Messages

Salaam,

Are you referring to Qur'an centric people on this forum when you say that they deny the previous scriptures?

I happen to agree with you regarding the previous scriptures being present at the time of the prophet. There are many verses that address the Jews for example, and tells them to refer to their Torah for judgement.

Salaam Athman,

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive and insightful response to Miracle114's question.

Seeing all the relevant verses together gives a much better understanding of the topic at hand.

[not been revoked]

Salaam,

Further to your comments:

"So for a normal couple the divorce will be as follows (when reconciliation fails in all stages):
Admonition/mutual reconciliation--> 4 month abstention--> Initiation of first divorce (if needed/ fear any dissention, two just persons from both family can help for reconciliation, 4:35)--> completion of Iddat period --> Initiation of 2nd divorce --> completion of 2nd Iddat period (whether they seperating or reuniting, here the witnesses are necessary, 65:2). So by the completion of 2nd Iddat period itself, the final divorce will happen. So there is no point of initiating a 'third divorce' (which is not Qur'anic). In other words, the marriage will become invalid if reunion did not happen by the end of the 2nd Iddat period.
and it will be avg 10 months, for the whole process."

1. If after the first divorce and subsequent first iddat, the divorce has not been revoked then the couple can go
   their separate ways. There doesn't need to be a second divorce initiated because the couple are now legally
   divorced.

2. If they want to reconcile some time after the iddat period, they need to remarry with a new nikah.

3. The third divorce you are talking about still needs an iddat period even though it is irrevocable.

The law is good because it is curbing those men who wander off and marry another woman without consultation (some keeping it a complete secret too!)

I am not sure about what you mean when you say '..or blame the woman'.

[catcalling and street assault]

Salaam AQL

I think that the issue you raise about catcalling and street assault is very important. It hinders a women's right to move about freely without being constantly harassed.

I feel deeply for those women who live in such societies and I know about the widespread leering and groping going on in Pakistan. That has not changed for decades so I wonder what it will take for a paradigm shift to take place.

The work needs to be done at ground level..I think it should be integrated into the school curriculum, because these countries have Islamic studies as a compulsory subject.

This way the next generation can be more respectful and mindful towards women.

[stranger rape is rare in the UK]

Salaam AQL,

I have said here before that the rapist is to blame. Statistically stranger rape is rare in the UK (around 10% as far as I have read). So that means 90% is committed by those known to the victim so I think then that the 'clothing angle' doesn't really apply in the vast majority of cases so lets put this aside for now.


Regarding the very few countries where women are harassed by strangers whilst wearing headscarves, is truly disgraceful. There is something strange in the psyche of those men and there need to be a multimedia campaign including billboards etc to educate the menfolk. Maybe a push from their 'popular clergy' may help?

I still stand that a woman should take specific precautions when out and about as they are the weaker gender.

This is not victim blaming in my view but just common sense to protect yourself from a potential incident.

Unfortunately the link was inactive so I looked it up and found the story here:

https://www.samaa.tv/news/2019/07/lahore-man-gets-11-months-in-jail-for-second-marriage/

"..was found guilty of violating Section 6(5) of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961. A man is required to submit written permission from his first wife if he wishes to marry another woman according to the law. If a man is found guilty of violating the law, then he may be imprisoned for a year."

The government has obviously enshrined this in their penal code as it maybe a problem in Pakistan. The law of the land has to be abided by first and foremost. His marital obligations to his spouse also must be upheld, including consulting with her before embarking upon another marriage.

If she doesn't give permission and he still wants to proceed, then it would be likely that he would divorce the first wife.

Given the fact that her complaint against him led to him being jailed, she is probably going to find herself divorced anyway, so maybe she was scorned and wanted her vengeance. 

I have noticed that there is a strong emphasis on Eid celebrations which heavily influence some family members to change their fasting to fit around 'family unity'

The pressure can be overwhelming for some people who end up compromising which is shame because fasting comes first and foremost in my view.

I think that by having a physical component to the salaat, it gives it a skeletal structure, intensifying and complementing the spiritual aspect of praying, therefore making it complete.

And as Niaz mentioned, prostrating by placing your forehead on the ground in complete submission and gratefulness, is a befitting gesture to our Lord.

It brings us down a peg or two, because as humans we tend to forget our place in this vast expanse..what better way to remind us of our actual lowly status.

[People like him don't want to physically prostrate]

Salaam all,

I must say that the explanation is not good at all in my opinion. He is completely trying to change well known words, twisting them to fit his agenda.

What is shocking to me is that people may just start following his thinking because they feel that he is some Arabic language specialist so what he says must be true!

People like him don't want to physically prostrate to their Creator..he feels he is beyond this and instead has these mysterious 'study sessions several times a day'

And this definition of salaat 'following closely' doesn't make sense as he is struggling to define it properly, let alone his feeble attempts to define bowing, prostrating etc !

[reason]

Salaam,

It doesn't explicitly say why as far as I remember.

When you read all the verses as a whole, including the reason God gives us why we should establish prayer, it makes sense that there should be a formal structure to it.

I mean in the sense of physically bowing and prostrating to the great Creator who gave us life and sustenance. It seems befitting to grace His Majesty in such a way.

Salaam Joe,

It's an interesting predicament that you are in and I think that you shouldn't cut off all contact.

Its tricky to discuss religion especially if you feel that you are not well enough equipped in knowledge. I don't know if you are in that position or not, but if you feel competent in showing him a different view, it may sway him to reconsider.

Given what you have shared, I don't think you should call first etc but if he contacts you then see where the conversation goes and judge it from there.

Salaam Iman,

In verse 4.12, there is an assumption that a surviving spouse is present, whereas in 4.176 there is not a spouse, therefore different sibling shares are allocated.

Salaam

You cannot post pictures directly here but if you can upload them to a website or file sharing site, you can then share the link.

Also, I have contacted Jospeph Islam so if you want, you can email them to Joseph Islam and he can post them here.

[HM Nautical Almanac Office]

Salaam Hamzeh,

I have over several years had a different Eid from my family because of moonsighting differences of opinion. I remember once where everyone was celebrating with  their Eid and I was fasting.

Quite simply, I have always observed my Ramadhan moonsighting in the region where I live.

I use a U.K website which has data from the HM Nautical Almanac Office. This provides 'links to access Astronomical & Calendarial Sheets and maps for Solar & Lunar Eclipses, First Sighting of New Moon data and Time Zone maps. The dynamical information covers rise/set times, azimuth and altitudes, Islamic Prayer Times, First Sighting of New Crescent Moon, Moon Phases, Equinoxes & Solstices and an Almanac giving solar, lunar and planetary data for a specific location and time.'

The data is so comprehensive and you can look up years ahead. For example for the New Moon data they show:

A Easily visible
B Visible under perfect conditions
C May need optical aid to find the crescent Moon
D Will need optical aid to find the crescent Moon
E Not visible with a telescope
F Not visible, below the Danjon limit

So it showed F for Monday 3rd June and A for Tuesday 3rd so today is my last fast.


I openly tell my family and friends that I use information from the from here.

The same place is used by Muslims and mosques to calculate prayer times so why not moonsighting data? So I would encourage others to get their data from a local Astronomical Observatory.