Articles

Iftaa` Department and the Irresponsible Media
Author : Prof. Abdulkodos AlKhodah
Date Added : 25-10-2022

Iftaa` Department and the Irresponsible Media

 

Two years ago, a research center in the Islamic Maghreb conducted an opinion poll about the most reliable House of Iftaa` from the point of view of the society. The result was in favor of Jordan`s Iftaa` Department and was commended by the virtuous scholars of that country where they supported this testimony of the people with a scholarly testimony.

I have remembered this at a time we are witnessing non-innocent attempts led by media trumpets, known for their dissatisfaction with virtue and whatever words and deeds reflecting it, to distort the beautiful image of this renowned institution. Their main concern was to offend this religious institution through intentional cherry picking of certain parts of fatwas to incite ridicule. 

The reality of the situation is that ridicule is an old-new tool recorded in the Quran about the people of Noah (What means): "Every time that the chiefs of his people passed by him, they threw ridicule on him". It was also recorded as a systematic approach against the calls for goodness, reform, and wisdom. For these individuals, reform doesn`t suit their agendas and hinders them from practicing their special patterns of living and values which don`t reflect the moderate Islam, its deeply rooted values, its provisions, and etiquettes.

This was also recorded in history when people wanted to reduce the influence of the clergy although this is valid in Christianity but not in Islam. Therefore, pokers and comic writers came to the front and highlighted the image of the clergy in a form that provoked laughter. In western societies, this was the first effective step to get rid of some religious values standing in the way of individual life in its current form.

Here, it is necessary to show that severing parts of a Fatwa to present it in a funny form undoubtedly falls under ridiculing religion, which, as we all know, poses danger to faith. 

On the other hand, attempting to defame a renowned, national, religious institution is an unfair rivalry because this institution is respected on the domestic and international levels, known for its credibility, wise leadership, dedicated and qualified staff. It has acquired reputation for organizing and issuing fatwas. This Department has opted for achieving the best interest of this country through propagating moderate Islam and responsible freedom.

The antagonists of this institution failed to notice that their attitude encourages what is called "The Chaos of Fatwas" which almost caused national disasters in different situations leading to undermining the social fabric and the economic dimensions. Will there be affirm stand against these childish acts?! 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

A pregnant woman has iron deficiency. When she showers, she becomes very tired and feels cold. What is the ruling on tayammum in this situation?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
One should not resort to tayammum (dry ablution) as a substitute for the obligatory ghusl (ritual bathing) so long as it remains possible to use water — for example, by heating the water, warming the place where the bathing takes place, or taking other similar precautions. However, if such measures prove ineffective, or are simply not possible to carry out, and performing ghusl [with cold water] would result in severe harm, then tayammum becomes permissible in that case, due to genuine inability to use water on account of the harm that would result, as described in the question. That said, she must make up (qaḍā') the prayers she performed using this tayammum.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: "One should not perform tayammum on account of cold unless warming the limbs fails to remove the aforementioned harm, and no means are available to heat the water — such as a vessel, firewood, or fire — and one fears [that using cold water would result in] any of the harms mentioned earlier in the discussion on illness: danger to life, loss of function in a limb, the onset or worsening of an illness, delayed recovery, or the [visible bodily] blemish mentioned in that discussion on illness. In such a case, tayammum becomes permissible due to the harm involved, but the prayer must still be made up afterward (qaḍā'). If, however, warming the body proves effective, or the means to heat the water are available, or none of the aforementioned harms are feared — then tayammum is not permissible, even if using the water causes some degree of discomfort or pain, since mere discomfort alone does not permit resorting to tayammum." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on offering an Udhiyah on behalf of another with their permission?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible for a person to offer a sacrifice (Udhiyah) on behalf of someone else with their permission, even if the person performing it has not offered a sacrifice for themselves. It is stated in Sharh Manhaj al-Tullab (Vol.5/P.261) by Zakariya al-Ansari: "No one may offer a sacrifice on behalf of another without their permission... as opposed to when permission has been granted." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is it obligatory to have the intention for each day of fasting, or is one intention sufficient for the whole month?

The intention is obligatory for each day of Ramadan because each day is an independent act of worship separate from the others.
The intention must be made at night before the break of dawn, as the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever does not intend fasting at night, there is no fast for him." [An-Nasa’i] 
And he also said: "Whoever does not firmly resolve to fast before dawn, there is no fast for him." [At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, and An-Nasa’i]
Whoever wakes up and eats Suhoor while mindful of fasting has made the intention. Likewise, one who firmly intends at any moment during the night to fast the next day has also fulfilled the intention.

What is the ruling on praying seated due to severe obesity, given that I experience hardship in performing the prayer — especially when rising from the ground after sujūd to perform the next rak‘ah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Standing, when one is able to do so, is a pillar of the prayer. However, whoever would experience severe, intolerable hardship, or fears harm to himself or to a limb due to obesity, or finds that standing causes him to lose his khushū‘ (humble focus and concentration) in prayer, then there is no objection to his praying seated on a chair or on the ground, performing rukū‘ (bowing) and sujūd (prostration) through gesture — provided that the gesture for sujūd is made lower than that for rukū‘. Whoever is able, at any point, to properly perform any one of these pillars, is obligated to perform it in full; for omitting it is a concession that applies only in cases of genuine inability. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When I command you to do something, do of it whatever you are able." (Related by al-Bukhārī). As the scholars of fiqh have established: what remains possible is not waived on account of what is difficult.
The criterion for determining genuine inability, as chosen by Imam al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī (raḥimahullāh), is that the worshipper experiences hardship that causes him to lose his khushū‘.
As for voluntary (nafl) prayer, there is no objection to performing it while seated, even if one is able to stand. However, rukū‘ and sujūd must still be performed [in their proper physical form] by anyone who is able to do so. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.