Adopting and Conveying a False View for the Sake of Dawa

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Ustadh Farid Dingle untangles questions on establishing a state and the rule of law, authority, personal opinions and ijtihad, and who one should follow.

Question:

Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

Praise be to Allah Most High and may His peace and blessings be upon His Messenger and those who follow him.

Is it permissible for a dawah group with the intention and goal of establishing khilafah and shar‘ia to demand of its followers to leave their personal opinions of ijtihad in regards to what the group deems to be essential to keep the unity of the group on the way to establishing the state?

They quote as evidence the maxim “that without which an obligation cannot be fulfilled is an obligation”(ma la yatim al wajib illa bihi fahuwa wajib).

They also quote the version of events regarding the bayah of Uthman. A;;ah be pleased with thim, which is mentioned in Tarikh al-Tabari and al-Bidayah wa al-Nihaya and others, where Ali, Allah be please with him, declines the bayah because of the condition of following as shaykhayn in addition to kitab and sunna and Uthman, Allah be pleased with him, accepts the bayah with its condition.

Their claim is that Uthman, Allah be pleased with him, stepped down from his opinion and Ali, Allah be pleased with him, didn’t.

They say that this is evidence that one can leave whatever opinion he has for the sake unity of the ummah in action, saying and believe regardless of whether the person believes something else.

So is the Amir khass like the amir Aam in regards to the right to be obeyed ?  Is it possible and is there perhaps any scholarly precedence for this analogy ? I’m especially interested the extension of the right of the amir to be obeyed (whether Aam or khass) to actually adopting his opinion and carrying it to the people despite disagreeing with it?

I hope my question is clear and understandable and I hope you will provide us with an answer and references since this topic affects hundreds of people.

Note: They say that this applies to the muqallid and the mujtahid, even if he is mujtahid mutlaq.

Jazakum Allah khayr.

 

Answer:

Wa alaykum assaalam wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

Question 1: Is it permissible for a dawah group with the intention and goal of establishing khilafah and shari‘a to demand of its followers to leave their personal opinions of ijtihad in regards to what the group deems to be essential to keep the unity of the group on the way to establishing the state?

1) This question assumes that there are no Islamic states, and that Shari‘a law is not applied. The former is not true, and the latter is not entirely true.

Any Muslim ruler who has military and political control over an area makes that area an Islamic state. Based on this definition, most, if not all, Muslim countries are Muslim states. The significance of that is that their laws that do not categorically contradict the Sacred Law are biding, and that their ruler must be obeyed by their subjects.

As for saying that Sharia is not upheld, that is true to a great extent in many Muslims countries, though not all. And given the fact that they are Islamic states, the proper way to “establish Shari‘a” is to work with the governments and not against them, in whatever form and capacity one can.

It is worth noting that there, at least in my opinion, many Muslim rulers who would love to apply Shari‘a Law 100% but whose hands are tied by the political weakness of the country, and moral weakness of their own people. Being a ruler of a country is no easy business.

2) For the sake of political, communal, or familial unity, is it valid for a non-scholar (muqallid) to adopt another valid position?

Yes, a thousand times yes. Can one follow something that is invalid? No.

Question 2: So is the lesser/specific Muslim ruler (Amir khass) like the greater/general Muslim ruler (amir Aam) in regards to the right to be obeyed?

I am no mujtahid or specialist in Islamic political theory, but I have never heard of these terms. The authority of a Muslim ruler (defined above) is only extended to those who he appoints as governors and judges and the like.

As for any temporal or moral authority granted to someone trying to set up an “Islamic state,” I’ve never heard of anything like that. [al-Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun (specifically his discussion on the Hisba); The Governing Ordinances, al-Mawardi; al-Ihkam fi tamyiz al-fatawa an al-ahkam wa tasarrufat al-qadi wa al-imam, al-Qarafi]

My Advice

Make your heart and soul conform to the state of Iman, Islam and Ihsan, and help existing Muslim countries and Muslim people and non-Muslim people get closer to the Quran and Sunna.

May Allah give you success through Sacred Knowledge.

Farid

 

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

 

Is My Umra Valid?

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat is asked about the validity of Umra if a sister has doubts about purity.

I went on Umra during my period. My periods stop on the sixth day, but this time it didn’t stop until the thirteenth day. On the twelfth day I went and did Umra, thinking I am now in istihada [period of abnormal bleeding], and did tawaf and sa’i [moving back and forth between Safa and Marwa] after entering tuhr [a state of purity] and making wudu.

Yet I am still doubtful whether I was right or wrong. Please help me and answer my question. And if I was wrong please tell me what to do.

I pray you are well.

Your Umra was valid – provided you were able to remain in a state of wudu during your tawaf. If not, you need to sacrifice a sheep in Mecca.

Continuation Of Blood

If bleeding persists after the number of days you usually see it – 7, for example – you should not pray your prayers as there is a chance that the number of days you menstrual cycle lasts may change. If it stops before ten full days then this is your new cycle – 9, for example.

If, however, it continues past ten days then you assume that your menstrual cycle lasted the original number of days (7) and everything else was istihada. This means you all have to repeat the missed prayers from the day of the cycle ending until the point you realized the bleeding was istihada.

(Birgivi, Dhukhr al-Mutaʾahhilin; Kasani, Badaʾiʿ al-Sanaʾiʿ).

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

Abdul-Rahim

What Should I Do When My Menstruation Exceed Ten Days?

Is my Ghusl Valid Though I Was Experiencing Istihadah [Abnormal Bleeding]?

Can I Treat My Istihada [Abnormal Bleeding] With Medicine Containing Unlawful Ingredients?

Sunna Prayers after Jumu‘a

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat is asked about the number of sunna prayers after the Friday prayer.

I use this website very often and it has helped me a lot with my religious questions. Thank you to the SeekersHub team for doing this wonderful work.

I love Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and his team and whenever I want to know about a particular ruling, I try my best to find answers on this website and I am mostly successful.

I recently purchased a book written by Shaykh Faraz Fareed Rabbani entitled The Absolute Essentials of Islam. In there on page 42, Shaykh Faraz mentions that there are four rak‘as of confirmed sunna after Jumu‘a prayer.

My question: Historically I have been praying four rak‘as and then two rak‘as of sunna prayer after jumu‘a. I know there are Hanafi scholars who mention that this correct. However, in most other respects I follow the opinion of SeekersHub, so should I now only pray four rak‘as of sunna prayer after jumu‘a or should I continue praying four rak‘as plus two rak‘as?

P.S. My main concern when asking this question is to make sure that I am consistent. That is, I do make religion a play and out of many opinions out there, do not always choose the most easy option.

Looking forward to the answer.

Jazak Allah khayr.

I pray you are well.

Yes, many people all over the world, myself included, are greatly indebted to Shaykh Faraz and the team at SeekersHub for all the knowledge and benefit they have spread over the years. May Allah grant everyone involved the best of both worlds.

Perhaps you could translate this gratitude into action and help to raise funds for the Islamic Scholars Fund, through with many scholars all over the world are able to teach, help, and benefit the Muslims. Why not tell your loved ones about the benefit you have found at SeekersHub and encourage them to benefit by donating too?

The Friday Sunnas

The position found in the authoritative books on Hanafi jurisprudence, such as Radd al-Muhtar, al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Maraqi al-Falah,  and others, is that it is a sunna to pray four units before the obligatory units of the Friday prayer, and four units after. These are the emphasized sunnas for the Friday prayer.

There is another weaker position ascribed to Abu Yusuf, the student of Abu Hanifa, which indicates that one should pray six units – and not just four (Mawsili, al Ikhtiyar). Some scholars of the Indian subcontinent prefer to apply this position.

If you regularly pray these units keep doing so. See them as means of thanking Allah for His kindness and favors upon you. However, if someone does not pray them they cannot be criticized.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

Abdul-Rahim

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

The Sunnas Associated with the Obligatory Prayers

Details Regarding Witr, Confirmed Sunna, and Non-Confirmed Sunna Prayers

What Are the Confirmed Sunna and Non-Confirmed Sunna Prayers Associated With the Obligatory Prayers?

Prayer, Past Sins, and the Hijab

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat gives valuable advice on how to make up prayers and not burn out.

I’m sorry. I sent a question through earlier about making up missed prayers. I also wanted to ask, if I should be including the nafl prayers for dhuhr, maghrib and isha in my makeup prayers, or can these be left out without any further sin?

As I have years of prayers to make up, would it be sinful for me to do anything outside this in my spare time. For instance, would reading a fictional book, watching a film, going out with family, be sinful for me? Should I only be using spare time to make up prayers? I’m feeling overwhelmed because I feel like I will not be able to do anything else without sin or guilt.

Also, I am trying to learn the prayer as I go along if this takes me some time and I miss a current prayer in the process am I making my situation worse?

I am also trying to work towards wearing the hijab, but again I feel overwhelmed. I initially thought covering my hair and wearing loose clothing that fully covers me would be sufficient. I was going to stick to wearing long skirts and loose tops, dresses that fall below my knees with leggings, jeans–trousers with loose tops that fall to my knees or below my knees. But now after reading some things I’m doubting if I’d still be sinning as I’m not wearing a jilbab, and trousers may not be modest enough or even leggings with dresses below the knees.

I’m starting to get depressed, as I feel like I’m going to have to make loads of changes at once. Everything I read makes me find another obstacle. I’ve always kept my hair shorter as I find it easier to manage, and I’ve now read it’s also haram for me to cut it. If my hair is going to be covered by a scarf, can I not keep it short for ease and comfort, as no one will see it?

In the past I had the bad habit, and I think I may have broken some fasts due to this. How do I figure out how many I may have broken, and do I need to fast 60 days as well as making the individual fasts up? If I can’t remember exactly when I started puberty, how do I calculate how many prayers I need to make up?

I work. If I delay a prayer and have to do qada due to this am I digging a deeper hole for myself?

Please advise me on what I need to do. Does the fact I have sinned in the past mean I have to give up all my free time for prayer. I don’t know if that’s something I’ll be able to do.

Jazak Allah khayran.

I pray you are well.

Leaving nafl prayers is not sinful. If you have fard and wajib (witr, for example) prayers to make up it is be best to leave the nafl and focus on the fard and wajib.

It’s best to ask Allah for help, make a routine which you can practically manage daily, and make up your missed prayers methodically. A constant drip of water over time can split a rock; whereas a big splash of the same amount just makes it wet.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

Abdul-Rahim

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

A Reader on Missed Prayers

How Should I Make up Prayers?

What is the Proper Intention for Makeup Prayers?

Are Prayers Repeated If Hair Is Showing?

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat clears up confusion about hair inadvertently showing during prayer.

I was praying dhuhr. I read four sunna, four fard, then two sunna. After the two sunna I realized some hair was visible. I am unsure at which part my hair became visible. I made sure to tie the scarf well before starting four sunna. So before the two sunna I tied my scarf again. And then when I read that at the end of prayer I realized some of my neck was see through but the pleats of the scarf didn’t allow my neck to show. Only when I stretched the scarf out did it show.

My question is do all of these rakats have to be read again? Do any of the four raka‘s need to be repeated? If yes, which ones?

I pray you are well.

No, none of the prayers need to be repeated. Stray hairs which show are excused. In any case, anything less than a quarter of your hair is considered a small amount, and the exposure of a small amount is excused – even if it is for a long time. (Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah).

If your scarf did not show any of your skin then it is fine, although it is better to use a scarf made of material which is completely opaque.

Use the moments of tying your scarf to ask Allah to cover and veil your own faults and sins, and those of all believers, and you’ll make this act another means of drawing closer to Allah. 

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

Abdul-Rahim

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

A Detailed Exposition of the Fiqh of Covering One’s Nakedness (awra)

What Are the Requirements of Hijab?

How Should We Understand the Obligation of Khimar (Head Covering)?

Severe Doubts in Washroom

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat is asked about severe doubts on purity in the washroom.

For the past seven months I have been going through so much doubts and uncertainty in my life. I feel like searching for answers online has made it worst. Please give me direct answers to the following, and advise dua to remove uncertainty and whispers of shaytan. I feel like Allah is mad at me, I don’t know why this is happening to me, and I am so depressed. Even when I get the right advice on these matters I keep thinking in more detail and then questioning if even the littlest thing is impure or is transferring impurity. I’m so overwhelmed, I keep crying, and have so much anxiety. Sometimes I ignore it and go about how I normally did all this, but then start feeling anxious that Allah will get mad at me.

  1. Water splashes on the body during istinja – on any part of the body including hair, face, neck etc. – is it pure or impure?
  2. Water splashes on items or clothes during istinja. Is that pure or impure?
  3. Is the hand that is used to wash during istinja considered clean? I feel like any water that falls from my hands and fingers as I get up to go the sink is impure, and get scared I’ll make things dirty or my body dirty.
  4. Is your hand considered impure from touching the water jug used for istinja? Are any parts of the body considered impure if it comes in contact with the water jug?
  5. Do I have to dig into each nail when washing my hands after doing istinja? I know for peeing you just pour water. But istinja for defecation, when you use your left hand, do you have to dig into each nail when washing with soap?
  6. Do I have to wash the handle or tap of the sink every time I wash my hands? After washing my hands, I close the tap then feel I should wash the tap and then my hands again because tap is dirty now or impure.
  7. Is the water on the sink and countertop in the washroom impure? I always feel while I am wiping the counter and water splashes on my feet I need to wash my feet. Or if I place items on the counter they are dirty now and I should wash them before using, and then wash my hands after touching them.
  8. Is the rag or mop used to wipe and dry the floor dirty. While I wipe the floor and water on the floor if a bit of the rag or mop comes into contact with skin or feet I feel like I should wash that area of skin or my feet.

These are uncertainties I have been facing regarding purity and impurity within the bathroom. I have more questions but those are unrelated. Anyways, I feel like I will never get ease. Please help me. Thank you. May Allah reward you all.

I pray you are well.

The answer to all the scenarios above is: pure; and you don’t have to dig into the nails when washing your hand after istinja.

It seems you have contacted us before with a similar list of questions. Please try to calm down. Your anxiety should not let you think that Allah hates you. You are in a test – that is all.

Having a Good Opinion of Allah

The Messenger of Allah told us that “Whoever Allah wants good for He continually tests him.” Have a good opinion of Allah, and ask for a way out of your predicament. The moments when you are feel overwhelmed are the best moments to ask, because Allah swiftly responds to those who ask in desperation.

Anytime you think that Allah hates you – tell yourself that this statement is a lie. He made you a believer and that “Allah is the ally of the believers” (Sura al-Baqara 2:256). The fact that you have belief is enough to prove He loves you. Ask Him for help, seek support from friends and family, and learn about the virtues of patience and trust in Allah. They will bring you much-needed light in the darkest hours.

I don’t advise you to go searching online for answers, nor is it advisable for you to look up detailed issues without a scholar, as it will only worsen your issues. Find a reliable local scholar and ask him to explain purity to you in a simple manner, and do just that.

Seek Professional Help

You have OCD. Although it seems unbearable, this issue can be fixed. It may take some time, but you will be rewarded for the difficulty you endure. Please find a professional practitioner of effective therapies such as EFT, EMDR, or PSTEC, and get some help. If you have to spend some money doing so, then consider it as charity upon oneself.

Please refer to this answer for more clarity.

May Allah give you a way out very soon.

Abdul-Rahim

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Advice for Sufferers of Extreme Waswasa or OCD in Issues of Purification

Purification Issues: Washing Limbs & Used Water

How to Handle Constant Waswasa in Acts of Purification and Worship

Doubts about Cleanliness

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Shaykh Salman Younas is asked if minute amounts of filth affect ritual purity.

I prayed my salah and after I came to washroom I found a drop of urine to the size of an ant, so I just soaked my hand with water and rubbed it gently, and did not squeeze that, and the stain was gone too. Please tell me whether I am tahir or najis?

You are not considered impure.

Even if you prayed with a small drop of urine on your body/clothing of the type you describe, this is excused. In the Hanafi school, the extent of approximately 5 cm, in diameter, is excused in liquid filth that is deemed “major filth,” such as urine. While it is best to remove such filth before praying, if one did pray while being effected by this amount of filth, the prayer is valid.

This ruling shows that there is leeway when it comes to the rulings of filth and impurities. As such, we should not be excessive in how we deal with this issue, nor fall into baseless misgivings. The base assumption that we hold regarding our bodies, clothing, place of prayer, etc., is that it is pure unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.

Salman

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Excused Liquid Filth and Ignoring Baseless Doubts About Purity

Doubts About Purity After Using the Bathroom

How Do I Deal with Obsessive Thoughts about Purity and Filth?

Combined Wedding Feasts

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Ustadh Farid Dingle is asked if it is permissible to hold two wedding feasts on the same day.

May I get the details on whether there is anything such as combined wedding feasts in Islam? Is it recommended?

For example, the elder brother and younger brother will get married in the same year but on a different month. They plan to combine their wedding feast on a single day. The reason being to save cost and energy of their family.

Thank you for answering.

It is perfectly fine because from a technical point of view. As long as both grooms are inviting people and both are providing food, then, there are technically two wedding feasts (walimas). 

It also fulfills one side of the Sunna and that is the sunna of simplicity.

Is it specifically recommended to have two separate places so that people remember very clearly that two couples got married? I don’t know. 

Please see The Fiqh of the Marriage Feast (Walima).

I pray this helps.

Farid

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Questions Related to Having the Walima After Consumating Marriage

Can You Separate the Nikah and Walima? [Video]

When Should the Wedding Feast (Walima) Be Done?

Making up Missed Prayers

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Ustadh Farid Dingle answers questions on whether making up missed prayers is obligatory.

I hope this finds you well. I have a question with regards to missed prayers.
From the age of 12-15 I never prayed. Between the ages of 16-17 I prayed twice a day. From 18 to now, sometimes I missed one prayer.

All of my missed prayers were out of neglect – no excuses. If I ever missed any prayer for valid reason, sickness, etc., I would pray qada. For the past couple months I have been making up five prayers a day for the previously neglected prayers.

My question is, for all these neglected prayers,do I have to make up for them? If so or if not, what is the evidence? I heard that majority of scholars say it is mandatory to make up for them, but I am still confused as to what the truth is

If you can provide some help, I would really appreciate it, sincerely.

Thank you. May Allah bless you.

According to the relied upon positions of the Four Schools, it is obligatory to make up any and all missed prayers.

The proof is that the five daily prayers are obligatory. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘“Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, the only expiation is to pray it when he remembers.” (Muslim) Intentionally missing it calls for making it up, a fortiori.

I pray this helps.

Farid

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

A Reader on Missed Prayers

Is It Necessary to Make up Missed Prayers? (Shafi’i)

How to Make up Years of Missed Prayers? (Shafi’i)

Re Previous Answer on Wife’s Conjugal Rights

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Shaykh Jamir Meah clarifies certain aspects of a previous answer on a wife’s conjugal rights.

I am writing to inquire a further look at this portion from a previous answer: What Does Islam Say About the Neglect of the Wife’s Sexual Rights?

Islam already takes into account the fact that a woman may have times where she is physically or psychologically unable to fulfill her husband’s desire, and by doing so, her condition may worsen. In these cases, the husband would be prohibited from forcing the wife to have intercourse, and if he did so, he would be sinful.

I am concerned about whether the wording is intentional. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that a man should never force his wife to have sex with him, and if she refuses he cannot force her to? I think the traditional definition of rape here still applies in that case, but I think that would also be an example of domestic abuse. This hadith is often misquoted by people to scare and demoralize Muslim women, in my experience. It would be good to see a lesson or article dedicated specifically to it.

Jazak Allah khayr, for all the good work that you do. Insha Allah that good only increases in the future.

Due to the question being predominantly about the wife’s conjugal rights and the husband’s neglect of it, the answer was mainly focused on this issue.

The “rape” section was in response to a very brief, almost passing, part of the question. (I think it was completely edited out from the final question published.) Hence my very brief response to it. I cannot remember the exact question, but it was not a direct or general question about forced sex within marriage, more about if the husband demands relations while the wife is unable to have relations, hence my specific answer on that.

I wholeheartedly agree that a specific and detailed article on this latter topic would be beneficial. For now, the relevant rulings and details, which concur with my own understanding and how I would address the issue, can be found in this excellent answer by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam: Can a Wife Refuse her Husband’s Call to Bed?

This is a sensitive topic that can be exploited by many, both men and women. For sure, we need to do more to educate and warn Muslim men about these rulings and to have proper conduct and care in marriage, but we must also be aware that there is currently a very strong feminist movement at work which has it’s own agenda, much of which is insidious.

Warmest salams,

Jamir

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

My Husband Does Not Satisfy Me During Marital Relations. What Can I Do?

My Husband Does Not Want to Have Marital Relations With Me. What Do I Do?

My Husband Does Not Want Marital Relations. What Do I Do?