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World Interfaith Harmony Week
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 29-03-2022

World Interfaith Harmony Week

 

By Grand Mufti,

Sheikh AbdulKareem Al-Khasawneh

 

Grand Mufti`s Statement during the Celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week

 

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may the blessings of Allah be upon our Master the Hashemite Arab Prophet and upon all his companions and whoever followed their path till the Day of Judgment:

On this blessed day, we celebrate "The World Interfaith Harmony Week" that was launched by His Majesty King Abdullah II in the first week of February to be an annual season to harvest the good and blessed fruits of the tree he had planted; under whose shades the world took shelter to enjoy peace and security. Religious thinkers and believers have watered and took care of this tree. Being the tree of love and harmony, it wouldn`t produce but good, peace, and stability for the whole world; spread love, and eliminated hatred and animosity. This is particularly true since it was planted by pure Hashemite hands that draw their blessings and strength from their direct connection to the Prophet Mohammad who was sent as mercy to all creations. Allah says (What means): "And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)." [al-Anbiya' 21:107].

Muslims and Christians of this blessed country (Jordan) have always been and always will be a unique model of human brotherhood, harmony, and peaceful coexistence. Through their national belonging and religious doctrine, adherents of both faiths strive to preserve Jordan, and instill values of citizenship in its citizens. In their noble quest to build Jordan, they united under the flag of the Hashemites to which they have pledged allegiance and swore loyalty. Thus, this flag was embraced by hearts before pledges, and protected by souls before weapons,. This is because it is blessed and has spread justice and all that is good to the people of Jordan. Enlightened by the following verse : " We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation." A-Isra`, 70}, this flag sought to preserve the honor and dignity of all Jordanians as human beings. By doing so, it established the relationship between Jordanians on the basis of equal rights and obligations. This concept is based on a key principle of Islamic Law reflected in the following verse: "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you." {Al-Hujurat, 13}.

This blessed Week came to present to the whole world the true universal message of Islam, which calls for spreading love and harmony between people. This fact is the true, divine, eternal constitution governing the relationship between Muslims and followers of other faiths regardless of time, place, or circumstances. A fact and a law so precious that it should be written with letters from light and lines from gold, and will be alive in the Muslim nation`s conscience and doctrine till the Day of Judgment. It is manifested in the following verse: "God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loveth those who are just." {Al-Mumtahinah, 8}. This verse is pretty clear in determining that the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims is based on a great matter: showing kindness to others before justice and showing love to them to be rewarded with the love of Allah. Dear respectable audience, behold how Almighty Allah addressed non-Muslims with the kindest of words that bring hearts together: "O people of the Book!" and "Those who have received the scripture." This is used in about sixty places throughout the Noble Quran, and this form of address shows a great deal of respect and appreciation to the addressees, because attributing the Book to a nation means attributing science and knowledge to it.

Accordingly, being a nation of goodness; as described by Allah, and moderation; as chosen by Allah, it is the responsibility of the Muslim nation to complete the mission of the Prophets and Messengers, and to be the last building block of human civilization. All of this dictates that the Muslim nation leaves no stone unturned to spread goodness, love, and harmony amongst people, and establish ties between them based on harmony and knowing each other; of course in light of the divine rules derived from the Quran and the guidance of the Chosen One; Prophet Mohammad (Peace and blessings be upon him). This task was undertaken by the Hashemite family emanating from their religious and national responsibility to portray the correct and luminous image of Islam to stop the extremists, terrorists, and sedition mongers from hijacking Islam and abusing the faith through exaggeration and strictness. The result, as witnessed by the whole world, a wave of terrorist and extremist acts in the name of Islam undermining world peace and security, in addition to destroying societies and countries.

Thanks to Allah and the tight ties amongst the Jordanians, we managed to overcome that wave of extremist and Takfiri groups. Holding fast to our true religion, Hashemite flag, and peaceful coexistence gave no room for such groups.

We ask Allah to bless our country with peace and security under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, and to bless the whole world with permanent love, peace, and harmony, as Allah loves and pleases. And all praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

A woman made a wig for herself from her own [previously shed] hair, which she wears on her head after having lost her hair [due to hair loss]. Is this permissible?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Since the hair belongs to the woman herself, the wig can be removed during the obligatory ghusl (ritual bathing), and part of the head can still be wiped during wuḍū' (ablution), there is no sharī‘ah objection to making this wig — provided she does not appear wearing it in front of non-maḥram men (Any males outside a woman's immediate family whom she is permitted to marry under Islamic law), since it is not permissible for them to look at a woman's detached hair.
It is stated in Rawḍat aṭ-Ṭālibīn wa ‘Umdat al-Muftīn: "Whatever it is not permissible to look at while still attached [to the body] — such as the male genitalia, a free woman's forearm, the hair of her head, and a man's pubic hair, and similar matters — it remains unlawful to look at even after it has been detached [from the body], according to the more correct position (al-aṣaḥḥ)." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty 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.

Is "Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm" a verse (āyah) of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The basmalah ("Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm") is, without question, a verse (āyah) of the Noble Qur'an, and according to the Shāfi‘ī school, it constitutes a verse of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah itself. Al-Fātiḥah is a pillar of the prayer, and it consists of seven verses, of which the basmalah is one. The prayer is not valid without reciting it, nor if any of the Fātiḥah's verses, letters, or shaddahs (consonant doublings) are omitted or altered.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm (Vol.1/p.202), from the books of the Shāfi‘ī school: "The basmalah is a complete verse of it [i.e., of al-Fātiḥah] in practice — and it suffices, for this to be established, that there be strong probability (ẓann), especially given that this has come very close to certainty (yaqīn), due to the consensus (ijmā‘) of the Companions on its inclusion in the muṣ-ḥaf [the written text of the Qur'an] in its script, despite their extreme diligence in excluding from it anything that did not genuinely belong to it — to the point that they even [carefully regulated] its diacritical dots and vowel markings." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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