The Phenomenon of Divorce (Talaq)

| | عربي

Home

Articles

Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible to authorize charitable organizations to perform the Udhiyah on one`s behalf?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

It is permissible to authorize charitable organizations to perform the sacrifice (Udhiyah) on one’s behalf. However, if these organizations undertake the slaughtering for a group of people, those in charge of the slaughtering must maintain lists of the names of those who authorized them. Furthermore, at the time of slaughter, the slaughterer must intend that the specific sacrifice is on behalf of a specific person. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Can a woman perform I‘tikaf in her home?

No, a woman's I‘tikaf is not valid if performed at home, because her home is not a mosque.

What should someone do if they fasted for only 28 days in their country and then traveled to a place where Eid has already been declared?

If a person fasts in their country and then travels to another country where Eid has been declared, they must celebrate Eid with the people of that country.

● If their total fasts add up to 29 days, nothing is required of them.

● However, if they have only fasted 28 days, they must make up one day after Eid, because an Islamic month cannot be only 28 days.

What is the ruling on praying seated due to severe obesity, given that I experience hardship in performing the prayer — especially when rising from the ground after sujūd to perform the next rak‘ah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Standing, when one is able to do so, is a pillar of the prayer. However, whoever would experience severe, intolerable hardship, or fears harm to himself or to a limb due to obesity, or finds that standing causes him to lose his khushū‘ (humble focus and concentration) in prayer, then there is no objection to his praying seated on a chair or on the ground, performing rukū‘ (bowing) and sujūd (prostration) through gesture — provided that the gesture for sujūd is made lower than that for rukū‘. Whoever is able, at any point, to properly perform any one of these pillars, is obligated to perform it in full; for omitting it is a concession that applies only in cases of genuine inability. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When I command you to do something, do of it whatever you are able." (Related by al-Bukhārī). As the scholars of fiqh have established: what remains possible is not waived on account of what is difficult.

The criterion for determining genuine inability, as chosen by Imam al-Ḥaramayn al-Juwaynī (raḥimahullāh), is that the worshipper experiences hardship that causes him to lose his khushū‘.

As for voluntary (nafl) prayer, there is no objection to performing it while seated, even if one is able to stand. However, rukū‘ and sujūd must still be performed [in their proper physical form] by anyone who is able to do so. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Send Your Question

Zakaat Account

Articles

The Phenomenon of Divorce (Talaq)

Author : Ali Al-Fakhir

Date Added : 15-04-2024

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.

When issuing religious rulings to people regarding divorce, the mufti notices a prevailing culture in our societies manifested in people's urgent question after uttering the word divorce: Is this a valid divorce?

The question posed by the person uttering divorce is solely focused on protecting himself from the financial and social consequences of this word. They do not take the Sharia dimension of their actions into consideration; they do not ask themselves: "In the sight of Allah, am I committing a sin?!" How will I answer to the Almighty when I stand before Him on the Day of Reckoning?!

Yes, a cultural mindset that says: "I have uttered the divorce word... I need a fatwa (religious edict)... and perhaps it will resolve the matter!" without considering any other aspect. This is to the extent that some people believe that the fatwa is what allows them to continue their marriage or end it!

It is not uncommon to find someone who, despite being fully aware and conscious of issuing a clear divorce, reacts with indifference when informed by the mufti that the divorce took place. They might even say, with a calm demeanor: "Consider it not as such, O Sheikh!" Meaning, don`t count it as an instance of divorce.

Seriously and alarmingly, this culture indicates that the family is being threatened. This is because the success and protection of the family is fundamentally tied to the mature understanding of the sanctity and importance of the institution of marriage.

Perhaps this boldness in uttering divorce for trivial reasons is also linked to the lack of conscience, among Muslim individuals, regarding the fear of Allah. We know that marriage is one of the most serious contracts in our noble religion, and Islam has been keen on safeguarding and building it on solid foundation.

Setting material considerations aside, marriage is a contract that binds souls first. It unifies families, expands the circle of relationships and compassion. It also establishes the meanings of peace, love, and mercy. Through marriage, man achieves succession on earth by continuing the human race and multiplying to fulfill the duty of cultivating the earth that Allah has entrusted him with.

Indeed, the marriage contract is not a business transaction; rather, it is a contract whose fruits are souls, and whose reward, for those who fulfill its requirements, is Paradise.

For all of the aforementioned, the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) called the marriage contract "the word of Allah" and "the trust of Allah." In a hadith narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said during his farewell pilgrimage: "Fear Allah regarding women, for you have taken them as a trust from Allah, and intimacy with them has been made lawful by the word of Allah." [Abu Dawood].

Understanding the profound meaning and the spiritual aspect of the philosophy of the marriage contract, especially when combined with the fear of Allah, can, Insha`Allah, serve as a powerful deterrent for individuals against hasty utterances of divorce, using expressions forbidding wife to her husband, and engaging in common practices related to divorce oaths that have become prevalent.

The person who frequently uses phrases like "I swear by divorce" or "I swear by the forbidden" and others does not appreciate the meaning of "the word of Allah" and does not preserve "the trust of Allah." In other words, it is as if he is mocking this word and this trust. So, what will he answer his Lord when he stands before Him on the Day of Reckoning?!

This is what a Muslim should consider when uttering divorce words, rather than focusing on whether they count as a divorce or not.

We are indeed facing a serious problem where divorce words are used extensively without considering their significance, turning it into a common occurrence rather than a last resort. This requires us to pause and earnestly search for solutions.

Divorce, as a last resort, means that there should be steps and attempts to reconcile marital life, starting with sincere, open, and conscious dialogue about areas of disagreement, followed by advising the wrongdoer. All of this is based on the methods of reconciliation outlined in the Quran where Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means): "As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For God is Most High, great (above you all)." [An-Nisaa`/34].

After this, neutral and sincere parties intervene with the intention of making reconciliation between the spouses, as indicated in the Quran verse, it states (What means): "And if you fear dissension between the two, send an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will cause it between them. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Acquainted." [An-Nisa/35].

All of these steps are accompanied by awareness from both spouses of each other's needs and the psychological and material circumstances they may be experiencing. There is an understanding that achieving harmony between them takes time because it is not reasonable to expect harmony between two individuals who have lived in different environments: different living standards, behaviors, personalities, priorities, and even in the details of everyday life. They may even differ in the taste of food or the amount of salt they prefer, among other things.

Accompanied by awareness of these facts, time is indeed sufficient to fix marital life and achieve harmony. Over the years, couples can reach an advanced stage of harmony, even to the point of near-complete resemblance as far as behaviors and feelings are concerned.

If we examine divorce cases, we find that very few of them go through these steps or follow this process. In our time, divorce has become a quick emotional word that spreads rapidly amongst men.

The above constitutes a description of a problem that requires a solution, starting with serious efforts to repair people's conscience and sense of morality. The driving force behind human behavior and actions, as well as the words and positions they express, is their internal content or, in other words, their faith-filled conscience. Those whose conscience is filled with faith in all its aspects tend to have disciplined behavior. Conversely, as faith diminishes within, behavior becomes erratic. Therefore, every issue in life is somehow connected to faith, especially the matter we are discussing here: divorce and the words of divorce used by people. What we often find in reality, with this enormous number of divorce cases, is closely connected to a lack of religious conviction and a diminishing sense of God-consciousness among people.

How can we repair people's conscience and increase their sense of fearing Allah?!

This is not just a question I claim to have the answer to; rather, it is a general concern that requires a comprehensive project where the efforts of multiple institutions come together. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Comments

Name

E. mail Address

Country

Comment Title

Comment

Enter the number shown on the image

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

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on participating in the prize draws (raffles) that commercial stores hold for their customers?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

There is no objection to participating in the prize draws (raffles) that commercial stores hold for their customers, provided that the buyer's intention in purchasing is not merely to enter the competition without any need for what is bought — rather, the purchase must be genuinely intended for the item itself, and one must not pay more than the item's fair market price. This is because paying an amount above the market price would effectively be paying a fee to enter the prize draw, which would render it a form of gambling (qimār).

These prizes are, in essence, gifts that businesses offer through a random drawing (qur'ah) to those who purchase from them, as a means of encouraging sales, without the customer bearing any additional monetary cost for participation. So long as the aforementioned conditions are met, there is no objection to benefiting from the prize offered by the store, as it is considered a lawful prize from the viewpoint of Islamic Law.

It is stated in the resolutions of the "Jordanian Iftaa' Board" (Resolution No. 47), in the context of outlining the conditions for permissible prizes: "The price of the ticket [or item purchased] for the sake of the prize must not exceed its original price, so that there is no payment of money in exchange for participation in the draw." And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What is the ruling on a woman who takes medication to delay menstruation for fasting?

If a woman takes medication (to delay menstrual period) and does not experience menstruation, her fast is valid. However, she is not advised to do so unless there is a necessity.

If the medication harms her, even potentially, it is forbidden (haram) for her to take it.

Is it permissible to agree with a butcher to purchase the meat of an animal after it has been slaughtered — for instance, by buying the meat of a sheep at a price determined by the weight of its meat following slaughter, at a fixed rate per kilogram? And what is the ruling if the animal is being purchased with the intention of it being an uḍḥiyyah (sacrificial offering)?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

It is not permissible to sell livestock in the manner of pricing each kilogram of meat after slaughter at a fixed rate, because the meat within the animal prior to slaughter is unseen and unknown. This leads to jahālah (ignorance of the subject matter) and gharar (contractual uncertainty), both of which are among the invalidating factors in sales transactions.

However, it is permissible for the buyer to issue a promise to purchase the meat of the animal after slaughter at a specified price per kilogram, with the actual sale being concluded at the time of weighing the meat — at which point both the quantity of the goods and the total price become known. There is no Sharī'ah objection to this arrangement.

The jurists have stipulated that for a sale to be valid, both countervalues must be present and observable. Al-Khaṭīb al-Shirbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states:

"It is valid to sell a heap of grain whose total measure is unknown to both contracting parties at a rate of one sā' per dirham. This sale is valid because the subject of sale is present and observable, and ignorance of the total price is not harmful since it is known in detail — and uncertainty is thereby lifted."— [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.355]

As for the uḍḥiyyah, the 'aqīqah, and vowed blood sacrifices (al-dam al-mandhūr) — full ownership of the animal must be established prior to slaughter. It is not valid for such animals to be slaughtered while still in the ownership of the butcher. Rather, the animal must be purchased alive and then slaughtered with the intention of uḍḥiyyah or the like. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on one who wiped over his leather socks (khuff) while resident and then traveled, or wiped while traveling and then became resident? And likewise, what is the ruling on one who incurred a minor ritual impurity (ḥadath aṣghar) while resident, then traveled and wiped while traveling?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

Whoever wipes over his leather socks (khuffayn) while resident and then travels, or wipes while traveling and then becomes resident, before a day and a night have passed in both cases, completes the wiping period of a resident. If he wipes while resident and then travels after a day and a night have passed, he must remove the socks, because the period has ended. Likewise, if he wipes while traveling and then becomes resident after a day and a night have passed, he must remove them as well.

Whoever breaks his wuḍūʾ while resident and then wipes while traveling takes the ruling of a traveler as regards the duration of wiping, so long as he does not become resident. It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik wa ʿUddat al-Nāsik (Vol.1/p.15): “If he wipes over both [socks] or one of them while resident and then travels, or wipes while traveling and then becomes resident, or doubts whether he began the wiping while traveling or while resident, he completes only the wiping period of a resident. But if he broke his wuḍūʾ while resident and wiped while traveling, he completes the period of a traveler, whether or not the full time of a prayer had passed over him while resident.” And Allah Almighty knows best.