Letters to the Editor

To get first-hand knowledge, you will have to conduct some research. Sometimes one has to read a whole book to get a single evidential point out of it. Worse, sometimes one has to read several books before he can manage to earth out a bit of true information. For example, you might have to read dozens of books before you learn that Einstein was a Zionist, who conducted science during the day and Zionist activities by the evenings.

The issue is more complicated than many others because of suppression and destruction of information, and, introduction of false information. For example, although researchers in the West have produced thousands of books and papers dealing with every aspect of the Second World War, none exists that deals with the Jewish role in Germany to explain what led the Nazis to the massacre of the Jews. Repeating out “Anti-Semitism” every time the question is raised does not explain why research has not been conducted. Thus, research of the kind you wish, is slightly more difficult, but possible.

You may start with the Bible to find out what the messenger of love had to say about the Jews of his time, and to know what sort of character emerges from their holy literatures, for which you may read the Old Testament and Talmud.

And of course a few Internet sites will also help you out.

Q. I have heard eminent speakers say that they are our enemies as they target both the external and spiritual being of a Muslim.

YMD

To make your own judgment about their relationship with the Muslims, you may study historical works to find how the Muslim world has treated them during the last millennium and half, and how they are now acting towards them, particularly in Palestine.

As for the spiritual corruption directed at Muslims, we do not believe the Jews have played the major role. Muslims are themselves responsible for their moral and spiritual corruption.

Q. Do they sit down and plan the entire things like a meeting and do it, or is there someone who has written it down for them or any other way?

YMD

The nature of the question suggests not whether research on a topic of this sort should be undertaken, although a decade of dedicated work can alter opinions made before the start. In the end however, you will have answers to your questions.

Q. Need your guidance on the spirituality part or the part well-known as Tasawwuf in Urdu. How has this been a part of us which was not known to the common Muslim and suddenly we have a roar of spirituality in the air? How are the Silsilahs coming into reality and is it right to discriminate the Islamic teachings into Sufi Islam and non-Sufi Islam?

YMD

Spiritualism is no more a part of the Muslims in this stage of their history, except for one or two hiding between millions. So, we do not know what you are referring to as roaring in the air, unless you mean, “waves” when you say “air,” and are referring to sound, sight, and music TV signals brought by the waves. This is roaring.

Q. Kindly explain, in detail, or let me know the works that I should refer to understand the relation more clearly.

Mohammed Shadab Faisal,
On Email

YMD

As usual, you will have to start with the Qur’an, combine it with the Hadith, to get an inkling of what spirituality in Islam stands for. Other source books, which rely on the Qur’an and Hadith, could be taken up later.

It should be obvious that if you read other books you would begin to imagine that whatever is stated there has the support of the Qur’an and Hadith – which, in most of the cases, would not be the case.

So, take knowledge directly from the Qur’an and Sunnah, even if the study lasts a decade.

We are not sure we have understood you well enough. If you mean you have been paying Zakah somewhere during the middle of the Islamic calendar and wish to pay it out in the month of Ramadan alone, year after year, then, the answer is, Zakah should be computed according to the Islamic calendar. It becomes due with a year-cycle of possession of wealth and assets reaching the minimum amount (Nisab), has been completed, whenever it might be during the Islamic calendar. It is then that you pay out the Zakah. That can happen, say, in Rabi` al-Awwal, or Rajab, or any other month. If it is, say, Rajab that a whole year has passed over Zakah-due amount, then Zakah should be paid out in or around Rajab, and then on, every Rajab.

Ramadan has been adopted by Muslims for convenience, not mandated by the Shari`ah.

If you too wish to pay in Ramadan alone, then, pay out at the end of the month when your wealth and assets have run through the one-year cycle, say, in Rajab, and then, pay out Zakah for the period between Rajab and Ramadan when Ramadan arrives. Then onwards you can pay Zakah yearly according to computation from Ramadan to Ramadan.

If you wish to split the giving, say twice or thrice a year, or however else, you could do that also.

The issue you have referred to was in reply to a questioner who wrote to us, as follows:

“The following is a Fatwa issued by the Dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband. Please read it and answer my questions:

Fatwa Categories
English Fatwa Issued: 4497

Q: Can you please tell me what is the correct way to offer Salah? I am a Hanafi, but want to know whether following Hanafi is important or the way Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). I heard from my friend that there are more than hundred hadith about Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) that he used to raise his hands while going in Ruk’u and before Sajdah. What is correct? If he really raised his hands, then why are we following differently? Please clarify.

 (Fatwa 1019/1019/M=1431): Study the book “Namaz-e-Ahnaf” authored by Mufti Habibur Rahman
QasmiAllahabadi (Urdu) and “FatawaShami” etc (Arabic) books. You shall learn the correct method.
HanafiFiqh is not any other way than the way of the holy Prophet Muhammad. Being a Hanafi, why do you ask whether the Hanafi Fiqh was more important or the way of the holy Prophet Muhammad. It seems that you are misguided by some Ghair Muqallid. It is Sunnah to raise hands at the time of Takbir-e-Tahrima according to all Imams. But hands should not be raised at the time of bowing for Ruku’ before Sajdah. Leaving RafaYadain is proved from the holy Prophet Muhammad which Imam Abu Hanifa and many other Imams have adopted. The hadiths of RafaYadain are not preferable.

Allah (SubhanaWaTa’ala) knows Best. 

DarulIfta,
DarulUloomDeoband
(http://darulifta-deoband.org/showuserview.do?function=answerView&all=en&id=23024)

“My question is whether this particular Fatwa is valid since there are Sahih Ahaadith in Sahih Muslim which mention about the Prophet (may peace be upon Him) raising his hands before and after theRuku’.

“(Further)… you had advised one of the readers to read Sheikh NasiruddinAlbani’sThe Prophet’s Prayer wherein he expounds the Prophet’s (May Peace be Upon Him) prayer and clearly mentions the Prophet’s practice of raising hands…” (July 2012 issue of YmD)

The above was a part of the question raised by a reader concerning “raf` yadayn.” He had adopted a tone which suggested that he was a Hadith and Fiqh expert. Accordingly, we wrote back that the issue of “raf` yadayn” was not as simple as he thought, but rather, the issue has been discussed at length in the past. To make things easy for such an expert, we quoted Allamah `Ayni’s lines to enlighten him. Our idea was that if he is really an expert, as he assumed of himself, or if he thought Fiqh matters as simple as he assumed, he would be cured of his assumptions, but if he did not know Arabic, he would take it to those who had taught him such absurdities. We also thought that when he took the piece of writing to those who were screwing him up by posing as if they were experts, he would discover that they, too, are traveling with the same caravan of the ignorant, as a result of which he will give up blind following of charlatans, or value them less.

We are sure it would have had the effects we desired, and also believe, that any other who belongs to that caravan would end up realizing the nature of the caravan if he is shown our answer. Accordingly, if, at any time, any of our readers comesacross with one of the said caravan, he can always offer him the text in reply, asking him to either bring a reply to it, or give up residence in the fool’s paradise.

Washing the hair is not Fard during the ritual Ghusl. Wetting them is enough. The rule for women is that if they wet their head-skin, it is enough. Washing or wetting whole of the hair is not Fard. So, if they gather together their hair without washing or even wetting them, but just wet the head, and finish their Ghusl, their ritual purity is attained. Or, if they wear a water-proof cap and, after rest of the Ghusl has been done, just wet the head in the end, it should do.
Now, if you are sure to catch an unbearable cold, or one which lasts, then, you could do Mash; but, being sure is a sure enough condition.

Except for a few variant ones, almost the entire Ummah, including the Arabs, is agreed that the hands may be folded above the navel during Prayers.

Khul` is for a woman to request her husband that she wishes to break the bond of marriage between them. She can do it in writing or in spoken words.

In response, the husband can pronounce an unconditional Talaq. If he does that, he:

1. Has to pay down the Mahar amount, if he has already not done it.
2. He has to forego claims to anything he gave her during the marriage period, whether in gold, jewelry, property or any kind of marriage-gifts.

Or, the husband may refuse to divorce. In that event, the wife may seek Khul` from him. If she seeks Khul`, she may have to:

1. Offer monetary compensation, such as return of the Mahar, if he had paid her, or forgo claim to it if he had not paid.
2. In addition, he may demand return gold, jewelry, property or any kind of marriage-gifts he had made to her.

Caution: Under no condition can a husband demand compensation beyond what he might have given to her as Mahar gold, jewelry, property or any kind of marriage-gifts he had made to her.

Q. Is a letter sent to a wife with signature of two witnesses sufficient for this type of divorce to take place?

YMD

Yes. But witnesses are not a requirement.

Q. Is it necessary for the husband to declare through word of mouth in front of two witnesses?

YMD

No, witnesses are not required. If the husband pronounces Talaq, or writes it down, mentioning the name of his wife, divorce has taken place.

Q. Can the word Talaq be used in the Khula’ letter?

YMD

We do not understand this question. However, if a husband agrees to Khul`, then it is considered as a single Talaq. And such a Talaq is considered a Raj`ee type, meaning, he can remarry her, on a new Mahr.

Q. What is time period of Iddah in case of Khula’?

YMD

The same as in Talaq – four months.

Q. Is it compulsory to stay in the husband’s house during Iddah?  How should I spend my Iddah period?

YMD

No, and she gets no maintenance cost from the ex-husband after the date of the Khul` during the `Iddah-period.

Q. I am in my mother’s house for more than six months. My husband does not have the knowledge about when I get my menstrual cycles. Is the Khula’ given during menstruation valid? Kindly advice me at the earliest. (I request you not to disclose my mail ID if you intend to publish this question in your magazine) . 

S. S.,
On Email

YMD

His knowledge is not necessary. You may observe your `Iddah anywhere you wish.