahib is not prohibited by the Qur’an or Hadith.
• Blind following of a Mujtahid is an obligation of a Muslim who cannot work out the Law by himself.
• Our religion is that of the Qur’an and Sunnah. We cannot abandon it because of those who know neither the Qur’an nor the Sunnah; both of which demand Taqleed.
• Insistence on walking through a forest, without the company of a well-armed person is suicide.

You could expect a forthcoming editorial for further clarification.

Q: A Shafi’i Madhab girl for any reason marries a Hanafi Madhab boy. You Madhab people do not accept this inter-Madhab marriage.

YMD

Who told you that?

OK. You don’t know religion. But, in the least, shouldn’t you know practices prevalent in your own society?

Q: Yet, let us say for some reason a boy of one Madhab marries a girl of another Madhab. Your goodness, kindly tell me which Madhab the child has to follow, Hanafi or Shafe`i?

YMD

The father’s.

Q: Save yourself from Hell.

YMD

We are trying to. One of the ways we are trying is to try and chase away Jahl. But do not chase away the Juhala’. They are our brothers in faith.

Q: And advise your readers to that effect.

YMD

That is a good piece of advice. So, let us begin with you.

Yet, we might remind that we only produce a magazine. Saving themselves from Hell is the business of every reader.

Q: I want to tell about extremism. Take the Jamat-e-Islami, it spread its hazardous opinion among Indian Muslims that working for a non-Islamic Government is ‘Shirk’ and thereby taking a Governmental job, taking part in Elections etc., are also ‘Shirk.’

YMD

You are quite not very correct on the issue. Jamat-e-Islami never said that working for non-Islamic governments was shirk. It was Mawlana Maududi who published the opinion that to work for an organization which was not Islamic, was to become an accessory to Kufr and an aide to it. Therefore, he recommended that all those who worked for the Indian government should reconsider their position. He recommended resignation.

That was Mawdudi’s opinion. But the Jamat did not demand from any that he resign a governmental job; although of course, being an organization founded by Mawdudi, they dare not disagree with him. Nonetheless, whatever the reason they had for not speaking out against the opinion, the fact remains that they did not make a demand on Jamat members to resign their jobs.

Accordingly, some Jamat members resigned their governmental jobs, while some did not.

The Jamat never said, so far as our knowledge goes, that working for a non-Islamic government is shirk, as you maintain.

Q: From your publications, I can see that you support this extremist organization from behind.

YMD

You are once again not correct. We do not support Jamat-e-Islami from behind. We support it from the front. We support every organizational activities of Muslims which benefits the Muslims, which does not spread false creed, and which does not deviate them from the path of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah.

But this does not mean that we approve of every of their opinion or program of action. We are aware of opinions and interpretations that have a question mark before them, but, we do not go about criticizing the Jamat or the founder – unless asked a specific question. When asked, we state our point of view, regardless of the Jamat liking it or disliking it. Actually, we believe most of the time they dislike it; and we get to feel that they boycott our products. But that does not change our attitude. Some of them might not approve of us. But, on our part, we recommend young men to join them, wherever we feel that that’s the best course for the individual.

Our religion does not approve that we work from behind. We work in the open.

Q: And with its extremist principles it gave birth to almost all terrorist organizations not only in India and Pakistan but the world over.

YMD

This is an overstatement.

Although it is true that it gave revolutionary ideas; and, revolutionary ideas always attract the unschooled youth; but to state that the Jamat gave birth to terrorist organizations reflects the failure to understand the call of the Jamat on the one hand, and global politics on the other.

In fact, the very idea that there are terrorist organizations in India, Pakistan and elsewhere, is wrong. A Muslim can never be a terrorist. Most organizations that are cited as examples are either airy, established by the secret agencies, or products of Western terrorist oil-thieving policies and military actions. So firstly, none exists, secondly, if they do, they have been sponsored by governments that are fearful of Islam and Muslims. When they fail to excite Muslim youth to violence, they target them with violence. That provokes them to revenge. When they take revenge, they are called terrorists. This is a nefarious strategy. But it works. Terrorists are a creation of the Islamophobe West, which some eastern countries have greedily imported.

This is a vast subject and requires a volume to understand. But to say that the Jamat created terrorists, is an untruth of a grave order.

Q: May be the Jamat-e-Islami changed its opinion a bit, but they have not corrected their extreme principles. The books in their libraries are living evidence.        

S. A.,
On Email

YMD

In our belief, the Jamat has not changed a bit, but quite a bit. The revolutionary program has been replaced by social service activities. Yet, their social activities are not too substantial either. Their main and beneficial program now appears to be Islamic-educational and moral training.

The books in the libraries say one thing, people do another. For example, books in your personal library – if you have one – say that you must learn Arabic, but do you do it?

The influence of human literature does not last long.

That is how this earthly life is. Somebody drops a heavy stone in a river: a big splash, ripples and some upheavals. But, a mile down the line, the river is running with no traces of the splash, the ripples and upheavals. It is only Qur’an and Sunnah that remain – through the ages – as the inspiring, revitalizing forces for those who soak deep into this life-giving spring.

Q: My question is whether masturbation is allowed in Islam or not. If not, then what type sin is it? And how can the youth get rid of this dangerous practice?

R J Khan,
On Email

YMD

Since you have called it a dangerous practice, so it remains. You can suffer irreparable physical and psychological damages.

The cure is obvious: work hard a couple of years, and get married.

Q: I am writing to you to get your attention about the worst condition the Ummah has ever faced. As far as we have seen, democracy and dictatorship have completely failed and couldn’t solve our problems. In fact, these two systems are basic tools and techniques of politicians to loot and sell the wealth and dignity of Ummah. Everyone came with a slogan like Pakistan is first, Indonesia is first, and so on; but their one, and only, aim was to obey their Western lords and loot the resources of the nation. 

As for progress, two things should be matching: your ideology and your way to progress. In the West, their ideology and the way both are matching so they are progressing but in our case our ideology is Islam, but our way is Democracy; both are conflicting, and so we cannot progress.

We have to go back to the ideology of Islam – the Khilafah. The Khilafah is not a new system; it has been the ruling system for more than 1400 years. Just a century or so back, when the Western world was still developing, we were leading in every field, but from the day we abandoned Khilafah, we haven’t see even a short period of happiness.

Now it is our duty, especially the young, to make the people aware of what our problem is and what the solution is.

Arshad Mehmood,
On Email

YMD

So long as the common people are not persuaded to alter their ways in favor of an Islamically righteous life, we cannot hope to take Khilafah on board.

If some people brought it on by force, the common people will push it overboard.

Q: Would it be the right understanding to say: Fard is that, which, if completely abandoned, there is no Eeman?

YMD

That is not a correct definition. In fact, this was the belief of the Kharijites.

Nothing will effect a man’s exit from Eeman or Islam except repudiation of what brought him into Islam in the first place. In simpler words, it was Kalimah Shahadah which brought him into the fold of Islam. It is repudiation of the Kalimah which will eject him out of Islam. So long as he subscribes to this creed, he is a believer.

But, of course, there are a few other things committing which a man might exit into Kufr.

Q: Fard is that without which the deed to which it belongs is null and void, e.g. Wudu is Fard. A Salah without Wudu is null and void. Qiyam in Prayers is Fard, without it Salah is null and void. It must be repeated.

YMD

You are right.

Q: And, Wajib is that, abandoning which completely a person is punishable.

F. M.,
On Email

YMD

Well, Wajib is slightly below Fard in importance. If it is dropped out intentionally, it will render the ritual null and void. But if it was forgotten, then it demands some sort of expiation. For example, reciting Surah al-Fatiha is Wajib in Salah. Not doing it intentionally makes the Salah null and void. Not reciting because of forgetfulness demands Sajdah al-Sahw.

Q: I would like to invest in mutual fund (SIP). Is it permitted in Islam?

Syed Aklim,
On Email

YMD

The financial world is a volatile place. What sounds as Islamically quite acceptable right now, turns out to be unacceptable later. If by “mutual funds,” what you mean is pooling of funds by small investors, to be managed by fund managers, who invest the fund’s capital into stocks, shares, bonds, money market instruments, etc. and earn profits, then we do not see anything objectionable so long as stocks or shares of prohibited businesses (wine, pork etc.) are not dealt with. Mutual funds allow small investors to invest in big businesses.

But, there is so much fraud now in the financial market, that we would advise Muslims to be very careful about whom they hand over their money. Life-time of savings can be lost if wrong elements are trusted.

There are too many sharks in the dirty pond.

Q: I am studying CA. After studying CA, where should I do job? What type of firms? Please let me know.

Mohammed Tabriz,
On Email

YMD

You have raised odd questions. They can only be answered by professional guidance.

All that we can say is that do not work for a bank which deals with interest, or get employed in wine industries. Otherwise, we believe, the market is wide.

To be sure, whatever job you choose, do not sit back and relax. Continue with higher studies: Diplomas, Certificates, Special Skill courses, etc.

Suggestion 1: Global food crisis is a hot topic of discussion these days.  The constant increase in food prices is alarming everybody. According to a report from World Bank food prices are expected to keep rising. Presently a billion people are malnourished. Despite all aids provided by United Nations and International Monetary Funds (IMF), capitalism and democracy have badly failed to solve these problems. It seems that eventually, the global food shortage will catch up with everybody. The only way to beat this crisis is by implementing Islamic Shariah laws through Islamic Caliphate state.

YMD

Sorry, we do not see a direct connection between food prices and Khilafah. Assume that Khilafah is established. Obviously, it will only cover Islamic states. Assuming all the states accept it. (What an assumption!) Muslims number about 20% of the world population. So, how do you imagine that food prices can be stabilized by the 20% with benefits reaching all nations of the world?

The rise in food prices is due to a variety of factors. To name some:

1.         Crop failures
2.         Weather changes
3.         Water shortage
4.         Bio-fuel crops
5.         Over-consumption
6.         Rising fuel costs
7.         Wastages etc.

How will establishment of Khilafah affect any of the above factors?

Suggestion 2: In Islamic Caliphate system the only means of generating revenue is through increasing exports, which is achieved by launching new industries. This provides employment opportunities for everyone.

YMD

It is incorrect to say that revenues for Caliphate will come from exports alone.

In any case, for the sake of argument, supposing that Khilafah is established in India, by a miracle. Now, since last 60 years India’s exports are lesser than imports. All measures to increase exports have resulted in increase of imports. Today’s economic crisis and plunge in Rupee value is primarily that of trade imbalance: more imports, less exports. So, after the first miracle of establishment of Khilafah, you will need a second miracle to offset the trade imbalance.

Suggestion 3: Furthermore, it is duty of Islamic ruler to provide food, clothing and shelter to those citizens who can’t afford it. History has witnessed this Islamic system for a period of 1300 years. Finally, the Caliphate system was demolished in 1924. The need of the hour is to re-establish the Islamic caliphate state.

Mahwish Hassaan,
On Email

YMD

Of course, it is the duty of the Islamic state to provide food, clothing and shelter to those who can’t afford it. Now, it is also the duty of the Muslims to feed the un-fed of their neighborhood. Today, Muslims first feed themselves with rich, tasty food, and then sit down together (because their stomachs are too heavy for their feet to support) to talk about `Aqeedah, about Da`wah, about Cricket, about elections, about high prices, and so on. But nobody talks about feeding the poor – not even the `Aqeedah and Da`wah activists.

So, if the well-fed Muslims do not consider feeding the poor a religious requirement, are we going to import a Khalifah from the heavens, along with a million followers – again from the heavens – who accept that feeding the poor as a religious responsibility?

Q: The argument of secular and liberal elite of Pakistan when Islamic systems of economics, rulings, social, judicial, foreign policy and education policy of Islam  is presented as alternate solution to get rid of the crisis of Pakistan is that “which Islam you want to implement”! Actually they fail to realize that Islam is a complete way of life. It organizes human relation in three dimensions. It is human relation with his own self, human relation with other people and human relation with his creator.

Yes, there exist differences in opinion in different schools of thought in peripheral issues but not in definite rulings of Islam like obligation of prayer, fasting, Jihad etc. Islam gives the mechanism to solve the differences in opinion; like in democracy the majority opinion is binding when there is difference of opinion on certain issue. Islam gives the mechanism to solve the difference of opinion on certain issues while in Islamic state the Ijtihad adopted by caliph is binding. That is the reason why the opinion of first caliph Abu baker was adopted against those who were not giving Zakah to the State, although there was a difference of opinion on this issue. The argument “which Islam you want to implement” is quite weak and it is obvious that solution to the problems of Pakistan is caliphate state not democracy and capitalism.

Aamir Zeb,
On Email

YMD

When people ask “which Islam do you wish to implement?” then, they are raising a legitimate question. We have so many divisions amongst us: Sunni, Shi`ah, Salafi, Hanafi, Jama-ati, Tablighee, Deobandi, Barelawi, and so on – you can go on. Each of them interprets Islam differently. They do agree on major issues. But, their differences are so deep, that they can never appear together on a platform for more than an hour or so. When asked to vote, they will all vote for Islam. But when they have to vote for details, then, every group walks a different path. This is the experience noted everywhere.

The Salafis for example, refused to co-operate with the Ikhwan in Egypt. They refused ministerial posts offered by Ikhwan; and preferred military rule over that led by the Ikhwan. Some of them said that the Ikhwan are worse than the Jews. We have seen this kind of drama enacted in Pakistan several times over, although not at such level and scale – or such perversion.

Can those who are very uncomfortable sitting together on one platform for more than an hour, evoke any confidence in the general public that they will sit together and jointly vote on crucial issues as one voice in a Parliament House, if brought to power?

So, we believe that the argument of the elite asking, “which Islam do you want to implement,” is legitimate.
Now, what should we do then? Well, that is a question that you have not asked, so we will not take up the answer.