Saturday, May 29, 2010

I'm a fundamentalist, I'm an extremist and a terrorist!

Bismillahir Rahman ir Raheem,

This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces.

Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’, ‘terrorism’ and 'extremism' :

1. Definition of the word ‘fundamentalist’

A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practice the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practice the fundamentals of mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practice the fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science.

2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same

One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fundamentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect.

3. I am proud to be a Muslim fundamentalist

I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and strives to practice the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim because, I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or is against the interests of the human race as a whole. Many people harbor misconceptions about Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam. If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective levels.

4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’

According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in American Protestanism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes.

According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘strict maintenance of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’.

Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Muslim who is a terrorist.

5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist

Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoit' and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people.

6. Every muslim should be an extremist

The word extremist means a person who is extreme in something or a person who is strictly steadfast upon a basis. Whenever we heard the word extremist we think of a muslim, why ? Because of the negative knowledge of the society. If it is to say that a student has to score the highest marks in physics then he should be an extremist in order to cut the figure. Without being extremely good at physics he cannot recover. So, a muslim should be an extremist. A muslim should be extremely kind, extremely merciful, extremely just, extremely obedient, extremely responsible, extremely truthful. I am very much proud to be an extremist, because without being an extremist a muslim cannot be a muslim.

7. Islam means submission to ALLAH

Islam is derived from the word ‘silm’ which means submission to ALLAH. A muslim is a person who submits his will to ALLAH, which means a muslim is not allowed to follow his own inclination. Islam is a 'deen' of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace and tranquility throughout the world.

Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society and an extremist to be persistent towards the truth.

Quran mentions :

"Invite all to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them and reason with them in a way that is the best and the most gracious" - Surah nahl, verse 125

Wal hamdulilahi Rabbil Alameen,

Friday, May 28, 2010

Main rights of brotherhood in Islam.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Many Muslims think that it suffices to consider each other as brothers without taking necessary steps to put that principle of brotherhood into practice. That is why we see nowadays Muslims showing indifference to calamities befalling their brethren across the globe, thinking that so far they are far away from the hot spots, from the scene of calamities, they have nothing to worry about. Thus, you see many of them, at the times that their brothers are being slaughtered at some other parts of the globe, they pass time at cafes, hotels, giving out celebrations, as if nothing happened. We Muslims need to feel for each other, not hypocritically, but heart and soul.

Elaborating more on this, we'd like to cite for you the following:

"Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'You will not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I direct you to something which if you fulfill you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves.' (It was reported by Muslim)

1) In this hadith, our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recommended that we should spread peace. This is fulfilled through many things: by saluting each other with the words 'As-Salam `alaykum' (peace be with you); by spreading a state of peace and not conflict, and by trying to spread peace in the society through reconciling our differences. This, in fact, is the slogan of Islam, namely spreading peace. For indeed 'Islam' means peace among other things, and this is the first right of brotherhood in Islam.

2) It's also part of rights of brotherhood for a Muslim to put on smiling face when he meets his brothers in faith. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Don't belittle any good deed even to meet your brothers with a smiling face.' He also said: 'Your smile in the face of your brothers is an act of charity.' That is why the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had a smiling face all the time.

A man came to Abu ad-Darda' and said: 'Guide me to do a good deed that would benefit other Muslims?' Abu Ad-Darda' replied: 'Command them to do good and forbid them from evil.' The man said: 'I cannot.' Then Abu Ad-Darda' said: 'Repel evil from them.' The man said: 'I cannot.' Then Abu Ad-Darda' said: 'Spend charity on them.' He again said: 'I cannot.' Then Abu Ad-Darda' said: 'Meet them with a smiling bright face.' The man however said: 'I still cannot.' Fed up with what he heard, Abu Ad-Darda' finally said: 'Then may Allah smite you with a thunder bolt from Heaven by which He would make the land and the people get rid of you.'

3) Brotherhood in Islam also means that one should love for one's brothers what one loves for himself. Confirming this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Each of you cannot be a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.'

Not only this but the early Muslims used to prefer their brothers over their own selves. That is why the Qur'an praised them in the following verse: 'And they prefer (their brothers) over themselves even if they are hungry.' (Al-Hashr: 9)

4) Avoid harming other Muslims by words or actions:
As a matter of fact Islam forbids vain or evil talk, as clarified by the following Qur'anic verse: 'And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant.' (Al-Qasas: 55) Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'The Muslim is he from whom people are safe from his tongue and hand (actions).'

One day, `A'ishah, the Prophet's wife, heard some Jews in Madinah offending the Prophet by greeting him with the wish that poison would strike him. Getting angry at their offence she retorted: 'And upon you be poison and curse O you children of apes and swine.' Hearing this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pacified her saying: 'You should have said only, same be upon you also, for the Muslim is not an offender, nor a curser nor a mischief monger nor one who uses dirty language.'

5) Humbleness and modesty: A Muslim should exercise humbleness and modesty in his dealing with other Muslims, nay even with all other people. That is why one precious piece of advice a pious father called [Luqman] gave to his son as the Qur'an reports is that: 'Never turn your cheek to other people in arrogance.' (Luqman: 18)

In practice, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to be humble with all other people. It is reported that once a Bedouin met him; when he saw him he trembled in fear. Seeing this the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Calm down. I am only the son of a woman who used to eat dry meat in Makkah (meaning a poor woman).'

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to tell his Companions: 'Don't exaggerate in praising me, as Christians exceeded the limits in praising the Messiah, son of Mary, for I am the slave and Messenger of Allah.' He also used to declare: 'Whoever humbles himself to Allah, Allah will raise him (in respect) and He will not enter Paradise who has in his heart an atom's weight of arrogance.'

6)Turning deaf ears to other people's slandering of your brothers or sisters: This means the elimination of backbiting and slandering in the Muslim society. That is why the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) once passed by two graves. He stood in front of them and said: 'They (the dead ones) are punished due to minor sins.' One of them used to spread calumny and slander among people. Thus Muslims are reminded that: 'He who slanders others in front of you will eventually slander you.'

7) Doing good to people all as best as you can. In this context Allah says in the Qur'an: 'And cooperate with one another in all that is good and pious and don't cooperate in sin and aggression.' (Al-Ma'idah: 2) Allah's Messenger was asked: 'Who is the dearest person to Allah?' He said: 'Those who are most useful to (other) people.' That is why in another hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'And Allah will surely help the person as long as he helps his brother.'

8) Treating them nicely and with best manners: In this connection Allah says about Prophet Muhammad: 'And you are indeed of supreme conduct.' (Al-Qalam: 4) The Messenger of Allah, therefore says: 'The most perfect believers are those who are best in conduct and who are nicest to their household.'

9) Rights of brotherhood also implies that one should not forsake his brothers over three days: Allah says in the Qur'an:'Believers are indeed brothers so reconcile your brothers.'(Al-Hujurat: 10) The Messenger of Allah also said: 'Let not any one of you desert his brother more than three days. They meet and each of them turns away from the other; but the best of the two is the one who starts with the salutation of peace.' In another hadith, the Prophet said: 'Don't exchange hatred, envy or forsaking, for every Muslim is a brother to other Muslims. Thus he should not wrong him, nor surrender him, whoever walks to fulfill the needs of other Muslims, Allah will attend to his needs.'

10) Not to enter upon a Muslim's house without his permission: Allah says in the Qur'an: 'O ye who believe! Enter not houses other than your own without first announcing your presence and invoking peace upon the folk thereof. That is better for you, that you may be heedful.' (An-Nur: 27)

11) Acknowledging the rights of scholars by showing due respect to them.

12) Fulfilling one's promise to his Muslim brothers.

13) Settling the rights of other Muslims and returning to them whatever has been taken from them without right.

14) Granting to other Muslims the status they deserve, and acknowledging their prestige.

15) Reconciling the differences among Muslims and restoring harmony.

16) Hiding their shame and concealing their weaknesses.

17) Preserving their wealth and honor.

18) Saying 'may Allah bless you!' to any one who sneezes.

19) Avoiding mingling with the evil mongers.

20) Visiting the sick Muslims: This is based on a Qudsi hadith indicating that Allah would say to His slaves on the Day of Judgment: 'My slave I was sick and yet you did not visit me?' The slave would exclaim: 'How can I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds?' Allah would answer: 'Did you not know that My slave so-and-so fell ill; don't You know that had you visited him you would find Me with him?'

21) Attending the funeral prayer and to follow a funeral to the grave.

22) Visiting graves of Muslims and invoking Allah's mercy upon them.

These are the main rights of brotherhood in Islam.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Tanzil : Quran Navigator

Tanzil : Quran Navigator

Since the appearance of the first digital copy of the holy quran, there have been substantial effort to produce an accurate quran text, but due to some difficulties (some of which are listed below), these efforts have been unsuccessful in many of the cases, and unfortunately, the simple quran texts currently used in the majority of quranic websites and applications have lots of errors and typos.

The erroneous quran text has been so rapidly spread over the Internet that nowadays finding the correct form of quranic verses has become almost impossible without referring to a verified printed manuscript. For example, if one searches Google for the verse 38 of Sura Al-Ghalam which readsإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ, the first result that he or she will get is a wrong form ending with the word يَتَخَيَّرُونَ as shown in the picture to the right.

This terrible situation made us to launch the Tanzil project to produce a highly verified error-free quran text, and make this text available to the quranic websites and applications to prevent further spreading of the erroneous quran texts.

Monday, May 24, 2010

NIKAH ♥ ~~~~~MARRIAGE~~~~~♥Brief Details


AS SALAAM ALAIKUM WA RAHEMATULLAHI WA BARKATUHU


Definition of Marriage


As for the definition of marriage in fiqh, the simple definition would go something like this:


"A contract that results in the two parties physically enjoying each other in the manner allowed by the Shari'a."


Nikah is an Arabic term used for marriage. It means "contract". ("Aqd in Arabic). The Quran specifically refers to marriage as "mithaqun Ghalithun,". Which means "a strong covenant".


"and they have taken a strong pledge (Mithaqun Ghalithun) from you?" (Quran 4:21)


The seriousness of this covenant becomes obvious when one finds the same tern i.e., Mithaqun
Ghalithun, being used for the covenant made between Allah and the Prophet before granting them the responsibility of the Prophethood.
(Quran 33:7)



The Quran also uses the Arabic word "Hisn", suggesting "fortress" for marriage. Marriage is considered the fortress of chastity.


The Purpose of Marriage


The word "zawj" is used in the Qur'an to mean a pair or a mate. In general it usage refers to marriage.
As a meaningful institution, marriage has two main purposes:


To ensure preservation of the human species and continuation of the human race,


"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them has spread abroad a multitude of men and women" (Quran: 4:1)


It is also a form of Ibadah because it is obeying Allah and his messenger - One could choose to live in sin, however by choosing marriage one is displaying obedience to Allah. To provide spiritual and legal foundation of the family


"And of His signs is this: He created for you mates from yourself that you might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, therein indeed are portents for folk who reflect". (Quran 30:21)


One of the most important purposes of marriage is to continue and increase the population of the Muslims.


The Prophet (sas) said:


"Ankihoo fa inniy mukaathirun bikum al umam yaum al-Qiyama"
"Marry, for I will outnumber the other nations by you on Qiyama."
(Ibn Majah - Sahih)



Marriage provides spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological companionship. This companionship generates and sustains love, kindness, compassion, mutual confidence, solace and succor (sakinah). It lays a spiritual and legal foundation for raising a family. The children born of the matrimonial union become legitimate and mutual rights of inheritance are established.


Marriage is "mithaq" - a solemn covenant (agreement). It is not a matter which can be taken lightly. It should be entered into with total commitment and full knowledge of what it involves. It is not like buying a new dress where you can exchange it if you don't like it. Your partner should be your choice for life. One should be mature enough to understand the demands of marriage so that the union can be a lasting one.


Marriage: A Religious Requirement


Marriage in Islam is a recommended as a religious requirement.


"Marry those among you who are single and (marry) your slaves, male and female, that are righteous" (Quran 24:32)


Prophet Muhammad (S) declared:


"When the servant of Allah marries, he has fulfilled half the (responsibilities laid on him by the) faith; so let him be God conscious with respect to the other half"." (Mishkat)


Marriage has also been commended as the way of the prophets.


"We indeed sent messengers before you (O Muhammad), and We assigned them wives and children" (Quran 13:38)


Marriage, in fact, is specifically considered the tradition (sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad (S) when he declared:


"Marriage is my Sunnah, whoever disregards my (sunnah) path is not from among us".(ibn Majah)


Islam discourages celibacy and encourages marriage, as Prophet Muhammad (S) recommended:


"Whoever is able to marry, should marry"." (Bukhari)


Pleasure


Islam is the religion of the fitrah - the religion which is consistent with the natural instincts and needs of mankind. It is not like the man-made (of modified) religions which set unnatural constraints on people whether self-inflicted prohibition of marriage (nuns and monks, etc.), prohibition of divorce or monogamy. Men are inclined toward women and women are inclined toward men. Marriage is the institution which fulfills this desire and channels it in ways pleasing to Allah Most High. Allah mentions this attraction:


{Zuyyina li an-naasi hubbu ash-shahawaati min an-nisaa'i wa al-baneen...}
{The love of the desires for women, sons, ... has been made attractive to people.} "
Aal-'Imraan:14



The Messenger of Allah himself made clear that the attraction between the sexes is something natural and not something to be denied or suppressed - only channelled in the ways pleasing to Allah Most High, saying:


"Hubbiba ilayya min dunyaakum an-nisaa'u wa at-teebu wa ju'ilat qurratu 'ainiy fiy as-salat."
"Women and perfume have been made beloved to me of this world of yours and my peace of mind is in the prayer." "
(Ahmad & others - sahih)



The desire of men and women for each other is an urge which needs to be fulfilled. If it is left unfulfilled, it will be a source of discord and disruption in society. For this reason, the Prophet (sas) ordered all men who are capable of meeting the responsibilities of marriage to do it:


"Man kana minkum dhaa tawlin, falyatazawwaj fa innahu aghadhdh lilbasari wa ahsanu lilfarji wa man laa fa as-saumu lahu wijaa."
"Whichever of you is capable should marry for it will aid him in lowering his gaze and guarding his body (from sin). As for the one who is not capable, fasting is his protection." "
(An-Nasaa'i - sahih)



Is Marriage obligatory?


According to Imams Abu Hanifah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Malik ibn Anas, marriage is recommendatory; however in certain individuals it becomes wajib/obligatory. Imam Shaafi'i considers it to be nafl or mubah (preferable). The general opinion is that if a person, male or female fears that if he/she does not marry they will commit fornication, then marriage becomes "wajib". If a person has strong sexual urges then it becomes "wajib" for that person to marry. Marriage should not be put off or delayed especially if one has the means to do so.


A man, however should not marry if he or she does not possess the means to maintain a wife and future family, or if he has no sex drive or if dislikes children, or if he feels marriage will seriously affect his religious obligation.


The general principle is that prophet (pbuh) enjoined up in the followers to marry.


He said "when a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half." " This hadith is narrated by Anas. Islam greatly encourages marriage because it shields one from and upholds the family unit which Islam places great importance.


For a marriage to be valid certain conditions must be met.


1) Consent of both parties.
2) " Mahr" a gift from the groom to his bride.
3) Witnesses- 2 male or female.
4) The marriage should be publicized; it should never be kept secret as it leads to suspicion and troubles within the community.


Qualities to Look for in a Spouse


The Prophet (sas) taught us in many hadith about the various characteristics which one looks for in a spouse and their relative importance and which ones determine success insha Allah and Allah's blessing on a marriage. Among those hadith:


"Inna al-mar'ata tunkahu lideeniha wa maaliha wa jamaaliha fa 'alaika bi dhaati ad-deeni taribat yadaaka."
"A woman is married for her deen, her wealth or her beauty. You must go for the one with deen, may your hands be in the dust! (if you fail to heed)" "
Muslim



"Takhayyaroo li nutafikum fankihoo al-akfaa'u wa ankihoo ilaihim."
"Choose carefully for your seed. Marry those who are equivalent (or "qualified") and give to them in marriage." "
Ibn Majah and others and it is sahih.



One of the important issues of character in the spouses is the quality of wudd. This means kindness and lovingness and compassion. The Prophet (sas) said:


"Tazawwajoo al-wadood al-walood fa inniy mukaathirun bikum al-umama yaum al-qiyama."
"Marry the loving/friendly, the child-bearing for I shall outstrip the other nations with your numbers on Qiyama."
Ahmad, Abu Daud and others and it is sahih.



There are many hadith which urge the prospective spouse to get a look at the other before undertaking the marriage. Once a companion told him (sas) that he was going to get married. The Prophet (sas) asked if he had seen her. When the man said no, he (sas) said:


"Idh-hab fandhur ilaihaa fa innahu ahraa an yu'dama bainakum."
"Go and look at her for it is more likely to engender love between the two of you."
Ahmad and others and it is sahih.





Women Looking at a Prospective Husband


The woman also has a right to look at her prospective husband. Many scholars have stated that "The women like the same things we like." Some have even said that it is MORE important for the woman to see the man.


The characteristic of piety applies to the groom just as much as to the bride. The guardian of the woman should make this his first and top priority just as the man looking for a wife should make it his. The Prophet (sas) said:


"Idhaa ataakum man tardhauna deenahu wa khuluqahu fa zawwijoohu. Illaa taf'aloo takun fitnatun fiy al-ardhi wa fasaadun kabeerun."
"If someone with whose piety and character you are satisfied with comes to you, marry to him. If you do not do so, there will be trials in the earth and a great deal of evil." "
At-Tirmidhi and others and it is hassan.



In An-Noor verse 26, Allah establishes the relation of this issue to marriage:


Al-khabithaatu lilkhabitheena wa al-khabithoona lil-khabithaati wa at-tayyibaatu lil-tayyibeena wa at-tayyiboona lil-tayyibaati.}
{Bad women are for bad men and bad men are for bad women. And good women are for good men and good men are for good women.} "
An-Noor:26



Ijab & Qabul


Bride’s Permission


The next required element of the marriage contract is the bride’s permission. Without her permission, the contract is either null and void, or may be invalidated by the Islamic authorities at the bride’s request. The minimum required permission may be done by either voicing her approval or through a passive expression such as remaining silent when asked about a potential husband and simply nodding her head, or making any other motion to indicate that she does not object to the marriage.


The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A deflowered unmarried woman (i.e., widow or divorcee) may not be married without her instructions; and a virgin may not be married without her permission, and her silence indicates her consent” " (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).


The Woman’sWali


The next requirement for a valid contract is the approval of the woman’s guardian known as thewali.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A marriage (contract) is not valid without awali” " (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and others; verified to be authentic by Al-Albani).


Normally, a woman’swaliis her father. If for any reason her father is unable to be herwali, herwaliwould then be her next closest blood relation: the grandfather, uncle, brother, son, and so on. It is not permissible for a woman to take another woman as herwali.


The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A woman may not give another woman in marriage, nor may a woman give herself (independently) in marriage” (Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi and others; verified to be authentic by Al-Albani).


The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A marriage (contract) is not valid without awali” " (Ahmad and Abu Dawud; verified to be authentic by Al-Albani).


The presence of the walior a representative he has appointed is an integral element of the contract or else the contract is deemed invalid.


The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whichever woman marries without her wali’s permission, her marriage is void, her marriage is void, her marriage is void. If he (the husband) performs intercourse with her, the mahr(dower) becomes her right because he had access to her private parts” " (Ahmad and Abu Dawud; verified to be authentic by Al-Albani).


The Witnesses


Another condition for the validity of a marriage contract is the presence of at least two trustworthy Muslim male witnesses.


The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A marriage is not valid without awaliand two trustworthy witnesses” " (Ahmad, Ibn Hibban, and others; authentic according to Al-Albani).




The Mahr (Dowry)


The mahr (dowry) is something that is paid by the man to his wife. It is paid to the wife and to her only as an honor and a respect given to her and to show that he has a serious desire to marry her and is not simply entering into the marriage contract without any sense of responsibility and obligation or effort on his part.


It has been referred to my many names in the texts and the books of fiqh:


Term Root Meaning
An-Nihla Gift
Al-Fareedha Prescribed amount or obligation
Al-Hibaa' Gift or present
Al-Ajr Payment or compensation
Al-'Uqr Indemnity
Al-'Alaa'iq Precious things, provision
As-Sadaqa Sincere gift or charity
At-Tawl Ability
An-Nikah Marriage


Allah says in the Qur'an:


{Wa aatoo an-nisaa'a saduqaatihinna nihlatan...}
{And give the women their dowries with a good heart...} "
An-Nisaa:4



The following verses also show the obligatory nature of paying the dowry to the women:


{...Fa ma istamta'tum bihi minhunn fa aatoohunna ujoorahunna fareedha...}
{...So for that pleasure which you have enjoyed from them, give them their prescribed compensation..} "
An-Nisaa:24



{...Wa uhilla lakum ma waraa'a dhalikum an tabtaghoo bi amwaalikum...}
{...All others have been made lawful for you provided you seek (them in marriage) with your property...} "
An-Nisaa:24



Regarding on of the Companions who was poor and wished to marry, the Prophet (sas) said to him:


"Iltamis wa lau khaatiman min hadeed..."
"Search for something, even if it is just a ring made from iron." "
Bukhari & Muslim



The Maximum and Minimum Amount of the Dowry


There are no authentic hadith or reports explicitly stating a minimum or maximum amount of dowry
There is no maximum limit for the dowry. Allah described the dowry in the Qur'an with the following words:


{Wa in aradtum istibdaala zaujin makaana zaujin wa aataitum ihdaahunna qintaaran falaa ta'khudhoo minhu shai'an. A ta'khudhoonaha buhtaanan wa ithman mubeenan?}
{And if you wish to replace a wife with another and you have given one of them a heap of gold, do not take anything from it. Would you take it as a fraud and a clear sin?} "
An-Nisaa:20



The word qintaar means a very large amount of gold and if it is permissible to give such as mahr, this shows that there is no maximum limit to the amount one may give as mahr.


The Minimum Amount of the Dowry


There are five distinct opinions concerning the minimum amount required for something to be considered acceptable as a dowry.


The First Opinion


The minimum dowry is ten dirham (somewhere around ten dollars or the price of a goat today). This is based on the hadith:


"La mahra aqallu min 'asharati dirham."
"There is no mahr less then ten dirhams." "



While Ibn Hajr found this hadith to be "hassan", most other scholars of hadith judged it as weak. Also, it is in contradiction to the hadith cited earlier about the iron ring - which would not have been worth that amount.


The Second Opinion


According to the Malikis, the minimum required for a dowry is three dirhams. They also cite the verse:
{Wa man lam yastiti' minkum taulan an yankiha al-muhsanaati al-mu'minaati fa min ma malakat aymaanukum min fatayaatikum al-mu'minaat...}
{And whoever of you does not have the means to wed free believing women, so from the believing women that your right hands possess...} "
An-Nisaa:25



Their argument is that at-taul means wealth and one who does not have three dirhams is not considered as possession any wealth. However, there are other interpretations about what the word means in this verse.


The Third Opinion


This opinion states that anything that can be called "wealth" (maal) and is accepted by the parties is permissible as the dowry. In essence, this opinion states that there is no minimum for the dowry. This is the opinion of the Shafi'is, Hanbalis, Dhahiris, Ibn Wahb of the Malikis, Al-Hassan Al-Basri and others. It is supported by the verse:


{...Wa uhilla lakum ma waraa'a dhalikum an tabtaghoo bi amwaalikum...}
{...All others have been made lawful for you provided you seek (them in marriage) with your property...} "
An-Nisaa:24



The Fourth Opinion


Anything which can be called shai'an (a "thing") is acceptable as dowry. This is the opinion of Ibn Hazm and is based on the first part of the hadith about the ring of iron where the Prophet (sas) said:


"Iltamis shai'an. Qaala ma ajidu shai'an. Qaala: "Iltamis wa lau khaatiman min hadeed..."
"Search for something." He said: I have nothing. He (sas) said: "Search for something, even if it is just a ring made from iron." "
Bukhari & Muslim



The Fifth Opinion


Anything which has value, regardless of whether it be something material or something non-material, is acceptable as dowry. According to Ibn Al-Qayyim, this is the strongest opinion. In fact, it seems to be the only opinion which takes into consideration all of the different hadith related to the subject. For example, Umm Sulaim accepted Abu Talha's embracing of Islam as her mahr. On another occasion, the Prophet (sas) acceepted as dowry what a person knew of the Qur'an saying:


"Idh-hab faqad mallaktukahaa bima ma'aka min al-qur'an"
"Go, for I have put her under your charge with what you have of the Qur'an." "
Bukhari & Muslim



In other words, his mahr was to teach the woman what he knew of the Qur'an.


Public Announcement of the Wedding


There are a number of hadith on this topic and all of them are hassan. Hassan is a rating somewhat less strong than sahih. The folloing hadith on the subject at hand are all hassan:


"Asheedoo an-nikaaha wa a'llinoohu"
"Make the marriage well-known and announce it."

"Faslu ma baina al-halal wa al-haram dharbu ad-daffi wa as-sautu fiy an-nikahi."
"That which separates the halal from the haram is the beating of the duff (drum) and voices at the wedding." "



"SINGING AND BEATING OF THE DUFF (BANGLELESS TAMBOURINE)


It is allowed for the husband to give the women permission at his wedding to announce the wedding with beating on the duff and with allowed singing only. Allowed singing is that which does not contain descriptions of physical beauty or mention of any kind of sin. There are various hadith about this:


FIRST: On the authority of Ar-Rubai' bint Mu'awwadh, who said: "The Prophet (sas) entered my house after my wedding night, and sat on my mat as close as you are now sitting to me (the address here is to the one who narrated the hadith from her). Then, some servant girls of ours began beating on the duff and singing about our ancestors who were killed at the battle of Badr. Then one of them said: "And among us is a prophet who knows what tomorrow will bring." The Prophet (sas) said to her: "Leave this and go back to what you were saying before it." "


SECOND: On the authority of Aisha, that she took a woman to her husband, a man among the Ansaar. The Prophet (sas) said to her: "O Aisha did you not have any singing (lit: frivolity) with your procession? Verily the Ansaar love such things." " In another version of this hadith, the Prophet (sas) is reported to have said: " "Did you send a servant girl along with her to beat the duff and sing?" " ...


On the authority of Aamir ibn Saad Al-Bajliy, who said: I entered upon Qardha ibn Kaab and Abu Masood and (he mentioned one other person whose name I can't remember), and saw servant girls beating on the duff and singing. I said: "Are you all in silent acceptance of this and you are among the companions of the Messenger of Allah?!" They said: "Verily, he gave us permission for this at wedding celebrations, and for crying over the dead as long as it is not wailing." "


It should be noted that none of this give permission for live bands, mixing between men and women, videos, and other evils which are practiced today. All of these practices should be stopped and a wedding involving such practices should not be attended.


Conditions


At the time of carrying out the marriage contract, the two parties may wish to set conditions whose violation would invalidate the contract. This is acceptable as long as the conditions do not violate any Islamic principles.


Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Every condition not according to the Book of Allah is void, even if it be a hundred conditions” " (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).


An example of a condition may be that a woman stipulates that she remain in a particular homeland during their marriage. The conditions are normally set by the wife’s side, because the husband can terminate the marriage by uttering the divorce.




Carrying Out the Contract


It is recommended for the person conducting the marriage ceremony to start with a sermon,khutbat al-hajah, that was reported by Ibn Mas`ud and Jabir in At-Tabarani and by Al-Bukhari inAt-Tarikh. The main and actual pillars of the contract are the offering and acceptance known as ijab and qabul. They signify the mutual agreement and acceptance between the two parties to join in this marriage bond.


The ijab and qabul must be stated in clear, well-defined words, in one and the same sitting, and in the presence of the witnesses. The person conducting the ceremony may help the two parties say offering and accepting words. Documenting the marriage contract is not a requirement for the contract’s validty. However, it is important to document it for future reference and to preserve the rights of the husband and wife. Once the marriage contract is executed, all rights and responsibilities for the two parties become immediately due.




Primary Requirements


1. Mutual agreement (Ijab wa Qabul) by the bride and the
groom. Ijab and Qabul (offering and acceptance) are the main and actual pillars of the contract.
They signify the mutual agreement and acceptance
2. Two adult and sensible witnesses
3. Mahr (marriage-gift) to be paid by the groom to the bride either immediately (muajjal) or deferred
(muakhkhar), or a combination of both


Secondary Requirements


1. Legal guardian (wakeel) representing the bride. If the bride represents herself then a wakeel is no
longer required.
2. Written marriage contract ("Aqd-Nikah”) signed by the bride and the groom and witnessed by two
Muslim, adult and sane witnesses.
3. Qadi (State appointed Muslim judge).
4. Khutba-tun-Nikah to solemnize the marriage.




The Waleemah


The weleemah is the "wedding feast". The husband is required to sponsor this feast after the marriage contract, the sunnah being three days after husband and wife have been together. There are many hadith about this important practice, among them:


"Innahu laa budda lil-'ursi min waleemah."
"A wedding must have a feast." "



The above was spoken to Ali (ra) when he sought Fatimah, the Prophet's (sas) daughter in marriage. The Prophet (sas) said to Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf in the form of an order:


"Awlim wa lau bi shaah."
"Give a waleemah, even if it is just with one sheep." "



As for three days, it was mentioned as the Prophet's practice when he married Safiya:


On the authority of Anas, may allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Prophet (sas) entered upon his wife and sent me to invite some men for food." "


Also on the authority of Anas that he said: "The Prophet (sas) married Safiya, and her freedom was her dowry. He gave the banquet after three days." " (from Adaab Az-Zafaaf)


How Much?


The Prophet's (sas) order to Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf to give a feast "even if only with on sheep" would seem to set a minimum for the waleemah. However, it is permissible for the waleemah to be simple and not include meat according to the following hadith:


"The Prophet (sas) stayed between Khaibar and Al-Madinah for three days during which he had entered with his wife Safiya. Then I invited the Muslims to his wedding banquet. There was neither meat nor bread at his banquet. Rather, leather eating mats were brought out and on them was placed dates, dried milk, and clarified butter. The people ate their fill." "


Serving meat is clearly preferable, however, since it was the consistent sunnah of the Prophet (sas) and the Companions and based on the Prohpet's order to Abdur-Rahman. The fact that the Prophet (sas) was on an expedition in the above narration may also have been a factor bringing into question the general applicability of the hadith.


Clearly, the waleemah should not involve excess or wastefulness which are forbidden at all times. This has become an almost universal custom in most Muslim countries and is an evil practice which should be stopped. Making more food than can possibly be consumed and wasting what remains is a form of tabdheer (wasting or destroying wealth), about which Allah said:


{Wa aatiy dha al-qurbaa haqqahu wa al-miskeena wa ibn as-sabeeli wa laa tubadh-dhir tabdheeran (26) Inna al-mubadh-dhireena kaanoo ikhwaana ash-shayaateeni wa kaana ash-shaitaanu li rabbihi kafooran.}
{And give the relative his right and the needy and the traveller and do not waste wealth needlessly. (26) Verily, those who waste wealth are the brothers of the devils and the devil is in rebellion against his Lord.} "
Al-Israa:26-27



Who to Invite?


When giving the waleemah, you should invite family, friends and neighbors. It is also commendable to give some of the food in sadaqa in gratitude to Allah for the blessing of the marriage. It is very important NOT to invite only the wealthy or people of influence and ignore the poor. Rather, focus should be directed to inviting the best Muslims one knows regardless of their "social" standing. The Prophet (sas) said:


"Sharru at-ta'aami al-waleemah yud'aa lahaa al-aghniyaa'u wa yutraku al-fuqaraa wa man taraka ad-da'wata faqad 'asaa Allaha wa Rasoolahu."
"The most evil food is that of the waleemah. The rich are invited to it but the poor are left out. And whoever ignores the invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger" "
Bukhari



It is clear from the above that if one is invited to a waleemah and there is not disobedience being practiced than it is obligatory to respond to that invitation without valid excuse. This is also found explicitly in the following hadith:


"Idhaa du'iya ahadukum ilaa al-waleemah talya'tihaa."
"When one of you is invited to a waleemah, he should go." "
Bukhari & Muslim



Greetings to the Groom


The guests should make du'a for the groom and his bride and ask Allah to bless them. The Prophet (sas) used to say to the groom:


"Baaraka Allahu laka wa baaraka 'alaika wa jama'a bainakumaa fiy al-khairi."
"May Allah bless you, bestow blessings upon you and join you two together in all that is good." "
Abu-Daud & others and it is sahih.





Rights over one another


The Noble Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:228
...And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. "


Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi, Narrated Amr ibn al-Ahwas al-Jushami
The Prophet said, "...Listen! You have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone you dislike, to trample your bed and do not permit those whom you dislike to enter your home. Their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing." "


Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 3.189, Narrated Abu Juhaifa
Salman told Abu Ad-Darda', "Your Lord has a right on you, your soul has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who has a right on you." Abu Ad-Darda' came to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. The Prophet said, "Salman has spoken the truth." "


Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 3.501, Narrated Abu Huraira
..The Prophet said, "The best amongst you is the one who pays the rights of others generously." "
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #276, Narrated Amr ibn al-Ahwas al-Jushami


In the Final Sermon our Beloved Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi wasallam) said about respecting woman & men after their Marriage,
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under a trust from God and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. "


Some doughts and Question & Answers


If any one who got engaged "Dont's" & "Do's:


Can a Man be Alone with His "Fiancee"?


The Prophet (sas) has forbidden for a man and a woman to be alone together. This ruling applies to a "fiancee" just as much as it applies to any other unrelated man and woman. One of the hadith which make this clear is:


"Laa yakhluwanna rajulun bi imra'atin illa ma'a dhiy mahram."
"A man cannot be alone with a woman except along with a male relative [of hers]." "
Bukhari & Muslim



Touching


Obviously, since those "engaged" to be married have no legal relationship beyond any other strange man and woman, obviously any form of touching between them is not allowed. The Prophet (sas) said:
"La'an yut'ana fiy ra'si ahadikum bi makheetin min hadeed khairun lahu min an yamassa imra'atan laa tahillu lahu."

"For one of you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than to touch a woman who is not permissible to him." "
At-Tabarani (sahih)



Phone Calls


Obviously, it is not allowed to be alone with, have telephone conversations or internet "chats" with unrelated men or women in order to "get to know each other".
The Prophet (sas) said:


"La tattabi'unna sunan alladhina min qablikum shibran bi shibrin wa dhiraa'an bi dhiraa'in hatta lau dakhaloo juhra dhubbin ladakhaltumoohu."
"You will follow the ways of those who came before you foot by foot and yard by yard and even if they go down a lizard's hole, you will follow them." "





DEMANDING DOWRY IN MARRIAGE


Believer to beg from somebody without a stringent, pressing need. There are warnings in the Hadith about this:


Translation of Hadith: There is a very lengthy Hadith narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Habshi Bin Janadah As Saluli in which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:Begging is not permissible for some who is wealthy and someone with a sound body, excepting for someone who is very poor and someone in a very great need. If a person begs to increase wealth, then in Qiyamah, that begging will be on his face in the form of scratches and it will come in the form of an ember, from which that person will eat. Whoever wants to can decrease or increase this punishment for himself. "


(Jame' Tirmidhi, Kitab Uz Zakaah, Vol. 1, Pg No. 141, Hadith No: 590)


However, without any demand of any kind, exchanging gifts willingly is allowed. Islam has declared exchange of gifts to be a means of maintaining and increasing love, as the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said in (Kanz Ul Ummal, Hadith No: 15057). Thus, giving a gift on the occasion of marriage is permissible.


Is Sanchak allowed in Shariah


Question: Is it allowed to hold Sanchak, which is being held nowadays?


Answer: On the occasion of marriage or other happy occasions, there is no problem if a function is held within the limits prescribed by the Shariah, but roaming before a Non Mahram without any Purdah (veil), making the sister-in-law hold one's hand and/or applying Mehndi (henna) to the fingers is all impermissible.


The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:


Translation of Hadith: In Qiyamah, molten lead will be poured in the eyes of the one who looks at the beauty of a woman with desire. " (Bidayah wan Nihayah, Kitab Ul Karahiyya, Vol. 4, Pg No. 458)


Touching a Non-Mahram is strictly impermissible. There is a Hadith:


Translation of Hadith: In Qiyamah, a burning ember will be placed on the hand of the one who touches a Non-Mahram woman. " (Bidayah wan Nihayah, Kitabul Karahiyya, Vol. 4, Pg No. 459)


Therefore, the customs which are against the Shariah in Sanchak need to be dropped.


Salaat on the night of the Nikah


Question: Please tell me about the 2 rakaat to be offered on the night of the Nikah


Answer:


Nikah (marriage) is Sunnah and through this a person saves himself from sins and leads a pure life. This is one of the bounties (ni’mah) of Allah SWT. On the night of the marriage, as a token of thankfulness (shukr) to Allah SWT, a Salaat of 2 raka’at is offered. There is no special method for this Salaat. The way you offer any Nafl (optional) Salaat, in the same way you can offer this Salaat as well


Paying Mehr in installments


Question: If the amount of Mehr is huge, then can we pay it in installments?


Answer: Mehr (alimony) is like a debt, which the husband has to pay. It can be paid in installments also. If the Mehr is delayed (Muajjal) and the time period has been fixed, then it can be paid within the time period in installments.


Valima with the money of bride's family


Question: Usually Valima ceremony takes place by the bride and groom families sharing the expenses of it. Is it permissible according to Islamic Shariah?


Answer: In the light of Holy Islamic Shariah, putting the weight of some function or celebration on some one else is improper. One conducting a modest function according to his means and convenience with a cheerful heart is far better than a grand celebration without the same.


However, since the Valima is a Sunnah of our Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), the groom can invite his near and dear ones in it as per his convenience. From the initial period of Islam onwards, arrangement of Valima was done by the groom itself and no help was sought from the bride's family, but if the bride's family members wish to share the expenses of Valima without any demand or coercion; then there's no objection to it according to Shariah. Nevertheless, forcing the bride's family to share the expenses of Valima is prohibited, as per the Shariah.




Marriage with cousin


Question: Can marriage be performed with the son/daughter of the father's sister? Is such a match permitted?


Answer: As per the Shariah, marriage with son/daughter of the father's sister is permissible and allowed. After describing the Mahram relatives (with whom marriage is impermissible) Allah Ta'ala says:


………thus hath Allah ordained (prohibitions) against you: except for these, all others are lawful.. Surah Nisa" (4:24)


Son/daughter of the father's sister are not included in the Mahram relatives. Thus, marriage with them is permissible.




And Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) knows best.