Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(130): “Ruling on Quranic Verses Written on Pieces of Paper and Dissolved in Water to be Used for Healing”

Date Added : 27-10-2015

 

Resolution No.(130): “Ruling on Quranic Verses Written on Pieces of Paper and Dissolved in Water to be Used for Healing”

Date: 1/8/1430 AH, corresponding to 23/7/2009 AD.

 

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.

During its third session held on the above given date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed the letter, No. 40/658-15/4/2009, sent by His Excellency, the Director General of the Press and Publications Department, which reads as follows:

I would like to inform you that our department has received Qura'nic verses written on paper to be dissolved in water and used as a cure. Could your grace inform us of the opinion of Islamic Law in this regard?

After thorough studying and deliberating, the Board decided what follows:

The Noble Quran is Allah`s word and His eternal miracle until the Day of Judgment. Allah Has Sent down in it that which is healing to the believers. He Says (What means): “We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss...” {Al-Isra`/82}. He also Says (What means): “O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy.” {Younis/57}.

Healing by the Quran is achieved by reciting it on the patient i.e. the Ruqyia. It is also permissible to write verses on paper, or a pot then dissolve it in water to be drunk by the patient. It was narrated from ‘Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “You should take the two that bring healing: Honey and the Qur’an.” [Fatih Al-Bari vol.10/pp.170]

As regards writing the whole Quran or part of it on paper to be used as a readymade recipe  to be dissolved in water and drunk by the patient, this is impermissible, because it degrades the Quran and negates the purpose for which it has been revealed. Allah Says (What means): “This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God” {Al-Baqarah/2}. He also Says (What means): “Blessed is He who sent down the criterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures." {Al-Furqaan/1}.

Accordingly, we recommend the Department of Press and Publications not to approve of such a thing. And Allah Knows Best.

 

 

                     Chairperson of the Iftaa` Board, Grand Mufti of Jordan,
Dr. Nooh al-Qhodah
                                                    Vice Chairman of the Iftaa` Board,Dr. Ahmad Hilayel
                                         Sheikh Abdulkareem al-Khasawneh/ Member
                 Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member
                              Dr. Muhammad Khair Al-'Eisa/Member
        Judge Sari Attia/Member
                      Dr. Abdul-Rahman Ibdah/Member
                                   Dr. Muhammad Aiqla Al-Ibrahim/Member
                              Dr. Abdul Naser Abu Al-Basal/Member
                                       Executive Secretary of The Iftaa' Board Dr. Muhammad Al-Khalylah

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the Islamic ruling on the aqiqa?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The 'aqīqah is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah). Two sheep are to be slaughtered for a newborn boy, and one sheep for a newborn girl. This is established by numerous Prophetic traditions, among them:
The narration of Samurah ibn Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every child is held in pledge for his 'aqīqah, which is slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day, and he is named, and his head is shaved." — Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it as ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ.
And the narration of 'Ā'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to slaughter one sheep as 'aqīqah for a girl, and two sheep for a boy." — Narrated by Aḥmad and Ibn Mājah.
The imperative in these narrations is understood to denote recommendation rather than obligation, based on the ḥadīth of 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the 'aqīqah, whereupon he said: "Allah does not love 'uqūq" — as though he disliked the name itself — and then said: "Whoever has a child born to him and wishes to offer a sacrifice on their behalf, let them do so: two equivalent sheep for a boy, and one sheep for a girl." — Narrated by Aḥmad and Abū Dāwūd.
The legal inference drawn from this narration is that the Prophet ﷺ linked the slaughter to the wish and willingness of the individual, saying: "whoever wishes to offer a sacrifice... let them do so" — thereby indicating that the 'aqīqah is recommended (mustaḥabb) and not obligatory (wājib).
And Allah 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.

What is the ruling on discharging one's zakāh obligation through the provision of a specific benefit (manfa‘ah) — such as performing a surgical operation for a patient, or providing housing to a tenant, and counting the value of this service as zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory to pay zakāh from the actual asset (‘ayn al-māl) upon which zakāh is due, except in the case of zakāh on trade goods ('urūḍ at-tijārah), which is paid based on their monetary value. In all cases, zakāh must be given in the form of tamlīk (a full transfer of ownership), based on the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (which mean): "Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy, and for those employed to collect [zakāh], and for bringing hearts together [for Islam], and for freeing captives [or slaves], and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler — an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" [at-Tawbah/60]. The letter "lām" (لِ) in this verse — as in "lil-fuqarā'" ("for the poor") — indicates possession/ownership (lām al-milk).
It is not permissible to fulfill one's zakāh obligation by providing a benefit or service (manfa‘ah) — such as housing, education, or medical treatment — in place of the zakāh itself. This is because zakāh must be paid as wealth (māl) that is transferred into the ownership of the poor recipient, whereas such services are intangible benefits that are not, in themselves, capable of being formally transferred in ownership (ghayr qābilah lit-tamlīk). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on objecting to the Mosque Imam regarding the joining of prayers due to rain?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is not permissible for any of the congregants to object to the Imam in the mosque, whether the objection is to demand the joining of prayers or to oppose it; for the general principle is that the Imam possesses the religious knowledge (Al-Ilm al-Shar‘i) that qualifies him to make the decision in this matter. And Allah the Exalted knows best."