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Religion and Sharia
Author : Dr. Jadallah Bassam
Date Added : 30-01-2024

Religion and Sharia

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

"The Deen/Religion" with a short vowel on the "D" refers to divine rulings that guide humans towards happiness. It is named "Deen" because it is the means by which individuals are rewarded or punished in the afterlife. This concept is vital and significant, influencing human life and remaining an essential societal need. Therefore, countries, institutions, and individuals need to incorporate it into their laws, priorities, and plans. It cannot be ignored, as it is inherent in human nature, a natural disposition created by Allah, and it aligns with sound reasoning and solid evidence. This is particularly true when the religion encompasses a comprehensive legal framework covering various aspects of life, including worship, transactions, and ethics.

 

In the precise sense, scholars like Al-Fakhr al-Razi have defined religion as a "divine constitution that guides people of intellect towards virtues through their praiseworthy choices." This notion is reiterated in various expressions, such as Sharif al-Jurjani's statement: "Religion is a divine constitution that invites people of intellect to accept what is with the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him." Similarly, they say, "Religion, in terminology, is a celestial law guiding people of intellect toward virtues in essence, such as the legal rulings revealed to the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him." The underlying idea is that religion consists of a set of rulings and teachings from God, which, when pondered upon by those of sound intellect, lead them to recognize their validity and the necessity of adhering to them. The ultimate goal of these rulings is to bring happiness to humanity.

 

Discussions about the concept of religion have arisen in both ancient and contemporary philosophical debates. These discussions have explored the meaning, origin, evolution, and the extent of religion's intertwining with human life. Scholars have debated the comprehensiveness of its rulings, leading to the classification of religion into various types. Philosophers, for example, have described it as civil religion, natural religion, the religion of philosophers, or the religion of the ancients. Some philosophers have even denied the validity of religion altogether, considering it a cause of backwardness. Others have gone so far as to invent, synthesize, or distort religions, viewing religion as a human, earthly creation.

 

Whatever the case may be, our focus in this article is to clarify an important issue from the perspective of the Islamic creed: "The Religion before God is Islam (submission to His Will): " [Al-Emran, 19]. The point emphasized here is that religion in Islam is not a matter of personal desires or whims, nor is it subject to human experiments, societal evaluations, or individual opinions. Rather, it consists of divine judgments and teachings with an absolute source.

 

One of the characteristics of these divine judgments is that they align with reason and do not contradict it. Indeed, those endowed with reason find themselves naturally inclined towards these judgments when they understand them. The result of this inclination is the attainment of goodness for the adherent, leading to complete happiness. This happiness encompasses both the worldly and the hereafter, as emphasized by the Quran. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: " And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break." [Hud, 108]. Additionally, it is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) supplicated, "...O Allah, I ask You for success in judgment, and [to be] among the martyrs, and to live a life of the fortunate." [Sunan At-Tirmidhi].

 

If we contemplate this concept in its principles and objectives, we find that by adhering to Islam and its teachings, we strive for complete happiness. In the religion of Islam and its laws, there is no conflict between male and female, father and mother, father and son or daughter, ruler and ruled, or between the rich and the poor. There is no contradiction between duties, and no preference is given to any individual over another among the children of Adam. Instead, everyone is equal in the eyes of this upright religion, and dignity is accorded to all based on the fundamental principle. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: "And We have certainly honored the children of Adam." [Al-Isra, 70].

 

Afterwards, people vary based on what Allah has entrusted them with in terms of abilities, capacities, and readiness to bear the responsibility of the divine commandments. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: " We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it;- He was indeed unjust and foolish;-." [Al-Ahzab, 72]. Moreover, the variation among people is functional, depending on their constitution, nature, and abilities. However, fundamentally, the address is directed to every individual, regardless of differences in classes, colors, nationalities, or races. Whoever does good and carries out the trust as it deserves has done good for themselves, and whoever does evil has wronged themselves.

 

Delving into the concept of religion, as we have mentioned, leads us to the pinnacle of the religious perfection that takes into consideration humanity in the most complete sense. It neither unjustly equates individuals through a forced equality that some advocate, nor neglects them, leaving them adrift without divine guidance. Rather, it strikes a balance, embodying a system filled with wisdom, mercy, and justice, guiding towards goodness.

 

Finally, we must fully understand these realities. Such understanding is sufficient to fortify us against a significant influx of contemporary doubts that may undermine our intellectual and societal security, jeopardizing natural relationships between people and even within oneself. After grasping these principles, we should take a decisive stance on the issue of religion: to adhere to it. As narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), "None of you believes until his desires conform to what I have brought." We ask Allah for continuous blessings and a good ending. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, and is it permissible to slaughter the ewe if one knows it is pregnant?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a person slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, the fetus becomes lawful (ḥalāl) by virtue of its mother's slaughter (tabaʿan li-ummihā).
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.6/P.158): "A fetus found dead [after the mother's slaughter], or found alive but in a state resembling that of a slaughtered animal [i.e., dying shortly after], becomes lawful — whether or not it had grown fur — provided it is found in the womb of a mother that was lawfully slaughtered, whether her slaughter was by cutting the throat, or by an arrow or hunting dog sent after her. This is based on the ḥadīth: 'The slaughtering of the fetus is [effected by] the slaughtering of its mother' [narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan, and by Ibn Ḥibbān, who graded it ṣaḥīḥ] — meaning that the slaughter which rendered the mother lawful renders the fetus lawful as well, by virtue of following her; and because the fetus is one of her constituent parts, and her slaughter renders lawful all of her parts."
This ruling differs, however, from the case of one who knows from the outset that the ewe is pregnant [and intends to sacrifice her specifically as the udḥiyah while pregnant] — in which case, according to the Shāfi'ī school, she does not fulfill the requirement of a valid sacrifice.
It is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī 'alā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.4/P.335): "A pregnant animal does not fulfill the requirement [of a valid sacrifice], and this is the authoritative position (al-mu'tamad), because pregnancy diminishes the quality of the meat. As for why such an animal is nevertheless counted as complete [i.e., fully valid] in matters of zakāh, that is because the intent there is reproduction (nasl), not the quality of the meat.". And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it permissible for someone who is unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, due to his own poverty?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is not permissible, nor does it fulfill the obligation, for a sick person who is currently and permanently unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, since it is a financial obligation owed by him, established as a standing debt upon him — much like any other debt he owes. If he were to pay it to himself, it would not thereby be discharged. So if he cannot find [anyone eligible to] pay it to, it remains a standing obligation upon him, and is not thereby waived. If Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, later grants him wealth, it becomes obligatory upon him to pay it out to the poor and needy.
Imam al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said: "There is no difference in the obligation of the fidyah between the wealthy and the poor person; its benefit lies in its remaining established as a standing debt upon the poor person [until he is able to pay it] — and this is the more correct position (al-aṣaḥḥ), as indicated by the wording of ar-Rawḍah and its source text." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.174]
Accordingly: it is not permissible for a Muslim to pay the fidyah to himself while he remains poor. If the sick person is poor, he is not obligated to pay the fidyah immediately, and it remains a standing debt upon him until a time when he has sufficient means and wealth. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What are the legal and religious consequences for a charitable organization in the event that a sacrificial animal is damaged or spoiled after slaughter?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Charitable organizations entrusted with slaughtering sacrificial animals (uḍḥiyyah) and distributing their meat on behalf of their owners are obligated to safeguard the meat from spoilage, damage, theft, and any other harm. This is because such organizations act as agents (wukalā') on behalf of those offering the sacrifice, and an agent holds what is entrusted to them in trust (amānah) — whether they receive a wage for their work or act on a voluntary basis.
If the sacrificial animal is damaged after slaughter during the processes of packaging, transportation, or storage due to negligence or oversight — whether on the part of the organization's own staff overseeing the operation, or on the part of third parties contracted by the organization such as transport or shipping companies — then liability falls upon the negligent party, who is required to compensate for the value of the sacrifice. It is not permissible to cover such compensation from the organization's other donor funds.
However, if the damage to the sacrificial animal occurs without any negligence in its preservation and storage on the part of any party involved in the transportation, shipping, or storage process, and is instead attributable to force majeure circumstances beyond their control, then no financial liability is borne by any party in such a case. And Allah Almighty knows best.

Is it a condition that a woman should untie her locks while making Ghusl (ritual bath)?

Ghusl from Janabah (ritual impurity), or menstruation obligates that water reaches the roots of the hair in order for the Ghusl to be valid, but if it doesn`t, then hair locks must be untied for water to reach them, and for Ghusl to become valid.

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