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Prayer Timings
Question: How is the time for Fajr, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers determined?
Answer: According to the established Sunnah of the Prophet (sws), the five prayers have been fixed at five specific times of the day. In the Arabic language, Fajr, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha are words which denote distinct times of a day just as in the English language, dawn, morning, afternoon, evening and night are words spoken for distinct times of a day.
In the Arabic language, the general meaning understood by these words is:
Fajr: The period from dawn to sunrise.
Zuhr: The period which extends from the descent (zawal) of the sun to the time which is midway between this descent and sunset.
‘Asr: The period which extends from the time which is midway between the descent of the sun and sunset to sunset.
Maghrib:The period between sunset and disappearance of twilight.
‘Isha: The period between the disappearance of twilight and the time which is midway between this disappearance and dawn.
Today one can easily calculate these time periods after the inventions of sensitive clocks and telescopes. Experts have done already done so, and the various charts which depict the prayer timings at various places can now be easily obtained. In the earlier times, the various phases of descent of the sun were measured through a person’s shadow, while the phenomena of dawn, sunrise, sunset and twilight were observed through the naked eye. This of course is no longer required today.
Relations with Non-Muslims
Question: I'm working in a company with employees of mix religions (Muslims, Jews, Christian...). How do we deal with them? How do we greet them in the morning? How do we return their greeting? Can we accept anything from them? Sometimes they bring cakes for their birthday to our desks. Can we accept them? Can we attend their parties? Finally, why are we not allowed to make friends with them?
Answer: A person should deal very affectionately and amicably with his non-Muslim friends. He should consider them his potential addressees to whom he can present the teachings of Islam through his character and good deeds. Being antagonistic and hostile to them is totally an uncalled for attitude.
They can be greeted in the way Muslims are greeted. Similarly, paying a visit to them at the family level is also not prohibited. Attending their functions like birthdays and weddings is also not forbidden. Eating with them is also allowed. Of course items like wine, pork and meat on which the name of Allah has not been taken are forbidden. Barring these, everything can be eaten from their homes and parties.
Some people are of the view that on the basis of the following verses of the Qur’an, Muslims should never make friends with non-Muslims; in fact, they should show hostility and venom to them:
Believers should not make friends with the Kuffar against [the interest of] the believers. (3:28)
O believers do not make friends with the Kuffar against [the interest of] the believers. Do you wish to offer God an open argument against yourselves? (4:144)
Believers take not these Jews and the Christians for your friends. They are but friends to each other. And he amongst you who turns to them [for friendship] is of them. (5:51)
The actual word used in these verses is Kuffar (Those who rejected faith from amongst the Idolaters as well as from among the Jews and Christians). These Kuffar must not be confused with the non-Muslims of today. People become Kuffar after they deliberately reject the truth unveiled to them. Only the Prophet (sws) and his companions were in a position to unveil the truth in its ultimate form. Today, no Muslim preacher can be in this position as is specified by the Qur’anin 2:143. Consequently, no non-Muslim can be called a Kafir in these times. Only on the Day of Judgement will we be able to know whether a particular person of our times in a Kafir or not. Secondly, as is evident from these verses even with such Kuffar, only that type of friendship is forbidden which is against the interest of the Muslims, which of course is a very reasonable demand.
Consequently, these verses cannot be related in any sense to the non-Muslims of today.
Who are Martyrs?
Question: I have read quite a few Ahadith in which the Prophet (sws) has said:
Martyrs are those who die because of drowning, falling prey to plague, succumbing to an abdominal disease, or being buried alive under a falling building.
In anotherH~adith,the Prophet(saw) is reported to have said:
Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr.
I am a bit confused on this issue. All these forms of death are so different from each other, yet the common thing is the ending: the martyrdom. Does this mean that even if a person does not have much to his credit, he would still go to heaven if he died one of the above deaths?.
Answer: If all the texts of the H~adithyou have quoted first are collected and analyzed, it becomes evident that in most texts of this H~aditha clause is missing which is making them quite ambiguous. The clause is Fi Sabilillah (In the way of Allah). In other words, these Ah~adith just say that a person who died in the cause of Islam and was not martyred in the battlefield for this very cause is a martyr also. This of course is quite comprehensible.
The following text of these Ahadith is the basic one in this regard, and it can be seen from it that the words “In the way of Allah” are mentioned after each type of accidental death. In most other texts, this clause has been omitted by the narrators rendering thembeyond comprehension. Abu Hurayrah reports:
I heard the Prophet asking: Whom do you count as a martyr. [Those around him] replied: a person who fights in the way of Allah until he is killed. At this the Prophet said: Then the there will be very few martyrs in my Ummah; [listen] a person who is killed [in the battle field] while fighting in the way of Allah is a martyr, a person who is infected with plague and dies in the way of Allah is a martyr, a person who drowns in the way of Allah is a martyr, a person who falls down from the animal [he is riding] and dies in the way of Allah is a martyr, a person who is inflicted with pneumonia and dies in the way of Allah is a martyr. (Musnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Vol 2, p. 441)
Besides the above mentioned ambiguity, it should also be kept in mind that in all such Ahadith are omitted certain other details as well which must be taken into account; firstly, the person in question here is not the one who leads a life of sin; he is a pious and practicing Muslim. Other Ahadith mention this qualification and which of course is based on theQur’anitself. Secondly, dying in the way of Allah should be his strong desire. This is based on the Qur’anic precept that all of a person’s deeds are based on his intentions, and unless a person has an intention of doing some good deed an accidental happening in this regard will earn him no reward.
The H~adiththat says that a person who is killed while protecting his property is a martyr implies that a person who has laid down his life against oppression is a martyr. It is known that according to the Qur’an (4:75), Jihad can only be launched against oppression and tyranny. A person who is killed in defending his wealth and property actually fights against the worst form of oppression and persecution, and therefore his death is certainly the death of a martyr. Again it is implied that the person in question is a practicing Muslim who is desirous of laying down his life for the cause of Islam.
Parental Consent in Marriage
Question: Can a woman marry without the consent of her parents/guardian?
Answer: The word Nikah (marriage) in the Arabic language means a declared union between a man and woman to live willingly as a husband and wife forever. Islam gives two additional directives in this regard, which though are not conditions of this union, yet may be instrumental in its annulment, if a lack of their compliance has no sound basis. These two additional directives are:
i) The marriage should be according to the customs and traditions of the society (See 2:232).
ii) The husband is required to pay a certain mutually agreed sum called Mahr (dower) to his bride before the Nikah ceremony (See 2:236-7)
According to the customs and traditions of an Islamic society, the consent and presence of the parents/ guardians is an understood norm. Islam regards the institution of family as the basic unit of a society and stresses that it is the need of every individual if his life is viewed as a whole. Man is basically a weak and an insecure being. He has spiritual as well as material needs. If he needs to develop a strong relationship with the Almighty to fulfil his spiritual needs, he needs to develop a strong relationship with his fellow human beings to meet his material needs, which may be physical, emotional and psychological. His family and clan fulfil these needs. Couples who live in isolation are deprived of this support. Consequently, the consent of the parents, who are the foremost guardians, is something extremely important in a marriage. It is in the interest of the couple to be part of a larger family. In this regard, if on the one hand, the children must respect the wishes of their parents, on the other hand, the parents should not impose their wishes on the children. A difference of opinion in this regard should be settled with magnanimity and accommodation on the part of the parents unless of course they have some sound grounds in opposing such a marriage. The Prophet (sws) also while explaining this social stance of Islam is reported to have remarked:
It is not proper that a Nikah* solemnise unless it takes place through the guardian, and if someone does not have a guardian, the ruler of the Muslims is his guardian. (Tirmidhi,Kitab al-Nikah)
However, as is evident from the Hadith also, there can always be an exception to this general principle. If a man and a woman feel that the rejection on the part of the parents has no sound reasoning behind it or that the parents, owing to some reason, are not appreciating the grounds of this union, they have all the right to take this matter to the courts. It is now up to the court to analyse and evaluate the whole affair. If it is satisfied with the stance of the man and woman, it can give a green signal to them. In this case, as is apparent from the Hadith, the state shall be considered the guardian of the couple. On the other hand, if the court is of the view that the stand of the parents is valid, it can stop the concerned parties from engaging in wedlock. Similarly, if a case is brought before the judicial forums in which the marriage has taken place without the consent of the parents, it is up to the court to decide the fate of such a liaison. If it is not satisfied with the grounds of this union, it can order for their separation and if it is satisfied, it can endorse the decision taken by the couple.
It is evident from this discussion that the consent of the parents/guardian is not a legal requirement to solemnize a marriage. However, since this consent is an accepted norm of an Islamic society and since according to the Qur’an the norms of a society themselves must be taken into consideration in marriage, therefore a lack of this consent can annul a marriage if it has no sound basis in the eyes of the court.
Are Women less sensible than Men?
Question: Some Aha$di$thseemingly mention that a woman's power of reasoning is less than that of a man and that women are less sensible than men. Is that so?
Answer: I am afraid that this is a wrong conclusion. It has arisen because of a wrong translation. Here is a correct translation of one of the texts reported by Abu Sai‘dKhudri:
[The Prophet (sws) while talking to a group of women once said]: … and I have seen you rob even a wise man of his senses in spite of being given relaxation in worldly affairs and religious affairs, They said: O Allah’s Messenger, what is this relaxation? He said: Is not the evidence of a woman equal to half of a man’s. They said: Yes. He said: This is the relaxation given to them in worldly affairs. He said: Is it not a fact that when they enter the period of menses they neither observe prayer nor observe fast. They said: Yes. Whereupon he said: This is the relaxation given to them in religious affairs. (Muslim, Kitab al-I^man)
The Arabic phrase Naqisat al-`Aql wa al-Din has generally been translated as “faulty” keeping in view the Urdu meaning of the word. However, in Arabic, the verb Naqasa means "to reduce" and the correct translation of the above phrase, if the context is also taken into consideration, is that women have been given a relief and reduction in their worldly and religious duties.
The relief in worldly responsibilities, as is mentioned in this H~adith,is that women have not been dragged in certain activities and spheres. For example, the Qur’an urges men to testify on legal documents so that women are relieved of appearing in courts and wasting their precious time on affairs which others can handle. Only if men are not available should a society involve women in such affairs.
The relief women have been given in religious affairs is that they are not required to pray or fast during their monthly periods as is mentioned in this H~adith.
Pre-Marriage Conduct and Love Affairs
Question: What are the limits of interaction which a boy and a girl must observe before entering into a wedlock? Is falling in love a sin?
Answer: Before I answer your questions, there is one thing which I would like to state as a principle. The Shari‘ah revealed by the Almighty is very brief. A lot has been left to human intellect to tackle. Only in matters, in which human intellect is liable to falter, does the Shari‘ah gives guidance.
According to the Shari‘ah, men and women coming in social contact with one another should observe two regulations: they should guard their gazes from taking undue liberty and take care that the dress they are wearing properly covers them. Women should observe three additional regulations as well: firstly, they should cover their chests by their head-coverings; secondly, they should not display their jewellery except that which is evident, (that is jewellery worn on the face and hands), and thirdly, they should not strike their feet in a manner which draws attention to any ornaments they may be wearing. Consequently, men and women while observing these regulations can eat and converse together**.
This is all as far as the Shari‘ah in this regard is concerned. Keeping in view these directives and the norms and traditions of an Islamic society, which themselves need to be followed as per the dictates of the Shari‘ah, a boy and girl can meet each other.
Among these norms, perhaps the most important one is that all activities that can damage the reputation of a Muslim lady should be avoided. The most important thing in this regard is that a boy and a girl should never meet alone. They should meet in the presence of elders.
Falling in love is no sin. It is but natural. Islam does not object to it so long as the boy and the girl do not indulge in things that tarnish the mirror of their souls – for purification of the soul is the real objective of Islam. Believing men and women must always keep this in consideration. In this regard, the Shari‘ah pertaining to social interaction described above as well as the norms and customs of a society must also always be taken in consideration.
If circumstances are conducive, the boy and the girl should try to marry one another whenever suitable keeping in view the norms and traditions of the society they live in.
Obedience to Husbands
Question: Why should women be obedient to their husbands? This is a kind of humiliation and a kind of gender injustice. After all women are also human beings. This shows that they are inferior to men. This is hard to accept. I would like your views.
Answer: The concept of women being obedient to men and showing submission to them must be understood in the proper perspective. A family by analogy is similar to a state. All citizens of a state are expected to abide by the rules and regulations of the country they live in. They are expected to adopt an attitude of adjustment and harmony with the country. This, of course, does not mean that they cannot differ with its policies. They have the inalienable democratic right to differ and present their differences in a befitting manner. This submission is actually an essential requirement for discipline and order without which anarchy may result.
Similarly, in the case of a family set up, it is essential that the person who is its head be shown obedience. In other words, submission to authority is not specific to the gender of the authority. Whoever is the authority, must be submitted to. Gender does not dictate submissiveness -- it is authority which does. It is common knowledge that in different sphere of activities people have different abilities and justice entails that a person be made responsible according to his or her abilities and given authority on that basis. We have been informed by divine revelation that it is the husband who is more suitable to be the head of the family. Owing to this relative superiority, women are directed to submit to men not because men are superior human beings, but because in this particular case it is the men who have been vested with authority in accordance with the following verse:
Men are the guardians of women because Allah has given one superiority over the other and because they [--- men ---] support them from their means. (4:34)
If women had been more suitable for the task of heading a family, men would have been directed to adopt this attitude of adjustment. This I think has nothing to do with "gender injustice".
Towards Monotheism “Gradually”
Question: In a book that I was recently using for my research into the concept of monotheism, I ran across an interesting statement which I was hoping to get some comment on. The author has proposed that the mention of “there is no God but Allah” came into mention in the Qur’an only in the Madinan verses, and that initially this was not mentioned in the Qur’an. He has suggested that initially the notion that Allah is Great, was promoted so as to lift Allah above the other gods, but not to directly reject the other gods. He suggested that only after Muhammad (sws) gained power in Madinah did he utilise the concept of monotheism to secure his power. Is this true?
Answer: This is not true at all. There are so many Makkan Surahs of the Qur’an which depict the concept of monotheism, and positively negate the existence of other gods besides Allah. (To quote just a few, see for example, 6:19,106; 13:30; 16:2,51; 20:8,14,98; 21:25; 23:23,116; 27:60,61,62,63; 28:88; 37:35; 38:68; 39:6; 40:3; 44:8, 75:9). In fact, some of these Makkan Surahs, while recounting the basic message of the various Prophets of Allah which preceded Muhammad (sws), say that this belief was the very first tenet of their message:
We sent Noah to his people. He said O my people! worship Allah. You have no other God but Him. I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful day … To the A^d people [We sent] Hud, one of their own brethren. He said O my people! worship Allah. You have no other God but Him. Will you not fear [Him] … To the Thamud people [We sent] S~alih, one of their own brethren. He said O my people! worship Allah. You have no other God but Him … To the Madyan people [We sent] Shu‘ayb, one of their own brethren. He said O my people! worship Allah. You have no other God but Him. (7: 59, 65, 73, 85)