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Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information
Author : Dar El-Fatwa in Lebanon
Date Added : 28-12-2015

Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information

 

On Dec. 21st, 2015, the Muftis of the Sunni community in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon signed a joint declaration. It is entitled the "Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information", and it reads as follows:

In light of the aggravating phenomenon of extremism in the Arab and Muslim countries, its employment of social media to instigate killing, exemplary punishment and labeling others with disbelief (Takfir), which belittles religions, manners, principles of communal living, private and public freedoms, the tendencies of the youth, the image of Islam and the Arabs before the world and taking into consideration that the religious invitation is a plain statement to communities and the whole world, the above Muftis, out of their religious and brotherly ties, address the Arab, Muslim and international audience with the following statement which includes five points:

 

First: Renewed commitment to the development of a moderate and reforming religious discourse including the propagation of the values of tolerance and moderation, the strengthening of peace in the society, the re-establishment of trust between generations, support for traditions of communal living and arriving at mutual terms with the world.

 

Second: Renewed commitment to the development of a clear religious information that includes the values of acceptance of others at a religious, national or global level, as well as the peaceful resolution of differences in a space of equal and mutual trust.

 

Third: Cooperation between the departments empowered to issue religious decrees (fatwa) in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, at the level of exchange of information and experiences, mutual visits, to combat religious extremism and all other extremists who threaten the security of Arab societies, their unity and their stability.

 

Fourth: Cooperation between Muslim and Christian religious leaders in the setting up of an observatory of coexistence, which will be based in Beirut.

 

Fifth: The exhortation addressed to the Arab media, private and public, to responsibly report religious information, leaving aside anything that may exacerbate religious sensitivities in a context of discrimination and misinformation. It should also be noted that the first and second points of the declaration deal respectively with sermons in mosques as well as current and widespread religious information in the media.

 

Lebanon has always been a country of religious freedoms, equal and responsible coexistence as well as clear and advanced information. At an era of revolutionized media and means of communication, we hope that Beirut will play a pioneering and clear role in promoting values of political moderation and social stability from the perspective of religious values as well as help the world to create an open image about the Arabs and Muslims.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Does an internal medical examination for a woman affect her fast?

An internal medical examination for a woman invalidates the fast because it involves the entry of a foreign object into the body cavity (jauf) while fasting.
In this case, the woman must refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day out of respect for Ramadan and make up for the missed fast after Ramadan.
Such an examination should be avoided in Ramadan and other months unless absolutely necessary, as exposing the private parts is only permissible in cases of necessity.
If necessary, a woman should seek a Muslim female doctor first. If one is unavailable, she may see a female doctor from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). If neither is available, she may consult a trustworthy and competent Muslim male doctor.

What is the ruling on using an inhaler while fasting?

Using an inhaler through the nose or mouth breaks the fast because the medication in these inhalers is intended to reach the lungs, which are considered part of the body cavity (jauf).
● If a person needs to use it occasionally, they may use it while fasting, continue refraining from food and drink for the rest of the day, and make up for the missed fast later.
● If a person needs to use it daily, they may use it while fasting, continue refraining from food and drink, and pay fidyah (feeding one needy person per missed day).

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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