Articles

Statement Issued by the General Iftaa` Department
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 19-02-2023

 

From the Islamic perspective, the martyr is the one killed while fighting for Allah’s Word to become superior. Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "And say not of those who are slain in the way of God: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not." [Al-Baqarah/154].

 

In addition, Abu Musa told that a man came to the Prophet and said, “One man fights for booty, one for the reputation of fighting, and one for his degree [of bravery] to be seen; which of them is in God’s path?” He replied: "The one who fights that God’s word may have preeminence is in God’s path." {Agreed upon}.

 

Accordingly, how can the Muslim killed by another Muslim be considered a martyr?! This is taking into consideration the fact that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Reviling a Muslim is Fusuq (disobedience of Allah) and killing him is (tantamount to) disbelief." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. He (PBUH) also said: "The extinction of the whole world is less significant before Allah than killing a Muslim man." {Tirmithi}. 

 

In addition, inciting killing and destruction of property is considered a grave sin since the Messenger of Allah says: "… if anyone invites others to follow error, the sin, will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him (in sinfulness) without their sins being diminished in any respect." [Moslim].

 

Islamic Sharia prohibits taking life, except for a just cause, and transgressing against others property and honor. How could we judge that the Muslim killed by his fellow Muslim is a martyr! Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "O ye who believe! Fear God and be with those who are true (in word and deed)." {At-Tawbah/119}. 

 

Consequently, it isn`t allowed for a Muslim to incite Muslims to kill each other then judge who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell. This is since the Messenger of Allah {PBUH} says: "When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, both the slayer and the slain are doomed to Hell-Fire." {Agreed upon}.

 

As we know, a few months ago, citizens were given the permission to protest and express their opinions freely and they were treated respectfully to the extent that you would see them walking with the security forces side by side. It was a beautiful scene where the protestors expressed their opinions freely while the security forces provided protection to prevent sedition. Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "but the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof." {Fatir/43}.

 

Both the protestors and the security forces are brothers and treated each other with mercy and kindness, and this is what we have actually seen on the ground. From an Islamic perspective, it is the duty of the scholars and thinkers to warn against seditions, revealed and concealed, since they will have serious repercussions on all members of society. Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "And fear tumult or oppression, which affecteth not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong: and know that God is strict in punishment." {Al-Anfal/25}.

 

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "The happy man is he who avoids dissensions: happy is the man who avoids dissensions; happy is the man who avoids dissensions: but how fine is the man who is afflicted and shows endurance." [Related by Abu Dawood].

 

It is also the duty of the scholars to call people to preserve lives, properties, unity and avoid division and conflict. Allah, The Most Exalted Says {what means}: "And obey God and His Apostle; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: For God is with those who patiently persevere:" {Al-Anfal/46}.

 

As Ramadan is about to begin, we invite fellow citizens to unite, cleanse their hearts from any feelings of hatred and animosity, and learn a lesson from the shedding of innocent blood and violation of sanctities that is happening in neighboring countries.

 

This is a call to help the poor, the needy and the sick, in addition to warning the people not to engage in obscene and false speech, and to urge them to abide by virtuous morality and right behavior, especially as we prepare for the holy month of Ramadan. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "If one does not eschew lies and false conduct, Allah has no need that He should abstain from his food and his drink."[Agreed upon]. It is also a duty to call others to good word since it is a charity.

 

We seek refuge in Allah from trials both open and secret and that He Bless this country and other Muslim countries with safety and stability.

 

And All perfect praise be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, and is it permissible to slaughter the ewe if one knows it is pregnant?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a person slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, the fetus becomes lawful (ḥalāl) by virtue of its mother's slaughter (tabaʿan li-ummihā).
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.6/P.158): "A fetus found dead [after the mother's slaughter], or found alive but in a state resembling that of a slaughtered animal [i.e., dying shortly after], becomes lawful — whether or not it had grown fur — provided it is found in the womb of a mother that was lawfully slaughtered, whether her slaughter was by cutting the throat, or by an arrow or hunting dog sent after her. This is based on the ḥadīth: 'The slaughtering of the fetus is [effected by] the slaughtering of its mother' [narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan, and by Ibn Ḥibbān, who graded it ṣaḥīḥ] — meaning that the slaughter which rendered the mother lawful renders the fetus lawful as well, by virtue of following her; and because the fetus is one of her constituent parts, and her slaughter renders lawful all of her parts."
This ruling differs, however, from the case of one who knows from the outset that the ewe is pregnant [and intends to sacrifice her specifically as the udḥiyah while pregnant] — in which case, according to the Shāfi'ī school, she does not fulfill the requirement of a valid sacrifice.
It is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī 'alā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.4/P.335): "A pregnant animal does not fulfill the requirement [of a valid sacrifice], and this is the authoritative position (al-mu'tamad), because pregnancy diminishes the quality of the meat. As for why such an animal is nevertheless counted as complete [i.e., fully valid] in matters of zakāh, that is because the intent there is reproduction (nasl), not the quality of the meat.". And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What is the ruling on forgetting an integral of the prayer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Whoever forgets an integral (Rukn) of the prayer and remembers it before reaching the equivalent point in the subsequent unit (Rak'ah), must return to it (i.e., perform it) and complete his prayer, then perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw) at the end of his prayer. However, if he remembers it after reaching the equivalent point in the subsequent unit, the Rak'ah in which the integral was forgotten is invalidated, and the current unit takes its place; he then completes a full Rak'ah to compensate and performs the prostration of forgetfulness.
 
It is stated in Nihayat al-Muhtaj ila Sharh al-Minhaj (Vol.1/P.543): 'If he becomes certain at the end of his prayer, or after the Salam—provided the interval is not long according to custom and he has not stepped on an impurity—that he omitted a prostration from the final Rak'ah, he must perform it and repeat the Tashahhud, as his previous Tashahhud occurred before its proper place. If the omission was from a Rak'ah other than the final one, he must perform a full Rak'ah, because the deficient unit was completed by a prostration from the subsequent one, rendering the rest of that subsequent unit void.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on congratulating others on the arrival of Ramadan?

Congratulating others on the arrival of Ramadan is permissible.
If someone does it to express their love for worship and the blessings of Ramadan, and congratulates their fellow Muslim, they have done something good.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Shall I not tell you something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace (Salam) among yourselves." [Narrated by Muslim]
Giving Salam is a prayer for peace and safety.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.