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Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(82): “Commentary on the Recording Attributed to Sheikh AbdulMajeed Al-Zandani as Regards the life of Barzakh“

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

Resolution No.(82) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

“Commentary on the Recording Attributed to Sheikh AbdulMajeed Al-Zandani as Regards the life of Barzakh“

Date: 11/2/1426 AH, corresponding to 22/3/2005 AD.

 

 

Question:

What is the ruling on what was mentioned on the recording attributed to Sheikh AbdulMajeed Al-Zandani as Regards the life of Barzakh (Barzakh: a partition, a bar or barrier; the place or state in which people will be after death and before Judgment. Cf. xxv. 53 and Iv. 20. Behind them is the barrier of death, and in front of them is the Barzakh, partition, a quiescent state until the judgment comes.)?

The Board has listened to the above recording attributed to Al-Zandani, claiming that the “Barzakh” mentioned in the verse: “In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." - "By no means! It is but a word he says."- Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up.”{Al-Mu`minun/100} exists in the deep layers of earth at 2000 degree Fahrenheit equal to a third of the Sun`s heat, and that the disbelievers are tortured in this Barzakh based on the following verses: “Day! Surely the record of the wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin.” {Al-Mutaffifin/7}, “Do ye feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes (as in an earthquake)?{Al-Mulk/16}, and “Because of their sins they were drowned (in the flood), and were made to enter the Fire (of Punishment): and they found- in lieu of God- none to help them.” {Nuh/25}.

He founded his  claim on the fact that a Russian team has reached a deep underground layer engulfed with flames, and that they sent down a device parallel to the vibrations of the human ear, and that it recorded sounds of human beings being tortured. He also claimed that Sijjin is the core of the earth engulfed with fire,  the Earth`s violent commotion is the movement of its underground layers,  the fire in which the disbelievers fell is the Barzakh, and that the sounds of torture recorded by the Russian team belong to the disbelievers.

After the Board has listened to the above recording, it deemed the following:

1- From the view of language, Barzakh is the barrier between two things and its meaning in the verse: “Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up. “ {Al-Mu`minun/100}, according to exegesis, is: “a partition, a bar or barrier; the place or state in which people will be after death and before Judgment. Cf. xxv. 53 and Iv. 20. Behind them is the barrier of death, and in front of them is the Barzakh, partition, a quiescent state until the judgment comes.” And it is amongst the unseen matters, only known to Allah, and proofs of it are audio, so we believe in them as they were transferred to us from the Quran and the Sunnah.

2- The interpretation of Barzakh mentioned in the recording deviates completely from the principles observed in Quranic interpretation, and so it isn`t acceptable.

3- The above interpretation is invalid and the evidences given don`t support what that person has claimed, because he has interpreted unseen matters which are only known to Allah: Barzakh life, torture in the grave, Hell, Heaven and Resurrection, and we are commanded to believe in them  as they are prescribed in Islamic Sharia since they aren`t tangible and their evidences are based on correct transfer.

Therefore, it is strange for Al-Zandani to interpret (Sijjin) mentioned in the verse: “! Surely the record of the wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin“ {Al-Mutaffifin/7} as the underground layers engulfed with flame, for it is a record in which the deeds of the disbelievers are preserved, and it is clearly written.

It is also strange that he interpreted the verse: “Do ye feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes (as in an earthquake)?”{Al-Mulk/16}, as the movement of the underground layers, for it shows the greatness of Allah`s Powers in causing the earth to swallow up the disbelievers when it shakes, and whenever He wants to inflict torture upon them. The same applies to his interpretation of the verse: “Because of their sins they were drowned (in the flood), and were made to enter the Fire (of Punishment): and they found - in lieu of God- none to help them.” {Nuh/25} as the underground fire, for the punishment of disbelievers mentioned in this verse is due on The Day of Resurrection.

As regards basing his opinion upon the work of the above mentioned Russian team, it requires an independent scientific verification, and when proven, it requires scientific explanation and analysis, so it is impermissible to be adopted as an evidence to project weird concepts on the Book of Allah The Almighty,  pertaining to unseen matters that rest upon correct transfer from Divine Revelation. And Allah, The Almighty Knows Best.

 

Iftaa` Board
Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izzaldeen Al-Tamimi
Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi
Dr. Yousef Ghyzaan
Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri
Dr. Abdukareem Al-Khasawneh
Sheikh Sae`id Hijjawi
Sheikh Nae`im Mujahid

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on someone who possesses gold with the intention of saving/hoarding it, and owns nothing else — is he obligated to sell a portion of it in order to pay the zakāh due on it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh becomes immediately obligatory on cash, and likewise on gold — that which is not designated for a woman's personal adornment— once both reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has passed over them. It is not permissible to delay payment when it is genuinely possible to pay — meaning, when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both available. It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.129): "Zakāh is obligatory immediately once it becomes feasible to pay it, meaning when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both present."
The one paying zakāh must discharge the obligatory zakāh due on saved (hoarded) gold either from the gold itself, or from its equivalent monetary value, in the event that no other funds are available — since paying from the gold itself is the original default (al-aṣl). It becomes permissible to pay from other funds instead only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency, as stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib (Vol.1/p.366): "When a full ḥawl has elapsed on wealth other than trade goods... zakāh attaches to the actual asset itself (al-‘ayn), and the poor effectively become partners in it — even, for example, [becoming partners] in camels through the value of a sheep [owed as zakāh on them]... Paying from other wealth is permitted only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency."
Accordingly: the one paying zakāh must discharge it either from the actual saved gold itself, or by selling a portion of the gold equal to the amount of zakāh owed. He may also borrow money to pay the zakāh, or pay the zakāh in installments before the ḥawl is complete [as an advance payment]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Which takes precedence: the 'aqīqah or the uḍḥiyyah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The 'aqīqah is an act of worship through which a servant draws closer to Allah the Almighty in gratitude for the blessing of a newborn child. It is a confirmed Sunnah for those who are financially capable, and Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear.
However, the uḍḥiyyah takes precedence, as it is a confirmed Sunnah established from the Prophet ﷺ through stronger and more numerous narrations — indeed, the Ḥanafī scholars hold it to be obligatory. Furthermore, its time is narrow and limited, expiring with the passing of the days of Eid, whereas the 'aqīqah may be delayed until one becomes financially capable of performing it.
And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on reciting aloud (*jahr*) in a silent (*sirriyyah*) prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Reciting aloud (jahr) in the Fajr prayer, in the first two rakʿahs of Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ, and reciting silently (isrār) in the Dhuhr and ʿAṣr prayers is a sunnah. If the worshipper recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is valid, although it is better to follow the sunnah, in imitation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “In every prayer there is recitation. What the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) let us hear, we let you hear, and what he concealed from us, we conceal from you. If you add nothing to Umm al-Qurʾān (al-Fātiḥah), it suffices, and if you add to it, it is better.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmūʿ (Vol.3/389): “The sunnah is to recite aloud in the two rakʿahs of Ṣubḥ (Fajr), Maghrib, and ʿIshāʾ, and in the Friday prayer, and to recite silently in Dhuhr, ʿAṣr, the third rakʿah of Maghrib, and the third and fourth of ʿIshāʾ. All of this is by the consensus of the Muslims, together with the mutually reinforcing authentic ḥadīths on the matter. This is the ruling for the imam. As for the individual worshipper (munfarid), it is sunnah for him to recite aloud according to us and according to the majority… If he recites aloud where silence is prescribed, or the reverse, his prayer is not invalidated, nor is there a prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) for it, but he has committed something disliked (makrūh).” And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on one who vowed not to speak to a certain person, then forgot his vow and spoke to him?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Whoever swears an oath or makes a vow to abstain from something has a choice: if he wishes, he may keep to his vow, or if he wishes, he may offer the expiation of an oath (kaffārat yamīn). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The expiation for a vow is the expiation for an oath.” Narrated by Muslim. This type of vow is called a nadhr al-lajāj (a vow made in stubbornness or anger).
If a person makes a vow and then forgets it, nothing is due from him, for forgetfulness is among the excuses that lift legal responsibility (taklīf) from a Muslim. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Actions are judged only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.” [Narrated by al-Bukhārī]. There is no intention for the one who forgets or errs. It is also based on the report: “Indeed, Allah has pardoned for my Ummah mistakes, forgetfulness, and what they are compelled to do.” Narrated by Ibn Mājah and others, and graded authentic by Ibn Ḥibbān and al-Ḥākim.
It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 243), one of the books of the Shāfiʿī school: “Whoever swears, [for example], ‘I will not enter the house,’ and then enters it forgetfully, ignorantly, under compulsion, or being carried, he does not break his oath.” And Allah Almighty knows best.

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