1 TIMOTHY 2

9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet.

Praise be to Allaah.

Every land or region in which the rulers and those in authority uphold the limits set by Allaah and they rule their people in accordance with Islamic sharee’ah, and the people are able to carry out what Islam has enjoined upon them, is considered to be dar islaam (the abode of Islam). The Muslims in such lands have to obey their rulers with regard to that which is right (ma’roof) and be sincere towards them, helping them to take care of the affairs of state and giving them moral and practical support. They should live there, and not go to live anywhere else except to another place which is under Islamic rule where they may be better off. This is like the case of Madeenah after the Hijrah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when the Islamic state was established there, and like Makkah after the Conquest, when the Muslims took power there and it became daar islaam after it had been daar harb and it had been obligatory for the Muslims there who were able to leave, to migrate from it.

 Every country or region in which the rulers and those in authority do not uphold the limits set by Allaah and do not govern those who are under their care by the rules of Islam, and in which the Muslims are not able to establish the rituals of Islam, is daar kufr (the abode of kufr). This is like Makkah al-Mukarramah before the Conquest, when it was daar kufr. The same applies to any land in which the people belong to the religion of Islam, but those who are in authority govern by laws other than those revealed by Allaah, and the Muslims are not able to establish the rituals of their religion. They have to migrate from that place, fleeing so that their religious commitment will not be compromised, to a land which is ruled by Islam and where they will be able to do that which is required of them by sharee’ah. Whoever is unable to migrate – men, women or children – will be excused, but Muslims in other lands are obliged to save them and bring them from the kaafir lands to the Muslim land. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): “In what (condition) were you?” They reply: “We were weak and oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” Such men will find their abode in Hell — what an evil destination!  Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.  These are they whom Allaah is likely to forgive them, and Allaah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving” [al-Nisaa’ 4:97-99]

“And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allaah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:75]

 But whoever is able to establish the rituals of Islam within his family and establish evidence against the rulers and people in authority, and bring about reform, making them change their ways, then it is prescribed for him to stay among them, because there is the hope that by staying there he may be able to convey the message and reform them – so long as he is safe from temptation and fitnah.

And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

The evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that it is not permissible for a woman to assume positions of senior public authority, such as the caliph (khaleefah), minister of state (wazeer or vizier) or judge (qaadi) and so on.

Question

Is it permissible to acquire Australian citizenship to get privileges in Arab countries that are granted only to those who have western nationalities? I must stay in Australia for two years to obtain citizenship?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad , is His Slave and Messenger.

It is impermissible for Muslims to obtain the citizenship of any non-Muslim country. This is because obtaining citizenship is a way of accepting their rulings, being their ally and accepting their invalid doctrines.

The privileges mentioned by the questioner are nothing when compared to the dangers that would threaten his religion and manners. It was narrated on the authority of Jareer ibn ‘Abdullaah  that the Prophet , disassociated himself from any Muslim who lives among the disbelievers. [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]

Allaah Knows best.

Question

What is the Islamic concept of Bai’ah? How is it given? I recently went to a lecture where they were talking about repentance. They asked those present to give Bai’ah to the scholar who was giving the lecture, then asked those present to ask Allah to repent from their sins. They said this is the way of the Sunnah.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Bai’ah (pledge of allegiance) in Islam is the pledge given to the ruler of a region who is accepted by its people.

Ibn Khaldun defined Bai’ah: saying: ‘It is a pledge of obedience. It is as if the person who gives the pledge of obedience to his ruler promises that he will accept his rules concerning his matters and the matters of all Muslims as well. He will never dispute with him and will follow his orders willingly or unwillingly. The people used to put their hands in the hand of the ruler when they gave the pledge of allegiance to confirm the pledge just as a seller and a buyer do to confirm their contract. For this reason, generally the Bai’ah was associated with shaking hands’ .

What is mentioned above is the concept of Bai’ah in Islam. Anyone who explains the Ahadith of Bai’ah contrary to the above meaning is an innovator and goes against the practice of Ahl-al-Sunnah. Therefore, what is mentioned in the question is not proved in Shariah and not reported from the good ancestors that they used to take Bai’ah for repentance. They only made Bai’ah with the ruler of the people.

Allah knows best.

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Question

Someone harmed my family and me tremendously which lead us to depression and misery. Can we curse and swear against this Muslim? Can we pray to Allah to punish him? Explain about this with regards to Qur’an and Hadith.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

It is lawful for you to ask Allah to punish this Muslim as Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {“Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged….}[4:148]. 

Ibn Abbas said: Allah does not like that the person ask imprecation for someone except if they offend them. However, not asking punishment for him and pardoning such a person is better as Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah….}[42:40]. Allah also Says (interpretation of meaning): {… Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?…}[24:22].

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) also said: Indeed Allah has not increased the one who pardons except by more prestige… [Reported by Imam Muslim ]

As for insulting him it should not go beyond what he did to you and forgiving him is better.

However, cursing him is unlawful. Abu Dawood reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: When the person curses something, the curse ascends to Heavens. But the gates of Heavens get closed before it. Then the curse falls down on earth, but its gates get closed as well in front of it. Upon that the curse moves left and right and if it does not find anywhere to stay it returns to the thing cursed if it deserves it, it stays there. Otherwise, it returns to the one who uttered it.

So, this is a great threat for those who curse what does not deserve to be cursed. Abu Dawood and al-Tirmizi reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: Do not curse one another with the curse of Allah.

The author of ‘Tuhfat Al-awazi’ said: None of you should curse the other saying: ‘May the Curse of Allah befall you’. Al-Bukhari and Muslim also reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: Cursing the Muslim is like killing him.

So, the Muslim should beware of cursing fellow Muslims.

Allah knows best.

Question: The hypocrites still raise their ugly heads from time to time, whenever they get the opportunity, in order to attack the basic and fundamental beliefs and practices of the ummah, or to cast doubts on its basic tenets, or to strip the community of its Islamic identity. What should we do about them, and how can we protect the ummah against their evil?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

Mut’ah marriage means that a man marries a woman – either Muslim or from the people of the Book – and specifies how long the marriage will last, for example five days, or two months, or half a year, or many years. The beginning and end of the marriage are specified, and he pays her a small mahr (dowry), and after the specified time is over, the woman exits the marriage. This kind of marriage was permitted during the year of the Conquest of Makkah for three days, then it was disallowed and prohibited until the Day of Resurrection. This was reported by Muslim (1406).

The wife is the one with whom one stays on a long-term basis, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“… and live with them honourably …” [al-Nisaa’ 4:19], but in the case of mut’ah a man does not live with the woman for long.

The wife is the one who is called a wife in sharee’ah, with whom the relationship is long-lasting. She is mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Except from their wives or (the slaves) that their right hands possess, ¾ for then, they are free from blame” [al-Mu’minoon 23:6] – the latter (a slave whom one’s right hand possesses) is not a wife according to sharee’ah, because her stay is limited to a short time.

The wife is the one who inherits from the husband, or from whom the husband inherits, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“In that which your wives leave, your share is a half if they have no child…” [al-Nisaa’ 4:12]. But the woman in a mut’ah marriage does not inherit, because she is not a wife, since she spends such a short time with the man.

On these grounds, Mut’ah marriage is considered to be zinaa (adultery or fornication), even if both parties consent to it, and even if it lasts for a long time, and even if the man pays the woman a mahr. There is nothing that has been reported in sharee’ah that shows that it may be permitted, apart from the brief period when it was allowed during the year of the conquest of Makkah. That was because at that time there were so many people who has newly embraced Islam and there was the fear that they might become apostates, because they had been used to committing zinaa during the Jaahiliyyah. So this kind of marriage was permitted for them for three days, then it was made haraam until the Day of Resurrection, as was narrated by Muslim, 1406.

From al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawa Fadeelat al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Jibreen, p. 41.

It was narrated from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade mut’ah marriage and the meat of domestic donkeys at the time of Khaybar. According to another report, he forbade mut’ah marriage at the time of Khaybar and he forbade the meat of tame donkeys.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3979; Muslim, 1407.

It was narrated from al-Rabee’ ibn Sabrah al-Juhani that his father told him that he was with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said, “O people, I used to allow you to engage in mut’ah marriages, but now Allaah has forbidden that until the Day of Resurrection, so whoever has any wives in a mut’ah marriage, he should let her go and do not take anything of the (money) you have given them.”

Narrated by Muslim, 1406.