عربي
Home


Articles

Articles

In Commemoration of the Prophet's Hijra (Migration)
Author : Dr Noah Ali Salman
Date Added : 14-10-2015

 

In Commemoration of the Prophet's Hijra (Migration)

 

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Usually, a significant event marks the beginning of any nation`s history. As Muslims, our history is pregnant with significant events such as the birth of the Prophet (PBUH), the descent of the revelation, the Hijra (Divinely ordained migration) from Makkah to Medina, the divine declaration in which Allah has perfected our religion for us, completed His favor upon us, and has chosen Islam for us as our religion.

 

However, when Umar Bin Al-Kattab consulted the honorable companions (May Allah Be Pleased with them) on the starting date of the Islamic calendar, they agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijra. Umar justified that by saying: "Islam has been powerful since the Hijra." In fact, Islam has assumed its right and complete position by the Hijra, and there are three important issues in this regard:

 

First: The noble companions have agreed that having a calendar is one aspect of any nation`s independence and a reflection of its privacy, so it is unacceptable that the Muslim nation follows the calendar of another nation for marking its events. Thanks to Allah, our Islamic nation has been using the Islamic calendar to show that it is proud of its religion, it is distinguished, it is independent, and it is loyal to the Prophet who initiated the Hijra.

 

Second: Allah, the Almighty, has honored Islam with the Hijra, because Muslims gathered in Medina under the leadership of the Prophet (PBUH) and they established a state concerned with spreading Islam and protecting Muslims against aggression. As a result, the principles of Islam were reflected in the behavior of the Muslim society, and this led to the spread of justice, goodness, observing kinship ties as well as ending injustice, aggression, lewdness and abomination, as indicated in the following verse, (What means): "Indeed God enjoins justice and virtue and giving to kinsfolk, and He forbids lewdness, and abomination, and aggression: He admonishes you so that you might remember." [An-Nahil/90].

 

A close comparison between the number of Muslims before Hijra and after it shows that there is a big difference although they were invited to Islam by the same Prophet, Mohammad (PBUH). He enjoyed the needed eloquence and wisdom, but his style varied in accordance with the new conditions since people are more influenced by what they see, than what they hear. Rather, they neither listen to the weak nor respect what is right unless it was backed with might.

 

Three: It is necessary at this time and at every other time that Muslims reflect the bright image of the glorious Islam through their behavior and that the task of inviting others to embrace Islam should be passed to the different generations, because Allah has sent this religion as a mercy to all humanity.

If some Muslims have tarnished the bright image of Islam through violating its very teachings, then it is incumbent upon every Muslim to set the records straight and clear that suspicion.

It is a relief that people the world round are still embracing Islam owing to the sincere efforts of faithful Muslims who invite them to Allah by good word and good deed.

 

Finally, people of reason, even non-Muslims, are still admiring and praising Islam; however, if some have insulted Islam by word or deed, or insulted the Prophet (PBUH), then he is too honorable to be belittled by the rancorous and the disbelieving.

 

And All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.

 

 

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

Why was the exact date of Laylat al-Qadr concealed?

The wisdom behind this is to encourage Muslims to strive in worship throughout all the nights of Ramadan, or at least in the last ten nights. By doing so, they will earn the reward of observing Laylat al-Qadr as well as the reward of worshiping on other blessed nights.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on obtaining financing from Islamic banks by bringing invoices in prior arrangement with the seller, then taking the cash after the financing is approved — with the purpose of settling debts and buying a car?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It appears from the transaction described that its underlying purpose is to obtain cash through resorting to a legal artifice (ḥīlah/tawarruq-style trick), and it is not permissible to engage in such trickery or to coordinate with the various parties merely to obtain liquidity. This is because such artifices bring the sale closer in reality to a ribā-based (usurious) transaction, even if it outwardly appears otherwise.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not commit what the Jews committed, thereby making lawful what Allah has made unlawful through the flimsiest of tricks." This was related by Ibn Baṭṭah in his book Ibṭāl al-Ḥiyal (p. 47), and many scholars have graded it as ḥasan (sound/acceptable).
We have already explained the impermissibility of engaging in such deceptive dealings with Islamic banks in Fatwa No. 516, so please refer to it. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

My brother works in a conventional bank and gave me one of the gifts distributed to bank employees — what is the ruling on accepting it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There is no objection to accepting such gifts, because the physical gift itself does not carry any inherent prohibition — unlike stolen property. Sin does not transfer or extend to the one who receives the gift, for Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." [Al-Anʿām/164]
The evidence for this is that the Prophet ﷺ himself ate from the food of the Jews, conducted transactions with them, and purchased from them — and it is well known that their wealth was intermingled with ribā. Similarly, the wealth of conventional ribā-based banks is a mixture of the lawful and the unlawful.
Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "It is not forbidden to transact with one whose wealth is predominantly unlawful, nor to eat from it — as al-Nawawī affirmed in al-Majmūʿ." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, Vol. 9/P.389] And Allah the Almighty knows best.

See More