عربي
Home


Articles

Articles

Gentleness with the Questioner
Author : Dr. Mohammad Al-Hunaiti
Date Added : 23-08-2023

Gentleness with the Questioner

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

'A'isha (May Allah Be Pleased with her), the wife of Allah's Apostle (PBUH), reported that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "A'isha, verily Allah is Kind and He Loves kindness and Confers upon kindness that which he does not confer upon severity and does not confer upon anything else besides it (kindness)." [Moslim]. The Messenger (PBUH) also said: "Verily Allah is kind and He loves kindness and confers upon kindness that which he does not confer upon severity." [Abu Dawood].

Based on these noble Prophetic guidelines, the General Iftaa' Department in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is committed to interacting with its audience of questioners, foreign and domestic, by providing its religious rulings (Fatwas) with compassion and mercy. Moreover, the Department endeavors to offer extra counselling and sincere advice, while maintaining utmost respect for the questioner's individuality, regardless of their status or educational level, and ensuring the confidentiality of their information.

This wise policy, pursued by the General Iftaa' Department, and its approach characterized by gentleness towards its audience of questioners, is evident across all the tools and channels used by the Department to provide religious rulings to the inquirers. This applies through telephone communications, personal interviews, and electronic messages facilitated by the Department's official website.

The Approach adopted by the Department cannot be otherwise, as it is guided by the noble Prophetic guidance. The Prophet, peace be upon him, emphasized through his words and actions the importance of gentleness in dealing with people. His Prophetic teachings necessitate that anyone who is engaged in calling to Allah should make gentleness a path for their mission. Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance." [An-Nahil/125]. Furthermore, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was keen on advising his family to adopt gentleness in their interactions with people. We see him advising his wife Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, by saying: "O Aisha, be gentle! Be cautious of being harsh and vulgar." [Al-Bukhari]. He also tells her: "O Aisha, show gentleness, for whenever kindness is in something, it adorns it; and when it is taken out from something, it leaves it disgraced." [Ahmad]. This Prophetic guidance underscores that gentleness is an educational matter, one that parents should instill in their children. A child who grows up in a home filled with love, kindness, compassion, and tolerance will become a compassionate and forgiving individual in society. On the other hand, a child raised in an environment of harshness, violence, and negativity will likely display aggression and cruelty in the future. This is what is known as domestic violence, a phenomenon that child and women's rights organizations strongly oppose.

Certainly, domestic violence can give rise to what is known as school violence, then university violence, and eventually societal violence. Therefore, gentleness, especially when practiced by those who call to the path of Allah, is crucial for the success of their mission and for people rallying around them. Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee."[Al-Imran/159]. In this noble verse, there is a wise directive for every caller to make gentleness a guide to reach people's hearts. People tend to accept and gather around those who treat them with gentleness, and they listen to them. Conversely, those who are harsh, belittle others, and behave in an unkind manner push people away from them. In addition, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Indeed, there are vessels among the vessels of Allah on Earth. The vessels of your Lord are the hearts of His righteous servants. And the most beloved of them to Him are the softest and most tender ones." [At-Tabarani].

Indeed, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was a great example of applying the principle of gentleness in dealing with those he called to Islam, both in his words and deeds. In the authentic narrations, Anas Bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a Bedouin man urinated in the mosque. The companions were about to reprimand him, but the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Do not interrupt him." Then, he called for a bucket of water and poured it over the area." [Al-Bukhari].

Another example is the story of Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, who narrated: "A young man came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and said: "O Messenger of Allah, give me permission to commit adultery." The people raised their voices and said: "Stop! Stop!" But the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Come close." The young man approached and sat in front of the Prophet. The Prophet, peace be upon him, asked him: "Would you like that for your mother?" He replied: "No." The Prophet then asked: "Would you like that for your daughter?" He replied: "No." The Prophet continued: "Would you like that for your sister?" He replied: "No." The Prophet asked again: "Would you like that for your aunt?" He replied: "No." The Prophet finally said: "Likewise, people do not like that for their mothers, daughters, sisters, or aunts. So, dislike for them what you dislike for yourself, and wish for them what you wish for yourself." The young man said: "O Messenger of Allah, supplicate to Allah to purify my heart." The Prophet placed his hand on the young man's chest and said: "O Allah, forgive his sin, purify his heart, and guard his chastity." After that, the young man did not look at anything sinful." [At-Tabarani].

Observing these two practical examples, one marvels at the actions of the Chosen One, peace be upon him, how he did not reprimand or harm any of them through word or deed. Instead, he advised the noble Companions not to harm or mistreat them in any way.

In the story of Muawiyah Ibn Al-Hakam Al-Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him, there is a clear example of the Prophet's gentle treatment of the ignorant. Muawiyah (May Allah Be Pleased with him) narrates: "While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, a man from the people sneezed, so I said: "May Allah have mercy on you!" The people gave me disapproving looks. I said: "What is wrong with you that you are looking at me?'' They began striking their thighs with their hands, and when I saw that they were trying to make me silent, I remained quiet. When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, finished his prayer, I had never seen a teacher better than him. He did not scold, hit, or insult me." The Prophet, peace be upon him, then said: "In this prayer, nothing of the talk of people is permissible; it is only glorification, magnification, and the recitation of the Qur'an." [Moslim].

Indeed, there are even more remarkable instances, and one of the greatest examples is the famous incident that took place on the day of the Conquest of Mecca. The Prophet, peace be upon him, stood at the door of the Kaaba with the leaders of the Quraysh in front of him. He was the victorious conqueror, and they were the ones who had spared no effort in fighting against him, opposing him, and expelling him from his beloved city. Despite all this, he stood before them and asked: "What do you think I should do with you?" They responded: "You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother." He then said: "Go, for you are free." [The Biography of Ibn Hisham/Vol. 2/Page 412].

Absolutely, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not resort to killing, torturing, seeking revenge, scolding, or admonishing in a harsh manner. His character was marked by mercy, forgiveness, and gentleness. Therefore, anyone who delves into the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, should strive to emulate his approach. This approach rests on kindness, gentleness, and inviting people to the way of Allah The Almighty with wisdom and fair preaching.

In the context of discussing the qualities that a Mufti (Islamic jurist) or a caller to Allah should possess, the story of the Hadith recorded by Al-Imam Moslim in Sahih comes to mind. It narrates the story of a man who had killed ninety-nine people and sought repentance. He inquired about the most knowledgeable person on earth and was directed to a monk. However, this monk was not qualified to guide him to Allah, so he scolded and berated the man, telling him that there was no chance of repentance for him. The man's desperation led him to kill the monk, making his tally of killings a hundred. Later, a spark of guidance illuminated his heart, and he earnestly desired to repent. He asked again for guidance to the most knowledgeable person on earth, and this time he was directed to a knowledgeable scholar. He confessed his sins and the atrocities he had committed, asking whether there was any hope for him to repent. The scholar, fully aware of Allah's Vast Mercy, responded with words that reflected his understanding of The Extent of Allah's Compassion: "Who stands between you and the mercy of Allah? Go to such and such land; there are people there who worship Allah. Join them in worship, and do not return to your land, for it is an evil place." Upon hearing this, the man set out on a path of sincere repentance. However, before he could complete his journey, Allah Took his soul.

Certainly, it is essential for anyone who is responsible for issuing religious verdicts/rulings to listen attentively to the inquirer and make them feel valued and respected. This is especially crucial since the individual is seeking guidance on matters pertaining to their faith. The one giving the Fatwa should show respect and consideration, acknowledging the importance of the person's question. After attentively listening, the Mufti should provide a clear and accurate answer to the question, guiding the inquirer towards what is beneficial for them both in the short and long term. All of these actions fall under the general principle conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in his saying: "Religion is sincere advice." [Al-Bukhari].

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

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

If the bleeding ceases after 40 days following childbirth, but then returns intermittently during two days of fasting, what is the ruling?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Whenever the post-natal bleeding (Nifas) ceases and the woman is certain it will not return, she has become pure; therefore, she must perform the ritual bath (Ghusl) and resume praying and fasting. However, if the blood returns within fifteen days of its cessation and before sixty days have passed since the delivery, the ruling of Nifas applies once again. Consequently, any fasting or prayer performed during that interval of purity is rendered invalid; she must make up for the missed fasts of those days, but she is not required to make up for the prayers. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Are school exams a valid excuse for breaking the fast in Ramadan?

School and university exams are not considered a valid excuse for breaking the fast, as most students take their exams while fasting without experiencing extreme hardship. Fasting does not conflict with exam preparation, and a Muslim seeks strength in obedience to Allah for both worldly and spiritual matters.

If a traveler settles or a sick person recovers while fasting, is it permissible for them to break their fast?

● If a sick person starts the day fasting and then recovers during the day, they must complete their fast.
● If a traveler starts the day fasting and then settles (returns or stops traveling) during the day, they must also complete their fast.
● It is forbidden for both of them to break their fast because the concession (rukhsah) is no longer valid once its reason disappears.

See More