Questions for brother Joseph Islam regarding food and zina

Started by Sword, May 28, 2013, 05:45:57 PM

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Sword

Salamun Alaykum.


I have two questions for brother Joseph Islam.



Question 1:

In your article, "Food Permissibility and Prohibitions", you have nowhere mentioned about 6:121.


Muhammad Asad: Hence, eat not of that over which God's name has not been pronounced: for this would be sinful conduct indeed. And, verily, the evil impulses [within men's hearts] whisper unto those who have made them their own that they should involve you in argument [as to what is and what is not a sin]; and if you pay heed unto them, lo! you will become [like] those who ascribe divinity to other beings or forces beside God. (6:121)


I want to know, doesn't this verse tells us that we will always have to pronounce God's name over ANY food, whether it's meat or vegetables, before eating them?



Question 2:


Very frankly speaking, more than two years ago, my fiancee and I hugged and kissed each other a lot of times, and at that time I was really ignorant and had very less idea about the word of God in the Quran. I was also a Sunni back then, and I was under the influence that we all Muslims will go to paradise anyway. But later when I read the Quran, I got so scared, I felt like I would be going to hell if I die. So my question is, does the word "zina" only means "illegal sexual intercourse", or does it have a wider meaning? Can "hugging and kissing" fall under the meaning of "zina"? Or in other words, have we done zina?

Joseph Islam

Wa alaikum assalam Sword,

Please see my responses below.

RESPONSE 1

It is best to consider verses holistically and not in isolation. Albeit it is good to attribute all good to God, including whatever we eat and drink, the specific mention of pronouncing God's name is usually cited alongside making an animal lawful to eat. Please see references 22:36 and 5:4.

RESPONSE 2

'Zina' is a specific reference to fornication / adultery which attracts a specific punishment (24:2). What you describe would arguably fall under the scope of 'fahisha' which is anything which is beyond measure and an excess. It has various levels from the very basic transgression to all excesses in religion such as anything which is evil, an enormity, immoderate, beyond measure or an excessive sin.

This excess can also apply to speech or language (as in uttering foul, evil, lewd or obscene speech). Please note how 'fahishatu' is used as excess (in slander / scandal in speech) in verse 24:19

Adultery / fornication is a form of 'Fahisha' but not all 'Fahisha' is 'zina'.


I hope that helps, God willing.
Joseph.

'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell

Sword

Salamun Alaykum.


Thank you, brother Joseph! :)


May God bless you.