Articles

Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information
Author : Dar El-Fatwa in Lebanon
Date Added : 28-12-2015

Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information

 

On Dec. 21st, 2015, the Muftis of the Sunni community in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon signed a joint declaration. It is entitled the "Beirut Declaration for a Clear Religious Information", and it reads as follows:

In light of the aggravating phenomenon of extremism in the Arab and Muslim countries, its employment of social media to instigate killing, exemplary punishment and labeling others with disbelief (Takfir), which belittles religions, manners, principles of communal living, private and public freedoms, the tendencies of the youth, the image of Islam and the Arabs before the world and taking into consideration that the religious invitation is a plain statement to communities and the whole world, the above Muftis, out of their religious and brotherly ties, address the Arab, Muslim and international audience with the following statement which includes five points:

 

First: Renewed commitment to the development of a moderate and reforming religious discourse including the propagation of the values of tolerance and moderation, the strengthening of peace in the society, the re-establishment of trust between generations, support for traditions of communal living and arriving at mutual terms with the world.

 

Second: Renewed commitment to the development of a clear religious information that includes the values of acceptance of others at a religious, national or global level, as well as the peaceful resolution of differences in a space of equal and mutual trust.

 

Third: Cooperation between the departments empowered to issue religious decrees (fatwa) in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, at the level of exchange of information and experiences, mutual visits, to combat religious extremism and all other extremists who threaten the security of Arab societies, their unity and their stability.

 

Fourth: Cooperation between Muslim and Christian religious leaders in the setting up of an observatory of coexistence, which will be based in Beirut.

 

Fifth: The exhortation addressed to the Arab media, private and public, to responsibly report religious information, leaving aside anything that may exacerbate religious sensitivities in a context of discrimination and misinformation. It should also be noted that the first and second points of the declaration deal respectively with sermons in mosques as well as current and widespread religious information in the media.

 

Lebanon has always been a country of religious freedoms, equal and responsible coexistence as well as clear and advanced information. At an era of revolutionized media and means of communication, we hope that Beirut will play a pioneering and clear role in promoting values of political moderation and social stability from the perspective of religious values as well as help the world to create an open image about the Arabs and Muslims.

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

 have an amount of 2,700 Jordanian dinars, which I have invested in a project, and I pay zakat on it every year. However, I have debts and obligations, and this project yields only a profit of about 2-4%. My salary is not enough to support myself and my family to the extent that I cannot pay the electricity bills. Is it permissible for me to take from the above Zakat?
 

You permitted to take from your Zakat since your income insufficient for you, because the poor is permitted to take from the Zakat in general, besides; the poor is identified of whose income doesn't suffice him. And Allah Knows Best.

We collect funds from mosques and other sources, saying: "For the poor, the needy, widows, orphans, and those who do not beg insistently." After paying the stipends of the families registered with the Zakat Committee, an amount exceeding 6,000 dinars remained. Is it permissible for me to save it for upcoming months when I may not be able to collect the stipends?

These funds are received by the committee as representatives of the zakat payers to deliver zakat to those entitled to it. It is well-known that delaying zakat while being able to pay it is not permissible. Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Zakat must be paid immediately if one is able to do so, by the presence of wealth and the eligible categories." [Al-Minhaj] Therefore, the committee must distribute the zakat to the eligible recipients without installment payments or using it to purchase material goods for them, as the committee does not have authority over the poor to allocate it in this way. And Allah Knows Best.

I am pregnant with four twins since two months although I didn't have childbearing potential during the last four years. In addition, the doctor specialized in reprusccusions, already has notified me about the possible reprusccusions as a result of being pregnant with four twins as follows: abortion, Metrorrhagia, Premature birth, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and the like. What is the ruling on aborting some of the aforementioned embryos? A medical report was attached in which the status of my question is clarified.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.
If the existence of the four embryos leads to critical reprusccusions/or threat on mother's health, life or a possibility of aborting all of them, then aborting one/two/three is permissible mitigate the above mentioned risks so long as the ages of the embryos don't exceed four months. And Allah Knows Best.
             

 

Talking to one's fiancée in Ramadan with romantic talk may lead to arousal, and if pre-ejaculate fluid (Madhy) is discharged as a result, it does not break the fast. However, it is advised to avoid actions that provoke desire and lead to this outcome. If semen (Mani) is discharged as a result, it does break the fast.
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

The discharge of Madhy doesn't invalidate one's fasting but it invalidates the ablution and his clothes must be washed because they are impure in this case. As for Mani, it breaks one's fast and making up invalidataed  is obligatory, beside; a Muslim suitor should abstain from these matters during Ramadan and not to degrade the holy month to this extent. And Allah Knows Best.