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Statement on Church Bombings that Took Place in the Arab Republic of Egypt
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 20-06-2023

Statement on Church Bombings that Took Place in the Arab Republic of Egypt

 

With great sorrow, the General Iftaa` Department of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan received the sad news of the bombing that took place in churches in the Arab Republic of Egypt causing the death of a number of innocent people. We strongly condemn this cowardly action, which isn`t approved by true religion or belief, and express our condolences to the families of the victims. This is because the Prophet (PBUH), the rightly guided caliphs, and the rulers that followed them were commanded to preserve the life of worshippers in their monasteries and places of worship, in addition to the lives of the children, women and the elderly. Allah the Almighty says {What means}: "And did not God Check one set of people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of mischief: But God is full of bounty to all the worlds." {Al-Baqarah, 251}. In fact, Islam guaranteed freedom of worship for followers of different faiths. The Messenger of Allah commanded the Muslim army, upon leaving for battle, "not to kill worshippers secluded in monasteries and other places of worship." {The Mosannaf of Abed Al-Razzak}.

 

This action aims to incite sectarian conflict among the people of the same country-who have coexisted for hundreds of years in harmony-and aims to destroy not only the security and peace of the Egyptian people but also that of all Muslim peoples, spread terror, destruction and corruption in the land. Allah the Almighty says {What means}: "When he turns his back, His aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But God loveth not mischief." {Al-Baqarah, 205}. We are confident that our brothers in Egypt are fully aware of this malicious plot, and they will not allow those terrorists to sow the seeds of discord among the followers of different religions and sects since these terrorist groups kill all people, be they Muslim or non-Muslim.

 

We ask Almighty Allah to protect our country from seditions and afflictions, revealed and concealed, indeed! He is All Hearing and answers the call of those who invoke Him. And all perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is the marriage contract considered valid if concluded at home by the marriage official (Ma`zon)?

Yes, it is valid as long as it is registered at the court.

Is it permissible to offer prayer at home, or should it be offered in the mosque?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.                                                                                                                                                                      It isn`t preferable for the man to pray at home as praying in the mosque is twenty seven times more rewarding. Therefore, this should motivate him to offer prayers in the mosque. And Allah Knows Best.