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Zeenaeem
SAUDI ARABIA
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 Posted - Monday, August 9, 2004 - 1:13 PM 
Submitting to Allaah's commands without asking questions does not mean that we accept whatever is present to us in the name of Allaah or His Messenger. We must be careful, ask the right questions and look at the evidence to validate and confirm that the command is really from Allaah or His Messenger. Thus, questioning to establish whether or not a command is from Allaah and His Messenger is essential; however, once the origin of the command is established to be from Allaah or His Messenger, a believer must "listen and obey".
Naturally, if someone does not know Islamic teachings about certain practical situations in life, he or she should ask the knowledgeable people about it. Asking these questions is part of seeking knowledge, which is an obligation. What must be remembered is that there are two types of questions that are extremely disliked in Islam:
1. Raising questions that do not have immediate practical benefit to the questioner or that are not relevant to his or her current situation. These are the speculative questions people ask: what if such and such happens, without encountering that situation or expecting to encounter it in near future.
2. The questions that emanate from a reluctance to obey or that seek to make a general command into a more specific one.
An example of this type of questioning is illustrated in the Soorah Al-Baqarah by narrating the reaction of Banee Israaeel to Allaah's command of slaughtering a cow. Because of their reluctance to slaughter it, they kept on raising questions about the kind of cow to be slaughtered and kept on asking for more specifics. Originally, they could have slaughtered any cow and the command would have been fulfilled. But in response to their questions, it became a very specific cow of certain age, color and other attributes.
(Please Refer Surah Al-Baqarah – Chapter-2, Verse-67 to 71).
Often we fall into this trap when we are not satisfied with a general command and keep asking questions to pinpoint specifics. This type of questions and attitude was extremely disliked by Allaah and His Messenger. Muslims were told (the translation of the meaning of the Qur-aan):
O believers! Do not ask questions about things which if declared to you may trouble you, and if you question about them when the Qur'aan is being revealed, they shall be declared to you; Allaah has pardoned this, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing. A people before you did ask such questions, and then became disbelievers on account of them. (Al-Maaidah 5:101)
Often, Allaah SWT, being kind and merciful to people, leaves some commands in general terms to allow people flexibility to act upon them as their circumstances allow, but some people ask questions that end up making a command very specific. Such specificity becomes a burden for many others. That kind of attitude had made Sharee'ah burdensome and difficult to follow for Banee Israaeel. Hence, Muslims were told to avoid that tendency.
For example, when the Prophet (Sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) presented the general Qur'aanic command that Hajj had been made obligatory for Muslims, a person asked, "Is it an annual obligation?" The Prophet (Sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond. When he kept repeating the question, the prophet responded, "Pity on you. If I say yes, it will become a yearly obligation, then you will not be able to follow the command and will disobey."
He also was reported to have said, "The biggest culprit among Muslims is he who raised questions about something that was not prohibited for people, but answers to his questions ended up making it prohibited." (Tafheemul Qur'aan, note 116 to Al-Maaidah)
He also told, "Indeed Allaah SWT has obligated obligations, so do not neglect them; He has prohibited some things, do not approach them; He has set some boundaries, do not transgress them; and He kept quiet about some things, as mercy to you, without forgetting them, so do not pursue them." (Reported in Mishkaah from Jaabir and in Daraqutni from Aboo Tha'labah).
In the light of the above, Muslims should curb the tendency of making generalities, more specific; concise points into detailed statements; vague concepts into categorical pronouncements or, loosely defined rules into precisely defined regulations. Most of the discord in the Ummah has, in fact, resulted form people violating these teaching of Allaah and His Messenger.
In the light of the above, questions can be framed keeping it well in mind that there is always flexibility available in Islam ‘IF’ the situation warrants. Wherever a flexibility is available, opinions may differ. All may not be correct. The findings and rulings with pre-concluded mindset may mislead you, surely. There are two things in Islam. One is Fatwa and the other is Taqwa.
To adjust with the time, place and people, you may need Fatwa. But Taqwa will keep you close to Allah, irrespective of time, place and pressure of anyone. The Commandments will be seen understandable and easy to follow if you have Taqwa. If you willfully wish to differ, then Fatwas will be sought after. You will end-up on the wrong tracks with an agitated attitude, with respect to even with simple commands of Allah.
Peace & Unquestioning Smiles
Zeenaeem |
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Junaidj
CANADA
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Posted - Monday, August 9, 2004 - 5:10 PM
>>1st, I'm realy very sorry, If brother Junaid thinks that my words are HARSH.
Apologies on the continued sarcasm accepted.
>>2nd, I would like to suggest that brother Junaid should initiate an independent topic on BEARD where he should convey to us his opinion on BEARD. I've read in many of his posts in Hijab topic where he brings example of beard and then conclude some results from it.
Let us not digress here.
>>Surely we are also talking about Beards of Companions BUT what's the source for this statement that We have not one companion without the beard or without the head cap and nor a single lady without the head cover. ?. I'm afraid I'm unable to understand "As for the exact source, the cleric is dead."'
The cleric, whom I could have called for the exact reference and who made the statement in one of his khutbas died about 1997.
>>You can't be allowed to ask "Given the ascribed sayings of the Prophet on the beard and the rulings of the four schools of jurisprudence, can you find me a single Companion without a beard?" because this a CROSS question. You claimed that We have not one companion without the beard or without the head cap and nor a single lady without the head cover NOT we, So it's up to you to give its PROOF. Isn't it like that?
Who is we? Are you writing on behalf of Ms. Saadia Malik as well?
I made a statement for which I have sufficient reason to believe in through sense and reason. However, I do not remember the exact reference. END.
You seemingly do not agree with my statement. I suppose we both know that for 'refuting' purposes you would have to put forward one case for contradiction. i.e., Proof by contradiction.
On a general note, I am afraid that we will not get far in the discussion if we end up in loops. Please read the write-up again. I will only respond if I deem an honest discussion coming forth.
If people end up writing lectures, then I am not interested. A simple suggestion in this regard is to discontinue reading.
Edited by: junaidj on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 12:32 AM |
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ibrahim
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 6:18 AM
>> Who is we? Are you writing on behalf of Ms. Saadia Malik as well?
Though I'm not writing on behalf of Ms. Saadia Malik, she is included in my " WE ".
I would try to put forward one case for contradiction. i.e., Proof by contradiction.
Surely, I want honest discussion too. We may/should shift our discussion to the following Forum on Beard:
http://www.studying-islam.org//forum/topic.aspx?topicid=410&lang=&forumid=15
Regards |
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saadiamalik
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 8:15 AM
Assalaamu Alaikum.
Assuming that all (or most) men during Prophet Muhammad, sws' times did keep a beard, I came across the following:
"About the moustache and the beard, the Prophet said: “Act against the polytheists, trim closely the moustache and grow beard”. The next hadis substitutes the word “fire-worshippers” for “polytheists.” The translator provides the rationale for this injunction: “Islam created a new brotherhood on the basis of belief and good conduct. . . . For the identification of faces, the Muslims have been ordered to trim the moustache and wear the beard, so that they may be distinguished from the non-Muslims who grow a moustache and shave beard”.
(http://www.bharatvani.org/books/uith/ch2.htm)
Also, see Sahih Muslim, Book 002, Number 0501:
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.
Just thought I'd share this, and see if it can help us determine the requirement of the covering of head for women....
Wasalaam.
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Junaidj
CANADA
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Posted - Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 9:07 PM
>>Just thought I'd share this, and see if it can help us determine the requirement of the covering of head for women....
Please see the original post again.
I had received an email from you, also sent to Mr. Hanif, for opinion on the dress code for prayer.
This is the second digressional question that you have posted.
I cannot afford the luxury to indulge in sarcasm and digressions.
So if you want the discussion to continue, I suggest you clearly indicate your points of disagreement/criticism/concerns on the main issue. END.
Edited by: junaidj on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 1:53 PM |
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Junaidj
CANADA
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Posted - Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:26 PM
>>Though I'm not writing on behalf of Ms. Saadia Malik, she is included in my " WE ".
This is a very slippery slope.
1) Even if you are related, did you seek her permission before using the word WE?
2) By using 'WE' versus 'you', in effect you create the 'us' versus 'them' environment. Do you think such usage is appropriate?
Edited by: junaidj on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:28 PM |
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ibrahim
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 5:19 AM
| I don't know exactly BUT I would wait for Miss Sa'dia's Comment & Guidance in this regard. |
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Junaidj
CANADA
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Posted - Monday, August 16, 2004 - 8:31 AM
The discussion that re-commenced was but short-lived. However, I continued with the two powerful influences in my thought, i.e., Dr. Khalid Zaheer and Shehzad Saleem.
I will also be trying to get some input from Deobandi and Barelwi scholars from whom I had heard the notion of 'universal beards.'
Now my comments will be followed by the two giants.
COMMENT:
My point is that a beard has seemingly been considered obligatory by several scholars. Obviously, had there been a single case of a beardless companion, that would have been sufficient enough to dispel the obligatoriness (as stressed by several scholars) of that directive.
The head cover is a directive similar to the beard. Scholars seemingly consider them obligatory but both are not. However the attitude toward both is different.
Now if a beardless man can pray, why is there an issue when a lady without head cover prays?
In the context of dress code for prayer, if it is absurd for a guy to wear the cap before prayer, then equally well just wearing head cover by a female for prayers can be deemed equally absurd.
If there are different reasons for the two directives, i.e. beard due to nature and head cover due to modesty, then even then do not both fall under the prerogative of the individual. Many men do not feel a beard is part of nature as several women do not associate modesty with the head cover.
So why is the beard not an issue for prayer, but the female head cover becomes one?
SHEHZAD SALEEM:
Both do not invalidate the prayer though both are desirable.
Dr. KHALID ZAHEER
I think it has to do with the perception of people rather than the attitude of shari'ah on the issue. People don't accept anything easily that goes against their commonly observed practice. Men praying without beards has been accepted, but in our sub-continent at least, unbearded imam is unheard of. Whenever three individuals assemble to say prayers together, the one with a beard would be the obvious choice for imam. In case all three have a beard, the one with the longest beard will lead the prayers. So let's not confuse the perceptions people have about what is acceptable with what the shari'ah stipulates as its minimum requirement from men and women.
COMMENT:
If out of personal preference a lady wishes to wear the head cover, then that is just like a man wearing a beard.
We do not frown upon a man who prays without a beard and not even when such a person leads the prayer. Likewise if some women choose to pray without the head cover, there should be no issue at all.
The men have broken the 'seeming obligations' of beard and the prayer cap. It is upto the women to decide how they would sort matters which fall in their domain.
DR. KHALID ZAHEER:
The simple answer is yes. However, I would want to add that a good Muslim lady, after she starts practising her faith would naturally adopt the extra bit requirement of covering head, which has become a norm of good Muslim ladies. But you are right, she can't be forced to do it, because it is not a legally binding requirement.
COMMENT: [ON THE DIGRESSIONS]
I also want to ask you whether you know of ANY companion without a beard. Also any lady at the Prophet's time without the head cover. Just one example of each.
DR. KHALID ZAHEER
Your question assumes that everything that everyone did during the time of the companions has been documented. That's not true. Even if it were, and were to find that all of them were bearded and that all women used to cover their heads, it wouldn't prove anything. The question that is probably more relevant to ask is: Is there a mention any where in ahadith that people didn't used to wear beards but after the advent of Islam they started doing so? The other relevant question would be: Is there a mention anywhere that a lady didn't cover her head and she was reprimanded by the prophet, alaihissalaam, for that. There is an incident of Asma bint Abu Bakr which is quoted to show that a woman should cover herself up while in the company of men, except that she can disclose her face and hands. However, it has been claimed to be a weak report by some experts. I have read somewhere, that Umer during his reign stopped slave-girls from covering their heads to distinguish them from free women. Weren't slave-girls not women who could arouse bad emotions among men, if that was the reason for the injunction?
CONCLUSION:
The point I am stressing is that of different attitudes toward the beard and the head cover. If we make one obligatory but condone the other then we would be guilty of hypocricy.
The two giants agree on the MAIN ISSUE of different attitudes on similar injunctions (beard and head cover).
Let us end this male chauvinism that is ubiquitous in the fatwas of numerous scholars.
Edited by: junaidj on Monday, August 16, 2004 8:38 AM |
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StudyingIslamUK
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 7:32 PM
"I had a conversation with some activists from the Muslim Public Affairs Committee the other day who told me they were deeply concerned about how niqabis seem to be targeted more and more often by those who want to stir up tension. One girl, they said, recently had her niqab set of fire while riding on the back of a bus in East London. What once provided protection and anonymity to the wearer now sets them out as a potential extremist in the public mind because of the way we now percieve the niqab as a mark of extremism."
???
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/independent/2008/03/the-problem-wit.html |
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oosnam
INDIA
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Posted - Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 1:50 PM
Noble Qura’n
Those who harass believing men and believing women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) A calumny and a grievous sin. O Prophet! Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad) That is most convenient, that they may be distinguished and not be harassed. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an 33:58-59)
Aadith
• Aisha reported that Muhammad's wives went out at nighttime to open fields in the outskirts of Medina to relieve themselves. Umar bin Khattab said 'Muhammad, ask your ladies to observe veil,'[citation needed]
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it. Allah's Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah's Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of 'Aisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of 'Aisha's room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed. (Sahih Bukhari 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim 8:3334)
• Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.(Sunnan Abu Dawud 2:641)
• Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Asma bint Abu Bakr, entered upon the Apostle of Allah while she was wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of Allah turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands (Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4092 )
• Narrated Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya, Ummul Mu'minin: When the verse "That they should cast their outer garments over their persons" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments. (Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4090)
• Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: 'Aisha used to say: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces." (Sahih Bukhari 6:60:282, Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4091) |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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 Posted - Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 4:43 PM
also check out  the 'social shariah of islam' by javed A.ghamidi, rendered into english by shehzad saleem-
all issues beautifully explained from Qur'an and the teachings of the beloved (sws/pbuh) with full context and historical background |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 5:27 PM
| its extremely important to understand the historical background and context of the Qur'anic verses in all regards- and this only comes with hard work of 'tadabbur' /pondering, spending nights out of bed and days in libraries; it's sad that today's traditional islamic scholar is not working as hard as it demands to understand and preach the deen in depth. |
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oosnam
INDIA
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Posted - Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 10:05 AM
The non-believers were finding it very difficult to come anywhere near the border of our Muslim sisters purity. The non-believers planned to destroy their barrier through removal of Hijab (Hejab, Hijaab).
There are many sisters who have failed to understand the actual meaning of Hijab.
To observe proper Hijab is to dress up oneself modestly and appropriately covering all parts of body except face and forearms, without showing one's figure or curves and without using any sort of make-up.
Those who reject Hijab and wish to attract men are suffering from inferiority complex.
http://www.ezsoftech.com/akram/hijab.asp |
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hkhan
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 12:20 AM
| As you said hijab or modestly dressing up for both men and women and trying to keep their gaze purified, is quite simple a matter which has been un-necessarily boosted out of proportion and been made a controversial issue by trying to give it a certain and fixed outlook. |
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oosnam
INDIA
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Posted - Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 12:35 PM
| Disagreed to the frank mis-concepton you have. |
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loganc
CANADA
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Posted - Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 5:00 AM
Salaam aliukum brothers and sisters in Islam,
Alhamdulilah. I have briefly read over all the postings and wanted to just make a few quick points about this topic. Many scholars of recent have put forward many ideas and theories regarding the diin. However, the essential nature of the diin remains with the Qur'an, Suunah, and with the examples in Rasool Allahi, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. Looking at these most important and fundamental sources of information for the diin we see that the "hijab" (let me clarify and say what I mean is headscarf because hijab is Arabic means something else) is a requirement. The hadith of "this and this" is very clear that the areas that can be shown of a woman are her face and hands.
We can talk about the "hijab" of men and the "hijab" of general modesty as keeping the gaze lowered, but the essential nature of the conversation has been on the sisters headscarf. The scholars of old, and the vast majority of new, agree that in the least the headscarf is to be worn.
Let me speak in advance to some brothers and sisters who may think I am imposing a certian viewpoint upon others. Firstly, this is not a view of mine nor of a certian group of scholars, although it is accepted by the four Imams. The main point is that it is promoted by the Prophet, peace be upon him, who is the guide for humanity as outlined in the Qur'an. Denying the direction of Muhammad, peace be upon him, is denying the hikma of Allah ta'ala. May Allah keep us from that path of destruction.
Jaza'kAllah khier for you comments and time.
May Allah reward those sisters who wear headscarf. Amin.
If anything I have said is correct, it comes from Allah who deserves all praise and if anything is wrong it comes me and the shaitan.
Salaam aliukum |
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