Letters to the Editor

It is not the feast but the theme which is objectionable in Islam.

Humans have the impulse for getting together, socializing chatting, gossiping, sipping and feasting. What should be the occasion? There can be so many: Eid festivals, marriage ceremonies, `Aqiqah, a child’s first day with the Qur’an, his first fast of Ramadah, the day of graduation, completion of a voluminous tafseer work, construction of a house, return from a Hajj fulfilled, etc. One could celebrate on these occasions, if he remains within his means, making the party modest and inviting the poor along with close friends and relatives.

What about Christmas? Shall Muslims celebrate it? The answer would be a definite no. What about other Christian festivals? Once again, the answer will be in the negative. What about other functions of Christian and Western origin: Birthday, Mother’s day, or marriage anniversary? Now the cheerful faces change their hue, the smile disappears, and the scowl on the face suggests that the mind is preparing itself for a gritty argument and an extended discussion.

Yet, each of the functions cited above is an insult to the occasion. A year of the valuable life gone, and you are celebrating the occasion?; a day given to the mother, neglected the year round in a Pensioner’s Home? Is this a show of love or a cruel joke upon a woman who gave years of her life to the child? Are you celebrating the completion of a year of a marriage which could be on the rocks if differences arose over how should the pair share the clean up after the party?

We may compare the occasions that Muslim culture allows us to celebrate with the occasions that the Judeo-Christian Western culture practices. Muslim occasions are all truly happy occasions: `Aqiqah, the first fast .. and so on. There is no irony behind these celebrations.

Every culture reflects the norms, values, moral code, intellectual quality and ethos of a people. The dressing habits speak of the cultural influences at work. Adopting the dress codes of a people speaks of the influence of the culture from which the code is imported. Those who are acutely conscious of the special functions for which this Ummah has been raised, are prone to declare their disapproval of a dress code brought in from any culture other than Islamic. They have one or two directives by the Prophet in their support who said, “He who imitated a people is one of them.”

Actually, the word “imitation” does not reflect the fullest implication contained in the word “tashabbaha” of the original text. Taking the wider implication into account, it would mean an outward appearance which suggests the inner mood, thoughts and ideas. This is true of the masses who adopt the Western dress. They are inordinately influenced by the West and its culture. This is what irks the Islamists. They would not mind if it was the question of a pair of clothes. But the slavish following of every fashion that originates from the West suggests a total submission to its ethos and outlook of life which in turn speaks of their own intellectual poverty.

No doubt, the Western culture of its late years being one of the most destructive after the cave-culture, carrying several similarities, has now taken the entire humanity to the brink of destruction.

In contrast, those who argue by a Yemeni shroud used by the Prophet (for a few moments) or a Roman shirt put on for a day, to conclude that Islam does not interfere in these petty affairs, do not seem to understand how a “hakeem” can place a hand on the wrist of a person and say that he suffers from a cardiac problem; or a psychiatrist chat with a man for a while and conclude that the man suffers from some sort of personality disorder. What is just about normal for a common man, carries the signature of a disorder for a specialist.

Thus it boils down to whether it is a pair of clothes, or a “thorough-going” imitation of another culture?

There isn’t any detail to offer. The answer is in a no, i.e., no such thing is true. Indeed, in the earlier times there could not be more than one comb in a house, if any, for all members of the house. Even now this is the situation with hundreds of millions of village dwellers all over Asia and Africa.

We do not know what exactly you mean? What we believe you might be wanting to know is whether one does achieves his wish if he attempts a “nazar” to the effect, that if Allah grants him such and such a wish, he will perform such and such an act of worship, or will spend a specific amount of money?

If such is the question, the answer is a no. There is no guarantee that a “nazar” will lead to achievement of a purpose. Allah’s will is above all, and cannot be bound by a slave’s wishes. Indeed, the Prophet has said that “nazar” achieves nothing but compelling a stingy person spend some money.

However, if someone has vowed, because of the confidence he has in Allah answering his supplication, and Allah does answer his supplication, so that, he gets what he wished for, then it is obligatory on him to fulfill his “nazar” (oath or vow) and perform the act of worship or spend the money, or whatever else he had promised.

Yes, betting is disallowed in Islam. You could inform the friend of yours (to whom you owe two drinks) to drop his claim. If he does not, then, keep your promise, hand him over the bottles, and the blame is on him. (After you have given him the two bottles, and he offers you one of them, you could drink out of it without sinning).

By criticizing us you are not being too harsh on us. We admit of the lapses and are instructing our page-setting staff to observe the rules.

This issue has been handled several times over in this magazine. To repeat: opinion of the scholars is divided over it. Some have declared it forbidden altogether. Others have thought it undesirable, while a few think one may resort to it if he is fearful of falling into sin.

If the practice is quite strongly discouraged, it is also because some of those who are addicted to it continue with the practice after marriage. This results in the dissatisfaction of their spouses. In fact, in some cases, some are addicted to such a degree that they have no interest in fulfilling conjugal rights, or, fail to perform vigorously when the moment arrives.

We have always said: Learn to swim upstream. Lead the life of the earliest generation Muslims, a part of which scheme of life is to get married quick if it becomes unbearable to live alone.

Yet, it is obvious that you will need the help and support of parents and others. If they are opposed, and you depend on them entirely, smoothen it out. But if you can live on your own, go ahead and get married.

Add another factor: intention.

If your intention is to educate, train and develop your wife and yourself into a model Muslim and Muslimah, as you go along with life, then, your path will be turned easier. Although economic and social difficulties can be quite trying and even tiring, and quite a good amount of judiciousness will have to be deployed, especially with reference to when to have the first child, doing something in Allah’s cause, such as living out an Islamic life by a pair fearful of Allah, is something that can be a sweetening element by itself: “They ask you, ‘when will be Allah’s help?’ Lo! Allah’s help is nigh indeed” (2: 214).

Dargah is a tomb. They are unauthorized constructions. Islam does not allow that a tomb be constructed over a grave. Abu Hayyaj al-Asadi said, as recorded by Muslim, “`Ali ibn abi-Tablib told me: ‘Shall I not send you with the same mission as with which the Prophet sent me? (He sent me with the mission) that, ‘You should not find an image but efface it, nor a raised grave but level it (to the ground).'”

Another hadith reports the Prophet’s wife Umm Salamah as saying, “The Prophet prohibited that anything should be built over a grave or that it should be plastered.”

Raising any construction over graves necessarily requires that one of the walls of Islam should be brought down. To put it differently, a tomb is not raised over a grave but a portion of Islam is flattened in its place.

These tombs are an evil gift for those who lie within. They could be questioned about them and two situations could arise: either they will express their total disapproval of what was being done at their graves, saying that they themselves never commanded any such thing, and hence they are completely innocent and unblameworthy; or, they would admit that they had desired that their tombs be visited and homage to be paid. It is in this situation that they will realize that by building a tomb on their grave, their devotees did them great wrong, for, the more the devotees visiting them, the more the punishment for the one who was in the tomb.

Of course, if they had agreed that their tombs be visited and their intercession sought, or their “barakah” obtained, then, once questioned in the Field of Judgment, they will totally disown their devotees and say that they never had hoped anything of them far from ordering them do it. But, that will be a day when no one will be able to conceal what is in his heart.

Thus, building a tomb over a dead man’s grave, after him, is, one way or the other a disservice to him and apart from being a disservice to Islam.

As for a visit to such graves, it is intention which makes it legal or illegal. If the intention is to Pray for the forgiveness of the man under the tomb, then it is allowable. But to offer any donation to the mujaawar, charity to the beggars sitting around, place flowers on the grave, fumigate with incense, or supplicate with raised hands, or listen to the Qawwali going on there, or take part in the `Urs, are all disallowed.

An additional condition for visiting these tombs, is to necessary know who is buried there. Without knowing who is buried, there is no reason why a tomb should be selected and not the general Muslim cemetery for visit and supplications. The latter not only promises advantageous to all those buried there, since all could be included in the intention, as taught us by the Prophet, but also helps in drawing a lesson from the quietly frightening atmosphere settled on the graves: which is the prime benefit of the visit.

I want to ask you a question. Visiting a Dargah: is it allowed?

syed nasrullanas_blr@rediffmail.com

YMD

Dargah is a tomb. They are unauthorized constructions. Islam does not allow that a tomb be constructed over a grave. Abu Hayyaj al-Asadi said, as recorded by Muslim, “`Ali ibn abi-Tablib told me: ‘Shall I not send you with the same mission as with which the Prophet sent me? (He sent me with the mission) that, ‘You should not find an image but efface it, nor a raised grave but level it (to the ground).'”

Another hadith reports the Prophet’s wife Umm Salamah as saying, “The Prophet prohibited that anything should be built over a grave or that it should be plastered.”

Raising any construction over graves necessarily requires that one of the walls of Islam should be brought down. To put it differently, a tomb is not raised over a grave but a portion of Islam is flattened in its place.

These tombs are an evil gift for those who lie within. They could be questioned about them and two situations could arise: either they will express their total disapproval of what was being done at their graves, saying that they themselves never commanded any such thing, and hence they are completely innocent and unblameworthy; or, they would admit that they had desired that their tombs be visited and homage to be paid. It is in this situation that they will realize that by building a tomb on their grave, their devotees did them great wrong, for, the more the devotees visiting them, the more the punishment for the one who was in the tomb.

Of course, if they had agreed that their tombs be visited and their intercession sought, or their “barakah” obtained, then, once questioned in the Field of Judgment, they will totally disown their devotees and say that they never had hoped anything of them far from ordering them do it. But, that will be a day when no one will be able to conceal what is in his heart.

Thus, building a tomb over a dead man’s grave, after him, is, one way or the other a disservice to him and apart from being a disservice to Islam.

As for a visit to such graves, it is intention which makes it legal or illegal. If the intention is to Pray for the forgiveness of the man under the tomb, then it is allowable. But to offer any donation to the mujaawar, charity to the beggars sitting around, place flowers on the grave, fumigate with incense, or supplicate with raised hands, or listen to the Qawwali going on there, or take part in the `Urs, are all disallowed.

An additional condition for visiting these tombs, is to necessary know who is buried there. Without knowing who is buried, there is no reason why a tomb should be selected and not the general Muslim cemetery for visit and supplications. The latter not only promises advantageous to all those buried there, since all could be included in the intention, as taught us by the Prophet, but also helps in drawing a lesson from the quietly frightening atmosphere settled on the graves: which is the prime benefit of the visit.

As Muslims by birth, if we ever look into the Qur’an for answers to such questions, it would be the time for some decisions about us on High.

Far from girl friends, the Islamic religion will not allow the getting together of males and females in a place of seclusion. Further, if the females are not with veils drawn over their faces, then Islam will not allow any social gathering and interactions or intermingling. Sans its fine moral teachings, Islam would be nothing. Its moral system is the very element which attracts people to its fold, from all parts of the world. Any compromise over such core issues, would be damaging its cause.

Love of the bitter is common among males and even some females. The satisfaction for it is provided by tobacco. But mankind is one in prohibiting it. There might be great pleasure for those who drink wine, and hence universally drunk. But it is universally disapproved too. That is to say that merely a longing for a thing does not mean it is good for the humans and hence lawful.