Articles

A Statement on Al-Aqsa Mosque
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 24-12-2014

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.

The General Iftaa` Department of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan denounces the untrue views circulated by some media websites, calling for dedicating a place of worship for the Jews within the yard of Al-Aqsa mosque, because they were expressed by a person who holds no degree in religious sciences, his views are unfounded in Sharia and he enjoys no consideration in all juristic schools.

Al-Aqsa mosque is a purely Islamic endowment (Waqf) that will remain until the Day of Resurrection, it can`t be made otherwise by the ignorance of an ignorant, or the aggression of a usurper. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran at the beginning of Al-Isra chapter (Al-Aqsa mosque) and it is referred to as Al-Haram Ash-Sharif in Jerusalem: both words are synonymous, so any of them covers the whole Islamic site located in the far southern-eastern corner of the Old City stretching over a hundred and forty four dunums. It covers Al-Jamie` Al-Quibli, the dome of the rock mosque, Al-Mosala Al-Marawani and many other Islamic endowments. Each inch of Al-Aqsa mosque, constructed or not, is an integral part of its sanctity as it is the place from where our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) embarked on His nocturnal journey. In fact, an Islamic endowment covers the area below and above it. It also covers all properties pertaining to Al-Aqsa mosque even those beyond its walls such as: Sahat Al-Bouraq, Harat Al-Magharibah and Tareeq Bab Al-Magharibah.

None can deny that Umar Bin Al-Khatab treated non-Muslims with mercy and justice (Pact of Umar), and by doing so, he has preserved the holy sites and the Islamic endowments. He made a condition, as stated in history books, that no places of worship for non-Muslims are to be built in an Islamic endowment (Waqf). He recognized the built churches at that time and on their own land, so justice was accomplished by respecting the already built sacred places. Any violation of this is simply an act of aggression and tyranny based on unlawful occupation and suppression of people.

Accordingly, that person`s views have neither Islamic nor historical foundations, and they have no consideration by former and contemporary scholars, jurisprudence assemblies, religious organizations and Islamic conferences.

On its part, the General Iftaa` Department emphasizes that each inch of Al-Aqsa mosque is sacred, and none has the right to abdicate it, or take it out of its mosque character. It also emphasizes the Hashemite's religious and historical guardianship over Al-Aqsa mosque and the holy sites of Jerusalem; therefore, it will initiate legal action against the previously mentioned person. And All praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

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 it permissible for one who sacrifices on behalf of another, with the latter's permission, to eat from the sacrifice?

It is permissible for someone who sacrificed on behalf of another with their permission to eat from it with their permission, and they stand in their place (act as their representative) in distributing it.
 
It is stated in Nihayat al-Muhtaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj (Vol.8/P.141): "And he—meaning the one sacrificing on his own behalf, provided he has not apostatized—has the right to eat from a voluntary sacrifice and his sacrificial gift; rather, it is recommended. As for an obligatory sacrifice, it is forbidden for him to eat from it, whether it was designated as such initially or as a liability in his dhimmah. And excluded by what has preceded is if he sacrifices on behalf of another, or if he apostatized, then it is not permissible for him to eat from it, just as it is absolutely impermissible to feed a disbeliever from it."(The text I found indicates the impermissibility of eating) ???
 
And it is stated in Hashiyat al-Jamal ‘ala Sharh al-Manhaj (Vol.5/P.262): "If a person offers a sacrifice on behalf of a living person with their permission, does he act as their representative in distributing it—on the grounds that permission to sacrifice is permission to distribute it—or does it depend on their explicit permission? This requires consideration, but the first view is not far-fetched." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the Islamic ruling on breaking the bones of the 'aqīqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is Sunnah not to break the bones of the 'aqīqah. Rather, each bone should be separated at its joint — as a good omen and expression of hope for the soundness and wholeness of the newborn's limbs. However, if one does break the bones, it is not considered disliked (makrūh) — it is simply regarded as contrary to what is preferable (khilāf al-awlā). And Allah Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible for a pious Muslim woman to stay with her husband who had quit praying out of laziness?

Quitting prayer is one of the major grave sins that come after disbelieving in Allah, but the wife of such a person isn`t considered divorced, rather, she should exert all her efforts in order to bring him back to the way of Islam. However, if his sin is likely to lure her from the way of Islam, then she had better separate from him by lawful means such as Mokhal`aa (When a wife pays a compensation for her husband in return for divorcing her). Moreover, if she exercises patience, and remains steadfast on her faith, then there is no harm in doing that.