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Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(205): "Ruling on Prohibiting the Offence Against Forest Trees"

Date Added : 27-10-2015

 

Resolution  No.(205) (15/2014) by The Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on Prohibiting the Offence Against Forest Trees"

Date: (16/Zolqhidah/1435  A.H); corresponding to (11/9/2014  A.D)

 

All praise is due to Allah. May His blessings and peace be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon his family and companions.

The Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies reviewed, in its eleventh session held on Thursday: (16/Zolqhidah/1435 A.H); (11/9/2014 A.D), the question sent by the chairperson of the Jordanian Society for Eco Tourism and reads as follows: 

We would like to inform you that forest areas in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are severely endangered by some citizens and influential persons through cutting and burning  in order to sell their wood to citizens, and this has done a great damage to these areas. We kindly ask your Grace to discuss this issue with the Board of Iftaa` in order to issue a ruling on cutting down state-owned forest trees and selling them for personal profit.

After careful study and deliberation, the Board decided:

 

Trees are a vital aspect of life and a reason of survival on this earth. Allah, The Exalted, has made them  a mercy, a blessing, a greenery, a favor that He has bestowed on humanity. He Said in this regard (What means): “It is He who sends down rain from the sky: from it ye drink, and out of it (grows) the vegetation on which ye feed your cattle. With it He produces for you corn, olives, date-palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily in this is a sign for those who give thought.” {An-Nahl(10-11)}.

The Holy Quran contains frequent reminder of this blessing so as to draw man`s attention to its significance in order for him to thank Allah, The Exalted, on the one hand and to protect it as well as look after it on the other hand. Allah Says (What means): “Glory to God, Who created in pairs all things that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge.” {Ya-Sin/36}.

Therefore, a person thankful of this blessing wouldn`t endanger, or desecrate it because he knows deep down that if matters get out of hand, no tree will be left on the face of the earth due to the greed of those who seek to make profit at the expense of life on this earth and Allah`s creatures on it. Therefore, the necessary measures had to be taken to protect this blessing.

 

We should always remember that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) urged us to populate the earth by saying: “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.” {Bukhri &Muslim}. He also said: “If the Day of Resurrection starts while one of you is holding a cutting, then he should plant it.” {Ahmad}.

We should remember that any offence against trees by cutting, breaking, or burning is a violation of public property, and this is included in the warning of Abdullah Bin Habashi (May Allah be pleased with him) who reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever cuts down a lote tree, Allah shall send him to Hell head first.” {Abu Dawood}. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Head of the Iftaa` Board, The Grand Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Grace Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh.

Vice Head of the Iftaa`Board, Prof. Ahmad Helayel

Prof. Abduln`nassir Abu Al Bass`al/ Member

His Eminence, Sheikh Sa`ied Hijjawi/ Member

Pro. Mohammad Al-Qhodat/ Member

Dr. Yahia Al-Botoosh/ Member

     Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

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Summarized Fatawaa

A group of about thirty young men will go to a farm on Friday. Is it permissible for one of us to deliver the sermon (*khuṭbah*) and lead us in the Friday prayer, or is it necessary to go to the nearest mosque?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Friday prayer (Jumuʿah) is not obligatory upon a traveler, whether his journey is long or short, if he leaves his place of residence before the time of Fajr begins, according to the Shāfiʿī school. If, however, he sets out on his journey after the Fajr adhān, then he is obliged to perform the Friday prayer, whether in his own town or in any town where the Friday prayer is held.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm (Vol.1/p.383), one of the books of the Shāfiʿī school: “[The Friday prayer] is not obligatory upon a traveler on a permissible journey, whether long or short, if he departs from his place of residence before dawn.” End quote.
Accordingly, if you set out on your journey after Fajr, you are obliged to perform the Friday prayer in the mosque. The same applies if you set out after that, since you would not have fulfilled the conditions for the validity of the Friday prayer, among them: that it be attended by forty men who are free, adult (bāligh), sane, and settled residents of the place where Friday is held. It must be held within a cluster of connected buildings, whether a city, a village, or a district (liwāʾ), for what counts is the gathering of the buildings. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on vomiting, and does it invalidate ablution?

Vomit is impure (najis). Its exit is not considered one of the nullifiers of ablution. However, the mouth must be washed and purified from it, and any that gets on clothing or the body must be washed for prayer, because prayer is not valid with impurity present on the body or clothing. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on a Friday sermon in which the khaṭīb did not explicitly exhort the congregation to be conscious of Allah (taqwā) in both sermons, but sufficed with commanding them to obey Allah and refrain from disobeying Him?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
For the Friday sermon (khuṭbat al-Jumʿah) to be valid, certain essential pillars (arkān) must be fulfilled. Among these is the exhortation to be conscious of Allah (waṣiyyah bi-taqwā Allāh), which must be present in both sermons. Alongside this pillar, the praising of Allah (ḥamdallah) and the sending of blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are equally required.
Shaykh al-Islām Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "These three are pillars in each of the two sermons, because each sermon is independent and separate from the other." [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj,Vol.4/P.447]
It is not a condition that the exhortation be expressed in any specific wording, nor is it required that the word "taqwā" itself be used — such as saying "I exhort you to be conscious of Allah." Rather, this pillar is fulfilled by any expression that contains a command to obey Allah the Almighty and to abstain from what He has prohibited.
Imām al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "The third pillar is the exhortation to taqwā... The specific wording of this exhortation is not required, according to the most correct view, because the purpose is admonition and the urging of obedience to Allah the Almighty. Therefore, any expression that conveys admonition suffices — whether long or short — such as: 'Obey Allah and be ever mindful of Him.'" [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj,Vol.1/P.550]
Accordingly, what the khaṭīb has done — by commanding obedience to Allah and forbidding disobedience to Him in both sermons — is valid and sufficient. And Allah the Almighty 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.

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