Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(219): "Ruling on Sabi committed by (I.S)

Date Added : 21-12-2015

Resolution No.(219)(9/2015) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on Sabi committed by (I.S)

Date: 24/Zolhijjah/1436 AH, corresponding to 8/10/2015.

On the above given date, the Board reviewed the question sent by Dr. Abdullah Al-Kurdi, Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Kurdistan-Iraq, and it reads as follows:

Your Grace is quite acquainted with the atrocities committed by the Islamic State (I.S) in the name of Islam, and one of these is Sabi (War prisoners, children and women only) where Christian and Yazidi girls and women are sold for a very low price, a handful of Dirhams, in public. This criminal act had negative repercussions on the Kurdish community.

As your Grace is a highly respected figure in the Muslim World, we deem necessary that you issue a Fatwa condemning Sabi and forbidding it so as for the Muslim World to become fully aware of the atrocities inflicted upon these victims in the name of Islam.

Islam hasn`t brought Sabi and slavery; rather, this social phenomenon was widespread in early nations for centuries. When Islam was manifested, it had to deal with a harsh reality, so it delivered rules and regulations to eradicate this phenomena on gradual basis, as is the wisdom of Islam in many of its legislations. Therefore, it provided useful and decisive solutions to end this problem from its very source.

As a result, Islamic Sharia has narrowed down the sources of slavery, forbade any act of aggression against free people, made freeing slaves one of the Zakah disbursement channels and among the righteous deeds by which  a Muslim pleases Allah and gets his sins erased from his record on the Day of Resurrection. Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): "But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep. And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?- (It is:) freeing the bondman." {Al-Balad,11-13}. Islamic Sharia has also enabled slaves to free themselves through the system of "Mokatabah" i.e. concluding a contract of manumission. This is in addition to many other meticulous and wise legislations by which Islam was able to counter this phenomenon and bring it to a gradual end.

In conclusion, the criminal acts committed by this terrorist organization; namely, Sabi, enslavement and human trafficking, are impermissible and totally contradict the objectives and the provisions of Islamic Sharia; especially, since nations have agreed on abolishing this phenomenon and standing up to its various forms. Islam hasn`t brought slavery and Sabi; rather, it has brought manumission and freedom since absolute slavery is dedicated to Allah alone, as indicated by the famous saying of the Caliphate Umar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him): "Since when did you enslave the people though they were born free." And Allah Knows Best.

 

The Grand Mufti of Jordan / His Eminence Sheikh AbdulKareem al-Khasawneh
Prof. Abdulnasser Abulbasal / Member
Dr. Yahia al-Botoosh / Member
Sheikh Sae`id Hijjawi / Member
Dr. Wasif al-Bakhri / Member
Prof. Mohammad al-Qhodat / Member
Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh / Member
Dr. Mohammad Khair Al-Esa / Member
Dr. Mohammad  al-Z`obi / Member

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

I hired a private tutor for my son through an academy that sends teachers [to families] and takes a percentage [of their pay]. At the start of the [new] school year, I arranged directly with that same teacher, without the academy's knowledge. 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.
The ruling on this matter depends on knowing the specific terms of the agreement and contract concluded with the academy. If the agreement stipulates that no arrangement may be made with any of the students except through the academy itself, then it is not permissible for you to breach the terms of this contract, based on the words of our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Muslims are bound by their conditions." (Related by al-Bukhārī)
However, if the agreement pertains only to teaching a specific subject, and the agreement concludes once that subject is finished, then there is no objection to arranging with the teacher to teach other subjects after the contract period has ended, outside of the academy.
Whatever the case maybe, the teacher must uphold the terms of his contract with the academy. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What should one do if they see someone deliberately eating or drinking openly during Ramadan?

They must enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. If they fear harm from that person, they should disapprove of it in their heart but avoid sitting with them if possible. It is also preferable to seek the help of the authorities to prevent them from doing so.

What is the ruling on someone who possesses gold with the intention of saving/hoarding it, and owns nothing else — is he obligated to sell a portion of it in order to pay the zakāh due on it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh becomes immediately obligatory on cash, and likewise on gold — that which is not designated for a woman's personal adornment— once both reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has passed over them. It is not permissible to delay payment when it is genuinely possible to pay — meaning, when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both available. It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.129): "Zakāh is obligatory immediately once it becomes feasible to pay it, meaning when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both present."
The one paying zakāh must discharge the obligatory zakāh due on saved (hoarded) gold either from the gold itself, or from its equivalent monetary value, in the event that no other funds are available — since paying from the gold itself is the original default (al-aṣl). It becomes permissible to pay from other funds instead only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency, as stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib (Vol.1/p.366): "When a full ḥawl has elapsed on wealth other than trade goods... zakāh attaches to the actual asset itself (al-‘ayn), and the poor effectively become partners in it — even, for example, [becoming partners] in camels through the value of a sheep [owed as zakāh on them]... Paying from other wealth is permitted only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency."
Accordingly: the one paying zakāh must discharge it either from the actual saved gold itself, or by selling a portion of the gold equal to the amount of zakāh owed. He may also borrow money to pay the zakāh, or pay the zakāh in installments before the ḥawl is complete [as an advance payment]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on following the actions of the imam in prayer and how this following is achieved?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The follower (ma'mum) is required to follow his imam in the actions of the prayer. This "following" (mutaba'ah) means that the follower performs each action of the prayer after the imam has begun it but before he has finished it. For example, the follower bows (in ruku') after the imam has reached the position of bowing, then rises after the imam has risen. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir; and when he bows, then bow; and when he prostrates, then prostrate" (agreed upon, i.e., reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim).
It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (1/505): "Among the conditions of valid congregational prayer (iqtida') is following the imam in the actions of the prayer... meaning that following the imam is obligatory in the physical actions of the prayer, not in its verbal utterances... Complete following (kamal al-mutaba'ah) is achieved when the follower's beginning of an action comes after the imam's beginning of that same action, while the follower's beginning of the action precedes the imam's completion of it" — end of quote, with slight paraphrasing.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.