Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(32): “Ruling on Writing the Quran in a Style other than the Ottoman“

Date Added : 28-10-2015

Resolution No.(32): “Ruling on Writing the Quran in a Style other than the Ottoman“

Date: 7/11/1413 corresponding to 29/4/1993 AD.

The Board has received the following question:

What is the Sharia ruling on the following: writing the Noble Quran in a style other than the Ottoman? Adhering to one narration as regards the number of Quranic verses? Writing “ الله-محمد ” in a raised manner at the beginning of the Mus-haf or on its cover? Writing “ صدق الله العظيم “ at the end of the last verse of the Mus-haf and the end of a verse in an illustrative picture?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

The Board deems the following:

1- Writing the Mus-haf in a style other than the Ottoman is impermissible, except in educational books.

2- Adherence to one narration as regards the number of Quranic verses for there are specialized people in this field, who have acknowledged writing the Mus-haf and have also provided numbers at the end of verses in accordance with their preponderant opinion in that regard. Nonetheless, there is no harm in circulating a Mus-haf where the numbers of verses differ from that which is mentioned above, based on other narrations so long as the text is identical with the rest of the Mus-haf.

3- As regards writing " الله-محمد " : The Board doesn`t recommend doing so; however, it doesn`t have any objection as regards circulating Mus-hafs that already have them.

4- As regards writing “ صدق الله العظيم “ at the end of the last verse of the Mus-haf: The Board doesn`t recommend such a thing; however, it doesn`t object to circulating a Mus-haf in which this phrase is written after the chapter “ An-Naass “ , and in a pattern different from that used in the Mus-haf. As regards writing “ صدق الله العظيم “ at the end of illustrative pictures made by calligraphists to be hanged inside houses, there is no harm in that, provided that this phrase doesn`t give the impression that it is a part of the Quranic verse itself. And Allah Knows Best.

Iftaa` Board
Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Dr. Nooh Al-Qodaat
Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi
Dr. Ahmad Hilayel
Dr. Mahmood Al-Sartawi
Sheikh Saeid Hijjawi
Sheikh Mahmood Shwayaat
Sheikh Ratib Az-zahir

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on performing prayer on the upper floors of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Facing the actual structure of the Ka‘bah (‘ayn al-Ka‘bah) is one of the conditions for the validity of the prayer. The scholars have clarified what is meant by "the actual structure of the Ka‘bah."
Imam ash-Sharwānī (raḥimahullāh) said: "What is meant by its ‘ayn (actual structure) is its physical body, or the airspace directly aligned with it — if the person praying is not inside it. But if he is inside it, then the airspace alone does not suffice; rather, the actual physical structure must be faced, such that even if he faces a projecting part of it measuring roughly two-thirds of a dhirā‘ (cubit) or more, this would be sufficient." [Ḥāshiyat ash-Sharwānī ‘alā Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj, Vol.1/P.484]
Sheikh al-Qulyūbī (raḥimahullāh) said: "Unlike one who prays outside it — i.e., outside the Ka‘bah — for him the airspace (directly above it) suffices, even if he is higher than it, or even if he is at the location where it (hypothetically) has been demolished." [Ḥāshiyat al-Qulyūbī ‘alā Sharḥ al-Minhāj,  Vol.1/P.154]
Accordingly, the prayer is valid on the upper floors of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, even though these floors are higher than the roof of the Ka‘bah itself. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on ablution if vaginal discharge is expelled, and is it impure?

If these discharges exit from the external genitalia (apparent part of the vagina), they are not impure and do not invalidate ablution. If they exit from the internal part, they are impure and do invalidate ablution. If it is uncertain whether they are from the internal or external part, they are not impure and do not invalidate ablution.
 
The apparent part is what becomes visible when sitting, and what the husband's penis reaches during intercourse is considered part of the apparent. The internal part is what is beyond that. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on praying behind a disliked Imam?

 

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is mildly disliked (Makruh Tanzihan) for a man—other than the permanent designated Imam (Imam Ratib)—to lead people in prayer if the majority of them dislike him due to a religiously blameworthy reason (Amr Madhmum Shar‘an), such as associating with open sinners (Fussaq), for example. As for the followers who dislike him, the prayer behind him is not disliked for them. However, if less than the majority dislike him, or if the majority dislike him for a reason that is not religiously blameworthy, then his leading the prayer is not disliked. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Where should a woman following her husband or another man in prayer stand?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If a single woman prays with a man—whether she is his wife or a non-mahram (Ajnabiyyah)—the Sunnah is for her to stand behind the Imam and be shielded by him. If the Imam is leading both a man and a woman, the man should stand to the Imam's right, and the woman should stand behind the male follower (Muqtadi). In this way, she is shielded from the Imam by the male follower and remains at a distance from the follower and his line of sight. And Allah the Exalted knows best.