Letters to the Editor

Without knowing the nature of the discharge, we cannot answer the question.

We are sorry about it all, but are in no position to help. It is not the thickness or thinness of envelops that accounts for poor delivery. There are untold reasons.
After all, the process of collection and distribution is so simple and organized that there is no chance of any envelop getting torn.
Every month we receive complaints of many non-deliveries, including from foreign subscribers, although each is posted meticulously. Some subscribers did not receive a single magazine after their subscription, while extra care was taken at the time of post: waAllahu al-musta`an.

If the present social and economic system pertaining to Muslims points to a single solution: education; the religious condition too points to a single, but another, solution: return to the Qur’an and Sunnah through Arabic language. Learning Arabic language then should become the clarion call of the time.
But, are the true and the false Da`wah workers listening at all? Will this or that Jama`ah, national or international, realize that their efforts are not paying full dividends, that the fruits of their efforts are colorful, but tasteless, or even bitter? Do they realize that out of ten families that get wayward in every generation, a single individual is won over to a half reform, but out of whose offspring – one of ten families – is to be won over again in the next generation, and the whole exercise is now that of the Ummah chasing carrots?
Will they stop hating the critics, name-calling them behind them, laughing off at the scholars whose tongues speak the Qur’an and Sunnah labelling them as “poor, though nice, guys; but behind times?”
Or, having won a little popularity, they are too satisfied, content that theirs is a successful Da`wahepisode?

Q. 1: I am from Manipur, and am a graduate student. I want to know whether installing of Qur’an and Hadith books in androids mobile allowed. If yes, what about the taking such phone to toilets?

YMD

Had this question been asked before it was to happen, the unified answer would have been, “no, avoid it.”

There was a time when some scholars refused to be photographed even for passport purposes, and since the camera was a new Satanic invention of that time, they were allowed to carry passports without photographs.

As recent as our own times, there are scores of scholars in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Britain (wherever Deoband has its influence), and the Gulf countries, who do not think photography is allowed in Islam and so avoid appearing before the camera.

Similarly, the habit of carrying gadgets with Qur’an and Hadith recorded in them, have become ‘allowed’ by the force of the commonness of practice. Today, everybody carries one of those gadgets in his pockets, which have Qur’anic texts, and which he does not know what to do with them when entering washrooms in public places. So, the permissibility has been forced out.

There is another point of consideration. The texts are in digital form. So, the rulings pertaining to the Mushaf in the mobiles should not be applied to them. This is similar to the earlier generations writing the “basmalah” in digital form as 786. This was done to avoid desecrating an ayah of the Qur’an.

In sum, it is allowable to carry a mobile loaded with the Mushaf (the Qur’an) even if one is in the state of uncleanliness and, following this, it is allowable to carry such electronic gadgets into washrooms.

However, since the Qur’anic textual is there in the mobile, even if in digital form, some extra care may be taken of them and some respect accorded.

Q. 2. And what in the case where the phone is bought from unlawful source?

Th. Nadir Shah,
alish99.ik@gmail.com

We do not understand what you mean by phones having been bought from unlawful source.

If you mean buying them from second-hand markets, the answer is, it is not necessary that all the goods in second-hand markets have a history of theft behind them. So, one may buy them without any inquiry.

And, what applies to the gadget, applies to what makes them work: the SIM cards. It is spread of the American establishment’s desire to control every of its citizen and keep them under fear, so that they never think of any violent political change, (since any change through peaceful means only results in the same thieves coming back – as their general population says), that has led to controlling of who speaks what to whom through monitoring what passes via SIM cards – and which has changed the policies of many countries where the ruling classes, whether tyrants or democrats, has the same fears.

Otherwise, Islamically it is the criminal and unethical use of SIM cards that is disallowed, and not owning SIM card – of whatever origin.

This is an issue which concerns the scholars who know where to quote and when. You may please check into the Arabic work called `Aqeeda al-Tahawiyyah with commentary of Ibn abi al-`Izz.

The shortened translation of the above book by Syed Iqbal Zaheer may also be referred. For those who know Urdu, a long discussion in one of the volumes of “SeeratunNabiyy” by Syed SulaimanNadwi would also be useful.

In general the scholars have issued fatwas that use of perfumes containing alcohol is allowed. Now, if it is allowed to wear them, then it is allowable in Prayers too. Further, alcohol drink is disallowed, but alcohol itself is not “najis,” i.e. unclean.

Q. 1.I was looking for English version of Tafseer al-Qurtubi and Zamakshari and I could not find one. I tried with all the well-known publishers but was unable to find the English version of both… though I see in your digest the comments that you make is from Qurtubi or Zamakshari as well… so I was curious if you can let me know where/ how can I get the English version of both.

YMD

We do not know of any English translation of Zamkhshari. Qurtubi’s first volume, (out of some 20 volumes) however, has been translated into English. It is a massive 1000-page translation, printed in Britain. We have not come across any mention of further translations.

Young Muslim Digest has a copy for sale. If you are interested in purchasing, pl. write to yahya4you.mansoori@gmail.com or, shareefhusain06@gmail.com

Q.2.Secondly, may I know which Tafseer do you follow which you quote in your monthly digest?

ahmedsyedmohsin
syedmohsinahmed@yahoo.com

YMD

The Tafseer that is being currently published in this magazine is from Ishraq al-Ma`ani (14 volumes), done by Syed Iqbal Zaheer. It reflects the opinions of the Salaf, taken from respectable Arabic sources, as well as the understanding of renowned scholars of Islam, throughout the ages.

We hope you or she do not truly share your secrets. That is something no one should be doing with anyone. There are things that one does, or say, which must be strictly kept to oneself. And, for a girl to be sharing her secrets with a boy could end in a disaster for her.

All the same, secrets or no secrets, your relationship with her is disapproved.

As for claiming that the relationship is of the sister-brother kind, to be honest, that is a farce. That could only happen if one of the two is emotionally and carnally immobile.

We recommend that you do not place a question mark before her character. Leave her alone or marry her. Do not destroy her future.