Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



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

Is it incumbent on a husband to pay the alimony of his wife if she had left him and stayed at her parent`s without his permission?

When a wife leaves her house, and stays at her parent`s without asking her husband, she is considered a Nashiz (wife who refuses to abide by her husband’s orders), and so she doesn`t deserve an alimony.

Is fidyah required for someone who breaks their fast due to a valid excuse?

● If the excuse is permanent, such as a chronic illness with no hope of recovery or old age, then fidyah is required. This means feeding one needy person for each missed fasting day.
● However, if the excuse is temporary, such as menstruation, postnatal bleeding, or a temporary illness, then only making up the missed fasts (qada) is required, and fidyah does not apply.

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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I‘tikaf is Sunnah in Ramadan, and it is even more emphasized in the last ten nights, in the hope of witnessing Laylat al-Qadr.