Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(224): "Exhuming a Graveyard to Build a School in it is Prohibited"

Date Added : 26-05-2016

 

Resolution No.(224) (7/2016) by the Board of Ifta`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Exhuming a Graveyard to Build a School in it is Prohibited"

Date: 5/Sha`ban/1437, corresponding to 12/5/2016 AD.

 

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

During its sixth session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the question-originally sent by the UNRWA-of His Excellency the Minister of Endowments about the ruling of Sharia on the above issue?

According to Sharia, graveyards are of great sanctity and Muslims must show respect to their inhabitants and protect them against harm, as indicated in the following Prophetic tradition: "Breaking a deceased body’s bones is exactly like breaking them when he is alive.” {Related by Abu Dawood}.

Therefore, Muslim jurists haven`t permitted exhuming graves for no legitimate necessity until the bones have transformed into earth, which isn`t the case with [An-Nadeef Graveyard] since it contains fresh graves, as shown by the report of the special committee formed to that purpose.

In conclusion, it isn`t permissible to exhume the graves of " An-Nadeef Graveyard" for building a school there. And Allah Knows Best.

 

 

Chairman of the Iftaa Board, Sheikh Abdulkareem  Al-Khasawneh

Dr.Hail Abdulhafeez/Member Prof. Abdulnasser Abulbasal/ Member

Dr. Yahia Al-Botoosh/ Member

Dr. Sa`eed Hijjawi/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Khair Al-Eesa/ Member

Dr. Khalid Woraikaat/ Member

Prof. Abdullah Al-Fawwaz/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh

Dr. Mohammad Al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, and is it permissible to slaughter the ewe if one knows it is pregnant?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a person slaughters a ewe and it turns out to have been pregnant, the fetus becomes lawful (ḥalāl) by virtue of its mother's slaughter (tabaʿan li-ummihā).
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.6/P.158): "A fetus found dead [after the mother's slaughter], or found alive but in a state resembling that of a slaughtered animal [i.e., dying shortly after], becomes lawful — whether or not it had grown fur — provided it is found in the womb of a mother that was lawfully slaughtered, whether her slaughter was by cutting the throat, or by an arrow or hunting dog sent after her. This is based on the ḥadīth: 'The slaughtering of the fetus is [effected by] the slaughtering of its mother' [narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan, and by Ibn Ḥibbān, who graded it ṣaḥīḥ] — meaning that the slaughter which rendered the mother lawful renders the fetus lawful as well, by virtue of following her; and because the fetus is one of her constituent parts, and her slaughter renders lawful all of her parts."
This ruling differs, however, from the case of one who knows from the outset that the ewe is pregnant [and intends to sacrifice her specifically as the udḥiyah while pregnant] — in which case, according to the Shāfi'ī school, she does not fulfill the requirement of a valid sacrifice.
It is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī 'alā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.4/P.335): "A pregnant animal does not fulfill the requirement [of a valid sacrifice], and this is the authoritative position (al-mu'tamad), because pregnancy diminishes the quality of the meat. As for why such an animal is nevertheless counted as complete [i.e., fully valid] in matters of zakāh, that is because the intent there is reproduction (nasl), not the quality of the meat.". And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it permissible for someone with a physically demanding job, such as a baker or construction worker, to break their fast?

It is not permissible for someone with a physically demanding job to start the day intending to break their fast. They must make the intention to fast at night and begin fasting. However, if they reach a point where fasting becomes unbearably difficult, they may break their fast and make up for it later.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on supplicating with other than the transmitted (Ma'thur) supplications in prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is permissible to supplicate (make du'a) during the prayer for anything from the affairs of religion or worldly life, and the prayer is not invalidated by doing so.
Shaykh al-Islam, the Imam an-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: "Our madhhab [i.e., the Shafi'i madhhab] holds that it is permissible for a person to supplicate during it [the prayer] with anything that is permissible to supplicate with outside the prayer, from the affairs of religion or worldly life. He may say: 'O Allah, grant me wholesome sustenance, offspring, a house, and a beautiful young wife' — describing her; or: 'O Allah, free so-and-so from prison,' or 'destroy so-and-so,' and other such things — and none of this invalidates his prayer according to us. And this is also the view of Malik, ath-Thawri, Abu Thawr, and Ishaq." [Al-Majmu', Vol.3/P.454]. And Allah, the Exalted, 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.