It is confirmed by Allah that whenever we pray for the Prophet Mohammed (Sallahu alayhi wasalam ), our rewards will get multiplied. That is [to say] he gets benefit and we also get benefit. But, our benefits are more crucial as we need to get the benefit. Allah has emphasised his significance by placing his name in the call of prayer, Adhan, so that we could hear it five times a day and also on Iqama another five times a day. It is to remember him and his importance.
Can you explain the issue of using Khidr and Moosa (Alayhi salaam) as the example of the sheikh who was Murshid and the Mureed who follows him blindly?
Khidr received revelation from Allah and was guided by it, thus he didn’t do what he did by himself. This is a claim no sheikh can make, and one who makes such a claim has gone outside the fold of Islam. If he claims inspiration, then the main body of Muslim scholarship has concluded that one can’t act on inspiration because the individual who is doing so is not infallible. He is not infallible, thus his inspiration may be from satanic sources, and he is therefore not allowed to act on inspiration. Anything which ‘inspires’ him to do something is like a voice in his head telling him to do it. He should not do this and follow the Shari’ah instead. Secondly, Prophet Moosa (Alayhi salaam) was the prophet of Allah; he was knowledgeable about the Shari’ah and objected to what Khidr did. His objection was legitimate. However, he was in special circumstances where he was learning from somebody who has been given the knowledge of the unseen by Allah. These sheikhs, peers, moulanas etc, can’t claim that for themselves, and those who follow them blindly don’t have the kind of knowledge that Prophet Moosa had to be able to discern. So, to make that comparison is a false comparison. We are bound by the obvious meanings of the Shari’ah as Mohammad (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “I have left you upon clear proof, its night is like its day, no one deviates from it except one who is destroyed, and whoever lives long from amongst you will see great controversy.” Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, “No one has to blindly follow any particular man in all that he enjoins or forbids or recommends, apart from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Muslims should always refer their questions to the Muslim scholars, following this one sometimes and that one sometimes. If the follower decides to follow the view of an imam with regard to a particular matter which he thinks is better for his religious commitment or is more correct etc, that is permissible according to the majority of Muslim scholars, and neither Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafa’i or Ahmad said that this was forbidden.”
Shaykh Sulaymaan ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “Rather what the believer must do, if the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have reached him and he understands them with regard to any matter, is to act in accordance with them, no matter who he may be disagreeing with. This is what our Lord and our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have enjoined upon us, and all the scholars are unanimously agreed on that, apart from the ignorant blind followers and the hard-hearted. Such people are not scholars.” And Allah knows best.
What is the status of a Muslim who says homosexuality is genetic?
Actually that’s an opinion, where they may have no medical proof. One may have a personal inclination towards it, but the point is simply because one has an inclination does not justify its application. Simply because you have this feeling, doesn’t mean that you are justified doing it. It’s not established scientifically and it is not correct in fact. If some genetic link is found, even then it would remain haraam and forbidden. By simply saying that it is genetic one doesn’t become kaafir; it is a scientific opinion.
What is the Islamic opinion about people making Hijra to non-Muslim countries, other than it being a necessity?
Going abroad for an absolute necessity, as for a medical reason, trade, or education which is not available at all in your country, for a specified period and not having any niyyah [intention] to settle there, is justifiable and acceptable. However, people migrate because the facilities might be better in the other country; example having means to an education in your country but rather, they say, “We have it, but it’s not that good as there…” The point is that over there, you have all kinds of other harms as well and this is what needs to be considered. To accept what is available within a relatively Islamic environment, where your deen [religion] is safe, is better than putting your youth or children into a circumstance which is unsafe. Responsibility needs to be taken by both, the youth and parents about what decision is made by them, although the huge responsibility falls on the parents. This generally happens because of huge ignorance about Islam. There are many cases that came forward where children have changed their deen for marriage, visas, or get trapped by the hidden agenda of missionaries. A huge sin is what they will carry, and what they will be accountable for on the last day. May Allah safeguard our imaan [faith], guide us and keep us on the straight path. Ameen!
Why are the Jinn prohibited to enter our world and influence it?
If the Jinn were to come to our world, it would be a form of mischief and they would create confusion and cause harm. They are forbidden to cause harm to others, just as we are forbidden to cause harm. Therefore, the prohibition of doing harm to humans, involves stepping over the barrier and coming into our world. They are thus prohibited because to enter our world as it falls under the general prohibition of harm.
It is said that we should only take what is necessary from material things of this world. So does this mean we should take only little?
Yes, that is what we should do – the less we will take, the better off we are. When Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) died, he left nothing of this world. Whatever was with him before his death was all given away. He only left knowledge behind. This characteristic is referred to as Zuhd where a person takes from the material things of this world only what is needed. Whatever is in excess, we should give it away, because if we don’t give it away, then it would be of no benefit in the life to come. But, if we give it away, its value would be a lot. As Allah says in the Qur’an, “Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” And Allah knows best.
What is the Islamic opinion regarding other areas of knowledge, which may not be classified as Islamic knowledge, per se, but in fact are critical and necessary for the society’s functioning, such as medicine, dentistry, engineering and the likes of it?
The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “God, His angels and all those in the Heavens and on the Earth, even ants in their hills and fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct others in beneficial knowledge.” It is sufficient to know that knowledge can be divided into two categories:
Individual obligatory knowledge
(فرض عين): It is the knowledge of the Deen, to the degree necessary to be able to live a 24-hour day, doing that which pleases Allah. It is also knowledge of the rights and duties which are compulsory on a person and has to be done in its prescribed times, such as Hajj; a person is not required to know about it, until he is planning to perform the hajj. He may know about hajj in general, but as for the specific details about it, only becomes a necessity once the time for hajj has arrived.
Community obligatory knowledge
(فرض كفاية): It is that knowledge, which as long as some members of the community do it, then its obligation is removed from the others. This refers to knowledge of medicine, dentistry, etc. Therefore, if a person chooses to enter of the aforementioned fields of knowledge, then he should try to get as much knowledge as possible in that particular field, to fulfill the need of the community. If however, his community is a very basic group of people, and require the common types of medicine, for him to become a research scientist sitting in laboratory producing medicine for other societies, whilst his own Muslim community back home suffers by needing the same medicine, then he is going to an extreme; a person should have stopped at the point which he initially came for, otherwise he loses his way in glimpse of the success, forgetting about the community obligation. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) also said: “Knowledge from which no benefit is derived, is like a treasure out of which nothing is spent in the cause of God.”
Is mentioning and repeating Allah’s name as a means of dhikr, like saying ‘Allah Allah Allah’ correct?
The noble ayahs and authentic ahadith reported from the Prophet (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) indicated that the best of speech is the word of Tawhid: La ilaha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah), according to his saying: “There are more than seventy branches of Iman (Faith/belief), the most superior of which is saying “La Ilaha Illa Allah” He (peace be upon him) had also said: “The most preferred words to Allah are four: Subhan Allah (Glorified be Allah), Al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), la ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest).”
Moreover, Allah has mentioned this word in the Qur’an in many places, among which is His saying, “Allâh bears witness that Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He)
“So know (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) that, Lâ ilâha illallâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh), and ask forgiveness for your sin.” Thus, it is prescribed for Muslims to remember Allah using this word: La Ilaha Illa Allah in addition to other good permissible words such as Subhan Allah, Al-hamdullilah, Allahu Akbar and La hawla wala Quwwata Illa Billah (There is neither strength nor power except with Allah). As for the Sufis’ saying: words like “Allah, Allah” or “He, He”, this is verily an act of bid`ah (innovation in religion) and people should not adhere to this, for it had not been reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) or any of his Companion. Thus, repeating the name of Allah only, is as meaningless as one saying “Taariq, Taariq, Taariq” which neither praises Allah nor asks Allah for anything. Moreover, it is from Hindu traditions that they keep on repeating “OM, OM”.
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